Ash Wednesday is February 18 Welcome New Officers of ALPC The

Volume 14 Issue 1
Volume 14, Issue 1 February, 2015 Page 1
Welcome New Officers of ALPC
Deacons:
Class of 2016—filling a one year term—Kaitlin Campbell
Class of 2017—filling a two year term—Bernadette Barnes
Class of 2018—Mike Dean, Rich Dunfee, Amee Hoge & Bill Marshall
Elders:
Pastor
Charlie
2,
3,4
Property
5
Session
Highlights
6
Evangelism 7
W & SL
9
Class of 2018—Philip Barnes, Cheryl Dean, Jay Knox & Larry Madson
Lock-In
11
Bible read
12,13
Beau’s
14,15
Church
circles
16
Trustee:
Class of 2018—Paul Selvage
Congratulations!
Prayers
19
The Church office will be closed on Monday, February 16
Ash Wednesday is February 18
We begin Lent with an Ash Wednesday worship service at 7:30 pm. Pastor Charlie will lead a Lenten Bible study beginning Tuesday, February 24. Readings are on p. 13
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Saints Alive!
Dear Friends,
This has been a remarkable year of ministry. Commanded by Jesus to love, we responded to the call with great work in our church, in our community, and in the greater world. We were a worship center serving God week after week in consistently wonderful experiences of love and grace. We retired our old hymnals and welcomed the new purple ones. Through this inclusive hymnbook, we have reclaimed many old gospel hymns and have been introduced to many fantastic new hymns by our awesome Music Director, Muriel. The chancel and bell choirs led us in wonderful experiences of God's presence. The Word has been faithfully preached and lives have been renewed by God's love.
We were sent out to where people were hurting. Not just one, not just two, but three mission trips were accomplished by our youth and their adult supporters. In a rich illustration of the breadth of our faithfulness, one trip was out of the country, one was in West Virginia, and one was in Lorain. Lives were ennobled and suffering shared through those significant experiences. We supported our missionaries with thousands of dollars so they could bring Christ's love. In addition, we gave significant dollars to Presbytery mission internationally and nationally, and to local charities.
At home, we were a mission outpost, a bulwark of the gospel against the forces of darkness and desperation both economic and emotional. We welcomed and were the temporary home for waves of youthful missionaries who ministered to the vulnerable in Lorain, Elyria and Avon Lake. As the table of Christ, we welcomed hundreds of our neighbors to a monthly banquet prepared by our own hands and served humbly by the same. As artful disciples, we knit caps, mittens, and scarves to warm the bodies of the cold, and knit shawls drenched in prayer offered to many suffering grief and illness. We made disciples through classes, Circles, and acts of service. After a serious year of study and service, many youth affirmed their baptismal vows as they became confirmed as members. Our children grew in faith through classes and drama, participating in the Best Christmas Pageant Ever! As good stewards of our land and buildings, we undertook and paid for a costly repaving of the parking lot so that all can come and go without fear of injury to themselves or their vehicles. As a generous people, we contributed a combined $455,000 to support all the missions, programs, and works of God in and through this church.
(continued on next page)
Volume 14 Issue 1
Page 3
From Pastor Charlie (continued)
As loving disciples, we cared for each other through our robust Congregational Care Ministry and whenever we felt the Spirit directing us to listen, to hug, to weep in sympathy. We celebrated frequently the joy of living as a community of faith with the biggest party - our 60/20 celebration in the Fall. Evangelism spread the word through our website and Facebook page. As a church, prayer is essential to our life. Quietly, individually, corporately, musically, and silently we pray. We pray in our homes, in our cars, in our meetings, and most visibly in our worship. As the Book of Order explains, "Prayer may be spoken, sung, offered in silence, or enacted." When we consider different music forms in worship, what we are comparing are different types of prayer. Prayer set to a Bach melody with the text written in a 7.6.7.6 meter played skillfully on an organ has the power to draw many of us into God's presence. On the other hand, prayer written in a loose rhyme scheme set to the band Hillsong's music played by an ensemble has the power to draw others to the Holy. One form of musical prayer encourages one person's connection with Jesus and leaves the other cold, just as one form of spoken prayer engages one person and is not appealing to another. Knowing that prayer is what nurtures and sustains our relationship with Christ, we earnestly seek to provide meaningful prayer for all. Currently, we offer worship to those who resonate with traditional worship but do not for people who resonate with contemporary worship. That is why the Session asked the question last year, "Would adding a contemporary worship service align with our mission?" After thorough discussion and prayer in all the session committees and then in the Session, the answer we discovered was, "Yes." Because a portion of our church, and the outside population, is more open to prayer and God's presence when the songs are "contemporary," then we can encourage spiritual growth by providing contemporary worship. Because we wish to encourage each other's spiritual growth, we take care to provide worship that best enables each of us to connect with the Holy Spirit. And so we choose now to create a contemporary worship service. In order to do this well, the Session put together a task force from members of the congregation to research how to best create and sustain an excellent contemporary worship service. This group spent three months visiting churches, interviewing pastors and musicians, researching, and talking and praying a lot about how this would work in our church. They put together a superior plan which was given to the Session in September. The Session thought it was excellent and adopted it with minor changes. (continued on page 4)
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Saints Alive!
From Pastor Charlie (continued)
The Session has prayerfully decided that the time is ripe to implement this plan and create blessings through more and varied worship. The spiritual needs of our own and those in the community are too great to ignore. Adding a contemporary service is a faithful move which has worked well for many Protestant churches. One study shows that 50% of healthy, effective, mainline churches have both a traditional and a contemporary worship service Sunday mornings. Because we do not know how to lead the music in such a service, we will hire a halftime contemporary music director. That person will develop our own band and lead the music in the service. I will preach just as in our traditional service. This new service will begin at 11:30 am and our current service will remain at 10 am. The HR committee is getting ready to advertise for the position with the goal of the Director beginning as early as April. When the Director has a musical group ready "for prime time,” which will take two or three months, we will begin our own contemporary worship service. This is a bold move that is based on God's support. Not out of comfort, but out of passion and faith, our Session has planned ministries that cost $406,000 which is $24,000 more than the expected giving for the year. As a session, we tried to cut the budget down, but after examination, decided that there was not a program or person or mission project that we could cut without diminishing our ministries. We could slash $24,000 from mission giving, but that would hurt people already hurt by life. Trusting in God to provide, we are stepping out in faith, knowing that He will provide somehow for us to accomplish what we believe is His work. Knowing the great work that this church does, I know each of us will do all we can to financially support the church. It was a great year. Through each of our efforts, through each of our giving, through each of our prayers, through each of our cooperation with Christ, through the movement of the Holy Spirit, God revealed amazing and remarkable deeds of power and love. We are so blessed to have such a joyful and strong membership and staff. This is an amazing place. Let us follow the Lord boldly as we care for each other and the world.
In Gratitude to God and all of you, Pastor Charlie
Volume 14 Issue 1
Page 5
Property Committee
Our objective is to “Be Prepared.” To follow up on this theme, Session has approved spending for a snow blower which we have purchased. It is now chained to the pillar at the front entrance. You cannot miss it as you come into worship or the front office. Jim Janis and Gary Uhl have volunteered to operate the new machine which will be used to clear the sidewalks front and rear, Cornerstone entrance, and fire exits from the building. The next step is to relocate it to a better location and eventually to a new storage shed to be built behind Hart Hall this summer. We are still in the planning stage for this project and it will take some time to get the Session approval, permits from the city, and quotes from the suppliers, and letting of contracts. In addition: 1. We are in the process of updating our capital improvement project list and budgeting for the next five years for presentation to the congregation at the annual meeting in January. 2. We have received the reimbursement from the insurance company for the lightning damage back in September. The committee is always looking for new members to help with the planning and work required keeping our house of worship a place that is welcoming and functional. If you have any interest, please contact any of the committee members to find out more. (Larry Madson, Jim Glass, Craig Shoemaker, Jack Storm, Dick Francis, Lew Bush, Doug Day, Rich Dunfee).
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Saints Alive!
Session Meeting Highlights
Session held meetings on December 15, 2014 and January 19, 2015.
David Brunner led devotions in December by sharing his faith journey and expressing the sense of peace he feels from being part of the Avon Lake Presbyterian Church family.
Lee Lohr led devotions in January by sharing her faith journey and how her children prompted her to find a church more quickly.
The purchase of a snow blower was approved in order that all church walks can be cleared as required by Avon Lake safety codes.
Representatives of Next Step Ministries and ALPC met recently. Next Step agreed not to register more than 60 people in any given week next summer. Churches register in groups of 20 people. The Next Step Staff, with cooperation with the Property Committee will build us a much needed storage shed. Session removed the following people from the membership roll: Brett & Julie Smith, Marilyn Bulman, and Derek Fabry. They no longer live in the area.
Elders Karen Francy and Penny Helbig reported on the November presbytery meeting. The Rev. Sandy Seaton-Todd was elected and installed as Presbytery Moderator. Elder Eric Muller-Girard (Forest Hill Church) was elected and installed as Presbytery Vice-Moderator.
Pastor Charlie began serving on the Presbytery’s Mission Council, which will soon start a visioning process for the Presbytery. Also serving the Presbytery are Paul Selvage on the Administration Ministry/Board of Trustees;; Carol Nussle on the Permanent Judicial Commission;; Beau Dansizen on Leadership Development Ministry;; Beth Shoemaker on the Committee on Ministry;; and Lee Lohr on Presbytery Staff.
Julie Burr, the new Web and Social Media Administrator, updated the session on how information about our church and its activities is getting out to the community.
After receiving updates on financial pledges from members, session wrestled with the 2015 budget and approved a deficit budget ($24,000 which is 6% of the $406,000 budget). The Session is very excited about the ministry planned for this year including the addition of a contemporary worship service.
Submitted by Lee Lohr, Clerk of Session Volume 14 Issue 1
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Evangelism is a Lifestyle of Love
My daughter and I were driving through a parking lot a few weeks ago, when we saw a woman laying on the ground, bleeding. We pulled over, ran to her and asked her if she was all right. She said she had lost her balance, hit the door and thought she might have cut her forehead. The store clerk standing there said that the paramedics were on the way. The woman was propped on one elbow and we asked her if she would like for us to help her sit up a bit. She nodded, so we helped her move a little and held her until the ambulance arrived. As they sat her on a stretcher, she became very agitated, complaining about the cost of an ambulance, saying she was ok, and wanting to drive home. She was told she could not drive, since the forehead would need stitches and there was another wound on the back of her head where she hit the concrete.
We asked her if we could call family for her and she reached for my daughter's cell phone and said "I'll do it!" After several unsuccessful attempts, she reached for her cane and tried to get up. Without thinking, I suggested that I drive her in her car to a nearby hospital with my daughter following in her car. She said "I guess that's what I'm going to have to do!" As we all helped her up, it became apparent that she had very limited use of her legs. The paramedic and I slowly helped her to and into her car and I got into the driver's seat. I realized immediately that there were HAND CONTROLS! She turned to me and said, "I need you to listen to me! First, remove the knob on the steering wheel and hand it to me!" I did and as I studied the apparatus set up for controlling the brake and gas pedals. She said, "Just use the pedals on the floor!" I backed out of the parking space, started forward slowly and then realized to my horror that I could not access the brake pedal! The manual apparatus was covering the brake pedal! I coasted to a stop, took a deep breath, then realized that I could hold the hand control over with my left hand, which freed up half the brake pedal. Off we went to the hospital that way. On the way, she kept saying things like "I could have done this! I've fallen before! Give me your phone to try my son again!" When we arrived at the hospital emergency entrance and as she was being helped out, she said to me "You need to park right over there! Back the car in and leave me at least three feet of space on the driver's side!"
(continued on p. 10)
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Saints Alive!
Mission Committee
Thank you for your support of the Thanksgiving offering for CRS, the Christmas Joy or Christmas Eve offering for LCM and Dougbe River Presbyterian School of Liberia. Our donations will help "our neighbors" near and far. The Mission Committee voted to send $500.00 to Haven Center from funds that were originally set aside to help host Family Promise families. Since, hosting has not been possible this past year, we felt Haven Center, the homeless center that is part of Neighborhood Alliance, would be a great alternative. You may have returned a paper bag with personal and or home hygiene items to church. Thank you so much. No worries if you forgot...you may still return it. If it is not here by the "turn in date" 2/1 it's okay. We can still make sure your donations make it to someone in need. Have you noticed the blue plastic containers near the coat racks? They are for non-perishable food donations or health and hygiene items. This time of year soup, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, and "hearty meal" supplies are very welcome. Maybe some coffee, tea or hot chocolate would be welcome as well. Non edible things like toilet tissue, deodorant, body wash and soap are always welcome.
Thanks to Marian Conn, Sue Mabe and Jim Janis for taking donations
to CRS, LCM, YWCA and Haven Center! Did you hear the news? We were awarded a grant via LCM for food and supplies for our monthly lunch bunch lunches. We are blessed to be able to continue to provide this free meal each month. We served over 1,800 meals last year! Want to help? We especially need people to help with clean up. Carol Madson schedules volunteers. 934-2643. If you are not able to help physically, you may want to consider a financial donation. Checks may be made payable to ALPC-with Lunch bunch mission in the memo portion will be put to use buying supplies for the meals. Want to learn more about the Mission committee? Join us the 1st Monday of the month at 7:00 pm in the Session Room. Volume 14 Issue 1
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Worship and Spiritual Life Committee
All the wreaths, trees, banners, lights and bows have been tucked away until next year, but we are still marveling at this past Christmas season at ALPC. We enjoyed singing favorite carols and hearing beautiful music from our talented choir and bell choir. We saw wonderful actors and behind the scenes talent in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! Kudos to Beau who directed, produced it and created the amazing videos! We felt the Christmas Spirit with decorations and colors befitting a royal king. And we sensed God’s presence during worship throughout Advent and during all three inspiring Christmas Eve services. It was a great season of worship and we thank all who shared their gifts of time and talent to make it all possible.
We look forward now to the solemn religious season of Lent. It begins Ash Wednesday, February 18, and continues through Thursday, April 2nd. We hope you will join us for a special evening service on Ash Wednesday at 7:30p.m. Help Wanted: One of the duties of the Worship and Spiritual Life Committee is to coordinate Communion preparations. We are in need of another team to help every few months, preparing the bread and juice trays. We have detailed instructions, complete with pictures, and trained members who are willing to help you get started. There are several teams, so you will not be required to prepare communion each month. If you have any interest, please call the office and let us know. Don’t be shy – volunteer today!
Each week, Charlie and Muriel plan the service and music, including selecting what hymns we will sing. We have been enjoying many new and old hymns each Sunday and would love to hear from you too. If there are songs you’d like to sing more often, please let Muriel or Charlie know – we are happy to take requests!
If you are interested in joining the Worship and Spiritual Life committee, visitors are always welcome. We meet the first Monday of each month, at 7:30 pm in the church office. Page 10
Saints Alive!
Evangelism (continued)
With sweat running down my face and my daughter's help, I backed up her car, leaving her plenty of space to get in. (Handicapped places were all taken). We took her keys and ticket to her and wished her the best. She nodded without looking at us and we left.
Thoughts: It is often the person who is the most difficult to love that needs it the most. I understood two things;; she was not angry with me but at herself, and she had endured many times where she had to depend on someone and hated being dependent. Helping others and sharing love needs to be done with no expectations.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father.
Evangelism is simply a lifestyle of love.
Youth Group and
Teambuilding
Date
1/18/2015
2/6 - 2/7
2/15/2015
Event
Dodgeball
Lock-In
Pastry Sale Begins
2/22/2015
3/1/2015
Sledding
NERF
Whirleyball/
Lasertag
Youth Group
Skyzone
Fujiyama
Hunger Games
Mission Trip
3/15/2015
3/29/2014
4/12/2015
4/26/2015
5/17/2015
6/7 - 6/13
The March edition of Saints Alive! will be mailed
on Friday, February 27, 2015.
Cost
$0.00
$10.00
$0.00
$5 - $25
$0.00
$25.00
$0.00
$10.00
$20.00
$10.00
Volume 14 Issue 1
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On February 6th at 9 pm, we will have our first ALPC youth lock in ... in years! Participants will be dropped off at the church and remain here for the night, and will go home the next morning between 9 and 10 am, in plenty of time for Ski Club and other activities. There will be an abundance of games, food, and fun for all! Doors will be locked at 10 pm and no students will be permitted to leave unless there is an emergency, until the next morning at 8 am. ALL students will be expected to help clean up the morning of the 7th before they leave.
This event is open to those in grades 7 through 12 and their friends. All participants MUST have a permission slip filled out for the event, and MUST sign up via text, email or in person. I am limiting this lock in to 20 students for safety reasons, so please be sure to sign up today! Once this event is full, there will be a waiting list to participate. Beau
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Saints Alive!
Daily Bible Readings with Questions for February
Monday Bible study dates in BOLD. (No Bible study on February 16 – office closed)
Read the previous seven days for class. Text for Sunday sermons marked with **
2/1
2/2
2/3
2/4
2/5
2/6
2/7
2/8
2/9
2/10
2/11
2/12
2/13
2/14
2/15
2/16
2/17
2/18
2/19
2/20
2/21
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
James
1:1-8 **How can a trial bring joy?
1:9-16 The source of temptation is not God but __. 1:17-21 Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to _______.
1:22-27 Be _______ of the word, and not merely hearers.
2:1-7 Do we treat all as equally as we think we do?
2:8-13 What is the "royal law"?
2:14-17 So faith by itself, if it has no ______ is dead.
2:18-26 **James interprets Abraham's life differently than Paul.
3:1-5a The power of the tongue.
3:5b-12 Realize the power of our words to create or destroy.
3:13-18 Let us put to death envy.
4:1-2b Those conflicts where do they come from?
4:2c-3 There are some things we are not to pray for.
4:4-10 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
4:11-12 **Do not judge.
4:13-17 Remember our limits.
5:1-6 It is important we use our wealth to help others.
5:7-12 (AW) Do not give up hope in Jesus' return.
5:13-14 Pray, pray, pray!
5:15-16 Pray with faith.
5:17-20 Let us care for our neighbors’ spiritual life.
Jesus Calls Disciples
2/22 Mark 1:16-20 **"Follow me and I will make you fish for people!"
2/23 Mark 2:13-14 The call of Levi.
2/24 Mark 2:15-17 Who does Jesus call?
2/25 Mark 2:18-20 How are Jesus' disciples different than John's? 2/26 Mark 8:27-29 The maturation of a disciple.
2/27 Mark 8:34-38 Is it hard to be a disciple?
2/28 Mark 9:33-37 What must we become like to be the greatest disciple?
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Lenten Bible study with Pastor Charlie
Tuesday evenings, beginning February 24th.
This year we will study Jesus' ministry in the Gospel of Mark. Each week will focus on a different action that Jesus did and continues to do today. The Tuesday evening classes will coordinate with the congregational daily readings and the Sunday sermon. Pastor Charlie will teach. Dessert will be served at 6:30 pm in Hart Hall. The classes will start at 7:00 pm and end at 8:00 pm.
February 24 March 3 March 10 March 17 March 24 Jesus Calls Disciples
Jesus heals body and soul
Jesus does miracles
Jesus invites into the kingdom of God's love
Jesus is revealed as the Son of God
Calendars for
Mission…
THANK YOU! Carolyn Rose would like to thank everyone who purchased a 2015 calendar this year. As promised, all proceeds from the calendars sold was given to the ALPC Mission Program and the Youth Missions Program. The total amount raised for ALPC through calendar sales was $400! The total amount will be split between the two programs, with each receiving $200. (There are still calendars available for anyone who wishes to buy one.)
Snow Shoveling Help Needed
Fun for the whole family! We are looking for volunteers to sign up to be responsible for shoveling the snow from our sidewalks and doorways during the winter months. There is a sign up sheet in the foyer (or call the church office at 933-6240). You will need to have the sidewalks cleared by 8:00 am Monday through Friday, by 10:30 am on Saturdays and by 8:30 am on Sunday mornings. We do have a snow blower for the sidewalks. Page 14
Saints Alive!
Musings of
A Seminarian
I wish you could hear them. Every day while I am away at seminary, I have the privilege of hearing sermons from a great diversity of people;; from the most educated professor of homiletics to the third year 24-year-old student. They faithfully exegete the passages that are chosen in the scripture, referring back to the Greek or Hebrew roots, examining the cultural context of a troubled time. For some of them, I am sure, there is some anxiety - after all, they are speaking in front of a group of peers and professors steeped in knowledge. From the back of the room you can see the professors whisper to each other every now and again, and while it may be just a mention of the lunch menu available in the next hour, you can’t help but wonder. Did the speaker pronounce this or that correctly? Did they place too much emotion? Not enough? Was it personal enough? Too much?
I’m not saying that every sermon was really good. There are many students in seminary who have no desire to preach every week as their gifts lie in other areas, such as chaplaincy. But they still do a well enough job that God’s Word is delivered and we understand.
But so many are so good. So good that you feel energized to go and do more. Sometimes they make you angry, sometimes sad. Usually they are a rallying cry to do the work that Christ commands us, to love God and our neighbors. This year, many of the sermons were about change within the church, changes in focus, worship styles, methods and practice. Some are calling for a resurgence of the ancient first-century church. Others believe that the future holds an abundance of churches without walls, free-form spiritual fellowships. Still, there is a strong calling to revive the liturgical rites and rituals of days long gone. Others talk of a time when membership meant more than a name on a roster and a per-capita fee - when there were expectations far above what anyone I know in today’s Presbyterian church would be okay with taking on. But regardless of the vision, there was the consensus that the church cannot be static. It doesn’t work that way anymore. The church needs to change from the current model if it is to survive another generation. (continued on next page)
Volume 14 Issue 1
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Musings of A Seminarian (continued)
ALPC has had a steady diet of change over the past several years. Parts of our ministry have blossomed beyond what any of us had ever imagined. The Holy Spirit works that way, surprising us around every turn. Our congregation is happy, our youth are happy, our children are happy. But is that the measure of a church - the happiness of the congregation? Is it the number of members, or maybe the number of members of a certain age demographic? Is it the diversity within, or the diversity of those we serve? Is it the happiness of the staff? Is it the happiness of those our ministry touches? Is it the happiness of God?
Perhaps it is a balance of all of these things. As our church bends and changes in reaction to the spirit, the best we can do is hold on, because change is part of the ride.
I do not know what the church of 2020 and beyond looks like, and that can be a scary and exciting thing for a seminarian. But I do know that there is a steady supply of amazing pastors ready to react to the new thing that God is doing with us all. These women and men are prepared to take the Word to where it needs to go, and to deliver it however the Spirit sees fit.
So how do I feel about where the church should be? Well, I’m somewhere in this article, though not quite subscribing to any one way entirely. For now, I like what God is doing with us all. ALPC, so long as it maintains this reactive elasticity, will do some amazing things in his glory.
And that is quite enough for me.
Beau
Interested in Church Membership?
If you are interested in joining our church, we will have membership classes On March 8, 15 and 22nd. Watch for the March Saints Alive! newsletter for more information on what the classes entail which will be sent out on February 27th;; or call the church office
at 440-933-6240.
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Saints Alive!
Presbyterian Women Circle Meetings
Tuesday, January 27, at 6:30 pm at Winking Lizard/Avon ...…..….Serendipity Circle
Sunday, February 8, at 4:00 pm at Cindi Dansizen’s home ……………...Chick Flicks
Wednesday, February 11, at 7:00 pm at a member’s home………...…....Sarah Circle
Tuesday, February 20, at 10:30 am in the church library ……….…….……Ruth Circle
Wednesday, February 18, 9:30 am in the church library …….…….…...Circle of Hope
Thursday, February 19, at 7:00 pm at a member’s home……….…..Circle of SMILES
Tuesday, February 24, at 7:30 pm in the church library...……...…….Circle of Friends
Thursday, February 26, at 1:00 pm in the church library ………………..Circle of Love
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In the Church Library
Coming Home – There’s a reason God can feel so distant and our hearts so restless. When we settle for less than intimacy with God, we find only meaninglessness and vanity.
The Love Languages of God – People have love languages for each other. Similarly, God has love languages for us! Explore the possibility of speaking love languages to God.
The complete book of Bible basics -- This introduces more than 1,200 key people, places, events, and facts about the Bible and the church in a friendly, easy-to-use format.
Prayer: my soul’s adventure with God – Discover the seven levels of the awesome power of prayer that can transform your world and lead you on a life-long adventure with God. Robert Schuller shares a personal look into his intimate prayer life.
The Parables – understanding what Jesus meant -- Jesus’s stories have the effect of leaving you saying, “Hey! That’s me!” The parables are also windows into the heart and mind of God Himself.
Live ALL your life! -- While we may accumulate birthdays, we don’t have to grow old in mind and spirit. Living is a pilgrimage that should be lived in trust rather than fear, making the most of our time now, acquiring new skills and interests.
Avon Lake Presbyterian Church
Mission Statement
In awe, we Receive God’s Grace and Gospel. In gratitude, we Respond with Worship and Servanthood. In love, we Represent Jesus Christ as we minister to transform lives in family, community, and the world.
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Saints Alive!
Per Capita
Chick Flicks
Sunday, February 8
Dinner and a Movie
Cindi Dansizen will host our Dinner and a Movie Chick Flicks Group on Sunday, February 8, at 4:00 pm. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Cindi at 440-933-6240 or [email protected]. Plan on bringing a dish to share that is connected with the theme of the movie. We will enjoy tasty meals, wonderful spiritual discussions, and time getting to know each other in the process. The theme of the movie can powerfully teach us about the God we serve and how to follow Him better. Let's grow in our faith and friendships together! The Rev. Roger Perks and his lovely wife, Pat, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on February 20th!
In your January monthly offering envelope packet there is a special offering envelope specifically for your contribution to the Per Capita. Per Capita is a “head tax” assessed by the denomination to help with the cost of the work in the local Presbytery, the Synod and the work of the General Assembly. This year, our Per Capita is $27.00 per member – Of that, $16.68 is for the Presbytery of the Western Reserve;; $7.07 goes to General Assembly;; and $3.25 goes to the Synod of the Covenant. Please make your check out to ALPC in the amount of $27.00 for each member of your family who is a Confirmed member. Please Mark “Per Capita” on your check. Volume 14 Issue 1
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Please Pray for
Adam (Sue Scott’s neighbor), Lloyd Boyette (Susan Storm’s nephew), Amee Hogee’s Cousin Mike, Mary Esther Barnes, Benny and Mary Jane (Cheryl Dean’s parents), Rosaline Carameli, Carol (Mike Reighard’s mom), Sheryl Dickey, Elinor Dimick, Carol Holzepfel (Donna Bradley’s sister-in-law), Debbie (Penny Helbig’s friend), Lee Hunt (Donna Bradley’s brother-in-law), John (Don Hall’s brother-in-law), Russ Johnson (Cris Till’s father), Erleen Lind, Dorothy Mariner, David Monos (friend of Roberta and Craig Young), Mark Musgrave (Nanette Wiedl’s father), Mary (Evelyn Cuthbert’s sister), Betty Prince (Ken’s mom), Rick (Debbie King’s brother), Sarah (Penny Helbig’s aunt), Gerry and Burt Sanders, Paul Schmidt (friend of Donna Bradley), Dan Shramo’s son and Craig Young’s father and Roberta Young.
Serving in our Armed Forces
Bradley Biddle (Ruth Murphy’s grandson), Patrick Compton (Larry and Carol Madson’s grandson), Ben and Jaina Donberg (Cheryl & Mark’s Monjot’s nephew & wife), Shane Glass, Richard Hebert (father of Waverly, Grace and Mallory), Jason Hermann (Linda & Tim Kurak’s grandson), Evan Johnson (the Janis’ nephew), Eric Lescarbeau, Kevin Poyer (friend of the Lawson family), Joshua Reichlin (Ken Reichlin’s nephew), Andy Ryder, Ryan and Kevin Tinsley (Nancy McBride’s grandsons), Adam Usher (Kay Usher’s grandson) Jamie Waddell and Derek Weeden.
If you or a loved one has prayer concerns or is in the hospital, please let the church office know:
440-933-6240 or [email protected].
Pastor
Charles E. Swartz
Pastor Emeritus Alfred A. Hart
Dir. of Music
Muriel Homer
Financial Sect
Lynn Morway
Office Admin
Cindi Dansizen
Social Media
Julie Burr
Treasurer
Marcy Uhl
Wedding Cord
Susan Vasu
Youth/Family Dir.
Beau Dansizen
Dir. of Preschool
Julie Erker
10:00 am
(440) 933-6240
www.AvonLakePC.org
www.facebook.com/avonlakepc
[email protected]
Sunday Worship
Avon Lake Presbyterian Church
32340 Electric Blvd.
Avon Lake, OH 44012
Return Service Requested
Non Profit Organization
BULK RATE
U.S. Postage
Avon Lake, OH 44012
Permit No. 29
Page 20
Saints Alive!