Post on 28-Oct-2020
Stone Presbyterian Church September 2018 Newsletter 140 Chestnut Street Watertown NY 13601 Summer Sunday Worship Service 10:00 am
Pastor’s Pondering Being Presbyterian…
As I reflect… I did not choose to be Presbyterian, being Presbyterian chose me. As a military brat, I went through confirmation at the base chapel and was confirmed Methodist. While in middle school I attended and became a member of a Presbyterian Church in Florida. I ended up attending a Presbyterian affiliated college. But it was not until I was in graduate school studying reformed theology that I truly understood what it meant to be Presbyterian. I remember sitting in class one day thinking, “that is why I like being Presbyterian”. Oh yea… also, it fits my personality… I thought I would share something I like about being Presbyterian…The idea of grace and gratitude.
Our reformed theology is based on the fact we believe that our God is a gracious God. We experience this grace through the fact God comes to us in creation, in law, in the prophets, and ultimately in the person of Jesus Christ. We experience God’s grace through the fact we are sustained by the Holy Spirit.
This basic theology which is at the center of our identity as Presbyterian is summed up in this piece of baptismal liturgy written by The French Reformed Church…
Little one, for you Jesus Christ came into the world: for you he lived and showed God’s love;
for you he suffered the darkness of Calvary and cried at the last, “It is accomplished”;
for you he triumphed over death and rose in newness of life; for you he ascended to reign at God’s right hand.
All this he did for you, little one, though you do not know it yet.
And so the word of Scripture is fulfilled: “We love because God loved us first.”
Because of this grace we should show our gratitude. We should be grateful for
our lives, our treasures and our community. Not just with a quick thank you but in the way we live our life.
Karl Barth wrote that grace and gratitude “belong together like heaven and earth. Grace evokes gratitude like the voice an echo. Gratitude follows grace like thunder [follows] lightning.” If God is, in essence, grace, then we are, in essence, gratitude.
There are times when the bureaucracy of the denomination can be frustrating… but I am thankful for the theology that ungirds the way we go about doing ministry and mission. We do it with a sense of grace and gratitude.
With Grace and Gratitude, Pastor Libby
Session Update – At it’s August 7th meeting:
* Pastor Libby shared that the next step in the New Beginnings program is to attend a “Come and See” presentation to learn more about the process. David Bennett, Northern New York Presbytery Resource Presbyter, will be setting this up. It will probably happen in October.
* Nurture Committee shared that the next Family and Friends Dinner program, September 15, will be a church talent show. All types of talent are welcome.
* It was also shared that a new Book/Bible Study will start on Wednesday, September 12. It will meet on Wednesdays at noon. The group will be reading/discussing Rachel Held Evans’ book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking On Water, and Loving The Bible Again.
* All agreed that the Outdoor Worship Service and Picnic on August 5th went very well. There was enthusiasm to do it again; maybe in the Fall. A big thank-you to the members of the Nurture Committee, Worship & Music Committee, and Mission Committee for all its efforts in making it a success.
* Building and Grounds reported that the new doors into the building from the parking lot, hopefully, will be installed on Monday, August 13.
* Session approved two requests for the building to be used by the Quilting Group on Sept 26 and Oct. 27.
* Pastor Libby reported that she will be on vacation Aug 20 – 26. Joanne Nugent-Ward will provide pulpit supply on Sunday, August 26. Also, she will be attending a conference October 16-22, 2018. Toby Schilling will provide pulpit supply on Oct 21.
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Please send a card or make a phone call to our members and friends who are in hospitals or recuperating at home, who are in care facilities or who are homebound. It will brighten their day (and yours at the same time). Thank you, Your Pastoral Care Committee
At Samaritan Keep Home—133 Pratt Street, Watertown
Ed Cornish—Room 804
Henry Zygadlo—Room 323 (Toni Zygadlo’s husband)
At Ives Hill Lodge—1201 Jewell Drive, Watertown
Esther Branche—Room 103 (Jessica Branche’s grandmother)
At Samaritan Summit Village—22691 Campus Drive, Watertown
Doris Miller—Room 461
Bill Kimball—Room A229
Recovering at Home
Cindy Rarick
216 Weldon Drive, Watertown
Marty Jones
512-B Kieff Drive, Watertown
In Hospital
Elaine Chapman —Room 1402
St. Joseph’s Hospital, 742 James St., Syracuse, NY 13203
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Meetings & EventsMeetings & Events
September 2
Communion at our
10:00 am Sunday Worship Service.
September 3
Labor Day holiday on Monday. The church office will be closed Monday and Tuesday the 4th.
September 6
Nurture Committee Meeting will be Thursday at 4:30 pm.
September 9
Choir Rehearsals begin today at 9:30 am.
Sunday Worship Service begins at 10:45 am.
Following will be a Fellowship Hour held in Friendship Hall. Join us for refreshments and conversation. Group B will
be asked to bring the treats.
September 12
A Book Study will be Thursday at noon. We will be discussing Rachel Held Evans’ book: Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking On Water, and Loving the Bible Again.
Everyone is invited to join.
See Pastor Libby for a copy of the book.
Craft Club Meeting
at 5:30 pm
September 13
Primary Elections will be Thursday with Stone Church as one of the polling sites for voting from 12 noon to 9:00 pm.
September 15
Family and Friends Dinner will be Saturday at 5:30 pm. A Talent Show will be featured.
September 18
Session Meeting will be Tuesday at 6:30 pm.
September 19
A Book Study will be Thursday at noon. We will be discussing Rachel Held Evans’ book: Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking On Water, and Loving the Bible Again. Everyone is invited to join. See Pastor Libby for a copy of the book.
Mission Committee
at 4:30 pm
September 20
Handbell Choir rehearsals begin from 5:40—6:40 pm.
September 26
A Quilting Class will be going on from 8:15 am to 3:30 pm on Wednesday.
Once again a Book Study will be at noon.
Craft Club Meeting
at 5:30 pm
September 27
A Presbytery Meeting will begin on Thursday in Hammond, NY. Through Saturday.
Stone Presbyterian
Church
140 Chestnut St., Watertown
Saturday, October 13th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Raffles Baked Goods
Candy Crafts Tea Room
Luncheon & Take-outs beginning at 11:00 am
featuring
Soups, Casseroles,
Bread and Butter,
Green Salad, and Drinks
Get great bargains at great prices!!!
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Friends and Family
Night Dinner
Saturday, 5:30 pm
September 15th
⛹
Calling All Talent!!!
Bring your own dish to pass and a friend or two!!
Magic tricks, balancing acts, whistling, singing, dancing, instrumentals… bring your talent(s) and be amazed at the things your friends might do to entertain you!!
Please sign up on sheet in Friendship Hall.
It is sure to be a fun
filled evening !!
September Hospital Calling List
Week of…
Jon Hall September 2
Bob Siver September 9
Debbie Siver September 16
Bob Schweitzer September 23
Lorie Autote September 30
World Communion Sunday and
Peace & Global Witness Special Offering
Sunday, October 7, 2018
In worship on October 7th we will join with other Christians around the world in gathering around the Lord’s Table and partaking of the feast that our Lord has prepared for us. We will also be collecting a special offering sponsored by the Presbyterian Church (USA). Since 1940, World Communion Sunday is an ecumenical celebration of our oneness in the Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, bringing churches together in Christian unity. The Peace & Global Witness Offering builds on the Presbyterian Commitment to Peacemaking established in 1980. 25% of the Offering stays with local congregations. 25% goes to the Presbytery of Northern New York mid to unite congregations to support peacemaking in their regions. 50% of this Offering supports the work for peace and reconciliation being done by Presbyterians across the globe.
Give generously and with a grateful heart.
Peace at All Time and Ways
2 Thessalonians 3:15
Page 6 September Birthdays
Emily Purvines September 1
Ruth May September 2
Roxanne Young September 2
Dan Reed September 7
Thomas Green September 8
Sydney Quirk September 8
Jamie Charlebois September 11
Lynkin Cedar September 12
Drew Autote September 13
Anne Ciscell September 13
Lorie Autote September 14
Cynthia Rarick September 14
Debra Siver September 14
James Jennison September 15
Stuart Price September 16
Elizabeth Newby September 21
Kim Murray September 26
Barbara Williams September 28
Paul May September 30
Glenn & Elaine Chapman September 3
Justin & Elizabeth Reed
September 3
Justin & Andrea Hall September 14
Barry & Chris Jennison
September 26
SeptemberAnniversaries
September 2
15th Sunday after Pentecost
Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9;
James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
September 9
16th Sunday after Pentecost
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; Psalm 125;
James 2:1-10 (11-13), 14-17; Mark 7:24-37
September 16 17th Sunday after Pentecost
Proverbs 1:20-33; Psalm 19; James 3:1-2;
Mark 8:27-38
September 23 18th Sunday after Pentecost
Proverbs 31:10-31; Psalm 1; James 3:13-4:3,
7-8a; Mark 9:30-37
September 30 19th Sunday after Pentecost
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22; Psalm 124;
James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50
Lectionary Texts for September 2018
The 2018 flower schedule is on the bulletin board in the hallway.
The fee for the flowers is $10.00.
Please give the office your bulletin information and the fee for the flowers.
Please place your money in a yellow Flower Fund envelope found to the left of the flower schedule and put it in the secretary’s mailbox or in the collection plate during worship. Do not leave any money on the secretary’s desk.
September Flower Delivery
Lorie Autote
Sunday Flowers Sign Up
Please DO NOT throw plants, weeds, grasses, vines, vegetable vines of any kind, or stalky stems in the compost bin. Throw these in the woods. ONLY coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit, vegetables, and fruit and vegetable scraps should be thrown in the compost bin.
Please don’t forget to weed in the wood chips around the outside of your garden bed and in the walkways also. Please throw any weeds, “weed trees” and grasses you pull in the woods.
Thank you for your help and cooperation and Happy Gardening. If you have any questions please call Pat Conti (315) 782-5847.
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Community Garden Reminder:
Prayer Chain
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Stone Church has an email Prayer Line to inform our members of special church news and prayer requests.
Please e-mail
(stonep@centralny.twcbc.com) or phone (788-5630) the office if you would like to be part of our prayer ministry or if you have a prayer request.
Newsletter Contents
Pastor’s Pondering____________1
Session Updates, Homebound__ 2
September Meetings & Events___3
Bazaar Flyer_________________4
World Communion, Church Dinner,
Hospital Calling List___________5
Lectionary, Birthdays &
Anniversaries, Flowers_________6
Community Garden____________7
Prayer Chain, Church Officers,
Caring for the Congregation,
Contents____________________8
Events Calendar_______________
Prayer Calendar_______________
Called by God to welcome, nurture, and serve in the
name of Christ.
Office 315-788-5630 Email Stonep@centralny.twcbc.com Website www.stonepreschurch.com Facebook StonePresbyterianChurch Office Hours 9:00 A.M.- 1:00 P.M. Tuesday - Friday
Worship Ministers Pastor The Reverend Elizabeth (Libby) Moses
Organist Chris Hyde-Hall
Choir Director Jeannie Greenwood
Handbell Choir Director Nancy Boynton Church Staff
Secretary Linda White Sexton Francis Conti
Class of 2019
Jessica Branche
Jon Hall
Kathie Strader
Class of 2020
Jeannie Greenwood
Stuart Price
Bob Siver
Class of 2021
Orvis Calhoun
Chris Dear
Maxine Perkins
Clerk of Session
Chris Dear
Ruling Elders on the Session
The Pastor and the spiritual leaders place a priority on
visiting hospitalized members of the congregation. While
Samaritan Medical Center Chaplain calls when he knows
someone from Stone Presbyterian Church is in this facility,
as a general rule hospitals no longer provide information on
admissions and dismissals.
Please notify the church office if someone you know should
be visited in the hospital or while recovering at home or at a
care center. Also, if you or someone you know would enjoy
a visit from Pastor Libby or a Ruling Elder, or would
appreciate receiving communion at home, please phone the
church office (788-5630),
e-mail the church office (Stonep@centralny.twcbc.com),
or place a note in the collection plate on Sunday.
Caring for the Congregation