We View Life Through the Cross - First Presbyterian Church2 THE VIEW from Presbyterian Hill October...

FROM Presbyterian Hill

THE VIEW

October 2019 Volume XVI Issue X

Inside this Issue

Stewardship 1

Session News 2

Preparing for Advent 2

A Note from the Pastor 3

Missions News 4

Kirkin’ O’ the Tartan 4

Blessing of the Animals 5

PW Calendar & News 5

Calendar 6

Birthdays 7

Fall Activities 7

Let’s Keep it Clean 7

The Growing Place 8

What’s new for Visitors 8

Lunch Bunch 9

PW Workshop 9

Wednesday Nights 10

Men’s Outing 10

Worship News 11

Flowers 11

Church Info 12

We View Life Through the Cross

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CLEVELAND 147 N. Main Street, Cleveland, GA 30528 (706)865-6499

Priorities and Stewardship

On July 21, 2019, Arch’s sermon was titled “Priorities.” He used the story of Martha and Mary to set the scene of people having priori-ties and how they differ. The most often ex-pressed set of priorities is

My God (or my faith)

My Family

My work (or my country)

in that order. Wall decorations listing these are readily available in gift shops. Then his sermon suggested we look at our check-books to reveal what our priorities might be. The same could be true if we looked at our calendar instead. How much of our time is spent in worship, mission service, prayer, church workdays, volunteering, meals with family and conversation with children or spouse when compared with work, overtime, commuting and traf-fic, television, or shopping.

Notice in Luke’s story of Martha and Mary, Jesus does not con-demn Martha’s priorities but rather notes she is distracted from them. Arch suggested to us that Luke is trying to tell us that Mar-tha was unhappy because she was not paying attention to her number one priority—namely her faith in Jesus. Arch noted, “The words of Jesus that Luke records are an assurance that in the midst of distractions and distortions of our lives, Jesus is still there and can be the focus of our attention.”

With memories of this sermon on your mind, review your check-book, calendar, and your priorities as you prayerfully consider your 2020 giving of your time, talent, and financial resources.

Our church will celebrate Stewardship 2020 with Consecration Sunday on November 10, 2019, by dedicating our 2020 pledges

of giving, time, and talent during worship. The Administration and Finance Team invites you to join us for lunch following worship.

By: Judy Winski

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THE VIEW from Presbyterian Hill October 2019

Session News

At the September meeting, your session:

Approved the August financial report,

Celebrated the joy of the adoptive parents who were joined by family and friends in the fellowship hall,

Considered ideas about the mortgage balance and the future of the church van,

Authorized Building and Grounds to allocate closet space for various groups in the church who need storage.

Joined in thanking Bill Naiver Jr. and Kim Ciriello for work on the streaming of our wor-ship,

Heard plans for the Blessing of the Animals,

Heard a report from Worship about the choir budget for special music,

Heard a report from the Congregational Nominating Committee on their progress,

Prayed for the concerns of the church.

Next meeting planned for October 13th.

Wednesday nights for October - Preparing for Advent

Do you ever get to Christmas and think to yourself , “Next year I’m going to do better preparing my heart for Christmas.” Well it’s one of those things I’ve done in the past, but this year’s going to be different. Beginning Wednesday, October 2, we will start a 4 week Advent study by Max Lucado, Because of Bethlehem. We are starting early so that all the holiday festivities don’t crowd out our time to think about the real meaning of Christmas.

Max Lucado says, “Because of Bethlehem we no longer have marks on our record, just grace.We have the promise that God is always near us, always for us, always within us- and that we have a friend and Savior in heaven. Long after the guests have left, the Car-

olers have gone home, and the lights have come down, these promises endure.”

Come be a part of this study. Supper starts at 5:30 with the study beginning about 6:20. The sessions include a video and a discussion. Books may be purchased for $10.00 from the church or just come and watch the videos and participate in the discussion.

We also will be participating in making Advent banners for our Sanctuary following Clair Ar-vold’s creative ideas one Wednesday night, TBA.

By: Melody Thomason

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From the Pastor

Dear Friends,

There was no air conditioning at my grandparent’s home in central Texas, so the “dog days” of summer were a challenge to a youngster to stay comfortable. Of course, the house itself was built for the sweltering, humid weather of Texas, much like that of Hou-ston a hundred miles south: Every room had high ceilings (ten feet they said) and cross ventilation was the rule, for there were at least two large windows to every outside wall in each room. The house was surrounded by tall shade trees, and a covered, wrap-around porch provided constant shading on whichever was the sun side of the house.

Nevertheless, when it was nighttime (dark and still ninety-seven degrees with seventy percent humidity) and not a breath of wind, it didn’t matter that the sun was not shining. It was simply too hot to sleep. We children quickly learned the tried and true techniques for cool sleeping in a hot climate, however, and on nights like that, there was only one solution.

Pattering barefoot down the steps to the kitchen, we would appropriate the Coke bottle with the cork-top sprayer in it – a device normally used for sprinkling the ironing. But we would use it to sprinkle down our bed sheets, then turn on the oscillating fan that stood at the foot of every bed, and freeze ourselves to sleep via the evaporative cooling. As hot as it was, and as “retro” as that house seemed to us, all that was needed God’s hand had provided.

What I really set out to talk about here, though, was laundry day.

The fact that we were beloved grandchildren, and just because we were visiting, did not mean that we were excused by my grandmother from household chores. Each of us while we were there had a variety of tasks to do daily, and I don’t think it ever crossed our minds to delay or neglect any one of them. Among all the child-suited tasks, however, the one that we vied for and looked forward to the most was laundry day, and the most coveted assignment on laundry day was the upstairs.

Upstairs was where the bedrooms were, all five of them, with a total of seven beds. Each bed had to be stripped, of course, and the clothing hamper in each bedroom was to be emptied into a sheet and dragged to the head of the stairs. Starting at the first bedroom, closest to the top stair, sheets and clothing seemed to get heavier with each bed laboriously stripped, and the dragging distance to the stairway seemed to get longer and longer. It was worth it, though, for once the pile was complete at the top of the stairs the fun would begin.

First of all, seven sets of bedding and dirty clothes from five rooms make for a big pile – almost as tall as the kid who gathered it. It was, in fact, a pile a kid could take a running leap into, bury himself under and roll around on. (I’m not sure just how it is that I know that, but somehow I know.) Most fun of all, however, was the system of delivering that big pile of laundry all the way downstairs to where the washing machine was.

The stairway was one of those double ones that turns back on itself, with a short, final run to get to the top landing. Between the long, main run and the short one to the second floor there was a six by ten foot middle landing. Now, right at that middle landing, there was just enough room between the posts of the railing, right at the bend, to push through each of the four laundry piles in turn and drop them all the way down ten feet to the first floor. That was the fun part: to watch those wrapped sheets fall away and land with a satisfying and resounding “plop” just outside the utility room door – end of task!

In my season of Interim Ministry, it has become for me something of a metaphor for sin and forgiveness: Those heavy piles of dirty clothes, dragged from room to room and finally forced through the railing, to drop out of reach, landing with a sound that said my part of the task was done. Someone else would take the mat-ter up from there. Yet, what had been cast down as soiled was not simply discarded; every bit of it would be cleaned, and pressed, and returned again to its original place and purpose.

The guilt and anger we so often drag with us can be let go, given over to a place where someone else will deal with it. That place is in confession and prayer, and that “someone else” is God. What we have sullied is washed clean and restored to its original purpose in Christ; only first we must drag it there, push it through the rail and let it go. Is that not the great miracle of faith, and perhaps the greatest of Christian blessings? All that is needed God’s hand has provided, and we have been given the privilege to tell it to all who have ears to hear. Speak out, for there is always laundry to do!

Rev. Arch Baker, Interim Pastor

By: Arch Baker

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October’s Mission of the Month is Circle of Hope which is a private, non-profit, multi-faceted domestic violence agency whose mission is to support, empower, and bring hope to those affected by domestic violence through advocacy, aware-ness, education, and community partnerships.

Their goals are to provide 24-hour support and crisis intervention services for vic-tims and their dependent children while assisting with developing and implementing plans for their safety and independence; and to provide community education, training, and publicity about the is-sues and affects of domestic violence. Circle of Hope officially serves Habersham, Stephens, and White Counties.

Our area of support will be collecting needed supplies for their Emergency Shelter. Here is a list of suggested items for donation:

Twin Size Sheets/Comforters, paper towels, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, Clorox sanitizing wipes, toilet paper, hair brushes, towels, wash clothes, 55 gallon trash bags, Pedialyte, baby formu-la – Enfamil or Gentlease, dog food.

By: Nanette Baughman

Kirkin’ O’ the Tartan

Did you know?

1. There are hundreds of different patterned Tartans, and that no two are alike? Tartan patterns as well as Coats of Arms are registered with the Lord Lyon King of Arms which is responsible for heraldry.

2. Even though we see the Lion Rampant (not Rampant Lion) in flag size, by tradition only the Mon-archy of Scotland has the right to display the banner. We other common people should only dis-play much smaller banners. Rules for use of the Royal banner are governed by the Parliament of Scotland.

3. How the Saltire Became the Flag of Scotland

On the eve of the battle, (known as the battle of Saltire, 832ad) King Angue, who was leading the Scots and Picts, is reported to have had a vision in which St. Andrew appeared to him, and assured him of victory. When they arrived at the battlefield the next day, the Scots and the Picts were heavi-ly outnumbered, and Angus and the whole Scots army knelt down to pray to St. Andrew for courage and strength. They vowed that if they emerged victorious, He would become their patron saint, and his cross would become the national flag of Scotland. As the forces of Scotland and England faced each other, about to commence battle, a strange thing happened. White clouds formed the shape of a diagonal cross, set against the background of the light blue sky. Inspired, the Scots went on to victory when the English leader Aethelstan was killed and the Northumbrians fled.

Which country claims this banner?

Were the Scots known as being barbaric or a gentle people?

“The influence of Ulster-Scots Presbyterians was heavily stamped on the American Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776”

Sunday, October 20 11:00 am Worship

https://www.gacircleofhope.org/

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BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS SERVICE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 10:00 AM

On October 4

th each year churches all over the world celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

The feast commemorates the life of St Francis, who was born in the 12th century and is the Catholic Church's patron saint of animals and the environment.

A monk and holy man, Francis loved animals and had a very special relationship with them. It was said that he talked to them and they communicated with him. He often prayed for them and blessed them.

Because our pets give us great joy and are a blessing to us, during October people all over the world take their pets to a church to be “blessed”.

On Saturday, October 5, First Presbyterian Church will hold its first Blessing of the Animals Service, on the field and Pavilion area behind the church. Led by The Reverend Bonnie Frost, an ordained

minister in the United Church of Christ, and The Reverend Arch Baker, interim pastor, the service will include reading of adaptations of two of St. Francis’ prayers, singing of favorite hymns including “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and blessing of the animals. Bonnie and her husband Dick have conducted the Blessing of the Animals Service numerous times at Coral Isles Church, their former church in the Florida Keys.

Everyone is welcome to bring their pet, or a picture of their pet, to the Service. Each animal will receive a commemorative St. Francis medal. Donations of supplies for the Charles Smithgall Humane So-ciety and White County Animal Control, such as cat or dog food, treats, toys, blankets, towels, kennel cleaning supplies, etc. will be gratefully accepted. White County Animal Control will be at the Ser-vice with small pets for adoption.

Seating is limited so bring a lawn chair if you have one! Our pets are a blessing to us, please join us in blessing them. For information call 706-865-6499

PW CALENDAR

CT Meeting - October 2 - 3:30 p.m.

Women's Bible Study - October 10 - 10:00 a.m. Betty Smith will be our Study Leader, and Elaine Wiegert will be the Hostess. We will be studying Lesson 2, "Words of Love: Don't Trivialize My Name".

Knit and Stitch - October 9, 16, 23, 30 - 3:30 p.m.

Men's Dinner - October 15 - 6:00 p.m. Hostesses are Judy Winski and Elaine Wiegert.

Dates to Save:

October 25-27 - SOSA PW Triennial Gathering, St. Simons November 22 and 23 - Christmas Marketplace, North Hall Commu-nity Center, Gainesville December 12 - Christmas Luncheon at the Church

Belk Charity Sale! Presby-terian Women will participate in the Belk Charity Sale on November 9

th. Coupons are

available for purchase for $5 each. PW retains the $5 as a donation to our mission pro-jects. The coupons may be used as CASH to purchase items at the Belk Charity Sale on November 9

th. The net re-

sult is a “free” donation to PW when the coupons are used. Additionally, PW will receive a percentage of the money for the coupons that are redeemed on the day of the sale. Please support our Presbyterian Women by pur-chasing these coupons which can be used at any Belk store.

Rev. Bonnie Frost

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OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

October 10 - Jannie deWaart

October 11 - Jamie Rades

October 13 - Gypsy Smith

October 14 - Bekah Baughman

October 17 - Genie Bogart

October 18 - Robert Davis

October 20 - Joyce Naivar

October 21 - Becky Clark

October 29 - Melody Thomason

Please accept our apologies if we

missed your birthday this month.

Please notify the office so we will re-

member next year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU


HAPPY BIRTHDAY

GOD BLESS YOU


LET’S KEEP IT CLEAN

If you are host or hostess of an event in the fellowship hall, please note the following infor-mation:

A cordless vacuum cleaner has been purchased for quick clean-up of crumbs or spills in the fellowship hall. It’s located in the closet near the bath-rooms. Please be sure it’s placed back into the charger after use.

Also, next to the vacuum is a canister of carpet cleaner. Simply shake, spray on a spill or spot – wait a few minutes and then vacuum the spot away.

Thanks for doing your part in keeping the church clean and enjoyable for all.

Join Us For Worship

Activities for ALL

Regular Programs

MOVIE NIGHT Fellowship Hall

Free - Popcorn and drinks provided

October 18, Friday………………..6:30 PM Sunrise In Heaven

November 16, Saturday…….……..2:00 PM Hidden Figures

LUNCH BUNCH…..Tuesdays 1:00 pm

October 15 Mid Town Grille, Clarkesville

November 19 Sweet Breads, Demorest

December 17 Chicago Pizza, Demorest

EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT: FAMILY DINNER & CONVERSATION

3:30 Kids1st 5:30 Dinner 6:20 Adult Study

Special Wednesday Programs:

October 30: Pumpkin Palooza Fun Night

November 20: Special Dinner/Thank Service

December 4,11,18 Christmas Activities

Special Events

October 5, Saturday………..10:00 AM

Blessing of the Animals

Church Pavilion

October 20……………….…..11:00 AM Kirkin o’ the Tartan

November 3…………………..11:00 AM All Saints Worship

November 25, Monday……..…….TBD Hanging of the Greens

December 7, Saturday..……...5:00 PM Christmas in the Mountains Parade

December 15,Sunday….………..11AM Christmas Cantata

December 24, Tuesday Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship

Women’s Activities Men’s Activities

BIBLE STUDY

Thursdays………...…………….10:00 AM

October 10, November 14 No Preparation Required

December 12, Thursday-12:00 NOON Women’s Christmas Lunch

Bring a Covered Dish and $10 Gift for Exchange

MEN’S DINNER & MEETING

Tuesdays……………………….6:00 PM

October 15, November 12 $8.00 per person Donation Suggested

Reservations Requested: 706-865-6499

SUNDAY SCHOOL Every Sunday………………....10:00 AM

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE Every Sunday……………….....11:00 AM Communion the first Sunday of the month

FALL AND WINTER ACTIVITIES AT FPC Check out all the awesome events planned for this fall! Cut out this list

and put it somewhere you’ll see it so you won’t miss out on anything!

Thanks to the FPC Membership Committee for compiling this list.

Want the

Latest

news?

www.fpccleveland.org

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Special Celebration At The Growing Place

“Thank you, Pastor Arch and the wonderful members of First Presbyterian Church for all of your prayers, love, and support you have given us! Both the courthouse and the Fellowship Hall were filled with joy and love we

will never forget. First Presbyterian Church is a very, very special place and we love you all! The Children’s lives are even bright-er because of you! With much Love,

In His Name, The Girards”

Look What’s New!

A more prominent Visitor Information area has been added to the lower Nar-thex to help our visitors obtain information about our congregation. We have enjoyed having several visitors over the past few weeks. Shirley and Todd Hannah have worshiped with us the last couple of months. They are traveling in an RV, and will be leaving for Augusta, GA at the end of September. We wish them safe travels and hope that they will visit us again when in the area.

New Attendance Registers are in the pews in the sanctuary. Please use these to record your attendance, and please encourage everyone, especially visitors, to complete the forms. When completed, please tear out and place the page in the offering plate.

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Lunch Bunch Enjoys Soda Fountain Café’

Lunch Bunch enjoyed a fine time of fellowship on Sept 17 at the Soda Fountain Café, with 16 people at-tending. We sang the Doxology as our blessing, and were joined in singing by several people in the ca-fé.

Lunch Bunch will meet Oct. 15, 1 p.m., at the Mid Town Grille in Clarkesville.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Movie Night will be Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. featuring the film “Sunrise in Heaven.” Snacks and beverages will be served.

The next membership committee meeting will be Sunday, Oct. 13, immediately following worship.

Presbyterian Women’s Workshop

All ladies in the Presbyterian Church, whether members or attendees, are welcome and encouraged to join us in our study, worship, and workshops. Any Presbyterian Woman is happy to discuss the studies we do and our events.

Eight of our members, The Betties (Smith, Royds, Sloop), and the other “Bs” Becky Clark, and Bernice Rogers along with Rachel Romfo, Judy Winski, and Elaine Wiegart, attended the Workshop at Covenant Athens on August 24

th.

The plenary session was opened by Moderator Elaine Wiegart and with energizing music led by the Kairos Singers. Our Keynote Speaker, Rev. Joan Stevens, presented a brief overview of Sab-bath Keeping, the sessions she will be leading at our Triennial Gathering in October at Epworth-by-the-Sea.

Breaking out into individual sessions we had an overview of the 2019-20 Horizons Bible Study; learned more about the duties of the moderator and treasurer; The Kairos Mission, and made awareness bracelets to remind us of Human Trafficking dangers, and Cancer and Heart Disease.

Representatives from Mission Haven, UGA Presbyterian Student Center, and FPC-PW necklace missions were on hand to answer questions and explain the work that they do.

Displays from Columbia Friendship Circle and SOSA Triennial Gathering were also present. Following a morning of worship and learning we adjourned for lunch. The day was closed with farewell singing by the Kairos Singers.

By: Bernice Rogers

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Wednesdays are Wonderful!

Wednesdays in September presented many opportunities for education and enlightenment.

September 4th and 11th Pastor Arch helped us under-stand what it takes to become a pastor, and what we can do to welcome a new pastor. Both sessions were real eye-openers for those who attended, and equipped our members to better understand and support our new pastor when the time comes.

Disaster Preparedness and Public Safety was the theme for Wednesday night, September 18

th, program. Director David

Murphy spoke to the group about the many facets of his responsibilities as the White County Director of Public Safe-ty. Since he was hired as White County’s first Director of Public Safety in 2005, Mr. Murphy has worked to organize, train, and implement procedures that help the people he serves. He talked about the E911 call center, the Fire and Rescue Services, Emergency Management, and Animal Control. One major concern for emergency personnel is that they need to be able to find the person who needs help. Mr. Murphy emphasized the need for large, clearly visible house numbers on all residences. Additionally, he said that the county maintains supplies for equipping shelters in case of natural or man-made disasters. The handouts Mr. Murphy left were very informative. Extra

copies of this information are available in the Narthex.

On September 25th, Pat Baker, wife of Arch, shared a very informative session: “The Dementia Friendly Church.” Those in attendance enjoyed the exercises she shared, and felt the information was both needed and informative. The session was very well-attended, an indicator of how valuable this session was to our congregation.

Men take a Trip through Time

Thirteen of our men had a great trip to Miles Through Time in Toccoa. The museum is a co-op of early model car restorers who needed a place to store and display them. Lots of information came from one of the display-ers who had several there about his cars and work at restoration. Of course any trip for the men means a meal and the M and J Country Buffet filled that bill perfectly

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If you place flowers in the sanctuary and you would like them to go to one of our home-bound members, please see Dewayne Nix.

These beautiful flower arrangements were on display during worship in September. Please

sign up in the Narthex to provide flowers for upcoming Sunday services.

BREAD FOR WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

October 6, 2019

“All who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves.” (I Cor. 11:29)

The first Sunday in October is designated as World Communion Sunday, which celebrates our oneness in Christ with all our brothers and sisters around the world. Paul tells us that we are to “discern the body” when we partake of Holy Communion, mindful that we note our relation-ship to all our brothers and sisters in Christ in the celebration.

World Communion Sunday (originally called World Wide Communion Sunday) is a gift of the Presbyterian Church to the larger ecumenical church. The first celebration occurred at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1933 where Dr. Hugh Thompson Kerr served as pastor.

John A. Dalles, a PCUSA pastor who has researched the history of World Communion Sunday notes this in his blog entry, reprinted from the October 7, 2002, issue of Presbyterian Outlook:

Davitt S. Bell (the late Clerk of Session and church historian at Shadyside) recalled that Dr. Kerr first con-ceived the notion of World Communion Sunday during his year as moderator of the General Assembly (1930). Dr. Kerr’s younger son, the Rev. Dr. Donald Craig Kerr, who is pastor emeritus of the Roland Park Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, was sixteen in 1933. He has related that World Communion Sunday grew out of the Division of Stewardship at Shadyside. It was their attempt to bring churches together in a service of Christian unity—in which everyone might receive both inspiration and information, and above all, to know how important the Church of Jesus Christ is, and how each congregation is interconnected one with another. When I asked Donald Kerr how the idea of World Communion Sunday spread from that first service to the world wide practice of today, this is what he replied,

“The concept spread very slowly at the start. People did not give it a whole lot of thought. It was during the Second World War that the spirit caught hold, because we were trying to hold the world together. World Wide Communion symbolized the effort to hold things together, in a spiritual sense. It emphasized that we are one in the Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Celebration of World Wide Communion Sunday was adopted as a denominational practice in the Presbyteri-an Church (US) in 1936. Churches in other denominations were invited to celebrate with us from the begin-ning, but it wasn’t until 1940 when the Department of Evangelism of the Federal Council of Churches (a pre-decessor body of the National Council of Churches) promoted extending the celebration to a number of churches around the world that the practice became widespread. Today, World Communion Sunday is cele-brated around the world, demonstrating that the church founded on Jesus Christ peacefully shares God-given goods in a world increasingly destabilized by globalization and global market economies based on greed.

Reprinted from Presbyterian Church USA Presbyterian Church Mission.

By: Becky Clark

First Presbyterian Church 147 N. Main Street

Cleveland, GA 30528

Phone: 706-865-6499

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.fpccleveland.org

THE SESSION Bruce Morgan, Clerk of Session

Rev. Arch Baker, Moderator Jim Hiers, Clerk of Session—Emeritus

Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021

Melody Thomason Nanette Baughman Jean Kelly Education Missions Communications

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Judy Winski DeWayne Nix Administration & Finance Congregational Care

Garry George Building & Grounds

THE DIACONATE

Betty Smith, Moderator DeWayne Nix, Session Liaison

Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Betty Royds Walter Bogart Linda Leslie Betty Smith Kim Ciriello Rachel Romfo Hugh Walters Tony Clark

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Judy Parsons Committee Members

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