Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church Newsletter 201 …gravesmemorial.org/newsletters/05-10-16.pdf · 2016-05-26 · Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church Newsletter Page 3 PRESBYTERIAN

UPCOMING CHURCH EVENTS:

Our 2016 High School Graduates will be honored during worship on Sunday, June 5, 2016. Each high school senior will be presented a Bible and a book as a gift from the congregation. (Please stop by the Memorial Room to sign their book if you have yet to do so.) A Graduate dinner for GMPC’s High School Seniors, Junior Marshal, and their families will be held on Wednesday, June 1, 2016, 6:00 p.m., at the MacQueen Manse by Lou Johnson. Congratulations and Best Wishes to each of them!

The High School Graduates and their plans for the fall are: Houston O’Neil Bouchard - Johnston Community College; Larisa Sean Capparuccia - Coastal Carolina Community College; John Calvin Fox, IV - Appalachian State University; Kathryn Ann Griffin - North Carolina State University; Michael Scott Petty - University of North Carolina Wilmington; Monie Nicole Spell - North Carolina State University

GMPC Vacation Bible School 2016: June 20th - 23rd: Deep Sea Discovery—GOD IS WITH ME WHEREVER I GO... Mark Your Calendars Now! Our Vacation Bible School will end with a covered dish dinner, Picnic #1, at 6:30 p.m. on the 23rd to celebrate all the children have learned. Bring your favorite dish and/or dessert to share.

The GMPC Wednesday Night Summer Picnics (Covered Dish) are always a delightful treat! Bring your favorite dishes - enough for your family plus one. Dates are as follows (all at 6:30 p.m.) ~ “Thursday” (Due to VBS), June 23rd; Wednesday, July 6th & 20th and Wednesday, August 3rd.

GMPC Summer Sunday School: (Every Sunday morning at 9:45 a.m.)

Adults: (Adult class members have three options) 1. “What’s So Amazing About Grace” by Philip Yancey (Fellowship Hall) 2. “Feasting on the Word” curriculum (Memorial Room) 3. “The Shack” by William P. Young (Upstairs Education Bldg.) Youth: Questions of faith & how our faith impacts us... (Youth Room) K-5th: “Fruit of the Spirit” curriculum (Worship Readiness Room)

Volume XXXVIX, No. 5

Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church Newsletter 201 Fayetteville Street . Clinton, NC 28328

Phone: 910-592-2677 . Fax: 910-592-3100

Website: gravesmemorial.org [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

OUR KNOWN ILL:

Barbara Kerr Pat O’Neal Frances Hubbard Brenda Nordin Connie Williamson Jean Parker Alice Lockerman

Doc Fields—Southwood; Rm. 109 Fay Gaddy—Rolling Ridge, Newton Grove

Others: Angie Prucha -(Daughter of Edwin Danford)

Lucille Sessoms-(Mother of Deborah Hall)

May - June, 2016

It’s Time to Update Annual Directories/Service Lists … (PW Yearbook) ~ Any changes/request for the so-cial committees should be called in to Crystal Faison/592-3990, for the flower committee assignments contact Mac Spell/592-8838, and for PW Circles contact the current Moderators: Circle No. 1 Amelia Surratt/592-6569, Circle No. 2 Amelia Surratt/592-6569, Circle No. 3 Neal Sinclair/592-6797; (Church Directory) ~ Any changes to address, phones, emails, etc., can be submitted to the church office through July 31st; (Nurseries and Educational Opportunities Lists) ~ Any changes or request will be received through July 31st. Thank you for your support and commitments to the ministries of our church!

SYMPATHY TO:

~ Audry Kerr, Dorothy Sue Faison and family on the passing of her husband, her brother-in-law, Edwin W. “Bill” Kerr, Jr.

~ Beatrice Gray and family on the passing of her sister-in-law, Marion “Mitzi” Gray.

~ Beth Bryan and family on the passing of her grandmother, Margaret Eichelberger Simmons.

Stop by the bulletin board outside the church office to view recent Information and News from Our Presbytery Office.

The Stewardship Committee would like to thank everyone who has already pledged in the Race to

the Finish Campaign. Forty percent of the congregation has committed $267,000.00 toward paying off

the building fund debt in 3 years. Good news for those who have intended to pledge but haven’t gotten

“round to it”. We are extending the deadline to June 1, 2016. We all use and enjoy the renovations, and

we need everyone to pull together to accomplish our goal of 100% participation.

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WORDS FROM DR. JIM MORAN:

My friends in Christ, Death is a fact of life. To live is to die. No one can escape death, not even Christians. For the first Sunday Scripture in June, Luke writes about a widow:

“As (Jesus) approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town.” (7:12)

What a sad picture! The death of a person is sad. The death of the only child of a mother is sad-der. The grieving mother’s being a widow is saddest. In those days, the widow’s only means of support was her son, solely responsible for her care. (Schweizer, The Good New According to Luke, 133) It is the reversal of nature’s order of life and death. It is sad enough when children bury parents. Jesus saw her and had compassion on her, “Do not weep.” The Scripture then says that Jesus touched the bier and said, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” A miracle, the dead man sat up and spoke. (Luke 7:13-15) If I could have a wish come true, it would be that no children would die before their parents so that their mothers and fathers would not have to experience such deep life-long grief. But that is not how our world and human life works, is it? A family of a child who dies walks through both life and death with their child. They bear the inexplicable depths of grief. We, as a church, walk with them and seek to help shoulder the pain with them. We, as a church, see them, have compassion on them, and walk through the valley of the shadow of death with them. There are no magical words to speak, only walking with them, crying with them, suffering with them, and being with them, remembering with them, while holding them close in presence and prayer. And thankfully we do not grieve as those who have no hope because Jesus himself has been raised from the dead. Our children and our parents belong to Christ. Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection, “then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:23) Our hope is in the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. But first, we weep.

May we be reminded to die is to live in Jesus the Messiah! Jim

OUR CHILDREN: PresbyCrew- is taking the Summer off but we will be back in September.

Don’t forget that there is Sunday School every Sunday Morning at 9:45 a.m. Our children will study the “Fruit of

the Spirit” for the summer months. The term “fruit of the Spirit” comes from the idea that Christians grow in

faith, and this growth produces Christian virtues such as love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.

Worship Readiness will not meet during June, July & August. *Children will remain for worship w/ their parents.

2016 Vacation Bible School Registration is OPEN (for Children Age 4 thru entering 5th grade ) ...

VBS is June 20th – 23rd - 9:00 to Noon...Deep Sea Discovery – GOD IS WITH ME WHEREVER I GO… is designed to help kids reach the life-changing message of God’s love. God loves us so much that He’s promised to be with us wherever we go! Kids will KNOW God is always with them, EXPLORE God’s presence in their lives, and SERVE God by serving others. You can sign-up your children by emailing Lou Johnson at [email protected] or you may pick up a registration form in the church office. *We are asking that all registrations be submitted by June 13th.

Our VBS will end with a covered dish dinner, Picnic #1 at 6:30 p.m. on the 23rd to celebrate all that you have learned with your family and friends. We look forward to a fun filled night surrounded by your love.

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PRESBYTERIAN MEN OR PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN NEWS:

The Presbyterian Men’s Breakfast Meetings will resume in the fall! A huge thank you to all of our Presby-terian Men who came together to cook, clean and make monthly program arrangements. What a wonderful time of fellowship we all had. See you all again in October!

The Wednesday Night Summer Picnics are coming soon! The June 23rd Committee, (this one is on Thursday, due to VBS), at 6:30 p.m. is as follows: Katie Brown & Diane Barwick (Chairs); Neal Sinclair, Monie Sue Spell, Jan Tart, Mary Dudley, Kim Bouchard, Robin Palmer, Suzi Matthews, Bonnie Barr, Carol Fussell, Nancy Cowand, Najshula Lassiter, Margaret Register, Diane Viser, Sharon Funderburk, Kristi Williford, Barbara Taylor, Nancy Heath, Fay Gaddy, Erin Spell, Nancy Johnston & Joy Dodson. The other picnic dates are: July 6th (Chairs: Trish Sessoms & Mary Aycock); July 20th (Chairs: Mac Spell & Peggy Lindsay); August 3rd (Chairs: Ann Johnson & Allison Brock ) ~ all at 6:30 p.m.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES:

~ I would like to thank everyone who helped make our recent visit from the Thai troupe a very good worship experience. Special thanks

to our host families and those who prepared meals. This is what Church is about: missions, love, and hospitality. Thank you, Melvin Weaver

~ It’s Graduation Time … Don’t forget to call the church office to share the news!

~ MISSION OPPORTUNITY for GMPC: Christian Food Bank of Salemburg. Every 3rd Saturday, monthly, bags of food are given to those in need beginning at 9:00 a.m. What you can do to help: Volunteer Your Time! Youth meet on the Wednesday prior to the third Satur-day at 6:45 p.m. and Adults meet on the Thursday prior to the third Saturday at 9:00 a.m. to help sort and pack food bags. Volunteers are also needed to help distribute the food bags on the third Saturdays, arrive prior to 9 a.m. Donate Food Items! Dried Beans, Peanut Butter, Breakfast Items, Can Soup, Can Vegetables, Rice/Pasta, Can Fruit. (A box for food donations is placed in the Fellowship Hallway for your convenience.) *Recycled grocery bags in bundles of 50 are also greatly needed! Next Food Bank: June 18, 2016.

~2015 Summer Camp Information: Please visit the following links for camp details/dates:

Camp Kirkwood: http://www.campkirkwoodnc.org/summer-camps.html (910)251-9622, ext. 223 or Monroe Camp & Retreat Center: http://www.monroecamp.org/ (910)276-1654.

~Backpack Buddies Program: Volunteers meet each Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at Sunset Avenue School to pack food bags for over 250

“food insecure” Clinton City School children, ages Pre K - 8th grade. What you can do to help: Volunteer Your Time! Donate Food Items! (canned soups, juice boxes, raisins, fruit cups, pudding cups, granola bars, pop tarts, trail mix & individual cereal boxes) *Food drop off container located in the Fellowship Hallway. *(Volunteers will not meet during the summer, following the School Calendar.)

~VOLUNTEERS NEEDED at First Baptist Soup Kitchen (408 College Street) on Thursdays, Weekly from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. *11:00 –

3:00: Cooking, 3:00 – 5:00: Deliveries, 5:00 – 7:00: Serving. (Volunteer for the day or as your schedule allows.)

~Mission Opportunity: Diaper Bank of Sampson County. Donations of diapers (all brands and sizes, to include adult diapers), diaper

wipes and diaper rash cream are collected. A collection bin is located in the GMPC fellowship hallway for your convenience. *For more info. contact Chris Driver: [email protected], cell #990-7436.

Youth Groups Info. As of now our weekly youth activities are over for the program

year. We will meet during the summer to do various day trips, a ramp build, a mission trip, and a beach trip. Youth will get advanced notice of when all these things will take place. Youth Summer Sunday School will be held each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in the Youth Room. We will look at questions of faith and how our faith impacts us on a daily basis. This class will be an open discussion format with time for reflection. We will bring in video clips to help spur questions and critically look at who we are and what God expects of us.

Below is a list of things that are in the works for our summer youth schedule: June 1st = Graduating Senior Dinner at 6:00 p.m. at the home of Lou Johnson June 5th = Graduation Sunday – Graduates will be recognized in the Worship service June 12-18 = Montreat Youth Conference – Bonnie Barr is the contact June 20 – 23 = Vacation Bible School – We would love to have youth participate. Please let Ms. Lou know if you are interested in helping out. June 25th = Ramp Build here in Clinton details will follow with time and place. Parents and youth are welcome to be a part of this event. Please let Ms. Lou know if you are interested in participating. July 10 – 14th = Illuminate – Mission Outreach here in Clinton - Cost is $50.00 per child. You can register online. July 18 – 22 = Youth Mission trip – Registration fee of $25.00 is due by June 15th to Lou Johnson

“May God walk with you, work in you, and speak through you because of the life you live”. GMPC youth making a difference in the lives of others…

EDUCATIONAL / SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUNE 2016:

05 12 19 26 Crib Nursery: (Nancy & Lauren Perry & Sarah Day) 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Najushula Lassiter Lee Howard Joy Dodson Deborah Hall Addie Sessoms Olivia Williford Nicole Spell Holly Weaver Toddler Nursery: (Mary Doyne) 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Acolytes: (Brenda Nordin) James Carr Austin Spell Julian Beaujeu-Dufour Silas Bradley Holly Weaver Anna Perry Sinclair Will Dodson Spencer Westerbeek Worship Readiness: (Hollis White) *Summer Break. NO Worship Readiness. Pre-K—5th Grade Class (Summer Schedule): Mary Lou Faircloth Darby Scott Mac Spell Hollis White Sr. & Jr. High Youth: (Lou Johnson) Memorial Room & Care Class: (Dorothy Sue Faison & Brenda Nordin) Melvin Weaver Nita Aiken TBA Linda Williamson Cornerstone Class: (James Dodson) Joel Coleman Anthony Sessoms Melvin Weaver James Dodson Literature Class: (Denise Moran) Meals-on-Wheels: (Anne Price) 06/7: Steve & Julie Stefanovich 06/21: Jennifer Bradley & Susan Fox Ushers: (Richard Bryan) Note: A yearly list is posted on the bulletin board outside the office Brad Spell, Hugh Barwick, Edward Faircloth, Jim Johnston, Tim Pope, Melvin Weaver, Neill Westerbeek Flower Committees: (Mac Spell) 05 (Communion) 12 Memorial for Mr. Owen Patrick Dixon and Mrs. Myra Hardee Dixon by the family 19 Memorial for F.J. Faison, Sr., Nell P. Faison and Ferdinand Johnson Faison, Jr. by the Faison Families 26 Memorial for Mr. Harold S. Carr, Sr. and Mr. Harold S. Carr, Jr. by the family

Happy Birthday During June: 1) Jim Moran, Anna Perry Sinclair; 02) Eric Jania, Meredith Nordin, Adrian Donatelli; 03) Beth Hardee; 04) Joyce Woods, James Carr,

Hadley Lassiter; 06) Alice Lockerman, Edna Boone, Linda Carr, Ben Barwick; 07) Allison Martin; 08) Ellie Harrington;

09) Geneva Matthis, Whit Newton, Katie Dudley, Caiden White; 11) Tom Woods; 13) Marie Monroe, Laurie Vreugdenhil, Ella Faison;

14) Jim Johnston; 15) Bill Prestage, Ellyn Faircloth; 17) Hilda Paderick, Mark Foster, Annie Blanchard; 18) Leigh Ann Faison; 19) Ron Nimmo; 20) Shep Butler, Will Tidey; 21) Bill Broadwell, Spencer Westerbeek;

24) Mac Purcell; 26) Margaret Faircloth, Scott Sink, Jewell Carr; 27) Morgan Lee; 28) Kathryn Jackson; 29) Mary Warren Rose,

Palmer Blanchard, Jackson Lassiter; 30) Jean Parker

June Lectionary Text:

05) Ps. 146; 1 Kings 17:8-16 (17-24); Gal. 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17 12) Ps. 5:1-8; 1 Kings 21:1-10 (11-14) 15-21a; Gal. 2:15-21; Luke 7:36-8:3 19) Pss. 42 & 43; 1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7) 8-15a; Gal. 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39 26) Ps. 77:1-2, 11-20; 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Gal. 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62

We invite everyone to attend the CENTRAL COMMUNITY GATHERING on June 4, 2016, 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2505 Village Drive, Fayetteville, N.C. We are excited to be living out Coastal Carolina’s fresh vision from the Sandhills of N.C. as we gather to do things differently… Discovering more ways to do mission together, awakening spiritual imagination and congregational vitality, strengthening our rela-tionships… You can look forward to lots of discussion time, very little business, much laughter, quality interaction, and unique worship. Call the GMPC office to sign-up. Carpooling will be arranged.

We invite everyone to take part in the Community Garden sponsored by GMPC, located at Clinton Crossing, 105 Royal Lane. To learn more and/or volunteer your time, please contact Community Garden Coordinator, Sharon Funderburk or Community Service Chair, Anne Price. See you at the garden!