E-Newsletter
Friday, November 17, 2006
Greetings in the name of the Lord!
"Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” John 10:7-9
Announcements
We are helping a family that includes a couple with eight children/grandchildren ranging in age from 2 to 15. Read more about them below!
How can I help?
PRAY for the family that we will be helping.
HELP purchase gifts. Contact Mary Ivie at 703.754.2923 if you would like to assist.
DONATE to this mission project. Place checks in offering plate with memo indicating WV Mission.
JOIN US! It’s not too late to join the Mission Team.
For more information on the Mission Trip, contact Charlie Coe (ccoe@greenwichpres.org or 703.393.9384.
About Our Family
A family of 10 moved into the area this summer. The father was a coal truck driver but has serious arthritis and seizures and now is on disability earning about $600 per month. The mother is a warm-hearted person with scoliosis of the spine who refuses to see a child or animal suffer for want of food or love. And so the family is large. There are children and grandchildren living here along with formerly abandoned dogs, birds, and other animals.
The children range in age from 18 months to 15 years. Some are their children, others are grandchildren. The children are happy, secure in love, and the parents are generous with affection and proud of doing all they can for the sake of the kids. In fact, the father will proudly show off the deed to this house that he purchased for $4,000. He wants people to know that the house is theirs in case something happens to him.
The house has only two bedrooms for the whole family. A wood burning stove heats the house in the winter, but there is no insulation in the walls, the roof leaks, and the ceilings need work.
The father works on the house day and night and has upgraded the electrical, put down a kitchen floor, and even added a bathroom. However, his arthritis keeps him from doing more.
The organization that we work with in West Virginia is the West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps (WVMAW). They were alerted to this family this year by the school system after the family moved into the area. It is their connection with WVMAW that will allow us to go out and help them.
Our plan is to put a tin roof on their house, do insulation and sheetrock work inside. In addition, as always, we will bring them clothing, food, toys and dog food. Yes, dog food is a need when a family cannot turn away a starving dog!
You can help! Whether you are going on the mission trip or not you can be part of the Thanks-Giving Mission Team. We need you to help us prepare for the trip and to pray for this family, WVAW, and those traveling to West Virginia this Thanksgiving.
************************************************************************************************
Advent Night
Sunday, December 3rd
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Join us as we begin our season of advent by sharing an evening together for a time of food, fellowship, and singing, as we prepare together to celebrate Christ’s birth. We will begin our evening with a potluck dinner in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring 2 dishes (main dish, side dish, or dessert) to share.
Activities planned for the evening, following the meal:
§ Hanging of the Greens
§ Crismon Ornament Making
§ Mission Project “Good Life Packs” for Farthest Corners
§ Christmas Sing-A-Long
Hope you can join us!
Questions? Contact Joy Yates at joyyates@greenwichpres.org
************************************************************************************************
This Advent Season, you can honor or remember someone special by placing a Poinsettia in the Sanctuary. If you wish to participate, please fill out the form below and return it with a payment to the offering plate. Checks should be made out to: Greenwich Presbyterian Church and marked “Poinsettias.” The last day to place your order is Sunday, December 3, 2006. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at 703.754.7933.
Given by: ______________________________________
Telephone Number: _____________________________
Amount: 8” pot - $20.00
In Honor of: ____________________________________
In Memory of: __________________________________
*******************************************************************************************************************
Opportunities for Study, Service and Fellowship
Eagle Scout Court of Honor — The congregation is invited to the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for John Uhler here at the church tomorrow, November 18th, at 2:00pm. All are welcome to celebrate with the family on this special occasion to celebrate John’s hard work. Scouts are encouraged to wear their uniforms.
Thanksgiving Service — Please join us on Thanksgiving Day at 10:00am at Greenwich, as we share our service with Little Zion Baptist Church and Oak Dale Baptist Church.
No Jr. Church Sunday— Parents, please note that there will be no Jr. Church this Sunday so that families can share in the celebration of Youth Sunday together. We will resume Jr. Church next Sunday, November 26th.
West Virginia Mission Trip — Please pray for the mission team, the West Virginia Ministry of Advocacy and Workcamps and the family they are going to help, as they embark on their Thanksgiving mission trip. They will depart from the church at 7:00am on Thursday, November 23rd, and return late Saturday, November 25th. If you are interested in being a part of this mission team or have questions, please contact Charlie Coe at ccoe@greenwichpres.org or 703.393.9384.
Open House — Please join the Bear family for an open house to celebrate the 80th birthday of Virginia Bear. This Sunday from 2:00-5:00pm at the Nokesville Church of the Brethren. No gifts please. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required to 703.594.2532 or albert.bear3@verizon.net.
Senior High Youth Lock-In — Join us from 7:00pm on December 1st to early morning on December 2nd. Bring your favorite snack and two-liter bottle of drink to share. Contact Chasity Spittle at youth@greenwichpres.org or 703.753.9421.
Advent Night — Sunday, December 3rd from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Join us as we begin our season of advent by sharing an evening together for a time of food, fellowship, and singing, as we prepare together to celebrate Christ’s birth. We will begin our evening with a potluck dinner. Please bring two dishes to share. Questions? Contact Joy Yates at joyyates@greenwichpres.org.
Parents Afternoon Out — Are you looking for a few hours to go shopping, run errands or just relax? Parent’s sign your children up for our Parents Afternoon Out now! Saturday, December 9th from 1:00 to 5:00pm. Ages birth through 5th grade. Admission is FREE. Reservations must be made by December 3rd.
Quilting — Join us at the church on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month from 9:30am to 12:00pm to sit and sew or learn the basics of quilt making. We’ll meet in November and start again in January. Contact Lisa House at bikelshouse@aol.com or 703.594.2308 for more information.
Circle 5 — We have a new circle! We’ll meet the first Saturday of every month at 9:00 am in the library. Come join us as we begin our study: Becoming a Woman of Prayer. Questions? Please call Leslie McMillan at 703.754.1913.
Congratulations! - Congratulations to Tim and Angela Norman upon the birth of their daughter, Whitney, on Saturday, November 11th at 9:03pm! Proud siblings are Cameron, Lindsay, Jocelyn, Mallory and Bethany.
Thank You Stocking Stuffers — My sincere thanks to those who helped stuff stockings for the Salvation Army. We stuffed over 7,000 stockings in two days. It is “fun” work when you know you are sharing of yourself to help others — especially children. I could use your help again on December 11th-15th and 18th-21st. We car pool. Please call me if you can help — Nancy Pittman at 703.743.5314. I will have information on the bulletin board and table in Fellowship Hall.
Advent Booklet—We are looking for helpers to assist with various phases of a new 2006 Advent Devotional booklet this year. If you can help compile or write articles of interest, type, edit, or assemble, then the Worship Committee wants you! Please email your interest to Becky Whitelock at orwhitelok@aol.com.
Calling All Cooks! — Circle 4 is putting together a new cookbook and we need your recipes. Please put your recipes in the basket across from the office door. If there’s a story behind the recipe you can add that, too. You can also email your recipe to Susan Boyd at boydplum@msn.com. The deadline for recipes is December 15th.
Prayer Chain — We are looking for an interested volunteer to cover the email part of the prayer chain for two to three months during Pam Lynn’s surgery. If interested contact Pam Lynn at jimandpamlynn@aol.com or Paula Cooper at pcooper@greenwichpres.org.
Snow Patrol — We are looking for a team of people willing to help us with snow removal on the sidewalks during the winter months. The church has it’s own snow blower (winterized and ready to go!), and we just need some volunteers ready to start it up. If interested contact the church office at lmorrison@greenwichpres.org or 703.754.7933.
SERVE – Rejoice! We just found out this afternoon that volunteers have stepped up for every meal at SERVE during the Thanksgiving weekend. All the volunteer positions have been filled!
If you have a prayer request or wish to be a part of the prayer chain, please contact the prayer Deacons, Pam Lynn at 703.754.1899 or jimandpamlynn@aol.com or Eric Keller at 540.788.9891.
===========================================================================
“David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.” 1 Chronicles 28:20
This is a weekly update of activities in the life and ministry of Greenwich Presbyterian Church. If you would like to have anything included in the weekly email or have suggestions, please let me know by Thursday. If you wish to be removed from this list, please reply with “remove” in the subject line.