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Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church Newsletter 201 Fayetteville Street . Clinton, N.C. 28328
Phone: 910-592-2677 . Fax: 910-592-3100 . Website: gravesmemorial.org
Email: Steve Wilkins: [email protected]; [email protected]
UPCOMING CHURCH EVENTS:
Families are needed to assist with the lighting of the Advent Candles during the Advent season. (December 1st, 8th, & 22nd during morning worship & the December 24th, 6:00 p.m., Christmas Eve Service). Please contact the Office to share your family’s willingness to serve. Thank you.
The First Wednesday Fellowship & Covered Dish Meals will take a break in December. Our next meal is scheduled for January 8, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. *(2nd Wednesday due to the holidays.) January host: P.W. Circle #1
The Christmas Joy Offering will be received on December 8, 2019, during the morning worship service and at our 6:00 p.m. Christmas Joy Program. The Christmas Joy Offering is a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. Because Advent and Christmas shine a light not only on our world’s greatest hope but also on our world’s greatest need, the PC(USA) provides this timely opportunity for congregations to support causes specifically designed to bring Good News of Great Joy to the poor in circumstance or spirit. Alongside the message of promise and fulfillment in Luke’s Gospel, we also hear the clear call to God’s people to respond in faith as Christ calls us: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded” (Luke 12:48).
GMPC’s Christmas Joy Program, “The True Gifts of Christmas”, directed by Linda Jewell Carr, will be held on December 8, 2019, at 6:00 p.m., in the GMPC Sanctuary. Refreshments, provided by the Presbyterian Women Christmas Joy Reception Committee, will follow in the fellowship hall. This year’s celebration of the birth of Jesus will be one you will not want to miss! Please extend an invitation to your friends and neighbors to join us.
GMPC will present a Christmas Concert featuring five grand pianos on Friday, December 13th, at 7:00 p.m., and again on Sunday, December 15th, at 4:00 p.m. in the GMPC Fellowship Hall. Mark your calendars for an event never seen before in the Clinton community. Performers include well-known local musicians Lara Capparuccia, Jean Hatch, Melissa Fulton, Marquita Someliana-Lauer, and Stan Benton. Selections will include all five musicians playing simultaneously as well as quartets, duets, bells, and vocalists. Compositions will consist of a wide variety of classical and contemporary holiday arrangements. Please invite your neighbors to join us.
You Are Cordially Invited to a Birthday Party for Jesus! GMPC Mission Buddies ask that all ages join them in the GMPC fellowship hall on Sunday, December 22nd, at 4:00 p.m., to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Bring a friend (or two, or three)! We will have a mission activity, crafts, games, and of course CAKE!! Please help us spread the word.
During the season of Advent special music will be incorporated into each Sunday worship service. On December 1st we will welcome a string ensemble as we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent. Our Chancel Choir will sing a prayer each Sunday, as part of our Advent Candle Lighting Ceremony, from Christ, Be Our Light! by Bernadette Farrell, with music arranged by Joel Raney. Ian Parker, on the organ, will share a German chorale– entreating, “Savior of the Nations, Come.” On December 22nd, the final Sunday of Advent, we will have a musical celebration as the Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir present their offerings. Our annual Service of Lessons & Carols, a traditional program of scripture and music will be held on Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. Make plans to attend. Invite your friends and neighbors to join us.
December 2019
OUR KNOWN ILL: Julie Stefanovich, Martha Dunn, Diane Westerbeek, Kathy Peay, Savannah Jackson, Susan Bristow, Gina L. Powell, Pinckney Heaton, Mary David Morris, Henry Lamb, Vickie Boyette, Doris Hollingsworth, Linda Williamson, Monie Sue Spell,
Erma Faircloth– MaryGran; Rm. 709 Margaret Faircloth- MaryGran; Rm. 701
Betty Heaton- MaryGran; Rm. 204 Mary Harrington– Southwood; Rm. 300 Tink Purcell- The Cardinal at North Hills
Frances Hubbard- GlenAire
Ann Weeks- (Mother of Joy Prestage) Wayne Reynolds- (Brother of Joy Prestage) Joyce & Landon Autry- (Tammy Honeycutt)
Hewitt Fulton- (Father of Bill Fulton)
Juaweese Franklin- (Mother of Melissa Nimmo)
Margaret Raynor - (Mother of Nancy Heath)
Joe Kozel- (Father of Kristi Williford)
Ray Respess- (Brother-in-law of Piet Westerbeek)
Becky Hughes- (Sister of Bill Scott)
Christine Stacey- (Mother of Lara Capparuccia)
Debbie Carver- (Sister of Kermit, Dale, Wanda)
Mary Lynn Roberts- (Sister of Mac Purcell)
Wilbert Knowles- (Former GMPC Custodian) Maude Farlow- (Mother of Amelia Surratt)
Ronnie Watson- (Brother-in-law of Amelia Surratt)
Patrick Simmons- (Brother of Pat Welfare)
Savannah G. Bailey- (Friend of Deanna Weaver)
Volume XLII, No. 11
SYMPATHY TO:
Vickie Pope & family on the passing of her mother, Betty Lee Hairr.
Lawton Eure & family on the passing of his mother, Wyndolyn Felton Eure.
Graves Memorial Presbyter ian Church Newsletter Page 2
PASTORAL PONDERING… “...Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelations 22:20
Dear Friends,
As this newsletter is being published, I have just closed my Bible after reading the verse above. Because I started
to read through the whole bible just before Thanksgiving in 2018, my decision to begin my year-long journey
through the Bible happened to coincide with the first week of Advent. Consequently, 52 weeks later, I have just fin-
ished that journey, culminating with the reading of Revelation.
One of the ironies of the timing of all of this for me is that the cry of the faithful found at the end of the Bible,
“Come, Lord Jesus,” is also the prayer of the faithful during the season of Advent: Come, Lord Jesus.
As a pastor, it falls among my annual duties to remind you that Advent is not about “getting ready for Christmas.”
Indeed, Christmas is a historical event that we remember with gratitude and devotion. But during Advent, the focus
is “on the future of all things as seen through the eyes of those who follow Jesus...” Advent is a season of hope:
╬ Hope that believes that the way things are is not the way they will always be;
╬ Hope that is fed from the assurance that God has a plan to redeem and save the world;
╬ Hope that has experienced the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, and that knows there is nothing that can
separate us from that love, and that is determined to live into the love we have received by loving God
with our whole being, and loving our neighbor as ourselves;
╬ Hope that is willing to live into the new reality Christ has ushered into our hearts, by showing what it is like
when “the wolf will live with the lamb,” when all people “will neither harm nor destroy on all [God’s] holy
mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:6, 9)
Since Advent is a forward-looking season of hope, I have found it helpful over the years to learn from those who
expressed the hope of the Messiah long before Jesus walked the earth, namely, the prophets who foretold of the
coming of Christ, and who described what his kingdom would be like. If we want to know what it is like to be for-
ward-looking and to have a vision of a world where Christ reigns in the hearts and minds of all people, then we
would do well to take our cue from the prophets. And so this year during worship, my sermon texts will be from the
book of Isaiah, who, more than any other prophet, proclaimed the kind of hope that we should adopt as our Advent
hope. As the ancient hymn says, “Isaiah ‘twas foretold it.”
And so I invite you to join with me in this spiritual season of anticipation and hope.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
Faithfully, Steve
OUR CHILDREN: *Sunday School: Sunday mornings at 9:45
PresbyCrew: 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, from 3–5:00 p.m. for K – 5th grade.
MISSION BUDDIES: (All Children—12th Grade, 2nd Sunday’s monthly, as part of Sunday School)
December 8th Mission: Smiling While Sending Hope Project. This project was started by Katie Haynes, a 19 year old girl, from Youngsville, N.C., who suffers from many chronic illnesses. Katie aims to bring aware-ness and help to other chronically ill children by providing them with “comfort packages” to bring them a little
joy. *ITEMS NEEDED by December 6th: Games (Checkers, Scattegories, Trivia, Cards, Handheld Elec-tronic Games, Adult Lego Sets, etc.), Craft Supplies/Kits (Sketch Pads, Drawing/Colored Pencils, Crayons/Markers, Scissors, Glue, Beads/String Kits, Fabric Painting/Paint By Number/Fuzzy Art Posters, Latch Hook, Needle Point, Wooden Items to Paint, Cars/Plane/Boat Models), Word Search/Crossword/Sudoku/Coloring Books, Journals (No Spiral), Teen Reading Books/Magazines/DVDs, Blankets, Headphones, Headbands.
MISSION BUDDIES HAS ADOPTED SUNSET AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL! We plan to extend an act of kindness that will benefit the teachers, students, and/or staff, monthly, during the 2019-2020 school year. *In November & December we will be collecting $10.00 Gift Cards for teachers. *Goal: 75 Gift Cards (Please submit Gift Cards and/or monetary donations to the church office by December 15th.)
You Are Cordially Invited to a Birthday Party for Jesus! Please join us in the fellowship hall on Sunday, December 22nd, at 4:00 p.m., to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Bring a friend (or two, or three)! We will have a mission activity, crafts, games, and of course CAKE!! Please help us spread the word by inviting others.
Graves Memorial Presbyter ian Church Newsletter Page 3
OTHER NEWS AND NOTES:
~ Our Thanks to everyone for the great response to the Annual Food Drive and for donations throughout the year, both in support of the Christian Food Bank, and for your continued support of UCare, Backpack Buddies & The Dia-per Bank. These local organizations are very appreciative of the constant support from this church and the community.
~ GMPC’s 2019-2020 Resident Directory is available in the Fellowship Hallway. Please stop by to pick up your family’s copy if you have yet to do so.
~ Brown Bag Lunch Bible Studies: will conclude for the fall on Monday, December 9, 2019 as we prepare for the Sea-son of Advent and will resume on Monday, January 13, 2020, at Noon. Plan to join us.
~ Kirkin’ O' the Tartans Service 2020: For those, who would like to tap into your inner Scots and join us in 2020 it's never too soon to start ordering your regalia. Here are two links to companies that can supply you up with all the gear: DUNEDIN SCOTTISH | eBay Stores, Tartan Fabrics Kilts Ties Blanket Scarves Scottish Gifts.
~ MISSION OPPORTUNITY: 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! Donate Food Items! Dried Beans/Peas, Peanut Butter/Jelly, Breakfast Items, Can Soup/Vegetables/Fruit/Meat, Rice/Pasta. (A collection bin is locat-ed in the Fellowship Hall.) *Recycled grocery bags in bundles of 50 are also needed! Next opportunity: December 21st
~ 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 Fellowship Hall.
~ 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: Volun-teer Your Time! Donate Food Items! (canned soups, juice boxes, raisins, fruit cups, pudding cups, granola bars, pop tarts, trail mix & individual cereal boxes) *A collection bin is located in the Fellowship Hall.
PRESBYTERIAN MEN (PM) AND PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN (PW) NEWS:
~ There will be NO Men’s Brotherhood Breakfast in December. The next meeting will be on January 12th, at 8:15 a.m., at 1st Baptist Church. We hope all men will join us for breakfast and fellowship with the men of 1st Baptist, First United Methodist, & Grove Park Baptist. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.
~ December Presbyterian Women Circle Meetings are as follows: (Bible Leader: Dr. Steve Wilkins) Circle #1 will meet on the 2nd at NOON at the home of Amelia Surratt for a salad luncheon. Circle #2 will meet on the 2nd at 6:00 p.m. at the home of Carol Wilson. Circle #3 will meet on the 3rd at 10:00 a.m. in the Memorial Room.
~ We are always so appreciative of the PW committees and the assistance of the PM for our social activities. The PW Committee for the Christmas Program Reception following the Christmas Joy Program on December 8th is as follows: Co-Chairs: Tami Warren & Sara Rosario, Pat Welfare, Linda Lamb, Michelle Dunn, Dale Purcell, Jennifer Bradley, Brooke Morkos, Faye Carr, Nancy Perry, Beth Bryan, Jr., Beth Bryan, Sr., Beatrice Gray, Dorothy Sue Faison, Mary Doyne, Anne Faircloth, Delores Murphrey, Tammy Laurence.
~ We thank our Seasonal Flower Committee: Sallie Adams, Nita Aiken, Mary Aycock, Bonnie Barr, Edna Fay Boone,
Jennifer Bradley, Kristin Bradshaw, Susan Bristow, Beth Bryan, Beth Bryan, Sr., Allison Brock, Linda Carr, Margaret Carter, Wanda Coleman, Nancy Cowand, Mary Doyne, Mary Dudley, Martha Dunn, Susan Fox, Linda Giehls, Beatrice Gray, Lisa Green, Nancy Heath, Betty Heaton, Tammy Honeycutt, Lee Howard, Kathryn Jackson, Ann Johnson, Nancy Johnston, Linda Lamb, Peggie Lindsay, Lucy Lockamy, Alice Lockerman, Brooke Morkos, Mary David Morris, Delores Murphrey, Melissa Nimmo, Robin Palmer, Nancy Perry, Myrtle Petty, Vickie Pope, Joy Prestage, Marsha Prestage, Dale Purcell, Berkley Raynor, Alice Rose, Darby Scott, Debbie Sinclair, Robin Sink, Erin Spell, Lisa Spell, Mac Spell, Monie Sue Spell, Amelia Surratt, Barbara Taylor, Susan Tucker, Diane Viser, Pat Welfare, Diane Westerbeek, Susan Wester-beek, Carol Wilkins, Linda Williamson, Kristi Williford, Carol Wilson. *Please submit your Seasonal Flower Commit-tee annual dues, $20.00, at this time if you have not already done so to Diane Westerbeek or the church office.
The Finance Ministry and Treasurer are so very thankful to all who have returned their pledge card
with their 2020 financial commitment to Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church. To those who have not taken that step, please take a moment to fill it out and return it to the church office or Bill Scott, OPS Re-corder, as soon as possible. We will be crafting the 2020 Budget soon and this job is so much easier when we can have accurate commitments. Thank you in advance for your support of GMPC!
EDUCATIONAL / SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DECEMBER 2019:
01 08 15 22 29
Crib/Toddler Nursery: 9:30 am–12:30pm (Nancy Perry & Measie Rodriguez: 2nd & 4th Sundays, Natasha Capparuccia & Melina Matthews: 1st & 3rd Sundays) *5th Sunday: TBA
Lucy Lockamy Darby Scott Jennifer Bradley Joy Dodson Lee Howard
Acolytes: (Brenda Nordin) Walker Spell Harper Raynor Will Johnson Gage Raynor Jewell Carr
Worship Readiness: (Hollis White) *NO Worship Readiness December 22nd Darby Scott Beth Bryan Tami Warren Hollis White
Pre-K—5th Grade Class: (Hollis White) Darby Scott MISSION BUDDIES Diane Viser Lucy Lockamy Ann Johnson
Sr. & Jr. High Youth Class: (James Dodson) Joy Dodson (Bojangles) MISSION BUDDIES Carol Wilkins (Bojangles) Bonnie Barr James Dodson
Memorial Room: (Dorothy Sue Faison) Paul Viser Anne Price Ronnie Honeycutt Bill Scott Fifth Sunday
Care Class: (Brenda Nordin) Russell Byrd Lee Howard Tommy Newton Linda Williamson Nita Aiken
Pathfinders Class: (Lauren Perry) *Dr. Wilkins will lead a video-based study of The Book of James by Francis Chan.
PresbyCrew: (Annette Newton & Darby Scott) We always welcome extra volunteers … come any time you can! 12/11 Team 2: Natasha Capparuccia, Linda Giehls, Nancy Perry, Amelia Surratt, Diane Viser, Carol Wilson; SNACKS: Juanita Cantrell, ENRICHMENT: Kristi Williford, MISSIONS: Kathryn Jackson
Meals-on-Wheels: (Anne Price) 1st, 3rd, & 5th Tuesdays, Pickup Between 10:45 - 11:00 a.m. 12/03 Linda Williamson & Dale Purcell; 12/17 Whit & Jan Tart; 12/31 Bonnie Barr & Delores Murphrey
Ushers: (Whit Tart) The annual list is posted on the bulletin board outside the office. Wesley Cowand, IV, Wes Cowand, Lisa Green, Sim Green, Justin Lockamy, Hal Price, Anne Price
Lay Readers: Melvin Weaver Diane Westerbeek Hollis White John Barwick Whit Tart
Flower Committees: (Mac Spell) 12/01-12/25 Seasonal Flower Committee
Happy Birthday During December: 1) Cora Lockamy; 2) Joan Carr;
03) Danny Aycock; 05) Trey Aycock, III; 06) Silas Bradley; 09) Patrick Aiken; 10) Susan Tucker, Matthew Bristow; 11) Edward Faircloth; 12) Will Johnson; 14) Eliza Jaskot; 16) Jeff Warren, Billy Peterson; 17) Lawton Eure, Annie Stefanovich-Jaskot, John Fox, IV; 18) Lisa Green; 21) Hope Jania; Allie Green; 24) Dorothy Sue Faison; 25) Nancy Beaujeu-Dufour; 26) Mike Carter, Suzi Matthews, Art Miller, Margaret Coleman; 28) Annette Newton; 29) Aiden Held; 30) Olivia Williford
Lectionary Text for December:
01) Ps. 122; Isa. 2:1-5; Rom. 13:11-14; Matt. 24:36-44; 08) Ps. 72:1-7, 18-19; Isa. 11:1-10; Rom. 15:4-13; Matt 3:1-12; 15) Ps. 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55; Isa. 35:1-10; James 5:7-10; Matt. 11:2-11;
22) Ps. 80:1-7, 17-19; Isa. 7:10-16; Rom. 1:1-7; Matt. 1:18-25; 29) Ps. 148; Isa. 63:7-9; Heb. 2:10-18; Matt 2:13-23
Copies of the GMPC Cookbook- More Delectable Blessings, are available for purchase in the church office. $12.00 each
or 2 for $20.00. They make wonderful Christmas gifts!
I will be loyal to GMPC and support it with:
MY GIFTS (Year-To-Date): Tithes and Offerings
$270,609.77
NEEDED FOR BUDGET:
Operating Budget
$294,446.00
