NEWS FROM THE PEWS September 2016

NEWS FROM
THE
PEWS
September
2016
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NOTES FROM THE PASTOR:
A wonderful worship experience was had by
all at Freeman Chapel CME church on Sunday,
August 21. It was a true delight to fellowship
and praise the Lord with our brothers and
sisters in Christ there. We look forward to
the members of Freeman Chapel joining us
for worship in November.
Congratulations to Ellen Bravard and Joe
Benson on their upcoming wedding on
September 17. God’s blessings will be with
their vows to one another.
Our annual church picnic returns on
September 25. We will also celebrate our
Presbyterian Heritage at this outdoor service.
In the case of inclement weather, we will
have our church picnic in Fellowship Hall.
Roads to Home, a musical group that plays
traditional Irish and Scottish tunes, will be our
guest musicians.
Our 2nd and 4th Wednesday evening activities
return September 14 and 28. We will kick
things off with a special Wide Open
Wednesday on September 14. I look forward
to seeing everyone back on our 2nd and 4th
Wednesdays.
Here’s a September preview of our Sunday
sermons:
September 4, 16th Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 14: 25-33 “The Cost of Discipleship”
September 11, 17th Sunday after Pentecost
1 Timothy 1: 12-17 “Don’t Give Up”
September 18, 18th Sunday after Pentecost 1
Timothy 2: 1-7 “An Important Prayer”
September 25, Presbyterian Heritage Sunday
(Church Picnic) We will gather outdoors for
our annual church picnic and celebrate our
Presbyterian Heritage.
Our youth did a wonderful job leading our
Youth Sunday service on August 7! We have
much to be thankful for through them.
Announcements:
-new address please update your directory:
Ralph & Lois Swords
112 Cox Mill Court
Hopkinsville, KY 42240
The musical group Roads to Home will join us
at our church picnic to perform selections
from our Scot-Irish heritage.
-Reflecting on our August worship services,
we say “thanks” to several people who
provided special music for us. To Devin
Russell, pianist, Parker Evans, cellist. And Dr.
Joan Lester, vocalist, we appreciate you
sharing your musical gifts with us. We
appreciate you.
Prayer List
Ronnie Groom
Mae Morgan-Jessica Groom’s grandmother
Elmer Fort
Frances Moore
Carl Mortland
Suzanne Marshall
Taylor Family
Fr. Richard Meredith
Beth Everett
Family of Jim Cherry
Betty Major
Guen Crane
Emily Cumming-great niece of Donna Thurman
-Prayer requests will stay on the list for 3 weeks.
Please let the church office know if you wish for
a prayer request to remain for a longer period.
Session and Deaconate Notes, September:
Both the Session and the Diaconate of First
Presbyterian Church have been quite busy
this summer as the various teams have
planned and produced many activities and
events that have greatly enriched our worship
experience during these hot (and wet!) days.
Many thanks to all of our teams and everyone
who helped with the tremendous joint
worship service at Freeman Chapel; the
delicious wedding luncheon and shower for
Ellen Bravard and Joe Benson; the Youth
Mission trips to both Montreat, North
Carolina, as well as South Dakota; our Fourth
of July/Independence Day Service and very
educational (and fun!) flag display. It has
been a busy season at First Presbyterian…
and with fall just around the corner, the fun
will continue. Our church picnic on
September 25; the street fair in association
with our neighbors at the Museums of
Historic Hopkinsville as part of the Tobacco
Wars Pilgrimage scheduled for September 24;
All Saints’ Sunday on November 25; and other
joint worship service with friends at Freeman
Chapel with our church serving as host. Not
to mention regular Sunday morning activities
such as Sunday School, youth group, and
worship services! First Presbyterian Church is
certainly the place to be for worship and
fellowship this autumn.
The session would like to express its gratitude
to our organist/choir director Gale Holder for
all of her work and devotion in ”filling the
choir loft” with a variety of folks from
different areas of our congregation as well as
planning the outstanding special music and
musicians this summer. Thanks, too, to Dr.
Joan Lester and the hand bell choir for
diligence and musical enhancements. We are
all looking forward to the regular chancel
choir’s return to the choir loft in early
September and a “new look” later this fall.
Our church treasurer reports that our
financial situation has remained steady
throughout the summer months. The Session
expresses thank to all for their devotion and
commitment. Soon it will be time to consider
pledges for giving to the church for 2017. Plan
now to be a part of this important aspect of
life at First Presbyterian.
Our Christian Education team would like to
extend an invitation to anyone not currently
involved in Sunday School to come be a part
of this Sunday morning experience. It is a
great way to get to know people and to share
time together.
Soon our Officer Nominating Committee will
be considering nominees for three Deacons
and three Elders for the class of 2019! If you
are interested in serving, or know someone
who would be great in that capacity, contact
Elder Phil Fort, chairman of the committee, or
any of the members: Willee Cooper, Wayne
Goolsby, Carol Montgomery, and Soozy
Rittenberry.
Busy time! Busy Elders, Deacons, pastor, and
congregation! Many thanks to all who make
things run so smoothly at First Presbyterian
Church of Hopkinsville!
Notes to Note by Gayle Holder:
The choir is returning to the loft on Sunday,
September 4. On regular Wednesdays,
rehearsal is from 5:45-7:00. On Wide Open
Wednesdays, choir rehearsal will begin at
6:15 in order to give our members additional
time for the special Wednesday services.
Blessings, Gayle
WIDE OPEN WEDNESDAY RETURNS
September 14th with a message on
Disaster Assistance
A go bag.
The Presbytery.
Friends and neighbors.
What do these things have in common? They are
all helpful following a natural or man-made
disaster! The PCUSA motto for Disaster
Assistance is "Out of Chaos - HOPE!" And Bessie
Costanza and Ann Waddle from Clarksville are
going to share suggestions and guidelines for
getting out of chaos- HOPE after a tornado; HOPE
after a fire; HOPE after an act of violence. They
will let you participate by planning your own
emergency response, as well as having you look at
the bigger picture for your family, your church,
and your community.
Keeping It Real invites you to share
thoughts about:
Wm. P. Young’s book-- The Shack
Monday August 8th
Books on Main @ 9th &
Virginia 1:00 PM
Questions?
Call Carol 270-881-1759
Looking forward…….
Planning Meeting Aug. 15, 1:30 PM at
church for God’s Garden Party--a literacy
event. Questions? Call: 270-881-1759
Bible Study Circles will meet again starting
Monday, September 12th. Who Is Jesus?
Tobacco War Pilgrimage and Street Fair
The annual Tobacco War Pilgrimage and
Street Fair, sponsored by the Museums of
Historic Hopkinsville, will be held on
Saturday, September 24. We will need
volunteers to help with the Street Fair and
concession stand. More information will be
forthcoming and please set this date aside if
you will be able to volunteer.
Celebrating An Anniversary
05
09
15
Albert & Evelyn Roeder
Ronnie & Angie Groom
Justin & Jessica Groom
01
Albert Roeder
Jim Bravard
Jeremy Jones
Anthony Tankersley
Nancy Halvorson
Rachel Stevenson
Catherine Lainhart
Lynn Rittenberry
Pat Mortland
Maxine Bentley
Buddy Binkley
Janet Bravard
08
09
12
19
24
26
28
29
Church Humor:
Roasted Chicken Breasts with
Caramelized Onions and Fall Fruit
Ingredients
4 bone-in chicken breast halves (2 to 2-1/2
pounds)
4 teaspoons chicken or turkey roasting rub
2 large white or red onions, cut into 3/4inch chunks (2 cups)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 medium Granny Smith or tart red apple,
peeled, cored and coarsely chopped (1
cup)
1 medium Bosc or Anjou pear, peeled,
cored and coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1/3 cup dried cranberries, dried cherries,
dried currants, golden raisins, snipped
dried apricots or snipped dried figs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary or
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup cranberry juice, apple cranberry
juice, pear nectar, apricot nectar or dry
white wine
2 tablespoons dry sherry, white balsamic
vinegar, dry vermouth or dry white wine
Fresh green beans, trimmed and steamed
(optional)
Directions
1. Lightly grease a shallow baking pan.
Sprinkle the roasting rub onto all of the
surfaces of the chicken; rub in with
fingers. Place chicken, skin side up, in
prepared baking pan. Roast,
uncovered, in a 425 degree F oven for
30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is no
longer pink (170 degrees F).
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook
onions, covered, in hot butter over
medium-low heat about 15 minutes or
until onions are tender, stirring
occasionally. Uncover; add brown
sugar. Cook and stir over medium-high
heat about 5 minutes more or until
onions are golden. Add apple, pear,
cranberries, garlic, rosemary and
pepper to skillet. Cook, covered, for 5
minutes, stirring twice. Stir in
cranberry juice and dry sherry.
Simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 4 minutes
or until liquid is reduced by half.
3. To serve, transfer the chicken to a
serving platter. Spoon onion mixture
over chicken. If you like, serve with
steamed green beans.
First Presbyterian Church
303 E. 9th Street
Hopkinsville, KY 42240
270-885-8171 (telephone)
Facebook: First Presbyterian Hoptown
Twitter: @1presch
www.fpchopkinsville.com
1presch@bellsouth.net