UPCOMING CHURCH EVENTS:

Our 2015 High School Graduates will be honored during worship on Sunday, June 7th. Each high school senior will be presented a Bible and a book as a gift from the congregation. Prior to worship a Graduate Breakfast for GMPC’s high school seniors, their families, and all of the middle and high school youth will be hosted in the GMPC Fellowship Hall with breakfast provided by the Presbyterian Women beginning at 9:00 a.m. Congratulations and Best Wishes to each of them!

The High School Graduates and their plans for the fall are: Claire Holland Fox- NC State University; Seth Thomas Harrington - East Carolina University; Tyler William James Jania - NC State University; Jane Ellis Langston - University of NC/CH; Max Reynolds Prestage - NC State University; Aaron Charles Viser - Harvard University College Graduates: Olivia Barwick - Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics, Wofford; Madeline Pope - Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science w/ concentration in Meteorology, NCSU; Wes Purcell - Bachelor of Science in Sports Management, NCSU; Mary Warren - Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, Meredith

GMPC Vacation Bible School 2015: June 22nd -25th: Clean Water for All God’s Children!, will end with a covered dish dinner, Picnic #1 at 6:30 p.m. on June 25th to celebrate all the children have learned. *Adults/Youth: Interested in assisting/volunteering for VBS, contact VBS Director Lisa Green or the Church Office today!

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 25th; Wednesday, July 8th & 22nd and Wednesday, August 5th.

GMPC Summer Sunday School: (Adult class members have three options) Adults /Young Adults: 1. “What DO Presbyterians Believe?” taught by. Dr. Moran 2. Feasting on the Word Curriculum in the Memorial Room 3. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis in the Banner Room Youth: (Curriculum TBA) in the Youth Room Grades K-5: Will combine in the 3rd - 5th grade Adventure Class room

*Sunday School begins every Sunday morning at 9:45 a.m.

Clear your clutter and help support GMPC’s Building Fund! GMPC will hold a public “Yard Sale” in our fellowship Hall, Saturday, June 6th, 2015. 7:00 AM-NOON again this year. All proceeds will benefit our Building Fund. So … clean your attic, garage, closets, etc. & bring any items you would like to donate to the Fellowship Hall beginning the week of Mon., June 1st. Items accepted: gently used children’s clothes (NO shoes or adult clothing), Books (No magazines), household items, furniture, dishes, pictures, decorative items, etc. We are in need of lots of volunteers in organizing this event as we get closer: sorting, pricing, arranging items, advertising, attendants, clean-up. Please contact Brenda Nordin 990-1668 to assist in this project or if you need assistance in getting your items to the church the week of the 1

st.

Volume XXXVIII, No. 5

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

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

Website: http://www.gravesmemorialpresbyterianchurch.com/ jamoran@embarqmail.com; melissagriffin@embarqmail.com; LNTOO@embarqmail.com

OUR KNOWN ILL:

AT HOME

Jimmy Naylor Barbara Kerr Martha Dunn Pam Langston Janie Faircloth

Others: James Faircloth - (Father of Nancy Johnston)

Angie Prucha - (Daughter of Edwin Danford)

Shirley Poston - (Mother of Pam Langston)

Margaret Williamson - (Mother of

Wanda Coleman, Dale Purcell & Kermit Wiilliamson)

Patricia Sammons

May - June, 2015

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

Lee & Britt Ammann, on the birth of their daughter

Easton Elizabeth Ammann,

born April 8, 2015. Grandmother is

Betty Blue Packard.

~~~ Andrew & Kendall Lane Howard

on the birth of their daughter Abigail Violet Lee Howard,

Born May 12, 2015. Grandparents are

Tim & Lee Howard.

SYMPATHY TO:

~ Courtney Shaffer and family on the passing of her mother and GMPC member, Katherine Starling Stewart.

Stop by the bulletin board outside the church office to view recent Information and News from

Our Presbytery Office. To view the Coastal Carolina Newsletter visit

www.presbycc.org. You can also sign up to receive weekly

updates at your email address.

Graves Memorial Presbyter ian Church Newsletter Page 2

WORDS FROM DR. JIM MORAN:

My friends, Water is critical to save us from death. A good part of our earth and ourselves is made up of water. We must drink a certain amount of water to survive. Water is a symbol of our salvation. In the church we are baptized with water as a sign and seal of the grace of God in our covenant with the Church. Yet, water can also kill us. The “old disciples and the sea” were at odds one evening. A great windstorm arose like the recent Tropical Storm Ana, and the boat they were in was almost swamped. You remember what Jesus was doing, SLEEPING! The disciples woke him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Jesus woke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea (the water), “Peace! Be still!” There was a dead calm. The “old disciples” were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:35-41) Water can drown us. Bad, unpurified water can kill us. Lack of wa-ter can cause us die of thirst and hunger. Think of the recent drought in the lush valleys of Cali-fornia. Water is key to our lives as humans and as Christians. This years Vacation Bible School will focus on water. What a difference we can make in the world by providing good water wells for communities or ways to purify local drinking water! Every time you drink water in the month of June be thankful for such a gift, think about most peo-ple around the world who don’t have such easy access to clean water, and pledge to make a dif-ference by helping with Vacation Bible School and/or giving financially so that others have the gift of water. With clean water we will save others from death. May the living water of our Lord Je-sus Christ fill your life and home. 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. See you in Church!

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

Attention Children Age 4 thru Grade 5 (by August 15th) … You will not want to miss out on GMPC Vacation Bible School 2015: June 22nd -25th, Clean Water for All God’s Children, where we will learn what scripture teaches us about water, our responsibility for the goodness of crea-tion, and for the care of the physical health of others, as we build relationships with one another. *Adults/Youth: Interested in assisting/volunteering, contact VBS Director Lisa Green or the Church Office today!

Our VBS will end with a covered dish dinner, Picnic #1 at 6:30 p.m. on the 25th to celebrate all that you have learned with your family and friends. We look forward to a fun filled night surrounded by your love.

VBS Registrations are scheduled to be sent out June 1st, so be on the lookout for yours in the mail. Ex-tra registrations may be picked up outside the Church Office or in the Sanctuary Narthex. We are asking that all registrations be submitted by June 15th. *Mark your calendars and invite your friends to come join us!

NEPAL Disaster Assistance Needed: The scale of the disas-ter facing Nepal after the April 25th earthquake is becoming clearer. The quake and its aftershocks have left thousands of people dead and thousands more injured. GMPC ask that you please consider making a monetary donation to help with the relief efforts. All donations will be wired directly to Shanti Nepal, a Nepali Christian organization, organized by former GMPC member and missionary Dr. Dick Harding. To learn more about Shanti Nepal please visit: www.shantinepal.org.np. Donations made to GMPC, for Nepal, will be received thru May 31st.

A church wide H2O Mission Fundraiser, lead by the GMPC Youth, began May 10th.

Bottles of water were handed out. They ask that you drink the water, fill the empty bottle with dimes, and return your filled bottle to the church by June 21st.

Their goal is to raise $1,250.00, to send to the PCUSA/Presbyterian gifts,

to purchase a well that provides clean water for drinking, bathing, washing, and

irrigation to an entire community. *H2O bottles still available.

Graves Memorial Presbyter ian Church Newsletter Page 3

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!

We are also very appreciative of the PW Committees and the assistance of the PM for our social events.

The Wednesday Night Summer Picnics are coming soon! The June 25th 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, Leigh Ann Faison, Noelle Apolinario, Kim Bouchard, Robin Palmer, Bonnie Barr, Carol Fussell, Nancy Cowand, Najshula Lassiter, Margaret Jania, Diane Viser, Sharon Funderburk, Kristi Williford, Barbara Taylor, Nancy Heath, Fay Gaddy, Erin Spell & Nancy Johnston. The other picnic dates are: July 8th (Chairs: Marinda Rives & Trish Sessoms); July 22nd (Chairs: Mac Spell & Peggy Lindsay); August 5th (Chairs: Ann Johnson & Allison Brock ) ~ all at 6:30 p.m.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES:

~ GMPC is proud to announce that Mrs. Amelia Forlaw Surratt was recognized by The Presbytery of Coastal Carolina as a Faith-

ful Saint on Saturday, May 2, 2015. Mrs. Surratt has been presented with a certificate of appreciation for her example of Christian disciple-ship and contributions to the life and mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Congratulations on this well deserved honor Amelia!

~ 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 20, 2015.

~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 10:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

*10:00 – 4:30: Cooking, 4:30 – 7:00: Serving, 7:00 p.m. – until: Clean-up. (Volunteer for the whole day or as your schedule allows.)

~CAKES NEEDED for the June 11th First Baptist Soup Kitchen. We ask that all cakes be delivered to the GMPC kitchen by 2:00 p.m.,

Wednesday, June 10th. Please contact NITA AIKEN to sign up/place your name on the list. We thank you in advance.

Youth Groups Info. Thank you once again for Youth Sunday. It was A-MAZING.

You did a wonderful job leading us in worship. A special thank you to all of our Youth Leaders for their hard work and dedication. It is truly appreciated. Thank you!

Looking Ahead: ~ May 31st - 5:30 p.m. Youth & Youth Parent meeting to discuss Illuminate 2015 possibilities/interest. ~ We look forward to June 7th when our graduates will be honored (Claire, Seth, Tyler, Jane, Max & Aaron). The graduate breakfast will begin at 9:00 a.m. All youth are invited. Please plan to attend. ~ Raleigh Youth Mission Trip: (June 14th - 19th) GMPC’s youth will join forces with Raleigh Youth Mission where

they will serve in a variety of mission settings in the Raleigh area. RYM’s hope is that when youth experience a variety of work in different kinds of environments, they will also find their own God-given gifts and how they can use them. When youth discover God in unexpected places, (like on the margins of society) RYM hopes that they go home deciding to use their gifts in ways that help neighbors in their own communities. ~ Looking Ahead: Montreat Youth Conference July 26th - Aug. 1st.

SEE YOU SUNDAY! Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11:00 a.m.

EDUCATIONAL / SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUNE 2015:

07 14 21 28 Crib Nursery: (Nancy & Jack Perry & Claire Fox) 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Melissa Fulton Olivia Sessoms Joy Dodson Debbie Martin Elizabeth Coleman Olivia Williford Nicole Spell Toddler Nursery: (Kathy Day & Mary Doyne) 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Lizzy Tart Jennifer Bradley Holly Weaver Ashleigh Johns Acolytes: (Brenda Nordin) James Carr Nancy Beaujeu-Dufour Julian Beaujeu-Dufour Wesley Cowand Connor Johnson Emily Wilmot Will Dodson Spencer Westerbeek Worship Readiness: (Tami Warren) *Summer Break. NO Worship Readiness. Memorial Room: (Dorothy Sue Faison) Ellen Tew Tommy Newton Diane Westerbeek Melvin Weaver Care Class: (Brenda Nordin) Kathy Peay Bill Scott Boyde Bristow Paul Viser Young Adult Class: TBA Meals-on-Wheels: (Nancy Perry) 06/02: Melissa Griffin & Jan Tart; 06/16: Steve & Julie Stefanovich; 06/30: Jennifer Bradley & Susan Fox Ushers: (Edwin Danford) Note: A yearly list is posted on the bulletin board outside the office Edwin Danford, Hugh Barwick, Jim Johnston, Tim Pope, Brad Spell, Melvin Weaver, Neill Westerbeek Flower Committees: (Mac Spell) 07 (Communion) 14 Memorial for Mr. Owen Patrick Dixon and Mrs. Myra Hardee Dixon by the family 21 Memorial for F.J. Faison, Sr., Nell P. Faison and Ferdinand Johnson Faison, Jr. by the Faison Families 28 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 Grace 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 Leanna Carr; 27) Morgan Lee; 28) Kathryn Jackson; 29) Mary Warren Rose, Palmer Blanchard, Jackson Lassiter; 30) Jean Parker

It’s Time to Update Annual Directories/Service Lists … (PW Yearbook) ~ Any changes/request for the social committees should be called in to Crystal Faison/592-3990, for the flower committee assignments con-tact Mac Spell/592-8838, and for PW Circles contact the current Moderators: Circle No. 1 Amelia Surratt/592-6569, Circle No. 2 Debbie Martin/564-6597, Circle No. 3 Neal Sinclair/592-6797; (Church Directory) ~ Any changes to address, phones, emails, etc., can be submitted to the church of-fice through July 31st; (Nurseries and Educational Opportunities Lists) ~ Any changes or request will be re-ceived through July 31st. Thank you for your support and commitments to the ministries of our church!

Lectionary Text for June:

07) Ps. 138; 1 Sam. 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15), 2 Cor. 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 14) Ps. 20; 1 Sam. 15:34-16:13; 2 Cor. 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17; Mark 4:26-34 21) Ps. 9:9-20 and 1 Sam. 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23) 32-49 or Ps. 133 and 1 Sam. 17:57-18:5, 10-16; 2 Cor. 6:1-13; Mark 4:35-41 28) Ps. 130; 2 Sam. 1:1, 17-27; 2 Cor. 8:7-15; Mark 5:21-43

Sunday, May 17 , 2015

I will be loyal to GMPC and support it with …

My Presence: Sunday School Attendance 50 Worship Attendance 101

My Gifts: Weekly Year-To-Date

Tithes and Offerings : $ 2,913.00 $104,728.58

Building Fund Offerings: $ 665.00 $ 31,356.02