PRESBYTERIANPRESBYTERIANPRESBYTERIANPRESBYTERIAN Lamp A Publication of The Presbyterian Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia
On the INSIDE
Fellowship - 2
Youth - 3
Birthdays & Milestones - 4
Missions - 5
Christian Ed - 6
Epiphany Greetings Epiphany - the showing forth, the manifestation, the revealing of Christ to the world. As a feast, we celebrate on January 6th the revelation to the Magi, the wise men from the east to whom the identity of Christ was revealed. But Epiphany also begins a season when the church recalls the Baptism of Jesus, and numerous other events and
scenes from Jesus’ life when his divinity and righteousness was revealed to the world.
It’s a great way to begin a new year, not by packing away all the Christmas decora-tions and sealing the lid on the boxes, but by showing forth the light of Christ in the
world.
When is the last time you told someone how significant Jesus is in your life? How many people do you know who live in the shadows of low self-esteem, depression or hopelessness in January and February? What could you do to tell others who Jesus is,
and what that means for our life together?
If you are not ready to tell strangers or neighbors, perhaps you might begin by practic-ing, rehearsing, retelling the stories of Jesus here in church. God in Christ is now
revealed.
And that news is too good to keep to ourselves.
Wishing you a blessed and healthy year, I send you bright greetings of Epiphany!
See you in worship!
Warmly,
Allen
The Cold Night Shelter is now open since it has turned cold. Volunteers, please be on the alert for your night. Assume the shelter will be open unless you get an email or phone call saying the shelter will not be open. Thanks again for your
willingness to help.
Confi rmat ion Journey The 2010 Confirmation Journey begins Sunday, January 3, at 6:30 p.m. with an orientation for youth, parents and covenant partners. All eighth graders are welcome to take part in this course. The Confirmation teaching team consists of: Bridget Harvey, Barry Jones, Jen Rowe,
and Patrick Dennis.
If your youth wishes to participate and has not yet registered, please contact Pastor Dennis
([email protected] or 373-7057)
January 2010
Cold Night Shelter
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Fellowship and Small GroupsFellowship and Small GroupsFellowship and Small GroupsFellowship and Small Groups
Circle of Joy Monday, Jan. 4, 10:00am Church Parlor
Joanne Farley, 371-2631
Circle of New Beginnings
Sunday, Jan. 3 6:00 p.m. Social 6:30 p.m. Lesson Church Parlor
Betsy Lewis, 361-4337
Circle of Prayer
Wednesday, Jan. 13, 12noon Middle House
Jeanne Rambsurg, 710-6891
Faith Circle
Monday, Jan. 11, 12:30pm Home Meetings
Sonie Horstman, 972-7129
Friendship Circle
Jan. 12, 1:00pm Chancellor’s Village-Red Rm
Carol Johnson, 373-2703
Grace Circle
Monday, Jan. 11, 1:00pm Church Parlor
Opal Stroup, 785-8960
Never Ending Circle Sunday, Jan. 10, 5:00pm Home Meetings Trudy McNatt, 373-2852
PW Circles Prime TimersPrime TimersPrime TimersPrime Timers
We thank Jean Ravinsky for the arrangements at Fredericksburg County Club for our
Christmas luncheon on December 9.
On January 13, the Prime Timers will meet in the Fellowship Hall for salad and games at 11:00 a.m. Soup, bread, drink, dessert and games will be supplied; you can also bring your favorite game. Please call the Baileys at 371-1440 by January 10, to choose which salad ingredient you want to bring from the list. If you get an answering
machine, leave a message and they will call you back.
Our May overnight trip will be May 12-13 to Longwood Gardens and Winterthur.
The cost will be approximately $90. Stay tuned for more details.
Forever YoungForever YoungForever YoungForever Young
The Forever Young Fellowship luncheons will resume on Tuesday, February 26, at 11:30 a.m. in the Church House. For reservations, please, call Ruth Moreau at 786-4278 by January 19. The menu will be black bean & spinach lasagna, spaghetti bread, tossed salad and dessert. We invite any of our super senior adults who want some good fellowship and food to join us. The parking lot is reserved for you and the
chair lift on the back porch of the Row houses is available.
Presbyterian WomenPresbyterian WomenPresbyterian WomenPresbyterian Women
The PW Coordinating Team Meeting will be on Tuesday, January 19, at 10:00 a.m.
in the Church Parlor.
Congregational RetreatCongregational RetreatCongregational RetreatCongregational Retreat
Now go out into the world… to love God with all your heart and see how God calls us to share his good news. You are officially invited to attend the congregational retreat on
March 13 and 14. The theme is “living inside out.”
“Presbyterian Feud” We surveyed 100 Presbyterians and asked for them to respond to this question: name something associated with the January fellowship event. The top four an-
swers are on the board, and the SURVEY SAYS:
1. The Date and Time:
January 23, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall
2. The Food:
A bowl food such as chili, soup, or stew brought by each family, with drinks
and dessert provided by the Fellowship Committee.
3. The Entertainment:
“Presbyterian Feud” game show in which adults, youth, and children
can participate.
4. The Contact Info:
Scott Fischer, 899-6064 or [email protected]
and Tracey Rembisz, 540-548-1813 or [email protected]
VBS
July 11-July 15, 2010
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January Youth Supper Cooks:
January Youth Childcare Providers: 3rd No Youth Group
10th Joanne & Tom Fortune
17th Cyndi & Tim Hughes
24th Tricia & Bill Garner
31st Kerry Devine
3rd No Youth Group
10th Karen & Tim Duffy
Ellen & Mike Fritz
Pam & Cliff Werner
17th Paula & Lee Steven
Jimi & Lee Pugh
Shannon & Elliott Farley
24th Kerry Devine
Marnie & Steven Schattgen
Sue & Dennis Keffer
31st Meg & Dave Bohmke
Becca & Bern Mahon
Molly & Nathan Cass
Ever wonder who locks up the Middle House, Church House, and Education Building after Sunday's worship is over? Well, we have a small team of volunteers on the Build-ings and Grounds Committee who individually perform lock-up duty, each serving one month at a time. Our numbers have dwindled, so we can use additional volunteers to perform this important duty. It takes about 30 minutes to do the job, and training is avail-able. There are detailed directions in the church office. For further information, please contact Harry Farley at: [email protected], or via phone at 371-2631. A number of op-portunities exist including the months of July through December 2010, act quickly or your
favorite month might be taken.
2010! A whole decade into the 2000’s. It seemed like it would never come, but in fact it came fast. And it is going to be an excellent
year for the youth at The Presbyterian Church.
2009 ended with lots of fun. The Senior High locked-in the night of the Christmas parade. They sold hot chocolate to the cold parade goers and then hung out in the Fellowship Hall on the snowy night. We played games, got to know each other better, went over to the Sanctuary at 2:00 a.m. to talk about Advent…basically had a blast. The Middle Schoolers had a fantastic advent talk and a fabulous (with “out of this world” gifts) white elephant party. It sure was a fun
party!
The Senior High youth would also like to thank everyone who participated in the Angel Tree program. With your generous gifts we were able to provide presents for many children who have at least one parent in prison. We saw expressions of gratitude and thankfulness as
we delivered them on December 19.
On to 2010. We gather together again on January 10, and meet regularly through the month. The advisors have lots planned and some tricks up their sleeves, so come and find out what it is all about. It’s a great new year’s resolution to start coming to youth group…just
an idea.
Youth Sunday is February 7, 2010, put it on your calendars and start coming to planning session. We will rehearse on February 6, at
9:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary.
See you in the New Year!!!
Sarah Dennis
Church Closers
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1. Jim Eck
2. Libby Humes, Scott Theado
3. Brent McGhee, Nana Attafua
4. Jeremy Stoddard, Mollie Cass
5. Linda Spangler
6. Mark Hughes, Joan Darby
8. Haley Dameron
9. Bud Baker, Sarah Gormley, Mike Gillenwater,
Anne Thompson
10. Harry Farley, Bridget Harvey, Thomas Digges
11. Eric Dowling, Lillian Remsen, Ruth Moreau,
Laura Digges
12. Loena Via, Mike Foreman, Meredith Sittmann,
Ginger Oplinger
13. Pete Kolakowski
14. Ashley Howe, Gary Scheibel, Allison Worthington
15. Duane Hansen, Neil Sullivan, Anne Betz,
Amy Maclean,Kristina Brough, Eleanor Bailey
16. Susan Harrison, Marlo Meuli, Wendi Grimes,
Anne Shotwell, John Baer
17. Jane Williams, Erica Foreman
18. Rick Banez
19. Greg Medsker, Missy Dodson, Wendel Gouldman,
David Godshall
20. James Crooks, Meredith Goggin, Don Wilson,
Chris Repp
21. Ben Middleton
22. Nellie Kate Dameron, Austin Rapkins
23. Nancy Wilson, Madison Early
24. Jeff Kunkler
25. Liz Thompson, Fred Betz
26. Harry Lewis, Sam Lowery
27. Adam Bentley, Jamie Gillespie, Seth Rapkins
28. Sue Stone, Claire Fritz
29. Ellie Bell, Bruce Harvey, Sherrie Weinstein, Brian Baker, Kim Liska, Courtney Stone,
Paula Steven, April Eckel
30. Joan Eck, Kaileen Coffman, Jenna Grace Leek
31. Lynn Norfleet, Suzanne Broman, Robert King
Capsule of Concern: Ruth Moffitt, Tillie Paul, Louise Garrison Monroe, Ann Shotwell,
Herb Rudolph, Ann Warner, James Roberson
Continued Prayers: Bob Benn, Jim Eck, Jean Gill, Marjorie Glassco, Bud Helmen, Kathryn Hower, Janie Kash, Pilly Liebenow, Stacy Lloyd, Thelma Mann, Roberta Mealey, Bob
Miller, Stacey Orcutt, Tillie Paul, Jim Roberson, and Jeanne Waite,
Sympathies: Our heartfelt Christian love and sympathies are extended to Linda Sweet and
family on the death of her husband, Jauncey H. Sweet, III, who died on November 20, 2009.
MILESTONES
Missionary Update Our missionary, Shirley Hill, who was working in Cameroon, has come home for a pe-riod of discernment. She does not plan to return at this point. We currently have a search process underway to find another missionary to support for 2010. The Mission Committee
will inform you as soon as we know. Please be in prayer as we look for a missionary.
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The community has about 40 to 50 students participating in various aspects of the program. Their regular weekly schedule includes: Wednesday night worship, Thursday evening dinner and program, small group studies for men and women, and tea on Fridays. Students participate in community mission projects including our community dinner and a mission trip to Honduras every January. Funding for the ministry comes from Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal and United Methodist judicatories as
well as individual churches. Our church supports the CCC directly each year with $5000 and $1500 for student scholarships to Honduras. Annette Lowery and Heather Howe are on the CCC board. The Rev. Bob Azzarito is the cam-pus pastor. Our church is currently discussing with the CCC how we might be able to get more students involved with the community dinners, food pantry, providing childcare on Sundays and other times and youth ministry. Please be in
prayer for our CCC.
Sign Up Now for the Adult Mission Trip
The time is now to let Bruce Harvey know if you will go on the adult mission trip to Galveston, Texas, March 21-27. We will work through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to repair homes in this area caused by the forgotten hurricane, Ike, in 2008. We need skilled workers, unskilled workers and others who just want to lend a hand. We will find work for all who want to go. The cost will be around $360 for the airline ticket. We will stay at the PDA village near Galveston, and we’ll prepare our own meals. If you have not been on one of the trips to Gulfport, Mississippi we invite you to come and if you have been we hope you will go again. Just contact Bruce at 373-
7057 or [email protected], by January 20.
One Small Task Done for You! As a courtesy to you and in deference to the busyness we have all shared these past weeks (you know, finding Aunt Gertrude’s jammies and Uncle Buck’s suspenders for the family gift exchange) the Reach Out Committee has decided to take some of the burden off your shoul-ders as you prepare for 2010. This ad hoc committee has put the resolve back into resolution;
all you have to do is take it to heart!
� Put the 3rd Saturday of every month on your calendar to set aside as a special time to meet your friends and make new ones (to include those cute students from UMW who volunteer
their Saturday nights) by showing up at the monthly Community Dinner.
� In case you twisted your ankle on New Years and can’t show up at the dinner, you can still strut your stuff (remember no one else will) by providing your homemade brownies and cole slaw for this monthly
event.
� Take time to welcome Karen and David Johnson back from their 11 month sabbatical to an exotic warm climate. Karen is the one rolling in the snow still trying to cool down. David is the one eliminating all his recipes with rice as an ingredi-
ent.
� Thank Eleanor McCord for organizing this impressive monthly event for the past year. Eleanor is the one suggesting you
call Karen Johnson at 371-2719 or [email protected] to offer your help at the January 16, Community Dinner.
UPDATE from Campus Christian Community UPDATE from Campus Christian Community UPDATE from Campus Christian Community UPDATE from Campus Christian Community at University of Mary Washington at University of Mary Washington at University of Mary Washington at University of Mary Washington
Page 6 The Lamp The Presbyterian Church
All parents and children in the first through third grades are invited to the Worship Workshop on Sun-day, January 24, following the 11:00 a.m. Worship Service. We will have lunch in the Fellowship Hall and then move to the second floor of the Education Building for workshops on the Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer, making a hymn marker, finding scripture, finding a hymn and singing the Doxology and Gloria Patri, looking at the order of worship and the offering. We will end with a tour of the Sanctuary. The purpose of the workshop is to help assist parents and children as they learn to participate in worship. We welcome those who have never been to the workshop and also those who may have participated two years
ago. Please let the church office know by January 17, if you plan to attend.
Each infant baptism we promise to nurture the child in the faith – parents and congregation together. This promise continues beyond the elementary age, into teenage years and adulthood. We need to find at all stages of our faith journey groups where we can be nurtured, share our stories and experiences and share our insights with one another. We have questions, can go to a deeper level in our faith and open ourselves to help each other and our community. We strongly encourage YOU to find a class on Sunday morning, Wednes-day night, or at another time that will nurture your faith – Make This a Resolution for 2010. Let the Bible stories come alive for our children, let our youth learn about the whole Bible story and begin to wrestle with their own beliefs and let us as adults continue to learn and challenge one another so we can be strong witnesses in our work, at home, in
schools, or wherever we might be called.
See you on January 10 – details are as follows: All members and visitors of all ages are invited to join us for Brunch on Sunday, January 10 at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This will be the kick-off for our new Sunday School semester. All food and beverage will be provided by the Christian Education Committee, so all you have to do is come. At 10:00 a.m. we will dismiss to our sepa-rate classes for children, youth and adults. Our adults may choose from five classes (look for the Christian Education brochure with more
Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday
SchoolSchoolSchoolSchool
details about each adult class): The Thoughtful Christian - continues, led by
Bruce Leek, Pam Eisensmith, Tamie Pratt-Fartro and Dennis Rapkins and meets in the Church House, 1st floor.
Listening for God - changes focus to Oswald Chamber’s study on the Sermon on the Mount. It will be led by Leif Johnston, Nancy Wilson, and Al Erkert and meets in the Undercroft;
Timeless Stories in the Life of Jesus - led by Harry Farley, Kay Lanceley and Larry Die-bold and meets in the Middle House, 1st floor.
Parenting - Using the book, Soft-Spoken Par-enting, this class will be led and coordinated by Dave & Meg Bohmke and Erma & Brian Baker and meets on the 2nd floor of the Church House, back room.
Faith & Discipleship - Using the book, Explor-ing Faith & Discipleship – Selected Read-ings by Tony Campolo, Frederick Buechner, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others, this class will be coordinated by Amy Talmadge with the help of class participants and meets in
the Church House, front room.
Our 2-year old through 5th grade classes use the Walk with Me curriculum that has a Bible story, craft and other activities each week that reinforce the story plus a take home leaflet. Carol choir (4’s- 1st gr. - 10:15) & Covenant choir (2nd -5th gr – 9:40) meet during the Sunday School hour. Our 6th – 7th graders will continue their survey of the Old Testament while most of the 8th graders meet for Confirmation. Our Senior Highs continue a study of “Believe it” curriculum: the next few lessons include: sin and election, atonement, and justification.
Worship Workshop
Worship:
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Sunday Sunday School:
9:45 a.m.
Phone: (540) 373-7057
FAX (540) 370-0210
Web: www.fredericksburgpc.org
Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:30am - 4:30 p.m.
Friday 9:00am - 12 noon
The Presbyterian Lamp is published monthly. The
deadline submitting item for the February issue is
Monday, January 11. Items may be submitted to
[email protected] or brought to the
church office. All articles are edited for length and
content.
Rev. Allen H. Fisher, Jr., Pastor
Rev. Patrick Dennis, Associate Pastor
E. Bruce Harvey, Jr., Coordinator of Christian Ed.
Sarah Dennis, Director of Youth Ministry
Rev. Terry Diebold, Parish Associate
Mary Ann and Larry Casey, Choirmasters
Amy Shirk, Organist
Ron Rebman, Financial Secretary
Carole-Jean Forsing, Administrative Assistant
John Copley, Maintenance Engineer
Kaci LeFebre, Kitchen Coordinator
2009-2010 Session
Moderator – Rev. Allen H. Fisher, Jr., Pastor
Clerk of Session - C. Milton McNatt
Associate Pastor - Rev. Patrick Dennis
Session Committee Responsibilities
Administration - Dave Farley, Barry Hall
Building and Grounds - Steve Eckel,
Johnny Boyles
Christian Ed. - Barbara Howe, Dorothy Mondak
Congregational Care - Robert Fidler,
Tracey Rembisz
Evangelism - Scott Fischer, Beth Rabatin
Personnel and Volunteers - Pete Kolakowski,
Annette Lowery
Mission - Elaine Benzio Hild, Betsy Lewis
Stewardship - Dick Balch, Carter Hudgins
Worship - Dave Peterson, Porter Blakemore , Mia Day
Fellowship/Group Ministries - Tracey Rembisz,
Scott Fischer
Page 7 The Lamp The Presbyterian Church
Dishwashers Needed
We’ve “gone green” and we have a need for volunteers. to rinse, load and unload the dishwasher for Mid-Week Dinners February 3 - March 31, time commitment is 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. or less depending on the number of dinner attendees. Please contact Krista
Samson, [email protected] or 373-4119 to sign up.
The Romans Bible study this past fall went very well with about 8 participants on Tuesday evenings and about 7 participants on Wednesday mornings. In the winter/spring we will
study Hebrews beginning Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m. in the Middle House and Wednesday, February 3, at 10:00 a.m. in the Middle House. The Bible study will meet every week through March 16 & 17, respectively. Please see Bruce if you would like to
attend. The study books are in his office.
The Mid-Week suppers and activities will resume on Wednesday, February 3, at 5:45 p.m. and go through Wednesday, March 31. We will take a break on February 17, for the Ash Wednesday service at
7:00 p.m.
Mid-Week Suppers/Activities
From Romans to Hebrews
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