FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
“For thou art my hope, O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth.
Psalm 71:5
“O, what a happy child I am, although I cannot see! I am resolved that in this world contented I will be. How many blessings I enjoy that other people don’t! so weep or sigh because I’m blind, I cannot – nor I won’t.”
Those words were written by Fanny Crosby at the age of eight. She has written some of our favorite hymns (such as Blessed Assurance) and she was blind!
When our granddaughter played Travel Softball, she had a teammate who had only one leg and yet with the aid of an artificial leg, she was one of the best players on the team. One day she ran around to second base and called for time out, took off her leg and shook the sand out, put it back on and continued to play.
At one of my churches, I had a 12 year old in a wheelchair, she had a rare disease and she had to be in and out of the hospital and had to have excruciating treatments. Nevertheless, she had personality plus and was even a cheerleader at her school.
I could tell you more stories of people who had mountains to climb. The message I want to leave us with today is that these people certainly had a mother or father or someone to let them be who they were and not place them in a category that would prevent them from being all they could be. As we celebrate Mother’s Day this year, I hope many of you had a mother who was able to instill that quality in you.
My mother was such a kind person – she tried to instill in me that kindness can outweigh almost anything. I see so much in the news and the papers about the misuse of people by friends, relatives and strangers that I wonder if we have lost the ability to be kind.
We really have to like ourselves before we can like anyone else! God made us just as we are! Oh, I’m sure we have make some decisions that He would rather we wouldn’t, but our parent God has given us the heart and mind of His image. How can we destroy His image when we do or say things that hurt someone else?
We have persons in this church who have placed their hope in God from their youth and have felt as Fanny Crosby did, their physical challenges just made them stronger. I’m amazed at all they do and I’m so inspired by their deep faith and commitment to God.
May God continue to help you see yourself as He sees you! There is nothing that is too hard if you just place your hand in His! – Pastor Marilyn
THE CHURCH OWL
Unknown facts: Bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers were all invented by women.
– You Can’t Eat Peanuts in Church, by Barbara Seuling
Bible Facts: In the Bible children are named 28 times by their mothers and 18 times by their fathers.
– Bible Trivia
Announcements
Sunday School – 8:30 AM in the Community Building
Adult Bible Study with Pastor Joe Travis – Sunday evenings at 6:00pm
Choir Practice Every Saturday at 9:30am
Thursday, May 10th – Prayer Shawl Ministry group meets at Carolyn White’s – 7pm
Sunday, May 13th – Mother’s Day
Sunday, May 13th - Last Day for the Baby Bottle Campaign. Please bring your bottles to
the church. All money collected will go to Care Net, a Christian organization that helps women
and babies. To learn more, Care Net has a wealth of information that can be found on the Internet.
Monday, May 14th - The Mother Daughter Dinner at 6:00. Please bring a dish to share. Bonne says the entertainment has been taken care of. Sign up sheets are in the vestibule.
Friday, May 18th & Saturday May 19th - Spring Rummage and Bake Sale – you may bring
your items to the building across the road. Please no electronics (computers, printers, ect.)
If anyone would like to help, please let Mary Helen (278-1294) or Pauline (278-4707) know.
Baked goods needed for bake sale.
Saturday, May 19th – Armed Forces Day
Sunday, May 20th – Session Meeting after church
Sunday, May 27th - Pastor Marilyn would like to have a short Memorial Service Portion.
If you have lost someone during this past year, please let Pastor Marilyn know, so that we
can remember that person during the service. If you were unable to get a name to her before
May 1, she will be glad to add that name on May 27th.
Monday, May 28th – Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 29th – Newsletter Deadline
HOST FAMILIES NEEDED FOR GIRLS CHOIR, Tuesday June 19th – The Oakland Girls Choir from Pittsburgh will be on tour and present a concert in our area. They will arrive here Tuesday afternoon June 19th at First Presbyterian Church in Montrose. A light supper will be prepared for them and the concert will follow that evening, followed by a reception at the church. Host families will then take their guest or guests along home for the night, feeding them breakfast in the morning and packing them a lunch, then taking them back to town for them to board the bus for their next concert. Our very own Mary Versa, grand daughter of Dave Clemens, is part of this group and is excited to be performing for our church family. Our part in this is volunteering to be a host family, and possibly helping with the supper and/or reception on Tuesday evening. Some of the rules are: Two girls always travel together, so you need room for 2. There will be 29 girls and 8 chaperones, all needing housing. I will soon have forms to be filled out and gotten back to the trip coordinator – please give this careful consideration and if you are able to house 2 or 4 girls or a chaperone or 2, let me know. Having hosted students in the past, I know this can be a rewarding experience. Any questions, contact Joyce at 967-0858 or bjprintz@frontiernet.net
Time is drawing closer for the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” event here in Susquehanna County. The dates this year are: Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23. It will be held at the Montrose High School. Friday nights opening ceremony starts at 6 pm with a complimentary dessert reception for all survivors and caregivers, with a luminaria ceremony at dusk. Saturday morning a brunch is planned for 9 am (for survivors and caregivers) with closing ceremonies late morning. There will be food and games available for everyone attending as well as great music for this event, with an opportunity for our community to honor our folks who have struggled with cancer while raising money so that others may never have to deal with this disease You may see Debbie Stalker or contact her at home at 570-465-7429 for any information. She has the forms for registration, so that they will know who will be coming for the complimentary dessert reception and brunch and to give their t-shirt size. Debbie also has the forms for anyone interested in purchasing a luminaria to be lit at our event in honor or memory of someone who’s dealt with cancer.
Session would like to begin a card ministry, the idea coming from an article in a recent Presbyterian Today magazine. If you would like a card sent to a particular person to give them a lift or let them know they are missed or offer encouragement, etc. etc., just give the name and address to Janet Decker. Cards, envelopes and postage will be provided and placed on a table in the Community Building the first Sunday of each month. As we file past the table on our way to the coffee pot, we will be able to sign each of the cards and Janet will address the envelopes and mail them. You can reach Janet at
570-967-2343 or email her at rdecker31@stny.rr.com This ministry will begin on Communion Sunday, May 6th .
Our church will be hitting the 200th year anniversary in 2013. I would like peoples input into how to celebrate this major milestone. Would you recommend one big event or several smaller ones like spring, summer and fall? How would you like to mark the milestone? I plan to interview some of our members for articles for the newsletter. Also, I want to take excerpts from the old church minutes. Does anyone have old pictures? What else can you suggest? Thanks, Jim Perkins 570-967-2634 perkmar@stny.rr.com
Prayer Shawls: HYPERLINK “http://www.franklinhillpresbyterian.o/” We have some prayer shawls ready! If anyone knows of someone in need of a prayer shawl, please let Carolyn White know or e-mail her at HYPERLINK “mailto:whisperpines@frontiernet.net” whisperpines@frontiernet.netHYPERLINK “http://www.franklinhillpresbyterian.o/” .
Loose Change Offerings
1st Sunday – Local Emergency/Deacon’s Fund
2nd Sunday – Local Emergency/Deacon’s
3rd Sunday – Kenya/Rev. Malaho
4th Sunday – Building Maintenance
5th Sunday – Habitat for Humanity (whenever there is a 5th Sunday)
Pastor Marilyn : You can reach her at 607-222-8261. Ray and Marilyn will be coming home in a couple of weeks. They thank you for keeping in touch with them during the winter months. The summer address is: PO Box 511, Hallstead, PA 18822