From The Pastor’s Desk…..
Dear Church Family and Friends,
Thinking about the year to come I am reminded of what Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
So as we begin another year, are you setting New Year’s resolutions? I have never been one to do this. I feel like New Year’s resolutions hold us to a strict standard of ideas; accomplish this list of task by the end of this month or this year, lose weight, organize the closets, read through the Bible and the list goes on. Placing these kinds of benchmarks on ourselves can sometimes be overwhelming. We have the expectation that we will accomplish these daunting task in 2018 and then feel let down when we’ve already strayed from our goal 2 or 3 months into the year.
Isn’t it nice to know God doesn’t hold us to a resolutions list? I like to think of New Years as more of a time of renewal, a fresh start, a turning over. God tells us that He makes all things new. He can make old things pass away and new things take shape.
Want the pressure off? Truly give it to the Lord, and He’ll make you into a new you. Have you been putting off organizing that cluttered closet? Truly ask the Lord, and He will give you the desire to make it fresh and new.
God gives us the power to do anything we can imagine if we will tap into Him as our source. Want a closer walk with Him, a deeper friendship, to be a better Mom or Dad? God is waiting for us to ask Him to make us new and molded us into the person He created us to be. All we have to do is ask, listen for His direction, and follow through from January 1st through December 31st.
In His Service,
Pastor Joe
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday School – 8:15 AM in the Community Building
Choir Practice Every Thursday at 1:00pm
Evening Bible Study – Every Sunday at 5:00pm
You may reach Pastor Joe at 570-465-7303 or his cell #570-267-4570
Every Thursday Pastor Joe will be at the church from 2-4pm if you need him
Saturday, January 6th – Epiphany
Thursday, January 11th – Presbyterian Women meet at 10:00am in the Community Building
Sunday, January 14th – Annual Corporation meeting – Elders installed, following Worship Service
Tuesday, January 15th – Martin Luther King Day
Wednesday, January 17th – Men’s Action Group meeting at 8:00am in the Community Building
Thursday, January 18th – Session Meeting 2pm
Tuesday, January 30th – Newsletter Deadline
Sunday School – 8:30am – Beginning 1/7/18 – The study of the Ten Commandments
Bible Study – 5:00pm – Beginning 1/7/18 – The study of the Beatitudes
Souper Bowl Sunday Offering–The Souper Bowl offering will take place for three weeks starting January 14. It will end on February 4th, the day of the Super Bowl. This offering will support our local mission projects. Details of this mission will be put in the bulletins and mentioned during “Minute for Missions” each Sunday while this mission takes place. The offering will be non-perishable food items or cash which will be used to purchase grocery store gift cards. Food items and gift cards will go to families in need in our community.
Warming Station –During this cold weather and the rest of the winter remember that the Community Building has a back up generator. If you lose power at your home contact a session member or someone with a key to let you in. We can provide you heat and light. You can use the refrigerator and stoves, but you will need to bring your own food. We are not set up as a shelter, but you can keep warm
Presbyterian Women report for 2017–Fund raisers done by the women are 2 Rummage and Bake Sales, one in spring, the other in fall. The total amount raised from these two sales was over $2600.00 A lot of work goes into these events; sorting clothing & other donated items, baking, and making several different kinds of soup which are served for lunch. With the earnings from these events, money is donated to Women’s Resource Center, WPEL, World Vision, supplied meat, rolls and drink for two of the church summer picnics, and taco fixings for the third, gave the general fund $400.00 towards the electric bill for the hall, Christmas gifts were purchased for several folks, money sent to Rev. Malaho to help buy farm equipment, and helping those in need in the community.
Our annual Mother Daughter Banquet was held in May and 14 members and friends attended a Christmas Tea and Luncheon at the Montrose Bible Conference in December. TAKE NOTE: The day and time of our meetings have been changed to the second THURSDAY of the month and the time will be 10:00 a.m. If you have not come in the past, we welcome you. Come and bring and friend.
Presbytery Meeting in May — The Cornerstone Presbytery Executive Team asked the Franklin Hill Session to host the May meeting. At the session meeting in December the session voted yes to the request. Franklin Hill is centrally located in the Presbytery which will minimize travel time for those in the edges of the Presbytery. The meeting being at the Franklin Hill Church will enable our congregation to attend the meeting to see how the Presbytery functions. Please consider attending the meeting in May. We will be serving lunch during the meeting. Hopefully the choir can sing during the worship service which is part of the meeting.
Autumn has had political unrest which has had a major effect on life in western Kenya. They have experienced military activity by political challengers and that has shut down common services, including public transportation, schools, and health care facilities. Prices have inflated drastically and supplies had been scarce. By late December those activities have seemed to settle down and schools have scheduled to reopen by January 2. I believe this is the same local school that we helped to fund.
We had sent funds before Christmas and they were able to have a modest meal for the students and the very poor old people. Rev. Malaho sent us a video of about 30 children, aged 3 – 12 singing unknown Christmas songs. They appeared happy and enthusiastic about Christmas. They send abundant “Thank You”s and many warm blessing for the prayers and funding that we have sent them. They again invite anyone from our church to come and visit their village. They are very thankful for all that we have done for them. Submitted by Jim Kessler
MENS ACTION GROUP *** If anyone is in need of transportation and/or assistance for doctor or hospital appointments, please contact Bill Printz at #570-967-0858, or e-mail bjprintz@frontiernet.net
***If anyone needs visitation or for a friend, neighbor or family member, please contact Ken Post at #570-879-4219, or e-mail kpost@echoes.net OR Bill Printz at #570-967-0858 or bjprintz@frontiernet.net ***For help with small projects for church family and neighborhood, please call Pastor Joe Travis at #570-465-7303 or email him at joetravis@live.com
Loose Change Offerings ( coins and bills)
1st Sunday – Local Missions
2nd Sunday – Local Missions
3rd Sunday – Kenya/Rev. Malaho
4th Sunday – Building Maintenance
5th Sunday – Trehab Local Food Bank (whenever there is a 5th Sunday)
Prayer Shawls – I have several prayer shawls available, if anyone knows of anyone who could use one. Thank you, Carolyn White
