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October Newsletter
Dear Friends,
Another Rummage Sale is over! It was wonderful seeing old friends, making new friends, coming home exhausted but feeling blessed. The electrical power went out in the church early Wednesday morning and we had to cancel our regular-price sale day. But a successful Tuesday evening sale, and a busy and extended half-price and bag sale helped. We took in a little over $16,000 which reflects the loss of one sale day: $6,000. Last fall, we took in about $22,000. We are still collecting, computing, and paying our expenses so we cannot say yet how much money we made. I think we'll have a bit less for our Opportunity Giving Grants this year. But we provided a lot of people with affordable clothing and fun, and gave a lot away on Thursday to charitable organizations in our area. And we had the church cleaned up and ready for a celebration by Friday afternoon! What a week!
Strong winds early Wednesday morning partially blew down the tents, and tossed the contents about. We had some straightening to do, but children's clothes and toys were mostly dry and undamaged. We have a few pictures showing the tents before the tent rental people came to fix things. Look here: http://charlottefischer.net/FischerFamily/v/FPC/TentCollapse/. We can be thankful that it happened during the night, and there were no people in the tents!
I also found a little time to take some pictures. Look here: http://charlottefischer.net/FischerFamily/v/FPC/RummageSaleFall2009/.
Blessings!
Charlotte
LOOKING AHEAD
Third Wednesday, Circles, and Bible Study
OCTOBER BIBLE STUDY: Joshua, Lesson Two—A Leader Is Called, Joshua 1:2–18; 24:1–15
Key Idea: When God calls us to a position of leadership, God also gives us the strength and courage to follow God's call.
MARTHA CIRCLE meets the Third Thursday, which falls this week, in Fireside at noon. Bring a sandwich, enjoy dessert, fellowship and Bible Study (Joshua, Lesson 2). Guests and visitors are welcome!
ESTHER CIRCLE meets the Third Tuesday, October 20, from 7-9 PM in the Fireside Room. Guests and visitors are welcome.
THIRD WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY: Join us for refreshments and conversation at 9:15. Study led by Dr. John Judson from 9:30 until 10:30. Circle and discussion groups follow. We still have a few study guides available, or you can order one here: http://www.pcusa.org/horizons/
Guests and visitors are always welcome! This not just for women!
Child care can be available at a moment's notice (volunteers) and PW would be happy to hire a child-care provider if there is interest. It's all part of building an inclusive caring community of women ....
THIRD WEDNESDAY CIRCLES JULIA, MARY, AND RUTH, meet following the Bible Study. Guests and visitors are always welcome.
Mission Lunch and Speaker
Wednesday, October 28, noon in Calvin Hall
October is Month of Mission! We will be hearing from Virginia Gartrell, who has been under appointment as a PC(USA) mission workers since 1979. Her current assignment is with the Bethel Children’s Home in Sorocaba, an urban center about 60 miles from the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Virginia trains and supports the staff who care directly for the children.
For more information about Virginia Gartrell, click here.
Reservations are helpful: sign up in the main office, at Circle, or online here.
Sewing Ingathering
Our Project Day group, led by Louise Kutscher will be delivering purchased and hand-made items to be distributed to needy people and organizations in the Detroit Area. Westminster Presbyterian Church in Detroit is hosting this year's Ingathering on Monday and Tuesday, October 19 and 29. Every year. $160,000 to $300,000 worth of goods are collected by Presbyterian Women and churches in the Presbytery of Detroit. Our church donates about $3,000 in goods.
Project Day meets the Second Wednesday of the month from January through June. Need volunteers to help sort, organize, construct, stitch, knit,
Church Women United
World Community Day will be celebrated at our church on Friday, November 6.
9:30 a.m. - Light Breakfast, Calvin Hall (cost donation)
10:30 a.m.- Service/Program in Sanctuary
Theme: “Piecing Earth Together”
Focuses on the environment and how we are called to work together to be good stewards of the gifts of the earth.
Program: “Is Your Faith Green?”
Christine Gannon, Executive Director of Skyline Camp & Retreat Center, Pastoral Associate for First Presbyterian Church, graduate of Princeton Seminary, active in GreenFaith, an interfaith coalition for the environment, founded to inspire, educate and mobilize people of diverse spiritual backgrounds to rediscover their relationship with the sacred in nature and to restore the earth for future generations.
The Church Women United 2008-2012 quadrennial priority is “Building a World Fit for All God’s Creation.” Four areas are included: Health, Environmental Care, Peace, and Economic Justice. The emphasis for World Community Day this year is Environmental Care.
Reservations are requested so as to plan enough food. Call Vera Harkin, 642-7636, by Tuesday, Nov 3, 2009. All are welcome to come, even at the last minute. Child Care available upon request, contact Luanne Fisher, 647-0145
Alternative Christmas Bazaar
Plans are under way for our annual Alternative Christmas Bazaar. Scheduled for November 7, 3 - 6 PM, and November 8, 9 AM - 1 PM. More information on represented agencies will be available later. Last year, this event raised over $9,000 which went directly to agencies helping needy people here and around the world. Here is the list of agencies represented last year: http://pw.fpcbirmingham.org/alternative-christmas-bazaar.
Contact Liz Snyder if you would like to help.
Honorary Memberships
Honorary Memberships will be presented on Sunday November 15 as a part of the 10 AM worship service. We gave our first Honorary Membership to Mabel Clark in 1942, and 130 men and women have received this honor for faithful service since then. More information on Honorary Memberships here. A list of people who have received Honorary Memberships is here: http://pw.fpcbirmingham.org/honorary-membership-past-recipients.
Opportunity Giving Grant Requests - due October 11 (yesterday)
The Finance Committee of Presbyterian Women will be considering how our hard-earned mission dollars should be spent. Last year's recipients are listed here: http://pw.fpcbirmingham.org/2008-opportunity-giving-grants
Advent by Candlelight
Advent by Candlelight is scheduled for Thursday evening, December 3. Hostess and Guest sign-up beginning Saturday, October 17 and continuing through Sunday, October 25 online at http://pw.fpcbirmingham.org/advent-by-candlelight, before and after worship, and in the main office.
Christmas Brunch
Our Third Wednesday Bible Study on December 16 is followed by a lovely Christmas Brunch. Mark your calendar!
Lenten Devotional
We will again be publishing, emailing, and posting online our Lenten Devotional. Be thinking of sharing a part of your faith experience by contributing a brief devotion.
For inspiration, consider subscribing to the daily lectionary or to the Mission Yearbook of Prayer - they will come in your email every day:
Check out our calendar! Or click here to open this calendar in a new window.
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PW Statement of Purpose Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves
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