"We are new creations in Christ."
~ 2 Cor. 5:17
Summer Worship Schedule
(through Sept. 5)
Sundays
Worship: 10:00am
Coffee Hour: 11:00am
Regular Program Year Worship Schedule
(beginning Sept. 12)
Sundays
Worship: 9:00 & 11:15am
Sunday School: 10:00am
Coffee Hour: 10:15am
Wednesdays
Taize Service: 5:00pm
Special Worship
Sunday Bulletin
News and Events
Current Month's Activities and News
Upcoming Months
FIRST NATIONAL BANK PARKING: First National Bank has graciously agreed to allow our congregation to park in their parking lot on SUNDAYS ONLY (17 spots are available -- please DO NOT park in the drive-thru lanes). The rest of the week, Monday - Saturday must be reserved for their employees. Any vehicle without an employee sticker will be towed at the owner's expense.
Current Month's Activities and News
Summer Worship Continues through Labor Day Weekend
Our single worship service schedule continues through Labor Day Weekend -- September 5. Our regular program year schedule with 2 services at 9:00 and 11:15 am will resume on Sunday, September 12.
There will be NO Sunday School on Sunday, September 5. As always, the Nursery and Toddler Rooms are open --the Toddler Room will accept ages 2-K during worship.
Coffee Hour is held immediately following the 10:00 am worship service.
Do You Have a Spare Pillowcase?
Kathy and Larry Dansky, members of SCPC, are traveling to Ethiopia in December, as part of a mission team to build an orphanage. The trip is being sponsored by Ethiopian Orphan Relief, In 2008, the United Nations reported that there are more than 6 million orphans in Ethiopia, living in extreme poverty conditions. The team would like to bring dresses, made from pillowcases, for the orphan girls in the village where they will be working. This is a really simple project! All you need is a pillowcase (new or gently used), a sewing machine, and ribbon. You can make one dress in under an hour! You can use any size pillowcase and be as creative as you want. Click here for complete directions. If you can make a dress or would like more information about other ways that you can help, contact Kathy (234-3474) or Larry. Thank you!
Men's Covenant Group Reconvenes
The Men's Covenant Group is meeting at a new time and place beginning September 2. For the fall, the group is going to meet the first and third Thursdays of the month from 7:30 - 9:30 pm rotating homes. The first meeting will be held at Joel Blunk's home, 207 Bellvue Circle in Park Forest. Frr subsequent meeting locations, please contact Janet in the church office (238-2422) or check the Sunday bulletin. Our focus this fall will be Kent Groff's book, Journeymen: A Spiritual Guide for Men. Kent is the founder of Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Direction in Camp Hill which cosponsored Belden Lane's visit last April.
The Men's Covenant Group has been meeting regularly since 1995 involved in prayer, study, retreat, and community outreach. Over time we've studied devotional and spiritual classics and the work of contemporary scholars such as Joseph Campbell, Fr. Richard Rohr, and Walter Brueggemann. We've taken retreats together to Krislund and the Bethany Retreat Center to learn Centering Prayer and deepen our relationship with God, one another, and creation. For the past three years the group has been involved in mentoring, leading the Crossings: Marking the Move to Manhood Contemporary rite of passage experience for late adolescent boys. We hope the new time will accommodate more participation. Copies of Journeyman can be picked up and purchased in the church office for $12.
Are You Ready for LOGOS!!!
THE SCPC LOGOS ministry is a four part, midweek program for 1st through 8th graders. The four parts are Family Time (a shared meal and tons of fun), Bible Study, Activity Time (games, crafts, projects, fun), and Worship Skills (preparing to lead worship). The 1-5 graders, called GECKOS, meet from 4:00-7:00 pm and the middle-schoolers, called CHRYSALIS, meet from 5:00-8:00 pm. Relationships are built, children and youth are nurtured in Christian discipleship, and there is lots of laughter! All families of 1st through 8th graders are invited to join the fun.
Registration: We are doing registration a little differently this year. Registration forms are available here on our website (go to our LOGOS page). A table will be set up in the Social Hall during Coffee Hour through September 12. Bring completed registration forms and fees or stop by and pick up registration forms and we'll get you signed up. Parent Handbooks will be available for those returning completed registration forms.
The annual Parents Meeting will be held at the end of our first LOGOS night, Tuesday, September 21, at 6:30 pm -- so come early to pick up your LOGOIDS and join us for a brief parent meeting that will be entertaining (Hint ...just keep swimming, just keep swimming...).
Upcoming Events:
September 11 -- Chrysalis 8th grade Overnight
Tuesday, September 14 -- Annual LOGOS Family Picnic at Spring Creek Park at 5:30 pm. Last names A-M bring dessert; last names N-Z bring side dishes
Tuesday, September 21 -- First LOGOS Night! and Parents Meeting at 6:30 pm
Choir Rehearsal Begin in September
Chancel Choir rehearsals begin again on Thursday, September 9, 7:00 pm in the Choir Room. All interested singers (high school - college- adults) are invited to join us. We work to blend voices of all ages to create a beautiful sound. We have a very liberal attendance policy and are happy to work with your schedule. Childcare will be provided if you let us know ahead of time. Contact Ned Wetherald, Director of Music Ministry, for more information (238-2422).
Handbell Choir rehearsals begin on Tuesday, September 21, 7:15 pm in the Choir Room We will have several openings this year. If you are interested in ringing, please contact Ned Wetherald (238-2422).
Presbyterian Women News
You are invited to the annual Fall Gathering Luncheon with Thank Offering Monday, October 4, 2010 at Centre Hills Country Club. Fellowship time will begin at 11:00 am followed by a worship service dedicating the Thank Offering. At noon a sit-down lunch will be served followed by a program entitled "Lighten the Load with Laughter" presented by Anita Thies. TIckets cost $17.50 and will be available Sundays, September 19 and 26 outside the Martin Room and in the Social Hall. Come celebrate with PW!
September Events
Wednesday, September 8, 1:00 pm -- PW Board in the Library
Monday, September 20, Noon -- Esther Circle at the home of Esther Porter for a pot luck salad lunch.
Tuesday, September 21, 9:30 am -- Rebecca Circle at the home of Kay McGeary, 329 Shellers Bend #740, (234-5060). Park in the driveway or on Shellers Bend. Bring program ideas!
Coming in October
Brenda Celia Trinidad Espitia, International Peacemaker from Mexico will be visiting SCPC and the Presbytery during the week of October 4th. At the end of the month, visitors from the Pahk 5 Nan in Thailand will be here in our Presbytery. Watch for details of both visits in next month's PresbyPost!
Parking Reminder Update
First National Bank -- First National Bank has graciously agreed to allow our congregation to park in their parking lot (lot behind the S. ALlen St. Drive-Thru Branch) on SUNDAYS ONLY (17 spots are available -- please park only in the designated parking spaces and do not park anywhere in the drive-thru lanes or alongside the Bank building). The rest of the week, Monday - Saturday must be reserved for their employees as this is their only parking for both of their downtown locations (this is not bank customer parking). Any vehicle without an employee sticker will be towed at the owner's expense. If you are coming to the church to drop off or pick up your child at Stay and Play or for an after school/early evening weekday program, please use the church parking lot, the municipal lot, or the Beaver Avenue parking garage. Let's be good neighbors and observe their parking regulations.
State College Post Office -- Please remember that parking is not permitted in the Post Office Parking Lot or the 15 minute parking spaces on Fraser Street that are provided for the use of postal patrons --Evenings and Sundays included (the lobby where PO Boxes are located is open 24/7). Please use the church lot, the municipal lot next to the church, the Beaver Avenue or Fraser Street Parking Garages, or any other areas designated by the Borough for public parking.
Beaver Avenue Parking Garage -- Parking is free on Sunday mornings for church goers in the Beaver Avenue Parking Garage (and Fraser Street Parking Garage), except for a few special event weekends: Penn State home football game weekends, Spring Penn State Graduation weekend, and the July Arts Festival.
On these weekend Sundays you can pick up a parking voucher at the Welcome Desk which will pay for your parking in the Beaver Avenue Garage (up to 3 hours). There is no charge to the church for this service. All other Sundays, when there are no special events in the community, no parking voucher is needed.
Campus Ministry for SCPC Kids
It's that time of year again -- time for us to celebrate the transition of our youth as they move off to college. Remember those baptism vows we took for them? To care for them and encourage them in their spiritual growth In that spirit, the CAM (College Age Ministries) Committee wants to invite YOU to be part of campus ministry in a very easy, specific way: be a church mouse. Church mice are people who will be assigned one student who grew up in our congregation and has gone off to college to stay in touch throughout the semester and help remind them that their home congregation continues to love and support them. We need ALOT of folks, so please let us know that you want to participate in this important ministry of encouragement by contacting Diana Malcom at 238-2422.
Penn State Students @ SCPC
They're back and we're the better for it! Isn't it a treat to be worshiping with so many wonderful young adults? Many will make this their church home-away-from-home, some will get involved in WPF ministries, and a few will even get involved in the various program and music ministries of SCPC. So, let's make them feel welcome. Make it YOUR job to reach out, shake their hand, offer to show them where Coffee Hour happens, take them to the Library for College-age Sunday School, and/or give them a WPF brochure (literature racks in back of Sanctuary and outside the office).
Please Let us Know When You will be Away
We continue to receive returned PresbyPost newsletters from the Post Office from those of you who spend your winters (or other chunks of time) away from State College. Unfortunately, the Post Office now requires us to request return service on bulk mail and charges us 44 cents for each PresbyPost (and any bulk mail) that comes back to us marked "Temporarily Away". If you regularly spend a block of time away, we can temporarily change your address in the church database so you won't miss any news form home and we won't get your mail returned to us with a charge. When you are notifying the Post Office to hold your 1st class mail, please let us know the temporary address and the dates you plan to leave and return and we'll take it from there.
At the very least, we can avoid mailing items that will be returned to us with a fee. Thank You!
Living Waters Installation Trip a Success
The Living Waters for the World Mission Team has returned home -- having successfully installed a clean water filtration system for the community of Pencuyut, Yucatan, Mexico. Tod McPherson, Brent Peters, Jerry Sawyer and Jim DeWolfe served as technical folks. They worked with members of the Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana Emmanuel I (church) to install the filtration system on the grounds of an old convent owned by the church. Cheryl Handte, Shawn and Amy Vashaw made up the education team and they spent the week working with the women and children of the church to teach them how to teach others about hygiene and how to make the best use of the precious clean water resource (for everything that goes into the mouth!) and the importance of diligent hand washing. Donna McPherson was the team administrator. Her pre-trip responsibilities were significant: setting up the covenant with the church and helping them understand the long-range business plan for water distribution and then coordinating al the details and international communications to get the installation trip set up. Her in-country responsibilities were basically to float ("gopher") until the last day when she revisited the business plan with the church leaders and made sure they have their system in place for the long haul.
They will share their stories in upcoming Sunday morning Adult Education offerings. Watch for announcements about the date. Please feel free to contact any of the team members or Katherine Allen, Chair of the Mission Ministry Unit, or Kim Hunziker, Mission Associate, if you have questions about the trip or the project. Over half of the cost of the entire Living Waters for the World project was funded by the Faith Fund (part of the ongoing Celebration of Renewal campaign). The remaining portion not supported by the Faith Fund came directly from the Team members and individual donations. If you would like to take part in supporting the Living Waters for the World project, you may send your donation (with "LWW" in memo of check) to the office at SCPC. And as always, please support LWW with your prayers!
Greeter Sign-Up
It is easy to overlook those around us, to fail to really see people, so we invite you to join a simple ministry of welcoming people into our community here at the church. We have greeters at each entrance, every Sunday, in the hope that no one will feel invisible within our walls. This means we need approximately 165 greeters a year! There is a new sign-up sheet in the hall near the church office. Please consider greeting a few times a year. This simple gesture has no age limits, costs no money and woiuld be a uniquely special gift from you. Just pick a few Sundays and write your name and phone number down at the entrance where you would like to greet. If you have any questions, please call Casey Hovick (235-0553).
Bloomability
If you're a middle school girl and/or her mom, we hope you'll consider participating in Bloomability – a monthly book group gathering just for you. We meet in the Martin Room on Sunday afternoons. Each meeting is hosted by a different person who brings us tasty snacks and each month, someone in the group takes home the book bag to bring suggestions for our next month's read. There will be lots of great conversation and fun when we gather. If you're a middle-schooler, we hope you (and your female parent/guardian) will join us! Contact Diana Malcom (238-2422) to join our email listserv, receiving updates about the books and meetings.
All-Church Christmas Dinner
Many, many years ago there was a band of compassionate folks at SCPC who had a dream to offer a mighty fine Christmas Day Dinner to neighbors without families, to community residents who simply could not afford such a spread, to members of our own church who enjoy the fellowship and festivity of the large meal, and to anyone else who found his/her way to the door! It started out as an all-church offering and then slowly drifted into the hands of the Deacons to take responsibility for planning and staffing the event.
With the Deacons' assistance and blessing, the Christmas Day Dinner is returning to its roots of being a truly all-church supported event! Greg Elliott has agreed to chair the planning team that will design and prepare for the 2010 dinner. Cheryl Price, Chair of Deacons and Kim Hunziker, Mission Associate, will also serve on that planning team. There are many different ways you can be a part of this event. What is most important, right now, is filling out the team of leaders who will be a part of the planning process. Pease prayerfully consider how you might be able to serve. And mark your calendars for October 3rd, for an Adult Education dedicated to telling the stories of Christmas dinners past and to the sharing of dreams for Christmas dinners in the future.
Adopt A Night Program
Fall is fast approaching and we are excited to begin our yearly enrollment for our Adopt A Night program at Centre House. This will be our eighth year of helping our community neighbors.
Our SCPC congregation at large is committed to taking the second Friday of each month, Brent Peters is the lead for these nights.
Sign-up sheets will be on the bulletin boards in the Social Hall. Jan Mahar (867-4473) and Brent Peters will be available for any questions. Many have experienced the rewards of spending four hours (4:30 - 8:30 pm) with people who are staying at Centre House. Click here for more details.
Prayer Shawls Available
Prayer Shawls are now available in the Tower Room Entrance Prayer Space. The shawls are made by Praying Hands, the prayer shawl group, that meets monthly on Saturdays in the Church Library. The shawls are for anyone to take to give to those they feel would be comforted by a shawl in a time of need or celebration. There are information sheets about the Prayer Shawl Ministry in the room as well to be given along with the shawls. The group will continue to make shawls and add to the collection, so stop by often to see the current collection of shawls. If you have any questions about the shawls or the group contact Maura McConnell (867-5544). The shawls are stitched with the hope that the shawls will bring comfort, love and prayers to the recipients.
Krislund Upper Lodge Renovations
Thanks to the many volunteers who are putting in countless hours of work into the expansion and renovation of the Upper Lodge at Krislund. The existing lodge was originally just over 900 square feet. WIth the new edition, the lodge will be well over 3000 square feet! This project has taken off and is moving much more quickly than anticipated. An early fall completion date is scheduled at this time. If you have a desire to join us on this project, please contact the camp office to set dates. You may also see what type of work is still available at that time.
Thank you again to the many dedicated volunteers who are making this project a reality. This is another step in moving Krislund to the next level in our service to our supporting congregations!
The update can also be found on the Krislund website.
Audio Sermons Now Available Here on SCPC Website
Sermons from 2009 worship services are now available in mp3 format (downloadable audio file) here on the SCPC website. Sermons will be put on the website on a monthly basis. Go to the "sermons" page then scroll down until you see "Sermons -- Audio Versions", then choose (click on) the sermon you wish to listen to. As a new month of sermons is put on the website, the oldest month of sermons will be taken off.
Also, the option of worship services on CD is now available (instead of cassette tapes). Sermons from mid-2007 to present can also be put on a CD. If you are interested in having a permanent copy of a particular service or sermon or selection of sermons (1 worship service per CD; 3-4 sermons per CD) please contact Janet or Martha in the church office (238-2422). A small fee of $2.00 per CD has been established to cover costs.
Get a Good Hot Drink for Yourself!
Did you know that you can purchase Equal Exchange Fair Trade Coffee here at the church? The Mission Ministry Unit sponsors a coffee project, which enables us to purchase Equal Exchange Coffee through the Presbyterian Coffee Project and keep the cost very reasonable (we charge what it costs us to order it). We get a variety of organic, fair-trade coffees for $5.75-$7.00/12 oz. bag for you to purchase at cost. AND, through the Presby Coffee Project, a portion of all of our purchases is donated to PC(USA) Missions. Get some rich, feel-good coffee, tea, or chocolate in the Church Social Hall, at the back by the piano. Questions? Contact Diana Malcom (238-2422).
We have entered the second year for the Celebration of Renewal Campaign and thank everyone for their support and pledges. Many of you have been very supportive even though it was challenging justifying a campaign during a recession. It was a difficult decision and, in the case of rewiring the remainder of the Church building, it was absolutely essential and very timely. The wiring was in much worse condition than had been anticipated. Through your very generous response, we have completely finished the wiring project and begun the renovation of the Fireside room – thank you very much.
We happily report that an additional $28,068 has been pledged this past spring. We now stand at $448,734 pledged out of our goal of $549,000. We hope that those of you who have not had the opportunity to pledge and still wish to join the ranks of those who have pledged will do so soon.
A summary of what is left to complete in the original plan for the Pipe Organ, includes major maintenance of the existing organ pipes, replacement of the leather parts, adding a new console, including solid state electronics and adding digital sound. The organ is vital for our worship and parts have outlived their life expectancy. The organ cannot be upgraded in stages as the wiring was, so we need to reach the $230,000 ($210,542 has been pledged to date) for the organ to begin the
renovation. Hopefully we can upgrade the organ next summer.
In addition to the wiring project and Fireside renovation, the Building and Property Ministry also included in the original campaign renovating restrooms to make them handicap accessible. The amount pledged to date for the building celebration ($165,796) has enabled the completion of the wiring and Fireside Room renovations. The building celebration goal of $219,000 must be reached to begin the renovation of the restrooms.
Mission Ministry in our Church is a huge commitment, serving local, national, and international needs. Mission Ministry is especially important during difficult times for those whom we serve. SCPC has been recognized as a vital organization which serves those in need. The needs continue and your financial support is more important than ever. Please consider supporting these mission endeavors. $71,987 has been raised to date towards the goal of $100,000.
These are only a few of the goals for our Celebration Campaign. We have so much to be grateful for and have done an amazing job in serving our community through worship, mission outreach, and programming – only $100,675 is needed to complete our original celebration of renewal goals which are vital to our ability to do the Lord’s work in our church and community. Pledge cards are available in the back of the Church Sanctuary or in the Church Office.
Trust in the Lord and do good" Psalm 37--3a
Pledge cards are available in the back of the Sanctuary or you can download and print it here (pdf).
Spring Break Mission Trip Wrap Up
Are you interested in learning about the past Spring Break Mission Trips. Click here to learn more.