New Castle Presbyterian Church August 2023 Newsletter |
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND JOIN US IN-PERSON FOR: Hybrid Worship Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 1 - New Officer Training at 7:00pm Saturday, August 5 - Denison Funeral at 11 a.m. Sunday, August 6 - Young-ish Women's Gathering after Worship
Sunday, August 20 - Communion Servers Orientation after Worship Thursday, August 24 - Yaconelli Book Discussion at 12 p.m.
Saturday, August 26- NCPC Kitchen Cleaning Looking ahead to September: Sept. 10 - Choir Returns, Nursery/ Sunday School Resumes, Installation of New Officers |
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE |
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2023 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: COMPASSION CAMP! Many thanks to all our participants and volunteers for a wonderful VBS last Sunday! We learned, we sang, we played, and we rejoiced together in God’s compassion. We raised over $575 for our compassion project: the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. There’s still time to donate via cash or check to NCPC with a note that it’s for the VBS offering. |
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NCPC SUMMER BOOK STUDY Help us wrap up this past year's theme of storytelling and dive into deeper discussion of what evangelism (sharing of the good news!) looks like today! Check out Yaconelli's Between the Listening and the Telling* this summer, and join Pastor Miriam for discussion and lunch at noon on Thursday, August 24, at Connie Reese's house. All are welcome! Please RSVP to Pastor Miriam by August 20. *Ebook, audiobook, and physical copies are available through the library! |
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YOUNG-ISH WOMEN'S GATHERING We're launching a fellowship group this fall for women between the ages of ~25 and 50. Our inaugural gathering will be on Sunday, August 6 following coffee hour. Let Pastor Miriam know if you're able to attend or would like to be included on the list for future gatherings. |
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WORSHIP & RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES |
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COMMUNION WORKSHOP - AUGUST 20 Attention Communion Servers for 2023-2024: Mark your calendar for Sunday, August 20th. Right after church, Pastor Miriam and Amy Selheimer will lead a refresher on Communion directions for set up, serving and cleaning up. The meeting will be quick - hope you can join us! |
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SUNDAY MORNING LEADERSHIP We are in need of ushers and worship leaders into the fall. Take a moment to sign up today! |
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CONGREGATIONAL LIFE COMMITTEE |
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FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH - FALL RETREAT 2023 |
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Come enjoy and worship in God's beautiful creation with NCPC at Pecometh Camp from Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24. (Join us for part of the time or the whole weekend; read the brochure below for more details!) Congregational Life has reserved space for tent camping, a pavilion for group meals, and worship space for Sunday morning. Cabins and nearby hotels are available for personal reservation too! RSVP now by filling out this form. |
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CONGREGATIONAL CONCERT CAMARADERIE A great time was had by all ages at the Wednesday night concert in Battery Park! |
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While June is formally the month of Pride, our call to love all of God's children is year-long! Members of New Castle Presbytery are organizing a "Covenant Conversation" event to support the people and congregations of New Castle Presbytery as they seek to become more authentic and creative in their welcome, affirmation and support of LGBTQIA+ people. It's a collaboration between the Covenant Network of Presbyterians (a national organization advocating and educating for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the church) and New Castle Presbytery. We hope folks all different stages of their own journeys toward inclusion will come together, learn from each other, find inspiration and support, and strengthen relationships for improved ministry going forward. |
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The date has been set for Saturday, November 11, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Presbyterian Church of Dover! If you are interested in being a part of planning for the event or wish to learn more about participating, please contact the office. |
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MISSION AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE |
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A CHILD NEEDS YOU! Our mentoring program with local schools was put on hold during the pandemic, but we're gearing up to get started again this fall. Creative Mentoring provides the needed training for you to make a difference in a child's life. |
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Mentoring involves only half an hour to an hour once a week with a child who may be in need of only a caring adult to listen, play games, talk to or help with school work or organizational skills. This is not tutoring, it's more of an opportunity for a child to connect with a caring adult. |
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If you are interested in becoming a mentor, email Candy Dunson. If we have 3 or more new mentors, we can arrange for the training to be done as a group at our church. |
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Think Christmas in July!!! For those of us who love a good off-season bargain, it's never too early to be shopping for the Seamen's Center Christmas at Sea! Hats, glove, scarves and socks are always needed and personal items for the ditty boxes like combs, toothbrushes, deodorant, lotion, shaving cream, etc. can be dropped off in the box in the CE entryway any time! |
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EPIPHANY HOUSE DINNER SIGN-UP Epiphany House (722 N Union St.) is one of Friendship House's transitional homes for women. NCPC provides a dinner on the second Thursday each month. Two volunteers are asked to arrive with food at 5 and plan to stay for the meal. Dinner is over by 6, and residents clean up! For meal inspiration and dates, the sign up sheet is in the Fellowship Hall. Contact Scott Selheimer with any questions. |
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DEACONS NEWS & MEMBER UPDATES |
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KITCHEN DEEP CLEAN On August 26th, the Board of Deacons will be doing a "deep clean" in the Christian Education Building kitchen. Besides the cleaning, there will be some reorganization of cabinets and drawers to better suit the needs of communion, coffee hours, and special events. New labeling will also be provided. If you are interested in helping the Deacons, please contact Sandy Wilson, Lindy Ballance or Janet Spring. We do realize the kitchen is a small work area so we may be assigning "work time" opportunities for those interested. |
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BROWNIES Open call for brownie bakers for Emmanuel Dining Room! Ten batches of brownies needed in the church’s freezer by Sunday, August 6. Boxes of mix are available in the church kitchen. Thank you! - Liz Toto |
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GIFTS OF LOVE What a way to start the year!! Thanks to the good hearts here at NCPC, we donated $3080 to St. Peter’s St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) to benefit our neighbors who are facing a financial crisis. Since the moratoriums have been removed, landlords and utility providers are taking action against delinquent parties. With your benevolence, St. Peter’s SVdP will be able to help more people with more assistance. |
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Last year, the Deacons decided to turn over our program of assistance to St Peter’s SVdP. Our system did not allow for any inquiry regarding the callers’ circumstances. We simply granted $50.00 to each of the first 6-10 callers who reached us on the first business day of the month with the provision that they live in the 19720 zip code and would only be helped by our program once in 12 months, The St. Peter’s SVdP system allows for a more comprehensive intake process and for assistance with rent/mortgage, utility bills, purchase of oil and, if the circumstances justify, other emergency expenses. Knowing more about the caller’s situation allows the SVdP volunteers to suggest additional resources that may be helpful. We had hoped to make an annual contribution of $3,600 to St. Peter’s and exceeded that goal last year. Our first quarterly 2023 donation of $3080 gives us quite a good start toward overachieving our goal this year also. Other donors have also been generous and the extra money has allowed SVdP to increase the normal grant for utility assistance from $200 to $300 and to handle the price increase for oil. Look for the white Gifts of Love envelopes in the pews and give whatever you can. “There is no better exercise for your heart than reaching down and helping to lift someone up. |
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BEAR MINISTRY Do you know someone who couldn't bear without one of these comforting friends? | | |
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SYMPATHY OF THE CONGREGATION The sympathy of the congregation surrounds the loved ones of Barbara Quillen, who died to this life at the age of 93 on Friday, July 7, at Cokesbury Village. Barb was a long-time friend of our congregation, as her husband, Jim, was an active member of NCPC. We give thanks that for Barb, suffering has passed and that she now rests in Christ's peace. A Service of Witness to the Resurrection was held in the Meeting House on Saturday, July 22, at 11 a.m. |
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SYMPATHY OF THE CONGREGATION The sympathy of the congregation surrounds the loved ones of Beverly Denison, who died to this life at the age of 80, early on Tuesday, June 27, at Christiana Care following a stroke. Bev married her husband, Rod, at NCPC in 2011, and she joined our congregation in 2012. We give thanks that for Bev, suffering has passed and that she now rests in Christ's peace. May the Holy Spirit comfort the Denison family, including Rod who is hospitalized at Kent General Hospital at this time, and Bev's two children, Carolyn and Jeffrey. A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held on August 5 at 11 a.m. in the Meeting House, with a Visitation beforehand from 10-11 and a reception following in the CE Building. |
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Richard and Donna Corfield's 50th Wedding Anniversary at NCPC On July 2, Richard and Donna (next to Pastor Miriam) and their family worshiped with NCPC to celebrate the day, 50 years before, that they gathered at NCPC for Donna and Richard's wedding. To God be the Glory! We give thanks for the ways that God has nurtured their love throughout their many years together. May they continue to be blessed and be a blessing to others! |
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