New Castle Presbyterian Church February 2023 Newsletter |
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND JOIN US IN-PERSON FOR: Hybrid Worship Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, February 5 - Coffee Hour Valentine's Cards & Name Tag Amnesty Sunday
Sunday, February 12 - Undies Sunday Collection for Friendship House
Wednesday, February 22 - Ash Wednesday Service at Noon
The Season of Lent Begins Sunday, February 26 - Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism (Everly Teller)
Wednesday, March 1 - Ecumenical Lenten Dinner at 6 p.m. hosted by NCPC |
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WORSHIP & RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES |
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VOLUNTEERS FOR SUNDAY MORNINGS We are in need of ushers and worship leaders in the coming months. Take a moment to sign up today! The sign-up sheet for First Sunday Coffee Hour is posted in the Fellowship Hall. Sign up with a friend for March 5, and learn how our fair-trade coffee gets made! |
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PASTORAL COVERAGE THIS SPRING The Bridge Pastor Search Committee is pleased to introduce Pastor Alison Halsey and Pastor Bill Hathaway as temporary pastoral supply while Pastor Miriam is out on maternity leave this spring. We are extremely excited about their commitment to issues and causes close to the heart of NCPC's mission. Click the link below for a full introduction of Pastors Alison and Bill! | | |
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NAMETAG AMNESTY SUNDAY - FEBRUARY 5 Worship Committee is declaring February 5 as “Amnesty Day” for returning our name tags that have collected in cars, at home, or in coat pockets or purses. Especially as we welcome Pastors Alison and Bill next month, please search for your wandering name tags so we can better introduce ourselves to them. Wear your name tag at church and then return it to the white box between the Meeting House narthex or church office. |
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ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE - FEBRUARY 22 Join us for our Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, February 22, at Noon in the Meeting House. This mid-day service will include music, prayer, and the imposition of ashes. Worship will be in-person only; no livestream available. |
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ECUMENICAL LENTEN DINNERS - MARCH 1 NCPC and churches around New Castle join together to host ecumenical dinners during the season of Lent. We will host the first gathering on Wednesday, March 1, at 6 PM in our Fellowship Hall. Save the date and contact Beverly Stoudt if you're available to help with set up and/or clean up. For the full schedule of this Lenten series, click below for our flyer. | | |
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CONGREGATIONAL LIFE COMMITTEE |
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COFFEE HOUR VALENTINE'S CARDS - FEBRUARY 5 On Sunday, February 5, Congregational Life will provide materials to craft and write Valentine cards for members of our church family in need of extra love this season. Please share your artistic and writing skills as we bring Christ's good news to our members, especially those who are homebound. Materials, envelopes, addresses, and postage will be provided! “Roses are red, violets are blue, and we hope to see all of you.” |
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE |
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SUNDAY SCHOOL UPDATE Happy New Year!
It seems like we just opened our doors in September, but we are already half-way through our Sunday school year! We met many new friends so far and look forward to meeting new friends joining us as we journey into 2023! Thank you to everyone who put on their 'Spooky Best' and joined us for the Pumpkin Party! Our special guest "Skully Raker" helped us out as Miss Diana read "Dem Bones" during the Spooktacular, fun event! We were able to collect a lot for our friends at the Seamen's Center, thank you! |
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A BIG "Thank You" to all of our young members who led us in singing as we lit the advent candle of JOY! He came down so we may have JOY, and hopefully joy was had by all! We ended 2022 with a very fun, hands-on Christmas Eve family service with our guest speaker Salina Brett who joined Pastor Miriam in a special retelling of the Christmas story! 2023 is only a month in, but we have so much to look forward to! Keep a lookout for more events coming up, including the Easter Fair! - Diana Reilly, Sunday School Coordinator |
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BIBLE STUDY WITH THE PASTOR Gather with Pastor Miriam and other NCPC members via Zoom on Thursdays at 1 p.m. each week to discuss the upcoming Sunday’s scripture. Stay tuned for more details about our weekly gathering as Lent begins! Email Pastor Miriam for the Zoom link. |
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LENTEN DEVOTIONALS Journey through the Lenten season with Presbyterian Outlook's Lenten Devotions - Inward Work for Outward Living. Written by Outlook editor Teri Mcdowell Ott, these daily devotionals offer inspiring and accessible reflections that explore the connection between internal contemplation and outward action. Printed copies will be available in mid-February in the CE Building entryway. |
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Every June during Pride month we decorate the walkway with the rainbow flags as an outward sign of our support and love for the broader LGBTQIA+ community, but there is still so much more we can do throughout the year! We would love for you to join us in creating new events, reaching out to our friends in the community; and becoming a part of this fun, yet important ministry! If you are interested in being a part of the LGBTQIA+ Task Force please contact Diana Reilly. Here is a link to the More Light Presbyterian website. |
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MISSION AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE & PRESBYTERY INVITATION |
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¡VAMOS A GUATEMALA! Candy and Amy have returned from Guatemala! They met with our mission partners, learned about the challenges facing our Guatemalan neighbors, and saw the impact of our partnership projects. Learn more about their experience through the delegation's blog. Mark your calendars for March 23 at 7 p.m., when the delegation will present about their trip via zoom to the Presbytery, and for April 23, when Candy and Amy will give a personal presentation to NCPC. More details to come! |
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TIME TO DROP OFF YOUR DRAWERS (AND SOCKS, ROBES, ETC....) AGAIN! Our popular Undie Sunday will return on February 12th. Between now and then, we are once again collecting new underwear for Friendship House. All shapes, sizes and colors are needed for men, women and children (even beyond extra large, like 2X, 3X and 4X), including socks! Donations can be dropped off in the CE building baskets in the entryway. Last year NCPC donated nearly 200 items of clothing. Thanks for taking part! |
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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, and we're excited to share that community meals are back! 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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Interested in attending New Castle Presbytery's Annual Bay Retreat? Click on the flyer below for information and contact Pastor Miriam with any questions! |
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The Trustees kicked off 2023 with some exciting projects to preserve and improve our historic campus. The Meeting House will be better protected from both fire and water! Until recently, it's not been physically possible to have a fire alarm system in our Meeting House, but with recent changes, our worship space will at long last be protected. Anaconda Protection Services installed a new fire alarm system with detection equipment to cover both our Meeting House and CE Buildings during the week of January 9. Additionally, the Meeting House basement doors will be repaired soon to keep water and leaves from backing up in the entryway. The Manse also received some TLC. At the end of 2022, Serve Pro cleaned up the basement walls, ceiling, and floors, vacuuming up dust and debris. The basement is now cleaner, much safer, and more usable; it will be much easier to keep it in this condition. In mid-January, contractors updated the kitchen, including installing a free-standing stove and oven, a microwave, and refrigerator. They will also update the flooring and repair the cabinetry. Many thanks to all of our Trustees for their diligence and care! |
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DEACONS NEWS & MEMBER UPDATES |
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GIFTS OF LOVE Thank you so much for your generosity and hospitality in over-achieving our goal to contribute to $3,600 to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Peter’s Church. In 2022, we donated $4080 to pay for overdue utility bills, oil deliveries, rent and mortgage payments for our neighbors in need. Not ones to rest on our laurels, we will continue to support those who are in need through our Gifts of Love contributions during 2023 with special collections on April 2nd, September 10th and December 3rd. Know that you are helping to provide heat for families without oil, reprieves for families about to have their electricity turned off, and housing for neighbors about to be evicted. | | |
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WELCOME BECKHAM JUNE, CHILD OF GOD! Beckham Michael June was born on January 11. Congratulations to parents Danielle and Mike, big sister Emilia, and the extended Knox family! |
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SYMPATHY OF THE CONGREGATION - MILDRED WILD On Tuesday, January 17, in our Church Cemetery, Pastor Miriam officiated the family graveside service for Mildred Wild. While not a member of NCPC, Mildred had pre-purchased a plot in appreciation of our cemetery's peaceful setting close to the river. Mildred's obituary is available here: https://www.mealeyfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Mildred-Wild?obId=27027006#/obituaryInfo Our prayers are with Mildred's family as they mourn her death, celebrate the gift of her life, and hold fast to the hope of the resurrection. |
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HEARTFELT THANK YOU! To all my friends in faith at New Castle Presbyterian Church,
A heartfelt thank you for your loving support, great kindness, and care during Corky's long illness and since his death. My family and I are so very grateful for the organizing, planning, and attention to the many details of his funeral service at NCPC and celebration of life at the Penn Farm.
I only hope that, with God’s grace, as Our Lord guides my steps, and by your example I can “pay’ it
forward for others and continue to do his work. - Jo Viola |
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BEAR MINISTRY Do you know someone who couldn't bear without one of these comforting friends? | | |
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