New Castle Presbyterian Church July 2024 Newsletter |
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND JOIN US IN-PERSON FOR:
Hybrid Worship Every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, July 14 - Put on Love VBS from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 21 - Community Open Mic Night at 6:30pm click here for more info Wednesday, July 24 - Battery Park Concert Fellowship at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21 and 28 - Welcome to Pastor Chelsea Spyres, Riverfront Ministries |
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SUNDAY MORNING LEADERSHIP We are in need of ushers and worship leaders throughout July and August!
Take a moment to check your calendars and to sign up today. August 25 - Nursery/ Sunday School Orientation + Usher Orientation following Worship September 1 - Communion Server orientation |
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FALL VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION We'll offer orientations for new and returning volunteers before Fall programming resumes. All trainings will happen following Sunday morning worship:
Nursery and Sunday School: August 25 Usher Orientation: August 25 Worship Leader Orientation: Sept. 1 Communion Server Orientation: Sept. 1 |
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NCPC SUMMER BOOK CLUB Join us on August 28th at 3 p.m. in the Read House Garden for our NCPC summer read: Anne Lamott's Somehow: Thoughts on Love. Copies are available for purchase through the church office at $20, or copies are available through the library or your favorite book supplier. RSVPs to Pastor Miriam are appreciated. |
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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE |
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SUNDAY SCHOOL & NURSERY
Sunday School is on hiatus, but Nursery care will continue through the summer. If you're interested in serving as a Nursery volunteer, please contact: Molly Shaw Children are welcome in worship; children’s worship materials are available in the entryway to the Meeting House. |
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VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Put On Love is our VBS gathering for Pre-K through 11 on Sunday, July 14 from 4-7 p.m. We'll hear Paul's words to the Colossians to wear Christ-like compassion and kindness, and our Messy Church gathering will help us do just that! Register by July 7 on our website. |
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We have a great group of volunteers to help teach, lead music/ games/ crafts, serve food, and clean-up. We are still looking for a couple more volunteers, especially to help with clean up. Our next planning meeting will be via Zoom on Thursday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m.; email Pastor Miriam for the link! |
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NCPC YOUTH GROUP The CE Committee is organizing a Youth Group for Middle and High School students to begin this fall! If you are a youth or know a youth interested in participating, contact Pastor Miriam or Melissa Boris to learn more! Additionally, if you're interested in volunteering and supporting the youth group, let the CE Committee know! |
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CONGREGATIONAL LIFE COMMITTEE |
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NCPC MEN'S GROUP - AUGUST 19 The group's next planned activity will be a gathering at The Legend Restaurant & Bakery on August 19 @ 7:00pm. Please contact Steven Foltz to share ideas and get involved. All ages are invited to attend. |
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YOUNG-ISH WOMEN'S GATHERING - AUGUST 4 Our fellowship group for women between the ages of ~25 and 50 will gather next on Sunday, August 4 from 12-2pm. Childcare can be available! 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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BATTERY PARK CONCERT WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 @ 6:30pm Bring your lawn chair, a cold beverage and your sense of community as we gather together for one of the Summer Concerts; this one featuring the Acoustic Rock group FINN. | | |
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The City of New Castle has talent galore! Plan on coming to the next Open Mic on July 21 @ 6:30pm and hear it for yourself! |
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NIGHT AT THE BLUE ROCKS Saturday, August 10 @ 6:05pm Good news: We once again reserved 20 tickets to a Blue Rocks Game. GREAT NEWS: Our seats are behind third base AND in the shade AND stacked in 4 rows of 5!!! Tickets are $13 each. Please reach out to our resident Ticketmaster Jen Dunham for tickets |
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PRIDE WEEKEND IN NEW CASTLE Many thanks to all who volunteered at and attended our Pride Concert on June 29 with Phoenix and Michael Hunter! NCPC keeps on living out its call to be a More Light congregation, and what a joy it is to celebrate God's amazing creativity and abundant love in our world. Thanks be to God! |
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FRIENDSHIP HOUSE – SCHOOL UNIFORM DONATIONS Our Put on Love: Vacation Bible School mission project will be collecting monetary donations for Friendship House’s greatest needs - school uniforms. Many schools in Delaware require them, putting a burden on students and their families. In 2023, the Clothing Bank was able to provide over 10,000 uniform items to 18 public schools in Delaware. Beginning next Sunday, keep an eye out for our Friendship House ‘Dresser’ in the Meeting House, and help us fill up this wardrobe – and our neighbor’s wardrobes – this summer!
Additionally, donations can be made online through the Friendship Clothing Bank website at: https://www.friendshiphousede.org/delaware-homeless/our-programs/clothing-bank/school-uniform-initiative/ Go to the right side of the page and select from three different donation registries (Target, Amazon, and French Toast). Clothing items will then be delivered directly to the Clothing Bank. Thank you for assisting with this great cause. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Selheimer at selheime@udel.edu or 302-368-8639. |
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Women plant 15,000 trees in Guatemala
By Carol and Bruce Shumway, Trinity Presbyterian Church
One morning about two weeks ago, board members of the Association set out from the office at 5:30 am to begin a massive endeavor: deliver 15,000 tree saplings to five groups of women in nearby communities. Each woman was then responsible for planting the 125 trees she received near her home. These women are learning to become true arborists and serve as reminders that we are all called to be environmental stewards within our communities. |
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Guatemala, “The Land of Eternal Spring,” is also know as the “Land of Trees.” Thirty-five percent of the country is covered by forests that foster a very diverse ecosystem. Having visited Guatemala and climbed to 10,000 feet elevation to witness the restoration of forest land first-hand, we have been inspired to encourage our church to continue to fund this environmental stewardship project. Reforestation is essential to Guatemala and all of Central America as forests continue to disappear due to clearing for agriculture, firewood supply, population expansion, and climate change.
Thanks to the support of Trinity Presbyterian Church and Westminster Presbyterian Church this project continues year after year and is literally putting down roots to help reforest the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Both congregations are committed to promoting environmental justice and stewardship around the globe. This partnership is grateful for their ongoing support.
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MEALS ON WHEELS One week each month, NCPC volunteers deliver meals to our homebound neighbors. The route takes about 60-75 minutes and covers just the New Castle area. We are looking for a few additional volunteers to deliver meals one day a month or on a substitute basis. Please give this volunteer opportunity your prayerful consideration; together, we get to do Christ's work of feeding and visiting our homebound neighbors. If you want more information, please contact me at 302-328-7346 or email me at suzieflook@hotmail.com. Thank you! - Susan Flook, Meals on Wheels Coordinator. | | |
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GIFTS OF LOVE In Romans 12:13, Paul urges us to "Share with God's people who are in need”. So far in 2024, we have contributed $2,400.00 to the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Peter’s church in support of our mutual efforts to assist our New Castle neighbors in need. This donation will go a long way to help relieve the staggering need that is expressed almost daily. We get calls from people having to choose whether to pay the rent or medical bills or car repairs or utility bills. If you can pay yours without having to choose, you are very blessed. Your contributions will absolutely bless others. We also donate food items for the St Peter’s food pantry. The pantry is experiencing an abundance of tuna, peanut butter and dry cereals but not so much mayonnaise, jelly, and powdered milk. So, while all items are appreciated, mayonnaise, jelly and powdered milk are really needed at this time. Thank you NCPC for being such good neighbors. To God be the glory! |
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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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BROWNIE BAKERS The month of July will be a month off from brownies for Emmanuel Dining Hall. The deacons will supply a variety of cookies instead. We will resume brownie baking in August. Thank you for your continued support of this valuable mission to our community. |
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