@Winter Park Presbyterian

Good Shepherd

2012-03-05T16:04:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Yesterday nine youth and four adults from WPPC went to prepare a meal for the guests at Good Shepherd. Upon surveying the leftovers available to us, we found enough ingredients to make enchiladas. (Jim graciously accepted the call to go to Food Lion and buy enchilada sauce.) After a mad, tortilla-stuffing dash at the finish, we were able to serve up several trays of enchiladas at 6:00pm along with beans, mixed fruits, salad, and bread. It was a great meal, and it was fun to prepare. Many thanks to all of you for your support of our ministries with Good Shepherd.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

A Gift of Books from NAMI

2012-02-27T13:30:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,
This past fall a Peer to Peer group from NAMI used one of our classrooms to meet. To thank us for the space, they asked if there was anything that we could do. We asked if they could donate books on mental health to our church library. Today they brought the books by with a thank-you card.

These look to be a great selection of books covering a wide range of mental health issues. They are available to be borrowed from the church library.

Music

2012-02-27T12:42:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Please let me first say that I wish that I had been able to get a photo of the Jubilee Bell Choir at practice yesterday.* This post is incomplete without it. The bell choir's gift to our worship service yesterday was wonderful. Music is a huge part of our life together as a church from the anthems of the Chancel Choir to the gifts that Will brings as the musician at Vespers, we are a singing church! All the different members of our choirs (Chancel Choir, Jubilee Bells, Ukulele Choir, Children's Choir, and Youth Instrumental Group) represent a large part of our church. Thanks be to God for the sharing of so many wonderful gifts! Below are a couple of photos from Sunday.

The Chancel Choir at Practice:

The Ukulele Choir practicing:

Your Associate Pastor trying to recruit another member for the Ukulele Choir:

Grace and Peace!

Emile

*Anyone who would be willing to serve as an extra roving photographer on Sundays or at other church events is invited to contact me! These photos really do help members of our church who are unable to attend keep up with what is going on as well as helping to give folks outside of our church an idea of who we are.

WPPC Quilting Group

2012-02-23T10:44:00.000-05:00

On the fourth Thursday of every month, our quilting group meets in Chadbourn Hall. The group works to make quilts for members of the church who are going through a difficult time. Members of the group can also work on quilts for their own home. Anyone and everyone (women and men) is welcome to come. Even those of us who don't know how to quilt but would like to learn are very welcome.

Preparing Ashes

2012-02-21T16:52:00.001-05:00

Ash Wednesday: 6:30pm Simple Dinner in Chadbourn Hall
7:30pm Worship

Today Matt and I took palm fronds saved from Palm Sunday and burned them to create ashes for tomorrow's worship service. Here are a few images:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

Fellowship Bus Trip: Rose Hill, NC

2012-02-17T11:32:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,

On Thursday a bus-full of folks from Winter Park went up to Rose Hill, NC. Despite a dreary day, we had a great time. As we were running a bit early, several folks humored your Associate Pastor and got off of the bus to have their picture taken in front of what is billed as the world's biggest frying pan. You cannot pass up such a slice of Americana without stopping :)

After that cultural highlight, we went on to the Duplin Winery where we received an excellent tour of the production facility. We saw the empty bottles go onto the conveyor belt, get sanitized, filled, corked, labeled, foiled, and finally boxed. The gentleman who took us on our tour had worked for the company since the mid-1970s, and he answered every question we came up with. The process by which muscadine grapes are harvested, cleaned, and pressed is fascinating.

Below are a couple images of the pressing equipment:

After the tour we enjoyed lunch in the restaurant and a tasting of a selection of the wines. (The bus driver was given muscadine grape juice.)

The trip in March will be to Brookgreen Gardens. The date will be announced later.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Preschool Devotions

2012-02-10T15:49:00.002-05:00

Emile spends a little time on many Friday mornings with the Preschool students- they sing songs and have a little devotion time. Today they sang "I've been Working on the Railroad" and "Bring Forth the Kingdom" and talked about all the ways we can work to build the Kingdom of God.

-Amy

Young at Hearts

2012-02-09T16:37:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Today, the Young at Hearts gathered in Chadbourn for wonderful covered dish meal. Red clothing was in abundance, and the decorations celebrated St. Valentine's Day. Nancy and I spoke about our experiences on mission trips to Nicaragua and the profound effect that those trips have had in our lives.

Here are a few pictures:

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Good Shepherd

2012-02-06T15:17:00.000-05:00

Sunday evening a group of WPPC youth, adults, and friends headed over to Good Shepherd to prepare a meal for the guests. Taking stock of the ingredients available to us, we took some left-over meatballs and combined them with pasta, cream of mushroom soup, and freshly sauteed mushrooms to make a beef stroganoff. We also made and served salad and a fruit salad. Many thanks to all of our youth and adults for their hard work and great cooking skills!

For those of you looking for ideas of food to donate in the next couple of weeks to Good Shepherd, may I recommend cream of mushroom soup? (I think we must have used 20 cans or more!)

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Officer's Retreat

2012-02-06T15:11:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

The Session and Deacons of Winter Park Presbyterian Church met on Saturday in the Fellowship Hall of Pearsall Memorial Presbyterian. We discussed the coming year, met in commissions, and worshiped together. Below is a photo of our group at the end of our meeting.

Presbyterian Women Sewing Day

2012-01-31T16:18:00.000-05:00

Today the Presbyterian Women gathered in Chadbourn to sew and assemble hospital gowns, blankets, and baby blankets for use in hospitals overseas. After their work, they shared a tasty lunch of soup and pasta salad. Here are a few pictures from the day.

February Sunday School Classes

2012-01-30T13:36:00.000-05:00

In February we will be offering two special Sunday School Classes. Both classes will meet from 9:00 to 9:45am. In March we will return to our normal classes.

Parables: Debbie and Jennifer will lead a class on four parables during February. Each class will begin with the showing of a movie which re-tells the parable in a modern setting. These movies are quite creative and thought-provoking. I recommend them to you! After the movie, the class will be invited to discuss the parable - both in its original telling and in the video. The Parable Class will meet in the Andrew Howell Classroom.

If you want to get a preview of the videos to be used, visit this website: http://modernparable.com/

The Mission and Ministry of the Deacon: Emile will offer a class on the Deacon. Our Deacons are a vital part of the ministry of Winter Park Presbyterian Church. As a class we will read about the deacons of the New Testament Church. We will briefly talk about the role of deacons in churches from the ancient period through the present day. Our primary focus will be upon the deacons of Winter Park. We will share stories what are deacons did years ago, what they are up to today, and where they may be called in the future. More broadly we will ponder the call to ministries of service and compassion that are universal to Christians. Past and present Deacons are encouraged to attend, but the class is very much open to all of our members! The Deacons class will meet in the Fellowship Classroom.

Pictures from Sunday

2012-01-30T13:10:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,
We had quite a bit going on yesterday. Two of the highlights were the Ukulele choir playing in church and the Chili/Chowder Cook-Off in the evening. The Ukes played and sang "Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us" and "It Is Well with My Soul."

The Chili/Chowder Cook-Off was a great deal of fun! We had 22 pots of chili and chowder. Many thanks to all who prepared food for the evening. Congratulations to Ashley for her award-winning chowder. Other winners included Jim, Joyce, Margie, Bradley, Mary Hazel, Lisa, Barbara, and Susan. Also, thank you to everyone who donated to support our youth trips this summer! Our high school youth are going to Nicaragua July 6-12th. Our Middle School Youth are going to Massanetta June 21-24th. Keep us in your prayers!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Upstairs Hallway

2012-01-27T16:36:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Please take a stroll down the upstairs hallway on the Sanctuary-side of the church in the next few days. Some of our members have been very hard at work replacing the ceiling, patching the walls, replacing the light fixtures, and painting. The result is very nice looking!

Many thanks to all who participated in this project!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Oceanic Lunch

2012-01-25T16:14:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Our bus trip today was to the Oceanic Restaurant on Wrightsville Beach. The weather could not have been more beautiful, and we enjoyed great food and fellowship. Here are a few pictures:

Next month (by popular demand) we are going to revisit the Duplin Winery on Thursday, February 16th. We will leave Wilmington at 9:45am in time to make the 11:00am tour. We'll have lunch in their Bistro, and then those who are interested will have a chance to sample the wine. Please call the church office to reserve your seat on the bus!

We also talked about other upcoming trip ideas. Many of the ideas shared were some of our "greatest hits" including the ideas of returning to New Bern, Brookgreen Gardens, and Charleston. (I've about recovered from the last Charleston trip. Folks might be able to convince me to do another. :-) We also talked again about a trip where we would take bicycles up to Lake Waccamaw and enjoy a ride before eating lunch. If any of those ideas sound like something that you would love to do, please let me know.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Centennial Meeting

2012-01-23T16:05:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Today the Centennial Celebration Committee met to continue planning. WPPC turns 100 in 2013, and we are putting together a series of events to mark the occasion. As we plan the events, if you have memories, photographs, documents, or other items of historical interest to share, please feel free to contact me or any of the members of the committee.

Emile

Vespers Dinner

2012-01-23T16:01:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Last night after Vespers we enjoyed a great dinner of "Chicken Bog", corn bread, banana pudding, and more. Many thanks to all who helped prepare the feast!

In February Vespers will be on 19th. We will celebrate the Transfiguration, and after the service we will enjoy a dinner of baked spaghetti.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Bus Trip to Christmas on Ice at Myrtle Beach

2011-12-16T10:12:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Yesterday twenty-seven members of WPPC packed into the church bus and three cars and headed down to the Palace Theater in Myrtle Beach. On the way we stopped at the Boundary House Restaurant in Calabash for an early lunch. Below are my pictures from lunch. A great time was had by all!

Emile

Rich Family Prayer Update

2011-12-13T10:51:00.005-05:00

Dear Friends,

Below is wonderful news from Warren and Miriam Rich. As many of you know, they have had to overcome significant challenges adopting their daughter, Hope, and bringing her to the United States. Let us give thanks to God for this tremendous Advent blessing and pray for their safe travel.

Grace and Peace, Emile
-------------------

Dear All,

With a Sovereign God we know that every second is determined by Him to work all things for His glory. Often in the messiness of life we can't see or fathom what He is doing but it is precisely in those times that we need to remember that He is in total control. For the last 5 months we have muddled through a difficult time of waiting on the Lord.

We want you all to rejoice with us that God has made a way where there seemed to be no way. Yesterday we heard from the US embassy that they have approved a "Humanitarian Parole" for Hope. She is allowed to enter the US and we can fulfill the two years of legal custody in the US.

Please pray that we can close up our temporary ministry here in East Africa well.

Pray that all the final paperwork can be processed by the 16th when we are scheduled to fly to London and then to arrive at RDU in North Carolina on the 17th.

Rejoice with us in God's provision for Hope to be able to enter the US.

Rejoice with us that we can reconnect with all our family and friends in the new year.

Pray for wisdom to know what our next ministry situation should look like. Our time in East Africa has opened our eyes to opportunities for dentistry in a non-Christian setting.

Warren and Miriam Rich

Pictures from Sunday

2011-12-12T15:56:00.001-05:00

The Bell Choir led shared their musical gifts with us on Sunday by playing "O Holy Night" and "Carol of the Bells". The breakfast crew also served wonderful food in Chadbourn Hall.

Martha's children's choir met for a Christmas Party and share snacks and gifts. Here they are around table together:

Vespers met in the evening to celebrate Advent. We heard the words of the prophets announcing the coming of Christ, we felt the testimony of John the Baptist, we listened to the angel Gabriel share the wondrous news with Mary. We sang songs old and new. Giving thanks for the light of Christ that comes into this world, we offered prayers and lighted candles. We gathered around our Lord's Table to share in the sacrament. Below are a few pictures of the service taken by Matt:

After worship we shared a fantastic dinner of fried turkey, dressing, butterbeans and corn, and sweet-potatoes in Chadbourn Hall. Many thanks to all those who helped prepare the feast!

The next Vespers will be on January 22nd. I am told that the menu for next month's post-Vespers dinner is "Chicken Bog" - a delicious mix of chicken, rice, sausage, and onions - yum!

Special Worship Services: Veni Emmanuel and Vespers

2011-12-05T10:16:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,

In the next week we will have two special worship services.

On Wednesday, December 7th at 7:00pm we will have a worship service based around the ancient hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel". We will begin our worship service with a prayer for peace remembering beginning of the Second World War. We will then join in a Litany of Advent where we will sing verses from the whole text of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and read verses from Isaiah and other prophets that correspond to the hymn. After the litany we will celebrate the Lord's Supper.

On Sunday, December 11th at 5:40pm we will have our Vespers Worship service. We will give thanks for the light of Christ that comes into the world with song and prayer. After the worship service, we will gather in Chadbourn for a dinner. The rumor passing among the elves is that there will be fried turkey. A nursery will be provided!

All are welcome!

Ukuleles and Joy Gift at WPPC

2011-12-05T09:43:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Yesterday was a busy day! Our Children's Choir and our Ukulele Choir helped lead worship. Our worship service concluded early in order to respond to a medical emergency. (A reflection based on what would have been my sermon is in the post below.) The afternoon brought the Joy Gift service and dinner. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Cousin Itt was brought on board to be one of the Wise Men in the Joy Gift Pageant.

(I hope to have several more pictures from Joy Gift to post tomorrow. Do check back!)

Chadbourn Hall was beautifully decorated.

As folks came into Chadbourn they passed the display for coffee being sold as a fundraiser for our Nicaragua Mission Trip. The coffee was grown by some of the families we will meet in Nicaragua, and it has been imported to the US by a company set up by Presbyterians from Mount Pleasant, SC after their trips to the site where we will be. We are selling 1lb bags for $12. We have medium and dark roasts and ground and whole bean coffees. We will continue to sell the coffee over the next few weeks. They make a great Christmas gift!

The meal was wonderful. Many thanks to all who brought food, helped set up, and helped clean up!

Sunday's Sermon

2011-12-04T16:42:00.017-05:00

Dear Friends,
Sunday, as most of you know, we had to stop the worship service so that paramedics could respond to a medical emergency. Matt has visited with Gerald in the hospital, and I am happy to report that he is doing better. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

I have written up the thoughts from my sermon here as a reflection. The text for the sermon was Mark 1:1-8.

The Gospel of Mark quoting the prophets declares, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you who will prepare the way; the voice of the one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Mark 1:2-3 NRSV)

Advent literally means “He (Christ) Comes”, and in the season we celebrate the wondrous work of God in Christ who is coming among us. We remember the journey of Mary and Joseph as they hear of the news that will change their lives upside down. In our own church as Christmas approaches we celebrate the ongoing journey of the Magi as we move the figures across the balcony and later down through the church. In today’s text we meet John the Baptist. John is a wild and larger than life figure. He hollers at a people (church) who have ceased to listen for God. He lives out in the wilderness wearing camel’s hair and eating bugs. John is a profound grace for those of us who need to be poked and prodded to remember that God is at work.

Those stories of journeys: the journey of John into the wilderness, the journey of Mary and Joseph towards a stable in Bethlehem, the journey of the Magi, and above all the journey of Christ as God to God incarnate among us are the focus of Advent and Christmas, but we are missing something if we only respond to them passively.

The gospel says that people from the whole countryside and all of Jerusalem came out to see John and be baptized (Mark 1:5). They, too, were making a journey of faith. They were moving from their homes to go out and encounter a prophet of God. In his own ministry, Jesus called disciples to follow. As Jesus taught it seems that crowds followed him, seeking to hear the good news that he proclaimed.

I believe that our faith requires us to move from where we are to follow Christ.

There is something transformative about journeys. We are never quite the same person after we have traveled as we were when we left. Hopefully along the way we have seen new things, overcome obstacles, learned, and grown as people. Growing up, my father took my family his version of the Great American Road Trip. We would get in the car and drive from point to point in the guide books. Sometimes I wondered if he thought that unless you had driven 400 miles in a single day you weren’t trying hard enough. Despite being a bit tired at the end, I was always amazed by what we had seen and done. Besides many wonderful landmarks and sites, we inevitably found shortcuts (some good, some not!), restaurants (some great, some not!), and small American towns (some charming, some not!). Those journeys changed me.

Somewhere over the course of the little bit of hiking that I have done, I have acquired the nickname “Where’s the trail?” More than a couple times, and despite carrying maps and a compass, I have been with groups that have gotten a little lost on the trail. Sometimes getting lost has been a real blessing. The photo below is of a waterfall that two of my friends and I discovered after taking the wrong right turn on a trail. If you click on the picture, you can get some idea of the scale of the falls. Your associate pastor is standing near the top of the falls. I had never stood on rocks above a falls like that, and I was struck in that moment by the beauty of God’s earth.

Having traveled with church groups for most of the last fifteen years, I can safely say that the journey is often a greater occasion for learning and transformation than the conference to which we are traveling. On any trip we see new sights. We encounter challenges. We get lost. We share conversation in the bus. We figure out how to share living space in a house that also has its own quirks and surprises. We find and cook food together. We pray, and sing, and worship together. We share insights of faith. We tell each other of the things that have lifted us and the things that have hurt us. We share life outside of our shells together. We grow!

Even our monthly adult bus trips have been holy times for me. I love the shared experiences of seeing local landmarks, and I love the fellowship that is shared in conversations on the bus, exploring an exhibit, and at table.

A primary reason that our youth are going to Nicaragua is to make this sort of journey. A journey where we will grow in relationships with God, with each other, and with the people who we encounter in Nicaragua. Some sort of service work will be a big part of what we do. We will likely build something with our hands, but that too will mostly be part of our journey. If our primary goal was to build things in Nicaragua, there are more cost-effective ways of doing that than sending teens nearly 1,500 miles. Our journey will ask us as a group to overcome challenges together. As a group we will make relationships with people in Nicaragua. We will work side by side with them. We will worship with them. We will play with them. Above all we will learn from them and with them about what it means to be a disciple of Christ in the world. We will be transformed by our journey. We will come back from the journey better able to serve God and neighbor. We will come back with an idea of what it is like to live and follow God in a place that is very different than our own.

Below are a couple of pictures from a trip I took with a group from Davidson College to Nicaragua in the spring of 2003. The first picture is of members of our group playing Frisbee with Nicaraguan school children. The second picture is of our group walking around the edge of the town where we will be staying this summer. 10 years ago it was still surrounded by fields. Although they are difficult to see in the photographs, in both cases we were surrounded by the most humble of shacks. We can hear of vast swathes of the world where the majority of people live on less than $2 per day, but our group got to see that world first hand. We met real people living in that world. We met people of great faith. We met people working diligently against great odds to feed their families. As a Christian, these memories prod me to remember what Jesus says in Matthew 25 about serving or failing to serve the "least of these".

I can't say enough about how the opportunities that I have had to travel with church groups to Nicaragua, Mexico, and Guatemala have allowed me to grow. When I hear of Mexico I think of the little Presbyterian church in Reynosa where our group worshiped with that Mexican congregation. We shared a "Wednesday Night Supper" with them. We played soccer in the street with their children. They shared their faith with us through testimony and hospitality. We worked side-by-side mixing concrete and building walls with their members as we labored to build houses for those most in need in their community. We left the world as we knew it, and encountered them in their world. We were forever changed by that journey.

If we stay put. If we never leave our homes and even our church, we might very well lose sight of the fact that the world is a tremendously large, beautiful, dangerous, hopeful, fearful, rejoicing, hurting place. We might forget that there are other people who face different and at times great challenges. We might fail to hear the witness of those who have encountered Jesus in a different way. We certainly do not need to travel to another country to come to these realizations. There is more than enough to see and do in Wilmington to open our eyes.

Jesus calls us to get up from where we are and to follow.

One of the oldest Christian practices is pilgrimage. In many times and places this has taken the form of the faithful making a journey to a place of worship. As each step is taken a prayer is said. The idea is to come both physically and spiritually closer to God. The picture below is of Mayan women approaching the altar of the Santiago de Atitlan church in Guatemala. They had come into the church and up the aisle on their knees. They had put their own cares and concerns aside as they sought to come before God and worship.

By the way, Lake Atitlan is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The deep blue lake is surrounded by high green volcanos.

Another practice of pilgrimage involves a labyrinth. A labyrinth is not a maze. If you follow its path you will reach the end. The invitation is to walk very slowly through the labyrinth. With each step and at each turn a prayer is said. The task is to clear one’s mind of the concerns that distract us from faith and to in a sense get lost in prayer. In a sense, the labyrinth disorients you so that you can reorient yourself towards God.

Perhaps the most famous labyrinth is in Chartres Cathedral in France. My seminary had one in stone near the athletic fields. One is about to be built at Camp Monroe, and the Episcopal Church of the Servant in Wilmington has one in their sanctuary. Below is the outline of a typical labyrinth. In the absence of a huge labyrinth on a floor, some people have suggested printing an image such as this one and tracing your way through with your finger while at prayer. For those of us who get distracted and lose focus when we sit down to pray, a guide such as a labyrinth can be a helpful tool to turn our hearts back to God.

Journeys take us from where we are into somewhere new. In our day and age, perhaps the greatest error we can make is to think that the world revolves around us. As children of God, we are important! But so are other children of God. Journeys of faith call us away from our self-concerned ways and towards new life with God and with each other.

What are the journeys of faith and life that you have been on? How have you grown closer to God and closer to friends and family through them?

We may at times become complacent and happy where we are in our faith and in our life of discipleship, but Advent gives us a marvelous opportunity to go with John, Mary and Joseph, the Magi, and all our sisters and brothers in Christ on a journey of faith.

Matt found for us a wonderful Advent calendar that would take us on such a journey. For each day of Advent it suggests a different practice of faith. Some days on the calendar call us to serve others in some real way. Other days call us into prayer for others in a difficult circumstance. Some days call us to respond to the blessings around us in Thanksgiving. Other days on the calendar call us to be a blessing in the lives of others.

I commend to you a journey this Advent. You may find one through service or prayer, study of the Scriptures or another spiritual discipline. The main thing is that we leave from where we are and strike out towards a life of discipleship of Jesus Christ. Jesus calls his disciples to follow him. Why are we waiting?

venite adoremus Dominum

Trimming the Tree for Advent

2011-11-21T12:58:00.001-05:00

Also, a slight correction needed to be made to our Advent Flyer. It is now correct!

http://winterparkpres.com/documents/Advent2011.pdf

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-21T12:46:00.000-05:00

Today the Winter Park Presbyterian Preschool has its Thanksgiving Feast! The 2, 3, and 4-year old classes came in with song and dance, and then the 46 students and their families enjoyed a great pot-luck feast. Below are a few pictures from the day.

Emile

Ukulele Choir in Worship

2011-11-20T20:39:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,
Both the Ukulele Choir and the Children's Ensemble helped to lead worship this morning. Below is a picture of most of the ukulele choir (a few members were just outside the frame!). I also have a couple very cute pictures of the children which I will post on a bulletin board around the church.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Nicaragua Team Meeting & Egg Drop!

2011-11-20T20:22:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

The team going to Nicaragua this summer met this afternoon to make plans for this summer, learn about Nicaragua, and brainstorm ideas for fundraisers.

Upcoming Events: We will have a spaghetti luncheon at the church on Sunday, December 18th. Please bring your family with you!

Nicaraguan Coffee: My family is bringing up from Charleston 100 pounds of Nicaraguan Coffee on December 3rd. The Coffee is imported by a group from Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. The coffee comes from one of the communities that we will be spending time with in Nicaragua. (If you bought coffee from our speaker in the spring, you have had it before.) Starting December 4th, we will have the coffee on sale at the church for $12 for a 1-pound bag.

The Egg Drop: Kae Livsey led our group in a group-building exercise. We split up into four teams, and working together each team had to create a device that would safely catch an egg dropped from about 6 or 7 feet up. I am happy to report that two of the devices worked. :-)

The Pictures: (A couple members of our team were not able to be with us today!)

(Notice the egg on the ground!)

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Pictures from Stop Hunger Now

2011-11-20T20:07:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends, members of Winter Park Presbyterian gathered with Winter Park Baptist, Masonboro Baptist, and Wesley United Methodist at Winter Park Baptist Church. Volunteers packed over 40,000 emergency meals that will be distributed by Stop Hunger Now somewhere in the world following a disaster. Below are a few photos taken by Matt of our members taking part in the project.

Kirkwood Senior High Retreat

2011-11-19T15:11:00.001-05:00

This weekend is the Presbytery Senior High Retreat at Camp Kirkwood! Youth from all over the presbytery gathered to sing, worship, and hear our very own Emile, who was the keynote speaker for the weekend! The scripture was John 21... People Fishin' and Just Keep Following!

Lydia and I went up to Kirkwood on Saturday morning to see how things were going, and this is what we found:

The music team did a great job!!

A good crowd:

Our reader:

Lydia thought the boat fit in well with the theme:

Emile as keynoter:

We missed the end of Emile's first talk because Lydia needed an outside wiggle break:

WPPC girls!

Lunch included cookies:

Lydia and I left them all there having fun- be sure to ask the youth about this great weekend!

-Amy :o)

Advent 2011 Poster

2011-11-18T12:09:00.004-05:00

Dear Friends,

The link below goes to a little poster with all the time and dates for our Advent services this year. If you want to, please print it and place it on your fridge.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

http://winterparkpres.com/documents/Advent2011.pdf

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Stop Hunger Now! event with WPBC and WUMC

2011-11-14T13:56:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

On Saturday we are joining with Winter Park Baptist Church and Wesley United Methodist Church to do a joint service project for Thanksgiving. Everyone is to gather at 9:00am at Winter Park Baptist to help pack emergency food packets with Stop Hunger Now.

Having participated in one of these events, I can tell you that they are a great deal of fun, and the time really goes quickly. If you are able to volunteer, please call the church office to let us know!

Remember to bring a hat to wear. Otherwise you will be issued a very attractive hair-net!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

P.S. The High School Youth and I will not be at the service project. The Presbytery High School Retreat at Kirkwood is this weekend. Please keep us in your prayers!

Around Church this Sunday...

2011-11-14T13:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,
We had a busy Sunday here at WPPC. Breakfast was served in Chadbourn Hall. The Bell Choir shared their gifts with us during worship. The Pastor's Reading Group met. The Ukulele choir and the Children's Choir prepared to lead us in worship this coming Sunday. Also we gathered for worship in the evening for Vespers before sharing a wonderful meal of BBQ, cornbread, coleslaw, salad, and baked beans in Chadbourn. Many thanks to all who shared their gifts on Sunday!

Above: The breakfast crew hard at work...

Above: The Bell Choir practicing before worship

David, Larry, Jen, and Brenda prepared a great BBQ dinner after Vespers. Many thanks to all who helped!

Next month Vespers will be on Sunday, December 11th. The elves are planning to serve up some fried turkey!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Photos from the Women's Retreat

2011-11-14T11:06:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos from the Women's Retreat on October 22nd at the Wilmington Convention Center. The guest speaker was Alicia Porterfield (a Baptist minister and the wife of the pastor of Winter Park Baptist). She taught a full day's lesson on Exodus 1:8-21, the story of the courage and faithfulness of the midwives Shiphrah and Puah. From everything that I've heard, it was a great day. Ask some of the ladies picture below to tell you about it!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Nicaragua Team Yard-sale in the spring: save your stuff!

2011-11-11T19:46:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

The Nicaragua Mission Team will have another big yard sale in the spring. If your family is like ours, you occasionally do some cleaning and find that you've been storing items that you've not used in years. If you can, please save those items for our March yard-sale!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Vespers on Sunday at 5:40pm

2011-11-10T15:25:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,
Vespers will be on Sunday at 5:40pm. All are welcome! Bring a friend! Bring a grandchild or adult child! We will have a BBQ dinner after the service in Chadbourn Hall.

This month's service we will hear the words of John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord! We will reflect on how we can prepare ourselves and the world around us for life as the Kingdom of God. Construction came to mind, and any young boys or girls that like constructing toys are welcome to bring them. We will also reflect upon how we can do preparation work as a gift for God. The holiday shopping season is already encroaching on our lives, and in the worship service we will remind ourselves that as disciples we are called to give ourselves as we follow Christ. This is an Advent text and theme, and though we are a little early, such work is really a year-round and life-long commitment.

Grace and peace!

Emile

YAH and the Ukulele Choir

2011-11-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

The Young at Hearts met today to share a wonderful covered dish lunch. The members of our ukulele choir performed several songs. We also learned a bit about the history of the ukulele. The ukulele choir at Winter Park is made up of nearly twenty people of all skill levels and ages. If you are interested in becoming a part of the choir, they meet on Sundays at 6:30pm.

The next Young at Hearts will be on Thursday, December 8th. It will begin at 11:30am. The preschool students will come and meet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

Figurines like the ones shown above were made for every family in the group by Marlis and Lou.

Clerk's Report from Wednesday's Stated Session Meeting

2011-11-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

News from the 11/9 Session Meeting

-The Church budget for 2012 was approved.

-A congregational meeting has been called for November 27, 2011
to approve the 2012 terms of call for the ministers.

-The Christmas Eve service will be held at 5:00 PM followed by a
fellowship time in Chadbourn Hall.

-Our Centennial Celebration will be held in the Fall of 2013.

Tom Fields,
Clerk of Session

Bus Trip and Good Shepherd

2011-11-09T15:41:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Today we took the church bus down to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Lydia went along with our group. A few pictures from our day are below.

On Sunday, the youth went to the Good Shepherd Center. Our group's mission on Sunday nights is to serve the left-overs from the previous week. (They clear left-overs out of the refrigerators on Monday.) We always have an interesting challenge as we seek to turn fairly odd combinations of dishes and ingredients into a good meal. This week we created a great Caesar salad (Caesar was the only dressing we could find in sufficient quantity.) We made our own cheese sauce and served it over steamed mixed vegetables. We prepared fresh string-beans and cooked them on the stove with butter and garlic. We also heated up at least two different types of chicken, sliced and buttered bread, prepared 60 plates of desserts. Ten adults and youth stayed busy for 90 minutes preparing the meal!

Below is a photo of our group (minus Mrs. Jen who was in the back of the kitchen.) Also included is a photo of the salad dressing storage bin, the pantry, and the string-beans.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Pumpkin Painting Picnic

2011-10-27T16:34:00.002-04:00

A good time was had by all at the Preschool Pumpkin Painting Picnic! Kids and parents enjoyed snacks, pumpkin art, friends, and playing on the new playground equipment:

Rich Family Prayer Update

2011-10-24T14:33:00.002-04:00

Grace and Peace to You All,

It is time for a quick update on the Rich Family. After almost 3 months living in our new city in East Africa we are getting a feel for the city and the culture. The city is busy with a laid back air to the hustle and bustle. A few weeks back the public transport came to a halt and people didn't fuss or make a big deal about it, they just walked everywhere. Things took a little longer but no worries, it all works out. The culture is mixed. Most of the local population is of the Islαmic faith but there are many transplants from up country who follow the King of Kings. The foods are a blend of Swahili, Indian, traditional African and Western with a few Chinese and Italian thrown in for good measure. For 25 years we never went out to eat for dinner as there was no where to go where we were. It has been a real treat to be able to go out to eat taking public transport and feel safe in the process.

On the ministry side, Miriam has met many women in the immediate vicinity and even participated in a Swahili Bible study this past week. She was pretty lost but it was a good experience. Warren has met with many of the dentists in the area to get a feel for what is happening in that realm. The entire area along the coast seems to be open for a dental ministry the question is where and in what form? Please pray for wisdom. This past week Warren spoke at a inter-church mens's prayer breakfast on "Business as Ministry" which was an appropriate topic as that is what he has been doing the past 25 years.

Anna is adjusting to life at boarding school. It helps that she knows the school and most of the staff and students. We miss her bright smile but this is the best thing for her at this time. Please pray for her continued adjustment and her walk with the Lord.

The immediate future is still unclear. Hope's visa appears to be denied. We went through every appeal process that we know of but all to no avail. We are trying one last option and that is a "Humanitarian Parole." We are asking that since we have been apart from our family for the last 4 years, for humanitarian reasons we need to reconnect and to do that we have to be able to bring Hope into America. Please pray that the people making the decisions will recognize the legitimacy of our family need.

Please pray for PEACE and TRUST for our entire family. Please pray also for God to direct our daily steps so that in this time we can SHINE for Him. Prov 3:5-6 "TRUST in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek HIS will in all you do, and HE will DIRECT your paths."

In Christ Alone,

Warren, Miriam, Anna, Hope and for the rest Josiah, Elise, Micah and Stephen

Lessons and Song of the Exodus Story

2011-10-24T13:20:00.000-04:00

This coming Sunday our worship service will be a service of Lessons and Songs from the Exodus story. As you well know the Exodus story is a powerful narrative of God's redemption of a suffering people. We will encounter that message of God's grace through words, songs, and art.

We do need readers! If you are interested in reading, please contact Emile.

Below is a painting by our own Roger Cates painted especially for Sunday's worship service. It depicts the Burning Bush of Exodus 3. Below that painting is a picture of a stained glass window in First (Scots) Presbyterian in Charleston.

Ukulele Choir

2011-10-24T13:13:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Many thanks to all who shared their musical talents with us on Sunday. Below are two pictures. The first is of the ukuleles playing. The second is of the Chancel Choir.

Ukulele Choir Debut: Sunday, October 23rd

2011-10-18T11:53:00.000-04:00

Our Ukulele Choir will make its debut in worship on this Sunday morning at our 10:00am worship service. Quite a large group has been practicing each week, and I know I can't wait to hear them play and sing. Thank you to all who have been preparing to lead us in worship! The photo below was taken at Sunday's practice.

The Ukulele group meets every Sunday at 6:30pm to practice. People of all skill levels are very welcome to come play and sing.

Young at Hearts - Thursday, October 13th

2011-10-18T11:44:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Below are pictures from Young at Hearts. This month Marilyn arranged for members for the D.A.R. to come and present. As you will see from the pictures below, the D.A.R. came in period costume. Children from our preschool were also invited to the presentation. Many thanks to the ladies for bringing this program!

YAH will meet on Thursday, November 10th. The Ukulele group will provide the program.

Firefighters at Preschool

2011-10-12T19:52:00.000-04:00

Today, our preschool had a visit from firefighters! They brought their firetruck, so it was a big hit!

First, our firefighters did a little classroom demonstration where they showed off all their gear- including hat, mask, and oxygen tank. They talked about the importance of not being scared or running away from a firefighter in a mask during an emergency.

Next, everyone got to see the fire truck up close and climb aboard!

The consensus: learning about firefighters sure is fun!

-Amy :o)

October Fellowship Bus Trip

2011-10-12T16:23:00.005-04:00

Dear Friends,

Today we went to Topsail Beach. We enjoyed a great lunch at the Beach Shop and Grill. After lunch our group walked over to the beach. The group then went out in search of ice-cream. We finally found ice-cream bars at an old gas station. The store was run by a man who must have been in his seventies who said that he was eight years old when his father opened the store. We concluded our trip by visiting the Topsail Island Historical Society's "Missiles and More" Museum. The museum described the WWII era top-secret "Project Bumblebee" as well as displaying many photographs from Camp Davis and the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) program.

The museum is housed in the "Assembly Building" where the rockets were assembled prior to launch.

One of the Project Bumblebee Observation Towers

New Dates: (So as not to conflict with YAH!)

November's Bus Trip will be to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. We will go to the aquarium and out to lunch on Monday, November 14th. (November of 2009 was our first bus trip. We went to the aquarium!)

December's Bus Trip will be to the Christmas On Ice Show at the Palace Theater in Myrtle Beach. We will go to the 2:00pm show on Thursday, December 15th. We will have lunch on the way to see the show. Please call the church office to reserve your spot before November 5th. The cost of the tickets will be approximately $30. (Please note that the date is different than the one we spoke about on the bus today. It looked like that show had already sold its best seats.)

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Around Church this Sunday...

2011-10-10T13:59:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

Below are a three pictures from Sunday at WPPC. The first is of part of the kitchen crew at breakfast on Sunday morning. Breakfast is served on the 2nd Sunday of every month. Omelets and eggs are cooked to order. Bacon, sausage, grits, and toast are also fresh and waiting on you. It is a wonderful time of fellowship and great food. Be sure to come next month!

The other two pictures are from the spaghetti dinner after Vespers. Many thanks to those who prepared dinner for us! Our worship service was based around the Micah 6:8:

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (NRSV)

We sang those words. We saw a great skit about them put on by Wanda and Jane, we pondered how each of us in the coming days could do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

The next Vespers will be on November 13th. There is a rumor that BBQ will be cooked up fresh and served.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Sunday: Breakfast, Crop Walk, Vespers, and Dinner

2011-10-06T12:58:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Sunday will be busy! Breakfast is served from 7:30 until 9:45am in Chadbourn Hall.

The Crop Walk will be at Hugh McRee park at 1:30pm. The Crop Walk raises money nationally to help fight hunger both at home and abroad. Internationally they provide both emergency aid and they work to help people learn how to feed their own communities. In Wilmington they work with local projects such as Good Shepherd. If you would like to participate or if you would like to sponsor a walker, contact Emile or Jim.

At 5:40pm we will have Vespers, our monthly Contemporary / Alternative worship service in the Sanctuary. This month we will be walking with Micah 6:8 in story, drama, and song. Come and bring a friend! (The service will conclude before 6:30pm for those who have to make it to Ukulele choir!)

Also, we will have a spaghetti dinner after Vespers in Chadbourn Hall. Come Hungry!

Playground Updates, Morning Prayer, and Bible Study

2011-10-06T12:53:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Also below is a picture from breakfast after morning prayer this morning. The first Thursday of each month we meet in the Sanctuary at 8:15am for 15 minutes of silent prayer. We listen to monastic song, and the time gives you a moment to start your day listening for God. After prayer, we go out together to share breakfast and conversation at the K&W. See you on November 3rd!

Below are pictures from around the church this week. Our Preschool's Playground is under construction. A new "big toy" is being put up, and there are several other new items around the playground. We need to stay off of everything until next Tuesday. The concrete needs time to set!

And finally is a picture from Tuesday Morning's Bible Study. We read and discussed Luke 18:1-14 this week. (Those that came got to hear bits and pieces of Emile's sermon for this week coming together. My apologies to them!) Everyone is always welcome!

World Communion Sunday, Ukuleles, and Good Shepherd

2011-10-03T10:44:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Here are a few pictures from yesterday. We celebrated World Communion Sunday. Michael Parker, the Coordinator for International Evangelism of the Presbyterian Church, was our guest preacher. A few of our ukulele's helped lead the singing of "Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ."

In the afternoon nine youth and four adults went to the Good Shepherd center and helped prepare a meal for around 50 guests. Thanks to a lot of help from Debbie, Jennifer, and Jim we managed to turn some uninspiring left-overs into a tasty meal that got plenty of compliments. We also found Good Shepherd's pantry to be very bare in many areas. Among those bare spots, there was very little salad dressing on hand, and we could find only a single can of cream-of-mushroom soup for our cooking. The shortages caused us to be creative, and we had a great evening. All of our youth and adults did a great job.

(Many thanks to John for the pictures of Sunday's service.)

New Facebook Page!

2011-09-30T13:43:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Please "like" us on Facebook. You can get to our page here: http://www.facebook.com/winterparkpres

This new page is replacing our group page. Facebook has made some changes, and it appears that this is the way to go for us.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

October Newsletter Online

2011-09-29T09:22:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

Our October Church newsletter is online. You may read it here: http://www.winterparkpres.com/Documents/October%202011.pdf

Grace and Peace!

Emile

The Centennial Celebration Committee is at Work!

2011-09-26T16:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

The committee charged with helping WPPC celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013 is hard at work. The committee met today to refine ideas for a theme and coordinate efforts to gather information and history for the project.

How you can help:

Share your old pictures with us! Do you have pictures of the church or events at the church from years ago? Please share them with us. They will be returned to you after we scan them into the computer. Let Emile or Frances Bennett know if you have photographs to share.

Tell your story! Sherman Hayes and JoAnne Jarrett have begun interviewing members of the church who have memories to share. Do you remember WPPC from 50, 40, 30, or 20 years ago? We would love to incorporate your memories into the project.

Pictures below: Today's Committee meeting and WPPC being rebuilt after the 1939 fire.

Peace,

Emile

Choir and Wreck Night

2011-09-26T15:53:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,
Below are a couple of pictures from Sunday. The first is of the choir practicing prior to worship. The ones that follow are from Wreck Night. We had 19 children and youth of the church playing games together.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

September Fellowship Bus Trip to Holland Creek Restaurant

2011-09-19T17:15:00.000-04:00

Today we went to the Holland Creek Shelter Restaurant (east of Burgaw on NC53). Below are pictures from our adventure. Dave is eating frog legs, the signature dish. The restaurant sits right on the creek. After lunch, we ate ice-cream and went down to the dock on the creek.

Presbytery Leadership School: Ministering to the Missing Generation

2011-09-19T17:10:00.001-04:00

The Presbytery's Annual Leadership School met in Clinton, NC on Saturday at Sampson Community College. The keynote speaker was Carol Howard Merritt (her blog: http://tribalchurch.org/), a pastor of Western Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC and the author of Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation and Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation. I was very glad of the chance to get to hear Carol speak, and I enjoyed the conversation in the two classes that she taught.

As the subtitle of Tribal Church suggests, much of her written (and bloged, videoed, and pod-casted) work has been around the task of ministering to the generation (generations?) of folks now in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who have in large part not been reached by the church, but I find in her work a conviction that mainline churches such as Winter Park hold tremendous potential to minister to people of all ages.

No silver bullet was offered in the lectures and classes. Carol did not tell us put on jeans and bring in the electric guitars. (Indeed, her church features a traditional service with organ music.) She did not offer a recipe of programs that were guaranteed to pack our pews with young families, but she did offer a number of insights into approaching ministry

Below I'll share a few thoughts with you. The good ones I will attribute to Carol, and I will take credit for the less helpful ideas.

1. Work in and with the community matters. Western Presbyterian Church helped found and hosts a hunger ministry not unlike Good Shepherd. (Western Presbyterian Church; Miriam's Kitchen) Carol described people in her church who have said, "I was coming here for years before I ever came upstairs." What they meant by that comment was they had been volunteering at the soup kitchen for quite a while before they decided they would go upstairs and see what worship was all about.

Perhaps our ministries to those in the community and around the world can be one of our most effective witnesses to the Grace and love that we know in Christ. Perhaps it is also important to challenge people to give of themselves and love their neighbors. That was certainly a big part of what Jesus was up to, and some believe that the most effective witness of the early church was how it cared for the sick in times of plagues, fed the hungry, and visited those in prison.

There is another side to things as well. Most of the time when we have attempted to reach to younger folks we have done so by offering a free, fun program. The response has been tepid. (When we offered free childcare and a fun outing to all the young families of the church and preschool, the Barnes family and the Harley family really had a good evening out together!) A conversation that I had over lunch today at the Holland Creek Restaurant (see pictures above) made me wonder whether such invitations aren't received in much the same way as the "Special Invitation" you might receive in the mail to a "Free Dinner and Investment Seminar." Instead of offering free things, perhaps we should call ourselves and others into ministries of love and service. Jesus said, "Come and follow me, I will make you fishers of all" not "come for a good time."

2. The Internet Matters: When I go to buy something or when I want to find a restaurant, I start with an internet search. I find where the store is. I read reviews. I learn as much as I can about the place before I go. It's been quite a while since I have looked for a church, but my guess is that I would spend some time looking at the church's website, Facebook page, blog before I went, and anything else I can find. The trail of evidence that we leave or do not leave on the web can give folks an idea of who we are, what we say and believe and do, how we interact with each other, and what we care about.

The internet also offers quite a bit of potential for the church to keep all of its members up to date on what is going on. In just a few minutes I will post pictures of this month's fellowship bus trip. These days I often take my laptop when I visit shut-in members, and I find that they love to see pictures of recent church events (and of Lydia!). They pick out people who they know and love. They ask questions about what we are doing. It is a great way to have a conversation. Certainly the web will never replace face-to-face conversations, but it can be a way for all of us to keep up with each other and to share stories.

I am going to make more of an effort to keep up with this blog, but I could also use your help. Are you a member of the choir, PW circle, Sunday School class, or any other group in the life of the church? Would you like to write a paragraph every once and a while and share what your group is up to? Would you be willing to take pictures? This blog can be edited from any computer (you need a password), but even if that is not something you can do, we can put your paragraph up!

3. We need to think of people as people (as children of God) and not as numbers. Okay, that statement should seem obvious, but churches (especially those that are thinking about shrinking numbers) can tend to start seeing people who visit as potential folks who are valued most for their ability to pay the bills, produce children, and pack the sanctuary. Obviously, none of us would like to be evaluated as dollar signs or breeding stock! Do we do that?

Well, maybe a little bit... A young person visits. We're friendly. We reach out to them. We start a conversation. Great! But what happens when we ask them about their job? What if their response is that they work a minimum wage type job in a store or restaurant? What if they awkwardly say that they are trying to find a job? In this economy neither of those situations is at all unusual. How do we react? I'd like to say that I get that response right, but I know I don't all the time. What can we do? We can love, we can understand when necessary, but we certainly shouldn't judge!

Or another situation: that same person walks in our door. In talking with them we ask if they are married. If they are married, we might ask if they have children. If not, we might ask if they are planning to have a child. Okay, we care, but imagine if that person isn't married because he or she can't afford to get married right now. He or she is between jobs. Finances are tight. Their families don't want them to get married until they get on their feet. Or imagine if a couple wants to have children but can't for medical or financial reasons. Those questions, however well meant, could wind up hurting the person.

Well, you ask, how can you care about someone if all the important topics are off limits? Good question, let me know when you figure out the answer. Perhaps we should let our guests guide the conversations. If they want to talk of jobs or family, they can bring it up. We can talk about where we live. We can ask where they are from. We can ask what they like to do in Wilmington. Again, I need to think on this question some, too.

4. Schedules are not what they used to be: I guess it used to be understood that Sunday mornings were kept clear for church, but these days Sunday is just another day for many people. If you work in retail, restaurants, public services, at one of our plants, or many other places you may find that you have to work on Sunday mornings. Even if you don't work during the 10:00 hour, you may work so many other hours around it that you need the time to spend with your family or simply sleep. Your children may have Sunday morning activities.

What is a church to do to reach folks who cannot come in on Sunday mornings? There is huge value in gathering as a community to worship God and fellowship with each other, and many - especially among the young - cannot do that on Sunday mornings. How can the church respond?

I really do believe that the church (including WPPC!) has enormous potential to minister to folks of all ages. Where else do people care for and love each other as they do in the church? Where else is there the potential for relationships that cross generational lines? Where else can people better get to know and experience the wonder of God's love and share that love with others? We can go out into the world and working together do amazing things for the Kingdom of God.

These are just a few of the issues raised at the Leadership School on Saturday. I look forward to sharing some more thoughts as the days go on.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

The Ukulele Group's First Practice Session

2011-09-19T10:16:00.001-04:00

The Ukulele group met for its first practice session last night. I wasn't able to stay, but they looked like they were having fun. I can't wait until they lead us in worship.

If you want to join the group, they meet on Sundays at 6:30pm for about 45 minutes. No prior ukulele experience is needed, and if you don't already own a uke, they can be purchased for around $35.

Vespers on Sunday: 5:40pm with a Cookout to Follow

2011-09-16T16:00:00.002-04:00

Vespers, our monthly contemporary/alternative worship service will be in the Sanctuary at 5:40pm this Sunday, September 18th. After the service, we will have a cookout!

This month we will read and sing the story of the Israelite people as they struggled to adapt to life in the Wilderness. The service is based around Exodus 16.

Vespers: What is it?, Outreach, Planning, and Childcare

2011-08-29T13:48:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Vespers this month will be on Sunday, September 18^th at 5:40pm. All are welcome and encouraged to come! For September, we will have a cookout and dinner in Chadbourn after the service.

If you've never been to Vespers, and want to get an idea of what it is like, you can have a look at last month's order of worship and the script we used for a little drama. (The paper bulletin just supplements that video screen for those who are leading or just prefer it.)

Bulletin: Vespers Bulletin - August 21st

Script: Call of Sammi Script

Inviting People to Vespers

Yesterday evening, I met with a few folks to talk about Vespers, where we've been, and where we hope to go in the coming year. We talked about Vespers as an opportunity for outreach to others, especially children and grandchildren of our members who aren't active in a church. A couple people in our meeting said that they would like to invite others to come, but sometimes they had a hard time describing the service to others.

So, here are a few ways that you might invite a friend, child, grandchild, college student, or neighbor to Vespers:

Come for the music! We sing contemporary songs and old favorites with energy.
We eat dinner together afterward.
It is a joyful worship service, and we also get to participate (but its not scary to do so!)
It is a wonderful way to end a Sunday just like the evening worship services we had growing up.
There's a bit of drama and art. Bring your creativity!
We share Communion with each other. Standing around in a circle we serve our neighbor as our sister and brother. It is very meaningful.
Different youth and adults help lead the service. You don't just have to listen to one person the whole time.
Have you heard Will sing and play the guitar?
It is a little bit different every time. It keeps you awake!
Vespers is informal. Come as you are.
There is something for kids, there is something for adults.

These are just a few ideas. If you have others, e-mail them to me, and I will post them here on the blog.

Planning Vespers:

One of the best parts in my mind about the service is the potential for working with others to help create the service. From deciding on a passage from the Bible to selecting songs or writing a drama, there are many possibilities for participating in the creation and leadership of the service.

Starting September 4th, we will have a planning meeting in the fellowship classroom at 3:00pm on the first Sunday of the month. Anyone and everyone (youth and adult) is welcome to come. Come whether or not you've ever been before!

Childcare:

We will be offering a Nursery at Vespers for a trial period during the fall. Do you have a friend or family member with an infant or toddler? Bring them!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Montreat Youth Conference

2011-07-25T09:51:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

On Saturday our group returned from the Montreat Youth Conference. For a week we worshiped, played, sang, ate ice-cream, rock-hopped, learned, and enjoyed the beauty of God's earth with over 1,000 other youth and adults.

Typical Day in Montreat: Each day began in Anderson Auditorium at 9:00am with energizers, songs, and keynote. By 10:30 we went to our small groups. At noon we would picnic on the lawn in front of Anderson. (Many thanks to Charlie and Phenie for preparing our meals!) After lunch our youth had time to explore Montreat, talk with friends, and eat at the Huckleberry. Each afternoon, we would have another small group session followed by recreation and free time. We would go back up to the house for dinner at around 5:00pm. Over dinner we would talk about our day. We came back down the hill for evening worship at 7:00pm. Evening worship typically concluded around 9:00pm. From 9:00 to 10:30 we would have more recreation and free time before we returned to the house just before 11:00pm.

Montreat Youth Conference Glossary:
Energizers: Odd group dances to even odder music done first thing in the morning with way too much enthusiasm to get sleepy conferees up and moving.
Keynote: A mix of sermon, personal testimonies, film clips, and drama designed to interpret a biblical message.
Small groups: Each youth is assigned to a different small group. Small groups consist of about 30 youth from all over the country. The small group explores the messages from keynote and evening worship, plays games, and builds relationships among the youth.
the Huckleberry: a small restaurant on the third floor of a building in "downtown Montreat". It is a great place to eat ice cream (or ice-team if you are Lydia) and meet up with friends.
Evening Worship: A service that lasts nearly two hours. It begins with music (guitar and piano). We sing songs for about 30 minutes. Following the music we have an opening processional were youth bring the Bible, gifts for communion or offering, and water for the font to the front. The service includes a call to worship, the confession (with call, confession, pardon, and Gloria), passing of the peace, scripture readings, and a sermon. Following the sermon, a response to the word is included (Communion on Monday and Friday, an anointing on Tuesday, an offering on Wednesday).

Below are a few pictures from our week. Many thanks to all who make these trips possible!

Massanetta Middle School Conference

2011-07-11T10:58:00.001-04:00

Our youth have just returned from the Massanetta Middle School Conference. Over four days we canoed, worshiped, sang, played games, slept (a little bit), made new friends, and grew closer to God and one another. This year's theme was "I of the Storm" - we heard the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33), talked about the storms that we face in our own lives, heard the good news of God being in the center of those storms, and were sent out to reach out with God to others facing their own storms.

Below are a few pictures of our adventures. In case you are wondering, one of the activities was getting "Hair Don'ts" (rather than Hair Dos). The pink is mostly out of your AP's hair. :-)

We look forward to sharing more with you in the coming weeks!

That blurry picture above was taken at the candle-light service on Saturday night.

Link to Presbyterian Panel Report on the Sacraments

2011-06-27T12:45:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Those of you who attended yesterday's Sunday school class may have heard me mention a report put out by the Presbyterian Church on the sacraments. The Presbyterian Panel interviewed several hundred members, elders, and ministers about Baptism and Communion, practices, theology of the sacraments, and Biblical texts related to the sacraments.

If you are interested in reading the report, you may find it at: http://www.pcusa.org/media/uploads/research/pdfs/209-fullreport.pdf

Emile

You are the light of the world!

2011-06-27T12:41:00.000-04:00

At the lock-in on last Thursday and at "Wreck Night" on Sunday, our children read, reflected on, explored, responded to, and pondered Jesus' words in Matthew 5:14-16. We asked how - with God's help - we could be lights to the world. We reflected on ways that we could share God's love with others.

Below is some artwork from Sunday evening:

Church Picnic

2011-06-05T20:49:00.000-04:00

June 5, 2011: Our Church Picnic!

There was food:

There were friends:

There were LOTS of fun games:

And people who like to watch games:

There was time to chat:

And to get to know each other better:

And a fun picnic was had by all!

-Amy

Lake Waccamaw, Hush-puppies, and Gators

2011-06-05T20:48:00.000-04:00

On Friday, June 3rd, thirteen folks from Winter Park traveled to Lake Waccamaw State Park. After a brief stop in the visitor's center, we took a walk down the boardwalk to the lake, enjoyed the sights, sounds, and breeze on the covered dock. After the park, we drove around the shore of the lake to Dale's Seafood Restaurant. The hush-puppies were great! Dale's also has a covered dock. After lunch we drove around more of the lake admiring the houses and trying to spot alligators in the canal directly behind the houses. (The road runs between the canal and the houses.) We spotted four gators. (When you see four gators, how many are there out there?) We left no longer in doubt why many local signs had pictures of alligators. All in all, it was a great day!

This Week at WPPC: Picnic, June Sunday School, Bus Trip, Morning Prayer

2011-05-31T15:47:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

The Annual Church Picnic will be from 5 to 7pm on Sunday afternoon at Trinity United Methodist's Church Life center on South College Road (next to Cape Fear Academy). We will have games for children and youth, great food, and fellowship. Come on out!!!

If you have not done so, please sign up for pictures by calling the church office or through the website as soon as you can. We start next week! https://www.securedata-trans14.com/ap/winterparkpresbyterianwnc/index.php?page=10 Our Church Life commission will begin calling members who've not yet been able to sign up soon, so please sign up!

Emile will be offering a Sunday School Class on the Lord's Supper at 9:00am on Sundays in June. This week we will discuss passages from scripture that we "bring to the table" including the accounts of the last supper (Mark 14:12-25), the disciples' walk to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), the feeding of the multitudes (Mark 6:30-44, John 6:1-14), Jesus' post-Easter cookout (John 21), Paul's instructions (1st Corinthians 11:17-43), the life of the church in Acts (2:43-47), and the wedding at Cana (John 2). Bring your Bible! During upcoming weeks we will share memories of Communion, explore our own prayers and practices -past and present- as well as those of other churches, consider art, sing communion hymns, and consider the ways in which Christ is known to us in the sharing of the sacrament. All are welcome!

The June bus trip will be to Lake Waccamaw on Friday, June 3rd. We will leave the church at 8:30am, spend an hour or so at the state park, enjoy a "Sunday drive" around the lake, and eat lunch at a restaurant on the lake before returning to Wilmington. Call the church to reserve your seat! We still have 3 seats available!

Thursday Morning Prayer is in the sanctuary this Thursday (the first of the month) at 8:15am. All are welcome!

Pulpit exchange: The Rev. Dr. June Highfill will be our guest preacher this Sunday (June 5th). Matt will be preaching at Pearsall Memorial.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

June Newsletter

2011-05-26T11:03:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

You may find a copy of the June Newsletter on our website:

http://www.winterparkpres.com/Documents/June2011.pdf

Grace and Peace!

Emile

This Week at WPPC: Bible Study + June Bus Trip Info

2011-05-23T16:05:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study will meet at 9:00am to read Luke 9.

Looking Forward: the June bus trip will be to Lake Waccamaw on Friday, June 3rd. We will leave the church at 8:30am, spend an hour or so at the state park, enjoy a "Sunday drive" around the lake, and eat lunch at a restaurant on the lake before returning to Wilmington. Call the church to reserve your seat!

The Youth Lock-in will start at 6:00pm on Friday at Little Chapel on the Boardwalk Presbyterian church. Contact Emile for more information.

-----------------

Also, if you have not done so, please sign up for your family's picture to be taken for our church directory on June 8th-11th. You may do so by following the link below or calling the church office.

https://www.securedata-trans14.com/ap/winterparkpresbyterianwnc/index.php?page=10

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Reminders - Lunch and Pictures

2011-05-19T11:44:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends,

Please remember to come to our Youth Fundraising Luncheon on Sunday (May 22nd) after the 10:00am worship service (about 11:15am). We will be having chicken and dumplings, stewed apples, and green beans. Dessert will be brownings, ice-cream and Mrs. Cherry's wonderful chocolate sauce. All are welcome!!!

Also, if you have not done so, please sign up for your family's picture to be taken for our church directory on June 8th-11th. You may do so by following the link below or calling the church office.

https://www.securedata-trans14.com/ap/winterparkpresbyterianwnc/index.php?page=10

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Bus Trip to Poplar Grove Plantation

2011-05-19T11:22:00.009-04:00

On Wednesday, May 18th a group from WPPC went up to Poplar Grove in Scott's Hill. We toured the grounds of the plantation including in the tenant farmer's house, the blacksmith shop, the barn, and the kitchen before taking a guided tour of the house. After the tour we visited the farmer's market before heading to lunch at Jones' Fish Camp. Below are a few pictures from our outing.

Stated Session Meeting - Wednesday, May 18th

2011-05-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

SESSION MEETING NEWS

-Our Triennial Visit from the Presbytery Committee on Ministry was conducted
last evening by Dr. Samuel Murrell and Ms. Patsy DeChant.

-Cookies and lemonade will be served on the 1st and 3rd Sundays after worship during the summer months.

-The church picnic is scheduled for June 5th from 5-7 PM with food service beginning at 6 o'clock. As usual,
the location is on South College Road at the Wesley Methodist Church Center.

-The session approved Charlie Bowen and Bob Russell as their representatives to the 2012 officer nominating committee.

Tom Fields, Clerk of Session

Domestic Violence Shelter Donations

2011-05-10T14:32:00.000-04:00

Emile, Lydia, and I dropped off all your wonderful donations to the Domestic Violence Shelter today. We had a whole carload full of diapers, baby food, paper towels, toilet paper, snacks, laundry detergent, etc. Thank you for your generosity!

The people at the Domestic Violence Shelter were very appreciative. One woman commented that whenever they get low on supplies, someone from the community very generously shows up with more. She said it was amazing how it always works out.

Thanks for being such a positive force in our community!

-Amy Harley (on behalf of the deacons!)

This Week at WPPC: Vespers, Pastor's Reading Group, YAH, Heifer, Bible Study

2011-05-09T12:26:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Vespers will be this Sunday at 5:40pm. All are invited to come and worship as we hear and encounter the story of Jesus and his disciples on their walk to Emmaus (Luke 24).

The Pastor's Reading Group will be Sunday at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Classroom.

The Young at Hearts will meet Thursday at 12:00noon.

Please remember to sign up to be "shot" for our church photo-directory. Click the following link to sign-up https://www.securedata-trans14.com/ap/winterparkpresbyterianwnc/index.php?page=10 Folks who need help signing up may call the church office. We will also have someone helping folks sign up on Sunday morning.

On Sunday Kim West is hosting a celebration of our church's participation in the Heifer Program on the front lawn directly after church. There will be cake and refreshments for all. Those wishing to make a donation to our Heifer efforts will have plenty of opportunity to do so. (The theme of the celebration is a birthday party for two reasons. #1 Kim's birthday is coming up very soon. #2 Gifts of geese, buffalo, rabbits and more make great ways to remember you friends and family on their birthday and also help our brothers and sisters around the world.)

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study will meet at 9:00am to continue discussing Luke 6-7.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Photo Directory Sign-Ups

2011-05-03T16:06:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

We will be creating a new pictorial directory for our church very soon. As a part of that process, we need to take your picture! Please click the link below to sign up for a time.

https://www.securedata-trans14.com/ap/winterparkpresbyterianwnc/index.php?page=10

If you are unable to sign-up electronically, we will have people ready to help you sign up on Sunday mornings.

Pictures will be taken on.

June 8th from 2:00 to 8:00pm

June 9th from 2:00 to 8:00pm

June 10th from 2:00 to 8:00pm

June 11th from 10:00 to 4:00pm

These photo directories are a great help to our church. Please sign up as soon as you can!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

This Week at WPPC: New Worship Time!

2011-04-25T09:49:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

Please remember that we will meet at 10:00am for worship this Sunday. After the service we will have lemonade and cookie fellowship on the front lawn of the church.

Sunday School will be at 9:00am. Our regular classes will meet this coming Sunday.

Please note that the church office is closed today, Monday, April 25th.

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study will meet at 9:00am to read Luke 6.

May 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th we will have special Sunday School Offerings. Our normal classes will be put on hold while we offer:

"Close Encounters with Jesus" - taught by Bob Fry

"The Christmas Stories" - taught by Mareva Barnes

"Presbyterianism 101 and 1/2" - taught by Emile Harley

Each of these will be 4-week courses. Please pick the one that you would like to attend!

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Fort Macon and Morehead City

2011-04-19T07:59:00.011-04:00

April's Fellowship Bus Outing took us to Fort Macon and Morehead City.

Fort Macon overlooks the inlet that leads from the Atlantic to Beaufort at Morehead City. It was built in the 1830s and was the site of a one-day battle in 1862 when it was captured by Federal Troops.

Our group took the tour of the fort given by a volunteer tour guide from the Friends of Fort Macon.

After climbing up, down, and over the walls of the fort, we went into Morehead City and ate lunch at the Sanitary Fish Market.

This Week at WPPC

2011-04-18T08:05:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

We will celebrate and give thanks to God for the Resurrection of our Lord this Easter Sunday. We will gather for worship at 8:30 and 11:00am.

Our Maundy Thursday Communuion Worship Service is Thursday at 7:30pm. A simple dinner will be in Chadbourn Hall at 6:30pm. All are welcome.

Tonight (Monday) from 5:00 'till 8:00pm our Youth Nicaragua Mission Team will have a Fundraiser at Zaxby's Chicken on Gordon Road. Come have some fried chicken. Our youth get a percentage of all sales during that time block.

PKC (2nd-5th) will have Wreck Night in Chadbourn Hall from 5:30pm 'till 6:50pm on Tuesday. We will share a pizza dinner.

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study will meet at 9:00am to read Luke 5. All are Welcome.

Morning Prayer will be Thursday Morning at 8:15am. The group will go out to breakfast after the service.

Notes:

Revisit the blog tomorrow, and you will be able to see pictures from our Bus Trip to Morehead City.

Please Remember that starting May 1st we will move to a 10:00am worship service.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Yard Sale Success!

2011-04-17T09:55:00.001-04:00

The youth raised over $2300 at the Yard Sale on Saturday! This money will be used for the 2012 Nicaragua mission trip.

Thank you to everyone who donated items! All of our large items sold, along with most of the smaller items. (The remaining items are being donated to a local ministry and will be picked up on Tuesday.)

This couldn't have happened without the help of the youth, their families, and many other church volunteers! Thank you to everyone!

Nicaragua Presentation 4-6-11

2011-04-16T10:01:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, April 6th WPPC hosted Sarah Junkin Woodard from the Center for Development in Central America (CDCA). Sarah came with a full van (and I mean full!) of crafts, pottery, jewlery, coffee, and clothing made by Nicaraguans working in partnership with the CDCA. She also came with stories and pictures of the people of Nicaragua.

We shared a wonderful spagetti dinner before hearing Sarah speak about the work and ministry of the CDCA, and all the beneficial programs they help run. This truly is a worthwhile cause! Thank you to everyone who came to learn and ask questions about this wonderful organization. Also thanks to all who donated and purchased the beautiful crafts!

We are now even more excited about the mission opportunity for the youth and their families, coming up in July 2012!

This Week at WPPC: Dinner, Yard Work, Kirkwood, Morning Prayer, Breakfast

2011-04-04T12:35:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

All are invited to come to a spaghetti dinner at the church on Wednesday at 6:00pm to hear Sarah Junkin Woodard from the CDCA. The CDCA is where our youth will be headed during July of 2012.

A Church Yard Work Day will be held on Saturday at 8:00am. Come help make our grounds look better! If you have rakes, clippers, or other tools, please bring them!

Morning Prayer will be Thursday at 8:15am in the Sanctuary. Breakfast will follow.

Breakfast will be served hot and fresh in Chadbourn Hall from 7:30am 'till 9:45am on Sunday.

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study will meet at 9:00am to read Luke 4.

Friends of Kirkwood Evening Worship - Sunday at 6:00pm at Kirkwood. WPPC is hosting this month's service. Fellowship, refreshments, and games will be from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. The youth group will be departing in the bus at 4:15pm on Sunday to head up to Kirkwood. We may well have a spare seat on the bus if you would like to come with us!

Read below for information about the Yard Sale, our youth group's ministry at Good Shepherd, and Amy's reflections on her trips to Nicaragua.

Grace and Peace!

Emile

Yard Sale - April 16th - Donations Needed!

2011-04-04T12:33:00.002-04:00

Books, small appliances, housewares, furniture, toys, games, clothes, and more are needed for our Nicaragua Trip Fundraiser Yard Sale on Saturday, April 16th.

If you would like members of our youth group to come by your house to pick up a large item or just a large batch of smaller items, please let the church office know!

Thank you!

Good Shepherd

2011-04-04T12:26:00.001-04:00

The first Sunday of each month our youth group heads to the Good Shepherd Center to prepare a meal for the guests there. Sunday evening is typically "get rid of the left-overs" night at Good Shepherd. No two trips are the same for us. Sometimes there are plenty of leftovers, and we leisurely warm the best of them. Other nights pickings are slim, and we have to scramble to pull together a meal.

Yesterday evening eight youth and two adults boarded our church bus to go to Good Shepherd. We found several pans of a beef stew waiting for us to warm. We cooked rice to go with it. We prepared bread, a salad, and desserts. By now our youth are very proficient at these tasks. It is fun to see how the jump into things!

In addition to being a wonderful time of fellowship and working side by side, our youth serve others who are in a time of need in their lives. Our youth get a chance to respond to God's love by sharing that love with others - through a smile, a welcome, and a plate of food when it is most needed.

Nicaragua

2011-04-01T14:46:00.006-04:00

Thoughts from Amy Harley about Nicaragua:

Coming up on April 6, Winter Park Pres. will welcome Sarah Junkin Woodard from the Center for Development in Central America. This is the mission just outside of Managua, Nicaragua where our youth will be traveling in July of 2012. I have had personal experience with this organization... I took two trips to Nicaragua in 2001 and 2002 to work with Sarah and other members on sustainable projects in the community of Nueva Vida.

Nueva Vida (which means "New Life" in Spanish) is a community that began in 1998 in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. The hurricane was devastating, and there were many displaced Nicaraguans; many were relocated to a cow pasture outside of Managua. These families typically started with a piece or two of wood and a black plastic tarp and constructed their new homes. This is what a typical street looked like in March, 2001 (and yes, there were power lines, but no, these homes did not have power):

After the hurricane, Sarah and other members of the CDCA refocused their efforts on the community of Nueva Vida. (These folks had been living in Nicaragua since 1994 working on other projects.) They started working directly with the people living in this community, helping community leaders develop the skills that they would need to better their futures. One of the first projects was a health clinic (which I had a very small part in building in 2001). This clinic continues to operate today, staffed with Nicaraguan and international doctors and nurses, to treat acute and chronic problems. Here is a picture of the clinic in June 2002:

Work continues today, with projects to empower people to become self-sufficient. Current projects include organic agriculture, and Nicaraguan-run cooperatives which work with raw materials to turn them into finished products. Here is a picture from my visit to the Women's Sewing Cooperative in June 2002 (my group had a very small part in helping the women put the finishing touches on their building):

I think the CDCA is a worthy organization because it partners with people to develop their own goals, helps teach people relevant skills, and gives them hope for a better future. I am grateful and humbled that our church, through the youth and their family members who will travel down there, will be a part of this ongoing work.

I have folks ask why we travel to faraway places to do a small amount of work for a short time. Their point is well taken... wouldn't it be better to take the money we would spend on airfare and donate it to this cause? But, that leaves out a critical part of mission work... we don't just want to change the world... we want to change ourselves. Working and living, even for a short time, in this third world country changed the way I saw my own life back in the United States. It challenged and changed my faith. It gave me a connection (a community!) of people far away that I had met, and understood just a little bit better. In turn, the people of Nueva Vida gained not just a skinny college student who did a poor job at manual labor for a week... they gained a friend and a supporter of their cause for the rest of my life. This is why I am sharing this with all of you, and why I think you should come and see Sarah (who has given far more of herself than I ever could) when she speaks at our church. Even if you are not going on this trip, coming to this presentation will give you a tiny glimpse of what life is like in another part of the world... and what a faithful response to poverty looks like.

So, mark your calendars! Tell your friends! Reschedule your other extracurricular activities for just one night... and come a learn a little bit about the people of Nicaragua.

CDCA blog, click here

***Wednesday, April 6, 2011 at 6pm: Spaghetti Dinner and Nicaragua Program in Chadbourn Hall***

Wednesday Session Meeting

2011-04-01T10:15:00.003-04:00

FROM THE SESSION

The Session met on Wednesday night and after hearing reports from Presbytery, Pre-School and the various commissions, the following actions were taken.

-A digital thermostat is to be installed in the choir loft. Hopefully, this will provide a more uniform temperature throughout the sanctuary.

-The sound technician who installed our system is to be authorized to update and fine tune the components which should provide a better functioning system.

Tom Fields, Clerk of Session

April newsletter posted on church website

2011-03-31T15:41:00.002-04:00

April's newsletter may be found on our church website. (This is a handy feature in case your dog eats it before you are finished reading. :-)

http://www.winterparkpres.com/newsletter.asp

Mother's Day help for Local Mamas

2011-03-28T14:03:00.003-04:00

During the month of April, the deacons will be collecting consumable children’s supplies for the Domestic Violence Shelter in Wilmington. Please bring your items to the church and place them in the hall outside the sanctuary (near the food collection), and they will be delivered to the shelter in time for Mother’s Day. Current needs:

Snacks for kids (individually wrapped is helpful)

Juice boxes

Baby food

Diapers (particularly sizes 3-5)

Children’s toiletries

Paper towels

Laundry detergent

Dishwashing detergent

Toilet paper

Gift cards (gas, Walmart, Target, Kmart, etc.)

Let’s help some local Moms take care of their children this Mother’s Day! Questions? Call Amy Harley at 508-3153

This Week at WPPC: Thursday Prayer, Bible Study, Rich Family Update

2011-03-28T11:26:00.001-04:00

The Tuesday Morning Bible Study will meet at 9:00am. We will finish Luke 2 and read Luke 3.

Thursday Lenten Prayer will be at 8:15am in the Sanctuary. After prayer the group will go out for breakfast.

The Rich Family (our missionaries in Kenya) have sent out their latest update. Click Here to read it: http://www.winterparkpres.com/rich/richpraiseupdate3-11.pdf

Any ladies interested in attending the Spring Gathering for Presbytrian Women at Shallotte Presbyterian Church Saturday April 2 please contact Cynthia Avery by Friday.

Nicaragua 2012 Updates:

Saturday, April 16th Yard-sale: Soon we will have sign-up sheets for pick-ups of donations. If you have smaller items that you would like to bring in yourself, we will be storing items in the Middle School Room (#14 on the Second Floor of the Church).

April 6th Dinner: Everyone is invited to a Spagetti Dinner on Wednesday, April 6th at 6:00pm. Our guest will be Sarah Junkin Woodard from the CDCA (where our youth will be going in 2012.)

Wreck Night - 3-27-11

2011-03-28T10:18:00.001-04:00

Each month we have "Wreck Night" - a recreation event for our older children led by our youth group. This month eight children and seven youth played a game based on the story of Robin Hood. The game features castles, gold, sheriffs, friars, bandits, and castle guards. Much fun was had by all!

After the games we had a devotion based on Exodus 3. We talked about Moses and the Burning Bush and God's declaration that "I Am" would be with the Israelite people and lead them out of Egypt. We sang a song called "I Am" by Bebo Norman that declares among other things that "I Am in the center of your storm" - that God is with us in the midst of our storms.

Charleston Trip - 3-22-11

2011-03-28T10:04:00.002-04:00

This past week a group from WPPC went on a trip to Charleston. Here are a few photos from that trip.

We started our tour on Sullivan's Island at the site of the Battle of Fort Sullivan (1776).

Our next stop was Drayton Hall, a 1742 plantation house on the Ashley River.

On Wednesday Morning, we took a walking tour around the city of Charleston. We began at White Point Gardens (also known as the "Battery").

We continued up East Battery to the houses known as "Rainbow Row." These houses were originally waterfront houses owned by merchants. The upper floors were residences while the lower floors were shops.

We made our way to Church St. via Tradd St. On church street we saw many houses and gardens.

At the end of Church Street, we again past White Point Gardens before walking north on Meeting Street.

On Meeting Street we stopped at First (Scots) Presbyterian. (This is the church where Emile grew up.)

After taking a break at First (Scots) we briefly walked south on King Street before heading back to Meeting Street via Price's Alley. We went in St. Michael's Church before walking across Broad Street and through Washington Park.

From Washington Park we walked down Chalmers St. to Church Street where we saw the Dock Street Theater, the Huguenot Church, and St. Phillip's Church.

On Wednesday after lunch the group explored the Market St. and King St. for a bit before heading back to the hotel. Wednesday evening we attended a worship service and Wednesday Night Supper at First (Scots).

On Thursday morning our group went out to Charlestown Landing - the site of the first English settlement in South Carolina.

Thursday afternoon we came home!