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For Friday, October 27, 2017
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 WFPC Officers' Column
We had it all planned out. Hike up Pilot Mountain early to enjoy the beautiful views and beat the crowds, then head to Mt. Airy to wander around at the Leaf Festival.
It was foggy when we woke up, but we listened to the weather. The forecast was for clear skies mid- morning - perfect! Off we went, all according to plan.
But there was one small glitch ...the cloud of fog did not disappear as promised. As we headed up in to higher altitudes, the fog only got thicker, grayer and colder. This was not how the day was supposed to go. Now what??
What if we turned back and it was just as foggy in town? What if we started to leave and it cleared up just as we got to the bottom? What if? What if? What if we just stayed and enjoyed the moment for what it was? We got out of the car and started walking. I am so glad we did.
Seeing the rough craggy rock formations and mysterious, silhouetted trees with the fog swirling in, around, and behind everything was a unique vantage point. What lay beyond the clouds or out below our feet as we stood on the scenic overlooks was a mystery. We could imagine and believe the view was there, but we could not see. Not ten feet ahead. Not. A. Thing.
Except...on closer look... a twisted, barren evergreen tree stood alone against the fog, the indentations and layers of rock -- shades of brown, gray, rusty red, and white popped against background of the gray mist; the branches and leaves gently dripped moisture and left tiny puddles on the course yellow sand on the trail. Quiet details. There it was. Beauty in the ordinary, just within our reach. Quiet details that would not have been as obvious if we were focused on the scenery in the distance. We took it all in.
And then, we waited. No phones, no music, nobody around. In the fog, sitting on a rock, in the quiet, we waited. The sky seemed to brighten, and the wind kicked in. And still, we waited. Slowly, slowly, slowly the fog broke up, literally blowing up and over the mountain to show patches of green farmland, roads, and houses below, mountains and towns in the distance, birds circling in the air. Clear, sunny, bright, beautiful and amazing.
Wow.
Thank you, Father, for giving us time to slow down and wait quietly in your presence. Thank you for creating so much beauty in both the ordinary and in the extraordinary we find all around us. Thank you for helping us believe in what we cannot see, and have patience to wait for you. And thank you for having a plan that is so much better than ours, and for gently pointing us to it. Amen.
Laurie Baker
Elder for Worship and Music
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Commitment Sunday
November 5
Your commitments in the past have served to strengthen and expand the work God calls us to do here at Wake Forest Presbyterian. Momentum is growing along with the possibilities to be faithful, growing disciples of Jesus Christ. We are all important parts of the story that is Wake Forest Presbyterian. Our ministry budget for 2018 is over $900,000, and your pledge/tithe is necessary in order for our ministries and mission to continue to strengthen and thrive. Commitment Cards were mailed to you this week. (If you did not receive a card, they are available in the narthex and in the CLC.) Trusting in God to keep his promises to us, prayerfully make a pledge to the future of our church.
- If you have not pledged in the past, prayerfully consider doing so for the coming year.
- If you have made a pledge in the past, prayerfully consider increasing your pledge by a percentage point or more, and
- If you haven't "tried the tithe," prayerfully consider that possibility.
- If you cannot be present on November 5, please mail your pledge or drop it by the office.
- If you are unable to make a financial commitment to the ministry of the church in the coming year, pray hard for the strengthening of our calling as a church to grow spiritually deeper in love with God through Christ, and to faithfully serve our Lord here and around the world.
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Stephen Ministry
Would you like to explore a great way to reach out and help others through grace-based listening? Would you like to have someone to walk alongside you as you climb whatever mountain it is that is making your life less than perfect, someone who will listen and not judge? Join us on November 8, 2017, at 6:30 PM in the Blue Modular, Room 1, and learn about Stephen Ministry at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church. There will be no arm-twisting or pressure of any kind to join us -- we just want you to know that Stephen Ministry is alive and well and what we can do with you and for you. Questions? Armin Harrell at 919-556-7307, Judy Ide at 919-971-6237 , or Barbara Winch at 919-846-3342 or 919-870-5918.
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JOY Group
Friday, November 10
Join the JOY (Just Older Youth) Group this month on Friday, November 10! We will gather in the CLC at 6:15 and enjoy our potluck at 6:30. Paul and Carol Swartz will be our hosts. Please contact Carol at cakswartz@yahoo.com or 614-975-5225 with your RSVP and covered dish offering. Our program will be "The Lands Down Under." The Swartzes will share pictures and stories of their Australia and New Zealand tour.
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Screenagers
6:00-8:00 PM | Sunday, November 5
Dinner and follow-up materials provided
Are you watching kids scroll through life, with their rapid-fire thumbs and a six-second attention span? Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston saw that with her own kids and learned that the average kid spends 6.5 hours a day looking at screens. She wondered about the impact of all this time and about the friction occurring in homes and schools around negotiating screen time -- friction she knew all too well.
In SCREENAGERS, as with her award-winning documentaries on mental health, Delaney takes a deeply personal approach as she probes into the vulnerable corners of family life, including her own, to explore struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Through poignant and unexpectedly funny stories, along with surprising insights from authors, psychologists, and brain scientists, SCREENAGERS reveals how tech time impacts kids' development and offers solutions on how adults can empower kids to best navigate the digital world and find balance.
The New Hope Presbytery's ConnectED team is very excited to partner with Wake Forest Presbyterian for a screening of Screenagers.
The documentary is geared for youth ages 10 and up, and we are strongly encouraging parents and teens to join us! A preview of the documentary can be found
HERE
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We ask that folks please RSVP, as we are providing dinner for all participants and want to ensure we have enough food! We are asking that each participant provide $3 to help cover the cost of food.
RSVP HERE!
Our hope is that this is just the beginning of great community conversation surrounding how we use our media, and how we empower our children to be smart consumers of both screen time and content!
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Women's Ministry Holiday Luncheon
A Season for Gratitude! Join us for the annual ladies' holiday luncheon on Saturday, November 4, 12:30-2:30 PM in the CLC. Before the holiday rush takes over, we will celebrate and prepare our hearts for the upcoming season. This year, we will be celebrating our gratitude for the multitude of God's blessings that we are fortunate to experience each and every day. And of course, we will enjoy our awesome potluck! Please invite a friend and click here to RSVP. It's going to be a great afternoon; you don't want to miss it! For more info and questions: Leslie Olmo, leslieolmo@yahoo.com.
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October is Pastor Appreciation Month
Everyone likes to be appreciated, and what a nice way to show our love: by giving our fine pastors a card or note to show them how much we appreciate them. (If you'd like to include a gift, a small gift card to your favorite restaurant is helpful for folks with lots of evening meetings!) Boxes are located in the CLC and by the work room to drop in a note of thanks to our wonderful pastors.
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Reformation Sunday
500 YEARS... In 1517, Martin Luther nailed the revolutionary 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg College. It was a list of points to be debated regarding the authority of the church in Rome, and it opened the door to the Protestant Reformation, leading eventually to contributions from John Calvin in Switzerland, and John Knox in Scotland, and the formation of the American Constitution. Want to know more??? Make note: On Sunday, October 29, we will observe the 500th anniversary of the Reformation with a special service of worship (both 9:00 and 11:15) where we will hear from three famous reformers... Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox, whom we are privileged to have visiting us. You will not want to miss their messages. Wear plaid, if you have any to wear. Feel free to wear your kilt, if you have one, in honor of our denomination's Scottish heritage.
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Healing and Wholeness Worship Service
All Saints Day Celebration
October 30 at 7 PM
This service is a reminder that we are part of the continuing communion of saints... a time to claim our kinship with those who have gone before us... and a time for the church to be faithful in life and service for all who have been witnesses to God's love in this world. There will be a special part of the service during which you can write the name(s) of a loved one who has passed on a special ribbon and bring it forward to attach to a lovely banner that Kathy Drake made for us. We'll hang this banner as a visual reminder of the great cloud of witnesses to whom we are joined. Childcare provided. Contact John Fawcett at johnfawcett@wakeforestpres.org.
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Christmas Poinsettias
It's time to start planning for the upcoming Advent season. Poinsettias may be purchased in honor or in memory of a loved one(s). Thank you for helping us to continue to decorate the sanctuary with poinsettias and other decorations for the many Advent activities held at WFPC. Not all the poinsettias are available at the end of the advent season. If you plan to take a poinsettia home, please do so after the 11 pm Christmas Eve service but before Thursday, January 4, 2018. Please return this form with your check by Monday, October 30, 2017.
Click here to print an order form.
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Knitters and Crocheters!
We have a great need right now for scarves, men's hats, and ear warmer headbands. It's a busy season, but if you have any free time, items are greatly appreciated. We have some easy patterns and a great amount of donated yarn available. Contact Leslie Olmo for more info and patterns, leslieolmo@yahoo.com. Click here to access patterns on the website.
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Congregational Meeting
There will be a Congregational Meeting at the end of the 11:15 worship service on Sunday, October 29. The purpose of the meeting is to adjust the terms of call for our pastors.
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Wednesday Night Dinner Menu
for November 1
pork tenderloin
sweet potato casserole
salad
cookie pie
The cost is $5/adult and $3/child. Please make your reservation by Sunday evening by emailing Dean Tryon at
dinner@wakeforestpres.org.
Click here for a complete list of Wednesday Nights Together offerings.
Click here for the entire winter/spring menu.
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Mission and Service
5th Sunday Offering on October 29
Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world's most vulnerable, mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030. It is important to note that this organization is doing two major tasks. First, through meals that we provide through our contributions and our gathering together to pack out those meals, Rise Against Hunger is providing meals for God's children that are most vulnerable. Second, through their efforts to help communities to become self-sustaining, they have a plan that is being executed to end hunger. This Sunday is our fifth Sunday, where your loose currency and designated checks will be collected and designated to support this important ministry. We have a goal of 7,000 meals. At a cost of $.29 per meal, we'd like to raise $2,030.
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Body & Soul Ministry
Warning Signs of Potentially Abusive Partners
Having one of these signs does not mean that a person is an abuser, but presence of one or more signs should make you stop and think carefully about the relationship. Pay attention if a person:
- Pressures you to move fast in a relationship or pushes you for a immediate commitment
- Is always jealous and possessive and tries to isolate you from family, friends, or even having a job
- Has a violent temper and quickly-changing moods
- Is cruel to animals or children and is insensitive to their suffering
- Experiences anger as his or her primary emotion
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His Kids News
OUR NEXT CLUB 4/5 MEETING IS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, AT HOPE REINS. Hope Reins pairs hurting kids with rescued horses to find hope and healing, and we'll be helping them out! All our fabulous Club 4/5 kids, their families, and their friends are invited to join us. We'll begin at 8:30, and invite you to stay for a tour at 10 AM!
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THIS WEEK'S SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON is "David Dances" (2 Samuel 6:1-19). Car question for the ride home: David showed his love for God through music. What are some ways you can show your love for God through music? What are some ways you can show your love for God this week?
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KIDS HELPING KIDS: We have two mission partners here at WFPC that our kids can help support in very real ways. For the month of November, we are asking that our kids help collect size 5 and 6 diapers for Tri-Area Ministries and healthy, non-perishable snacks to supplement our BackPack Buddies program. There will be bins labeled for each mission in Holywood, so our kids can drop off items anytime they head to the Red Mod.
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4TH/5TH GRADE SCRIPTURE READERS: If your child is interested in reading scripture during worship, please contact Katherine to sign them up! We would love to have kids read at both services, but if you're only able to do one, that's okay too! We will send you the Bible passage the week before, and Katherine or Pastor Rebekah will be available Sunday morning to practice 15 minutes before the service begins.
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FIRST FRIDAYS FOR FAMILIES! We'll meet in the CLC on Friday, November 3, at 6:00 for pizza. We'll show The Emoji Movie, beginning at 6:30, on the big screen. Bring blankets, beach chairs, and anything else you need to get comfortable. Please RSVP to Amy Cebrick (amycebrick@yahoo.com) by noon on Friday, November 3. There is no charge, but we do accept donations to offset the cost of our dinner!
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UPCOMING DATES TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR:
First Fridays on Friday, November 3 in the CLC
Club 4/5 on Saturday, November 4 (family workday at Hope Reins)
Screenagers on Sunday, November 5 in the CLC (see announcement above)
~Katherine Peiper, Director of Children, Families and Youth Ministries |
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Youth News
THANK YOU so much for your support with Holy Hay Day! What a wonderful event for our whole church family. We appreciate your prayers, participation, and financial support. We are so blessed to have such a loving church family!
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TAKE STOCK IN YOUTH: If you haven't had a chance to return your Take Stock in Youth envelopes, please do so today. You can give them to Janet or place them in her box in the admin wing. Missed out on grabbing an envelope? No worries! Place a check in an envelope of your own and turn that in... you choose the amount! Thank you for your generosity.
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THE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP will be meeting off campus this week; we are having dinner out together. Join us at Don Julio's from 6:00 - 7:30 (note the change in our end time). See you there!
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MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP, we are back to our regular schedule this week. See you Sunday afternoon at 4:30 in the youth room.
~Janet Briley, Assistant Director of Youth Ministries | youth@wakeforestpres.org
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| October 29 Scripture, Sermon and Music
Our Scripture will be Romans 1:8-17 and Ephesians 2:1-9. We have a special Reformation Message -- "Faithful to God's Call: A Reformation Drama."
Click here
to check out our Music Ministry's selections.
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2017 Annual Budget
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$883,212.00
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Year-to-date Budgeted (September)
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$651,159.00
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Year-to-date Actual (September)
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$622,179.57
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Year-to-date
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$28,979.43
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October Budget
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$72,351.00 |
| October Tithes and Offerings (thru 10/22/17) |
$62;465.50 |
| October 22, 2017 |
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| Tithes and Offerings |
$9,185.50 |
| Designated Gifts |
$2,826.50 |
| Debt Elimination Gifts |
$1,253.50 |
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Sunday School Attendance
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95 |
| 9:00 Attendance |
187 |
| 11:15 Attendance |
179 |
Debt Elimination Monthly Budget
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$12,000.00
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| Debt Elimination Received (thru 10/22/17) |
$3,712.00 |
...all shall give as they are able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.
Deuteronomy 16:17
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WFPC Calendar Highlights
Friday, October 27
6:15 AM |
CLC B017 | Friday Morning Men's Bible Study
Saturday, October 28
7:00 AM |
CLC Youth Room | Iron Sharpens Iron
8:00 AM |
WTB Set | Walk Through Bethlehem Workday
Sunday, October 29
9:00 AM |
Sanctuary | Contemporary Worship
10:00 AM |
Campus Wide | Discipleship Hour
11:15 AM |
Sanctuary | Traditional Worship
4:30 PM | CLC Youth Room
| Middle School Youth Group
6:00 PM | Don Julio's | High School Youth Group
Monday, October 30
6:00 PM |
CLC
| FaithFit
7:00 PM |
Campus Wide | Boy Scouts
7:00 PM |
Sanctuary | Healing and Wholeness Service
5:00 PM | Off Campus | HOPE Tutoring
6:45 PM |
CLC
| Praise Team Rehearsal
Wednesday, November 1
5:30 PM |
CLC
| Wednesday Night Dinner
7:00 PM | Sanctuary | Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, November 2
6:00 PM |
CLC
| FaithFit
7:00 PM | CLC | Ministry Team Night
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Wake Forest Presbyterian Church
12605 Capital Blvd
Wake Forest, NC 27587
919-556-7777
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