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For Friday, September 29, 2017
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 WFPC Officers' Column
Matthew 22:36-40. 36
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
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Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38
This is the first and greatest commandment. 39
And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Our Wednesday evening men's covenant group studied the above passage (also found in Luke's gospel) last week. In Luke, Jesus is asked "Who is my neighbor?' and he responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
This year, the Missions and Outreach team has been pondering the matter of where our church is being called with our mission support. Should we focus on fewer missions that deal with fewer issues? This is the "mile wide and inch deep" discussion about mission efficacy. Can we make a better impact if we focus on fewer ministries?
The difficulty I have with a single-focus mission ministry is that there are so many needs in the world, and those needs keep shifting. Who would have thought just a few weeks ago that we would be called on to support our brothers and sisters in Texas, Florida, Mexico City, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands? It seems to me that, while there is a good argument to be made for not being all things to all people, we must be flexible and be willing and able to change course whenever we confront a need by our neighbor. The Good Samaritan did not pause to think about whether the needs of the man lying on the roadside fit in with his ministry. He saw a neighbor in need, and he responded with the resources he had available to tend to that man's needs.
There are many opportunities in our community, our state, our nation and internationally to serve our neighbors, God's children, with food, clothing, medicines, housing, comforting words, and a way out of a desperate situation. We cannot solve every problem in every corner of the world, but we must endeavor to do what we can as opportunities come to us to love our neighbor, for this is the greatest commandment.
Bernie Hardy
Elder for Mission and Outreach
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An Update from Katherine
"For where two or three gather in my name, I am there among them." Matthew 18:20
The change of seasons always comes with a wistful farewell to something that has finished, and yet also a renewed hope for something new to come. When it comes to the church year, the fall wishes well the lazy (well, not so lazy) days of summer and ushers in some beautiful bustling of new ministry year activities.
It's so hard to not play the numbers game to judge the health and vitality of a church, but as the gospel writer reminds us, "wherever two or three gather..." We are so blessed as a church family to gather together as hundreds strong to feel God with us, among us, through us.
I believe a few numbers have to be shared, however, to give a glimpse into the window of the ministries of our younger disciples...
In total, our children and youth ministries serve over 110 children weekly in 12 different ministry areas...
25 middle school youth attend Sunday evening on average
30 high school youth attend Sunday evening on average
12 girls attending on average each week for God's Girls
37 children attended children's worship the last two Sunday mornings
An average of 22 children attend Wednesday night SHinE activities
We have over 55 elementary children on our Sunday school rosters currently
We have 24 children on the roster for our Club 4/5 group
16 middle school youth registered to attend New Hope's Middle school fall retreat
5 of our high school youth currently serve on the Presbytery-wide Youth Council
We have a 13-member and very active Youth Leadership Team this year
We averaged 140 children each night of VBS this summer
Numbers, numbers...they can mean so many things. And we do ourselves justice to remember the gospel writer's message of God among us even as two. However, these numbers relay a message of a future for WFPC, a future that is filled with disciples growing up in a place they claim as their own, a place that welcomes them as they are, and a place that challenges them to journey in faith throughout their whole lives, confident in their God connection.
On a Sunday, or a Wednesday, take note of the young faces you see (it should be easy to find one!)...see who you can name, find someone you can't and introduce yourself. Know the young members of our faith family, and pray for them. They are our next citizens of the world, our next leaders, our caretakers of the future. I would argue we are heading in a pretty hopeful direction, considering the young ones who claim this place as home....
With Joy,
Katherine Peiper
Director of Children, Family and Youth Ministries
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JOY October Gathering
The JOY Group will meet on Friday, October 13. We will gather in the CLC at 6:15 and enjoy our potluck at 6:30. Dean and Les Tryon will be our hosts; please contact Dean at dgtryon2516@gmail.com with your RSVP and covered dish offering. Our program will feature photos and experiences of the Berlin Wall. Jim Buddo will talk about living there in 1961 when the wall went up, and Les Tryon will share their Berlin trip of 1986, just before the wall came down.
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An Invitation
A Special Peace and Global Witness Event on October 3
As part of the International Peacemaker Program, organized by the General Assembly's Peacemaking Program and funded through the annual Peace and Global Witness Special Offering, Wake Forest Presbyterian Church is honored to host the Reverend Doug Baker, the Presbyterian Church (USA) mission co-worker in Northern Ireland from 1979 - 2016.
Rev. Baker's primary focus while serving our denomination in that region was a ministry of reconciliation in a context where centuries-old religious, political, and ethnic divisions led to nearly forty years of sectarian conflict. During his stay, there he witnessed that region coming out of a heartbreaking conflict on the way to peace. Rev. Baker was also the Northern Ireland site coordinator for the PC(USA) Young Adult Volunteer Program for 23 years, during which 123 YAVs supported the work of local congregations and volunteer organizations seeking to address the legacy of conflict.
This program, sponsored by New Hope Presbytery, will be held in our sanctuary on Tuesday, October 3, from 7 to 8:30. It will be open to churches of all denominations. Childcare will be provided.
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Tri-Area Ministry Stop Hunger, Feed Hope
Dinner and Auction
Friday, October 20, 5:00 to 9:00 PM
WFPC Christian Life Center
Tickets are $20/person or two for $35. This evening will be filled with various opportunities to contribute to the fundraiser event and provide clients with fresh food! Bring your friends and share a table for eight. Don't forget your checkbook!
Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry is a non-profit 501(c)3, nondenominational, 100% volunteer-run organization serving approximately 750 households each month. They distribute 24,000 food items each month, the equivalent of 350,000 pounds of food per year.
For tickets or if you'd like to help with decorations, contact Sandie Buda at sandiebuda@nc.rr.com.
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Family Promise Thank You
Thanks to your immense generosity, we did it! We raised enough money in eight days to cover all of the damages and necessary repairs associated with our flooded well house and the fallen tree that damaged two of our families' cars. (If you missed the story of our very bad week, you can read about it on
our blog.) Your support, both in times of need and when things are running smoothly, allows us to continue serving families. Thank you!
The Staff and Board of Trustees of Family Promise
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Fall Blood Drive
The need to replenish the blood supply is urgent as a result of cancelled blood drives due to the recent hurricanes. Our third American Red Cross Blood Drive of 2017 takes place Sunday, October 1, in the CLC. We invite you to be a part of it. How can you help? Sign up to be a blood donor in the WFPC Copy Room or online through the Red Cross by
clicking here and using location code "WFPC." Not keen on donating blood? Please consider donating snacks or volunteering. You can sign up in the Copy Room or
online here. Childcare will be provided throughout the afternoon, as will delicious cookies and snacks.
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2017 WFPC Annual Mission and Outreach Golf Outing
When: Saturday, October 7, 2017
Where: Wendell Country Club
Time: 1:00 PM
Cost: $50.00 per player (includes dinner)
Hole Sponsorships: $100.00
Contact: Kevin Sharpe: ksharpessi@yahoo.com
Come out and enjoy some golf and fellowship at WFPC's annual Mission and Outreach Golf Tournament. All proceeds from this tournament will go towards
supporting the mission ministries of WFPC, as well as any non-budgeted opportunities that may come our way. So, we need lots of golfers and sponsors!
This is a great opportunity to invite your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers to come and see what we do to support our local community and beyond.
Sign-up sheets are available at church or you can contact the tournament coordinators above to get on the list or to sign up a team. There will be prizes and, of course, our traditional end of golf dinner prepared by our own chefs: Larry and Robin Roper. If you don't golf, please consider a hole sponsorship. All checks should be made out to "WFPC" with "M&O Golf Outing" on the memo line.
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Walk Through Bethlehem
Calling for Cast and Crew Members!
The Walk Through Bethlehem leadership team has been busy setting the stage for this year's program. The dates are December 1, 2 and 3; 6-9 pm on Friday and 5-8 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Sign-ups have begun, and excitement is building. We are looking forward to another great year and are praying for good weather. We are doing a few things differently this year that we wanted to let you know about. Sign-ups will continue on
SignUp Genius, but we also have a brick and mortar presence on the bulletin board across from the youth room on the second floor of the CLC. The print and online sign-ups are synced frequently, so you can sign up either place. As always, contact Kathy Drake with questions about volunteering at 919-570-1100 or
kathryn@ksdrakelaw.com.
There will be a rehearsal on November 29 at 7 pm in the CLC, but you will also be able to select a costume at various designated times in Room B103 in the CLC during the two weeks preceding the program. Hopefully, this will alleviate some of the chaos on opening night.
We have moved the start time on Saturday to 5:00 pm to accommodate families and, hopefully, get us out earlier on Saturday; this will require our Saturday volunteers to be at the church by 4:00. We also want to see if we can find a man to play the Angel 1 part and have divided that part into two shifts to make it a little less burdensome. We added back the guide from the manger to the cross last year, which got so much great feedback that we are keeping that in this year, and are looking for a special person to play that role.
Thank you so much for your support of this wonderful program year after year. We look forward to another wonderful year!
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Wednesday Night Dinner Menu
for October 4
rosemary lemon chicken
roasted baby potatoes
broccoli squash casserole
rolls
cobbler
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
Ministry 2 Military - A thank you
"...Hey cousin Michelle, it's Connor. I just watned to say thank you sooo much for the packages that you guys sent me. I got them while still on ship, so as you can guess I was a pretty popular guy when everyone started seeing all the Oreos and what-not. It really meant a lot to get the love and support from you guys; it was extremely thoughtful of you. Thank you again. Much love, Connor"
Brown Bag and Beyond
Mornings with Christ's Brown Bag and Beyond ministry will be working with Hope Lutheran Church on October 7 to distribute 225 lunches to the people of Hope Village and beyond. This ministry also purchases canned hams to be included in the Thanksgiving bags given out by Brown Bag and provides monthly lunch and bingo prizes for the residents of Turnberry Apartments. You can help by writing a check to WFPC with "Brown Bag and Beyond" on the memo line.
H.O.P.E.
HEARTS OFFERING PRIMARY EDUCATION
is looking for volunteers to work with elementary children on reading, writing, and math skills every Tuesday (September through June) from 5 to 6 PM at the Hope Village Community Center, 100 N. Allen Rd. Sign up by clicking here. We are also in need of healthy snacks and small water bottles; you'll find our bin in the donation closet near the narthex.
Fall Mission Trip
This Sunday, October 1, is the deadline to make your commitment to join the adult mission team on their Kinston, NC assignment (October 22-27). Please contact Judy Finch Ide at 919-971-6237 or jfinchide@hotmail.com if you have any questions or want to join the team.
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Body & Soul Ministry
What is Domestic Violence?
The National Domestic Violence Hotline defines domestic violence as a "pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship." Domestic violence is also sometimes called intimate partner violence (IPV), domestic abuse or relationship abuse. Domestic violence includes behaviors that harm a person physically or make him or her fearful. It also includes preventing a person from doing what they wish or forcing them to do things that they do not want to do.
- Information on Being a Caregiver - Click here for access to articles, a newsletter, and other resources for caregivers, regardless of the diagnosis of the person for whom you are caring.
- "OK Now What? A Caregiver's Guide to What Matters" written by Sue Collins, RN, and Nancy Taylor Robson. The book deals with focusing on what really matters "while taking care of the business of living at the end of life." For further description, click here. Available through AARP and on Amazon.
- Movie screening of "Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me." Thursday, October 19, 5:00 to 7:30 PM at Wake Forest Renaissance Centre. Bob Ringham, an award-winning photojournalist whose wife has dementia, will also do a presentation. He is author of the book "20 Minutes from Home" and lives in Franklinton, NC. Refreshments will be served. Registration is required. For more information or to register go to https://www.wakeforestnc.gov/dementia-awareness-education-series.aspx
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His Kids News
CLUB 4/5 KICKOFF PARTY IS SUNDAY AT JOYNER PARK!
4th and 5th grade kids are invited to get a schedule for the year and share in good food and fellowship. RSVP to
mhayes16@centurlylink.net
, and we'll see you this afternoon!
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FIRST FRIDAYS FOR FAMILIES IS BACK!
We'll meet in the CLC on Friday, October 6, at 6:00 for pizza. We'll show
Boss Baby
, 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, October 6. There is no charge, but we do accept donations to offset the cost of our dinner!
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SUNDAY'S SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
is "David the Musician" (1 Samuel 16:7). Car question for the ride home: this story talks about how David used his talents to help King Saul feel better. What can you do to help others feel better? How can you use your talents in that way?
~Katherine Peiper, Director of Children, Families and Youth Ministries |
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Youth News
TAKE STOCK IN YOUTH!
Be on the lookout for the BIG boards with envelopes on them. This is your chance to take stock in the youth of WFPC. Decide how much stock you would like to buy, find the envelope with that number on it and take that envelope from the board. Remove the paper from the envelope (this is a story shared with you from our youth...you get to see first hand how your generosity helps shape them and change their lives!) and put your money in the envelope (cash or check made out to WFPC - write "Take Stock in Youth" on the memo line)! If the envelope says 147, you put $147 in the envelope. Put the envelope in the brown box in front of the boards. As the envelopes disappear, you will see a message from the youth revealed! Thank you for your support!
Click here each week for stories from our youth. They are moved and changed in many ways when they experience retreats and mission trips, and we have YOU to thank for that!
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CAMP DON LEE RETREAT: We have 16 middle school youth, five high school youth, and four adults heading to Camp Don Lee October 6-8 for the New Hope Presbytery Middle School Retreat! For many of our middle school youth, this will be their first time away from home. Please pray that this experience will be amazing for all of them; pray for our high school Youth Council members leading this retreat and for the chaperones who will be guiding our youth for the weekend.
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THE TURQUOISE TABLE PROJECT: Have you noticed the beautiful, new turquoise picnic tables around the church campus? Kristen Schell knew that God wanted to use her in a big way but she wasn't sure exactly how. She ordered a picnic table to have at her house for a BBQ. As soon as the table came, it hit her! It would serve its purpose for the party, but after that she painted it turquoise and put it in her front yard. Before she knew it, that table was a meeting place for the neighborhood. Neighbors that had never talked before were sharing laughs and stories together and building relationships. Now, people all over America are putting turquoise tables in their front yards! The youth have painted three tables, one of which we will be sharing with our friends at Davie Street Presbyterian. We encourage you to gather at the tables at WFPC to chat with someone you know, chat with someone you might have seen but have never talked to, or just to rest! Invite someone to join you for a conversation at the table! And if you enjoy your time there so much that you end up getting your own front yard table, be sure to let us know! We would love to hear your stories!
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TRIP DEPOSITS ARE DUE THIS SUNDAY! Remember that your trip sign-up sheets and deposits are due October 1. Give them to Janet, or put them in her box in the admin wing. If you pay online, don't forget to fill out the sign-up sheet and turn it in!
~Janet Briley, Assistant Director of Youth Ministries | youth@wakeforestpres.org
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| October 1 Scripture, Sermon and Music
Our Scripture will be Luke 22:14-20. Pastor John Fawcett will share his sermon, "See Something Sacred."
It is World Communion Sunday; in addition to celebrating communion with Christians around the world, we will be collecting for the PCUSA Peace and Global Witness Special Offering.
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 (August)
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$578,808.00
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Year-to-date Actual (August)
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$561,957.53
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Year-to-date
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$16.850.46
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September Budget
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$72,351.00 |
| September Tithes and Offerings (thru 9/24/17) |
$59,133.54 |
| September 24, 2017 |
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| Tithes and Offerings |
$12,168.00 |
| Designated Gifts |
$1,267.00 |
| Debt Elimination Gifts |
$550.00 |
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Sunday School Attendance
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142 |
| 9:00 Attendance |
218 |
| 11:15 Attendance |
188 |
Debt Elimination Monthly Budget
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$8,000.00
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| Debt Elimination Received (thru 9/24/17) |
$5,197.00 |
...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
Saturday, September 30
7:00 AM |
CLC Youth Room | Iron Sharpens Iron
Sunday, October 1
9:00 AM |
Sanctuary | Contemporary Worship
10:00 AM |
Campus Wide | Discipleship Hour
11:15 AM |
Sanctuary | Traditional Worship
12:00 PM |
CLC | Blood Drive
2:00 PM |
CLC B103 | Officer Training
4:00 PM |
Joyner Park | Club 4/5 Kickoff Party
4:30 PM |
Youth Room | Middle School Youth Group
6:00 PM |
Youth Room | High School Youth Group
Monday, October 2
6:00 PM |
CLC
| FaithFit
7:00 PM |
Campus Wide | Boy Scouts
7:00 PM |
Music Room | Covenant Leader Training
5:00 PM | Off Campus | HOPE Tutoring
6:30 PM |
CLC
| Praise Team Rehearsal
7:00 PM | Sanctuary | Peacemaking Program with Doug Baker
Wednesday, October 4
5:30 PM |
CLC
| Wednesday Night Dinner
7:00 PM | Sanctuary | Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, October 5
6:00 PM |
CLC
| FaithFit
7:00 PM | CLC | Ministry Team Night
Friday, October 6
6:15 AM | CLC | Friday Morning Men's Bible Study
6:00 PM | CLC | First Friday Family Movie Night
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Wake Forest Presbyterian Church
12605 Capital Blvd
Wake Forest, NC 27587
919-556-7777
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