The Prayer family for the week is the Bisseys. Let us be prayerfully aware of Bob and Jessie, as well as all our members and friends.

Prayer Concerns: Alan, Jill, Brian and Amy Swain

Long term concerns: Katie Abrams; Katie Hoffmaster Barberi; Jacob Bassalotto; Michael Berry; Ed Jung; Jay Hiatt; Karen Liebhauser; Despina Koch; Gwen McFaddan; Jacob Mendelsohn; Leigh Millar; Melissa Millar; Dale Norby; Marilyn Powell; Geoff Reilly; Bill Shoppell; Linda Lee Smith; Millage Youenger; Ginny Zimmerman; those struggling with addictions and mental illness.

Military: Sarah Davis Brown; Morgan (Colberg) Sensing; Michael Fahey III; Robin Fiorentino; all those in our nation's service.

Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi suggests the kind of spirit and unity that best serves a congregation in its mission to the world. Our congregation often exhibits that kind of unity and oneness as we care for each other, pray for one another and join in worship together.

A distinctive part of our heritage as Reformed Christians is our practice of partnership in all the ministries and missions of the church. The Protestant reformers were determined to assert “the priesthood of all believers” by instituting the offices of Elder and Deacon to partner with Ministers of Word and Sacrament to carry out the calling of Christ’s church. This Sunday we will have a congregational meeting to elect officers for this congregation, living into our heritage of shared mission.

The Book of Order, the primary text of Presbyterian governance, describes the congregation this way. “The congregation is the church engaged in the mission of God in its particular context…Through the congregation God’s people carry out the ministries of proclamation, sharing the sacraments and living in covenant life with God and each other. In the life of the congregation, individual believers are equipped for the ministry of witness to the love and grace of God in and for the world. The congregation reaches out to people, to offer care and nurture to God's children, to speak for social justice and righteousness, to bear witness to the truth and to the reign of God that is coming to the world. …Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ is a joy and a privilege. It is also a commitment to participate in Christ’s misson.” (Book of Order G-1.01)

All of us, then are called to active participation in the life of the congregation so that together we proclaim the Good News that is in Jesus Christ. On Sunday, I hope all of you will plan to remain on the Zoom call for a short congregational meeting (or remain at the church if you are attending in person) as we pray together and vote to elect officers to leadership positions in the church. We will also hear an update from the Pastor Nominating Committee. May we, in all these matters, find ourselves in full accord and of one mind.

In faith,

The Session of the Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church calls for the Annual Meeting of the Congregation via Zoom (and on site participation) this Sunday, September 27, 2020 immediately following worship for the purpose of acting on the proposed amendments to the church bylaws, the election of Elders and Deacons and to receive reports.

Presbyterians believe that God uses committees, papers, procedures, our polity, sprinkled with a generous measure of prayer, as well as Scripture, and worship, to help us discern who it is that God is calling to be our pastor. This call is confirmed as the pastor, the church, and the presbytery each say “yes” to the relationship.

The PNC has been meeting weekly by Zoom. We have reviewed over 70 candidate’s Personal Information Form. We have viewed countless numbers of sermons. We have interviewed many candidates by zoom. Some several times. We ask for your continued prayers. We feel those prayers, as the committee is united in this work.

Our PNC is following the guidelines from our Presbytery. We are using consensus for our decision making while discerning the direction God has chosen for our congregation. The following steps are used. Multiple candidates can be on any step as we proceed.

When all the steps are completed, we will have located the person God is calling to PPPC and they will come and lead a worship service followed by a congregational meeting. The congregation will then vote on the candidate.

Did you try joining us this week for Bible Study this past week and had trouble? You were not alone.

We have discovered and fixed an issue that caused many to not be able to log on. We expect no issues this week.

Join us on Tuesday, September 29 at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom for our second week of this four week study.

An email will go out this Monday with the link and study guide. Even if you are unable to attend, we encourage you to read the study guide as a way of looking into the beauty found in the psalms. The Meeting ID is 817 5808 7871 and the Passcode is 772829.

I had a moment last week where I felt such despair over the state of things in our country and the world. I admit I had been watching a lot of news; wildfires, racial unrest, political ridiculousness, voting concerns, climate issues… the list goes on. It all piled up and left me really feeling helpless and hopeless. Then I remembered Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Here was a man who found meaning for living while he was being held in a concentration camp. How did he do it? All it took was the reading of the introduction and I had a shift in perspective.

I may not be able to slow climate change or effect any change in race relations. I can’t make COVID go away and I can’t change the political situation. But what can I change? Where can I help the world? I can work on me. I can listen more and hold more compassion for others. I can do what I need to do to protect myself and others from COVID. I can do things that make me happy. I owe it to the world to do things that make me happy because that means I am putting that happier person out into the world. I don’t need to watch the news. Big meaningful information will find its way to me, that I trust. I don’t need to hear about all the information that I can’t change. I don’t need to hear all the pundits talk of doom and gloom. It was such a relief to remember that sometimes the best we can do in times of difficulty is put our best selves out there. What do you need in order to put your best self out there? If we all worked on this, all examined the areas of discomfort and unease that we carry, we’d be so much more likely to put goodness rather than anger or hate out there. And that will heal the world.

Elder Lynn 

Lynn O’Hara, MS, RD, LPC, Licensed Psychotherapist and Registered Dietitian

We've been having a party this month to celebrate FRIENDSHIP. We know that God wants us to BE good friends and HAVE good friends. We looked at examples of friendship through inspiring stories from scripture.

We started our alphabet adventures with letter A. We learned sign language for airplane and amazing. We read Ten Apples Up on Top, The Apple Pie Tree, Ants Go Marching, I Want to be an Astronaut, The Lady With the Alligator Purse and many other books. We made apple prints. an apple tree, an ant, and an all about me project. We marched to The Ants Go Marching One By One, went on a space walk with Astronauts in Space, became airplanes to Be An Airplane and sang Mr. Alligator. Our Yoga pose was an airplane. We brainstormed words that begin with A and looked for the letter a in our names. We sampled red, yellow and green apples and graphed which color apples the classes liked best. We learned about Johnny Appleseed planting trees across the country. It was an amazing week!

With Point Beach Prep now in session and extra state directives in place due to COVID, there is absolutely no access to the CE Annex during school hours.

No one, including church staff, is allowed into the building for any reason while the school is in session. This includes access to the kitchen, Wilton Hall and even the Point Beach Prep office. Access by church members and staff can only be after 3:15 pm on Monday/Wednesday/Friday or after 1:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is imperative that we follow all guidelines set by the state and not put any person or program in jeopardy.

Our church buildings still remain closed for all meetings. If your group would like help setting up a Zoom meeting please call the church office.

Join us for a little competition and a whole lot of laughs having fun with your family and friends. The Personnel Committee has been snooping around and learned that PPPC has talent!! But too often the talented stays hidden. They will be hidden no longer! We are giving every one a chance to show off the most creative, funniest, loveliest, and best of all.

Here’s how it works: Each family, or group of friends, or individual, plans and practices for a 5 minute performance in our PPPC Family Talent Show! You may sing, dance, play an instrument, tell jokes, read, juggle or what ever you do best. You will perform in your own living room (or where ever you keep your computer). You must register to perform by Monday, October 5th. Each performing group will register (see below for directions), and will then be assigned a number. Everyone will receive a Zoom Invite on October 9th and can join to perform or just watch. When your number is called you will get up in the comfort of your own home in front of your computer and . . . SHOW US YOUR TALENT!

All who are not performing will be invited to connect via Zoom to be entertained by our own PPPC talent. The panel of judges will be watching each performance and will announce the lucky winner/s that night for the BEST, FUNNIEST, and MOST CREATIVE performances! The lucky winner will receive . . . well, you will have to win to find out just what you’ll receive, but you’ll be very HAPPY and FAMOUS in PPPC.  Start planning now, and contact Diane Sikora at 732-598-1320 dlsikora2001@yahoo.com to register to be on our Zoom stage.

The talent show will be Friday, October 9th from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. but we need a full roster of entertainers, (we will need at least 10 - 12 in order for the show to go on!). Come one and all, as it is all in FUN.

Peacemaking is active not passive, doing not waiting.

Let’s let that sink in for a moment: peacemaking is active, not passive; doing, not waiting.

And this is A Season of Peace when we, the church together, are focused on seeking peace and reconciliation. Together we are building God’s house of peace where all are welcome, where all can find compassion, peace and justice.

We are the peacemakers.

Our work is supported by your gifts to the Peace & Global Witness Offering. These gifts also unite us with Presbyterian peacemakers across the country and the world who are active, not passive; who are doing, not waiting.

On October 4, 2020 World Communion Sunday, there will be no bulletin insert or special envelopes in the pews but there is an offering envelope designated for Peace and Global Witness in your offering box. If giving online, please be sure to indicate your gift is for Peace and Global Witness.

Thank you for being a peacemaker! We are the church, together. We are peacemakers, together. We are the builders of God’s household of peace. Together. And when, together, we all do a little, it adds up to a lot.

Sunday, September 27 - 11:00 a.m. Virtual Congregational Meeting

Tuesday, September 29 - 9:30 a.m. - Virtual Psalms Bible Study

Monday, October 5 - 2:00 p.m. - Virtual Stewardship Meeting

Monday, October 5 - 7:15 p.m. - Virtual Deacon Monthly Meeting

Every Wednesday - 9:00 a.m. Women's Breakfast at the Rainbow Diner

We are glad to announce that the church calendar is starting to be filled once again. To view the church calendar online please visit our website or click on the link.

Oct 1 Eileen Lindner

Oct 2

Oct 3 Gail Watson, Bill Shoppell

Oct 4 John Liotta

Oct 5 Kerry Jones

Oct 6 James Liotta

Oct 7

Oct 8 Min Curtis

Oct 9 Keith Reilly Jr

Oct 10 Bob Martin, Steven McDermitt

Oct 11 Bridget Cleveland

Oct 12 Ginger Decker

Oct 13

Oct 14

Oct 15 Jacquelin Woods

Oct 16 Aida Jones, Sarah Obser

Oct 17

Oct 18

Oct 19 Marjorie McGhee

Oct 20 Randy Crate, Phyllis King, Carol Reid

Oct 21

Oct 22 Mike Aiello, Bill Nicholson, William Smykowski

Oct 23

Oct 24 W N Smith

Oct 25 Riley Fiorentino, Constantine MacGregor

Oct 26

Oct 27 Joan Reitmeyer

Oct 28 Sydney Hurley, Cynthia Kells

Oct 29

Oct 30 Claude Hurley, John Pasola, Frank Perkowski, Lisa Simpson

Oct 31

The Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner, Stated Supply Pastor - Email

Kim Gaydos, Church Secretary - Email

Donna Ferry, Financial Secretary -Email

Sara Hoey, Organist - Email

Melanie Chambers, Chancel Choir Director - Email

Morgan Sarbello, Choral Bell Director - Email

Devlin House, Point Beach Prep Preschool Director - Email

Frank Perkowski, Sunday School Coordinator - Email

Church Office: mail@pointpresbyterian.org