The Prayer family for the week is the Lambie family. Let us be prayerfully aware of Craig and Jane, as well as all our members and friends.

Prayer Concerns:

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

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

This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday, the final sabbath in the liturgical year. Unlike some of the festivals of the liturgical year, Christ the King Sunday is of relatively recent origin. Established via a decree of Pope Pius XI in 1925, it was embraced by the Christian world at large following the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. In his original decree Pope Pius, observing the destruction of World War I, the industrialization of Europe and the rise of international commerce sought to refocus the life of the church on the kingship of Christ. We too, in our overscheduled, high demand world do well to remember and recall the singular place of Jesus as Lord of all. 

This concluding Sunday in the liturgical year offers us a last chance to reflect on God’s blessings to us, individually and collectively, as the year draws to a close. Even in a year such as 2020, which saw a global pandemic, social and political upheaval and more than its share of natural disasters, there is reason to give thanks. In this regard, Christ the King Sunday dovetails nicely with our own national observance of Thanksgiving. In this time of harvest we are surrounded by the evidence of God’s abundance - of food, friends, shelter and most of all sustaining love. This year is different, different than those we have known before, different from our fondest hopes, and yet a time of giving thanks. May we savor anew the blessings that have come our way in 2020 and humbly offer our thanks and praise. May our homes be blessed with a spirit of thankfulness. The Rev. Henry Van Dyke, renown Presbyterian pastor, teacher and diplomat said, “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse”. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all, 

Once again, thank you to Celishia Scarpone for the creative display of harvest abundance on the Communion Table.

Welcome to Larry Gobel, our new Sexton as of Monday, November 16th. If you see something that needs attention, please fill out a work order in the church office and Buildings and Grounds Committee will address that need.

Due to the Governor’s new COVID restrictions, Boy Scout meetings in church and their Thanksgiving Cookout are cancelled.

Session approved a process, effective immediately, that will take place upon entry into the church building as per Governor Murphy’s executive order: check temperature, answer questionnaire, wear mask, sanitize hands, and continue social distancing.

Thank you from new IHN Coordinator Donna Wittmann to all those who contributed to the delicious meals prepared for our Interfaith Hospitality Network Host Week. The two families in program were very appreciative.

Finance Committee reported that about one half of pledging units have been received. Stewardship Committee reminds us that our goal is $250,000 commitment for the budget in the coming year and encourages us to make our pledge if we haven’t already done so.

Thanks to Jim McGuire, Frank Jones, Tony Coppolino, and Brian Potter, the Manse if almost ready to receive a new Pastor and his/her family.

The Pastor Nominating Committee, still meeting weekly and interviewing candidates for Pastor, feels the congregation’s prayers for discernment and asks that we continue to pray for their efforts and for the person who will accept our call.

Bible study via Zoom during Advent, entitled Anticipation and Adaptation, will be held Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22nd at 9:30 AM.

Confirmation classes via Zoom for youth will begin on January 11, 2021.

Under the leadership of Marjorie Meklin and Pastor Eileen, the youth discussion group has begun via Zoom at 6:30 on Sunday nights.

The annual Thanksgiving and Christmas shows performed by Point Beach Prep students will be taped this year and a link for watching will be sent out to parents.

There will be one Christmas Eve service this year, with no children’s pageant, at 7:00 PM.

Pastor Eileen is offering a New Year’s Eve Nightwatch Service this year as well at 7:00 PM via Zoom.

December 13th at 7:00 PM, join the Zoom Christmas Party for fun and fellowship!

Motion was unanimously approved, effective immediately until further notice, to issue a moratorium on gatherings with food served in Wilton Hall in the Annex.

Each Christmas Season our congregation supports many different ministries that serve a variety of people. This year is no different. Below are some of the ministries that will once again be supported here at PPPC. Even though we have changed our procedures from years past, compassion and generosity towards others still remains at the heart of all we do.

Build a Shoebox - Operation Christmas Child - From now until November 28 join the ladies of the PW by packing shoeboxes online. Please share the PPPC link with family and friends to realize our goal knowing that our Christmas blessings will travel around the world even in the midst of a pandemic.

Gift Cards Only for the Deacon Food Drive - Thank you to everyone who brought in a lot of holiday food items. It was a very successful collection. At this point the pantry is seeking gift cards for food items. These gift cards will be used for food purchases for those in need. All gift cards will be given to St. Gregory's Pantry to distribute. Donated cards can be dropped off at the church or left in the breezeway when the church office is not open.

Deacons' Assistance - Deacons' ministry assists people with utility bills and rent as well as providing gift and gas cards for those in need. A donation to the Deacons can be made in the Deacons envelope found in your box or can be designated on the memo line of your check or online notes. Communion envelopes for the Deacons' fund are in your box for December 6.

IHN Christmas Families - Once again gifts will be bought for the families in the program. If you would like to help us in providing a donation to assist us in purchasing these gifts, please indicate "IHN Christmas" on the memo line of your check.

Joan Valentine House Giving Tree - The Valentine House is a non-profit residential home for adults living with mental illness. Starting in December, the Giving Tree will be going remote. Details on how you can get your virtual envelope that will include the names of Valentine House residents with their Christmas list will soon be announced in the newsletter. As in years past, members are asked to purchase only TWO items from the list in order to preserve a sense of equality among all the residents.

St. Gregory's Pantry Christmas Distribution - There will be no big toy distribution in the CE Annex this year. Instead of purchasing toys, please consider purchasing gift cards for children and teens. Gift cards are now being accepted through December 18th and will be given to the parents/families of those we serve in our community. This will enable them to purchase gifts for their children. Some suggestions are: Amazon, Target, Walmart, McDonalds, Wendy’s and local businesses in Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach. Gift cards can be dropped off of at the Church office or brought to St. Gregory's Pantry directly.

Christmas Day Dinner - A pandemic could not stop the Christmas Dinner from occurring. The dinner will be all pre-packaged meals for pickup under the direction of Donna Wittmann. Only a limited amount of volunteers are needed this year. To learn more please speak with Donna.

When I stopped to think about what I was going to write for this week’s Care Corner, I got a little stumped. So, I pulled out one of my trusted books that always gives me something good to think about and it did not let me down. We are in the midst of a pandemic. That is nothing anyone needs reminding of for sure. How many of you are just waiting for it to end to “get back to normal?” I know there is a part of me that is always waiting for what’s next. I can get so caught up in that part of me that I forget to be in the moment in front of me. That is the opposite of mindfulness for sure. But what do we do when we get caught up in the longing for things to be really different than they are now? Being in the here and now at this moment is difficult. Well, if we spend too much time longing for things to be different rather than how they are, we are in a place of suffering. The irony here is that our efforts to think of the future rather than the moment at hand is what we do to avoid suffering! What if we slowed down, stopped the rush to get somewhere and instead settled into the being here? When we can do that, we are no longer desperate to be somewhere else and that is the day everything changes. So, thanks to my book, “A Year Without Fear,” for the prayer of the day, “Today, I attend to my life and my work to ‘be here’, rather than try to ‘get there’.” Stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Elder Lynn 

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

WAIT! Need a little gratitude “pick-me-up” right now? WATCH THIS FIRST!

Paul writes, “Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIRV) In November we consider everything God has done for us: the world He made, the promises He’s kept, and the new life He offers through Jesus. When we remember all of that, we can always be thankful even when things don’t go our way! 

And we'll remember:

Hello! This week we learned letter H. We learned different ways to say hello in other languages. Our Sign Language was happy. Our sight word was have. We made hearts, hair, houses, and lots of hats. We read Ho for a Hat, Hello Red Fox, Chocolate Chippo Hippo, and numerous Thanksgiving stories. We marched around in a hat parade! We recorded our Nursery Virtual Thanksgiving Show to go out the parents. Next week we will record the Pre-k. Have a great weekend!

November 22 - Youth Discussion Group begins 6:30 p.m.

November 29 - First Sunday of Advent

December 13 - Church Wide Christmas Party

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

To view the church calendar online please visit our website or click on the link.

Nov 21 James McGuire, Amanda Shahady

Nov 22 Linda Chase

Nov 23 Kieran Hughes

Nov 24

Nov 25

Nov 26 Jacque Mendelsohn

Nov 27 Mandy Rauffer

Nov 28 Kathryn Nicholson

Nov 29

Nov 30 Ron Panuska

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