Weekly News For
Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church
April 26, 2020
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Please note: The Sunday Worship Invitation email is sent out separately on Saturday mornings. Feel free to forward the invitation along to family and friends.
Call the office if you have any questions
or need help joining.
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Prayer Concerns This Week
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and thanksgiving be made for everyone, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity." 1 Timothy 2:1-2
The Prayer Family
for the week is Steinert family. Let us be prayerfully aware of Paul, Heidi, Luke and Noah as well as all our members and friends.
Prayer Concerns
: The Mendez family, T
he family of Peter O'Rourke, Maggie Giase.
Long term concerns
: Stephen Bardsley; Jacob Basilotto; Ed Jung; Despina Koch; Gwen McFaddan; Jacob Mendelsohn; Leigh Millar; Melissa Millar; Dale Norby; Marilyn Powell; Tom Ploskonka; Owen Provencer, Geoff Reilly; Susan Robbins, Bill Shoppell; Linda Lee Smith; Millage Youenger; Lorraine Williams; Ginny Zimmerman; those struggling with addictions and mental illness.
Military:
Sarah Davis Brown; Morgan Daniels Colberg; Michael Fahey III; Robin Fiorentino; all those in our nation's service.
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From Our Past Associate Pastor
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Hi PPPC Family.
It's been a while since I wrote something for Constant Contact. I am writing to tell you about what my husband Doug and I have been doing recently to help in some small way to feed local families.
First, a little background, St Gregory's Pantry closed its doors on March 20th for the protection of its volunteers, many of whom are in the "at risk" category. Several members of St. Mary's, which houses St. Gregory's, got together to come up with a way of continuing to feed people in need.
St, Mary's also has a community wide dinner program called Mary's Table. This was a continuation of feeding hundreds after Hurricane Sandy. Mary's Table is open to anyone and serves a hot meal each Thursday night. However, since the pandemic, meals are no longer served at the church. Instead, meals are delivered to homes.
This is where Doug and I come in. We are one of the many volunteers who deliver the meals. Every Thursday at 4
pm we back our car up to the door off the parking lot. We pop the trunk and one of the volunteers loads our car with boxes containing the hot meals. We are handed a list with people's names and addresses. We first deliver to families on Bay Avenue. Then we return to get a second load of meals which go to families in Brick. The Brick families are those who had regularly come to Mary's Table before the pandemic.
Doug drives and I take the hot meals to the doors. I wear a face mask and gloves and there is no contact whatsoever.
On March 26th. 109 hot meals were delivered by volunteers. This week 215 meals were delivered. The first week the pantry was closed, 19 families received groceries and last week it was 49 families/individuals who got groceries delivered to their homes. As you can see, the numbers are growing.
Want to help? Here are 4 ways you can:
- Buy groceries and drop them off at St. Mary's. There is a bin on the porch off the parking lot door.
- Write a check or give money. Checks can be made out to either Mary's Table or St. Mary's with Emergency Food written in the memo line.
- Pray. Pray for all the people who receive and pack the groceries for families in need. Pray for those who cook and pack the hot meals each Thursday night as well as for those who deliver them. Pray for the families who receive them.
- Give thanks. Give thanks at how fortunate each of us is. Give thanks for those who saw a need and have found a way to address that need. Give thanks for all the faith communities who are holding together in faith and continue to serve God by helping others in whatever ways we can.
Blessings to all of you. Keep the Faith,
Linda Chase
Items Needed
: B
read, nutritious breakfast cereal, chunky soups, canned tuna, canned chicken, and canned fruit or single-serving fruit packs.
Please drop off items to St. Mary's By the Sea.
The bin is available for collection any time outside the Bay Ave. entrance and we will continue to be in the building every Sunday from 12-3 accepting donations and sorting food.
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Since 2013 the Board of Deacons has been managing the Hands Up Grant program. The program was first established from a financial donation from our friends from Lend A Hand. Through an application process, grants up to $1,000 were awarded to various families in our community that were rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy.
Several local businesses participated in the program and one large item such as an appliance, flooring, or fencing was purchased with the Hand Up Grant paying up to $1000 of the cost directly to the merchant. Several local business chose to participate in the program. The program was aimed at helping both the individual (family) - as well as local businesses that were also affected.
On April 22, 2020 the last of the funds was finally paid to Palumbo's Appliance. The final family approved was now in a position to use their grant. Since 2013 the Board of Deacons distributed a total of $47,000 through the program.
Thank you to the Board of Deacons which has overseen this program since its inception. A big thank you to Randy Crate who managed all the invoices and finances throughout this seven year period. Seven years, a time of completeness.
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Those who serve on the Board of Deacons are ever grateful for our congregation’s continued monetary support so they may fill a need where there is one. The Deacons have been very active in the last few weeks trying to meet the needs of the congregation as well as the community.
Their ability to help others is dependent upon the amount of funds they have available. If you would like to help the Deacons with their benevolence, please consider making a donation.
On communion Sundays we used to have Deacon envelopes in the pews that allowed donations directly to their fund. Although we will not be celebrating the Lord's Supper on the first Sunday of May, donations will be gladly accepted and put to good use.
We appreciate all our Deacons (current and past) and are very proud of the work and service they do for many.
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Brighten Someones Day From Home
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Have extra time on your hands? Want to brighten someone’s day?
Join other members of PPPC and accept the invitation of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: write a note, a prayer or a poem or include a child’s drawing/message (no decorations like stickers or glitter, please), and place in an unsealed envelope with a stamp on it. Put your unsealed envelope inside another envelope and send to one of the addresses below:
Casa Mariposa Detention Visitation Program
P.O Box 40884, Tucson, AZ 85717
Guadalupe Presbyterian Church Attn: Selena Keesecker
8619 S. Ave Del Yaqui, Guadalupe, AZ 85283
El Refugio in GA (a good place to send Spanish cards) El Refugio Ministry,
PO Box 3996, Decatur, GA 30031
These organizations will enable your card or letter of encouragement to become a blessing to a person in immigration detention during this pandemic, who since mid-March has not been allowed to have family visits, volunteer or religious worker visits; only visits with their lawyers. During our time of social distancing as we miss the company of our friends and family, we can easily imagine how lonely they must feel.
Invest in a couple of stamps and bring a smile to a brother or sister in Christ!
Barbara Reusch
Member of Social Justice Group
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Attention High School Seniors
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Applications are now being accepted for the Griggs Scholarship. The applicant must be a member of Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church as well as a high school senior seeking further study. Please submit an electronic synopsis of your church, community and school activities. All applications are due Friday, May 22. Applications should be submitted to mail@pointpresbyterian.org with Griggs Scholarship in the subject matter.
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Congratulations to grandparents Joe Decker and Ginger Decker on the birth of their Grandson
Otto Jed Kruse-Decker, born on April 19,2020. Parents are Jason Decker & Melissa Kruse.
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While we are social distancing, we can still support the homeless families who are part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network program and staying at the Day Center at 407 Lexington Ave., Toms River (just past St. Joseph R.C. Church on Hooper Ave., going south).
For the week of May 17-24, we don’t need to supply volunteers for dinner nor for overnights now due to the virus. Our mission is to bring cooked dinners/dessert for each night and shop for miscellaneous needs that the families might have (i.e. diapers, formula, juice, fruit, etc).
If you will volunteer to take one evening meal, please call Bette Hughes (732-581-7729) or Barbara Reusch (732-349-2792) to let us know which night and your menu. Monday and Tuesday nights’ meals are scheduled, so any other of the nights beginning on Sunday, May 17th, would be great! Thank you for your invaluable help in this important ministry in Ocean County.
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We can't believe we are already on letter Z! During our school days, our teachers read a story every day at Story Time that pertains to the letter of the week. The following video is our Nursery teacher, Mrs. Leto, reading Corduroy at the Zoo. Since things are a little zany, our students can watch the video from their homes.
Spotlight on Kristen Leto:
Kristen has her Masters Degree in Education. She was a second grade teacher for many years. When her children were born, she became a preschool teacher. She is our Co-Head Teacher in the Nursery class. She shares responsibilities equally with Ms. Jess, working both the morning and afternoon classes. She also greets our early drop off students at 8am, alongside Ms. Kerry. She has been a great addition to Point Beach Prep!
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Upcoming Birthdays This Month
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April 26 Edward King, Henry Shapiro
April 27
April 28
April 29 Diantha Mathews-Brown
May 1 Summer Smith
May 2
May 3 Bridget Lukacs, Geoff Reilly
May 4
May 5
May 6 Robin Purtell
May 7 Jack Akins, Madison Jones, Connor Philipps
May 8
May 9 Jennifer Akins
May 10 Lydia Pokler
May 11
May 12
May 13 Donna Sellman
May 14 Lillian Pokler
May 15
May 16 Kevin Legreide
May 17 Nancy Jalowski
May 18 Andrea Crate, Frank Jones, Naomi Lappke, Celishia Scarpone
May 19
May 20
May 21 Peggy Bierach, Lois Fischer Geene, Cynthia Lombardo
May 22 Gerard Jalowski, Daniel Scarpone Jr.
May 23 Catherine Walker
May 24 Hannah Davison
May 25 Deirdre D'Amore, Diane Legreide, Hannah Ploskonka
May 26 Jane Lambie
May 27
May 28 Diane Manzo
May 29 Karen Baron
May 30
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Since things are quiet on the church property, we need your help for our image of the week. E
mail the office (mail@pointpresbyterian.org) or text 732-915-9540 any picture you would like to share with us! We miss seeing you!
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Thank you to Christopher Nuesch for sharing his musical gift with us last Sunday.
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Contact Us
Pastoral Staff
The Rev. Mr. Osvaldo Nuesch, Interim Pastor -
Email
The Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner, Parish Associate -
Email
Office Staff
Kim Gaydos, Church Secretary -
Email
Donna Ferry, Financial Secretary -
Email
Music Staff
Sara Hoey, Organist -
Email
Melanie Chambers, Chancel Choir Director -
Email
Morgan Sarbello, Choral Bell Director -
Email
William R. Shoppell, Jr., Music Director, Emeritus
Christian Education Staff
Devlin House, Point Beach Prep Preschool Director -
Email
Frank Perkowski, Sunday School Coordinator -
Email
701 Forman Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(Corner of Bay and Forman Avenues)
Church Office: 732-899-0587 Fax: 732-899-2946
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