september 2019 northfield presbyterian church the good...

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September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church I was driving east to Connecticut last month. It s was just before dawn when the light is dim and everything is dark gray. As the sun began to light up the horizon, I began to notice the landscape. It had an eerie look about it. The trees, the fields, the vineyards, the corn were not green but a light gray and then as I moved along the sun reflected on the gray and it began to shine like silver. It was a magnificent transformation. I marveled at how nature reflected Gods glory and I was at peace. This past weekend I was at the culminating retreat for my certification as a Spiritual Director. At the morning prayers, the first hymn was Morning Has Broken.I was very familiar with the song, one of the few that I can play on my guitar and made famous for me by the singer Cat Stevens. In the second verse of that song these words jumped out at me. Like the first dewfall on the first grass.I was taken back by this because I am a firm believer that there are no coincidences but only new ways to listen to the still communicating God. And new dew became a central theme of my prayers throughout the ending retreat for me. It was poignant because my trip east where I observed the transforming dew on the landscape was a trip to say goodbye to my best friend who is the final days of his extraordinary life. It reminded me that God is never really finished with us. The time we have in this life is just a first stage in our eternal relationship with the Holy Other. The song reminds us that there was a first dawn and there was a first dew on that first grass. How reassuring that the God we love was providing this freshness from the very beginning. When that first light reflected on that first dew it changed the drabness from dark to gray to shining silver. As I visited with my best friend, I remembered that he was there with me from the beginning. Yes. I will miss him, especially our laughter together, but he will be waiting for me when I cross over. So what is this rumination on dew”? I believe that God is a self-communicating God and that we often dont hear that voice because we fail to pay attention. In all my time trying to hear God, I have seldom heard a voice. Mostly I observe the Divine One in nature, or the actions of other people, the feeding of the hungry, the comfort of the brokenhearted, the mercy displayed on those who are oppressed and abused. So the attention to new dewwas an alert for me. I didnt understand this until the hymn was sung at the retreat. And what did this mean. Im not sure. In fact, it has taken on various interpretations. One that was on display for me was in the final goodbye to my best friend. What that goodbye said to me because of the new dewis that God is there everyday in all ways. In my conversation with my best friend, we talked about his belief that God was there and would be when his eyes closed for the last time. We both shed a few tears, tears of sadness but also tears of the joy that we held in each others life. Tears that were like new dew.I will hold onto this new dewfor a while as I listen to the way in which the still communicating God speaks to me. Hope this is helpful to you who listen for that still small voice of God.See you in church, Pastor Wally The Good News The Pastors Pen

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Page 1: September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church The Good Newsnorthfieldpreschurch.com/newsletters/2019/09npcSep19.pdf · September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church I was driving

September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church

I was driving east to Connecticut last month. It’s was just before dawn when the light is dim and everything is dark gray. As the sun began to light up the horizon, I began to notice the landscape. It had an eerie look about it. The trees, the fields, the vineyards, the corn were not green but a light gray and then as I moved along the sun reflected on the gray and it began to shine like silver. It was a magnificent transformation. I marveled at how nature reflected God’s glory and I was at peace. This past weekend I was at the culminating retreat for my certification as a Spiritual Director. At the morning prayers, the first hymn was “Morning Has Broken.” I was very familiar with the song, one of the few that I can play on my guitar and made famous for me by the singer Cat Stevens. In the second verse of that song these words jumped out at me. “Like the first dewfall on the first grass.” I was taken back by this because I am a firm believer that there are no coincidences but only new ways to listen to the still communicating God. And new dew became a central theme of my prayers throughout the ending retreat for me. It was poignant because my trip east where I observed the transforming dew on the landscape was a trip to say goodbye to my best friend who is the final days of his extraordinary life. It reminded me that God is never really finished with us. The time we have in this life is just a first stage in our eternal relationship with the Holy Other. The song reminds us that there was a first dawn and there was a first dew on that first grass. How reassuring that the God we love was providing this freshness from the very beginning. When that first light reflected on that first dew it changed the drabness from dark to gray to shining silver. As I visited with my best friend, I remembered that he was there with me from the beginning. Yes. I will miss him, especially our laughter together, but he will be waiting for me when I cross over.

So what is this rumination on “dew”? I believe that God is a self-communicating God and that we often don’t hear that voice because we fail to pay attention. In all my time trying to hear God, I have seldom heard a voice. Mostly I observe the Divine One in nature, or the actions of other people, the feeding of the hungry, the comfort of the brokenhearted, the mercy displayed on those who are oppressed and abused. So the attention to “new dew” was an alert for me. I didn’t understand this until the hymn was sung at the retreat. And what did this mean. I’m not sure. In fact, it has taken on various interpretations. One that was on display for me was in the final goodbye to my best friend. What that goodbye said to me because of the “new dew” is that God is there everyday in all ways. In my conversation with my best friend, we talked about his belief that God was there and would be when his eyes closed for the last time. We both shed a few tears, tears of sadness but also tears of the joy that we held in each other’s life. Tears that were like “new dew.” I will hold onto this “new dew” for a while as I listen to the way in which the still communicating God speaks to me. Hope this is helpful to you who listen for that “still small voice of God.” See you in church,

Pastor Wally

The Good News

The Pastor’s Pen

Page 2: September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church The Good Newsnorthfieldpreschurch.com/newsletters/2019/09npcSep19.pdf · September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church I was driving

Christian Education News

Our elementary age children will continue their Children’s Only Worship time on Sundays. A dedicated rotating group of teachers will be ministering to them. Contact Michelle Williamson if you would consider working with this group. Adult Sunday School will return Sunday September 8th at 9:00 a.m. in Room 201. Keith Miller will lead a Max Lucado series entitled “How Happiness Happens”. It will reveal the secret that the Bible teaches: doing good does good for the doer. More info on Narthex Bulletin Board. All welcome to join in. The Wed. Brown Bag lunch study will continue their study through the book of Genesis.. Stop in any Wednesday, at noon. You’re invited to join Tuesday Evening Interdenominational Bible Study beginning September 3rd at 7:00 pm in room 201. The study books have “homework” questions that are discussed the night of the study. The leader, Keith Miller, will provide additional insights and historical background. This Fall the study is “Exodus”. Material cost is $7.50 for the booklet. This 18 week study will meet every Tuesday with breaks for holidays and a week in the spring. Come enjoy the fellowship and enlightening conversation. Contact Keith or Ellen Miller with any questions. Open to all! Please be in prayer for all these efforts as the new education ‘season’ begins.

The Day Care is looking for someone who can be available on an “as needed” basis for some simple repairs and odd jobs. Need to be able to climb ladders and do some lifting. Jobs range from simple plumbing, light fixture change out (ballast changing), caulking, and working with the shade structures on the small playgrounds.

Please contact Sherry if interested or know someone who is. 330-467-4411. Pays around $15.00 per hour.

Day Care Looking for Handyman

Pastor Search Update

We, the members of the Pastor Nomination Committee, along with two members from the Presbytery have a chal-lenging responsibility. We are balancing our personal perspectives with the church's Mission Study to ascertain God's will for our next pastor. So far we have received over 70 computer matched Pastor Information Forms (PIFs) from the national church data-base as well as several self-referred PIFs. These PIFs are generally 6-8 pages long. It is a lengthy process for us to review a PIF, sort them and form one unanimous opinion. While as yet God has not highlighted His glowing choice for our next installed pastor, we are encouraged by the expressed faith and service of so many applicants. We are confident that God is lovingly setting the circumstances for HIs best match. As well as your patience, we ask for your prayers. We repeatedly remind ourselves aloud that although we are anxious to finish the process, compromis-ing God's hand is never wise. Thank you. Pastor Wally, for your steady, loving care and patience for us through the process.

Page 3: September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church The Good Newsnorthfieldpreschurch.com/newsletters/2019/09npcSep19.pdf · September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church I was driving

Women’s Association

Richard Meyer 1-Sep

Nancy Damon 3-Sep

Beth Wiggins 5-Sep

Tara Russo 8-Sep

Dwayne Smith 9-Sep

Logan Schmid 10-Sep

Cynthia Kokenos 11-Sep

Jaclyn Russo 11-Sep

Sue Foote 11-Sep

Trudy Polcen 12-Sep

Debbie Czech 13-Sep

Tyler Fenn 14-Sep

Gil Polcen 14-Sep

Casey Haber 17-Sep

Barb Harbert 17-Sep

Ethan Schmid 17-Sep

Sydney Fox 18-Sep

Billie Mordas 19-Sep

Debbie Brooks 20-Sep

Donna Patz 22-Sep

Debbie Satola 22-Sep

John Gallagher 23-Sept

Stephanie Schmid 28-Sep

Rosemary Flanagan 29-Sep

Paul Schmid 30-Sep

Thank you for your continued support. We are looking into parking lot repairs and a new front door for the church. AUGUST YEAR TO DATE INCOME: $ 11,675 $108,848 EXPENSES: $ 13,616 $122,318 Special Fund Balance: $2126.94

Stewardship Report

The Women’s Association will resume monthly meetings on Monday, September 9 at 10 a.m. in the Family Living Area of the church. The new bible study is based on lessons from the booklet GROWIING OLDER AND WISER by Dale and Sandy Larsen. The first lesson, ”Wise up!” is based on James 1:1-8, 12. The discussion will be lead by Fran Merriam. Study booklets are available are no charge for those who don’t already have one. Please join us for lively, thought provoking idea sharing where every input is valued. A brief business meeting will follow the bible study.

PANTRY ITEMS CONTINUE TO BE COLLECTED The Women’s Association will continue to collect food items for the Macedonia Emergency Center. They need dry, boxed nonperishable food items such as: Spa-ghetti noodles and all other types of pasta either in a box or bags as well as rice, in-stant potatoes, cereal, hamburger or tuna helper, etc.

There is a container in the narthex where church families can drop off their donations on Sundays or any other day they are in the building.

Thank You!

Page 4: September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church The Good Newsnorthfieldpreschurch.com/newsletters/2019/09npcSep19.pdf · September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church I was driving

A Little Fun History

Gil and Trudy Polcen found an old program from the dedication of the church basement done before moving the church to this location in the 1960s. No actual date is on the program, but it brought back days of using “mimeograph machines”! Thank you for computers!!! They also found a post card invitation for Gil’s brother to attend Sunday school. I love that the address is just name and city. The stamp is 1 cent. We have added both to our historical documents file.

Page 5: September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church The Good Newsnorthfieldpreschurch.com/newsletters/2019/09npcSep19.pdf · September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church I was driving

September 2019

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 COMMUNION

10:30 Worship

12:30 VBC Worship

8pm AA

2

Labor Day

Day Care and Office

Closed

3

7pm Bible Study

4

9:45 am Chapel Time

12:00 Bible Study

6:30 pm Cub Scouts

5

7pm Choir

8pm AA

6

6:30 am Men’s Bible

Study at Chick Fil A

7

8

9am Adult Sun. school

10:30 Worship

11:30 Deacons

12:30 VBC Worship

2:00 Search Committee

8pm AA

9

10

7pm Bible Study

11

9:45 am Chapel Time

12:00 Bible Study

6:30 pm Cub Scouts

12

6pm Day Care Class

7pm Choir

8pm AA

13

6:30 am Men’s Bible

Study at Chick Fil A

14

15

9am Adult Sun. school

10:30 Worship with

Healing Time after

12:30 VBC Worship

8pm AA

16

7pm Session

17

7pm Day Care Board

7pm Bible Study

18

9:45 am Chapel Time

12:00 Bible Study

6:30 pm Cub Scouts

7pm VBC Prayer

19

7pm Choir

8pm AA

20

6:30 am Men’s Bible

Study at Chick Fil A

21

22

9am Adult Sun. school

10:30 Worship

12:30 VBC Worship

8pm AA

23

24

7pm Bible Study

25

9:45 am Chapel Time

12:00 Bible Study

6:30 pm Day Care Family

Night

26

7 pm Choir

8pm AA

27

6:30 am Men’s Bible

Study at Chick Fil A

5:30 pm Community Meal

28

8am Day Care Class

29

9am Adult Sun. school

10:30 Worship

12:30 VBC Worship

8pm AA

30

Page 6: September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church The Good Newsnorthfieldpreschurch.com/newsletters/2019/09npcSep19.pdf · September 2019 Northfield Presbyterian Church I was driving

Northfield Presbyterian Church 7755 S. Boyden Rd. Northfield, OH 44067 [email protected] www.northfieldpreschurch.com