October 2022
From the Pastor’s Desk
A quick report on my fishing holiday that I mentioned in last month’s note. It turns out that the big fish did not get away! My brother Keith managed to reel in a 43” Northern Pike while fishing for bass! Needless to say, we are already planning our return trip.
Three contractors are starting to contact the church to get all the information they need to bid on needed electrical work. The three primary areas that they have been asked to bid on are parking lot lighting, sanctuary lighting, and the electrical box out by the pavilion. The next step is to receive bids from the contractors. After we receive responses from the contractors, Building and Grounds will make a recommendation to session for approval to proceed.
In September, I introduced sung responses in the communion Great Prayer of Thanksgiving. I believe that singing these responses, rather than speaking them, invites the congregation to a fuller experience of the prayer. The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving is divided into three parts. The first part gives praise and thanks to God the Father. It is fitting then, that the sung response affirms God’s holiness and affirms that all His works shall praise His name. The second part of the prayer praises Jesus and recognizes His victory over sin and death. The second sung response acknowledges that victory by starting low acknowledging that Christ has died and continues to rise as it affirms that Christ has risen and that He will come again! The third part of the prayer asks the Holy Spirit to bless the communion elements, make us one with all who share the feast, and send us out in faithful service as the body of Christ. To that, we add the final response, a sung threefold Amen. Another change that was introduced in September was the use of an anthem as the invitation to the communion table. Joy Smith had found an appropriate piece of music that could be sung by only two voices. Introducing the anthem also had a secondary purpose. That purpose was to encourage any of you who can sing or play an instrument to think about how you might make that part of your offering to the Lord and to the congregation. We don’t need a full choir to begin making a difference. We can do that with as little as one or two voices, your voices. If you are interested and willing, please speak to either me or Joy.
October second is World Communion Sunday. The designation of this Sunday as World Communion Sunday was an intention to link all the Christians in the world, the body of Christ, in a shared experience. To help us live into the global celebration I have asked Linda Stiles to assist by reading parts of the liturgy in Spanish. We will first read the scripture in English and then in Spanish as well as the words of institution for communion. Do you know a foreign language? Perhaps you can take part in a future World Communion Sunday or some other time when we celebrate diversity!
The arrival of September means that fall is not far away. With the arrival of fall, we think of change, The weather starts to change from the heat of summer to the cool of autumn. The leaves begin to change from green to the colorful array that makes the hillsides beautiful. Summer vacation changes to a new school year. Summer church programs change into new opportunities to learn how to be the body of Christ. This year The Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek hired a new Director of Christian Formation. We share Carolyn Leah with Beulah Presbyterian Church. She brings a wealth of knowledge, energy, and experience to The Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek. Carolyn is working with the Christian Formation Team to invigorate our Christian Education program, first for the young people of our congregation and the local area, and then for the adults. The September bonfire outing was a combined Evangelism and Fellowship Committee and Christian Formation Committee event. The goal was to sponsor a fun intergenerational event that will help us grow together as a church family. Keep your eyes open for more such events.
To God be the Glory!
Pastor Frank Hancock
Email: pastor@plumcreekpc.com
Office: (412) 793-4525
Cell Phone: (412) 860-3719 – Please feel free to leave a message
Outdoor Movie Night
On Saturday, October 1, we are hosting an outdoor movie night behind the church building beginning at 7 PM. Join us and bring friends! The event is free! Popcorn and water are provided! Any questions, email Carolyn Leah, Director of Christian Formation at christian_formation@plumcreekpc.com.
Sunday School is off to a great start this fall with our preschool through elementary kids at 9 AM Sunday morning.
In the 1st to 5th-grade class, we will be looking at more of Abraham and Sarah’s family and then starting a new unit on Brave Men and Women of the Old Testament. Come and join us for these lessons through October! • A Family Changes Shape (Genesis 21:8–21) •
God Tugs at Rebekah’s Heart (Genesis 24:1–67)
• The Hardest Thing (Genesis 22:1–19)
• Miriam Hides Moses (Exodus 2:1–10)
• Samuel Tells a Hard Truth (1 Samuel 2:18–3:20)
The PreK and Kindergarten class will be looking at these lessons in October:
• Noah Obeys God
• Abraham and Sarah Obey God
• God Takes Care of Joseph
• Joseph Helps His Brothers
• Moses: From Basket to Palace
If you would like to help lead either class in the coming weeks/months by either being a lead teacher or helper, just let Carolyn Leah, Director of Christian Formation know. We will keep current class helpers needs posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex.
Children’s Sabbath Sunday
October 16 is known as Children’s Sabbath Sunday in the Presbyterian Church USA and other denominations. It is a day to lift up children, their gifts, education, needs and struggles.
This October 16th, we will be celebrating children at Plum Creek PC. Children and youth will be involved in the worship service that day through participation as liturgists and special music.
Children ages 4 to 5th grade can be a part of a Melody Bell choir for that Sunday. Carolyn Leah will help the children learn a simple musical piece using colored melody bells that they will play as a part of the 10 AM worship service. If your child would like to participate in the opportunity to learn and play the bell music, we will practice immediately after the 10 AM worship service on October 2nd and again on Sunday, October 16 at 9:00 AM (the children will go straight to Sunday School after the brief practice).
We will also dedicate our Children’s Worship Space story materials during the 10 AM service and there will be an open house tour of this area after the service. If your child would be willing to enter worship that Sunday carrying a basket of some story materials, please let Carolyn Leah know.
And we will be helping to continue the spiritual education of the children by giving Bibles to 3rd grade – 5th grade who have not received an Adventure Bible yet and story Bibles to our 3 year olds – 2nd graders who have not received a Spark Story Bible yet. If your child has not received their age-appropriate Bible, please let Carolyn Leah know so she can order one of the Bibles for them.
Worship with Children in October
Children are always welcome in worship at Plum Creek PC! By joining in the songs, prayers, and responses, children engage in a life of praise and build a foundation of lifelong worship of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. During our worship services, there is a time for children to come forward and hear a message for them, based on the scripture from the day. This time is meant to wander in the scripture for the day, to help them and us to think about the scripture in a simple way. Grown-ups are always welcome to sit with us during this time to be with their child.
After the Children’s Time, we have begun a new Worship Space, in one of the Sunday School rooms at the end of the upper education hallway at the church. The children are invited to come and hear a Bible story told by using a special story box each week. The children are given opportunities to think about the story using wondering questions and response materials. Some weeks, the children will return to worship (especially on Communion Sundays) and one Sunday a month, they will stay in worship and be able to pick up a personal worship box to work within the pew.
This is the schedule for the month of October.
Oct 2 – The story of the Good Shepherd and The Lord’s Supper.
Oct. 9 – Remain in Worship
Oct 16 – Children’s Sabbath – Children Actively participate as leaders in worship
October 23 – Noah
October 30 – Abram and Sarai
2023 Stewardship Campaign
We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8
Leading up to Romans 12:6, Paul says that as a collective group of Christians, we are like one body: Christ’s body. Each of us has a part to play using the spiritual gifts God has given to us. One only needs to take a look back at the past year to witness how through God’s grace, we have used our diverse spiritual gifts to continue the ministries of The Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek (PCPC).
Ministry
• Pastor Frank Hancock became our Commissioned Pastor on January 1. Prior to joining us, Pastor Frank worked for over 40 years in the Information Technology Department of Westinghouse Electric Company and has 19 years of experience serving the Presbytery and its churches as a member of the Commission on Ministry. He also served a term as the Moderator of the Presbytery. Pastor Frank has been active in meeting with church members, reaching out to home-bound members, and making care calls.
Christian Formation
• God presented us with a unique opportunity to partner with Beulah Presbyterian Church in Churchill to share their Christian Education Director. On May 1, Carolyn Leah joined PCPC as our Christian Formation Director on a 20-hour-per-week basis. Carolyn is a PCUSA Certified Christian Educator who brings a wealth of experience to PCPC. We are hopeful that our Christian education relationship with Beulah will provide other opportunities to partner as well.
• Several sessions of Friday Club were held during Lent for middle schoolers grades 6 through 8. Heather McGarvey, a former PCPC Christian Formation Director and most recently a missionary to orphaned children in Romania, assisted in facilitating these sessions.
• Summer Club for youth ages first through sixth grade met on eight Wednesdays in the summer providing Christian education, crafts, games, etc. The Club utilized many of the low ropes course elements from the Day Camp. As a bonus, the Beulah Summer Camp came and shared a full day with our Plum Creek Summer Club.
• In September, Christian Formation kicked off Sunday School for preschool through 6th grade, monthly Breakfast Club for grades 7 through 12, and the monthly Faith Sprout Preschool/Kindergarten Night experience.
• The Worship Place, a dedicated area for Children and Worship was debuted on September 18th.
Evangelism and Fellowship
• The Committee continued to sponsor events to welcome members and the community to fellowship at PCPC: Rummage Sale, Strawberry Festival, Chili and Soup Sunday, Friday night pavilion socials and bonfires, soup and jam sales, etc.
Worship and Music
• In addition to collaborating with Pastor Frank to oversee all aspects of PCPC worship services, the committee took the lead to implement the streaming system and soundboard upgrades allowing for enhanced in-person and live stream worship experiences.
Mission • The Blessing Box, located in the church parking lot, houses non-perishable food items and has been a true outreach to the Plum community. Not only do people take food from the box, they also leave food as well as notes of thanks and requests for prayers. In addition, the committee continues to host church fellowship events such as valentine making for residents at Ridgewood in Renton and to support other organizations including Plum Food Pantry and Northside Common Ministries.
• This past year’s Living Nativity gave witness to Jesus’ birth to approximately 300 people in one night. We were also blessed with over 60 volunteers from our church and the community.
Deacons
• Deacons provide mission and outreach to members and the community through the prayer chain, visits, cards, holiday fruit baskets, holiday service projects, the helping hands fund, and support of the Plum Food Pantry and Northside Common Ministries.
Building & Grounds
• Members of Building & Grounds utilize their talents to provide care for the church buildings and grounds. In addition to ongoing maintenance, the committee oversaw projects such as the sealing and lining of the church parking lot and leveling of the concrete on the front porch and sidewalk.
• In July, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon began holding their weekly meetings at PCPC. Between the two groups, there can be up to 70 people in attendance. Session saw this opportunity as a means of Christian outreach to our community and a way to utilize idle facilities.
Garden Committee
• This team puts in significant hours maintaining the church flower gardens to facilitate a beautiful and inviting campus
Finance & Stewardship
• As of August 31, Giving Income of $97,420 exceeds budget by $2,515, attesting to the generosity and giving spirit of our members.
The above summary, which is certainly not all-encompassing, is a testament to the verse “we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us” and that members of the PCPC family, whether or not they are “official” committee members, are faithful and generous givers of their gifts. All gifts of support are meaningful and appreciated whether they come in the form of prayer, giving of talents and treasures, participating in preparation for activities or participating in the activity itself. It is through the offering and use of all our gifts that PCPC participates in making God’s kingdom visible in Plum Borough.
As we enter our 2023 Stewardship Campaign, we ask that you prayerfully consider what God may be calling you to pledge in the way of your gifts in the coming year. 2023 budget information and commitment cards will be distributed in mid-October. Commitment cards will be dedicated on Sunday, November 6. In the meantime, should you have questions, please reach out to a member of the Finance & Stewardship Committee including Dot Easter, Bonnie Jackson, Cheryl Lynn, Dave Nesbit, Brandon Peifer, Ed Smith and Patrick Spenik.
Faithfully, Finance & Stewardship Committee
