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Thoughts from...
Clerk of Session, Jayne Rich
Suggestions for Strengthening Personal Prayer
1. Choose a time and resolve to keep it reach each day.
2. Find a place where you will not
be disturbed.
3. Take 5 or 6 deep breaths to calm yourself.
4. Consciously place yourself in the Divine Presence
and address God through words of praise, joy, and thanksgiving. Lift up the concerns or needs of the world, of those who are
afflicted in any way, of those who are close to you. Ask for God’s compassion and love, mercy and justice. Place your
own personal cares and joys before God and seek His Divine Will.
5. If distracted by thoughts or images, don’t
cling to them or try to control them. As calmly as you can, return to your conversation with God.
6. Spend a few minutes
in quiet, listening to the stirring of your heart as you try to discover God’s Will for you.
7. Offer Thanks
for God’s care, compassion and mercy.
From: Practicing Our Faith by Dorothy C. Bass, Editor
______________________
Yes, sometimes the outside of our lanterns get coated and caked with soot and muddy dirt, then God’s light inside
of us is concealed and can’t shine. Once we have a “thanksgiving” clean over and realize why we live and
breathe, God’s light can shine through again. A Jesus faith community is always about helping all of us shine in God’s
light. Plan to join our Thanksgiving celebration parade on Tuesday, November 25 at 4:30 pm along with the Shore Adventure
Club.
In God’s Love,
Rev. Deb
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SHORE ADVENTURE CLUB Pat Korlaet,
Coordinator
Isaiah 43:19 - “See, I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive
it? I will make a way...” (NRSV)
There comes a time in many situations that requires a change, whether we desire it or not. This Spring when
we met with the Bryne Foundation, we were informed that funding in the future may be dramatically cut. The Bryne Foundation
has been the major funding source for the program. They saw in the Shore Adventure program a needed in the community, a program
well attended, and one I believe will “bear fruit” for the community and First Presbyterian Church.
With the
current SAC funding source unsure, we would like to conduct a fund raiser. We are presenting it to you the congregation
of First Pres. and ask for your help and support. The children over the past year have created some wonderful artwork and
we have put it together to create a 2004 calendar.
We would like to run at least 500 copies of the calendar and sell them.
(They would make excellent Christmas gifts.) We would also like financial supporters to help us print the calendar.
A gift of $20 would include your name as a Supporter, if we print a business card perhaps $50, and if someone would like to
sponsor a whole month we can arrange that as well. To produce the calendar will need paper, and binding materials to complete
this project in-house.
Your help to secure supporters, and sell calendars will be needed. Can we count on YOU?
Please let me know who you would like to help.
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THANKSGIVING 2003
Another fall festival has come with a harvest of apples, pumpkins, and “Indian
corn.” After Halloween, we “American” pilgrims from many different countries pause to commemorate the great
day of Thanksgiving as the President of the United States invites us each year.
The Pilgrims who settled in America during
the l8th and l9th century gave thanks to God for the plants they had to harvest, the people who helped harvest them, and especially
the MOON. The moon, of course, because its bright light allowed the early American pioneers to work in the fields late at
night.
Many people all over the world give thanks to God for the moon. Maybe you have heard or seen the wonderful thanksgiving
lantern parades. They predate Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. In Korea where the moon stands for joy and life, the children
have paraded around a lantern-like moon for years giving thanks for its “night” light. And for us Christians,
Jesus Christ is the light of the world. For his life teachings, death and resurrection, we are so grateful that we also take
on his reflection and act as little moon lanterns of Christ’s light.
PLEASE JOIN US ON TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER 25, 2003, 4:30 PM AS WE CELEBRATE A MEAL OF THANKSGIVING
The children of the Shore Adventure Clubs will present a short skit and
song with special meal immediately following please join us!
___________________
A Note of Thanks! Shirley Schmidt
My recent
double knee operations were almost more than I could handle, but with Rev. Deborah’s prayers and visits along with my
dear friends from church, it became clear to me just how much you all cared. My deepest thanks to each and every one for the
prayers, cards and phone calls that kept me going and still are supporting me in this rehabilitation process.
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