Pisgah Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Newsletter

February 2018February 2018

LOVE

The Lord your God

with all your heart

with all your soul

with all your might

Deut. 6:5

Communicants Class began January 28. Those

not yet enrolled (around age 12 or older) and

interested should contact Pastor Lewis.

These are sessions which prepare students to

embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and

thus unite with His church.

Classes are held during the Sunday School Hour

and will conclude before Palm Sunday.

February 4th

Students will be at the doors following

worship to collect donations for CAM.

180 ᵒ Weekend

Friday 2/2

&

Saturday 2/3

Family Game Night will not be

held in February due to the 180

Weekend activities.

Dinner 5:30 PM Bible Studies 6:15 PM

Choir Practice 7:30 PM

February Panhandler Teams 2/07 Jane Falls’ Team 2/14 Wiggins/Boyd Team 2/21 Treasure Teague’s Team 2/28 Barbara Oates’ Team

February Desserts 2/07 Suzanne Elliott Circle 2/14 Mary Kennedy Circle 2/21 Rachel Boyce Circle 2/28 Suzanne Elliott Circle

Happy Birthday

2/1 Connie Burleson, Zachary Bright, Barbara Duncan

2/2 Jay Valentine, Madison Pearson

2/3 Cameron Boyd, Angie Dula, Victoria Becker

2/5 Robin Braswell, Madeline Helton

2/6 Mary Jenkins, Tammie Keplinger

2/7 Denallia Humphries

2/9 Robbie Foy, Chris Spencer 2/10 Jessica Clark

2/11 Kaylee Teague

2/12 Alesia Pendleton, Jason Wray

2/14 Nancy Boyd, Jackie Eller, Timothy Faris, Porter Hanes, Anslee Falls

2/15 Beverly Kimbro, Beth Wolfe, Isaac Edward Carson

2/16 Skeet Melvin, Kim Eller, Lauren Romines

2/17 Jacob Smith, Evelyn Spearman, Cannon Gale, Matthew Kiser

2/18 Madison Easler 2/20 Jeffrey Adams 2/24 Claude Clark, Charity Greene

2/25 Brayden Reynolds, Helen Stewart

2/27 Carl Bell, Joshua Humphries, Kayla Morris 2/28 Gail Jones

Missionary Birthdays

2/1 Judy Doudoukjian 2/2 Nathan Andes, Emily Van Dalen

2/10 Lydia Moore, Alexander Witte

2/13 Gary Letchworth 2/15 Rhonda Ackerman

2/22 Bethany Mitchell, Cecil Young

2/26 Helen Miller

Happy Anniversary

2/7 Mr. & Mrs. Dan Ashworth

2/20 Mr. & Mrs. Jason Wray

SEPTEMBER 27TH

PISGAH

DAY

ANNUAL VALENTINE'S BANQUET

It's a Sweetheart of a Deal at $10.00 for adults;

$5.00 for Children under 13.

Saturday, February 10, 2018 5:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.

See any High School Student to purchase your

ticket today!

SENIOR HIGH SPRING RETREAT

The Senior High Spring Retreat is March 2-4.

Retreat packets are available in the DCE Office.

Return packets and deposit by 2/14.

A $40 NON-refundable deposit is due no later than

FEBRUARY 14th

After this date there will be a $20 late fee added.

All Pisgah Men 21 and up are invited to join the Pisgah

Men’s Fellowship.

Annual dues are $10 and due now. Please see Henry

Oates to renew your membership or to join.

The Men’s Fellowship uses these proceeds for ball field

maintenance, playground maintenance and other church

activities sponsored through the year.

Watch your bulletin for details about our first dinner

meeting coming in February.

In the event of inclement weather,

please tune to WSOC for Pisgah

closings and delays Call-Em-All

messages and Facebook posts will be

sent out when possible. If you are not

on the Call-Em-All message delivery

system, please consider enrolling. It is

as simple as sending an email to

Sherry giving her permission to add

your numbers. This is the fastest way

to receive information and updates.

Helping Hands An Outreach Ministry of Pisgah Helping Hands will provide short term assistance for members of Pisgah ARP Church during their time of need. The helping hands will offer basic tasks to members of Pisgah ARP Church who have no help from close family or other resources:

1- Grass Cutting, Raking Leaves, Lawn Clean –Up 2- Changing light bulbs or batteries 3- Simple cleaning 4- Grocery Shopping This committee is offering a hands on approach to outreach. This committee will not provide medical assistance or advise. Any financial request would still need to be directed to the benevolent committee. Should you need assistance, please call the church office @ 704-865-7611.

Volunteers are needed for the Helping Hands Committee. Please contact Myra Carson if you are interested in helping with this

outreach ministry.

Suzanne Elliott Circle The Suzanne Elliott Circle met on January 13, 2018 with

the two other circles from Pisgah for the introduction of

our 2018 Bible Study and our Prayer Emphasis. Barbara

Oates, PWM President, welcomed everyone, after which

Janet Crawford provided special music. Barbara Oates gave the opening

prayer.

Susan Jenkins gave the introduction of or Bible Study, Living in the

Gap Between Promise and Reality, the Gospel according to

Abaham by Iain M. Duguid. Belinda Lewis did a special Prayer

Emphasis on “Lord, teach us to pray”.

Barbara Oates introduced the circle leaders and the group of ladies

divided into individual circles to have a brief business meeting. Laura

Bumgardner, Suzanne Elliott Circle leader, welcomed the 10 members

who were present, and one visitor, Daughtry Hopper.

Cards for our Sunshine Friends and College Students were signed. Our

circle will be responsible for Mid-Week desserts on January 17, 2018

(the first Mid-Week for this year), and also the first Mid-Week in

February and the last Mid-Week in February. The Hospitality/

Bereavement Committee were reminded to look into changing the

wording on our policy for what to do for hospital stays, etc. .

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned and a

delicious meal of sandwiches, soup, and dessert was enjoyed by all.

RACHEL BOYCE CIRCLE

Our Rachel Boyce Circle met on Saturday, January 13, 2018 in

the Elliott Center as part as the Bible Study Kickoff, Prayer Emphasis and

Joint Circle Meeting at 3:00PM. Our 2018 PWM president Barbara Oates

welcomed all of us to the joint circle meeting. She recited our 2018 theme

verse; “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me

and you and your descendants for generations to come, to be your God

and the God of your descendants after you.”

Janet Crawford treated us to a lovely solo of “Surely The Presence

Of The Lord.” Barbara Oates opened our meeting with prayer. Janet sang

her second solo, “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”

RACHEL BOYCE CIRCLE continued

Susan Jenkins gave our Bible Study of chapter one for our

2018 Bible Study book, “Living in the Gap Between Promise and Reality,

The Gospel According To Abraham,” by Iain M. Duguid. Abraham was an

ordinary man, but he was called for an extraordinary service. However,

God has made promises to us as he did to Abraham. The Old Testament

shows us a pattern of suffering followed by glory in the stories of God’s

people. If only we could grasp the message of the Old Testament more

clearly, with its focus on the sufferings of

Christ and the glories that would follow, we too could be better equipped

to walk through the weary world of suffering, sin, pain and loss on our

journey bound for the Promised Land. Abraham is supremely the man of

Faith in the Old Testament. Just as God had called Abraham from the

city of Ur, against overwhelming odds, to enter the Promised Land, so also

the exiles could rely on God to fulfill the promises to the patriarch.

Abraham provided encouragement for the generation in the wilderness,

those who were on the Emmaus journey of their own, stuck in the reality

gap between being delivered out of Egypt and entering the Promise Land.

Abraham’s life is an example of how to live the gap between promise and

reality. God prepares his saints for the task to which he has appointed

them before he uses them. Moses, for example, spent forty years in the

desert, herding sheep, before God called him to lead his people out of

Egypt. David learned courage from his own experience as a shepherd.

Later, the one who has learned how to take on wild animals in the defense

of his flock would be called upon to take on the biggest wild animal of all,

mighty Goliath, in the defense of God’s flock. It is in Genesis 12 in

which God first speaks to Abraham. God’s dealings with Abraham didn’t

start with him as a seventy-year-old man about to set out on a journey to

Canaan. God had been preparing Abraham for a while. Abraham’s father,

Terah, first set out for Canaan, taking Abraham with him. However, they

never made it to Canaan, topping and settling in Haran instead. Sarah was

being prepared as well. As Sarah was barren, she was bitter to live in a

society where a woman’s value was measured by her fertility. Paradoxically

her inability in this area was a crucial part of God’s preparation of her for

her role in His plan. In order for her to the mother of the child of promise,

it was necessary for her to be unable to bear children without the direct

Continued on next page

RACHEL BOYCE CIRCLE continued

intervention of God. It is the same for us too. The experiences in which we

find ourselves now may very well turn out to be God’s preparing us for the

good works her has planned for us to do later. It is precisely our faith that

creates the reality gap when we don’t understand how particular trials or

circumstances will work out. So it is that we see Jesus not only showing us

how to have faith in the reality gap, but also exercising that faith for us in

our place. Jesus left the glories of heaven and came to earth, where he

learned humility through obedient suffering. We remember that Jesus

Christ is coming back to bring us to his heavenly home, where we will

gather at another feast in his presence, when the gap between promise and

reality will finally be

closed once and for all.

Belinda Lewis kicked off our week of prayer emphasis, “Lord, teach

us to pray.” Acts 1:14 tells us, “We are all gathered together on one

accord devoting ourselves to pray together.” Our challenge today is to

renew our commitment to prayer. We must remember how important

prayer is in our spiritual life. Prayer is how we sit down and talk to our

Lord. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful in

what it can achieve.” Luke 11:1 says, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as Jesus

taught his disciples.” How do we commit to prayer? We

make our New Year’s resolutions and commit to them. But then

sometimes we fail. But with prayer, we always come back to that

commitment. Why can’t we set aside a time a day to pray as we set aside a

time to get ready for work? We need to a lovely place to pray (your

closet, a bright room, a cozy place free from distractions) to talk to God.

Make yourself accountable for praying each day. Perhaps start a prayer

journal, as ornate or as simple as you would like. Perhaps start by reciting

the Lords Prayer, the Psalms or your own favorite prayer. Then start your

own personal talk with God. Belinda distributed index cards to us with

subjects of topics to pray about. She started with the subject on her own

card and then allowed each of us to pray about the subject on our own

card. Our group enjoyed praying out loud and together. This exercise has

taught us how easy it is to renew our commitment to prayer as personal or

as global as we wish to pray.

Barbara introduced our 2018 circle leaders: Jane Falls of the

Rachel Boyce Circle, Laura Bumgardner of the Suzanne Elliott Circle and

Gail Jones of the Mary Kennedy Circle. Daughtry Hopper gave the blessing

for our group meeting and our meal.

RACHEL BOYCE CIRCLE continued

Jane Falls opened our abbreviated meeting with seven member in

attendance. Jane made sure that all of us had our Bible Study books and

2018 Yearbooks. Barbara Oates added our women’s constitution, bylaws

and a glossary of terms. Jane read the highlights of the PWM newsletter.

There will be a planning meeting of PWM yearly projects on January 15th

at 6:00PM. On January 17th the Midweek program resumes. On January

31st our circle (Group 1) is responsible for desserts for Midweek. Evelyn

Spearman read the minutes of the December meeting. Our treasurer,

Belinda Lewis, said we will be making our first quarter payments at our next

meeting. We will keep Norm Bumgardner in our prayers as he was recently

in the hospital. We will keep Bobby Falls in our prayers as he continues to

get well. We will keep MaryAnn Clemmer in our prayers as we misses her

Pisgah sisterhood very much. Jane dismissed our meeting as we recited the

Mitzpah Benediction.

Mary Kennedy Circle

The Mary Kennedy Circle members enjoyed the joint Pisgah

Women's Ministries meeting on January 13, 2018.

Janet Crawford gave our opening in song.

Barbara Oates, Susan Jenkins, and Belinda Lewis were also on the

program.

Our 2018 study books on Abraham and the 2018 yearbook were

distributed.

Our circle leader, Gail Jones, read the PWM newsletter and

reminded us of important dates.

After our meeting, all circles gathered for soup, sandwich, and

dessert meal.

Submitted by Myra Stewart

PLAN YOUR SPRING GETAWAY TODAY…

Most of you know that Pisgah owns a beautiful cottage at Bonclarken which is used for church events and retreats. However, we want to make sure that you know that this

cottage is also available for Pisgah members and their family to enjoy as well. Bonclarken as well as the surrounding Hendersonville area are beautiful places to spend quality time with your family!

Each January the Pisgah Congregation has the opportunity to submit requests for the use of the Bonclarken Cottage. Reservations are accepted for the current year. All requests should be submitted through the church office.

Some of the guideline for use of the Bonclarken Cottage have changed, please refer to your Pisgah Yearbook or the church office for details.

Plenty of dates are still available on the Bonclarken Cottage Calendar!

All requests should be submitted through the church office via phone or email– sherry@pisgaharpchurch.org

Sr. High Retreat March 2-4

Middle School Retreat March 16-18

March Madness Fundraiser March 18

Palm Sunday March 25

Maundy Thursday Service March 29

Easter Egg Hunt March 31

Easter Sunday April 01

Youth Sunday April 15

Golf Tournament April 21

5th Sunday Breakfast April 29

PWM High Tea Event May 5

May Meeting May 6

Mother’s Day May 13

Summer in the Grove May 16

PWS Graduation May 22

The sympathy of the Pisgah congregation is extended to Brian Ormand and family in the death of Brian's father, Dr. Fredrick Tuttle Ormand on January 14, 2018; to Robert and Lynn Becker and their families. Robert's aunt, Louise McCurry Shaw, passed away on January 12, 2018 in South Carolina. Lynn's Uncle, James Christina, passed away on January 12, 2018 in Connecticut. The sympathy of the Pisgah congregation is extended to Robin Starnes McCarver and her family in the passing of her father-in-law, Rick McCarver.

Get the SCOOP from Ann… Hospital patients – Nate Wray, Diane Starnes, Alice Stewart,

Claudette Pearson, Norman Bumgardner

Welcome...A warm welcome is extended to our newest member, Jason

Hall, as he united with our church by Profession of Faith on January

28, 2018.

Did you know that – District II of the Daughters of the American

Revolution met on July 29, 2017 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in

Gastonia. Anne Lewellen had her picture in the January 9, 2018

Gaston Gazette with other representatives of the Major William

Chronicle chapter.......Nathan Wray was on the Dean's List at Gardner-

Webb University for the fall of 2017.......Lauren Romines was selected

for first chair on the French Horn for the All-County Band. Lauren is a

7th grader.......The flowers in the sanctuary on January 14, 2018 were

given in honor or Robert and Ann Teague's 50th Wedding Anniversary,

which was on December 16, 2017, by Kevin and Tracy Adams and

Bob and Rachel Teague and their families.......High School students

chosen to participate in the UNC Charlotte invitational Honors Band

received scholarships. Kaylie Crawford, second chair in the flute

section, received an $8,000 scholarship.......Kathy and Chris Spencer

hosted the Pisgah Sanctuary Christmas Party on January 3, 2018 at the

Iron Gate Farm in South Carolina......Jeff Adams won a basketball

shooting contest on January 24, 2018 at Western Carolina University

during the girls basketball game. He raced against another contestant to

get a successful layup, a free throw shot, and a 3 point shot in less than

30 seconds...

2/02 Rebecca Howe

2/09 Treasure & Alan Teague

2/16 Bobby & Edith Falls

Listed below is our meals-on-wheels

schedule. If you cannot deliver on the date I

have assigned you, please contact someone

on the schedule and see if they will swap

days with you. If you change your schedule,

please call Phyllis at the Adult Nutrition

Office at 704-862-7825 and let her know

about the change.

Thank you for delivering meals on wheels

and if you have any problems, please call

me.

Thanks.

Treasure Teague 704-867-9809

February

Delivery

Schedule

Lauren Romines made The Gazette being selected as a Star Musician for November at W.C. Friday Middle School. Lauren Romines is the daughter of Deanna Oates Merrill and John Romines. “Lauren, an honor roll member, is a phenomenal self-motivated young student. She has been playing piano for five years, played trumpet for two years and recently switched to French horn. Lauren demonstrates diligence and dedication in all she is involved. She is also an active member in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Lauren is respected by both classmates and teachers, and a true pleasure to have in class. She is the type of musician when given a piece of music, will have learned it by the next day. With a drive for excellence in music and her school work, plus an inquisitive mind Lauren will have many wonderful opportunities in her future”. Cindy Owens School Band Director

Pisgah’s Sunshine Friends

Mary Bell 2223 Sparrow Springs Road Kings Mountain, NC 28086 Elizabeth (Lib) Boyd Alexandria Place 1770 Oak Hollow Road Gastonia, NC 28054 704-865-1144 Jane Carson 218 W. Forestland Ct. West Colombia, SC 29169 803-796-1349 Mary Ann Clemmer The Haven @ Springwood 2321 Freedom Hwy. York, PA 17402 717-741-9919 Eva Nell Crawford Summitt Place Room 316 1001 Phifer Rd. Kings Mountain, NC 28086 Helen Foy Brookdale Union Room 25 1717 Union Road Gastonia NC 28054 POB 550745 Gastonia, NC 28055 Gail Greene Morningside 2755 Union Road Gastonia, NC 28054 Johnnie Henry 1610 B Union Road Gastonia, NC 28054 704-865-3385

Isabell Hiatt Covenant Village Room B-141 1351 Robinwood Road 7A Gastonia, NC 28054 704-867-2846 Betty Mincey Delmar Gardens Apt 414 414 King Way Spring Valley Smyrna, GA 30082 (980)-329-3448 Jennie Delle Ormand 946 Oates Road Bessemer City, NC 28016 704-864-2160 Claudia Propst 2666 Providence Dr. Mail to PO Box 12714 Gastonia, NC 28052 Gastonia, NC 28052 (704)864-8254 Sheldon Spencer Summit Place Room 310 1001 Phifer Road Kings Mtn, NC 28086 Dean Thompson 1023 Unity Church Road Kings Mtn., NC 28086 704-288-7245

Financial Report for December 2017

General Fund Gifts & Disbursements for the month Envelopes $ 34,505.17 Honorariums & Memorials 3,791.00 Loose Cash Received in Collection Plates 362.00 Sunday School Offerings 147.00 Initial Offerings 30.00 Total Contributions for month $ 38,835.17 Total Disbursements for month $ (30,423.50) Receipts less disbursements $ 8,411.67 General Fund YTD Gifts & Disbursements YTD Total Gifts $ 375,203.49 YTD Disbursements (359,541.90) YTD G/F Gifts less G/F Disbursements $ 15,661.59 Building Fund Gifts & Disbursements for month Envelopes $ 3,915.00 Honorariums/Memorials 1,080.00 Sunday School Offering (1st Sunday) 29.00 Interest received from Bank of the Ozarks/First National 1.18 Total Receipts for month $ 5,025.18 Paid on FLOC mortgage in month (1,984.89) BCIF Receipts less disbursements $ 3,040.29 Designated Gifts for month Bonclarken Maint. Fund $ 5.00 Cemetery Trust Fund 604.80 ARP World Missions 100.00 Crisis Assistance Ministry 100.00 Pisgah Basketball 250.00 Received on movie Finding Christmas 500.00 Pisgah Youth 132.00 Synod Thanksgiving Offering 25.00 Benevolence Fund 200.00 On Synod Payment 310.00 Received for copies made 134.42 Received on cost of new calling system 330.00 Use of building 25.00 Received on retaining wall replacement costs 7,025.00 Gift received for 2018 8,000.00 Capital Campaign 2015 gifts & pledge payments 4,980.00 Total Designated Receipts for the Month $22,721.22

2017 Annual Budget is $387,425 or $32,285.42 per month.

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LOVE GOD

LOVE OTHERS