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Sharing Our Gifts

Table of Contents:

A Note From Your Pastor Page 2, 3

February Calendar Page 4, 5

Concerns of the Church Page 6, 7

February Birthdays /Coffee Hour Page 8

Scholarship /Lunch Bunch/Youth Page 9

Witness News Page 10

New Members Page 11

From the Choir Loft Page 12, 13

Union Mission News Page 14, 15

In Touch

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A NOTE FROM THE PASTOR

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The classroom portion of my time working on my doctor-ate is drawing to a close. By the end of March I should have completed my last term and be ready to start work on my thesis. The end could not come soon enough. It has taken a toll on my ability to exercise. It has limited the amount of repair and maintenance I can do on our home. It has sapped some of the energy I would otherwise have put into planning worship. It has limited the time I can give to visiting you all. For all these rea-sons, I want to express my thanks for your grace (and particular-ly my wife Nancy’s grace) as I have worked on this endeavor. There is one thing I am looking forward to greatly after this term is completed...my sabbatical. For those of you who are not sure what a sabbatical is, it is a time of rest, study, and reju-venation. As part of my terms of call, you have given me three months every five years to rest, study, and rejuvenate. Knowing that I would be working on my doctorate on my fifth year with you, I was given permission by the session to delay my first sab-batical until this year so I could use it to work on my thesis. Be-ginning May 1 until August 1 I will be gone, sometimes at home, sometimes away, always working on my thesis. Having been a school teacher and a software engi-neer, I can say that this is the first profession I have been in that afforded me a sabbatical. I know that college professors are pro-vided sabbaticals, sometimes for as long as a year. I remember hearing a saying that if you need a vacation from your work, you are in the wrong line of work. I loved teaching. I thoroughly en-joyed writing software. I love what I do here in our community of faith. But in each of my careers I have felt my well beginning to run dry from time to time. Some of that feeling comes from being tired. In that case a week or two away does the trick. I can come back to work fully refreshed. But some of that feeling has

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nothing to do with being tired. It has everything to do with growing and learning as I do my work. During this sabbatical I will be given a chance to do re-search and writing over long swaths of time. I will be challenged to do a different type of writing. My writing will be more schol-arly in nature. I will be exploring schools of thought, making hy-potheses and testing them, and making a 30,000 - 40,000 word report which will hopefully bear out the claim I am making in my thesis. This work will change me in ways that will make me a better pastor. Before I close, I want to thank you for the generous gift I received for Christmas. You are so kind and loving to me and Nancy. I love being your pastor and look forward to many more years of accompanying you in your journey of faith. Much love, Joe

A NOTE FROM THE PASTOR

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FEBRUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

6:30 pm Choir

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2 7:00 pm Evening Circle @ Marie Anderson’s

618 Park Avenue, RR

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5 SCOUT SUN-DAY

9:45 am Sunday School 11:00 am Worship

“SOUPER BOWL” SUNDAY 5:15 pm Evening Service

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 6:00 pm Worship Committee 7:00 pm Witness Committee

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

9:45 am Morning Circle

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 6:00 pm Gifts of Women Committee (choir room)

6:30 pm Choir

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9 6:00 pm Finance & Personnel

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12

DONALD MARSDEN—PRESBYTERIAN

FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP 9:45 am Sunday School

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FEBRUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13 7:00 pm Christian Ed

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 12:00 Noon Lunch Bunch @ El Tenampa

6:30 pm Choir

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19 9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 am Worship 5:15 pm Evening Service

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20

6:30 pm Session

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 6:30 pm Choir

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25

PRESBYTERY MEETING @ Cary Presbyterian Church

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26 9:45 am Sunday School

11:00 am Worship 5:15 pm Evening Service 6:00 pm Youth Supper

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Our deepest sympathy is extended to

the family of Anne Barnes

who left this earthly world to be with

her Lord and Savior

on

January 28, 2017

CONCERNS OF THE

On-Going Care

Jim and Margo Allen

Katherine Carraway

Joyce Crane

Mae Gribble, Judy Oglesby’s grand-

mother

Hazel Welch

ALL people who provide on-going

care

Worldwide Concerns * SYRIA and YEMEN civil war * SOMALIA, drought, famine, anarchy

* EGYPT and LIBYA political unrest *ISRAEL,GAZA, PALESTINE, peaceful coexistence

* IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, security *USA, air war in Syria and Iraq

*NIGERIA 190 abducted Chibok school girls

*Syrian refugees

*Ukrainian people victimized by foreign aggression

*Victims of hurricane

SPECIAL PRAYERS

We pray for the Children of

Clara Hearne and Aureli-

an Spring Schools and

our ministry to them.

We pray for Stanley White

and Littleton Churches

during their uncertain

times of not having a

pastor.

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Healing Friends & Families of the Church

Clark Chase, grandson of Bobbi Scott

Patsy Rawlings

David Grimes

Scott & Melanie Cranford, 4083 Principal Circle NW, Conover, NC

28613 Greg Shaffer

Jerry Hux

Priscilla Ricks

Greg Smith, brother of Cheryl Wingfield

Bella Berman

Trinidad Muehlhans, Jenny Shives father

John Anderson

Nellie Wilkins, breast cancer

Kelly Allen, friend of Judy Oglesby, breast

cancer

Bill Howell

Doug Hayes

Clark Young

Harry Fishel

Glenn & Gayle Garner, coordinator @ Meals on Wheels

Mary Lee McCoy, Ed Burnett’s aunt, stroke

Sally Ray Warren

Sheryl and Wayne O’Neil

Ken and Holly Phipps & family

Kevin and Michael

Joyce Thomas

Yvonne Joyner and family

Harry Bright

Bobbie Bright, recovering from stroke

Jabari Bullock and family, friends of Danny Phipps

Angie Richardson and family, friends of Danny Phipps

Randall Warren

Eric Clary, Wally Spragins’ step-father, brain tumor

Greg Batchelor

Marie Anderson, broken foot

Christian sympathy is extended to Ted

Churn, Executive Presbyter Stated Clerk,

on the death of his mother on

February 1st.

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Brian Harris 10th

Margaret Biggs 14th

Ginger Phipps 15th

Rachel Pate 16th

Cheryl White 16th

Jonathan Hayes 17th

John Patterson 19th

G.C. Warren 19th

Cameron Pate 22nd

Shanna Tant 25th

Tammy Spragins 27th

To celebrate GIFTS OF WOMEN SUNDAY

On March 5, 10-10:45 am

In the Loy Building for coffee and fellowship!

No Sunday School will be held that Sunday.

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PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE YOUTH TO GO

SKATING AND TO THE MOVIES!

WATCH FOR DETAILS!

Our semi annual collections to support the First Presbyterian Scholarship have been designated for the last Sunday in February and the last Sunday in September for 2017. Sunday, February 26 is our next opportunity

to contribute to the fund. Applications for our scholarship can be picked up at the church

office, or obtained by emailing Peggy Howard, chairperson @howardp411@gmail.com Com-

pleted applications are due by March 31, 2017.

FPC Lunch Bunch @ El Tenampa

Please join us for a Dutch treat lunch, at 12:00 Noon, each month as

we fellowship together! Everyone is welcome!

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Happy February everyone! Before long it will be March and God’s creation will begin to bloom!

Sunday, February 5th, we will be collecting cans of soup for our Souper Bowl food drive. Last year you donated over ninety cans of soup and non-perishable food which were greatly appreciated by Bethlehem Food Pantry and Union Mission. Let’s out-do ourselves this year! You can place your items in the plastic tub or nearby if necessary.

Let’s all remember our canned soup on the fifth!

You have probably heard that Donald Marsden will visit on February 12. He will speak during Sunday School, Worship and after our covered dish lunch. Donald’s talks

are always informative and interesting. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about his work abroad and make a personal connection with a Presbyterian minister who devotes his time and energy to missionary work. Bring a covered dish to share and join us during this time of celebration of Donald and Laurie’s work abroad. See you then!

Other Witness Committee projects continue. Thanks to all of those who volunteer with Book Bag Buddies, and

Guardian Ad Litem (help for foster children). Your monetary donations are greatly appreciated as they allow us to continue to assist during disasters, here and

abroad; as well as supporting Donald and Laurie Marsden and Larry and Inge Sthreshley.

Thanks to our congregation for supporting our committee as we work to provide for those in need.

Bev Hummel reporting for the Witness Committee

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Ashley Christy with sons, Ben and Preston

Wally and Tammy

Spragins

105 Steeplechase Run

Roanoke Rapids

537-0852

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FROM THE CHOIR LOFT…..

“Love Lifted Me”

“Tis the season of hearts, roses and love.

And so, I think of favorite hymns pertaining to love.

“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” and “Oh, Love That Will Not

Let Me Go” are two examples. But, one of my all time favorite

hymns harkens back to my youth-- “Love Lifted Me.”

“I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore,

Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more;

But the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry,

From the waters lifted me, Now safe am I.”

That was a hymn that had such bounce and verve that it was just

plain fun to sing! And, with its rollicking rhythm, it was music

with which you could skip. But, as a child while forced to

stillness in church, my mind would wander to what it would be

like to drown. I spent many hours playing in the Chowan River

and my mother instilled the fear of deep waters in me. She could

not swim, so who would save me?

As my thinking turned from concrete to abstract, I realized the

song was not about drowning in water, but a metaphor. I pictured

some prisoner in a dark cell clutching his Bible because he had

found Jesus. Or, some alcoholic that had hit rock bottom and

through God’s salvation, was able to turn his life around from sin.

And then, one day, the big, “Whuh-oh.” Could I be that sinner?

Having let down family, friends, God? Suffocating under shame,

guilt and broken heartedness, I grasp for the joyous refrain:

“Love Lifted Me! Even Me! Love Lifted Me!

When nothing else could help, Love Lifted Me!”

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Oh, how true, how true! Isn’t it love that jettisons us through our

days? The love of dear family, forgiving friends, a changeless

God. .. and, the love that puts a spring in our step when we give it

to others…Even good deeds for strangers buoys us above our

normal states of mind.

But, perhaps you do not know this old hymn. Maybe you have

just forgotten it. So, I submit to you, is it the words or melody

that gives a song lasting value? After all, we sing the lyrics of

our National Anthem to an old British drinking song. And, did

you know that you can sing the words of “Amazing Grace” to the

melody of “House of the Rising Sun?” Would this hymn be more

effective today if Josh Groban sang it as a melodious ballad. Oh,

or better yet, if Adele belted it in one of her gut-wrenching

vocals… Hmmm… doubtful. Nope. Not going to happen.

So, I guess I’ll stick with the good old happy jack tune, which

emulating the words of the song, puts a buoyancy in the step, a

joy in the heart and a lift of the spirit. Like love. When nothing

else could help, love lifted me!

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!

Denise Hackenburg

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This week, in the midst of our Board of

Directors meeting, I was impressed with the connection Union Mission has to the communi- ty. As I listened to each board and staff member express their

particular thanksgiving for the Mission I couldn’t help but notice a theme. Thankfulness and Praise to God for what he is doing at Union Mis-

sion. I heard mention of our new women's shelter, our men’s program, our food cooperatives and how the prayers of many have helped us along the

way as we attempt to “Touch the Roanoke Valley With Love.” It was indeed a privilege to be with these people as they talked about the coming months

of ministry here at Union Mission.

In our meeting we discussed our challenges for the coming year and the common thread in that discussion was money. It takes money to carry out

the ministry to those who are hungry and those who are homeless. Thank-fulness was expressed for our donors and our volunteers.

We want to thank you personally for the financial gifts and the volunteer hours you have sent our way. 2016 was indeed a financial challenge for

Union Mission. It takes each of us giving to this ministry. We thank you for being a part of our team. In 2017 we cannot do this ministry without you.

As we closed our meeting, I believe all of us left with a sense of pride in our work at Union Mission and the gratefulness to the Lord for allowing us to be a part of this ministry. We look forward to 2017 with the challenges, oppor-tunities, and the realization that God is touching people with His love at Un-

ion Mission.

Thank you,

Here is how we all did last year!

Meals served 13,632 -- Food Boxes Distributed 8,562 Individuals assisted 16,795 -- Households 9,755

Nights of stay in our shelters - 3,374

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Women and Men's Programming

Our Women's programming is headed by Rev. Anna D. Anderson who works with a team of volunteers in providing quality programming for women who are accepted into our program of recovery. Women who are interested in participation in Room At The Inn must complete an application, be inter-

viewed by our team, and if accepted begin a 90 day program of Bible study and work therapy that is divided into three phases.

Our Men's programming is headed by Rev. Mike Currin who directs a pro-

gram of Bible Study, work therapy, and counseling. The three phase program is designed to help men access why they are at Union Mission, set goals, and move toward completing those goals while they are residing at Union Mis-

sion.

A main focus of our residential program is the study of Matthew 5, 6, and 7. The learning of spiritual disciplines prepares our residents as they move to

self-sufficiency.

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