KIRK COURIER we gather • we worship • we learn • we serve NOVEMBER 2018

We gather in the name of Jesus Christ to worship God and by the power of the Holy Spirit do God’s work in the world.

Williamsburg Presbyterian Church 215 Richmond Road Williamsburg, VA 23185 (757) 229-4235 www.mywpc.org

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THE KIRK COURIER is published monthly by

Williamsburg Presbyterian Church

215 Richmond Road Williamsburg, VA 23185

Church Office Hours Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Tel: (757) 229-4235 Fax: (757) 253-7737 www.mywpc.org

secretary@mywpc.org • wpcnews@mywpc.org

Pastoral Staff

John E. Morgan Pastor/Head of Staff

jmorgan@mywpc.org Harold McKeithen, Jr.

Covenant Pastor for Congregation Care hmckeithen@mywpc.org

Rachel Hébert Associate Pastor for Community Care

rhebert@mywpc.org

Program StaffAdrian Williams

Director of Education Ministries awilliams@mywpc.org

Jodie Davis Director of Childcare, MOPS and VBS

jdavis@mywpc.org

Music Staff Christopher Bechtler

Director of Music Ministries cbechtler@gmail.com

Norman Elton Organist

Assistant Director of Music wnelto@wm.edu Rebecca Elton

Carol Choir Director rebecca.n.elton@gmail.com

Robin Restrepo Director of Handbells

restrepofam@hotmail.com

Administrative Staff Lynne Bundick

Director of Administration Ministries lbundick@mywpc.org

Vanessa Gamble Church Secretary

vgamble@mywpc.org Martha Reier

Administrative Assistant mreier@mywpc.org

Facility Staff Ed Brock

Facility Manager ebrock@mywpc.org

Dennis Joyal Sexton

Audio Technician John Schoenberger

UPCOMING WORSHIP

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES AT 9:30 & 11:00AM

9:30am service is live-streamed on the WPC website.

11:00am service is broadcast on FM 97.7 and AM 740.

You may also listen on-line at www.wmbgradio.com.

The weekly worship bulletin is available at www.mywpc.org.

Church School begins at 9:30am for children, youth and adults.

November 11 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 12:38-44 The Trouble with Money

November 18 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 13:1-9 Guest Preacher: Rev. Henry Brinton

November 25 Christ the King Sunday Revelation 1:4b-8 Alpha and Omega

December 2 1st Sunday of Advent Preparing the Way: Bringing Hope Communion served at both services. Luke 21:25-36

December 9 2nd Sunday of Advent Preparing the Way: Making Peace Luke 3:1-6 The Word of God Came to John in the Wilderness

Williamsburg Presbyterian Church

WPC PYF

Be sure to visit and/or "Like" our Facebook pages

The next issue of the Kirk Courier Newsletter

will be the December Kirk Courier.

The deadline is Friday, November 16. Submit your articles to

vgamble@mywpc.org with KIRK COURIER in the subject line.

Please keep in mind you welcome to submit your articles and

announcements early. You do not have to wait until the deadline!

Veterans Day

Sunday, November 11

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 22

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OUR PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE

On November 1 the church celebrated All Saints’ Day. I realize that many people associate this celebration with the Roman Catholic Church, but Presbyterians have recognized this liturgical holiday

for centuries. The important distinction is that Presbyterians do not “venerate” saints to a higher level, but rather lift up all who served Jesus Christ and now live with him in glory.

The Companion to the Book of Common Worship states: “All Saints’ Day is a time to rejoice in all who through the ages have faithfully served the Lord. The day reminds us that we are part of one continuing, living communion of saints…To rejoice with all the faithful of every generation expands our awareness of a great company of witnesses above and around us like a cloud (Heb. 12:1)…Reminded that God was faithful of the past, we are reassured that God is with us today, moving us and all creation toward God’s end time.”

November is a time for giving thanks and we who have been blessed by this congregation, and by those who have gone before us, have much for which to be thankful. May our thanks overflow and bring abundant praise to our God.. ~John

Please Plan to Attend “The Welcoming Congregation” Seminar

Saturday, November 17

9:00am to 12:00pm

Stevenson Hall.

Special Guest: Rev. Henry G. Brinton

Rev. Brinton is the author of the book, The Welcoming Congregation: Roots and Fruits of Christian Hospitality which

inspired our committee and our welcoming initiative. He is the senior pastor of Fairfax Presbyterian Church in

Fairfax Virginia and a regular contributor to USA Today and the Washington Post. In the introduction to the book he

writes, “Every time people sit down to eat and drink together there is the possibility that community will grow and

people will be reconciled to one another. This is good news for a fractured world, and a strong sign of the

importance of being a welcoming congregation that embraces all people with God’s love and grace.”

The seminar is sponsored by our Welcoming Congregation Ministry and it is their hope this seminar will take us to

the next level of outward focused hospitality in our congregation. All are invited to this special event because

the only way we can be a truly welcoming congregation is if everyone practices hospitality.

Light refreshments will be served.

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CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEWS

MOPS in November!

The WPC MOPS November meeting will take place on Thursday,

November 15, at 5:30pm.

For the first time ever, we will be OFF-SITE, and this will be a “MOPS and

POPS” night. Spouses are welcome to join us for a fun and relaxing night out

at Paul’s Deli (4345 New Town Ave.). Everyone will be responsible for their

meal. Childcare with dinner will be provided at the church, but ONLY for

those that RSVP, and children will need to be picked up by 7:30pm.

Please contact Jodie Davis, WPC MOPS coordinator (jdavis@mywpc.org) with

any questions, or to RSVP! You DO NOT need to be a member of WPC to join the group and friends are

welcome to attend.

New Book Selections for Upcoming Discussions

Sixteen ladies attended our October meeting to discuss The All-Girl Filling

Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg. Under the excellent leadership and

organizational skills of Judy Austin, she began with a computer interview

with Fannie Flagg. Some of the interesting biographical facts about the

author that Judy shared was that Fannie’s real name was Patricia Neal, she

was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1944, was an actress and writer best

know for her Fried Green Tomatoes that became a movie.

The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion, Sookie’s story was her discovery

that she was not a southern Methodist person, but an illegitimate Polish

Catholic who was 60 and not 59. Fritizi Jurdabralinski’s story was about how she and her sisters saved the family

filling station, and how they became flying pilots for the WASP--freeing men for combat roles.

Most people had not heard of the WASP—Women Airforce Service Pilots--so Judy shared photographs, and I

shared photos and text about an actual WASP who once lived and died at Patriots Colony. From a beginning

number of 28 women in 1942, the WASP quickly increased to 1,102 but they did not receive their due recognition

until 1977 when President Carter signed a law granting the WASP military status. All agreed it was a fun read.

Our last meeting for 2018 is November 26th, at 2:00 p.m. in the library, and we will discuss Grandma Gatewood’s

Walk by Ben Montgomery. In 1995, Emma Gatewood, a 67-year-old-great-grandmother told her family she was

going for a walk. With a change of clothes and less than two hundred dollars her “walk” was the 2,050 mile

Appalachian Trail. Linda Adamchak will be our leader.

Our January 28th book is Killers of the Flower Moon; The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. Judy

Austin and myself will share the discussion. The Williamsburg Library non-fiction group will be discussing this

book on November 15th at 2:00 p.m. at the Stryker Building. Anyone may attend.

February 25th we will discuss The Birth Order by Dr. Kevin Leman and Joanne Andrews will lead the discussion.

For our November meeting, please bring suggestions for books for March, April and May 2019. You may also mail

suggestions to me before November 26th. Thank you and keep reading.

Questions about the book club? Contact Joann Dettmann at (757-345-5717 or dettjo2x39@gmail.com.)

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CHRISTIAN OUTREACH IN ACTION

RISE AGAINST HUNGER

PACKING EVENT

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WPC NEWS

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 had wide implications for charitable giving. As you plan for your 2018 year-

end giving and beyond, we hope you will find the following tax-wise giving information useful. As always, we

encourage you to contact your financial advisor and tax advisor for more details about your personal situation.

Postmarks Matter!

If you are sending a gift by check to be recognized in 2018 be sure that the check AND the postmark on the

envelope are both dated on or before December 31, 2018.

Appreciated Securities

Gifting appreciated securities remains one of the most effective vehicles for charitable giving. Receiving the fair

market value of the stock and avoiding capital gains taxes is just another way for you to save despite the cap on

state and local taxes. Williamsburg Presbyterian Church maintains a brokerage account to accept your gift of

appreciated securities. Please contact Vanessa Gamble or Lynne Bundick for gifting instructions. December 15 is

the deadline for receiving your instructions.

Charitable Giving and IRAs

If you are 70½ or older, you may gift all or a portion of your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) directly from

your Individual Retirement Account to a church or nonprofit organization up to $100,000, thus limiting your

amount of taxable income. This giving process is called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), counts toward

your RMD, and is not considered taxable income.

Bundling your Charitable Giving

Many individuals are considering the benefit of grouping several years of giving into one year by contributing larger

than usual amounts to their church or nonprofit organization. Doing so may allow you to itemize in this year,

while taking the standard deduction in subsequent years. In short, you are front-loading your charitable giving to

take advantage of the charitable deduction with a multi-year gift. WPC will acknowledge your gift in the year

received, and credit your future annual pledges as you direct.

The Joyful Season of Christmas is Upon Us

We anticipate and celebrate our Lord’s birth with worship, programs, music, workshops and decorations here at

WPC. As usual, the Worship Ministry is inviting all members and friends who would like to participate in the

decorations to sponsor the purchase of a poinsettia. The requested donation is $13 per poinsettia. Funds collected

in excess of the cost of poinsettias purchased will be used to offset the expense of purchasing additional fresh

greenery and the Christmas tree to complete our decorations. Beginning Sunday, November 11, the order

envelopes for poinsettias will be available in your worship bulletin. After that you can find order envelopes

inside the Friendship Register and in the Church Welcome Center. All orders for poinsettias must be received

by Tuesday, December 4.

Alternative Giving: Gift of Christmas

WPC's Gift of Christmas Program will begin for the season on Sunday December 2. When you make your

donations through the Gift of Christmas program you will receive a card and an angel ornament that you can keep

or give to recipients on your gift list. In addition, these donations will be recorded as a part of the overall

philanthropy of WPC. This program is a wonderful way to honor family and friends; many in our congregation

give donations as a part of their gift giving each year. Gifts may also be given in memory of loved ones who have

passed away - you will receive a memorial card to commemorate these gifts. The Gift of Christmas is a wonderful

way to celebrate the joy of Christmas and pass it along to others. For more information contact Karen Annoni

(757-565-7272).

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PRESBYTERIAN MEN Presbyterian Men's Fellowship Breakfast Program

On Saturday, December 8th, our Presbyterian Men’s Fellowship will have as its guest

speaker, Wilford Kale, church member, historian and author. Wilford has authored

numerous books devoted to the history of the Historic Triangle and he will use his just

released work, Yorktown, Virginia – A Brief History, and his book, From Student to Warrior –

A Military History of the College of William and Mary, published last year, to provide us the

background on how a book is developed. Wilford will be sharing some of the highly

interesting discoveries involved in his extensive research to create these valuable

contributions to the history of the region. Don’t miss this opportunity to have breakfast

with Wilford and become much more knowledgeable of our history from one of the most noted authors within our

midst.

The meeting begins at 8:00 a.m. in Stevenson Hall with fellowship and breakfast. All men and women of the

Williamsburg community and guests are welcome. There is a time for fellowship, a great home cooked meal, and a

hymn sing. Please make your reservations by Wednesday, December 5th, at the church Welcome Center so that we

can prepare enough home-cooked food for all. A donation of $5.00 will be requested at the breakfast.

Men’s Bible and Bacon Breakfast

On Tuesdays, November 14th and 28th men of our church will meet at 7:00am in Stevenson Hall for bible study,

fellowship, and breakfast. The study is over at 8:00am to encourage participation by men must work that morning.

This is an excellent opportunity for newer members of our church community to get to know longer term

members. Join us for coffee, fellowship, a delicious home cooked bacon and eggs breakfast and lively bible

discussion. Interested? See the weekly announcements bulletins for more details.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN Join our Presbyterian Women Circles in November as we continue our study for the year, “God’s Promise: I am

With You.” In September, we discussed God with Us Wherever We Are, and in October, we discussed God with Us in

Our Uncertainty. In November, our discussions will take place around God with Us in Our Discouragement.

Missed the Circle meetings in September or October? Not a problem! All of our Circles are welcoming new

members any time, and you don’t need to attend EVERY month to be a part of a Circle! Be sure to check out the

meeting dates and times listed here and in the Sunday bulletin and on the electronic message boards in the back

hallway and in Stevenson Hall.

November 2018 Presbyterian Women Circle meetings If the Circle meets at the church, the location is listed. If the Circle meets off-site, please contact the Circle moderator listed for the location of this month’s meeting.

Circle 1: 1st Thursday of the month, 9:30am, WPC room LL010 Circle 4: 1st Tuesday of the month, 7pm (Dawn Schaible, dschaible@cox.net, 757-645-3317) Circle 7: Thursday, November 8, 10am (Pam Maloof, pdkm@icloud.com, 757-253-6520) Circle 3: Monday, November 12, 1pm (Dorothea Shannon, dshannon5@verizon.net, 757-229-6780) Circle 11: Monday, November 12, 1:30pm (Kit Ober, kitandfritzober@yahoo.com, 757-345-0169) Circle 2: Tuesday, November 13, 10am (Pat Underwood, pwu@case.edu, 757-220-8976) Circle 8: Tuesday, November 13, 12pm (Barbara Smith, thebarbarasmith@cox.net, 757-229-8884) Circle 5: Tuesday, November 13, 6:30pm, WPC room 222 Circle 14: Wednesday, November 14, 10am (Linda Pratt, tomrpratt@cox.net, 757-564-9090)

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We Gather • We Worship & Learn • We Serve

215 Richmond Road Williamsburg, VA 23185

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Williamsburg, VA Permit Number 8

Save the Date

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Come watch the Williamsburg Christmas Parade

and stay after for a time of food, fellowship and

advent crafts for adults and kids!

The parade has a new start time of 9am

so the Advent Celebration will begin around 10am.