new covenant connection · come have some fun with friends as we play board games, ping pong and...
TRANSCRIPT
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Pastor’s Article…………………1-2
Christian Education…………......3
Youth Group
Congregational Life
News from the Pews…….….4
December Festivities……….5
Deacons’ Ministry………………..6
Mission Ministry
Angel Tree & ODB…………....7
2019 Neighborhood House
& Souper Bowl of Caring…...8
Session Highlights………………9
Clerk and Treasurer
Stewardship Ministry………..…10
Vision Task Ministry……………11
Who’s Who at NCPC in 2020….11
Worship Ministry………………..12
Calendar……………………….....13
(includes church activities,
birthdays, anniversaries, and
outside group building use)
New Covenant Connection New Covenant Presbyterian Church
Web: www.newcov-church.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (302)378-4446
January 2020 Volume 59
Dear friends,
As we begin the new calendar year
we enter the church season called
Epiphany. We listen once again to the
story of the wise men coming to honor
Jesus. In the gospel of Matthew we
hear: “When they saw that the star had stopped, they were
overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the
child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him
homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him
gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been
warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own
country by another road.” (Matthew 2: 10-12)
As a church family seeking to be faithful to God with what
God is calling us to BE and DO as New Covenant Presbyterian
Church, I believe the new year holds great promise for us as a
congregation. Of course, great rewards follow dedication, hard
work, and sacrifice. I hope you have been praying for the
guidance of the Holy Spirit as I have. Your leaders have begun
envisioning the future for us and dreaming of new ways of
“being church.” And I hope and pray that, as the Spirit guides
us, WE will have the courage and wisdom to say “YES” to
whatever the Spirit asks of us. The way ahead may not be
easy, but there is no need to hesitate or be afraid. Wherever
we go, God will go with us, and we will walk beside our sisters
and brothers in faith.
Continued on page 2
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I strongly believe that God called me here for a reason, and the success I think we will enjoy will
come as a result of a strong partnership we form. I thank you for the opportunity to serve with you,
and I pledge to do my best to lead you, together with the officers you elect. I plan on working hard,
but also having some fun with you, as we get to know one another in order to strengthen our bond.
As long as we commit ourselves to work together in a spirit of cooperation and love, nothing will be
impossible.
Of course, the growth we hope will come to us, may come in many forms. First and foremost, we
must build a strong team, strengthen our foundation, and set our priorities. Growth normally
necessitates change, and change doesn’t come easily. And so I would suggest that we all enter into
this season by praying for wisdom and forbearance. I will be working with the Session and Vision
Task Force to set a path for this Body of Christ. Please join in when you can and remember that my
door will always be open to talk with you, and help you find the place where God might be calling you
to serve. Our goals will only be accomplished if they are “of God” and if we seek to serve our God
with all the energy, intelligence, imagination and love we have. There may be times when the
direction the Session chooses will not be our own individual preference, but we must persevere with
Christ as our Leader, trusting that we are being faithful to our calling. Let us place our trust and hope
in God and God’s will for us.
My primary goal is to encourage and enable people to be nurtured on their journey of faith – to
recognize and honor the Spirit at work in the world, and especially in their lives. This is what the
magi, or wise men, who traveled so far to find the baby Jesus did. Their search for the Christ Child
wasn’t easy. It took courage and perseverance. Our journey may be just as challenging, but in
different ways.
As you are thinking about your hopes and dreams for the new year, I ask you to keep the leaders
of this congregation in your prayers. Pray that the Holy Spirit would come upon us mightily, and that
we would know the presence of the Spirit leading us step-by-step in our planning, team building,
strategizing, learning, goal setting and working together. Pray that we would come to appreciate our
differences, each of us sharing our talents for the good of the community. And, most of all, pray that
peace, harmony and vitality would reign
supreme. May 2020 bring with it a renewed
commitment to invest ourselves in the health
and well-being of this church, for then, we will
truly be God’s faithful stewards. Happy New
Year!
Your pastor and partner in ministry,
Carol
Continued from page 1
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Christian Education Ministry
Children continue their
lessons following the Children’s
Message in worship. Their
theme currently is: Amazing
Grace.
Adults are meeting Sunday
mornings at 8:45 a.m. and also
on Tuesday‘s at 9:30 a.m. The
groups are getting close to
finishing up the book - Canoeing
the Mountains. If anyone has a
suggestion for
our next study,
we would love
to hear from
you. You can
speak with
Carol Fisher, Carol McBride or
Donna Casey.
******************** YOUTH GAME NIGHT
JANUARY 19TH
at the McBride Home
Come have some fun with
friends as we play board
games, ping pong and foosball,
also enjoying some great
snacks.
On December 21st at 9:00 p.m. the youth and some friends
took a Christmas Train Ride on the Wilmington & Western
Christmas Light Express. Fun was had by all.
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We are happy to report that we have 2 new members: Fred Noll and Pat Wright. Welcome to you both!
We are also very thankful for those who have agreed to serve as officers during 2020. Check out the updated 2020 Who’s Who at NCPC.
Happy to report that Stacie Bemis got a good report from her cardiologist. She is keeping her condition under control with medication. The Bemis’ will be wintering in Florida at their new second home.
Col. Mark Hetterly was named "2019/2020 Teacher of the Year" at the Smyrna High School.
The Urban’s lost two of their extended family members in the same week. Please pray for them.
Don Bauer's family came for a weekend visit and decorated his home for Christmas.
Susan Pedersen spent a week in Maine visiting her friend Linda. They enjoyed touring the Christmas lights in the area.
Jane and Mike Adams traveled to Florida to visit family.
Carol and Jay Fisher will be travelling to visit their family in VA and NC after Christmas. They are thankful that their travel is not nearly as extended as when they lived in CO.
Scott and Dottie Burkley became grandparents again. Brienne Nancy-Jo joined the family in November. Congratulations to the entire family.
The staff of NCPC thanks you for the support and love
you share with us ALL year, but we want to say a special
THANK YOU for your generosity at Christmas!
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome
to
Fred & Pat
Fred Noll 302-339-1827 6013 Connery Place Middletown, DE 19709
Pat Wright
508-415-0999 [email protected]
4110 Laughton Lane Middletown, DE 19709
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Supper Club is Off
to a Good Start!
Two groups enjoyed sharing a
meal with good food and fellowship in
November. Nineteen people have signed up to
be part of a these gatherings, but more are
always welcome.
We plan on hosting 2 more in January. It’s
never too late to join in. Just let us know. The
more, the merrier!
Open House at the Fisher’s Sunday, December 8
Christmas Dinner
Our Christmas Dinner had
a bit of face-lift this year. We
had a potluck with lots of
delicious food. The food and fellowship were
great, as was the singing of Christmas carols
karaoke-style. Stay tuned for our next fellow-
ship. opportunity.
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The Deacons partnered with Cadia
Healthcare-Broadmeadow and the Governor
Bacon Health Center for the Christmas season
to provide the residents with some Christmas
cheer. It is amazing what we can accomplish
with a little money and some time to shop with
the needs of residents in mind. Sharing love
can make a world of difference to these folks.
Thanks to all who contribute to the Deacons’
Special Offerings on 5th Sundays. We love
sharing our blessings with others!
Please call the church
office, Landa Lindgren,
or the pastor, if you
would like us to pray
for you, receive a visit
or phone call or need
some other form of
assistance from the deacons or the pastor.
The deacons are eager to be of service, but
they are occasionally unaware of who needs
their help, so please let your church family
know when you would appreciate some special
care. Updates are also appreciated!
Deacons’
Ministry
Jane Adams sister and mom - health concerns
The Cooke’s daughter, Connie, - completing chemo/radiation treatments; will be having surgery in 2020
Gail Gill - health issues
Janet Glaser’s friend, Regina - recovery from an accident
Earlene Kelter - health concerns
Pam Kidd’s mom, Ruth - adjusting to her move to Manor Care
Pam Kidd’s husband, Harry
Alice Megonigal - recovery, broken ankle
Melissa Padgett’s father - cancer treatments
Chris, Alan Pedersen’s friend - hospice
Schaefer’s - health struggles; Craig having tests to determine diagnosis
Karen Urban’s friend, Gary - cancer
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MISSION MINISTRY
AT NCPC
Once again,
NCPC collected
mittens/gloves,
scarves and hats
to help people in
our community
stay warm, 2
scarves, 18 pairs
of gloves and 15
hats were collect-
ed. Many thanks
for this effort at
helping others stay warm this winter! These
items went to Neighborhood House for our
community.
vegetable soup, and chips. Additional volun-
teers are needed to greet the guests and serve
the meal.
ODB serves lunches every Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday, and dinners every
Tuesday and Thursday. Our own Pat Wright
and Pam Leeson are certified as Serve-Safe
Managers, and Paul Willbanks serves as
Treasurer on the ODB Board of Directors. Con-
tact Nancy Carol Willis for more information.
Our Daily Bread Dining Room is a non-profit
corporation formed in 2008. Their Mission is to
feed low income families, individuals, children,
the elderly, and all those in need in the Mid-
dletown, Odessa & Townsend communities,
with nutritious meals in a safe environment.
From 2012-2016 meals were served twice a
month in the Dale United Methodist Church. In
2015 the Town of Middletown began leasing
the former New Castle County Health Building
to ODB. Grant monies and private donations
were used to renovate the building and install a
commercial kitchen and dining room. The first
meal was served in the new building on Sep-
tember 12, 2016.
ODB CODE PURPLE A Code Purple alert in the MOT area is called
whenever temperatures fall below 20 degrees,
placing people without shelter in peril. ODB has
put in place several teams to provide an even-
ing meal and bag breakfast during Code Purple
alerts. One happened on 12/18 with 8 guests.
Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen 2020 Every First Friday of the month, NCPC volun-
teers serve lunch at Our Daily Bread on Broad
Street behind the old Academy building. We
have a dedicated core of volunteers, but would
welcome new faces. Volunteers are needed to
purchase and drop off groceries (you will re-
ceive reimbursement) and to prepare the meal
of chicken salad sandwiches, pasta salad or
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2019 NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE DONATIONS
In 2019, New Covenant Presbyterian Church donated
to Neighborhood House:
78 bags of non-perishable groceries
4 cases of canned vegetables
4 cases of ramen noodles
4 bags toiletries
2 frozen turkeys
2 hams
A HUGE THANK YOU to the NCPC family for supporting this local mission!
IT’S ALMOST SUPER BOWL,
NO, MEANT - SOUPER BOWL TIME?
During January and February, we’ll be
“celebrating” the Super Bowl for Neighborhood
House.
We will be collecting soups of ALL types and kinds and jars, cans, dried mix, etc.
Please leave soups in the
large tote bin in the rear of the
sanctuary under the coat rack.
Thanks a million,
Jane Adams
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SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
Monthly Contributions
(Pledges, Non-Pledge
and Open Plate)
11,517
All Other Income 509
Total Income 12,026
Missions 185
Buildings & Grounds 533
Finance/Operations 408
Personnel 9.530
Total Expenses 10,656
Net Income/Difference +1,370
November
Financial
Report
Cyndi Daniels
November showed a $1,370 gain for the month. This is the second month in a row to show a gain! Due to everyone’s generosity, the expense of relocating our pastor to DE, which was covered by our reserves, has now been repaid! Thanks to all for helping out.
Hope your holiday is going well. It is with mixed emotions that I write this. As of Jan. 1, 2020, I am retiring as your Clerk of Session. My emotions are mixed because I will miss being
on the inside of the NCPC’s future, but at 75, Pam and I will get to really enjoy travelling in our motor home. We will be gone at least 6 months next year. Brian Lindgren has agreed to serve as your Clerk of Session. I certainly thank him and wish him well. As for what is going on, your leaders have been actively planning a program for next year. We ALL need to be committed to support it, that we may grow spiritually and numerically. We hope to attract new members which may positively impact all of our programs. Please be active in your efforts at Outreach and invite friends, neighbors, and those who don’t have a church home to join us. With that, It has been a joy to serve God and the Church. I hope to increase the impact of the Bethel program in our area.
A Grateful Heart
is Generous!
January 19 Installation & Ordination of Officers
during worship
Annual Congregational Meeting
following worship
March 7 Progressive Dinner
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STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY AT NCPC
We learn how to be good stewards of all
the blessings we have from God -
TIME
TALENT
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Our Stewardship Campaign to support our ministry in 2020 is in process. If you have not yet returned your pledge card, please try to do so as soon as possible, so we can plan our 2020 budget accordingly. Everyone should have also received a Time and Talent Survey. We are asking each individual to fill it out, not merely one per family. This way, we will be able to easily identify indi-viduals who can help with particular tasks. If you need addi-tional surveys, you can pick up them up from the table located in the back of the sanctuary. A demonstration of the software used to search the results of the survey will be given during worship in late January 2020. Budget-wise, for the 2020 Budget 32 pledging units (aka families) have pledged $107,084. That covers just over 69% of the $153,420 projected budget. Current estimation of addi-tional giving (unpledged income, loose plate giving and build-ing use income) brings the total anticipated income at approxi-mately $123,000. This leaves us with a shortage of approximately $30,000. As you know from your personal household budget, some expenses are fixed and cannot be adjusted, whereas other expenses are discretionary; our budget, however, is pretty tight with no fluff. When we called Carol as our Pastor, we knew that our budget would need to increase by just over 6%. This information was shared with the congregation several times during the first half of 2019. And, the narrative budget describes how we use the money in our budget. Options from which to get the additional $30,000:
1. Pray/Hope that various members will increase their pledges for 2020 and share this infor-mation with the Stewardship Committee, and/or commit to give one-time additional gift toward the 2020 budget.
2. Increase the number of families pledging and/or increase our membership (and indirectly pledges/weekly offering). Of course, this is an important goal, but it can’t help immediately.
3. Tap into our reserves and cover what does not come from #1 or #2 above. Option #1 is the best plan. It is the plan we feel most confident in so that we may plan our budget accordingly. Please prayerfully consider if you can increase your pledge by about 7%, or make an additional one-time gift with the memo of “2020 budget gift;” Either of these options would be very helpful and allow us to continue our ministry. Option #2 is an important goal of course, but it is really a long term goal, and not an immediate solution. Option #3 of dipping into our reserves is always a possibility for emergencies. but not really one on which we can rely for regular budget expenses.
As of the end of November our income is $6,000 below expected income and our expenses are $17,630 above expected expenses. As a church family, we all need to pull together to further God’s plan for us. Please pray about how God may be calling you to help, Then follow His direction for you. “Blessed to be a Blessing” (Genesis 12:2-3) If you have Questions, Comments or Concerns, please feel free to reach out to me: Ben Urban, Stewardship Elder, 908-500-9705 (m) or [email protected].
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Vision
Task
Force
NCPC’s Vision Task Force continues to re-
flect on the duties and responsibilities of each
committee. We hope to come to Session with
some recommendations for more effective ways
we can work together. We are always open to
suggestions or input that you would like to
share. Task Force Members
Sandy Boyce Bill Shields
Cyndi Daniels Nancy Carol Willis
Brian Lindgren Carol Fisher
Joan Sabbato (ex officio)
We are committed to have a
heart for God and the world.
We plan on taking a serious
look at our community and its
needs and discerning how we
might help them.
Please pray for NCPC as we
envision God’s call for us.
2020 NCPC LEADERSHIP
SESSION
Class of 2020
Carol A. McBride Christian Education
Barbara Montazella Worship
Class of 2021
John Hetterly Congregational Life
Nancy Carol Willis Mission
Arts Ministry
Class of 2022
Donna Casey Christian Education
Joan Sabbato Personnel
Ben Urban Stewardship
Clerk/Asst. Clerk
Brian Lindgren Clerk
Chuck Boyce Evangelism & Assistant Clerk
DEACONS
Kathy Henry and Laura Pedersen Class of 2020
Don Bauer and Ken Hudson Class of 2021
Karen Urban and Janet Glaser Class of 2022 TRUSTEES
Alan Pedersen, Projects Class of 2020
Al Grimminger, Buildings & Grounds Class of 2021
Paul Willbanks, Finance Class of 2022
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January 5 2nd Sunday after Christmas,
Communion
January 6 Epiphany
January 12 Baptism of the Lord Sunday
January 19 Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 26 Third Sunday after Epiphany
WORSHIP
MINISTRY
Epiphany - What’s It All About?
January 6th is called the Epiphany of the Lord on the Chris-
tian calendar, and it is a celebration that completes the Christ-
mas season. The word “Epiphany” comes from a Greek word
which means “manifestation” or “showing forth.” The day
gathers a number of traditional themes: The birth of Jesus as
God’s incarnation - the coming of the Magi - Christ’s baptism
in the Jordan - and Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana.
All of these “show forth” Jesus as being the Christ, God with
us, and the Light of the world.
The Eastern Orthodox branch of the Church follows the older Georgian calendar and celebrates
the Birth of Christ on January 6th. In the Appalachian Mountains, the day is called “Old Christmas”
and the celebration there often goes on into January with much feasting, dancing and fellowship.
Some churches choose to celebrate Epiphany with a Twelfth Night Dinner. These are old Eng-
lish customs celebrated on the last day of the Christmas season. They can be a time of feasting,
music, and fellowship to celebrate the completion of the Christmas season. May each of us find
ways to personally experience the manifestation of Jesus Christ in fresh new ways.
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Red: Church Activities
Blue: Birthdays
Green: Anniversaries
Purple: Outside Groups
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1
Choir
7:00pm
2
Girl Scouts
6:00pm to
7:00pm
3 4
5
6
Bell Choir
7:00pm
7
Bible Study
9:30am
Girl Scouts
5:30pm to
9:00pm
8
Choir
7:00pm
9 10
Ivan Sawyer
11
Jacob Hollick
Girl Scouts
8:30am to
4:30pm
12
Trustee
Meeting
7:00pm
13
Bell Choir
7:00pm
14
Bible Study
9:30am
Girl Scouts
5:30pm to
9:00pm
15
Choir
7:00pm
16
Jacqueline
Easter
Girl Scouts
6:00pm to
7:00pm
17
18
19
Deacon
Meeting after
Worship
Airmont
Meeting 7:00pm
20
Bell Choir
7:00pm
21
Bible Study
9:30am
22
Choir
7:00pm
23
24 25
26
Session
Meeting after
Worship
27
Bell Choir
7:00pm
28
Bible Study
9:30am
29
Choir
7:00pm
30
Summit Pond
Meeting 7:00pm
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RED….…...…..Church activities
PURPLE...…....Outside groups
ORANGE……..Birthdays
GREEN …...….Anniversaries