Volume 57, Issue 4

Volume 59, Issue 6

September 2020

WHAT IS THE SAME— We are maintaining the 50 minute worship/group time

frame. The schedule is designed to help minimize contact with individuals (still sounds very strange) going to other services or groups.

We remain under the governor’s mandate to wear mask. So we are asking everyone who used the church facility at any time during the week to observe his guideline unless you qualify as one of the stated exceptions (age, health, etc.).

WHAT IS NEW— The HERITAGE and FAMILY SERVICES will take place at

the same time in the Worship Center and Gym. Everything about the two services will be different except for the teaching. We will simulcast the teaching live from the worship center into the gym.

We are very excited to have the ELEVATE PROGRAM begin once again. It will be offered during the 10:00 FAMILY SERVICE with the children participating in the family oriented music led primarily by Jay Secrest and then at approximately 10:15 will be dismissed for their own Elevate teaching while the adults receive their teaching.

Most of the LIFE GROUPS that are meeting are preexisting groups. But the 10:15 group called THE MIX is a new group of sorts. (Read Max’s article)

NEW WORSHIP FORMAT BEGINNING OCTOBER 4 9:00 — 9:50 Life Group(s) meeting

Friendship Group in Chapel (Burgett) Crusaders Group in Parlor (Wise) Encouragers in Elevate Room (Kendall)

10:00 — HERITAGE SERVICE (Worship Center)

& FAMILY SERVICE with Elevate (Gym)

10:15—11:05 Life Group(s) meeting The Mix Group (Youth & Adult) Chapel (Baker)

11:15 — CONTEMPORARY SERVICE

We are currently in a Worship Teaching Series through the book of 1 Peter that is AN EXILES GUIDE TO LIVING. If you are unable to worship with us in-person, we encourage you to watch the weekly recording that includes a song from our worship team, a communion prayer, and the weekly lesson. The recording can be found either on our website perrychristian.org OR our Facebook page.

The COVID-19 has required virtually every area of our lives to make adjustments. This most certainly has included how we do church. Initially we went to strictly an on-line presentation. In April and May we added a drive-in options for our services. But when we returned to in-person inside services in June we said that we would need to be flexible because our needs are difficult always to anticipate. Well we are adjusting our Sunday worship format beginning October 4 in order to accommodate the starting back of our Sunday morning LIFE GROUPS.

MOM’S AWESOME AUTO WINNER — THE MILBRODT FAMILY

For the individuals and families who are choosing to worship via our on-line programming, we want you to beware of a change that is coming beginning October 4. Instead viewing a prerecorded music and message—we will be live streaming the 10:00 Heritage Service and the 11:15 Contemporary

Life Groups are the core of how we do life at Perry Christian. COVID-19 has placed a significant barrier in how this can be done, but we are excited that this fall many of our Life Groups are beginning to meet once again.

SUNDAY MORNING LIFE GROUPS—if you

noticed on our new worship format beginning October 4 we have our Life Groups returning. Each group will be in a room that will allow social distancing. Each of these groups are OPEN and visitors are welcome to attend. (Please read Max Baker’s article on ‘THE MIX” group if you have a teenager or are a young adult).

DURING THE WEEK LIFE GROUPS—with the

fall we are seeing many of our Life Groups that meet during the week begin back. The majority of these groups have previously met in homes, but because of COVID-19 some have decided to meet in the church because it provides larger spacing. We have close to a dozen groups that include women’s only groups, men’s group, and many mixed groups. We are confident that we have a group for YOU. If you are interested in being a part of a Life Group that meets during the week we ask you to call the church office and make this request. You will quickly receive a phone call from an individual on our Life Group Team who will try and help you find the right group for you. (Please note: most of our Life Groups that meet during the week are classified as closed groups because of limitation of size or possible content that is being covered. So people are added to groups either through this interview or group invitation.) If you have any questions regarding Life Groups please contact Steve Martin, Pam Princehorn, or Rod Geiger.

Nursery Worker

Worship Technology

Even during COVID-19 there are MANY opportunities to serve. Here is just a partial list of service opportunities for Sunday Morning. Please call the church office and let us know if you are interesting in finding out more about these service opportunities.

Worship Door Greeters

Facilities Cleaning Team

Grade School or Pre-school Helper

MENTOR SIGN-UPS ARE OPEN! For the 2020-2021 school year, Legacy Project will once again be providing mentorship opportunities in the Perry Schools. To ensure mentor and student safety, we will be practicing social distancing as we continue to form mentoring relationships. Once registered, additional information will be sent out including current COVID-related requirements for the school. Want to give students support and encouragement throughout this school year? Sign up to mentor at TheLegacyProjectofStark.org, and click “Apply to Mentor” to fill out a registration form!

#everystudentneedsamentor

Jonathan Edwards and the Call to Prayer A Breakpoint Commentary by John Stonestreet

Book Orders: Our center participates in the Scholastic Book Club. When you purchase books and gifts, we receive free book selections and other resources to add to our collection. This month’s available just outside of the office. Online orders are accepted; just use our code (GY4QV) when ordering. Orders are due September 18.

September 2020

Upcoming No School Days: Friday October 9 & Monday October 12. If you chose the “Red Option” for No School Days, then we are not expecting your child to attend. Contact the finance office if changes need to be made for that day (jgestwicki@perrychristian.org).

Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) is a screening tool used to identify any developmental, social, and emotional delays. Questionnaires will be distributed September 8. Please complete your child’s form and return to the preschool office by the end of the week (Sept. 11).

Picture Day -

Thursday, October 8

Preschool pictures will be taken on Thursday, October 8 beginning at 8:30 a.m. All preschoolers attending will be photographed. There is no obligation to purchase pictures and you view the pictures before making a purchase. Photo proofs and order forms are sent home on picture day and due the following week. If your you are welcome to sign for individual pictures between 11:15 and 12:30.

Group Pictures will begin at 11:15 a.m. for the Rainforest, Noah’s Ark & Story Garden groups, and at 11:45 a.m. for

the Greenhouse, Care A Lot, Sunshine, & Busy Bees groups.

As we wrap up for your cooperation and support in adapting to the necessary changes during this unusual year. We have had a great start! Everyone is adjusting well to our new routines and overall we’re staying healthy. Over the summer, our center received grants to help with ratio support and with purchasing supplies. This enabled us to add more hand cleaning supplies,

system to help provide a healthier environment. Please continue to help by keeping your child home when he/she is not feeling well.

Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel observed that the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. Hopelessness, like so many of us feel amidst this perfect storm of pandemics, injustice, political unrest, and rioting, can lead us to indifference. After all, what can the typical person do about any of the crazy stuff going on these days? Christians cannot succumb to hopelessness. We are never allowed to retreat into indifference. To love is the first and greatest commandment, first God and then others. We are, Peter wrote, “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) We may not feel like this is true, but it is. The great Jonathan Edwards, a leading theologian and perhaps America’s greatest Christian philosopher, served in pastoral ministry in the 18th century, during the height of the Enlightenment. In an essay entitled “A Call to United, Extraordinary Prayer: An Humble Attempt,” (how’s that for a title), Edwards argued that for the Christian to maintain this love for God and others, defined by hope while avoiding despair, regular prayer was essential. However, Edwards was clear that prayer does not bring hope to believers by guaranteeing that God will line up with our requests. Rather, prayer aligns the believers, and our requests, to the Kingdom of God in at least three ways. First, prayer teaches our hearts and minds to long for God’s power and glory. Here’s Edwards: “There is much in what we have seen of the glorious works of

God’s power and grace, to put us in mind of the yet greater things of this nature that he has spoken of in his word, and to excite our longings, and our hopes of their approach.” The “experience of His presence” that is, knowing and believing the one true God of the universe, is meant to excite us towards greater prayer for the “continuance, increase, and greater extent of such blessings.” Second, prayer is the principal means by which Christ’s kingdom advances. Again, quoting Edwards, “so [it] is God’s will, through His wonderful grace, that the prayers of his saints should be one great and principal means of carrying on the designs of Christ’s kingdom in the world.” That’s an astounding thought. So often, we ask “but other than pray, what can we do” as if praying isn’t doing something. But it is. It is effectual, says St. James in his epistle. Finally, our prayers are not merely that God would save our nation, but that He would pour out His Spirit on it through the church. “…but that God would appear for His church,” Edwards wrote, “and in mercy to miserable men, carry on his work in the land, and in the world, and fulfill the things he has spoken of in his word, that his church has been so long wishing, and hoping, and waiting for.” This restoration we long for is not for some past “good old days” as a country, but rather a restoration to God’s purposes. We pray for God to heal our nation and revive the church even as we long for and await the day when the Lord will return, restoring creation (Revelation 21) and making all things new.

If there is at least one positive result being in Quarantine for the past few months it is having time to pray, plan and prepare. During the planning stage we looked at the changes within Perry Township Perry Schools have developed a plan to build new buildings and redistribute the grades. Right now 5th & 6th grade share Pfeiffer Intermediate school but in the new plan 6th grade would be combined with 7th & 8th grade while the 5th grade would be combined with the K-4th grade. Even though these changes will be in the next couple year, we knew that these changes could affect the student now and we wanted to be able to prepare them spiritually for the future. CLUB 54 and Jr. High & Sr. High Youth Group are opportunities that are a piece of the puzzle for prepare students spiritually.

Club 54 is for will be discussing topics that are age appropriate and learn from scripture about how they can trust God to answer their questions. Jr. High & Sr. High the students will be challenged in their faith as well as encouraged to reach down to others in need and help them up. Each of these groups will be led by an awesome team of leaders who have a heart for sharing God’s word and the ability of being “ONE OF THE FIVE” positive influences. Beyond the learning experience there will be fun events and service opportunities to be involved in.

Ways to stay informed with Club 54 & Jr./Sr. High Youth Group

Website: www.perrychristian.org

Facebook: Perry Christian Church

Facebook: PCC Youth pages

Facebook: Club 54

Twitter: @Perry_C_C or @perryyouth

Instagram: PerryChristian330

Remind 101: text @pccyou to 81010 (This is for Jr./Sr. Youth Group)

Remind 101: text @ab6kka to 81010 (This is for Club 54)

Health & Safety Procedures for Student Life Groups: While we are still in in the middle of the Pandemic each student and leader will need to wear a mask. We ask parents and leaders to take temperatures before coming to Student Life Group. If temperatures read 100 degrees or higher we need them to stay home. As students and volunteers enter and exit the building for Student Life Groups we will have them use hand sanitizer. As always, any student or leader taking bathroom breaks needs to wash their hands.

SUNDAY MORNING LIFE GROUP AT 10:15

The MIX is a class that combines the Teens , the Fellowship Class, and is open for others to come and study each Sunday morning. We have created this class for our new format so we can have a Life Group / Sunday School for teens and adults wanting to attend the 11:15 service and for the parents of Elevate students to have a place to learn while their students are in Elevate.

For this class, we will be talking about the thread of the Gospel and how it is woven throughout the Bible. This Thread study is designed to accomplish two simple things:

Learn the big-picture story of the Bible. So many believers simply don't have a grasp of the narrative of the Bible—key characters, key events. Few people understand how these elements fit into the story of God and His people. The Thread changes this.

You will learn what the Gospel is and how it literally courses through the narrative of Scripture. Not only will you learn the story of the Bible, but you will see that it is a story of unfailing love, as God seeks from the beginning of Creation to draw humankind to Him through the grace of the Gospel.

NURSERY/TODDLER STATION Safety for our littlest ones has been on my mind through the whole Pandemic and because of their safety the Nursery/Toddler Station has been closed. Beginning in October we will have the Nursery/Toddler Station available for parents to use with their child. I know it becomes difficult to have a baby or toddler be still for a full hour of adult worship. If a parent needs to use this space to change a diaper or let their toddler get the wiggles out please feel free to do so. The message will be piped into the Nursery/Toddler Station so you don’t miss out on what was said. There will be cleaning/sanitizer supplies available and we ask parents to wipe down areas that were used. Also, any small toys that the child uses should be placed in the “Needs Cleaned” tub to be washed and sanitized.

ELEVATE Elevate is worship geared for children in Kindergarten-5th grade. The ages have changed, but the worship & the message have not. Beginning Sunday, October 4th at the 10am Family Worship Service. ELEVATE will begin with a “Soft Opening” which basically means the children will come to the 10am service with their families and just before the message the children will be dismissed to the ELEVATE room for their own lesson time. You will also be able to bring in your child to ELEVATE if you are attending the 10:15am Life Group called “The Mix”. As life gets normal(ish) we prayerfully hope that we will have ELEVATE going the full hour. The same health & sanitizing procedures will be used for ELEVATE as with CLUB 54. The ELEVATE room will be used by another Life Group on Sundays so we will clean and sanitize the room in between uses.

PRESCHOOL CLASSES For this season we will not be able to offer preschool classes. We have a need for volunteers to lead this class. We ask that everyone keep this in prayer as this is essential for the spiritual growth of our children. If you are burdened by this need and willing to help please contact me, Doug Modlin at dmodlin@perrychristian.org or contact the church at 330-477-7262. For parents the health and safety of our children has become more crucial than any other time. Our volunteer team will do everything they can to keep the Children’s Ministry safe, healthy and fun for your child. Also, please note that our Children’s Ministry classrooms are used by the preschool/daycare throughout the week and are cleaned and sanitized according to CDC recommendations.

Contact Information Office Phone 330-477-7262 Perry Christian Preschool & Child Care 330-477-3998

Staff Home Phone

Rod Geiger— lead pastor 330-880-5610 rgeiger@perrychristian.org Doug Modlin — family pastor 330-412-3443 dmodlin@perrychristian.org Max Baker — youth pastor 330-209-2372 mbaker@perrychristian.org Jay Secrest — music director jsecrest@perrychristian.org

Elders

Steve Brunker 330-495-1722 Kevin Princehorn 330-705-6034 Bob Snyder 330-478-2765 Don Turner 330-499-8357 Bill Hughes 330-705-5317

Office Staff 330-477-7262

Becca Zapotoczny (ext 200) rzapotoczny@perrychristian.org Karen Hinzman (ext 205) khinzman@perrychristian.org

139 Perry Drive, N.W.

Canton, OH 44708

Address Service Requested

September Services

Heritage 9 am, Family 9:45 am

Contemporary 10:30 am

Sept 20

As we have said throughout this ministry update — COVID-19 has impacted our lives in many ways, and for many of us that includes our finances. This reality has impacted most every ministry that relies upon the stewardship of its parishioners or supporters. PCC is not any different. The great news is that our through the first two months of the new financial year (beginning in July) our income has matched our expenses. This has in fact been the case throughout the entire calendar year. We have also been able to maintain our commitment to give 10% of our giving to missions, as well as 10% into savings for future developments/needs. Church family—this is a HUGE praise! Now the finances for the Pre-School is much more complicated and precarious, but we are managing to keep the doors open and the ministry afloat. We appreciate our Preschool Director Sarah Modlin and our financial teams headed by Karen Hinzman as they have led us diligently through this challenging time.