Volume 22 Issue 11 November 2011From the Pastor's Desk

Are you a risk taker? Do you know someone who is? A young man enlisted inthe 82nd Airborne Division. He was assigned to their jump school. He eagerlyasked the recruiter what he could expect at jump school. "Well," the recruitersaid, "it's three weeks long." "What else?" asked the young soldier. "The firstweek they separate the men from the boys," the recruiter said. "The secondweek they separate the men from the fools." "And the third week?" the soldierasked. "The third week," the recruiter said with a grin, "the fools jump."

Jesus once told a story about a rich man going on a journey. He entrusted hismoney to some of his servants. Some of them invested their Master's resourcesand made a nice return, they were rewarded. But the parable is about one of theservants who received his Master's money and did absolutely nothing with it.The point of the parable is it's not so much what you have but what you do with it. Are you willing torisk yourself and the resources you have for the Lord? When asked by his master why he didn't doanything with it, he said that he was afraid.

Following Jesus means walking by faith not fear. Following Jesus means trusting God. FollowingJesus means seeking to hear the Master say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant," because wehave attempted great things for God. Sure, it involves risk. Every great advance in life does. But therewards are incredible. How about you? How big a risk are you willing to take for God?

Sunday, November 20th is Commitment Sunday. As followers of Jesus Christ we will place ourfinancial commitments to Christ for 2012 on the altar during each of our worship services. God hasrichly blessed us over the years and we are a strong church. However, we need to step up to the nextlevel if we are going to continue to be a relevant church in our community. Your financial commitmentis one way of giving thanks to God for his blessings! What will you do?

Happy Thanks - Giving!

THANKSGIVING DONATIONS

This year we would like to continue donating Thanksgiving to those inneed despite the closings of both SHARE and Angel Food Ministries.will be collecting to give $35 Publix gift cards to clients of theCounty Health & Human Services Agencywith St. Peter's. We have been working with this agency at Thanksgivingfor many years beginning with Becky Gregory's

Make your check payable to St. Peter's puttingsection. For cash donations, please use a pew envelope and mark itaccordingly. You can put both in the offering plate.to be made by November 13. Thank you.

Ready for another fun night out?excuse to wear those old bellbottom jeans?for a flashback to the 70's as our youthful thespianspresent "Live, From St. Peters . . ."November 12 at 7:00 pmthe way from Roseanne Roseannadanna to the Land

Shark. We'll be serving dessert and drinks (coffee, tea, etc), so pleasehave your reservations in by November 9.

The cost for the evening is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for youth, and childr& under are free.

For questions or to make your reservations, please call Mary (632Judy (818-4178).

Angel Food Ministriesoptions regarding our future. At this time weregret to inform you thatsolution that will allow Angel Food Ministries tocontinue to distribute food on a monthly basis

and have decided to cease operations. We realize the pressure that thisplaces on our host sites, community food banks and customers.

However, there is a group of former employees and food vendors that areworking to find a better way of serving those who have come to depend onAngel Food. Click on the Angel Food Ministries logo for the latestinformation.

Thank you for your prayers, faithfulness and your commitment to AngelFood Ministries over these past 17 years.

THANKSGIVING DONATIONS

This year we would like to continue donating Thanksgiving to those inneed despite the closings of both SHARE and Angel Food Ministries. We

collecting to give $35 Publix gift cards to clients of the Palm BeachCounty Health & Human Services Agency and people in need associated

We have been working with this agency at Thanksgivingfor many years beginning with Becky Gregory's associations with them.

Make your check payable to St. Peter's putting Thanksgiving in the memoFor cash donations, please use a pew envelope and mark it

You can put both in the offering plate. These donations needThank you.

eady for another fun night out? Been looking for anexcuse to wear those old bellbottom jeans? Well, it's timefor a flashback to the 70's as our youthful thespians

"Live, From St. Peters . . ." on Saturday,November 12 at 7:00 pm. They'll keep you in stitches allthe way from Roseanne Roseannadanna to the Land

Shark. We'll be serving dessert and drinks (coffee, tea, etc), so pleaseNovember 9.

The cost for the evening is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for youth, and children 5

For questions or to make your reservations, please call Mary (632-5946) or

Angel Food Ministries has considered manyoptions regarding our future. At this time weregret to inform you that we have not found asolution that will allow Angel Food Ministries tocontinue to distribute food on a monthly basis

and have decided to cease operations. We realize the pressure that thisplaces on our host sites, community food banks and customers.

However, there is a group of former employees and food vendors that areworking to find a better way of serving those who have come to depend on

Click on the Angel Food Ministries logo for the latest

ithfulness and your commitment to AngelFood Ministries over these past 17 years.

Click on the icon to go

Attendance at WorshipSeptember 2010September 2011

Click on the icon to goto the link.

Worship Services

Traditional Worship8:00 & 11:00 amContemporary

9:30 am

Attendance at WorshipSeptember 2010 - 1,596September 2011 - 1,648

Our Acolyte team includes young people in grades 3and up who serve during worship,. These helpers wearspecial robes and assist with lighting the altar candles,which symbolizes the presence of Jesus Christentering into the worshiping community. When youserve God by serving as an acolyte, you are doingmore than carrying a flame to the altar candles. Youare symbolically bringing the light of Christ's spirit into

the worship service. To learn more about becoming involved in the acolyteprogram, please contact Monica Longo at 561-386-8213.

8:00 am 11:00 am

November 6 Sheridan AikeyNovember 13 Billy Gabriel Sara BartelsNovember 20 Heather RiggsNovember 27 Alex Dowling Quentin Weber

Adult Mission TripWe are looking to schedule an Adult Mission trip inJanuary or February. It will be a weekend trip. We'll beworking with DOOR in Miami. The cost is $95.

A typical weekend begins upon arrival for supper on Friday and ends withdeparture after lunch on Sunday. An orientation/logistics session Fridayevening helps prepare everyone for the weekend.

Activities of the weekend may include working alongside migrants in thefield or engaging in recreational and learning activities with their children;interaction with homeless people at a homeless shelter by serving food orsinging with them; sorting donated food or clothing at a redistributioncenter; lawn and building maintenance for individuals; walking throughvarious city neighborhoods; meeting with and listening to groups who areworking for change in the city. There will also be times for reflection on theevents of the day. The activities chosen for our group will depend on us.We'll work with them to pick an appropriate project.

If you are interested in participating in this please email Barbara Johnstonat bjohnston25@bellsouth.net.

Great Day of Service by the Numbersby Barbara Johnston

200 + Volunteer15 Project CoordinatorsBaked & Delivered 600 Cookies to 13 PBSO, Fire & Trauma Hawk stationsBagged 2 weeks' worth of Rice for CROS food pantriesMade 375 Sandwiches donated to CROS after-school programAssembled 275 Health Kits plus extra items donated to CROS20 Blankets donated to Project Linus1,000 Books donated to Elbridge Gale Elementary4 Nursing & Assisted Living Homes visitedLots of diapers counted at First CareLots of eggs served at our great Kick-Off BreakfastMany agencies happy with our work

Fellowship DinnerNovember Menu

Join us, each Wednesday6:00 PM in Fellowship Hall

for a delicious dinner at areasonable cost. $6 per adult

(12 yrs +) and $3 per child(under 12). Make a

reservation by completing theform in the Sunday bulletin,

calling Debbie Ferrugio, 793-5712, ext. 13, or by clicking

here by 10:00 AM onTuesday.

Nov 2 - Barbeque chicken,corn, green beans,salad, rollsKids - Pizza bites, fruitNov 9- Ham, new potatoes,mixed veggies, salad, rollsKids - Pigs in a blanket, fruitNov 16 - Spaghetti andmeatballs, tossed salad, garlictoastKids - Hamburger sliders,fries, fruit

November 24 -CLOSED for Thanksgiving

Yummy Desserts are alwaysserved!

Watch for "Meet Your Chef" in nextmonth's The Rock.

Kids Choirs meet everyFriday at 5PM

Celebration Singerzin Room 102 and LittilestAngelz in Fellowship Hall

Contact Josephfor more information.

Great Day of Service by the Numbers (con't)

*************************************************************************......please extend our sincere thanks to everyone who came out to help.We appreciate it!Jan E. PhillipsDirector of Human Resources, Volunteers & Admin.The Lord's Place, Inc.**************************************************************************......You should be very proud of yourself and your volunteers.

Nelsy AndrosHomeless Female Veterans***************************************************************************We could not be more pleased with the outcome of your service project atChildren's Home Society of Florida.......................Jane SnellCHS***************************************************************************

Desperately needed foodpantry items are tuna,peanut butter, shelf

stable milk, spaghettisauce, rice, dry pintobeans, macaroni andcheese and canned

soup. Please place yourdonations in the box in the

back of the Narthex.Click on logo for more Information

Count your blessings insteadof your crosses;

Count your gains instead ofyour losses.

Count your joys instead ofyour woes;

Count your friends instead ofyour foes.

Count your smiles instead ofyour tears;

Count your courage instead ofyour fears.

Count your full years insteadof your lean;

Count your kind deeds insteadof your mean.

Count your health instead ofyour wealth;

Count on God instead ofyourself.

--Anonymous

Watch for the Giftsby Larry Johnson

Everyone loves to receive gifts. We also love to give gifts to others that we love. Christmas, birthdays,anniversaries, and Mother's Day are examples of special occasions when we give and/or receivegifts.

God has given all of us many great gifts, including the universe, nature's bounty, health, abilities,families, resources, etc. In addition, God has given us Jesus Christ, to forgive us, bring us hope andlead us into everlasting life. What wondrous gifts and boundless love He has demonstrated.

If we love Him, we want to respond in love with gifts of our own. Our gifts may be shared throughChrist's body, the church, or through other channels. These gifts include our presence, our prayers,our service and our financial support.

This year, we are "Watching for the Gifts" God has given us, and studying about how we canrespond through daily devotions from the book, "Extravagant Generosity" by Robert Schnase, aMethodist bishop. We are looking for the gifts we or our family receive through the church, and howwe can respond with gifts to God through the church.

During four weeks in October and November, we are looking at various ministry areas to seeexamples of what gifts we receive from the church, and how individuals share their gifts in the church.Please consider what gifts your family receives through church ministries, and how you can respondto share God's love through these ministries.

We hope that you are enjoying the daily devotions in the book, Extravagant Generosity, and that youare willing to "Step-up" and respond to God's gifts through your prayers, presence, service andresources during the next year.

In October all the classes visited the pumpkin patchand enjoyed the puppet show and Scarecrow!Parents and Grandparents enjoyed watching thechildren parade around, showing off their Halloweencostumes; there were Cinderella's, pirates, cowboys,policemen, princesses, spidermen and much more.

Our first chapel programs were on Monday October 10th and Tues. October 11th.Mrs Mandi, Miss LaDona and Miss Joy really helped the children learn about all thethings that were "Made by God." Miss LaDona used a stamp that says "Made By God." The childrenwere introduced to CiCi the chapel change puppet. All the chapel change collected each month willbe donated to CROS ministries. Mark your calendars to join us for our next chapel programsNovember 7th and 8th.

We are looking forward to Thanksgiving. Our annual Feast for the Pilgrims and Indians here at thepreschool is a big event. Each class will be preparing a dish to share as we gather together tocelebrate Thanksgiving on November 21 & 22.

The Bible verses for each age level emphases expressions of giving thanks to God.3 year old classes: "always be thankful" Luke 17:11,4 year old classes: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good" Psalms 106:1

In our areas of study this month we will be learning about harvest time, farms and farm animals,nutrition and the change in the seasons. The four-year old classes will be going for a tour of Publix asthey learn about good nutrition. The walk-in freezer is one of the favorite spots to visit and watchingthe bakery staff decorate the cakes is another.

The Parent Staff Fellowship has started the year with several events. The P.S.F. sponsored BookFair was a wonderful success. The coupon books raised $5,600.00 for PSF. The parents and staffdecorated the dividers for the Fall Holidays. It was nice to see all the creative decorations.

The staff at The Child Enrichment Center wishes everyone a blessed Thanksgiving."Give Thanks to the Lord for He is good!"

For more information Contact Pat.

Pat Banks

Give thanks with a grateful heartGive thanks to the Holy OneGive thanks because He's givenJesus Christ His Son

Thanksgiving is upon us this month. Many of us will be preparing to receive and prepare a feast forfamily and friends. Let us be sure to keep Christ in focus as we enter this joyous and expectant time.Let us continue to keep looking for the coming of Christ.

The music ministry is busy preparing "The Nativity Experience." This evening is the companion tolast Spring's "Passion Experience" and will include wonderful music and drama. If you enjoyed the"Passion Experience" be sure to invite your friends, family, and coworkers to join us for this veryspecial presentation. Information on free of charge tickets will be coming out very soon. Afterwards

Joseph Farrar

we will be celebrating our fourth annual "Taste of Christmas" in the fellowship hall, so be digging outthe recipes for those special holiday treats and plan to share them with your church family as werenew this tradition.

We are always looking to add people to our music ministry, so if you feel God is calling you in thatdirection, please contact me at the church and let's see where you can fulfill your call to ministry.

And now let the weak say, "I am strong!"Let the poor say, "I am rich because of what

The Lord has done for us!"Give Thanks!

Children's Ministry

Join TeamKID/EES as we present an incredible event where each child willexperience all the amazing and surprising things Jesus did, such as calming a

stormy sea, walking on water, raising people from the dead...and how Jesusbrought himself back from the dead, making him the Greatest Tomb Raider of

all! TeamKID/EES is from 6 to 8pm, Friday November 18.

SLIMETIME REPORTSlimetime was a huge messy success with 67 children and 20 volunteers in attendance! Teamkids

enjoyed making monstro bubbles, creating bouncy balls, batterybowling and digging through slime.

Professor Gizmo and Widget taught Teamkids that God Loves Them no matterwhat!!!

The Atomic Cafe was fulled with 67 Teamkids making atoms from gumdropsand pretzel sticks. Many thanks to Monica Longo and Carol Westervelt formaking a delicious dinner!!

SAVE THE DATES NOVEMBER 16TH AND 17TH FORUPWARD EVALUATIONS!

Shelly Albright

Youth Ministry

Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this year's pumpkin patch asuccess! From unloading pumpkins Oct. 2nd to the last few mushy ones picked upon the 31st, over a hundred and fifty volunteers were involved. It is truly amazing thatsuch a large project can run so smoothly on the power of volunteers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

This year St. Peter's has been asked to be a Relay Center for Operation ChristmasChild. We responded and were accepted as a site. This means that we arecollecting Operation Christmas Child boxes November 14th-20th in the gym from Noon-4. Our goal is500 boxes. This is a very special project and while we have supported it in the past by puttingtogether boxes, now we are taking it one step further. VOLUNTEERS are needed in many ways forthis project:

Relay Center Volunteers- hands on, assist people dropping off shoe boxes Prayer- Pray that God will touch the heart of children receiving boxes Pack a Shoebox- Pick up a brochure and box and create a gift Donate- Monetary donations can be made to Samaritans Purse

This is a way to share God's love around the world, don't miss out!!!

November Youth Calendar:2nd- Small Groups4th-5th- Middle School Lock In6th- All Youth Sunday School Classes attend 9:30 service, Regular Youth9th- Small Groups13th- Sunday School, Regular Youth14th-20th- Operation Christmas Child Collection Week16th- Small Groups18th-19th- High School Lock In20th- Sunday School, Regular Youth23rd- NO Small Groups27th- Sunday School, NO Youth

If you would like to be added onto the Youth email list to receive updates on monthly activities, pleaselet me know!

Peace,Christine Oien

coien@stpeters-umc.org 561-793-5712 ext. 32

Check us out on Facebook

Christine Oien

Adult MinistriesBIBLE 1O1

Introduction - Sunday October 23Study begins - Sunday, October 30

11:00 AM - Room 106

Have you made a commitment to Jesus Christ, but you don't know how to grow infaith?

Have you joined the church in the last year, but you haven't found a group tostudy with?

Would you like to gain a basic understanding of the Bible?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are encouraged to attend this eight sessionsclass. Monte Shelley will help you learn a lot about the Bible in a short period of time. To register forthe class, call 793-5712 ext. 21, or contact Rachel Lever

ADVENT STUDY FOR WOMENTuesdays ~

November 1, 15, December 6, 206:30 PM - Room 102

Women of all ages are invited! We are studying the book, Christmas from the Backside, by EllsworthKalas. The author "opens up new possibilities of insight into the Christmas story by entering theGospel scriptures through the "back side" ... through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, anew "lens," or the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character." Please email Rachel Lever, or call793-5712, ext. 21, if you would like to participate in this class.

FAITH LESSONS STUDY ~BIBLICAL SIGHTS IN JORDAN AND ISRAEL

Each Wednesday7:00 - 8:30 PM - Room 101

You are invited to join Ava Sue Hickerson for a study of the most significant Biblical sights in Jordanand Israel. This DVD based class is from the Faith Lessons series, which features Ray Vander Laan.

"Travel" to the Middle East without even leaving South Florida! Experience Petra and Mount Nebo inJordan. In Israel, see Nazareth, Tiberius, the Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor, Megiddo, Capernaum,Mount of the Beatitudes, Mount Carmel, Bethlehem, Bethany, and Lazarus' tomb. In Jerusalem, visitthe Via Delarosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Western Wall, Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock,Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations, House of Caiaphas, the Shrine of theBook, and the Garden Tomb. In the Judean Wilderness, see Masada, Qumran, En Gedi, and theDead Sea. Please email Rachel Lever, or call 793-5712, ext. 21, to register for the class.

Rachel Lever

Methodists have "The Upper Room LivingPrayer Center" prayer ministry with a 24-hr, toll-free Prayer Line at: 1-800-251-2468.

Here at St. Peter's we have an intercessoryprayer group called the Pathway to God PrayerTeam. Please email Nancy Benyon.Snmma@aol.com

Through the storm,through the night,

Lead me on to the light:Take my hand, precious Lord,

Lead me home.Thomas A. Dorsey-(1932)

Contact InformationWebsite: stpeters-umc.org Phone: 561-793-5712 Fax: 561-793-5848

Senior Pastor: Dr. Rainer G. Richter, Ext. 11, Rrichter@stpeters-umc.orgAssistant to Pastor: Rev. Rachel Lever, Ext. 21, Rlever@stpeters-umc.orgDirector of Music: Joseph Farrar, Ext. 30, Jfarrar@stpeters-umc.orgDirector of Youth Ministry: Christine Oien, Ext. 32, Coien@stpeters-umc.orgDirector of Children's Ministry: Shelly Albright , Ext. 29, Salbright@stpeters-umc.orgSecretary: Debbie Ferrugio, Ext 13, Dferrugio@stpeters-umc.orgDirector of CEC:Pat Banks, Ext. 17, Pbanks@stpeters-umc.orgCEC Assistant:Pam Fleming Ext. 16

References

The New York Annual Conference has provided The Book of Discipline of The United MethodistChurch in digital form on their web-site. For those with an interest the link is

http://www.nyac.com/pages/detail/1755

NYAC Contact InformationNew York Annual Conference

20 Soundview AvenueWhite Plains, NY 10606

888-696-6922 | 914-997-1570

Cut out coupon, fill in your prayer of Thanksgiving, bring toWorship and place in the offering plate during the month ofNovember.________________________________________________________________________________

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