Venice View

A monthly newsletter of Venice Presbyterian Church September

“Reaching God through: Enrichment, Education and Extending Our Hands”

Venice Presbyterian Church

4244 Layhigh Road PO Box 41

Ross, Ohio 45061 Phone: (513) 738-1317

email: churchoffice@thevenicechurch.com www.thevenicechurch.com

Adult Sunday School 9:15a Worship Service - 10:30a

Junior Church - during worship service Youth Group Sundays: 12-TBD

Pastor Janet Dillaman

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Venice Presbyterian Church

4244 Layhigh Road

P.O. Box 41

Ross, OH 45061

Office Hours

Monday - Friday

8:30-12:30

Phone

(513) 738-1317

Fax

(513) 738-2060

Email

churchoffice@thevenicechurch.com

Web

www.thevenicechurch.com STAFF

Pastor

Janet Dillaman

Cell (513-477-7746)

Administrative Assistant

Tracy Shields

Music Director

Kirsten Homdrom

Nursery Attendants

Nancy Renner

Youth Director

James Dillaman

Custodians

Marvin and Patty Jackson

Venice View is published monthly.

Information for the next publication

is due on or before the last Tuesday

Of every month.

The newsletter staff reserves the right

to edit articles for space and content.

The

Sacrament of Holy Communion

will be celebrated on

Sunday September 7, 2014

Inside this issue . . . Important Info …………. 2

Dear Friends…… 3

Boards/Events…….. 4-13

Calendar….. 14-15

Attendance

June

1…. 71

8…. 86

15…. 100

22…. 50

29…. 63

July

6….. 67

13….86

20….61

27….72

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Dear Friends,

“As [Christ] said, a thistle cannot produce figs. If I am a field that contains nothing

but grass-seed, I cannot produce wheat. Cutting the grass may keep it short; but I shall

still produce grass and no wheat. If I want to produce wheat, the change must go

deeper than the surface. I must be ploughed up and resown.” (C. S. Lewis 1971a)

Seeds of doubt, seeds of worry, seeds of fear or anger: all yield their own sad

harvest. No matter what efforts might be made to change the result,

doubt-seeds sprout doubt, worry-seeds come up frowning. Fertilizer and

cultivation may affect the yield, but it is the seed that determines the product.

We have been planted into the kingdom of God at our Baptism, and the field of

our lives produces a harvest. But unless God has sown the seed, only one crop

will come up: weeds. We might cut the weeds down, we might try to cover

them up or disguise their weedy looks. But the only way to change the harvest

is to pull the weeds out by the roots, plough them under, and reseed.

No matter how much we might wish to change our own nature, any attempt

that we make to change the harvest of sin will fail. All attempts at

self-improvement, even if successful, will result in just that and no more: an

improved self. God offers us not an improved self, but a new self: alive to God,

alive to righteousness.

As Lewis wrote in Perelandra, “It is not mere improvement, but

Transformation.” We cannot transform ourselves, but Christ can form himself

in us, giving his gifts of a new heart, a new creation.

God’s Word reveals to us our need for more than just a surface cure. God’s

Word is the plough that opens up the fields of our lives and lays them bare,

exposing the roots of our sinful nature, removing the seeds of death, so that

God may plant God’s life in us. “For he who sows to his own flesh will from

the flesh reap corruption but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap

eternal life.” (Gal. 6:8)

Our sinful nature has planted in us seeds of fear, self-centered greed, pride,

anger, envy, hatred. The harvest of sin is death. But God’s gift is a new crop of

God’s own planting. The harvest of that gift is transforming life. “The fruit of

the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-23)

Lord, make me new. Pull out the roots of sin within me, and sow in me the

seeds for a harvest of life. Amen

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Jan

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VENICE CHOIR

HOSTS

CHILI COOK-OFF SUNDAY, SEPT. 28

1:00 pm Contestants bring a crock Pot of

chili for judging at 1:15

$1 for unlimited chili Beverages and other food

available for purchase

*Event will be held at

venice Presbyterian church

Fall Clean Up Is Scheduled for

October 18th. @ 9:00am. Bring your

rakes, and shovels.

Rain out date will be October 25, 2014.

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ANY EXTRA GARDEN PRODUCE?

Community Meal Center can use any

extra tomatoes, cucumbers, squash,

peppers, etc. to help feed the hungry.

Call Sharon Thompson 742-9292

Community Meal Center Needed: 2 more people to serve on October 24.

Needed: 4 more people to serve on December 26.

Then we start 2015; every other month (Feb., Apr., June,

Aug, Oct., Dec.)

We cannot fulfill our outreach promise on this worth-

while mission without your help. Its only 2 hours of your

time to help feed someone less fortunate.

Please sign up now!

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Church Picnic Heritage Park

Sunday October 5, 2014

3-7pm

Sign up sheet will be at church for side dishes and desserts.

COFFEE BREAK STUDY: CHASE Thursdays 10:00 am

Starting Back

September 4th. SURRENDER AND CHASED DOWN

LIVING BEYOND YOURSELF

EXPLORING THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT

BETH MOORE STUDY

Begins September 11th.

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Our VPC Leadership in Action

I recently had the opportunity to join James and Jan Dillaman (our Youth Director and Pastor) during the recent Vacation Bible School and Stay (in town) mission week with the youth group. Jan was involved in teaching Bible school every day. She went far beyond the normal pastor involvement that I have seen in the past. Pastor Jan has an abundant amount of energy, even for someone of her tender age. I (like most) tried to come up with excuses why I would be too busy to attend the Stay mission with the youth group and friends that continued every evening once Bible School was over. Jan “convinced” me that I really should join them and when the evenings came to a close, I was tired but happy that I did. I was able to see James Dillaman spiritually guiding the youth and making sure everyone was safe and enjoying themselves. James is another with bounds of energy to go late into the evening with the kids, after getting off work. I was able to join the youth group at the Bethany House downtown, where Tom and Cindy Licata cooked up a great dinner for the residents and the kids. Then I joined the youth group at Mathew 25 Ministries where the group (including Jan) worked at a torrid pace preparing boxes of products that were to be sent to other countries. We then went to Kings Island for some fun and to see who was the bravest on the rides. I would like to thank the other parents (I can’t remember all those there) who braved the late nights to help keep the kids rounded up. I think they enjoyed being part of this too. Dave Toler

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DARE TO CARE

FUNDRAISER FOR

RAMM

HOSTED BY

BROWNS FARM Saturday,

October 25, 2014

NOON TO SIX PM Food/Donation Drive in Ross, Ohio

Noon-3:00 Pumpkin and Face Painting

Walk-a-thon

3:00 Kids Candy Run

4:00 ZOMBIE 1 Mile Fun Run* Run limited to 300

runners

5:00 ZOMBIE 1 Mile Fun Run*

*Zombie Fun runners must PRE-REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER

25 to receive a T-Shirt.

Registration forms: go to the thevenicechurch.com and

to the RAMM page or contact The Venice Presbyterian

Church at 513-738-1317.

DO YOU DARE TO CARE FOR OTHERS?

Walk-a-Thon forms are available at various locations around

Ross and at Venice Church. The course for the walk-a-thon

and the Kids Candy Run will be around the front pumpkin

patch.

We are excited to have you join us for a ONE MILE ZOMBIE

FUN RUN.

This event is a fun run with exciting obstacles to attract both

serious runners, families, kids and zombies on a one mile run

through Brown Farm. Designed for families and friends, we

encourage you to dress up in your Halloween best!

Glow sticks, hot chocolate and giveaways all await you at the

“Freaky Finish-Line”!

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Summer is over and the 2014-15 school year has begun! During the

summer break the teaching staff spent some time continuing education to

meet requirements of our license rules and Nancy and Clarence Bohne

painted the nursery/ Mrs. Bohnes room. A huge thank you to them for

taking time during their vacation days to do such a great job!

We begin the school year welcoming back some returning students and

meeting new students. The learning concepts for the month are the letters

A, B, & C; the numbers 1, 2, & 3. The color blue and the circle. The

children will visit the sanctuary to be introduced to our Church and get the

opportunity to ring the steeple bell.

We plan to have a visit from the Ross Township Fire Department to teach

the children about fire safety and let them see the fire truck. This visit will

tie into our theme for the month: Transportation.

Please remember the preschool students and staff in your prayers this month

as it can sometimes be a difficult transition period for our new students. We

can be reached in the following ways: phone- 738-0158,

email- vpcpreschool@fuse.net, website- www.venicepreschool.com

This is a non-timed fun run for the whole family! Brown Farm Events: $ 3 Hayrides, Pumpkins & Food Sales,

Corn and Straw Mazes, Tiny Town, Farm Animals

Ross and Morgan Ministry (RAMM) provides assistance with

food, utility bills, transportation, and light home repairs

FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS.

Please call the office with any questions or if you want to volunteer,

738-1317.

Choir begins Wednesday, September 3

Rehearsals are 7:30-9:00pm

in the Sanctuary.

All Are welcome!

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1 - Don and Carolyn Miller 4 - Steve and Eunice Maynard

5 - Diana Vereker

8 - Don Miller Gary and Diane McBreen

13 - Nancy Bohne

Michelle Schwab Mike and Missy Jo Peacock

17 - Evie Schaber

18 - Monica Schwab 19 - Grayson Ozias

Steve and Gina Stitsinger 20 - Kevin Unwin

24 - Eric Unwin

Anthony Unwin 25 - Sharon Thompson

26 - Jody Asher

28 - Marcia Collinsworth

Junior Church

During the next Junior church quarter, we will be

studying the book of Genesis. We will begin with

creation, talk about Noah and the Ark and go through the story of Isaac.

We look forward to sharing God’s word with the children and showing

them how it applies to their lives today.

We will also begin to practice for the Children’s Christmas program on

the first Sunday in October. The date of the program has not been set

at this time, but we will let you know in the October Newsletter issue.

Junior Church and Sunday School Recognition Sunday will be

Held on September 7, 2014 during the worship service.

Adult Sunday School Classes

Adult Sunday School Classes will being September 28,

at 9:15 a.m. in the Annex building. Kim Young will be

leading a series based on the show Duck Dynasty. Plan

to join her for an interesting time of devotion,

fellowship and fun!

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WOMEN’S EVENTS: The Women of the church will start up their circle meetings

and women’s meetings in September. All women of the church are invited!

September 18 7:00 p.m. Dorcas Circle will meet at the home of Martha

Young

September 30 1:30 p.m. Togetherness Circle will meet at Annex

September 27 9:00 a.m. Women’s Group Breakfast Meeting

10:00 a.m. CC Boosters Meeting

CORPORATION NEWS

The expenditures through July 31, 2014 are $6,753. 00 below the projected

expenditures. The income for the same period is $7,214.00 below that anticipated.

$5402 of this income deficit is from unfulfilled pledges.

At the August meeting the Trustees, in an effort to insure that the facilities continue to

function in a safe and useful manner, committed to the following:

1.Maintenance agreement for the HVAC system of both buildings ($690.00),

2.Repair of Church boiler piping (Required by state inspector $484 - $1072

depending on parts replaced).

3.Replacement of cry room window (needs to be tempered glass instead of the

current window glass which can be easily broken) $500.

During the summer all carpeting and the pew cushions were cleaned ($900) and the

Social Hall floor refinished ($1100).

These completed and committed expenditures are in addition to those that occur on a

regular basis such as water, gas, electricity, personnel costs, janitorial supplies, and

office supplies.

We continue to anticipate action by the Butler County Sewer Department relative to the

initiation of work on the sewer project.

There will be three (3) Board of Trustee positions to be voted on this September. Please

contact Steve Maynard if you can serve in this capacity.

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