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The Montgomery Presbyterian Church Newsletter
T HE C HIMES
MAY 2015
GOOD NEWS!
SUNDAY
SCHEDULE
As we continue to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and look forward to the gift
of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, let me share with you three ways the Spirit is breathing
new life into MPC:
NEW TENANT:
I am pleased to announce that a new tenant will be occupying our classroom space during the school day once the City of Montgomery grants a conditional use permit. (They
have granted it for our 2 previous school tenants.) Skyward Academy addresses the academic, social, and independent living skills of students with learning challenges such as
autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, social or communication issues, and other challenges. They provide students with an individualized education program in a loving and supportive atmosphere, where each child is welcomed and accepted and differences are embraced. The staff of Skyward is compassionate and professional. I am
proud that we can provide space for their very important work. Please watch the
Chimes and Little Bells for ways you can help provide a warm welcome to the staff and
families.
RENEWED ENGAGEMENT:
While the annual income from our new tenant will allow us to balance our operating
budget, it is important that we strengthen our financial foundation through retiring our
mortgage and establishing a capital fund to sustain our facility, enhance worship, and
expand mission. We are currently in the planning stages for an early fall stewardship
campaign.
NEW FUTURE:
With the provision of a new tenant/partner, it is apparent that there is a future for us
here in this location. We are discerning what that future looks like. That is where the
Guiding Team comes in. The Guiding Team is part of the Presbytery’s Transformation
2.0 initiative. They have been listening to the text of Luke 10, and listening to our neighbors to hear where the Spirit of God is already at work in the community around us so
that we can join in that work. They are preparing to invite the congregation to listen
with them. There are more details on page 6. While we do not yet know what the future mission of MPC will look like, through the Guiding Team we are actively taking
steps toward the future.
The Spirit is indeed breathing new life into MPC! Like the Apostles (“sent ones”) we do
not have a road map of the future, but we trust as they did that the Spirit will lead, equip,
and empower us for the road ahead.
Christ is risen!
Coffee & Fellowship:
10am-10:25am
Worship:
10:30am-11:30 am
Children are
dismissed for
Godly Play on the
2nd, 3rd & 4th
Sundays
To receive the newsletter
via email, forward your
email address to
[email protected]
with the subject line:
“NEWSLETTER”
Calendar
2
Prayer Corner
3
MPC EVENTS
4-6
PRESBYTERY
6-7
COMMUNITY
7
Brunch following Worship
TRINITY SUNDAY
10:30—11:30 am: Worship
Service — Ordination &
installation of Elders and
Deacons
31
PENTECOST
10:30a-11:30a: Worship
Service
24
10:30a-11:30a: Worship
Service
17
10:30a-11:30a: Worship
Service
25
18
26
19
12 pm Rebekah Circle
21
14
7
T hursd a y
7:30p: Choir Rehearsal
6:30p: Bell Choir Rehearsal
27
7:30p: Choir Rehearsal
28
6:30p: Bell Choir Rehearsal 7pm Deacons
20
7:30p: Choir Rehearsal
6:30p: Bell Choir Rehearsal
13
6:30p: Bell Choir Rehearsal
6
W edn e sda y
10
12
5
T uesd a y
7:30p: Choir Rehearsal
11
4
M onda y
1:00 Montgomery Care
Center
10:30a-11:30a: Worship
Service
3
Sun da y
MAY 2015
29
22
15
8
Fri da y
Jubilant Singers Concert ,
7:30 MPC Sanctuary
1
Fri da y
S atu rd a y
30
23
16
Spring Cleaning Day,
9 am
9
2
S atu rd a y
The Chimes
Page 4
MPC EVENTS
Habitat for Humanity Sign Up
The signup sheets are up.
Please consider signing up to
work on our first work day Sat.
May 16. Our 2nd work day is
Sat. June 20, and it's our turn to provide lunches.
Please contact Dave Daniels if your group is willing to sign up to provide lunch for ~30 workers
that day.
St. Barnabas, one of the churches in our Eastside
Coalition, is planning their annual HFH fundraising concert on Sun. June 28 at 3 PM. You will
never see anywhere else as much musical talent
in such a small, intimate setting. Plan to attend
this impressive event.
Brunch Following
Worship Service on
Sunday, May 31
Fellowship will host a brunch
following the Worship Service
on Sunday, May 31. A sign up
sheet can be found in the Gathering Room. Please sign up if
you can attend, so that we may
get a head count
for planning
purposes.
Dedication of the Comfort Bears
During the April 12 Worship service, eleven Comfort Bears were blessed.
Judy Marsh brought this idea to last year's Board of Deacons. Over the last year, we have had
contributions and hands-on help from the Deacons from last year and this year, as well as several
people from the congregation, to make this idea a reality. May the bears, along with their individual
blessing, help bring comfort to many people during a time of need.
The Deacons would like to thank the following people who helped create the bears by donating
fabric, cutting out patterns, sewing, stuffing, making blessing tags, etc.: Judy Marsh, Eloise Ritter,
Lois Silber, Elizabeth Hammel, Joan Schepers, Sue Murphy, Pat French, Marilyn Hesford, Kay Sadler, Julia Jones, Andi Fiani, Sue Poulos, Nancy Pacey, Don Mitchell, Gretchen Heltman, Marie
Reesey, Joyce Counts, Peter Poulos, Ron Godby, and Cindy Godby.
MAY 2015
The B-I-B-L-E FAQ’s
How did we get the Bible? Which translation is
best to read?
Why does God seem so judgmental in the Old
Testament, and loving in the New Testament?
What does the Bible say about angels? What does
the Bible say about homosexuality?
What questions do you have?
On Wednesday evenings in June at 7:00 pm we will
meet in the Gathering Room to discuss your
Frequently Asked Questions. Please submit your
questions to [email protected] for
consideration.
Montgomery Care Center
Services are held at 1:30 pm (arrive by 1:15)
the first Sunday of each month at Montgomery
Care Center (7777 Cooper Road). The Choir
will facilitate the May service.
Fish Fry Results
Results of the 2015 Fish Fry season are in:
After expenses, MPC raised just over
$2,700.o0. Pr oceeds w ill be shar ed
among our three chosen mission recipients: Habitat for Humanity, Operation
Give Back and the Wounded Warrior Project. Thanks to all who contributed to the
great success of the Fish Fries season by
working the events and
spreading the word in the
community. Job well
done! And now we have
nine months to rest up til
the 2016 Fish Fry season!
RIGHT: Mmmmmm, jelly beans!
Easter surprise: sharing means there is enough for everyone!
Page 5
Honoring Women of the Church
As in years past, the Deacons will be making a
contribution to Bethany House in honor of the
Women of the Church. We’d like all the women
of the church to sign the large card we’ll have in
the Gathering Room. Bethany House Services
collaborates with other agencies to provide a full
range of housing, education, and assistance programs to homeless and disadvantaged women
and children. In addition to the contribution to Bethany House, the Deacons
are hosting the coffee hour on Sunday,
May 10, in honor of women of the
church.
Spring Cleaning Day May 9
Saturday, May 9 is scheduled for
Spring Cleaning Day at MPC. We will
be doing exterior clean up and mulching, as well as some cleaning of areas
inside the building that have accumulated junk. Please bring rakes, shovels, clippers, work gloves and any other tools that you think would be helpful.
We will meet at 9:00
am in the parking lot.
Ron Uchtman will lead
this project; please
contact him at 513-5309730 for any questions
or to let him know you
will be able to join him.
The Chimes
Page 6
Guiding Team Update/Report and Request for Help
Who: Dave Daniels, Dave Dickey, Beth Doebereiner, Julia Jones, Sue Poulos and Steve Thiel
What: Requesting Involvement from the Congregation
When: by June 6th
Where: Montgomery neighborhood
Why: Transforming the role of MPC in Montgomery
Several months ago Pastor Michelle called the six of us to participate in the Presbyterysponsored Transformation 2.0. Along with over a dozen churches from the Cincinnati Presbytery, we are examining the transformation of our church based on the text of Luke 10:1-12. We
are learning to be more effective listeners to the Word of God and to each other so that we will
be in a position to transition what we hear into action. In Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy laborers to live in communion with others. We don’t know the destination, but the journey has
been enlightening. How is the Spirit speaking to us in our neighborhood and what can we do in
our neighborhood to make it better?
In January, we put our Curiosity Hats on and went to the first meeting. Still not knowing our
destination, we left with a mission! First define our "neighborhood," second, walk our neighborhood looking and listening for God's presence and third, send back pictures of where we see
God at work on our walks. Defining our neighborhood was our first task and it was harder than
you'd think! After hours of deliberation, some study and investigation, we decided that the City
of Montgomery was MPC's neighborhood. We walked and took pictures of our neighborhood at
various times of day and on different days of the week.
We reconvened with the other Guiding Teams in March. When compared to churches in other
neighborhoods we thought “What can we do for Montgomery?” We don’t face many issues of
poverty, hunger or homelessness here. However, Julia pointed out that sometimes our neighbors’ needs aren’t physical, they are spiritual. When we left, we had a NEW mission, and we
need your involvement. We need members of the congregation to walk the neighborhood with
us two or three times between now and early June; we need volunteers to join us in interviewing
our neighbors and community leaders; and we need to interview congregation members. We
need your help – if many of you help with just one of these things, we can accomplish our mission. Can you walk? Would you like to help interview neighbors and businesses? Would
you like to be interviewed by the Guiding Team? There are signup sheets in the gathering room. Your involvement will help define MPC’s role in the neighborhood.
Thanks!!!
The Special Offerings are a way for all Presbyterians to make a difference in the lives of people
around the world. The Pentecost Offering, one of
four Special Offerings, gives us the unique opportunity to share God's love by helping nurture faith
in our youth and young adults. Envelopes for the
Pentecost Special Offering will be included in bulletins on Pentecost Sunday, May 24.
The Deacons want to thank the Congregation of
MPC for the support shown on April 29, 2015
during our blood drive. We had fourteen persons show up, and eleven pints of whole blood
were collected. All donors had
connections to this Congregation and we thank everyone
who showed up to assist in this
activity.
Page 7
may 2015
IN THE PRESBYTERY
Experience that deep sense of community one would expect at
a national gathering of Presbyterians —- a great big family reunion! Join us for a wide variety of workshops, all under one
Big Tent; a conference that will inspire and equip Presbyterians
to live missionally.
Cost is only $395 per person, which includes accommodations,
seven meals, campus parking and outstanding programming.
Fees for children and youth are no more than $150 each.
For more information, visit
http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/big-tent/
IN THE COMMUNITY
Return of the Farmers’ Market
May 2 marks the return of the Montgomery Farmers’ Market. Saturdays
in May through October, 9:00—12:30
in the parking lot of Montgomery Elementary School (9609 Montgomery
Road) you can find the
freshest selection of produce from local farmers
and other treats local
vendors and artisans.
Bingo with a Bling
Friends of Twin Lakes presents "Bingo With A
Bling" on Friday, May 15 at 9876 Montgomery
Road (formerly known as Century Honda).
Sycamore Athletic Boosters
Golf Outing May 8
The Sycamore Athletic Boosters are proud to
sponsor the annual Jim Walter Memorial Golf
Outing at the beautiful Blue Ash Golf Course on
Friday, May 8, 2015. The day of golf includes
lunch, dinner and raffle prizes. We will also be
holding our Third annual Ladies only 9-hole round
with mid-morning tee time and First Annual Wine
and Nine – 9 hole event in the evening! This
fundraiser will help support athletics at the high
school and junior high levels where tax dollars
and school budgets fall short. Please contact,
Han Oh ([email protected]) or
513-780-7785 for Sponsorship opportunities or visit
www.sycamoreathleticboosters.com
to register for the event.
Plenty of great prizes will be awarded. Registration opens at 11:15 a.m., lunch will be served at 11:45
a.m. and Bingo starts at 12:15 p.m.
Prizes from Bingo include a 19" flat screen television, jewelry, and gift baskets. Cost is $20 per ticket,
which includes lunch and game cards for the four regular bingo
games. Special game cards are $5 per card. (2 special games/cover
all). For reservations, please call (513) 247-1362. All proceeds to benefit
the Benevolent and Pastoral Care needs of Twin Lakes' residents.
THE CHIMES
Montgomery Presbyterian
Church Newsletter
Looking Ahead...
Upcoming Dates of Note
Reverend Michelle Bacon, Pastor
Office Hours: 8:30a-4:30p Tu-Fr
[email protected]
513-891-8670
SUBMISSIONS for THE CHIMES
are due by NOON on the
15th day of each month.
June
Jun 7:
Montgomery Care Center
Send articles to [email protected]
Jun 7:
IGNITE
Jun 25:
Deacons Picnic
Jun 19:
Reds game
Jun 28:
Session
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MontgomeryPresbyterianChurch
Montgomery Presbyterian Church
9994 Zig Zag Road—Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
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