RIVERDALE
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
E-WEEKLY
The Weekly Calendar for the Events & Happenings at Riverdale Presbyterian Church
November 12, 2014
Riverdale
Presbyterian Church
4765 Henry Hudson
Parkway West
Bronx, NY 10471
www.riverdalepc.org
Phone: 718-796-5560
E-mail:
[email protected]
Happenings
Wednesdays
Bible Study @ 7PM
Sundays
Sunday School for
All Ages @ 9:30
Worship @ 10:30AM
ABUNDANT
NOVEMBER
Please drop off your donation
to the
KRMH Food Pantry in the
shopping cart in the sanctuary
As we move through Autumn into Winter the needs of our community
are that much greater. Each month, the shopping cart in the sanctuary is
filled with non perishable food items to stock the wonderful ministry of
the Kingsbridge Riverdale Marble Hill Food Pantry located at the
Church of the Mediator on 231st St. There has been no greater voice for
this wonderful ministry than RPC member Zaida Garcia. To honor
Zaida’s 90th birthday and to respond to the increase in need of our
community, it is my encouragement to you, the entire RPC community,
to fill the shopping cart to overflowing every week in November and
into December so we can help meets the needs of God’s people.
When people were hungry, Jesus didn't say, "Now is that political, or social?" He
said, "I feed you." Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.
Desmond Tutu
Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you
hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? The
King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:37, 40
Food, Fun & Fellowship
RPC Women's Gathering
Thursday, November 20th at 7:30 PM
in the Duff House
SAVE THE DATE:
Friday, December 5th for the Women's Potluck
Christmas Party at the Manse
RIVERDALE
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
E-WEEKLY
Men’s Group Saturday Morning Cartoons Fellowship
@ 9AM in the Duff House
Men’s Group Will be meeting
November 15th
All are welcome to join in coffee, food, & fellowship!
We will be Studying the Book of Acts
ADVENT
STUDY
BEGINNING
NOVEMBER
30TH
You can
now hear
RPC
services
online!
Click the
picture to
the right to
begin hearing our
weekly
worship
services
You are encouraged to
share with the Book Club
as they
engage the book
EveryValley, forwarded by
Albert Blackwell.
The Book Club meets
every Sunday at 9:15AM
in the Duff House. The
Advent devotion, in what
has become an annual
tradition, will
particularly focus on
bringing together the music of Handel’s, Messiah,
and the Scriptures it references. The class will be an
experience for the ears, the heart, and the spirit.
All are welcome to come!
RIVERDALE
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
E-WEEKLY
Youth Mission Trip
Grand Rapids, MI
June 27-July 4
The RPC Youth will learn Christ-like empathy and compassion for others as they meet the spiritual,
physical, and emotional needs of disadvantaged children, youth, and adults. As students serve Christ and
the people of God, they’ll develop friendships with the people being served, with teenagers on other
teams, with members of their own youth group, and, most importantly, with Jesus. Denominational
differences disappear as like-minded youth work together for a common purpose. It’s awesome to watch!
Projects that teams will do include:
• Providing meals to the homeless
• Tutoring poor or struggling children
• Helping to lead a day camp for kids
• Organizing a home or sprucing up a dilapidated home
• Painting a room or deep-cleaning a home
• Working with disabled children
• Sharing stories with a lonely elderly person in an assisted-living facility
YOUTH WHO ARE 12-18
ARE WELCOME TO GO ON THE MISSION TRIP
REGISTRATION DEPOSITS OF $50 ARE DUE NO
LATER THAN DECEMBER 1, 2014
RIVERDALE
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
E-WEEKLY
Our Annual Stewardship Campaign is
upon us.
Here are some great Q & As with the
Stewardship Committee
Q: Why should I pledge?
A: There are many biblical injunctions to support the church with
one’s time, talent and treasure – yes all three, not one or two. But
the quick “worldly” answer is that the church, like any other organization, must draw up an annual budget. The Finance Committee apportions expected income among various budget
items, e.g., salaries for the pastor and staff, Christian education, property maintenance and repair, and expenses such as
heating, electricity, and telephone and snow removal. A pledge indicates that the church can expect a given dollar
amount which can therefore be allocated to some part of the budget. If pledges don’t come in, then expenses cannot be
planned for and programs cannot be expanded. Some even must be cut. The Finance Committee cannot assume that
money will come in to support the church’s mission and programs unless it is pledged.
Q: What is a pledge?
A: Each year, we ask members and friends of RPC to make a thoughtful, prayerful, and intentioned commitment to
support financially the ministry and mission of our church. Pledging is simply promising to give a certain amount of
money to RPC in the following year. This is accomplished by completing a pledge form indicating the amount of your
pledge and in what intervals (weekly, monthly, etc.) that you intend to give the money.
Q: What happens if I cannot fulfill my pledge?
A: This question comes up frequently. The short answer is that most pledges are fulfilled. A few are not, and almost
always with good reason. We live in insecure and stressful times, when job losses, medical bills and other reversals of
fortune seem more common and daunting than they once were. If you are afraid to pledge because you’re worried you
cannot fulfill it, fear not. The pledge is not legally binding, and the Stewardship Committee is, as are all such
committees, populated by compassionate souls. If you are not able to fulfill your pledge, a simple phone call to the
church office or a word to a member of the Stewardship Committee is all that is needed. No elaborate explanation is
necessary. It is taken as a matter of faith that any person who is unable to fulfill a pledge has a reason that’s important
to his or her circumstances.
Q: What does my pledge support?
A: Personal growth through Christian education, baptism, confirmation, and marriage preparation.
Choir -- for youth and adults.
Clergy and staff who provide uplifting worship, sermons, music, pastoral care, and church administration.
Maintenance and preservation of our building, property, and grounds.
Routine building operating expenses, e.g., utilities, insurance, roof, and organ and piano maintenance.
Contribution via the apportionment to the New York Presbytery.
RIVERDALE
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
E-WEEKLY
Q: Does my individual pledge make a difference?
A: ABSOLUTELY. RPC appreciates the contributions from the plate offerings, but this is only a small portion of our annual income. If you are new to RPC or to pledging, we hope you will make a pledge to support the church in the upcoming year. Even if you pledge a minimum amount, please take the step of pledging as part of your spiritual practice for
giving. Our hope is to have 100% participation. Every dollar supports and promotes our ministry and mission and is
deeply appreciated.
Q: Can I just put my offering in the plate without
pledging?
A: Many people find this the most comfortable way to give
to RPC. HOWEVER, it has drawbacks that negatively affect the church’s ministry. Making a pledge tells our church
how much money we will have to carry our ministry for the
coming year and, thereby, helps us to set our budget. The
amount pledged is critical information for the RPC Finance
Committee and the Session as they make careful decisions
about church activities, ministry, worship, music, and building maintenance throughout the year.
On a personal level, pledging help transform giving into a spiritual practice. You make a commitment, and fulfilling it
becomes a regular practice, like coming to worship. However important pledging is, it is not a requirement for church
membership or attendance. We welcome all who come to share in celebrating our faith, regardless of one’s agreement to
pledge or the amount.
Pledging allows us to make intentional decisions about financial giving, just as you might give regularly to a 401(k) or
other retirement plan. When you plan ahead for giving, you make conscious choices about spending money in ways that
reflect you values and faith.
Q: How do I determine the amount that I should pledge?
A: The traditional measure of giving to the church is the tithe, which is the biblical principle whereby a person or family
gives 10% of what they earn back to God through the church. The tithe seems daunting, and if this is your reaction, consider Proportional Giving. To do that, start with your expected income for the coming year and determine a percentage
that feels right for you spiritually and as a practical matter. From ancient times, people have given “the first fruits of
their labor.” So, a good start to Proportional Giving might be 2.5% of your income, which is approximately the first
hour’s pay for a 40-hour workweek.
Determine the percentage amount of income you have given in the past, consider your expected income for the next year,
and prayerfully consider increasing the percentage.
RIVERDALE
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
E-WEEKLY
Q: How do I make a pledge?
A: Make a pledge by completing and returning a paper pledge card. It can be mailed to the church, handed to a member
of the Stewardship Committee, or placed in the offering plate.
Q: Can I change my pledge if my financial circumstances change?
A: YES. We know that circumstances change, sometimes overnight. People sometimes need to reduce or even cancel
their pledges. To do this, simply contact the church office.
Q: When is my pledge due?
A: Although a pledge can be made at any time, we hope you will communicate your pledge by the last Sunday before
Thanksgiving, which in 2014 is Sunday, Nov. 23. We call it Stewardship Sunday. This allows the Finance Committee
enough time to present a realistic budget in January.
Q: How is a pledge campaign different from a capital campaign?
A: At RPC, we have done both. However, the pledge campaign is initiated every fall to provide the church with its operating expenses. In contrast, a capital campaign is a request for financial support for an extraordinary need over a defined period, such as a campaign to make part of the building handicapped accessible or to provide a new roof or organ.
A capital campaign could last a few months or several years.
Other questions? Please ask your Stewardship Committee or Pastor Mike. The Stewardship Committee comprises John
Cline, Judith McVey, and Carmen Leon.
Thank You
The Flower Fund would like to thank the following for the Sunday Flowers donated to RPC this year so far:
Jean Santoiemma-Stent & Dr. Ted Stent
Marvin O. Holloway, Jr.
Barbara & Richie Maulen
Becky Dyasi
Nicole Woo
Janet Simpson
The McKenna Family
Joan Aldred
Irizarry & Purce Families
Justina & Eno Udo
Regina King
Ruth Feliciano Fried
Jim & Judith McVey
Greg & Lucy Kallenberg
Chris Gonzalez & Sixto Medina
Shirley Maragh
The Chancel Choir
Carmen Lugo
Muoi Matsushita
Lucretia & Learsi Djivre
Heather Erhard
Sandy & Hannah Loglisci
Lawrence R. Bailey, Jr.
Doreen Toscano
Sakina Bess
The Board of Deacons
Rev. Michael and Claudia Hafele
The flower fund needs your help. We ask that everyone try to donate the Sunday flowers if you are able
at least once a year to help defray the cost of flowers to the church.
Please fill out the dedication notice in your Sunday Bulletin or call Lucretia at the church office (718) 796.5560.
Thank you everyone!
DO YOU NEED PRAYER?
PLEASE CALL REV. HAFELE AT
929-777-1497
THE ADVERT IS HUMOROUS, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY NO JOKE!