March 2012 Agape Harvest First United From Your Pastor: Presbyterian Church of Pine Plains 3039 Church Street, P. O. Box 313, Dear Friends, ever before. Pine Plains, NY 12567 Tel: (518) 398-7117 Experts who track the When Jesus called His To know the love of changing vocabulary of disciples "friends" (John Christ; to show the the English language 15:15), He spoke of a love of Christ; and to chose unfriend as the unique relationship grow in the love of New Oxford American involving mutual wholeness and well being Christ. Dictionary Word of the commitment. He was in the deepest way. He about to lay down His life • All are welcome to Year for 2009. They guides us and protects us. join us at our weekly defined it as a verb,"to for them and for all of us, We can cast all our Sunday worship remove someone as a and He asked them and burdens on Him because service at 11:00 a.m. friend on a social us to show our friendship He cares for us, and His • Church School and networking Web site," by keeping His strong arm steadies us childcare are such as Facebook. On commandment to "Love available during the when we are falling. He worship service. that site, friends allow each other as I have loved encourages us and • Join us for the each other to access the you. Greater love has no supports us through warmth of coffee personal information on one than this, that he lay friendships with one hours and fellowship their Facebook pages. down his life for his another. He shows us following most They may never meet face friends" (v. 13). weekly worship what true friendship is all services. to face. In our world of about. Jesus' friendship is the • Pastor Carol’s office fleeting cyber hours are by acquaintances, we are greatest friendship the With love, appointment. Please beginning to realize that world has ever known. Pastor Carol call her at (518) having a true friend He is the Good Shepherd 697-0025 (home), (845) 235-3569 means more now than and He cares for our Excerpts from Our Daily Bread (cell) or (518) 398- 7117 (church office). www.pineplainspresbyterianchurch.com Inside this issue: A Letter From A Friend 2 Recent Events, Notices & Thanks 4 Nutrition Corner 6 Servant’s Calendar 3 Upcoming Events 4 Prayer Requests 8 Bible Fun 3 Looking Ahead 5 P a ge 2 Agape Harvest March 2012 A letter from a friend… “ And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so must you love one another. If you have loved one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 Author J. Allan Petersen tells about a Thank you for the incredible appreciate you!” flight he took on a 747 out of Brazil. privilege of knowing you. Life has Petersen was awakened from sleep been wonderful.” We have so many awesome by a strong voice announcing, ‘We relationships forming…and have a very serious emergency!’ As the plane approached the ground, maintaining… here at First United Three engines had just quit because Petersen’s last cry was, “O God, my Presbyterian Church. Relationships of fuel contamination and the fourth wife! My children!” with each other as well as was expected to go at any moment. relationships with God Almighty. Let The plane began to drop and turn in Petersen survived the crash. And he us be truly thankful for these the night, preparing for an wandered around the airport in a relationships. Let us feel truly blessed emergency landing. daze, aching all over, he found he by these relationships. Let us be couldn’t speak, but his mind was genuinely appreciative of these At first the situation seemed unreal racing. ‘What were my last words? What relationships. And let us consistently to Petersen, but when the steward was the bottom line?’ As his memory tell one another…I love you in barked, ‘Prepare for impact’, he returned, Peterson had his answer: Christ Jesus! And God loves you found himself and everyone around relationships . Reunited with his too! him praying. As Petersen buried his wife and sons, Petersen found that head in his lap and pulled up his all he could say to them over and The Church Mouse knees, he said, ”O God, thank you. over was, “I appreciate you, I It’s All About God Jenny Lind was known as :The content to live in privacy in a home have but to change?” Swedish Nightingale” during her by the sea. very successful career as an operatic The world may never understand our singer. One day, a friend found her sitting own personal decision to make God on the sand, staring at the sea, her a priority in our lives. Ms Lind became one of he wealthiest Bible on her knees, enjoying the artist of her time, yet, she left the glorious glow of the sunset. But then, just the same, perhaps God stage at a time when she was singing Almighty cannot possibly understand at her best. As they talked, the friend some people’s decisions to pursue asked….”Madame Goldschmidt, the priorities of the world! And she never returned to it. how is it that you ever came to abandon the stage at the height of As we make our routine priorities Countless people speculated as to the your successful career?” each and every day of our lives, let’s reason for her leaving the stage and remember that we are to be first and most people wondered how she Ms Lind answered quietly….”When foremost, children of God, rather could give up so much applause, every day it made me think less of than creatures of the world! fame and money. this (laying her finger on her Bible) and nothing at all of that (pointing to The Church Mouse For her part, Ms Lind seemed the sunset), what other choice did I Agape Harvest March 2012 P a ge 3 Servants’ Calendar: March–June 2012 LITURGIST SCHEDULE SESSION Next Session Meeting: March 13th @ 7:00 pm Mar 4 Doug Hart Mar 11 Andy Smith Meetings: March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12 Mar 18 Linda Bartolomeo Session Members: Kathy Bartles, Ed Casazza, Scott Chase, Bob Clinch, Mar 25 Jim Petrie Doug Hart, Debbie Jackson, Brendan Kilpatrick, Andy Smith, and Dyan Wapnick. Apr 1 Dyan Wapnick Treasurer: Scott Chase Apr 8 Margo Jackson Clerk of Session: Kathy Bartles Apr 15 Scott Chase Apr 22 Carol Ladoceour Moderator: Pastor Carol Miller Apr 29 Kathy Bartles DEACONS May 6 John Hart Harriet A'Brial, John Bilski, Marva Blackmar, Lynne Clinch, Connie Coons, May 13 Doug Hart Mel Finkle, and Jim Jackson. May 20 Andy Smith May 27 Linda Bartolomeo COMMUNION SCHEDULE: June 3 Lynne Clinch March—Debbie Jackson, April—Brendan Kilpatrick, May—Scott Chase, June 10 Jim Petrie June— Ed Casazza June 17 Dyan Wapnick June 24 Margo Jackson Bible Fun: Temptation of Jesus (Luke 4:1-12) 1. Jesus was in the ____________ for ____________days being tempted by the Kingdoms ___________. (Luke 4:1) Devil 2. “...tell this ____________ to become ____________ .” (Luke 4:3) Stone 3. Jesus was offered authority and splendor over all the ____________of the world. Worship (Luke 4:5-7) Test 4. “____________ the Lord your God and serve him only.” (Luke 4:8) Temple Forty 5. Jesus was asked to throw himself from the highest point of the ____________. Desert 6. “Do not put the Lord your God to the ____________ .” (Luke 4:12) Bread P a ge 4 Agape Harvest March 2012 Recent Events, Notices & Thanks WELCOME ARIELLE A much anticipated Arielle Janine Williams was born on January 6, 2012, weighing in at 6lbs, 15 oz. Special thanks to all who welcomed Arielle with prayers, visits, gifts or well wishes. She is growing nicely and looking forward to meeting her extended family! Andy & Arlette Williams Our heartfelt thanks are due to Carol Ladoceour who has retired from years of service as Church Secretary and Clerk of Session. Her dedication to service and contributions to the Church have been invaluable. May God richly reward as you continue to serve Him. Upcoming Events ANNUAL ST PATRICK’S DAY DINNER Annual St Patrick's Day Dinner - March 17 at 6pm. Please mark your calendars and try to help at this fund raiser! We are in need of workers: at 9 am to do food prep, at 4.30 pm to box take outs, kitchen help during the dinner, a person to coordinate the Dining Room, bakers for desserts and Irish Soda Bread, and a clean up crew. We will soon post sign up sheets and be making phone calls. Thanks in advance, Jeanne Valentine-Chase and Dyan Wapnick, Co-Chairs P a ge 5 Agape Harvest March 2012 Looking Ahead * Events, dates & times subject to change. MARCH 2012 APRIL 2012 Thurs. 01 Bible Study @ 7:00 pm Thurs. 05 Bible Study @ 7:00 pm Thurs. 08 - Women’s Association Meeting @ 1:00 pm - Bible Study @ 7:00 pm Tue. 10 - Christian Ed. Meeting @ 6:00 pm - Session Meeting @ 7:00 pm Tue. 13 - Christian Ed. Meeting @ 6:00 pm - Session Meeting @ 7:00 pm Thurs. 12 - Women’s Association Meeting @ 1:00 pm Thurs. 15 Bible Study @ 7:00 pm - Bible Study @ 7:00 pm Sat. 17 Annual St Patrick's Day Dinner @ 6pm Mon. 16 Council of Churches Meeting @ 12:00 pm, Mon. 19 Council of Churches Meeting @ 12:00 pm, Methodist Church Methodist Church Thurs.