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Newsletter of The First Reformed Church of Cary Pastor: Rev. Dr. Charles A. Wiessner 555 S.W. Maynard Road, Cary NC 27511 P.O.Box 4373 (919)469-0678 Email Address:info@caryreformedchurch.org Web Address: http://www.caryreformedchurch.org Editor: Clair Coddington Well November is here and I don’t even know where October went, but I guess it’s true what they say about the older you get the faster time flies. Well here we are in November, the time when we set clocks back, and when our congregation is looking forward to our Annual Auction, which incidentally is this coming Saturday evening along with a spaghetti dinner. This is also the month of the year when we celebrate Thanksgiving. A time when you have a day off from work, when the family gathers, when there are good smells coming from the kitchen, and then when you all sit down together to dine but also to think about all the things in your life that you are thankful for. However, this year many families are experiencing many trials and perhaps it’s hard to be thankful when you are struggling with very significant problems. Some folks are jobless with financial problems, some are ill with severe health problems, some are looking towards a future that does not hold much promise, and yet giving thanks is “food” for thought. I too, have felt many of these problems and yet I know that my God watches over me and loves, and cares for me. I am so thankful for growing up with loving parents and grandparents. As a child I experienced a number of episodes of serious illnesses, but am so grateful that I had a mother that sat by my bedside and a doctor that made house calls (Imagine that!) I am thankful that I was given the ability to succeed in a career and in giving to it, received so much more in return. I am thankful for a wonderful marriage of 47 years with a loving soul-mate that God sent to me. I am thankful for a wonderful family that has grown with grandchildren who are just great! Then this year I have been blessed and am most thankful to my heavenly father for giving me a wonderful grand-daughter-in-law and wonder of wonders a beautiful, healthy wonderful great-grandson.

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I am so blessed and I am very sure that if you take the time to overlook for just a little while all the hard things that you have going on in your life right now and think about all the things that you have today that are all the blessings that your God has bestowed on you, I know you will smile and whisper a grateful, “Thank You, God”

Clair Coddington, Editor

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to skim through the “law books” of the Old Testament as I was preparing for the Adult Sunday School Class. It struck me how many of the regulations and laws dealt with the land and the possessions and the crops that the people would have when they entered the Promised Land. One of the main concepts behind these regulations was that in the final analysis everything belonged to God. Israel dwelt in the land, but the land was really God’s land, and it was God who had given the land to the nation. Reuben and Miriam and little Moishe might plow the field and hoe the ground and pull the weeds and reap the crops, but the land was ultimately God’s and was a gift that God gave them to use. And the wheat and the barley were also God’s gift to them. Therefore they were to share part of their crops with the poor and dispossessed. They were to bring some to the Temple as an offering of thankfulness to God.

In the traditional RCA Communion Liturgy, the communion prayer began “Holy and right it is and our joyful duty to give thanks to thee at all times and in all places, O Lord, holy Father.” And then the rest of the first paragraph expands on how God has blessed us through creation, providence, the gift of Jesus, and thus the gift of salvation. Sometimes we tend to forget this “joyful duty.” And many times we tend to forget that all we have is ultimately a gift from God. We tend to think we deserve our paycheck, after all we were the ones who went to college and got the degree, and we were the ones who put in 50 hours of work for that check. The house is ours, or at least ours and the bank. In addition to the monthly mortgage payments we have put a lot of time and sweat into painting and landscaping and maintenance. Basically, we have worked hard for what we have and we deserve it!

In November, we have two chances to examine our lives and consider what we have and where it came from. On November 15 we have our Consecration Service. During that service we will have a chance to make our commitments of time, treasure and talent for the coming year. This should be part of our joyful duty to give thanks. Stewardship should not be about giving to the church from what we earn to pay the church’s bills; rather it is an act of thanksgiving for what God has given us, and what we give was really a gift we were given in the first place. Consecration Sunday is a chance to give gifts of gratitude to God for all of his goodness.

And of course the other chance for thankfulness is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving should be more than football games, parades, turkey, and pumpkin pie. It is a time to acknowledge the goodness of God. It is time to celebrate all the many things God has done for us. It is a special time to exercise our joyful duty.

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This Thanksgiving will definitely be a different Thanksgiving for our household. There will be many bittersweet aspects to the time. But hopefully there will still be a deep sense of thankfulness for all that God has done for us. “It is our joyful duty to give thanks – for You created the heaven with all of its hosts and the earth with all of its plenty. You have given us life and being and preserve us daily by your providence. You have shown us the fullness of your love by sending Jesus Christ into the world. For the precious gift of this mighty Savior who has reconciled us to you we praise and bless you, O God.”

Pastor Chuck

FROM A FRIEND AND FORMER MEMBER OF FRCC

In early October we received a letter from one of our former members, Barbara Yhlen. Barbara is a wonderful lady and we were saddened when she informed us that she had to move to Pennsylvania to care for her aging aunt. We keep in touch with her via our Family Times and I have included her last letter for all of you to read.

“Dear Ones,

I miss you all so much and long for my Cary Church.

Thank you for my Family Times. It means a lot to me. I always look forward to its’ arrival.

Please say “hello” to everyone for me. I’m enclosing a check to be used where needed most.

God Bless you all, Barbara Yhlen”

I Believe... Even when you think you have no more to give, when

A friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I Believe... Two people can look at the exact same

Thing and see something totally different..

I Believe.. Our background and circumstances may have influenced who

we are, But we are responsible for whom we become.

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I Believe... My best friend and I can do anything or nothing

And have the best time.

I Believe... it's taking me a long time

To become the person I want to be.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:" 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. 3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. 4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch. 5. Pay off your credit cards every month. 6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone. 8. It's OK to get angry with God.. He can take it. 9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck. 10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present. 12. It's OK to let your children see you cry. 13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it. 15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks. 16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. 17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. 18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger. 19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer. 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets. Don't save them for a special occasion. Today is special. 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow. 23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. 24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you. 25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?". 26. Always choose life. 27. Forgive everyone everything. 28. What other people think of you is none of your business. 29. Time heals almost everything.. Give time, time. 30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 32. Believe in miracles. 33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do. 34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now. 35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

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36. Your children get only one childhood. 37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. 38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. 39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back. 40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. 41. The best is yet to come. 42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 43. Yield. 44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. Greetings from China!!! (a note from Katherine Slager, daughter of Steve & Rodie Slager) I know I know, I have been horribly out-of-contact while in China. I have a whole list of excuses... but I won't bore you with them! :-) Life in China... is pretty good! Amazing, actually... Training: For training, I was in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in western China. It was amazing. It was seriously two of the best months I've ever had. I lived with a host family who was super nice (though sometimes a bit strange.... but host-sister was strangely naive and confidently judgmental

at the same time. (Interesting to find in a 21-year-old.) But the best part of training was being around all the AMAZING people that make up this group of Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs). There are 75 of us, and we were broken up into four training groups. And I became super close with the 19 other people in my training group. My typical day: I would wake up, eat my host-mom's home-cooked breakfast, head to Chinese class (I was in a group of 6). After class, we'd all go grab something to eat at the local noodle and dumpling shops. In the afternoon, we would either have "teacher training" or "Model School"

sessions that were with all 20 PCVs. Afterwards, we would hang out or go back to our host-families. And in the evenings, I would either hang with my host-family or go out and play cards and drink tea with my PCV friends and our new Chinese friends at a local tea shop. Such good memories... Swearing-In: Well, now I'm officially sworn-in as a PCV... again! The ceremony was fun. We stayed in a SUPER nice hotel with a pool for three days, and the new American ambassador actually flew out to Chengdu from Beijing in order to swear us in. I had a traditional Chinese outfit (a qipao: "chee-pow") made for the ceremony. I love it! (see photo) Now: I am in my site... my home for the next year. I'm in Kaili, which is a mid-sized "town" with a population of 400,000 in Guizhou Province. Guizhou is actually the poorest province in China, by GDP per capita. I teach at the university, and I teach seven classes of sophomores Oral English. Which is pretty cool, cause it just means that I just have to get them to talk in class. In English of course! :-) I have a WONDERFULLY fabulous sitemate, John. He's really great. He's from Philadelphia, he's Korean-American (which means he pretty much blends in. No one ever stares at him!), and he's planning on going into the foreign service when he's done with Peace Corps. He was one of my best friends from training too: we were in the same training group, the same

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language class, AND we were partners for two weeks while teaching for Model School. :-D So pretty much, we were "destined" to be sitemates. Teaching: has been really awesome. Sometimes my motivation wanes when I'm preparing for my lessons (like now... I'm currently procrastinating preparing lessons for this week!), but I really enjoy being in the classroom. I teach all sophomores, which means I teach the same lesson seven times each week. Would be boring, but there is such a variation in levels between the classes that it's constantly engaging. In addition to teaching, John and I are doing "English Corner" once every two weeks, so we just arrange fun activities and discussion topics for people to come participate in, so they can improve their English. What's REALLY cool is that while there is no French department here (French is my true love), there is a group of students who have asked me to teach them French... so I have an unofficial French club! And I have really been starting to make friends ( continued on page 5) with some of my students. I hope to start asking students over to my apartment once a week to do dinner together... a great opportunity to get to know each other, and explore our different cultures. Maybe they'll teach me Chinese cuisine! Guizhou PCVs: the best part about Guizhou is that out of all the provinces that PC participates in, Guizhou is the most "close-knit." Other provinces can't really get together on a regular basis... just a few pockets of people getting together here and there. But Guizhou is geographically small enough and the people are awesome enough that we ALL get together for the big events: a welcome party, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas to just name a few. And the people are just GREAT! This past weekend a group of 8 PCVs actually came to Kaili to visit John and I... we had a blast. We visited a local "Miao minority" village named Xijiang (check it out: http://www.chinahighlights.com/guizhou/southeast-guizhou/attraction/xijiang-miao-village.htm). And that night, since it was my friend Kristina's birthday, I cooked a dinner for all eleven of us! (8 PCVs + Kat + John + John's girlfriend). That's the most I've ever cooked for... I was totally nervous but it actually turned out well! New Hobbies: So, as many of you know, you tend to have a lot of free time in Peace Corps. A LOT of free time. So I've started a couple new hobbies! Baking and.... losing weight! I know, I know, they don't really go well together. :-D But it has been really fun. I joined a gym here, and I've been going almost every day. It's been great, because since I'm a regular there, I'm really starting to get to know people there. And baking has been such a blast: my crowing achievements so far have been baking bread (this oatmeal bread recipe I have is AMAZING, muffins and banana bread. Yum! I usually end up giving most of the goodies away, so it's been great fun... and I have lost a bit of weight too! Well, that's my essay for now. I'll be sending a couple of emails out that are JUST for sending out pictures. Picasa is unfortunately blocked (!) so I'm just sending some pictures attached (in a smaller bitmap). OH AND FACEBOOK IS BLOCKED HERE!!!! So if you've been trying to get in touch with me via facebook... well, I haven't been ignoring you. I've been trapped behind the Great Firewall of China! Love to you all !!! Kat Slager U.S.-China Friendship Volunteers Kaili University Kaili, Guizhou 556000 CHINA (PRC) +8615124146747

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Address in Chinese: Katherine Slager �州省�里市 �里学院 �里��开�区 开元大道3号 556000 CHINA (PRC)

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN ACTION

GOOD NEWS FROM CCA! THE DORCAS THRIFT SHOP at 1231 NE Maynard Rd., Cary, is once again accepting toys and children's clothing! You can donate your gently used items by taking them to the drop-off window at the back right of the building (tax receipts are available). The proceeds from the sale of these and all clothing and household items help your neighbors in need with financial assistance through our crisis ministry and many other ministries, such as daycare scholarship help. Your donations to the food pantry are also appreciated by the many local families assisted with food each week. Has your church had a food drive for Dorcas/CCA ministries lately??? Foods especially needed now are canned meats (ravioli, spaghetti, tuna, salmon, etc.), jelly, crackers, 2 lb. bags of flour and sugar, and canned or boxed potatoes. THE PHILOSOPHY OF CHARLES SCHULTZ The following is the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just ponder on them. Just read the questions straight through, and you'll get the point. 1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners. 3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant. 4 Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. 5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress. 6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners. OK…. The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies.. Awards tarnish.. Achievements are forgotten.

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Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners. Now… 1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school. 2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile. 4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!! 5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with. The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials…the most money...or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most . FIVE FINGER PRAYER 1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.' 2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction… Keep them in your prayers. 3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance. 4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them. 5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively. Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!!!!!

SOMETIMES

Sometimes God breaks our spirits, to save our souls.

Sometimes He breaks our hearts, to make us whole.

Sometimes God allows pain,

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so we can be stronger. Sometimes God sends us failure,

so we can be humble. Sometimes God allows illness,

so we can take better care of ourselves. Sometimes God takes everything away from us

so we can learn the value of everything He gave us. Plan your life, plan ahead,

but understand that we only live by God’s grace…

OFFERING COUNTERS: David Francis

FELLOWSHIP: Committee Chairman: Bob Olson

We always need volunteers to supply goodies for our Fellowship Time after worship. If you haven’t signed up recently, then sign up on the list posted on the bulletin board by the second entry door that leads into the fellowship room and the kitchen. GREETERS: Dot Kurzawa Nov. 1 - Grace Bouche & Nancy Dey Nov. 8 - Hardy & Anne Rothrock Nov. 15- Bob & Linda Olson Nov. 22 - Bill & Sabra Leadbitter Nov. 29 - Bill & Julie Anne Thompson USHERS: Nancy Dey

Nov. 1 - Bill & Sabra Leadbitter, Pete & Barbara Nickel Nov. 8 - Barbara Araromi, Dave Francis, Zandt Johnson, Heidi Wilson Nov. 15 - Hank Barnes, Grace Bouche, Noriko Hawk, Mike Shafer Nov. 22 - John Ferris, Ed & Melissa Matson, Liz White Nov. 29 - Nancy Dey, Bill & Julie Anne Thompson, Ben Wiessner :NURSERY: Melissa Matson

Nov. 1 - Sherri Meder & Kristin Ellison Nov. 8 - Kevin & Kelly Joldersma Nov. 15 – Ed & Melissa Matson Nov. 22 – Zandt & Brooke Johnson Nov. 29 – Bob & Linda Olson

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS

The Empty Nester’s Group meets on the first Tuesday of the month at area restaurants. However, by the time I managed to publish the newsletter they already met on Nov 3rd at the Olive Garden at Crossroads and there was a great group and everyone had a wonderful time.

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Meals on Wheels is the 4th Friday of every month 11AM at Resurrection Lutheran church. Consistory meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month in the Church Library. The Women’s Group will meet on Monday evening Nov 9th at 6:30PM in the Church Library. They are now studying the book, “The Life You Always Wanted” by John Ortberg.

THE DEADLINE FOR PLACING ITEMS IN THE FAMILY TIMES FOR THE DECEMBER ISSUE

WILL BE NOVEMBER 20TH

Sunday Nov 1 Worship Service 11:00 AM Sermon: “Reformed Saints” Ephesians 1:3-23 Sunday School at 9:15 AM Nursery to Adults Nursery available during worship Children in Worship Program Fellowship Time follows Worship Sunday Nov 8 Worship Service 11:00 AM Sermon: “Ruth: Faithfulness” Ruth:1:1-5 Sunday School for Nursery to Adults at 9:15 AM Nursery available during worship Children in Worship Program Fellowship Time follows Worship Sunday Nov 15 Worship Service @ 11:00AM Sermon:” Esther: Courage” Esther Sunday School for Nursery to Adults 9:15AM Nursery available during worship Children in Worship Program Regular Scheduled Luncheon after Worship Sunday Nov 22 Worship Service @ 11:00AM Sermon:”Deborah: Thanksgiving” Judges 5 Sunday School for Nursery to Adults 9:15AM Nursery available during worship Children in Worship Program Fellowship Time follows Worship Sunday Nov 29 Worship Service @ 11:00AM Sermon:”Advent Communion: Branch of Love” Jeremiah 33:10-16 Sunday School for Nursery to Adults 9:15AM

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Nursery available during worship Children in Worship Program Fellowship Time follows Worship

If you continue to live in the past Your life is history….