August 2017 Page 1

Inside This Issue…

Worship Committee 1 Personnel Committee 1 Gnagy Gnews 2 Calendar 3 Caring Ministry 4 Presbytery Meeting 5 Word Search 6 Christian Education 7 Summer Office Hours 8 VBS 8 Food Pantry Hours: Tuesday 11AM-12PM and 6:30PM - 7:30PM

Newsletter of the Marcellus First Presbyterian Church Main & North Streets, Marcellus, NY 13108

315-673-2201 August 2017

Worship Committee

In August, we will be worshiping in the Marcellus First Presbyterian Church building. Many thanks to the Meth-odists for hosting worship in July. The Worship committee wishes to let folks know we have 4 working hearing devic-es for folks who need an enhancement that facilitates hearing the service clearly. All one needs to do is ask Lar-ry Marocco for the unit. They are easy to use!!! The only requirement for the user is when they return their unit please do not wrap the cord around the device. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Mary Heil, Worship committee chair

Personnel Committee

The Personnel Committee has been busy, with Nicki Arnett, Nancy Holden, and Mary Heil updating and renew-ing our Personnel Policies and Procedures Book. Addi-tionally, we are organizing the Personnel records and en-suring that future Personnel Committee members have in-formation that is clearly spelled out for them about how this committee operates.

Sue Bird and Legrand, where she works, have donated a filing cabinet to us just for Personnel Records. We are in the process of preparing for our Annual Perfor-mance Reviews to be conducted at the end of August/ be-ginning of September. We are gathering input for these meetings from various members of the congregation. If you feel there is a church employee you work closely with and would like to provide input into his or her review, please contact Debbie Quick at dquick2@twcny.rr.com.

It is always a tremendous pleasure to work with this group of dedicated and hardworking committee members!

Debbie Quick, Chair Personnel Committee

Committee News

AUGUST WORSHIP

9:30 am at Marcellus First Presbyterian

Church

August 2017 Page 2

Gnagy Gnews

It has been a pleasure to share worship with our friends at Marcellus United Methodist Church this sum-mer and work with their new pastor, Rev. Stephen Deckard. We will be worshipping together in our sanctuary at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings during the month of August, with Rev. Deckard preaching. We were also able to join together in making sandwiches for the Samaritan Center on July 9. Great to see a joint mission project! As always, the fun has been tempered with less joyful occasions. We said a “partial” farewell to Betty Olley, who has moved to live with her daugh-ter. We recognized her in worship and during Fel-lowship time and she and her daughter said they will try to come and visit us on Sundays in the fall! On July 27th there was a quiet burial for Betty Ken-yon near Moravia with other Kenyon family mem-bers. It is a lovely, quiet spot with the beautiful sight and smell of wild thyme growing in the grass. July has been a challenge for me as I fell and broke a bone in my right hand. Dealing with a cast, lots of bruises, headaches and some dizziness along with replacing my new glasses has been more difficult than I imagined, but I think recovery is now progressing better. Many thanks for all the prayers, cards, meals and other help you have offered! Two wonderful moments during July have been weddings. On July 8th, Steve and Leslie Hamilton were united in marriage, and on July 28th Rick and Adele Ferretti were married. Thanks be to God for the love that has brought these couples together, and blessings on all of them—and on all of you! Grace and peace, Pastor Pam

Left: Steve and Leslie Hamilton

Right:

Rick and Adele Ferretti

August 2017 Page 3

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

6-8 pm VBS @

MUMC

2

6-8 pm VBS @

MUMC

8 pm AA Meeting

3

6-8 pm VBS

@ MUMC

4

6-8 pm

VBS

@ MUMC

5

9 am Zumba

6—Communion

9:30 am Worship at

MFPC

7

7pm Mission

Interpretation Mtg

8

9

8 pm AA Meeting

10

11

12

9 am Zumba

13

9:30 am Worship at

MFPC

10:45am Samaritan Cen-

ter Sandwiches

14

7pm Session Mtg

15

4:30-8:45pm Pres-

bytery Meeting at

Robinson

Elmwood United

Church

16—Pastor Pam on

Vacation

8 pm AA Meeting

17—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

18—Pastor

Pam on

Vacation

19—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

9 am Zumba

20—Food Pantry Sunday

Pastor Pam on Vacation

9:30 am Worship at

MFPC

21—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

7 pm Fellowship

& Outreach Mtg

22—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

23—Pastor Pam on

Vacation

8 pm AA Meeting

24—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

10 am Finance

and Stewardship

Mtg

25—Pastor

Pam on

Vacation

26—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

9 am Zumba

27 —Pastor Pam on

Vacation

9:30 am Worship at

MFPC

28—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

29—Pastor Pam

on Vacation

30

8 pm AA Meeting

31

August

August 2017 Page 4

Communion To Shut-Ins

The Deacons coordinate the offering of the Sacrament of Holy Communion to the homebound on Sundays that we celebrate the Sacrament in worship.

If you are homebound and would like to receive Communion, please call the Church Office, 673-2201, or Deb Swankey, Moderator of the Deacons, at 673-1403.

CONNECTIONS

Connections is published the first of each month by the Marcellus First Presbyterian Church. Deadline for materials is the 23th of the month preceding the month of publication. Submit materials and address changes to Church Office.

Marcellus First Presbyterian Church

PO Box 147, 1 East Main St. Marcellus, NY 13108 Phone: 315-673-2201

e-mail: office@marcelluspc.com website:

www.marcelluspresbyterian.com Worship: 9:30 AM Views expressed are those of the authors and not official positions of the Session, unless noted.

Food Pantry Hours Tuesdays

11 am - 12 noon & 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Caring Ministry

IN OUR PRAYERS…

...Gwenn Rice

...Lynn Rice

...Hank Bartholomew and family

...Shirley Marble

...Jan Linderman

...June Gnagy

...Roger Hakes

...Mike Caster

...Jean Reichard

...Vicky Clark

...Betty Olley

...Tobey Casler

...Our Armed forces worldwide

...Our friends & loved ones in need The Deacons

Owen Dean 8/01 Russell Gooden 8/01 William Nesfeder 8/01 Robbie Hakes 8/02 Sara Muncy 8/02 Kay Rice 8/02 Herbert Gooden 8/05 Patty Sweet 8/05 Lisa Vaughn 8/10 Faith Seeley 8/13 Shawna Muncy 8/17 Tyrone King 8/18 Samantha Gates 8/26 Charlies Smith 8/27 Alan Beyel 8/29 Mary Heil 8/31 Sam Wickett 8/31

Stu & Nancy Holden 8/04 Greg & Debbie Quick 8/11 Jim & Beth Seeley 8/11 Martin & Sue Wegman 8/18 Ed & Gladys Nelson 8/21 Al & Geneva Hayden 8/23 Tim & Deb Swankey 8/26 Karl & Mary Barner 8/28 Peter & Becky Hakes 8/28 Lou & Shirley Marble 8/29 Patrick & Jane Tobin 8/31

Pastor Pam will be on vacation August 16-29.

Rev. Steve Deckard will be preaching. Parish associ-ates Ginny and Richard

Smith (315-320-4255) will be available for any pastoral concerns during that time.

Address Change… Betty Olley’s Address has changed: if you would like to contact her, it is now: 107 Phelps St. Lyons NY 14489

August 2017 Page 5

Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery is gathering on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at Robinson Elmwood United Church at 126 Terry Rd, Syracuse from 4:30-8:45 pm. This is a great oppor-tunity to meet new people and become reacquainted with friends within the Presbytery. But this is OUR meeting – we ARE the presbytery, all of the Presbyterian congregations in this part of Central New York. Please join us for what looks to be an interesting and exciting evening including:

Are you interested in the future of the church? Do you have concerns about how to make the church in-teresting, relative, attractive and meaningful in these new times? You are not alone! Join us to seek and share ideas and concerns as we help one another on this journey. All are welcome! We also need some specific help. Presbytery seeks equal input of ministers and elders, but our presby-tery currently has more ministers attending meetings than elders. We need your thoughts, ideas, enthu-siasms and experience to help – and your vote! MFPC currently is asked to have representation from our pastor and three (3) elders. You do not need to be currently serving on Session; anyone who has been ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian church is eligible. Pastor Pam and Charlie Smith are planning to attend, but we’d really like to have two more elders join us as representatives of our church. Pam and Charlie are both willing to provide transportation for any-one interested, even if you can only attend this meeting and are not able to commit to future Presbytery meetings. For more information contact Pastor Pam (315-956-3829) or Charlie Smith (315-673-2476).

worship with communion an offering of – toilet paper! – to support three mission programs in our area, supporting those

affected by domestic violence, unexpected and serious illness, or homelessness a World Cafe type discussion on how to be the church here and now, based on the gathering in

Jerusalem recorded in Acts 11:1-18, where Peter challenged the church leaders to see new ways in which the Holy Spirit was encouraging change in the church and its disciples

program and discussion after dinner titled “A New Church – A New Day.”

Presbytery Meeting

August 2017 Page 6

Activity

August 2017 Page 7

Christian Education

Christian Education Programming to Resume on Sunday, September 17th

Teachers Wanted We are looking forward to the start of another great year of Christian education this fall. Classes and youth group will resume on Sunday, September 17th. Nursery care will once again be provided each Sunday and the elementary students will be excused for class immediately following the Children’s Ser-mon. Our junior and senior high youth (grades 5-12), led by Brian and Allison Ray, will head down for class right after the sermon. We are actively seeking volunteers to sign up for the nursery schedule. You rotate on the schedule, which leaves you assigned to be in the nursery only once every 6 weeks or so.

We would also like to secure teachers for the upcoming Sunday school year. Our approach over the last couple of years has been to have teachers rotating so that no one is missing an exorbitant num-ber of sermons. There are pros and cons to this type of teaching assignment; the flexibility is wonderful, but the inconsistency can present challenges. We are open to continuing this method of instruction de-livery, but are considering a return to one regular teacher for the Sunday school year. If you are interest-ed in teaching (on a limited or full-year basis), please contact Allison Ray directly to discuss. We would like to have plans firmed up by the end of September so that curriculum can be distributed and we are ready to go on the first day of class. Don’t worry if you have never taught Sunday school before. It is thoroughly rewarding and you will be supported along the way to help ensure a successful experience for you and the children in your class.

Best of Luck to our New College Students! We will be missing and thinking of our recent Marcellus grads as they head off for new adven-tures at college this fall! Take care of yourselves, keep nurturing the connection to God that you have built over all of these years, and come back to visit us whenever you are in town!!

Preliminary Schedule for the Fall We are currently planning out our activities for the coming church year, and a tentative schedule will be provided on the first day of classes in September, but for those parents who like to try and plan ahead, here are some things you need to know for September and October! September 10 Church Picnic/Service in the Park 17 Welcome Back!! 24 Lesson/Collect orders for apple pies October 1 Apple Picking at Navarino Orchard immediately following sermon; return to church to assemble pies for freezing 8 Lesson; Set up pie sale station in Shinaman Hall and distribute orders/ collect $$ 15 Lesson 22 Lesson 29 Lesson

August 2017 Page 8

MARCELLUS FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH P.O. Box 147 Marcellus, NY 13108 Address Service Requested

Please use P.O. Box 147 when corresponding with the Church

The Church Office will be open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 8:30am to 3:30pm.

The Office will be closed Tues-days and Fridays.

Marcellus Ecumenical VBS 2017

Marcellus UMC will host our Ecumenical VBS this year on Monday, July 31 - Friday, August 4 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

Please plan to stop by the registration table to check in and pay $5 per child (max $25 per fami-ly). Checks can be made out to Marcellus Ecumenical VBS. You will also be asked to sign a release at that time. Adults or teens who would like to help are more than welcome to do so. Please contact Tracy Cheney at tcheney@twcny.rr.com to volunteer, or for more information.