save the date - get excited! vacation bible school is...

PASTORS’CORNER

July/August 2014

SAVE THE DATE - GET EXCITED!Vacation Bible School is coming to Neelsville August 4th-8th!

At Weird Animals vacation Bible school, kids experience God’s Word in surprising and unforgetta-ble ways! Each day, leaders rein-force one simple Bible truth—which makes it easy for kids to remember and apply to real life! Contact Joy Burkley for informa-tion at [email protected].

YOU’RE INVITED!June 22 .. Prayer Ministry begins .... p3July 16 ... Opening Doors Ministry .. p3 July 19 ... Jazz Concert .................... p3Aug 4-8 .. Vacation Bible School .. p3/5Sept 21 .. Church Picnic .................. p8Fall ......... Coffee in Italy ................... p3

Pastor Pete

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Pastor Andy

Appreciative Inquiry Update

“…our aim is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

1Timothy 1:5In April and May, Neelsville undertook an exercise in Appreciative Inquiry, to learn more about what we do best and to build upon these strengths. Scores of NPC members contributed their stories, insights, and ideas through interviews, emails, or letters. All these thoughts were combined into 45 pages of member input which the elders and deacons considered, discussed, and categorized at a meeting on Friday evening, June 6th. The goal of this ses-sion was to see what the congregation feels are the most valuable traits and special strengths of Neelsville and to listen for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. After discussion and interaction on each of the questions, several themes emerged. Based upon congregational input, Neelsville’s most valuable and helpful attributes include: • being Bible-based and Christ-cen-tered in our teaching, preaching, small groups, and ministries • having strong programs for chil-dren and youth such as education, youth group, VBS, and mission trips • strongly supporting global and lo-cal missions, particularly with a variety of service opportunities • acting as an extended family: wel-coming, supporting, building relation-

ships, and caring for a diverse set of members These themes were evident through-out all the responses on the Apprecia-tive Inquiry survey. The next step will be for the church leadership to devel-op programs or initiatives to enhance and develop these strengths, to build upon our strong foundation so that we can glorify God and better make and become disciples of Jesus Christ. Please pray for our leaders that God would grant them a greater measure of love, wisdom, and faith as they pur-sue the Lord’s will.

Re-Membering What Membership MeansAs we head into July and August, many of us will head out on well-de-

served vacations and enjoy time of rest, relaxation, and recharging our batteries. Summer can be a great op-portunity for renewal, or it can be an enormous waste. Let me encourage you to be intentional with your sum-mer—pick a couple spiritually enrich-ing books to read, or take advantage of more time with family for spiritual conversation. Another great option is to take some time to “remember our membership”! The Book of Order encourages all active members to “ regularly, after prayerful consideration, recommit themselves to the disciplines and re-sponsibilities of membership.” What are these “disciplines and responsibil-ities,” you may be wondering? I’m so

Summer Sunday Schedule9am Sunday School for all ages10am Worship Service11am Fellowship Time

Neelsville’s two service schedule will resume in the fall on Sunday, September 7th.

N E E L S V I L L E N E W S • J u l y / A u g u s t 2 0 1 4

GLOBAL MISSIONARY OF THE MONTHShirley Killosky, Papua New Guinea Shirley first ventured to Hauna Village in 1979 to work as a literary specialist and teacher. After the translation of the New Testament was finished in 1989, Shirley joined Kids Alive to continue the teach-ing program on the Upper Sepik River and to pro-vide other, less fortunate villages with an education-al program. Today, the Kids Alive ministry has a large mission house where meetings are con-ducted, a school, a church, and several other buildings for a variety of activities and vocational training (sewing, carpen-try, stores, laundry, mechanic shop, etc). Over 600 students in Kids Alive schools receive basic education as well as train-ing in three languages, Bible, and Chris-tian discipleship. Because of the high rate of malnutrition and sickness in this area, the mission provides a nutritional daily meal to these day students who re-turn to their families at night. For more information about Kids Alive ministries, visit www.kidsalive.org.

20701 Frederick Road • Germantown, MD 20876

TEL: (301) 976-3916 • FAX: (301) 972-5563www.neelsville.org

Senior Pastor Contemporary Rev. Dr. Peter Della Santina Worship Director & [email protected] Director of Student Ministries Associate Pastor Ryan Mowen Rev. Andy Nagel [email protected] [email protected] Organist Office Administrator Michele Kelly Tricia Bradford [email protected] [email protected] Interm Choir Director Treasurer Greg Graf Wendy Coulliard [email protected] [email protected]

Neelsville News is published by Neelsville Presbyterian Church.

Submit Word files and photos by the 15th of each month to Sherrie Cardea;

[email protected]

FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT

Re-Membering What Membership MeansCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

glad you asked! Our covenant of membership is an ideal discipleship tool, because it articulates what membership means for us as the family of God at NPC. I encourage you to read through it prayerfully and take your “spiritual temperature” asking yourself questions like: how regular has my Sunday worship been? How has my personal study of Scripture been going? How have I been welcoming visitors? Or, looking forward, ask yourself this: What can I practically do to grow in my worship of God? What can I practically do to grow in my discipleship of Jesus? In my mission of making disciples? Feel free to talk to pastors or elders too! There are so many ways to live into our mission statement of glorifying God, being and making disciples of Jesus Christ. But the first step is to ask the questions of ourselves honestly.

All of us are on a journey of spiritual growth and maturity, and so none of us ought to look at the Covenant and say, “Yep, I’ve pretty much nailed it!” On the other hand, we shouldn’t be overly discouraged, because maybe God is calling us to new and more faithful discipleship and service. As we have learned in Romans, “we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another,” (Romans 12:5), so let us decide to grow together in holiness, in discipleship, and in mission, for our joy, for the blessing of our community, and for the glory of God!

Your partner in Christ’s mission, Pastor Andy

Covenant of Membership In gratitude to the Father’s love, I affirm my faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and seek to follow him in the power of the Holy Spirit and with the congregation of Neelsville Presbyterian Church. I commit to glorifying God by faithfully participating in Sunday wor-ship, holding Scripture to be God’s written Word, and allowing my faith to permeate my life. I commit to personal discipleship by regular prayer and study, con-tributing my gifts, talents and treasure, supporting fellow brothers and sisters, upholding the unity of the church, sustaining a teachable spir-it, and abiding by the Biblical standards of faith and morality. I commit to making disciples by praying for the church’s spiritual growth, welcoming visitors, sharing the Good News, showing God’s love, serving my community and world for God’s glory, and inviting others to respond to Christ in faith and join our fellowship as His dis-ciples.

As of May 31, 2014YTD YTD ANNUAL YTD

OPERATING FUND Actual Budget Budget Variance Tithes & Offerings $221,350 $254,473 $574,000 -$33,123 Expenses $283,453 $286,979 $689,825 -$3,526 Inc/Exp -$62,103 -$32,506 $0BUILDING FUND Tithes & Offerings $13,601 $16,200 $36,000 -$2,599 Expenses $43,805 $60,938 $78,000 -$17,133 Inc/Exp -$30,204 -$44,738

Correction: The YTD budget column in the May issue of Neelsville News was not properly updated. We regret any confusion this may have caused.

GLOBAL MISSIONS


LOCAL MISSIONSTHE “OPENING DOORS MENTORING MINISTRY” NEEDS YOU!“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” 1Peter 4:10If you were asked to give a few hours a month to make a difference in someone’s life, could you spare the time? The “Opening Doors Mentoring Ministry,” a new ministry as part of Local missions is in need of mentors. Please come find out how you can share your God given gifts and skills to make a difference in someone’s life. Join us at 7pm on Wednesday, July 16th in the church library to find out more about mentoring opportunities at Neelsville. We look for-ward to seeing you and telling you about our exciting, new ministry. YOU can make a difference! –Gail Haag

THANK YOU!

PRAYER MINISTRYStarting on Sunday June 22nd, a new prayer ministry will begin just before our service of worship and praise. This time of prayer will not be a time of addressing prayer re-quests of individuals. Rather it will be a time in which we pray specifically for the upcoming worship service. That the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be on the pastor of the day, and that the Holy Spirit’s words will be in his heart and on his lips. We will also be praying that those in the congre-gation will have open ears and hearts to receive the mes-sage that the Holy Spirit has for each individual that day. During the summer when worship begins at 10am, we will be gathering in the conference room across the hall from Pete’s office. Prayers will start at 9:35am and contin-ue till 9:50am. This will provide ample time for those who are in prayer to arrive in the sanctuary before the service starts. In September we will have a group praying before both the first and second services. The times for Septem-ber will be relayed to you at that time. If you feel God nudging you to participate in this minis-try, please join us on any or all Sundays. For questions, please contact Marge Jarrett at [email protected] or 301-977-1230. Thanks for considering this time as a way of serving our Lord. –Marge Jarrett

We are so grateful to Craig Arold, Gregg Couillard, Bill Kroah, and Steve Escholz for building us a WONDERFUL ramp, which we refer to as our “own private boardwalk”! We cherish having the freedom again of getting in and out of our home by ourselves. Thank you! Also, we would like to also extend a gracious & sincere thank you to our Neelsville church family for the many vis-its, cards, prayers, and especially the words of encourage-ment. They meant so very much to us this past year.

–The Miller Family

JAZZ CONCERT AT NPCA concert to benefit Germantown HELP will be held at Neelsville on Saturday, July 19th at 7pm. NPC musicians Laura Benning, Greg Graf, and Nathan Couillard, with guest bassist Cyndy Elliott, will perform Claude Bolling’s “Jazz Suite No. 2 for Flute and Jazz Trio”. This multi-move-ment, 50-minute work is a blend of classical and jazz mu-sic - highly enjoyable to both the audience and performers. The concert is free of charge; however, we ask that the audience bring non-perishable food items for HELP, and a freewill donation will be appreciated. All proceeds will go directly to Germantown HELP. Any questions, contact Lau-ra Benning at [email protected] or call 301-253-1926.

VBS … VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDJoin us from August 4th-8th for Weird Animals VBS – where Jesus’ love is one of a kind! Volunteers are needed to help make this a successful ministry to the children of the church and local neighborhoods. Please consider do-nating some time during this week to help. We accept daily and weekly volunteers. Please see Joy Burkley or e-mail [email protected] to participant in this amazing ex-perience.

COFFEE IN ITALYLadies, if you missed Paris, you will defi-nitely want to join us in Italy this fall. We will be enjoying all things Italian. This will be an event that you will want to in-vite a guest to. Ask those who attend-ed “Tea in Paris” how much fun they had! We need help now planning this Italian ad-venture. Please contact Gerry Davis via email at [email protected] or call 301-990-4240. A presto!

FELLOWSHIP

Jack and Barbara Miller enjoying their new ramp!


Monday-Friday August 4th-8th

9:00am to 12 noonFriday Afternoon Picnic Finale 11:30-12:30 for the Whole Family!

May materials fee: $15June-August materials fee: $25 ($60 cap per family)

Name ___________________________________________________Age _____Grade in Fall _________

T-Shirt Size (circle) S M L XL

Friend or sibling child would like to be placed with _____________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________________________________State _____________Zip _________

Parent Name(s) ________________________________________________________________________

Home# __________________________ Work# ______________________ Cell# ____________________

Email Address _________________________________________________________________________

Other person authorized to pick up child _____________________________________________________

Emergency Contact _____________________________________Phone# _________________________

Allergies/Medical Conditions ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are you interested in helping out with Panda Mania? (Nursery care and VBS program for preschoolers only for children of adult volunteers)Name ________________________________________________Phone# _________________________

Email Address _________________________________________________________________________

Children of adult volunteer for nursery preschool programName ___________________________________________________________________ Age _________Name ___________________________________________________________________ Age _________Name ___________________________________________________________________ Age _________Name ___________________________________________________________________ Age _________

Contact Joy Burkley at [email protected] with questions. Return completed form with check made payable to Neelsville Presbyterian Church (note VBS in the memo section) to the Neelsville Office.


I picked up Sent to the River God Forgot last week, and couldn’t put it down! A biography by Wycliffe Bible Trans-lators Jim and Janice Walton, it tells of their life-chang-ing experiences deep in the Amazon jungle, while devel-oping the language and New Testament for the Muinane people. Their experiences and God’s work during their 18 years are enthralling and humbling. Check out this book or any other from our church library. We have books, DVDs and video tapes for all ages. Use the card catalog, or just browse. And see the new book shelf for these listed books -- just added. –Sue Farrell

BIOGRAPHYSent to the River God Forgot, by Jim and Janice WaltonThrough disease, cultural barriers and hardships, Jim and Janice Walton continued the long process of translating the New Testament into the Muinane language.MEDITATIONSOut of the Ordinary: God’s Hand at Work in Everyday Lives, by David RoperOnce shaped by their Creator, everyday people accom-plished extraordinary things for God’s kingdom here on earth. You’ll be escorted through the pages of the Bible as you explore the characters of God’s Word, discovering for yourself how the Almighty can make anything out of the ordinary.

SUMMER READING • SUMMER READING • SUMMER READINGPRAYERGod in the Moment: Making Everyday a Prayer, by Kathy CoffeyTraveling the Prayer Paths of Jesus, by John IndermarkWhen God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayer, by Jerry SittserWith Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew MurrayRELIGIOUS FICTIONMiriam: A Novel, by Lois T. HendersonLois Henderson recreates the story of Miriam, sister of Mo-ses, who played an instrumental role in the Exodus and the journey of the Hebrew people to the Promised Land. Miriam’s greatest struggle was within her own heart; her greatest victory was hard-won faith--tested and strength-ened in the crucible of the desert and by her own pride and arrogance. Henderson retains biblical realism yet imagina-tively fills in details of the epic drama of Moses’ return to Egypt through the eyes of Miriam.SMALL GROUPSLeading Small Groups with Purpose, by Steve GladenFor the new small group leader, the seasoned leader who feels their small group lacks purpose, or the leader who is itching to move their small group to the next level, Lead-ing Small Groups with Purpose is the road map to follow. Steve Gladen, author of Small Groups with Purpose and pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church for more than a decade, takes small group leaders step-by-step toward a healthy, dynamic group with focus and purpose.

WOMEN WHO CARENeelsville Church continues to reach out to the commu-nity. We’ve concluded our second year of providing food to needy students for the weekends at Neelsville Middle School and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School. Neelsville Church has partnered with the non-profit orga-nization, Women Who Care, who provides free food. Our volunteers pick up the food and break down the bulk items into individual bags for each student. These bags are deliv-ered to the two schools each week where it is confidentially given to those students who meet the county’s criteria. How many students does Neelsville help each week??? Eighty students who otherwise wouldn’t have weekend food! Their lives are touched by those at Neelsville who provide their time; Anne Carney, Wendy Couillard, Carol Hill, Barry Martin, Betty and Bob Velthuis. How many stu-dents does Women Who Care provide food each school year??? 1500 students! Many hands make light work. Can you help this fall start-ing toward the end of September? Talk to God about this! Need more information? Call Betty and Bob Velthuis at 301-916-2848.

MORE LOCAL MISSIONSBACKPACK AND

SCHOOL SUPPLIES COLLECTION

It’s that time of year to start collecting for the backpack campaign! This year we are go-ing to concentrate on the schools in the Ger-mantown area. We are graciously accepting backpacks and school supplies for those in need (see the list below for needed items). Place your donations in the box in the narthex throughout the summer. If anybody knows of a particular need in the community, let us know that as well. Any questions email Linda Johnston at [email protected] or call 240-994-4276. You can also contact Karen Styer at [email protected] or 301-916-3777. Thanks in advance for your donations!

filler paper spiral notebooks backpacks pencils pens crayons colored pencils highlighters scissors glue sticks glue bottles erasers

20701 Frederick RoadGermantown, MD 20876

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

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Family!

Non-ProfitOrganization

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Suburban, MD20898

Permit No. 1012

September 21st is the Neelsville Picnic!

This year the annual church picnic will again be held at the home of the Blount family on Sun-day afternoon, September 21st. Details about time and what to bring will follow in bulletins and the September issue of Neelsville News.

Please note that this is a combined July/August issue. The deadline for the September issue of Neelsville News will be Friday, August 15th. Everyone have a great summer!

save the date - get excited! vacation bible school is...

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