McCarter Messenger
McCarter Presbyterian Church is an inclusive community of
faith, gathered and empowered by the Spirit of God. We
declare that our mission is to proclaim and exhibit, by word
and deed, the grace, mercy and love of God as revealed and
made known by our Lord Jesus Christ.
It seems every day we receive a solicitation
from an organization wishing to help us
market and grow our congregation. There
appears to be an entire industry devoted to
church marketing, and all the organizations
within this industry promise amazing
results, for the right price of course. If this
seems a bit tawdry and crass it reflects our
culture’s understanding that everything is
for sale and everything can be had for the
right price. What this leads to is churches
end up looking like vendors of religious goods
and services peddling whatever church
program or concept is “hot” at the moment.
But this does raise some important issues for
us to consider. Adding to our numbers and
growing our congregation is a common topic
of discussion among our members, but the
dilemma is always is how do we do this,
particularly in an area with a church on
every corner.
A couple of years ago in an effort to
determine how and why megachurches grow,
a survey revealed that a very large
percentage of people who attend these
churches had invited someone to visit their
church and worship with them. Now we may
raise questions about the theology and
worship practices of these large churches,
but the survey gives a compelling reason
why these congregations have grown. The
people who attend these churches are
intentional in personally inviting friends,
family members, coworkers and neighbors to
come and check out their church. The folks
who attend these churches are enthusiastic
about what is going on in their church, and
they are not afraid of sharing their
enthusiasm.
This confirms what previous surveys have
reported. A majority of people attend a
church for the first time because they have
been personally invited. People like to be
asked. So it is clearly obvious that the most
effective way to add to the numbers within a
congregation is to issue personal invitations.
This means then that we have to engage
people in conversation. We have to be open to
possibilities to talk to people about our faith
and our faith community. We have to be
intentional in spreading the news of God’s
work in our congregation. And most
importantly, we have to make a point of
issuing an invitation to join us in worship.
(Continued on page 2)
So I would like all of us to take on the
following challenge. As you begin your day,
ask for the Spirit of God to open eyes and
ears to opportunities to engage a person in
conversation regarding the work of God here
at McCarter. And during the course of the
conversation issue a personal invitation to
visit and worship with us. If we are excited
about what God is doing in this community
of faith, let us not be timid or shy about
inviting family, friends, neighbors and coworkers to join us in worship. God has
blessed us abundantly at McCarter
Presbyterian Church. So let’s not hesitate to
be our own marketing agents and invite
others to be a part of what God is doing in
this place.
Grace and Peace,
Darrell
Andrew McAllister
29 is the average attendance for 2013.
Income for July, with one Sunday to go, is
$6,542 and our expenses are $6,248.
We have $590.17 in the General Fund.
We have $1,001.89 in the Money Market
account.
The CD has a balance of $18,567.86.
The Session is asking everyone to participate
in our Buck for the Building by dropping a
dollar bill in the plate whenever our offering
is received. The loose one dollar bills will be
added to our building fund to pay for
unexpected building expenses. The Building
Fund has $3,572.94 after a payment of
$3,292.15 to repair the A/C.
Mandy Turner
We have begun our school supply drive for
the children of Thornwell Home. The school
supply drive will conclude on August 18th,
which is a change from years past. On the
same August day, we will have a covered
dish lunch after the church service and a
representative from Thornwell (and possibly
one of the residents) will speak to us about
the home during our meal. We will give
them our collection of school supplies to take
back to Thornwell that day and we will send
the offering at a later time.
The next opportunity to contribute to a meal
for the families at the Ronald McDonald
House is Sunday, August 11th. A sign up
sheet is located in the Memorial Room or you
may contact Mandy Turner if you would like
to help. And don't forget your aluminum pop
tops.
The United Ministries collection for the
month of August is hot/cold cereal and
powdered milk. Look for 2-for-1 specials and
watch for coupons! Please consider
purchasing some extra groceries for
struggling families since the food pantry is
running low. Thanks so much!
Don't forget Meals on Wheels. Each Friday
we serve folks living in the neighborhoods
near the church. A calendar for you to sign
up is located in the Memorial Room. Call
Mandy Turner for details and thank you for
taking care of our neighbors.
To escape criticism — do nothing, say
nothing, be nothing.
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Marian Elliott
3 ring binders (1 inch; 1 1/2 inch; 2 inch)
D-clip works best
LARGE bookbags
Dry erase markers
Sharpies
Mechanical pencils
Tab dividers
Small calculator
Scientific calculator (not graphing)
Scotch tape
Hand sanitizer (in pump bottle)
Also non perishable snack items for after
school snack are much appreciated.
Things like fruit snacks, cookies, chips,
crackers, goldfish, Capri Sun and boxed
juices, etc.
Note: While we appreciate all donations, we have
been abundantly blessed with glue, crayons, spiral
notebooks, and rulers. We are not currently in need of
these items.
United Ministries Needs Volunteer
Receptionists
The United Ministries Learning Center
needs volunteers to answer the phone and
greet people on Monday mornings and
afternoons, Tuesday mornings, and
Thursday mornings. Some of our volunteers
volunteer weekly and some every other week.
Please contact Amanda Warren, 233-6602, or
awarren@united-ministries.org if you have
questions or would like to volunteer
Let my heart be broken with the things
that break the heart of God.
The worship committee is grateful to all who
have provided flowers for our Sunday
services. If you wish to provide flowers, the
flower chart is located in the hall outside of
the Memorial Room and still has many open
dates. If the flowers are in memory or honor
of someone, please notify the office by
Wednesday of the week you will be providing
flowers so it can be listed in the bulletin.
We are thankful to those who serve as
greeters/ushers. We can always use some
more help with this service. Please see
Duane Lonkey if you are interested and he
will be glad to get you started. This is a nice
way to greet new people and catch up with
old friends.
Select a hymn from the blue book that you
would like to sing or hear. Place the page
number or title on a prayer card or on the
friendship pad. Then show up each week so
you won’t miss the chance to sing your
favorite hymn.
We will observe communion on Sunday
August 4th.
Carter Berry
There will be a covered dish lunch on August
18th, immediately following our worship
service. We will celebrate our ministry with
the folks at the Thornwell Home. Come
celebrate while enjoying some good food and
fellowship!
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Tempie Perry
Carolyn Greene
Don Fowler
Judy Pew
Letha Deibler
Eve Nix
Beth Nelson
8/01
8/03
8/16
8/19
8/25
8/28
8/30
Second Chances
Someone once asked the great British leader,
Winston Churchill, how he had the
persistence to lead his country
so nobly against Hitler, especially when
everything seemed somewhat hopeless. He
said that he remembered the time he had to
repeat a grade in elementary school.
Puzzled, his questioner asked, "Do you mean
that you failed a year in grade school?"
Churchill replied with humorous candor, "I
never failed anything in my life. I was given
a second opportunity."
As Christians, we have a second opportunity
by attaching ourselves to Christ the Lord.
"Just as Christ was raised from the dead by
the glory of the Father, so we too might walk
in newness of life" (Romans 6:4, NRSV).
(In addition to our prayers, it is also good to
remember these folks with calls, cards and
visits.)
Agnes Houston
Jean Lindsey
Della Padgett
Mickie Sims
Bobbie Brown
Rachel Burt
Eddie Sue Ware
Helen Karl
Peggy Shoemaker (mother of Darrell
Privatte)
Mary Mills (friend of Carole Browder)
Jean Matthews (friend of Judy & John Pew)
Drew Rhodes (friend of Mandy Turner)
Wendell Houston (brother of Charlie
Houston)
Ross McKibbon (friend of Mandy Turner)
Dan Steading (son of Frances George)
Ed Finley (brother-in-law of Jack Perry)
Myra Lamb (friend of Mandy Turner)
Lois Horton (Kathy Brown’s Aunt)
Bertha Garland (mother of Judy Pew)
Doris Burdette (mother of Letha Deibler)
Wally Pew (son of Judy & John Pew), along
with all the unemployed and under-employed
Peace in our hearts, our homes, the church
and the world
Our leaders along with all who serve our
state and nation
All those who are besieged by the violence of
war, devastated by the forces of nature and
enduring the pain of illness and injury
McCarter and the world wide church of Jesus
Christ
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Bible Quiz
Numbers 22 contains a little-known account
of Balak, king of Moab, and Balaam, a
practitioner of divination. Feeling threatened
by the Israelites’ presence near his land,
Balak summons Balaam to come and curse
them. What strange event does God use to
get Balaam’s attention so that he blesses,
rather than curses, Israel?
A. Balak’s men turn into pillars of salt.
B. The sun stands still in the sky.
C. Balaam’s donkey speaks to him.
D. An angel makes Balaam mute.
Answer: C (See Numbers 22:22-35, especially
28 and 30.)
Maybe there are a few lessons we can learn
from watching a bit of God’s perfect creation.
FACT: As geese flap their wings, they create
an 'uplift' for the birds that follow. By flying
in a 'V' formation, the whole flock adds 71%
greater flying range than if each bird flew
alone.
LESSON: People who share a
common direction and sense of
community get where they are going
quicker and easier when they lift each
other up along the way.
FACT: If a goose falls out of formation, it
feels the drag and resistance of flying alone.
So it quickly moves back into formation to
take advantage of the lifting power of the
bird immediately in front of it.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as a
goose, we will stay in formation with
those headed where we want to go.
FACT: When the head goose tires, it rotates
back into the formation and another goose
flies to the point position.
LESSON: It pays to share leadership
and take turns doing the hard work.
The sun was sinking below the horizon when
the sightseer approached the Grand
Canyon’s North Rim. By the time she
reached the overlook, night had fallen.
Before her was one of the world’s most
spectacular views, yet she couldn’t see it.
When darkness closes in around us, we’re
tempted to think we’re alone and nothing is
left. But our senses can deceive us; for
though we may see no trace of it, we just
might be on the brink of something
spectacular. Hang on to hope, “for we walk
by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7,
NRSV).
FACT: Geese flying in formation honk to
encourage those up front to keep up the
pace.
LESSON: It is important that our
honking be encouraging. Otherwise it's
just - well honking.
FACT: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or
shot down, two geese drop out of formation to
follow it down to help and protect it. They
stay with it until it dies or is able to fly
again.
LESSON: When one of us is down, it's up
to the others to stand by us in our time of
trouble.
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Toilet Out Of Order. Please Use Floor
Below
In A Laundromat:
Automatic Washing Machines: Please
Remove All Your Clothes When The Light
Goes Out
In A London Department Store:
Bargain Basement Upstairs
In An Office:
Would The Person Who Took The Step
Ladder Yesterday Please Bring It Back Or
Further Steps Will Be Taken
In An Office:
After Tea Break Staff Should Empty The
Teapot And Stand Upside Down On The
Draining Board
Outside A Secondhand Shop:
We Exchange Anything - Bicycles, Washing
Machines, Etc. Why Not Bring Your Wife
Along And Get A Wonderful Bargain?
Notice In Health Food Shop Window:
Closed Due To Illness
Spotted In A Safari Park:
Elephants Please Stay In Your Car
Message On A Leaflet:
If You Cannot Read, This Leaflet Will Tell
You How To Get Lessons
On A Repair Shop Door:
We Can Repair Anything. (Please Knock
Hard On the Door - The Bell Doesn't Work)
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