eDove   

JULY

2015

   

  

 Poolesville Presbyterian Church 

 

PO Box 68, 17800 Elgin Rd, Poolesville, MD 20837   Phone:301.972.7452

www.poolpres.com

http://thesermonrepository.blogspot.com/

 

PASTOR'S CORNER

 

Pastor's Corner

 

I'd never planned on growing flowers.

 

Oh, I think flower gardens are a lovely way to spend one's time.  They add a little beauty to our world, and make for a wonderful visiting place for our beleaguered pollinators.  I can see the delight in that.

 

But that's not my goal, as I plant.  My garden, insofar as I put time into it, is all about the delight of producing even a fractional amount of our household food.  My enjoyment comes from the taste and flavor of those things that rise from the earth, from the beans and strawberries and blueberries, from the tomatoes and potatoes and squash.  That I am in some small way nourishing my body with those simple labors has a nourishing effect on my soul.

 

So I did not set out to have flowers, to have beauty for the sake of beauty, though I appreciate it.


 But of course, I do have flowers.  You have to, if there is to be fruit.  There are so many.

 

I'd expected the little white strawberry flowers that dappled our patches, and the tiny, delicate ivory blossoms on the bush beans.  


 I knew, in the back of my mind, that tomatoes came from little yellow caps, that dangle down from their vines like the headgear of some anime elf-maiden.

 

But I did not anticipate the lovely white and purple of the potatoes.  And newbie to them that I am, I had no idea that squash would be such a riot of immense, yellow-orange trumpets, male and female both.

 

So there's my garden, turned to the simple, unassuming labor of producing good things.  And in the midst of that labor, almost as an afterthought, it is filled with splashes of color and loveliness.

 

There are lives like that, too, human beings who are intent on giving and producing simple goodness.  That is, I think, the nature of acts of service and kindness.  They don't begin with the goal of being showy, or of doing anything other than being the thing that they are.  It's just the act of sitting and listening, or helping a stranger with a simple task.  Such things are as basic as a bean, as plain as a potato.

 

Yet even though they aren't intentionally setting out to be beautiful, they are.

 

Funny how that works.

 

Peace of Christ, and Blessings,

 

David

 

 

 

SESSION ACTIONS

  

Poolesville Presbyterian Church

Session Meeting Summary

June 17, 2015

 

- Rev. David Williams opened the meeting with prayer at 7:18 p.m. A quorum was declared present.

 

- In the absence of Worship and Arts Elder Stephanie Kasner, Rev. Williams reported that the Sunday School Sunday Service on June 14, 2015 went well.  Rev. Williams reported that he will be away August 7 -14 and a substitute minister will be needed for Sunday, August 9, 2015. He also informed the Session that at a recent meeting with Poolesville areas pastors it was suggested that a service with area churches be held the Sunday before Thanksgiving, November 22, 2015.

 

- Mission Eler Krista Beyer was also not in attendance, but it was reported that the Connection Café usually has fewer people during the summer and café host Berry may reduce the schedule for summer, pending an assessment of participation.

 

- Evangelism Elder Carolyn McFall was unable to make the meeting, but conveyed a written report noting that an ad had been placed in the Monocacy Monocle with information on summer worship, VBS, the PPC women's group and the L.I.F.E. dinners.

 

- Christian Education Elder Jorge Valles remarked that he Sunday School year has ended, and expressed his deep gratitude for Chris Hofmann's help.  He informed the Session that Vacation Bible School will be held June 22 - June 26, 2015.

 

- Jorge also talked with the Session regarding interest from the members of a Spanish speaking church in English as a second language classes.  He will be taking point on exploring that possibility.

 

- Buildings and Grounds Elder Kathy Hanna would like to get the mulch pile moved to the playground.  Some Session members volunteered to help move the mulch on Sunday.

 

- Fellowship and Congregational Care Elder Pam Mattes reported that the PPC annual picnic went well and thanked Ann Niblock for hosting once again.

 

- Budget and Stewardship Elder Kathy Koeser reported that congregational giving is on track but will probably go down in the summer.  PPC is over budget on electricity, but everything else is fine.  Kathy noted that the financial review of PPC books in February 2015 was not technically an audit. In the future the word audit will not be used in the minutes to refer to this, and will instead be called--more accurately and in keeping with Presbytery policies-- a financial review. The Session moved to affirm this change.

 

- Rev. David Williams reported that the next Presbytery meeting is in September.  David will speak to community garden people in August about a community garden presentation to Presbytery. Rev. Williams also notified the Session that the funeral for Merritt Ednie, long time pastor of Boyds Presbyterian Church and beloved friend of PPC, will be held at Neelsville Presbyterian Church at 1:00 p.m.

 

- There will be no Session meeting in July 2015.  The next Session meeting will be August 19, 2015.

 

- It was moved, seconded, and carried to adjourn at 7:52 p.m.  The meeting was closed with prayer by Jorge Valles.

 

  

 

WORSHIP & ARTS

Elder Stephanie Kasner, 301.349.2134,  foreverlookingup@verizon.net

  

 

MUSIC 

Monica Harwood, harwoodmonica@gmail.com



 

MISSION

Elder Krista Beyer, 301.349., trainphee@aol.com

  

(MISSION)

Our Lord's Table mission is on hiatus through the summer. Huge amounts of gratitude to everyone who participated in this benevolent service over the past year. I know that each of you could have spent your weekend time and energy in other ways, but you instead decided to give of yourselves to people  struggling with far more basic needs. Jesus tells us we will always have the poor. Sure enough, at our own Lord's Table we know there will always be some group of hungry people showing up for service. What's less certain is whether there will be enough generous-hearted helpers to deliver. But - month after month - our Poolesville church team pulls together to meet the needs of all the guests. Which, of course, is precisely what Christ intends for His churches. I hope that those of you who have been able to experience this will continue to do so. And if this is a mission you haven't tried but are interested in joining, keep watch for your opportunity in October. We'd l to have you! 


 

 

 

FELLOWSHIP & CONGREGATIONAL CARE

Elder Pam Mattes, 301.349., writedoc2003@yahoo.com

 

 

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the annual church picnic at All Seasons Farm so much fun for everyone, but especially to our gracious hostess Ann Niblock!

Another huge thank you to all  hosts of our weekly coffee hour fellowship time after worship. Everyone enjoys the treats you bring and the chance to catch up with their PPC friends after a busy week. Thank you!

Finally, if it isn't too hot, feel free to take a stroll with lemonade in hand to the community garden. Everything is growing!

 

 

 

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Elder Jorge Valles, 301., jevalles@verizon.net


 

EVANGELISM 

Elder Carolyn McFall, 240.672.2236, carolynmcfall.is@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUDGET & STEWARTSHIP 

Elder Kathy Koeser, 301  


 

 

 

BUILDING & GROUNDS 

Elder Kathy Hanna,301.349.5221  hannaelectric@verizon.net

 

Buildings and Grounds : After many tries, we have finally moved our mountain of mulch to the playground!  There's still always weeding to do around Speer Hall, if anyone feels up to it, help yourselfl

Also, the nursery carpet needs cleaning and the toys still need to be washed. I guess we're in the clean mode. Get lots of rest during the summer so we can "dig-in" in the fall.

Kathy Hanna