Sunday May 15th– following Worship Service, covered dish Luncheon, potluck… bring your favorite dish to pass & bring your personal place settings. Beverages will be provided.
Parent Rally- Parenting is hard, but it doesn’t have to be done on your own. Join us for a conversation and fellowship to encourage one another Saturday, May 21st, 9 a.m.-10 a.m. This time we’ll share resources around technology use (bring your own, too). The hope is that this will be a regular practice. Pastries, coffee, and childcare provided. Please let Pastor Jeff know if you are coming.
Family Game Night- time to be determined.
Trash & Treasure Sale– Saturday July 16th, 9 am-3 pm.
Three ways to participate:
- Donate your stuff (see flyer for what is not welcome)
- Help Setup on Friday (7/15), anytime
- Help with the sale 8 am- 2 pm, then clean up.
See flyer for more details.
Camp Scholarships- The Billy Brown Fund was established in memory of Billy Brown to send kids to a Christian camp. If you are interested in a scholarship for your camper this summer, see Pastor Jeff. We have also compiled a list of camps for you to check out.
Sundays
Youth Christian Education – 10 a.m. Classes PreK-Kindergarten, 1st-3rd, 4th-6th, and 7th-12th grade.
Adult Christian Education: new series: Book of Romans. Join us to study the letter as a whole; its structure, argument. 6-8 weeks, so it will be a quick overview. All welcome, come when you are able and notes from previous weeks will be made available.
Ushering: would you like to help usher? Ask the current usher about the tasks (no heavy lifting required).
there is also opportunity to serve by hosting coffee hour and reading Scripture.
The Benevolence Fund is available to help with material needs. If you have a need or know of a need contact a Deacon.
The Middleburgh Ecumenical Food Pantry is open Saturdays 9-11 a.m. and by appointment, 518-827-7121.
Consistory Meeting Thursday, 5/26, 6:30 pm.
2022 Consistory
Elders: Jonathan Meredith, Mary Lou Ryan, Maria Funiciello
Deacons: Leslie Hooper, Michele Becker
News from Operation Christmas Child
A Visit from Schimea Nguessan, Shoebox Ambassador
Those who attended the Operation Christmas Child celebration on April 9 were blessed to meet Schimea Nguessan who shared his witness with the group. Born the third son of a pastor, Schimea’s family was provided housing by the church. Their life was one of relative security in their Ivory Coast community. That changed when Schimea’s father unexpectedly passed away.
Struggling to earn a living, Schimea’s mother managed to make enough money to feed her children and rent a place to live. There was nothing left for extras such as toys for the children. Schimea was fascinated by cars and used to pretend that a shoe was a car that he would “drive” around the floor of his home. When a shoe was not available, he would go outside and find a chunk of a tree branch to serve as his car.
It bothered Schimea when his friends would talk about their fathers, especially when they would tell about the gifts their fathers gave them. Being raised in a Christian family, he knew something of his Heavenly Father and decided to pray to him for a toy car. He found the desire of his heart when he received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox and discovered a yellow racecar inside!
Schimea reached the lowest point of his spiritual life following another death, that of his brother. As a teenager, he turned away from the church and became involved in sinful ways. He realized that his life was spiraling downward and he needed to be rescued. Schimea went to his mother and declared that he needed Jesus!
Today, Schimea serves as an Operation Christmas Child spokesperson. By sharing his story, he hopes to encourage others to pack shoeboxes to reach more children who need to know Jesus. Schimea also serves in the US Navy and is stationed in Virginia. He is married and hopes to have his wife join him in the US very soon.
Shoebox Goals for 2022
- 307 gift-filled shoeboxesa
- “love note” to be included in each shoebox
- a photo of our church family in each shoebox
- variety of quality WOW gifts
May Gift Suggestions
- T-shirts for :
2-4 year old girls
10-14 year old girls
10-14 year old boys
- Stuffed animals
- Washcloths
- WOW Gifts
Giving with Gratitude
$36 was collected in April to go toward the $9 donation requested for each shoebox to be used for shipping and ministry costs. Thank you for GIVING WITH GRATITUDE! If you wish to join this effort, collection containers for coins are by the offering plate.
OCC Crafting Days – Second and Fourth Mondays beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall
We work on a variety of projects. There is something for all skill levels and the fellowship is wonderful! Hope to see you there!
Clean cotton T-shirts will be transformed into jumpropes. A box is available in the foyer for your donation of T-shirts you no longer wear.
Thank you for supporting Operation Christmas Child
with your prayers, resources, and talents!