This past weekend's Fall Festival was a blast! CHPC welcomed over 200 members of our community to come and enjoy themselves at the Pumpkin Patch. It was truly a blessed afternoon of wholesome fun. It was a wildly successful event and our church family had such a fun time of hosting our neighbors. Thanks a million to all of the volunteers who came and helped to make this Fall Festival special. And thanks to all of our bakers and crafters for bringing in around $1,500 dollars in donations to support our youth and children's ministries. Everyone's hard work came together in such a meaningful way!

And speaking of hard work, thanks to everyone who came out to help with our second unload this past Monday evening! Because of all of our great volunteers, like our friends from Troop 48, we have fresh pumpkins off the truck to share with our community! Our Patch is fully restocked and ready to sell pumpkins for the second half of October. There is still time to sign up for slots to help our Pumpkin Patch finish strong, so be sure to sign up in the Narthex or contact Tyler.

Come share the Peace of Christ with coffee and fellowship before worship beginning at 9:30 in the Parlor! Sunday worship begins at 10:00am in the Sanctuary. All are welcome and hope to see you there!

Sunday's Scripture (NRSV):

Psalm 19:7-14

Philippians 3:1-16

Sermon Title:

“Rejoice in Holding Fast”

Congregational Meeting Reminder

The Session has called a congregational meeting after worship to:

1. Approve a slate of five Elders for the Class of 2026
2. Approve a slate of two Trustees for the Class of 2026
3. Approve a slate of three members to serve on the 2024 Officer Nominating Committee.

The Nominating Committee is excited to present the slate of leaders below that can help our church family throughout the future. Please thank this group for their hard work and begin praying for these individuals as they prepare to step into congregational leadership. 

Elder: 

Jud Barry, Brenda Hutchins, Ann Johnson,

Donna Whitson, and Rob Wicker

Trustee: 

Emily Hutchins and Randall Fields

Nominations:

Tammy Cox, Amylyn Crawford-Thornton, and Al Doty

This past weekend will forever remain a special memory in the life of my ministry. Not only did our church family host another amazing Fall Festival on Saturday in the Pumpkin Patch, but we were able to come together in worship on Sunday to give thanks to God for all the good gifts God has given us. One of those good gifts is a new baptismal font for the blessing of our entire church family. The highest compliment I've heard was "it looks like it's always been here, and now that I see it, I recognize what we've been missing." I could not agree more and I am so grateful to Guy Ream who offered his God given talents to create such a meaningful gift to our church family.

After dedicating this new font to the glory of God, it was extra special to have my dear friend and colleague, Rev. Ann Kelly, baptize my son, Andrew. Thank you for extending her that same Christian hospitality that you share so well, and for celebrating together with our family the baptism of our little Easter baby. Like the looks on the faces of our children surrounding our new baptismal font, I look forward to seeing the smiling faces of all God's children, no matter their age, anytime we celebrate this sacrament to rejoice in the Lord!

Gratefully,

- David

Your Session met on Monday evening, October 16 at 6:00 pm after helping to unload 500+ additional pumpkins for the Pumpkin Patch at 5:00 pm. Items of note include a reminder of the upcoming Congregational Meeting on October 22 for the purpose of electing the next class of Elders and Trustees, as well as Stewardship Sunday on October 29.

A note of gratitude is due to Elder Guy Ream for the construction of the new Baptismal Font in the Sanctuary. Finally, Session is seeking volunteers for the Sunday morning nursery and Children's Church. The next Stated Session meeting is scheduled for November 20, 2023 at 5:30 PM.

In Christ, 

Clark and David

CHPC's Trunk or Treat is next Saturday, October 28! Come and enjoy this time together as children of all ages trick or treat from car to car through the church parking lot. All are welcome to participate in this intergenerational activity, so feel free to dress up in your Halloween finest! We'll start at 5pm and go until 6pm or whenever the candy runs out! Please contact Gretchen Bentley if you plan to sponsor a trunk.

And don't forget that leading up to Trunk or Treat, we need donations of Candy! Candy is being collected in the Narthex until the 28th. Please place candy donations in the "Candy Collection" basket.

The CHPC Youth Group will be joining other Youth from throughout the Holston Presbytery for a Youth Retreat! On Friday, November 10, we will be leaving from the Church to head to Holston Camp and Retreat Center in Banner Elk, NC for a weekend of fun and growth as we build community with other students from the Presbytery.

Pickup will be back at the Church on Sunday afternoon. The retreat costs $60, which covers food, lodging, and a hoodie. Contact Tyler for more information or to sign up. And please pray for our youth to have a meaningful and enjoyable time on this retreat!

The Flowers in the sanctuary are given to the Glory of God in memory of Clara Hasbrouck, given by the Hasbrouck family.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection in memory of Clara Hasbrouck's life will be at 11am on Friday, October 20, in the Sanctuary. The family will receive friends in the parlor before service starting at 10:15am.

The Youth Group will meet in the Pumpkin Patch this Sunday night! From 5-7pm; we will work the patch, eat dinner, fellowship, and have a short bible study.

CHPC's Children's Choir will be practicing this Sunday at 11:00 directly after morning worship. They will be preparing a piece to sing in worship on November 12. All children ages 3-11 are welcome to come sing and play! If you need more information, contact Carolyn Barry.

Stewardship Sunday is next Sunday, October 29! Packets were mailed and pledge cards may be returned to Sarah Johnson in the office. Extra packets are still available in the narthex. Thank you for faithfully discerning how God is calling us to rejoice in the Lord as we minister in Christ's name.

The Shoebox Ministry is in full swing! If you are interested in sponsoring a shoebox gift for a child in need, please sign-up with Brenda or Jonathan Hutchins. The cost is $5.00 per box. The Hutchins’ will have your box at church by September 24. Instructions and gift suggestions will be included in your box. All you have to do is shop and return the filled box to the Narthex by October 29. Thank you to all who nominated individuals to serve in leadership for the coming year. Please pray for the members of your nominating committee while they discern who the Spirit of God is resting upon to care for our church family.

CHPC celebrates All Saints' Sunday on November 5 as we remember members of our congregation and/or immediate family members who have passed away during the previous year. If you have an immediate member of your family (spouse, brother, sister, mother, father, grandparent) that have passed away since November 1, 2022, please call the church office with your loved one's name by Thursday , November 2.

CHPC partners again with the Marsh Regional Blood Center on Sunday November 5, from 11am-2pm. The Marsh Regional Blood Center bloodmobile will be taking blood donations in our parking lot and you may sign up for a time-slot by contacting the church office. Please click here to view medical requirements for donating.Walk-ins are also welcome so please spread the word about this important ministry!

The Chancel Choir joins with other choirs from Colonial Heights United Methodist and King University to present a Community All-Saints Remembrance on Sunday, November 5 at 3:00 pm at CHUMC. They will be singing a dynamic and inspiring musical work, Gospel Mass by Robert Ray, directed by our own Jason Whitson who is on the faculty of King University. Please plan to attend and invite friends and family!

Save the Date for the "No Talent" Show and Dinner! On December 3 at 5pm in the gym, we will have an evening of laughs and fun as we share our talents with one another. If you have a talent you would like to share with our church family, please let Gretchen Bentley or Joanie Zimmerman know. And keep your eye's peeled for more information to come about this fun evening.

Please send all items for the weekly online newsletter by email to Mary at office@chpres.org by end of business on Tuesday.

Prayer Requests 

Leon Boyd, Emily Bowman, Joyce Callahan, Susan Fernandez,

Ramona Gothard, Barbara Holt, Beverly Shelton, Ginny Snow,

Lee Walker, Bonnie Cole, Boyd Holder, Janice Mullins,

Charles Hasbrouck, Tony Bennett, Family of Martha Cooper,

Family and Friends of Libby Sampson, Bobby Cooper



Health Care/ Assisted Living Facilities

Anne Hertel, Evelyn Hill, Sue Fortney, Charlesz and Linda Gibson,

Betty McMillin, Wayne & Millie Pruett, Jean Faires