Zoom Sunday School for Children

Children of all ages are welcome to join us on Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. on Zoom for Bible stories, music, conversation, and visits with our crazy friend Sid. Zoom Sunday school is led by Eva Stimson, Jerry Van Marter, and Bev Machin. Please contact one of them if you are interested in joining the leadership team. Contact Jerry Van Marter to get on the list to receive weekly Zoom invitations and curriculum materials.

Mission Study Group Continues 

This Sunday, April 30 at 5 p.m. on Zoom

Please join us to discuss the concepts presented by our friend Hunter Farrell and his co-author Balajiedlang Khyllep in their book Freeing Congregational Mission: A Practical Vision for Companionship, Cultural Humility, and Co-Development. Bala and Hunter led the first two weeks and this week members of CHPC's Guatemalan Connection will share their learnings from the book and the discussions, and compare them with their experiences with our ministry with Guatemala’s Estoreño Presbytery. Please come even if you have not read the book nor attended the other two sessions. Key concepts will be reviewed. Most important is your interest in learning more about this CHPC mission work and your opinions about its future. We will examine our partnership in light of the vision expressed in the book. It asks: Why are mission trips and other activities so often more effective at satisfying church members than making a lasting difference in the world? How can we get away from consumer-oriented “selfie mission”? How can we build a Christ-centered theology of mission?

Use this link to join the study: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84104073375.

Dear Beloved of God,

The Session has been discerning an important question: how will we find our next pastor? The Presbyterian Church (USA) offers two options for calling your next pastor, who, like me, will be part-time. The options are 1) installed pastor, which means they are called by the congregation, and you’ll have an installation service, and 2) stated supply pastor, who functions exactly like a called pastor except they are called by the Session and there is no installation service. Once called, the pastor's responsibilities, salary and benefits will be the same with both processes.

The Session has agreed by consensus that a stated supply pastor will be easier and quicker to find and will serve the congregation just as well as an installed. Since I will be retiring in a few months, they are eager to get started on this search. However, they want to give the congregation an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback about the process. To that end, we will have a brief discussion immediately following the worship service this Sunday, April 30. To help you prepare, I have created the chart below. I hope it will be helpful to you. Thank you!

Peace,

Peggy

An Update from Your Deacons

Our church currently has four deacons working alongside the pastor to help meet the care needs within our congregation. Each deacon also has a Care Team, which includes members and friends of the congregation, who work together on their assigned month to address special needs within our church family. Typically, this includes:

• Hospital or home visits in collaboration with the family and pastor.
• Offers of a meal or two while recuperating, or a prayer shawl to provide warmth and comfort.
• Remembrances (a card, phone call, or email) for illnesses, times of sympathy, birthdays, milestone anniversaries, and other times of special celebration.
• On occasion, deacons may also assist members who have smaller support systems, with rides to a doctor’s office or therapy.
• Receptions following a memorial service by providing and serving cookies, coffee, tea, and punch after the service, or serving any additional refreshments provided by the family (including catered food arranged and paid for by the family).

If you have questions, email: deacons@crescenthill.com or talk with the Deacon of the Month. If you feel called to be more involved with this ministry, please let us know. We would be happy to work with you or mentor you if this is a new calling for you.

PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE

HYGIENE KITS

CHPC’s Presbyterian Women’s Circle is collecting items that will go into hygiene kits for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. We invite others in the congregation to join us in this collection. Items requested include:     

• toothbrushes individually wrapped
• unscented, wrapped bar soap
• 1-inch wide Band-Aids
• wide-toothed combs (no picks)
• washcloths   
• hand towels 
• Zip-Lock one-gallon bags
• Monetary donations are also accepted.

Do not substitute or add any items. This request is for new items, rather than used. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is specific in its request.

Please leave your donations in the Gathering Room, off the Narthex, no later than Sunday, May 14. Presbyterian Women will deliver them to Beulah PC where the hygiene kits will be assembled. If you have any questions, contact Diana Stephen, dasky@bellsouth.net