Midweek News Nov 20, 2024

Nov 20, 2024

 

Announcements and Items of Interest

 

Christ the King Sunday, November 24, 2024. Worship at 11:00 A.m. in the fellowship hall followed by coffee and cookies. Donations for Daily Change will also be collected on Sunday also.

Choir practices every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. If you enjoy singing, please come!

Thank you to Lynn O’Meara for the beautiful harvest arrangement on the communion table.

What a wonderful Thanksgiving feast we had last Sunday. Thank you go out to Gayle Culbreath and the Fellowship committee as well as all those who provided food and help. Thank you, Jane Sowder, for the two different stuffings. Thank you to Lisa Moore for donating the turkeys and to Dwight Butner for roasting them. What a feast of food and fellowship!

We need regular coffee for the kitchen. We are about to run out. We have plenty of decaffeinated. Drop it off in the kitchen.

We will be stuffing envelopes for the Advent Mailing this Tuesday, November 26, from 1-3 p.m. We need help! Please let Pastor Kathy or Ashlyn know if you can help!

The Knitting Group is now the Craft Group and welcomes all who want to work on a craft or just share in fellowship to join in on Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m., in the fellowship hall.    

Wednesday Bible Study will not meet this Wednesday, November 27, but will resume on Dec. 4 from 3-4:30 p.m., in the fellowship hall. Pastor Kathy and Daniel Coffey are leading the group in a deep dive into the Gospel of Mark. Daniel is helping with the Bible study as a part of his internship for a Master’s Degree in Christian Education. Everyone is invited!  

Thanks to all who volunteered yesterday to clean up our church cemetery. A big thank you to John Kehoe for organizing this workday!

The CPC Hurricane Relief Fund is being used to assist our partner non-profits in Avery County when there are no government or private funds to cover expenses for those in desperate need. Since October 1, we have raised over $65,000. Thanks to all who have already contributed! Some of the connections we are making include: providing another camper trailer for a woman whose home is unlivable until repairs are completed; this was made possible through our partnership with Avery County Habitat for Humanity. Bridges for Avery is building culverts for people in Avery County whose property is not covered by FEMA or other agencies. They have built 20 culverts so far and plan on building at least 12 more. Our church is providing 9 culverts with financial help from Covenant Presbyterian Church, Charlotte. We paid for drywall and mud for a family rebuilding their flooded home. We are also providing a new roof for a family with the help of three other non-profits. We can do so much more when we combine our resources together!  

Our November mission project is purchasing household goods for eleven low-income residents of the Linn Cove first floor apartments that were flooded. The mission committee is making these purchases while Reaching Avery Ministry, Volunteer Avery County, and Covenant Presbyterian Church are providing all the furniture and appliances. Volunteers will be needed when we get the move in date. This mission project replaces our annual Thanksgiving baskets because the people we have helped in the past are being helped by other agencies at this time.

Volunteer Opportunities at this time: Reaching Avery Ministry - next to Dollar General in Newland - Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.- help with food boxes and clothing distribution; Feeding Avery Families- look at their Facebook for details  

Midweek News Nov 13, 2024

Nov 13, 2024

 

Announcements and Items of Interest

 

Sunday, November 17, 2024. Thanksgiving Worship in the fellowship hall at 11:00 a.m. followed by our November Thanksgiving Potluck Luncheon. Roast turkey and dressing will be provided. Please bring a side dish to share.

Choir practices every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. If you enjoy singing, please come! Session will meet this Tuesday, November 12, at 3 p.m. in the fellowship hall.

Volunteers are needed for a Grounds Clean-Up Day on Saturday, November 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The plans are to clean up leaves and sticks in the cemetery, so bring anything you think might be helpful, i.e. rakes, tarps, work gloves.

Wednesday Bible Study continues Wednesday, November 20, 3-4:30 p.m., in the fellowship hall. Pastor Kathy and Daniel Coffey are leading the group in a deep dive into the Gospel of Mark. Daniel is helping with the Bible study as a part of his internship for a Master’s Degree in Christian Education. Everyone is invited!

The Crossnore Children’s Fund, our church’s endowment for Crossnore Elementary School, was our September mission project. We were given an anonymous gift of $150,000 to start the endowment and since then we have raised an additional $13,000 which brings the endowment’s total to $163,000 and is still earning interest. Principal Bentley will meet with the Session before the end of the year to let us know how the interest from the endowment can best be used this school year for those students in need. Thanks to everyone who donated to this worthy mission!

The CPC Hurricane Relief Fund is being used to assist our partner non-profits in Avery County when there are no government or private funds to cover expenses for those in desperate need. Since October 1, we have raised over $65,000. Thanks to all who have already contributed! Some of the connections we are making include: providing another camper trailer for a woman whose home is unlivable until repairs made possible through our partnership with Avery County Habitat for Humanity. Bridges for Avery is building culverts for people in Avery County whose property is not covered by FEMA or other agencies. They have built 20 culverts so far and plan on building at least 12 more. Our church is writing grants to assist with financial support. We paid for drywall and mud for a family rebuilding their flooded home. The Lion’s Club from Ohio is providing take out Thanksgiving Dinner at Cranberry Middle School for 2,000 people.

Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte has given our church a great gift: They are paying the salary of a part-time person to assist us in our hurricane relief and recovery outreach for the next six months. Bobbie Willard has been hired by the Session to fill this position and is already hard at work networking with our non-profits to serve those in need.

Our November mission project is purchasing household goods for eleven low-income residents of the Linn Cove first floor apartments that were flooded. The mission committee is making these purchases while Reaching Avery Ministry and Volunteer Avery County is providing all the furniture and appliances. Volunteers will be needed when we get the move in date. This mission project replaces our annual Thanksgiving baskets because the people we have helped in the past are being helped by other agencies at this time.

Volunteer Opportunities at this time: Reaching Avery Ministry- next to Dollar General in Newland- Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.- help with food boxes and clothing distribution; Feeding Avery Families- look at their Facebook for details

 

A Thanksgiving Prayer

O God,

We thank you for this earth, our home;

for the wide sky and the blessed sun,

for the ocean and streams,

for the towering hills and the whispering wind,

for the trees and green grass.

We thank you for our senses

by which we hear the songs of birds,

and see the splendor of fields of golden wheat,

and taste autumn’s fruit,

rejoice in the feel of snow,

and smell the breath of spring flowers.

Grant us a heart opened wide to all this beauty;

and save us from being so blind

that we pass unseeing

when even the common thorn bush

is aflame with your glory.

For each new dawn is filled with infinite possibilities

for new beginnings and new discoveries.

Life is constantly changing and renewing itself.

In this new day of new beginnings with God,

all things are possible.

We are restored and renewed in a joyous awakening

to the wonder that our lives are and, yet, can be. Amen.  

~ written by Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918)

 

 

Midweek News Nov 6, 2024

Nov 6, 2024

 

Announcements and Items of Interest

 

Sunday, November 10. Worship at 11:00 a.m. Join us for cookies and coffee following worship.

Choir practices every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. If you enjoy singing, please come!

Wednesday Bible Study continues this Wednesday, November 6, 3-4:30 p.m., in the fellowship hall. Pastor Kathy and Daniel Coffey are leading the group in a deep dive into the Gospel of Mark. Daniel is helping with the Bible study as a part of his internship for a Master’s Degree in Christian Education. Everyone is invited!

Session will meet on Tuesday, November 12 at 3:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall.

Volunteer opportunity! There will be a Grounds Clean-up Workday on Saturday, November 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Gloves, rakes, and tarps would be handy. We will be cleaning up the cemetery. Contact John Kehoe for more information.

Our November Thanksgiving Potluck Luncheon will be held on Sunday, November 17, following worship. Please bring a side dish to go along with roast turkey. Would you like to roast a turkey or a turkey breast for our meal? Please contact the church office: 828-733-1939, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The CPC Hurricane Relief Fund is being used to assist our partner non-profits in Avery County when there are no government or private funds to cover expenses for those in desperate need. Since October 1, we have raised over $61,000. Thanks be to God! Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte has given our church a great gift: They are paying the salary of a part-time person to assist us in our hurricane relief and recovery outreach for the next six months. We hope to have someone on board this week. We will regularly update the congregation on the projects being funded through midweek news and Sunday announcements.

Our August Mission Project was raising funds for UnDue Medical Debt to erase medical debt in four mountain counties: Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, and McDowell. We did it! Our $20,000 donation will abolish three million dollars of medical debt for those who qualify (households that earn less than 4x the federal poverty level--varies by state, family size--or whose debts are 5% or more of annual income). Our campaign is officially closed, and it will take roughly 4-5 weeks for UnDue Medical Debt to abolish the medical debt. From there, they will start sending out letters to the beneficiaries. This process takes around 1-2 weeks. The beneficiaries have no tax consequences or penalties to consider. Just like that, they’re free of medical debt. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this important mission! A big thank you to Joel Strickland for doing the research on this non-profit organization and helping us get started.

Volunteer Opportunities at this time: Reaching Avery Ministry- next to Dollar General in Newland- Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.- help with food boxes and clothing distribution; Feeding Avery Families- look at their Facebook for details.

Hurricane Helene Relief and Recovery Update:

Our Hurricane Relief and Recovery Fund continues to grow- our new total is around $64,000. What a joy! Some good news to share from some of the ongoing work in Avery County:

• Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte is paying the salary of a part-time assistant (10 hours per week for six months) to assist Pastor Kathy and the mission committee in partnering with our local nonprofits, sponsoring projects, and sharing resources. Bobbie Willard has been hired to be our hurricane relief/recovery coordinator. She has recently retired from many years as Avery County’s 4-H Director and worked with WAMY before that. With her years of networking in the county, she will help us to be more effective in a broader outreach to those in need in our county. Welcome Bobbie!
• Our November mission project is providing home goods for 11 Linn Cove apartments in Newland that were flooded due to the hurricane instead of our traditional Thanksgiving baskets. All the residents of the first-floor apartments lost everything and had to move out. They will return to their newly renovated apartments in early December. Reaching Avery Ministry and Volunteer Avery County are providing all the furniture and appliances. Our mission committee will be providing some of the home goods: dishes, flatware, glasses, bakeware, cookware, utensils, towels, bed sheets, shower curtains, and wastebaskets. The pots and pans and bedding have already been donated. What a fun project and the funds will come out of our hurricane relief/recovery fund!
• We were able to help provide another camper trailer for a woman whose home is unlivable until repairs are made through our partnership with Avery County Habitat for Humanity.
• Bridges for Avery is building culverts for people in Avery County whose property is not covered by FEMA or other agencies. They have built 20 culverts so far and plan on building at least 12 more. Our church is writing grants to assist with financial support.
• The Lion’s Club from out of state is providing Thanksgiving Dinner for 2,000 people in Avery County.

A Prayer

Almighty God, you rule all the peoples of the earth. Inspire in the hearts and minds of all elected women and men the responsibility of government and leadership in our country. Give to them the vision of truth and justice to work for the common good of all Americans and be a force for good in the world. Give our country a passion for justice and the willingness to break down barriers instead of building walls. Forgive our shortcomings as a nation; purify our hearts to see and love the truth. May we as Christians use our freedom to walk in the way of Christ, loving our neighbor and speaking the truth in love, knowing that your presence and power are with us always. We pray all these things through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Midweek News Oct 30, 2024

Oct 30, 2024

 

Announcements and Items of Interest

 

• All Saints Day, Communion Sunday, November 3, 2024. Worship in the fellowship hall at 11:00 a.m. Please join us for birthday cake to celebrate November's birthdays following worship.
• Remember to set your clocks back one hour when you go to bed on Saturday. We return to Eastern Standard Time at 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning.
• Pastor Kathy was interviewed yesterday by four representatives from the PC(USA) Presbyterian Mission. She welcomed Rev. Edwin Gonzalez-Castillo, Director-Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), Mike Ferguson, Editor-Presbyterian News Service, Jim Kirk, Associate for Disaster Response US-PDA and Rick Copley, Multimedia Producer-Presbyterian Mission to Crossnore. Kathy shared the ways our congregation is responding to the devastation of Hurricane Helene. They were impressed with our fundraising and our partnering with local non-profits. It was an honor to have them come to our church on their ten-day journey touring states ravaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
• Wednesday Bible Study continues this Wednesday, November 6, 3:00-4:30 p.m., in the fellowship hall. Daniel Coffey is leading the group in a deep dive into the Gospel of Mark. Daniel is helping with the Bible study as a part of his internship for a master’s degree in Christian Education. Everyone is invited!
• We will have our Thanksgiving Potluck on November 17 following worship. We need folks to volunteer to roast a turkey. Please contact the church office.
• Our Session has established a Hurricane Relief Fund that will be used to assist our partner non-profits in Avery County when there are no government or private funds to cover expenses for those in desperate need. Since October 1, we have raised over $60,000. Thanks be to God! Pastor Kathy is visiting with our non-profits and finding out the financial needs that are not being met and will not be met. You can contribute by sending a check to Crossnore Presbyterian Church, designate it for Hurricane Relief, and mail it to P.O. Box 386, Crossnore, NC 28616 or you can go on the church website: www.crossnorepresbyterianchurch.org and press the green Give Now button as the top of the web page. It will take you to donation categories. All donations to Special Mission and General Missions will go to hurricane relief.

·      Volunteer Opportunities at this time: Reaching Avery Ministry- next to Dollar General in Newland- Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.- help with food boxes and clothing distribution; Feeding Avery Families- look at their Facebook for details.