Midweek News Jan 16, 2025
Jan 16, 2025
Announcements and Items of Interest
Sunday, January 19, 2025. Worship will be in the fellowship hall at 11:00 a.m. We will be renewing our baptismal vows. Worship will be followed by our January potluck luncheon. This will be a casserole potluck so bring your favorite dish and join us for good food and fellowship.
The Parking lots will be salted and plowed on Saturday, January 18, 2025, so you should be able to drive up the main drive to the church. If you feel unsure or come before it is plowed, go to the next left past the main drive and come up the road to loop around to the church. That road is cleared.
A big thank you to John Kehoe for getting Affordable Tree Service to plow and salt our snow-covered parking lots and driveways. John also shoveled and salted the sidewalks.
Another thanks to Gene Hodges for getting our heating oil tank filled for our sanctuary furnace. It was empty.
Three of the apartments at Linville Cove are ready for move in! Charlotte Davila and Linda Berkley have packed up the household goods for these three apartments. Charlotte, Linda, as well as George Riggsbee are going today, Thursday, January 16, to help set up those first three apartments. As a reminder, for our November mission project, we raised funds to purchase household goods for eleven low-income residents of the Linville Cove first floor apartments that were flooded. The mission committee has made these purchases while Reaching Avery Ministry, Volunteer Avery County, and Covenant Presbyterian Church are providing all the furniture and appliances.
In addition to the household goods that were purchased for the Linville Cove apartments above, Kay Hodges brought by 11 beautiful homemade quilts to be placed in each apartment. Kay made and donated most of these quilts and others were made and donated by members of the Avery County Quilting Guild. What a wonderful gift!
Session will meet this coming Tuesday, January 21, at 3 p.m. in the fellowship hall.
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.
The Bible Study for these cold winter days continues for the second week on Wednesday, January 22, 3-4:30 p.m. Hearth & Home led by Daniel Coffey is an eight-week devotional journey centered on Bible stories chosen by the participants. These sacred stories will be enhanced with art, music, and poetry. This wonderful winter study will let us dive into the sacred stories and our own stories as well. All are welcome. Please sign up by emailing Pastor Kathy:
An update on our Hurricane Relief/Recovery Fund: As of January 5, we have raised over $117,000 (Covenant Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, contributed $30,000; First Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, contributed $5,000; and Grandfather Community Foundation contributed $5,000). To date, we have spent over $36,000 on relief and recovery projects. That leaves us with a balance of $81,000 and we are still receiving donations. An update on the projects we are funding is attached in this email. Thanks to everyone who is donating in every way: money, time, and resources! God is good!
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 Prayer for Fire Ravaged Southern California
God, our refuge and our strength, you are an ever-present help in trouble.
You see the devastation caused by the California wildfires. You hear the cries of those suffering loss. You know the fear and anxiety and exhaustion of those waiting, hoping, helping as they watch the fires burn.
For those forced to abandon their homes and shelters in search of safety, we pray for your guidance to find places of rest. For those called to fight the fires, we pray for your strength to persevere. For those ministering to the injured, we pray for your wisdom and guidance to heal. For those mourning loss, we pray for your comfort. For those accompanying others, near or far, we pray for your upholding. For those still in danger’s path, we pray for your protection.
Now and in the days and weeks to come, we trust that you are present. You have promised that even in the darkest of valleys, you will never leave nor forsake your children.
God, our refuge and our strength, you are an ever-present help in trouble. As your incarnate presence brought hope to those in need, may the Church, your body, be the presence of help and hope in Los Angeles County and beyond.
In the name of Christ Jesus,
Amen.
The Rev. Jihyun Oh is Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency, PCUSA
