Midweek News Jan 8, 2025
Jan 8, 2025
Announcements and Items of Interest
Epiphany, Communion Sunday, January 12, 2025, Worship at 11:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Please join us for coffee and Birthday cake to celebrate January birthdays. In case of inclement weather, bad road conditions or extreme cold, please check your email, the church’s website, Facebook page or phone message to find out if church services have been canceled. If a decision cannot be posted by Saturday evening, it will be made and posted by 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning.
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. They will resume meeting on today, Wednesday, January 8.
The new Bible Study for these cold winter days will begin next Wednesday, January 15, 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. Our first session on January 15 is based on the Epiphany story of the Wisemen from Matthew 2:1-18. We will be studying the story through the themes of Holy Journey, Holy Resistance, and Holy Seeking. This wonderful winter study will let us dive into the sacred stories and our own stories as well. Please sign up by emailing Pastor Kathy:
Our January potluck will be held in the fellowship hall on Sunday, January 19, following worship. This will be a casserole potluck so bring your favorite dish and join us for good food and fellowship.
An update on our Hurricane Relief/Recovery Fund: As of January 2, we have raised $117,000 (Covenant Presbyterian Church, Charlotte contributed $30,000, and First Presbyterian Church, Charlotte and the Grandfather Community Foundation each 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 will be shared in the next couple of weeks. Thanks to everyone who is donating in every way: money, time, and resources! God is good!
Our November mission project was purchasing household goods for eleven low-income residents of the Linn 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 the furniture and appliances. Volunteers will be needed in January when we get the move in date.
Our August mission project was to raise $15,000 to be used by Undue Medical Debt (nonprofit) to wipe out $3,000,000 in medical debt in Avery, Mitchell and McDowell Counties. We have since added Burke County and raised $20,053.20 and abolished $3,132,915.87 of medical debt.
- Avery County- 57 recipients; amount abolished: $214,283
- Mitchell County- 58 recipients; amount abolished: $92,685
- Burke County- 1,179 recipients; amount abolished: $1,932,470
- McDowell County- 258 recipients; amount abolished: 893,478
The selected recipients received a letter in time for Christmas to let them know their medical debt has been paid by anonymous donors. Our contributions wiped out over 3 million dollars of medical debt. Thanks to all who contributed!
Volunteer Opportunities at this time: Reaching Avery Ministry- next to Dollar General in Newland- Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.- 4p.m.- help with food boxes and clothing distribution; Feeding Avery Families- look at their Facebook for details.
