The Pisgah Post

Pisgah Presbyterian Church Our Mission: to worship God,

Woodford County, Kentucky study the Scripture, practice the
September 2010 teachings of Jesus as Lord and
Savior.

My Prayer
On September 1st, I will become the 26th pastor of
Pisgah Presbyterian Church. That is a breath-taking
sentence that I have just written.
Twenty-five pastors have come
before me, each with their
unique talents and gifts, each
called by God to lead this
congregation through, well,
everything. Pastors have led
this congregation through times of war, depression,
political upheaval, social revolutions, and so much more.
Pastors in this very congregation have held their heads
high and preached the Word of God in the midst of
over-whelming circumstances. Of course, some have
done it better than others. Each person has different
strengths and weaknesses, but God has led them all on a
journey that at some point placed them squarely behind
the pulpit of Pisgah Presbyterian Church.
As I stood in that pulpit on August 1st, more
nervous than I had been behind a pulpit in quite some
time, I was acutely aware of the cloud of witnesses that
surrounded me, watching with anticipation, uttering
words of encouragement. PPC is a place of such rich
traditions, a history which, I think, uniquely prepares us
for the future that God has prepared. I am both
humbled and honored to be your 26th pastor.
But, just as the past did not come easily for our
forbearers in this place, the future will not always be easy
either. There are times, I’m sure, where you might
disagree with a decision I make, or even with something
I say from the pulpit. That’s OK. God calls us to unity,
not uniformity. Be honest with me, and I will always be
honest with you, and God will lead the way.
I am restless. Be restless with me. There is much to
be done---too many have not heard. As we move
through the next few months, let us do so with
intentionality, purposely seeking God’s will. The
following is a prayer written by Walter Brueggemann, a
theologian and an educator from Columbia Theological
Seminary. It is my prayer for us as we move forward:
We are a people with many words and much talk: creeds and
ads and propaganda and slogans and sound bytes. We keep
listening among these words for comfort, and we find ourselves
made anxious by the cacophony. And then---the din is broken;
you speak and we enter the zone of address. You speak and we
are called by name. You name and we are summoned---
summoned, commanded, sent. We hear and cringe and
pause…overwhelmed by mandate. We listen and you speak
again: you utter words of presence, promises of protection,
assurances of solidarity. We breathe easier, still afraid, but on
our way, at risk, not alone. Give us good ears in these days,
that we may hear the mandate and listen for assurance. That
even such as us may speak you well, you in your sovereignty, you
in your fidelity, you in your sadness and in your newness. Let
your word be fleshed through our tongues and our lips, that our
fleshed verbiage may truly echo your word made flesh via
Nazareth.
Annie and I are so excited to be here with you. We
have been welcomed warmly in so many ways and by so
many people. Be patient with us as we learn all of your
names and roles here. Be gracious toward our children
as they learn a new church with different customs and,
I’m sure, act out some of their anxieties. Most of all,
have fun with us as we settle in. The future is laid out
before us, and God is beckoning us to follow with
boldness and energy. Come with me. Let’s follow and
catch up. God will provide for the journey…
Peace,
Pete
M & E Fall Happenings!
T-Shirt Design Contest
Fellowship with Rev. Pete Jones
Pisgah Academy Day
New Item 1
New Item 2
New Item 3
Veterans Day – Opening Up The Invitation
Operation Christmas Child
-------------------------------------
Curious about those new items ?
Join the M & E committee and be a part
of making exciting things happen.
------------------------------------------
M & E welcomes Jim Rodgers
to the M & E Committee
Remember!
On Sunday, September 12
Sunday School begins at 9:4 5a.m.
Morning Worship begins at 11:00 a.m.
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Pisgah Church Vic-tory Garden
Our first garden has been a "growing" experience in
many ways. Despite attacks from bore weevils on the
pumpkins and poison ivy/oak severe enough to warrant
a trip to the emergency room for Smith Mitchell, and a
crushing rain storm that took out a 1/3 of the corn....we
declare our first garden an unqualified success! We have
harvested cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, corn,
peppers of all sorts and Anissa just wrote to say the
sweet potatoes are ready to dig! Go enjoy!
The garden participants were as varied as the
vegetables and fruits we planted. From high school
students to doctors and master gardeners to the greenest
of beginners; we had no idea how this project would
turn out. Each gardener had a 1000 commitments
outside of their plot, but somehow managed to make
time. And when one of us did not have time; without
asking another gardener stepped up and weeded their
plot, mowed or watered.
There are many parables to draw from the
experience; Jesus' teachings were in ready evidence if you
looked. My hope is that the spiritual as well as the
garden bounty will continue and that more of you will
join gardeners this year. We are working on the poison
oak problem and hope to have it under control by the
end of the year and completely eradicated by spring
planting. With continued guidance from our master
gardeners and Master Gardener :).... think what we could
do if we doubled the number of plots to 12! How many
people could we feed? How many of Pisgah's blessings
could we share? Let's find out come next spring.
Toland Lacy working the corn crop.
Pisgah ROCKS?
Did you have to read that twice?
Maybe this is not your idea of what an official
Pisgah t-shirt should say. If so, then tell us.
During the month of September, the Mission &
Evangelism Committee is sponsoring a contest to see
who can design an official t-shirt for church members to
wear (everywhere, we hope). Designs should be
submitted to Joe Johnson or Hank Graddy by Sunday,
September 26:
Joe Johnson at jjohnson@n-ppi.com or 321-6436
Hank Graddy at hank.graddy@gmail.com or 229-4033
The M&E Committee will review all entries and
present the top three candidates in the October
newsletter with instructions for how you can vote for the
design you like best. The winning design will be
announced at the Stewardship Fair in early November.
Designs can be hand drawn or created on a
computer, or you may choose to create your design using
one of the many t-shirt design companies available
online.
Google: Create t-shirts online
Do you have what it takes to win? Pisgah does, and
it’s time we let people know it!!!!!
SAVE THE DATE
SEPTEMBER 26 AT 4 PM
INSTALLATION SERVICE SCHEDULED
FOR PETE JONES
Our new Pastor, Pete Jones, will be installed
by a Commission from the Presbytery of
Transylvania on Sunday afternoon,
September 26 at 4:00 PM.
A potluck gathering will be held immediately
after with the Church providing
the meat and drinks.
Join with us in welcoming
Pete and his family to Pisgah.
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Adults to Study “Acts of the Apostles”
The Christian Education committee invites all adults
to join together for a study of the Acts of the Apostles.
All participants will be given copies of William Barclay’s
commentary on the book of Acts which will function as
a study guide for the 9 month course. “What Acts aims
to do”, writes Barclay, “is to give us a series of typical
exploits and adventures of the great heroic figures of the
what: Sunday School Kickoff early Church.” Although the book never says so, from
when: September 12th the earliest times Luke has been held to be its writer. If
time: 9:45 a.m. this is so, then Luke wrote both the gospel and Acts with
where: Pisgah Academy Building the purpose of showing how the new faith that had
begun so humbly in Palestine had expanded. In this
volume, Barclay discusses among other things the plan in
Join us in the Academy Building to
Acts, Luke’s skill as a historian, the accuracy of his
kick off another exciting Sunday sources and the honesty with which he uses them. This
school year. A light breakfast will study is full of unique insights and little-known
be shared before we break into information about the background of the early Church.
small groups for class. The class will be taught by 9 of your peers, each
teaching for a month at a time. Bring your bible, grab a
cup of coffee and come learn more about the teachings
Here’s what we’ll be studying this year:
of Jesus.
Hope to see you all at Adult Sunday School in the
Adults meet in the Fireplace Room Fireplace Room starting at 9:45a.m. on September 12th!!
Acts of the Apostles by William Barclay
Christian Ed Committee- Moderators, Jennifer Chandler
and Linda Scott along with Sandi Bromagen, Katie
Middle School & High School Burrier, Susan Dunlap, Ann Hayes, Cathy Johnson, Lisa
meet upstairs Johnson and Melissa Scott.
The Top 13 Questions about God
Burst: Green Church
A Note from the Administration
Burst: World Religions
Committee
K-4th Grades meet downstairs, It is hard to believe summer is almost over already,
Yellow Room this year has gone by quickly. As we start a new church
year we have much to be excited about and to celebrate.
One Room bible study curriculum
The August 15th Treasurer’s Report is out and our
financial numbers are still looking good. We are 63% of
Preschoolers meet downstairs, the way through the year with our total income at 60%
Green Room of budget. Our pledged income is at 60% of budget and
Rock-A-Bye Toddlers & Twos our unpledged income is at 48% of budget. These
numbers are slightly behind budget which is not unusual
COME BE A PART OF IT! as we come out of the summer months. We usually
experience a slight slow down in giving during the
summer months as we get busy with all of our summer
activities. It will be important as we move into the fall
Attention All 6th – 12th Graders! that we pick up the pace with our giving so we will be
Pisgah's Youth Group, A Light in the Attic, will be caught up by year’s end.
resuming our fall schedule on Sunday, September 12. We are looking good on the expense side of the
Please plan on joining us at the Church from 4:30 - 7:00 ledger as well. Our total expenses are at 50% of budget
p.m. and we are 63% of the way through our fiscal year.
We will enjoy a cook out, perhaps a few games, and The financial future for Pisgah will be strong if we
some planning for the coming year. can accomplish two things as we move toward the end
Bring your ideas, bring your friends and be sure to of the year. We need to get back on track with our
join us on the 12th! giving so we are keeping pace with our budget. If we
Cathy Johnson can do that and continue to hold down our expenses this
Melissa Scott will be a very good year for Pisgah and her people.
Jud Davis
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Door Greeting and Ushering
Do you know one of the easiest ways to volunteer
your time at Pisgah? Door greeting and ushering on
Sundays! You’re already going to be at church anyway.
Might as well arrive 30 minutes early (to make sure and
greet all the early birds who like to hear the choir
practice), apply your name tag, grab the already prepared
bulletins nicely folded and stacked on the narthex table
by Lynn Davis, stand at the front doors and begin
welcoming everyone to the service. Any new
visitors.....make sure and introduce yourself and offer
one of Mission and Evangelism’s welcome tote bags in
the narthex. Once the service has started remain in the
narthex for another 15 minutes to help any late arrivals
be seated at appropriate times. People love to read the
attendance number in the bulleting each week. So
during the service, count the attendance, write that
number on the attendance slip and place it in one of the
offering boxes.
Which leads me to ushering…..taking up the
offering. It is as easy as door greeting. After the
minister announces it is time for our tithes and offerings,
go forward, pick up one of the wooden offering boxes
(beautifully handmade by John Parker many years ago)
and take up the offering throughout your half of the
church. Once you’ve finished, wait in the rear of the
church until time to present the offering (the music is
your clue). Wait up front during the offertory prayer and
then return the offering box to its spot on the pulpit.
The only tricky part of ushering is you must synchronize
all your movements with your fellow usher so that you
operate in parallel on both sides of the sanctuary….tiny
bit of humor for those who haven’t given up reading this
article. After the service is over collect any stray
bulletins remaining in the pews and place them on the
narthex table for recycling. Your volunteering is over!
And we can all aspire to be like the experienced greeters
Ann and Wendell Harris…..the first smiling faces my
family saw on our initial visit to Pisgah many years ago.
If you would like to greet on a Sunday (or better yet
on several Sundays) please let me know and I will
schedule you in. 873.0683 or rhondafister@aol.com
Rhonda Fister
Snippets
o There’s sure to be a not-for-profit group on the
lookout for firewood that gets passed along to assist
with heating, but Susan Dunlap hasn’t had any luck
identifying one with the chainsaws and person
power to stop by the farm and help themselves in
order to help others. If you know of an entity
willing to cut and haul away firewood from trees
felled by ice or wind, give Tavner a call at 983-
8202.
We are always on the lookout for more “Snippets.” Help
us keep this column going by sending in any interesting
little tidbits you hear!
Happy Birthday to You in September
1 Joe Lagrew, Becky Prater, Bob Washer, Chauncey
Hill
2 Glenn Fister
3 Miriam Cox
11 Jordan Fey, Rhonda Fister
12 Ben Chandler, Peggy Graddy, Lindsey Torres
13 Rob Lake
15 Bruce Howard
17 Maggie Howard, Marlene Walker, Will Shropshire
David Graham
18 Debra Garrett, Melissa Scott
21 Matthew Fister
23 Janet Sparks
27 Jim Botkin, Katie Burrier, Joan Crowe, Wes Stokes
28 Melanie Burrier, Daniel Straub
29 Hank Graddy
30 Lynn Davis, Lucy Hart Graddy
And in early October…
2 Libby Jones
3 Wendell Harris, Sara Thauburn Welch
5 Jennifer Chandler, Marlin Yawn, Steven Hayes
6 Todd Cassidy
7 Sandi Bromagen
8 Stuart Brown, Ruth Miller
Please help us keep this list up to date!
The Pisgah Post is published monthly by the Pisgah
Presbyterian Church, 710 Pisgah Pike, Versailles, KY
40383. The deadline for the October 2010 issue of
the newsletter is September 24. Please submit signed
articles to the church office or email them to
office@pisgahchurch.org.
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Sundays at Pisgah Church

9:45a.m. Sunday School
11:00a.m. Morning Worship

The Staff Email

Pete: pastor@pisgahchurch.org
Lynn: office@pisgahchurch.org

Presbyterian Web Sites:

Presbyterian Church (USA): pcusa.org
Transylvania Presbytery: transypby.org
Synod: synodoflivingwaters.org
Montreat: http://montreat.org
Presbyterians Today: pcusa.org/pcusa/today

Pisgah Church Staff

Pete Jones, Pastor
Linda Jones, Organist
Lynn Davis, Secretary
Ted Bendis, Bookkeeper
Bob Keller, Groundskeeper
Rhonda Ball, Nursery Worker

The Pisgah Post

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September 2010
Pisgah Presbyterian Church
710 Pisgah Pike
Versailles, KY 40383

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Web: www.pisgahchurch.org, Voice and fax: (859) 873-4161, email: office@pisgahchurch.org