AUGUST 2014

Rome Presbyterian Church P O Box 189 939 Main Street Rome, PA 18837

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It’s August????!!!!!

Has this summer flown as fast for you as it has for me? Craziness!

We are already making plans for the start-up of Sunday School and XFA. The stores are crammed with back to school items. We deliver Kirstyn to her new apartment in Philly in just 13 days and in three days she turns 19!! Yep, time has a way of flying.

Things change with time. Things change when we make changes too! (Is this a profound piece of writing, or what?) When we departed the PCUSA and took up with ECO, some things changed but then if we’d stayed where we are, we would find polity and theology had changed anywayl! In our old world there were three types of members: 1) Baptized, 2) Active Members and 3) Inactive members. You are probably able to identify yourself in one of these.

Here is what things look like now. Streamlined.

1.04 Categories of Membership The membership of a congregation of ECO includes baptized members and covenant partners.

1.0401 Baptized Member A baptized member is a person who has received the Sacrament of Baptism, but has not

made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord

These folks are mostly children and those who are waiting to be confirmed. As soon as an infant is baptized they are enrolled as a baptized member. We claim them as one of ours, as one of Christ’s own.

1.0402 Covenant Partner A covenant partner is a person who has made a profession of faith in Christ, has been baptized,

has been received into the membership of the church, has voluntary submitted to the government of this church, and participates in the church’s worship and work. Covenant partners are eligible to vote in congregational meetings.

You all received cards – way back when – to choose what you wanted your membership status to be. We still have not had all of those returned (hint, hint). But with only these two choices, it really calls us to be honest. There is a key phrase regarding membership in 1.0402 “A covenant partner is a person

who . . . participates in the church’s worship and work.” The reason we asked people to respond on these cards is because the expectation of what used to be “an active member” has changed.

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When we say we are a “partner” in all this church stuff, we signify that we have an invested interest in what goes on in the life of the church. If you were a partner in a business there would be certain expectations you would need to live into. Same here. And the word “covenant” speaks loudly about commitment and promise.

So if you never sent in your card indicating how you considered your relationship with the church to be, and you come across it, marking a page in a book you’ve been reading, maybe you could consider those options again and let us know where you consider yourself to be.

Then ask yourself what it means for you/your family to be a “participant in the churches worship and work.” What is your idea of bringing God your best? Know that we want each of you to be part of this family!

Shalom!

Pastor Karen

Please let me know what your college students address is. You can call the office at 570-247-7014 or email me at rpchurch@epix.com.

Thank you

Peggy C

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Session Meeting Summary

Elders met on July 16, 2014, at the home of Judy and Mark Madill at 6:30pm. Pastor Ballard opened with prayer and led devotions with the scripture reading, Acts 4:32-35. Pastor and elders reflected and discussed: How is our church like the one Luke describes in these verses?

Elders then continued by discussing the following:

6 Shut-ins - Reuben and Jenny Brimmer, Marion Jones, Ethel Parks, Charlotte Sandor, and Virginia Wilson – please keep them in your prayers.

86 Covenant Partners Received and reviewed trustees, mission, audit report, and treasurer’s report ECO Presbytery of the Northeast will convene November 14-15th at King of Prussia. The focus on

the 14th will be worship, fellowship and prayer. ECO business will be discussed on the 15th as well as prayer and praise.

Friday Fellowship dinner have been averaging 90 people in attendance “We’re All Super Heroes to Someone” was the theme for the men’s breakfast on June 14 th. All

the “guys’ received a super heroes’ sticker as well as enjoying Christian fellowship Vacation Bible School is July 21-25 – Wilderness Escape, Where God Guides and Provides.

Children will join Moses on his wilderness journey with God. Pastor Karen, Diana Strope, Rose Gross, and Lynn Hughes are planning Sunday school kickoff for

September 7th – Stay tuned for this exciting adventure for children of all ages! Gathering this year for ECO is in Dallas, August 18-20th - Pastor Karen and Peggy Hughes will

attend Elders discussed responses to questions 9 & 10 from the Health of the Church Document: 9)

Illustrate the commitment of your congregation to global evangelism and discipleship, including examples of where you are engaging and with whom you are partnering. 10) How does your congregation understand commitment to the larger church through our connectional relationships within the Body of Christ?

Communion report: June – 82 people served and 92 were served in July Next Session meeting: August 28th @6:00 @ RPC, and David Hoffline will be guest facilitator @

6:30 regarding the Apostolic movement in the church

Respectfully submitted,

Sylvia Abrams, Clerk of Session

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8/8 Tom/Sylvia Abrams 8/20 Andy/Missy Boardman 8/26 John/Diana Strope 8/8 Cliff/Linda Robinson 8/21 Mark/Judy Madill 8/31 Bob/Iola Cragle8/10 Jim/Peggy Coleman 8/23 Mickey/Sandy Morris

8/18 Rick Lengemann 8/24 Joan Lengemann 8/24 Jack Shumway

8/25 Rachel Brown 8/27 Pat Coon 8/30 Lucille Pennay 8/31 Lauren Michalek

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To Our Wonderful Church family,

Our door is always open! Please drop by and stay for a visit if you are ever “in the area.”We will miss you all!

Emeritus @ Churchill Rick & Doreen LengemannJoan Lengemann 3692 West Bay Drive140 Carriage Club Road Sherrills Ford, NC 28673Apt # CC7Mooresville, NC 28117

Mom’s Group

Moms on a Mission

Purpose: To encourage and equip women in the awesome calling of motherhood. Through fellowship, food, and fun we want to create a place where moms can develop their faith in Christ, their character, and their abilities in a Christ centered community.

When: starting September 2014, meetings the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, meetings will be 9:30-11:30.

Where: RPC Christian Ed Building (upstairs for the kids and downstairs for the moms)

Who: Moms

What we need: The group is looking for help from mothers for mentoring as well as women who would be interested in working with the kids. The organizing and planning for the group are moms from the North Rome Wesleyan Church and RPC. If interested in helping please contact Rose Gross @ 570-247-2795 or email jrgross24@yahoo.com

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Dear Family and Friends,

Sixteen years of ministry in Thailand has flown by so swiftly. Fifteen of these years have been invested in co-laboring with the faculty of the Bangkok Institute of Theology to train servant leaders for the Christ’s Church in Thailand. Though I (Leith) began with expectations of teaching Theology and Evangelism/ Discipleship in the classroom setting, I needed to discern and adjust according to my capabilities (or lack thereof in lecturing with the Thai language) and where I could best serve alongside faculty colleagues to meet the actual needs of our students. Teaching English in and outside of the classroom, primarily for theological and ministry purposes, was my primary responsibility; but helping students to personally grow and minister as disciples of Christ was my passionate pursuit in and outside of the classroom. In the last 7 years, this extra-curricular ministry focused more sharply on mobilizing the Thai Church for engagement in Global missions, an involvement that has only recently been awakening after more than 185 years of receiving missionaries and significant missions funding from abroad.

Over these years, we have shared with you numerous stories of God’s work in and through the lives of both faculty colleagues as well as current students and alumni. During the past month, I had the opportunity to visit Paitoon, an alumni who graduated

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Thanking God for 15 years with B.I.T. View this email in your browser

over 10 years ago. I smiled as I remembered what a challenge he was as a student to motivate and disciple - a young man with tremendous capabilities, but with a background of brokenness and little discipline. There were times my colleagues and I wondered and prayed about whether Paitoon would complete the training at BIT and be a fitting minister for the Church.

You can imagine how encouraged and proud I felt when I watched as Pastor Paitoon took me with him to visit his members and community – former leprosy patients and their extended families living in a village about 3 hours from the northern city of Chiang Mai. In a very small, simple home we sat beside and worshiped and prayed with a bedridden member and his leprosy affected wife – reaching out and touching them, reminded me of our Savior’s loving-kindness in willingly coming and touching our sin-infected lives with His transforming grace and power.

I also enjoyed seeing and learning about his “happy chicken” project to help members of his community to better support themselves and their corporate ministry. Happy chickens are healthy chickens – feeding naturally on bugs and plants in a sanitary, safe, and yet reasonably-sized enclosure! These chickens grow faster, their meat is pink and healthier for consumption, and in turn, have a higher market price. I took many pictures and notes, and am keeping these for possibly sharing with others as Paitoon is also doing with other churches in his region!

It may well be, that we will be able to share information like this, as well as the Good News of our Lord as our focus now

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turns to our M neighbors in Thailand. We have previously written about how few of these in Thailand have a personal relationship with Isa or even a friendship with a neighbor who does. It is vital for our Thai brothers and sisters to gain a love burden and boldness to initiate relationships with these neighbors who live throughout the country – with the greatest concentration in Southern Thailand closest to the Malaysian border. We begin our long drive South on the 29th of July. We have been impressed with the need to begin our relationships with these new neighbors with a kind of humble interdependence that will require surrendering our propensity to self-sufficiency and being in control of our situation. Rather than looking for housing and getting settled on our own or with the assistance of brothers and sisters in the vicinity, we will try to seek neighbors that God prepares to befriend/ adopt us. We pray that these will become our community where we will learn to live the witness in contextually appropriate ways. We also pray that we will be able to learn and model what might be useful and encouraging for the rest of the Church to apply in their contexts.

Many have asked, “What will you be doing there i.e. what position will you have?” Unlike common approaches, we won’t be going with a position of influence or bringing anything particular (goods or services) to attract others to us. We will simply be going to the community, seeking and listening for those God has prepared to be in relationship with us. Our identity will be as researchers…Researching in InterCultural Engagement (RiICE). Probably like you, we don’t know what this will really look like or even more so, what will result. But we think that God is leading in this way, and we simply follow as

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best as we know. PLEASE join us in vigilant prayer - beginning with the transformation of our own lives… surrendering our preference to be in control and self-sufficient, and being attuned to God’s leading as He prepares and draws neighbors to Himself.

Your investment in our lives and ministry has been a significant part of God has done in and through the BIT community and Church in Thailand, far beyond what we know or just share in snapshot – thank you so very much for entrusting this to our stewardship. Thank you for your vital partnership through your prayers and financial gifts. We are grateful for your faithful commitment and involvement in Jesus’ Great Commission. Now, as the next leg of the Journey is unfolding… please jump on board and let’s RIDE!!!

Following Nabi Isa, one step at a time,

Leith and Carol FujiiPCUSA, Thailand

Copyright © 2014 Leith and Carol Fujii, PCUSA, All rights reserved.We have met you or you have indicated interest in our ministry.

Our mailing address is:

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FOR SECURITY PURPOSES: Please be discreet in sharing information. This is not for public distribution or posting on internet.

Leith and Carol Fujii, PCUSA 1/103 Floralville; Chalerm Prakiat Road Soi 22; Yaek 12-1Nongbon;Prawet, Bangkok 10250 Thailand

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NEB will start school on August 20, 2014.

Sunday School will be starting on September 7, 2014, pre-school to adult from 10:45a.m. to 11:30a.m.

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Truths be upheld Perry’s Celebration Shelba and her family Travelers/vacationersJake Gross Darcy Vanderpool Cheyenne Butcher Hailey’s Lemonade saleMarcia Powers Family Birthdays Reuben/Cheyenne moving Deb ShippRicky Webster as he gets to spend everyday with his Mom Animals that need homesBill Ransom Family Madie as she got to do SWAT The burglar who broke into Hydincia’s Cabin VBS Whitney Neville Christians in Iraq Jenny Brimmer turning 90Joan Cowles Ken & Alta Crawford visiting The beauty that surrounds us VBS JoyCasey Crawford for new treatment Hit & Run accident People who lost jobs and have to start over again Acceptances Bounty of Harvest Diana Strope & FamilyReuben & Jenny Brimmer

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