MARS MEMO

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Flea Market<= /p>

Friday, June 8 – 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 9 – 8 a.m. to noon

Covenant Players=

June 10, 2007

10:00 a.m.
Please join us for one Special Worship Celebration on Sunday, June 10 at 10:00 a.m. for a performance by the Covenant Players (no 8:30 a.m. service that day).

Bag Lunch

Youth Fundraiser=

Pre-paid bag lunches with made-to-order chicken wrap sandwiches will be available to eat-in or take-out following worship on Sun= day, June 10. Proceeds will benefi= t the teens planning on attending the Jekyll Island retreat. The order deadline is June 4, 2007= . An order form is included in this newsletter.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PASTOR<= /b>

Over the past few months I have been sharing with you about the Missional Church. Missional churches come in all shapes and sizes, but there is one thing they all hold= in common – they are growing churches.&= nbsp; These churches, to varying degrees, have eight common characteristic= s. To summarize what I have previously presented:

1.     The missional church= is redefining success and vitality in terms of faithfulness to God’s cal= ling and sending. Every member is = seen as a minister being sent out to bring others into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

2.     The missional church= is a community in which all members are involved in learning what it means to be disciples of Jesus Christ and the Bible is normative in the church’s life.

3.     The missional church= is learning to take risks for the sake of the gospel.

4.     The missional church demonstrates God’s intent for the world in the way it’s members behave toward each other through mutual care, reconciliation, loving accountability, and hospitality.

5.     The missional church= has a high percentage of its members in church on a given Sunday because they understand corporate worship as public witness to the faith that is within them.

Now let me share with you the final three characteristics of a missional church.

The members of a missional church rely on the Holy Spirit.= They have not neglected the third = member of the God-head. They recogni= ze the Holy Spirit as the source of the extraordinary power that is available to u= s as Christ’s followers. We = are not to attempt to do the work of God in our own strength. It is His work of reconciling the = world through Christ, and we are to do it in our own strength. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot s= ee the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. We do not preach ourselves, but Je= sus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his slight shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Cor. 4:4-7) If we are to tap in to this all-surpassing power of God, we are going to have to stop trying to do everything in our own strength. We are going to have to learn to rely on the Holy Spirit, which means we are g= oing to have to stop doing without first praying. The missional church practices corporate prayer to discern God’s will and to receive power to fulfill God’s will. If we are to participate in God= 217;s reconciling work in the world, we have to do it his way and in his strength. That will take the = HOLY SPIRIT at work in us.

The missional= church proclaims what Christ has done to bring people into the Kingdom of God and what that Kingdom is all a= bout – the reign of God. Its members strive to be instrumen= ts, agents and signs of God’s reign.&nbs= p; They acknowledge their incomplete response to God’s reign and their constant need to as God’s forgiveness and surrender to God̵= 7;s rule.

The missional= church is comprised of servant leaders – people who lead by promoting Christ and not themselves – people who serve selflessly to the glory of God. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Cor. 4:5) It is Christ who gives t= he church its mission and Christ who gives the church the authority to fulfill that mission. Christ also giv= es each believer certain gifts and talents to fulfill His mission. Christ gives the church the author= ity to discern the giftedness of individuals and to call them out for a particular role and work. This is so thoroughly Presbyterian as we call people to serve = in a variety of ways and lay hands upon them in ordination, asking God to empower them and develop within them the gifts they need to fulfill their calling.<= o:p>

As I reflect on these eight characteristics of a missiona= l church, it strikes me that this is what God would have for all churches. This is Biblical Christianity being lived out in the local church.

=

Rev. Jean Gomola

VOLUNTEER = SCHEDULE for June 2007:

Tarry &= ; Talk Crew: Membership Committee: Alice Leonberg, Ka= ren Davidson, and Paul Bhame

Muffins: June 3 – cookies and graduat= ion cake

   &nbs= p;        June 10 – Tom & Pam Kennedy, Linda Lees

   &nbs= p;        June 17 – Tom & Pam Kennedy, Linda Lees

   &nbs= p;        June 24 -

Greeters:<= /u> Elder Jim Gray and Deacon Barb Gra= y

MUP Driver= : June 3 & 10 – Steve Carp= enter

   &nbs= p;        June 17 & 24 – Keith Nichols

   &nbs= p;

Flowers: <= /u> June 3 –

   &nbs= p;        June 10 – Pat Jackson

   &nbs= p;        June 17 – Susan and Bob Cox

   &nbs= p;        June 24 -

Crib Room:= June 3 – Pam Kennedy

   &nbs= p;        June 10 – Lisa Aaron

   &nbs= p;        June 17 – Emily Cook

   &nbs= p;        June 24 – Tracey Nichols

WHITE ENVELOPE OFFERING is a new offering that will be received the fir= st Sunday of each month to benefit the charitable works of our Deacons. Donations will be credited to your giving record if they can be identified.&n= bsp; Please use the white envelopes provided in your bulletin. Your kindness ensures the continued generosity of our Deacons. Col= lection for May was $211.

=

A= NNUAL FLEA MARKET AND BAKE SALE w= ill be held on Friday, June 8 from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., and on Saturday, June 9 from 8 a.m. until noon. On Saturday beginning at 11 a.m., everything you can put in a shopping bag will be just $1.00. Flea Market item donat= ions will be received at the church during regular office hours. Please plan on “baking your best” to donate to our Bake Sale.&nb= sp; Call Mike Bocheff with questions and to arrange pick up of donations= .

   WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY CONTINUE= S

A Women's Bible Study= will be held on Monday, June 2 at 2:00 p.m. They are using the Horizon's study titled "In the Beginning." This study will cover the book of Genesis. For more information, please call Margaret Cook at 724-625-2217.&n= bsp; We will meet at the church each FIRST Monday at 2 p.m. All are welcome!

<= /span>

Notes from= our Session:

Summary of our M= ay 17, 2007 Meeting:

Session Minutes and Roll Books were reviewed by Presbytery and approved with commendation.

Long-Range Planning Committee chaired by John Ivory will be formed to address Ree= se property and our parking situation.

Vacation Bible School will be held at church the week of July 9-13 between the hours of 6-8:= 15 pm

Christian Ed Committee is researching possibility of Youth Director.

MISSION STUDY Pastor<= /span> Jean has asked me to head the Mission Study whi= ch is the next step in our search for a full time Pastor. To guide us through the process, we will be using the Congregational Discovery which is part of the Partnership for Missional Church. The study is a series of twenty four interviews that will be conducted by s= ix members of the congregation to help us define our church’s identity a= nd character. In order to get an accurate sample, we have specific guidelines = to follow: to hear from those who are active and not so active, the young and = old, new members and those who have been here for a long time, members who are o= ften heard and those who are hardly ever heard. If you are asked to be part of t= his process, expect the interview to take between 45 and 60 minutes. Everyone w= ill be asked the same eight questions. The listener will summarize your respons= es and share that with you to verify it’s acc= uracy.

The information will be anonymous, but = not confidential. In other words, the information will be shared, but the interviewee’s name is never attached to any document. After all interviews are completed, the information will be shared in small group meetings where anyone who has anything to add will be welcomed to do so. The target timeframe for this whole process is the end of August.

I look forward to this being an interes= ting and informative experience for us all.

&nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;                 = Darlene Harrison

Summer Youth Trip

FUN IN THE SON (Jekyll Island) July 14 – 21 This high school youth = conference is one of 32 events sponsored by Youth Conference Ministries (YCM), formerly known as Presbyterians for Renewal Youth Ministries (PFR YOUTH). This particular conference has bee= n in existence for 31 years. It be= gan with 300 kids and has grown to over 1,000.

Please pray for our teens as they prepare for this venture.

The Fifth Dimension and NHYMC

Support the North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center while enjoying a “groovy” night out on the town! You’re invited to attend the 4^th Annual Pittsburgh Community Partners Concert featuring The Fifth Dimension on Thursday, June 21, 2007. The Community Partners Concert is an annual collaboration with over 40 local non-profit organizations. The program supp= orts an innovative approach to ticket sales and fundraising. You earmark the cos= t of your ticket purchase to benefit a participating non-profit of choice. Of course, we hope you will designate us, the North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center as the non-profit of choice. Tickets are available= on-line at www.pittsburghsymphony.or= g by phone 412-392- 4900 or by mail (see brochure). Please indicate our partn= er (promotion) code 2359 when ordering tickets, as proceeds will benefit our low-cost or free counseling and support services. Order = your tickets today!

NORTH HILLS YOUTH MINISTRY ANNU= AL BOOK SALE wil= l be held beginning June 1 – June 7 (9 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily, closed Sunday) at a new location at Memorial Park Church. Over 40,000 gently us= ed books sorted into 35 categories will be available. Nothing over $= 3.00. Special promot= ions throughout the week. B= ooks will be restocked daily, so come more than once. This is a great way to stock up fo= r your summer reading. Proceeds help= NHYM provide low-cost or free professional counseling services, tutoring and mentoring for at-risk youth, parent education and prevention programs and a variety of support groups.

SOUTH BUTLER COMMUNITY MEALS-ON-WHEELS GOLF O= UTING The Tenth Annual Golf Outing to benefit South Butler Community Meals-on-Wheels will be held on= Monday August 6^th at Conley's Resort on Route 8. It will be a 9:00 a.m. tee-off with registration starting at 8:00 a.m. There will be lots of prizes and contests during the outing along with the great food and golf! Basic Hole sponsorships are $100. Premium Contributing Sponsorships are $250. = Golfing Foursomes cost $320 ($80 per person). We’re looking for golfers and sponsors!! Contact SBCMOW off= ice at 724-898-0080 or Tim Stenner at 724-538-9380 for further information about this local ministry or for registration forms for= the golf outing.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. RICHARD MORELEDGE A worship service to the glory of God and in recognition of the 50-Year Minis= try of Dr. Richard A. Morledge will be held on Thur= sday, June 14, 2007 at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown, PA.

Dr. Morledge was ordained by the Presbytery of Pittsburgh in the Sixth Presbytery Church of Pittsburgh, where his father served as pastor, on Friday evening, June 14, 1957. He served as Pastor of the Mt. Prospect Presbyterian Church of Hickor= y, PA (now Hickory Presbyterian Church) from 1957-1960. He was a visiting Lect= urer in Religion at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA during the 1959-1960 academic year. In September of 1960, Dr. M= orledge accepted the call as Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown, which he served for 35 years, until Octob= er of 1995. He served as Dean of the Chapel of Grove City College from 1984-1999.=

The service will include reflections on= Dr. Morledge’s ministry presented by family and colleagues: Richard C. Michaelian, Dr. Donn D. Ed, and Dr. F. Stanley K= eehlwetter. Immediately following the one-hour service, a reception will be held in the Fellowship Hall of First Presbyterian Church of Bakers= town.

The public is invited to both the servi= ce and the reception.

For more information, please call the o= ffice of the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown = at 724-443-1555.

THE LIGHTHOUSE FOUNDATION will = offer Computer classes beginning May 29 for Beginning Computer, Intermediate Computer, Word and The Internet. Small class sizes with excellent instructors. Call 724-989-4673 to register now.=

COME TO THE PARTY Daisy Snow will celebrate her first birthday<= /span> on July 1, 2007 with a party at Adams Park, 3 Degree Road, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m= .    Potluck, bring your fa= vorite dish.

Mars United Presbyterian Church

Phone: 724-625-1365

Email: marsup@mars-up.org=

Website: www.mars-up.org

Office Hours:&n= bsp; Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Rev. Jean E. Gomola, Pastor

Email: Gomola@mars-up.org=

Cell Phone:&nbs= p; 724-699-9185

Home Phone:&nbs= p; 724-458-9292

Join us for

a Special Worship Celebration

On Sunday, June 10, 2007 at 10:00 a.m= .

At Mars United Presbyterian Church

Performance by:

Covenant Pl= ayers

<= /o:p>

Bag Lunch Youth Fundraiser follows= :

=

Pre-paid bag lunches with made-to-order chicken wrap sandwiches will be available to eat-in or take-out following worship. Proceeds to be= nefit the youth summer trip to = Jekyll Island.=

---------------------= -----------------------------------------

Order Deadline: June 4, 2007

Please enclose payment with your order.

Name: ________________________________________

Phone Number: _________________________________

_____   # of Lunches             _____   Extra Sandwiches

($5 each lunch) &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;          ($2 each extra sandwich)

Check all to include:

_____ Onion       ____= _ Lettuce        _____ Tomato

Lunch also include fruit, cookie, water or soda (Circle one).

=