CurrentNewsGrapevine - Northkirk Presbyterian Church

From Pastor Tina…..

“If I speak in tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. . . If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. . . . “ (I Corinthians 13:1-8).

How strange it is that the Feast of Love (Valentine’s Day) should fall in the same month as Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, a time of repentance! What sharp contrasts we experience as we move from the extravagance of Valentine’s Day giving -- laden with its heavy emphasis on material luxuries -- to the simple austerity of repenting in ashes and entering a season of fasting, prayer and spiritual renewal. How do we negotiate our way as Christians through this clash of our culture with our faith?

Valentine’s Day began as a church saint day in the 5th century to commemorate several martyrs of that name. It only became associated with romantic love with Chaucer, in the 14th century. And it’s only recently been expanded to pressure people to buy more than a card or a small gift of flowers or chocolates. I have watched this holiday become more and more commercialized over my own lifetime. This recent trend seems to imply that we must prove our love through the giving of expensive or lavish gifts.

But the Bible tells a different story about love. Love is not about buying presents. First of all, it is all about loving God with our whole being and loving other people as we love ourselves. Secondly, love is less an emotion than an action: treating others the way we would have them treat us. We don’t always feel loving, but we are called to act loving. Paul points this out in his letter to the Corinthians, printed above. Notice that love is acting kindly, patiently, honestly; it is not acting boastfully, enviously, rudely, irritably, or resentfully. It is filled with faith and hope. And thus it endures forever.

Lent is a good time to meditate on what love truly is. We repent about the ways in which we fail at being loving persons and look for ways to act more lovingly. We follow the one who is the Lord of Love who said to his disciples: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

Jesus’ love for us was so great that he was willing to give up his life and die for us. So let us use Valentine’s Day, and then Lent, as a time to become even more fully the loving disciples he wishes us to be.

Pastor Tina

Session Highlights

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS FOR JANUARY

1. Over $1,770.00 was collected for the Joy Gift Offering! This is a wonderful
expression of how God is working in our congregation! And, we know that the retired pastors and students that receive these funds will be grateful for our continued support.

2. Our children blessed us with their artwork to benefit Project Heifer. This art was viewed and really appreciated by all of us. Our members and friends donated approximately $350 for Project Heifer! With earlier donations, a total of $650 has been raised and the children will be selecting the animals that these donations will buy. It’s a wonderful way to start our new year!

3. The 2011 Statistical Report was approved and is being submitted to the General Assembly. This report shows our growth and other statistics involving our congregation. In 2011, we had 6 new members received into our congregation and we had the loss of two long time faithful members. We close 2011 with 100 members in our congregation.

4. Pastor Tina began her leadership as the Interim Pastor for Northkirk. In her first seventeen (17) days, she’s already met with Ministry Team Chairs and various team members and groups within the congregation. Welcome Pastor Tina!

5. There have been requests for assistance for members in wheelchairs and from members with walkers who need assistance getting in and out of the church sanctuary. The Session approved implementing a Valet Ministry which will be coordinated by Jeff Paulus. Look for this ministry to start in the near future!

6 The Session approved having an on-going collection to support the Hope Partners SOVA Program Center in Ontario. This center offers emergency food distribution assistance to individuals and families. In addition to the food basket which is used to collect food donations, a piggybank will be placed on a nearby table at the rear of the sanctuary to allow monetary offerings. Since Hope Partners can buy food at pennies per pound, your monetary donations will truly “multiply!” So look for the piggy bank!

Visitors Corner

Meet, Greet & Eat Fellowship Coming Soon

We are so blessed and delighted by the presence of new people joining us for worship on Sunday mornings! We realize you may have questions about Northkirk and its ministries, or perhaps you would like an opportunity to meet some more people here, or maybe you are wondering how to get more involved.

Does this describe you? Are you interested in meeting with the pastor and some church leaders to get to know us and find out more about this church? If so, please contact the church office to sign up for a Meet, Greet and Eat lunch. We look forward to sharing a meal and fellowship with you.

YONKS UPCOMING SCHEDULE

February 5th - Yonks will be gathering in the afternoon at the Rashes’ home for the Super Bowl game. There will be no evening meeting.

February 10th-12th Yonks will be away for Winter camp at Forest Home Christian Conference Center. Be in touch with Steven Rash to find out departure and return times. Bring money for stopping at A&W!

February 19th Yonks meets at its regular time of 7 PM in Room 5.

February 26th Is there a volunteer to host a Family Meal in their home?

Members Corner

NEW PHONE DIRECTORY
In the next few weeks there will be a new Northkirk Phone Directory distributed:
Please contact church secretary Patricia Quam either by phone, 909-989-4919 or by email, northkirk@verizon.net if you have recently had any changes to your address, phone number or email address or if you are a frequent visitor and would like to be added to our directory.

AN INVITATION TO NORTHKIRK
Karen Christian Fellowship invites Northkirk church family to join the festivities as they celebrate the Karen New Year on Sunday, February 5, 1pm at Pomona First Baptist Church, 601 N. Garey Ave. Pomona, CA 91768 (N.W. Corner of Garey and Holt), building F, Gym. Everyone is welcome to the New Year Service followed by traditional Karen food, special music, and bamboo dancing. For more information contact Saw Shein.

THE VOICE LESSONS ARE BACK!
Please contact Saw Shein if you are interested or if you would like to set up an appointment.

TO VISIT OR REACH PASTOR TINA
Pastor Tina’s office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM or you may call the church office at 909-989-4919. Please stop in and say hello.

February Birthdays

Kristen Beauvais 2/04
Les Maitlen 2/04
Nancy Michalski 2/04
Tommy Emick 2/09
Ellie Pate 2/14
Dr. Don Zabriskie 2/17
Paul Sage 2/20
Gary Wallace 2/25

Anniversaries

February 11
Kim and Gary Wallace

February 14
Dan and Evelyn Beauvais

Within the Congregation

Make Super Bowl
Sunday SOUPER!
Score a touchdown against hunger by bringing cans or packages of soup to church on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5th. Food pantries across the state are experiencing shortages of canned goods to give to those in need. Help tackle this shortage and pass along your cans of soup or chili to our local food pantry.
Go Team! Bring Soup!

PER CAPITA
APPORTIONMENT FOR 2012

The Per Capita amount adopted by the Presbytery of Riverside for 2012 is $33 per member. These monies (or per capita offerings) are used to fund the administrative costs of operating the Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly. In addition, the funds are also used to pay any other expenses that come up during the year. Northkirk and all of the other churches in the Presbytery benefit from these services. In order to have the minimum affect on the 2011 - 2012 Budget, we are asking that each of you help the church by paying your Per Capita apportionment. And if you can add a couple of extra dollars to help pay for those who cannot afford this amount, it will greatly appreciated!

KAREN’S GARDEN
Every Saturday around 9:00 to 9:30 AM (weather permitting) we will be working on Karen’s Garden. Everyone is invited to come help.
If you wish to have a plot (there will be about 10) applications will be available through Kathy or Cyndee. Those wishing to make a donation for blocks or soil can do so in the regular envelopes - just mark it Karen's Northkirk Garden. Thank you

MISSION CORNER

Monthly Donations
We continue to be blessed by Mary Frances
Green, who made it possible for us to continue
to share our Mission Ministry in many ways.
In February, we will give $500.00 to Learning
Ally Inc., which has previously been called
"Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic".
We continue to donate $500.00 this month to
help feed those in need. This month we will
give to Calvary Presbyterian in Riverside.
“Souper Bowl of Caring”
February 5 is Super Bowl Sunday, when the
youth of the church will celebrate, "Souper
Bowl of Caring". They will have a container
where you can place your soup or cash donations,
which will then be donated to a local charity
of their choice.
Many thanks to all who continue to support the
Missions of the church.

Meals for the Homeless
Northkirk continues our mission project of feeding the homeless at Calvary Presbyterian Church. This is an ongoing commitment on the 2nd Sunday of each month.
Calvary Presbyterian Church is located at 4495 Magnolia Ave, Riverside. We will be serving meals to the homeless. Instructions will be given by Calvary Presbyterian Church. Please call Marion Mildon, for more details.

FOOD OF THE MONTH
February - Soup
In support of Inland Valley Hope Partners Food Program you may bring your donation any Sunday. We have selected SOVA to receive our donations.

Please join the relief effort, and help feed people in your community that are in need!

Thank You Notes

Northkirk receives thank you cards every month from the organizations who receive donations from our Mission Ministry Fund. Here are a few of the more recent ones:

Assistance League of Pomona Valley thanks you for your generous donation of the gift card for groceries. We also thank the members for providing Christmas gifts for five needy families. Our sincere thanks.

On behalf of the Board of Directors for Santa Claus, Inc. I wish to take the opportunity to thank you for the check in the amount of $500.00 which the Memorial Fund donated to our organization in memory of Mary Frances
Green. As you know we operate entirely on donations from the community. This past Christmas we assisted approximately 5000 children to a much happier holiday. It is with organizations such as yours that we are able to keep working on making the children happy and give them a much improved holiday.
We appreciate each and everyone of you and hope 2012 will be a wonderful year for you all.

Dear Friends,
As a friend of the Inland Valley Hope Partners, we thank you and your congregation for your recent contribution, and for supporting our organization as your mission outreach. Your continued and faithful support plays a critical
role in providing services to the many families who come to us for food and shelter. For over 40 years we have been serving those in need in the Inland Valley. With your generous gift we will continue our service to some 80,000 people through our emergency food and housing programs. Again, thank you
for your support.