July 2007

FINLEY FOCUS

July 2007

Founded 1891 Picture by Karen Brown

From the Pastor’s Desk

On our vacation, we traveled to the hot, sandy beaches of Emerald Isle, North Carolina. Whenever I go to the beach, there are two things that I enjoy seeing the most – sunsets and sunrises. There is something majestic about seeing the sun go down and come up again over the horizon that is as far as the eye can see. There is something about it that is peaceful and divine all wrapped up in the movement of the cosmos.

Watching the sun go down over the horizon and sitting in the darkness listening to the sound of the ocean, you gain a sense of just how massive the world and the heavens are and just how small you really are. The air turns colder, the wind picks up, and you begin to lose sense of where the sea stops and the sky begins. Sometimes it can be a little frightening. And yet….there is always the sunrise.

The darkness lasts for but a moment of time. Light is always dawning upon the horizon bringing with it newness of life. The birds start singing their songs. The air warms. The darkness flees unable to overcome the light that is breaking. The sense of space and time are restored. Sunsets and sunrises. The movement of the cosmos. The message of the Gospel.

When I think about sunsets and sunrises, I always think about the message of what Jesus said many times to his disciples. “I must go, but I will be coming back.” Sunsets and sunrises. The disciples, of course, do not grasp the message. They only hear the word “sunset” in Jesus’ words. They only focus on the fact that he is leaving. They feel themselves small. Their senses begin to falter. And yet…there is always the sunrise.

Isn’t that what Jesus means when he says, “do not be afraid?” Isn’t that what the resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit is all about? The coming again of light and new life? The dawning of the Son who brings light and life to his disciples, not just for a moment in time, but always, to the ends of the earth?

The sun may do its dance in the sky as the Earth moves along its celestial course around it bringing us sunsets and sunrises, but our lives are not guided by the movement of the earth, but upon the eternal light that shines upon us in all times and all places. This is the light and life that we follow, the Good News that we proclaim with boldness, the promise that gives us hope for a new and brighter tomorrow.

May the Spirit of Christ be with you,

Dan

Sunday, July 15 at 6 pm here at Finley we will host a Blue Grass Gospel Concert, featuring Amy Ladd and Friends. This is a 5 piece band from Richmond who will be in our area. There will be a free will offering during the concert, and WE NEED SOME HELP (about 6 people or so) for ushers, greeters, taking up the offering. If you are interested, please call Roy Rotenberry at: 337-3700. Please let your friends and neighbors know about this wonderful event and join us for a terrific musical evening!

Our monthly Men’s Fellowship Breakfast will be served on Sunday, July 1, at 8:30 am. All men are encouraged to join us for food, fellowship and service. If you have not attended yet, or not in a while, consider making time to attend.

Vacation Bible School will start Sunday July 22nd (It may end on Thursday or Friday). We will start each evening at 5:45 and end at 8:00. Our theme this year is "Great Bible Reef." All kids through the 5th grade are welcome to attend and have fun! I you are interested in helping, please contact Dawn Christian at 943-7566 or 649-4013 or Gina Henderson at 241-2770. We really do need people to help put on a great program.

Handbell Choir – Third Octave Purchase

Our Handbell choir is expanding our musical horizons! The Session has approved the purchase of a third octave of Schulmerich handbells to add to the two octaves of handbells given to Finley by the Shipp family in memory of James H. Shipp, Jr. in 1983. The cost of the third octave and necessary accessories totals $3,450.

We would like to ask for your help in meeting our goal of raising $3,450 by July 1^st.So far we have received $2,335! This leaves $1,115 to go. For those interested there is the option to “Buy-A-Bell,” where one contributes the cost of a particular bell ($166-$366) and a plaque will be installed on the case. Contact Ann Willey for details. Contributions of any amount may be given with the weekly offering or mailed to the church with “Handbell Fund” designated on the checks. If you have any questions please contact Chris Davis (540.448.1260, davisct@gmail.com) or Ann Willey (337.3275). Thank you for your support!

Letter to Finley from Doris Bauserman from Florida:

Dear Pastor Dan, Elise & all,

This is my church in Florida which lost roof & suffered great damage in 2004-2005 hurricane (There is a picture of her church on the stationery). All is well now, good as new. Elise, I still play tennis once a week! Thanks for Finley Focus; Presbyterian Women are same as Finley!

Love, Doris

STUARTS DRAFT VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY’S

ANNUAL LAWN PARTY

It’s almost time for the Stuarts Draft Volunteer Fire Company’s annual lawn party and they need lots of help! This year the dates are July 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th.

Willing hands are needed in many areas – serving dinners each evening from 5:00 to 7:30 pm, wrapping chicken at 11:00 am, and helping in the stands. Donations of pies and cake are needed to serve with the evening meal. Please drop these items off after 10:00 am at the Fire House.

Please consider volunteering some time and baked goods to help the Stuarts Draft Volunteer Fire Company continue serving our community. This is the only fundraiser to keep your fire company active in Stuarts Draft. Even if you only have an hour or two to help, your time will be appreciated.

Please call one of the following people for more information and to let us know when and where you will help.

Gene & Susan Kane 337-2569

Alice Campbell 337-2586

David & Barbara Clements 337-3847

Wayne Harvey 337-4584

DON’T FORGET bring your friends and families to attend the parades, have some fabulous food, play games, ride rides, and have a great time while supporting our Fire company volunteers. These are our friends and neighbors who put their lives on the line to serve our community. Please take some time to help them.

Thank you for supporting the Stuarts Draft Volunteer Fire Company with your time and donations.

Support the Baja Mission Trip!

Don Juan’s Mexican Restaurant (Verona location only) has made an incredibly generous offer to help fund our Shenandoah Presbytery mission trip to Baja California, Mexico: they will donate 20% of the day’s receipts on Monday, July 9,to our team!

The owner, Juan, from Mexico wants to help us help his fellow countrymen. He has just opened Don Juan’s in Verona (at the site of the former Kathy’s Restaurant, formerly Brooks’ Restaurant) on the east side of Rt. 11, ¼-mile south of the Middle River Bridge. He will receive free advertising by introducing you to his new restaurant (which, by the way, is excellent) and our mission project will benefit from his donations.

The more money Don Juan’s takes in that day, the more money we make. It can’t be any easier; just sit down, relax, enjoy a wonderful, authentic Mexican meal, and support our Baja mission trip. Too busy? Not enough time to sit and eat? Don Juan’s offers take-out as well!

Don Juan’s is open from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. A lunch buffet for $6.50 is available from 11:00 – 2:00. Menu is available all day. You pay the posted prices, just as you always would, and at the end of the day, Juan cuts us a check for 20% of the gate.

Lindsay McCormick & Stephen Campbell will be getting married at our church on July 7 at 4pm. All of our congregation is invited to attend.

Tom and Marti Elliott invite you to share in the joy of the marriage uniting Tara Leigh Elliott and Samuel Timothy Mahanes. This celebration of love will be on Saturday, the fourteenth of July at seven-thirty in the evening at the Frontier Culture Museum. Reception to follow.

Youth News

Middle School Youth Group:

This coming week is the Massanetta Springs Middle School Conference July 5-8. If you are going, watch your mail for information coming this week!!!

High School Youth Group: No regular youth meetings for the summer. Special activities will be announced as they occur; watch your bulletin so you do not miss them!

	Nursery Schedule	Visitation Schedule
July 1	Darlene Bowles, Jill Matthews & Kathy Boswell	John Gibson & Gloyd May
July 8	Karen & Ron Bing-Wo & Esther Winton	David Wenner & Don Markle
July 15	Leslie & Lance Allen; Linda Peery	Darlene Bowles
July 22	Allison & Randy Fink; Jacquelyn May	Janet Robinette & Doris Willey
July 29	Sue & Jessica Brubaker; Gina Henderson	Marjorie Shreckhise

Don Splaun (CH)	Don McClure
David Brubaker	Elspeth Splaun
Denise Brady	Caitlin Brady
Nancy Coble	Josh Coble
Leigh Anne Coble	Dustin Henderson
Hollie Matthews

Remember the Fifth Commandment

A church school teacher asked a young boy how he would advise someone to honor his parents? “Well, for one thing,” he answered, “don’t say to either your mom or dad, ‘Your diet isn’t working.’”

Birthdays and Anniversaries

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Kara Matthews’ Birthday

Greg Allen’s Birthday

Gloyd May’s Birthday

Tammy Steele’s Birthday

Sheri Nelson’s Birthday

Carolyn Palmer’s Birthday

Words of comfort, skillfully administered, are the oldest therapy known to man.

―Louis Nizer

July 2007

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Men’s Breakfast 8:30am

4¢-a-Meal

No choir practice

Independence Day

SD Fire Dept Lawn Party

Lindsay McCormick & Stephen Campbell wedding 4pm

Session

7 pm

No choir practice

Tara Elliott & Tim Mahanes wedding

7:30 pm

Blue Grass Gospel Concert 6pm

No choir practice

VBS

5:45-8 pm

VBS

5:45-8 pm

VBS

5:45-8 pm

No choir practice

VBS

5:45-8 pm

Focus article deadline

VBS

5:45-8 pm

VBS

5:45-8 pm

Barbecued Sweet Corn on the Cob

1/2 cup tomato purée                       1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons molasses                  2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt                     3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce                 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
8 ears corn, shucked

1. Preheat grill to medium high. Place everything but corn in mixing bowl. Whisk together until blended.
2. Brush marinade over corn and place on grill. Mark all sides, turning until cooked, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Remove from grill; brush with extra sauce.

Serves 8.

Rib Basics
    To cut down on grilling time, we poach (parboil) our ribs ahead of time. Parboiling is frequently called for in recipes for ribs, but if you don't wish to include this step, leave plenty of time for slow cooking over a medium to low fire.
    Slow cooking is the secret to tender ribs. Without parboiling, figure on about 1 hour 10 minutes total grilling time for spareribs, and up to 1-1/2 hours for country ribs.
  You don't have to baste but if you want to, brush the ribs with a mixture of 1/2 cup of chicken stock, the juice of 1 lemon lime, and 1 teaspoon of hot red pepper sauce.
    If you want to coat the ribs with a tomato-based barbecue sauce while they cook, wait until at least halfway through the cooking; otherwise, the sauce will blacken and burn.