September 2006

FINLEY FOCUS

September 2006

Founded 1891 Picture by Karen Brown

From the Pastor’s Desk

On Tuesday, August 29, 2006, this country will mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall along the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina was the third largest hurricane in U.S. history causing more than $81 billion dollars in damage, killing over 1,836 people (hundreds more are still missing), and devastating the lives of so many.

With this anniversary comes the images and pictures and stories we will not soon forget. We will never forget seeing people and families stand in the middle of what was left of their house, sifting through the debris that was once a place they called home, looking and searching for signs and symbols of life as it once was, a small treasure to hold onto to help them cope with their loss.

We cannot fully fathom what they, and thousands like them, went through and are still going through to this day. At one time, they too had a house to go to, the peace of having a place to call home, and the security of having a refuge amidst the storms of life, but in the blink of an eye what once was, is now no more. And their voices still cry out for help as much now as they did a year ago. The people who are still in the midst of the devastation and those who are trying to help, still find themselves with dwindling resources, a shortage of labor, and a country that has now moved on to other pressing issues of the day.

In my discussion with Westminster Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg, MS, the place where Finley is sending a work crew in October, the person in charge of planning and coordinating work crews told me that they are concerned about the future. The money that once poured in to help with relief is no longer coming, and the work crews, which were coming by the hundreds to Hattiesburg alone, are coming less frequently now. Even today, one year later, they still need people and churches as much now as they did in the beginning. They still need people, supplies, resources and money. They still need the helping hands of neighbors to assist them in repairing and restoring the lives of those who are hurting and suffering to this day. They still need a lot of love, care, and support. And this is what Finley will give them, for this is our calling and purpose as Christ’s church.

For seven Sundays from August 20 until October 1, you will meet a member of the Mission Team; you will learn their names and faces, you will hear why they are going to the Gulf Coast, and we will share together in the great mission God has called us on. From now until October 1, the Gulf Coast Mission Team is asking for your help. We have set a goal of raising $10,000 to help fund our mission trip and to help plant a seed for future work crews with a monetary gift from us to them. We are already over half way to reaching our goal. We are asking each person to give just $7.15 per week for seven weeks ($50.05) culminating in our final offering to be given on World Communion Sunday, October 1. On this Sunday, we will celebrate God’s gifts and blessings to us as we join together in Communion, we will commission the members of the Gulf Coast Mission Team, and we will give ourselves through our service, sacrifice, and offering to help bring relief and restoration to the shattered lives of our brothers and sisters in their time of great need.

After a year of prayer and planning, the time has come for us to act and be counted among those who answered God’s call to help our neighbors and bear witness to God’s mission in the world. I believe this is a significant moment in the history of Finley Memorial, and I am blessed and proud to be a part of this historical moment with all of you. Through God’s grace, all things are possible, and together with God we will make the possible a reality in the lives of so many. Please keep the people of the church and the Gulf Coast Mission Team in your prayers as we step out in faith to go and serve God and others in the world and to bear witness to the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Always in God’s grip,

Dan

From the Gulf Coast Mission Team

We are in the final stages of our planning and preparation for our trip to the Gulf Coast from October 7 - 14. The team is so excited to be going, and we are eager to serve our neighbors in Hattiesburg, MS and the surrounding area. We are grateful for all of you who have given so much of your time, talents, and resources, and now we ask all of you to join together in giving your continued prayers, service, sacrifice, and financial support help to make our trip possible.

Please help us in meeting our goal of raising $10,000 to fund our trip and give as a gift from us to the people in the midst of the devastated areas. Please make out your checks to the church and note on the check that it is for the hurricane relief fund. For every $25.00 given, someone has graciously offered to match it up to $500.00 for a total of $1000.00. Together we can give our lives to the service of Christ’s church and join with God in God’s mission of bringing hope out of chaos to so many.

Mission and Outreach Ministry

The Mission and Outreach Ministry is collecting Flood Buckets for the Gulf Coast Mission Team to donate to the church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. These would help a family start the clean-up process in the event of another flood. All items must fit in the bucket with the lid sealed to make transportation easier.

Flood Buckets consist of the following items –

5-gallon bucket with reseal-able lid

Bleach (two quarts)

5 scouring pads

7 sponges

1 scrub brush

10 cleaning towels (reusable)

Liquid laundry detergent, 50 oz. bottle

1 household cleaner, 16 – 32 oz. bottle

Disinfectant dish soap, 20 or 28 oz. bottle

50 clothespins

Clothes line, 50 or 100 ft.

5 dust masks

2 pair latex gloves

1 pair work gloves

Roll of heavy-duty trash bags, 30-45 gallons (remove roll from box before placing in bucket)

1 insect repellant spray, 6-14 oz. (If aerosol, cans must have protective caps)

We are collecting these buckets until September 17. If you can purchase a bucket and all the stuffings we would greatly appreciate it. If the bucket is too expensive for one person, pick another to share in the expense and most importantly in the experience. A bucket would be great for a family or Sunday School project. If you have questions, please see Jacquelyn May (337-0935) or Dan Matthews (337-3561).

Christian Education Ministry

On September 10 we will begin our fall Sunday school program. As always, we are excited about a new beginning to this old tradition of meeting once a week in fellowship to study, learn, and grow in our knowledge of God’s word. Below is the list of classes for Fall 2006 and what they will be studying.

Preschool and Multi-age (K-5) – The children will learn about the Creation story, how God created the world and humankind, how God interacts with God’s people and claims them as God’s own, and how God gave the people leaders to help them in their journey of faith.

Middle School Youth – The youth will go on a journey with a survey of the New Testament. They will learn about the life and times of the New Testament. They will learn about Jesus’ life, ministry, passion and resurrection, they will learn about the significant people, and they will see how the church began and became a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ during these dangerous times.

Senior High Youth – How is God’s providence seen in the act of creation? The fall quarter will look at what we believe of God as creator and provider. The quarter will also look at the darker side of creation. How do we reconcile the idea of providence and the idea of suffering? Finally, the students will discuss what it means to be created in God’s image, and what that means for our lives.

Adult Classes:

Survey of the Gospel of Luke - Andy Wenner will lead this class on one of the most important Gospels for the Missional Church, and for how we understand the social justice nature of Jesus’ ministry and the Kingdom of God.

Spiritual Disciplines – Dan Matthews will lead a class to discuss and experience the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. The class will learn about prayer and its various forms, methods for reading and studying the Bible, and a new way of understanding and engaging ourselves in worship.

Our Fall Sunday School Program Needs You!!!

Learning together through prayer, discussion and fellowship is the fundamental component of Christian growth and faith development. A church that studies and learns together is a church that grows together into the people God wants us to be. We invite you and your family to come and be a part of our Sunday school program, and begin to experience the incredible power of knowing God’s word to and for you and your children.

We need people who are willing to give their time, talents, and energy to lead our children and youth in their own learning and growth in faith. We offer a user-friendly curriculum to help you with teaching, and Dan will be glad to work with you to help you with planning and ways to make teaching easier and more fulfilling for you. Never underestimate the impact you may have on the faith and lives of our children and youth. They want you to be a part of their lives just as much as you want them. Please answer God’s call to you to be a Sunday school teacher.

From Member Involvement Ministry

Join us for RECHARGE this fall!

Learn how we can become a more Missional Church.

Take this quiz:

A Missional Church…

1. digs wells and saves souls

2. takes trips to places far away

3. looks outside our church walls and sees…

If you answered number 3, you are right!

Come to recharge and open your heart and mind.

RECHARGE

Wednesday evenings

November 1, 8, and 15, 2006

Schedule: Dinner provided from 6:00PM

Favorite hymn sing along! 6:30PM-6:45PM

Guest speaker/program 6:45PM-7:30PM

Presbyterian Women

Presbyterian Women will meet Tues., Sept.5, at 7pm. We will install new officers and begin our new Bible study book, "In the Beginning, Perspectives on Genesis.” Our Bible study leader for this first meeting will be Dan Matthews. He will cover lesson 1, Perspectives on Creation.

We will install new officers and make plans for annual and new projects. All women are encouraged to attend as all women are members of PW and we would love to have your support and ideas. Please come and join us for our Bible study and installation of officers.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN OF SHENANDOAH, FALL GATHERING

MASSANETTA SPRINGS, SAT. SEPT. 9, 2006

Any woman interested in attending the Fall Gathering at Massanetta Springs, Saturday Sept 9, 2006 can pick up a brochure with registration form in the narthex or on the back hall table under the windows three. Registration must be sent by Sept 1.

Baja Planning Team Announces Mission Dinner

If you have been a member of any of the mission teams to Baja California,
Mexico since our first trip in 2000, or if you have an interest in learning about a possible trip next July, then you'll want to attend a family carry-in dinner in the Fellowship Hall at Staunton Second Presbyterian Church, 201 West Frederick Street, Staunton, at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 10, 2006. Bring family members and friends; everyone is welcome! Bring your photo albums, memorabilia, and especially your stories. If you haven't been for several years you'll be amazed at the changes that have taken place both at the mission base and in the colonias. We'll show some slides, and we'll talk briefly about plans to return next summer. Please bring a dish or two to share on the community table. Drinks will be provided.

We hope to see you there! Visit the web site for Staunton Second Presbyterian Church, including a map and directions: http://www.sec-stn.org/

Peace,
Mac Sterrett

From the Frontier

“Pray for the Nations”

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -” 1Timothy 2:1

Friends, Dan and I have been working these last several weeks to craft a 12 month study and prayer initiative that we are calling “Pray for the Nations.” This will combine Bible study, study of unreached people groups from all over the world, and prayer. We are planning on meeting the third Tuesday of each month, at Finley, from 7:00 until 8:30pm. The first session is planned for Tuesday, September 19 at 7:00pm.

This initiative will include Bible study but also much more. We will study an unreached people group each month, we will pray (participants will not have to pray out loud), and we will consider the thread that runs throughout the entire Bible about God’s plan, and God’s mandate for us, to reach all the nations.

There will be no financial cost to participate. All necessary resources will be available on the internet. For those who prefer, we will print out lessons and other information from the internet for you. A detailed description of “the plan,” including targeted Bible verses and some of the people groups to be studied, will be available soon on Finley’s website, www.finleypres.org.

Peace & Grace ~ Mike

Fellowship Ministry

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast September 3, at 8:30 am. All men are encouraged to join us for food, fellowship and service.

Our monthly Coffee is September 24, down in the Fellowship hall after worship.

Happy New Year! No, it's not the first of January, but it is the beginning of a new school year and the beginning of autumn (soon). The Finley choir is beginning a new season of singing in the church, too. Choir practice will begin again this Wednesday evening, August 30, at 7:30 p.m. and I'd like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to sing with the choir to join us on this and every Wednesday evening. If you are looking for a way to become involved in the church and enjoy singing, then seriously consider joining the worship, fellowship, and music of the church choir. If you feel that God is calling you to the ministry of worship through music, then don't wait; join us this Wednesday evening. The church needs you, the choir needs you, and God may be waiting for you to say "yes, Lord.”

Also, if you have interest in becoming involved with the bell choir ministry of the church, please, contact me or Chris Davis and we will keep you informed of the practice schedule for the bell choir. If you have interest in traveling to Roanoke in November to see the Raleigh Ringers in concert, please let me or Chris know that also. There is talk of organizing a group to go see this event and we need to know what interest there may be among congregation members. So, watch your church bulletin for information and news about bell choir and other music-related events.

See YOU at choir practice! Elise Blacka

Youth News

Middle School Youth Group: Middle school youth and their parents are invited to come and join together for dinner at the Matthews’ home to help kick off our fall Middle School youth group program. We will meet for dinner on Sunday, September 10 at 6:00pm. If you would like to help with food or drinks, please see Dan or Jill. We are excited about this new year, and we cannot wait to see all of you together again.

High School Youth Group:

Sun., Sept.3 (Labor Day weekend) – No Youth

Birthdays and Anniversaries in September 2006

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Jill Matthews’ Birthday

Samantha Simmons’ Birthday

Denise Brady’s Birthday

Matthew Alexander’s Birthday

Art & Shirley Hendrickson’s 50^th Anniversary

Andy Wenner’s Birthday

Amanda Willey’s, Drew Matthews’ and Amy Allen’s Birthday

Caitlin Brady’s Birthday

Daniel Alexander’s Birthday

	Nursery Schedule	Visitation Schedule
Sept. 3	Darlene Bowles, Jill Matthews & Kathy Boswell	Esther Winton & Beverley Ellis
Sept. 10	Bing-Wo family & Esther Winton	John Gibson & Gloyd May
Sept. 17	Leslie & Lance Allen; Linda Peery	David Wenner & Don Markle
Sept. 24	Jan & LeAnne Wenner: Shirley Meijer & Alicia	Darlene Bowles

Usher List

Donnie McCormick (CH)

Mike Robison

Steve Nelson

Paul Swink

Andrew Wenner

Ed Palmer

David Seaman

August 2006

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Men’s Breakfast 8:30am

4¢-a-Meal

Labor Day

Presbyterian Women

7:00 pm

Chancel Choir practice 7:30 pm

PW Fall Gathering at Massanetta

Fall Sunday School program begins

Session

7 pm

Chancel Choir practice 7:30 pm

Highland-Augusta Soiree from 3-8 @ Ridgeview Park, Waynesboro

Pray for the Nations

7-8:30

Chancel Choir practice 7:30 pm

Focus article deadline

International Day of Peace