Volume 52, Issue 11
November 2015
CALVIN PRESBTERIAN CHURCH FALL
NEWSLETTER
Calvin
Pastor Clayton’s Comments
As I was working on this year’s stewardship letter, I
wanted some information on the various outreach
ministries we have here at Calvin. So, I walked across the
hall and looked at the record that is kept of the number
of people the food pantry helps. As of today (October
26), our little community food pantry has helped feed
over 600 men, women and children in our community!
That is an amazing outreach. There are still two months
left in the year, so I am certain the food pantry will serve
many more before year’s end. Considering our food
pantry ministry also started me thinking about the
season ahead.
Over the next couple months, many of us will gather with
family and friends to celebrate. Plentiful food and
thoughtful gifts will be a big part of those gatherings.
Before we head into this season of celebration, it is a
good time to stop and remember the words of Matthew
25.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord when was it
that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and
gave you something to drink? And when was it that we
saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and
gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick
and in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer
them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least
of these who are members of my family, you did it to
me.’”
In the midst of our celebrations, let us remember our call
from Christ to help those who are in need. There are a
variety of ways you can help members of God’s family
who are in need during this season through the church.
Here are a few:
1) Help the Food Pantry – Each Monday,
Wednesday and Friday, there are volunteers
waiting to feed people. Each Sunday during the
Moment with the Children, we take up food for
our community food pantry. The item for the
month of November is canned pasta (ravioli,
spaghetti, etc.), though the pantry will take most
any non-perishable food item. Please remember
to bring something in to donate. Also, what food
is not donated is purchased; you may also make
a monetary donation to the Food Pantry.
2) Operation Christmas Child – On November 15,
we will be dedicating shoeboxes to be sent
around the world by Samaritan Purse’s
Operation Christmas Child. Consider taking a
box, following the instructions to fill it up, and
bringing it back on November 15.
3) Food Baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We fill a limited number of baskets for people to
be able to have holiday meals. You’ll see more
information appearing in the Sunday bulletins
soon, or you can see Kristi Puryear for more
information.
Many of you will have other opportunities to help people
in our community through angel trees, or programs
sponsored by the various schools, workplaces, or
charitable organizations you are a part of. I urge you to
be a part of those you feel called to. In lending a helping
hand to someone in need, you’re not simply doing a good
deed, you’re doing the work of your Christian calling.
Blessings to you as this season of celebrations
approaches.
In Christ,
Pastor Clayton
BIBLE QUIZ: I HEAR THE WORD OF THE
LORD
1. What did Jesus say was the first and most
important commandment?
2. What was Jesus’ reply to the devil when he was
tempted on the pinnacle of the temple?
3. Where does Jesus say we should keep our
treasure?
4. What was Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question
as to who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
5. What did Jesus say about paying taxes?
6. What did Jesus say to the woman who touched
his clothing and was healed?
7. What did Jesus say to the men who wanted to
stone a woman taken in adultery?
Happy November Birthdays!
Becky Crowder
Bill Chitty
DANIEL D. DICKENSON
Jeff Cenedella
Bettyann Hall
Klaus Schoenhoff
Shirley Bueche
JACK DABNEY
Brenda Shamblen
Tracy Wheeler
Kristi Puryear
*George Schoulda
Gwyn Mull
Elizabeth Shields
04
05
05
06
06
07
10
11
11
12
17
17
22
25
Anniversaries!
8. When Nicodemus came to visit Jesus, what was
he told?
9. What was Jesus’ last instruction to Peter?
10. What did Jesus say about when he would return
to earth?
Mortin & Mary Hecht
Doug & Barbara Weich
(*Friends of Calvin)
Ministers in capital letters
11
19
Dec. 12th PW Christmas Tea 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
See Paula Spruill, our church secretary Tammie and group
leaders for further upcoming events.
Calvin Comments
Flowers:
Session Nov: 1
Circle 2 Flowers
Bereavement: Circle 1
Please remember to bring in articles for Calvin Comments
between the 15th and 20th of each month. If you don't see
your birthday or anniversary in Calvin Comments, or don't
receive Calvin Comments and would like to, please give your
name and address and /or e-mail address to Julie or Tammie,
our church secretary, along with your birthday and anniversary
dates, or put it in the Calvin Comments box beside the kitchen.
Thank you, Julie Davis Chase
www.cal-pc.org
Paula’s is: [email protected]
Tammie in the office is: [email protected]
Pastor Rascoe’s: [email protected]
Calvin's Website: www.calvinpresnorfolk.com
Sunday Host Nov:
1 – Men of Calvin
8 - Session
15 - Circle 1
22 – Circle 2
29 - Circle 3
Sandwiches for St. Columba:
Nov. 4 and 18
Nov. Upcoming Events
1 – Pledge Sunday / Stephanie Webster guest speaker
Food Basket / Daylight Savings time ends
2 – CE 6:45 pm / Preschool 7:00 pm
11 – Office Closed Veterans’ Day
8 – 13 - Pastor Clayton gone
13 – 14 - Jacobs Wedding
14 – PW Retreat at Hannah Kriewalt’s home
15 – Operation Christmas Child Dedication / Poinsettias
16 – Session Meets
21 – Advent Day 8:30 am to 2:00 pm
25 – Preschool closes at noon
26 – Thanksgiving Day!
28 – Hanging the Greens 9:00 am
Joan Oglethorpe’s address:
106 Ranchland Dr. Moyock, NC 27958 Phone:
(252) 232-0112 Cards letters calls would be appreciated
while orbiting the moon at Christmas.
reluctantly."
What was the first liquid and food consumed on the
moon ?
Most are unaware of this story.
Forty-five years ago, two human beings changed history
by walking on the surface of the moon. But, what
happened before Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong exited
the Lunar Module is perhaps even more amazing, if only
because so few people know about it. I'm talking about
the fact that Buzz Aldrin took communion on the surface
of the moon. Some months after his return, he wrote
about it in Guideposts magazine. The background to the
story is that Aldrin was an elder at his Presbyterian
Church in Texas during this period in his life; and,
knowing that he would soon be doing
something unprecedented in human history, he felt that
he should mark the occasion somehow. He asked his
minister to help him. And so the minister consecrated a
communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine.
Buzz Aldrin took them with him out of the Earth's orbit
and onto the surface of the moon. He and Armstrong
had only been on the lunar surface for a few minutes
when Aldrin made the following public statement:
This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask
every person listening in, whoever and wherever they
may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the
events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or
her own way. He then ended radio communication, and
there, on the silent surface of the moon, 250,000 miles
from home, he read a verse from the Gospel of John, and
he took Communion.
Here is his own account of what happened: "In the radio
blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which
contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into
the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth
gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and
gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the
scripture:
'I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much
fruit . ..
Apart from me you can do nothing.'
"I had intended to read my communion passage back to
Earth, but at the last minute [they] had requested that I
not do this. NASA was already embroiled in a legal battle
with Madelyn Murray O'Hare, the celebrated opponent
of religion, over the Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis
I agreed
"I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks
for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young
pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me
to think that the very first liquid ever poured on the
moon and the very first food eaten there were the
communion elements."
"And, of course, it's interesting to think that some of the
first words spoken on the moon were the words of Jesus
Christ, who made the Earth and the moon - and
who, in the immortal words of Dante, is Himself the
"Love that moves the Sun and other stars."
How many of you knew this? Too bad this type of news
doesn't travel as fast as the bad does.
Submitted by Suzi Williams
ANSWERS:
1. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and
mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Mark12:30-31)
2. “It is written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God.”
(Matthew 4:7)
3. “Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven. “ Matthew 6:4)
4. “Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18.4)
5. “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and unto God
what is God’s. “ Mark 12:17)
6. “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
(Luke 9:48)
7. “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7)
8. “You must be born again.” (John 3:3)
9. “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17)
10. Those words are found in Luke 21:6-28. Read it for
yourself!!
Calvin Presbyterian Church
2901 East Little Creek
Rd
Norfolk, VA 23518
Calvin Comments
November 2015
Volume 52
Issue 11