Northwest Community Church
October 2016
Murphy’s Minute
There are a lot of ancient practices that we Protestants threw out with the bath-water during the
Reformation five hundred years ago. Some of these practices needed to be thrown out. Take for
example, the practice of priests selling “indulgences” to people so their dead ancestors might have their
sins forgiven and they might then be admitted to heaven. It was an odious practice that bilked money
from people who could little afford it. But, the common person could hardly refuse to pay for fear their
mom or dad would burn in eternal torment.
And yet there are some other practices that Protestants today are rediscovering. Many of these have to
do with prayer life or meditative practices that deepen and enliven our faith. Some of you may have
prayed a labyrinth. Some of you may have learned to pray the Jesus prayer or the Rosary. Even lighting a
candle for someone can have profound significance. We Protestants don’t look at sainthood the same way
our Roman Catholic neighbors do. We don’t have to wait a number of years, or witness a miracle
performed by someone in their lifetime to be able to consider someone a saint. Yet we do have a rich
understanding of and appreciation for the saints of our faith. In fact, our theology allows that there are
saints living among us even today. When we speak of saints we are talking about those good and faithful
ones in our lives who have helped shape us in the faith. There are saints sitting right next to you every
Sunday and you know it. There are also saints who have gone before us. Those loved ones who are no
longer with us but whose impact on our lives will continue forever.
A true saint in my life is someone I can barely remember. My mom’s dad, Chester Rudolph, died
when I was barely six, but he lives on in stories and my parent’s memory, and he still influences
me. Chester was an elder at the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church, the church where I was baptized. He
was a stern man who didn’t allow for much fun, but whose stalwart faith shaped my mother and hence
me.
The first day of November is All Saints Day. It’s a day we don’t usually pay a lot of attention to, but
this year we are going to. Remember a saint in your life, someone who influenced your faith and helped
make you who you are today – this could be a parent or other family member, a pastor or Sunday School
teacher, a sibling or close friend. Then I invite you to bring a memento of that saint to share with the
congregation. On Sunday, November 6th, we’ll set up tables in the narthex to display these sacred items,
be they a photo, a letter, a poem, a pressed flower – whatever. I’m certain this will be a powerful
exhibition of our love and memories “for all the saints who from their labors rest”.
Please take time this month to consider the saints who have helped form you. And consider an item
that can help us all celebrate the saints in our lives.
I’ll see you in church and as the church in the world.
Peace
NORTHWEST COMMUNITY CHURCH
TREASURER’S REPORT ~ AUGUST 2016
NORTH SIDE BANK
Beginning Balance
Ending Balance
OPERATING FUND
Beginning Balance
< $ 26,054.06 >
Income
10,153.63
Expense
13,427.75
Monthly Profit/Loss
<3,274.12>
Ending Balance (Cumulative)
< $ 29,858.18 >
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
Year to Date
$16,950.67
$13,053.21
10 UP PLEDGE FUND
$ <15,290.78>
368.00
----368.00
<$14,922.78>
MONTHLY OPERATING FUND BALANCE
Income
Expense
$15,967.72
$17,624.94
11,587.16
13,711.86
13,607.83
15,991.97
9,070.00
14,379.36
15,354.50
14,908.00
25,525.07
13,885.11
12,064.74
14,464.30
10,153.63
13,427.75
$113,330.65
$118,393.29
Profit/Loss
$<1,657.22>
<2,124.70>
<2,384.14>
<5,309,36>
446.50
11,639.96
<2,399.56>
<3,274.12>
_________
$ <5,062.64>
SON Ministries in August received $94.06 from Loose Coins/Hunger Offering.
Acts of Compassion collected $178.93 for MRDD hygiene bags.
From The Trustees
We wanted to share with the congregation the cost for Phase 2 of
the roof repair. This is the flat parts, 2 sections,
1)$24,500 & 2) $91,650 total of $116,150.
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October marks Northwest Community Church Birthday,
now eight years old! If you would like to bring a birthday
gift donation during the month of October,
the following items are needed
toilet paper
paper towels
tissues
styrofoam cups styrofoam plates glass cleaner
Pinesol liquid cleaner toilet bowl cleaner
gallon of weed killer
gallon of bug spray
48“-40watt fluorescent tubes
dishwashing soap
Please place gifts in the Deacon’s Box in the Narthex.
Forever Youngs
Our October luncheon will by at Fridays at Stonecreek on
Friday October 14th at noon. Please call Dee with your
reservations (834 6268)
Ru m m
age
Sale
The rummage sale will be the week of November 6-12. We
hope you will help us with set up sometime that week.
Scholarship money can be earned for MAP/camp. We have
moved much of the rummage to the junior high classroom, and
the fellowship hall area is also full. Looks like we will have a
really big sale!!!!!
Mission Committee Up DateIndia Mission- thanks to all your great support we have raised over $3000 so far for Jim
Frazier’s mission to India. We will have one more opportunity to give to India on Sunday
December 4th .
We were able to collect enough personal hygiene products for 20 bags to help the
MRDD clients in the Colerain township area.
The compassion offerings for October and November will go to support our Christmas
mission projects.
The children's Sunday school class will be
Presbyterian Women will meet
studying the miracles of Jesus, including several
again at the home of Mary Lou
healings, walking on water and feeding the 5000.
on October 5th at 12:30 pm for
dessert followed by our study.
please read chapter 10-12 to
finish this study.
Jo Weissman would like to thank everyone for the cards and prayers
after her fall.
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A VIEW FROM THE PEW
By Jeannette Lohner
Sue Johnson Considers Herself Very Lucky
Nursing is hard work! Just ask Sue Johnson, 65, who recently retired from her job at Christ Hospital
to become Granny Nannie to her three grandchildren: Caleb, 4, Sophia, 3, and Owen, eight months.
They are all children of Sue’s son, Ben, and his wife, who is a teacher. Sue has another son, Andy,
34, who got married last month.
Sue has been a nurse at Christ Hospital for 43 years. After graduating from Withrow High
School, she enrolled in the Christ Hospital School of Nursing. Being a nurse she thought, “Every day
would be different.”
Sue grew up on the East side in Madisonville and lived there until she married Mike 41 years
ago. Their meeting was arranged by Mike’s sister, who went to nursing school with Sue. Mike had
come home from Vietnam where he served one year, and his sister was planning a party for him. She
asked Sue to be his date. They dated for two years and were married in the Norwood Presbyterian
Church. Sue says she was crazy about Mike from the very beginning. Unfortunately Mike died in
2014 from complications of the flu and pneumonia.
Sue says her greatest challenge is being without Mike. She is reminded by this quote from C. S.
Lewis. “Grief is just another stage of marriage.” Mike has influenced her life the most and showed
her about loving someone unconditionally.
Sue and Mike were members of White Oak Presbyterian/Northwest Community Church for 31
years. They picked White Oak Presbyterian Church because it was close to them and Sue knew they
would go. Since she was raised Presbyterian, she said, “It’s what I knew. And you have a voice in
the Presbyterian Church. Mike was raised Catholic and loved our church,” Sue said.
Sue has served as a Deacon two times. She has also been involved with Presbyterian Women,
Vacation Bible School, and was on the Christian Education Committee with Linda Doughman.
For fun she likes to knit, quilt, read and do some sewing.
.
Concerning her faith, she says, “I’m still working on it. I’m a work in progress.” She’s been
trying not to lash out and learning to let go. I need to “treat people the way I want to be treated. I’m
very proud of my wonderful family, I have a good relationship with my boys and grandchildren.“
For her Bucket List she wants to work with yeast – to bake bread and also to make a difference
in her grandchildren’s lives.
“The church has been good to me after Mike’s passing and my having Leukemia (chronic
Myelogenous Leukemia). When it was discovered, I was really, really sick. I’ve had it for nine years
and take medicine for it. I’m very lucky,” she said.
November Mouse deadline Saturday
October 22nd
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