A Publication of
The Presbyterian Congregation
Union and Water Streets
Middletown, PA 17057
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Sundays at 9:15am
WORSHIP SERVICE
Sundays at 10:30am
May/June 2017
Nursery Duty
Inside this issue:
- Chancel Flowers and Newsletter
submission info
- Deacons news and notes
2
- “From the Pastor’s Desk…”
- Afternoon Book Discussion
3
Parish Nurse article:
“Scheduling Annual Exams”...and
“Spring Fever”
4
- Adult Forum schedule
- Community Dinners
- Director of Music needed
5
- Mary’s Circle News
- Birthdays and anniversaries
6
- Hoss’s Restaurant Fundraiser
- Book donations welcome!
- “Mark up your Bible”
Mission Accomplished
May 7
May 14
May 21
May 28
June 4
June 11
June 18
June 25
Brian Yeich and Mike Horst
Lindsey & Brandon Bennett
Stephany & John Davidson
Judy Packheiser and Erika Lauffer
Brenda & Jim Fry
Alison Dixon and Rose Ann Yeich
Suson Akakpo-Martin and Michele Harter
Carol Wilsbach and Jane Neff
Ushers
May
Joanne Harter, Nancy and Gary Shank, Carol Waple
June
Diana Baldwin, Marilyn Pearce
Acolytes
7
May
May
May
May
7
14
21
28
Communion
Kara Dixon
Josh Luther
Kylie Dixon
**no acolytes for June
Bulletin Dedications
May 7
May 14
Contact us
phone:
(717) 944-4322
e-mail:
[email protected]
website:
www.pcmdt.org
Rev. Dr. Bruce
Humphrey, Interim
Rev. and Mrs. Caleb Johnson
Kykotsmovi, Arizona
Personal Interest Partnership
May 21
May 28
June 4
June 11
June 18
June 25
In loving memory of our mothers,
by Frank and Carol Waple
In loving memory of my parents, Dale and Edith Drake,
by Fae Mower
In loving memory of my grandmothers, Elizabeth Teleky
and Gladys John, and dear friend Sara Sauder,
by Sherry Waple
OPEN
OPEN
In loving memory of my father, Alex Teleky,
grandfather, Paul Teleky, and dear friend, Joe Brown,
from Sherry Waple
In honor of our grandchildren: Alison Gilg,
Brett Waple, Matt and Lauren Eppley,
and our great-granddaughters, Emilie and Vivienne
Gilg, by Frank and Carol Waple
OPEN
Chancel Flowers
The Deacons will send a reminder
postcard to each Chancel Flower sponsor at
the time of the order.
Chancel Flowers cost $22.50 per order. Please
make checks payable to Presbyterian
Congregation with “Chancel Flowers” and the
date of the Sunday sponsored in the memo
section of the check to assist Michelle with
recording the payment. Checks can be mailed
to the church or placed in the offering plate.
If you would like to add a
Centerpiece or have any questions,
please call the office.
Please place newsletter articles/info in :
 the offering plate
(marked “newsletter”)
 the church office mailbox
 an e-mail to the church
[email protected]
Newsletter Deadlines
Month
Deadline
July/August
6/22/17
September
8/24/17
October
9/21/17
November
10/26/17
December
11/16/17
The Board of Deacons wishes to thank everyone who participated in the delivery of Meals
on Wheels in April. The program couldn’t exist without you. Your generosity of time and
effort is appreciated by all. We also want to thank everyone who generously gave to the
Deacons Lenten appeal. The funds will be used by the Deacons for numerous projects
throughout the year that benefit the community and those in need.
The chancel flowers are enjoyed every Sunday, not only by the congregation in
attendance but also our homebound members. If you would like to order chancel flowers
in memory of or in honor of a loved one, you may contact a Deacon or the church office.
Wishing you a blessed and joyful spring!
Chancel Flowers (continued from front page)
May
May
May
May
7
14
21
28
June 4
June 11
June 18
June 25
In loving memory of her parents, Helen and Alton Goodling, by Sally and Barry Snook
In honor of all mothers
OPEN
In loving memory of Clarence and Helen Fuss, and in honor of Richard and Esther
Farmer, by Roy and Jean Fuss
In loving memory of my grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. O. H. Swartz,
by Mary Leisey and family
In honor of Terry Basehore’s birthday, by his wife, Patience, and son, Griff
In loving memory of my brothers, Bill and Jack Collitt, by Jane Neff
In loving memory of my great-grandmother, Bess Moore, by Mary Leisey and family
2
This month we say farewell to Darrell. We will miss his musical leadership so much! Darrell
gave us worship stability through the transition from Pastor Don Potter’s ministry to my
Interim time. His two and half years here have continued and grown our commitment to
quality music. He and Audrey became friends to this congregation, much more than simply a
paid staff relationship.
Shortly after I arrived as the Interim Pastor, Darrell and I met to discuss our collegial style of
worship leadership. Darrell and I have enjoyed giving the entire worship hour a focus related
to the daily scriptures and message. We have teased and bantered with my singing in the choir.
He has offered me wisdom and support as we meet before each sermon series to discuss where
the messages will go. He has superbly chosen hymns, offertories, and anthems to enhance the
theme as we connect with God.
The congregation will gather following worship on Sunday May 21st to share a potluck supper
with Darrell and Audrey before their last Sunday with us on Memorial Day weekend.
Fellowship Committee is providing the main dish and asking the congregation to bring
covered dishes to share.
Ruth Dodson has agreed to serve as piano accompanist with hymns and special music through
the summer as we continue looking for our next director of music. Please keep Ruth in your
prayers as well as the committee chaired by Gary Shank searching for a musician.
I will be away on vacation May 12th-24th. Kate and I are joining her father for his 91st birthday
on a cruise to Alaska. He loves cruising and wants us to share his joy on his birthday. While I
am away, Darrell will preach a farewell sermon on May 14 th, and our Presbytery Executive,
Dr. Mark Englund-Krieger will preach May 21st.
Afternoon Book Discussion
Any reader of books is welcome to attend book discussion at
1:30pm at the Mateer’s home
Tuesday, May 30th: The Girl With No Name by Diney Costeloe
Tuesday, June 27th: The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley
3
From the Parish Nurse…Scheduling Annual Exams...and Spring Fever
There are three good reasons you need to schedule annual exams. (1) You should get the green light from your
doctor before doing any activity more vigorous than walking. (2) Your doctor can be on the alert for changes in
patterns from year to year (be they weight gain or changes in your skin or alterations in blood tests.) (3) Annual
exams give you a chance to be proactive about your health. See, you shouldn’t just treat a physical as the time when
the doctor looks down your throat, knocks your knee with a little hammer, and asks you a few questions about your
social drinking habits. You have to reframe what a physical should be, and we recommend that you go on the
offensive. Direct your doctor’s attention to something that’s been bothering you (even if it doesn’t seem all that
major). And be sure you’re getting the tests you need at the appropriate points in your life, especially as you age.
Bone mineral density: Ar ound menopause for women, and at age 60 for men, and ever y five year s for both
afterward if levels are normal.
PSA and free PSA test: Men at high r isk (Afr ican Amer icans and those with a fir st-degree relative who had
prostate cancer before age 55) at age 45, all other men at age 50, and both groups yearly and yearly until life
expectancy is less than eight years.
Mammogram: Ever y two year s after age 40 for women unless your doctor says you need them mor e often
Colonoscopy: At age 50 and ever y 10 year s ther eafter , with a year ly stool hemoccult test
Pelvic and rectal exam (women): Year ly when sexually active, and/or at age 50 and ever y year ther eafter
Rectal exam (men): At age 50 and year ly ther eafter
Eye exam: Ever y two year s by an ophthalmologist
Hearing exam: At age 65 and year ly dur ing physical
Oral exam: At least year ly by a dentist. Be sur e to include a cleaning!
Mental health exam: At age 20 and year ly by your pr imar y car e physician
Echocardiogram and cardiac calcium or stress test (if you have mor e than minimal cor onar y calcium, your
physician may suggest you move to the stress test; no or minimal coronary calcium and they’ll usually skip it):
Once at age 50 as a baseline, and then every five years until age 65 or until symptoms develop. Every other year
after age 65.
Excerpted from Age-Proof: Living Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip by Michael F. Roizen, MD, and Jean Chatzky.
There’s nothing quite like spring and the giddy feeling that accompanies the season of new life in the plant and
animal kingdoms. But if you’re an allergy sufferer, spring fever may have a whole different meaning. The pollen
and grasses can turn the brightest, sweetest of days into a sneezy, drippy, itchy mess. Good bugs may help to reduce
seasonal-allergy symptoms, suggests a small clinical study. We’re not talking about ants or crickets outside
(speaking of spring), but about certain beneficial bacteria that live inside your digestive system. Researchers divided
a group of allergy sufferers, and half took a probiotic supplement of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria (brand name Kyo
-Dophilus) while the other half took a placebo. Lo and behold, those who took the probiotic supplement during hay
fever season reported having fewer symptoms. The digestive tract houses part of the immune system, and
researchers suspect that a surge in those particular bacteria increase the body’s percentage of regulatory T-cells,
which helps to keep symptoms in check. (The study focused on people with mild symptoms only.) If allergies tend
to sideline you this time of year, talk with your physician about trying probiotics. You may get to enjoy that “spring
fever” after all.
Source: Probiotics (Lactobacillus gasseri KS-13, Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1, and Bifidobacterium longum MM-2) improve rhinoconjunctivitis-specific quality of life in individuals with seasonal allergies: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial
4
ADULT FORUM - May 2017
You are invited!
Sunday mornings before worship in Fellowship Hall 9:15-10:15am
If nursery is needed, please call Erika Lauffer at (717) 944-4713 a week in advance.
Theme: Romans
May 7th, 14th and 21st
We will continue the four-week study of Romans with Phil Susemihl as leader. The great theme of Paul’s letter to
the fledgling church in Rome is that we can have assurance of right standing before God. Such confidence does not
come because of what we have done, but because of what God does. Thanks to Christ’s atoning death, God freely
offers us his grace. Salvation is a gift. We cannot earn it. We can only receive it by faith, and with gratitude. Join
us as we explore the Epistle which John Calvin proclaimed as a “passage opened to us to the understanding of the
whole Scripture.”
Theme: He is Her Friend
May 28th
Margaret Hauser, author of the book He is Her Fr iend, is the par ent of an intellectually disabled woman.
She tells the story of being caregiver/supporter to her daughter Darlene and son-in-law Daniel Hershberger who met
while attending school through the Intermediate Unit, began dating, and wanted to marry. She writes, “It was one
of the hardest things to let her go….I know individuals like them that want to be married and one parent or both
parents will say ‘no.’ I had those fears, too.” Ultimately she and her husband supported and helped them to marry
and to live independently. “We found it incredibly rewarding,” she writes. You can buy her book at the
Middletown Pharmacy and Amazon.com. Better yet, come hear her in person in this last Adult Forum until
September.
Have a renewing and beautiful summer!
COMMUNITY DINNERS ~ 4:30-6:30pm
May 8th
St. Peters Lutheran Church (Union & Spring Streets, Middletown)
Menu: Meatball stroganoff
$9 adults; $3 for children under 12
May 15th
Evangelical United Methodist Church (157 East Water Street, Middletown)
Menu: Roast turkey
$9 adults; $3 for children under 12
May 22nd
Church of God (245 West High Street, Middletown)
Menu: Meatloaf
$10 adults; $4 for children under 12
The Presbyterian Congregation of Middletown is seeking a part-time
organist/keyboard-pianist and choir director to provide music for its
Sunday morning worship service, as well as several special services
throughout the year.
The job description for this 12-15 hours per week position is available at our
website (www.pcmdt.org)
Please forward resume via e-mail to [email protected] or by mail to:
Presbyterian Congregation of Middletown
290 North Union Street, Middletown PA 17057
5
Mary's Circle/Presbyterian Women News
To each and every one of you...thank you for any and all ways that you may have contributed to our
Spring Yard & Bake Sale, and Raffle of the Garden Table! The ladies appreciate each of you and it
could not have happened without everyone’s help!
Special thanks goes to Rose Ann Yeich, Carol Waple, and Carol Wilsbach, who contribute their
time and energy throughout the entire year sorting and pricing as items are donated!
Congratulations to Sue Yeich, the raffle winner!
And...drum roll, please...the sale brought in $1,623.30!
Update: Ther e will be no light luncheon on Sunday, May 7th, as it has been postponed until further notice.
Our next Mary’s Circle meetings will be Tuesday, May 9th and Tuesday, June 13th at 10am in the Memorial
Lounge. The meetings are very informal and include a Bible study (currently “Who Is Jesus?”) and a business
meeting. All ladies are welcome to attend...no preparation required...just come!
A very Happy Birthday to these members and friends
May
Tom Rotondo
Nancy Sours
Brandon Bennett
Atah Akakpo-Martin
Mikel Coble
Mary Lou Lewis
Marie Leinbach
Richard Baer
Paula Lisenby
Virginia Olsen
Sherry Waple
Ann Susemihl
Alton Akakpo-Martin
Charles Wynn
Ashlee Mumma
Courtney Heiser
Mary Leisey
Terry Basehore
Brett Waple
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/6
5/6
5/7
5/7
5/9
5/9
5/10
5/10
5/14
5/18
5/23
5/23
5/28
5/29
5/30
5/30
June
John Wilsbach
Frank Waple, Sr.
Sally Snook
Madison Sweigert
Macy Appleby
Kelly Rotondo
Scott Moore
Carol Waple
Carly Heindel
Joseph B. Mateer
Don Packheiser
Norma Mateer
Cindy Reinhart
Tim Swartz
6/1
6/2
6/2
6/6
6/7
6/9
6/12
6/13
6/15
6/16
6/19
6/20
6/27
6/30
...Father’s Day is
on June 18th
...and a very Happy Anniversary to these members and friends
May
Tom and Kelly Rotondo
Susan and Dan Carter
Paul and Patsy Ferry
...don’t forget Mother’s
Day on May 14th...
5/6
5/15
5/22
June
Joan and Charles Wynn
Nate and Julie Matter
Linda and Steve Hickoff
Alison and Chris Dixon
Myrna and Bob Matesevac
Jody and Mikel Coble
6/1
6/4
6/10
6/15
6/25
6/28
6
Hoss’s Restaurant Fundraiser
Join us on Monday, May 22nd at Hoss’s Restaurant in
Hummelstown. The restaurant has graciously agreed to support
The Presbyterian Congregation of Middletown by donating
20% of the day’s proceeds to the church. Participants need to
pick up a Community Fundraiser Card from the back of the
sanctuary or the church office and present it to their server when ordering. This fundraiser is in
effect from 11am through 9pm, so you can enjoy lunch or dinner. Call a friend and enjoy a
delicious meal while supporting the ongoing mission of the church.
Book donations welcome!
The Mission Committee is extending our borders in the month of May.
We hope you will consider donating gently used or new children's
books.
The summer reading program at the Middletown Public
Library is our target audience. We would like the donated books to be
given to children that have a lack of reading materials in their home.
The children's ages are from birth to 18 years of age.
month of May at the back of the sanctuary.
Books will be collected in the
They will be delivered to the library in
June.
We hope you will support our new community mission endeavor.
Mission Accomplished
Our congregation has been on a mission to read and mark up the Bible. The mission committee
would like to include a "Mission Accomplished" column in each newsletter.
We will be dialoging with the disciples of the Presbyterian Congregation of Middletown about their reading
experiences and thoughts. Here are several to start us off:
 Rose Ann Yeich and Paula Lisenby learned that the phrase "Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky in
the morning, sailors take warning," is from Matthew 16:2-3.
 Marlin Biesecker has found phrase underlining to have added more meaning and emphasis to his Bible
reading. He believes it has reinforced reading and in turn helped him to acquire deeper understanding.
 Brenda and Jim Fry are reading the Bible as a couple. This activity has provided encouragement. They
find it to be like a buddy system that helps you stay on track and provides motivation.
 Ruth Dodson felt like Jesus might be using reverse psychology. Jesus had healed a deaf and mute man.
Jesus told the crowd of witnesses not to spread the news. The opposite occurred. People spread the news
to others. (Mark 7:36)
Our hope is to share with each other what "Mark up your Bible" has revealed. Please share any ideas,
thoughts, or experiences with the mission committee. Thanks to those who participated in May.
7