FEB 16 Pg1 - maplewoodpc.org

The Messenger

Volume 22, Issue 2



“I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes!” Job 42:6 

2016 Dear Friends,

This month of February we move into the next season of the church
NEWS INSIDE: year. It seems that just yesterday we were putting the Advent decorations
away, and now we are about to begin the season of Lent! It arrives fairly
early this year (Ash Wednesday is February 10th), and though early
Session February is typically reserved for feelings of love and romance, Lent is the
Action Items church’s time for members to contemplate how they have not loved God
and obeyed his will as they ought. We reflect on our mortality – “from
Reports dust you came, to dust you shall return.” We reflect on the suffering and
Congregational Meeting death of our Lord Jesus, who died on our behalf.

Worship Volunteers We are not morbid people. We are not overly obsessed with chilling,
ghastly thoughts of our short life. No, we spend necessary and

Maplewood Happenings important time reflecting on the reality of or our From
Prayer Concerns mortality. We do this so that we are prepared to receive Our
Martha Circle the life that God has for us in Christ, to receive it to its PASTOR
full meaning. And so during the time between Ash
More Happenings Wednesday and Easter, we embark upon our 40 day
pilgrimage of Lent. This year it just so happens that our
News from the Pews observance of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of
Deacons
Lent is sprinkled with a dose of irony. Our solemn journey of reflection on
Church Life Events unfaithfulness, lack of love for God, and mortality begins right on the heels of
Nursery Volunteers Valentine’s Day.

Musical Notes from Jim The word Lent comes from the old English word for “spring.” Someone
once said it, “Lent is spring training for the Christian as we are to practice
repentance, faith, and holy living.” The season has been kept as a time for
Heart Month devotion and self-denial that springs from a faithful heart which dwells on
God’s Word and draws life and hope from it. Typically this includes “fasting”
where we “give up” something to open the way for God into our lives. While
On the Light Side a fast of any kind is not necessary, it is certainly a helpful way to discipline the
body and mind to focus on the things of God and the sacrifice Christ made for
us.
Fat Tuesday
Pancake Dinner And so we will begin this journey at our Ash Wednesday service,
Presbytery Mission Trip February 10th at 7pm. Some have wondered, why we do this?
Fundraiser
Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.maplewoodpc.org
Celebrations
Birthdays

Calendar of Events


ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE:

February 10, 7:00 PM

The Maplewood MISSION STATEMENT:
TO KNOW CHRIST and TO MAKE HIM KNOWN
By LEADING People to a Saving Faith in Jesus Christ,
NURTURING and EQUIPPING People in the Faith,

Love and Knowledge of Jesus Christ,
DEPLOYING People in Servant Ministries to the Rest of the World.

STAFF & CONTACTS From Our Pastor Continued . . .

PASTOR: The Scriptures show us something of an answer about the significance of the
Steve LaSor ashes:
724-836-3784
CHURCH OFFICE:  In the Old Testament, after Jonah has announced the destruction of
Diane Dale Nineveh and the news reaches the king, he rises from the throne, lays
724-834-4960 aside his robe, puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes. The king then
MUSIC DIRECTOR: proclaims a fast. Nineveh mourns its sins and does penance (Jonah
Jim Overly 3:1-6).

2016 Elders & Committees:  In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus reproaches Chorazin and Bethsaida
saying, "For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in
Christian Education Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and
Donna Costelnock, Chair ashes" (11:21).
Carol Limegrover Co-Chair
Church Life Christians, then, seem to have taken the use of ashes as a sign of penance
Jean Gleditsch, Chair from Jewish tradition. There is no biblical commandment that requires us to
Rita Perotti, Co-Chair observe Ash Wednesday. Thus, I believe this to be one of those practices
Finance that Christians are free to observe or not to observe. The theological core of
John Potts, Chair Ash Wednesday is, however, shaped by a biblical theology of creation, sin,
Bob Rymer, Co-Chair mortality, death, grace, and salvation. It also enacts biblical calls to “weep
Missions/Outreach with those who weep” and to “confess your sins to one another.”
Katy Doran & Bob Harlan
Co-Chairs What I value most about Ash Wednesday worship services is the chance
Personnel for us all to acknowledge openly our frailty and sinfulness. In a world that
John Potts, Chair often expects us to be perfect, Ash Wednesday gives us an opportunity to
Committee Chairs freely confess our imperfections. We can let down our pretenses and be truly
Property honest with each other about who we are. We all bear the mark of sin, from
Ray McAteer, Chair the youngest babies to the oldest seniors. We all stand guilty before a holy
Sharon Elkettani, Co-Chair God. We all are mortal and will someday experience bodily death. Thus we
Worship all need a Savior.
Mike Cerilli, Chair
Arlene Troster, Co-Chair What gives us such freedom to think about death? Are we Christians
Clerk of Session morose? Do we have some peculiar fascination with dying? I don’t think so.
Mary Jane Myers Rather, what allows us to stare death in the face is the assurance of life, real
Deacons Chair life, eternal life. When we know our lives are safe in the hands of God, and
Marie LaSor that this physical life is just the beginning of eternity, then we’re free to be
Treasurer honest about what lies ahead for us. We can face death without fear or
Arlene Troster pretending, because we know the One who defeated death.
Financial Secretary
Roy Myers May God bless each of you this Lenten season as you reflect on God’s
Webmaster great love for you through the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord
Bob Bereit Jesus Christ!
Messenger Staff
Katy Doran Steve
Marie LaSor

News from Session

Actions approved by Session in January, 2016: ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL
MEETING:
ACTION: elect corporate officers for 2016:
President, Ray McAteer; Vice President, Sharon JANUARY 17, 2016
Elkettani; Secretary, Mary Jane Myers; Treasurer,
Arlene Troster. Appointed Assistant Clerk of The Annual Meeting of the Congregation of
Session: Bob Harlan the Maplewood United Presbyterian Church
ACTION: 2016 delegate to Presbytery has not was held in the Sanctuary for the purpose of
been determined. However, Katy Doran will receiving the 2015 annual reports.
attend the March meeting. We will review this
again at our next session meeting. Rev. LaSor reviewed some of the highlights in
ACTION: Vice chair for the Nominating the annual report: 2015 budget showed a
Committee will be Rita Perotti. Mike Cerilli is negative for income over expenses but ended
Chair. in the black thanks to all the contributions;
special contributions permitted construction of
Reminders & Reports lift and two new bathrooms without doing any
capital fundraising; review of the rolls moved a
Worship – Cantata music for the first Sunday in number of members from the “active” list to
April. the “other participant” list; pew cushions to be
installed in 2016.
Church Life – Planning a bowling party in
February. Annual report was unanimously approved.
Meeting was adjourned with prayer.
Finance – Financial overview of the income and
expenses: special donations in 2014 and 2015, FEBRUARY WORSHIP VOLUNTEERS
investment policy due to unstable stock market.
All offerings and contributions from church Communion Preparation:
services and church sponsored events shall be Dave & Karen Bouknight
counted, recorded, and deposited by the Financial
Secretary and one other church member, or his Communion Servers:
designees. Donna Costelnock, Carmella McCormick, Allan
Neville, Ron Shafer, Ray & Val McAteer
Mission & Outreach – Working with the youth to
have youth/adult team(s) for the Relay For Life. Lay Reader: Arlene Troster

Property – Lift has been inspected and approved, Narthex Greeters: Nicole Zoglmann, Nick Cerilli
instructions for operation 1/20/16. Janitors to
check the thermostats to make sure the heat is Downstairs Greeter: Linda Paul
turned down when the church is not being used.
Ushers: Bob Harlan, Tony Cerilli
Christian Education – There will be no
confirmation class this year since there are no 7th Acolytes:
graders. Feb 7th - Rebecca Bouknight
Feb 14th - Tyler Williams
Next Session Meeting will be February 15, 2016. Feb 21st - Liam Hileman
Feb 28th - Jonathan Bouknight
March 6th - Mackenzie Williams

Maplewood Happenings




IN SPECIAL NEED OF PRAYER

Several of your prayer requests have been removed. If you
Donna Anderson or your family member is still in need of prayer, please
Bill Costelnock complete a Prayer request card (in pews), notify Katy
Dave Gosser Doran or leave a note in “The Messenger” box in the
Molly Hileman’s father
Pastor LaSor’s parents Church Office.
Roger McCormick
Ray McAteer’s sister, Carol  Prayers for our Maplewood Church
Linda Murphy Leaders
Judy Pacek
George Roth  Prayers for our College Students
Bob & Jane Stover  Prayers for our local, national and world
Susan Witt’s mother
Bill Young’s sister leaders, our armed forces and their
New Additions in BOLD families
 Prayers for our persecuted Christian
brothers & sisters world‐wide
 Prayers for our missionary families, the
Carlsons & the Saldis

MARTHA CIRCLE
Well, it was a very cold day on January 20th and a good many ladies still showed up for our first meeting
of 2016. What a wonderful bunch we have. Thank you, Penny and Nancy for the wonderful service and
goodies. Our next meeting will be on February 17th at 9:15 AM in the church lounge and we are
praying that we will have good weather. February wins hands down as the #1 month that we may have to
cancel or postpone our meeting because of winter weather. Lorraine Roth and Gene Vogt will be the
hostesses and Arlene Troster will have devotions. (We are all praying that Lorraine's George will be
back to his normal self by then. We all hate to see the gentleman ill.) Our program will be Great Figures of
the New Testament: John, the Baptist and Virgin Mary, taught via CD by Prof. Amy-Jill Levine, Vanderbilt
University.

It was decided that, again this year, Martha Circle will serve hot drinks and goodies to the local residents
who come to the AARP sponsored tax preparation in our fellowship hall. We have been doing this for the
past 4 years and it is a fun project. We have 2 volunteers each Tuesday to serve the goodies and we put out
a basket for a free will donation. This year Carmella McCormick has volunteered to come in early and
prepare the hot drinks and then the 2 volunteers will be there the remaining time. We have 2 projects that
we will be using the funds for (1) Library area in the fellowship hall (2) Island in the kitchen to give us
more work space and storage. We will be thinking of other fund raisers for these two projects.

On Father's Day in June we will be honoring our church gentlemen by serving them a variety of pies.
Martha Circle hopes to continue this year after year. This year, on June 19th, the 3rd Sunday, we will
honor the men of Maplewood.

MORE Happenings




NEWS from the PEWS: Your Maplewood Deacon's are gearing up for a
great 2016! One of our main focuses as we start the new
For all your cards, visits and prayers during year is to make sure that members know who their
my recent surgery and rehab, THANK "deacon" is. Each deacon has been assigned a list of
YOU! members to "shephard". Their responsibility is to pray
for you, stay in touch with you and support you through
Ann Ryan good times and bad. Everyone will be hearing from their
deacon during the month of February!

THANK YOU As in 2015 the deacons will be taking home
communion to those unable to come to church. This will
A BIG thank you to all who helped take be done in March, June, October and December. Our
down the Christmas decorations! What meal ministry is available to those who are ill and/or
makes our Maplewood family so special is recovering from surgery. Please let Val McAteer or
how people step in to assist when work Penny Labeka know if you or someone you know is in
needs to be done. You are all GREAT! need of a meal. Something else that you may not be
aware the deacons do is sending Walmart gift card to
******** our young adults who are in college or the service. This
lets them know they haven't been forgotten by their
A special Thank You to Allan Neville for all church family.
the effort he put in working with the
contractor to get our new pew cushions More deacon info will be in the March
installed. They look great and we can all be newsletter! If you have any questions or concerns please
more comfortable listening to Pastor Steve! let me know!

In Him, Marie LaSor, Chair

BOWLING PARTY
Church life is planning an afternoon of bowling at Main Bowling on Sunday February 21, 2016 at

2:00 P.M. The cost will be $5.00 per person, this will include 3 games of bowling and shoes. There will be a
lane of bumpers for any of the smaller children. Food is available to purchase at the bowling alley. Please look
for more information on this as we will need to let the bowling alley know how many are coming.

A WOMEN’S RETREAT
A women's retreat is being planned for this coming fall. We are looking at late September or early

October. We need to know how many women are interested so that we can look for accommodations. We
will not go too far so that everyone who would like to attend can. I was hoping to find a place in the Laurel
Mountains since our weather is so beautiful that time of year. We are planning to do a couple fundraisers to
make this affordable for all of the women at Maplewood.

We highly encourage you to attend this weekend event for a wonderful opportunity for fellowship and
spiritual growth. Look for more upcoming information. There is a sign up sheet in the church narthex, please
sign up as soon as possible or let Val McAteer know if you are interested in going.

Nursery Volunteers for FEBRUARY: 2/21 Carmella McCormick and Peggy Potts
2/28 Carol Limegrover and Katy Doran

2/07/16 – Christi Musgrove and Bonnie Peebly

2/14 Melissa Lenhart and Val McAteer

MUSICAL NOTES from JIM






Hi, y'all! Well, it's about that time...Easter cantata time! I'm going to give you the basic info and a rehearsal
schedule in this article. I'm also going to ask you to sign up in my office if you're interested in singing with
us this Easter. I will need your name, phone number, and e‐mail address, so I can create a sub‐group for

the call multiplier. I'll give you a call if I need to cancel rehearsal due to inclement weather or any other
emergency. Here's all of the information you need to successfully PARTICIPATE in and ANTICIPATE our

2016 Easter cantata! I hope to see a whole mess of y'all at our first rehearsal! = )


WHO: YOU!


WHAT: 2016 EASTER CANTATA AT MAPLEWOOD ‐ IN CHRIST ALONE


(Here's a link with all of the pertinent information, as well as audio clips of songs if you'd like to get a sneak
preview. http://brentwoodbenson.com/Choral/Easter/In‐Christ‐Alone/000N2051A0AF


WHEN:

FIRST REHEARSAL ‐ FEBRUARY 13TH ‐ MARCH 19TH ‐ SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON
SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON

MARCH 26TH ‐ SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON
FEBRUARY 20TH ‐ SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON
APRIL 2ND ‐ SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON –

FEBRUARY 27TH ‐ SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON DRESS REHEARSAL


MARCH 5TH ‐ SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON APRIL 3RD ‐ SUNDAY ‐ 9:30 AM ‐ 10:15 AM ‐
FINAL RUN‐THROUGH //PERFORMANCE ‐

MARCH 12TH ‐ SATURDAY ‐ 10 AM ‐ NOON 10:45 AM – DURING CHURCH SERVICE


WHERE: MAPLEWOOD UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SANCTUARY


WHY: TO SHARE GOD'S LOVE THROUGH THE GIFT OF MUSIC


HOW: WITH ALL OF OUR HEART, MIND, SOUL, AND STRENGTH!!!!!!!! = D


I look forward to working with y'all again, especially after the blessing I received from presenting Home
for Christmas and In the Presence of Jehovah during our Jubilee Year here at Maplewood with such a

committed and determined group. Let's do it again this April! Love all you guys and gals!

In Him, Jim


PS If you have any kids between the ages of 5 and 18 who might be interested in performing one of the
narrations or singing one specific song in the cantata, please let me know ASAP so I can work out a

rehearsal schedule to include them. Thanks! = )

Hearts are the traditional symbols for February, and OUR hearts (the physical ones) sustain

our lives. Most people are aware of the symptoms of heart attacks in men, but few understand

  what happens when women have them. We hope this timely article by a ER nurse will change
that.

Women and Heart Attacks (Myocardial Infarction)

Did you know that women rarely have the same dramatic symptoms that men have when experiencing heart
attack, you know, the sudden stabbing pain in the chest, the cold sweat, grabbing the chest and dropping to
the floor that we see in the movies. Here is the story of one woman’s experience with a heart attack.

“I had a heart attack at about 10:30PM, with NO prior exertion; NO prior emotional trauma that one would
suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting snugly and warm on a cold evening, with my purring cat in
my lap, reading an interesting story my friend had sent me, and actually thinking, AAH this is the life, all
cozy and warm in my soft, cushy Lazy Boy with my feet propped up. A moment later, I felt that awful
sensation of indigestion, when you’ve been in a hurry and grabbed a bite of sandwich and washed it down
with a dash of water, and that hurried bite seems to feel like you’ve swallowed a golf ball going down the
esophagus in slow motion and it is most uncomfortable. You realize you shouldn’t have gulped it down so
fast and needed to chew it more thoroughly and you drink a glass of water to hasten its progress down to the
stomach. This was my initial sensation—the only trouble was that I hadn’t taken a bite of anything since
about 5:00PM.

After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up
my SPINE (hind-sight, it was probably my aorta spasms), gaining speed as they continued racing up and
under my sternum (breast bone, where one presses rhythmically when administering CPR).

This fascinating process continued on into my throat and branched out into both jaws. ‘AHA!!!!!NOW I
stopped puzzling about what was happening—we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one
of the signals of an MI happening, haven’t we? I said aloud to myself and the cat, DEAR GOD, I think I’m
having a heart attack!

I lowered the foot rest dumping the cat from my lap, started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I
thought to myself, if this is a heart attack, I shouldn’t be walking into the next room where the phone is or
anywhere else—but, on the other hand, if I don’t, nobody will know that I need help, and if I wait any longer
I may not be able to get up in a moment.

I pulled myself up with the arms of the chair, walked slowly into the next room and dialed the paramedics—I
told her I thought I was having a heart attack due to the pressure building under the sternum and radiating
into my jaws. I didn’t feel hysterical or afraid, just stating the facts. She said she was sending the
Paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to unbolt and then lie down
on the floor where they could see me when they came in. I unlocked the door and then laid down on the
floor as instructed and lost consciousness, as I don’t remember the medics coming in, their examination,
lifting me onto a gurney or getting me into their ambulance, or hearing the call they made to St Jude ER on
the way, but I did briefly awaken when we arrived and saw that the radiologist was already there in his
surgical blues and cap, helping the medics pull my stretcher out of the ambulance. He was bending over me
asking questions (probably something like “have you taken any medications?” but I couldn’t make my mind
interpret what he was saying, or form an answer, and nodded off again, not waking up until the Cardiologist
and partner had already threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into
my heart where they stalled 2 side by side stints to hold open my right coronary artery.

Continued on next page

Female Heart Attacks Continued:

I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before
calling the paramedics, but actually it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and both the fire station and
St Jude are only minutes away from my home, and my cardiologist was all ready to go to the OR in his
scrubs and get going on restarting my heart (which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and the
procedure) and installing the stints.

Why have I written all of this to you with so much detail? Because I want all of you to know what I learned
first-hand:

1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body not the usual men’s symptoms but
inexplicable things happening (until my sternum and jaws got into the act). It is said that many more
women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn’t know they were having one and
commonly mistake it as indigestion, take some Maalox or other anti-heartburn preparation and go to
bed, hoping they’ll feel better in the morning when they wake up---which doesn’t happen. My
female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the paramedics
if ANYTHING is unpleasantly happening that you’ve not felt before.

IT IS BETTER TO HAVE A ‘FALSE ALARM’ VISITATION THAN TO RISK YOUR LIFE
GUESSING WHAT IT MIGHT BE.

2. Note that I said ‘CALL THE PARAMEDICS’, and if you can take (chew) an aspirin. Ladies, TIME
IS OF THE ESSENCE! Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER – you are a hazard to others on the
road.
Do NOT have your panicked husband who will be speeding and looking anxiously at what’s
happening with you instead of the road.
Do NOT call your doctor—he doesn’t know where you live and if it’s a night you won’t reach him
anyway, and if it’s daytime, his assistants (or answering service) will tell you to call the paramedics.
He doesn’t carry the equipment in his car that you need to be saved! The paramedics DO, principally
OXYGEN that you need ASAP. Your doctor will be notified later.

3. Don’t assume it couldn’t be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Research
has discovered that a cholesterol elevated reading is rarely the cause of a MI (unless it’s unbelievably
high and/or accompanied by high blood pressure.) MI’s are usually caused by long-term stress and
inflammation in the body, which dumps all sorts of deadly hormones into your system to sludge
things up in there. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware.
The more we know the better chance we could survive.

 

On The Light Side

Hymns for All Professions

Doctor's Hymn: Optometrist's Hymn:
The Great Physician Open My Eyes That I Might
Dentist's Hymn: See
Crown Him with Many IRS Agent's Hymn:
Crowns I Surrender All
Weatherman's Hymn: Gossip's Hymn:
There Shall Be Showers of Pass It On
Blessings Electrician's Hymn:
Contractor's Hymn: Send The Light
The Church's One Foundation Shopper's Hymn:
Tailor's Hymn: Sweet By and By
Holy, Holy, Holy Realtor's Hymn:
Golfer's Hymn: I've Got a Mansion, Just Over
There's a Green Hill Far Away the Hilltop
Politician's Hymn: Massage Therapist's Hymn:
Standing on the Promises He Touched Me

If you MUST speed on the highway, sing these hymns loudly:

at 45 mph.... "God Will Take Care of Me"
at 55 mph.... "Guide me, O Great Jehovah"

at 65 mph.... "Nearer My God to Thee"
at 75 mph.... "Nearer Still Nearer"

at 85 mph.... "This World is Not My Home"
at 95 mph.... "Lord, I'm Coming Home"
at 100 mph.... "Precious Memories"

SHROVE TUESDAY-FAT TUESDAY

PANCAKE DINNER

AT CONGRUITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
NEW ALEXANDRIA, PA

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2016
4:30pm-7pm

ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKES, EGGS, SAUSAGE AND BEVERAGE.
LIVE MUSIC AND MARDI GRAS THEME
SILENT AUCTION BASKETS

ADULTS $7.00----CHILDREN 6-12 $3.00---CHILDREN UNDER 6 FREE

ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT
PRESBYTERY SPRING, 2016 MISSION TRIP

Tickets are available at the door or
Contact the church for reservations724-668-7740

Celebrate or Commemorate

Do you have a birthday, anniversary, graduation or other special occasion to rejoice about? Are you
remembering a loved one who has died? Are you joyful about God’s love? If so, share these events
with others by placing flowers in our church for Sunday service. It’s very easy. Choose a date you
wish to have flowers, fill out the form below and put in the church’s office. The rest will be taken care
of for you. For $20.00, you can have fresh flowers for a service, a note in the bulletin to commemorate
your special occasion and you can take the flowers home with you. If you do not want the flowers,
the Deacons can deliver them to shut-ins. Detach and send to church office:

M.U.P.C., 108 Woodland Road, Greensburg, PA 15601
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -

Name____________________________________________Phone________________

Date for flowers (Sunday)________________
Notice for bulletin to read: In honor of___________________________________________
OR: In memory of__________________________________________________________
I wish to (check one)_____take the flowers after the service _____let the Deacons deliver them to
shut-ins

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February Birthday Celebrations

3….Judy Pacek 13...Bob Bogert
Sue Kramer
5….Cindy Conrath
18…Carmella McCormick
6….Don Livingston
20…Bob Harlan
8….Ruth Dix
24…Joan Scales
9….Valerie Mikos
Cindy Harlan

Editor’s Note:

Our list of 50th Plus Anniversaries needs to be update. Please call the Church Office if
you will be celebrating such a notable event in 2016! We DO want to honor your
devotion to each other and celebrate with you!