MORE SPACE

Did you know that when attendance reaches 90 on any Sunday morning at any service, attendance goes down! That’s because at 90, the sanctuary is beyond 80% full and people’s reaction is “there is no room for me”.

 It’s exciting for us as regular churchgoers to see the church full; but then we have a seat! Visitors and newer folk see a full sanctuary and find themselves having to tough it out and sit with people they don’t know.

 Lest you begin to think, “they should get to know people they don’t know” try it out some Sunday. Wander off to another church nearby and try out the experience of visiting too full a church and sitting with people you have never met!

 There are of course four solutions: 1. don’t allow visitors, 2. add another service, 3. expand your worship space, or 4. make sure that visitors and new folk always have someone to sit with they already know, or who at least would love to have this new person sit with them!

 Adding another service we have done (8:30am and 9:30am), although it may be that we need to add another service either like the 11:00am service in style and energy or at the same or a similar hour (one study has suggested that for young adults early afternoon or evening are better choices than Sunday morning).

 It would be interesting to know whether people come at 11:00am because of the service or because of the time of day!

 Both our earlier services have room. Maybe we need to seriously think about what we could do to invite people who are currently unchurched to consider those services. What might we need to do to make those services even more open and attractive to visitors?

 Additional worship space is a more difficult challenge. We could expand the sanctuary over the church kitchen. The engineering would be formidable and the construction more expensive than the CE Center.

Being sure to pair visitors with people they know or whom they would find quickly as hospitable hosts is something we can do right away. That’s a challenge that our officers, greeters and Head Ushers could make a huge difference with, making sure all new people are greeted warmly and made as comfortable as possible would mean we can add a few more to our full services.

 Of course none of this applies to special services like Christmas Eve, although we need to evaluate what we are going to do about December 24, 2007 immediately. We need to add another Christmas Eve Service. Our three services had attendances of 150, 160, and 183, all well more than the sanctuary can hold.

 Even adding a fourth service would mean an average attendance of 123 at each service, still well over the full mark. A 9:00pm blend of candlelight and Country Music has been mentioned. Other ideas are welcome. Thank the Lord that next Christmas Eve is on a Monday evening!

 The fact is all of this is just a question of stewardship. How will we be good stewards of the blessing God has so amazingly given us. Imagine what it must mean about God’s confidence in us that we will take care of all these of his children he has sent to worship with us. God must believe that we will do whatever we can to open the doors of His kingdom wide.

 God is calling - what shall we answer? Do we think the ark is too full? I don’t think so. We need to think toward the future and begin immediately to pray seeking some good answers to these tough questions: what shall we do?

Jeff

 HEALING SERVICES

Our Healing Services will be changing due to the cold weather from the sanctuary to the Memorial Room beginning Thursday, January 18 at 7:45pm. Then they will follow on the first and third Thursdays.

ADDRESS CHANGES

If you are in the process of changing your mailing address, phone number or email address be sure to send along the changes to us. Since our mail to you is sent as bulk mail, it is not returned if it is undeliverable at your old address. It is just junked by the USPS. Send us a note however, and we will gladly make sure you are still getting Newsletters on time!

 FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

Information for the March issue needs to be to Jeff or Liz by February 11^th! This includes all the spring plans and Easter plans for all organizations! Please send your info by email!

 THEOLOGY UNLEASHED

The next gathering of Theology Unleashed is planned for February 6 at 7:00pm. The topic will be: The Separation of Church and State.  Some Christians think it is an essential concept, others disagree. Does the church have responsibilities to the culture it finds itself in? How should it work those responsibilities out? Is government a necessary evil or a challenging but helpful partner in the transformation of the world? See Jeff Farley for more information.

 VOLUNTEER CORNER

 FRIDAY FUN NIGHTS

Here’s our plan: 

·         Feb 2 - Friday Fun Night -  7:30 ZOOMBA #1*
·         Feb 9 - Friday Fun Night - 7:30  ZOOMBA #2
·         Feb 23 -  Friday Dance Night - 7:30
·         March 2 - Friday “PIT” Party - 7:30
·         March 9 - Friday Fun Night -  7:30  ZOOMBA #3
·         March 16 – Friday Fun Night – 7:30 ZOOMBA #4
·         March 23 - Friday Karaoke Sing/Dance - 7:30
·         Bring favorite tapes, CD's
·         March 30 - Friday Fun Night

JYF (JUNIOR YOUTH FELLOWSHIP)

·         February 3rd - 4:30 p.m. - Youth Fellowship Spaghetti Dinner, 5:00 p.m.
·         February 11th - Meeting -6:30 p.m.
·         February 14th - 6:00 p.m. - Pizza Night & Singing Valentines Youth Fellowship Fund-raiser - bring $3.00 per person
·         March 11th - 6:30 p.m. Meeting
·         March 18th - 2:30 p.m. Meet at Church - 4:30-6:00 p.m. ice skating (church wide invitation to Family Event-need 50 participants) - Mohonk Mountain House - $9.00 per person (includes skating/skates)

 WELCOME TO FRIENDSHIP FIRST!

What is Friendship First? It’s a flexible, friendly, engaging 13-week series for small-group interaction that compares our friendships with others to our friendship with Jesus. We will begin week of Feb. 11.

 The purpose is to:

 Who’s Friendship First for?

 Participants can sign up with Candy Burnett, Friendship Bible Study Coordinator 343-5675 or email jeff@otisvillepres.org

 SYF (SENIOR YOUTH FELLOWSHIP)

·         Meeting at Lefty’s Pizzeria
·         Self Defense Class
·         Chinese Cooking Class
·         Lock-in in March (James Bond Marathon)
·         Spaghetti Dinner February 3
·         Adopt a Zambian Child
·         See Katie Farley
·         Mike Canonico, SYF Associate Advisor
·         Pray for Eric Durkins while he is training as a Air Force Reserve Officer!

 SERMON SERIES

Beginning on Sunday, January 7^th we will be studying a series of lessons on “The Holy Spirit: The Power that Moves the Church”, based on the letters of Paul.  See below to follow the lessons.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

The Emergency Response team will be meeting on Wednesday, February 7 at 6:30pm. See Sue Maney Eggleton to RSVP!

 ASH WEDNESDAY

Ash Wednesday is the 21^st of February—the beginning of the 40 days of penance and reflection until Easter. Often in our culture, people will ask you, “What are you giving up for Lent?”  And what will your response be?

 If we give up chocolate, is it truly a sacrifice we make so that we can think more deeply about God, or is it really a way we can lose maybe 5 pounds, and appear to be Godly people?  Sort of kill two birds with one stone!!

What should we really do during Lent that will bring our hearts closer to God?

 Have you ever thought about fasting?  Giving up one meal a day?  Or maybe one meal once a week during Lent?  Do you think you could do it?  And what would you do during that time when you would normally be eating?  Could you discipline yourself to read 2 chapters in the Gospel of John, or reading 2 Psalms, or 2 chapters from the Book of Proverbs during that space of time when you would normally be eating that meal?

 How about fasting from junk television for one or two evenings a week during Lent?  Just turn off the tube, and spend an hour reading, or discipline yourself to write two or three cards to people whom you know are shut-ins, or dealing with crisis in their lives, or recovering from surgery.

  Here’s another thought: how about fasting from grumbling and complaining?  Every time a situation or a person pops into your head that you find yourself complaining about—boss, co-worker, spouse, sibling, the driver tail-gating you—instead of grumbling and complaining, pray for that person.  Ask God to work in your life and in the life of that person so that we all become better “Kingdom People.”

 Do you suppose we, the people of the Otisville-Mt-Hope Presbyterian Church, could fast this year during Lent? 

 Eileen Siegel

 SUPPER CLUB

The "Chili Night" was a great success, with multiple varieties of chili to sample! The second Supper Club, scheduled for Feb. 11th, will be canceled due to a shifting of events. Mark the calendar for March 11th at 5:00 pm, for casseroles. Come join us for an evening of good food and fellowship! Contact Brenda O'Connell or Sue Conklin for details.

 COFFEE HOUSE

Saturday, February 17th marks the date for our annual chocolate extravaganza! The Coffee House will be an "open mic" with a chocolate dessert theme! Come and share your song (or poem?) or come to "kick back" and enjoy as we light the candles, start the music, and serve-up a variety of chocolate goodies and coffees/teas/cold drinks. Please contact Marianne Harden if you'd like to bring a dessert. A freewill donation will be accepted.

 HOWELLS CHURCH

Roosevelt Ramsey (Kelly Dolson's father) will be hosting his annual Martin Luther King Observance Concert on February 11th, at the Howells Church. The event is from 5-7 pm. Our Contemporary Choir will be singing at the event! Please join us for an evening of music, performed by people gathered from many different churches.

 EASTER CHOIR

An Easter choir will be formed to celebrate the Resurrection! - We will sing on Easter Sunday, April 8th, at the 9:30 and 11:00 services. Please stay tuned for rehearsal dates/times...

 FLOWERS IN WORSHIP

We are no longer using the Flower Calendar on the wall in the sanctuary. Instead you will find new envelopes on the back table. Please fill them out completely, insert payment, and return to the offering plates or to the church office. Open calendar dates will be listed in the church bulletin or you can call Liz at 386-3851.

 MYSTERY DINNER THEATER

We would like to form a committee to be in charge of the food for the May 12^th event. See Lisa Grainger or Marilyn Komstedt.

 BLACK HISTORY MONTH (FEBRUARY)

·         During the month of February we will be celebrating our “Freedom in Christ.”

·         Each week we will be celebrating our freedom in different ways

o        Feb 4^th – Poetry & Language
o        Feb 11^th – Music
o        Feb. 18^th – Art & Photography
o        Feb 25^th – Dance

·         More information contact Kelly Dolson at 386-1551!

SURVEY

·         Weekly worship alternative:

In order to better serve the congregation and community, we are beginning to think about a fourth weekly worship service. We are curious however what worship people would attend if it were available.

·         Christmas Eve worship alternative

In order to better serve the congregation and community, we are beginning to think about a fourth Christmas Eve Service. We are curious however what worship people would attend if it were available.