HANDBELL CONCERT

HANDBELL CONCERT

Sunday, April 23, 3:00 PM

Reception to Follow

LENTEN GIVING

As we have been on this Lenten journey together, renewing ourselves in Christ, we have also taken part in the ECO's (Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians) Great Commission, Great Compassion Lenten Giving. These funds will go to The Outreach Foundation in support of the Presbyterian Church of Syria. In the weeks that we have been focused on this Emergency Relief Fund, we have seen Syria's war that has raged on for 6 years intensify even more. More and more people are being left homeless, wounded and even worse. Food is scarce, as are warm places to lay their heads and now terrible weapons are being used on these people. Our Presbyterian brothers and sisters are working tirelessly to bring assistance to all who are in such desperate need.

This will be our last week for this offering. Please write your check to SVPC marked for Lenten Giving, and place in the offering plate or mail to the church. We ask you to give generously above and beyond your normal giving on this wonderful Resurrection Sunday! 

EACH ONE, REACH ONE

Easter is the greatest opportunity to invite friends and family or those you meet in the community to be a part of the worship of our Lord God and our new life in Christ. See you this Sunday!

EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE

Join us for an Easter sunrise service

6:30 AM Easter Sunday

(followed by a light breakfast)

THE BESSEMER MUSIC CLUB MEETING

The Bessemer Music Club Meeting

 

Wednesday, April 12, 10:00 AM

 

The program will feature Eamon Griffith, who is the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs First Place Piano Collegiate Winner.  Join us for good food and good fellowship!

CROSS DEDICATION

Garden Cross Dedication

WHEN: Between Sunday School and Worship

WHERE: Service outside, weather permitting

We will focus on the meaning of the bare wooden cross that will be covered in flowers the next week on Resurrection Sunday!

 

Choir Cantata and Children's Palm Processional  This will lead us through a remembrance of Holy Week, "The Seven Last Days."

 

Church-wide Lunch and Easter Egg Hunt following the worship service (hosted by our Youth)

GOOD FRIDAY

GOOD FRIDAY

APRIL 14

The Church office will be closed

PALM SUNDAY

PALM SUNDAY

Sunday, April 9

9:45 AM: Sunday School

10:30 AM: Cross Dedication

11:00 AM: Worship - Cantata

12:05 PM: Easter Egg Hunt & Lunch

SILVER SHEPHERDS TRIP

A trip to Tennessee is planned for Monday, April 24th to Tuesday, April 25th. The Tennessee events include the Tennessee Aquarium, IMAX movie, various shows and a play at Crossville, Tennessee at the Cumberland County Playhouse ("A Second Chance").

 

Reservations must be made by Wednesday, March 15th with a $100 deposit. The deposit will be credited toward the total cost of the trip. The total cost is $225 for a Double Room and $275 for a Single Room. The cost covers all but one lunch and one dinner on the road.

 

Please contact the church for more information.

EASTER EGG HUNT

Easter Egg Hunt and Lunch immediately following worship

 

Palm Sunday, April 9th

 

Sponsored by our Youth for all our little ones, friends, and family.

 

All are welcome!

IT’S TIME TO ORDER EASTER LILIES

How lovely is our sanctuary on Easter morning adorned with beautiful white lilies given in memory or honor of a loved one. If you would like to participate, each potted lily wrapped in white with a white bow is $21.00. This may be paid by check made payable to SVPC and marked "for lilies." An order form will be included in the Sunday worship bulletins Sunday, March 12th and 19th. Orders must be paid for and completed by the 19th. If you have any questions, feel free to call the church office (565-7025). Thank you for helping to make such a glorious day even more beautiful!

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

Ash Wednesday Service

6:00pm

This is a special time of prayer and repentance, and the imposition of ashes.

FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN

Feed My Starving Children

 

The Bessemer/McCalla Kingdom Builders will be hosting a Feed My Starving Children packing event on Saturday, January 21st. SVPC participated the last two years and we were all so glad that we did. Please call the church if you are interested in helping this year.

 

Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit Christian organization committed to feeding God's children hungry in body and spirit. The approach is simple: children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and then these meals are shipped to their distribution partners. FMSC meals have reached nearly 70 countries around the world through the years.

 

We will join as a community to pack food that will be sent out to nourish those who are starving. If you plan to volunteer, we thank you so much for committing your time. If you are unable to be present at the event, please pray for the volunteers, the FMSC organization, and the recipients of the Manna Packs - may they be filled in body and spirit.

 

Also, please give generously. We need sponsorship and donations in order to make this event happen. It truly costs thousands of dollars to get it all done. Pleasant Hill Methodist hosts this great ministry for our community so if you or someone you know is interested in corporate sponsorship, contact Monica Harbarger at monicaharbarger@pleasanthillumc.com. You may also give through SVPC and mark your check for FMSC (Feed My Starving Children).

PW GENERAL MEETING

Presbyterian Women General Meeting

 

Our PW General Meeting has been changed from Sunday, January 22^nd to Sunday, February 12^th, immediately following worship. The whole church is invited to join them for lunch and a very special and informative program.

 

On this new date, February 12th, we will be hearing from Rev. Anna Kent who is on the staff of ECO, A Covenant Order of Presbyterians, and of which we now belong! Anna is Director of Mission Affinity Groups with ECO and she will be speaking to us about them since we are part of the covenanted life of ECO. Rev. Kent will also be preaching at our 11:00 worship service.

 

All are invited to enjoy a lunch hosted by our Presbyterian Women and then stay for this great opportunity to learn about the denomination of which we now belong.

ICE SKATING

Ice Skating

Monday, January 16, 2017 – MLK Day

 

Kids 10 years old and under need a parent with them. We will leave the church at 11:00 and return at 5:00.  The church will cover the cost of the skating but you are asked to bring money for food and snacks.  Please call the church to make reservations.

APOLOGETICS SEMINAR

Apologetics Seminar

 

Sundays, January 15, 22, & 29 and February 5

6:30 PM (Soup Supper at 5:30 PM)

Session has invited Judge Eddie Vines to share with us in four one-hour sessions dealing with some basic questions of our Christian faith and more. Judge Vines decided not to run for re-election this past fall because he has been pursuing a theological degree at New Orleans Theological Seminary. Join us for these sessions and a soup supper preceding. Please call the church office or email to sign up for supper, childcare, and the class.

PUMPKIN PATCH TRIP

Pumpkin Patch Trip

Harpersville, Alabama

www.oldbakerfarm.com

Saturday, October 22nd

Leave the church at 9:00am

Tickets are $10.00 and includes your pumpkin and some rides.

 

There will be exhibitors from all over the South including handmade Indian arts & crafts, blacksmiths, woodworkers, wrought iron art, fabric and canvas artists, and more!

 

In October, the fields of the Old Baker Farm will be bursting with color as the pumpkins in the fields become ripe for harvest. What a perfect time for families and groups to experience life on a working farm. Take a hayride through Dead Hollow Swamp, pick pumpkins and cotton, and explore our corn and hay maze. There are farm animals to pet and enjoy when you visit our barn which was built in 1919, as well as acres and acres of living history!

 

Civil War Reenactment featuring replica of an old fort!

 

Live Music including Bluegrass, Country, Blues, and Gospel!

 

Antique Tractors! Pedal Tractors for the Kids!

OCC PACKING PARTY

Join us after worship on September 25th for a light lunch and a packing party. Please make reservations for the lunch by calling the church office or by signing up at church this Sunday. Each box needs $7.00 for overseas shipping. You may give to this fund online at www.classy.org/svpc.

OCC SEPTEMBER COLLECTIONS

September collections for Operation Christmas Child will be socks, small flashlights with batteries, toothpaste and our $7.00 shipping fee. If you can’t shop for items, donations may be given and we will fill in the gifts that are most needed. You may also give to this fund online at www.classy.org/svpc.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Matthew 25:35-36 says, "For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in: I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me."

As we approach our Operation Christmas Child Packing Party, Sunday, September 25th, 2016, we thought it might be a perfect time for a little history of this shoebox ministry. Our faith family, from Bessemer First Presbyterian to Shepherd of the Valley, has supported the wonderful ministry of Operation Christmas Child (OCC) for close to fifteen years.  It began with our youth bringing this ministry opportunity to us and they continue to host and encourage us in it today.  As a little note of interest, our last service at Bessemer First Presbyterian closed out with a lunch and a shoebox packing event.  That seemed fitting as our congregation, which began in 1888 in Bessemer, served in missions and we ended our time there in 2014 doing missions.  Then, in 2015 we carried this ministry right here into McCalla with us.  Now, in 2016 we continue with this tradition of service.

You can help us support Operation Christmas Child by giving a financial gift at www.classy.org/svpc. The process is fast, easy, and secure. We truly appreciate any support you can provide. Together, we will be able to help so many people in Jesus' Name!

If you can't make a donation at this point, you can help us reach our goal by sharing this page on Facebook and Twitter.  Or, even better, send an e-mail to friends you think might be interested in contributing and include a link to our page.  Thanks so much for your generosity!