Presbyterian Visitor
October 2, 2025
On Sunday, October 5th we will NOT be having our regular Sunday morning worship service. Instead everyone is invited to attend the Community Worship Service in the Park starting at 10:30 a.m. This service will be conducted by area churches and ministers and will include a performance by the Community Choir. Please bring a chair with you to the service.
Members and friends are then invited to ride, or walk, on our parade float during the Apple Festival Parade. The parade kicks-off at 1:00 p.m. With the parade starting at the corner of Franklin and Mill St. and ending at the high school.
The Church office will be closed on Monday, October 13th in observance of Columbus Day.
Our church will be hosting Soup on Saturday on October 18th at the Methodist Church. Volunteers are needed to provide soup, sandwiches, desserts, drinks and to work. Please see the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board if you are interested in helping.
On Sunday, November 2nd we will be celebrating All Saints Day. If you have a loved one that has entered into their heavenly home, you would like remembered during this service, please place their name on the list on the narthex podium or contact the church office. On the 2nd their name will be listed in the bulletin and you will be invited to light a candle in their memory.
Women’s Association News
The October Women’s Association meeting will take place on Thursday, October 9th. The hostess will be Becky Noel with devotions given by Connie Hawkins. Roll Call will be answered by telling what you look forward to in the fall.
At their last meeting the ladies discussed increasing the Rotary Luncheons to twice a month, the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, if the Rotary members would like us to. This schedule would start in January, with only one luncheon served in June, November, and December.
The next Rotary Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, October 21st with Hana Elliott as the chair.
They also voted to give money to help purchase candy for our church’s Apple Festival float.
Moderator Jane Lueking reminded everyone that it is the time of year to start looking for officers for 2026.
The Women are continuing to have their monthly Birthday Gatherings meeting for a wonderful morning of coffee and fellowship. The gatherings take place on the first Thursday of the month starting at 9:30 a.m. at Rejavanated.
Trustees News
The Trustees have contacted Haseman’s Pest Control regarding the ants in the kitchen. Haseman’s will be setting up a quarterly treatment for ants, bugs, and rodents. These treatments will include bait traps and spraying inside and outside of the church building.
The Trustees are also planning on having the inside of the church painted the first part of January. The painting will include the narthex, hallway, Fellowship Hall, and the Sunday School rooms.
If you have a concern or recommendation for the church, please feel free to contact Karen Ruggles, James Talbott, or Blake Burch. There next meeting will take place on Monday, October 20th at 6:00 p.m. in the Seekers Room.
Updates from Session
At the last meeting of the Session, the date for the Called Congregational meeting was set as Sunday, November 16th following worship service. Following the meeting everyone is invited to stay for our Congregational Thanksgiving Dinner.
The next Session meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 29th at 5:30 p.m.
Pastor’s Message
At the mid-career CREDO conference I attended in September, one of the faculty members said something that has stuck with me. She said: There is always enough time for what is necessary.
I’ve been mulling this statement over ever since, because in my life it seems like there is never enough time to cross everything on my to-do list. If I’m not mistaken, many of us are in the same boat—a boat that is constantly buffeted by all the waves of tasks coming at us. Tasks that we have to do and tasks that we want to do. Tasks that other people need us to do or that they want us to do. Tasks that we feel like we should do.
If there is always enough time for what is necessary, but we’re not getting everything done, then we must be doing something wrong. I don’t think this is simply a case of poor time management on our part. It’s that we’re trying to do far more than is necessary at this time.
In Ecclesiastes 3, the writer tells us that
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.
The sage then goes on to describe some of the times and seasons we may experience:
a time to be born, and a time to die…
a time to mourn, and a time to dance…
a time to love, and a time to hate…
As Ecclesiastes parses out these seasons, it becomes clear that we aren’t meant to be trying to do everything at once.
Plants know this innately. Right now we watch as tree leaves are beginning to change color and fall, because the season of capturing sunlight to make food and to grow is ending. Now it will be the time for hunkering down to prevent moisture loss and to conserve other resources over the winter. A tree that doesn’t do everything at once isn’t a failure; it’s just living in its season.
The same is true for us. Our task is to discern what season we are in, and the tasks that are necessary for that time. We may be surprised at how few tasks actually are strictly necessary, at least when it comes to what God requires of us in any given season.
As you watch the leaves change this autumn,
What season might you be in?
What necessary tasks is God calling you to tend to?
What items on your to-do list might you be called to let go of, for the time being?
Perhaps they will still be there for you in another season…or perhaps you’ll discover that they never were as necessary as you thought.
In hope
Pastor Hana