PRESBYTERIAN PERSPECTIVES
the biweekly newsletter of the
Orange Presbyterian Church
162 West Main Street
Orange , Virginia 22960
(540) 672-4240, OPC@orangepc.org

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November 2006 Vol. 21, No. 27

Prayers For Our Mission Team

Do you remember what it felt like the day you went away from home for the first time? That feeling of excitement, feeling ready to take on the world for a little while, and then wondering what in the world you had gotten yourself into.

I know that when our mission team to Emerald Isle got to the Baptist Church that morning in June, they wondered what I had gotten them into. But each of them told me when they returned the things that kept them going were their faith in God, their own commitment to each other as members of the team, and the knowledge that the members of our church family were here at home praying for them.

The tents are ready and waiting at Luling for our mission team.

As this team is in Luling Village in Luling, LA, working to help rebuild lives of families there, they are counting on our prayers. I bet they will have that feeling of needing our support while they are in Louisiana.

Will you join me in praying for them? My time to pray is 6 A.M. daily. Join me then or at a time in your day that allows you to go to Louisiana in spirit.

There is still time to sign up for the prayer wheel. Sign up today or call the church office with a time and Karen will put your name on that allotted time. Make sure you look on our website (orangepc.org) for daily updates and pictures.

Peacemaking Offering

This year our peacemaking offering is given to the Piedmont Dispute Resolution Center (PDRC) based in Warrenton, VA. PDRC provides our community with a structured informal method of resolving many types of conflict. It provides mediation for individuals, families, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, churches and other organizations. It also provides training in mediation and conflict resolution techniques. PDRC’s senior mediators are certified by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Mediation is a voluntary, non-adversarial process for resolving conflict. Trained, neutral mediators meet with parties in conflict and help them find ways to resolve their differences. It is not litigation, it is not therapy, and no solution is ever imposed by the mediators.

In mediation, the parties to a dispute meet with the mediators and describe the issues as they see them. The mediators clarify the issues and help the parties analyze information, communicate fairly, generate creative solutions and reach an agreement acceptable to all parties.

Every dispute—family, schoolyard, business, or community—needs someone willing to be a peacemaker….someone neutral to smooth the path. For more information about PDRC go to www.pdrc.info.

— Mission and Outreach Committee

The Pastor’s Ponderings

Gleaning

That’s one of the first things I wrote on my calendar after arriving in Orange. Ted Haberland stopped by the church to tell me about a church family tradition his family hosted and wondered when we could put it on the church calendar.

Gleaning has deep biblical and theological roots. “Amid the rejoicing of harvest-time a kindly Israelite law upheld the custom whereby the poor, orphans, and strangers were allowed to glean grain, grapes, and olives” (from The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, p. 564).

Gleaning was a way to provide for others. After the crop was harvested, anyone was welcome to go through the fields and take what was left. In the Old Testament Boaz told his workers to add a little more when Ruth came to glean. It was in this manner that Ruth and Naomi were saved from starvation (Book of Ruth). An interesting New Testament example of gleaning has the Pharisees criticizing Jesus for allowing his disciples to glean on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28). Jesus allows that his disciples are breaking the letter of the Law, but draws on scripture (from 1 Samuel) to rebuke the Pharisees for killing the spirit of the Law.

That’s a rather lengthy background to say that Ted and Dianne Haberland have invited us to their place for a Gleaning on Sunday, November, 5, from 3-5 pm. Bring something to share. We’ll worship, glean, eat, and have a great time.

Directions to the Haberlands: Take Rote 20 South to Somerset, turn right on to Route 231. The Haberland farm is a half mile beyond the river—Glenwood AG Company.

Faithfully,
Denise

Pastor’s Installation Set for November 19 th

On Sunday, November 19, 2006, at 4:00 p.m. the Presbytery of the James will install the Rev. Dr. Denise M. Hall as the pastor of the Orange Presbyterian Church. An installation service is always a time of celebration in the life of a congregation. Ministers and elders from the Presbytery of the James will serve as the Administrative Commission to install Denise Hall. A friend of Denise’s, the Rev. Dr. Paul Bonham, (living in Petersburg, Virginia and a member of New Harmony Presbytery in South Carolina) has been invited to preach the sermon. Marc Hogan will serve on the commission for the Orange Presbyterian Church. Invitations will be sent to Presbyterian Churches and area churches in our community. An reception will follow the service.

Commitment Season

Thanks to all those who helped make this year’s Commitment Dinner a success, and a quick reminder for those who have not already sent in their commitment packets. Please send it in to the church office by the end of the month. Thank you.

Stewardship Committee

Love Outreach Food Pantry

Items can be bought to the Food Pantry at 252 Blue Ridge Drive in Orange on Tuesday mornings 9:30 -11:00 and Wednesday mornings 8:30 -Noon. We will also have a container in the East Room if this is more convenient for you. The items needed are: November: Bathroom tissue, December: Paper Towels. Thanks in advance for your generous support!

Treasurer’s Monthly Report

October Income as of 10/22/06: $13,802.44
October Expenses and Benevolent Gifts as of 10/22/06: $20,418.60
Year-to-Date Income: $166,890.92
Year-to-Date Expenses: $157,574.16

The Finance Committee is pleased that our income as of October 22 nd has generally been sufficient for ordinary expenses. Our largest monthly expenses are our salaries and associated costs, a $1,000 monthly contribution to the Presbytery of the James, and the fuel oil bill. We’re hoping for a mild winter, as our total payment for fuel oil during last winter was just under $9,000.

Please speak to me or Doug Cruickshank, chair of the Finance Committee, if you have any questions about the Orange Presbyterian Church budget.

Gail Chapman, Treasurer

A Joy to Share

My grandson, Cameron has returned from Iraq this week. On his return he called and asked me to let you all know that while in Iraq He was aware of being in our thoughts and prayers. He “Googled” his name and was reassured when the OPC website came up in his search. It was a strong emotional support to him to know he was not forgotten while he was overseas. Thank you all for your concern and prayers.

Fedie McClung

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We are also happy to report that Joyce and Sid Palmers’ nephew, Eric, has returned home from Iraq.

A Note Of Thanks From The Moore Family

A letter from the family of Barbara Moore acknowledges with grateful appreciation your kind expression of sympathy.

Denise, We want to thank you so much for the wonderful funeral service that you had for our mother. I will be always grateful to you for coming to Culpeper and asking us to go back in Mama’s room for a prayer. We would have never been in the room with her when she died if it had not been for you. The Lord moves in mysterious ways and he definitely sent you to the hospital at that exact time so we could be with her. Please thank the Women of the Church for the reception.

Brent, Mary, Ann Grey Moore

Doris Wharton: A New Employee to Clean Our Church Home

At last month's Session meeting it was approved to hire Doris Wharton to assume the cleaning duties for our building. Doris helped clean the church for several years when she worked for our former cleaning service a couple years ago and was able to get off to a fast start. She lives in Gordonsville and works for St. Gabriel Laboratories just outside of Orange.

We need to keep in mind that Doris is only responsible for cleaning most of the rooms and Sanctuary once a week. Only the Pre-school area is cleaned daily. As most areas of the church are used several times each week we all need to work together to keep our facilities presentable throughout the week. Little things like taking your bulletin and other material with you when you leave your pew on Sunday, picking up and disposing of trash you see and, especially, be careful about food dropped on the carpet. We will be having the carpets in the East Room and Sanctuary cleaned in November and are asking everyone to be careful about dropped food and drink.

PRAYER CONCERNS

Missionary Mike Haninger, treatment for lymphoma.
Dot Roberts, recovering Orange County Nursing Home
Barbara Packard.
Art Mullings & wife Marylin, Parkinson’s, uncle of Teresa Maldonado.
Rachel Gibson.

Coffee Hour

Volunteers are needed to host “Coffee Hour” after our worship service on Sundays. Please use the sign-up sheet in the East Room or call Dottie Tysinger (672-0105) to schedule a Sunday.

Thanks in advance for helping to continue this important time of fellowship .

Session Meeting Highlights

November Worship Helpers
November	Nursery	Greeters
5	Winnie Higgins	Bugs & Elaine Gardner
12	Linda Hogan	Crawford & Liz Harmon
19	Fedie McClung	Fred & Winifred Higgins
26	Sandra McLeod	The Hogan family
If you are unable to help on the day assigned, you are expected to obtain your own substitute and call the church office so that the correct information will appear in the Bulletin each Sunday. If you are unable to serve on your scheduled Sunday, please secure your own substitute. Thank you for sharing in our common ministry.

ORANGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Rev. Dr. Denise Hall, Pastor
Karen Seale, Parish Administrator

CHURCH OFFICE INFORMATION
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Phone: (540) 672-4240
Web Address: http://www.OrangePC.org
E-mail: OPC@orangepc.org

Presbyterian Perspectives
is published by the Orange Presbyterian Church, 162 W. Main St., Orange, VA 22960. Send snail-mail address changes to Presbyterian Perspectives, 162 W. Main St., Orange, VA 22960. Send email address changes and additions to OPC@orangepc.org