PILGRIM?S PROGRESS
PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
October 2005
Parson to Persons: Family Dinner Night Worth Doing – Even Late!
Unfortunately, I missed informing you on these pages of the second annual "Family Dinner Night" sponsored by the Duxbury Interfaith Council.
It actually was on Monday night, September 26th, just days before you receive this newsletter. The first one that DIC sponsored was last January right after that horrendous snowstorm that closed down all of Eastern Massachusetts. Even though we missed the "official" date this time, I would suggest that you find your own time to have your own family dinner night. It is worth doing.
The concept was conceived four years ago by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, emphasizing the importance of having regular family activities and promoting parental engagement as an effective way to reduce substance abuse by children and teens.
Research over the past 10 years has consistently shown that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they will smoke, drink, or use illegal drugs. That seems hard to believe, but it’s true. A survey conducted in 2004 found that teens from families that hardly ever eat dinner together were 72% more likely than the average teen to use illegal drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. What really got my attention in this same survey was that in families that almost always eat dinner together, teens in these families were 31% less likely than the average teen to engage in such activity. 72% more likely – 31% less likely – these are staggering statistics.
Frequent family dining is also correlated with lower risk of thoughts of suicide and having sex at younger ages, fewer fights in school, and greater chance of doing well in school. Apparently these patterns hold true regardless of family structure or socioeconomic level.
Actually, rather than picking one date to have a family dinner night, why not try to make this happen on a more regular basis? I know that within many families, various schedules are horrendous, but as we can see, the benefits are worthwhile. Good if we can start having family dinners when the children are young. Try turning off the TV and letting your answering machine answer calls during dinnertime. Start every meal with a short grace; maybe different family members can take turns saying it. Talk about the day’s activities, and give everyone a chance to speak. Keep the conversation positive; make the mealtime a highlight of the day.
It’s not easy for parents to bring up children these days. And the older children get, the harder it is to maintain a sense of family cohesiveness. Having family dinner night on a regular basis is a goal worth striving for, in that it will help our children and us as parents immeasurably. This is also one more way that we seek to live as Jesus taught. I will continue to pray for all our members, and especially our families as we all struggle to do God’s will. Our job as parents is the most important one we will ever have.
Shalom,
Ken
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P.S. Thanks to all of you who have responded in so many ways to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. We had a tremendous response from church folks and community members on Sunday, Sept. 18th. At the last minute, we pulled together a drive to get children’s clothing and toys for a group recommended by our UCC State Conference office, Cradles to Crayons. They were forwarding the items down to the Gulf Coast. We collected two dump truck loads plus a couple of cars packed to the brim, and brought them up to Quincy the next day. It was a very satisfying effort, and thanks to many Pilgrim people for making it happen.
In addition to this hands-on effort (and others in the works, described in Lynne Wolfe’s column elsewhere in this newsletter), please know that financial gifts are still very much needed. You may send a check made out to Pilgrim Church with Hurricane Relief in the corner, or send checks to the Red Cross or other charities of your choice. We all need to help in whatever ways we can.
New Members’ Class Rescheduled for Nov. 12th
We were unable to hold a New Members’ Orientation in August as planned, because too many folks had late summer conflicts. So, if you are interested in formally joining with Pilgrim Church, mark the date of Saturday, November 12th on your calendar. From 9:00 AM until 12:30 noon, we will get together in the Vestry and Parlor to explore together what membership means, get to meet others in the church, and enjoy a light lunch.A formal letter of invitation will be sent out later this month. If you want to be sure you’re on the list to receive one, just call the Church Office.
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Responding to Our Neighbor’s Needs
Pilgrims Begin Planning Hurricane Katrina Long-Term Assistance
While so many of you were very busy with our first "hands-on" response to Hurricane Katrina, our very successful drive for Cradles to Crayons mentioned elsewhere in this issue, a group was meeting in the Swanson Library to begin planning our longer term response to our neighbor’s needs.
Marlene Biffar, Anne White, and Lisa Williams agreed to organize and lead our long-term effort to identify a "sister church" in need along the Katrina ravaged southern coast, gain church commitment to such a program, determine how we can help, and organize our church’s response. The United Church of Christ is expected to soon be ready to help with such matches (we have notified them of our interest), Eloise and her friend Ginger (a UCC pastor in Marshfield) have former classmates with churches in the area, and other parishioners also have contacts. Our sister church could be one actively involved in the support of its distressed neighbors, or a church that has been destroyed and needs help rebuilding. We would help the sister church serve individuals and also help our sister congregation as a whole in whatever ways we can – contributing our dollars, our gifts, and our hands. While we would expect most of the services needed would be in the gulf area, if any of the church’s parishioners were interested in relocating to Massachusetts, we could even help make this happen. We seek a sister church which wants to make a difference in its community and welcomes our help making that happen.
We expect that, as time goes on, all of our Katrina related volunteer activities will fit under the sister church umbrella ¼ but, we don’t want to wait to begin. Church members have volunteered to lead/organize the following additional actions under a variety of disaster relief organization auspices:
Many organizations, including Church World Services, have identified "kits" for such things as clean-up, sewing, layettes, toiletries, and school supplies. Items in the kits are donated and then assembled by interested groups (you can see Bev’s pictures in the vestry of folks assembling the school kits we helped provision for world wide mission a few months ago). Diane Cederberg and Katie Auer signed up to help organize Youth Outreach kit creation activities. Peggy Files signed up to help organize others.
We have observed that many local organizations and individuals in the community are anxious to get involved and help, but don’t know how to begin. Lindsay Auer and Carolyn Walsh have volunteered to serve as a resource for community organizations and Marlene Biffar will help individuals identify ways to contribute their talents to disaster relief efforts.
Chris Blake and Lisa Williams, the chair of our parish nursing committee and our parish nurse, respectively, have volunteered to help organize a medical team to go to the ravaged area under the auspices of one of the major disaster-recovery organizations. They seek MDs (internal medicine or family practice), nurse practitioners, nurses and medical social workers. If you would like to be part of the team, contact Chris Blake (781/934-2356 or famtherapist@earthlink.net).
Some families in the church and the community have expressed their willingness to accept families in their homes and help them resettle in the area. To do this requires identifying families who would like to resettle so far from home, and the confidence our church community will help support the families undertaking such major efforts. Deb Jewell and Lindsay Auer will continue to investigate this opportunity to help people begin new lives.
If you are interested in participating in any of these efforts, please contact the leaders noted above. We have adopted a church vision statement that says we, as a church, will take a step forward in our efforts seeking to live as Jesus taught. We have identified loving our neighbors as ourselves as an area of focus, and remembered Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan when asked to define our neighbors.
If you know you want to be involved in living our church’s mission statement, but aren’t sure how, please call to discuss how you might use your gifts to do God’s work.
Faithfully,
Lynne Devnew Wolfe, Volunteer Coordinator
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FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR…
SAVE THE DATE! Our third annual Messiah-Sing will take place on November 20th at 4:00 P.M. Some very exciting changes are "in-the-works" and you do not want to miss
it. An announcement will be made soon in regard to chorus rehearsals. This is NOT just a Senior Choir endeavor. Any one from the congregation and surrounding communities are welcome to sing with the chorus. The only requirements are attendance at rehearsals and the ability to read music and sing in tune.
Other news in the music program: The Pilgrim Ringers, Junior and Senior Choirs have already begun rehearsing and the Teen Choir is set to begin very soon. All four groups are anxious for new members. Please do consider joining the group that interests you. You will be warmly welcomed. Cathy M.
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Saturday Night Five
Please join us on October 8th as we celebrate World Communion Day. We will meet in the vestry and sit round tables and celebrate Communion as they did in New Testament times. We hope you can join us for this special service. On October 22nd, we will have our Stewardship service, "Expressing Our Love for God Through Time, Talents and Money". If you would like to participate in these or any of the Saturday Services, please call the Church office. Come worship with us.
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PILGRIM WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP
~These are the current, active Pilgrim Women's Fellowship Circles; each offers an excellent opportunity for fellowship and fun, and are open to anyone with an interest in participating!
Women In Stitches meets - Last Friday of the month, 12-1:30PM; contact June Lippard 781-934-9268
Lunch Out meets - 3rd Tuesday of the month, 12:00PM; contact Lilly Cleveland 781-934-1519
Ladies Bible Study meets - each Thurs.(except first Thurs. of the month), 9-10:30AM; contact Sarah Beatie 781-934-2646
Scrapbooking meets - 1st Sunday of the month, 7-9PM; contact Dawn Backlund 781-934-0764
Bookworms meets - 4th Tuesday of the month, 1:30PM; contact Barbara Kennedy 582-0072
Bridge meets - 1st Wed. of the month, 12:30PM; contact Betts McGill 781-585-6020
e.Vestors meets - 4th Wed.of the month, 12:30-2:00PM; contact Barbara Kelley 934-2620
Koinonia meets - 2nd Monday of the month, 7:00 PM; contact Elaine Guilfoyle 781-934-9648
Pilgrim Investors meets 2nd Monday of the month, 7:00 PM; contact Donna Wood 934-2000
Great Expectations begins Jan. ’06; contact Leah Cotton 834-4995
All are welcome!
If you would like additional information about any of the above circles, please feel free to contact the head of that circle, or,Circle Coordinator - Connie Masinda- 781-585-5250
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Bookworms
Bookworms will be meeting on the fourth Tuesday of the month (Oct. 25th), in the church library. We will decide at the September meeting what we will be reading at that time. Book will be announced later. All are most welcome, and we hope to see you then.
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Koinonia
Because of the Columbus Day weekend, Koinonia will meet the third Monday in October, which is the 17th, at 7:00 PM. Joan Walkey will be our hostess. For directions, call Joan at 781-934-5688.
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Wine & Cheese Party
Please join us at Terri Clark’s home for the next PWF meeting on October 5th, from 7-9 PM, for a wine and cheese party following a brief presentation by the program chairpersons of plans for the coming year. This will replace our regular October board meeting.
~ All women of Pilgrim Church are most welcome – hope to see you there! ~
Call Terri @ 781-585-0596 if you have any questions, or if you need directions.
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… Ladies’ Bible Study
The Ladies Bible Study group is in need of a DVD player this fall for their current study. If you can loan or donate one, please contact Sarah Beattie at 781.934.2646. Thanks!
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Looking for Fellowship Volunteers
-Another reminder that Pilgrim Women’s Fellowship is always looking for volunteers to host the coffee fellowship time after Sunday’s services. Thanks to our wonderful coffee system, it’s very, very easy (no measuring, -just the push of a button!), doesn’t take much time, and most importantly, it’s really a wonderful way to experience - and add to - the fellowship of Pilgrim Church.
If you’ve never volunteered before, or have done it many times, please consider adding your name to the sign up sheet in the vestry, and someone will contact you to find a week that works well for you.
-Thank you!-
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MEDICAL TEAM NEEDED
The Parish Nurse Committee is seeking to form a medical team to work with the Samaritan’s Purse organization in the Southeast. If you are currently licensed and would like to be a part of a medical team, the need is urgent. We are looking for:
Please contact the Church Office or Chris Blake (781-934-2356) ASAP
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STOO FAC
Did you know that by being a member of Pilgrim Church, you have responsibilities? From the Bylaws (rev. 2004), Article III Membership, Section 2: "Members shall pledge themselves … to attend regular worship; to live the Christian life; to share in the life and work of the church; to contribute to its support …" (quoted in part; emphasis added)
Did you know that our contribution to outreach continues to be one of the most generous in the Massachusetts Conference UCC?
The Stewardship Committee
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OFFICE REMINDER:
Items for the bulletin and newsletter can be submitted by e-mail to the church office @ pilgrimchurchsecretary@pilgrimchurchofduxbury.org. Deadline for bulletin items is by 9 AM Thursday morning and for the November Newsletter by Saturday, October 15th. Questions? Call the church office @ 934-6591.
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Legacy of Love
On Sunday, October 30th, Andy Gustofson from the Massachusetts Conference of the UCC, will be preaching. In his sermon entitled "Legacy of Love", he will talk about Christian responsibility regarding end of life issues and focus on our individual legacies. During the coffee hour following church, the Pilgrim Church Endowment Committee will host a panel discussion on end of life issues. The panel will include Andy Gustofson, our parish nurse, Lisa Williams, and a representative of our Stephen Ministry team.
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PILGRIM CHILD CARE AND PRESCHOOL
If you are interested in enrollment for this year or next year, please contact the program director at 781-934-8145, extension 1#
The PCCP is also looking for grandparents of our students who might be interested in coming to read a child story to our preschool classes on pre-scheduled days over the upcoming year. We will provide the book and a comfortable chair. Call the director if you are interested.
Regards,
Michelle L. Manganaro, M.Ed Director / PO Box 121/Duxbury, MA 02331
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Don’t forget to set your clocks back – Daylight Saving ends on Sunday, Oct. 30th !
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Christian Education Corner
The new Rotation Model of Sunday School is underway! If you haven’t seen the classrooms yet, please take a chance to do so. Over 50 adults and young people spent countless hours cleaning and painting and fixing things so that the rooms could be ready for this new way of Sunday School. It is going to be an exciting year! At the end of our first rotation unit of Esther, we will celebrate the FESTIVAL OF PURIM. This is the festival celebrated every year to commemorate what Queen Esther did for her people. What? You don’t know what she did? Well come and learn about it at the festival. People dress up and retell the story of Esther. Part of Purim also involves helping people who are less fortunate than you, so we will be raising money to support the children’s various mission projects during the festival. Plan to attend the festival on Sunday October 16th after Church. See you there!!
You will notice that we are not having as many "all in Church" Sundays. The CE Board discussed this and we feel that it disrupts in the flow of Church School. It is no longer automatic that the children will stay in Church on a long weekend.
Kid’s Klub*Kid’s Klub-4th, 5th and 6th graders will meet on October 30th from 2-4 in the vestry. We will have a fun fall afternoon. Come and bring a friend!
JYF*JYF*JYF-welcomes all 7th & 8th graders to our first meeting on Friday, October 14th at 7:00pm in the Vestry at Pilgrim Church. Throughout the year we will be meeting twice 1-2x’s month, and go out on group excursions (like trips to Celtics games, Simon IMAX, and more). JYF is intended to be a social and learning time for middle school students to enjoy time together and discover Christ's personal plan for them. A typical Friday JYF will include a meal together, an engaging group activity (game or sport), and short (10-15 minute) message at the end. When we go out – it’s just all play.
Current schedule:
Friday, October 14th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm, JYF includes dinner (pizza & make your own sundaes), meet in Vestry.
Friday, November 4th, 6:00pm - 11:30pm, Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons, Boston Garden. We have 15 tickets - the first tickets will be offered to students at the October 14th JYF, then first come, first served. Meet at the church parking lot @ 6:00pm.
Friday, November 18th, 7:00pm - 9:00pm, JYF includes dinner (Chinese & chocolate cake), meet in the Vestry.
Friday, December 2nd, 6:00pm - 11:30pm, Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls, Boston Garden. We have 15 tickets - the first tickets will be offered to students at the November 18th JYF, then first come, first served. Meet at the church parking lot @ 6:00pm.
Friday, December 16th, JYF (option to go to Simon IMAX if there is a good Christmas movie) includes dinner (Mexican food, tacos, etc) and Yankee swap, meet in the Vestry.
Questions: Email or call Marc Beattie (or Sarah)
sbeattie@adelphia.net, 781-934-2646.SYF*SYF*SYF- it’s back!! Open to all High Schoolers, it will meet every other Monday, and is once again led by Bill Farquharson; so come and check it out!! Look for information in upcoming Sunday bulletins.
Confirmation- Don’t forget the Lock-in on Friday October 28th. We’ll start at 7PM on Friday night and finish on 7AM Saturday morning. If you have not received a letter about Confirmation and you are planning to be a part of the Confirmation class, please contact me at the Church Office.
Peace and Grace,
Rev. Eloise
PLEASE NOTE
! –With all the wonderful changes to our Church School, we are in need of Joann’s Fabrics, or Michaels’ Crafts gift certificates. If you would like to purchase one towards the Church School effort, it would be very much appreciated!!!
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A Note of Thanks……
The Lizza family, myself, Fred, Marissa and Jessica,would like to thank our church family and friends for all their prayers, good thoughts, and well wishes. Since the end of February we have been dealing with my inability to prepare meals and drive as well as generally be much help. All our deepest appreciation and heart felt love goes out for the wonderful meals we received, the kind visits and much needed driving to appointments, and the many cards and flowers that brought smiles to my face. An incident like this one reminds us what a very special place Pilgrim Church is and how lucky our family is to have this church, its ministers and the body of members to share in our love of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Dear Members of Pilgrim Church:
Our congregation has a group of people skilled in caring for those facing challenges in their lives. These people, called Stephen Ministers, have undergone extensive training to develop and nurture their caring skills.
Who might receive care from a Stephen Minister? Care receivers may be hospitalized, grieving the death of a loved one, separated or divorcing, homebound, unemployed, adjusting to the birth of a child, or otherwise experiencing difficulties.
Please feel free to call Lee Tenney with questions – 934-2596.
PARISH POST
Prayers of Healing - Larry Anderson - Connie Milligan – Helen DeWolf – Juanita Costello – Henry Bostder – Steve Turrell
Prayers of Joy
For the birth of Hannah Elisabeth, daughter of Laurie and Joe Wanner.
OCTOBER CALENDAR
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Oct. 2nd 9:00 AM Junior Choir
10:00 AM Worship-Communion
11:30 AM "Purpose Driven Life" Study Group
7:00 PM Scrapbooking Circle
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Oct. 3rd 6:30 PM Stephen Ministers
7:00 PM Senior Youth Fellowship
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Oct. 4th 7:00 PM Outreach Committee
7:30 Board of Deacons
7:30 PM Board of Music
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Oct. 5th 7:00 AM Seekers
10:00 AM Bible Study
12:30 PM Bridge
7:00 PM Pilgrim Ringers
7:00 PM PWF Wine & Cheese Party/Mtg. at Terri Clark’s home
7:30 PM Bible Study
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Oct. 6th 7:30 PM Senior Choir
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Oct. 8th 5:00 PM Saturday Night Service – World Communion-in vestry
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Oct. 9th 10:00 AM Worship – Peggy Files preaching
11:15 AM Junior Choir
11:30 AM "Purpose Driven Life" Study Group
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Oct. 10th 7:30 PM PCCP Committee
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Oct. 11th 7:00 PM Christian Ed. Committee
7:30 PM Board of Trustees
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Oct. 12th 7:00 AM Seekers
10:00 AM Bible Study
7:00 PM Pilgrim Ringers
7:30 PM Bible Study
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Oct. 13th 9:00 AM Ladies’ Bible Study
7:00 PM Stewardship
7:30 PM Senior Choir
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Oct. 14th -Council Minutes Due-AM-
7:00 PM Junior Youth Fellowship
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Oct. 15th –NOV. NEWSLETTER DEADLINE-
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Oct. 16th 9:00 AM Junior Choir
10:00 AM Worship
Purim Festival following service
11:30 AM "Purpose Driven Life" Study Group
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Oct. 17th 6:30 Stephen Ministers
7:00 PM Koinonia @ Joan Walkey’s home
7:00 PM Senior Youth Fellowship
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Oct. 18th 7:30 PM Council Meeting
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Oct. 19th 7:00 AM Seekers
10:00 AM Bible Study
7:00 PM Pilgrim Ringers
7:30 PM Bible Study
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Oct. 20th 9:00 AM Ladies’ Bible Study
7:30 PM Senior Choir
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Oct. 22nd 5:00 PM Saturday Night Service
"Expressing Our Love for God Through Time, Talents, and Money"
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Oct. 23rd 10:00 AM Worship – Stewardship Sunday-Brunch following service
11:15 AM Junior Choir
11:30 AM "Purpose Driven Life" Study Group
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Oct. 25th 1:30 PM Bookworms
7:45 PM Strategic Planning
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Oct. 26th 7:00 AM Seekers
10:00 AM Bible Study
12:30 PM eVestors
7:00 PM Pilgrim Ringers
7:30 PM Bible Study
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Oct. 27th 9:00 AM Ladies’ Bible Study
7:30 PM Senior Choir
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Oct. 28th 12:00 PM Women in Stitches - Library/Conference Room
7:00 PM Confirmand "Lock-In" begins
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Oct. 29th 7:00 AM End of "Lock-In"
***Daylight Savings Tomorrow***
Turn Clocks back 1 Hour!
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Oct. 30th 9:00 AM Junior Choir
10:00 AM Worship-A Gusftason speaking; End of Life Discussion Panel following service
11:30 AM "Purpose Driven Life"
2:00 PM Kids Klub
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