JONI AND FRIENDS ANNUAL BARNYARD DANCE: Join us on this Saturday, October 27, from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at the home of Michael and Myra Penn, 1141 Midway Road, Lena, MS. Help Joni and Friends serve and fellowship with our friends in the disability community. Dinner is provided, but donations are welcomed. Enjoy a family day on the farm with us! For more information, contact Martie Kwasny (601-594-0148).
Sermons on your podcast app or on the website
To listen to recent sermons, search Pear Orchard in your podcast app, or visit www.pearorchard.org/sermons.
POPC Cookbook
We are so excited about the POPC Cookbook and we need your favorite recipes! Here are a few things to consider:
It does not need to be your original recipe. It can come from other sources including other cookbooks. Just include a few of your favorite recipes you enjoy cooking!
Recipes from men: If any men have any favorite recipes they enjoy cooking/grilling, we are definitely accepting recipes from men as well!
Kids Can Cook: We will be including a section of easy to cook food/kid friendly food (“Kids Can Cook”). We welcome this type of recipe in addition to the other recipes you enjoy!
Forms are located around the church and online: You may find forms in the sanctuary foyer, the parlor, Liz Taylor’s box, and Sunday School clipboards. You may also download a form/instructions at https://buff.ly/2QsJR4F. The online form can be typed in, if that is easier than writing your recipe out! You may email your completed forms to ltaylor@pearorchard.org.
Forms are due by November 4 – please place them in Linda Morris’s box or hand them to Megan Adcock, Jan Johnson, Linda Morris, or Liz Taylor. You may also e-mail forms to ltaylor@pearorchard.org.
If you have any other questions, feel free to send us an e-mail at ltaylor@pearorchard.org.
New campus signage
Very soon you will see new campus signs on Pear Orchard Road, the North Park Drive entrance, and internal driveway directional signs. The church family is deeply grateful to our own Christ Covenant School ministry for their most gracious gift of paying for this wonderful campus improvement entirely from resources that they have given to fund this upgrade.
The School Board approached the church officers with this gracious proposal and the church has humbly accepted this generous gift that will benefit the whole campus for many years to come. Please join in giving thanks to the Lord for providing the resources and the heart to do so through CCS!
Staff Spotlight: Dr. John Kwasny
Dr. John Kwasny is Director of Christian Education and Children’s Ministries here at POPC! He is also the Director of One Story Ministries, authoring curriculum for children and youth for use in the church, home, and school. He and his wife Martie have eight children. He grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago. Some things he enjoys are reading, writing, TV series binge-watching, and watching college sports.
Meet our new Covenant Choir director!
Grace Anna Lane is originally from outside of Atlanta, though she now considers Jackson to be her home. After graduating in 2015 from Belhaven University with a degree in Music Performance, Grace Anna has performed with the Mississippi Opera and teaches voice lessons. She and her husband, John, and daughter, Lilly, live on campus at Reformed Theological Seminary where her husband is a student. In addition to music, Grace Anna also enjoys blogging, running, and being silly with her toddler.
Wednesday Night Ministries
Wednesday Night Ministries have begun! It's not too late to join! This fall, while Children's Catechism (4 yrs. - 6th grade) and Youth Group (7th-12th grades) are meeting, there are several options for adults. The ladies will be studying In All Things – A Study of Philippians, by Melissa Kruger, and the men will be studying Tim Witmer’s book, The Shepherd Leader at Home. Pastor Carl will be teaching an Inquirers Class which will begin on September 19. The Sonbeams adult Bible study will be on the gospel of John, and the Sanctuary Choir rehearses each Wednesday night. As always, dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. and ministries are from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Please note that registration is required for meals and nursery (click here to register).
Moses' Basket Connect 4 - Respite night for foster families
Moses' Basket will host our last Connect 4 (respite for foster families) on Saturday, Sept . 22, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Foster families are registered for this event, and we cannot do it without our faithful volunteers. Email mosesbasket@pearorchard.org to volunteer or register a foster family. This is a wonderful way for us to reach out to the community and serve foster families. The Moses' Basket team continues to be thankful for all the ways you have partnered with us. Thank you to everyone who donated baby items, gifts for Ukrainian orphans, and mone y to the ministry during VBS!
Join us for Wednesday Night Ministries, starting up tonight!
There are opportunities for all ages on Wednesday nights! Dinner is served in the cafeteria from 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. followed by classes which start at 6:30 pm. Dinner cost is $5/person, $15 max per family. To register, please visit our Wednesday Night Ministries page.
Women will meet in the parlor for the Philippians Bible Study using Melissa Kruger's book, In All Things from 6:15-7:30 pm. Register by e-mailing thaynes@pearorchard.org.
Men will study the book The Shepherd Leader at Home by Timothy Witmer.
Sonbeams Adult Bible Study - A special needs Bible Study led by the Sonbeams team will also meet Wednesday evenings. View the flyer for details.
Margaret Sprow will lead the Sanctuary Choir rehearsal from 6:30-7:30 in room 138 in the Education Building. If you're interested in joining choir, email margaret@pearorchard.org, or come to rehearsal tonight!
Youth Bible studies (Rendezvous) for 7th – 12th graders meets in the Multi-Purpose building.
Children’s Catechism Class – Children 4 years to 6th grade will be taught the truths from Catechism questions, which meets in the Multi-Purpose building from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Nursery: For our youngest, a nursery is offered for infants-3 years old. To register, please visit our Wednesday Night Ministries page.
Pastor Carl will be teaching an Inquirers' Class which will begin on September 19 in Room 127. Please call Jan Duran in the church office and let her know if you plan to attend and if you will have childcare needs.
Team Access
Attention, all 5th-12th graders! We would love to have you join Sonbeam's Team Access. Team Access is the youth branch of the disability ministry. Current members must fill out a new application. Applications are available in the foyer of sanctuary and in youth building and should be turned in by September 2. Please contact Ford or Nicole Franklin for more information. Nicole’s number is 713-906-7247.
Wednesday Night Ministries begin August 29!
There are opportunities for all ages on Wednesday nights! Dinner is served in the cafeteria from 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. followed by classes which start at 6:30 pm. Dinner cost is $5/person, $15 max per family. To register, please visit our Wednesday Night Ministries page.
Women will meet in the parlor for the Philippians Bible Study using Melissa Kruger's book, In All Things from 6:15-7:30 pm. Register by e-mailing thaynes@pearorchard.org.
Men will study the book The Shepherd Leader at Home by Timothy Witmer.
Sonbeams Adult Bible Study - A special needs Bible Study led by the Sonbeams team will also meet Wednesday evenings. View the flyer for details.
Youth Bible studies (Rendezvous) for 7th – 12th graders meets in the Multi-Purpose building.
Children’s Catechism Class – Children 4 years to 6th grade will be taught the truths from Catechism questions, which meets in the Multi-Purpose building from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Nursery: For our youngest, a nursery is offered for infants-3 years old. To register, please visit our Wednesday Night Ministries page.
Children's Choirs
Children's Choirs begin September 16. To learn more, click here!
Circles
Tabitha Circle will meet this Tuesday, August 14 at 10:00 a.m. in the home of Tammie Haynes (414 Berkshire Drive, Ridgeland; 601 - 966 - 6547) . Ruth Circle will also meet this Tuesday, August 14, at 6:30 p.m. in the home of Maggie Ethridge (701 Madeira Court , Madison; 601 - 668 - 5812). Those attending should let Amy Hatchett know by emailing to amy@hatchettfamily.net.
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Ladies' Luncheon
We will have our annual fall luncheon on next Sunday, August 19, from 12 noon until 2:00 p.m. in the Multi - Purpose Building. Please join us for fellowship, food, and a time to hear about opportunities for spiritual growth and ways to serve our church body and the community.
Mission First VBS
On June 11 - 14, a group from POPC will once again be going to Mission First (which now includes Neighborhood Christian Center) to host a Vacation Bible School. The VBS will offer Bible lessons, crafts, music, and recreation, as well as opportunities to build lasting relationships with the children and staff and volunteers at Mission First. VBS will be fr om 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. each day. If you are interested in being a part of this team, donating money for snacks, or have questions, please contact Susan McCullouch (susanbmcc@gmail.com) or Frances Wilson (flcwilson4@gmail.com).
Missions Monday: Center for Pregnancy Choices
POPC supports Center for Pregnancy Choices! The Center for Pregnancy Choices provides a variety of free and confidential services including pregnancy tests, information about abortion and alternatives, pregnancy & fetal development information, free limited sonograms, maternity and baby clothes, classes on fertility appreciation, parenting education, post-abortion counseling, and support groups.
Please keep Center for Pregnancy Choices in your prayers!
Installation service for Dean/reception for the Williams family Sunday night, May 27
Next Sunday evening, May 27, We will host an installation service overseen by the Presbytery of the Mississippi Valley during evening worship, to officially install Pastor Dean as our Associate Pastor. The time will be at our normal 6:00 p.m. hour in the sanctuary. Please join your church body for this exceedingly important time in the life of our church. Immediately following the service, we will hold a dessert reception in the Multi-Purpose Building for Dean and Dorothy. We will be showering them with gift cards at the reception! We are asking that you bring a gift card or two to area stores and restaurants which they may use at their leisure as they settle in to MS. If you are not able to be present that night you may drop off your gift with any staff member or with Jan in the church office.
Your mission teams need your support!
In less than a month, POPC will be sending out two mission teams: 26 youth and chaperones will be traveling to the Yakama Indian Reservation in Washington, and 13 adults and youth will be traveling to Trujillo, Peru. Please be praying for the Lord to work in and through these teams. They also need you to send them financially: the Peru team has raised approximately $15,000 of the $30,000 needed, and the Yakama team has raised approximately $21,000 of the $34,000 needed. If you would like to support either of these teams and their work, please do so in the next two weeks. If you have already contributed toward these trips, thank you for your generosity! Our confidence is that Jesus is building His church around the globe, and as we go to make disciples at home and abroad, we go in His strength and provision. What a privilege for each one of us to participate in His mission, working for the joy of the lost and the found!
Missions Monday: RUF
POPC supports Reformed University Fellowship. More than just a ministry on the university campus, RUF seeks to be a ministry for the university. Campus ministers strive to serve in this unique stage of a student’s life in the world they live in, exploring together how the Lordship of Christ informs every area of life. POPC supports RUF on the campuses of Ole Miss, MSU, USM, JSU, Delta State, Belhaven and MC.
Campus Ministers:
Ole Miss: Brian Sorgenfrei
MSU: Elliott Everitt
USM: Ben Shaw
JSU: Cyril Chavis, Tre and Karlin Brooks (interns)
Delta State: Ro Taylor
Belhaven University: Seth Starkey
Mississippi College: Jeff Jordan
Please keep this wonderful ministry in your prayers!
Missions Monday: John & Cathy Rug in Chile
The Rugs have served as church planters in Chile since 1986. They have worked with Vina del Mar Church planting effort, applying the gospel to some of Chile's "disposable" people such as the blind. They also minister through a resource center for the disabled, the CEMPIRE project.
Please pray for these missionaries!