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This is a newsletter for all of the women of the church who are automatically members of Presbyterian Women.

March, 2019
2018-2019 PW Scriptural Theme
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
-Philippians 4:4

Join Us for the Annual PW Retreat!
The annual Presbyterian Women’s Retreat is almost here. Sign up now for this wonderful weekend of fun, fellowship, study, and relaxation to be held April 26-28 at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, N.C.  It is a wonderful time to reconnect with your FPC friends and spend quality time learning from our amazing retreat leader this year, the Reverend Anna Rainey Dickson. Anna grew up here at First Presbyterian Church and is very excited to be leading our women’s retreat.  Anna's topic for the weekend is "Forgiveness: Seeking Wholeness in a Broken World." 
Or get a registration form/information sheet on Sunday mornings in the Historical Lobby through March 10.
Deadline to sign up is March 15.
THE SPARKLE PARTY IS BACK!

On Sunday, May 5, 2-5 pm, all are invited to the Presbyterian Women annual jewelry sale at the home of Mary Margaret Porter. The Sparkle Party sale supports BELL, the summer academic enrichment program, and Camp Grier. However, before we party, we need you to donate some sparkle. Lightly used jewelry, accessories, scarves, and bags will be accepted April 1-20 at the church reception desk area. So start going through your accessories now for items that you know someone else would love! Organized by PW Circle 14, this event is for everyone. (Dads, it’s a great place to bring the kids to pick up a last-minute Mother’s Day gift.)
INVITING ALL NEW PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN
There will be a New Member Coffee on Sunday, March 17, at 10:00 am, in the Lemma Howerton Room. PW realized that having just one New Member Coffee a year may result in a long wait for some new members, so we are going to add a spring coffee in addition to the fall one. Please join us for coffee and to welcome all new members to the church and spread the word about all things FPC & -- Circles, Retreat, and all our special events during the year. The more the merrier!
For further information, contact Diane Carey, New Member Chair, at [email protected] .

New Member Coffee
Sunday, March 17, 10-10:45 am
Lemma Howerton Room (main floor S-202) .
PW NOTECARD & PRINT SALES

Our Lucy Caldwell notecard and print sales to benefit our benevolences are a huge success! To date, from these sales, we will be able to add to our benevolence budget an extra $1,618 to benefit those agencies that help women and children. This is fantastic. We have a handful of prints left and some notecards so let's try to sell these last few and hopefully hit $2000 plus monies for benevolences. If so, this would bring our benevolence budget to $8000.
Please contact Jane Ives at [email protected] if you would like
to purchase:
Notecards (set of 10) - $15
8x10 print (on watercolor paper) $25
PW BENEVOLENCE GRANTS
Presbyterian Women is now considering annual grant applications for its Benevolence Fund. Please let any agency or organization that you may know that the application window is open. Preference is given to agencies working to break the cycles of poverty, illiteracy and inferior education, violence, and crime, particularly as these issues have a heavy impact on women and children. Application deadline is March 15, and grants will be disbursed in May. If you know of an agency in need, send them this link: http://bit.ly/BenevolenceApplication
or request an application from Cynthia Buck, Benevolence Chair, at [email protected] .



EVENING OF LOVE AND LAUGHTER!

The Sharon Towers Valentines Party was held on February 12 in Hunter Hall to a packed crowd of about 100 people. It was a wonderful evening of fellowship, fabulous homemade cookies, tasty punch, music, and fun for all.

Thanks to Cindy McDowell and Page Rogers for their fabulous planning of the event and to Melanie Twyne for her beautiful piano playing. Also, a special shout out to Circle #14 for spending the evening at the party to visit and help where needed, in addition to so many others who were there to assist with this joy-filled evening. 
SPOTLIGHT ON CIRCLE 11
Circle #11 is a “Fellowship Circle” that meets on the first Thursday of each month from about 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Each month a different member hosts the Circle at her house. The focus is fellowship and being with one another. It is such a welcoming group and a great time to get to know other women better. This is a group that you may want to become a part of in addition to your regular Bible study Circle. Everyone is welcome anytime! A little food, fun, and lots of fellowship!

CIRCLE 13 SPOTLIGHT
Circle # 13 is one of our largest groups and growing every day! So much, that they now meet in Sharon Towers City View Room on first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. They outgrew their homes! They are a combo circle with fellowship and Bible study. Also, they sponsor two Haitian children through Word of God Ministries. For info, contact Kitty Ray@ [email protected] .
ADVENT COMMUNION SERVICE AND LUNCHEON

The Advent Communion Service and Luncheon this past December was an amazing time to reflect on the upcoming Advent Season and then to share the joy of the season with our friends over a fabulous festive lunch. 
the Reverend Katherine Kerr, our featured Communion Service pastor, told a wonderful and inspirational story of her pastoral stole that we were all talking about after the service.  You can see her tell this story again on the church website.

After our delicious lunch, we had a lot of laughs with a grab-bag giveaway of PW notecards, cookbooks, and other Christmas goodies, while we enjoyed our Christmas playlist in the background.
Thanks, all who came, and see you next year! 
MODERATOR'S MESSAGE

Spring is upon us, bringing new and exciting events for the women of First Presbyterian. I hope that everyone has found a joy-filled community in PW this year! It would indeed be joyful to see everyone at this year’s retreat to enjoy fellowship, fun, the mountain air, and listen to Reverend Anna Rainey Dickson as our retreat leader. It has been a wonderful year for me as PW Moderator, and it will be great to spend the weekend with each of you at the retreat. 

Thanks for the joy and love you all have given me this year!

Blessings to you all,
Jane Ives
PW Moderator

 
SAVE THESE DATES:
Sunday, March 17, 10:00 am -- New Member Coffee, Lemma Howerton
Friday – Sunday, April 26-28 -- Women’s Retreat, Kanuga, Hendersonville Sunday, May 5, 2-5 pm            -- Sparkle Party for Summer Camps @ home of Mary Margaret Porter, 1910 Beverly Drive
Thursday, May 9, 5:30 pm  -- PW Birthday Dinner, Wood Fellowship Hall      

STAY CONNECTED
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