|
|
Worship Services
9:00 & 10:30 AM Sundays
Phone: (360) 694-7549
|
|
The Columbia Weekly
September 30, 2021
|
|
A Message from Pastor Matt |
|
Columbia Friends,
Exciting news is in the air! Just last week we received approval from the Presbytery of the Cascades to move forward with forming a Pastor Nominating Committee. Our Communications Team let the congregation know this last Sunday in worship. This means we can begin to form (and take nominations) for the Pastor Nominating Committee. We also have a group of elders who are beginning to look at what the CPC staffing picture should look like in the coming years. The Session will also then need to help the Pastor Nominating Committee understand the good work that we have done over the last year in reaffirming Columbia’s mission and vision, and also understand the things about ourselves that we need to change or wrestle with. The goal of that will be that every candidate for the Head of Staff at CPC would be able to discern whether they are theologically and missionally aligned with who we are as a community. It’s important that they understand this so that they can adequately discern if God might be calling them to serve here.
As you can probably tell, this is a lot of serious work. Our work up to now, though interrupted by COVID has been serious, too. It’s been a multi-month look in the mirror. Some of what we saw was beautiful and some of it has made us squirm. But, we are now approaching the jumping off point. This is where we will need to trust God the most. This new phase will require investment from our elders, staff, and other parts of our CPC body to do this work well.
The smallest investment you can make is prayer. You need to pray for your church. Those prayers are not important because of the church itself. This has never been about the building itself or the institution. Prayer is important because Christ’s witness in Clark County is important. CPC is one small (but significant) portion of that redemptive witness. We trust that God goes with us and before us, but we also know that God’s people have always had to forward the Kingdom with their passion and the sweat of their brows. In a time of significant weariness, we are at a critical moment in the life of our church. I would ask you to pray fervently about what you might be willing to do to participate in God’s Kingdom going forward, and to pray for those amongst us who will have to engage parts of this interim work very intentionally. We need our leaders and we need the Lord’s favor. It is an exciting time, a critical time, and a discerning time all at once. The gospel often is like that.
See you this Sunday!
Pastor Matt
|
|
- Sunday services are at 9:00AM (Traditional) & 10:30AM (Contemporary).
- The link to join the livestream is available on the homepage of our website. Look for the "Watch Live" button at the top of our website.
|
|
Pastor Nominating Committee Update
On September 26, the following information was shared during our worship services:
The Presbytery of the Cascades has approved Columbia Presbyterian to elect a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The Church Nominating Committee (chaired by Dave Cram, an active member of Session) will name a slate of folks to serve as our Pastor Nominating Committee for the position of Head Pastor. We, the congregation, will elect our PNC at a Congregational Meeting to be held at the end of October.
If you know someone who may feel called, or you feel called to serve the congregation in this way, please send your nominations to Dave Cram, [email protected], 360-356-4108. The team will be accepting nominations until October 10, 2021. The nominating team is identifying and reaching out to potential candidates as well.
Please check with a nominee to be sure they are willing to serve BEFORE you make the nomination.
A couple of things to know about those who serve on the PNC.
- Individuals must be a member of Columbia Presbyterian Church.
- PNC meetings often occur weekly for a couple of hours each, with ‘homework’ outside of the meetings.
- The candidate needs to have a sense that God is calling them to serve in this way.
What are some of the other qualifications?
- Spiritual maturity and sensitivity
- Ability to work well in a committee setting
- Listening and communication skills
- Discerning and prayerful
- Involvement in the ministries of the church
- An understanding and agreement with the church’s vision and mission.
- High level of commitment to the task at hand.
It is crucial that the PNC be made up of a cross-section of the congregation’s membership, different ministry areas, men and women, young and old. The Nominating Committee will work to be sure this is true.
Click on ‘Pastor Search’ on the Columbia Presbyterian website for additional information about the search process.
|
|
Virtual Choir Anthem - The Image of God
Everyone is invited to participate in the Virtual Choir! Youth, adults, accomplished singers and those who tend to only sing in the shower or car – let’s glorify God together in song! Click here for Virtual Choir instructions and resources.
|
|
Helping Hands
…needs you! One of the ministries of this church has always been helping out those in our congregation who need a little help with projects around the house or yard. We are looking for volunteers who would be willing (on an on-call basis) to help for a couple of hours a couple times a year with household projects.
Do you have skills in plumbing, electrical, or general repair? Maybe you’re just handy fixing things around the home, or are willing to perform general labor as needed. If this sounds like something you would be willing to help with please contact either Jerry Brown, [email protected], or Terry Hurley in the church office. Also, if you or someone you know needs some help in this way, please let us know.
|
|
Movie Night
Friday, October 15 (note date change this month)
Fellowship Hall - 6:00PM - Bring your own brown bag dinner
Chapel - 7:00PM - Movie
We will be showing "Red" this month.
|
|
Growing Young Weekend
October 8-10
$20 for Adults, $10 for Youth
Plan to come to this dynamic weekend of learning, listening, and growing with our speaker Steve Argue from Fuller Seminary and Fuller Youth Institute. Steve brings a passion for teaching and mentoring students,
researching and learning about youth culture, training leaders, inspiring parents, and cultivating the church's imagination about how to reach a younger generation for Christ. The event schedule is as follows:
Friday - 6:30 - 8:00pm
Intro in Sanctuary, followed by a family event with dessert in the Gym
Saturday - 9:00am - 12:00pm
Presentation in Sanctuary
12:00 - 1:30pm
Lunch and Q&A with Steve in Fellowship Hall
|
|
Growing Young Class
Sunday, October 3
10:30AM, Fellowship Hall
In preparation for the Growing Young Weekend (Oct. 8-10), we are holding a Sunday morning class on the Growing Young book. Join us as we dive into the 6 strategies that help a church be a healthy, welcoming, and thriving spiritual home for young people.
|
|
Fall Food Drive
Saturdays, October 23 and 30
Church Main Entrance
According to Feeding America, 10.4% of Clark County’s population — 48,480 people — live with food insecurity.
You can help by bringing donations to the Deacons’ Food Drive. Food and money collected will go to the Clark County Food Bank and the Family-Community Resource Centers at McLoughlin and Marshall, our neighborhood schools.
|
|
Health Ministry
Prevention and early detection are keys to good health. Prevention includes vision, dental, and prostate checks, Pap smears, immunizations, and mammograms, to name a few. The news is full of stories about people skipping these important preventive activities because of the pandemic--don’t be one of them! When you know it’s time, please set up an appointment, mask up, and go.
Likewise, if you have unusual symptoms, such as unexplained chest pain, difficulty breathing (even just sometimes), skin changes, or bleeding, these need to be checked out. Early detection of new issues is just as important as getting your regular preventive screens. Your life may depend on it!
|
|
|
|
Youth Back to School Retreats
Due to COVID considerations, we have decided to do a one-day event at CPC instead of an overnight event.
High School Back to School Retreat
Saturday, Nov. 6, 10:00AM-3:00PM. $35.
Financial assistance is available.
|
|
The crispness in the air and the falling leaves are signals that fall is just around the corner. This is also the time of year when total spending tends to exceed total giving. But this year with the changing of the seasons comes good news!
Thanks to your generosity and faithful support, the Trustees are pleased to report that at the end of August, our spending to date has been slightly less than giving. This in turn has resulted in a small surplus in funds. The Trustees, along with staff and the Session, say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
As the new program year begins, we pray God will continue to bless Columbia. And we pray that each of you will be blessed through the programs and activities planned for the coming months.
Trustees: Bo Liebe, Collin Votrobeck & Tricia Williamson
|
|
Weekly Events September 30 - October 6 |
|
In Celebration:
- Please join us in welcoming our new members: Mary Anne Aspinwall, Phyllis Robertson, Chris Burns, Laura Ericcsen, Libby Agosti, Josh & Rachel Carter, Kathy Smithhisler, and Sharon Mast.
In Sympathy:
- The family of Mickey Slack, who died on August 19.
In Concern:
- Maynard Mohn - health concerns
- Larry Barnes - health concerns
- Ida Beth Freitag - health concerns
- Jim Waltz - recovering from a fall
- Pat Wheeler - recovering from surgery
- Sheila Hockley - recovering from a fall
- Todd Carroll - treatment for cancer
- Helen Byler - on hospice
- Jeanene Polete - health concerns
- Dottie Scott - health concerns
- Barbara Van Nostern - lower back issues
- Jim Hudson - health concerns
|
|
Ways to Give:
- By Mail or Bill Pay through your financial institution
cccccccSend checks to:
cccccccColumbia Presbyterian Church
ccccccc8715 St. Helens Ave
cccccccVancouver, WA 98664
Other Types of Giving:
- Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)
- Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)
- Stock
|
|
805 Columbia Ridge Dr.
Vancouver, WA 98664
(360) 694-7549
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
