RUMPLE MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

WEEKLY SLATE AND STONE

March 5, 2023

Looking Toward Sunday

Dear Rumple Family,

On Sunday we continue with week 2 of our Lenten sermon series on Signs and Wonders- glimpses of hope, new life, and grace in the midst of hurt and pain and brokenness. Sunday we’ll explore two healing stories- a story within a story- a technique that the author of the Gospel According to Mark liked to use. We will read together Mark 5:21-43. We will read the Scripture and then Dave will also sing an original hymn based on the scripture text. That will be a special addition to worship and an opportunity to hear the Scripture in a different way. The focus of my sermon will be on the woman who reaches out to touch Jesus’ cloak and who is healed by Jesus. We’ll explore her story and her brave and bold action that brought her close to Jesus, Jesus’ reaction to her, and the miracle of her healing, in the middle of a crowd. This healing miracle is a different kind of wonder than Jesus stilling the storm that we explored last week.

Sunday we’ll also celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. For one more Sunday we’ll share communion with the individual communion service. As you enter the sanctuary, someone will serve you. If you are worshipping at home, you are invited to have your communion elements ready with you as the worship service begins.

The Lent cross remains in the sanctuary and all are still invited to place small purple slips of paper with concerns, injustices, broken situations, and hurts that you want to add. You may add them on Sunday, come by the office during the week, or call and email Jessica and ask her to add one for you. Each Sunday, we will add an image of hope and new life in the midst of all the pain and brokenness on the cross. It has been powerful to watch this cross take shape during this first week of Lent.

There is a lot more in this slate and stone about the many ways you can be intentional on this Lenten journey. I look forward to this continued journey together.

I hope to see you Sunday- in person or online.

Blessings.

Kathy

Pastor

Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Please keep in your prayers

Family of Wes Thompson, on his death on 2/28; Annette Goudeau-Trahan, surgery 3/8 ; Curt Salthouse, recovering from surgery; Bonnie McLamb, recovering from surgery; Betty Coffey, at Foley Center; Buz Helms, recovering from surgery; Carol Rives, recovering from surgery; Debra Brenner’s, 3 month old relative and his family; Leslie Novilla’s brother and sister in law; Jimmy Jones; Charles Coley; Bob Stout; Joe Kiker; Mary Holstein; Earl and Nancy Trexler; Judy Petrie; Patti, friend of Paul and Madge Megliola; Jenny Apker’s neighbor; Patti Curtis' mom, Sally; Marion Stadler, James Shore; Rebecca Holshouser; Margaret Gilleskie; Ken, friend of Joe and Angie Alexander; Miriam Newton; Barbara Scott; Sylvia Kiker; Bill Thorn; Cullie Tarleton; Gwyn Parsons; Bill Goodman; Bettye, friend of Ann and Mike Rhyne; Jim Ruff; Piney Clay; Frances, mother of Lynn Henderson; Elizabeth, undergoing treatments for a brain tumor; Lucy Aldridge; Debra Brenner’s friend, Joyce, chemotherapy; Sam, son of Mabel Davis; Janet Goodman’s friend, Celeste; Heather Johnson’s father; Lucy, mother of Deatra Sellers; Sam Reep; Kent Tarbutton; Linda Jerger; Susan, friend of Dottie Watson; Byron Logan; Bill Magruder; Troy, Father of Diane Overcash; Ruth George; Jackson, grandson of Joe and Angie Alexander, active duty in the navy; Erin Tobin, serving in US Army; Drew Taylor, active duty with the Coast Guard.

LENTEN CROSS Everyone is invited to hang a written concern, worry, trauma, injustice, or struggle on the Lenten cross that is in the sanctuary for the whole Lenten season. Strips of paper are on the church reception area desk and at both entrances to the sanctuary. Please fill out as many as you would like and hang them on the cross. Hooks are available under the cross. If you are not able to get to the church, you can email Jessica and ask her to fill out a slip for you.

DAILY LENT DEVOTIONS AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR BY EMAIL. These will be available daily or you can pick up a printed copy in the office. Editor Teri McDowell's series Examen: Inward Work for Outward Living explores the ancient spiritual practice of examen focusing on honest assessment and reflection. You will be invited to explore the connection between internal contemplation and outward action.

LENT CALENDARS, provided by the Creation Care Committee are available on the church office reception area desk and also in the sanctuary. Click here to view as well. This calendar offers ideas for spiritual disciplines and activities for each day during Lent.

CONSTRUCTION is still going on in parking lot this week as new water and sewer lines are being installed to supply both the Rumple House and the new construction of the new Fellowship Hall. There’s a pretty big trench down the north side of the parking lot and there may still be both machinery and piles of dirt and stones in the parking lot. All that to say- you may have a more difficult time finding a place to park so please plan ahead.

WEBSITE ROLLOUT Rumple will rollout the new church website last week. The web address remains the same, www.rumplechurch.org. Please plan to visit the site to see how great it looks and how easy it is to navigate and find information. Thank you to the Communications Committee for all their hard work and for Thomas Steele who designed the new site.

BREEZE ONLINE GIVING UPDATE Online giving will continue to be available at Rumple but with the rollout of the new website, the platform for online giving switched over to Breeze, our online church management system. This will streamline online giving into a platform where church members already have an account. If you have any questions about online giving, please speak to Jessica, in the church office.

Sunday, March 5

9:15 Handbells

9:45 Discoverers’ Class

11:00 Sunday Worship in

Sanctuary and on Youtube

12:00 Safety Task Force

4:00 CE Youth Subcmte.

5:00 Youth

6:00 Visitation Training

Monday, March 6

1:00 Kathy’s Pastor in the Pews

6:00 Circle 1

6:00 Women Together

Tuesday, March 7

10:00 Kate Bowler Study

6:45 Kate Bowler Study

Wednesday, March 8

9-12 BR Cares Food pantry

11:00 Staff Meeting

3:30 Wednesday After School

5:30 Music Rehearsal

Thursday, March 9, 2023 10:30 Prayer Shawl

Sunday, March 12

Baptism

9:15 Handbells

9:45 Discoverers’ Class

11:00 Sunday Worship in

Sanctuary and on Youtube

5:00 Youth

KATHY’S PASTOR IN THE PEWS will meet Monday, March 6th at 1pm, she will not be meeting on March 12th. No need to make an appointment, just stop by.

KATHY’S LANDLINE IN AN EMERGENCY If you need to reach Kathy in an emergency, outside of normal office hours, you may want to try the landline at the manse first, 828.414.9252. This is a new number for the manse- different from before the renovations. With cell service not reliable at the church and manse, the landline is always the safest bet in an emergency, at night or on the weekends.

JESSICA WILL BE AWAY Thursday, 3/9 thru Tuesday, 3/14. The church office will be opened limited hours those days from 9-1.

JOIN RUMPLE FOR Sunday morning worship March 5th in person at 12 am and live on our Youtube channel. Live stream will start at 10:55, but worship will begin at 11:00. The worship video will also be posted to the Rumple website each week and on Facebook.

IN THE CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER: you can find out about any cancellations of our worship or Sunday activities on our church's website- rumplechurch.org or by going to ncweatherclosings.com on Raysweather.com, or on the church facebook page. Unless the power is out, worship will be livestreamed on YouTube as Kathy and one of our tech staff can walk to the church. Please use your judgement in deciding whether you wish to venture out on days with snow and ice.

The Bulletins are available on the churchwebsite.

A note about previous online worship services:

The previous Sunday's worship service is posted to the Rumple website (see a button on the top of the home page) by Monday afternoon each week.

ANNUAL REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE on the church website and on the desk in the church office reception area. Click here to view.

DISCOVERERS’ CLASS If you’re weary from the loads you carry and the challenges you face, please join the Discoverers’ discussion class led by Kim Rogers at 9:45 Sunday mornings in the library, as we begin our study of Max Lucado’s book “Help Is Here”. You can purchase your own book online locally or in the class.

RUMPLE WALKING/HIKING GROUP Did you know the

Watauga County Board of Commissioners recently declared 2023 as the Year of the Trail? To celebrate and make the most of our county's beautiful trails, Rumple's Creation Care Committee would like to form a walking/hiking group. If you'd be interested in participating in walks/hikes throughout the year, please contact Hope Squires. Depending on level of interest and abilities, we'll plan a range of easy walks and more moderate hikes.

Rumple Prayer Shawl Ministry

This group knits & crochets prayer shawls which are then blessed & given to members & friends of Rumple. If you enjoy knitting or crocheting, we would love to have you join us. Call Janice Burns (828-295-7454) for more information.

Blowing Rock Cares Food Pantry

Here is a list of this month’s items that are needed by the pantry: Instant Mashed Potatoes, Apple or Strawberry Jelly, Crackers Canned Vegetables or Beans, Canned Pasta, Canned Soup, Canned Fruit. Thank you for all the contributions! The shopping cart to receive items is located by the food pantry entrance 24/7.

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF If you would like to support Presbyterian Disasters Relief's response to the Turkey-Syria earthquake call 800-872-3283 or to send a check, please designate Turkey-Syria on the memo line and mail to Presbyterian Church (USA) PO Box 643700 Pittsburgh, PA 15264- 3700. Click here to give online.

FAMILY AND YOUTH PANCAKE BREAKFAST