October Children's Clothing and Toy Consignment Sale

Presbyterian Women in Limestone Church

Purpose:

Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ,
and empowered by the Holy Spirit,
we commit ourselves:
to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study,
to support the mission of the church worldwide,
to work for justice and peace, and
to build an inclusive, caring community of women that
strengthens the Presbyterian Church (USA) and witnesses to
the promise of God's Kingdom.

Limestone Presbyterian Church currently has three women's "circles":

Deborah Circle

Meets the second Wednesday of the month at 9:15 a.m. in the Library. Childcare is provided.

For twenty years, Israel was in the hands of Jabin, King of Canaan who reigned in Hazor. Deborah, a prophetess, judged Israel at that time. She dwelt under a palm tree and the people of Israel came to her for judgment. Barak was commanded by God to take ten thousand men and defeat Sisera, captain of King Jabin's army in Hazor. Sisera had 900 chariots of iron. Barak would not go into battle without Deborah by his side. Deborah told Barak to set up his camp on Mount Tabor. Sisera had his army and chariots by the river below. The rains came and the chariots were useless in the mud. Barak was able to defeat Sisera's army.

Deborah had prophesied that Sisera would be killed by the hand of a woman. Sisera escaped the battle and was hidden by Jael, wife of Heber. As Sisera slept, Jael put a tent stake through his head. Deborah's story is found in the book of Judges.

Esther Circle

Meets the second Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. in the Choir Room.

When King Ahasue'rus, who ruled from India to Ethiopa, was looking for a new queen, Mordecai sent his cousin, Esther, to the palace with the other virgins. He warned her not to reveal her Jewish heritage. King Ahasue'rus chose Esther as his queen. After Esther became queen, Mordecai told her of a conspiracy against the king by his own men. Esther warned the king of his chamberlain's plot to kill him and they were hanged. King Ahasue'rus promoted Haman to the highest post. Haman was not pleased with Mordecai because he would not bow to him. He decided to destroy all Jews. Esther risked her life by intervening for her cousin and her people. The king hanged Haman and gave Esther Haman's house. Esther in turn gave it to Mordecai and the king let Mordecai rule his own people.

Judith Circle

Meets the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the Choir Room

The book of Judith is one of the books of the Apocrypha. Holofernes, general of the Assyrians, has besieged the town of Bethulia. The town's leaders decide to surrender in five days, unless God saves them with a miracle. Hearing this, a holy widow named Judith chastises them for testing God. She tells them she has a plan and that they should wait for her return. She approaches Holofernes' camp, offering to tell him the secrets of the town, so that he might capture it without the loss of men. She explains she is doing this because it is God's will to punish His people and, blinded by her beauty, Holofernes believes her.

For four days, Holofernes wines and dines Judith in his camp. She comes to his tent and he becomes thoroughly drunk and falls into a stupor. Judith takes a sword and beheads him. She and her maid then flee to Bethulia. Holofernes' head is put on display for all to see. When the Assyrians discover he is dead, they flee from the countryside. They were hunted down and destroyed.

Judith remained on her estate in Bethulia. For the rest of her life she was honored throughout the whole country. She became more and more famous and lived until she was one hundred five. No one ever again spread terror among the Israelites during the lifetime of Judith, or for a long time after her death.

Presbyterian Women's Symbol: Its Meaning

Forgiven and freed by grace through faith, the central figure stands in praise. Rooted in faith, the trio of women emerge. The outline of the central figure forms a cross. We are Presbyterian women, engrafted in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.

The right figure holds a book to guide her reading, studying, praying or meditating. The left figure reaches out to care for others as she shares, nurtures, and heals. The circle represents the church worldwide where women offer their gifts and talents in the midst of the global community. The uplifted arms of the central figure reach out to embrace a just peace for the world. The relationship between the three figures depicts lives of wholeness rather than turmoil.

The three women have no distinct features and represent all women. The shapes surrounding them express energy, strength and openness.

Our name, Presbyterian Women, ties us to our denomination. The Bible resembles the Bible depicted in the PC(USA) Seal. Guided by the four parts of our Purpose, Presbyterian Women witness to the reality of God's present realm.

Giving Patterns for Presbyterian Women

With the new Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (USA), the new style of Giving Patterns has been established. The new theme for the giving patterns of Presbyterian Women (PW) is "Celebration Giving". Many of these giving patterns are the ones to which we have always contributed.

Celebration of Mission Through Women's Pledges

This is the primary PW giving pattern. Women's pledges support mission as well as our own PW organization. Each woman is encouraged to make an annual pledge through her association. This pledge is used for Women's mission support for the worldwide mission of the Presbyterian Church (USA) through General Assembly mission budget. It is also the basic budget of PW at the congregation, presbytery, synod and church wide levels.

Celebration of Creative Ministries:

Thank Offering is the traditional creative ministry of United Presbyterian Women (PW). Of this offering, 33% is used to support worldwide medical mission. The balance of 67% will be selected by a committee consisting of five members of the Churchwide Coordinating Team along with a representative from each of the following: Women's Global Mission and Social Justice and Peacemaking. The Summer Medical is now part of this offering.

Birthday Offering is the traditional creative ministry of Women of The Church. It began in 1922. Each year, projects will be selected and announced in the spring.

Celebration of Believers Part of this giving pattern is PW Honorary Life Membership for $75.00. There are also Recognition Gifts and Memorial Gifts. The Celebration of Believers also includes the Special Fund for Leader Development of Women. These monies will be used for leader development of women, such as assisting in Enabler training costs.

Per Capita The per capita fund ($2.00 per member) is used for administrative costs of PW in New Castle Presbytery. This amount, multiplied by the number of members in your PW group, is sent to the Administrative Treasurer.

Celebration of Christian Community This giving pattern encourages women to support ecumenical and denominational programs. PW are encouraged to participate in the Fellowship of the Least Coin and to the financial support of Church Women United (CWU).

The Fellowship of the Least Coin was started by Shanti Solomon of New Delhi, India in 1956. This mission, the sharing by women all over the world, involves the sharing of prayer, sharing of love and concern, sharing of the "least coin" of their country and the sharing of the spirit of justice and peace for women all over the world. Among many things, The Fellowship of the Least Coin uses the thousands of dollars of "least coins" of the world to build clinics for women and children, help women support themselves and their children, and gives grants to help women receive an education.

Limestone Presbyterian Women also do a variety of local mission projects throughout the year. Included among them are Adopt-A-Family, support for the Seaman's Center, our Food Closet, Children's Choice (foster families), school kits and sewn items for Church World Service and Meeting Ground.

2006-2007 Calendar

The Coordinating Team will meet the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m.

September 2006

Pledges received

Clothing Sale tags sold

September 10—“Informercial Sunday:

            Circles resume meeting

September 27 —Fall Gathering, Church of the Covenant

October 2006

October 6&7—Children’s Clothing Sale

October 12&13—Trip to New Windsor, MD

October 25—Women’s 50^th Anniversary Celebration-Dessert Social

                        “Limestone Women—the First 50 years”

November 2006

Thank Offering Received

Judith Circle Pecan sale

November 3—CWU World Community Day

March 2007

March —CWU World Day of Prayer

“Quilts for Comfort” (with lunch) (TBA)

April 2007

NCPPW Spring Gathering—Date and Place TBA

April 27-29—Annual Retreat at Brighton Suites, Rehoboth, DE

                        “Stepping Up as Christians”

May 2007

Birthday Offering received

May 4—CWU May Friendship Day

Women’s Sunday (TBA)

June 2007

June 14-17—Synod Summer Gathering, Massanetta Springs, VA

Each circle is responsible for coffee or lemonade during the fellowship hour between services. The rotation schedule is:

1st Sunday--Deborah

2nd Sunday--Esther

3rd Sunday--Judith

Each circle is responsible for coffee or lemonade during the fellowship hour between services. The rotation is as follows:

1st Sunday - Deborah
2nd Sunday - Esther
3rd Sunday - Judith

Additional links for Presbyterian Women:

Presbyterian Women’s national web site:  http://www.pcusa.org/pw/index.htm

Presbyterian Women’s Horizons magazine:  http://www.pcusa.org/pcusa/horizons/

Presbyterian Women in Congregations:  http://www.pcusa.org/pw/pwgroups/congregations.htm