What's New

VIDEOS FOR SALE George Kunkle has produced two videos from the 150th anniversary celebration. Video 1 contains both the interior and exterior tours of the church by Kenneth Hayes. Ken gives an excellent accounting of how our wonderful building evolved over the years. Video 2 contains two presentations made by Don Clapper. They are the Sunday School history lesson and the tour of the stained glass windows. Don relates many interesting stories about Pine Street's past. The cost is $3.00 each or both for $5.00. The DVD's have to be played on a DVD player capable of playing +/- R disks or on a computer. Contact George at georgekunkle@comcast.net to order your copies.

THE ART IN THE GATHERING PLACE is by Peter Houts, a volunteer at Downtown Daily Bread. The pieces with the yellow dot marking them are for sale for $40.00 each. The proceeds will go to Downtown Daily Bread. This is a good opportunity to add to your collection of fine art and support DDB at the same time.

“FILL THE BARREL” – Don’t forget next Sunday, July 6, is our food collection benefiting the Ecumenical Food Pantry Clients. Non perishable items, such as canned tuna, peanut butter, and stews are in demand. Personal care items including toothpaste, deodorant, and toilet paper are also needed.

PINE STREET WALKERS On Sunday, July 6, 2008, the Pine Street Walkers will picnic in the park. A hike and picnic is planned for Sunday, July 6, 2008 at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Meet at 12:30 at the Furnace Stack Picnic area. There is a large Pavilion there and we hope to be there or close by. Parking is right beside the picnic area. Bring your picnic lunch and a picnic dinner. For the picnic dinner, bring enough to feed one other person. The plan is to invite any Appalachian Trail long distance hiker to dinner. We will hike to the center point marker of the Appalachian Trail on a level foot path. Depending on the energy levels and heat index, an optional hike to Pole Steeple is planned. This trail is very steep. It would be approximately a four mile round trip to Pole Steeple and back. Directions to Pine Grove Furnace: Two Options: Option 1 - From Colonial Park area and North of Harrisburg. Take Route I-81 South to exit 37, left onto PA 233 South, this will take you right to the Park. Option 2 - From Mechanicsburg and west shore. Take 641 south out of Mechanicsburg, turn left onto 174 south toward Boiling Springs, go through Boiling Springs to PA 34, turn left toward Mount Holly Springs, go through Mount Holly Springs, PA 34 goes to the right where 34 and 94 split, go approximately 2.5 miles and make a right turn at the Twirly Top ice cream stand onto Pine Grove Road. It will be approximately 7 miles to Pine Grove. When you get to the park area, proceed to the intersection with PA 233 which is right by the Ranger office (continue straight if on Pine Grove Road or make the right hand turn if you are on 233. Just past the visitor center, make a left and then another immediate left to the picnic area. Directions and map will be available at the sign up table. Car pool if possible.

ADOPT A HIGHWAY - Every Day is Earth Day. Littering is a lazy rude habit. Trash injures our wildlife, clogs streams and creates an unsafe eyesore of our road sides. The Mission Committee sponsors a highway clean up 3 times a year. Our next clean up is Saturday, July 19 from 9:00 a.m. till about 11:00 a.m. We will gather at the Giant shopping center along Linglestown Rd. Work gloves and vests are provided. Please come out and lend a hand! Sign-ups are at the CHAMPS Table. We need your help!

SUMMER HYMN SINGS at 9:15 a.m. begin next Sunday morning. We will be singing hymns you request. There are sign-up sheets on the CHAMPS table. The Presbyterian Hymnal is our resource, and you are encouraged to pick favorites, or hymns, you think we should learn and list them. We will try to pick a balance of new and old to make for interesting singing before services throughout July and August. Make sure to include your favorites on the lists … we can’t sing your most cherished hymns unless we know their titles!

On Sunday June 1, we begin our summer schedule with worship at 9:30 a.m. and education for all ages at 10:45 a.m. Here are the education offerings for June:

Youth and children get some interesting angles on the Bible this summer. Middle school and high school youth will explore the Good News with some zany TV characters in “The Gospel According to the Simpsons”. Children, ages 3 through 5^th grade. will dive into a fun Bible study: “Beach Party: Surfin’ Through the Scriptures.” Both of these classes continue in July and August.

July 6 – “The 2008 General Assembly” – Elder Margaret Mielke is serving as a commissioner to General Assembly which meets June 21 through June 28 in San Jose, California. When Margaret returns, she will share with us her adventure in the service of the church and talk about the issues before General Assembly.

July 13 – “The God of Grace and the Service for the Lord’s Day” - Our pastor, Russell Sullivan, will explore how our worship service leads people into an experience of the God of amazing grace and love.

July 20 – “The God of Grace and Our Sacraments” – Picking up on last week’s theme, Elder Craig Kegerise will explore the relationship between baptism and Eucharist.

PLAY BALL! Come join us for a Sunday afternoon baseball game on City Island, at 1:05 p.m. on July 13. We’ll have a group of box seats to see the Senators take on Bowie. See the CHAMPS table for more information, and the sign-up sheet.

AND BALLROOM DANCING. Back by popular demand! Lisa Milletics has agreed to lead us through another instructive and fun session on Wednesday, July 9 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Singles and dancers of all ages and abilities are welcome – there is no cost and light refreshments will be served. Sign-up at the CHAMPS table through July 6.

UNDESIGNATED GIFT FUND APPLICATIONS are available on-line. See the recent article by Elder Jack Shepley in the May edition of Pine Street Life for full details on this fund and how it can enhance the ministry and mission of Pine Street. Applications must be submitted by August 31, 2008.

PARKING FOR PINE STREETERS is now available in the South Street Garage. The garage is free for our use every Sunday from
6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Here is the procedure:

       (1)   Drive into the garage.
       (2)   Take the parking ticket given to you by the machine. (DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT OBTAINING A TICKET)
       (3)   Park your car.
       (4)   Bring your parking ticket into church with you.
       (5)   Exchange it for an exit ticket in the Gathering Place.
       (6)   June Ferguson is in charge of exchanging tickets.

Should you find yourself unable to leave the garage, please come back to the church and ask June for help. He has a master key that will allow you to leave. Occasionally the tickets malfunction, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

CHECK OUT THE DISPLAY CABINET in the hallway for items from the archives that tell Pine Street's story. The final theme is "You Are Pine Street."

THE CHAMPS TABLE is full of wonderful volunteer ministry opportunities for the 2007-2008 church year. CHAMPS stands for Congregation Having All Members Providing Service. Most of the volunteer needs require a minimum amount of time. Some of the needs are as follows: Refreshment and Fellowship Host, Flower Delivery Ministry, Bread Ministry, Shawl Ministry, Poinsettia and Lily Set Up and Advent/Lenten Breakfast Set Up and more. The CHAMPS table can be found in the Gathering Place and is open for sign ups after both worship services. Stop by, sign up to volunteer, become a team member and receive a free gift. Remember: all members of a congregation are ministers.

THE SHAWL MINISTRY has given us new ways to talk about our faith and about what we have here at Pine Street. This ministry has blessed all for the members and so many others. We have about 17 active members now—our youngest is 11 years old, and our oldest in an octogenarian. We meet on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. in the church. All are welcome to join us. If you see us knitting in Church School, or in a meeting, or at other times at church, please say a blessing for the shawl ministry. It is all about sharing God’s love for us and His charge for us to love one another.

SHAWL MINISTRY click HERE to learn how to participate in this wonderful ministry.

COMMITTEE NIGHT is scheduled for the first Tuesday of each month from September through June. All program committees - Mission, Evangelism, Stewardship, Worship, Education and Spiritual Formation (formerly, CNE), and Congregational Life (a new committee) - will meet on that evening. Committee Night begins with a light dinner at 6:00 p.m., the cost of which is $7. If you are a member of a program committee, you can sign up at the CHAMPS table in the Gathering Place. Payment can be made at the dinner.

PINE STREET’S HELPING HANDS MINISTRY needs you. A group of Pine Streeters are available to assist other members of the congregation who, because of age or infirmity, need someone to help with home repairs or maintenance. The general guideline is "whatever two people can do in a day or two".........paint a stairwell, repair a broken window, clean out gutters, repair a porch or stairs, install storage shelving, clean out a garage, trim shrubbery, mow the lawn....and so on. If you need assistance from Helping Hands, call Rev. Anne Myers, 238-9304. If you would like to volunteer your time and join the other workers, contact Roger Olson, or sign up in the Gathering Place.