Witness and Evangelism News

New Paintings in Narthex

Have you noticed the new paintings hanging in the Narthex? Think they would look fabulous hanging in your home? Wondering how they got there? They are a generous donation from NPC’s very own Duck Ae Karasek! They are going to be sold during this year’s Pumpkin Patch activities. The proceeds will be used to attract new families to the church. The landscape will be raffled, the painting with the sheep will be sold via a silent auction, and the W&E committee would like the members of NPC to donote the “Last Supper” to the church though a series of special offerings. Pick your favorite and get ready to win/bid on it!

Peacemaking Offering – October 2006

The annual PC-USA Peacemaking Offering will begin on World Communion Sunday, October 1^st. This offering is one of the “Five for Five” offerings that Norcross Presbyterian Church participates in. This year the theme is Swords into Plowshares: Living the Ways of Peace. The Presbytery website offers this explanation:

“It is taken from the vision of peace found in Isaiah 2:2-4, when the peoples of the world stream to the mountain of the Lord and learn from God how to live in peace. What they learn from God leads them to action: they change swards and spears, instruments of war that are no longer needed, into plowshares and pruning hooks, implements used in the peaceful work for producing food for people.”

How is the offering used? 25% of the offering remains here at NPC, 25% is to be used by the synods and presbytery, and 50% will be used by the General Assembly ministries through the Presbyterian Peacemaking program.

What programs/projects are currently active? Programs range from the current crisis in Darfur to the ongoing problems in the Middle East. More information may be found on the presbytery website: http://www.pcusa.org/peacemaking

HIV/AIDS Awareness Sunday – October 8^th , 2006

The presbytery has launched the “It’s a Matter of Faith” campaign to help lift up the issue of the HIV/AIDs epidemic. Educational materials and bulletin inserts have been ordered and should be available soon. This introduction is from the website (http://www.pcusa.org/aids-international):

“Africa stands to lose an entire generation to the AIDS epidemic that is sweeping the continent. In some pockets of sub-Saharan Africa, up to 20 percent of the population is infected with the virus that causes the disease. The crisis is cause for despair, but for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s African church partners it also is a matter of faith and a call to action.”