Deacon's Corner - January 2025

 

The interesting thing about entering a new year is the tremendous sway it exerts on us to change something, or start something, or add or subtract something from our lives...or at least the way we perceive where our lives are as opposed to where we might think we'd prefer them to be. Our emotional growth as humans and our spiritual growth as Christians are intertwined by an inherent desire to be better, happier, more content. Striving to reach those goals does not require us to summarily jettison our pasts and start from scratch. Much of what we take into the new year, amid our desires to improve, change or redirect, is the result of positive lessons and experiences from the past that have already changed aspects of our lives. 

From the Deacons' perspective, the response of this congregation to our little “activity sprint” into Christmas has been a testament to who all of you are and the changes you will bring into 2025. Your response to activities that benefit others is inspiring and, I assure you, appreciated by those who are helped by it.

APC's contribution to the annual Argyle Country Christmas celebration on December 8th was a resounding success and attracted crowds of children, parents and extended families into McLean Hall for refreshments, caroling with members of our choir, well attended tours of the sanctuary with historical narrative and tables full of parents with youngsters decorating holiday cookies. Thank you to all who offered time and resources. Those efforts brought members of the community into contact with us, not just as a church in town but as friends and neighbors they know.

Our famous APC cookie bakers rallied around our expanded Christmas Cookie Tray delivery on Sunday the 22nd. Due to their efforts, we were able to arrange, wrap and deliver trays of cookies to all of our Friends at Home as well as the Fire Department, the EMT station and the DPW garage. Great job folks...and thank you!!!

Some good news on the Open Door Mission and our efforts to finally get every one of our volunteers connected to the Mission's online hub. On Sunday, January 12th the Deacons will have a table set up in McLean Hall following worship with laptops to assist our volunteers establish an account on Open Door's online Volunteer Hub. Once your account is established you will automatically receive emails notifying you of the upcoming volunteer openings and will be able to pick your event, the time AND day you want with a few online clicks. If, after we've helped get you active in the system, you should have problems in the future, you will be able to send a message directly to Tammy Lampkin (coordinator) at b02@b.volunteerhub.com.

And finally, just a reminder, should you or your family be in a situation (illness, surgery, grief, etc) where a meal or a pot of soup would make things a little easier, PLEASE, do not hesitate to contact a Deacon so we may assist you. In spite of what some may think, this is not an imposition on us but rather what our ministry is about. We are called to serve and enjoy it.

On behalf of the Deacons, I wish all a blessed New Year filled with growth and success, love and nurturing and the grace of the Lord our God in your lives.  

"The question is not what we intended ourselves to be,

but what He intended us to be when He made us." ~ C. S. Lewis

Tom Genovese for the Deacons

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