Sunday School Schedule Change
Please note: There will be no Sunday School this Sunday, January 1. Worship service will take place at 10:00 am as usual. Children’s WOW program will not be offered during worship. Rev. Heather Sigler will be preaching. Sunday School, Adult Cafe Conversations, and WOW will resume on January 8.
January’s Giving Barrel Activity to Focus on
Food Insecurity
How big is food insecurity in Central PA? In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, 29.9% or 14,571 people in Harrisburg were living in poverty. Approximately 50% of children under 12 are living in poverty. Pine Street’s initial mission activity of 2023 will benefit a local agency that works to address food insecurity – the Ecumenical Food Pantry (EFP). Their mission is to provide emergency food assistance to people residing in the greater Harrisburg area and is one of the largest food pantries in Dauphin County in terms of volume of people served. They are also one of the few that provides access to emergency food assistance at least five days per week. Between July 1, 2020, and June 2021, the EFP distributed almost 90,000 pounds of food to more than 2,500 households and approximately 10,000 individuals.
Clients may receive a three-day supply of food and personal items when available and may visit the Ecumenical Food Pantry approximately every 30 days. No vouchers or appointments are necessary.
Non-perishable items which are currently in need include:
Canned Items: Fruits, beans, meats (tuna, stew, etc.), peanut butter, soups, pasta sauce, tomatoes, vegetables, baby food.
Packaged Items: Cereal, crackers, macaroni & cheese, powdered milk, puddings/jello, ramen noodles, rice, pasta and baby formula.
Other Appreciated Items: Coffee, pancake and cake mixes, personal care items – soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, feminine hygiene products.
In addition to non-perishable food items, the EFP also accepts gift cards to grocery stores.
Pine Street members are invited to place donations into the Giving Barrel, which is located in the Gathering Area, through Sunday January 29. To learn more about the EFC, please visit their website at: https://efoodpantry.org/
Church Un-Decorating
Please join us after worship on Sunday, January 8 to help put away all of the Christmas decorations. Everyone is invited to help.
DDB Still Needs Our Help!
We need volunteers to help out as we expand the hours of clothing distribution at Downtown Daily Bread. Assistance is needed both in unpacking and organizing incoming donations as well as stocking and staffing the distribution room where clients can ‘shop’ for needed items. Please contact Sue Wilson at [email protected] for more information.
Current COVID Procedure
Pine Street Presbyterian Church will follow CDC guidelines to ease masking requirements and allow in-person gatherings, including food. While Dauphin and Cumberland Counties are in the low or medium community levels (according to the CDC’s “COVID-19 by County” page found at:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html). Masks will be optional for all Pine Street events, including worship. Session and staff will monitor the community levels and change health and safety guidelines if the local counties are high. Worshipers are welcome to wear masks if that helps them feel comfortable in worship.
Dates for your Calendar
Sunday, January 1 — 1st Sunday of Christmas — 10:00 am Worship, Rev. Heather Sigler Preaching — NO WOW Children’s program.
Monday, January 2 — Church offices closed
Sunday, January 8 — Baptism of the Lord — 8:45 am Sunday School — 9:00 am Café conversations and Bible Study — 10:00 am Worship, Rev. Matt Drumheller Preaching | UN-Decorating to take place after worship | 11:30 am Adult Forum in person and via Zoom — Kevin Long, moderator
Sunday, January 15 — 2nd Sunday after Epiphany — 8:45 am Sunday School — 9:00 am Café conversations and Bible Study — 10:00 am Worship, Rev. Matt Drumheller Preaching | 11:30 am Adult Forum in person and via Zoom — Michael Cosby, moderator
Sunday, January 22 — 3rd Sunday after Epiphany — 8:45 am Sunday School — 9:00 am Café conversations and Bible Study — 10:00 am Worship, Rev. Matt Drumheller Preaching | 11:30 am Adult Forum in person and via Zoom — Joseph Garrison, moderator
Sunday, January 29 — 4th Sunday after Epiphany — 8:45 am Sunday School — 9:00 am Café conversations and Bible Study — 10:00 am Worship, Rev. Matt Drumheller Preaching | 11:30 am Adult Forum in person and via Zoom — Kevin Long, moderator | 4:00 pm MAPS concert, New York Polyphony