about PW

 

Monthly Gathering

Thursday, November 13 at Noon in the Community Rooms
We invite you to join us for our November meeting. This is our annual Thanksgiving covered dish. Please bring a
main dish or salad to share. Dessert and beverages will be provided. Our guest speaker will be Ann Freeman
Price, whose topic, “Creating Your Own Theology”, will deal with faith journeys. Ann is a member of the Sparta
Methodist Church. She is a former pastor, music therapist and has coached writer’s groups. Our annual Thank
Offering will be received. Be with us as we enjoy Christian fellowship, devotions, and program.
PW Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, November 13th at 10:00 a.m.

RUMMAGE SALE REPORT
We collected over $11,000 for missions!! THANK YOU – to all of you who helped to make our rummage sale a
success. We could not have done it without your help -
- men and women helping to set up on Sunday
- the people who brought rummage on Sunday and Monday
- all the people who sorted relentlessly all week
- the cashiers, pricers, baggers, floor floaters, and all the other help on the Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday sale days
- and last, but by no means least, the clean-up crew that helped box, bag, load the trucks, and drive
to Newark.
Without all these people, we would not have been able to provide this ministry to so many. We reached about 350
families in need on Wednesday, our “give-away day”! See the Any Soldier article & read about the children’s
clothes collected for Afghanistan. Also, all of our “leftovers” went to the Presbyterian Church in Newton to help
with their rummage sale, the Methodist Church Thrift Shop, & Goodwill Home and Mission in Newark where they
use our “gifts” to stock four thrift stores to support their ongoing mission programs. All profits from our sale are
designated for mission projects. All of you who helped in the sale witnessed to your faith, by your work and by
sharing His love with others.
Helen Reigstad, PW Moderator/ Rummage Sale Chair
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people, but is also overflowing in many
expressions of thanks to God.” II Corinthians 9:12

PW NOVEMBER MEETINGS
“WRAPPED IN LOVE” CIRCLE
Wednesday, November 5 & 19
10:00 a.m. at the home of Helen Reigstad
We invite you to join us as we work on prayer shawls and quilts for children who are seriously ill. If any of you
would like to work on one at home, please let us know. Many prayer shawls have been made and given to those
whom we wanted to wrap in God’s love and ours. PW will provide yarn and materials for shawls and quilts. We
are in constant need of prayer shawls so please join us in this ministry. We invite anyone who would like to learn
to quilt or knit to join us. Call Helen Reigstad (729-5766) for further information.

BOOK CIRCLE
Thursday, November 13
7:30 p.m. at the home of Sheila McMeen
If you enjoy reading, please join us for this monthly time of discussion and fellowship. Our book for November will
be Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup. Call Suzanne if you need to order a copy. New members are always
welcome!
“BAD GIRLS of the BIBLE” STUDY CIRCLE
Tuesday, November 18
6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Community Rooms
Join us for dinner and Bible study! The video of Unveiling Mary Magdalene by Liz Curtis Higgs will be seen.
Please bring Christmas cards to send to the Teen Challenge ladies. Come and join the fun and fellowship.
Please call Gail Shawger by Sunday, November 16 to let her know if you will be coming. (729-5901)
DEBORAH CIRCLE
Thursday, November 20
10:00 a.m. in the Church Library
Join us as we continue our Bible study from PW Horizons, “Jubilee! Luke’s Gospel for the Poor”. Please read Luke
7:36-8:3 as we consider the session on “Debts Are Forgiven”. We will be discussing how Jesus forgave, healed,
and accepted women in His ministry. We welcome all newcomers. Join us for this study and lively discussion.
Call Ann Muyskens (726-9704) for further information.
ELIZABETH CIRCLE
No meeting on November 27 (Thanksgiving Day)


PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN 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 (U.S.A.) and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom.

 

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN 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 (U.S.A.) and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom.
January Dates to remember (see articles within Sparta Notes for details):
1: Happy New Year! Church Office closed.

 

Presbyterian Women is a church wide organization whose membership is open to all women. Presbyterian Women (PW) members are those who choose to participate in or be supportive of Presbyterian Women in any way.  Presbyterian Women is organized on presbytery, synod and church wide levels. PW…

  • Provides program, leadership, resources, information and opportunities for service;

  • Advocates action on contemporary issues and concerns;

  • Encourages leader development;

  • Offers opportunities for periodic gatherings of Presbyterian Women.

Presbyterian Women of Sparta Presbyterian Church elects its own leadership, plans and implements a yearly program, and determines its own budget.  Sparta PW meets in "circles" (small groups of women) and maintains ongoing activities such as Bible Study, mission interpretation, and special ministries to the congregation and community.

Sparta PW currently has five circles: Deborah Circle, a morning circle (third Thursday), the Elizabeth Circle, and afternoon circle (fourth Thursday) which meets for a sandwich lunch, devotions, and an informative program; and the Priscilla Circle, and evening circle (third Tuesday) which features a light dinner, devotions, and an inspirational / informative program.  Book circle is 2nd Thursday.  Quilting circle is 1st and 3rd Wednesday's in the morning.

Monthly luncheon meetings are scheduled (second Thursday) so that all women may gather for fellowship, devotions, and an inspirational program, usually by a guest speaker.

Service projects during the year include two extremely large rummage sales, spring and fall; a Christmas Tea & Gift Boutique; monthly homemade soup sales during the fall / winter months; and ongoing sales of church cookbooks, commemorative plates, and similar items.

Sparta PW’s annual budget is somewhat over $20,000, nearly all of which goes to missions. A small portion is used for guest speakers, baby-sitting service, leadership development, and sundry items. Funds are directed both to denominational missions and to local missions and area ecumenical and social needs.

The stated purpose of Presbyterian Women’s groups throughout the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is as follows:

Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, 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 and inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) AND WITNESSES TO THE PROMISE OF God’s kingdom.