PRESBYTERIAN TIDBITS The Newsletter of Ottawa Presbyterian Church

150 N. Oak St., Ottawa, OH 45875-1810 ◆ (419) 523-3694

Reverend Ben Shaw ◆ ottawapresby.org

Andrea Morman, Secretary ◆ 9:00 am Breakfast ◆ 9:45 am Worship

September 2019

Friends in Christ,

I’ll let you in on a little secret that I’m 110% sure won’t surprise you: when I was a kid, I loved school. And

why wouldn’t I? I was good at it, I got to see my friends, and for the first few years it involved lots of field

trips, snacks, and parties. I got less enthusiastic during middle school and high school—but those feelings of

excitement and purpose came roaring back in college and seminary.

I may never go through another degree program again—though I may, who knows?—but even now there

comes a moment in late August or early September when the weather cools down for a bit and I get this

unshakeable sense that it’s time to learn something.

Maybe this is why I am really excited for Sunday school to start back up this month.

Part of it is that I’m excited for our kids to learn what it is that we believe as a community. I’m excited that

every week they are learning about the Bible and God’s love for them from our very faithful Sunday school

teachers.

But I’m also excited for our adults. Because every week we go deep discussing our scripture lesson for the

day, connecting the Bible story to the story of our own lives. This is important, sacred work for a community

to do.

And…I’m excited for me. If you’re a Sunday school regular you know that sometimes something we discuss

in the fellowship hall before worship makes it into the sermon later on. Because I learn things, too. I’ve

learned which celebrities you’ve met…the worst things you’ve seen at weddings…and also what your

biggest questions are about God, the Bible, and Christianity. It makes me a better pastor to be your teacher.

Sunday school starts September 8 at 9:30. If you’re someone like me who loves school—you might already

have it on your calendar. If you’re someone who doesn’t—you’re still invited. There are no grades, no

homework, no preparation needed. Just you.

I look forward to learning with you.

In Christ,

Rev. Ben

Prayer Concerns

Please note: Specific information about those included in our prayers is available during worship, from Rev. Ben, in our office, or from our Session

members. However, specific names will not be posted on this web version of the newsletter.

Please pray for those with health concerns no matter what their stage of life. Please pray for those undergoing Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Rehab Therapy. Please pray for those serving in the military, both at home and overseas, as well as the families who watch and wait for them. Please pray for those receiving hospice care as well as for their families and their caregivers. Please pray for residents of nursing homes and children’s hospitals and also those who are returning to their homes after hospital or nursing home stays. Please pray for those who are either waiting for or who have received organ transplants and the families who face difficult decisions. Please pray for those facing decisions in their personal lives, their professional lives, their family lives, or their spiritual lives. And finally, please say a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings of this congregation as well as a prayer for Rev. Ben’s wonderful leadership of this group of believers!

Financial Reports

Financial reports are available from the treasurer

on in the edition of the newsletter printed out at

church or emailed to your homes.

The church directory

will be updated in the

next month or so.

Anyone with any new

information (address,

email, phone number,

etc) please get that to

the church office. If anyone would like to be

taken out of the directory, please inform me of

that also. Thanks!

Upcoming Events

Breakfast Meeting

OPW breakfast will be held on

Saturday, September 14, at 9 am, here

at the church in Fellowship Hall. Devotions will

be given by Diane Bishop. Hostesses are Janie

Font and Marjorie Roberts.

Concert

Saturday night, September 14, the Lima Area

Concert Band will be performing at 7:30 pm in the

Lima's Veterans Memorial Civic & Convention

Center. The featured soloist for the evening is Dr.

Jennifer (Barteck) Laubenthal, she will be playing

2 clarinet selections. All children are admitted

free, and tickets for adults are $15. Vickie Bartack

and Charlie Doepker are members of this talented

group of musicians. Please come to the concert to

enjoy the music and support our friends.

Outdoor Worship

Sunday, Sept. 15, we will have outdoor

worship at Memorial Park. The service

will start at 10:45. We will have a

potluck lunch after the service. Meat will be

provided by the church, we are asking everyone

that is able to bring a side dish to share. Please

bring your own dinnerware (plates, silverware);

tablecloths, napkins and cups will be provided.

Lemonade will also be provided. Bring your lawn

chairs and let's enjoy God's wonderful outdoors

and Rev. Ben's sermon. We hope to be located at a

shelter house close to the old train caboose.

Contact the church, Ashley R. or Jane D. if you

have questions.

QUARTER AUCTION IS BACK !!

On Thursday Oct. 3, OPW will open the

church doors at 6:00 pm for everyone to

get ready to have a FUN evening. Jeannie Verhoff

will be our host again featuring Signature

Homestyle items. We will start selling tickets

Sept. 1st. A ticket cost $10 which gets you a

paddle for bidding. This year we will have 4 or 5

large raffle prizes. The price for raffle tickets is

$10 for 15 tickets. The fun starts at 6:30 pm, so

bring your friends and rolls of quarters.

Contact Jane D. for more info.

Dear OPC, Thank you for

allowing me to go

to Kirkmont and

Triennium this

summer. I had a very good time! Thank you for

all that you’ve done in the past, and your kindness

hasn’t and will not go unnoticed.

- Cameron Parker

Dear Partners in God’s Mission,

We give thanks to you for your

support of Special Offerings, our

collective witness to the love of

Jesus Christ. By participating in

Special Offerings, your

congregation joins other churches to change lives

around the world through ministries of

compassion, advocacy, development,

peacemaking, Christian formation, education and

witness.

On August 6, 2019, we received $171 for the

Pentecost Offering. Your congregation’s giving,

when combined with that of others, will share the

love of Christ with those in need.

Fall is a time of renewal and energy within many

churches. It is also a time when many

congregations engage A Season of Peace, which

culminates with the Peace & Global Witness

Offering, received on World Communion Sunday.

A gift to this offering enables the Church to

promote the Peace of Christ around the world.

Your congregation is encouraged to use up to 25%

of your Offering, with the remainder going to your

mid-council and the Presbyterian Mission Agency

to support this same mission of peace. During this

busy and exciting time of year, I give thanks for

churches like yours who support Presbyterian

Mission through the Special Offerings.

Again, thank you for giving to enable all people to

know God’s life-giving welcome in Jesus Christ.

Please let me know how we can support your

efforts.

With gratitude to God for our shared mission,

Bryce Wiebe

Dear Partners in God’s Mission:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that “For everything

there is a season, and a time for every matter under

heaven.” It’s hard to believe that Labor Day,

which unofficially marks the end of summer, will

soon be upon us. Schools, colleges, and

universities will soon be back in session, footballs

will be flying around and little by little, the season

will start to turn: the nights will draw in, the

temperatures will gradually drop, leaves will

leisurely fall, and a faint smell of autumn will

appear in the air.

As the season begins to change, so does life in the

church. Rally Sunday, new Sunday School classes,

committees planning for the year, and the Session

begins to build next year’s budget. The church

calendar bursts with excitement. During this busy

time of year, we give thanks for churches like

yours. Thank you for your support of the

Presbyterian Mission Agency.

On behalf of Presbyterian Mission, please allow

me to express our appreciation to you, your pastor,

session, and congregation for your gracious and

faithful support of our ministries. During July, we

received the following gifts from your church: On

July 5, 2019, we received $500 for 102 Shared

Mission Support.

Thank you once again for your support, dedication

and partnership in furthering God’s mission

around the world. You are a valued partner in

mission. Please let me know how I can support

you in your mission efforts.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Chris Roseland, Mission Engagement

Advisor

Return to regular schedule!

We will return to our regular schedule and

Education hour will resume on Sunday, September

8, with Sunday School kickoff beginning at 9:30

am and Worship at 10:45 am.

Volunteers are needed for Sept. 15 & 29 and all

Sundays in October for liturgists.

OTTAWA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 150 N. OAK ST. OTTAWA, OH 45875-1810 419-523-3694 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Presbyterian Tidbits is published once a month by:

Ottawa Presbyterian Church, part of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Reverend Ben Shaw can be reached via email at revben@ottawapresby.org or phone

740-972-1606.

Andrea Morman, secretary, is usually here Tuesday & Thursday.

Our website is ottawapresby.org

Sunday School – 9:30 am/Worship – 10:45 am

The Prayer Circle is a group willing to confidentially pray for your joys and concerns.

Please contact prayercircle@ottawapresby.org.

Session:

Class of 2019: Jane Doepker, Chas Myers

Class of 2020: Paul Baransy, Brandon Font

Class of 2021: Robyn Badder, Ashley Roberts

DATE ELDERS IN CHARGE FLOWERS

September 1 Robyn B. Vorhes

September 8 Ashley R. Hirzel

Servers: Paul B.

Communion Prep: Rev. Ben

September 15 Paul B. Carrie Johnson

September 22 Jane D. Myers

September 29 Brandon F. Eileen Miller