Clicking on the photo of Rev. Davenport above will take you to more photographs from the 9:30 am and 11:00 am worship service at which Rev. Davenport did his candidating sermon prior to being chosen as our next Head Pastor
Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church
Women’s Ministries 2008 Fall Retreat
September 12-13, 2008
Please join us for 24 hours of rest, relaxation and refreshment in the beautiful setting of Kearns Spirituality Center, A Ministry of The Sisters of Divine Providence (9000 Babcock Blvd, Allison Park, PA 15101). http://www.divineprovidenceweb.org/page/ministries/kearns-spirituality-center.htm
This retreat will focus on the fellowship of women and building relationships between us through our Lord
Jesus Christ. With our busy lives, we need to set aside some true quality time to nurture our relationships with God and other women. Witty, energetic, and an awesome leader, Reverend Darlene Hann will share her amazing speaking talents with us as we cleanse, refresh, and renew during our time together. There will be large and small group opportunities, a service project and plenty of time for fellowship and joy.
The retreat begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 12, and ends at around 7:00 p.m. after dinner on Saturday, September 13. Light snacks and beverages will be provided on Friday evening.
Cost:
***Please note that confidential financial scholarships are available. Contact Darlene Hann @ 412-655-2000 to discuss.
Register early and be included in a drawing in June for a discounted retreat!!! Otherwise, all registrations must be received by August 17, 2008. If you need to cancel your registration, you can do so up until August 17 to receive a refund.
Please fill out the form below and return it with your check made payable to “PHCPC”: Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church, Attention: Women’s Retreat, 199 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.
(Please note that you are not considered registered until payment is received.)
______________________________________________________________________________________________
PHCPC’s Women’s Retreat September 12-13, 2008 - Registration Form (registration deadline is August 17, 2008)
Name ______________________________________________ Phone _____________________
Address _______________________________________________________________________
E-Mail ____________________________________________
Please check one: ______ Overnight stay $66
______ Saturday only - breakfast, lunch, dinner $42 (arrive at 8:00 am)
______ Saturday only - lunch and dinner $35 (arrive at 9:00 am)
Please indicate if you have a roommate preference (2 per room): _____________________________________ (A limited number of single rooms are available. If a single room is a necessity, please discuss with Linda Shidel @ 412-398-6327 or by email: linda@shidel.com. Please note that there is a surcharge for a single occupancy room.)
Do you need us to make arrangements for carpooling? _________________________
Can you drive women in your vehicle who need transportation?___________________
You will receive a map and letter with further details prior to the retreat. Amount Enclosed: ___________
Women’s Ministries 2008 Fall Retreat
September 12-13, 2008
Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church - Women’s Ministries
199 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 - 412 655 2000
by Jennifer Booth
In the heat of the day she walks through the center of town. The other women are watching from the cool shadows of their homes. They went to the well early in the morning. They enjoyed the conversation and the sharing as they filled their jars. She wasn’t welcome. She goes to the well now. Alone.
The surprise is that she sees a stranger at the well. It is a man. She doesn’t want to talk with him. She just wants to get her water and quickly go back to her house.
This day she will not fill her jar with water from the well. She will fill her very soul with a mysterious, life-giving water from the stranger. This stranger will satisfy her deepest longings and desires.
This same man longs to give each of us this life-giving water. This man, Jesus, longs to fulfill the deepest desires of our hearts. Jesus wants us to have life until it fills our hearts and overflows with joy.
The Women’s fall retreat is a time to enjoy this refreshing, life-giving water. Come to the retreat and experience it for yourself.
WOMEN’S FALL RETREAT
SEPTEMBER 12 and 13
Friday and Saturday
Would you like to receive a copy of the Sunday worship bulletin by e-mail? The bulletin would come to you as a series of pictures every Sunday after church, so no special software would be needed to read it.
If you would like to sign up, please send an e-mail to communications@pleasanthillschurch.com .
Sending out a “SonForce” salute to the special agents (especially Johanna Seese, our coordinator) who rose before the sun to prepare a delicious breakfast and to those agents who came hungry! The $700.00 we raised as a congregation will help with scholarships and supplies.
Mission accomplished!
by Paul Thwaite
At a congregational meeting held Sunday April 20th, after preaching his candidating sermon at both worship services, the Rev. LaVerne A. Davenport was elected by a vote of 249-33 as the 6th called Senior Pastor in the nearly 70 year history of the Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church. LaVerne will conclude his ministry in Dixon, IL and begin his duties as Senior Pastor on August 1, 2008.
It was an exciting weekend at PHCPC as the Davenports arrived Thursday evening. LaVerne, his wife Mary Jane, and 3 of their 4 children – Sylvia (21), Daniel (14), and Jennifer (12) (son John [18] had a track meet and had to remain behind) – were hosted for the weekend by Joe and Carol Swartz. The Davenports had a very busy weekend as they spent time getting to know the community better along with the many activities connected with the candidating weekend. After some househunting on Friday, we enjoyed a lovely dinner with the Davenports, Thwaites, Hanns, and Swartzs as hosts.
Saturday was a busy day for the Davenports. A luncheon with the church staff and spouses and Pastor Nominating Committee and spouses was held in the Courtyard Lounge to provide a chance for the Davenports to meet those they would be working with most closely. It was a relaxed time of fellowship and conversation with LaVerne sharing his excitement about the chance to join this faith community. He answered some questions about his sense of call to this ministry and a few other things before heading off for more househunting in our community.
Saturday evening provided the opportunity for members of the congregation to meet the Davenports at a reception in Fellowship Hall. Barb Nieman and others provided a beautiful reception and well over 100 people came to meet the Davenports and have the chance to interact with them. It had already been quite a busy weekend, and “the main event” had yet to arrive!
Candidating Sunday brought out many from the congregation to hear the recommended candidate for Senior Pastor. Nearly 400 were in attendance at the 9:30 worship service and 460 at the 11 a.m. service as people came to participate in this important event in the life of our congregation. Following the worship services, nearly 300 participated in the congregational meeting where LaVerne’s name was placed in nomination and the written vote was held to confirm his election as our new Senior Pastor and Head of Staff. After expressing thanks for the hard work of the PNC and dismissing them with gratitude, the meeting was closed in prayer.
This weekend was the culmination of many months of prayer, hard work, and anticipation on the part of many in our faith community. I hope you will personally express your thanks to the members of the Pastor Nominating Committee – Chair Steve Heys, Darlene Bachman, Eric Birch, David Greiner, Blanche McManus, Kristin Palmer, Rich Virgin, and Glema Burke (personnel trustee, ex-officio) – who on behalf of the congregation offered dedicated service over the past 17 months. And I hope you will continue to pray for the Davenports, our congregation, and for these next few months of anticipation and preparation for their arrival to be a time where we all ask for God’s blessing and guidance as we move forward by faith. These will be exciting and challenging times as we together seek to be God’s people for this time in our community!
Rev. LaVerne A. Davenport2238 Center LaneDixon, IL 61021