Pastor on Call
For an emergency over the weekend, please contact our Associate Pastor, Cathy Church Norman.

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Worship Sunday, January 7, 2007
Jody Welker, preacher

Scripture:
Isaiah 60:1-6
Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon:
"Another Way"

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Monthly Food Offering
Please bring your food donation to church this Sunday. Suggested donations include crackers/snacks, soup, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, and macaroni and cheese. Please leave your offering in the basket located in the narthex closet.

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Attendance Sunday, December 24:
11:00 a.m.: 399
5:00 p.m.:408
8:00 p.m.: 491
11:00 p.m.: 158

Attendance Sunday, December 31:
11:00 a.m.: 308

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Jody's Journal

Dear Family and Friends of the Kirk,

I write this on the first day back in the office after the New Year. We are gathering ourselves together after a good and hectic season of Advent leading to Christmas. Before looking ahead, I want to look back for a moment to say thank you. Thank you to the many, many people who gave the quiet gift of themselves to make the season special: Musicians, office workers, volunteers, ushers, worship leaders, those who set up the Christmas decorations and who take them down, and so many more who in a busy season give of themselves to help us celebrate at church. Thank you.

As the year came to a close I thought about the generosity of Kirk members in their stewardship. December is a time of year-end giving. If you are like our family, while we give monthly to the Kirk, many of our annual gifts to charitable ministries are made in December. At the Kirk (and every other congregation I’ve served) we always enter December with hope (some nervousness) and expectation that the money that was pledged will arrive. It is not unusual for a church to receive 15-18 percent of the pledged money in December. Most years the money is received which allows us to complete our commitments to mission and ministry as a family of faith. Thank you to all who are so gracious and committed in your giving. We are blessed and able to be a blessing thanks to you. When we are able to be a blessing, the community and the world knows that we, who represent Christ, care about the needs of our world. You help us present a powerful witness.

Looking ahead, we are still waiting to receive some pledges. In 2006 we had a significant increase in giving. Early projections seem to indicate that the 2007 budget does not reflect such an increase. I shared this with one of my minister friends and he said that the honeymoon budget may be over. That may be a good way to put it now that I’m entering my third year with you. While I wish the honeymoon weren’t over, I want to say thanks for a good one. Your giving during that period allowed us to expand our staff, our mission, and our ministry in significant ways. You gave us the funds to expand our outreach through mission trips and increased mission giving. We were able to support a growing music ministry. We were able to send folks to Stephen Ministry training and support youth and children. Because the increase in giving may not be as large in 2007, some of our plans and dreams for this year may be delayed or deferred as we seek to be faithful stewards. We will see. The Session will be building a budget based on 2007 pledges and reconciling them with budget requests from committees. The final budget will be shared with you in February with gratitude.

The year ahead could be a very important one for us. We will engage in a process of Long Range Strategic Planning that will help us discern the future God has in store for us. The Long Range Planning taskforce has been working behind the scenes and the time is coming to ask you to be a part of that process. I am reminded of a saying I learned long ago, “we don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.” I’m hoping that this process will help us move faithfully into the future God has in store for the Kirk. Please pray for us to discern God’s call for us a congregation. Pray that we might be open to hearing the call and faithful in following where Christ leads us.

In faith, hope and love,

Jody

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Circles

Martha Circle
Our next meeting will be Monday, January 8, 9:30 a.m. at the home of Lisa Eberhart.

Hope Brown: lesson
Lisa Van Genderen: devotion
Virginia Anthony and Holly Burton: refreshments

Lydia Circle
Meets Tuesday, January 9, 7:00 p.m. at the home of Flo Westin.

Joy Circle
Meets Tuesday, January 9, 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Glenaire Circle
Meets Wednesday, January 10, 10:30 a.m. at Glenaire.

Ruth Semi-Circle
Meets on Thursday, January 11, 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

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OWLS (Older, Wiser, Loving Seniors) On Monday, January 8 at 10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall we will let the good times roll with an exciting big screen video presentation by our own Dr. Harry Dougherty of a recent trip to the Galapagos Islands. All are welcome.

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Men of the Kirk Breakfast Meeting
All Kirk men are invited to attend our program for January 13 at 7:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Duane Westin will speak on "The Recovery after Katrina: People, Pluses and Minuses" based on his assistance as a Kirk team member helping with cleaning up a few months after the disaster. Come for the best $2 breakfast in Cary provided by a surprise chef, plus the chance to meet other Kirk men in a fellowship environment.

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Scotch Bonnet
All ladies are cordially invited for lunch and Christian Fellowship on Monday, January 15, 11:30 a.m. at Bentley's American Grille (2007 Walnut Street - in front of Target). If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Eakes.

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50+ Group Intercultural Dinner
50+ will meet for an intercultural dinner on Thursday, January 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Learn about and appreciate other cultures. Endalkachew Kidanewold will present a program about Ethiopia. We would like to learn about and experience foods from regional/ethnic areas of Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Serbo-Croatia, and Africa. Try something new to make and eat - kibbee, couscous, enchiladas, chalupa, alicha watt, doro wat, fassolia, fumi salad, Thai salad, Javanese sate Indonesian, aushak with gondona filling? Check our Kirk cookbooks for some of these interesting recipes, or maybe you already have a favorite that originated in one of the region's countries. Call Kae Meyer or Carole Rhodes no later than January 12 to let them know if you will be bringing a main dish, side or dessert and which area the recipe will represent.

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Progressive Dinners
Middle school and high school youth will enjoy a progressive dinner on Sunday, January 21. Lots of host families are needed. If you can provide appetizers or the main course for 6-12 youth in your home, please respond to Nancy Stokes. Be sure to let her know the number of youth you can accommodate and whether you prefer high school or middle school youth. This is a great way to meet and enjoy our Kirk youth.

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S.T.A.R.T. (Specific Training and Resourcing Together)
A Winter Workshop for Leaders and Learners will be held on Saturday, January 27, from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Goldsboro. The keynote speaker will be The Reverend Ken McFayden, Professor of Ministry and Leadership Development and Director of D. Min. Studies at Union-PSCE. S.T.A.R.T. is a training event designed to provide individuals in New Hope congregations with information and skills they will need as they begin the new year. Registration deadline is January 17. You may pick up a form in the church office or register on-line at www.nhpresbytery.org.

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Faith Foundation Adult Sunday School
On January 7 at 10:00 a.m. the Faith Foundation adult Sunday school class will begin a study of human relationships and what the Bible has to say about getting along with people. No preparation is needed and everyone is welcome to come to this informal group that meets at the end of the hall in the middle building in Room S16.

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Kirk Kitchen Need
The kitchen is in dire need of some new dish towels. Maybe you received some new ones for Christmas and would like to donate your old ones? Or possibly you have an over-abundance. You may leave them in the kitchen. Donations would be greatly appreciated.

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Cary Woman's Club Scholarship
The Cary Woman's Club is seeking applicants for the first Cary Woman's Club Scholarship ($1,500) available to high school seniors (male or female) who reside in the Cary/Apex/Morrisville area. The successful candidate will qualify for the Sallie Southall Cotten Scholarship competition, with a four-year value of $22,000. Students should contact their high school guidance counselor for requirements and applications. Application deadline is January 15.

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Forget Something?
Christmas is over and life is beginning to settle down again. Did you forget something this holiday season? Haven't made your financial pledge to the Kirk? We have good news for you! It's not too late! You can pledge at any time. True, the Session is already working on the budget, but it is never too late to make your commitment. The Kirk thanks you.

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A Part-time Job Opportunity
The Carying Place, a Cary-based non-profit agency serving homeless families seeks an effective part-time Program Assistant. Primary responsibilities include office management, program support, property oversight, and volunteer coordination. If you are interested in this position, send cover letter and resume to: The Carying Place, Inc., Attn: HR Chair, P.O. Box 622, Cary, NC 27512. Full job description located on the website: www.thecaryingplace.org.

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Church Member Registration Dates for Kirk Children's Center
February 1 & 2, 10:00 a.m. Session Room
In order to register as a church member, you must be considered an active church member.

Completed registration forms and an $85 registration fee are due at the time of registration.

We will be having tours on the following date: January 23, 24, 25 & 26 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Please feel free to attend one of these informative tours.

For question, please call Brenda (469-4895).

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Family Ties A Huge Success
Once again the Family Ties Christmas Project was a huge success. Each year the members of the Kirk open their hearts and give generously to people in our community who are less fortunate. This year we served 262 people with 391 gifts.

If you bought grocery gift cards, toys or household items perhaps you helped one of the 13 families we adopted. If you bought videos, CD players, clothes or food baskets maybe you helped one of the 38 elderly or handicapped shut-ins. If you bought warm clothing maybe one of the 106 migrant children is wearing new clothes to school because you cared. The Kirk provided toys, art supplies, and clothing for 48 children enrolled in the Loaves and Fishes after-school program in Raleigh. Maybe you helped purchase books for our KOALA program or gave a cash donation that bought food or medicine.

Thank you to the confirmation class for their help with the computer work, making cards and wrapping gifts, and to the church members who helped deliver gifts to the different agencies. Whatever your contribution, the gift of God's love was shared during this holiday season.

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Our Condolences to Cindy Wagner and family on the death of her mother.

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Prayer Request of the Week: Please include in your prayers this week the family of President Ford who recently passed away.

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Prayers: We pray for Joe Long, Randy Williams, Jerry Rhodes, Jerry Palmer, Stefanie Hansen, Heidi Fiedler, Pat Fennell, T. J. Guyton, Rebecca Slack, Dick LaRue, Sara Saunders, Nancy Davis, Evelyn Richards, Alan MacIlroy, Colleen Calwell

If you would like more information regarding any of our concerns, please contact the church office.

Glenaire Healthcare Unit: Ruth Wagnon, Nedra Chesnutt, Martha Haake, Louise Harter, Mary Frances Webb, Lillian Soo-Hoo.

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Thinking about joining the Kirk or just want to learn more? Then consider becoming part of our next Exploring the Kirk Class. We'll talk about the Christian life, both in this congregation and in the Presbyterian (USA) denomination, and ministry opportunities available to us. It will be a great opportunity to meet other visitors and Kirk members, as well as a wonderful way to begin to discover different ways God might be calling you to participate in the life of this church.

The next Exploring the Kirk Class will meet in two parts on Sunday afternoons (February 4 and 11) from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. This class is a prerequisite for membership at the Kirk. Please contact the church office (467-4944, kirkofkildaire@nc.rr.com) by Monday, January 29, to register or to request childcare. For more information, contact Cathy Church Norman (467-4944).

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