_THE_LATEST_TESTER – Moorpark Presbyterian Church

Summer Under The Sun-Children’s Ministries Director, Gwen Smith

May 6, 2021

The Latest in Children’s Ministries

As restrictions are beginning to lift, we are looking forward to welcoming children back to the MPC campus this Summer with some new programing.

Sunday Morning Children’s Church

On Sunday, June 6th we will be offering Children’s Church on campus during the Sunday Service. This is our Sunday Summer School Program where children age 4 through 5th grade in the Fall learn about God’s love through Bible stories, songs and crafts together in a group setting. The Nursery will NOT be open at this time and will tentatively be reopening June 27th.

Our Summer theme for Children’s Church will be “Life Lessons of Jesus” and how we can apply them to our lives. We will be meeting outdoors and sometimes in Wilkinson Hall. Children will need to wear masks and be socially distanced. The children will begin in Service each Sunday and be dismissed before the Sermon. There will be a sign-up sheet on the “white lemonade stand” outside of the Sanctuary for parents to sign their children in to Children’s Church each week.

Summer Session of TNT

This Summer we will be having a SPECIAL session of TNT (Tuesday Nights Together). TNT will begin on Tuesday, June 15th and run until Tuesday, August 3rd from 4:30-6:00pm. The theme will be “Growing in God’s Love” and will feature hands-on garden activities. Families need to RSVP HERE for any portion of TNT that their Summer schedule allows by Monday, June 7th.

The children are welcome to invite friends or visiting cousins to attend. Drop-off will be at Wilkinson Hall and is open to children 5years through entering 5th grade in the Fall. To ensure we have adequate snacks and supplies, families MUST let me know if they are bringing a guest by the Sunday before the next TNT class. Also, if they are going on vacation and will be missing a few classes, families need to communicate that information ahead of time as well.

Plans are currently underway for 3 Family Events this Summer on the MPC Campus. Be watching for more information as the details become available.

Children’s Ministries is looking forward to welcoming the children of MPC back this Summer!!!

Did you know…

Click HERE to see a copy of the Nursery care Job description.

Click HERE to go to the Children’s Ministries website.

Gwen Smith, Director of Children’s Ministries, (805) 529-8422 x105

Congregational Meeting-Sunday, May 16-Learn about the nominees

May 6, 2021

MPC will hold a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, May 16 for the purpose of electing Elders and Deacons. Click HERE to learn more about the nominees.

No reservation is required to attend and all are welcome. When it comes time to vote, only members of the church are eligible to vote.

The in-person meeting will start 10 minutes after the conclusion of the 9:00am worship service.

If you would like to attend virtually, simply tune into the livestream of the morning worship service. You will have limited ability to interact with the happenings of the meeting. If you have any questions about the meeting, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask.

If worshiping from home, click HERE on Sunday for the livestream.

Keenan Barber, Senior Pastor, 805-529-8422, x101

Community Engagement-3 Rewarding Partnerships

May 6, 2021

We have 3 areas of Community Engagement to highlight this week:

Upcoming Blood Drive

2. CPC Diaper Drive results and thank you to MPC. Click HERE to learn more about CPC.

3. Girl Scout Troop 60821 presented their Silver Project to MPC. The large cross was made of tiles decorated by MPC children, youth, and staff.

A Night For Men, A Day For Women

May 6, 2021

Click HERE to contact John Crawford with any questions.

Click HERE to contact Brenda Kermode with any questions.

Men’s Ministries website.

Women’s Ministries website.

National Day of Prayer-May 6, 2021

May 6, 2021

HISTORY OF NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Throughout history, there have been few national days of prayer. In fact, there were only a few noteworthy ones between the 1700s – 1900s. The National Day of Prayer that we know today was founded in 1952, and it was co-founded effort between the United States Congress and President Harry S. Truman.

The holiday was signed into law by President Truman, and every president since has signed a proclamation that encourages Americans to pray on and celebrate this day. The theme of the 2021 National Day of Prayer is love, life, and liberty. The national holiday has always been the first Thursday of May every year since it was founded in 1952. This year it is May 6. It stands as a day that continues the decision-making of the country’s founding fathers, which used the morals from biblical lessons in difficult situations. Basically, using God’s guidance to make important decisions in the country and for yourself. Just like Thanksgiving and Christmas, the National Day of Prayer has become recognized by Americans nation-wide.

Knowing that America was founded by people of European-descent with predominantly Christian backgrounds, it’s no surprise that this holiday was originally created to celebrate Christian faith. National Day of Prayer was an effort to ask American citizens “to turn to God in prayer and meditation.”

Not sure what to pray? Here’s a list of things to pray for on National Day of Prayer:

The President
The Vice President
Our nation’s military
For our country’s leaders to have wisdom in decision making
For our country to submit to God and His authority

Praise and gratitude
Families and communities
Those suffering and in need

If you need personal prayer, please feel free to call the church office at (805) 529-8422 or click HERE to submit a prayer request.

April 2021 Session Update from Pastor Keenan Barber

April 29, 2021

Elder Updates from April 13, 2021 Meeting

As I wrote about a month ago, I will try and keep you the congregation informed about where the elders of church are leading in.

COVID-19 updates

The elders have spent time praying and discerning the many ways the pandemic effects the life of the church. As the color of the county has moved from the alarming rates of infection in Winter to where we are now – there are changes in the way we shape our Sunday morning worship experience. We continue to meet in person. Up until now, we have had a maximum number of people in the sanctuary set as around 100 people (25% of the full capacity of 100). As of now, the color of our county has changed to Orange and as such, we are able to accommodate 200 worshippers (50% capacity). We are still in a place where we are discouraging singing when are meeting indoors, but are hopeful that will shift soon as well.

Programs Moving Forward

Many of the programs that we hosted pre-pandemic are slowly making their way back on to our campus. We are hopeful to bring our Sunday School program back on to campus beginning in June. VBS will look a little bit different this summer with MPC hosting 7 Tuesdays rather than the traditional week-long VBS experience. And keep an eye out for some fun all-church gatherings happening about once a month this summer.

Congregational Meeting: Sunday, May 16 in-person and livestream

We will making a few changes to our by-laws as well as voting on new elders and deacons. The Nominating Committee has done a great job to identify four elders and deacons to serve starting on July 1, 2021. I hope you can join us for our Meeting so that you can be the first to pray for our incoming church officers.

One Last Thing

Did I mention that we are meeting in person – in the sanctuary – on Sunday mornings?!? I am hopeful that we will begin to see many of you return to in-person worship real soon so that we can begin to reconnect with each other and connect with Jesus all in the same physical space together. Worried that there will be too many people? Thus far, the most number of people we have had present is about 75 which means there is plenty of room to come and have plenty of distance between you and the people around you. Time for the church to gather. Look forward to seeing you there soon.

Keenan Barber, Senior Pastor, (805) 529-8422 x101