Quick News ...
The compassion of God is extended here on a regular basis to individuals and families who have found themselves in serious need for food, heat, transportation assistance, rental assistance, medicines, and other personal concerns. They call us, they walk through our front doors, and we can often help. Thank you - PW Circles who have given the pastor special funds to help others, individuals who have done the same, and all in the church who contribute to our Ministry in regular offerings so that a “Mercy Fund” is available for our response.

Regular contributions of food and personal items have been taken to ECHO from the church. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. If you have new or lightly used clothing you are clearing out of your closet, please let us take these to ECHO, rather than your dropping them off at a Goodwill Store. When ECHO receives the clothes, what they do not immediately give out, they can take to Goodwill where they receive credit vouchers for the value, which can then be given by ECHO to a needy person who could not afford to buy the clothes at Goodwill otherwise.

The community Cold-Night Shelter plan is working well so far, using the Belleview Middle School gymnasium for additional shelter needs overnight. If you are willing to volunteer at the emergency shelter on any evening, please let the Pastor know and he will help you connect with those in charge of the community program.

The “Rock” has recently been re-roofed, securing it for our continued work to repair and refurbish this house which once served as our worship place. Our youth are planning to take on the front section to create a Youth Room. The Rock now serves to provide secure storage for large Boy Scout and Cub Scout equipment, and is the gathering and storage place when we anticipate a Yard Sale. Much of the funds for re-roofing the Rock came from the Yard Sale of 2009.

A new Church Treasurer has been elected by the Session. Karen Gunter will succeed Terri Askera as our Church Treasurer, on January 1, 2011. Terri served as Treasurer from July of 2006, and we are greatly appreciative of the dedicated service she gave us. Thank you, Terri!

Name Badges have been prepared for all members and friends of our congregation. We hope to continue using the Name Badges each Fellowship Luncheon Sunday (2nd Sunday) and on other special occasions. A stand which will hold and display the badges in the Narthex is being built. This will make it easy to find your own name badge. When the stand is in place, please feel welcome to wear your name badge on ANY and EVERY Sunday. Before leaving the church, just drop your Name Badge in the box beside the stand - you do not have to replace it on the badge stand. Wearing your name badge will help someone get to know you - by both face and name! It’s a friendly thing to do!

Disciplefest 2011 is the Presbytery of Florida’s annual event for training and nurturing church members and leaders in the ministries we do. It is also a great time of fellowship with Presbyterians from churches across the Panhandle! This year, Disciplefest is Friday and Saturday, January 28-29, at the Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City Beach. You will find brochures on the table in the Narthex that will give you the workshop opportunities and registration details. Talk to Beth House if you have questions.

Terry Dyer, the Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Florida has been on medical leave since November. He recently had surgery to relieve pain in his neck and back, and continues treatment on other concerns. Please hold Terry in your prayers.

Thornwell Home for Children is well along in its process to call a new President/CEO, to succeed Skip Stansell, who retired as of December 31, 2010. The Board of Trustees’ Leadership Transition Committee is working with a search consultant to receive and screen applicants. The committee will interview finalists for the position on February 1st and 2nd, and present their highest recommendation to the full Board at its March meeting. Dr. Lown continues to chair the Leadership Transition Committee through this search process.
Meanwhile, thanks to many gifts and contributions such as came from our own Quilters’ ‘Craft and Art Fair’ in November, as well as from our Presbyterian Women and Presbyterian Men through the year, Thornwell has projected a balanced budget going forward. This is a great accomplishment in these times for a non-profit that receives no significant government funding. The children of Thornwell thank you, Lafayette!

Just one more note for those of you receiving this newsletter from far away ... you should see the beautiful, divided 4-lane road that Mahan Drive has become in front of the church. It is still waiting for the final surface coat, but the landscaping of the Drive has given us an attractive gateway to our church and to Tallahassee. The full road project to I-10 is scheduled to be completed in 2013. We will try to get a few photos on the church website for you.


DID YOU KNOW
By Phil Ferguson
Many people in the Bible had their names changed. Here are some examples.

Abram changed to Abraham Genesis 17:5
Sarai changed to Sarah Genesis 17:15
Jacob changed to Israel Genesis 32:28
Joseph changed to Zaphnath-paaneah Genesis 41:45
Hoshea changed to Joshua Numbers 13:16
Simon changed to Peter John 1:42
Saul changed to Paul Acts 13:9
Hananiah changed to Shadrach Daniel 1:7
Mishael changed to Meshach Daniel 1:7
Azariah changed to Abednego Daniel 1:7
Naomi changed to Mara Ruth 1:20

A Nursery For Child-Care During Sunday School and Worship
Remember that we have a “Nursery” for child-care during both Sunday School and Worship hours. The Nursery is located in the Christian Education Center. Our friendly, experienced and capable nursery attendants are Diane Papka and Elaine Petford.
This Child-Care is provided for children from Birth to age 5.

Children older than 5 are welcome to be with the congregation in worship, and parents are encouraged to help their child to explore and understand the variety of actions that make up worship here at Lafayette Church. Is there interest and support for a “Children’s Church”?

Membership Committee
Your Membership Committee wants to share a very important date!  December 12....That is our the Sunday in December for Fellowship Luncheon!  Please mark your calendars to be in church that day so you may share in a Christmas Dinner with your Lafayette Church family.  If you have any questions or suggestions you may contact luncheon coordinators Lois Johnson (877-3734)or Rita Tucker (878-9622).

Christian Education
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION has no requirements of age, sex, race, Church membership, school education, good looks (or otherwise), or any other possible need except a desire to keep learning about God, Jesus Christ, the Bible and what Christian faith is all about. We never outgrow the need for more understanding of our foundations of faith and how to live it, and how to share it with our families, co-workers, or neighbors. Lafayette Presbyterian has a class for Y O U.  For more information click here.

Stephen Ministry Training
Stephen Ministry Training began on Monday, May 11th. God has blessed us with 15 women and men of Lafayette Church ready to undertake the 50 hours of preparation in order to be a help to others, as any have need. Pray that our Stephen Ministry program will move on from strength to strength in the grace of God.  For more information click here.