The Advent Season of Christmas, when we Celebrate the coming Birth of Jesus, is upon us. If you've missed services this past two weeks, Pastor Bronc has already shared the Promises of Hope and Peace symbolized by the lighting of the first and second Advent Candles. If you want to listen to his sermons, you now can - online. Just go to http://www.rpcnet.org/sermons - and select a "SermonCast" - the player is embedded, or you can download the file in mp3 format
What's coming up in the RPC Family - 
Howdy RPC YAs.
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in making sure to plan events that are fun or enlightening for everyone to come out to, we forget about the real needs in our own backyard. Fortunately, then God usually sends a wake-up call.
Today's wake-up call came in the form of an email from Megan Terry of North Light Community Center. Megan sent the email below to people she knows are involved in ministries in the Roxborough Area.
What I'm asking is pretty simple. When you go grocery shopping, when you pickup that can of green beans, or can of whatever, pickup an extra or two. Drop it off either at Roxy Pres, or if your in the neighborhood, right at North Light. Let's do this as often as possible, and let's see it make a difference in our own neighborhood. By helping others, we can honor our heavenly Father. Don't worry, there are no downsides to doing this. Reaching out and help your neighbor is what we are told to do.
If you are coming to the HarvestFest - Bring some cans!
Here's part of Megan's email to the Christian Community of Northwest Philly:
Friday I received a call from a gentleman North Light has assisted once before through the FISH food cupboard. He and his wife have fallen on hard times, as many have. They have disabled twin infants and an older toddler. They were in need of a specific formula for the twins (doctor's orders) and diapers for all three. They have applied for state social services and WIC, all of which does not go into effect for a few weeks. He had gone to two churches this morning (in this neighborhood) and been told by both that neither did this.
Now the big question: What would Jesus do???
I understand that everywhere and everyone are struggling. That building costs have increased and we are struggling to support a family at the church…But what about people like the family above? We all (myself included) need to consider what Jesus said in Matthew 25 and act on it. Not just on Sunday, not just in that spare change for a mission overseas, but to see a neighbor has been ill and take over soup, or to set up an emergency fund in our office so that we may run to the market and pick up diapers for a struggling family.
North Light is once again running our Thanksgiving meals and Holiday adopt a family (or more) programs. We also have our year round Friends In Supplying Help (FISH) food cupboard. We could use your help, with these programs. Just 2 weeks ago our food cupboard was down to 19 cans of tomato paste and 6 cans of broth. There was nothing! I went home, I prayed, I brought in what I could from my house, and then a local church held a food drive. The food that filled our kitchen last week is all but gone now. We need a steady supply of shelf stable food and we need money to purchase gift cards for the purchase of items we do not stock like specific formula, diapers (specific sizes and brands makes it very hard to keep a supply) and bread, milk, etc.
Tonight 7:30pm - Like most Wednesday Nights - Get Re:Freshed - Mid-week! re:Fresh band will be lead by Jim Wade tonight, and the message will be given by Crawford Clarke. After, enjoy some snacks together and find out how others are handling the week.
Saturday October 24th 7pm - Stop by for some snacks and desserts as we look at and discuss "The Fruits of the Spirit" We'll be at our Abode. For directions - drop us an email!
Sunday October 25th 7pm - RPC Hayride and Bonfire at Merrymead Farm! Come be part of this annual tradition. Cost is $8 and includes the ride, a hot dog and S'mores too! Go early to check out the rest of the farm.
Even Satire can make ya think....How would RPC react?
I copied and pasted....found some of Onion's Wording in their Ads not up to my standard.
God Makes Surprise Visit To Local Church
FAYETTEVILLE, NC—Parishioners at the First Presbyterian Church were left stunned and in awe of His glory Sunday, when the Lord God Almighty dropped by their 11 a.m. service unannounced.
Our Father, the Almighty God, popped His all-powerful head into First Presbyterian Church Sunday.
Interrupting Pastor Terry Pridgen's sermon on His unending mercy, God appeared suddenly before His flock as an intense beam of white light, instantly dispersing the earthly forms of those seated in the first two pews. Sources said the remaining congregants had to avert their eyes from their Creator, whose booming celestial voice overwhelmed their worldly senses and humbled their hearts as He politely apologized for not calling first.
"I AM the God of Abraham, the LORD MOST HIGH, who brought you forth from the bondage of Egypt," God said unto church members, many of whom cowered in reverent fear of Him. "Thought I'd just pop in and see how things were going. Please, pretend like I'm not even here."
The Supreme Being then thanked the choir for its "lovely introduction" and took a seat to the right of the altar.
According to wholly repentant witnesses, who were scarcely able to look upon the Alpha and Omega, much less conceive of the enormity of His Might, God did not speak again for the entirety of the service, but was seen nodding approvingly during the Nicene Creed.
Attendees reportedly did not ask the One Who Made Them Flesh why He had chosen to visit their small parish, though some suspected the church's new electric organ might have had something to do with it.
"I don't think anyone knew He was coming," said churchgoer Ron Stiehl, adding that, for once, he was happy his wife dragged him to church. "At least it seemed that way when He started walking toward us and everyone was yelling their heads off like it was Judgment Day."
"Turns out the King of Kings was just making the rounds," Stiehl continued. "I thought He'd be taller."
While God did not reveal unto man a reason for His visit—nor did He, in His great wisdom, offer to pay for the six stained-glass windows that shattered from the awesome power of His presence—the Almighty sat among His followers for the last 35 minutes of the Sunday service, as well as the free coffee and pastries that followed.
Sources said that Our Father sat alone eating two cinnamon-sugar doughnuts, and was approached only once, when 5-year-old Jeremy Pacheco tried to hug the omnipotent deity. The boy's parents immediately yanked him away.
The other 112 church members avoided God entirely, and reacted to His continued stay with a mix of astonishment, confusion, fearful reverence, and the sublime inner peace that comes with the knowledge of a power greater than oneself.
"I wanted to ask the Lord what heaven is like, and if my mother is there, but I wasn't sure if it's still considered taking His name in vain when you address Him directly," Wendy Alston said. "And I didn't dare draw attention to myself with two teenagers wearing blue jeans to church. I could barely look at Him, I was so ashamed."
"Oh dear God," said 72-year-old church volunteer Michael Sharpe, completely enraptured by the materialization of the One True Creator before his very eyes. "Oh, dear God in heaven."
Since the Almighty's decision to stop by the First Presbyterian Church, the theological world has been thrown into chaos. Presbyterian leaders said God's appearance was indisputable proof that their denomination is the one true faith, but afternoon sightings of the Lord at two other Fayetteville churches, as well as one synagogue, have cast doubt on that theory.
"God said He just wanted to see what we were up to," Pastor Pridgen said. "This is His house, after all. He can drop in whenever He wants."
"Although, you'd think an all-knowing deity unbound by time and space would be able to give us some warning so we could at least put a bulletin in the church newsletter," the pastor added. "Not that I'm complaining or anything. All praise be to God. Is He still hanging around the parking lot?"
