Welcome back, Nena Rogers!  Nena returned after a short illness, and she is our Member of the Week for January 13.
We begin the Study of Luke on January 20 at 10 a.m.  Please read Chapter 1 in Six Themes Everyone Should Know in Luke and Chapters 1-2 in the New Testament Book of Luke.  After Church on January 20, there will be a short congregational meeting.
Scroll down for pictures of our efforts to care for creation through our activities as a church community, including installation of solar panels to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  Monitor Solar Production. which began September 21, at: 
https://monitoringpublic.solaredge.com/solaredge-web/p/site/public?name=Spencer%20Presbyterian%20Church#/dashboard    
Rejoice with us!    Julie Hitsman has agreed to be our permanent worship leader.
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We are a small community of Presbyterians in Spencer, West Virginia.  We are a welcoming, reflective, inclusive community that tries to be light to others.  We believe in service, simplicity and openness to the spirit, and these are reflected in our worship space.  We built a church in the ‘70s that houses a pre-school and an after-school program.  The worship space functions as the school’s multi-purpose room.  We also serve the community through our participation in the CROP Walk and Helping Hands, the local food bank.

On a typical Sunday, between four and ten congregants attend worship service.  Our spiritual formation is enriched by adult Sunday School during the school year and by spring and fall retreats.   Our church members have a love of learning and love of nature that manifests itself through interest in the arts, gardening, wellness, and environmental issues. 

We are embarking on activities to become an Earth Care Congregation during 2018.  We want to get in the habit of having  more environmentally sustainable practices in our worship, educational activities, physical facility and grounds.  We will chronicle our attempts on the home page. Below a picture of using Daffodil leaves for palms on March 25, 2018.
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Using Daffodil leaves for Palms

 Our Seder Service on March 29, 2018 used mostly non-disposable table items to reduce material in the landfill.  

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Mostly non-disposable table settings
On April 26, the local paper carried a story about the church project to install 89 solar panels on the roof to meet all the electricity needs of the church and the Building Blocks Child Development Center. 
Workers from Solar Holler are installing hardware to support the racks for the solar panels on May 4.  
Workers from Solar Holler installed the first solar panels on May 23.  Here they are adding to the array on May 24. 
Church members provide lunch for the crew on May 24.  Left to Right, Paul and Thelda Hughes, Robin Wilson (back to camera), and crew members, Josh Robinette, Tanner Swiger, Ethan Spaulding & Colton Memmott.
Solar panels are completely installed on June 1.  The panels will go online after the Electric company inspects them and gives permission for solar production.  
Participants make a chain to put "hands on" the solar panels during the dedication service on June 28.  
Mary Quick leading worship on July 29 wearing stole given her by Sylvia Miles. 
​Thanks Sylvia!
Church members receiving an Outstanding Sustainable Community Initiative Award from the Ohio Valley Environmental  Coalition.  Robin Blakeman nominated us for the award and presented it on September 30.  
December 16: Dedication of new pottery for worship.  Except for the wine cup, the pieces were created by local potter, Keith Lahti.