Twenty-five years of “we’re here!” Who’s got the key? Who’s sleeping where? Let’s keep the mandatory snacks up here with us. Someone get the water. Leave the Tums where they are easy to find “… and so the retreat begins.

Twenty-five years of fellowship; twenty-five years of love and companionship; twenty-five years of worshiping our awesome God in an equally awesome canyon deep in the heart of the hills.

Rapid creek flowing by; deer, turkeys and sheep grazing amidst the grounds and the glorious nature of God’s kingdom right at our fingertips.

There have been mountaintop highs (ask the rock climbers who, after laboring mightily, reached the summit of the cliff to discover a gaggle of women sitting at the top visiting). There have been desserts with worms (gummy, that is); four a.m. concerts; frozen pillows; marshmallow crème covered hands, chocolate covered smiles and guilty giggles.

There have been tears of joy, tears of sorrow, tears of happiness, tears of stress, tears for no other reason than that of love for one another.

Twenty-five years where all topics spoken aloud and prayed for have remained at Camp Rimrock…twenty-five years of trust where individuals experiencing death (a spouse), drugs (a child) and divorce (children) have sought the advice, the comfort, and the hugs and love from the group.

Twenty-five years of worship followed by meditation – some choosing to sit under a pine tree praying; some wandering through the camp, some sitting on the steps of a beloved cabin; some not able to focus but wanting the solace and peace of the wind through the pines.

The Holy Spirit is in our midst…dancing with the group, laughing at the silliness of grown ladies acting like teens, sighing as the group pour out their love through music and prayer; and understanding as very personal issues are discussed. God is always with us.

We come to the camp as friends, as fellow Presbyterians. We leave the camp as sisters…sisters of the heart. And as we depart we each take the love of our Lord and the love of the group with us. We go to retreat to learn; we return home to serve.

---Meleta DeJong, PW Historian

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Choir Spreads Holiday Cheer

	Traveling from retirement home to retirement home and nursing home to nursing home the choir families shared their music with the residents and staff.  One stop was also made at the home of a beloved OPC member, Charlotte Hyde.  A meal and treats hosted by Ron and Glenda Woodburn followed the caroling.
Charlotte Hyde as she listens to the OPC carolers	*Please click on photos to view enlargements*

Choir, Youth and Children Present Annual Christmas Program

The choir dressed in their holiday red sang four anthems while the youth and children presented a program remembering the nativity and birth of Christ.  The program was in lieu of the sermon on the Sunday of December 19th.

Beth Moore Bible Study Retreat
Fri - Sat, Feb. 4th & 5th, 2011  ~  at Oahe Presbyterian Church

Just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Ladies, do you need help loving some unlovely people in your life?  Then join the women of our community for a unique Bible study retreat!  “Loving Well,” a DVD study by popular Christian author and speaker Beth Moore, will help you see that we can only truly love others when we let God love us with his complete, unfailing love.  This workshop will be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4 and 5, at Oahe Presbyterian Church.  Breakfast and lunch on Saturday, as well as snacks both days, will be provided.  A journal will also be provided for self-reflection after the event.  Mark your calendars and invite your girlfriends for a great weekend retreat! 

     *  Friday, Feb. 4: Registration at 5:15 pm, and Sessions from 6 to 9 pm
     *  Saturday, Feb. 5: Breakfast at 8:00 am, and Sessions from 8:45 am to 2:30 pm

Registration by Jan. 23 is encouraged. 
A $10 donation to cover costs would be appreciated.

 Please send completed registration form to Oahe Presbyterian Church, 2115 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501

CLICK HERE for printable Registration Form.

Time for Pierre Pantry Food Items

January is Oahe’s month to collect food for the Pierre Pantry.  Items can be put in the designated carts in the check-out areas of Sutleys or Dakotamart. Items in the carts are picked up twice a week and taken to the Pantry.  Items purchased elsewhere can be brought to the church and left in the cart in the narthex. (Due to corporate policy, Walmart chooses to give a monetary donation to the Pantry instead of providing carts for collection.)

Have you wondered how the Pantry works?  People go to PARS and fill out a one page application.  Those who qualify get vouchers for a certain amount of money.  (The program is income-based.)  The vouchers are taken to the Pantry, open 4-5:30, Monday thru Friday.  Each food item in the Pantry is labeled with a price, so a person can “shop” for the items they wish, until the vouchers are used up. One shopping trip per month is allowed (or 30 days between visits.)  Prices are low, so $10 in vouchers can “buy” as much as $50 in retail price of groceries.

A volunteer buys a limited amount of perishable items,(eggs, milk, etc.) which are available in limited supply.

 Day old bread is donated from the local stores, as is meat that is approaching expiration.  A local hunter’s group, part of Sportsmen Against Hunger, provides 1 lb. packages of ground venison.  These specially donated items are extra, and do not count toward the voucher total.  A commodity program has just been started, so items on this special shelf are also extra.  Also on the free shelf are other extra or close to expiration date items.

There is also an emergency program, coordinated with the Red Cross, Missouri Shores, etc.  This gives a coupon book of 6 coupons, which can be used once a week for 6 weeks.

PIERRE PANTRY ITEMS NEEDED

PLEASE NOTE:

Cathy Mercer, from PARS, stressed that  people need to understand that Pierre Pantry is still in need of food.  Last month they served 145 families. The number of vouchers used has stayed about the same, but the size of families using the food has increased, possibly because of families moving in together. The proposed Food Bank will store and ship food to agencies or groups that need it in the region, but Pierre Pantry will still be accepting and buying food for those in need.

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Fish Fry Held January 9th

A snowfall of five plus inches did not keep away a crowd of sixty individuals from Onida and Pierre who attended the annual Jenner-DeJong Fish Fry. 

Special guests were the youth group from Onida First Presbyterian Church and Terry C. Anderson, Madison, Wisconsin and former member of OPC.  Terry was in town to perform for Governor Daugaard’s inaugural ball.  Terry also provided special music for Sunday morning worship service.

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