It happened again. I really thought that once we had reached this advanced stage of computer literacy the days of feeling stupid would have left us far behind, but I guess we haven’t arrived yet. Technology still has some moments of humiliation to be inflicted upon those of us who are techno-dummies.

It happened at Linda’s, my wife’s, graduation ceremony from Thomas Edison College. (Yes, congratulations are in order for her fantastic accomplishment of graduating college and holding a practically perfect grade point average, and being wife, mother, and grandmother.) This momentus event was going to be recorded for posterity through the lens of our wonderful, spell that expensive, Nikon, which has the capacity to be manually focused, or, as it is usually used by this owner, in the proverbial "point and shoot" mode.

Well, the moment of cap-gown and hood pictures arrived. I pointed, and pushed the button, and nothing happened. I looked at all of the numbers, letters and symbols, pretending as if I knew what they meant, pointed, pushed the button, and again, nothing happened. Actually, something did happen: it "beeped" at me…twice…, letting me, and everyone else in the room know that I really didn’t have a clue as to what was going on.

After some more magical incantations and bidding prayers, I turned to Linda and said in my most erudite manner, "I can’t get it to work."

Now, days after the event, having had a chance to read the book and go step by step over each procedure the problem has been resolved.

The inability to snap the picture came from the fact that I was at the end of the roll of film and it wouldn’t let me take any more pictures.

"But didn’t I check that?" you ask…. Of course you asked that. Yes, it was checked. And it told me that I was on picture #20. There should be four more pictures, I thought. Don’t all rolls of film have 24 exposures? Well…uh, no…apparently not. There were three extra rolls of film in the camera bag, but the roll of film that was in the camera was at the end of the roll and it only had 20 exposures, and the camera would not let me go any further until the film was replaced. Another wonderful Kodak moment, he said sarcastically.

In all of this, I have a kind of subtle wish, that perhaps we could take technology just one step further, and bring it into the realm of the spirit. Who knows, perhaps there is coming a day when we will go to do some morally suspect action that is not in keeping with God’s will and way, and without our knowledge, some holy tecno-spirit will prohibit us from doing it.

For instance, the flirtation with the new co-worker would never get beyond "Good morning, how are you?" because of a sanctified "Beep! Beep!" alarm that will not allow our jaw to open, nor eye lashes to bat.

Or perhaps a remote could be developed that would automatically shut us down after the second martini, or a governor could be attached to our tongue so it would not speak faster than our minds ability to process truth and fiction as it is spoken. And children who might defy their parents could only emit the words "Yes, Mom!"

Well, I guess it is too much to ask, because God wants us to respond from the inner core of our being in freedom and in loving obedience. We are not robots, we are human kind, created in God’s likeness to love and serve God. Come…let’s do it together.

Oct. 1 – Barbara Hurte – Esther 7:1-6,9-10; 9:20-22; Psalm 124; James 5:13-20; Mark 9:38-50

Oct. 8 – Bob Hurte – Job 1:1, 2:1-10; Psalm 26; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16

Oct. 15 – Timothy Loyle – Job 23:1-9, 16-17; Psalm 22:1-15; Hebrews 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31

Oct. 22 – Bob McFarlane – Job 38:1-7; Psalm 104:1-9, 24,35; Hebrews 5:1-10; Mark 10:35-45

Oct. 29 – Jay Miers – Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Psalm 34:1-8; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 10:46-52

Nov. 5 – Marty & Nicolle Parkes – Ruth 1:1-18; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9:11-14; Mark 12:28-34

Nov. 12 – Barbara Purcell – Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; Psalm 137; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44

Nov. 19 – Debbie Riley – 1 Samuel 1:4-20; l Samuel 2:1-10; Hebrews 10:11-14(15-18) 19-25; Mark 12:1-8

Nov. 26 – Colleen Roan – 2 Samuel 23:1-7; Psalm 132: 1-12; Rev. 1:4b-8; John 18:33-37

ELDERS SERVING COMMUNION IN OCTOBER

Preparation: Thomas K. Thomas and John Van Decker

Serving: Robert McFarlane, Thomas K. Thomas, John VanDecker, Bruce Wolfinger, Frank Baylor, Ralph DeHaas

Preparation: Ralph DeHaas and Dale Dykstra

Serving: Dale Dykstra, George Earling, Fred Gary, Robert McFarlane, Thomas K. Thomas

We welcome Lynn Damato into the membership of the Stewartsville Presbyterian Church. She was received into membership on August 20, 2000. Lynn resides with her husband Robert and sons Marc and Kevin on Maxwell Drive in Stewartsville.

Kevin Charles Damato received the Sacrament of Infant Baptism on Sunday, August 20, 2000. He is the son of Robert and Lynn Damato.

November 12th will be Stewardship Sunday. A special Congregational meeting will be held on November 12th immediately following worship to review the budget for 2001. A copy of the budget and pledge cards will be sent to you before the meeting. Please look over the budget and if you have questions ask them at the meeting.

We are pleased and honored that you have decided to send your children to Sunday School. We prayerfully commence this season praising God for His gifts and creation.

The Sunday School teachers this year are:

3 year olds – Mrs. Peggy Oberly – Peggy has been a member of the church for approximately 38 years and has been teaching Sunday School for many of those years. She lives in Stewartsville with her husband, Cliff.

4 year olds and pre-kindergarten crowd – Mrs. Scharlene Johnson has been a member of the church for fifty years and has been teaching Sunday School for "a good 30 years". She lives in Easton with her family.

Kindergarten – Mrs. Linda Roan, wife of Pastor Roan, has been a member of the church for 24 years and has been helping in Sunday School for the whole time.

1^st grade – Lindsey Montgomery is a senior in Warren Hills High School this year and has been a member of the church for about three years. Since that time, she has helped in Sunday School. She lives in New Village with her family. Mrs. Carla Calhoun will be helping in the class and lives in Stewartsville with her family.

2^nd grade – Mrs. Mary Lou Gary has been a member of the church for approximately 20 years and has been working in the Sunday School for about 13 years. She lives in Lopatcong with her family. Mrs. Jan O’Hara will be helping in this class. She is a member of the church and lives in Stewartsville with her family.

3^rd & 4^th grades – Mrs. Raina Fox has been a member of the church for approximately 4 years and has been helping in the Sunday School for all of those four years. Mrs. Sunela Thomas is helping in this class. She is a member of the church and lives in Stewartsville with her family.

5^th and 6^th grades – Mr. Ben Urban has been a member of the church for approximately three years and began helping in our Sunday School last year. He lives in Stewartsville with his family. Matthew Gary had been a member for about two years and this is his first year helping with Sunday School. He is a senior in Phillipsburg High School.

7^th & 8^th grades – Colleen Roan, daughter of Pastor Roan, has been a member of the church for 23 years and has been helping in the Sunday School for the last five years. She lives in Stewartsville with her family.

9^th – 12^th grades – Mrs. Lori DeHaas has been a member of the church for approximately 25 years and has been helping in the Sunday School for about the last three years. She lives in Plainfield Twp. with her family.

Adult Bible Study is at 9:30 a.m. and all are welcome to attend.

Cherub Choir will begin and we are looking for little singers! Practices are Sunday morning from 9:00 – 9:30. The children will sing approximately once a month in church. Ages are 3 – 7 and are for boys and girls. The leader is Colleen Roan. For more information call Colleen at 859-1341.

My name is Lori DeHaas. I have been a member of Stewartsville Presbyterian Church for about 12 years and have attended for about 30 years. I live in Plainfield Township, PA with my husband, Ralph, and 2 children, Tim and Alexandra.

I am very happy to be teaching Senior High Sunday School this year. After 2 years of teaching Junior High, I have moved up with my students. I enjoy them very much and find I am learning from them also. My prayer for them is that they find hope and guidance in God’s Word. In today’s world I hop they are able to meet all the challenges with the knowledge that God is in control.

Thank you for the opportunity to teach your children.