Rev. Katherine B. Harrington
In Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus tells a strange and disturbing parable about a wedding banquet to which some refused the invitation, and others showed up inappropriately dressed. What is the good news in this? What is our response to God? Come worship with us on Sunday!

by Gary Smith

You may have heard that our friends in Chuluchosema are experiencing food shortages because of the cyclone that destroyed or damaged many of their crops earlier this year. Go & Serve was able to reallocate $3,500 from our 2023 budget to help with this crisis.

by Gary Smith

We received the following thank you note from Eden Village:

Dear SACPC Church,

Wow!! Thank you for our generous donation to Eden Village. Your continued support is impactful on the lives of our residents.  We loved having the youth group out to a cookout with our residents. We are thrilled with the "Little Library" that you placed on our property. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts.

Kim Dalton

by Gwen Behen

Please consider using reusable bags instead of plastic.  Here are a few reasons why:

• One average reusable bag replaces 700 plastic bags in its life span.
• The average person uses 300-500 plastic bags a year.
• 14 plastic bags contain enough petroleum to drive a car one mile.
• It takes over 12 million barrels of oil to produce the amount of plastic bags the US uses each year.

From: Hawaii Pacific Parks

by Susan Dykes

In 2017 Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which doubled the standard deduction and limited many itemized deductions. This had the effect of causing many taxpayers to no longer have the ability to take a tax deduction for donations to churches and other non-profit organizations.

Most people continued to make donations just as they had in the past despite the lack of a specific tax benefit.

Despite this change in the standard deduction, there is a tax benefit available to older Americans which is not as well-known. This tax benefit is known as the QCD orQualified Charitable Distribution. This feature of the IRS tax code allows people age70 ½ and over to make a distribution from their IRA accounts directly to a church or501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and not be subject to tax on that distribution. This is a substantial benefit as normally any distribution from an IRA is subject to state and federal income tax and can also affect the amount of Social Security Benefits which may be subject to federal income taxes.

It is fairly easy to use this benefit; however, each IRA custodian typically has adopted their own procedures to utilize the QCD. In the case of Fidelity Investments the IRA owner simply requests a withdrawal from their account and requests a check made payable to the church or other non-profit organization which they would like to benefit. Then the check can either be mailed by Fidelity directly to the organization or the check can be sent to the owner of the IRA who will then transmit it to the organization they are gifting the funds to. Because the distribution is not subject to income tax there is no need to withhold taxes from the distribution.

What are the limitations of a QCD? The maximum amount that can be distributed is $100,000 per person aged 70 ½ and over per annum. Distributions must be made prior to December 31st to count in a given tax year. There are some other rules that may affect the taxpayer’s ability to benefit from the QCD. For example, gifts to private foundations are generally not considered qualified charitable distributions.

The key point here is that if you are withdrawing money annually from an IRA and then turning around and giving some of those funds to a church or other non-profit organization you are missing the opportunity to reduce your personal income taxes. On a$10,000 gift you are possibly paying $2000 or more in unnecessary taxes. The higher your tax bracket the greater the benefit is.

As always when considering any transactions affecting your taxes it is important to consult your personal tax advisor to ensure that you will obtain the benefits expected.

by David Massey

Hut #1 It’s hard to believe that the team only has four regular season games left.
Hut #2 It’s not too late to get plugged in and get to know your neighbors.
Hut #3 If you can use a spoon and put food on a plate, then you qualify to join our team
Hut #4 This Thursday Zac Phillip will be sharing a message with the boys.
HUT #5 Come join us this Thursday at 5:30 pm in Brown Hall... and help us encourage the boys to be victorious in Life!!

by Elizabeth Gray

Join in 8 weeks of Kindermusik Fall Fun!

Wednesdays 10:30 am @ SACPC
Thursdays 9:30 am in Marsh Oaks

Music & Movement with a purpose from birth- 5! Email Elizabeth Gray for more info/class options!

By Jen Phelps

Our college students are invited to join with other college students at Montreat for worship, keynotes, workshops and critical conversation groups (and all-important recreation).  Gather with your extended college-age church family for some Sabbath renewal.

by Kathy Benson

This is an enjoyable opportunity to get to know others as you share a meal & conversation in the home of a member serving as host. The host provides the main dish and beverage. Guests provide side dishes. What a great way to connect with other members of the congregation!

Registration begins Sunday, September 24th. Look for sign-up sheets listing hosts and dates of Dinner locations. Would you like information on hosting a dinner in October? Contact Kathy for more details. Organized by Connections Team.

Dinner is from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. The menu this Wednesday is Chili, Cornbread, Garden Salad, and Brownies. Cost is $25/family, $7/adult, $5/under 12.

Rev. Harrington is leading a book study of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's readable classic, "Life Together." Reading is not required but advised. Contact Sue McCaffray for more details.

Are you interested in learning more about SACPC and/or becoming a member? Join us for our membership exploration class on October 15th at 10:00 am in the Dining Room. Led by Rev. Harrington, this class will be a general overview of St. Andrews-Covenant and our ministries, as well as what it means to be part of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Do you have friends who work in the local food service industry? Share this event with them. Food waste that ends up in landfills is a major contributor to greenhouse gases and climate change. Bring your brown bag lunch and join us as we learn from Veda Lewin, UNCW Dining Services' Sustainability Manager, about how her campus invested in commercial-scale composting to manage its food waste. This conversation will help kitchens large and small learn ways to easily divert food waste from the trash can to a compost bin. We'll even get to sample some yummy treats from UNCW's Dining Services. Registration is not required but encouraged so we can manage the headcount for desserts.

Music on Market presents John Bullard playing classical banjo.  John will be accompanied by pianist Markus Compton.  The program, Baroque with Pluck, includes selections of classical music evoking impressions of the harpsichord and lute.  Bullard has pioneered this genre through his academic and professional career.  We welcome him back for a return engagement at SACPC.

The US EPA estimates Americans discard enough food loss and waste into landfills each year to equal 42 coal-fired power plants. This doesn't even include the methane emissions generated from food waste rotting in landfills. The good news, you can immediately become a part of the solution! Join us as we hear from Joe Suleyman, New Hanover County's Environmental Management Director, about how we all can participate in the county's municipal composting program without buying any worms! This program will take place in The Chapel immediately following our POPS Meal.

In the mood for some reading and discussion about the Christian faith? Join us for a ZOOM class based on N. T. Wright’s book Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense. Wright is the author of dozens of very approachable books about the New Testament and the way of Jesus. We will read and ponder a chapter a week, also using a Participant’s Guide available via pdf.

Meetings are every Thursday, Oct. 26th - Dec. 14th, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Participants will need to be able to access Zoom via phone, laptop, or other device, and to acquire a copy of Wright’s book on their own. For more information or to sign up, contact Dave Hoff or Sue McCaffray.  We will limit participation to the first 15 registrants, due to the logistics of conversation via Zoom. Join us!

Calling ALL women!! Are you tired, burned out, weary, lonely, young, old, single, married, worried, happy, and all the in-betweens? We see you. We hear you. Come gather. Bring your friends, neighbors, and co-workers to this special event just for you. Join Jen Phelps, Danielle LeBlanc, and Matthew McDonald for an informal gathering. Learn some ways to relax and let go of stress. Childcare provided. This will be a day of togetherness you didn't know you needed--until you did.

We are asking for everyone to register for this free event so we can prepare the necessary supplies and arrange childcare needs. 

Come and enjoy games, crafts, face-painting, snacks, photo booth opportunity and more! Come in your Halloween costume if you wish, but not required. Bring a pumpkin to decorate if you wish. Come ready for fun! This event will happen rain or shine!

As October is Domestic Violence Prevention Month we will collect various items for the Domestic Violence Shelter and Services (DVSS). DVSS provides shelter and direct services for victims and their children in New Hanover County. This organization has changed the lives of countless women and children who are in crisis.

We will collect: umbrellas, microwave-safe paper plates and bowls, toilet paper, stuffed animals, and full-size toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, and deodorant. When buying shampoo and body wash, consider buying for adults and children. Or click the button below to view the DVSS Amazon Wish List and purchase items for direct shipping to the center.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  
Romans 12:  9-13 (NIV)

Alison and Palmer Sineath celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary on October 7th.

The health of Sybil Bottom.  
Chris Faulk has pneumonia and is being treated at home.
Dr. Tom Craven has been hospitalized since September 28 diagnosed with a staph infection.

Billy Purdom (USS Stout DDG ), Smith Beacham (Fort Richardson, Anchorage, AK), Jack Looney (USS Carl Vinson, San Diego, CA), Samuel Makepeace (Fort Polk, Louisiana), Brennan Litzinger (Fort Bliss, Texas), Mikayla Reifert (Kadena, Japan), Bradley Garrett (Coast Guard, Elizabeth City)

Prayer requests: Click here to tell us about your need.

Hospitalizations: Please click here to email Ann Benson or call 910.762.9693 x202 to leave a message.

October 10: John Frye, Diane Swain
October 11: Dawn Canady, Ted Froneberger, Carl North, Roberta Smith, Sebastian Thompson
October 12: Emily Donovan, Carole Johnson, Gary Smith
October 14: Jim Brumit, Shayla Durst, Michael Goins, Donna Sutton, Debbie Szwarc
October 15: Charles Almond, Marjorie Lanier, Linda Lee, Steve Nickol, Myra Rippy
October 16: Margaret Crawford, Player Murray
October 17: Susan Kraus