Rev. Steve Hein, guest preacher
Ken tells Barbie “We may be plastic, but our love is real!!” What is real love?  This Sunday, we explore 1 John 4:7-12 where John tells us that we can truly love when we know and experience God’s unconditional love for us. Come worship with us on Sunday!

by Gail Richardson

Attention: SACPC preschool families (and grandparents, too)! You are invited to a special spaghetti dinner. We will eat first and then we'll play games and have a costume parade. Come hungry because Jackie's spaghetti is delicious. There will be plain noodles as well. Hope you can come because it will be a wonderful time to connect with other preschool families. Dress in costumes (optional for parents). Please register so we can get an accurate headcount for food planning purposes. See Gail Richardson for details.

by Gail Richardson

In an effort to help take care of the Earth, the preschool children and teachers have made a choice to use fewer paper towels. Instead of using paper towels to dry our hands, we decided to use cotton towels! These colorful towels are helping teach colors, too! Check out Sarah Louise Gwathmey learning how to be a responsible citizen.

by Catheryn Thomas

Our staff members gather every Tuesday morning for devotion and prayer time together. Every other week, we also have business meetings, discussing what we have happening in each of our ministry areas, brainstorming how to engage the congregation in the work of the church, and planning seasonal worship, education, and fellowship opportunities. These weekly meetings are vital for our work and connection as staff members. For all of our staff to be present at these meetings, we rely on volunteers to occupy the reception desk and answer the phone and the door. If you have an interest in helping out, even just one Tuesday a month, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, please contact Libby White.

by David Massey

The end of the season is fast approaching, but never too late to join the team. This week's guest speaker will be our own retired Reverend Steve Hein. As many of you know, Steve was on the track team at the University of Pittsburgh... No, he didn't run the 100-yard dash, but he did throw the discus and shot put, setting long-lasting school records. So, please come to support Steve and the Football Team this Thursday at 5:30 pm in Brown Hall. Go Cats!

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 or Qualified Charitable Distribution. This feature of the IRS tax code allows people age 70 ½ and over to make a distribution from their IRA accounts directly to a church or 501 (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 to 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. 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 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.

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.

Dinner is from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. The menu this Wednesday is Apple Walnut Salad, Chicken Pot Pie, Broccoli, and Apple Crisp. 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.

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.

The Lord gives his people strength.  The Lord blesses them with peace. 
Psalm 29:11

Page Tootoo’s aunt Gwen Funderburk of Southern Pines is sick with sepsis.
Martha Futch had a cardiac procedure at NH on October 12th.  She is doing well, and resting, but has pain and discomfort.
The health of Sybil Bottom.  
Chris Faulk has pneumonia and is being treated at home.
Dr. Tom Craven has been discharged from NH after being 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 17: Susan Kraus
October 18: Davis Cherry
October 19: Ann Danchak, Andrew Keir, Sue Strickler
October 20: George Chadwick, Tyler Froneberger, Olivia McIver, Al Todd, Wayne Wright
October 21: William Bailey, Cathy Garner, Luke Lanier
October 22: Patsy Larrick, Sam Query
October 23: Harrison Landen
October 24: Warren Barkley, Kate Hiatt, Jackie Norton