THE POPLAR LEAF

Playing Dress-up

H alloween is a fun day in our home. Part of the fun is watching Lucy and Maggie after they put on their costumes. Once they look in the mirror and see that they are dressed up like a princess or fairy, they

begin to act like royalty. They run through the house pretending to fly, barking orders at their stuffed animals and waving their magic wands. It’s so cute! Those costumes convince my daughters they are royalty with magical powers!

It’s fun for little kids to dress up and play make-believe, but as Christians we must be careful not to wear costumes and pretend we are something we are not. Just as my daughters feel like royalty whenever they wear a plastic crown we may feel Holy when we put on a fake or disingenuous spiritual costume.

Maybe you have been guilty of putting on a costume. On the outside you wear an attitude of friendliness and gentleness but on the inside you brood with contempt. You may have perfect church attendance but your true intention is only to see and be seen. You may dress-up in happiness for others but in your heart you have contempt for the success of others. Wearing a spiritual costume is a terrible way to live and it breaks the heart of God.

Jesus also had very little patience for spiritual costumes. He reserved His harshest words for religious people who dressed up as religious leaders but lacked kind and compassionate hearts. Listen to the anger in our Savior’s voice as He addressed the Pharisees:

“Everything they do is done for people to see: they make their phylacteries (boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on the forehead and arm) wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.” Matthew 23.5-7,

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside you are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23.27

Jesus was very angry at religious people who looked clean-cut and devout on the outside but on the inside were lying to God, lying to others and lying to themselves. Simply put, if you want to make Jesus angry, pretend to be something you are not.

continued...

POPLAR RIDGE FRIENDS MEETING October 2013

On the other hand, consider how Jesus rejoiced in those with genuine hearts. He insisted that only those who were like “little children” (Matthew 18.1-4) come to Him because their hearts were full of innocence and authenticity. While some wanted to scorn her effort, Jesus praised the sinful woman’s genuine act of devotion when she anointed His head with perfume (Luke 7.36-50). Jesus knew that her gesture would make others feel awkward but her heart was in the right place. When a little boy gave Jesus his lunch of fish and bread, Jesus took the pure deed and fed over 5,000 people (John 6.9). He delights in our pure motives and faithful hearts.

A s we get closer to this season of make-up and costumes, my prayer is that the believers at Poplar Ridge Friends would be pure of heart and solely focused on living a righteous and genuine life that is pleasing

in the sight of God. “Create in me a clean heart, Oh God…and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51.10 In Christ,

Pastor Dave Mercadante

Jump in your car and ride on down to Quaker Lake for a fun afternoon with our whole church family! You can play or just come & relax by the beautiful lake!

SENIOR FRIENDS

Thursday, October 24th

6:15 pm (Fellowship Hall)

*Bring a covered dish to share*

Special music by The Farlows

Join us on the 24th

for a fun time of fellowship and singing!

4 Years Old through 8th Grade (Boys & Girls)

Registration Deadline—November 14, 2013

Early Bird Registration: By October 31st ($65) After October 31st ($75)

REGISTER & PAY ONLINE: www.prfriends.org

Registration forms are also available at Poplar Ridge

Player Evaluation & Cheerleading Orientation Dates:

Tues, Nov 5th | age 4-2nd grade | between 6:30-8:00 pm Thurs, Nov 7th | 3rd-5th grade | between 6:30-8:00 pm Tues, Nov 12th | 6th-8th grade | between 6:30-8:00 pm Thurs, Nov 14th | age 4-8th grade | between 6:30-8:00 pm

Sponsored by NCYM Missions Committee

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12th @ Quaker Lake Camp

11:00 am—4:00 pm

11:00 Booths and Beyond

12:00 Cosmopolitan Cuisine

1:00 Video Vignettes

Mission Moments

Worship and Wait

2:30 Kicker Keynote: Dr. David Byrne

Topsy-Turvy Teens

Cacophony of Children

Worship and Wait

No Charge, No Offer ing!

EVERYONE IS WELCOME! There will be something special for

families, seniors, children, youth and infant/toddler care.

A Halloween carnival for the

community!

Quaker Lake Camp

October 19th | 3:00-7:00pm Inflatables Canoeing Live music Children’s fishing tournament 3-4pm *bring own equipment* Hot dogs Pizza Funnel cakes Popcorn Cotton candy Caramel apples ...and more!

Admission: $2 per person Food, hayrides, tower swing, pumpkin painting and pumpkin

smashing are an additional cost.

JUNIOR YOUTH will be leaving

from Poplar Ridge at 2:30 pm and will return approximately 7:45 pm.

Bring around $12 to cover admission,

food, & activities that cost

SIGN UP WITH TIM & TURN IN Jr. Permission Slip BY OCT 16TH!

(permission slip can be found at prfriends.org or Junior Youth bulletin board in Sunday School hall)

4th-6th Grade

Last year’s

JUNIOR HIGH EVENT

(sponsored by

NC Yearly Meeting)

was SO AWESOME

that we’re having

another one!

Don’t Miss It!

Saturday, Nov. 16th

All the details coming soon!

Are you planning to go to Youth Tremors??

Be sure to register by DECEMBER 1 & save $25! Register online at prfriends.org or complete a registration form & mail in to NCYM (postmarked

12/1). Let Tim know if you’re going!

FINAL DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS DECEMBER 15th!

Youth Meetings >>> Sundays 5:00-7:00 pm

High School LIFE Group >>> Mondays 7-8:30 pm

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!

Youth & Junior Youth @ See You At The Pole “Rally” held

@ Poplar Ridge

See You At The Pole @ Wheatmore High School

7th-12th grade

October Two-Thousand Thirteen Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 7:00pm

Ministry & Counsel

7:00pm—Finance

7:00pm—Cora Lee Johnson Circle

2

6:30pm Praise Team Pract.

7:00pm

Prayer/Bible Study

3 4

5:45 pm @ PR Youth Quaker Lake

Retreat (Oct 4th-6th)

5 8:30-10:30am

Ladies Coffeehouse

6 2:00-6:00pm

Church Family Day

@ Quaker Lake 5pm—Cookout

7pm

Prayer LIFE Group

7

7-8:30pm H.S. LIFE Group

7pm

Cub/Boy Scouts

8

7:00pm MONTHLY MTG

11am-9pm Upward Fundraiser

@ East Coast Wings (Thomasville)

9

6:30pm Praise Team Pract.

7:00pm

Prayer/Bible Study

10 11 12 8:30am—Ladies

Coffeehouse 11am-5pm

Quaker Men BBQ & Cruise-in

11am-4pm-NCYM Missions Fair @

Quaker Lake

13 10:45a-Kidstuf 5-6pm—Choir 5-7pm—Youth 5:30-7pm-Jr Youth & Children’s Min. 6-7pm—Christian DVD Series 7pm—Prayer LIFE Group

14 Columbus Day

5:30pm H.S. LIFE Group

7:00pm House & Grounds

7pm Cub/Boy Scouts

15

6:30pm Relief of the Needy

Committee

16

6:30pm Praise Team Pract.

7:00pm

Prayer/Bible Study

17 18 19 8:30am—Ladies

Coffeehouse 3-7:00pm

Quaker Lake Pumpkin Festival Jr Youth leave @

2:30pm

20 8am-QM B’fast

10:45am—Kidstuf 5-7pm—Youth Q’fest set-up 5:30-7pm—Jr Youth & Children’s Min. 6-7pm—Christian DVD Series 7pm—Prayer LIFE Group

21

7-8:30pm H.S. LIFE Group

7pm

Cub/Boy Scouts

22

7:00pm Cora Lee Johnson

Circle

23

6:30pm Praise Team Pract.

7:00pm

Prayer/Bible Study

24

6:15pm Senior Friends

25 26 8:30-10:30am

Ladies Coffeehouse

27 12noon—CE 5-6pm—Choir 5-7pm—Youth 5:30-7pm-Jr Youth & Children’s Min. 6-7pm—Christian DVD Series 7pm—Prayer LIFE Group

28

7-8:30pm H.S. LIFE Group

29 30 4-8pm Upward Fundraiser @

Wendy’s (Archdale)

6:30pm Praise Team Pract.

7:00pm Prayer/Bible Study

31 Halloween

6:00-8:00pm QUAKERFEST

CARNIVAL

UPWARD Early Registration

Deadline

Share the Blessing II Campaign >>> We will receive a special love offering on Sunday, October 27th during our

10:45 am worship service to support the Share the Blessing II Campaign. Your donations will help to enhance and strengthen the retirement benefits for our North Carolina Yearly Meeting pastors in their retirement. Please prayerfully seek God’s leading in supporting this critical need.

North Carolina Yearly Meeting

HAPPY

OCTOBER

BIRTHDAY!

1 Janice Spainhour Misty Wolfe 2 Archie Wright 4 Winfred Crouse 6 Aaron Vann 7 Susie Monroe Lindsay Safriet 8 Lucy Mercadante 9 Becky Lanier

Donna Sanders 11 Vermell Hurley 12 Dacia Quate 13 Scott Gurley

Lauren Stepp Wendy Summers

15 Lynn Barrow Irene Monroe Jois Roach Lois Welborn

16 Katie Peterson Hill Denis Pennington

18 Ollie Mercadante Harold Monroe Patsy Peterson

21 Leigh Skeen Trent Skeen Troy Skeen Lauren Wright

24 Amy Howard 25 Caroline Farlow Rice 27 Charles Monroe

Kevin Strickland 28 Stanley Clark 29 Dennis Barrow 30 Ken Christensen 31 Bobbie Beane

Sherry Proctor Tillotson

Be a Prayer Warrior for

Wheatmore Warriors!

The Communities in School ADOPT A SCHOOL program pairs churches with schools to enhance the education of children and provide support for school staff. For several years, Poplar Ridge Friends Meeting has adopted Wheatmore High School. With another school year underway, it is only fitting that Poplar Ridge becomes a stronger prayer warrior for the faculty and staff of the Wheatmore Warriors. Each month during the school year, a “prayer calendar” will be made available to you with the names and positions of Wheatmore faculty and staff. In your daily prayer time, please remember these people who are dedicated to the education of our children. Imagine the learning environment at Wheatmore when you cover the school in prayer each day!

A copy of the OCTOBER PRAYER CALENDAR is included with this newsletter.

COME JOIN US…

NOVEMBER 8-9, 2013 @ Poplar Ridge Friends Meeting

“Have Serious Fun”

Friday 6:30-8:30 pm —$15 per couple Includes a catered meal & an entertaining look @ our marriages!

Saturday 9:00 am-2:00 pm—$30 per couple Special speaker, small groups, food, and loads of fun!

Nursery & Childcare available both days for children

birth thru 6th grade—$5.00 per child per day (includes meals)

>>> You and your spouse are welcome to attend one or both days of this conference!

Couples of all generations are invited! Bring your married friends! <<<

REGISTRATION AT ncym-fum.org COMING SOON!!

Mark your calendar for 3 more Married People Conferences...

>>> January 10-11, 2014 — “Respect and Love” @ Holly Spring >>> March 21-22, 2014 — “Love God First” @ Poplar Ridge >>> May 16-17, 2014 — “Practice Your Promise” @ Holly Spring

Contact Us. POPLAR RIDGE FRIENDS MEETING 3673 Hoover Hill Road Trinity, NC 27370 Church Office: 336.861.5026

Mon—Thurs: 8am-4:30pm Friday: 8am-2:30pm Email: poplarridge@prfriends.org

Visit us on the web at

prfriends.org 9:30 am—SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:45 am—WORSHIP

Senior Pastor: David Mercadante Associate Pastor: Brian Donley Youth & Family Pastor: Tim Vestal Administrative Assistant: Paula Allen

PURPOSE STATEMENT:

To develop devoted followers of Jesus Christ

MISSION STATEMENT:

Connecting a new generation to their lifelong purpose in Christ

INSIDE NEXT MONTH’S NEWSLETTER...

Daylight Saving Time ENDS November 3

Poplar Ridge FALL BLOOD DRIVE November 3

Upward Evaluation Nights Nov 5, 7, 12, 14

Married People Conference (#1) November 8 & 9

Harvest Supper November 24

Thanksgiving November 28

Poplar Ridge FALL BLOOD DRIVE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2013 | 1:30-6:00 pm Poplar Ridge Fellowship Hall

• SAVE THE DATE •

Sunday, November 24, 2013 6:30 pm

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