The Youth Fall Retreat is November 7-9, 2008 at Watson Homestead in Painted Post, NY. The cost is $35 per person and includes 2 nights, 4 meals, and tons of fun. We will be swimming, hiking, and exploring the many Mixed Messages we receive from the world around us and how our faith helps with our responses.

RSVP to jcarden@thirdpresbyterian.org no later than October 29, 2008.

Dear Third Church Members and Friends,

We’re pleased to share some exciting news about a new fundraising program for our church Youth Group. It’s called “scrip,” and it’s the fundraising program that works while you shop.

Scrip is simply a word that means “substitute money” – in other words, scrip is a gift certificate or gift card from national and local retailers. They’re the same gift cards that you buy at the store. Many popular retailers participate in our scrip program including JCPenney, The Gap, Shell, Pizza Hut, Red Lobster, Tops and many, many others.

You’re probably asking yourself how these stores help us raise money. It’s simple -- scrip participating retailers agree to sell gift certificates to our organization at a discount. Individuals and families like you buy the certificates for full face value, they redeem them for full face value, and our youth group keeps the difference as revenue. And scrip is exciting, because everybody wins:

• The retailer gets cash up front and repeat business…
• You shop at your favorite stores and restaurants – where you are already purchasing – and get full value for your purchase..
• Our youth group gets a regular source of revenue, without selling an extra product...

The beauty of scrip is that you put your regular household shopping dollars to work. You earn money for our youth group without spending a single additional penny. Just spend your regular shopping dollars with scrip at the stores that participate in the scrip program! And scrip can be used for just about any household purchase including food, clothing, entertainment, prescriptions, gasoline and even dining out.

Scrip cards will be available for order every Sunday during coffee hour following 10:45 a.m. worship. You can download the order form from the church website, and make your selections. You may write a check to Third Presbyterian Church for your order, and you’ll receive your cards the following Sunday.

The Youth Group scrip program promises to be a simple and effective fundraising program. The proceeds will enable our youth to travel to the Presbyterian Youth Conference at Montreat , NC in July 2009. Thanks for your support, and we’ll see you in Coffee Hour!

Sincerely,
Ellen Rye
Scrip Program Coordinator, for the Youth Ministry Committee
585-872-6407
ryeellen@hotmail.com