October Grocery Cart
The Grocery Cart for October is for The Center for Women and Families, who provide help for anyone who has experienced intimate partner violence or sexual assault. They are requesting $25 gift cards (Walmart, Kroger, Mastercard, Visa, etc.), twin sheets, bath towels & washcloths, laundry detergent pods, shampoo and conditioner, curly hair products, body lotion, duffle bags and other soft luggage, and snacks (sandwich crackers/cheese crackers/fruit snacks/chips). Please only donate new items.
Stewardship: A Future of Hope
There’s a lot to be thankful for at Harvey Browne: a community that supports one another, a congregation that shares God’s love, a church with deep roots and a hopeful future. We invite you to be part of Harvey Browne’s future with hope by sharing your time, talents and financial gifts. Please let us know your plans for giving in 2027 by turning in your pledge card on Pledge Sunday, November 8th. Your pledge helps the Session plan for the year ahead and supports the worship, learning, care, and service that make our life together possible. Fill out your pledge card online now or find one in your pew this Sunday. Thank you for helping Harvey Browne grow into the future God is calling us toward!
Whiffenpoofs at Harvey Browne
The Whiffenpoofs of 2027 are so excited to be coming to Louisville and the Harvey Browne Presbyterian Church on Sunday, October 18th at 5pm! Since their founding in 1909, the Whiffenpoofs have brought their diverse repertoire of vocal jazz, folk, pop, and Broadway hits to more than two hundred audiences each year across all 6 inhabited continents. In past years, the ‘Whiffs’ have sung for Presidents Obama, Bush (41 and 43), Clinton, and Reagan, and at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. They’ve even been featured on television shows such as “The Sing Off,” “The West Wing,” and “Glee.” Tickets can be purchased through the “sign-up” page. We hope to see you there!
A portion of all ticket sales will go towards supporting La Casita Center in Louisville, Kentucky area.
Fall Festival
Dress in your best Halloween costume and come out for a night of fun at the Harvey Browne Fall Festival Friday, October 23 from 5:30-8:00pm! Bounce houses, food truck, lawn games, and trunk-or-treat. The costume parade and trunk-or-treating will begin at 6:30, but the food truck, bounce houses, and games will be set up and ready at 5:30.
BUT! We also need volunteers! We need help to make our fall festival a wonderful event for our community. Please see the Sign-Up Genius on our Sign-up page for opportunities to volunteer or purchase supplies. Candy and non-candy, non-choking prizes and all other supplies can be dropped off at the church by Wednesday, October 21. Thanks!
Men’s Breakfast
Men of all ages are invited to our next Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, October 17 at 9:00 a.m. in the Session Room. Whether you’re 18 or 100 (or somewhere on either side), come enjoy coffee, treats, prayer, and the chance to build connections across generations. This is a relaxed gathering, just bring yourself and an appetite. Come be part of the gathering. We hope to see you there!
Input Needed: Help Guide Our Outreach and Mission Efforts
On August 30th, over 70 Harvey Browners gathered to talk about the values that guide our mission efforts beyond our congregation. From that conversation, four values consistently emerged as top of mind when we do mission: Compassion, Prioritizing the Most Vulnerable, Inclusiveness, and Justice. The Outreach and Mission Committee now invites your responses to some follow-up questions. Please CLICK HERE to complete a share your reflections by October 18th.
Lunch and Learn
What is Zionism? Is there a difference between Christian Zionism and Jewish Zionism? Is “anti-Zionism” antisemitic? What positions have been taken by the Presbyterian Church (USA) about all of this over the years? And why might all of this matter today? We’ll explore these questions through a brief presentation, comments from panelists, and a time of discussion. This ‘lunch and learn’ opportunity is being led by members of the Presbyterian Advisory Council for Churches for Middle East Peace (cmep.org). They are in Louisville offering programs for Louisville Seminary and the Mid-Kentucky Presbytery. Join us at Harvey Browne on November 1, from 11:30 – 1:00 pm in Emory Hall for this special event. Please let us know by October 28th if you plan to attend by finding the “Sign-up” page event.
An Afternoon at Cedar Ridge
We’re going to camp! All are welcome to spend an afternoon at Cedar Ridge Camp (4010 Old Routt Rd). Come on out any time between 2:00-5:00pm on Sunday, November 8. We’ll gather around the camp fire, as well as have opportunities for canoeing (2:30-3:30), archery (3:30-4:30), and fishing (bring your own equipment), plus s’mores, gaga ball, a nature craft, and time to be together in God’s creation. See you there!
WaterStep
Thank you for your continued support! Because of your generosity, we recently had two full bins of shoes picked up from our donation site. These donations directly support WaterStep, a Louisville-based nonprofit that provides global safe water and sanitation using portable technologies funded by donated shoes. As you continue to bring shoes to the two bins outside of the living room, please remember to tie the laces together or use a rubber band to keep pairs joined. This simple step makes sorting significantly easier for our volunteers and helps your donations make an impact even faster.
Travel to Guatemala with Looking For Lilith
For over 20 years, Looking for Lilith Theatre company and First Presbyterian Church in Winchester, Virginia have been partnering with the Historias de Fe group and ecumenical organization CEDEPCA on the Faith Stories Project (FSP). The FSP brings together women in Guatemala and the U.S. by artistically exploring the complexities of how faith affects their lives. During our annual visits to Guatemala women from both countries share their stories and participate in the creation scenes based on those stories, a process that often provides deeper reflection on the experience. FSP is a relational mission project. Rather than focusing on physical work, it centers mutual support and encouragement, building self-esteem, and creating a sense of community for women of faith in both countries as we struggle to tear down barriers and explore how we are more alike than different. If this sounds like something you would like to be a part of, we would love for you to join us on our next trip, February 6-13 2027!! This year will will gather with our partners for a retreat and visit the community of one of our partners. You can learn more about the FSP here. If you are interested or would like more information contact Jennifer Thalman Kepler.
Thank Offering
We hope you come to the Wednesday Night Dinner on November 11. You will have an opportunity to count your blessings, be thankful, and honor a 138-year-old tradition. The Thank Offering of Presbyterian Women began in 1888 when one woman wanted “to give a thank offering to her Lord”. So, she gave an extra $1 to support mission work, and she encouraged other women to do the same. This initiative was the first national women’s offering in a Presbyterian denomination and set the precedent for the annual Thank Offering that continues today. We hope you too will offer a little extra in support of mission work. Last year, Harvey Browne’s collective Thank-Offering added up to $824.00. Our money, combined with Thank-Offerings from all presbyteries, provided support for nine projects that care for, nourish, protect, and shelter our neighbors in need locally and around the world. Information about last year’s recipients will be available at your tables. ($1 in 1888 = $35 in 2026).
From the Hunger Justice, Earth Care Committee
Did you know that our Presbyterian Church USA has an Office of Public Witness? This office, located in Washington, D.C., is charged with providing information and advocacy on priority issues which the General Assembly has approved. You can check out what it’s all about online. Search online for: PCUSA Office of Public Witness. The website has an Action section you can use to easily send communications to your legislators. Carefully crafted letters are included to which you can add personal messages if you wish and click “send”. You can also get on the action “alerts” email list and receive alerts in a timely manner. HJEC encourages you to take a look.