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September 01, 2007
September Newsletter
Pastor's Pen
The church has often been compared to a family. It is, no doubt, a fitting metaphor since the New Testament speaks of believers as "brothers" and "sisters", with God as "father" and Jesus Christ as "brother". God is spoken of as one who "binds his children with cords of love". Indeed, we value exercising healthy family practices with one another which includes mutual care and edification.
No doubt for all of us coming into the Faith family we sense the kind of joy and harmony which exists here. It is a value we all relish. Last week someone asked me how it is going here for me and I commented that I think I'm now being adopted into the church family. It is a good thing for me and for you.
There are, however, limits to the metaphor. One of them is this that, as I read the Scriptures, it seems that being in a family here is not the end all and be all. Christ's church has purpose. She has a mission. We are a group who helps
people "come to" Christ, "grow in" Christ, "serve” Christ [outside our four walls] and "share" Christ. It involves GETTING OUT of our setting into: the marketplace, the coffee houses, the grocery stores-- to mix, to be the salt and light to those who don't yet have a sustaining faith.
However, when we get out into our community and offer what we have in Christ what happens at some other churches is that several will get worried that this outreach and bringing in newcomers will interfere with, will diminish the existing caring ministry to one another that already exists in the church family. Some will say, "How can we afford our pastor and our leadership to reach out to everyone outside of the church. It's like pouring water into a sieve." Yet what these folks in other churches are missing is that our mission is to battle and win souls of people who are lost in a meaningless, sinful, and empty ways of life.
I know that our vision statement is directed by "Great Ends of the Church" which includes "the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of human kind", but it seems to me that the danger here is to assume that the proclaiming the Gospel is to take place only in the local church and offering it there is sufficient.
To assume that non-believers will be streaming into the local church "to see what they're missing" just isn't happening. A poll taken ten years ago by Lyle Schaller found that going to a church to get help isn't on the list of Top Ten Places secular people go to get help. They'd much rather get help from their TV before they'll seek it in a church.
One my favorite chapters in the Bible is I Thessalonians 1. In that chapter Paul tells them that he was sure God had chosen them because the gospel came to them not simply with words, but also with power. In verses six to eight Paul says
"You welcomed the message ...and [then] became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia --your faith in God has become known everywhere"
In other words, the believers came to church, heard the message. then went out during the week and proclaimed it. It was an act according to Paul's imagery very similar to a bell "ringing out".
Paul is telling us that even though we are a family, there needs to be a healthy rhythm between the "coming in" to church on Sunday and the "going out" for the rest of the week. There is to be a "holy input" into the lives of the believers and then a "holy output" to influence and proclaim our hope to others.
My God grant our family this holy rhythm.
Pastor Ron
Worship Information
Sunday, September 2nd Sermon: Saving Grace
Romans 5: 8 – 10/Colossians 4: 18
Communion
Sunday, September 9th Sermon: Sufficient Grace
II Corinthians 12: 1 - 10
Sunday, September 16th Sermon: The Changes that Grace Brings
Titus 2: 11/II Corinthians 8: 6 - 7
Sunday, September 23rd Sermon: Spreading the Gospel
Acts 8: 26 - 40
Sunday, September 30th Sermon: Relationships with Our Brother
Exodus 18: 1 – 5/Matthew 7: 1 - 5
NEW YOUTH GROUP FORMING!!
Come and be a part of the Fun!!
Sunday, August 19 marked the inaugural meeting of the Faith Youth Group under the new leadership of Ross and Melissa Tanner, when the youth gathered to discuss and plan this year’s events. Watch the newsletter for a calendar of upcoming events and to hear more about this exciting new addition to our Faith Church Family.
Youth Group meets Sundays, 6:00pm – 8:00ppm at the church. Bring a friend!
Clerk's Corner
At its August 14 meeting the Session approved a call for Ross and Melissa Tanner to be appointed as Youth Directors at Faith Church for the next year. We warmly welcome them into our Church fellowship.
Members of Session also extensively discussed the next steps in the long process of issuing a call to the next permanent pastor. Elder Don Gentry will continue to keep the Congregation informed of future activities, plans, and schedules.
The next Inquirers' Classes are scheduled for Sundays September 9, 16, and 23 from 2:00 PM to 3:30PM. The classes will be led by Pastor Green and deal with the meaning of being a Christian, a Presbyterian, and a member of Faith Church. Everybody interested in attending, even if not intending to join the Congregation, is warmly welcome.
The adult Sunday School classes for the fall semester feature: Discussions of Bill Hybel's book on Authenticity: Being Honest with God and Others (Mark Johnson), Bill Hybel's book on Becoming a Contagious Christian (Pastor Ron Green), Luke's Gospel in relation to our response to God's grace (Steve Varys), and Elementary New Testament Greek (Jurgen Honig) .
The Congregation is greatly indebted to Hannis Thompson, Mickey Latour, and Terry Stewart for attending to the mowing of the lawns over the summer.
As a final reminder, the ceremony which officially designates the Reverend Doctor Stuart Robertson as Pastor Emeritus of the Presbytery of Wabash Valley will take place at a time to be designated in the morning of September 22, 2007 at the Presbytery meeting at Central Presbyterian Church. All members of this congregation are invited to witness this event.
Jurgen Honig
Clerk of Session
Jubilee Christmas Coordinator(s)
Already?! Well, yes. The ball has started rolling for 2007 Jubilee Christmas
which will take place on Saturday, December 15. Jubilee Christmas is a wonderful occasion where we get to help local families not so fortunate as ourselves provide Christmas for their children. We are looking for one or two volunteers to help coordinate this year’s event. There are two meetings at LUM (Lafayette Urban Ministry) to attend during the fall, and lots to take care of the week before the event. Fortunately, there is always a multitude of volunteers for this event so help will be plentiful. If you are interested, please contact us.
Ron Smith 497-0300 paparon@fpnmail.com
Dorothy Bethel 497-4673 djbethel@earthlink.net
Congregational Reflection Study to Start
The Session has announced that the Congregational Reflection Study, needed to prepare for calling a new pastor will begin after Labor Day. Members and Friends of Faith Presbyterian Church are encouraged to participate in this Study in one of two ways: attend one of the three scheduled discussion sessions and fill out the study instrument during the discussion or file out the instrument without attending a discussion meeting and returning the completed instrument to the Church Office. Please pick up one of the instruments for each member of your family on the table next to the office. Regular and LARGE print copies are available. The discussion meetings will be Sunday evening September 9th and 16th at Faith Church, 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, September 11th at Westminister Village, 2741 North Salisbury Street, West Lafayette, IN. at 7:00 p.m. For information contact: Don Gentry, Study Coordinator.
Welcome back to Sunday School
Sunday School is back in session at Faith Church. Our pre-school class of 3 and 4 year olds is being taught by Dan and Kathy Trinkle. Kindergarten and First Graders are being taught by Amber Latour, Lou Ann Johnston, and Chris Hall. Older elementary students are taught by Mike and SueAnne Bergmann. The youth class is studying with Mike Lockwood and Jane Stewart. Adults in the church have several options for study. Pastor Ron is teaching Becoming a Contagious Christian and Mark Johnson is teaching Authenticity-Being Honest with God. Glenn Sparks is leading a study on The Gospel of Luke while Jurgen Honing is teaching New Testament Greek. Please stay after coffee and enjoy an interesting class with great discussion.
A heartfelt thank you to our members who braved the heat to work at the Food Pantry in August. Willing workers were Grieke Toebes, Carolyn Kessler, Jim and Shirley Bosler and Barbara Knox and Marilyn Hinze. Our next time to help will be in December. If you would like to volunteer please speak to Marilyn Hinze, 583-2530……….
Inquirer’s Class
There will be an Inquirer’s Class on Sunday, September 9th, 16th, and 23rd at 2:00pm at Faith Church. To sign up or for more information call the church office at 743-3683.
Faith Women Fellowship
Faith Women Fellowship (FWF) here we are again at the beginning of a new work-school year, and it is time to get together on a regular basis for food (both spiritual and physical), fellowship and fun.
Our first meeting will be on either September 18 or 25, and will have as its topic “Treasures and Treats”. We invite you to bring a SMALL item that has been particularly meaningful in your life, and inform the group about it. We look forward to having you share with us for a few minutes. The place and time information will follow.
In October we will panel a discussion on ”Space for God” “How do you take care of yourself spiritually?” That meeting is set for October 23.
In December we cannot face the busy month without our ANNUAL SOUP SUPPER, so that will happen on December 11. We will have an inspirational speaker that night.
As always, we will continue our SMALL MISSION PROJECT, where we reach out to the community.
It will be good to get together again as a group of Sisters in Christ, sharing the joy of God’s love for each one of us. Please set these dates aside on your calendar.
For the planning committee,
Grieke Toebes
Request
Good friends:
My neurologist states, emphatically, I may not get behind the wheel of my car until at least November 23rd. Therefore, it is necessary to ask for rides to Sunday service. There have been several members who have kindly helped for many weeks now but some will no longer be able to assist for various reasons. It would be so helpful if a few people could volunteer and maybe just help once a month etc. If anyone can help, please call me at 446-1853.
Also, MANY THANKS to all who have get me to church each Sunday.
With much gratitude and thanks, Janis Matouk
Birthdays
September 1 Sawyer Latour
September 3 Hannis Thompson
September 4 Erin Van Horn
September 7 Fran Thompson
September 14 Horace Tyler
September 16 Cynthia Clinton
September 17 Becky Chapman
September 21 Kathy Trinkle
September 22 Nancy Dunn
September 26 Timothy Anderson
September 29 Jurgen Honig
September 29 Olivia Lockwood
September 30 James Varys
Anniversaries
September 3 Kenneth & Lois Wark
September 10 Thom & Eleanor McKay
September 16 Horace & Polly Tyler
September 28 Charlie & Pat Short
Community Worship Information
• Sun., Sept 2 St. Mary’s Healthcare 2:30pm
• Sun., Sept 9 Tippecanoe Villa 1:30pm
• Sun., Sept 9 Friendship House 3:00pm
• Sun., Sept 16 Davis Manor 3:00pm
• Sun., Sept 23 Rosewalk Commons 2:30pm
The Deacons invite you to become a part of this ministry
Worship With Us
We invite you to join in the worship of God each Sunday morning at 9:30am. We also invite you to participate in the prayers, fellowship, work and activities of this church.
For more information about this opportunity to be involved at Faith Presbyterian Church, please call or talk to any member of Session or call the church office at 743-3683.
Posted by faithpres at September 1, 2007 09:37 AM