« Sunday, March 1, 2009 Bulletin | Main | Sunday, March 8, 2009 Bulletin »
March 01, 2009
March Newsletter
Pastor's Pen
It appears that there will be plenty going on in early March to keep us busy enough to get through the final days of the winter of 08-09. In our Sports Calendar it will be “March Madness”. As one looks at the quality of Purdue’s Men’s Basketball team, it is reasonable to hope that March Madness 2009 will be very exciting around here.
March’s Secular-pseudo-Religious calendar brings us St. Patrick’s day. I am not certain what Patrick’s standing is these days among the Roman Catholic “Saints”, but any Scotsman who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland is all-right in my book, even if there were really no snakes in Ireland in his day to drive out.
The entire month of March this year lies within the period known as Lent. As an old-school Presbyterian, I do not go in for some of the more maudlin practices that some pursue during Lent, but I do think that it is a good time to prepare for the celebration of Easter by reflecting on the sufferings of Christ. The Scripture passages on which I will be preaching during March will be from the Lectionary and the Sermons will touch upon the sufferings our Lord went through for us.
If you have found that some of the disciplines associated with Lent are helpful to your Christian Spiritual development, I encourage you to indulge in them. If you have never tried any of those disciplines, perhaps this year might be a good year to experiment. If I might make a suggestion: if you do not have an established Bible reading schedule or habit, you could begin reading the Gospel of Mark on March first. Read a chapter each day until you finish Mark. Then begin the Gospel of John and continue to read a chapter each day. Since there are 16 chapters in Mark and 21 chapters in John, you will be able to read both Gospels in 37 days. Which means you should be finished by Easter even if you skip reading a chapter on 5 days of your choice. It would be really great if all of us would read these two gospels to prepare ourselves for Easter.
However you prepare for Easter and Spring, I wish all of you the best of days to come, and I continue to rejoice in being able to serve you as your Pastor.
Dave Horner
Worship Information
Sunday, March 1 “The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness”
Matthew 4: 1 – 11
Sunday, March 8 “Get behind me, Satan”
Mark 8: 31 – 38
Sunday, March 15 “The foolishness of God”
I Corinthians 1: 18 – 25
Sunday, March 22 “The serpent and the cross”
Numbers 21: 4 – 9
John 3: 14 – 21
Sunday, March 29 “Jericho and Bartimaeus”
Mark 10: 46 – 52
Joshua 6: 20 - 27
Faith Women Fellowship News
Our Valentine Cookie Project for our students went very well this year. Thanks to all of you who baked cookies, brought candy and helped fill the boxes. We supplied 15 students with a sweet treat, and were able to fill 7 more boxes with goodies that went to some of our friends in the congregation.
The Women’s Planning Committee will meet soon to look at some possible activities in the months to come. We do not have a date yet, but please keep one of the late March or early April Saturday noon times free for lunch in one of our restaurants. More information will follow in the bulletins.
Clerk's Corner
While Jurgen is away on a well earned vacation I am helping out just a bit as acting clerk. I wanted to share with you a few notable items from the February 3 Session meeting.
Steve Varys who is in charge of the Christian Education committee announced that Barb Knox will coordinate the Vacation Bible School this summer to be scheduled in mid-June. Let us all give Barb a big thank you for volunteering and help her with our cooperation to make VBS sail smoothly.
Steve Varys also discussed the Youth Group's fund raising for books for the children in El Salvador and with session approval the Youth Group was wonderfully successful. The monies raised will be matched 50 cents to the dollar by an outside donor to further increase the total. This opportunity was brought to the Youth Group's attention by Ross and Melissa Tanner, last year's Youth Group leaders who are currently with the Peace Corps in El Salvador.
Nancy Dunn, our new Communications Chairman, presented Session an out line of ideas to help keep the Faith Family and the community well informed. I'm sure she will appreciate creative suggestions and willing hearts to help.
It was noted by our Finance Chairman, Carol Gentry, that LUM Jubilee cost just a little more than we took in last December. So if you had meant to contribute but time got away from you, you still have this golden opportunity.
The next Session meeting is scheduled for March 3.
Jane Stewart
Acting Clerk of Session
Word from the Meyers
Dear Friends,
What a delightful surprise to come home Thursday and find your package at the door! I took it in Friday when visiting Morgan. He was so pleased. Now I’ve put it in the freezer and will bring a baggie of cookies in every few days and will have a cup of tea and cookies together.
Winter activities are big here. Yesterday was car racing on Lake Superior. A couple of weeks ago dogsledding or mushing from Madeline Island. There is lots of snow mobiling, snow shoeing, ice skating as well as skiing.
I try to read a couple of chapters from the Bible daily to Morgan. He is on his 59th time of reading through the Bible. We are also reading “The Best of James Herriott.” What a delightful author he is.
We remember you all with joy. It was special to be in a small church where we all (pretty much) knew each other’s names. Morgan is from Bayfield, WI and I am from Stockholm, WI – both small towns.
Thank you ever so much for such a ray of sunshine into our day.
An open invitation to come and visit if in Northern WI.
Lovingly, Dorothy for both
Vacation Bible School
Yes, it is that time again.
• VBS will be the week of June 8-12, 2009.
• We will study Stories of David.
• Much help is needed. If you are willing
to teach, help with crafts, recreation, snacks, or registration, we need you. Please contact Barbara Knox at 463-2725 or bknox1@verizon.net. We have a place for everyone.
Let's let our kids enjoy learning about the Bible and Jesus.
A Word about the Prayer Cards
Prayers of thanksgiving and intercession are an important expression of our dependence on God as we gather for worship on Sunday mornings. The time we set aside for the voicing of our joys and concerns helps us in our life of prayer together.
However, not everyone may feel comfortable to express praise or a need for prayer, but still would like to know the comfort of being prayed for.
The blue cards in the pew racks are available to you to let Pastor Horner know of your prayer need. Please PRINT the information you want him to have on the card, and leave it in the offering plate. The ushers will hand the cards to Pastor Horner as they come forward.
We hope this will be helpful in assuring that all our needs come before the throne of God as we pray with and for each other during our worship time.
Did You Know???
• Charles Wesley's masterful words from the beautiful song, «Come Let Us Anew» seem especially appropriate at this time of year: «Come let us anew, our journey pursue, roll 'round with the year, and never stand still, 'til the Master appear … our life as a dream, our time as a stream … «
This time of year, of course, we are impatiently waiting for the snow season to disappear and spring to reappear. That we are confident this will happen is a testament to our faith: We do not doubt that it will happen. Let us all pray that our faith in the return of the Master is as unwavering and patient.
• Never resting on our laurels, we did pay homage to Father Winter on February 7 at our hopeful benediction to bad weather with an In the Bleak Midwinter luncheon. As if by providence, various crockpots appeared in the kitchen, carefully warming a splendid delight of comfort food to warm the most frozen of hearts.
What small icicles remained were dashed as first the children's choir sang their way into our hearts again, and then the gentle thrum and hum of Glenn Sparks' theramen made us all smile and gaze wonderingly at this most impossible of musical instruments.
The Bleak Midwinter had its own special table decorated with a wilted flower and a collection of discarded leaves. How bold, brave and beautiful the hearty settlers who ate their lunch at this table! It seemed we were all uplifted and encouraged by these few pilgrims to face the rest of the dwindling winter blast! (Perhaps it could have been the sauerkraut.)
Nonetheless, a good time was had by all and a hearty thank you to the wise, reliable and tasteful cooks who provided the comforting repast. (Naps after were optional.) Thanks also to the Jiffy Clean Up Crew who manages to make tables and chairs appear and disappear, apparently with little effort. This Crew is amazing!
• In the amazing category, also please note that one of the finalists in the Mr. Harrison High School this year is our own Carson McVay. As this publication goes to print, the outcome is unknown. Be sure to ask him if he wears the crown.
• And finally, a note of hygiene, just so you'll know. The fine folk who serve communion to us each month remove themselves from the congregation early and go to wash their hands before breaking and serving the elements. We can thank Dr. Mike Lockwood for this suggestion made some years ago. The practice continues today.
Sincerely,
Your correspondent,
N. Dunn
Birthdays
March 1 Lana Johnston
March 2 Jackie Stewart
March 3 Ward Hanson
March 5 Marti McIntyre
March 5 Joram Stith
March 10 Tom Van Horn
March 12 Jessica Stewart
March 16 Chase Latour
March 21 Eleanor McKay
March 22 Doug Varys
March 29 Brad Kovacs
March 30 Robert Stith
Anniversary
March 15 Luke & Barbara Jacobus
Community Worship Services
• Sun., Mar. 1 St. Mary’s Healthcare 2:30pm
• Sun., Mar. 8 Tippecanoe Villa 1:30pm
• Sun., Mar. 8 Friendship House 3:00pm
• Sun., Mar. 15 Davis Manor 3:00pm
• Sun., Mar. 22 Rosewalk Commons 2:30pm
The Deacons invite you to become a part of this ministry
Schedule Information
You can contact Pastor Horner by calling the office, 743-3683, on Monday – Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pastor Horner's day off is Friday. Outside of office hours please feel free to call Pastor Horner at home at 807-7000.
Worship With Us
We invite you to join in the worship of God each Sunday morning at 9:30am and each Wednesday morning at 7:00am. 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, Pastor Robertson or call the church office at 743-3683.
Posted by faithpres at March 1, 2009 09:12 AM