Use a "business" card for the Lord's business!

Transcription

1 * MC:SUBJECT * 100s Commit at SRT Event Market Angels Band Together Youth Explore OKC Mission Team Builds in Tulsa March 24, 2017 View this in your browser Amarillo, TX Use a "business" card for the Lord's business! One of the main ways we describe ourselves at First Pres is that we are missional. On Sunday, March 26 or April 2, please take three First Pres invite Page 1 of 10

2 cards (like the ones above showing the front and back) for your family from the table in the Narthex or the table at the back of the Fellowship Center. As a family, pray about giving these cards as an invitation to our Easter services April 16. Think of neighbors, friends at school or work, restaurant workers, and others. On Sunday, April 9, we will have some time in each service to share our experiences about handing out the cards and inviting people to Easter service. This is your opportunity to be the church. Praying and inviting is powerful. We re excited to see what God will do through your prayer and invitations! Kids Ministry will unveil "The Great Surprise" Easter morning for parents and their children (toddlers through 5th grade). Families will discover in surprising ways that Jesus is alive! Parents will actively engage with their children at every station pointing directly to the Risen Jesus. The celebratory event will be fun and full of surprises! It starts at 9:45 in the Children s Education Building. Remember or honor loved ones with Easter lilies. The lilies will adorn the church and then be delivered to members whose loved ones have died since last Easter. Suggested donation is $9.25 per lily. For memorials to be included in the Easter bulletin, FIRST PRES LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE AKA BOOKS AND COOKIES Do you like a good book? How about a yummy homemade cookie? We thought you might! You'll most definitely want to visit the FIRST PRES LIBRARY (just south of the Sanctuary) for -- - a table with FREE BOOKS and, yes, - a HOME-MADE COOKIE, - a nice cup of ROASTER'S coffee! - not to mention, NICE FOLKS who can show you around and how to get the most out of our fabulous library! You can also enter a drawing to win a ROASTER'S GIFT CARD! When is this happening? Page 2 of 10

3 contact Joyce Ladd ( ) before noon, Friday, April 7. NUFFs (None Under Fifty- Five) will meet Thursday, April 13, at 10:30 a.m. in the Parlor. Social time is at 10:15 a.m., and lunch will be served at noon for $7 per person. To make lunch reservations, call Martha Ruth Moreland ( ) by noon on Monday, April 10. Visitors are always invited! Quick Notice! Serve this Saturday, March 25 at High Plains Food Bank Meet other members from First Pres in the Food Bank parking lot at 8:50 for prayer, then to help out until noon. Sunday, APRIL 2 9:30-11 a.m. The Library Committee May 5-7, Glorieta, NM Cost: Adults $150 Kids 0-3 free Students 4-18 $50 Family Max $400 Register March 19 - April 23 in Great Hall Deposit at registration: $50/ind. $100/family (non-refundable after April 22) Interested in joining First Pres or know someone who may be? We would be excited for you to join us in a wonderful place to worship, serve the Lord, and build relationships. Learn more Sunday, April 2, 9:45-11:00 a.m., Room 206, or contact Murray Gossett ( ). Women's conference registration underway! Register for the Citywide Women s Conference, Give It A Rest! with guest speaker Vicki Courtney leading the spiritually-uplifting time. Registration is available in the Great Hall, in the church office, or online at Vicki Courtney speaks nationwide to women of all ages and is the best-selling author of numerous books and Bible studies including, Move On, Ever After, 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter, and 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son. She is a two-time ECPA Christian Book Award winner and has appeared on CNN and Fox News as a youth culture commentator. Vicki started her Page 3 of 10

4 ministry in 1998 with an event for college women to encourage them to base their worth and identity in Christ rather than the culture s shallow standards. The event eventually expanded to reach teen and tween girls, and soon a movement began. Now an empty-nester, Vicki has transitioned her ministry to adult women but continues with a renewed passion to see women discover their worth in Christ and, in turn, point others to a life-changing gospel. Vicki and her husband, Keith, live in Austin and are the proud parents of three grown children, two daughters-in-law, and a son-in-law. They also have two grandsons. More information about Vicki can be found at VickiCourtney.com. Coming Soon! First Pres Market Angel Ministry! A one-year pilot ministry under First Pres Women's Committee leadership What is a Market Angel? A Market Angel is a volunteer who teams with another volunteer to grocery shop together for First Pres senior members over 65 who have limited mobility or no longer drive. This is a wonderful volunteer opportunity for couples to serve together, for friends to serve together, or to get to know another volunteer by serving together. The Market Angel ministry will bless seniors to have their groceries delivered to their homes twice monthly. If the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart to be a blessing and to receive a blessing as a Market Angel volunteer or a recipient, please contact Vicki Averitte ( ) for information. Sign-up materials will be available in the Great Hall, April 23 - April 30. Powerful preaching challenges and inspires worshipers Scott Dudley, (right) senior pastor, Bellevue Presbyterian Church, Page 4 of 10

5 Bellevue, WA, as the Joe S. and Lettie S. Morris Distinguished Preaching Series speaker, March 5 and 6 challenged listeners to follow Christ into the world to serve others. Former FPC senior pastor, Alan Meenan, (left) founder of The Word Is Out, inspired worshipers March 12 with a sermon based on Habakkuk, From Fear to Faith. He lives in California, but spends six months of the year in Kenya and other countries in the southern hemisphere teaching inexperienced pastors how to interpret the Bible. Audio recordings (MP3) of these powerful preachers may be heard or downloaded at firstpres.com/sermons. Video and audio recordings are also available by ordering on DVD for $7 and audio recordings on CD for $5. Order forms for Scott Dudley's talks are on the table in the Narthex. Orders for Alan Meenan's sermon may be made in the receptionist's office. Get Smart An apologetic presentation of Ravi Zacharias international ministries Saturday, 9:00-11:30 a.m. April 1, Fellowship Center An intense but short presentation for young adults, students, and parents of students -- really, anyone in our post-christian world will benefit. FREE with breakfast provided! Hundreds commit to sexual purity and Christ By Jake Shroeder, Associate Director of Youth Page 5 of 10

6 First Pres hosted the Silver Ring Thing (SRT), a dynamic community wide event for middle school and high school students to present the idea of waiting until marriage to have sex. The gospel was presented as well. The February 22 event was attended by 1,020 students, parents, and volunteers at the Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium. God completely exceeded all expectations of how large the event could really be! It was the largest event of SRT s tour season so far. For two hours, the audience heard testimonies, comedy, and had lots of fun! Of the 1,020 people attending, 135 publicly professed faith in Christ for the first time or recommitted their life to Jesus; 309 put on a Silver Ring as a sign that they committed to wait until marriage; and 29 parents put on rings as a reminder to pray for their students and their commitment. We couldn t be happier with the way the event turned out and look forward to the possibility of hosting it again next year in anticipation that God will do even more than this year! Thanks to everyone who helped make this little dream a God-sized reality! It couldn t have been done without your help! Middle schoolers explore OKC and faith Page 6 of 10

7 By Anna McCay, Associate Director of Youth Sixteen of our middle school students and five high school volunteers enjoyed a "high energy" President's Day weekend in Oklahoma City. We explored Bricktown via the water canal, rock climbed at an old grain silo turned rock climbing gym called Climb Up, and bought way too much candy at a local candy store! Then we went to Clinton, OK and enjoyed an indoor water park during the cold February weather! Most importantly, our high school students led the middle schoolers in small group discussions on the theme, I Am A New Creation, diving into topics such as friendships, relationships, and lifestyle. We worshiped together, talked in small groups, and went away from the weekend with a renewed sense of what our lives look like after Jesus! It was great to have time to get away and build deeper relationships with our students. Mission team returns to Tulsa Page 7 of 10

8 Seven Habitat builder-missionaries from First Pres traveled to Tulsa, March 15-17, to help finish out a Habitat House. Shown in photos above are (clockwise from top) Tulsa Habitat vehicle; Dick Doyle; members of the team, (front) Dick Doyle, Jeanette Embrey, Cal Smith, Carrie Ives, and (back row) Robbie Laster, Murray Gossett, and Sam Ives; Cal Smith and Jeanette Embrey; and Sam Ives, Jeanette Embrey, and Carrie Ives. Page 8 of 10

9 Financial Results Giving as of February 28, 2017 Gifts & Offerings Actual Results $ 420,545 Budgeted/ Expected 398,708 Actual Over/(Under) Budget 21,837 Actual Income 420,545 Actual Expenses 355,670 Income over Expenses $ 64, Pledge Information as of March 16, Pledges for $1,756,740 Need $9,880 Thanks for your commitment and generosity! Question? Please contact a member of the Finance Committee, an Elder, the Business Office ( ), or LisaD@FirstPres.com "Bach's" Lunch Series continues Friday, March 24 Jim Rauscher, Organist St. Mary s Catholic Cathedral 1200 S. Washington St. Friday, April 7 Jim Gardner, Organist St. Thomas Catholic Church 4100 S. Coulter St. Friday, March 31 David Lowe, Organist First Baptist Church 1208 S. Tyler St. Bring your "Bach's" lunch, enjoy the recital, and have lunch with friends. Drinks will be furnished. You'll be free to get back to work by 1 o'clock. GIFTS IN HONOR AND MEMORIAL In Memory Lilly Wine Given by: Shauneen and Biff Hatfield In Honor Dr. David Langley Given by: Tom Lockhart In Honor (continued) EA and Rex Vermillion Given by: Tamala and Alan Gurevitch Pat and Jack Wiles Given by: Tamala and Alan Gurevitch Page 9 of 10

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