Sunday, September 30 at 4:00pm

Transcription

1 CHURCH CURRENTS First Presbyterian Church 210 S. Wayne Street Milledgeville, GA phone: September 2018 like us on Facebook First.Presbyterian.Church.Milledgeville.GA ONLINE GIVING We are on the radio Our worship service is broadcast on WKZR (102.3 FM.) every Sunday morning at 11:00am and Live on Facebook We seek to glorify God through: Inspiring worship in Word and music, Inquiring study for adults and youth, Inclusive hospitality locally and globally, Industrious outreach for social justice and environmental stewardship. Sunday, September 30 at 4:00pm "All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all!" We are an animal-loving church! So many of us have beloved pets who make our lives happier; let's come together to celebrate our companion animals! Sunday, September 30, we will gather together at 4:00 on the lawn in front of the church for a Blessing of the Animals service. Please have your companion on a leash or in a carrier or kennel. VBS 2018 JOIN US FOR WORSHIP & FELLOWSHIP Sunday School 9:45am Worship Service 11:00am

2 Pastor: Rev. Susan Balfour Glory to God!!! Coord. of Children & Youth Ministries: Gloria Burns First Presbyterian Church Issue No. 268 September 2018 Admin. Asst.: Amy Snowden Director of Music: Dr. Jennifer Flory Organists: Kate Phillips Jenny Moore Child Care Providers: Raeven Rodney, Andaysha Taylor, Jordan Drummond In 2006, the 217 th General Assembly authorized the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation to produce a new hymnal. The result was presented to the 220 th General Assembly in The old red hymnal that we were all raised on was published in Thirty-four years later, in 1990, the blue Presbyterian Hymnal that we currently use was published. A mere twenty-two years lapsed between the blue hymnal and the publishing of the purple Glory to God hymnal. Why so soon??? While the blue Presbyterian Hymnal made significant strides in hymnology, introducing more sing-able tunes and inclusive language, some of our favorites from the old red hymnal were left out. And while the blue hymnal included many new hymns, as well as a few hymns and tunes from our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in other countries, along with some spirituals, some still felt a need to broaden our inclusivity. The Glory to God hymnal reaches back to the 1956 hymnal to bring a few of our old favorites to the 21 st century. It also is more multi-cultural, and more intentional about inclusive language. The hymns are also a little kinder to the untrained voice. The scriptural reference index is far more thorough, as well, making it easier to connect hymn lyrics with the Scripture passes for any given Sunday. You may have noticed that we frequently sing hymns that are printed on bulletin inserts; these all come from the Glory to God hymnal. The choir also uses Glory to God often in the choral responses throughout the worship service; wouldn t it be great to be able to follow the lyrics along with the choir as they sing? And think of the paper and energy we would save by having the hymnals, rather than making copies! Susan and Jennifer have both been excited about the Glory to God hymnal since it was first published, and the choir also appreciates the variety, inclusivity, usability, sing-ability, and relevant theology of this great worship resource. The Worship Committee has been considering switching to the new hymnal for some time, and we are excited to have made the decision! We invite each of you to purchase one or more hymnals, dedicated in honor or memory of your loved ones, so that we might more fully use it in the future. The hymnals are $25 each, or five for $100. Look for order forms in your bulletin over the coming Sundays. Our goal is to purchase 200, in order to fill the pews and the choir loft. Please help us to meet this goal, and give Glory to God! Session: Dave Baarda Bill Werts Mary Baker Bob Wilson Donna Gautier Faye Heal Nancy Miller, Clerk of Session

3 JOIN US FOR WORSHIP & FELLOWSHIP JOIN US FOR STUDY & WORSHIP Sunday School 9:45AM Potluck Wednesday 6:30PM Sunday Morning Worship 11:00AM Bible/Book Study 7:15PM NURSERY SCHEDULE: September 2 Joel Burns September 9 Anne Smart September 16 Doris Moody September 23 Jackie Northington September 30 Gloria Burns Volunteers still needed!! If you would like to help with this ministry, please let the church office know. Thank you to those who continue to serve. Anne Smart Sermons are now available as a podcast on the Anchor App. Under the Palm is the name of the podcast. FPC Book Club The Vietnam War remains a controversial topic for Americans as well as for the people of Vietnam. Our August book choice, the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen, is widely considered one of the greatest novels about that era. The novel s unnamed narrator is a spy, a Communist mole on the staff of a South Vietnamese general, before being evacuated from Saigon and taking refuge in post-vietnam War America. He is obsessed with his otherness as the child of a Vietnamese mother and a French priest father, and with his divided loyalties. His choices are the focus of this brilliantly written book. The author of the book was born in Vietnam, came with his family to a U.S. refugee facility after the fall of Saigon, and now teaches at the University of Southern California and writes commentary for The New York Times and other national publications. Book club members reactions to the book were mixed, while most seemed in awe of the brilliant writing. Two Vietnam-era service members said that the book brought back memories of that time in their lives. The onedimensional, sexist portrayal of the women in the book was a topic of discussion, interesting also because the author himself objected to the stereotypes of Asians often presented in movies and television. Most members seemed glad to have read the book and agreed that it was a book they would never have picked for themselves. Book clubs are good motivators for expanding our horizons and opening our hearts and minds to new perspectives! The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is the reading choice for September 13. This widely acclaimed bestseller tells the story of a poor African-American whose cells were taken in 1951 without her permission. The exceptional cells, known in the medical community as HeLa, were keys to developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and much more. Her cells have been commercially traded by the billions, yet her own family had no health insurance. Questions of race, ethics, medicine and family make this a great book for discussion. The October selection is Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II by Keith Lowe. The book confronts the popular images of crowds cheering in the streets with the reality of ravaged landscapes, razed cities, and the more than 30 million dead. The establishment of uneasy stability at the close of the 1940 s serves as a reminder of the fragility of what we easily take for granted today. Readers are welcome to join the group any second Thursday at 2 p.m. in the church parlor. PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN Presbyterian Women s Study will be begin meeting again every month. They will study in God s Promise ~ I Am With You by Amy Poling Sutherlun. Books are available for purchase in the office $ Join us on the 2nd Sunday (September 9) at 5:00pm or the 2nd Tuesday (September 11) at 11:00am in FPC Parlor. If we believe the word of God is living and active (Heb. 4:12), then we must let it live and act.

4 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION It s Time to Begin Again Middle & High School Youth Group (6th ~ 12th grades), Students That Always Rejoice & Serve (K ~ 5th grade) 3:00pm ~ 5:00pm, and Puppets at 10:00am will all resume on September 16!! Please join us as we begin the purpose filled process of rebuilding our Youth Ministry!! You are sure to be beyond blessed! Children s Worship Education Each year as our children grow in knowledge and in faith, we strive to provide them with the things they need to be full participants in our worship services. As they enter first grade we take time to transition from the nursery to the Sanctuary to worship with their parents and become part of the congregational worship. In order to learn about what to expect and what to do, they attend a Children s Worship Class that will meet during worship for 6 weeks. If your child has just started the first grade or if your child is still in Elementary school but has had this course this would be a good time to do that. Please check with Gloria at gloryb.ce@gmail.com or if you have any questions. Class will begin during worship on September 22 and run through October 28. The Jesse Tree Ornaments If you missed the opportunity to help make tree ornaments on August 11, we missed you but want you to see some of the work we accomplished. These lovely ornaments were created by Linda, Teri Anne & Emily Bradley, Donna Gautier, Marion Robinson, Gloria Burns, and Elizabeth & Beth Baarda. Dave Baarda also helped us to repair many of the existing Chrismon ornaments. If you would like the opportunity to help with this project, do not despair, our children and youth will continue work on additional ornaments on Sunday afternoons between 3 and 5 pm. Just let Gloria know you want to help and join us then. Bulletin Art Reverend Susan has discovered a wonderful way to allow our children to participate in worship more fully. We are asking our children and youth to draw the covers for our bulletin when possible. In order to participate please follow the guidelines below and submit your drawings to Rev. Susan, Gloria or just place them in the offering plate. Pick up paper from Gloria so you will have the correct size. Bulletin Cover Guidelines ~ Draw a picture representing your favorite Bible verse or Bible story. ~ Create your picture within the box using pencil, black crayon or marker. Do not color it because we will use black and white printing and colors will not show up. ~ We will attempt to use all submissions and whenever possible we will incorporate it into the theme of the service. Specifically when introducing our Jesse Tree ornaments. ~ Parental guidance is suggested. Name Bible Verse Presbytery Digital Networking Event We are participating in a grant program funded by the Synod, aimed at increasing our social media footprint. This program pays for consultation with Dr. John Fong, social media expert, for one year. Already, we've implemented some of Dr. Fong's suggestions, and we're seeing some great results! We're looking for a couple of people who would be willing to help out with some of this, in particular, helping with our Facebook and Anchor broadcasts. Please let Rev. Susan know if you would be interested in helping out, or if you have any questions. We have more than quadrupled our reach on Facebook, and we ve had more visitors to worship as a result!!

5 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Food Pantry~ 2nd Tuesday of the month 9:30-10:30am Our food pantry served 29individuals and families on Aug. 14, with four new participants. Contributions from the congregation, Kiwanis Club, and the Retired Educators group have reduced the need for purchases for this endeavor, but requests are increasing, too. Thank you for continuing to support the Food Pantry. You would, no doubt, be blessed by volunteering to help on distribution day, so why not consider it? Let me know: Food offering will be received every first Sunday of the month! Samaritan Ministry Every 3rd Tuesday of the month we offer utility assistance to neighbors in the tri-county area who need help to get through a difficult or just overwhelming season in life. Lights, heat/air, water, and so much more are able to remain on and functioning due to your generous and selfless donations! All 5th Sunday loose offerings go towards Samaritan Fund!! Help for the Hopeless, Peace for the Restless, and a Way for the Lost... But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him. Luke 10:33-34 Prison Family Luncheon About 38 visitors from Atlanta, including four first-timers, gathered for a ham and vegetable dinner on August 18. The most popular item was the cabbage, with only one serving left! Thank you to the volunteers who made light work for each and added so much to the fellowship. Next month we will gather on the 15th (yes, that s seems early!) and the planned menu is beef stew and homemade biscuits. Please let me know if you can help: gautierdonna@gmail.com. Thanks in advance! ~ Donna Gautier Session Highlights ~ Tuesday, August 21, 2018 ~ A recommendation from the Worship Committee to launch a campaign to purchase the new Hymnal Glory to God for $25.00, with option of dedicating each to the memory or in honor of a loved one. Announcement in newsletter and weekly bulletin will be made. As an incentive if 5 hymnals our purchased, the fifth one is free. After some discussion for clarification Session approved the project. ~ Nominating Committee will have their first meeting August 27 th at 5:30 p.m. ~ Instead of a Pastor Discretionary checking account, Session approved adding Rev. Susan Balfour signature to the petty cash account. Money to replenish the petty cash will come from line item, Pastor Discretionary account. ~ A formal thank you letter will be sent to Kendall Stiles of Georgia College Give Center, to thank her GCCares group for their excellent service to the community on August 18. Twenty Freshman came to our church and did a tremendous job of lawn maintenance that was much needed. Peace & Global Witness Special Offering Received October 7th Your gifts will help more people experience the freedom and dignity that Christ wants for everyone. Let us offer the peace of Christ at all times and all ways. 50% of this offering will stay with our community and our reign for ministries of peacemaking and reconciliation. 50% of this offering will unite Presbyterians who are working actively for peacemaking efforts around the globe. Please give generously! IF WE ALL DO A LITTLE, IT ADDS UP TO A LOT. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS Join one of our FPC Care Groups or Outreach Ministries...We Were Made for Community!!

6 CHURCH AND COMMUNITY VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS GROUP VIP LEARN ABOUT NON-24 Wendy O Steen, a nurse educator from Vanda Pharmaceuticals, spoke to our group about the sleep-wake disorder, Non-24. Although as many as 70% of those who are totally blind experience this dysfunction, only about 1% are aware of it. The disorder disrupts a person s circadian rhythms, which are controlled by the body s master clock. She explained that each of us has an internal body clock (circadian rhythm) that runs a little longer than 24 hrs. For sighted people the body s master clock usually resets each day by light. If someone is unable to perceive light, the area in the hypothalamus that controls this cycle does not get the signal to reset. People whose clock is not reset, experience a constant daily shift in when the body expects to sleep and be awake. This creates periods when they cannot sleep at night and are sleepy in the daytime. They often feel groggy in the mornings. This causes problems staying awake at work, school and other usual daytime activities. It makes it hard to go to sleep/ stay asleep at night. Sighted individuals or those with decreased vision may also have a disturbance in the sleep-wake cycle, but the underlying causes are different (e.g., traumatic injury to eye, certain types of retinopathy, etc.). One way of determining if you have the disorder is to keep a sleep-wake journal for several months and take it to your physician/sleep disorder specialist when you see him/her to discuss your sleep problems. There are tips, resources and tools to help with this disorder. Ms. O Steen did not go into these as she said she was not a salesperson and advised us to see our doctors or visit reputable websites. Mike Martenson, President of Visual Enhancements, will be our September 19th speaker. We encourage anyone who has limited vision or who has a friend or relative with diminished vision, to attend and see what is available in assistive technology to help one live more independently. We meet the 3 rd Wednesday of each 10:30 am, here at the church. TREASURER'S CORNER A couple of items for your information. First, we are all set up for Amazon Smile. This means when you purchase items from Amazon you should go to smile.amazon.com and designate your purchase to benefit First Presbyterian Church of Milledgeville. If you use this method to buy items it will not cost any more and will benefit us. Secondly, we are sending letters to all the Friends of our church in the hope that a number of the folks who support our mission will help us fund it. If you know of people who are not members but who believe in our programs, please let us know their address so that we can add them to the list. This includes people who grew up in the church or those who moved away. Thank you for your help. God Bless everyone. ~Joel D. Burns June July 2018 YTD Contributions $11,130 $10,900 $102,869 Other Income 2, ,162 Total Income $13,851 $11,640 $113,031 Budgeted Expenses $23,256 $15,678 $123,693 Net (Loss) ($9,405) ($4,058) ($10,682) *Other Income includes VanGuard, Bank Int., and Trusts.

7 Anniversaries Birthdays Church Family: Sandra Balfour, hip surgery on 9/5 Harry Beck, chemotherapy Debbie Lamsma, recovering from surgery Extended Family: Ann Bertolli. health concerns Carol Boyd, resident at Chaplinwod Health & Rehabilitation Charley, Marion Robinson s friend, throat cancer Murphy Davis, Open Door Community, cancer, multiple health concerns Judy degrandcourt, Sandra Balfour s sister, advanced MS Kyle Dennis, Anne s husband, Multiple Myeloma, kidney issues Russell & Kathleen Edwards, Marianne s parents, numerous health problems Dee Hartmann, Sandra Balfour s sister-in-law, health issues Glynn Horton, Millie Murphy s brother, ICU, complications after surgery Leigh Humphrey, Will & Becky Humphrey s son, recovering Arthur & Julie Montemayor, Becky Henderson s parents, ongoing health concerns Tom Murphy, Kathy Carroll s brother, colon cancer Chris Pearson, Sunda Coleman s son, under heart specialist care Spencer Scott, Laura Burns Scott s husband, health concerns Suzy Smith, Lois Callender s mother, prayers for improved physical & mental health Tom Waller, Sandra Worsham s brother-in-law, bladder cancer Sue York, cancer treatment In Assisted Living: Bryan Dempster, Green Acres, 313 Allen Memorial Drive Bob & Eloise Lamb, Fellowship Home at Meriwether, 10 Meriwether Place Limited Mobility: Mary Carlton Martha Chappell Helen Danuser Polly Morrison Charlotte Owens Gloria Smith Communion for the Infirm and Homebound Our FPC Worship Committee would like to make Communion available to those members of our congregation who are unable to attend our church worship services. They will do so by bringing the communion elements to homes, hospital rooms, and nursing facilities. To request this service, please call the church office at (478) and leave your contact information. For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives. 1 Corinthians 11:26 September 1 ~ Roy & Kate Phillips September 20 ~ Joe & Haywood Edwards September 21 ~ George & Nan Carpenter September 1 ~ Jan Thompson September 2 ~ Sheree Applebury Elizabeth Baarda September 4 ~ Joseph Dean September 8 ~ Eloise Lamb Demarcus Young September 9 ~ Frankie Holder Macayla Young September 10 ~ Tom Wood September 14 ~ John Bradley Ellen Thompson September 19 ~ Stephanie Azahar, Sandra Balfour, Iain Flory, Erin Smith September 20 ~ Lonnie Bales, Polly Morrison September 22 ~ Alice Tenold

8 September :00 Worship service w/communion & Food Offering Rec d Labor Day ~ Office Closed!! 12:00 Kiwanis Club Luncheon 6:30 Potluck Gathering 7:15 Bible/Book Study & Discussion 1:00 Afternoon Bridge Club 5:30 Finance Committee 7:00 Choir Practice 9 11:00 Worship Service 5:00 Presbyterian Women Study :30~10:30 FOOD PANTRY 11:00 Presbyterian Women Study 12:00 Kiwanis Club Luncheon 5:30 SESSION 12 6:30 Potluck Gathering 7:15 Bible/Book Study & Discussion 13 1:00 Afternoon Bridge Club 2:00 FPC Book Club 6:30 In Our Best Interest 7:00 Choir Practice :00~1:00 PRISON FAMILY LUNCHEON 16 10:00 Puppets 11:00 Worship Service 3~5:00 S.T.A.R.S. and Youth Group Organ~ Terry Clopton 17 12:00~1:00 Daughters of the American Revolution 3:00~4:00 Baldwin County Retired Educators Assoc. 18 9:30 Samaritan s Ministry 12:00 Kiwanis Club Luncheon 19 10:30 Visually Impaired Persons Group 6:30 Potluck Gathering 7:15 Bible/Book Study & Discussion 20 1:00 Afternoon Bridge Club 2:00 Learning in Retirement Reading 3:00 Learning in Retirement Writing 7:00 Choir Practice AMY VACATION 21 5:00~8:00 Max Noah Singers Retreat in Sanctuary & Fellowship AMY VACATION :00 Puppets 11:00 Worship Service 3~5:00 S.T.A.R.S. and Youth Group Organ~ Terry Clopton 24 6:0~8:00 Girl Scout Leaders AMY VACATION 25 12:00 Kiwanis Club Luncheon 26 6:30 Potluck Gathering 7:15 Bible/Book Study & Discussion 27 1:00 Afternoon Bridge Club 4~5:00 M ville Community Garden Assoc. 6:30 In Our Best Interest 7:00 Choir Practice 28 11:00 Service at Memory Hill ~ Barbara Sibley w/reception to follow at FPC 29 10:00am~3:00pm Milledgeville Music Club Board Mtg. (Donna G.) 30 10:00 Puppets 11:00 Worship Service 4:00 Blessing of the Animals 3~5:00 S.T.A.R.S. and Youth Group Organ~ Linda Goodwin Looking for Volunteers to cover the office while I am away on another mini vacation!! The days can be split up morning/afternoon based on when anyone is available. Dates are: Thursday September 20, Friday September 21, and Monday September 24. Please call the office and let me know when you can fill in!! Thanks so much!! ~ Amy