From The Pastor s Desk

Transcription

1 JANUARY 2019 CHIMES find us on the web fpcrwf.org/like us on Facebook/follow us on Twitter From The Pastor s Desk Happy, Happy, New Year!!! God is giving us a new year! What a marvelous gift! How will we use? Will we use it to get closer to God? Will we use it to make our own life better? Will we use it to make other people s lives better? Or if we are having a tough time will we just focus on making it through one day at a time? I would like to spend a moment on getting closer to God. God desires to get closer to each one of us. The most published book in all the world is the Holy Bible. It also is the least read book unfortunately. Some are intimidated by the size, the language, or the fear of not understanding. Guess what! The Bible is God s Living Word. Don t be afraid of it. If you have not been an avid reader of the Bible before start with the Book of Psalms (You will find a Psalm for every mood) or the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). When you read the Bible highlight the passages that speak to you. Yes you can write in your own Bible! Write down questions you have. Meditate upon passages that touch your heart. Journal about your Bible reading. It would be awesome if every single person at Church were involved in a Bible Study. We would need many people to step up and be Bible Study Leaders. There are many kinds of Bible Studies and some are quite easy to lead and some are more in-depth to prepare. If you talk to a teacher they will tell you they learn more than the students do. Let s make that a goal in 2019 to get everyone involved in a Bible Study!!! Let s grow in our knowledge of God s word in Bible studies galore. If God is tapping on your shoulder to lead a Bible Study, talk to me. It could be a four week, six week, or longer study depending upon the book. Prayer is tapping into God s power. We need to block off time in our busy schedules everyday to pray. Actually write it on your calendar if you are struggling to do it. Tell God how much you adore God. Confess any sins you may have committed. Tell God everything you are Thankful for in your life. Then make Supplications. Ask for things you may need or others may need, such as healing, guidance, wisdom, patience, money, etc. Then take time to be quiet and listen. Worshiping God in community is the design God has given us. We can spend time in nature worshiping God alone, but coming together in community is powerful when we pray, sing, proclaim the Gospel, witness, share and do mission work together. The Christian Community is designed to give us friendship, love, support, help, and direction which we do not receive if we are a self proclaimed Christian that does not come to church. Church is made up of sinners. We are not perfect people. We come to get closer to God. We come to seek forgiveness. We come to be transformed. If you do not come to church because you see God in nature or think the people in church on Sunday mornings are hypocrites, get off your soap box and get in a pew to worship and praise God. Listening to Christian Music and hymns can help you get closer to God too when we focus on the messages be sung. I enjoy popular music because of the tune or sound but when I actually listen to the words or messages I am sometimes horrified. I pray that each one of us grows closer to God in May Christ s love radiate in us as we do our best to serve our church, our community and our world. Have a blessed new year! In Christ s Love, Pastor Scott Prouty

2 The Mission Committee donated Christmas Gifts to the children of the Pejuhutazizi Presbyterian Church in Granite Falls. Dates to Remember: Annual Report deadline: January 4, 2019 Annual : Sunday, January 20, Following Worship Wednesday, January 30, Youth Club will meet from 5:15-7:15 at the RACC. Drop off and pick up will be there. We ll meet in the small room across from the ice arena where we ll eat our meal and play games before we skate. We ll be skating during the regular open skate time which is 6-7:45, although Youth Club kids will finish skating by 7:15, our usual ending time. Middle School kids are welcome to join us anytime they are available.

3 January Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Pastor Scott: Out of the Office January New Years Day - Office Closed Annual Report Deadline 5 6 *Worship 7 Rotary Conference Call 8 Visits *Committee s 9 *Piecemakers 10 *Deacon 11 Dollar for Scholars Board 12 *Elder/ Deacon Training in Spicer 13 *Breakfast/ Sunday School *Worship - Ordination/ Installation of Officers *Packing Weekend Food Bags 14 *Pator-Rotary Board / Rotary *Session 15 *Ruby s Pantry 16 *Dorcas Circle *Youth Club *Meal *Youth Faith in Action 17 Visits *Breakfast/ Sunday School *Worship *Annual 21 Martin Luther King Day - Office Closed Rotary 22 Presbytery Seminar in Willmar 23 *Piecemakers *Youth Club *Meal *Youth Faith in Action 24 Visits *Breakfast/ Sunday School *Worship *Packing Weekend Food Bags 28 Rotary 29 Visits 30 *Youth Skating Party- RACC *Youth Faith in Action 31

4 January Ushers Head Usher: Matt Tiffany Barb Nelson, Gerry & Deb Hess, Tony Miller, Jim Palmer, Nathan & Kristi Zimmerman February Communion Servers Sonya Alexander, Bob Alexander, Kyle Hicks, Shari Fuhr, Kathy Peterson, Becky Bruns, Sue Osborne January Communion Servers Deb Hess, Gerry Hess, Matt Tiffany, Kathy Peterson, Nathan Stephens, Paul Hagen, Molly Miller Pastor s Visitation Schedule If Pastor Scott is unable to meet, you will be notified. If you are unable to meet at the designated time, please let the Pastor Scott know as soon as possible so other arrangements may be made. You may call his home phone at Thank you. January Tuesday, January 8: Communion: 9:00 am: Gordon & Ardis Alexander 10:00 am: Janet Minkel 11:00 am: Dan & Doreen Steenblock 2:00 pm: Lucille Byram 3:00 pm: Millie Bunting 4:00 pm: Muriel Moon Thursday, January 17: 9:00 am: Joyce McKay 10:00 am: Drew Osborne 11:00 am: Bob & Bunny Nolting 2:00 pm: Todd & Kathy Peterson 3:00 pm: Dave & Adrienne Danielson Tuesday, January 22: Noon: Jeanette Kotval 3:30 pm: Scott & Joyce Goodyear Tuesday, January 29: 9:30 am: Wayne & Rosemary Bennett 11:00 am: Wayne Mann Noon: Merlin Goudy 1:30 pm: Gary & Jennifer Hindt February Tuesday, February 5: 9:30 am: Gordon & Ardis Alexander 10:00 am: Janet Minkel 11:00 am: Muriel Moon 2:00 pm: Dan Steenblock 3:00 pm: Bob & Bunny Nolting 4:00 pm: Millie Bunting Tuesday, February 19: 9:00 am: Janean McKay 10:00 am: Sally Dording 11:00 am: Drew Osborne 2:30 pm: Bob & Barb Brown 4:00 pm: Ryan Rohlik Tuesday, February 26: 9:00 am: Karen Speros 10:00 am: Judy Curtis 11:00 am: Patty Rohne 2:00 pm: Dorothy Symes 3:00 pm: Lucille Byram January Greeters Deacon of Month: Lynn Juell 1/6: Rick & Diane Aakre, Butch & Faythe Amberg 1/13: Troy Amberg, Dan & Shari Fuhr 1/20: Prouty Family, Nate & Val Stephens 1/27: Lee & Diane Davis, Scott Goodyear January Birthdays & Anniversaries 2nd - Aaron Rohlik 4th - Ethin Mammen 8th - Nolan Rudenick 9th - Scott Mann 10th - Jacob Bloedow 12th - Maddie Hicks, Adilyn Stough Dan & Doreen Steenblock 14th - Deanie Fuhr, Bailey Kramer Leon & Sharon King 16th - Rosemary Bennett 20th - Blaise Stough, Wayne Bennett 21st - Jonathan Oja 23rd - Lindsey Lund, Butch Amberg, Jackie Morris 24th - Sharon King, Lynn Juell, Winston Venable 25th - Scott & Laura Kohler 26th - Tyler Siegfried 27th - Bob Alexander Gene & Fae Becklund 28th - Barb Brown, Sue Tiffany 29th - Ashley Whelihan 31st - Bob Kaupang Thank You ~ I want to thank you all for thinking of me as I recuperated. Thank you for the cards, flowers, apple crisp, quilt and cookies. Everything was wonderful. Thank you all and Pastor Scott for the visit. ~ Dan Steenblock

5 Chancel Choir Presents The Glory of Christmas!

6 This year the Deacon s M & M Trees collected 342! Thank you to all who donated! Youth Faith in Action had a good time shopping for fun things to put under the tree!

7 Piecemakers Annual Christmas Party A day full of laughs, fellowship and treats!