FIRST PREBYTERIAN LIGHT

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1 Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. This prayer, the one Jesus taught his disciples when they asked, "Lord, teach us to pray," is one many of us memorized as children and can say in our sleep. Because of our seemingly innate familiarity with this prayer, often we are not challenged by the words, concepts, and teachings concerning God, ourselves, and others that are contained within the prayer. Each month we will look at one of the lines in prayer and consider its meaning theologically and practically. "Our Father." These are the first two words of this prayer. What thoughts or feelings arise when you consider just these two words? "Our Father." Who is "our" referring to? For us in the western hemisphere, with our individualistic culture, the word "our" goes against the grain of the society we inhabit. In American culture, Christianity is often concerned with an individualistic bent, a "God and me," that is vested in the personal experience of God above everything else. We can easily gloss over the "our" when we pray. What we really mean is "My Father." Yet the Scriptures have more to say about the communal nature of our faith than it does about an individualistic experience. We are interconnected to one another- think about Paul's description of the body of Christ in 1st Corinthians 12: "We are the body of Christ and each one of us is a part of it." (12:27) Paul brings together all who believe in Ephesians 2: "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of this household." (2:19) We are a community with all of God's people and God as our Father. In this prayer, the words "our" or "us" occur eight times. Is Jesus using the word in an exclusive way, such as "this is our home," or in a more inclusive way, such as "this is our world?" When you use the word "our" in this prayer, who do you include? Is there anyone you tend to exclude? How do you think Jesus intended for us to use it? Pray this prayer again. As you pray, invite those who need to see God as Father into your prayer. Include in your prayer those who you might not see as being part of the "our" in this prayer. Our Father is a big God, one whose table is large, whose love for all created people is beyond measurement. Pastor Angela McClane YOU'RE INVITED "The Story" Bible Study Genesis- Revelation First 10 weeks begins January 20th WHEN: Each Sunday morning at 9am WHERE: Fellowship Hall WHAT TO BRING: Bible & Study Guide WHO: Anyone who wants to learn things they never knew about the Bible! Study guide book will be given to you when you sign up with Pam Cochran, or call the office. In this Light: p.2 Notes from the Session, Those Serving This Month p.3 Thinking of the Homebound, Birthdays & Anniversaries, Announcements p.4 January Calendar

2 from the Session Notes from the Session Emalie's New Office Hours Monday: 9-12 Tues, Wed, Thurs: 12-3 The November meeting of the Session of the First Presbyterian Church took place on the 20 th with an opening prayer by Mark Schultz. The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted as corrected and the Treasurer s report was accepted as written. The number receiving communion on the first Sunday was 39, and the number of home communicants was 10. Pastor Angela said that an Advent Bible Study will begin on November 28 th with a light supper to precede the study. She and the Session are also discussing a study called The Story which covers the entire bible that would be studied in 10 week increments. The annual congregational meeting will take place on December 9 th for the purpose of voting for officers for 2019 and to vote on a change in the bylaws. The Christmas Eve service will be on the 24 th at 5:00 pm. The session is looking to get new NIV version pew bibles. The 2019 budget was discussed and will be voted upon at the December Session meeting. A monthly check of the furnace in the manse by Triple Services will be terminated. The church has a new secretary, Emalie Ohlson, who will be in the office on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-12 and Tuesdays and Thursdays from The Building and Grounds committee will need to buy a phone for the elevator to meet code. They are also working on eliminating problem of water collecting in front of the door to the Christian Ed. Building. It is due to rusty and leaking gutters. The Evangelism and Mission committee has sent out donations to various organizations that provide services to Bureau County citizens in need. The PNC committee has been disbanded since the church now has a pastor. The nominating committee reported that they will nominate Len Brumbaugh and Kathy Cartwright as Elders, Bill Cass and Tyler Mercer as Deacons, and the Nominating committee for 2019 will be: Kenn Corban, Karl Schultz, Bob Oaks, Pam Cochran and Chanda Bohnsack. Lora Corban has been nominated as treasurer and Carolyn Workman as clerk of the Session. They will be voted on at the December 9 th Annual Congregational Meeting. PRAYER CHAIN Would you like your name added to the Prayer Chain? Please let Barbara know by January 13. Those Serving in January Deacon: Barbara Brumbaugh Lay Leaders: 6 - Chuck Stiles 13 - Kathy Cartwright 20 - Luke Schultz 27 - Jan Powelson Ushers: 6 & 20 - Kenn & Lora Corban 13 & 27 - Pam Cochran & Carolyn Workman Communion Servers: 6 - Pam Cochran & Mark Schultz Acolytes: 6 - Brenna Powelson 13 - Carmi Bohnsack 20 - Tyler Mercer 27 - Cainee Bohnsack

3 Members & Friends at Retirement Communities: Greenfield - Princeton Ann Mickow, Ruth Davis, Harold & Jeanne Hutchinson Alvin & Margaret Longman - January 24th Heartland Health Care Center- Henry Frank & Lou White Liberty Village - Princeton Helene Gleason, Lil Johnson, Diane Seidel Country Comfort - Princeton June Larson Millcreek Care Center - Springfield Marilyn Pryor Beth Schultz - Jan. 15 Diane Seidel - Jan. 25 Karlie Schultz - Jan. 25 Deb Schultz - Jan. 29 The Christmas Program "New Star" was on December 16th during worship. Cast: Luke Schultz, Alexandra Powelson, Brenna Powelson, Carmi Bohnsack, Cainee Bohnsack, Ryan Seaworth, and Karlie Schultz Director: Beth Schultz Installation of New Officers will be held on January 13th Thank you to everyone who provided salad for Our Table at the Methodist Church in December! Thank you and great job to everyone involved in the Live Nativity, held December 21st on the front lawn! Ways to Contact Us: First Presbyterian Church 320 Park Ave E, Princeton Ph stpresprinceton@gmail.com Website: 1stpresprinceton.com Find us on Facebook!

4 January Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Office Closed Happy New Year! 6 Communion & Officer Installation Deacon Meeting following worship "The Story" Bible Study - 9am 21 Our Table at First United Methodist Church "The Story" Bible Study - 9am

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