THE SPIRE LIGHT. Potluck and Youth Mission Auction to Benefit the FPC Youth Mission Fund

Transcription

1 THE SPIRE LIGHT First Presbyterian Church 100 Silver Creek Road, Morganton, NC April 10-30, 2016 Come worship with us on Sundays! 10:55 AM Worship Service April 10, 2016 Rev. Michael R. Bailey Lectionary Acts 9:1-20; Psalm 30 Rev. 5:11-14; John 21:1-19 Greeters Rich and Sally DeAugustinis Bruce and Maggie McKinney Visitors Table Lisa Roller April 17, 2016 Rev. Adam C. Bowling Lectionary Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23 Rev. 7:9-17; John 10:22-30 Greeters Ted and Holly Restel Atticus and Katherine Simpson Visitors Table Lisa Roller April 24, 2016 Congregational Meeting Rev. Michael R. Bailey Greeters Ken and Catharine Corn Jerry and Barbara Norvell Lectionary Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148 Rev. 21:1-6; John 13:31-35 Visitors Table Lisa Roller Potluck and Youth Mission Auction to Benefit the FPC Youth Mission Fund Sunday, April 10, After the Worship Service Please bring a dish to share (that will feed ten people) and then stay after the potluck for the live and silent auction. Items to bid on include vacation homes, trips, special experiences, date nights, tickets to events, handmade craft items, cakes, and more! The youth are looking for all types of items, goods, and services for their auction this year. Please drop off items at church now through April 7 or your service or vacation information (with photos) to Pastor Adam at revabowling@bellsouth.net by April 8. Call him at if you have any questions. As we always say, We will auction just about anything as long as it s legal! BLOOD DRIVE A blood drive will be held on Sunday, April 24, 9:30 AM-12:30 PM, in the fellowship hall. Blood donated at this time will help save lives of local people perhaps a family member, friend, neighbor, or even you. Prepare for donating blood by doing the following: Increase your intake of iron rich foods, such as dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach, kale), seafood, eggs, raisins and other dried fruit, and iron-fortified cereals. Take a multivitamin with iron daily too. Drink extra water for at least two days before donating blood. Limit intake of highly caffeinated beverages, especially on donation day. Get eight hours of sleep the night before donating. Eat a well balanced meal before and after donating. At the drive, you must present a current, officially-issued photo ID (like a driver s license). Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments do save some waiting. You can schedule an appointment by contacting the church office or signing up at church on Sunday, April 17. You are cordially invited... to a reception on April 24, 2016, celebrating and giving thanks for the ministry of Parish Nurse Jean Bolton. A special recognition will occur in the worship service with a reception to follow. Members are encouraged to write expressions of appreciation to Jean for her faithful work. Cards or letters can be dropped off in the church office or given to Jean on April 24.

2 First Presbyterian Is Building HOPE!!! A big thanks go out to all who have pledged their support of the Building HOPE Campaign. So far we have received 59 pledges for $66,605! That is a FANTASTIC start! The Presbytery-wide goal for this campaign is $2.25 million, which is ambitious indeed. Please remember, however, the aims of the ministries supported by the campaign are ambitious as well in their desire to impact the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are grateful to those who are already on board, but we still need many more. Remember the mantra of the campaign: Doing together what we cannot do alone. Contact the church office to make your pledge. More information can be found at An Exciting Month of Exploration for the Elective Sunday School Class! April 10, 17, and 24: Exploring the Book of Acts, led by Lena Kenan. Coming of the Holy Spirit is central throughout the study. Please join us downstairs in Room 102. There is always room at the table. Third Grade Bibles To parents of third graders: We will be giving out third grade Bibles Sunday, April 17, in worship. Please contact the church office at and let us know your child s full name (as you want it to appear on the bookplate), and if they will be in worship on April 17. Congregational Meeting The Session has called a Congregational Meeting on April 24, 2016, to elect officers. The individuals on the right have been brought forth by the Nominating Committee. Look for their biographies coming soon. For Elder: Ken Corn Hugh Lowe William Mode Jean VanNoppen Louis Vinay Sara Grace Vinay, for Youth Elder For Deacon: Lori Conway Judy Gaskill Dennis McGill Tamra Starnes From the Personnel Committee At its most recent meeting, the Personnel Committee received the news that Parish Nurse Jean Bolton s relationship with Carolinas Healthcare System (formerly Grace Hospital) has ceased. Because Jean remains unable to work, she is no longer considered an employee. Jean has always technically been a hospital employee assigned to First Presbyterian. The church has paid her salary, while the hospital has covered her benefits. This change to her status with the hospital effectively ends her professional relationship with the church. But it changes nothing in terms of our love for and appreciation of her faithful work among us for close to nine years! So it is time to say thanks and celebrate the ministry of Jean Bolton!!! On April 24, we will honor Jean in worship, followed by a reception after the service. The Personnel Committee encourages members to write cards and letters expressing to Jean how much she has meant to you and the church through the years. You can drop those off at the church office or give them directly to Jean on April 24. Please mark your calendars and make every effort to be in church on April 24. Rather fittingly, we will be having a blood drive that same day. Please keep Jean in your prayers as she continues her recovery and the Personnel Committee as it considers next steps. Thank you! New Hymn of the Month Set to a traditional Welsh lullaby, our New Hymn of the Month, Christ Has Risen While Earth Slumbers, from the Iona Community, dares to plainly name the condition many lives are in or have been in: messed up, mangled, skeptical of things religious and spiritual, and in need of transformation from what we are to something better, to be people redeemed from the hopelessness stalking our lives. May we all find ourselves graced by this redemption! The gentleness of the melody creates a musical setting of calmness and peace, in contrast to the exuberance also properly associated with most well-known Easter hymns. Join Fellow Presbyterians on a Journey to the Holy Land September 9-19, 2016 Sponsored by First Presbyterian in Hickory; Trip Leader: Rev. Whit Malone This trip will include all of the sites essential for a deeper understanding of our faith story. For more information, visit or call Pastor Malone at

3 Sunday, April 10 Potluck Meal and Youth Mission Auction All youth are asked to stay after worship on Sunday, April 10, to help with our Potluck Meal and Youth Auction! Please bring a dish to share that will feed people. Also, remember to donate your items and/or service to help raise money for the First Presbyterian Church Youth Mission Fund! All youth attending the Raleigh Youth Mission Trip are expected to stay after the auction and help clean up! Sunday, April 10, 3:30-5:00 PM Liturgical Dance Sunday, April 17, 3:30-9:30 PM Escape Room Trip Join your youth group friends for Exit Strategy and dinner in Charlotte, NC. Sixty minutes will fly by as you attempt to unlock the door to your escape. So, grab a friend and register today to see if you can work together to solve puzzles, find clues, and ultimately escape one of their rooms. We only have room for twenty (20) participants, so sign up ASAP. The cost is $20 per person, and you will need to bring money for dinner. Learn more: #FPCMorganton Rooms: Cabin in the Woods and Murder Mystery. Sunday, April 24, 3:30-5:00 PM Liturgical Dance Sunday, April 24, 5:00-8:00 PM Youth Sunday Planning and Dinner Youth, come to the fellowship hall on Sunday, April 24 at 5:00 PM with ideas for Youth Sunday May 15! We will eat dinner ($3) at 5:00 PM and then start working on plans for Youth Sunday. Sunday, May 1, 3:30-5:00 PM Liturgical Dance Sunday, May 1, 5:00-8:00 PM Youth Sunday Planning and Dinner Friday, May 6, 6:00-8:00 PM Liturgical Dance Student Ministries Rev. Adam Bowling adam@firstpresmorganton.org Church Directory Photo Days April 10 and 17 are photo days for the church directory. On these Sundays, we will have two photo sessions: 9:30-10:45 AM and 12:15-1:15 PM. Mark your calendars! You do not need to have a specific appointment...just show up! You can update your existing directory photo and/or information or have your family photo put in the church directory for the first time. These photo days are important because they are how we keep our church online directory and directory app up to date! Each family or individual who has their photo taken in April will be entered to win a free photo package! Primetimers Trip to Mt. Airy On Tuesday, May 3, the Primetimers will join the First Baptist senior adult ministry on a trip to the Andy Griffith Museum and other sites in Mt. Airy. We will meet at First Baptist at 8:00 AM to travel in their bus; we will return at 5:00 PM. Cost is $35/person plus lunch. Sign up with the church office or call Lewis Rigsbee at by the April 20 deadline. Circle 6 News On Tuesday, May 3, at 6:00 PM, Circle 6 will have a covered-dish dinner at the home of Posie George, 191 Oakdale Drive. Church Building Keys We are running out of the keys we lend to current users of the buildings. If you have any church keys you are not using, please turn them in to the church office. Birth Announcement Congratulations to Doug and Susan Briggs at the birth of a grandson, Jackson Avery Burnett, born March 19, Jackson s parents are Ian and Emily Burnett. First Presbyterian is a connectional church; let us therefore pray for other congregations within our Presbytery: Brittain Presbyterian Church, Rutherfordton, NC Prayer We lift up our hearts and voices in praise and gratitude to Thee. Take away fear and give us confidence and joy in our lives so that we may live through faith and tell the glad gospel story. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

4 Wednesday Night Programs April 13, 6:15 PM: Committee Night April 20, 6:15 PM: Earth Day Program The guest speaker for our Earth Day Program on April 20 will be Emilee Syrewicze, Executive Director of the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation (CRF) based in Charlotte, which advocates and educates to protect the Catawba- Wateree River Basin. She came to CRF in April of 2015 after holding the position of Executive Director of the largest permanent supportive housing organization in Northern Michigan. She holds a BA in Political Science and Chemistry from Alma College in Alma, Michigan, and a law degree from Vermont Law School. April 27, 6:15 PM: Special Bible Club Children s Program Save the dates for God s Backyard Bible Camp! July 25-29, :00 AM-3:00 PM (doors open at 8:30 AM) for ages 3 1/2 (toilet trained) to rising 6th graders Contact a co-director to volunteer today! Erin Bowling: erinkbowling@gmail.com, Teresa Carpenter: teresacarpen@aol.com, Church Bullhorn If you have borrowed the church s bullhorn, please return it as soon as possible. We will need it for future events. Thank you! See pages 5-7 below.

5 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CALENDAR Sunday, April 10 9:30 AM Directory Photos 10:00 AM Chancel Choir 10:55 AM Worship Service 12:15 PM Directory Photos 12:15 PM Potluck Meal and Youth Mission Auction 3:30 PM Liturgical Dance Monday, April 11 6:00 PM C.E. Committee Mtg. 6:30 PM Bible Camp Task Force 3:00 PM Circle 3 Parlor Tuesday, April 12 7:00 AM Men s Breakfast 9:00 AM Soup Kitchen 1:30 PM Staff Meeting Wednesday, April 13 12:00 PM Al-Anon Rm :00 PM Backyard Bible Club 5:00 PM Chancel Ringers 5:15 PM Meal Pork Chops 6:15 PM Committee Night 7:15 PM Chancel Choir Thursday, April 14 6:30 PM Scholarship Cmte. Mtg. 7:00 PM Ladies Bible Study Church Parlor Saturday, April 16 8:00 PM Al-Anon Rm :00 PM AA Rm. 101 Sunday, April 17 9:30 AM Directory Photos 10:00 AM Chancel Choir 10:55 AM Worship Service 12:15 PM Directory Photos 3:30 PM Youth Escape Rm. Trip 5:00 PM Combined Choir Spring Concert at First Baptist Church Tuesday, April 19 7:00 AM Men s Breakfast 1:30 PM Staff Meeting Wednesday, April 20 12:00 PM Al-Anon Rm :00 PM Backyard Bible Club 5:00 PM Chancel Ringers 5:15 PM Meal Baked Chicken 6:15 PM Earth Day Program 7:15 PM Chancel Choir Saturday, April 23 8:00 PM Al-Anon Rm :00 PM AA Rm. 101 Sunday, April 24 9:30 AM-12:30 PM Blood Drive 10:00 AM Chancel Choir 10:55 AM Worship Service with Recognition of Jean Bolton and Congregational Meeting 12:15 PM Reception for Jean 3:30 PM Liturgical Dance 5:00 PM Youth Sunday Planning Monday, April 25 12:00 PM Spire Light Deadline Tuesday, April 26 7:00 AM Men s Breakfast 1:30 PM Staff Meeting Wednesday, April 27 10:30 AM Spire Light Volunteers 12:00 PM Al-Anon Rm :00 PM Backyard Bible Club 5:00 PM Chancel Ringers 5:15 PM Meal Baked Ham 6:15 PM Special Bible Club Children s Program 7:15 PM Chancel Choir Thursday, April 28 9:00 AM Soup Kitchen 7:00 PM Ladies Bible Study Church Parlor Friday, April 29 New Officer Training Retreat Montreat Saturday, April 30 8:00 PM Al-Anon Rm :00 PM AA Rm. 101 The Spire Light Deadline The next issue of The Spire Light will cover May 1-21 events. Please submit information to the church office or to lori@firstpresmorganton.org by noon on Monday, April 25.

6 The Presbytery of Western North Carolina 114 Silver Creek Road, Morganton, NC Phone: (828) Fax: (828) To: Presbytery of Western North Carolina From: Rev. Bobbi White, General Presbyter, PWNC Date: March 31, 2016 Dear Friends, Most of you know of Dr. Barbara Nagy and the incredible work she has done over the past twelve years in medical ministry at the Nkhoma Hospital in Malawi. Due to personal, family, and health concerns, Barbara has decided that she will leave her mission co-worker position in Nkhoma, Malawi at the end of the current school year in June. [See her letter on reverse side.] While her future career is uncertain, her effectiveness as a physician in the midst of drought, famine, poverty, and political uncertainty speaks for itself. During her tenure in Malawi, the infant mortality rate in Nkhoma has dropped by over 75%, and together, the medical staff and management have developed a strong hospital complex in an area plagued by complications. They have had the vision, resourcefulness, and commitment to make extraordinary advances in basic health care in Malawi. Though for many of us in the PWNC, Barbara Nagy has been the face of the mission efforts in Malawi, there has been much accomplished by this presbytery in the same decade. Ever since Barbara s first year at Nkhoma in 2003, this presbytery has sent a mission team annually (or twice a year). These teams have worked with Barbara and her colleagues in Nkhoma to reach the health and education goals that have been mutually identified. We have developed strong working relationships with both the hospital staff and community leaders, like Drs. Reyneir ter Haar and David Morton, lead physicians at Nkhoma Hospital, and Willeke ter Haar, the director of the Ebenezer Institute of Learning, a school that this presbytery started in response to local need. The development of the nine outlying rural clinics associated with the Nkhoma Hospital has also been the particular ministry of this presbytery. After many visits and mission teams to Nkhoma (at least 4 while Barbara was back in the US), our ministry in Malawi has grown beyond dependency on Barbara. The abundance of good work that has been accomplished in the past in the name of Jesus Christ will surely continue into the future. There is a solid base of commitment in the PWNC and with our partners in Malawi to continue this robust ministry in Malawi. Our partners in Malawi share the same commitment to continue. To that end, I will be traveling to Nkhoma in May alongside this year s mission team to solidify our mutual commitment, our system of accountability, and our partnership in the absence of Barbara Nagy. Other PCUSA mission co-workers familiar with the area have also agreed to assist, if needed. Clarifying our shared obligations and continuing to nurture personal relationships will allow us to progress in a healthy manner. If you have questions about these transitions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me. I would welcome your insights. We certainly wish Barbara and her family all the best, and pray that every step on their path is guided by the loving hands of Jesus Christ. I hope you will take the opportunity to thank Barbara and her family for their faithful service. Barbara is leaving part of her heart in Malawi. While we will miss seeing Barbara and her family on our visits, we are grateful for our partners in Nkhoma. I feel even stronger that this is where God is calling us in ministry. We will let you know Barbara s future plans when she determines them. Thanks also goes to you for your love and support. This first twelve years has been a wonderful start. Following the principles that have guided our presbytery in the past, we can accomplish more together than we can separately through our common faith in Jesus Christ. May our common efforts to further Christ s ministry in Malawi be abundantly blessed by the Holy Spirit! Sharing Christ's Love, Rev. Bobbi White General Presbyter

7 Dear Friends, I would like to share with you the difficult decision I have made to leave Malawi at the end of this school year for Happy, in June of You, our beloved friends and supporters in Western North Carolina have been our daily joy and partners throughout the past twelve years of ministry here, and have become dear friends of the community at Nkhoma as well. This decision comes at a particularly challenging time for Nkhoma Hospital and the Building Hope campaign, but has been made after months of prayer, contemplation and seeking guidance from wise colleagues and spiritual mentors. I have not taken it lightly. Several years ago members of the Presbyterian community were willing to support my education in public health, attempting to be faithful to the Presbyterian Church s call to address root causes of poverty and injustice. I firmly believe this is the right pathway, and that continuing this effort is the most effective way of bringing health and wholeness to disadvantaged people everywhere, especially women and children. However, my previous extensive commitment to acute care pediatrics at Nkhoma Hospital, with few other clinicians available, made this change in call very difficult to accomplish. We have attempted numerous strategies over the past two years to ameliorate this situation without success, and as a result of the overwhelming workload of trying to manage both positions and support Happy in her learning disability, significant challenges in my own health have developed. Happy s education has also remained very problematic in spite of unprecedented support from PCUSA and members of our own presbytery. Over the past twelve years of ministry at Nkhoma, I feel proud and blessed to have been part of the work of Nkhoma Hospital, and extremely grateful to have partnered with you throughout the process. Through our mission letters we have communicated various funny, unique or touching stories of life here, but they are mere glimmers of the incredible privilege felt in extending the compassion of Christ to the many people who live in this community. The lives changed, the numerous health workers trained, the proper ordering of children s health services and the fleshing out of God s love for Malawi will not go away with our departure. Advocacy for health rights and healthy communities will also continue to bear fruit. As I have served in Nkhoma, Malawi, this presbytery has been a tremendous support to me, Nkhoma Hospital, and Ebenezer School. We began with a connection primarily through my medical mission, but strong relationships have since been developed with hospital staff and others these last twelve years. Even during the years that I have not been in Malawi, Presbytery of Western NC mission teams have continued to come to Malawi and faithfully do their work. The Building Hope Campaign as it impacts Malawi is supporting Ebenezer School, direct patient care at Nkhoma Hospital, a mobile medical clinic vehicle, and community health improvement in our Nkhoma Synod health centers. These initiatives are needed more now than they have ever been before, and the administrative and financial structures needed to see these projects succeed are robust and stable. I firmly hope our personal needs as a family to move to another assignment will in no way weaken the strong commitment our presbytery has made to Nkhoma Hospital and Ebenezer School. They remain ministries of extremely high effectiveness and integrity. May God continue to bless you as you faithfully live out your ministry with the Nkhoma community. Barbara Nagy and family