Presbyterian Connection

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1 Presbyterian Connection February 2017 Volume 24 Issue 2 MISSION OUTREACH, ALIVE AND WELL The mission outreach of our church is alive and well, but can always be better. Our Mission Committee under the leadership of Faye Bracket soon will be making recommendations to the Session for the annual distribution of funds from our Mission Endowment Fund. So, I thought, with all the major events taking place in the world to share the following information with you. We received a thank you from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for the $100 recently given for flood relief in Louisiana and $160 for Disaster Relief General Relief and PDA Support. The following is a paragraph from the December 2016 issue of CORNERSTONE FROM THE Presbyterian Foundation. Generations of Presbyterians have given gifts to funds entrusted to the Presbyterian Foundation to help provide hope and justice in some of the most desperate situations around the globe such as war-torn Syria. Presbyterians have been involved in Syria from the early 1800s, when early Presbyterian missionaries came to the Near East. Now, the Presbyterian Church through its partners in Syria and Lebanon is providing assistance directly to those families that have been the most impacted during this war. Helping them with money to buy food, blankets, heaters, and find housing in safe areas. Our Mission Endowment Fund, established back in the latter 1990s, utilizing some of the bequest money given to the church as well as additional contributions over the years does similar mission outreach from the church. Our PW&M group utilizes the funds gained by our annual Ice Cream Social and Potato Bash for local and other outreach mission opportunities. We are a mission minded church for the Lord. Our support for and participation in the Bull Shoals Food Pantry is a mission outreach, along with the other churches of Bull Shoals, to lift up individuals and families in the name of the Lord. All of this is part of our fulfilling our Lord s Great Commission to go into all the world. Let s not forget that all the world includes reaching out and inviting others to worship with us and to lead others to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Another interesting note for thought since there is a lot of Muslim phobia developing in our nation is that A 2015 study estimates 483,500 Christian believers from a Muslim background in the Middle East, most of them belonging to some form of Protestantism. Christianity is growing in that area of the world, especially in Egypt (10.5%) and Iran (0.35). 2.5% of the population of Israel and Iraq is Christian. 10.2% of Syria, 6% of Jordan, and 40% of Lebanon is Christian. Refugees from the Middle East could be a major mission field for Christians in America IF America returns to its Christians roots, returns to following and living for Jesus. God bless! Fred 1

2 December Income - $3, December Expenses - $5, Connection Online If you would like to read the Connection newsletter online, go to our website; THURSDAYS, FROM 11:00 A.M. TO NOON IN MEMORIAL HALL. MEN & WOMEN WELCOME. Click on the Info Center tab at the top, then on the drop-down menu, click on Presbyterian Connection, then choose the month of the newsletter you would like to read. The most recent newsletter will be at the top. Coffee & Fellowship Be sure to drop in for coffee, maybe a Danish or cookies and wonderful fellowship on Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m. in Memorial Hall! Our Church Face Book page Church phone # Our church address presch@suddenlinkmail.com 2

3 WORSHIP IN FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 5th Shine, Shine, Shine Matthew 5:14-16 COMMUNION FEBRUARY 12th When We Pray Matthew 6:5-15 POT LUCK FEBRUARY 19th Setting Our Priorities Matthew 6:19-34 BLESSING OF THE FOOD PANTRY FEBRUARY 26th Are We Harboring 2/4 s? Matthew 7:19-34 TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD MINUTE FOR MISSION 3

4 CHURCH USHERS/GREETERS February 5 - Ken Hobart & Dr. Simons COMMUNION SERVERS Ed & Peni Lloyd February 12 - Sandy Erickson & Roger Millard February 19 - Bob & Gloria Wiles February 26 - Faye Brackett & Betty Craig PRAYER LIST FOR CONGREGATIONS, PRESBYTERY OF AR February 5 - First, Lincoln February 12 - Synod of the Sun February 19 - First, Jacksonville February 26 - Woodland, Hot Springs Village First, Heber Springs Church Musicians Presbyterian Disaster Asst. Holiday Island Presbyterian PLEASE NOTIFY PAT ERLEWINE IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO SHOULD BE ON OUR PRAYER LIST. BIRTHDAYS February February 7 - Paula Sheppard March March 3 - Dick Sass March 10 - Allen Althof March 20 - Betty Perrin March 28 - Betty Aaron March 30 - Jini Sass ANNIVERSARIES No February Anniversaries March 18 - Dr. Roger & Meg Simons March 14 - Roger & Celia Millard 4

5 LIBRARY LINES - FEBRUARY 2017 The book of the month is non-fiction and entitled: HEALING PRAYER by Reginald Cherry, M. D. Healing Prayer will amaze you with new research from prestigious universities such as Duke and UCLA, documenting scientifically the power of prayer. More important, however, Dr. Cherry shares how God has instructed him to pray with patients. We could all pray, God, heal me in Jesus name, but somehow we know there is more to the spiritual side of healing prayer. You will learn how, in faith, to pray effective, fervent prayers that avail much, as the Bible instructs. Read about the fascinating healings seen in a Christian physician s office. Discover the equally fascinating ways God has led Dr. Cherry to help patients experience their own manifestations of healing. Learn about healings of the common diseases you or your loved ones might face such as depression, fatigue, diabetes, hardening of the arteries, cancer, and heart disease. Prayer is the divine key that unlocks God s pathway of healing in both the natural and supernatural realms of life, says Dr. Cherry. Faye Brackett, Librarian 5

6 MISSION MINUTE FEBRUARY 2017 We took in $240 for the Joy Offering and $185 for the Food Pantry from the Christmas Card Tree. Thank you to everyone for supporting Missions. Our next Mission Project will be Souper Bowl Sunday on February 5th. The money collected will be donated to the Food Pantry. We will have soup buckets out to put donations in for the Food Pantry. Mission Statement Using the energy of the Super Bowl to mobilize youth in a united national effort to care for people in their local communities who are hungry and those in need. Vision Statement Transform the time around the Super Bowl into the nation's largest celebration of giving and serving. We believe: The idea for Souper Bowl of Caring is a gift from God. Young people have the ability to serve and should be given opportunities to lead their communities in helping others. Every dollar collected through Souper Bowl of Caring should be donated directly to a charity selected by each participating group. People of all backgrounds and beliefs can work together. Hunger and poverty have a negative impact on individuals and the communities in which they live, yet there is joy in serving and giving to those in need. The excitement and energy surrounding the Super Bowl can be used to engage young people in service while producing lasting hope for all people. Submitted by the Mission Committee 6

7 BULL SHOALS FOOD PANTRY NEWSLETTER (By the Community, for the Community) PO Box 691, 1013 Lake Shore Rd, Bull Shoals, AR November- December 2016 It is hard to believe another year has come and gone, and we hope everyone had a blessed Christmas and wishing all a healthy and happy New Year. The annual Christmas Basket program served over 190 families this year, and over 30 volunteers helped with setting up on Friday and distributing the food on Saturday, December 17 th. The volunteers are incredible and do such a great job every year. The Bull Shoals Police Department showed up to hand out bags of goodies and help with the baskets, and even Santa came to visit. Ramona Foshee fixed a wonderful luncheon for all the volunteers with quiche, soup, and cookies (Way To Go Ramona). This event is held at Christ by the Lake Lutheran Church each year. We also want to thank By Her Grace Church, Grace Haggard, for their generous donation which was used by Rosemarie Ward to make up decorated bags filled with candy and hot chocolate mixes for each family. Giving Thanks! At this time it is always wonderful to reflect on all the good things that happened during the last year. The Altria Group came to the Pantry and washed, scrubbed and generally cleaned inside and out; this is something they do each year and we were lucky to be their choice in The Bull Shoals Lake/White River Chamber of Commerce blessed us with both food and money from their different events including Colorama. PG&W/Slinging Iron very generously helped us out at October Fest, along with VFW/Bull Shoals and Thrivent Financial. Also a big THANK YOU to Harp s Grocery, Bull Shoals, White Hole Resort, Flippin and Walmart, Flippin for their generous contributions for our annual raffle. Our community is truly blessed with generous merchants and people who help our Pantry continue to supply food to those in need. Upcoming Events: This year we will be having a food drive at Walmart later in the spring, Arvest Bank will be holding the Million Dollar Meals event in the spring also, and then we will be getting ready for the July 4 th Jubilee, City Wide Yard Sales (one day only this year), October Fest and the Christmas Baskets. These events are a success thanks to generous donations from our community and generous help from our volunteers. Other Happenings: While the Food Pantry was closed the last two weeks in December, we were able to have flooring installed in the front office and the middle room, and it looks great. This needed to be done since the concrete floors are very hard to maintain, and money left over and saved from putting up the building was used for this project. Stop by and see what a great job was done with the new floor. Many people are familiar with Thrivent Financial (a Lutheran Church program), and this year they no longer have a local chapter. But remember, you can still designate Choice Dollars, a part of the Thrivent Financial program, to be sent to the Bull Shoals Food Pantry. And a final Thank You to all of you who contributed money or food last year; with your help we are able to keep the shelves full and the freezers stocked. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. You can drop off food at the Pantry on Monday, 9 11, Wednesday or Thursday, 9 11 or Friday 10 11:30, or mail your monetary contribution to P.O. Box 691, Bull Shoals, AR Who Can You Call? Our Manager, Bonnie Galvan or Peni Lloyd (newsletter) Oct/Nov by the numbers: (2 month statistics) Number of Households served: 350 Total Number of People: 832 Pounds of food donated: 4839 Total Volunteer Hours: 503 Commodity Pounds: 3403 Total Pounds distributed: (est) Plus 8,000 Christmas baskets When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed! Maya Angelou 7

8 FEBRUARY PUZZLE 8

9 Till We Speak Again February 2017 Dear Millie, I d like to join the choir at our church, but I really can t sing all that good. They sound so wonderful each and every Sunday, I d hate to change that. What should I do? Answer: JOIN ANYWAY. It s a large choir and your voice won t stand out independently unless you wish to sing a solo, duet, trio, quartet, etc. Really!! You are not doing this for anyone but God. You re not doing this for the other choir members, congregation, or even yourself, but for the God who blessed us all with so much. He must be speaking to you since the want to is there. Do you think Bernice, Emma or I can carry a tune in a rain barrel? NO WAY!! We blend in with other voices giving richness to the sound. Thank goodness God must love croakers and croaking. He sure created a wide variety of frogs and toads to make a joyful noise to him. I do hope that has answered your question. Luv, Millie Thought for the Day: Society would be better off if we didn t all want to be leaders. People should remember there are a lot less headaches if you are just a worker. We need more workers! THANK YOU TO OUR THOUGHTFUL PRAYER FAMILY: SOMETIMES ASKING FOR PRAYERS SEEMS SO EASY. THOSE OF YOU DO SO REPEATEDLY ARE ANGLES, FOR THAT I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. THE POWER OF YOUR PRAYERS IS STONG AND CONSUMING AS I FELT THEM MANY TIMES DURING MY TRIPS IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. IF I MAY, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO CONTINUE AS I AM FACING MORE PROCEDURES IN THE WEEKS AHEAD. SPECIAL HEART FELT THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HELPED ROGER THROUGH HIS MANY HOURS OF STRESS AND WORRY. THANK YOU, ROGER AND CELIA MILLARD 9

10 RECIPE FOR FEBRUARY Ingredients LASANGE ROLLS Sauce: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups whole milk 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper Pinch ground nutmeg Lasagna: 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped 1 large egg, beaten to blend 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil 12 uncooked lasagna noodles 2 cups marinara sauce 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces) Directions To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking. Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread a large spoonful (about 3 tablespoons worth) of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside. SERVES 6 10

11 THIS WE BELIEVE FOR FEBRUARY The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. Psalm 19:7-8 ~MISSION STATEMENT~ We will be scripture-based to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and spiritually led to guide all people to be active doers of the Word Approved by Session on November 16, 2007 CHURCH STAFF Pastor: Fred Taylor, Clerk of Session: Vicky Bair, Church Treasurer: Ken Hobart, Secretary: Christi Partee, Financial Secretary: Elaine Miller DEACONS Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Ed Lloyd Pam Hobart Sandy Erickson Amy Johnson Vacancy Pat Erlewine ELDERS Class of 2017 Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Meg Simons Ken Hobart Vicky Bair Peni Lloyd Steve Broskovak Vacancy Presbyterian Church of Bull Shoals P.O. Box 305 Bull Shoals, AR