The News. Volume 46 Number 5 First Presbyterian Church May 2014

Transcription

1 The News Volume 46 Number 5 First Presbyterian Church May 2014

2 Personals: CONGRATULATIONS! Virginia & Dean Seim will celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary on May 3rd. Betty & Jack Gillam will celebrate their 63rd wedding anniversary on May 10th. Helen & John Smutz will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary on May 12th. Carol & Jerry Exline will celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary on May 25th. Ann & Harry Jett will celebrate their 57th wedding anniversary on May 31st. SYMPATHY IS EXTENDED to Heather & Dustin Denning, Miles, Ava & Elle. Heather s grandmother, Carol Neal, Chillicothe, MO, died March 29th. to Melanie & Ryan Pearson. Melanie s uncle, Frank Edsall, Hays, KS, died April 7th. IN MEMORIAM Wayne Johnson, a FPC member since May 11, 1975, died April 12th. The sympathy of the congregation is extended to his children, Judy Johnson (John Stockham), Independence, MO, Brett Johnson (Megan), Overland Park, Cindy Egan (Dennis), Manhattan, his six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A MILLION THANKS! to Marilyn Holgerson, who provided the plants for the door planters. to Sydney Soderberg, who arranged the Easter plants for the Easter service on April 20, and to the Deacons and other volunteers who delivered the plants to homebound members following the worship service. Do you have information you'd like to have listed in the "Personals" section of the newsletter? Contact Mary Andersen at mary@fpcsalina.org today! Worship In Radioland FPC Staff Sue Coller Interim Lead Pastor sue@fpcsalina.org Austin Ashenbrenner Associate Pastor for Youth & Mission austin@fpcsalina.org Erika Ashenbrenner Director of Children s Education erika@fpcsalina.org Richard Koshgarian Director of Music richard@fpcsalina.org Angie Koshgarian Organist angie@fpcsalina.org Melanie Pearson Office Manager melanie@fpcsalina.org Diane Arnder Nursery Supervisor diane@fpcsalina.org Mary Andersen Volunteer Coordinator mary@fpcsalina.org We are delighted to broadcast our service on Sunday Mornings. Just tune in to KINA 910 on the AM dial or 94.5 on the FM dial by 10:05 a.m. to hear our service. Services can also be streamed live at If you wish to have a bulletin mailed to you, please let us know by calling Melanie in the Church Office , or download each weeks bulletin from our website at Chealsea Weaver Communications Coordinator chealsea@fpcsalina.org Karmel Swindler Book Keeper bookkeeper@fpcsalina.org Ed Zoch Head Custodian ed@fpcsalina.org You ve Been Asking... People have been asking if it is ok to bring coffee into the sanctuary for worship. The session decided that if it helps you stay awake during the sermon, by all means, bring in your caffeine! We would appreciate it if you would utilize the cup lids to help reduce the chance of spillage. Tony Griggs Relief Custodian tony@fpcsalina.org Led by Christ, Together in Faith & Love, We Joyfully Think, Question, Grow & Serve.

3 Happy Birthdays May 1 Cheri Parr 12 Gavin Baringer Jon Richards Bruce Wyatt 3 Jan Wilson 13 Wendy Moshier 4 Tricia Cobb 14 Jan Denning Maxine Strawn 23 Tom Dunn 15 Clay Edmands Connie Johnson 5 Linda Allen 16 Jill Mick Kelly Hogarty 24 Lisa Anderson Madison Shetlar Angie Koshgarian Regina Miller 17 Virgil Bowman J.R. Lidgett 25 Kathi Linville Shannon Buchanan 7 Dave Morris Carson Michaelis Euriah Wilson Jannell Shadwick 26 Mary Andersen 18 Mindi Davidson Ellie Shoup Brenda Wohler Sam Senseman Hannah Shoup Brian Wood Bette Timmel 19 Jack Atherton 27 Kelli Montre Stanley Nelson 8 Melody Hardman 28 Caleb Orr Chris Rupe 20 Piper Mick Norm Yenkey Dusty Moshier 29 Jeff Holgerson Jeff Knox 9 Amanda Michaelis 21 Austin Ashenbrenner Melissa Lidgett John Hall 11 Bill Hoffman Charlie Tuttle 30 Will Tuttle Danielle Parks Deb Shetlar 22 Alan Shuler Circles of the Heartland: (article submitted by Circles staff member Ruth Brouddus) April was a busy month for Circles of the Heartland. We continue to meet in Blair Hall on every Thursday night starting at 5:30 with a meal. Our Getting Ahead class also continues to meet (the first part of the Circles program is this educational piece). There are 10 participants in this class. Our Circle Leaders (participants who have graduated from Getting Ahead class and committed to being in Circles) continue meeting on Thursday nights. They attend programming concerning parenting, budgeting and other topics that they choose. We are still looking for more Allies to support our current class. An Ally is a volunteer who is matched with a family to support, encourage and listen to as they strive to make their goals to get out of poverty. There was a Community Meeting on Monday, April 21 at noon that explained more about this wonderful opportunity. We would like to thank those that attended. Questions? Contact Ruth Brouddus at ruthbro3@gmail.com Side - by - Side: Reading Program at Oakdale If you would like to be a part of serving your community through missions.this IS FOR YOU!!!!!! Join our Side-by-Side reading program to reach out to the students of Oakdale Elementary School and help them all know that they are loved. Through one

4 hour a week or twice a month you can help 1st grade students improve their reading skills and build a solid foundation for their education. If you have helped in the past or if you d like to consider helping next school year for the first time, please contact Austin Ashenbrenner at the church to discuss this opportunity. Mission Trip Dates: Our 2015 Mission trip date is currently set for June This eight-day trip will be a life-changing trip that continues the long range development work that our church began three years ago. If you are interested please contact Austin. Bulletin Board: Ever wonder what your church is up to in our community? Believe it or not the answer is A LOT!!! Coming soon to FPC will be a new bulletin board space on the first floor that will draw your attention to the many exciting ways that FPC is serving in our community and in our world. Be sure to check it out! [Sue s Musings] On April 6, the congregation gathered in Blair Hall to engage in a review of the church ministry in light of our new mission statement, and to talk about our leadership needs. I think some people were not looking forward to a 3-hour meeting after church, but the time ended up flying by as we engaged in an energetic and fruitful conversation. We looked at each of our major ministry areas (education, worship, mission, fellowship, care), and asked four questions: How can we be more concrete in living out our mission statement? How does this challenge us to take our ministry to the next level? Where do we fall short? What help do we need from staff? Here is a brief summary of some of the conversation: 1. We need to do a much better job of marketing ourselves to the community, but even more so, sharing with the congregation what is going on, opportunities to be involved, etc. 2. Lots of ideas and desire for more fellowship opportunities. 3. Education, especially for kids, and youth programming was highlighted. 4. Several suggestions that we have more variety in worship music, style, etc. Even occasionally swapping choirs with other churches. Maybe a once a month contemporary service. 5. Lots of ideas were presented about small ways for people to be involved in mission, and desire to be more hands on, not just giving money. 6. Some ideas were presented for ways to increase our pastoral care to elderly people. 7. Several times a desire to have more staff to organize and oversee things was brought up. Also brought up was that we as members are ultimately the ones responsible for the mission and ministry of the church, not hired staff. Church priorities among those gathered: mission, fellowship, changing the image of us as a rich church, hands on mission, worship, caring, marketing. Things those gathered were most passionate about: mission, fellowship, congregational/pastoral care, youth. The biggest leadership needs mentioned were staff to oversee each area of ministry in the church, administrative leadership, marketing/pr help, and a lead pastor who will be able to relate to, connect with, and counsel people. By the time you read this, the session will have already talked about all this, and the transition team will have dived into this, as they work to develop a staffing proposal that will help us thrive in the years to come. Our goal is to have our committees take and run with the ideas that came out of the meeting, and for the Transition Team to have a staffing plan to propose to the May session meeting. Hopefully we ll be ready to elect a Pastor Nominating Committee shortly after that! Stay tuned! Interim Pastor Sue ~ Rooted in God ~ Open to Grace ~ Filled with Joy ~

5 May Get updates, First Presbyterian Church pictures & more S 8th Street, Salina, KS like us on Facebook! Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00 AM Sunday School Living the Word Sr. High Breakfast Club Children s Sunday School 10:00 AM Worship 11:20 AM Adult Discover Class 4 Rev. Dr. Mark Achtemeier Preaches :00 AM Sunday School Living the Word Sr. High Breakfast Club Children s Sunday School 10:00 AM Worship 11:15 AM Nursery Staff Appreciation Lunch 11:20 AM Adult Discover Class 11:30 AM Blood Pressure Checks 1:30 PM Cares & Concerns 4:30 PM Adult Ed 1:30 PM Cares & Concerns 11 Mothers Day :00 AM Sunday School Living the Word Sr. High Breakfast Club Children s Sunday School 10:00 AM Worship 11:20 AM Adult Discover Class 1:30 PM Cares & Concerns :00 AM Sunday School Living the Word Sr. High Breakfast Club Jr. High Youth Children s Sunday School 10:00 AM Worship 11:20 AM Adult Discover Class 11:30 AM Yth + Yng Adult 1:30 PM Cares & Concerns 5:30 PM Deacons Mtg Memorial Day :00 AM - 12:00 PM VBS: Jungle Safari 9:00 AM Sunday School Living the Word Sr. High Breakfast Club Children s Sunday School 10:00 AM Worship 7:00 PM CC&N 5:00 PM Worship Cmt 5:15 PM Children & Family Cmt Mtg 5:30 PM Session 5:15 PM Social Justice & Mission Office Closed in observance of Memorial Day 1:30 PM Cares & Concerns 3:45 PM Children s C.E. 5:00 PM Mid-High Youth 5:30 PM Dinner (Session - Sandwiches) 7:00 PM Spiritual Growth Class 7:00 PM Choir Practice 3:45 PM Children s CE 5:00 PM Mid-High Youth 5:30 PM Dinner (Children & Family Cmt BBQ) 6:30 PM Spiritual Growth Class 7:00 PM Choir Practice 5:00 PM Mid-High Youth 5:00 PM Monthly Mission 6:00 PM End of Year Bash (The City N Santa Fe) 6:30 PM Spiritual Growth Class 7:00 PM Choir Practice 5:00 PM Mid-High Youth 6:30 PM Spiritual Growth Class 7:00 PM Choir Practice 6:30 PM Spiritual Growth Class 7:00 PM Choir Practice 7:00 AM Sr. High Breakfast Bible Study (Moka s) 7:00 AM Sr. High Breakfast Bible Study (Moka s) 10:00 AM Coffee Group 7:00 AM Sr. High Breakfast Bible Study (Moka s) 7:00 AM Sr. High Breakfast Bible Study (Moka s) 10:00 AM Coffee Group 10:30 AM The News: Mailed 12:00 PM Trustees Mtg 3:00 PM Mid-High School s Out Bash 4:00 PM Personnel Cmt 12:00 PM Sr. High Volleyball End of School Sonic

6 Stay Connected! Calendar: #/happenings-at-fpc Twitter: twitter.com/ FPCsalina Our Website: Facebook: facebook.com/ fpcsalinaks

7 Education Children, Youth, and Families Pre-Registration Event and Chicago Mission Team Fundraising Dinner Wednesday, May 7 from 3:45 5:30pm Kids and adults will get to catch a glimpse of VBS through music, games, crafts, and a community service project! Then, they ll get to register for VBS and take the music cd home! It s going to be a great time and a great way to get excited for VBS! Registration begins at 5:15pm. Come early to register and stay for dinner! Our Chicago Youth Mission Team will be hosting a fundraising BBQ dinner. Support our youth with a generous donation and enjoy a burger! Don t miss it! ($20/family suggested donation although they ll happily accept more!) Can t make it to the Pre-Registration Event? Register your child(ren) online!! Visit com/fpcsalina to sign them up for VBS!! Help Decorate for VBS Friday, May 23 or Sunday, May 25 We re looking for people to come help decorate for VBS! Join us anytime on Friday, May 23 from 9am 3pm or stay after worship on Sunday, May 25 and help turn Blair Hall and other areas into a jungle! It takes a lot of hands, so please stop by even for a half hour!! Hope to see you there! Jungle Safari Tuesday, May 27 Friday, May 30 Come join the fun at Jungle Safari where we ll explore the nature of God!! At Jungle Safari, kids will participate in the large group excitement of Toucan Jam, experience God s Word at Zip Line Bible Time, participate in service projects at Sluga-Bug S.W.A.M.P., plus explore and create through fun-filled crafts, snacks, and games. Children from Preschool through 8th Grade can register online at www. vacationbibleschool.com/fpcsalina. (Cost is $5.00) We re looking for a few more people who d like to come and spend some time with the awesome kids in our church!! It s going to be a great week in the life of FPC don t miss out! Contact Erika at erika@fpcsalina. org to find out how YOU can be involved or sign up to help at All-Church Event: End of the Year Bash! Wednesday, May 14th from 6:00pm -8:00pm The Children and Families Committee would like to invite EVERYONE to our End-of-the-Year Bash! On Wednesday, May 14, please join us at The City (510 N Santa Fe Ave) from 6:00pm -8:00pm for an evening of fellowship, food, and fun! It will be a great night to have fun, celebrate what has been, and look forward to what will come. Dinner will be provided. An RSVP is not required, but would be appreciated. Please office@fpcsalina. org and let us know you re coming!

8 It s hard to believe that another school is year is coming to a close. As I reflect on the past year, I m overwhelmed with gratitude for all who have come alongside our young ones to encourage and help. THANK YOU for being a blessing to them (and to me!) -Erika Stan Amick Diane Arnder Portia Bakker Lee Barr Jo Buchanan Kendi Carlgren Makenzi Carlgren Tricia Cobb Teressa Cooper Mindi Davidson Todd Davidson Heather Denning Lexie Edison Jerry Exline Brandon Gary Harrison Jett Ann Knowles Sarah Morris Betty Norman Carrie Pierce Martha Rhea Abbey Rupe Sarah Payne Jack Shetlar Thank You!! Sydney Soderberg Heather Stanek Carolyn Wedel Penni White Kari Wilson *And a HUGE THANK YOU to all our parents! Thank you for all the food, driving, praying, serving, corralling, encouraging, and love!! Education Youth + Young Adult Ministry Prayer Partners: Chicago Mission Team: This summer a group of 11 Sr. High Students will travel to Chicago, IL for a weeklong service trip. But before we go we need your help and support to get us there. Here are several ways you can support our students as they prepare for this week of important work, serving God in Chicago. -BBQ Fundraising Dinner: Wednesday, May 7th at 5:30 p.m. Come join us for a delicious dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs on May 7th. Students will be grilling and preparing a great meal for our WHOLE CHURCH family to come join us and enjoy the nice weather (we hope). Suggested donation $20 per family but this is a fundraiser so feel free to give whatever you like to support our team. -Mother s Day Cookie Sales: May 7th + 11th At our cook out dinner on May 7th we ll be taking orders for Tricia Cobb s world famous cookies. These treats will be a PERFECT Mother s Day treat for that special lady. Cookies can be ordered on Wednesday and picked up fresh on Sunday morning. Do you care for the youth of our church? Do you love God? Perfect! Then you are qualified and gifted to join our new Prayer Partner Program here at FPC. The goal of the Youth Committee is to connect EVERY student in our church with a loving and caring adult who will pray for them and encourage them as they grow into the people that God calls them to be. We are seeking prayer partners who will commit to praying for one to two students regularly, writing an occasional note of encouragement, and making sure to greet your partner each Sunday in church. We will have a Kick-off event this Fall to make sure that every student is paired with an adult and have a fun time getting to know each other. Members of the Youth Committee will be calling soon to invite you to participate in this exciting opportunity. But why wait? Feel free to call or Austin if you already know you d like to join our team. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity. Graduating Senior Recognition Graduation day is around the corner (most students know the exact number of days). Please mark your calendars for Sunday, May 11th. This will be the day that we celebrate with our graduates and pray for them, during our worship service, as they begin the next chapter in their lives.

9 Education Adult Ministry DISCOVER 2014 Exploring as Presbyterians the Intersections of Faith and Life The Meaning of Marriage in the Presbyterian Church Sundays, April 27 - May 18, 11:20 in the Conference Room We began April 13 with an overview of history of marriage over the centuries, and an overview of the debate in the Presbyterian Church about the meaning of marriage and the debate over who can get married. On April 27 we will begin to look at some of the scriptures that inform our ideas of marriage, and explore the intersection of those scriptures with our own experience and faith. If you missed the first class, you can still come and not be out of the loop! Add your voice to the conversation as we explore this current issue for church and society. We are excited to have Rev. Dr. Mark Achtemeier preaching and leading our discussion on Sunday, May 4. Dr. Achtemeier has served as the Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Ethics at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, and as Bridge Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dubuque, Iowa. He was a member of the General Assembly Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church, and has played an active role in nationallevel discussions of our denomination s sexuality policy. NEW SPIRITUAL GROWTH CLASS - Wednesdays, April 30 June 2, Hope Rm, 6:30 pm We will be reading The Organic God by Margaret Feinberg. Through personal stories and scriptural insights, she leads us on a journey of encounter with God and spiritual renewal. You will need a book and workbook for the class. Cost for both is $17. Let Melanie in the office know if you need a copy, or you can order it direct from Join us for Coffee and Conversation! Every Second & Fourth Thursday If you are of a certain age, can get away during the day (maybe retired), and you like to kick subjects around with your peers, come join us. We meet every second and fourth Thursday morning at 10:00 am in the small conference room off the parlor. Subjects vary from personal experiences to pop culture to movies, religion, memories, whatever we think would be interesting. Most of us have an opinion, but if you just want to sit and listen, that s okay too. There is always coffee and water! Any questions call Joyce Green Pearson at (785) Special Sundays: May 4: Rev. Dr. Mark Achtemeier, professor, theologian and ethicist, will preach and lead the discussion at the marriage class. June 15: Joseph Vincelli, saxophonist, flutist, and author, will share his gift of music in worship. July 13: Executive Presbyter Ed Thompson will preach and lead the discussion after church, following up on actions taken at the General Assembly meeting. August 10: Gradye Parsons, the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will preach and lead the discussion after church about the changing context in which the church finds itself.

10 First Presbyterian Church PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID Sue Coller Interim Lead Pastor / Head of Staff Austin Ashenbrenner Associate Pastor For Youth & Mission Address: 308 S. 8th Street P.O. Box 585 Salina, KS Address Service Requested Phone: (785) office@fpcsalina.org Web Site: The News (UPS ) is published monthly by First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 585, Salina, KS Periodical postage paid at Salina, Kansas. The next newsletter will be mailed May 22nd. The Sunday service is broadcast each week at 10:05 AM on KINA, 910 AM, 94.5 FM, or streamed live at If there is something you would like included in The News, chealsea@fpcsalina.org, by May 14th before noon. a m r o f n i e e mor!! e d i s n tion i Se May 27 th to 30 th