The Spire. From the Pastor. February 2017

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1 The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg The Spire February 2017 From the Pastor First Presbyterian Church 169 W. College Street P.O. Box 446 Waynesburg, PA Phone: Fax: firstpreswbg.com Every Sunday Grow (for all ages) 9:00 AM Table Talk 9:00 AM Kid s Choir 10:00 AM Worship 10:30 AM Youth Chime Choir 11:45 AM Small Group 11:45 AM Crossroads Youth Group 6:00 9:00 PM The Spire Content Page 1 From the Pastor Page 2.Discipleship & Fellowship Page 3 Stewardship Page 4 Music & Children s Ministry Page 5 Calendar Page 6 Crossroads Page 7 Helpers Birthdays Memorial Gifts I am writing this just a few days before I and the staff head to South Carolina for the ECO National Meeting at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville. This year s meeting will not entail any business pertinent to the denomination; instead, it will focus on training and equipping us to make disciples who make disciples. The theme of the conference is Entrusted, and is taken from the same passage I quoted in last month s Spire: And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2). Paul utters those words after he reminds us that to know Jesus is to know God s grace our only source of strength (2 Timothy 2:1). The things Paul refers to are the common beliefs and behaviors the Church is to maintain as we live as followers of Christ in our world. Entrust describes the privilege and responsibility to maintain continuity with the message of the Scripture: God salvation has come in Jesus Christ, through whom comes both forgiveness of sins, and restoration of relationship. That continuity refers to the past as we stay in step with the beliefs and behaviors of a long line of witnesses. It also refers to the present and future: we fully embrace those beliefs and behaviors as we embody them and teach them to the generations yet to come. Remember, Christ s call to discipleship is not only extended to us; it is extended through us. Though I am not sure how the speakers at the conference will convey this, I am sure of how Paul did. Disciples - those entrusted with the gospel - are to live as: soldiers, learning to obey their commanding officer (2 Timothy 2:3-4) athletes, fully committed to the race (2 Timothy 2:5) farmers, working hard in sowing and reaping (2 Timothy 2:6) All three metaphors teach us that discipleship is both being (identity) and doing (active faith). To reflect on them (2 Timothy 2:7 ) gives us insight into what following Christ looks like in our station and season of life. See you Sunday! Bill

2 Discipleship & Fellowship by: Becky Juliano This month approximately 40 Waynesburg University students will join with thousands of other college students from the area to learn how to worship God with their whole lives at the Jubilee Conference. The Jubilee Conference is sponsored by the CCO and is all about living faithfully in every area of life. It s a gathering of thousands of college students learning how to worship God with their whole lives. This year s theme, Every Square Inch will challenge students in attendance to live radically for the Kingdom. Please pray for these students as we prepare and go to the conference on February Also, thank you so much for the wonderful support you showed at the Jubilee lunch last month. It is such a huge blessing to be a part of such a generous church! The money you donated will go towards helping students attend this conference. Everyone is invited! Take advantage of a cheap dinner out with all your First Pres friends and family! Enjoy a delicious meal for just $3/person and $2/child ($10 family max and university students are $1). The meal will be served starting at 5:30 PM. If you have children in Pathways, our after-school program, your whole family is welcome to stay for dinner. The menu for the month (which is subject to change) is as follows: February 1: Baked potato bar and chili February 8: Chicken & biscuits February 15: Baked ziti February 22: Turkey and mashed potatoes Simplify with Bill Hybels 4 week study Exhausted. Overwhelmed. Overscheduled. Sound familiar? Today s velocity of life can consume and control us... until our breakneck pace begins to feel normal and expected. That s where the danger lies: When we spend our lives doing things that keep us busy but don t really matter, we sacrifice the things that do. What if your life could be different? What if you could be certain you were living the life God called you to live and building a legacy for those you love? If you crave a simpler life anchored by the priorities that matter most, roll up your sleeves: Simplified living requires more than just cleaning out your closets or reorganizing your desk drawer. It requires uncluttering your soul. By eradicating the stuff that leaves your spirit drained, you can stop doing what doesn t matter and start doing what does. In Simplify, bestselling author Bill Hybels identifies the core issues that lure us into frenetic living and offers practical steps for sweeping the clutter from our souls. Join us in the Assembly Room for this 4-week video series on Sunday mornings at 9 AM beginning February 5. Contact Becky Juliano for more information. Ash Wednesday Gathering Join us for our Ash Wednesday Gathering on March 1 st at 6:30 PM. The gathering will last approximately 20 minutes with time for worship and communion. In addition to the gathering, prayer stations will be set up in the sanctuary to use before or after the gathering at 6:30. There will be a separate prayer stations set up for kids so families are welcome. Individuals and families can use the prayer stations anytime until 8 PM. Dinner will be available at 5:30 PM that evening as well.

3 Stewardship-Managing God s Money by: Ben McCracken In response to your many prayers, our financial health remained stable last year. While giving declined it was partially offset by increased investment income. Judicious spending by each team and a staffing vacancy further aided in a bountiful surplus for the year. Primarily based on your response to Consecration Sunday, Session was able to approve a $324,644 budget for This occurred despite life changes, financial turmoil, and uncertainties which continue to impact giving commitments and improving market conditions for investment income. Overall staff spending ($241,844) and budgeted team cost reflect the filling of the Director of Student Ministry position and team emphasis respectively for the year. Your generous giving continues to help make all of this possible. Session s commitment to retain a high quality staff is a crucial part of strengthening the spiritual growth of our church. On the front of each church bulletin it states: Come worship with us as we Bring hope to life.in Jesus name. Your response to this challenge has allowed us to be part of the financial solution as we act on His leading. Good financial and spiritual health requires discipline and effort, but it will benefit us now and in the future. While the financial reports may be considered less than captivating reading for many, the information shown below does tell an encouraging story. If you were unable to attend the Congregational meeting on Sunday, I hope you will request a copy of the 2016 Annual Report to read about all of the many areas our church finances are being used for the growth and positive work of His Kingdom. It is important to realize the financial cost of bringing to life key elements of growth in our church. Ben McCracken Stewardship Actual Actual Budget Staff $236,072 $221,867 $241,844 Property 46,244 42,917 42,000 Christian Education 17,095 14,857 18,900 Evangelism & Fellowship 4,240 2,913 5,900 Worship & Sacraments 2,246 1,474 2,500 Deacons 2,000 Office 12,870 9,853 11,500 total expense $318,767 $293,881 $324,644 Giving 273, , ,770 Investments 47,618 58,561 61,875 Other 1, ,010 total income $322,671 $313,713 $328,655 transfer to Reserve $3,904 $19,832 $4,011 Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and provide in abundance for every good work. (IICor. 9:7-8 RSV)

4 Music & Children s Ministry by:tomē Custer Children s Choir Pathways Our Children's Choir is kicking off 2017 with exciting and challenging music! In the coming months, listen for songs a variety of influences early Hebrew and 19 th Century America are a few. (That's the only hint you'll get; the surprises will be worth the wait!) Our Children's Choir rehearses on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM and is open to all children Pre-School through 5 th grade. Youth Hand Bell Choir This semester at Pathways, our high school leaders Catherine Thompson and Rachel Calvario are partnering with Tomē in creating a lessons teaching the kids lessons that they can apply to their lives at home, in school, and with friends. Each lesson features a Bible story or passage and small group discussion time. We're also doing a Bible Memory challenge over twelve weeks, encouraging the children to 'hide' God's word in their hearts. If you have any questions on Pathways, or need the scriptures for your children to learn, please contact Tomē Custer. 1 st Pres' new Youth Handbell Choir is going strong. They have had two debut performances. We have twenty-four members, yes that is right TWENTY-FOUR! To be a part of this exciting ensemble, children need no prior musical experience. They must be in 1 st grade and able to read. The YHC is open to students through 8 th grade. The older students,(5 th - 8 th grade) ring Schulmerich handbells. The younger students (1 st - 4 th grade) ring hand chimes. Rehearsals are Sunday mornings, immediately following worship, until 12:15p.m. If your child is interested in joining the YCH, please contact Tomē

5 February 2017 Every Sunday 9:00 am GROW 10:00 am Kids Choir 10:30 am Worship 11:45 am Youth Chime Choir 11:45 amsmall Group 6:00-9:00 pm Crossroads 5 12 Annual Meeting after Worship Soup Lunch after Worship Benefitting Crossroads Ministry Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 6 7 6:30 pm Stewardship 6:45 pm Property 7:30 pm Session :30 pm Worship Team 6:30 Deacons :30 to 8:00 pm Grief Share 7:00 pm Missions Team 7 6:30 pm Stewardship 6:45 pm Property 7:30 pm Session 1 Baked Potato Bar 8 Chicken & Biscuits 15 Baked Ziti 22 Turkey & Mashed Potatoes 1 Ash Wednesday Lent begins Shrimp Scampi & Pasta 6:30 pm Ash Wed. Gathering 8 Tacos :00 pm Good Neighbor Dinner

6 Crossroads Youth Ministry A few words from Pastor Bill I am grateful that the Lord has brought Juan Gallo to us as our new Director of Student Ministries. Juan moved from Philadelphia into Waynesburg on January 20th, and began his work with us immediately on the 22nd. I look forward to working with him as part of our staff, and to seeing what God will be doing through him at Crossroads, our middle and high school student ministry. I also wanted to express my gratitude to Jen Miller, who, in September 2016, graciously stepped into an interim role with Crossroads while we conducted our search. Jen planned and continued the weekly Crossroads events, and also met with the Waynesburg University students who help lead the middle and high school ministry. Though Juan is now directing our youth ministry, Jen will continue to volunteer at Crossroads until she leaves the area to further her education. Finally, I want to acknowledge the work of the search team: Matt Blair, Sara Christner, Ross Kalsey, Sally Maxwell, and Jeff McCracken. I appreciated their willingness to serve, and their diligence in the entire process of looking for the right person for this position in our congregation. The Lord is faithful in leading and directing us as we look to him for wisdom and grace (Proverbs 3:5-6). Bill A few words from Juan Dear FPC family, It is with great joy and pleasure that I greet you. At the onset of my journey with you God has made it evident that His will is perfect and that I have been abundantly blessed by the opportunity to serve in this community. This is my dream job and it has been a long journey to get here. Now, we look ahead to the future because of the hope we have in Jesus. There is a lot of work to do. Those who have come before have carried the torch with excellence and it is my goal to build off of the foundation that they laid. However, all of my greatest efforts will be proven futile without Jesus as the cornerstone. Oswald Chambers said it best when he wrote, Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. My prayer is that every day I would know God more. I pray that together we would know God more. Finally, I trust that as we know God more, as we flourish through the vision of our pastor, and as we live out our faith, that who we are would impact our youth in far greater ways than any program or any event. Juan Gallo / Director of Youth Ministry Jen Miller Interim Director Youth Ministry Thanks for the Memories Jen! Crossroads Youth Group Every Sunday Evening 6:00 to 9:00 PM Middle School 6:00 to 8:00 PM High School 7:00 to 9:00 PM

7 happy birthday to you! Pray for the following service personnel: Casey Parsons, Jason Cowart, Edward Wagner, Jake Wilson, Brandon Brown, Daniel Calvario, Andrew Cowell, David Calcek, Drew McConville Pray for these friends and loved ones in nursing homes: Chera Baird, S. Fayette Nursing Home. At Home Connie Teagarden Don Teagarden Lyrik Roberts Ruth Mitchell Ron Snyder Elva Dee Wilson Marie Simmons Norma Kline Mary Louise Rice Bill Thomas Jim Burns John Rice Mary Louise Rice February Dates to Remember 7 Stewardship, Property & Session 12 Soup Lunch after Worship 21 Worship Team Meeting 21 Deacons 24 Good Neighbor Dinner 28 Mission Team February Helpers Nursery Helpers 5 Hannah Kalsey 12 Grace Kalsey 19 Rachel Calvario 26 Ethan Maxwell Ushers Fred Zeth Beth Zeth Justin Bedilion Brad Wentzel February Birthdays 01 Pippa Moore 02 Karen Sukolsky 04 Adalynn Sumpter 07 Nelson Fox Lee Robinson David Baily 08 Carole Barrett Heidi Gottron Riley McGrath 09 Eliza Rach 12 Dick Bortz 13 Nathan Ribar 14 Douglas Brown Nichole Baily 15 Holly Hildreth Andrew Layton 16 Charles Berryhill Valerie Cole Mary Thompson Bailey Thorn 17 Jordan Shelestak 18 Judy Cook DA Neubauer 20 Chatham Knight 21 Tim Baily 22 Rachel Elsenheimer 23 Melody Fujimoto 24 Julia Camps Janice Leaver 25 Wayne Zackal 25 Cara Rach Lillian Giles 27 Ryley Thorn 28 Janet Nutter Tom Andrews Melissa Cramer We are grateful for gifts given in memory Mary Jane Dick By John Thompson and Family Karen and Joe Ambrose Carl Jr. and Donnis Hoy Ruth Ann Miller Betty and Bob Fischer Carol and Paul Kapincky

8 First Presbyterian Church 169 West College St., P.O. Box 446 Waynesburg, PA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Bill Sukolsky, Pastor Becky Juliano, Director of Discipleship and Ministry Juan Gallo Director of Youth Ministry Tome Custer, Director of Music Ministry & Director of Children s Ministry Nelson Fox, Organist Sara Christner, Pianist Ben R. McCracken, Treasurer Patrecia Baily, Financial Secretary Clerical Assist. Maribeth Coote Vicki Cline, Custodian