Voices of Faith. F r o m D e b s D e s k

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1 Voices of Faith July-August 2017 F a i t h P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h F r o m D e b s D e s k S p e c i a l p o i n t s o f i n t e r e s t : Learn about Pleasant View School s needs PDA Hygiene Kits Banners and more Gardening I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e : School Supplies 2 Franklin Night Out 2 PDA Hygiene Kits 3 Mum Sale 3 Worship & Spiritual Nurture Shares 4 Garden Visitors 4 Mission 180 from Mission Crossroads 5 As I was glancing at Facebook this morning (June 19th), a seminary classmate said that he was celebrating his ordination 34 years ago. I glanced up at my faded ordination certificate (can t see the name of the stated clerk of the Presbytery any more though I know it was Marguerite Sutherland), and saw that my ordination date and Allen s were the same June 19, This was the day that the old Northern Presbyterian Church and old Southern Presbyterian Church came together to reunite as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). I had my invitations printed while I was still in seminary, and I remember Jack Stotts, the MTS president saying to me that I had total confidence in reunion since the invitation read, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the vote would occur earlier in the day on that June 19th. In reflecting over 34 years of ordained ministry and several years of ministry prior to ordination, I still can t help but wonder God, what were you thinking? I wonder if we all think that when we are called by God to do whatever it is God is calling us to do. We certainly can come up with a million excuses of why we can t do something, or don t want to do something. But I do believe that in the end, God always gets God s way! Before too long our nominating committee will begin its work of finding people called to serve as Elders and Deacons. And it is so easy to say, No. And yet, perhaps it is time for you to say, Yes. Maybe you re being asked to teach Sunday school to our children or even to the adults (then you re more of a leader, I think). A yes would be great. Volunteering would even be better! God s call comes in a variety of ways to each of us: through others, by a nudge you receive, everyone is different. Deb, friend, Verna Clark and Deb s mom, Irene Bergeson It s important to remember too God doesn t call the equipped, God equips the called. After 34 years, that I can say I know for sure.

2 P a g e 2 V o i c e s o f F a i t h Our Mission and Outreach committee is again collecting school supplies for Pleasant View Elementary School. With back-to-school sales starting in July, the committee wants everyone to have a heads-up to be looking for much needed supplies. The committee will be delivering these items during the last week of August. Please have all items to the church by the Sunday, August 27. Thank you for your support of the children. S C H O O L S U P P L I E S F O R P L E A S A N T V I E W Needed supplies include: 24 count Crayola Crayons Dry Erase Markers Large Pink Erasers Folders both with & without fasteners Glue Sticks Crayola Markers Black Composition Notebooks Paper Towels Tissues Ticonderoga Pencils 5 Pointed Scissors 1 ½ White Binders Copy Paper Sheet Protectors Red Pens Rulers standard & metric Yellow Post-It Notes Plastic Spoons Scotch Tape 3 x5 Index Cards Loose Leaf Paper wide & college ruled Spiral Notebooks Black Fine Point Sharpies 1 Green or Purple Binders Crayola Colored Pencils Napkins Disinfectant Wipes Ziploc Bags 1 gal. & 2 gal. sizes This is the list of items we receive from the school. Please stick to the list. Items such as Crayola brand or Ticonderoga are preferred because of true colors and the ability to be sharpened well. F R A N K L I N N I G H T O U T J U L Y 3 1 s t Again, this year, Faith is participating in Franklin Night Out which is held at the Franklin Library on Loomis Road. The event brings together community partners with the Franklin Police Department. The event is held from 6-9 pm on Monday, July 31. There are both indoor and outdoor activities and tables with information. The event, which precedes National Night Out, is held to promote safe and caring neighborhoods. We hope you will join us as we support our Police Department and share information about Faith. For more information and to participate at the Faith table, contact Jen Gallatin. See you there!

3 P a g e 3 P D A H Y G I E N E K I T S N E E D Y O U R H E L P Where have you seen God at work in response to a disaster? When we see the hand of God at work, it is inspiring to share that story with others. It can offer strength for those trying to recover, encouragement to those who are serving, and joy to those who celebrate with the evidence of hope. Through the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program (PDA) Gifts of the Heart Kits are an excellent hands on project for youth groups that want a tangible way to be involved. Throughout the month of September, our youth group will be announcing and gathering needed supplies for these Hygiene Kits. The kits will include: 1 hand towel (approximately 16 x 28 1 washcloth 1 wide-tooth comb 1 nail clipper 1 bar of soap (bath size in wrapper) 1 toothbrush (in original packaging) 6 Band-Aids or other adhesive bandage strips These kits will then be assembled by the youth group at their October meeting and shipped to the Ferncliff Disaster Assistance Center in Little Rock Arkansas for distribution. We will be asking the members of the congregation to once again come together and generously support and donate the needed items. Our goal is to assemble and ship 50 hygiene kits. Our church is a giving church and has never looked away from supporting those in need. Thank you for participating in this ecumenical ministry, helping to bring Hope out of chaos. G R A N D P A R E N T S D A Y M U M S A L E F O R S O U T H W E S T I N T E R F A I T H Southwest Interfaith Neighborhood Outreach Program will be having a Grandparents Day Mum Plant Sale here at Faith following worship on Sunday, September 10. This plant sale helps fund the program. Faith is receiving 15 plants to sell at a cost of $8 for one, $14 for two and $20 for three. A sign-up sheet will be in the hallway and you may sign up and pay the money to Judy Bell. Southwest Interfaith volunteers (we have about seven in the congregation) assist older adults with transportation, shopping, visits, household chores, folding and sending newsletter, etc. We hope you will decide to purchase one or more of these lovely garden mums. Watch for the sign up sheet! For more information talk with Judy Bell.

4 WORSHIP AND SPIRITUAL NURTURE COMMITTEE SHARES. Thanks to all who participated in the Cousins Subs Fundraiser back at the end of April. With your help we raised over $80, which will supplement the W&SN budget. In fact, we wasted no time in using part of those funds to pay for a couple of new standing banners which will adorn the sanctuary in the near future. You can see them in the images below. One is green with a white cross (for "ordinary" time in the church calendar, which we are in right now) and one looks like a stained glass window and is alluding to the Ten Commandments. Thanks to Brandon Ward for finding them for us. Please welcome Linda Kowalski back as our pianist for several weeks this summer. Linda has graciously offered to play for us during the entire time Joan is in Italy. She has been to Faith several times in the past, including last summer, and we are happy to have her again. Be sure to say hello, introduce yourself, and thank her for sharing her time and talent with us. Joan will return the last Sunday of July. Now that Pentecost has been observed, the church is in a period of the liturgical calendar called "ordinary time". The use of the term "ordinary" means that which is standard or typical. In our observance of the Christian Year, ordinary time includes two segments which together comprise the majority of year: the time between Epiphany and Lent, and the time between Pentecost and Advent. It may seem like a ho-hum period where we just wait for Christmas or Easter to come again. However, every week, Sunday celebrates the resurrection and the unfolding of the new creation, and ordinary time give us an opportunity to strengthen our faith and be witnesses to the God who makes everything new. GARDEN HAS VISITORS THE GOOD KIND On Monday, June 19, several folks from Covenant Presbyterian Church in Racine visited the Faith Garden to learn from Nan Luedtke how the garden started, how it serves the community, and how they might do something similar with their property. The group toured the garden and asked questions about the beginning inspiration (thank you, Milwaukee Public Radio), the actual beginning of the garden, the grant received from the Presbytery of Milwaukee, the enthusiasm from both Session and the congregation, and the growth of the garden to where it is today. They also learned about our food cupboard and how it was started with a $20 donation from Diana Kuehn who said, Let s do this. These projects help to feed those in the Franklin and surrounding communities with good food and in the summer, with fresh produce. The Covenant folks were very impressed and very grateful for the time they spent with Nan and were looking forward to sharing some ideas with the Session at Covenant the day of their visit.

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6 F a i t h P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h 3800 West Rawson Avenue Franklin, WI Phone: faithfpc@gmail.com Web: franklinfpc.org