As we move into April I am sure that all of us are excited about the coming spring. It has been a long winter and so many folks have mentioned that

Transcription

1 As we move into April I am sure that all of us are excited about the coming spring. It has been a long winter and so many folks have mentioned that they are looking forward to warmer weather. In some ways April 2013 is somewhat of a transition month. We will find the weather, hopefully, will warm, the farmers will be glad if they can get into the fields, many families will begin planning for graduations while our young people will put on their finery and attend the prom. As I look at the calendar the only event in the church that I see that many have anticipated is Confirmation Sunday. For two years three students have come to class on Wednesdays most of the time but these three have come not only on Wednesdays but also on Saturdays and Mondays. I have watched them grow and have seen them begin maturing into good young people. This year Kayla Keehner, Dalton Palas and Mac Hughes will become active members of this church. Through the years we all have had opportunities to watch them grow from a very small child to a teenager. They are looking forward to the day. As I look back on our time together sometimes I wondered if they were learning anything at all, but then they surprised me with what they have retained from our time together. This is an important event in the life of the church and in the lives of these three young people. They will stand before us and answer the questions that their parents answered for them many years ago. This also should be a time when we think of our own membership in the church. We should consider how we have lived out the years as active members. Becoming an active member of the church is more than attending boring classes with the pastor. It is more than standing up in front of the congregation and reciting questions and answers from a catechism or sharing our statement of faith. It is another part of our faith journey. Confirmation is not a time to stop attending worship but it is the time to begin coming more often and doing more. In the Presbyterian Church the pastor does not make all the decisions for the congregation. The pastor is not even a member of the congregation that he/she serves. The pastor is a member of the presbytery. In my case I am a member of John Knox Presbytery chosen by God through the voice of this congregation. This church, this building belongs to all those in the pews. Recently I have noticed an increasing amount of apathy among the people. I have searched within myself and have prayed about it, wondering if as the leader it comes from me. I have to take some of the responsibility. I am the pastor and so many look to me for leadership. However, I cannot do it all. Each member should look around the church and see how it has changed. Each member needs to consider what they do for the church and can they do more. Churches in rural America are struggling. CPC is no different. If we want CPC to grow stronger, to continue to be a witness for Christ we need to work together, every one of us. As we approach Confirmation Sunday I hope that each of us will consider our work in the church along with our attendance. I hope that we all will realize that we need to be examples for our new members and are old members alike. Let us support one another; let us encourage one another; and let us become the best members and the best servants of God we can be. Gary 1

2 The sacrament of the Lord s Supper will be celebrated during our worship service on April 28 th during our worship service. During that same worship service we will confirm three new students who will become active members of this church. Please make arrangements to be here and support these young people as they begin another part of their journey of faith. Three students will become active members of CPC on April 28 th. Those who are to be confirmed are; Mac Hughes, Dalton Palas, and Kayla Keehner.. CPC is online.. The church is now wireless. The new address for Pastor Catterson is: communitypresby@centurytel.net. To send an to the Administrative Assistant send to: cici.cpc@centurytel.net. Please let us hear from you. Church website is: Pastor Catterson can be reached when not at the church, on his cell phone. The number of his cell phone is: The office number of the church is: All requests for use of tables and chairs owned by the church should be directed to the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Please contact Tim Irvine or Lee Marsh. On April 14 th we will celebrate the sacrament of baptism. Kelli and Jarrod Olson will bring before the congregation their new son, Jase Milton Olson to receive this sacrament. Please mark this day on your calendars to be here to support Kelli and Jarrod as they begin teaching their son the faith of Jesus Christ. New light weight tables have been purchased. When borrowing tables please do not take these or any other tables in the dining room. We have only a few tables remaining that can be borrowed. Please check with someone before taking any table for use outside the church. Pastor Catterson will serve as the Night Chaplain at Allen Memorial Hospital on April 7 th. The children will sing in worship on April the 4 th. It is always nice to have the children come and share the Word of God in music and to be present in worship..sermon TEXTS FOR April April 7: PULPIT EXCHANGE April 14: Acts 9:1-20 OPEN MY EYES THAT I MIGHT SEE April 21: PASTOR CATTERSON GONE April 28: I John 5:1-5 YOU CAN CONQUER IT ATTENDANCE FOR March March March March March TOTAL = 291 AVERAGE FOR 4 WEEK PERIOD = 73 2

3 Did you know CPC had a mission statement? If so, do you know what it says? It has recently been suggested that this statement be published more often so that the people might know what it says. WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS WHOSE GREATEST JOY IS TO GLORIFY GOD. WE EXIST TO SERVE GOD AND TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST WITH OTHERS. WE PLEDGE OURSELVES TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY, THIS STATE AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. WE WILL CONSTATLY SEEK OUT NEW WAYS TO SERVE GOD AND BEAR WITNESS TO HIS GRACE AND HIS LOVE. WE ARE PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST AND AS SUCH, WILL INCLUDE ALL PEOPLE WHO COME TO US AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. THE SESSION MEMBERS THIS YEAR ARE: CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: Marilyn Armentrout & Nikki Steffans ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL: Kevin Cronk & Larry Reed MEMBERSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP: Cheryl Thornton and Marj Kjosa BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: Tim Irvine and Lee Marsh MUSIC AND WORSHIP: Connie Arnburg and Derek Friederich INTERPRETATION AND STEWARDSHIP: Fran Schager and Lisa Acevedo CLERK OF SESSION Cindy Converse TREASURER Dave Schutte Budget news: The requested 2013 church budget is $151, and $97, has been pledged. Pastor Catterson will be attending the PDA National Response Team annual meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas beginning April 20 th. He will return the evening of April 26 th. Congratulations to: Leonardo & Trinna (Benson) Navarro on the birth of Elise Lynn Navarro born on March 9, She weighed 6 # 4 oz and is 19 ¼ long. She joins siblings Carter, Cedric, and Elena. Tharin & Bailey Benson on the birth of Henley Elizabeth Benson born on March 20, Henley weighed 8 # 3oz and is 23 long. Tom & Julie Benson are the grandparents of these two beautiful baby girls! 3

4 PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN S NEWS April 3, :30 pm Hostess Sandy Marsh & Karen Schutte Program:..Cindy Berns Bible Study:. The Bad Seeds Dedication of Birthday Offering Thank you ladies of PW for the delicious Corned Beef & Cabbage dinner on St. Patrick s Day. It was delicious! Meals on Wheels It s CPC s turn to do Meals on Wheels in April. Delivery time is at 11 am & doesn t take long. If you are able to help, please call Carolyn Something greater As long as we live, our self-absorption and our insecurity will walk together, holding hands and swinging them back and forth like two little girls on their way to a pretend playground they can never find. Human nature dictates that most often we will be as insecure as we are selfabsorbed. The best possible way to keep from getting sucked into the superficial narcissistic mentality that money, possessions and sensuality can satisfy and secure us is to deliberately give ourselves to something much greater (Christ) showed us that giving, rather than getting, is the means to receiving.to find yourself, your true self, you must lose yourself in something larger. Beth Moore So Long, Insecurity: You ve Been a Bad Friend to Us Welcome to our church family! We welcome Dawn Hughes (wife of Travis) to CPC. Dawn has transferred her membership here from Washington Prairie Lutheran Church in Decorah. Great to have you here, Dawn! 4

5 APRIL PRAYER LIST Prayer is and remains the native and deepest impulse of the soul of man Carlyle 1. Norma Peterson 2. Molly Owen 3. Serena, Dakota, Kylee Whalen and Dylan Peterson 4. Glenn, Susan and Pam Griffin 5. Todd Peck 6. Dave and Carolyn Smith 7. Tony and Judy Tague 8. Mike Ewing 9. LaVilla Onsager 10. Marlen and Darlene Schutte 11. Tim, Chris, Cindy and Jason Enyart 12. Betty Haltmeyer 13. Betty Masonhall 14. Chuck and Deanna Kelly 15. Esther Snitker 16. Larry and Mary Jo Moore 17. Gary and Sharon Ingles 18. Lee and Sandy Marsh 19. Mary Engstrom 20. Tracy Schager 21. Sherry Hanson 22. Elnora Penrod 23. Arlin and Fran Schager 24. Burnell and Judy Koth 25. Art and Julie Heitland 26. Sue Kuhse 27. Neal and Rhonda Sheeley 28. Mac Hughes, Kayla Keehner, and Dalton Palas 29. Barb and Bob Grahlman 30. Hall Roberts 5

6 6

7 7

8 Happy 90 th Birthday to Merle Turner Best wishes to Merle Turner on her 90 th birthday on April 1 st! We appreciate all you have done for CPC over the years and wish you many more birthdays! There is an Open House for Merle on Saturday, March 30 from 2-4 East Park Terrace Community room. Read to a Child.Make a Difference for a Lifetime! When a child reads aloud to an adult, it increases their fluency, improves comprehension and boosts the child s self-confidence. By volunteering an hour a week, you can make a difference that will last a lifetime for that child. The Postville Elementary 21 st Century afterschool program is in need of adults to listen to children read one hour a week. You don t need any special training, just a desire to make a difference in a child s life. Northeast Iowa RSVP is recruiting volunteers age 55 and older to spend an hour a week listening to children read after school Monday through Friday. Call the RSVP office toll free or call Teacher Amber Postville Schools, , ext Make a difference in your own life by listening to a child read! 8