The Steeple. The Worship Team

Transcription

1 The Steeple February 2017 First United Presbyterian Church Winterset, Iowa The mission of the First United Presbyterian Church is to make disciples of all people for the glory of God through teaching, caring and worshiping. There's a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, And I know that it's the Spirit of the Lord; There are sweet expressions on each face, And I know they feel the presence of the Lord. Most of us are very familiar with the concept that sometimes when we are very close to something, we do not see change or growth. We know that our children are growing, because we need to buy them new clothing or shoes, but we don t see the change from day to day. However, let the grandparents, who have not seen the children for six months, see the kids, and there are expressions of wonder. I can t believe how tall you have become. Wow, you have really grown up. There are other places and situations where this happens. We say, You can t see the forest for the trees. Which means that we are so busy concentrating on the trees that we cannot see the bigger picture. This happens in churches as well. It can happen that churches are so busy maintaining themselves, that they do not see themselves fading as a vibrant spiritual body. The opposite can happen as well. Eighteen months ago, First United Presbyterian Church found itself in a challenging place. The familiar ways of doing things, which had lasted fifteen years, were suddenly gone. The concentrated leadership style of a long time pastor disappeared, leaving a vacuum. What would we do? Who would lead? How would we know where to go, how to do things, or how to get where we hoped to go, when we had little idea where we were going? God has abundantly demonstrated His faithfulness through this time, guiding us with His Spirit, even when we were not always aware of the Spirit s presence. The path has not always been smooth and certainly not clearly marked. We did not always agree we were on the right path. It sometimes takes fresh eyes to help us see how God has been working in our midst and how far we have come on our journey. Perhaps you have noticed, we have new families, with young children within our church. The children are enjoying our Sunday School and the parents are becoming involved with adult activities, adult Sunday school and volunteering to be part of the work and activity being found everywhere in our church. These new families see our active Sunday school, our children s messages, our Presbyterian Women s organization and circles, our social activities (carnival, hay ride, New Year s party, Chili Cook-Off), church wide clean-up and participation of numerous people in Sunday worship as examples of a healthy exciting spirit filled church. They want to be a part of what we are doing, where we are going and who we are worshiping and serving. Take a look around! Do you see and feel what they see and feel? Very little of this was here eighteen months ago. God indeed is good! There is a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place and we know that it s the Spirit of the Lord. There are many sweet and happy expressions on many faces and we know that they feel the presence of the Lord. To God be the glory for being patient with us during this past year and a half, for never giving up on us and continuing to inspire and direct and even push us to be His Church, His Body, in this place. The Worship Team

2 Hands to God 6 p.m., Tuesday, February 14th MADONNA CIRCLE 7:00 p.m.,monday, February 6th 5:00 p.m., Wednesday February 1st Start your morning off right! Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. every Sunday before Sunday School! 2 Corinthians 4:15-16 All this is to your benefit, so that grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. SUNDAY SCHOOL! CLASSES FOR ALL AGES! STARTS AT 9:00 A.M. Come and bring your children! There s so many good stories and lessons from God s word for all ages! If you would like to assist or teach once, twice or every Sunday, please call Pat Dickerson at CALLING ALL PW WOMEN!! BUSINESS MEETING SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12 TH IMMEDIATELY AFTER FELLOWSHIP TIME From Keith and Ethel Osborn Tucker Dear Presbyterian Women, Thank you for the big container of Christmas goodies! How we loved being there last year to box and deliver treats. What a nice warm feeling to be remembered! Love to you all. In appreciation, Keith and Ethel Lee (Please see original note with additional pictures on bulletin board)

3 VALENTINE FACTS Valentine s Day was first introduced to Japan in 1936 and has become widely popular. However, because of a translation error made by a chocolate company, only women buy Valentine chocolates for their spouses, boyfriends, or friends. In fact, it is the only day of the year many single women will reveal their crush on a man by giving him chocolate. The men don t return the favor until White Day, a type of answer day to Valentine s Day, which is on March 14. Valentine candy conversation hearts have a shelf life of five years. Valentine s Day is a $14.7 billion industry in the U.S l Nearly 10 new candy conversation heart sayings are introduced each year. Recent additions have included Yeah Right, Puppy Love, and Call Home. On Valentine s Day, nearly 189 million stems of roses are sold in the U.S. Americans spend around $277 million on Valentine cards every year, second only to Christmas. The symbol of the ribbon, which often adorns modernday Valentines, is rooted in the Middle Ages. When knights competed in tournaments, their sweethearts often gave them ribbons for good luck. Lace is often used on Valentine decorations. The word lace comes from the Latin laques, meaning to snare or net, as in to catch a person s heart. Teachers receive the most Valentine s cards, followed by children, mothers, and wives. Children between the ages of 6-10 exchange more than 650 million Valentine cards a year. The most popular flower on Valentine s Day is a single red rose surrounded with baby s breath. The red rose was the flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. VALENTINE HISTORY: In addition to the United States, Valentine s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Readymade cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine s Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as scrap. Today, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines. MORE FUN FACTS CAN BE FOUND AT The saying wearing your heart on your sleeve is from the Middle Ages. Boys at this time would draw names of girls to see who would be their Valentine and then wear the name pinned on their sleeve for a week. Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates for Valentine s Day in the late 1800s. MORE FUN FACTS CAN BE FOUND AT

4 GOD S BEAUTY SESSION MEETING January 24, 2017 The Session met on January 24, 2017 and the following was discussed: Splinters from the Board Record the death of Dixie Young on January 7, 2017 Approve the recording of communion served on January 22, 2017 to 51 people Received new members Diogenes and Jayne Ayala by transfer of letter. An Indianola church has contacted Paul Millhollin in regard to gaining information on starting a similar mission as our Hope Home. It is nice to see this mission grow beyond the walls of our church. A worship service involving Hope Home is being planned for February. Communion dates for February and March are set for the 5th of the month. Communion for people who are shut-in was discussed. David Endriss is researching requirements and will get authorization for ruling elders to provide this. We will continue to worship with our Lutheran brothers and sisters for the Lenten season. Christian Education and Fellowship have many fun activities planned. Check each month's calendar and join in on the fun! Kevin de Regnier shared the insurance coverages for the new year. Sexual Misconduct Training will need to take place for all adults working with youth. The policy will be looked over to determine if changes are needed. Have a blessed day! Thanks! Laura God created Beauty, Just for you and me. He made all things Special, Just for us to see. God made us all equal, Each in our own way. He molded us Special, Like a potter does his clay. God has plans for us, For help He will assist. We should follow His Ways, Never thinking to resist. We should never question And never ask why. For we know He is close, And He will hear our cry. Some day we will be able to talk to Him in person. To answer our questions, We know that for certain. God holds to His Promises, He has told us so. Can we be so faithful? We certainly hope so. Written by Carol Jacobs REMEMBER.. FEB. 12 TH LINCOLN S BIRTHDAY FEB. 20 TH PRESIDENTS DAY FEB. 22 ND WASHINGTON S BIRTHDAY

5 THE PRAYER & PRAISE PAGE PRAYER AND PRAISE! PRAYER REQUESTS This is a new prayer request list. If you have prayer requests you can now call the church office at or wfupcprayer@gmail.com. This site will be checked twice a day and prayer requests will be forwarded to the church membership. PRAISE This is a new section for the Steeple Newsletter. This is the chance for anyone to submit to the Steeple before the deadline (21 st of each month), a prayer that has been answered or a praise of what God has done for you recently. Please send your article to the church office at churchsecretary3261@gmail.com, or bring it by the church office during office hours (Tues., Wed., Thurs. 10:00-5:00 p.m.) God has been working with the people of this church and it is always encouraging to other believers when you can share a praise. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparabley great power for us who believe. Eph 1:18,19 (NIV) ~~~ REMEMBER THOSE WHO SERVE Let us keep the men and women who are currently serving our nation in the Middle East in our prayers. We give thanks to God and rejoice for the safe return of all the men and women from the Winterset area who have faithfully served. If you are aware of someone serving our nation in the armed forces and would like to add their name, please contact the church office at Prayer is The first step to knowing Jesus Christ 2. Recognizing the presence of God 3. Man s means to know God intimately 4. The laying hold of God s promise 5. The soul on its knees 6. The path to strength and peace 7. Man s means to touch God 8. God s gift of power 9. Giving God access to our need 10. The key to the miraculous 11. The very breath of spirit Please lift the following people in prayer this month: 2/1 JoAnn Collins 2/2 Kelsey Collins 2/3 Nolan Collins 2/4 Dixie Conkling 2/5 Chris de Regnier 2/6 Kevin de Regnier 2/7 Rae de Regnier 2/8 Pam Deichmann 2/9 Mary DeWitt 2/10 Andrea Dickerson 2/11 Brian Dickerson 2/12 Floyd Dickerson 2/13 Mike Dickerson 2/14 Pat Dickerson 2/15 Rose Emery 2/16 Russ Fleming 2/17 Teresa Fleming 2/18 Zach Fleming 2/19 Ted Gorman 2/20 Betty Grandfield 2/21 Robert Grandfield 2/22 Marla Hamilton 2/23 Kristie Hirschman 2/24 Myron Hirschman 2/25 Eric Hollen 2/26 Susan Hollen 2/27 Ilene Holmes 2/28 Jim Howland GOOD WORD OF MOUTH. I appreciate everyone working so hard, making things come together and happen, without a pastor! I was hoping we would see some white beautiful snow! I woke up so grumpy, tired of the cold weather and just so grumpy! Then one person called me and cheered me, reminding me that spring is coming!

6 CHURCH STAFF Mike Dickerson, Financial Secretary Nancy Raney, Financial Secretary Assistant Shane Pashek, Treasurer Steve Walker, Custodian Chery White, Administrative Assistant FEBRUARY USHERS AND COMMUNION JoAnn Collins & Ruth Reed Ushers Laura Silverthorn- Communion-on Feb. 5th BOARD OF ELDERS Class of 2017 Larry Raney Pat Dickerson Kevin de Regnier Jake Al-Maroa (Jr. Elder) Class of 2018 Sheryl Puderbaugh Hal Jackson Don Stanley Class of 2019 Laura Silverthorn Wendy Sawyer Paul Millhollin CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Noon~12:30 for lunch Phone: 515/ Fax: 515/ FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES Birthdays 2/8 Paul Millhollin 2/8 Tyler Silverthorn 2/9 Nicole Smith 2/13 Thelma Stevens 2/16 Sarah Al-Mazroa 2/17 Hal Jackson 2/17 Darla Millhollin 2/18 Elaine Newton 2/19 Bryce Landers 2/26 Shirley Macumber 2/27 Amanda Ryner 2/28 Ann Pashek 2/28 Chery White Anniversaries 2/14 Lori & Dan Ryner 2/25 Steve & Kim Walker May God s joy and peace be with you. OUR WEBSITE Visit our website at find a podcast, go to our website and click on the Resources tab. A menu will drop down and you can select Sermons. A new page will open and you can see the available sermons listed by date. You can also see the focus scripture the sermon is based on and the sermon where you can listen to the Prayer for Illumination, the Old and New Testament readings and the sermon. To title. Just click on the title of the sermon and listen. Now you can listen any time and any place you have access to the web, it even works on a smart phone!

7 This is the time to share with everyone your favorite chili recipe! Or just come and taste all the different chili that will be hot and available! Is your favorite chili hot and spicy, mild, vegetarian, no bean, or a new variety? Come share and explore the many chili dishes available! Bring your chili recipe for everyone to try to recreate later! For questions, call Teresa Fleming at WINTERSET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LIVE HEALTHY TEAM ~~ Do you want to shed a few pounds or receive tips on Healthy Living? We do so we are forming the Winterset Presbyterian Church Live Healthy Team; and invite you to join us for a 10 week series. We will be starting Thursday January 5:30 PM in the church library for a short organizing meeting. We will be using the Live Healthy Iowa Challenge program ( and supporting efforts to record daily minutes of activity, or weekly weight loss or both. In addition the team will host a brief half hour support group discussion weekly on Thursday 5:30 PM at the church. So join us, and everyone is welcome. We look forward to hearing your weight loss success; or what exercise is working, or a great new recipe. For more information contact Hannah Puderbaugh EVERY WEDNESDAY 9:00 A.M. TO 10:00 A.M. IN THE LIBRARY EVERYONE IS INVITED! FEBRUARY 28TH 5:00 P.M. ~ 7:00 P. M. MEAL PROVIDED BY THE PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN JOIN US IN OUR FINAL CELEBRATION BEFORE LENT! FREE WILL DONATION WILL BE ACCEPTED Come join us for coffee and fellowship! Learn and feast your eyes on the awesome history of First United Presbyterian Church! Travel through the pages and pictures of the beginning to present. Help sort, file and preserve these treasures!

8 FEBRUARY 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 5:00 p.m. Evening Guild LIVE Healthy 5:30PM 5 TH Sunday of Ordinary Time 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship CHILI COOKOFF 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9 :00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship Lincoln s Birthday 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9 :00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship Transfiguration of the Lord 8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9 :00 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Worship Coffee & History 9AM :00 p.m. Madonna Circle Coffee & History 9AM LIVE Healthy 5:30PM 1:30-3pm Bereavement Support Group (Southcare) 8:30 A.M. JUGS PW WOMEN S BUSINESS MEETING (after fellowship) 6:00 p.m. Hands to God VALENTINES DAY Coffee & History 9AM LIVE Healthy 5:30PM President s Day :00 p.m. Session Meeting FAT TUESDAY 5:00-7:00 P.M. STEEPLE DEADLINE Calendar dates for February due Coffee & History 9AM Washington s birthday 7:00 P.M. Property & Finance Meeting LIVE Healthy 5:30PM

9 First United Presbyterian Church 210 W. Green Street Winterset, Iowa Phone: OUR WORSHIP HOURS Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Worship Service 10:15 a.m.