First Presbyterian Church Sweetwater, Texas April 2014

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1 First Presbyterian Church Sweetwater, Texas April 2014 The mission of our church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ Our vision is to be an oasis of God s love McCaulley Office hours: M ~ F, 9:00 am ~12:00pm website: P. O. Box 956, Sweetwater, Texas secfpc@att.net Pastor Rev. Kary Fry kary.fry@att.net Clerk of Session: Paula Carmichael Elder of the Month Dennis Cumbie From the Pastor s Pen Dear Everybody, It is fitting that God, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. Hebrews 2: 10 Sometimes it is just important to remember that God in Christ suffered too. Jesus can identify with, and God knows and understands intimately our suffering. Trust in God. Have faith. Resurrection is around the corner! Power and Spirit are coming! A huge thank you to: ~The Renovation Committee who continue to work on getting a final assessment on what needs to be done for future ministry. ~Keith and Becky Brock for assembling the new baby bed and glide chair. ~Heather Gesin for purchasing the baby beds and glide chair and Women of Church for paying for one of the beds. ~Elders who have worked tirelessly on the heater and breaking ice in these past months. ~Lou Ann, Marina and Stephanie for their great work with children and youth. ~Richard Smola, Mike Fry, Kenny Maxwell, Doug Richards, Keith and Becky Brock, Stephanie Wiele for teaching Sunday School every Sunday. ~Gary Brown for representing us at Buffalo Gap Encampment meetings. ~Lea Cleveland for her work on flower arrangements and decorating. ~All elders for their continuing work. ~Dennis and Doug for auditing financial books for 2013 and Peggy for a fantastic job. ~Richard Gesin for welding and designing our protectors for the outside lights. ~Donella and James for a recent special ministry to a special member. ~Thanks to the Youth who did a wonderful service for our church in preparing our pew racks, exchanging hymnals and organizing our old hymnals for you to pick up. ~All the rest of you wonderful Saints! Blessings, Kary Lenten Luncheon Schedule Noon April 9 First United Methodist Church Easter Program He s Alive Sat. April 12 & 13 6:00pm-7:00pm Municipal Auditorium. Choirs of First Baptist, First United Methodist Church, Emmanuel Fellowship and First Presbyterian Church (In lieu of Easter Sunrise Service) Easter Services Sun. April 13 Palm Sunday ~ Children Sing Thurs April 17 Maundy Thursday 5:30pm~Chapel Sun. April 20 Easter Sunday ~Children Sing Easter Egg Hunt after worship

2 Dates to Remember 2 Plarning ~ 1:00pm Presbyterian Women~5:00pm Business Meeting 5:30pm Bible Study 3 Kary Ann s Clan ~ 11:45am Choir Practice ~ 5:30pm 6 Hoyt House Worship ~ 9:00am-9:30am Sunday school ~ 9:30am Worship ~ 10:45am ~ Reverse Offering Communion Class of 2014 IBKs & MS & HS 5:00pm-6:00pm 9 Plarning ~ 1:00pm Committee Meetings ~ 5:30pm 10 Kary Ann s Clan ~ 11:45am Choir Practice ~5:30pm 12 He s Alive Easter Program ~ 6:00pm Municipal Auditorium 13 Sunday school ~ 9:30am 10:10am Children Choir Practice Worship 10:45am ~ Palm Sunday~ Children sing One Great Hour of Sharing Offering Baby Shower Luncheon for Brandie & Jarrod Gee after worship Little Ones & MS & HS 5:00pm-6:00pm He s Alive Easter Program ~ 6:00pm Municipal Auditorium 16 Plarning ~ 1:00pm Session ~ 5:30pm 17 Kary Ann s Clan ~ 11:45am Maundy Thursday Service ~5:30pm~ Chapel 20 No Sunday School 10:10am Children Choir Practice Worship 10:45am ~ Easter Sunday~ Children sing Easter Egg Hunt after worship 23 Plarning ~ 1:00pm 24 Kary Ann s Clan ~ 11:45am Choir Practice ~5:30pm 27 Sunday school ~ 9:30am Contemporary Worship- 10:45am Reverse and Noisy Offering IBKs & MS & HS 5:00pm-6:00pm 30 Plarning ~ 1:00pm Hoyt House We are excited to lead worship every first Sunday of the month at Hoyt House, from 9:00-9:30 a.m. We will sing, hear the Word of God, and share Communion. Come join us in this wonderful ministry of fellowship April Greeters 6 Dorothy Stroman and Hilary Brennan 13 Linda Rasco and Ruth Ann Campbell 20 Doug Richards and Keith Brock 27 Patty and Richard Gesin April Birthdays 1 Jodie Aycock 3 Jordan Graham 4 Hunter Rotan 6 Caden Scott Wilburn 10 Boopsie Stanford Tommy Maitland 14 Makee McCollom 15 Billie Weston 19 Bradley Armstrong 25 Nick Nemir 28 Carroll Stroman 29 Emily Brock Ledesma 30 Wesley Maxwell Come for fellowship, prayer and Bible Study. Presbyterian Women will meet on Wed. April 2. There is a business meeting at 5:00pm and Bible Study with Kay Staton at 5:30pm. The lesson is Lesson 8, Temptations Along the Way. Exodus 32:1-34:10; Deuteronomy 6:10-25.

3 Congregational Care Mission and Outreach Committee FAITH ENDURES All are invited to Baby Shower Luncheon for Brandie and Jarrod Gee. Sunday April 13 after worship Lunch will be provided. Registered at Walmart, Target and babiesrus.com Needed: Filled Easter Eggs Filled Easter Eggs are needed for an Easter Egg Hunt for the children after worship on Easter Sunday, April 20 th. The Youth will be hiding the eggs for the children for the hunt right after worship. Please bring your filled eggs to the church kitchen. Christian Education The Story Sunday School will be meeting the following Sundays: March 30 April 6 April 13 April 27- Last Sunday for The Story Sunday School in May May 4, 11, and 18. Mike Fry will teach a lesson in Revelation. The children and youth will enjoy a Vacation Bible style Sunday School. Since 1949 Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through One Great Hour of Sharing to share God s love with our neighbors-inneed around the world. Your gift to One Great Hour of Sharing will support the following: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Presbyterian Hunger Program Self-Development of People The offering will be received on Palm Sunday April 13, 2014 For more information go to specialofferings/one-great-hour-sharing-offering *NOTICE* During worship, all doors will be locked except the front door to the sanctuary. It will remain unlocked during worship.

4 Worship Committee We are looking into a new ministry here at FPC utilizing the columbarium. A columbarium is a consecrated space utilized for the housing of a deceased s cremated remains. The word columbarium comes from Latin and translates as a compartmentalized house for doves, the gentle birds mentioned in Holy Scripture and as symbols of peace. The focus of this ministry is to use the columbarium and the Memorial Garden as a contemporary setting for the old-time church cemetery, reminding us that the church ministers to the spiritual needs of its members from baptism through life to death. The presence of a columbarium is a further witness of our faith in the resurrection, the life everlasting and the church triumphant an appropriate resting place for the earthly remains of those who in life loved the church. See Jim Gesin if you might have an interest in this ministry. March Session Minutes Special guests Wayne Chowning, Yancy House, and Janis McDowell presented an update on the Nunn charitable Trust account that is managed through First Financial Bank. Stewardship and Finance: Peggy Elliott presented the Financial Report which was unanimously approved. House and Grounds Committee: There will be a cleanup day at Buffalo gap on May 3 rd. Aspen Electric will look at outside lights. Committee is looking at feasibility of waxing floors. Motion was made and approved to pay MastersScapes to trim shrubs. Mission and Outreach: A mission day to work on a member s house will possibly coincide with church clean-up day. Christian Education: May 4 th will be Church Dinner for Eight. Mike Fry will teach Revelation for the adult class Worship Committee: Maundy Thursday service will be April 17 th at 5:30pm in the chapel. Personnel Committee: Committee is still looking for nursery worker. Special Business: Easter Program, He s Alive, will be Sat. April 12 & 13 6:00pm-7:00pmMunicipal Auditorium. Choirs of First Baptist, First United Methodist Church, Emmanuel Fellowship and First Presbyterian Church (In lieu of Easter Sunrise Service) Friends, On March 21, it was three years since our son, Reece, survived a terrible accident. On March 20, he flew by himself with all his rugby equipment from Austin to Atlanta, changed planes, and then flew on to Kentucky. The National Wheelchair Rugby Finals were in Lexington the weekend of March We like to say that he is in the "process" of learning how to do things. He always assures us that "he will figure" it out, and he is usually successful. We do not know where his road will lead, but we are thrilled that he is moving forward with his life. We appreciate everyone who encourages him, and we are thankful for the many prayers. We are so proud and blessed that Reece has a very strong and determined spirit. Robert and Scarlett Whitteker Renovation Committee: Waiting on different painters, carpenters etc. Church clean-up day will be set in the future. Congregational Care: Brandie Gee s Baby shower will be April 13 th. Senior Sunday is May 18 th.

5 News Hymnals You may pick up, from the fellowship hall, any/all hymnals you dedicated and take home. Any extras are for whoever would like to have one. Palo Duro Presbytery Summer Buffalo Gap 2014 For God so Loved John 13:34 Sweetwater High School, Payton Moore was named Kiwanis Sophomore of the Year for the school year. She is the daughter of Mitch and Ryan Moore. If anyone youth is interested in attending summer camp at Buffalo Gap, contact the church office, Easter Lilies The FPC Youth is taking orders for Easter Lilies for the Sanctuary. On Easter Sunday, you can take your lily(ies) home or we will deliver them to local nursing homes. The cost is $15.00 per lily. As in years past, we purchase them from Sam s Club, pick them up and deliver to the church. You may order by calling the church office, or fill out the order form which will be in the bulletin on Sunday and can be placed in the offering plate. The deadline for ordering is Sunday April 13. You may give the lily In Memory or In Honor of someone. The names will be listed in the bulletin on Easter Sunday Our Youth is Busy! Blake got 4th in Austin with his pig. Max showed hogs, A Hamp in Ft. Worth and a York in San Antonio. Caroline and Blake will be heading to Atlanta April 30- May 7 for DECA Internationals. Both qualified at State to go as alternates! Max got 2nd in his class in Ft. Worth and 2nd in his class at San Antonio. Caroline got 5th in Austin with her Steer. Caroline also made Varsity cheerleader, Ty and Dylan are playing baseball and doing very well! Max is running track, Anissa is playing softball, and Mason is playing baseball as well.

6 Message from Lou Ann and Marina Please note the times will be from 5:00-6:00. Most people seemed to like this time the most! I'm very grateful for all of these kids! I love seeing them each week. We had a great month during March, learning about Easter and making Easter crafts. We also were very busy learning the songs for Palm and Easter Sunday that we will be singing during church. March 30: Little Ones 5:00-6:00 April 6: IBKs 5:00-6:00 April 13: Palm Sunday. The kids will sing today. Please have your kids there for practice at 10:10 in the sanctuary. If you are running late, we will take you whatever time you show up. The Gees baby shower is today after church, too; lunch is provided Little Ones tonight 5:00-6:00 April 20: Easter Sunday - The kids will sing again today. The congregation loves to hear the kids! We will practice at 10:10am. Also, bring your Easter baskets/bags for the annual Easter egg hunt after church. Your friends, cousins etc. are welcome to join us. This is for all kids (babies - 5th grade). This year, the hunt will take place in the front of the church so that everyone can enjoy watching. No youth tonight. The Middle and High School Youth are busy this Spring! They are all involved in many school and extracurricular activities! So proud of all of them! The group has completed the hymnal project and the old blue hymnals are now ready to be picked up by any member who wishes to claim a hymnal they had dedicated. The congregation may start doing this Sunday, March 30th after worship. The youth will be meeting on Sundays from 5:00-6:00 PM for the remainder of March and April. The Middle and High School youth are currently selling Easter Lilies and may be purchased from any of the Middle or High School Youth or through the church office. The Lilies are each. The group is also helping with the annual Easter Egg Hunt for the little ones which will be held on the front lawn of the church. A Sunday dinner will be provided to the SFD as a service project, along with a fellowship dinner with Kary and Mike. We are blessed! Marina April 27: IBKs from 5:00-6:00 Lou Ann