The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church

Transcription

1 Issue 289 The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church March 2016 Accessible to All At a recent church staff meeting we discussed an issue that we have become more aware of fragrance sensitivities. As we talked, we discovered that more than one person in our congregation is impacted, and there are probably others that we don t know about. I learned that fragrance sensitivity is much more than that -- and results in symptoms ranging from headaches all the way to breathing issues. I became more aware of this on Christmas Eve. As part of our capital maintenance projects we are in the midst of painting a number of spaces in the building. Even in areas where I could no longer smell the paint, the chemicals were still in the air, and someone with a sensitivity found them overwhelming. I was disappointed that our painting, something that needed to be done, prevented at least one person I knew from worshiping with us on Christmas Eve. Alex (our Director of Youth Ministries) suggested that this is another opportunity to become more accessible as a church. As I thought more about this, I was struck by how much Jesus ministry was about access! God sent Jesus into the world that we might have access to a right relationship with God Jesus by his work on the cross offered access to grace and mercy Jesus invited children to himself when his own disciples sternly ordered them away Jesus offered healing access to a crippled man at the well who was too slow to get in the water Jesus offered access to a tax collector named Zacchaeus (and other sinners) that the religious people of the day would have nothing to do with. As a church we have and do invest in access from parking to elevators -- to sound systems and CDs for those who can t worship with us in person to plowing our parking lot and shoveling our walks to age appropriate furniture in class rooms to taking communion to people who can t physically come to worship. We want to continue to promote access for all. It is in this spirit that we are asking you to forgo using colognes or perfumes and other items that are heavily scented anytime you come to First Pres, as a means to make our church more accessible to all. Mission and Social Action Seeks to Score Big On Sunday, March 13th, the Mission and Social Action Team is sponsoring the March Madness Food Drive for WAFER. Help us "score big" as we provide "baskets" of non-perishable food items for families in our community. Pease bring your non-perishable food items to the front entrance of the church, where we will be collecting them. If you don't have time to shop, a 10$ donation sponsors the purchase of a "basket of food". The following information taken from WAFER's website, waferlacrosse.org, provides a snapshot of how our donations can and do make a difference. WAFER is the largest food pantry serving all of La Crosse County and La Crescent, MN. For many people WAFER is the last resort. (Continued on page 4)

2 3MF Looks into the Wonders and Blunders of Social Media YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram these words were gibberish fifteen years ago. Today, they encompass billions of dollars, millions of users, and nearly every country in the world. With the great extent of their span and scope, social media websites have surpassed the status as a fad and have been embedded into the fabric of our society, shifting the way that people communicate and relate to one another all over the world. Most of the fastest growing businesses and organizations in the world have a prominent presence on social media websites, and more and more college graduates are finding full-time jobs managing social media accounts for companies, universities, and non-profit organizations. Alex Jerve is the Director of Youth Ministry at First Presbyterian Church and, in his twenties, is a member of the millennial generation that is experiencing life in a vastly different way than previous generations on account of the internet and social media websites. A self-defined novice of social media, Alex has devoted a fair amount of time and research to learning more about the popular social media websites and how they can be best used by a ministry. He looks forward to sharing what he has learned and is confident that being a user on social media websites, or even just a basic knowledge of them, could be beneficial for all generations. Our Ministry to Mature Members and Friends will meet on Monday, March 14 at 11:00 am. A luncheon will be served following our program. Reservations for the lunch ($7) may be made by signing up in the Gathering Area or calling the church office by Friday, March Years of Faithfulness and Forward Update Unless you ve opened the Coach House door and stepped inside lately, you probably are not aware of all the changes that have been taking place on the interior of the Coach House. During February the ceiling was finished and new ceiling tile was installed. The screening of the pipes that ran along the ceiling by the new dropped portion of the ceiling creates a much improved appearance. New lighting really brightens the rooms. The walls have received a fresh coat of paint, unifying and lightening the space. New flooring has been installed to cover the old tile floor, which makes a tremendous visual impact. Beneath the kitchen counter new cupboards provide improved storage areas. Furnishings are being selected and ordered to enhance the suitability of the space for use not only by the youth, but other groups as well. Final details, such as the installation of bulletin boards and white boards will be completed by the end of March. Anniversary Celebration 2016 will be a great cause for celebration at First Presbyterian Church as we celebrate our 150 th Anniversary on the weekend of Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15, Please mark this date on your calendars now and make plans to be with us! The planning team for our Anniversary celebration would appreciate the help of the congregation. We would like to send invitations to members who have moved to different communities or family members who grew up in the church and moved away. If you know of someone to whom you would like an invitation sent, and you have current contact information, would you please add that information to the clipboard? If you ve thought of someone, please bring their contact information to church or the church office at emily@firstpreslax.org.

3 Welcome New Members On Sunday, February 7 th we welcomed John and Kerrie Moore into membership. John and Kerrie have 4 children: Erik, Bryn, Ander, and Tait. The Moores are owners of the MooreSmiles Dental Practice. Kerrie is the daughter of John and Pat Reynolds. Contact information: 1419 Cass St., Wednesday Evening Worship Our monthly Wednesday Worship service, will be held next on Wednesday, March 2nd at 6:30pm in the sanctuary. Our Worship Team leads us in contemporary Christian music. The tone of the service is more casual, yet personal. Seniors in Motion Look Forward to Spring Session Our Seniors in Motion classes have really hit their stride under the leadership of Gwyn Straker. The classes have been running at capacity, which means we have more than 80 individuals registered. The merit of the program is evidenced by the strong participation of the class members. The SIM program is more than an exercise class it targets the spiritual, social, physical and educational needs of mature members of the La Crosse community. The program is designed to meet basic human needs as follows: Provide encouragement as individuals hold themselves accountable for their own health Promote physical activity as a healthy life style choice Develop and implement group exercise classes for the aging adult Travel to individual participant homes as needed to assist with transitional needs following hospital discharge such as adapting the living environment, training caregivers, or effective implementation of home exercise programs directed at improving function following surgery, injury or illness. Provide spiritual nourishment through prayer and faith-based support of participants Registration for Church members began the week of February 29 th. Current class members may register during the week of March 7 th. The cost for the class is $20 and the spring session will begin on March 29 th. If you are interested in participating, please check with the church office. Adult Ministry Suggests Being prepared is important throughout our lives: a professor can t offer a lecture without preparing for it or a pianist giving a concert with practicing. So it is with worship. Our Adult Ministry Team has offered the suggestion that in order to be prepared for Sunday worship, we read the lectionary passages prior to Sunday morning. Take a few minutes daily to read and reflect on the following passages for the month of March: March 6 Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 March 13 Isaiah 43:16-21; Psalm 126; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8 March 20 Palms Luke 19:28-40; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Passion: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 22:14-23; March 27 Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; John 20:1-18

4 March Madness (Continued from Page 1) WAFER serves about 1500 families (about 4000 people) monthly, more than 43,000 total individuals were served in 2015 and 1.5 million pounds, equivalent to ~1.2 million meals, were given out. WAFER distributes about 18,000 food packages a year. A food package provides each person in a family about 4 to 5 days-worth of food. As you can see, when we collect "baskets and baskets" of non-perishable food items, WAFER scores! Please support our March Madness Food Drive! Engage for Parents Explores Grace ENGAGE PARENTS CLASS meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 am on the Landing outside of Fellowship Hall. This is a discussion group for parents who are looking for encouragement and support from each other as they juggle their busy lives and raise their children. We are currently discussing the book Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus. You do not need to be with us every week to be a part of the discussion. Come any Sunday you are able. Volunteer Opportunities Tuesday, March 8 will be First Pres' night to help serve the free meal at Our Savior's Lutheran on Division St. If you would like to help, come at 4:30 pm to help serve, stay to eat and help with the clean-up. Please call Jan at if you can help or have questions. Koinonia Circle Looks at Parent Care The Koinonia Circle invites anyone interested in discussing care for elder family members to participate with them as they read Barbara Deane s Caring for Your Aging Parents. Each chapter addresses a Biblical theme related to care giving. On Wednesday, March 16 th we ll meet at 5:30 pm to discuss Chapter 6. Men s Morning Bible Study The men's Bible study will meet on March 2, 16, 30 from 6:00 to 7:00 am in Fellowship Hall. We are reading and discussing the Lectionary Bible readings for the following Sunday. Contact Don ( ) for additional information. Morning Circle Morning Circle will meet on Wednesday, March 16th at 9:00 a.m. in the Gathering Area. We will be looking at Lesson 7: Streams of Forgiveness Mercy, in our study book Come to the Waters. Betty Daschler and Margaret Birchler will be our hostesses. Reaching Out to a World in Need Around the world, people lack access to food, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. Each gift to the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) Offering serves to help change the lives of people in these challenging situations. The Offering provides us a way to share God s love with our neighbors in need. One Great Hour of Sharing, received during the season of Lent, makes a difference in the world through three programs: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People. Today, projects supported by OGHS are underway in more than 100 countries. We will receive the OGHS Offering on Easter. An envelope is enclosed for your offering.

5 Flowers for Easter Worship If you would like to provide flowers for our Easter worship, please return the form below along with payment. Flowers may be offered in memory or in honor of a loved one. You may choose to take your flowers home with you or they may be donated to our Deacons, who will deliver them to a homebound member. Orders must be received by the church office by Sunday, March 6th. Name Phone Choice: # of Easter Lilies ($13.25 ea.) # of Mums ($15.25 ea.) # of Hydrangeas ($23.25 ea.) # of **Flowering plants for homebound members & friends ($8.ea.) For Recognition: Or In memory /honor of: a gift to the church After Easter Worship: I will take the flowers myself Or The Deacons may deliver to the homebound **EASTER TIME GIFTS Our Deacons have recognized that for some homebound members and friends, a large flowering plant is too much for their living space. This Easter, you may contribute funds for the purchase of smaller flowering plants to be taken to these homebound members and friends. Ecumenical Lenten Worship Services The Ecumenical Lenten Wednesday Noon Worship series continues through Holy Week. The noon service is followed by a soup and sandwich lunch ($5.00). The offering collected at the worship services will be donated to the Salvation Army. March 2 First Congregational, 2503 Main St. Rev. Dr. J. Taylor Haley March 9 First Presbyterian Rev. Dr. Dan Geslin March 16 Wesley United Methodist, 721 King St. VRC Dr. Patrick Augustine March 23 Christ Episcopal, 831 Main St. Pastor John Parkyn Easter Sunrise Prayer Service This Easter, while it is still dark, we will join with other Christians from the Coulee region atop Granddad Bluff, and celebrate Jesus' passing from death to life! The service will be one of dawning light, prayer, scripture reading and reflection. This service begins in the darkness of early morning. In kindling new fire and lighting the Christ candle, we are reminded that Christ came as a light shining in darkness (John 1:5). From atop the bluff, as the sun rises, we will behold a visible reminder that Jesus Christ is the light which is dawning on La Crosse, our region, and the world. The service, coordinated by the Coulee Region Prayer Consortium, will start promptly at 6am. Please arrive early enough to walk from your car to the observation area of Granddad Buff. We are asking worshipers to bring their own chairs and to dress appropriately for the weather (it will be windier atop the Bluff). There is a small parking lot closer to the observation area. When that is full, parking will be available along the southern side of the road.

6 CAVE QUEST VBS Monday, June 6th Friday, June 10th Afternoons 12:45 pm to 3:30 pm. For 3 year old Pre-schoolers through 4th graders. Please get the dates on your summer calendars now. Registration materials will be available April 1st and registration will begin April 15th. Join us for a 4 week Bible Study on Wednesday nights starting April 13th 5:30 7:00pm Parent volunteers needed. Hey 4th and 5th graders...connect!! Yes, this is for you! A 4-week Bible Study on Wednesday night that is quirky, funny, and very cool. The theme JESUS Ministry. Look in the mail for more information coming your way. Just plan on being here Wednesday nights starting April 13th Dinner will be served at 5:30 pm and Bible study will go from 6-7 pm Soup and Skating at Onalaska Omni Center was Great! Thanks to the 40 folks who joined us for a super Soup and Skate on Sunday, Feb. 21st. All ages from grandparents to infants attended and that was fun!! Also, a GREAT BIG thanks to all who brought soup, bread, appetizers, and desserts. It was a delicious night!!

7 A Good Friday Kids Movie and Pizza Party Join us on Friday, March 25th (Good Friday) for the movie... VeggieTales: Rack Shack & Benny 11:30am-1:00pm Free pizza lunch served. Parents are welcome to join us or go to the noon Good Friday service in the church. Nursery provided for children 3 and younger. Please RSVP by either signing up in the Gathering Area at church or calling the church office by March 23rd ( ). Easter Morning for Families Sunday, March 27th There will be no Sunday School or Children s Church on Easter Sunday, but there is an Easter Bunch served between the services in Fellowship Hall for everyone. Nursery care available all morning. Egg hunt after the 10:30 service for all children Easter Candy Donations Easter Candy donations cheerfully accepted for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter morning. We need individually wrapped candy by March 23rd so the youth can fill the plastic eggs. Drop donations off at church or bring on Sunday mornings.

8 First Presbyterian Church 233 West Ave. So. La Crosse, WI Phone Non-Profit Organization U.S.P.S. POSTAGE PAID La Crosse, Wisconsin Permit No. 93 Holy Week Worship and Events Palm Sunday Worship Services, March 20th. We ll celebrate Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the waving of palm branches. Children are invited to gather prior to worship in the Fellowship Hall. They will receive palm branches for the processional. The children will process at the beginning of each service and then join their parents. Ecumenical Lenten Worship Service, March 23 rd (see details on Page 5) Maundy Thursday Worship Services, March 24th we will offer two worship services at 12:00 p.m. noon and 7:30 p.m. At this service we remember the night before Jesus died when He shared a last supper with His friends, washing their feet as a sign of the new commandment. Nursery childcare is available for children 3 and younger. Good Friday Worship Services, March 25 - at Noon and 7:30pm. Called good because of all the wonder and meaning that flowed from this day. These services are an invitation to walk with Christ. Using the Christian tradition of praying through the stations of the cross we will keep vigil with Christ, experiencing His journey to the cross. Nursery care available for children 3 and younger. Good Friday Kids Movie and Pizza Party (see Page 7 for details) Easter Sunday Sunrise Prayer Service (see details on Page 5) Easter Sunday Worship Services on March 27 th are a joyous celebration of Jesus resurrection. The services will be held at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. Easter Morning Brunch Between the worship services all are invited to an Easter Morning Brunch hosted by the elders of the church in Fellowship Hall. Easter Egg Hunt Following the 10:30 worship service, children, ages 1-11 are all invited to gather in Fellowship Hall for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt.