The Redeemer. I love the sight of snow

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1 The Redeemer February 1, 2015 Volume 2, Issue 1 I love the sight of snow assuming that I am inside a heated building! I love watching the flakes slowly drift to the ground when there is no wind. I am fascinated by falling snow that is driven horizontal by strong winds. I feel a special warmth in my soul as I watch the snow glisten under the sunshine. And, like a child, when the first snowfall arrives, I eagerly grab the snow shovel even if only one inch of snow falls! Of course over time the beautiful white snow turns to a slushy mess and the thrill of shoveling the snow fades. My heart pounds as my car slips and slides on the roads; I worry about falling on the sidewalk. The initial beauty of the new fallen snow loses its luster. The thrill of shoveling snow turns from a joy to a chore. Of course, snow is not the only thing whose appeal changes over time. Over my lifetime I have developed various habits that were harmless enough when they began, but eventually became my master and they needed to be tamed. Likewise, there have been rituals in my life that eventually lost their meaning as they became a part of my daily routine or grind. Things like Facebook, and television watching can become idols or gods rather than useful parts of our lives. Memorized prayers can turn into chores rather than an act of devotion. I recall a number of my college friends giving up something for Lent, often desserts. This act of self-denial had nothing to do with their spiritual life, but rather was closely associated with the upcoming swimsuit season. It led me to believe that this common Lenten behavior was worthless. But then I met a women who gave up - - crossing her legs - - for Lent! Really? But then she explained why she had chosen to do so. Crossing her legs every time she sat down had become a habit that she did without even thinking about it. It did not cause her any harm. No one faulted her for it. But as the Lenten season began, she forced herself to be conscious of the activity. Soon, every time she found herself beginning to cross her legs, she would stop and think of Jesus and the sacrifice that he had made for her. By giving up what had become an unconscious habit, she was directed to a more spiritual connection with Christ! She did this privately and silently. It was between her and her Savior. As the season of Lent approaches I will be examining the value of some of the daily aspects of my life. It is time to clear out some of that gray, slushy snow and replace it with something new and glistening. I am not sure what I will give up for Lent, but my hope and my prayer is that this time will bring me into a closer relationship with my Savior. That is what Jesus wants. The season of Lent is a time of prayer, fasting (giving up something) and self-examination in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord at Easter. It is not something that you do but rather something that you experience. May it be for you a life changing experience! In Christ, Jan

2 A Little Birdie Told Me For questions or to place an order, contact Betty LaBar. February is the month we express our feelings and our love So here is one of the things that fit in the category mentioned above -- I love the people that are so dear to me All the people that are part of my church family I love the feeling - the warmth - and the care That greet me every Sunday when i am there The hand shakes and the hugs they extend to me This is so very special and I am sure you all agree-- Love, a little bird Now concerning the collection for the saints; you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections do not need to be taken when I come. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 February Birthdays 5 Bernie Fish 7 Shawn Wnuk 11 Stephanie Zellar 11 Chris LaCroix 13 Robert Worley 23 Richard Johnson 24 Bruce Plackowski 25 Doris Norman 27 Emily Plackowski 28 Sarah Bignall Treasurer s Report As of December 31, 2014 ASSETS Current Assets Checking/Savings Certificate of Deposit 1, Checking Account 39, Deacon fund 1, Memorial Fund 9, Reserve Account 4, Total Checking/Savings 53, TOTAL ASSETS 54, LIABILITIES & EQUITY

3 Hopefully you have picked up your new set of offering envelopes. You may have noticed a blue envelope near the front of the box labeled per capita. Like many Presbyterians, you may have wondered, Exactly what does per capita do? Per capita is an amount of money per member (this year, $35.00) that our congregation pays to our larger Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This money is part of the glue that holds Presbyterians together. It is the money that enables us to work with other Presbyterian churches in our presbytery and across the country. It is also money that allows us to work with other churches to further the mission of Jesus Christ around the world. How important is per capita? Here are some examples: Does our congregation want to benefit from relationships and cooperation with other Presbyterian churches across the country? Your per capita pays for the General Assembly meeting every two years where Presbyterians gather together to worship and discern the mind of Christ for the church. Does our congregation want to be involved in mission work throughout the world, sharing the gospel in all parts of the earth? In many places in our world, it is difficult to do mission except by working ecumenically with other churches. Your per capita helps to pay for meetings of Presbyterians with people of other Christian churches, allowing us to maintain those ties for mission. Do we want to benefit from helpful Presbyterian resources such as the Book of Order and The Book of Confessions? Your per capita pays for producing these basic resources, including in Spanish, Korean, and Braille. Do we want future generations to learn about our congregation s present work (e.g., anniversary celebrations, membership rolls, session actions)? Your per capita helps to fund the Presbyterian Historical Society preserving and sharing the Presbyterian experience. Do we want pastors who are well prepared to lead our congregations? Your per capita funds the preparation, administration, and grading of standard ordination examinations for seminary students. Do we want well-trained leaders for our presbyteries and more? Your per capita pays for annual training events for presbytery executives, stated clerks, and others who help lead our work and mission. In addition, your per capita pays for the travel expenses of the Moderator and Vice Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as they make their way across the church to share with and listen to folks like you about the exciting things God is doing in our midst. We do not believe in being lone rangers in the PC(USA). We need each other as we work together to share the good news of Jesus Christ. As we benefit from the gifts, skills, vision, and ministry of each other in this place, so, too, do we benefit from an even wider array of gifts and ministry of our Presbyterian brothers and sisters across the church. Your per capita pays for the programs, training, and resources that help us work together and discern the mind of Christ for the PC(USA). Thank you to all of you who have already paid your share of this year s per capita. By contributing your portion of per capita, you have freed up dollars in our regular budget for the work of our congregation in this community. If you haven t yet contributed, we hope you will consider doing so. 3

4 February 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Worship - 11:00 Lord s Supper 2 3 SC3 9:00 4 Quilt / Craft Group 1: Worship & Installation of Officers 11:00 Session Meets 12:30 15 Worship 11:00 Transfiguration Sunday 22 Worship 11:00 1st Sunday of Lent :00 9:00 11 Quilt / Craft Group 1:00Drivers Ed. 5:00 7:00 18 B. R. Q/C. Grp 1:00 Ash Wednesday Svc 7:30 25 Quilt / Craft Group 1:00Drivers Ed. 5: Ladies Lunch, Upper Crust 11: :00 9:

5 Books of the Old Testament W P K F P V Y O E L C D E P O I S N S A S P Y M I C A H M H C Z C Y S I C C I S Z N M G H N U M B E R S E G B A G D I V E O O O E A I P T A R C A I J P L S K B C B N I U S I Y A O C S U D O X E M P T H A O S T N O M O L O S F O G N O S S S A D R E G A Y Z E Q P F S N E I L R E W R I E G N Y T S E R Z S S G A E C L I V I A T D I Y I N Y P E Q B G U H C H N G A H U U X A B E E F H J E M N I U E L M H I E J S V F A H M H A A Z N I H M A B A Y D T K L I G G X A S N O E E K L A H V U I S B R E V O R P L R I M K A P A K T E H I L E O J H D C H X I A C I N U U S R O S I A G G A H C P A B H H O E S K U U B A O I E N E E V H K I C J Y C L K E T L I I J I X S S L E V I T I C U S A C H Z A A E A I O O O R I B Y I T F H B O P K H L E S T H E R M T O J V Y R A A U O Q E N Z T Q R Y P E A J B A Z S A H AMOS CHRONICLES DANIEL DEUTERONOMY ECCLESIASTIES ESTHER EXODUS EZEKIEL EZRA GENESIS HABAKKUK HAGGAI HOSEA ISAIAH JEREMIAH JOB JOEL JONAH JOSHUA JUDGES KINGS LAMENTATIONS LEVITICUS MALACHI MICAH NAHUM NEHEMIAH NUMBERS OBADIAH PROVERBS PSALMS RUTH SAMUEL SONGOFSOLOMON ZECHARIAH ZEPHANIAH PrintableBibleWordSearch.com 5

6 Church of the Redeemer Manistique Michigan Liturgists, February, 2015 February 1 Sandee Uecke February 8 Greer Fish February 15 Nancy Brown February 22 Vicky Hill Greeters, February, 2015 February 1 Jodie Johnson February 8 Bernie Fish February 15 Betty LaBar Bible Geek Speak Several people have asked me about the fish symbol that is on the door to my study. I am sure that you are familiar with the fish symbol -. The ichthys as it is often called is used today as a symbol of Christianity. It is believed that it was used as a secret symbol during the early years of the church. Some say that the head of the fish pointed believers toward a place of worship. But, why do the Greek letters ΙΧΘΥΣ often appear with the fish symbol and why is it called an ichthys? Does ichthys mean fish in Greek? No, ichthys does not mean fish in Greek or any other language, but that was a good guess! The letters ΙΧΘΥΣ are an acronym for the Greek Ίησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ or Jesus Christ, son of God. The English transliteration of the letters ΙΧΘΥΖ is i-ch-th-y-s, or ichthys. Another mystery solved! February 22 Greer Fish Church of the Redeemer 314 Main Street Manistique MI PLEASE PLACE STAMP HERE