FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PINE BLUFF 717 West 32nd Avenue, Pine Bluff, AR 71603-6006 Telephone: (870) 534-7831 Fax: (870) 534-7834 www.fpcpinebluff.org Office hours: Monday-Friday : 9a.m.-5p.m. RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Church Staff Reverend Susan Carter Wiggins, Interim Pastor Ann Tibbs, Choir Director and Organist Jane Stone, Day School Director Debby Ahlgrim, Church Hostess Justine Anton, Administrative Assistant Ramona McKinney, Financial Administrator Pete Ahlgrim, Facilities Manager Anthony Gooseberry, Head Sexton Agnes Wagner, Sexton FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS Monthly News for October 2014 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S.POSTAGE PAID PINE BLUFF, AR PERMIT #494
Table of Contents Pastor s Corner 3&4 Discernment Task Force 4 Presbyterian Women s News 5 Women s Bible Study 6 Early Bird Bible Study 6 Men s Breakfast 6 Neighbor to Neighbor 7 Samaritan s Purse 7 Blessing of the Animals 7 Day School News 8 What is the General Assembly 9, 10 &11 October Birthdays 11 Prayer Concerns 13 Calendar Center Pullout November Newsletter Deadline: October 22nd If you would like to have an article or event put in the November Newsletter, please have your written information to Justine by October 22nd or it won t make it in to the November Newsletter! WORSHIP WITH US EACH SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30am - Sanctuary SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:15 a.m. - Adult & Children - Education Building Youth Youth Building YOUTH 5:30 p.m. All Youth Youth Building 6:00 p.m. Dinner Youth Building 2 Approval of leaders to General Assembly agencies Approval to PC(USA) s continuing commitment to peacemaking Approval to work towards prevention of gun violence Celebration of the nearly 250 new worshipping communities in more than 100 presbyteries that have blossomed since the last General Assembly in 2012. Clearly this is a movement of the Holy Spirit! For nearly 200 years, the Presbyterian church has served as one of the greatest forces for mission in the world. In that spirit, the General Assembly endorsed an initiative to encourage Presbyterians to go beyond the walls of their congregations and increase their engagement in service to their communities and the world. By living missionally, we are intentionally joining in God s transformation of societal injustices by following Christ s example of service through faith, hope, love, and witness. Specific language on all of the General Assembly s actions is available on PC-biz (www.pcbiz.org). October Birthdays 1 Susan Bitely 2 Joe Clement III 3 Claudette Dixon 3 Justin Brown 5 Kelly Byus 5 Scott Robinson 6 Coy Nixon 9 Lawrence Dawson 11 Kitty Rubenstein 11 Adam Robinson Jr. 13 Ann Clark 13 Denise Gray 13 Bart Roberts 14 Elizabeth Machen. 16 Helen King 11 19 Bob Rhinehart Jr. 23 Elizabeth Brockman 23 Jana Roberts 25 Lois Lea 25 Vernita Self 29 Betty Nealey
Relations, Mission Coordination, Social Justice Issues, Civil Union and Marriage Issues, Peacemaking and International Issues, Board of Pensions/ Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program/Presbyterian Publication Corporation/Presbyterian Foundation, Theological Issues and Institutions and Christian Education, Congregational Vitality, and Immigration and Environmental Issues. Each committee is responsible for considering a number of items, and reporting back to the General Assembly on completed actions or their recommendations. How often does the General Assembly meet? The General Assembly meet biannually and most recently met in June 2014 in Detroit, MI. At the 221 st General Assembly 654 elected commissioners (327 ruling elders / 327 teaching elders) from across the United States, equally representing the 172 presbyteries were actively present doing the work of the church. Additionally there were over 220 advisory delegates representing the voices of our ecumenical partners, our missional partners, theological seminary delegates, and youth delegates. What was the theme of the 221st General Assembly? Abound in Hope from the Apostle Paul s letter to the Christians in Rome: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). What actions were taken at the 221 st General Assembly? Tough issues were tackled and challenging decisions were made. In both committee and in plenary, the commissioners worshipfully and prayerfully discerned 337 overtures and resolutions that came before the General Assembly. Some of the actions taken included: Working for the common good with people of other faiths Study to fossil fuel divestment Educate a Child, Transform the World - a call to the whole church to join in a movement to provide quality education to one million children in the U.S. and around the world in the next four years as a way to alleviate poverty. Peacemaking Offering expanded Recommendation to the Presbyterian Foundation to divest from three U.S. companies whose products are not promoting peace in the Middle East. This does not constitute divestment from Israel as the church maintains significant investments in companies that do business in Israel. Pastoral discretion regarding same-gender marriage An amendment going out to the 172 presbyteries for a new definition of marriage: from a man and a woman, to two-people, traditionally a man and a woman. Approval of the Belhar Confession to be added to the Book of Confessions Approval of new synod boundaries Continued from Page 13 10 Pastor s Corner September 30, 2014 Dear family of God, The writers of the letter to the church at Philippi Paul and Timothy wrote to a church needing to hear their message of unity, of oneness. make my joy complete, Paul and Timothy write, be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:2, 5). This message is for us, too, here at First Presbyterian, for we are called to go forth in ministry in the name of Christ Jesus, and for that to be our single focus. Instead, we are many minds right now, and because of the current focus on varying theologies and scriptural interpretations, our focus on fulfilling the ministry of Jesus Christ in our neighborhood, in the city of Pine Bluff, in Arkansas, in the United States, and in the world, has unfortunately, taken a back seat. How might we find our way forward again? One way is to remember that a great strength of Presbyterianism is its uncanny knack of fostering a fellowship in which people of different viewpoints continue to dialogue. Our congregation like our denomination - is made up of folks with various theological and scriptural perspectives along a continuum, and the church is charged with giving full expression to the rich diversity within its membership. Finding our center our commonality amongst our differences again - will help us to find our footing. Our center is this: we believe that both the Old and New Testaments are the authoritative witness to Jesus Christ, 3 Continued on page 4
Continued from page 3 and as such, it is to Jesus Christ that we look for the model of how we are called to live, to love another, to suffer, and even to die. To the church at Philippi, Paul and Timothy wrote that we should follow the model of Jesus by both humbling and emptying ourselves before God.To the church at Rome, Paul wrote that we re not called to judge one another (Romans 2:1). Instead, as Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, we are called to remember that it is Jesus who, is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us (Ephesians 2:14). My sisters and brothers in Christ, divisiveness is historical in the church which God called into being. My prayer is that this congregation can again find its way back to the center; find its way back to Jesus Christ, so that in one accord; of one mind (Philippians 2:2), we may go forward exhibiting the kingdom of God to the world and fulfilling the ministry of Jesus Christ. May there be peace among us; and may it begin with each one of us. In Christ s peace and love, Pastor Susie Discernment Task Force At the August stated session meeting, the session approved for the congregation to enter into a time of discernment of whether or not to stay within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) denomination. Then, at the September stated session meeting, the session approved the appointment of a discernment task force and charged it to report back to the session at the October stated session meeting a proposal of what the discernment process for the congregation will entail. Task force members include: Buzz Roberts, Kenny Bonds, Laura Brown, Ann Clark, Mac Norton, Jay Sturgeon, Brenda Norsworthy, Steve Matthews, Kitty Rubenstein, and John Byus. Since then, the task force met September 27 th and is meeting again October 1 st. Buzz Roberts and Kenny Bonds are serving as chair and vice-chair, respectively. More information to the congregation about the discernment process is forthcoming. In the meantime, your pastor, your shepherds, your session, and your task force are available to answer your questions. Please also read the piece on the 221 st General Assembly within this newsletter. 4 What is the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? The General Assembly consists of commissioners elected by presbyteries. Half of the commissioners are ruling elders, half are teaching elders. Few will ever have been commissioners to the General Assembly before, but most will have served in one of the other governing bodies of our church: the session, which provides care and oversight of a local congregation; the presbytery, which provides care and oversight of a group of congregations; or the synod which provides care and oversight of several presbyteries. It reviews the work of synods, resolves controversies in the church, is responsible for matters of common concern for the whole church, and serves as a symbol of unity for the church. The General Assembly has several specific responsibilities outlined in Chapter 3 of the Book of Order. The assembly seeks to protect our church from errors in faith and practice, is responsible for assuring that the expression of our theology remains true to the biblical standards in our historic confessions. The General Assembly presents a witness for truth and justice in our community and in the world community. It sets priorities for the church and establishes relationships with other churches or ecumenical bodies. How does it work? First, reports and recommendations come from the various arms of the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Office of the General Assembly. The Office of the General Assembly, headed by the Stated Clerk, is the ecclesiastical arm of the church. The Stated Clerk and his staff work to ensure that the Presbyterian Church maintains itself as a church. The Office of the General Assembly carries out all constitutional and most ecumenical functions at the General Assembly. Mission programs are carried out by the Presbyterian Mission Agency which supervises the work directed to be done by the General Assembly, and can make certain decisions on behalf of the Assembly. Overtures from synods and presbyteries are the second source of General Assembly business. These governing bodies use Overtures to bring recommendations and matters of concern before the whole church. Commissioners Resolutions are a third source of General Assembly business. As a commissioner one is entitled to sign two resolutions which will come before the whole assembly. The Moderator presides over the plenary meetings for the rest of the week. Once a Moderator is elected, the assembly breaks up into assembly committees to consider particular kinds of business. What are the committees of the General Assembly? Bills and Overtures, General Assembly Procedures, Middle East issues, Mid Councils Issues, Church Polity and Ordered Ministry, Ecumenical and Interfaith 9
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Day School News What s been happening at FPC Day School: Working and playing hard at FPC Day School. Thank you to all the women who came to the Thank Offering fall luncheon. We look forward to PW circle meeting on October 13th. The council will meet at 11:30 with the Presbyterian Women s study beginning at 1:00 p.m. FPPB Presbyterian Women at PW Cluster 5 Fall Gathering at First Presbyterian, Arkadelphia on September 6, 2014 8 5
Women s Bible Study Needs CAKE MIXES 100 cake mixes by November 1st and 100 cake mixes by December 3rd for Thanksgiving and Christmas boxes for needy families. You may drop them off at the church! Starting September 15, Mondays at 1:00pm & 5:30pm, in the Youth Building. Early Bird Bible Study! Fear not it s really not that early, 7:10 a.m. each Wednesday morning! In the beginning God what a way to begin your day in God s word! Join the Early Birds! Don t forget the Presbyterian Women s mission is the Samaritan s Purse! We need small books, writing pads, crayons, etc for our boxes. There is a catalog in the church office that will allow you to buy inexpensive items in large quantities if you do not want to shop. THE DEADLINE FOR ITEMS IS NOVEMBER 1ST! For more information on donating gifts-contact the church office First Presbyterian Church of Pine Bluff TUESDAY 7:00 AM October 15th Good food and Great fellowship Blessing of the Animals Sunday October 12, 2014 4:00pm 6 7