CHURCH NEWS Volume 4, Issue 2 - February, 2019 LENT THE CALL OF CHRIST First Presbyterian Church Johnson City, Tennessee Lent calls you to Jesus. These forty days show you Jesus in the wilderness, preparing to begin his ministry. It is a time of hearing again Christ s call. Lent brings Christ s call to follow him! Each Wednesday of Lent, a thirty minute service of praise, prayer, and reflection will be held in Wood Chapel, from 12:00-12:30 PM. Guest preachers from the community will walk you through some key aspects of the Lenten journey. At 12:30 PM, a light lunch will be served in the Welcome Center. March 6 - Ash Wednesday 6:30 PM - Sanctuary Staff FPCJC Wednesday, March 13 Rev. Patty Muse, Associate Pastor Munsey Memorial UMC Wednesday, March 20 Gary Arner, Staff First Presbyterian JC Wednesday, March 27 Rev. Paul Helphinstine Pastor, Covenant Presbyterian, JC Wednesday, April 3 Rev. Pat Locke, Pastor Wautauga Avenue Presbyterian Wednesday, April 17 Staff FPCJC
What is happening in the next few months? Watch for the history timeline from 1869 to 1994 in the hallway outside the church office. It includes significant events, pastors, photos of church building through the years, and more. The timeline will be completed to add the recent 25 years soon. Several activities are being planned by the various committees guiding the Celebration. Below are important dates for everyone: Rise Against Hunger: April 13 we will pack over 10,000 meals to be distributed internationally. We need volunteers of all ages and abilities. There will be a way for everyone to get involved. This will be a Saturday morning and it will take about 2-3 hours to pack the meals. Plan to be at the church. Bring your family and invite others. Watch for more information in the weekly information and Sunday bulletins. Sunday, April 28 we will have a combined worship service at 10:30 and welcome Dr. William Wood as our pastor. Dr. Wood is the son of Ferguson and Mary Wood and he was ordained in our church and was the Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC prior to his retirement. Following the service, we will gather in the Fellowship Hall for lunch and a birthday celebration. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FPC s Got Talent Dinner and Gala Friday, May 10, 2019 5:30 PM As a part of our Anniversary Celebration, we are planning to hold a Gala to spot-light the talents of the members and friends of FPCJC. The faithful talents of our members and friends have led us through the past 150 years, and those same talents will carry us forward. We need you help! We need folks to come and share their talents with others. Can you sing? Can you play an instrument? Do you like to recite poems, do readings? We need you to register to be a part of our gala. Check the church webpage to register, or you may pick up a form in the church office. Watch for the talent sign-up form. Be sure to mark your calendars, and plan to attend our FPC s Got Talent Gala and Dinner. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2
FEBRUARY 5 11 14 17 18 19 19 22 23 26 26 Discipleship Committee Property and Maintenance Committee Valentine Dinner and Dance Miracles Happen Business Meeting Good Samaritan Lunch Personnel Committee Stewardship Committee Sybarite5 - Mary B. Martin School of Arts Concert Streetside Ministry Session Prayer Session Meeting Each Week 5:30 p 6:00 p 1:00 p 10:30 a 5:00 p 5:30 p 2:00 p 11:30 a 6:40 p In Spirit Birthdays (Consider sending a note or card to our folks who are not physically able to join us but join us in spirit to brighten their day on birthdays, or just because...) None for February Traveler's Trip BLAST TO THE PAST Sunday Praise Team Rehearsal Worship service Fellowship and Refreshments Officers' Prayer Time Sunday School Officers' Prayer Time Worship Service 1PSM Games and Devotions Monday Sanctuary Reserved Miracles Happen Chamber Ringers Celebration Ringers Tower RingerS 2:00 p 7:30 p 8:30 p Tuesday Web Design Team LXI Bible Study and Dinner 9:00 a 5:00 p Wednesday Student Instrumental Ensemble Fellowship Dinner Adult Bible Study Children's Choir -1st Street Kids 1PSM Elevate Chamber Singers Chancel Choir Rehearsal 4:45 p 5:30 p 6:15 p 6:15 p 6:15 p 6:15 p Thursday Prayer Group Sanctuary Reserved Men's Lunch, Bible Study Fellowship Hall Reserved Regional Honors Choir Youth featuring Nick Meredith Milligan College SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 3:00 PM Tickets $15 Meet at church at 2:15 PM to ride the bus; should return by 5:00 PM. Contact Cathy McIntyre for more information 423-767-6628 7:45 a 8:45 a 9:45 a 9.50 a 10:00 a 10:45 a 11:00 a 6:00 p 9:00 a 9:00 a 12:00 p 3:30 p Friday Miracles Happen Saturday Miracles Happen Reserve ASAP Sign-up Sheet in Welcome Center GOOD SAMARITAN LUNCH (MELTING POT) MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18 10:30 AM Church Office Bring sandwiches (individually wrapped), bananas and chips. Sign-up sheets for food donation or to help serve are posted outside the church office and the Worship Center. For further information, call Shelby Ingram (282-5856). 3
STUDENT MINISTRY I hope you all had a great start to your new year! We are now looking forward to our annual Valentine Banquet on February 14th from 6-8 PM in the fellowship hall. Linda will again be catering the meal and music will be provided by Abe and The Lonely Hearts Club. All proceeds will go to the student ministry to be used towards their mission trips and conferences. This summer the students will be working with our very own Karen Frederick and ASP. They will be serving here in Washington County to repair homes for those in need. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 Last year was our ends of the earth, so this summer we are going back to witness in our Jerusalem, Washington County. We invite everyone to come and support the students in their endeavors to witness and grow in Christ. Contact the office to make reservations for this special night! 4
We have lots to love about preschool this February! February s Bible Verse is The Greatest of These is Love. We ll have some new friends visiting preschool as we begin Community Registration for the 2019-2020 preschool year on Wednesday, February 6th. If you or someone you know is considering preschool, please contact us. We love sharing with families about our preschool! You can contact us by phone at 423-926-1636, email: amy@fpcjc.org or find more about us online at www.fpcjcpreschool.weebly.com fb: Fpcjc Preschool ig: fpcjcpreschool 5
UPDATE FROM STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE The Stewardship Committee last updated you in September about the state of your church s financial health and we are so thankful that so many of you have answered God s call to make a financial pledge to the work of this church for 2019. Some of you have also increased the amount of your pledge and joined with your church community to share God s love through all the ministries represented here. Thank you and we are excited to see all the ways God will use us this year! God is so good to us and we have completed our budget planning for 2019. Because pledging has fallen short of the amount of funding requested by the church committees this year, we have set the 2019 budget to match the amount spent during 2018, rather than recommend to Session the increased budget proposed last November. If additional pledges are received beyond the 2018 spending level, Stewardship Committee will work with committee chairs and Session to prioritize ministry needs which are currently unfunded and allocate the additional money pledged to those prioritized needs. If you have not yet pledged, please prayerfully consider doing so to allow the ministries to plan and prepare for the many ways they want to share God s love with others. You can email your pledge to Larry Dodd. If pledging is not possible for your family this year, please let us know how we can specifically pray for you and lift you up. Please talk to one of our Stewardship Committee members Sam Repass, Beth Lowe, Chick Spears, Mickey Onks, Pam Smith and Jerry Urse. Times of transition are hard for church families and it is common for us to attend church less regularly, feel less committed and tightly connected, and decrease our giving during this time. Let s choose to be uncommon and remain united in our shared goal of spreading the Good News, worshipping in community and giving because our hearts are overflowing with His blessings! 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 6
hearts at work in our community Assistance Report 2018 Pastor s Service Fund Supported by your generous contributions to the quarterly Communion Offering 7
First Presbyterian Church 105 South Boone Street Johnson City, Tennessee 37604 423.926.5108 https://fpcjc.org FPC Johnson City Staff Gary Arner Director of Facilities Abraham Bodkins Contemporary and Youth Music Laura Champouillon Organist Janice Cunningham Ministry Assistant and Receptionist Linda DeLong Kitchen Manager Larry Dodd Director of Worship, Church Business Administrator Jennifer Jacobs Director of Children s Ministries Tim Jones Director of Student Ministries Stacy Larsen Director of The River Terry "Tree" Lewis Maintenance Amy Sentell Director of the Preschool BOARD OF DEACONS Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Jim Carr Martha Courtney Cathy McIntyre Nancy Helsabeck Shelby Ingram Tonya Nucci Wesley Reed Jerry Urse SESSION February 2019 Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Rick Beeson Mike McCalmont Tom Borthwick Jerry Cole Chip Parker Brian Johnston Emily Jordan Chick Spears Beth Lowe Sam Repass 8