RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG. OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST, TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO SERVE, AND TO GLORIFY GOD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TEXARKANA, TX PERMIT NO. 71 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 516 Pecan Street Texarkana, Arkansas 71854 Phone: 870-774-6453 Fax: 870-773-4199 E-mails: 1stpresbytxk@cableone.net revsusan1stpres@cableone.net revjohn1stpres@cableone.net Just a few fallible words about what I think from month to month Rev. Susan What day is it? asked Pooh. It s today, squeaked Piglet. My favorite day, said Pooh. A. A. Milne OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST, TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO SERVE, AND TO GLORIFY GOD. We re on the Web! www.firstprestexarkana.org But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13 SACRED COWS COMFORT FOOD FOR THE HEART AND MIND On the first day of 2014, many of us set down to eat a traditional meal that included peas and cornbread comfort food for New Year s Day. As I began looking through our new hymnal, Glory to God, I discovered the musical equivalent of that first-day-of-the-year meal that folks in our parts savor. I was reminded of how many familiar songs that I found tie us to previous generations; there is something satisfying in knowing that when we sing these songs we are linked to our parents, our grandparents, even our great-grandparents. Through the generations we participate with them in glorifying God and comforting our own hearts. As I considered songs relating to the Gospel lessons that speak of the calling of Jesus disciples, I was happy to see that Jesus Calls Us: O er the Tumult has returned to our hymnal. As this familiar hymn with a text written in 1852 reminds us of the historical Jesus calling poor fishermen to become his followers, it also speaks to us of the living Jesus calling to us across life s wild, restless sea. One of the other comfort-food hymns related to Jesus call included in our new hymnal is Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling, with its familiar refrain, written in 1880, calling us to come home. Here the image of the family gathered around the table is reflected in the sense of homecoming, just as the architecture of our church brings us together as a family around the sacred table. Isn t that how we should feel as we join in worship each Lord s Day, as if we ve come home? THANKS! Special thanks to the Congregation! $1,107.00 was donated for the Christmas Joy Offering! A big thanks to all who helped make the Advent Concert Series and Luncheons a success. Susan Morehead AND SACRED NOWS The Christmas boxes are put away and the bills have been brought under control, but the payments will continue for a couple of months. The stress has lifted and the rush, rush of activities has slowed to a manageable stream with a gentle current. Yet we find ourselves longing for the warmth of precious slow summer days. We are over-stimulated; not over-worked, not over-busy, but over-stimulated. Our world bombards us with desperate cries for our attention, our decisions, our money, our support, throwing our hat in this ring and that. Clubs, organizations, institutions, causes, all clamoring for one piece of us; until there are no more pieces to be given out. And we are left feeling like a crumbled cookie under the dog s feet on the kitchen floor. I know this feeling, and I know you know it too. The one day during the week we have to get the much craved rest we need is Sunday. And we find ourselves asking, Why do I feel so obligated to attend Worship on the one day I have to rest? Attendance at Sunday morning worship used to be a Sacred Cow: something we considered immune from questioning. But our fatigue often outweighs the guilt we feel for not meeting this Sunday morning obligation. I think the problem is in the interpretation: worship being something we are obligated to attend vs. worship being a space and time artfully prepared to help us come spiritually face to face with the Living God and so be refreshed, revived, and renewed. Worship is a time to step out of the world and into immediate and imminent quietness, stillness, beauty, solitude, and shared spiritual experience. Worship is an opportunity to live into the sacred space of NOW. It may be time for us to re-envision Worship as the Sacred Now rather than a Sacred Cow.
SHARE GOOD NEWS WITH THE PRESS OF A BUTTON Have you ever walked out of worship wishing a friend could have heard the sermon? Have you ever wanted to invite a friend to Vacation Bible School or Parent s Night Out? Have you ever wanted to see and share pictures from a recent church event? Now with the click of a button you can do all of those things and more. On the new website (which is now complete) new information and sermons will be posted regularly on the home page as articles. Every article has a set of share buttons at the bottom that allow you with one click to share the article to your favorite social media site, email it to a friend, or print it out. For example, let s say you want to tell all your friends on Facebook about an upcoming Parent s Night Out, just go to the article and press the Facebook button and Woosh off it goes. Or, if you want someone to hear last Sunday s sermon, just go to the article about it and press the email button. Woosh. Off goes a link to your friend so he or she can listen to it. And get this if you don t see what your looking for on the home page, then you can search for it by using a search box in the right column. Check the site out when you have an opportunity at http://www.firstprestexarkana.org and perhaps share a post. Blessings, Rev. John Arnold P.S. If sermons aren t immediately available, they will be shortly. Uploading recent sermons was a task I couldn t do until the site was live. Pledge Commitments Are Needed Now!!! Congratulations to the Wilson Families on the birth of Benjamin Bruce Wilson who was born on November 21, 2013, to Nicole and Matt Wilson. Congratulations to the Thompson Families on the birth of Elzora Knoll Thompson who was born on January 8, 2014, to Isabelle and Reagon Thompson. SYMPATHY Raymond Upchurch passed away on December 20, 2013. Richard V. Hall, Sr. passed away on January 12, 2014. Alice Edwards passed away on January 14, 2014. RANDY SAMS MISSION The volunteers for Sunday, February 2, are: *Lil and Hayes McClerkin (Group Coordinator) Ruth Davis Sue Ellen and Bob Letterman PARENTS OF YOUTH & YOUTH PACK YOUR BAGS & PUT ON YOUR TRAVELING PANTS; WE RE HEADED OUT THIS SUMMER!!! Arkansas Presbytery has invited us to join them on two trips this summer: one for Jr. Highs and one for Sr. Highs. The basic information is below, but for more complete information go to http://www.presbyteryofarkansas.org/frmyouthcouncil.aspx and click on Summer Trips 2014 Informations and Registration Forms. We need Sponsors/Adults to register too!!! Jr. High Jubilee at Mo Ranch (in the TX Hill Country) July 5-10, 2014 Current 6th-8th graders How much does it cost? $560.00 (participant pays ½ and church pays ½) Montreat Youth Conference in Montreat, North Carolina July 12-19, 19, 2014 Current 8th-12th graders How much does it cost? $815.00 (participant pays ½ and church pays ½) When do I have to tell you I m going & give you a deposit? A $200.00 deposit (non-refundable after Feb. 28) plus your registration form is required to secure your spot. These are due in the Church Office by February 21, 2014. Spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so get your registration in early! The balance of the trip fee is due in the Church Office by March 25, 2014. Only those students who are paid in full by April 1 will be registered for the conference. Are there any Pre-Trip requirements? Yes! Trip Participants will be required to gather on Saturday, June 7, at First Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs (concurrent with the meeting of Presbytery). We will spend some time getting to know each other and preparing for our trip, and we will be Commissioned during Worship at the Presbytery meeting. Please put this on your calendar now! More details to come! The church needs volunteers to provide and serve food at the Randy Sams Shelter the second Sunday of November. At least four couples or individuals would be preferable to make it more economical and manageable for the volunteers involved. Please notify Sarah Propps at (903) 490-1170 if you would like more details or would like to participate.
Presbyterian Women Updates January/February 2014 A SEASON OF THANKS: Thanks for Decking the Halls The PW Decorating Committee made us all merry with the lovely decorations for the Advent and Christmas seasons. Throughout the church, festive décor brightened every activity. The lovely new Christmas tree, Advent Wreath and stand, and crèche figures in the Narthex and Fellowship Hall were greatly appreciated. Our thanks to all who unpacked, placed, repacked, and stored all our wonderful seasonal decorations. Thanks to Santa's Helpers--The Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries Angel Tree was a success again this year. Every gift request was fulfilled, as 88 beautifully wrapped gifts for 27 residents were picked up on December 23 in time for Santa to deliver them. Many thanks to all who took time to shop and wrap and to those who made donations so that every gift wish could be granted. Gifts included CD players, portable DVD players, an embossed Bible, small televisions, a Karaoke machine, a Nintendo DS, a leapfrog system, games, CD s, DVD s, books, puzzles, a cowboy hat and bolo, lots of bath and beauty items and clothing, a disco ball, and a lava lamp. Thanks for the Legacy of Music--What a blessing to enjoy the beautiful music on the CD Legacy Christmas, published this year for Presbyterian Women. From sales to members of our congregation, we raised $450.00. Half the proceeds go to Living Waters of the World (our clean water project) and half to the 2014 Birthday Offering recipients. Thank you all! Thanks for Delicious Holiday Meals--On December 5, we served a delicious catered dinner to around 85 people at the annual Joy Gift Dinner. The following day at noon, PW served mouth-watering chili to those who attended the first of the Thursday Advent Concerts. Thanks to all who decorated, shopped, prepared food, and cleaned after both meals. Thanks for Another Mission Fulfilled--As you know, Albertson s has just concluded a campaign wherein shoppers could trade stamps for dishes. As a result of the generosity of our congregation, we received enough stamps to accumulate sixteen four-piece plate settings of Rachael Ray fiesta-style dishes, plus some extra bowls. All these dishes will be given to victims of disasters through our local contacts. Thank you so very much for helping with this mission. DATES TO REMEMBER! PW Council February 10, 11:00 AM Josephine Beck Circle February 11, 10:00 AM Elizabeth Ann Greisser Circle February 18, 10:00 AM Zelle Moore Circle February 20, 6:30 PM
NEW PATEN & CHALICE SET SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG How often we have opened the hymnal at our pew and smiled as we read the bookplate! In fact, the same hymnals are not at the same pews each week. The names or those honored or memorialized all have reverent ties to First Presbyterian Church. We ask you to look next Sunday at the name or names in the hymnals close to you. You have an opportunity to honor or remember a loved one in our new hymnal, Glory to God. Approximately 123 of the 219 new hymnals have already been personalized. Please pick up an envelope at the Sanctuary entrance or contact Patricia Thomas in the Church Office to participate in this offering. The cost of each hymnal is $20.00. If you wish to donate an accompaniment edition, the cost is $75.00. ONGOING FINANCIAL STATUS SAVE THE DATE DECEMBER YEAR-TO-DATE Actual Budget Actual Budget Income $51,547.58 $34,013.33 $480,114.06 $408,160.00 Expenses 38,859.74 38,079.92 412,792.15 456,959.00 Net Income (Loss) $12,687.84 ($4,066.59) $67,321.91 ($48,799.00) July 28 - August 1, 2014 TEXAS PRESBYTERIAN FOUNDATION DECEMBER Principal Amount Invested $114,628.00 Income Earned Since Inception 9,806.00 Subtotal $124,435.00 Unrealized Gains Since Inception 26,363.00 Total Value of TPF Funds $150,798.00 MUSIC DIRECTOR SEARCH The Director of the Music Search Committee has posted on the Presbyterian Association of Music website our interest in hiring a music director. As always, thanks to Jim Works for so graciously leading us through this interim period. 2014 COMMITTEES Christian Ed. - Jessica Sharp, Moderator Diaconate - Pat Baker, Moderator Evangelism - Charles Jackson, Moderator Erin Gloster, Member Nominating - Larry Davis, Moderator Permanent Funds - Cordell Klein, Moderator Personnel - Sallie Dill, Moderator Denzer Burke & Karen Flowers, Members Property - Ronnie Walraven, Moderator Don Johnson, Member Stewardship - Lucy Sarrett, Moderator Worship - Gail Cogbill, Moderator Karen Flowers, Member
ANGEL QUILTS JANUARY 1, 2014 At the beginning of 2014, Angel Quilts stepped back to reflect on the 2013 year and to praise God not only for all the blessings received by the cancer patients who have received the quilts, but also for the quilters themselves. Since Angel Quilts began in 2000, the quilters have made and distributed over 1300 quilts. This is an average of 200-300 quilts a year. This is possible because of the commitment and love from the quilters at all three churches involved: First Baptist Moores Lane, Williams Memorial Methodist, and First Presbyterian, Arkansas. Each church has 12-15 quilters that come faithfully. Some do not stay but take work home. Many not only come and stay, but also take work home. Each quilter is asked to pray over whatever part of the quilt they are working on. The end product is a quilt which brings to the cancer patient warmth, comfort, and the hope that only Jesus Christ can give. The patient continues to be prayed for and at the end of six weeks, a card of encouragement is sent reminding the patient that they are in the thoughts and prayers of the quilters. The wonderful experiences the cancer patients relate can only be a result of the Lord taking care of the details of their lives and illness. After their treatments, these patients say they continue to wrap up in their quilt as a reminder of the long journey they have made and how someone who did not know them cared enough to make them a very useful quilt. New quilters come every week to the three Angel Quilt programs, and even more are needed. Any skill is needed: from ironing and washing, to hand and machine quilting. The schedule is as follows: First Baptist Moores Lane meets on Thursday from 9:00 to 12:00 in the Seniors Gathering Room. Williams Memorial Methodist meets on Tuesday from 2:00 to 4:00 in the 5 th and 6 th grade classroom. First Presbyterian Church meets on Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 in the Angel Wing of the Education Annex. Come join us, spend whatever time you can, and join in the blessings. Remember Jesus said, When you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me. Contact Beth Morgan, (903) 791-0349 for more information. DIACONATE FIRST QUARTER MISSION As a first quarter mission, the Diaconate has chosen The Sharing Place at First Presbyterian Church. The Sharing Place gives clothes and other household goods to people less fortunate. We encounter between 20-50 people every Thursday and there are always a lack of some specific Items. Listed are some things we are in need of at this time: Underwear; socks and tennis shoes of all sizes, including women s, men's, and children; and jeans of all sizes, especially men s sizes 32 and 34. We always need children s clothes and shoes. Bedding and blankets are often requested. A box for donations will be located by the round table outside the Fellowship Hall. Thank you for your donations and support. Pat Baker, Diaconate Moderator THANK YOU NOTE 12/14/13 Dear John & Susan, Thank you both and all the members of our church for your prayers and all the other things everyone in the church does for us. God Bless this church and all the Staff and members. Love, Louis & Dian Acruman FEBRUARY STEWPOT CLASS A FURTHER & DETAILED EXPLANATION OF FPC S NEW GENERATION TO GENERATION PROGRAM: Week 1 - Weeks 2 - Week 3 - Week 4 - WORSHIP/STUDY SCHEDULE SUNDAY Worship Brown Bag Replay 26 Radical Launch / Matt. 4:12-23 Kerygma / Matthew Kingdom Snapchats / Matt. 5:1-12 Communion & SouperBowl of Caring Where Is Your Light Shining?/ Matt. 5:13-20 Have You Got the Heart?/ Matt. 5:21-37 Kingdom Prime Directive: Do No Harm / Matt. 5:38-48 *STEWPOT See Article below for details. WEDNESDAY Family Night Supper 29 Hebrews FEBRUARY 2 Kerygma / Matthew STEWPOT* 9 Kerygma / Matthew STEWPOT 16 Kerygma / Matthew STEWPOT 23 Kerygma / Matthew STEWPOT THURSDAY Brown Bag Bible Study 30 A PROGRAM OF SPECIAL GIVING TO OUR NEW ENDOWMENT/PERMANENT FUNDS Introduction and Overview: by Rev. John Arnold Detailed legal information and implications regarding contributions to the Fund: by Charles Morgan Tax information concerning contributions to the Fund: by Gene Cogbill Q & A 5 12 19 26 6 13 20 27 Following worship on February 2, 2014, our Youth will be standing at each exit with a Soup Pot to collect donations for Texarkana Friendship Center, Inc. at 620 West 4 th Street, Texarkana, Texas. The Texarkana Friendship Center is a non-profit care provider rendering life sustaining assistance to the indigent and job training and placement for able bodied clients without regard to religious preference, political affiliation, sex, race, handicap or other classification.
January/February SUNDAYS 6:00 7:30 p.m. Youth Group DINNER/STUDY/PLAY/PRAYER (OUR STUDY FOR THE SPRING SEMESTER WILL BE THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW) WEDNESDAYS February 2 SouperBowl of Caring NO YOUTH TONIGHT February 9 Make Animal Treats for Valentines for Felines & Canines JANUARY 6:00 6:30 p.m. Family Night Supper 6:30 7:00 p.m. Youth Group Devo February 6:00 6:30 p.m. Family Night Supper 6:30 7:00 p.m. Stewpot (Yoga or Photography) WEEKLY EVENTS SUNDAY 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal 11:00 a.m. Worship 5:00 p.m. Brown Bag Bible Study Replay 6:00 p.m. Jr./Sr. High Youth Groups MONDAY 7:00 p.m. Tower Bells Practice WEDNESDAY 9:30 a.m. Card Ministry Team 6:00 p.m. Family Night Supper 6:30 p.m. Stewpot Classes 6:30 p.m. Godly Play 6:30 p.m. Godly Play Evergreen Residents 6:30 p.m. Jr./Sr. High Youth Groups 7:00 p.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal THURSDAY 9:00 a.m. Angel Quilts 10:00 a.m. The Sharing Place 12:00 p.m. Brown Bag Bible Study SPECIAL EVENTS SATURDAY, FEBURARY 1 2:00 p.m. Dean & Bob Ransdell - 50th Anniversary Reception SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2 12:00 p.m. Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday 5:00 p.m. Youth Council February Birthdays 6:00 p.m. Dinner for Randy Sams Shelter TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 6:00 p.m. C.E./Youth Director Search Committee Mtg. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 5:00 p.m. Christian Education Committee Meeting 5:15 p.m. Stewardship Committee Meeting THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6 5:30 p.m. Evangelism Committee Meeting MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10 11:00 a.m. PW Coordinating Team Meeting 12:00 p.m. Federal Retirees Meeting TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 7:00 a.m. Men s Breakfast 10:00 a.m. Josephine Beck Circle Annex Building WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12 5:00 p.m. Diaconate SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16 9:30 a.m. Godly Play Opportunities, Inc. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 10:00 a.m. Elizabeth Greisser Circle Library WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 12:00 p.m. Texarkana Animal League Board Mtg. 5:00 p.m. Worship Committee Meeting THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20 5:00 p.m. Session Meeting 6:30 p.m. Zelle Moore Circle Annex Building TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 7:00 a.m. Men s Breakfast Friday, January 31 Lockinpalooza VI Friday, February 14 Parent Night Out A Charlie Brown Christmas Party 5 - Rebecca Burns 5 - Jason Morgan 5 - Jeff Morgan 5 - Catherine Olivet 8 - Josh Davis 9 - Mark Bryant 9 - Taylor Sexton 9 - Jonah Tackett 10 - Lucy Sarrett 10 - Brenda Williams 12 - Jonathan Anthony 12 - Dora Mae Dyer 14 - Helen Newman 14 - Lisa Norton 15 - Justin Davis 16 - Susan Cogell 17 - Anna Kate Jordan 17 - Claire Norton 18 - Will Gloster 18 - Rodney LeBoeuf 19 - Robert Ransdell 20 - Matthew Solomon 22 - Keith Anthony 22 - Reagon Thompson 24 - Emily Jackson 24 - Lary Walker 28 - Alan Solomon February Anniversaries 5 - Florence & George Crank 7 - Nancy & Ben Sandefur 8 - Chris & Ronnie Walraven 14 - Ann & Denzer Burke 24 - Melanie & Andrew Gloster 27 - Kathy & Ned Stewart