Ellensburg Pres Press M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R F R O M E L L E N S B U R G P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C H Volume 8 Issue 4 April, 2017 From the Pastor s Desk Easter comes a little late this year. For Protestants we have a formula that s based off the way Jews decide when Passover will be and that s based off a lunar calendar. That s why Easter can vary between March and April. We will be doing pretty much what we have been doing for the last few years for Holy Week. --Sunday, April 9 will be Palm Sunday, with normal worship services. --Thursday, April 13 will be Maundy Thursday and we will have a 7pm worship service in the sanctuary. We will share communion, but our focus will be more on Jesus death with a service of shadows (Tenebrae) closing --Sunday, April 16 is Easter and we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with our normal 9am & 11am worship services. Of course, we expect a few more people than most Sundays, so you might need to get to church just a little bit earlier than normal to get that pew you ve sat in for 20 years. We will also share an Easter brunch between services, between 10am and 11am. There is no cost, but we do need some food donations and a lot of help. There are sign-up sheets on the kitchen If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? counter, so please if you are able sign up to help make this wonderful fellowship time happen. I do hope that you will prepare your own heart for Easter. We seem to be losing the true importance of Easter, even in the church. Without the resurrection, Christianity would not exist. Nothing Jesus did would have been worth remembering. I like how Tim Keller puts it: If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? Let me close with some words of CS Lewis about the importance of Easter: The Resurrection is the central theme in every Christian sermon reported in the Acts. The Resurrection, and its consequences, were the gospel or good news which the Christians brought: what we call the gospels, the narratives of Our Lord s life and death, were composed later for the benefit of those who had already accepted the gospel. They were in no sense the basis of Christianity: they were written for those already converted. The miracle of the Resurrection, and the theology of that miracle, comes first: the biography comes later as a comment on it. The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection. Inside this issue: Session Members and Deacons 2 Youth News 3 ECO Relief/ Easter Bouquets 4 Scripture Readings 5 Children s Ministry/ Backpack Program 6 Calendar 7 Sunday Worship Schedule 9:00am Contemporary Service 11:00am Traditional Service Pastor: Rev. Al Sandalow Children s Ministries Director: Lindsey Haney Youth Director: Chris Hagan
Around the Church Come celebrate God s greatest gift with us! Pastor Al Keep the Date: April 8 Keep the Time: 8:00 a.m. Keep in Mind: Spring Clean-up all around the church We are asking that you come armed to rake, prune, clean, wash, whatever comes to hand. Current Session Members & Ministry Responsibilities/Deacons ELDERS John Barker Youth* Jim Davis Stewardship Roger Glaser Nominating* Gregg Hall Properties* John Harbaugh Worship and Music Dan Hiersche Worship and Music Rick Holmstrom Properties John MacRae Stewardship/Personnel Alice McMechan Mission* Chuck Norelius Coord. of Docs. Deanna Pringle Education* Lyle Smith Properties Ginny Sorenson Worship and Music* Rick Vaughan Small Groups* Pat Walton Mission Judy Wright Congregational Life* Marilyn Charlton Clara Davis Julile Hiersche Clay McMechan Gordon Pross Fritz Wichterman DEACONS Julie Cutts Susan Hanson Shirley Hood Steve Noyes Kay Stern Sandra Zech The office of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of sympathy, witness, and service after the example of Jesus Christ. It is the duty of deacons, first of all, to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress both within and beyond the community of faith. Page 2 E LLENSBURG
Keeping Up With Our Chris Hagan Rock: Rock will be wrapping up their series on dealing with life's pain and struggles. Using Colossians 3:12-17, we will see how we can make a difference in the life of a friend who's going through the process of healing and change. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a group of Christians living in a city located in modern-day Turkey. In chapter 3, Paul addresses what it means to be a follower of Jesus - specifically, the new life we experience because of this relationship with Christ. The passage we examined offers a wealth of practical ways to display love and concern for other Christians, but these truths can extend to all of our relationships. God wants us to be kind, merciful, gentle, patient, forgiving, and loving to all people, not just fellow followers of Jesus. As you talk with your teenager about this lesson, here are some questions you might want to incorporate: Sometimes we feel like our problems are too big for God-or too small for Mission God to care! Why Ministry do we have those here on earth? Notes from Mary Kraft thoughts? How might your words or your presence help a friend in the process of healing and change? Think about your friendship with God - your faith as a Christian. How have you seen your trust grow recently? What has helped your trust in God grow? Thanks for your prayers for our ministry. Have a great April! BASIC: We re continuing our series focusing on the theme Friends and Family. By studying different Scripture passages, students are discovering the eternal value of relationships with God and with one another. In this second lesson, we explored Matthew 12:46-50, where Jesus teaching is interrupted by the arrival of his mother and brothers, who want to speak to him. Jesus uses this opportunity to invite the crowd to become part of his heavenly family by saying, Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother! This week, we hope you ll consider spending a few minutes talking with your teenager about our lesson. You can build your conversation around one or all of these questions: If Jesus had pointed to you in a crowd and called you his family member, what thoughts would have raced through your mind, and why? Our relationship with Jesus transcends time and space because it s eternal. Knowing that Jesus invites you into an eternal relationship, how can your love for him change the way you value your relationships Jesus invites us to care for and love each other just as he loves us. What does it look like to love someone the way Jesus loves them? Thanks for all your prayers for our students and our ministry. Have a great April! Girl s Night!: Kelsey Shibley will be leading the middle school Girl s Night on Thursday April 13 and 27 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. It s a fun time to hang out, eat food, watch movies, and have meaningful conversations. You can contact Kelsey for more information at 509-539-4826. Guy s Night!: Middle school guys are invited to hang out on the night of Thursday, April 6! We ll meet from 6pm to 8pm. We ll play board games, watch movies, and get to know one another better. Invite your friends! 30 Hour Famine April 1-2: WHAT: For 30 hours, we re going hungry to raise funds to help hungry children around the world. WHY: Every day, nearly 8,000 kids are dying from hunger-related causes. The clock is ticking and we are taking action now! HOW YOU CAN HELP: 1. Give. Every $35 we raise can help feed and care for a child for one month. Make checks out to World Vision and give them to Chris Hagan. 2. Participate. You are invited to participate in the 30 Hour Famine with our students. It is a great opportunity to get to know the students of our youth ministry and to work together to help alleviate poverty and hunger. 3. Pray. Ask God to bring us together and to help those in need every day. Orcas Mentor Lock-In: The Lock- In for Orcas mentors is April 28 29. We ll leave at 5:00pm to be in the Tri -Cities by 7:00pm. This is mandatory for Orcas mentors! Important training and teambuilding time also a lot of fun! Make sure to put this on your calendar if you are an Orcas mentor! Senior Recognition Sunday: The end of school the school year is rapidly approaching! Between services on Sunday, June 4 our congregation will be recognizing the achievements VOLUME 8 ISSUE 4 Page 3
ECO Relief Fund By Mary Kraft There will be a Special Offering, Sunday, April 9 when our church will have a special offering for our own ECO Relief Fund. This special offering will provide life changing funds as we share to bring people to Christ, help people change their lives and respond to disasters. This year our funds will go to the Outreach Foundation to support schools for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon, the Ellensburg Christian School for scholarships and to Marcus and Helen Wolf to expand their ministry in the Ukraine. We are a church congregation full of compassion and prepared to surrender our resources and our time for those crying out for help. Just as Christ sacrificed for us, we are will- ing to sacrifice for our sisters and brothers in need. Please pray about how you can financially contribute to the ECO Relief Fund. We invite you to make your donation in the enclosed envelope and join together as the body of Christ to tangibly share the love of God. Easter Bouquets Being mindful of those who are allergic to the sometimes overpowering aroma of the Easter lilies, the Chancel Committee will have some flowering pots and mixed flowers for the Easter season. If you would like to donate toward the purchase of these plants, in memory or honor of a loved one, please do so by April 10. If you want to donate a plant, other than lilies, please bring them to the church by April 14. Please fill out the form below and leave it on the secretary s desk or call her at the church office (925-3149). Name Donating: Money Plant In Memory/Honor of: (circle one) Page 4 E LLENSBURG
From the Lectionary April 2 Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45 April 9, Palm Sunday Palms: Matthew 21:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2,19-29 Passion: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16 Matthew 26:14-27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54 April 13, Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-4(5-10),11-14; Psalm 116:1-2,12-19 I Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17,31b-35 April 16, Resurrection Sunday Acts 10:34-43 or Jeremiah 31:1-6 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 or Acts 10:34-43 John 20:1-18, or Matthew 28:1-10 April 23 Acts 2:14, 22-32; Psalm 16 I Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31 Volunteer Opportunities HELPING HANDS Please volunteer for a Sunday. It s easy, and there are detailed instructions for you. There is a sign-up sheet on the office window. It requires a little extra of your time on Sunday. It does not obligate you for any more Sundays than what you decide to serve, on whatever dates you choose. April 30 Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-4,12-19 I Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35 Prayer Concerns and Requests Prayers for our Military Remember our young men and women in the Military service and ROTC: Troy Smith, Bob Mykleby, Andy Stedman, Andrew McKenzie, Will McKenzie, Joe Thomas, Tony Miles, Drew Kastning, Erik Holmstrom, Jen Holmstrom, Dave Moser, Jason Lorraine, Brandon Taylor, Patrick Hampton, Andrew J. Potter, Mark Thacker, Brad Miller, Jack Barry, Colton Carson, Shane Bowers TO START A PRAYER REQUEST If you have a prayer request during the week, you may call the office from 8:00am to 3:00pm, 925-3149. For evening and weekend requests, call Stephanie Mills at 925-1961. VOLUME 8 ISSUE 4 Page 5
Children s Ministry by Lindsey Haney Praise Jesus! The snow has finally melted! The kids are outside playing all day and they don t care that it s still 40 degrees, the snow is gone. I know many of the parents feel the same way I do and it s apparent in the Sunday School classes as welllots of antsy kids! I like to give a brief summary of what the kids are learning and what we have up next, so here it is Easter. I know, it hasn t come yet, however there is so much more to Easter than chocolate bunnies and jelly beans. There s more than Jesus dying on the cross and an empty tomb. There s everything leading up to those moments; the final supper, betrayal, crowds of people both loving and loathing Jesus, and of course the cross and tomb. We are really taking our time this year delving in. The older two classes learned hands on about the significance of communion and how that plays into Easter. They washed each other s feet entering the class, and (Thanks Pastor Al!), we used a birthday cake and grape juice to help teach the kids about the bread and grape juice we take each month. We will continue really delving in to Easter and then I don t know, to be honest. I m feeling led to take a breather from such heavy topics and spend a few weeks on God s creation. Maybe we can take the act outside and look for signs of Spring and highlight God s handiwork in even the smallest creatures. Its easy to overlook parts of Creation as we are racing from place to place, but when you spend time holding a child s hand looking for signs of spring it really makes you slow down and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. One last note-vbs is June 26-30. We need help, lots of help and I will be coming for you. I m reading through skits and finding people to fill parts -so don t be surprised if I jump on you one Sunday. Please be thinking about how you can help putting together shops, donating snacks, leading a group, practicing crafts, shopping for supplies. There s so much EVERYONE can have a piece of the fun! My e-mail is: smiles4dayz27@outlook.com Backpack Program Update by Mary Kraft What happens when over 30 volunteers from the church work together to provide weekend food bags for children in our community? 108 children now have access to adequate nutrition on the weekends These children feel better, think better and do better in school These same children feel loved and cared for God s love is shared God has showered each of us with his love and blessings. As we recently read in Becoming a Contagious Christian, we are to be the conduits of God s love, not reservoirs. Mother Theresa put it well: The wire is you and me; the current is God, she said. We have the power to let the current pass through us, use us and produce the light of the world Jesus. Let our lives become more Christlike so that we become increasingly contagious to others. Page 6 E LLENSBURG
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 2 Each Sunday 9:00am Worship (Nursery, Infants 4yrs) Kids Sunday School following Children s Sermon 10:00am Chancel Choir Rehearsal 11:00am Worship (Nursery, Infants 4yrs) 2 Communion Communion 5:30pm Deacons 6:30pm B.A.S.I.C. 10am One Service 3 4 5 6 11am Craft Group starts up 9:30am Craft Women 1:30pm Cone Women 5 7 3-8pm Quilters 1 6 7 8 8 9 8 9 10 11 5:30pm Deacons 9:30am Craft Group 12 13 14 15 5:30pm Worship Tm 11 6:30pm B.A.S.I.C. 12 6:30pm Session prayer 7:00pm 8:30am Session Prayer for EPC 13 9:30am Craft Women 1:30pm Cone Women 3-8pm Quilters 14 15 16 15 16 6:30pm 10am B.A.S.I.C. Easter Breakfast 17 6:30pm Session Prayer 7:00pm Session 18 9:30am Craft Group 19 3-8pm Quilters 20 21 22 5:30pm Worship Tm 18 6:30pm B.A.S.I.C. 12:30pm All-Church Picnic, Mt View Park 23 19 24 20 9:30am Craft Women 1:30pm Cone Women 25 21 26 22 23 22 27 28 29 9:30am Craft Group 3-8pm Quilters 6:30pm B.A.S.I.C. 7pm Ministries Night 5:30pm Worship Tm 30 Each Sunday 6:30pm B.A.S.I.C. 9:00am Worship (Nursery, Infants 4yrs) Sunday School after Children s Sermon (K 5th gr.) 10:00am Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Chapel 11:00am Worship (Nursery, Infants 4yrs) VOLUME 8 ISSUE 4 Page 7
MON THLY NEW SLET TER F RO M ELLEN SBURG P RESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1307 East Third Ellensburg, WA 98926 Non Profit Organization US Postage PAID Ellensburg, WA Permit #123 Phone: 509 925-3149 E-mail: firstpresbyterian@elltel.net RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED We re on the web www.eburgpres.org Upcoming Events April 8, 8am- Noon, All- Church Clean up in preparation for Easter. All hands are welcome. 10-11am, Easter Breakfast April 16, By Mastroianni and Hart Ellensburg Pres Press Is published for our members and friends. To receive a free subscription, or for more information about our church, please call or stop by the office. Articles and suggestions are welcomed. Office Hours: Monday Friday, 8 am 3 pm Phone: 509-925-3149 Next newsletter deadline is noon, April 18, 2017