Midweek: Tuesday, January 24th, 2022.

 

Midweek 1-24-23

In This Issue:           

• Music Notes & Special Music-y Request       
• Worship Tea Meeting
•   Live and Learn
•   Ben Piper Preaching
•   Pastor Je on vacation
•   Parking Information Update
•          Reminders & Celebrations
•          Connections Coming in February!  
•          Zionsville Banquet!
•          Session Updates Covid Safety Protocols
•          How Do We Use Today? & Story to share

“. . . that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Romans 1:12

Music Notes: No upcoming rehearsals for Presbyterian Ringers or Chancel Choir. Chancel Choir Rehearsals will resume February 9^th.  The choir will sing on both Sunday, Feb.12^th and Sunday, Feb.26^th.

Special Music-y Request: Please bring, put in Jennie's mailbox, (or send digitally to jenniewoods1966@gmail.com) any pictures or memorabilia of the Chancel Choir, Presbyterian Ringers, Cherub Choir, Carol Choir, Cantatas, or worship ministry over the years so we can put together a display for a future celebration of worship at FPC.

Worship Team Meeting: There is a worship team meeting on Friday, January 27^th , at 6 pm. All are welcome to join. We thank you for your willingness and participation.

Live and Learn on Saturdays: Live & Learn Saturday January 28^th will be cancelled, due to the snowy weather predicted for this week. Gretel apologizes for the inconvenience and any disappointment she has caused! You all are brave in all kinds of weather, but the weather and Gretel do not always get along. So, to save last minute confusion, it will be cancelled, with the hopes of doing it on Feb.4^th. The study will be on Psalm 52, with a background study from 1 Samuel 21 and 22. Now you have extra time to read those portions of scripture & be ready to share & learn together. Thanks for the investment of your time & heart!

Ben Piper Preaching: Ben Piper will be preaching on January 29^th. Please come and support him. We look forward to how the Lord will speak to us through him.

Pastor Je on vacation: Pastor Je is on vacation this week. Please pray for him to receive the rest and rejuvenation he needs. Thank you for your prayers for your pastor and his family.

Parking Information Update: From the Session: Parking is available for Sunday church and Thursday night music practice in the Reporter lot on N. East Street and the Insurance Agency lot at the corner of N. East Street and Main Street. No parking in the Airy Time lot. There is no parking in the small lot on Main Street, but the larger lot directly behind it is public parking and you may park in that larger lot. Please observe the signs for those two lots. Thank you for your cooperation. We are all aware that parking is at a premium in downtown Lebanon. We desire to do the best we can to support you and provide for you in this area, so you can enjoy coming to worship at FPC.

Reminders: Liturgist for January is Arlene Quinn. Greeter for Sunday, Jan.29^th , will be Allen and Jennie Woods. Jennie Woods will also bring the treat For the 29^th. Sign-ups are on the hallway bulletin board for: Liturgists & Greeters & Treats. Please add your name to the lists or contact Gretel in the office and she can put you down for a spot.

“Congratulations to you! We celebrate with you! Know that we love you, and God loves you too!”   Happy birthday to Oliver Hutcheson on Jan. 24^th! Happy birthday to Steve Macpherson on Jan. 28^th!

Connections Coming in February! The date is yet to be determined but there will be a Connections Meeting in February. You will be notified once there is more information to share. 

Zionsville Banquet! The Zionsville Spring Great Banquets are just around the corner!  The Women's Banquet is March 2-5, and the Men's Banquet is March 16-19.  The Banquets are held at Zionsville Presbyterian Church.  Come enjoy food, fellowship, and the love and grace of Jesus Christ for 72 hours.  Complete the Guest Application at www.zpc.org/great-banquet/.  There is room at His table, and you are invited!

SESSION UPDATES COVID SAFETY PROTOCOLS: Please make note of the following pieces of information regarding the steps FPC is taking to maintain your safety and well-being:

- FPC will continue to place the offering plate on the table by the entrance. During the doxology the

plate will be brought forward to be placed on the Communion table.

- Communion will continue to be served in individual serving packets to be picked up at the door

before the service.

- On-line worship service will continue to be available

- Hymns and scripture verses will be shown on the screen, but Bibles and Hymn books will be

available in the pews.

- Masks continue to be optional.

- Congregational singing and Choir performances will continue.

- NEW: Regarding Pitch-ins: food will be served from the serving tables with the servers wearing

gloves.

How Do We Use Today?  " . . . and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. . . . Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:4b,13, 14

            Sometimes we want to brush away our troubles. We want to dismiss the heartaches we see around us, we want to bury our heads in the sand and pretend everything is fine. Or at least pretend it doesn't affect us or we don't have a responsibility to do something about it. I'm not going to presume that was Esther's intent when she sent a change of clothes to her uncle, or when she first rejected his plea for her assistance in bringing deliverance to their people. But I can acknowledge that there are times when the truth is hard for us to face.

            However, God told us clearly that it is His truth that sets us free. (Jn 8:32). I praise God for the confidence and faith Mordecai had in Him. Mordecai believed firmly that deliverance would come to his people, no matter what Esther chose. But he, and so God through him, gave Esther a choice: how would she use the time she had been given?

Mordecia's question to Esther is often read in light of what God have brought us to the kingdom for. What if God is giving us a choice? What if God is setting before us options, and giving us the liberty to exercise our free will to choose where to go next and how to serve? What are we to do then? Mustn't we, then, seek His face? (Mt.6:33; Ps.27:8). His truth will guide us to make the right choice. A desire to honor Him in all we do will act as a trustworthy guide.

            There are times when we must not "hold our peace". There are times when needed change depends, first, upon our willingness to open our mouth and move forward and, second, upon acting on that conviction. Mordecai raised Esther in a house of faith, and as we shall soon see, a house of prayer.

            I pray, dear Lord, that our homes would be homes of faith and prayer, and that those places of refuge and shelter would provide a firm foundation from which we and our children can answer the questions: What are we here for? How do we use today? And what affect will our choice have on our tomorrow? On someone else's tomorrow? I pray we would have confidence and faith in You to act upon the answer. You created each of us for a purpose, for a reason. May we reveal You to the world. May they see Your image in us. And may what they see draw them closer to You. Ever nearer, my God, to Thee. We must lean on You, Lord. We cannot accomplish any of this on our own. It is Your Kingdom. And so it is Your will that we seek. Amen.

Story to share . . . I had a dream last night and would like to share that story with you here.

            There was a meeting of a group of people. At this meeting, some conflict arose. People left feeling unsettled and concerned. Each person present at the meeting responded to this differently. Mr. Good-with-Numbers chose to draw up a plan of how the issue would affect the group financially, with suggested solutions as to how to best steward their resources, and he emailed it out to the group. Mr. Administrator decided another meeting was needed to sort through the present issues and come to a peaceful resolution. He looked at the calendar, chose a date that gave the group time to think but not too much time to forget or ignore or allow wounds to fester, and he emailed that suggestion off to the group. Miss Encourager chose to send a thank you card to each person who came to the meeting, as well as sympathy cards to those she knew were struggling and concerned. Miss Listener called each individual whom she knew was most distressed and set up a time to sit down with each of them, one on one, and have tea. They shared and she listened. They cried together. They laughed together, and they grasped each other’s hand. The prayer warriors began to take the issue to the Lord before they’d even reached home that evening. They went to the Lord’s throne each day until they received a peace about the matter.

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. . . . But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. . . . But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:4, 5, 18, 20)  Who are we in the body and how can God best use us? Perhaps He already is, and we are unaware. May God be glorified.                   

Interested in joining the prayer chain? Contact Phyllis Duff at (765)482-1485/ raduff2@att.net.

The following prayer comes from hymns #469, #468, and #471 in Glory to God Presbyterian Hymnal

Dear Heavenly Father, “Lord, listen to your children praying. Lord, send your Spirit in this place. Lord, listen to your children praying. Send us love; send us power; send us grace.”

“In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified. In my life, Lord, be glorified today.

In our church, Lord, be glorified; be glorified. In your church, Lord, be glorified today.

In your world, Lord, be glorified; be glorified. In your world, Lord, be glorified today.”

“O Lord, hear my prayer. O Lord, hear my prayer. When I call, answer me. O Lord, hear my prayer.

O Lord, hear my prayer. Come and listen to me.

The Lord is my song; the Lord is my praise: all my hope comes from God. The Lord is my song; the Lord is my praise: God, the well-spring of my life.”  Amen.