Midweek: Wednesday, February 1st, 2023.

 

Midweek 2-1-23

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Colossians1:3

In This Issue:           

•    Music Notes & Music Memorabilia                
•    Live and Learn
•   Parking Information Update
•   Reminders & Celebrations
•  Connections Coming in February!  
•  Zionsville Banquet!
•  PPM Update
• Session Updates Covid Safety Protocols
• What’s on the Calendar?
• What is our business in the kingdom?
• Book Review: Stories of My Life by Katherine Paterson

“. . . 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.

Music Memorabilia: (This info has run a few times. It will run here this last time; any further questions or concerns, please contact Gretel in the office.) 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.

Live and Learn on Saturdays: Live & Learn Saturday February 4^th. Senior Exercise at 10:30, lunch following- between 11:30 and 11:45, study following – around 12:30. The study will be a Psalms Study with Gretel, on Psalm 52, with a peek at 1 Samuel 21 and 22 for reference. Look forward to seeing you there! 

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: Please welcome Neal Crouse as liturgist for February. Greeter for Sunday, Feb.4^th is Bess Wilkes. 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 Steve Whipkey, 2/6; Cindy Walters, 2/7; Evan Whipkey, 2/8!

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!

PPM Update: What a great start to February! Can you believe we are starting enrollment for the 2023-24 school year this month. We have received our new benches thanks to a grant from Boone County Solid Waste Management. We have one bench in the courtyard, and one placed in the playground. We are also getting ready to add a sunshade and a few more items to the play area. We also have received a grant through United Way to enhance our literacy curriculum. We will be purchasing re-telling story kits and brand-new books to go with the kits. The teachers can use these items for story time and for their learning centers. With the grant we will be able to purchase a brand-new book for each child from a list of 100 books to read before kindergarten. March 21st we will be hosting a Family Night with storyteller Mary Jo Huff and dinner for the families. We are excited to host this event. 

This month, I ask that you pray for our PREK teachers Mrs. Vickery and Mrs.Toleos's and their classes. Mrs. Vickery is in her second year at PPM and her husband Caleb is a Lebanon Police Officer. Mrs Toleos is in her third year at PPM. She and her husband Steve have 3 kids, the oldest Nick is in the service. Both of these teachers do an amazing job preparing our PREK students for kindergarten. 

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for PPM staff, and families, Lori Rowe 

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.

What’s on the Calendar? We now move into the second month of the new year. On Sunday, Jan. 29^th, Ben Piper asked how our new year’s resolutions are going. In case your new year’s resolution includes keeping up to date with what is going on at FPC, here is a reminder of how you can keep tabs on us. The FPC website - lebanonfpc.org – keeps an updated calendar on the homepage. On the bulletin board in the hallway across from the office is kept a list of the liturgists, greeters, and treat-bringers for the year. Also on the bulletin board is a current copy of the Midweek. Each week there are copies of the current Midweek printed for you to take home and left on the narrow table in the lobby hallway. In the office there are two different calendars: one is a dry-erase calendar on which is the current month. If you want a quick glance or need to add a church function for that month, you are welcome to do so. The other calendar is a PC(USA) calendar for the year. If you need to check future months or need to add a church event for future months, this is where to do so. Please consult Gretel when adding events. If she is not present, please make additions to the year-long calendar in pencil. In addition to the above methods, Lisa Hutcheson manages the Facebook page for FPC. For those of you who enjoy Facebook, this may be a good method of interaction for you.

It is hard to keep up with everything these days, isn’t it? Let us know how we can help you be comfortable with joining in FPC functions and how we can help you be aware of what is going on. 

What is our business in the kingdom?  

"For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place . . . and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 

The apostle Paul instructed the early church in Thessalonica to "study to be quiet", in other words: out of a love of honor, strive to lead a quiet life, not running hither and thither but minding their own business, holding their peace. Here in this passage in the book of Esther, Mordecai seems to warn Esther of the danger of holding her peace. Are these two instructions for Godly living contrary to one another?

            Mordecai realized the Jews needed some R & R: relief (enlargement) and rescue (deliverance). Would Esther help? She was in a perfect position to do so, but it would cost her. Was she willing to take the risk? Am I? Are we? I pray we would each be able to live out our faith out of a love of honor. From that position, I pray that we would strive to be focused and purposeful in our days, not running hither and yon in a sense of chaos and confusion, but rather seeking first to be still and quiet before the Lord, then following in obedience what He has given us to do.

            When we are presented with a challenge, can we see God’s sovereign hand at work in our lives? Do we recognize that He is personally involved with the details of our lives? Do we believe that He invites us to be a part of the work He is already doing? There will be times in our lives when we indeed need to be quiet, to hold our peace. There will be other times when we must not hold our peace. May God grant us discernment to know the difference. May God grant us courage to take the first step. May we have ears to hear when it is God’s voice speaking and eyes to see when it is God’s Hand leading.

Heavenly Father, what have You brought us to the Kingdom for today? Scripture tells us: "For such a time as this.” What time is it, Lord? In praise and honor, we bow before You. Amen. 

B&B Review (Books & Blessings Review): Stories of My Life by Katherine Paterson. Are you familiar with any of the following books: Bridge to Terabitha, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Jacob Have I Loved, The Master Puppeteer? Katherine Paterson is the author of these great works of literature and more. She has won numerous awards including the Newbery Medal, a Newbery Honor, the National Book Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, and the Hans Christian Anderson Medal, as well as over one hundred other awards and honors. She was named “a Living Legend” by the Library of Congress in 2000 and served as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in 2010-2011. In Stories of My Life, she shares her childhood background growing up on the mission field, her own experiences as a missionary, her Presbyterian faith, as well as an inside look into how bits of her life influenced her writing and a behind-the-scenes reveal of being a multiple time award winner. Katherine Paterson’s life is a fascinating read. Be warned: once you start this book, you will get little else done until you’ve reached the last page! This book is now a part of the FPC library and can be found resting on the library shelf (uncatalogued), waiting for you to come and visit and take it home for a companionable read.

                       

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

Dear Heavenly Father, We come to you in grateful praise for small blessings: sunshine, warmth, food, shelter, coffee, fluffy pillows. We come to you in overflowing thanksgiving for blessings beyond measure: compassion and care from loved ones, comfort from pets, children’s laughter, safety, sanctuary. We rest in peace in Your sanctuary, both the literal one attached to the name of this church body as well as the sanctuary for our souls which we find in You. When we stray from Your side, may You gently tap our shoulder and lead us home. When we ignore Your gentle touch, we ask that You be consistent and patient with us. We trust Your longsuffering nature, Your mercy, and Your everlasting love. Amen.