Midweek 2-22-23
In This Issue:
- Music Notes
- Live and Learn
- Reminders &
Celebrations
- Safety Procedures
Reminders
- Ash Wednesday Service Tonight!
- Lenten Devotional To
Share!
- Adult Sunday School &
Nursery
- Zionsville Banquet!
- PPM Update
- Storing God’s Word in Your Heart, part 2
- Amen!
- Hymn Made Personal
“. . . that we may be mutually
encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Romans 1:12
Music Notes: For Ash Wednesday, 2-22, Chancel
Choir will practice at 6pm before the service at 7. There will also be a
rehearsal on Thursday, 2-23, at 7-8:30pm to rehearse the anthem, introit, and
choral benediction for this coming Sunday.
Live and
Learn on Saturdays: Live
& Learn, Saturday the 25th, Luke Ch. 4 with Pastor Je. 11:30am
lunch and study.
Reminders: Thank
you to Neal Crouse for being our liturgist for February. Liturgist for March
will be Margi McConnaha. We do not have a greeter or treat bringer signed up
for Sunday the 26th.Have a question on what to do or what is
required/expected of a greeter? Send your questions to Gretel in the office and
she will answer them for you.
If you wish to bring something to share, it does not
have to be a baked good. It can be a store-bought item. It can be fruit or
veggies – feel free to be creative and bring what sounds good to you.
Please add your name to the list for greeters or
treat/bringers or contact Gretel in the office. Please stay for a cup of coffee
and a chat after the service and enjoy the presence of your spiritual family.
“Congratulations to you! We celebrate with you! Know that we love you, and God loves you
too!” Happy birthday to Leanna Woody, 2/23!
Happy birthday to Teresa Brannon, 2/29! Happy anniversary to Dan and Lisa Erwin,
2/29!
Safety Procedures Reminders: (Every so often these reminders need to
be sent out. There is no cause for concern or alarm, just a friendly jog for
your memory.) For the
safety and well-being of the children in the building during school hours,
please remember and act in accordance with the following:
- Sign-in on the clipboard on the
hallway-bulletin-board. This lets us know who was here and when
- When
entering or exiting the building, do not let anyone in. Do not hold the door for anyone unless
they are in your party. As uncomfortable as that may be (and we thank you for
being naturally gracious and friendly individuals), we need to let each person
enter separately. If the person entering is a preschool parent, they will have
their own key-fob allowing them entrance. If they are a church member with a
key, they can let themselves in. If they are a stranger or guest, they must go
through Gretel in the church office or Lori Rowe in the PPM office. If someone
desires entrance and you do not know them, no matter what they ask or what they
tell you, they must stay on the other side of the door. Please let the door
close and alert Gretel to their presence. Thank you for your cooperation in these
matters.
Ash
Wednesday Service Tonight! Joint service at FPC with Central
Christian Church: 7pm. There will be an offering time during this
service. What is collected will be donated to The Caring Center.
Lenten
Devotional To Share! Via email earlier this week, the Lenten
Devotional was sent to each of you in digital copy. As explained in that email,
that is a view-only copy. There are printed copies available in the church sanctuary.
If you would like a printed copy mailed to you, please contact Gretel in the
office and let her know. The devotional is designed to begin today, but never fear
– don’t have one? Contact Gretel. It actually starts the first day on Sunday
the 26th. But if you ever miss a day, just jump in where you are and
enjoy from there. Join us as we take time each day during Lent to consider our
Lord Jesus Christ through His Word and in prayer. May God bless this time for
each of you and speak to you as you seek Him.
Adult Sunday School: Sunday School is now in
session: Sundays in the church library from 9:00 to 10:15. Meeting Jesus at
the Table is an 8-week Lenten Bible study. Books are $11.05 each plus tax.
Imagine yourself going on a glorious and nourishing progressive dinner. At each
stop we gather at a different table with Jesus, learning how to love, serve,
and expand the hospitality of God's grace to others. Please come and join the
feast. Debbie Crouse will be leading the study.
Nursery: We
have space for a nursery for ages infant to 3 yrs. but need a couple of
volunteers to take care of the children during the 10:30 service. If you feel
you are being called to be a part of this ministry, please call Gretel and let
her know.
Zionsville
Banquet! The
Zionsville Spring Great Banquets are just around the corner! The Women's
Banquet: March 2-5; Men's Banquet: March 16-19. Location: Zionsville
Presbyterian Church. Complete the Guest Application at www.zpc.org/great-banquet/. There is room at His
table, and you are invited!
PPM Update: PPM has been enjoying this warmer weather and the
opportunity to be outside. They have a few classes already full for next year
and registration for the community begins March 1st. They are so
blessed to have a strong program and staff. Please continue to pray for
the Pre-K teachers, Mrs. Vickery and Mrs. Toloeos and the children in
their classrooms. All of the Pre-K kids will be going to kindergarten
this fall; we will miss them. PPM will host parent-teacher
conferences the week of March 13th. Correction from a few weeks ago, the Family
engagement night will be April 11th with Mary Jo Huff.
PPM is excited to expand their
outdoor learning environment this Spring, adding a few more items to
the courtyard.
The most exciting news
is a praise and a prayer request. Brooke LeMay, teacher of Preschool 2, delivered
twins Tuesday morning! Please pray for her healing and recovery, as well as for
her new sons: Oakley Ellis and Maverick Michael. They were born a month early
and so are being carefully monitored. They are both on feeding tubes presently,
but the hope and prediction is that they will be off of those soon. Brooke has
four additional children, ranging in ages from 2 to 8 years old. We praise God that
Mama and babies are healthy, but we realize she will have her hands full and
will appreciate extra prayer.
Storing
God’s Word in Your Heart: Do you have trouble memorizing scripture?
It doesn’t have to be a task passed off to the younger (if you are older), or
saved for when you’re older (if you are younger). Here are a couple suggestions
as to how to make learning scripture easier:
- Put
it to a tune. Have a favorite song? Set your chosen scripture verse to music.
Or choose a well-known tune like Old MacDonald; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; the
alphabet song; or the tune from a Christmas song. For example, try singing Psalm
27:1 & 2 to the tune for Joy to the World.
- Use
actions. Look at your verse and think of actions for key words. And/or: Group
the verse into sections and choose an action for each section. Feel embarrassed
for someone at home to see you do actions to the verse? Do it in your closet when
you are getting ready for your day or try it in the shower – just don’t slip! Or
don’t physically do it, just think it through. Suggestions: Let’s try this with
a verse you may already know: John 3:16. For God: point up. So loved:
cross your arms over your chest. The world: make a large circle with
your arms. That He Gave: put your arms together out in front of you like
you are handing out a gift. His Only Begotten Son: move your arms to a
cradle position like you are rocking a baby. Now . . . it’s your turn! What can
you come up with for the last half of that verse? Challenge: What actions could
you do for John 3:17?
"So Mordecai went his way, and did
according to all that Esther had commanded him." Esther 4:17
What I think of today
as I read of Mordecai's departure is the word "Amen". It means
faithful. It means "so be it" or "so it is". It is said in
closure to a prayer. It is spoken as a word of agreement to what was just said.
It is a way of expressing the desire: "May it be so." It seems
to me that, in essence, Mordecai's departure here says all of that.
Mordecai went to
Esther, asking for her help. Is there someone coming to us for our help,
Lord? He knew a need much greater than himself, a need that could not be
ignored. He knew he could not meet that need on his own, but there was
something he could do. He could ask Esther for help. Is there a need we can
see, Lord, but can identify as much greater than ourselves? Is there something
we can do, in even some small part? May we be faithful. Lord, as Mordecai was
faithful.
Mordecai was heard.
Esther agreed to help. When he went his way, he did so in agreement with what
Esther had committed to. When Mordecai went his way, surely he did so with a
prayer in his heart: "May it be so." May we act as God leads and as God
calls. Mordecai's faithfulness had not come to an end. There was more for him
to do. There was a new task now ahead of him. Lord God, grant us endurance
to finish the race with our eyes on the prize. May we be faithful in every task
we are given. Help us turn to the fellowship of the saints for help in
time of need and in time of celebration. Help us be available for those who may
ask us for help.
Hymn Made Personal. Are you familiar with the hymn
entitled “Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying”? Here are the words to this
prayer:
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.”
There was a time in my life when I prayed very seriously about the possibility
of fostering and/or adopting three children. They were siblings close in age to
my own children. My children and I knew them through our church. They were removed
from their home due to abuse, were placed in temporary custody, and were in
need of a loving, safe home. Every night during that period I would play the piano
as my children fell asleep and I would sing that song to them. It was my prayer
for those children as well as for my own. It eventually became clear to me that
our role was to support them in another fashion but not through providing a
home for them. We loved and cared for them as we were able, even as we watched,
grieved and prayed fervently for the difficult journey they were on. It is Ash
Wednesday today, and I share that story and this song as I consider our
relationship to our Heavenly Father. We are His children. Every one of us needs
a safe and loving place in which to abide. There is no place better in which to
dwell than in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through Him, our Heavenly
Father has taken us under His wing and offers protection and provision but also
great love, compassion, and tenderness. We may be small, needy, and but as ash
or dust, but the Lord loves us. The Lord laid down His life for us. Amen and
amen.
Interested in joining the
prayer chain? Contact Phyllis Duff at
(765)482-1485/
raduff2@att.net.
Heavenly Father, may we love You more and
more each day. May our first thought be praise to You as we greet Your beautiful
morning. As we watch the sun set and day slip to twilight, may our hearts
express gratitude for who You are. May we live our life as an "Amen" to
Your glory and majesty. Amen.
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