Midweek: Wednesday, February 8th, 2023.

 

Midweek 2-8-23

In This Issue:        

•        Music Notes         
•          Live and Learn
  
•          Parking Information Update
•          Reminders & Celebrations
•          Souper Bowl Sunday Supper
•          Connections Coming in February!  
•          Sound Enhancement Devices
•          Adult Sunday School
•          Nursery
•          Zionsville Banquet!
•          PPM Update
•          Session Updates Covid Safety Protocols
•          Standing In The Gap

“. . . 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. 

Live and Learn on Saturdays: Live & Learn Saturday February 11^th. Senior Exercise at 10:30, lunch following- between 11:30 and 11:45, study following – around 12:30. The study will be on the second chapter of Luke with Pastor Je.

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.12^th is Bob and Phyllis Duff. No treat bringer as there will be a communal lunch after the service on Feb. 12^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 Evan Whipkey, 2/8; Meredith Erwin, 2/16; and Michelle Dies, 2/19!

Souper Bowl Sunday Supper: The Worship Committee is inviting you to our Souper Bowl Sunday Supper this Sunday after worship.  You will be receiving a separate email from "Sign Up Genius".  Register your Name/Phone/Email address there and then you can sign up for what you would like to bring.  Can't wait to see you.  If you have any trouble signing up on sign Up Genius contact Jennie Woods (765) 891-0649 & she will walk you through it.  It is very simple and we will be using this tool to coordinate all of our church events.  See you Sunday!

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.

Ear Sound enhancement devices

Our sanctuary has very active acoustics, which is great for music, but it can make hearing and understanding speech more difficult.  If you have difficulty understanding the speakers on Sunday, we have personal sound enhancing devices you can use during the service that might help.  Please see Leanne Piper at the soundboard prior to the service if you wish to try out one of these devices.  We have several available now and will order more of them if the demand is there.

Adult Sunday School: Starting 2/12, this Sunday in the library from 9:30 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. However we 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 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.

Standing In The Gap

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

 "Go, gather together . . . so will I go . . ." (v.16)

The Jews had a serious problem they could not solve by themselves. They needed help. They needed someone to stand in the gap for them. Would Esther stand in the gap? That was the question. 

She herself was a Jew, and yet perhaps she could convince herself the danger would not come near her.

Can we relate to Esther’s position? Have we faced a risk-taking opportunity and hesitated or even passed it by? Can we be certain of anything, save our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ? Save the promises in God’s Word? If it is of man, from man, by man, is anything really guaranteed? What are we staking our life on?

Is there someone for whom the Lord would have us stand in the gap? Do we need someone to stand in the gap for us? Do we need to ask for help and trust that help to come? 

Ultimately, what it boils down to is trusting God. Mordecai trusted God. He took his concerns as far as he could take them. He fulfilled his role. Then it was Esther's turn. She could take those same concerns one step further. Her answer? Yes, she would stand in the gap.

 Would she go in unto the king straight away? No. She chose to go first to the One she needed by her side more than any other, her Heavenly Father. Esther told her uncle that now she needed someone to stand in the gap for her: "Gather together . . ."  Esther realized she did not have to go it alone.

            Do we realize this? Do we access that help as the body of Christ? Do we send out a “gather together” message when we need it?

Lord God, I pray that You would gather together Your people to pray, to stand in the gap for our country, for the fatherless, for the lonely. May we stand in the gap for the sick, the broken hearted, as well as those who need to bow their knee before You in confession and surrender and experience new life in Christ. Help us to pray for those in prison, whether behind walls of stone or walls of their own making. Lord God, may we be a people who will stand in the gap. May we be a people willing to ask for help. May we be ready and able to rally the troops. May we each declare in all sincerity, "So will I go."  To the God of all creation, above all things in the heavens or the earth, the Alpha and the Omega, The Great I Am, Amen.

                       

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

The following prayer is taken from the worship song “Forever” by Kari Jobe.

Dear Heavenly Father,   “The moon and stars they wept, the morning sun was dead, the Savior of the world was fallen. His body on the cross, his blood poured out for us, the weight of every curse upon Him. One final breath He gave, as Heaven looked away, the Son of God was laid in darkness. A battle in the grave, the war on death was waged, the power of hell forever broken. The ground began to shake. The stone was rolled away. His perfect love could not be overcome. Now death where is your sting. Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated. Forever, He is glorified. Forever, He is lifted high. Forever, He is risen! He is alive! Forever Your love! You have overcome! We sing Hallelujah! The Lamb has overcome.” We praise You, Father, for the victory that Jesus Christ won for us. We celebrate You. Amen.