Midweek: Wednesday, March 15th, 2023.

 

Midweek 3-15-23

In This Issue:          

•          Music Notes        
•          Live and Learn
•          Change to Connections:
•          Support Disaster Relief
•          Thank you for your generosity!
•         Daylight Savings Time starts Sunday!
•          Reminders & Celebrations
•         Lebanon Lent Soup Supper Series!
•       March 15 Soup Supper!
•         Missions: “Dignity for Women”                                                                     
•         Adult Sunday School & Nursery
•         Zionsville Banquet!
•        Welcome Cards
•        Easter Flowers: Deadline March 19!
•        PPM Update
•          What is thy request?

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

Music Notes: Choir rehearsal Thursday, 7pm. 

Live and Learn on Saturdays: Live & Learn, Saturday March 18th, Luke Ch. 7 with Pastor Je. 11:30am lunch and study.

Change to Connections: Jennie is stepping back as leader of the Connections group. Please consider how you want to move forward with new leadership roles. The next mtg. is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21st at 11am, so the group can decide how and when to proceed at that mtg. Maybe meet somewhere for lunch? Thank you for your understanding. Jennie will be out of town next week and will miss the mtg.

Support Disaster Relief: Presbyterian Disaster Relief is collecting for the Syrian and Turkey earthquakes. The church is matching funds up to $5,000. Make your check out to First Presbyterian Church and in the memo write Syrian/Turkey earthquakes. Thank you for your kind donation.

Thank you for your generosity: Recently, we put out a request for contributions and the opportunity for you to share, and you gave generously, both to the Caring Center as well as to the PC(USA). Thank-you letters were sent to the church making note of your care and compassion. We, in turn, are passing that "Thank you!" on to you. Good job!

Reminders: Liturgist for March will be Margi McConnaha. There is no treat signed up for this Sunday. Carmen Donaldson will be the greeter this Sunday.

 

“Congratulations to you! We celebrate with you! Know that we love you, and God loves you too!”  

Happy birthday to Steve Shaw, 3/17; Kerry Kries, 3/18; Lynn Kenyon, 3/20; Amy Morrison, 3/21; Kendra Whipkey, 3/21; and Allen Woods, 3/22!

Lebanon Lent Soup Supper Series Hosted this week at FPC! Come worship with our local community during the season of Lent. This week, (today!), the event will take place at FPC. A delicious line-up of soups will start out the evening in our fellowship hall at 6pm, followed by a lovely service in our sanctuary at 7pm. All are encouraged to attend and to invite friends, family, and neighbors to join in the experience. St. Peter’s will host March 22^nd. No formal service is planned for March 29^th; this date is open for your own personal worship experience. 

March 15 Soup Supper! Today, First Presbyterian Church will host the Lebanon Lenten Soup Supper Series. The dinner will start at 6 in the fellowship hall. The service will start at 7 in the sanctuary. We look forward to fellowshipping with and worshipping with our local community. We have a splendid array of soups lined up for this event. If you would like to bring a soup, there is still time. Feel free to just show up with one. Would you rather bring a dessert, or crackers, bread, or other light side? Please do! As dinner begins at 6, if you are bringing food, please plan to arrive a few minutes early to ensure your contribution is added to the serving tables. Questions? You may reach out to Gretel in the office or contact Mary Frances Meyer, as she is helping with the meal portion of the March 15^th event. Thank you!

Missions: “Dignity for Women”: The spring missions’ campaign, "Dignity for Women", began March 12 with a kick-off of a fun fellowship meal and guest speaker. The “Dignity for Women” program will help keep young women in school. Please help with this very worthwhile cause. We are collecting cotton briefs for women in sizes small and medium to send to Malawi. These will be sent in connection with the Little Dresses for Africa ministry.

We will be collecting donations for the next 4 weeks. You can put your donations in the blue box in the foyer; this box is by the closet to the left as you come into the church. 

Adult Sunday School: Sunday School is now in session and going great! Sundays in the church library from 9:00 to 10:15 a group is going through the book Meeting Jesus at the Table. This study will continue through the Lenten season. Imagine yourself going on a glorious and nourishing progressive dinner. Learn how to love, serve, and expand the hospitality of God's grace to others. Come join the feast and the sweet fellowship.

Nursery: We have space for a nursery for ages infant to 3 yrs. but would love more volunteers to take care of the children during the 10:30 service. Please consider sharing your love, compassion, tenderness, and joy with these little ones. If you would like to help out, please notify Gretel in the office.

Zionsville Banquet! The Zionsville Spring Great Banquets: The Men's Banquet runs this weekend from March 16-19. If you are still interested, you can check out the guest application at this link:  www.zpc.org/great-banquet/.  Or contact Zionsville Presbyterian Church for more info as they are hosting this event.

Welcome Cards! Did you notice that there are new “Welcome Cards” in the pews? They have been created for the purpose of making it easier for newcomers to share with us, so we can then share with them; be it sharing fellowship, showing compassion in a time of need, or expressing a hearty welcome to our community of faith. There is a space for contact information as well as a few questions about themselves. There is also a brief space for a prayer request. We do have prayer request cards in the pews as well, but having a space on the welcome card provides a one-stop-opportunity. You are welcome to use the welcome cards, too, if you like! You may not be new to our community of faith, but if you have updated contact information, a prayer request, or wish to share a comment or information about yourself, please feel free to use a card. You can leave it in the offering plates by the sanctuary doors or leave it on the desk in the church office. Thank you for joining us in welcoming others to our “house of prayer” and thank you for you!

Easter Flowers! Deadline March 19! Yes, it is that time of the year again – aren’t you encouraged? Easter flower orders means that spring is indeed on its way!

Palm Sunday is coming up on April 2^nd. Easter Sunday follows on April 9^th. We will have flowers this year coming from Mounts Florists here in town, with options for the following 4 kinds.

•        Tulips
•         Lilies
•          Hyacinth
•         Daffodils

$15 each

There is also an option for:

•        Azaleas = $35 each
•         Hydrangeas =  $45 each.

Those last two are more expensive, but they are lovely flowers and so we wanted to extend that option to you. There will be flower order slips in the bulletin this coming Sunday, as well as a sign up sheet in the office. You may:

1. 1. come in anytime you’re in town and sign up on the sheet or give Gretel your order and payment
2. 2. or call / email Gretel in the office and she will sign you up and you can bring a check for your order the next time you are in the building.

Checks should be made out to: “First Presbyterian Church” -  with memo line note of:  “Easter Flowers”.

If you call or email in your order to the church office, please identify which type of flower/plant you wish and how many.

The flowers will be used to decorate the church Easter Sunday. After the Easter Sunday service, you can take them home and grace your home with their delightful fragrance and beauty.

PPM Update: We have been so busy at PPM this month. Dr. Seuss dress up days, Leprechaun traps being made, rainbow and Spring weather have kept us busy! This week we have had parent-teacher conferences, Please continue to pray for all staff and children as we prepare for Spring Break next week. My prayer is that staff can get some much-needed rest and time with their families. We will begin practicing songs for PPM Sunday when we return in April. Have a blessed week, Lori. 

What is thy request?

"Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom." Esther 5:3

Esther persevered in faith.

Dear God, may we follow her example and may we, too, persevere in faith. 

Esther asked others to fast and pray on her behalf.

Father, may we know who to ask for support and what to ask for.

Esther waited for three days.

Lord, may we wait on You. 

Esther dressed in royal apparel.

Lord, may we prepare ourselves to act in obedience to Your requests. May we prepare our hearts to come before You.

Esther went before the king and stood her ground.

Lord God, may we withstand in the evil day and having done all, stand. May we stand firm. May we be steadfast. May we yield not to this world but only to Your will.

Esther found favor with the king and drew near to the throne.

May we find favor with You. May we draw near to You, O God.

The king spoke to Esther. The king asked what he could do for her. 

May You be moved to speak to us, O Lord. May You answer the cries of our hearts. May You grant the requests we present to You. But may we ask in accordance with Your will. May we seek to delight in Your presence, that the desires of our hearts may come from You.

"What is your request?" the king asked Esther.

What would we say if You asked us that, Lord? What would we say if You said to us that whatever we asked would be granted to us? Oh but haven't you already said that? (Mark 11:23-26). Oh Lord, let us ask in faith! (James 1:6). Oh God, may we have faith in You! (Mark 11:22). 

       

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

Dear Heavenly Father,

There is another woman recorded in Your Word as having been told she could ask anything of the ruler and it would be granted to her, up to half of the kingdom. (Mark 6:23). This woman asked for death, the death of one of Your believers, dear God. Esther asked for life, the life of Your people. I come to You today and I ask for life. I ask that we would have life, and that more abundantly. I ask that we would walk in the newness of life You have given to us. What is the request of those gathered here today? Grant them discernment to know what to ask for and courage to do the asking. Amen.