Midweek Newsletter: Wednesday, June 7th, 2023.
From:
The News Desk
To: First
Presbyterian Church
June 7th,
2023
Your Weekly
Edition of Narthex News is
here!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
·
REMINDERS
·
FELLOWSHIP LUNCH
·
LIVE FOR LIFE
·
“. . . A NEEDLE PULLING THREAD”
·
FAITH CIRCLE & TIME FOR TEA
·
CELEBRATIONS
·
MALAWI PROJECT IS ON THE MOVE!
·
PPM UPDATE
·
WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL
·
PRAYER ROOM
Dear Church,
There’s some fun info included here in your
weekly edition of the Narthex News. Keep reading to find out about everything
from fried chicken in Lebanon to deliveries in Malawi!
Reminders:
Liturgists! We have liturgists for June (Ralph Willard) and July (Bess
Wilkes). Thank you! We need a liturgist for August. Please contact the
office and let Gretel know of your interest/intentions:
gretel@lebanonfpc.org or (765)482-5959 or leave a note on her desk
on Sunday.
This Sunday is LIFE Sunday. See below for
details. Fellowship Lunch is also this Sunday after the service. See below for
details.
Live & Learn! Live & Learn this Saturday, June 10th. Lesson focus for Bible Study time yet to be determined. Come with your Bible and a readiness to learn.
Fellowship Lunch: Who’s in the mood for some scrumptious fried chicken? This coming Sunday is a good day for fellowship, so let’s have lunch! The monthly fellowship lunch skipped May but is back for June. The church will provide fried chicken as the main dish. You can bring sides and desserts. Come the food and fun!
1. New pillows
2. Soap
3. Deodorant
4. Shampoo & Conditioner
5. Gently used or new shoes
6. Cleaning Supplies & Laundry Supplies
“So, a needle pulling thread . . .”
Time for Tea in June: Time for Tea will be the third Tuesday in June, the 20th, at 11am in the church library. Have you been reading a book you’d like to share with the group? Who would like to bring treats to share? Please contact Gretel in the office.
Celebrations:
Happy birthday to Alex Whipkey, 6/12, and Bob Duff, 6/14!
May the
gift of God’s grace strengthen you,
Malawi Project is on the move! Remember when Dick Stephens from The Malawi Project came to visit FPC in March and shared about his ministry and the needs in Malawi? Did you wonder what happens when they arrive in Malawi with all their goods to share? The following is shared courtesy of an FPC member who receives updated information from The Malawi Project. The pictures below will give you an idea as to what the Lord is doing through The Malawi Project. The ministry was there recently and will go again in July.
“The big truck arrives, thanks to the Frazier Foundation.”
“The workers move quickly to unload 30 units along with Bibles
and Correspondence Courses.”
“Hope lines up in vivid color.”
Ismael Charles picked out his own scooter and now he can wipe the dust from his knees and enjoy!
“The mobility unit is a treasure, but so is the Bible.”
PPM Update:
Happy June! PPM summer session is in full swing. Our summer theme is "Working through
Our playground renovation is now completed. We
have new learning panels and a sunshade just in time for the summer sun.
Have a great week, Lori Rowe
Weekly Devotional:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)
In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “sanctuary” is defined as “a consecrated place”; or “the room in which general worship services are held.” It is also defined as “a place of refuge and protection.” Synonyms for “sanctuary” include “harbor”, “refuge”, “retreat”, and “shelter”. According to the New King James Version of the Bible, just the word “refuge” is used 85 different times in the scriptures. Some of those times refer to physical places of refuge, but many refer to God as the refuge. Here are a few examples:
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the
everlasting arms.” (Deut.33:27).
“The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be give you by the
Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” (Ruth 2:12).
“The God of my strength, in whom I trust; my shield and the horn
of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge . . .” (2 Samuel 22:3).
“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in
times of trouble . . .” (Psalm 9:9)
As
believers, we know, and have experienced, that we can go to the Lord for safe
haven. We can find shelter in His goodness. We can retreat to Him, in
the sense of fleeing to Him for protection, as well as finding retreat in
Him, in terms of rest and healing. As believers living after the crucifixion
and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can go directly to the Heavenly Father
because Jesus has prepared the way for us. Therefore, our sanctuary is not just
a physical place but in actuality is a person, namely Jesus Christ. Jesus is
our sanctuary as well as our High Priest in that sacred space.
So
when we sing the worship song, “Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary . . .”, what
are we saying? Can we be a sanctuary? When we present ourselves to God as “a
living sacrifice”, we come to him in a measure of faith and with confidence that
we can approach Him as Lord and Savior. We present ourselves to Him as an
offering, as if, instead of just putting our coins and our dollar bills in the
offering basket, we place ourselves. We are saying to Him, “The most I can give
you is myself. I may not feel like it is the best gift, the most talented gift,
the most beautiful gift, or the most inspiring gift I can give. But, Lord, it is
literally all I can give. There is nothing more I can give You than to give
myself.” By giving ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, we offer our lives,
our hearts, our minds, our spirits, as sanctuaries for Him. We become “a
consecrated place” for our Lord. One definition of “consecrated” is “devoted
irrevocably to the worship of God by a solemn ceremony.” Maybe our “solemn
ceremony” can simply be a heartfelt prayer. Maybe your “solemn ceremony” was a
public confession of faith. Whatever the case may be, when we are devoted to
the worship of God, we become a sanctuary.
Now, sanctuaries, that is - the physical space, need tending to.
They need to be prepared for worship. They need to be cleaned. There is time
and effort required for their upkeep. Are we preparing ourselves to be
sanctuaries? How are you doing that today? In your sanctuary, is there time for
prayer? Is there room for silence and quiet contemplation? Is there space for
worship, individual as well as corporate worship? “And do not be conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
Prayer
Room:
Here at FPC, prayer is important to us. Are you
interested in joining the prayer chain?
Would you like to learn more about the role of prayer in our lives? Please
contact Phyllis Duff, Prayer Coordinator, at (765)482-1485/ raduff2@att.net
The
following prayer is taken from the hymn “Lord, Prepare Me”, text and music
written by John Thompson and Randy Scruggs, 1982, and the hymn “Take My Life”,
text my Frances Ridley Havergal, 1874, & music by H.A. Cesar Malan, 1827.
“Lord,
prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving,
I’ll be living sanctuary for you.”
“Take
my life and let it be consecrated. Lord, to thee; take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my will and make it thine; it shall be no
longer mine. Take my heart, it is thine
own; it shall be thy royal throne, it shall be thy royal throne.
Take
my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store; take myself and I will
be ever, only, all for thee, ever, only, all for thee.” Amen.
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