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!

Live for Life: The second Sunday of the month is LIFE Sunday. This is an opportunity for FPC to support the local ministry of Live for Life. If you write a check for a monetary donation, please make it out to FPC with “Live for Life” in the memo line. A few items on their needed items list are as follows:

1.       New pillows

2.       Soap

3.       Deodorant

4.       Shampoo & Conditioner

5.       Gently used or new shoes

6.       Cleaning Supplies & Laundry Supplies

“. . . A Needle Pulling Thread!”  Pop Quiz: What song is this line from (And you musicians out there, no fair giving the answers away!):

“So, a needle pulling thread . . .”

I don’t want to cause undue stress for you, so here’s the answer: That line comes from the famous song “Do-Re-Mi” from the movie The Sound of Music. The sound of music can be a sweet, soothing sound. The sound of a needle pulling thread, on the other hand, is a lovely albeit rather quiet sound.
It may be quiet, but for a local entrepreneur, this “sound” is accompanied by great joy.  ONE OF HIS would love to sew for you! This is a local business with services available to you. ONE OF HIS performs alterations on children’s and adult clothing; sews gowns for baptisms, proms, and weddings; enjoys heirloom sewing, as well as sewing of household items, dolls and their clothes, and quilted items. To contact the seamstress, please call Bess Wilkes at 765-481-6943, or email at bpy1964@gmail.com.

Faith Circle: Faith Circle will meet next Wednesday, June 14th, at 1:30pm in the church library.  Please bring your Bible and your copy of the study book Twelve Women of the Bible. You are welcome and appreciated ! We look forward to seeing you there.  Questions? Contact Phyllis Duff or Gretel.


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,

The gift of God’s presence comfort you,
And the gift of God’s love refresh 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


the Summer!" This week we are Paleontologists learning all about dinosaurs and next week we are Oceanographers and learning about ocean animals. 

 

We have gradually started working on the courtyard, Currently we have tomatoes, green beans and peas growing, thanks to Miss Tina and Miss Lori Glauber's classes. We also have broccoli and cabbage growing that Neal brought in for us. The kids have enjoyed taking care of these vegetables and watching them grow. Later this summer we add picnic tables and learning activities for the classes to use.

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.

 

   Dear Heavenly Father,

“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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