Monthly Newsletter: June 2023
From The Narthex News
Library
NARTHEX
NEWS - JUNE
Produced by
Staff:
Rev. Je Lee, Pastor
Gretel Magnuson, Administrative
Assistant
Lori Rowe, Presbyterian
Preschool Ministry Director
Table
of Contents
Chapter
One: The Bell Tower & Frame It!
Chapter
Two: An Award Winning Team
Chapter
Three: Love LIFE
Chapter
Four: Financial Report
Chapter
Five: Almost Home
Appendix
A: Events Calendar
Appendix
B: Celebrations Calendar
Appendix
C: Mission of the Church
~
CHAPTER ONE ~
The Bell Tower
Travel
in Time with FPC
Visit The Bell Tower
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven” Ecc.3:1
April 30th : Ben Piper preached while
Pastor Je was away.
April 25th – May 1st:
Pastor Je attended a conference in Arkansas
May 9th: Time for Tea,
previously known as Connections, met in the church library for a pleasant time
of fellowship with a decidedly Scottish twist! Bess Wilkes shared of her
personal adventures in that bonny land and led a discussion
on the book by J.M. Barry
entitled The Little Minister. Tea, treats, biscuits (the British
variety!), and treasures rounded out a splendid time. You are invited for the
next round of Time for Tea, meeting now every third Tuesday. Next meeting will
be June 20 at 11am in the church library.
May 10th: Faith Circle
met for the second time this year in the church library. They are going through
a bible study entitled Twelve Women of the Bible. Eleven women were
present and participated in a good discussion. The goal is to go over two
chapters each meeting. Phyllis Duff leads this study. If you have any questions
for her or interest in the study, please contact Gretel in the office and she
will put you in touch with Phyllis.
May 14th: FPC had its
first Life Sunday, partnering with Live for Life to support the needs of the
local community. FPC celebrated Mother’s Day with carnations for the women,
kind words, and a special prayer.
May 21st:
FPC honored 2023 graduates. PPM held its end of the year program for PPM
families. FPC welcomed Joseph Park as the guest preacher for Sunday’s worship
service. Rev. Joseph Park is a 1.5 generation Korean American. He
immigrated to NYC with his parents when he was in the high school. He majored
in Chinese Study. After he answered the call from God, he studied for a Master
of Divinity at Dallas Theological Seminary. He then served at Hanmi
Presbyterian Church in Chicago as an associate pastor. He served
Praise-the-Lord Presbyterian Church in Fredericksburg, VA for ten years. He
served another ten years at Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Diego, CA.
Currently he is at Purdue Korean Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, IN where his
pastoral relationship with the church will be dissolved at the end of May. He
is prayerfully seeking and waiting for the next call to serve our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
May 23rd: Lisa Hutcheson was elected to the
Communications and Visioning Team, class of 2025 at the Presbytery Meeting on
Tuesday, May 23rd.
May 26th: Gourmet Seekers went to El Rodeo in
Whitestown. Stay tuned for the location of their next yummy excursion! PPM ends
its school year. Teachers take a break for a week to celebrate a successful
year, to rest up, and to prepare for summer sessions.
May 28th: Caring Sunday. FPC collects goods to share
with The Caring Center, supporting the needs of the local community. FPC is
happy to be able to share in PCUSA’s Special Offering for Pentecost. 40% of the
offering stays with the church. The rest is shared with the General Assembly and
will be used to support children at risk,
young adult volunteers, and ministries with youth.
May 7th & June 4th: Communion Sunday. For Communion Sunday, two
different options will now be available: the traditional method with juice and
wafers as well as the prefilled Communion cups.
May: The month
of May closed out with new playground equipment delivered and in the process of
being installed at the playground for the PPM students.
June 6th: There will be a Celebration of Life for Kendra
Whipkey’s husband Steve. It will be held at Zionsville Presbyterian Church on
Tuesday, June 6th at 1pm. The address is 4775 West 116th
St. Zionsville, IN 46077
June 6th: Worship Team will have a meeting in the church
library at 5pm.
June 11th: Life Sunday. The second Sunday
of every month will be Life Sunday. There will be a box in the lobby to collect
items to be shared with Live for Life.
June-the summer: Pinwheels will grace the air at
Presby Park, courtesy of The Heart of Lebanon. This is a beautiful reminder to
“Look up!”
June 14th: Faith Circle will meet again and go over the
next two chapters in Twelve Women of the Bible, 1:30-3:30pm in the
church library.
June 18th: Father’s Day! PCUSA also
recognizes this as “Presbyterian Men Sunday”.
June 20th: Time for Tea will meet again in the church
library at 11:30 for fun and fellowship and “a spot of tea”.
June 23rd: Gourmet Seekers will go on
another expedition for delicious food at a location yet to be determined. Any
interested parties should meet at the church at 11:30 on Friday the 23rd
to carpool. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
June 25th: Worship in the Park! Sunday, June 25th, Worship in the Park comes back to Lebanon. Enjoy worship with CCC in the beautiful outdoors of Lebanon’s Memorial Park.
FPC Scrapbook Page
Pinwheels
at the Park:
~
CHAPTER TWO ~
An
Award Winning Team
From
our high school seniors to our worship coordinator, we’ve got an award winning
team here at FPC!
Evan
Whipkey graduated from Lebanon High School this May. He will be going to IU to
study Informatics. This summer he will be working at Menard’s. Evan plays the
trumpet and the guitar and was a member of both band and jazz band all four
years of high school. He graduated in the Top 20 of his class. He hopes to
continue to play in an ensemble at IU.
Oliver
Hutcheson also graduated from Lebanon High School this May. He will be going to
Purdue to study Computer Network Infrastructure Engineering. He is considering
a minor in cyber security or organizational leadership. This summer he will be
working but also hopes to take a train trip with friends. Oliver plays the
trumpet and was involved in jazz band, marching band, and wind ensemble all
four years of high school. He will be auditioning for a Purdue jazz band and is
considering the Purdue marching band, as well as taking a semester to study
abroad in the Netherlands or France.
Evan
Whipkey, Oliver Hutcheson, and Sam Piper were all part of the LHS Band, and therefore
were an important contributing factor to the “All Music” award the LHS Band
received this year. Furthermore, both Sam Piper and Evan Whipkey were mentioned
in the local newspaper among the county’s top seniors. Additional information
on Sam Piper and his post-graduation plans was unavailable at the time of this
printing. Please do take the time to speak with Sam or Leanne Piper and show
your support of this fine young man.
Lisa Hutcheson also received an honor in May. She was elected to serve on the Communications and Visioning Team for the Presbytery of Wabash Valley for the class of 2025. We are privileged to already know what an excellent contribution she will make to this team and this presbytery.
~
CHAPTER THREE ~
Love
LIFE
First
Presbyterian Church has recently begun supporting a local ministry to women in
need, called Live for Life. Their motto is “Rebuilding Lives. Restoring Hope.” On
the homepage of their website (https://liveforlifeindiana.org)
they explain: “Your story begins here.” They go on to express a hopeful and
encouraging word to the community:
“The voices of marginalized groups are often
silenced so their stories go unheard. We’ve dedicated Live for Life Indiana as
a resource where their stories can resonate with others in similar situations.
The name of our residential facility is New Beginnings and it continues to be a
home for those who need a place to go in the most desperate situations. Our
goal is to empower women with the skills they need to live a life that is free
of fear and to move forward on their healing journey.”
Live for Life has a number of avenues
to provide support. From meeting basic life needs like food and housing, to
instructional support for financial matters and life skills, to mentoring and
spiritual renewal, Live for Life seeks to meet the needs of the whole person. On
their website is a “Needed Items List”, which provides some practical
suggestions for physical items you could donate. You may bring such items to
the church for the next Life Sunday. There will be a box in the lobby to
receive them. The next Life Sunday is June 11th. Monetary donations
are accepted; checks should be made out to First Presbyterian Church, with the
memo line designating the gift to Live for Life or Life Sunday. Thank you for
your generosity and your compassion.
“’Come, you blessed of My Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I
was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a
stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you
visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ . . . ‘Assuredly, I say to
you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did
it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:34-40)
~
CHAPTER FOUR ~
Financial Report
Our 2022/2023 financial year ended on May 31, 2023. We
had a very good year financially. We will provide some summary details in the
July monthly newsletter. In addition, we will share more information during an
early August congregational meeting where we will also present the coming
year’s budget.
One thing we have struggled with a little over the past
couple of years is a balanced budget for the basic operation of the church. We
feel that a balanced budget is vital to maintaining financial health going
forward. Since our primary source of income for operations is the
congregation’s financial offerings, we will be inaugurating a pledge campaign
this summer, something we have not done in several years. Please begin to
consider what financial support you can pledge towards the church’s core
operations this coming year, and we will provide additional details in the next
month or two.
Sigmon
Myers – Finance Team Lead from Session
Almost
Home
If you’ve
ever traveled with young children, you are familiar with the following
conversation, or a version thereof:
“Are we there yet?”
“Almost.”
(Two minutes later.) “Are we there
yet?”
“Almost.”
(Three minutes later.) “Are we there
yet?!”
“Almost!”
The month of
June finds summer upon us, and summer often brings trips for vacation or to
visit family and friends. These trips invariably involve traveling home, either
as the purpose for the trip or the destination at the end of the trip.
“You were never meant to walk this road alone”
Traveling can be both exhausting and
exhilarating. There are moments of frustration and annoyance, just as there are
times of laughter and fun. Life is often compared to that of being on a
journey. How do you feel on life’s journey today? Are you exhausted? Weary?
Worn? Do you feel happy? Fulfilled? Peaceful? Are you thankful for the road
you’ve traveled? Are you curious about what’s to come? Are you still reeling
from where you’ve been? Today, I want to encourage you to pause, take heart,
and be encouraged. No matter where you’ve been, where you are, or where you’re
going, you don’t need to go it alone. Jesus knows the way. (Jesus is the
way. Jn 14:6) There is hope, weary traveler! Jesus understands the long, dusty
road, the harsh sun beating down on you, the many miles to go before you find
rest. Jesus knows what it is like to walk alone. He did it so you don’t need
to. (Mt. 27:45,46) He left His home to make it possible for you be with Him
there. (John 1:11-14; Revelation 21:3,4) And, dear friend, you’re almost home.
Soon and very soon . . . Until then, He’s got you, so hold on!
“Weary Traveler”[1]
“Weary traveler,
Beat down from the storms that you have weathered
Feels like this road just might go on forever
Carry on
You keep on givin’, but every day this world just keeps on
takin’
Your tired heart is on the edge of breaking
Carry on
Weary traveler, restless soul
You were never meant to walk this road alone
It’ll all be worth it so just hold on
Weary traveler, you won’t be weary long
And no more searchin’,
Heaven’s healing’s gonna find where all the hurt is
When Jesus calls, we’ll lay down our heavy burdens
Carry on
Weary traveler, restless soul
You were never meant to walk this road alone
It’ll all be worth it so just hold on
Weary traveler, you won’t be weary long
No, you won’t be weary long.”
“Someday soon we’re gonna make it home, Gonna
make it home . . .”
“Someday soon we’re gonna make it home, Gonna
make it home . . .”
“Someday soon we’re gonna make it home, Gonna
make it home . . .”
%20clipart.jpg)
You were never meant to walk this road alone
It’ll all be
worth it, so just hold on
Weary traveler,
you won’t be weary long!
“Someday soon
we’re gonna make it home, Gonna make it home . . .”
Appendix A: Friendly
Presbyterian Calendar
JUNE EVENTS
|
SUNDAY |
MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
SATURDAY |
|
|
LITURGIST FOR JUNE: RALPH WILLARD |
|
ELDER FOR JUNE: ARLENE QUINN |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
4 Communion
Sunday |
5 PPM June session
summer school begin |
6 Celebration
of Life for Steve Whipkey, 1pm Zionsville
Presbyterian Church; Worship Team
Meeting 5pm, Church Library |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 Faith Circle 1:30-3:30, Church
Library |
15 |
16 |
17 |
|
18 Father’s Day |
19 |
20 Time for Tea
11am, Church Library Session Mtg
6:30pm |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
|
25 Worship in the Park |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
|
Appendix
B: Friendly
Presbyterian Calendar
JUNE CELEBRATIONS
|
SUNDAY |
MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
SATURDAY |
|
|
|
|
|
1 Elizabeth
Clem’s birthday |
2 |
3 Marty
Willard’s birthday |
|
4 |
5 |
6 Dr.
Phil & Cyndy Gibbs’ anniversary; Margi
& Al McConnaha’s anniversary |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
11 |
12 Alex
Whipkey’s birthday |
13 |
14 Bob
Duff’s birthday |
15 |
16 Henry
Hutcheson’s birthday |
17 Les
Goodnight’s birthday |
|
18 Olivia
Wedding-ton’s birthday |
19 Les
& Debbie Goodnight’s anniversary |
20 Kayla Giger’s
birthday |
21 |
22 Kathy
McConnell’s birthday; Bruce
& Kathy McConnell’s anniversary; Ralph & Marty Willard’s anniversary |
23 |
24 Sigmon
& Jane Myer’s anniversary |
|
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
|
Appendix
C: Mission of the Church
The
following is taken from “The Guiding Vision”, the mission statement of First
Presbyterian Church(FPC). For past sermons, newsletters, and more, please visit
the website for First Presbyterian Church: https://www.lebanonfpc.org
FPC
is a part of the denomination of PC(USA). More information on the doctrine and
abiding principles of First Presbyterian Church can be found at the website for
PC(USA):
“In
his life, death and resurrection, Jesus Christ reveals the fullness of God’s
love and demonstrates God’s desire for reconciliation among all people. Through
Christ, we are called together to be the church -proclaiming God’s love to all
and participating in his mission of healing, reconciliation, and transformation
to all of creation.
The
work of the church is not of human effort, but is a reflection of our obedient
response to God’s love at work within us.
By
the power of the Holy Spirit, the church is equipped and empowered to join
Christ in his mission.
At
the same time, God’s perfect love insists that we not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern
what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans
12:2)
[1]
Data on song from
Musixmatch
Songwriters: Matthew Joseph West, Andrew Jacob
Pruis, Jordan Daniel St. Cyr.
Comments
Post a Comment