Midweek Newsletter: Wednesday, August 16th, 2023.

 

From:

The News Desk

 

To: First Presbyterian Church

August 16^th, 2023

Your Weekly Edition of Narthex News is here!

Our week started a bit rainy, but with it came cooler temperatures (which was nice!). Did you know that August 16^th, 2023, is National Bratwurst Day? Now you know! So, who’s having bratwursts for dinner tonight?

·         REMINDERS & MUSIC NOTES

·         THANK YOU FOR PER CAPITA GIFTS

·         SATURDAY AUGUST 19^TH STREET CLOSURES

·         CELEBRATIONS

·         GOURMET SEEKERS

·         PPM UPDATE

·         FALL GREAT BANQUET

·         WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL

·         PRAYER ROOM

Reminders:

Liturgists! Liturgist for August is Echo Nunley. Elder of the month for August is Mary Frances Meyer. Echo has signed up to bring a fellowship treat of cookies for the service this weekend. Thank you, Echo!

Live & Learn! Live & Learn is starting up again this month. Come with a Bible and an interest to learn. Meet at 11:30 Saturday morning in the church library. Lunch is part and parcel with this deal – a fun time together – consider coming and joining in the fellowship. Great time to spend with your church family and wonderful time in God’s Word. Enrich your spiritual life with Bible study and enrich your relational life with time with friends. Come Saturdays!

Fellowship Treats! Greeters! New sign up sheets will be in the narthex of the sanctuary for Sunday services. We thank you ahead of time for being willing to share yourself, your time and your resources with this body of believers.

Music Notes: Make A Joyful Noise!

Would you like to share music or a dramatic reading during an upcoming worship service? Please contact Lisa Hutcheson, Worship Coordinator. (lisahutcheson@yahoo.com) Thank you!

 

2024 Per Capita:   $43.62 (effective January 2024)

To: First Presbyterian Church :

“Your generosity in submitting per capita supports many parts of our life together as Presbyterians. 

     $30.01 stays with the presbytery, providing leadership, resources, administration and support for congregations in countless ways.

     $3.81 benefits the Synod of Lincoln Trails, our partner in innovative leadership development throughout Indiana and Illinois.

     $9.80 supports the work of the denomination, providing a witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ nationally and in global conversation.

     Thank you for your gifts of per capita. We truly could not lead without your support.  

From: Rev. Jennifer Burns Lewis - Visioning and Connecting Leader, Presbytery of Wabash Valley,

Synod of Lincoln Trails PC(USA)

Saturday August 19^th Street Closures: Be aware that there will be street closures in the downtown Lebanon area Saturday, August 19^th, for Augtoberfest. Several streets will be blocked off. Please plan extra time in your travels if you foresee this affecting your activities.

Celebrations: Happy Birthday Margi McConnaha, 8/16! Happy Anniversary Bud & Nancy Hunter, 8/22!

Happy, happy, happy, happy celebrations to you! May God bless and encourage you in all that you do!

 

Gourmet Seekers August 25! The group is headed to the Heidelberg Café and Bakery, located on Pendleton Pike in Indianapolis. Please join us!

There will be a group meeting at the church for the sake of carpooling to the Heidelburg restaurant. Though some may choose to meet at the restaurant: Heidelburg Haus Café & Bakery, 7625 Pendleton Pike, Indianapolis. The meeting time at the church will be 11:30. It is approximately a 40-45 minute drive from the church. If you choose to meet us there, we will shoot for a 12:30 meet time at the restaurant. Gretel will send out a church-wide notice if there is any change to this plan.

 

PPM Update: PPM is off to a great start. We are excited to have 10 active classrooms, 16 full time staff members. Returning staff this year include Lori Glauber (assistant director) Ashton Cummings (Toddlers), Kelly Ford (PRE-1) Jazmine Richardson (PRE-2), Laci Peetz (PRE-2/3), Jordyn Pierce PRE-3), Tina Hawks (PRE-4), Ashely Robison (PRE-5), Beth Brown (PRE-5), Nakia Dixon (PRE-K), Brandy Toleos (PRE-K), Scott Groves (KITCHEN), Suzy Mares (TODDLER AIDE), Emma Glauber (FLOAT/AIDE), Mea Ward (MUSIC). PPM is so blessed to have an amazing (and full) staff this year. Please pray for all teachers this month, as we are learning new routines, and getting to know new families in our program. 

     On the calendar for PPM this fall, we are hosting a family science night (including pizza for dinner) and would like to invite you to join us on September 22 for this fun event. Thank you for your continued support of PPM. Blessings, Lori Rowe 

 

Fall Great Banquet: The Zionsville Fall Great Banquets are just around the corner!  The Women's Banquet is September 21 - 24, and the Men's Banquet is September 28 - October 1.  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 zionsvillegb.org.  There is room at His table, and you are invited!

 

Weekly Devotional: The Culmination?     

I am a movie-watcher. One of my favorite ways to relax is with a good movie. I have a list of favorites and most of them are of the nostalgic sort. I am also a reader. As far back as I can remember, I have always been in love with a good story. Before I could read, my mother and

father would read to me. Once I learned how to read and delved into the world of literature, I found a home like no other. My name (Gretel) comes from a story (several actually!) – almost as if being a lover of literature and a story-teller was part of my own story even before I was born. I also love quotes. All over my home I have quotes on sticky notes – from the Bible, from books and from movies. (If you have visited the office, that sticky-note tidbit comes as no surprise to you!)

There is a quote from one of my favorite movies that brings all of that together and I want to share it with you today.

     The movie is “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium”. At one point in the movie, two of the lead characters in the story are having a serious conversation. Mr. Magorium has informed his dear friend, Molly Mahoney, that he is going to “depart” from this world. In other words, he is going to die. She is devastated by the news. In an effort to help her accept this inevitable fact, he shares an insight inspired by the world of literature. He tells her:

“When King Lear dies in act five, do you know what Shakespeare has written? He has written, ‘He dies.’ No more. No fanfare, no metaphor, no brilliant final words. The culmination of the most influential piece of dramatic literature is, ‘He dies.’ It takes Shakespeare, a genius, to come up with ‘He dies.’ And yet every time I read those two words, I find myself overwhelmed with dysphoria. And I know it’s only natural to be sad, but not because of the words ‘He dies.’ But because of the life we saw prior to the words. . . . . If anyone asks what became of me, you relate my life in all its wonder, and end it with a simple and modest ‘He died.’”

 

     I share this quote with you today, not for the purpose of discussing death, but for the purpose of discussing life. When I heard this quote recently, what struck me is the unique position we have as Christians to approach this topic of life and death. We are each in possession of the same precious gift – life. Not one of us knows the moment we will breathe our last, and we are instructed in the scriptures to remember that we do not know what a day may bring: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1) However, when we know Jesus Christ, the concepts of life and death take on new meaning. We now have in front of us the example of Someone of whom we can say: the words “He died” were not the culmination of his life.

     We can relate the life of Jesus in all its wonder, but when we say, “He died,” it is not the end! Jesus lived a remarkable life, and He died an excruciating death, but that was not the end! That was not the final act! No curtain call there! Jesus died. He was actually and completely dead. He remained in the grave for three days. But then He arose! It was not a simple matter of someone resuscitating him. He did not return as a mummy. He was a new creation. He had conquered sin and death – for all of us. Everyone. Will our bodies die one day? Yes. But our spirit, our soul, the essence of who we are, has the option to live forever in the presence of our God and Savior if we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our need for Him as our Savior.

     When I read of the death of Jesus Christ, I can indeed be overwhelmed with dysphoria – a state of unease or dissatisfaction. It was a gruesome death and it was an enormously sad and perplexing situation for Jesus’ disciples. But I know there is more! I know there is not five acts – there is six! In fact, we could say there are seven. If the sixth act is when Jesus rose from the grave, the seventh act is what happens after – and our decision to believe and embrace the new life offered to us is part of that seventh act.

     One day, I will “depart”. I will breathe my last, and someone will have the opportunity to relate my life. They will be able to end the tale with a simple and modest “she died”. But that will not be the end.. Thanks to what my Savior did for me, my life will go on, in a new state of light and glory to such a degree that my finite mind now cannot fathom.

     What about you? Do you know the One of whom we can say death was not His final act? What kind of life are we living prior to those final words? Shakespeare’s King Lear may arguably be the most influential piece of dramatic literature, but the most dramatic tale ever told is the account of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Amen!

 

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 based on the hymn “In Christ Alone”, by Alison Krauss, Keith & Kristyn Getty.

Dear Heavenly Father,

“In Christ alone my hope is found/ He is my light, my strength, my song

This cornerstone, this solid ground/ Firm through the fiercest drought or storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace/ when fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My comforter, my all in all/ Here in the love of Christ I stand.

 

In Christ alone, who took on flesh/ Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness/ Scorned by the ones He came to save

‘Til on that cross as Jesus died/ The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid/ Here in the death of Christ I live.

 

There in the ground, His body lay/ Light of the world, by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious day/ Up from the grave, He rose again

And as He stands in victory/ Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine/ Bought with the precious blood of Christ

 

No guilt in life, no fear in death/ This is the power of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath/ Jesus commands my destiny

No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man/ Can ever pluck me from His hand

‘Til He returns or calls me home/ Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.”  Amen!