2025 May Newsletter

 

 

Christ Is Risen Indeed!

On Easter Sunday, April 20^th, we joyfully concluded our long Lenten journey that began on Ash Wednesday. The final stretch of that journey was marked by Palm Sunday, April 13^th, ushering us into Holy Week—a week-long culmination of reflection, devotion, and remembrance of Christ’s Passion.

Our Easter morning worship was filled with beauty and praise! The sanctuary resounded with lovely singing voices, a wonderful Bell Choir, and the inspiring sounds of Lisa’s piano and Bud’s organ. It was a glorious celebration of the Resurrection, reminding us once again that Christ is risen indeed!

Audio Devotional

During Lent, Pastor Je recorded daily devotionals from the PCUSA resource These Days. Neal Crouse took on the task of transforming these audio recordings into beautifully crafted video devotionals. Video production is no small feat, and we are deeply grateful to Neal—not only for this meaningful project, but for all the ways he serves our church community, both seen and unseen.

Maundy Thursday Last Supper

On Maundy Thursday, April 17^th, we gathered to share in the Last Supper with our Lord. Since Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover meal, our own observance was inspired by the Jewish Seder, though we gave it an American twist—with baked potatoes and hand wipes!

Together, we recited several Hebrew prayers, and Pastor Je offered thoughtful reflections on the biblical scenes surrounding that sacred evening. It was meaningful and memorable.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Nancy Kincaid for her careful planning and preparation of the meal. And what a joy—it was a fuller table than expected!

Good Friday Service

On Good Friday, April 18^th, we gathered for a solemn service, commemorating the suffering and sacrificial death of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The sanctuary was quiet and dimly lit, with candles casting gentle light as we entered into a time of reflection and reverence.

The Scriptures were read by volunteers, guiding us through the final hours of Christ’s earthly life. As an act of personal devotion, we each placed notes on the Cross—symbols of our prayers, burdens, or confessions—which were later burned at the end of the service as a sign of our offering to the Lord.

It was a powerful evening of worship, drawing our hearts closer to the Cross.

Looking for a Janitor

Our former janitor, Ruth Deem, officially stepped down from her role on Fri., April 4^th.

At present, we do not have a janitor, and the Personnel Committee—Dennis Brannon, Nancy Kincaid, and Jennie Woods—is actively searching for a suitable replacement.

Please help us spread the word. If you know of someone who may be a good fit (not connected to FPC) for this position, encourage them to contact the church office with their résumé and contact information. Your help is much appreciated in keeping our church home clean and welcoming for all.

Son-Rise Service and Breakfast

Due to the wet weather, our Easter Son-Rise Service was held in the fellowship hall this year. Worship was no less joyful—we sang together using the newly installed large-screen TV, which enhanced our music and praise.

Following the service, we enjoyed a Continental Breakfast and a delightful craft activity: children and adults alike created “empty tombs” with the stone rolled away, using delicious doughnuts from Titus Bakery. It was a yummy and meaningful way to remember the miracle of the Resurrection!

Mother’s Day

This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sun., May 11^th, and we take this opportunity to honor the immeasurable love, support, and sacrifices of mothers in our lives. Their devotion cannot be overstated, and we are thankful for them.To celebrate in a sweet and practical way, the church will be giving DQ gift cards instead of flowers this year. So, mums—be sure to join us on Mother’s Day to receive your treat!

And as for the fathers… you’re welcome to a gift card too—but only if you show up in a beautiful skirt!

As Proverbs 31:28 (NRSV) says, “Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her.” May the Lord bless all mothers with strength, grace, and joy—today and always.

 

Easter Egg Hunt

On Easter afternoon, we held a cheerful Easter Egg Hunt, much to the delight of our little ones. Luna, Calisto, and Samuel had a wonderful time darting about, collecting colorful eggs filled with chocolates and small toys. Their faces lit up with joy and excitement as they shared their discoveries and laughter.

It was a heartwarming sight for all who watched—a beautiful reminder that the joy of Resurrection Sunday is meant to be celebrated by young and old alike!

Malawi Project

Baby Shower

Malawi, a country in southeastern Africa, continues to face high rates of infant and maternal mortality—often due to a simple lack of basic hygienic supplies. Through the Malawi Project, our congregation joined in a life-saving effort to meet this urgent need.

On Sat., April 26^th, with your generous donations and participation, we collected essential items and assembled them into individual care packs for mothers and newborns. These small packages bring hope and health to families who need it most.

We extend heartfelt thanks to the Mission & Outreach Committee—Nancy Turner, Debbie Crouse, Kitty Hill, and Jane Myers—for organizing this meaningful effort.

Because of your support, lives will be saved. Let us continue to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.

Malawi Bibles

Thanks to the generosity of our wonderful and loving members, we gathered many boxes of Bibles—even more than shown in the photo above—which have now been shipped to Malawi.

What might have been a dusty, forgotten Bible on a shelf here will soon become a life-giving Word of God for someone in Malawi. These Scriptures will bring hope, guidance, and the love of Christ to those who have longed to read His Word for themselves.

Thank you for being part of this sacred gift. Truly, the Word of God never returns empty.

PPM

What a fun and busy April we had. Coming back from Spring Break our classes were nonstop with fun learning experiences. We ended the month learning about Easter and celebrating Jesus’ love for us. We had 90 kids lined up in the sanctuary chanting “Hosanna Hosanna Glory to the King,” which always brings me to tears. I always imagine myself there in Jerusalem waving a palm branch as Jesus rides through the city. 

In April, we released butterflies, planted green beans, potatoes and carrots in the courtyard, and some classes started lessons on Zoo animals. Our 4 older classes will visit the Indianapolis Zoo May 2^nd. 

As May approaches, our classes are reviewing, and planning for our end of the year closing program. We will be handing out over 44 new bibles this year to our new students to PPM. We also have about 30 children graduating PPM and heading to kindergarten this Fall. This is always a bittersweet time for us, as some of these kids we have had since they were 18months old.

PPM has been recognized as the #1 Preschool in Boone County. This is a very humbling recognition of our amazing program. A huge thank you to our amazing staff, parents and children, and of course the church. A personal thank you for welcoming our children and families for PPM Sunday. We had 30 children attend this annual event. Thank you to our special reader Miss Margi, and to Neal for the amazing

 

video with the fun special effects.

 

Annual Meeting

Our Annual Meeting will take place on Sun., June 8^th, in conjunction with our Quarterly Luncheon. This important gathering is a time for us to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the future of our church’s ministry and mission. During the meeting, we will hear annual reports from each of our committees and ministry clusters, as well as receive the financial report and the proposed budget for the upcoming year.

Our church follows a June–May calendar year, aligning with our Preschool Ministry (PPM) for legal and financial consistency. For this reason, we hold our Annual Meeting mid-year rather than at the end of the calendar year.

We encourage all members to attend—your presence, voice, and participation matter.

New Pastor Installation

The Presbytery of Wabash Valley will formally install Rev. Karam Jang as the pastor of Purdue Korean Presbyterian Church in West Lafayette on Sun., May 11^th at 4:00 PM.

Rev. Jang, originally from South Korea, has been faithfully serving the Korean congregation—part of our own presbytery—for the past several months. Pastor Je will attend the service as a member of the commission.

Let us keep Rev. Jang and the Purdue Korean Church in our prayers. May his ministry be spirit-filled, fruitful, and long-lasting, as together we continue to serve the Lord in the wider body of Christ.

PPM Sunday

PPM (Presbyterian Preschool Ministry) is one of the vital ministries of our church. We are blessed to support them and share our building as a space where young children grow, learn, and experience the love of God.

PPM Sunday took place on Sun., April 27^th, when the children and their families joined us for worship. It was a joy to see these precious little ones singing, smiling, and growing in faith—thanks in part to the care and support they receive from our congregation.

We are especially grateful for the faithful leadership of Lori Rowe, our dedicated PPM Director, and the hard work of all the teachers who pour their love into the children each day. Special thanks also to Margi McConnaha and Ralph Willard, who volunteer each week to read stories to the children. If you feel called to be part of this beautiful ministry, please contact the church office or reach out to Lori Rowe directly. There’s always room for more helping hands and loving hearts!

House of Grace Recovery Home

The House of Grace is a local ministry offering support to women overcoming addiction and rebuilding their lives. It fills a vital need in our community following the closure of Live for Life Indiana, whose ministry ended when the founder sold the shelter house and moved on to a new chapter. Our Mission & Outreach Committee is actively seeking our next local mission partnership. On Sat., April 12^th, committee members Nancy Turner, Jane Myers, and Debbie Crouse attended the open house and presentation to learn more about their work.

The committee will continue gathering information and discern how our church can best support this important ministry. Please keep the House of Grace and the women they serve in your prayers.

Gourmet Seekers

Our April Gourmet Seekers’ gathering took place on Fri., April 25^th at the Americana Grill in Lebanon. It was another wonderful time of fellowship, laughter, and sharing a good meal together.

Our next gathering is scheduled for Fri., May 30^th. The venue has not yet been decided, so your suggestions and ideas are most welcome! If you have a favorite restaurant in mind, please let us know—we look forward to exploring new places together.

Pastor Je’s Vacations in May

Pastor Je will be taking two weeks of vacation during May. As our church year runs from June to May, unused vacation time must be taken before the end of May.

The schedule is as follows:

·        First vacation: Mon., May 12^th–Sun., May 18^th.

o   Benjamin Piper will preach during worship on Sun., May 18^th.

·        Second vacation: Mon., May 26^th–Sun., June 1^st.

o   The Worship Committee is currently arranging for a pulpit supply for Sun., June 1^st.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support during this time.

Pentecost Offering

Our Special PCUSA Offering of “One Great Hour of Sharing” concluded on Easter Sunday. Beginning the next day—Easter Monday—through Pentecost Sunday, we are now receiving the Pentecost Offering.

The Pentecost Offering unites Presbyterians across the country in a shared effort to support and inspire young people, encouraging them to share their faith, ideas, and unique gifts with the church and the wider world. As Psalm 71 reminds us, building a foundation of faith during childhood leads to a lifetime of faithful service. The lessons and patterns formed in these early years continue to bear fruit throughout a person’s life.

By participating in the Pentecost Offering, you are nurturing the faith of children, youth, and young adults—an investment in the future of the Church.

The offering is distributed as follows:

·        40% stays with our congregation to support local ministries with children, youth, and young adults.

·        25% supports Young Adult Volunteers, who serve in communities across the globe and grow as leaders through transformative Christian service.

·        25% supports Ministries with Youth, including events such as the PC(USA) Youth Triennium.

·        10% is devoted to children at risk, supporting educational initiatives and providing safe havens for vulnerable children.

Let us give generously, planting seeds of faith for generations to come.

Ascension Day

Thu., May 29^th marks Ascension Day, the 40^th day after Easter, when Christians remember Jesus Christ’s ascension into Heaven. This moment is not just a farewell—it is a turning point in God’s redemptive plan. By ascending, Jesus completed His earthly ministry and took His place at the right hand of God the Father, where He now intercedes for us.

But the story does not end there. Before His departure, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come upon the disciples with power. That promise was fulfilled ten days later on Pentecost, when the Spirit descended and the Church was born. Thus, Ascension points forward to Pentecost: the one who ascended is the one who sends the Spirit. As we reflect on the Ascension, we prepare our hearts for the Spirit’s work among us even today.

BYOB

Don’t forget the BYOB—Bring Your Own whatever B— is the second Friday of every month. Hope you can join us this month!

Communion Servers Needed

We have Communion once a month, on the first Sunday of each month. We need elders to serve the communion. You can volunteer to serve if you are an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church of U.S.A. (PCUSA). Session has voted to invite those that are not ordained elders to serve as well. If you are interested, there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board across from the church office. June and July still need volunteers.

 

 May Communion Servers:

·        Leeza Finch

·        Barbara Belt

·        Nancy Turner

·        Don Sanders

Voice Actor for the Scripture Reading

We usually have two Scripture readings each Sunday, one from the Old Testament (traditionally read by the liturgist), and the other from the New Testament (traditionally read by the preacher). To make the Scripture come alive to us, we are dramatizing the Scripture reading whenever there is conversation involved in the Scripture readings. If you would help in making the Scripture readings more dynamic, please let Neal Crouse know on the Sunday of your choice.

May Birthdays and Anniversaries

Thurs. May  1^st: Pastor Je’s Birthday

Thurs. May  8^th: Dan Erwin’s Birthday

Fri.      May  9^th: Jeannie Shaw’s Birthday

Sat.      May  10^th: Lynna Shaw’s Birthday

Wed.   May  14^th: Allen & Jennie Woods’

                           Anniversary

Sat.    May    24^th: Bud Hunter’s Birthday

Wed.  May   28^th: Ryan & Echo Nunley’s

                           Anniversary

Wed.  May   28^th: George Piper II’s Birthday

Fri.     May   30^th: Dennis Brannon’s Birthday

May Church Calendar

Sat.    May   3^rd: 11:30am Bible Study

Sun.   May   4^th: Communion Sunday/

                          Star Wars Day

Mon.  May   5^th: Cinco de Mayo

Fri.     May   9^th: 11:30am BYOB

                         5:30pm Worship Team Mtg.

Sat.    May   10^th: 11:30am Bible Study 

Sun.   May   11^th: Mother’s Day

Mon.  May   12^th: Pastor Je’s vacation begins

Wed.  May   14^th: 1:30pm Faith Circle

Sat.    May   17^th: NO Bible Study

Sun.   May   18^th: Benjamin Piper Preaching

                           Pastor Je’s vacation ends

Tues.  May   20^th: 6:30pm Session Meeting

Sat.    May   24^th: 11:30am Bible Study

Sun.   May   25^th: Caring Sunday

Mon.  May   26^th: Memorial Day

                           Pastor Je’s vacation begins 

                           Church Office closed

Thur. May   29^th: Ascension Day

Fri.     May   30^th: Noon Gourmet Seekers

Sat.    May   31^st: NO Bible Study

Church Contact Information

Office Email: office@LebanonFPC.org

Pastor Email: pastor@LebanonFPC.org

Phone: 765-482-5959

Address: 128 E. Main St. Lebanon, IN 46052

Website: https://www.LebanonFPC.org