June 2025 Newsletter

 

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Annual Meeting: Sunday, June 8th

Our Annual Congregational Meeting convenes on Sunday, June 8th, setting the course for the 2025–2026 church year. Whereas many congregations organize their business on a January–December cycle, we follow a June–May calendar to remain in step with our Presbyterian Preschool Ministry (PPM).

 

What to expect:

  • Comprehensive reports from every committee and ministry cluster
  • Presentation of the proposed budget for the coming year
  • Congregational vote on the pastor’s terms of call, as recommended by the session
    • (All other budget lines have already been approved by the session.)

 

Why your presence matters

Unlike special called meetings, whose discussion is limited to a published agenda, the annual meeting provides an open forum for questions, ideas, and vision-casting. Your voice helps shape the priorities, stewardship, and mission of our church for the year ahead.

Mark the date, bring your insights, and join us in discerning God’s future for our congregation.

 

Gourmet Seekers

We meet at “What the Pho” in Indianapolis on Friday, May 30th. What a great time for fellowship and planning the next lunch! Please join us next month on Friday, June 27th at 12pm. Location is TBD. To carpool meet at the church by 11:30am.

Quarterly Luncheon and Guest Speaker

Our Second-Quarter Communal Luncheon takes place straight after worship on Sunday, June 8th, the same day as the Annual Congregational Meeting. Because January’s gathering was cancelled by a winter storm, this will be our first shared meal of the year—all the more reason to celebrate!

Menu & what to bring:

  • The church will provide iced drinks and Kroger’s famous fried chicken.
  • Everyone is invited to add desserts or side-dishes to the table. A pot-luck spread always tastes best when it reflects the variety of our congregation.

New tradition: mission spotlight

Beginning this year, each quarterly luncheon will feature a guest from one of our mission partners. Although Matt Wilson (Boone County Mentoring Partnership) will be rescheduled for a future date, this luncheon welcomes Tom Fagin of the Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home. Tom will share how the home equips vulnerable young people with life-changing skills and Gospel-center hope.

Come for the fellowship, stay for the fried chicken, and be inspired by the stories of God’s work in our community.

John Michael Quinn

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John M. Quinn—cherished brother in Christ, gifted singer, irrepressible raconteur, Korean War hero, former U.S. Air Force captain, and devoted husband to Arlene—was welcomed home to the Father’s house on Friday, May 9th, 2025. True to his modest spirit, John asked for a simple graveside service. Family and close friends honored that wish on Thursday, May 15th, gathering at the Catholic cemetery to commend him into God’s eternal care. We shall hold John’s laughter, his songs, and his steadfast faith as lasting blessings among us.

His full obituary may be read online: https://www.myersmortuary.com/obituaries/john-quinn-35/#!/Obituary

DQ Gift Cards

For Mother’s Day this year, we replaced flowers with Dairy Queen gift cards, a nod to Pastor Je’s preference for gifts that can be enjoyed rather than displayed. The idea was a hit, so we will honor the men of God in our congregation the same way on Father’s Day, which falls on Sunday, June 15th this year.

  • What to expect: Every gentleman in worship will receive a gift card before the service.
  • Why the switch: A sweet treat lasts longer than cut flowers and fits perfectly with summer.
  • A cultural tidbit: In Korea there are no separate Mother’s or Father’s Days—only a single Parents’ Day on May 8th.

Come prepared to worship, to celebrate, and to enjoy a cool reminder of the congregation’s appreciation.

 

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Pentecost Offering

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The collecting of Pentecost offering, one of the four Special offerings of PCUSA will end on Pentecost Sunday, June 8th. 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. 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 (YAVs), 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.

PC(USA) Amendment 24-C

At last year’s General Assembly the church adopted Amendment 24-C, and a majority of presbyteries have now ratified it (Tuesday, 13 May 2025, it crossed the threshold of 84 presbytery approvals). From 4th of July, when sessions and presbyteries examine candidates for deacon, elder, or minister, the conversation must explicitly cover both our Historic Principles of Church Order and the section on ‘Unity in Diversity’ (F-1.0403) that forbids discrimination on grounds such as race, disability, or sexual orientation. Councils still decide whom to ordain; the amendment simply invites every candidate to reflect aloud on how they will nurture a church where all may fully participate. It is one more step toward embodying Paul’s vision that ‘in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek… but all are one’ (Galatians 3:28, NRSV). Nothing in the nature of our Constitution changes but just makes it more explicit that we are against all kinds of unjust discriminations.

FAQ

  • Does this force us to ordain anyone?
    No. It only requires the subject be addressed during the examination.
  • What if a candidate disagrees with part of F-1.0403?
    Councils weigh the sincerity of the response in the same way they weigh answers to every ordination question.
  • Are additional written forms needed?
    No new forms are prescribed; many presbyteries will circulate sample questions to help sessions frame the discussion.
  • Why link this to the Historic Principles (F-3.01)?
    To anchor the conversation in Reformed theology—freedom of conscience held within mutual accountability.

Pastoral Leave & Guest Preachers

Pastor Je used two non-consecutive weeks of annual leave in May. Under his terms of call he receives three distinct categories of time away—vacation, study leave, and sick days. Study leave and sick days may be carried forward, but vacation must be taken within the church’s program year (June–May). By taking the remaining fortnight of leave at the beginning of May, he fulfilled that requirement.

While Pastor Je was away, Ben Piper preached on Sunday, May 18th. Your favorite guest, Rev. Alan Griffin, will occupy the pulpit on Sunday, June 1st.

Pentecost

A group of people with hands raised in front of a fire AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Fifty days after Easter the Church retells the story of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4): wind roaring through an upper room, tongues of fire resting on ordinary disciples, every barrier of language shattered as the Gospel bursts into the streets. That moment is often called the birth-day of the Church, yet it is far more than an anniversary on the calendar.

Pentecost matters now because the same Holy Spirit continues to:

  • Ignite courage — transforming anxious hearts into bold witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.
  • Break down walls — teaching us to speak the “languages” of our neighbors, whether literal or cultural.
  • Distribute gifts — equipping each believer with unique talents for worship, service, and justice.
  • Create community — knitting diverse people into one body, previewing the reconciled humanity God intends.

When we gather on 8th June, we do more than remember an ancient blaze; we open the windows of our lives to the same fresh wind, praying that the Spirit will rekindle zeal, renew unity, and propel our congregation into Christ-centered mission for the year ahead.

Trinity Sunday

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On the Sunday after Pentecost the Church pauses to honor the Holy Trinity: one God in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The doctrine roots itself in Scripture (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:13) and is confessed in our creeds, yet it remains a holy mystery. Saint Augustine famously wrote that anyone who claims to comprehend the Trinity “will have spoken falsehood,” reminding us that finite minds cannot circumscribe infinite glory.

Why, then, celebrate what we cannot fully grasp? Because the Trinity is more than an abstract puzzle; it is the living heartbeat of the Gospel. The Father sends the Son for our salvation; the Son reveals the Father’s love; the Spirit unites us to Christ and to one another. In worship we do not solve the mystery—we enter it, praising the God whose very life is communion and self-giving love.

On Trinity Sunday, June 15th, our liturgy will echo that three-fold rhythm: Trinitarian hymns, a sermon reflecting on the mystery, and prayers inviting the Spirit to draw us deeper into divine fellowship. Come ready to marvel, to sing, and to rest in the truth that while we cannot map the mystery, we can gladly live within it.

Flag Day

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On Saturday, June 14th, the United States observes Flag Day, recalling the adoption of the Stars and Stripes in 1777. As you pass the courthouse lawn or fly a flag at home, pause to give thanks for the liberties we enjoy and to pray that our nation may be guided by justice, mercy, and the common good.

Worship in the Park

Join us for our Annual Worship in the Park, a joint service with Central Christian Church (CCC), on Sunday, June 22nd at the bandstand in Memorial Park.

  • Time: 10.00 a.m. (note the earlier start)
  • Location: Memorial Park Bandstand
  • Communion: The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated, in keeping with CCC’s weekly practice.
  • Lunch: A relaxed pitch-in follows the service; bring a favorite dish to share. Drinks and tableware will be provided.
  • Rain plan: Should the weather turn, we will gather at Central Christian Church instead.

Come ready to sing under the open sky, break bread together, and enjoy fellowship with our neighbors in faith.

 

June Birthdays and Anniversaries

Sun.   June   1st: Elizabeth Clem’s Birthday

Tues.  June   3rd: Marty Willard & Dick Self’s

                         Birthday       

Thurs. June   12th: Alex Whipkey’s Birthday

Sat.    June   14th: Bob Duff’s Birthday

Sun.    June   15th: Henry Hutcheson’s

                            Birthday

Tues.  June   17th: Les Goodnight’s Birthday

Thurs. June  19th: Les & Debbie Goodnight’s

                           Anniversary

Sun.    June   22nd: Ralph & Marty Willard’s

                            Anniversary

Tues.  June   24th: Sigmon & Jane Myers’

                           Anniversary

June Church Calendar

Sun.   June   1st: Communion Sunday

Sat.    June   7th: 11:30am Bible Study

Sun.   June   8th: Pentecost

                          Annual Meeting

                         Second Quarterly Luncheon

                         Guest Speaker from IUMCH

Wed.  June   11th: 1:30pm Faith Circle

Fri.     June   13th: 11:30am BYOB       

Sat.    June   14th: 11:30am Bible Study

                            Flag Day

Sun.   June    15th: Trinity Sunday

                           Father’s Day

Tues.  June   17th: 6:30pm Session Meeting

Sat.    June   21st: 11:30am Bible Study

Sun.   June   22nd: 10:00am Worship in the 

                             Park

Fri.     June   27th: 12pm Gourmet Seekers

Sat.    June   28th: 11:30am Bible Study

Sun.   June   29th: Caring Sunday

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

 

 

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