Presbytidings – October 2012
The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church
216 West Third Street, Wayne, Nebraska 68787
(402) 375-2669 ✙ www.fpcwayne.org
“Our chief end is to glorify and enjoy God forever.”
A WORD FROM THE PASTOR: The Worst Drought
As of last week, the University of Nebraska’s Drought Monitor (www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu) has all of northeast Nebraska—not to mention most of the state of Nebraska—in the most severe category of drought, labeled “exceptional.” We are in the worst dry spell in a generation. Wayne alone is well short of its typical rainfall total of 26.3 inches per year, and it seems we’ve reached a crisis point: we badly need rain.
And I would suspect that most of us know what it’s like to have a drought of the soul: when we feel dried up, parched, thirsty deep inside. Life has a way of sapping our joy and draining our hope until we feel like the crispy, brown grass outside. Our sedative culture deadens our spiritual sensitivity, and sometimes we stumble along, numb to the lush life that God intends for us. And unfortunately—even though we may search diligently—there is nothing in the world that can assuage our thirst.
There’s an old Keith Green song called, “My Eyes Are Dry,” that goes like this: “My eyes are dry, my faith is old, my heart is hard, my prayers are cold. And I know how I ought to be alive to you and dead to me.” And I know I’ve felt like that: as crusty as the dry ground in the fields of northeast Nebraska. Just like the weather, it seems we sometimes reach a crisis point: we badly need a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit to revive us.
Thankfully, Jesus promised just that to all who believe in him: “Everyone who drinks this [plain well] water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) And that is good news, like a steady, soaking autumn rain that quenches the cracked earth.
To quote Keith Green again, “What can be done for an old heart like mine? Soften it up with oil and wine: the oil is you, your Spirit of love. Please wash me anew with the wine of your blood.” During times of spiritual drought, we need to seek Jesus, who is the source of eternal refreshment. So while we’re praying for rain, let’s also pray for God’s renewing Spirit.
Pastor Ray
WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY
We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, October 7. This is World Communion Sunday, when Christians from a wide swath of the church share Communion and pray for unity.
SESSION
The Session will gather on Monday, October 22, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
The session has called for a congregational meeting, following worship (around 11:00 a.m.) on Sunday, October 28. We will be voting on pastoral compensation and electing new elders and deacons. This is for all active members.
CHILDREN’S CHORUS
FPC is the new rehearsal home for the Northeast Nebraska Children’s Chorus. The NNCC is accepting kids in grades 3-6, and they will be performing with the WSC Chorale. Rehearsals will start on 10/2 and will be Tuesdays from 4:00-4:45 pm. Registration is $20 per semester. For more information, contact Brandi Kolbeck, instructor, at brkolbe1@wsc.edu or (402) 369-6354.
YOUTH TRIENNIUM
Attention high school youth: The Presbyterian Youth Triennium is coming next summer! July 16-20, 2013, at Purdue University. A group from Homestead Presbytery will be traveling out. Homestead Presbytery will pay for the travel expenses, and our session will pay for half of the registration fee, in order to make this amazing experience affordable. Talk to Pastor Ray if you have any questions, and you can visit www.presbyterianyouthtriennium.org for details.
YOUTH GROUPS
Middle School Youth Group meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room.
High School Youth Group meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room. Bring your friends!
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN
PW will meet on October 3 at 6:30pm. The lesson leader will be Karen Johnson with “An Overview of the General Epistles.” Hostess will be Joyce Voyles. We invite all women of the church for Bible study, fellowship, and great food!
SEWING SOULS
The Sewing Souls will meet October 17 at 6:30pm. Babs Middleton will be the hostess. Even if you can’t sew—we can still use you and your hands! Come for more great food and fellowship!
HIGHWAY CLEAN-UP
We will be picking up litter on our stretch of Highway 35 after Fellowship Time on Sunday, 10/7. Wear your grubby clothes to church!
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN COOKBOOK, PART II:
“Thank God for Food…and Good Cooks!” Please submit your recipes to Jane O’Leary by the end of October. We would like to include both new and old recipes. Recipes can either be placed in the basket in Fellowship Hall, or emailed to Jane O’Leary at jane@inebraska.com. Recipes are needed as soon as possible in order to have the cookbook ready for holiday gift-giving.
AMERICAN GRACE: HOW RELIGIONS DIVIDES AND UNITES US:
This lecture by author Robert D. Putnam will be held Tuesday, October 2, at 7:30pm at the United Methodist Church in Wayne. The lecture is sponsored by the Wayne State College President’s Council for Diversity. Refreshments precede the event at 7:00pm.
16TH ANNUAL LIFE CHAIN IN WAYNE:
The Life Chain will be held Sunday, October 7, from 2:30-3:30pm. Signs may be picked up at the corner of 7th & Main by 2:15pm that day. Please come and join us in an effort to help end abortion. Following the event, Senator Mike Flood will be speaking at St. Mary’s Holy Family Hall addressing pro-life issues.
SOAP FOR LITTLE HANDS:
Once again, Rowan and Twila Wiltse are collecting for their “Little Hands” project. Please place your soaps, toothbrushes, and toothpaste of any size in the bucket in the Fellowship Hall. This year, the project will reach those in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
BAIL PASTOR RAY OUT OF JAIL!
No, this is not another clergy scandal. Ray is raising money for MDA to help fight against muscle diseases, including ALS! Make your secure online donation at www.mda.org, or at Ray’s personal page: http://www2.mda.org/site/TR?px=1478055&pg=personal&fr_id=3700 Personal checks may be written to MDA and given to either the church office or to Pastor Ray.
CELEBRATE CLERGY APPRECIATION MONTH! October is Clergy Appreciation Month. Let’s let Pastor Ray know how much we appreciate all he does for our congregation. Check out http://www.thrivingpastor.org/images/pdf/cam.pdf for some great ideas! A tray of cookies or a note of thanks might not be a bad idea…
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
- Our pastor, encouragement for him!
- Our college students
- Rain (and spiritual renewal!)
- Jackie Owens, recovering from knee surgery
- Jay O’Leary, recovering from surgery
- The family of Mary Kay Meeker, Mark Hammer’s sister.
First Presbyterian Church of Wayne, Nebraska 