Presbytidings – April 2013
The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church
216 West Third Street, Wayne, Nebraska 68787
(402) 375-2669 Ë www.fpcwayne.org
“Our chief end is to glorify and enjoy God forever.”
Chuck Colson, who was an assistant to President Nixon and who died last April, was convicted for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Colson served time in federal prison for his crimes, and later he became a Christian and a famous apologist for the Faith. Here is what he said about Jesus’ resurrection:
“When I am challenged on the resurrection, my answer is always that the disciples and 500 others gave eyewitness accounts of seeing Jesus risen from the tomb [1 Corinthians 15:5-6]. But then I’m asked, ‘How do you know they were telling the truth? Maybe they were perpetrating a hoax.’ My answer to that comes from an unlikely source: Watergate.
“Watergate involved a conspiracy perpetuated by the closest aides to the president of the United States—the most powerful men in America, who were intensely loyal to their president. But one of them, John Dean, turned state’s evidence, that is, testified against Nixon, as he put it, ‘to save his own skin’—and he did so only two weeks after informing the president about what was really going on—two weeks! The cover-up, the lie, could only be held together for two weeks, and then everybody else jumped ship in order to save themselves. Now, the fact is that all those around the president were facing was embarrassment, maybe prison. [But] nobody’s life was at stake.
“But what about the disciples? Twelve powerless men, peasants really, were facing not just embarrassment or political disgrace, but beatings, stonings, execution. Every single one of the disciples insisted, to their dying breaths, that they had physically seen Jesus bodily raised from the dead. Don’t you think that one of those apostles would have cracked before being beheaded or stoned? That one of them would have made a deal with the authorities? None did. Men will give their lives for something they believe to be true; they will never give their lives for something they know to be false.
“The Watergate cover-up reveals the true nature of humanity. Even political zealots at the pinnacle of power will, in the crunch, save their own necks, even at the expense of the ones they profess to serve so loyally. But the apostles could not deny Jesus, because they had seen him face to face, and they knew he had risen from the dead.
“No, you can take it from an expert in cover-ups…that nothing less than a resurrected Christ could have caused those men to maintain to their dying whispers that Jesus is alive and is Lord. Two thousand years later, nothing less than the power of the risen Christ could inspire Christians around the world to remain faithful—despite prison, torture, and death. Jesus is Lord: That’s the thrilling message of Easter. It’s a historic fact, one convincingly established by the evidence—and one you can bet your life upon.”
Hallelujah! He is risen!
Pastor Ray
SESSION
The Session will gather on Monday, April 22, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
YOUTH GROUPS
High School Youth: 4/3 and 4/17 at 7:30 p.m.
Junior High Youth: 4/10 and 4/24 at 7:30 p.m.
BROWN BAG BIBLE STUDY
We will meet on April 4, 11, and 18 to finish out the semester. We will finish out Ephesians and briefly tackle Philippians.
MIDDLE SCHOOL RETREAT
Calvin Crest is hosting a middle school retreat for kids in grades 6-8: April 19-20 (Friday-Saturday). The cost is $49, but the church will pay 100%. To learn more (and to register), visit http://www.calvincrest.org/Youth_Retreats.php. And adult chaperons are free!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
VBS will be June 3 through 6, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Put it on your calendar, and don’t forget to bring a friend!
SUMMER CAMP
Calvin Crest has an awesome variety of summer camps for kids of all ages! Choose from horseback, mountain biking, adventure, nature education, or traditional camps that all blend camp fun with love for Jesus. Pick up a brochure at the Opportunity Table in fellowship hall or visit http://www.calvincrest.org/Summer_Camp.php for more information. Our church will pay for 50% of the cost of camp. Also, if you invite three friends who have never been to Calvin Crest before, you go for free!
NEED A SUMMER JOB?
Calvin Crest is looking for summer staff to work with campers. They need people for counselors, lifeguards, crafts, and health care. Applicants should be Christian high school graduates and preferably at least 18 years old. Visit www.calvincrest.org/job_opportunities/php for more information. If you are in grades 9-12, you can also be a CSI—camp staff intern!
WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN OUR PRAYER GROUP? Just contact Jenny at the church office (402)375-2669 or email us at fpcwayne@gmail.com, and we will be glad to add your name!
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN will meet on Wednesdays again beginning with our April 3rd meeting at 6:30 pm. Jackie Owens will lead our Bible study and Babs Middleton will be the hostess.
SEWING SOULS will also move our sewing days back to Wednesday. In April we meet on Wednesday, April 17 at 6:30. There is plenty to work on no matter what your sewing skills.
CHURCH COOKBOOK
We are still collecting recipes for a second church cookbook. Since this is a project Sandra Metz was interested in completing, we would like to finish the cookbook and dedicate it to her. It would be great if every family could submit at least one recipe, but we would love more! Recipes can be emailed to jane@inebraska.com or they can be left in the basket on the Opportunity Table. Thanks for your help with this project.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
We are now on Facebook! You can “like” us at “First Presbyterian Church – Wayne, Nebraska.” Tune in for the latest updates from our church.
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
- Our unchurched neighbors
- Denny Spangler
- Tiffany Heese
GREETERS
APRIL 2013
7th – The Pulfer Family
14th – The McLaughlins & The Fuelberths
21st – The Sweetland Family
28th – The Peitz Family
MAY 2013
5th – The Worner Family
12th – The Liskas & The Milton Owens
19th – P. Straight, K. Johnson, & The Griesses
26th – Verlin & Elaine Francis, & Jack & Bev Beeson
LECTORS
APRIL 2013
7th – Ken Marra
14th – Rachelle McCalla
21st – Levi Heese
28th – Ken Liska
MAY 2013
5th – Gail McCorkindale
12th – Tiffany Heese
19th – Sydney McCorkindale
26th – Angie Nelson
ACOLYTES
APRIL 2013
7th – Emily Armstrong
14th – Maddie Beair
21st – Shea Sweetland
28th – Gabriel Peitz
MAY 2013
5th – Jon Worner
12th – Solomon Peitz
19th – Zach Urbanec
26th – Maddie Stenka
April 2013 – First Presbyterian Church
Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Each Sunday Morning:
|
1 3:45pm Scout Meeting 6:30pm Scout Meeting
|
2 4:00pm NE Nebraska Children’s Chorus
|
3 6:30pm Presbyterian Women 7:30pm High School Youth
|
4 12pm Brown Bag Bible Study |
5 |
6
|
7 |
8 6:30pm Scout Meeting
|
9 4:00pm NE Nebraska Children’s Chorus
|
10 7:30pm Middle School Youth Group |
11 12pm Brown Bag Bible Study 6:00pm PEO meets |
12 2:00pm Wayne Women’s Club |
13 |
14 |
15 3:45pm Scout Meeting 6:30pm Scout Meeting
|
16 4:00pm NE Nebraska Children’s Chorus
|
17 6:30pm Sewing Souls 7:30pm High School Youth |
18 12pm Brown Bag Bible Study
|
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 3:45pm Scout Meeting 7:00pm Session
|
23 4:00pm NE Nebraska Children’s Chorus
|
24 7:30pm High School Youth Group |
25
|
26 |
27 |
28
|
29
|
30 4:00pm Nebraska Children’s Chorus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APRIL BIRTHDAYS
1 Genevieve McCalla
4 Bev Beeson
8 Andrew Pulfer
9 Kevin Armstrong
19 Taylor Racely
23 Jill O’Leary Scott
26 Phil Griess, Levi Heese
27 Stacey Alexander, Verianne McClain
29 Heidi Armstrong
30 Greg Bloom
GET OUR NEWSLETTER BY E-MAIL
If you would like to receive this newsletter by e-mail (save a stamp, save a tree!), go to www.fpcwayne.org; on the home page, in the right hand column, there is a widget that says, “NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION: Enter your e-mail address to receive Presbytidings, our church’s newsletter, by e-mail.” Enter your address in the white box, and click on the button that says, “Sign me up!” You will need to confirm your subscription through an e-mail message that will be sent to your inbox; this is safe! It is designed to keep spammers out of the picture! Share our newsletter with all your friends and family. Simple!