Presbytidings – February 2014

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

            We all carry our assumptions about what “church” is. What is the church? As you might guess, some images that we hold are more biblical and true, and some are less biblical and true. A preacher named Colin Smith came up with four distorted images of the church—that is ideas about church that are deformed and defective, even if they are prevalent in our culture:

• The church as a gas station. For some people today, the church is a place where you fill up your spiritual gas tank when you’re running low. Get a good sermon, and it will keep you going for the week.
• The church as a movie theater. For many people, the church is a place that offers entertainment. Go for an hour of escape, hopefully in comfortable seats. Leave your problems at the door and come out smiling and feeling better than when you went in.
• The church as a drug store. For other people, church is the place where you can fill the prescription that will deal with your pain. For many the church is therapeutic.
• The church as a big box retailer. Other people see the church as the place that offers the best products in a clean and safe environment for you and your family. The church offers great service at a low price—all in one stop. For many people, the church is a producer of programs for children and young people.

To his list I would add other distorted images of the church: the church as social group, where we find belonging, pride, and even a means to social change; the church as nostalgia, a museum where history is preserved and its primary reason is to serve as a staging for precious family moments like baptisms, weddings, and funerals; and perhaps most inaccurately and perniciously, the church as building—a place that must be maintained.

It matters how we think about “church,” because God has an opinion. And we can either be in line with God, or out of line with God.

Instead of church as building or movie theater, God calls the church the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27); the bride of Christ/wife of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9-10); the Jerusalem that is above (Galatians 4:26); the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16); a holy “temple” (but not a building! Ephesians 2:21); a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession (1 Peter 2:9); and the flock of God (1 Peter 5:2).

All this matters, because how we think of church plays out in how we practice our faith. For example, if we think of church as a movie theater for our entertainment, we will certainly have a strong opinion about the music and the quality of performance! If we think of church as big box retailer, we will certainly have a strong opinion about the “product” that the pastor provides for our consumption! And if we think of church as a building, then we will be unduly attached to bricks and mortar, sometimes at the expense of the people for whom Jesus died.

[And Augustine, an early church leader, described the church as a hospital for sinners, rather than a club for healthy people—a place for healing and forgiveness, rather than a gathering of “perfect” people. Imagine how it would change our behavior if we thought of ourselves as convalescing together from the effects of sin instead of already being righteous! As the saying goes, Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.]

But if we rightly conceive church as a chosen people who belong to God, then we will (hopefully) start to treat each other the way God treats us: with love, compassion, and forgiveness. And if we conceive church as a flock being guarded by the Great Shepherd, then we might be more likely to protect each other, rather than devour each other (Galatians 5:15)!

So what do you think when you hear the word “church”? Is it distorted? Or is it in line with God? It matters!

Pastor Ray

 

 

SESSION

The Session will gather on Monday, February 24, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

 COMMUNION

We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, February 2, and Sunday, March 2.

 LOOKING AHEAD TO ASH WEDNESDAY        

We will observe the beginning of Lent on Wednesday, March 5, at 6:30pm in the sanctuary. Please make plans to participate in our Lenten journey to the cross and the empty tomb! We will have soup suppers and prayer services on Wednesdays during Lent.

 CONFIRMATION UPDATE

Confirmation students will meet with their mentors on Sunday, February 2, and Sunday, March 2, from 9:00-9:45am. Our spring field trip will be on Saturday, March 15. Details to come! Also, remember that our retreat to Calvin Crest will be April 25-27.

 PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Presbyterian Women will meet on Wednesday, February 5, at 6:30pm.  Karen Johnson will lead the Bible study. Joyce Voyles will be the hostess.

SEWING SOULS

Sewing Souls will meet on Wednesday, February 19^th at 6:30 p.m. Karen Johnson will be the hostess.

 YOUTH GROUPS

High School Youth: 2/5 and 2/19, 7:30-8:30pm.

Jr. High Youth: 2/12 and 2/26, 7:30-8:30pm. Bring a friend!

 

FAMILY FELLOWSHIP NIGHT!

Join us for a Fiesta Friday on February 21^st at 5:30pm!  Taco fixin’s will be provided, but we will welcome side dishes and desserts.  Afterward, we will enjoy some frost-free fun!  Sign-up sheet at the Opportunity Table or send us an email at fpcwayne@gmail.com

 BROWN-BAG BIBLE STUDY         

Join Pastor Ray for a Brown-Bag Bible Study, Tuesdays at 12:15, in the Goldenrod Room in the WSC Student Center.

THE 2014 LECTOR, ACOLYTE, GREETER SCHEDULE is available on the Opportunity Table.  As in the past, please find a replacement if you cannot make it, and contact the church office about any changes. If you would still like to be added, we would be happy to put your name on the substitute list.   Thank you!

HOMESTEAD PRESBYTERY

Our presbytery will gather at the Southern Heights Presbyterian Church in Lincoln on Saturday, 2/15, beginning at 10:00am. Our own Pastor Ray is presenting a workshop.  Please see the flyer on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall for more details.

 RENEW WAYNE

CrossPoint campus ministry is bringing an amazing event to our community! Audio Adrenaline and Kutless will be playing at the Community Activity Center on Thursday, April 24. If you would like to help out with the event planning, please contact Josh Sievers at (502) 649-1924 or joshsievers@live.com. For more information, including how to volunteer, visit www.renewwayne.com, or find them on Facebook!

THE CHURCH DIRECTORY UPDATE

Have you changed your phone number or moved lately?  Please use the update sheet on the Opportunity Table to make any changes to your current listing.

SERMONS ON THE WEB

Pastor Ray’s sermons can be heard on our Web site: www.fpcwayne.org/media.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

First Presbyterian Church – Wayne, Nebraska

TRI-COUNTY RIGHT TO LIFE BREAKFAST

The Tri-County Right to Life Breakfast will be held Saturday, 2/8 at 9:30am in Holy Family Hall at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  Their featured speaker will be Martha Hawthorne, who hosts a radio program called “Praying with Mommy” on KFHC?KOIA, 88.1 FM.  Other speakers will be Senator Dave Bloomfield, and Julie Schmit, Executive Director of  Nebraska Right to Life.  Our church has been asked to provide two 9×13 egg casseroles.  Please contact Deb Dickey debdickey@msn.com or Bonnie Hoffman bhoffman70@centurylink.net for details.

 THE ANNUAL KIWANIS PANCAKE FEED

will be held Sunday, February 16, from 9:00am – 1:00pm at the Wayne Armory (800 E. 7^th Street). Adults are $5, Children 3-12 are $3.00, and children 2 and under eat for free.

AL-ANON AND ALATEEN

Al-Anon and Alateen are committed to providing comfort and support to relatives and friends of alcoholics, and to providing understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic using the “12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous” as a spiritual guide.  Locally, Al-Anon meets on Wednesdays at 8pm at the Wayne Municipal Building, 4^th floor, 306 N. Pearl Street (southeast conference room).  For other times and locations, see the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall.

 FIRST LEGO LEAGUE – TEAM TWISTERS

Congratulations to Jon Worner and Henry McCalla! Their Lego League robotics team, Team Twisters, won grand champion at the South Sioux City qualifier on January 25. They will compete in the state tournament on February 22, at the SAC Museum in Ashland, Nebraska. Congrats!

 PLEASE PRAY FOR:

• Our community
• Our schools and teachers
• Our unchurched neighbors
• All who are battling cancer
• All who live in care centers
• CrossPoint Campus Ministry and our college students
• Peace in the Middle East
• Persecuted Christians in Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea

 

GREETERS

FEBRUARY 2014                                                                                          

2^nd – Jack & Bev Beeson, John & Anita Fuelberth                                    .

9^th – Phil & Jean Griess, Mark & Jenny Hammer                                     .

16^th – Ken & Jan Liska, Ken & Karen Marra                                            

23^rd – The McCorkindale Family                                                               

MARCH 2014     

2nd – Jim C., Pat S. Karen J. and Babs M

9th – Jim L., Joyce R., Pat & Glenda McD   

16th – Milton & Jackie O., The Paiges 

23rd – The Peitz Family 

30th – The Peterson Family                                                                                                              

 

LECTORS

FEBRUARY 2014                                                                              

2^nd – Solomon Peitz                                                                         

9^th – Zach Urbanec                                                                          

16^th – Layne Heese                                                                            

23^rd – Madison Stenka                                                                     

MARCH 2014 

2nd – Beau Bowers

 9th – Shea Abraham 

16th – Sarah Wibben

23rd – Greg Worner 

 30th – Tami Worner

ACOLYTES

FEBRUARY 2014                                                                              

2^nd – Emily Armstrong                                                                     

9^th – Madison Beair                                                                          

16^th – Shea Sweetland                                                                      

23^rd – Gabriel Peitz     

MARCH 2014 

2nd – Jon Worner   

9th – Genevieve McCalla   

16th – Bralen Murphy 

 23rd – Nina Hammer                                                             

30th – Andy Wibben                                                                                                            

                                                                       

February 2014 – First Presbyterian Church

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1   Each Sunday Morning: Handbell Choir 8:45 Church School 9:00 Confirmation Class 9:00 Worship 10:00 Fellowship 11:00						1
2	3   6:00 Scout Den Meeting	4   12pm WSC Brown Bag Bible Study	5   6:30 Presbyterian Women 7:30pm High School Youth	6	7	8
9	10   6:00 Scout Pack Meeting	11   12pm WSC Brown Bag Bible Study	12   7:30pm Jr. High  Youth	13	14   2:00 Wayne Women’s Club	15
16	17   6:00 Scout Den Meeting	18   12pm WSC Brown Bag Bible Study	19   6:30 Sewing Souls 7:30pm High School Youth	20	21   10:00 Kiwanis Chamber Coffee at FPC   5:30 Family Fellowship Night	22
23	24   7:00 Session  Mtg	25   12pm WSC Brown Bag Bible Study	26   7:30pm Jr. High Youth	27	28

 

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

(Would you like to see your birthday listed here? Just contact the church office 402-375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com)

7       Karen McElwain

10     Jodi Pulfer

20     Karen Marra

25     Pat Straight, Gabriel Peitz

27     Jan Liska

 28     Amy Bowers