Presbytidings – June/July 2015

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

Once upon a time, a ship wrecked at sea, and the Captain took the only remaining lifeboat, full of survivors, and he delivered them safely to the shore of an island. He instructed the survivors to build a bonfire to serve as a beacon to those who might be floating in the ocean, so they could swim toward the fire.

After the Captain left to go out and save more people, the survivors on shore quickly built a great fire to serve as a beacon.

But it wasn’t very long before the survivors began to disagree among themselves. Some remembered that the Captain had instructed them to build a tall fire, rather than a low fire, as they had done. So some of pro-tall-fire people—disgusted with the low-fire people—moved down the beach a ways and built a taller fire.

But it wasn’t very long before those tall-fire people began to disagree, too. Some recalled that the Captain had instructed them to use bamboo for the fire, rather than palm trees. After a major argument, the pro-bamboo people left to build a bamboo fire, leaving behind the foul, palm-tree burners.

And so it went: again and again. The survivors disagreed over the bonfires until there were many dim, small fires that dotted the shore. They disagreed about every conceivable issue, and they divided along every imaginable fault line. Some purists thought they were building a new fire just like the Captain had instructed—that they were restoring the right way that had been corrupted before. But others scoffed at all of them, insisting that the Captain wasn’t being literal about the size and shape of the bonfire.

And so went the arguing and dividing for a long, long time.

Eventually, the Captain returned with a load of survivors, and he asked some of the leaders: “Why have you built so many fires? It has made it difficult for those who are perishing to see the Light!”

And the Captain scolded them because they had missed the whole point of his instructions: that they serve as a beacon so the drowning could find their way to safety. And the survivors on the beach were sorry and mourned their stubbornness.

And there’s a lot of truth in that parable for how the church operates. We Christians have cavalierly carved up the Body of Christ, mistaking our preferences and pet theories for the essentials. We have happily sacrificed the unity of the universal church on the altar of doctrinal purity—as we understand it.

Did you know that, by many counts, there are some 40,000 separate Christian denominations in the world. Forty thousand. Of course, some of those are corresponding denominations separated only by language or jurisdictional boundaries; the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the same as the Romanian Orthodox Church, except for language. But almost all of those denominations are distinct, unrelated Christian bodies. In the U.S. alone, there are 31 different Presbyterian denominations, and I can tell you from personal experience that similarity in polity and doctrine does not mean that they get along with each other!

Forty thousand. On the other hand, Jesus prayed, “I pray for those who will believe…that all of them may be ONE.” Not 40,000, but one. It is because of our petty human failures that we have not lived into Jesus’ vision of one body and one flock. We need Jesus’ intercession to help us realize what he has already accomplished through his death and resurrection: to assemble one body of believers.

Unity is, of course, important for its own sake. But unity among believers is also a witness to Jesus. Jesus said, “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their [that is, the apostles’] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me…that they may be one as we are one…so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

By the time this is published I will be done with my position in as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Wayne. Unity among believers has been the torch I have carried here in our community. And it is my parting prayer for the church in Wayne. Yes, there are many who are happy in their separate tribe here—who think 40,000 is a manageable number. And no doubt Wayne has a long way to go to realize Jesus’ vision of oneness. But I hope that friendships will develop among Christians and that there will be a blurring of our human-made boundaries.

I join Jesus in praying to the Father that we would all be one, just as he and the Father are one. Then the world will know. – Pastor Ray

 

FAREWELL POTLUCK & RECEPTION FOR PASTOR RAY AND FAMILY

Please join our church family for a potluck after worship on Sunday, May 31^st as we thank Pastor Ray and his family for their 10 years of service to our congregation.

The public is also invited to come from 11:45-1:45 for a cake reception.

SESSION

The next session meeting will be held on Monday, June 15, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Our Executive Presbyter, Doc Wyatt, and our Committee on Ministry representative will help us begin the process of finding an interim pastor.

YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU!

During our interim period, we will need extra volunteers to make sure everything happens. Beginning today, we will be distributing a letter looking for youth group leaders, office volunteers, help with renovation, liturgists, preachers/speakers, and members of the pastor nominating committee. Please prayerfully consider how you can serve God. If we all pitch in a little, then we can accomplish a lot. Please return your document to Jenny at the church office. Thank you!

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

• Summer meetings for PW begin on Wednesday, June 3, at 6:30pm. The Hostess will be Babs Middleton and we will study lesson 9 of the Bible Study.
• The July meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, at 6:30.

SEWING SOULS

In June, Sewing Souls will meet on Wednesday, June 17, at 6:30 to work on items for Calvin Crest. The hostess will be Babs Middleton.

2015 FOOD PANTRY BACKPACK NEWS

Due to the contributions and efforts of many individuals and organizations, we were able to provide over 4,500 backpacks to hungry school students for the 2014-15 school year. That is an increase of approximately 1,000 bags from last year. The program will continue this summer. We would be happy to receive donations such as individually wrapped packages of nutritious food & snacks or financial donations. Contact Jodi Pulfer or Jenny Hammer at the church office: fpcwayne@gmail.com or (402)375-2669 for more details.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL UPDATE

We are excited to announce that we will be doing another joint VBS this year with Our Savior Lutheran and the First United Methodist. VBS will be July 20-23 from 6:30 – 8:30 at Our Savior Lutheran Church. Sign-up sheets are on the Opportunity table. The theme is Extraordinary: Ordinary People, Extraordinary God! You can contact John Fuelberth with any questions and find the sign-up sheets on the Opportunity Table. Find us on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/WayneVBS

CALVIN CREST QUILT AUCTION

10:00am and the live auction begins at 1:00pm. After you’ve looked at the quilts, you can enjoy a BBQ lunch before the auction. If you can’t make it to Calvin Crest, you can bid online at www.proxibid.com/calvincrest

WAYNE GROW AN EXTRA ROW

Consider sharing your garden bounty this year with those in need in our community. Set aside a small bag of produce, and bring it to our food pantry.  The program was well received last year. You can help make a difference!

PROVIDENCE HOSPICE WORKSHOP

Providence Medical Center Home Health Care and Hospice will be holding a memorial service on Sunday, June 7, at 2:00pm for patients who have passed away between April 2014 – May 2015. The service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Wayne. There will be a balloon release, and refreshments will follow the service.

CHRISTIAN CROSS FESTIVAL

The Christian Cross Festival will be held at Sky View Lake in Norfolk on Friday, June 12, and Saturday June 13. Go and enjoy free admission, ministry, prayer, food, fellowship, a kid’s tent, inflatables and fireworks. Check it out at www.christiancrossfestival.org A fun day to fellowship in Norfolk!

RELAY FOR LIFE REMINDER

This year’s event will be held Friday, June 5^th from 6:00pm to midnight at the Kern Track & Field, near the Wayne Public Schools. Celebrate. Remember. Fight back.

HOSPICE TRAINING

Hospice of Siouxland will offer hospice volunteer training this summer in Pender at the House Memorial Library June 15, 18, 22 & 25^th from 3-6pm. There will be training for three programs: Hospice, Palliative Care and Children’s Comfort Care. For more information please contact a volunteer coordinator at 1-800-383-4545.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

First Presbyterian Church – Wayne, Nebraska

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

• The McCalla family as they begin their new adventure in Arkansas
• All those affected by the recent storms
• The people of Nepal
• Our community
• Our schools and teachers
• Our unchurched neighbors
• All who are battling cancer
• All who live in care centers
• Peace in the Middle East
• Persecuted Christians in Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea

GREETERS-JUNE 2015

6/7 – Jack & Bev Beeson, Mark & Jenny Hammer

6/14 – Jim Curtiss, Karen Johnson, Babs Middleton

6/21 – The Pulfer Family

6/28 – Jim Lindau, Joyce Reeg & Pat Straight

 GREETERS-JULY 2015

7/5 – Ken & Karen Marra, Scott & Lindsay McLaughlin

7/12 – Ken & Jan Liska, Jim & Shari Paige

7/19 – The Peitz Family

7/26 – Pat & Glenda McDonald, Milton & Jackie Owens

LECTORS-JUNE 2015

6/7 – TBA

6/14 – Jan Liska

6/21 – TBA

6/28 – Ken Marra

 LECTORS-JULY 2015

7/5 – Jeryl Nelson

7/12 – Glenda McDonald

7/19 – Candyce Peitz

7/26 – Luke Pulfer

 

ACOLYTES-JUNE 2015

6/7 – Nina Hammer

6/14 – Andy Wibben

6/21 – TBA

6/28 – Madison Urbanec

 ACOLYTES-JULY 2015

7/5 – Bo Armstrong

7/12 – Taytum Sweetland

7/19 – Ethan Wibben

7/26 – Henry McCalla

June 2015 – First Presbyterian Church

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Each Sunday Morning: o  Worship 10:00 o  Fellowship 11:00	1	2	3 6:30pm Presbyterian Women	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17 6:30pm Sewing Souls	18	19	20
21 Father’s Day	22 7:00pm Session Meeting	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

(Would you like to see your birthday listed here? 

Just contact the church office 402-375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com)

2         Jean Griess, Jill Sweetland

6         Connie Bargstadt

8         Brian Bowers, Carol Mosley, Austin McDonald

10        Karen Granberg

11        Emily Worner

18        Wes Beckenhauer

19        Dennis Spangler

July 2015 – First Presbyterian Church

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Each Sunday Morning: o  Worship 10:00 o  Fellowship 11:00			1 6:30pm Presbyterian Women	2	3	4 Independence Day
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15 6:30pm Sewing Souls	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

JULY BIRTHDAYS

(Would you like to see your birthday listed here? 

Just contact the church office 402-375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com)

7         Sarah Bloom

10        Shea Sweetland

11        Luke Pulfer

15        Greg Worner

16        Verlin Francis

21        Josephine Peitz

24        Mark Hammer, Zach Urbanec

27        Cate Worner

29        Marta Pulfer

30        Melissa Murphy

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