Presbytidings – July/August 2016
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
As I sought a message for this season of unrest and challenge in our world, I recalled this poem from A Pilgrim’s Way, by J. Barrie Shepherd. It’s written for an Easter Sunday –“This is the day for rolling stones away” – but it’s equally appropriate for any day when we want to hide away and not venture out into our hurting, challenging, changing world. Please enjoy this reminder that the freedom we have, the freedom we claim, comes from God and not others. We find that freedom and joy in Christ and his resurrection.
– Pastor Sally
“And Rolled Back the Stone”
By J. Barrie Shepherd
A piece of rock,
That’s what people want nowadays – –
Something solid and dependable that
Will stand the tests of time; in other words,
Security, protection guaranteed, nailed down,
Sealed tight, foolproof against the triple threat
Of suffering, tragedy, and failure. We build lives
Around such goals, spend our days pursuing education,
Real estate, investments, precious metals, locks
And chains, alarms for every window, every door.
And all this to protect ourselves
In a chancy, risky world.
Yet the more secure people get,
The more afraid they become;
The more layers of protection they amass,
The more they dread the loss of those defenses.
Until, just like that massive rock on Jesus’ tomb,
The “piece of the rock” they sought after
Seals them off from life, from freedom, and from love.
So it is that, long before death actually claims us,
We crawl inside our cozy air-conditioned tombs
And seal the entrance shut.
This day is one for rolling stones away.
This day is one for realizing, admitting to ourselves
That for all our stocks and bonds, for all our power,
Prestige, property, prosperity, we can never,
Never make ourselves ultimately secure.
We carry conscience with us behind all protective walls;
That and the consciousness that, soon or late,
The hour will come when we will be no more.
Roll away my heavy rock, O risen Christ.
Tear down the defenses I have built around
My anxious self. Let your resurrected glory sweep away
Like chaff the empty, false securities I cling to,
And set me kneeling at your feet, knowing again
The one thing that can conquer fear is love,
The one gift that can lead to life is life,
Life seized and lived out to the full
In bold and daring freedom.
Roll away my rock, Lord; raise me
With soaring alleluias from my fearful death
To everlasting life in you. Amen.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR STORY OF FREEDOM
Feel called to tell “the old, old story” in church in the coming weeks? Pastor Sally is seeking volunteers to share their faith journey during Sunday worship. She will work with you to speak your Good News (no more than 5 minutes, and probably shorter) about how you came to faith. We need practice to tell our story, to witness to our faith. Please consider sharing that witness so that others can grow in their faith.
PASTOR’S STUDY LEAVE
Pastor Sally and her family will be at Synod School at Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, Iowa, for the week of July 24-28. When she returns, her schedule will be Wednesday morning through Sunday afternoon in Wayne each week.
BIBLE STUDY
We will be starting another Brown Bag study in August, using the same format we followed in May. There will be a brief video, from a current subject expert, followed by discussion. This series is on the Bible, how it was put together, and some of the key themes. Please join us at noon on Wednesdays, starting August 3rd.
PASTOR NOMINATING COMMITTEE
We have had several phone interviews of which one has been pushed to the call back list. The committee voted to have the next five vote-getters called for phone interviews. Many have already taken other positions and others just didn’t think the fit would be for them. We understand all of that.
We have requested another batch of PIFs (Pastor Information Forms) and have received those. We are working through those now. Our plan right now is to call a few more candidates for phone interviews and proceed from there. – Kevin Peterson, co-chair of PNC
2016 FOOD PANTRY NEWS
The food pantry has had a very busy year, we have already served over 100 families. The Backpack Program served over 3,500 food bags in the 2015/16 academic year. Hunger really is an issue in the county. Here’s just one story about the people we see on a regular basis:
Sue (not her real name) works 40 hours/week as a CNA in one of the care centers in the area. With that job, she supports a household of herself and 4 children. Sue was injured on the job and required surgery, and then was not allowed to work again until she had healed. She recently found another 20 hour/week CNA job at another care facility in a nearby town, because her current job is not enough to cover rent, utilities, food, medical care, and all of the other expenses of 4 growing children. She comes to the pantry to augment her salary and feed those kids. Our pantry truly fills an important need in our area.
Please consider a donation to help our ministry to Wayne Food Pantry. Our current need is canned soup, particularly the chucky kind. Checks can be made to the Wayne Food Pantry, and left with Jenny in the church office. We can also use volunteer hours, particularly with the distribution of food backpacks at the Wayne Elementary School, typically on Friday afternoons for approximately one hour. If you would like to help with this program, please contact Jenny Hammer or Jodi Pulfer.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL UPDATE
VBS is happening as you read this. We’ve had wonderful opportunity to share the love of Christ with 35 children from around the community and beyond. Thanks to Our Savior Lutheran for once again providing the location and coordinating with us, and thanks to Misty Beair for representing FPC on the committee.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TO START
Sunday school will begin on September 11th, Sunday, at 9:00 am. Come and bring your friends as we begin a new year together. Be sure to stick around for our annual “Sundae Sunday” at fellowship time after church that day! We are still looking for people to teach for one month at a time. If we have 3 or 4 people, each one will teach 2 or 3 months during the school year. If you are interested, please call Misty Beair.
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! What we don’t give away will be for sale after church each Sunday, with the proceeds of the sale going to support the Pantry.
THE FLING for YOUTH
All youth from Missouri River Valley and Homestead presbyteries are invited to an end-of-summer event at Camp Calvin Crest from the evening of August 26th through lunch on August 27th. Come for games, swimming, worship, hiking, campfire, Quilt Auction and more. Call or email the church to register. Must be entering 7th thru 12th grade. Bring a friend!
SESSION
The next Session meeting will be held on Monday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
GOLF OUTING
Like to golf? Plan on gathering a foursome for the Lutheran/Presbyterian Golf outing on Thursday, August 25th at 5:30pm. The format is Scramble with 4 person teams. You can come as a team or one will be made for you. $12 cost includes 9 hole greens fee. Please call Jim Curtiss with any questions.
SEWING SOULS
Sewing Souls is finishing up all of their projects for the Calvin Crest. If you have items to add to their box, or if you want to help with the projects, please call Karen Johnson for more information.
CALVIN CREST QUILT AUCTION – August 27
You can view the quilts and start the silent bidding 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
TIME TO SHOW OFF
FPC is sponsoring the Chamber Coffee on Friday, September 16th, at 10:00. We want to share our new sanctuary with the community, and help people understand the ministries happening here. We’ll be touring people through the sanctuary, the Coat Closet and the Food Pantry. Come help serve or give tours, and enjoy time together with the community.
CONFIRMATION PHOTOS
Confirmation photos are off the wall and in a picture book, so that we can identify and label all of the photos. If you have a confirmation photo that isn’t in the maroon book on the round table in the fellowship hall, please bring it in and add it. If you know one or more of the confirmands in a photo, and/or the date of the photo, please add that too. Thanks!
YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU!
It’s summer, and the lawn is growing fast. Thanks to John Fuelberth, Jim Curtiss and Jim Paige for mowing this far. They would love to have some help. Please sign up to mow.
We’re also in need of folks to provide coffee and treats on Sundays after church. Doesn’t have to be fancy – store bought cookies are dandy. Fellowship time is an opportunity to catch up with each other and share what’s going on in your family. Please consider covering one of the fellowship times in August.
PRODIGAL SONS CONCERT
The Prodigal Sons, a gospel quartet from Ponca will be performing next Sunday evening, July 31, at the Dixon county fair in concord at 7:00 pm. Admission is $5.00. Plan on attending for an evening of song and fellowship.
BLOOD DRIVE
There will be a Wayne Community Blood Drive on Thursday, July 28 from 12:00pm-5:30pm at the Wayne Fire Department. To make an appointment contact LifeServe at 800-287-4903 or visit lifeservebloodcenter.org
BELONG TOUR
Interested in a faith-filled gathering of music, laughter and stories? The Belong Tour is coming to Lincoln August 26th and 27th. This is the sequel to Women of faith tours – great energy and awesome stories of God active in the world. Check out the website – Belongtour.com – and then contact Pastor Sally about attending. We’d love to get a group from Wayne. Larger group lowers the ticket price, so invite your friends.
SAVE THE DATE
Nov. 19th – the Isaacs are coming to Wayne! Come and hear this nationally known Christian group, and help support the Wayne Area Church and Ministerial fund when you do. Watch for more information about this event, and the fundraisers that will bring them to Wayne. FPC is helping to sponsor this concert. Check out the website, and listen to some of their music, at http://www.theisaacs.com/
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
- All those affected by the recent shootings
- The people of France
- 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
LECTOR, ACOLYTE, GREETERS FOR JULY & AUGUST 2016
Sunday, 7/3/2016
Lector: Jeryl Nelson Acolyte: Taytum Sweetland
Greeters: The Marras & The McLaughlins
Sunday, 7/10/2016
Lector: Glenda McDonald Acolyte: Madison Urbanec Greeters: The Liskas & The Paiges
Sunday, 7/17/2016
Lector: Candyce Peitz Acolyte: Ethan Wibben Greeters: The Peitz Family
Sunday, 7/24/2016
Lector: Karen Johnson Acolyte: Andy Wibben
Greeters: The McDonalds & Milton/Jackie Owens
Sunday, 7/31/2016
Lector: Kevin Peterson Acolyte: Nina Hammer Greeters: The Peterson Family
Sunday, 8/7/2016
Lector: Pat Straight Acolyte: Bo Armstrong
Greeters: The Urbanec Family
Sunday, 8/14/2016
Lector: Mark Hammer Acolyte: Braydn McCorkindale
Greeters: The McCorkindale Family
Sunday, 8/21/2016
Lector: Jim Curtiss Acolyte: Madison Urbanec
Greeters: The Fuelberths & The Griesses
Sunday, 8/28/2016
Lector: Bev Beeson Acolyte: Emily Worner Greeters: The Hammers
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First Presbyterian Church – Wayne, Nebraska
July 2016– First Presbyterian Church
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Each Sunday Morning:
o Worship 10:00 o Fellowship 11:00
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6:30pm Presbyterian Women |
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VBS |
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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
August 2016 – First Presbyterian Church
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Each Sunday Morning:
o Worship 10:00 o Fellowship 11:00
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1 | 2 | 3
12:00 noon Brown Bag with Pastor Sally |
4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
12:00 noon Brown Bag with Pastor Sally |
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12:00 noon Brown Bag with Pastor Sally |
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7:00pm Session Meeting
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23 | 24
12:00 noon Brown Bag with Pastor Sally |
25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
12:00 noon Brown Bag with Pastor Sally |
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AUGUST BIRTHDAYS
(Would you like to see your birthday listed here?
Just contact the church office 402-375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com)
2 Gordon Granberg
3 Ken Marra
8 Nina Spangler
12 Alissa Johnson
20 Russ Urbanec
23 Hannah McCorkindale
27 Milton Owens
30 Layne Heese
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First Presbyterian Church of Wayne, Nebraska 