Presbytidings – September 2018

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.”

 

WORSHIP ON THE LAWN/SUNDAE SUNDAY – SEPTEMBER 9, 2018

Outdoor Worship/Communion/Potluck/Sundae Sunday: Sunday, September 9th, we will worship outside (weather permitting) and have a potluck. The Front Porch Pickers will be leading music for us. This is a great outreach opportunity! So invite a friend, and bring your lawn chairs and a dish to share!

 

From the Pastor…

The author of Ecclesiastes wrote, There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…[*] We know the truth of that statement. Summer is slipping away, Labor Day weekend, often seen as the unofficial end of summer has arrived. The back to school shopping is finished; teachers and students are back in school. Daily the hours of daylight shrink as we transition toward fall.

Each season has its unique aspects; sights, smells and events. Fall’s cool days and crisp nights often bring a beautiful array of colors from trees and flowers. We cheer on our athletes at football games and cross country events.  Perhaps there are hay rides and bonfires to attend and maybe a few more weekends camping or at the cabin.

Just like the natural world around us the church has seasons, we mark the change into our fall routine with Sundae Sunday on September 9^th. This year we will be worshipping on the lawn to the east of the church followed by a time of fellowship over a potluck meal and then the ice cream!!! It will be a great time for all members to join together for worship.

Youth group starts again September 12 and will be meeting on the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. Please hold our youth and the leaders, Jim Curtiss, Gail McCorkindale, and Ronda Ras, in your prayers. Transition into fall means the PW and Sewing Souls will begin their regular meeting schedule. The bell choir will be starting practice soon as well.

In addition we have other transitions; the Nominating Committee will be looking for a new class of elders. If asked to serve I hope you will prayerfully consider this service to God and to the church.

Judy Lindberg has given notice to the Session of her intent to retire as clerk of Session as she transitions into retirement and new opportunities. Judy has served as clerk since 1996 and has done an excellent job and the Session is grateful for her service. The Session is thankful that Judy has given significant notice and is willing to work with the incoming clerk over the next several months to share her wisdom and experience. In addition to taking the minutes at the Session meeting, Judy and I draft the Session docket for the monthly meetings which is distributed to the elders in advance of the meeting.  The clerk is also responsible for minutes for congregational and corporation meetings as well as annual reports. If you have an interest in learning more about the position of clerk please talk with Judy or myself.

I look forward to seeing each of you in worship this month; together let us praise God for the gift of seasons and the many other blessings we enjoy.

CU in church, Pastor Teresa

SESSION NOTES

Judy Lindberg has given notice to the Session of her intent to retire as clerk of Session. The Session and Pastor Teresa are thankful for her faithful service.

Judy has served as clerk since 1996 and has done an excellent job. Judy has given significant notice and is willing to work with the incoming clerk over the next several months sharing her wisdom and experience.

The role of Clerk of Session is an important one and perhaps more diverse than some might recognize. In addition to taking the minutes at the Session meetings, the clerk and the pastor draft the Session docket for the monthly meetings which is distributed to the elders in advance of the meeting.  The clerk is responsible for minutes of congregational and corporation meetings as well Session meetings and denominational annual reports. The clerk also reports at the Presbytery Records Review. Per the bylaws of the PC (USA) the clerk of Session must be a ruling elder and is elected annually by the Session. The clerk can serve as a member of the Session with voting rights or as clerk with no voting privileges. If you have an interest in learning more about the position of Clerk of Session please talk with Judy or Pastor Teresa.

COMMUNION

We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together on Sunday, September 9^th at Worship on the Lawn at FPC Wayne. Jim Curtiss will serve as the Communion Elder.

PRESBYTERIAN PEALERS UPDATE

The Presbyterian Pealers will resume rehearsals on Sunday, September 16.  Anyone interested in trying the bells this year is certainly welcome. Please contact Jay O’Leary at 402-369-2794.

YOUTH GROUP MEETINGS RESUME

Please plan on attending the first gathering of the Youth Group Wednesday, September 12^th. Youth Group is scheduled every 2^nd & 4^th Wednesday at 7:30pm. The Youth leaders are Gail McCorkindale, Ronda Ras & Jim Curtiss.

FOOD PANTRY & BACKPACK NEWS

We are gearing up for the new school year with the Wayne Community Schools Backpack Program. Last year we served nearly 3,500 backpacks to the Wayne community. In June & July, Launch Leadership (a high school leadership program from the Lincoln-Omaha area) came to pack approximately 400 backpacks for us and also led a food drive at our local grocery stores for the backpack program.  This Wayne Community Schools Backpack program runs all year long, and we are always in need of donations. Please contact Jenny at the church office or Jodi Pulfer for more details.

CALVIN CREST CAMPER UPDATE – SUMMER 2018

Hello, my name is Nina. I have been going to Calvin Crest for 6 out of 12 years of my life. It is an amazing place. I have been going to Ranch Camp for the past 3 years and I am hoping to go once again next year. Each year I have noticed how much I liked it and always drew me back, but this year I noticed a change in the way I felt about it. I felt more connected there with strangers than I do in my own town; I also felt the staffs’ and God’s love when I was there. This summer it felt much more spiritual than it had ever in the past. It used to be just fun and games but now it’s more about connecting with others and having a great time. I had an amazing week there that I will never forget. I had a bit of bad luck with a couple of horses but otherwise it was amazing. On Sunday we got to meet all the other campers, counselors, CSI’s, and staff. I found out that I was in the same cabin as one of my best friends from when I was younger and also a good friend from last year. We had a lot of fun that week and we bonded again and we still had our great friendships from years before. On Monday we learned about horse safety, Tuesday we rode around the ’89, Wednesday we had a trail ride, Thursday we trotted, and on Friday we rode bareback. Every morning we woke up, got ready for breakfast then went to energizers. After energizers we went to breakfast then headed out to ride some horses. After we got back we went to lunch, had F.O.B (naptime), and then went swimming. We had snack then BLAST then we had dinner, free time, and campfire. Thank you so much for helping me get there once again.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Presbyterian Women will meet for a potluck dinner on Wednesday, September 12th at 5:30. We will be planning for the coming year.  Bring your favorite dish and help us start a new year for Presbyterian Women.  Our Bible study this year will be God’s Promise: I Am with You.

SEWING SOULS

Sewing Souls will meet on Wednesday, September 19th at 1:30. Projects will include pillowcases, a denim/flannel quilt and a truly patchwork quilt.

SESSION

The Session meeting for September will be held on Monday, 9/17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

DEACONS MEETING

The Deacons will meet Tuesday, October 9th at 4:15pm.

COMMUNITY CHAPEL SERVICES

Pastor Teresa will lead chapel services at the following locations throughout the September:

• RADIO DEVOTIONS Pastor Teresa will be giving devotions on 104.9 Big Red Country KTCH the week of September 10^th – 14^th at 5:40am.
• CAREAGE CHAPEL Pastor will lead chapel at Careage on Sunday, September 16^th at 1:30pm.

WSC MUSIC FACULTY RECITAL IN OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

Join us in the sanctuary on Friday, September 21^st for a “International Day of Peace Recital” featuring WSC Musicians at 7:30pm.

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE EXPO – AUGUST 19^TH

FPC participated in the 2018 WSC Expo which was part of the orientation weekend for new students. The planning team for the event was Gail McCorkindale, Jim Curtiss, Lindsay McLaughlin and Pastor Teresa. The team put together two baskets filled with “goodies” including school supplies, food, a Bible and a gift card to the WSC bookstore. We had over 120 students stop by and register for the gift baskets. Visitors were given a magnetic clip with the church’s name, worship time and website. Thank-you to Mark Hammer, Jim Curtiss, Gerard Ras, Lindsay McLaughlin and Pastor Teresa who manned the booth and greeted students. The winners of the gift baskets were Michael Salek and Caylee Birkel.

(See a photo of Jim Curtiss and Pastor Teresa ready to greet students at the 2018 WSC Expo August 19^th on our pictures page.)

Highlights of actions of the 223rd General Assembly (2018)

Jerry Van Marter | Office of the General Assembly Communications – June 29, 2018

Church Leadership: In one of closest elections in years, Ruling Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri (Presbytery of Tropical Florida) and the Reverend Cindy Kohlmann (Presbyteries of Boston and Northern New England) were elected Co-Moderators of the 223rd General Assembly (2018) on Saturday evening, June 16. On a fourth ballot vote of 266-253, they prevailed over another Co-Moderator team—the Reverend Eliana Maxim (Presbytery of Seattle) and the Reverend Bertram Johnson (Presbytery of New York City). A Moderator/Vice-Moderator pair—Ruling Elder Chantal D. Atnip (Presbytery of Carlisle), and the Reverend Ken Hockenberry (Presbytery of Chicago)—trailed.

In other actions involving Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) leadership, the assembly:

• Confirmed the election of the Reverend Diane Moffett as president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
• Confirmed the reelection of the Reverend Tom Taylor as president of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Foundation.
• Confirmed the election of Alton B. Pollard III as president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Fossil Fuel Divestment: By a vote of 332-178, the assembly voted in favor of a minority report that called for the PC(USA) to continue its corporate engagement with fossil fuel companies—through its Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee—rather than divest from those companies. The Assembly Committee on Environmental Issues had voted 35-20 for the divestment proposal offered by the Presbytery of Hudson River. After the minority report became the main motion, it was approved by the assembly 409-106.

 Israel-Palestine/Middle East: After spirited debate in the Assembly Committee on Middle East Issues that spilled out into the hallways of America’s Center (St. Louis’ convention center), the assembly raced through the committee’s report in just thirty-five minutes on June 22. Among its actions, the assembly:

• Asked RE/MAX, LLC, to end its sale and rental of property on occupied, disputed land in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The vote was 393-55.
• Voiced support for all efforts to bring Palestinians and Israelis together peacefully.
• Asked the state of Israel to fully comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in order to stop discriminatory practices and called on the U.S. government to rejoin the United Nations Human Rights Council.
• Condemned the recent violence along the border between Israel and Gaza.

Per Capita: The assembly approved a 2019 General Assembly per capita apportionment of $8.95 per member—an increase of $1.25 (or 15.8 percent) per member over 2018. The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly had originally proposed a 39 percent increase in 2019 to $10.71 per member. At the assembly, General Assembly Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson, II, revised that request down to a 10 percent increase in 2019 (to $8.50) and 2020. The Assembly Committee on General Assembly Procedures approve the 2019 request, but not the 2020 increase. The assembly added $643,000 (or 45 cents per member) to the per capita budget by the actions it took, raising the final per capita apportionment to $8.95. In other per capita-related actions, the assembly:

• Approved, in a slightly amended form, an overture from the Presbytery of Newton to establish a team of twelve to fifteen persons to “review the current per capita-based system of funding the ministry of councils higher than the session, for financial sustainability into the next ten years.”
• Asked the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly and the Office of the General Assembly to explore ways of reducing the cost of future General Assemblies.

The Way Forward: By a vote of 474-47, the assembly overwhelmingly approved the report of The Way Forward Commission, which was created by the 222nd General Assembly (2016) “to discern the vision for structure and function of our denomination.” The Way Forward Commission was joined by the All-Agency Review Committee in many of its recommendations. The assembly also created a Moving Forward Implementation Team to ensure follow-through of the actions taken and to make “mid-course corrections” between now and the 224th General Assembly (2020). Among its actions on The Way Forward, the assembly:

• Restructured PC(USA) A Corp to be representative of five of the six agencies of the PC(USA)—previously the A Corp board was identical to the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board. The new A Corp board is composed of eleven members, representing each agency, with the exception of the Board of Pensions, plus at-large members.
• Strengthened the role of the General Assembly Stated Clerk, reaffirming that person as the “continuing ecclesial officer and Head of Communion,” naming the Stated Clerk as “constitutional and spiritual leader” for the life and witness of the church, giving the Stated Clerk ex officio membership on all agencies of the church, and giving the Stated Clerk consultative authority prior to the consideration for election of any candidate for chief executive of any of the PC(USA)’s six agencies.
• Authorized a “financial sustainability review.”
• Beefed up the denomination’s translation services and efforts toward greater inclusion, equity, and reconciliation between all constituencies of the church.
• Endorsed an “administrative action issued by the commission on June 12 calling for greater transparency, particularly in the Presbyterian Mission Agency, and freedom for national staff employees to speak their minds in addressing the prevailing culture without retribution or retaliation.

Racism/Poverty/Violence: The assembly engaged in various acts of public witness that sought to engage issues of racism, poverty, and violence in St. Louis under the umbrella of Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson, II’s, Hands and Feet initiative. In addition to a number of groups who came to St. Louis to engage in Hands and Feet service/learning projects during the assembly, several “mission trips” for assembly-goers engaged with various faith-based community groups to address poverty and racism in the city. The offering from the opening worship service raised more than $54,000, which after a dramatic march by nearly 1,000 assembly-goers from America’s Center to the City Justice Center on Tuesday afternoon, was given to ArchDefenders, a faith-based group that bails low-level offenders out of jail. Nearly three dozen people, victims of St. Louis’ draconian cash bail system, were released from custody with the money. In its actions, the assembly:

• Approved “The Gospel from St. Louis,” prepared by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.
• Initiated the arduous process of possibly including Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” in the Book of Confessions.
• Strongly condemned “the unjust, racist disparagement of people and entire nations” and committed the PC(USA) to “a collective effort to solve the real problems facing our nation and the world.”
• Changed the church’s nomenclature from “racial ethnic people” to “people of color” and the name of the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns to the Racial Equity Advocacy Committee.
• Called for an immediate moratorium on the imposition of the death penalty and for the commutation of all death sentences to sentences of life imprisonment.
• Authorized a five-member task group with a black women majority to raise awareness of issues adversely affecting black girls and women in society and the church, and to develop action plans to address those issues.
• Affirmed and celebrated the “full dignity and humanity” and gifts of people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

Immigration: Following on statements issued by General Assembly Stated Clerk J. Herbert Nelson, II, the assembly called upon the federal government to end family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border, to immediately reunite parents with their children, to inform every parent where their children are being held and their condition, to stop using separation of children from their parents as a tactic to force criminal confessions; and called upon Presbyterians to support immigrant families, particularly parents and their separated children in any ways they can. The assembly also addressed war, violence, and human rights in Central America (particularly Nicaragua), South Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Madagascar, and the Korean Peninsula.

 Gun Violence: The assembly reaffirmed previous General Assembly policies designed to reduce gun violence, called all Presbyterians to pray for a movement of the Spirit to engage Presbyterians in nationwide actions to prevent gun violence, and urged them to create opportunities to study the issue of gun violence, with an emphasis on resources produced by the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.

 Paid Family Leave: After long debate in both committee and plenary, the assembly referred to a task force to report back to the 224th General Assembly (2020) proposed actions to develop denomination-wide standards and financial support mechanisms for paid family leave for church workers.

 Congregational Leadership: The assembly rejected, by margin of 425-57, an overture from the Presbytery of Monmouth that would have allowed congregations to elect and ordain ruling elders without requiring them to serve on session. The proposal was designed to provide more lay leadership in a church that is changing—leadership, for instance, for new worshiping communities, immigrant fellowships, and other nontraditional faith communities.

 https://www.pcusa.org/news/2018/6/29/highlights-actions-223rd-general-assembly-2018-150/

For the official record of the 223rd General Assembly (2018), visit: https://www.pc-biz.org/#/.
For General Assembly News reports, visit: https://ga-pcusa.org/general-assembly-news/.

 

CHURCH DIRECTORY UPDATE

We will be updating the FPC directory this fall. Please see the paper copy on the Opportunity Table to make any revisions or contact Jenny at fpcwayne@gmail.com

 

GREAT PLAINS PILGRIMAGE #23

October 11-14, 2018 at Calvin Crest Treat & Conference Center, Fremont, Nebraska. Pilgrimage is a three-day journey designed to provide Christians with a renewed foundation and spiritual growth for individual and community living. For more information see the flyer in Fellowship Hall. Scholarships are available.

 

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP AT PROVIDENCE MEDICAL CENTER

Join a welcoming and kind community of support, where you can learn tools and join others on the journey.  We will gather on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:15 pm, October 3 to November 7 (six sessions) at Providence Medical Center, in Wayne.  There is no cost, snacks and beverages provided.  Please pre-register by calling 402-375-4288 by September 21.

 

CHURCH RUSTIC TREASURE ACCOUNT

If you would like to donate items to the Church’s Rustic Treasure accounts, the numbers are listed below. Just take your item to the store counter, and give them the account number listed below. The proceeds will come back to us:

First Presbyterian Church #1220                Wayne Food Pantry #442

 

PASTOR’S STUDY LEAVE AND VACATION

Pastor Teresa will be out on vacation September 24^th – October 1^st. If you have a pastoral need while Pastor is away, please contact the office at (402)375-2669 or fpcwayne@gmail.com

 

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

• Our community
• Our schools, teachers & students
• All who are battling illness
• All who live in assisted living or care facilities
• Peace in the Middle East
• Persecuted Christians in Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, and North Korea

 

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

(Would you like to see your birthday listed here?

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

6         Anita Fuelberth

8         Sharyn Paige

14        Angie Nelson

16        Marcile Uken

18        Jordan McDonald

21        Jared Peterson

24        Jacob Pulfer, Misty Beair

29        Melissa Urbanec

30        Jared Yates, Madison Beair

 

September 2018 – First Presbyterian Church

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
2 Each Sunday: o Worship 10:00 o Fellowship 11:00	3   Labor Day	4	5	6	7	8
9   Worship on the Lawn (with Communion) & Picnic to follow	10 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living   9:30 Wayne Family Coalition	11 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	12 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living   10:30 WACAM   5:30pm PW Potluck & Meeting   7:30 Youth Group	13 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	14 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living	15
16 8:45 Presbyterian Pealers 1:30 Careage Chapel	17   7:00 Session Meeting	18	19	20	21 7:30 WSC Music Faculty Recital – Int’l Day of Peace	22
23 8:45 Presbyterian Pealers	24 Pastor on vacation	25 Pastor on vacation	26 Pastor on vacation 7:30 Youth Group	27 Pastor on vacation	28 Pastor on vacation	29 Pastor on vacation
30 Pastor on vacation	1 9:30 Wayne Family Coalition	2	3	4	5	6

 

Lector/Greeter Schedule for September 2018

9/2/2018	Milton Owens	Milton & Jackie Owens	Phil & Jean Griess
9/9/2018	Mark McCorkindale	The McCorkindale Family
9/16/2018	Jodi Pulfer	Kent & Jodi Pulfer	Karen Johnson
9/23/2018	Ronda Ras	The Ras Family
9/30/2018	Jim Curtiss	Pat & Glenda McDonald	Jim Curtiss

 

Contact Information:

First Presbyterian Church

216 W. Third Street

Wayne NE  68787

 

FPC Office & Wayne Food Pantry:

402-375-2669

fpcwayne@gmail.com

Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 12 noon

 

Websites:

Church: https://fpcwayne.org/

Wayne Food Pantry: https://fpcwayne.org/food-pantry/

 

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

First Presbyterian Church – Wayne, Nebraska

Wayne Food Pantry – Wayne, Nebraska

 

Pastor Teresa Bartlett

402-375-2669 (office)

319-795-2911 (cell)

 

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[*] Ecclesiastes 3:1  New International Version