Presbytidings November 2025

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Presbytidings – November 2025

The Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church

216 West Third Street, Wayne, Nebraska 68787

(402) 375-2669 + http://www.fpcwayne.com

“Our chief end is to glorify and enjoy God forever.”

From the Pastor……

There is a children’s song about Jesus’ love, the lyrics are:

Jesus’ love is sweet and wonderful,

Jesus’ love is sweet and wonderful,

Jesus’ love is sweet and wonderful,

Oh, wonderful love!

So high, you can’t get over it.

So low, you can’t get under it.

So wide, you can’t get around it.

Oh, wonderful love!

Thanks to Suzanne Sjuts and Ronda Ras who spearheaded First Presbyterian Church’s participation with Haven House’s, Trunk, or Treat event with the theme “God’s Love is Sweet” on October 30th. Due to gusty winds the event was moved inside the building but that didn’t stop the children and families. They came in all sizes, babes in arms, toddlers, and older elementary children. From tiny dinosaurs and skunks, super heroes, Minecraft costumes, even Harry Potter as well as an assortment of princesses we had quite the costume review. The children could get a temporary tattoo from the Haven House staff as well as treats. Ronda and I decorated our table and us. Rhonda was rocking her 1950’s look and me, a not too scary witch, with my pet frog and black cat. Ronda and Suzanne had prepared individual packages of cookies with stickers containing information about the church and upcoming activities. The children could also choose Rice Krispie treats or chocolate candies. The adults gladly accepted an FPC pen. We think there were about 50 children over the course of a couple of hours. Ronda and I had fun seeing the children showing off their costumes and sharing the sweet love of God through some sweet treats.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Teresa

COMMUNION

We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on November 2nd with John Fuelberth as the communion elder. We will celebrate Communion on December 7th with Gail McCorkindale as the communion elder.

COFFEEHOUSE WORSHIP CONTINUES ON NOVEMBER 16th

We will meet in Fellowship Hall, coffee and refreshments will be available as desired throughout the service. We are still in need of a fellowship host for the day. This will be the last CoffeeHouse for the year.

FOREST WALK CONSULTING RETURNS NOVEMBER 16TH

Greetings in the name of Christ! We’re very excited to be coming back to Wayne to be with you again on November 16. While we are there, we look forward to participating in your Coffeehouse Worship and seeing what great things you are doing there. We will also be leading the first of two “Small Group” gatherings following worship. In this gathering, we’d like to ask you questions about your church; its history, what’s gone well, when have struggles happened, what major decisions have been made, what decisions have been set aside, what works, what doesn’t, etc. There’s a lot to cover, but these gatherings usually last around one hour. 

We ask that you plan to attend either this small group meeting or a second one on January 11. Please don’t attend both so everyone has an opportunity to share their thoughts. These meetings are open to everyone associated with the church: members, attendees, Session, etc. We gather very important information about the church in these gatherings and your input is vitally important. We look forward to seeing you on November 16!

Peace,

Loren & Becky Shellabarger

Forest Walk Consulting

BIBLE STUDY ON THE BOOK OF JAMES

Beginning November 18th

Gail McCorkindale will be hosting a Bible study on the book of James beginning on November 18th at Kinship Point at 1:15 p.m. Our journey of faith, requires a growth of knowledge about the Bible, James exhorts us to not stop there and offers  a challenge to Christians to not just “talk the talk,” but to “walk the walk.” Many will find this epistle challenging as the book of James focuses on the truths of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount and motivates us to act upon what He taught. All are welcome to join Gail in this study which is so relevant for today.

HOMESTEAD PRESBYTERY

Our presbytery will meet on November 20th at Tekamah. Worship begins at 10:00am. Pastor Teresa will attend.

SESSION

The Session will gather on Monday, November 24th at 7:00pm in Fellowship Hall.

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

The church office will be closed Thursday & Friday, November 27-28th for the Thanksgiving holiday.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

The Session has called a congregational meeting for December 7th. At the meeting we will elect a new class of deacons & elders, approve the terms of call for the pastor in 2026 and make a change to the date required for the second congregational meeting. The snow date will be December 14th.

PASTORAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES

Pastor Teresa will lead pastoral outreach services at the following locations throughout October:

  • WAYNE COUNTRY VIEW CHAPEL: Pastor will lead a chapel service at Country View on Sunday, November 2nd.
  • KINSHIP POINTE CHAPEL: Pastor Teresa will lead a chapel service at Kinship Pointe at 3:30pm on Wednesday, December 10th.
  • RADIO DEVOTIONS: Pastor Teresa will be giving devotions on 104.9 Big Red Country KTCH the week of November 10th – 14th and December 22nd -26th at 5:40am.

STEWARDSHIP REMINDER

Members and friends of the congregation should have received a year-to-date statement of giving for 2025 and a 2026 intention of giving form. If you did not receive this information please contact Anita Fuelberth.

You are asked to prayerfully review your information and return the intention of giving form to Anita Fuelberth right away. You can mail the form to Anita or drop your envelope in the offering box at church. This information is helpful to the Session in planning for 2026. Thank You for your support and dedication to FPC.

DID YOU KNOW?

            Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) have become a great way for people 70½ or older to take all or part of their Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from their Traditional IRA. The recent tax code changed the standard deduction for those over 65 to $26,600 for married filing jointly or $13,600 for single filers. Thus for many of us our church pledges will no longer be included in an itemized deduction. However, by making all or part of our pledge a Qualified Charitable Distribution directly from the IRA custodian or trustee to the church the distribution will not be included as taxable income to the IRA owner. Qualified Charitable Distributions can also exceed one’s specific RMD amount and still not be taxed.

            While Qualified Charitable Distributions are not complex there are certain requirements and steps that should be followed so check with your tax professional.

PRAYER FOR VETERANS DAY

God of peace, we pray for those who have served our nation,
who laid down their lives to protect and defend our freedom…

We pray for those who have fought, whose spirits and bodies are scarred by war
and whose nights are haunted by memories too painful for the light of day…

We pray for those who serve us now, especially for those in harm’s way:
shield them from danger and bring them home, soon…

Turn the hearts and minds of our leaders and our enemies
to the work of justice and a harvest of peace…

Spare the poor, Lord, spare the poor!

May the peace you left us, the peace you gave us,
be the peace that sustains, the peace that saves us.

Christ Jesus, hear us! Lord Jesus, hear our prayer!
Amen.

From – ConcordPastor.blogspot.com

Deacons Coat Giveaway a Success!

….. ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these

 brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’   Matthew 25:40b NIV

The First Presbyterian Church hosted a successful winter coat giveaway on October 11th in the church Fellowship Hall. The doors  opened at 10 am to several people waiting and ready to find a winter coat for themselves or their families. Over two dozen families were able to get prepared for winter with coats and winter accessories. The FPC Deacons are thankful for the assistance of the WCS FCCLA Club who moved the coats and racks from the lower level to Fellowship Hall and then returned them to the basement. The Deacons also appreciated the assistance of Ms. Dutcher and her Spanish students and Georgina Bernal in providing translation as needed. The FPC Coat Closet is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. – noon. The closet accepts donation of new or used coats. Used coats should be clean and  in good condition, zippers working etc. Please no wool or leather coats. For more information call the church office  at 402.375.2669. 

SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGERS NEEDED

The Wayne Extension Unit of the Salvation Army will be conducting its Annual Bell Ringing Campaign beginning Friday, November 21st. The bell ringing campaign is the primary fundraiser for the Salvation Army in Wayne. Bell ringers are needed for 1 or 2-hour time slots on Friday or Saturday beginning Thanksgiving weekend to December 20th. Churches, service organizations, youth groups and others are invited to participate in the bell ringing project. The only requirements are to be friendly and welcoming, dress warmly and smile easily and say thank-you, oh yeah, a little wrist action with a bell.

Ninety percent (90%) of the funds collected in the bell ringing campaign remain in the community and assist with housing, utilities, medical, transportation and other needs of families and individuals in Wayne. In 2025 the Wayne SA Unit sponsored a back-to-school drive for school supplies for elementary children. The project was very successful and helped more than 98 children with backpacks and school supplies.

This year the Wayne Salvation Army Unit also made a large donation of groceries to the Wayne Food Pantry in September.

Participation in the Salvation Army bell ringing campaign is one way we can live into our commitment of being a Matthew 25 congregation; as we are reminded in Matthew 25:40; ‘… whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Please see Pastor Teresa to volunteer to ring at Pac N Save or Quality Foods.

LOOKING AHEAD TO ADVENT & CHRISTMAS

  • We will begin observing advent on the last Sunday in November, 11/30/2025
  • The Hanging of the Greens will take place after worship on November 30th. Stick around to help decorate the interior and exterior of our building in anticipation of Christmas..
  • Our Christmas Eve Service will be held at 5:30pm.

ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTERS NEEDED

Pastor Teresa is looking for couples, families or individuals who would like to assist with lighting the Advent candles during worship in December. All readings will be provided in advance. Your participation in this seasonal tradition will be appreciated. A sign-up sheet will be in Fellowship Hall or you can contact Pastor Teresa.

The dates are:

November 30th, December 7th, December 14th, December 21st, and December 24th

To Give Thanks…

is to remember how it feels to experience belonging,

to look long around a laden table

and be glad to claim a place among that gathered company.

To give thanks is to remember what has been-time’s bewildering recital-

and, despite so much, to look ahead with undiminished hope.

To give thanks is to recall with heartache all those absent from the assembled,

the dear departed, those, too, who never made it in the first place,

due to loss, or want, foul fortune, being born at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

To give thanks takes all that we have been, all that we are and yet might be,

and shapes it new around a fuller, richer, broader future feast.

J. Barrie Shepherd

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

(Would you like to see your birthday listed here? 

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

               6       Brandon B.

               10     Kevin P.

               12      Mark Mc.

               13      Katherine B.

               14      Audrey H.

November 2025 – First Presbyterian Church

SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
*9:00am Bell practice *10:00am Worship *11:00am Fellowship       1
2 Set your clocks back one hour   Communion 1:30pm Pastor leads chapel at CountryView 7:00pm Backpack packing  3  4  5  6    7    8
9    10 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living 9:30am Wayne Family Coalition Meeting11 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living  12 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living  13 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living  14 5:40am KTCH 104.9 Moment for Living  15  
16 10:00am Coffeehouse Worship    17  18 1:15pm Kinship Bible Study with Gail19  20 10:00am Homestead Presbytery in Norfolk  21    22
23  24   7:00pm Session Meeting  25 1:15pm Kinship Bible Study with Gail26    27 Thanksgiving Day   Office Closed  28 Office closed  29
30 Hanging of the Greens   1:30pm CountryView Chapel      

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Contact Information:

First Presbyterian Church

216 W. Third Street

Wayne NE  68787

FPC Office/Wayne Food Pantry/Coat Closet

402-375-2669

fpcwayne@gmail.com

Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 12 noon

Pastor Teresa Bartlett

402-375-2669 (office)

319-795-2911 (cell)

Websites:

Church: https://fpcwayne.com/

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

Wayne Coat Closet:

Wayne Coat Closet

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

First Presbyterian Church – Wayne, Nebraska

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FPC Service Recordings can be found at:

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FPC Online Worship Bulletins can be found at:

FPC Wayne Worship Bulletins:

FPC Account at Thrift Warehouse: #4570

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