Author Archives: First Presbyterian Church of Wayne, Nebraska

October 2011 Presbytidings

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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR: NO MORE AWKWARD

Chances are that if you told your friends about a new restaurant that you tried and liked, they would be grateful to hear your appraisal and to know that you served as a guinea pig for them.  And chances are that if you told your friends about getting a good deal at a store—or about how you scored some sweet coupons for something you use anyway—they would be ecstatic to get in on the action.  And chances are that if you recommended a car or a major appliance to your friends, they would be all ears, thankful to have the real-life, tested feedback so they will be equipped to make similar choices in the future.

But chances are that if you told your friends about how much you like your church—how you feel spiritually satisfied by the worship and fellowship there—and suggested that they visit some time, awkwardness would immediately descend on the conversation.  They would tense up and assume that you and your churchy friends are trying to steal their eternal souls and their wallets at the same time, while brainwashing them and their children with your scary doctrine.  Chances are they would recoil in horror at the suggestion that they “need” to “go” to “church.”

I’ve never quite figured out why people respond so radically differently to an invitation to church than they do to invitations to other stuff.  If someone asks you if you’d like to come to their kids’ basketball game or dance recital, you think about it and say “yes” or “no,” but there’s no harm to the friendship one way or the other.  But church is somehow different.  Christianity reaches deep and confronts us with ultimate questions about life, death, the world, our humanity, and the existence of God.  And people recognize that.

For sure, our friends have had diverse experiences with Christianity, and we must be sensitive to their personal history and baggage.  When faced with the prospect of church, especially worship, people are often afraid that they will encounter strange rituals and unfamiliar music, and that they’ll end up feeling weird and left out.  People also assume that at the end of the service they will have to go down front and cry in public, and pray with some stranger, and “accept” Jesus “into” their “heart.”  They might even feel a twinge of guilt about their hidden sin and say something quasi-jovial to you about not coming to church, lest the “roof” “cave in” on their “heads” when they show up.  And all that’s just too awkward to risk!

Unfortunately, churches, pastors, youth leaders, and church members have harmed people spiritually and have only reinforced some of those negative stereotypes about Christianity; they have unwittingly fertilized the awkwardness that surrounds invitations to worship and participate in the life of a congregation, making it harder for all of us.

But I hereby declare a no-awkwardness policy for our church family.  Let’s dispel all the weirdness that goes along with an endorsement of and an invitation to our church.  And let’s banish all the awkwardness that we might feel when our friends are faced the choice of accepting or rejecting our offer.  Coming to our church once or not coming to our church is not life-or-death; it’s not an eternal decision.  No one has to cry or go down front.  No one’s wallet will be snatched.  So relax!  Enjoy the fellowship of the saints that God has gathered together, and let that joy overflow to others.

Pastor Ray

WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY

We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, October 2, in observance of World Communion Sunday.

SESSION MEETING

The session will have its regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday, October 24, at 7:00 p.m. The deacons are invited to come to the session meeting (at about 7:30 p.m.) and share about their ministry.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

The session has called a congregational meeting for Sunday, November 13, following worship for the purpose of approving the pastor’s compensation for 2012 and electing officers.

WE NEED YOU!

Please cruise by the Opportunity Table and sign up if you are interested in providing special music for worship, in hosting Fellowship Time after worship. There are many blanks waiting for your name!

STU BEAR OFFERING

Five years ago our church school began sponsoring a boy from Colombia named Johan through Compassion International. Funds from our church school offering (called Stu Bear, because of the special envelopes given to church school kids) have supported him ever since. It’s time that we re-double our efforts to take care of Johan as he grows up! This fall, all church school kids will be given a box of offering envelopes. They will be encouraged to bring a gift, however large or small, every Sunday to give during church school or worship. Thank you for your efforts!

YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

The High School Youth Group will meet on Wednesday, 10/5, and Wednesday, 10/19, from 7:30-8:30p.m. The Middle School Youth Group will meet on Wednesday, 10/12, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room.

MERCY MEALS

The Confirmation class invites the congregation to help them package food for Mercy Meals of Nebraska (in the Orphan Grain Train facility) on Wednesday, 10/26, from 7:30-9:00 p.m. We will meet at our church’s building and depart by 6:45 to car pool down to Norfolk. We will return by 9:40 or so. Visit www.mercymealsofnebraska.org for more information.

BETTER TOGETHER

Last I checked, the Bible and the Creed speak of one church, not many. So let’s start living like it! The high school youth from the congregations in Wayne are coming together to make a difference through a Community Scavenger Hunt on Wednesday, November 9. Everyone wishing to participate should meet at the Wayne Community Activity Center by 7:00 p.m. Each group will be assigned an area of town to go out soliciting food for the Wayne food pantry, and we will finish by 8:00 p.m. We might even mix up the youth groups, just for fun! Everyone will then meet back at the food pantry to drop off collected items. Refreshments provided by each group involved will follow in FPC’s Fellowship Hall. Let’s get together!

YOUTH SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES!

1)      Roadside Clean-Up: Sunday, October 16, after worship (11:00 a.m.)

2)      Museum Clean-Up: Sunday, October 16, 1:00 p.m. (Lunch will be served in the Fellowship Hall between these events.)

3)      Mercy Meals: Wednesday, October 26, 7:30-9:00 p.m. (We will meet at our church building at 6:45 and car pool down to Norfolk.)

MT. ZION FIELD TRIP

The Confirmation class is taking their fall field trip, and you are invited to come along! We will be going to Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, an African American congregation in Sioux City (1421 Geneva St., www.mtzionchurch.us) on Sunday, October 23. We will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Youth Room, like usual, and then car pool to Sioux City for the 10:45 service. Please bring lunch money. We need drivers, so if you can help, please contact Pastor Ray.

PRESBY JAMBOREE

Celebrate God’s goodness at the Heeses’ house (1293 H Ave, Pender) on Saturday, October 8, starting at 5:30 p.m. Please bring a side dish or a dessert to share. The main dish and soft drinks will be provided. Bring an unchurched friend!

BETHANY AUCTION

Bethany Presbyterian Church, which recently closed, will be hosting an auction for the church building and all its contents Sunday, October 9, beginning at 12:30 p.m. You can examine the items in person the morning before the auction. The Methodist Church of Carroll will be selling lunch. To see pictures and descriptions of the lots, visit http://www.mchjauctioneers.com/oct9.htm.

GREAT PLAINS PRESBYTERIAN PILGRIMAGE

As you travel down life’s highway, it is good to stop and rest a while. Take a break with Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage, a way to seek refreshment, worship, rest, and strength for the journey. Calvin Crest, October 20-23, 2011. Visit www.gpppilgrimage.org for more information.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

There has been lots of interest shown in our knitting and crocheting group!  This group will meet on the 4th Wednesday evening in October (26th) at 7:00p.m.  Come with your project and enjoy some fellowship! The Presbyterian Women will have their regular meeting on Wednesday, October 5th, at 6:30p.m., and Sewing Souls will meet on Wednesday, October 19th, at 6:30p.m.

HARVESTING TOGETHER – PRESBYTERY DAY

“Harvesting Together” (what God has grown) is the theme of Presbytery Day 2011, sponsored by the Congregational Development M&M Task Group of Homestead Presbytery. The event will be held on Saturday, October 8, from 9:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. at Calvin Crest. At the heart of Presbytery Day will be worship, three sections of 50 minute workshops, a Resource Center for Churches, and the Soul Desires bookstore of Omaha. A tour of Calvin Crest will conclude the day. The registration fee for the day is $10 each (lunch provided and child care) if postmarked by Sept. 8. The late fee is $15 (after Sept. 8 – lunch and child care provided). Mail registration and check payable to: Homestead Presbytery, 1135 Eastridge Drive, Lincoln, NE 68510.

FACEDOWN PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS!!

Facedown Productions presents the group Cloverton, featuring their hit single “Take Me into the Beautiful”. Live at First Christian Church, Norfolk, on Sunday, October 2, 2011. Show starts at 6pm – tickets are $7 advance & $10 at door. For ticket information contact the Abbey Christian Store in Norfolk or First Christian Church in Norfolk.

CROP WALK

The Wayne City Wide Community Crop Walk is scheduled for Sunday, October 9, 2011.  The one, three, or six mile walk will begin at 1:30pm with registration beginning at 1:15pm. The walk will begin and end at Our Savior Lutheran Church. A map of the route will be supplied at the registration table on the day of the walk. If you wish to have a copy of the walk route before then, please contact Deb Hammer at 375-2837 or email her at debhammer@huntel.net . The Crop Walk is a wonderful opportunity for our community to make a difference to help the fight against world hunger.

SOAP FOR LITTLE HANDS

In the past two years we have touched the lives of approximately 1800 young folks with soap, toothbrushes, & toothpaste in their Christmas bags which are distributed by His Hands Ministry, Meadowlark Ministry, & Cristo Rey Ministries. Because of the unrest in Mexico, these ministries have been told not to bring supplies across the boarder because the cartels are watching them. This year all donations will be distributed to children on the U.S. side of the border. If you have hotel soap, shampoo, or conditioners from your travels, please put them in the bucket in the sanctuary. You are welcome to purchase soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, too. Buckets will be picked up and packed on October 31st. This has become a great outreach program for the churches of Wayne, and on behalf of the ministries involved, we thank you for caring for the needs of children in the lower Rio Grande Valley.

MAKE A NOTE!

Mark your calendars!  The date for moving your clocks back is Sunday, November 6th. Don’t forget to fall back.

PASTOR APPRECIATION

Don’t forget: October is pastor appreciation month.

Show your pastor how much you care! Go to christianbook.com or familychristian.com for great ideas!

BIRTHDAYS!

There will be a birthday list on the Opportunity Table…please check it out!  If your birthday is on there, make sure we have the right date, if it isn’t and you would like it to be, please add it to the list!  Happy Birthday!

September 2011 Presbytidings

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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25 NIV)

Using the simplest symbols, Jesus gave his followers a way to remember his sacrifice until his return. When we take the piece of bread in our hands and hold the cup, we visualize the gospel itself: that Jesus Christ gave his life for sinners, so we could be reconciled to God and receive eternal life through faith in Jesus.

But from the very beginning, Jesus’ followers have disagreed about how, exactly, we should “do this” in remembrance of him. What did Jesus mean when he said, “This is my body and blood”? Did he mean it literally? And how often should we celebrate this Supper? Weekly, on the Lord’s Day? Monthly? Daily? And who is invited to take and eat? Everyone? Only the baptized? Adults?

In our congregation—which reflects our larger Presbyterian and Reformed heritage—we have pretty well settled most of these questions. We tend to affirm Christ’s spiritual presence in the bread and juice (as opposed to a real presence [Lutheran and Catholic], or the memorial feast concept [Baptist, “Christian,” and most “low” evangelical churches]). We also observe a monthly celebration of the Lord’s Supper (as opposed to weekly [Catholic and “Christian”] or quarterly [Baptist and most other “low” evangelical churches]).

But one question remains that we have not completely resolved: Who is invited to the Lord’s Table? For other traditions, the answer to this question is clear-cut: Roman Catholics have a first communion for baptized second graders; Missouri Synod Lutherans admit only members in good standing; Methodists will serve anyone who claims Jesus; Episcopalians and Evangelical Lutherans will admit all baptized Christians; Eastern Orthodox churches communicate baptized Orthodox Christians from the time they can swallow as babies!

But what about Presbyterians? Traditionally, American Presbyterians have practiced a believers’ Communion. That is, Presbyterians who completed a “communicants’” class and made their profession of faith in Jesus Christ were welcomed to the Table. This, by the way, is how First Presbyterian Church of Wayne has operated since anyone can remember, and it is also how Yours Truly practiced the faith when I was 12. But what about baptized Christians from other denominations and traditions? What about believing kids from other churches?

Our newly revised Book of Order (part of the constitution for our denomination), on the other hand, declares: “The invitation to the Lord’s Supper is extended to all who have been baptized, remembering that access to the Table is not a right conferred upon the worthy, but a privilege given to the undeserving who come in faith, repentance, and love.” (W-2.4011a, bold added) It goes on to say that “Baptized children who are being nurtured and instructed in the significance of the invitation to the Table and the meaning of their response are invited to receive the Lord’s Supper, recognizing that their understanding of participation will vary according to their maturity.” (W-2.4011b, bold added)

So where does that leave us as a congregation? Should we let our little children receive the sacrament as they wish? Should we maintain a believers’ Communion for those who have made a public profession of faith? In May, our elders discerned that this decision ultimately rests with the affected families. Each family is invited to have a conversation among themselves about what the sacrament means to them, and how they should best participate. It is possible, by the way, that we could offer a workshop on the Lord’s Supper for younger children, if our church families are interested (please contact me if you are!).

But however we answer the question How should we “do this” in remembrance of him, we can all give thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf and put our ultimate trust in him.

Pastor Ray

 SESSION MEETING

The session will have its regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday, September 26, at 7:00 p.m.

WE NEED YOU!

Please cruise by the Opportunity Table and sign up if you are interested in providing special music for worship, in hosting Fellowship Time after worship, or mowing the church’s or manse’s lawn. There are many blanks waiting for your name!

SUNDAE SUNDAY IS COMING!

Church school is right around the corner! Starting Sunday, September 11, at 9:00 a.m., we will have church school for kindergartners through 6th grade. Invite your friends, and join the fun! We will also celebrate the fall semester with ice cream sundaes after worship on September 11.

STU BEAR OFFERING

Five years ago our church school began sponsoring a boy from Colombia named Johan through Compassion International. Funds from our church school offering (often called Stu Bear, because of the special envelopes given to church school kids) have supported him ever since. It’s time that we re-double our efforts to take care of Johan as he grows up! This fall, all church school kids will be given a box of offering envelopes. They will be encouraged to bring a gift, however large or small, every Sunday to give during church school or worship. Thank you for your efforts!

YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

The middle school youth fellowship will meet on Wednesday, September 14, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room. They will continue to meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.

The high school youth fellowship will meet on Wednesday, September 7, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room. They will continue to meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.

A PRAYER FOR 9/11

Here is a prayer for the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

“Almighty and merciful God, you cannot be understood by one who sows discord, you cannot be accepted by one who loves violence: look upon our painful human condition tried by cruel acts of terror and death; comfort your children and open our hearts to hope, so that our time may again know days of serenity and peace; through Christ our Lord. Amen.” (prayed by Pope John Paul II on September 12, 2001)

FALL OFFICE HOURS

The church office will be open Tuesdays through Fridays, from 8:30-11:30 a.m., starting September 6.

FAITH COMES BY HEARING

FCBH is raising money to send BibleSticks to our troops. BibleSticks are small mp3 players loaded with the New Testament so military personnel can listen to God’s Word and find comfort, hope, and courage during difficult times. We will be receiving a special offering for the BibleStick outreach during worship on Sunday, September 18. Visit www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/military/military-outreach for more information. Pray for our troops!

FARM FUN FUNDRAISER

Jan Liska is at it again: walking to raise money for a cure to breast cancer. Come to the Liskas’ farm (57479 854 Road) on either September 25 or October 2, from 4:00-7:00 p.m., for hot dogs, s’mores, hayrides, and fun. Please RSVP by September 9 with your date choice and number attending (375-1254; 369-1552; jkliska@huntel.net). You may also give online at www.the3day.org (participant is Jan Liska).

GREAT PLAINS PRESBYTERIAN PILGRIMAGE

As you travel down life’s highway, it is good to stop and rest a while. Take a break with Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage, a way to seek refreshment, worship, rest, and strength for the journey. Calvin Crest, October 20-23, 2011. Visit www.gpppilgrimage.org for more information.

POTLUCK!

Our church family will celebrate the fall with an old-fashioned potluck lunch after worship on Sunday, September 18. Bring food to share; drinks and dishes will be provided.

OLDER ADULT RETREAT

Register now for the O.W.L.S. (Older, Wiser, Livelier Saints) Celebration on September 21 and 22, at Calvin Crest in Fremont, sponsored by Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries. The Tuesday and Wednesday Celebration theme is “Shalom—God’s Blessing of Peace,” keynoted by the Executive Presbyters of Homestead and Missouri River Valley presbyteries, Richard Wyatt and Kevin Keaton. The celebration offers entertainment, relaxation, knowledge, spiritual growth, fellowship, and the hospitality of Calvin Crest. Additional information and registration materials may be found at:

http://www.calvincrest.org/OWLS.php

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

September is almost here, and our first meeting of Presbyterian Women this fall will be on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. with a Potluck Supper. The agenda includes food, business, installation of officers, and introduction to the new Horizons Bible Study: Confessing the Beatitudes by Margaret Aymer. Bible Study books are available for sale, and if we are lucky enough to run out of books, we’ll order more!

LEARN KNITTING AND CROCHETING

We will also host our first Intro to Knitting, Crocheting, Sewing, Etc. this fall on the fourth Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. This is a chance to learn new skills, work on projects, suggest new projects, build friendships—and eat a cookie or two! We look forward to seeing you!

HARVESTING TOGETHER – PRESBYTERY DAY

“Harvesting Together” (what God has grown) is the theme of Presbytery Day 2011, sponsored by the Congregational Development M&M Task Group of Homestead Presbytery. The event will be held on Saturday, October 8, from 9:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. at Calvin Crest. At the heart of Presbytery Day will be worship, three sections of 50 minute workshops, a Resource Center for Churches, and the Soul Desires bookstore of Omaha. A tour of Calvin Crest will conclude the day. The registration fee for the day is $10 each (lunch provided and child care) if postmarked by Sept. 8. The late fee is $15 (after Sept. 8 – lunch and child care provided). Mail registration and check payable to: Homestead Presbytery, 1135 Eastridge Drive, Lincoln, NE 68510.

LIVING PROOF LIVE SIMULCAST

You are invited to a Beth Moore one-day simulcast conference!! Life-changing Bible study with Beth Moore, inspiring worship with Travis Cottrell.  Saturday, September 10, 2011 at the United Lutheran Church in Laurel, NE.  The cost is $20.00 & it includes the event, lunch, snack, & t-shirt. For more information and tickets, call 402-256-9169.

August 2011 Presbytidings Newsletter

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A SPECIAL INVITATION FROM JACI ALEXANDER

Hello! As some of you may or may not know, I went to a Christian event known as CIY or Christ in Youth these past two summers. Christ in Youth is a week long convention for high schoolers and a few adult sponsors. All week is dedicated to furthering our faith, learning about God, and growing bonds with other people we thought never possible.

In July of 2010 I received a dare card. These dare cards were handed out to every participant of CIY’s MOVE event, which was designed to keep us Christians moving in our faith—creating more disciples and strengthening ourselves. On my dare card, it read that I had the option of raising $5,000 to make a freshwater well in Zambia, Africa. The reason for the well is to prevent disease, death, malnutrition, and missing out on education among many children and even adults. Without access to clean drinking water, many women and children are forced to walk 6 plus miles every day for water—the very same water shared with animals that is infested with feces—the water they must use to clean themselves and their clothes with, that is ultimately used as drinking water.

You may wonder how, in fact, do poor water conditions affect education. Well, as for many children, they are forced to walk and get the water for their family, or what’s left of it, and are unable to go to school. Convenient access to clean water in the United States has made us spoiled! As Americans we cannot deny the fact we are wasters—the average American family uses over 350 gallons of water a day while the average African family uses a measly 5 gallons. Even the death rate for water-related diseases is an outstanding number of 3,800 children per day, if not more.

I could go on and on about this water crisis—how much it means to me, but most importantly how it will affect the communities in Africa that desperately need it. I only need ask one question: Do you care enough to help? If you think no, that’s okay, but I plead to you this one thing: put yourself in their situation. You walk those 6 plus miles every day, watch your siblings and children miss out on education—to deteriorate before your very eyes and yet have nothing to stop it because you yourself are paralyzed in the shackles of disease.

My purpose is not to create a memory nor to glorify myself. My purpose is to encourage people to live their lives they never could have had without their own stability. So make a change and make a difference, because we are the only people that can!

If you feel led to donate to my dare, please make checks out to “Active Water” and send them to me (904 Pine Heights Road, Wayne). I am more than halfway to my goal. Thank you!

Jaci Alexander

SESSION MEETING

The session will have its regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m.

WE NEED YOU!

Please cruise by the Opportunity Table and sign up if you are interested in providing special music for worship, in hosting Fellowship Time after worship, mowing the church’s lawn, or the manse’s lawn during the summer. There are many blanks waiting for your name!

VOLUNTEER AT THE MAJESTIC THEATER

Our church has volunteered to work at the Majestic Theater on August 25, 26, 27 and 28th. We will need to have four to six volunteers per movie showing.  We need to be at the theater one hour before the movie and stay until 30 minutes after the late movie. Bonus: if you volunteer, you will get to see the movie! We will have the signup available in August on the Opportunity Table. Please sign up and join in on the fun. Everyone has fun working at the theater, and with more people we will have more fun. If you have questions contact Jeryl Nelson at (402) 375-5145.

CHURCH SCHOOL IS COMING!

Build disciples through church school! Starting Sunday, September 11, at 9:00 a.m. we will have church school for kindergartners through 5th grade. Invite your friends, and join the fun!

CHURCH SCHOOL LEADERS

If you would like to help out with our church school, please come to our organizational meeting: Tuesday, August 16, at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Come with your ideas and dreams!

SEEKING CONFIRMATION MENTORS

We need mature Christian men and women to serve as mentors for our Confirmation students. If you are interested, please contact Pastor Ray.

ENRICH YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

These Days and The Upper Room are daily devotionals available for you and your spiritual growth. Find them at the back of the sanctuary. Also, visit www.fpcwayne.org/spirituality to find online resources to enrich your walk with God.

YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

The middle school and high school youth groups will begin meeting again in September. Watch for details for times and places!

YOUTH MENTORS

Here’s an easy volunteer job in our church: Come and hang out with our youths during youth group time. Build positive relationships across generations just by spending time together. Contact Pastor Ray if you feel called to this ministry of presence!

PRAY CONTINUALLY…

Whether you are directly involved in our fall programs (youth, women, church school, etc.) or not, you can support our church’s ministry! Please take a moment and pray for God’s blessing on what we are doing, that our efforts would draw people to Jesus and glorify God in our community. Thank you!

WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE

God loves us more than we know. He gives us more than we can ask or dream. He’s unrestrained… excessive… outrageous… Over the Top. The annual Women Of Faith Conference will be held in Omaha, August 12-13, 2011 at the Qwest Center.  For more information or to register, go to: www.womenoffaith.com/events/2011-events/omaha/ or call 1-888-49-FAITH (1-888-493-2484).

TIPS FOR GREETERS

So you’ve been assigned to serve as a greeter on Sunday morning, and you panic: “What do I do? I’ve never greeted before, and I’m not all that friendly!” Relax, friends. While serving as a greeter is one of the most important jobs on Sunday morning, there’s no pressure. You can do it! Here are a couple of practical tips for being the best greeter ever.

  • Take a second to read the indispensible “Guidelines for Greeters” that is tucked inside the white binder on the greeters’ pew. Then do what it says. That’s 90% of the job.
  • As the job title suggests, your job is to greet people as they come to worship! So make people feel welcome! If you know them well, greet them; if you don’t know them well, greet them and get to know them better; if they are visitors, roll out the hospitality and make sure they feel comfortable.

Greeters and non-greeters alike: Let’s build a reputation of being the friendliest church around!

OLDER ADULT RETREAT

Register now for the O.W.L.S. (Older, Wiser, Livelier Saints) Celebration on September 21 and 22, at Calvin Crest in Fremont, sponsored by Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries. The Tuesday and Wednesday Celebration theme is “Shalom—God’s Blessing of Peace,” keynoted by the Executive Presbyters of Homestead and Missouri River Valley presbyteries, Richard Wyatt and Kevin Keaton. The celebration offers entertainment, relaxation, knowledge, spiritual growth, fellowship, and the hospitality of Calvin Crest. Additional information and registration materials may be found at: http://www.calvincrest.org/OWLS.php

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Presbyterian Women will be starting a new Horizons Bible Study this fall, Confessing the Beatitudes by Margaret Aymer. Our first meeting will be a Potluck Meal on Wednesday, September 7, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We will have installation of officers and Introduction to the Bible Study. Lesson One will be studied at the October meeting.

All women are invited to join in the Bible Study, mission projects, fellowship, and tasty treats. So consider marking the first Wednesday of each month on your calendar to remind you to come study, share joys and concerns, and form new/renew/enrich relationships with other women in our church!

BOOKS!  BOOKS!  BOOKS!

The Wayne Public Library has several of the books on the new PWPH 2011-2012 Reading List on its shelves. Local Wonders: Seasons in the Bohemian Alps (the One Book One Nebraska 2011 selection) by Ted Kooser, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, In the Company of Others by Jan Karon, Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber, God’s Guest List by Debbie Macomber, Survival Instinct by Rachelle McCalla, Out on a Limb by Rachelle McCalla, Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron, and Dewey’s Nine Lives by Vicki Myron.

On our library shelves at Wayne First Presbyterian Church are the emptiness of our hands: a lent lived on the streets by Phyllis Cole-Dai and James Murray and The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Phyllis Cole-Dai spoke at Synod Gathering last summer (2010) about her experience living on the streets with the homeless.

If you have not picked up a copy of the 2011-2012 Reading List, look for a pile of gold in the Fellowship Hall and enjoy!

CALVIN CREST QUILT AUCTION

The 14th Annual Quilt Auction & BBQ will be on Saturday, August 27th.  Proceeds from the auction and BBQ support projects and programs at Calvin Crest.  The quilts go on display at 10:00.  The quilt Auction starts at 1:00.  There will be a Silent Auction from 10:00 to 2:00.  A BBQ lunch will be served from 12:00 to 1:30.  Sewing Souls will send items for the auction.  Come support Calvin Crest.

GET OUR NEWSLETTER BY E-MAIL

If you would like to receive this newsletter by e-mail (save a stamp, save a tree!), go to www.fpcwayne.org; on the home page, in the right hand column, there is a widget that says, “NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION: Enter your e-mail address to receive Presbytidings, our church’s newsletter, by e-mail.” Enter your address in the white box, and click on the button that says, “Sign me up!” Share our newsletter with all your friends and family. Simple!

Summer Newsletter

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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR:

Soul Surfer is a new summer movie that closely follows the real-life experiences of Bethany Hamilton, a young woman from Hawaii.  You know it has to be real, because even the most clever screenwriter couldn’t come up with a story so fantastic!

When Bethany was 13, she and her friend Alana, along with Alana’s brother and dad, went out surfing in preparation for a surfing tournament that was coming up.  While they were out in the ocean, Bethany was floating on her board and must have looked like a helpless sea turtle to a hungry fourteen-foot tiger shark below.  The shark bit off her arm just below the shoulder.  If the shark had bitten two inches closer to her body, the attack would certainly have been fatal.  Bethany lost over 60% of her blood after the attack.  Her friends helped paddle her back to shore and fashioned a tourniquet out of a surfboard leash around what was left of her arm before rushing her to the hospital.  Her father was supposed to have knee surgery that morning, but she took his place in the operating room.  Bethany then spent seven more days in recovery at the hospital.

Despite the trauma of the incident, Hamilton was determined to return to surfing.  Less than one month after the incident, she got back on her board and went surfing again.  After a slow two years of recovery and practice, Bethany won first place in the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s National Championships.  In 2008, at age 18, Bethany became a professional surfer and placed second during her first attempt in the World Qualifying Series.  And all that with only one arm.

The theme that runs throughout Bethany’s story—whether it’s on the big screen or in her autobiography—is her deeply-rooted faith in Jesus Christ.  She constantly credits him with helping her along her courageous journey.  The Bible verse that crops up frequently in the movie is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  And for once in a movie, that verse is used correctly.

Maybe I’m a picky Bible snob, but too often Philippians 4:13 is used as an achievement motto for supermen and superwomen: they’re getting ready to give a presentation, play sports, or take a test; and they summon their life verse, marshaling its power in their pursuit of success.  “I can do anything I want to because of Christ who makes me strong!”

But the apostle Paul had nothing like that in mind when he penned those words to his friends in Philippi.  When he wrote this letter, a persecuted Paul was most likely imprisoned and still smarting from the various beatings he had received at the hands of his enemies.  In verse 12, he said, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”  This was no Superman Paul, but a wise, mature, suffering Paul who knew from whence came his strength.

The word that Paul used that is translated as “do” is not the typical verb for doing or making in biblical Greek.  Rather, it means enduring, overcoming adversity, getting by.  So Paul is saying, “I can get through all things—I can endure adversity—because of the Lord who strengthens me in my weakness.”  The Message paraphrase of the Bible captures it perfectly: “I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”

And this is why this verse makes perfect sense for Bethany Hamilton’s story—and for all our stories of hardship and suffering.  When we are faced with difficult circumstances, whether it’s unjust persecution or having your arm bitten off by a shark and the painful recovery that follows, we can confidently claim the power to endure that comes from Jesus Christ, who has already overcome sin and death on our behalf.  “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  Amen to that!

Pastor Ray

SESSION MEETING

The session will have its regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday, August 22, at 7:00 p.m.

WE NEED YOU!

Please cruise by the Opportunity Table and sign up if you are interested in providing special music for worship, in hosting Fellowship Time after worship, mowing the church’s lawn, or the manse’s lawn during the summer. There are many blanks waiting for your name!

SUMMER HOURS

Summer hours for the church office will start after Memorial Day weekend.  The office will be open Tuesdays-Thursdays from 8:30-11:30a.m. during the summer.  This will run from June-August.

ROAD-SIDE CLEAN-UP DAY

Get ready to clean!!  We will be cleaning our stretch of the highway (2 miles east of Dairy Queen on Highway 35 and heading 2 miles eastward) on Sunday, June 5, following worship at 11:00am.  After clean-up, we’ll meet back at the church for a lunch of delicious chicken enchiladas! Please wear your orange FPC t-shirts from last summer, and if you don’t have one, talk to Pastor Ray—he has leftovers!  (Kind of like the enchiladas…)

LIVE TALKING ACTION FIGURES

Sunday, June 19, Live Talking Action Figures are coming to Norfolk! The Great American Comedy Festival is bringing THE SKIT GUYS for some clean fun for the WHOLE family with a GREAT message! FaceDown Productions is teaming up with the Great American Comedy Festival to get the word out.

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES

A Goodwill trailer will be in Wayne and will be parked in the following location: NW Corner of Pac N Save parking lot, Parallel to Hwy 35.  This trailer will be available for donations from June 22-June 29, 2011.

SEVENTH ANNUAL CHRISTIAN CROSS FESTIVAL

You are invited to join us at the 7 Annual Christian Cross Festival to be held at Skyview Lake in Norfolk on Sunday, June 5.  This is a FREE event planned that will include Christian music, testimony, children’s activities, and fireworks.  Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and plan to spend a day of Christian fellowship with us.  Food vendors will be available. Some of the artists who will be performing are: Building 429, JJ Heller, Breathe Deep, and many more!

HENOWEEN ON HOLD

At the May session meeting—despite our recent exposure in Parade magazine—the sitting elders decided to take a year off from session-sponsored enchilada sales at Henoween (Friday, July 8).  If anyone else has a craving to organize the sales, please contact the church’s office.

HELP FOR JOPLIN

As you know, many places in the U.S., especially Joplin, Missouri, have been devastated by tornadoes and severe weather. Even though many of those places are far away, you can help!

Option 1: The Orphan Grain Train in Norfolk is collecting “Mercy Kits” for victims of tornadoes. The list can be accessed online at: Mercy Kits, and the kits can be dropped off at the Orphan Grain Train’s warehouse (606 W. Philip)

Option 2: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance encourages believers to give, act, and pray.  You can make a donation online; you can organize a group to go work on site; you can put together clean-up, baby, hygiene, and school kits; and you can pray for the relief efforts.  Visit PDA for more information.  Thank you!

OLDER ADULT RETREAT

Register now for the O.W.L.S. (Older, Wiser, Livelier Saints) Celebration on September 21 and 22, at Calvin Crest in Fremont, sponsored by Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries. The Tuesday and Wednesday Celebration theme is “Shalom—God’s Blessing of Peace,” keynoted by the Executive Presbyters of Homestead and Missouri River Valley presbyteries, Richard Wyatt and Kevin Keaton. The Celebration offers entertainment, relaxation, knowledge, spiritual growth, fellowship, and the hospitality of Calvin Crest. Additional information and registration materials may be found at Calvin Crest online.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Summer Schedule includes:

Wednesday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. – Sewing Souls will meet to work on projects for Camp Calvin Crest Quilt Auction.  Babs Middleton will be hostess.

Wednesday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m. – Intro to Knitting and Crocheting – This is a chance to learn new skills, hone your present skills, and help others with their questions.  A variety of pattern books will be available for ideas.  There will also be an opportunity to work on table decorations for the Annual Tea in July.  Are you a pro at “baking” Styrofoam cups?

Wednesday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m. – PW will meet to finalize plans for Annual Tea and program will be announced later.  Jan Liska is hostess.

Wednesday, July 13 at 6:00 p.m. – PW ANNUAL TEA – Our theme for this year is based on HATS and the guest speaker will be Mary Duffy from O’Neill, NE.  This is an opportunity for you to wear one of your favorite hats – or bring that favorite hat to share its history and memories with others.  And you may win a prize for bringing your favorite hat!  There will be an opportunity for children to color pictures of hats creatively and win a prize.  And, yes, there will be food to eat!  So bring your mother, daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, grandmothers, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, and friends – and enjoy food, fun, and fellowship with us!

Wednesday, July 20 at 6:30 p.m. – Intro to Knitting and Crocheting – This is another opportunity to learn new stitches and maybe finish up a project or two.  Invite friends to come with you and enjoy the fellowship and the “yarns” of knitting and crocheting!

Saturday, July 30 at 9:00 a.m. – Sewing Souls will meet for a day of sewing to finish projects for Camp Calvin Crest Quilt Auction and to start new mission projects.  Come for the day or any part of the day that works into your schedule!  This might be an opportunity for you to learn new sewing skills or to renew your sewing skills.

BOOKS!

The new PWPH Reading List for 2011-2012 is available – look for the color of gold on a table in the Fellowship Hall!  Reading a minimum of four books on the new list will qualify you for a reading award.

MEGA SPORTS CAMP – VBS

Please pray for the success of our Mega Sports Camp vacation Bible school. June 6-9, 9:00-11:30 a.m.

SUMMER CAMP IS AROUND THE CORNER!

Don’t forget to stake your place at Calvin Crest this summer! They offer camps and programs for kids of all ages—from Family Camp through senior high—and all interests—from night owls to ranch camp to mountain biking camp. And remember: our church pays half of the cost to help you make camp a reality. Visit www.calvincrest.org for more information (click on the “youth programs”) button.