inspire - first presbyterian churchance including fpc members, youth, ministers, and youth workers....
TRANSCRIPT
INSPIRE MARCH 2016
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Joel’s Jottings Over the past month I have shared with a number of groups and individuals about where the pastoral tran‐si on is at First Presbyterian. The work of a Pastor Nomina ng Commi ee (PNC), what we Presbyterians call the “Search Commi ee,” takes 12‐18 months from their elec on by the congrega on to the arrival of the next installed pastor at the church.
There are several reasons for this. First, it takes a cou‐ple of months for the commi ee to get organized. Then the group will produce a Ministry Informa on Form (MIF) that describes First Presbyterian Church. The Session and the Commi ee on Ministry of Flint River Presbytery will approve before it is circulated.
Once the MIF is approved, recommenda ons, sugges‐ons and applica ons will come to the PNC. They will
need to determine how they will discern among many qualified and capable candidates. There will be a series of phone and in‐person interviews. Travel by the PNC and/or the candidates to and from Columbus will be required.
All of this takes me. And the folks on the PNC all have responsibili es at home – family rela onships to be a ended to, work to be done, life to be lived. The pace of the PNC will be intense.
Before the elec on of the PNC there is work the con‐grega on needs to do. This is the work of assessment. Whenever we go on a journey, we need to determine the des na on. The congrega on needs to be able to have clarity about what is needed in a pastor. I am working with the ministries of the Session to develop the instruments and forums for this work. In this me and effort we trust that God will provide.
The Twenty‐Third Psalm is a great resource of faith. It speaks of “the valley” in our lives. Transi on in church is one valley we encounter in the life of faith. It is chal‐lenging to be sure. But you as a congrega on have resources and gi s. You have pastors in Rev. Doughton and me. You have a capable and skilled staff. You have each other with a gracious generosity of spirit and will‐ingness to meet the challenge of our me. But most of all, we have the power of God’s presence among us. Trus ng in that is what will accomplish all things.
The journey we are on takes me. Yet we are not le des tute in the process. And we will complete the calling of this moment.
Lent & Holy Week Schedule CrossWalk
12 p.m. Wednesdays during Lent Lenten Small Groups
Wednesdays and Thursdays during Lent Wednesday, March 16
5:30 p.m. Dinner | 6:30 p.m. Children’s Musical Palm Sunday, March 20 8:45 & 11 a.m. Services
Maundy Thursday, March 24 6 p.m. Dinner | 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae Service
Easter Prayer Vigil Friday, March 25 3 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 26 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 27 6 to 8 a.m. Easter Sunday, March 27
8:30 a.m. Worship, Sanctuary 9:30 a.m. Easter Brunch Fellowship
10 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt 11 a.m. Worship, Sanctuary
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following the 11 a.m. worship service. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct the annual meeting of the congregation required by the Book of Order and the Georgia Non‐Profit Corporation Code; to receive the 2015 Annual Report; and to review terms of call for the Pastors. Additionally, the congregation will be asked to approve an Officer Nominating Committee consisting of 4 members (an active elder as chair, plus 3 members to be elected from congregation at large); and to approve a change in the form of church governance to reduce the Session from 24 to 15 members and to reduce the Diaconate from 9 to 6 members. For the Officer Nominating Committee, the Session has elected Elder Mark Jarrell to serve as chair, and is recommending election of Susan Boyter, Billy Turner and Stacy Welch from the congregation at large.
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March 2: Forgiveness: A Lenten Study
March 9: Forgiveness: A Lenten Study
March 16: Children’s Musical
Thursday, March 24: Maundy Thursday Service
Church Family Supper
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Each week the students meet at 10 a.m. for Sunday School (grades 6‐12) in the Lodge.
For details about Sunday evening ac vi es, please see the Sunday bulle n.
The Youth Group honored the "Young at Heart" members of First Presbyterian with a luncheon on
Sunday, February 14. The tables were beau fully decorated with red heart decora on donated by Eleanor Burnham; the youth group set the tables, printed name tags, and served the lunch. Cynthia Hollis cooked a wonderful meal of country fried steak, turnip greens, black eyed peas, cornbread, and chocolate cake. There were 38 in a end‐ance including FPC members, youth, ministers, and youth workers. Margie Bickerstaff announced the VIP Bed Race Stock Sale and Amelia Barton shared with the luncheon guests about the plans to decorate the bed for the VIP Bed Race around the theme of Star Wars. Amelia received a big round of applause for her diligent work with the youth this year.
March Activities
March 2: Read Across America Dr. Seuss’ Birthday/Pajama Day
March 11: No School Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 17: Tricky Leprechaun Day
Week of March 14: Easter Egg Hunts throughout the week
March 21‐28: Spring Break
Filled Easter Eggs Needed Please bring two dozen plas c eggs filled with candy and place them in the designated bins located around the church on or before Palm Sunday, March 20. These will be used for the egg hunt on Easter Sunday. Thank you!
Young at Heart Luncheon
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A Church Member from Afar
Hello,
I am Meg Grear, daughter of Eleanor Key Grear, who is a life me member of Columbus’ First Presbyterian Church. When she turned 92 she decided she needed to be closer to me so we packed her up and moved her to Oregon. Mom is definitely a Southern gal through and through and always will be. Her Southern accent certainly remains strong (I have to serve as a interpreter for her Northwest friends.) We want to thank you for offering your sermons via the internet. This allows Mom to con nue to be part of your congrega on. She watches your broadcasts every Sunday a ernoon on my iPad. She loves seeing her friends as the camera pans the pews. She loves seeing the cross on the altar that was donated in her mother’s name many, many years ago. She sings along with the choir, prays with the minister and is able to con nue this lifelong connec on. Someone in your congrega on organized a Christmas card campaign and Mom re‐ceived dozens of cards from church members. That was very though ul. Mom is now 97. Her health is good and she con nues to have a zest for life. Thank you so much for providing her with the opportunity to maintain her connec on with her church.
I am a aching a photo of Mom “at church.” Our dog, Midge, loves going to church with her every Sunday.
Meg Grear Corvallis, Oregon
2016 Global Mission Conference “Go Into All the World”
Congratula ons to Kathryn Adams as the recipient of The Mildred Frazer Kinne Award!! The award was presented to Kathryn, during the February 7 conference ceremony and closing event, for her “service, sympathy, and witness to the world.” Some years this award has been given to someone who has specifically served global missions, local missions or
both, specific ac ons, or for who missions is “a way of life.” Kathryn embodies all four of these. Her faithfulness to missions has shown up in her leadership by serving a Break Bread route for over 20 years, serving on the Mission Ministry Team as chair and hos ng Mission Friends in her home. Her mother, Mildred Frazer Kinne , the lady for whom this award is named, was well known for her passion for mission and her gi of hospi‐tality, thus her daughter learned by example.
Dr. Jay Coker, Mission Advocate with The Outreach Founda on, was the speaker, highligh ng various mission programs. The program ended with the announcement of the Silent Auc on winners.
Part of the GMC this year, was the silent bidding on items such as fresh baked goods, beach and mountain getaways, hand‐thrown po ery, photography canvases, wonderful gi baskets, and theme cuisine dinners. The auc on alone raised $7,600. A BIG THANK YOU to all who par cipated and donated auc on items. Everyone certainly enjoyed this fun ac vity!
Serena Sato opened the conference on Wednesday, February 3 with enlightening comments regarding her work as Marke ng Director of SERRV. SERRV is a nonprofit organiza on which helps ar sans, around the world, achieve be er trading
condi ons and sustainability.
Collec vely, you have generously given $26,000 in support of our mission partners in Kenya and Pakistan, as well as mission co‐worker Donald Marsden. Please con nue to pray for world missions and consider helping us reach our goal of $32,000 for the year.
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RECAP OF APPROVED ACTIONS JANUARY 25, 2015 STATED MEETING
1. Received new members: Charlo e A. Mort on transfer of le er from Southminster Presbyterian Church, Centerville, OH, and Leslie V. Thompson on reaffirma on of faith.
2. Authorized Clerk to sign contract for broadcast services with WRBL for 2016.
3. Approved consolidated communion schedule for 2016.
4. Approved Dr. John W. Coker, Jr. to preach both services on February 7, 2016.
5. Approved use of $5,000.00 of funds from Woodruff Charitable Lead Annuity Trust to supplement budgeted gi to Presbytery.
6. Elected Debby King and Bill Arrington to serve as commissioners to February 13, 2016 Presbytery mee ng.
7. Approved use of “Forgiveness: A Lenten Study”, wri en by Marjorie Thompson, for Lenten small groups.
8. Reduced size of Officer Nomina ng Commi ee from 7 to 4.
9. Reduced size of Session from 24 to 15.
10. Reduced size of Diaconate from 9 to 6. (NOTE: Ac ons 8, 9 and 10 are subject to congrega onal approval).
11. Approved use of proceeds from sale of Harris County land to par ally fund 2016 budget.
12. Approved youth to conduct a “stock sale” concurrent with VIP bed race to raise funds for VIP.
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If your birthday or anniversary is this month, but is not listed, please contact the church office so we can add it to your member profile.
March Anniversaries and Birthdays
1 Ernie Wright Adam Smith Kaleb McLeod
2 Jay & Jeanie Bross Chris & Virginia Peebles Marie Avant Amy Kyser Frank Berry Charles Swi
3 William & Stacey Hollomon
5 Robert & Mint Flowers Jimmy McCorlew Avere Flory Katheryn Livingston
6 Mike & Chris ne Moye James Venable Dick Erickson Mike Moye
7 Smokey & Kay Bowers Shawn & Kathryn Roberts Judee Turner
9 Dey & Ellen Palmer
10 Kenny & Courtney Bath Dick & Dixie Olson Debbie Spear Chris Beck Lucy Flournoy
11 Helena Pease Nancy Stephens Blair Carnahan
12 Amy Pease
14 Gabriela Diaz Ella Barbaree Michael Loomis
16 Dick & Mimi Childs Florence McCorlew Edward Anderson Stacey Hollomon
17 Abby Cudd Jason Daffin, Jr.
18 Olice Embry Cecil Whitaker, Jr.
19 Perrin & Catherine Tro er Tamara Flournoy
20 Boon & Fitz Bickerstaff
Sco & Alice Bryan Susie Hatcher Thomas Kelly
21 Leonard & Debbie Buce
22 Peggy Love Eleanor Hardegree Brad Bickerstaff
23 Laurence Chris an Emme Van Doorn
24 Susan Boyter Mary Bradley Mac Bryan, Jr.
25 Ok Cha Kim Barre Feighner Robert Hinson IV Harrison Bridges Connor McElroy Harrison Chris an
27 Hugh & Eleanor Turner John Laney III
28 Isabelle Cooper
29 Dixie Olson Brock Jones Frazer Loomis
30 Cathy Hemmings Alexandra Heard
31 Jason & Tracy Daffin Bebe Dobbs Ellie Roberts
1100 First Avenue
Columbus, Georgia 31901
Phone: 706.322.4523
Fax: 706.596.8531
Web: www.columbusfpc.org
Share God’s Love: First Presbyterian, a historic church located in uptown Columbus, Georgia, seeks to minister to all people in Christ’s name through an inclusive, caring, and faithful community that joyfully shares the gi of salva on from a loving and forgiving God.
INTER IM PASTOR
The Reverend Joel L. Alvis, Jr., PhD
ASSOC IATE PASTOR
The Reverend E. Jones Doughton, D. Min.
CH ILDREN’S MIN ISTRY DIRECTOR
Mrs. Debbie Spear
CHURCH ADMIN ISTRATOR
Ms. Suzanne McCary
ORGANIST AND CHOIRMASTER
Mr. Thomas H. George, Jr.