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April 29, 2007
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First
Presbyterian Church |
Newsletter "First Things": May 2007Contents...
From the Pastor's PenDear Members and Friends of First Church, I pray that you all had a blessed Resurrection Day. I sure did. It was great seeing so many at worship and listen to the Chancel Choir, along with all the others who came forward at the end of the service, sing Hallelujah Chorus. WOW. What a day. What a Savior. As I sit in my office in the aftermath of that glorious Resurrection Day I am trying to get my work done ahead of time since I will be leaving with six others on Saturday, April 21st for Orange Grove, Mississippi. A team from our church will be traveling to the Gulfport, Mississippi area to work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) - Hurricane Katrina Relief. Terry Comer, Rev. Dick Ferris, Dick Franklin, Jean Griffith, Dick Hillebrand, Peggy Weaver, and I will be gone from April 21st and returning on Sunday, April 29th. The theme for PDA is OUT OF CHAOS, HOPE. The unbelievable power of Hurricane Katrina on August 25, 2005 and Hurricane Rita, in early September 2005 was mind boggling. Hurricane Katrina was one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to hit the United States. New Orleans officials estimated that 80% of the city was flooded, with some areas that were under 20 feet of water. Hurricane Rita affected the western part of Louisiana as well as eastern Texas. The disasters severely damaged an area larger than Great Britain, turned 1.2 million people in to evacuees and destroyed 600,000 homes. Post-hurricane damage in Mississippi and Louisiana was (and still is) massive and unprecedented. So, I sit at my desk writing this article, I look to May and the last Sunday of the month, May 27th when we celebrate the day of Pentecost and the coming of the promised Holy Spirit. My thoughts turn to the topic of POWER -- the power of the hurricanes and the power of God and the Holy Spirit. When you think about it, power can be used in at least two ways: it can be unleashed, or it can be harnessed. The energy in ten gallons of gasoline, for instance, can be released explosively by dropping a lighted match into the can. Or, it can be channeled through the engine of a car in a controlled burn and used to transport a person 350 miles. Explosions are spectacular, but controlled burns have lasting effect, staying power. The Holy Spirit works both ways. At Pentecost, He exploded on the scene; His presence was like "tongues of fire" (Acts 2:3). Thousands were affected by one burst of God's power. But he also works through the church - the institution God began to tap the Holy Spirit's power for the long haul. Through worship, fellowship, and service, Christians are provided with staying power. The staying power of the church reaches out to those who have found themselves in the chaos of Katrina and Rita with hope. The explosive power of the Holy Spirit continues to work in the lives of believers who have been changed by Jesus Christ. Pentecost - what a day, what a God we serve. See U in CH_RCH. Yours in Christ, From the Pulpit
Church NewsPresbytery's Response to the Virginia Tech ShootingsFriends, The news of the shooting at Virginia Tech took my breath away, as I'm sure they did for you as well. The president of the university described the situation as a "tragedy of monumental proportions," but words fail to grasp the pain felt by those who loved the thirty-three students and faculty who lost their lives in the shootings. Fortunately, we do not face tragedy alone. Our Lord promised to be with us, even to the ends of the earth. The apostle Paul tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Because of this love, we can respond in loving ways to others, and Presbyterians have already begun to respond. On April 16th, Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick sent out a call to prayer, http://www.pcusa.org/oga, asking the church to pray especially for the Presbyterians and others who will be upholding and nurturing these students and families. Presbyterians are already involved in providing that care. Three members of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team are on their way to the campus to be a presence and resource to the community. The three team members are: - The Rev. Robert Barns of Santa Fe, New Mexico a retired police chaplain with extensive training and experience in responding to school shooting. He was the lead on behalf of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance at the shooting in Columbine, CO. - The Rev. James Kirk, Associate Pastor, The Moorings Presbyterian Church, Naples, FL. Jim also has extensive training and experience in responding to school shooting and similar events. - Anne Van Allen from Annapolis, MD, a retired school counselor with more than 30 years of school related mental health experience. The team has already been in contact with Catherine Snyder, Presbyterian campus minister, George Goodman of the Presbytery of the Peaks, and with Alexander Evans, Pastor of Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. Evans is also the chaplain with the fire department. Our early contacts with those providing care in the area have been met with gratitude for the tremendous and quick response from the church, and indeed others around the world. Please remember other area congregations in your prayers, including Northside Presbyterian Church, and the Roanoke Valley Presbyterian Church in the city of Lynchburg, Virginia, as they minister in the days ahead. The team from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance will be sending updates as they are available, so we may have additional information to pass along. Thank you for your prayerful support. Linda Bryant Valentine Youth SundayThe youth are gearing up for their chance to run the Sunday morning service. This year's Youth Sunday will focus on Change. Consequently, there is talk of holding the Sunday Morning Service outside in the parking lot, if various factors permit. More information will come in your Sunday Bulletin. America, Unite in Prayer
The national Day of prayer is a day designated by the United States Congress as a day when all Americans regardless of faith are asked to come together and pray. Join your friends and neighbors in prayer and liturgy. Food Pantry
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from the answers we get we are forced to admit it usually takes a
minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst.
Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for
the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph.
During a recent fundraising event, which featured this puzzle the
Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth se a new record. The local
paper, the Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that
this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen.
As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, "The books are all right in plain
view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will
hear great lamentation from those who have to be shown. One
revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may
occur without their numbers. Also keep in mind punctuation and
spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help
you compete really well agains those who claim to know the answers.
Remember there is no need for a mad exodus. There really are
30 books of the Bible lurking in this paragraph, waiting to be
found.
