Church and Home MAY 2014

“Boldly with Christ We Belong, Believe, Grow and Reach Out”

First Presbyterian Church 1901 W Leota Street

North Platte, NE 69101

Telephone: (308) 532-1083 Fax: (308) 532-2968

Web site: www.fpcnp.org Church e-mail address:

office@fpcnp.org pastorpolly@fpcnp.org

Staff

Pastor: Polly K. Deppen-Williams

Admin Assist: Naomi Okoye

Custodian: Regan Brown

Choir Director: Connie McCreery

Bells Director: Ann Jones

Child Care: Deb Welsh

Elders Clerk of Session:

Jon Beggs Larry Pedersen, Treasurer

Scott Baker Doris Craig

Lowell Fenster Darlene Finke Chuck Francis

Rhonda Godbey JoAnne Greene

Ann Jones Dean Kurth Ned Mack

Martha Orcutt Glenn Petersen

Deb Weitzel Jim Whitney

Deacons Jody & Tim Hudson

Glenda Feeney Jim McClymont

Marlene Minshull Maxine Mulder

Christina Ochsner Scott Orr

Susan Peters Betty Priel

Irene & Danny Ridgway Bev & Cecil Sallee

Maris Schad Gertrude Stewart

Doris Wells

PW Moderator: Joyce Kohler Vice Moderator: Dixie Francis

Dear Friends,

On Palm Sunday, April 13th, we welcomed 5 new families into our congregation! It was a wonderful day as we baptized the entire Pierce family, Sean, Sara, Ally and Rhys. We also received ten new members into membership, Lyle & Mary Anderson, Brad & Jackie Dawson, Rick & Fiona Libsack (Their daughter, Morgan, joined with last year’s confirmation class.), Sean & Sara Pierce, and Mike & Mandy Vargas.

I wanted to use the front page of Church & Home so that you could see pictures of our new members along with their names. Be sure to welcome them into the life of our church and tell them how excited we are that they are now members!

Lyle & Mary Anderson Brad & Jackie Dawson Rick & Fiona Libsack

Morgan, 15 & Max, 6

Sean & Sara Pierce

Ally, 9 & Rhys, 4

Mike & Mandy Vargas

Adrian, 2

First Presbyterian Church is a wonderful place to worship. Invite your friends and family to worship with us. Let’s continue to welcome new members into the life of our congregation!

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Polly

Stamps for Mission

Be sure and check the table in the Narthex that is the location for the Stamps for Mission box! There is a full color sheet of all the best stamps to be saving.

We thank you for your contributions to Stamps for Mission and thank Ruth Reynolds for coordi-nating this project for First Presbyterian Church!

- - Leigh Henline

“Second Sunday = Second Purchase” of an item for the Pantry

Bring an item (or two) and put them in the grocery cart on the Second Sunday - or - leave it in the pantry box any time during the week - or - take it to the pantry at 114 C Street between the hours of 1-3pm.

Pastor Polly’s Contact Info:

Church Office: 532-1083 Email: pastorpolly@fpcnp.org

FPC & Me will not meet again until August.

Vacation Church School scheduled for July 28 - August 1.

Keep your eyes open for more details! Call the church office about opportunities

to help with VBS.

Sunday, August 24, 6PM Back-to-School Cookout

more info to follow

**********************

Fall Festival, September 28

Are you wondering, “What is the special event marked on the calendar for September 28?” The women of Evening Spirits are inviting you to be part of an all church event, a FALL FESTIVAL. There will be many ways that you might participate. One way will be by offering items for a silent auction/bazaar. Think about your interests, talents, hobbies. What could you create/make that someone might want to buy? We are sharing this part of the event to give you time to think, plan, and complete your projects. Additional FALL FESTIVAL plans are still being formulated and will be shared in the coming months. If you have ideas and would like to be part of the planning, please contact the church office. The goal is to have opportunities for fun and fellowship be-fore and during the event.

We extend our sympathy to the families who have recently lost loved ones: The family of Doris Bauer who passed away on February 28, 2014.

The family of Charlotte Yanken who passed away on March 11, 2014.

Anna Baxter and family on the death of Neal Baxter who passed away on March 31, 2014.

Potluck Dinner scheduled for Sunday, June 8

following morning worship

Come for a wonderful time of food and fellowship.

There is NO charge The meat will be provided

What to Bring: a side dish or dessert, yourself, family, friends and a good appetite! Begins Wednesday,

June 11th at 7:00pm Beginning on Wednesday, June 11th at 7:00pm, Pastor Polly

will be leading a Bible Study for the summer. The topic of study is still being determined, but will be detailed in the June issue of Church & Home. If you have any suggestions, call Polly at the church or email her at pastorpolly@fpcnp.org.

mailto:pastorpolly@fpcnp.org

Children and Youth

Carnival fun brought a close to our year of FPC & Me. The Wednesday night gathering has grown a wonderful community. The group has come together with a common search for the love and fellowship found in Jesus Christ. Youth from varied schools and neighborhoods were guided weekly by faith focused adults.

Thank you for the leadership of Maris Schad, Chris Ochsner, Leigh Henline, Doris Craig, Sara Kaminski, Sarah Pierce, Melinda and Scott Baker, Libby Lashley, Deb Welsh, Ann Jones and Pastor Polly. Mary and Tom Pendleton, Joyce Kohler, Bob Barr, and Rhonda Godbey were regulars in the kitchen. Renee Callaghan, Susan Petersen, and many parents lent a helping hand. Thank you!

Our wish for all is to go out into the world as a beacon of Christ's love for others and continue to grow with God.

Looking Ahead . . . June and July are camping months.

At Calvin Crest near Fremont week long opportunities are available for children and youth grades 1 thru 8. Themes include: ranch camp, mountain bike camp, high adventure, night owls.

At Highlands camp near Allenspark, CO, camping weeks for grade 3 thru 12 include adven-ture camp; music, art, and drama camp; mission adventure camp.

For adult and/or families there is Synod School on the Buena Vista campus in Storm Lake, IA. Pastors and lay persons lead sessions providing a variety of topics and activities to pursue. A planned schedule of activities includes children of all ages. All campers attend energizing worship at beginning and ending of the day.

Camperships are available through our church and the Presbytery. Stop by the church office for a form.

Information on these camps is available on the table in the Narthex.

The high school youth group would like to thank all of you who helped make the ski trip to Keystone possible! Eight kids and 6 sponsors left on Thursday evening, March 27th and returned home on Sunday, the 30th. All 8 kids tried skiing at least one day, six of them went two days, and two girls went tubing instead of skiing on the second day. Our accommodations were great – we had a condo with enough beds for everyone, a kitchen to cook our meals, and a room to hang out around the fireplace! The condo was close to the ski lifts so the skiers could either take a shuttle or call and have Tom’s shuttle service pick them up! I would also like to thank our sponsors – Ben Lashley, Rick Libsack, Tom and Kelsey Callaghan, and Susan Petersen. They all took time off work, and paid for their own gas and skiing. We couldn’t have done it without all of you! Thanks again for contributing to a turkey dinner, letting us rake your lawn, paying us for child care, and any other way! It was a great time of fellowship and fun for all.

High School Graduates: Drew Callaghan, Kade Erickson, Kolby Foote

Grace Forrester, Dustin Horton, Alec Wesslund

College Graduates: Tate Schad

Bachelor of Fine Arts - UNL

Evan Miller Bachelor of Science in Psychology - UNK

From Grace Ministries Food Pantry….

Sounding Like a Broken Record

I was thinking about the phrase 'sounding like a broken record' the other day, and I realized how old that saying really is. It is funny because I've heard many young people use the phrase, yet with CD's and iPods, the chances of them ever actually hearing the sound a 'broken record' makes are slim!! A broken record would cause the stylus to stick and replay the same sound over and over. It was a sad thing to happen to a favorite record.

However, when Director Dean Kurth says that he 'sounds like a broken record' when it comes to the statistics of Grace Ministries Food Pantry, it really is a good thing! When he tells us that March 2014 set a record for the most households served in any given March (130), as was February 2014 (108), January 2014 (149), and December 2013 (125), I think we can all be pretty happy! This all means that we are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of good people, supplying them with much needed sustenance! You all continue to be great supporters of Grace Ministries, with your monetary and in-kind donations, as well as man (and woman) power! We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts! We recently got the final tally from February's Soup-er Bowl, and thanks to the hard work of our church youth, and all of you that enjoyed that tasty soup lunch, our Pantry came out the true winner with a donation of $270!

So, I am going to continue to 'sound like a broken record' when I remind you of these four things:

1. We will always need soup, peanut butter, and boxed macaroni and cheese. Always. That is a given.

2. Second Sunday, Second Purchase. A great way to remember the less fortunate each month!

3. Pennies for the Pantry. A small jar for loose change that does big things for the hungry in our area!

4. Volunteer your time. It took 223 volunteer hours last month to keep our doors open, and over 150 of those hours were from First Presbyterian!

He is Risen! Happy Spring! Leigh Henline

Adventures of Bob and Kristi Rice Democratic Republic of Congo / Kana-ga, West Kasai

For the latest news from our missionaries go to their blog: http://bobandkristi.blogspot.com/

Let the little children come to me… There she sits under the shade lent by a tree. Her name is Eme Kalenga Mpoyi. She is fourteen years old. Her grandfather brought her to the Foyer (Home) when she was eight. He had taken her in but could no longer care for her. Eme’s mother died when she was an infant. Her father left, neglecting his parental duty. Eme’s dream is to finish school. She has just started secondary school (high school), and will decide next year what focus she wants to learn. Eme is one of sixteen girls cared for at the Foyer in Mbuji-Mayi. A house mother lives full-time with the girls. Several workers and volunteers rotate hours to care for them. The hope is that the girls can return to their families. The Foyer has a garden where the girls learn to grow and harvest corn, manioc, beans, and a few other plants and crops. The Foyer hopes to buy a sewing machine so that the girls can learn to sew. Two large rooms serve as a dormitory. There is an outside area for sitting and learning. Early each morning the guard teaches them from God’s Word. The girls also sing in a choir at the adjacent CPC church. Pastor Benoit is an energetic young pastor. His father is the leader of one of the synods of East Kasai. Pastor Benoit serves as coordinator of this center and two others in Muena Ditu and Kabeya Kamuanga. In Muena Ditu, Mamu Meta Bukasa and others care for fifteen children, eight boys and seven girls. She tells us that they house the children on a piece of church land, but that their housing is inadequate. Pastor Benoit feels the pressing needs of caring for these kids and helping them reintegrate back into their families. To feed the children at the Foyer in Mbuji-Mayi requires about $30 each day. Church members in Mbu-ji-Mayi are aware of the needs and give what they can, but it is not enough. Poverty is bitter and oppressive. Many families simply can’t care for their children. Their resources are slim and the needs are great. Children are neglected and in some cases blamed for the misfortunes of their parents. These innocent ones deserve our attention and our love. Christ says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Will you consider part-nering with Kristi and I, Pastor Benoit and Mamu Meta Bukasa to care for these children in East Kasai? We need your prayers and whatever support you are able to give.

http://bobandkristi.blogspot.com/http://bobandkristi.blogspot.com/2014/04/let-little-children-come-to-me.html

May Birthdays

PW Coordinating Team Thursday, May 1,

at 10:30am

PW Fellowships Thursday, May 15

Morning Fellowship - 9:30am Hostess: Dixie Francis

meets at 2601 West E Street

Evening Spirits - 6:00pm meets at the Church

BY — FOR — ABOUT

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

MAY SERVICE COMMITTEE

Coordinator: Elaine Boyle Members: Jody Hudson, Faye Lundeen, Lila Oltmans, Judi Pedersen, June Powers, Bev Sallee, Louise Steele

An Abiding Hope The presence of God in Exodus The Hebrew people have entered into a covenant relationship with God and he has given them guidance on what is expected in this relation-ship. Now Moses is up on the mountain with God and the people grow weary of waiting for his return, wondering if indeed he will return. Consumed with doubt, they implore Aaron to create an image to represent their god. God is angered by this idol and the following revelry. Moses convinces God to give them another chance, but he too is angered by their behavior and breaks the commandment tablets. Eventually the tablets are restored. Can this story be relevant to us today? God's presence had been very obvious in the plagues, the rescue at the Red Sea, the supplying of water and manna: yet the people doubt. Where was their trust? Where is our trust? Do we remember what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives? John Calvin is quoted, “The human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols.” Do we hold fast to God's faithfulness? Are we thankful for the extraordinary gift of God's grace, love and care? Do we remember that God is the giver of all good things in our life? Moses appealed to God to give the people a second chance; which God did. If, as this text suggests, God truly listens to us and responds to our intercessions, then prayer is a serious responsibility on our end. Do we lift our voice to God? The story continues May 15th at 9:30am and 6:00pm.

Presbytery PW Spring Gathering “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread.”

Speaker: Mary Cook Jorgensen, Churchwide Moderator

Saturday, May 3 - at First Presbyterian Church in Kearney

Registration at 9:00am Meeting at 10:00am

Contact a member of the coordinating team about carpooling if you are interested in attending.

Registration forms are available in the Narthex.

1 Kaitlyn Arthur 2 Ibbie Majors 9 Sandra Johnson 12 Chuck Francis Jill Petersen 14 Mark Blackledge Chase Leibhart 15 Sean Pierce 16 Ron Ochsner 17 Stephanie McConnell

19 JoAnne Greene 20 Pam Erickson 22 Kristi Leibhart 23 Michelle Seibert Cyndee Orr 24 Brittany Bunker Irene Ridgway 28 Finley Cauffman 29 Jim Orcutt 30 Jeanne Reeves

Anniversaries 5/06/1962 - Delmer & Sharon Brinda 5/10/2002 - Cash & Amy Jo Cauffman 5/17/1980 - Duane & Sheri Hoschouer 5/17/1980 - Robert & Becky Tiedeman 5/20/1977 - Ron & Teresa Detlefsen 5/22/1966 - Robert & Joyce Kohler 5/24/2003 - Scott & Melinda Baker 5/26/2013 - Matt & Polly Deppen-Williams 5/27/2000 - Matt & Sarah Kaminski 5/29/1970 - Jim & Ellie McClymont 5/31/1959 - Larry & Charlene Cash