loving one another across racial boundaries€¦ · ed measure 21 puts a real 36% limit on payday...
TRANSCRIPT
November 2016 “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing
soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
Remember to Bring in Your Hy-Vee Receipts Grocery, gasoline, and prescription receipts count. Our church receives a $1000 check from Hy-Vee for $150,000 in
receipts. Please make sure the receipts are from the Brookings Hy-Vee Store only.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!
Goal: $150,000.00
Received: $114,261.21
Need: $35,738.79
Regular Sunday Schedule
September - May
9:00 am Sunday School
10:00am Fellowship Hour
10:30am Worship Service
Lord’s Supper—First Sunday of
each month
Summer Sunday Schedule
June - August
9:30am Worship Service
Nursery care is available
on first floor during
Sunday School and
Sunday Worship
Church Office Hours
Monday & Tuesday
9:00am - 12:00pm
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Wednesday & Thursday
9:00am-12:00pm
1:00pm-4:00pm
Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm
Pastor’s Office Hours
Tuesday - Thursday
9:00am - 2:00pm
Friday
9:00am -12:00pm
Loving One Another Across Racial Boundaries
Join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 13 to consider how we might confront the issue of racism in our community, our church and our-selves.
Thought leader Mark Blackburn, a Sioux Falls presenter, communicator and workshop facilitator, will bring the message: “Power, Privilege and the Church: What’s the Difference?”
Mark came to South Dakota from Los Angeles, California to play football at USD. He went on to play with the Sioux Falls Storm IFL team, where he was part of several championships before starting a consulting business, MBJ In-novations. As Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Diversity and Inclu-sion at Augustana University, he supports and advises students, faculty and staff in personal development and diversity education.
Mark offers leadership development, anti-racism training and team building. His efforts also impact community young people through coaching youth sports. His presentations to government, business and non-profit groups help develop public and work environments that respect cultural and individual differences.
Given recent headlines about prevalent racial discord, our church Outreach Team invited Mark to give a sermon here at First Presbyterian. Because the topic is full of opportunities for reaction, we will continue the conversa-tion after worship downstairs over lunch for any who wish to join us.
Questions about the day can be directed to any Outreach Team member —Pastor Kristie Berglund, Andrew L’Amour, Jeanne Manzer, Melanie Shepherd or Susan Smith.
THE BLADE
Published Monthly (June/July & December/January
Combined)
First Presbyterian Church 405 7th Avenue
Brookings, SD 57006 (605) 692-2416
www.brookingspresbyterian.org
Pastor Kristie Berglund
Office Manager Melanie Shepherd
Newsletter Assembly Volunteers led by Marlys Kelsey
Social Media
www.facebook.com/fpcbrookings
Twitter twitter.com/FPCBrookings
If you would like our team of prayer volun-teers to be praying for
you or a loved one, con-tact Jan Jones at 692-
5325, [email protected], or any of the other prayer chain volunteers: Dolores Canaday, Arlyce Thorne, Lee Peterson, Karie Rottluff, Harold & Marge Poppen, Linda Barnett, Ann Spitzenberger, Susan Smith, Judy Smith,
Bonnie Foster, and Kristie Berglund.
Prayer Families Prayer is an important part of a Christian’s life in the community of faith. As members of that community you are encouraged to pray for the people listed each week during your time of daily prayer. The families and individuals are selected at random. November 6: Stephen & Carrie Van Buren; Paul & Shirley Rudolph
November 13: Aaron, Christine, & Elyssa Scheer; Lynn & Diane
Riedesel
November 20: Nona Marshall; Rachel & Elijah Manzer
November 27: Dennis Hopfinger & Carolyn Clague
Do you need a ride to church
Sunday morning?
Marvis Jenner is coordinating
transportation for those in need of a
ride to church on Sunday mornings.
Contact Marvis at 692-9136.
Trusting in God’s Faithfulness Dear friends, In the days that have passed since I announced to you that I’ll be leaving Brookings and heading off on a new adventure in February, I have been amazed again and again at your gracious encouragement and support. I find myself on an emotional roller coaster—excited about where God is leading me, but truly grieving the end of a very good season here. These words of the apostle Paul keep coming to mind:
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.—Philippians 1:3-6 You have indeed been great partners in the gospel and in the work of God’s kingdom. And as I continue to pray for you, I will do so with great joy because I am confident that our God will be faithful to complete the good work of renewal that he has begun in you. With great hope in Christ, Pastor Kristie
Presbyterian Circle A few weeks ago the Scripture for the Thursday morning Bible Study led to a discussion about traditions. Some traditions are deeply rooted in Scripture and some are deeply rooted in “We have always done it this way!” Some tra-ditions will stand on their own and others will work for a while and then change—hopefully for the better. Well the women’s roll in the life of the church has had some changes over the years. Our younger women have redefined their role as helpmates, mothers, career women, Sunday School teachers, etc. There are many more worthy causes to demand volunteer hours and we know that the schools are demanding far more of the families than ever. So, where does that leave our role in the life of the church? And, so, the traditions change. In the past the women have been responsible for keeping the kitchen clean and stocked. They have been responsible (with some assistance from the congregation and a few husbands) for preparing and assisting with the funeral lunches. These ladies are now 70, 80, and 90 years old. We need to step back and see if these traditions can continue and how we all can help. The most obvious first step is to clean up after ourselves. Using the kitchen and then putting food and dishes away and wiping up a spill is some-thing we all—young and old—can and should do. We need the help of the whole congregation. Let’s start some new traditions. At our first circle meeting this month nine women enjoyed the video introduction to our Bible Study this year - “Jesus, the One and Only” by Beth Moore. There are still chairs available around the table for you and we would gladly welcome you. We have changed the meeting time to the third Tuesday of the month at 9:30am. The background scripture for the November video is Luke 1:18-25; Matthew 2:23; Luke 1:39-56; Luke 1:78. Church Women United will be November 4 at 2:00pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Our representa-tives to CWU are Nelda Holden, Dolores Canaday, and Nancy Thompson. We hope to see you, both men and women, there! Dolores Canaday, Moderator
Deacons’ Note
The holiday season is quickly approaching and the Deacons
will again be participating in Project Joy. The mission for
Project Joy is to provide children and families living in
Brookings County, who are in need, an opportunity to receive
holiday gifts.
Volunteers organize a store that is stocked with toys, gift cards, and clothing for par-
ents to shop for their children. The Deacons will collect donations of unwrapped toys
and clothing. Money may be donated and the Deacons will do the shopping for you.
Please have your donation to the church by Tuesday, December 6. Let’s open our
hearts this holiday season and bring Joy to area children and families in need by gen-
erously donating to Project Joy.
Respectfully submitted by,
Bonnie Salonen
Presbytery Resolution on Predatory Lending Measures
At the July 8-9, 2016 meeting of the Presbytery of South Dakota, a resolution was passed that encourages
all congregations to educate their members about the vote on predatory lending that will come before the
people of South Dakota in November. Currently South Dakota places no limit on interest rates for payday
loans; we feel people should be aware that the average interest on payday loans in South Dakota is 574%.
The presbytery’s concern is that the poor are being exploited by some of these companies and thus limits
need to be set.
There will be two somewhat confusing items related to this issue on the ballot: Amendment U and Initiat-
ed Measure 21. Amendment U appears to set an 18% limit on interest rates, but it does not limit actual
written agreements, and thus may end up protecting predatory lenders and their current practices. Initiat-
ed Measure 21 puts a real 36% limit on payday loans, car title loans, and installment loans.
If you are interested in learning more about this issue or the upcoming vote, we have an information sheet
available in the church office.
2016 Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Income 20,941.78 12,235.00 17,256.68 12,042.38 15,887.61
Expense 14,675.94 14,037.95 14,658.16 17,687.71 12,009.09
Difference 6,265.84 -1,802.95 2,598.52 -5,645.33 3,878.52
June July Aug Sept
9,354.98 11,503.32 9,229.42 16,265.09
15,561.41 10,698.78 12,763.94 11,308.61
-6,206.43 804.54 -3,534.52 4,956.48
To Date
124,716.26
123,401.59
1,314.67
Cross Training Workshop Leaders Needed!
The Christian Education committee is working to compile a master list of people who are willing to help with the Cross Training Workshops for Kin-dergarten through Fifth grade. The advantage to this form of Sunday School is that it permits more people to be involved in the nurture and growth of our young people, without anyone having to make long-time commitment. It would be helpful when recruiting for workshops if we had a list of people who might answer “yes!”, and of course we don’t want to pester people unnecessarily. We could also ensure that we have background checks recorded for everyone on the list.
Each workshop is taught once to all kids Kindergarten through Fifth grade. Workshops vary, but these are the most common: cooking, drama, puppets, science, art, creative writing, games, storytelling, textiles. For each workshop, we’ll need a person to lead the workshop (has to plan ahead) and a person to help by interacting with the kids and helping them stay focused on the lesson (does not have to plan ahead).
Please think and pray about your answer to the question “will you teach a Cross Training Workshop?” We will be asking everyone over the next few weeks.
When asked about teaching workshops, if I am available that Sunday, my answer would be:
Your name: Teach a workshop?
Help with a workshop?
Favorite kinds of workshops
Yes
Yes, if the workshop is one I like
Yes (if I haven’t done one in at least ____ weeks)
No, but ask me again next year
No, never
Share the Warmth
Brookings Share the Warmth was a fantastic success. Thank you to everyone who donated
to this community effort. FYI – On Thursday and Friday, October 13th and 14th hundreds
of winter items were selected by very thankful families. Doing good just never gets old.
Thank you!
~Deacons
MEN’S BROTHERHOOD
Andrew L’Amour
Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:163 I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law.
Quote: “I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.” Friedrich Nietzsche
Men’s Brotherhood Notes: The regular monthly meeting was held on October 27. At deadline, meal and program were not available. The November meeting time and date will be announced later so watch for that.
Prayer Concerns: Pray that we can be honest in all of our speech and habits, with others and with our-selves.
Action: Make a habit of truthfulness in all of our dealings.
Okay so the deadline is passed and I have not even started thinking about what I am going to put down on paper this month. Any columnist is always thinking about what to write about for the next offering but to commit pen to paper is another step. I have been very busy lately trying to get yard work completed that I was not able to take care of earlier – my back operation pushed my schedule back so this month I am even later than usual. Careful listening and wondering where and when certain elements apply to daily living at times that I can share here dominate my thoughts. I never know what will inspire me.
My Sunday routine includes listening to the various religious programming on KBRK. Sometimes I find topics others find important and then put my own spin on it. Yesterday was no different. One of the pro-grams recently shared a topic that I think we all find most distressing especially during the political cam-paign season – lying. I don't have all of the statistics he shared but the gist of it is we all lie and we lie a lot more than we think. Whether it is the little white lie or the huge whopper as he put it, we all partake of this exercise in deceit.
Why lie when telling the truth is so much easier? Well sometimes it is not easy especially if it reveals some short failing of ours, a bad habit, irresponsibility's, confessing an egregious fault – a long list of reasons why. Lies are short term gains we hope will translate into long term ones where we can find time to cor-rect these thing and make the lie become truth at some future date. However we then build these castles in the sand that we have to keep shoring up so they don't collapse on us. A lie begets a lie. I am sure we have all heard the term cover-up especially when it involves some political machination. Many a political figure has found themselves in hot water because of this. (Can you imagine if politicians only told the truth?)
The solution: live your lives so you don't ever have to lie. Not always easy but a lot easier than trying to come up with a lie and then covering up that lie for how long? Confessing your failings to one another is another solution. Some of our failings are so awful we don't feel we can confess them to anyone, which may be true. Best not to say anything if you can help it in those instances. Maybe you could ask others to help pray about it. And we certainly need to be sure not to lie to ourselves. We need to be honest with number one – ourselves first.
Honesty in all of our conversations and practices is the best way to live. Trust is the result of truth. We need to be able to have trust. Therefore we need the truth.
“John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
PRISON MINISTRY NEWSLETTER October 2016
" It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119: 71, 105, 130
God is an awesome God! Everything He does is right and perfect because He is God and He answers to
no one. Ephesians 1 tells us that we are here on this earth to glorify God and enjoy fellowship with Him.
My desire is to see men who have no hope, come to know the God of hope! Every day I ask the Lord to
lead me to the men He is at work in.
I do not believe in coincidences. In my August newsletter I mentioned an inmate in segregation who had
been a pagan for 28 years. Because he is a new Christian, he has a lot of growing to do. A few weeks ago
I came by his cell and he was irate. He was angry because of a letter he had just received from home, and
he was angry with the staff about something that was going on. He was at his boiling point. I allowed
him to vent his feelings. After listening to him, I convinced him that it would do no good to lose control
and gain more prison time. Then we said a prayer about his problems. He mentioned to me that it had
to be God's timing that I came when I did. About ten days later when I visited him, he said to me, "I want
to thank you again for coming that day. There was no one available to talk with me, but you came by that
day and you listened to me. Thank you for being here!"
Early Thursday mornings I have the opportunity to attend a men's church group, studying the, "Authentic
Manhood 33 Series". This series is about men's journey to authentic manhood as modeled by Jesus
Christ in His 33 years on earth." I started showing it in the prison on my regular Thursday Bible study and
also on Friday's when I have the mental health Bible study. After watching the first video, I asked if there
was something that stuck out to them. One of the inmates, who has been doing some self-harm, said,
"One thing that I learned from this video was that I need to grow up, be a man, and quit acting like a
child!" His statement really impressed on me the importance of these videos. Many of these men never
grew up with a good father figure, or they had no father figure at all in their life.
God is at work in the prison and I have the opportunity to tell the men about the freedom that comes
from knowing Jesus Christ! It is never an easy road for these men when they come to Christ because they
have so much baggage to deal with from their past.
Your prayers and financial gifts are making a different in these men's lives! Thank you!
In Christ,
Harlan Moss
Your gifts are appreciated and tax deductible. The checks can be made out to and sent to: South Dakota
Prison Chaplain’s Association (SDPCA), P.O. Box 90509, Sioux Falls, SD 57109-0509. Please designate my
name in the memo section of your check. My phone: 605-940-4220 email address:
Susan's Saga Among indigenous people in Mexico, it is customary to say "Gracias a Dios" which means 'thanks be to God' after a meal upon rising. Mixtecs are no exception, and with heartfelt sentiment say "Nikuta'vi ndo nuu yaN-dioo" after eating. Perhaps this expression is based on hard-learned experience of famine and hunger and crop failure, (as our ancestors also suffered not so very long ago). Provision of food is not to be taken for granted, but to be acknowledged as coming from God's hand. It would be quite rude in Mixtec culture to merely stand up and be on one's way after a meal, with no word of acknowledgement or appreciation. In a generation and culture where supermarkets, fast food places, and restaurants abound, it is easy to forget our own roots, where the availability of food was not always taken for grant-ed. And there are still many places around the world where hunger is a looming, stark reality. Our dependence is ultimately upon God, whether we choose to recognize it or not. Rich or poor, whether living in an affluent society or in a war-torn situation racked by poverty, we all have this in common: "For in him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28 It is an apt reminder that ".... people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." Deuteronomy 8:3 (quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:4) The ministry of Bible translation addresses the need for spiritual feeding which surpasses physi-cal needs, however pressing they may be. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, may we incorporate this frame of mind of acknowl-edging God's provision, learning from our Mixtec brothers and sisters, as we daily partake.
Susan Hugghins
First Scripture quotation is taken from the New International Version. Second Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2nd edition.
Susan Hugghins is serving in full-time ministry as a Bible translator among the Mixtec people of Oaxaca, Mexico. Susan’s sending agency, Wycliffe Bible Translators, is a non-denominational organization; she raises her own funds to support this ministry.
2016
Sun
day
M
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Tu
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Wed
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Th
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First Presbyterian Church
405 7th Avenue
Brookings, SD 57006-2018