The FPC Herald

The Newsletter ofFirst Presbyterian Church

Roswell, New Mexico

June 2020

The Pastor's Reflections

Paul writes to his beloved friends in Thessalonica:

But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and hasbrought us the good news of your faith and love. He has toldus also that you always remember us kindly and long to seeus-just as we long to see you. For this reason, brothers andsisters, during all our distress and persecution we have beenencouraged about you through your faith. For we now live, ifyou continue to stand firm in the Lord. How can we thank Godenough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before ourGod because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestlythat we may see you face to face and restore whatever islacking in your faith.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesusdirect our way to you. And may the Lord make you increaseand abound in love for one another and for all, just as weabound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your heartsin holiness that you may be blameless before our God andFather at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.(1 Thessalonians 3:6-13)

This passage came to mind this week as I thought about thoseof you I have not seen in the flesh for some two months. There are a number of themes in this passage that seemnotably relevant to us in this time of pandemic and isolation. Paul's longing to see his sisters and brothers in Christ. Distress. Thanksgiving for one another. Encouragement tostand firm in the Lord. Prayer for one another. A petition forlove (the sacrificial kind) to abound. A petition for hearts to bestrengthened in holiness.

I saw some of you last Sunday, May 31st, as we resumedcorporate worship with about half of our usual attendance, andit was so good, that seeing... In the way that Paul longs to seethose dear to him, so I long to see you all, and you long to seeone another.

As we wait for a fuller resolution to the pandemic, we may bein prayer for one another, give thanks for one another,encourage one another, for these things are what Christianfellowships do.

Peace and joy in the living Christ,Pastor John

Corporate Worship Has Resumed

Corporate worship has resumed in the church Sanctuary onSundays at 10:00 a.m. Everyone is most welcome. Thosesaints who are not yet ready to venture into larger gatheringsare encouraged to remain home and participate throughrecordings and future live-streaming of worship services. COVID-19 safety measures are in effect. The FPC Session voted unanimously to resume corporateworship at its May 21st meeting. The 10:00am Sunday worship service will be recorded andposted to the website each Sunday no later than 2:00pm andwill remain on the website indefinitely. We plan to offerworship live-streaming soon. Thanks to all those who have served as liturgists and vocalists

for the recordings, and especially to our gifted organist, CarolaSpreacker.

June Calendar

June 7th Worship Service - 10:00amTrinity Sunday

June 14th Worship Service - 10:00am

June 18th Session Meeting - 5:00pm

June 20th First Day of Summer!

June 21st Worship Service - 10:00am Father's Day!

June 26th Community Kitchen Service - 9:15am

June 28th Worship Service - 10:00am Summer Congregational Meeting - 11:00am

Weekly

Mondays Monday Prayer Group, Parlor - Noon

Every Day

Daily Prayer and Meditation - Noon

June Scripture Readings June 7th, Trinity SundayGenesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 8; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13;Matthew 28:16-20 June 14thGenesis 18:1-15; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19;Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:23 June 21stGenesis 21:8-21; Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39

June 28thGenesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23;

Matthew 10:40-42

Read the Scripture passages HERE.

Serving in June Week of June 7thService Elder: Bill WolfLiturgist: Margo FullinwiderInspirational Phone Message: Bill WolfChancel Guild: Mary Lou Glass, Rebecca Johnson, Roberta Pess Week of June 14thService Elder: __________Liturgist: Margy BarbourInspirational Phone Message: Paula GrievesChancel Guild: Wendy Lunsford, Betsy Cunningham, Lucy Tucker Week of June 21stService Elder: Bob Kurtz Liturgist: The Rev. Bob WilliamsInspirational Phone Message: Mary HubbardChancel Guild: Margo Fullinwider, Martha Mayer

Week of June 28thService Elder: __________Liturgist: Bob KurtzInspirational Phone Message: Bob WilliamsChancel Guild: Jacque Allen

Trinity SundayJune 7th

Worship Technical Crew Needed

We intend to continue recording and/or live-streaming worshipservices indefinitely. A corps of folks willing to help with thoserecordings is needed. If you can click a mouse button and arefairly proficient with a smart phone, you are qualified. Thisneed is urgent. Is God calling you? Please let me know.

Pastor John

Worship CD's Now Available

If you do not have a computer, tablet, or smart phone to viewour video-recorded worship services, we will gladly send you acompact disc (CD) audio recording of each service, nominallydropping it in the mail to you each Monday.

If you would like to receive a CD each week, please contactthe church office.

Summer Meeting of the CongregationSunday, June 28th

Congregational meetings are scheduled twice a year, inFebruary and June, to carry out necessary business that,according to the PC(USA) constitution, can be done only bydiscussion and vote of the congregation. The summer 2020congregational meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 28thfollowing worship.

One important item on the agenda is the election of RulingElders, Deacons, and members of the 2020-2021 NominatingCommittee. The Nominating Committee has been hard atwork discerning individuals it believes God has called andequipped for those forms of service. Here are the committee'snominations for those ordered ministries:

Session

Mary Hubbard (Class of 2023)Wayne Bevers (Class of 2023)

Board of Deacons

Margo Fullinwider (Class of 2023)Edith Malcolm (Class of 2023)Lorrie Miller (Class of 2023)Ross Robertson (Class of 2023)

2020-2021 Nominating CommitteeLucy TuckerLois WilsonBill Wolf

Nominations from the floor are welcome during thecongregational meeting, with concurrence of the nominee. Our thanks to all of these saints who have said "yes" to God'scall for service.

Please mark your calendars for the congregational meeting setfor June 28th.

Prayer Requests Please relay prayer requests to the pastor or thechurch office during this time. Our prayerministries continue with vigor.

Congregational Contact Ministry Even though corporate worship has resumed, our joint ministryof regular contact with FPC saints must continue. Pleasecontinue to work with the Deacons and pastor to maintaincontact by phone, text, email, and regular mail with all of oursaints. Thanks for your help with this important work.

Giving to God ElectronicallyThrough Our Church

Please remember that you may now give to God through ourchurch via the church website. You may specify a one-time orrecurring gift using your checking account or credit card. Thank you for your faithful stewardship of God's abundantresources.

A Prayer for the Coronovirus Pandemic

I have composed a prayer (actually a list of prayer topics) forthe current pandemic. It is offered as a guide for those whowould benefit from it. We collectively can do much to mitigate the suffering from thepandemic, and we can continue to be diligent in prayer. Pastor John

Please Pray for Our Church Please pray for Christ's church in all of itsvariety in our city, nation, and the world,and...

For the revitalization and renewal of the First PresbyterianChurch of Roswell, as we are led by God's Holy Spirit.

Report on the May Meeting of Session

At its May 21st meeting, Session...

Heard from the church treasurer that the balance ofincome and expenses at this time remains acceptableVoted to resume corporate worship on Pentecost Sunday,May 31st, with appropriate COVID-19 procedures in place

More details on the meeting here...

Fifth Thursday Potluck Dinners

If you would like to host or co-host one ofthese dinners, please contact KarenBloodhart. Please mark your calendars forJuly 30th and October 29th. Hopefully, we will be able togather again on these dates!

Daily InspirationalPhone Message

Start your day with an inspiring message.

(575) 622-4923

4th Tracie Edwards6th Dixie Loy11th Jim Bloodhart13th Betty Young17th Bill Wolf17th Isaac Hubbard18th Fred Bennett25th Dietta Hitchcock28th Olivia Miller29th Jim Matteucci

3rd Wayne & Mary Lou Glass12th Abby & George Yates14th John & Tracie Edwards

Father's DaySunday, June 21st!

Featured PC(USA) Mission Co-workers

for June

Noah Park and Esther Shin

Serving with the Evangelical

Presbyterian Church ofEgypt,

Synod of the Nile

Noah Park and Esther Shin are professors at theEvangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo (ETCS). Noahteaches New Testament, and Esther teaches ChristianEducation. ETCS, a ministry of the EvangelicalPresbyterian Church in Egypt, is one of a handful ofseminaries in the Middle East that trains future Protestantpastors. Though most of its 350 students are from Egypt,some come from elsewhere in the Arab world, includingSyria and Sudan, to prepare for service in churches intheir home countries. ETSC recently launched a distancelearning program for Arabic speakers around the world.

READ MORE...

Farewell, God's Richest BlessingsThe Brown and Edwards Families

Two of our beloved families have recently moved fromRoswell. The Edwards family moved to New Orleans andRalph and Martha Brown moved to Bernalillo at the end ofMay. We will so miss you all. Go with God.

John, Tracie, Natalie, and Carlton Edwards

Martha and Ralph Brown

First Day of SummerSaturday, June 20th

First Presbyterian Church

Board of Deacons Session

STAY IN TOUCH

Connie Wolf, Moderator John Guthrie, ModeratorJacque Allen Bob Kurtz, ClerkBob Carroll Jim BloodhartT.K. Cully Wayne BeversMargo Fullinwider Lynn KarnesDietta Hitchcock Michele HillmanAnn Hultman Mike HunterStacye Hunter Bonnie MontgomeryJoy Kurtz Steve ShanorMartha MayerLorrie MillerAnn RubackHeidi Shanor

www.fpcroswell.org