1 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

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Vol. 8; No. 9● First Presbyterian Church ● 215 East Lincoln Avenue ● Goshen 46528 ● Phone (574) 533-7845 ● October 2018

Table of Contents

Pastor’s Column 1-2

Understanding the Biblical Text

First Word News 2-8

October 5 First Fridays

Practice FRANgelism

New Adult Sunday School Class

Congratulations

Goshen Businessman Honored

Presbyterian Church Government

Share the Warmth

5th Sunday Fellowship

October Deacon on Call

Presbyterian Youth Triennium

Our Mission/Our Values

Mission Outreach Dinner—October 7

Women’s/Stitchers Bible Study

Thursday Group

FPC Women—October Gathering

Cancer Support Group

October Birthdays/Anniversaries

Please Keep in Your Prayers

Bad Weather Cancellation Procedures

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

30-Day Scripture Writing Challenge

October Calendar 9

First Word News and Events of FPC

__

Understanding the Biblical Text

It is common these days to claim a literal reading of the Bible is the

best reading of the Bible. When people talk about a literal reading

they often mean what is sometimes called a plain reading of the

text. In reality this often ends up with the text meaning whatever

the reader thinks it means. For some reason, we often think that

because the Bible is God’s word, words written several thousand

years ago can be read just like something written last week. This

sort of literal reading assumes there is no substantive difference be-

tween the world of the text and our world.

None of us is a complete and total literalist. The most conservative

Bible readers I know recognize that there are different genres in

Scripture. They recognize there is poetry, metaphor, simile, irony,

and hyperbole present in Scripture. When Jesus says he is the gate,

none of us think Jesus is actually a gate. When Jesus tells a parable,

none of us worries about where exactly the family of the prodigal

son lived. When Jeremiah buys and then buries a loincloth (Jer. 13)

or Ezekiel eats a scroll, (Ezek. 2:8-3:3), we all recognize that action

as symbolic. This is because none of us reads without interpreta-

tion. All of us make judgments about what we are reading. That’s

not a bad thing. It is inevitable. Interpretation is part of reading.

The question is how do we interpret. What criteria do we

use? How and why do we make the interpretive decisions we

make? What is at stake theologically when we accept a particular

interpretation? There is a lot that can be said about Biblical interpretation. Entire books are written

on the subject; entire classes are taught in colleges and seminaries about it.

I’m all for literalism; if we are Biblical literalists like John Calvin. For Calvin (and other reformers)

to read the Bible literally meant trying to understand what the text meant for its first audience.

God works in and through people and history. What God says and does has to make sense for the

(continued on page 2)

2 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

(continued from page 1)

first audience. It has to make enough sense for them to understand and recognize it as God’s word and

God’s work. It has to make enough sense for them to recognize it needs to be preserved and passed

on.

And we have to have enough sense to recognize that our understanding of the world is different than

the understanding of people 300 years ago. And 1000 years ago. And 3000 years ago. We have to

understand we live in a different time and place than the first recipients of the Scripture. We have not

been slaves in ancient Egypt. We did not worship in the Temple. We have not be exiled to Babylon.

This doesn’t mean we can’t try to understand their world. In fact it is incumbent on us to try. Faithful,

serious Bible reading demands we do our best to understand the history and culture of those whose

stories we read in the Bible.

I was at Lowes earlier in the week and saw all the Christmas displays going up. So here is a small ex-

ample from the Christmas narratives. In Luke 2:11 the angel says to the shepherds, “… to you is born

this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Two thousand years after this

pronouncement, it is common for us to think of Jesus as the Savior and the Messiah and Lord. But in

that day, Savior was primarily a Roman political term. It was used to refer to the Emperor. The Em-

peror was the Savior. So do you see what the angel was saying? The Savior is not the Emperor. The

Savior is the Messiah—the Jewish anointed one. Rome isn’t really in control. What do you think that

meant to the shepherds? What is this angelic message telling them?

After we have thought about that, and only then, are we really ready to think about what that angelic

announcement means to us.

This may seem like a daunting task, to study the cultural and historical context of every Biblical text. At

first that might be true for you. But with time and some effort it will get easier. And besides, why do

we have the idea that reading the Bible should be easy?

Grace and peace,

Alan

October 5 First Fridays

5:30 pm — 9:00 pm

Kettle Corn and Sliced Apples

3 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

Congratulations to Cathie Cripe and David Pepple who were married on Saturday, September 15, at

the church with Rev. Alan Griffin officiating.

Goshen Businessman Honored: ACA International has presented Stephen Hooley, president of

Goshen-based Business & Professional Services Inc., with its All In Award for his work advocating

on behalf of the accounts receivable industry. The award was presented during ACA International’s

convention in Nashville, TN. According to information from ACA International, Hooley has been a

stalwart leader in the legislative arena for several years, recently leading efforts in Indiana to draft a

legislative solution that would protect accounts receivable management agencies and consumers from

deceptive credit repair companies and mass dispute letter mills.

New Adult Sunday School Class centering around generosity. We

will be using the book One Simple Act – Discovering the Power of

Generosity written by Debbie Macomber. We will also be using the

31-day scripture writing challenge which has been in our First Word

in August and September. We will be meeting promptly at 9:30 a.m.

on October 7 in The Chapel.

This is one of Debbie Macomber’s inspirational books. Needed will

be a notebook to journal in, your Bible, and a pen or pencil. Copies

of One Simple Act will be available to purchase or borrow. It is

available on Kindle; also the church library has one copy. Sign-up

on the sheet outside the office if you are interested in attending.

Practice FRANgelism

We encourage all members and friends to invite others to join us at First Presbyterian Church.

Think through all the people you know. Friends, Relatives, Associates, and Neighbors. No hard

sell is needed–just a simple invitation and recommendation. Think of the tone you use when

recommending a favorite book or movie. Our goal is not to take active members from other

churches but to invite those who don’t attend anywhere. You might even invite someone who

used to come but stopped for any reason. Remember that everyone is welcome at God’s Table.

4 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

Presbyterian Church Government

A major contributor to Reformed theology was John Calvin, who converted from Roman Catholi-

cism after training for the priesthood and in the law. In exile in Geneva, Switzerland, Calvin devel-

oped the presbyterian pattern of church government, which vests governing authority primarily in

elected laypersons known as elders. The word presbyterian comes from the Greek word for elder.

As there were in Old Testament times elders for the government of the people, so the New Testament

church provided persons with particular gifts to share in discernment of God’s Spirit and governance of God’s

people. Accordingly, congregations should elect persons of wisdom and maturity of faith, having demon-

strated skills in leadership and being compassionate in spirit. Ruling elders are so named not because they

“lord it over” the congregation (Matt. 20:25), but because they are chosen by the congregation to discern

and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life. Ruling elders,

together with ministers of the Word and Sacrament, exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment,

and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a congregation as well as the whole church, including

ecumenical relationships, When elected by the congregation, they shall serve faithfully as members of the

session. When elected as commissioners to higher councils, ruling elders participate and vote with the same

authority as ministers of Word and Sacrament, and they are eligible for any office. (Book of Order, Part II,

2013/2015)

The body of elders elected to govern a particular congregation is called a session. They are elected

by the congregation and in one sense are representatives of the other members of the congrega-

tion. On the other hand, their primary charge is to seek to discover and represent the will of Christ

as they govern. Presbyterian elders are both elected and ordained. Through ordination they are

officially set apart for service. They retain their ordination beyond their term in office. Ministers

who serve the congregation are also part of the session. The session is the smallest, most local

governing body. The other governing bodies are presbyteries, which are composed of several

churches; synods, which are composed of several presbyteries; and the General Assembly, which

represents the entire denomination. Elders and ministers who serve on these governing bodies are

also called presbyters.

We are again asking you to help share the warmth by donating good quality, clean, used coats,

hats, gloves, and scarves to be given to those who are cold this winter. In addition we will be col-

lecting blankets and sleeping bags. Our church has many individuals coming in each week seeking

help from our Foundation, our Food Pantry, visiting on First Fridays, and our monthly free spa-

ghetti dinners.

Please clean out those closets, look in your basements and attics, those storerooms and garages and

see what you might have that you rarely, if ever use, that you could donate and share the warmth.

5 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

October Deacon on Call: Jenny Paetsch, 971-0182

5th Sunday Fellowship Meal after Worship: A New Tradition -

This Sunday, September 30, and Mark your Calendars for

Sunday, December 30 - After Church Fellowship Meal (every

5th Sunday). Think about a dish/carry-in to share (to serve at

least 12 people) at lunch, and use the sign-up sheet that is on a

table outside of the office. Everyone welcome.

Our Mission

At First Presbyterian Church we live our commitment to God and one another by:

Reaching UP > to worship God

Reaching IN > to seek abundant life through Jesus Christ

Reaching OUT > to share God’s love with all people

Our Values

We Value the Application of Scripture

We Value Prayer

We Value Worship

We Value Service

We Value Excellence

We Value People’s Giftedness

We Value People’s Differences

We Value People’s Time

We Value Continual Learning

We Value Growth

We Value Commitment

Presbyterian Youth Triennium is held every three years

and is open for all youth entering high school in 2019 to gradu-

ating seniors. You don't want your youth to miss this national

event that is held right in our backdoor! Contact the Wabash

Valley Presbytery Registrar, Allen Bol (bolallen@gmail.com),

for more information!

6 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

Mission Outreach Dinner Free Community Spaghetti Dinner

Sunday, October 7, Serving from 6:00-7:00 pm

The next Mission Dinner is Sunday, October 7, from 6-7 pm. Thanks for

your donations to our supply of spaghetti and sauce. Monetary donations are

always appreciated to help offset the cost of the garlic bread, lettuce, dressing,

and other supplies. We will also need desserts the day of the meal. A big

thanks to all who have helped make this monthly endeavor a growing success. We continue to see new fac-

es at the dinners, and we are hearing and seeing the positive effect this outreach program is creating. We

hope to see you and a friend on October 7.

New Presbyterian Women’s Bible Study Guide is entitled “The Promise” and according to author Amy

Poling Sutherlun, uses “scriptures to claim the promises” (of the Word). She presents lessons to aid in our

discovering what is meant in certain passages. The study book is available in the office for $10.

Sutherlun uses scriptures, for example, where Jesus stated, “I will be with you”; “I will never leave

you”. Scriptures range from Genesis, Exodus, Judges, Joshua, Psalms, Isaiah, to the New Testament of Mat-

thew and John.

Please plan to join us on Wednesday, October 10. We will continue meeting at Evergreen Place

(Greencroft) on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 2nd floor at 2:00 pm for an hour (or slightly more). If

you have any questions, please contact Donna Palacios, 533-3529.

Thursday Small Group: This group meets once a month on the 2nd Thursday, usually at 6:00 or 6:15 pm.

Meeting sites may be homes, coffee shops, or restaurants, at the option of the group members. The next

gathering will take place on Thursday, October 11, 6:00 pm. Contact is Julia Stauffer.

Our Cancer Support Group is now meeting twice a month, on the 2nd

and 4th Thursdays. We are currently exploring Mind-Body medicine. The

support group offers a safe place for people at all stages of the cancer journey

to share their experiences and find help. Anyone with a cancer diagnosis is

welcome to attend; participants do not need to be church members. If you are

attending this support group meeting for the first time, we recommend that you

call ahead of time to confirm that no changes in the schedule have been made.

The group is led by Rhonda Griffin, a Certified Oncology Nurse, and Alan

Griffin, pastor. Alan can be reached at agriffin46528@comcast.net; Rhonda

can be reached at grirh@comcast.net.

For all women at FPC, come join a group for a time of greeting and

conversation — a time to get to know one another in a casual setting.

We will meet on Thursday, October 25, 11:30 am, at Angel’s

House of Pancakes. Looking forward to seeing you.

Judi Sorg, Jackie Kramer and Donna Palacios

7 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

10/ 7 Lucas Ganger 10/ 8 Julia McCally 10/11 Amy Cole 10/11 Barbara Jester 10/14 Doug Long 10/14 Eloise Yacks 10/15 Judi Sorg 10/19 Doris Shank 10/24 Bruni Claudio 10/24 Cathie Cripe 10/25 Greg Miller

10/14 Mike & Jenny Jenkins 10/19 Wayne & Jackie Kramer (46th) 10/23 Krys & Allison Yacks 10/29 Jim & Cathy Wray (51st)

October Birthdays

Please keep in your prayers: Our armed forces and their families; Dawna Hole; Dennis

Huff; Amy Cole; Don Griffin in Oklahoma (Alan’s father); Tom Kintigh; Toddy Bowser; Mike

Kastro, Melissa Martinez (friend of Cathie Cripe); Marcia Griffin (Alan’s sister); Phil Albert

(Jenny’s son); Don Griffin in Oklahoma (Alan’s father); Bob Schlobohm; Ernie Jenkins and

son Grant (Jenny Jenkins’ son and grandson in OH); Cathie Cripe; Al Hoogenboom; Mary

Hoogenboom; Evelyn Johnson (mother of Sandy Kurtz); Martha Hepler; Tomi Griesenauer

(Jenny Paetsch’s mother); Florence Verhulst (Gretchen Wise’s sister in Griffin IN); Don Myers

(Helen’s husband); Sarah Miller (David Pepple’s sister); Bob Main; Brad Gilmore (Jenny Al-

bert’s brother); Julie McCally; Tina Cork (David Pepple’s niece)

October Anniversaries

PC(USA) - Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA)

website: http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/pda/

Disaster Relief-US Hurricane Response (DR000169)

Bad Weather Cancellation Procedures

If we need to cancel Worship and Sunday morning activities, we will post an announcement on the

church web site at www.discoverfirstchurch.org. Our primary news media announcement will also

be on WNDU NewsCenter 16. We will attempt to post on other news outlets; however, sometimes in

bad storms the media gets flooded with calls and it is very time consuming to get the information out.

Please check these sources if you want to be sure.

Worship will not be cancelled unless the roads are closed.

Weeknight meetings will also be cancelled on the webside and WNDU. In addition, we will try

to call or email the known participants of ministry teams, choir, and other regular groups. If you are in

doubt, please check the website, or WNDU NewsCenter 16.

8 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

30-Day Scripture Writing Challenge: God speaks to us through His Word, so take some time

each day this month to write down the following Scripture. If you have time, you might want to

also write a prayer that the Scripture leads you to pray, or your reflections as you write.

October

Oct. 1 Luke 6:35 Oct. 17 Revelation 1:8

Oct. 2 2 John 1:6 Oct. 18 Psalm 42:11

Oct. 3 Proverbs 17:17 Oct. 19 2 Peter 1:16

Oct. 4 Judges 5:31 Oct. 20 Psalm 112:1

Oct. 5 Zechariah 8:16 Oct. 21 Deuteronomy 28:9

Oct. 6 2 Thess. 1:11-12 Oct. 22 1 Kings 8:61

Oct. 7 Hosea 6:6 Oct. 23 2 Peter 1:20-21

Oct. 8 Romans 14:17-19 Oct. 24 John 17:17

Oct. 9 Luke 12:33-34 Oct. 25 Romans 10:8

Oct. 10 1 Peter 4:10 Oct. 26 Judges 6:12

Oct. 11 Zechariah 7:9-10 Oct. 27 Isaiah 41:13

Oct. 12 Daniel 7:13-14 Oct. 28 Matthew 10:28

Oct. 13 Isaiah 47:4 Oct. 29 Romans 8:15

Oct. 14 2 Samuel 22:29 Oct. 30 1 Peter 3:14

Oct. 15

Oct. 16

Psalm 8:3-4

Haggai 2:6-7

Oct. 31 Psalm 23:4

Come back next month for a new Scripture writing challenge!

9 FIRST WORD OCTOBER 2018

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Church Website: www.discoverfirstchurch.org www.facebook.com/discoverfirst

Pastor: agriffin46528@comcast.net Secretary: jhickman46528@comcast.net Treasurer: wkramer46528@comcast.net

Phone: (574) 533-7845; fax (574) 533-4864

Office Hours: Monday-Thursday: 9:00 am-12:00 noon Monday & Wednesday afternoon: By appointment Tuesday & Thursday afternoon: 1:00-4:00 pm Closed Friday

Church Staff: Pastor: Alan Griffin Secretary: Jeannie Hickman Director of Music: Marcia Yost Organist: Marilyn Mason Organist Emeritus: Dennis Huff Treasurer: Wayne Kramer Usher Emeritus: Miriam Wellington Custodian: Betty Barber

First Word

A publication of First Presbyterian Church

215 East Lincoln Avenue, Goshen, IN 46528-3347

SUNDAY WORSHIP Adult Sunday School Class (Chapel); 9:30 am

Nursery/Preschool; 9:30 am Discover First Worship; 10:20 am Children’s Worship/SS; 10:20 am

Fellowship before and after Discover First Worship Pitch-In Fellowship Lunch (after Worship); 5th Sundays

Free Community Spaghetti Dinner (1st Sunday after 1st Fridays); 6:00-7:00 pm

TUESDAY Foundation (2nd); 6:00 pm

WEDNESDAY Stitchers Bible Study (2nd); 2:00 pm

Chancel Choir; 6:30 pm Worship Planning Team; 7:30 pm

THURSDAY Thursday Group (2nd) 6:00 pm

Cancer Support Group (2nd and 4th); 7:00 pm; Library Session (3rd); 7:00 pm

FPC Ladies of the Church (4th); 11:30 am FRIDAY

First Fridays (1st); 5:30-9:00 pm

First Word (October 2018)

First Presbyterian Church

215 East Lincoln Avenue

Goshen, IN 46528