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Philipsburg First Presbyterian Church |
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Easter Our History Activities
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MARCH
2006 GROWING (NOT GIVING UP) IN LENT
Most people, if
they think of Lent, think of it as a time to give up something –
usually something related to food and weight loss, like desserts or
chocolate. This Lent, I’d like to invite the congregation to grow
in some way during Lent. In
a nutshell, this means looking at just one area of your spiritual life
and put some energy into stretching yourself in it.
Perhaps it’s your prayer life, such as starting one, or
inviting another to join you in prayers.
Perhaps it’s your devotional life, such as reading a book in
the Bible or gathering as a family around the devotional offered from
church, or picking up a good, reflective, Christian book.
Perhaps it’s relationships with God and with others, such as
seeking to forgive another, or be quiet before the Lord every day, or
approach one particular relationship with grace and compassion.
I can’t tell you what it is, but I can tell you that God has
something in mind for you during this Lent.
Let’s listen together to hear what it is!
As we worship
during Lent, may we grow together in our weekly services, building on
the stories of Lent until the glorious day of Easter.
This Easter, we will enjoy the Gospel story in song with the
cantata, Wondrous Love. For your preparation, here are the texts and sermon titles
for Lent:
March
5
Luke 3:23-38
Wondrous Son of God March 12
Luke 4:16-24
Wondrous
Prophet
March 19 Luke 5:2-32
Wondrous Companion March 26
Luke 6:20-26
Wondrous
Blessings
April 2 Luke 6:27-36
Wondrous Mercy April 9
Luke 19:1-10
Wondrous
Redeemer
April 16 Easter Sunday
Wondrous Love
Grace and Peace, OFFICER MEETINGS for MARCH (in the
parlor) Deacons:
Tuesday, March 7th @ 7:00 p.m.
Session:
Tuesday, March 14th @ 7:00 p.m.
Trustees:
Tuesday, March 21st @ 7:00 p.m. Presbyterian Women:
Monday, March 27th @ 7:00 p.m.
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
2nd – Judy Gearhart
22nd – Jeff Gearhart
5th – Don Blake
24th – Alice Houser
9th – Denise Gearhart
24th – Sue Genesi
11th – Annabel Richmond
25th – Paige Johnson 14th – Isaiah Dixon
27th – Virginia Colley
18th – Alice Schreffler
27th – Andrew Gearhart
18th – Morgan Coleman
28th – Ethel Cipollini
20th
– Sarah McCliment
28th – Fred Herman
21st – Brad Wood
29th
– Katie Gearhart
22nd – George Lute
MARCH ANNIVERSARIES 2nd
– Ed and Edie Good – 21 years 16th
– Jim and Ilo Warg – 44 years NOTE FROM THE
DEACONS:
Sally Nelson is in charge of sending out cards of
encouragement. Please let
her know if you know of someone in need. SOUPER BOWL RESULTS The generous donations of our church for the Community Food Bank equaled $225 and 49 cans of food from the Youth’s Souper Bowl of Caring.
We logged onto the national total and found that organizations have
given $3,150,406, as of February 13, 2006! A
REPORT FROM THE TRINITY SHOE BANK: (This note follows up on our Minute for Mission on Feb.
26 during worship.) As
you all are aware, Trinity has a shoe bank. I have worked at the shoe
bank and am totally amazed at the outreach that it does. Each
child who comes must have an access card to receive a pair of
shoes. We try to keep 2 shoes of all sizes which is about 50 different
sizes including tykes, little girls and boys, youth and larger
sizes for the older ones in high school. The goal is to have 3
pairs in
each size when funds become available. Children are eligible to come
every 2 months for little kids and every 6 months for older elementary
and high school. Shopping is done every 2 weeks to
replenish the stock. The
last Saturday that I worked, we gave out 38 pairs of sneakers and
had to tell 5 children to come back in 2 weeks because we had
run out of their size. I
asked Carla Bailey, the lady in charge, to give me the statistics as to
where the shoes went. In the last 6 months we have given out 51
pairs to children in the Moshannon Valley School District, 175
pairs to children in the Philipsburg-Osceola School District and
97 pairs to West Branch Students which made a total of 325
pairs of sneakers. Since
the shoe bank was started in October
2003, we have given out 718 pair of sneakers. NOTE:
The Deacons voted to support the Shoe Bank with a gift of $100.
If you would like to support this community effort, please
contact Trinity United Methodist Church at 342-1820. CHURCH
LENTEN DEVOTIONALS Your Session is
offering Lenten Devotionals, called We
are Called, We are Chosen, for your reading during Lent. Please pick up one copy per family or individual and enjoy
this reading/reflection time together.
QUARTER COLLECTIONS If you would like to collect quarters during Lent as part of your Easter offering, folders are available in the church foyer, or you can call the church office and have one mailed to you. AGAPE MEAL In keeping with the tradition of beginning Lent together on Ash Wednesday, the Session will be hosting an Agape Meal on Wednesday, March 1, at 6 PM in Westminster Hall.
This year, the meal is offered as a gift from your Elders – inviting you
to start Lent peacefully by having no dinner to cook or
dish to bring. Please make time in your schedule to begin
this season with our faith community. A short service with communion will follow our meal together.
Since you need not bring anything, why not begin Lent with this simple reminder of God’s
many gifts to you? This is
a wonderful way to mark Jesus’ journey to the cross,
and to invite others to explore the fellowship of our church. CHURCH WORK DAY March 4, from 9
AM through Lunch (which is provided)
is a great way to join with others in serving our lovely church
building. Sign-ups are
available at the 5th Street
entrance for jobs, or contact Pastor Tracie to see how you can help.
We have cleaning, handyperson work, sorting, and more! MANY
THANKS So
many of you offer help in so many ways.
Here are our thanks: For
taking on
the adventure of 60 kids (13 from our church) and staying up half the
night enjoying fellowship and pizza, thanks goes to Jen Starner, Dan
Nelson, Susan Harris, and Paul Springer!
For meeting together for reflection, creativity and
brainstorming, thanks go to our current Elders, Deacons, and Trustees at
the Leadership Retreat! For
providing a Hoagie meal on February 15 and raising $750 for the Work
Camp, thanks go to our Deacons (especially the organizer, Lisa Holden)!
For all who fought hunger on Souper Bowl Sunday, thanks! NEW
ORLEANS TRIP Pastor
Tracie has been invited to take part in a dedication service for the Faith
Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary chairs, as well as meet the pastor and
members of the church, tour the area, and survey how we might continue
in partnership with
them. The Session and
Deacons are jointly sending
her on March 8-11 to visit and report back in the March 12 worship
service, as well as during the lunch following that service. FELLOWSHIP LUNCHES AND FRIENDS The Deacon’s Fellowship Lunches are good opportunities to invite a friend to church
and then enjoy a meal together.
The casual lunch gives you an opportunity to introduce them
to other members of the congregation.
Why not invite a friend on Sunday, March 12, to worship and then
the Fellowship lunch? The
Philipsburg Ministerium invites you to join in Community Lenten Lunches considering
together The “I AM” passages in John Held
every Wednesday in Lent (March
1 through April 12) from
noon to 1 PM at First Presbyterian Church, 5th
& Presqueisle Streets in Philipsburg Area churches will be serving a delicious meal for a
free-will donation. Area
pastors will be giving a 15-minute meditation after lunch To
make a reservation (requested but not required), please contact the
sponsoring church for each Wednesday at the phone number listed. March 1,
Sponsored by Ministerium Clergy Contact
Gertie Clyde at 342-4371 March 8,
Sponsored by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Contact
Gertie Clyde at 342-4371 March 15,
Sponsored by Grace United Methodist Church Contact
the Church at 342-3060 March 22,
Sponsored by First Presbyterian Church Contact
Gertie Clyde at 342-4371 March 29,
Sponsored by Gearhartville Free Methodist Church Contact
the Church at 342-4520 April 2,
Sponsored by First Evangelical Lutheran Church Contact
Pastor Mark at 342-1673 April 9,
Sponsored by Trinity United Methodist Church Contact
Pastor Brenda at 342-1820 Come, join with others in hearing who Jesus IS
through Lent! MARCH
2006 CHURCH CALENDAR
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