First Presbyterian Church Sweetwater, Texas January 2019 The mission of our church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ Our vision is to be an oasis of God’s love. January’s Song There is rumor on the streets that Christmas is over. Lights and ornaments are packed away, trees dragged to the curb, people back to business as usual. This is January… How can Christmas be over? The Child is just newborn, the song of Peace and Goodwill still ring in our ears. The shepherds and sages still kneel to this One who is born to us… just born to us! How can Christmas be over?? The news of the gospel is just beginning. We who saw the Star now live in its Light. We who saw and heard now believe. Christmas is not over. We’re just beginning to follow this One who calls us now to Live in the Light of Love. Christmas is not over. It’s just beginning and this is January’s song. This poem is from Ann Weem’s book From Advent’s Alleluia to Easter’s Morning Light. This poem is a wonderful reminder that Christmas is not over. With the words of the song Joy to the World we proclaimed “let every heart prepare Him room.” As we once again prepared our hearts and received God’s gift of grace in Jesus, we respond with lives committed to living in the Light. The proof is in our every word, action, thought as we bring the Light to our corner of the world. Whether personally or as a church family let us take every opportunity to live into the truth of the gospel. Christmas is not over! Pastor Marie We filled 8 gifts on the Angel tree and they were delivered to the West Texas Advocacy center. The Christmas Joy Gift Offering collected at the Christmas Eve Service totaled $805.00. Thank you to Lou Ann for all the work she does with the children. Thank you to all the children and adults who sang for us on Sunday night. I loved it, and it was beautiful. Hope they all have a Happy New Year, and they had a Merry Christmas. Love, Dorothy Richards 1311 McCaulley Office hours: M ~ F, 9:00 am ~12:00pm website: www.fpcsweetwater.org P. O. Box 956, Sweetwater, Texas 79556 325-235-5491 email: [email protected]Pastor: Rev. Marie Mickey 979-574-6348 email: [email protected]Clerk of Session: Paula Carmichael Elder of the Month: Doug Richards
Transcript
First Presbyterian Church Sweetwater, Texas
January 2019
The mission of our church is to make disciples for Jesus Christ
Our vision is to be an oasis of God’s love.
January’s Song
There is rumor on the streets that Christmas is over.
Lights and ornaments are packed away,
trees dragged to the curb,
people back to business as usual.
This is January…
How can Christmas be over?
The Child is just newborn,
the song of Peace and Goodwill
still ring in our ears.
The shepherds and sages still kneel
to this One who is born to us…
just born to us!
How can Christmas be over??
The news of the gospel is just beginning.
We who saw the Star
now live in its Light.
We who saw and heard
now believe.
Christmas is not over.
We’re just beginning
to follow this One
who calls us now to
Live in the Light of Love.
Christmas is not over.
It’s just beginning
and this is January’s song.
This poem is from Ann Weem’s book From Advent’s
Alleluia to Easter’s Morning Light. This poem is a
wonderful reminder that Christmas is not over. With
the words of the song Joy to the World we proclaimed
“let every heart prepare Him room.” As we once
again prepared our hearts and received God’s gift of
grace in Jesus, we respond with lives committed to
living in the Light.
The proof is in our every word, action, thought as
we bring the Light to our corner of the world.
Whether personally or as a church family let us
take every opportunity to live into the truth of the
gospel. Christmas is not over!
Pastor Marie
We filled 8 gifts on the Angel tree and they were
delivered to the West Texas Advocacy center.
The Christmas Joy Gift Offering collected at
the Christmas Eve Service totaled $805.00.
Thank you to Lou Ann for all the work she does with
the children. Thank you to all the children and
adults who sang for us on Sunday night. I loved it,
and it was beautiful.
Hope they all have a Happy New Year, and they had
a Merry Christmas.
Love,
Dorothy Richards
1311 McCaulley Office hours: M ~ F, 9:00 am ~12:00pm website: www.fpcsweetwater.org
P. O. Box 956, Sweetwater, Texas 79556 325-235-5491 email: [email protected]
Congratulations College Graduates Blake Cumbie graduated from Arizona State in December with degrees in business and political science. He’s applying for jobs now and isn't sure if he will return to Texas to live or not. Caroline Brennan graduated Cum Laude in Agriculture Economics with an emphasis in policy from Texas A&M. She will be doing an internship in Washington DC under Senator Ted Cruz where she will primarily be working on agriculture related issues pertaining to the state of Texas.
6 Keith Brock
13 Karen Brown and Gary Brown
20 Doug Richards
27 DeeAnne McFarland
2 Emerson Jane Gesin
6 Rick LeBleu
7 Karen Brown
10 Laverne Foy
12 Betty Richards
16 Brandon Bennett
17 Seth Maitland
Mason Maxwell
18 Bryson Maitland
20 Willadean Brock
Michelle Maitland
21 Mike Briggs
23 Alex Wiele
26 Aly Moore
31 James Staton
Dates to Remember 1 Happy New Year! Church Office Closed
3 Over the Hill Bunch~11:30am~ Buck’s
6 Epiphany
Hoyt Place Worship ~ 9:00am-9:30am
Sunday School~ 9:45am
Worship~ 10:45am Reverse Offering
Communion Class of 2020~ Rev. Cathy Reed
Decorations will be taken down after worship.
Youth~ 5:00pm~6:00pm
9 Plarning~ 1:00pm~3:00pm
Presbyterian Women~ 5:15pm
10 Over the Hill Bunch~11:30am~ Heff’s
Choir Practice~ 5:30pm
13 Sunday School ~ 9:45am
Worship ~ 10:45am
Little Ones &IBKs~ 5:00pm~6:00pm
16 Plarning~ 1:00pm-3:00pm
Session~ 5:30pm
17 Over the Hill Bunch~11:30am~Skeet’s
Choir Practice~ 5:30pm
20 Sunday School~ 9:45am
Worship~ 10:45am
Youth~ 5:00pm~6:00pm
23 Plarning~ 1:00pm-3:00pm
24 Over the Hill Bunch~11:30am~ Pizza Hut
Choir Practice~ 5:30pm
27 Sunday School~9:45am
Worship~ 10:45am
Noisy Offering
Little Ones &IBKs~ 5:00pm~6:00pm
30 Plarning~ 1:00pm-3:00pm
31 Over the Hill Bunch ~11:30am~Whataburger
Choir Practice~ 5:30pm
Presbyterian Women will meet Wednesday,
January 9 at 5:15pm. We will continue our
study, “Noah Built His Ark In the Sunshine,
Chapter 11.
Hoyt Place
We are excited to lead worship every
first Sunday of the month at Hoyt
Place, from 9:00-9:30 a.m.
We will sing, and hear the Word of
God. Come join us in this wonderful
Ministry of fellowship.
Stewardship - The Joy of Giving
1 Chronicles 29:9
The people rejoiced at the willing response of
their leaders, for they had given freely and whole-
heartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced
greatly.
This chapter of Chronicles records the pledge drive
and fund-raising efforts for the building of the temple
of Solomon to the Lord. Kind David provided all the
resources from the public treasuring of the building.
He also pledged incredible wealth from his personal
treasures to the Temple. His model of generosity in-
spired families, leaders, commanders and officials of
the people of Israel to “give willingly” of all they had
to the Temple fund. The people rejoiced at the
demonstration of giving to the Lord, recognizing that
all gifts originated with God and, therefore, belong to
God.
The chronicle of God’s people illustrates many im-
portant themes in Christian giving. First, the giving
was deliberate, not by spontaneous accident. Sec-
ondly, the giving was done “willingly, freely and
wholeheartedly” and not out of half interested obliga-
tion or guilt. Thirdly, the giving was done in praise to
God with humble acknowledgement that all gifts are
of God.
The central them in 1 Chronicles 29 is that the people
rejoiced at the response of giving demonstrated by
the leaders. This, in turn, caused David to rejoice. Da-
vid’s example motivated the others to give because
giving is infectious. Those who lead us must model
giving and we, in turn, must provide the example to
those we lead. This theme requires application in our
churches and in our homes.
If we as leaders, in our church, our home, and in our
community, hope to praise God through giving, we
must first step out by modeling giving, demonstrating
our heart of thanks to the Lord.
Session Minutes Correspondence: A thank you note was read from
Randy and Jan Sheppard of Del Rio, TX on our re-
cent prayers for them during his knee replacement
surgery. He is Jean Herring’s son.
Stewardship and Finance: Financial Report was
unanimously approved. Pledge cards have been sent
out.
Building and Grounds: Due to recent rain and the
season, the sprinkler system has been turned off. The
2018 Noisy Offering Designated toward the Ministerial
Alliance Received Year to Date $1,089.56 -----------------------------------------------
2018 Food Pantry Designated to Nolan County Food Pantry
Received Year to Date $1,079.00
Fellowship Hall ceiling repair/replacement total
cost $15,959.00 paid for from Edward D Jones
Investment. Thanks to USG for donation of the
sheetrock.
First Presbyterian Church 2018 Financial Report
2018 Budget $145,830.67 Needed Monthly $ 12,152.55 Month Plate & Pledge Expenses January $ 7,455.00 $11,463.36 February $ 7,677.00 $ 8,304.63 March $ 8,853.00 $ 7,696.69 April $17,450.00 $10,222.84 May $15,845.00 $ 8,299.26 June $17,201.00 $ 7,016.94 July $ 8,692.00 $11,951.80 August $ 7,328.00 $ 7,813.04 September $13,262.75 $ 9,246.60 October $13,572.02 $ 9,593.43 November $ 8,041.12 $ 6,826.37 Received Year to Date $125,376.89 Over (Under) Budget $ (8,295.11)
timers on outside lighting were adjusted to reflect the
time change. The ceiling work in Fellowship Hall will
be completed in the next few days.
Christian Education
The Christmas Program will be held on December 16th.
Worship Committee:
The Christmas tree will be decorated on November 25th.
The Hoyt House Service continues the 1st Sunday of
each month. Alan Carmichael has been leading it.
Cathy Ludlum Reed has agreed to go the Hoyt House
on the 1st Sunday of each month to serve residents com-
munion.
New Business:
After a presentation from Adam Andrews from Willow
Creek Gardens, Boo Nemir made a motion to pay Wil-
low Creek $10,911.00 to hire them to complete the work
outlined in the attached bids. This amount is a down
payment that the company requires for the two bids to
be completed. Bid #5796 is for Landscaping of what
will be our new Columbarium and Picnic Area. Bid
#5798 is for a 54’ Labyrinth. The landscaping work
will be coordinated with a Columbarium contractor. It
is anticipated this work will begin after the first of the
year. Alan Carmichael seconded, and this motion car-
ried.
The Nominating Committee will get started on a list for
new elder nominations for the Class of 2021.
There will not be a December Session Meeting. The
next regular stated meeting will be January 9, 2019.
