September 10th MENU
a place of love, encouragement, hope and belonging
LIFE AT FIRST—FRIDAY: AUGUST 18, 2017
One Service at 10:30 AM
for the 10:30 AM Service of Worship:
“The Irresistible Face of Grace” message notes by W. Lee Kinney
Scripture Reading: Luke 23:32-43 NRSV “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom —Luke 23:42
On that day of days, so long ago, the cross of Christ not only judged the world, but uncovered what the world really was. The people in general just stared in frustration, confusion, anger or simple indifference, while the professional religionists scoffed at the man who would be king, the brutal simply mocked Him. Beside Him, hanging from their own crosses, the one man was belligerent, the other repentant. Down below, the materialistic unbelievers gambled on His cloak, the believing centurion placed his wager—and life—on trusting God, and those who followed Jesus stood on the periphery, afraid to be identified as one of His disciples. Our focus rests in the story of the man whose “deathbed” repentance was so genuine that Jesus was drawn to overlook His own suffering to offer a word of promise and hope to the man who pleaded to be remembered. The story of the penitent thief is unique to Luke’s Gospel account, but certainly not unique to the history of the Christian faith. At its center it is a tale of what will happen when you turn your attention to the irresistible face of grace. Who among us doesn’t need that? See you in worship! —WLK
THIS WEEK AND BEYOND
SEPTEMBER 6TH @ 6 PM
MENU Baked Ham Potato Salad — Cole Slaw Rolls — Tea — Ice Cream Sandwiches ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
$3 per person / $10 family of four or more Brought to you by the loving hands of your
Deacons Ministry Team
September 10th Come join us for a very special kick-off to our 2017-18 Program Year! TWO WORSHIP SERVICES: 8:30 Contemporary & 10:30 Traditional OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL KICK-OFF FREE BREAKFAST Prepared and Served by the Men of the Church
PW Circles and 2017-2018 Programs Begin on th
Tuesday, September 12
—Presbyterian Women Council
THE SESSION IN BRIEF: The Stated Meeting of August15, 2017 Serving together as the church Session (or council), by the power of the Holy Spirit, FPC’s elders have the responsibility for all matters related to the spiritual and physical parts of our common life of faith, within the bounds of the Great Ends of the Church. The session met, as is their custom, opening with prayer and devotion to God for His many blessings to us all. Key highlights of the meeting included the following: The August meeting was an opportunity to cover the news of what had been happening over the summer months here at FPC. In addition to a report on the new Women and Children’s Shelter project (Open Door Community Center), a major part of our meeting was spent discussing the many For Conceptual Illustration Only renovation and repair projects underway in and around our facility. Buildings and Grounds Ministry Team Chair, Derris Bradshaw walked the elders through the many renovation projects either completed or underway: complete cleaning and painting of steeple, staining and finishing of Sanctuary front door; expansion of the chancel area; spraying the brick walls to retard moisture; repair and refinishing the inside walls in the Sunday School Rooms and Library and many other projects. Additionally, the Session received and acted on a report and motion of the Planning Ministry Team to remove the chain-link and wooden fencing around the graveyard and play area, replacing it with steel fencing and brick columns, similar to the look and design of the fencing around the front of the sanctuary. A plan to provide a columbarium is also being designed and will be presented shortly.
Weathering Life’s Storms “And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.” ~ Mark 4:39 NIV
I just read that the Sea of Galilee is about eight miles wide and 13 miles long, not unlike our lake up north called Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mountains. Sitting on the dock overlooking the storms that often roll in, I can well imagine what it might have looked like the evening Jesus calmed the fierce storm. From the safety of the shoreline, I often watch as the ominous clouds and lightning out over the water roll over the great lake before me, imagining Jesus in the boat with His disciples, as all of them toss and churn above the dark and swirling waters. Experiencing a thunderstorm while watching from a distance or from the safety of your home is easy and even thrilling. But it’s another thing altogether when your boat starts rocking wildly on the waves and the rain is pelting you in the face. In those moments—the wind and rain slashing at your face and your feet uncertain beneath you—what is fascinating from a distance can set off panic in your heart, a panic that’s quite reasonable, considering the circumstances. Then, again, there’s Jesus. While the wind may whip and the rain may slash, threatening to capsize your boat in the middle of the sea, there is always Jesus, who promises to never leave you, no matter what. Gracious God, calm he storms in my heart so I can face them in my life. Amen. —WLK
But if in fact you have an EMERGENCY, or maybe just need someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to let our Pastor Lee Kinney know by giving a call to him @ the church office at 946-4616 or on his cell at 945-4616. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, NC 27889. Questions or comments? E-mail us at [email protected] or call 252-946-4616
LIFE AT FIRST—FRIDAY: AUGUST 18, 2017
One Service at 10:30 AM
for the 10:30 AM Service of Worship:
“The Irresistible Face of Grace” message notes by W. Lee Kinney
Scripture Reading: Luke 23:32-43 NRSV “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom —Luke 23:42
On that day of days, so long ago, the cross of Christ not only judged the world, but uncovered what the world really was. The people in general just stared in frustration, confusion, anger or simple indifference, while the professional religionists scoffed at the man who would be king, the brutal simply mocked Him. Beside Him, hanging from their own crosses, the one man was belligerent, the other repentant. Down below, the materialistic unbelievers gambled on His cloak, the believing centurion placed his wager—and life—on trusting God, and those who followed Jesus stood on the periphery, afraid to be identified as one of His disciples. Our focus rests in the story of the man whose “deathbed” repentance was so genuine that Jesus was drawn to overlook His own suffering to offer a word of promise and hope to the man who pleaded to be remembered. The story of the penitent thief is unique to Luke’s Gospel account, but certainly not unique to the history of the Christian faith. At its center it is a tale of what will happen when you turn your attention to the irresistible face of grace. Who among us doesn’t need that? See you in worship! —WLK
THIS WEEK AND BEYOND
SEPTEMBER 6TH @ 6 PM
MENU Baked Ham Potato Salad — Cole Slaw Rolls — Tea — Ice Cream Sandwiches ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
$3 per person / $10 family of four or more Brought to you by the loving hands of your
Deacons Ministry Team
September 10th Come join us for a very special kick-off to our 2017-18 Program Year! TWO WORSHIP SERVICES: 8:30 Contemporary & 10:30 Traditional OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL KICK-OFF FREE BREAKFAST Prepared and Served by the Men of the Church
PW Circles and 2017-2018 Programs Begin on th
Tuesday, September 12
—Presbyterian Women Council
THE SESSION IN BRIEF: The Stated Meeting of August15, 2017 Serving together as the church Session (or council), by the power of the Holy Spirit, FPC’s elders have the responsibility for all matters related to the spiritual and physical parts of our common life of faith, within the bounds of the Great Ends of the Church. The session met, as is their custom, opening with prayer and devotion to God for His many blessings to us all. Key highlights of the meeting included the following: The August meeting was an opportunity to cover the news of what had been happening over the summer months here at FPC. In addition to a report on the new Women and Children’s Shelter project (Open Door Community Center), a major part of our meeting was spent discussing the many For Conceptual Illustration Only renovation and repair projects underway in and around our facility. Buildings and Grounds Ministry Team Chair, Derris Bradshaw walked the elders through the many renovation projects either completed or underway: complete cleaning and painting of steeple, staining and finishing of Sanctuary front door; expansion of the chancel area; spraying the brick walls to retard moisture; repair and refinishing the inside walls in the Sunday School Rooms and Library and many other projects. Additionally, the Session received and acted on a report and motion of the Planning Ministry Team to remove the chain-link and wooden fencing around the graveyard and play area, replacing it with steel fencing and brick columns, similar to the look and design of the fencing around the front of the sanctuary. A plan to provide a columbarium is also being designed and will be presented shortly.
Weathering Life’s Storms “And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.” ~ Mark 4:39 NIV
I just read that the Sea of Galilee is about eight miles wide and 13 miles long, not unlike our lake up north called Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mountains. Sitting on the dock overlooking the storms that often roll in, I can well imagine what it might have looked like the evening Jesus calmed the fierce storm. From the safety of the shoreline, I often watch as the ominous clouds and lightning out over the water roll over the great lake before me, imagining Jesus in the boat with His disciples, as all of them toss and churn above the dark and swirling waters. Experiencing a thunderstorm while watching from a distance or from the safety of your home is easy and even thrilling. But it’s another thing altogether when your boat starts rocking wildly on the waves and the rain is pelting you in the face. In those moments—the wind and rain slashing at your face and your feet uncertain beneath you—what is fascinating from a distance can set off panic in your heart, a panic that’s quite reasonable, considering the circumstances. Then, again, there’s Jesus. While the wind may whip and the rain may slash, threatening to capsize your boat in the middle of the sea, there is always Jesus, who promises to never leave you, no matter what. Gracious God, calm he storms in my heart so I can face them in my life. Amen. —WLK
But if in fact you have an EMERGENCY, or maybe just need someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to let our Pastor Lee Kinney know by giving a call to him @ the church office at 946-4616 or on his cell at 945-4616. THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, NC 27889. Questions or comments? E-mail us at [email protected] or call 252-946-4616
