Garage Sale:

The Presbyterian Church will hold the Annual Congregational Meeting on November 9, 2014, immediately following church services. Please plan to attend, we will need a quorum to conduct business. The focus of the meeting will be to approve reports from the 2013-2014 year, the 2014-2015 budget and elect new Session, Board of Decon, United Church Council, Auditing and Nominating Committee representatives.

CHURCH NEWS Christian & Presbyterian Churches November – December 2014

Congregational Meeting:

There were 18 tables full, plus some overflow of donated items from people of the two churches for the garage sale on October 4. We raised over $400, which will go to the fund for carpeting and flooring for the basement of the church. Thank you to all who helped in any way, especially Patti Rice, Deb Niss, Joyce Strong, Em Rogers and John Wissler. Most of the items not sold were taken by John Wissler to either Goodwill or Salvation Army in Omaha and by Em Rogers to the Mission in Seneca. Unsold books were given to the Pawnee Library. Thanks again. – Laura Turnbull

After-School Group: Fishing, hotdogs, s’mores, watermelon, very soft softball, and just enjoying God’s creation on these beautiful fall days have been the order of business. Since they have been sitting most of the day at school it is important that we keep them active. For a few minutes we TRY to slow them down for a short Bible lesson and time of prayer. Our group is mainly younger elementary children with a few older youth who help out. I want to thank Donna Hopkins and Colin Droge for their dependable help. Gerald Snyder, Larry Packett, Natasha Brown, Linda Kell and others have also helped out to bait hooks, etc. from time to time. Betty Brown has contributed the firewood and we appreciate the food different folks have contributed. The group is good at cleaning up left-overs from our church picnics, coffees, etc.

Lauren Adams married Srdan Sadikovic on July 11, 2014 in Washington, D.C.. A reception was held in Lincoln, NE on Saturday, August 30th. Lauren is the daughter of Roger & Priscilla Adams and the granddaughter of Linna Mort. They will reside this next year in London, England. Pictured from left to right: Priscilla, Srdan, Linna, Lauren & Roger

2

Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet

Our Church Websites: Please let your families and others know of these.

Go to www.pawneecitynebraska.com and click on churches; it lists both of our churches. You can click on Presbyterian for the website and a current copy of our latest newsletter.

Christian Church website: www.ourchurch.com/member/p/pcchristian/ Nebraska Regional Christian Church/Disciples of Christ: www.disciples-ne.org

Homestead Presbytery: www.homesteadpres.org

Homestead Presbytery Pilgrimage Discover  our  Presbyterian  heritage  in  Scotland  and  the  history  of  the  land.  Enjoy  magnificent  landscapes,  and  the  welcoming,  friendly  people,  as  you  experience  the  many  wonders  of  this  magical  land  -­‐  cities,  towns  and  villages  -­‐-­‐  all  steeped  in  a  rich  culture  and  history.  Learn  about  Scotland's  role  in  the  Protestant  Reformation  and  Reformer  John  Knox,  and  see  first  hand  how  the  Christian  faith  spread  during  the  turbulent  history  of  kings  and  queens...  An  Ireland  extension  is  also  available.      $50  fully  refundable  deposit    will  reserve  your  space!      The  tour  will  be  limited  to  30  people...(we  already  have  14  signed  up!)    

Get  More  Information!  Reserve  Your  Spot  Now!    Click  the  links  above  or  visit:  http://goo.gl/oYr3XQ

A true celebration of Jeff Bice’s life was held on August 23rd. Friends and family got together and sent

messages to heaven via balloons. Jeff’s grandkids had a wonderful time sending love to their grandpa.

3

Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet

I Love My Presbyterian Church Video Challenge (Big and Bold):

Find a group in your Presbyterian church, make a video commercial, share it on Facebook and compete to win money for your next mission trip! I bet yours will be better than this one: I Love My Presbyterian Church Video Contest.

You can use goAnimate, iMovie, or whatever platform you love the most! You can use your youth group as actors or your favorite small group or Bible Study. Whoever you can convince to stand in front of the camera! Get some creative and passionate minds together and get filming! Terms: 1. Video must be 30 seconds or less and celebrate your Presbyterian Church (PCUSA). 2. Video must be shared between November 19 - November 30th (midnight in your time zone) on https://www.facebook.com/ilovemypresbyterianchurch 3. Ten videos will then be chosen for the final challenge. 4. December 17th the final challenge will begin. The ten videos will be shared by the facebook page. Share and comment on a video to help make it popular, and the video with the most likes and shares by midnight(central standard time) on December 30th will win first place. Two additional awards will be given for the second and third most shares and likes. 5. First Place $500 & Additional Awards of $100 all to be awarded to your PCUSA church for your next mission trip or mission project. Winning videos will be announced on January 1st. Sponsored by the Grow Group - The Quad Presbyteries of Central Nebraska, Homestead, Missouri River Valley, and Prospect Hill.

United Nations Women and ‘He For She’ Campaign I have been so enraged by the headlines of how women are treated by ISIS, the girls who were kidnapped from their school and never found in Africa, and the ongoing sex slave trade in the world. UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality, a global champion for women and girls. Actress Emma Watson is best known for her role in the Harry Potter movies, but she’s also a newly appointed UN Goodwill Ambassador. Saturday, she delivered a powerful speech before the United Nations about the misconceptions of feminism. “I was appointed six months ago and the more I have spoken about feminism, the more I have realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop,” said Watson. Watson is launching the “He For She” global campaign. She’s calling on men to play a greater role in ending gender inequality. Emma Watson’s speech at the United Nations encourages men around the world to stand up for equal rights for women. Here are a couple of her quotes: “In my moments of doubt I’ve told myself. If not me, then who? If not now, when? “Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong.” I have signed up to stop abuse of women worldwide, and you can too, on: http://www.unwomen.org , ‘like’ on Facebook, or email heforshe@unwomen.org

Hospitality is the most important quality of a vital congregational life. Diana Butler Bass in her book “Christianity for the Rest of Us” mentions ten qualities that are the signposts for progressive congregations. These ten came from research done with in a variety of mainline denominational churches that are flourishing. There were three that were most important; hospitality, diversity (making community, a fellowship where all people are welcome and feel comfortable), and reflection (a determination to learn, grow, and stretch both minds and hearts though the study of Scripture and what God is teaching us today), but the most important is hospitality. As hospitality is practiced, a diverse population of people will be attracted and come together as a community to worship and learn spiritually. Hospitality is the kind of practice that transforms both the person who receives the hospitality and the person who gives it. This was a mark of every flourishing congregation. They had all engaged I hospitality in very meaningful ways, and ti had changed who they were. We must start by asking who are strangers in our community that we need to offer hospitality to. For our congregation, one of these groups of people are children and our Christian Education committees and our Envisioning group are working hard to find ways to help children and their parents feel comfortable in our fellowship.

Hospitality is Most Important

Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet

My conversation with Salam Hanna, a Presbyterian Pastor and Peacemaker in Syria

A fifth generation Presbyterian 36 year old Salam Hanna is pastor of 1000 member Presbyterian Church in Syria. He admitted that the stress of being in Syria now is overwhelming as he struggles to give hope and encouragement to those in his church. Any problems we have here are so tiny compared to what he and his congregation are in the midst of. Did you know that Syria was once almost 100% Christian? The book of Acts tells us that Paul went to persecute the church in Damascus so there was a well founded Christian community there even before the time of Paul. Later, on the road to Damascus, God knocked Paul off of his horse and Paul was converted. Paul started his missionary journeys from Antioch, which at the time was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. It was during the third or fourth century that Christianity reached its peak in Syria at close to 100%. Now there are only 2 million Christians in a country of 22 million. There are 6000 Presbyterians in Syria/Lebanon from 40 churches Salam said violence is not a solution because we have to solve the root of the problem. We can kill the radicals but not why they became radical. The roots of the problem have to do with inequality of wealth, status, education, and a misunderstanding of God. What was a few years ago a very wealthy country where everyone had nice houses and cars is now a war torn country where two of its largest cities are destroyed, 45% (10 m)of the population are displaced, with 60% unemployment and a 400%(this is not a misprint) inflation. Before the war Syria was producing 400,000 barrels of oil and now only 15,000. The stress of living there is most difficult and Christians, as well as the people in general, are at a loss as to what to do. Salam told us that the only good thing is that these hard times do bring people closer to God. He helps the people persevere but does not provide false hope. The hard times have to do with human nature, sin, and evil in the world. He tells them that God does not promise happiness but he does promise to never leave us. God works through history but it is many times hard to see in the short term. He said many Christians have left Syria but many, like he, have stayed to work for peace, to provide encouragement, to teach the gospel message, and tell of the faithfulness of God. I promised him that we would keep him, his congregation, and the people of Syria in our prayers.

Announcements: Sunday School for grades K-12 will start November 2 with a Kick off breakfast at 9:30 AM. After this the normal Sunday School time will be 10:00 to 11:00 AM. Rides are provided upon request. Annual Harvest Festival, November 2, 2014 Men’s Prayer Breakfast, November 5, Presbyterian Church Presbyterian Annual Meeting, Sunday after worship, November 9 Manor Services: November 2 and 16, 3:30 PM Church Council Meeting, November 19, 5:00 PM Village Worship Service, November 20, 2:30 PM “Mayberry RFD” Sunday School Class, 9:00 AM Choir, each month, will practice the first Sunday, after church, and perform the second Sunday After school youth, 3:40 PM, most Mondays, see announcements on the basement door Please sign up for after church coffees, team up with others Bible Study, Wednesdays, 9:30 PM, Village Celebrate Jesus, Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Clip board by office door for your suggestions

Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet

CHRISTMAS JOY OFFERING The Presbyterian Church will be collecting the Christmas Joy Offering for a special offering. A gift to the Christmas Joy Offering helps provide financial assistance to current and former church workers and their families and also enables deserving students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic colleges and schools. The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930's. Patricia Hsu Payan was born in Taiwan, lived her childhood in Brazil, and grew up a Buddhist. Today, she is a devotedPresbyterian and wants to thank people like you for making that possible. She was able to attend Pan Am in the mid-’80s because of gifts to programs like the ChristmasJoy Offering.“While I was there,I received a scholarship,” Payan says. “I knew that scholarship didn’t just happen. Somebody had to give the money to the school in order for me to get the scholarship. It taught me how to give. Today, in the world, we’re so busy with our lives and making money,but Pan Am taught me there is something more important. Payan graduated from Pan Am in 1986. She went on to college at the University of Texas, where she receivedher Master’s in Business Administration. She is now the owner and president of Physicians Management Services. Noe Hinojosa Jr. says he’s grateful he was able to attend the Presbyterian Pan American School.“If not for PPAS, I wonder where this kid from Brownsville, Texas, raised in Matamoros, Mexico,would be,” he says. “At the time, I was fascinated to go to a school where the classrooms were carpeted and air conditioned—I had never experienced that before.” Hinojosa is a 1979 graduate of the school. While there, he found himself immersed in an international setting—his classmates from around the world. “We were in a very unique environment, surrounded by Christian teachings, while at the same time getting the help we needed to excel in the classroom,” he says . “The experience gives you more understanding, compassion and tolerance for others—which in the end will bring peace. It makes you a more well-rounded person as you go about discovering the world and all God’s people.” Hinojosa went on to do just that. He graduated from Pan American University, now the University of Texas, and serves as the president and CEO of Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc., the largest Hispanic investment banking firm in Texas. Envelopes will be available beginning November 16th at the Church. If you wish to donate to the special offering and unable to obtain an envelope, you may send donations to Mary Neill, 830 G Street, Pawnee City or to Presbyterian Church, PO Box 71, Pawnee City, NE 68420. Please designate that you would like this to be for the Christmas Joy Offering.

Issue #: [Date] Dolor Sit Amet

NOVEMBER

1 Lawrence Bradbury 2 Laurel Sunneberg 2 Laura Thiemann 3 Darlene Turnbull 4 Lyanna Inglis 6 Fawn Benson 7 Allan Brown 9 Laramie Benson 9 Susan Dahlgren 11 Derek Niss 11 Randy Niss 12 Bob Schilling 12 Janet Vetrovsky 12 Kelly Brown Carpenter 13 Monica Polivka 14 Bernie Wherry 14 Edwin Clark

If you have any additions or corrections to this list, please let me know at churchnewspc@gmail.com.

16 Mark Miller 17 Lois Rush 17 Rob & Courtney Kosiski 18 Nancy Burgert 18 Max Ritchie 19 McKayla McClellan 21 Bill Colwell 22 Stacie Inglis Crutchfield 24 Karen Moser 24 Don & Anita Lang Bents 25 John Brown 27 Lucas Moore 28 Linda Kell 29 Courtney Kosiski 30 Lizabeth Howard

DECEMBER

2 Ric Hofmann 4 Holly Schmitz Wempe 5 McKenzie McClellan 8 David Thiemann 10 Tom & Clarene Fisher 13 Nicholas Rogers 15 Scott & Carla Hanna 16 Karin Rogge 17 Peggy Packett 17 David & Mary Miller 20 Mike Rice 20 Deb Kerl 20 Larry McClellan

21 Lauri Hofmann 22 Laura Kubik Fuehrer 22 Lee Rogge 22 Kenny & Janice Bowman 23 Jill Ritchie 24 Wilma Droge 24 Roxann Buman 26 Ross Theimann 26 Jean Percival 26 Paul & Mary Bennett 28 Lewis & Linda Rogers 30 Janis Rogge 30 Jane Mort 30 Jim & Susie Huber 31 Larry & Cathi Spitser