first presbyterian church newsletter 3-21-11.pdf · the parlor bible study group will have their...

First Presbyterian Church – Weslaco Mission Statement: In response to God’s Power at Work within us, The Weslaco First Presbyterian

Church offers hope in Christ through opportunities to learn and serve.

Dear Friends,

During this month of April, we will walk through Lent, studying different models of discipleship as seen in the New Testament, and conclude the month with the celebrations of Palm Sunday and Easter. If we only can be in worship on the Sundays, we miss the drama and tragedy of Jesus giving the Lord’s Supper to the disciples at the table, his arrest, trial, crucifixion, and death on the cross. We would have only the celebratory moments of singing Hosannas and then rejoicing in his resurrection, without actually acknowledging the death itself. And, while none of us like sad things, strong faith is not built just on the celebrations of the faith, but in experiencing God with us and other believers even in the most difficult times.

We will gather this year with a soup supper on Maundy Thursday to celebrate the Last Supper of Jesus and his disciples. This will be a meal and worship in our Fellowship Hall. Then, on Friday evening, we will have a special worship service in the Sanctuary called a Tennebrae Service. Tennebrae is Latin for shadows. In this service, we will read the scriptures from the time of the arrest to Christ’s death on the cross on that Friday long ago. As we read each passage, a candle will be extinguished, allowing the shadows to increase, symbolizing evil trying to take the light of Christ out of the world. The Christ candle alone will remain lit but will be removed for a while, symbolizing that evil thought it had won. Somehow, acting these readings out in this way helps us to internalize our story together.

Over two thousand years ago, the disciples went through these actual events, not knowing that Easter was coming. We are the fortunate ones because we know Christ was triumphant. However, it informs my faith to imagine that I was there when they crucified my Lord. I hope that you will join with this community of faith as we travel this road again to hear with new ears the hope that is in Christ who lived for us, died for us, and now, reigns in power for us. What an amazing gift he has given!

This past month, we paused in worship on the first anniversary of Pastor Cindy Ordway’s death and remembered her ministry and her gifts to individuals and to this community. These remembrances are included on one of the pages of this newsletter, front and back on one page so that if you would like to keep this page, you may remove it. Her ministry helped to form even more deeply a community that prays and serves, a community that has moved into this century using technology that many churches only dream of having. This community of faith is poised in a perfect place to reach out to those around us and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. We are stronger together than separate.

We thank you, Cindy, for your pastorate. We can hear the words of Jesus saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Blessings to all,

Pastor Sonja

*709 S. Iowa Ave. Weslaco, TX 78596 *956-969-1535* www.weslacochurch.com *

The Session & Deacons of FPC

Session Deacons

Class of 2011 Class of 2011

Nathan Aranda Ruth Meehlhause

Melissa Jones Helen Willhite

Linda Kopecky

Mary Mattar

Eddie Seils


Charles Bell Kay Gibson

David Dueñas Chuck Hunger

Debby Rektorik *Bruce Walker

Linda Taormina


Camille Jones Mary Ellen Beard

Marvin Miller Karen Hunger

Margaret Perez Jane Seils

Sue Peterson *Moderator

Church Office Hours Monday thru Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

*Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

*Try to remember the Pastor’s day off is Friday. Our secretary is in the office on Friday mornings.

You can always leave a message for the Pastor with Connie, or on the church answering machine or reach her by e-mail which she ordinarily checks

daily.

Contact Information

Interim Pastor

Pastor Sonja Dalglish

[email protected]

www.hopetalks.wordpress.com

Secretary

Connie Leyva

[email protected]

Sunday Morning Schedule

8:30 a.m. Bell Choir Rehearsal

9:15 a.m. Adult Sunday Class, Parlor

9:30 a.m. Children & Youth Sunday Classes

10:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal

10:30 a.m. Worship

11:30 a.m. Fellowship Time

11:40 a.m. Chime Choir

April 21: Maundy Thursday Soup

Dinner & Worship begin at 6 p.m.

in the Fellowship Hall

April 22: Good Friday Tennebrae

Service : Worship begins at 7 p.m.

in the Sanctuary.

mailto:[email protected]



Revised Common

Lectionary Scriptures for April

Sunday, April 3

1 Sam. 16: 1-13; Ps.23; Eph. 5:8-14

John 9:1-21

Sunday, April 10

Ezek.37:1-14; Ps. 130; Rom. 8:6-11

John 11:1-45

Sunday, April 17

Matt. 21:1-11; Ps. 118:1-2, 19-29

Isa. 50:4-9a; Ps. 31:9-16; Phil. 2:5-11

Matt. 26:14-27:66 or Matt. 27: 11-54

Sunday, April 24

Acts. 10:34-43 or Jer. 31:1-6; Ps. 118:1-2,14-24;

Col. 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43

John 20:1-18 or Matt.28:1-10; Isa.25:6-9

Ps. 114; 1 Cor. 5:6b-8; Luke 24:13-49

LENTEN BIBLE STUDY: Models of Discipleship Wednesdays at noon and 6 p.m. in the Parlor.

JOHN KNOX VILLAGE: Our deacons and elders will take communion to the people of John Knox Village the third Sunday of April at 12:45 p.m. This is changing to the first Sunday beginning May.

COMMUNION & POWER OF HOPE FUND: Communion Dates to Change

The Session has voted to move our communion to the first Sunday of the month beginning with May communion on Sunday, May 1. This will put us on the same schedule as most other churches who have once a month communion. The deacons will

continue to take communion to the homebound on the same day that we have it in church. If you know of someone who is homebound and would like communion, let us know by calling the office or informing your deacon.

This is also the Sunday we receive funds for our benevolent fund “The Power of Hope Fund”. This fund is used for helping families in need find a sense of hope.

PARLOR BIBLE STUDY The Parlor Bible Study group will have their final meeting of the spring on Tuesday, April 5th. We will resume meeting again in the fall. Our first meeting will probably be Tuesday, September 6th.

MEN’S BIBLE STUDY: The Men’s Bible study and discussion group meets every Tuesday morning from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. in the church Parlor. We are studying the book of Revelations. For more information contact Tom Newcomer at 956-973-0976.

ANOTHER SS ADULT OPPORTUNITY:

What do you do while the kids are in Sunday school? Come and join us for good coffee and conversation in Room 10. God is good - and so is community.

Newsletter articles can be submitted to the

church office by:

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone/Fax: 969-1535

In person during our regular office hours

Deadlines for articles are 12:00 noon the Tuesday following regular monthly session meetings.

April 19th



The Division of Finance provides a monthly report regarding average weekly Sunday service attendance and tithes.

February 2010 Average weekly attendance: 147 Average weekly tithes and offerings: $4897.445 Average Weekly Expenses: $ 5900 All financial information is available in the church office.

Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) Your committee is working hard, meeting every other week, writing the Church Information Form. They are also listening to the voices in the community for your wisdom, longings and what excites you. The session has supplied information from you as you have expressed what you have treasured in the previous years.

Plan ahead for our special services during the Easter season: April 17th: Palm Sunday April 21st: Maundy Thursday (6:00 p.m.) April 22nd: Good Friday (7:00 p.m.) April 24th: Easter Sunrise Service

(7:00 a.m.)

Fish Coin Banks You can bring your banks to church on Easter Sunday and put them on the communion table during the gathering hymn. These gifts will add to our gifts to the One Great Hour of Sharing.

Ask the Pastor Have you heard from Cheryl and how is she doing? Cheryl has agreed to let me share what she is doing these days. Cheryl is very busy, working up to seventy hours a week at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. She is in a forty-hour a week Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) course, training to be a hospital chaplain and working up to thirty additional hours as an on-call Chaplain. In addition to that, she is doing class work for the CPE course, taking a class on Presbyterian worship on Wednesday nights, and is studying to take her final ordination exam on Worship in August. She is learning to pace herself and rest when not working. When she is not with us, she is either working or sleeping. She plans to be in worship as often as possible and regrets not being able to spend as much time with friends and congregants as before. We are thankful that she is preaching on March 27th. We are planning an appreciation fellowship for the first Sunday in April for the work she has done at FPC. She has arranged to be off that morning. Join us, please.

We will be celebrating with San Pablo Presbyterian Church on the lawn in front of their church for a 7 a.m. service. Join us! We will also have a pot luck breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt on the grounds. The 10:30 a.m. Service will feature a cantata and message. Come and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord!


We are planning our annual egg hunt that is held between the Easter breakfast and Sunday school on Easter Sunday morning. If you would like to contribute plastic eggs and/or Easter candy you can drop them off at the church office or give them to Sue Peterson. This is always a fun time for everyone and we expect a big crowd this year!

Opportunities to Serve

We need a chair and at least two additional people to serve on a Communion Subcommittee of the Worship Committee to serve for 2011. Duties: to prepare communion elements and assist in the adornment of the church - changing paraments (the colorful table cover and falls on the lectern and pulpit.) Call the office if you would like to help. Worship Committee also needs a Head Usher for 2011 to make sure that we have ushers each Sunday. In the past we have had sign-up sheets available. This is an important ministry because the ushers and greeters are the first faces that people see when they enter our church. Instructions and descriptions of the duties of the ushers are printed and available in the narthex. Call the office if you would like to serve by organizing the ushers.

The youth group will meet from 5-7 p.m. in the fellowship hall on April 3rd and 10th. There will be a special event on April 17th, details will be announced later.

Youth Mission Opportunities St. Mark’s Presbyterian Youth Group in Boerne is going on a mission trip with the Center for Student Ministries (see below) this summer from June 5-11, 2011. Obviously, they are in need of additional groups to fill the role these volunteers play during the summer. St Mark’s youth attended this very mission site last summer and came home with rave reviews: amazing experiences, very bonding for our attending youth, eye-opening for most concerning the less fortunate of this world and their approachability as well as their needs, and just an excellent application of being the hands and feet of Christ. From the adult leader’s perspective, this was a well-organized program with devoted hosts. So we recommend it! Ministry Sites Need YOUR Group! We are excited about the ministry partnerships which we have built over the years here in Houston! In the summer season, many of these ministries rely on CSM to provide hands-on love and effort to sustain their summer programs. We are happy to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to email me directly: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>, or call our Home Office (949-248-8200) to find out what dates are available. With gratitude for your partnership and support, Paul Randall CSM Houston City Director

Getting the Word Out In our effort to get the good news out that God loves and cares about this world and all the people in it, we now have a church blog. Stop by and read the blog and make a comment at hopetalks.wordpress.com. My goal is to post three times a week - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This is a high goal for your pastor. If you have ideas for conversation, please let me know.



http://hopetalks.wordpress.com/


Session Snippets March 21, 2011 Meeting

The Session welcomes questions about church

activities and asks everyone to pray for our ruling

elders, deacons, congregation, community, and the

world at large.

1. The Youth want to raise money for relief

efforts in Japan. Along with the

Environmental Committee, they are looking

into selling water bottles and non-woven

grocery bags adorned with Christian

symbols.

2. On Friday, March 25, 2011, the Valley Youth

Connection meets at our church for a Four

Square Tournament to raise money for Su

Casa de Esperanza.

3. Session reviewed a letter from the

Executive Presbyter Mission Presbyter,

Hilary Shuford, and received a report on the

Presbytery meeting held in San Antonio on

March 4-5, 2011.

Mission Presbytery recently did an

analysis of time worked by paid staff

and volunteers for 2010. 71% of the

time was done by volunteers!

• We received more than $5,500 for

camp scholarships to John Knox

Ranch at the meeting.

• Many think that an administrative

commission (AC) from presbytery is

bad news for a church. However, an

AC was sent to Genesis Presbyterian

Church in Austin, a church with less

than 40 average Sunday attendees

that felt it could not continue to

exist as a congregation. After

meeting with the AC, the session of

the church decided to try

redevelopment.

Genesis Presbyterian Church is now

more than twice the size it was

when the process began and is

completely self-sustaining!

4. The Pastor Nominating Committee has met

three times and is now meeting every two

weeks. They are currently working on the

Church Information Form.

5. The Dream Team report was presented and

will be discussed at a special Session

meeting after worship on April 10, 2011.

6. Pastor Sonja led a discussion on the Growth

and Five Marks of a Healthy Congregation.

Worship

Growth

Service

Invitation

Connection

We’ll add a sixth: Eating together

Join us for an appreciation fellowship on Sunday, April 3, following worship. We will celebrate Chery Lindstrom and all her work as the Creative Arts Director at FPC! We thank her for starting and working with the many creative groups FPC has.


Presbyterian Ladies Present

Annual Style Show &

Luncheon Saturday, April 2, 2011

11:00 a.m.

Bowie Hall

First Presbyterian Church 566 North Reagan

San Benito, Texas 78586

399-2235

Clothes provided by

Lo Ree’s Dress Shop, Lola’s Boutique

Jewelry by Classy Creations

Donation $10.00

Winter Texans please stop by or call

the Church Office

and give us your home address for our

newsletter mailing.

Traveling Mercies Blessings of safe travel for our Winter Texans as you head home to Kansas, Arkansas, Alberta, Canada, Michigan, and many other places north. You have been a blessing to this

community of faith. You remind me of the recent lectionary passage about Abraham being a blessing to the nations. You are living that inheritance of being a blessing with your lives and witness. May God bless and keep you and bring you back. We have missed some of our winter friends this year. May God bless and keep you. We hope that we may see you again. You are precious to us.

APRIL

BIRTHDAYS

James Williams 1

Wayne Vinkemulder 5

Robert Jolma 6

Melissa Jones 21

Helen Willhite 22

Dennis McFarlane 22

Don Cornell 24

Dan Budimir 25

Zita Cabote 26

Marie Haney 27

Brent Barbee 28


I want to thank everyone who participated in the Dream Team initiative by offering prayers, ideas, and insights. We had a good mix of ages and groups who participated either by completing a written questionnaire or participating in a brainstorming session. A report was submitted to the Session on March 21, 2011, and a special Session meeting will be held in April to pray and discuss what God is calling this congregation to do. Although many specific and general ideas were submitted, hands on mission opportunities followed by relevant and inspiring education and worship rose to the top. Results of the Dream Team results will be printed in future newsletters. Please keep our church, congregation, session and Pastor Sonja in your prayers while we plan for our church’s future.

Debby Rektorik Dream Team Chair

Thank You Thank you to all who help smooth the way of this community of faith. We face challenges to living every day. Recently, we experienced a number of them in worship. I am grateful for all the people who just step in and help at a moment's notice. You are a loving, mission minded community, and flexible, being able to go from overhead displays to hymnals and back again.

Pastor Sonja

New Apps (Applications for smart phones) In iTunes, or on your phones, you can search for two new apps that have relevance to helping your children grow spiritually. Search “Tru Home” and “Rio Family.” Tru Home has conversation starters about faith for use at dinner tables and in car trips.

We will be collecting Hygiene Kits for the disaster relief through Sunday, April 10, 2011. The instructions are in

the Church Office, if you need them. Approximately one-third of the One Great Hour of Sharing offering will be designated as disaster relief for the earthquake and tsunami victims.

WOMEN of FAITH OVER the TOP Conference

San Antonio, TX Join us, October 21-22, for the Women of Faith conference. This year’s theme “God loves us more than we know. He gives us more than we can ask or dream. He’s unrestrained …

excessive…outrageous…Over the top.”

For more information call Sharon Newcomer or the Church office. Flyers are available in the Church Office.


Special Thanks To Our Recent Hosts and Musicians

PIANISTS:

Sherri Bagwell

ORGANIST: Jeffery Figueroa

FLOWER HOSTS:

Marsh Family Ordway Family Marlene Reid

LITURGISTS: Melissa Jones Sue Peterson Bruce Walker Camille Jones

FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: Bagwell Family Meyerink Family

ACOLYTES

Rawley Vaughn Quinlan Vos Jonah Dyer

Bailey Bagwell

If you would like to donate flowers for worship,

or if you would like to be a fellowship host/hostess, you may sign up on charts located in the Fellowship Hall or call the

Church Office.


Please pray for our troops and all the families with loved ones in the Middle East. Do you know of others? If anyone is not on the list that needs to be, or if you have an addition, please contact the church office. MILITARY PERSONNEL Clint Gebke (Polly Lovell’s grandson) Spc. Doughlas Walker (Bruce Walker’s son) Mickel Fernández Jim Rogers (Jim & Barbara Roger’s son) Lucas Anderson (Orlen Anderson’s grandson) Terry Osheim Jonathon Osheim Joseph Osheim (Sharon Newcomer’s nephews)

STATE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES Eric Whitaker based in Nairobi, Kenya

(Carmen Whitaker’s son)

Jonita Whitaker based in Basra, Iraq

First Presbyterian Church, Mission Statement: In response to God’s Power at Work within us, The Weslaco First Presbyterian Church offers hope in Christ through opportunities to learn and serve.

If you have someone you would like the Prayer Chain members to pray for, please call (968-6478) or email

[email protected] so this person can be added to our list. If anyone needs to be removed from the list, also contact Jane.

SHORT TERM LIST

Thomas January Connor Cruz Ruth Armstrong Randy Petch Jennifer McDaniel Amy Scott Beth Moore Marti Dyrk Raul and Carla Leal Marion Scott Tom Kruze Casey Damen

Jay Tirrel (Shirley Anderson’s son) Clyde Pellett Alan Landers (Doris’s son-in-law) Jerri Lantz Sandra Williams (Ellen Williams’s daughter-in-law) Gerardo Mendoza (Ana Maria “Anita’s son)

Mary Lou Lovell (Polly Lovell’s daughter)

Tom Thompson (Margaret’s brother-in-law)

Robert Pratt (Bob Ordway’s friend)

Jeanette Roe Pamela Dueñas

LONG TERM LIST

Dora Aldrich Melanie Liesner Sibyl Mattar Bob Jolma D J McGroarty Chris Anderson David Salazar Alex Rodriquez Phil Timmer (Sherri Bagwell’s cousin) Mary Jane Lofton Nancy Smith (Kathy Sornson’s sister) Bette Fasano Clayton Vicars (Linda Kopecky’s grandson)

Dorothy French Lois Alexander (Phyllis Walker’s step mother) Linda Evans (Bob Ordway’s sister) Gavyn (Karen Hunger’s friend)

SHUT-INS & FRIENDS

Juanita Pointer Arlene Waughtal Delores Rettig Juanita Cloninger Fran Pellett Millie Johansen Joe Barbee Dorothy Warren Katie Carter Isaac and Doris Botts



Thanksgivings for the Life and Ministry of

Pastor Cindy Ordway (August 15, 1953-March 9, 2010)

on the Celebration of the First Anniversary of her Death Collected in Worship, March 13, 2011

1. Pastor Cindy taught us to share our church with the community. We are thankful for her mission vision. 2. Cindy ministered to me when I suffered great emotional pain in the loss of two loved ones. At that time, I was not even a member of this church. I am so grateful that she cared. I needed her very much. 3. Cindy helped us become acquainted with many in the congregation from our meeting her and others for “What a Burger breakfasts.” This was a great little activity! Ron and Alice Talbert, Winter Texans from Arkansas 4. We prayed before, during and after session, worship, Sunday school and times together. She brought us closer to Christ. 5. The thing I liked about Cindy is that she always gave us stuff of God. 6. For the encouragement and inspiration to bring me to my calling. Her words spoke Christ into my life. 7. I appreciated her smile, hand shake and welcoming attitude for me a new attendee to this church. 8. Her showing love - to all and we giving back to her. 9. I’m grateful for all of the marvelous gifts of love and time that all of the Pellets and

Ordway’s gave freely to our church. I am keeping in touch with them now. Fran Solether 10. Cindy gave us the love like a family member. She’ll be in my heart forever. She was a special person. 11. Her friendliness whether at church or meeting on the street. 12. Cindy is with the Lord. Thanks, Cindy. 13. She always really cared for each of us - We could feel her love! Peg Whitley 14. Her smile and her sense of purpose. 15. As Winter Texans, we are so grateful for this wonderful church home! Pastor Cindy’s warmth, caring and infectious smile and good humor always made us feel so welcome. Above all, her strong faith and witness of how she lived her life in His service were most inspiring. The many benefits and blessings of her work continue today. With deep and sincere thanks. Keith and Linda Nesbitt 16. I am grateful for Cindy’s spirit and her spirituality. Her life was so centered in God and by her example; I think our church became closer to God and His Loving Spirit. 17. Cindy was such a special blessing to all of us and so interested in our Weslaco community. Her time was always for others - a truly Godly person we will always remember with love. Polly 18. Cindy Inspired Me to Write as the Spirit Moved Me. 19. Cindy was one in a million. She was always there when each & everyone needed her. She brought humor and love to everyone that had the privilege to know her. 20. Cindy will always be in our hearts. 21. We loved her and miss her - she touched our hearts with love. 22. What a witness to all. What Love and faithfulness. 23. Cindy brought us to First Presbyterian & we give God thanks for her and we remember her with love.


24. God bless Cindy for her ministry on earth and her peace in heaven. 25. Cindy knew & loved each of us - and we felt her love through her love of Jesus. 26. Thank you for your wonderful sermons. Even though I didn’t know you well, I felt comfortable around you. You welcomed me to this church and made me feel at home. I will never forget you. Elizabeth Escobar 27. Remembering Pastor Cindy’s dynamic, alive and inspiring spirit. Jesus’ love shone through her life among us. She will always be with me in my walk with the Lord. Emily Clutton 28. Cindy greeted us at the door after the first service we attended here at 1st Presbyterian, Weslaco with a warm gracious smile and hug. What an introduction to the church (the people) who have become our winter church family. I will never forget. Gavin Clutton 29. In my time of need, she was always there for me. 30. One of Cindy’s strong points was to teach us to pray more. We also stressed how important it is to read and study scripture. She helped to get us to love one another. 31. Because she was always there for me. She was so strong. 32. Cindy’s special ministry to children. I remember when our fellowship hall was vandalized; she used this to extend our church’s ministry to children. 33. Cindy remarked to me that she wondered if she was doing what God wanted her to do and if she was a success. 34. Pastor Cindy was so accepting, loving and kind to us as winter Texans. She made us feel so welcome in our homes away from home. We loved meeting at Whataburger with her. I miss her. 35. I appreciated Pastor Cindy’s intelligence, her knowledge of scripture, her ability to draw young people into the church, but most of all, I loved and appreciated her sense of humor. Mary Mattar 36. I remember her dynamic leadership and her great love for the children in our congregation.

37. Thank you for showing us/me patience and how fun being a Christian can be. Thank you. 38. I am thankful for her focus on prayer first and using that as the basis for everything, especially service. 39. We did not always agree, but Cindy was always there. We miss her so much. 40. For her caring, loving of her congregation. I miss her. 41. Thank you, Cindy, for helping me in my time of loss of Bill. 42. Pastor Cindy Ordway - talented, original, leader, delightful, contagious enthusiasm, comfortable, pixie, dedicated, purposeful, thoughtful, giving, unselfish, lovely reflection of God - a lovely role model to have in my life. Lynn Carter 43. I love how she welcomed us into this church and encouraged us to be a part of this church. Her presentations in her sermons were something to behold, out of the ordinary and awesome. What a wonderful way to get the message across. K. Hunger 44. Pastor Cindy got our family back to church. I am grateful for that. She listened to my grief and comforted me. I don’t understand why God would take her. 45. I am thankful for her vision in reaching out to people in ways that had not been done before. 46. I am thankful for her teaching, caring, and loving us so much.

first presbyterian church newsletter 3-21-11.pdf · the parlor bible study group will have their...

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