more good newsfpchastingsmn.org/uploads/1/2/4/2/124269873/... · ~ 1 ~ more good news feb. 2019...

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More Good NewsFeb. 2019

Volume 20 #2

February

at a Glance

Feb. 310:30 AM Worship

w/ Communion

Feb. 4Session 6:30 PM

Feb. 10

10:30 AM Worship

Feb. 14Heifer Project Wrap Up

Feb 15

Newsletter deadline

Feb. 1710:30 AM Worship

Scrip order due

Feb.2410:30 AM Worship

OVation concert 3 PM

Mission Statement of 1st Presbyterian Church, HastingsFollowing Christ, we strive to love and serve the world so

that all may grow in faith and experience true joy.

From the Pastor’s Desk

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2 NRSV For years, I have loved this verse from scripture. My first job was working at Saint Benedict’s retreat center in Madison, WI. Centuries ago Benedict said, “A monastery is never without guests” and urged that: “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ.” I remember being so impressed with the idea that we were to treat every person we encountered that way. The leaders felt that if the center regularly exercises enough hospitality so as to attract guests, it is a monastery. If it doesn’t, it is not.” That might also be a description of a church? “If it regularly exercises enough hospitality so as to attract guests, it is a church. If it doesn’t, it isn’t.” How are we doing being welcoming? How does a stranger become a friend within our community of faith? What is the journey from first time at worship to long-time member? Every one of us had a first Sunday, when we were strangers. How do we offer welcome and how often do we invite people to join with us in worship? At First Presbyterian, I am delighted at the new things we are doing to be welcoming. Our concert series for the community is a wonderful example of inviting everyone to experience music in our sanctuary.

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A number of months ago, I had a nice experience of receiving hospitality in an unexpected place – the local Post Office. After a day filled with things like waiting on hold for over an hour and my computer acting up, I headed off to mail a package to my daughter overseas. My facial expression must have conveyed some sense of how the day had gone for me when a very cheerful voice said “Looks like you could use a weekend.” I laughed, smiled, and explained that as a pastor my weekend starts Sunday afternoon, this was only Friday. He laughed and then began to help me find the quickest and most cost effective way to ship a birthday present to Africa. I went in feeling like I was doing just another chore and I left with a feeling of how kind it was to have someone extend a touch of humor and hospitality. I’ll be back there! May we, as people of Good News, help extend welcome to all in this new year. Grace and Gratitude, Dan Yeazel

First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, 602 Vermillion Street, Hastings, MN, www.fpchastingsmn.org

Dan on Sunday, Jan. 20 demonstrating that by keeping

your focus on the eye of the peacock feather, you can balance

it, even on your nose.

Pastor Dan can be reached anytime on his cell phone, 608-239-6980. His email is [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

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The OVation Mixed Chorus will be performing at First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, February 24th at 3:00. This concert is free and has been made possible with a grant from the Twin Cities Presbytery. A freewill offering to benefit the Love is Love Alliance will be taken.

OVation is the portable version of One Voice Mixed Chorus - a small ensemble of 12-15 singers that brings One Voice's music and our message almost anywhere. One Voice Mixed Chorus is Minnesota’s only --- and one of the nation’s largest --- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight allies (LGBTA) chorus. Founded in 1988, One Voice has been “building community and creating social change by raising our voices in song” for 30 years.

Join us in a program of Broadway show tunes about love and romance! Refreshments in the fellowship hall will be served.

Community Concert Series

OVation Mixed Chorus

We will need greeters and ushers, as well as help with the reception and cleanup. Please look for the sign-up sheet on the kiosk.

Scrips Fund-raising OrderIt is time for another Scrips order. Kristin Blevins will be submitting an order on Feb. 17th. There are lists

and order forms downstairs. Remember each gift card you purchase earns First Presbyterian money.

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Heifer ProjectWe’re going to work with Heifer Project again this year. Last year we raised close to $400 and were able to get a water buffalo, a goat and a flock of chickens. Perhaps we can we raise even more this year? Target date to end our collection will be Valentine’s Day. You can continue to feed that funny-looking piggy bank on the kiosk, or you can make out checks to the church, with the designation that it’s for Heifer Project. If you have any questions, please contact Carlotta or Mary.

Doing Good Together: Empathy and Caring for Our Community

Saturday, February 2, 11 a.m. to Noon at Tilden Community Center

Hastings Reads is a community wide reading project that focuses on everyone reading a book, and then participating in group discussions. This year Hastings

Reads will be part of the citywide Diversity and Inclusion project.

To kick off Hastings Reads, come together for an intergenerational conversation about how we can build a more empathetic and interconnected understanding of our

diverse community—and learn to think more inclusively about groups of people beyond our immediate circle. Life is simply more interesting and more fun when we celebrate our differences—different hobbies, different foods, different music—while also remembering how much we have in common. We’ll talk about the benefits of

being a welcoming community and brainstorm ways we can share kindness, concern, and respect. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a fun, hands-

on project that makes a difference for those in need.

See hastingsreads.com for names of books and additional information.

Hastings Reads Kickoff Event!

Bells will resume in March. Watch for the schedule next month. Contact Marcia Rash with any questions.

Bell Choir News

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Apocrypha Bible StudyComing Soon

The apocrypha is a selection of books which were published in the original 1611 King James Bible. These apocryphal books were positioned between the Old and New Testament (it also contained maps and genealogies). The apocrypha was a part of the KJV for 274 years until being removed in 1885 A.D.

Many claim the apocrypha should never have been included in the first place, raising doubt about its validity and believing it was not God-inspired. Others believe it is valid and that it should never have been removed since it was considered part of the Bible for nearly 2,000 years. Some say it was removed because the books were not found in the original Hebrew manuscripts. Others claim it wasn't removed by the church, but by printers to cut costs in distributing Bibles in the United States. Both sides tend to cite the same verses that warn against adding or subtracting from the Bible: Revelation 22:18. The word 'apocrypha' means 'hidden.' Fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls dating back to before 70 A.D. contained parts of the apocrypha books in Hebrew, including Sirach and Tobit.

Referencing these books, Martin Luther said, "Apocrypha--that is, books which are not regarded as equal to the holy Scriptures, and yet are profitable and good to read."

Books of the Apocrypha

1 Esdras 2 EsdrasTobitJudithAdditions to EstherWisdom of SolomonEcclesiasticus (Sirach)Baruch

Letter of JeremiahPrayer of AzariahSusannaBel and the DragonPrayer of Manasseh1 Maccabees2 Maccabees

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The Recipe Corner Please send your recipies to Becky Tiefenbruck at [email protected] or put them in the newsletter box in the office.

1 #3 Pork Roast1 Can of Pinto beans (rinse)1 Can of green enchilada sauce1 Can of Rotel Tomatoes-Mexican Style12 Tortillas1 Bag of Cheddar cheese1 Bunch of Cilantro

Put roast in Crock-Pot and cook for 6-8 hours. When pork is done, and falling apart, take 2 forks and shred pork. Add beans, Rotel and green enchilada sauce and cook for additional hour. Heat tortillas, cheese and cilantro in frying pan. Put meat on top and eat!!!

Mexican Shredded Porksubmitted by Sonia Christian

No Peek Pork Chopsalso submitted by Sonia Christian

2# of boneless pork chops1 Package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix1 Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup½ bag of egg noodles Mix soup mix, can of soup, and ½ can of water. Add pork chops to mix and bake at 350 for 2 hours. No peeking! Cook noodles 20 minutes before meat is done. Serve meat and gravy over noodles.

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Winter Evening by Georg Trakl

When snow falls against the window,Long sounds the evening bell...

For so many has the tableBeen prepared, the house set in order.

From their wandering, many

Come on dark paths to this gateway.The tree of grace is flowering in gold

Out of the cool sap of the earth.

In stillness, wanderer, step in:Grief has worn the threshold into stone.

But see: in pure light, glowingThere on the table: bread and wine.

"How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year!"

--Thomas Wentworth Higginson

"The hard soil and four months of snow make the inhabitants of the northern temperate zone wiser and abler than his fellow who enjoys the fixed smile of the tropics. "

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Feb. 17

Lay Leaders

February 2019 Servers

Greeters

Feb. 10

Ushers

Rashes

Tayson/Wittkopf

Christians

Tiefenbrucks

Marcia Rash

Grant Tiefenbruck Communion Preparers: Helen Ott and Carolyn Blumeyer

Communion Server: Dennis Brown

Feb. 3 Mary Crawmer

Humes

Bible Readings This Month

February 10Isa. 6: 1–8 (9–13) Psalm 138 1 Cor.15: 1–11 Luke 5: 1–11

February 17Jer. 17: 5-10Ps. 11 Cor. 15: 12-20Luke 6: 17-26

February 24Gen.45: 3–11, 15 Psalm 37: 1–11, 39–40 1 Cor. 15: 35–38, 42–50 Luke 6: 27–38

Feb. 24 Carlotta Mullins

Browns

February 3Jer. 1: 4-10Ps. 71: 1-61 Cor. 13: 1-13Luke 4: 21-30

Becky Tiefenbruck Kristin Blevins

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Session Minutes for December 10, 2018 A stated meeting of the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, MN was held at 6:35 PM in the Fellowship Hall of the church on December 12, 2018. Elders Present: Class of 2019: Dennis Brown, Mary CrawmerClass of 2020: Brenda Reiter, Karen AltpeterClass of 2021: Grant Tiefenbruck, Marcia RashAbsent: None Clerk’s Report: Minutes from November were approved. Kathy Underwood, a longtime member, died on December 3, 2018. Communion was served on December 2, 2018. End of year reports to Presbytery and General Assembly are in progress. Treasurer’s Report – Marcia had a couple exhibits which showed that pledges are up this year, mostly because people who normally give wrote down their commitment this year. Expenses in the proposed budget are following the actuals. We do have some cushion going into this month. We are having trouble getting statements from Wells Fargo. Mary will investigate this. The maintenance portion of the budget is getting used by the lift, the organ, and the trees. M/S/C Proposed 2019 budget prepared by Marcia. M/S/C to allocate $250 to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and $250 to Presbytery for our mission giving in 2018. M/S/C For 2019, we shall repeat the same formula for the mission giving. Foundation Report – $226,391 in Vanguard as of mid-November. There are other monies at Merchants Bank in the form of Certificates of Deposit. Pastor’s Report – He had a good meeting at Presbytery. Some free help from Greg Bolt, pastor in Redwing, advising about the website. Vacation ideas for March 2019 in Seattle 3/11-3/17 for Continuing Education purposes and 3/18 – 3/24 would be vacation. Presbytery – No report Deacons – Deacons showed great willingness to assist with communion delivery to shut-ins as well as visitation to identified persons from the review of the directory. M/S/C to receive all the reports above. Committee Reports Building and Grounds – Dennis – Rivertown Trees has submitted a bill for tree removal for the tree on the SW corner of the Education Wing. Materials from Audio Logic arrived today that advertised the advanced hearing assist systems. Dan will be following up to ask them to come here to observe the situation. The elevator repairman will be here tomorrow. Some mat materials may be available from Wal-Mart to address the North entrance issue with ice on the walk way. Fellowship – Brenda – The next potluck will be at the annual meeting on January 20th.

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Christian Education – No Report. Mission – Mary – The Adopt A Family campaign was successful, and they were pleased. Starting Heifer Project promotion around the beginning of 2019. Stewardship/Finance – Pledges were up, showing a belief in the future of this congregation. Worship – Karen – A jazzy Christmas Eve is being planned. The ad for the Hastings Gazette will be done again. Nominating – Grant – Elders: David Hume and Carlotta Mullins Deacons: Sylvia Tayson. We anticipate a full slate of candidates. M/S/C to receive the committee reports. Old Business – None New Business – Annual Meeting will be on January 20 after the 10:30 worship service. The next stated meeting of Session will be on January 7, 2019 at 6:30 PM at the church. Brenda closed the meeting with prayer at 8:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Grant TiefenbruckClerk of Session



10:30 Worshipw/Communion

10:30 Worship

Ann Lewis

Russ Fish

Heifer Project wrap-up

Tom Trutna

Arthur Whipple

Session6:30 PM

Kathryn Norris

10:30 Worship

Bernice Wittkopf

Scrip order due

Chris Derose Most

Groundhog Day

10:30 Worship

OVationConcert3 PM

First Presbyterian Church

602 Vermillion Street

Hastings, MN 55033

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