I’ve been enjoying preaching on the nevertheless’ of the Bible. The series is based on a little book called, “Nevertheless”, by Mark Rutland. My family and I used it for a devotional one year over vacation. It’s a tiny book, but it sure packs a punch. That’s because the word, “nevertheless”, packs a punch too. Life is hard. Most of the time it’s a whirlwind of stress, heartbreak, and struggle. Many times that is just one day, let alone all of our days. Of course, there are many joys and blessings too, but in the face of so much tough stuff and so many worldly claims, we so need nevertheless. Nevertheless, we are forgiven. Nevertheless, we have a Savior. Nevertheless, His character is full of grace. Nevertheless, He loves the whole world and wants no one to perish. Nevertheless, it’s all true. Praise God!

Pastor Drew

Philippians 1:3-6

NEWS

February 2019

Pastor Drew’s Views: Nevertheless

Website: www.fpcgriffin.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/FPCGriffin

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Praise the Lord! Over 1.1 million shoeboxes were collected in 2018!! Based on 57 shoeboxes FPC reported (and 8 completed online), we earned 2 complimentary tickets to Stone Mountain Park during the 2019 season! Thank you for your participation!! Remember to collect shoebox items year-round. Now is the time to get hats, gloves and scarves. Think about WOW! gifts when you see all the stuffed animals for Valentine’s Day—or when they go on sale after Valentine’s.

Mission, Outreach, & Evangelism

2

Jesus said “Go”, so let’s GO! Here are some opportunities to serve together with unconditional “agape” love (sign ups in the Narthex or just call the church office):

Cereal Sunday

The first Sunday of each month, FPC Griffin has the honor to participate in "CEREAL SUN-DAY". We ask members to bring bags or boxes of dry cereal and place them in the grocery cart located in the Narthex, near the wing of the Children's hall. This FOOD PANTRY minis-try provides many poor and homeless individuals a nutritious meal that can either be eaten dry or with milk. Please bring cereal on Sunday, February 3rd.

Abundant Life Soup Kitchen

We will serve together again at the soup kitchen on Tuesday, February 12 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. If you haven’t tried this yet, it is a great opportunity to serve in our community with the love of Christ and also get the word out about who we are.

Aluminum cans needed!

Please help Tim and me with our mission. We do the breast cancer walk every

year. We have sold cans for years to help the cause. The money we get is doubled

by Altria. Just think how much we can raise if we make this a church effort. A

large trash can has been placed in the narthex for you to place aluminum drink

cans in. Please put cans in a bag to eliminate leakage. Since 2006 Tim and I have

walked over a thousand miles and raised approximately $50,000.00. Thanks for

your help and support.

Becki and Tim Brown

Cereal Sunday

We delivered 27 boxes of cereal and 3 miscel-

laneous items of the food pantry in January.

Thanks for supporting this important ministry.

Guest Speaker

Ben Mathes of Mission Hope (formerly Rivers of the World) will be here on February 3rd during our worship service.

3

Notes from Stepping Stones teachers and students

Thank you so much for the gift for our baby room. Connie, Denise & Kaitlyn

Thanks! So much for my gifts for my class. They are so much needed. My students will enjoy all the play-doh and all the other items. Have a Wonderful New Year. L. Guider

Here’s a quote: “Dear Pastor Elling and First Presbyterian, Thank you all for providing so many supplies to our classes at Stepping Stones School. As a non-profit, our school and students deeply appreciate con-tributions to aid in teaching them. May God bless you as you bless others! Sincerely, Ginger Baker (Teacher)”

Congregational Care

4

The Newsletter is displayed on the big bulletin board across from the office.

Check out the news and what’s going on at FPC!

The Congregational Care Ministry Team welcomes new Elders Bonnie Pfrogner and Bill Baldwin to the team. If you have or know of any needs or concerns, please contact Debbie Hammond, Bonnie, Bill, Lou Baldwin, Sharon Day, Bill Day or Tim Brown. This team meets the second Sunday of each month. Our next meeting has been moved to Sunday, February 17 after the worship service due to the luncheon Sunday, February 10.

We need a Meal Coordinator for February; additional members to assist with set up and clean up for meals or special events; as well as, ideas for church outings, men’s and women’s events, fam-ily events and a “Welcome Basket” for new members. Help us join in fellowship and show our support for each other and our community.

NO WEDNESDAY POTLUCK SUPPER IN FEBRUARY!

INSTEAD… JOIN US SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, FOR

LUNCH AFTER WORSHIP

Meat will be provided (donations will be appreciated)

Bring your favorite side or dessert

Reservation needed – slips in the Feb 3 bulletin or

call the church office by Tuesday, Feb 5

An account in Take Them A Meal (www.takethemameal.com) for Vince and Karen Kiley has been updated with code number 4105. Please consider signing up to take them a meal.

LOOKING AHEAD…

MARCH 6 – ASH WEDNESDAY

MARCH 13 - MESSIAH IN THE PASSOVER (SEE NEXT PAGE)

5

Darlene Chipman Pruitt Health Monroe

4796 Highway 42 North Forsyth, GA 31209

Richard & Jane Gaston

1809 Maple Drive Griffin, GA 30224

Joyce Jones

1401 Macon Road Griffin, GA 30224

Ione Kelly 3223 Newnan Rd., P-9

Griffin, GA 30223

Connie Kendrick Breman Jewish Home

3150 Howell Mill Road NW Atlanta, GA 30327-2108

Donna Krepps

1705 Oak Knoll Road Griffin, GA 30223

Marty Lang

201 Crosstown Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269

Anne Mixon Brightmoor Assisted Living

3223 Newnan Rd. Griffin, GA 30223

Michael & Maggie Rockholt

1211 Pebble rock Road Hampton, GA 30228

Richard Turner

929 Springer Drive Griffin, GA 30224

Remember our shut-ins. Send a “Thinking About You” card or note.

First Presbyterian Church of Griffin

Wed., March 13th 6:00 PM

Christian Education

6

1st and 3rd Men’s Fellowship

Men! We are meeting at Chick-fil-a on the 1st and 3rd Mondays at 8 a.m. (Taylor Street). Join us Feb. 4th ONLY for fellowship, a short devotional and prayer. There will be no 1st and 3rd on President’s Day, Feb. 18th.

For Kindergarten through

5th grade

Men’s Pancake Breakfast at the church will be back

soon - we’ll keep you posted!

The Bethel Bible Study is under way. Join us Tuesday eve-nings from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The plan is to study the whole Bible over the next two years! Contact Pastor Herb or Pastor Drew for more information.

Children

Hope Town News In this series, kids will learn that God did things that seemed impossible and unbelievable, but those things were very real ways of showing us His power and His heart. This series will teach kids that God cares about us when we are sick, Jesus cares about us when we’re afraid, Jesus can provide for our needs, and Jesus can do the impossible.

February Church-wide Memory Verse

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit

Blast will meet on Wednesday, February 6, from 5:30 to 6:30.

Facilities

7

Youth

“We’re meant to be.” It’s how all of our favorite movies, songs, and books talk about love—as if the secret to an amazing relationship is a little bit of destiny, a whole bunch of feelings, and a

tiny dash of magic. So it makes sense, when we observe the not-so-perfect, real-life relationships

modeled by our friends, parents, and favorite celebrities, that we might start to wonder,

“Wait—is that how relationships are meant to be?” In this 4-week series, you’ll give students a better lens for evaluating their current and future dating relationships as you help them see that the secret to a relationship that’s “meant to be”

is to stay close to Jesus.

The children’s wing closet and shelves were painted and new base board was applied by the Facilities

Ministry Team.

Beautiful job - Thanks to all who helped!

Upcoming events for PYF:

*Super Bowl party on February 3rd

during PYF * Chick-Fil-A night on February 15

th at 5pm

* Lock In on February 22nd

starting at 6pm and pick up is at 11am

We serve in February

Session meeting

The next regular Session meeting will be Sunday, February 24th after worship.

Just a reminder

The church leadership team/staff meets most Tuesday mornings from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. If we don’t answer the phone, please leave a

message and we will call you back soon.

The office closes at noon every Friday.

February Elder in Charge

Art Hammond

Church Hour Nursery Age Limits

The nursery during the church hour is for

children in Pre-K and below. No child older

than 4 should be in there. This is for the

safety of our toddlers.

Thanks for your cooperation,

Your CE Ministry Team

Communion Servers February 3

Art Hammond, Captain Andy Musser Mike Biddle

Tom Baynham Ed Springer, Sr.

Joe Bailey Ina Jones

Ralph Jones Jim Skinner Open slot

Children’s Message

February 3 - no children’s message February 10 - Sid Esary February 17 - Diane Gordon February 24 - Hannah Lentz

Chip Reahard, Capt. Robin Reahard Wendy Biddle Sid Esary John Aldridge, Alt.

8

Feb. 3 - Hannah Lentz Feb. 10 - Cindy Baynham Feb. 17 - Roger Soons Feb. 24 - Bill Johnson

Newsletter deadline for the March

newsletter is February 14th.

We Are Grateful....

Communion will be served on February

3rd for Epiphany.

9

The church office will be closed Monday, February 18th, for Presidents’ Day.

Griffin-Spalding Schools Winter break is February 18 – 22.

Owens Corning Insulation Plant located in Fairburn, Ga. has provided an extremely generous donation of R-19 insulation to First Presbyteri-an Church of Griffin. Plant manager, Hal Gadient, along with Tommy Willis, Willie Wal-ters, Abby Donnell, and David Shelby made this all possible. Pictured on the left is Tommy with Willie. Unfortunately Plant Man-ager, Mr. Gadient, was not available as he was overseas on business. Thank you Owens Corning for your most generous donation!

Dates & Stuff

2/4 - Sowah & Cindie Simmonds 2/7/1998 - Bill & Mary Johnson

2/20 - Michael & Maggie Rockholt

1 - John Craig 3 - Lynn Mitchell 3 - Lisa Singley

4 - Cindie Hayward-Simmonds 6 - Gary Hollums 8 - Larry Horton 8 - Jan Rogers

9 - Megan Hamilton 11 - Wayne Griggs

12- Seth Norris 14 - Jackson Elling 15 - Jack Singley

16 - Mary Frances Harwell 20 - Diane Gordon 22 - Anna Johnson

22 - Garrett Johnson 22 - Macy Pippin 23 - Gwen Ziegler

25 - Doug Tingle, Jr. 26 -Ashley Moran 28 - Darren Norris

29 - Bonnie Pfrogner

1349 Macon Road Griffin, GA 30224

The Women of the Church Bible Study

The Women of the Church will meet on Tuesday morning, February 12, at 10:15 for our monthly Bible Study and time of fellowship.

We will be studying "God With Us Through Our Trials,"

starting on page 51 of our Study Book.

Scriptures to be used are: Isaiah 41:8-13 Isaiah 43:1-7

Psalm 46:1-11. All women are invited.

If you need a study book, or want more information, please contact

Camille Berry (770-227-3901 or berry3901@comcast.net)