news from the pews april 2021 - cheyenne, wy | first
TRANSCRIPT
The Season of Lent In April we enter the very heart of the Gospel. Holy Week begins on March 28 with Palm Sunday and continues through Easter on
April 4. Our Lenten sermon series this year has been following the ministry of our Lord Jesus as told through the Gospel of Mark. Mark is the shortest of the gospels and its focus is on how Jesus taught his followers to be disciples.
A disciple is a dedicated follower of Jesus, but in
biblical times this meant more than just being a student.
In biblical times a disciple imitated the life and teaching
of their master. To be a disciple was to be an apprentice
that sought to become a living copy of the master. Each
day of Holy Week, we can learn a lesson of what it
means to live our lives like Jesus, as a disciple of Jesus.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a
colt on which his disciples had placed their garments.
Jesus was entering into Jerusalem as a humble King. In
Zechariah 9:9 the prophet wrote, “Rejoice greatly, O
daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo,
your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a
donkey.” Jesus’ entrance on a colt was also a statement
of peace. If a king entered a city on a colt or a donkey,
they were arriving in peace. As disciples, we are to live
humbly seeking to live in peace.
On Maundy Thursday, Jesus gathered with his
disciples to observe the Passover meal and to institute
the Lord’s Supper. Against the background of
celebrating God’s rescuing his people from slavery in
Egypt, Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s
Supper so that we might celebrate God’s rescuing all of
humanity from slavery to sin. Jesus’ time with the
disciples on Thursday ended with his prayer in the
Garden of Gethsemane when he prayed to God, “Abba,
Father, remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but
what thou wilt.” Jesus trusted God at this most difficult
time. As disciples, we are to celebrate that God has
rescued us from slavery to sin and to trust God, to pray
that God’s will be done in and through our lives.
On Good Friday, Jesus willingly sacrificed himself
on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and for our
salvation. Reading Mark, we are familiar with Jesus’ last
words, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me.”
I invite you to turn to Psalm 22 and read it. You will see
Jesus quoting the first verse. If you keep reading you
will see a description of his crucifixion in Psalm 22:14-
18, his hands and feet are pierced and they divide his
garments among themselves by casting lots, just as the
soldiers did in Mark 15:24. Keep reading Psalm 22 and
you will see it ends with praise to God. As disciples, we
are to copy Jesus acts of service that cost us something
and offer our prayers and praise to God.
Finally, on Easter Jesus is risen from the dead and he
continues his ministry to his followers by appearing to
them and commissioning them to “Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” The
resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our faith, the
most important event in the Christian faith. After the
resurrection, Jesus continued his work with the disciples.
We read in Mark 16:20, “And (the disciples) went out
and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the
Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by
the signs that accompanied it.”
As we get ready to celebrate Holy Week and Easter,
may we dedicate our lives to being disciples of Jesus our
Lord. May we commit our lives to be living copies of
the life that Jesus lived, a life of humility, service,
prayer, sacrifice, and praise to God, trusting God at all
times.
Have a blessed Holy Week and a Happy Easter.
Through Christ, Pastor Bob
PW Give Away - New Dates
Since we were still digging out from the blizzard, we were unable to hold
the PW Give Away. It has been rescheduled for April 12-14.
Presbyterian Women have received donations of hooks and needles, yarn, and fabric which cannot be used for our mission projects due to fiber content or texture. We will set items out for people to come and take whatever they can use. If you have any questions, please call Kay Barnes at 778-7445 and leave a message.
This event will be held in lower CE all three days.
April 12 April 13 April 14 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
A PUBLICATION OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ~ CHEYENNE, WYOMING
NEWS from the PEWS
Rev. Bob Thomson www.firstprescheyenne.org Rev. Diana Hartman [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
April 2021
News From The Pews April 2021 Page 2
Faith & Racial Healing Facilitated by: Rev. Diana Hartman
Are you interested in learning the truth about the history
of racism in the United States and how we might work
toward true reconciliation with God and restoration with
one another? If so, Diana will present Module 2, Faith &
Racial Healing: Embracing Truth, Justice, and
Restoration as an eight-session program plus an opening
retreat and immersion experience. 8-12 folks will
participate in an atmosphere of relationship-building,
active listening, readings, videos, respectful dialogue,
and prayer. There is a commitment to attend at least 8 of
the 10 sessions.
Though Faith and Racial Healing focuses specifically on African Slaves and their descendants, it also opens participants’ eyes to patterns of injustice that affect other
people of color as well. It is presented through the lens of the Christian tradition. As with all JustFaith programs, participants explore how their faith should inform their
response to their learning, as well as discern action steps for working toward racial healing in their own communities.
Classes start April 8, from 9:00 to 11:30 am, Thursday
mornings. There is no registration fee. Each participant
will purchase 3 books, about $48 depending on your
source. Scholarships are available. You may participate
via Zoom or in-person at First Presbyterian Church.
To learn more visit: https://justfaith.org/faith-and-racial-healing-embracing-truth-justice-and-restoration/
To sign up go to: https://fir stpresbyter ianchurc20.
flocknote.com/signups/40888
For more information contact: Rev. Diana Hartman: [email protected], 638-3345.
Delores Cardona Scholarship For UW Minority Students
A special offering for University of Wyoming minority
students will be collected beginning Sunday, April 11.
This offering is an answer to a challenge of the Racial
Equity Class - “what can you do to make a difference.”
Donations can be made in your Sunday offering
envelope or mailed to First Presbyterian Church marked
“Cardona Scholarship.”
The Delores Cardona Scholarship is for minority
University of Wyoming students attending full time and
who have sophomore, junior, or senior status. They must
be a US citizen or permanent resident and a member of
one of four ethnic groups: American Indian, Asian
American, Black or African American, Hispanic.
Selection of scholarship recipients is based on
demonstrated leadership, participation in extra curricular
and community related activities, and potential to
contribute back to the ethnic minority community upon
graduation. The scholarship is not renewable and is for
one year only with review after the first semester.
Recipients must have and maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.
Delores Cardona PhD, a resident of Laramie, is a
retired Assistant Dean of Students at UW.
Mission Ministry and Session have put much thought
into this minority scholarship special offering. Please
consider a donation.
Hadyn Adams
Meryl Adams
Stacy Skoumal Adams
Nadine Amen
James Anderson
Ginger Bell Bob Bernhardt
Gail Blackwell
Gray Blattmann
Dr. Richard Brown
Minnie Bunley
Bryan Burrows
Barbara Clark Gina Courtade
Heather Davis
Robert Drummond
Kaitlyn Fansler
Mike Forister
TJ Forwood Kevin Gallagher
Adam George
John Gorman
Carmen Grubbs
Dolores Gunn
Sam Gusea Ruth Hale
Tim Hale
Tamiecka Hamm
The Hart Family
Safia Hauswirth
Robert Hawk
Geraldine Hayes Sherry Hayes
Ray Hernandez
Jamie Herrera
Christina Hill
Kelly Jensen
Charlie Johnson Lauri Lamm
Ann Lembke
Debbie Lenhart
William Loftus
David Lopez, Sr.
Sheila Lutz Sharon Mason
Kathy Lee Montgomery
Milton Morris
Ardyce Murdoch
Kari Murdoch
Rosemary Novario
Kim Olson Catherine Pacheko
Dale & Aurthur Petersen
Brooke Pratt
Tyler Pratt
Carol Rieser
Ricky Roland Celia Schadel
Don Schrader
Jeannie Smith
Dick Spomer
Marilyn St. John
Don Stang Mary Tolle
Lisa Trapanis
Larry Twidwell
Georgia Valdon
Bob Wensky
Javen Westby
Larry White Lexie White
Marc Woods **New Additions
Prayers for Judy Phillips on the passing of her daughter, Sharon.
Please let us know when we may remove a loved one or friend from our prayer list. Thank you!
This information was printed in the Easter Sunday bulletin of March 25, 1951.
The Power of Resurrection
There is a line in St. Paul’s letter to the
Philippians in which he says: “That I
may know Him and the power of His
Resurrection.” That power of Christ which swept like a
flood over the ancient world, and conquered it, still is an
effective force in the lives of men and women,
transforming them, as it did the disciples and turning
sunset into sunrise.
We have all known valiant souls who have looked
straight into the eyes of death without the slightest trace
of fear, thinking in their last hours, not of themselves, but
of their families, their friends, their God. Such nobility
has not been put into the souls of men, only in the end to
be extinguished as though it were of no consequence. The
courage with which countless men faced danger and
death during the war, and the strength with which
bereaved families met their sorrow, proves that what St.
Paul called “the power of the Resurrection” is still a
potent force in the world, steadying people as nothing
else under heaven can do. The condition that burned like
a fire in the early Church, changing a little group of
bewildered and heartbroken men into a united and
confident group prepared to face death for their living
Lord, still brings victory out of defeat.
There is a God who has made the world and man. That
man is not a body possessing a soul, but a soul possessing
a body. That God is a Father Who cares for all of his
children–that love abides and lasts beyond all earthly
change–“the grave itself is but a covered bridge leading
from light to light through a brief darkness.”
Don’t forget to put your pennies in the
Pennies for Stained Glass jar toward the
rear of the sanctuary. We aren’t able to
empty the Penny Jar very often but when
we do, we usually find $100 or so. We
need to continue saving our pennies as this fund goes
toward any maintenance or cleaning needed on our
beautiful windows. Try putting your age in pennies every
year on your birthday.
If you are interested in serving on this committee or
just helping with some of our projects, please contact
Peggy Williams at 634-0147.
Remember, It is important to know where we
have come from as we journey forward making
our own history.
Class Time to Remain the
Same The Adult Sunday School
Class started meeting at a new time during March and
they will continue to do so. Come join us, via Zoom,
before the worship service, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
This allows you to stay for the entire Zoom class and
have time to travel to the church for in-person services.
You can contact Walt George ([email protected]
or 630-4888) with any questions or to start receiving the
Zoom link for the class.
IN THE LIBRARY
You Can Have God’s Help with Daily Problems was written many years ago by
Norman Vincent Peale, but the information is still useable today. He
gives the reader scriptures and action plans to help approach many different kinds of problems with God’s
help. Included are scriptures and suggestions for dealing with the kinds of emotions that can come from such problems.
CHURCH WELCOMES NEW MEMBER
In March, the church was blessed to receive Lisa Herbel
as a new member. Originally from the province of
Manitoba, Canada, Lisa has lived in Cheyenne for about
a year and a half, having moved here from North Dakota.
There, she was a member of a Lutheran church. She is the
mother of one son and one daughter and enjoys spending
time with her grandchildren, as well as reading and
exercising. She is now retired. Among her reasons for
joining the church is the fact that she is a friend of Steve
Carver's. The church warmly welcomes her to our church
family.
News From The Pews April 2021 Page 3
Capital Project Cornerstone A Capital Campaign Update
Thank you all who have contributed toward your pledge.
Through February 2021, we have collected $408,211 of the pledged $1,068.893. Awesome!
We still have “Building Fund” envelopes available in the office.
Please write “Building Fund” on your check memo line.
News From The Pews April 2021 Page 4
Date Day Time Event
April 1 Thursday 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Services
April 2 Friday 9:30 am Coloring and Caring (Zoom)
April 3 Saturday 10:00 am Hearts and Hands (Parlor)
3:00 pm Girl Scouts (Studio)
April 4 Sunday Easter Service / Lily Program
No Adult Sunday School
9:00 am Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
9:30 am Nursery
10:00 am Worship -- In-Person (Website/YouTube)
10:30 am Children’s Sunday School
11:30 am Fellowship (Zoom)
April 5 Monday 1:00 pm Gifts of Women Sunday Rehearsal
5:30 pm Christian Education (Zoom)
6:30 pm Boy Scouts Troop 116
7:00 pm Worship and Music (Zoom)
April 6 Tuesday 1:00 pm Mission Ministry (Zoom)
2:30 pm Capital Steering Finish & Design Mtg. (LCE & Zoom)
7:00 pm Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow
April 7 Wednesday 6:00 pm Handbells (Sanctuary)
6:01 pm Friendship Mariner’s (Zoom)
April 8 Thursday 9:00 am -11:30 Faith & Racial Healing (LCE & Zoom)
10:00 am Website Meeting (CEW)
7:00 pm Sarah Circle (Zoom)
April 10 Saturday 8:00 am Men on a Mission (Fellowship Hall/Zoom)
3:00 pm Girl Scouts (Studio)
April 11 Sunday 8:30 am Adult Sunday School (Zoom)
9:00 am Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
9:30 am Nursery
10:00 am Worship -- In-Person (Website/YouTube)
10:30 am Children’s Sunday School
11:30 am Fellowship (Zoom)
April 12 Monday 10:00 am -4:00 pm PW Giveaway (LCE)
4:00 pm Building and Grounds (Zoom)
5:30 pm Moms 2 Moms (CEW)
5:30 pm New Life (Zoom)
6:30 pm Boy Scouts Troop 116
April 13 Tuesday 9:00 am Capital Project Meeting (Fellowship Hall)
11:00 am -4:00 pm PW Giveaway (LCE)
1:30 pm Website Design (Library & Zoom)
4:30 pm Personnel (Zoom)
April 14 Wednesday 8:30 am -3:00 pm PW Giveaway (LCE)
2:00 pm Finance (Zoom)
April 2021 Calendar
PLEASE NOTE: Most meetings will have Zoom access that the committee/ministry chair will request. They will also schedule and host any in-person meetings. Please contact the chair if you have any questions about the meeting.
News From The Pews April 2021 Page 5
Date Day Time Event April 14 cont’d. 6:00 pm Handbells (Sanctuary)
April 15 Thursday Newsletter Due
9:00 am -11:30 Faith & Racial Healing (LCE & Zoom)
April 16 Friday Presbytery in Torrington
9:30 am Coloring and Caring (Zoom)
1:00 pm Ruth Circle (LCE)
April 17 Saturday Presbytery in Torrington
10:00 am Stitch by Stitch (LCE)
3:00 pm Girl Scouts (Studio)
April 18 Sunday Gifts of Women Servce / Undies Sunday
8:30 am Adult Sunday School (Zoom)
9:00 am Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
9:30 am Nursery 10:00 am Worship -- In-Person (Website/YouTube) 10:30 am Children’s Sunday School
11:30 am Fellowship (Zoom)
11:30 am -3:00 pm Polity Class
April 19 Monday 12:00 pm Investment (Zoom)
6:30 pm Boy Scouts Troop 116
7:00 pm Session (Zoom)
April 20 Tuesday 7:00 pm Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow
April 21 Wednesday 6:00 pm Handbells (Sanctuary)
April 22 Thursday 9:00 am -11:30 Faith & Racial Healing (LCE & Zoom)
5:30 pm Parent Time (Zoom)
7:00 pm Book Club (Zoom)
April 24 Saturday 3:00 pm Girl Scouts (Studio)
April 25 Sunday 8:30 am Adult Sunday School (Zoom)
9:00 am Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
9:30 am Nursery
10:00 am Worship -- In-Person (Website/YouTube)
10:30 am Children’s Sunday School
11:30 am Town Hall & Fellowship (Zoom)
April 26 Monday 1:00 pm Rebecca Circle (LCE)
6:30 pm Boy Scouts Troop 116
6:30 pm Local Missions (Zoom)
7:00 pm Deacons (LCE)
April 27 Tuesday 9:00 am Capital Project Meeting (Fellowship Hall)
1:00 pm Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team (Zoom)
April 28 Wednesday 9:00 am Walk, Pray, Love (Zoom)
6:00 pm Handbells (Sanctuary)
April 29 Thursdays 9:00 am -11:30 Faith & Racial Healing (LCE & Zoom)
April 2021 Calendar
The next book discussion will be held on Thursday,
April 22, at 7 PM. We will discuss "Sanctuary" by
Emily Rapp Black. We will meet via Zoom. Please
call Phyllis O'Connor at 307-630-3997 or email at
[email protected] with questions.
Save Metal Pull Tabs, an easy way to suppor t families with kids at Children’s Hospital. Please put them in the jar on the table in the church parlor.
We No Longer Accept Box Tops or Labels.
Extended Communion Table for May will benefit Day of Giving again. Donate any size of cans, non-perishable food, or small items you would normally donate to Day of Giving.
First Presbyterian Church 220 West 22nd Street
Cheyenne, WY 82001
(307) 638-3345
Website: www.firstprescheyenne.org
Email: [email protected]
Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage
PAID Cheyenne, WY 82001
Permit No. 62
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
4/2021
Worship Broadcast Sundays at 8:30 a.m. on
KRAN 103.3 FM
Live-Streamed Worship Services are accessed on the first page of our website: firstprescheyenne.org and on our YouTube channel. Videos of our services are posted to Facebook
within a few days after the service.
RESURRECTION OF JESUS