Opening Doors, Living God's Word

 

E-CHIMES

A Weekly Update of Joys, Concerns and Ministry with

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Sunday Worship Hour

10:30 a.m.

Church Office Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Pastor's Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

(Fridays: Pastor's day off, office closed)

OUR MISSION

As followers of Jesus,

we will open our doors

to glorify God and do God’s work

in our community and beyond.

March 31, 2011

Our email is churchoffice@fpcmp.org

Our website is www.fpcmp.org

Church Phone 989-773-9609

Pastor Hanna’s phone 989-317-0820

Email address Revslhanna@gmail.com

In This Issue:

·     Prayer concerns:

·     Dr. Steven Egler Resigns (NEW)

·     Holy Week Schedule (NEW)

·     Noisey Offering Report (NEW)

·     Progressive Dinner Update (NEW)

·     American Red Cross Fashion Show (NEW)

·     Health Fairs: July 6-12, 2011 (NEW)

·     Opening Doors, Living God’s Word

·     First Presbyterian needs more Family Food Bags

·     “Nooma” New Adult Small Group Opportunity

·     Wednesday @ First Talent Show

·     Lectionary Readings

·     A Glimpse at The Week Ahead

·     Looking at Events in the Church, Around the Town and Beyond

·     Birthdays and Anniversaries

·     Web Links of Interest

PRAYER CONCERNS

Prayers of Concern Shelly Roy, John Kingsnorth (Nancy Klunzinger’s brother), Sarah Cox ,Sue Blodgett, Cindy Miles, Warren Long, Tim O’Brian ( The Loubert’s brother-in-law), Fran Sowles, Don Fitzpatrick Sr.  (Pam Blackford’s dad) and France, Portugel and Spain.

 

Prayers of Congratulations to John Loubert and Penny Lew who were married on March 11, 2011.

 

O God, open our eyes to the newness you bring; help us to see the call you are making to the whole church.  Give us the courage to live into it with open hearts and minds.  Amen.

Prayer taken from the 2011 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study.

Dr. Steven Egler Resigns

Our long time organist and director of music, Dr. Steven Egler, has submitted his resignation from those positions.  His last day will be Easter Sunday, April 24.  Steven is a professor in the School of Music at CMU, where he has been a faculty member since 1976.  He has been with us at First Presbyterian Church, Mt. Pleasant for nearly 35 years, about one quarter of the life of the church.  During that time our choirs and music program have consistently been highly regarded in our church and by the Mt. Pleasant community.  Appreciate his organ talents and choir direction these next four Sundays as an integral part of our worship.

Holy Week Schedule 2011

Palm Sunday

April 17, 10:30 am Worship

Donate your gently used coats for the Palm Sunday Parade

 

Maundy Thursday

April 21, 7:30 pm

Worship and Communion

Dramatic Protrayal

 

Good Friday

April 22, 12:00 pm

Union Good Friday Service

Plachta Auditorium in Warriner Hall

Central Michigan University

 

Easter Sunday

April 24, 8:00 am

Early Service and Breakfast

10:30 am Worship Service Including the Cross of Flowers

One Great Hour of Sharing Offering Received

11:30 Easter Egg Hunt on the front lawn

Noisy Offering Report

The Noisy Offering that was received on Sunday March 27 amounted to $70.29!  Thank you to each and every one of you who contributed to this ministry.  God Bless you.

Progressive Dinner Update

We have had to make some changes in the Progressive Dinner this year.  The dinner will still be April 16 and will be at our church.  We will progress from one room to another.  Salads will begin at 6pm in the Witherspoon Room, entrees in the Fellowship Hall, and dessert in the parlor.  We are firming up the entrees.  Hopefully, a new sign up sheet will be up on Sunday so everyone can sign up for their entrée of choice..  We still need people to supply salads, entrees and desserts.  If you want to provide one of these courses, please call Martha Riggs at 775-3747. 

American Red Cross Fashion Show

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

At CMU University Center Rotunda

5:30 pm Cash Bar

6:15 pm Dinner and show

Tickets are available at the Red Cross office,

$25 each.  Call 773-3615 to reserve your table.

Health Fairs: July 6-12, 2011

Did you know that again this summer our Presbytery will hold Health Fairs for migrant workers and inner city children in Bay City, Flint, Imlay City, Reese and Saginaw?  Each person is given free eye, dental, hearing, blood pressure exams plus testing for diatetes.  Those with health needs are referred to local health clinics.  Each person is given a “health kit: of nine personal items and a booklet on hygiene and health issues.  Health kits are made by congregations of Lake Huron Presbytery.  In addition to serving several hundred migrant families and urban residents, about 200kits, each worth about $25 are given to women’s and men’s shelters and occasionally to victims of floods, storms or fires.  Make up a kit a bring to church by June 1st.

 

HOW TO ASSEMBLE A HEALTH FAIR KIT

 

Place in a Ziploc gallon bag, the following items.

 

1 Washcloth

1 Comb

1 Dental Floss

1 Deodorant (2 ½ oz)

1 Toothbrush (in wrapper)

1 Bar of Soap (in wrapper)

1 Hand Tower

1 Shampoo (11-15 oz.)

1 Toothpaste (4-61/2 oz.)

 

Do not include anything else in the kit.

Do not include any sample size items in kit.

 

Other Items Needed (do not include in the health kit bags)

Bottles of sunscreen

8 crayon packs (new) for the children

Sample sizes of toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and deodorant

Extra regular size health kit items

Money to purchase new glasses, blood sugar meters and tabs

Opening Doors, Living God’s Word

Opening Doors, Living God's Word - Your Personal Commitment to First Presbyterian Church Copies of the ReVisioning Plan are available in the church. Included are ways we can be creating and celebrating a more vibrant church, challenging and comforting ourselves and others through spiritual and faith development, and connecting and communicating with our community. Through the small group process of the congregation, suggestions have been made for one year action plans. Please take time to read these and commit to those which you are passionate about. There is a wide spectrum to choose from that touch our spiritual lives through worship, education, outreach, service, prayer and more. Our church leadership is interested to know ways you will be a part of our future. Don't get discouraged if you don't receive a quick response as these will be addressed over a year's time.

First Presbyterian Church needs more Family Food Bags

We need more food bags for families in need.  If you would like to know how to put one of the bags together, please see Stephanie in the office.  Thank you for helping with this ministry.

"Nooma": New Adult Small Group Opportunity

Jesus lived with the awareness that God is doing something, right here, right now, and anybody can be a part of it. He encouraged his listeners to search, to question, to wrestle with the implications of what he was saying and doing. He inspired, challenged, provoked, comforted, and invited people to be open to God’s work in this world. Wherever he went, whatever he did, Jesus started discussions about what matters most, because for Jesus, God is always inviting us to open our eyes and join in. NOOMA is a series of short films that explore our world from a perspective of Jesus.  NOOMA is an invitation to search, question, and join the discussion.

We will meet on the last Wednesday of the month starting on March 30. Bring a sack dinner at 5:30; discussion will start at 6:00. See Heidi Z for more details.

 

LECTIONARY READINGS for Sunday April 3, 2011

I Samuel 16: 1-13

Ephesians 5: 8-14

John 9: 1-41

 

A GLIMPSE AT THEWEEK AHEAD (Thursday - Thursday)

All events are at First Presbyterian Church unless otherwise noted

Thursday March 31, 2011

 

6:30 pm  Handbell Choir Rehearsal

 

Sunday April 3

9:30 am Adult Bible Study

9:45 am Chancel Choir Rehearsal

10:00 Children’s Choir Rehearsal

10:30 am Worship & Sunday School

                 “Re-Make Us All”  Rev. Sandra Hanna

11:30 am Fellowship Luncheon

7:00 pm PNC Meeting

 

Monday April 4

1:00 pm  Staff Meeting

7:00 pm Social Justice & Peacemaking Committee meets

 

Wednesday April 6

10:00 am PW Coordinating Team Meets

Noon Lydia

6:00 pm Wed @ First Talent Show

8:00 pm AA

 

Thursday April 7, 2011

6:30  pm  Handbell Choir Rehearsal

7:30 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal

 

LOOKING AHEAD AT EVENTS IN THE CHURCH, AROUND THE TOWN AND BEYOND

Wednesdays@First Talent Show

Join us on the first Wednesday of the month for food, fun, and fellowship! Potluck dinner at 6:00 followed by activities for all ages. Next up on April 6 is the always popular Talent Show! Read a poem, sing a song, tell a joke .... the possibilities are endless! Please sign up on the  narthex bulletin board. No one is too old or too young!

 

Annual Rummage Sale

JUNE – RUMMAGE SALE ON JUNE 11TH

 

 

 

Mobile Food Pantry 2011 Schedule

 

April 9             Mt. Pleasant Community Church Mt. Pleasant

April 23           University Recreation McGrath Event Center on Broomfield

May 7               Central Assembly of God Mt. Pleasant

May 21             Location TBD

June 11            Location TBD

June 25            Location TBD

 BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES  ( I posted birthdays for the end of March incorrectly last week so I am posting from March 12 through the end of March.)

March Birthdays

12        Clarissa Waugh

12        John Davila

14        Evelyn Kent

14        Kim Tuma

19        Nancy Enders

19        Judy Kirkey

24        Linda Rose

25        Nancy kinney

26        Lloyd Rehkopf

26        Sallie Scheide

27        Terrence Carey

28        Dick Featheringham

29        Aggie Waggoner

 

No March Wedding Anniversaries

 

 

LINKS

Presbytery of Lake Huron www.presbylh.org

Presbyterian Church USA www.pcusa.org

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance http://pcusa.org/pda/response/usa/hurricanekatrina-index.htm