Faith United Presbyterian Church News

Focus on Faith

April 21, 2011

What Do You Think? Why Can't Every Sunday Be Like This?

A couple Sundays ago, we had a wonderful experience of worship. Dick, Barb, and our choir offered a wonderful anthem, with the accompaniment of a quartet of excellent guest musicians. Brent King offered moving renditions of two old gospel favorites, "He Leadeth Me" and "Amazing Grace". We welcomed our newest member, De Ann Shuff, in worship, following a lovely breakfast prepared by our Outreach Committee.

After such a meaningful morning, it is not uncommon for me to hear the question: "Why can't every Sunday be like this?" The answer is: Every Sunday can be, if we are so inclined to make them so. In the mean time, we do what we can with the resources we have been given.

We could welcome new members every Sunday, if each of our members committed themselves to regularly inviting friends and family to share in our life together. We could have a congregational breakfast or a midweek supper each week, if we had enough people willing to be involved in the preparations. Did you know there are congregations in our presbytery, who offer a free meal, each month, to the communities in which they serve? We could have extra special music every Sunday, but that would require an even greater commitment from our choir and our music staff, not to mention the increased cost of bringing in guest musicians. Are we willing to compensate our staff for the extra work? Remember, the Bible tells us not to muzzle the ox treading the grain. Are we willing to recruit new choir members, so those we have are not overly burdened? Are we willing to "find the money" to pay additional guest musicians? Did you know, we are able to do what we do now, because of the generosity of a handful of folks who give to our music ministry above and beyond their pledge? All of this is to say, our life together can be what you are willing to make it.

As many of you are aware, I was in Chicago over Palm Sunday weekend, to officiate at the wedding of a child of our congregation. The spirit of joy, generosity, hospitality, and welcome that flourished throughout the weekend was especially apparent during and after the Christian wedding service. Never have I had such an overwhelming and magnanimous response to a sermon. Fifty to seventy-five people spoke to me that evening and the next day regarding the message. Given the diversity of people who were present - Hindu, Christian, and who knows what else, people from India, people from the US, wealthy and middle class, urban and small town, women, men, young, old - given the diveristy of the people and the generosity of their response, it was truly a Pentecost experience.

As I have reflected on that day, it has become clear to me, the message was the least of that experience. I did nothing more or less than what I would do for any Sunday morning. What made the moment what it was, was not my message or even the presence of the Holy Spirit. Certainly, the anointing of God's Holy Spirit is necessary for such an experience. However, God's Spirit is with us always. Therefore, there was something more. I would offer that it was the openness of those gathered to the presence and power of God's Holy Spirit. They were of one heart and mind in their offering of worship. They were of one heart and mind in giving God thanks and praise for the glory of the occasion. The day was truly a day the Lord had made.

People of faith, all of this is to say, we can have this every Sunday morning. We can have whatever manner of congregation we are inclined to have, if we are of one mind and Spirit, for our God is a God of abundant grace and generosity, and every day is a day of God's making. As we enter into this holiest of weeks, preparing to receive, again, the blessing of new life offered in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I pray our hearts and minds may know and embrace the abundance of God's generosity and grace.

See you in church!

Pastor Myers

revhaggis1@hotmail.com

Bill

This Sunday...

"Why Are You Afraid?"

Psalm 118:1-2,14-24 Matthew 28:1-10

Lay Assistant:

Bob Green

Communion Servers:

Gary & Mary Distin, John & Mary Lyle, Carol & Bonnie Heflin,

Les & Jo Ellen Dollinger, Armond & Betsy Akey,

Susan Van Kirk, Ron Tenold

Beedle/Crucifer:

Abby & Megan Brown

Ushers:

Robert Blackford, Bill Lee, Dominick Reading,

Barb Byrne, Ed Melvin

Greeters:

Jack & Betty McBride

Helen Redmond

Nursery:

Kath & Tara Sturgeon

Coffee Hour:

In honor of Isabel Marshall's 97th birthday given by her family.

Christian Education

No Sunday School classes on Easter Sunday!

Prayer Vigil

On Maundy Thursday, April 21, we will share the Lord's Supper as Jesus did with his disciples on the night in which he was betrayed and arrested. Following the service we will follow Jesus to the garden where he asked the disciples to keep watch while he prayed. Three times Jesus was distressed to find the disciples asleep. Faith United is offering you an opportunity to keep watch, to stay awake instead of sleeping, and to pray in the chapel of our church. You may sign up alone, as a couple, a pair, or as a family. Prayer materials and Bibles are supplied if you need guidance. There are 37 times available. Please make this a part of your Holy Week preparation.

Lenten Lay Breakfast at Strom Center

The 36^th Annual Lenten Lay Breakfast series has begun and will continue each Friday morning through Good Friday April 22, 2011.Strom Center will again be the host for the series.Breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m. with worship from 7:15-7:45 a.m. All are welcome.

April 22 First Lutheran

Holy Week

Maundy Thursday (Communion), April 21, at 7:00 p.m., Good Friday Tenebrae, April 22, at 7:00 p.m., and finally our Celebration of the Lord's Supper on Easter Sunday, April 24, at 10:30 a.m.

Easter-tide Breakfast

Join us Easter Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for our Annual Eastertide Breakfast. Enjoy breakfast casserole, coffee cakes, juice/milk.

The cost is $1.50 for children under 10 and $3.00 for adults. Choir will be served at 9:00 for those wanting to eat. Please sign up on the office door.

Coffee Cakes

Would you be willing to bring a coffee cake for our Easter-tide breakfast? If so, please sign up on the office door. Thank you!!!

Church Key

If you have checked out a key recently from the office and haven't turned it back in, please do so as soon as possible. Thank you!

Lawn Mowing Time!

We are going to ask members to take turns mowing the church lawn again this season. Please sign up on the office door if you can help. The lawn can be mowed anytime between Thursday and Saturday. Thank you!

An Invitation to Read the Bible

Your weekly Scripture readings are:

Sunday (4/24) - Ezra 10:18 thru Nehemiah 3:31

Monday - Nehemiah 3:32-7:20

Tuesday - Nehemiah 7:21-9:14

Wednesday - Nehemiah 9:15-11:22

Thursday - Nehemiah 11:23-13:30

Friday - Nehemiah 13:31 thru Esther 4:17

Saturday - Esther 5:1-9:32

Sunday (5/1) - Esther thru Job 4:21

Update on Lucas Pedigo

Family of Faith ~

This is the current update on Staff Sgt. Lucas Pedigo in Afganistan. He is the grandson of the Harold and Ruth Pedigo, and the nephew of our frequent vocal soloist, Julia (Julie) Pedigo of Boone, N.C.

Staff Sgt. Pedigo (on our prayer list) deomonstrates highly ingenious helpful work amid war. (Click here to read the full article.)

Julia shared this email with her good friend Susan (Smallwood) Schilson. Who in turn wanted Faith U.P. Monmouth friends to know.

Faithfully,

Bill and Erma Smallwood

The Buchanan Community Chorus

The Buchanan Community Chorus presents Nature at its Finest on Friday, April 29, 2011 at First United Methodist Church; Galesburg at 7:00 p.m. Special musical guest - District 205 Singing Streaks. Then, on Saturday, April 30, at the Monmouth College Dahl Auditorium at 4:00 p.m. The cost for adults is $5.00, students - $2.00 (17 and under are free).

Youth Car Wash Fundraiser

Let us wash your vehicle on Saturday April 30, from 11:00 - 3:00 p.m. here at the church, weather permitting. Donations will be accepted and put towards the youth mission trip this summer to South Dakota.

A Heart for Kylie!

As you may have seen in our Prayer Concerns, Kylie Logsdon has been listed there for some time now. She is the cousin of Tammi Hottle who was diagnosed with Post-natal Cardiomyopathy in October.

There will be a benefit for her on April 30, 2011. If you'd like tickets, you can purchase them from Tammi. Click on the following link to view the flyer:

Kylie Logsdon Benefit.

May Friendship Day

Church Women United will meet at Faith Church at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, May 6, for their annual May Friendship Day Breakfast. All ladies are welcome to the breakfast and program. A free will donation will be taken. Reservations are appreciated by calling Darlene Moffet at 734-5537.

Supporting Youth Ministry

May - TBA - Youth will eat, play games and talk about what they think youth ministry in our church should/could look like.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Dr. Ann Kellogg and Dr. Anuj Lal who were married on April 16. Ann is finishing her residency in OB/GYN at Mayo Clinic and will begin a fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. Anuj has finished his residency in internal medicine and will be joining a practice in the Chicago area.

Thank You

Thank You to Pastor Myers for officiating at the wedding of Ann and Anuj. We so appreciated his coming to Chicago on Palm Sunday week-end to lead the ceremony. Thanks to Margie and Will as well. Thanks to the congregation for allowing him to be away from our church at this important time.

-Jane and Buster Kellogg

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A special thank you to The Rev. Dr. Teri Ott, Monmouth College Chaplain, for filling the pulpit while Pastor Myers was officiating a wedding this past Sunday.

Prayer Concerns

Please continue to keep in your prayers: The Mike & Jennifer Van Kirk family, Amber Dillbeck, Mick Miller, Colleen Hazen and family, Pat Brown, Helen Bersted, Eilleen Spoerl, Parker & Joan Steis, Mildred Lipp, Jim & Janet Paris, Val McManus, Chuck Byers, Kathy Yates, Kylie Logsdon, and Frank Sorensen.

April Birthdays

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear...

1 Kristina Gilliland Compton

2 Dalton Willett

3 Matthew Rickey

5 Alex Green

6 Nancy Bersted

7 Brittany Liggett

10 Carol Tenold

Raj Ambrose

12 Laura Rickey