Links to Good Stuff
May 3, 2016 
eNews 
The 1stPres Newsletter
#LOVE1st

Blog of the Week

Greetings from Bovill!
Erica Waterman
 
If it seems like this blog is rambling, wandering off course, or just plain beginning to make no sense at all, I place all of the blame on the fact that as I write I'm sitting at a picnic table on the edge of Moose Creek. Not an edge close to the water, mind you, but close enough that I can kinda hear it with my back turned to it if I listen really hard.  A creek that is less creek and more a man-made reservoir that happens to have a creek running through it.  Just down the road there's a beautiful set of small lakes (or large ponds depending upon your perspective) known as the Blue Lagoons and the water is a color that deserves a better description than I can ever give it.
I discovered this little wonder on an outing with Miss Karen (my Bovill roomie). Before his passing her husband Gary used to tend to the little campgrounds that dot the woods in the area so she's always sure to know where the BEST places are.  She also knows who the best people are and she hasn't ever met anyone that wasn't "the best" people.  Her heart's big enough to encompass the better part of the county so if you want to meet someone, have a cute grandson that needs a nice girl, or find yourself in a crisis then Karen is the one to call.
...  Read More 

Announcements

DYG Summer Mission Trip!
 
Attention all incoming 6th graders through graduating seniors, we've got an amazing mission opportunity for YOU this summer! June 26 - July 2, we are going to serve locally, just outside Spokane with the Sierra Service Project! This is a great opportunity for youth to engage in local mission, build community, and serve and grow together. I anticipate it will be a great week for all! Registration is due by May 5! If you'd like more information, please contact Kierstie ASAP to receive your registration packet. Kierstie@1stpresdowntown.org.
 
Glory Be Flower Baskets STILL AVAILABLE!
  
Purchase your Glory Be Fundraiser Flower Baskets! Stop by the church office to make your purchase then head down to Glory Be to make your flower selection. Sales go towards classroom improvements. Thank you for your support of the children and staff at Glory Be! Baskets are only $35.00 each. 
 
Spring Work Party - Big Thanks
 
We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the hard working folks who turned out for the Spring Outdoor Work Party on Saturday, April 30. Your dedication and help was truly appreciated as we worked together to trim foliage, remove unwanted weeds, clean out the window wells, rake the leftover leaves in the 501 building parking lot, power wash the sidewalks & parking lot, power wash Glory Be fence line, stabilize the Glory Be swing, put new bark in Glory Be playground, edge the sidewalk areas, remove debris around premises and tidy up the area. Also we want to thank the Faith, Fun, and Friendship ChristCare group in advance. They will be planting beautiful flowers out front in the next two weeks. Thank you all for your BIG servant hearts.  Becky & Gene
  
Children's Classroom Painting Party - Thank you!
  
As the Children's Sunday school program continues to grow and serve more children, and in order to accommodate more children at Downtown Church Day Camp this summer, we are creating more children's classroom space upstairs. To free up more classroom space the Children and Family Ministry Office is being moved and an all new Children's Ministry Resource/Work room has been created. Thanks to the Hazard, Martin & O'Quinn Families these rooms have a fresh coat of paint and are that much closer to being usable! Thank you also to Matt Piekarski who put in a new door between these rooms and to Gene Adkison, Becky Clegg and Allen Miller for providing supplies, support, donuts, coffee and moving furniture.
 
Glory Be "Needs of the Week"
  
Our little friends at Glory Be Learning Center are in need of a few things:

Paper Plates
Liquid Hand Soap
5oz. Paper Cups

If you can help, please place your item in the boxes underneath the Mission Board, in the hallway between the Hunter Building and the Gym.
 
Thank you to everyone who has donated so far. Your generosity
 is appreciated!
 
Have A Grad? 

Graduation is lurking around the corner and will be here before we know it! Is there a senior student in your family? If you know a senior in high school OR college, who will be graduating this spring, please let our team know. Thank you and good luck to all seniors in their final semester, and all of our students as they begin spring semester! 
-The DYG Youth Team

Please email names to Kierstie at kierstie@1stpresdowntown.org 
Church News & Events

Women's Association Taco Bar Luncheon 
Saturday, May 7
 
SATURDAY, MAY 7, Noon - 2:00PM
- Taco Bar Luncheon and Special Gathering at FPC in the Gym.  This will replace the previously scheduled May 17 meeting and will be our last general meeting until Sept. All ladies & guests are invited.  
Noisy Offering - This Sunday
Sunday, May 8
 
Once again, it's time to gather up all your extra change, from the bottom of your purse, from under the cushions of your couch, from the top of your dresser, from the pockets of your pants, from the center console of your car, from inside the washing machine or dryer, or from wherever you toss or find loose change and bring it with you to church, THIS Sunday, May 8th. All money given as part of the Noisy Offering will be used to pay for children from UGM and other children in need to attend Downtown Church Day Camp this summer at 1stPres.
Potluck in the Park 
Friday, May 13
 
This Potluck is for families of children, infant thru grade 5. Hot dogs and lemonade will be provided. Families are asked to bring another picnic food item. Reservations required by May 11. Call or email the church office: office@1stpresdowntown.org, (208) 667-8446. Potluck is Friday, May 13, 5:30pm to 7:30pm, McEuen Park, CDA.
The Breakfast Bunch are Back!
Sunday, May 15

Sunday, May 15, between services (9:45am-11am), the Breakfast Bunch will be serving a delicious all-church breakfast. Stay after first service or arrive early for second service. Proceeds from the free will donation go towards purchasing a new drill and lawn mower for the church.
 
Come Hungry Leave Full!

Opera-tunities 2016
Sunday, May 15

There will be a free performance of Little Red Riding Hood by Opera CDA on Sunday, May 15, 2pm, in the gym.

Blessing of the Bikes
Sunday, May 22
 
Sunday, May 22, 2016; Phippeny Park/Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes/Snake Pit
Families and Friends of 1st Presbyterian Church and Trinity Lutheran Church will gather together on Sunday, May 22 at 1:00pm at Phippeny Park (7th Street & Montana) for a Blessing of the Bikes. Bring your bike to be Blessed by Pastors Craig and Dan, and receive a special BLESSED bike license plate. At 1:30pm everyone who wants to will travel in personal vehicles to the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes and ride from the Snake Pit to Cataldo and back to the Snake Pit where all who want may enjoy ice cream or other treats. Please note: Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Be sure to bring a bike, bike helmet, water bottle, sunscreen/hat, and money for treats at the snake pit (optional).  If you need transportation for people and/or bikes, please contact Lou by Sunday, May 15 to reserve a space. If you are providing your own transportation, there is no need to RSVP. 
 
Downtown Church Day Camp
July 11 - July 15
 
Day Camp Dates: Mon. July 11 - Fri. July 15, 2016
Day Camp Times: 9:00am  - 4:00pm (with the option of a.m./p.m. extended care)
Day Camp Ages: Incoming 1st - 6th graders
 
Downtown Church Day Camp will be a Wet N' Wild week. Mornings will be spent at the church and include skits, lessons, small group activities, large group worship and singing, crafts, and games. Each afternoon we walk downtown and enjoy activities at different locations, like McEuen Park, Tubbs Hill, Sanders Beach, City Park, City Beach and the NIC Campus. This year's Downtown Church Day Camp theme is Wet N' Wild. The daily Bible story lessons and activities will focus on a different Wet N' Wild Bible story.
 
Registration is now open to the public and is first come first serve, whenever we reach capacity, registrations will be put on a waitlist. The registration deadline is Wed, June 1, 2016, but we anticipate we will reach capacity soon! Everyone who registers will receive an email confirming that your registration has been received and if your child is registered or has been placed on a wait list. If you register on line and do not receive a confirmation email, please contact the church office to be sure that your child is registered.
 
Camp Spalding Registration 
 
This summer, 1stPres children and youth have the opportunity to attend summer camps at Camp Spalding. Summer camp provides a chance for children and youth to get away from the daily routine, to spend a week with fun, mature, Christian role models, and to experience God and His creation in a way that is unlike any other. Thousands of young lives have been eternally changed during summer camp experiences at Camp Spalding! This year, 1stPres children and youth are encouraged to attend the following camps at Camp Spalding:
 
Juniors II       July 24 - 30    for incoming 5th and 6th graders
Jr. High II       Aug. 7 - 13     for incoming 7th and 8th graders
High School students may choose from Leadership Camp, Sr. High Camp, or Clearwater Arts Camp
 
1stPres campers will receive a discount when they register through the church.
A registration code is required to register and to receive this discount. Each registration code is church- and camper-specific and can only be used once. Registration is currently open on-line at www.campspalding.org. You must request your camper-specific registration code(s) from the church BEFORE registering your camper on-line.  To request a code and receive detailed Registration Instructions or if you have questions regarding summer camp, please contact Lou Pennebaker by phone at (208) 667 8446 or email Lou@1stpresdowntown.org  

Additional financial assistance is also available from the church for those who submit a scholarship application. Scholarship Applications are currently available at the church.
 
Groups & Gatherings

Widows & Widowers - WW2
   
According to Pastor Craig's sermon series on "Living Well, and Dying Well", I am adding "Going On Well"!  If you have become a "single" through death, and are desiring to become part of a social group with the same challenges as you, consider joining Widows and Widowers Too (WWII).  This is a brand new program trying to get started to provide a social outlet for members and non-members who are tired of being a fifth-wheel in a foursome!  You will be getting in on the ground floor of this program and can have some say in how it is going to work!  Sign up on the list at the Welcome Desk or give Karen Huber a call (667-6525), e-mail (khube828@aol.com) and tell her you're interested!  We have lots of ideas and want to hear yours!!!!!          

Beyond the Broken Heart
   
Are you grieving the loss of a loved one? Then you may want to come and be a part of our new grief support group. The group is starting Monday, May 9, at 1pm, in the Conference Room. Contact:  Bev Turner (208) 659-9415, or
Judy Hays (208) 660-4083 for more info or to sign up.
     
Saturday Morning Men's Group
  
The Saturday Morning Men's Group meets every other Saturday morning at Bakery by the Lake at 7am.  They will be starting a new study with the book "The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows" by James Bryan Smith.

Contact Steve Balas (208) 667-8446 for details.

Knitting for Warmth
 
Please join the Knitting for Warmth knitters every Friday morning from 10:00am to 11:30am in the Conference Room. This is an open, community knitting time for anyone who would like to create a prayer shawl. Your shawl will be given as a gift of love, hope, and comfort to someone who is critically ill or in crisis. Knitting instruction will be available if this is your first project, and materials will be provided for FREE. Contact Betty Cheeley at (208) 664-2612 if you have questions, or if you know of someone who could really use the gift of a shawl at this time in their life. This group will continue to meet in the summer. Come join us! 
 
Thursday Men's Group
 
The Men's Group Iron Horse lunch continues their study of C. S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity." We're covering one chapter each week, and anyone is welcome to enjoy lunch and participate in the discussion (or not). This is a great time to join us!

The Iron Horse has accommodated this group with a Thursday noon special soup added to the menu, and with scintillating and erudite conversation, how could any guy resist?  Meets Thursdays at noon at the Iron Horse on Sherman. Contact the church for info (208) 667-8446.
 
Sunday School ARKade - Children's Program

The Sunday School ARKade takes place on Sunday mornings during the 9:00am and 11:00am worship services. Children 3 years and older attend the beginning of the worship service. Following the Children's Moment, 3 year olds - 5th graders are dismissed to Sunday School ARKade classes located on the 2nd floor of the Hunter Building. Parents may accompany their children to class, but are not required to do so.The Sunday School ARKade includes SPLASH!, an Early Childhood class for 3 year olds - Kindergarten; First Five, a class for 1st & 2nd graders; and Bible Learning Ports, for elementary children to play and learn as they explore the Books of the Bible; Memorize Bible Verses; and become Scripture Sleuths finding God's answers to life's questions in the Bible. Children must be picked-up and signed-out at the end of the worship service by a parent/guardian. Don't miss the boat; come aboard the S.S.ARKade, Sundays at 1stPres CDA!   
  
Youth - Join Us This Spring!
 
DYG 2.0 meets SUNDAYS 10:30am - 12:15pm
 
Downstairs in the DYG (Downtown Youth Group) Room
Come hang out, jam out, and chill out as we dive into a relevant series asking questions about God, others, and ourselves!
 
Questions?
Contact Kierstie | Youth Leader | kierstie@1stpresdowntown.org

Basketball Dudes
 
The Basketball Dudes are taking the summer off. See you in the Fall!
 
Community Events

The Village at
Orchard Ridge

YARD SALE:  Come shop on May 6 & 7 (Fri: 8-3, Sat: 9-noon) at The White House behind The Garden (former Coeur d'Alene Homes).  Donations of furniture and household items (no clothes, please) graciously accepted. Large item pick up is available by calling Kent Green at 664-8119.

ESTATE/MOVING SALE SERVICES are available through dedicated Orchard Ridge volunteers. They will organize and facilitate your entire sale. Get help with this often huge task and have a portion of the proceeds benefit our charitable care. Call Shirley (661-1930) or Vivian (691-9262) for more information.


Family Promise Golf & Walk
 
Family Promise of North Idaho is holding their 5th Annual Golf and Walk Event at the Links Golf Course Friday May 13 with a shotgun start at 1:00pm. You can register for the golf or walk and donate to your favorite golfer or walker by going to
www.familypromiseni.org and click on the event button and then choose register or donate. Contact Andrea at apanda13@juno.com or Teri at riverburch1@gmail.com for more information.
 
Presbytery Office Job Opening
New Communication Coordinator Position Opening
Our administrative assistant, Joyce Bippes, will be retiring in August.  We are shifting the position to a communications coordinator.  This part time position will be 24 hours/week during the school year and 18 hours/week during the summer.  Please see the link to the job description.  Resumes and cover letters may be sent to Sandy Riebe, chair of search team, sandy@hamblenpres.org Please call Executive Presbyter Sheryl Kinder Pyle with questions (509) 993-8796.  We will be accepting applications until May 20, 2016.  If you would like to be a part of a close knit team serving at the regional PCUSA office or if you know of a qualified candidate please contact us! For the job description, click here.

Summer Science Exploratory Camp
 
This summer, one-week science camps will be offered to students going into third, fourth, fifth, or sixth grades. At a private home near the Silver Lake Mall, young scientists will explore a variety of earth, life, and physical science concepts through dialogue and hands-on experimentation.
Bill Burch is a graduate of the University of Idaho, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a science emphasis. His education includes the entire battery of Project Wild courses sponsored by the Idaho Fish and Game department. He is also a former participant in NASA's Educator Workshop. He currently teachers fourth grade in north Idaho.
The camp will run from 9:00 am to 11:30 am Monday through Friday. Cost will be $80.00 per scientist, and each session will be limited to twelve participants.
This is a private endeavor not affiliated with any school or institution.
These one-week camps are offered during the weeks of July 11th and July 25th, 2016. To reserve your spot, call Bill Burch at (208)-755-5925.