This Sunday - 1st Sunday in Lent

 "Where is Your Treasure?"

 

    Isaiah 58: 1-12                                                       Hebrews 11:1-3; 8-16

                 Psalm 51: 1-17                                                       Matthew 6: 1-6; 16-21 

                                                                          

Lay Assistant: Ann Phelps  

Communion Servers:   Barb Byrne, Heather Fisher, Tammi Hottle, Ann Phelps, Gary Pullen, Bonnie & Carol Heflin, George Nieman, Ted & Vicki Briscoe, Betsy & Armond Akey.  Beedle/Crucifer: Elsie Wright, Choir 

Wednesday Night Live  

 

The kitchen team for February 20 will be the Watson's, Bonnie Heflin, and Candy Smith. One more volunteer is needed for this week.  If you would like to volunteer, please call Deb Dingman at 734-3943.   

 

Fill the Corner for Jamieson Center's Food Bank!  

 

Feb. 17 - Rice & beans

Feb. 24 - Peanut Butter & Jelly

Mar. 3 - Hamburger or Tuna Helper & tuna or Macaroni & Cheese  

 

Sunday Morning Bible Study Class

The adult Bible study led by Joyce Hagemann will not be meeting until March due to the uncertainty of winter weather. We will keep you apprised of the exact start date. This quarter's study is called "Undying Hope" and uses texts from Daniel, Luke, Acts, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and 1 & 2 Peter.  Lesson 1 is in the cabinet in the Bride's Room, if you would like to get a head start.   

 

Faith & Life - Poetry of Faith 

For the month of February, Rob Hale will lead the Faith and Life Sunday School Class on the subject of faith and poetry. Each week, we will examine a different poet and see how he or she approaches issues of faith. Rob will give an overview of each poet's life, read poems aloud, and lead a discussion of each poem.  No special knowledge of poetry is required. The poet for February 17 will be Christina Rossetti. She wrote the words to Hymn #36 in the Presbyterian Hymnal, "In the Bleak Midwinter." Stay tuned for the next poet. This class will meet in the church library or Social Hall. Erika Solberg will be leading the class this Sunday in Rob's stead.

 

The 38th Annual Lenten Lay Breakfast Series will begin on Friday, February 15 and will continue through Good Friday, March 29. Strom Center will again host the breakfasts. Rolls and/or toast, juice, and coffee are available at 6:30 a.m., with the services starting at approximately 7:15 a.m. and ending around 7:45 a.m. There is no set charge for the meal, but a free-will offering will be taken to help defray expenses. The series is sponsored each year by the Warren County Ministerial Association. The participating church schedule is as follows: February 15 - Immanuel Baptist, February 22 - First Lutheran, March 1 - Faith United Presbyterian, March 8 - Fairview Center, March 15 - Immaculate Conception, March 22 - First United Methodist, and March 29 - Heritage Presbyterian.

Lenten devotionals are now available for both adults and children.  For kids (of any age) we have a one-page calendar with activities and things to think about every day until Easter.  The adult devotional is "Called to Life, Called to Love" and contains reflections taken from the writings of Henri J. M. Nouwen.  Copies will be in the Narthex and on the table outside the office.

For e-book readers:  This devotional is not available as an e-book but several recommended ones are available for both Kindle and Nook:  Followers of the Cross by Martin E. Marty; Who Do You Say I Am? by Mark Neilsen; Imitators of Christ by Mark Zimmermann; and Countdown to Easter by Ruth Geisler. 

We wish to thank each and every one of you who contributed to the Pastor's Gift as we wished Pastor Myers and his family Godspeed as he begins his new call at The Presbyterian Church of Traverse City. We were able to present him with a very generous gift from the congregation and a very special artist's rendering of our church to remember us by.

A word about the artist:  His name is John Ohler.  He was a former member of Grace Presbyterian Church, which merged into Faith Church, and is a graduate of Monmouth High School and the University of Denver. Now living in Valparaiso, IN, his talents include painting, drawing, master wood carving, and commercial designing. He and his wife founded Puckerbrush, Inc., a national needlework retail company. He is a member of the Monmouth High School Athletic Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for his work with the local school system. We want you to know that John declined any compensation for his work and was commissioned for the painting on very short notice and during the holiday season.

Another aspect of the painting that was very special was that Larry Dye constructed the frame for the painting and took care of the actual framing of the canvas when it arrived from Valparaiso, and the wood used was from the construction of our sanctuary.  Larry also declined any compensation for his work, and his daughter, Tammi Hottle, provided the brass plate which was mounted on the frame.