Focus on Faith

Faith United Presbyterian Church Newsletter

January 9, 2014

Phone: 734-5129

Pastor Charles B. Cunningham (emergencies after hours) 309-221-8168

Church Email: faithup@maplecity.com

This Sunday - the Baptism of the Lord

January 12, 2014

Sermon Title: "Let It Be So Now"

Isaiah 42:1-9 Psalm 29

Acts 10:34-43 Matthew 3:13-17

Liturgist: Gene Larson

Communion Servers: Armond Akey, Betsy Akey, Barb Byrne, Gary Distin,

Mary Distin, Gary Pullen, Julie Armstrong, John Lyle, Mary Lyle,

Dee Long, Betty McBride, Tim Phelps

Ushers: Robert Blackford, Bill Lee, Dominick Reading, Malik Reading, Ed Melvin

Greeters: Betty Vance, Tim Phelps

Children's Church: Tom Best

Nursery: Lynn Baber

Coffee Hour: Gene & Donna Larson

Upcoming Meetings/Events

Thursday, January 9 - CE Committee Meeting - 7 p.m.

Friday, January 10 - Church Sanctuary Un-Decorating - 9 a.m.

Sunday, January 12 - Congregational Meeting to Elect Pastor Nominating Committee - following Worship.

Tuesday, January 14 - Deacons Meeting - 7 p.m.

Wednesday, January 15 - Wednesday Night Live resumes at 3:20 p.m.

Wednesday, January 15 - Bible Study with Pastor - 6 p.m.

Wednesday, January 15 - Nominating Committee Meeting - 7 p.m.

Saturday, January 18 - Presbytery-Wide Session Records Review at FUPC -

9:30 a.m. to Noon

Sunday, January 26 - Presbytery-Wide PNC Training Workshop - 2:30 to 5 p.m.

Congregational Meeting to Elect a Pastor Nominating Committee

The Session has called for a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 12, 2014, following worship for the purpose of electing a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The Session has set the size at seven (7). The slate recommended by the Nominating Committee consists of Armond Akey, Julie Armstrong, Lolla Ballard, Jane Kellogg, George Nieman, Tim Phelps, and Gary Pullen.

If you would like to nominate any other candidate in addition to these, please see the Candidate Suggestion Form at the bottom of this newsletter and the instructions for doing so.

Fillman Fellowship - Cancelled today

Fillman Fellowship will meet on Thursday, January 9, weather permitting, at 11:30 a.m. in our Social Hall. Remember to bring your sack lunch and invite a friend to join us. Bring suggestions for a recipient of our monetary gift.

What Goes Up Must Come Down

A lively group of ten came together in December to put up the Christmas trees, wreaths and greens around the Sanctuary, which resulted in a beautifully decorated Advent and Christmas season for our church. But, the specialness of the season is only made more so by the fact that it is one of many seasons in the liturgical year. This coming Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, and you will see the paraments changed to white, as we go into the green colors of Ordinary Time, followed by the purple of Lent.

This Friday, January 10 (tomorrow) at 9 a.m. there will be an assembly of people to help take down the Christmas decorations and ready us for the seasons to come. Many hands make light work - so please come and join the transformers.

Time for Annual Reports

Session Committee Moderators and other group leaders --

as 2013 draws to a close, it will soon be time to publish our Annual Report to the congregation to be distributed at the next Annual Meeting on January 26, 2014. Let us know who was on your committee and what your committee did during the year to support the overall vision and mission of our church.

In addition to keeping the congregation informed about church life, these reports are invaluable to new moderators coming on as they learn their responsibilities and also helps the PNC and pastoral candidates.

So far, I have received reports from Bereavement, Session, Thai Circle, Trustees, Investment, Wednesday Night Live, Memorial, Deacons, Sewing Circle, Music, the Ice Cream Social Committee, and Fillman. Thank you for getting your reports in promptly.

Vicki

DEADLINE: 1st week of January

Wednesday Night Live

Wednesday Night Live starts again January 15th. Drivers are the same.

Kitchen team: Jo Ellen Dollinger, Alice Lawson, Brittany Wilson, Jamie Horner.

Fruit of the Spirit Theme: Gentleness

Second semester dues of $20 may be paid in January if you didn't pay for the whole year.

Note: If school is cancelled due to weather, we will have NO WNL.

Youth Potato Bake - January 26

On Sunday, January 26, the youth will have their annual Potato Bake following the Congregational Annual Meeting. A free will donation will be received where the proceeds will go toward youth missions. If you are able to help with a salad or dessert, please sign up on the office door. Thank you!

Birthdays

January 2 - Rose Trimble, Carol Heflin, Mitch McVey

January 5 - Tralynn Mitchell

January 6 - John Turnbull

January 7 - Ann Phelps

January 10 - Bob Roney, Sheila Wilson, Darlene Moffet

January 11 - Noah Sorensen

January 13 - Jill McClintock

January 14 - Jacob McLaughlin, Alis Chy, Kenna Tatman

January 15 - Natalie Baber, Matthew Blackford

January 18 - Peggy Figle, Steve Distin

January 20 - Jim Lewis

January 25 - Molly Inman

January 26 - Heather Fisher

January 27 - Dawn Fleming

January 28 - Barb Gossett

January 29 - Nisha Hager Spangler

January 30 - Ron Murdock

Prayer Concerns

Bill Smallwood; Evelyn Carlson; the family of Isabel Marshall; Sharon Graham; Donna Lee; Jessie James; Brittany Wilson; Joyce Hagemann; Bill Hoover; Blaine Robinson; Vern Mettler; Cathy Abernathy; Cinda Stansbury; Irvin Lipp; Mary Johnson; Tara Hanson; Gary Youngblood; Lindsay Murdock; and Jim Paris.

New mailing address for Blaine Robinson:

Minneapolis VA Medical Center

Blaine Robinson - 4 J 108

One Veterans Drive

Minneapolis, MN 55417-2399

Irv Lipp has received good news on his test results. He is at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in New York City. Mail may be sent to his home at 22 White Oak Lane, West Hampton Beach, NY 11978. You may read his most recent updates at Caring Bridge.org.

Thank You

Dear Friends,

The Board of Directors and staff of Jamieson Community Center would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your recent donation of $252. Your donation will be used for the various programs Jamieson Center provides. We are very appreciative you have considered helping Jamieson Center and the needs of so many in the community by contributing to our mission.

It is nice to know there are people like you who are willing to help those less fortunate. We at Jamieson Center are very well aware we are not able to help all those who are in need alone. Because of community support our mission continues to achieve its goal of giving hope to those in the area.

Thank you again for your generosity and God Bless you in your ministry of helping others.

Sincerely,

Erin Heinrich

Executive Director, Jamieson Center

P.S. Thank you so much for your gift of hats & mittens for our Christmas Store. Many children were blessed because of your generosity.

Erin also wrote a separate letter thanking Thai Circle for their recent donation of $25.

Report from Jamieson Center

"It is extremely gratifying to realize how truly wonderful our area citizens, businesses, churches and clubs are in displays of generosity and compassion. Over $12,000 in monetary gifts as well as an abundance of food, coats, hats, and mittens, quilts, and toys were donated to our holiday programs."

"Your gift helped to provide a Merry Christmas to 224 children for our Christmas Store, 329 children on the Angel Tree (toys) and handed out 124 Christmas Baskets. This helping hand to families residing in Warren and Henderson Counties is made possible only through your loving kindness and support. On their behalf I extend to you, again thanks and appreciation. "

Erin Heinrich,

Execute Director

Christian Education

All Sunday School classes will resume at 9:15 a.m. on January 12.

Vita Income Tax Help

Tax Assistance available from VITA at Monmouth College

Place: Center for Science and Business Building 700 E Broadway (Handicap accessible)

Times: Weekdays 4-7 pm and Saturdays 9am-4pm

Dates: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays

February 1st -April 14th

Thursday sessions on February 6th and 13th only

***No sessions: March 8th, 10th, 12th and 15th.

Taxpayers earning $51,000 or less will be served February 1st - 15th. Others with higher incomes may start coming on February 17th. VITA will let you know if your tax return items are within the parameters of the VITA program. VITA does not prepare complicated returns.

Click here for more information: Tax Assistance

Christmas Joy Offering

So far, $214.79 has been collected for the Joy Offering. You can still contribute to the future of the faith, including the Menaul School. Please designate "Joy Offering" on the memo line of your check.

Lions Club Soup Sampler Supper - January 21

crock pot

The Monmouth Evening Lions Club is hosting their Annual Soup Sampler Supper from 5 to 7 p.m. at Faith United Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, January 21.

For a free-will donation, come and sample a variety f soups prepared by club members. Beverages, crackers and cookies will also be served.

Proceeds benefit the club's many community service projects.

"Nobody goes home hungry!"

Save the Date - Home Show - February 15

The Home Show will be February 15, 2014, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 1st Street Armoury in Monmouth. Watch for further details.

A Word from our Treasurer

Anyone wanting to know the balance of their pledge for 2013 may contact Andrea Crum at acrum@monmouthcollege.edu or cell phone number 309-371-8573. She will need to look it up at the church and then get back to you with the amount. Thanks.

Also, as we transition from 2013 to 2014, it is particularly important to write a notation on your check or offering indicating whether you want the funds to be applied to your 2013 or 2014 pledge balance. If there is no instruction, the treasurer will use the date of the check and apply it to that year's pledge balance, so if that's not what you want, you will need to please let her know.

2014 Directory Information

It will soon be time for Vicki to publish the 2014 church membership directory for new church officers. PLEASE, if you have changed your telephone number (perhaps you've dropped your landline) or have moved to a new address during 2013, call the church office or email at faithup@maplecity.com so that Vicki will have your most current information. We'd like our directory to be as up to date and as useful as possible.

Faith Church Hosting Two Presbytery Events

Saturday, January 18, 2014 - We will be hosting the Session Records Review for all of the churches in the Presbytery of Great Rivers who have not yet completed their reviews, which are held in alternate years. This event will be held in the Social Hall from 9:30 a.m. until noon. We are asked to provide coffee, tea, water, and a mid-morning snack to approximately 12 guests. If you are interested in helping, please contact Bonnie & Carol Heflin, January Service Club Co-Chairs, at 734-2634 or call the church office at 734-5129. Expenses will be reimbursed by the Presbytery if receipts are submitted.

Sunday, January 26, 2014 - We will be hosting the Presbytery-wide Pastor Nominating Committee Workshop from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. in our Social Hall. Light lunch refreshments will be needed for approximately 50-60 people. More details to follow.

Candidate Suggestion Form - Faith United Presbyterian Church Pastor Nominating Committee

One of the tasks of the Nominating Committee is to place the names of qualified individuals before the Congregation as nominees for the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The Congregation must then vote to elect these persons at the Congregational Meeting on January 12, 2014. The Session has set the size of the PNC at seven (7) persons. The slate recommended by the Nominating Committee for the PNC consists of Armond Akey, Julie Armstrong, Lolla Ballard, Jane Kellogg, George Nieman, Tim Phelps, and Gary Pullen.

If you would like to nominate any other candidate, in addition to those above, who is qualified and able to serve if nominated, please give this form to any member of the Nominating Committee. Please obtain the person's consent before nominating him or her, and note that anyone who is paid staff of the church is ineligible to serve on the Pastor Nominating Committee.

Candidate Name:

____________________________________________________

The 2013 Nominating Committee is: Gene Larson, Vicki Briscoe, Betty McBride, Hallie Lemon, Julie Armstrong, Debbie Dingman, Gary Distin, Buster Kellogg.

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