Focus on Faith

Faith United Presbyterian Church Newsletter

January 16, 2014

Phone: 734-5129

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

Church Email: faithup@maplecity.com

This Sunday - the Second Sunday after Epiphany

January 19, 2014

Sermon Title: "Who Takes Away the World's Sin"

Isaiah 49:1-7 Psalm 40:1-1

1 Corinthians 1:1-9 John 1:29-42

Liturgist: Barbara Byrne

Ushers: Julie Armstrong, Bob Wells, Jonalyn Heaton, Lolla Ballard, Betty McBride
Greeters: Carol Bowman, George & Liz Nieman

Children's Church: Stephanie Reading

Nursery: Tia Tatman

Coffee Hour: John & Mary Lyle

Special Session Meeting to Approve Budget - Noon

Upcoming Meetings/Events

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

9:30 a.m. to Noon

Sunday, January 19 - Youth leave from church for MLK Ski & Mission Trip - 11:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 19 - Special Session Meeting to Approve Budget - 12 Noon

Tuesday, January 21 - Monmouth Evening Lions Club Soup Supper - 5-7 p.m. (cooking & set-up starts at noon)

Wednesday, January 22 - Wednesday Night Live - 3:20 p.m.

Wednesday, January 22 - Bible Study with Pastor - 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 23 - Isabel Circle @ FUPC - 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 26 - Annual Congregational Meeting & Special Called Congregational Meeting to Elect Officers - 11:30 a.m. following Worship

Sunday, January 26 - Youth Potato Bake - noon

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

Tuesday, January 28 - Regular Session Meeting for Old and New Officers - 7:00 p.m.

Congregation Elects Pastor Nominating Committee

On January 12, 2014, the congregation elected the following persons to the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC): Armond Akey, Julie Armstrong, Lolla Ballard, Jane Kellogg, George Nieman, Tim Phelps, and Gary Pullen. This was the slate recommended by the Nominating Committee; there were no nominations from the floor. Please keep this committee in your prayers as they do their very important work.

Annual Congregational Meeting - January 26, 2014

The session has called a Congregational Meeting for Sunday, January 26 immediately following worship. This will be both the Annual Congregational Meeting to present the Annual Report and to receive the budget that the session has approved. In addition, this will also serve as a Special Congregational Meeting to Elect Officers for 2014. Officers for the Class of 2016 Ruling Elders and Deacons will be elected, as well as the members of the 2014 Nominating Committee from the congregation. If you would like to suggest someone (yourself or someone else) for one of these offices, you may use the form at the bottom of this newsletter.

Following the Congregational Meeting, we will meet in the Social Hall for our annual Youth Potato Bake.

Christmas Joy Offering

A total of $424.79 was collected for the 2013 Christmas Joy Offering.

Thank you so much!

Isabel Circle - Thursday, January 23

Isabel Circle will meet at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2014, in the Fellowship Hall at church. Deb Dingman will be the hostess. The business meeting will focus on completing plans for the annual Valentine Soup Luncheon on February 16th. All interested people are welcome to attend.

Lolla Ballard will facilitate Lesson Four from the 2013-2014 Horizons Bible Study: An Abiding Hope - The Presence of God in Exodus and Deuteronomy. The title of the lesson is "Passing through the Waters." The background Scripture is Exodus13:17 - 15:21. For Jews and Christians alike, the exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt is tied to the salvation of all peoples. Thus Christians connect this event to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, especially as we celebrate it in the Sacrament of Baptism.

Sewing Circle - No January meeting.

Time for Annual Reports

Session Committee Moderators and other group leaders --

it is 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 Fellowship, Mission, CE, 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

Absolute cut-off date to submit for publication: This Sunday, January 19, 2014

Wednesday Night Live - January 22

Fruit of the Spirit Theme: Self-Control

Kitchen team: Robert or Lorna Blackford, Roberta Hasten, Donna Spears, Judy Andrews

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

Mary Jo (Dave Spoerl's brother's girlfriend, newly diagnosed with cancer) Bill Smallwood; Evelyn Carlson; 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 reports that he is eight weeks out from his bone marrow transplant and anticipates a full recovery. 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.

2014 Directory Updates

It will soon be time 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.

Fifty Years Ago This Month...

1964 - 2014 t .

This is the first in our Golden Jubilee Series of articles, written by Vicki Briscoe, based on the Minutes of Faith United Presbyterian Church, 1964

Q1. When did Faith United Presbyterian Church begin?

A: As a congregation, Faith United Presbyterian Church was born on January 29, 1964. This new congregation was conceived, so to speak, on November 17, 1963.

Regarding the conception, four congregations voted on the following proposal:

"Shall this church be merged with the other three United Presbyterian Churches of Monmouth who voted 'yes' on the previous ballot?"

And each congregation voted affirmatively. The four congregations [listed in alphabetical order in the Minutes] coming together to make up Faith Church were:

FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - H. D. Finley, Moderator

GRACE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - Donald A. Weems, Moderator

NINTH AVENUE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - W. F. Ayoub, Moderator

SECOND UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - William R. Phillippe, Moderator

The act of uniting the congregations into one church reads in the Minutes something like a wedding ceremony. The setting was a Congregational Meeting held at the First United Presbyterian Church in Monmouth. Presiding over it was Rev. Lorenz DeVries, Chairman of the Special Administrative Commission of Monmouth (Illinois) Presbytery.

"Whereas, in duly called and regularly constituted business meetings of the First, Second, Grace and Ninth Avenue United Presbyterian churches of Monmouth, these four churches did vote to unite into one congregation, and" (speaks to intention to unite)

"Whereas, the Presbytery of Monmouth (Illinois) in Stated Meeting, did approve the uniting of these congregations, and" (the parties have the 'marriage' license)

"Whereas, upon the recommendation of the office of the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, the Presbytery of Monmouth (Illinois) did elect a Special Administrative Commission to act in the organization of the new United Presbyterian congregation of Monmouth, and" (we have the preacher here to preside and have gone through the required pre-marital counseling)

"Therefore, we are met in the sanctuary of the First United Presbyterian Church of Monmouth, for the purpose of uniting these four congregations and the organization of the new body, and for the electing of its officers, the choosing of a name, and the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the Annual Business meeting of the Congregation."

"I, Lorenz DeVries, Chairman of the Special Administrative Commission appointed for this purpose, do declare that the congregations of the First United Presbyterian Church of Monmouth, Second United Presbyterian Church of Monmouth, Grace United Presbyterian Church of Monmouth, and Ninth Avenue United Presbyterian Church of Monmouth, are now united into one congregation, and that said congregation is now convened in its first Annual Congregational Business Meeting. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (I now pronounce you Man and Wife...)

The Moderator then led in the constituting prayer and read the scripture lesson from

I Corinthians 13 (the 'Love' chapter).

The Congregation then stood and sang the hymn, "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise."

The congregation was united and ready to do business! In next week's article we will see what business they did in the rest of that meeting that took place on January 29, 1964.

Christian Education

Adult Faith and Life Class: For the rest of January, Tom Best will be showing the "God in America" PBS series DVD at 9:15 a.m. in the Social Hall.

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

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 of

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.

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 - Ruling Elders, Deacons, and 2014 Nominating Committee from the Congregation

One of the tasks of the Nominating Committee is to place the names of qualified individuals before the Congregation as nominees for Elder, Deacon, and the Congregational Members of the 2014 Nominating Committee. The congregation must then vote to elect these persons. The Nominating Committee needs your help in determining who is qualified and able to serve, if nominated. Please give this form to any member of the Nominating Committee.

Candidate Name: __________________________ Office: _____________

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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