January Gleaner 2009

THE GLEANER
First Presbyterian Church (USA) Walnut, Iowa 51577
Volume 40 Number 1 January 2009


PASTOR'S NOTES
Yesterday the Sunday school children presented their Christmas program during our time for worship. There were 21 children who had parts in the program ranging in age from 4 to 17 years old. We all hear the laments about how the church is shrinking but yesterday we got a glimpse of the future of the church.
If you were there or if you could have been there you would have noticed the enthusiasm with which these children sang their songs of praise and recited their parts. What a joyous celebration it was as we were all reminded of the birth of the Christ child.
I wish we could bottle some of that joy and enthusiasm so that a little bit could be released every day in this next year as we go about the work God has for us. Some days I find that I’m a little deficient. No human being has been able to develop anything that enables us to be filled with energy and enthusiasm as we go about our daily activities. Oh, what would it be like to be young again! Well, maybe not quite that young, but you know what I mean.
This year has just sped by. I find that it’s been hard for me to keep up with everything God has put before me. This Advent season and the cold and snow have all made me realize how we all need to slow down. Too many of us are speeding around in the busyness of the season. We aren’t allowing ourselves a chance to enjoy God’s creation as it rests and builds its reserves for the coming spring.
Just as the soil needs a rest so do our souls. As you wait, watch, prepare, and give praise to the One who is coming again, don’t neglect your soul. Give it time to rest and build the reserves it needs for the coming year of the Lord’s work. Perhaps if we care for our souls as much as we care for our possessions we will be filled with the exuberant joy and enthusiasm we witnessed yesterday.
One year ago on this page I spoke of how important Christian Education was for our young members, and those others who aren’t so young anymore. Nothing has changed. God has given all of us the responsibility to guide and nurture his children.
I have been reading the book about Mother Teresa’s life. One of the things that have stayed with me is how she dedicated her whole life to doing whatever God asked of her. This morning I read how she resolved to give God a ‘hearty “Yes” and a big “Smile” to all.’ What a different world this would be if we could all resolve to do the same thing.
Yesterday the burdens on my heart were lighter because of the joy and enthusiasm of our younger members. I pray that you burdens will be lighter also as you prepare for the coming new year.
May your lives be filled with the joy and peace of Jesus as you share his gifts of love and light with those around you.
Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year to each of you,
Pastor David


ANNUAL CORPORATE MEETING
Our Annual Corporate meeting for the First Presbyterian Church of Walnut will be Sunday January 25th. We will have Sunday School at 9:15 A.M. and Worship at 10:30A.M. Then we will have our famous Pork Rib BBQ dinner, with our annual meeting following that. Come one, come All. Bring a covered dish or dessert.

Please have your annual reports in by January 14th for printing.


YOUTH HAPPENINGS
To buy raffle quilt tickets see a youth member, Pastor David or Jim McDermott. Jim
displayed the quilt at the AmVets during the Christmas Walk and sold a number of tickets

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations go out to Leo and Jeanette Rechtenbach’s granddaughter Anna from Dubuque. Her drum and bugle corps was chosen to be in the Inaugural Parade, in Washington, D.C. Anna was interviewed by NBC for the NBC news.

Thank-you
Thanks go out to many people for their work for the church:
Leo Rechtenbach – lights and pane for our sign, repainting letter holder
Dixie Schirm – prayer shawl
Gloria Myers – setting up Christmas trees, Nativity Scene downstairs, and greenery on windowsills
Jim McDermott & Chuck Ploen for moving a refrigerator downstairs
Pastor David – Sanding entry door, pulpit and communion tablecloths,
cleaning and polishing the brass on the pulpit.
Everyone who brought food for the food pantry. Pastor David said our pies didn’t even make it to their freezer, people were taking them as he brought them in.
Everyone who brought gifts for Chuck and Linda to take to Operation Santa – the boxes were overflowing with all kinds of toys etc.
Troy & Diane Schaben for the delicious cake and coffee following Mason’s baptism.
Charlotte Shepherd for all her work in the kitchen (and everywhere else!)
Leo and Jeanette Rechtenbach for bagging the candy for Christmas
Larry Schepherd for scraping and painting our front door
Dennis and Connie Jensen for setting up the Nativity Scene outside.
Linda Ploen for calling people for the Church directory
Don and JoJane Walter for providing us all with squash from their garden
Pastor David and Linda would like to thank everyone for the Christmas cards and gifts they received. We have much to be thankful for.

Church Bazaar
Audrey Carroll was the lucky winner of the beautiful afghan made and donated by Dixie Schirm.

PLEASE PICK UP ANY BOWLS, PANS, ETC. LEFT FROM THE CHURCH SUPPER


February-USHERS & COMMUNION SERVERS
Ushers: Charles & Gloria Walter and Greg & Michelle Mertz

Communion Servers: Jim McDermott chm., Greg & Michelle Mertz and Charles Walter

January ushers and communion servers are at bottom of calendar.


Flowers for January and February
January 4 – JoJane Walter
11 – Margo Matthies
18 – Willa Petersen
25 – Linda Krueger
February 1 – Michelle Mertz
8 – Charlotte Shepherd
15 – Gloria Myers
22 – Tina Gregory


Sunday School Christmas Program
Wow! Wow! Wow! We laughed, we cried, we cheered! What a wonderful program the children of the church put on for us. How they pull it off every year I will never know. Many thanks go out to Robin Tooley and Teresa Griffith for all their creativity and hard work. They were helped by Bailey Nielsen and Valerie Sievers.

Poinsettias
Poinsettias have been placed in the sanctuary in memory of family and friends who have passed on, those who have brought memorials are:

v Presbyterian Women in memory of family and friends of the church
v Chuck & Linda Ploen in memory of Marge Ploen & Melissa Manhart
v Barb Eslick in memory of Bill Eslick
v The children of John & Twyla Bero in their memory
v Jean Schmitt in memory of Herb Mertz
v Betty Sunderman and Steve & Michelle Sunderman in memory of Darrell & Sam Sunderman and Joe & Dorothy Beckendorf
v Ross & Jean Bornholdt in memory of Laurie Bornholdt
v Basket of greenery on piano in memory of Jean and Louis Myers given by Gloria Myers, Ed Myers and Katie Myers, Tina, Ross, and Xavier Gregory.


Per Capita
Every Presbyterian (USA) church is required to send a per capita payment to the Missouri River Valley Presbytery. This is based on the membership of the church. Our per capita apportionment for this year is $26.94 per member. We are asking each member to pay their own per capita beyond what you have pledged if you are able. Whatever you give helps our church stay within the budget.


Gifts For The Church
We always like to encourage everyone to bring something that the church can use to our Annual meeting on Jan. 25th. This can be supplies for the office, like copy paper, stamps, paper products for the bathrooms, kitchen/bath cleaning supplies, Kleenex or anything else you might think would be useful

December Session Minutes

December 9, 2008
The session of Walnut First Presbyterian church met in regular session on December 9, 2008 in the church basement.
Those in attendance were Leo Rechtenbach, Darlene Stuart, Jim McDermott, Linda Ploen and Gloria Myers. Those absent were Robin Tooley, Valerie Sievers, and Janet Grush.
The meeting was opened with prayer and a scripture reading from Isaiah 40:1-3. David then presented an interactive reflection on advent called “Pausing on the Road to Bethlehem.”
The minutes of the November 18, 2008 meeting were read and approved after a correction. Our mission pledge was $1200 not $122.
The treasures’ report was accepted as read.
The pastor’s report was presented & approved. Pastor David traveled 568 miles this month.
The clerk’s report was given and approved. Pastor David performed the wedding of James Chelf and Nineen Freeman on November 22, 2008. We had the baptism of Mason Charles Schaben on November 30, 2008. He is the son of Troy and Diana Schaben. Godparents were Lenny and Rachel Becerra. Mason was presented by elder Robin Tooley. Linda then read a letter reporting the figures for our per capita apportionment. Our per person per capita cost is $26.94. It was moved and seconded to pay our total per capita of $3,852.42. Motion carried.
Stewardship and Mission
Our General Mission pledge report for 2009 needs to be completed and sent in.
Christian Education
David reminded us of the Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #5 on April 16-19, 2009. The Thoughtful Christian.com - 1st annual subscription of $250 has been paid. Gloria will send a letter to Kelsey Helms for her scholarship application. David announced that the Sunday School Christmas program will be on December 21st during worship. The Sunday School would like to donate the hooded sweatshirts purchased for the program to the Salvation Army or the Open Door Mission. There was a unanimous vote to do so.
Worship
The Christmas Eve candlelight is scheduled for 10 p.m. David checked with Faith Sound, but they are already booked for 2009. He will check and get us scheduled for 2010. We need to put together the usher and communion server list for 2010.
Finance and Property
Linda once again reported that we did not get enough people signed up for pictures for our church directory, so it was voted to cancel at this time. There was also some discussion on the youth fishing trip. It was also voted to take Shelly Thompson off the youth account at the bank and put Jim or Bobbie McDermott on that account. They will need to sign a signature card at the bank.
Personnel
Christmas gifts for church personnel were discussed. Gifts will be as follows: $25 for teachers, custodian, financial secretary, treasurer, clerk and secretary, $50 for pianist and choir director, and $250 for pastor. Leo will get fruit and candy for Christmas baskets to deliver to shut-ins and also for Sunday School children. Gloria will get bags. Leo volunteered to assemble the bags. Bobbie McDermott has agreed to finish out Enola’s term on session.
New Business
David reported on the Angel Tree at the Walnut Library. It was moved and seconded to purchase gift wrap to wrap the Angel Tree gifts. Motion carried. It was also moved and seconded to confirm the date of January 25th, 2009 as our annual meeting. Motion carried. David has asked permission to perform the wedding of Lori Sievers and John Baldwin in Johnston, Iowa on January 10th, 2009. It was moved and seconded to allow him to do so. Motion carried. Our church will be hosting a Hospice Training on January 12, 2009 from 10-2. Good Guys will be delivering boxes on December 20th. David also reported that hospice had a request for Marian League. She would love to come to church, but needs to have someone come get her. Judy Ferguson would also like a ride. Perhaps someone could volunteer to bring them.
The meeting was closed with prayer and the Lord’s Prayer.

Our next meeting will be January 13, 2009 at 7:00.

Linda Ploen
Clerk of Session

Quilt for the Youth

This is a picture of the quilt being raffled at the Antique Walk on this coming Father's Day weekend. The money raised is going to be used to help defray the costs for the younger members going to camp and to Minnesota.

Our thanks go to Linda K. for donating her time, talents, and materials for this project.

What's This?

This is an attempt to help us all stay more connected. If things work the way they're supposed to you will have received an email notifying you of this blog.

We have posted the Gleaner here and will be posting other news so that we can all keep up to date on the happenings here at First Presbyterian Church.

If there are any items that you would like to see added please let us know at walnutpres@walnutel.net.

God's grace, peace, and love be with you all this Advent season,
Pastor David

December Gleaner 2008

THE GLEANER
First Presbyterian Church (USA) Walnut, Iowa 51577
Volume 39 Number 10 December 2008

I’m sorry that I didn’t get a November Gleaner out this year. The church has been without a secretary and I wasn’t able to get myself to sit down and put one together this month. The good news is, as you will read in the Session meeting minutes, someone has volunteered to put the Gleaner together and keep me on task to get my things down so it can be published and mailed on time. Our thanks go to Linda Krueger for being so gracious as to agree to do this for us.
Linda has already been here to let me know that I need to get my notes written so she can get everything printed Wednesday. So here it goes.
Since the weather has changed from being 70 degrees during the day to 40 degrees and we received over a half-inch of snow on Saturday, I’ve been thinking about those who, for whatever reason, don’t have the advantage of a warm place to live and sleep at night. Have you ever really considered what it must be like to sleep outside at night when the weather is like it is right now? How can anyone ever get any rest with temperatures in the teens?
When we realize that the folks who are living outdoors don’t have the advantage of clothes that help to maintain a good body temperature and they probably aren’t eating a healthy diet to enable their bodies to work properly it’s a wonder that they are able to survive at all. The reality is some don’t.
I haven’t seen anyone in Walnut living outdoors, at least not since Kelsey Helms slept in a cardboard box in our yard one cold winter night. I don’t think she really slept. What she did gain from the experience was what it was like to try to survive in our climate when all you have is a cardboard box between you and the cold. There might not be any homeless folks living in our community but there are some who are just barely making ends meet. They might not be far from not having a shelter to live in. Wouldn’t that be a terrible thing to have facing you every day?
As people who are trying to follow the examples and teachings of Jesus what should we be doing? Sunday’s gospel lesson from Matthew was about the King, Jesus, separating the sheep from the goats. The sheep were those who took care of God’s children, the ones who were in need of food, drink, clothes, and companionship and the goats were those who didn’t.
Friends, I know that I don’t always notice those in need or always help those in need so I’m most probably a sheepish goat. And I’m probably not alone there. But you know God has a way of making us aware and convicting us of our failures to care for our brothers and sisters.
You may be wondering what you can do. You may be thinking, “How can I find out who needs some help?” I’m glad you asked.
There are a couple of things that you can do right here in our local community. One is contribute food, paper products, and bathroom necessities to the Avoca Food Pantry. If you aren’t close to Avoca I’m sure there is a food pantry close to you that would be excited to receive your donations of canned food or paper towels. Another way you can help is by giving to the Good Guys. Donations for the Good Guys can be sent to the MidStates Bank in Avoca, Iowa to the attention of Kim Buck. And if you’re not able to help in that way because things are a little tight at your house you could volunteer your time at the Food Pantry. I know Roberta would appreciate any help you could give.
Those are just two opportunities available in our local community. Of course this time of year you receive many letters in the mail asking you to contribute to homeless shelters in Omaha and Council Bluffs. These are great places to send coats, blankets, and volunteer to serve in their kitchens, or out on the street. They also accept contributions of money but not everyone is able to do that.
Jesus told us that we are to care for the poor, the sick, and the widowed. Look into your heart and ask yourself, “How well am I doing this?”
Advent begins this next Sunday. I pray that you will find the time to come and worship the King and walk with Mary and Joseph as they travel to Bethlehem. Everyone God brings through the doors of this sanctuary are welcome. It’s warm inside and God will provide food for your soul.
Thanks be to God for his grace, peace, and love. Amen.
Pastor David

REMEMBRANCE
In memory of Doug Ferguson 1935-2008 and Darrell Sunderman 1932-2008


YOUTH HAPPENINGS

The drawing for the lap quilt was held the night of the supper and Gwen Blum was the winner. Jim McDermott took the quilt to her that evening and she was thrilled. We certainly appreciate Alice Cowley of Benson, Utah for donating the quilt to our youth. It raised $201. Jim and the youth are now starting to sell raffle tickets for the new full size quilt made and contributed by Linda Krueger. See one of them to buy your tickets; $1. or 6 for $5.

CONGRATULATIONS

Valerie Sievers and Samantha Jensen were awarded football cheerleading letters.
Lauren Sievers (8th grade) was named the Author Award winner for her class.


THANK-YOU
Thanks to everyone who helped to make the Annual Presbyterian Bazaar & Dinner a great success. We all worship God in different ways, some through the work of their hands. What a lot of people we had worshipping God the week of the supper.
We served 352 people, 150 of those were carry-outs.



JANUARY USHERS & COMMUNION SERVERS
Ushers: Dennis Jensen, Dustin Jensen, Allan and Diana Sievers
Communion Servers: Darlene Stuart – Chairperson, Allan Sievers, Dennis Jensen and Linda Woltmann


SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
The annual Sunday School Christmas program, The Animal’s Christmas Pageant will be December 21st during worship. Come and see what great things the children can do.


POINSETTIAS
Poinsettias will be placed in the sanctuary in memory of family and friends who have passed on. The Presbyterian Women have ordered three for the church. A complete list will be in the bulletin later in December.


NOVEMBER SESSION MINUTES
The session of Walnut First Presbyterian Church met in regular session on November 18, 2008 at 7:00 in the south Sunday School annex.
Those in attendance were Leo Rechtenbach, Gloria Myers, Val Sievers, Linda Ploen, Jim McDermott, Janet Grush, and Robin Tooley. Those absent were Darlene Stuart and David Thompson.
The meeting was opened with prayer and a scripture reading from Luke 17:1-10. For reflection David read an interesting article from “Congregations Magazine” about the seven habits of highly effective churches.
The minutes of the October 7,2008 meeting were read and approved.
The treasure’s report was accepted as read.
The pastor’s report was presented and approved. Pastor David traveled 215 miles this month for visitations and meetings.
The clerk’s report was given and approved. There were 2 deaths. Doug Ferguson died November 2, 2008. The funeral service was at First Presbyterian Church in Walnut on Nov. 6, 2008, burial at Hancock Cemetery. Darrell Sunderman passed away on November 12, 2008 with graveside service at Layton Twp. Cemetery on November 15, 2008. There was also a request from David and Shelly Thompson to have their names removed from our membership roles.
Stewardship and Mission
Stewardship letters were mailed out. We received our General Mission Pledge report for 2009. It was moved and 2nd to approve our donation of $1,200 for mission to the Sudanese Church in Omaha, and $300 the Theological Education Fund. Linda Ploen also reported that she will bring a box to church to hold gift donations to the Open Door Mission. Lists of what their needs are will be available at the church.
Christian Education
David reminded us of the Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #5 on April 16-19, 2009. It was moved and 2nd to allow David to purchase a subscription to Thoughtful Christian.com for $250. It will be used for Christian education for youth and adults. We will also be having Sunday evening worship with a meal on December 7th and 14th from 5:45-7:30.
Worship
There will be a Thanksgiving Eve service at the Peace Church. Advent begins on November 30th. David and Darlene have some interactive ideas for the lighting of the advent candle.
Finance and Property
Pictures for our new church directory will be taken on Tuesday, December 16 from 3:00-9:30. Picture appointments need to be made with Linda Ploen.
It was mentioned that the upstairs basement door knob needs to be replaced.
Next on the agenda was our church budget for 2009. After discussion it was moved, 2nd and approved to accept our 2009 budget for $79,906.18.
Personnel
David reported that Linda Krueger will be taking over the church’s secretarial duties starting immediately for a fee of $200 a month. We were very appreciative of her offer to help out. We also received a letter of resignation from David Thompson as an elder on session. We decided not to find a replacement for his position as he only has a month left of his term. We are however; still searching for someone to replace Enola’s position as elder.
New Business
We discussed our church sign and the possibility of updating or replacing it for more street appeal. David was elected as chairman for the Committee for Congregations. He also reported on his and Pastor Gail Muckey’s work with Angel Tree to be at the Walnut Public Library. Local residents can apply to be a part of this project to help needy families during the holidays. They will then be eligible for adoption during the Christmas Season. One Great Hour of Sharing material has been ordered. Easter is April 12th. It was moved, 2nd and approved to allow David to perform the wedding of James Chelf and Nineen Freeman on Saturday, November 22nd, and the baptism of Mason Charles Schaben on November 30th,2008. David will contact Faith Sound to see if they can come to our church again in 2009. The last order of business was the development of a new committee-Community Assistance Program Committee- that will help oversee the running of the assistance programs provided through the local churches of Avoca, Hancock, Shelby and Walnut. The committee would be made up of 2 members of each church involved. The CAP Committee will have oversight of the following programs. Good Guys, The Food Pantry, Traveler’s Aid, Angel Tree, and the Crop Walk.
After adjournment, the meeting was ended by saying the Lord’s Prayer.
Next meeting will be December 9th at 7:00.
Linda Ploen
Clerk of Session