June 2010 Gleaner

Pastor’s Notes
This past month I have been reading about hospitality. Just about everything we read concerning churches, their growth or decline, sooner or later gets around to how welcoming the church is, how hospitable it is.

As I read, and take some time to let it all sink in, I have come to realize that it begins with each of us as individuals. For some being hospitable just seems to come naturally and for others of us, who are more introverted, it doesn’t. So, we have to work at being hospitable.

Hospitality is about relationships, our ability to relate with God, with others, and with ourselves. Sometimes that isn’t so easy. Sometimes we just don’t feel like relating.

But that’s not good for us or anybody else. We need relationships. If we stay in our protective cocoons our soul begins to shrivel up, kind of like an old piece of shoe leather or our bodies if we don’t use them.

Abraham welcomed messengers from God into his camp. I don’t know if he knew they were from God or not but he went ahead and invited them to stop, sit and wash their feet, and have something to eat before they traveled on. He didn’t know them. He’d never seen them before, yet he invited them to sit and rest for a while. Somehow he knew they were different but still he invited them to stay.

Many people we meet are different. Shoot, even you and I are different. But how many of us invite people into our lives so that they can sit, rest, and talk for a while. Some, I’m sure, but we don’t make a regular practice of it. It’s not something most of us naturally do.

So, if hospitality doesn’t come naturally to us what are we to do? Just to be honest with you all, you know what’s coming, you have to work at it. Kind of like we have to discipline ourselves to eat our fruits and vegetables; we have to work at making time to exercise our bodies. In the same way we need to take time to work at being relational, being hospitable.

You know, God doesn’t ever just give anything to us. Everything, every blessing, requires some work, some effort. I don’t mean that we earn God’s grace. What I mean is that we need to exercise, exercise our spirits, our souls, our relationships. It begins by working on our relationship with our Creator, God.

I don’t know about you but I do have to work at that. I have to make time in my day for God. I’m finding that the more time I spend on my relationship with God the better my relationship is with those God brings to my doors.

So good friends, let’s all take time to begin to work on our relationship with God this month. Let’s see how it impacts our relationships with each other and with those whom God brings to our doors.

God’s grace and peace be with you all,
Pastor David

Thank-You
To all the men that helped remove the shrubs at the church
To Chuck Ploen for removing the refrigerator from the basement
To Kaitlyn Tooley for playing the flute at church
To Josie Cable for playing the trumpet at church
To Jim McDermott for organizing the rock pickup at the wind turbine office site for $ for our
youth

CONGRATULATIONS
To Amy Hansen on becoming a member of our church
To William and Elizabeth Hansen (Amy & Rob) being baptized on May 16th
To Reid Matthies for graduating from South Dakota State University
To our graduating seniors: Valerie Sievers, Karley Helms, Josie Cable, Dustin Dea and
Becky Grush




Rob and Amy Hansen with twins William and Elizabeth during baptism ceremony May 16th.



July Ushers and Communion Servers
Ushers: Jack & Judy Ploen, Gloria Myers & Barb Eslick Communion Servers:Valerie Sievers-chm, Brittni Johnk, Mary Ellen Woltmann, Jack Ploen. June ushers and communion servers are at bottom of calendar.


Sunday School
May 9th the Sunday School sang for the congregation. What a nice addition to our
Mother’s Day service.



Back row: Sarah Ehlers, Kaitlyn Tooley. Middle row: Ben Ehlers, Brady Canada, Preston
Tooley.
Front row: Hugh Griffith, Bella Canada, Landon Shutters.

Greetings From Camp Calvin Crest
“Summer is just around the corner. Now is the time to make plans to send your child to summer camp. With camps and activities for all ages, Calvin Crest is an ideal place for your child to experience a Christ-centered residential camp experience filled with fun games, meaningful interaction with campers and caring staff, and unique opportunities to try new things. For more information, please check out our website at www.calvincrest.org or contact the camp office at (402) 628-6455. We look forward to sharing the joys of Calvin Crest with you and your child.”

Blessings,
Craig Huffman
Executive Director
Calvin Crest Camp, Conference and Retreat Center
2870 County Road 13
Fremont, NE 68025
(402) 628-6455--Office
(402) 607-0071—Cell


Flowers for Pulpit
June 6 -------Barb Eslick
June 13------Barb Eslick
June 20------Antique Walk
June 27------Robin Tooley


Upcoming Events
Bible School---Peace UCC/First Presbyterian Vacation Bible School will be June 1-5 from 9:00 AM-11:00 AM at our church. The program will be held on Saturday, June 5th at 11:00 with lunch following.


Presbytery Women—Wednesday June 2nd the Neola Presbyterian Church will be hosting their Annual Brunch at 9:30 AM - Presentation by Penny Christensen (Penny is the artist wife of bronze artist, Russell Christensen, sculptor Pottawattamie County Eagles of Honor project). This is open to all women of our church; if you would like to go let Charlotte know. Meet at the church Wednesday morning at 8:30 am to car pool to Neola.


Antique Walk—The Food Stand work schedule is included in this Gleaner (for all you people involved). If you can’t work your time please check the schedule and call someone to trade with.

Session Minutes
May 11, 2010

The session of Walnut First Presbyterian church met in regular session on May 11, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sunday School south annex.

Those in attendance were Linda Ploen, Jim McDermott, Bobbie McDermott, Dennis Jensen, Robin Tooley, Margo Matthies, Linda Krueger, and Jim Tooley. Absent were Bonnie Holtz and Val Sievers.


Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting with prayer and scripture from 1 John 4:7-12. His reflection was entitled “Loving One Another”.

The minutes of the April 13th meeting were approved as read.

The treasurer’s report was approved as given.

The pastor’s report was read and approved. Pastor David traveled 77 miles this month.

We received a letter of transfer from Trinity Lutheran church for Michelle Hansen Tooley. It was moved and 2nd to approve this transfer.

Stewardship and Mission
David reported on two mission trip opportunities. One to Valentine, Nebraska with Faithful Shepherd Church on June 28th at a cost of $75 per person. And one to Lexington Ky. on June 19-26 with Avery Presbyterian church at a cost of $100 per person.


Christian Education
Robin reported that Bible School plans were going well. Bible School will be at our church June 1-5th with the program on June 5th.

Worship
Pentecost offering will be received May 23rd during worship. Forty percent of the offering will be kept in this congregation on behalf of children at risk. Red is the color for Pentecost Sunday.

We were asked for ideas on decorating the worship space for Pentecost. Bobbie purchased green fabric for the altar cloth.


Finance and Property
It was reported that Val Sievers, Karley Helms, and Josie Cable cleaned out all the lava rocks and landscaping border around the church. It was moved and 2nd to pay them $100 for their effort. We still need to do some cleaning and landscaping to help make the front of our church look more appealing. Margo will speak with the ladies at “My Nest” in Harlan to get some ideas and bids and Jim Tooley will speak to “Canoyers” greenhouse. It was agreed that we need to remove some of the bushes out front and trim some of the others. Jim McDermott checked on the rental of a sander and buffer to refinish the floor in the south annex. It was $36 a day for the sander and $18 a day for the buffer. We will wait to do anything until after the Walk. Jim Tooley also reported that we had a bid of $17,840 from the Iowa Prison Industries to refinish the pews in our church. No action was taken until we research other options. It was also moved and 2nd to have Chuck Ploen remove the refrigerator from the furnace room, as it no longer works. Motion carried.

Personnel
Pastor David reported that MRV COM is now working on a sexual misconduct policy.

New Business
We have received $1000 as a memorial from the family of William F. Sievers designated to purchase audio-visual equipment for the church. We agreed we need a projector and screen so we can use some of the new technology available. David will make some calls so we can see what our best options are. Total in the memorial fund is $8,574.58. Linda Ploen then reported that she had looked into the purchase of new pew Bibles so that they are all the same version. It was moved and 2nd to allow Linda to purchase one case of standard NIV Bibles with a “WOW” cover at a cost of $126, and a case of black large print Bibles at a cost of $104. Motion carried. Money will come from the Memorial Fund. Robin also stated that for those members unable to get flowers for church that “Cohassets” flower shop in Avoca will deliver flowers to the church if needed. Our church will be hosting the Presbytery Prayer Group on Saturday, May 15th at 10:30 a.m.

The meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Next meeting will be June 8th at 7:00 p.m.

Linda Ploen
Clerk of session

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

A sharp tongue can cut your own throat.

If you want your dreams to come true, you mustn’t oversleep.

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.

One thing you can’t recycle is wasted time.

The 10 commandments are not a multiple choice.

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

May 2010 Gleaner

Pastor’s Notes
This my first day back in the office after serving at Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #7 at Camp Calvin Crest in Fremont, Nebraska. And so, friends, I’m sitting here wondering how I can possibly describe how wonderful, how God-filled this last week was.

Have you ever experienced being waited on, having your every request taken care of for four days? That’s what Pilgrimage is like. The guests are served by a team of people who respond by delivering whatever they might need whether it’s a cup of coffee or tea or another pillow or an umbrella that they forgot to bring or whatever.

By Sunday afternoon the guests begin to understand that this is just a small example of what our God is capable of providing for us. There is so much love, so much compassion, and so much joy, that you couldn’t possibly believe its true unless you were there and experienced it yourself.

If I could use just one word to describe the five days I was there it would be “grace.” As you all know grace is that free gift God has for us with absolutely no strings attached. Our God is so big, so generous with his love that it’s beyond anything we could ever imagine. The guests received so much grace, and so did the team, that it overflowed and spilled out onto the staff at Camp Calvin Crest.

At Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage guests are showered with so much love that they are almost overwhelmed. Most have never experienced anything like it. There are boxes of tissues on every table because the love that’s shared just bubbles up and overflows.

There are people, literally from all over the United States, and this year from Ireland too, praying 24-hours a day for everyone at the Pilgrimage, guests and team members. You don’t really grasp that until you see their names and the times they are praying surrounding you as you sit in the community room. Can you imagine the feeling of having someone praying for you, by name, for over 3 solid days? It’s beyond belief but that’s what happens. Friends, that’s powerful.

Sunday afternoon the guests are received and welcomed into the Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage community. Then they are sent back into the world to love and serve the Lord. In other words they go back home and go back to work. They go back into the world where they have to get their own coffee, make their own snacks, and some are probably wishing they were back at the Camp. They probably felt a little like Peter, James, and John when they were on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured. They just don’t want it to end.

But it does end. Each of us has to go back to the world immersed in our work, our families, and our communities and try to remember that we have been sent back here to serve as we have been served. Friends, that’s not an easy thing, especially when you have been on the receiving end for 3-4 days.

God serves us, provides for our needs, every day, and all he asks of his church, all Jesus asks, is that we go out and serve those who have a need to be served. And, friends, we don’t have to walk very far to find someone who needs our service.

How can you serve? You can serve by providing for those who have needs, whatever their needs may be: clothes, food, prayers, hugs, or kind words. Ask God, see where he is directing you, listen to his voice, and he will show you where to serve.

If you would like to experience just a small portion of God’s amazing grace come to Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #8 October 21-24, 2010. You will not be sorry you came and you will leave filled to overflowing with God’s grace and love.

Grace to you all, Pastor David


Congratulations
Congratulations to Sean & Mary (Mertz) Moutary on the birth of their daughter, McKayl McKenzi on April 9th. Grandparents are Randy & Rhonda Mertz. Great Grandfather is George Mertz.

Congratulations to Reid Matthies for being awarded to the dean’s list at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Reid is the son of Doug and Margo Matthies.

Congratulations to Josie Cable and Dustin Dea for being chosen Prom Queen and King. Also to
Hugh Griffith for being chosen to be Crown Bearer.


Seen in Church Bulletins (Not Ours)
(These are jokes)

Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday. The
congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.


Presbyterian Women
The Presbyterian Women met in the church basement April 7th for their monthly meeting. Plans were made for April 20th when the women will be playing Bingo with the Peace Haven residents and also providing cakes for their monthly birthday celebration.

Also on April 20th the women hosted the “Golden Oldies” for lunch at the church. The Golden Oldies is anyone of retirement age that would like to visit and enjoy a good meal for only $3.00. The churches in Avoca have been doing this for awhile and wanted to include Walnut residents also, so asked us to host the first Walnut lunch. They have a lunch once a month, September – May.

The program for the April meeting was Walnut’s Exchange Students. Akari Fujita from Japan and Nicole Messer from Switzerland gave wonderful presentations about their countries. Al and Dixie Schirm hosted Walnut’s first foreign exchange student 45 years ago.

The next meeting will be May 5th when the ladies will be honoring our graduating seniors, Valerie Sievers, Josie Cable, Karly Helms, Dustin Dea, and Becky Grush.

Thank-you
Thank-you for your generous donations to the girls for preparing our Easter Brunch. They raised $320. for their trip to Wyoming.

Thank-you to Presbyterian women for providing the Easter lilies for the sanctuary. Also Ross and Jean Bornholdt for their Easter lilies and the Tooley family for the mum arrangement.

Bible School
Mark your calendars and tell your neighbors Bible School will be at our church from
Tuesday, June 1-Saturday, June 5th, from 9-11 AM. The program this year will be on
Saturday at 11:00 AM with a hot dog lunch to follow.

June Ushers and Communion Servers
Ushers: Steve & Michelle Sunderman, Betty Sunderman
Communion Servers: Bonnie Holtz-chm, Betty Sunderman, Al & Dixie Schirm

Flowers for May
May 2------------Darlene Stuart
May 9------------Teresa Griffith
May 16-----------Enola Pagliuso
May 23-----------Linda Ploen
May 30-----------Linda Ploen



Good Guys – Food Pantry
The Good Guys have passed out food boxes at Christmas for many years and this year are going to expand that idea and provide a summer box to those in need. Roberta Gillette, who operates the food pantry, put together this list of items to include in the summer box. No date has been set for distribution.

SUMMER FOOD BASKET/BOX
1. Hotdogs
2. Hotdog buns
3. Catsup
4. Mustard
5. Pickle relish
6. Chips
7. Baked or Pork & Beans
8. Cookies
9. Paper plates
10. Napkins
11. Dinnerware
12. Ground pork or hamburger
13. Hamburger buns
14. Green beans or corn
15. Fruit-canned or fresh
16. Cereal
17. Milk-1 or ½ gallon


Roberta also presented this information at the last meeting.

Good Guys Team Notes
1. 2009 statistics-156 families served, 508 people; 7,786 products donated and $2,048 donated
2. First quarter 2010 statistics-49 families served, 200 people; first quarter 2009 statistics-35 families served, 107 people
3. A “Thank you open house at the Food Pantry will be held May 22, 2010 from 1-3 p.m.

Pastor David giving his Children’s Sermon April 18th.
Notice the campfire props (and the choir looking on).


Church Humor

A woman had just returned to her home from an evening church service when she was startled by an Intruder… She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled:
“Stop! Acts 2:38!” (Repent and be Baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven.) The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar: “Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture at you.” “Scripture?” replied the burglar.. “She said she had an Ax and Two 38’s!”

Session Minutes
April 13, 2010
The session of Walnut First Presbyterian church met in regular session on April 13, 2010 in the Sunday School south annex.

Those in attendance were Linda Ploen, Bobbie McDermott, Jim McDermott, Robin Tooley, Jim Tooley, Margo Matthies, and Linda Krueger. Those absent were Dennis Jensen, Bonnie Holtz and Val Sievers.

Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting with a reading from Psalms and prayer. The scripture reading was from I Peter 1:13-25, and the reflection was entitled “Live is short”.
The minutes of the March 9th meeting were read and approved with the mention that we did not have a Maundy Thursday service at our church so we could attend the service at Peace Church.

The treasurer’s report was approved as given.

David reported in his pastor’s report that he will be the Spiritual Advisor at Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage April 21-25. Rev. Kathryn Bates will preach April 25th, and Rev. Nancy Ross-Hullinger will be on call for pastoral care if needed. Linda and David will be attending Wee Kirk Conference in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on May 4-6. David traveled a total of 304 miles this month. It was moved and seconded to approve David’s vacation for July 25-31. Motion carried. We will need a supply pastor for July 25th.

Linda Ploen read a PMRV Stewardship Resources Committee letter. We have already paid our per capita.

There was one death reported, that of Edna Nielsen who passed away on March 8, 2010 in Council Bluffs. Her memorial service was held March 12th at our church. She was cremated and her remains were not interred at this time.

We received a request from Monroe Methodist Church for a membership transfer for Joan Bornholdt. It was moved and 2nd to reinstate Joan to the active list and then allow her transfer. Motion carried. It was also moved and 2nd to receive Amy Leaders Hansen into membership by transfer from the United Church of Avoca. Motion carried. Motion was also carried to allow David to perform the baptism of twins Elizabeth Sue and William Edward Hansen born March 1, 2010.

Stewardship and Mission
David reported that we need to make church members aware of “wills emphasis”. We should do this on a yearly basis.

Christian Education
Robin stated that she is planning a Mother’s Day program for Sunday School children at church and it was moved and 2nd to purchase flowers for this. She also said that Bible School will be Tuesday, June 1 through Saturday June 5th, with the program and Hot dog roast on Saturday. The theme this year is “Son Rock Kid’s Camp”.

Worship
Easter service was well attended with 81 worshipers present. Easter breakfast also went well with the three senior girls serving. This was a fund raiser for them to return to Shell, Wyoming.

Finance and Property
It was decided to drop the sidewalk project for now as it would eliminate parking spaces. There was then some discussion on possible sanctuary remodeling projects. It was reported that there was some concern on these projects and the cost of them. We were assured that we were just getting estimates on things to help maintain our church and any project would need the approval of the congregation. We need to look into possible window replacements.

Next on the agenda was spring cleaning. We all took a walk around the property to see what needed to be done- trim trees, shrubs, clean windows, etc. It was decided to remove the landscaping edging and rocks as they are in need of updating. Linda Ploen will speak with the senior girls to see if they would like to take on this job. They could use this to make money for their trip.

New Business
There will be an MRV Christian Educators Gathering on April 27, at 11:30 at the Presbyterian Office.

We received a letter from the Board of Pensions concerning the Benefits Plan.

It was moved and 2nd to renew our CCLI license at a cost of $185. This allows us to make copies of songs. Motion carried.

Presbytery meeting will be April 24 at Florence Presbyterian Church.

Also discussed was our memorial monies. Linda Ploen will look into the prices of new pew Bibles, some large print Bibles and a projector and screen for the church.

It was also approved to collect a Pentecost offering on May 23rd.

Approval was given to Jean Mertz Schmitt to use the church basement for Josie’s graduation on May 15th from 4-7 p.m.

David then presented “Gift of the Heart Kits” for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Robin thought that would be a good project for the Sunday School kids.

Jim Tooley then mentioned that we need to develop a disaster plan for our church in case of tornado, fire, etc. Are there any volunteers for a committee to do this.


Moved and 2nd to adjourn the meeting. Meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Date for the next meeting will be May 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Linda Ploen, Clerk of Session