Pastor’s Notes
Beginning September 9 our denomination
begins to celebrate a “Season of Peace.” This runs from September 9 through
October 7, World Communion Sunday; the Sunday we will receive the Peacemaking
offering. Twenty-nine days to contemplate “peace.”
Our session last night decided to
receive the Peacemaking Offering and to give the 25% portion our congregation
is allowed to keep to the Walnut Community School to support their
anti-bullying program.
As we think about what a “season of
peace” might be like I urge you to pick up your Bibles and read Paul’s letter
to the Ephesians. It’s only 6 chapters; you can read it in less than 30
minutes.
Eugene Petersen wrote in The Message
that this letter was about belief and behavior. In this letter Paul
talks about how God has a plan worked out by Christ, a plan to bring healing
and unity into the world that is so torn apart by a sinful nature.
Through God’s grace in Jesus Christ
there are no longer outsiders or insiders. We’re all one body. Paul said,
“Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He
treated us as equals, and so made us equals.”
So, what would it be like to
experience peace, in our homes, in our schools, in our communities, in our
world? Can you imagine that?
Every day we listen to the news about
US soldiers in Afghanistan being killed by Afghanistani policemen. We hear of
people being shot, and killed, in parts of Omaha. We hear the candidates for
political office speaking in ways that don’t do much to promote peaceful
relations. And if we’re honest with each other it’s not too peaceful in our own
homes either.
In this Season of Peace what are we to
do to begin making changes that will make this world peaceful? Please don’t
think I have all the answers because I struggle with the same things you all
do.
One thing I do know and believe and
that is God had a plan that he put into motion in Jesus the Christ. God came
into the world, a violent world, and through the example of Jesus’ life showed
all of us how to live in peace, how to reconcile our differences in non-violent
ways. His example was that God was, is, and always will be love. Love cannot
exist without peace. And neither can exist without God’s grace.
So, friends, as I’ve said these last
couple weeks it begins with us, it begins first in our very own homes; it
begins by making a commitment to change our old habits for a Christ-like life,
a life of peace, and love.
Please take the time to read Paul’s
letter to the Ephesians and when the information is distributed for the
Peacemaking Offering read it and prayerfully consider what you can do to bring
peace into this world.
All my life I’ve heard of war and
killing and if it’s ever going to stop it’s going to have to start right here
with you and me. Let’s commit to leaving this world in a better state than it
was when we were born.
God’s peace and grace be with you all,
Pastor David
Thank-You
Thank-you to everyone for your prayers,
cards, and gifts during Pastor David’s heartache over his sister June. June Smith, 55, of Mt. Ayr, surrounded by her
husband, three sons and brothers and sisters, lost her battle with cancer
August 15th.
Thank-you to Kathy Hansen for all the work
she did on our float for the Fireman’s Funfest and for providing and delivering
gift baskets to new residents in Walnut.
Sympathy
Our sympathy to the Tooley
family on the death of Jim’s brother-in-law,
Doug Marsh. Doug died August 24th at his home
in Omaha. Doug’s wife if
Deb (Tooley) Marsh.
A
clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
Congratulations
Congratulations
to Shane and Tara Lohoff on the birth of their daughter, Brielle Helen Ruth
Lohoff on July 11th. Brielle
weighed 6 lb. 12 oz. and was 20 in. long.
Congratulations
to Michelle Tooley and Shannon Wood for passing the EMT test.
Congratulations
to Hunter Nielsen for his Champion and Grand Champion Honors for his livestock
at the Shelby County Fair.
Congratulations
to Ty Johnk for his Championship awards for his heifer at the East Pott.
County
Fair and his purple ribbon at the State Fair.
Congratulations
to Jeff and Kathy Hansen’s daughter, Amy, on receiving her Master’s Degree in
“Master of Healthcare Administration” from Bellevue University in Nebraska.
Being Thankful
A Pastor said to a
precocious six-year-old boy, “So your mother says your prayers for you each
night? That’s very commendable. What does she say?” The little boy replied, “Thank God he’s in
bed?”
Sunday School
Sunday
School will begin this fall on September 9th. Robin Tooley has a fun time planned for the
children on this “Sundae Sunday”. The
beautiful Christian calendars will again be sold this year by the Sunday
School.
Blankets, Blankets, Blankets
Extra
blankets at your house??? We have a use
for them. The month of September we will
be collecting CLEAN blankets to be delivered to Women’s Shelters and Homeless
Shelters. The blankets do not have to be
new, just clean. You can bring them to
the church and they will be delivered.
I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my
grandfather. Not screaming and yelling
like the passengers in his car.
Save The Date
Kathy
Hansen is hosting a bridal shower for Robin Tooley and Dave Heilig on October
14th. Everyone is
invited! Men, Women and Children! Kathy is planning a FUN, FUN event! Mark your calendars.
Needed
The
basement has a need for a high chair and a pack-n-play. It would be nice for our young parents to
have a high chair when we have meals downstairs and a place to lay their baby
if they fall asleep.
School
If
you would like to help out our local school/teachers you may purchase items and
drop them off at the school office.
Along with the usual paper, erasers etc. items most needed are: glue
stix, Kleenex, Lysol wipes, pencils, and notebooks.
Anyone can count the
seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.
Food Pantry
The Food Pantry has a need for these items in September:
Canned
fruit and veggies Peanut
Butter
Dry
pudding mix Soup
Shampoo
and Conditioner Juice
Tuna Jell-O
and pudding
Cereal Spaghetti
Sauce
Put
them in the basket at the back of the sanctuary and Pastor David will be happy
to deliver them to the Food Pantry.
Snickers Sunday
On any Sunday Sept. 16-Oct.
14 churches are asked to participate in HELP Adult Services 3rd
Annual Snickers Sunday. Bring Snickers
(2.07 ox only) to donate to the Christmas stocking program. The Christmas Stocking program has been
providing handmade stockings filled with goodies to nearly 3,000 incarcerated
adults and youth in our area for over two decades. These stockings are often the only Christmas
gift that an inmate will receive. At
least one Snickers bar will be in every stocking.
Antique Walk – Antique
Walk – Antique Walk – Antique Walk – Antique Walk
Robin reported the figures she had
(so far) – approximate
Income - $12,128.95
Expenses - $5,132.38
Profit - $6,996.57
Anyone that wants
input on next year’s Antique Walk Food Stand should attend the meeting on Sept.
11 at 6:00 at the church.
October
Ushers and Communion Servers
Ushers: Jim Tooley, Robin Tooley
Communion Servers:
Linda Ploen – chm, George Mertz, Robin Tooley, Pam Nielsen. September ushers and communion servers are at bottom
of calendar.
God sometimes takes us into
troubled waters. Not to drown us, but to
cleanse us.
Flowers for Pulpit
September 2
-------Avis Mortensen
September 9--------Karla Helms
September 16 ------Julie Nash
September 23 ------Dixie Schirm
September 30 ------Margo Matthies
The nice part about living in a small town is that when you
don’t know what you are doing, someone else does.
Session Minutes
August 21, 2012
The session of Walnut First Presbyterian Church met in
regular session on August 21, 2012 at 7 pm. In the Sunday School south
annex. Those in attendance were: Margo
Matthies, Linda Krueger, Jim Tooley, Linda Ploen, Jim McDermott, Kathy Hansen
and Allan Sievers. Absent were: Jack
Ploen and Michelle & Mike Mertz.
Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting with prayer and
scripture from Jeremiah 1:5 and Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-16. The reflection was “Knowing Where You’re
Going” from Seasons of God by Richard Blackaby and a reading from Font &
Table: A Guide to Sacramental Practice.
The minutes of the June meeting were read and approved.
The treasurer’s report for June and July was accepted as given.
The pastor’s report was read and approved. Pastor David traveled 142 miles in June and
64 miles in July.
There was no clerk’s report and no deaths. It was moved and 2nd to approve
new members Dennis Hullinger and Wilma Newton who are transferring from United
Church of Avoca. Motion carried. We also approved the baptism of Brielle Helen
Ruth Lohoff, the daughter of Tara and Shane Lohoff on September 23rd.
Stewardship &
Mission
Linda Krueger reported on the Peace Making offering which
will be taken on October 7th.
The offering can be used for anti-bullying campaigns. It was decided to do this. We also discussed “Bring A Friend To Church
Sunday”. Kathy Hansen reported that she
has given out 6 baskets to new residents of Walnut on behalf of our
church. She would also like to start a
blanket drive for the month of September.
Blankets can be brought to the church or the city clerk’s office. They will be donated to a homeless shelter or
women’s shelter. David also asked that
we think about getting involved with a mission project, perhaps Open Door
Mission, the Crop walk, Bread for the World or World Vision. Hopefully we can decide on something by next
meeting. It was also mentioned that the
Walk-a-Thon at the Open Door Mission will be September 23rd for
anyone interested in walking.
Christian Education
Bible School went well.
Sunday School will be starting again on September 9th with
Sundae Sunday. Thanks were also given to
Kathy Hansen for the float for Fun Fest.
It was also ok’d to have Kathy order the calendars to sell for Sunday
School.
Worship
David asked to have a meeting with the worship committee to
discuss plans for Advent. Communion was
served to 4 residents at Peace Haven on July 1st and August 5th
. Linda Krueger and Margo Matthies,
respectively, served as elders.
Finance &
Property
The painting of the sanctuary is complete. It was moved and 2nd to replace
the door into the sanctuary. Motion
carried. Jim Tooley will get bids for
this. We also voted to get bids for new
windows in the sanctuary, as they are getting bad. We would like to keep the stained glass and
have them all double paned. We received
our American Red Cross shelter agreement.
Our church can now be used as a shelter during a disaster. Audio interface, cables and mike risers have
been ordered and will be installed soon.
Antique Walk went well, making well over $6,000. We will meet September 11th at
6:00 to discuss the Walk-what went well and what could be improved. Kathy was given permission to use the church
basement for a shower Robin Tooley and Dave Heilig on October 14th
at 2:00. Everyone is invited.
Personnel
We need to be looking for a choir director replacement.
New Business
No action has been taken with our church by-laws. It was voted to host a Sunday evening meal at
Peace Haven on September 16th at 5:30. We will serve brisket, salad, bars and
bread.
The meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Our next meeting will be September 11,2012 at 7 p.m.
Linda Ploen
Clerk of Session
