PASTOR’S NOTES
It’s
Holy Monday today. As I think about what Jesus did for you and me I’m drawn
back to a book written by Jim Bishop called “The Day Christ Died.” Jim Bishop was a meticulous journalist. If he
had lived during Christ’s time there might have been a 5th gospel
written.
Anyway,
Jim searched in places where some of our learned scholars didn’t search and
then wrote this book that describes Jesus’ last day in Jerusalem beginning with
his triumphal entry and ending with his crucifixion and burial in Joseph’s tomb.
He provides details of the Roman world in Jerusalem and the Jewish world in
Jesus’ day and some insights into what it was like for Jesus growing up in and
around Jerusalem.
I
don’t know how many times I’ve read this book but every year I’m drawn to it.
As I read I’m reminded again of what God has done for us in the life and love
of His Son, Jesus, the Christ.
As
I get older, and those around me do as well, I’m made aware that I have fewer
days left in this world than I’ve already lived. I reflect on how God has used
me and the times I’ve turned my back on Him and wonder what I’m to do with this
remaining time. What does God desire of me…and you?
Every
year this happens to me and I resolve to take more time for prayer…and
study…and quiet…but I never seem to be able to achieve quite what I think God
desires. I wonder if others struggle in
the same way.
So,
my friends, what do you do during Holy Week…and the days and weeks after? Are
you changed by the events of Lent and Holy Week? As you hear the Word being
read does your heart break as we’re reminded how much God loves us? Do you
leave the sanctuary of the Lord changed? Do you look at your friends and family
differently as you journey through your week at home and work?
Sunday’s
Scripture reading from Luke said in Jesus’ words, “If they kept quiet, the
stones would do it for them, shouting praise.”
Our sanctuary is surrounded by stones that each of you have put on the
window sills. Are we shouting Jesus’ praise or will the stones have to cry out?
Tuesday,
at the session meeting, we began the study entitled, Engage, which is about
becoming effective evangelists for Jesus. The first phase is with the session
because whether the elders realize it or not they are the leaders of this
church. Our focus is on our renewal as given to us by the Holy Spirit as we
begin this journey claiming and reclaiming our own stories of change. We are
encountering and examining God’s own story of change and renewal in His
Scriptures. This will take us 9 months to complete and with God’s help we will
be changed and ready to lead this church into what God has planned for the next
few years.
Where
we’re headed is to discover and understand how our personal stories of change
and transformation connect with the needs of this community where we live. We
ask for your prayers as we begin this study. May we all be changed and
empowered by God’s message to us this week and the weeks that follow.
May you be filled to overflowing
with God’s grace,
Pastor David
Dear
Spring,
Feel free to show up anytime now!
Presbyterian Women
The
annual Spring Gathering will be held Saturday, April 6th at Faith
Presbyterian Church in LaVista, Nebraska.
Registration begins at 8:45 am, the welcome begins at
9:30 am and the gathering concludes at 12:15
pm. Lunch ($6.00) will be after that if
you would like to stay.
The
featured speaker is Sryani Tidball who is on the faculty of the College of
Journalism and Mass Communications at UNL.
She will speak on the topic of “Women and Girls in Peril – Human
Trafficking”. Syrani and her husband
founded Community Concern Society in Sri Lanka that empowers mostly marginalized
and vulnerable women and children.
Humor
A Minister was completing a temperance sermon. With great emphasis he said, ‘If I had all
the beer
in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river.’ With even greater emphasis he said, ‘And if I
had
all the wine in the world, I’d take it AND POUR IT INTO THE RIVER.’ And then finally, shaking
his fist in the air, he said, ‘AND IF I HAD ALL THE WHISKEY IN THE WORLD,
I’D TAKE IT AND POUR IT INTO THE RIVER.'
Sermon complete, he sat down…
The song leader stood very cautiously and announced with a smile, nearly
laughing, ‘For our closing song, let us sing hymn #365, “Shall We Gather At
The River.”
Thank-You
Thank-you to Justen Tooley for working on the back
door of the church.
Thank-you to Sunday School teachers, students and
others for the Easter Program on Palm Sunday.
May Ushers and
Communion Servers
Ushers: Chuck/Linda Ploen, George
Mertz, Alice Richter
Communion
Servers: Linda Ploen-chm., Chuck
Ploen, Kathy Hansen, George Mertz
April ushers and communion servers are at the bottom
of the calendar.
When nothing
goes right…go left.
Flowers for April
April 7------------Bonnie
Holtz
April 14----------Darlene Stuart
April 21----------Darlene
Stuart
April 28----------Teresa
Griffith
Humor or Truth?
A dollar bill met a $20 bill and said, “Hey, what’s up? I haven’t seen you around here lately.”
The $20 bill replied, “I’ve been hanging out at the casinos, went on a
cruise, came back to America, saw
a couple of baseball games, visited the mall, that kind of stuff. How about you?”
The dollar bill said, “You know, the same old thing – church, church,
church.”
Easter Lilies
Two
Easter Lilies given by Chuck and Linda Ploen in memory of Marge Ploen and
Melissa Manhart.
Other
Easter Lilies given by Presbyterian Women in memory of church members.
Session Minutes
March 19, 2013
The session of Walnut First Presbyterian Church met in
regular session on March 19, 2013 at 7 pm in the Sunday School south
annex. Session members present were:
Linda Ploen, Jim McDermott, Michelle, Greg and Mike Mertz, Kathy Hansen and Jim
Tooley. Those absent were: Jack Ploen,
Allan Sievers and Cathy Shutters.
Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting with prayer and
readings from 2 Timothy 4:1-2,5 and Luke 19:1-10 from “Engaging Your
Story”. It spoke of what we thought
evangelism was. We also did an exercise
on our life line and what we felt were our ups and downs along that line.
The minutes of the February meeting were approved as read.
There was no treasurer’s report available.
The pastor’s report was approved as given. Pastor David traveled 400 miles this
month. There were several hospital
visits. David will be at Pilgrimage on
April 21st.
There was no clerk’s report.
Stewardship and
Mission
Kathy reported that she had delivered two more “Welcome to
Walnut” baskets. One Great Hour of
Sharing will be collected this week. We
also discussed another blanket and coat drive.
We thought we could perhaps keep some of them at the church to have on
hand in case of another blizzard and stranded travelers. David also stated that the Presbytery
Disaster Aid is a good place to donate to.
Christian Education
Michelle stated that the Sunday School lock-in went very
well. There were 25-27 kids that
participated. The table at the soup
cook-off also went well. The Sunday
School will be performing at the Palm Sunday Service. The Word of You Today devotional has been
received and is on the back bookcase.
David also has the adult study entitled “Engage”.
Worship
The community Lenten services went well with much better
attendance this year. David would like
to have a Holy Week labyrinth again this year in the church basement. We also decided not to have a Maundy Thursday
service, but were encouraged to attend the Living Last Supper at Peace church. The Sunday School is also planning a “Silly
Supper” for the entire congregation after the April Saturday night contemporary
service. David still wants to have elder
training. It was moved, 2nd
and approved to renew our CCLI license.
Finance and Property
We received an endowment fund from the Linn Johnk
estate. We voted to form an adhoc
committee to research investment options for the estate money. Jim Tooley noted that he would get rid of the
old stove in the basement so we can replace it with the one donated by Les and
Terri Abel. Jim McDermott reported on
the retreat planned for this summer. It
is planned for July 19th with 18 to be going-10 youth and 8
adults. Fundraisers are being planned to
raise money for the trip.
New Business
PMRV Presbytery meeting will be April 27th at the
Red Oak Presbyterian Church.
The meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Date for the next meeting will be April 9, 2013 at 7pm.
Linda Ploen
Clerk of Session
|
|
~ April 2013 ~
|
|
||||
|
Sun
|
Mon
|
Tue
|
Wed
|
Thu
|
Fri
|
Sat
|
|
|
1
Drew
Cable
|
2
Larry
Shepherd
Ron
Paasch
|
3
Communion
and devotions at Salem Lutheran Homes
9
AM
PW
1:00 PM
Choir
Practice 7:15 PM
|
4
|
5
Vincent
Hansen
|
6
PW
Spring Gathering 8:45-12:15 at Faith P.C., LaVista, NE
|
|
7
Church 9 AM
Communion
Sunday School 10:15
Peace Haven 11:00
|
8
|
9
Allen
House worship
11
AM
Tori
Sievers
|
10
|
11
PW
host Birthday Bingo at Peace Haven 2 PM
Peace
Haven worship 7 PM
|
12
|
13
Hana
Holtz
Linda
Sieck
|
|
14
Church 9 AM
Sunday School 10:15
Chuck/Linda Ploen
|
15
|
16
Clare
Mertz
Maxine
Nash
Golden
Oldies at Peace UCC 11:30 AM
|
17
Great
Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #13
|
18
Julie
Nash
Seth
Griffith
William
Griffith
Great
Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #13
|
19
Landon
Shutters
Kamryn
Tooley
Great
Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #13
|
20
Great
Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #13
|
|
21
Church 9 AM
Sunday School 10:15
Nancy Ross-Hullinger
CAP meeting-United Church of Avoca at 5 PM
Great Plains
Presbyterian Pilgrimage #13
|
22
|
23
COM
mtg. at New Horizon 4:30 PM
|
24
|
25
Eva
Jensen
|
26
|
27
Velma
Fell
PMRV
Presbytery mtg. at Red Oak P.C. 11-3 PM
Contemporary
Worship/Youth Group 5:30 PM
|
|
28
Church 9 AM
Sunday School 10:15
|
29
|
30
Avoca
Nursing & Rehab and Avoca Assisted Living Lodge 2 PM
|
April Ushers – Todd
& Darla Ehlers, Linda Krueger
Communion Servers – Greg
Mertz-chm, David & Mary Ellen Woltmann, Bonnie Holtz
|
|||
