Gleaner November 2013

Pastor’s Notes

          First, before I forget, note that daylight savings ends November 3^rd. So, don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour. Otherwise you’ll come to worship and no one will be here yet. That doesn’t mean you can’t come on in and sit with God in silence and meditate. You’ll just have to wait for people to arrive.

            Our worship theme from October 13-November 24 has been and is about homes, the places where we live. First it was “Home Is Where the Heart Is” and then “New House Rules” and the Sunday I was at Great Plains Presbyterian Pilgrimage #14 was “House of Hope.”

            We are continuing this theme using a doll house loaned to us by Chuck & Linda Ploen. We can look or peek inside this house/home and rearrange the furniture and peek through the windows just to try out different settings and then see how it looks.

            Our church is a house, a sanctuary. We bring our hearts here to be mended, broken open, comforted, and sometimes just to rest. There are rules; mostly unwritten except in our minds. There are windows; I haven’t noticed any peekers yet maybe there have been and I just didn’t see them. Our church is a place of hope, faith, and trust.

            When we think of our churches as houses we notice that, like houses, some are simple and plain in design while others are grand looking structures with Greek styled pillars and huge, ornately carved doors, and beautiful stained glass windows that tell the stories from the Old & New Testament.

            Churches also move and relocate when the neighborhood around them changes. The demographics change, people move out and other ethnic groups move in; everything changes, people, neighborhoods, and churches.

            The final Sunday, November 24^th, we’ll note that houses are for living in. They’re meant mainly for people but we may find dogs, cats, hamsters, birds, fish and other pets also living with the people of the house. We’ll be considering who lives there, which are the busiest rooms, how many people are squeezed into these homes.

            After that we move into the season of Advent on December 1^st. Are you ready for that? I’m not sure I am but it’s coming nevertheless.

            My prayers for Walnut First Presbyterian Church are that we consider prayerfully what God’s mission is for us, this Body of Christ in Walnut. How are we, how can we serve our community, our presbytery, and our world? What is God calling us to do? What is being laid on our hearts?

            This is the season when we begin to receive those letters in the mail asking for our donations. I’m always reminded that the needs of these folks extend through the rest of the calendar year.  They need our assistance, our help, every day, every month of the year.

            So, listen as God speaks to your heart and then share with us what that mission opportunity might look like.

God’s peace and grace be yours,

Pastor David

In Memoriam

Mildred Joy Sievers

1914-2013

         

Fall supper work schedule is included in this Gleaner.  Please check to see your duties.  The Bazaar/supper is Nov. 16^th.

              

            If you have been asked to roast a turkey please thaw them before roasting and then cook them in a cooking bag.  Deliver them to the church on the day of supper (November 20) by 3:30 to 4.  Thanks for all your help. 

                                                                                        

A “Joint” Thanksgiving Service will be held Nov. 27^th at 6:30 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca.  Pastor David will be preaching.

Stewardship Sunday

Stewardship Sunday is November 4^th.  Please bring your pledges to Church on or before that day.

I used to sing to forget my worries until I realized my voice was worse than my problems.

Thank-You

Special thanks go out in this November (Thanksgiving) Gleaner to all our Church volunteers:

Sunday School teachers Robin Heilig, Cathy Shutters, Bonnie Holtz, Kathy Hansen & Michelle Mertz

                   Piano Player - Connie Jensen

                   Clerk of Session - Linda Ploen

                   UPW President - Charlotte Shepherd

                   Church Treasurers - Robin Heilig and Connie Jensen

                   Session Members

                   Flower Contributors

                   All workers at the Church Bazaar and Supper

                   All workers at the Antique Walk Food Stand

Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

                             Thank-you!  Thank-you!  Thank-you!

Thank-you to Jim McDermott for planning and providing the congregation with a “fish fry”.  Jim and his “helpers” held the meal after our “informal” contemporary worship service.

Drive carefully…It’s not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.

Once again our Presbyterian Women are hosting the “Fall Bazaar/Supper on Nov 20^th.  Thank-you to them for all the work they put in to organizing it.  Can you imagine hosting over three hundred guests for a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings?  The real joy of the meal is seeing so many of our church members working together.

“Silence is Golden… Unless you have children, then silence is just Suspicious.”

Peace United Church of Christ Annual Fall Dinner

The Peace Church Fall Dinner will be held Sunday, November 10^th from 11:30-1:30.

They will be serving a full roast beef meal. 

Veteran’s Day Program

Walnut Community School Gymnasium

November 11, 2013

10:30 AM

Veterans are invited for coffee and goodies at 9:30 AM in the lobby outside the gym.

                 

December Ushers and Communion Servers

Ushers: Ross & Jean Bornholdt, Craig & Linda Woltmann 

Communion Servers: Michelle Mertz (chm), Jean Bornholdt, Allan Sievers, Mary Ellen Woltmann.  November ushers and communion servers are at bottom of calendar.

“Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot little puppies.” Gene Hill

          Flowers for Pulpit

                                                             November 3 - Linda Woltmann

                                                 November 10- Gloria Walter

                                                 November 17- Charlotte Shepherd

                                                    November 24- Charlotte Shelpherd

Christmas Poinsettias

Order your Christmas poinsettias from the Walnut Community School parents by November 5^th. They are $10 and you may call Charlotte to place your order.

Session Minutes

                                    October 8, 2013

The session of Walnut First Presbyterian Church met in regular session on October 8, 2013 at 7 pm in the Sunday School south annex.  Session members present were: Linda Ploen, Jim McDermott, Michelle Mertz, Kathy Hansen, Allan Sievers and Cathy Shutters.  Absent were: Jack Ploen, Greg Mertz, Jim Tooley and Michael Mertz.  Also present at the meeting were six members of united church of Avoca Representing their session and PNC committee.

Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting with prayer.  Our reflection was Engage the Gospel from Salvation Through the Church.  Scripture was from Mark 1:17-18.  We also watched a video on being disciples.  David also asked us to think about what it means to be a “sending” community.

The minutes of the September meeting were read and approved.  The Treasurer’s report was approved as given.  David’s pastor report was approved as presented.  He traveled 94 miles.  He also performed the wedding of Sarah Sievers.

New Business

During new business we began a discussion with our guests from Avoca about sharing a pastor after David’s retirement on January 1, 2015.  It was a very positive and productive discussion.  The two sessions need to meet soon to fill out forms, create a covenant statement, and a yoke agreement.  The sessions will do this so the PNC committee won’t have to.  We were reminded the church nominating committee for 2013 is Linda Krueger, Chuck Ploen and Robin Heilig. 

Stewardship and Mission

Our stewardship campaign begins this month.  Kathy also reported that she had delivered a Welcome Basket to the Luke Larsen residence.  She will also have door prizes for the church dinner.

Christian Education

Cathy asked permission to have a Harvest Party for the Sunday Schools kids on October 19^th from 2-6 pm.  Permission granted.  The children will also be making a casserole for Deb Peterson.  At 6:00 pm is our contemporary church service and the Sunday School kids will be singing and receiving their Bibles.

Worship

There will be no church service on Sunday, October 20^th because of the Saturday night service and fish fry.  Communion was served to 4 residents at Peace Haven on October 6^th.  Jim Tooley was the serving elder.  David asked permission to serve communion at the Saturday night services.  Permission granted.  Pastor David will be at Pilgrimage on October 27^th so it was suggested that we attend the contemporary church service at New Horizon Presbyterian Church in Council Bluffs.  It will be a good opportunity to attend a contemporary service.  There will be no service at our church that day.  It was also moved and 2^nd to go to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch after church and to pay for all children that have attended church service.  Motion carried.

Finance and Property

Jim M. reported that he is getting new bids for our new heating and air.  He also asked for permission to sign a paper from the lawyer of the estate of Gloria Myers stating that we will ask for nothing further from that estate.  Permission granted.

Personnel

We still need to work on our By-laws.

The meeting was closed with prayer and the Lord’s Prayer.

Our next meeting will be November 12^th, 2013 at 7 pm.s

Linda Ploen

Clerk of Session

October 14, 2013

The session of Walnut First Presbyterian church met for a special meeting on October 14, 2013 in the south annex.  Present were: Linda Ploen, Jim McDermott, Jack Ploen and Cathy Shutters.  Absent were: Kathy Hansen, Jim Tooley, Allen Sievers, Greg, Michelle and mike Mertz.  Also present were seven members from United Church of Avoca.

Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting at 7 pm with prayer.  We began the meeting with introductions.

The purpose of the meeting was to work on a draft for a yoke agreement and a covenant statement between the two churches to share a pastor.  We answered questions and discussed similarities of  the churches.  Avoca has their forms completed; however, we need to get our mission statement completed as soon as possible.  Another meeting was set for Sunday, November 17^th at 11:30 at United Church of Avoca. 

The meeting was adjourned and closed with prayer.

Linda Ploen

Clerk of Session

What we’d like to hear in Church

Hey, it’s my turn to sit in the front pew!

I was so enthralled, I never noticed your sermon ran longer than usual.

I’ll volunteer to be the permanent junior high Sunday School teacher.

I love it when we sing hymns I’ve never heard before.

Pastor, we’d like to send you to this Bible seminar in the Bahamas.

Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment like our annual stewardship campaign.

(submitted by Faithful Shepherd Presbyterian Church of Omaha)

	~ November 2013 ~
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
					1 Preston Tooley Kent Johnk	2
3  Time Change-back 1 hour Worship 9 AM Worship & communion at Peace Haven 11 AM Robin/Dave Heilig Dennis Jensen	4	5 Sarah Ehlers	6 Morning worship & communion at Salem Lutheran Homes 9 AM PW 1:30 PM Choir practice 7:15 PM	7	8	9 MRV Presbytery meeting at Westminster P.C., Omaha 11AM to 3 PM
10 Worship 9 AM Sunday School 10:15 AM Peace UCC Fall Dinner 11 AM to 1 PM	11 Karla Helms	12 Morning worship at Allen House 11 AM	13 Jeff Neilsen	14 Betty Griffith	15	16 Mason Griffith
17 Worship 9 AM Sunday School 10:15 AM	18	19	20 Mini Bazaar 3 PM Church Supper 4:30-7 PM Jessica Helms	21 Evening worship at Peace Haven 7 PM	22	23
24 Worship 9 AM Sunday School 10:15 AM	25  Cole Sievers Michelle Tooley Tuesday McDonald Connie/Dennis Jensen	26 Afternoon worship at Avoca Nursing & Rehab 2 PM COM meeting at New Horizon P.C. 4:30-6:30 PM	27 Ecumenical Thanksgiving service – Trinity Lutheran, Avoca 6:30 PM	28 THANKSGIVING	29 Doug Matthies	30 Lily Anderson

November Communion Servers: Cathy Shutters, chm., Jim & Bobbie McDermott, Darlene Stuart

November Ushers: Teri Abel, Darlene Stuart, Margo Matthies, Cathy Shutters

October 2013 Gleaner

Pastor’s Notes

As many of you know or have heard I’m planning to retire in January 2015. And with that decisions have to be made, both by the Walnut church and by me.

          What are we going to do? What is the church going to do? What is God calling or leading me to do next? How can we know, for sure, what to do?

          I read, or heard, (I can’t remember which) something the other day that went like this: Retirement is that time in our lives when we can do those things God has been preparing us for through the savings we’ve accumulated over the years of our employment.

          We can do this because of our life experiences and our savings. Whether we realize it or not we’ve gained some insights into “life” and wisdom is showing us how we can now work to improve “life” for someone else.

          You may have heard me say, once or twice, that there is no early retirement from the work God has called us to therefore I will not cease to work I will just be doing something different, maybe in a different place, but still, I believe, working God’s plan here on earth, whatever and wherever that may be.

          So, what about the church? The church isn’t retiring; it’s still here at 406 Antique City Drive, Walnut, Iowa. What is it going to do?

          Good question, what is it going to do? For the last six months the session has been studying that very question. What is our mission and how are we involved in that mission? Would the community miss this church if it wasn’t here? What are we doing now? Should we continue to do what we’ve always done? Should we do something different? What are the needs of this community? Are they being met? Can this church make a difference?

          The answers to these questions don’t come easily. There has to be time for prayer, study, and thought, time to sit with God in silence and let God speak to us.

God speaks? Yes, God speaks, maybe not with a voice we can hear with our ears but with a voice that speaks to our souls, a very real voice. A voice we need to heed.

          That’s why it takes time to know what to do. Prayer, study, and contemplation, listening for God to speak, it all takes time and we don’t all hear the same things. So, we have to listen to each other and discern what God is saying to the church. And that can be frustrating, because it’s not fast like getting a meal at the drive-through at McDonald’s.

          So, what can you do for us? You may not be on a committee or session but you can help. You help by praying for the church. You help by letting the committee know what you think the church should be doing in the community. You help by sitting with us and listening to our frustrations, our concerns, our desires for this church. You help by being there and supporting the church with your prayers and your words.

          Walnut First Presbyterian Church is our home, yours and mine. We’re a family, brothers and sisters, who believe that God loves us and cares for us. He loved us enough to sacrifice himself for us through Jesus, taking our sins upon himself so we can come before God wholly forgiven, wholly righteous.

          As this family in this home let’s come together to pray and talk and listen and together move ahead in the work God has for us here in Walnut, Iowa.

God’s grace and peace be with you all,

Pastor David                   

                                     

            A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaratan..  She asked the class, “If you saw a person lying on the roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?”  A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, “I think I’d throw up.”

Food Pantry

The Food Pantry has a need for these items in October:

Egg noodles

Oatmeal

Pancake mix and syrup

Juice

Jell-o pudding mix

Soup & crackers

Macaroni

Shampoo

Bar soap

Put them in the basket at the back of the sanctuary and Pastor David will be happy to deliver them to the Food Pantry.

                ‘The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk.’

                                                        Joseph Joubert

                                            

       *Grandma Still Drives ---Priceless*

Grandma is eighty-eight years old and still drives her own car. She writes:

Dear Grand-daughter,
  The other day I went up to our local Christian book store and
saw a 'Honk if you love Jesus' bumper sticker ..I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I had just come from a thrilling choir performance, followed by a thunderous prayer meeting..
  So, I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper. Boy, am I glad I did; what an uplifting experience that followed.
  I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection, just lost in thought about the Lord and how good he is, and I didn't notice that the light had changed.
It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't honked, I'd never have noticed. I found that lots of people love Jesus!
  While I was sitting there, the guy behind started honking like crazy, and then he leaned out of his window and screamed, 'For the love of God!''Go! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, GO!' What an exuberant cheerleader he was for Jesus!
  Everyone started honking! I just leaned out my window and started waving and smiling at all those loving people. I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love!
There must have been a man from Florida back there because I heard him yelling something about a sunny beach..I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger stuck up in the air.
  I asked my young teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant. He said it was probably a Hawaiian good luck sign or something.
Well, I have never met anyone from Hawaii , so I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign right back. My grandson burst out laughing. Why even he was enjoying this religious experience!!
  A couple of the people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towards me. I bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended, but this is when I noticed the light had changed.
So, grinning, I waved at all my brothers and sisters, and drove on through the intersection.
  I noticed that I was the only car that got through the intersection before the light changed again and felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared. So I slowed the car down, leaned out the window and gave them all the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time as I drove away.
Praise the Lord for such wonderful folks!! Will write again soon,

Love,

Grandma

           

  November Ushers and Communion Servers

Ushers: Teri Abel, Darlene Stuart, Margo Matthies & Cathy Shutters

Communion Servers:  Cathy Shutters - chm, Darlene Stuart, Bobbie & Jim McDermott.  October ushers and communion servers are at bottom of calendar.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could put ourselves in the dryer for 10 minutes and come out wrinkle free and 3 sizes smaller?

          Flowers for Pulpit

                                                             October 6 -------Margo Matthies

                                                 October 13------ Cathy Shutters

                                                 October 20 ------Teri Abel

                                                 October 27 ------Bobbie McDermott

                                                     

Why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss, dream?  Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt only by our hearts.

A New Day For Peace Haven

Who:  Community Members and Friends of Peace Haven

What:  Town Hall Meeting

When:  Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013 at 2:00 PM

Where:  Peace Haven Dining Room

Why:  To be in on the ground level to hear and see the most exciting thing to happen at Peace Haven and          

            Walnut in the last 50 years!  You don’t want to be left out!  Come hear first hand from our Board

            Members, Administrator and Architects what a “New Day For Peace Haven” will look like.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Session Minutes

September 10, 2013

The session of Walnut First Presbyterian church met in regular session on September 10, 2013 at 7 pm in the Sunday School south annex. Session members present were: Linda Ploen, Jack Ploen and Cathy Shutters. Absent were: Jim McDermott, Kathy Hansen, Allan Sievers, Jim Tooley and Michelle, Greg and Mike Mertz. Moderator David Krueger opened the meeting with prayer. Our reflection was entitled “Salvation Through Jesus” from Colossians 1:18-20. We were asked to reflect on what we need Jesus to save us from, and to realize that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s grace- it is a gift.

The minutes of the August meeting were read and approved. The treasurer’s reports for July and August were approved as given.

David’s pastor report was approved as given. He traveled 426 miles due to two trips to Calvin Crest. There were also many visitations.

Stewardship and Mission

We would still like to have a blanket drive again this fall. Kathy also reported that she had received five quilts donated from Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca.

Christian Education

Sundae Sunday went well. We may have a few less children this year as several are getting older now. Maybe we will do youth group more often.

Worship

Communion was served to eleven residents at Peace Haven on September 1. Jim McDermott was the serving elder. Our Saturday night worship in October will be on the 19^th with a fish fry following.

Finance and Property

David reported that letters need to be sent to all employees for the Affordable Care Act.

Personnel

Linda Ploen looked over the copy of By-Laws for our church. We need to have a special meeting to OK them.

New Business

There will be a congregational meeting on Sept.15 after worship to elect a Pastor nominating committee to work with United Church of Avoca. The nominating committee to look for new elders this year is Linda Krueger, Chuck Ploen and Robin Heilig. The meeting was closed with The Lord’s Prayer.

Linda Ploen

Clerk of Session

Special Congregational Meeting September 15, 2013

Moderator David Krueger called the special congregational meeting of First Presbyterian Church to order after worship on September 15, 2013. A quorum was present. The meeting was opened with prayer. The purpose of the meeting was to elect a pastor nominating committee to work with United Church of Avoca to share a pastor. Pastor David plans to retire on January 1, 2015.

Larry Shepherd nominated Leo Rechtenbach, Mike Shutters and Chuck Ploen. Leo declined to accept the nomination, so David Woltmann’s name was added. Chuck Ploen nominated Cathy Shutters. Charlotte Shepherd moved to accept these four members. Mary Ellen Woltmann 2^nd the motion. Motion carried. Linda Ploen will inform Lon Jacobsen of Avoca to let them know of decision.

Linda Krueger moved to adjourn the meeting and Jim McDermott 2^nd the motion.

Linda Ploen

Clerk of session

	~ October 2013 ~
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1	2 Salem Lutheran 9AM Service P. W. 1:30 Choir 7:15 Steve Sunderman	3 George Mertz	4	5
6    Church 9:00    Communion    Peace Haven 11:00    Sunday School 10:15  Alex Ehlers	7	8 Allen House 11:00 Session 7:00 PM	9	10 Dennis/Nancy Hullinger	11 Jack Ploen	12 Pilgrimage Mtg 10 AM Florence P.C.
13   Church 9:00    Sunday School 10:15   Justen Tooley   Ross/Tina Gregory	14	15    Jim Tooley	16   Gloria Walters Connor Sievers	17 Peace Haven 7:00 PM Judy Ploen	18 Katie Myers Adele Pedersen	19 Church 6:00 PM Fish Fry following Service David Mertz
20  No Church     Sunday School 10:15 Peace Haven Town Hall Meeting 2:00  Madison & Morqan Heiny	21 Greg Mertz John /Vicki Weihs	22 COM meeting, 2 PM New Horizon P.C.	23   Jackson Shutters Pastor Gone Pilgrimage---------------	24 --------------------------------	25 Teresa Griffith ----------------------------------	26   Robert Sieck ------------------------------
27      Church 9:00    Sunday School 10:15 Pastor home 6:00 PM	28	29 Avoca Nursing & Rehab 2 PM	30 Tristan Heiny Phyllis Hansen	31

October Communion Servers:  Jim Tooley-chm, George Mertz, Robin Heilig, Pam Nielsen

October Ushers:  Jim Tooley, Dave & Robin Helig