Church and Home January 2016

First Presbyterian Church 1901 W Leota Street

North Platte, NE 69101

Telephone: (308) 532-1083 Fax: (308) 532-2968

Web site: www.fpcnp.org Church e-mail address:

office@fpcnp.org

STAFF PASTOR: Vacant

ADMIN ASSIST: Naomi Okoye

CUSTODIAN: Regan Brown

CHOIR DIRECTOR: Connie McCreery

BELL DIRECTOR: Ann Jones

CHILD CARE: Deb Welsh

ELDERS Clerk of Session:

Jon Beggs Dean Kurth, Treasurer

Rachel Allison Scott Baker

Lowell Fenster Chuck Francis

Ann Jones Kristi Leibhart

Nancy Mack Ron Ochsner Martha Orcutt

Glenn Petersen Sara Pierce

Mandy Vargas Deb Weitzel

DEACONS Howard & Ruth Gebhardt

Janet & Leroy Hare Jim McClymont

Tammy Miller Maxine Mulder

Cyndee Orr Scott Orr

Susan Peters Irene & Danny Ridgway

Bev & Cecil Sallee Robert Weber

Rod Weitzel Jenny Zachry

PW MODERATOR: Dixie Francis

“Boldly with Christ We Belong, Believe, Grow and Reach Out”

Christmas is over for many – but NOT FOR US. We celebrate 12 days of Christmas beginning on December 25 and ending on January 6 (Epiphany, an illuminating discovery). Through the words of scripture, the message from the pulpit, the voices of our choir and children, the lights, the poinsettias, the bells, the colors, the food and fellowship, your voice in prayer and song; our Advent preparations guided us to the light. And now that that light, Jesus Christ, is here for us we become the innkeepers and decide if there is room for him in our hearts. The stay is not for a night, not until January 6; it is for our ongoing spiritual journey. What have you discovered this Advent/Christmas season? How will you travel forward in 2016 sheltering the light of Christ and reflecting it to the world?

Thank you to the many folks who helped make this a meaningful time in our church, our community, our world. January 10 is Baptism of the Lord, a special Sunday in the Presbyterian Church. Jesus was identified as God's son and the spirit descended upon him. He was now ready to begin his ministry. Our church's mission sewing group presents a quilt to children when they are baptized. At this time the parents and the congregation begin their ministry to guide the baptized's faith journey. We also renew our own baptism and renew our call to discipleship. What better way to respond to our call than to provide blankets for PDA (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance). Ten dollars will buy a gray, wool winter blanket or a yellow, summer weight blanket. The blankets are stored at a central location until a disaster occurs some where in the world. The blankets are then sent wrapping victims with God's love and care. Our Blanket fund drive will begin January 10 and continue through January.

“Second Sunday = Second Purchase”

of an item for the Pantry

Fellowship Time!!! MS Friendship meets

Friday, January 8, at 6:00pm at the airport Everyone is Welcome!

We express our sympathy and prayers to Ron Ochsner and family on the death of Ron’s father, Ronald Ochsner, December 14.

Hospital visits: If you need a hospital visit or know of a member who needs a visit, contact the church office. Due to privacy laws, a family member or the hospital needs to contact the church to let us know when someone is

admitted to the hospital.

Doris & Ford Craig 405 Bader Avenue Seward NE 68434

January Anniversaries 1/28/2011 Amanda and Mike Vargas

1/31/1965 Cheryl and Dean Kurth

Thank you for your prayers for Tenaj Erickson. We are grateful for the church family who have sent cards and visited Tenaj at the hospital. She so appreciated

each and every one of the calls and visits. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.

Cards (no packages) may be sent to Tenaj at: Denver Health Medical Center ATTN: Tenaj Erickson 777 Bannock St Unit 5A Rm 546 Denver CO 80204

FPC & Me will resume January 13 at the normal

gathering times.

Everyone is welcome!

Senior High Youth Group will also resume January 13. Contact Renee Callaghan or Susan Petersen for more information.

4 Jack McDermand

7 Kay Wright

8 JoAnn Engbrecht

Mia Dugan

10 Lisa Ackerman

Gracelyn Cauffman

Mary Pendleton

Doris Wells

11 Matt Kaminski

11 Austin Zachry

12 Dusty Kohler

13 David Place

14 Kelsey Thomas

Amanda Vargas

15 Willa Fenster

16 Rachel Allison

21 Susan Peters

24 Joe Conger

27 J.D. Barr

29 Faye Lundeen

January 24, 2015 following worship

Deacons will meet Sunday, January 10, following the morning worship service.

Adventures of Bob and Kristi Rice Democratic Republic of Congo / Kanaga, West Kasai

Keeping up With the Rices http://bobandkristi.blogspot.com/

FROM THE PANTRY: Greetings from Grace Ministries Food Pantry! As we look forward to 2016, there is much to be thankful for. The shelves at the Pantry were recently replenished by a record-breaking NPHS Student Council sponsored food drive! Volunteers loaded two trailers and several pickup trucks with food to take to our Pantry at 113 East C Street. How we got it all inside the Pantry remains a mystery, but we were able to do it! Canned vegetables - green beans, corn, and peas - were the bulk of the delivery, and amounted to approximately 900 cases, which was wonderful. We thank the volunteers that helped with this hard work. It is not an easy job, especially working in darkness with ice underfoot! We also thank the local grocers for providing these items at a reduced price to help in this drive to feed the hungry.

We have had some wonderful donations from you all at First Presbyterian. The Pesky Pennies jar was taken to the bank recently and it produced $38.00! Thank you all for dropping your loose change in when you walk by! The Mission Fellowship sewing group made a much appreciated donation of $100.00. Thank you ladies! And those of you that faithfully support the 'Second Sunday, Second Purchase' grocery cart are to be commended as well.

Looking ahead to 2016, we will have a full 2015 Grace Ministries Food Pantry report in the February Church and Home. We are anticipating business as usual for the year ahead. Sadly, the need for assistance never seems to end, but we are prepared and willing to help those in our area that need us! Our partners in this endeav-or, First Baptist, First Evangelical Lutheran, First Methodist, and the Masonic Lodge continue to hold true to their promises to help fight hunger with us, through donations and man-hours. We are thankful for them all!

In closing, it was another successful year at the Pantry, and it is all because of YOU! We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts! Happy New Year!

- - Leigh Henline

ITEMS OF INTEREST:

The session has moved forward with the selection of a committee to seek an interim pastor. The committee is Dean Kurth, Scott Baker, Rachel Allison, Tammy Miller, and Ann Jones. The committee is working to complete the MIF (Ministry Information Form). This form will be submitted for review by the presbytery's COM (Committee on Ministry) at their next meeting January 13. Following their approval the committee will seek resumes of possible in-terim pastors.

Our new technology has been up and run-ning for several weeks. Those present in wor-ship have made many positive comments. Something like this does not happen without the work of many. First, the generous mone-tary gifts of our congregation made the acquisi-tion of the hardware possible. Larry Pedersen and Kent Miller guided the installation with their knowledge of the building. Ned Mack not only initiated the plan and led the fund raising, he was hands on with the installation. Presently he is entering the material used during the worship service. Kent is the one running the system on Sunday – a learning experience for both of them. Ideas for use have challenged them to learn 'how' and spend time with a Yanda repre-sentative to learn. Kent and Ned have stepped up to the challenge. Thank you Ned and Kent!

2016 Officer Installation / Ordination - - Sunday, January 24

JANUARY SERVICE COMMITTEE Coordinator: Jan Barnhart Members: Bobbie Barta, Mary Ann Blackledge, Hannah Dolan, Pam Erickson, Tami Forrester, Sarah Kaminski, Ellie McClymont, Arlene Richardson

BIBLE STUDY: Come to the Waters Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. An overabundance of water is in direct contrast to the absence of wa-ter but both are equally threatening to one's life. In the words of the Psalmist, “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. . . .I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.” Have you ever found yourself in choppy waters, a terribly difficult situation, facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge, a crisis? The Israelites found themselves in this position several times. To escape Egypt they had to cross the Red Sea. God intervened and parted the sea giving them safe passage. During their 40 years in the wilderness God provided for their needs showing himself to be a provisional God. To enter into the Promised Land they needed to cross the Jordan River at the time it was at flood stage. What had God revealed about himself in their previous experiences? Could they trust God? Twelve priests were chosen and were directed to step into the raging waters, trusting that God would part the waters and again give the people safe passage. Sure enough, the waters parted and the people crossed safely into the Promised Land. Now they were called a nation—trusting Joshua and God's plan had changed them. Reflect on the difficult/challenging period (the water's over your head, there seems to be no foothold) in your life. Were you able to trust God to deliver you? Did help come through your tears, the holy waters of healing? Did help come through prayer or an empathetic friend or a trained counselor? Did you come through a changed person? Just like he did for the Israelites, God will come through for you. Trust him.

Come! January 14 at 9:30am or 6:00pm 'Stormy Waters' – our faith wavers.

GATHERINGS AND FELLOWSHIP TIME: PW Coordinating Team will meet next on

Thursday, February 4 at 10:30am

Women’s Fellowships will meet Thursday, January 14,

at the church 9:30am - Morning Fellowship Hostess: Elaine Boyle 6:00pm - Evening Spirits Hostess: Tammy Miller

Thanks to all who helped make Holiday Tables and Style Show a success!! This is what makes our church family so wonderful. A big thank you to all who bought the tickets to attend and benefit the Gift of Hope Cancer Foundation.

Special accolades to the following: PW Coordinating Team: Glenda Feeney, Cheryl Kurth, Cheryl MacDonald, Judi Pedersen Servers: Chuck Francis, Ned Mack, Ron Norgaard, Jim Orcutt, Danny Ridgway Our Models: Mary Ann Blackledge, Glenda Feeney, Ann Jones, Joyce Kohler, Nancy Mack, Maxine Mulder, Susan Peters, Bev Sallee, Maris Schad The Chefs: Glenda Feeney, Sara Pierce, Joyce Kohler, Dorothy Conger, Cyndee Orr, Annie Pankonin, Gertrude Stewart, Elaine Boyle’s recipe assistance. Table Artists: Connie Klemm, Janet Hare, Susan Peters, Joyce Kohler, Jan Walters, Bev Sallee, Leigh Henline, Tammy Miller, Marcia Henline, Martha Orcutt, Glenda Feeney, Irene Ridgway, Ellie McClymont, Jan Barnhart, Mary Ann Blackledge, Carol Norgaard, Nancy Mack Pre-Event Preparations: Pastor Polly, Naomi Okoye and Regan Brown

It takes a large group of committed folks to prepare and put on an event like this-this is who we are in our congregation.

Sincerely, Dixie Francis, PW Moderator

Please extend a big thank you to Dixie for organizing this event. Well Done!