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Good News
February 2019
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Our sister congregation
in Paracho, Mexico
sends warm greetings
through the Macias-
Espinoza family, who
traveled there over
Christmas to visit.
The Pastor received
our letter of greeting
with joy!
The school supplies we sent with
the Macias-Espinoza family were
distributed to schoolchildren.
Session Highlights Jan 2019
Flood damage: Our insurance company paid Metro Disaster Specialists for drying out the flooded
area and is in the process of determining what other costs are covered. The carpet squares in the
hall were replaced, and sheet carpeting is planned for the Pastor’s Office. Plans were discussed to
replace the damaged phone system, which the insurance company indicated they would cover. A
motion was approved to pay the $2500 deductible and to set aside an additional $5000 in capital
funds to cover flood damages if needed.
Year-end financial work: Duke presented the financial reports from 2018. Session reviewed total ex-
penses and incomes, noting that approximately $2800 more was spent than was received for the
year--although that includes some of the costs of the flood--and that we spent $18,000 less than the
year before. A 2019 proposed budget was presented, with pledges and expected incomes/expensed
taken into account. A weekly Pulpit Supply amount—which compensates speakers that fill our pulpit
in the interim between pastors—was established. Employee salaries will be reviewed by the Person-
nel Committee.
Nominating Committee: The Session elected its two representatives. At the March 3rd congregational
meeting, additional “congregational” representatives will be elected.
Pastor search: the Session is working with the Committee on Ministry to determine a possible solu-
tion in hiring a 1/2 time minister. First Presbyterian Church of Argenta in North Little Rock is also
searching for a 1/2 time minister. The two Sessions selected three individuals each to meet as an ex-
ploratory committee to see if both churches might share in a joint pastoral relationship. The explora-
tory committee will report to their respective Sessions before any action will be taken. Duke, Mary
Jane and Jeannie represent our church.
Assignments of Committee chairpersons for 2019 were approved, and are listed following this arti-
cle , along with phone numbers for your convenience. The Treasurer and Clerk of Session were re-
elected. Questions or input from congregation members are always welcomed by each of the listed
committees or officers.
Other Actions: It was approved to give Jeannie Price the authority to serve communion on Sundays
when an ordained minister is not filling the pulpit, pending confirmation from Presbytery. It was de-
cided that Hospitality refreshments after worship will be provided on the 2nd and 4th Sundays, instead
of every week.
January Offerings/Attendance J a n 6 : $ 2 2 0 1 . 5 0 / 2 8 J a n 1 3 : $ 7 0 1 . 0 0 / 1 8 J a n 2 0 : $ 3 9 0 5 . 0 0 / 3 1 J a n 2 7 : $ 3 0 5 6 . 0 0 / 2 8
Letter from Inside
A prisoner speaks about the gift of spiritual freedom
Four concrete walls, iron bars, a steel door with sunlight and fresh air maybe once a month. This is the world I live in—a land of sorrow and darkness. But in this darkness there is a light that shines bright in the men around me. While poor decisions, a reckless disregard for the law and a love for what is evil brought us here, this prison is where hope blossoms—where the hand of God rests on the prodigal son as he finally comes home. I didn’t ask to come here, but God who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, knew that I needed to come here to save my life and my eternal soul. This is the world I live in. These are those that have no hope inside: Men who are lost, who are trapped in their own minds and souls by the demons that enslave them. These are men whose existence is living from one “high” to the next, and men whose pur-pose is to breed hatred and violence. This is my mission field. You see, like all the men here I have a past, and my past is a key to opening the door. My mess is my message because I am a product of my past, not a prisoner of it. I am an example to these men- that God walks in amaz-ing ways. My past allows me to sit down with these men, but my present is what God uses to bring them home. Hope isn’t lost here, hope grows in these men. You see, we are all caged in these walls, but we are truly free, free inside, and no court, no prison can restrain the freedom Christ gives us. Free-dom isn’t a place, it is a mind setting that only Christ gives.
By Michael Kouri
Continued from page 2… Committees for 2019
Worship (a sub-committee of Programming) Chairperson: Karen Finney, 501-605-7186 Members: Mary Jane Fischer, Barbara Monroe, Glenn Fiscus, Margot Sheets, Michael Scroggins Christian Education (a sub-committee of Programming) Chairpersons: Amie and Michael Scroggins, 501-804-9590 Members: Kathie King, Glenn Fiscus, Mary Jane Fischer Mission Committee Chairperson: Jeannie Price, 501-551-1433 Members: Perla Macias-Espinoza, Janelle Kimmel, Finance (a sub-committee of Administration) Chairperson: Pam Mathews, 501-920-3533 Members: Duke Monroe
Property and Maintenance (a sub-committee of Administration) Co-Chairpersons: Joe Pennington, 501-690-5925 and Ron Quesinberry, 501-519-1829 Members: Barbara Matthews , David Boyd, John Price Personnel (a sub-committee of Administration) Chairpersons: Glenn Fiscus, 501-231-2308 and Pam Mathews, 501-920-3533
Prayer Requests *We mourn with the Quesinberry family after the loss of Ron’s beloved sister, Rushia, on Monday. Please pray for God’s peace and comfort for this family.
*Please continue to pray for the Evans family after the loss of their loving mother--and our friend--Gloria. May God bring comfort to this family and bless the beautiful legacy left on earth by Gloria's Godly example.
*Please continue prayers for Lois Tackett and Pam Mathews, both of whom had surgeries recently and are recovering
*Christie Bartelt is still in the hospital in rehabilitation following serious health complications. Please pray for her!
* Remember to pray with us for Michael Kouri and all prison ministries
*Pray for Carol McQueen, who recently had a severe stroke.
* Pray with us for Toni Holder about her job situation and her parents' health.
* Please pray for Jack Stone, who has been diagnosed with cancer.
*Please join us in praising God for His care! We are thankful that Mike Curcio has found work and that Matt Fischer and Frank Lothery have found full-time jobs. Please continue to remember all those who are searching for employment.
General prayers have been requested for the following people: Katie Fischer; Selena, Eliza-beth, Terri, and Keith Lothery; and Greg Hershberg.
Thank you so much for the wonderful meal after mom’s
funeral. We are so blessed to be a part of a caring and
thoughtful church family.
The Evans Family
We need your help with prayer requests!
If you submit a prayer card during the worship service, please follow up by phone or email when the
status of the request changes. The office needs to know if the person is still in the hospital or if the
situation has changed. Don’t forget to do this about answered prayers, too! We all want to cele-
brate God’s goodness when prayer requests turn into praises. If you would like the request men-
tioned again the following week, please submit it again by card, phone, or email. If it is an ongoing
request, please note it for the office. Thank you!
Book Study Group
We are currently studying God Is Closer Than You Think by John Ortberg. We would love to
have you join us at 6:30 pm on Monday nights in the parlor at church. Everyone is welcome!
Congratulations!
Zach Monroe made the Arkansas All-State Band : French Horn, 1st Band 1st Chair. The compe-
tition was held Feb 2nd at UCA. Their concert will be Feb 16 in Hot Springs.
Another great mission is our
Stewpot Ministry! Join our
team of fun-loving, faithful
volunteers as we serve the
hungry of Little Rock on the
third Friday of each month!
Serving God together
builds deep bonds be-
tween brothers and sisters
in Christ, multiplies our ef-
forts to make an impact in
the lives of others….
...and sometimes even
brings sweet rewards!
Call the church for de-
tails or to help.
Warming our City
Our fellowship hall has been opened as a warming center for displaced Jacksonville community members on nights when the wind chill will be 32 degrees or below. We offer shelter, a shower, clean clothes, beds, blankets and pillows, water and snacks. The need is great during weather like we have been experiencing. The City of Jacksonville, churches, civic groups, and individuals have ac-knowledged solidarity, called, offered prayers, donated items, or offered help in an incredible re-sponse to this ministry. The great remaining need is for overnight volunteers to staff the warming center. you would like to volunteer to help staff the center, please contact Karen, Glenn, or Mary Jane.
Excerpt from a letter by Rev. Leslie Belden, Temporary Stated Clerk, Presbytery of Arkansas [Consider attending the Arkansas Presbytery Meeting] on March 1-2, 2019 at the University
of the Ozarks in Clarksville! This will be the meeting at which our youth are invited to come
as advisory delegates, and those meetings are always more energetic. Also, former PC(USA)
Moderator MWS Bruce Reyes-Chow will be with us - leading pre-presbytery workshops on
Friday beginning at 1 pm, and also sharing thoughts with us (and welcoming our thoughts) on
Friday night before worship. We’ll install RE David Stricklin as our new Moderator.... and we
will hear back from the Presbytery’s task force charged with putting together an implementa-
tion plan to move us toward living into our presbytery’s priorities. And of course this is the
meeting at which we vote on proposed amendments to the PC(USA)’s Book of Order. The pre-
presbytery workshops will be fantastic, and this will be a good time to experience your pres-
bytery at its best. Hopefully in the future we will be able to broadcast our meetings in-real-
time on the internet so that all of us can in some way experience the meetings of the Presby-
tery of Arkansas. Until then, there may be only one or two from your congregation who can
vote but everyone can take part in some way.
MWS Bruce Reyes-Chow, presenter, pre-presbytery workshops March 1
Reyes-Chow was the youngest Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ever
elected, serving from June 2008 through June 2010. A third-generation Chinese/Filipino, Chow
calls himself “an armchair sociologist and technology enthusiast.” For all of Reyes-Chow’s social
media links and contact info visit: www.reyes-chow.com.
Thursday, February 28, at 7:00 pm: Making a Difference in the World
Friday, March 1, at 1:00 pm:
A Prophet, Priest, Pastor and Poet Walk into a Bar. . .and Join a Movement
Various ways people approach ministry and social movements and how we can build appreciation for the various ways we all engage in work for the common good.
Friday, March 1, at 3:00 pm: Searching for Unicorns and Reaching Those Elusive Young Adults
Ways the church may be more effective in reaching young adults today. Beyond tactics and pro-grams, we will explore some of the realities of young adult lives when it comes to spirituality, com-munity, technology, etc. Be prepared to bring questions, ideas, frustrations, and more.
Friday, March 1, at 6:30 pm: The Hubris of Harmony:
Sharing Abundance Between Generations, Economies, Congregations, and Culture.
The very difficult task of being realistic about our contexts for ministry and moving forward driven by abundance rather than scarcity.
Presbyterian Village Auxiliary
Dear Friends of Presbyterian Village, A new year is upon us and it is a time many people review their charitable gift list and decide whether or not to support any more good causes. We hope you will consider helping the seniors residing at Presbyterian Village by becoming a Friend of the Presbyterian Village Auxiliary. The Presbyterian Village Auxiliary helps support many projects for the residents such as:
Holiday parties throughout the year Scholarships to Village employees A ‘welcome’ gift to new residents Purchase of arts supplies Summer watermelon feast Picnic tables for the courtyard Bingo supplies New condenser microphone and other needs that the Village does not have in their budget
We encourage you to support the Presbyterian Village Auxiliary through one of the options listed below. Both men and women are welcome. Checks may be made out to the Presbyterian Village Auxiliary and returned with the completed form below to PV Auxiliary, 6512 Westover Dr., Little Rock AR 72207-3444. You may also give your donations to your local church representative. Re-member: Donations are tax deductible. We sincerely appreciate your ongoing support. Please join us for a visit with the Village residents at any Social held in the Lodge on the fourth Monday of the month at 2:30 p.m. Thank you for joining us as we serve Christ by serving others. Sincerely, Joanne Mosley - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Name: _____________________________________________ Amount Enclosed: ____________
Address: ____________________________________________ Church: ____________________
City, State, Zip: __________________________________________________________________
_____ I would be interested in volunteering
____ Gold Level: $50 + I have enclosed a $____ donation for Staff Development Scholarships
____ Silver Level: $25+
____ Bronze Level: $11+
____ Regular Level: $10
Make checks out to the Presbyterian
Village Auxiliary
PLACE STAMP HERE
Contact Us
1208 West Main St.
(501) 982-2876
First Presbyterian Church
1208 West Main Street
Jacksonville, AR 72076
If you are receiving this newsletter by mistake or would rather get one at the church in person, please let
us know. If you know of someone who would like to receive this newsletter in the mail, please call us at
501-982-2876. God Bless You!
May the Christ who walks on wounded feet walk with you. May the Christ who serves with wounded hands stretch out your hands to serve. May the Christ who loves with a wounded heart open your heart to love. And as you leave this place, may you see the face of Christ on everyone you meet, and may everyone you meet see the face of Christ on you.
