January 14, 2020
Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
[Isaiah 43:18-19]
Dear Friends,
Jesus calls Philip saying, “Follow me.” Philip tells his buddy Nathanael that Jesus
is the one they had been searching for. Nathanael is a tad skeptical about this resident of Nazareth and challenges Philip asking,
"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" But Nathanael meets Jesus and quickly learns that he
is mistaken. Jesus promises that if Nathanael sticks with him, that he will see even “greater things.”
We live in a time when we could use some “greater things.” The problem is that we are too often looking in the wrong places. The Gospel of John reminds us that the greatest things are to be found with the one sent by God.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we worship together.
In Christ,
The prayers and sympathy of the congregation are with Edwina Reeder
on the death of her mother, Ruby Warren Davis, on December 26 at age 92. Ruby had suffered a stroke a few days earlier and died at her home. Her obituary can be read here.
Winter Book Club with Michael starts Sunday, January 24 at 11:10 a.m. on Zoom. Join Michael for a discussion of the book The Bible With and Without Jesus by by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Brettler. To sign up, please click here.
Monday Night Bible Study with Michael at 6:00 p.m. each Monday. Join
the group for a lively five-week discussion of
Take Back Your Life.
Online via Zoom.
SOUPER BOWL OF CARING FOOD DRIVE
As the NFL playoffs convene, so does our annual
Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive which collects food for the Wilson County Community Help Center.
Our goal this year is to collect 1,000 food items. You can donate your food based on who you think will win the Super Bowl (monetary donations are also accepted). When a team loses, their food will be given to the team to whom they lost. On Super Bowl Sunday, ONE team will claim the food drive victory. Donate food Monday through Friday during regular business hours or during Sunday worship.
Collection boxes are in the hallway.
COMPASSIONATE HANDS MEALS
FPC has committed to serve a meals for Compassionate Hands on the following
dates. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve our neighbors in need.
• January 26 • March 2
DONATIONS NEEDED
Compassionate Hands needs donations of the following items:
• razors
• individual shaving cream
• lip balm
• boots and shoes sizes 9-11
• larger size sweatpants
• gas cards
Please bring donated items to the church office.
Download Children and Youth Calendar
YOUTH GROUP
In-person Youth Group will resume on W ednesday, January 20, with opportunities for fellowship and opportunities to serve the homeless in our community.
We will meet on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 6:00 - 7:30
p.m.
- January 20 - Outdoor Polar Bear Games
- February 3 & 17
- March 3 & 17
- April 7 & 21
- May 5 & 19
THIS WEEK
Polar Bear Games
Wednesday, January 20 at 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Grab your mittens, and maybe even a parka, and join us for an evening of winter games on the First Presbyterian lawn. There will be hot cocoa and other treats to keep you warm. Youth group is open to students 10 and up.
COMPASSIONATE HANDS MEAL
Tuesday, January 26 at 4:00 p.m.
Help make our community a better place by preparing meals for people experiencing homelessness in Lebanon. We will meet at the church at
4:00 p.m. to make spaghetti. We will then head to First United Methodist to serve the meal. We should be done by
7:00 p.m.
SOUPER BOWL
Sunday, February 7, Noon - 3:00 p.m. - Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive
CHILDREN AND WORSHIP
We are currently looking for volunteers to lead this program. In the meantime, the nursery is open for all of our younger children.
Sundays at 10:00 a.m.
Early Childhood/Early Elementary (2 years to 1st grade)
details
SACRED CIRCLE TIME
Sundays at 10:00 a.m.
Upper Elementary (2nd to 5th grade)
details
SAVE THE DATE
Youth: Video Scavenger Hunt
February 3 at 6:00 p.m.
Youth: Teach Me How To Pray
February 17 at 6:00 p.m.
Children and Youth: Winter Wonderland
February 24 at 6:00 p.m.
Day Camp
Saturday, April 10
Rock Island State Park
Sunday, January 17
12:30 p.m. - Joint Meeting of Deacons and Session
Wednesday, January 20
Wednesday "Take Out" Meal
February 7
Noon - 3:00 p.m. - Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive
February 17
Ash Wednesday
March 28
Palm Sunday
12:30 p.m. - Sunday Drive
April 4
Easter Sunday
View Complete Calendar
An archive of sermons and bulletins (audio and text) can be viewed here.
Detailed information on how to use Zoom can be found on the FPC webpage.
Zoom Dial-up number: 1-312-626-6799
Sunday - 10:00 a.m.
Streaming Worship ( join meeting)
meeting number: 959 167 376 password: 865280
Can also be viewed on Facebook
Sunday - 11:10 am [Starts January 24]
Winter Book Club with Michael ( join meeting)
meeting number: 999 257 630 password: 315915
Monday - 6:00 pm
Monday
Night Bible Study with Michael ( join meeting)
Take Back Your Life: Living into God's Love for You
meeting number: 999 257 630 password: 315915
Wednesday - Noon [WILL RETURN SOON]
Bible Study with Sherard ( join meeting)
meeting number: 478 485 019 password: 012901
[December 13, 2020]
The Session held its Stated December Meeting on Sunday December 13 at 5:00 p.m. on Zoom.
Congregational Care Committee
• The Wednesday night “take out” dinners will continue in 2021.
• The next “Sunday Drive” is scheduled for January 3 at 12:30 p.m.
Outreach Committee
• Compassionate Hands opened 2 shelters on December 1. Volunteers are needed to do the laundry and prepare breakfasts for Sundays.
• We will provide and serve the meal for Compassionate Hands on December 29.
• A Red Cross Blood Drive will be held at the church on January 6, 2021.
Worship Committee
• Because of the increase in the numbers of COVID cases in the county, the Session voted unanimously (with great sadness and regret) to not have an in-person candlelight service on December 24 but to have a prerecorded service broadcast at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
The next Session meeting is scheduled for Sunday, January 10 at 12:15 pm on Zoom.
Scripture - John 1:43-51
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth."
46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!"
48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you."
49 Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
50 Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these."
51 And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
Voluntary in D Minor Voluntary in G Major - John Stanley
Millennium March - Noel Rawsthorne
FPC has two ongoing collections benefiting the following organizations:
1. Wilson County Schools Family Resource Center. We collect food and personal hygiene items for students whose families are struggling.
Donations can be left in the plastic tub in the back hallway.
2. Wilson County Community Help Center.
Monetary donations are used to purchase food items for the Help Center. Write Help Center on your check.
For those worshiping online on Sundays, the worship bulletin is available for download. You can download a version to print at home, or you can download a version to view on a second screen (such a a phone or tablet). Bulletins are posted on Fridays. To access the downloads, you can 1) click
here,
or 2) go to the church website and click on the Worship menu.
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