First Reports
First Presbyterian Church
Evansville, Indiana
w
w
w.
fir
st
pr
e
JAN
2017
se
va
ns
vil
le
.c
om
The new year is soon upon us. It comes with excitement and fear, anticipation and dread, hope
and despair. Nothing new there. It is as it has ever been.
We “do not know what a day may bring forth,” the Proverb tells us, and we do not know what a
gaggle of days - known as a year - may bring forth. Uncertainty has taken central place, maybe
more this year than in those past.
There will be challenges to be faced. There will be opportunities to show forth God’s love. There
will be times when our voice and our message will need to be proclaimed. Nothing new there.
So, while you find yourself in the “resolution business,” consider joining me in this resolution.
Resolved, that I will be more available to God
and more passionate about my faith,
in the year 2017.
Do that, and “your light will break forth like the dawn!”
See you in church!
Kevin Scott Fleming, Pastor
Check out our website
There’s lots of information about First Presbyterian Church on our website. You can download print
copies of sermons, watch sermons on-line, catch up on the latest news, and make contributions.
Visit us at: www. firstpresevansville.com
January Worship
s
A New Year and the completion of the Christmas cycle mark the days of January. In worship,
we open our hearts and minds to all that God offers to do in our midst and to the revelation of
Jesus’ mission and ministry.
On Sunday, January 1, there will be one service of worship at 10:30 am. In addition to the
sermon, “And Now, For Something Completely...New!”, we will celebrate the Sacrament of the
Lord’s Supper.
On Sunday, January 8, we complete the Christmas cycle, with our observance of Epiphany.
Kevin’s sermon is entitled, “The Unnamed Gift.”
On Sunday, January 15, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. Time has moved quickly and
Jesus the adult, comes to the Jordan to be baptized by his cousin, John. The sermon is
entitled, “An Ending? Or a Beginning?”
Sunday, January 22, we hear how Jesus began calling disciples. The sermon is entitled, “Call
Waiting.”
We close the month on Sunday, January 29, with Jesus’ “sermon on the mount,” as given to us
by Matthew. The sermon is entitled, “Becoming the Blessed Community.”
Join us throughout January as we worship God!
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
will be celebrated on
Sunday, January 1,
at 10:30 a.m.
2
A meeting of the Congregation has been called for
Sunday, January 15,
following the 10:30 am worship service,
for the purpose of electing officers and
approving changes in the Pastor’s terms of call.
Presbyterian Women Bible Study
s
The PW Bible Study series, Who Is Jesus?, is continuing into 2017 and welcomes new or returning
folks at any time. Join us on the first Wednesday of the month from 12:30-1:30 in Kerr Chapel.
Our first class of the new year will be on Wednesday, January 4. We’ve looked at the
understanding of Jesus offered to us by each of the four gospels. Now we turn to the other
great writer of the New Testament – Paul – and will ask what we can learn about Jesus by
looking through his eyes. If you want to do some preparatory reading (but you don’t have to)
here are some passages to look at:
1 Corinthians 1:1-2:5 (Skim the rest of the letter if you want to get a sense of the issues
and challenges in the church at Corinth)
2 Corinthians 5:17-20
Philippians 2:1-11
Acts 18 (verses 1-17 tell about Paul’s visit to Corinth)
And don’t be caught by surprise – the February class is on February 1! We will look at what the
writer of Hebrews (a New Testament letter NOT written by Paul) has to teach us about Jesus.
Big preparation is to read chapters 1-6, 12, and 13; little preparation is Hebrews 12:1-2.
s
Mission News
On behalf of the congregation of First Presbyterian Church the Mission Committee made a
number of financial gifts during 2016. Support within the denomination went to the Mission
Agency of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and its Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program.
Contributions to support the preparation of future church leaders went to the Presbyterian
Foundation’s Theological Education Fund, to Auburn and Union seminaries, and to Menaul
School. Funds were provided for the Pastor’s Emergency Fund. Locally, gifts were sent to the
following organizations and agencies:
ARK Crisis Child Care Center
Aurora
Habitat for Humanity
Hangers
Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry
House of Bread and Peace
Little Lambs
Optimal Rhythms
Patchwork Central
PEACE Zone
The Potter’s Wheel
TOUCH
Tri-State Alliance
Tri-State Food Bank
United Caring Services
Voices
YWCA
The budget of the Mission Committee is supported by your
pledge and offering giving. Consider the many people who
are helped by your generosity. Thank you!
3
1 SUNDAY
New Year’s Day
10:30 a.m. Sanctuary Worship
2 MONDAY
Church Office Closed
6:00 p.m. NA Group
3 TUESDAY
12:00 p.m. Power Hour Yoga - all levels
4 WEDNESDAY
11:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
Staff Meeting
Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
Presbyterian Women Circle
Presbyterian Women
Coordinating Team
Little Lambs Store Open
9 MONDAY
11:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
Staff Meeting
Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
NA Group
Book Group
10 TUESDAY
12:00 p.m. Power Hour Yoga - all levels
4:00 p.m. Choir School
11 WEDNESDAY
12:00 p.m. Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
2:00 p.m. Little Lambs Store Open
6:00 p.m. Justice/Diversity Team
12 THURSDAY
3:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
PYE
Choir Rehearsal
First Light
5 THURSDAY
3:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
PYE
Choir Rehearsal
13 FRIDAY
6:30 p.m.
6 FRIDAY
6:30 p.m.
First Light
14 SATURDAY
10:00 a.m. Little Lambs Store Open
7 SATURDAY
10:00 a.m. Little Lambs Store Open
8 SUNDAY
8:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
4
Wide Awake Worship
Adult Sunday School
Choir Rehearsal
Sanctuary Worship
Fellowship Hour
15 SUNDAY
8:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
11:45 a.m.
Wide Awake Worship
Adult Sunday School
Choir Rehearsal
Sanctuary Worship
Congregational Meeting
Fellowship Hour
16 MONDAY
10:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
Mission Committee
Staff Meeting
Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
NA Group
17 TUESDAY
12:00 p.m. Power Hour Yoga - all levels
4:00 p.m. Choir School
6:15 p.m. Welcome Team
18 WEDNESDAY
12:00 p.m. Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
2:00 p.m. Little Lambs Store Open
We serve at The Diner at The Potters’ Wheel on the
4th Saturday each month between 8:45 and 11:30 a.m.
Please contact Ronda Hurt at 425-5991 or
[email protected] to volunteer.
24 TUESDAY
12:00 p.m. Power Hour Yoga - all levels
4:00 p.m. Choir School
19 THURSDAY
3:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
PYE
Choir Rehearsal
20 FRIDAY
6:30 p.m.
25 WEDNESDAY
12:00 p.m. Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
6:00 p.m. Session Meeting
First Light
26 THURSDAY
3:30 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
PYE
Choir Rehearsal
27 FRIDAY
6:30 p.m.
First Light
21 SATURDAY
10:00 a.m. Little Lambs Store Open
22 SUNDAY
8:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
Wide Awake Worship
Adult Sunday School
Choir Rehearsal
Sanctuary Worship
Fellowship Hour
23 MONDAY
11:00 a.m. Staff Meeting
12:00 p.m. Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
6:00 p.m. NA Group
The Book Group meets every 2nd Monday of the
month at 6:30 p.m. in Kerr Chapel. Copies of the
book to be discussed, discussion questions, and a
complete schedule are available in the church
office. For more information on the Book Group,
contact Helen Templeton (476-5851;
[email protected]).
On Monday, January 9, the group will hold its
annual planning meeting.
28 SATURDAY
8:45 a.m. First Pres serves at the Diner
10:00 a.m. Little Lambs Store Open
29 SUNDAY
8:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
4:00 p.m.
Wide Awake Worship
Adult Sunday School
Choir Rehearsal
Sanctuary Worship
Fellowship Hour
In Concert: Reed and Reed
30 MONDAY
11:00 a.m. Staff Meeting
12:00 p.m. Lunch Power Yoga - all levels
6:00 p.m. NA Group
31 TUESDAY
12:00 p.m. Power Hour Yoga - all levels
4:00 p.m. Choir School
5
s
Organ and Horn Concert
We are pleased to welcome back to First Presbyterian Church Dr. Doug Reed and Mr. Eric
Reed in a concert of French Horn and Organ music. The concert is scheduled for Sunday,
January 29, at 4:00 p.m.
Doug and Eric are certainly no strangers to First Pres. Doug served as the
consultant for the C.B. Fisk Organ project twenty-five years ago. He has
served as a substitute organist, interim organist and choir director, and is the
retired Professor of Organ and University Organist at the University of
Evansville. More importantly, Doug has been and remains a very good
friend to First Presbyterian Church, its members, and friends.
Eric Reed is a product of our Choir School. His studies took him to Rice University, and on to a
career as a professional musician and teacher. Eric is on the faculty of Ryder University and
The Juilliard School. He is currently a member of the American Brass Quintet.
This will be an exceptional afternoon of music. Please join us and bring your friends!
s
Ring Out, Wild Bells
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Ring Out, Wild Bells is a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Published in 1850, the year he was
appointed Poet Laureate, it forms part of In Memoriam, Tennyson’s elegy to Arthur Henry
Hallam, his sister’s fiancé who died at the age of twenty-two.
6
The Caring Connection
In the Life of Our
Congregation . . .
We support:
Family and friends of Sara Taylor,
following her death in December;
We remember in prayer:
Bill Asbury, Dorothy Becker, Margaret
Spore;
We update our directories:
Eleanor Hight
812-853-3914
Apartment 102
3833 Eli Place Newburgh IN 47630
Don’t forget to keep the office updated
with all your current contact information,
including college addresses!
Happy January Birthday!
Engel, Cathy
Lankford, Ruth
Reshanov, Suezette
Peyronnin, Addie
Richard, Lynn
Scurry, Samantha
Griffin, Greta
Korb Jr, Dan
Myers, Sue
Pearce, Sarah
Rinks, Bonnie
Sponseller, Ian
Boyle, Ashley
Julius, Amy
Orr, Ruth
Nicholls, Emma
Burckhartt, Kristen
Raley-Wade, Sherri
Griffin, Jill
Aiken, Carrie
Igleheart, Diane
Logsdon, Maribeth
Ruthenburg, Mary
01
01
01
02
04
04
05
05
06
06
06
06
07
08
12
13
14
24
25
27
29
29
30
7
“Bare branches of each tree
on this chilly January morn
look so cold so forlorn.
Gray skies dip ever so low
left from yesterday’s dusting of snow.
Yet in the heart of each tree
waiting for each who wait to see
new life as warm sun and breeze will blow,
like magic, unlock springs sap to flow,
buds, new leaves, then blooms will grow.”
- Nelda Hartmann, January Morn
First Presbyterian Church
609 South East Second Street
Evansville, IN 47713-1107
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE PAID
EVANSVILLE IN
PERMIT NO. 909