First Presbyterian Church
104 South 10th St.
Norfolk, NE 68701

Ph. 402-371-1635

News May 2008

May: Celebrations, Endings and Beginnings

School Year? Family Matters? Small groups and choir and two services? May is a time for “endings.” Or at least, a time when we change our schedules for the long, hot summer.

Vacations! Family travel! 10:00 Worship together! We will conclude our six-week Family Matters series with a collection of canned goods and a community celebration. We will honor our mothers and graduates, and begin the summer worship season, when we alternate contemporary and traditional worship styles every week. Whenever you join us this summer, we will praise the Lord and raise the roof with different voices, but always at 10:00!

The Food Pantry is “ours” in May! It is ours to serve, of course. Our Deacons head up the serving, and they welcome you to sign up or just show up from 9:30-11:30, Monday through Friday at 106 W. Norfolk Ave. The Food Pantry is a ministry of the Ministerial Association, located within the Food Bank at Improved Living, Inc. The Food Bank provides low-cost food to over 30 non-profit organizations and churches as well as the Food Pantry at $0.16/pound.

Something special every Sunday! May 4 will be communion, Family Matters celebration and can collection, and a special guest preacher, the Reverend Caroline Price-Gibson from Richmond, Virginia. We will have friends visiting from Grand Island and from your small groups. And we will follow up with a Family Matters community celebration here at 4:00. Please plan to come and welcome our friends from Our Savior Lutheran, Christ Is King, First Baptist, Trinity Episcopal, and Christ the Servant Lutheran churches as we worship and share what God has done with us together.

Mother’s Day will be special, too! Karen, Colleen, and the worship committee have been lining up some special treats for May 11. We will consider the impact of our mothers and the “mother church” that still shape us now in both services.

Graduation is always a powerful event! After four years of high school or two-four years of college, we cheer on our students. We award scholarships as they move along, reward their efforts, and party as they celebrate. May 18 is our first Sunday all together at 10:00 AM in a blended service where our graduates will be recognized. Cake will be served!

Special Guest on Wednesday, May 21: Missionary from India, John Peter Kirubagan. Join us at 7:00 for a mission presentation after a friendly 6:00 Koinonia meal with John Peter Kirubagan. A long-time friend of Pastor Adrian Hanft of Our Savior Lutheran Church, John Peter will bring us good news about God’s work with the people of India. (Pastor Adrian was a missionary there, too!)

Memorial Day weekend will start our Summer Schedule. Transitions, losses, memories, and hope all come together at Memorial Day. And baseball, auto racing, and vacations—but let’s not forget to give thanks for God’s blessings through those who have served! At 10:00, we will praise the Lord with gospel songs and affirmations of sacrificial service.

May Worship:
May 4      9 & 11 FM6 “Celebrating Family Matters” Communion Matt.10:34-39
May 11     9 & 11 “Mothers Matter” Pentecost Acts 2:1-21; 1Cor 12; Luke 8:21, 18:20
May 18     10:00 “Setting Targets for Life” Graduation Gen. 1-2; 2Cor. 13:11-13; Matt. 28:16-20
May 25     10:00 “Chosen and Rewarded Service” Memorial Day Is. 49; 1Cor. 4; Matt. 6:24-34

Tips of the Hat to: 1. Our Family Matters Small groups hosts: Bob & Michelle Dudley, Jennifer & Bryan Jimmerson, Chuck & Jana Olsen, Sonja Putnam, Darrell Cleveland, and Janelle Johnson! 2. Our Family Matters Small Groups coordinator, Betty Ediger! 3. Nancy and Elda and all the ASAP’ers for loving and helping our Grant School kids for one more school year! 4. Tom & Janell Welstead, our indefatigible Haiti mission motivators—sign up now!


In Christ,

Youth Calendar



May
5/7, 14, 21 Koinonia – 6p Adult Group – 6:30p
Junior Youth Group – 6:30p Senior Youth Group – 7:30p
5/18 Graduate’s Breakfast @ Country Café 7:30AM
5/18 Graduation Service 10AM
5/25 Ultimate Frisbee @ Cook Park 2PM – 3:30PM

Youth Commission Up and Running

The Youth Commission is a committee of adults who meet under the authority of the Session.  The committee meets monthly to guide the Youth Ministry of our church by promoting and establishing programs that will encourage the active participation of young people in the ministry, mission and outreach of this congregation and insure their continued growth in Christ Jesus toward Christian maturity.  Meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 7:30pm and are open to the congregation.  If you are interested in becoming a member, please call the church or attend the meeting.

Current committee members are Chuck Olsen (Session member), Ann Dover, Doug Korth, John and April Laskowski (Senior Youth Volunteers), Noreen Crawford (Junior Youth Volunteer) and Aaron Jones (Junior Youth Volunteer).  Together with Mike Chittenden (Youth Coordinator) this committee is working on numerous projects to grow our youth program.

The committee will be looking to enhance the lives of our youth through prayer, mission trips, community service, worship, fund raising, and fellowship.

Our youth group name is one of or main focuses as we look to build a program.  An easily recognizable name can really help a program grow.  We are kicking around several ideas, and working with the Youth Leadership (youth peer group) to identify the best name for us.  Once a name is picked, we will be working on a logo and t-shirts.  If you are a creative person with some advertising experience, please feel free to help us.

We will also be putting in a lot of time redesigning our youth room.  Paint, rugs, furniture, games, screens, music equipment and televisions are just some of the many items we will be seeking to buy or have donated as we upgrade our facilities.  It is important for the youth to have a space that they can feel proud of and be able to invite friends to share in their faith.  A great facility enhances that prospect.  Any interior designers out there?

We are also gearing up for our mission trip season, the summer.  This year, our junior youth (grades 5-8) will be attending a work camp at Calvin Crest.  The trip will happen the first week of June and we will be helping Calvin Crest prep for its’ summer season.  We will be cleaning cabins and tents, painting, clearing trails of debris, and any other tasks needed to help the camp.  The senior youth (grades 8-12) will be heading to Bowling Green, KY to working on low income housing.  We will be re-roofing houses, building wheelchair ramps, and other household maintenance.  This trip is scheduled for July 12-20.  We are partnering with the Wayne, Lyons, and Tekamah Presbyterian Churches.  We are also working with Victory Road Evangelical Free and Christ is King Churches here in Norfolk.

It is our sincerest prayer that you will hear the call of Jesus and participate in any way you can in the Youth Ministry here at First Presbyterian Church.

Family Matters Small Groups
Please contact one of these hosts or leaders and participate in the six week studies starting March 30.

Sunday
379-9606 Chuck & Jana Olsen Home 6:30 PM
379-2940 Ben & Elda Powley Home 7:00 PM
371-2299 Bob & Michelle Dudley Home 6:30 PM

Tuesday
379-4741 Darrell Cleveland - Community Room @ church 10:30 AM
379-3248 Karen Reimer & Sonja Putnam - CR @ church 7:00 PM

Wednesday
371-1635 Mike Chittenden - youth room @ church Jr. 6:30 PM/Sr. 7:30 PM
371-1635 Pastor Dave Crawford - Community Room @ church 6:30 PM
371-8178 Barb Beckmann @ Rod & Janelle Johnson Home 7:00 PM

Friday
379-3382 Bryan & Jennifer Jimmerson Home 7:00 PM

May Greeters/Ushers

May Coffee Host

Need a ride?

The deacons are coordinating transportation for those who need a ride to worship services. Please contact Jodi at the church office (371-1635) if you would like a ride to church

ATTENTION: College Students

WOMEN OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Playground Development Task Force

Chris Amundsen is looking for some folks to work together on designing a play area. Proposal, based on Memorial funds and potentially located in the courtyard. Please contact Chris at 371-6780 or the church office at 371-1635 if you are interested.