Newsletter - Memorial Presbyterian Church

The Messenger
Holy Week
Palm Sunday: March 20
Maunday Thursday: March 24 Worship Service
@ 5:30 pm
Good Friday: March 25
Easter: March 27
March 2016
From our pastor ….
Dear Members and Friends,
I hope your Lenten journey has been meaningful. We are about half way to Easter. This year I have been using a new resource for my devotional reading. It is
Thom Shuman’s Daily Readings for Lent and Holy Week. Shuman is a member
of the Iona community in Scotland. One of his daily readings begins with Palm
43:3, followed by a reflection in poetry.
“O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring
me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.”
Some sit in the gloom of grief,
Mourning even when tears refuse to flow;
some lie in the twilight of terror,
their hopes exceeded by their fears,
their joy shrouded in pain;
some grope aimlessly
through the shadows of life,
constantly banging their shins against
the furniture rearranged constantly by foolishness;
to all, truth comes,
lanterned with your light,
to lead them out of the murkiness
and into your heart.
I pray that you are lanterned by God’s light and into God’s heart during these
final days of Lent on our journey to Easter.
Blessings,
Ann
IT’S WEAR YOUR JEANS TO CHURCH SUNDAY!
MARCH 6TH
We’re moving Alix House offices into the Educational Wing.
Come, join us! Bring a sack lunch, and join in the fellowship!
Bring a dolly (the kind with wheels) - if you have one.
LIBRARY NEWS
Thirty books have been donated to our church library since the first of this year. When professor Randy
Pausch was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he delivered to his students THE LAST LECTURE. This inspirational speech about how to live life with humor, inspiration and intelligence became a best selling book.
Harriet Ondrasek donated her copy.
Among the 29 books received from Barb Gainer you will find in the glass case a moving photo history of the
Sept. 11, 2001, disaster. The book is titled ABOVE HALLOWED GROUND. Other recent books with
eye-catching titles include:
DEATH OF THE CHURCH by Mike Regele (role of the institutional church in today's society)
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT by Gregory Boyd (do you struggle with doubt about your faith?)
RUMORS OF ANOTHER WORLD by Philip Yancey (hopeful new perspective on your life)
REACHING FOR THE INVISIBLE GOD by Philip Yancey (searching for a personal relationship with God)
THE PRODIGAL GOD by Timothy Keller (based on the parable)
By far the most intriguing title is ALLIGATORS IN THE SWAMP by George B. Thompson, Jr. He writes of the
use of power in pastoral ministry.
This Easter season you may want to check out KILLING JESUS by Bill O'Reilly.
(Our library now has two copies)
Congregational Easter Breakfast Buffet
Sunday, March 27Th
We will serve from 9 am—10:30 am
MISSION NEWS
Future Training Opportunities
Following on our New Beginnings process and in line with our efforts to reach out to the Fredericksburg community, we would like to offer training opportunities for church members and friends in the coming
months. If there is interest, here are some possible programs:
Hands-on training in the use of the life-saving automated external defibrillator (AED) located off the MPC
lobby.
Instruction in “How to use social media including Facebook” to share information about the mission of
MPC with the community and among ourselves.
Information and registration for organ or tissue donation. Surprisingly, most people, regardless of age,
can be donors. A representative of the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA) would be available to
provide information.
If you are interested, please contact Elders Ross Bigelow, Kathy McNeill or other Session member .
Catherine Kuhlmann has tentatively agreed to do the AED training at church on Saturday morning, April 9th at 9 AM. She said she did her very first AED talk and demo a few
years ago at Alix House for the 100 Club. As I told many of you Catherine was part of the
EMS team that saved me after my heart attack on the Lady Bird tennis courts in 2008.
Ross Bigelow
Needs Council
One Great Hour of Sharing
The Needs Council has provided us with a list of home bound
people who would benefit by
some visitation. The Mission
Committee plans to arrange visits during March to these folk,
perhaps in conjunction with St.
Patrick's day.
Serve one another with whatever gift each of you have received.- 1 Peter 4:10
Please call Kathy McNeill at 626
-241-6365. (NOT the phone
number in the directory) to express interest in participating.
Through our gifts of One Great
Hour of Sharing, you can serve
people in your community and
around the world by alleviating
hunger, rebuilding after crises or
catastrophe, and working with
communities to overcome oppression
MPC will collect offerings for One
Great Hour of Sharing during
March.
Session Notes
Retreat, Feb. 6, 2016
The Session met from 9a.m. - 2p.m. Saturday Feb. 6. It was decided to reduce the number of committees to 5, combining
duties in a logical manner. Worship and Christian Education are now combined, with Billy Davis, Catherine Davis, and
Barbara Gainer involved. Mission remains alone and includes Kathy McNeill, Jim Speer and Ross Bigelow. Membership
and Fellowship are now combined and will be headed up by Harriet Ondrasek and Catherine Davis. Stewardship/Finance
and Personnel are still under the charge of Treasurer Karen Davies, and Building and Grounds are a continued effort by
non-session members Mike McNeill and Clark Kibler. Please consider joining a committee and contact the Session members involved to indicate your interest.
The Session discussed at length the initiates chosen for follow up from the New Beginnings
work, and they include:
Christian Women’s Job Corps - it was felt we should have a member on their board. They are beginning to move into the
education wing and will need support to go forward.
Clothing closet may be a help to the job corps for future interviews, etc.
Young adult group - Rev. Hoch has several couples and individuals in the 20-30’s age range who she believes would be
interested in socializing and perhaps beginning a “fellowship,” hosted by a few MPC members, but not at the church. This
is a top priority at this time.
Ross Bigelow is interested in utilizing a screen in the chancel area for hymns and possibly for portions of the bulletin to
be projected. He is also interesting in providing Facebook “tutoring” for anyone interested, and suggests scheduling training for using the defibrillation device in the church, and for CPR.
Suggestions for church luncheon programs included Texas Organ Sharing Alliance, Needs Council and other local nonprofits.
The prospect of renting the Alix House was discussed, and rezoning will have to take place if the tenants are not
non-profit. So, it was felt that the rezoning process should begin, but the current search and advertising could be for nonprofits, since the rezoning process take several months. Our offices plan to move out the first of March.
You are encouraged to find a project in which you can be involved, and notify the church office or the elder in
charge and help in the church’s moving forward - on something.
SESSION MEETING, FEB 22, 2016
All members of the session were present for the meeting. Prior to the call to order, the session viewed a
makeshift set-up of a screen for the sanctuary, for display of words to the hymns, the bulletin, and other items
of interest. The paper bulletin would also be distributed, if a screen option is given a trial during worship.
Average worship attendance for Jan. 31-Feb. 21 was 55.
Income for January was $16,295, which is about 10% of the budgeted yearly income. The sanctuary
enhancement fund was closed, although the pledged amount did not meet the cost of the painting and lights.
The difference was taken from an existing fund.
Christian Education: The Koinonia class asked for approval from the session to study Timothy Keller's
book, Counterfeit Gods. Approval was granted.
Pastor's Report: Rev. Hoch stated that she will be at a workshop at Austin Seminary Feb. 29-Mar.1.
She also reported that Nicole Kaufman, who is involved with Can-Do, a canning project in Cambodia, will be
speaking during our Sunday School hour on April 10 in the map room. She will be speaking about human
trafficking. All are invited to attend.
The offices will be moving to the church building on March 6, Sunday, after worship. Those who are able
to help are encouraged to bring a sack lunch and wear appropriate attire.
Helping in Worship in March
Elder: Karen Davies
Choir Director: Raquel Godinez
March 6: Flowers provided by: Rose Suenram
Pianist: Daniel Tieman
Fellowship Hostess: Rose Suenram
Ushers: Bev & Jim Speer, Patti & Clark Kibler
March 13: Flowers provided by: The Hartweins
Fellowship Hostess: Cheryl Moore
Ushers: Suzanne Lynn, Harriet Ondrasek and Charles & Peggy Schmidt
March 20: Flowers provided by: Bonnie Bondurant
Fellowship Hostess: B. Bondurant
Ushers: Al Seddon, Trish Knaupp, and Larry and Nancy Miller
March 27: Easter Lilies
Ushers: Alan Williamson, Kareen Cordray, Bob Weidman, and Carol Goad
Hymn Alongs at Knopp Nursing Home every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month.
Mens Bible Study 7:30 am
Prayer Group 10 am
PW/AM Circle 10:30 am
Mens Bible Study 7:30 am
Communion
Prayer Group 10 am
Food Pantry
Mens Bible Study 7:30 am
Prayer Group 10 am
Mens Bible Study 7:30 am
Prayer Group 10 am
Good Friday
Maundy Thursday
Office Closed
Palm Sunday
5:30 pm Service
Easter Sunday
Church Office
Closed
Mens Bible Study 7:30 am
Prayer Group 10 am
MPW and Morning Circle
The MPW and morning circle will meet on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 10:30 am in the Alix House office.
Book Club
The book club will meet on Monday, March 14 at 5:30 pm at the home of Karen Davies.
The book we will be discussing is The Train to Crystal City Jan Jarboe Russell.
.
Flower and Fellowship Sign UP
If you would like to provide flowers for Worship service please sign up on the flower calendar in the Narthex. The charge is $35.00.
If you would be interested in signing up for fellowship host, the sign up book is located in the fellowship hall
on the counter.
Church Office will be closed on Good Friday and the Monday after Easter
Memorial Presbyterian Church
Easter Lily Order Form
As is the tradition of Memorial Presbyterian Church, Easter Lilies will be used to decorate the
sanctuary for worship service on Easter.
Following the worship service that morning you may take your Easter Lily home with you.
Lily order forms will be accepted now through March 20, 2016. Please complete this form and
attach your payment. Please return form to the office or the offering plate.
The cost per Lily is $11.00
Given By:____________________________________________ Phone:___________________
In Memory of:_________________________________________________________________
In Honor of:___________________________________________________________________
Number of Easter Lilies ordered:_________ x $11.00 each = $ ______________
March Birthday’s
3-Carol Goad
7– Cathy Seddon
10-Dorothy Williamson
11-Bonnie Bixby
MPC Game Night
Date TBA
13-John Webster
20-Bonnie Bondurant
26-George Otto
PRAYER LIST
Mike Tomforde , Susan James , George Kluber, Ken Raymond, Milton
Bierschwale , Crystal Fox, Margaret Bierschwale, Sara Beth Reynolds, Janie
Bailey, Red Richison, and Don Burke .
The following repairs, replacements, and or cleaning were done.
Floors were mopped several times in the two nursery rooms and the art room.
Hank and Harriett Ondrasek buffed the floors following the cleaning of the rooms.
Painting was finished in the chimes, library, and Sunday school classrooms by Jim Speer, Rose Suenram,
Harriet Ondrasek, Billy Davis, and Karen Davies.
Church sign was cleaned by Mike and Kathy McNeill.
The toilet in the nursery bathroom was replaced by Clark Kibler.
Cleaning of all the chairs in the fellowship hall and classrooms were done by Harriett Ondrasek and
Bonnie Bixby.
The garbage disposal was removed and replaced by a drain in the kitchen by Clark Kibler and Mike McNeill.
Yard work was done by Mike McNeill.
The sound board cabinet had repair work done on it by Clark Kibler & John Webster.
The metal Fellowship Hall sign had repairs made on it by Clark Kibler to remove the sharp edges.
Stained ceiling tiles were replaced in the large nursery room by Ann Hoch.