Presbyterian Parables - First Presbyterian Church of Lexington, NE

Presbyterian Parables
First Presbyterian
Church
Lexington, Nebraska
Volume 16,
Issue 8
September 2016
Inside this issue:
Birthday Club
4
Book Report
4,5
Church Calendar
9
Committee Schedule
2
Library News
6
Mission Opportunities
5
Pastor Polly’s Page
3
Service Committee
4
Session notes
7,8
Activities for children will include a Bounce House, face
painting, “tattoos”, and a cupcake walk!
Serving this month
2
A lunch of hotdogs/chips or “walking tacos”, cookie
bars, and drink will be served for $5.00 from 11am-1pm.
Special events
1
We are asking for volunteers to help carry donated
items down from upstairs, run the cash register, oversee
tables, serve lunch, and other jobs as needed. Please
call the church office if you can help!
Thank You Notes
7
The Giving Team is sponsoring a church-wide Fall
Festival/Garage Sale September 24, from 9:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. Weather permitting, we plan to have outdoor
tables as well. A room has been set aside upstairs in the
church for your donated sale items. You may bring
your donated items in at any time and store them at
the church until the sale. If you need help getting your
donated items to the church, please call the church
office and we will arrange to have them picked up!
We welcome vendors with products for sale. Vendor
table prices are $25 per table
Proceeds from this event are going to the church
Organ Repair Fund!
P.W. FALL GATHERING
The Presbyterian Women Fall Gathering will be held in Atkinson on September 21st, and Beaver City, September 24, 2016.
Registration begins at 8:30 A.M. Registration forms are available in the church office. The deadline for registration is September 19th. Cost is $10 each
Garage
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First Presbyterian Church
PO Box 160
801 N. Lincoln
Lexington NE 68850
(308)324-5507
Fax: (308)324-5508
Email: fpclex@centurylink.net
Website:
www.lexpresbyterian.com
Facebook page:
First Presbyterian Church of Lexington
Sunday Schedule
9:00 a.m.—Sunday School
9:00 a.m. - Coffee/Fellowship
10:00 a.m. - Worship/nursery provided
11:00 a.m. - Coffee
Church Staff
Serving in September
Head Ushers: Bruce and Julie Rickertsen
Greeters: Dale and Jo Sherman
Offering Counters: Larry Steinberger and a Properties Volunteer
Lay Leaders:
September 4 — Linda Lauby
September 11 — Anne Grubb
September 18 — Ellie Kelly
September 25 — Diane Yeutter
Nursery Volunteers:
September
September
September
September
*** Lay Leaders: If you switch
Sundays with another Lay Leader,
please let the church office know
by Thursday noon of that week so
that the Lay Leader can be listed
correctly in the Sunday bulletin.
4 — Isabella Carlson
11 — Jordan Lans
18 — Kamryn Pike
25 — Abbie Owens
Caption describing
picture
or Deppen-Williams
Teaching
Elder: Rev.
Polly
graphic.
Hostess: Linda Anthony
Financial Secretary: Julie Rickertsen
Office Manager: Alice Screws
“To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting
Music
Coordinator:
Dian Lauby
sentence
or quote from the story here.”
Joy Ringers and Chancel Choir Director:
Holly Rickertsen
Ruling Elders
Judy Biehl
Da’Lacy Lans
Roger Biehl
Linda Lauby
Karla Denker
Bruce Rickertsen
Ed Heusinkvelt
Sharon Steinberger
Paula Kearney
COMMITTEE SCHEDULE
Welcoming Team — September 4 — 7:00 p.m.
Faith Team
— September 6 — 6:15 p.m.
Giving Team
— September 6 — 4:00 p.m.
Properties Team — September 19 — 7:00 p.m.
Personnel Team — September 20 — 5:45 p.m.
Session
— September 27 — 7:30 p.m.
SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS
Gene Nansel, Clerk of Session
Deacons
George Allen
Janice Lans
Joan Allen
Tom Musil
Sharon Booth
Rhea Musil
Dorothy Bremer
Carol Nelson
Vicki Davis
Lisa Pebley
Marlene DeLap
Carol Stock
-Our Sympathy and Prayers are with Holly Rickertsen and family on the death of Holly’s grandfather,
Fran Hunt.
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Dear Friends,
As I said in a recent newsletter article, our next step in the process towards electing a PNC (Pastor
Nominating Committee) and calling a new Pastor is “discovering a new identity”. The way we will do
that is by conducting a survey of the congregation followed by small group gatherings to discuss further hopes for the future of the church. This is sort of like a mission study, but I think the format is
much more informative and user friendly.
Our survey is now available online and on paper. We need to get 100 responses before we can move to
the next step in the process. I know there are questions out there about this, so I want to answer some that I anticipate being asked:

How do I find the survey online?
- Go to this link and follow the instructions
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FirstPresLexSurvey - or
- Go to the church website (www.lexpresbyterian.com) and click on the link to the survey on the main page.
We can send you an email containing the link to the survey if you need it.

I don’t have a computer or access to the internet; how do I fill out a survey?
Paper copies will be available in the church office and in the narthex. Fill it out and return it to the church and
someone will enter your answers on the website. Someone can also come to your home and help you with the
questionnaire if you have difficulties—please call the church office if you need help.

Will my answers be anonymous?
Yes, when filling it out online or on the paper copy you will not be asked to give your name. The only way
someone will know what your answers are is if they help you fill out the survey.

Do married couples fill out the survey together or as individuals? - As individuals.
This is meant to be an individual survey so please fill it out that way. So, there would be two surveys for a
couple.

Do I have to be a member of the church to fill out the survey?
No, you do not have to be a member of the church to fill out the survey. Regularly attending non-members are
encouraged to give their thoughts and opinions.
What will the next step be?
When we get the required number of responses (100), we will gather for a lunch provided by the Survey team following
worship on Sunday, October 9th. After lunch, we will divide into small groups to discuss five questions and we will need
at least 75 people participating. Then it will be time to form a PNC. The Nominating Committee will receive names and put
together a committee of about 7 people, men and women, to be voted on by the congregation. Following some training, the
PNC will begin the process of putting together a Ministry Information Form (MIF) which will be used for a matching process with ministers who are seeking new calls.
Thank you for participating in this process! The information gathered will help the PNC as they write the MIF and begin
the search for your next Pastor. My goal is to give them great resources to draw upon in their work together.
Grace & peace,
Pastor Polly
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BIRTHDAY CLUB
Join the Birthday Club! In your “birthday month” contribute $1.00 (or 10 cents or a quarter, etc.) for each year of your life so far. The thousands of dollars contributed each year go
to the Endowment Fund. The fund generates interest which is divided between Physical
Facilities and Outreach Fund. If you would like to contribute, there are specially marked
envelopes in the pews, or you can write “Birthday Club” on your check. Gene Nansel
joined the Birthday Club in August.
SUNDAY SCHOOL RALLY DAY AND
“WELCOME BACK” LUNCH !!
-Sunday School Rally Day will be September 11 at 9:00 a.m. Bring the family and
come and enjoy the fun as we kick-off Sunday School for 2016-17!
-The Welcoming Team is Serving Lunch of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs
with all the fixin’s, potato chips and watermelon following worship on September
11. It is our way of saying “Welcome back from a busy summer!” Please plan on
staying and visiting with everyone. Hope to see you there! There will be a freewill offering.
LOGOS BEGINS SEPTEMBER 7!!
LOGOS for the year 2016-17 will begin on Wednesday, September 7. 4:30 p.m. for children grades Kindergarten through 5th grade; 6:00 p.m. for youth ages 6th grade through 12th.
LOGOS parents, please come in with your child on the first night and fill out the registration form. You
will receive a copy by email as well, so you may print this out, complete it and send it with your child/youth
on that first Wednesday. There is also a copy attached to this newsletter if you can copy it and print it out.
More information will be provided as it becomes available! Dessert makers are always needed, so please
sign up on the sheet in the narthex if you can provide desserts.
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MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
MEALS-ON-WHEELS
LOOSE OFFERINGS
GROCERY CART
Once every six weeks we
spend a week helping folks get
a good hot noon meal, delivered with a friendly face and a
smile! If you are willing or able
to volunteer, please Contact
Sharon Steinberger at 324-2060.
Our next date to deliver meals
is September 12-16, 2016.
In the month of June, our Loose
Offerings of $458.77 went to
grace4Haiti, our VBS special mission project!
The grocery cart will be in the
narthex on the 1st Sunday of every month, ready for your nonperishable food items for the Lexington Food Pantry. The Lexington Food Pantry serves many people in need. Children of the church
hand out bags on the 4th Sundays
to be filled at home and brought
In August our loose offerings went
to L2 for Kids.
In September, our loose offerings
go to the Peacemaking Offering.
SERVICE COMMITTEE
LIBRARY NEWS
As we get back into a fall routine, would
you please check through your books to see
if there are some overdue ones from the
church library. We’re trying to round up
the ones that have gone missing and would
appreciate getting them back. Thank you.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
Co-Chairs: Vicki Davis
Joan Rupke
Sharon Steinberger
Nancy Hundley-Aden
Linda Anthony
Judy Biehl
Fran Carlson
Sarah De La Torre
Karen Finken
Sally Heusinkvelt
Pat Loudon
back for the food pantry the following Sunday. Dale Sherman
took
items to the food pantry
in August.
Pat Post
Rhea Musil
Brandy Popken
Liz Sanderman
Pat Sherman
Kristin Steinberger
*Helen Young
NEW BOOKS
CHILDREN
“My Goodnight Book”
“Keep The Faith”
“Sleep Fairy, The”
“You’re All My Favorites”
BIBLE STUDY
James
Meeting the Spirit
Fruit of the Spirit
Abiding In Christ
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PROPERTIES COMMITTEE NEWS
by Mary Reed
The Properties Committee would like to remind everyone that it is still the plan to renovate the church organ and we
are actively seeking funds to assist in our effort to continue bringing beautiful music to our sanctuary.
Did you know that pipe organs were not brought into churches until 1100 A.D. While many associate organs with
churches, the first organs were played at banquets, games and circuses.
The largest organ ever built, based on number of pipes, is located in Atlantic City, New Jersey? It was built between
1929 and 1932 and consisted of 33,114 pipes and weighed 150 tons. WOW what music it must have produced!! Sadly it
no longer is operational, let’s make sure that does not happen to our beautiful organ! Please donate to the Church
Organ Fund!
The proceeds from the Fall Festival/Garage Sale/Craft Sale, Saturday, September 24, 9 am to 3pm, go to the Church
Organ Fund.
There will be garage sale items, children’s activities, crafts, and lunch (from 11 am to 1pm). The event runs from 9 am
to 3 p.m. Please plan to attend and shop ‘till you drop! Sponsored by the Giving Team.
(not our organ)
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-Our Heartfelt Thanks go out to everyone for your prayers, cards, and words of comfort and
encouragement during Roger’s illness. We are so grateful tor the benefit and the support of those
who helped make it a success. — Roger & Pat Pentz; Alisa & Dave Margritz; Jonelle & Norm Lans
Dear Friends:
One Act of Kindness Can Change a Life Forever!
Your donation of 7 portable DVD players will touch more lives
than you can imagine. Every day, miracles are happening at
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center and it is because of the
kindness and support of people like you that help those miracles along.
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center is committed to providing the best in health care through expert medical teams . . . a comfortable and friendly environment . . . and support for families in helping them deal with their children’s needs. Friends such
as you help make this commitment a reality.
Thank you again for caring about our young patients and for making an important difference in
their lives. On behalf of the countless families and children who benefit from your generosity, we
thank you for your kindness.—Sincerely, Denise D. Bohlsen, Director of Development
*** Some of you may not be aware that the children of our church (see picture below), through
their Sunday School offerings, noisy buckets offerings, and several special offerings, were able
to buy 9 DVD players to donate to two different hospitals for patient use. 7 DVD players were
taken by the Justin and Da’Lacy Lans family to Children’s Hospital in Omaha. 2 DVD players
were taken to Lexington Regional Health Center in Lexington by Corey Burns, accompanied by
many of our Sunday School youth.
Seated, l-r: Kristina Burns, Abbie Owens,
Greta Rickertsen, Sophia Burns,
Alex Rickertsen, Lorelai Rickertsen,
Gabriella Carlson, and Rebecca Burns
Standing, l-r: Quentin Carlson, Isabella
Carlson, and Tristan Copper
-Thank You for the lovely prayer shawl that I received, plus all the cards, visits and prayers while
I was in the hospital and nursing home. — Ann DeLaet
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Notes From the August 23, 2016 Session Meeting
July 3, 2016 Communion served:
50
August 7, 2016 Communion served:
62
Current balances are:
Balance brought forward 01/01/16
9,536.30
Receipts
101,411.78
Disbursements
132,445.69
Transfers to general fund
26,000.00
Transfers to money market
0.00
Balance as of 08/22/16
Balance of money market fund 08/22/16 $
4,502.39
43,691.65
Committee Recommendations:
Endowment and Gifts Team: That $1,008.83 be taken from the Sanctuary Handrail Fund for a 55” flat screen TV,
stand, sound bar and DVD player.
Faith Team: 1. Move communion to September 11th because Pastor Polly will be gone September 4th. 2. Rally Day be held September 11, 2016.
Properties Team: The Welcoming Team be allowed to eliminate the window on the west wall of the east entryway, paint the walls, stain the woodwork, have carpet laid on the stairs up to the second floor, and if possible
put Adura tile down on the floor otherwise carpet to be laid. Cost is estimated to be $6,900. Properties will determine where the funds will come from later.
Welcoming Team: A burger and chips lunch be held after worship on September 11, 2016 to kick off fall activities.
Session approved all of the recommendations.
The Church survey is now available on line. 100 responses are needed. A lunch is planned for Sunday, October 9, 2016 following worship services for the second part of the survey which involves small group discussion
of five questions.
8
Night of the Twisters
by Ivy Ruckman
a book report by Jo Sherman
Night of the Twisters is written by a Nebraska author, Ivy Ruckman. She was born in Hastings and graduated
from Hastings High School, as well as Hastings College. She has written fourteen books for children and
young adults.
Ivy wrote about the night that seven twisters hit the Grand Island area, in such a way that we almost get the
impression of being there. The experience is vividly told to us by a young boy named Don.
“Arthur and I had big plans for that Tuesday. Crafts class first, at my Aunt Goldie’s place. A couple of hot
burritos at Taco John’s after. Later, a bike hike out to the Platte River and a swim at Mormon Island … Arthur and I pedaled off to Aunt Goldie’s. There were no warnings at all that day in June. None.”
“Clouds were building fast as we started pedaling for home. The way the wind was whipping those trees
around at the state park should have clued me in that something big was on the way, but I wasn’t worried
then. I figured we were in for more rain. Maybe a hailstorm, too, if the greenish look of the sky meant anything.”
As the two boys were watching a comedy on the TV a siren went off. Suddenly the lights flickered and they
heard strange sounds coming from the bathroom and kitchen. “Sucking sounds. The drains were sucking! I
felt this awful pulling in my ears, too, as if there were vacuums on both sides of my head.”
Don tells us about being in the bathroom. “We heard it next. The lull. The deadliest quiet ever, one that
makes you think you might explode … then I began to hear noises, they got worse. It seemed as if every
piece of furniture was moving around … a window popped. Crash! Another. Glass shattering — everywhere — right next to us in the laundry room.”
Parts of Grand Island looked like they were victims of explosions. Many volunteers from throughout the
area as well as from other states come to help clean up the mess.
I will let you read the book to find out if they were injured or not, as well as finding out about their family
members. That night those seven tornadoes passing through Grand Island killed four persons and injured
34.
I enjoyed rereading this book which has been read by many fourth-graders learning about Nebraska history.
It is currently on the reading list for all Presbyterian Women, as well as on the Nebraska 150 Reading list, as
we look forward to celebrating 150 years of statehood.
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LOGOS PROGRAM REGISTRATION 2016-17
Date: _____________
Youth/child’s name ________________________________________________________________
Grade ___________ Age ___________ Date of birth ____________________________________
Parent’s/Guardian’s names __________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________
Email address _____________________________________________________________________
Home phone ___________________ Cell _____________________ Work ____________________
Best phone # for during LOGOS ____________________________________________________
Emergency contact name____________________________________________________________
Emergency contact phone/pager ______________________________________________________
Parents’ church affiliation, if any______________________________________________________
Persons authorized to pick up child K thru 5 _____________________________________________
For Youth grades 6-12 (please check all that apply)
______ my child will drive him/herself/siblings
______ my child will walk
______ I will pick up my child
______ my child may accept a ride from a friend
______ my child may have passengers in the car
MEDICAL RELEASE
Health problems/allergies your child may have to food, medications, etc.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Special needs/restrictions ____________________________________________________
Physician Name and ph. #______________________________________________
Hospitalization Insurance policy and number_____________________________
Authorization for treatment of a minor
My youth/child, named above, has my permission to attend trips and special events sponsored by the LOGOS program meeting at First Presbyterian Church, Lexington, Nebraska. In the event of illness or accident, if the parent or
guardian cannot be reached, I authorize the church or its agents to consent to any diagnosis, examination, treatment
or hospital care for my child which is deemed advisable by and is rendered under the supervision of a physician. I
release the church and its agents from responsibility in the case of an accident or illness in connection with any authorized church activities.
Signature of parent/guardian __________________________________________________Date:__________________
(please see back)
PHOTO PERMISSION
I hereby authorize First Presbyterian Church, hereafter referred to as “Church,” to publish photographs taken during church functions
of myself and/or the minor child or children listed below, and our names and likenesses, for use in the First Presbyterian Church’s
print and online newsletter.
I hereby release and hold harmless First Presbyterian Church from any reasonable expectation of privacy or confidentiality for myself and for the minor child and children listed below associated with the images specified above. Further, I attest that I am the parent
or legal guardian of the child or children listed below and that I have full authority to consent and authorize First Presbyterian
Church to use their likenesses and names.
I further acknowledge that participation is voluntary and that neither I, the minor child, or minor children will receive financial compensation of any type associated with the taking or publication of these photographs or other Church publications. I acknowledge
and agree that publication of said photos confers no rights of ownership or royalties whatsoever.
I hereby release First Presbyterian Church and its employees and any third parties involved in the creation or publication of Church
publications, from liability for any claims by me or any third party in connection with my participation or the participation of the
minor children listed below.
Authorization:
Printed Name: ____________________________
Signature: ________________________________ Date: ______________________
Street Address: _______________________________________________________
City: ____________________________ State: ________ Zip: ___________________
Relationship to Children: _______________________________________________
Names and Ages of Minor Children:
Name: ______________________________________ Age: _____
Name: ______________________________________ Age: _____
Name: ______________________________________ Age: _____