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Presbyterian
News
First Presbyterian Church of Dadeville
171 Okefuske Street
Dadeville, Alabama
www.1stpresbyterianchurchdadeville.org
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Volume
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8, Issue
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1
Published by Eve Pangburn
September 2007 |
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The
Mission of this church is to make God's offer of
"GRACE THROUGH JESUS
CHRIST”
available to all people by
providing a setting
for meaningful worship,
learning, fellowship and outreach
in the Presbyterian
tradition.
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To our congregation:
Our
relationship to God is the most important relationship we can
have on this earth. The closer we become to our Lord Jesus
Christ, the better we will understand ourselves. The more we
understand who Christ is, the more we understand who we are. The
more we know about us, the better we will relate to one another.
What if you have been the kind of person who doubted yourself?
What if you felt like everyone else was living their life to the
fullest, and somehow you had missed the boat? You didn't want to
miss the boat, but somewhere along the line you weren't part of
the norm. What if you compared yourself to others, and
apparently, you felt you just didn't measure up?
This kind of thinking will get us into trouble. God wants us to
think the very best of ourselves. God wants us to love
ourselves, and God wants us to love him, too. There is nothing
wrong in taking care of us and loving us back to good health.
When we love ourselves, we are in essence saying that we love
the Lord. This is a very good thing as long as we don't think
too much of ourselves.
If
you are new at reading the Bible, don't expect too much from
yourself at first. Be patient with the process and always ask
the Lord to show you the way. When we come to the Lord in
sincerity of heart, our Lord Jesus Christ is there to help us,
not hurt us.
God wants us to honor
him in all that we do. What does that mean to honor the Lord? We
are to be in reverence and in awe of Christ. We are to trust and
respect God, and we are to love him with our entire being. How
do we do that?
Whenever we become down on ourselves, we are to stop the
negative talk. Perhaps we can do the following: stop, look and
listen. Stop putting us down and look to scripture for our
encouragement. Make sure that you ask God to open the scriptures
up for you before you even begin to read. Perhaps the question
might go something like this: Lord, would you help me to
understand what this scripture is saying, and what it means to
me?
When we are down on ourselves, go immediately to the Bible and
read. Just read. Ask the Lord to help us hear what he wants us
to hear and speak to us what the scriptures would have us to
learn. Then, listen, to what God is saying to us.
The
more we spend in time studying his Word, the closer we become to
God. We are building our relationship with Christ. We are
beginning to understand who God is through scripture. When we
learn about Christ, then, we begin to learn about ourselves. The
more love we have for Christ, the more love we will have for
each other.
Your Pastor,
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Wait on the Lord
Don't you want things to happen in a hurry? We ask
ourselves, "Why is my prayer not being answered?" One of the
most difficult aspects of being a Christian is to wait upon
the Lord for answered prayer. We are to have-trust and put
our confidence in the Lord. We are to always have faith. I
don't know about each of you, but sometimes that is hard.
God
is working out the plans God has for you and for the plans
God has designed for First Presbyterian Church. In Jeremiah
29:11-14,
"For
I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans
to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and
a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to
me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me with all your
heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will
bring you back from captivity."
Yet,
don't we become impatient, and we want our solutions right
now? Has it ever dawned on us that the reasons our prayers
are not answered is because the answer might not be the best
solution for us? Perhaps the time is not right, or we are
not prepared. God must prepare us.
We
must rely on the Holy Spirit to speak to us. When projects
happen in the church with ease, then we need to pay
attention. God is working the purpose out. When we don't
have to force something to occur or break our backs to
achieve the goal, and it plays out naturally, I believe God
is at work.
Allow the events to unfold. Ask God for discernment. Watch
and learn what will happen next, but trust that God is
working his purpose out.
Submitted by Rev. Kitty
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Outreach Committee
Members of this committee
are: Ginny Acton, Jim Harkins, Marilyn McCoy and Nancy
Washburn, Chair. If you would like to be on this active
committee of our church, please see Nancy. We would love
some more people and ideas.
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Prayer Requests
Michael Baker
Carmen Brown
Sharon Evers and her family
Jeanette Gilbert
Jim Hawkins
Ben McIntosh
Martha Kay and Eric Stoffregen
Billy Tomlyn
Irene and Tommy Walter
Agnes Willis
Mildred Willis
and for Rev. Kitty as she ministers to our
church
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Loaves
& Fishes Ministries
Our
thanks to Betty DeGrace, Nina Johnson, and Beverly Skidmore, who
joined me this past month to serve for First Presbyterian. There
were 187 recipients... even in that heat. That speaks for their
need. We appreciate all the help we can get.
Eve
Pangburn, Liaison
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 Presbyterian
Women
The
Presbyterian Women (PW) have been studying "Living in Jesus" with
lessons continuing
September 11th, at 6:00. All are welcome. Please attend, for good
fellowship and Christian learning. Our September hostess will be Ann
Cleveland and lesson #9 will be presented by Betty DeGrace.
Carmen Brown
and myself attended the PW Fall Gathering on August 25th.
It was at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Montgomery. We
talked with many ladies we met thru the xears. The "Spring
Gathering" will be March 29t at Bessemer. I hope you will
put it on (Dec 31 st calendar, so it will be the first to be written
in March 2008).
Eve
Pangburn, PW Moderator
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Birthdays for September
2007 |
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Jeanette
Gilbert
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9/3
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Lee Cleveland |
9/8
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John Melger
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9/9
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Jimmy Evers
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9/13
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Debbie
Evers |
9/15
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Anniversaries for
September
2007
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Lamar and Betty Evers
9/14 |
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Attendance Total for August
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Church |
Sunday School |
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08/05 |
39 |
13
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08/12 |
44
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21
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08/19
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38
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22 |
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08/26
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66
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21 |
Agnes'
birthday lunch after church. |
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47 |
19 |
Averages for August |
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Bible Studies
If you would like to be a part of our Thursday, 4:00 PM, study
group, please contact Nancy Washburn, 825-3070 |
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Calendar
If anyone has a committee meeting or CIVIC meeting scheduled in the church
(fellowship hall or parlor), please let Debbie know by third Sunday of the
month. This information will be included on the Church Calendar so there
will be no conflict in the use of the church.
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Thanks for your help!
There are so many people behind the
scenes at First Presbyterian Church making things happen.
People who have giving spirits who take on tasks willingly. It
is an unselfish spirit that they do so. So, from now on, there
will be a section in the newsletter focusing on two members who
give of their time to make the church better.
One of the tasks that your pastor
is very appreciative of that happens every week is the changing
of the letters on the sign out front. This is where we see the
title of the sermons.
Jim Harkins has
taken on this role and every time I thank him, he says it really
isn't a big thing. Recently
though Jim was in a car accident and is unable to work now due
to his doctor's orders. If there is anyone who would be willing
to change the letters to fit the current title of the sermon for
the week on the sign, could you please let the church office
know?
This newsletter would not happen if it were not for the Willing
Spirit of Eve Pangburn. Each month she gathers news,
articles, quotes or whatever might make the newsletter more
appealing. She has such a giving spirit, and it is an unselfish
spirit. |
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Stewardship for August
(Giving of Tithes and
Offerings)
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Tithes |
Discretion Fund |
Other Income
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Total Income
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$
5,718.56 |
$
50.00 |
$ 754.13 |
$
6,522.69
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Expenses |
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$
8,464.86
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Balance |
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($ 1,942.17)
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To some of us our gifts might seem tiny
and no big deal, but to those of us who are not able to
do them or to those of us that would have difficulty
performing them, they are a big deal. That is why our
spiritual gifts are important in the grander scheme.
When each of us offer our talents and gifts, the church
becomes more empowered, stronger and people feel a part
of things. What a wonderful way to feel connected!
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Happy Birthday!
to
Agnes Willis
89 years
of living!
Agnes
has set an extraordinary example for all us through all the years of her life.
She is a tower of strength and exhibits her Christianity in the way
she
lives her life.
We love
her and wish her many more birthdays. |
Giggles and Smiles
A man and his wife were having problems at home
and were giving each other the silent treatment. This had gone on for several
weeks when the man realized he would need his wife to wake him up at 5:00 AM,
for an early flight to Sydney. Not wanting to be the first one to break
the silence, he finally wrote on a piece of paper. "Please wake me at 5:00
AM." The next morning the man woke up only to discover it was 9:00 AM.,
and he had missed his business flight. Furious, he was about to go and see
why his wife hadn't woken him, when he noticed a piece of paper beside his bed.
It said... in big bold, black print, "It's 5:00 AM., WAKE UP!!!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A group of seniors were sitting around
talking about all their ailments.
"My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly
lift this cup of coffee," said one.
"Yes, I know," said another. "My cataracts
are so bad I can't even see my coffee."
"I couldn't even mark an "X" at
election time my hands are so crippled," said a third.
"What? Speak up! What? I can't hear you!"
said another.
"l can't turn my head because of the
arthritis in my neck," said a fourth, to which several nodded weakly in
agreement.
"My blood pressure pills make me so
dizzy!" exclaimed another.
"I forget where I am, and where I'm
going," said another.
"I guess that's the price we pay for
getting old," winced an old man as he slowly shook his head. The others nodded
in agreement.
"Well, count your blessings," said a woman
cheerfully, "and be thankfully we all can still drive. |
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