Reformation Now-These Changing Days & Us In Them

A Word from Your Pastor

On Sunday, October 30, our congregation celebrated our Reformation heritage, complete with all-things-Scottish, and hymns, prayers, liturgy, and proclamation that harkened us back to the middle of the 16th century, when the church began its rebirth.

Sadly, like with so many forms of change, the church didn’t fare too well in all these things. Change brought conflict; conflict brought division; and division brought hostility, destruction, violence, and death, and the church became complicit in these grave injustices. This is a part of our history.

And yet, God determined to continue to co-labor with the church to help bring about God’s purposes in the world.

God is choosing us still.

In last Sunday’s sermon, I affirmed the call of Christ to love God and to love our neighbors. Also, I posited that Love Reform is what the Reformation was all about. And, yes, I even suggested - perhaps even exhorted! - that the time is now for a new reformation in the church, meaning our church, meaning us!

The time is now for a new reformation.

The first reformation was about recognizing, engaging, and telling the truth about abuses of power in the leadership of the church and restoring to the people of God the responsibility and the gift of spiritual formation centered in the Word of God, rather than a spirituality that was handed down from a higher authority.

So, what do you think the next reformation will be about...for us?

Will you think about that with me?

Even a cursory glance at scripture leaves one with a fairly concrete sense of what Jesus was about: loving God, loving neighbors, loving strangers, loving enemies, all-the-while speaking truth to power in love, dismantling oppressive domination systems by upending them with love, and welcoming all to come as they were by way of love.

Hear a trend?

Love.

Our congregation has for generations been richly gifted by God for the work of ministry. Decades-long pastoral ministries have been punctuated by the commitment and diligence of elders, then-deacons, committee members, active parents and countless other parishioners who have dedicated so much for their lives in service to God in this congregation. And so much beautiful ministry has been born because of it.

What about now? How can we pick up these generations of faithful service and take them with us into the future, where inevitably we will encounter new opportunities, new ministries, new mission? What are we doing well that needs to continue doing? What have we done that is no longer necessary? What we can we give thanks for then let go of? What haven’t we even begun to imagine yet?

The time is now to think again about who we are, what we believe, and what we are resolved to do about it.

In the coming weeks, follow along with me here as we explore various ways that I believe our church is being called to minister to our neighborhood and our immediate (surrounding) community in middletown Owensboro. And imagine ways that our congregation can be better the people of God in this neighborhood.

The time is now. Reformation. Think with me. Let us pray together. Let us reinvent ourselves in the Way of Jesus.

It is a joy being church with you.

Jonathan

Prayer Concerns

Pledge Packets

2012 Pledge Packets are available for you to pick up during office hours or on Sunday Morning on the table in the hallway outside the library.  You may also pick up a self addressed envelope if you wish to mail it in.  Those not picked up will be mailed the week of November 14.  Dedication Sunday will be November 20.

PrimeTimers

Tuesday, November 21, 2011
10:30 AM
Take a break from your busy Thanksgiving week
And Join the PrimeTimers for their meeting.
Tom Dempsey, of Heritage Place will speak
All about Assisted Living.
Fellowship, fun and food will abound,
And you can stay abreast of every upcoming event.
We sure hope you decide to come around,
We think your time will be well spent.

Elaine Park
691-1102

Presbyerian Women

Presbyterian Women are supporting the church’s efforts to collect personal hygiene items for the Boulware Center.  Please place your items in the container at the Clinton Place entrance.  Needs include such things as: shampoo, soap, razors, shave cream, deodorant, lotions, lip balm, toothpaste and brushes, combs, etc.  These can be regular sized or the small items collected in hotels. Thanks!

Library Corner

New in the church library:
A Procession of Angels; true stories of God’s messengers, a Guidepost book, by Evelyn Bence
The Wedding Letters by Jason Wright, a gift from the Brubakers.

Patti's Notes

Can you believe it is November?  Halloween is over and Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.
God’s Children Sing- We meet upstairs from 9:30-10:15 on the odd numbered weeks, which will be November 6 and November 20.  It is important to be here as we are rehearsing for the December 4 Christmas pageant, which is fast approaching.  You should all have CDs so that you can listen to them at home.  The even numbered weeks you will meet for your regular Sunday School with Alicia.
SING Youth Choir- We will meet at 4:15 on November 6 and November 20.  If any of you would like to sing with the adult choir on the Christmas program December 18 please let me know or come to adult choir practice on Thursdays around 7:30.
Bells- Thursdays at 6:15 we are preparing for the Advent season.  Thanksgiving week, we will meet on Tuesday, November 22.
Choir- We welcome new voices to help us with the Christmas Concert.  Please join us on Thursday nights at 7 PM.  Thanksgiving week we rehearse on Tuesday, November 22.

Youth

Operation Christmas Child

I would like to thank everyone for being so participatory in our Christmas mission. So far we have 75 shoeboxes that are in the process of being filled. Once you have your shoebox ready please bring it to the church by the Clinton place entrance at the Designated Drop Off Zone. They are due back by November 13th.

Youth

Loucon is coming. We have 19 Youth attending so far. If you have not turned registration papers in please do as soon as possible.

November 13th there will be NO Youth Group.

Director of Christian Education

Thank you to all who participated in the Family Fall Festival Trunk-r-Treat! It was a great success because of the support and time all of you put in to it. Thanks again! 

Children's Sunday school and God's Children Sing will all be held upstairs in the Children's Sunday School room. Please try to have your children there a little before 9:30 so we can start on time. Thank you.

Don’t forget to bring in your coca-cola product bottle caps and boxes to Alicia Marts so our Sunday school programs can collect the points for supplies.

Disaster Preparedness

As you continue to build your disaster preparedness kit in month 5, plan to add the following:
*2 cans of soup per person
*liquid dish soap*plain liquid bleach
*portable AM/FM radio & batteries *antibacterial liquid hand soap *disposable hand wipes
Also, plan to:
*Make copies of important papers (insurances, mortgage, car titles, drivers’ licenses, passports, wills, trusts, power of attorney, stocks and bonds, bank and credit card info., birth certificates, etc.) keeping one copy in a storage container and sending another to a trusted out-of-town friend or relative.
*Talk with neighbors to determine who has sills or training that might be important after a disaster (first aid, amateur radio, wilderness survival, carpentry, etc.).
*Identify any neighbors who might need help during an emergency (health issues, limited mobility, children who might be alone, etc.)
As a reminder, foods should be ready to eat and need little or no cooking. Obviously, it will be important to base selections on family preferences.  Also, food low in salt does not cause as much thirst. Check expiration dates regularly. You can rotate perishables before they become outdated. Examples of canned food you might consider: tuna, chicken raviolis, Spam, corned beef, green beans, corn, peas, beets, baked beans, carrots, pears, applesauce, mandarin oranges, pineapple, etc.

Comission on Mission Luncheon

The Commission on Mission will host a luncheon immediately following Sunday worship on November 13.  Visitors considering membership, or who just want to learn more, will have an opportunity to talk to Jonathan and other church members in an informal setting.  We will discuss what it means to be a Presbyterian and part of our church family.  Everyone is welcome, including current members, but call Sasha at 684-1467 to let us know you will be coming.  Please make your reservation no later than November 10.

Help Office

Please consider volunteering, what time you can spare, to the Help Office. The needs are receptionist on Tuesdays, two food pantry workers on Wednesdays, receptionist and secretary on Thursdays, someone to answer the phones everyday. If interested please contact Sharon Sharp, Executive Director, at 685-4971.

PrimeTimers Hosting Kirk Night

Lost in the Fifties Tonight

Where:  First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall

When:    November 6, 2011 – 5:00 P.M.

Dinner:   Fried chicken dinner with the trimmins'

                    $4.00 per person – no family pays more than $12.00

Call the church office (684-1467) or email Sasha at churchoffice@firstpresbyterianowensboro.com  for reservations by Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

Upcoming Events

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