Presbyterian Happenings

Bowling!

2011-03-23T08:22:00.002-04:00

Just to let you know we're bowling this Saturday at 3pm at Blue Ribbon Lanes. We're calling it 'Family Bowling' but that's as in 'Family of Faith'-any age is welcome, whether you're alone or with your kin.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

2010-12-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

Itty Bitty VBS

2010-07-30T10:12:00.006-04:00

We wanted to have a special VBS for our younger folks and teach the story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho.

We had a great time! Here are some pictures.

Water Fun at the Pentecost Picnic

2010-05-26T11:16:00.003-04:00

Mission Symposium MARCH 21

2010-03-16T09:28:00.002-04:00

Mission Symposium At First Presbyterian Church, Ashland, KY
Sunday, March 21st
12:30-4:00 pm

Sponsored by Ashland Area Presbyterian Ministries

Mt. 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the end of the age.”

We will start with a simple meal (bring your favorite dessert to share).

The mission program will start with a presentation by the director of AAPM describing AAPM current mission and its future in the Neighborhood. This will include a discussion how that work in the Neighborhood is mission.
After which we will discuss other opportunities for mission work

12:30 Lunch (please bring your favorite dessert to share)
1:00 Introduction
1:05 Overseas Mission, A Cameroon Adventure by Mark Riggs and Jennifer Johnson
1:40 Living Waters for the World by Susan Eaton
2:15 Living Waters for the World in Appachalia by director, Bill Bowman
2:45 Break
3:00 Mission to the Philippines and Southern Baptists Disaster Relief Missions by Reverend C.J. Adkins
3:30 Burnamwood Appalachian Mission and Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church Immersion Project by Reverend Pete Jones
4:00 Conclusion

Chili Cook Off!

2010-02-23T13:59:00.003-05:00

We have some wonderful cooks in our midst! Thanks to everyone who participated and brought in some great chili. Thanks also to those who brought in non-chili dishes for us to enjoy.
Here are some pictures from the Chili Cook-off.
Everyone tasted and voted. Here are the folks who tallied the votes.

Don and Nadine Lee have "chili-ed".

We have folks from Community, Normal, and First all coming together for the Chili Cook-off and our Ash Wednesday service.

Which chili gets your vote?

Congratulations to Kathy Schneider who won first place in the unusual category with her Green Chili Chicken Chili
2nd place in the unusual category went to Geri Willis with her vegetarian chili, and Don Lily won third place with his hot dog chili.

Congratulations goes to Heather Patton for having the best tasting HOT chili, and to Andrew for second place in the HOT category.

In the Mild Category,
Our congratulations go to First Place, Teresa Cassity, Second and Third Place were tied with chili from Jean Stein and Teddy Conley. Way to go, ladies!

Youth Movie Night

2010-01-26T10:00:00.003-05:00

Garrett's first day

2010-01-13T14:12:00.002-05:00

The Daily Independent had a very nice article about Reverend Garrett Bugg in the newspaper today. Read the article HERE.

Teresa Cassity took some great photos of Garrett and Jennifer. Here they are with members of the choir before worship.

This is during the announcements.

The church presented both ministers with U.K. shirts which they wore proudly during the lunch held in Garrett's honor.

christmas play

2010-01-05T10:28:00.005-05:00

The Not So Silent Night was based on the premise that the shepherds have been arrested for disturbing the peace. They are brought to trial, and the Christmas story is told through the testimonies of witnesses.

Here are the Baliff and the Assistant Baliff.

Here is the young family: Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus.

Here is the defending attorney questioning one of the shepherds who gave a very compelling testimony.

"In that region there were shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them"

The defending attorney cleverly makes a case for making some noise on the night in question.

The prosecuting attorney questions Dr. Sigmund Fruitcake who diagnosed the shepherds as having "halitosis psychosis" caused from "inhaling sheep breath" and causes "delusion, confusion, and uncontrollable evangelism."

Here Ms. Shirley Busybody and Ms. Sophia Busybody give their testimonies that the soggy sheep smelling shepherds were running around waking everyone up shouting, "The Savior is born!" It created quite a commotion.

In a surprise move, the judge dismisses the charges. The courtroom erupts in a flurry of activity. "Joy to the World" echoes through the air!

We thank you, Lord, for the talent of our young people who brought the good news to us on Sunday afternoon. We also thank you for the blessing of Teresa Cassity in our midst. She does such a great job with our children, and we praise you for that!

Glory to God in the Highest!

Singing at the Pattersons

2009-11-23T13:45:00.001-05:00

The Choir met at the Patterson's house to celebrate Larry's birthday.

Halloween Carnival!

2009-10-30T09:09:00.002-04:00

Them's Fightin' Words

2009-10-27T22:04:00.003-04:00

Many years ago - about 500 actually - a young priest was tortured by his own sinfulness, and even more tortured by the righteousness of God that terrified and condemned him. For years this priest wrestled with this image of God who expected more than what humanity could do. Then one day this man - named Martin Luther - had an epiphany while reading Romans 1:17. Luther realized that God did not expect us to be righteous, but knew that in the salvific event of Jesus' death we were made righteous with God. That epiphany led Luther to question the practice of selling indulgences which the church was doing. Luther knew that if we were made right in Jesus' death, then it wasn't right to sell forgiveness, even if the Pope said it was.

On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed a letter which came to be known as the 95 Theses on a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. He did this so that people coming in to worship on All Saints Day (November 1) would see the letter and it would engender discussion on the topic. With the letter Luther hoped to invite people to debate about it. But it became much more than a community debate. Word of the letter spread throughout the region, and within a few years Luther had been excommunicated, and the movement gave birth to a movement and a church. The Protestant Church.

Celebrating Calvin

2009-10-21T11:34:00.002-04:00

If you haven't been at the Presbyterian Church (USA) website lately, why don't you go by for a visit!
Here's the LINK: http://www.pcusa.org/

As this is the 500th anniversary of Jean Calvin's birth, the site has been posting daily meditations of Calvin's writings. Here is today's reading:

Indeed, because they think no church exists where there are not perfect purity and integrity of life, they depart out of hatred of wickedness from the lawful church, while they fancy themselves turning aside from the faction of the wicked. (4.1.13.)

You can find the daily meditations on the pcusa's site after you scroll down to the bottom of the home page. And this is an interesting article about how one church is celebrating Calvin. I bet you'll learn something interesting!

October 20, 2009

Bowled over
Miami Valley Presbytery’s Calvin celebration goes down a different alley
by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service
DAYTON, Ohio — Legend has it that when the Scottish reformer John Knox traveled to Geneva to meet his mentor, John Calvin, he was appalled to find the Presbyterian patriarch bowling on the Sabbath.

So offensive a Sabbath activity was (lawn) bowling among many Puritan reformers that the Church of Scotland — which Knox founded — has at times banned the practice.

But John Calvin was an avid bowler ... and any day of the week was good for him.

And so it is for the Presbytery of Miami Valley. So much so, that the presbytery is hosting a bowling-and-birthday-cake party on Reformation Sunday (Oct. 25) to mark the 500th anniversary of Calvin’s birth.

“We tend to ‘over-churchify’ things,” Miami Valley Executive Presbyter Dennis Piermont told the Presbyterian News Service in an Oct. 20 interview. “We know there’s lots of good scholarship and theological events going on around the ‘Calvin 500,’ so we started thinking, ‘What else can we do?’”

The Rev. Julia Wharff, pastor of Dayton’s Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church, had known of the Calvin-Knox bowling-on-Sunday conflict since hearing about it in seminary. Then last winter she went bowling with friends for the first time in many years and the idea stuck like a thumb in a too-tight Ebonite.

“I had been looking around and everything about the Calvin 500th looked so serious, and some of the opportunities, like going to Geneva, were way too expensive,” Wharff said, “so I thought, ‘Why not just celebrated his birthday the way we usually celebrate birthdays — with a party.’”

“We know Calvin was a lawn bowler but we’re in Ohio so that’s a little impractical at this time of year,” Pierpont said of the decision to stage the event at a conventional indoor alley.

“It’s perfect for us Presbyterians,” says presbytery moderator the Rev. Bill Reisenweaver. “We’re used to splits!”

Miami Valleyites apparently like the idea, too. Piermont said upwards of 100 bowlers are expected to attend. “This is a whole new way of walking in Calvin’s shoes,” he said, “in this case for only a small rental fee.”

The wording on the Calvin birthday cake is even going to have a bowling-related theme, but Piermont assured, it won’t be a foul line.

The Light of Christ

2009-10-13T11:10:00.006-04:00

In our community, we begin worship with the acolyte bringing forth a flame and lighting the candles at the front of the sanctuary. The flame symbolizes the light of Christ present within our midst. As we gather to worship, the light comes into the room, is present throughout our time together so that we know Christ is also there with us, and then just before we leave to go out into the world, the light of Christ goes out before us.

Here are Harrison and Katie, our newest acolytes with Sue and Heather who trained them. Acoylyting is more than just lighting the candle. The term "acolyte" means "companion" or "one who helps" so these young people are the companion to others of us who lead the service. Their important duty is to bring the light of Christ into our midst. In this job they provide important leadership for worship.
Here is Katie in her robe with the candle lighter.

Here are Katie and Heather both robed for worship. Katie wears a white robe. Traditionally white signified new life in baptism. When our acolytes wear the white robes it lends a unity to the office of acolyte now matter what that particular person may choose to wear on Sunday morning. This also is true for the blue robes that the bell choir members wear. Blue is starting to show up in more churches as the color of Advent through we still use purple for Advent and Lent in our congregation. I am not sure why the church decided on blue for the bell choir, except, perhaps to distinguish them from the Chancel Choir. I'm sure it has little to do with the University of Kentucky, and much more to do with the traditional meaning of the color in woship which is "expectation" and "hope" - the "blue" of a new day.

Picnic/Hayride at the Wiseman Farm

2009-10-06T10:50:00.004-04:00

Little Prayers

2009-10-06T10:23:00.009-04:00

There's a tiny book I own called My Little Prayers. It contains one of my favorite prayers which is known as the Breton Fisherman's prayer. See how you like it.

Dear God, be good to me.
The sea is so wide,
and my boat is so small.

May you recognize God in your day,
Jennifer

Worms!

2009-10-02T14:21:00.000-04:00

Enjoy some pictures from our recent children's program called "Worms!"

Thursday musings

2009-10-01T13:51:00.002-04:00

I'm not quite sure how many of you will see this, as I tend to only use this blog to post pictures we didn't have room for in the newsletter, but I had something on my heart, and this seemed as good a place as any to open it up to the world - even if it is the Cyber World.

I've had a heavy heart lately knowing that life is temporary. I know that in Jesus' resurrection, we are to be people of hope, but it still hurts to know some people I love won't always be around for me on this earth to pal around with or glean wisdom from or eat peanut butter pie with.

When one of my beloved professors Shirley Guthrie was dying, different people would visit him. And I think they were hoping to get some final words of wisdom from this most humble and intelligent man of God. And, if my memory serves and the story told me correct, I think that word - or those words- were "Forgiveness. It's all about forgiveness."

There's a story told of Carl Barth who was a mentor for Dr. Guthrie and was also a well known theologian that close to his death, the wisdom he imparted to the Kingdom here on earth was, "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so."

I've read some of Barth's work, and I have to tell you I sure am glad I understand a lot more clearly the worlds he spoke near the end of his life because I sweated through some of his books something terrible.

Yesterday as I drove along Hwy 23 with a heavy heart for the unfairness of life and how most of the time it is so hard to say goodbye, I was listening to a song by Emmy Lou Harris called "Every Grain of Sand." The message touched me so that I noted the writer who is Bob Dylan. I don't know much about Bob Dylan, but if this song is example of his theology, well, maybe I'd like to have a conversation with him some time.

Every Grain of Sand
In the time of my confession, in the hour of my deepest need
when the pool of tears beneath my feet flood every newborn seed.
There's a dying voice within me reaching out somewhere
Toiling in the danger and in the morals of despair.

Don't have the inclination to look back on any mistake
Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break
in the fury of the moment I can see the Master's hand
In every leaf that trembles and in every grain of sand.

Oh, the flowers of indulgence and the weeds of yesteryear
Like criminals, they have choked the breath
Of conscience and good cheer
The sun beat down upon the steps of time to light the way
to east the pain of idleness and the memory of decay

I gaze into the doorway of temptation's angry flame
And everytime I pass that way I always hear my name
Then onward in my journey I come to understand
That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand

I have gone from rags to riches in the sorrow of the night
In the violence of a summer's dream, in the chill of a wintry night
in the bitter dance of loneliness fading into space
In the broken mirror of innocence on each forgotten face

I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea
Sometimes I turn, There's someone there, other times it's only me.
I am hanging on the balance of a perfect finished plan
Like every sparrow falling, Like every grain of sand.

Here's the Biblical reference: Matthew 10: 29-31

Happy Birthday, First Presbyterian!

2009-08-28T14:27:00.004-04:00

190 Years!!

Pancake Breakfast

2009-08-19T09:27:00.004-04:00

2009-06-25T14:40:00.001-04:00

2009-06-25T08:10:00.001-04:00

2009-06-23T14:53:00.001-04:00

2009-06-19T13:23:00.001-04:00

2009-06-19T09:56:00.001-04:00

Vacation Bible School, Day 2!

2009-06-17T10:50:00.006-04:00

Teresa, a.k.a. "Blaze" introduces the theme for the night and talks about the extreme sport she did-car washing! Can you see her busted lip?

Sparx, the fox, reveals where Blaze's riding lawnmower is.

Oh, Sparx! You're so silly!

Hey, Look! It's a Wise Man!

The Wiseman is taking his gifts and using a star guide.

Here is the preschool class with Miss Lisa in music. L-E-T-S-G-O!

Our Middle Elementary Class discussing the Bible Story.

Andrew leads a game in recreation in which a blindfolded person has to rely on the guide to go through a human obstacle course.

Look! It's Caleb. He's hanging out watching those crazy tweeners bump into each other at recreation.

Jackson helps "Blaze" say the closing prayer for Tuesday night.

Vacation Bible School!

2009-06-16T11:04:00.005-04:00

Camp E.D.G.E. held at Community Presbyterian this week in conjunction with First and Normal Presbyterian Churches.

Jean Fraley, director of this year's VBS, "Camp E.D.G.E."

Jimmy Hall as "Joshua" telling the story of God with the Israelites in the desert and crossing into the promised land.

Trish Hall with the youth class decorating our hats!

The Youth class in music

Brian Steele playing his guitar and singing.

Brittany Bentine and Jennifer Johnson during recreation. The bandage was for Jennifer's role as "Xtreme Jean", the guide at Camp E.D.G.E.

Stewart Schneider and Jennifer Johnson during snack time. Note the matching bandages. Only Stewart's boo boo was real!

Easter Egg Hunting

2009-04-17T13:53:00.005-04:00

Teens reflecting on what are riches

2009-03-19T14:47:00.002-04:00

Teens Learning to be good Stewards

2009-03-19T14:33:00.001-04:00

In conjunction with our Financial Peace University for adults, Bettie George Frye is teaching a similar class for our teens. These pictures were from a really neat exercise they did in which they went to different stations, were given a question to think about, and usually wrote down their answers in some form. It was a very well-thought out program and, I think, very meaningful to the participants.

Chili Cook-Off!

2009-03-06T14:08:00.005-05:00

Lock In

2009-03-03T14:45:00.003-05:00

We had a great turn-out for our lock-in Friday night. This was an event for all of our youth which began at 7:00 p.m. We went to Ceredo for midnight bowling and the Jr. High youth went home after we arrived back at the church at 1:00 a.m. The Senior Highs stayed on, and here they are playing basketball early Saturday morning.

A few of our kids arrived a little after seven to eat breakfast with the senior high youth.

I didn't get any pictures of our jr. high at the lock-in, so I'll work to get some pictures of them to post another time. I also want to post pictures of our chili cook-off if I can get a hold of those pictures. I may even see if I can post one of the chili recipes if any of our cooks are willing to share with me and you here on the Blog!

Sunday School with Teresa

2009-02-24T10:10:00.002-05:00

Glow in the Dark party!

2009-02-11T09:22:00.006-05:00

We had a great time at our Glow in the Dark party last Friday night. Our fun night began with glow in the dark bracelets and tatoos (the rub on kind). There was lots of running around and ball playing as well.

Later we went upstairs to the theater room. How did we get there in the dark? We followed the footprints! That's right! Glow in the dark footprints - pretty cool! We talked about how Jesus is the light that shines in our hearts and we made beaded necklaces which were also glow in the dark. Some very talented people made their beads in the shape of a cross.

After coming back downstairs, we ate snacks included this glow in the dark jello with the glow in the dark centipede friends who made a nice garnish (just for decoration though).

Financial Peace

2009-02-05T13:53:00.001-05:00

Beginning March 1st First Presbyterian will be offering "Financial Peace University." This is a great program that will benefit you and your family.

Here are what others are saying about FPU:

"As a pastor, I saw many needs in our church, from families in disarray due to financial issues to young people graduating in debt without a plan. Financial Peace Univeristy helped 200 families in or congregation pay off over $733,000 and save over $192, 000."

-Bishop Joseph Walker, Mt Zion Church

"One of the thigns that I love about Financial Peace University is the Baby Step system. People don't have to do it all at once, they just have to take one step at a time. if you just enroll in this course and only reach Baby Step One, you'll experience some freedom and relief and then be encouraged to move on to Baby Step Two."

-Bob Shelton, Oklahoma General Convention, OK

I started listening to Dave Ramsey's radio show when I lived in Mississippi. People called in with their financial problems, and he gave them advice. Many of us live beyond our means, and that creates tension at home, but as Dave says if we can live like no one else now, then we can live like no one else later. That means if you live responsibly and quit relying on your credit cards, you can begin putting money in savings and not go into debt to put your kids through college or in retirement!

Pictures of Christmas play

2009-01-06T11:17:00.001-05:00

Mrs. Claus and Caroling

2008-12-22T11:12:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Claus came to visit last week to read the Christmas story to the children at Noah's Ark Preschool. Here is Mrs. Claus and Pauline. Who is who?!

Mrs. Claus reading the story of Jesus' birth to the Noah's Ark children at their Christmas party.

Last Saturday some of the church folk visited shut-ins and sang Christmas carols. It was a lot of fun!

Christmas Tea

2008-12-15T10:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the Presbyterian Women hosted their annual Christmas tea. What a fun day it was. The tables was laden with food. Particularly popular with some of the younger crowd were the shrimp! I was so pleased when I saw the punch bowl containing egg nog! Very tasty!

The senior high girls performed the "candle dance." This was a dance Teresa Cassity introduced to us back in October. We've been working very hard on it, and were excited to get to do it at the tea. I hope I don't give anything away by telling you it is part of the Christmas play coming up Sunday, December 21. We will have a true potluck after church that day, and the play is at 2:00 p.m. You will love it.

Speaking of Teresa, she led us in the colorful bell ringing again this year and also read aloud a Christmas story.

We had a very special treat when the Greenup Children's Choir under the direction of Cora Hughes performed for us. I was amazed at their talent, and also that Cora (who has joined the choir) co-writes pieces for the youth people to sing.