PresbyNews
Faith Presbyterian Church
Volume 30, Number 5 March 1, 2005
625 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA 95831
916-428-3439
Faith Happenings
8:30 and 11:00
Multi-age Sunday School 8:30
Sunday school, Adult Ed, Jr. High Bible Study
9:45-10:45
Multi-Age Sunday School 11:00
CREW
(Sr. High School Fellowship)
Bible Study
Wednesdays 7-8:30 pm.
Kelsey Ingalls 428-3439.
Munchies (Jr. High Fellowship) Game Night
Thursdays 7-8:30 pm.
Kelsey Ingalls 428-3439.
Young Adult (College Age)
Bible Study
Sundays 7 pm.
Kelsey Ingalls 428-3439
February 16 - March 16 Lenten Worship 7:00pm No dinners.
March 6 First Supper Club. Sign up now
March 13 Children's Choral Festival 4:30 - 5:30pm
March 20 Palm Sunday Worship at 6:30am and 11:00am
March 20 Building Fund Pledges are collected
March 24 Maundy Thursday Dinner at 6:00pm Worship at 7:00pm
March 27 Easter Worship at 8:30am and 11:00am
April 8 - 10 Faith Womens' Retreat
April 24 - May 1 Faith Hosts Family Promise Homeless
One Great Hour of Sharing
Presbyterians are offered a chance to reach out in love to strangers through the One Great Hour of Sharing on Easter. The ministries supported by this single donation helps refugees find safe places to live, helps families rebuild their homes following a disaster like the tsunami, offers microloans to help women start small businesses that make the difference between bare survival and building a future, and helps communities address the obstacles that stand between them and a fuller life. It tells people we will never meet that love is the hallmark of the God we serve.
Gifts made to the OGHS special offering are divided between the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Self-Development of People organization, and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. At Faith, we have worked with the Presbyterian Hunger Program in the coffee we serve, and with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance through mission trips to help tornado and flood victims in Oklahoma and West Virginia.
We are called to encounter Jesus in our sharing with the stranger. At Easter, please consider giving lovingly to One Great Hour of Sharing.
Schedule of Lent 2005
On Sunday, February 13 over 100 adults gathered in Link Hall for the first meeting of adult bible study of The Seven Last Words of Christ. After 20 minutes of food and fellowship, Pastor Jim spoke about the first word: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Participants in small groups of eight to 12 spent the final 20 minutes of the hour sharing and discussing questions related to the study. If you were not able to attend, please don’t hesitate to drop in next week at 9:45 or on Wednesday night at 7:30. Sunday’s topic will be repeated the following Wednesday.
Lent is the 40-day period of Renewal and preparation before Easter. It begins on
Ash Wednesday. For hundreds of years, Lent has been an important season for Christians to meditate, study, pray, participate in spiritual disciplines, and renew their vows to the Lord as they strive to increase their understanding of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. Our hope is that you, and others you might invite, would participate fully in the Lenten activities we have scheduled here at Faith. May God renew us and prepare us to celebrate again all he did for us on the cross and at the empty tomb!
Lenten Series – The Final Words of a Dying God
Sunday mornings, Link Hall, February 13-March 20, 9:45-10:45
Wednesday evenings, Music Room, February 16-March 23, 7:30-8:30.
Choose the Sunday or Wednesday option. Sign up today!
Wednesday Evening Lent Worship
Wednesdays, February 16-March 16
7:00
Palm Sunday Worship
Sunday, March 20, 8:30 & 11:00
Maundy Thursday Worship
(Celebration of the Lord’s Supper)
Thursday, March 24, 7:00pm
All-church dinner at 6:00 in Link Hall
Easter Sunday Worship
Sunday, March 27, 8:30 & 11:00
A PROMISE TO KEEP
Building Fund 3 year commitment is up for Renewal!
The $184,000 Sanctuary Loan will be paid off within the next 3 years with your help. A recommitment to the Fund at the current level of giving will pay off the debt and provide some money for preliminary planning to update the master plan and initiate a dialogue among Faith folks about "what do we do now?". The present 3 year commitment expires March 31, 2005, and pledge cards will be mailed to you to be returned on March 20th (Congregational Meeting Day).
When the Sanctuary Loan was secured in 1993, we promised ourselves to pay off the $735,000, loan within 15 years. That is our Promise to Keep and we will do that with your help.
In the next few weeks look for:
* A letter from our Pastor and Session with pledge cards enclosed.
* Mini Sermon and Moments for Stewardship
* A Forum to discuss what we've accomplished and to dream about what
is to come
* March 20, 2005 collection of Pledges
If you have ideas or questions, please contact Fred Noteware, Elder for Stewardship
Children’s Choral Festival at Faith
The Sacramento Chapter of the Chorister’s Guild presents the Children’s Choral Festival Sunday March 13, 4:30pm to 5 :30pm. This remarkable event brings together children’s choirs from all over Sacramento (including our Young Faith Singers!) to present an enjoyable program. The repertoire will include All is Well, Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day and Prayer Litany by Kemp. Each of the children’s choirs will present special selections of their own.
Come and support these Christian children. The Chorister’s Guild is dedicated to Nurturing Christian Growth in children and youth through music.
Pastor Jeff Says:
Are You Good or Are You Real?
I recently came across a quote that gave me pause. Perhaps it will catch you off guard as well.
Throughout the Bible, God shows a marked preference for “real” people over “good” people.
I had to think about that. And, in the end, I had to agree. Moses, Abraham, David, Samuel, Peter, Paul, and all the rest of the great “heroes” of God we find listed in scripture, they’re a pretty rough bunch. Some of them are people you might not even want to include on your dinner party guest list. And yet there’s one thing you must say about every person in scripture that God used in mighty ways. They were real.
I suppose this is the way I think about it. Do you think God would prefer that we be good or real? Good, of course. God wants us to be good. Problem is, often times we are not good. We mess up. We forget about God. We get selfish. We don’t love. Sometimes we’re good but a lot of the time, truth be told, we fall short.
So if we can’t be good, could it be that God wants us to at least be real? Because if we’re not good and we don’t tell the truth about it (in other words, we’re not real), that makes us hypocrites. And there’s probably nothing God disdains more than hypocrisy.
Jesus once said, “There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent.” God’s preference is for real people over good people. Funny thing is, that one person who repents and tells the truth in hope of receiving God’s mercy, that person, with the help of Christ, begins to become good.
I look forward to worshipping Sunday with you and other people like us who may not be so good all the time but who are desperately trying to be real.
Yours in Christ,
Jeff
Parish and Pastor Potluck Series!!
The Deacons are pleased with the large turn out February 13 at the first of a series of potlucks, where Faith members and visitors got to know the others in their parish, and hadsome time to meet and talk with Pastor Jeff.
The potlucks will be held in Link Hall from 12 until 2 on several Sundays over the next few months, and will consist of three parishes for each event. The dates below cover all eighteen parishes.
Before your parish’s potluck, you’ll be contacted by your deacon to be sure you know which parish you are in, and the date of the event for your group. There will also be a notice posted in the Narthex as an extra reminder. But in the meantime, please check out the Deacon board in the hallway between the sanctuary and Link Hall, to verify which parish you’re in.
March 6: Parishes 4, 5, 6 March 20: Parishes 7, 8, 9
April 3: Parishes 10, 11,12 April 17: Parishes 13, 14, 15 May 1: Parishes 16, 17
We need a trombone player for the Easter Service on March 27. If you’re available and interested in playing, contact Dennis Merwin or the church office
Mission Trips 2005
Your Mission Committee, along with the Youth Director Kelsey Ingalls and Pastors Jeff Chapman and Jim Zazzera, are pleased to offer the following Mission Trip opportunities for 2005:
Junior High Mission Trip!!!!
What is better than Munchies…Munchies in San Francisco!!!! I may be a little crazy, but we are planning a junior high mission trip to Frisco this summer. Since kids have to be fourteen to go on the church mission trip without a parent, most of the junior highers don’t make the cut. To remedy this dilemma we are taking a five-night mission trip designed specifically for middle school kids. We are going through an organization called Center for Student Missions. Pastor Jeff used to go through the same organization at his old church and he always had a good experience. So on his recommendation we are trying this new trip at the beginning of the summer. The dates we are looking at are the 19th-24th of June. If you are a junior higher, than mark your calendar as the time of your life. If you are a member of the congregation, than mark your calendar as a week of prayer for our junior highers as they do God’s work in the big city. If you or your child are interested and have not received and application, please contact Kelsey Ingalls at the church as soon as possible. Hurry for new adventures!!!!
Softball Season Starts
Faith & Bethany Presbyterian softball players and anyone who wants to play softball: It's that time of year again to start thinking about softball. First game is not until Tuesday, April 26, but would like to hold Tuesday (6-8p) practices a few weeks, starting April 5 (after daylight savings), before we start league play. Please let me know if plan on making it to any of the three Tuesday practices.
Please reply if interested in playing this season. League fees have gone up, so depending on number of participants, we're looking at least $25 per player. Season is 10-weeks long through June 28. Returning players need to send me a check payable to me by April 8. New players will require additional info; address, phones, last four digits of social security number.
Linz Tanimoto lindsee_tanimoto@dot.ca.gov
7th Annual Retreat
of the
Women of Faith Presbyterian Church.
New visitor to Faith Church or a lifelong member?
We hope you’ll join us
In the beautiful hills overlooking Nevada City
For a weekend of rest, prayer, meditation and study… a retreat!
All women are welcome – But space is limited
Don’t wait - sign up today!
(In the Narthex between services)
April 8, 9 and 10
(Friday evening until Sunday early afternoon)
Cost is $145.00 -- $80.00 non-refundable,
But transferable deposit is required at time of registration
This year's Retreat Leader: Lucie Chalifour,
Our Journey: Friendship as a Soul Path
Diamond Arrow Christian Center
Nevada City, CA
For further information please call
Lori Glasgow 419-5066 or Patti Bill 429-8770
Help Natalie Reyes
My name is Natalie. My friend Rachel Maloney (who attends Peace Presbyterian Church) and I are working on our Silver Award project for Girl Scouts. Our community project is serving St. John’s Women’s Shelter. On March 6th we will be providing and serving a Nacho Bar dinner and donating the following items that they have informed us that they are in need of:
We are asking for your help with donations. If you are interested in donating toward the food, please make checks to Shari Reyes. If you are able to donate any of the items listed above, please bring them to the church foyer by March 6th.
Thank you for your support, Natalie Reyes
Family Promise at Faith
April 24 – May 1
As you know, Session has approved Faith’s participation in Family Promise of Sacramento. We will be one of the host congregations.
Host congregations provide accommodations in the church for 3 to 5 families with children (Up to 14 people) for a week, four times a year. The congregation provides meals. Family Promise picks up the families at 7:00am and returns them at 5:00pm. The children will be taken to their schools. Parents and pre-school children will go to the Family Promise Day Center. There, the Director, Sarah Ann McAllister, and others will work with the adults to find jobs and housing. There will be showers and laundry facilities at the Day Center.
The newly homeless families will be screened to exclude those with alcohol, drug or mental health problems.
The program will begin March 13. Our first week will be April 24th to May 1.
Coordinators will be trained March 4th. Cynthia Crow and Sue Hooper will train the volunteers at Faith prior to our week in April
We will need volunteers for dinner (5-7:00pm); evening teams (7-9pm), Overnight team (9:00pm to 7:00am). Also need will be the coordinator of the day, set and take down people.
We will put up a white board in the narthex April 3 so you can volunteer for our week. You will be able to sign up for a specific day and activity. If you wish to sign up for a specific day and activity prior to April 3, call either Cynthia Crow 392-9141 or Sue Hooper 593-2633.
Health Ministries
Calling All Presbyterian Women
Wednesday, Our Bible Study Group led by Andeen Lovett will meet before the meeting at 10:30 am. We will be studying Chapter six in the book “What She Said.” If you are interested in the study group, join us at the church at 10:30 am.
Presbyterian Women meet the fourth Wednesday of each month, September through June. We have a different speaker each month and alternate brown bag and casserole lunches. We have a great group of women involved in the church and would love to have you join us. Please contact Lois Collinsworth at 683-2024 if you would like more information, or just come to a meeting and find out what it’s all about and how you can become more involved in the church.
Our next meeting dates are as follows:
March 23 Brown Bag
April 27 Casserole
May 25 Brown Bag
June 26 PotluckFaith Book Club
The next meeting of the Faith Book Club is on Thursday, March 17, 2005 at 7:00 PM. If you have any questions, or would like to join us, please contact Ilah Turner at 428-8716.
Transforming Fear Into Love
Twice in the last three years, Faith Presbyterian Church has sent members to attend the Peacemaking Conference. Attendees Conney Willis, Bill Frye and Marthe Sweet had their eyes opened to peacemaking challenges around the globe, and the exciting efforts from Presbyterians to make peace locally, nationally and internationally.
This year’s conference will be held at Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center in Abiquiu, New Mexico. Participants will enjoy expanded opportunities to renew, to reflect and to engage the extraordinary challenges of our time. Programs are informative and enlightening, and each day ends with inspiration worship.
You can visit the website at www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/conferences/2005.htm, or talk to Conney, Bill or Marthe Sweet for more information, or call Conney Willis at 530-432-2318 or email at conney@aol.com. Funds are available to make the trip possible for anyone interested in attending.
Sunday School News
March Birthdays
Jennifer Lawson 3/31
Connor Frisch 3/2
__________________________________
Please Welcome New Teaching Teams
March 6 our new Teaching Teams will be in place. Please drop by and welcome them. ALL PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, CONCERNED ADULTS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND WITH THEIR LOVED ONES! Please come join the children! We will be offering Sunday School for Preschool - Fifth grades at 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00. The 8:30 and 9:45 times will be one class with all ages (P-5) invited to attend. The 11:00 times will offer graded classes for Preschool through Fifth.
The Junior High class will meet at the 9:45 time only. The Junior High students are encouraged to attend worship during the other times.
WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF LEADERS FOR SEVERAL OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES. LOOKING FOR A BIBLE STUDY CLASS? ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO LEARN IS TO TEACH! COME JOIN OUR SMALL GROUP! Contact Sue Kirk or Don Lewis for more information on this learning experience.
New Teaching Teams
8:30 Allison Laybourn ???????????
9:45 ????????????? ???????????
11:00
Pre-2 Jennifer Smith Marcella Fodor
3-5 Katie and Nick Kolitsos
____________________________________________________
Sunday School Lessons for March
March 6 and 13 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Luke 18:9-14
March 20 Jesus' Prayer in the Garden
Luke 22:39-53
March 27 EASTER
(Butterfly Release)
_______________________________________________-
Butterflies
We will be releasing Butterflies on Easter Sunday! The inchlings should arrive this week. We will set them and then watch as they grow, and grow, and grow and... then spin into their chrysalises. A week latter we should see Painted Lady Butterflies emerge. This transformation takes about 21 days.
The students will be monitoring the progress in the Sunday School classrooms. If you would like to take some home to watch the process up close, please let Sue Kirk know.
____________________________________________
He who kneels before God can stand before anyone!
The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.
_________________________________________________
Sunday School Offerings
8:30am Multi-Age Sunday Schoo;
9:45-10:45
Multi-Age Sunday School for Preschool - 5
Jr. High Sunday School for 6-8
Young Faith Singers for grade 2-8
Adult Sunday School
11:00 Multi-Age Sunday School pre-school through 2nd grade and 3rd - 5th
__________________________________________________
Westminster Woods Dates
We’ve reserved space for the children and youth of Faith Presbyterian to attend camp at the Woods this year. While campers can go any week of their choice, these are the weeks that work around Vacation Bible School and Mission trips:
Camp Incoming Dates
Adventure Camp Grades 2,3,4 July 27 – 30
Sherwood Forest Grades 4,5,6 July 24 – 30
Railroad Camp Grades 7,8,9 July 10 - 16
Buccaneer Camp Grades 7,8,9 July 17 – 23
High School Camp Grades 9 – 12 July 17 – 23
Early Bird registration must be postmarked by March 15, to take advantage of the $25 discount. Registrations can be left at the church office for Registrar Conney Willis to mail or you may send your registration in directly to Westminster Woods, but please let know, so your child can be included in our list for camperships, which will be provided based on the number of children from Faith attending camp.
You can get in touch with Conney with questions or registration information at 530-432-2318 or conney@aol.com.
___________________________________________________
Red Hats Visit Yvonne Marshall
And honored her with a Red Hat Queen Celebration and Retirement. Mary Nabers was crowned as current Queen of the Sassy Scarlets of SacramentoCoffee Hour Volunteering
We'd like to add more volunteers so one group will prepare coffee after the first service and another group after the second! It'll be only once every other month and takes just about 40 minutes before and 45 minutes after the service.
Please call Doran McDaniel at 683-4687.
March 6 |
March 13 |
March 20 Palm Sunday |
March 27 Easter Sunday |
|
Worship Service |
8:30am |
8:30am |
8:30am |
8:30am |
Worship Assistant |
Bert Brown |
Walt McDaniel |
Doran McDaniel |
Frank Abbott |
Ushers |
Bob/Tanya Anderson |
Steve/Collette Benson |
Bruce/Bonnie Alexander |
Chuck/Brien Bell |
Greeters |
Georgianne & Bob Becker |
Jim, Chris, Amanda Becker |
Terry/Patrice Mangum Marthe Sweet |
Janet, David, Ross Leader John/Sally Ravas |
Sound |
Bill Baker |
Don Sperling |
David Nash |
David Nash |
Coffee Preparers |
John Sugar |
Jim & Betty Park |
Ruth Warner |
Ken/Margaret Finch Hal/Ilah Turner |
Acolytes |
Sarah Ainsworth |
Joey Healow |
|
|
Worship Service |
11:00am |
11:00am |
11:00am |
11:00am |
Worship Assistant |
Glenda Arellano |
Lori Glasgow |
Brien Bell |
Rick Crow |
Ushers |
Walt/Doran McDaniel |
Bob/Barbara Powell |
Jerry/Priscilla Simms |
Rick/Cynthia Crow |
Greeters |
Roy/Marge Smart Ann Johnson |
Teri/Dave Williamson Betty Bateman |
Chuck/Brien Bell Julia King |
Ken/Margaret Finch Jerry/Priscilla Simms Caret Kincaid |
Sound |
Joe Parente |
Brien Bell |
Ken Finch |
George Warner |
Tellers |
Kitty Tatro Jarvis Arellano |
Barbara Powell Charlie Tucker |
Helen Christenson Marilyne Becker |
Bob Connett Dick McClure |
Acolytes |
Sierra Brown |
Emily Richardson |
|
|
By His grace and for His glory,
Joshua 0. Carstensen
So my life is busy, busy, busy. Oh yeah, along with all this I have Meagan, my girlfriend, who takes up all the spare time that I possibly have. We are doing great. So with all this about my life I want to thank you again so much for sending me support for my Africa trip. Have a great Christmas and a great New Year.
By His grace and for His glory,
Joshua 0. Carstensen
When I arrived home, life did not slow down. As a matter fact it just got faster. I think I experienced the biggest culture shock imaginable, from Addis Ababa to my new home in Newport Beach. Life here in Newport has been a completely new experience to me. I am on staff at a large Presbyterian Church called St. Andrew’s. I love t but I do have to adjust to the culture. I thought Addis was bad, Newport is just as bad the other way. From Africa, I came from families who owned a donkey for transportation; to Newport Beach where the sixteen year olds are driving sixty thousand dollar cars. It is a world of its own, which makes the ministry here very unique. I work in the high school ministry and things are going great. Along with running a high school program I am going to school full time, still at LIFE Bible College. am trying to graduate in three years instead of four so I am taking a million classes each semester (next semester I have 25 units).
So my life is busy, busy, busy. Oh yeah, along with all this I have Meagan, my girlfriend, who takes up all the spare time that I possibly have. We are doing great. So with all this about my life I want to thank you again so much for sending me support for my Africa trip. Have a great Christmas and a great New Year.
By His grace and for His glory,
Joshua 0. Carstensen
Presby-News
Published twice monthly by
Faith Presbyterian Church
625 Florin Road, Sacramento CA
(916) 428-3439, FAX 428-0248
Editing staff:
Jim Park (jamespark02@comcast.net)
Dianne Brown (Sierraskymktg@netscape.net)
Susie Hughes (susan_hughes@synectics.net)
Kathy Pehrson (kkpehrson@yahoo.com)
Marthe Sweet (marthesweet@earthlink.net)
Jeff Chapman, Pastor
Jim Zazzera, Associate Pastor
Worship 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.