JUNE 2015 NEWSLETTER First Presbyterian Church 225 North Holcombe, Litchfield, MN 55355 PO Box 6 www.firstpreslitch.org ch:320-693-3548 Pastor’s cell: 320-221-0489 Upcoming Events Sunday: June 7 th Graduate Sunday Tuesday, June 9 CCC meeting at 4:00; Session meeting at 7:00 Wednesday, June 10 Fishing trip on Green Lake... Leave church at 12:30, meet at dock at 1:30 Thursday, June 11 Home Communions 3:15ish Gordy and Julie to Continuing Education workshop Friday, June 19 thru Sunday June 28 Friday: June 19 th : 1:30 PM Card making at WINGS! Tuesday, June 23 Finance committee at 4:30 First Presbyterian Church 225 North Holcombe / PO Box 6 Litchfield, MN 55355 Pastor Gordy Pennertz Website: www.firstpreslitch.org ****Secretary’s email: [email protected]Pastor Gordy & Julie Rae 703 West Crescent Lane Litchfield, MN 55355 To my brothers and sisters in Christ, Ah, summer!! The hectic schedules of school are over for three months, many of us are planning getaways, either long weekends at the lake or time with family and friends. Julie and I will be getting away during June. We are attending the Washington Island Forum, a workshop called “Re-appropriating the Word”. Preacher John Ball from Scotland is the presenter. We look forward to instruction in in Scottish rogue. He has presented all over the world and the goal is to “open up a more holistic appreciation for the Word of God that values its intentionally diverse character. The schedule has these units--The Curse of Literacy, Retell Me the Old, Old Story, Missing Women, The Importance of the Imagination, and What Shall We Tell the Children. We are looking forward to getting away to an Island in Lake Michigan reachable only by ferry boat, getting inspired for and by the Word and enjoying some free time exploring the wonders of nature. Pray for us and I hope to come back with some great sermon stories! The peace of God be with you! Pastor Gordy Verse for June: So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 “As servants of God, we open our doors wide with the heart of Jesus welcoming all as children of God. We strive to provide spiritual growth and support for all through prayer and community and the acceptance of mutual respect.”
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First Presbyterian Church...19-Bill & Bev Barr 20-Lois Beckstrand 21-Rev Mark & Nancy Chamberlain 22-Dave & Sharon Detert 23-Deb Holmes 24-Rick & Carrie Johnson 25-Russell Joldersma
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JUNE 2015 NEWSLETTER
First Presbyterian Church 225 North Holcombe, Litchfield, MN 55355 PO Box 6
The Lilac Luncheon was a tremendous success this year. Thanks to Shirley Good and the quilt that she donated to
be raffled for the church, as well as the ones she brought for us to display at the quilt show. We had a good crowd that were enticed to come to attend the Luncheon. A big thank you goes out to her. Another big thank you goes to Kay Hanson and her crew for working to display the quilts and stand guard over them. The Quilt was won by Bev Driver and she also won some of the towels that were also made and donated by Shirley. The raffle netted $162. Due to the many who worked and made a generous amount of salads and the money brought in from the raffle and the 185+ who were served, the profits totaled about $1450. Many thanks to all who worked and participated in many ways. Your hard work was much appreciated. Ann Abramson, PW Coordinator
“The STORY” Bible Study: We will take the summer off and resume in the fall.
Deacons Communion Schedule: June 7: Amy Viehauser July 5: Julie Rae Pennertz August 2: Savannah Joldersma September 6: Harriet Koelln October 4: David Pennertz November 1: Stephanie Rech December 6: Amy Viehauser December 24: Amy Viehauser and help
January 2016: David Pennertz
June
1-Roger & Roz Landers
2-Jim & Lila Lundberg
3-Amy Levinski
4-Marshall & Dottie
Madsen
5-Jerry Meuleners
6-Emily Morrison
7-Emily Osmundson
8-David & Katie Pennertz
9-Pastor Gordy & Julie
Rae Pennertz
10-Heidi & Richard
Pennertz Ariel, William,
Viola, Rebekah, & Conor
11-Tina Pennertz
12-Scott & Stephanie
Rech
13-Orville Reinke
14-Chad & Stephanie
Savoy
15-Cicily Savoy
16-Kris Torkelson
17-Wade & Amy
Viehauser & Luciella
18-Philip & Leetha
Waldron
19-Bill & Bev Barr
20-Lois Beckstrand
21-Rev Mark & Nancy
Chamberlain
22-Dave & Sharon Detert
23-Deb Holmes
24-Rick & Carrie Johnson
25-Russell Joldersma
26-Christa & Jacob
Joseph
27-Wes & Kathy Peters
28-Sara & Ty Schneider
29-Truman Stehr
Fishing/Boat Rides:
Everyone is invited to join “Let's Go
Fishing” for an afternoon on beautiful
Green Lake! We've done this several
years and always have a great time.
There is a sign-up sheet in the
Memorial room; please let us know by
Sunday June 7th.
SESSION MINUTES: The Session of First Presbyterian Church met on May 12, 2015 for their stated meeting, in the Memorial Room. Elders present were: Arlyce Dedrickson, Sue Berg,Shirley Brooks, and Wade Viehauser. Absent were: Judy Holmes and Emily Osmundson. A quorum was established. Pastor Gordy opened the meeting with the Lord’s Prayer. The Elder training was from the book, “Big Lessons from Little Places”, by Kay Collier MCLaughlin. The agenda was approved. Jessica Hasslen will speak on Sunday May 17, 2015, and the Session approved presenting her with a check for $500.00. The Quilter’s Workshop and the Lilac Luncheon will be held the 19th and 20th here at the church. Pastor Gordy, Sue Berg, and Amy Levinski attended the Presbytery meeting in St. Cloud. The Wings Mission Project of our church was presented to the group by Sue with a display she made featuring it. There will be a fishing trip/boat ride on Green Lake on June 10 at 1:30 for those who wish to go. The meeting was closed with our Blessings Prayer. Respectfully submitted, Beverly Driver, Clerk
Congratulations to Sierra Joldersma, our
2015 graduate, whom we will celebrate on
Graduate Sunday, June 7th, during
morning worship. Sierra will be
attending NDSU in the fall. Blessings to
Sierra in her future endeavors!
30- Ann Abramson
ACCEPTANCE
At times, life can feel like one
big self-improvement program.
There is always some habit you
could gain more control over,
some skill you’d like to perfect,
or some character trait that
you feel could use an extra
season of growth. But, in
God’s eyes, you’re already
perfect—no matter where you
are on the road to maturity.
This very minute, God accepts
you exactly the way you are.
Certainly, He encourages you
to continue to mature. But,
knowing you’re accepted, no
matter what, gives you the
freedom to be yourself, without
reservation. Rejection is not His
way. This means you can relax
and enjoy your relationship
with God. He loves you just the
way you are.
“Honor God by accepting each
other, as Christ as accepted you.”
Romans 15:7
“”If God accepts me as I am,
then I had better do the same.”
Hugh Montefiore
“Jesus accepts you the way you
are, but loves you too much to
leave you that way.” Lee
Venden
“To the praise of the glory of His
grace, wherein HE hath made us
accepted in the beloved.”
Ephesians 1:6
“Accept the fact that you are
accepted” Paul Tillich
Cucumber sandwiches from Rosie (We enjoyed
these at the women’s potluck at Pennertz’s)
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup miracle whip
7 oz. package Italian dressing (dry)
Mix together and set in fridge
Bake a loaf of tube French bread
Cut French bread and spread mixture on French bread and put a
sliced
cucumber on top and sprinkle dill weed on top of cucumber.
Dead Church Story
A new pastor in Topeka, Kansas, USA, spent the first four days making personal visits to each of his
prospective congregation inviting them to come to his inaugural services. The following Sunday the
church was all but empty. Accordingly, the pastor placed a notice in the local newspapers, stating that,
because the church was dead, it was everyone's duty to give it a decent Christian burial. The funeral
would be held the following Sunday afternoon. Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the
'funeral'. In front of the pulpit they saw a closed coffin which was covered in flowers. After the priest
had delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin and invited his congregation to come forward and pay
their final respects to their dead church.
Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a 'dead church', all the people eagerly
lined up to look in the coffin. Each 'mourner' peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a
guilty, sheepish look.
In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror.