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focus First Presbyterian
Sunday
In This Issue
July 2 Volume 20, Issue 11
Reflections Page 2
Coming Up in Worship Page 3-4
Church Connection Page 4
PYA / Mission Trip / Compassion Child Page 5
Information @ Church Page 6-7
New Members Page 8
VBS Page 9
Summer Organ Recital Schedule Page 10
In July Page 11
Cares and Joys Page 11
July Calendar Page 12
Contact Us Page 13
Social Media & Website Page 13
1225 Fourth Street Road . Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 54935 . Phone 920.922.0425 . Email [email protected]
1st July
2
Reflections
God Wants Us to Be Happy – Why Is It We Don’t Cooperate?
10
The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This
also is vanity.
11
When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see
them with his eyes?
18
This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the
toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our
lot. 19
Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy
them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God. 20
For they
will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of
their hearts.
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, 18-20
As we line up our sacred cows, money takes a spot near the head of the line. We tend to think that more
money will bring us more happiness, at least that’s the basis for the sale of lottery tickets. The message
from Ecclesiastes is that more money is never satisfying, and that when we get more, we want more. Of
course our immediate thought is: “That may be true but I would really like a chance to test the idea –
God let me prove it to you that winning the lottery would not spoil me.” On the other hand, if more money
hasn’t created more happiness for 3,000 years, it’s probably not going to work now.
So, how do we get to where we can take enjoyment in all of our “toil” and our eat and drink? This is
where gratitude becomes central to our health and happiness. Pausing, before enjoying our food and
drink, is one of the most important disciplines we can practice in terms of improving our quality of life.
When we consume without thinking, we are not going to be satisfied. When we sit down in front of the
television with a bag of chips, the chips tend to mysteriously and mindlessly disappear. When we rush
through a meal, focusing on other things, without taking time to taste and enjoy the meal, we aren’t
really fed emotionally. Gratitude is the practice of being mindful of the blessings that we are enjoying,
even if the blessing is to be sitting, doing nothing. Because there are a lot worse things than sitting com-
fortably, even if we are bored.
Taking time to be grateful for our comfort and peace keeps us from a constant state of want and dissat-
isfaction.
Gratitude needs to take place as a part of our spiritual practices, meaning that it shapes our relation-
ships with God, with all of the world around us, and with the people near us. Gratitude is not just one
“thing we do.” It has to be woven into our lives with planning and focus. Pausing frequently during the
day, taking five minutes out of each hour to consider the blessings we have received can radically
change our attitude and perceptions of the world around us. Making sure to observe kindness, and to
recognize the positive things in the world, enables us to be empowered and strengthened to use our
gifts and abilities where they can make a difference. By becoming disciplined in gratitude, we move from
being victims of a “cold cruel world” to being a part of God’s transforming work in healing the world
around us.
In our culture, being disappointed and wanting more are among the sacred cows which quietly invade
our lives. We begin our conversations with complaints, focus on the negative, and constantly dwell on
the things we don’t have, while taking for granted the things that we do have. That is not a recipe for
happiness or for a healthy mind. So, take the time to find the joy that God is holding for all of us. Find the
healing power of gratitude.
Peace,
Pastor Jack
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Coming Up in Worship
7/2/2017 Sabbath - God Says You Deserve a Day Off Communion
Sermon: "Working and Living"
Theme: We become slaves to our work and anxieties about proving ourselves worthy.
As a result, we lose the precious gift of being God's capable people.
Purpose: The congregation will consider what they do that is important to relationships and focus
on those things.
Scriptures: Exodus 20:8-11 God commanded to rest on the Sabbath.
Luke 13:10-17 Jesus heals on the Sabbath.
Questions:
Why is it so many of us do not have a healthy balance between work and rest? What causes us to think
that neglecting our health and our family is pleasing to God? What lack of inner strength leads us to
obsessively worry about work and money? How do we learn to honor the Sabbath without becoming
legalistic about it? What can we change, in our lives, to be healthier in our relationships with our family
and with God?
7/9/2017 "Putting on A New Self"
God clothes us in a robe of being valued for ourselves.
Sermon: "Putting On an Identity of Love"
Theme: We are constantly pushed to show importance, power, influence, and success but real
happiness and security is found in clothing ourselves with compassion, humility, and
above all, love.
Purpose: The congregation will become sensitive to their need to be noticed and important so that
they may seek instead to find love and peace.
Scriptures: Matthew 6:28-30 Consider the lilies of the filed.
Colossians 3:12-17 Above all clothe yourselves with love.
Questions:
What shapes the way we think of ourselves? In what ways do we allow our “self” or identity to be given
to us by others? In what ways do we have a solid self that holds onto our value and purpose? What role
does love play in our values? In what ways do we allow superficial things to determine how we feel
about ourselves and the attitudes we hold towards others? What impact does the tendency to make
judgements about other people’s appearance make on ourselves and our own relationships?
7/16/2017 Security Blankets and Good Luck Charms
"Milk it for all it's worth."
Sermon: "Insecurity and Security Blankets"
Theme: Instead of creating "Sacred cows" we will find our security in the knowledge of God's
unending loving care for us.
Purpose: The congregation will recognize their insecurities and begin to seek to set them aside.
Scriptures Romans 8:31-39 All things work together for those who are in Christ, if God is for
us, who can be against us?
Matthew 14:22-36 Jesus walks on the water to the Disciples, who are struggling in
the boat. The people want to touch the fringe of his cloak.
Questions:
How do we respond to the anxieties and fears that are with us over long periods of time? What roles do
“good luck charms” and other attachments play in our lives? In what ways do we enable fears to domi-
nate our lives? In what ways do we lack trust in God’s love or willingness to care for us? What are the
ways in which we can remind ourselves that God’s love is with us? What can we do to break our de-
pendence on superstitions and other crutches for dealing with anxiousness and fear? What is a healthy
understanding of anxiousness and fear for Christians?
4
7/23/2017 You Are Special, Just Like Everybody Else.
"Do brown cows produce chocolate milk?
Sermon: "One God, One People"
Theme: It is destructive to our mind and soul to allow roots of racial hatred to interfere with our
relationships with God and others.
Scriptures: Galatians 3:23-29 There is no longer Jew nor Greek - we are all baptized into
Christ.
Mark 7:24-30 Jesus and the Syrophoenician mother.
Questions:
In what ways do we participate in racism? Is there a difference between being racist and being inexperi-
enced in interacting with people of a different culture or ethnic group? How should we go about being
people of justice and peace for all people? How do we learn and grow in our knowledge of one another
without being insulting or arrogant? What does it mean for us, that we are all one people? What has to
happen so that we may be supportive of peace and justice for all people?
7/30/2017 Hero Worship - Living Vicariously.
"The Cow jumped over the moon."
Sermon: "Who Decides Who You Are?"
Theme: God created us each with unique gifts and talents, so that we may better appreciate our
own unique gifts rather than envy others.
Purpose: The congregation will recognize the problems with "hero worship" and finding meaning
in other affiliations than the gifts of God's love and presence.
Scriptures: Hebrews 12:1-3, 12-17 Run the race set before us. Pursue peace and holiness.
Matthew 16:13-28 Who do you say that I am? Those who will lose their life for the
sake of the cross will find it.
Questions:
Why do we become so fascinated by celebrities and sports figures? What causes us to become fo-
cused on what they think or believe? In what ways do we participate in “hero worship?” What are the
dangers of hero worship? What impact does focusing externally for our value and meaning have on our
faith? In what ways are our affiliations and relationships affected by what celebrities and sports figures
we value?
Coming Up in Worship - July
Church Connection
We are in the process of sending out invitations to create your own log-in to the new church network –
Breeze. If we have a current email address for you, you will be receiving an invitation over the next
couple of weeks. We would like you to look at your information and update it, where necessary. If you
would like any of your information to remain private, please let us know. The invitations are coming from
our Breeze server but will have the church’s email address – and they are completely safe.
It is not necessary to participate in Breeze to continue to access all of the information available in
the church. If you do wish to participate, we will be excited to share access to the church directory,
scheduling and other programs available through the system.
We hope those who choose to connect through Breeze will begin uploading photos of themselves
and their family! These photos will be part of our directories which will be available on a regular basis.
If you have questions or want to know more, please contact Don Vahlsing, Mary Robotka, or
Pastor Jack.
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PYA
PYA = Presbyterian Youth Association
Basic info: PYA is for students in the 5th-12
th grade
Purpose: To get to know Jesus Christ and have lots of fun!
Through July 8 Mission Trip to Denver, CO
July 17 - July 21
VBS - Egypt Joseph's Journey
The youth and adult participants, of the Mission Trip, are making a difference in the lives of others.
Keep them in your prayers as they work in Denver and that they have a safe journey home.
Our Mission Trip participants will share their experiences with the congregation on July 30, during our
9:00am worship service. Please join them in support and celebration of their “Growing with Christ” ad-
venture. We’re excited to hear their stories!
It is because of your kindness, generosity and support, that the youth of our congregation could participate in this mission. We are privileged to have had this opportunity to serve others.
Have you written a letter to Ivan???
Do you know how fun it is to get mail? Our new friend Ivan, who lives in El Beaterio,
Ecuador, is waiting to hear from you! Ivan is our Compassion child that our church
school children and youth are sponsoring.
Please draw a picture or write a note to send to Ivan. Tell him what you like to do in
the summer. We will send Ivan all of the pictures and notes we gather. Think about
how excited he will be!
Please return your letter to the church office and we will send it to Ivan.
Pedro Arellano
Jonny Diels
Becky Frize
Matej Koncos
Allison McElroy
Barb Mitchell
Garrett Mitchell
T.J. VanderGriten
Cadie Wilke
Cameron Wilke
Alex Zander
Jennifer Zander
Summer Mission Trip Participants
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Information @ Church
July 6 - Blood Drive
A blood drive will be held at First
Presbyterian Church from 2:00pm
to 6:00pm on Thursday, July 6. A
donation of blood is a wonderful
way to show the love of Christ to
others. A single donation can save
up to three lives!
As an additional incentive, during
this drive only, donors will receive
a ticket for free admission to the
Wisconsin State Fair.
You can schedule an appointment
online at www.bcw.edu or reserve
your time on the schedule in the
Narthex. Of course, walk-ins are al-
ways welcome.
Good food and snacks are provided
after your donation.
Where Grace Christian Church
1596 4th Street
Fond du Lac, WI
920.923.5292
When Thursday, July 13
Open Doors open at 4:30pm
Distribution 5:30pm
Donation $20.00 (Cash Only) Preregistration:
rubyspantry.org
You can preregister on the website using a credit card, debit card or PayPal. (A $1.00 processing fee ap-plies.) All online transactions are processed through PayPal. All guests are required to bring 6 grocery-size reusable bags or 6 paper bags with handles (doubled) to hold food.
If you have any questions contact
Grace Christian Church at:
920.923.5292 (ask for Rachel or Brittany) or
www.gracechristianchurch.org
Thank You - from Outreach Team
Habitat for Humanity Lunch
The Outreach team served lunch to
20 workers at the new Habitat for
Humanity build site at 501 Farwell
Ave., on Thursday May 25. This is
part of our annual commitment to
support the work of the Fond du Lac
area Habitat for Humanity.
Laura Minnick, and her daughters
Kayla and Morgan, will be the new
homeowners.
Outreach Team members Steve and
Shin Ae Zeigler, Dick Sleder, Mary
Ellen McMeen and Mike Petersen
provided pizza, salad, fruit, a rice
dish, cookies. Kay Mullins brought a
veggie tray.
Thanks to all that helped to feed the
hungry crowd and support the cause!
Thank You - from Outreach Team
Spring Food Drive
Once again the congregation has
responded to the Outreach Team
sponsored food drive to support the
hungry families and individuals of
Fond du Lac.
Food collected was delivered to Sal-
vation Army and Fond du Lac Food
Pantry. Your contributions make a
world of difference for hungry fami-
lies throughout the Fond du Lac
area.
The congregation gave cereal, rice,
pasta, canned soup, meat, vegeta-
bles, peanut butter and other nutri-
tious non-perishable food. Salvation
Army also received soap, shampoo,
tooth paste, tooth brushes and other
hygiene items not allowed with food
stamps.
Thank you for your participation. It is
greatly appreciated.
Outreach Team
If you can’t trust God to provide what you need, then aren’t you really just a slave to your own worries?
--Buttercup
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Information @ Church
October 6-7 - Jesus Seminar
Jesus Seminar on the Road
Pilgrim United Church of Christ
535 Stow Street
Fond du Lac, WI
Changing Perceptions:
Earth, Self and God
Presenters:
Members of the Jesus Seminar
Clayton Crockett, Ph.D.
Susan (Elli) Elliott, Ph.D.
Jesus’ vision of a divine domain sub-
verted and transformed everyday life
in the first century. It incorporated
insights from the great sages of his
time, but the church imprisoned the
iconoclast in an iconic creed. Centu-
ries later, creedal Christianity died in
the arms of Copernicus, Newton,
Darwin, and Einstein. A new scien-
tific story about life now demands a
new religion. What are the elements
of that religion?
The titles for each session are:
Friday Evening -
Changing Perceptions of Earth
Saturday Morning -
Ancient and Modern Self and A Post-
modern Self
Saturday Afternoon -
The God Question. The leaders will
welcome questions.
All events will be held at Pilgrim
United Church of Christ. The semi-
nar is being cosponsored with Open
Circle Fellowship Unitarian Univer-
salist, Fond du Lac.
Complete details of the seminar and
registration information can be found
online at westarinstitute.org/events.
(Some scholarships are available. Please
contact Peg Bradley, 920-922-0731 for
information.)
Sacred Cows -
The Wrangling Continues
Be aware of the sacred cows grazing
in our area! They may not seem to
move fast but they sure seem to get
in the way!
Join us as we learn to live in the
freedom of enjoying the blessings
that God has given us.
Pastor Jack’s Office Hours
Monday 9:00am - 5:00pm Tuesday Off Wednesday 9:00am - 5:00pm Thursday 9:00am - 12:00pm Friday Off Saturday 9:00 - 12:00pm
Please make a note of Pastor Jack’s
availability. During his regular office
hours, Pastor Jack may not be
accessible due to meetings, pastoral
visits or otherwise serving the
church. If you need to speak with
the pastor, please schedule an
appointment.
In an emergency (i.e. critical hospi-
talization, death, etc.), he can be
reached on his mobile number
920.251.3621.
Thank You -
To Playground Volunteers
GOOD NEWS! If you haven’t al-
ready noticed, the playground reno-
vation project is complete and ready
for action!
Drain tile has been installed, along
with crushed rock, landscaping fabric
and the required type and amount of
mulch. This project was designed to
eliminate the frequent flooding that
occurred in the past.
A huge thank you goes out to Bob
Binning for his expertise in design
and many hours of labor. In addition,
many thanks are due to our tractor
and skid loader crew: Orv Kam-
phuis, Dave Wilke and Jim Wolfe.
Also, thank you to our shovel, wheel-
barrow and rake crew: Tyler
Albrecht, Dave Erickson, Larry John-
son, Goron Koncos, Mike Petersen,
Lew Smith, Don Vahlsing, Dave We-
ber and Steve Zeigler.
An equally big thank you goes to the
benefactors who donated money to
make this project possible - without
any cost to the church budget!
Now it’s time to enjoy our new
playground!
In progress
Completion
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Confirmands - Joining First Presbyterian Church - April 30, 2017
Joining First Presbyterian Church - June 25, 2017
Justin Summeril Reaffirmation of faith
Brielle Pont Reaffirmation of faith
Joyce Mosby Reaffirmation of faith
Elsie Dahl Reaffirmation of faith
Todd Hayes Reaffirmation of faith
Amber Erickson Summeril Reactivation of membership
Christopher Pont Reactivation of membership
Alecia Paulson Sarauer Reactivation of membership
Darren Beachy Reactivation of membership
Dede Beachy Reactivation of membership
Darci Beachy Reactivation of membership
Steven A. Bennett Transfer of Membership from Grace Presbyterian, Beaver Dam
Beth A. Bennett Transfer of Membership from Grace Presbyterian, Beaver Dam
Mary Bennett Transfer of Membership from Grace Presbyterian, Beaver Dam
Bonnie Wilberscheid Transfer of Membership from Kettle Moraine United Presbyterian Church, Hartland
Paul Wilberscheid Transfer of Membership from Kettle Moraine United Presbyterian Church, Hartland
We are so thankful that you are now a part of First Presbyterian Church. Our prayer is
that we can provide a place where you can have a life-changing experience with God
and become a life-long follower of Jesus.
We welcome you, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey. We hope that you
can develop authentic and enduring relationships with others through Sunday worship,
small groups, music and the many other activities that our church offers. We strive to be
a place of family, community and hope.
Thank you for being a part of our congregation.
Emily Albrecht
Matthew Cook
Allison McElroy
Garrett Mitchell
Kaley Triatik
Elise Warntjes
Emily Warntjes
Cameron Wilke
New Members – 2017
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V B S
We can’t wait to see you!
Come be part of the excitement!
Contact the church office
(920.922.0425) if you have any questions.
Step back in time - and savor amazing stories from the Bible.
Just imagine…
• Exploring authentic traditions,
• Building strong relationships with other Family members,
• Trying new crafts and games,
• Smelling and tasting new foods, and
• Learning from Joseph that God never leaves us alone through
life’s trials and triumphs.
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Summer Noon Organ Recital Series
2017 Join us on Thursdays from 12:15 - 12:45pm
11
First Presbyterian Focus
Please send submissions for the
Newsletter to:
Deadlines:
July 5 for July 16
July 26 for August 6
August 9 for August 20
August 23 for September 3
Ushers - Summer Schedule
July 2 9:00 Nancy Hilbert
Orv Kamphuis
Carol Smith
Lew Smith
Byron Sabel
July 9
Cares and Joys
Buzzy (Marion) Seibel, June Benson,
Liam Anderson, Randy Bacon, Silas
Willey, Chastity Geisthardt, Jesse
Fisher, Pat Owens, Terry Farr, Betty
Stephens (Nancy Pitzen’s mother),
Pam Coburn, Sheryl Brown’s niece,
JoAnne Karuhn (Bonnie Hughes’
sister), Rhonda Brewer (Kay Mullins’
daughter), Sharleen Birschbach
(recovering from back surgery)
Murray Yeomans (Linda Dorn’s
brother), Sterrit Collins (Brian Con-
ran’s college roommate) passing of
his wife, family and friends of Ben
Berg (former Praise Band member),
the family of Carol Merrill (on the
passing of her sister Charlotte
Morgen), Tim St. John (recovering
from surgery) and prayers for the
people in a position of leadership,
throughout the world.
Rejoice: The gift of growing together
in the body of Christ.
Prayer Partners
The prayer chain is ready to offer
intercessory prayer to God for your
concerns. Prayer request cards are
in the pew racks and in the Prayer
Box on the small table in the
Narthex. Put your request in the
offering plate or the Prayer Box and
we will partner with you in prayer.
Deacon of the Month
Sandy Vahlsing
Elder of the Month
Carol Wetzel
Coffee Hour Hosts
Office Staff
Church Office Hours
Monday - Wednesday
9:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday
9:00am - 12:00pm
Friday
Closed
Saturday
9:00 - 12:00pm
Winter Worship
(September - May)
8:00am & 10:30am
Summer Worship
(May - September)
9:00am
Nursery Care - Summer Schedule
July 2
9:00 Melissa Hierl
July 9
9:00 Jane Devine
July 16
9:00 Christine Langille
July 23 9:00 Jane Devine
July 30 9:00 Emily Hayes
August 6
9:00 Jane Devine
August 13
9:00 Jackie Wills
August 20
9:00 Jane Devine
August 27
9:00 Katy Johnston &
Helen Conran
September 3 Labor Day
9:00 Jane Devine
September 10 - 2 Services
In July
12
July 2017
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Mission Trip Leaves
9a-10a Tech Rehearsal
2 9a-10a Enrichment Class 9a-10a Worship 10:15a-11:15a Coffee Hour 10:15a-11:15a Talk Back 2p-3p Woodlands Communion
3 10a-11:30a Staff Meeting
4 Happy Fourth of July
Office Closed
6p-7p AA Meeting (Gathering Room)
5 8a-9a Breakfast - Pump & Pantry 12p-1p Noon Prayer 6:30p-9p Table Tennis
6 2p-6p Blood Drive
7
8 9a-10a Tech Rehearsal
9 Mission Trip Re-turns 9a-10a Enrichment Class 9a-10a Worship 10:15a-11:15a Coffee Hour 10:15a-11:15a Talk Back
10 9a-10a Church Life 10a-11:30a Staff Meeting
11 6p-7p AA Meeting (Gathering Room)
12 8a-9a Breakfast - Pump & Pantry 12p-1p Noon Prayer 6:30p-7:30p Generosity Team 6:30p-7:30p Management Meet-ing 6:30p-9p Table Tennis
13
14
15 9a-10a Tech Rehearsal 10:45a-11:45a PYA at the Woodlands
16 9a-10a Enrichment Class 9a-10a Worship 10:15a-11:15a Coffee Hour 10:15a-11:15a Talk Back
17 9a-12p Vacation Bible School 12:30p-2p Staff Meeting 6:30p-7:30p Ses-sion Meeting
18 9a-12p Vacation Bible School 6p-7p AA Meeting (Gathering Room)
19 8a-9a Breakfast - Pump & Pantry 9a-12p Vacation Bible School 12p-1p Noon Prayer 6:30p-9p Table Tennis 6:30p-7:30p Wor-ship Team (Parlor)
20 9a-12p Vacation Bible School
21 9a-12p Vacation Bible School
22 9a-10a Tech Rehearsal
23 9a-10a Enrichment Class 9a-10a Worship 10:15a-11:15a Coffee Hour 10:15a-11:15a Session Forum 10:15a-11:15a Talk Back
24 10a-11:30a Staff Meeting
25 6p-7p AA Meeting (Gathering Room)
26 8a-9a Breakfast - Pump & Pantry 12p-1p Noon Prayer 6:30p-9p Table Tennis
27
28
29 9a-10a Tech Rehearsal
30 9a-10a Enrichment Class 9a-10a Worship 10:15a-11:15a Coffee Hour 10:15a-11:15a Talk Back
31 10a-11:30a Staff Meeting
Notes:
13
Church Staff
Rev. Jack Harrison
Pastor
Jennifer Zander
Director of Christian Education
Kris Bartelt
Worship Coordinator
Mary Robotka
Financial Assistant
Deb Zorn
Communications Coordinator
Daliborka Koncos
Church Office
Volunteer Staff
Bell Choir Director
Joanne Marchionda
Angel Choir Director
Cheryl Clarenbach
Angel Choir Assistant
Alyssa Sabel
Financial Assistant
Sheryl Brown
Custodian Assistant
Dave Weber
Deacons
Sheryl Brown
Kay Burbach
J. Brian Conran
Larry Johnson
Sandy Johnson
Joanne Klein
N/A
Christine Langille
Lee Munson
Phyllis Munson
Orv Kamphuis
Session Liaison
Jolene Schry
Sally Sleder
Sandy Vahlsing
Elders on Session
Lew Smith
Clerk of Session
Terry Albrecht
Pedro Arellano
Dave Erickson
Nancy Hilbert
Orv Kamphuis
Barb Mitchell
Scott Polacek
Roger Rigterink
Phil Shepherd
Krista Tahlman
Carol Wetzel
Cathy Wolfe
First Presbyterian Church, Fond du Lac First Presbyterian Church FDL
Social Media and Website
www.fdlpresbyterian.org