July 23 - August 20, 2006

Worship Schedule

8:30 a.m.  Chapel Service
9:30 a.m. The Bridge Service
10:30 a.m.  Sanctuary Service

Church School

Special Events

Worship in the Park

On Sunday, August 13, we will worship at Island Park in the ‘great outdoors’ at 10:30 a.m., followed by a picnic lunch. If it is raining at 7:30 a.m., the service will be moved to the Sanctuary and the picnic will be held in Fellowship Hall. Bring your own folding chairs and/or a blanket. The 8:30 a.m. service will be held in the Chapel as usual.

Backpack Blessing

We will have a special blessing of the backpacks on Sunday, August 13. All children are invited to bring their school backpacks and have them blessed. We will also be blessing the backpacks and school supplies being collected by the Presbyterian Women.

Fall Kick-off/Ministry Connections

On August 20, we will have a Fall kick-off / Ministry Connections (Rally Day) to highlight the many opportunities for involvement in ministry & mission at First Presbyterian. Each Commission/Team/group is invited to create a display showcasing the activities and ministry opportunities in its area. The display tables will be located in the Reception Room and Room 100. Ministry Menus will be distributed during worship so people can indicate their interest in participating in specific activities.

The new fall worship schedule (see below) and the children’s Sunday school program will start that day.

Aloah! Come to our Luau

Our luau at the Wu's is back! The Wu's have graciously invited ALL First Presbyterians to enjoy a hog roast at their house, August 20. The party will start at 2:00 p.m. with fun and games, eat approximately between 5:30 and 6:00, with more activities after dinner. Mark your calendar and plan to be part of the fun. Sign up sheets will be posted in the church hallways.

New Fall Worship Schedule

begins August 20, 2006

Other Upcoming Sundays

Children’s Outreach Event

September 10 - Although classes start earlier, we will kick off our children’s program with family fun in “Almost Anything Goes” including competitive games and a talent show. See page 7.

Presbyterian Women Fall Kick-Off

Steve's Scratchings

As the summer draws to a close and the church gears up for fall programming, I want to share some of the good things happening in our church…

Roll-Out of Programs... This fall we are “rolling out” our programs in a new way, with different programs being introduced over several Sundays:

August 20: In the morning we will have “ministry connections,” in which we connect people with ministries and activities. In the afternoon we will enjoy fun and fellowship with the all-church Luau at Wen & Susie Wu’s.

August 27: The Youth Fellowship will have its kick-off in the afternoon.

September 10: Our Children’s Ministry will have an afternoon outreach event, involving church families and new folks.

September 17: The Presbyterian Women will begin their year with an allchurch potluck on the theme of their study this year, Genesis.

Sermon Series... Kathleen and I will be preaching several sermon series this fall on topics that we hope will be of interest and benefit not only to our members, but to a wider audience. The first series will look at the early stories of Genesis - the Creation, the Garden of Eden, etc. We’ll be trying to advertise and promote these, as a way to attract visitors.

Habitat Apostles Build... I’m excited that we are again participating in a Habitat for Humanity project, an “Apostles Build” with a number of other churches. As many of you know, Habitat is a wonderful way to do “hands-on” ministry and to get to know people from other churches. I hope we will get a strong response of both resources and work for this project. Paul Romanetz is coordinating our participation, and it begins early – September 1.

Youth Leadership Camp... As you will see, Johnny Bachman is taking a number of our youth to a Christian youth leadership camp in northern Minnesota. This camp was important in Johnny’s own spiritual growth, and I am excited about this opportunity for our youth to grow in both faith and leadership skills. I hope we can continue to foster youth leadership.

New Worship Schedule... We’re moving our sanctuary service to 10:45 a.m.,
which will allow me to teach Sunday morning classes (as I have not been able to do with the current schedule) and will make it easier for people to be involved in both the Bridge and sanctuary services.

For these and the other programs of our church to succeed, it will take two things: your prayer and your participation. The staff alone cannot make them succeed, the session alone cannot make them succeed; it will take people of all ages praying and stepping up to get involved. We will need people to teach Sunday School, help with youth ministry, prepare meals, sing in the choir, usher, provide refreshments, work at Habitat, come to events, participate on ministry teams and task groups, and so on.

Can we count on your prayers and participation? They will be vital.

         

Growing in Christ:

Children's Ministries

Where does summer seem to slip by so quickly? It seems like just yesterday that we had our maracas, singing to the beat of Fiesta! Lots of learning, singing, eating, and laughing. Thanks to all who supported in many ways. As we get ready for the “dog days” of August, let me share with you a few calendar dates. August 20: Sunday School resumes. We are still working on the Sunday morning schedule for children’s Sunday School. Possibilities include starting at 9:45 or 10:00 (with children leaving during the Bridge), or starting at 10:45. If you want to make your voice heard as to the time, please e-mail Linda or call the church office prior to August 1. Watch for further details. August 20, 27, September 3, 17, and 24: We will be using the curriculum “Summer Camp.” The most fun you can have without leaving home. Lots of messy activities that will be mostly held outside. Parents come and sign on to help with this. When was the last time you were “slimed?” September 10 :“Almost Anything Goes.” Lots of family type fun with competitive games and a talent show. Get your act ready and circle it on your calendar. You won’t want to miss it! We will be also having a cookout. Watch the bulletin board and Sunday’s bulletins for more details! I’m going to go and really enjoy the rest of the summer that God gave me before the busy season. How about you? In His Service, Linda Hartman Children's Coordinator Nursery Care-giver Position Open We have an opening for a nursery care-giver, due to the fact that Aisha White is starting college. This is a paid position, involving Sunday mornings on a rotating basis and occasional other times. If you are interested, or know someone who is, call the church office.

Growing in Christ:
Youth  Ministry

Youth Group Kick Off

Our Presbyterian Youth Fellowship (PYF) will have its fall kick-off event Sunday, August 27, from 5:00-8:00 p.m. All youth grades 7-12 are invited to PYF, which usually meets Sundays at 11:45 for lunch, followed by activities. Watch for further details on the kick-off event. For information about PYF, contact Johnny Bachman at the church (Tuesdays) or by email .

Tentmaker's Leadership Quest at Wilderness North On August 5, a small group of First Presbyterian youth and adult leaders will be embarking on a journey that will lead them into the wilderness of northern Minnesota for a week of leadership training and an experience that can only bring them closer to an understanding of God and their own faith. That’s right! Julia Robinson, Kelli Davis, Lauren Pitcher, Karen Evans, Diane Evans, and I (Johnny Bachman) are headed up to Leadership Quest at Wilderness North in Brimson, Minnesota! We will be traveling on August 5, 6, 12, and 13. Your prayers for safe travels and a life changing experience are much appreciated. On a personal note, I know that without this week of camp in my adolescent years that I would not be in ministry today. We have a great group going up to camp this summer and can’t wait to come back and share what we learned about ourselves, God, leadership, and ministry. God bless you and your family. Confirmation All incoming 8th grade students and parents are invited to an informational meeting about this year’s Confirmation program. We’ll meet in Room 107 at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, August 20. Older students who have not gone through the confirmation process are also invited. If you have questions, please contact Kathleen. Students: Please begin thinking NOW about 3-5 adults you might like to suggest to be your mentor.

DO YOU HAVE A HEART FOR YOUTH?

The Youth and Families Commission is looking for a few good people to be on our Youth Team. You would be supporting the Youth Director and the young people, grades 7-12 in planning and carrying out our programs. Meetings will be minimal, usually once a month. Come help support a dynamic youth ministry! Contact Starr Robinson or Johnny Bachman.
Thanks!
Starr

P.S. If you have any questions, you can contact me on my cell phone, 329-9092.

Johnny’s Random (Sometimes Incoherent)
Thoughts and Ramblings

It seems like every Sunday, whether it is in a Sunday School class or in a conversation with someone, I bring up something that makes my head hurt. You know what I am talking about. Not a headache or a bump from dropping something but a thought or thought process that is just too much for you to handle. I am sure that it happens to you at work or at school or sometimes in dealing with your spouse, sibling, or child. For me (and I am sure that soon it is going to become an inside joke because I say it so much) there are many items in Christianity and in my own beliefs that make my head hurt to think about them.

Let’s start with the one that comes up the most in my daily church life. The Trinity! So you are telling me that God is God, God is Jesus, and God is the Holy Spirit. Okay, I am with you so far. Now you are telling me that when Jesus was on the cross talking to God or in the garden praying to God, that Jesus is God and God is God and Jesus was talking to God but he, himself was God. Not to mention that in the beginning (Genesis 1:26) when God was creating man God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” Whoa…yup, there is the smoke coming out of my ears again! So Jesus was there then too, right? Or was God just talking to Himself? I mean, I do that a lot. Actually I usually talk to inanimate objects so that people don’t think I am crazy. But that is a whole other rambling.

But really, I should be getting to the point. The above example is just one of many things about God/life/Christianity that I do not get but I believe anyway. You see, we all struggle with questions about Christianity, about God, about Jesus, about life, and about why things work or happen the way that they do. And that is why faith is what it is.

Fortunately for us, God cares enough about us not to let us in on the exact workings of the world or all the reasons that things happen. After all is it really that important to know why God chose to put the earth on a 365.25 day long orbit around the sun or is it more important to trust that each day He gives us has opportunity to move ourselves and others closer to Him.

The truth is that He wants us to be faithful. He wants our faith in Him and His workings. He wants to see us believe in those things that we cannot see. It is after we show our faith in God that we can see all of the blessings around us.

“I will believe it when I see it.” I am sure that most of us have uttered this sentence sometime in our lives. But faith asks us to move the words around a little bit. God tells us that in faith we will see it when we believe it.

Faith can be a hard pill to swallow, especially when things are going wrong. But, just like I have faith and therefore believe that God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the same and yet different beings, so we must have faith that God is working in and around the world, putting his hand in and on everything that is happening in your life and mine.

It is when we trust in God, and accept that we are not going to understand everything, that we will truly see His glory and His work in our lives..

Growing in Christ:
Adult Ministry

Presbyterians on the GO   Mark your calendars for three fun August activities Outdoor Service & Picnic August 13 Join us in Island Park as we worship and have an all-church picnic on August 13. Luau August 20 On the following Sunday, August 20, we're invited to Wen & Susie Wu's for an all-church Luau, with roast pig, swimming, tennis, boating, and games. The fun starts at 2:00 p.m. Presbytery Fun Day Geneva Center Saturday, August 12, 2006 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Mark you calendar now and bring a friend! Activities include: Worship with Stonerollers Band and Lisa Mays preaching Campfire sing-a-long Live Music with Yellow River Bluegrass Revival Pastor Banjo trio No money Poker Tournament Intergenerational crafts and scavenger hunt Volleyball & SoftballTournaments (bring your teams)

Thursday Bible Discussion returns in August

We will meet at noon in Room 101. The coffee is hot, and you are invited to bring lunch!
We’ll kick off on Thursday, August 24, when we plan to begin a study of the Beatitudes (found in Matthew 5:1-12).

Ready for a good ole’ Fashioned Pot Luck dinner!?!?!!?

Fall Men’s Retreat

Other upcoming retreat opportunities

Sunday, September 24: Walking the Labyrinth at Geneva Center—open to all.
Friday, November 3 - Sunday, November 5: Fall Women’s Retreat at Quaker
Haven in Syracuse. Guest leader: Rev. Marcia Smith Wood.
Friday, November 10 - Sunday, November 12: A Presbytery-wide PW retreat.
Watch for more details in the coming months.

Men's Breakfast

What is the connection between our faith and our work? What difference does our faith make in the real world of the workplace? The Men's Breakfast begins exploring this topic this week. Join Steve Braden Wednesday mornings at 8:00 a.m. at Perkins at North Pointe Plaza (Cassopolis Street) for good food, good discussion, and prayer.

BBBB

The Brown Bag Book Bunch meets on the first Monday of each month at 11:00 a.m. to discuss the current book. The upcoming selections are: August   Biting the Moon Martha Grimes September    The Emancipator's Wife Barbara Hambly October   Portuguese Irregular Verbs Alexander McCall Smith November    The Body in Transept Jeanne Dams December  Night Elie Wiesel January  90 Minutes in Heaven Don Piper Join us in the Reception Room.

Fellowship and Finance

Everyone is invited to join the Fall F.E.A.S.T.

What makes a F.E.A.S.T.?
It’s not the food – it can be fancy or plain, gourmet or mac ‘n’ cheese!
It’s the company!
Friends Enjoying A Shared Table
Friends Enjoying A Shared Table -- remember these get togethers? It is a great chance to meet new people, renew friendships, have a good meal, and generally have a good time. These groups will begin meeting again in the fall. We need lots of members to join.

You’ll be put in a group with 7-10 other people, and will get together for dinner (or lunch) once a month from September through December. Each group decides when it is best for them to meet.

Please consider joining one of these groups. It’s a great way to meet new people at church! If you have enjoyed this activity before, invite a friend to sign up also. If you've never joined this activity, TRY IT; You'll find F.EA.S.T. really fun. Sign up will begin in August. Look for the sheets on a poster in the hallways, or call the church office. Registration deadline: Sunday, August 27.

PoGO Planning Meeting…

What shape will PoGO (Presbyterians on the Go) have this year? What kinds of outings, events, and service will it enjoy? Who will step forward to help lead the activities and events? There will be a call-out meeting for all interested people (primarily but not exclusively age 65+) on Monday, September 18, at 10:00 a.m. in the Reception Room. Watch for further details.

Finances

The good news is that we have received, or received notice of, several generous bequests:
• $100,000 in undesignated funds from a trust established by the late Edward Flanders, which terminated on the death of his wife, Elizabeth (Bib) Flanders.
• $100,000 from an IRA established by the late John Harman, designated to the Presbyterian Foundation for use in personnel costs.
• $7,000 from the estate of the late Dorothy Burkhardt.

The not-so-good news is that we are still running behind on our pledge income. Are you up-to-date in your pledge? If not, catching up would greatly help our cash flow.

Sharing Christ's Love

Habitat for Humanity:
the Apostle's Project

We are now moving forward with our scheduled build. It will run from September 9 thru the 30, 2006, with a Prebuild Day on September 1st. First Presbyterian has already volunteered to provide the meals and devotion for September 1st, the Prebuild Day. We will need volunteers for this day. We will not necessarily need volunteers everyday, especially with the other participating congregations, but we will need a good level of participation to make sure we do our part.

If you have been, or currently  are involved in Habitat, we are counting on you to participate in this build. If you never have, please consider a unique opportunity to share your time for a tremendously worthwhile cause, one that has been placing needy families in new homes all over the world! An added bonus is that it's just a lot of fun!

Also, if you belong to a business, or other entity that has the means to provide some of the building materials and or professional labor, please let us know immediately. As a volunteer you may help prepare meals, provide the morning devotion before work begins, help with the skilled, semi-skilled, or non-skilled labor, or all of these tasks. Either way, we need you, and want you.
Please contact Paul Romanetz at (574)210-8749 or via email to put yourself on the list of volunteers.

Church Community Services continues to be in great need of both food and funds for emergency services, particularly rent and utility assistance, as demand continues to grow. Many other agencies and churches (including ours) are out of funds for emergency services as well. Any contributions of food and/or funds are greatly appreciated!

Trustees Update

Water Damage
The several torrential rainstorms in July dropped water into Rooms 100 and 101 and the adjoining hallway. The carpet in Room 100 is being replaced. Terry is attempting to clean the carpet in Room 101 and the hallway to remove the mustiness. If that is not successful, we will replace more carpet. It appears that some of the damage may be covered by insurance. We have had some repair work done on the roof, but it appears that the rain simply overwhelmed our drain system, bringing water in on the outside of the drains.

HVAC Update
The new wall-mounted heating/air conditioning units are installed and working in the fellowship hall, much to the enjoyment of Bridge attendees and staff.

We are awaiting a design-build proposal on complete renovation of the piping and controls in the boiler room.

Susanna's Kitchen is an ecumenical soup kitchen currently housed in First Congregational Church, at Third and Marion. Our congregation serves food the fourth Monday of each month. Volunteers need to be there from 10:45-12:30.  If you would like to help, sign up in the Gathering Place or call Walt or Beth Davis (293-7786). Church Community Services (CCS), our ecumenical food pantry, distributes bags of food and (as funds are available) assistance with rent and utility payments to local families needing emergency help. Our church supports CCS with regular donations from our mission budget, and a number of our members make individual contributions toward rent assistance (since CCS now incorporates the work of the former Dave's Place). Several of our members volunteer at CCS, and they can always use more volunteers! We collect grocery donations each Sunday on the following schedule:   First Sunday – Fish (canned tuna & salmon) Second Sunday – Spaghetti & Spam (sauce & canned meat) Third Sunday – Oral Hygiene & Toiletries (toothpaste, personal care) Fourth Sunday – Canned Fruit Fifth Sunday – Cleaning Supplies for Faith Mission

This 'n' That

To my friends and family at First Presbyterian Church. On June 30 I celebrated my 84th birthday to a shower of Birthday cards (57 and more arriving daily). You have made my 84th birthday so memorable. Thanks to each and every one of you. My sincere thank you to all of you dear friends. Nancy Whalen Dear Friends, Thank you for the wonderful caring card. It gives me such pleasure to read and reread all the messages. Pat Van Dyke To My Presbyterian Friends, In 1922, the Bryner family moved from Goshen to Elkhart, and became members of the First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Second and High Street. And today, in 2006, on my 90th birthday, I want you all to know how very much I appreciate your friendship all these years. You are all “special friends” and I thank you for your card, consideration, and kindness. Isabelle Freeman Your expression of sympathy was a blessing. Thank you so much! Bill Loftus Sermons on the Web...You may now listen to the sanctuary services' sermons and scriptures. Use the link found on the opening page of the church's web page at presby.net. Most browsers will automatically start the mp3 sound with your selection. The Bridge services and sermons may be accessed by this link. Do you have a prayer concern? Do you know of someone in the hospital, recovering from illness, etc.? Let us know, so we can hold you or your friend in prayer. Contact Pat Van Dyke to be placed on the prayer chain. Newsletter  Deadline The next newsletter will be inserted in the bulletin on August 20 , and mailed the following week to those who are not in worship. Please submit articles for that newsletter by August 11.

The sympathy of the congregation is extended to Gene Gamber on the death of his mother. Congratulations go to: Andrea & Craig Phillips (former members, now in Valparaiso) on the birth on their son, Nathan Scott, who was born on July 20, which is Craig’s birthday. Nathan joins sister, Lauren. Kendra Ellington, daughter of Ken & Susan, and grand-daughter of Sy & Vivian Pell, on being elected 2006 Elkhart County Fair Queen. Jane Best, daughter of the late Jack & Carolyn Best, on receiving a Dissertation of the Year award from The Council for Advancement and Support of Education, for her Vanderbilt dissertation on the politics of federal funding for scientific and technical research. New Books in Library…Our library has several new books, including: The Jesus I Never Knew by Phillip Yancey; Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time by Marcus Borg; The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian McLaren; Jesus, the Bible, and Homosexuality by Jack Rogers; Adventures in Missing the Point by Brian McLaren & Tony Campolo; Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller; Living the Resurrection by Eugene Peterson; Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense by N.T. Wright; and The Complete Gospels, edited by Robert J. Miller. Information on these books, along with a book review of Give to Live by Douglas Lawson, is available in the library.