First Presbyterian Church of Fairbanks

First Light

Volume 19 Issue 9 September 2010

The Well

Will start up again on Wednesday, Sept. 22 with a barbeque hosted by Session. Keep an eye out for opportunities to serve in this important and exciting ministry. For more information contact Paul Reichardt (455-6703 or reichardt@alaska.net)

Winter Clothing Give-Away

If you would like to contribute to needy often homeless adults you can help by bringing in: Winter boots, Wool socks, Winter Jackets, Sweaters, Gloves or Mittens, Snow Pants, Long Underwear We are receiving donations all the time, but in late September we aim to conduct an organized winter clothing give-away. So please contribute by September 22nd

“As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him.” (Mark 1:16-18)

As we’ve moved through Mark’s gospel over the past months I’m continually drawn back and struck by the passage above. It’s striking to me perhaps because many times in my experience in the church I’ve received the message that being a Christian is all about what a person believes or about how good their behavior is.

Interestingly enough, in Mark, Jesus never tells the disciples “In order to be my people…in order to be saved…you must believe such and such.” Neither did Jesus say, “If you’re a good person, you’re in.”
No, Jesus simply says, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ Jesus was primarily concerned with our relationship to him and that we were following him. Christians are all about doing the things he did, loving people the way he loved them, obeying the Father as Jesus obeyed the Father, touching the hurting and broken the way Jesus touched them, seeking the lost as Jesus sought them, and training future followers as he did and all of this, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
That’s the bottom line. Jesus said, if we’re following him, we’ll be made into fishers of people. In other words, we will develop a burden for those who don’t know God and we’ll reach out to them with the Father’s love.
Somehow or another the church has gotten the mistaken notion that the bottom line of being a Christians is about intellectual belief and membership in a church. Belief and church membership are important. In fact, both are critically important for God’s mission and our growth. But consider a few differences between membership and discipleship:

“Membership is about getting; discipleship is about giving. Membership is about dues; discipleship is about stewardship. Membership is about belonging to a select group with its privileges and prerogatives; discipleship is about changing and shaping lives by the grace of God.” Power Surge p. 21

Jesus called us to be, above all else, his followers. Are you following Jesus? What needs to be changed so that you can say with confidence, “I am truly a follower of Jesus Christ”?
If you’d like to talk about how you might take specific steps in your life towards a more faithful following of Jesus, let’s get together. You may also want to talk with one of our two elders of Congregational Spiritual Development (Dale Feist or Perry Schneider). They too would welcome sitting with you and developing a strategy for becoming more like Jesus. Discipleship…following Jesus…receiving the Father’s love and giving it away to the world is the bottom line and that’s where we all want to be as a church. Don’t let another day go by without taking steps to be more like Jesus.

Your fellow Christ-follower,
Pastor Andy

Session News

At its August 17th meeting the elders met and conducted the following business:

• Celebrated the news that we’ve filled the new full-time children’s ministry position. Thanks to Stephanie Rozell, Rebecca Gilbert, Carina Menaker, and Mark Lawson for their work on the search team.
• Elected Loriann Quakenbush to be Moderator-elect of the Nominating Committee.
• Approved the motion that any applications for grants that are binding on FPC be approved by the session.
• Approved changes to the Agnes Hering Schlofeldt Memorial Education Scholarship.
• Celebrated the final payment of our $3,332,000 mortgage.
• Approved beginning The Well ministry on September 22nd.

Youth Group News!

School just started, but new and exciting events are starting with FPC Youth Ministry too! We are meeting every Wednesday for Bible Study from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. We just started studying the Gospel of Luke and it is awesome! We are meeting for Youth Group every Sunday from 5pm to 7:30 pm. All Junior and Senior High youth are invited to attend and invite friends as well! We also need adult volunteers to help out with meals, supervision and sharing their gifts of time and presence!

August 29 will be a special day as we will have our first ever Canned Food Scavenger Hunt! (We will definitely need extra adult drivers and team leaders for Aug. 29).
Sunday School begins on September 12 at 10 am, we are starting with an excellent book called "Dangerous Wonder" that explores the mysterious and adventurous relationship between God and His children!

There will be a very important planning meeting for all youth, parents and adults interested in contributing to our youth ministry on September 19th at 1pm. The goals of this meeting will be short-term planning to cover the school year, a mission trip, fundraisers, special activities, and long range visioning so that we can give shape to what we want our ministry too look like five years from now. Your presence and contributions are needed at this meeting!

So spread the word, invite your friends and please contact David Booher for more information!

Adult Sunday School Study of the Book of Ruth

Bill Beaudoin will lead his adult Sunday School class in a ten-week study of the books of Ruth and Esther beginning on Sunday, September 12th at 10 AM. The first five weeks (September 12 to October 10) will be devoted to the book of Ruth. Bill’s introduction follows:

“Ruth is a story of love, devotion, and redemption set in the black context of the days of the judges. It is the story of a Moabite woman who forsakes her pagan heritage in order to cling to the people of Israel and to the God of Israel. Because of her faithfulness in a time of national faithlessness, God rewards her by giving her a new husband (Boaz), a son (Obed), and a privileged position in the lineage of David and Christ (she is the great-grandmother of David). The theme of Ruth is redemption, especially as it relates to the Kinsman-Redeemer. It reveals Yahweh’s gracious character and sovereign care for His people (2:12). It stresses God’s providential rewards for faithfulness. Not all was lost during this chaotic period—there was always a faithful Remnant of those who did what was right in the sight of the Lord.”

Watch for more adult Sunday School classes to be announced!

September 1 Morning: Psalm 96; 147:1-11 Job 12:1; 14:1-22 Acts 12:18-25 John 8:47-59 Evening: Psalm 132; 134
September 2 Morning: Psalm 116; 147:12-20 Job 16:16-22; 17:1, 13-16 Acts 13:1-12 John 9:1-17 Evening: Psalm 26; 130
September 3 Morning: Psalm 84; 148 Job 19:1-7, 14-27 Acts 13:13-25 John 9:18-41 Evening: Psalm 25; 40
September 4 Morning: Psalm 63; 149 Job 22:1-4, 21—23:7 Acts 13:26-43 John 10:1-18 Evening: Psalm 125; 90
September 5 Morning: Psalm 103; 150 Job 25:1-6; 27:1-6 Revelation 14:1-7, 13 Matthew 5:13-20 Evening: Psalm 117; 139
September 6 Morning: Psalm 5; 145 Job 32:1-10, 19—33:1, 19-28 Acts 13:44-52 John 10:19-30 Evening: Psalm 82; 29
September 7 Morning: Psalm 42; 146 Job 29:1-20 Acts 14:1-18 John 10:31-42 Evening: Psalm 102; 133
September 8 Morning: Psalm 89:1-18; 147:1-11 Job 29:1; 30:1-2, 16-31 Acts 14:19-28 John 11:1-16 Evening: Psalm 1; 33
September 9 Morning: Psalm 97; 147:12-20 Job 29:1; 31:1-23 Acts 15:1-11 John 11:17-29 Evening: Psalm 16; 62
September 10 Morning: Psalm 51; 148 Job 29:1; 31:24-40 Acts 15:12-21 John 11:30-44 Evening: Psalm 142; 65
September 11 Morning: Psalm 104; 149 Job 38:1-17 Acts 15:22-35 John 11:45-54 Evening: Psalm 138; 98
September 12 Morning: Psalm 19; 150 Job 38:1, 18-41 Revelation 18:1-8 Matthew 5:21-26 Evening: Psalm 81; 113
September 13 Morning: Psalm 135; 145 Job 40:1-24 Acts 15:36—16:5 John 11:55—12:8 Evening: Psalm 97; 112
September 14 Morning: Psalm 123; 146 Job 40:1; 41:1-11 Acts 16:6-15 John 12:9-19 Evening: Psalm 30; 86
September 15 Morning: Psalm 15; 147:1-11 Job 42:1-17 Acts 16:16-24 John 12:20-26 Evening: Psalm 48; 4
September 16 Morning: Psalm 36; 147:12-20 Job 28:1-28 Acts 16:25-40 John 12:27-36a Evening: Psalm 80; 27
September 17 Morning: Psalm 130; 148 Esther 1:1-4, 10-19 Acts 17:1-15 John 12:36b-43 Evening: Psalm 32; 139
September 18 Morning: Psalm 56; 149 Esther 2:5-8, 15-23 Acts 17:16-34 John 12:44-50 Evening: Psalm 118; 111
September 19 Morning: Psalm 67; 150 Esther 3:1—4:3 James 1:19-27 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Evening: Psalm 46; 93
September 20 Morning: Psalm 57; 145 Esther 4:4-17 Acts 18:1-11 Luke (1:1-4) 3:1-14 Evening: Psalm 85; 47
September 21 Morning: Psalm 54; 146 Esther 5:1-14 Acts 18:12-28 Luke 3:15-22 Evening: Psalm 28; 99
September 22 Morning: Psalm 65; 147:1-11 Esther 6:1-14 Acts 19:1-10 Luke 4:1-13 Evening: Psalm 125; 91
September 23 Morning: Psalm 143; 147:12-20 Esther 7:1-10 Acts 19:11-20 Luke 4:14-30 Evening: Psalm 81; 116
September 24 Morning: Psalm 88; 148 Esther 8:1-8, 15-17 Acts 19:21-41 Luke 4:31-37 Evening: Psalm 6; 20
September 25 Morning: Psalm 122; 149 Esther 9:1-32 Acts 20:1-16 Luke 4:38-44 Evening: Psalm 100; 63
September 26 Morning: Psalm 108; 150 Hosea 1:1—2:1 James 3:1-13 Matthew 13:44-52 Evening: Psalm 66;
23
September 27 Morning: Psalm 62; 145 Hosea 2:2-15 Acts 20:17-38 Luke 5:1-11 Evening: Psalm 73; 9
September 28 Morning: Psalm 12; 146 Hosea 2:16-23 Acts 21:1-14 Luke 5:12-26 Evening: Psalm 36; 7
September 29 Morning: Psalm 96; 147:1-11 Hosea 3:1-5 Acts 21:15-26 Luke 5:27-39 Evening: Psalm 132; 134
September 30 Morning: Psalm 116; 147:12-20 Hosea 4:1-10 Acts 21:27-36 Luke 6:1-11 Evening: Psalm 26; 130

The lectionary readings are found at pcusa.org/lectionary/lectionary. They can also be emailed to you daily.

Secret Sisters Year End Celebration

On August 8th the Secret Sisters gathered at Susan Craft’s to celebrate the end of 2009-2010 season. They meant for food, fellowship and to find out who their secret sister had been for the past year. For information on the upcoming year and how you can participate in the fun contact Jeanette Wrede, 479-5132.

“WORKSHOP”

What has kept you from sharing your testimony, praying with someone for their needs, or leading a small group/class? This new series will encourage you to step out! More details will follow in the upcoming weeks.

We’re hosting Presbytery here October 7-9th!

We’re hosting Presbytery here October 7-9th! Please mark your calendars and consider how you can help. We’ll need a lot of volunteers! Our church is responsible for providing housing, transportation and several meals for between 75-100 attendees. The guidelines I’ve received suggest to plan on about 70 hours of volunteer time for housing and transportation, 50 hrs for food, and about a dozen individuals to help clean and serve meals. I know it will be a lot of hard work, but it should be very rewarding and fun to get to know some of our Presbyterian brothers and sisters from around the state. We’ll have sign-up sheets available after the services. Specific needs include:

• A transportation volunteer coordinator (preferably someone available to be on call from Wed evening through Sat or Sun)
• Lots of host homes willing to provide bed and breakfast hospitality (thank you Connie Kler for agreeing to be the housing coordinator!)
• Servers and host/hostesses available to be at the church (primarily during the day on Friday and/or Saturday)
• People willing to help prepare meals and snacks

If you’re willing and interested in being part of our “team” as a key volunteer or if you have any questions, please contact us.
Carla Malingowski,
Suzanne Black
Elders of Hospitality and Fellowship