The FPC Herald - January 2019

The FPC Herald

The Newsletter of

First Presbyterian Church

Roswell, New Mexico

January 2019

The Pastor's Reflections

The Confessions of the Presbyterian Church (USA)

4. The Heidelberg Catechism

During the Protestant Reformation tensions between Lutherans and Reformed Christians was intense, in particular with respect to the nature and theology of the Lord's Supper. Completed in 1562, the Heidelberg Catechism was an attempt to defuse and mediate the disagreements.

The Catechism opens with two questions concerning a Christian's comfort in life and death. The knowledge that our only comfort is Jesus Christ frames the remainder of the catechism. Questions 3-11 deal with our sin and guilt, questions 12-85 with the way in which God in Jesus Christ frees us, and questions 86-129 with the way we express gratitude to God for redemption.

Each question of the catechism is personal, addressed to "you." Each answer draws as much as possible on Biblical language. The catechism's tone is conciliatory, showing little of the controversy that produced it. Its theology is both catholic (universal in appeal) and evangelical (setting forth the gospel of Jesus Christ.)

The influence of the Heidelberg Catechism in the church's preaching and teaching continues to be felt in Germany, Austria, Holland, Hungary, parts of Eastern Europe, Scotland, Canada, and the United States.

In Christ,

Pastor John

(This introduction to the catechism is derived from the description found in our Book of Confessions.)

The Lord's Supper

Sunday, January 6th

Come celebrate the Feast of the Lord!

If you would like to receive home Communion,

please call the Church Office at 622-4910.

January Calendar

January 1st	New Year's Day - Office Closed
January 6th	Communion Sunday
January 8th	Men's Fellowship Luncheon - Noon, Peppers Restaurant
January 11th	Church Management Committee - 7:00am, Fellowship Hall
January 12th	Gathering, SE Cluster of Sierra Blanca Presbytery - Noon, Lovington FPC
January 17th	Session Meeting - 5:00pm, Library
January 21st	Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Office Closed
January 25th	Community Kitchen Ministry - 9:15am
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Wednesdays	Wednesday Breakfast Group - 7:30am, Martin's Capital Café
Wednesdays	Choir Rehearsal - 7:00 p.m.
Fridays	Prayer Group - Noon, Parlor

January Worship Schedule and Scripture Readings

January 6th - Epiphany of the Lord

Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12

January 13th - Baptism of the Lord

Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

January 20th - 2nd Sunday after Epiphany

Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11;

John 2:1-11

January 27th - 3rd Sunday after Epiphany

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a;

Luke 4:14-21

Read the Scripture passages HERE.

Serving in January

January 6th

Service Elder: ________

Liturgist: Betty Young

Phone Message Reader: Paul Mysza

Deacon Hospital Visitation: Ann Ruback

Chancel Guild: Wendy Lunsford, Betsy Cunningham, Lucy Tucker

January 13th

Service Elder: Bill Wolf

Liturgist: Deb Prince

Phone Message Reader: Roberta Pess

Deacon Hospital Visitation: Mary Lou Glass

Chancel Guild: Margo Fullinwider, Martha Brown

January 20th

Service Elder: ________

Liturgist: ________

Phone Message Reader: Anna Maria Matteucci

Deacon Hospital Visitation: Rebecca Johnson

Chancel Guild: Martha Mayer, Deb Prince, Jacque Allen

January 27th

Service Elder: Bob Kurtz

Liturgist: ________

Phone Message Reader: Wayne Glass

Deacon Hospital Visitation: Connie Wolf

Chancel Guild: Lynn Karnes, Ann Hultman, Connie Wolf

Winter Congregational Meeting

February 3rd

The Winter Congregational Meeting is set for Sunday, February 3rd, following worship. The agenda includes a report on the 2019 church budget, approval of the pastor's terms of call for 2019, and election of a Deacon to fill a vacancy on the Board.

All FPC members are encouraged to attend. Non-members are very welcome.

Nominating Committee Update

The FPC Manual of Administrative Operations calls for the election of at-large members of the church Nominating Committee at the Summer Meeting of the congregation. In recent years those members have been elected at the Winter Meeting, but Session has formally authorized the Nominating Committee to adhere to the Administrative Manual.

The three at-large members of the committee will be nominated by the committee and considered by the congregation at its Summer Meeting in June/July. At last summer's meeting the congregation approved a smaller Nominating Committee, consisting of three at-large members, one Ruling Elder, and one Deacon.

In the mean time, the committee will function through the Summer 2019 Congregational Meeting with the four at-large members elected last July (Roberta Pess, Bob Carroll, Doug Lunsford, and Jon Hitchcock) plus the two members designated by Session (Mike Hunter, Chairperson, and Bob Kurtz) and the Deacon representative (Betty Young).

The Nominating Committee is working (prayerfully) to select a nominee to fill a vacancy on the Board of Deacons, with election set for the Winter 2019 congregational meeting on February 3.

Director of Communications and Outreach

Session has approved the hiring of a part-time Director of Communications and Outreach for 2019 with a budget of $22,607. The position is approved for one year, with a review and evaluation at the end of 2019. The position will be advertised in early January with interviews immediately following. The search and hiring process falls under the auspices of Session's Personnel Committee (Bob Kurtz, Chairperson).

The new director will oversee all aspects of maintaining and increasing the church's visibility in the community (website, Facebook page, print advertisements, etc.) and suggesting new means of raising the church's profile, such as hosting community events. The director may also assist with church volunteer recruitment and training.

Men's Fellowship Luncheon

Tuesday, January 8th

The Men's Fellowship Luncheon group will meet on Tuesday, January 8th, at noon at Peppers Restaurant. Women are also very welcome.

The speaker on January 8th will be Jason Burke, one of the leaders of Roswell's Community Bible Study. Jason will talk about his life before being saved and his five years in prison. During his incarceration Jason diligently read the Bible. Come hear his remarkable story.

Please RSVP to Wayne Glass.

Ladies' Valentine's Luncheon

Saturday, February 9th

T he Evangelism Committee of Session will host a Ladies' Valentine's Luncheon on Saturday, February 9th, at 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall. The event will honor the women of First Presbyterian Church and benefit The Roswell Refuge.

FPC women are encouraged to bring at least one friend and a few women's/children's toiletry items to be donated to The Refuge. There will be a sign up sheet in the Narthex shortly. Reservations are due by January 27. The luncheon will be catered. Contact Deb Prince, Evangelism Committee Chairperson, for more information.

Welcoming New Members

Are you interested in joining First Presbyterian Church as a member? Benefits include a voice and vote at congregational meetings and the opportunity to serve our church as a Ruling Elder or Deacon.

The FPC Session intends to welcome new members in January or February. If the Spirit is moving you to consider membership, please talk to Pastor John right away.

Highlights of Session Meeting

December 20, 2018

Clerk's Report. The Clerk's recommendations for deletions from the church membership roll will be available shortly. The Clerk continues work on year-end statistical and presbytery reports.

Church Management (CM) Committee. 2019 Building use requests for the Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO), Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and Roswell Jazz Festival were approved. CM continues to negotiate with the church's insurance company and roof warranty company over coverage of flat-roof replacement. Session approved the CM-proposed budget for 2019 of $296,909, including wages and employment taxes for a part-time Director of Communications and Outreach. All other church staff will receive a 2.0% raise in 2019.

Personnel Committee (PC). Session authorized the Personnel Committee to carry out a search and conduct interviews for the Communications Director position, which will be evaluated at year-end 2019. Funding for the new position will be derived from reserve and surplus 2018 funds. PC Chairman Bob Kurtz will draft 2019 Pastor's Terms of Call for consideration by the congregation.

Nominating Committee. The committee will commence work in January to identify a person to fill a vacancy on the Board of Deacons. The committee will continue working through July 2019 with the four at-large members elected in July 2018, plus two Ruling Elders and one Deacon appointed by their respective boards.

Mission Committee. All budgeted 2018 agency donations have been distributed.

Fellowship Committee. Christmas Luncheon on Sunday, December 16 went well. Cider and cookies to follow the Christmas Eve Service.

Evangelism Committee. Ads for the Christmas Eve Service will appear in the Daily Record and on Facebook. The committee will host a Ladies' Valentines Day Luncheon in February, encouraging FPC members to bring a friend.

Stewardship Committee. As of December 20, 56 pledges for $254,302 have been received.

Other Business. The Clerk continues work on an emergency action plan for the church (storm, fire, armed intruder, etc.) Session set the Winter Congregational Meeting date to be February 3, 2019. Session tentatively plans to welcome new FPC members in January/February, with their appearance before the congregation to follow.

Vulnerable Embrace

A New Book by

Elana Keppel Levy and Lucas Levy Keppel

Vulnerable Embrace is a book that celebrates the worship of God through a unique collection of 21st century sermons.

Within, you will find:

stories of love, loss, and camping
plays and dialogues between Bible characters who never could have met any other way
connections between science, history and scripture that reveal more harmony than you might expect
a love of the Biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek that helps bring great depth and refreshing clarity to the work.

Elana and Lucus serve as Co-Pastors of Trinity Presbyterian

Church in Bixby, OK. Elana previously served as Assistant to the Pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Roswell, NM.

Order online HERE.

2019 Presbyterian Giving Catalog

As Presbyterians, we are a people rooted in the grace of Jesus Christ. It is our gratitude for God's grace that moves us to join in God's mission in the world, with ministries of love and justice, reconciliation and peace.

Generous gifts to the Presbyterian Giving Catalog are signs of our gratitude: feeding the hungry, comforting the broken-hearted, and sharing our faith with young and old. By joining our gifts together, however large or small, we expand our witness to God's gracious and abundant work in the world.