A Note from Pastor Leslie

I don’t know if it’s because of my undergraduate degree in psychology or not, but I’ve always been interested in personality tests and what they can tell us about ourselves. I have learned (and occasionally also forgotten) by Myers-Briggs letters, my Enneagram numbers, as well as my color and my animal, and who knows what else! What I do know from all of that (or just from living with myself for as long as I have) is that I am a person who appreciates certainty when I can find it. I LOVE a good list, and I especially love a list that has everything marked off of it. While it is usually Jeff’s job, I actually enjoy mowing the grass from time to time, because it is a job that has a definite beginning and end, and you can watch the progress happen as you complete the job. I cook from a recipe much better than I cook by taste (as much as my grandmother might have tried to train me otherwise). I just like to know what’s expected of me and what I can expect of others.

So often, certainty is not a guarantee in this life that we live. Babies don’t come with instruction manuals and marriages don’t bring with them a “how-to” list. And even when we think that we have some certainty in life, an unexpected phone call from a loved one or a diagnosis from a doctor or a pink slip from work comes in and upsets the tenuous sureness we may have found. So many times I have thought that there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do to help in a situation, if only I had some instructions to follow. Then I would know just which way to go.



Our gospel texts for the season of Lent all have direct instructions from Jesus, so for this season we are looking to Jesus for our marching orders! Join us each week in worship between now and Easter as we hear from Jesus what we should do, whether it is to follow, to serve, to love, to prepare or to pay attention. Through all of these marching orders, hopefully we will all arrive ready to celebrate the resurrection on Easter Sunday!

Pop-Up Sunday School - This Sunday, February 18

The Executive Director of Cooperative Christian Ministries and Clinic, Sallie Culbreth, will be here to talk about their focus on three areas of human need: Poverty Disruption Programs, Charitable Healthcare and Advocacy. It is the mission of CCMC to improve life for our under-served, under-resourced neighbors. Come learn about the programs they have to offer this Sunday, February 18, at 9:30 a.m.

Birthday Sunday - February 18

Join us this Sunday for Birthday Sunday where we honor our members and friends celebrating birthdays in the month of February. Following worship, we invite members, friends and guests to the Fellowship Hall for Birthday Cake.

Handbells

Handbells will resume rehearsals this Sunday, February 18, at 11:30 a.m. If you are still considering joining the handbell choir, it’s not too late. Handbells will be meeting each Sunday after worship.

Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity

This Sunday at 3:00 p.m., the Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity will present a program in our sanctuary, free and open to the public. Several musical groups will be performing, including Threshold Singers, SAI Strings, Hot Springs Flute Ensemble, SAI’s Cantate and the Ukestra (First Methodist Church’s ukulele choir). Please come out to welcome these community musicians to our church, and enjoy a musical program very different from last week’s Super Bowl!

Boy Scouts - Troop 1

We would like to invite you to help support Boy Scout Troop #1 by having dinner at Freddy's on Tuesday, February 20, 5:00-8:00 p.m. This fundraiser is to help our Scouts raise money to pay their way for a 5-day canoe trek this summer. Be sure to mention "I'm here for the fundraiser" at checkout. FPC is host organization to this FIRST and oldest Boy Scout Troop in the state. Help us show them our support!

Family Night (Breakfast) for Supper

Our church family enjoyed time together eating breakfast for supper before heading to the sanctuary for our Ash Wednesday service to begin the season of preparation for Easter.

Blessing Box

After some down-time and a little TLC, the Blessing Box is back on the wall to serve our community. Thank you Steve DeMott for coordinating and working to get the box hung back up.

Mystery Member of the Week!

If you didn't know it, Kathy Farrar is our mystery member! Stay tuned, as next week we will ask another church member 8 questions about themselves. Happy sleuthing!!

(If you are asked to be a "Mystery Member", please keep in mind that it is okay if there are some people that may guess who you are. The purpose is for people that don't know you, to learn about you, and the ones that do know you, to learn something new.)

1.      Where were you born?

Little Rock, Arkansas

2.      What was your first job?

Swimming Instructor

3.      What is your favorite vacation spot?

Istanbul

4.      What movie or television show could you watch again and again?

Yellowstone

5.      What hidden talent do you have?

Artist

6.      What was your favorite subject in school?

History

7.      What skill would you most want to wake up tomorrow and be able to do?

Advanced Math

8.      Why do you love First Presbyterian Church?

Pastor Leslie and the kindness of the members and their willingness to help the less fortunate.