3/27/2025 FPC E-News

First Presbyterian Church

March 27, 2025 E-News

Upcoming Service for the Lord's Day

4th Sunday in Lent

Sunday, March 30, 2025 ~ 10:30 a.m.

Preacher: Rev. Leslie Roper

Sermon: "The One with the Beggar with a Name"

Scripture Lessons:

Psalm 41:1-3, 11-13 and Luke 16:19-31

A Note from Pastor Leslie

Lent often has the reputation of being a bummer of a liturgical season. On the surface, Lent starts with a reminder that we are all going to die and continues with practices that remind us that we do not deserve the grace that was shown to us on the cross. Other than the obvious factual nature of both of those claims, I do have to admit it does not make for great promotional materials.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, when we remember and consider our own frailty as humans. We are, indeed, made from dust and, in time, to dust we shall return. Instead of a morbid reminder of our death, though, this is a call to celebrate our life. What an incredible thing it is that, from the dust of the universe, God made each of us, breathing in us the breath of life. By the love of our creator, we have been given the gift of days here on earth, days that will not last forever. What we do with those days matter. And so, each year on Ash Wednesday, we give thanks for those days and recognize that we have been given a gift, and also have a responsibility in the ways we spend them.

As we continue our Lenten journey to the cross, we remember that we could do a better job in life, that, indeed, we have fallen short of the Glory of God. So, as we prepare to celebrate the single greatest gift we could receive from our savior God, we take a long, hard look at what we have done wrong and imagine ways we can do it better. Many take this time to “fast” or to “give something up” for the season, in order to make room for other, better, parts of their life. Here are a few of the suggestions offered by Pope Francis as Christians near the Lenten season:

Fast from anger ...and be filled with patience
Fast from selfishness ...and be compassionate to others
Fast from hurting words ...and say kind words
Fast from complaints ...and contemplate simplicity
Fast from words ...and be silent so you can listen

While giving up chocolate for a few months might, indeed, be good for the waistline, walking away from saying hurtful and hateful things, that could be good for so much more. So, this year, enter Lent as an invited guest, welcomed to a time of shaping (and re-shaping) our lives into lives truly worth living.

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Worship Service

Sermon: "The One with the Lost Brothers"

Lenten Friends

During Lent in the gospel of Luke, we walk with Jesus all the way from Capernaum to Jerusalem, where the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday take place. This year, as we journey with Jesus, we are going to pay a little extra attention to the cast of supporting characters that we meet along the way. Some of them will be old friends, but we will possibly see them in a different light. Some may be new friends that we will meet along the way. All of them, though, will have something to teach us. So, come journey with Jesus and his cast of supporting characters as we walk our Lenten journey.

3rd Annual Lenten Worship and Lunch Series

Each Monday in Lent, you are invited to gather as a Hot Springs faith community as we center worship around Jesus’ “I am” statements. We will begin at 12:05 p.m. each Monday in the host sanctuary with a brief time of worship followed by a light lunch and fellowship. This Monday, March 31, the host church is Oaklawn United Methodist (216 Higdon Ferry Rd) with Rev. Leslie Roper preaching.

Spa City Youth

Family Night Supper

Holy Week

Easter Lilies

If you would like to contribute to the lilies that decorate the sanctuary for Easter, please click here for an order form. The deadline to order is Sunday, April 13. A list of donors, “in memory of” and/or “in honor of”, will be listed in the Easter Sunday bulletin. You may also contact the church office (501-624-5646 or office@firstpreshotsprings.org) to place your order.

Music Notes from Ian Aipperspach

Our opening hymn this week is not only a hymn of celebration as we proclaim “I greet Thee, who my sure redeemer art,” but also reminds us on this journey of Lent to the cross about the pain Christ didst bear to save us from our sins and that our hope is in Christ, that in His strength we may evermore endure. When you open your hymnal on Sunday and look in the upper left-hand corner (of any hymn in our hymnbook), you will see the author(s) for the hymn. For this hymn, there are three credited: John Calvin, the French Psalter of Strasbourg, and the English translator Elizabeth Lee Smith.

The Psalter of Strasbourg was compiled in 1539 during Calvin’s exile from Geneva. The Psalms which are set in rhyming verse which Calvin believed aided the congregation to lift their hearts in praise to God. Known as a linguist with an expertise in German and French, Elizabeth Lee Smith translated the hymn into English in 1868. It was published in Christ in Song in 1869. Her dad served as president of Dartmouth and her husband was a professor at Union Seminary in New York.

The tune TOULON is a variation of Old 124^th of the Genevan Psalter (note the marks in the upper right-hand corner). The tune was probably written and harmonized in 1551 by Louis Bourgeois who was the music director for Calvin’s church and was noted for using young choristers to teach the new hymns to the congregation. He dared to reharmonize some of the tunes in the Psalter, which went against the councils wishes and subsequently landed him in jail. He was released upon the pleadings of Calvin. The tune name is probably named for the Mediterranean port city in the south of France.

Who Knows?

This stained glass window is located in Tammy's office, our office administrator. The window is referred to as “The Martin Elam Window”. Martin died in 1963 and the window was donated by the family in memory of Martin. His daughter, Marty, died December 2012. She lived elsewhere and returned to Hot Springs several years before her death. Her reception was held here at the church. The Elam family were long-time members of FPC.

First Presbyterian Newsletter

Every week we send out an updated church news email. If you would like to be added to the email list, please contact the church office, (501) 624-5646. Alternatively, if you or someone you know would like to receive a paper copy, please call the office.

The 2025 Flower Board is available to sign up to donate Sunday flowers!

Located on the wall by the 2 large closets in the Fellowship Hall, pick your date, add your name and special dedication. If you do not wish to write it on the board, or if space does not allow, please call, email or visit the office. You may do this at any time well in advance of your day. Cost is $38.50

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or announcements for the newsletter,

please email the church office by

noon on Wednesdays.

Thank you!

God Bless You on Your

Special Day!

Share your birthday blessings with our graduating Seniors! Each month on the 3rd Sunday, we celebrate church members' birthdays and ask those celebrating this month to make a donation in honor of their birthday to our scholarship fund. Thank you for supporting our graduating seniors!