Murray
Presbyterian Messenger
June 2009
Dear
Church Family,
It
is good to be back in Murray. Krista and
I recently spent some time with her family in Colorado. We had a good trip and it was nice to spend
some time with Krista’s parents and grandparents. While I was away I kept
thinking about you and the important events that we have planned for June. I arrived back in Murray energized and
excited about Vacation Bible School and the Power Team event!
One
of the most important things we can do for VBS and the Power Team event is
PRAY. As you spend quite time with God
pray that the kids who come to VBS will have a great week of learning and
fun. Pray that God would work in their
lives so that they can grow up and be devoted followers of Him. Also, pray for the Power Team event. Pray that lives may be changed and that
hearts would be open to the gospel message.
Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in incredible ways so that people
who don’t know Christ would come to know him.
Pray for all those who have volunteered to help with both of these
events.
Our
church has been planning, praying, and working on these two significant events
and I feel encouraged by the help that so many of you have provided. I feel that God has been brining us closer as
a body of believers. Let’s continue to
pray for unity in our church and unity among the churches who
are helping with these two events. A
unified Christian witness is a powerful thing and should be the goal of all
Christians.
We
still need volunteers for VBS and for the Power Team event so please consider
signing up. Also, plan to attend the
Power Team meeting after worship Sunday, June 7th. As Presbyterian Christians we believe that
spiritual renewal is something that God does and not humans. As we seek to do outreach in our community
please pray that God’s Spirit would be present and active among us. May His name be glorified in all that we do
and say!
In Christ,
Jeff
1
Thessalonians 5:16-18
Peggy
Etherington: Prayers
for Peggy and her family as they mourn Gary’s passing. (2518 Overlook Cir. Beaver Lake, NE 68048)
Charlotte Mars: Prayers for Charlotte and her family as they mourn
Paul’s passing. (1918 Beaver Lake Blvd. Beaver Lake, NE 68048)
Betty Tepner: Prayers for healing and strength for Betty and
strength for Dixie
Craft. (5309 Crogans Way Rd. Council Bluffs, IA 51501)
Karen Savage: Prayers for healing and strength. (P.O. Box 17 – Murray, NE 68409)
Don Loftin: Prayers
for healing & strength. (9500 Milford Rd.-Beaver Lake, NE 68048)
Dave, Jenny, Samantha & Ella Cook: Prayers of strength for the family &
healing for Ella.
(9923 12th Street – Murray NE 68409)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Additional
Prayer Concerns:
Cathy Balfour as she battles cancer. (11509 A
Street-Avoca, NE 68307)
Nickey Johnson:
Prayers for her parents, especially her Mom.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thoughts & Prayers for our
shut ins:
Lottie Johnson: continual
prayers. (1750 S.20th Street
# 118-Lincoln, NE
68502)
Mildred Moritz: continual
prayers. (1300 Avenue D-Plattsmouth, NE
68048)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Remember
the members of our Armed Forces, who are serving overseas and stateside:
Philmore Williams
*******************************
Continued
Prayers of comfort for:
The
Family of Charlotte Mars
The
Family of Peggy Etherington
4th of July
Deacons’ & Manse kitchen
fundraiser
12-5pm
The Deacons will be selling
pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, baked beans, and homemade ice cream during
the 4th of July celebration in Murray. In order to churn the ice cream, we need lots
of ice. If you are able to make extra
ice and donate it for this purpose, please bag it up and place it in the church
freezer. Thank you for your help!!!
******************************************************************************************************
Power Team Planning Meeting
Please stay after church on June
7th for the Power Team planning meeting.
*********************************************************************************************
!!! The Power Team !!!
The Power Team Crusade will begin on Wednesday, June 17th at our church. Please
join us for a pizza party before the program.
The Crusade will continue June 18th through June 21st
at the Conestoga High
School Gym.
Also, our Sunday worship service will be lead by a Power Team
member on June 21st.
Please tell all your friends, neighbors, and co-workers about
this great event!!! We would love to
have the gym filled every night!!!!
Volunteers are still needed to make the program run
smoothly. Please check your calendars to
see if you are able to help.
**********************************************************
Directory
Pictures
Family pictures will be taken after church
during the month of June for our new church directory. If you will not be able to attend church
during the month of June, please send a picture of yourself or family by e-mail
attachment or regular mail. The church
e-mail address is on the last page of this newsletter and the regular address
is on the cover of this newsletter.
******************************************************************************
Join
the Women’s
Circle every
month, on
the second Wednesday,
at the church at 7pm!
This Month: June
10th
********************************************************************************
Deacon’s Rummage Sale
This is a reminder!! Please
continue saving your “treasures” for the Deacon’s rummage sale – coming – This
Fall!!
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Vacation
Bible School
June 8 – 12
Murray Christian Church 9am-12pm: 1st
– 6th grade
Murray Presbyterian Church 9:15am-11: 45am: Pre-K & K
Friday Night VBS Bash!! 6:30pm Murray
Christian Church
Please let your friends and neighbors know
about it~
We would love to have their children
attend, too!!
Also – We need help decorating the church
for VBS. It will take place at 6pm from
6/1 through 6/5. Any time you can give will be greatly appreciated!!!!!
*******************************************************************
Apportionment
Please prayerfully consider assisting the church with
apportionment this year. ($26.94) Thank you.
***************************************************************
PLATTSMOUTH FOOD
PANTRY
Please
remember the food pantry and those in need as you shop at the grocery store
this month. If you have any donations
and you cannot get to the food pantry to drop them off, please bring them to
church and we will be happy to deliver them for you!
*********************************************
***Relay for Life***
“Relay for Life” began in the mid-1980’s in Tacoma, Washington
by a surgeon wanting to make a difference and enhance the income of his local
American Cancer Society. He organized a
24-hour run where he ran/walked the entire time, and friends paid $25 to run or
walk 30 minutes with him. He completed a
total of 83 miles that “day” and he raised $27,000. Today, “Relay for Life”
continues and has gone national as an overnight relay organized annually to
celebrate survivorship and raise money for research for each local American
Cancer Society.
This year Cass County’s “Relay for Life” will take place on June
27th at 7pm on the Plattsmouth High School track. Murray Presbyterian Church is organizing a
team in remembrance of Kris Johnson. If
you would like to be a member of our relay team, please sign-up on the poster
at the back of the church. Cancer survivors are free; all others are $10. All will receive a “Relay for Life” T-shirt.
Several fundraisers have been organized to raise money for our
church team. The first is a bake sale
during the Murray garage sales this weekend (May 1 – 2). All baked goods you wish to donate for this
fundraiser need to be delivered to Joyce Johnson (301 W. Young Street –
Murray). All those wishing to purchase
baked goods, visit Joyce’s home during the garage sale!! The second fundraiser will be a garage sale
at the Honaker’s home (10186 Sydney Lane) during the Beaver Lake annual garage
sales on Saturday, June 6th. The last fundraiser organized at this time
involves “pink flamingo” yard decorations.
If you are the “chosen one,” and you find pink flamingos decorating your
yard, you have three choices. 1. Leave
them there for all to see, 2. Pay $10 to have them removed, or 3. Pay $15 to
have them removed and placed in a friend’s yard. For more information, please contact Krista
McDonald, Melanie Honaker, or Sherrill Konfrst.
****************************************************
MEMBERSHIP CLASSES
If you are
interested in attending a Membership Class - Pastor Jeff McDonald will be glad
to talk to you! Please call (402)
682-1439
*****************************************************************************
*Denise Ayers is always looking for Liturgists.
If you are interested, please let her know. If she asks you – please participate and know
that your service to the church is appreciated.
A special Thank You to all who have done so in the
past.
*******************************************************************************************Please visit our website at www.murraypresbyterian.com
to see the weekly bulletin, congregational life, and the monthly
newsletter!
Tell a
friend!!!!!
*************************************************************************
Anniversaries
Happy
Anniversary to:
Mike & Melanie Honaker 6/3
Reuben & Gayle Iverson 6/3
Mike & Judy Simpson 6/4
Rick Yoder & Lissa
Nelson 6/4
Al & Sherrill Konfrst 6/12
Steve & Kara Eldred 6/13
Larry & Nessie Swedlund 6/14
Shawn & Dorla Kliegl 6/15
Craig & Anna Mallett 6/18
Tony & Sharlyn Deterding 6/22
Walt & Jane Price 6/22
Birthdays
Happy Birthday to:
Toni
Ann Johns 6/1
Reuben Iverson 6/7
Gayle
Iverson 6/16
Grant
Froistad 6/18
Macey
Vershchoor 6/24
Where we’ve been in the Bible: Study Guide (Paul’s Letters)
2 Corinthians (written
about AD. 56)
-Corinth, Greece—major ancient commercial
center. Corinth has been referred to as
the Las Vegas of the ancient world.
-Paul defends his ministry against false
teachers—Judaizers.
-In 2 Corinthians Paul focuses on the
centrality of the cross.
-Paul encourages the Corinthian Christians
to be generous.
-Paul trusts in God for strength when he is
weak and things are difficult.
Philippians (written about
A.D. 61)
-Philippi, Macedonia (Northern,
Greece). Military
retirement community.
-Very generous in their giving.
-Paul calls the Philippians to imitate
Christ’s humility.
-He also instructs them to not put
confidence in ritual, but rather in Jesus Christ.
-The quarrel between Eudia and
Syntyche. Paul pleads with them to agree
with each other in the Lord.
-Paul tells the church at Philippi to put
into practice whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and
praiseworthy.
Colossians (written
about A.D. 61)
-Colosse—located in what is today
southwestern Turkey.
-Small town. Various cults have an extremely strong
presence in the community.
-Paul stresses that Christ is the Supreme
creator and ruler of the universe.
-He teaches that Jesus is not just a way to
God—Jesus is God.
-True fullness is to be found in Jesus
Christ and not human traditions—festivals, religious diets, etc.
-Paul urges the Christians in Colosse to
pray constantly and share their faith.
Philemon (written
about A.D. 61)
-Paul wrote this letter to a wealthy man in
Colosse named Philemon.
-Paul writes a very warm and appreciative
letter to Philemon asking him to welcome back a slave named Onesimus.
-Onesimus had apparently stole money from
Philemon and then ran away.
-Onesimus had a life
changing conversion to God and somehow became friends with Paul in Rome. Now Paul wants Philemon to welcome back
Onesimus as a brother in Christ.
1 Thessalonians (written
about A.D. 50)
-Thessalonica, Macedonia (Northern Greece).
-Thessalonica was a large commercial center
and a major seaport.
-Earlier Paul had started a riot there when
he visited the town and preached the “Good News.” (Acts 17)
-Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonian
Christian’s faith, defends his own ministry there, and rejoices that the
Thessalonian Christians have accepted the word of God as it truly is the word
of God (ch. 1 & 2). These believers
are doing a great job of sharing the faith.
-Thessalonian Christians are being
persecuted by unbelievers and tempted by Satan, but their faith is remaining
strong (ch. 3).
-Paul gives instructions in Christian
living—live a quite life, work, earn respect from
outsiders by how you live (ch. 4).
Avoid immorality and love each other
-Paul explains what will happen to
believers—both the living and the dead—at the time of the second coming of
Jesus (ch. 5). Encourage one another and
build each other up.
Galatians
-Galatia (Central Modern Turkey)
-Paul writes this letter to the church in
the region known as Galatia. Written circa 47-48 A.D.
-The letter to the Galatians was written to
emphasize the complete sufficiency of justification by faith alone in one’s
relationship with God.
-This letter stresses that God has freed us
from the project of self-salvation.
-The Galatian churches—where many new
believers were Gentiles—were being strongly influenced to add traditional
Jewish beliefs and practices to their newfound faith.
-While it was quite natural for Jewish
Christians to continue to worship as they always had in the past, to require
the same for Gentiles was, to Paul, tantamount to promoting a different
gospel.
Submitting Information ForThe Bulletin Or Newsletter
If
you have information that needs to be put in the Congregational Life or
Newsletter, please send an email to the church address, which is murraypresbyterian@windstream.net