A WORD FROM THE PASTOR: THE BUZZARD, THE BAT, AND THE BUMBLEBEE

I didn’t come up with this, but it is surprisingly insightful:

If you put a turkey vulture (a.k.a. a buzzard) in a pen that is six feet by eight feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird—in spite of its ability to fly—will be an absolute prisoner. The reason? A buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten to twelve feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The brown bat, which is a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place; it has to “drop” into flight. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air.

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

Which makes me wonder: How are we like those animals? We are all trapped and held prisoner to sin—which is a lousy master—until Christ sets us free. But sometimes we forget our freedom and think we are still trapped. But, as Scripture says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 NIV) So what are our invisible prisons that we think we are trapped in? What do we need to reject in order to enjoy the freedom we have in Christ?

Too often we are like the bumblebee: We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! So let’s look up, and give thanks to Christ for our freedom!

Pastor Ray

MEGA SPORTS CAMP IS COMING!

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR: WORRYING

“Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.” I think Bernice used to say that as much to herself as she did to the other members of our Bible study. And it wasn’t just because she was a little forgetful and wasn’t sure if we had heard it before; we had. For her—a woman who had buried two husbands and who struggled perennially with anxiety and depression—it was a mantra that attempted to keep her mind at ease: “Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.”

Jesus had a few things to say about worrying, too. He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25 NIV) Our Father takes care of us so well that we can simply relax and enjoy life in his favor.

But the command to stop worrying is a tough sell for a chronic worrier, like Bernice. To some, “stop worrying” sounds like “stop breathing.” So let me make a humble suggestion to all the worriers out there—chronic and otherwise: Don’t just sit in the rocking chair of worry, but direct your worries to God. Some people call that meditation, and it takes practice. But the worry warts among us actually have a head start on this vital spiritual discipline! The next time you start worrying about something, start addressing your concerns to God, because He is listening and He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Instead of saying to yourself, “I don’t know what I’m going to do with my kids!” say instead, “Lord Jesus, I commend my kids to your perfect care.” Over and over again, if necessary. Don’t say to yourself, “We’re not going to make it to the next paycheck,” but say, “Father, please take care of us, as you always have.”

If you can master that subtle change, the rocking chair of worry will become the private room of prayer and meditation (Matthew 6:6). And then we may truly focus on seeking first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. And as an added bonus, all that other stuff we were worrying about will be given to us as well! (Matthew 6:33)

May you experience a blessed and holy Lent, filled with prayer and meditation.

Pastor Ray

SESSION

The Session will have its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, March 26, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

LENTEN ACTIVITIES

The rhythm of the church year is leading us to our annual pilgrimage to the cross and to the empty tomb. This year, you are invited and encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities for spiritual growth in our congregation! Here are some stops along the journey:

Lenten Suppers: 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28

The suppers will be served at 6:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Come, and bring the kids! Easy supper plans! (Please sign up at the Opportunity Table to provide food.)

Prayer Services: 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28

The prayer services will start at 6:45 p.m. in our sanctuary. Just to create a different experience, the services will be based on the Orthodox Great Vespers. The “sermon” will be from Ed’s Story (www.edsstory.com). (Youth groups will continue to meet, as usual, at 7:30, following the service–except for 3/14, which is the Confirmation field trip.)

Maundy Thursday, 4/5: Communion service at 7:00 p.m.–details to come.

Good Friday, 4/6: community service at 12:00 noon–details to come.

Please, please, please make time in your schedule to participate in our Lenten journey!  Invite a friend, and come expecting to meet Jesus.

CONFIRMATION FIELD TRIP

The Confirmation class will visit Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Sioux City (900 6^th St., www.holytrinity.ia.goarch.org) to participate in their Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which starts at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14. The car pool will leave our church’s building at 4:45 p.m. and return immediately after the service.

YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

The High School Youth Fellowship will meet on the following Wednesdays during March: 3/7 and 3/21. The Middle School Youth Fellowship will meet on Wednesday, 3/28 (but not 3/14, due to the Confirmation field trip). Invite a friend! Both youth groups meet from7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room.

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

The Presbyterian Women will have their monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m. Please note the day change as there are Lenten Services on Wednesday. There will be a short business meeting followed by Bible Study ~ Lesson 6 of our study. The leader will be Martha Svoboda, and hostess will be Karen Johnson.

SEWING SOULS

Sewing Souls will meet on March 20 (Tuesday) at 6:30 p.m. and the hostess will be Karen Johnson.  Bring your projects!

INTRO TO KNITTING & CROCHETING

On Tuesday, March 27, at 7:00p.m., there will be an Intro to Knitting, Crocheting, Sewing, Etc. class. If you are interested in learning to do any or all of these techniques, please come! Your hostess will be Judy Lindberg. Please note the day change, due to the Wednesday night Lenten activities.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

It’s that time of year again to update the church directory!  So, if you have any new information (address, phone numbers, e-mail addresses), please jot it down on the sheet provided at the Opportunity Table, or e-mail the church at fpcwayne@gmail.com . Sonya will be working on the 2012-2013 directory and will try and have it completed by the end of April.

CAMPUS MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY

CrossPoint Campus Ministry will be hosting two forums during March: Women in Church Leadership on March 13, and Sexuality and the Bible on March 27. Both meetings will feature a dinner at 5:00 p.m. and the discussion at 5:30 p.m. We need your help preparing and serving the meals! If you can help, please contact Pastor Ray.

WAYNE CAMPUS & COMMUNITY HEALTH, WELLNESS & RESOURCE FAIR

The Wayne Campus & Community Health, Wellness, & Resource Fair will be on Thursday, March 22, from 3:00-7:00p.m. at the Wayne City Auditorium. The Fair will include a wide variety of booths and activities to cover all areas of wellness and basic needs. If you are interested in participating, please contact Kris Hinnerichs at 402-375-7160 or krhinne1@wsc.edu .

SPRING AHEAD!

DON’T FORGET TO SPRING AHEAD ONE HOUR on Sunday, March 11!  It’s time to move those clocks!

“SHE WAS ALWAYS SMILING”

On Monday, February 20, we said goodbye to Faye Peck (Anita Fuelberth’s mother) at the John Huss Presbyterian Church in Thurston. In attendance was Tim Gallagher of the Sioux City Journal. Mr. Gallagher has written a lovely tribute to Faye in the February 21 online edition of the Sioux City Journal.

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR:  WHO IS YOUR CAPTAIN?

The image has become instantly iconic, seared into our minds: the huge, hulking cruise ship listing helplessly in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Almost exactly 100 years after the sinking of the Titanic, the Costa Concordia went down in full view of the watching world.

And the story behind the ship’s demise only compounds the tragedy. Apparently, the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, deliberately took the $450 million ship off its assigned course—bringing the vessel dangerously close to the rocky Italian shoreline and endangering the 4,200 people on board—all for the noble purpose of allowing a crew member greet his family. During the ill-conceived maneuver, the ship hit a submerged rock, tearing a massive gash in the hull. Within seconds, the captain knew the ship was in trouble, and he ran the fast-sinking ship aground to keep it from sinking completely.

The death toll from the Costa Concordia could reach as many as 40 souls. But the calamity becomes even more unfortunate when we consider what happened in the time following the accident. Soon after the collision, Captain Schettino abandoned his post on the bridge of the ship and was riding on a rescue boat to safety. So much for the captain going down with the ship! An Italian newspaper obtained and published the recorded conversation between the cowardly captain and Gregorio De Falco, a captain in the Italian Coast Guard and leader of the rescue effort. When De Falco discovered that Schettino had abandoned his post, he was furious, and he ordered him back to the boat. “You go up that pilot ladder, get on that ship, and tell me how many people are still on board. And what they need. Is that clear? You need to tell me if there are children, women, or people in need of assistance…Listen, Schettino, you saved yourself from the sea, but I am going to…make sure you get in trouble…I am going to make you pay for this. Go on board, d*mn it!”

Captain Schettino never did return to his boat. He was later taken into custody by officials, and he remains on house arrest. He will most likely face criminal charges of manslaughter for his negligence in guiding his ship safely to its destination.

As disappointing as the captain’s behavior was, there are heartening stories of courage and selflessness that have emerged from the Concordia disaster. Manrico Giampedroni, the 57-year-old chief purser on board the ship devoted himself to rescuing passengers in the aftermath of the collision. He returned into the listing vessel over and over again, taking people to the life boats, until an airborne refrigerator broke his leg, making him one of those who needed to be rescued!

We can be thankful, though, that we have a faithful Captain who will not abandon us when we run into the rocky shores of life.  We can put our trust in God, who is a steady refuge and strength in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). While selfish people will let us down—literally in the case of the Concordia—God will never let us down or forsake us. Of course, that doesn’t mean that trusting in God takes away the rocks; but it does mean that we have a Captain who steers us safely toward eternity. Scripture promises that God “will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:8-9 NIV). Now that is a Captain we can trust!

Another story to emerge from the Costa Concordia tragedy is that of Francis and Nicole Servel, an older French couple traveling on the Concordia that fateful night. There was little direction from the crew, since the order for evacuation was never actually given. So the couple was preparing to jump off the sinking cruise ship. But there was only one life jacket between the two of them. So Francis gave the life jacket to his wife. And the two of them then leaped into the 46-degree water; Mrs. Servel managed to swim to the shore, but Mr. Servel was swept underwater and drowned. Later, she said, “I owe my life to my husband—it’s obvious he saved me.”

And that is the same image of how faithful our God is. God went the distance to rescue us from the icy waters of sin and the sinking vessel of death in this broken world—even at the cost of his own life. Jesus laid down his life at the cross for our sake, trading his life for our lives, so we could live eternally.

And so the question for us is, “Who is our captain?” Do we wish to put our lives in the hands of fallible men? Or do we want to be mastered by the false gods of money and materialism? Will we take our own chances in the sea of chaos that is this world? Or will we put our faith in Jesus Christ, our only trustworthy Captain—who will lead us safely to our destination?

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Ray

SESSION

 A WORD FROM THE PASTOR:

“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that it’s difficult to determine whether or not they are genuine.” – Abraham Lincoln

Well said, Mr. President, well said. I love a good, inspiring quotation as much as anybody, but it seems that most of what one finds on the Internet is rather uninspiring. But a while back I encountered a quotation on a Facebook friend’s page that actually made me stop and think: “What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?” Wow. What if everything we took for granted disappeared? What would go away? Our families? Our friends? Our homes?

We live in a gratitude-deficient culture, where we expect things and demand things, but take for granted the basics that many people in the world do not have. We may complain that our Internet connection isn’t fast enough, or that our smart phones don’t work right, or that our houses are not big enough or fancy enough. But by doing so, we betray our spoiled, thankless attitude that pervades our unbelieving world.

The holiday we know as Thanksgiving is not just a secular observance with nods to the food and football gods. Thanksgiving was established by Abraham Lincoln (who never owned a smart phone) on October 3, 1863, during the depth of the Civil War. Despite the bloodshed and national turmoil, the president urged Americans to change their perspective and show their gratitude for all God’s blessings. Here is a (real and honest) snippet of his proclamation:

“It has seemed to me fit and proper that they [our blessings] should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

For Christians, “thanksgiving” is not just one day out of 365 when we remember our blessings while feasting on turkey. But thanksgiving is an attitude of gratitude that we cultivate each waking moment, when we—with other Christians—give thanks to our God who has given us life and salvation through Jesus Christ.

Perhaps one more Internet quotation would be helpful here, and this one is also trustworthy: “What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.” Psalm 116:12-14 NIV

So let us give thanks to our great God, not just on November 24, but on every day.

Pastor Ray

MAKE A NOTE!

Mark your calendars!  The date for moving your clocks back is Sunday, November 6. Don’t forget to fall back.

SESSION

The session will have its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, December 5, at 7:00 p.m.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

The session has called a congregational meeting for Sunday, November 13, following worship for the purpose of approving the pastor’s compensation for 2012 and electing officers (deacons and elders). Elder candidates will be Greg Worner (1^st term), Jim Paige (2^nd term), and Kevin Peterson (2^nd term). Deacon candidates will be Karen McElwain (1^st term) and Misty Beair (1^st term).

STEWARDSHIP DRIVE

After our congregational meeting on November 13, all members and participants of our church will receive a stewardship packet with our finalized budget for 2012, a financial pledge form, and a time-and-talents form. Please prayerfully consider how you can support the ministry of our church and return your form either to Anita Fuelberth or the church office by December 4.

YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

The High School Youth Fellowship will meet on Wednesday, 11/2, and Wednesday, 11/16, from 7:30-8:30p.m. The Middle School Youth Fellowship will meet on Wednesday, 11/9, and 11/23, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. in the Youth Room. Invite a friend!

BETTER TOGETHER

Last I checked, the Bible and the Creed speak of one church, not many. So let’s start living like it! The high school youth from the congregations in Wayne are coming together to make a difference through a Community Scavenger Hunt on Wednesday, November 9. Everyone wishing to participate should meet at the Wayne Community Activity Center by 7:00 p.m. Each group will be assigned an area of town to go out soliciting food for the Wayne food pantry, and we will finish by 8:00 p.m. We might even mix up the youth groups, just for fun! Everyone will then meet back at the food pantry to drop off collected items. Refreshments provided by each group involved will follow in FPC’s Fellowship Hall. Let’s get together!

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

The Presbyterian Women will meet Wednesday, November 2, at 6:30p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  Bible Study will be led by Marilyn Yates and the Hostess this month is Elaine Francis. Sewing Souls will meet on Saturday, November 19 at 9:00a.m. to do some cleaning in the kitchen as well as other projects!  Your Hostesses for this are Judy Linberg and Sandra Metz.

RED CROSS

Northeast Nebraska Red Cross offers several opportunities to become involved. If anyone or any group is interested contact Shalle Wolff at

(402) 371-0393. Current needs are:

• Office support volunteers
• Hand-made quilts for disaster clients
• Plastic totes for storage of blankets/bedding/quilts
• Shelving in disaster supply storage areas
• Items for comfort kits given to disaster clients
• Replenish supply of bottled water and snacks
• Office supplies collection
• Disaster Response Volunteerism

BIRTHDAYS!

There will be a birthday list on the Opportunity Table…please check it out!  If your birthday is on there, make sure we have the right date, if it isn’t and you would like it to be, please add it to the list!  Happy Birthday!

FESTIVAL OF TREES

The American Association for Women in Community Colleges presents its 11^th Annual Festival of Trees at Northeast Community College, Norfolk, Friday-Sunday, November 11-13. Hours are Friday from 2-8 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. in the Lifelong Learning Center. Enjoy holiday displays by retailers, non-profit groups, student organizations, and private collections not on public display elsewhere. If you are interested in participating in the Festival of Trees, please contact Deb Ferris at 402-844-7101 or register online at www.northeast.edu/Organizations/AAWCC/. You may get tickets for this event at the door.

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING SERVICE

Wayne Community Thanksgiving Service will be Sunday, November 20, at 5:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  Soup and pie dinner to follow.  Our church is responsible for bringing 4 soups and 4 pies.  There is a sign-up sheet on the Opportunity Table if you would like to participate!

THANKSGIVING BREAK

The Church Offices will be closed on Thursday, November 24, and Friday, November 25, to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. We will also not have Confirmation class or church school on Sunday, November 27.

PRAYER GROUP

Several Christians from the community are organizing an inter-denominational prayer group to humbly make petitions to God. They will meet for the first time on Friday, November 4, from 12:00-12:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Holy Family Hall (in the basement). This prayer group will continue to meet on Fridays from 12 noon to 12:30 and is open to and welcomes all people of any faith and age. God has promised that where two or three are gathered He will be there in our midst. So let us seek Him together! For any additional information please call St. Mary’s Church at 375-2000.

SUPPORT OUR SOLDIER!

Please pray for David Buller, our soldier who is serving in Afghanistan. If you would like to contact him or send him gifts (please refer to the soldiers’ wish list in the Fellowship Hall), his address is:

SPC Buller David
181 Eng Det FFTM
Camp Deh Dadi II
APO AE 09368

HOMESTEAD PRESBYTERY

Our presbytery will gather at Calvin Crest on Thursday, November 17, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Come away to camp for a day of refreshment and worship!

COAT CLOSET AND FOOD PANTRY

The Coat Closet and Food Pantry need your help! You may bring your donations to the church office during regular office hours. The Coat Closet will take not only winter coats for all ages (especially kids), but snow pants and snow boots, hats, gloves, and mittens as well. The Food Pantry is in need of such things as canned fruit, canned meat (tuna, chicken, etc.), soups, pasta, Hamburger Helper, and macaroni & cheese. Also, if you would like to donate diapers, all sizes, it would be appreciated! Thanks for your help!

CHRISTMAS DECORATING

It’s time to decorate the church building for the upcoming Advent and Christmas seasons! We will be decorating on Wednesday, November 30, at 7:00 p.m. Please bring Christmas snacks and music to share as we work together!

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