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January 2020
The First Presbyterian Church
The Evangel
4 Things to Remember This Year
In 2018, one of my favorite authors went to his eternal reward – Eugene Peterson. Peterson was a pastor
who tended to write about pastoring. He was a pastor sent by God to be a prophet to other pastors –
especially those who, like Esau, might be tempted to sell their pastoral souls for a bowl of quick-but-
unbiblical-church-growth stew. I read a good number of his books for my Doctor of Ministry studies,
and, truth be told, loved every one of them.
At his funeral, Peterson’s son Leif told a secret: even though his Dad was known for creative pro-
jects like The Message, a wildly popular modern language paraphrase of the Bible, nevertheless over
decades of ministry, he really only had one sermon. He said that somehow, his father, fooled everyone
into thinking he was saying something fresh each week when, in reality, he kept preaching the same
message – a four-point sermon: 1.) God loves you; 2.) God is for you; 3.) God is coming after you; and
4.) God is relentless.
Let’s take those one-by-one: first, God loves you. That’s really the most incredible news in the
world, isn’t it? I mean, this is God we are talking about here – the Creator of the Universe, the One who
has numbered the stars, the One who came up with the idea of things like gravity and nuclear fission and
quantum mechanics. That such a great God could even be bothered by creatures like us is incredible
enough. But of course, there’s even more to it than this – for we are sinful. God created us, and then we
turned on Him. He is holy, and yet we insist on being anything but holy. And yet God loves us! He
loves us with a holy love, an insistent, unyielding love, a sacrificial love, a never-ending love. If we
remember anything this year, it must be that!
But even more than this, God is for you! This is the logical extension of the first point, of course –
God loves us, and therefore He is deeply invested in our best interests. God loves us, and therefore we
are incredibly important to Him – and as a result, He is invested in doing what is right and best for us.
This is best seen in the fact that God is Emmanuel – God-with-us. He is so for us, so with us, that He
even became a human being. He lived for us, earning the righteousness we need but could not earn for
ourselves. And He died for us, taking the punishment we deserve so we would not have to take it.
That’s how much God is for us. As much as we are for the people we love, God is for us, His beloved
children, even more!
The truly radical point here is the third one: God is coming after you! Just think of the parables Je-
sus tells: a shepherd has one hundred sheep, but one gets lost. He therefore leaves the ninety-nine in the
care of his associates and goes to search for the lost sheep. In the same way, God comes after those He
loves. He searches us out, and He finds us. And when He finds us, He puts us on His shoulders, and
joyfully brings us home. Psalm 139 teaches that we cannot hide from God – that there is nowhere we can
go where He is not already present with us. Lots of people have tried to run from God or to hide from God;
they all have failed! This year, let’s be sure to remember that – and perhaps stop trying to run away from
Him! Life is so much better and so much more joyful when we stop running and let God catch us. After
all, He loves us, and He is for us! We can trust Him!
And even if we doubt all that, the truth is that God is relentless. In other words, God is going to win.
His love is going to triumph over the cold hatred and indifference of our world. God being for us is greater
and more powerful than all those who are against us. And God, in His quest to come after us, is going to
find us. The Lord knows those who are His (2 Timothy 2:19). Just as a mother could never forget her
nursing child, so God could never forget us, His beloved people (Isaiah 49:15)! He will never give up on
His promises. He will never give up on His plan to conquer sin, death, and evil. He will never give up on
us – His salvation will absolutely win out over our sin. God’s got this!
How different would 2020 be if we remembered these four points each day? How much richer would
our lives be if we lived them in light of these foundational truths? What would happen if, on the days we
are tempted to be depressed, on the days we are tempted to run ourselves down, on the days when we are
tempted to do what we know is wrong, we would instead repeat to ourselves: God loves me. God is for me.
God is coming after me. God is relentless! Wouldn’t life be so much better? Wouldn’t it be better to live
in light of God’s truth than to wallow in the Devil’s lies?
So, as you make your resolutions for 2020, why not resolve to repeat to yourself each morning or each
evening (or both!) these four things? Knowing the truth sets us free from the chains and lies of the Devil,
and draws us closer to Jesus Christ. And really what could be better than that?
To Him alone be the glory!
In Christ’s Love,
Joshua
“The minute the church and pastors start saying ‘what do people want?’ and then giving it to them, we betray our calling. We’re called to have people follow Jesus. We’re called to have people learn how to forgive their enemies.” - Eugene H. Peterson
The Pastor’s Bible Study continues! The pastor continues to teach
Bible Study each Monday night at 7pm in the Conference Room. This
school year we are studying the Book of Isaiah. Whether this is the first
time you have ever studied Scripture, or if you’ve been in Sunday
School and Bible Studies all your life, you are welcome to join us as we
study God’s Word together! See you there!
Coffee & Tea With the Pastor
Library Corner:
Start off the new year with inspiration from the lives of Christian men and women!
January’s selections feature biographies from the church library’s collection. Visit
the library corner in Faith Hall and pick up a book about the Christian journeys of
20th century evangelists, heroes of the faith, and others – it’s a great way to pass the
cold days of January!
The church library is open during the following hours for more great selections:
Sunday mornings during the Sunday school hour and after the 10:45 a.m. worship service
Mondays at 6:30 p.m. before the Pastor’s Bible Study
Upon request during church office hours (Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
Coffee and Tea with the Pastor returns! Be sure to join us this
month at the Coffee Peddlar (112 Harrison Avenue in downtown
Harrison) on Wednesday, January 8 from 2-4 for caffeine and good
conversation – and bring your questions! Here’s a chance to ask all
those things you’ve ever wanted to ask about the church, the Bible,
or the Christian faith! See you there!
Our annual congregational meeting will be held after the 10:45 service on Sunday, January 12th for the purpose of receiving the 2020 budget, receiving the 2019 Annual Report, approving the pastor’s annual terms of call, electing new church officers and electing a congregational representative to the 2020 Nominating Committee. All active members are encouraged to attend. If you have any
questions, please see Clerk of Session Doug Jones.
Our January Love Thy Neighbor mission is for West
Cincinnati Presbyterian Church. They are
requesting school supplies (pens, pencils, filler paper,
notebooks, etc.) and hats and gloves. Remember,
Christine Luca is willing to do your shopping for you.
Just let her know.
Young Adult Sunday School Class Young adults are invited to join our new Sunday school class,
facilitated by Doug Jones, meeting in the Y.C. room on the 2nd floor
during the Sunday school hour. We are using Timothy Keller's The
Reason for God study to discuss questions that many Christians
grapple with, such as "Why does God allow suffering?" and "Is the
Bible a myth?" All young adults in high school and in their 20s are welcome! For more
information see Doug Jones or Janet Walton.
Join the Adult Sunday School class as we begin a new 8-week curriculum titled Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels. If you were asked, “Why are you a Christian?” how would you respond? Could you provide compelling evidence as to why you’re a Christian? Can you share your faith with others and provide evidence for why Christianity is the one true religion? Come join us as we examine the evidence and make a case for our faith. If you are new to Sunday School, this is a great starting place. We meet in the Conference Room at 9:30 AM each Sun-day. Contact Sean McCauley (513-702-4345) with any questions.
Epiphany Sunday is January 5th. Be sure to join us in worship as we celebrate the coming of the Magi, and the wonderful news that Jesus came as the Savior of all nations! See you there!
There will be HEALING PRAYER in the chapel after the 10:45 Service on January 26. All who wish to receive anointing, the laying on of hands, and prayers for healing are welcome.
Our free community meal, Bountiful Hearts, continues on the first Saturday of every month. Our next meal will be on Saturday, January 4th from 11am – 1pm here at our church. We need lots of
volunteers to help make this event a success! Be sure to sign up on the sheets in Faith Hall if you wish to bake, to serve, to clean up, or to deliver carry-out meals!
TWO CENTS A MEAL COLLECTION IS January 12th
Please look for the gold pots at both entrances to the sanctuary to place your monthly donations. If you are not able to make it to a service, please feel free to mail your donation to the church. It goes to a good cause of helping feed the hungry. As always, thanks for your generous donations. ~ The Mission Committee
Young Youth Group fun
and learning resumes on
January 5, 2020.
Our annual Necrology Service, during which we remember all church members who have died in the previous year, will be held on Sunday,
January 12th. Come join us as we give thanks “for all the saints, who from their labors rest!”
Soup for the Soul
The next gathering of Soup for the
Soul is January 9th at 6:30pm in the
Conference Room. For more
information, see Jeff Sindiong or
Deanna Jones. See you there!
“God’s love is unconditional.
Be sure that yours is, too!” -
Author Unknown
“You aren’t loved because you’re
valuable. You’re valuable because God
loves you!” - Author Unknown
The YYG will be sponsoring the
Chili Cook-off on 2-9-20 after
the 10:45 service. More details
to come. Get your recipes
ready. (Hint: we typically have
very few hot entries)
Looking Ahead to... Get ready for the Soup-er bowl! For the past
several years, we have asked everyone to bring in cans of soup on Superbowl Sunday as a way to restock the shelves of our local food pantries. Last year we collected 254 cans of soup. Do you think we can beat that this year? Start shopping today! See Christine Luca for details!
The Session will be holding its annual Session Retreat on Tuesday, February 4 at 6:30pm (during their normal meeting time). All active elders are encouraged to attend.
The Season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 26th. This year, we will again join with our brothers and sisters from Providence Presbyterian Church for a traditional Ash Wednesday service. The imposition of ashes will be offered. Watch the bulletin and Evangel for more information!
The pastor will be on vacation from Friday, February 14– Friday, February 21. If you have a pastoral care need during this time, please contact the church office and Judy will put you in contact with a local pastor. Be sure to join us on Sunday, February 16 when we host a guest preacher. (There will be no 8:30 service that Sunday!)
The YYG Chili Cook-off is on 2-9-20 after the 10:45 service. Watch the bulletin for more details to come.
Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday Bulletin Deadlines: Wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. Febuary Evangel Deadline: January 20, 12 Noon Send all bulletin and Evangel items to Judy at [email protected], call the office (367-4301) or drop by the office.
Facilities invites anyone
with the time to lend a
hand removing snow
around the entryways
this winter. Thanks in
advance!
The office will be closed on Wednesday, January 1 in observance of New Year’s Day.
Look for Worship and Sunday School cancellations
and delays at the following TV channels & websites.
You can also check the Church’s Facebook page for
updates.
WCPO– Channel 9
www.wcpo.com/closingsadmin
WKRC—Channel 12
www.schoolwatch.com
WXIX—Channel 19
www.fox19.com
4 Foster Harris 5 Jo-Jean Kleinfeld, Evan Kessler 7 Belinda Moul 10 T.J. Snape 11 Lou Rozmarynowski 12 Shirley Fury 16 Phyllis Wolf, Elizabeth Landfried 17 Chris Hellmann 20 Jim Trabel 25 Louanna Smith 26 Raymond Loos 27 Millie Koehler, Marcia Merse 28 Jerry Francis, Mike Green 31 Greg Bybee, Sandra McCauley
Heart to Heart meets on Thursdays at
9:30am in the YC Room. This is a
women’s group to study the Bible,
encourage one another, and a time for great
fellowship. We are studying “Having a
Mary Spirit” by Joanne Weaver. We will
resume Jan. 9th. Any questions should be
directed to Deanna Jones, Debbie
Menninger, or
Linda Hellmann.
JANUARY FELLOWSHIP TABLE
Jan. 6 Mission Committee Jan. 12 Lana Bybee Jan. 19 Barb Wolf Jan. 26 Birthday Sunday Bakers
Did you miss one of Dr. Long’s sermons?
You can catch up by watching it on
YouTube! Just enter “First Presbyterian
Church of Harrison, OH” in the YouTube
search bar to find our very own channel.
More than a year’s worth of sermons are
posted there for your edification. Enjoy! P.S.
– You can also live-stream our worship
service during the 10:45 hour each Sunday by
checking out the link on our church website!
PRAYER CHAIN CALLS: The Prayer Chain is a group of people
who are committed to praying daily for those requesting prayer. This
ministry is administered through our Board of Deacons. If you have a
prayer request, please contact Linda Hellmann 600-8295 during the
day or Phyllis Wolfram 367-4578 during the evening. For two
weeks, the people on the chain will pray daily for the person or
situation requested.
Senior Saints Pauline Zimmerman Evelyn Stutzman
Theresa Johnson Juanita Lacy
Ginny Thiele Anale VanWagenen
Jane Poland Gene & Virginia Steelman
Bob Clark Marvin Cook
Esther Kipp
Specific Prayer Needs Deb Menninger: for her son’s health;
Stephanie Trabel: for her aunt’s health;
Ryan & Maggie Warmuth: for their work in Asia;
Debbie Frenz: for brother’s health;
Lou Rozmarynowski: for her son’s health;
JoJean Kleinfeld: for her son-in-law’s sister’s health
Mindy Sindiong: for her brother-in-law’s health;
June Merten: for her sister’s health;
West Cincinnati Presbyterian Church: Our January
“Love Thy Neighbor” Mission;
Janet Acra: for her brother-in-law’s health;
Harshbarger family: for nephew Michael Stank and
for niece Beth Schraw’s health
Hellmann family: for the health of daughters’-in-law Michelle and Gina;
Family of Randy Jones: grieving his loss
For Health Needs Bill Bates
Louanna Smith
Bennie Pierson
Bill Snape, Sr.
June Merten
Carol Barnes
Carter Jones
Jo Kleinfeld
Earl Dwelly
Shirley Fury
Ladeana Summey
Joe Kelley
Jim Puckett
Ken Harshbarger
Lisa Steuver
Minutes of Special Session Meeting
First Presbyterian Church
Harrison, Ohio
January 28, 2018
Reverend Joshua Long opened the special Session meeting with prayer at 12:08 pm in the
church conference room.
Reverend Joshua Long, Clerk of Session Doug Jones and active elders Fred Burkey, Erwin
Hein, Barry Fury, Deanna Jones, Terry Frenz, Christine Luca, Jeff Sin- diong and Sandra
McCauley were in attendance.
A quorum was declared present.
New Business
The purpose of this Special meeting of Session was to discuss and ap- prove the hiring of an
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