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First Presbyterian Church
300 South Main Street, P. O. Box 1038
Greensburg, Pennsylvania 15601-5038
Phone: 724.832.0150 fax: 724.832.0152
Email: fpcgreensburg@comcast.net
Website: www.fpcgreensburg.com
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
PAID
GREENSBURG, PA
PERMIT NO. 428
SUNDAY MORNING SCHEDULE
Sunday School at 9:00 a.m.
Worship 10:00 a.m.
Nursery Care provided
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
DEADLINE FOR JULY ISSUE: MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015
Email submissions to fpcgreensburg@comcast.net or mail to church office.
The Coulter Society asks that you please consider
remembering our church in your will!
CHURCH STAFF
Rev. Martin R. Ankrum, Pastor / Head of Staff
Rev. Nicole C. Brodeur, Associate Pastor for Youth and Educational Ministries
Rev. Bobbie Hineline, Minister of Visitation
Edgar B. Highberger, Minister of Music and Organist
Taylor R. Barner, Seminary Assistant for Campus Ministry
Lu Ann Peters, Financial Secretary
Kimberly A. Stoner, Executive Secretary
Keith L. Huey, Sexton
Stacy A. Somers, FPC Preschool Supervisor
Wendy H. Matchett, FPC Preschool Teacher
Joan L. McGinley, FPC Preschool Teacher
Anita M. Garr, Director of Elementary Music
Michelle Stefl Harbaugh, Assistant to the Minister of Music
Carol A. Scherff, Housekeeper
Richard P. Fabery and Charles L. Diorio, Assistant Sextons
Katie Morella, Nursery Care
June 2015
FIRST NEWS:
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
A Spirit-Filled Life
Having just passed the celebration of Pentecost, I was asked by someone (not a member
of the church) about a “spirit-filled.” He asked me something like: “Do the folks in your church
“got” the spirit?” I assured him that you do … and then related something like the following:
It is the Holy Spirit who is with us in our journey through life. As Christians, we believe
that at baptism, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Whether we have been baptized as an
infant or an adolescent or as an adult, we have received the Holy Spirit. We are assured in
scripture and good theological interpretation through the history of the church, that as the
baptized, we enjoy the presence of the very same Spirit that filled Peter and those first disciples
on that first Pentecost. It is the Holy Spirit who, in essence, carries us, not just through the
difficult times of life, but in all times of life.
I like what the Study Catechism of our church says about the Holy Spirit:
What do you believe when you confess your faith in the Holy Spirit?
Apart from the Holy Spirit, our Lord can neither be loved, nor known, nor served. The Holy Spirit is the
personal bond by which Jesus Christ unites us to himself, the teacher who opens our hearts to Christ, and
the comforter who leads us to repentance, empowering us to live in Christ's service. As the work of the
one Holy Spirit, our love, knowledge and service of Christ are all inseparably related.
It is the Holy Spirit who aids us in our faithful development as followers of Jesus Christ.
The Spirit is our teacher who opens our eyes to scripture AND to the experience of our everyday
life to see God with us and for us in this world. It is by the Spirit that we are ever able to claim
that Jesus Christ is Lord and it is by this Spirit that we are enabled to live our lives with that
central truth before us always. It is then, this Holy Spirit, you might say, who moves us from
theory to practice, emboldening us to live out the truth of our faith in all that we do.
A “spirit-filled life” is not about how one feels on this or that day; it is about our trust that
God is truly with us as his son Jesus Christ has promised. It is by the Holy Spirit that we can and
do know that we are not alone in this life … we travel with the very presence of God.
Grace and peace,
-Martin
OUR CHURCH FAMILY NEWS
PRAYER LIST: Virginia Abraham, Linda Anderson, Nelda Ashbaugh, Ann
(Gillingham) Beard, Sue Brown, Gail Bupp, Dorothy Casteel, Tom Connelly,
Edna Mary Cox, Michelle King Cushey, Elaine Davis, Greg Dolan, Joann
Doyle, Richard Enterline, Albert Essey, Shelley Fazi, Elizabeth Fedele,
Robert Folino, Janet Glover, Tammy Gray, Shirley Hawk, Francis Helen, Ruth
Hershey, Cheryl Highberger, Grace Howard, Charlotte Jinkner, Bob Kemerer,
Ray and Reta Kuyat, Cheryl Lipko and family, George Maser, Lila May,
David McNair, Alex Noel, Bill and Trish Noel, Leslie Pelzer, Victoria Piekut,
Kay Powers, Pam Reinhardt, Bonnie Rosenthal, Ron Russell, Pat Salathe, John Sember, Liz
Sember, Ellen Sheehan, Liam Sherman, Janet Sutherland, Monika Tart, Tom Taylor, Lynda
Turin, Elsie Vanetta, Anh Vu, Cheryl Woods and Marilyn Zielinski.
BIRTHDAYS: Each month we observe the VIP and fourscore or more birthdays: If you are 80 or
older, and would like to be listed in the monthly newsletter, please contact the church. June
birthdays are:
Eralda Newbaker, 565 Waterbury Dr, Gbg (01)
Wilma Anthony, 245 Kenneth St., Gbg (05)
Gerry Pricer, 423 Culbertson Ave., Apt. 1D, Gbg (11)
Jean Blice, 421 Oxford Dr., Gbg (17)
Janet Glover, 191 East Side Drive, Gbg (23)
BAPTISMS Sean Fassnacht, February 22; Evelyn Runco, March 8; Charles Saunders, March 22;
Lilly & Michael Vavrock, April 12, 2015; Taiman Hines, April 26; Charles Smolenski, May 10;
Andrew Hutchinson, May 17
Stewardship Report
Total Disbursements through 4/30/15
Total Receipts through 4/30/15
Total Income over/under Expense
$237,917.05
$203,227.77
($34,689.28)
If you would rather receive an electronic version of the First News, please let us know at
fpcgreensburg@comcast.net and we’ll add you to our email list and remove you from
the paper copy list. Then you will receive the First News through your computer rather
than the mail box, but you’ll have to let us know!! A copy of the latest First News can
also be found at our website: www.fpcgreensburg.com
Photo Directory Volunteers Needed…..
Its Photo Directory time and we need your help! To make this task more manageable, we need
volunteers for each of our committees; Publicity, Appointment Sign-ups, Telephone Reminders,
Directory Lay-out and Photo Day Greeters. We are working with Lifetouch again and they do
most of the work for us, then we set everything into motion. We need 1 person to chair each
committee and attend an informational meeting with our Lifetouch consultant on Monday June
22nd from 6:00pm-7:30pm. Participation in the meeting is not necessary for volunteering. If
you are interested in being a chair or helping on any of the committees, please contact Erin
Hresko @ 724-547-7373 / erin.hresko@gmail.com or Linda Wagner @ 724-837-7618
/wagnerlinda1@mac.com.
A NEW ARRIVAL in the family is amazing, exciting and can be overwhelming. The Deacons are
offering a meal for the family on a busy day with appointments, etc. The new mother, or a
family member, can contact Peggy Taylor (724-547-6851), Marjorie Pershing (724-837-3614) or
the church office. We do not have a formal network to know of births at the regional hospitals;
however, the church office will forward information as received. Anyone wishing to provide a
meal may also contact Peggy or Marjorie. Thank you for your help with this ministry.
THE PASTORAL CARE COMMITTEE of the Board of Deacons is asking church members with
family or friends who are hospitalized, have health conditions that have changed, and/or have
other concerns that you wish the church to know about, to please inform Kim Stoner at the
church office at 724-832-0150 and your concern(s) will be directed to the proper person(s).
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SPONSORING A COFFEE HOUR? Provide your own cookies, muffins
or pastries or underwrite the refreshments for $35. Use the sign-up sheet on the Dining Room
bulletin board. Your contributions and participation are greatly appreciated.
CAN YOU SPARE 2 - 3 HOURS OF YOUR TIME to help the Food Pantry? We are looking for
volunteers to help distribute food for the Food Pantry on July 11, 2015 at 8:45 a.m. at Our Lady
of Grace Parish, Greensburg. There will be a sign-up sheet at coffee hour or you can contact
Greg Martinko at 412-916-5062 for more information.
Mission Committee News
Continuing our education as Christians is vital to an active and informed faith! Here at
First Presbyterian, there are many groups and classes that you can join in order to increase
your understanding of our faith ….
THE FAITH & FAMILY GROUP meets in the Fletcher Room at 9 a.m. every Sunday to discuss
topics related to our faith and family relationships.
ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE is a class that discusses the influence of theologians and leaders of the
Christian church on the faith. This year we are discussing the life and work of the great German
theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The class meets in the PW Lounge every Sunday morning at
9:00 and is led by Rev. Ankrum.
THE MEN’S BREAKFAST & BIBLE STUDY meets at Eat’n Park on Rt. 30 E. each Wednesday
morning at 7:45 a.m. for a time of fellowship, study and, of course, breakfast. We are now
studying the Book of Genesis under the leadership of Rev. Ankrum.
THE BIBLICAL BOOK OF THE MONTH CLASS gathers on the final Monday evening of each
month at 7 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the church. Rev. Ankrum teaches the class and covers
a single book of the Bible each month. Class will resume in September.
THE LAST TUESDAY BOOK CLUB gathers on the final Tuesday of every month to discuss a
particular novel. Class will resume in September.
SECOND SUNDAY SUPPER - Did you know that men can cook?!! Watching Vance Booher
prepare the meal was liberating; no measuring spoons allowed as he covered the potatoes with
oil and various herbs for roasting. The pan of fresh vegetables got sprinkled too! The pork loins
even had assorted fruit on top. Fifty guests even raved about the warm rolls! Bundt cake for
dessert completed the culinary experience. All left-overs were taken home for later. Yes, men
can cook with joy and herbal abandon! Thanks to the ten helpers who kept very busy. See you
on June 14th.
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HOMETOWN NAZARETH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL…is almost
here! Join us the week of June 8th-12th from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Kids will be immersed in the story of Jesus, told by his mom,
Mary. There will be some great snacks, a marketplace where
kids can make crafts from clay, wood, and stone, and learning
some fun music to sing! Registration is open! Print a form from
our website or get one at church. Cost is only $5 per
child…contact Niki if you’re interested in helping out!
PRESCHOOL HAPPENINGS The new preschool website is live!!! Check us out at
www.fpcgpreschool.weebly.com The website contains lots of information about our preschool.
We are excited to spread the word about our school. Be sure to check us out! Registration for
2015/2016 opened on January 5, 2015. Space fills up quickly so please register early. You can
print a form directly from the website.
THE FLOWER GARDEN ….. June’s flower garden is a trip to Longwood and Chanticleer Gardens
on June 11 & 12. This trip is by reservation only and all spots have been filled.
CORNERSTONE GATHERING: ALL ARE INVITED!
SATURDAY, JUNE 13 – 6:30 P.M.
GRILLE 31 – MOUNT PLEASANT
Cornerstone is a gathering of folks from FPC on a monthly basis
for dinner and conversation on the second Saturday evening.
Please join us if you’re available! Contact Sandy Beauregard or
the church office to reserve your spot. Grille 31 is located in
downtown Mt. Pleasant.
We would like to thank Ed & Joanne Highberger for their yearly
contribution of the geraniums around the church property. For the
past 29 years, Ed and Joanne have contributed these flowers and
planted them with the help of John & Carol Henry, Arlene Kendra
and Keith Huey. They plant 200 flowers every year and this year
planted 250. We would also like to thank Arlene Kendra and Lois
Ann Watson for taking care of the Chapel Garden. Thank you all so
much for all you do at First Presbyterian Church.
Y-Fi* Connections in June
*Youth of First Pres.
I MISSED THE LAST Y-Fi?!?!
Well, the school year is over. But don’t
worry! We’ll be back with more awesome
times at youth group on September 13th! In
the meantime, check out some cool things
coming up below!
From the Stewardship Committee
THE E-GIVING SWITCH IS ON The switch to regular, scheduled e-Giving is gaining momentum
at FPC. You’ve probably noticed the growing number of green “I Give Electronically” cards in
the offering plates each Sunday. Two suggestions that will assure that your e-Donations have the
most impact on the church: 1) Credit card companies charge the church a 2-3/4% fee for each
transaction. Consider direct transfer from your checking account. 2) Consolidate your weekly
giving into one “Monthly” contribution to keep FPC’s transaction costs down and to simplify
your records. Come in to the church office if you need help getting started. It’s easy!
A Pastoral View of the Budget: Bit-by-Bit
At the March meeting of the Session, I presented the budget status as part of the opening devotions.
Typically, the pastor does not present the budget report, but due to the usual folks who do so being
absent, it fell to me. After the meeting, I was encouraged to share my thoughts with the congregation.
ARE YOU EXCITED FOR SUMMER?
YOU SHOULD BE!
Here’s what we’ve got planned for you so far…
June 7th @ 2pm – Meet at church for our first Ice Cream
Crusade! We’ll meet here and head over to Tastyland. Bring
$ for ice cream. Pick up is at church at 4pm.
June 14th @ 11:30am – Meet at church for our second Ice
Cream Crusade! We’ll head over to Dairy Queen for lunch
& ice cream, then come back to church for a movie. Bring $
for ice cream. Pick up is at 3pm.
June 30th @ 7pm – Ice Cream Crusade #3! Meet at church and we’ll head over to the Meadows!
(If you’d like to meet us there, that’s cool too!) Bring $ for ice cream. Pick up from church at
9pm.
We’re also looking at a Kennywood outing in July or
August…stay tuned!
Originally printed in the April edition of First News, the Stewardship Committee has requested that this
be re-printed in “installments” during the coming months.
Oftentimes, a church is tempted to view the budget as a line-item, deficit versus surplus, assessment of
institutional health. Though much can be said in favor of this approach, I believe that there is something
more profound, much deeper to be found here.
A budget is an organized explanation of just where a congregation invests the gifts of the people of God.
What is given by the congregation is utilized by the leadership to help fulfill the calling that God, in Jesus
Christ, has placed upon our lives. In such a consideration, I, as the pastor, look at the budget in terms of
six items:
(1) Personnel Expenses: Since the church is a deeply person-oriented institution, the cost of supporting
the personal ministry of a congregation is oftentimes the greatest expense. It is here that we see the
support that the whole congregation grants to those who are called and employed to carry on the day-in,
day-out work of Christ’s church. People are called, trained and approved to serve as pastors, teachers and
shepherds of a congregation. Others are hired to fulfill particular roles of care for a church. Their work
must be compensated.
Areas to be covered in upcoming issues:
(2) Maintenance of Divine Worship; (3) Building Costs; (4) Education Costs; (5) Compassionate
Care; (6) All of this is Mission
Grace and Peace,
-Martin Ankrum
COMMUNION WITH CHILDREN
-From Rev. Nicole C. Brodeur
One of the most common questions I hear from parents is this: “When do I allow my child to
have communion?” This, of course, leads into more questions about how to explain communion,
what it means, age of understanding, and others. Here are some helpful suggestions and
questions to guide you through the sacrament of communion with your child. At the bottom is a
list of great resources as well, including a phenomenal devotional for parents and kids to help
prepare for taking communion.
-Contemplate & Connect Symbols
Kids are very good at using their imagination and discovering meaning in the ordinary. Ask your
child what bread and wine/grape juice makes them think of. Ask him/her to talk about a favorite
meal or a special meal (ex. Thanksgiving, birthday, etc.) and what makes it memorable. Continue
by asking about special meals or mentions of food in the Bible. Tie this into the Lord’s Supper;
what makes it so special at our church? What do we do differently on those days? How is our
celebration of the Lord’s Supper similar to the special meals you talked about?
-Different levels of participation
One of the things I love about working with kids is that they want to be in the midst of whatever
you’re doing. Sure, this can get frustrating when you’re trying to make dinner or teach at
Children’s Church. But this is great when teaching your kids about communion. Start by doing
something called “peripheral participation.” Kids start to learn about communion by watching
you partake in it. They witness you bowing your head, praying quietly, how you eat the bread
and drink the cup. Quietly tell them what you are doing and why you are doing it. Why do you
talk to God before eating the bread? Why do you wait to drink the cup with everyone else?
Once you feel your child is ready, you can move to “guided participation.” Children learn in this
way by “helping” you to take communion. When you receive the plate, allow your child to
choose a piece of bread for you. Have your child help you to pass the plate to the next person in
the pew. As you pray or contemplate while waiting to drink from the cup, allow your child to cup
his/her hands around your own as you hold the cup. Ask them to pray quietly with you.
-Note that no ages are mentioned here. This is because you, as your child’s parent, are the best
one to know when he/she is ready to fully participate in this sacrament. Some kids have taken it
as early as 3 years old, others as old as 13 years (some wait until confirmation.) The above
practices, as well as some of the ones you’ll find in the resources below, will help your family to
keep the dialogue going about the significance of celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
THE COULTER SOCIETY
The purpose of the Coulter Society is to encourage and recognize planned gifts to the church
through wills and bequests, as a way of investing in the future of FPC Gbg.
Why is this being called the Coulter Society? The name is in honor of a family that goes back to
the founding of this congregation in 1788. To put that date in perspective, the following year on
April 30 in NYC, GW was sworn in as the first President of our country. From the beginning,
the Coulters were a family intent on leaving a legacy. The family played a very active role in the
life of this church for almost 150 years, as well as in the community, county, and state.
The first church building was constructed in what is now St. Clair Park. In 1847, this plot of
ground, on the corner of Third and Main, was purchased by Mss. Margaret and Rebecca Coulter
and three other women and the title was turned over to the church trustees. In 1848 a church was
built on this site. The congregation continued to grow and in 1882 it was decided that a new
building was needed. General Richard Coulter made the lead pledge to fund that building. The
congregation continued its growth and in 1913 it was decided again to replace that building with
a new structure, which is this church. General Coulter’s widow, Emma Coulter, stepped forward
and donated almost 1/2 of the cost of this building. The building was completed in 1917. In
1921 the first stained glass window, the War Memorial Window, was installed and dedicated.
This was a gift of Col. Henry Coulter and is the window over the balcony. This window is in
honor of the 98 men from this congregation that served in WW 1, five of whom did not make it
home.
In 1928, Emma Coulter, the General’s widow, donated the Passion Windows, over the choir loft.
The family continued to make benevolent gifts to the church, including the Richard Coulter Trust
in 1937 which has continued to provide some income for the operating budget every year for the
last 75 years. They were not the only family or individuals to generously support this church
over the years but they certainly set a good example. The Coulter legacy is with us today 224
years after our founding. We have this beautiful place of worship today because of their
generosity and the generosity of others like them.
I doubt that any of us can do things on the scale that the Coulters did but we can do small things,
and many small things add up. Let us leave a legacy as well so that this congregation can
continue its ministry in the future in this place. We ask that you consider naming the church in
your will, any amount, small, medium, or large. Over the coming months you will hear more
about what others have already done and what opportunities are available to us. If you have
already made arrangements through estate planning to leave something to the church or if you
have questions or are considering doing this please let us know. You can do this through the
church office and either Martin or I will respond, or you can contact us directly. Let’s all
become members of the Coulter Society.
-Art Caramella
A Progressive Dinner?
The Membership & Evangelism Committee will hold a
Progressive Dinner in September of this year …
From Wikipedia: “A Progressive Dinner is a dinner party with successive courses prepared and
eaten at the residences of different hosts. Usually this involves the consumption of one course at
each location. Involving travel, it is a variant on a potluck dinner and is sometimes known as a
round-robin.”
For reservations or information, please call the
Church office at 724-832-0150
Your $100 deposit must be received by June 14 or you relinguish your spot.
More information to come, but if you like what you read
and want to participate, please see Rev. Ankrum or watch
for the sign-ups in Coffee Hour!