The Mustard Seed - First Presbyterian Church

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THOMASVILLE
JANUARY 2015
The Mustard Seed
JANUARY CALENDAR
Unless otherwise noted, the following events are held
each week:
Sundays (nursery provided)
Sunday School at 9:45 am
Coffee Fellowship at 10:30 am
Worship Service at 11:00 am
Tuesdays
Al-Anon at 7:00 pm
Wednesdays
Thomasville Seventh Day Adventists at 6:00 pm
Saturdays
Thomasville Seventh Day Adventists at 9:30 am
Additional events for January:
1/01 New Year’s Day—Office Closed
1/06 Circle meets at Piedmont Center at 2:30 pm
1/11 Communion Sunday
1/13 Session Meets at 7:00 pm
1/15 Companions in Christ from 10:00-11:30 am
(first session in six-week series)
1/18 POYQ at 4:30 pm
Mustard Seed Submissions Deadline
Christian Education Committee
Companions in Christ
A Companions in Christ course,
“Deepening Our Prayer: The Heart of
Christ,” will begin on January 15, 10:0011:30 AM. “Deepening Our Prayer” is a
six-week program which provides an opportunity for the participant to deal with
his/her experiences of prayer and which
reintroduces classical Christian spiritual
practices that belong to all Christians but
have been lost along the way. Books must
be ordered for the class, so please notify
Gene Moore (476-4033, [email protected])
by January 1 if you plan to attend.
Pennies for Hunger Grant
Salem Presbytery has given the Cooperative Community Ministry (CCM) a
$2000 grant from the “Pennies for Hunger” offering. Our church participates in
the offering, asking members to save five
cents per meal to contribute to the cause.
The offering sponsors the grant applications. The Ministry has been awarded
this grant several times in the past.
Thank you for your part in making this
happen!
FOOD OF THE MONTH FOR CCM: CANNED SOUP
Please place your donations in the little red wagon outside the choir
room door in the front hallway of the church. Non-perishable food
donations are always welcome!
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS, DECEMBER 2014
PASTOR’S REPORT
After six years on CPM (Committee for Preparation for Ministry), Mike has resigned from the committee.
On December 14, three Ruling Class Elders, Class of 2017, were installed—Tom Byrnes, Eddie Coggins,
and Sue Langfitt. We will receive an offering for Barium Springs in February 2015.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Please see report on page 3. There was a $100 savings on organ maintenance due to Yulia helping during
the process; this money has been moved to Music Director Continuing Education. As of the December
Session meeting, 39 pledges have been received at a total of $117,690.00.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Building & Grounds: All paint for Empower House is stored in FPC utility room to prevent freezing. A
light replacement is planned for the nursery. The choir room split system is being monitored, delay to heat.
The completion of nursery door is in process.
Christian Education: We have only one children's Sunday School class, an Elementary Class. Preschool
children are going to the nursery. Since no youth are coming, we no longer have that class. Alternative
Giving was held in December, with options for Camp Scholarship Fund, Music Ministry, and Service
Committee Outreach Program. A Companions in Christ class, “Deepening Our Prayer,” will be held for
six consecutive weeks from 10:00-11:30 a.m., beginning on January 15. POYQ parents are unable to continue teaching Sunday School. There is a need for teachers for Elementary aged-children. Anice and Travis
will speak with Beth Utley in January to hear her thoughts about getting a program in place.
Congregational Care: The committee is working to purge the membership roll. Activities are in discussion for January through March.
Personnel: The committee is working to finalize annual reviews for Yulia and nursery attendants.
Service: Twenty-seven coats were collected and delivered to local dry cleaners for Give-A-Kid-A-Coat
and CIS. The church rang the Salvation Army bell for two days at Wal-Mart. Twenty boxes of cereal and
various canned goods were delivered to CCM. Sixteen stockings were put together for men at the Shepherd’s Inn. The Shoe Recycling Program is completed. The chair position will be passed on.
OLD BUSINESS
Undesignated memorial funds will be used to purchase new hymnals. Beth Utley (minister to youth) will
be contacted regarding our elementary children’s program.
NEW BUSINESS
Worship service on December 28th will consist of an informal gathering in the Fellowship Hall at 11:00.
Tom & Shirley Byrnes will host our annual Super Bowl Sunday party in February. Every Session member
signed up for the 2015 Session Opening Prayer.
A CHRISTMAS STORY FROM CCM…
The Cooperative Community Ministry was distributing Christmas gifts to clients and food for a Christmas dinner. A family from El Salvador (mother, young boy, and infant in a stroller), speaking no English, walked to the Ministry. The large bag of gifts, box of food, and a bicycle for the boy were too much
for the family to carry home. A lieutenant from the police department brought an interpreter to the Ministry, and the staff of the Ministry summoned a taxi. When the bicycle couldn’t fit into the cab, a volunteer followed them home with the bicycle in the back seat. The volunteer was paid with a hug from the
mother, and when the volunteer offered to pay for the taxi, the driver refused the tip, saying “the chief
had paid him.” Thanks to the Ministry and its staff and volunteers, a police officer, a cab driver, and
someone who bought the gifts and bicycle, strangers in Thomasville will have a happy Christmas. “I was
a stranger, and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25:35)
January 7
January 13
January 19
January 20
Johnnie & Josie Suggs
1/8/2005
Eddie & Reen Coggins
1/22/1986
Tyler Tyson
Bob Hill
Bill McColl
Karen Rubish
MEMORIALS
Gary Whitman: Tom & Shirley Byrnes, Butch & Sue Langfitt, Greg & Sandi Rice, Phil & Anice
Griffin, Tommy & Crystal Hodges, Jon & Kendrick Safley, Ricky & Jan Hedgecock, Noah &
Barbara Manning, Mike & Susan Hauser, Don & Jane Osborne, Sue Hunter, Andy & Karen Rubish,
Johnnie & Josie Suggs, Tony & Karen Whitman, Kathy Whitman, Kathleen Hankins
Eva Ruth Tibbetts (Mother of Reen Coggins): Tom & Shirley Byrnes, Sue Hunter, Greg & Sandi
Rice, Phil & Anice Griffin, Johnnie & Josie Suggs
Nell Lafferty (Aunt of Eddie & Reen Coggins): Tom & Shirley Byrnes, Sue Hunter, Greg & Sandi
Rice, Phil & Anice Griffin, Johnnie & Josie Suggs
Aulene Henderson: Lib Cloniger, Noah & Barbara Manning, Greg & Sandi Rice, Andy & Karen
Rubish, Butch & Sue Langfitt, Johnnie & Josie Suggs, Tom & Shirley Byrnes, Rev. Jay Ebersole
TREAURER’S REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2014
Pledges
Facility Use & Property Income
Special Offering & Other Inc.
Month of
November
Actual
Budget
Variance
12,428
11,143
1,285
YTD thru
November
Actual
Budget
126,964
122,565
Variance
4,399
975
1,182
(207)
11,472
13,001
(1,529)
1,056
286
770
5,957
5,123
834
-
-
25,461
-
25,461
Gifts
Total Income
14,459
12,612
1,847
169,854
140,689
29,164
Total Operating Expenses
11,248
12,352
(1,104)
136,531
139,173
(2,642)
883
923
(40)
8,691
10,037
(1,346)
2,328
(663)
2,992
24,631
(8,521)
33,152
Special Offerings Disbursements
Surplus/(Deficit)
Pledges for November were $1285 over budget. YTD pledges are $4399 over budget. Only a small
amount of the overage in pledges is due to pledges for December being prepaid. Expenses were under
budget by $1104 in November. We did not have any large repair expenses in November, and we hope
that it will stay that way for awhile. Most pledges have been turned in, but total amount pledged for 2015
is $10,342 less than for 2014.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
JANUARY 2015
21 Randolph Street
Thomasville NC 27360
The Rev. Michael Lamm, Pastor
Carole Skinner, Office Manger
Yulia Roubtsova, Director of Music
Church Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday 9:00 am-12:00 noon
Church Office Phone/Fax: 336-476-4110
Pastor’s Cell Phone: 336-848-6536
Web Page: www.firstpresthomasville.org
Email Addresses: [email protected]
[email protected]
THANK YOU NOTES
Dear friends,
Don and I can’t begin to thank you enough for the food, cards, calls, visits, concern, and prayers during
these last few weeks since my most unexpected back surgery. I don’t know what we would have done
without YOU—our Church Family. We truly feel blessed to be a part of FPC and the wonderful people
there. We hope to see you in church soon. With love, Jane and Don Hasty
I want to thank my church family for all the support, calls, food, prayers, cards, and offers to run errands during this past year. It meant so much to see this outpouring of love to Gary and I. He loved
you all and felt at home at First Presbyterian. Thank you for all you did to help us during his illness.
Love, Donna Whitman
PRAYER FAMILIES FOR JANUARY
1st week:
2nd week:
3rd week:
4th week:
Travis & Jennifer Hege
Mark Warner
Joe & Dee Harrison
Joann Mitchell
Peggy Harrison
Dominique & Brian McSweeney
Keith Harrison
Carol & Benny Huff
Please submit any information or articles for the February issue of The Mustard Seed by January 18,
2015 to the following email address: [email protected], and indicate “Mustard Seed” in the subject line. For questions about submitting information, please contact Sandi Rice at the email above or by
phone at 336-472-8527.

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