9:00 Sunday - Online in Zoom

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Meeting ID: 856 7771 8426

10:45 Sunday - Sanctuary

Please join us for coffee fellowship

following this service.

5:30 Ash Wednesday Worship - Sanctuary

Potluck to follow

If for some reason the onsite services would need to be canceled,

we will post a notice on our website and Facebook.

Ash Wednesday, February 14, 5:30 - Sanctuary

Join us as we begin our Lenten journey toward Jerusalem. This is a spiritual journey that begins with ashes on our heads or hands as a sign of our need for forgiveness and the promise of God’s love.

Join us for Ash Wednesdy and Stay for the Potluck!

Join us for Ash Wednesday. Service begins at 5:30 pm as Pastor Susan guides us in worship. Join us for a potluck in the commons following the service.

Faith and Fellowship to meet Feb. 16th

Faith and Fellowship will meet Feb.16th at 10 am for conversation and a little work for those who want to participate. Come join us at Mary Young’s home.

2024 Lent Brown Bag Concerts

Wednesdays, February 21, 28, March 6, 13, 20, 27 | 12:15 -12:45 p.m.

Brown Bag Concerts are free. Bring your own lunch or there will be brown bag lunches available for 5.00.

Our first concert will feature: Sangamon Brass

Invite a friend!

Cookie Bakers

If you like to bake, this is for you! We are in need of people to volunteer to bake cookies for the Brown Bag Concerts. Please let Michelle know if you can help.

REGISTER HERE

Annual Congregational Meeting 

Mark your calendars for the Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, February 25th following the 10:45 service. We will email out the Annual Report to members next week and have printed copies available on the 18th.

Supplies Needed for Cuba

2024 is the 20th anniversary of our church's partnership with la Iglesia Presbiteriana-Reformada en Sancti Spiritus, Cuba. To celebrate, eleven people from First Presbyterian will be traveling to our sister church in Sancti Spiritus on March 4th. We are requesting donations of medical and school supplies that are needed that we will take with us.

These are the types of items we are requesting.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES: pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, 4 x 6 notecards, file folders, glue sticks, small journal notebooks, art supplies, batteries, crayons, rulers

MEDICAL SUPPLIES:  bandaids, aspirin, anti-itch cream, arthritis cream, tylenol, anti-inflammatory creams, vitamins, antihistamines, ibuprofen

PERSONAL WELLNESS SUPPLIES: toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, dental floss, bars of soap, anti-perspirant, hand sanitizer

PLEASE- no heavy or large sized container, i.e. quart-gallon sizes as our members will be carrying these items in extra luggage for which they will be responsible.  

Finally, if you are retiring any medium to large suitcases, we could use them to carry our donations.

There will be a donation box in the narthex.  Jan Hill will be removing the items from time to time to pack for the trip. Thank you in advance for your donations!

Fun was had by all!

Thank you to everyone who came out and enjoyed our Family Fun luncheon. We look forward to to doing more fun things in the future.

Our 2024 Lenten Series: Wandering Heart – Figuring out faith with Peter

This Lent, we are focusing on the life and faith of one of Jesus’ most famous disciples. In Peter, we see a person who is both steadfast and unsteady, a dear friend and a betrayer, a follower and a wanderer. In Peter, we often see ourselves. By following Peter’s journey, we watch the story of Jesus unfold through the eyes of a very normal human trying to figure it all out—just like us.

We will look for ourselves in the steppingstones of Peter’s story. We will reflect on the stages of our own faith journeys as well as who and what has shaped us along the way. As we wander, let us tune our hearts to sing God’s grace. May we rest in streams of mercy, never ceasing.

How you can join our Lenten journey:

• Sign up for daily devotions delivered to your email starting Ash Wednesday and going through the second week of Easter. Each day will include a question for reflection and a short prayer. Sign up for daily email devotions here.
• Request the free weekly devotional book. Each week you will be provided with a scripture passage, commentary, reflection questions, poetry, and original artwork. You can request a free hardcopy version or a digital download for your computer. Printed versions will also be made available in the Narthex. Request your weekly devotional guide here.
• Plan on joining us for the Ash Wednesday Service on Wednesday, February 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.

Renovation Update

Most of the deconstruction is complete. Interior work has made progress in the offices and classrooms. A retired architect showed up last week at O’Shea with a set of building plans and drawings of decorative elements from 1941. They are beautiful hand drawn pen and ink drawings: We are having conversations about how we preserve them and share them. 

Liturgical Arts Festival Music Opportunity

An invitation to choral singers to perform the modern choral masterwork Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) as part of the Liturgical Arts Festival in Springfield for two performances at 2 PM & 7 PM on May 4, 2024. This Year's festival theme is “Creation: Revelation of the Divine.”

The hope is to summon forth a community choir of 60 voices that reflect the racial and religious diversity of our community. The Reverend Michael Riggs will direct the choir and Dr. Nichol DelGiorno will be accompanying.

We are now seeking commitments from vocalists beginning practices on February 15th and continue through several Thursdays with dress rehearsal on May 2nd. In addition to these practices, those selected will receive a practice track to work on parts on one’s own.

Sangamon County Community Resources Community Needs Assessment

Sangamon County needs your assistance as they work to complete a community needs assessment.

The primary objective of the proposed community needs assessment is to conduct an in-depth exploration that identifies the fundamental needs of local residents, assesses barriers hindering their progression out of poverty, and thoroughly examines the array of resources available to address these pressing concerns.

All comments and opinions are important and needed for this County Wide Assessment.

Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts. And feel free to share this survey link with anyone who lives in Sangamon County.

Thank you for assisting them with this very important process.

For questions please contact RuthAnn Ramsey.

Survey Link

Matthew Desmond launches a four-week PC(USA)-wide book study with an inspiring and insightful 15-minute talk

by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service

Matthew Desmond, the author of the 2023 book “Poverty, by America,” made a 15-minute online appearance Monday to help launch a four-week PC(USA)-wide study of his best-seller. More than 260 people were present to hear from Desmond, the Maurice P. During Professor of Sociology at Princeton University, whose 2017 book, “Evicted,” won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. They also discussed the first two chapters in small groups.

READ MORE

Responsive Readers needed

We are in need of responsive readers for the Zoom service. Please let Michelle know if you are interested.

You Can Host Coffee Fellowship

You can sign up to host in the commons or contact Michelle. We love visiting with each other after worship and appreciate those who make coffee and bring goodies.

Worship videos available

If you missed church on a Sunday or would like to re-visit a service, videos are available at the bottom of our home page.

Shelter Meal Volunteers

Jesus says: "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in."

~Matthew 25:35

We are looking for volunteers to join our shelter meal teams. Team 1 serves dinner on one Wednesday each month. This team is led by Linda Wheal and Margie Palmatier.

Teams 2 & 3 serve on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Team 2 is led by Frank Schultz and serves at 5:45. Team 3 is led by Keith Dhom and serves at 6:45.

If it blesses you to help feed our neighbors, please join us. You can assist with the preparation of the meals, serving, visiting or all of the above. If you are interested or have questions, please see Keith Dhom, Frank Schultz, or Margie Palmatier.

Contacting Staff During Renovation

Even though some of us may not always be in the building you can reach us by phone at home.

Just dial 217-528-4311

and put in the extension of the person you are trying to reach.

Pastor Susan x1020

Chaplain Tim x1030

Bookkeeper (Tara) x1050

Church Office (Michelle) x4

Facilities Manager (Tom) x1040

image by pixabay

Gary C.

Lou V.

Beth C.

Alice M.

Megan F.

Mary J.

 Michelle H.

All events are via Zoom unless otherwise specified.

February

12

Buildings and Grounds Meeting 4:00

Earth Care Team Meeting 6:00 in the commons

14

Mission Committee Meeting 4:00 in the commons

Ash Wednesday Worship 5:30 Sanctuary with a potluck to follow in the commons

15

Session Meeting 6:30

16

Faith and Fellowship 10:00 Mary Young's house

18

Rev. Susan Phillips to lead Zoom Service 9:00 Zoom

Rev. Susan Phillips to lead Service 10:45 Sanctuary

NOTE: Links to all events are attached to items on the church calendar .

If you click on the Zoom link in the calendar the invitation will open.

Worship Attendance

How to Join a Zoom Meeting

From your computer, cell phone or tablet:

Click the link provided.

To join a Zoom meeting via telephone:

Dial number given for the meeting. You will be prompted to enter the meeting ID provided followed by #.

Different Ways to Give

Thank you to everyone that shares in the Joy of Generosity at First Presbyterian! There are several ways to support our ministries and many ministries to support. In order to ensure your gift is credited to the correct fund, please take a moment to include the following information when making a donation:

1. Writing a check – Add the fund name in the memo section (Capital Campaign, Peacemaking, Samaritan Ministry, etc.)
2. Online portal – Select “Other Donations” when entering the amount then enter the name of the fund in the Notes section
3. Text giving – Text “$10 CC” to 217-284-2546, this example is a $10 donation for the Capitol Campaign fund. Other commonly used text codes are: Pledge, SM (Samaritan Ministries), Donate (Non-pledge), Peace, Joy, OGHS, Pentecost and BB (Brown Bag)

Church Contact Information

Our church numbers reach us even while we are working remotely.

Pastor Susan Phillips

[email protected]

217.528.4311 X 1020

Chaplain Tim Haworth

[email protected]

217.528.4311 X 1030

Bookkeeper, Tara Kaeding

[email protected]

217.528.4311 X 1050

Administrative Assistant, Michelle Hastings

[email protected]

217.528.4311 X 4