Horizon Highlights
Mission Statement: New Horizon Presbyterian Church Strives to know Christ and share God’s love.
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Pastor's Pulpit
Whoosh, where did the Summer go? Of course, part of my perception that this has been a short summer is that it has been, in fact, short. When I was a kid, back to school signaled that summer was over, and that didn’t happen until after Labor Day. Now, in 2023, our kids will be back to school in a couple of weeks! June was filled with Vacation Bible School setup- it was a terrific experience all the way around. In July, I celebrated my mom’s 94th birthday and for the past couple of weeks we have been dragging a trailer to points north: Minnesota, Ontario and Mackinac Island. We had a great time!
We come back to normal life, Lynne resumes teaching nursing students at UNO’s nursing program at UNMC, I’m back to planning events for the upcoming Fall. Our rummage sale runs from the 17th to the 19th and we have an outdoor worship service planned for the 20th! Our partners in the community, the Red Cross Blood Drives, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will be gearing up their programs as well. Our Rally Sunday, the traditional beginning of our Sunday School program is right after Labor Day on September 10. The slow time of summer is definably over!
So it is back to school, back to work, back to our normal life. It seems to me that while vacation is a once a year event we look forward to; that God intends for us to take mini-vacations once a week. The old word for this is Sabbath. We tend to get Sabbath confused with Sunday, for that is the day of the week Christians usually celebrate as Sabbath. Our Sabbath schedules are just as frenzied as our day to day “normal” activities, yet they too allow us to appreciate and retool for the rest of the week. Join me this year in viewing everything we do on Sunday as a mini-vacation- a gift from God designed to help us step back and relax; to enjoy and appreciate all of God’s good gifts.
See you in Church!
Paul
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AVI Sound System Replacement Project
Correction from July 30's worship bulletin: As of July 31st , we have contributions in the amount of $75,030 for the project (goal: $76,000).
Thank you to everyone that has contributed to the sound system project. In recent conversations with the contractor (AVI), we learned that the equipment for the project has been received and they are ready to move forward with the installation process. However, due to a backlog of work on their end, AVI informed us that our installation process will not begin until after August 1st.
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In August, we will resume having three services each Sunday with the exception of August 20.
On August 20, we will have an outdoor tent service at 9:30 followed by fellowship time.
In September, we will have one service at 9:30 on the 10th for RALLY SUNDAY.
In October, we will have one service at 9:30 on the 29th for ALL SAINTS.
FYI! The Nonpareil is discontinuing their weekly Faith Bulletin section. Moving forward, submissions will be treated like community events and may or may not be published. NHPC strongly encourages you to refer to the calendar linked at the end of the newsletter for service schedule and church meetings/activities. When you open the calendar, you can save it to your favorites bar in your Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari or other search engine.
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The Worship Committee is seeking volunteers to read the scripture selection at all services on Sunday mornings. The signup sheet is on the table in the Narthex.
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We hope everyone is enjoying having coffee available on Sunday mornings! We still need a person or persons to clean up the pots after the 11am service. There is a signup sheet in the small kitchen.
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VBS: We hope you have noticed the Links of Love around the church. There is one link for each dollar donated. As of this printing, you have generously donated over $360 for Bibles and chickens! Funds may still be donated till the end of August. Thank you very much for your wonderful response!
Dignity Items: During August we will be collecting dignity items for Bloomer, College View, Franklin, and Kreft schools so that there will be a change of clothes if any child needs one. Please place packages of new socks, undies, sweat pants, and tees for boys and girls sized for Kindergarten-5th graders in the clear bin under the table in the narthex. Thank you!
Bible Study: The 9 week Bible study, "Celebrating Sabbath", will continue on Thursday afternoons at 2:00 in the Hearth Room through the end of August.
Care and Share: For the month of August, Care and Share Pantry is in need of men's clothing, all sizes. Also in need of canned soups, canned pork & beans and canned kidney beans, If you wish to donate any of these items, please place them in the Care and Share box in the Narthex. Thank you, Larry & Sandy Miller
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Fellowship Fun
Ollie the Trolley Tour of Council Bluffs will be on September 8 from 2-5pm. It's $35 per person and you can reserve your spot by contacting Marcia Antworth at 712.545.3285. Tour stop details will be forthcoming.
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Save the date! Join New Horizon Presbyterian Church for a potluck luncheon following the 11am service on October 15. We will be hosting a wonderful guest Speaker, Olesia Repichowskyj. Ms. Repichowskyj lived through the Soviet occupation of Ukraine, being born just a year after the Holodomor, or forced starvation by Stalin. After coming to America at age 15 and learning English on her own, she taught Native American children in South Dakota on the Rose Bud Reservation of the Lakota & Dakota Tribes. She will speak on Ukrainian history and culture.
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Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee is sponsoring a school supply drive in August. It is well known that teachers spend a lot of their own money on supplies for their students and classrooms each year. We would like to support the teachers in our congregation by donating supplies to them for use at their schools. There will be a collection box in the Narthex starting on August 6 through Rally Day, September 10. We welcome any donations, but we are providing a list of specific supplies that our teachers requested. Thank you for supporting this mission and the teachers in our church family!
School Supply Wish List
- Expo (brand) black dry erase markers
- Highlighters
- Pre-sharpened #2 pencils
- Audio headphones with cord (not wireless)
- Reusable water bottles
- Packs of washable markers
- Composition notebooks
- Black Sharpie (brand) permanent markers
- Individually wrapped snack items for students (fruit chews, granola bars, etc.)
- Boxes of Kleenex / facial tissue
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Membership Directory
As we wrap up the creation of the current membership Directory, we need some help! If Beverly Melchor-Young has reached out to you regarding adding your photo to the directory or you haven't had your picture taken by Beverly at worship services, please reach out to her or Sarah Young with your photos (and any other members of your household) no later than August 15. If your contact info has changed in the last year (phone, email, address), please send to Sarah Young, also by August 15. The directory will be completed, printed and emailed by August 31.
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Musical Mentions
Congratulations to our very own Travis Walker for being named as the Southwest ICDA Choral Director of the Year for his work with students in the Council Bluffs Community School District!!
| Thank you to Shelby VanNordstrand, Ellen Jaco and Mary Jo Bailey for providing our organ and piano accompaniment during our worship services throughout the month of July! | |
The Celebration of Hope 2023 is fast approaching, and we can't contain our excitement! Not only will Sandi Patty and Anita Renfroe be performing - but YOU can sign up to sing in the choir to sing with Sandi Patty! Click here for more information about participating in the choir - the rehearsal dates, and short form to sign up!
Event Details: Thursday, September 21st; 5pm at The Relevant Center, 21220 Elkhorn Drive, Elkhorn, NE
If you sign up to be in the choir, you can come to the event for free! To invite your friends and family to come, please click on and share this site for them to purchase their tickets -- they're only $35 each. If you or your friends can't join us in person, don't worry! The event will be live-streamed, allowing you to experience the joy and inspiration from the comfort of your own home. This Celebration of Hope promises to be an unforgettable experience, uniting hearts and spreading positivity. Mark your calendar and share this wonderful moment with us! For more information and to secure your tickets, click here. Again, to sign up to join the choir, click here.
Thank you for your support, and we're looking forward to celebrating with you!
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Cub Scout Corner
In July, Pack 15 went to our Trailblazer District Day Camp at Viking Lake, run by our very own Richard Maisel! The theme this year was "Into the Wild". Cub Scouts spent the day fishing, participating in shooting sports, learning about native Iowa animal tracks& the animals that made them, tie dying their own neckerchiefs, went on a wild animal scavenger hunt, playing games and so much more!
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To the family of Miriam Miller, on her passing on July 8, 2023. | |
New Office Hours
Mon: Jun - Aug: 9 - 2pm
Mon Sept - May: 9 - 1:30pm
Tues - Thurs: 9 - 2pm
Fri - Sun: Closed
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You can access the NHPC public calendar anytime by clicking the button below. Be sure to bookmark the calendar to your favorites bar! You can also download a hard copy of the August calendar. Have an event, like a wedding, graduation, Sweet 16, large group meeting, etc. you would like to reserve the church for? Simply click here to download, fill out electronically or by printing, and email to Sarah Young or drop off in the office.
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The Prayer Shawl Ministry Team is a fellowship group who knit or crochet shawls. They meet on the second Monday of the month at 3pm, to crochet, knit & to pray for the people who receive the shawls.
Shawls are given for baptism, for confirmation, to people who are ill, or in a crisis situation, or to any person that wants one. If you feel God calling you to use your knitting or crocheting skills in this ministry, call Pauline Larsen, 402.740.9453 or the Church office 712.323.7129.
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Join Us on August 19
We invite YOU to enjoy one of the last weekends of summer the best way possible, spending quality time with the people you love. Calvin Crest’s Fun Day is perfect for families, friends, children, adults, community members and grandparents! The event offers activities for all ages including music, games, hikes, crafts, food and fellowship.
INSTEADIUM 2.0
On August 19-20, we will host our second annual INSTEADIUM for middle school and high school youth. This event, created "instead of" Triennium last year, is a great (and short) event for students as they start the school year. Youth groups with chaperones can register (or students can register as an individual). The event begins at 5PM on August 19 and ends by 11 AM on August 20.
| Online Giving is available through our website or with a free mobile app. Make one-time or recurring donations using your debit/credit card or checking/savings account. Log in or donate as a guest. Visit the link above or download the free mobile app, Vanco Mobile in the App store or Google Play. |
Ten Years and Counting
Ten years ago, the Presbyterian Giving Catalog was born. A simple idea, rooted in the belief that small gifts can make a big impact in the world.
Thanks to your leadership and the participation of many generous Presbyterians, the Giving Catalog is celebrating ten years of supporting Presbyterian mission. Gifts to the Giving Catalog are signs of our gratitude: feeding the hungry, comforting the brokenhearted and sharing our faith with young and old.
We invite you to watch and share our video to see the impact this generosity has made over the years.
| If Church Services are cancelled due to weather, check our Facebook page! The information will be provided to the local television stations for airing & posting on their web page/apps. | |
Upholding Segregation: Racist Seating Policies in Southern Presbyterian Churches - Historical Article
In the early 1960s, the US Supreme Court's Brown v. Board decision upended legal segregation in the United States. Some congregations emerged to challenge both de facto and de jure segregation in the church. Others debated how to accommodate African Americans who came to worship and created policies that effectively upheld segregation.
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The American Red Cross is looking for friendly, customer focused individuals to volunteer at blood drives right here in Council Bluffs. The need for blood is constant and volunteers are essential to ensuring drives continue to take place and blood continue to be provided for patients in need.
Blood Donor Ambassador volunteers engage donors by greeting, registering, answering questions, providing information, and supporting them through the recovery process at the refreshments table. The special attention volunteers give helps create a favorable impression that encourages ongoing donor support. The Red Cross provides training on all systems, and staff are available to lend a hand and answer questions.
Being a Red Cross Blood Donors Ambassador volunteer is a great way to meet new people from all walks of life. Volunteer opportunities are flexible. You can pick the days and times that work best for you.
Help patients in need by giving your time to serve as a Blood Donor Ambassador. To learn more, visit
redcross.org/volunteer.
| Did you know that the Presbyterian Church has a cross icon? Find a host of religious icons here. | | |
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
There are an estimated 476 million indigenous peoples in the world living across 90 countries. They make up less than 5 percent of the world's population, but account for 15 percent of the poorest. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.
Indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment. They have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Despite their cultural differences, indigenous peoples from around the world share common problems related to the protection of their rights as distinct peoples.
Indigenous peoples have sought recognition of their identities, their way of life and their right to traditional lands, territories and natural resources for years. Yet, throughout history, their rights have been violated. Indigenous peoples today, are arguably among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world. The international community now recognizes that special measures are required to protect their rights and maintain their distinct cultures and way of life.
In order to raise awareness of the needs of these population groups, every 9 August commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, chosen in recognition of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982.
Did you know?
- Globally, 47% of all indigenous peoples in employment have no education, compared to 17% of their non-indigenous counterparts. This gap is even wider for women.
- More than 86% of indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy, compared to 66% for their non-indigenous counterparts
- Indigenous peoples are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.
Day of Prayer for the Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula
Composed by the National Council of Churches in Korea, the prayer will be held on August 15, observed in both North and South Korea to mark the date in 1945 when Korea won independence from Japanese colonial oppression. The date was also when the peninsula was divided into two countries.
The prayer asks: “O Lord, how long shall we continue to keep the division on the Korean Peninsula?” and also asks: “When will peace come to the painful and broken land of Korea?”
The prayerful lines also speak of the pain of living in division for so long. “The forces of the division system are the major stumbling blocks in the path toward peace and reunification while military tensions are rising on the Korean Peninsula in the midst of mistrust,” the prayer reads. “Our hearts break when we look at the rusty barbed wire.”
The prayer asks for healing grace to those suffering from the wounds of division. “Help us to stop demonizing each other but instead to pursue peace and coexistence,” reads the text. “Empower us to take down the rusty barbed wire and the desires of all who block the way of peace.”
The prayer asks for love to overcome suspicion and hatred. “Help us to discover the truth in ourselves that we can become agents of peace and reconciliation through your grace,” the prayer reads. “Give us the strength and resilience to go beyond division and work together for peace through dramatic improvement and development of inter-Korean relations.”
The prayer concludes with a note of hope. “O Lord, 78 years of division, there shall be no more tears and pain,” the text concludes. “We can no longer be bound in heavy chains of war and conflict.”
Rev. Hong-Jung Lee, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in Korea, noted that the year 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War. “We ask the churches around the world continue to accompany the churches of Korea by observing the Sunday of Prayer for the Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula, and participating in the Korea peace appeal campaign for ending the Korean War and establishing a peace agreement,” said Lee.
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| Kathy Jessen | 01 | Linda Walker | 15 | | Gary McQuigg | 01 | Sandra Larsen | 16 | | Sonya Reynolds | 02 | Jill Andersen | 17 | | Nicholas Kafka | 03 | Antonio Santon | 17 | | Lois Nihsen | 03 | Debbie Jensen | 19 | | Amanda Petersen | 03 | Howard Shipley | 20 | | Sherry Swanger | 04 | Sarah Young | 21 | | Marilyn Nadler | 05 | Sharon Bemis | 23 | | Sharon Allen | 07 | Alex Montgomery | 24 | | Morgan Montgomery | 08 | Ellen Jaco | 25 | | Allison Parks | 08 | Madison Kafka | 25 | | Lynne Masters | 09 | Deborah Reese | 25 | | Colton Dorr | 11 | Nancy Alkire | 27 | | Kylee Matthes | 11 | Nancy Hetrick | 28 | | | | | |
