September 5th, 2024

A Note From Pastor Randy

Thank you for two weeks of vacation!  I did find the time to read Brian McLaren’s new book Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart.  You might recall that when I peaked into the early chapters before I left, I learned he defined “doom” as the uneasy feeling that we have made a mess of our civilization and the planet.  

I was most interested in how McLaren suggests we face this reality.  The book consists of 21 short chapters, which would be difficult to summarize in this limited space.  Let me try to highlight one significant theme that runs through many of them.

When McLaren is asked whether he has hope, his response is that hope is complicated.  It depends how you define it.  Hope is essential because it motivates.  Hope is dangerous because it keeps you from facing how bad things really are and responding appropriately.  He appeals to St. Paul’s phrase “hope against hope” (Rom 4:18).  This “hope against hope” inspires the energy to act when all hope for a good outcome is gone.

McLaren proposes that our prime motive should be love.  We find courage, not in the likelihood of a good outcome, but in our commitment to love.  Love will provide a way forward in our predicament, one step into the unknown at a time.  It might be too late for a good outcome for our current civilization or the planet, but it is never too late for love.  Love will count no matter what.  Even on the last day of the world.

So even if we lose hope for a good outcome, we need not lose hope of being good people: courageous, wise, kind, loving, in defiance of all that is bad around us.  Some of the book’s final chapters are about how to be good people, and have intriguing titles like “What a Time to Be Alive” and “Tell Them About the Dream” and “Find Your Light and Shine It.”  

McLaren concludes that even if he gives up hope for our current situation, he is not giving up.  He refuses to give up on his reader, on humanity, and on this beautiful world.  This is an insightful and thought-provoking book that deserves a wide audience.

Choir Rehearsals Starting

Do you love to sing? Do you want to play handbells? Choir rehearsals start tonight, Thursday, September 5, with handbells at 6:00 pm and vocal choir at 7:00 pm. This is open to everyone who loves to praise God through music, please join us!

Presbyterian Women

The first PW meeting for this fall will be Wednesday, September 18th, at 9:30 am in Calvin Hall.

Those who ordered a study guide from Susan, please pick up your copy from Susan's mailbox in the church office.

Greeting Cards for Sale

REMINDER:

There are various types of greeting cards for sale by the Presbyterian Women in the church office, available to all for purchase. The cards are $5 per box. You may leave payment in Susan Wexter's or Amber's mailboxes in the church office. Thank you!

Gift of Life Church Transition

The Gift of Life church has moved their trial service dates to the first two weeks of October. Their planned permanent start date is now December 1st. Please remember to keep them in their prayers during their time of transition.

CV Hospice Release & Remember

Join us on Sunday, Sept. 8 at the RiverLoop Amphitheatre in downtown Waterloo for a meaningful afternoon of music and remembering loved ones. Dedicate a butterfly for someone you love for $30, and receive a keepsake certificate to personalize and keep as a reminder of the day.

This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. We’ll have activities for youth, music by local band Flatland Ridge, and will end the day with the spectacular release of 1,000 monarch butterflies.

Learn more and dedicate a butterfly today at https://www.cvhospice.org/events/release-remember/

Thank You!

A big thank you to Brody, Mitch, Mallory, and James for their hard work in cleaning up the area in the middle of the church. We salute your efforts!

Retreat At Lakeshore Center

Sep. 30 - Oct. 2, Lakeshore Center is holding a retreat: "Healthspan: Living Abundantly and Aging with Grace".

Hopes for the retreat:

• Do you want to learn practices that can help you eat, sleep and move better?
• Are you worried about developing dementia?
• What medical diagnoses put your health at greatest risk?
• What should I look for in finding a new doctor?
• What do "gut feelings" mean, and why do we have them?
• Understand how stress affects our bodies and our brains
• Develop strategies for better eating
• Understand and tap into the mind-body connection
• Understand and practice activities that may reduce risk for dementia
• Understand wills, living wills, and powers of attorney
• Develop practices which can improve lifespan and healthspan

Scholarships are available from First Church for those who would like to attend and need assistance.



For more information, visit https://www.lakeshorecenteratokoboji.org/adults.html

Lunch to Learn

The diversity in the Cedar Valley is a valuable asset to our lives. We invite you to learn more abour our community and its diversity in a fun and tasty way.

Each month we will visit and dine at an ethnic restaurant in the Cedar Valley.

Each month one or two people in the group will do some research on the culture of the ethnicity and will make a brief presentation.

We will order and dine.

We anticipate this group beginning on Thursday, October 17, from 11:30 am to 1 pm.

Please sign up in the office for this experience if you are interested.

LIVE STREAMING WORSHIP

We are now live streaming our Worship Services every Sunday! The stream will start at 10:00 am on Sundays, and you can view it live on our YouTube channel wherever you have internet access!

If you are unable to watch the service live, the video will be recorded and you can watch at any time by clicking on the video on the YouTube page. The link is (Click Here) bit.ly/1stpresby. The video will also be posted on our Facebook page and the website on Monday mornings.

You can also find the link to the YouTube page on the church website.

Please click HERE for the Sunday bulletin.

We look forward to worshiping with you every week!

Church Calendar

Thursday Sep. 5: 6:00 and 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsals

Friday Sep. 6: 12:30 pm 415 Walnut Collective Meeting

Sunday Sep. 8: 10:00 am Worship Service Sanctuary

5:00 pm Sunday Supper Fellowship Hall

Monday Sep. 9: NECC Painting Class Fellowship Hall

Tuesday Sep 10: 9:00 am Bible Study

10:00 am Staff Meeting Church Office

10:30 am Deacons

12 Noon Stewardship & Finance Church Office

2:30 pm Christian Nurture

5:00 pm Missions

5:00 pm Love Inc Prep Meeting Fellowship Hall

Thursday Sep. 12: 9:30 am Church Book Club Off-Site

6:00 and 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsals

Saturday Sep. 14: 1:00 pm Liz Poole Funeral Service

Sunday Sep. 15: 10:00 am Worship Service Sanctuary

5:00 pm Sunday Supper Fellowship Hall

Pulpit Flower Volunteers Needed

We are accepting donations of flower arrangements for our Sunday Services. We currently have September 15, 22, and 29th available. If you would like to donate, please contact Amber in the office to find a date that works for you. You can call the office or email Amber directly. 319-233-6145 or amber@1stpresby.org. Alternatively, you can let Nancy Valentine know on Sundays after service and she will relay your information to Amber. Thank you!

Elder Standing Team Assignments 

Stewardship and Finance:  Nancy Newhoff 

Mission and Outreach: Sally Davis, Mallory Sage, Sue Albright 

Christian Nurture and Fellowship:  Terry Sage, Dan Davis 

Worship and Music:  Mary Kabel, Marsha Muir, Sally Davis 

Personnel: Dan Davis 

Building and Grounds: Craig Cose 

Liz Poole Funeral Service

The funeral service for Liz Poole will be held here at First Church on Saturday, September 14, at 1:00 pm

New Address

New address for Dan and Beth Klann:

915 Ashworth Road

Suite 316

West Des Moines, IA 50265

Email addresses and phone numbers remain the same

Thank You

I want to say "thank you" for the cards and expressions of sympathy extended to me during the loss of my twin sister, Laura, from our church members.

Love, Peace, Joy, Hope,

Lorraine A. Baker

Church Prayer List

Ongoing/Continuing Prayers:

Gary Catterson

Ralph Beaver

Connie Leeper

Don Broadston

Sally Davis

Pat & Kari Narey

Jan Schwab

Steve Miller

Sherrianne Noyes

Prayer for Member Households:

Nancy Valentine

Daniel and Alice Watters

Susan Wexter

Prayer in the Presbytery:

Theological Institutions related to the PC(USA)

Prayer for Local Church:

Union Baptist Church, 209 Jackson St., Waterloo, IA 50703

Rev. Marvin Jenkins

 Add to the Prayer List

Click HERE to submit a prayer request online. Our pastors will be praying for you and sharing concerns with the congregation as requested.

Church Family Birthdays

We celebrate our members with birthdays in September. If you get a chance, please join us in wishing them a very happy birthday!

September

01 Karen DeSerano

02 Regina Buls, Mitchell Sage

07 Cheryl Ersland, Colette Kukosama

08 Nancy Catterson, Julie Clarke

12 Karen Hahn

13 Carl Boice

14 Christa Moravek

15 James Reisinger

17 Joseph Swallow

18 Jean Seeland

19 Paige Bass

24 Craig Cose

29 Ed Halvorson

First Presbyterian Church 505 Franklin St | Waterloo, IA | 319-233-6145 | www.1stpresby.org

Office Hours: M-Th 9:00am to 4:00pm