This Week at First Presbyterian Church
of Willmar
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To Make a Weekly/Monthly Offering | | |
Preparing for the Week Leading Up to August 2nd
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Isaiah 55:1-5
Genesis 32:22-31
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21
Choose a word or phrase that especially grabs your attention.
Pray from that word or phrase and ask God to help you connect to its particular invitation for you this week.
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Good Morning!!
THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR:
Tuesday, July 28th:
10:00am: Staff Meeting in the Admin office and Chair Yoga in JKH
4:00pm: Zoom Book Study
5:45pm: Personnel in the Admin Office
Wednesday, July 29th:
8:00am: Women's Bible Study in the Friendship Room
Thursday, July 30th:
10:00am: Chair Yoga in JKH
Saturday, August 1st:
6:00pm: Pride Worship Service at Vinje Lutheran
Sunday, August 2nd:
9:00am: Adult Education in the Friendship Room
10:00am: Worship with Communion
11:00am: Coffee Fellowship in JKH
Sunday, July 26th through Friday, July 31st: Youth Mission Trip and Jill is Out of the Office
Monday, July 27th through Tuesday, July 28th: Carpet Laying in Lower Level by Stairs
Monday, August 3rd through Friday, August 7th: Shara is on Vacation
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Sunday's Online Worship Service
July 26th, 2026
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We’re looking for helping hands to bless our church family by providing treats and serving during Fellowship Hour after worship. If you enjoy baking, picking up simple snacks, or offering a warm smile as you serve, we’d love to have you be part of this!
Please sign up at the table in the Narthex, contact Shara in the church office, or by clicking the link below.
| | Please have any announcement needed to be put in the bulletin or the weekly voice to Shara in the office the week before it is wanted to be shared with the congregation! Thank you! | | |
JUNE OPERATING STATEMENT REPORT:
Receipts through June
$151,038.89
Expenses through June
$149,604.57
Revenue in Excess of Expenses
$1, 434.32
Balance Due on the Internal Loan for 2022 Roof Replacement
and 2023 Parking Lot
$39.993.00
2026 Per Capita is $47 per confirmed member. Please pay as you are able. We appreciate receiving per capita as early in the year as possible, but welcome payments throughout the year. The Per Capita of $9,588.00 was paid, and the Per Capita giving is $6,565.50
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Stewardship is about more than budgets and buildings. It is about faith, gratitude, and the ways we respond to God's generosity in our lives. Each month, we'll share a brief reflection on how our gifts support the ministry and mission of First Presbyterian Church.
Your gifts help us live out our mission as
the Church with HEART in the HEART of Willmar.
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Stewardship Matters: Every Gift Tells a Story
When we talk about stewardship, it's easy to focus on dollars and cents. But stewardship is really about discipleship. It is one of the ways we respond to God's generosity in our lives.
At First Presbyterian Church, we are blessed by the faithfulness of many households. In fact, 170 households faithfully support the ministry of this congregation. Of those households, 104 contribute between $1 and $499 each year.
At first glance, those may seem like "small" gifts. But in God's kingdom, there is no such thing as a small gift offered in faith. Jesus praised the widow who gave two small coins because she gave from her heart. The size of the gift was not what mattered; the faith behind it was.
Those many gifts of $10, $25, $100, or $500 make ministry possible. They help keep our doors open, support worship and education, provide care for those in need, and allow us to serve our community.
Of course we deeply appreciate the larger gifts; they are necessary to keep us operational. But when hundreds of faithful acts of generosity come together, they become something much larger than any one gift alone.
Thank you for every gift, every pledge, every offering, and every act of generosity. Together, we are doing more than funding a church; we are participating in God's work in the world.
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Prayer Corner
Keeping you in the loop
with the most updated prayer needs
Prayers for Healing & Comfort:
John Tatge
Kathy Murphy
Michele Odens
Rita Phillips
Thomas Sands
Gertrude Kluver (Bonnie Kluver and Jackie Grothe’s Mother)
Heather Woroniecki (Pastor Scott & Pastor Leanne’s Niece)
Renee Allen
Vicki Carver
Bea Ourada
Andy Sjerven (Sheila Sjerven’s Stepson)
Bev Skare
Prayers For Those Who Grieve:
The Family of David Radabaugh (Carol Tatge's Brother)
The Family of Jo Fehl
The Family of Gene Reuhle (Husband of Shirley Woods Ruehle)
The Family of David Amundson (Father of Kari Rood)
The Family of Bridget Lemke
Prayers for the Church Here and Abroad:
The People of Occidente Presbytery, Guatemala;
Mark and Miriam Adams, Frontero de Cristo, Douglas, AZ.
Bdecan Presbyterian Church, Spirit Lake Reservation, ND
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Prayers for those Serving Elsewhere:
-Caleb Woltjer, National Guard, Deployed to Kuwait
-Robert Holmquist, Navy Seal, being deployed (Rita Phillip's Great Nephew)
-LT. Matthew Sjerven, Colorado National Guard, Colorado Springs, CO
-Tristian Woitaszewski (Terry Woitaszewski’s Nephew) Navy, Pensacola, FL
-Perry Bishop (Bruce and Pam Quimby’s Grandson-in-law) Army, Fort Benning, GA
-Rob Grunwald, Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Station/Saginaw River in Essexville, Michigan
-Peter Rampaart, US Army Headquarters, St. Paul, MN
Also be in Prayers for:
California wildfire areas
Israel/Palestine (war)
Ukraine War
Conflict in Iran
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The Week Leading Up To August 2nd
Reflection, Response, and Prayer
Scripture:
Psalm 17:1-7, 15
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. (vv. 6-7)
Reflection:
God is named by the psalmist as "savior," specifically of "those who seek refuge from their adversaries" (v.7). What is the nature of the desired rescue? The omitted verse 13 asks God to get up and confront the predators, overthrowing them. Completely understandable. Yet the final verse of the psalm imagines the psalmist waking up in the morning "satisfied," not (necessarily) because all problems have been solved and enemies subdued, but because "I shall behold your face in righteousness" (V.15). God's presence is named as the reason joy comes with the dawn, even though it is likely that trouble still awaits.
ANGELA DIENHART HANCOCK
Response:
How do you hold in balance the problems and enemies you face with a sense of joy in God's presence? What is it like to consider that our problems and enemies will never completely disappear in this life? What does "refuge" in God mean for you, this week?
Prayer:
O God, you are my refuge; if I call upon you, you answer me. You wondrously show your steadfast love to me and all who call on you. Amen.
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WEEKEND REFLECTIONS
FURTHER CONNECTION
Miraculous feedings are about something that isn't scarce. At all. They aren't about oil, obviously, or the world's resources or our money or our altruism or our righteousness or our willingness or our anything. They are about something infinitely abundant, something outside of us that relates to u s and to the world in a way that will transform everything. They show us a glimpse of a place where we can believe there is no scarcity, where we can believe in infinite abundance; so of course we're inviting everyone in and handing out plates of cake. And we're not at all afraid someone's going to take our plate or our place or get there first.
DEBBIE BLUE(1965-),
FROM STONE TO LIVING WORD:
LETTING THE BIBLE LIVE AGAIN
MAKING THE CONNECTIONS
Choose one or two questions for reflection:
- What connections have you noticed between this week's texts and other passages in Scripture?
- What connections have you made between this week's texts and the world beyond Scripture?
- What is God saying to your congregation in particular through this week's readings and commentaries?
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SABBATH DAY
SCRIPTURE OF ASSURANCE
He said to me: Mortal, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart and hear with your ears; then go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, "Thus says the Lord God"; whether they hear or refuse to hear.
(Ezekiel 3:10)
WEEKLY EXAMEN
- Take a quiet moment, seek out God's presence, and pray for the guidance of the Spirit.
- Consider the past week; recall specific moments and feelings that stand out to you.
- Choose one moment or feeling for deeper examination, thanksgiving, or repentance.
- Let go, breathe deeply, and invite Christ's love to surround and fill you in preparation for the week ahead.
- End with the Lord's Prayer.
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This week, we name and celebrate folks in our congregation who are celebrating birthdays from July 27th through August 2nd.
And we offer them a blessing.
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Our July Mission of the Month is the Habitat for Humanity of West Central Minnesota, which builds affordable homes for families right here in Kandiyohi County. They put God's love into action by bringing people together to build strength, stability, and hope through shelter. Local families partner with Habitat to build their own homes and pay an affordable mortgage, receiving a "hand-up" rather than a handout.
Through the grace of God and community support, this ministry transforms lives:
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Over 65 million served: Globally, Habitat has helped families build or improve homes since its inception.
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Decades of local impact: Right here in our region, they have completed numerous home builds.
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Sweat equity miles: Volunteers and future homeowners have worked side-by-side for thousands of hours.
How You Can Help:
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Donate money: Your financial gifts buy building supplies like lumber, roofing, and paint.
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Volunteer on-site: Help build a local home. No construction experience is needed.
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Provide lunches: Keep workers energized by baking treats or making meals.
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Pray for families: Pray for local families working hard to secure a stable place to live.
To volunteer your time and skills, you can call their Willmar office at 320-231-2704 or email hfhwcm@habitatwcm.org.
Scripture Reflection: "My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest." -Isaiah 32:18
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Introducing the FPC Earth Care Team
In April, the Session approved an Earth Care Team to study ways in which the congregation can be more earth-friendly. The Team is reviewing a list of 120-line Earth Care Audit from the PC(USA).
Along the way, the team has learned that, if the church should ever want to install solar panels, the best time is now. Some of the Biden-era incentives are still available, but only if the solar system is installed and operating by the end of 2027.
The Earth Care Team consists of Earl Knutson, Becky Armstrong, Tom Calling Eagle, Sherry Myers, Mark Johnston, Bob Anderson, and Bonnie Kluver. Pastor Scott is monitoring our progress.
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Swift County 4-H is expanding its after school program in the county. We are in need of any supplies listed below. Any that can be donated are appreciated. There is a a box in the grocery cart for these items, no donation is too small.
Odds and ends of crayons, colored pencils, pipe cleaners, tissue paper yarn, pompoms, lids such as sour cream or cottage cheese and pony beads.
Thanks.
Swift County 4-H
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WE NEED YOUR CROCHETING
AND KNITTING TALENTS!!
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We are looking for individuals that are skilled in crocheting and knitting. If that is you, we would love you to help us make our church pocket prayer shawls. All the details are in the PDF button!
Thank you in advance!!
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We are almost out of pocket prayer shawls.
Anyone who has the talent of crocheting or knitting and is willing to make some more will be greatly appreciated!
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We, at First Presbyterian Church, hope you have a wonderful week. If you have any prayer requests, please click on the "Prayer Request" button at the top and let us know!!
Sincerely,
First Presbyterian Church
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First Presbyterian Church
(320) 235-1263
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