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 July 12th
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Isaiah 55:10-13
Genesis 25:19-34
Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 13:1-3, 18-23
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 7th:
10:00am: Chair Yoga in JKH
NO Zoom Book Study
Wednesday, July 8th:
8:00am: Women's Bible Study in the Friendship Room
Thursday, July 9th:
10:00am: Chair Yoga in JKH
11:00am: Sewciables in the Sewing Room
Saturday, July 11th:
10:00am: Youth at LuLu Beans
Sunday, July 12th:
9:00am: Adult Education in the Friendship Room
10:00am: Worship
11:00am: Coffee Fellowship in JKH
July 6th through July 12th: Pastors are on Vacation
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Sunday's Online Worship Service
July 5th, 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! | | |
MAY OPERATING STATEMENT REPORT:
Receipts through May
$109, 253.18
Expenses through May
$124,489.19
Expenses in Excess of Revenue
$15,236.01
Balance Due on the Internal Loan for 2022 Roof Replacement
and 2023 Parking Lot
$44,295.27
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.
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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 up-to-date prayer needs
Prayers for Healing & Comfort:
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:
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, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle, PA
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 July 12th
Reflection, Response, and Prayer
Scripture:
Psalm 65:(1-8) 9-13
O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh come. When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions. (vv. 2-3)
Reflection:
Grace is of the essence in both texts....Psalm 65:3 affirms that God's people have been forgiven, and Isaiah 55:10-13 is immediately preceded by an invitation to "return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon"(Isa. 55:7). In this context, what makes God's thoughts and ways "higher" than human thoughts and ways is precisely God's ability and willingness to forgive (vv.8-9). Putting all this together, we conclude that to be God means to exercise sovereignty or power as grace that sustains the life of God's people.
J. CLINTON MCCANN JR.
Response:
What do you make of McCann's countercultural statement that the power and sovereignty of God is rooted in grace and forgiveness? How have you seen God's grace sustain human life? How is God inviting you to be sustained by the power of grace at this time in your life?
Prayer:
God of salvation, by awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance and grace; teach me to receive this grace and be sustained by your power. Amen.
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WEEKEND REFLECTIONS
FURTHER CONNECTION
Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul. For just as the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men. Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and are lost, because men are not prepared to receive them: for such seeds as these cannot spring up anywhere except in the good soil of freedom, spontaneity, and love.
THOMAS MERTON (1915-68),
NEW SEEDS OF CONTEMPLATION
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
We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
(Psalm 78:4)
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 6th through July 12th.
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
| | Other Church Announcements | | To Subscribe to the Frontera de Cristo Newsletter click the link below and check out their homepage! | | To Subscribe to the Family Promise Newsletter click the link below and check out their homepage! | | FROM PRESBYTERY OF MINNESOTA VALLEYS | | |
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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Faith & Agriculture Farm Tour
Sunday, August 9 at 3:00 p.m.
at Tiffany Family Farms near Redwood Falls
Hosted by Presbyterian Elder Bruce Tiffany and the Tiffany family, this unique event will explore the connection between faith, stewardship, and agriculture. Participants will learn about soil and water conservation, experience the beauty of the farm and surrounding landscape, hear the Tiffany family's story of caring for God's creation, enjoy worship and fellowship, and take part in guided wagon tours of the farm.
This event is open to everyone—not only members of our Presbyterian churches. Whether someone is a farmer, retired farmer, gardener, landowner, church leader, or simply interested in learning more about stewardship and agriculture, we hope they will join us.
To help us plan for attendance and refreshments, we are asking participants to RSVP.
RSVP Link: Faith & Ag RSVP
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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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