Weekly Witness

April 16, 2026

Sunday, April 19, 2026

3rd Sunday of Easter

Special Congregational Meeting

Scripture: Luke 24: 13-35

Sunday: Livestream; Bulletin

Last Week's Sermon: A Forgiving Place

Guest Pastor: PNC's Candidate for Pastor

Liturgist: Ginny O'Neill

Psalmist: Bill Wehner

Greeters: Marie Fry and Pat Gerlach

Ushers: Cip & Maria Chavez, Sharon Glass, Karen Williams

Early Morning Security: Bill Cox

April Sanctuary Stewards: Russ & Betty Gobeille

Director of Music: Nancy Leffler

Accompanist: Nathan Secrest

To view Sunday morning service, simply click on the word Livestream above. You can always go to the church website;

Main page; scroll down to Next Livestream Service to access

the upcoming Sunday service.

Pastor to People

Dear RRPC Family and Friends,

So this Sunday, April 19, has been a long time in the coming for you, the congregation. Perhaps even longer for the seven folks on the Pastoral Nominating Committee! You elected these fine servants in May of 2025, and they have worked faithfully for you ever since. They have met almost every week since then to find us a new pastor. I think we would all be amazed and astonished if we knew just how many hours they have given to this incredibly important task. Hundreds of hours! A great deal of thought and prayer and deliberation. And some stress and anxiety as well.

But these seven folks have been amazing as they worked together so well and harmoniously for a common cause. And now the fruits of their labor will be revealed this Sunday with the arrival of the PNC's candidate to be your new pastor! What an accomplishment! And all of them would, no doubt, give thanks for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this entire process; and the helpful hand of the Presbytery's Commission on the Ministry liaison, Beth Pachak. What a blessed journey!

So this Sunday, at the congregational meeting, may I suggest that we give a rousing standing ovation for our PNC. These seven servants deserve our gratitude and our applause: Leah Gerlach (chair), Crystal Mitchell, Paige Furlano, Thom Hinks, Camise Kettner, Bill Wehner and Abou-Nica Fomukong. 

On behalf of the entire congregation, let me say to all of you, "Thanks be to God for your ministry. And thank you for all of your love and work. We really are grateful to you!"

So let us all pray for this Sunday: for our candidate, our PNC, and our discernment as a congregation. Let us pray! 

Peace and hope,

Frank

Watch your email for a Special Announcement about our candidate.

Special Congregational Meeting

THIS Sunday, April 19th

The purpose of this special Congregational Meeting is to vote on our PNC's chosen candidate to fill the position of full-time pastor at Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church.

Please join us on Sunday, April 19th to hear the candidate deliver the sermon and meet him/her briefly during fellowship afterwards. Ballots will be given to every member and your vote is very important. Ballots will be counted immediately and the congregation will then vote on a change to the bylaws. Please plan to attend!

FLOWERS OR PLANTS

FOR CHURCH SERVICES

Our church is enhanced with flowers on Sunday. If you would like to provide flowers or a plant for a particular occasion such as birthday, anniversary, or to honor or remember an important person in your life, there is a signup sheet on the counter in the Narthex.

You bring one or two bunches of flowers or plants on Sunday morning to place on the stands at either pulpit or lectern and then take them home with you to enjoy all week. Or you could give them to a deacon to bless one of our shut-in members. Thank you for helping us beautify our sanctuary!

SCAM ALERT

Another scam text is circulating. Please know that the Pastor will NEVER ask for "a favor; or a minute of your time". Look for excuses: "I'm currently in a meeting and am too busy". Text continues to read: "I need gift cards for women battling cancer" or some other reason. Pastor Frank would NEVER ask for gift cards to give to people of our congregation.

All requests for donations are publicly announced during worship services or via our newsletter. The pastor would NEVER ask for any donations to individuals in a private conversation. This is NOT ALLOWED; EVER!

Please delete any texts that ask for gift cards, etc. for any reason! Thank you and stay safe. If you suspect anything and want to confirm, please feel free to call Ginny at the church office. She'd be glad to help. 505-892-6664.

RRPC Church Breakfast

Saturday, April 18th

8am

Come for a great breakfast and to meet the Pastural Candidate. 

Men and women are invited. 

April's Book:

Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy

We will be meeting at Nancy Henriksen's home on April 21st at 2pm. Her address is: 507 Cherish Street, Rio Rancho, NM. Feel free to contact her at nanscott4413@msn.com.

Please join us! All are welcome!

May's Book: The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese

For those who would like a head start. This is our last book before the summer break.

Movement and Breath Wellness Class

Friday, April 24th at 11am

Loma Colorado Library

Join us for a free class; no registration required.

Movement and Breath Wellness Class | Rio Rancho Public Library

https://riorancholibraries.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=271420

Matthew Black is an indie-folk singer-songwriter known for incisive lyrics and singable melodies. The literal son of a preacher man, Matthew left his job as a mild-mannered IT manager in 2022 to make music full-time. His songs are honest, earnest, questioning, and provocative. Humorous to deeply serious. Profane to sacred. Simple, melodic tunes that can transport you and make you believe there might be meaning and kindness in a chaotic world. And you’ll still be humming the chorus days later. 

He’s been compared to songwriter heroes like Cat Stevens and Paul Simon, along with contemporaries Jason Isbell, Sufjan Stevens, and Joe Pug. His sophomore album, A Little Closer, was released in 2024. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

The concert is free and all are invited!

CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF ROUTE 66

IN NEW MEXICO

Hazel Lathrop will be giving her Route 66 presentation:

Tijeras Canyon: 5 Miles of Road and Hundreds of Stories

at the Raymond Sanchez Community Center

9800 4th St NW

Saturday, April 25^th  at 11am

and

Loma Colorado Library

Saturday, May 23^rd at 11am

For more information about the series and the dozen locations for presentations go to:

New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Speaker Series: Home

May Friendship Day

Friday, May 1^st

9:30am

St. Paul Lutheran Church

1100 Indian School, Alb.

Please join us!

If you need a ride, please call the church office: 505-892-6664.

National Day of Prayer 

May 7 | 4:00 - 9:00 PM

Albuquerque Civic Plaza

FREE Event

Your congregation is invited to join churches from around Albuquerque for a powerful National Day of Prayer as we come together to pray for our city, community, and nation. Hosted by Steve Stucker, this evening is all about hope, unity, and faith.

Church Calendar

April 19, 2026 - April 25, 2026

Thank You!

Because of this congregations generosity,

we were able to send

$402 to Cuba Partners Network

(March 29^th 2 Cents a Meal offering)

$239.35 to HopeWorks

(Maundy Thursday Pieces of Silver offering)

$100.93 to Storehouse West

(from the coin jar in the narthex)

and

$1943 to the Presbytery

(One Great Hour of Sharing)



Thank you for your generosity!

Your Mission Committee

April Birthdays

18 Sue Scott

18 Lucy Sanchez

20 Diale Fomukong

20 Cynthia Dyer

21 Isaac Pitts

24 Katie Kuechmann

25 Ariel Whitesinger

26 Jennifer Hall

28 Tim Morris

29 Ryanne Hughes

29 Jadelyn Van Sweden

Our Service

Men & Women

Please keep the following people

in your thoughts & prayers:

RJ Van Sweden - US Marines

Tyler Warren - US Marines

Hayden Smith - Army

Cdr. Sarah Dimmick - Navy, serving in Kyiv, Ukraine

Sgt. Kevin Lomeli - Army National Guard in Kenya

Kevin A. Baker - US Air Force in England

If you have family members serving here or overseas, please call Ginny at the church office to add them to our list. Church Office: 505-892-6664.

Prayer Concerns

“And whatever you ask in Prayer, you will receive, if you have Faith.” Matthew 21:22.

Pegge Emory - pneumonia

Linda Maddux - surgery recovery

Pat McCreary - continued recovery

Don Underwood - radiation treatments

Beth Miller - cancer treatments

Sheila Malmo's daughter, Alice

Protection for Everyone against Flu virus

For DR Congo, Gaza, Iran, Israel, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

For all victims of gun violence, war, and unrest.

 Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church

1004 24th Street, SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124

505.892.6664

Office Hours

Monday – Thursday | 9am–3pm

Office email: manager@rrpchurch.org