Weekly Witness

January 8, 2026

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Baptism of the Lord

Scripture: Isaiah 42: 1-9

Sunday: Livestream; Bulletin

Interim Pastor: Rev. Frank Yates

Liturgist: Marie Fry

Psalmist: Thom Hinks

Greeter: Birgitta Gustafson

Ushers: Bill Cox, Craig Kelley, Virginia Kelley, Camise Kettner

Flowers: For Aloy & Marv Bamberg in honor of their many years of service to Storehouse West! From the Mission Committee

Early Morning Security: Pat Gerlach

January Sanctuary Stewards: Ginny O'Neill and Scott Roberts

Pastor to People

Dear RRPC Family and Friends,

This Sunday is a very important day in the life of our congregation. We will be ordaining and installing new elders and deacons. This is a unique feature of Presbyterian polity or governance. We ordain deacons and elders to their position of leadership and service. Other denominations ordain only their clergy, but Presbyterians believe that God has called non-clergy to service as well. So we are one of the few denominations with ordained deacons and elders.

Why do we do this? It is to proclaim our convictions about the "priesthood of all believers" as Luther put it. We believe that all ordained persons are called to be servant leaders in the church. In our polity, there is the idea of "parity between clergy and non-clergy." We are NOT a hierarchical church, as in "mere laypeople" at the bottom and "clergy" at the top. That is certainly NOT the Presbyterian understanding of our polity. ALL ordained people serve together and lead together. In fact, the ordination vows are the same for all leaders in the congregation. Only one difference. The clergy make a vow to administer the Sacraments properly. That's it. The only difference!

So let's gather this Sunday and give thanks for all the folks who have heard the call of God to servant leadership in our congregation. Let's support them with our love and our prayers as they begin their work among us in this New Year. This is truly a special Sunday in the life of our congregation.

Thanks be to God! 

Frank

Reminder:

Committee reports are due January 14th! Please submit to Marie Fry at fry.marie@gmail.com. Reports need to be ready for the Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 25th.

Congregational Meeting

Sunday, January 25th, 2026

after worship (11:15am)

All members are encouraged to attend our 1st Congregational Meeting of 2026. This will take place in the sanctuary immediately following worship service.

2026 Soup ‘to go’ for Scholars

The Scholarship Committee will be offering 16 oz. and 32oz. Containers of homemade soup that can be reheated.

February 1 (Order by January 25)

                   Tomato Basil

                   Chicken Noodle

February 22 (Order by February 15)

                   Broccoli Cheddar

                   Chicken with Wild Rice

March 22 (order by March 15)

                    Split Pea with Ham

                    Creamy Potato

A 16 oz. container of soup is $8.

A 32 oz. container of soup is $13.

Order forms will be available in the church narthex before and after church service beginning January 11^th. You can also call Don Underwood at 505 903-9889 and place your order.

Thank you for your continued support.

Laura Gonzales

Don Underwood

Scholarship Committee Co-Chairs

Saturday, February 21, 2026

9:00 a.m - Noon

Join us for our annual Read and Ring, a fun morning of sight reading music with a chance to purchase music without paying shipping costs.

$15 – HMA Non-Members

$12 – HMA Members

$5 – Youth

Registration Deadline is January 23 to guarantee copies of the music are available.

January's Book:

The Last Devil to Die, by Richard Osman

We will be meeting at Nancy Henriksen's home on January 27th 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!

February's Book: Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Kimmerer.

For those who would like a head start.

Church Calendar

January 11, 2026 - January 17, 2026

02 Yassine Kamel

03 Sheila Malmo

06 Matuke Fomukong

07 Ron Schmidt

08 Blake Osburn

13 Scott Roberts

25 Bob Simpson

27 Ginny O'Neill

28 Valerie Mishos

29 Linda Maddux

30 Betty Gobeille, Bill Wehner

31 Hayden Smith

Hats and ponchos and socks

OH MY! ♥️

Thank you for your generous donations to the Warmth Tree.

Storehouse West Kids Closet was so grateful for all the socks, pajamas, blankets, mittens,

and beautiful handmade ponchos, hats and scarves. (A special thank you to our Knitters group!)

Many children will be warm this winter because of your giving.

In gratitude,

the Mission Committee

Storehouse West

We are so grateful for the many years that Aloy and Marv took the donated food from our church to Storehouse West. 

Thank you again!

We now have a group assembled to continue this service. 

Thank you Liz, Pat, Dave and Ben for volunteering.

--Your Mission Committee

Current needs:

• Soup
• Fruits & vegetables
• Meat or meat pouches
• Tomato products
• Pasta Sauce & Pasta
• 1 lb. or 2 lb. bags of Rice
• 1lb. bags of Dried Beans
• Ramen noodles
• 16 oz. plastic jars of Peanut Butter
• Breakfast Cereal
• Shelf stable Milk of all types No GLASS JARS, please!

Christmas Joy Offering

Thank you so very much! The total amount of our Christmas joy offering this year was $1,906! The generosity of our church is just wonderful!!

Dignity Mission Update

Looking ahead, the Dignity Mission will not be renting a truck to transport donations to the border in the near future. For that reason, we are no longer able to accept material donations at Las Placitas Presbyterian Church. If you wish to continue supporting humanitarian efforts at the border, you are encouraged to order items directly from the Dignity Mission Wish List using the Amazon link below.

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3A8N584B37L61?ref_=wl_share

And have them shipped directly to

           Dignity Mission

       c/o Dr. Eva Moya

           6520 La Cadena Drive

           El Paso, TX 79912

If you wish to make a monetary donation, you may do so in one of two ways:

1.    A check written to Las Placitas Presbyterian Church with Dignity Mission in the memo line and mailed to Las Placitas Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 768, Placitas, NM 87043.

2.    Online giving by going to www.lasplacitaschurch.org. Click on "More" in the top right-hand corner of the Home Page, click on "GIVE" on the drop-down menu, click on "CLICK HERE TO GIVE", click on the box next to Dignity Mission on the Donation page, enter an account, frequency and start date, and click "Continue." Complete the form and submit. 

Peace,

Jack & Cheryl

Jack and Cheryl Ferrell 

17 Sunset Blvd., Placitas, NM 87043  

505-681-0289

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."    --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Luminosity Conference

What does it look like to lead with courage, compassion, and conviction?

At the Luminosity Conference, we are bringing together prophetic voices who are reshaping what it means to lead in today’s world. One of the most compelling among them is Rabbi Sharon Brous, founding rabbi of IKAR in Los Angeles and author of The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World.

Rabbi Brous is known for her bold, faith-filled leadership in moments of national significance. She has offered blessings and prayers at presidential inaugurations and White House gatherings, and her TED Talk “Reclaiming Religion” has inspired more than 1.5 million viewers around the globe.

But more than her public presence, Rabbi Brous brings a deep spiritual grounding and a profound sense of hope. Her work invites us to imagine faith not as something static, but as a living, healing force that can bring people together and mend what is broken.

Her voice will challenge, inspire, and stretch us to consider how the Church can respond to this moment with courage and humility.

Come to Luminosity and engage with Rabbi Brous and other visionary leaders who listen to God’s call with fresh ears and faithful hearts.

The Luminosity Conference Team

Presbyterian Foundation | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Prayer Concerns

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

Nancy Shambach, healing

Ona Mitchell, healing

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