Weekly Witness

October 16, 2025

Sunday, October 19, 2025

19 Sunday after Pentecost

Dollars For Deacons Sunday

Sermon Text: Acts 9: 1-22

Livestream; Bulletin

Last week's sermon: So Small, So Powerful

Guest Preacher: Rev. Russ Dykehouse

Liturgist: Birgitta Gustafson

Psalmist: Linda Hood

Greeters: Leah & Pat Gerlach

Ushers: Sharon Glass, Virginia Kelley, Craig Kelley, Karen Williams

Flowers: In loving memory of John Calvin Marousek from the Marousek family

Early Morning Security: Bill Cox

October Sanctuary Stewards: Beth Miller and Denise Baker

Pastor-to-People

Dear RRPC Community,

This weekend I will join our elder commissioners Liz Bushma, Paige Furlano, and Marjorie Davidson at the Presbytery meeting at Ghost Ranch. This is our annual meeting where we elect new leaders for the Presbytery including a new Stated Clerk. I am the chair of the Presbytery Personnel Committee and we will be nominating Tanya Blankenship to succeed Stephen Rhoades (who preached at

our joint World Communion Service). So it will be an important meeting and I am so grateful for the opportunity to join with siblings in Christ there in Abiquiu.

Also, on Friday evening the active pastors in the Presbytery will join together for a special retreat to build community and enjoy fellowship. I have been a member of this Presbytery since 1998 so there are some wonderful relationships I cherish with my fellow pastors.

I am deeply grateful that Rev. Russ Dykehouse will lead the worship service this Sunday. Thank you, again, Russ!

So please pray for our Presbytery and our future together in Christ.

Peace and hope,

Frank

This week we received word that our brother in Christ Ric Chalfant passed away on October 5.

We give thanks for Ric's life and witness. A memorial service will probably be held at a time to be determined. May God's blessings be upon Ric and his family and friends.

I discovered something years ago. The more generous I was the happier I became. The more I gave away for the betterment of others, the wealthier I grew. The more I gave to God, the more I was blessed. I cannot do the math, because it is God’s math and sometimes my feeble brain cannot figure it out, no matter how many times I remember that voice saying, “show your work!”

God just does what God does: blesses those who have faith in Him.

In Malachi 3:10, it says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

Now, don’t go thinking “Oh, I’m going get a whole lot if I tithe.” That is not the heart to have. Rather have the heart of trusting God with your generosity to others and to His mission, and then just see the rewards that come from it. Not just the rewards for you, but the rewards for many others. That is the exciting thing about generosity. Can you celebrate other’s successes?

Try this: (I call it Give and Forget) Don’t ever give and expect to see the return. Give because God commands us.

Years ago, just before Christmas break, as my wife Rhonda, was teaching her middle school special education class, she noticed one of her students in a very fast growth spurt. The girl was growing quickly out of her clothes. Rhonda knew that her mother was a “single-mom” raising three kids and struggling. Rhonda being Rhonda, went shopping and bought lots of new clothes in the girl’s new size and wrapped them all in Christmas packaging and put them in two huge bags. I asked her how she was going to deliver them. She said, “let’s ding-dong ditch the bags tonight on their porch!”

We drove to their house and my wife dropped the bags at their front door, rang the doorbell, and raced back to the car. As she got in, she said, “GO! Quickly, I don’t want to see.”

Rhonda did it right. Their happy discovery was for them, not for us. We did what we were supposed to do and the reward was theirs. Ours is in heaven.

So, as the “Stewardship Season” begins, start by setting your hearts in the place of generosity. Focus on all the wonderful things your gifts to God’s mission can do. Challenge yourselves to give God a raise for His perfect attendance, His outstanding “performance” and His incredible love for you this past year!

Bill Wehner

Thank you to everyone who donated to our Peace & Global Witness offering. Total offering received: $742.00!

25% ($185.50)of this offering stays with our congregation to support peacemaking and reconciliation in our own community. The recipient is Dignity Mission.

25%($185.50) of this offering goes to our mid-council to join with other congregations to support peacemaking work in our region.

50% ($371.00) of this offering supports the work of Presbyterians across the globe. We have designated the Cuba Network as the recipient.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

IF WE ALL DO A LITTLE, IT ADDS UP TO A LOT.

From your friendly neighborhood

Mission Committee

Only two more weeks left! Please see our display in the narthex.

Thank you!

Thank you, Sue!!

A HUGE shout out of thanks to Sue Phillips for the beautiful arrangements that she lovingly donated to the Bell's Fundraiser!

And thank you to all who purchased in support of our bell choir! We look forward to beautiful bells for our season of Christmas music!

And They're Off! The bells have been shipped to Pennsylvania for refurbishment! Thank you, Everyone!

Menaul School Historical Library Open House

Friday, October 24th, 2-6pm



The Menaul Historical Library and Research Center is having an open house on Friday, October 24, 2:00 - 6:00 PM, to celebrate what has been built together through the generosity of friends and supporters in the Presbytery. They look forward to welcoming you with joy and gratitude!

Fall Choral Concert

Saturday, October 25, 2025

4pm in sanctuary

Please join us for a concert prepared by members from our chancel choir and other choirs in the community.

On October 25, we will be participating in an all-day choral workshop led by Josh Manuel. He is the founder of VoSci (Voice Science), and will bring us evidence-based vocal training with real world applications such as singing in church!

The concert will be held in the sanctuary at 4:00 on Saturday, October 25.

Repertoire includes The Lord Bless You and Keep You, Ave Verum Corpus, Sicut Cervus as well as two hymns and one ensemble selection.

We hope to see you at the concert!

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100

Church Calendar October 19 - 25, 2025

01  Arlene Thomas 

03  Cyndi Pitts 

04  Marv Bamberg 

05  Meredith Beaton 

09  Beverly Norman 

12  John Husler

14  Nancy Shambach 

15  Isabel Cato 

17  Joan Roschevitz

18  Shawn Campbell 

20  Kay Peters Johnson 

21  Ciprano Chávez 

21  Margaret Crowl 

23  Roger Ball 

24  April Kron, Aksel Strommen 26  Amber Pardue 

28 Camise Kettner 

30  Aiden Warren

2025 Christmas Poinsettias

Christmas (and Advent) are coming early this year! Order Forms for poinsettias are available on the table in the narthex.

Deadline: NEXT SUNDAY, October 26, 2025

Cost: $10 each

Color Choice: Red, white, pink & cinnamon

Make checks payable to: RRPC

Memo line: poinsettias

Thank you for enhancing our sanctuary!

New Horizons Band

performing at

Old Town Farm Bike in Coffee

949 Montoya St. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104

Friday, October 24, 2025

12pm - 2pm

All are invited for free live music! Food and drink are available for purchase but not required. Family and pets welcome!

Website: oldtownfarm.com

Brrrrr! It's starting to get cold out there!

Do you have any loose change you'd like to donate to those less fortunate? Remember to clean out suit pockets and out-of-season wallets and purses. This jar will be available in the narthex throughout the colder months to benefit everyone at

Storehouse West!

Thank you for your donations!

Prayer Concerns

The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him. ~Oswald Chambers

Verona's sister, Esther

Pam Shanklin

Dick Pederson

Sheila Malmo's daughter, Alice

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