THE ALERT April 2021 Cliff's Notes - Dear Friends, Abilene
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THE ALERT Cliff’s Notes
April 2021
you believe it - still they did not believe! Wow,
that should be a reminder to all preachers that
Dear Friends, even the greatest sermon ever given does not
have the ability to produce faith.
Thinking about friends, two of
them were walking away from Are you still with me? I think it is incredibly
town, heads hanging low and important for us to realize that the empty
their spirits even lower. The tomb was empty. tomb could not produce faith. Neither could
Easter had happened. But these two friends, good Bible teaching. It really was only when
followers of Jesus, are blinded from seeing. Jesus broke the bread and gave it to them that
The sun was in their eyes, perhaps. But what they believed (verse 30 and following). How
really blocked their vision was their grief. about considering this Easter perspective -
that faith is not something we can produce in
If you want to follow their story, find chapter ourselves. It is given to us.
24 of Luke. Some of our Bible’s entitle it
“the walk to Emmaus”. It was on the road to Faith is a gift. It is not manufactured. Have
Emmaus that a stranger joined them. We you been given the gift? Be patient with those
know it was our resurrected Lord, but these who have not. Sometimes we who have faith
two disheartened friends were too grief are called to have faith for those who have
stricken to recognize Jesus beside them. They not received it. Remember Jesus recognizing
expressed their despair in verse 21 - ‘but the faith of the four friends who lowered the
we had hoped.’ The Greek verb tense here paralytic through the roof of someone’s home
underlines that they had erased all chance of in Capernaum? Their faith was contagious.
hope.
Think about this - God never gave any of us
Skip down to verse 27 and listen in on the a gift that is not meant to be given away to
best Sunday School lesson of all time! For others. How can you share your Easter faith
here is Jesus beginning with Moses and all with another? Give it a try.
the prophets “and interpreted to them in all
the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
That must have been some Bible lesson! Can
A Word from Janice The beauty of the garden will unfold over the
years as trees and plants mature and each time
A Living Memorial a name is added to the brick path, or the pergola
and gazebo are named in memory or honor of
On behalf of the Presbyterian Women, thank a loved one or group. It will be the memories
you for your support of the garden. I can hardly of those whose names we see on plaques and
wait until we see signs of spring as the trees and bricks and the memories of special times in
shrubbery bear leaves, proving that they are still the garden that will make it a living memorial,
alive! Below are the projects we are currently welcoming to all who enter this sacred space.
working to complete:
Being planned by Presbyterian Women for later
• Boyd Fence and Welding is installing the this year is a dedication service for the entire
remainder of the fence! garden.
• Pergola and gazebo are complete. Seating
will be added so a group of 10 or 12 can
gather in the gazebo. The pergola will have
Children’s News from Grace
seating for any who’d like a peaceful place
Easter is upon us, and we have lots of exciting
to listen to the sound of flowing water from
news in the children’s ministry! First of all,
the stone fountain across from it.
childcare in the nursery has resumed! Beginning
• Irrigation of the lawn area has been installed
and will be completed once the sod on the Easter Sunday, we will return to two services,
grassy knoll is in place. with childcare available during both services and
• Planting of the annuals in the designated the church school hour. Our nursery workers
bed on the right when entering the garden have all been trained in the CDC guidelines for
from the parking lot will be done once the reopening childcare services, including wearing
warmer temperatures are stable. masks, social distancing when possible,
• The first round of engraved bricks is being temperature checks, and frequent disinfecting.
prepared at this time. The engraved bricks If you’d like to read our COVID-19 policy, send
will be interspersed with blank bricks to me an email at gsosa@fcpc.net.
create a path from the sidewalk to the
entrance of the gazebo. As additional bricks On Easter Sunday, we will
are purchased, they will replace blank bricks have an Easter Egg Hunt
until all 1800-plus bricks bear an inscription! starting at 10 a.m. at the
(It’s unlikely this will happen in the lifetime playground. We will also have
of most of us!) the Flowering of the Cross at
• The pole lights scattered throughout the both services—if you would like, feel free to bring
garden will be installed any day. fresh flowers to the parlor before either service,
• Memorial markers are next on the list of and if your children would like to participate,
projects to be done. The granite markers will please gather in the parlor before
be recessed in the sidewalk and there will be either service. We are encouraging
two plaques attached to the brick pillars on people to come to the first service
each side of the Beech St. entrance. if they can to make sure we have a
• A corner sign will be built to coordinate with similar number of children at both
the brick sign directly across the street on services. You could even attend
the FCPC parking lot. the first service, go to the Easter
egg hunt, and then let your children flower the Get Ready for Sunday Night Youth!
cross again at the second service before slipping
out to head home! After a long hiatus, Youth
Sunday night activities will
Finally, children’s Sunday school will resume return on Sunday night April
the Sunday after Easter (April 11). We now 11! This meeting will go from
have two Godly Play rooms, one for children 4:30-6 and will include a lesson, music, and
in Kindergarten through the 2nd grade and games. No dinners will be served at this time.
one for 3rd-5th graders. Both classes are now
down the hall and around the corner, across Food Pantry News
from the Marketplace. Please bring your child
The Food Pantry needs you! If you have a heart
a few minutes early to fill out some registration
for service, this is an opportunity for you to say,
paperwork. “Yes.”
We know that COVID-19 is not over, but cases in We open our doors to the community
Abilene are decreasing, and vaccine availability every Tuesday afternoon. One
group of volunteers interacts with
is increasing. We are confident that we can clients and collects and records their
provide a safe environment for your children to information. Another group gathers
learn and grow. I’m so excited to see everyone food and carries it out to our grateful
again, face to face. It will definitely be an Easter clients. Others package food to be used the
to remember. following week.
What happens Tuesday is only part of the
Christian Education News process. People are working all week. Volunteers
pick up food from various locations and deliver
In-Person Summer Camp at Buffalo Gap is a it to the pantry. Others prepare bags of food
during the week to simplify distribution on
GO!
Tuesday.
Buffalo Gap Presbyterian Each week, we need 18-20
Encampment will host in person volunteers to complete these
summer camps in June! They are tasks. Our goal is to have enough
volunteers so that each person
working hard on planning a camp would work only once or twice a
that is educational, spiritually month. Many jobs are flexible and
enriching, AND covid-safe. Put the following can be done at a time that fits your schedule.
dates on your calendar and be on the lookout You would be working with people who have
for registration information coming in the near fun together while serving others.
future: We wear masks, social distance, wash or
sanitize hands frequently. We now use a drive-
• June 6-11, High School Retreat by distribution which keeps our clients and
• June 13-16, Staff Training volunteers safer.
• June 15-18, Mini Camp
To volunteer or to get more information, call
• June 20-25, Elementary Camp Judy at (217) 390-8084, or Charlene at (757)
• June 27-July 2, Middle School Camp 450-1477. We need you!
Congregational Meeting Breakfast on Beech Street
We will be having a congregational Pray for BOBS, please. BOBS has
meeting on April 11th for the adapted for the COVID-19 by serving
purpose of hearing the annual grab-n-go breakfasts and lunches
report and electing the 2021 while supplies get harder and harder to get.
congregational nominating committee. This is
For February, 2021, even with being closed
also the time when the congregation will receive
a copy of the budget for informational purposes. for an entire week due to weather, electricity
The meeting will take place at noon, following and water outages, BOBS saw 771 guests (45
the 11 a.m. worship service, and you may attend were between 1-18 yrs. old). Guests received
by Zoom or in person. Zoom information will be to-go breakfasts which included a granola bar,
provided at a later date. a cheese stick, a fruit juice of their choice, and
coffee to-go if desired. Lunches included 1,474
Sanctuary Flowers sandwiches each plus cookies, fruit, or fruit cup
and a scripture.
Sanctuary flowers help decorate
our sanctuary on Sunday mornings During the weather closure week volunteers
and are a lovely way to honor
made 150 sandwiches to take to the Salvation
or memorialize a loved one.
Your memorial or honorarium will be listed in Army.
the bulletin as well as on our online worship
livestream. The cost for flowers is $90 which If you are interested in volunteering at BOBS
covers both arrangements for the sanctuary, please contact Dave Nickel at 325-673-8919.
and you can come by the church during the Please remember monetary donations are
week to pick up the flowers if you would like always welcomed! You may send your gift to
to have them, or volunteers and deacons will FCPC with a notation of “BOBS”.
deliver them to care facilities. Call the office at
325-677-3501 to find out available dates and Sympathy
make a reservation.
Our sympathy is extended to Adele Rumley
Bequests & Planned Giving on the death of her son, Steve Rumley; to the
The Bequests & Planned Giving family of Frances Sayles on her death; to David
committee oversees, for the Lundgren and family on the death of his mother;
Session, special gifts that have to Linda Wilson and family on the death of her
been given to the church that mother, Susan Edington; and to Norm Ward and
are not designated for a specific purpose. Each family on the death of his brother’s wife Joanne.
year the committee seeks mission oriented
requests from members of our congregation. New Members
The Bequest Committee reviews the requests
and makes a recommendation to the Session We welcome Denny Deady to the First Central
who approves the distributions. To apply for family!
a portion of these funds, a one-page written
request must be received from a member of
the congregation, stating the suggested amount Gratitude
requested, along with an explanation as to how
these monies will be used in the cause of Christ. First Central,
Your written requests should be sent to the As always, my sincere thanks for your online
church office – Attention: Bequests and Planned ministry. It is very much appreciated.
Giving. Requests are due April 30. Denny Deady
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