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he First Family February 2019
Dear Family,
Happy February to you all!
Because Valentine’s Day lands in the middle of February, I want to reflect on love in this
letter. To do so, let’s look at the book of 1 John to teach us about love. I’m only going to
scratch the surface with a few truths here, so I encourage you to read 1 John sometime (or
many times!) this month.
Love begins with God. 1 John gives us the famous, and perhaps simplest, description of
God: “God is love” (4:16). Love is not just something God speaks or does, it is God’s identity.
Every other characteristic of God: creative, just, mighty, redeeming, forgiving, etc. can all
be viewed and understood through the lens of love.
God loves us; indeed, God loves the world (John’s Gospel explains that in a verse you may
have memorized). The greatest sign of God’s love was shown in the loving actions of Jesus:
“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that
we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). God’s love is shown in action.
Now, we love. We reciprocate God’s love to God and others. “Beloved, let us love one an-
other, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 John
4:7). Did you notice the first word here? Beloved. Your most fundamental identity is rooted
in God’s love for you. God loves you, and God created you with the ability to love.
Love demands action. Like God’s love, our love is not limited to words: “Little children,
let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action” (1 John 3:18). In fact, if our
words and actions do not line up, we are not loving well, “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and
hate their brothers or sisters, are liars” (1 John 4:20). We must love those around us if we
want to claim that we love God.
Perfect love casts out fear. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear...We
love because he loved us first” (1 John 4:18-19). When we recognize God’s love for us, fear
begins to melt away. We see through the words of those who provoke fear. We live a life of
courage in the face of our own fears. God’s love - perfect love - casts out fear. While the love
we show one another is not perfect, our love can point others to God’s perfect love.
At First Presbyterian, let’s be a family that recognizes and dwells in God’s love, which calls
us to love others and casts out any fears that would keep us from loving others.
Love, Drew
Published Monthly
THE FIRST FAMILY PAGE 2 PUBLISHED
A Word from Session Martha McMahon
The Session held its first meeting of 2019
on Tuesday, January 22. Audrey Cum-
mings shared a devotion about trust. She
began by noting that people who walk out
on the Grand Canyon Skywalk [a glass
walkway that hangs over the Grand Can-
yon] are trusting those who designed and
built the Skywalk. Audrey said God is
calling us to take bold steps as we contin-
ue in a time of transition, and, citing Isai-
ah 41:10 and Romans 8:28, added that we
need to trust God and follow those calls.
The Session also: (1) reviewed First Pres-
byterian finances for 2018; (2) prepared for the annual Congregational meeting
scheduled for January 27, 2019 after Worship; and (3) discussed other activities
and events.
Sunday school is for K-5 grades.
The first two Sundays of the month are Sunday
school upstairs with Carolyn, Josh and David
following the children's message.
Weeks 3 and 4 are down in the youth room play-
ing games or learning memory verses.
If there is a fifth Sunday in a month, the children
will stay in church.
Monthly Themes for Winter
January Worship God Alone
February God First
March Have the Right Priorities
April Jesus’ Death Brings Life
PAGE 3 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED
Sun 3 Communion Service—10:30 am
Sun 3 Coffee Hour in Horte Hall—11:30 am
Sun 3 Weighted Blankets Mission Planning—11:45 am
Sun 3 No Youth Group —Go Patriots!
Mon 4 Ladies Bible Study—7:30 pm at Michele Owens’ house
Tue 5 Worship Committee Meeting—7:00 pm
Wed 6 Children’s Choir Dessert and Rehearsal—6:00 pm
Wed 6 Bible Study—6:30 pm
Thu 7 Adult Choir Rehearsal—7:30 pm
Fri 8 First Ladies Fare—9:00 pm at Niko’s Restaurant, 948 Broad St.,
Weymouth
Sat 9 Rebecca Oji’s Memorial Service—1:00 pm at Conley Funeral Home,
138 Belmont Street, Brockton
Sat 9 Galentines Day—2:00 pm
Sun 10 Worship Service—10:30 am
Sun 10 Coffee Hour in the Parlor and in Horte Hall—11:30 am
Sun 10 John Adams HealthCare Center Worship Service - 2:00 pm
Sun 10 Youth Group —6:00 am
Mon 11 Property Committee Meeting—7:00 pm
Tue 12 CE Children’s Meeting—7:15 pm
Wed 13 Children’s Choir Dessert and Rehearsal—6:00 pm
Wed 13 Bible Study—6:30 pm
Thu 14 Adult Choir Rehearsal—7:30 pm
Sun 17 Worship Service—10:30 am
FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS
PAGE 4 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED
Sun 17 Coffee Hour in Horte Hall—11:30 am
Sun 17 Nominating Committee Meeting —12:00 pm
Sun 17 Youth Group —6:00 am
Mon 18 Women’s Bible Study—7:30 pm at Liz Archambault’s hou
Tue 19 Deacons Meeting —7:00 pm
Wed 20 Children’s Choir Dessert and Rehearsal—6:00 pm
Wed 20 Bible Study—6:30 pm
Thu 21 Adult Choir Rehearsal—7:30 pm
Sat 23 Kid’s Fun —3:00 pm
Sun 24 Worship Service—10:30 am
Sun 24 Coffee Hour in the Parlor and in Horte Hall—11:30 am
Sun 24 Youth Group —6:00 am
Mon 25 Handworkers’ Group—7:15 pm
Tue 26 Session Meeting —7:00 pm
Wed 27 Children’s Choir Dessert and Rehearsal—6:00 pm
Wed 27 Bible Study—6:30 pm
Mon 28 Deadline for March First Family Articles
Thu 28 Adult Choir Rehearsal—7:30 pm
FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS continued
In order to help make our church the safest, friendliest
place for all our congregants, we have adopted a “nut free”
policy for foods served at First Presbyterian events. If you
bake or bring a treat to church - either for yourself or to
share with others - please just make sure it does not in-
clude nuts or nut products.
PAGE 5 THE FIRST FAMILY THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED PAGE 5
Mark Your Calendars!
Saturday, March 30, plan to attend our silent auction & concert fundraiser for the capital
campaign. It will be held in Horte Hall and will feature performers from our congregation
and the surrounding area. We are excited to welcome new friends to our stage as well as
familiar faces/voices.
We will also need items for the silent auction. In the coming weeks, we will have a table in
Horte Hall where you can stop and get ideas and sign up to donate things. Theme baskets
like garden, tea, Italian dinner, children’s game, relaxation, or craft are welcome. (Check out
Pinterest for ideas!). Handmade items, jewelry, crafts, gift cards, kitchen gadgets, plants,
beauty supplies, hostess items, decorative items, children’s toys or clothes, and games are
just a few ideas to get you thinking. All items should be new; but, it’s also a great time to
regift an item you’ve been storing in your closet. Or perhaps you want to start downsiz-
ing...or you’ve been reading Marie Kondo’s book on decluttering! If you have a question
about something, just ask us about it!
For those of you who feel you just aren’t sure what you can donate, we will have index
cards of things we need, and you can pick up a couple of those. We will also be having a
bake sale that evening, so we will need lots of homemade goodies to sell.
This will also be an excellent opportunity to invite your friends to come to Horte Hall. Our
goal is to fill the hall with people who will enjoy the concert and bid on the items! Please
be watching for information about the silent auction and concert the next few weeks so
you can get involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Allen Thomas,
Vicki Karns, or Martha McMahon.
Karen will be warming up in Florida the week of March 2—9.
She will be back in the church office on Monday morning, March
11.
If you need to speak with Pastor Drew, please call ahead to
check his availability.
PAGE 6 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED
December 31, 2018 TREASURER'S REPORT
Dec-18 YTD 2018
Tithes $53,636.50 $259,616.34 Regular Monies
Manse Rent $3,200.00 $17,600.00
Church Rent $3,500.00 $25,150.00
Designated Budgetary Giving $1,062.23 $15,009.50
Other $200.00 $6,948.00
Operating Revenue $61,598.73 $324,323.84
Designated Non-Budgetary Giving $26,357.38 $33,627.38 Special Monies In
Deacons Fund $759.00 $2,722.00
CE Youth Fund Raising $240.00 $5,724.09
Capital Campaign $1,220.00 $12,299.00
Investment Income -$14,226.95 -$8,217.86
Total Revenues $75,948.16 $370,478.45 Net YTD Exp.
Dec-18 YTD 18 Expense Annual Budget as % Budget
Committee Expenditures
CE Adult $0.00 $30.00 $200.00 15%
CE Children $207.39 $417.64 $2,250.00 19%
CE Youth $144.47 $3,168.62 $5,000.00 63%
Fellowship $231.51 $351.51 $300.00 117%
Missions $1,975.00 $24,125.00 $26,800.00 90%
Property $10,362.79 $92,889.82 $91,900.00 101%
Worship $300.00 $3,689.42 $4,500.00 82%
Personnel $12,580.99 $137,602.29 $153,895.00 89%
Stewardship $0.00 $374.63 $566.00 66%
Presbytery (Per Capita) $947.34 $11,368.06 $11,368.00 100%
Session $0.00 $93.00 $100.00 93%
Women/Men's Ministries $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0%
JOY $100.00 $100.00 $100.00 100%
Outreach $0.00 $0.00 $100.00 0%
Marketing/Publicity $0.00 $0.00 $100.00 0%
PNC $0.00 $6,176.87 $7,500.00 82%
Total Operating Expenditures $26,849.49 $280,386.86 $304,679.00
Net Inflow/Outflow $34,749.24 $43,936.98
Designated Non-Budgetary Expense
Restricted Funds: Special Monies Out
Deacons $2,724.42 $4,294.55
Capital Campaign Expense $1,368.94 $27,138.05
Youth Funds Raised $0.00 $7,125.58
Other $0.00 $33,796.80 (Malawi wells, Building, etc.)
Note: Restricted Funds are not included in YTD totals above
Account Balances as of Report Date
Operations Accounts: $70,193.97
Charles Schwab Investment Account: $274,143.99
Campaign Accounts: $957.74
Total Assets $345,295.70
Presbytery Loan Balance: -$105,017.19
PAGE 7 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED MONTHLY
Bible Study
Sermon on the Mount
“One cannot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire
of it. Only thus will it reveal itself. Only if we expect from it the ultimate answer, shall we re-
ceive it. That is because in the Bible God speaks to us. And one cannot simply think about
God in one’s own strength, one has to enquire of him. Only if we seek him, will he answer us.”
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
At worship on Sundays from now until Easter, the sermons will explore the
Gospel of Matthew in its entirety. That means that some very important and
very rich passages will only have our focus one or two weeks. For the Sermon
on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), only a few sermons does not do justice to this cru-
cial passage. So, we’ve decided to use Wednesday nights to explore the depths
of Jesus’ important, and perhaps most famous, teaching.
Schedule:
Date: Topic (Spiritual Practices during Lent) Scripture:
January 16 Introduction and the Beatitudes, part 1 Matthew 5:1-5
January 23 Beatitudes, part 2 Matthew 5:6-12
January 30 Salt and Light Matthew 5:13-16
February 6 You have heard it said...Part 1 Matthew 5:17-30
February 13 You have heard it said...Part 2 Matthew 5:31-37
February 20 You have heard it said...Part 3 Matthew 5:38-48
February 27 Prayer Matthew 6:1-8
March 6 NO BIBLE STUDY ASH WEDNESDAY
March 13 Lord’s Prayer (Prayer and Forgiveness) Matthew 6:9-15
March 20 Wealth (Stewardship and Simplicity) Matthew 6:16-24
March 27 Do not worry (Examen and Mindfulness) Matthew 6:25-34
April 3 Don’ts (Confession and Fasting) Matthew 4:1-6
April 10 Dos (Intercessory Prayer and Service) Matthew 7:7-14
April 17 God’s Word (Lectio Divina and Meditation) Matthew 7:16-29
PAGE 8 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED MONTHLY
Just a few notes from the Worship Committee for you to
put on your calendars for early March. Easter is late this
year, so Lent will begin on Wednesday March 6th with our
Ash Wednesday service at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. This is
a unique service of reflection and prayer, along with the
traditional ceremony of ashes. If you have never attend
this service, try it out – many find it to be very meaning-
ful. Please note, there will be no Children’s Choir or
study group that evening.
Also, rehearsals for Gospel Night will begin on Thurs-
day, March 14th, from 7:30 to 8:45pm in the Choir
Room. Gospel Night is our annual “fun” concert and a
great opportunity to reach out to our friends outside the
church. We haven’t settled on a date yet, but it will be
on a Sunday evening in May. We need extra singers
who may not be able to sing with the choir every Sun-
day for this event. Please join us if you can. Rehearsal for regular Sunday an-
thems will follow, from 8:15 until 9 pm.
Worship Notes
PAGE 9 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED MONTHLY PAGE 9
Rev. Dave Thom with the Cambridge Roundtable
www.cambridgeroundtable.org
Rev. Dave Thom is an MIT Chaplain responsible for coordinating the Cambridge
Roundtable.
To date, hundreds of Harvard, MIT, BU and Tufts professors have engaged in Roundtable
faculty-seminar dinner-discussions. Roundtable seminars are dedicated to fostering dia-
logue that explores the intersection of academic and Christian thought on issues related to
science and religion. Scholars from a variety of departments and specially-selected clergy
are invited: the result has been that a diversity of academic and religious and non-
religious views are represented.
Featured Mission of the Month
Hello Ladies,
We've all heard of Valentines
Day...but who's ready for
"Galentines"?! Grab your BFFs
and join us for a fun and indul-
gent day of luxurious spa treat-
ments and fabulous food at our
Galentines celebration. All
women are invited to Horte Hall at First Presby to try some classic spa favorites
(like aromatherapy with essential oils, skin-softening treatments, and nail wraps,
to name but a few), chill out with a classic girl-power movie, and nibble on deli-
cious tea sandwiches, desserts, and a variety of hot teas to keep you warm and
toasty. If you like, wear your robe and slippers and come make-up free; we are
ready for fun with just the girlfriends this time around. The event is free, but some
items will be for sale if you try them out and would like to take more home.
ALL WOMEN ARE WELCOME, so invite your friends and family! SATURDAY,
FEB 9, from 2-4 PM. Any questions, please ask someone from the Membership
and Community Engagement Committee, or email amacdonald@bchigh.edu. Hello,
PAGE 10 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED MONTHLY PAGE 10
February has arrived and with it brings
snow, cold, Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl.
January passed with just one snow storm and we still had Church
thanks to those who shoveled and salted the parking lot.
Kid’s day was January 5th and the games were led by Ashely
who did a great job. Who knew spaghetti, Vas-
eline, cotton balls and marshmallows could be so fun! The pizza and
cookies were a special treat and all agreed there should be another fun
game day so it’s scheduled for February 23rd.
I’ll be there for sure.
PAGE 11 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED MONTHLY PAGE 11
Have you had Coffee hour in the Parlor? There are quite a few people
enjoying having a cup of coffee and a treat after church in the parlor.
It’s a little quieter and no stairs for bad knees. Thank you for those peo-
ple who made it possible. I found I can visit both if I start in the parlor
and then scoot downstairs for a crumb or two, but hoping a cute little
guy did not use a cell phone to video me scooping up the cookie crumbs!
Speaking of thanks, do you know how those announcement slides are
done every Sunday? Well it’s Vicki who gathers all the information, and
creates the pictures and slides. Zeke and I catch up on the week’s news
while Vicki works on the slides. Thank Vicki!
Alison was telling Karen about the Galentine’s day
party and that it’s for ladies so I won’t be attending, but it sounds like
fun. There will be fabulous food, spa treatments to try, a chic flick, and
hot teas to sip. Too girly for a mouse like me.
So glad Allen and Janan are home from Lebanon and there’s a new
choir member, hello Sandra !
PAGE 12 THE FIRST FAMILY PUBLISHED MONTHLY PAGE 12
I went with Kaleb to Dave & Busters on January 27th for appetizers
and games with the youth group. Lots of arcades and good food. The
Hankinson brothers and other teens challenged
each other and some played a virtual reality game. Pastor Drew joined
the group and he plans to go to Berea in March too.
I hope I get to go to Berea with the group. Not everyone
is a Patriots fan, but for those who are
Send a Valentine to a friend, a soldier, a student or a senior.
Love, Franklin
Committee Chairs
CE Adult Sue Parker
CE Youth Brenda Fernandez/
Steve Fitzgerald
CE Children Sherry Dalton
Stewardship Com. Glo Murray &
Melissa Pillone
Fellowship Committee
Membership and Janan Thomas
Community Engagement
Missions Committee Don Murray
Nominating Committee Vicki Karns
Personnel Committee Dan Clarke
Property Committee Duncan Parker &
Fred Malczuk
Worship Committee Allen Thomas
BIRTHDAYS!
We are a Christian family of faith, empowered by the Holy
Spirit to glorify God, to proclaim His Word, and to grow
together in Christ.
Elders
2019 Vicki Karns
Linda Peterson
Martha McMahon (Clerk of Session)
2020 Ashley Lynch-Mahoney
Chukwu Oji
Carolyn Thompson
2021 Dan Clarke
Audrey Cummings
Alison MacDonald
Fred Malczuk
Deacons 2019 Minyanga/Pacharo Mede
Glo Murray
Melissa Pillone
2020 Patsy Lynch
Carol Maver
Duncan Parker
2021 Chris Barnett
Maureen Ryan (Chair)
PUBLISHED MONTHLY THE FIRST FAMILY PAGE 13
Rose Thackaray 1
Nanci Myers 3
Genji Barnett 4
Rebecca Dinsmore 9
Barb Hefler 10
Hanley Callahan 18
Lisa Krasinski 20
Minyanga Mede 21
Pam del Pino 22
Izadora Lenna 22
Liz Archambault 24
Timothy Cole 28
Nathaniel Kuchambi 1
Hazel MacDonald 5
Sam Luong 5
Michelle Riley 5
Mary Ann Fernandez 7
Jesse Southworth-
Mahoney 7
Early March
A Special
Thank You to
Don Murray
for sharing his
beautiful
photographs
with us.
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