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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Vacation Bible School

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL ~ “HOMETOWN JESUS”

Where: First Presbyterian Church of Junction
When: Tuesday, July 19 thru Friday, July 22
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM

We are in the beginning stages of planning for this year’s Vacation Bible School. The theme this year is “HOMETOWN JESUS”. There are many pieces to VBS and help in all areas will keep the events running smoothly throughout the week. We are looking for volunteers that are willing to help in any of these areas:
  1. REGISTRATION 
  2. DECORATION
  3. OPENING & CLOSING SKITS
  4. BIBLE STORY TIME
  5. CRAFTS
  6. GAMES
  7. SNACKS
  8. MUSIC
  9. ADULTS as well as JMS/JHS KIDS are asked to help supervise the younger children as they move throughout the VBS activities.
The general flow of VBS goes as follows: 
  • Registration
  • All the kids meet in the sanctuary for music and the opening skit.
  • The kids are divided into groups and rotate through Bible Story Time, Crafts, Games, Music and Snack time.
  • Finally, all the kids meet back in the sanctuary for more music and the closing skit.
  • On Friday, all the children and their parents are invited to the church for a Family Dinner. All are welcome to attend.
The nursery will be available for children younger than three. If you are interested in helping with VBS and have young children, daycare will be provided for you. Pre-K children (ages 3-5) will also get to participate in VBS. The will put into a group of their own so they can enjoy all the fun VBS activities!

If you are willing to help, please contact this year’s VBS coordinators:
  • Renee Weitz, cell phone #512 217-8165, email weitzr@starband.net
  • Natalie Kothmann, cell phone #325-446-3280
  • Carmen Bierschwale, 446-6169 (cell) or ckbierschwale@gmail.com
We will be having a VBS planning meeting in May. Please check the upcoming May newsletter for the date and time. We will also send out e-mails and announce the date and time in church.

We need all the help we can get!! Thank you so much for your support with Vacation Bible School!

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (5/1/2011)

Dear Friends,
Here is what I know about the fire. As I left last night the fire had consumed 8200 to 8500 acres and was about 60% contained. At 10:00pm they were lighting backfires along KC130 and 377 so that as the winds shift back from the South the fire will be even better contained. There are no immediate needs that I know of. Right now there is plenty of bottled water and Gatorade. The fire department will need to repair and refurbish equipment and have other expenses, you can donate directly to them if you feel so inclined. As we hear of needs I will let you know.

Announcements
1. The Church Family Dinner and Wedding Shower honoring Veronica Snodgrass and Josh Overman will be this Saturday April 30th from 6-9pm. They have bridal registry at West Bear Creek and Cowboy Cottage.

2. Vacation Bible School will be July 19th through the 22nd.

Scripture
1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, [5] who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. [6] In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, [7] so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, [9] obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Questions to reflect upon:
1. Complete this sentence any way you’d like: I hope that . . .
2. What had God given Peter and his readers? (1:3)
3. Into what kind of inheritance did Peter say his readers had been born? (1:4)
4. What did Peter say was the goal of their faith? (1:9)
5. How have the trials you’ve been through strengthened and refined your faith?
6. How have your trials prepared you for Christ’s coming?
7. What fills you with joy in life?
8. What is the goal of your faith?
9. How will you rejoice in your salvation today?

Friday, April 22, 2011

Scripture & Questions for Easter Sunday (4/24/11)

Announcements

1.    The arrangements for Tony Boone are as follows. Family visitation will be Friday, April 22, at Kimble Funeral Home from 6 to 8pm.  The funeral will be Saturday, April 23, at Hill Country Baptist Church at 10am.
2.    Maundy Thursday Communion Service at 7:00pm and Good Friday Tenebrae Service at 7:00pm
3.    We will be having an Easter Egg hunt Sunday. We need middle school and high school youth to come at 9:30 to hide the eggs. The hunt will begin at 10:00. If you would like to bring eggs you can drop them off at the church or bring them Sunday morning.
4.    Save the Date Vacation Bible School will be July 19th through the 22nd.

John 20:1-18 (ESV) 
    Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. [2] So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." [3] So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. [4] Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. [5] And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. [6] Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, [7] and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. [8] Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; [9] for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. [10] Then the disciples went back to their homes. [11] But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. [12] And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. [13] They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." [14] Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. [15] Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." [16] Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). [17] Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " [18] Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"—and that he had said these things to her.

Questions to Reflect Upon
1.    What is the most exciting news you’ve heard this week?
2.    What did Mary and the disciples do after seeing that Jesus’ body was gone? (20:10-11)
3.    What did Mary see where Jesus’ body had been? (20:12)
4.    What did the angels ask Mary? (20:13)
5.    What would you do if you saw an angel?
6.    Over what loss have you recently shed tears?
7.    How do you think Mary felt when she realized she was talking to Jesus?
8.    When is it tempting to hold on to something good rather than share it with others?
9.    If you had been one of the disciples who had heard Mary’s exciting news, how do you think you would have reacted?
10. How can you celebrate your relationship with the living Christ this week?

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  1. Presbyterian Youth Fellowship will not be meeting tonight we will pick back up next week.
  2. Maundy Thursday Communion Service at 7:00 PM and Good Friday Tenebrae Service at 7:00 PM.
  3. We will be having an Easter Egg hunt Sunday. We need middle school and high school youth to come at 9:30 to hide the eggs. The hunt will begin at 10:00. If you would like to bring eggs you can drop them off at the church or bring them Sunday morning.
  4. Save the Date Vacation Bible School will be July 19th through the 22nd.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (4/17/11)

Announcement
Curt and Jennifer Kneese would like to invite you to their house for lunch after church on Easter Sunday. Please RSVP by calling Jennifer at 446-6222.

Scripture
Genesis 50:15-21 (ESV) 
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him." [16] So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died, [17] 'Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. [18] His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants." [19] But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? [20] As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. [21] So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Questions to Reflect Upon
  1. What is the hardest promise you have had to keep?
  2. What worried Joseph’s brothers after their father died, and what did they do about it? (50:15-18)
  3. How did Joseph respond to his brothers? (50:19-21)
  4. What makes forgiving someone who has wronged us so difficult?
  5. Why is it sometimes hard to accept someone’s forgiveness?
  6. How can God bring good out of evil?
  7. What set of bad circumstances will you ask God to use for good?
  8. Who is someone you will forgive today, even without him or her asking you to do so?

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (4/10/11)

Can I Really Be Sure of My Salvation? - 2 Peter 1
Knots of Faith #4

Scripture
2 Peter 1:1-11 (ESV)
Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: [2] May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. [3] His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, [4] by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. [5] For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, [6] and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, [7] and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [8] For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. [10] Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. [11] For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Questions to Reflect Upon
1. What character qualities do you find most attractive in other people?
2. If you could be better at one thing, what would you want to improve?
3. What did Peter urge his readers to add to their faith? (1:5-7)
4. What would be the result of possessing godly character in increasing measure? (1:8)
5. What happens to the person who does not possess godly qualities? (1:9)
6. Which of the qualities listed by Peter do you consider to be the most important to add to your faith? Why?
7. What does it mean to be ineffective and unproductive?
8. How can the qualities Peter mentioned keep us from being ineffective and unproductive?
9. Why is it easy to forget what God has done for us?
10. How can someone make his or her calling and election sure?