On Ash Wednesday, February 22nd , we begin the Season of Lent. Our joint
Worship Service will be held at Paris Presbyterian at 7 PM. Lent is a forty-day period, not counting Sundays, in which the church is asked to reflect on Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross of Calvary by participating in spiritual disciplines. One way we can honor and remember our Lord’s suffering and sacrifice is by giving up something important to us during this period of time. Almsgiving is also a Lenten spiritual discipline. This is giving over and above our regular tithe and offerings. We give an extra offering to those who are truly in need. During Lent our youth and others are invited to use a Wanda the Fish Offering Box for the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. This offering supports the Presbyterian Disaster Relief Fund which helps people in our country and all over the world in times of natural disaster. On Palm Sunday, April 2 nd , we will collect the boxes Offering envelopes will be provided for those who wish to contribute. Prayerfully consider your gift. There have been so many natural disasters over the course of the past year. Your donation will make a difference in the life of someone who has been affected by these tragedies. Another spiritual discipline of Lent is spending additional time in prayer. With that in mind, during Lent, I will be preaching on the Lord’s Prayer. Often this prayer is referred to as the Model Prayer because it is the way our Lord taught us to pray. I hope you will make a special effort to be present at our morning worship services. There are two events this month I would also like to make you aware of: Family Night will be held on Saturday, March 11th at 6 PM. Following our potluck supper, we will play BINGO. All are welcome. On Sunday, March 19th , The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Blair, Lead Presbyter for Transformation and Stated Clerk of our Presbytery, will lead us in worship. Following our morning worship service, she will provide training for members of the Session. A simple lunch will be provided. All church members are invited to attend the training. Listed below are our sermon titles for February 26th - March 26th : Sunday, February 26th – Our Father Sunday, March 5th – The Lord’s Supper; Whose Will Be Done? Sunday, March 12th – Daylight Saving Time Begins; Our Daily Bread Sunday, March 19th – The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Blair, guest preacher Sunday, March 26th – Forgive us…as we forgive I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie
0 Comments
The liturgical church year follows the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. It begins with the Season of Advent and continues through the Seasons of Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time. We are currently in the Season of Epiphany. Epiphany, January 6th, is the day we remember the Wise Men who were led by a star to Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Wise Men came to pay homage to the Christ and to give him their finest treasures. The Season of Epiphany celebrates God’s light breaking through the darkness of our world.
Many years ago, I learned of a tradition that some churches practice at Epiphany. On Epiphany Sunday those present in worship are invited to choose a “Star Word” from an offering plate or basket. The first time I heard about this worship practice was from members of Ginter Park Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA. Perhaps you know of churches who practice this custom. Star Words are generally a verb or character trait. A few examples of Star Words are: kindness, caring, giving, sharing, compassion, hopefulness, stability and prayerfulness. When you select your Star Word, you are asked put your word in a place where you will see it every day. This is your word for the next year. The word is a tool to help each of us become better Christians. The idea is to focus on the word and try to live out the word to the best of your ability. Also, you are asked to pay attention to the places where your word “shows up” in your daily life. Those who have received Star Words are often amazed at how God has used their word to make a difference in their life and in the life of others. On Sunday, January 22 during our Morning Worship, everyone will be invited to choose a Star Word. Let us see how God through the Holy Spirit might use this tool among us in 2023 as we seek to serve our Lord and Savior. On Sunday, January 29 we will hold a very special service. We will ordain and install our newly elect Ruling Elders and Deacon. I hope you will make a special effort to be present for this important time in the life of our church. Also, please join us for our Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 21. We will enjoy a pot luck supper at 6 PM. Our meeting will be begin at 7 PM. I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie During the Christmas Season last year, I discovered a new song written by Matthew West. The title of the song is: Give this Christmas Away. Part of the lyrics to the song are:
Feeding the hungry, serving the poor Telling the orphan you're not forgotten anymore It's doing what love does Even when no one's watching you Give this Christmas away If there's love in your heart, don't let it stay there Give this Christmas away And your life will be changed by the gifts you receive When you give this Christmas away Christmas is about celebrating the greatest gift of all, the gift of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Giving gifts at Christmas is a way of doing what God has already done for us when he gave us his one and only Son. As a congregation we have already begun to Give this Christmas Away. Eight boxes were sent to our college students. Fifteen Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes were prepared to give to children who otherwise would not have a Christmas. On Sunday, December 4th we will be preparing boxes to send to those who are serving in the military. Thank you for your part in helping us to Give This Christmas Away. As we go through the Advent Season, I hope each of us will find our own way of sharing with others. There are so many different ways we can give. Let us prayerfully consider our gift to the Presbyterian Christmas Joy Offering. We can do something as simple as holding the door open for someone or perhaps we can buy extra groceries to share. We can give generously of our resources to organizations which help those in need. Speaking of which, I will be a bell ringer for the Salvation Army on Thursday, December 1st from 4:00 – 5:00 PM at Rural King. If you happened to be in the area, please come by and see me. Also, I will be writing the Pastor’s Perspective for the Prairie Press for the month of December. I hope you will enjoy reading them. Listed below is a schedule of Worship Services and Events at New Providence during December. We hope you and your family will join us as we celebrate Christ’s birth once again. Sunday, December 4th – Be Peaceful!– Isaiah 11:1-10 Saturday, December 10th – Family Night at 6 PM – Gingerbread House Contest Sunday, December 11th – Be Joyful! – Isaiah 35:1-10 Sunday, December 18th – Be Ready! – Isaiah 7:10-16 Christmas Caroling – Date and time TBA Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 5:30 PM – Jesus is Born – Isaiah 9:2-7 – Special Music Sunday, December 25th – Let’s Bring Joseph to the Front of the Stable – Matthew 1:18-25 I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and New Year filled with the Peace of Christ. I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie The Book of Psalms is filled with Psalms of Praise. Several of these Psalms are known as acrostics. They are Psalm 9-10; 25; 33; 34; 37; 111-112; 119 and 145. Acrostics are Psalms that use the Hebrew alphabet as a poetic tool. Each verse or line within the Psalm begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, written in alphabetical order. The best-known acrostic is Psalm 119. It contains 176 verses. It is the longest chapter in the Bible. This is a Psalm written in praise of God’s law.
November is upon us. The beginning of this month signals the start of the holiday season. It is also the month we set aside as a nation and as the People of God to give thanks. NPPC will kick off the month by heading to L&A Family Farm on Saturday, November 5th at 3 PM IL time. We will enjoy the Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch and a bonfire. We will roast hot dogs and make S’mores. Please bring a side dish to share and a chair. Feel free to invite a friend! On Sunday, November 6th we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper and Honor Our Veterans. We will also be packing boxes after church for our college students. We are still in need of monetary donations. Please see Cathy Smith if you are able to contribute. On Sunday, November 13th I will be preaching from Psalm 145. During our Worship Service, I will invite you to write your own Psalm of Praise and Thanksgiving. Sunday, November 20th is Christ the King Sunday. We will affirm Christ’s Lordship over our lives. We will enjoy Thanksgiving as a church family with our traditional soup and sandwich potluck on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 23 rd at 6 PM. There will be Turkey Bowling and Cookie Decorating. Please come and join us in the fun! Sunday, November 27th , the Season of Advent begins. I will be preaching from the prophet Isaiah. Once again, we will prepare our hearts to receive Jesus in a greater and deeper way. Listed below are the sermons for November: Sunday, November 6th – Surrender – Luke 13:18-21 The Lord’s Supper – Honor our Veterans Sunday, November 13th – Great Is the Lord and Greatly to be Praised – Psalm 145 Christ the King Sunday, November 20th – The Supremacy of Christ – Colossians 1:15-23 The First Sunday of Advent, Sunday, November 27th – Be Prepared! – Isaiah 2:1-5 I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 6:7
God loves a cheerful giver. Cheerful giving is about the condition of our hearts when we write a check to the church or place an offering in the plate. When we give an offering during worship, we are not giving to New Providence Presbyterian Church. Our gift is given to God, the Almighty, to be used by New Providence so that together we can accomplish Christ’s mission through our church. Our gifts help to bring the Kingdom of God here on earth. I have a dear friend who comes from another country. In her culture, if someone gives you a gift, you are expected to give a gift in return. Christian giving is like my friend’s cultural tradition only with an important twist. We do not give because we are expected to give, instead, we want to give. Christians want to give because Jesus Christ has given us an abundant life. Followers of our Lord give with an overflowing heart because we are so grateful for what Christ has done for us. We realize that we could never repay Jesus Christ for his wondrous love toward us. During the first two weeks of October, I will preaching about Cheerful Giving. We have some exciting worship services planned for this month. October 2nd is World Communion Sunday. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper. On October 16th chalk artist, Randy Davis, will be leading us in worship. I hope you will invite a neighbor, friend or family member to be part of this special service. On October 30th our youth will lead in worship. That is a Sunday you won’t want to miss! Listed below are the sermons and events for October: Sunday, October 2, 2022-Cheerful Giving: The Widow- Luke 20:41-47; 21:1-4-The Lord’s Supper Sunday, October 9, 2022-Cheerful Giving: The Church-Acts 4:32-37 Sunday, October 16, 2022-Chalk Artist, Randy Davis, reception following the service Sunday, October 23, 2002-Jeanette Levellie, Guest Speaker Sunday, October 30, 2022-Youth Sunday I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie The school year has officially begun and Labor Day is just around the corner. The Fall
season will be here before we know it. Change is in the air. The Christian life is about change. When we commit our lives to Jesus Christ and confess that Christ is our Savior and Lord, we embark on a journey of transformation. It is the journey of a lifetime and a journey that we will never compete. As Christians we are called to become like Christ. We are to speak like Jesus, act like Jesus and do the will of the Heavenly Father, as Jesus did. This transformation is a process. As we learn and grow deeper in our faith, we mold our entire being toward Christlikeness in small acts of faith that occur over a lifetime. Letting go of our will and conforming to God’s will is the path that leads us to joy, peace and our true selves. During the month of September, I will be preaching about transformation beginning with the well-known verses in Jeremiah about the Potter’s House. On September 11th, we will join with our brothers and sisters from Paris Presbyterian in worship outside. I will bring a message about grace. After worship, we will enjoy a potluck luncheon together. At the end of the month, I will begin a three-part sermon series on Cheerful Giving which will carry over into October. Speaking of October, please mark your calendars now and plan to attend our service on October 16th . Chalk Artist, Randy Davis, will lead our Morning Worship Service. Please make a special effort to be present and invite a friend, neighbor or family member to come along with you. I know you will be blessed by his presentation. Also save the date…October 30th our Youth will be leading worship. I look forward to seeing in worship as we seek to grow in Christ collectively. Here is a list of the sermons for the month of September: Sunday, September 4, 2022-The Process of Reworking- Jeremiah 18: 1-11-The Lord’s Supper Sunday, September 11, 2022-Amazed By Grace-1 Timothy 1:12-17-Joint Service with Paris Presbyterian @ 10 AM with Potluck luncheon to follow. Sunday, September 18, 2022-Guest Speaker Sunday, September 25, 2022-A Generous Heart-Exodus 35:4-9; 36:2-7 I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie There are some things you never forget. I will never forget the first time I traveled to
Paris to “visit” New Providence Presbyterian Church. Mary and I decided to take a test run drive to the church in order to made sure I could find my way. Finding NPPC was dead easy thanks to the signs you had posted for the upcoming Jonah Fish Fry. You might say the fish fry pointed the way to you. I was very grateful for the signs. I felt they were a gift from God. The fish fry is a big event in the life of our church. I am looking forward to being a part of it this year. All this got me to thinking about the story of Jonah. The Book of Jonah is only four chapters long. It is a wonderful story of God’s grace and mercy. Jonah was a reluctant prophet who ran from God only to find himself in the belly of a large fish. When God commands the fish to spit him out, he goes to Nineveh to proclaim God’s message of repentance. As a result, an entire nation repents and turns toward God. During the month of August, I will be preaching from the Book of Jonah. I hope you will make every effort to join us for Sunday Morning Worship and also for the fish fry on Saturday, August 27 from 3-7 PM. On Saturday August 13, I will have the privilege of baptizing Lauren Swinford. Lauren has requested baptism by immersion. She will be baptized at Success Christian Church at 7 PM. Everyone is invited to attend the baptism. On Sunday, August 14, we will formally welcome her into our church family. This is the Sunday before school starts and we will also have a special prayer for our all of students, teachers and educational workers as a new school year begins. On Sunday, August 28, weather permitting, we will worship outside. Here is a list of the sermons for the month of August: Sunday, August 7, 2022-Where Is Your Nineveh?- Jonah 1-The Lord’s Supper Sunday, August 14, 2022-When We Hit Rock Bottom-Jonah 2 Welcome Lauren Swinford; Prayer for the New School Year Sunday, August 21, 2022-What Does It Mean to Repent?-Jonah 3 Sunday, August 28, 2022-When God Changes His Mind-Jonah 4-Worship Outdoors I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie This year, Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church of Jesus Christ, and my birthday fall on the same Sunday, June 5th. Pentecost is the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
This day has always been a special day for me. I was ordained to the Gospel Ministry on Pentecost Sunday, May 26, 1985. It was the “birth” of my life as a minister. The story of Pentecost is found in Acts 2. The coming of the Holy Spirit is described as a rush of fierce wind and tongues of fire. Wind and fire both are sources of energy. The Holy Spirit is the power source for the church. We are to rely on God’s power to fulfill our mission. Because the Holy Spirit resides in the soul of every believer, we rely on God’s Spirit to guide us in all of life’s decisions and the decisions we make as a congregation. Christ, through the Holy Spirit, empowers us to do the Divine Will of our Heavenly Father. Most of us have experienced a time when our cell phone died because we forgot to charge it. In the same way, the church can be in danger of “dying” if we do not stay plugged into our energy source, the Holy Spirit. We stayed spiritually charged through worship, daily prayer, Bible study and the fellowship of believers. When we are spiritually charged, the Fruits of the Spirit ripen within us. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Just as it did at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit sets our hearts ablaze so that others see Christ living in us. They see Christ’s never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love. The church is called to always be pointing others to Jesus. I will be away the first two weeks of June visiting family and attending graduations. I look forward to returning to Paris on Thursday, June 16th and being with you for Father’s Day. Here is a list of our Sunday Services for June: ▪️Sunday, June 5: Jeanette Levellie, guest speaker 🔥 Pentecost and The Lord’s Supper ▪️Sunday, June 12: Bill Minnis, guest speaker ▪️Sunday, June 19: The Compassionate Father —Luke 15:11-24 👨👧👦 Father’s Day ▪️Sunday, June 26: The Angry Brother — Luke 15:25-32 🗣 Congregational Meeting @ 10:30 AM I Count It All Joy, Pastor Vallerie On Ash Wednesday, March 2 nd , we begin the Season of Lent. The church sets
aside the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday as a time when we remember once again Jesus’ life, ministry, death on the cross and resurrection. Lent is an opportunity for us to journey with Jesus so that we might draw closer to our Lord and remember Christ’s sacrifice for us. Traditionally, during Lent, we are invited to “travel” with Jesus by fasting and praying, giving more of our resources to help those in need and by giving up something. All of these are good Christian disciplines that enrich us spiritually. Jesus is our model for each of these spiritual practices. The Gospels tell us that before our Lord began his ministry, he fasted and prayed for forty days in the wilderness. When Jesus announced his ministry in the synagogue in Nazareth, he read from the Book of Isaiah which said that the Messiah has come to proclaim Good News to the poor and captives. Our Lord cared deeply for the destitute and marginalized. Christ gave up his very life for us that we might know forgiveness for our sins and have life everlasting. Fasting, praying, giving generously to the those in need and letting go of something important to us enable us to draw closer to Jesus. Exodus Chapter 3 is the story of God appearing to Moses in the form of a burning bush. During their encounter, Moses asks God to tell him God’s name. God replies in Exodus 3:14: I AM WHO I AM. In the Gospel of John, Jesus identifies himself by making seven “I AM” statements about himself. On Sunday mornings our worship services will center around the “I AM” sayings of Jesus. Each week we will examine how Jesus defines himself as a way of journeying with our Lord. I hope you will make a special effort to attend each of these services. I also invite you to read the Gospel of John during this Holy Season. Here is a list of services and events during Lent at New Providence Presbyterian: Wednesday, March 2 - Ash Wednesday Service at Paris Presbyterian at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 6 at 9:30 a.m. - I am the Bread of Life-The Lord’s Supper Sunday, March 13 at 9:30 a.m. - I am the Light of the World-Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 20 at 9:30 a.m. - I am the Gate/ I am the Good Shepherd Sunday, March 27 at 9:30 a.m. - I am the Way, the Truth and the Life Sunday, April 3 at 9:30 a.m. - I am the Vine-The Lord’s Supper Holy Week: Palm Sunday, April 10 at 9:30 a.m. - Our Youth will lead our service Maundy Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. A Tenebrae Service at Paris Presbyterian Good Friday, April 15 at 7 p.m. at NPPC with Paris Presbyterian Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 16 Time TBA Easter Sunday, April 17, Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. followed by breakfast in the Fellowship Hall The Celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord, at 9:30 a.m.- I am the Resurrection and the Life Let’s endeavor to draw closer to our Lord as we journey with Jesus during Lent. Pastor Vallerie LOVE! 1 Corinthians 13 is often referred to as the Love Chapter. This well-known chapter in the Bible is the most frequently quoted scripture at weddings. It has been set to music by many composers. Love is the universal language all of us understand. However, 1 Corinthians 13 is best understood in the context of the entire letter written to the church at Corinth. When the Apostle Paul penned this eloquent poem describing the qualities of love, he was talking about spiritual gifts. Every Christian is given the spiritual gift of love by the Holy Spirit. It is the most important of all the spiritual gifts.
For the next four week I will be preaching on spiritual gifts and how they work within the church. And I will be speaking about love and how God loves us with an everlasting, steadfast love. Here are the sermon titles and scriptures for the next four Sundays: January 30, 2022: Spiritual Gifts-1 Corinthians 12:1-11 February 6, 2022: The Body of Christ-1 Corinthians 12:12-31a-The Lord’s Supper February 13, 2022: The Gift of Love--1 Corinthians 13 February 20, 2022: Hesed-Psalm 138 Speaking of love, I want to commend the Session for voting to send the remaining Jonah Fish Fry money to the First Presbyterian Church in Mayfield, KY. I also want to commend our Women’s Fellowship for supporting the Blessing Box Service Project at Mayo Middle School. NPPC is a church with a Big Heart! I am proud to be your Supply Pastor. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to spend time traveling and relaxing. I am looking forward to greeting each of you as I return to work. Grace and Peace to each of you, Pastor Vallerie |