First Presbyterian Church of Pendleton, Oregon

	May 2008 Newsletter Brown Bag Book Study Tuesdays at 12:00 noon in the conference room. The Weekly FPCP Electronic Newsletter An electronic church newsletter is now sent via e-mail every Tuesday morning. It describes the week's special events, Sunday school topics, and youth meetings. If you would like to have addresses added (for example out of town family members), please send your request to fpcp@pendletonpresbyterian.com Ecumenical Youth Group May Meeting Schedule Ecumenical Youth Group May Meeting Schedule The youth group (6th through 12th grade) will meet every Sunday from 4 to 6 pm at First Presbyterian Church unless otherwise noted. Call Tia or Jon Mittelstadt at 278-1378 for more details. The schedule is as follows: Sunday, May 4: "You're A Star" Night - We will plan and videotape Christian music videos starring YOU! The karaoke machine is available. We will have popcorn and watch our "American Idol" performances. Sunday, May 11: Happy Mother's Day to your Mom! No Meeting- Enjoy time with your Mom. Sunday, May 18: BBQ at Grecian Heights Park - Meet at Grecian Heights Park North (by the play structure) at 4 pm for a BBQ. We will eat hamburgers and hot dogs and play some fun outdoor games. This is a family event, so bring them too! Sunday, May 25: No meeting due to Memorial Day weekend- Have fun with your family! All Church Family BBQ to be held Sunday, May 18 - Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 18 from 4 to 7 pm at Grecian Heights Park. The Children/Youth Commission is sponsoring a fun evening in the park. Burgers, hot dogs and drinks will be provided. Please bring a side dish to share. Also, bring your favorite outdoor game, frisbees, balls, etc. All are welcome to attend. Any questions, call Cheryl at the office or Tia Mittelstadt at 278-1378. What in the World is Mission up to? Pentecost Offering Pentecost is an amazing, celebratory day in the community of faith. At Pentecost, we acknowledge the coming of the Holy Spirit, which transforms human life and all of creation. Through our participation in the Pentecost Offering, we send forth God's powerful, curative love to children at risk, youth, and young adults. This year's Offering theme, “Send forth your spirit!” is from Psalm 104:30. The passage describes the glory of a creation that is filled with God's holy and life-giving Spirit. With assurance, we celebrate the abundance of our blessings and know that God's love and care for us know no bounds. What joy and comfort this gives us every day! With love and confidence we turn outward and share this with others! The Pentecost Offering is a tangible way to demonstrate that Spirit within us! It gives us the opportunity to use 40 percent of the amount we receive to minister in our own community on behalf of children at risk. This year's local share will be used for day camp vacation Bible School scholarships for members of the community, including those from Tutuilla Presbyterian Church. Scholarships for members of our congregation are available through the regular church budget. Through General Assembly ministries, the Pentecost Offering supports, guides, and nurtures the faith of Presbyterian young people, calls forth a new generation of church leadership, and advocates for children at risk on a national level. Thank you for your support of the Pentecost Offering on Mother's Day, May 11. Your gifts will have an impact now and in the generations to come! In the love of Christ, Your Mission Commission Dorothy Cereghino, Jane Collier, Pete Wells, and Judy Wilkins Day Camp 2008- "Beach Party: Surfin' Through the Scriptures" Mark your calendars for Day Camp/Vacation Bible School to be held July 14 through 17 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Westminster Woods. On Thursday, Day Camp will begin at 10:30 am and end with a potluck and program with all the parents. Day Camp is for children ages 5 through entering sixth grade. Once again, we will be teaming with First Christian Church and First United Methodist Church to sponsor the camp. The theme this year will be "Beach Party: Surfin' Through the Scriptures." The messages each day, the Beach Be-Attitudes, include: "Be Obedient", "Be Kind", "Be Forgiving", "Be Bold" and "Believe." Bible stories, snacks, crafts, and recreation will center around the beach theme. As always, we are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with each aspect of camp. We are in need of group leaders, snack coordinators, youth helpers, craft leaders, and general helpers. If you can help one or all of the days, please contact Tia Mittelstadt at 278-1378 or the church office at 276-7681. Youth Sunday To Be Held on March 30th The youth will be leading the worship service on Sunday, March 30. In the next few weeks the youth will be planning and practicing all aspects of the service. During the service, all the children and youth will sing "Jesus Loves Me" from DayCamp 2007. The kids and youth will be practicing this song after Sunday School each week in March. There will be no Sunday School on this day. All children, except nursery age (four and under), will stay in church for the worship service. The Best-layed Plans I've gotten to Thursday, and I'm starting to think about mowing grass this weekend. Yesterday was a bit breezy, and chilly until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and today is supposed to be the same, only warmer. Ideal for mowing, but too soon in the week. I have enjoyed mowing grass since before I could drive. These days I cut grass for relaxation, for exercise, and to unclutter my mind. And, I like the smell of fresh-cut yards. But as of this morning, mowing was going to have to wait until Sunday. After worship, after the Eastern Oregon Presbytery meeting that we are hosting, and maybe even after a quick nap; after all that, maybe I'll mow some grass, trim some edges, blow some clippings, and enjoy the springtime. Except, it may well be raining, even snowing on Sunday, according to the forecast. So, by the time I get to the office, I am already starting to think about the priorities for the day: what absolutely has to get written, what calls need to be made, which papers need to be shuffled, which tasks need to be checked off so that I might, just might, be able to cut grass this afternoon. It depends on how I plan my day. Plans often change for all sorts of reasons: weather, accidents, other people, mistakes, interruptions (I've had three interruptions just in writing the first two paragraphs). Sometimes we can roll with these changes with a bit of extra effort, and a willingness to re-arrange. Other times we can put off, or delay, or re-schedule for a more convenient time. Since it might rain on Sunday, I could, maybe, wait until Monday. Or, if it takes all day to get finished with everything that has to be done today, maybe I can mow grass early tomorrow, before that 11 a.m. meeting that I've got to be at. There are some decisions and actions that are easy to delay, to hold off until some undetermined later time, that we tell ourselves can be undertaken “when the time is right.” Washing the dishes, telling our children about birds and bees, retirement planning, and diets are but some of those decisions and actions that frequently get pushed aside until later. Sometimes, unfortunately, later shows up on our doorstep when we are unprepared. Especially when “later” is dealing with the stewardship of our health, or the disposition of our estates. Writing a will, executing an advanced directive, talking about powers-of- attorney and similar topics are frequently put “on the back burner” until one of those undetermined times when we get around to it, and far too often that means that we don't get around to them at all. Inside this newsletter you will find information about two special opportunities to learn about the importance of planning. The Adult Education Commission and the Endowment Committee of you session are planning programs on these subjects. A panel of individuals, with knowledge in the areas of medicine, law, finance, insurance, and hospitals will be with us on both May 4 and May 18 following the Service of Worship and our fellowship time. Please, plan to be with us. Please, plan to participate. Please, plan to share your plans with us. Peace, Roger Return to Top
	First Presbyterian Church 201 SW Dorion Avenue Pendleton, Oregon 97801 (541) 276-7681 / FAX (541) 276-7682 E-Mail: fpcp@pendletonpresbyterian.com

An electronic church newsletter is now sent via e-mail every Tuesday morning. It describes the week's special events, Sunday school topics, and youth meetings. If you would like to have addresses added (for example out of town family members), please send your request to fpcp@pendletonpresbyterian.com

Ecumenical Youth Group May Meeting Schedule The youth group (6th through 12th grade) will meet every Sunday from 4 to 6 pm at First Presbyterian Church unless otherwise noted. Call Tia or Jon Mittelstadt at 278-1378 for more details. The schedule is as follows: Sunday, May 4: "You're A Star" Night - We will plan and videotape Christian music videos starring YOU! The karaoke machine is available. We will have popcorn and watch our "American Idol" performances.

Sunday, May 11: Happy Mother's Day to your Mom! No Meeting- Enjoy time with your Mom.

Sunday, May 18: BBQ at Grecian Heights Park - Meet at Grecian Heights Park North (by the play structure) at 4 pm for a BBQ. We will eat hamburgers and hot dogs and play some fun outdoor games. This is a family event, so bring them too!

Sunday, May 25: No meeting due to Memorial Day weekend- Have fun with your family!

All Church Family BBQ to be held Sunday, May 18

- Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 18 from 4 to 7 pm at Grecian Heights Park. The Children/Youth Commission is sponsoring a fun evening in the park. Burgers, hot dogs and drinks will be provided. Please bring a side dish to share. Also, bring your favorite outdoor game, frisbees, balls, etc. All are welcome to attend. Any questions, call Cheryl at the office or Tia Mittelstadt at 278-1378.

What in the World is Mission up to?
Pentecost Offering

Pentecost is an amazing, celebratory day in the community of faith. At Pentecost, we acknowledge the coming of the Holy Spirit, which transforms human life and all of creation. Through our participation in the Pentecost Offering, we send forth God's powerful, curative love to children at risk, youth, and young adults.

This year's Offering theme, “Send forth your spirit!” is from Psalm 104:30. The passage describes the glory of a creation that is filled with God's holy and life-giving Spirit. With assurance, we celebrate the abundance of our blessings and know that God's love and care for us know no bounds. What joy and comfort this gives us every day! With love and confidence we turn outward and share this with others!

The Pentecost Offering is a tangible way to demonstrate that Spirit within us! It gives us the opportunity to use 40 percent of the amount we receive to minister in our own community on behalf of children at risk. This year's local share will be used for day camp vacation Bible School scholarships for members of the community, including those from Tutuilla Presbyterian Church. Scholarships for members of our congregation are available through the regular church budget.

Through General Assembly ministries, the Pentecost Offering supports, guides, and nurtures the faith of Presbyterian young people, calls forth a new generation of church leadership, and advocates for children at risk on a national level.

Thank you for your support of the Pentecost Offering on Mother's Day, May 11. Your gifts will have an impact now and in the generations to come!

In the love of Christ,

Your Mission Commission
Dorothy Cereghino, Jane Collier, Pete Wells, and Judy Wilkins

Mark your calendars for Day Camp/Vacation Bible School to be held July 14 through 17 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Westminster Woods. On Thursday, Day Camp will begin at 10:30 am and end with a potluck and program with all the parents. Day Camp is for children ages 5 through entering sixth grade. Once again, we will be teaming with First Christian Church and First United Methodist Church to sponsor the camp.

The theme this year will be "Beach Party: Surfin' Through the Scriptures." The messages each day, the Beach Be-Attitudes, include: "Be Obedient", "Be Kind", "Be Forgiving", "Be Bold" and "Believe." Bible stories, snacks, crafts, and recreation will center around the beach theme.

As always, we are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with each aspect of camp. We are in need of group leaders, snack coordinators, youth helpers, craft leaders, and general helpers. If you can help one or all of the days, please contact Tia Mittelstadt at 278-1378 or the church office at 276-7681.

The youth will be leading the worship service on Sunday, March 30. In the next few weeks the youth will be planning and practicing all aspects of the service. During the service, all the children and youth will sing "Jesus Loves Me" from DayCamp 2007. The kids and youth will be practicing this song after Sunday School each week in March. There will be no Sunday School on this day. All children, except nursery age (four and under), will stay in church for the worship service.

The Best-layed Plans

I've gotten to Thursday, and I'm starting to think about mowing grass this weekend. Yesterday was a bit breezy, and chilly until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and today is supposed to be the same, only warmer. Ideal for mowing, but too soon in the week. I have enjoyed mowing grass since before I could drive. These days I cut grass for relaxation, for exercise, and to unclutter my mind. And, I like the smell of fresh-cut yards. But as of this morning, mowing was going to have to wait until Sunday. After worship, after the Eastern Oregon Presbytery meeting that we are hosting, and maybe even after a quick nap; after all that, maybe I'll mow some grass, trim some edges, blow some clippings, and enjoy the springtime. Except, it may well be raining, even snowing on Sunday, according to the forecast.

So, by the time I get to the office, I am already starting to think about the priorities for the day: what absolutely has to get written, what calls need to be made, which papers need to be shuffled, which tasks need to be checked off so that I might, just might, be able to cut grass this afternoon. It depends on how I plan my day.

Plans often change for all sorts of reasons: weather, accidents, other people, mistakes, interruptions (I've had three interruptions just in writing the first two paragraphs). Sometimes we can roll with these changes with a bit of extra effort, and a willingness to re-arrange.

Other times we can put off, or delay, or re-schedule for a more convenient time. Since it might rain on Sunday, I could, maybe, wait until Monday. Or, if it takes all day to get finished with everything that has to be done today, maybe I can mow grass early tomorrow, before that 11 a.m. meeting that I've got to be at.

There are some decisions and actions that are easy to delay, to hold off until some undetermined later time, that we tell ourselves can be undertaken “when the time is right.” Washing the dishes, telling our children about birds and bees, retirement planning, and diets are but some of those decisions and actions that frequently get pushed aside until later.

Sometimes, unfortunately, later shows up on our doorstep when we are unprepared. Especially when “later” is dealing with the stewardship of our health, or the disposition of our estates. Writing a will, executing an advanced directive, talking about powers-of- attorney and similar topics are frequently put “on the back burner” until one of those undetermined times when we get around to it, and far too often that means that we don't get around to them at all. Inside this newsletter you will find information about two special opportunities to learn about the importance of planning. The Adult Education Commission and the Endowment Committee of you session are planning programs on these subjects. A panel of individuals, with knowledge in the areas of medicine, law, finance, insurance, and hospitals will be with us on both May 4 and May 18 following the Service of Worship and our fellowship time. Please, plan to be with us. Please, plan to participate. Please, plan to share your plans with us.

Peace, Roger

May 2008 Newsletter

Brown Bag Book Study

All Church Family BBQ to be held Sunday, May 18

The Best-layed Plans