What's Happening at FPC

Associate Pastor search

Opportunity is not just knocking; it is pounding on the door of FPC with both the potential for spiritual growth and growth in numbers. Housing in Dallas’ downtown area is growing at an exponential rate. To reach out to the mostly unchurched young adults who are moving into our neighborhood and to those young adults from our church family who no longer play an active role in the church, we seek a minister of the word and sacrament with strong communication and interpersonal skills. This person needs to be one who is both an independent self-starter and able to be a team player as a member of an experienced pastoral staff.

 
We welcome one with a creative personality who is tolerant of multiple views – both theological and worldly, and who will be able to develop new programs to attract urban residents. In addition we seek one whose love of preaching and sharing the gospel is equal to the love of fellowship and community service.  This person must have good written and oral communication skills, a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and a warm friendly personality. If this sounds like you, we want to hear from you.

PRESBYTERY OF EAST IOWA STILL NEEDS HELP WITH FLOOD RECOVERY
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance had received a note from the Presbytery of East Iowa telling of an urgent need for volunteers in Iowa. The presbytery is asking for teams, as well as skilled individuals.   Teams are needed to help with the muck out which is only 10-15% complete and the clock is running out on the untreated homes, as the mold is advancing rapidly with the hot, humid weather.
If you can help, please contact the PDA Call Center at (866) 732-6121 to register your team.   A call has also been put out for a professional that could help analyze and give advice to shore up several small, single family homes that have some structural issues. The need is for a structural engineer, architect or builder with experience in shoring up or replacing foundation members and sagging framing members.   They are NOT looking for someone to produce a certified set of plans, just someone that can give them guidance in doing some remedial construction. They have 4 homes, at this time, that need attention.  
They are viewing this as a one-day time commitment, so if you have the needed skills and you are interested in volunteering, please contact Stan Tate, site coordinator for Oakville, Iowa, at stantate2@iowatelecom.net.  
They are looking for two more specialized volunteers: 1. home inspector 2. someone to answer the phones, make appointments and help keep records   You may contact Stan if you can offer assistance with these specific needs.  


FALL CHOIR PROGRAM 
WE SING! We want YOU to sing, too!  The First Presbyterian Church Choir Program for Kindergarten through 12th graders begins its 2008-09 season on Sunday evening, September 14.
Mark your calendar now –

Carol Choir (K- 2nd grade)                     5:00 - 5:30             
K-2nd Enrichment Hour                          4:00 – 5:00               
Recreation                                                  5:30 - 6:00             
Chimes & Movement                                6:00 - 6:30
Chorister Choir (3rd-6th grade)            5:30 - 6:30             
Recreation                                                  5:00 - 5:30             
Orff/Bells/Drama Hour                            4:00 - 5:00
Family Dinner (K - 6th grade)                 6:30 - 7:00
Youth Choir (7th-12th grade)                4:30 - 5:30             
Youth Dinner                                             5:30 - 6:00             
Presbyterian Youth Connection             6:00 - 7:30  

Check out the Children’s Choir Brochure at www.presbyterians.org  You can register for Children’s Choir by filling out the Registration Form on-line; or pick one up on Sunday morning.   For more information on Children’s and Youth Choirs contact the Music Office:  214 748 8051, maryjanec@presbyterians.org (children) kenc@presbyterians.org (youth) 


BLOG, EDIT, DESIGN, DISCOVER
The PCN regional conference at Stronghold Camp and Conference Center will give you an opportunity to learn and improve your skills for both online and offline communication.  Our presenters will include a mixture of seasoned communicators and some fresh new talent as well. Worship will provide us with a time for meditation and communion.  And we hope the evenings will be filled with organic discussions prompted by our experiences earlier in the day. 

So if you’re a communicator for a congregation, presbytery or synod – or a pastor or elder grappling with how to best use new, and old, communication vehicles join us at Stronghold August 25 – 27.  Our final regional conference for 2008 will be in Portland, Oregon October 29 – 31.  We really hope you will try to make one of these events!  Details can be found at www.pcusa.org/comnet .  

Teachers needed for fall children’s classes
Do you enjoy sharing your faith with children? Would you be willing to teach in the fall? The children’s committee is looking for some additional teachers for the preschool and elementary classes this fall.

Do you have an interest in drama and puppets or games and mission with elementary children? Do you enjoy preschoolers? Please consider sharing your time and gifts. Contact Miatta Wilson at miattaw@presbyterians.org or call 214-748-8051.

Jesus used simple stories to speak deep truths to his listeners: stories of being lost and found; stories of weddings and banquets; stories of a mysterious and wonderful Kingdom. Using tales of familiar events with surprising outcomes, Jesus still challenges us to consider new possibilities for the life of faith.

This summer, the deceptively simple stories of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) will be used during Sunday School as entry points to explore rich themes of the Bible:

            How do we respond to the nudging of the Holy Spirit?
            Who do we welcome into our fellowship?
            How do we remain faithful to our calling?
            How do we participate in caring for God’s creation?
            How do we observe Sabbath in our lives?

An added bonus: children, youth, and adults will be exploring these lessons together through July 27 - Aug. 17! (The August 24 session is for adults only.)

So where will you be on Sundays at 9:30, starting July 27? In Byrd Hall, of course, with beloved characters such as Horton, Sam-I-Am, and Sneetches. And don’t let the funny hat fool you—there’s more to Dr. Seuss than meets the eye!


Marvelous Mission Opportunities – July 23 and August 18
Those who have completed third-sixth grade are invited to come glean blueberries outside of Athens on July 23. This is part of the Helping Hands gleaning ministry and the berries will be donated to a senior center.

On August 18 we will volunteer at the North Texas Food bank sorting donated food which is passed on to agencies across are to help those who are hungry.

General Assembly Update  
At the 218th General Assembly in San Jose, California, June 21-28, almost 1,000 items of business were considered. The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, 39, an energetic new church development pastor in San Francisco and leader in the “emergent church” movement, was elected moderator, capturing a second ballot victory. The Rev. Gradye Parsons was elected General Assembly stated clerk, succeeding the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick. He was the choice of the Stated Clerk Nomination Committee.
    The most reported action was a vote concerning ordination standards. By a margin of 380-325-3 the assembly approved Overture 05-09 from Boston Presbytery that asks presbyteries to “Strike the current text of G-6.0106b and insert new text to read as follows [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]  

“b. Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.   Those who are called to ordained service in the church, by their assent to the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003), pledge themselves to live lives obedient to Jesus Christ the Head of the Church, striving to follow where he leads through the witness of the Scriptures, and to understand the Scriptures through the instruction of the Confessions. In so doing, they declare their fidelity to the standards of the Church. Each governing body charged with examination for ordination and/or installation (G-14.0240 and G-14.0450) establishes the candidate’s sincere efforts to adhere to these standards.”

This recommendation will now come to the Presbyteries for a vote. As of now, we do not know when Grace Presbytery will consider this amendment. The assembly’s action also amended G-14.024, and included an authoritative interpretation: “Interpretive statements concerning ordained service of homosexual church members by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, and the 119th General Assembly (1979) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States and all subsequent affirmations thereof, have no further force or effect.” ‘

On other fronts, the Mission Initiative Campaign announced $33 million in commitments toward their goal of $40 million, a significantly higher number than anticipated. This was bolstered by a $1 million commitment from Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago. These funds will be used for new church development domestically and for mission initiatives globally. 

This year significant revisions aimed at simplifying the Book of Order were proposed. The Assembly voted to refer the proposed revision of the church’s Form of Government back to the Office of the General Assembly “for a period of study and consultation with churches and presbyteries.” The Assembly considered an overture to change the definition of marriage in W-4.9000 of the Directory for Worship to include same-sex couples. The committee recommended disapproval of this overture, and the Assembly agreed, voting 540-161-3 to defeat the measure. In a related matter, by a vote of 516-151-13, the Assembly approved an overture urging civil rights for same-sex couples.

In additional business, the Assembly voted to initiate the process of amending the Heidelberg Catechism to restore the original German text of the 1562 document. Also approved was a new curriculum for adolescents concerning human sexuality that was introduced by Grace Presbytery.

For more information on this year’s General Assembly, go to www.pcusa.org. In addition, please feel free to contact church staff with any comments or questions.