SYDNEY HILL HONORED
One of our own, Sydney Hill, was selected as Teacher of the Year at Barbara Jordan Elementary by her peers where she has taught for 11 years. Each school in the district selects a teacher to be their Teacher of the Year and it is considered quite an honor.
Sydney has taught in ECISD for a total of 29 years in 3 different elementary schools and several different elementary grade levels. Besides that, she spent 12 years as a student in ECISD. You think she has an interest in the system?
Congratulations, Sydney! It’s good to know you are appreciated.
FOR SALE
Metal Chairs……….…$6.00
Padded Chairs…….…$6.00
Kids Plastic Chairs…$5.00
Presbyterian Church Pathways 1401 N. Sam Houston,
Odessa, TX. 79761
(432)337-3526
Web: www.fpcodessa.org
Email:
Office Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 8:30-4:00pm
Friday 8:30-12:00
Please remember to pray for Marivonne Brumbelow, Matt Kuhlmann, Richard Callaway, Mary Ann Gossett, Sue Hickman, Paul Miller, Sherry Miller, Tody Oakley, Tom Tilley, Ann Walker, Jane Willis, Paula Wright, Sam Field, Bettie Hawkins brother, Janet Ansley’s Mother, Jane Kimbrough, Lore Harris, Becky Thomas’ Mother and the friends and family of the late Patty Kunz. A memorial service will be held at 1st Presbyterian on July 13th at 10:00 AM to celebrate Patty’s life.
Men’s Breakfast
The next Men’s Breakfast will be on Sunday, July 14, 2013. Stay tuned for announcements about our featured speaker. Ladies Welcome.
Address Service Request
1st Presbyterian Church Newsletter
July, 2012
I know I am old, but I well remember when it was as natural to say the pair, “God-and-country” together as it was to say “Ben and Jerry”. Yes, Abercrombie and Fitch, Barnes and Noble, Procter and Gamble, God and Country. Partnerships. Inalienable partnerships. So it was.
It was known that God was one among the inseparable group of Founders of this nation. This was the knowledge to which the majority of us ascribed. There was a fairly unified majority in beliefs and values, and patriotism went further than skin-deep. But what is patriotism, and what possible function does it serve in a society? These days, patriotism is subtly morphing into a devalued thing…old school and a waste of energy, except for a temporary reprieve when a strike of terrorism is perpetrated on the Twin Towers.
Why did patriotism fall from grace? Patriotism is requisite for nationalism, which is a big hindrance to globalization, so it goes against “What’s trending now”. It endorses a people’s right to have pride in a majority-driven culture of values and beliefs. It is subject to counterfeit charges of intolerance and of stalling progress. I’m sure there are more.
C.S. Lewis said, “As the family offers us the first step beyond self-love, so this [patriotism] offers us the first step beyond family selfishness.”
So how did patriotism fall from grace? A lot of it sprang from the spoiled and chemically-altered share of baby boomers who naturally detested authority. Nations have authority. Families have authority, vested in the parents. When they came out of WWII, many of their parents decided that it was more important to give their kids everything they wished they had as kids… than to teach them respect for authority, or how to work as part of the unit of the family, or how to consider other people’s good right up alongside of their own.
This subculture popularized devaluing the beliefs and values of the majority and felt above the authority of the law of the land. Many of them dumped those beliefs and deified causes that undermined beliefs and values that were the strength of our nation. Now we are involved in a hard-core scenario of the Emperor’s New Clothes. The new clothes have beautiful names and great intents, but serve no beneficial purpose for the majority, and whom are they really benefitting? Our strength as a nation is still gone, no matter what the tailor tells us all. And the emperor is naked as can be.
Part of how patriotism fell is simply that God was kicked out of the Founding Fathers’ group and reassigned an “Also Ran” role in our nation. He just isn’t credited with importance in the weave of our nation’s fabric, which has become limp and faded and unable to serve its function, which is to provide safety and nurture to the majority of its citizens.
Splinter interests and alien values have usurped our nation’s strength as just cause for a separation between God and country. I hope that everyone will go back and watch old tapes of Dr. James Kennedy’s sermons on this topic. I hope that each and all of you will revisit true patriotism… before the partnership “God and Country” go the way of Simon and Garfunkle, Montgomery and Ward, and America and the Brave.
Rae Chell Martinez MRC, MA
Presbyterian Children’s Home & Services
New Church Service Times and Formats
After much prayer and thoughtful consideration the Session has voted upon the recommendation of the Worship Service Task Force on Worship Service times. Starting July 7th, we will worship with one service at 10 am with a Traditional service and each week alternate with Contemporary worship. We will continue to alternate services on a three month trial basis. We are encouraging all Sunday School classes to conduct their studies at 9 am. The timing of the service is intended to bring us all together to worship, pray and sing praise to the Lord as one joyful group.
You will continue to receive or hear reminders.
New Interim Minister
Your Interim Search Ministry, consisting of Steve Ashley, Diane Myers, Milt Thompson, Denny Williams, and myself, Linda Meyer, has prayerfully and carefully chosen Dr. Mark Cooper to be our Interim Pastor. All of us felt he is the one that will guide and direct us in God’s calling for this church. Having completed all of the necessary forms and Presbytery confirmations, he will begin July 1, 2013. His first Sunday in the Pulpit will be July 7, 2013. Our ministry did its best to share West Texas and our thinking and beliefs with Mark and his wife, Jill. He felt he was called here because he had just retired and yet, felt he was not finished. We felt that call was both ways. His last Term of Call was in Webster, Texas, that largely served the NASA community. His stories from there were most interesting. His hometown is Sandusky, Ohio. Mark’s and Jill’s moms are elderly and living in that area. They have a blended family that consists of grown children. Some of them live in the Austin area. Please pray for Mark and Jill’s safe travel and for God’s direction in their time with us. Shalom
NAMES NEEDED. Do you have a local shut-in neighbor, relative or friend that you would like added to our list to receive a Holiday bucket. We will be glad to make it and label it for your delivery.
Your notes and phone calls and prayers are remembered and deeply appreciated. Unfortunately, I am often not strong enough to prepare for visitations—your willingness is kindly appreciated.
I am always grateful that we found and became members of the First Presbyterian Church soon after moving to Odessa in 1956.
With love to all members,
Wanda Swafford
HELP TO SET UP FOR VBS
There will be a work day on July 13 starting at 2PM to decorate for VBS and on Sunday, July 14 at 11:30 AM to finish what could not be completed on Saturday. Keep in mind “many hands make light work” and consider marking these dates on your calendar. Your help is welcomed to support this church project that reaches out to many children in our church neighborhood and city.
2013 Women's Conference
The 2013 Women's Conference at Mo Ranch in June was certainly anticipated with excitement by many of us, and the week-end lived up to all our expectations. The opportunity for fellowship with each other was the favorite aspect of the trip. Attending this year were Bobbie Conrad, Betty Dale, Carol Evans, Terri Francell and her daughter-in-law, Gina Francell, Sue Jackson, Stephanie Johnson, Kim Kuhlmann, Martha Moore, Nina Rice, Mona Rood, Mary Taylor, Becky Thomas and her sister Ann Hurt, and Betty Jo Slider.
Eight of us left a day ahead of schedule in order to enjoy more time together and more hill country. Our trip to Gruene for a stay at a B & B took nine hours. Who knew that Gruene, Texas moved further east? We had dinner in New Braunfels on Thursday, shopped in Gruene on Friday morning and had lunch in Boerne, backtracking to Mo Ranch.
The keynote speaker at Mo for the 2013 conference titled "Bright and Beautiful", was Margot Starbuck. She reminded us that our focus should be God and service to Him instead of "skinny jeans, nose jobs, highlights and stilettos." She noted that God loves us just the way we are and she even said she had gone a whole year without clothes shopping.
One of our favorite workshops was entitled "Beauty in Aging-Loving God and Our Lives As We Age,." Wonder if our "young" Carol, Kim and Stephanie got anything out of that. Every aspect of the worship services - music, liturgy and communion heightened our spiritual experience.
If you haven't attended Ladies Mo, plan to join us in 2014 for "The Sacramental Life, Living Your Sacred Story." It is a wonderful time filled with spirituality, fellowship and just good fun!
4th of July Picnic
Noon-7: PM at UTPB Park located on the NE Corner of the University grounds at 191 & 338. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and all the fixings as well as games and good fellowship. Come and go or come and stay. Please bring your family and friends as well as your lawn chairs and water or cold drinks. Food and ice provided.
The Deacons have chosen Murray Fly and Lamar Preschool as recipients of our annual Backpack Buddy program. We chose these two schools because our own Kathy Kuhn and Stephanie Johnson teach there. Beginning mid-July, supply lists and backpack tags will be available. If you are more comfortable giving a monetary donation, specially dedicated envelopes will be provided in the pews. In addition to the backpack program, we've chosen to provide monthly tokens of appreciation to the faculty at Bowie Junior High. Examples of monthly tokens might include: baked goods, Post-It Notes, supplies, etc. Thanks for your participation.
Remember our Members of the Military and their families.... Danny Alsup, Beau Babcock, Brent Cook, Bennett Dobbs, Mark Foyle, Janice Henderson, John Kelly, James P. Moore, Kyle Nelson, Buddy Simonds, Nicole Yarbrough, Roger and Leslie Watkins and Garrett Zuerker.
All Church Work Day…The Facilities Ministry requests your presence for an all-congregation work day on June 29th. Please make plans to join us at 8:30 AM.
Benevolent Donations
During the past month, we have received Thank You notes from the following organizations for the donations that were sent by First Presbyterian: Catholic Charities, Goodland Academy, Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services, Presbyterian Pan American School and Samaritan Counseling Center.
TREASURER’S REPORT
May, 2013
Receipts for May, 2013: 21,342.03
Disbursements for May, 2013: 23,164.42
Receipts Year to Date 2013: 136,622.41
Disbursements Year to Date 2013: 127,425.05
Money Market Account 41,230.72 ($20,000 from General Fund Reserve Account)
ROCKHOUNDS GAME BRINGS RAIN!
Thirty five members from FPC turned out to attend the Rockhounds Baseball game in Midland on June 13. However, after 4 innings and a tied up score the game was rained out. The rain was welcome for Midland but it was disappointing to discover that Odessa had not received the same drenching rain. We did enjoy the fellowship of the meal. Do you suppose if we tried organizing another night at the ball park we could bring some more rain to the Permian Basin???
FOOD DONATIONS NEEDED FOR VBS
In the foyer is a sign-up sheet for food donations for VBS. We need more volunteers. The VBS Planning Committee is looking for donations of hot dogs and rolls, tortilla chips, sandwiches, vanilla ice cream and homemade cookies. See the sign-up sheet for a complete listing of the foods needed and when they are needed during the VBS Week.
COMING SOON…Talent Show/Pot Luck Dinner August 18 6:30. We would like for Sunday School Classes, PW, Mo Ranch Men, Ministries, Boy Scouts, youth, choir and anyone else who wants to participate. We will see what kind of talent everyone has or does not have. Please let Involve Ministry know that you or your group will participate.