First Presbyterian Church, Kerrville, Texas 2016
“For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Psalm 91: 11 & 12 KJV
“For He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” NRSV
“Only one feature in the Scriptural view of the angels would I point out to my reader today. It is their philanthropy, their love of us men, their friendship and fellowship with us mortal disciples of their Lord. Let the reader take up his bible, everywhere this lovely phenomena appears. The first mention of an angel at all, under that name, is when poor Hagar, flying from the unhappy tent, is accosted by an angel, cheered, guided, more than lifted up. Again, in that black scene at Sodom, how friend-like are the angels, ministers of doom as they are, in their dealings with unhappy Lot in his alarm. It is an angel who soothes and feeds Elijah. And when we come to the Gospels and the Acts, our ‘elder brethren of the skies’ come out upon the scene in a frequency altogether new, and with a fellowship of spirit with us most beautiful and precious. H. C. Moule, Bishop of Durham, UK.
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“Angels of light, spread your wings and keep
Near me at morn:
Nor in the starry eve, nor midnight deep,
Leave me forlorn.
“If lonely on the road, so fair and wide,
My feet should stray,
Then through a rougher, safer pathway guide
Me day by day.
“Then leave me not alone in this bleak world,
Where’er I roam,
And at the end, with your bright wings unfurled,
Oh! Take me home.”
Adelaide Procter.
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Staff: Rev. Dr. Robert F. Lohmeyer, Pastor; Rev Susan Lilijestrand, Associate Pastor until July 31, Rev. Elaine Dreeben, Associate pastor from August 1;LaVerne “Sam” Baublit, Director of Children’s Ministries; Caitlin Donohue Supcoff, Director of Youth Ministries; Gretchen Rye, Director of Congregational Care; Michael Kahl, Adult Choir Director; Tim Wilborn, Organist;Scott Russell, Director of Children’s Corner Preschool; Ruth Briley, Financial Secretary; Rebecca Huchton, Church Administrator; Gloria Morgan, Administrative Assistant; Anne Reynolds, Director of Y.E.S. Center; Mike Garcia, Director of Facilities.
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New Members in 2016: Virginia Troy,Gabriel and Marguerita Durand-Hollis, John and Wendy Welsh, Kristy and Jeff Harris, Laura Batchelder, John and Dianna Hale, Justin Foster, Marty Lenard, Zoe Van Dyke, Paul and Lori Hallberg, Vivian and Clint Morse, Emily Williams, Patsy Holekamp, Asa and Donna Jewel, Shelby and Darcy Presley, Kelsey Penn, Virginia Temple, Samuel (Sam) Dreeben, and Sylba Lee Storm.
Deaths in 2016: Emily Clark, Judith H. Gausnell, John Smithheiser, Bill Bass,Ilyne Olson, Ann Laughlin, Bill Bond, Bill Earwood, Pat Powers, Jane Harben, Bill Dietert, Anita Wise, Elizabeth Ryan,Ann Barnett, Joseph Benham, Timothy Sebesta, Boardman Chambers, Ann McDaniel, Edith Jennings Johnson, Jim Laughlin, Floyd Walling, Dorothy (Rusty) Bond.
Community Stewards of the year: Waldean Groff, Warren Ferguson, Karen Fair, Tim Summerlin, Neva Pratt, Sonny Payne, Anne Turner and Stan Cobbs.
Presbyterian Women Moderator was Marilyn Vordenbaum. The PW Bible study was “Come to the Waters.”
Winter Adult Sunday school: ‘The Book of Acts,’ Judith Clough. ‘Friendship Bible Study,’ LeRoy Schlechte. ‘Let’s talk Presbyterian,’ Rev. Susan Liljestrand. ‘The Book of Job,’ Tim Summerlin.
Nancy Mallory taught on the Gospel of Mark beginning January 12-March 15.
The 2015 financial year ended with a $68,000 surplus which will be rolled over into the 2016 budget. The winter Alternative Gift Market sales totaled $21,826,68 for those in need in the community. The Abiding Legacy Endowment Fund of the Presbyterian Church was formally established in 2008 with over $500,000. The Planned Giving Committee voted to share our blessings with others. A gift of $30,000 went to the Dietert Center to expand their kitchen, allowing them to prepare more ‘Meals on Wheels’ and $14,000 was given to the Hill Country Youth Ranch to help rebuild the Art and Music building after a devastating fire.
Spring Sunday school: ‘Friendship Bible Study,’LeRoy Schlechte. ‘Faith Seeking Understanding’ Judy Ferguson. ‘The Wired Word: the church in society,’ Sonny Payne. ‘Illuminating Journey’s End,’ Gretchen Rye and Nancy Mallory.
Gloria Morgan became the new church secretary.
New Stephen ministers: Sue Bratcher, Jerry Bratcher, Susan Curry, Julie Dunlap, Martha Maxwell, Bob Shipman, Virginia Troy, Walter Workman, Sam Zimmerli.
The Currie Enrichment Series on ‘The Tree of Life: A Study of Proverbs, taught by The Rev. Dr. Christine Roy Yoder on April 15,16 and 17th.
LeRoy Schlechte received the Community Volunteer of the Year award from Schreiner University.
The children of Koinonias Choir presented the production of “Paul’s Shipwreck,” led by Sara Lohmeyer andTim Wilborn.
Summer Sunday School – ‘A study on the Book of Acts,’ taught by Susan Liljestrand, Ed Wallace, Peggy Curlis, Judy Ferguson, Marcus Goodyear, Rob Lohmeyer and June Begeman.
The Rev. Elaine Murray Dreeben joined the church as the new Associate Minister on August 1, 2016.
A Downtown Brown Bag Bible Study led by Elaine Dreeben on Wednesdays at noon, began at the Riverfront Pavilion. When the weather became too cold to study outside the group met at the Pint and Plow restaurant/pub until the Christmas Season.
Fall Adult Sunday school: ‘The First Letter of Peter,’ Rob Lohmeyer. ‘The Discovery Class,’ Jim Burton and Walter Curry. The Wired Word,’ Sonny Payne. ‘Mission around the world – Presbyterian style,’ Judy Ferguson. ‘Fellowship I Class,’ Marcus Goodyear.
An Aging Symposium was held on October 15.
Presbyterian Women’s new season began on September 8, the Bible Study was “The Study of Jesus.”Presbyterian Women presented the annual Christmas Gathering on December 8.
The “Rutter Requiem” was performed by the combined choirs of Schreiner University, St. Peter’s Episcopal, First Presbyterian and First United Methodist churches on November 13.
Winter Adult Sunday School classes: ‘How food influenced the Bible.’ Judith Clough. ‘Vocation in the Bible: what is calling?’ Tim Summerlin. ‘Sticky Faith,’ Rita Odom and Caitlin Donohue Supcoff. Friendship Bible Study, LeRoy Schlechte and Fellowship I, Marcus Goodyear.
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My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky;
So was it when my life began;
So it is now I am a man;
So it shall be when I grow old.
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
William Wordsworth.
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God Centered Worship, Christ-Filled Service, Spirit-Led Lives: An excerpt.
Reverend Rob Lohmeyer. January, 2016.
“Where does the word, “Presbyterian” come from? It comes from the Greek word meaning “An assembly of Elders.” The book of Exodus tells about a time when Moses was experiencing ‘burn out’ by trying to respond to the needs of the congregation alone. His father-in-law, Jethro, gave him a piece of advice. Look for some helpers who are “trustworthy.” Set them as “officers” over the people so you don’t wear yourself out! (Exodus 18:17-21). In the New Testament, Elders (Presbyters) served as overseers of the church. They were called to undertake a particular kind of work – leading the church to be THE church in the world.
Even as the Elders of First Presbyterian Church, Kerrville gathered last Saturday, we began a process of visioning and planning for 2016-2017. We identified particular goals rooted in the common vision: God-centered worship, Christ-filled service, Spirit-led lives. To be sure, one primary emphasis this year is church growth. We want to grow spiritually and numerically. As Jesus once said, “the harvest is plenty –“ but sometimes, “the laborers are few,” We need to tell the story, extend the invitation for others to be part of what God is doing around us.”
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“The earth laughs in flowers.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
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Spiritual Formation: Lecto Divina. May, 2016.
Re. Dr. Marialice W. Billingsley.
In Christianity there are many different forms of spiritual disciplines that help individuals deepen their relationship with God. In the first part of May, a group of FPC members gathered in the Sanctuary to observe a quiet day for renewal and reflection on God’s Word through the scriptures and the stained-glass windows. During our ‘quiet time’ we participated in an ancient spiritual discipline called Lectio Divina, a Latin term meaning ‘Divine Reading.’
Before the emergence of Western monastic communities, a key contributor to Lectio Divina was Origen in the 3rd century. Origen believed that reflection on The Word of God and prayer allowed individuals to discover a higher wisdom of God’s Word. Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged the value of Origen practice of reading scripture. Origen’s taught the methods of Lectio Divina to Ambrose of Milan who in turn taught them to St. Augustine, thereby introducing the practice of Lectio Divina in the Western Monastic tradition. The Benedictine monastery adopted the motto: “pray and work,” creating specific times and manners for Lectio Divina. This allowed the whole community to take part in the reflective reading and prayer each day. In the early 12th century, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was instrumental in re-emphasizing the importance of Lectio Divina in the Cistercian order. He believed that Lectio Divina and contemplation guided by the Holy Spirit were the keys to nurturing Christian spirituality. Guido II describes four stages contemplating on God’s Word: lectio, meditation, oratio, and contemplation. Today, the four stages are often referred to as: read, reflect or meditate, prayer, and contemplation. In Guido’s four stages one first reads or hears a verse of scripture, which leads one to think about (meditation) the significance of the text; that process in turn leads the person to respond in prayer as the third stage. The fourth stage called contemplation allows the gift of silence in the presence of God. It is in the last stage that understanding and wisdom becomes known to the reader or listener. A moment of transformation begins as one waits and listens for God’s voice. More importantly, this transformation deepens our understanding of god’s Word and profoundly affects our daily life. The stages of Lectio Divina are not fixed procedures but are simple guidelines as a way to grow in deeper relationship with God. Lectio Divina has a simple movement from reading scripture to meditation, emphasizing less and less talking and more listening. Gradually the words of Scripture begin to dissolve and the Word is revealed to our hearts.
There are various ways this discipline can be done individually or in a group setting, but the process is fundamental to both practices. Many times a certain word or phrase may stand out to an individual that brings a greater understanding of God’s Word and profoundly effects their daily life. The practice of Lectio Divina as a way of praying the Scriptures has been a fruitful source of growing in a relationship with Christ for many centuries and is being rediscovered by individuals today. By allowing The Word of God into our hearts, we open ourselves to receive God’s love and transformation in our lives.
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On Growing Older.
Lord Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older, and will someday be old.
Keep me from getting talkative, and particularly from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to try to straighten out everyone’s affairs.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details – give me the wings to get to the point.
I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of others’ pains. Help me endure them with patience.
But seal my lips on my own aches and pains – they are increasing and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet, I do not want to be a saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old woman is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Make me thoughtful, but not moody, helpful, but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all – but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.
Anonymous: shared from “A Pilgrimage of Prayer.”
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“Consider”
Christina Rosesetti
Consider
The lilies of the field, whose bloom is brief…
We are as they;
Like them we fade away,
As doth a leaf.
Consider
The sparrows of the air, of small account:
Our God doth view
Whether they fall or mount –
He guards us too.
Consider
The lilies, that do neither spin nor toil,
Yet are most fair –
What profits all this care,
And all this coil?
Consider
The birds that have no barn nor harvest –weeks:
God gives them food –
Much more our Father seeks
To do us good.
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“On the road again.”
Rev. Rob Lohmeyer. August, 2016.
Running down McCullough Ranch Road, I hear the sound of cicadas in the trees. The electric crescendo and decrescendo is a reminder that a new season is about to begin. I can hear the taps of my shoes on the ground and feel the movement of breath in my lungs. My mind wanders. Who will be president? Will the violence ever end? What is the role of the Church in the world? I cross a cattle guard above a grid of metal pipes and descend into a valley.
The grass is greener this year and the trees are lush beside a creek flowing water. My mind moves back to memories of coming to Kerrville and some of the first faces I met upon entering the church. I recall a mission trip to Piedras Negras, a tubing trip down the Llano River, and our son Benjamin being born in the old Peterson hospital. Time moves fast. I cross another cattle guard and the cicadas are at their height.
As I get older, I feel the shape of the road a little more. Some say this is a sign that I should quit. Others say this is a sign of age. Still others simply encourage. For my own part, it was never just about running, but the journey. It is a lot like Church in this regard. So much of what we do as a Church is a movement toward God. Be it Sunday School,worship, care-giving or mission, we are on a journey toward life. One by one those small sacrificial steps may not seem like much, but taken together, they reflect the patterns of the Gospel itself.
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“The manuscripts of God.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
And nature, the old nurse took
The child upon her knee,
Saying, “Here is a story book
My father hath writ for thee.
Come, wander with me,” she said,
“In regions yet untrod
And read what is still unread
In the manuscripts of God.”
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An Historic Time Line for 2016.
In January: the Zika virus caused global tension especially for pregnant women whose fetus’s could be deformed by the disease.
Kim Jung Un launched a nuclear test.
In February: Pope Francis met with the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Krill in Cuba. The first time in over 1000 years.
Fiji was hit by the worst cyclone ever recorded in the southern Hemisphere.
In March: Super Tuesday ushered in the biggest day of the US Primaries.
Egypt Air was hijacked.
Terrorist attacks hit Brussels, Belgium.
In April: Hospital bombed in Aleppo, Syria due to increased Russian bombing assisting the Bashar Al Assad regime.
Battle lines were drawn in North Carolina over the new law regarding the right of transgender people to use public toilets of their choice.
In May: Egypt Air plane brought down by terrorist bomb attack. All died.
President Obama became the first U.S. President to visit the Hiroshima Memorial in Japan.
Roderigo Duerte elected president of the Philippines and begins brutal crackdown of drug dealers and users.
In June: A terrorist gunman kills49 and injures 53 in an attack on an Orlando nightclub.
Wikileaks hacked numerous emails for the Democrat Party.
Britain narrowly votes to exit the European Union and a new term Brexit is coined.
July: On Bastille Day (France’s national holiday) a terrorist mows people down in a truck on the Promenade des Anglais (walkway of the English) in Nice, France, killing 82 and injuring hundreds more.
Turkey thwarts a military coup and Prime Minister Erdogan institutes a round up and eventual execution of all military personnel involved.
Donald J. Trump is chosen the Republican Party candidate for president.
August: First reports of Russian tampering with the U.S. election are revealed.
An earthquake in Italy kills 159 people.
The Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games begin. The U.S. taking home the most medals.