Notes from the Pastor:

 

This month marks my first anniversary at First Presbyterian Church in Stephenville.  The time has just flown by and I am amazed at all that we have done together in just twelve months!  Without question, my greatest joy comes from worshipping God with you each Sunday morning.  What a privilege it is to hear our choir sing, to watch our youth participate in leading worship, to see new faces serve as lectors, to explore the depths of God’s Word together, and to sing great old hymns of the church, as well as taste new hymns that bring melodies from different lands and new word pictures of our life in Christ.

 

We have lost some dearly loved saints of the church this year:  Virgil Bishop, Estelene Curry, and Ralph Moser.  We miss their presence here, but rejoice that they now live eternally in the presence of God.  During the same span of time, several people have joined us as new members:  Bruce Boardman, Evelyn Bryant, Ed and Anita Cisler, Billy and Michelle Fambro, Abel and Denise Martinez, Russell McElyea, Maia Moore, Jack and Ellen Vanden Berge, and Erin Wooley.  Many of these new members are already hard at work on various committees, choir, or other church activities.

 

Our committees have worked very hard this year.  The Congregational Life Committee, moderated by Wanda Solley, has organized and served so many wonderful opportunities for fellowship, including our monthly Two-Cent-A Meal and our Lenten Seder Meal.  The Property Committee has remodeled our bathrooms, the parlor, and the pastor’s office. The Outreach Committee has developed new name tags and participated in several efforts to touch the unchurched, including visiting apartments of college students and distributing candy and church literature on Halloween.  The Men’s Fellowship has built a playhouse for CASA and served barbeque to our congregation.  Presbyterian Woman have led our women in Bible studies each month and hosted a monthly salad lunch and speaker.  The Personnel Committee has dealt with many challenges this year, including finding a new administrative assistant for the church office, a new nursery attendant on Sunday mornings, and is currently looking for a new organist and a new youth leader.  The Christian Education Committee has found Sunday School teachers, acquired new curriculum for both youth and adults, produced a successful Vacation Bible School, and explored the use of Rotational Sunday School for our younger youth.  The Mission Committee has raised more money for disaster relief in Southeast Asia, the Gulf Coast, and Pakistan than any other church our size in Grace Presbytery, while still meeting the needs of local individuals in crisis.  The Worship Committee has offered us many different opportunities to meet God in worship through personal meditation, reflective thought, and joyful celebration, as well as identifying and purchasing new choir robes for our choir and new hymnals for our sanctuary.  The Finance Committee has tracked every expenditure against our budget, helped us invest our funds wisely, and found resources for us to purchase the property adjoining the church.  The Communications and Technology Committee obtained a domain name for the church, moved the church office to wireless technology, and is working on updating our church website.  The Steering Committee for the Long Range Plan has helped the Session develop a new vision for the church, is exploring the use of our facilities and facility needs with the congregation, and helping the Session to develop a master plan for our church’s future.  We started a new Young Adult and College Student Ministry this year and are working to expand our outreach to Tarleton students with funds provided by our Outreach Committee and Grace Presbytery.  We are also starting a new ministry to Older Adults with funds given to us by the Session and Grace Presbytery.

 

There is so much happening that I cannot list it all and I apologize if I have left out something important.  Yet, with all that we have done, there is so much more that needs to be done.  If you are not involved in some aspect of ministry in the church, I invite you to find a niche that fits you and serve God through one of the many ministries of this church.  Contact any member of our Session for more information about the work that they are doing and how you might help.  Or stop by the church and speak to me.  In the months ahead, we will be working to glorify God by making disciples and reflecting God’s love in service to others.  Join us!

 

Pastor Sharon Bryant