“With OUR EYES we see The beauty of Easter

as the earth awakens once more...

With OUR EARS we hear The birds sing sweetly

to tell us Spring again is here...

With OUR HANDS we pick the golden daffodils

and the fragrant hyacinths...

But only with OUR HEARTS can we feel the MIRACLE of GOD'S LOVE

which redeems all people...

And only with OUR SOUL can we make our 'pilgrimage to God'

and inherit the Easter Gift of ETERNAL LIFE.

Helen Steiner Rice (1900-1981)

Dear Friends,

It may seem hard to believe, but Easter is right around the corner!

Do you already see the sunshine, hear the birds, feel the miracle?

For the first disciples—those men, women, and young people who had followed Jesus—the promise of spring flowers, bright-er days ahead—let alone “new life”—seemed remote. The events of Holy Week were fresh in their minds. Not only had they seen Jesus betrayed and arrested, they had seen him tortured and most cruelly killed. Nothing could erase those horrible im-ages. Nothing, at least, that they could yet see or imagine.

And, yet, as a pair of these first disciples walked along a road a stranger joined them. “What news?”, he asked them. “Haven’t you heard?”, they replied, and before him they poured out the events of Holy Week, with tears welling in their eyes. Their new partner, however, seemed to take it all in stride—in fact, he went on to recount how these very same events—so cold, cruel, and life-taking—were the inevitable, even God-ordained, ingredients for new life instead. And it was so: The disciples felt the miracle within themselves, rooted—and growing! They now saw the events of the past week in a new light. In fact, they could not wait, we are told, to tell the rest of the disciples of their experience!

Such is my paraphrase, of course, of the meeting on the Road to Emmaus, as recorded in Luke’s gospel, this encounter be-tween our Risen Lord and a pair of our spiritual ancestors. Continued on page 3

FIRST PRESS NEWS

APRIL 2015

Firs t Presbyter ian Church 153 N. Church Street

Rocky Mount , NC 27804 www.fpcrm.org

252 -446 -9121

2

WEDNESDAY EVENING

MID-WEEK GATHERING

Please join us in April for inspiring and informative fellowship gatherings about community events on Wednesday evenings from 6:45-7:30 after our cover-dish meal from 6:00-6:45 p.m. April 1 No meeting April 8 Dr. Dewey Clark, President of NC Wesley- an College, Rocky Mount, NC April 15 Police Chief James Moore and Captain Laura Fahnestock, RM Police Dept. April 22 Service of Healing and Wholeness April 29 Musical selections from the Cherub Choir & Alleluia Singers

Everyone is invited to participate in these mid-week gatherings. You may participate in either the meal, the spiritual lesson, or both.

Please let us know in advance if a nursery is needed. If so, one can be provided.

April 20th at 12:00 p.m. Session Room

Celebrate spring with the Lunch Bunch on Monday, April 20th at noon. We will enjoy a variety of salads and a spring dessert. If you have been thinking about giving Lunch Bunch a try, make this month the time. You are sure to enjoy the friendship and the meal. If you are a regular participant, help spread the word to others who would enjoy a noon-time gathering with their church family. It is helpful if you RSVP to the office or in the friendship pad, but if you don’t know your plans until the last mi-nute, come join us anyway.

Opportunities for together...

Sunday, April 19th

Join us for a special day of worship and fellowship. First, our worship service will be youth-led. Our theme this spring is “Christ Be Our Light” and we will introduce a new hymn and share a unique proclamation of God’s word with you.

Second, you’re invited to stay after worship for a simple lunch (donations encouraged and accepted) and learn more about the Agape Village Orphanage in Zambia. Founders Mickey Bailey and Jackie Bailey will be joining us for a presentation.

In-Betweens

Sunday, April 26, 2015

5:30 p.m.

Join us at the home of Hassell and

Bobbi Weeks for a delicious

Beef Brisket!

Call Bobbi Weeks and let her know you

are coming and what you can bring to

share!

Hostesses: Bobbi Weeks,

Mary Perry and Roslyn Gragg

3

Our Heritage, Our Mission...

Capital Campaign

Update

Total Pledges to date:

$1,158,866.11

Funds Received to date:

$831,455.00

Continued from page 1 Easter is coming. Do you already see it?

Easter is surely the pinnacle day of our faith—the one day, each year, that stands in a singular significance, but it is also meant to be a day that shapes all of our days. It is the day each year we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it is also meant to be the day that allows us to see the remaining 364 days of each year in a new light. To see, as it were, the flowers that have never bloomed—but will, this year. To hear the birds that sang in your oak tree last sum-mer—and will do so again, this year.

Our lives are a mixture of what has gone before—and what is yet to come, of what we have experienced already—and what, as yet, we have not experienced, but deeply desire. The gift of Easter is that it gives to us the lens through which we can see the very best in the past, while also re-maining confident that what is yet to come will not upset God’s good plan for our lives. Long ago, along a dusty road, a God-given light shined, illuminating the path for a pair of faithful pilgrims. They saw their past, present, and future in the same redeeming embrace. May your Easter Sunday, 2015, be the day that sees God’s light shine upon your way, allowing you to give thanks for all that has been—and for all that will be—each and every day of this year of our Lord 2015!

From my home to yours, every blessing!

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Todd

April 1: Easter lily purchase deadline (contact church office) Craft Circle at 6:30 p.m. in upstairs Craft Room—

join us to make burlap crosses (contact Dionne Seale for more info.)

Cherub Choir and Alleluia Singers will rehearse at 5:30 p.m.

April 2: Maundy Thursday Service at 5:30 p.m. The Story Lesson 26 will be offered in the Session

Room at 5:30 for children Pre-K thru 5th grade Chancel Choir rehearsal at 6:30 p.m. April 5: Easter Sunday—flowering of the cross prior to wor-

ship from 10:15-11:00 a.m.

SERVICE OF HEALING

AND WHOLENESS

April 22, 2015 at 6:45 p.m.

As people of faith, we worship a God who loves our souls—as well as our bodies. More to the point, we worship Jesus as not only our Good Shepherd, but al-so as our Great Physician. Given this, there is a long-standing tradition within our faith for services of heal-ing and wholeness. On Wednesday, April 22nd, begin-ning at 6:45 p.m., you are warmly invited to just a such a service to be held in our Sanctuary. Through a brief homily, prayers, music and through the gift of anoint-ing and laying on of hands, we will worship the God who understands our condition fully, and who is able to bring us wholeness, whether in body, mind, and spirit. Our worship service will be preceded by a Fel-lowship Meal in Lacy Hall, beginning at 6:00 p.m. sharp. Our service will conclude no later than 7:20 p.m.. All are invited—and everyone is also encouraged to bring a friend.

4

TEACHERS Date Lesson/Title PK/K 1st-2nd 3rd-5th April 2 26/Jesus’ Sacrifice (Maundy Thursday) All Ages—Session Room April 5 27/Jesus Has Risen! Tricia Vestal Christie Sondergard Christy Outlaw April 12 28/The Holy Spirit Ann Dill Annie Daughtridge Elizabeth Rose

April 19 29/God Uses Paul Ann Dill Cindy Feagans Kate Tharin April 26 30/God’s Servant Ann Dill Christie Sondergard Sydney Phillips

Sunday School

with...

Parent’s Afternoon Out March 11, 2015 from 4:00-5:30 p.m.

We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day a week early! A full house of kids explored the theme of the Trinity with sham-rocks, ate some green snacks, filled “pots of gold” with candy, and played some Leprechaun games! We even made cards for kids in the Pediatric ward of Nash UNC Hospital. The best part was the wonderful items we collected for the Pediatric ER Comfort Cart at Nash UNC Hospital.

OUR NEXT GATHERING WILL BE APRIL 15TH—dress ready to work in the Children’s Garden!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL– JUNE 15-19TH! It is not too late to register! We are joining forces with

our friends from Lakeside Baptist, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, West Haven Presbyterian at the Church of the Good Shepherd for “Camp Discovery” each day from 8:45 a.m.-12:00 noon. Par-ticipants and volunteers can register online at www. fpcrm.org. Simply click on the link un-der Upcoming Events or contact Dionne Seale in the church office at 446-9121!

5

High School April 12 Dinner and devotion @ La Perla (6-7:30 p.m.)

April 19 Youth Sunday followed by Agape Village Lunch & Learn

April 26 Kickball with Methodist and Episcopal Friends

Middle School April 12 Home gathering @ Zoey Outlaw’s home (4-5:30 p.m.)

April 19 Youth Sunday followed by Agape Village Lunch & Learn

April 26 Kickball with Methodist and Episcopal Friends

Sunday School & The Story in April DATE LESSON/BREAKFAST PROVIDER SR. HIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL

April 5 Chapter 27 Steve Rowe Randy Adams Breakfast provider: Seale family April 12 Chapter 28 Catherine Lilley Anne Mosley Breakfast provider: Schrimper family April 19 Chapter 29 YOUTH SUNDAY Breakfast provider: Turnage family April 26 Chapter 30 Mike Gaynor David Duncan Breakfast provider: Warner family

Gatekeepers Work Camp

Rising 7th – completed 12th graders July 12-17, 2015

Cost - $125 / Due by April 26th

Only a few spots remain!!!

Join the FPC Youth Team at the Rocket Mile on May 3rd. The races start at 2:00 p.m. at the Imperial Centre. This is a great way to have fun, take care of our bodies and support our community. You get a race discount and a special team shirt by registering at www.therocketmile.com and using the discount code, “1STPRES”.

6

Ways to be a good neighbor…

► Meals on Wheels: Volunteers are needed—open routes available—please

contact Kara Cox if willing to help. Also, mark your calendars for the April

16th Meals on Wheels Benefit Luncheon at Rose Hill! You can still purchase a placemat set to help benefit Meals on Wheels! A set of four is only $20 and can be purchased any weekday morning in the church kitchen.

► Conetoe Family Life Center: Local honey from Conetoe is available in the church

office—cost of $10 per jar—stop by to purchase one or more jars that benefit this wonderful organization! Also, see the newsletter insert for ways to help replace bee-hives destroyed by bears at Conetoe! A complete hive costs $110 (not including

bees—additional donations for bees are always appreciated).

► Agape Village Foundation: Help fill a barrel full of much needed sup-

plies to benefit the children at the Agape Village orphanage in Zambia!

Things particularly needed are: pants (jeans, khaki’s, athletic shorts), skirts (conservative length), shirts (preferably not white, polo-style & but-ton down work well), sweatshirts, jackets, sweaters, shoes (esp. croc-

style, and lace up athletic), dresses, toothpaste, Children’s books, checkers and chess games, puzzles, and pajamas.

► Prom Closet: The Prom Closet will open on Thursday, April 2nd. If you would like

to help, please sign up on the PW Bulletin Board. If you have any dresses (long or short), dressy shoes, menswear (i.e. tuxedoes, cummerbunds) jewelry or purses, please

drop them off in Room 111.

► Handcraft Ministry: We are in need of yarn and/or monetary donations to purchase yarn. Dona-

tions can be dropped off in Room 111. The Handcraft Ministry helps many in our congregation and

community by creating blankets, afghans, prayer shawls to provide loving warmth and comfort.

► United Community Ministries: As the church continues to support United Community

Ministries, we ask that you bring your gifts with you to worship the first Sunday of the

month or you can leave items in the PW Room (#111) Items requested include: #10 can size preferred—mized vegetables, tomato sauce, can tomatoes, can mixed fruit/peaches, can carrots, can potatoes, paper products such as paper towels & toilet paper.

Our Mission:

“To be a congregation of believers carrying out the Word of God and joyfully bringing the community to the church and the church to the community.”

7

Troop 7 is heading to the mountains April 17-19th! Several mem-bers will be travelling

to beautiful Blowing Rock to stay at Pat Mauldin’s mountain home, drive over on Saturday to the Vir-ginia Creeper Trail to ride bikes and get in a hike or two!

Both the Brownies and Girl Scouts are looking forward to their end of the year trips to celebrate successful cookie sea-sons. They appreciate all of the many church members who helped by purchasing cookies from the girls! They will also be completing their spring service projects in April and May. In order to receive their cooking badge, the Girls Scouts toured Lou Reda’s kitchen and learned how to make cheese souffles as well as a special cobbler using the Girl Scout cookies—cranberry crisps. The Brownies are working on their art badge and were scheduled to visit the Imperial Center on March 30th to see the “Trash to Treasure” art show.

You are invited to a Luncheon to Benefit Meals on Wheels

Thursday, April 16, 2015 11:30 a.m.

Rose Hill Plantation

Guest Speaker: Kim Brame McGimsey Breakthrough Health, LLC

Cost $40.00 ($15 of each ticket price will be a tax deductible donation.) Space is limited so contact

Kara Cox for more info or stop by the FPC kitchen between

10-12:00 daily for a ticket.

Thank you Troop 7 for all of

your help ith our Lenten

Pancake Supper on

St. Patrick’s Day!

8

The Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team will meet Monday, April 13 at 10:30 a.m. in the Presbyterian Women’s room. Craft Circle meets again on Wednesday, April 1st at 6:30 p.m. in the Craft Room. Circle of Friends will meet Monday, April 13th at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Hassell and Bobbi Weeks Circle of J. O. Y. will meet Tuesday, April 14th at 10:30 a.m. in the Church Parlor.

Join us for an evening of music! Vocal Recital—Todd Barnhill

Friday,

April 24, 2015 7:00 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church Since leaving First Presbyterian, Todd Barnhill

has been engaged in many operatic performances along the East Coast. His most recent performances have been at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville where he sang the roles of Tamino in The Magic Flute, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte, and Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. In 2015, Todd has been very successful in the competition circuit where he won 1st place in the Orpheus National Vocal Competition in Murfreesboro, TN while also taking home first prize in the Middle/East Tennessee District of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. This April, Todd will be completing his Master’s Degree at the University of Tennessee in Vocal Performance. Follow-ing graduation, he will return to the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to cover the lead tenor role, Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville while performing a supporting role in La Rondine. His first major professional debut is set for January 2016 where he will perform the role of Ferrando in Nashville Opera’s MainStage production of Cosi fan tutte. To further his training, Todd has been accepted into the Miami Summer Music Festival, which is a one month intensive training program with coaches and conductors from the Metropolitan Opera and Washington National Opera to name a few. We will be collecting a love offering during the April 24th recital to help offset the $4000 tuition for this “pay to sing” training. After receiving great support during his undergraduate years at First Presbyterian, Todd is returning to give a recital in hopes to seek your support as he tries to develop his young professional career and raise money to attend this program.

The Music Committee will not meet in April and will meet again May 6th at 4:30 p.m.

**No Handbell rehearsal on April 1st & and no Children’s choir rehearsal on April 8th

The Cherub Choir and Alleluia singers will present a program of music on April 29th at 6:45 p.m.

Prayers for safe travels will be lifted for our ECU choral scholars as they travel to Slovenia - April 8-15th

2015 New Hope Presbytery

Presbyterian Women

Spring Gathering

Saturday, April 18, 2015 First Presbyterian Church

414 Sunset Rd., Wilson NC

9:00 am Registration & fellowship 10:00 am Business * Program* Worship

Luncheon to follow (optional)

Registrations due by April 10th - Contact Sylvia Phillips for more info &

extra registration forms are available in the church office.

9

**Approved by the Session on March 1, 2015

April 2, 2015 Maundy Thursday Service—Intinction Preparer: Karen Callaway

Servers: Randy Adams, Sally Adams, Lige Daughtridge, Joe Brown

April 5, 2015 Easter Sunday—Trays Preparers: Karen Callaway and Marianne Farris

Servers: Ike Amerson, Linda Amerson, Karen Callaway, Joe Brewer, Virginia Brewer, Joe Brown, Suzanne Buchanan, Bill Buchanan, Lige Daughtridge, David Farris,

Marianne Farris, and Linda Evans

ARE YOU SCHEDULED DURING WORSHIP?

April 19 & 26

Head Usher: Steve Rowe

Ushers: Pat Blanchard, Andy Warner, Tim Lane,

Jeannie Lane

Welcome Table: Jeannie Lane

Greeter: Roslyn and Larry Gragg

Liturgist

April 19: Youth Sunday

April 26: Tim Smith

Children’s Sermon

April 19: Tim Lane April 26: Mary Scott

Nursery Caretakers

April 19: Laura Dudley, Linda Amerson April 26: Ann and Tommy Dill

April 5 & 12

Head Usher: Lige Daughtridge

Ushers: Tim Smith, Joe Brown, Sam Brown,

Mary Sue Smith

Welcome Table: Mary Sue Smith

Greeter: Annie Daughtridge

Liturgist

April 5: David Farris

April 12: TBA

Children’s Sermon

April 5: Jim Lilley April 12: Dionne Seale

Nursery Caretakers

April 5: Tricia Vestal, Jeannie Lane, and Christie Sondergard

April 12: : Beth and John Turnage

Acolytes

April 5: Lillie and Ellis Daughtridge

10

If you know of other address, phone or email changes, please notify Dionne Seale in the church office at 446-9121.

Dear Dionne (and FPC Craft Circle), We wanted to thank you and your group for the donations you all made to our Comfort Cart program on the 5th floor at Nash. There has not been one time we have shared this cart with a patient and family that you could not immediately see what a huge im-pact it had. We thank you for your support in this work. Danielle Waugaman, BSN, RN, PCCN CPSU Nurse Manager Nash Health Care Systems

To our God Given Church Family, We extend our unending thank-yous for your love and caring during the life of our mother, Kathleen Harrison. That same love & caring continues by your many acts of kindness to in-clude the children’s Happy Hearts signed card, Mary Lou Fountain delivering a flower arrangement, Presbyterian Women of the Church special cards, Circle of Friends and per-sonal correspondence from Mary Kathleen & Todd & Dionne & congregational friends. As we try to restore some sort of balance in our life we know God’s plan is in place. We could not move forward without His help to guide and guard our ways. God Bless Each of You- Laura and David Dudley

Pastor Nominating Committee Update

Greetings from your Pastor Nominating Committee. We received the official stamp of approval from our con-gregation during the called meeting following worship on Sunday, March 22nd, and are off and running. The committee met for its first official meeting on Wednesday, March 25th, meeting with Todd Allen and Freda Lawrence, who will function as our liaison with the New Hope Presbytery during our search process. Listed below are the committee members:

Rob Barnhill, Stephen Chesnutt, John Etheredge, Winnie Gaynor, Kate Honey, Richard Hunt, Jim Lilley, Melanie Marshall Park, Wyatt Phillips, and Mary Scott

The foundation for our search will be the information in the report that was recently compiled by the Mission Study Team – a report that captured the thoughts, emotions, hopes, and prayers of our church family at First Presbyterian. This is an exciting time for First Presbyterian as we seek God’s plan for us in our next pastoral call. The committee will be developing resources to keep you informed of our progress at every point in the process. We would ask that you follow the words of the apostle Paul found in the first chapter of Thessaloni-ans 5:17 and “Pray without ceasing” during this vital time in the life of our church.

11

The family of Susan Fountain Thurston, sister of Dick Fountain and Ann Dill, who passed away March 10, 2015. The family of Joyce Rose, life-long member, who passed away on March 13, 2015. The family of long time member, Mildred Johnson, who passed away on March 25, 2015.

Please continue to keep their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.

AUTUMN CARE, Nashville

Kacky Fountain

THE FOUNTAINS AT THE ALBEMARLE, Tarboro

Janice Mayberry Tom and Ann Dill

BREKENRIDGE, Rocky Mount Bill Goodwyn

THE COTTAGE AT SPRING ARBOR Rocky Mount

Mardy Callaway, mother of Joe Callaway

AT HOME, LIMITED MOBILITY Anne Etheredge, Blanche Robinson, Evelyn Reese

IN OUR PRAYERS...

ADDITIONAL CONCERNS

Jean and Frank Edge John Gessaman Benjy Glover Barbara Griggs Julian Fenner John McInnis, Mary Perry’s brother Gaye Moore Susie Park, Fred Park’s Mother Maida Sessoms Dick Skeen

During a recent sermon, Mary Kathleen referenced a special piece of Michael Po-desta artwork that her daughter received as a gift, stating “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever. Amen.” Several of you have inquired about where to find one as a gift. It can be found listed as “Baptismal Certificate” at www.michaelpodesta.com. We feel fortunate to have

several of his creations adorning the walls of the church, so be sure to check out his website or you can call 1-800-922-3595 (Mon-Friday between 9:00-5:00 p.m.) to place an order or request a catalog.

If you would like to honor someone or a special occasion, the following

dates are still available to place

flowers in the sanctuary: April 26

May 3, 17, 24, 31

June 28

Simply contact Dionne Seale in the church

office for more information 446-9121.

12

Wall of Blessings for Youth Presbyterian Heritage Trip to Scotland Ever since March 17th, the bulletin board outside of Lacy Hall has been filled with envelopes. These envelopes, numbered 1-100, include a personal note from a Scotland participant and a special Celtic Creed from the Iona community. If you would like to support this fund-raising effort, please take an envelope off the bulletin board and follow these simple steps no later than April 12th: 1. Take out the note and creed to keep for yourself. 2. Fill your envelope with the corresponding dollar amount (The #1 envelope will receive $1, the #100 envelope, $100). Cash or checks made out to First Presbyterian Church will be accepted. 3. Place the envelope filled with money in Jeanne Shannon's box. 4. Pray for our youth as we prepare to go on this journey to Scotland!

A Glimpse of History...

Thank you to Jeanne Shannon for this postcard image from 1919! If you look in the bottom left corner, you can see the brickwork of First Presbyterian Church. This image is “Church Street, looking South from Thomas St.”