Pilgrim Call Newsletter

March 29, 2016 Issue 667

Newsletter of First

Congregational Church

This Sunday, we will resume the BELIEVE series. The ten upcoming topics will contain the core virtues of the Christian life. Together, they answer the question, “Who am I becoming?” Love will be our focus this Sunday. The following is a reading from Our Daily Bread (odb.org, October, 10, 2015).

One evening my friend showed me one of the three decorative plaques that would

be part of a wall arrangement in her living room. “See, I’ve already got Love ,” she

said, holding up the plaque with the word written on it. “Faith and Hope are on or-

der. “

So Love comes first, I thought. Faith and Hope soon follow.

Love did come first. In fact, it originated with God. First John 4:19 reminds us that

“We love [God] because he first loved us.” God’s love, described in 1 Corinthians 13

(known as the “love chapter”), explains a characteristic of real love when it says,

“Love never fails” (v. 8).

Faith and hope are essential to the believer. It is only because we are justified by faith

that “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

And hope is described in Hebrews 6 as “an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (v.

19).

One day we will have no need of faith and hope. Faith will become sight and our

hope will be realized when we see our Savior face to face. But love is eternal, for love

is of God and God is love (1 John 4:7-8). “Now these three remain: faith, hope and

love. But the greatest of these is love”—it’s first and last (1 Cor. 13:13).

Thank you, Lord, for your faithful love and for the love of family and friends. Please help me

to find ways to show Your love to others today.

Note from Pastor Jon Tice

Sunday, April 3 Praise Service/Sunday School at 9:00 Classic Service/Sunday School at 10:15

Prayer Concerns

March 24—Barb Linzey, prayers for comfort due to a severe case of the shingles. March 23—Ernie Cottingham, please pray for healing and good results following surgery. He is at home and doing well. March 22—Mary Lou Rickets, would appreciate prayers for health challenges that she faces in Florida. March 21—Tracy Reichel, prayers for healing and comfort following gall bladder surgery on Monday, March 21st. March 20—Officer Carl Koontz, please pray for family and friends of this officer who was shot & killed while on duty serving a warrant in Russiaville. March 8—Family of Penny Pyke, Nate Gibson’s aunt, please pray for them upon her passing after a coura-geous battle with cancer.

Continue with Prayers March 13—Joe Stewart’s aunt, prayers for the family upon her passing. March 6—Greg, friend of Kyle Hughes, was paralyzed in a car accident. Prayers for healing. March 2—Family of Don Dunham, Cindy Pyle’s brother. Please pray for peace and comfort for Cindy and her family as Don was killed in a homicide. February 28—Penelope Puskedra, friend of Neer’s, she is a 6 month old child diagnosed with Neuroblas-toma. Prayers for discernment in her treatment and healing.

Continued prayers for: Alan Bargerhuff (Tracy Reichel’s father), Norma Knack (Pam Nierman’s mom), Janice Wilson (Stephanie Reeve’s mom), Susan Cottingham, Marty Visser, Brandon Arnold (friend of Jon Tice), Dorothy Unger (Buffey Hedrick's mom), Dean Madigan (Marilee Neer’s brother), Heather Hartman (Mandy Behler’s friend’s daughter), Betty Gaffney, Mary Myers (Nearly New volun-teer), Margaret Orr (Joe Orr’s mother), Mrs. Gentry (Rick Gentry’s mom), Carol Record (Buffey’s friend), Peggy (friend of Angie Love), Sonie Durbin.

Continued prayers for cancer challenges: Barbara Broomfield (Jesse’s mother), Lowell Bohall (Dale Bohall’s brother), Angie Love, Becky Hamilton (Nancy Phillips sister), Jaycob Solomon has re-turned to school, Carol Peterson (family friend of Kim & Mark Herr), Brad (friend of Nate & Krista Stew-ard), Steve Cassidy (friend of Bailey’s), Linda Trent, Helen Willoughby, Linda (Mandy Behler’s friend). Please continue to pray for these members and friends of people in our congregation who are facing can-cer treatments, those who have finished treatments, and those in remission.

Attendance for Sunday, March 27th, 2016 Classic Service: Adults-140, Children-11

Total-151

Leaders for Sunday, April 3rd, 2016 Regular Services at 9:00 and 10:15

Junior Church: Denette Schoenian Pam Nierman Lay Leader: Karen Caylor

Military Soldiers of our Church David Carey Aaron Knight Riley Johnson Andrew Reed Richard Young Adam King

Bible Studies Resume for Both Men and Women The Ladies’ Monday Evening Bible Study resumes on April 4th at 6:30 while the Wednesday Morning Bible Study will be at Kitty’s on April 6th at 10:00. The

Men’s Bible Study meets on Monday, April 4th at 6:30.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 Coins for CAM

5:30 The Way

4 6:30 Men’s & Ladies’ Bible Study

5 12:30 Pilgrim Call

6 10:00 Ladies’ Bible Study at Kitty’s 7-8:30 Praise Band

7 7:30 Choir

8 9

10 5:30 The Way

11 1:30 Church Women Unit-ed 7 Psi Iota Xi

12 12:30 Pilgrim Call 6:00 Evange-lism 7:00 Diaconate

13 6:30 Trustees 7-8:30 Praise Band

14 7:30 Choir

15 5:30-7:30 Spring Party

16

17 “Fill the Pan-try” 5:30 The Way

18 6:30 Men’s & Ladies’ Bible Study

19 12:30 Pilgrim Call

20 10:00 Ladies’ Bible Study at Kitty’s 7-8:30 Praise Band

21 7:30 Choir

22 Blush-Oakbrook

23 Blush-Oakbrook

24 3:50-5:30 Serve at Rescue Mission 5:30 The Way & Youth Room Dedication

25 26 12:30 Pilgrim Call

27 7-8:30 Praise Band

28 7:30 Choir

29 30 Bartley Wed-ding

April Activities

An Invitation to ALL There will be a dedication of our newly remodeled youth room at 5:30, Sunday, April 24. Please plan to join in this special time as we pray for God’s blessing on this space to share life with one another. A special thank you to Kara Gingerich and Maura Williamson for leading this remodeling project and using your special gifts to make a space so amazing for our youth. Thank you to Randy Ferguson for your electrical expertise and to Bill Heck for all of the painting.

SAVE THE DATE: Youth Sunday

Oakbrook Valley Sunday, June 5

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Lori & Neal Harmon

Danielle, Con-ner, Brandi

2

Bill & Sue Heck

3

Pastor Jon Tice & Family

4

Nick & Buffey Hedrick

Parker, Molly

5

Kim & Mark Herr

Abigail, Brad

6

Jo & Tom Hightower

7

Jim & Gail Hinsberger

8

Tory & Mariah Horner Canaan

9

Jasen & Jenna Hobsen

Patrick, Brody, Graham

10

First Congo Staff, Nearly

New Volunteers

11

Barkley & Marcy Holder Gage, Spen-

cer, Tate

12

Loretta Holihan

13

Melissa Hopsen

Kendall, Ava

14

Bob & Betsy Hoshaw

15

Chuck & Karen Hosier

16

Baxter & Katlyn Howell

17

First Congo Family & Friends

18

Bruce & Lee Ann Hughes

19

Sonny Hunt

20

David & Julia Ingle

21

Carolyn Jacobs

22

Dale Jansen Mitchell Cook, Tyler Janssen

23

Brad & Wendy Johnson

24

Community Leaders & Churches

25

Natilee Jones Carson

26

Joan Kellum

27

Hal & Sherry King

28

Jim & Judy Kruggel

29

Greg Lawson

30

Karen Lewis

April Prayer Calendar

The Way Youth (Grades 6-12) The Way meets this Sunday, April 3rd, from 5:30 t0 7:30

Office News Nancy will be out of the office from March 26-April 3 for Spring Break. Denette Schoenian will be in on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday to get the publishings out. Please call the office at 452-8285 to make sure that someone is here if you will need in and don’t have a key. Thanks!

Spring Egg Hunt/Party Friday April 15, 5:30-7:30

Our spring party for ages 4 to grade 5 will include our annual Egg Hunt, food, games, and crafts. Please sign up in the lobby so that there is a special place set for your child/children!

Congratulations to Nicole and Sam Verbosky on the birth of their daughter, Hazel Ann, who was born March 25th. Hazel is the grand-daughter of Kim and Mark Herr and the great-granddaughter of Karen Caylor. Sweet Ha-zel is blessed with a large extended family

within our church as the Hemmegers, Cottinghams, and Broomfields are also celebrating her arrival.

Blush events to mark on your calendars:

Friday, April 22nd, for grades 3-6

Saturday, April 23rd, for grades 7-12

Watch for details in upcoming Pilgrim Calls

Help needed with

filling eggs!

If you would enjoy filling eggs for the children to enjoy, please take a bag of empty eggs from the lobby and follow the en-closed instructions. The eggs can be filled with candy, money, or small toys. Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who was involved in making our Holy Week services so very special. From the children’s palm processional on Palm Sunday to the somber candle-lit Maundy Thursday service to the triumphant chords of the Hallelujah Chorus, we were enveloped in an atmosphere of reverence and worship. Thank you Cathy Musselman for leading the music ministry, the Sanctuary choir and friends for sharing your talents, the faithful members of the Worship committee for attending to every detail of our worship services, Kitty Bell for taking charge of the Easter lilies, and Pastor Jon for power-fully sharing the message of the Cross. Hallelujah, our Redeemer lives!

First Congregational Christian Church

505 W. Mulberry Kokomo, IN 46901

Come Worship With Us On Sunday Mornings!

9:00 Praise Service 10:15 Classic Service

Contact Information: Phone: (765)452-8285 Nearly New: 459-8121

E-Mail: first.congo@aol.com first.congo22@gmail.com

Web Site: kokomofirstcongo.org Facebook:FirstCongo-Kokomo, IN.

Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 83 Kokomo, Indiana

He is risen; He is risen, indeed!