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Good News February 2021
Preparing for Easter during the Season of Lent
The Lenten Season is a time for growth in faith—through prayer, spiritual discipline, and self-
examination as we prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter. Reconcilia-
tion is a key theme of the season of Lent—reconciliation with God and reconciliation with one
another. The season of Lent is forty days long, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending at sun-
set on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter).
As we begin our journey towards the cross, there are two opportunities for us to come together
to celebrate Christ’s great love and once again dedicate our lives in service and praise:
1. Let us gather together for parking lot worship on Ash Wednesday, February 17th at 6:30
pm. We will join in a time of prayer, Scripture, and have a hygienic imposition of ashes at
the end of the service as we remember that we belong to God and God alone. Everyone
who chooses will receive ashes via a personal Q-tip while remaining in their car.
2. We will have a 5-week online hybrid study of the book Embracing a Life of Meaning by
Kathleen Norris made up of two parts: a short 5 minute video on Tuesdays at noon on
Facebook (with the video emailed out Tuesday afternoon) and a Zoom discussion at 6:30
pm on Wednesday evenings. There is an accompanying workbook, but it is not necessary
to fully participate in the study. (You can buy it at Amazon or Elizabeth can order one for
you at a price of $11. Please let her know.) The dates and topics are as follows:
Belief Matters Video: noon 2/23 Group: 6:30pm 2/24
The Bible Matters Video: noon 3/2 Group: 6:30pm 3/3
Community Matters Video: noon 3/9 Group: 6:30pm 3/10
Place Matters Video: noon 3/16 Group: 6:30pm 3/17
We Matter Video: noon 3/23 Group: 6:30pm 3/24
Morehouse Publishing; NY
I hope that you will join us for these opportunities to draw
closer to God and to one another as we celebrate our life
and our hope in Christ.
Steal, Jesus, Steal
Steal, Jesus, steal from us
the grudge we will not let go
the pain we will not let heal
the sin we most condemn in others…
and most disguise in ourselves.
Liberate, Jesus, liberate in us
the hands that care for only one body,
the eyes that focus on what they want to see,
the tongues that condemn the petty,
but never challenge the powerful.
Join, Jesus, join in us
the frayed ends of broken temper,
the notion of conviction to the practice of commitment,
the tip of our fingers to the hem of your garment.
Love, Jesus, love in us
the self we despair about,
the self we hide,
the self we throw at others
because we cannot live with it on our own.
And when you have stolen the sin from us,
liberated our potentials,
mended our brokenness
and love our withered selves,
give us the grace to do for others
what you have done for us.
AMEN
From “Present on Earth” Iona Community Wild Goose Worship Group
Lent in a Bag
Lent is a season when many people focus on enhancing their
ever-growing and loving relationship with God. Christ’s life,
ministry, and death are remembered during this season. It’s
also a time to think about how God is with us all the time.
You may do this through prayer, reading the Bible, helping
others, or something else. Anything that connects you to
God is a great practice. Even walking the dog, seeing the
green grass, or hearing chirping birds can be a way to com-
mune with God.
The worship committee is preparing bags that include a Lenten calendar and objects
which can encourage thoughts, meditation and conversation. Each family will receive a
bag with six objects to use during the six weeks of Lent, which begins February 17.
Please use the scripture, reflections and questions as the Spirit leads you. MJF
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A Brother Returns
Our member, Michael Kouri, who has been faithfully supported by
the congregation, has been released from prison and is currently
in a halfway house in Little Rock. He is actively looking for employ-
ment and a place to live. Please pray for him to have success in
these endeavors and if you are able to give him information on an
available job or living place, please let Karen Finney know and she
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will give him the information. When he finds a place to live, he
will have to find all the items needed to equip it. Furniture, tow-
els, pots and pans, sheets—the list is extensive. If you would like to help by donating
items, please bring them to the church. If you could help with a monetary donation,
please make the check payable to the church, designate it for Michael, and mail it or
put it in the offering plate. Anything that you give is tax deductible. He is currently
looking for a job and is excited to become part of society again. Please contact Karen
(501-605-7186) if you have any questions and if you have furniture, she can pick it up
from you. Thank you. KF
Feeding God’s Children
Every first Sunday of the month, we will be accepting food items
to distribute to the local food pantries.
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Also, this month we will be putting together some snack bags to
hand out to our friends who come by the church during the
week. Please consider bringing items such as the follow-
ing: chewy granola bars, protein bars, vienna sausages, fruit
snacks, fruit cups, bottled water, and crackers. Items that you
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would put in a school lunch box would be perfect.
Thank you so very much for your support and care for God's chil-
dren. EGB
Covering our Country and Our World With Prayer
The following were submitted by members during January:
Pray specifically for the recovery of all Covid-19 victims, for the families of those
we have lost, and for those at risk. Pray for the safe and rapid distribution of the
vaccines, for their efficacy against any new strains that may emerge, and for the
reversal of the pandemic in general.
Pray for the health, comfort, and peace of our congrega-
tion and their loved ones. Pray for our new and returning
church elders.
Pray for health care workers, essential workers, and first re-
sponders, who continue to care for us all.
Please pray for all those struggling with loneliness, isola-
tion, or mental health issues that stem from social dis- pexels.com
tancing necessities. Pray for those struggling to live faith-
fully.
Pray for those struggling with unemployment or underemployment.
Pray for our leaders—especially our Governor and President, our communities,
and our economic recovery.
Pray for all teachers and students.
Pray for those who are homeless and displaced this winter.
Pray for churches. May the congregations of our country and of the world remain
steadfast as witnesses to the faithfulness of God during divisive times.
Praising God for Answered Prayers
The following good news items were submitted by members during January:
An improvement in Kirk Schultz’ job situation
The recovery of Jason Ketcher
The release of Michael Kouri
The recovery of many who had Covid-19
The creation and launch of the vaccines
The hard work of all in our country who are fighting the pandemic together
Surviving 2020
What do you have to praise God about? Let us know for the March newsletter!
Individual Prayer Requests From January
The Tackett Family The Coleman family
David Boyd Lisa Lufkin
Nathan Short Melrose Bagwell and his family
Amy McCann Letha Mongno
Duke Monroe Elizabeth and Steven Pollard
Ron Quesinberry The Roper family
Sarah McKay Valerie Young and family
Susan Johnson Jane Spears after the loss of her sister
Frances and Bob Weathersby Perla’s brother, Eric
Sylvia and Art Stickle Eric’s son, Erik
David Price, friend of Kelly Carney Sergio Macias
The Tindall Family Loved ones of Kim Grainger, Duke
Toni Holder’s family after the loss of Monroe's niece
Patty, her mother Emily, Ty, Mackenzie, Drew, Brock, Kirk,
Jason Ketcher (Tonie’s son) and Tara and Zoe Schultz
Bill Phillips Robert Berryman
Friends and family of Nick Pearson Melrose Bagwell and his family
Amie Scroggins Mark Carter
Lynette Sanders, Amie’s mother Karyn Brizzi
Amie’s grandmother, Katharine Nicholson Barbie Mellinger
Amie’s uncle, Ben Traylor Matt Fischer
Elizabeth’s friend, Karen Marly
Denise Hamilton Clay Terry
Buck Buchanan Frank Lothery
Barbara Hulett Elizabeth Lothery and Selena Park
Kelly and Reed Hardgrave Ace and his family
Pam Mathews’ family after the loss of Eric (Matt Fischer’s roommate)
Ray Sharp: Jeff and Pam; Chris and Elba; Loved ones of Jesse Johnson’s brother
and Isabella Doyle and Barbara Martin
John Price Ray Stevens
The Price family following the loss of Syble Gwatney
Patricia, Jeannie’s sister Tina Harrison
The Lyon College community after the David Butterfield
loss of a fellow student Justin Clark
Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto Truitt and Hilary Sosebee
In the interests of privacy, we list only names on our prayer request list unless you spe-
cifically ask the office to publish more details about your personal situation.Contact Us
1208 West Main St.
(501) 982-2876
firstpcjax@gmail.com
firstpresjax.com
Prayer is our most powerful tool in times of need. We want to
pray for you! Please let us know how we can pray by calling
501-773-1738 or emailing us at firstpcjax@gmail.com.
Family, let us pray for others as well. Please keep the prayer
list and use it for your personal prayer time. Band together
and pray diligently for the protection, peace, healing, com-
fort, and encouragement of all around us.
First Presbyterian Church
1208 West Main Street PLACE
STAMP
Jacksonville, AR 72076
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