Dear Church Family,
This February we will mark the start of the Lenten Session and celebrate Valentine’s Day. This is the month that we should look at our own hearts and see if they are worthy of not only our loved ones, but also God.
In II Chronicles 25:2 we read “Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart.”
That was what they said of King Amaziah. He was a good king. He held the throne of Judah for 29 years. A long enough reign for any king! But something was missing. Some quality of character, which left a mar upon these years. What was it? He had good intentions. He could work hard, and he did. But he never quite came up to the standard of royalty. He never mastered the art of decisive action; he was hounded by a question mark.
This probes to the heart of dilemma today. Are we not our own worst enemy? Aren’t we pursued by our doubts whenever we try to do anything? Don’t we let our loyalties undermine our moral and spiritual certainties?
So! This February pull yourself together! Make up your mind! Get a hold of what you believe and then take on your daily tasks. No looking back, no lingering regrets. Life if it’s living at all, is worth living valiantly, righteously and with resolution.
That’s the way Christ lived it, and we still gasp for breath at the things he did. He stood for something and all of Him was in it. What about you? How’s your heart?
In His Service,
Pastor Joe
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday School – 8:15 AM in the Community Building
Choir Practice Every Thursday at 1:00pm (Postponed until further notice)
You may reach Pastor Joe at 570-465-7303 or his cell #570-267-4570
Every Thursday Pastor Joe will be at the church from 2-4pm if you need him
Thursday, February 1lth – Presbyterian Women Meeting – 11am
Friday, February 12th – President Lincoln’s Birthday
Sunday, February 14th – Transfiguration Sunday
Sunday, February 14th – Happy Valentine’s Day!
Monday, February 15th – President’s Day
Wednesday, February 17th – Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, February 17th – Men’s Action Group Meeting – 8am
Wednesday, February 17th – Session Meeting – 10am
Sunday, February 21st – First Sunday in Lent
Tuesday, February 23rd – Newsletter Deadline
Sunday, February 28th – Second Sunday in Lent
Anyone wishing to share a talent, to sing, play an instrument, read a poem, tell a story, or give testimony, etc. during worship, please contact Joe or Bonne.
Don’t Forget to check your mailbox – as you enter the vestibule on the wall to the left.
Men’s Action Group ***For help with small projects for church family and neighborhood, please call Pastor Joe Travis at #570-465-7303 or email him at joetravis@live.com
Plastic Grocery Bags – Please give bags to Bonne Travis – these are used to crochet sleep mats for the homeless.
Super Bowl has begun and will continue through February 7th – please bring a non-perishable food item or monetary donation noted on your envelope or check payable to: FHPC. The Session will distribute these contributions locally through our Local Missions Outreach Program.
News from Kenya: Dear Friends, May I take this opportunity to humbly request you, your family friends and church to stand with me in Praises, Worship and Prayers to thank God who has enabled me to walk and work as his Missionary for the last 50 years. On January 29, 1971, I started Missionary work in our village of Shikunga, Shikula Sub location, Idakho location, Kakamega County, Kenya. I did not have any money or a promise of any money from any Foreigner Missionary or Country. I just obeyed the Calling of God and I have very humbly serviced my Master, Almighty God. It hasn’t been an easy exercise for me, but God has ensured his sufficient grace has been released to me. Our family was one of the poorest, my parents never entered any school. They worked as laborers in farms of our Colonial Masters, as a family. We owe a lot to our parents who sacrificed painfully to give to us formal basic elementary education. We had a problem to access clean water, housing, health services etc., but as I committed my life to serve God without looking behind with regrets, God has proved faithful. I thank God because of you, your family and friends and Church, in one way or another, you have painfully sacrificed to invest in this great Missionary work that God has entrusted to me. If my parents will have opportunity to come back on this Earth, they will not believe we have access to electric, water, better improved housing. We have better school Ambassadors of hope. School with more than 200 children, majority are Orphans and others very poor families. By the grace of Almighty God, in the next few years there will be very huge paradigm shift in social economic and cultural lifestyles of our village. I owe you special gratitude. You have denied yourselves good things and you have invested in foreigners whom you have not seen or know. Even you will die before you meet them. Thank you for your godly heart of commitment. I have not been perfect. I may not have impressed you, I may have pushed you to hard by begging you, but you have always with the love of God and invested in the great Missionary work. Once more thank you. May the Almighty God remember to open his hands and bless you. Receive double favor and blessings from God. You’re the person, family and Church that God has identified and recruited you to support to support this work. Please do it very cheerfully with open hands and heart for the Glory of God, the owner of this work. Next week, Friday January 29, 2021, friends, Christian leaders, so of my family members, even Government Officials will be at Christ Ambassadors Love Mission Shikunga Church to celebrate with me in prayers, worship and thanksgiving. Please be part of this celebration. God Bless you. Great is the Faithfulness of God. Pastor Silvanus Malaho.
Good Morning Smile Distributing Ladies, I had a “thanks a bunch” message to us for our Valentines, from Joanne at Meadow View. She said several of the residents gathered yesterday
and put names on valentines they want to be distributed or mailed. She said they had a wonderful time and the experience evoked many happy child hood memories of Valentine’s Day at school. Joanne shared hers of how the teacher put the High C juice can out on the window sill to keep it cold until time for the big party. They so appreciate everything we do for them. I had called her about the cards that Gwenn made and said I knew of the 2 deaths but sent the “name cards” anyway thinking the family might want them for a keepsake as they were so beautifully done. She said that indeed she would get each one to the family. Thank you to Cathe Parks for making and printing all the personal cards that we sent to M.V. Without those, we wouldn’t have been able to share as we did. You are the best card person! Thank you to all PW for the time and money spent from each of you to share a bit of sunshine and encouragement to those who can no longer live in the comforts of their own homes. The little we do for them means so much. and, oh yes, and thanks to a hard working vigilant staff at M.V., they are still Covid free!!! PW also delivered Valentine Cards to Barnes Kasson.
Prayer Shawls – If anyone knows of someone in need of one, please see Carolyn White.
CO National Gathering
The Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO) National Gathering will be Virtual this year January 29 – 31 (Friday – Sunday). This will allow everyone in the FHPC an opportunity to witness all or a portion of the gathering. You must preregister by going to the web-site below and click on
Register Now!.
econationalgathering.org
You will get an e-mail before the conference with a full schedule of events and topics.
You will need to have ZOOM downloaded on your computer to see the gathering events.
Below is the first time slot expanded for your review.
All times listed are Pacific Standard Time zone. Please calculate accordingly for your specific location. All sessions will be recorded.
11:00 AM to 1PM (PST)
Choose a Pre-Conference: ECO Deep Dive (Click Here to See Options)
Attend a pre-conference over Zoom to learn from ECO Synod leaders and connect with others on how you and your church can benefit from resources that will help you flourish in one of the following areas:
- Cultivating Emerging Leaders
- Curious About Church Planting? Planters, Churches + Presbyteries
- Everything You Need to Organize and Govern Your Church For Maximum Kingdom Impact
- How ECO is Developing Leaders For The Future
- Around the World during a Pandemic: Walking with the Global Church
- Pastoral Transitions: How to Flourish in A Transition Season
- Understanding Sacraments: The Lord’s Supper (with new resource)
If you are in the parking lot, PLEASE TUNE YOUR RADIO TO 89.5 FM TO HEAR THE MORNING SERVICE. PLEASE NOTE: We ask that you wear a mask as you ENTER the church.
Winter Months – Session discussed the procedures the congregation will follow during the winter months. People will enter and leave the Church by the front door. Mask must be worn as they enter and go to a pew. Mask must be worn when they leave the Church. Pastor Joe will stand near the pulpit when the service is finished to speak to people before they leave. He will not stand by the front door. Session is asking that people do not congregate in the vestibule or loiter for a long time in the sanctuary when they leave. Hand sanitizer will be located by the front door for people to use. PLEASE check your E-Mail or Messenger Sat. evening & again Sunday AM each week for possible closing of SUNDAY Services do to any unforeseen weather conditions.
Loose Change Offerings ( coins and bills)
1st Sunday – Local Missions
2nd Sunday – General Fund
3rd Sunday – Kenya/Rev. Malabo
4th Sunday – General Fund
5th Sunday – Trehab Local Food Bank (whenever there is a 5th Sunday)
