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e-news for September 23, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            We are here in West Virginia in beautiful, sunny, mild weather.  I hear you all are getting a touch of rain in Strasburg.  As a result of the rain and the forecast for a deluge, the ministerium has decided to cancel tomorrow’s service of unity.  We will not be having service tomorrow at FPC, instead here is what I would ask of you to do.  We were going to have a day of unity among the churches in Strasburg, I would love for that to still happen.  Would you consider worshipping in one of our sister churches in Strasburg?  You will find below the times of the services and the addresses of the churches.  Let them know that you are from First Presbyterian and let’s continue to bring this community together for Christ.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

Strasburg Mennonite Church

10:00 am Worship Service

ACTS Family of Churches – Strasburg

10:00am Worship Service

Wesley United Methodist Church

9:00am Worship Service

High View Church of God

10:15am Worship Service

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church

10:00am Worship Service 

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e-news for September 14, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            In our Bible reading for this week we see Jesus on the cross and his mother and the disciple whom he loved, the disciple John, by his side at the foot of the cross.  In that scene Jesus looks at his mother and says to her: ‘Woman, here is your son.”  Then he looks at John and he says to him: “Here is your mother.”  I have always seen this scene as a time in Jesus’ life when he makes sure that his mother is taken care of for the rest of her life.  When we traveled to Turkey we were able to go to Ephesus and see the place where historically John the disciple lived and where Mary may have also lived to finish out her life.

            The responsibility as the oldest child in the family to ensure that his mother was taken care of was something that Jesus took seriously and was also something he was thinking of as he was on the cross.  This scene has remained with me as a very human and responsible action on Jesus’ part.  I can’t say taking care of your parents would be on most of our minds as we are being tortured on the cross.

            This week I am in Florida and helping my mom and her husband move into transitional housing.  I’ve spent all week so far up in the attic of their house taking things down and ensuring that they find a home for all those things that aren’t going to make the move with them.  It has been an incredibly productive week and one that I am treasuring being able to spend with my mom.  We don’t spend much time together, so I’m loving this.  In my ministry I have heard from many of you and lived through with many of you transitions as your parents have moved or faced different stages in their lives.  I feel like I have lived a bit of a charmed life in that I haven’t experienced many of the highs and the lows of family transitions.  

            But this time in Florida with my mom has given me a bit of a better insight into what it looks like and what it feels like to walk alongside a parent in a transitional time in their lives.  While the physical effort that it takes to move someone is not difficult, the emotional and spiritual impact that a massive transition like this can have on people should never be overlooked.  The transitions that we experience as we age are unique and hit each of us in different ways.  We don’t tend to think about them as we are raising a family or living by ourselves in our younger years.  

            But just as Jesus wanted to ensure that his mother was taken care of and he took concrete steps to see that to fruition, it is so important for us as a church to identify those within our community and beyond who might be facing similar transitions in their lives as a result of age related changes.  How can we meet the needs of those who may not have a John to walk alongside them in these changes?  The church needs to be the John of those who are looking for answers as they transition from one stage of life to the next.  I’m not sure we emphasize enough this time of life in our ministries or our programs.  Hopefully we can remedy that in these years to come.  Keep your eyes open to where we might be able to step into the void.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            No church on Sunday September 24.  We will all be meeting at the community park at 10am with the other churches of Strasburg to worship together.  Come and join us and bring a chair.

            Bible Study this evening:  Join us this evening at 6pm for Bible study here: Youtube

            Welcome Nicole Keays:  Nicole has begun her work as our office administrator.  You can reach her at nkeays@straspres.org.  It is so great to have her on board.

            Continue to join us as we read through the Bible here: Bible Reading

WOMEN’S TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY BEGINS TUESDAY, OCT. 3^rd – The morning class begins 
@ 9am & evening class will start @ 7pm.  This fall we will be working on a newly released study entitled “When You Pray.” This 7-week session looks at 6 prayers in the Bible presented by some authors/speakers we know and – for us – some new ones.  Both classes 
will be held in rooms 3-4.  All are welcome.  For any questions, please contact Lorraine Oliver, Stacy Bronkema, Linda Bredin, or Sandy Wenger.       

            OFFICE HELP NEEDED:  During this time of transition in the office we would love to find two or more people who might be willing to volunteer for three hours at the church welcome desk.  We need someone on Thursdays from 9-12 and one or two people who might be willing to jump in when one of our regulars might be out.  Let Pastor Bob know if you are willing to help.

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e-news for September 8, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            I’m really enjoying reading through the Bible and having a disciplined, scheduled time to read Scripture.  I choose the mornings because I like to start my day with the presence of the Lord that is undeniable before I get into things that might take my focus off of the Lord.  Here is the link to the brochure to read through the Bible: https://www.straspres.org/2023/08/read-through-the-bible-brochure/.  Follow along with us as we make our way through Scripture, and you can also follow along on the blog as I post daily where I see God’s hand at work in the Scripture for that day.  Here is the link to the blog: https://www.straspres.org/category/bible-reading-challenge-blog/.

            There could be some of you who might be a bit skeptical as to what this whole Prayer, Scripture, and Action initiative might be.  There is a big question mark as to where it will lead.  I hope the Holy Spirit takes hold and leads us to a place we cannot predict and expect.  Can I encourage you and remind you to participate in the first part of the PSA?  Tomorrow at 10am in Fellowship Hall we will be in prayer together as a congregation.  Carole Turano is going to lead us in a time of Being in the Presence.  You actually have to agree to spend time with God in ways that you may not be used to and in ways that you may not want to spend with God in order to experience God fully.

            I’m not sure I can let you off the hook if you just signed up to come along for the ride here at FPC.  It is an exciting ride, but there aren’t many passengers who don’t eventually get asked to help steer the ship every now and then.  We had our first nominating meeting last evening.  It is that time of year that we ask you to step forward to agree to serve as an officer of the church.  For many, seeing the inner workings of the church can be a bit offsetting.  I mean, who wants to see how the sausage is made after all?  It isn’t always pretty, but it is always transparent.  That is one area of the life of the church that has to be consistent.  We can’t have the pastor, or any leadership for that matter, trying to get their agenda across in a way that undermines the transparency of the church as a whole.

            There are very few churches that have their yearly reports sitting out on a table when you walk into the church.  In this yearly report you don’t just have the work of the church for the year, but you also have the budget and all of the financial figures.  We have nothing to hide and we want people to know that we are committed to supporting our missionaries, we are committed to supporting dozens of ministries locally, nationally, and internationally.  We are committed to ensuring that our children and youth do not find themselves without resources as they try to navigate this life and all that is thrown at them.  We are committed to providing curriculum to our adult Sunday School classes and our mid-week Bible Studies.  You can see how much we invest in all of you, but that is only possible because you all invest so much into the church.

            The more we invest in each other, the more possibility there is for us as a church to invest into the community.  Thank you for sharing this common goal to bring people to a saving knowledge of Christ so that His kingdom would come.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob     

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH…

WORSHIP ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24 AT STRASBURG COMMUNITY PARK.  JOIN US!!! No activities at the church that day.

            Women’s Bible Study:  Beginning on October 3^rd at 9am and 7pm there will be a women’s Bible study offered that is going to look at “When you pray”.  This 7 week session looks at 6 prayers in the Bible.  Both classes will be held in room 3-4.  All women are welcome.  For questions please contact Lorraine Oliver, Stacy Bronkema, Linda Bredin, or Sandy Wenger.

            Office help needed:  During this time of transition in the office we would love to find two or more people who might be willing to volunteer for three hours at the church welcome desk.  We need someone on Mondays from 1-4 and one or two people who might be willing to jump in when one of our regulars might be out.  Let Pastor Bob know if you are willing to help.

            Welcome to Nicole Keays, our new interim part-time Office Administrator:  Nicole and her family, husband Will and children Harper, Ainsley, and Grayson, have been at First Presbyterian now for a number of years.  Nicole has a teaching degree from Millersville and is looking forward to working at the church.  Make sure you welcome her when you see her.  In order to reach her and the office you can use her new email at nkeays@straspres.org.  

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e-news for August 23, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            I led a futile search throughout the Bible for a verse that would echo the hymn: “Count your blessings.”  There simply is no Bible verse that says those words.  But there are plenty of verses that tell us to rest assured that: “God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  We also find in Psalm 103:2 the author tells us to: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits.”  The Psalmist then goes on to give a short list of benefits in vs.3 such as: forgiveness, healing, redemption, steadfast love, mercy, goodness.  I wanted to find a verse that said “count your blessings” because I am going to give you a list of things in this enews which I consider to be incredible blessings that we are currently experiencing.  Here we go.

            At session on Wednesday evening we laid hands on Walter Kondratowski and prayed over him as session endorsed him to Presbytery as an Inquirer.  This is the first step toward ordination to become a Minister of the Word and Sacrament.  We have a history of doing these types of things.  Within the last 10 years three of our people have been ordained while members of this church:  Brett Foote, Holly Miller, and Karen Bachman.  When you see Walter encourage him as he begins this new journey.  What a blessing it is for us to have one within our midst who wants to become a shepherd to others in this way.

            I continue to remain amazed at the timing of God’s financial blessings that we have been receiving through inheritances and other sources such as grants and federal ERC funds.  While our weekly giving is slightly above last year’s, it is nowhere near our budgeted needs.  But God has provided and continues to provide in other ways to offset the lower giving.  In fact, we have been able to put aside a significant amount for mission giving through inherited funds.  Also through inherited funds we have been able to contribute to the Presbytery initiative to help pay off the Shiloh Presbyterian Church mortgage on their community life building.  Your session some months back committed $50,000 to help pay that off and just recently those funds were disbursed. 

            Your giving allowed session the freedom to trust that when we have been given much, it is our responsibility to bless others at least in a small fraction of the way in which we have been blessed.  Shiloh Presbyterian in Oxford has an amazing story.  It is one of the remaining historically black Presbyterian Churches in our Presbytery.  It grew out of Lincoln University and remains a pillar of faith and community growth within the city of Oxford.  We are thrilled to be able to be a small part of their recent history.  We also are working with a team down there to help with their streaming. 

            I guess this past week during the benediction at the first service I was a bit overcome with a recognition that the blessings we have received as a congregation are a bit overwhelming.  Looking out and seeing you all be impacted by the witness of our youth hit home.  Okay, “Here I am Lord” also had something to do with it.  We do not deserve these blessings, but we are experiencing them together as a congregational family.  I encourage all of you to be reminded of how God has blessed you and the responsibility we all carry to bless those with whom we come into contact.  We often wonder how us blessing others will impact our ability to carry on.  My challenge to you is to wonder how our blessing others will impact our relationship with Jesus.  I can assure you that it will only provide you with a closer walk with your Savior.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING AT FPC…

            Worship on September 24 is at the Strasburg Community Park.  There will be no worship services or Sunday School on that day.

Bible Study:  Join us for Bible Study this Thursday at 6pm here:  Youtube

Bible Challenge – Beginning September 4, we will once again provide the opportunity to take part in a 9 month read through the Bible Challenge.  It is going to be very similar to the one we did in 2022 except that it will begin in September and carry us through to next year.  Bible Challenge brochures are available on the information table in the glass foyer.

Being in the Presence – On September 9 at 10am in Fellowship Hall we will have our first new gathering of Being in the Presence led by our very own Carole Turano. 

Join us on a construction mission trip to West Virginia:  We will be taking part in a mission trip to West Virginia to help build steps and and a large outdoor porch for a family in need in West Virginia.  The dates of the trip are September 22-24.  There will be an informational meeting for the trip after church on September 3 at 12:15pm.  

Annual Church Picnic at Tinney Pavilion this Sunday, Aug. 27 at 12:15pm,  after 2^nd service:  Food, fellowship, games, including the corn-hole tournament, Bingo, pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, drinks, and place settings are provided.  Please bring a dish to share!  It is a great opportunity to invite a neighbor, family, and friends to experience the life of First Presbyterian. 

Blessing of the backpacks – On Sunday, August 27 at both services we will be blessing the backpacks as kids head off to school.  Make sure your child has their backpack with them as they come to church that Sunday.

New Member’s Classes – Interested in finding out more about First Presbyterian or joining the church?  Come and join us for new member’s classes starting on August 27 at 3pm in the library.  Pastor Bob will lead you on a journey to answer your questions and give you insight into the church.

Last chance to fill out the congregational survey:  If you have not filled out the congregational survey yet, please, please, please fill it out.  Here is the link that you can click to fill it out,  It takes less than 10 minutes: PSA survey

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e-news for August 16, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            Did you realize that once preschool begins in less than a month we will have 25 people working for First Presbyterian?  Wait what?  That’s right, we have 25 people who have agreed to spend their time and their effort in a paid position to help with the ministry and mission of First Presbyterian.  Twelve years ago when I got here we had 8 people who were working for the church with four of them being full time.  We now have 25 people working for the church and three who are full time.  Granted that most of those on staff find themselves on the side of the preschool, but the numbers are there.

            With that many people on board it is inevitable that there will be transition.  Over this month we have received notice that two on our team are moving away from paid positions here at the church.  Alicia Eltman began a couple of years ago in her contracted position as the social worker for the church.  In her short time here she has been able to kick off CIC, a fund that she secured through grants that is able to meet the financial needs of those in crisis.  Dozens of families have been helped through this fund.  She has created an opportunity for those who have incarcerated family members to receive a care package from the church as a sign of solidarity and love.  She has set up a computer center for those in need at our church where people are able to access online benefits and find help.

            She has found financial resources for our food bank and was instrumental in setting up an initiative to have a home available for children from the LS school district who might be in need of a few nights stay with volunteers.  While this program never got off the ground, we have the skeleton in place should we ever want to resurrect it.  She has helped individuals within the church family understand benefits that are available to them and has been a listening ear of concern to those within the community. 

            While she is stepping away from her responsibilities as a social worker at the church, her interest and involvement in the church has not waned.  I wanted to take this space to give her a shout out and a big thank you for the lives that she has touched and for getting the social worker position off to a great start here at FPC.  We are looking for someone to fill her spot, it is for 10 hours a week.  Let me know if you know of someone who might be willing to take on this calling.  It takes a special person.

            Also this week Mary Tunison has informed the session that she is stepped away from her position as Administrative Assistant.  Mary came on nearly three years ago at the height of Covid.  She has had to maneuver and juggle so many different unknowns in her time here.  There has been no more difficult time to work at First Presbyterian than over the three years that she has been here. 

            Her years of experienced were invaluable to us as she took over from Karen Cooper who was on the helm for over 30 years before her.  Being able to step in at the time she did and in a position like this one is no easy task.  Again, thank you Mary for your three years here, and make sure if you see her between now and her last day which is September 14 you express your appreciation to her.

            We are so blessed here at First Presbyterian with people who love the church and love working for the church.  You all make that possible and you make the mission and the ministry of the church viable.  To God be the glory!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

P.S.  If you have not filled out your congregational survey yet please take a few minutes to do it here.  We want everyone to fill it out once.  Thank you sooo much.  PSA survey

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            Bible Study this Thursday evening, August 17:  Join us this Thursday, and every Thursday, at 6pm here at this link for Bible Study.  Youtube

            September 24 church is at Strasburg Community Park at 10am:  Join us and all the Strasburg Community Park as we worship God together on Sunday, September 24 at 10am at the Strasburg Community Park.  We will not be having Sunday School or worship here at FPC on that day.

            Being in the Presence:  Join us as we kick off the P in the Prayer, Scripture and Action initiative on September 9 at 10am in Fellowship Hall.  Let us all pray together!

            Read through the Bible Challenge:  We will begin on September 4 and you can find a link to the brochure and the blog here: Bible Reading Challenge

            FPC church picnic:  Join us for a church picnic on Sunday, August 27 right after the second worship.  Bring something to share with others.  Bring others to share in the fellowship and activities.

            Bluegrass Festival on September 2 at the Strasburg Community Park.  Join us!

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e-news for August 10, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            So if last week was a paint fumes induced sermon, this week it is a plumber’s glue induced enews.  Time marches on and so does the construction.  It is fascinating to be in the midst of an area where people are hard at work to ensure that the final product is exactly as the customer wants it.  The noise, the dust, the smells are all a part of the process that eventually leads to the results that everyone would want.  If you took any of that out then the finished product would not be nearly what you would want it to be.

            Last Sunday we saw that it is hard work being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Our Savior himself warns us that the road is hard that leads to His kingdom.  Who would choose a more difficult, narrow, treacherous road when the easy, wide and smooth road is right in front of us for the taking?  Well, I hope all of us will take that difficult road, because that is the road that leads to life.  I have people tell me that they don’t understand what is happening in their life, they just feel out of sorts and sucked dry of life.  My guess is that the road they are on is the easy road.  The difficult road leads to life and purpose and fulfilment, and while it is hard, it is well worth it.

            What are some things in life that you choose which are more difficult because you know that the end result is going to be worth it?  In my younger years I used to love spending hours in the gym shooting baskets, or hitting serves on the court, or running sprints on the soccer field.  It was hard, but my heart was full and I really, really enjoyed the discipline and the hard work.  I can’t say it really paid off all that well.  While I did play basketball in college, I didn’t really set the world on fire, even though the older I get the better I was in my mind.

            But that hard work was not only worth the effort, it was also enjoyable in a twisted sort of way.  My brothers and I still comment on how much fun it is to play tennis when it is hot and the sweat is pouring down.  While this might be TMI, can’t we make the same analogy with our faith?  While it might be difficult to be disciplined in reading Scripture daily, it is so well worth it.  While it might seem incredibly daunting to put aside every single day time to pray to our Savior, it does produce incredible fruit.  While it might seem overwhelming to plan a mission trip to West Virginia to help build homes, the results are undeniable.  The hard work that goes into being a disciple of Jesus Christ is worth the effort both on this earth and to prepare us for eternal life. 

            When Jesus tells his disciples that the animals that surround them have places of lodging and rest, but as disciples they do not know from one day to the next where their provision might come (Matthew 8:20), it could be disheartening to the less dedicated.  But to those who understood the sacrifice that is involved in being a follower, it was well worth the effort and the sacrifice.  My prayer for all of us is that we would be able to say the same and live in a similar fashion.  My prayer is that we would not count the cost as loss, but rather as an opportunity to sacrifice so that our time with the Lord is well worth the effort.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            Bible Study this evening, join us!  You can join us every Thursday evening, including this evening, for Bible study here at this link:  Youtube

            Join us on a construction mission trip to West Virginia:  We will be taking part in a mission trip to West Virginia to help build steps and and a large outdoor porch for a family in need in West Virginia.  The dates of the trip are September 22-24.  There will be an informational meeting for the trip after church on September 3 at 12:15.  The cost of the trip will be $50.  Please come to the informational meeting and let Pastor Bob know you are interested.

            Please fill out your Prayer, Scripture, Action survey:  Follow this link to fill out the survey, and please fill it out only once: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdzd72f5DIT6f5shhWlGcMFUCRQREe6zOmTvN-oE4HjHNIeJQ/viewform

            Coffee Hour:  We need someone to fill in the open spot for Sunday, August 20.  Remember, you are welcome to reimburse yourself from the donation that come into the basket.  Our church family so values this time during coffee hour, join in the effort to make it a special together.  There are a few other openings as well.

            Community Service at Strasburg Park on September 24:  We will not be having worship at our location on Sunday, September 24.  The Strasburg Ministerium will be worshipping together at 10am at the Strasburg Park on that day.  Please come and join us!

            Church-wide picnic:  On August 27 we will be having our yearly church picnic at Tinney Pavilion.  Following the second service we will meet for food, fun, and fellowship at the pavilion.  This is a great opportunity to invite friends and family over for the occasion. 

            Blessing of the Backpacks:  On August 27 we will be asking for a blessing upon all the children who are heading back to school at both services.  Your child and youth is encouraged to bring their backpack to church where it will be blessed in an opportunity to focus on the beginning of the school year and God’s presence in our children and youth’s lives.

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e-news for August 2, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            Can I talk to you about PSA for a second?  You will be hearing this acronym a lot over these next 9 months.  The letters stand for Prayer, Scripture and Action.  First Presbyterian received a Lilly grant from Columbia Theological Seminary to launch a program that is called Rekindle.  In the words of the seminary these “grant projects will support a congregation’s capacity to enhance their vitality in a post–COVID–19 context. The program will help congregations realize their goal of being a thriving congregation by supporting their focused attention on an identified mission priority.”  We put together a team of folks who are on the steering committee for PSA: Kristin Kondratowski, Marcia Andersen, Alicia Eltman, Tim Ott, Carole Turano, Tricia Wilson, Alice Eisenhooth, Michael Wilson (ex-officio) and my brother David Bronkema is consulting.

            We decided to choose our mission priorities from our mission statement of Know, Grow, and Go.  In this way over these next nine months we will be focused on Prayer, Scripture, and Action.  Our emphasis on prayer will bring us to monthly gatherings of Being in the Presence led by our very own Carole Turano.  On September 9 at 10am in Fellowship Hall we will have our first gathering of Being in the presence supported by this grant.  Each month after that we will have an opportunity to deepen our prayer habits.

            Our emphasis on Scripture will begin on September 6 when we will have once again the opportunity to take part in a concerted 9 month read through the Bible Challenge.  It is going to be very similar to the one we did in 2022 except that it will begin in September and carry us through to next year.  Also, this year during Holy Week we will have continuous reading of the Bible over a span of 4 days.  You will all have a chance to take part in that and read for an hour or more if you wanted to help us read Scripture continuously. 

            Our emphasis on action will culminate on March 3 as worship together, have a meal together, and then go out and do some action together in the community.  We will have opportunities for ministry in the surrounding area, and if you are not able to get out and do something, we will have a chance for you to write letters to prisoners, make phone calls to shut-ins and other ministries in the comfort of the church. 

            Part of this initiative is to evaluate how we are doing as individuals and as a church in our prayer, Scripture, and action.  To this end beginning this Sunday you will have a chance to fill out a survey that our PSA committee has put together.  Please fill it out, we want everyone in the church to fill it out.  You can also fill out the survey here:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdzd72f5DIT6f5shhWlGcMFUCRQREe6zOmTvN-oE4HjHNIeJQ/viewform.  Please fill it out only once, but at least once.

            Also, as part of this initiative we will have a church wide retreat from Friday evening through Sunday worship at Black Rock Retreat Center.  We want everyone to be able to come to this retreat.  We have built into our budget some funds to help offset the cost for this retreat for each of you.  It isn’t free, but it will be offset by an amount from the grant.  Stay tuned for more information.

            I feel like I am almost out of breath as we launch this initiative.  I am really, really excited to see where it takes us.  I pray and I hope that it takes us to walk closer with our Savior Jesus Christ.  After all, that is our purpose here on earth, to walk closer with our Lord.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            Community Wide worship on September 24 in the Strasburg Park:  Once again the Strasburg Ministerium is offering a time of worship for the entire Strasburg community.  The church will be closed on that Sunday, September 24, and we will all be gathered at 10am to worship together at the Strasburg Park.  Come and join your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ of Strasburg.

            Church-wide picnic:  Join us for our annual church picnic on August 27 as we gather after the second worship service at Tinney Pavilion for a time of food, fellowship, and fun.  Make it your mission to invite friends and family members who are not connected to any church community.

            Blessing of the backpacks:  On Sunday, August 27 at both services we will be blessing the backpacks as kids head off to school.  Make sure your child has their backpack with them as they come to church that Sunday.

            Looking for preschool aides:  The preschool has grown and we are looking to hire a few aides to help our teachers.  If you have one morning a week where you can help out for a few hours we would love to bring you on board, and you’ll get paid as well!  Let Pastor Bob or Heather Reynolds know if you are at all interested.

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e-news for July 28, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            We are in the midst of what is being called a heat wave.  I do love being outside and playing sports when it is unbearably hot.  There is something about sweating and competing that is fun for me.  I have never been one to pay a whole lot of attention to our contribution to the degradation of the environment or the effects of our abuse of the planet on the future of the planet.  I have always seen Genesis 1:28 where God says to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it”, as a command for us to be responsible and good stewards of God’s creation.  I have never seen it as a green light to abuse the earth and all that is in it.

            I don’t believe I have ever given a biblical perspective to global warming and its obvious dangers, probably because it has become, like most things, an incredibly politicized topic.  I know I have children who are devoting much of their lives to understanding how we can better take care of God’s creation because they have a sense of responsibility about this earth that I was never taught.  The factual basis of global warming and its visible impacts is really hard to argue if we pay attention to what is happening around us.  But what does the Bible have to say about it?  How do we as disciples of Jesus Christ understand the reality that we are facing without hiding our heads in the sand?

            Jesus uses a variety of imagery from creation.  He speaks about birds and foxes, one of my favorite Bible stories is Jonah and the whale.  In Genesis God destroys creation in the flood and that is a major apocalyptic event.  I don’t believe that global warming is an event that points to God punishing us.  I do believe that it is a result of our abuse of creation.  For those of us living in Strasburg, and Lancaster County in general, the take away is that God calls us to be good stewards and it is up to us to find ways in which we are able to care for His creation as opposed to being oblivious as to how our actions impact creation.

            It is pretty clear if you work with the land that things are changing.  Now, the reason for why things are changing may be debatable, but it is obvious that there are real challenges that we are facing.  As we move out of summer, although it feels like we are smack dab in the dog days of summer, I hope we recognize our responsibility to creation around us.  As we look at this topic the hymn: For the beauty of the earth comes to mind.  Earth and all its creation are beautiful, but as the hymn also reflects, it is our responsibility to sing praises to God for His creation which allows us to live in ways that we can only count as a blessing.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            Annual church picnic:  On Sunday August 27 after the second worship service we will have our yearly picnic.  Bring a dish to share and we will be providing the pulled pork.  It is a great opportunity to invite friends and family members.  The annual corn hole tournament will also take place.

            Bluegrass Festival:  On September 2 at the Strasburg Community Park we will be having our yearly bluegrass festival.  Come and take part. 

            Strasburg Ministerium Community Worship:  On Sunday, September 24, the Strasburg Ministerium will be hosting a community worship service at 10am.  We will not be having church at First Presbyterian that Sunday, but we will be joining all the other churches of Strasburg together at the Community Park.  Mark your calendars!

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e-news for July 20, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,
How many plates can you spin at once?  Apparently quite a few here at First Presbyterian.  Let’s just get a quick rundown of what is happening around here this week.  The construction is moving along.  We are a month behind schedule so instead of finishing at the end of August, the goal is now the end of September.  VBS is in full swing with over 80 kids showing up to learn about Jesus.  We have such a great group of volunteers that I really don’t have much to do except eat snacks between sessions.  I love this time of year!
The high school youth just got back from their mission trip but the middle school youth are heading out in a couple of weeks.  There was so much momentum from the high school trip that a group of adults are looking to go to West Virginia for a weekend to finish a project in September.  This church is amazing!  I am currently planning not only a trip to Israel, for those interested join us for a meeting on August 6, but I am pulling together for the Presbytery a trip to the African American Museum in Philadelphia on August 31.  If you are interested let me know, it is an all expense paid trip and one that you will never forget.
The food bank continues to serve clients in its new digs and in between all of the construction.  Even in the midst of all these changes they haven’t missed a day.  It is really fun to see two volunteers each time it is open and the interest within the church it is drumming up.  Good job food bank!  Preschool is meeting parents and getting ready for the new year in about two months.  We still have openings in the afternoon pre-K but the teachers, we have 7 now, have been busy preparing for the coming school year.
This week once again we have our Sunday School classes on Sunday morning.  It is unusual for a church to have three adult Sunday School classes, but we have them.  It just speaks to our desire for everyone to grow in Christ.  Speaking of growing, your steering committee for the Prayer, Scripture, and Action initiative is hard at work and have sent out a sample survey to a controlled group to get feedback.  On August 6 we will be launching the initiative, so stay tuned to this space and come to church to see what we will be doing together as a church on this journey of discipleship and growth.
All of this is happening at the same time through a gaggle of different people here at the church.  We have others who are managing some inheritances that we have received over this summer, others who are ensuring that our outreach remains strong with concerts in the park and a church picnic in August, others who are making sure worship remains the center of our life as it should, others making decisions for our 20 staff members.  It may not look like much is happening when you step in here on Sunday morning, but it is a bit of an ant colony where all of us are workers running around getting things done.  
I pray that as we run around we will take moments to stop and give thanks to God that He has allowed us to be a part of this family that values the relationships that we are building with each other and with our Creator.  Let’s not ever take either of those two things for granted.  
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Bob

HAPPENING AT FPC…

No Bible Study this Evening due to VBS

Interested in the Holy Land?  We will be having an organizational meeting on August 6 at 3pm in room 3/4 here at FPC.  
Journey with us to the African American Museum in Philadelphia:  Join us for trip to the AAMP on August 31.  The charter bus will leave at 1, we will visit the museum, have dinner together and then head home.  This journey is sponsored by the Racial Task Force of the Donegal Presbytery.  The bus trip and the ticket is complementary and there will be a subsidy provided for the meal to help offset some of the cost.  To register you must let Pastor Bob know to sign you up.
You can help out with the Middle School mission trip to New Jersey:  You can sign up to help out with a list of food items using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e48abaa2ca3f5cf8-njmission#/
Annual Church Picnic:  Mark your calendars for August 27 when we will be having our annual church picnic at Tinney Pavilion.  We will have food, corn hole, egg toss, and a great opportunity for fellowship.  Invite a friend and all your neighbors and family.  

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e-news for July 8, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            Did you notice what happened?  For the past two weeks we have had missionaries speak at the church about their work in distant lands.  Both of these families have their young children in tow with them while they are doing God’s work in these distant lands.  Until you actually meet, hear, and interact with missionaries who have their children with them, it is hard to imagine that you yourself could pick up your tent stakes and move to a distant land and do God’s work.  After all, I can’t go because of my kids.  I have always said that one of the driving reasons why we served in Russia was so that our kids could have that experience and be transformed and changed by living in a different culture. 

            After the Harrars spoke this Sunday we have a number of families with kids wondering if they might also be called to serve overseas for a couple of years.  I responded with a resounding: YES!!  Let me be clear, I have also always said that you don’t have to travel overseas to do God’s work.  You can stay right here in Lancaster County and do plenty of God’s work.  We do already!  But there really is something different and more visceral and more intense and more lasting in taking your family to a place where you are working together for the kingdom.

            The heightened interest in doing this type of work took me a bit by surprise.  I guess I should have known, what do you expect the Holy Spirit to do when you invite missionaries to come and speak?  This week we are sending off missionaries from our own church to go to West Virginia and bring God’s Word through building and construction.  A group of 23 of us will be working hard from Sunday through Friday recognizing that it is for such a time as this that God calls us to do this type of work.  It isn’t for a couple of years, but these youth and leaders have agreed to take a week out of their life to use what skills and gifts they have for the kingdom of God. 

            I would love for you to pray for them so here they are:  Jackson Allison, Gannon Black, Madison Brenneman, Rylee Diem, Ephram Claycomb, Gavin Elias, Landon Giberson, Rex Giberson, Elijah Hitchings, Jackson Howe, Tessa Kondratowski, Gabi Nonthaken, Avery Planck, Cameron Straley, Trent Thomas.  The leaders will be: Kristin Kondratowski, Amanda Allison, Bill Payne, Dan Colvin, Bob Bronkema, Sam DePue, and Steve and Donna Szczeniak.  Your prayers would be coveted as we go from July 9, after church, until July 14.

            I heard from a few people after the missionaries spoke about the congregation potentially not being aware that we support these missionaries in our budget.  Your tithes that you give to the church have a direct impact upon the ministry of our missionaries in Asia, upon the Harrar family, upon Vladimir Tatarnikov in Belarus, on Melissa Long in Boston, on our youth going on mission to West Virginia and our middle school youth going on mission to New Jersey.  It is because of your generous giving to the church that we are able to send people out into the world.

            I hope this is clearly understood by everyone.  What you do and what you give makes a difference in the Gospel message being proclaimed throughout the world.  As a missionary at heart, I know first hand the impact that a single congregation’s giving could have upon my work while we were both in Italy and in Russia.  Please know, your giving makes a huge difference, so thank you.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

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e-news for June 28, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            What does age have to do with it?  Aristotle once said that we shouldn’t listen to anyone who is younger than 35.  I have never subscribed to that line of reasoning, especially since Jesus began his ministry when he was around 30 and died around the age of 33.  Just think of the mess we would be in if we listened to Aristotle, which would preclude us from listening to Jesus.  Age has been on my mind lately as I have inched closer now to 60 than 50.  That seems like a pretty big step.  Yikes! 

            Last evening there were over 50 of us gathered in Fellowship Hall to get our final marching orders from Kristin Kondratowski as we continue to prepare for our mission trips.  There were over 30 youth who were going to be taking part in the trips and their parents and leaders.  The vast majority of the people in that room were under 35 and yet the excitement, the potential, the palpable enthusiasm for what is going to come next was contagious.  Jesus did not hesitate to welcome young families into his presence, even chastising his disciples for not understanding that the kingdom of God belonged to those much younger than he.  He even used a child as the model upon what our faith ought to be based.

            Our church has been blessed with young families, children and youth who rely upon the church for guidance and wisdom.  They look to the church to provide an infusion of faith as they look to understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Kristin and I led a group of 6 youth on a retreat for a few days simply so that they could strengthen their relationship with Jesus.  Our role is not to provide programs or opportunities for youth to be plugged into the church.  The church is not the final goal, the kingdom is.  Our role is to provide a vehicle through which these youth can be plugged into Jesus and follow him with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

            But this is true not only for those under 35, but especially for those who are closer in age to me.  We do not serve the purpose of providing a place to get married and buried.  The church’s function is to bring people, adults and youth alike, on a closer walk with Jesus.  I can’t wait for the beginning of August to launch our PSA (Prayer, Scripture, and Action) where we will together journey to strengthen our relationship with Jesus. 

            Over these next two Sunday we have had missionaries who are serving overseas.  We have a chance to hear how families with small children are serving God in a very real and tangible way in places that we would never imagine going with our children, Kenya and Asia.  I pray that as we experience their testimony we would ask ourselves how are we serving the Lord?  The danger of a faith serving only ourselves is very real in churches.  The last thing we would want is to realize that we are following Jesus only because we think that we can gain something from it.  We are following Jesus because he has already given us eternal life and we can only give thanks to him for that. 

            So as the years tick on and the time that we have together lengthens, I do find myself a bit more introspective and a bit more aware that my desire is to have a real spiritual impact on the community.  The social ministry in which we are involved is undeniable, but what about giving people a real chance at a relationship with Jesus?  I hope and I pray that each and every one of us would never shy away from sharing the impact He has had on our life.  I pray that we would decide to follow Jesus just as our missionaries, and our youth have.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            Join us for VBS:  We are so excited to host another year of VBS.  Please join us to help us make an impact on the community as we reach out to children and their families.  We still volunteers, so sign up with Beth Feiler.  The dates of VBS will be July 16-21.

Bible Study:  Join us for Bible Study every Thursday evening here at this link:  Youtube

Holy Land meeting on August 6:  If you are interested in going to the Holy Land in March of next year please let Pastor Bob know.  There will be an organizational meeting on August 6 at 3pm in Fellowship Hall on that day.

            Help with mission trip:  If you wanted to help donate to the mission trips you can use these links.

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0e48abaa2ca3f5cf8-wvmission

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0e48abaa2ca3f5cf8-njmission

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e-news for June 14, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            This week is going to be a flurry of activity to ensure that we are totally prepared for our high school mission trip to West Virginia.  While we won’t be going until July 9-14, there are so many logistical matters that need to be handled.  You all can help with it as well.  You will be finding in the bulletin this week a list of tools that we are asking if you can loan to us so that we can use them when we are in West Virginia.  There is also going to be a list of items that you can donate so that we can keep the costs of the trip down.  Here is where you can sign up to donate items: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e48abaa2ca3f5cf8-wvmission?useFullSite=true#/

I am convinced that it is going to be a mission trip that will reverberate in the lives of the kids and the adults who will be attending, as well as the congregation as you hear the testimonies from the experience.

            Some time back Mark Feiler, Bill Payne, Kristin Kondratowski and I went to the place where we will be working in West Virginia.  We will be constructing ramps and decks.  As you know, I have travelled all over the world and the United States.  Where we are going is by far the place where I have seen the most poverty out of any location that I have been in in the United States.  Now, I have seen deeper and more dire poverty in other areas of the world, but not here in our country.  People are living in mobile homes that have vegetation and weeds growing inside of them because a large section of the “house” is open to the air. 

            There is a palpable sense of desperation in the region and it really struck me as something that was significant.  What I see happening as result of this mission trip is that we might partner with the organization that is hosting us to begin a new relationship that will allow us as a church to be involved in the community in a significant way.  First Presbyterian used to have a relationship with the Shack in West Virginia, but that has since declined.  There are many significant and important ministries that are at work in that region because there is so much poverty.

            We hear Jesus speaking to his disciples consistently about our responsibility to those who are in need, and he uses the word poor.  Here at First Presbyterian Church we have a myriad of programs that reach out and help the poor within our own community.  We have the CIC program, the food bank, benevolence funds, scholarships, volunteer opportunities and other ways in which we have a significant impact on the Strasburg community.  We also have a significant amount of our mission budget that goes toward financial support for a variety of ministries within our county and region and beyond.  It is very important for us to make sure that we are not just giving outside of our community, but to our community as well in significant ways.  That is why we have a social worker who is responsible for looking for ways to address the needs that arise within our community.

            Beyond that, we are very involved domestically and internationally with mission trips to West Virginia, Florida, Italy and New Jersey.  We have missionaries in Belarus, Kenya, Asia, and other locations that do the work of God and are supported by us because we feel called to make sure that the poor in our midst and beyond are not overlooked.  The impact our mission trip to Florida had on our youth last year is immeasurable.  Having to step over the homeless in order to get to your cot was an experience our youth will never forget. 

            I give thanks to God that I am pastoring a church that cares for the poor in significant ways.  We aren’t just satisfied in sending money so that people in need are out of sight and out of mind.  We invite the poor in, we go to where they are, and we welcome them to worship with us.  Our approach has to always be that the poor are not “they” but us, and we should never look for ways to avoid contact.  As the youth prepare, I hope you can help us to send them off with all that they need, while at the same time look for opportunities in your life to reach out and make a difference around you.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF THE FPC…

            No streaming of church services on Sunday, June 25

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL is scheduled for July 16- 21 this year.  Volunteers and lots of help are needed!  There is a sign-up list outside room 5.  There is also a snack donation list.  Registration can be found under “Learn” on our website.  For questions, please contact Beth Feiler at bfeiler@straspres.org.

            Church Picnic on August 27

            Bible Study:  Join us for Bible Study here at this link: Youtube

            Trip to the Holy Land:  Please let Pastor Bob know if you are interested in going to the Holy Land in March of 2024.  We will be sending out information to those who have expressed interest in the near future.

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e-news for June 7, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            “What should we do?”  This was the question that those who had gathered in Jerusalem and had been cut to the heart by the Holy Spirit, asked the disciples.  Now that I know Jesus, what do I do next?  Peter answers that question in Acts 2:38 by saying: “Repent, and be baptized.”  There was a clear answer and there was something very specific that they were told to do when they encountered the presence of God in their life.  I asked you a few weeks ago when was the last time that you had a spiritual experience.  When was the last time that you knew that God was present in your midst, that you could feel God because of something that was happening or at a location where you found yourself?  As a pastor I hope you all say: “Every Sunday morning!”  But ask yourself that question, when was the last time that you felt the presence of God, truly felt His presence?

            There is an inexorable pull that I am sensing by the Holy Spirit for us to evaluate our relationship with Christ.  We have spent a lot of time over these past dozen years in doing a lot of things together.  It has been a blast.  But we have spent less time deliberately being in God’s presence and being content with just that.  We were just notified that we have been awarded a grant that is called Rekindle.  It is put out by the Lilly Endowment and its scope is to strengthen churches and their relationship with Jesus post-covid. 

            I need to tell you how excited I am about this upcoming year.  This grant will help us to evaluate if what we are doing is bringing us closer to Jesus or if we are just running programs in order to be a presence in the community.  We want to be more than a presence, we want to be a vehicle through which people will come to a closer relationship with Jesus.  The purpose of this grant is to provide us with tools to have a closer walk with Jesus.  The basic tenet of the grant was PSA (Prayer, Scripture, Action).  We will have someone come in and do a basic spiritual health evaluation of the church at the beginning of our time.

            Then after we are evaluated we will be involved in some very concerted efforts together to Pray and read Scripture together.  In the midst of that time period we will go away together as a church on retreat with all of our families and individuals for a concerted time of prayer and reading of Scripture.  There will also be fellowship and activities, but the primary purpose of this retreat will be for prayer and reading of Scripture.  The grant provides a nice financial opportunity for us to subsidize this retreat for all of us to attend.

            Then at some point we will choose a Sunday where we will have a meal after worship.  After the meal we will assign ourselves to a ministry outside the church where we will engage for the rest of that Sunday.  That is the action in the PSA.  This whole process will wrap up by April of 2024 with a second and final evaluation.  There are so many things that are leading us to this place of going deeper with God as a congregation.  We have not waited for a grant in order to make deliberate moves to have a closer walk with God.

            This Saturday at 10am in Fellowship Hall we are continuing the provide you an opportunity to walk closer with Jesus as we participate in Being in the presence.  It is an hour and a half opportunity to be equipped with the tools and the desire to be in the presence of God.  I can’t encourage you enough to be present this Saturday.  Then, on Sunday after the services, we are meeting at the Hess Pond for a time of renewal and baptism.  This is really the culmination of this weekend as we meet to be in the presence of God and then answer the question together of what should we do?  We answer it with rededication and baptism.  I hope you will all join us together as we celebrate the daily presence of God in our midst.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            Being in the presence:  Join us this Saturday, June 10 at 10am in Fellowship Hall as we gather for prayer and Scripture led by Carole Turano. 

            Time of Renewal and Baptism:  Join us at the Hess Pond on 125 Sides Mill Road.  If you are planning on having your vows renewed before the Lord and/or be baptized make sure you wear dark clothing.  You are welcome to bring a chair as we gather for fellowship.  A meal will be served.  We encourage people to carpool from the church.  You will find a map below showing how to get to the Hess Pond.

            Tour the Holy Land:  An organizational meeting on June 10 at 1pm in room 3/4 will be held for all those who might be interested in traveling to Israel in 2024.  Tentative dates for the trip are March 14-23.  Come and find out more, such as sites we’ll be seeing, trip cost, and many other bits of information.  Join us!

            Bible Study every Thursday evening:  Join us this Thursday at 6pm for a weekly Bible Study.  You can join us here: Youtube

            VBS is coming up!!:  There are so many ways to get involved and to help out for VBS.  There are sign up sheets right outside of room 6 when you first walk in the church.  Also, There will be a VBS CRAFT DAY on Saturday, June 10^th from 12 pm – 3 pm in Fellowship Hall.  Everyone is invited to help make some decorations for VBS.

            There will be no streaming of worship services on June 25.

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e-news for May 25, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            Presbytery was an all-day affair on Tuesday.  We were challenged with asking ourselves if our church was more of a pool church or an ocean church.  The pool is safe, but confined.  The ocean is endless and unpredictable and potentially dangerous.  I think here at FPC we like to swim in the ocean but then periodically jump in the pool to wash off.  It certainly feels like we are quite a few miles out to sea right now as I am closed into my office with plastic over my door preventing me from getting in and out.  The worst part of it for me is that it prevents other people from getting in.  I have always had an open-door policy so this flies directly in the face of my principles.  But we persevere and know that over a very short period of time this too shall pass and we will be so pleased with what is before us.

            Also, at Presbytery we were given the image of a barn that had long passed its time and was structurally deficient.  A group of architects came together and did something that looked like this: barn picture.  I have to say that it looks really cool, but…sometimes things get to the point where they just need to be torn down and something else built in its place.  A real danger for churches is that they are so focused on what they had and what they were that they want to maintain at all costs that which was while potentially sacrificing that which is, or that which could be.  We were able to salvage the barn by cutting a slice through it.  And now we have a building that is no longer a barn and serves no practical purpose except it is nice to look at.  Yeah, churches can do that, pour money and energy and resources into things that don’t really serve the purpose of advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

            So, what does advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ look like?  Right now, it looks like tons of drywall dust and sounds of sawzalls going full bore, and Tina Turner blasting in the hallways.  Sounds appealing doesn’t it?  Come and join us on Sunday!  Speaking of Sunday here is what you can expect.  We are sooo pleased to be able to offer all of our entry ways into the building available for all people.  So, just comes as you normally do on Sunday.  Once you get here you will be able to get to the sanctuary only through the hallway past Mary’s office.  The corridor leading to the sanctuary past the choir room will be blocked off.

            The primary bathrooms are a shell right now, but we will have the bathrooms next to the choir room accessible but you will have to go through the sanctuary to get to them.  Fellowship Hall will be untouched and so there are bathrooms there and we can travel from the sanctuary to fellowship hall but everyone has to come out the back door of the sanctuary.  That is great for me because it means that I will be able to see all of you as you leave the sanctuary, unless you cut through the courtyard. 

            Whew, that is a lot.  Currently we are encouraging people if they have to come into the office to only use the door on South Decatur which is opened throughout the day.  Do you know what we found when we were dismantling the old?  It looks like members of the church signed the beams and the studs that were used to create the then new structure in 1988.  It was fun to see the names of people who were members back then and are still around today, some still leading the church. 

            So here we are, in the ocean, trusting that God will lead us through.  We may not end up on dry land, God may not want us on dry land, but we will be safe in His arms as we are led to where He wants us to be.  God is not tame, but God is good.  Feel free to watch this video to be reminded of how God desires us to not stay in the pool our whole lives.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

            Bible Study this evening:  Join us this evening for Bible Study at 6pm.  You can join us here:  Youtube

Being in the presence:  Join us for a time of prayer and being in the presence of our Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday June 10 at 10am in Fellowship Hall.  This will be led by Carole Turano.

Day of Renewal and Baptism:  Join us on June 11 right after the second service at approx. 12:15 pm at the Hess pond, 125 Sides Mill Road, Strasburg, for a time of renewal and baptism. There will be a light lunch served as well.

Pentecost Sunday – Join us in celebrating the birthday of the Christian Church on Pentecost, May 28 by wearing red.  At both services we will experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in a way that God will be present in a palpable way.

            Memorial Day Float and picnic – Monday, May 29  Once again, FPC will have a float in the Strasburg Memorial Day parade.  We would love for you to join us as we walk along Main Street and represent the church.  You can meet us at the corner of Clearview and Susan avenue at 8:30am.  Afterward, there will be a service followed by our annual hot dog festivities.  Come and be a part of all the events!

            Tour the Holy Land:  An organizational meeting on June 10 at 1pm in room 3/4 will be held for all those who might be interested in traveling to Israel in 2024.  Tentative dates for the trip are March 14-23.  Come and find out more, such as sites we’ll be seeing, trip cost, and many other bits of information.  Join us!

            Water Street:  First Presbyterian has formed a team of folks who expressed an interest in serving meals at the Water Street Rescue Mission.  So far the team has served breakfast, lunch and dinner on a number of occasions since March.  We would like to expand the size of our team to anyone interested in serving meals to those in need from our local community.  By volunteering you are not committed to serving on specific dates and times but rather you could volunteer on dates and times that fit with your schedule.  While we feel serving on a regular basis is great way to serve the Lord, we understand time constraints and have set up our team to serve when it is convenient to them  If you would like to learn more about our Water Street Rescue Team’s efforts please reach out to either Terry (717-606-6907) or Jo Ann Sweigart  (717-672-1427) to learn more.

            Worship on June 25:  No streaming of worship services on Sunday, June 25.  That Sunday we will be having missionaries speaking who are serving in very sensitive areas of the world for the Christian faith.

We have a new website!!:  Check out the new website at www.straspres.org. 

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video He is not a tame Lion

He is not a tame Lion

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e-news for May 19, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            The walls are getting bare, the wood has been dropped off and we are in the final stages of preparing for the construction to come.  I was told that I need to inform you that if there is a wood or plastic barrier that is up, please do not go into that area.  I know, we all want to know what things are going to look like as they are happening, but if you could quell that urge for a moment that would be great.  There is nothing like construction that raises questions and inquiring minds want to know.

            Remember when Jesus told his disciples that if they wanted to follow him then they would never know from evening to evening where they would lay their heads?  Jesus and his disciples never had to consider what a ministry would look like with facilities to repair and grounds to oversee.  When we were working in Moscow we did not own our own church building, we met in an Anglican Church, which was limiting but also incredibly freeing.

            The freedom came in knowing that our ministry did not have to take place at a certain location, but we were able to meet and gather and do ministry all over the city.  It was so incredibly freeing, and it was also so incredibly successful.  Imagine being a part of a church that didn’t actually have a church where you could meet but you were forced to meet in homes, or in squares, or in parks, or in cemeteries.  Wherever you could find a space where you could worship God and let people know about the love of Christ.  Wherever you could meet to study Scripture and share this journey of faith together. 

            Here in Strasburg so much of what we do as a community is centrally located to our building and to our location.  We ask people to come to us and from there we will minister to them.  What would it look like if we went to people and lived moments in their lives and in their locations?  My guess is that it would completely transform what we mean by church.  I would love to spend a day with you as you drive around completing construction projects at your work.  I would love to spend the day in your fields as you get it ready for another harvest.  I would love to spend the day with you as you go to your various doctor’s appointments. 

            What if we had a community that looked forward to just spending time with each other throughout the day and completely shared each other’s joys and sorrows?  That is what Jesus and his disciples did together.  The freedom that comes with not being tied down to anything is unparalleled, but it also comes with its own challenges.  There are times when you want to be able to worship God in a way that is exhilarating and full of majesty and glory.  It is hard to carry an organ around with you as you go from house to house.  A guitar is nice, but not the same. 

            As we continue to remodel our campus and make it a place that is as inviting as possible for all people from all walks of life, let’s not pretend that the only place to do ministry is in this building, or that people have to come to us in order to hear the Gospel.  I hope that we have a chance over this summer to reflect upon our connections in the church and to whom we are most closely tied.  Take some special effort to reach out to them and pray for them and let them know that you would like to spend more time with them. 

            This Sunday we will hear that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.  I pray that our treasure would be located in the relationships that we build in the Lord and with each other.  They will last for eternity.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

Being in the presence:  Join us for a time of prayer and being in the presence of our Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday June 10 at 10am in Fellowship Hall.  This will be led by Carole Turano.

Day of Renewal and Baptism:  Join us on June 11 right after the second service at approx. 12:15 pm at the Hess pond, 125 Sides Mill Road, Strasburg, for a time of renewal and baptism. There will be a light lunch served as well.

Pentecost Sunday – Join us in celebrating the birthday of the Christian Church on Pentecost, May 28 by wearing red.  At both services we will experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in a way that God will be present in a palpable way.

            Memorial Day Float and picnic – Monday, May 29  Once again, FPC will have a float in the Strasburg Memorial Day parade.  We would love for you to join us as we walk along Main Street and represent the church.  You can meet us at the corner of Clearview and Susan avenue at 8:30am.  Afterward, there will be a service followed by our annual hot dog festivities.  Come and be a part of all the events!

            Tour the Holy Land:  An organizational meeting on June 10 at 1pm in room 3/4 will be held for all those who might be interested in traveling to Israel in 2024.  Tentative dates for the trip are March 14-23.  Come and find out more, such as sites we’ll be seeing, trip cost, and many other bits of information.  Join us!

            Water Street:  First Presbyterian has formed a team of folks who expressed an interest in serving meals at the Water Street Rescue Mission.  So far the team has served breakfast, lunch and dinner on a number of occasions since March.  We would like to expand the size of our team to anyone interested in serving meals to those in need from our local community.  By volunteering you are not committed to serving on specific dates and times but rather you could volunteer on dates and times that fit with your schedule.  While we feel serving on a regular basis is great way to serve the Lord, we understand time constraints and have set up our team to serve when it is convenient to them  If you would like to learn more about our Water Street Rescue Team’s efforts please reach out to either Terry (717-606-6907) or Jo Ann Sweigart  (717-672-1427) to learn more.

            Worship on June 25:  No streaming of worship services on Sunday, June 25.  That Sunday we will be having missionaries speaking who are serving in very sensitive areas of the world for the Christian faith.

            Bible Study on Thursday evenings at 6:  Join us for Bible Study every Thursday evening at 6pm here: Youtube

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e-news for May 10, 2023

Dear FPC family and friends,

            So, have you spent more time in prayer this week?  On Sunday I challenged all of us to identify a time in your day, or more than one time, when you are able to put yourself in the presence of God by going to God in prayer.  I hope you were able to do that on a consistent basis this week.  If not, then let this serve as a reminder.  The church draws its direction and guidance only when we go to God in prayer individually and corporately.  We have to find the time to pray outside of Sunday and make it a part of our relationship with God on a daily basis.

            There is an important weekend that is coming up in June to which I wanted to call your attention.  On June 10^th we will have an opportunity to once again be in the presence as we gather to pray and read Scripture at 10am.  With Carole Turano’s leadership I have found it to be a time that absolutely goes by without me realizing how much time I have spent in the presence of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Then on June 11^th we will be having a time of renewal, rededication, and baptism.  We have a couple of people who have expressed a desire to be baptized and others who have expressed a desire to be rededicated.  We will gather at the Hess pond at 125 Sides Mill Road right after the second service, so around 12:15, and have an opportunity to be immersed in this ancient Christian tradition of being washed clean of our sins.  Mark your calendars for June 10, being in the presence, and June 11, a time of rededication and baptism.

            Even if you aren’t thinking you want to be rededicated or baptized come on out and join us anyway for a time of fellowship and rejoicing in our renewed devotion to Christ.  On Sunday I mentioned that without a purposeful relationship with Jesus, without us doing something that puts us in a position to acknowledge in a meaningful way the presence of Christ in our lives, then our faith is dead.  Without prayer there is no relationship with God.  I hope that doesn’t sound too harsh.  I like to be the good guy, but there really is no other way around that statement.  We need to be in relationship with God through prayer, period.

            There isn’t much of an appropriate segue from that statement to any other, so I’m going to go in a very different direction.  So much of what we do in the life of the church is about building a relationship between God and with each other.  One way that we stay in touch with each other is through information that we receive and information that we exchange.  Did you know that today we just launched our new website?  Check it out at www.strapres.org.  There was a team of people who headed up that work.  I do need to give a shout out to Mark Feiler, Heather Schnader, Ray Reeder, Dale Groff, and Alicia Eltman pitched in as well.  It has been nearly a two year process but it certainly has paid off.  It looks great and it should be easier for folks to find things on this new site. 

            My prayer for all of us is that we deliberately and purposefully look for a time to spend in prayer on a daily basis and that this will all draw us closer to God and to each other.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Bob

HAPPENING IN THE LIFE OF FPC…

Bible Study on Thursday at 6pm:  Join us on Thursday May 11, and every Thursday, at 6pm here to study Scripture together – Youtube

Wear Red on Pentecost Sunday:  Join us in celebrating the birthday of the Christian Church on Pentecost, May 28 by wearing red.  At both services we will experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in a way that God will be present in a palpable way. 

Day of renewal and baptism:  Join us on June 11 right after the second service, so around 12:15 at the Hess Pond for a time of renewal and baptism.  There will be a light lunch served as well.

Being in the presence:  On June 10 at 10am in Fellowship Hall we will gather for a time to be in the presence of God led by Carole Turano.  You are welcome to invite friends and family members to come and join as well.

Tour the Holy Land:  We will be having an organizational meeting on June 10 at 1pm in room 3/4 for all those who might be interested in traveling to Israel in 2024.  The tentative dates for the trip are March 14-23.  Come and find out more like what we will be seeing, the cost of the trip, and many other bits of information.  Join us!

Memorial Day Float and picnic on May 29  Ÿ  Once again FPC will have a float in the Strasburg Memorial Day parade.  We would love for you to join us as we walk along Main Street and represent the church.  Afterward there will be a service followed by our annual hot dog festivities.  Come and be a part of all the events!

No streaming of our church service on June 25…

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