On Becoming a Welcoming Church and Transitioning Into New Ministry

A word from your Pastor

Soon our congregation will have the opportunity to practice what it preaches! We talk often and regularly about hospitality, about inclusivity, about welcome. And now? We have the chance to put all that talk into play. On Sunday, August 29, we will have the pleasure of welcoming into our community-of-faith two new lives, stories, and faces: Anthony and Alicia Marts.

After a series of interviews sponsored and hosted by our (a) The Session’s Personnel Workgroup, (b) an ad hoc committee made up of the Clerk of Session, elders, committee members, and parents of youth, and (c) our pastor, Dr. Jonathan Carroll, the unanimous and joyful decision was made to call Anthony Marts as our new Director of Youth Ministries, and to call Alicia Marts as our new Director of Christian Education (DCE).

Anthony and Alicia are graduates of KWC and were married on May 15 of this year. Both have done degree work in the areas of Religious Studies and/or Christian Ministries. Both have a heart for the gospel of Jesus and its call in our lives to love kindness, do justice, and walk in humility with others before God.

Anthony brings excitement for youth and their spiritual formation, missional identity, and activities that are fun and community-enriching. Alicia brings gladness of heart for children, Christian formation, and skills in organization and leadership. Both will be serving FCP part-time, and both are committed to serving Jesus Christ through the life and ministry of FPC.

Now is the time! Now is the chance! Now is our best opportunity. Let us extend our arms, open our hearts, and make space in our lives for Anthony and Alicia, whose sole hope is to work together with us to make of this old world a new one, and to love on and cherish our children and youth in ways that are beyond telling. Join us!

All middle and senior high youth and their parents are invited to lunch following worship on Sunday, August 29, immediately following 10:30 worship to meet Anthony and Alicia. Please RSVP to the church office.

John “Anthony” Marts
Director of Youth Ministries

Hello! My name is John Marts, but I prefer to go by Anthony. I was born on 11/24/1987 in North Carolina. I am the first born of four children, but my family has now grown to where I currently have 12 siblings. My family moved to Kentucky when I was a freshman in High School. After High School I attended Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro KY. I majored in Religion with minors in Christian Ministries and Psychology. It was at KWC that I met my lovely wife Alicia Marts. It took a while but we were eventually married the night of May 15th 2010, 6 hours after I had officially graduated from Wesleyan. I am looking forward to participating in the lives and faithful ministry of our youth at FPC.

Alicia Marts
Director of Christian Education (DCE)

Alicia Joy (Kittinger) Marts graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and a minor in Christian Ministries. After graduating Alicia worked for a year at the Mary Kendall Home for Children and Youth as a youth counselor. Currently, Alicia is a Regional Recruiter for the Migrant Education Program, as well as, the DCE for this wonderful church. Originally from Madisonville, Alicia grew up with two older brothers, older sister, and a few younger sisters. Alicia moved to Owensboro for college, where she met her Amazing husband Anthony. Alicia has a strong heart for missions and loves to help in any way she can. She has traveled to Costa Rica, Poland, Mexico, and Southeast Asia for mission trips, doing everything from teaching to purifying water. Alicia thinks serving others is an important part to spiritual growth, and enjoys doing community service projects whenever possible.

Prayer Concerns

Session Highlights

Robert Kirtley reviewed the background of the Gibby Hume estate. As an attorney he is serving the church without charge in settlement proceedings. The Session authorized Mr. Kirtley by unanimous consensus to act on its behalf in any settlement reached by all interested parties. Thank you, Bob!

PHR reported that the annual Session Retreat for Elder Education will be at the church Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, 2010.

Session approved the baptism of Claudia Johnson, daughter of Ashley Kirtley Johnson & Cory Johnson, granddaughter of Bob and Pam Kirtley, on Sept. 12, 2010.

Rick Nash was approved by consensus as commissioner to Presbytery on Aug. 12, 2010.

The next Session meeting will be August 29 following the Commissions Meeting because of Dr. Carroll’s schedule.

Women Helping Women Knitters

With fall around the corner, now’s the time to pick up those knitting needles again and help make the shawls for the women in Africa!  As you may recall, the shawls are given to women at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.  Each woman is given a new dress and a shawl as they leave to start a new life. Please help in this project!

Directions:  Using acrylic yarn (it’s very washable) and number 9 needles, cast on 30 stitches. Continue to knit until it is square. There is always some slight variation in the size of the squares because of differences in the weight of the yarn or the tightness of the knitting.  However, it is very important that the squares are all close to the same size since 5 rows of 8 squares are assembled to make the shawl  Please measure your square to be sure that it is about 6 ½ to 7 ½  inches on each side.  Even 6 inch ones can be used by stretching or adding stitches.  It is difficult, if not impossible, to use those much larger than this, so please measure!  Please take completed squares to the Ladies’ Parlor.  Thanks.   Call Suzanne Guyer (926-3163) if you have questions.

New Socks for School Children

The Presbyterian Women are collecting new socks for school children. Socks should fit children ages 3 to 11 and can be put in the container at the Clinton entrance.  We may add some items to what we are collecting, so watch for further announcements.  Thanks! 

Library Corner

The Library has received some new children’s books.

God Made You Special by Greg Fritz
The Tallest of Smalls by Max Lucado
I Talk To God About How I Feel by Stormie Omartian
I can read Series 1
Sister for Sale by Michelle Medlock Adams
My Cowboy Boots by Crystal Bowman
What do I See? by Crystal Bowman
Mud Pie Annie by Sue Buchanan & Dana Shafer
Snug as a Bug by Amy Imbody
Mad Maddie Maxwell by Stacie K.B. Maslyn

Patti's Notes

Fore!  Before I start off with my musical notes, I wanted to catch the attention of our golfers.  Our annual Presbyterian Open will be held on Sunday, October 3 at Ben Hawes, beginning at noon.  This will be a best bull golf scramble format.  The cost is $30 per person.  This includes your green fee, cart, some prize money and lots of fun.  There is also a dinner in the Fellowship Hall at 6:00 PM for everyone in the church.

To Register-  Please make a check out to First Presbyterian Church, with golf in the memo.  Give the check to Patti Price.  This is the only way you will be registered, as we are prepaying so we can just pay the golf course one time instead of individually.  Deadline to register is September 19.

Exercise

Strength Devine- 2:00 on Sundays.

Zumba- Sundays at 3 and Wednesdays at 7 PM.  All are welcome, bring a friend.  We will not have classes on Sunday, September 5, which is Labor Day Weekend.

God’s Children Sing/Ring- Every Sunday at 9 AM.  Come join the fun as we will soon begin rehearsing for a Christmas Pageant.

SING Youth Choir- Sundays at 4:15 PM.  We will begin working on Fall and Christmas music.  We will not meet on Sunday, September 5, Labor Day Weekend.  If you play an instrument and are interested in playing for church sometime, let me know.

Handbells- Thursdays at 6:15 PM.  We will continue rehearsing for the fall, Christmas and the wedding.

Adult Choir- Thursdays at 7 PM.  Come help us to make a joyful noise.  Perhaps if you don’t want to make an every week commitment, you can make music with us during the Christmas season.

Multicultural Festival

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

We had another successful Multicultural Festival on Saturday and I wanted to thank each of you that participated. Everyone pitched in and did a fantastic job of preparing, setting up and cleaning up. The participants from outside of our congregation that I spoke to Sat. were all very complimentary of the organization and very happy to be with us. This is truly a gift that we give to our community!

Thanks especially to my core committee: Creda Heffelfinger--sponsors and printing, Winny Lin--entertainment, Pat Hale--food court, Lisa Dick--booths, Marna Loucks--vendor's lunches and banners, Larry Hale--electricity and maps. You all did a fantastic job!  There were many more (too many to name) of you who helped with various aspects from bringing drinks to working all day(or part of the day) to putting a sign in your yard, all important and necessary tasks, thank you!

If you still have one or more of those signs, please return it to the box at Clinton Pl. entrance so it can be stored for next year.

Thank you,

Debbie McCoy
Festival Director

Kirk Night

Our next Kirk night will be held on Sunday, September 12 at 5:00 PM with speaker, Jim Garrett, who will speak on behalf of our Mission Commission’s Disaster Relief Workgroup about how our congregation can best serve our community in the event of any catastrophic event. We hope you will join us for dinner and an excellent program.

Commissions Meeting

The next monthly Commissions Meeting will be held Sunday, August 29.  It will begin with dinner at 5:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall.  Childcare will be provided.  All church members are encouraged to attend.

Session

Session will meet immediately following the Commissions meeting in the Lower Level Bible Classroom.  Please note the change of date.

Upcoming Events

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