Our Interim Pastor’s series of sermons on Biblical Characters begun in June will continue in August. The series is entitled “TELL ME THE OLD, OLD STORY”. Sermons in August are as follows:

Who of us likes to be confronted with something which contradicts what we have already decided, whether it be about ourselves, or about some situation we face? Read I Kings 22.

It’s bad enough to have your own kind questioning the social order, trying to change things. But when an outsider gets into the act, it is insufferable. Read Amos 1:1; 7:7-15 and let’s hear about the prophet Amos.

Did Hosea’s experience of an abiding love for a woman open his heart to the limitless love of God for His people? Read Hosea 1:1-9 and let’s hear more about Hosea, in love!

I really can’t understand how people can possibly surround this powerful message about the grace of God with the solemn claptrap about the dimensions of a whale. This is a story about human pretence and prejudice. It is a mixture of human pettiness set over against the magnitude of the grace of God. Read Jonah 1:1-3, 17; 2:10-3:15 and let’s hear more about this.

Bring someone to worship with you in August as we complete this series.

Members of our Sr. High Youth Group, who attended a youth conference in Fort Collins in July, will be leading us in worship on Sunday, August 4^th. They will be sharing with us some of the liturgy that was especially meaningful to them at this conference. Let us be here showing our interest and our support.

In a typical Sunday worship at your church, how many times do you pray? Is there a time of silent meditation at the beginning of the service? A prayer of confession? How about prayers of intercession and thanksgiving? The Lord’s Prayer? The dedication of the offering?

One of the most common, and powerful, forms of prayer might not come immediately to mind, and that is singing. In the section on “Music as Prayer” our Directory for Worship says song unites the faithful in common prayer and “is a response which engages the whole self in prayer”.

No wonder we care so passionately about which hymnal we have in the pews, and which hymns we sing! We are not just intoning words to musical notes, we are participating in a deep form of prayer. Song is so important to the spiritual life that St. Augustine said, “The one who sings, prays twice”

The General Assembly meeting in Columbus, Ohio in June elected the Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, a Palestinian Arab Christian from Greater Atlanta Presbytery. Abu-Akel is the son of Palestinian-Arab Orthodox Christians growing up in Galilee in Israel. He came to the United States in 1966 with a suitcase, a Bible and an Arab-American dictionary. He became a U.S. citizen in 1981 and served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta.

The Assembly approved the document “Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ” which attests that “Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord, and all people everywhere are called to place their faith, hope and love in Him.” It goes on to say that “no one is saved apart from God’s gracious redemption in Jesus Christ.” (The complete document itself is available on the Internet at http://www.pcusa.org/pcusa/cmd/cfl/christdoc.htm. It, and a study guide, can be downloaded and printed.)

The Assembly renewed its commitment to Middle East peace, calling for a secure state of Israel and a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank.

The Assembly approved a $40 million mission campaign for international missions and new-church development. The goals are to increase new churches from 30 a year to 50 a year and to add 115 new full-time missionaries to the current force of 400 in more than 80 countries.

More information can be found in “The Presbyterian Outlook” and in “Church News” available in the church office. A report on the whole General Assembly in a well designed form is available at http://www.pcusa.org/ga214/.

We are now receiving pastor resumes known more specifically as Pastor Information Forms (PIFs). As of July 15, 2002, we had received a total of 49 PIFs. The bulk of these have come through the web site of the PCUSA in Louisville. There they compared their file PIFs to our Church Information Form (CIF) by means of a computer search and they came up with 37 profiles that seem to pretty well match our requirements for a pastor. These are called matched-referrals. In addition, our Executive Presbyter has forwarded five PIFs that he has perceived as likely to be good matches for our requirements. These are simply referrals based on the EP’s good judgment. Finally we have received seven PIFs from pastors who saw our CIF posted on the PCUSA web site. These are called self-referrals. We expect to continue receiving referrals until the process is completed and we have a contract with our new pastor. Part of these additional PIFs will likely come from ads that we have placed in “Presbyterian Outlook” and “Presbyterians Today”.

Each one of our PIFs will be reviewed and scored by each member of the PNC. In fact this step is almost complete for the PIFs in hand. The PIFs are divided into three groups on review:

We are beginning to interview, by telephone the references given by those in category (1), after which it will be determined if they will remain in category (1). When a sufficient pool of applicants (5-7) have been fully validated as category (1), we will begin telephone interviews with these candidates. We will listen to their sermons as a part of the process. Ultimately, the interview of secondary references may be involved. How this works will be described soon in an upcoming report.

We hope to be able to select a pastor from the (1) pool. If the match is not there, we will either call for more PIFs and repeat the process, or we will look more closely at the folks in pool (2). It is conceivable that we might have to do both. We remain ever mindful that the Spirit must move both the new pastor and us or we will likely have an unhappy marriage. That is why we have repeatedly asked for your prayers in this matter and take comfort in knowing that they will continue. As we look at our PIFs, we are impressed by the remarkable and talented cadre of disciples that the Lord has made available. The privilege of being able to read their thoughts, journeys, and theology has truly been inspirational and enlightening.

Precise planning of this process is not possible, but we are still on a schedule that could allow us to sign a contract in early December of this year. We will also update this outlook in our future reports.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the Congregation members for your prayers and patience. Thanks also to those who have sent us such things as an article on tools for better understanding people and how they come to the faith, a video with advice on new pastor candidate interviews, and simply letters with helpful ideas for various aspects of the process.

Finally we wish to recognize the indispensable contributions of Marsha Topley to the work and deliberations of the committee. Marsha has been our principal theologian and visionary. She resigned because God has called her to the task of Interim Director of Christian Education where her talents are acutely needed. Nevertheless she will be sorely missed by our committee. Godspeed Marsha and we rejoice in your new assignment!

Sunday, Aug. 25, Presbyterian Women will be recognized during worship, the Coordinating Team will host after-church fellowship, and yearbooks for 2002-03 will be available.

All women who worship at First Presbyterian Church are invited to P.W. circle and guild meetings and Gatherings. An interesting year is planned.

Here are the circles and guilds we currently have, the dates they meet, and the coordinators for each. The groups do not meet during June, July, or August.

Evening Circle: meets the 4^th Wednesday, 7 p.m., in the church parlor, with Jacque Parks as coordinator.

Westminster Guild II: meets the 1^st Monday, 9 a.m., in the church parlor, with Lois Peterson as coordinator.

Circle II: meets the 1^st Monday, 2 p.m., with Joan Lemon as coordinator.

Ruth-Naomi Circle: meets the 1^st Wednesday, 10 a.m., Building A, 2^nd floor north lobby, Good Samaritan Village, with Miriam Walstad and Ruth Brown as coordinators.

Grace Circle: meets the 1^st Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., in the church library, with Alice Cooper as coordinator.

Mary-Martha Circle: meets the 2^nd Tuesday, 9:30 a.m., with Nora Yaryan as coordinator.

We would like to start a circle for women who want to participate but would like a different day and time than these groups have. Call Sue Carter, P.W. Moderator, 522-6898.

These articles are not really meant to feature individual church workers but to highlight some of the work done in the background by some individuals. However it is hard to put this effort into a larger background.

Bob Taylor has a strong calling to keep the needs of foreign missions before our church and he does it in very constructive ways. He and his wife, Floris, moved here some time ago after he retired from teaching at Kansas State University. His particular interest is in the program of the Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship to bring the gospel to previously unreached people. He is not about to let our church forget that we have made a special commitment to support these efforts in Africa and India.

Bob knows that knowledge of, and prayers for, these projects help sustain the interest of the local congregations in these efforts. Therefore he has devoted a major amount of effort over a substantial length of time to see that information on all our mission programs is available to the congregation.

Readers of The Lantern will be familiar with the section called Beyond Our Walls. Bob is completely responsible for this feature. He was instrumental in getting it included. He has written it from the beginning. He even provided it to the church in a form which requires no additional work before insertion into the newsletter. Anyone who has done much writing knows the effort which must be made to produce regularly over a long period of time articles which are informative, interesting, and well constructed. Bob has done this for over three years.

Bob is also responsible for the extraordinary mission booklet which was sent to all in the congregation. He collected the information, checked it for accuracy, and wrote the text for the entire booklet. Along with Phil Faircloth, he designed and produced it, as well as arranged for its distribution.

All this effort requires time and dedication to acquire the information by reading, communication, and even attending national meetings. The distinguishing feature of Bob’s efforts is the implementation. He does not tell somebody that the church needs more information on missions; he prepares and distributes it. He does not tell the Christian Education Committee that a Sunday School class on missions is needed; he prepares and teaches it. Would that more members would do the same.

The Congregation’s Nominating Committee will begin its task this month seeking persons who are qualified and willing to serve a three year term on the Session and on the Diaconate.

Elders rotating off will be: Judith Ames, Ray Carter, Ralph Miller, Bobby Rankin, Bruce White. Marianne Day Watson resigned in the spring. Deacons rotating off will be: Kathi Becker, Alice Cooper, Betty Starkey, Ruth Ann Hurab, Mel Parish and Kathy Walker.

The Committee wants your input along with your prayers. If there is someone you would like the committee to consider, please complete the form included with this issue of The Lantern and turn the form in to any member of the Nominating Committee or place it in the offering plate. You can also bring it to the church office. Committee members are Steve Loman, Chair; Lyn Ames, Susan Grandle, Robert McPherson, Peggy White, Ruth Ford and Johanna Miller.

The church’s web site is first of all a repository of information: information about the church, information about the organization, information about its activities, and information about the people connected with it. Some of this information is current as in the bulletin, calendar, and announcements. Some of the information is historical, as in the past annual reports, and copies of The Lantern. Some of the information is educational and some is useful for backgrounds.

Considerable effort is spent keeping this information up-to-date. An attempt is made to keep the bulletin, calendar, and announcements on the site current. Sometimes, due to scheduling difficulties or absences, this is not possible, but one can usually expect to find the latest information under these headings.

Some of our congregation use the web site to keep track of meetings after the Sunday calendar is misplaced. Others use it as a reminder of exactly when a certain meeting is being held. Still others look at the pictures of people and activities and keep up with the doings of our missionaries. The links section serves as a gateway to more Christian sites than anybody has time to study.

The site has its share visitors who have no other contact with the church. They are looking for information on the city or on Presbyterian churches in the city. They are referred to this site by various search engines, which classify sites by the keywords they use. Recently there has been an increase in those connecting to the site from out of town as those people interested in our search for a new pastor look for more information about the church and its programs.

You can refer others to the site or find it yourself at http://www.zianet.com/fpc.

The all new air-conditioning and heating systems for the sanctuary now in progress will, it is hoped, be completed in early September. As with any other major construction project, it is difficult to pin-point a precise date.

As you can imagine, this is a major undertaking involving the removal of all the present equipment to make room for the new. Our thanks to the Facilities Renewal Committee for the time and effort they have put and continue to put into this project.

The Session is planning to have our 2003 Budget ready by November 1^st. All committee chairpersons are asked to have their budgetary requests turned in to the session by the September meeting.

Any individuals, groups or organizations who have special requests to be considered are asked to please present them in writing to Bobby Rankin, Chair of the Administration Committee.

The Worship Committee has been discussing the need for new robes for our choir. The present ones are very old, very heavy, and very hot. In consultation with members of the choir, the decision was made by the Committee, and approved by the session, to purchase new light weight robes in time for our choir’s return to the choir loft in the fall.

This was not an item included in this year’s budget, however. If you would like to contribute to the purchase of one or more robes, the cost of each robe will be $73.00.

Should you choose to do so, simply make out your check to the church indicating the gift is for the choir robes and mail or drop it by the church office.

We are blessed with a very dedicated and excellent choir. They and we appreciate your support of their ministry to us.

The church library is open any time Jones Hall is open. Do come in to browse and/or borrow from our selection of books. We have light reading from Holy Humor to heavy study books like The Anchor Bible. Biographies from Margaret Erdman’s What’s In a Name? (Did you know that she was a missionary in Mexico when she met Winn? - a most interesting story.) to Miriam, the biblical sister of Moses. And many more!

Recent additions are displayed on open shelves in the library. We will be highlighting individual books in future issues of The Lantern. If you need help, please call Jodie at 524-3374. If no answer leave a message.

The church office will be closing at 12:00 noon every Friday from June 28^th through August 9^th.

The Lantern deadline for August will be Monday the 19th. Please get your articles into the office by this date.

Communion will be served on August 4 and September 1.

June 30 244

July 7 233

July 14 281

July 21 228

Operating Income $36,317.18

Operating Expenses 19,854.95

Total $16,462.23

Operating Income $193,559.63

Operating Expenses 168,399.30

Balance $25,160.33

Presbyterian and Disciples

Campus Ministry at NMSU

2511 Chaparral St. 522-6404

David Sallee, Campus Minister

Sunday, 9:00am Bible Study at Milagro

Coffee Shop

Wednesday, 7:30pm College Student

Fellowship and Study at the Bridge

Friday, 7:00pm Movies and Fun Night at

the Bridge

Monday, 8pm Habitat for Humanity-

Student Chapter at Corbett Center

Tuesday, 4:00pm Christians in social work

Student Chapter at social work building

Birth:

v Steven Jack Loman born July 3, 2002; son of Max and Jasey Loman, grandson of Steve and Janet Loman.

Deaths:

v M.A. Thomas died on June 25, 2002.

Family-to-Family is a free twelve week course for families of individuals with a severe brain disorder. The course is sponsored by NAMI of Dona Ana County and will start in early September. For more information call 373-0199.

08/01 Elisa Poling

08/02 Jeremy Borchert

08/04 Sally Rohe

08/04 Helen Waguespack

08/07 Scotty Burns

08/07 Margaret Burr

08/08 Austin Foos

08/09 Evelyn Horst

08/17 Paul Vaughn

08/19 John Grant

08/20 Michael Salazar

08/20 Kathi Becker

08/20 Ralph Miller

08/22 Lauren Tomlin

08/23 Bill Shuster

08/25 Weslie Garcia

08/25 Eleanor Cox

08/27 Daniel Topley

08/27 Harry Topley

08/27 Margaret Faircloth

08/27 Janet Loman

08/29 Susan Sullivan

08/29 Newton Cox

08/30 Pam Newby

08/30 Bernice Ragan

08/31 Heather Tucker

08/31 Ann Jacobi

The Christian Education Director Search Committee is very pleased to announce that Marsha Topley is our new Interim Christian Education/Youth Director. We know that her faith, enthusiasm and experience will make her effective in this position.

Marsha began work on July 8. She is already deeply involved in planning Christian Education experiences for the children, teens, and adults of our congregation even as everybody else vacations. In fact, plans for Sunday School classes for all ages are already mostly in place. New curriculum for toddlers through adults will encourage all to attend Sunday School this fall. Please mark your calendar for Super Sunday, September 8, 2002. Our youth will introduce us to the joy and purpose of education in Christ Jesus.

I suggest the name of __________________________for consideration to the office of elder____deacon______. The Committee needs additional information about this person, enabling it to decide among the names suggested which to nominate. Please comment on the candidate in the following areas:

GENERAL CHURCHMANSHIP

Attendance at worship______________________________________________

Participation in church activities:____________________________________

Offices held:________________________________________________________

Services rendered:__________________________________________________

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SKILLS

Cooperativeness____________________________________________________

Willingness to learn_________________________________________________

Openness to new ideas______________________________________________

Maturity in judgment_______________________________________________

Ability to follow through on assignments______________________________

PARTICULAR QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS OFFICE

PLEASE TURN THIS FORM IN TO ANY MEMBER OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE; PLACE IT IN THE OFFERING PLATE AT WORSHIP; OR BRING IT TO THE CHURCH OFFICE.

Committee members are: Steve Loman, Chair; Lyn Ames, Susan Grandle, Robert McPherson, Peggy White, Ruth Ford, and Johanna Miller.