Vine & Branches is a fellowship group of parents and young couples that meets monthly for a variety of activities - sometimes with children, sometimes without. Plan to join us on Saturday,

May 2 for a picnic at City of Rocks with an optional overnight camping trip (Friday night). Also in May, Vine and Branches will sponsor the Outreach Dinner for prospective church members by providing the meal. Come join us also on Sunday, June 21, when we go to El Paso to watch the Diablos play and enjoy twenty-five cent hot-dogs! Tickets are $5.00 per person for box seats. We will meet at the church at 5:00 PM. Call Brian McPherson (525-2969) or the church office (526-5559) by June 1 to make reservations.

In-Betweeners is a fellowship group of "empty nesters" (singles and couples) that meets each month for different activities. They also go out to lunch on the third Sunday each month. There will be a potluck at the Parks’ home (2420 Janet Ann Lane) Friday, May 22 at 6:30 PM. They will also be attending the Soup Kitchen Brunch on May 24 after worship. There will be a $12.00 donation which includes brunch and drawings for door prizes.

Desert Cruisers is a group of retired people (singles and couples) that will meet on May 18 at noon in Reeves Hall. Everyone is welcome to join us for a time of fellowship, potluck lunch and program on "Are Presbyterians really God’s frozen people?" Come and find out! Bring a dish to share and your own table service.

David Sallee, Campus Minister

May 6 - 7:00 PM

Praise Music Sing-A-Long

May 7 - 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Pressing On plays on Corbett Stage

April Income and Expenses:

Operating Income $ 27,988.63

Budgeted Expenses 22,604.83

Balance 5,383.80

Year-to-Date through April:

Operating Income $113,309.04

Budgeted Expenses 106,792.73

Balance 6,516.31

Upcoming expenses in May:

Board of Pensions $4,858.68

Commercial Insurance

If you are, or you know of, a graduating senior this spring or last December, please contact the church office and let us know as soon as possible. This would include high school and college graduates.

 May 17 by Mid-School Youth

Beginning Saturday, June 6, the camp will host Saturday evening worship services staffed by First Presbyterian Church in Ruidoso. Be sure to join them if you are in the area!

The camp now has a dedicated fax line (505-687-3577) to handle registrations and other business.

There is a "wish list" and a list of construction projects needed at the camp posted on the bulletin board in Jones.

The Diaries of Adam and Eve

will be presented by the

Camp Chimney Spring Players,

Nora Yaryan and Ray Carter

The total of this year’s offering for One Great Hour of Sharing was $14,958.10!!

(Our goal was $8400!)

You might say that Presbyterians raise $9 million in just five minutes - the time it takes to receive the One Great Hour of Sharing offering on Easter in congregations across the country! This outpouring of money makes Disaster Relief funds ready to send to places like Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas and Nashville within a few hours of the destruction by tornadoes. In the name and service of Jesus, our congregation was there. Thank you.

The Session received a comprehensive report on the focus groups at their last meeting. As a result of that report, they took a number of actions, including continuing work on an information booklet on the church for visitors, publication of the actions by the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee, exploring costs of expanding The Lantern, further interaction and conversation with the congregation, and regular publication of financial information.

The full report will be mailed to the congregation in about a week. This report is a summary of the almost 100 pages of comments produced by the recorders at the twenty-one focus groups which were attended by almost 200 people. Several copies of the complete and unedited notes submitted by the recorders are available for reading in the church office.

Help Needed with Transportation

The Board of Deacons provides rides for many of our members to come to worship on Sundays. The van is usually quite full coming from Good Samaritan. Rides are needed for people in other parts of the city.

Would you be willing to drive someone who lives near you? If so, please call the church office and volunteer. Continuing to be a part of our church family at worship is very important to many of our elderly members.

door prizes.

Many of our members give regularly of their time and energy by volunteering at the Soup Kitchen each week. Now we can all help by attending this brunch!

 Women’s Conference for

Spiritual Renewal

July 24-25

Albuquerque

Cost: $87.00 + meals

You can still join the twelve women going!

Just call . . . Call Beverly Briggs (522-1445) or Janet McPherson (524-3831) right away!

It is time to signup now for this weekend of work and spiritual renewal. Meals and accommodations will be provided for Friday evening through Sunday lunch. Total cost for the weekend is just $15. (Donations for building supplies will be greatly appreciated.)

Work projects include: a "low ropes course", lots of painting, landscape work, repair of the lodge deck railing, stripping of three wash house roofs, removal of the fireplace in the lodge, and finishing the bunk house.

Men - You are needed! Sign-up in the church office. If you have questions, call Ray Carter (522-6898).

There will be no Sunday School classes during July and on August 2. This provides a time for rest, relaxation, and planning for our teachers and participants.

The Christian Education Committee has some wonderful plans for June and August and is looking for teachers for our children, youth and adults. You need only volunteer for one or two Sundays. We’ll give you all the support, materials and training you’ll need! Please call

Joyce Gemoets (524-8504) or

Jackie Poling (526-5559).

Donna Evans, stationed in the Philippines with Wycliffe Bible Translators, reports that the manuscript for the Sulawesi New Testament she has been working on is now being checked. Please pray for this work and the relief efforts for thousands of people starving in eastern Indonesia.

Lu Stephens continues to serve with the Navigators while she is based in Portland, Oregon. She is ministering to Japanese students as well as students from China, Taiwan, Turkey, El Salvador and Korea. Pray for her continued health and adaptability to be effective with many student groups.

Address corrections:

* Ann Ewalt

3025 Terrace Dr. #501B

Las Cruces, NM 88011

522-1362 - East wing ext. 151

* Helma Keil

3025 Terrace Dr. $508

Weddings:

Erika Sallee and John Ives will be married May 2 at 7:00 PM at Northminster Presbyterian.

Brandi Serrano-Blackmon and

Jon Gorzeman will be married on June 20 in Farmington, NM.

Julie Maurer and Chris Mills will be married on May 30 in our Sanctuary.

Births:

Max Coronel Kuivenhaven was born on February 25. Laura and David Kuivenhaven are proud parents.

Harriet and Al Johnson have a new grandbaby, Andi Denise Johnson born on April 2. The parents are Donald and Jaime Johnson.

Carol and Mell Peterson have a new grandbaby, Kayleigh Michelle Sather born on February 24. The parents are Karen and Mark Sather.

Deaths:

Olive Poling on April 3.

Floyd Sovereign on April 10.

A Thank you:

John, Jackie, Paul, Amy, and Elisa Poling say "thank you" to this congregation for the outpouring of prayers, meals, and support on the death of John’s mother, Olive. "We are so grateful to be part of a strong faith community."

* John and Jackie Poling will be helping

lead a Wee Kirk Conference in Jackson,

Wyoming on May 4-8.

* John will be providing spiritual

leadership at the Men’s Work Retreat at

The Lantern

Publisher: John C. Poling

Editor: Jackie Poling

Production/Distribution: Tammy Prahl

The Lantern is a monthly publication of First Presbyterian Church, Las Cruces, NM. Articles, photos and comments are welcome, and will be used at the discretion of the publisher and editor. For further information, call 526-5559

Mid-School Room Renovation

starting in May watch for