A new year has brought new changes to our Sunday School programs.

The Coffee House, open to everyone ages 12 and up including adults, will now meet each week starting at 9:00 a.m. in the Youth Group Room. Joins us for fellowship and discussion!  Adults may also choose to meet with leader Nancy Siewert at 8:45 a.m. in the Library to discuss issues of interest to Presbyterians.  The current topic is Islam.

The children’s Sunday School program has broken into two age groups, Pre-Kindergarten to First Grade and Second to Fifth Grade, and will continue to use the Live BIG curriculum.  Both classes  will meet at 8:45 in the church sanctuary for a special opening program led by the Christian Education Director before moving to the Sunday School rooms. If you are interested in leading or helping in a children's Sunday School class contact CE Director Megan Jurrens.  

Pastor Randy will be in Grand Rapids, Michigan in late January to attend the annual Calvin Symposium on Worship.  The Symposium is a three-day conference sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Center for Excellence in Preaching.

This ecumenical conference brings together a wide audience of pastors, worship leaders and planners, artists, musicians, scholars, students, and other interested worshipers. This year, more than 1800 participants will gather from 30 countries and 40 different denominations.

All of the worship services and the N.T. Wright plenary address will be live video-streamed from the website.  See the schedule at: http://worship.calvin.edu/symposium/video/
 

Phil Swartz, from P.J. Swartz Pipe Organ Services, has delivered the new organ console.  The console is a two manual draw knob console with concealed casters for mobility.  Some of the new pipes have also arrived, along with the blower and reservoirs.  The rebuilding of the vintage Wangerin organ has now moved to the chamber room.

The campaign committee reports that $127,036 has been received in pledges and gifts.  You may donate by using the commitment form.  Thank you for your support of the music program at First Presbyterian Church!

A new community partner is now using rooms in our facility.  The Institute for Learning in Retirement serves adults in the community by offering non-credit courses that serve their interests.  If you are retired and wish to learn more about this program, check it out at Learning in Retirement.

Pastor Randy has begun a series of blogs on a possible mission trip to Russia in late summer 2012.  You can read his thoughts in connection this trip and learn more about it in Pastor Randy's blog.