LENT 2023
“Seeking: Honest Questions for Deeper Faith”: The scripture passages this Lent offer us.many stories of Jesus encountering people who are seeking: Nicodemus comes to him in the veil of night, he approaches a Samaritan woman at a well, he heals a man born without sight. In these stories, each person is seeking a new beginning, a different life, a deeper faith. What unfolds is an exchange filled with questions and exploration. Often, an unveiling occurs —assumptions are disrupted, a new perspective is revealed, mystery grows. Like the characters in our Lenten scriptures, we are also seeking many things: clarity, connection, wonder, justice, balance. We are seeking our calling, the sacred, and how to live as a disciple. Throughout the turbulence of the past few years, many of us are asking big questions about our lives and our faith. We hope this series will help us unpack some of those big questions in ways that are honest and faithful. Throughout this season, we hope you will continually ask yourself: what am I seeking? What is God seeking? Join us for the beginning of Lent and worship on Ash Wednesday, 7:00pm, in the Chapel.
Logos: Exploring Our Theology with the FPC Ministers Midweek Study: Hey Everybody! After speaking with many of you and hearing about your interest, I am pleased to announce that we are moving the new Logos class to Wednesday night as a midweek study! This class will run for five weeks exploring the book The Cross and The Lynching Tree: by Dr. James H. Cone and act as a type of Lenten series. We will explore challenging topics and ask questions about ourselves, our faith, and how we feel about our connection to God. This class will now meet at 6:00 PM in the Parlor starting on March 1st and conclude at 7:30 PM. We will begin with a midweek meal, followed by our study at 6:30 PM. You can register for the class by either notifying Pastor Max (mmichaels@firstpresfortwayne.org) or signing up on Realm. Please register ahead of time so that we can get a copy of the book to you! This study is an excellent opportunity for fellowship, reflection, and learning alongside other community members. We look forward to seeing you there
MISSIONS
Monthly Food Pantry Collection: We will be collecting food today. You can place food on the table in the narthex or you can drop off items during church office hours (Mon-Thurs. 9:00am-3:00pm and on Fridays, 9:00am-12:00pm) or on Sunday mornings. If you are still participating remotely, you can continue to send monetary donations to the financial office.
St. Joseph’s Mission Meal: It is wonderful to learn that in 2022 the St. Joseph’s Mission for Women was able to provide safe, warm shelter for 157 women who had nowhere to turn. We are grateful to be a part of this mission.
Our monthly meal will be on Monday February 27th. Sign-up for food prep will be in the small dining room on next Sunday – the 19th. Be sure sign up on your way to get chili in McKay Hall.
THE ARTS
New Gallery Exhibit: The third exhibit of the 2022-23 FPC Gallery Series, Knife’s Edge—Papercutting. The exhibit features the art of Lou Hii, originally of Brunei, Borneo, now living in Indianapolis, and Janice Furtner of Fort Wayne, Indiana. A selection of photographs from Taizhou, China, a Fort Wayne sister city, will also be on exhibit.
Parish Art Exhibit Update: Who may exhibit in the March 24-May 21 Parish Art Exhibit in the Gallery? You may be church members or non-members who attend First Presbyterian worship services, staff, or children or grandchildren of same. The gallery starts receiving artwork on March 1, but we are now collecting names of potential exhibitors. Please email or call Sarah if you are thinking about exhibiting. This will help with planning. Contact Sarah Savage with any questions: savage2426@gmail.com or 260-482-5112.
Theatre: Season Tickets are now on sale for First Pres Theater’s 2023/24 Season of Love! The ambitious productions include four Fort Wayne premiers, and a collaboration with Fort Wayne Youtheatre. FPT will present Bedroom Farce, Head Over Heels, Almost Maine, The Prom (with Fort Wayne Youtheatre), and The Father. Season tickets available through ArtsTix by calling 260-422-4226 or online by visiting www.artstix.com.