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Church mailing address is P O Box 490, Maysville, KY 41056.

The post office will not deliver if addressed to 21 W. 3rd St. 

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Ten Questions

by Pastor Jim Dougans


 Shortly after I came to Maysville Presbyterian some members began giving me copies of columns written by Pastor Paul

Prather. Paul is the pastor of Bethesda Church near Mount Sterling. He also writes a weekly column for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Last year we started a subscription to the paper. Now I can read his column every week. Pastor Prather is scheduled to come to First

Presbyterian to speak on Sunday, April 25, 2021. This appearance is of course subject to change based upon what is happening with the

virus.


Pastor Prather’s last column of the year featured ten reflection questions. His wife Liz gave these questions to her students at Fayette

County’s School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Paul borrowed these questions and answered some of them. I think this is a good list and a good exercise for us all as we think about 2020 and the year ahead. You don’t have to answer all ten. Take

what you like and leave the rest. What follows are the ten questions and my answers to three of the questions.


1. What’s one farewell you need to make?

2. What’s one praise you’d like to give?


I praise you the members and friends of First Presbyterian Church for your steadfastness. This year has been a difficult one. Yet, you have stayed strong, supported the church with your tithes and offerings, regularly worshipped via Facebook Live, and done your best to maintain the momentum of Christ’s community in this time and place. You have adapted to meeting via Zoom. You have supported Jennifer

and me with your prayers. When we could worship in the sanctuary you observed the safety protocols. I am proud of you.


3. What’s one wish you’d like to grant?

4. What’s one mistake you want to make right?

5. What’s one dream you’re holding onto?

6. What’s one blunder you learned from?

7. What’s one joy that brings you happiness?

8. What’s one disappointment that hurt your heart?


One thing that hurt my heart this year was hearing from Black members of the Limestone Area Ministerial Association about the challenges they face because of the color of their skin. They told of discrimination, profiling, and fearing for their safety when traveling. I was disappointed that these incidents are still occurring. I hope that we can do better in 2021 as a city, state, and nation.


9. What’s one anger you need to lay down?

10. What’s one hope that will carry you forward into the new year?


Maysville Presbyterian is blessed with an attractive sanctuary, financial resources, able leadership, and a devoted congregation. What is missing is a clear vision. Some of the first words I heard when interviewing with the search team back in 2015 were, “we are unclear about what God is calling us to be and do in this time and place.” The session has budgeted money to do a strategic planning in 2021. I trust we will achieve greater clarity of God’s call through a strategic planning process.


May we have a healthy, prosperous 2021. And to quote Tiny Tim, “God bless us, everyone!”


Pastor Jim

 


Urgent!!

Scam Alert



Recently there have been a rash of email hacks where an unscrupulous actor gains access to an email address

book, crafts a new but similar Gmail account and then proceeds to send out an email from that account

to solicit some form of funds via gift cards (eBay, Visa, etc) or other online method.


This has happened to me multiple times as well as our Synod Leaders and Pastors in our Presbytery. I have

also received emails from some of you that were clearly not from you and gave me pause. Be warned, these

are subtle and often look authentic at first glance. The email address is just close enough to look real and

since few of us really look at the email address of the person sending it to us, it’s easy to see it and think it’s

legitimate. It will usually contain something that will make it look as if it’s coming from a “religious” person

using phrases that we might normally see. This is all a ruse to get you to respond and get you to send

them an untraceable form of money.


So I’m inviting you to be extra vigilant, especially during this holiday season. If you get an odd email requesting any kind of money, it is probably a fraud.


I will never, nor will the Presbytery, solicit any kind of gift card or monetary request via email. However, if

you are wondering if it’s real, please call us immediately. Do not respond to the email.


And if you get any unsolicited request for money or gift card, please stop and contact the person via a

known email address or call them to check to see if it’s legitimate. Chances are, it’s not.


Have a Very Happy Advent and Christmas Season,


Philip Lotspeich

General Presbyter

Transylvania Presbytery

(859) 608-1207

Places to Call to Get Help:

Assistance Available 24 Hours a Day

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

(800) 273-8255

Crisis Hotline

(Comprehend)

(877) 852-1523

__________________________________

Comprehend

611 Forest Avenue

Maysville, KY 41056

(606) 564-4016

Presbyterian Women’s Bible Study


Starting the second Wednesday in January at 6:00 p.m., Evening Circle

will be holding a Bible Study on Zoom. The title is: INTO THE LIGHT - Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament by Lynn Miller.


In this study, the author revives lament as a proper theological response to difficult situations of our world. One of the fundamental points of the study is that, in scripture, lament usually leads to hope. After crying out to God, the one who laments remembers God. And while that doesn’t fix things in the moment - the injustice, the loss, still exists - the lamenter is strengthened to face the world and to hope. And for us as Christians, hope is not just an emotional response or an attitude of pie in the sky. Hope implies movement: both God’s inherent movement toward justice and our movement toward God. Recovering lament may be one of the church’s most timely gifts to the

world.


With the trying times we have experienced with COVID, this study can be most helpful to everyone. Please contact Pastor Jim if you need to get set up for Zoom. Also, you may contact Karen Wood or Linda Reed, if you wish to join.

We are looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 on Zoom.

Virtual Tour of Petra


The next virtual tour will be of the ancient architectural city of Petra in

southern Jordan. Petra is also called the “Rose City” because of the

color of the stone from which it is carved. It has been a UNESCO

World Heritage Site since 1985. The zoom tour will take place on

Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. To request the Zoom link

please contact the church office or visit the church’s Facebook page

Our facebook site is: www.facebook.com/maysvillepcusa.org



Church mailing address is P O Box 490, Maysville, KY 41056.

The post office will not deliver if addressed to 21 W. 3rd St. 



Session Meeting will be held on Monday, January 25th at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom.


Bible Study on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.


Presbyterian Women Bible Study will meet on Wednesday, January 13th at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.


Offerings: You may mail your checks to P O Box 490, Maysville, KY 41056, if you wish to mail in your

offerings while we are going through this pandemic or you may pay by credit or debit card through a link

on the church’s website: www.maysvillepresbyterian.org.


Session Class of 2023: On Sunday, December 13, 2020 three new members were approved by the congregation to serve on the new Session. They are Fran Sarver, Peg Crum and Sparky McDowell.


Weekly Walk: As Pastor Jim mentioned in his sermon on November 15th, walking is an antidote for the

challenge we are currently experiencing. Please join him at the church for a weekly walk, every Monday

at 2:00 p.m.


Bell-Ringers: On March 24, 2020, Gov. Beshear asked churches to ring their bells on Sunday morning.

First Presbyterian Church has done just that each Sunday morning. We are looking for bell-ringers to assist

the two people now ringing the bell. The bell is rung at 10:30 every Sunday morning. It takes just five

minutes. If you are interested please contact Pastor Jim at 317.513.8229 by phone or text.


Christmas Tree: Our Christmas tree was donated in memory of Dr. Mitchel and Harriet Denham, Louis T.

Breslin and Mary Ann Denham. Thank you so much!


Christmas Joy Offering: We continue to collect the Christmas Joy Offering. We have collected $425.

By supporting the Christmas Joy Offering, you honor God’s gift of Jesus Christ by providing assistance to

current and retired church workers in their time of need and developing our future leaders at Presbyterian related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. Please write “Christmas Joy Offering” on the

memo line of your check. Thank you!


Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2021 after the church service. There will

be more information coming in the next few weeks.


Committee Reports: Committee reports need to be in the office by Monday, January 18, 2021 for the

Congregational Meeting packet. Thank you!


The Youth Group will meet on January 3, January 17 and January 31 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom.


The Older Youth Group will meet on January 10 and January 24 at 5:30 p.m.


Virtual Tour of the City of Petra on January 19th at 3:00 p.m. via Zoom.


The church continues to worship on Facebook Live

 at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings


Worship Team

Pastor - Jim Dougans

Song Leader and Musician - Nicholas Denham

Pianist - Joey O’Cull

Organist - Kristen Carlson

Organist - Suzan Ross

Videographer - Walker Wood

Assistant Videographer - Drew Wood

Bell Ringers - David Harnish and Mike Denham

Webmaster - Bette Sledd

Secretary/Bookkeeper - Gwen Tuel

CLICK ON CALENDAR TO PRINT ALONG WITH BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES.

There is a basket on the table in the back of the sanctuary with note cards, envelopes, pens, labels and
stamps. These cards will go to people on the prayer list and the homebound.

 If you know someone’s address on this list please give it to Gwen in the office so she can make labels with their name and address for your convenience. Thanks!

Over 200 families are served by the Mason County

Food Bank each month. Please consider a financial

contribution to Limestone Ministries, Inc. and/or the

Mason County Food Bank, because despite regular

food donations from area churches, food still needs to be purchased

each month. Mason County Food Bank is the only one available since the Calvary Baptist Food Bank closed. Any non-perishable item will be accepted, but the most needed items are: spaghetti sauce, boxed spaghetti, macaroni & cheese dinners, dried beans, saltine crackers, cornbread mix, peanut butter, oats, cereal, canned soup, canned vegetables, and canned fruit. Cash donations are welcome also! If you write a check, please make it payable to the First Presbyterian Church and put ‘FOOD BANK’ on the memo line. Or you can sendfunds directly to the Mason County Food Bank,  located at 1679Forest Avenue, Maysville, KY 41056. Food Bank hours are temporarily, Thursday from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. If needed, Rebecca Cartmell can be called and will meet with the individual. Food Bank phone number is 606-375-6863.