Maysville Presbyterian

Covid Policy Update (August 7, 2022)

Covid continues to linger in Maysville, Mays Lick, and surrounding counties. 

The session recommends that members stay up to date on current trends. 

Information is posted weekly on two websites: the Community Levels by County website updates on Friday govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19. 

The Current Incident Rate Map website updates every Monday. kycovid19.ky.gov - KY COVID Data Dashboard (egov.com). The current policy of the church, formulated by the session, is to continue as we have been, leaving mask-wearing and social distancing up to each individual and family. You will find masks and hand sanitizer at the church entrance.

Maysville loves book clubs. I hope you will love the new book club we are inaugurating at the church. Per the church’s strategic plan I have been given the privilege of launching a book club. I was supposed to get this started in January, but oh well. One month late is not too bad. I was also given the assignment to choose the first book.

Our first book will be What Hardy Found, by George B. Thompson, Jr. I first met George at the Wee Kirk Conference in North Carolina last fall. George is a prolific writer, the author of many books. I found him, and his wife Beverly,

to be excellent workshop leaders.

What Hardy Found is about a twelve-year-old named Hardy. He has moved to the mountains with his widowed mother. The boy loves exploring the land around the family cabin, looking for signs of generations gone by. Hardy’s

explorations result in a warning to stay away. Hardy persists anyway and makes some startling discoveries. Through the characters and events in this story, readers are invited to reflect on the deep struggles of race and identity in America with new insight and fresh hope.

The next question, having chosen the book, is when to meet? Would you like to meet during the day or evening? What day of the week is best? Please let me know by call or text (317.513.8229) or email jvdougans@gmail.com.

Cheers,

Pastor Jim

PS-This will be a hybrid meeting, meaning both inperson and by zoom.

by Pastor Jim Dougans

In 1990, a simple prayer: "Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat" was delivered to a small youth group at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC led by Brad Smith, who was serving as a seminary intern at the time.

This gave birth to an idea. Why not harness the energy and enthusiasm of Super Bowl weekend, a time when people come together for football, food and fun, to unite the nation for a higher good? Individuals and groups could collect dollars in soup pots and canned food for those in need and send every dollar and food donation DIRECTLY to a local charity of THEIR choice.

The first year, they invited 22 area churches to join the team and collected $5,700 with 100% of donations distributed to local-area charities.

That was 1990. Since then, Tackle Hunger, with its signature Souper Bowl of Caring event has become a national, grass-roots, youth-inspired movement where ordinary people are doing extraordinary good. Over $170 MILLION in dollars and food has been generated while benefiting thousands of soup kitchens, food banks, meal programs and other hunger-relief charities in local communities.

Thousands of participants including: churches, schools, youth groups, community partners, grocery partners, local businesses, media partners, NFL teams and passionate individuals have experienced for themselves, the joy and satisfaction of giving, serving and inspiring people across the country to follow their generous example.

Souper Bowl will be celebrated here at FPC on February 12, 2023. Members are encouraged to bring canned soup, crackers, peanut butter (or whatever stable pantry goods you might want) to church with you. There will be a basket for all donated items to be sent to the food pantry. If you’d prefer a monetary donation, you can make out a check noting in the memo line that it is for Souper Bowl/ Food Pantry. Rebecca Cartmell’s dollars at the food pantry go further than ours at the grocery. Thanks in advance for your always generous donations

Picture of the  bell of First Presbyterian Church in Mayfield found in the rubble of the church building is courtesy of First Presbyterian Church

Just a little over a year ago, the Mayfield Presbyterian Church was completely destroyed in

a tornado. We were all overwhelmed at the loss of buildings and lives in the community.

But as is so typical of our conditioning through the current media, we see a story, experience

the expected emotion, but then the news marches on to The Next Big Thing. Too often

the real story is in the recovery after the disaster, sort of like that, “still small voice” in the

book of Kings. God was not in the fire or the earthquake, but was there in the quiet after the

storm. I thought it might be a good idea to check in and see what is going on now. Where

are they in their recovery? Are they still together as a church? Has the difficulty caused a

rift between those who want to rebuild what they had and those who want to create a new

legacy? (The following is from...Presbyterianmission.org.)

“Mayfield is small enough that there’s a lot of pride in the community and what happens, and everybody wants to be … a part of its rebirth,” said Don Barger, the commissioned lay pastor who serves First Presbyterian Church.

To that end, the congregation has acquired an architect, an engineer and a consulting group that serves as a liaison with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It also has established small groups to provide suggestions about

various aspects of the project. But circumstances prevent members from establishing a specific timeline for rebuilding.

“We’re working on God’s time, and we don’t know what that timeline looks like,” Barger said. “But we’re also working on FEMA(‘s) timeline, and we certainly don’t know what that looks like. We continue to work with FEMA on a weekly basis,” trying to “find out exactly how much funding we might be able to receive from FEMA towards the construction of the new building.”

 “There’s a new purpose in planning and working together and trying to decide what you need as a group,” said FPC’s clerk of session, Melinda Craig, who’s been a member since around 1980 and holds many fond memories of the church. “God always brings good things out of bad things.”

Meanwhile, the church, which is more than 100 years old, has bought property nearby that will not only provide space for overflow parking once a new sanctuary is built but also house a planned new building, where people recovering from alcohol and substance abuse will be able to meet. That’s a role the church filled prior to the tornado and wants to continue, Usher said. The building also will be a place that the congregation can use until the main sanctuary is complete.

Before the tornado outbreak, the church had essentially three buildings — a sanctuary, an education/administration building and a ministry building with a huge kitchen. Items that have been recovered include pieces of stained glass that are being transformed into ornaments and jewelry for sale, and the bell from the church’s former bell tower.

The bell of First Presbyterian Church in Mayfield was found in the rubble of the church building after it was destroyed by a December 2021 tornado.  “We are in the process of trying to come up with a number on what it would cost to build all three buildings back exactly like they were, only now with current building codes and standards,” Usher said. “I mean, the stained-glass windows, the organ … everything that we had … all the ornate woodwork and brickwork. It’s going to cost a whole lot of money.”

In the meantime, the congregation will continue to hold services at Kendor Wood, a cabinet door manufacturer in Mayfield that’s owned by a member family, the Uptons, and remains committed to moving forward with zeal.

Church mailing address is 21 W. 3rd St., Maysville, KY 41056.

Session Meeting will be held on Monday, February  27th at 5:30 p.m.

Offerings: You may mail your checks to 21 W. 3rd St., 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.

Presbyterian Women’s Evening Circle Bible Study will meet on February 8, 2023 at 6:00 p.m.

Bible Study will meet on Wednesdays, February 1, 15, and 22nd at 6:00 p.m.

Ash Wednesday Service: Feb. 22, 2023 at 7:00 pm we will host the annual Ash Wednesday service

here at First. We will be joined in our service by First Christian and Mill Creek Christian .

Souper Bowl Sunday: Sunday February 12th is Souper Bowl Sunday. A time for giving to the Maysville-Mason County Food Bank. We ask that you bring cans of soup, crackers, and/or peanut butter to church that Sunday for the Food Bank. If you do not want to bring items, you can make a check to the Church with MMC Food Bank on the memo line.

Mid-Winter Dinner: The annual Mid-Winter Dinner will be Sunday, February 26th at 6:00 p.m. The meal will be prepared by men of the church. Any men that would like to help are invited to come to the church at 2:30 p.m. to help with

the preparation of the meal. All church members are invited to the dinner. The “snow date” will be the next 

Sunday, March 5, 2023.

Session Class of 2025: New/ returning members of the Session are Kate Kreig, and Cathy Webb. Thanks for agreeing to serve on session.

Deacons Meeting: Deacons will meet on February 15 at 4:00 pm

Church Office will be closed on February 20 for President’s Day

Dr. Craig Denham will be speaking at the Rotary Club on February 7 at noon.

Children’s Church: Spiritual Development will begin having a Junior Church on the second and fourth Sunday during regular church time for the children. It will begin after the choir’s anthem is sung. First session is February 12, 2023.

Mason County Tennis Fundraiser: On February 11, there will be a fundraiser for the Mason County tennis teams at Applebee’s. The cost is just $10.00, which entitles you to a relaxing breakfast of pancakes and bacon . The dining room will be open from 8 am to 10 am. Tickets are available at the door. It’s for a great cause, supporting the tennis team, but attending also sends a positive message to businesses in town who are willing to help in the community.