The church continues to worship on Facebook Live
at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings
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.
A New Book Club
by Pastor Jim Dougans
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
First Presbyterian Church will host the Maysville VFW Four Chaplains Memorial Service on Sunday, February 5, 2023, at 11:30 a.m., following our regular worship service at 10:45 a.m. Members of the Maysville VFW will lead the Four Chaplains Memorial Service.
Four Chaplains Memorial Service The Story...
"Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, will mark the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the United StatesArmy Transport Dorchester and the selfless acts of four Army chaplains aboard. The Dorchester tragically sunk on Feb. 3, 1943, while crossing the North Atlantic, transporting troops to an American base in Greenland. A German U-boat fired a torpedo that struck the Dorchester, killing 672 of the 902 officers and enlisted men, merchant seamen, and civilian workers aboard. Many of those survivors owe their lives to the courage and leadership exhibited by four chaplains of different faiths, who, in sacrificing their lives, created a unique legacy of brotherhood.
As soldiers rushed to lifeboats, Reverend George Fox (Methodist), Rabbi Alexander Goode, Reverend Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed) and Father John Washington (Roman Catholic) comforted the wounded and directed others to safety. One survivor watched the chaplains distribute life jackets, and when they ran out, they removed theirs and gave them to four young men.
As the Dorchester sank, the chaplains were seen linked arm in arm, praying.
American Legion and VFW posts nationwide remember Four Chaplains Day with memorial services that pay tribute to the courageous chaplains and the brave young men who lost their lives on that fateful night." (Source: American Legion)
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.
Our facebook site is: www.facebook.com/maysvillepcusa.org
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.
INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH ZWEIGART-HOOVER
What is your background in audiology?
I stumbled into the world of audiology by
mistake. I was originally pursuing a career in speech-language pathology, and
my degree required an aural (re)habilitation course. At that point in time, I
had never heard of an audiologist, and I viewed the course as just another
hurdle to get to my degree. The course far exceeded my expectations, and
sparked my interest in the auditory system.
After lots of personal research and overthinking, I decided to apply for
audiology school. When I was accepted into East Tennessee State University’s
program, I knew that I had found my people, and the field that I loved. I
graduated in 2020, and have been working at Midwest Ear, Nose, & Throat
Surgery, PSC, in Evansville, Indiana, as a clinical audiologist ever since. I
love my job for a lot of reasons, but my favorite thing is that every day
brings a unique schedule with unique challenges—I never get bored.
Why do you volunteer with the Academy?
Graduating is a big change. All of my friends
were spread across the country, and I was no longer spending the majority of my
time studying. Furthermore, the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic limited the
ways that I was able to comfortably socialize with people. I was struggling to
find a meaningful way to spend my time when I saw the call for volunteers on
the Academy’s social media. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with
the Student Academy of Audiology Advisory Committee.
I have gotten to meet some wonderful audiologists from across the country, and
I’ve been able to work on some projects that are very personally meaningful to
me to make a difference. My favorite part about volunteering, though, is being
able to work with the students—it’s truly uplifting to see how bright the
future of audiology is.
If you could host a talk show, who would be your first guest?
This was the hardest question for me to answer. Honestly, I’d have to invite some of my patients! I’ve worked with people from five different continents and all walks of life, including a rescue diver, a master woodworker, and some truly special change makers. Several of the most interesting conversations I’ve ever had have been with people at work.
What is the best vacation you have ever had?
The most recent vacation that I took with my then-fiancé, now-husband—we spent a week at the beach. When you’re from the midwest, everything about the beach is exciting, even the tiny lizards that are everywhere. A week of hiking in the sea breeze, parasailing, and eating some excellent food is a week well spent!
What is your favorite hobby?
When the weather is nice, I enjoy hiking with my husband. When the weather is not nice, my favorite hobby is soap-making. It’s relaxing AND it makes my house smell wonderful. I also keep two dogs, two cats, and two aquariums, but I’m not sure if “being a zookeeper” counts as a hobby.