First Presbyterian Church

April, 2022

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Do April showers really bring May flowers? For many years it would seem to be so. We can water our lawns and garden with sprinkler systems, but those showers from above seem to enrich and enliven the plants and grass around us.
April is a full month with Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter along with Easter egg hunts and all sorts of events in the community. It is a busy month! We won’t realize the significance of all that will be happening without the showers of blessings sent from above.
The old hymn rings true…”There shall be showers of blessing, this is the promise of love; there shall be seasons refreshing, Sent from the Savior above. There shall be showers of blessing, Send them upon us, O Lord; Grant to us now a refreshing, Come and now honor thy word. Shower of blessings, showers of blessings we need: Mercy drops round us are fallings, but for the showers we plead.”
Plead for those showers of blessing. Plead for a daily anointing of God’s blessing. These spiritual showers will make you blossom and bloom, and grow in Christ-likeness.
Holy Week services will be held at Donalsonville Church of God, beginning on Monday, April 11. First Presbyterian is responsible for the service and soup and sandwiches on Wednesday, the 13th. Services will begin with lunch at noon, followed at 12:25 with music and devotion, ending before 1:00 for those needing to return to work.
Grace and Peace,
Brother Stephen

Mark your calendar! Our Easter Egg hunt is Saturday, April 16 from 10 am until 11:30 am at the home of Dr. Josh and Mrs. Kendra Walker. Each child, ages 5th grade and below, is invited and asked to bring at least 12 stuffed eggs. Come and join the fun!
Session Notes
Dave Bailey opened the meeting with prayer. There will be a Maundy Thursday service with communion at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 14. Lynn Whittle informed the Session that our One Great Hour of Sharing program will be on Sunday, April 17. The Donalsonville Church of God will host the Holy Week services. We will provide the speaker and the lunch for Wednesday. The youth summer mission trip to Kentucky was discussed. The Session voted to pay any balance due after the youth raises money through their fund raising events. Someone is checking on the prices of an electric stove and a gas stove. The discernment team has met with the Presbytery’s team and we are going to schedule a meeting with Rev. Deb Tregaskis. Brother Stephen’s contract runs until May 1. While he is on vacation for May, Jerry Little will serve as our interim. New trustees for the corporation will be active Session members who will serve a three-year term that coincides with their Session term. The meeting was closed by short prayers by everyone.

The Seminole County Ministerial Association has voted to have a Bible reading marathon, Friday, April 29 through May 5th. If you would like to participate for a time slot, please call Rev. Gary Walker at 478-335-8473, or email pastorgmw@gmail.com.

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4th Lauren Spooner 17th Dot Nickoley
15th John Clarke 18th Lynn Whittle
15th Maggie Hornsby 27th Jase Walker
16th Bradley Grantham 28th Billy Grantham
29th Benjamen Spooner (son)

None known

IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
Mary Goodwin Van Ponder Carolyn McLeod Margaret Breedlove
Abbie Ware Margo Harrell Brittany Scott Vicki Asbel
Polly Aycock Buck Goodwin Mike LeGrone Tammy Hornsby
J C Carr
Ensign Charles Register, US Navy Captain Warren Youmans, US Air Force

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Manna Food Drop
April 17 8 AM
Friendship United Methodist Church

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Sponsored by The Seminole County Ministerial Association
April 11- 15, 2022 Noon until 1:00 pm with lunch provided
Donalsonville Church of God -- Life Center
5060 Highway 91 North
Donalsonville, GA
Service date Speaker and Host Church
Monday, April 11 Philip Kirkland – Donalsonville Church of God
Tuesday, April 12 Nate Lehman – Friendship Methodist Church
Wednesday, April 13 Stephen Webb – First Presbyterian
Thursday, April 14 Michael Wingertsahn – First Baptist
Friday, April 15 David Williams – Iron City Baptist Church
Service will be limited to one hour including lunch. Order of Service will include: musical singing, reading of scripture, preaching and benediction. An offering basket will be available for contributions to the Seminole County Ministerial Association Transient Fund.
Theme for the week is Philippians 1:18 “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

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Seussical, Jr. A Trip to Who-Ville
If you missed the performance of Seussical, Jr., you missed a great example of the talented young people in our community. Mary Kate Kelley, Lilly Cunningham, Brooke Robinson, Wes Fain, and Malyn Smith were just a few of the amazing actors!
The ladies that are seated are residents of Great Gran’s that were able to attend the production. They had a blast!

Our middle school youth had a great time at Escape Dothan this afternoon! Some of us made it out and some of us didn’t, but fun was had by all!

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WHAT IS DNOW?
“DNow” stands for Disciple Now. In its simplest form, a Disciple Now weekend is a retreat for a youth ministry. While many do some form of a retreat for students, there are a few distinctions that provide a unique environment for your students to grow spiritually:
Discipleship Oriented Host Homes & Small Groups Church/Community Focused
Service Opportunities
DNow Weekends point students deeper into their relationship with Jesus and deeper into their relationship with their peers by bringing the gospel into their lives. ~ Justin Gravlee, youth minister

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YOUTH MISSION TRIP
On December 10, 2021, a violent, long-tracked tornado moved across Western Kentucky, producing severe to catastrophic damage in numerous towns, including Mayfield, Princeton, Dawson Springs, and Bremen. Crossing through eleven counties of the Jackson Purchase and Western Coal Field regions during its lifespan, the tornado was exceptionally long-tracked, traveling 168.5 miles (271.2 km) while at times becoming wrapped in rain. It was the deadliest and longest-tracked tornado in an outbreak that produced numerous strong tornadoes in several states; 56 fatalities were confirmed in the tornado. The second significant tornado in an exceedingly long-tracked tornado family, this tornado began just inside northern Obion County, Tennessee, a few miles after another long-tracked EF4 tornado – which traveled through northeast Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, and northwest Tennessee – dissipated in western Obion County.
Our Youth group and chaperones will be visiting this area beginning May 29. Since we were victims of Hurricane Michael, these young people know the feelings of a natural disaster loss.
“We will be having fundraisers to help our youth raise money for the cost of this trip, and all donations are welcomed and appreciated,” stated Justin Gravlee, youth minister.

General Account (3/27/22)
Revenue + 11,143.50
Expenses - 18,192.71
Difference (7,049.21)
Building Account
Revenue 450.00

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DATES TO REMEMBER

April 4-8 Spring holidays for SGA and Seminole County
April 10 Palm Sunday
April 14 Maundy Thursday services with
communion 7 pm
April 17 Easter Sunday

First Presbyterian church
Po box 1026 Donalsonville, Georgia 39845 phone:229-524-5138 email:dvillefpc@gmail.com Return service requested

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