MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE

PASSOVER SEDER DINNER

APRIL 5 IN FIRST HALL

6:00PM– 7:30PM

“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you

before I suffer...” These were the words of Jesus

before he shared the Passover with his disciples. You

are invited to come and experience a taste of the

Jewish meal of Passover like Jesus might have

experienced it. We will journey through the major

parts of this ancient ritual including dinner and the

celebration of the Lord’s Table. Through this

evening experience we will walk through the trials of

the Exodus – the bitterness of bondage and the

triumph of freedom. A special treat will be our

Creative Kids for Christ leading us through different

parts of this meaningful meal. The traditional

Passover Seder can last up to four hours, we have

shortened, simplified and adapted the experience so

that we can have a sense of the ceremony. This is an

experience that you don’t want to miss. Please sign

up on our website at www.fpcnorfolk.org.

Cost for meal will be $10 per adult; $5 per child; $25

cap per family. Menu: Salad De Colores; Sweet

Brisket with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Seasoned

Red Cabbage.

Dessert: Dried Fruit Compote; Cookies for children.

Visit www.fpcnorfolk.org for more information!

z Enter Your Mission Field zCome to our fantastic Easter Egg Hunting Eggtravaganza

on Saturday, April 7 at 9:30 to learn all about the lost White Egg, and how it can help you to add to our

community here at FPC!

W W W. F P C N O R F O L K . O R G

ACCESS

2 0 1 2 A P R I L E D I T I O N

First Presbyterian Church

HOLY WEEK

ACTIVITIES

Maundy Thursday Service

April 5 at 6pm

Good Friday Service

April 6 at 7pm

Easter Egg Hunt

April 79:30

Easter ServicesApril 8

8:30, 9:30 & 11:00

From Where I StandBy Jim Wood

When I think about Easter here at FPC, I can’t help but

remember the fantastic response to the flowered cross we

erected outside the new bell tower. Families stopping to have

a moment and a photo with the cross, then seeing those

families post that picture as their Facebook profile picture

later in the week, was just wonderful. Friends would see it, tag it or share it and our

community grew to this massive viral sharing of peoples’ morning at FPC. I loved it

and I can’t wait to see it again this year!

Pause for ThoughtRemembering this story gives me pause. Why do you think our flowery cross had such

an impact on our congregation? Without any question it is you, the congregation,

reaching out to your neighbors, friends and families, that makes our family grow.

Consider for a moment: Have you tried, have you really tried, to invite someone to

church this year? Have you asked a friend or family member to join you for a Sunday service at FPC? If not,

why? Or if so, what prompted you to reach out? If we feel the tug of evangelism, why do we ignore it?

These questions seem so much bigger when we think back to those viral pictures of the flowery cross from

Easter last year. Why is it so easy to hit “like” or to “tag” a photo and share it with everyone you know in the

digital world, when we have so much trouble with a simple invitation in the real world? Consider this our

moment to pause and think.

Ordinary Radical Practices

After Holy Week and our “Add to the Community” theme, we begin the last miniseries in PRA•X•IS:

The Experiment. From April 15-May 27, we focus on “Ordinary Radical Practices.” Ordinary radical

sounds like an oxymoron, perhaps, but the word radical just means “root.” What ordinary aspects of

our lives are rightly understood as spiritual practices that keep us rooted in Christ? These practices are

not included in our PRA•X•IS acronym but are no less important. Join us for worship as we explore

what it means to be an ordinary radical.

NEW NEO CLASS

STARTS APRIL 155:30 to 7:30pm

The NEO Courseis a class whereyou have the freedomto ask questionsabout the Christian faithin a caring environmentwhere no question is too simple and none too challenging to deserve an honest response from a Biblical perspective.

The NEO course combines equal parts of fellowship, Biblical teaching and small group community. Each week participants meet for dinner, followed by a talk on the Christian faith and small group discussion.

Who is NEO for? Everyone is welcome! This is an excellent class for folks outside the church, especially those who want to learn what our Christian

faith is all about. Or maybe you’ve been visiting First Presbyterian for awhile, or maybe this is your first time.! You’re seeking.! You believe in God, but you don’t know how Jesus fits into it all, and you wonder why we keep talking about Jesus dying on the cross.! NEO would be great to help you learn how to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Or, maybe you’ve been a Christian for a long time.! NEO is not just a “beginner’s” course.! We want everyone at First Presbyterian to go through NEO at some point.! This theological refresher is useful where ever you are in your faith.Contact Jim Gates [phone 625-1697] for more information.Register Online at www.fpcnorfolk.org

XIAO-TAO AND

XIN TIANby Jim Gates

Jim and Nancy Yuan are two of the unsung heroes of FPC. For thirty years, they have led a Bible study in their homes primarily for young Chinese and Taiwanese ODU students. Although most of those students are from non-Christian countries, cultures and families, they can’t get enough of Jim and Nancy. The Yuans exude kindness, humility, and brilliance in equal measures. Over the last thirty years, it’s almost impossible for me to estimate how many of those students began a relationship with Jesus Christ because of that Bible study – 100? 200? More?

On March 18th, we baptized two such students – Xiao-Tao and Xin Tian. Xin Tian, a young Chinese student at ODU, was invited by a fellow student to Jim and Nancy’s Bible study the first day she arrived on campus. Although she wasn’t a Christian and had never been to a Bible study before, Xin Tian attended the Yuan’s study the next day. Over time, she invited Xiao-Tao, who is now her husband, and through that Bible study, both came to profess Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. As an added blessing, their families, while not Christians, were supportive of their new faith (many Chinese parents will disown their children if they covert to Christianity, because a Christian

will not participate in ancestor worship).Before their baptisms, the couple wrote these words to describe their new faith:

“Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God revealing himself to me. Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. You know my life and that I need to be forgiven. I ask you to forgive me right now and come into my life. I want to know you in a real way. Come into my life now. Thank you that you wanted a relationship with me. Amen.”

Amen indeed.

ONE DAY AT THE SOUP KITCHENby Sheryl Wood

I was at the soup kitchen one day and I took my camera to capture some shots. While shooting, a man by the name of Isaiah came beside me and said, “I love to take pictures.” I stopped and looked at Isaiah, his deep brown eyes reflected my gaze, and asked if he would please remain after the soup kitchen just for a moment. I went to Walgreens and bought two disposable cameras. I handed them to Isaiah and asked him to return them to me when they were full. Five days later when I came into work I had a bag waiting for me from Isaiah. I processed the camera and took them into the class that Chris Tyre, a professional

in the world of film was teaching. Chris was so impressed with Isaiah’s pictures he decided to featured them in the photography display at the church the following week. One picture in particular was of a beautiful young woman, with piercing eyes, standing by a dusty road. Isaiah said, “he loved to see things a little differently when he looked into a camera.” He was thrilled to be a part of the display. I haven’t seen Isaiah for quite sometime now. My prayer for him is that he has found a perfect lens though which to view the world and that he is still freezing frames in royal style. I hope that one day I will see him again. I know that we could develop a great friendship.Contact Sheryl Wood for more information about

local ministry: sheryl@fpcnorfolk.org, 757-625-1697

PARK PLACE

CHILD LIFE

CENTERby Annie Blakey

It sounds like such a film-noire start to a Saturday but, it was a chilly and wet day, the kind of day you want hot soup and a comfy couch. Your basic grey dreary day outside. Inside, however, was a different story! The dreariness of the day was lost in splashes of color and laughter. An image to warm and motivate, even the laziest of hearts, to serving their community.

Our day was an artistic adventure, our students in the

advanced painting class continued working on their masterpieces, while the other students made necklaces using sand art as pendants. It was a beautiful piece of handmade jewelry to bring home!

With artistic grace the teen girls completed a special devotional that paired real life issues to scriptures that illuminated the

appropriate biblical response to each negative circumstance that was presented. The visuals of their everyday lives related to biblical practices was a message that really hit home in the lives of our students.

Spend one Saturday at the Park Place Child Life Center,

spend the day making arts and crafts or just talking and listening to the young people. You can touch the lives around you. Please make plans to come and visit the Child Life Center and be blessed with a wonderful day of children growing in Christ. Contact Annie at Annie@fpcnorfolk.org for more information.

IT’S A LOCAL

ADDRESS

DO. WALK. LOVE.

Beyond the 757

KENYA PILGRIMAGESIf you have been considering a pilgrimage to Kenya, if there is a tug at your heart as you listen to the stories of

so many who have made this pilgrimage before you, perhaps 2012 is the year to just do it! !There will be a team leaving in late June. !Will you be on the plane with them? !

As you consider and pray about whether this is the place for you to be the hands and feet of Christ this year, think about some of the things the team will do while on the ground in Kenya:

Provide hands on assistance and experience the happiness, struggles, aspirations and dreams of nearly 200 teens living with HIV/AIDS.! Join our program to increase patient treatment retention through relationship building.

Through the creative process of Art Therapy, provide encouragement to children at Holy Family Center HIV/AIDS clinic, Korogocho area and Allamano School.

Work and minister at the Joy Children’s Home in Ngarariga, Kenya, and be blessed by the lost who have been found.

If you would like more information, please contact Rudy Miller at kateandrudy@yahoo.com.

Updates from the FieldOn December 19, 2011, on the lawn of Nazareth Hospital in Kenya, the annual distribution of Boxes of Love took place. !It was a gloriously beautiful day, filled with great anticipation and prayers of thanksgiving by the 450 HIV/Aids children and teens receiving their Box of Love. !Sixty-two children from the Allamano School also received Boxes of Love, including food and school shoes. !On hand to oversee the festivities were the staff of Holy Family Center and the Administrator of Nazareth Hospital, Sister Clara. In addition to the distribution of 450 Boxes of Love, this year 150 teenagers were blessed with a special gift of their own – a wrist watch meant to help them adhere to their medication schedules. !With 11 of the 189 teens in the program on the second line regimen, the treatment of last resort, the wrist watches are a symbol of Christ’s desire for healing and wholeness in this place of overwhelming suffering and poverty.

Thank you to the many, many churches and individuals who supported Boxes of Love this year. !May you be blessed abundantly by the love and grace of Christ in 2012

FPC Global PilgrimagesWhere are you called?

UPCOMING

MISSION

PILGRIMAGES

MASSANETTA

June 17 - 19

KENYA

June 23- July 8&

Oct 21 - Nov 11

NICARAGUA

August 4 - 11

FAMILY EASTER

EVENTSBy Hunter Johnston

I am really excited

about this year’s events

for Holy Week. The

staff has worked really

hard to put together

great family friendly

events and wonderful

events for parents as

well! I’d first like to

invite you to enjoy the

plagues, as our children

portray them, at our

Maundy Thursday

service at 6:00pm on

Thursday April 5.

Then come out on

Friday at 7pm to our

Good Friday Service.

Then get excited about

Saturday’s Easter Egg

Eggtravaganza Egg

Hunt!! We are hiding

more than 2,000 eggs

and we need you and

your family to come find

them for us. Each egg

holds a special prize for

its finder! We will also

be serving breakfast and

coffee and enjoying the

morning in each others

company. Sunday

Easter Service will be a

wonderful experience

for our congregation

and their families as

well! We invite you to

take Easter family

photos with our

beautiful flower covered

cross.

Please visit

www.fpcnorfolk.org for

more information on

any of the many Holy

Week activities that we

have for you and your

family.

THE WHITE

EGGBy Lucy Gates

The Lost White Easter

Egg will be hidden

among all the other

beautiful eggs, hidden

just for you to find.

When you find a white

egg make sure to keep it

and bring it to church

with you on Sunday

morning, to redeem it

for a wonderful prize! If

you bring a friend to the

Easter Egg Hunt, as we

hope you will, and

they find a white egg

make sure to bring

them with you on

Sunday to get their

prize as well. It is my

hope that you take

this chance to reach

out to your

neighbors, families

and friends and

invite them to this

wonderful event with

our church family. This

is the perfect event for

Adding to our

Community.

PRESCHOOL

SUMMER

PROGRAMSby Robin Slopnik

I am excited about the

Preschool’s summer

programming this year.

We plan to offer five

different thematically

based camps as well as

our Summer Stay and

Play Program. Children

do not have to be

registered as a student at

First Presbyterian

Preschool in order to

attend either one of

these programs.

For more information

about the camps you

can email me at

robin@fpcnorfolk.org or

pick up a brochure at

the welcome desk. Sign

ups will be available on

the church website

beginning May 1st.

Our Summer Stay and

Play program is a

flexible child care option

available from 8:00 am

to 6:00 pm for $6 per

hour. Please call

625-1602 the day before

to make a reservation.

Children and Families

WOMEN’S

RETREATby Janell Rardon

As I crossed the threshold

of the Hilton Garden Inn

(Nags Head), I closed my

eyes and took a very deep

breath. Here we go, Lord.

I trust You. Knowing only

4 or 5 women, casually, I

entered the FPC Women’s

Retreat with a bit of

trepidation. Being new to

the church, I wasn’t quite

sure what to expect.

Within minutes, though,

my anxiety was washed

away by the waves of

many caring women who

welcomed me with open

arms. The overarching

theme of the retreat was

God’s hesed love, a

Hebrew word “which

combines two words in

English: love and loyalty. !

It combines commitment

with sacrifice. It is one-

way love. Love without an

exit strategy.” It was that

last little sentence that

really struck a chord. As

we broke into small

groups and examined the

areas in our lives where

we were called to this

hesed love, it only took a

few seconds to realize we

all had a lot of growing to

do. Our table top

conversations turned into

an altar of renewed

commitments to love

others well. Love them

without an exit strategy.

As the retreat closed, I

lingered on the beach.

With a heart full of

gratitude for this

incredible fresh start, I left

the Women’s Retreat with

a renewed sense of

belonging and a revived

spiritual passion.

For more information on

Women’s Ministry visit

www.fpcnorfolk.org.

April Events

SENIORS FIRST

BIRTHDAY

LUNCHEONWednesday, April 4 at

noon in First Hall.

The speaker is Dianna

Starkey, Director of

Group Sales/Tourism

with Virginia Arts Festival.

She is presenting an

overview of 2012 Virginia

Arts Festival which will

feature great stars of

stage, screen, and concert

hall. RSVP to FPC

reception at 625-1697 or

on web site by 10:00 am.

Jim Wood and guest

speakers will guide us

through discussions on

critical issues that every

man faces in his life.

Regardless of your age or

marital status, these

discussions will provide

valuable insights into the

challenges of being a

Christian man in the 21st

century.

Come and enjoy a full

breakfast, great fellowship

and a challenging message

about being the "point

man" in your home.

Visit www.fpcnorfolk.org

for more information

Adult Discipleship

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH820 Colonial Avenue

Norfolk, Virginia 23507

757.625.1697

www.fpcnorfolk.org

!

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 218

Norfolk, VA

!

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 218

Norfolk, VA

2 0 1 2 A P R I L E D I T I O N

Who we areOur Missionaries:

Dana & Brandi Bates-Romania;

Jeff & Marilyn Greenway-Nicaragua;

Brandi Hammock-Uganda;

Chuck & Antoinette Smiley-Cambodia;

Tim & Gloria Wheeler-Honduras

We want to

Pray for YOUPrayer Requests can be made

through our parish visitor,

Grace Weedman, grace@fpcnorfolk.org

757-625-1697

Pastors on Call:

Mon-Wed-Fri

Jim Gates-625-1697(O); 615-1799(C)

Tues-Th-Weekend

Valena Hoy

625-1697(O); 627-0810(H); 287-0812(C)

Parish Visitation: Contact the church office

(625-1697) if you desire a visit or pastoral care or are

homebound and would like to receive communion.

HOLY

WEEK

Maundy Thursday

ServiceApril 5 at

6pm

Good Friday Service

April 6 at 7pm

Easter Egg Hunt

April 79:30

Easter ServicesApril 8

8:30, 9:30 & 11:00

Good Friday April 6 at 7:00pm in the Sanctuary

Join us for a powerful evening of worship as we remember Christ’s

Passion. Our Chancel Choir, together with members of the Virginia

Symphony, will lead our worship with the dynamic mastery of John

Rutter’s Requiem. This will be a night you will not want to miss.

Visit www.fpcnorfolk.org for more information.