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As we observe the spiritual season of Lent, we have the wonderful opportunity to grow closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s about asking God to give us fo-cus and discernment. We may choose to give up some unhealthy practices so that we are able to see God more clearly. We may add some disciplines like prayer and Scripture reading to help us learn and grow in faith. Lent is always a season of preparation for the day most important to us as Christ followers. We anticipate the sacrificial death and cele-brate the Resurrection of our Lord. This is the heart of our faith, the Good News, because we know and believe Jesus gave himself com-pletely on our behalf. How will you respond? Will you demonstrate your gratitude this Lenten season? If you missed the big announcement at worship on Sunday, Feb. 23 – here it is! The Session approved the hiring of Clark-Lanning and Clark & Leatherwood to proceed on making the new building concept de-sign a reality. This plan includes a safe and accessible parking lot, a new covered entrance and an elevator. Appointed by the Session and officially commissioned during worship, Linda Cox, Rick Croskery, Van Davis, Mike McKinney, Bo Prevost and Hughes Roberts are serving as our New Building Project Team. Now, I know you’re expecting to hear about a new building cam-paign, right? Well, I hope you will join me in thanking God for His astounding goodness and faithfulness. A donor is financing the pro-ject as a loving gift to the church, the community and to honor the donor’s family. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise Him all critters here below! Singin’ the Doxology, Pastor Holly

March 2020

Volume 14, Issue 3

Save the Date!

March 1

Worship with

Jim Hanna, Riley Covin, &

Paul Koptak

March 12

Boomers at

Papa's and Beer

March 13-14

2020 Spirituality Retreat

March 18

Healing Hearts

May 1

Concert with

Rodney Cleveland, Organist

June 4

Women's Retreat at

Lake Logan

August 9

Annual Congregation Picnic

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Church Elders

Pat Briggs, Missions

Ruth Caldwell, Elder for Deacons

Rick Croskery, Building and Grounds

Gregg Miller, Worship

Hughes Roberts, Finance

Drew Schrader, Communications

Ron Tingle, Clerk of Session

Deacons

Beverly Benson

Bill Covin

Charles Cox

Lee Hutchison

Rachel Koger

Sylvia Lonnee

Church Staff

Joel Lillethun, Minister of Music

Diane Combs, Organist

Scott Lawrence, Sexton

Kristi Siplon, Office Manager

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First Sunday in Lent

Please join us on March 1, 2020, for a

very special worship led by clergymen

from our church family:

Jim Hanna, Riley Covin, & Paul Koptak

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Dry Ingredients

4 cups flour

4 TBS sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 TBS baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup soft butter

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/2 cup raisons

Topping

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup melted butter-

milk

Preheat oven to 374 de-

grees. Mix dry ingredi-

ents. Mix wet ingredients

and fold into flour. Knead

slightly and make round

loaf on prepared baking

sheet. Mix 1/4 cup melt-

ed butter and buttermilk,

and brush on top. Cut a

cross across loaf. Bake 45

-50 minutes, occasionally

brushing top with butter

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Irish Soda Bread

With Love,

Kathi

Love on a Leash Hughes Roberts

Sarah Cifani visits with an owner as she admires Maggie, a black Newfoundland, and Kiah, a Collie/ Australian Shepherd, both certified service dogs who will be visiting with Hospice patients and others at skilled nursing facilities in Haywood Coun-ty. These dogs, their owners, and Hospice staff were intro-duced at the Men's Breakfast Meeting in February. They are part of the "Love on a Leash" volunteer program recently estab-lished by Haywood Hospice and Palliative Care.

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Mission News

Pat Briggs This was presented at

the annual board

meeting of Haywood

Christian Ministry (HCM)

and I thought I should

pass it along to the con-

gregation. Note that

100% of your cash dona-

tions were used to fund

needs. Here is a sum-

mary of HCM'saccom-

plishments:

-15,954 Assistance Cas-

es, serving 25% of Hay-

wood County

-2755 Carts of food

1152 Clothing assists

-646 Utility assists; 241

for Heat

-491 Children received

Christmas presents and

new clothing

-Established the 1st Re-

gional Produce Pod in

North Carolina

-Established the Hay-

wood County Charity

Tracker Network

-107 volunteers worked

23,469 hours

-61 Veterans Assists pro-

vided in 6 months

-Thrift Store funded

100% of administrative

expenses

-HCM achieved the Plati-

num Level of Transpar-

ency for a non-profit .

Healing Hearts Pat Parker

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Healing Hearts met for a belated Valentine celebration at

Nettie’s Bakery, where everyone enjoyed the tea, the

food ,and the companionship. It was a special event and cer-

tainly a meaningful time for everyone. The next gathering will

be held on Wednesday, March 18th, when Charlotte Casey

will host us at her home. Anyone who has experienced the

loss of a loved one, and would like to receive support from

this group, is welcome to attend.

Please contact Pat Parker with questions or comments.

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Attention Boomers!

Come join the fun and enjoy

delicious Mexican food

March 12, 6 PM

Papa's and Beer

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The First Presbyterian Church Endowment

Hughes Roberts

King David bequeathed assets to his son so that Solomon could build the Temple. His prayer: “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you…all of this abundance we have provid-ed for building you a temple for your holy name, comes from your hand, and it all be-longs to you.” (1 Chronicles 29: 14-16)

Some members are making decisions to leave our church gifts in their wills. If you are interested in doing so, please contact Nancy Thompson, Church Treasurer, or Hughes Roberts, Endowment Team, so that we an suggest appropriate wording for your will, and understand how you would like your gift used.

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Session Report

Ron Tingle, Clerk Session met on February 10th for its scheduled monthly meeting. The meeting was convened by Pastor Holly at 1 p.m. with an opening prayer and a devotional discussion centered on the lyrics of the hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. A discussion was held concerning members and friends needing prayer. Pastor Holly reported that out-of-town member Jan Morgan died on February 4th, 2020. Prayer was led by Pastor Holly. A quorum was declared, the agenda approved as were the minutes from Session’s January 13th meeting. Treasurer Nancy Thompson presented the financial report for the period ending January 31. Monthly income in-cluded several pre-paid pledge offerings received in 2019 but designated for 2020. The offering also included Janu-ary IRA withdrawals from members. Together, these made for a larger than normal monthly income figure: $38,105, while expenses were $22,682. Nancy also led a discussion on the status of our Endowment Fund. For the benefit of new elders, Nancy presented an overview of our day-to-day financial processes, describing how we han-dle receivables, payables, salaries and the reporting associated with each. Session approved a request from the Kiwanis Aktion Club for developmentally disabled adults for use of the kitch-en, fellowship hall, and parking lot for a chili luncheon fundraiser on Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14. Marti Peithman submitted a request for a permanent key to the outer doors to facilitate one or two members from the Aktion Club folding bulletins on Fridays as a public service project, with Marti supervising. Session applauded the project. However Hughes Roberts’ motion to ask Marti to accept a day when the church was staffed, as Kristi and Pastor Holly are present and no key would be necessary. Kristi Siplon will follow up with Marti. Pastor Holly and Rick Croskery presented a proposal and pledge for an immediate $1 million gift from an anony-mous church member to build the rear entrance building with elevators and the rear parking lot – a design present-ed by the Grow Forward Team to the congregation in 2019. The donor wished to make this project happen as soon as possible and asked that we employ Clark & Lanning Architects for the detailed design work and Clark and Leath-erwood as general contractor. A building team from the congregation would meet regularly with architects, engi-neers and the contractor. Session approved the commissioning of a Building Team consisting of Rick Croskery (Building and Grounds chair), Hughes Roberts (Finance chair), Linda Cox, Van Davis, Mike McKinney and Bo Prevost to oversee this project. Session then approved engaging Clark & Lanning for architectural and design work, while employing Clark and Leatherwood as general contractor for construction. Session will draw $7,500 from the New Project Fund as a down payment. Session approved the four PC(USA) denominational offerings scheduled in 2020.

Ron Tingle presented the statistical and financial summary of our membership for 2019, a report we sub-mit to the PC(USA) annually. Session approved the report and its submission upward. At 2:25 p.m. Session adjourned following prayer.

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Annual Women’s Retreat!!!

Thursday June 4, 2020, at Lake Logan.

Laura Janson

Does life ever catch you by surprise? Does the unexpected throw you for a loop? Do you find yourself

wondering about God’s purpose when we face these challenges? If you, like myself, answered

yes to all of these questions, then come and spend the day with women from the church as we

discover how to face every season and circumstance with God’s grace. Holly would like to introduce

you to this year’s Women’s Retreat Speaker-my very own Aunt Margie!

Margaret Burton Sweet Wright was born in Hawaii, while her Army father,

General Joseph B. Sweet was stationed there along with her mother, brother

and 2 sisters (one of her sisters was my mother, Mary Alice, a real Georgia

peach)! Margie graduated from high school in Boiling Springs, PA, and gradu-

ated from Kings College, NY, where she met Mr. Right (I mean, Mr. Wright).

Chuck Wright became a Presbyterian minister, and together they served

churches in Churchville, MD, Paradise, PA, Havertown, PA, Atlanta, GA and

Washington, DC. Their love for internationals, military, and government offi-

cials grew into a full time ministry with The National Prayer Breakfast/

Fellowship Group. Margie and Chuck moved to a retirement community in Washington, DC, 6 years

ago, and Chuck graduated to heaven just 7 months ago. They have 5 children and 17 grandchildren.

She is a beautiful example of living as God’s person – no matter life’s circumstances.

The registration fee is $25.00, due to the church office by Sunday, May 24, 2020. This amount covers

the cost of the Sit ‘N Whittle Lodge and incidentals. We will be enjoying lunch at the lodge with time

for a walk, if weather permits. Meet at the church parking lot at 8:30 to carpool to Lake Logan. All

women of the church are invited to participate.

It’s time to resume our monthly time of Bible Study and fellowship. Now would be a good time to join

Ruth’s Circle to see what “we’re all about”. We will be continuing our studyof “Love Carved in Stone: A

Fresh Look at the Ten Commandments”. This month’s lesson is chapter 6, “Words of Love: Hold your

Marriages Sacred”. We are collecting shower liners for Black Mountain Home for Children.

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Fellowship Committee

Pat Parker The Fellowship committee is alive and well and continues to coordinate the social events in the

church. Rachel Koger is the committee coordinator for the month of March. Our potluck

luncheon will take place on March 8th, and we return to our regular menu. You are encour-

aged to bring your favorite casserole, salad, dessert or anything else that strikes your fan-

cy. Please remember to slice your food before bringing it, if that is required.

We continue to enjoy our coffee hour after church each Sunday. Please check the bulletin

board to make sure we have refreshments to enjoy. If there is a blank Sunday, please sign

up! Thank you in advance for your participation.

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Sláinte from your editor, Kathi Patrick's Day is celebrated around the world, as a proud symbol of Irish heritage and culture. Did you ever wonder who St. Patrick was, and how shamrocks, leprechauns, and wearing of the green became associated with this day? According to the legend, Patrick was kidnapped off the coast of Britain by Irish raiders, and taken as a slave to Ireland. Patrick was said to have found God during his captivity and returned to Britain to enter seminary. Bishop Patrick returned to Ireland, where he drove the snakes (actually the Druids as there were no snakes since the ice age) out of Ireland and converted the Irish people to Christianity. It is said that Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. Glos, the Irish word for Green, is the color describing the Emerald Isle. St. Patrick is often pictured as a bishop dressed in green, holding a bunch of shamrocks and a cross. Leprechauns are one of the mythical creatures of Irish folklore, mischievous little beings who hid their pots of gold under the rainbow, and over the years, became associated with St. Patrick's Day.

Did you know that on March 17, 1737, more than two

dozen Presbyterian emigrants from Ireland gathered to

honor St. Patrick and formed the Charitable Irish Society to

assist Irishmen in Boston? This is the oldest Irish

organization in North American, and still holds an annual

dinner every St. Patrick's Day.

First Presbyterian Church

305 North Main Street

Waynesville, NC 28786

news@fpcwaynesville.org

828-456-3243

The First Presbyterian Church of

Waynesville is a vibrant community of

faith to call home. Everyone is welcome

and each of you is valued. Our varied

backgrounds and stories woven together

produce a beautiful tapestry of faith,

bound together with a common mission

of loving God and our neighbors.

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Welcome Joan Barris & Charles Turner