Preaching Schedule
Palm Sunday
Sunday, March 29 8:45 and 11:15 a.m.
Maundy Thursday
Thursday, April 2
Dinner 5:30 p.m. Service 7 p.m.
Sunday, Mar. 1
Sunday, Mar. 15
Grace Happens
Ezekiel 36:16-36
Hunger for the Word
John 6:53-69
Sunday, Mar. 8
Sunday, Mar. 22
The Call of Christ
Hebrews 1:1-6
A Hunger for God
Isaiah 58: 1-4
Matthew 6 :16-18
Good Friday
Friday, April 3 Service 7 p.m.
Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 4
Breakfast 8:30 a.m. Egg Hunt 10 a.m.
Chronicle
Lebanon Presbyterian Church
March 2015
No Longer Strangers
“I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
- Matthew 26:35
I remember once visiting a
church on Easter Sunday.
The church was packed but
eventually, we found a place
to sit. No sooner were we
seated than a woman came
up to us and said, “You’re
sitting in my seat!”
Easter Sunday
Sunday, April 5
8 and 9:30 a.m. Traditional Service
11:15 a.m. Contemporary Service
factor was friendship: if people don’t form at least one
significant friendship within a year of joining a church, they
usually leave. Good preaching and music might draw
people initially, but it
doesn’t hold them. It
takes friendships for
them to feel loved,
included and engaged.
Are you willing to do
that? I believe the
problem is that once
we establish a circle
of friends, the circle
becomes closed. To
reach outside that
circle and make a new
friend requires focus
and effort.
Feeling very ashamed and
embarrassed, we got up and
moved. Before we could
settle into our new seats,
another woman came up
and said, “You’re sitting in
my seat!” At that point, we
almost walked out the door!
It makes me wonder: how do strangers feel when they visit
LPC? Are we friendly or rude? Do we make them feel welcome or unwelcome? Do we speak to them after worship or
do we ignore them?
I believe LPC is a friendly church. I hear that all the time from
visitors and new members. When people walk through the
doors of this church, they feel welcomed and accepted.
LPC is a friendly church. But friendliness is not enough. What
strangers really need is friendship, and that is something very
different. To be a friend means building a genuine relationship.
To be a friend means we not only greet them politely, but that
we listen and ask questions. To be a friend means we invite
them to lunch or dinner and get to know them outside the
church.
Recently, a study was conducted to find out why people leave
the church. According to that study, the single most important
A friend was telling me recently how he noticed a woman
sitting in worship that he’d never seen before. He greeted
her warmly. After worship, he sensed that she had a
need and spoke to her again, saying, “I hope you have a
wonderful week!” The woman was so grateful that she
nearly broke down in tears!
It seems like a such a small thing. But if each of us did
that every week, I believe LPC would experience explosive growth. I encourage each of you to seek out a visitor
on Sunday morning and become a friend to that person.
Your servant in Christ,
Peter
Like us on facebook!
www.lebanonpresbyterian.org
We are on the web!
Senior Pastor
Associate Pastor
The Rev. Peter Larson The Rev. Chuck Testas
5:30 p.m.
8:45 a.m.
10 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
Saturday Evening Worship
Traditional Worship
Christian Education
Contemporary Worship
Worship Services & Sunday School
123 N. East St.
Lebanon, OH 45036
513-932-2751
513-934-0339 fax
Lebanon Presbyterian Church
Non-Profit Organization
US Postage Paid
Permit No. 94
Lebanon, Ohio 45036
Adult Ministry News
from Pastor Chuck
Recap of Wednesday Nights Together
Our Wednesday Nights Together Program is going well. I secretly wish (well, I guess the
cat is out of the bag now…) that every family in our church would take advantage of this
“Holy Time”. As many of you know, WNT starts off with a fantastic meal at 5:30 p.m. The
menu for each week can be found on our church website. The meals range from Kate
Murphy’s World Famous tomato bisque, lasagna, to our annual chili cook off! The food is
wonderful, but the relationships that you build with people is priceless.
After the meal, there are classes for all ages that run from 6:30-8 p.m. Our children’s
minister, Sara Gilson, does a wonderful job ensuring that there are offerings for each
age group. And some of our adult classes include The Screwtape Letters, The Presbyterian Story, The Gospel of Mark, and Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
Pastor Chuck with Chili Cookoff
winner Ann Loreaux!
Our WNT program concludes this year on March 18, and then we will take a break. But
consider joining in with us for our fall program. Better yet, connect with us for the last few
nights of this season!
A Word About Lent:
What Is It and How Can I Grow From It?
Lent is the season of preparation before Easter. The Bible does not mention the custom of Lent, however, the practice of repentance and mourning
in ashes is found in 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and
Matthew 11:21. The purpose of Lent is to set aside time for reflection on
Jesus - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.
You’ve already heard about the devotionals that our church has put together to help each of us in our quiet times with God as we move together towards Easter (April 5th). Even though the journey started on February 18
with Ash Wednesday, it’s not too late to join us. I pray everyone at LPC
joins together to meditate on the Christ, his sacrifice for us, and how we can
completely change this world for Him through the Gospel he has given us!
Pastor Chuck
iPray
$250,000
You can delegate everything except prayer.
Andy Stanley
$200,000
Please pray for the following needs of the church in the
coming month:
Our Long Range Planning Team as they seek God’s
will for the future ministry and mission of LPC.
January Income
January Expense
$150,000
For the staff of LPC, that God will bless them and
give them joy in their work.
For all the worship services during Holy Week, that
we would experience in a new way the depth of
God’s love and forgiveness and the hope of the resurrection.
For the women’s retreat March 6-8, that Christ would
be powerfully present in that gathering.
For the spiritual renewal of our church, community
and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, that the
Holy Spirit would deepen our love for Jesus.
$100,000
$50,000
$0
Session Report
2014
2015
The Session of LPC took the following actions at our February 23 monthly
meeting:
Approved a love offering, "Change for a Church," during the 40 days of
Lent to help the Genesis EPC Church in Mercedes, Texas raise money
to construct a church building.
Received a report from the Student Ministry Team presented by Andrew
Johnson.
Inquirer’s Class Starting April 12!
Noted for the record that our annual financial review was conducted by
J.R. Taylor Company.
Starting April 12, LPC plans to offer another Inquirer’s Class. This five
week class provides information not only about our core beliefs as
believers in Christ; but it also talks about Reformed history, our Presbyterian distinctives, and some of the values distinct to LPC that set
us apart from other churches. We will meet during the Sunday School
hour up in Room 311. This course is the first step in becoming a
member of our church. But I do need your help in order to make this
class a success: do you know of anyone who may be interested in
finding out just a bit more about LPC or may be ready to join our fellowship? If so, please be sure to let them know about this upcoming
opportunity.
Approved special funding requests from the year-end surplus to purchase an automated defibrillator unit; smoke detectors in the IHN sleeping rooms; ten new circular tables for the multipurpose room; new flooring for the Kingdom Building nursery; hand bell refurbishment; and potential funding to host a concert with Matt Maher, a Christian recording
artist. $15,000 of the surplus will be transferred to the HVAC/Roofing
designated fund.
Approved a request from the Worship and Music Team for a love offering on Sunday, March 15 to cover travel expenses for the Chordsmen
Choir from Capital University.
Approved a request from the women's retreat team to offer communion
off-site on Sunday, March 8.
LPC Book Club
The LPC Book Club will meet in the library
Room 304 on Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m.
Our March book is the Husband’s Secret by
Liane Moriarty. Imagine your husband has
written a letter, to be opened only after his
death. This letter contains his darkest secret
which will affect many people around you.
You have accidentally found the letter.
That’s how it starts! Hope you will join us!
Thank You
Dear Deacons of LPC,
Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and kindness
during this difficult time. Your church has been a great
part of the Dan Crago family. Thanks for your support.
From the Family of Richard Crago
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your contribution of $300 to Mount
Pleasant Retirement Village. The continued support of
friends like Lebanon Presbyterian Church lets us
know how much our mission is valued. I'm grateful to
you for partnering with us to make life rich and full for
the thousands of senior adults we serve throughout
Ohio. With warm regards,
Thomas G. Hofmann, President
Ohio Presbyterian Retirement
Services Foundation
Dear Friends,
Thank you very much for the gift in memory of
Bill. Levine Cancer Institute was instrumental in treating Bill. However, the Lord is the One who lifted us up
and gave us peace and many miracles during Bill's
illness. Prayers were key, too. The comfort and encouragement through calls and cards meant everything to us, as well. What do people do without the
Lord and His loving Body of believers?
Sincerely yours, Sandy Johnson
This month we honor the following
men and women for their loving service to Jesus Christ and the church:
Jan Watsell, Carolyn Lucke, Claudia Cunningham, and Elders who
have visited those who are sick and
homebound.
The Building and Grounds Team for cleaning and touch up
painting on walls throughout the church, minor electrical work,
roof repair, ceiling tile replacement, setup and cleaning of multipurpose room chairs and washing multipurpose room windows
on their quarterly work day held on February 7.
Catherine Murphy for her work coordinating the meals for
Wednesday Nights Together.
Chris Dorsch for his work and leadership with the Ushers,
Reach Out, Men’s Ministry and Missions Teams!
Lynn Steinkirchner for the countless hours she has spent helping in Children’s Ministry.
Larry Bracey, Terry Browning, Nina Dorsch, and Nancy
Lupberger for their dedication to the Deacon’s Blood Drive on
Saturday, February 21, by braving the snow storm to be at LPC
to run the blood drive, they had 35 people donate!
Dear LPC Family,
Thank you so much for all your cards and caring
thoughts for our family over the last few weeks. Your
prayers and kindness have brought us much comfort. Thanks also for you contribution to the Wounded
Warrior Project. We appreciate you honoring my
Dad's memory and his service. With our Love.
Angie, Vance, Carter and Abby Greene
A Word of Thanks,
Thank you to all who help provide a beautiful welcome
reception for me in February and for each person that
joined in this time of celebration. I am meeting more
people each week and look forward to all that God
has in store for LPC and its Children’s Ministry.
Sara Gilson
Pastoral Care Ministries by Ellen Albright
Every other issue I
highlight volunteers
from the different
Pastoral Care ministries. This issue I
want to highlight
some of those
groups (1) because
of their importance
to the congregation,
and (2) we are in
desperate need of
volunteers. If I can
give you more information and a glimpse into the value
and fun that comes from these groups, maybe you will get
a ”nudge” to serve.
Two of the oldest ministries are MOPS (Ministers of Prayer and Supplication) and the Lay Pastors. Both groups
started in the early 1990’s when Rev. Dr. John E. Peterson
was the Associate Pastor. The members of MOPS are our
prayer warriors to whom we send requests that come for
prayer for those who are sick, in an accident, having surgery, or have a life issue. Prayer requests are sent to the
MOPS members by e-mail. We try to maintain confidentiality and try to get permission to go "public” with the information from the person making the request. Some requests are only sent to the MOPS team, others are put out
to a prayer list of over 100 people. This is the prayer list
that goes out the first of every week. New requests and
updates may be sent during the week as needed.
The Lay Pastors are a group that builds an on-going relationship with three to five families and/or individuals. Contact is made by a monthly telephone call, card, or visit to
provide prayer or support. It is fun to watch as new folks
are matched with their Lay Pastors. We see similarities
and just how small this world really is when they are from
the same state or have similar family backgrounds. Most
of the members of the “flocks” are older and homebound
so they need a friend.
Scout Troop 186 Helps Lead Worship
Not only was February 8 Scout Sunday, it was also the 150th
birthday of the Boy Scouts of America! Troop 186, for which
LPC is the Charter Organization, celebrated the occasion by
assisting in leading worship at both services. They did an excellent job and it was a meaning time of worship.
The Grief Team has two new members but needs more,
and we need a man or two to help. This is a very caring
ministry whose members serve those who have experienced the loss of a loved one. For one year the Grief Minister makes phone calls and sends notes and reading material that is helpful and makes visits. Several lasting
friendships have been made from this ministry.
There are three teams under the Deacons which are very
busy and need help:
Frequent meal providers sign up to help families who have
had someone who has been sick or hospitalized or maybe a
family that is welcoming a new baby. Dawn Ridgley is the
current coordinator of this team (932-1011), All of our feeding ministries at LPC and our volunteers are very important
and needed.
Transportation team is coordinated by Cheryl Bogen (9329959), and its members provide rides to doctors and hospital appointments when needed. It’s a way to meet new
friends. Please call Cheryl to volunteer for this team.
Homebound and Nursing Home Team. Paul Galyen is
the coordinator of this team. Even though some of the Deacons help with this team, we need others who enjoy visiting
to serve also. Please call Paul (646-7958) if you are willing
to help.
On behalf of our staff and congregation, I want to thank all
of our volunteers who serve within our body of Christ.
In Christ
Ellen Albright
Prime Timers will hold their annual Soup and Game Night
on Friday, March 20 at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the office
building. Please bring your favorite soup and game. We
also need some desserts. This is a very fun event, so
please plan to attend.
Upcoming events will be a play in May, a potluck and
the Forestaires from Cincinnati in June, lunch at the
Carillon Park German Restaurant in Dayton in July, and
of course the annual picnic in August. Please watch the
Chronicle and worship guides for further details.
What’s Happening in Worship
March 29
Marks the
Beginning
of Holy Week
Our Palm Sunday service will be filled with palms, procession,
and praise as we cry out Hosanna to the King! The journey to
Easter will continue on Maundy Thursday (April 2) with our
long held tradition of dinner, communion, and worship followed
by the Easter cantata “The Risen Christ” on Good Friday (April
3). Then on Easter morning (April 5) we will once again celebrate that which defines us. Death has been defeated! Christ
is risen! Make plans now to not miss a moment of the celebration of Holy Week.
A New Word
Years ago, while I was doing missions work on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, my boss shared with me a passion for never separating the “why” of something from the
“what” of something. In other words, it is crucial to not only
understand what we are doing, but also to know why we are
doing it. It caused him to create a new word to help illustrate
his point…”whatwhy.” With that in mind, I would like to introduce a new standing column for this page from your worship
team and we’re calling it, yup you guessed it, Whatwhy. In it,
we will be exploring elements of worship in the hopes of not
only explaining what we are doing but also why we do it. We
pray you will find this formative.
First up – The Call to Worship
Here is an excerpt from Thoughts on a Call to Worship by Bob
Kauflin - The church is the ekklesia, the “called out ones.”
When we gather as God’s people we are being called away
from other pursuits to worship God together in a specific place
and time. We can worship God indirectly at work or school
during the week, but we worship him more directly on Sunday
mornings as we gather to sing, pray, hear God’s Word
preached, and share in the sacraments.
A call to worship tells us the meeting has begun, but it communicates much more than that. It emphasizes the primacy of
by Rick McNeely
God’s Word, who has called us together, and what we’ve
come to do.
The call to worship can only come from God himself. A
call to worship reminds us that coming together isn’t our
initiative. We didn’t think this up. God is the one who has
called us out of the world to rehearse the gospel in his
presence for His glory and our good through the power
of his Spirit. That should encourage us to engage fully
with God because we come by invitation, not presumption, through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.
Finally, we come together for a specific purpose. After a
week when we’ve been tempted to worship money, relationships, control, sensuality, and ourselves, a call to
worship God wakes us up to the fact that we are sojourners and exiles in this world, that there is one true God,
that he deserves to be exalted in our minds, hearts and
wills, that he calls us together so that we might build
each other up, and that that’s what we’ve gathered to do.
March Ushers
8:45 Service
Phil Craig - Team Leader
Rick Bens, Ernie McCauley,
Dick Wilson, Marion Wilson,
Elly Wilson (Back Up)
11:15 Service
Dave Ernst - Team Leader
Daniel Anson, Robert Anson,
Jim Baumann, Dave Brandt, Stephen
Chee-Wah, Adam Cranmer, Jamie
Carr, Tommy Crago, Jim Garrett,
Ken Klann, David Lupberger, Mitch
Preston, Matt Pritchard and Mason
Wright.
Mission Report
Groundbreaking News from Cambodia
Solomon and Alice
to Visit LPC
On January 16 we woke up very early, grabbed our fancy dress clothes, our
high heels, and dug out our make-up from the bottom of wherever it was hiding.
Coffee and tea in hand, we drove out to Svay Pak before dawn. We were greeted by our 40-plus staff dressed in their finest Cambodian clothes. On a wide
expanse of cleared land where the new school will be built, the tent, stage and
decorations were all ready to go.
Over the next few hours, more than 500 people
gathered at our groundbreaking ceremony to
celebrate the promise of a better future for the
children of Svay Pak. Traditionally a Buddhist
ceremony, we went against the grain and had
a thoroughly Christian one. We prayed and
asked God's blessing on the school and we
watched as a big machine dug into the
ground. The energy and joy of the day was
palpable! The earth in Svay Pak is literally
being moved to make way for a school building
that is a testimony to God's faithfulness and
love toward his children.
We hope that your year is off to a great
start. Thank you so much for your end-of-theyear donation to our ministry in Svay Pak. You are a blessing and encouragement to us. Thank you! We are so excited to begin this process. Hopefully, the
new school will be open by December of this year. Thanks again!
The Grace and Peace Gals
Kimberly, Rachel and Becki
Our Kenyan missionaries, Solomon
and Alice Gacece, will be with us for
worship on Saturday, March 7 and
Sunday, March 8. Please greet our
African friends; they are always so
glad to be with us.
Rabbi Michael Wolf to
speak on Easter Season
Mission Is Possible will have another
class with Rabbi Michael Wolf about
all things Easter. The special class will
be in the Encounter Room at the 10
a.m. Sunday School hour on Sunday,
March 22. Rabbi Wolf always has
many interesting things about the
Bible to teach us. All are welcome to
hear this special guest.
LPC Spring
Rummage Sale
It’s time to clean out your closets, attics, basements and garages for the
LPC Spring Rummage Sale on Saturday, April 11. We take about anything
that is still useful and use the proceeds for mission trips and other mission projects. We will take items on
Thursday, April 9 and Friday, April 10
in the Multipurpose Room. Pick-ups
are possible, if needed.
student ministries
Family of Faith:
Tell Me A Story
When I was a kid I loved when my grandfather, Pappy
would tell me stories. I would sing the old Frankie Laine
and Jimmy Boyd song “Tell Me A Story.” In the 1953
song the young boy pleads and pesters his father to tell
him a story. The young boy pursues his father to the
point of annoyance and ultimately discipline by asking
his daddy to tell him a variety of tales. I loved the stories
that Pappy told and I loved it when he would make me a
character in the story.
include God’s redemptive work in your heart. Our
children and grand children need to hear how our
Savior has transformed and still transforming a sinner like you. What is your faith story? Who led you
to Christ? Share the answers with your kids!
4. Help them see that they are in God’s Story —
As you tell God’s story help them see where they
can live out the faithful stories of people loving God
and loving others. When you read the “Good Samaritan” ask them to be on the lookout for someone
that God wants them to help. Help them see that
they are a disciple of Christ and are called to tell
others about Jesus and to Love people to Christ.
Our “me” culture suggests that our own selfishness is
not a sin, but just our own preference. We need to understand that it isn’t all about “me” it is actually all about
God— Our children and grandchildren need to understand this too. One way to help our children to understand that life is not all about “me" to understand that
God’s way of humility and sacrifice in Jesus Christ is
God’s story and it’s is a story worth living out. Here are
four things we can do to help our children see and respond to God’s big story.
1. Teach your children about the Bible as a whole
story. — Often we pick and choose the stories we
want to tell or hear. But the Bible is not just a compilation of disconnected stories it has a direction and
purpose. We need to teach our kids that God’s story
isn’t a variety show it’s an epic drama unfolding that
spanned all of human history.
Evolve at Believe Retreat, snowed in for the weekend!
2. Teach your children about The Hero! — God had
been revealing Himself throughout all of the Old Testament — always pointing to who was to come in Jesus Christ — the full revelation of God. Jesus is the
Hero of our true story and our kids need to know that
He is the savior we all need. Jesus is the center of
human history and not an interesting musical footnote.
3. Tell your story — Not only is God’s story playing
out across all of time, I hope God's story is being
played out within your life as well. The epic story of
God redeeming all things through Jesus Christ should
Meet the Children’s Ministry Team
Movie Night
Kim Calvert is no
stranger to Lebanon Presbyterian
Church. Devoted
to serve the Lord
and use her talents
to minister to children, she recently
accepted the position of Chairperson
of the Children’s
Ministry Team.
Recently a co-interim Children’s Ministry Director along with
Lynn Steinkirchner, a teacher of Sunday School of all ages
from pre-school to 6th grade, a leader in VBS planning, and a
member of LPC for over 35 years, she is well qualified to lead
this team.
Movie Night will be on Friday, March 20. Movie is
“Big Hero 6.” Movie Summary: BIG HERO 6 is an
action-packed comedy adventure that introduces
Baymax, a lovable, personal companion robot, who
forms a special bond with
robotics prodigy Hiro
Hamada. When a devastating turn of events catapults
them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the
streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to Baymax and his
diverse group of friends! Pizza served at 6:30 p.m. popcorn and a fun movie at 7 p.m. This is a great family
friendly event to invite your friends to come along.
Great fun and fellowship. Cost is $7 per family.
Kim’s hobbies include, crochet, crafts, bowling, and creative
ministry and evangelism. She especially enjoys choosing
crafts for children that reinforce Biblical truths. Along with her
15-year-old daughter, Maddie, Kim is involved in helping the
Lebanon High School Band as secretary of the Band Parents
Association. Since the age of 15 Kim has worked in the construction industry and today she is a lead commercial contract
estimator with a company in Blue Ash. Thank you Kim for accepting the responsibility to serve the Children’s Ministry
Team as the new Chairperson.
Our annual Easter breakfast will be held on Saturday,
April 4, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Reservation/volunteer
forms will be in the worship guides in March. You must
make a reservation so we know how much food to prepare and the Easter bunny knows how many eggs to
hide. Donations are collected at the breakfast. This is a
wonderful time of fellowship for our church family and
friends that you bring, even those without young children. You will enjoy a good breakfast, socialize, and
there will be an activity for the children, followed by the
egg hunt. A special, hoppy visitor will appear, so bring
your cameras! Please join us as we celebrate our Savior's resurrection joyfully together. If you have questions, call Lynn Steinkirchner at 899-9729.
Safety Guidelines
Boys vs Girls “Tug of WAR!”
Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt
The Children’s Ministry Team wishes to help ensure the safety
of our children while they are at church. Starting March 15 we
will reinstate the plans that the team and Sara O’Conner established while she was the Children’s Ministry Director.
Please pick up the guidelines from your child’s Sunday School
teacher prior to that date.
High School March Calendar
Junior High March Calendar
Wednesday 3/4 - Evolve 6:30 -7 p.m.
Wednesday 3/11 - Evolve 6:30 -7 p.m.
Wednesday 3/18 - Evolve 6:30 -7 p.m.
Wednesday 3/25 - Evolve 6:30 -7 p.m.
Sunday 3/1 Mission Trip Fundraiser Setup 4 pm
Take down 7:20 pm
Mission Trip SignUP & $100 Deposit Due
Sunday 3/1 - No Encounter
Monday 3/2 - Feeding Ministry 3:30 - 7 p.m.
Sunday 3/8 - Encounter 7 p.m.
Sunday 3/15 - Encounter 7 p.m.
Sunday 3/22 - Encounter 7 p.m.
Sunday 3/2 - No Encounter: Spring Break
Save the Date for
Vacation Bible School
“Hometown Nazareth”
June 15-19
Please begin praying now for this outreach
and who God would have you invite!
Encounter Room