First Presbyterian
Church of Tonawanda
.
Because God's
love is for all
Everyone is always welcome.
We pray that God may bless you with
peace, inspiration, and strength. We are a community, seeking to learn what it means
to follow Jesus. No matter what you may
be going through no matter where
you may be on your faith journey,
you are most welcome here!
Live Worship Steaming available and Service in Church
at 10:30AM Sundays!!!
It will be streamed on Facebook Live on our Facebook page
www.Facebook.com/firstprestona/live
Upcoming Highlights
NEWS FOR THE PEWS March 30, 2023
FROM THE PASTOR
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and we'll open worship with scripture and a palm-waving parade with loud Hosannas. People of all ages are invited to parade with us, in costume or in regular clothes. You can meet at the back of the sanctuary, or you can join the crowd as it passes your pew.
Calling all Colorers!!! Can you help color butterfly Alleluias for Easter Sunday? Stop in the office this week or pick them up on Sunday and return them by 9:00 am Easter Sunday. If you can cut them out, that's a plus!
Finally, don't forget your stewardship pledges. We begin adding leaves to our tree for every pledge you make: Financial, Attendance, Participation, and Service. We'll have spare pledge cards and pledge sheets for you. Let's all show our support for this new initiative, Growing in Faith Together, by pledging to participate fully in the life of the church this year.
Join us for worship this Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, at 10:30am in person and livestreamed on Facebook. We open with Matthew 21:1-11 and a musical palm-waving parade to celebrate Palm Sunday. The sermon, “Giving Generously: Extravagant Gifts,” continues our Lenten stewardship series and leans on scripture from Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 and John 12:1-8. How do you show people that you love them? How do you show Jesus that you love him?
As always, I look forward to meeting with any of you I haven't yet spent time with, either at your place or in my office.
See you Sunday!
Pastor Rebecca
Growing in Faith Together Pledge Drive
Have you been prayerfully considering your pledges for this year? The stewardship letter offers each of us a chance to pledge in 4 categories: Attendance, Participation, Service, and Financial. Andrea Tasevski has created a tree design for us on a rolling display. We will be adding post-it leaves to the tree to show our support for the church in this new endeavor, Growing in Faith Together.
Each person, including all family members, may receive up to 4 leaves to represent their 4 areas of commitment. You’ll be able to add your name or message to the leaves and add it to our tree beginning with Palm Sunday, April 2nd. On Sunday, April 16th, we will add the final leaves to our tree and celebrate our joint commitment to God’s work here at First Presbyterian Church Tonawanda. If you cannot make it to church on April 2nd, 9th, or 16th, please call the office and request your leaves be added.
Upcoming Activities
April 2: Palm Sunday opens our Holy Week with a parade of praising, palm-waving people! Join the parade. Worship opens with the Gospel reading and a chorus of Hosanna! as we recreate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. Our Generous Giving series continues with gifts of gratitude and hospitality we share with one another. Kurt Ebsary is away this week with his family. Scott Chaffee will be our guest organist for this service.
April 6: Maundy Thursday features another in our series of Supper Church. Join us at 5:30 pm in the parlor for a shared meal and worship around the table, closing with communion. This time the meal is potluck. Please sign up to let us know how many are coming and indicate if you will bring a dish to share.
April 9: Easter Sunday worship is at 10:30, with a Sunrise Breakfast Church gathering served from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. If you would like to bring a dish to share, please sign up. Bring your friends and family to celebrate our risen Lord together.
April 16: Generous Giving series concludes with a celebration of our joint commitment to Growing in Faith Together at First Presbyterian Church Tonawanda. We celebrate the generous gift of hospitality and presence, that gift of being there for someone, having someone really see you and appreciate you for who you are.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. The Deacons are organizing coffee hour every Sunday after worship. Please join in for fellowship and coffee; contact Jane Crossan to sign up.
2. Reminder: The sign-up sheets for Maundy Thursday Supper Church and Easter Sunrise Breakfast are on the bulletin board in the Narthex. Don’t forget to sign-up.
3. 2023 Camp Duffield Youth Retreat - Friday, March 31 at 7pm – Sunday, April 2 at 10am
Guaranteed fun, faith, fellowship, and friendships! Cost: $80 per person (youth and adults) and includes lodging, meals, snacks and activities. The activities will include: Youth Led worships, keynote speaker(s), small group discussions based on the keynote topics, s'mores, laugh, hikes, sing, pray, enjoy the beauty of Camp Duffield, group games, air hockey, ping pong, and enjoy the fellowship of youth and youth leaders from around the Presbytery! Registration and payment due on or before FRIDAY, March 24th, 2023. We really hope you'll join us for an amazing youth event open to all 6th through 12th graders and their youth leaders (college students are very welcome to join us also). For more information, contact Bill Welch.
PRAYER CONCERNS
The prayer concerns have recently been updated. If you have a prayer request, please contact
Pastor Rebecca at 315-317-6140 or the church office at 716-692-1319.
•Prayers for Craig Erisman who is in Strong Memorial Hospital awaiting a heart transplant.
•Prayers for healing for Bob Eshelman.
•Prayers for healing for Shirley Hagle’s sister’s great, great granddaughter in Texas who was born one week ago with breathing problems.
•Prayers for healing for Mike Donovan.
•Prayers for the family and friends of Kaley who was killed in a car accident and for the driver of the other vehicle. Prayers for her 4 year- old son, Wyatt, who survived the accident. She is a friend of Laura Marohn’s brother.
•Prayers for healing for Liam who has leukemia.
•Prayers for the congregation of Marilee’s brother and sister-in-law’s church (Marion Aldersgate Church in Illinois), currently in discernment for a way forward.
• Prayers for healing for Lori, friend of Sue Schurr, who is out of the hospital and recuperating at home.
• Prayers for Derick Blake for healing.
• Prayers for continued healing for Marlene Tyrrell.
• Prayers for continued healing for Shirley Hagle.
• Prayers for the people of Turkey and Syria displaced by the earthquakes, and for those first responders working with them.
• Prayers for peace and refuge for Ukraine, and for all refugees.
CALENDAR
Thursday, March 30
9:00am – 2:00pm Office Hours
10:00am Alcoholics Anonymous (Circle II Basement)
Friday, March 31
7:00pm Youth Retreat – Camp Duffield
Saturday, April 1
10:00am Alcoholics Anonymous (Circle II Basement)
All Day Youth Retreat – Camp Duffield
Sunday, April 2 - Palm Sunday
9:30 am Sunday School for all ages (Classrooms)
10:30 am Worship for all ages (Sanctuary)
11:30 am Coffee Fellowship for all ages (Parlor)
Monday, April 3
10:00 am Alcoholics Anonymous (Circle II Basement)
Tuesday, April 4
9:00am – 2:00pm Office Hours
1:00pm Deacons Meeting
Wednesday, April 5
9:00am – 2:00pm Office Hours
Thursday, April 6 - Maundy Thursday
9:00am – 2:00pm Office Hours
10:00am Alcoholics Anonymous (Circle II Basement)
5:30pm Maundy Thursday Supper Church
Saturday, April 8
10:00am Alcoholics Anonymous (Circle II Basement)
Sunday, April 9 - Easter Sunday
9:00am Easter Sunrise Breakfast
10:30 am Worship for all ages (Sanctuary)
List of Officers
ELDERS
Class of 2023 Class of 2024 Class of 2025
Diane Charsley Betsy Crocker Tom Dugan
Patricia Loeswick William Welch, IV Nancy Rolando
DEACONS
Class of 2023 Class of 2024
Jane Crossan, Moderator Alvin Marohn
Donna Blinston Mike Donovan
Leslie Dugan Marlene Tyrrell
TREASURER
- Tom Dugan
Church Parking Lot
Please, if you are able to walk, we would appreciate if you would park on the surrounding streets near the church
and leave the spaces in our parking lot for our folks who need them most. Thanks very much.
Hunger Sunday:
Don't forget that the third Sunday of the month is Hunger Sunday. Food and cash donations are welcome
and proceeds are donated to the Twin Cities Community Outreach. Any food items may be dropped off at Donna and Bruce Blinston's front porch at 25 Elmwood Park West. Thank you for your continued support.
Deacons Tonawanda School Mission Project
The Deacons are continuing to partner with the the Tonawanda Elementary Schools to provide much needed clothing items to needy children. This is an ongoing mission project and the Deacons would like to thank the people who have donated so generously. The schools have expressed an urgent need for underwear in the
following sizes: Boys and Girls underwear size 6 and size 8 at one school and Boys underwear sizes 6-8,
10-12, and 14-16 at a second school. Either a monetary donation or clothing donation is acceptable. See Jane Crossan or Leslie Dugan for more details on how you can donate and what items are needed. There is also a designated tote in the Narthex to place your donations.