Dear First Presbyterian Church Family:
Happy Easter! Christ has Risen! Here at First Presbyterian Church, we had a really special Holy Week and a GLORIOUS Easter Sunday celebration. If you missed any of it or just want to experience it again, here are links to watch the services:
3/28: Palm Sunday with a Baptism: http://bit.ly/FPCHPalmSunday
4/1: Maundy Thursday with Footwashing and Communion: http://bit.ly/FPCHMaundyThurs
4/2: Good Friday Service with Passion Narrative and Candles: http://bit.ly/FPCHGoodFriday
4/4: Easter Sunday Service at Hastings College: http://bit.ly/FPCHEaster
Our Easter Service was hosted at the Lynn Farrell Arena at Hastings College to provide for social distancing. We had 300 people in attendance and another 150+ watching the service from home. Local 4 News sent a reporter who produced a great story on our worship service. You can watch that report here: https://www.ksnblocal4.com/2021/04/04/church-hosts-easter-service-at-hastings-college/
We now begin the Season of Easter, which lasts until Pentecost Sunday at the end of May. Pastor Damen and I will be preaching a sermon series entitled: Living in a post-resurrection world. We will explore the good news that Christ is risen–not just from the grave 2000 years ago, but in every aspect of our lives and world. We will ask, how do we recognize the presence of the living Christ and embrace a sense of awe and gratitude, even in the mundane and ordinary moments of our lives? We hope you can join us either in-person or stay-at-home for this exciting sermon series.
Speaking of In-Person worship, there is no longer a need to RSVP to attend worship in the sanctuary. We average 50-100 people attending in-person for the last month. Our sanctuary and balcony have the capacity for 180 while still providing for social distancing, so we will not require RSVPs. If it looks like we are getting close to capacity, we may go back to an RSVP system. But for the month of April, if you want to come to in-person worship, just show up! We can’t wait to see you! Face masks will still be required. Of course, we will still be doing Stay-at-Home worship broadcast on Facebook Live and KICS Radio.
Pastor Damen and I were both still recovering from Holy Week and Easter on Monday, so we recorded the Monday Check-In on Tuesday this week. This is our weekly podcast/broadcast that includes prayer, a short informal Bible study chat, and some brief announcement about the life of our church. If you would like to listen to it like a radio broadcast or download it like a podcast, click here: https://soundcloud.com/damen-heitmann/040621-monday-check-in
If you prefer to see our smiling faces, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking here: https://youtu.be/6sicPXZYtts
I hope you have a blessed week as we continue to bask in the glory of the miracle of the resurrection that we celebrated on Easter Sunday!
Your Servant in Christ,
Pastor Greg