Dear First Pres Family,
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he season of Lent is upon us. I love this time of year because of the opportunities it affords us to reflect on God, His sacrifice and how He’s calling us into this Holy season. Lent is a time when we prepare our hearts for God. It lasts 40 days, not including Sundays, and provides more space to breathe and contemplate. That experience is enriched greatly by the Journey to the Cross, our daily devotional series that helps put the focus on the cross during this season. If you’ve not yet signed up to be a part of this corporate experience of worship, I encourage you to jump in. You can register by visiting www.first-pres.org/journey. As you go through this season of Lent, my prayer is that you will continue to open yourself to how God is calling you to Live His Purpose this year. This happens in our family lives, our work lives, our church lives and the way we impact our city, country and world. As we consider how God is calling us to Live His Purpose, we will hear stories of those who are doing just that. We’ve heard some in services, and we’ll also have Stories of Living God’s Purpose in First Pres Magazine. That begins this month with a story about Herb Kenyon, our long-time custodian and volunteer, on page 4. This month also gives us an opportunity to live into His purpose as a church by helping our partners half a world away in Aswan, Egypt. The Give Back The Blessing offering will be on Palm Sunday, March 29. To learn more about the church in Aswan and how this offering will help them live the purpose God has called them to, see the feature on page 6. Finally, this year’s Annual Meeting — which was a celebration of the life and ministry of First Pres now and throughout the years — was an incredible experience. For those that couldn’t be with us that night, Elder Paul Batura has adapted the piece he wrote for that worship service, which looks at the history of First Pres, for this month’s magazine. To learn more about the rich history of ministry at First Pres, see page 8. Warmly in Christ,
Jennifer Holz Senior Associate Executive Pastor
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Mar 2015 contents Serving Joyfully . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Matthew Fox Give Back the Blessing Offering Recipient 2015 . . . . . . . . 6 Great is Thy Faithfulness . . . . . . . . . 8 Paul Batura
Contributing Writers: Matthew Fox, Paul Batura
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Contributing Editors: Matthew Fox, Alison Murray Graphic Design: Beryl Glass Proofreading Team: Mary Bauman, Deb Berwick, Christine Dellacroce, Betty Haney, Daisy Jackson, Marty Kelley, Karen Kunstle, Linda Pung All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, © 2011 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. First Pres Magazine March 2014, Volume Six, © First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs, CO. Published by First Presbyterian Church, a non-profit organization. To contact First Pres Magazine: 719-884-6175 or 219 E. Bijou Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-1392 or magazine@first-pres.org. Printed in the U.S.A.
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Stories Living God’s Purpose
Serving Joyfu y ��
By Matthew Fox
This year, as we explore what it means to Live God’s Purpose in our lives, we’ll hear stories and examples of people throughout our congregation, city and world doing the same. These stories will be told in services on Sundays and through stories like this that will appear in First Pres Magazine each month. We hope these stories will inspire you to open yourself to how God is calling you in your own walk.
W
hat does it mean to Live God’s Purpose? Does it have anything to do with our attitude? If it does, what does that attitude look like? Anyone who’s been in the staff canteen at First Pres on Tuesday and Thursday mornings knows what it looks like to joyfully serve the Lord. That comes through loud and clear when you talk to Herb Kenyon. If you ask him what’s he’s doing, Herb proudly responds he’s, “Praising the Lord.”
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But it’s more than just a statement, it’s a reflection of who he is and how he approaches each day. Herb moved to Colorado Springs in April, 1978, to attend the Nazarene Bible College. Prior to moving to Colorado Springs, Herb lived in Nebraska, where he’d done some teaching and preaching. He jumped at the chance to attend Bible college. Herb worked at a few places. Then, a little over a year after he moved, on May 29, 1979,
Herb with his wife Ruth and Alison Murray at his retirement. he took a position as a custodian at First Pres. Herb worked for the church for more than 33 years, retiring in July 2012 — at age 81 — due to health issues. Herb said he loved his time as an employee at First Pres, meeting great people and doing his part for the Kingdom. He feels God called him to First Pres, and he’s been blessed to be able to serve God through his work. “It’s meant the world to me to work here,” he said. “You hear about people who say they hate their job, but I loved mine. I usually came in early. I didn’t do it so people would applaud me, I just did it because I love the Lord.” Trish Bibler, who has worked at First Pres for 45 years, has seen first hand the blessing Herb, his love of God and his dedication have brought to the church. “Herb Kenyon is such a wonderful man of God,” she said. “He is always cheerful and ready to help in any way that he can. He has served our Lord here at the church with dedication and faithfulness. He cares tremendously about other people and lives a life in constant praise to God! The Lord has blessed all of us with Herb Kenyon!”
About six months after he retired, Herb got the itch to be a part of our community again and started volunteering two days a week. Coming back to First Pres as a volunteer gives him a chance to get out and stay active. It’s a way for him to honor the call God has placed in his life. “I love the people and I love this place,” he said. “I have wonderful, wonderful friends here. I love the atmosphere and the people. People here love the Lord and I love the Lord, so it’s been a good combination.” His love of God, and his love of First Pres are infectious. Those who know Herb know he lights up when he talks about serving the Lord. “When I think of Herb, the two words that come to mind are ‘positive’ and ‘faithful,’” said Rev. Dr. John Goodale, Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries. “Herb’s love for his Lord is obvious through his upbeat perspective whenever we talk. And his love for this church is equally obvious in his faithful presence here, day after day.” Herb, who celebrated his 84th birthday in February, has been married to wife Ruth for 58 years. Together they had six children — Wes, Marcia, Starla, Cathryn, Harlan and Orvil, who is now deceased. He also has six grandchildren. “God wants us all to serve in one way or another, and a lot of people don’t get that,” he said. “I praise the Lord every day. I look forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays.” Matthew Fox is the Manager of Communication at First Pres.
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Offering Recipient 2015
Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Aswan, Eg
What is Give Back The Blessing? Give Back The Blessing is the name for our special mission-focused offering on Palm Sunday — previously known as One Great Hour of Sharing. The purpose of the offering is to give back to our mission partners the blessings we have received. This Palm Sunday Give Back the Blessing has a $65,000 goal that could help complete a building project for our partner church in Aswan, Egypt. Why the church in Aswan? The Christian Church in Egypt has endured a long history of persecution. The Presbyterian church of Egypt is more than 100 years old, but about 95 percent of the population in Egypt is Muslim, making the witness and presence of the Christian Church important. Current political realities in North Africa and the Middle East highlight the
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desperate need for a continuing and growing Christian presence in this area. A big part of that witness is having a physical church building to serve as a beacon of light. Founded in 1886, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Aswan is 129 years old. Their 100-year-old building has a gathering/worship space, but most of the rest is condemned. Water and plumbing only work occasionally, and there is inadequate safe space for congregants, especially children, to gather and learn. After 17 years of requesting permission from the government to rebuild, the church was given the go-ahead in 2014. Rev. Moris Makram is the pastor of the Evangelical Church Aswan. He, his wife
Outreach to Muslim children
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and two young children moved to Aswan in 2013 after serving a large church in Dubai. Makram felt called to return to Egypt to serve the Church and the Egyptian people. He graduated from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, and also served with Campus Crusade for Christ in Egypt. How Your Gift Helps? The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Aswan serves those in need within their local neighborhood and community. Each week they serve and encourage more than 300 poor children through a meal. The congregation hosts various outreach events through the year, to include a music festival for children and distribution of clothing and hygiene items. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Aswan is ready to rebuild. The total
The church, which is slated to be re-built
Rev. Moris Makram and his wife, Laura projected cost is $700,000.00. The first phase includes demolition, construction of the foundation and half of the sanctuary at a cost of about $150,000. The congregation itself has contributed $50,000 of the $85,000 raised so far. Completion of the first phase requires an additional $65,000.
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By Paul Batura
he following is adapted from a narration written by Paul Batura and presented by Matt Meister at the First Pres Annual Meeting on Sunday, February 8, 2015. This is a story that begins 157 years ago, on a leafy, tree-lined campus in Princeton, New Jersey. It’s a story about a young man on a mission. It’s a story about a dream that never came true. It’s a story a lot like you read growing up, in all those books that became like good friends. But this one is a little different. It’s different because you’re part of the story — because you’re now part of this church. And any story about a church is always a tale of heartache and hope, of laughter and of tears. But ultimately, this is a story of God’s sovereignty, because God will always have His way. It’s also a story that beautifully illustrates the words and promise of the apostle Paul.
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Known not only as the architect of the early Church, Paul was also its encourager-in-chief. He always seemed to say just the right thing — at just the right time. He was tough but tender. He knew how to help lift up the eyes of Christ’s followers, perhaps no more famously then, when writing to the Church in Rome. “…And we know that in all things,” he wrote, that “God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Founding Pastor
Sheldon Jackson was the typical seminary student of his day. He was eager to preach the Word. He was excited to win converts. He also had travel lust. He wanted to go to India. He wanted to serve as a missionary there, and he was determined to find a way to do it. But God had another plan. God had another purpose for Sheldon Jackson because God had a plan for this great church.
At the time, Sheldon was a frail and fragile man. And since India was a long way off, the Presbyterian Church declined his application to travel abroad. Jackson was devastated. All of his hopes and his dreams were dashed in a single rejection letter! But God’s activity always precedes God’s people. God was already at work in the life of this church — even before this church was founded. Instead of India, the Mission Board sent Sheldon Jackson to the Oklahoma Territory. From there he moved into the Rocky Mountain region and finally, in 1870, he landed in Southern Colorado. And you know the rest of the story. But in reality, the rest of the story is the beginning of the story of First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs. It was a warm, sun-drenched August day in 1872 when the Reverend Sheldon Jackson, along with a gentleman named Henry Gage, established First Presbyterian Church. The
church had just eight members. The first church building was over at the corner of Kiowa and Weber, where the City Auditorium now stands. By 1876, the church had grown to just over 100 members. Over the next twelve years, First Pres outgrew its first building. Finally, in 1888, the church struck a deal for property at its current corner of Bijou and Nevada. And here this church has stood and worshiped ever since.
The People of God
If these walls could talk, what would they say? If it takes “a heap of living to make a house a home,” what does it take to make a thriving church? It takes a lot of people and a lot of prayers. It takes sacrifice — lots of it. It takes time and talent and, yes, treasure. Of course, you don’t need a building to have a church. The early Christian church had no buildings, at least not in the sense of what
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we think about today. But they loved the Lord and they believed that what they believed was really true. Such can be said for this body of believers. First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs has been, and has remained, a vibrant church for a century and a half for many reasons, but especially this one: We believe the Scriptures are trustworthy and true. And because we believe the Scriptures are trustworthy and true, we’re a church that desperately tries to put those words into practice. We’re a church that believes in the orthodoxy of God’s Word — but also in its orthopraxy — the doing of God’s Word. So, down through the years, from this very chancel, have come the voices of God’s anointed and appointed. The Reverend Dr. Howard Hansen became senior pastor here in March of 1938. His pastorate would last 32 years, which, at the time, was the longest tenure of any minister in this church’s history. Some of the people here this afternoon knew Dr. Hansen. He was your pastor and
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you loved him. According to Jim Smith, a now retired but beloved former minister here, “Hansen’s gifts drew people to Christ, and into active participation in the church.” Forty-four years ago, the church took a chance on a young minister from within its own ranks who originally hailed from Hollywood, California. Dr. John H. Stevens would be the church’s 12th Senior Pastor. In his record 34-year pastorate, Dr. Stevens would become known and loved for his soaring oratory and the deft management of an exploding body of believers. Under his leadership, the church became more missional than it had ever been, serving the city in countless practical ways. Dr. Steven’s warm voice filled this church and, in response, the city filled its pews to capacity. How do you replace a man like John Stevens? You don’t. You simply trust God to bring His next servant and indeed, He did that with the Reverend Dr. Jim Singleton, who joined the First Pres family in the spring of 2005. Dr. Singleton’s teaching inspired and edified. With a folksy, fatherly approach, Jim
memorized everyone’s name and quickly became everyone’s good friend. We’ll never forget him. So many of Jim’s sermons focused on the love and tender heart of our Father, who never stops pursuing His people. The Reverend Graham Baird’s pastorate commenced as the Waldo Canyon Fire roared down into the city on that fateful night of June 26, 2012. How could we ever forget it? Several within this congregation lost everything — except their faith and confidence in the Lord. Graham would become a consoler and a counselor. With a heart for the unchurched, he initiated a weekly Bible study for those less likely to come to church on a Sunday. His enthusiasm and creativity was felt in countless ways.
The Church Tomorrow
We look back with gratitude but forward to the future with excitement because ours is a God of promises made and promises kept. We don’t fear or fret about tomorrow. We don’t worry about what the future holds — because we know who holds our future.
We stand on the shoulders of giants of the faith — and from their shoulders we see wonderful things! We give thanks to our tremendous staff, led by Reverend Jennifer Holz, Reverend Dr. John Goodale, Jim DeJarnette and our Executive Director, Alison Murray. Because of these good women and men and the faithful, dedicated congregation of this church, tomorrow has never been brighter! And let’s not forget that even at this very moment, the Lord is preparing the heart of our next senior pastor. May we ask Him to prepare ours as we await his or her arrival. We rest in the promises of Scripture and find comfort in the words of the hymnist, Thomas O. Chisholm, who so eloquently reminded us, that “Great is Thy Faithulness, O, God My Father...morning by morning, new mercies I see ... strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow.” Paul Batura is an Elder at First Pres.
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