Dear First Pres Family, We are in the midst of a tremendous moment of celebration in the life of our church. On Sunday, February 28 we affirmed the work of our Pastor Nominating Committee in finding Rev. Dr. Tim McConnell to serve as our new Lead Pastor. It was an incredible morning and afternoon of worship as we affirmed the discernment process we’ve been on as a church for the past 22 months. It is with great joy that we prepare to begin the next chapter in the rich history of our life together as the body of Christ in downtown Colorado Springs. And this month brings much to celebrate as well. We will celebrate inter-generational worship through the Mass of the Children event on Sunday, March 13. To learn more about that day and how it will celebrate the prayer partnerships formed through the Pray For Me campaign, see Jim DeJarnette’s article on page 4. This month we’ll also remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection. During Holy Week we’ll have services on Maundy Thursday (March 24) and Good Friday (March 25), as well as seven services throughout the morning on Easter (March 27). I hope you’ll make plans to join us. For a full Holy Week schedule, see page 7 or visit us online at www.first-pres.org/easter. Looking ahead to April, mark your calendar for our Christian Life Conference on Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16. This year we’ll be led by Andy Crouch, executive editor for Christianity Today and author of the book Culture Making. The title of this year’s conference is “Creating Culture for the Common Good,” and Andy will teach us how we can make a Kingdom impact in our culture. The cost is just $19 if you register by April 3. This will be a weekend that will challenge and inspire the whole family, so you won’t want to miss it. For more information, or to register, visit www.first-pres.org/CLC.
Warmly in Christ,
Jennifer Holz
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prepare By Rev. Pat Hartsock
Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit
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efore we can reach people with the Gospel, we need to Prepare. Part of how we do that is to ground ourselves in the Word. Our upcoming Wednesday night gathering, The Fruit of the Spirit, beginning April 6, is a chance to do just that. Over the four Wednesday evenings of April we will study Jesus’ teaching about the “true vine” and “the fruit of the Holy Spirit.” We will examine: • The source of the fruit of the Spirit • The power behind the fruit of the Spirit • The purposes God has the fruit of the Spirit • The three dimensions of the fruit of the Spirit • The fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit
In addition, during our Wednesday evening fellowship we will strive to understand how, in our daily lives, God desires to manifest the fruit of the Spirit; how each fruit arises to address a particular arena of our everyday lives; what part of our life is the source of each fruit; and how vital it is that we allow the Holy Spirit to manifest the very life of Jesus in our lives. Come join and learn in this fellowship as we unpack John 15, Galatians 5:22 plus much more, in order that together we might examine and manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives. See you beginning Wednesday, April 6, in Fellowship Hall at 6:15 p.m. Rev. Pat Hartsock is Pastor to Men at First Pres.
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all generations By Jim DeJarnette
Celebrating Pray for Me Connections through Mass of the Children
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hy did John Rutter write Mass of the Children? When he was young, he sang in one of England’s renowned cathedral choirs. When his choir would perform magnificent works, he became aware there were rarely parts for children to sing. So he decided to write a gorgeous piece in which children played a major role — thus, Mass of the Children was born. Our church’s Pray for Me campaign brings the All Generations aspect of our vision statement to life! Several hundred adults are now in prayer relationships with our youth. During the Mass of the Children youth and adults will express what the various texts of this great piece mean to their lives. We’ll hear what it means to glorify God as a child, and what it means to their adult prayer partner. We’ll hear why inviting Jesus into the start of each and every day is important to young and old. Even more, invite your young prayer partners and their families to share in the
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afternoon together! Let’s make this a wonderful opportunity to catch a vision of what All Generations looks like! Nothing could be more longed for than all our young people knowing they are loved as intimately as this piece depicts — by our Lord…and by all of us. Come and celebrate what our church is holding up as a principal value — to be a community where All Generations are in relationship. Jim DeJarnette is the Minister of Music at First Pres.
Mass of the Children Sunday, March 13 4 p.m. in the Sanctuary Tickets are $10
Tickets are complementary for those under 18
impact lives Give Back the Blessing
This special offering, taken on Palm Sunday each year, is a way to say thanks to God for His blessings to us.
2 0 1 6 ' s Off e r i n g w i l l S u p p o r t Springs Rescue Mission (SRM) Multi-Agency campus • SRM is one of our 21 local mission partners — a key player in creating a comprehensive solution for chronic homelessness in our city. • A multi-agency campus to serve the homeless is currently planned. • Shelter beds will increase from 60 to 150 and from winter-only to year-round. • Dining room seats will increase from 70 to 200. • The Day Center will provide case management, health and mental health support, access to computers for job searches, laundry and shower facilities.
Child Development Center/Presbyterian Free Church of Kalimpong, India (PFCK) •P FCK is our partner church in India •T he church runs the Child Development Center (CDC) in its town. •A lmost half of the 280 children served by the CDC are sponsored by families at First Pres Colorado Springs through Compassion International. •T he CDC was damaged by the 2015 Nepal earthquake. •T his offering will provide repairs and expand capacity to serve more people. •O ur gifts will help to add a kitchen, two classrooms, a recreation/community area and improved sanitation.
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for christ By Matthew Fox
Reaching Across Cultures
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his year we’ve renewed our focus on what it means to live out our vision to Prepare All Generations to Impact Lives For Christ. There are a lot of ways we live into that vision, but we do it all to honor Christ and the call He’s put in our lives as individuals and a Congregation. Key to that is Jesus’ mission on earth that we, as His followers, get to help fulfill. Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” That’s a powerful exhortation, and one that many take seriously. Eddie, a member of First Pres, has a huge heart for reaching refugees and imparting the Gospel to those who come from a Muslim faith and culture. His journey with one woman began two and a half years ago when a local mission agency contacted him because they were looking for professionals who could speak Arabic to help with refugees. Out of that blossomed a group that works with refugees, helping them feel welcome and helping them acclimate to American culture. Through that they have a chance to share their faith. But it’s not simply a matter of evangelism; it’s about building relationships. Eddie noted that reaching Muslims takes time. You don’t start with the Gospel pitch, he said, you start by modeling faith and building a real relationship.
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Eddie said they approach it with a few simple guidelines – love the people, don’t have an agenda, take it one step at a time, win the person to yourself before you win them to Christ and pray. That’s what he did with this woman, a refugee who had lost most of her family. For more than two years he helped her, and during that time he saw her view of Americans, and Christians, begin to change. Just before last Christmas, the woman was one of three refugees to take a Bible after learning more about the story of Jesus. A few weeks later, she asked to speak to Eddie. He cleared his schedule and she shared with him a dream in which she fell down a black hole and Jesus pulled her out with His staff. She asked what it meant, giving Eddie a chance to share his faith and the story of salvation. “A turning point for her was when I told her God doesn’t want you to change your religion, but to have a relationship with Jesus,” Eddie said. Later that day she proclaimed herself a Christ follower. Eddie hopes it’s just the first fruits among the people God has brought to his doorstep to serve and minister to here in Colorado Springs. Matthew Fox is the Manager of Communication at First Pres
easter & Holy Week
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oin First Pres this Easter as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We will have seven services to choose from.
Sunrise Service
6 a.m. on the Weber Street Lawn
Traditional Services
in the Sanctuary 7 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 10 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Nursery opens at 8 a.m.
Contemporary Services in Fellowship Hall 9 a.m. 10:30 a.m.
Holy Week Services
Maundy Thursday, March 24 Join us for a special service of worship at 6:30 p.m. This celebration of the Last Supper will conclude with a time of communion. Nursery provided Good Friday, March 25 Join the Downtown Churches, from Noon to 3 p.m. in the Sanctuary, as we remember our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross. This service centers on the seven last words of Jesus Christ. An organ recital precedes the service at 11:30 a.m. Nursery provided
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a d d r e ss
S ERVICE
Life
conference
•
April
15-16,
2016
Non Profit Org. U. S. Postage PAID Colo. Spgs. CO Permit No. 419
FEATURING Andy Crouch, Executive Editor of Christianity Today
RE Q UE S TED
Christian