Stewardship

Be Not Afraid!

Faith in God’s Future

Stewardship 2009
First Presbyterian Church

Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust,
and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2

You can make your pledge online.
Click here to enter your information.

Be Not Afraid! Most of you would probably agree that this is a strange theme for Stewardship. The Stewardship Committee chose this theme because we know these are uncertain times both for our church, because of our senior minister’s departure after 14 years of service, and for the nation, because of these strange economic times. To be sure, this is unchartered territory for many of us and there is much that is uncertain right now. During such uncertainty is when our faith in God’s plan is tested the most.

During uncertain times in the Bible, God often sent prophets and angels to proclaim to God’s people “Be Not Afraid” because the Lord was with them. During the time of exile, the prophet Isaiah addressed the people of Israel, saying “But you, Israel, my servant…do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41). When the angel visited the teenage Mary, telling her of God’s plan for her to deliver Jesus, the angel reassured her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (Luke 1). Jesus also challenged the disciples to have faith and not be afraid during difficult times. This is how it occured in Matthew 14:

26But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ 28Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ 29He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’

Like Peter, we are commanded to keep our faith strong and trust in the Lord despite the waves and wind around us. Faith is trusting in God and knowing that even in uncertain times he will provide for us. If our security is grounded in our identity as God’s children, and members of the body of Christ, then we will be able to trust in the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever!

November is when we, as a congregation, review and renew our commitment to the church. It is a time for us to reflect on how we are called by God to give back of the blessings that we have been given. We as a church are at a time of transition and that means we are called to Be Not Afraid and put our faith in God and the future that He has for us. It is vital that we keep this church strong as we move into God’s future. You, the members of First Presbyterian Church, have been remarkable in how you have given in the past and we hope this year will not be different.

Yours in Fellowship,

Todd Oldenburg

Chair, Stewardship Committee

You can make your pledge online.
Click here to enter your information.

Our Mission and Our Strength

God is calling us to “Be Not Afraid” – to step out in faith – to be Christ’s hands and feet to a world in need, and ensure that that First Presbyterian Church of Asheville remains a strong witness to Jesus Christ.

· Each week we gather around the Word to sing God’s praise, to offer our gifts, and to discern God’s calling to this community. We welcome all who come to seek Christ.

· We have a vibrant children’s ministry that includes our creative Bible Journeys program, the ministries of our children’s choirs, and the intergenerational relationships that are nourished here.

· Our youth are active participants not only in specific youth programs, but also in our weekly worship and in the mission of the church.

· A wide variety of adult faith development classes are offered on Sunday mornings and in mid-week classes through our Lay Institute. Women’s Studies and our new Men’s Discipleship Group also offer opportunities for deeper faith exploration.

· Relationships are nourished here through Wednesday night fellowship dinners, monthly women’s dinner gatherings, our annual congregational retreat, monthly Dine with Nine dinner groups, our monthly Men’s Breakfast, and at fellowship gatherings after worship.

· We are committed to be Christ’s presence in the center of the city by helping with homeless issues and supporting a variety of other local organizations that help the less fortunate.

· Our Presbytery depends on our continued support for mission locally, regionally and internationally. The Guatemala Partnership serves as a model for our denomination. In 2008 we initiated a scholarship program with our partner church Eben Ezer in La Blanca.

Using Resources Wisely

The Church strives to be a good steward of the resources that we give. The session and staff are always looking to find ways to be more efficient in how we use resources. Whether changing to more efficient light bulbs or evaluating the benefits of installing solar panels, the church strives to make sure every dollar is spent efficiently. Other ways we use our money wisely:

· Some support staff jobs were redesigned this year to give more coverage with less expense.

· Instead of weekly newsletters and mailings, we send The Chronicle monthly and are relying more on e-mail and the church website for communication.

· Church members are volunteering regularly and significantly with maintenance and grounds work, cutting down on the need to pay outside providers.

FPC is growing more and more dependent on older members to contribute the majority of money pledged to the church. For the church to remain healthy, younger families will need to contribute more. This is particularly true as financial flucuations impact retirement savings.

What does a pledge mean?
A pledge is an estimate of giving. It is not binding but serves as a commitment and goal for families and individuals to work towards. Pledges also serve the important purpose of helping the Session develop a budget for the upcoming year. Even if you are unsure of next year's finances, you are encouraged to make a pledge that can serve as your plan for giving to the church. If circumstances change, you are free to amend your giving. We hope everyone will commit to the church and strive to keep that commitment to the best of their ability.

Your Legacy at First Presbyterian Church

Our stewardship pledges are our primary way of supporting the work and ministry of First Presbyterian Church. A way to make sure that your commitment to the church extends beyond your time on earth is to include First Presbyterian as a beneficiary of your will or estate. A bequest in your will is a simple way to make a lasting gift that can help support a particular part of the church’s work or provide general support to a broad range of the church’s ministry. By making a bequest, you also reduce the amount of tax that will be applied to your estate.

You can make your pledge online.
Click here to enter your information.

Return to the FPC Home Page		Be Not Afraid! Faith in God’s Future Stewardship 2009 First Presbyterian Church Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2 You can make your pledge online. Click here to enter your information. Be Not Afraid! Most of you would probably agree that this is a strange theme for Stewardship. The Stewardship Committee chose this theme because we know these are uncertain times both for our church, because of our senior minister’s departure after 14 years of service, and for the nation, because of these strange economic times. To be sure, this is unchartered territory for many of us and there is much that is uncertain right now. During such uncertainty is when our faith in God’s plan is tested the most. During uncertain times in the Bible, God often sent prophets and angels to proclaim to God’s people “Be Not Afraid” because the Lord was with them. During the time of exile, the prophet Isaiah addressed the people of Israel, saying “But you, Israel, my servant…do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41). When the angel visited the teenage Mary, telling her of God’s plan for her to deliver Jesus, the angel reassured her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (Luke 1). Jesus also challenged the disciples to have faith and not be afraid during difficult times. This is how it occured in Matthew 14: 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ 28Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ 29He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ Like Peter, we are commanded to keep our faith strong and trust in the Lord despite the waves and wind around us. Faith is trusting in God and knowing that even in uncertain times he will provide for us. If our security is grounded in our identity as God’s children, and members of the body of Christ, then we will be able to trust in the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever! November is when we, as a congregation, review and renew our commitment to the church. It is a time for us to reflect on how we are called by God to give back of the blessings that we have been given. We as a church are at a time of transition and that means we are called to Be Not Afraid and put our faith in God and the future that He has for us. It is vital that we keep this church strong as we move into God’s future. You, the members of First Presbyterian Church, have been remarkable in how you have given in the past and we hope this year will not be different. Yours in Fellowship, Todd Oldenburg Chair, Stewardship Committee You can make your pledge online. Click here to enter your information. Our Mission and Our Strength God is calling us to “Be Not Afraid” – to step out in faith – to be Christ’s hands and feet to a world in need, and ensure that that First Presbyterian Church of Asheville remains a strong witness to Jesus Christ. · Each week we gather around the Word to sing God’s praise, to offer our gifts, and to discern God’s calling to this community. We welcome all who come to seek Christ. · We have a vibrant children’s ministry that includes our creative Bible Journeys program, the ministries of our children’s choirs, and the intergenerational relationships that are nourished here. · Our youth are active participants not only in specific youth programs, but also in our weekly worship and in the mission of the church. · A wide variety of adult faith development classes are offered on Sunday mornings and in mid-week classes through our Lay Institute. Women’s Studies and our new Men’s Discipleship Group also offer opportunities for deeper faith exploration. · Relationships are nourished here through Wednesday night fellowship dinners, monthly women’s dinner gatherings, our annual congregational retreat, monthly Dine with Nine dinner groups, our monthly Men’s Breakfast, and at fellowship gatherings after worship. · We are committed to be Christ’s presence in the center of the city by helping with homeless issues and supporting a variety of other local organizations that help the less fortunate. · Our Presbytery depends on our continued support for mission locally, regionally and internationally. The Guatemala Partnership serves as a model for our denomination. In 2008 we initiated a scholarship program with our partner church Eben Ezer in La Blanca. Using Resources Wisely The Church strives to be a good steward of the resources that we give. The session and staff are always looking to find ways to be more efficient in how we use resources. Whether changing to more efficient light bulbs or evaluating the benefits of installing solar panels, the church strives to make sure every dollar is spent efficiently. Other ways we use our money wisely: · Some support staff jobs were redesigned this year to give more coverage with less expense. · Instead of weekly newsletters and mailings, we send The Chronicle monthly and are relying more on e-mail and the church website for communication. · Church members are volunteering regularly and significantly with maintenance and grounds work, cutting down on the need to pay outside providers. FPC is growing more and more dependent on older members to contribute the majority of money pledged to the church. For the church to remain healthy, younger families will need to contribute more. This is particularly true as financial flucuations impact retirement savings. FPC is growing more and more dependent on older members to contribute the majority of money pledged to the church. For the church to remain healthy, younger families will need to contribute more. This is particularly true as financial fluctuations impact retirement savings. What does a pledge mean? A pledge is an estimate of giving. It is not binding but serves as a commitment and goal for families and individuals to work towards. Pledges also serve the important purpose of helping the Session develop a budget for the upcoming year. Even if you are unsure of next year's finances, you are encouraged to make a pledge that can serve as your plan for giving to the church. If circumstances change, you are free to amend your giving. We hope everyone will commit to the church and strive to keep that commitment to the best of their ability. Your Legacy at First Presbyterian Church Our stewardship pledges are our primary way of supporting the work and ministry of First Presbyterian Church. A way to make sure that your commitment to the church extends beyond your time on earth is to include First Presbyterian as a beneficiary of your will or estate. A bequest in your will is a simple way to make a lasting gift that can help support a particular part of the church’s work or provide general support to a broad range of the church’s ministry. By making a bequest, you also reduce the amount of tax that will be applied to your estate. You can make your pledge online. Click here to enter your information.
© First Presbyterian Church of Asheville, NC 40 Church Street Asheville, NC 28801 828-253-1431 fax 828-253-3192 Office@fpcasheville.org