Worship This Week 
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Text: Acts 13:1-3, 14:8-18
Presentation of Bibles to
3rd, 4th & 5th Graders


Narrative Lectionary:
Week 31
Paul and Barnabas 

 

Last week we looked at the story of Peter being challenged in a vision (that soon became reality) to include Gentiles as the disciples share the good news of Jesus Christ (Acts 10:1-17, 34-48). In this week’s story, the Holy Spirit continues to lead the early church in this direction. Paul and Barnabas are chosen (after a time of prayer and fasting) to begin preaching to Gentiles in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). They travel to Lystra and after Paul heals a man who has never been able to walk, the crowd speculates that Paul must be Zeus and Barnabas must be Hermes (the messenger god) and want to offer sacrifices to them. Paul is horrified at this development and tries to convince them that he and Barnabas are ordinary mortals. It is God who is the source of healing and new life.   

Presentation of Bibles to 3rd, 4th and 5th Graders
It’s a COVID Catch Up Sunday as we present bibles to children in grades 3-5. Our church gives the Deep Blue Kids Bible with study tools in the Common English Bible translation.
Grade 3: Catherine Lane, Beckett Meyer, Konnor Stewart, Edwin Walsh
Grade 4: Vivienne Andresen, Ellie Austerman, Hannah Casey, Lindey Johnson, Marlie Jo Willems
Grade 5: Corbyn Clark, Ruth West

WORSHIP IN MAY
May 7 – Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
May 14 – Sacrament of Baptism & May Birthday Recognition
May 21 – Sacrament of Baptism & Noisy Offering
May 28 – Pentecost Sunday followed by a church potluck  
          

Find this week’s bulletin online here
Paper bulletins are available in the sanctuary.

Find Our Worship Online
Join us on Facebook or YouTube beginning at 9:20 (to enjoy the prelude; service begins at 9:30) for a LIVE stream of the service!
To find us on Facebook, search “First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon, Iowa.”
To find us on YouTube, search “FirstPresMV” to find our channel, then click on LIVE. 



SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR PREK & UP  
Children PreK and up may leave for Sunday School with their teachers following Discovery Time. The nursery is open starting at 9:15 for children in kindergarten and younger.
Besides learning about the day’s Bible reading, the children are creating a mural.

SOCIAL CONCERNS COMMITTEE – SUNDAY, APRIL 30
Sunday, April 30 at 10:45 in the Community Room
Are you interested in learning about and responding to the issues we face, locally and globally? The Social Concerns Committee guides our congregation’s financial support of various groups as well as service projects, service trips, and educational opportunities. 

COOPERATIVE YOUTH GROUP – ROOTED – WEDNESDAY, MAY 3
Wednesday, May 3 from 6:30-8:00 at First Pres
The Lord’s Prayer and Sardines

Join us at Camp Tanager (1614 W. Mt. Vernon Road) as we help the camp get ready for the summer. Come dressed to work (work gloves are a great idea, too). We’ll be spreading mulch and doing some gardening. Light snacks will be provided. Note the earlier start time!

NOISY OFFERING RESULTS FOR MARCH & APRIL
In March, the children collected $160.13 to support the work of Southeast Linn Community Center. In April, $175.61 was collected for the One Great Hour of Sharing which provides support to three PC(USA) programs – Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People. Thank you for your generous support! Our next Noisy Offering will be Sunday, May 21.

NEW MEMBERS’ CLASS COMING SOON
We have several people interested in becoming members of First Presbyterian Church of Mount Vernon. If this is something you would like more information about, please email or call Pastor Lori Wunder  at [email protected] or 319-431-2227.

FELLOWSHIP HOSTS NEEDED
Fellowship time is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. It’s all about strengthening the ties that bind us to one another–and enjoying a tasty treat! If you are willing to bring around 3 dozen treats of any kind, please sign up here. And thank you!

LITURGISTS NEEDED FOR MAY & JUNE
Are you available to help lead worship? Click here to sign up.

THANK YOU, MEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEERS! 
Thank you to Marsha Acord, Elaine Bishop, Mike & Lori Cranston, Marsha McWhinney & Joe Schmitz, and Kristy Parker for volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels during April! Our next month to deliver meals is October.

FIRST PRES MV & MVL CHILD CARE SOLUTIONS
Our congregation is working with Mount Vernon Lisbon Child Care Solutions group to provide more childcare options in our communities. Our nursery may qualify to provide infant childcare. The architectural drawings will be submitted to the  State Fire Marshal while the MVL Child Care Solutions work group is looks for an entrepreneur to run a daycare. We would provide the space and possibly some volunteers but the daycare administration will be separate from the church. Our goal is to meet a critical need in our community, not to have a source of income for the church.

PER CAPITA PAYMENT
Each Presbyterian congregation shares in the financial support for the work of the wider denomination at the presbytery, synod and national level. This support is called Per Capita, an amount per member apportioned by the member presbytery (in our case, the Presbytery of East Iowa). Our congregation’s per capita is $40.70 per member, or $5403 total. Thank you to everyone who has contributed the cost of their per capita. So far we have received $744.10, or 14% of our share of support for the larger church.

CAMP WYOMING–REGISTER FOR SUMMER FUN!
Registration for summer programs for elementary, middle, and high school youth is open! Click here to check out what Camp Wyoming has to offer your kids this summer. Our congregation believes so much in this Christian camp experience that we will pay your child’s way.  

VBS–SAVE THE DATES!
Monday, June 12 through Friday, June 16
1:00-4:00pm at Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church

Mark your calendars and plan to have your kids, PreK through Grade 6 be part of the fun! Cooperatively led by First Pres MV, Seeds of Faith Lutheran and the Mount Vernon UMC.

CHURCH CALENDAR

Sunday, April 30 
  9:15am Nursery care is available
  9:30am Worship in the Sanctuary & Online
  Sunday School for PreK and up! Children will leave with teachers following Discovery Time (children’s sermon)
  10:30am Coffee Hour in Social Hall
  10:45am Social Concerns Committee in Community Room

Tuesday, May 2
  1-3pm Church office hours 

Wednesday, May 3
   6:30pm Youth Group at First Pres

Friday, May 5
   9am-12pm Church office hours

Sunday, May 7
  9:15am Nursery care is available
  9:30am Worship in the Sanctuary & Online
  Sunday School for PreK and up! Children will leave with teachers following Discovery Time (children’s sermon)
  10:30am Coffee Hour in Social Hall

Monday, May 8
   6:00pm Bunco in Social Hall
   6:30pm Session in Community Room