Worship This Week
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 7, 2023
Text: Romans 1:1-17
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
Narrative Lectionary:
Week 32
Paul Introduces Himself
With just four more Sundays to go in Year 1 of the Narrative Lectionary, we turn finally to Romans AKA Paul’s Letter to the Church in Rome. In all the other letters, Paul writes to a congregation or person he knows well. But Paul has never been to Rome and doesn’t know anyone there. This week we will look at the Salutation and Greeting portions of the letter in which Paul introduces himself and the mission to which he has been called.
We will also be celebrating the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. *Please make us aware if you need a gluten free option or have other dietary restrictions so that we can welcome you safely to the Lord’s table! You are always welcome to bring your own bread option.
UPCOMING MAY WORSHIP EVENTS
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.
WEDNESDAY EARLY OUT (WEO) THIS WEEK
Wednesday, May 10 from 1:15ish to 3:15ish
Children in Kindergarten on up are welcome to come to church this Wednesday afternoon. We will work on painting the mural and planting the pollinator garden. Smocks provided, gardening gloves welcome! An RSVP to Jonathan or Lori is helpful for snacks. Let us know if a ride from school would be helpful!
A NOTE FROM BECKY AHRENS
I want to express my sincere “Thank You” to my church family. All of the prayers and hugs have helped Al and myself through the journey of Al’s ALS. So many people have come to our aid and that just reaffirms how wonderful our church is. I will soon be back on Sundays and pass out my hugs in person.
Thank you, again for your love,
Becky Ahrens
POLLINATOR GARDEN PROJECT
Together with our children and youth, Beth Simon, Jonathan Walsh and others are turning a portion of church lawn into a pollinator garden. We are looking for donations of native perennials (i.e. purple coneflower/echinacea) and pollinator favorite perennials (i.e. zinnias). If you signed up to donate flowers, please bring them to church by 1:00 Wednesday, May 10 so we can plant them at WEO that day. Contact Beth Simon ([email protected]) to lend a hand.
COOPERATIVE YOUTH GROUP – ROOTED
Wednesday, May 10 from 6:30-8:00 at Seeds of Faith
Cook Out & Bonfire
This week we will gather at Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church to enjoy a beautiful evening outside.
HELP MAKE COFFEE HOUR HAPPEN
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! We need people willing to make coffee and provide 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.
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. Specifically, our nursery may qualify to provide infant childcare. The architectural drawings have been submitted to the State Fire Marshal for approval. Meanwhile, the MVL Child Care Solutions work group is looking for an entrepreneur to run a daycare. The daycare administration will be independent of 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 $914.10, or 17% 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–WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?
Monday, June 12 through Friday, June 16
1:00-4:00pm at Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church
At this year’s VBS we take a deep dive into the Parable of the Good Samaritan and learn about neighbors around the globe. Cooperatively led by First Pres MV, Seeds of Faith Lutheran and the Mount Vernon UMC.
CHURCH CALENDAR
Sunday, May 7
8:15am Choir Practice in Community Room
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
Tuesday, May 9
1-3pm Church office hours
Wednesday, May 10
6:30pm Youth Group at Seeds of Faith
Friday, May 12
9am-12pm Church office hours
Sunday, May 14
8:15am Choir Practice in Community Room
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