1st Presbyterian Church Coeur d'Alene ID
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Living the Love 1st Mission

10/31/2022

1 Comment

 
A 1st Pres Neighborhood Closet Devotion

I have learned that it is important to “sit in the boat” and wait to hear the voice of God leading this ministry.  Psalm 27:14 tells us to, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”  This verse has served me well. When I am not sure what to do, Father, help
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Gina Dingman
me wait for my instructions. It is amazing, how He provides exactly what is needed, who is needed, and the direction for our next steps.
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​The 1st Pres Neighborhood Closet officially opened its doors on October 2 to serve those families with children in Kindergarten through 8th Grade with clothing, hygiene products, and laundry 
product needs. We are here to serve our community year-round. Because of our volunteers, we have opened our doors to serve our community by offering a Hand up instead of a Hand out.

I would like to share with you what some of our volunteers, church members, and mission partners have said about their involvement with the 1st. Pres Neighborhood Closet.

Matt’s thoughts took us back to our beginnings, “The evolution of this ministry has been absolutely inspirational to so many. We are very grateful to those who have so faithfully worked to make it happen. There are so many ways this project has blessed the members of our church, the mission partners that we coordinate with, and the people we serve. From its inception as a remake of the successful historic closet event that we have been hosting annually for decades to the point that we now have a dedicated & aesthetically pleasing permanent facility, along with some very faithful and resourceful core volunteers. Many have used their time & talents to create this new vision of serving our community that allows relationships to thrive and needs to be met on a more regular and personal basis. My hope is that 1st Pres continually becomes a 1st line of support for local kids in need through the resources we share; that we become a critical ongoing part of the support of their families – showing the love of Christ and how we are called to offer it. It would also be great to continue to inspire more members of our congregation, along with our youth, to participate in hosting & caring for the families we serve to further develop their sense of missional service. This is a great way to share HIS love and the good news of hope and healing. I love that it gives us an opportunity to approach people in need from the position of a potential relationship, rather than just a place for resources!”

Carolynn wrote in, “I have been a member of First Presbyterian Church for over 40 years. In those early years, I was proud to be a Deacon and be involved in our annual one-day Clothing Give Away. Over the years it became apparent that we needed to look at this distribution differently. While I am no longer a deacon, I am so proud that the group formed a task force, of which I was involved, to create something new and much more personal. The Clothing Closet volunteers will now be meeting the families one on one through appointments to assist them, not only with their clothing needs but also getting to know them on a personal level.”

Jeannie let us know that "The Redemptive Compassion class was an eye-opening, thought-provoking experience that created my desire to participate in planning this ministry. However, it was observing the commitment of so many who recognized the value for so many that spoke volumes about our mission to bring this ministry to life. Most importantly, it was our leadership that kept us focused on the ultimate goal! A great accomplishment and a ministry that will serve our community for years to come. I am proud to say that 1st Pres is doing God’s work in reaching out to those in need."
Susan noted, “I was reluctant to take on the responsibility of Clothing Closet Services Coordinator, but I was slowly being nudged into it by God. I feel so blessed to have been able to design and equip the Neighborhood Closet. I smile and pause to thank God every time I enter the Closet. My prayer is that the Closet will assist many children now and in the future, and that they leave our church with a smile!”

Our 1st Pres Neighborhood Ministry Closet has brought such joy and gratitude to our hearts. Joy for the happiness in our families' eyes with their lovely bags of clothing and toiletries. The gratitude is for our wonderful volunteers (affectionately known as "Closeteers") who serve our families with such dignity, compassion, kindness, and caring. Open only a month, we have been able to serve over twenty families already. God is so good!

"Our blessed ministry is an exciting one to surround our guest families with love, as we start building relationships with them,” said Suzy.

Paula, also one of our community partners, stated, “The Coeur d'Alene School District is pleased to partner with the 1st Pres Neighborhood Community Closet. The ability to refer homeless and under-served students and families to the Neighborhood Closet for a shopping experience that is safe and provides dignity to those served is a tremendous blessing. It has been a distinct privilege and inspiration to work with the 1st Pres team from conception to operational implementation to make this resource available to the community. There is no doubt that with the energy, passion, and Love 1st drive, this endeavor will be a success.”
        
In closing, I would like to share that there are so many more people involved in this ministry than those who gave content to this blog. There are people on the front lines, others who have been working behind the scenes, some who have moved away, and many who are still actively involved. To each and every person who breathed life into this ministry thank you. Thank you for sharing the gifts and skills that our Heavenly Father gave you with this Ministry.  Psalm 37:3 tells us to “Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed.”

Yes, you have asked the Lord: let me be your messenger, your hands, your feet, your voice, as I walk in the world today. You are the ones who are building relationships with our community and Living the Love 1st Mission of our Church.

Blessings to All
Gina 
1 Comment

Simple Gratitude

10/24/2022

2 Comments

 
"Joy is the simplest form of gratitude." -Karl Barth

Ahh… fall is finally here, and so are the traditions that come with the season; crisp air, falling leaves, cozying up on the couch with a good book, and a season of gratitude! 

Today, I want to share some reflections on JOY, because the topic keeps showing up in my life: in conversations, in
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Kierstie Renninger
readings, and honestly, it's the emotion that overwhelms me when I look at my sweet daughter. 

What is joy? According to Oxford, joy is a great feeling of pleasure and happiness. It's also one of my favorite fruits of the Spirit. But did you know that the Greek translation for JOY, comes from the same word family as GRACE? A few weeks ago, Pastor McLane talked about grace and peace, and that in order to find that deep peace, we must first accept grace. A question popped into my head as I was reading about joy… could it be that joy too, like peace, is linked to the grace of God that's been given to us? That to experience the fullness of joy, is to walk humbly in grace? That even in our challenges, we can have joy because of the grace of Christ? Letting go of our own expectations, can free us to experience joy in new ways.


Thinking back to Barth's quote about joy, that it is the simplest form of gratitude, I'm challenging myself to enter this season of Thanksgiving, letting go of my own expectations that hold me back, with gratitude for grace and walking in the joy that follows.


​In His Name, Kierstie
2 Comments

Called to Love

10/18/2022

4 Comments

 
 I’m here again with my little ring of index cards filled with my favorite verses. The deck is worn out and marked up from lots of use, but there is plenty of space for future additions. I thought I would share one of these verses with you today!
Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
​bearing with one another in love.
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Naomi White
​Many verses talk about love, why we must love others, and how to love others. But this verse drives me to a change in attitude and behavior more than most. I’ve heard 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Love is patient, love is kind…” many times growing up. I hate to say it, but it often goes in one ear and out the other without fully sinking in. But Ephesians 4:2 always makes me, Naomi, feel personally convicted and encouraged.

Here is a fun tidbit about me. I have big, fast, intense emotions. I cry easily, I laugh easily, and I get angry easily. I get mad when I’m hungry, tired, in a hurry, and when there is any unfairness.
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My dad used to ask me if I liked being angry. I denied it, but I think you can guess the truth! Anger makes me feel powerful. It makes me feel righteous. But I’ve learned it’s not very helpful in my relationships. I may be eager to run into battle, but sometimes I forget who my enemies and allies are.

This verse always makes me stop and change my attitude. It challenges me to make four changes to my approach.
1. “Be completely humble…”
I must be humble. When I read this, I usually feel convicted that my righteous anger is actually self-righteous. I need to let go of my desire to be the one in the right. I don’t think it’s a mistake that this instruction is first!

2. “...and gentle;”
I must be gentle. I wish I could solve all the obstacles in my relationships by dueling the other person, but alas, that has yet to be the solution! Instead, I am called to soften my heart and be gentle with others.

3. “Be patient...”
I must be patient. I hate letting things sit. I want to rush in and hash things out. To fight a problem NOW and get my desired outcome TODAY! But my timeline usually doesn’t line up with anyone else’s. Instead, I need to be patient and trust that change will come when it comes.

4. “bearing with one another in love.”
I must bear with one another. Sometimes people are just difficult, and sometimes they’re just plain frustrating. This section always reminds me to just have a little bit of grace. Lord knows I have been on the receiving end of an ocean of grace!
After reading this verse, I am usually able to take a deep breath and relax my shoulders. I can let the little things go and face the big things as a teammate instead of an opponent. I can treat others how I want to be treated. Gently, with kindness and grace.

Have a Wonderful Week,
Naomi :-)
4 Comments

How Does God Want Us to Love Others?

10/10/2022

1 Comment

 
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A Special Update by Diane Wakkinen
Did you attend the Redemptive Compassion training this past June? If you did, you’ll already have had a taste of Lois Tupyi and her dynamic and compelling message. She is an inspirational speaker! Whether or not you saw her on-screen in June, we all have the opportunity to see her in-person this weekend!

Our local Love INC (Love in the Name of Christ) affiliate and our very own Love 1st Neighborhood Ministry task force are hosting a Redemptive Compassion event this weekend. Even if you attended the training this summer, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to meet Lois in person and listen to her as she shares her vast experience in partnering with local churches to serve, love, and assist those in need in the name of Christ.

The seminar will be inspirational and thought-provoking, and the training will allow for the opportunity to ask some tough questions and talk through real-life examples in a small-group setting. This event is an exciting opportunity not to be missed. Whether you can attend both the seminar and workshop or are only able to attend one of them, you will gain much in how to help others while loving them as God loves us. It will be an opportunity you won’t soon forget. (We are especially blessed to have Lois coming here as she will retire at the end of the year.)
​
This is a free event, and all are welcome! We hope you will attend and share this unique opportunity with your family and friends. 

Friday, October 14, 6 - 8:30 pm | Sanctuary
Saturday, October 15, 9 am - 12 noon | Krueger Hall

Lois Tupyi, the author of the book, Redemptive Compassion, and Executive Director of Love INC Treasure Valley for over 25 years. She has written a second book, Compassion with Redemptive Power.

Redemptive Compassion is a biblically based philosophy for helping others that focuses on the inherent value of everyone, developing relationships with those in need, and helping folks we serve to become whole through the love of Christ. For many who participated in the summer training, it led to deeper questions regarding how do we love others as God loves us and put Redemptive Compassion into practice as we serve our community?

Love INC is a nationwide non-profit whose mission is to assist churches in their efforts to help people by connecting them with local resources, offering their call connection center services, staffed by trained volunteers, and facilitating the care process however they can. They work to see the transformation of lives and communities in the name of Christ. Redemptive Compassion is at the very heart of all that Love INC does in Kootenai County, and it is something that 1st Pres has taken steps towards incorporating into our community ministries.
1 Comment

For What and Why? A Session Devotion

10/3/2022

5 Comments

 
It’s not something that we would normally focus on but tonight, let us focus on “THE DIVIDE” — The Divide that is all around us and the unnecessary stress it is causing us to experience in our daily lives. It seems very hard to have a conversation with anyone these days before “THE DIVIDE” comes up and what started as a normal conversation turns more into a debate, and levels of stress begin to rise.  It has
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Bob Freund
divided our churches, our schools, and even many of our families. And it has certainly divided our entire nation to extremes we have never before experienced in our lifetimes. The question every one of us needs to consider is For What and Why? Is it for POWER? Is it for GREED? We live in the world’s richest nation and have been blessed in so many ways and yet, we are surrounded by so many unhappy people. Their stress, from wherever it comes, leads to Drastic People Doing Drastic Things.
Pastor Rick Warren says:
“The battle with stress in your life begins between your ears. It’s in your thought life. What you fill your mind with determines your level of stress. If you want peace of mind, you have to control what you allow into your mind.”
For most people, the mind is like a freeway. They let anything drive through it. They watch shows that are full of junk and nonsense, scroll through social media sites that are polarizing, and listen to gossip that makes them envious. Then they are surprised when their mind’s freeway becomes polluted with all of these things. And, they wonder why their stress level is so high.
The Bible offers another way:
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Philippians 4:8 says, “Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.”
I say:  With God’s help we can do better.

Let us pray
Heavenly Father, fill us with your Holy Spirit and help us all to ask ourselves in all we do . . .

Is it Good?
Is it worthy of praise?
Is it true?
Is it honorable?
Is it right?
Is it pure?
Is it beautiful?
Is it respected?

In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
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 First Presbyterian Church | 521 E Lakeside Ave | Coeur d'Alene | ID  83814
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  • Home
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    • Grow >
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