"CATCH THE SPIRIT"
March 12, 2003

Table of Contents
Though of the Week
Calendar
Places to Connect, Learn & Grow
Places to Minister and Serve
In the Area
Subscription Information

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (FPC) gathers every Sunday for 9:00a Worship, 10:00a Fellowship and Sunday school for all ages at 10:30a.  FPC is located in Maple Plain, MN (which is W. of Minneapolis on Hwy 12) 1 1/2 miles S. of Hwy 12 on Cty Rd 83/110 and is 3 1/2 miles N. of Mound on 110.  Click here for a map and directions.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK:
O Son of God, perform a miracle for me: change my heart. You, whose crimson blood redeems mankind, whiten my heart.
It is you who makes the sun bright and the ice sparkle, you who makes the rivers flow and the salmon leap.
Your skilled hand makes the nut tree blossom, and the corn turn golden, your Spirit composes the songs of the birds and the buzz of the bees.
Your creation is a million wondrous miracles, beautiful to behold. I ask of you just one more miracle: beautify my soul.
–"A Million Miracles" an ancient Celtic meditation (author unknown)

PLACES TO CONNECT, LEARN & GROW:
2^ND-12^TH GRADERS: have you registered for Clearwater Summer Camp yet? FPC is going the week of July 6^th-12^th. If you cannot go that week please consider going another week. Bring a friend to camp for his/her first time and you both will receive $10 camp store credit. Return your reg. form & deposit or full pmt to Julie no later than March 16 to receive a free t-shirt! Questions to Julie.

MEN’S GROUP meets on Tuesdays from 5:45-6:45a at Country Coffee in Long Lake. On the first Tues of every month the group will study a selected passage from an inspirational book. This is a great time to check the group out if you are curious. But feel free to join them any Tuesday. If you want to learn more, contact Todd.

PIT CREW will meet during Lent from 7:30-8p for check-in and prayer. All 6^th-12^th graders are encouraged to gather downstairs during this time! Contact Julie for info.

LOCK OUT for all 6^th-9^th graders and your friends on Fri, April 4^th. Meet at 9p at Calvin Presbyterian in Long Lake for a fun-filled evening of: laser tag, mini golf, bowling, bumper cars, batting cages, movies, food, games and more. Please turn in $20 to Julie by Wed, March 19, to reserve your spot. Space is limited, so sign up today!

KID’S CLUB & PIT CREW: on Wed, March 26, 3^rd-12^th graders will meet at the Cole Party Barn from 7:30-9p for fun, karaoke, food, badminton, games, fellowship and much more. Please bring a snack to share.

BRINGING UP BOYS: the adult Sunday school class is studying this video curriculum by Dr. James Dobson. Though it is specifically targeted to parents of boys, this class is also of interest to anyone who ever raised a boy, who ever hopes to raise a boy, who ever was a boy, or who is curious about what makes boys who they are. Please join us!

ADULT BIBLE STUDY meets the 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays of ea. month from 7-9p. The study is entitled: "Psalms: Speaking Honestly with God". Newcomers are always welcome! Contact Donna for materials. Next meeting is Thurs, March 27.

TAIZE: Please join us Sun., April 6, at 7p for our monthly Taize worship service. The service is a quiet, meditative time with simple songs of praise, scripture readings and prayer. Questions to Rick.

ALL MEN are invited to stop in at church Sat, April 12, at 8a to share breakfast, thought & prayer. The Men's Prayer Breakfast meets the second Sat. of ea. month. Questions to Lew.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY will meet next on Monday, April 14, in the Fireside Room. Meetings are held the second Monday of the month at 9:30a. See you there! Contact Waneta for info.

PLACES TO MINISTER AND SERVE:
MN FOOD SHARE: March is Food Share Month and FPC has opportunities for you to help stock the local foodshelf: a Bake Sale on Sun, March 16, following worship; $$ donations can be given to Shirley B. or Gina A.; and non-perishable items can be left in the foyer at church. Please help to feed the hungry in our community!

WE NEED adult chaperones on March 26^th at the Party Barn and April 4^th / 5^th for the Lock Out (for part or all the evening). Please let Julie know when you are available to help.

CALLIGRAPHY YOUR THING? If so, and you’d like to help the library with a very small project, please contact Sharon, Jodi, Karen, Jan or Kathy. Your help is much appreciated!! Thank you!

ARE YOU GOING someplace warm for spring break or vacation? If so, please bring back seashells and put them in Julie’s office. We will use them for VBS. Thanks!

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: next build date is March 22 from 9a-4p. Stay tuned for location info. Questions to Wally.

YOUTH TRIP DONATIONS: To help celebrate what God is doing in & through our youth, you are invited to contribute $$ toward the summer mission trips to Romania and Sault Ste. Marie and to summer campers who head to Clearwater Forest Camp. Checks should be made out to the church and marked ‘Youth Trips’. Slip your check in the offering plate or give it to Julie M. or Pastor and THANKS for contributing in this special way!

EDITOR APPRENTICE is needed for the Maple Leaf Newsletter. If you have a vision for the Maple Leaf and want to help bring that into reality or if you just want to be put to work a few hours a month, then contact Dave.

YOUTH CHOIR will meet Wednesdays from 5:30-6p during Lent (starting tonight). Youth 3^rd grade and up are welcome to come and join in song! Contact Ashley S. with your questions.

WE ARE STILL SEARCHING for an organist/keyboardist. Ask around and let it be known we are in need. Please also pray for the right person to be found. If you have a lead, contact Judy or Dan or call the church office with names & phone numbers of potential candidates. Thank you!

ADULT CHOIR is open to anyone who considers themselves too old for the youth choir. If you’re even a weak singer you are welcome to show up for rehearsal on Wed eves at 7:30p or contact Dave.

EGG DONATIONS for this year’s Easter Egg Hunt are welcome. Donations need to fit inside those plastic pull-apart eggs. Contact Marylou to help.

IN THE AREA:
ENJOY CONTEMPORARY MUSIC? Then you don’t want to miss the Rejoice, Praise Celebration on Sat, March 15, at 6:30p at Trinity Lutheran in Long Lake. Our very own Julie Maas-Kusske will be singing some of the songs. If you need directions or more info, contact Steve Lindo at (952) 475-9692 or talk to Julie.

WeCAN Prayer Breakfast is March 20^th at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Mound. Registration at 6:45a and Welcome at 7a. Greg Bodine, Chaplin at N. Memorial Hospital, is the guest speaker. He was privileged to provide help at Ground Zero following 9/11. Tickets through the WeCAN office. Call Ginny for details: 952.472.0742.

For more events in our area, click here.

SUBSCRIPTION INFO: To add, drop or change your subscription, please send email to newsletter@CatchOurSpirit.org with the pertinent information.

FPC info is taken from the bulletin, Maple Leaf & individual submissions. Mail your entry by 4p Tues. to newsletter@CatchOurSpirit.org. Due to space limits, entries may be edited.

FPC website: www.CatchOurSpirit.org
FPC office/message line: 763.479.2158
Pastor Meg Newswanger: in the office Tues-Fri
Youth Director, Julie Maas-Kusske, office hours: Tues & Thurs 1-4p, Wed eves.
Administrative Assistant, Susan Hillman, hours: Mon-Thurs from 1-5p