The First EpistleFirst Presbyterian Church of Moorhead • Established 1872

June 2019

The Session:Moderator: Robert DrakeClerk of Session: Kim KelshTreasurer: Chris SweeFrank Kratky, Walt Worman, Kathy McKaig, Peggy Johnson, Kim Kelsh, Mary Larson, Chris Swee, Mary Skalet, Megan Wheeler, and David Lanpher

The DeaconsModerator: Barb WormanJim Gale, Kathy Giddings, Patti Kratky, Joni Lordeman, John Ortez, Helen Pemble, Jane Tandberg, Kathleen Wilkinson, Elizabeth Swee, Nicole Hestbeck, Deb Piekutowski

Communion will be celebrated on Sunday, June 2nd.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/firstpresmhd

Visit our Website: www.firstpresmhd.org

Pentecost Offering - Building a Life of Faith God, from my youth you have taught me. Psalm 71:17Thank you to all who participated in our “Noisy Pentecost Offering” on May 19th. As of May 20, Pentecost offering total is $427.57 (with $116.57 of that being noisy coins). You can still give to the Pentecost Offering from now until June 9, Pentecost Sunday, by using a Pentecost Offering envelope found in the pew rack or add “Pentecost Offering” to the memo line of your check. The Pentecost offering is an annual church-wide effort to support young people in Christ and inspire them to share their faith, ideas and unique gifts with the church and the world. These offerings are used to support children at-risk, youth ministries and Young Adult volunteers. Here is how the Pentecost Offering is distributed:

• 40% stays with the local church to support ministries with children and youth in our church and local community. This year we will use this portion to support the young people who will be attending a FREE Camp in a Van week at our church in July. Camp in a Van is specifically reaching out to provide a fun camp experience for children who reside at Churches United for the Homeless. Camp in a Van is an outreach program of Presbyterian Clearwater Forest and will be staffed by counselors from Clearwater.

• 25 % goes to Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) experience. This program trains and equips volunteers to engage in a faith-based year of service in sites across the U.S. and around the world. YAVs (ages 19-30) accompany local agencies working to address root causes of poverty and reconciliation while exploring the meaning and motivation of their faith.

• 25% supports ministries with youth ages 12-18 including curriculum development, digital resources, and grants to support adult youth leaders. This also supports the planning for this summer’s Triennium on the campus of Purdue University. Landon Johnson will be joining 5,000+ Presbyterian youth in Indiana for this exciting week of worship, small groups, connections and fun

• 10% supports child advocacy through the “Educate a Child, Transform the World” national initiative, which was affirmed at General Assembly in 2014. The goal of this initiative is to motivate and inspire Presbyterians to better the lives of one million children by 2020.

For more information go to -- presbyterianmission.org/pentecostPrayer:Transforming Spirit, as each of us were taught, help us to teach our children, youth and young adults so that their words and lives will proclaim your glory and your deeds. May these gifts we offer shape the future of your church. Amen.

The First Presbyterian Church of MoorheadWorship: 10:30 am 2900 Fifth Street South, Moorhead, MN 56560www.firstpresmhd.org Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/firstpresmhd218.233.1192 E-mail Addresses:Rev. Robert Drake robert@firstpresmhd.orgChurch: admin@firstpresmhd.orgNewsletter Articles: nadineswee@yahoo.com

Our mission is to be a caring community of God’s people who live by Christ’s teachings, reach out to others to share the love of God, and celebrate the good news of Jesus Christ through worship, prayer, thought, and action.

Congratulations and Best WishesPhyllis May Machunda on her recent retirement from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Phyllis taught in the area of multicultural studies at MSUM for many years.

Camper HelpWe are looking for two RV’s (or Ice Castle) to use for our summer program. Could you help, or know anyone who could? Please contact Scott Dobovsky or Cassidy Johnson

Gluten-FreeWorship Committee has asked Mary Larson to write a short paragraph on "gluten free" - true meaning and benefits/risks. If it gets to you in time we should probably add a sentence about "Worship Committee" is discussing the ways to be caring and inclusive in our worship practices, which includes communion. Please stay tuned for further information as the Deacons and Worship Committee discuss how best to deal with this topic.

Volunteers NeededThe Teddy Bear Parade and Midwest Kid Fest is back at Island Park in Fargo by popular demand. Last year was a huge success and a great time for everyone in attendance.We are looking for volunteers on Friday June 14 from 10 AM until 8 PM. The sign up list is on the Hospitality board in the Fellowship Hall. There are 5, 2-hour, shifts available with the 10 am shift involving partly set up and the 6 pm shift being partly cleanup.This year we have our own tent with the church name printed on the side, so we should be easy to find. Look for the purple balloons with the Presbyterian Logo on it. We will again do origami bowls and sliced apples with/without caramel. There will be stickers to hand out to all the kids in attendance.Any questions please see Joni Lordeman, Barb Worman, Tim Ortez, Cassidy Johnson or Kathy McKaig.

Adopt a GardenFPCM is participating in the Adopt a Flowerbed program through Moorhead Parks and Recreation. Here Mary and Ineke are doing the spring cleaning in anticipation of planting. The flowerbed is on Fifth Street across from Scheels.

PAGE 3The First Epistle

Congratulations to the 2019 Graduates!• Landon Johnson, son of Ron and Peggy Johnson,

graduating from Moorhead High School. Landon plans to enroll at Concordia College in the fall.

• Magdalena Worman, daughter of Derek Worman (granddaughter of Walt and Barb), graduating from Warwick Academy, Bermuda. She will be attending Carleton College.

If we missed including a family member who will be graduating this year - from high school, college, trade school, graduate school, etc. - please notify the church office so we can add these recognitions in the July newsletter.

Two liter bottles neededPlease save your empty, clean 2 liter bottles (with caps on) and bring them to the collection box in Fellowship Hall. We need 20 for an activity at the Sunday, June 23rd Streets Alive event. Thanks!

Thank You to the DeaconsOn May 18th several of the Deacons of our church had the honor of helping with the meal service following the funeral for Jeanne Walker at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Baker, MN. Jeanne was a Baker native and a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Moorhead. Thank you to John and Judy Ortez, Elizabeth and Erik Swee, Joni Lordeman, Helen Pemble, Barb Worman for their support of the Walker family and the Baker church community.

Outdoor Worship Opportunity!Mark your calendar for Sunday, June 30, and watch for exact location of our Outdoor Summer Worship. Get your sun hat ready! It will be officially summer so we expect the sun too!

EXTREME COUPONING for LOCAL HOMELESSThanks to everyone who has given me their newspaper coupons. A friend and I have taken a modest amount of cash and turned it into more than $350 in hygiene products and other items for our neighbors in need at Churches United for the Homeless. On average, we’ve paid just 39 cents on the dollar.A while ago I watched “Extreme Couponing” on TV. I saw the amazing stockpiles of goods; more stuff than one family could use in 10 years. It made me sad to think of those in poverty who could really use some of those goods right now.People experiencing homelessness or poverty cannot use food stamps to purchase hygiene items. Now there is a growing stockpile of these products at Churches United!Anyone interested in joining the effort? I’ve spent all I can afford right now. If you can contribute financially to the project, please contact Pastor Robert. It would help to have someone who can provide transportation, and maybe help shop.And, please. Keep those coupons and store flyers coming. Submitted by Julie Sorenson

The First Epistle June 2019

Hearts for ServiceIf you have spent any time with Patti Kratky and/or Frank Kratky you know that they each have a heart for service. Between the two of them they have been active at our church in the gardening project, Deacons, Buildings and Grounds, Action Ministry, Session, choir. Service seems built into their DNA. And were it not for their commitment to service, they might not have ever met one another. In 1964 Patti, following three months of training in Durango, Colorado, headed off to Lahore, Pakistan to serve two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). Pre-service training included Urdu language training and training on carpet weaving. Her work in Lahore began with a short stint in rural community development and then she was moved to the city where she worked with the National Medical Research Center researching feeding practices and nutrition. This was her favorite Peace Corps job and a good fit with her college degree in dietetics from NDSU. But her stay in Pakistan was cut short when India bombed Lahore and sent troops into Pakistan. The female PCVs in her group were soon sent back to the U.S. but Patti insisted on continuing her serving as a volunteer. Peace Corps then found her a position in Shiraz, Iran where she worked at a hospital teaching English to student nurses. Patti never got much carpet weaving done either in Pakistan or India. About this same time, a young Frank Kratky came to Shiraz as a PCV. Frank, an architect graduate from

the University of Michigan, worked in the provincial planning office designing government buildings with his Iranian counterparts. So how did Patti and Frank actually meet? Fortuitously Patti shared an apartment with three other women PCVs and Frank shared an apartment in the same building with other male PCVs. They passed in the hallway frequently but it wasn’t until some time later that Frank really noticed Patti at one of their PCV parties. And, as they say, the rest is history. I

asked Patti what sparked her interest in Frank. She said it was that he was committed to his work there and was not just focused on escaping the draft (many young men became PCVs to avoid the draft and spent much of their time socializing). Since the pastor was off for a summer leave back to Britain, Frank and Patti were not married at their Christian church in Shiraz. Instead, the wedding was held at the Presbyterian church in Tehran. Their marriage license is in Farsi and includes the dowry registration as well as the usual legal witness signatures. Patti’s sister’s wedding in the US was scheduled for nine days later so family members were not able to make the trip to attend Patti’s wedding in Iran. If Frank and Patti had come back to the US for their wedding it would have meant the termination of Frank’s Peace Corps service. After the wedding, Patti extended her service for a third year and they each continued their same volunteer work. Nearly a year later, their Peace Corps service ended and they both started graduate school at the University of Minnesota in July 1967. Our church has been blessed to have Patti and Frank as members for the last seven years although they have lived and worked in the Fargo-Moorhead area for the last 40 years. Both Frank and Patti have many interesting stories of their service as volunteers in those very early years of Peace Corps in the 1960’s. I encourage you to visit with them during fellowship time some Sunday. And if you want to learn about another Peace Corps marriage, visit with Maggie Sambo who served as a PCV in Cameroon. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with Patti and writing this story -- Barb Worman

PAGE 5The First Epistle

MEMORIES of MEMORIAL DAY RETREAT by John and Judy Ortez (re-printed newsletter article from 1994)This will be our 20th year at the annual Memorial Day Retreat and as always, we eagerly await this special weekend. Over the years, there are many memories that come to mind. First, the anticipation and then the packing! “Do we have everything?” Most often we did, as a matter of fact, usually we had more than enough; everything from bikes to gymnastics mats, warm clothes, cold weather clothes, rain gear, snacks galore (in spite of all the meals being provided, the Ortez clan always managed to bring tons of pop and snacks, we ate as much for snacks as we did for meals!), games, toys, you name it, our family brought it. The first year we went to camp, our daughter was 6 months old and our son was 3. What fun they had, and us too. It was just like one big family, with young children being a highlight of the weekend. As our children grew older, they brought friends. They would make plans many weeks in advance and could hardly wait to share their experiences with their friends.

As for me, I started out staying in the lodge with the “mothers of small children” group. We had a ball, and kept an eye on our kids at the same time. As the kids grew older, my goal was to graduate to the “women’s cabin,” and the goal of my children was to escape the watchful eye of their mother and be more independent in the “kids cabin.” Let me say, the “women’s cabin” is quite an experience!! The gab sessions will not be forgotten, it has been a place to share many of our sorrows and joys. It also give you the opportunity to get to see others as you’ve never seen them before, to plan wonderful skits (what talent!), and maybe pull a few pranks (what was that noise on the roof—it sounds like footsteps—better get the squirt guns out!). John has become a permanent member of the cook’s cabin, it’s too bad he can’t cook, but his support and unsolicited advice are invaluable.

We remember the interesting and inspiring programs over the years, their messages have been very meaningful and we have left renewed in our spiritual faith. The Sunday morning worship services, especially the ones held outdoors when possible are absolutely beautiful. One year we made the metamorphosis from cocoons into beautiful butterflies—what a site! Music is a big part of the Northern Pines. We have spent many good times together singing our favorite hymns, some good old camp songs, and even a full repertoire of show tunes to the wonderful piano accompaniment of Diane Wray-Williams (we weren’t quite ready for Broadway, though).

Late nights are pretty common in looking back over the years. The lodge makes a transition into a gathering place for all ages. There are bridge games in one corner, the spoon game, the dictionary game in another, the fruit game in the center, some people just visiting or reading, and you find little ones sharing in alongside the adults. Getting to know other members of the church is quite an experience, especially if they don’t have a spoon left to take! The feeling of togetherness is something we’ll always remember.

This brings us to “Skit Night.” There are some skits we have tried to forget, but we just can’t. In years past, we have brought props, costumes, musical instruments, and planned out our masterpiece skit far in advance. Other years, we have been coerced into an impromptu “This Is Your Life” skit or a country western musical presentation. Where else have we seen top acts like: Steve Retzer’s impression of Louie Armstrong; Mick Burns and Curt Biller as Hans and Franz; Ken Covey as a nun; the Wray-Williams clan’s wonderful musical productions; Pine Needleman; great gymnastics acts; and jokes galore, just to name a few. Even the youngest members have a chance to show off their talents.

Throughout the years there have been anniversary dances, folk dances, live rock music provided by our own campers, many volleyball and softball games, canoe outings, lazy afternoons at the beach (yes, the sun has shone a few times), golf games, long walks, bike trips and many other special spiritual times with each other.

Although we have gone through many stages in our lives over the past 20 years, we still look forward to Memorial Day weekend to share good times and some of our memories with old friends and look forward to making new friends. For us, it is just like coming home!

For those of you who have never attended Northern Pines Memorial Day Retreat, it really is a very enriching experience. Think about starting a tradition that you will remember for years to come.

First Presbyterian Church of Moorhead2900 Fifth Street SouthMoorhead, MN 56560

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Inside this Issue:

Two Hearts for Service

Get Your Teddy Bears Ready!