As you are well aware, we have had several changes in staffing around here since January 1st. Along with Ligon leaving, we had to say goodbye to Billy Joseph last week. I wrote to you recently about Gary Sinclair joining the staff, and I am looking forward to you getting to know Gary and his family. Another change the New Year brought us here at First Presbyterian Church Jackson is Kevin Phipps, who has served as an intern in the ministers’ office, has taken on new responsibilities. Kevin now has the title, Director of Media. This position for Kevin is a part-time position, and he will continue to attend RTS Jackson and work towards his Master of Divinity degree in preparation for pastoral ministry. Kevin’s responsibilities will include such duties as managing FPC’s social media accounts. Kevin will continue creating graphics for announcements, sermon series, and the website. He will also work with our ministers and staff coordinating content for our blog and hosting a new church podcast. Hopefully you have already listened to one of our church podcasts this year. If not, I encourage you to go to our website and listen to the newest one where David Strain talks about his upcoming Sunday evening sermon series on the Book of Zechariah.
Last Thursday evening was a wonderful time of learning and fellowship. The young adult event known as Friday Forum was held in Miller Hall. Not only was it not Friday, but it was also not just a young adult event. We had more than a couple of hundred people gather to hear our friend, Dr. Derek Thomas, speak on the subject of Christianity and Science. The next morning I was able to sit down with our Minister of Young Adults David Felker and asked him what he thought of the evening. Not only was he very thankful for Derek’s teaching, he was thankful for all those people who were not young adults who participated. He thought it was great seeing different generations interacting with one another. Be on the lookout for the next Friday Forum event sometime this spring. The Thursday night fellowships will be starting back next month. Details for these events will be released soon.
A couple weeks ago, David Strain kicked off a Wednesday night prayer meeting series called “Scandalous Grace: Jesus’ Meals With Sinners”. For the next two months, that series will continue with each of our ministers and some of our seminary students taking turns preaching. One of the big themes we will see over and over again in the Scandalous Grace series is that no one is beyond the reach of God’s transforming grace. Seeing the power of God’s grace in action in the ministry of Jesus each week will encourage and motivate us to prayer for the advancement of the gospel in our city and the expansion of the kingdom of God across the globe. The Wednesday night prayer meeting is a wonderful time to be refreshed midweek by the Word of God preached and to have a sweet time of unity in prayer with others. Sitting under the word and praying together are important means of grace our Lord Jesus has given to us for growth in our faith in Him. Let me remind you that we have moved the midweek Bible study and prayer meeting to Patterson Hall. If you are not certain where Patterson Hall is, be sure to grab a minister or intern at dinner Wednesday, and we would be more than happy to show you where the prayer meeting is held.