Welcome to our website!     of Roseburg, Oregon

Directions:  The closest exit from I-5 is Exit # 124.  The church is located east of the I-5 freeway, south on Pine Street (a one way street) to Lane Avenue, and east (left) three blocks to the corner of Lane & Jackson.  The green sanctuary doors are on the corner and the office doors are located down the steps on Lane Avenue.  A handicap ramp to the sanctuary is in the back of the building by the handicap parking area.   MAP Children's Church Classes for youngsters Kindergarten through Fifth Grade are conducted immediately following their time with the children's lesson during the regular worship service. Those children who wish to be included in these classes (rather than remain in the Sanctuary) are escorted by their teacher to the classrooms. Classes are dismissed at the same time that the worship service concludes.		(Listed on the National Historic Registry) Sanctuary and Windows 823 SE Lane Avenue Roseburg, OR 97470 541-673-5559	WEBSITE DIRECTORY Missions Women Youth Music Directions Calendar Announcements Committees Pastors Staff Weddings Newsletter Message Contact Us
	Sign up for this informative monthly magazine thru this link. This site updated March5, 2010	The church is located at the corner of Lane Avenue and Jackson Street in downtown Roseburg. The Sanctuary, education wing, Social Hall and restrooms are all handicap accessible. Joyful Noise Letter  Click here for lots of fun!

Office Hours   The church office is open from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each week day except holidays.   Contact us by email: Church Office	Prayer Requests Over 75 families are asked via email to pray and another 20-25 persons learn of requests via phone. To request prayer for yourself or someone you love, contact the church office.  To be included in the general prayers listed in the worship bulletin on Sunday, please contact the church office by Wednesday noon.	Tower Tidings Newsletter To receive this informative and inspiring publication by the first of each month, contact the church office. Subscriptions are free to members and friends of the congregation. Additional copies are available in the back of the Sanctuary or through the church office.
Lectionary Readings for Sundays

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Lenten Meditations in Music & Lenten Luncheons Every Friday thru April 2 Luncheons are served at 11:30 a.m. Meditations begin at 12:10 p.m. The public is invited to these annual events celebrating the Season of Lent. It is a time for gathering of friends to enjoy a meal of soup, muffins and sandwiches, for personal reflection and listening to music selections performed by talented musicians from our local communities. Donations are accepted to cover the cost of luncheon supplies.			CO-PASTORS Vicky and Dwayne Brown Rev. Vicky Brown came to us with a strong back-ground in Christian Education. She was the Preschool Director at First Presbyterian Church in Medford, Oregon for eight years, where she also served as Christian Education Director for three years. She has a bachelor's degree from Linfield, A Master's in Education from Princeton Theological Seminary and received her Master's in Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She was ordained on March 19, 2000 at the Central Point church. She is presently working on her Doctorate in Spiritual Direction. Vicky likes to serve a church that desires to continue growing in their spiritual lives. Music has always played a big role in her life and ministry and she has studied both voice and guitar. She also enjoys reading, walking, gardening, quilting, cross stitching and cooking. Rev. Dr. Dwayne Brown came to us from First Presbyterian Church in Central Point, Oregon where he served as Head of Staff. Previously, he was the Associate Pastor at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Portland, Oregon. During his time in Central Point, he served on many committees within the Presbytery of the Cascades. He holds a bachelor's degree from Linfield, a Master's in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He likes to serve a church that values strong preaching, teaching, administration and pastoral care. Dwayne enjoys working with people of all ages. His hobbies include guitar, reading, traveling, computer games and he is also a private pilot. He feels having a sense of humor makes life much more enjoyable. Over the past 20+ years, Dwayne and Vicky have worked together in a variety of ministries including youth ministry, youth staff training, camps, retreats, and in First Presbyterian Church in Central Point as pastor and church educator. A new and exciting phase of their lives began when they came to FPC in Roseburg as Co-Pastors.  Dwayne and Vicky have two children: Peter who has graduated from Southern Oregon University--continues to live and work in Southern Oregon, and Elizabeth who attends the University of Oregon. They have a dog, Frodo, and two fish.   This month's message from Pastor

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Regularly Scheduled Committee Meetings

Upcoming on the Calendar

§         “Exploring Our Images of God” class—Thurs., March 4-18, 7 p.m.

§         Lenten Luncheons—Fridays, March 12-April 2, 11:30 a.m.

§         Lenten Meditations—Fridays, March 12-April 2, 12:10 p.m.

§         Evening Contemplative Worship—March 20, 7:00 p.m.

§         Palm Sunday—March 28, 10:30 a.m. worship

§         Movie and Pizza—March 28, 4:00 p.m.

§         Maundy Thursday—April 1, 7:00 p.m. worship

§         Deacon’s Food Boxes—April 3, 10:00 a.m.

§         Easter Sunday—April 4, 10:30 a.m. worship

Announcements are updated for Sunday, March 7, 2010.

Building and Grounds Committee will meet today following worship. Get some goodies from the social hall and come to the parlor. New faces are always welcome—come check it out! There are lots of projects to help with, both indoors and outdoors.

Students—it is time to apply for the annual memorial scholarships. High school seniors and students already in college are welcome to apply. Previous recipients may apply again. The applicant and/or parents must be church members. Contact Betty in the church office at 673-5559 for an application form. All applications need to be back to the church office by April 15.

Co-pastors Dwayne and Vicky will be at Presbytery this Friday and Saturday, March 12 and 13.

“The Power of Forgiveness” movie has been rescheduled to March 28 due to conflicting events. This documentary style film explores the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects of forgiveness on individuals, relationships, and groups. From Northern Ireland to Ground Zero to the Amish countryside, this important and powerful work explores how forgiveness can transform our lives. Friends and family are welcome at 4:00 p.m. for movie and pizza.

Daylight savings time begins again next Sunday, March 14. Be sure to move your clocks forward one hour Saturday evening.

Deacon of the month for March is Shirley John. She can be reached at 672-0831 if you need a helping hand from the Deacons.

Volunteers are needed to help clean the FISH pantry on the next two Mondays, March 8 and 15. Please contact Carole Eckerd at 957-8817 for more information.

A great opportunity to help the FISH: Anyone making cash donations to the FISH during the months of March and April should mark on your checks “Feinstein Match” and the amount will be doubled by the Feinstein Foundation.

Our next “snack pack” work party will meet at the UCAN warehouse on March 26 at 3:00 p.m. About 15 people are needed to fill the 1000+ sacks in a timely and efficient manner. These food sacks are distributed to school children who are “at risk” of hunger over the weekend. Please call the church office to put your name on the list of volunteers.

Children's Church:   Each Sunday this program is offered during worship for K-5 grades. The children are dismissed to go with the teachers after the Children's Time in worship.

 Bible Classes:  Newcomers are always welcome in either of the classes on Sundays.

 Reverend Jack Finney leads a Bible study in the church library which begins at 9:00 a.m.. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore how the Bible can speak to your everyday life.

At 9:15 a.m., Pastors Dwayne and Vicky lead a video/discussion class in the second floor classroom called the "The Jesus I Never Knew."

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The Deacons at First Presbyterian Church is made up of fifteen elected and ordained persons. They take turns preparing the juice and bread for Holy Communion the first and third Sunday of each month. They serve as greeters at the ramp door, send out greeting cards to those in distress as well as those celebrating. They deliver meals to those who have been ill, coordinate and provide food for memorial service receptions in our Social Hall and look after those who are grieving. They regularly visit shut-ins and call on those who seldom have company. Our Deacons are a special blessing in many ways behind the scenes. If you, or someone you know, would benefit from something the Deacons could do, please don't hesitate to call the Deacon of the Month.  One of the more popular projects of the Deacons is providing food boxes containing food items designed to make up a complete holiday meal for families with elementary age children. These 85+ boxes are distributed at Easter, Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. Each elementary school counselor in the Roseburg area provides a list of six families they feel would most benefit from receiving a food box for the holiday. Ten food boxes are also delivered at the Douglas County AIDS Council for needy families of AIDS victims.

The funds used by the Deacons for their various projects are not part of the Church's General Operating Fund Budget but come from special gifts made by members and friends of the congregation.  The Deacons also make another Ministry possible through the church office. In addition to small quantities of canned and boxed food, diapers, and bottled water provided to individuals, money is paid directly to Greyhound Bus, OK Cash-N-Save, the DMV, and various pharmacies to help transients or homeless people with basic needs. About 40 sack lunches are also given out each month. Many people come to the church each month asking for help.   

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The Mission Committee of First Presbyterian Church is involved in an ongoing effort to offer education, experience and opportunity of awareness of Mission in our church, our community and our world. We participate in the following offering opportunities while providing information and education about the recipients of these special offerings.                                                                    

Our philosophy regarding mission work?  Eleanor Roosevelt said it quite well:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Alternative Christmas Market thru SERRV	Items from around the world are displayed for sale during November with proceeds going to help this program teach craft making skills to third world country civilians. Many items come from India, South America, Eastern Europe, Africa and China.
Battered Persons Advocacy	Soaps, shampoo and other hygiene items are collected and forwarded to this facility where many residents arrive with few personal possessions.
Bread for the World
Casa de Belen	A newly refurbished nursing home now serves as home for previously homeless teens, single teenage parents, and families with teens.
Church World Services:	Blanket Sunday Victim Assistance to disaster areas in India and El Salvador Victims of school violence Refugee assistance
Community United Projects (CUP)	CUP meets in our Social Hall the first Tuesday of each month to coordinate multiple services around the area so that we can be more effective in helping those in need.
Douglas County AIDS Council	This local organization continues to work to support, educate and help prevent the spread of diseases among the homosexual and drug using communities.
FISH Pantry	Non-perishable food items are brought to the church and then forwarded to the FISH.
Friendly Kitchen (Meals on Wheels)	Nutritional hot meals are delivered to elderly and handicapped people Monday through Friday for minimal costs.  Many in our congregation volunteer as delivery drivers.
Habitat for Humanity	In the most recent home built, FPC sponsored the utility room & its contents.
Heifer Project	At Christmas time, we encourage people to purchase animals in lieu of other traditional Christmas gifts. Gift cards are provided.
Narcotics Anonymous	Meetings are held within the church every weekday at Noon, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.  Attendance averages 20-30 individuals at each.
One Great Hour of Sharing	A portion of the funds collected in May 2004 went to help with refurbishing Casa de Belen, the new facility for homeless teens.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance	PDA provides relief to victims in the aftermath of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina,   and the earthquake in Haiti.
Presbyterian Coffee Project	Coffee is ordered through Equal Exchange several times through the year and members make their purchases through the church office. Proceeds go to help the growers in third-world countries. 12 ounce bags of beans or drip grind are available for $6.00 each. Several popular blends including French Roast, Breakfast Blend, Tanzanian Jubilee, Cafe' Salvadore, and Body, Mind Soul are available. We also stock organic decaf at $7.00 per bag. Tea is also available for $2.75/box. Be sure to try the hot chocolate mix and baking cocoa, just $5.00 per can. No partially hydrogenated oils in them; much healthier for you!
Roseburg Rescue Mission	The Mission is just 2-1/2 blocks away and many come to our doors seeking help. Bus tickets to nearby towns, 5-10 gallons of gasoline or help with prescription costs are made available with the help of the Deacons' funds. We often work as partners to help people achieve their goals.

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All members are welcome at the regularly scheduled monthly meetings!

      
Please contact the church office or one of the officers.  Books for the current study program from Horizon "For Everything A Season, A Study of the Liturgical Calendar" are available in the church office. They will cost $6. Priscilla Circle meets on the second Thursday of each month at Noon while the Miriam-Elizabeth Circle meets on the third Thursdays of each month at 1:30 p.m. All are encouraged to attend these gatherings to enjoy the fellowship and Bible study.

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Activities are planned throughout the year for those in 6th through 12th grade.   Watch the updates on the church calendar so you don't miss any special events coming up.

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We have a voice choir and two bell choirs!

Celestial Tollers Bell Choir rehearses each Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. from mid-September through the end of May. This choir is made up of advanced ringers who have had experience playing. It is directed by Jan Petersen. Celestial Tollers play nearly every Sunday morning during worship.

Evensong Bell Choir rehearses each Thursday at 5:00 p.m. from mid-September through the end of May. The choir members are mostly novices and the musical selections played are usually a little easier.  The choir is directed by Pat Mehlhoff.

Jubilate Choir rehearses each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. and offers an anthem on Sundays during worship from mid-September through the end of May. The music selected is usually composed for a four-part choir. Director Dr. Jason Heald enjoys challenging the members to stretch and learn. There are approximately 20-25 voices and anyone who enjoys singing is encouraged to participate. Quite often this choir is accompanied by flute, guitar, brass instruments or the bell choir.

Lenten Meditations in Music is a series of programs offered each Friday during the liturgical season of Lent. A variety of musicians are recruited to offer their selections chosen to reflect the season. These programs are free and open to the public. Following a donation luncheon at 11:30 a.m. prepared by the Presbyterian Women that is provided each of these six Fridays, the musical programs begin at 12:10 p.m. and conclude at 12:50 p.m.

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Dear Members and Friends,

For the past couple of years we have been talking in our congregation about expanding our understanding and practice of prayer for healing and wholeness. This includes physical, emotional, and spiritual wholeness. A year or so ago a local chapter of the ecumenical organization The Order of St. Luke began meeting once a month at our church to study healing prayer. Several of our own church members have joined representatives from many other churches in our region in this ongoing study.

Within our own congregation we have started two new opportunities during this season of Lent. On the third Saturday of each month at 7:00 p.m. we offer a contemplative worship service of meditative music with ample opportunity for personalized prayer. The March service will be on the 20^th. We have also begun inviting anyone who wishes to come forward after any Sunday morning service to the balcony side of the sanctuary for prayer with one of the pastors.

Additionally, for the past year and a half Pastor Vicky and I have been studying and practicing a laying on of hands soaking prayer method called Reiki (ray-key). Reiki was originally developed by a Christian professor from Japan and is spreading widely. It is increasingly being offered in hospitals and by healing professionals. Disciples of Christ Pastor and Reiki Master Elaine Andres writes on her website (www.sacredpathministry.com), “Reiki is a form of energy healing that can be given to yourself or others. Through the gentle touch of your hands, placed in a systematic form, healing energy is drawn by the person receiving a session and used to create balance and a sense of well-being and wholeness.”

The topic of Reiki came up a couple of weeks ago at my Tuesday afternoon book study. The class was interested so Vicky and I have been demonstrating Reiki by offering it to anyone interested after the class each week. Further interest has led to an invitation to invite Elaine to come talk with the group about Reiki with the future possibility of organizing a class so that whoever wants to can learn Reiki themselves. Elaine is coming March 16 at 1:15 p.m. and the class wishes to expand the audience to anyone who is interested. If you have any questions please talk with either Vicky or I.    

Pastor Dwayne