Calendar:
Happening this Week
Bells & Choir Practice – Wednesday March 4th, 5:30/6:30 PM (Sanctuary)
Daytime Bible Study – Thursday, March 5th, 1:00 PM (Lounge)
Worship Committee Meeting – Thursday, March 5th, 2:00 PM (Lounge)
Book Club Meeting – Thursday, March 5th, 5:00 PM (Fellowship Hall)
Teacher’s Appreciation Breakfast – Monday, March 9th, 9:00 AM (Enos Garcia Elementary School)
Evening Bible Study – Tuesday, March 10th, 5:30 PM (Lounge)
Mission Committee Meeting – Wednesday, March 11th, 9:30 AM (Lounge)
PW Bible Study – Wednesday, March 11th, 3:30 PM (Lounge)
Looking Ahead
Session Meeting – Thursday, March 12th, 5:00 PM (Zoom)
Deacon Meeting– Sunday, March 15th, 12:30 PM (Lounge)
Property Meeting – Monday, March 23rd, 3:30 PM (Lounge)
Worship Committee – Thursday, April 2nd, 2:00 PM (Lounge)
Maundy Thursday Service – Thursday, April 2nd, Time TBD (El Pueblito United Methodist Church)
Book Club Meeting – Thursday, April 2nd, 5:00 PM (Coffee Room)
Good Friday Sound Healing – Friday, April 3rd, Time TBD (Sanctuary)
From the Pastor: Maternity Leave:
Hello, Church Family!
As many of you have likely heard by now, I’m over at Holy Cross being monitored for preeclampsia (don’t worry – I’m fine, and the baby is great) and will have labor induced sometime between now and this Friday! So this is my official “farewell for a little while” notice as I head off for what looks like it will be 13 weeks of maternity leave.
Worship Committee has a wonderful slate of guest preachers lined up for the next 13 weeks of worship. They’ve all been here before; and they’re all preachers that multiple people told us they liked and wanted to hear again. 🙂 Our dedicated staff, church officers, elders, and deacons are well-prepared and well-equipped to keep things running smoothly in my absence. And the best news is that the congregation is well-prepared: Just 3 years ago, I went on a sabbatical, so y’all know from experience what it looks like to run the church while the pastor is away.
How we handled my sabbatical is a great frame of reference for this time, so I’ll say now some of the same things I said then.
We live in a small town, and it is very likely that many of you will run into me at some point over the maternity leave (especially if you sign up to bring food on the meal train – thank you!!). If I see you out and about or am able to answer the door when you drop a meal, feel free to say hello to me and potentially Baby, if he’s up for visitors (in the early weeks I’ll probably ask you to mask around him). Those are all wonderful things to do, and I’ll look forward to seeing you around and having you all get to know this kid and be a part of his church family.
The boundary we need to maintain is not to talk about church business or church-related things during my time on leave. One of you asked me this week if I could come in for a meeting in May (which is NOT something I am allowed to do), so I’ll try to be clear from the outset. Per FMLA both in NM and the larger PC(USA), I cannot do any church-related work until my anticipated return on June 1st. That includes meetings, emails, texts, calls, leading worship or funerals, or even those little informal business convos in the aisles at Smith’s (“Hey, while I’m talking to you, let me ask you about X…”)
So in summary: I’ll see you, and I’ll be glad to see you. Let’s just stick to the “no business til I’m back” rule, and all will be well.
Stay tuned to your email in the coming days/weeks for an update on Baby Bairby’s birth! My mom or I will let Clerk of Session Ann Gastineau know when he’s safely arrived, and you all will hear through announcements in worship and an email from Valerie. Thanks in advance for all your prayers during this time!
Sending all my love,
Pastor Ginna
March Book Club
The next Book Club meeting is Thursday, March 5th in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church, Potluck at 5:00 PM and the book discussion at 5:30 PM. If you have not joined us in person for a while, we now bring our own plates, silverware, drink and a dish to share for the potluck.
The March book is Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, 2025, 298 pages
The April book is Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, 2023, paperback, 384 pages
Need Book Recommendations for May: We forgot to have someone volunteer for recommending books for May at our gathering this past week. If you would like to recommend books for May, please let me know.
Teacher’s Appreciation Breakfast
We will celebrate the dedicated staff of Enos Garcia Elementary School on Mon., March 9th at 9:00 AM. Volunteers are needed to serve breakfast burritos. See Stacey for more details.
PW Bible Study
PW will meet Wednesday, March 11th, at 3:30 in the Lounge. Lesson 7 will be discussed.
Lilies Order
It’s time to order your Lilies to decorate the sanctuary for Easter Season. Please fill out this order form to purchase Lilies in memory and honor of a loved one. Please print as neatly as possible. The cost is $20.00 for each Lily. Checks should be made payable to “First Presbyterian Church”. Our deadline is Sunday, March 29th. You may also turn in this order form to the church office. Thank You!
Meal Train for The Bairby Family
The Meal Train for Pastor Ginna and the Baby-to-come is ready to go! Here is the link for the website: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/rynw17.
If you need help signing up to the website to provide a meal, please call Valerie (575-758-3124) or email her (churchoffice@firstpresbyteriantaos.com) during working hours and she will sign you up.
We are so grateful for all those willing to sign up to bring food. Please keep in mind that an offer to bring food is just that, not a guaranteed opportunity for a visit or to meet the baby. Thank you in advance for your willingness to be flexible!
Session wants your feedback on building use guidelines
Working with the community groups that use our building, Session has updated our building use guidelines. Now we want your feedback before we vote on a final version. Copies of the guidelines are available on the table in the Coffee Room.
Food for NEST
Our church will be continuing the commitment to provide meals for NEST. We do this on the fourth Thursday every month. It is time to schedule volunteers for 2026. Three volunteers are needed every month. Please see the sign-up posters on the Mission bulletin board when you enjoy food and fellowship after the church service.
Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to prepare meals for NEST.
UPDATE for the NEST meal drop off time and location – Meals are now to be dropped off directly to NEST (601 Lovato Place – behind Super Save) from 6:15 PM – 6:30 PM.
Save the Date – Vacation Bible School July 21-23
We are thrilled to announce that our friends from Colorado are coming back to do an inter-church, intergenerational Vacation Bible school at our church this summer! Save the dates Tuesday, July 21st – Thursday, July 23rd. More information is coming soon!
Our VBS friends are looking for a place to stay
If you have a house that you lend or rent out and that will be available July 20-25, they might want to use it! Please let the church know – churchoffice@firstpresbyteriantaos.com.
Want to Join a Small Group Bible Study?
The Daytime Bible Study is seeking a few new members. We meet from 1 PM to 2 PM on Thursdays to share about our lives and study Scripture. Come join us!
Property Committee Is Seeking New Members
Do you have knowledge in maintaining a building? Would you like to be part of a committee who cares about our buildings? We have a couple of openings in our property committee. If you are interested, please email Ladd Daniel at laddo@mac.com
Centering Prayer
CENTERING PRAYER is meeting weekly on Wednesdays from 4 to 5 PM at the St James Episcopal Parish, 208 Camino de Santiago, Taos, NM
Mother Mandy at St James has offered to host it, and Ursula Beck will be coordinating thru the statewide Contemplative Outreach Group. They will facilitate learning videos from Father Keating followed by Prayer. All are welcome.
Shared Table Needs Your Bags & Help
Shared Table needs your grocery store paper bags, and plastic bags. Please drop off these items at El Pueblito Methodist Church, 1309 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte. You can leave them by the front door anytime.
And come by Tuesday, March 24th, 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM to help pack boxes of food.
We need volunteers to show up on Wednesday, March 25th, 7:45 AM – 11:00 AM at El Pueblito Methodist Church in El Prado and at 1:30 PM at the Talpa Community Center.
Distribution Day is Wednesday, March 25th, 8:30 – 11:00 AM at El Pueblito Methodist Church in El Prado and, 2 to 3 PM at Talpa Community Center.
