Presbyterian Visitor

Presbyterian Visitor

May 28, 2026

  We would like to congratulate all the 2026 graduates. On May 17th we honored our congregation’s graduates with a dinner following worship service. This year’s High School graduates were Brayden Hendrix, son of Kayla and Kortnie Hendrix and Noël Jackson, granddaughter of Ed and Diana Jackson. Also graduating from college with her Master’s Degree in English is Maggie Talbott, daughter of James and Kara Talbott.

  Thank you to the Bloomfield High School NJROTC for helping to clean up the patio area of weeds and for removing several cactus from the church lawn.

Update from Presbytery

  The Presbytery of Ohio Valley held its quarterly assembly on May 21 at Camp Pyoca in Brownstown, Indiana. Pastor Hana attended as a minister member of presbytery, and Alicia Holt attended as a member of presbytery council.

  Presbytery meetings always take place in the context of worship, so the meeting began with prayer and singing, and a sermon by Dr. Sung Soo Hong, a candidate for ministry who has been called to pastor Unity Presbyterian Church in Terre Haute. During the meeting, Dr. Hong was considered and approved for ordination, and was ordained during the second portion of worship. This is the only time such an act has taken place at a presbytery meeting, as far as anyone is aware.

  Pastor Hana was elected to fill an unexpired term on the presbytery's board of trustees. The Rev. Cindy Cushman (Corydon) and Ruling Elder Janet Huber Lowry (Hanover) were commissioned for this summer's 227th General Assembly meeting in Milwaukee.

  The annual necrology report was given, in which the names of ruling elders and ministers in the presbytery who have died in the past year are read aloud, and commissioners to the meeting are invited to stand to honor particular individuals.

  Following the offering and ordination, worship (and the meeting) concluded with the celebration of communion and a final hymn.

  On Monday, June 8th our church will be hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive from 12:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Please consider donating, each donation is capable of saving up to 3 lives. Please call 1-800-733-2767 or go to RedCrossBlood.org and enter: FPChurchBloomfield to schedule an appointment.

  Our church will be helping to provide summer meals for school aged children in our community. Lunch will be served every Monday and Thursday in the North Shelter house at the park from 11-12:30. A drive-thru pickup of non-perishable foods will be held from 4-6 on those days. Please contact the 1st Baptist Church at 812-384-8459 to help with this project.

  Are you ready for the 48th Annual Tasting Luncheon? If not, get ready! This year’s Tasting Luncheon will be held on Friday, June 26th 11:00a.m.-1:00p.m. Get your tickets now by contacting the church office or a member of the Women’s Association. This year’s menu includes: Hawaiian Chicken Salad, Pea Salad, Spaghetti Slaw, Carrots Supreme, Spinach Brownies, Brussels Sprouts with Boursin, Chili Dog Mac & Cheese, Hawaiian Green Pepper Casserole, Pork Chop Dinner, Blueberry Bundt Cake, Chocolate Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars, and Pineapple Coconut Dream Cake.

  The decorating committee is asking to borrow any vintage type picnic items to decorate with. Items such as picnic baskets, thermoses, picnic blankets etc.… Please contact Melinda Hendirx with any questions.

  The Session will be meeting on Wednesday, June 3rd at 5:30 p.m. in the Seekers Room.

  The Women’s Birthday Gathering will be held on Thursday, June 4th, 9:30 a.m. at Rejavanated.

  The next Women’s Association Meeting will take place on Thursday, June 11th. Phyllis Holt will be the hostess with devotions given by Connie Hawkins.

Pastor’s Message

  Memorial Day this year happened to coincide with the 8th anniversary of the death of our dog, Rocky. Rocky had been adopted by my husband before we knew each other. Rocky adopted me when I married his dad; he was mostly indifferent to our oldest child when he was born.

  Our child, however, was not indifferent to Rocky; he loved that dog. They shared (human) food, and even a Kong chew toy. He was fascinated and delighted by Rocky’s wet fur after a bath. His first word was “dog.” As soon as he could walk with the aid of his plastic radio flyer wagon, he would chase after Rocky.

  When Rocky got sick and we had to let him go, our child was only one and a half years old. He doesn’t remember Rocky, but when I mentioned to him that the anniversary of Rocky’s death was coming up, he wanted to mark the day in some way. That Monday evening, he asked the members of our family to gather around the little metal box that holds Rocky’s ashes. He said a few words about how important Rocky was, and that even though he didn’t remember him, he still missed him. Then he asked me to say a brief prayer.

  That was it. But it was enough to bring tears to my eyes, and those of my husband. We were both remembering our beloved canine companion, but we also marveled at what our son had just shown us about how to remember someone important, and to hold them up before God.

  We’re in a portion of the lectionary cycle that encourages us to think about what it means to be the community called the church. Over and over again, the scriptures emphasize that our Christian community may be united in our belief in the good news of Jesus Christ, but it is diverse in every other way. In that diversity, none of us has a monopoly on the gifts of the Spirit. We all have gifts to teach and share with and show to one another in order to build up the body of Christ.

  My child reminded me of this in his simple act of remembrance. I am a professional when it comes to rites and rituals, but when it came to remembering Rocky, I only followed my child’s lead on what to do and when to do it. The act was all the more meaningful for that.

  As we enter the season of Ordinary Time, when we focus on growing in the knowledge, faith, and love of God, may we look to our neighbors—no matter how different they are to us—as teachers in faith. May we open ourselves to be surprised by what they have to show us about God. And may we remember that what we do and say may also be teaching others about God.

In hope,

Pastor Hana