by fpcw2023 | Nov 21, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone “Praise the Lord!” This is the phrase that begins each Psalm 147-150, and thus ends the book of songs. Why was the book constructed in this way? Because the use of the book of the Psalms is to instruct God’s people in worship. God’s Word over and...
by fpcw2023 | Nov 14, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Giving thanks or remaining thankful in life is a hard discipline to sustain, it is especially hard in times of both trials. In the movie Batman vs. Superman: The Dawn of Justice, the sworn enemy of Superman, Lex Luther (played by Jesse Eisenberg),...
by fpcw2023 | Nov 7, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone There was a book recently published called “The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, And What Will It Take To Bring Them Back”. The book contained largely the findings from a massive research project funded by major institutions....
by fpcw2023 | Oct 31, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone “Chosen and exiled. That is the norm for God’s people.” (Jim Davis) Snow is falling outside as I am sitting here in my office. It is only October, yet with trick or treating happening tonight, the weather, and making plans for Christmas services, it...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 24, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone I remember when I first started going to seminary full time at Westminster in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kristin and I had moved out to the east coast all the way from the San Francisco peninsula and the setting couldn’t have been more...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 17, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone The Bible is a unified story which highlights certain events in the course of redemptive history which tell us what we need to know for our salvation. Peter tells us (2 Peter 1:21), that men were carried along by the Holy Spirit to tell the...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 10, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This week we will look at the second act in the life of Ruth and Naomi. As the story goes, reality begins to set in as Ruth and Naomi have to find a way to live in the community to which they recently returned. Ruth leans on the Law of Moses...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 3, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, October 6th 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study with Lynn Cale 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service with Pastor Benn Melli Monday, October 7th 5:30 p.m. Bell Choir Tuesday, October 8th 7:00 a.m. Men’s Bible Study and...
by fpcw2023 | Sep 26, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, September 29th 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study with Lynn Cale 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service with Pastor Glenn Burfeind Monday, September 30th 5:30 p.m. Bell Choir Tuesday, October 1st 7:00 a.m. Men’s Bible...
by fpcw2023 | Sep 19, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, September 22nd 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study with Lynn Cale 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service with Pastor Ben Melli First day of Sunday School! Monday, September 23rd 5:30 p.m. Bell Choir 7:00 p.m. Choir...
by fpcw2023 | Sep 12, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, September 15th 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study with Lynn Cale 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service with Pastor Paul Hayden 11:00 a.m. Fish Fry! See info below Monday, September 16th 5:30 p.m. Bell Choir 7:00...
by fpcw2023 | Sep 5, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, September 8th 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study with Lynn Cale 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service with Pastor Tim Dalstrom 11:00 a.m. Congregational Meeting. See info bleow. Monday, Septmeber 9th 7:00 p.m....
by fpcw2023 | Aug 29, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Pastor Tim Dalstrom will be leading worship service for the next two Sundays, September 1st and 8th. Sunday, September1st 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study with Lynn Cale 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service with Pastor Tim...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 22, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Pastor Tim Dalstrom will be leading worship service for the next three Sundays, August 25th, September 1st and 8th. Sunday, August 25th 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service with Pastor Tim Dalstrom 11:30 a.m. Back To School...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 15, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, August 18th 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service Monday, August 19th 7:00 p.m. Choir Practice Tuesday, August 20th 7:00 a.m. Men’s Bible Study and breakfast Check...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 8, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, August 11th 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study in the Chapel 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service Monday, August 12th No Choir Practice Tuesday, August 13th 7:00 a.m. Men’s Bible Study and breakfast Friday,...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 1, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Week At A Glance Sunday, August 4th 9:00 a.m. Adult Bible Study in the Chapel 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship Service Monday, August 5th 7:00 p.m. Choir Practice Tuesday, August 6th 7:00 a.m. Men’s Bible Study and breakfast Friday,...
by fpcw2023 | Jul 18, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Please note that the office will not be holding regular hours July 23-26th. I will be out of the office, but Pastor Raully will still be available for scheduled appointments. Call the office at 406-862-2802 to ensure the church...
by fpcw2023 | Jul 11, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Grace and peace to you all this week Some of you have asked about the short poem on gratitude that I read towards the end of the sermon on Sunday. It is by one of my favorite contemporary writers of prayers – Justin McRoberts. Justin’s prayers...
by fpcw2023 | Jul 4, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Grace and peace to you all this week – and a Happy Fourth of July! I’m really excited to invite you all to a concert at First Presbyterian on August 13th at 6:30 pm. Taylor Leonhardt is one of my favorite Christian singer-songwriters playing...
by fpcw2023 | Jun 27, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Grace and peace to you all this week: Can you believe that I’ve been here seven weeks already? It always takes time for a congregation and a new pastor to get in synch with one another, to get comfortable with the new rhythm and feel of a new style...
by fpcw2023 | Jun 20, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Grace and peace to you all this week: Have you ever found yourself binging a television show or watching a long movie that you never intended to watch in the first place? It begins innocently enough. You are just flipping channels and you stop...
by fpcw2023 | Jun 13, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Here are three quick things to know for this week: First of all, we are changing the way that we distribute this newsletter. You will still be able to find the Midweek Messenger on the...
by fpcw2023 | Jun 7, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I really enjoyed preaching on food last Sunday. It really is my conviction that worship and meals go together – not just the sacramental meal of Communion, but the meals of everyday...
by fpcw2023 | May 30, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! As I mentioned in church on Sunday, I have spent the first two weeks in Whitefish a bit baffled by the weather. Rain, sun, clammy cold, bursts of warmth: it can be all four seasons in one...
by fpcw2023 | May 23, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Thank you all for a wonderful first Sunday as the pastor at FPC. Two people came up to me afterwards and said that the service seemed very comfortable, not at all like someone’s first time...
by fpcw2023 | May 16, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! This is my first contribution to the midweek messenger. For those of you who I haven’t met yet, my name is Raully Donahue and I am the new pastor at FPC. I am excited to be here. It...
by fpcw2023 | May 9, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. I was never a distance runner. I tried in my freshman year of high school simply because my father would not allow me to play football…too small. Even though I ended up doing OK, it was always work and never fulfilling. I tried...
by fpcw2023 | May 2, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. A while back, Terri and I spent some time talking about our interim work here in Whitefish. We have had a wonderful time and we have met some wonderful people. We have had less opportunity to get to know the greater Whitefish...
by fpcw2023 | Apr 25, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Braxton Hicks. When my first son was about ready to come into the world, my wife began to go into labor. We rushed to the hospital. Got checked in. Went to our birthing room. Got ready for the change that was to come. After 12...
by fpcw2023 | Apr 18, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Dear Whitefish Presbyterian Church Community, We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! After a thorough and diligent search process spanning over a year and a half, we are delighted to introduce our new Pastor, Raully Donahue, who will...
by fpcw2023 | Apr 11, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Dear Whitefish Presbyterian Church Community, We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! After a thorough and diligent search process spanning over a year and a half, we are delighted to introduce our new Pastor, Raully Donahue, who will...
by fpcw2023 | Apr 4, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. WHAT A JOY-FILLED SUNDAY as the people of God shouted, “He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!!” Thanks to everyone who made the celebration happen. Alma Ramlow, thank you for leading the Alpine Ringers, the Choir, and your music on...
by fpcw2023 | Mar 28, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. As I read through the headings in my Bible between Palm Sunday and the Upper Room, here are the topics I find in this year’s Gospel, the Gospel of Mark: Jesus Cleanses the Temple The Authority of Jesus Challenged The Parable of...
by fpcw2023 | Mar 21, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Roller Coasters. I remember the last time I rode a roller Coaster. I can’t remember the name of that roller coaster. It wasn’t famous like the “Cyclone Roler Coaster” at Coney Island, the “Storm Runner” at Hershey park or the...
by fpcw2023 | Mar 14, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Housekeeping. I know. Housekeeping is not something we like to think about, but it is a reality of life with which we must deal. If you think about it, that is what Jesus was doing when he prepared his disciples for both his...
by fpcw2023 | Mar 7, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Some of you probably have or have seen what are now being called “Smart Watches.” They are made by the Apple brand with all of the connected resources as well as android systems. As the technology has advanced these watches can...
by fpcw2023 | Feb 29, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. On Sunday mornings at 9 Am in the Chapel, we have been working our way through the Book of Romans. Of all the books in the New Testament, Romans, especially chapters 1 through 8, is the key development of what Christians believe....
by fpcw2023 | Feb 22, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. I can remember the “pastoral visit” to this day. I was a young pastor. I had made an appointment to visit one of the oldest members of the church I was serving. I understood a bit of what I would be walking in to. The husband had...
by fpcw2023 | Feb 15, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Due to a busy schedule of meetings we don’t have our usual midweek message from Pastor Paul. Please take note of our upcoming events and dont forget about our wonderful volunteer opportunities. Sign up sheets are on the...
by fpcw2023 | Feb 8, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. As a congregation, we are deeply blessed. We are what many would call an “intergenerational” church. We have young children (we will have the privilege of baptizing our youngest, Neveah Nassert, on February 18), we have...
by fpcw2023 | Feb 1, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Acts 15 presents a very interesting picture of the earliest Christians. The early church had started in Jerusalem. Because of the death of Stephen (Acts 8), the beheading of James and the imprisonment of Peter (Acts 12) the...
by fpcw2023 | Jan 25, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. I am writing to give you good news of my update. I am writing this note from my office at church! I am not in everyday but in the process of slowing working myself back into a full-time presence! I will be here on Sunday and plan...
by fpcw2023 | Jan 18, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. By now you have probably heard that I am out of the church loop for a couple of weeks. I had surgery on January 15 to correct a hernia at the lower end of my esophagus. This is my 2nd hiatal hernia surgery at that location and so...
by fpcw2023 | Jan 11, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone… The Old Testament lesson for this coming Sunday is a wonderful lesson found in 1 Samuel 3. It is the story of young Samuel being awakened as he slept in the Temple. It seems God was working to get young Samuel’s attention....
by fpcw2023 | Jan 4, 2024 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone… …and Happy New Year. I don’t often simply copy someone else’s statement to send to you. However, this past week I read this post that I thought was a great statement on Church. I have known people in each of these opening...
by fpcw2023 | Dec 28, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Happy New Year! We hope this message finds you filled with the joy and warmth of the holiday season. As we step into 2023, we are thrilled to share the incredible start our Youth Group had in December. The inaugural meetings in December were nothing...
by fpcw2023 | Dec 21, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings everyone. ANNOUNCEMENTS!! I have a love…hate relationship with announcements, especially when they come on Sunday morning. We come to church to worship the Lord, to refocus our easily distracted lives on Him. Yet, we must let people know...
by fpcw2023 | Dec 14, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Every Sunday during Advent we begin our time of worship by lighting a candle on the Advent Wreath. The five candles remind us of the five themes of the Advent Season: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Jesus. This coming week, the 3rd...
by fpcw2023 | Dec 7, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. His name was Homer Smith. Homer was a public school teacher at the fourth grade level. Before teaching 4th grade, he had served as a high school music teacher and was the first music teacher to organize a guitar choir. The...
by fpcw2023 | Nov 30, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. This Sunday begins the New Year in the life of the church, it is the first Sunday of Advent. Let’s talk about two things in this article. First let’s talk about the church year and second the Season of Advent. The Church Year is...
by fpcw2023 | Nov 15, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. November always seems to be filled with lots of events to remember and in which to participate. It is one busy month. November 11 of course was Armistice Day…Veteran’s Day. We celebrate the end of World War I and the many men and...
by fpcw2023 | Nov 9, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. As some of you know, I regularly read articles from “The Institute for Family Studies.” This is a conservative journal that presents academic research on what makes for strong families. Sometimes their findings become part of the...
by fpcw2023 | Nov 2, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. This week we not only participated in Halloween but we also celebrated All-Saints Day. The original title of All-Saints Day was “All Hallows Day” with ‘hallow’ meaning holy or saint. The real reason October 31 is “Hallow-e’en” is...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 26, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This Sunday we will be holding a Kirkin’ of the Tartans celebration just before the beginning of worship (9:45). In a lengthy article I wrote a few years back, I explain the history of this celebration as well as presented some challenges for us to...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 19, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone… What is the purpose of prayer? We have begun a 7-week series on prayer. As we began this series last week, we talked about two methods of praying that people have found helpful as tools to structure their time of prayer. The...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 12, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone… …and thank you for your prayers during the time Terri and I were adventuring. We have returned safely with many wonderful experiences and some stories to tell. That having been said, so much has happened in our world since we...
by fpcw2023 | Oct 5, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. Terri and my wonderful adventure is coming to an end. We have seen lots, met new friends, tired out our bodies, recovered and did it all over again. We have grown and talked and shared and prayed. We have celebrated Terri’s...
by fpcw2023 | Sep 28, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Bibles Babes and L.A.M.B.S. have started back up. Please see the info below and click on calendar of events for a snapshot of October. Pastor Paul and Terri have finished their long trek from Porto, Portugal to Santiago, Spain! Enjoy the last few...
by fpcw2023 | Sep 21, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Enjoy the following pictures and updates from Pastor Paul and Terri. They are over halfway to Santiago, surviving rain and toe blisters! This Sunday Jim Ramlow will be filling in for Pastor Paul. His sermon is titled, “Jostling Jesus”....
by fpcw2023 | Sep 14, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone I am happy to report that Pastor Paul and Terri made it safely to Portugal and are well on their way, having already walked 44+ miles on the Camino de Santiago. They have shared glimpes of their travels, seen below. Please keep them in your prayers...
by fpcw2023 | Sep 7, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This will be my last communication through Midweek Messenger for a while. We are looking forward to our time away and know that the Lord will continue to bless this part of his family as you worship, pray, study and serve. I will be sending some...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 31, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Mistakes happen. Yes, they do. In fact, I have noticed in myself that the more full my schedule, the more mistakes I am prone to make. Maybe it is age. I personally believe my personal computer (brain) is so full of stuff that it no longer quickly...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 24, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. This Sunday will be our last time to focus on our summer theme in worship of “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” This coming Sunday’s theme will be, “Are You a Pioneer or a Settler.” This is not a “Code of the West.”...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 17, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This summer our theme in worship is “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” This coming Sunday’s theme is “Talk less…Say more.” There is an ol’ cowboy story that has been used to make this point from the Code of the West. In appropriate fashion...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 10, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This summer our theme in worship is “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” This coming Sunday’s theme is “Ride for the Brand.” James P. Owens, in his book Cowboy Ethics (page 54)¸quotes from Red Steagall’s poem titled “Ride for the Brand.” The...
by fpcw2023 | Aug 3, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This summer our theme in worship is “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” This coming Sunday’s theme is “When you make a promise, keep it.” By the time you read this page, Dr. Mary Neal will have spoken to our church and greater community. For...
by fpcw2023 | Jul 20, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This week our focus from the Code of the West is “Being Tough but Fair.” James Owen in his book, Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn from the Code of the West, wrote: “On the open range, cowboys shared a way of life that was as difficult...
by fpcw2023 | Jul 13, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This summer our theme in worship is “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” This coming Sunday’s theme is “Know Where to Draw the Line.” Wow, this theme carries so many thoughts and meanings as I ponder it. We all draw lines. Within society at...
by fpcw2023 | Jul 6, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This summer our theme in worship is “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” This coming Sunday’s theme is “Do What Has to be Done.” When I was in high school, baseball was one sport I played. I was a 3rd baseman and did OK achieving honorable...
by fpcw2023 | Jun 29, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This summer our theme in worship is “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” This coming Sunday’s theme I selected because it is the Sunday prior to Independence Day. The theme is “Some Things aren’t for Sale.” One of my favorite musicals (and...
by fpcw2023 | Jun 21, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone Greetings Everyone. This summer our theme in worship is “Spiritual Truths in the Code of the West.” One of the spiritual dynamics of our nation’s western expansion were the gospel ministers who followed the movement and went to save souls. It was a...
by fpcw2023 | Jun 15, 2023 | Blog
by fpcw2023 | Jun 15, 2023 | Mid-Week Messenger
Greetings Everyone This past Sunday I introduced the theme we will be working with during the summer, “Scriptural Truths in the Code of the West.” Montana played a large role in the Western expansion of our country. As with most times of growth and expansion, there...
