Vistas
PINNACLE
the newsletter for pinnacle presbyterian church, scottsdale, az |
DECEMBER 2016
Tracings A Letter from Dr. Wes Avram
Dear friends, As we move toward December, Christmas, end of year activities and all the busyness and decisions that make up this time of year, I hope that you’ll find inspiration in the many opportunities for worship, learning and fellowship at the church. I also hope that you’ll be generous with many giving opportunities this time of year—including causes and charities you value, your pledge to the church for 2017 and Dr. Wes Avram, end of the year additional giving to Pinnacle. You help us Senior Pastor meet our 2016 needs, maintain our campus, and preserve our mission. This year we again include my November “stewardship sermon” as a special insert in this month’s Vistas. I hope you’ll take the time to read it. I also hope you’ll find a wide vision for the church there. Alongside this, we’re including member Katie Nutter’s “stewardship moment” from worship services on November 6. I hope you’ll find meaning in each. Be sure to look at all of the activities coming up this month talked about on the pages of this issue of Vistas. Advent and Christmas blessings to you all,
INSIDE... VESPER SERVICES at Pinnacle SEE PAGE 4 INCARNATE Multi-Media Christmas Experience SEE PAGE 6 PINNACLE MISSION TEAM helps victims of flooding in Oklahoma SEE PAGE 9 EMPTY BOWLS Preschool project raises funds for UMOM SEE PAGE 17
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Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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OUR COMMON LIFE
IF YOU ARE A WINTER RESIDENT, please notify the church office to give us your updated address. You can also change your contact information in MyPPC by updating your profile. Make sure your mailing address is your current address. Put your secondary address in the “other address” block.
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Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
OUR COMMON LIFE
2016 Advent Devotional Now Available Singing has long been one of the ways we tell stories. During Advent we prepare for Jesus’ birth by retelling the Christian story through carols like O Come, O Come Emmanuel and Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silent. We always hope we can wait until Christmas to sing some of our beloved Christmas carols like Joy to the World or Silent Night, but they always slip into the mix during those four long weeks to Christmas. Each carol tells the story of our faith, the waiting of the Israelites, the joy of the angels and the gift of Jesus’ birth. We need these carols to remind us what the real meaning of Advent and Christmas is all about. It is easy to fall into the rhythm that December is about the parties, presents, decorations and anticipation that leads up to December 25. Which is why we sing carols that help us hear the story told through the familiar words sung by all of us. We can listen to our voices lament, rejoice and share the message of Jesus who comes to us, the story of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angels praising, the humbled shepherds and the gifts of the Wisemen. Together we will wait, watch and sing through Advent for Jesus to live among us as we hear the story of Jesus through these carols. Each devotional is written with love from the staff at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church and the Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool staff. Enjoy reading, listening and singing these carols with us as we prepare for the birth of our savior, Jesus!
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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OUR COMMON LIFE
Pinnacle Hikers Tuesday, December 13 | 8:30 am Lost Dog Wash Trailhead, 12601 N. 124th Street, Scottsdale Join us as we hike the Old Jeep Trail with beautiful views of the south and west valley and a one-mile detour to the Taliesen West scenic overlook. This is an easy loop; 4.5 miles; 133-ft. elevation gain. This will be our only hike in December due to the holidays. For more information, contact Christine Schild at hikers@pinnaclepres.org.
Wednesday, December 21 | 6:00 pm | Fellowship Hall | FREE Are you looking for a unique and inspiring way to kick-start your Christmas Week? Join us for Incarnate, a Christmas experience like no other. Presented by Music Serving the Word Ministries, Incarnate blends live and recorded music, unique lighting and stage design, and unforgettable visuals into a three-dimensional and multi-sensory experience. The program brings an unrelenting emphasis on the incarnation, or in other words, the direct entry of God, in human flesh, into the world, to guide us safely into His eternal kingdom. Open to everyone, please consider this special Christmas moment! Preview Incarnate at tinyurl.com/incarnate-ppc. 6
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
ADULT FORMATION
Bible for Dummies The Manger Matters — A Jesus for the World Wednesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 | 6:25 pm | Fellowship Hall Rm. 4 Wednesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 | 8:30 pm | Growler Pub, PHX Thursdays, Dec. 1, 8, 15 | 9:30 am | Fellowship Hall Rm. 4 Within 50 years of His death, Jesus’ story had reached from tiny Bethlehem to the capital of the mighty Roman Empire. In Advent, Bible for Dummies turns toward the Babe from Bethlehem to ask how He matters for that world and for our own. Join Allen Hilton November 30 or December 1 for Grace Goes to Greece (1 Corinthians). The next week he will discuss Riddling in Rome (Gospel of Mark) and then Bethlehem Baby (Gospel of Luke).
Interface: Faith and Science at Pinnacle Faith and Science Roundtable Wednesday, December 7 | 7:00 pm | Chapel Library A certain meanness has attended our recent U.S. election process that troubles many of us. Are human beings innately good or evil? More personally, do you experience yourself as basically good or evil? This philosophical and existential question has clamored for our attention since questions began, and theologians have gravitated to it especially. Pinnacle's new Theologian in Residence, Allen Hilton, will bring the science of human generosity into conversation with the theology of human depravity. This is a large issue, and we need your voice in the conversation. The Faith and Science Roundtable meets on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss issues at the interface between faith and science in a respectful environment where it is ok to be a novice, an expert or somewhere in between. All who are interested in the conversation, including youth, are welcome to attend. Join us! Contact: faithandscience@pinnaclepres.org Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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ADULT FORMATION
MISSION AT PINNACLE
Days for Girls
Thank you for all your help with our Days for Girls ministry. We will be sending over 250 feminine hygiene kits to Haiti in January! 8
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
MISSION AT PINNACLE
Mission Team Helps Oklahoma Families Thank you for your support of our Oklahoma Disaster Assistance Mission Trip! Your prayers, thoughts and financial support helped make this work possible. As a congregation, we enabled two families whose homes had been damaged by floods to once again have a safe place to live. Our work included pulling up floors, giving supports to joists, replacing subflooring and putting up new drywall. Great week, great team!
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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PINNACLE FINANCE
Finance Report 10/31/2016 YTD Budget
10/31/2016 YTD Actual
Actual VS. Budget
10/31/2015 YTD Actual
YTD 2016 vs YTD 2015
%
Total Income
$416,043
$603,923
$187,880
$537,596
$66,327
112.34%
Total Expenditures
$616,889
$638,226
($21,337)
$600,420
$37,806
106.3%
Over/(Under)
($34,303)
($62,824)
Cash Balance
$63,648
$72,817
Cash BalanceRestricted
$186,819
$115,027
Mortgage Debt
$132,017
$504,369
Short Term Debt
$179,250
$200,000
The large difference in our budgeted vs. actual income year-to-date is a combination of giving as well as one-time events. We've received $90,000 in new member gifts and donations, $13,000 in extra pledge income over budget, $63,800 insurance claim monies, $8,400 in "25 for 25" anniversary gifts and $9,400 American Express Reward Dollars (not received as cash, but applied to our bill.) Year-to-date we are in the red $34,303 compared with 2015 when we were $62,824 excess expense over income. We are hopeful and anticipating that giving will follow tradition in the November through February period when pledging and giving increases.
Thanks to Concert Series Committee! Pinnacle Presbyterian Church would like to thank our Concert Series committee for their contribution of $10,000 to the church last spring. Those funds have gone to offset the costs incurred in sanctuary lighting both inside and out. Additionally, they assisted the church in replacing numerous plants/ shrubs and other landscape improvements this spring and summer. A big THANK YOU to them for their help in keeping Pinnacle a wonderful place of worship. 10
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
STEWARDSHIP AT PINNACLE
Stewardship Update As of November 10, 2016 Reminder: If you haven’t done so, please prayerfully consider a pledge towards our 2017 campaign drive. The stewardship committee thanks you in advance for your generosity! Remember: It’s not too late to make an endof-year gift to help with 2016 expenses. "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance of every good deed.” ~2 Corinthians 9:6-8
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OUR CHURCH FAMILY SYMPATHY OF THE CONGREGATION IS EXTENDED TO: The family of Laura Allison. Helen Hutchison and family on the death of Helen’s husband, Stanley Hutchison. Sheryl McCaleb and family on the death of Sheryl's father, Peter Ludwig. Jim Whisler and family on the death of Jim’s wife, Betty Whisler. The family of Jori Anderson. Thomas Hoehner and family on the death of his father, Jim Hoehner. 12
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
MUSIC AT PINNACLE
Celebration of Christmas 2016 Sunday, December 4 | 4:00 & 7:00 pm | FREE Mark your calendars for Pinnacle’s annual “Celebration of Christmas,” when you will experience the Chancel Choir and Pinnacle Pealers in joyous accord! Joining the two Pinnacle ensembles this year are the Brass of the Desert (a brass quintet and percussionists); Bartholomew Faire Early Music Ensemble; Lisa Tharp, flute; and Pinnacle’s very own Brandon Burns, organ; Chip King, bassoon; Marti King, piano; Peggy Purkey, piano; Adrienne Goglia, soprano; Megan Law, mezzo soprano; Andrew Peck, tenor; Michael Hegeman, bass – and as the narrator, former Pinnacle bass soloist Toby Kidd. Contact Dr. Sharon Hansen, Interim Director of Music and Arts, for more information at shansen@pinnaclepres.org.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Children’s Christmas Worship Sunday, December 11 | 10:00 am | Sanctuary Join us for a special children’s service to celebrate the birth of Christ. This creative and inspirational service titled, May I Sing to You?, will engage children and adults alike. We will enjoy songs provided by all of our children’s ringing and singing choirs, highlighted by scripture readings and lessons as well as unique poetry offerings that will remind us all of the true reason for this season. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
December Church School Seeks Joy This month we dig deep into joy, a response to the character and presence of God. There is no better example or study of God inspiring joy among us than the Christmas story. So we will spend December seeking joy through Old and New Testament scriptures, both in our small group classes and in our full group chapel experiences. Our memory verse from Paul’s letter to the Philippians reminds us to, “Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful!” ~Philippians 4:4
Club 45 Celebrates Christmas Sunday, December 11 | 3:00 - 5:00 pm | Fellowship Hall Our 4th and 5th grade fellowship club comes together for this annual Christmas event, a highlight of the season. We will play games, decorate cookies, enjoy snacks and enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas movie before doing our own version of silly gift swap. Who knows what white elephant treasure awaits your Club 45er! RSVP to Kelly Horn before December 9 at khorn@pinnaclepres.org.
Parents’ Day Out Sunday, December 11 | 11:15 am - 3:30 pm | Teen Center The Christmas season is upon us. The hustle and bustle of shopping and parties makes it hard to get everything done. Let us help! Pinnacle youth and their leaders will give parents and grandparents an afternoon to themselves by providing childcare at the church. We will eat pizza, play games, watch a movie and more with your children. All we ask of you is to make a donation. Proceeds will go towards our Adopt-A-Family shopping. Make your holiday season a little easier while supporting those less fortunate this Christmas season. If you are in 6th - 12th grade and would like to help while receiving community service hours, please contact Pastor Frank at fharmon@pinnaclepres.org by Wednesday, December 7. 14
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
YOUTH MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Adopt-A-Family Shopping night Sunday, December 11 | 4:00 - 6:30 pm | 6th - 12th grade Be a part of the Christmas spirit this year as Jr. and Sr. High Students help fulfill some of the needs of our Adopt-A-Families. We ask that you bring $10 for dinner and $10 (if you can) to help purchase Adopt-A-Family gifts. Each year we divide into teams with a list in hand and do our best to fulfill the Christmas wishes of sponsored families. This is a great night of fun and fellowship as we serve God’s kingdom. If you would like to join us, please R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, December 7, so we can line up drivers.
Jr. and Sr. High Christmas Party Sunday, December 18 | 5:30 - 8:00 pm | Teen Center It is time for 6th-12th grade students to come together to celebrate Christmas. This year we will have a joint Jr. and Sr. High party after a combined Jr. and Sr. High Bell rehearsal. We will play games, share a meal and, of course, have our crazy gift exchange. If you plan to attend, bring a $10 wrapped gag gift - the funnier and more outrageous the better - as well as a side dish if you are a boy, or a dessert if you are a girl. The main dish will be provided. Invite your friends to join us for this fun night. You are encouraged to wear pajamas or Christmas outfits to this party.
Plan Ahead for Jr. High Winter Camp January 27-29 | Leinweber’s Cabin (Cornville, AZ) | $125 Our 6th-8th graders will be heading back up to Cornville in January for our annual Jr. High Winter Retreat. This is a time for students to unplug and have fun as they grow closer to God and each other. Registration forms and $50 deposit are due Sunday, January 1. Go to pinnaclepres.org/students/jr-high-winter-retreat for the registration form. All students will also need a Pinnacle medical form on file, which can be found at pinnaclepres.org/pinnacle-youth-forms. Final payment is due by Sunday, January 22. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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YOUTH MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Sr. High Winter Camp is Coming! February 10-12 | Forest Home | Forest Falls, CA | Cost $250 If your student has never had a camp experience, this is it! Besides great worship music, fun games and loads of activities, the speakers convey great messages that resonate with students. Forest Home gives students a mountaintop experience that will challenge them in their faith even after they come down from the mountain. A deposit of $100 is due by December 18. Final Payment is due January 22. Spots are limited to eight students, so sign up early. Register online at tinyurl.com/SrHi-Camp. We also need a Pinnacle medical form on file, which can be found at pinnaclepres.org/pinnacle-youth-forms. For more information about Forest Home visit foresthome.org.
Sr. High Mission Trip July 9-14 | Navajo Nation, AZ Mark your calendars, as you don’t want to miss what everyone will be talking about all summer! This July our Sr. High students (those currently in 8th-12th grade) will head up to Northern Arizona for a week of serving God and the Navajo people. The cost for this trip is $350 if you 2016 Mission Trip work at our annual rummage sale, or $650 if you do not. Interested students should fill out a registration form and pay the $100 deposit before Sunday, January 29, to guarantee your spot. Forms can be found at pinnaclepres.org/pinnacle-youth-forms. We hope that you will join us in this life-changing experience. 16
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
PINNACLE PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
A Grass Roots Effort to End Hunger Continuing our traditional fall Empty Bowls celebration, each child in the Pre-K classrooms made bowls from clay by hand. Once they were fired and glazed, the classes shared a simple 500 calorie meal of noodles with each other. This small number of calories is a typical daily consumption for children living in poverty. Potters, educators and other craftsmen across the US and other countries are joining this grass roots effort to raise money through selling of the bowls and then donating to hunger-fighting organizations. The preschool teamed up again with Marjon Ceramics of Phoenix, and new this year, Nick’s Italian Restaurant of Scottsdale, to raise money for Arizona’s largest homeless shelter, UMOM New Day Center. Through the generous donations made by families for their child’s bowl, $1,100 was raised for UMOM. Also in conjunction with the Empty Bowls celebration, we held a canned food drive with families donating non-perishable goods for the benefit of Foothills Food Bank. It was a beautiful lesson in giving thanks for all we have and helping those within our community who are struggling.
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HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS Dec 1 Olivia Wilson Dec 2 Ava Bianco Jeff Chapman Skip Garrod Dec 3 Tracee Balvin Meredith Fedyna Bryce Fitzgerald Sam Nelson Stephanie Webster Anne Wells Derek Wilson Dec 4 Karen Moore Adam Rogers Mary Westoby Dec 5 Alex DeWeese Katie Kalina Sarah Klemmer Owen Rhodes Curtis Sorenson Caitlyn Walker Dec 6 Teresa Hanson Paul Premo Nile Wessel Dec 7 Alyssa Coughenour Barb Dios Dianne Drake Pat Seyer Harlan Stratton Dec 8 Richard Ebert Michael Hegeman Leyla Hobbi Luke Neumann Kris Stenson Dec 9 Chris Hylton Brodie Moore Dec 10 Dean Coughenour Vicki Dillon 18
Dec 11 Jeanee Dean Rosalea McLemore Ann Swanson Dec 12 Alec Bright Chris Harper Catherine Weekley Dec 13 Kelsey Casas Herb Dixon Marilyn Reese Tony Walker Dec 14 Karis Conner Lynda Elliott Roselyn O'Connell Marcia Sobek Dec 15 Terri Baker Caitlyn Croll Hannah Hampton L.A. Kowal Jeff Miller Grayson Morris Parris Richie Dec 16 Doug Brown Taylor Clarkin Sharon Dolan Dec 17 Karen Armknecht Jamee Balvin Ivey Martin Lily Martin Dec 18 Paul Avram Henry Beattie Blair Myers Elyce Walthall Dec 19 Jan Halliday Nancy Noyes Greer Pattison Matt Rank Dec 20 Nancy Lipscomb
Dec 21 Justin Augustine Clare Cline Patricia Frankel Jarett Upchurch Dec 22 Jack Mason Dec 23 Pat Pollock Jade Wells Dec 25 Virginia Belt Dec 27 Jim Keegan John P. Klecker Mary Joy Stead Dec 28 David Miller Alice Roe Dec 29 Jan Crews Davis Hartman Bud Koyen Abigail Reiss Dec 30 Tom Baker John Brenalvirez Tom Clark Teresa Corelli Mack Felt Joan Hutton Meg Thorstenson Dec 31 Kerry Croll Wallace Davis Aubyn Howe Mary Vedder
DO WE HAVE YOUR BIRTHDAY ON FILE? If not, please call the church office.
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
Christmas Poinsettias Order poinsettias, in memory of and/or in celebration of a loved one, that will adorn our Sanctuary and Chapel for Christmas. Order forms can be found in your Sunday bulletin or in the church office. Orders must be received by Monday, December 19.
PINNACLE ONLINE
CHURCH WEBSITE Please visit our website, www.pinnaclepres.org, for the weekly calendar and activity listings, photos and other important news. You can also listen to sermons online.
MYPPC Log on to Pinnacle’s online community to update your profile, connect with your friends and group members, check the church calendar, view your pledge and giving records, and find ways to get involved at pinnaclepres.ccbchurch.com
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Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
25150 N. PIMA RD. | SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85255 480.585.9448 | PINNACLEPRES.ORG
Stewardship Sermon, November 8, 2015
Tending the Garden, Mining the Gold Wes Avram preaching Genesis 2:8-15; Acts 2:38-47 When once before our annual sermon on stewardship came on the Sunday before a national election, we opted to change the date thinking you might be a bit, well, distracted. Didn't do that this year. You'll need to tell me if I'll regret that! I gotta find a way to get and keep your attention on stewardship today, even as we think about so many things. Maybe I could go for the sympathy pledge, with my crutches here. 1 Maybe I could go all electoral on you, following what we've been hearing lately: "if you don't give, the world will end." I could go a bit casino on you: “Give now, win big!” Or how about going Public Television or Public Radio on you? I could preach week after week after week about this, until we meet our goal. I could stop at various parts of the service and talk about how valuable it is. Who will sponsor our Prayer of Confession? We could offer tote bags, mugs, or trips to Hawaii... But more seriously, I could continue to do what we do in one form or another over and over again. It's worked before, and so it could work again--if I can keep your attention. That means I could appeal … … to your sense of responsibility (for the health of our church, for the assurance of a strong ministry and future of the church, and for our beautiful and expensive campus;)
1 I was on crutches from an exercise injury during the service, which makes sense of my references to crutches, hobbling, and pain killers. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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I could appeal … to the value you put on what you consume here (the programs that add value to your life, or give pleasure, or teach, or give you chance to reach out in some small way, or inspire, or comfort) I could appeal … to the part of your relationship to the church that feels a bit like a contract, in the best sense (I could cite all the numbers –like the cost of our program per member or family, our average pledge, the value of pledging for predicting our finances, and more.) I could do that, call this a stewardship sermon, hobble out, and move on to next Sunday. But I find that I don't want to do that today. I find myself restless with that approach. Blame it on the pain killers, but I'd rather blame it on Scripture, or because last Sunday I preached on Reformation—about God calling us to become more of what God has always been calling us to become. Reformation is often inspired by a kind of remembering or trying to remember an ideal that we want to recreate in a new time. That idea might be part of an actual past, or an ideal that has roots but that we've never really reached. It’s a kernel that was seen once and imagined, but into which we are still trying to live. I'll call that an "Eden moment." Imagine that first Eden: a perfect spot and location. It had everything they needed for their well-being in abundance, like gold, onyx, fruit, and trees. That Eden also contained the seeds of destruction. That’s what happens if people become more focused on what they want for themselves than on what the Garden they're given to tend is meant to be, in God's vision. The whole pattern of God dealing with God's people is set up right there – the difference between the beautiful things God gives to help us flourish, and our twisting it, just a little, in the wrong way. 22
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
The New Testament has its Eden, too. It's spied after God recreates the world, opens up new possibilities, and turns things right side up in the Resurrection. God gives church. And the description of that first church in Acts is the Eden of God's re-creation. So maybe there are some clues there for my stewardship appeal – right there in the Book of Acts. Listen to Eugene Peterson's translation [from The Message] “Acts 2:42 They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Acts 2:43 Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! Acts 2:44 And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. Acts 2:45 They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. Acts 2:46 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, Acts 2:47 as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.” One of the early church parents, Tertullian, quotes a pagan observer of the early church, who said, "Look at those Christians, see how they love each other." ~~~ Let me remind you of those good things I mentioned earlier that so many appeals like this are shaped around: your sense of responsibility; the value you give to what you consume here; and the informal contract you've made in being a member or participant. These are truly good. They can preserve the ministry and keep us going for another year. But I wonder if they can inspire the kind of vision of the church we find there in Acts, or the kind of Eden Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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God desires for us to tend, or the kind of engagement that will fuel the flame of Reformation. For in that beautiful, challenging ideal for the church, that vision of a new kind of Eden we're called by God to tend, I see those three old reliable appeals kind of falling away, and a new approach being envisioned: Where I might appeal to your sense of responsibility for the church, perhaps I should speak instead of your identity as a person of faith. Where I might appeal to the value you put on services received, as a good consumer of the church, perhaps I should instead encourage your commitment to a faithful life. And where I might appeal to the decent and fair contract you've made to give in a reasonable way for what you reasonably receive--according to your means and for the specific goals of the organization--perhaps I should instead invite you to consider your relationship with the church as a covenant, far deeper and higher and greater than any contract you might ever enter. Identity, commitment, and covenant. Identity – There is something about that early church experience that is not simply a choice to join an organization that does good things or touches you in certain ways. It is more. It contains a profound and dramatic before and after. We believe that God is at work bringing us together. We don’t believe in our tradition that you need to be able to point to a day or a time of your salvation to have God at work in your life. But we do still believe that in the life of faith there is this rhythm of before and after that makes all the difference in the world. It can happen to you every single day. Or you can point to a specific experience that changed everything. God changes us. There is a before, and there is an after in which the Spirit moves us to make a claim for who we are in the life of the larger community called church. And so, commitment. You heard it in that story, how the early believers devoted themselves to learning and to friendship and to worship, every day. 24
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
We commit to learning together because we don't just instantly know how to lead joyful lives of faith. We join with others to listen intensely to Scripture, to each other, to the world, and to God’s spirit in the history of theology. This shapes our conscience as believers. Then we gather together in friendship and celebration, to share our lives together. And we worship. Remember that in the early church every single worship service included an offering for the poor. You could not worship without giving to the poor, which means that as we learn, and as we are in fellowship, and as we worship, we are always in mission. Identity, commitment, and … covenant. The earliest church heard and responded to a promise they sensed from God: for themselves, for their children and for those far away. It was a promise that shaped them into a people among a people that did not understand. It gave them overflowing joy, starting with purpose of the community and the experience with God that makes us a community. It doesn't start with our personal preferences or personal desires. It starts with God, and gives joy. Listen to how Mother Theresa spoke of this joy: The best way to show your gratitude to God and people is to accept everything with joy…. We may not be able to give much but we can always give the joy that springs from a heart that is in love with God. All over the world people are hungry and thirsty for God’s love. We meet that hunger by spreading joy. Joy is one of the best safeguards against temptation. (No Greater Love)2
2 This quote was reproduced in the daily devotional from The Plough magazine. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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So here’s the key: The more this congregation, and you as part of this congregation in your own way, let the joy of experiencing Christ become the core of who we are, and the substance of what we're committed to, and the fruit of what we promise to tend like a precious gift and life-giving garden, with trust, and patience, and love . . . ... the more we do this, ... the more giving is just part of how we express ourselves; ... and the more giving is just part of how we commit ourselves, ... and the more giving is just part of how we honor God. That goes for you too. And so the more that happens, the more asking you to support this work is the easiest thing I do, ... and the more we know the abundance, freedom, and purpose that Christ gives us when he makes us church. That's the algebra of stewardship. ~~~ So this is what I want to tell you today: I love your sense of responsibility, and the value you put on what we do, and your willingness to consider how you should help us meet the need. That preserves the church's ministry, allows me and other staff to take care of ourselves and our families, cares for our property, allows worship and mission, and teaching, and more. I love that about you. And we need that about you. And that deserves thanks. And yet while I love that about you, I also see even more in you sometimes-and beyond thanks, that brings joy. 26
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
I see the moments when the ideal peeks through, when you claim who you are in Christ and bring that with you here, when you know yourselves -- as one or in groups -- to be committed at a deep level. You can do more here than just consume the things we provide. You can become a maker and a citizen of this place, in trust, in patience and in love, and your relationships become covenants. I’ve been around here long enough to know some of you though not all of you, and I know that some of you have been hurt by church. But you have found here a place of healing and of mission. Others of you have slowly found yourselves more involved and more committed, just by listening. You heard that in Katie Nutter's testimony this morning. I know you come from very different experiences or traditions, and have found something here worth tending to. You have found yourselves saying this is yours. You have opened yourselves to new things, with people you might never have thought you’d be with. Some of you might not have experienced this at first, but over time you have found yourselves making commitments of prayer, and time, and finances in ways larger than you ever imagined you might. And you've found yourself so very happy about it, and trusting it. You know what I’m talking about. I know that some of you aren't there yet. That's okay. This is your place if you want it to be, and we're grateful for all you do. I will continue to pray that something will grab hold of you when God gives the moment and you will find yourself going deeper, even in ways you can't imagine now. The view of stewardship here is simple: If we seek, with God's help, to be the church, all else will follow. Please see that, and you will know what, and how, to give. Amen.
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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Stewardship Moment, November 6, 2016 Katie Nutter Good morning. If you know me – or if you’ve been on previous years’ stewardship committees – you know that I am probably the very last person anyone would expect to be up here with a stewardship message. That’s because, several years ago, when a member of the stewardship committee called me to ask about pledging, I told him that I wouldn’t do it because I was suffering from cognitive dissonance. Ah, the dreaded disease -- cognitive dissonance. You know – the stress of trying to hold two contrary ideas at the same time. I had just joined the church. On the Sunday before pledge day, there was a sermon about giving, and it mentioned the familiar admonition that the left hand shouldn’t know what the right hand was doing. And then on the following Sunday, people were asked to come forward with their pledges – a very public form of giving. Stuck in the middle of those two contradictory ideas, I had a little hissy fit and refused to pledge. I must admit to feeling just a little self-righteous about it all. Oh my gosh, church wasn’t perfect! How did I get from there to here? Well, I stuck around for a while and started to pledge when I realized how much I’d benefited from membership in this church. “All that’s surely worth something,” I said to myself. “And if I pledge I will be more accountable for my giving – less tempted to let a month pass if I had some unexpected expense. “Besides, people who are working for God’s Kingdom deserve to know what resources they can count on. As a Harvard Business Review article once 28
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
concluded, there is power in predictability.” So I pledged and became what Wes would call a responsible consumer of spiritual services, on an annual plan of payment divided into twelve equal monthly installments. But somewhere along the way, something changed. During the week I often found myself chewing on sermon topics and humming the refrains of our hymns. I began to think of this church as my spiritual home base. I didn’t have the words to describe what was happening to me until this past summer when Pastor Wes shared with us his musings on covenants vs. contracts. So now what I know is that I’ve moved from having a contract with the church to having a covenant kind of relationship. And as you’ll remember, a covenant relationship is stronger because it is flexible. It bends before it breaks. So, in the spirit of flexibility, I no longer need the church to be perfect – as I measure it. It’s fine if some people walk up with their pledges while others choose different ways to transmit their commitments. It’s fine if some people clap after songs while others don’t. It’s even fine if some people have political views that differ from mine. Quite simply, this is my church. God put Pinnacle Presbyterian Church on my path during this chapter of my life. In response to that divine guidance, I will pledge. When we pledge, we allow the church to harness the power of predictability. But I suspect that the greatest benefit of pledging is what happens in our own hearts. Amen. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2016
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