Vistas
PINNACLE
the newsletter for pinnacle presbyterian church, scottsdale, az |
December 2014
INSIDE... VISTAS is now available in flipbook format! SEE PAGE 3 CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS is December 7 SEE PAGE 4 CONTEMPLATE ADVENT at Pinnacle Vesper Service SEE PAGE 9
Tracings A Letter from Dr. Wesley Avram
Dear friends, We come to December! You're surely thinking, "Where does the time go?" We look again toward Christmas. We begin again with Advent. It's a bit odd how in our secular lives we think of "the holidays" like I used to talk about the I-95 corridor when I lived on the East Coast—one long stretch of city from D.C. to New England. One Dr. Wes Avram, stretch of activity from Thanksgiving to New Years, Senior Pastor marking the last gasp of the year, keeping us busy but also calling us to think about what life has brought since the last time we rode the same stretch (last year). Yet as people of the church we have a fleeting memory of having heard once or twice along the way (maybe) that for Christians, Advent has been seen as the beginning. It's not meant to be something repeated over and over again to mark the end of momentum, on the edge of starting over for another round. We anticipate birth during this time, not death. We speak of coming, not going. We start the church year with Advent. With this contrast, it's equally interesting that we speak of this season as a season of traditions, even while the story we tell of Christmas is anything but a story of traditions. It's a story of great surprise, of great unpredictability, of trust in stepping out only on the basis of an angel's promise, of parents' faith, of an embrace of the future, and of peacefilled reassurance seen in the face of the One we came to call Lord. I hope you'll enjoy the traditions this season. But I also hope you'll find a moment or two to accept something new, unexpected, and hopeful. And I hope you'll let that surprise you, inspire you, give you something to ponder, and give you a new and stronger sense of your own faith. Happy Advent,
2
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
VistasDIGITAL FLIPBOOK
PINNACLE
We are pleased to announce that our Pinnacle Vistas newsletter is now available as a digital flipbook with page-turning technology. It is viewable wherever you are, on a computer, tablet, e-reader or mobile phone. Not only is the flipbook version much less expensive to produce - $29 per month, verses over $1,000 per month to print and mail - it has many user-friendly features that can’t be duplicated in a printed version. We think you will like the way you can click a link to sign up for an event via email, or click another link to read more about an upcoming concert (and purchase tickets while you are at it!) From time to time, we will share videos you can view! Need large print? Zoom to the level that suits you. Many of you may already have received an email with a link to this month’s issue in flipbook form. We hope you like it and find it easy to use. We’d love to get your feedback, and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. If you didn’t receive the email, please check with us to make sure we have your current email address on file. If we do have your email address, you will receive a monthly message notifying you that the current issue is ready to view. You may also view Vistas on our website at www.pinnaclepres.org. Click Connect at the top of the page and then click Vistas Newsletters. Paper copies of Vistas will always be available in the kiosks in the narthexes in the Chapel, Sanctuary, and in Fellowship Hall. But if you would prefer to continue to receive printed Vistas in the mail, please use the enclosed postcard or contact the church office at office@pinnaclepres.org to let us know. If we do not hear from you by January 15, we will assume you do not wish to continue to receive printed Vistas, and beginning with the February 2015 issue, a copy will not be sent. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
3
Pinnacle Concert Series
Celebration of Christmas Sunday, December 7 | 4:00 pm & 7:00 pm Free Concert - a donation is requested* The magic and promise of the Christmas season come alive with this annual holiday concert. With a mixture of bells, brass, strings and voices, Celebration of Christmas creates a festive occasion that is the perfect way to herald the season. Join the Pinnacle Chancel Choir, Pinnacle Pealers and special instrumental guests for a memorable and inspirational holiday experience. *A special offering will be received to further the fine arts program of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church
Handel’s Messiah - Phoenix Symphony & Chorus Sunday, December 14 | 3:00 pm General Admission: $49 Handel’s massive oratorio makes a profound musical statement of the Christian faith, celebrating the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The acclaimed and popular “Hallelujah” chorus highlights this classical favorite. Music Director Tito Muñoz and the Phoenix Symphony and Chorus return to present the full-length version of Messiah. For ticket information, please visit www.pinnacleconcerts.com. 4
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
MUSIC AT PINNACLE
Mason & Hamlin Piano for Sale The church is selling a Mason & Hamlin piano currently residing in the chapel library. The current value is $1000, but for a Pinnacle family who would like to purchase it, the cost will be $500. The buyer will be responsible for removing it from the chapel library. If you are interested, please contact Brent Hylton in the church office at 480-585-9448, x213.
Miracle At Midnight presented by the POW! Choirs Sunday, December 14 | 10:00 am Worship Service Good morning, Bethlehem! Another day has dawned in this little town and its citizens are bustling with activities. Bethlehem's Mayor and his staff of one are hard at work announcing the new decree from Caesar Augustus. Meanwhile, angels are polishing their halos in Heaven for a big announcement, and a young couple from Nazareth are preparing for their first Child. By midnight, a miracle has occurred which will change the world forever! We invite you to join the Cholla and Canyon Choirs, assisted by the Wee Singers, as they present the timeless Christmas story in a fresh new musical way. FOR MORE INFORMATION about our Music Ministry, please check our website at www.pinnaclepres.org/music/
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
5
MISSION AT PINNACLE
This is the 20th year that Pinnacle Presbyterian Church is joining with Vista del Camino to assist with the Christmas Adopt-A-Family program. The church will provide gifts for families who are working but struggling. Pinnacle will also adopt families through the IRC (International Rescue Committee) who assist refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. We will also provide gifts to Open Table candidates the church is currently helping. Those who would rather make a financial contribution, please designate it “Adopt-A-Family" and donate on or before December 7. Contact Susan Beasley at vdc@pinnaclepres.org with questions.
Make Christmas Gifts Meaningful with Alternative Giving
The new Presbyterian Giving Catalog provides examples of how your generosity can help make an impact around the world. With examples like goats, chicks or new wells providing clean drinking water, the catalog will directly connect you with those benefiting from your gifts. Catalogs are available in the literature racks in the narthexes of the Sanctuary and Chapel, or in the church office. The Presbyterian Mission Agency is the ministry and mission agency of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 6
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
MISSION AT PINNACLE
Special Offering to Aid the Homeless & Homebound Sunday, December 7, 2014 An individual Arizona income tax credit is available for contributions that provide assistance to the working poor. Taxpayers filing as “single” and “head of household” status may claim a maximum credit of $200. Taxpayers that file as “married filing joint” may claim a maximum credit of $400. Taxpayers filing as “married filing separate” may claim a maximum credit of $200. Pinnacle’s Mission Ministry Group would like to encourage you to participate by making a contribution to one or more of the eligible organizations that are part of Pinnacle's mission to aid the Homeless and Homebound. • Andre House • Madison Street Veterans Assn. • DUET • UMOM • Habitat for Humanity of AZ • Vista Del Camino • United Way - Permanent Supportive Housing Fund Please complete the enclosed form along with a check payable to each organization to which you wish to direct your tax credit. Please bring your envelope on Sunday, December 7; mail to, or drop off in the church office no later than Monday, December 15, 2014. For more information, please visit the Pinnacle website at http://www.pinnaclepres.org/working-poor-tax-credit. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
7
MISSION AT PINNACLE
Supplies Needed For Mission Trip To Haiti In January PPC is leading a mission trip to Harmony Ministries schools and churches in Haiti in January. If you would like to help support this mission, donations of new, unopened supplies would be appreciated: • • • • •
Adult and children’s multivitamins, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) Toothbrushes and toothpaste Ziploc bags: snack-size, sandwich-size, and gallon bags Small bottles of school glue or small glue sticks Colored construction paper
PLEASE – only these items unless you contact Jan Loichle in advance at haiti@pinnaclepres.org Collection boxes are in the Narthex and Sanctuary hallway. Thank you for your support!
Thank You to our wonderful volunteers, members and friends who attended our Mission Fair in November. To learn more, visit us at http://www.pinnaclepres.org/news/2014/11/6/thank-you.html
8
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
OUR COMMON LIFE
Los Locos Annual Christmas Party Saturday, December 6 | 6:00 pm | Fleming’s Home The infamous Los Locos potluck, white elephant gift exchange and ugly sweater Christmas Party is right around the corner. If your last name begins with A-H, please bring an appetizer or salad, I-R bring a main dish, and S-Z, a dessert. Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater and don’t forget your white elephant gift (one per person), under $10. Be creative, quirky, artistic - even re-gift. Please RSVP by November 26 to Frank Harmon at 480-585-9448 x230 or fharmon@pinnaclepres.org. Frank can also give you directions to the Flemings and answer any questions you may have. Los Locos is a fellowship group for singles and couples in the 30-50+ year age range.
Advent Vespers Services Wednesdays, December 3, 10, 17 Chapel | 6:15 pm Childcare Available in the Sanctuary Nursery
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
9
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Banner Carriers for Advent Sundays 10 am Worship Service Every Sunday in December until Christmas Advent is the time of year when we wait expediently for the birth of Jesus. During Advent every year, part of our celebration is to have children carry Advent banners into worship during our 10:00 am service, and also at the 5:00 pm service on Christmas Eve. We need two carriers for December 7, three for December 14, four for December 21 and five for the Christmas Eve service at 5:00 pm. If your child is interested in carrying one of these banners, please let Pastor Frank know at fharmon@pinnaclepres.org.
Church School during the Holidays Sundays | Fellowship Hall | 10:30 am Advent is a busy time in the life of the church as we anticipate the arrival of Jesus - and Children’s Church School is no exception! We will start on December 7, when we will celebrate Jesus’ birthday. We will gather for crafts, songs, carols, the Nativity story and birthday cake!! All children in our ministry, from 3’s through 5th grade, are invited to the party!! On December 14, some of our children will be performing in the Christmas musical during the 10:00 am service. Because of this service there will be no church school that day as all children are invited to attend worship. On December 21, 28 and January 4 we will have Church School for all ages of children. Our Pre-K will have Godly Play, and grades 1-5 will learn about generosity and what it means to give. 10
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Club 45 Christmas Party and Goofy Gift Exchange! Sunday, December 7 | 3:00 - 5:00 pm Mark your calendars - it’s that time of year again! Start the Christmas season off right by joining us for Christmas cheer, goofy gifts, painting, games and more. We hope you and your 4th and 5th grade friends can join us for this fun afternoon!!! No RSVP is needed, but please bring a silly, goofy toy/gift for a boy or a girl (limit $10) and a dish (appetizer, salad, or dessert) to share.
Here's What's Up at POW! for December Due to the rehearsal schedule for the Christmas Musical, the Bible Adventurers class will resume again in January. Wee Ones and Kids Can.... will continue their classes in December. Everyone is invited to join us for caroling on Wednesday, December 17. We will meet in the lobby of the Care Center at Vi Grayhawk at 5:45 pm and sing through the halls for about 45 minutes. Families of all ages are welcome! For more information, contact Marilyn Hylton at 480-585-9448 x241 or mhylton@pinnaclepres.org. Please note all POW! classes and choirs will be on break for Christmas, and we'll see you again on Wednesday, January 14.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about the Children’s and Youth Ministries at Pinnacle, check out our website at http://www.pinnaclepres.org/learn-learn/
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
11
YOUTH MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Parents’ Day Out Sunday, December 14 | 11:15 am to 3:00 pm | Teen Center Tis the season to snuggle up on the couch, drink hot beverages and go Christmas shopping. With kids or grandkids around it can be hard to get anything done this time of year. Let the youth of Pinnacle help you!!! The youth of Pinnacle 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 make crafts with the children. The suggested donation is $20 for one child and $15 for each additional child. Make your holiday season a little easier while supporting the youth ministries of Pinnacle this holiday season.
Youth Christmas Parties Jr. High: Saturday, December 20 | 5:30 pm Sr. High: Sunday, December 21 | 5:30 pm It is time to get creative as we come together to celebrate Christmas. We hope that you will join us this year for our annual Jr. High Christmas Party or Sr. High Christmas Party. If you plan on attending, bring a $10 gag gift, wrapped - the funnier and more outrageous, the better. Please bring a side dish if you are a boy, and a dessert if you are a girl. The main dish will be provided. We hope you can join us! Watch for more information regarding locations. 12
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
YOUTH MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Are you a Sr. High student who needs to get away? Join us as we head for the slopes for a weekend of skiing. The cost this year is $325, which includes transportation, lodging, food (except on the drive up and back), lift tickets and rental equipment. A $100 deposit is due with registration by December 21, 2014. The balance must be paid in full by January 11, 2015. Medical forms and permission forms must be on file and can be found on our website, along with registration forms, at www.pinnaclepres.org/pinnacle-youth-forms.
Jr. High Winter Camp 6-8th grade | February 20-22 | Cornville, AZ Cost $125 ($100 for additional siblings) Our Junior High (6-8th grade) will be heading back up to Leinweber’s cabin in Cornville this winter for our annual Jr. High Winter Camp on February 20-22 (note this is not Presidents’ Day Weekend). Registration forms and $100 deposit are due January 11, and final payment is due by February 1. This will be a great time to have fun, play games and grow closer to God and each other. We hope that you will consider joining us for this great time together. Medical forms and permission forms must be on file and can be found on our website, along with registration forms, at www.pinnaclepres.org/pinnacle-youth-forms. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
13
PINNACLE PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
Preschool Parent Tours
Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool offers weekly tours for parents that are interested in enrolling their child(ren) in our program. Tours of the campus are strongly encouraged to learn more about our dynamic preschool community and curriculum. All tours begin at 10 am in the Preschool Office. Due to the nature of these tours and the amount of information you will receive, we ask that parents make other arrangements for children so you can attend without distractions. Please call the Preschool Office at 480-585-9448 x2 to RSVP for a tour. Priority Registration for the 2015/2016 school year begins January 9, 2015 and opens to the community on January 20, 2015. The deadline for all registration forms and fees is February 2, 2015. 2014-15 TOUR DATES
14
December – 2, 10, 18
March – 6, 10, 18, 31
January – 7, 15, 23, 27
April – 8, 16, 24, 28
February – 4, 12, 20, 24
May – 6 Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
OUR COMMON LIFE
Heads, Hearts, and Hands: Preparing to Lead On Friday evening, December 5, and the day of December 6, Pinnacle will provide a spiritual development workshop to help us hone tools for faith-driven leadership in fulfilling God’s mission. Alongside practical life-skills, this workshop will bring us closer as a congregation, help us better understand how we can work together and be connected to God’s Spirit. This learning opportunity, led by Dr. Dr. Mark Branson Mark Branson from Fuller Seminary, is open to active Pinnacle participants. If interested, please contact the church office at malbrektsen@pinnaclepres.org or 480-585-9448. Professor Branson will also be preaching in our Sunday services that weekend. He’ll speak of Advent, hope, and opportunity. You won’t want to miss that Sunday! PINNACLE FINANCE REPORT 10/31/14 YTD Actual
10/31/13 YTD Actual
2014 vs 2013
%
Total Income
$458,610
$418,031
$40,579
10%
Total Expenditures
$633,268
$641,492
$8,224
1%
($174,658)
($223,461)
$48,803
(Over)/Under Cash Balance - Operating
$228,620
Cash Balance - Restricted
$156,488
Total Cash Balance
$385,108
For the four months ending October 2014, total income was higher than last year’s October YTD by 10%, which was mainly due to a generous one-time gift. We did a good job managing our total expenditures to be approximately the same as last year, below by 1%. Overall the shortfall was $175,000, but $49,000 less than last year at this time. Our cash balance ended the month at $228,620. Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
15
OUR COMMON LIFE
What the Pastors Read Over the Summer In the past few years we've given you a glimpse of some of what the pastors were reading, watching, or learning over the summer. One of our pastors will do this each month. Rev. Frank Harmon tells about his summer reading this month. This summer we did a lot of cross-country driving. Not the relaxing, vacation-type of driving; the ten-hours a day, only stopping for gas kind of driving to get my parents moved to Arizona from Indiana. In the midst of all our travels I did find time to read Divergent, a youngadult fiction book set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, by Veronica Roth, and David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell. In this Divergent world, people are divided into five factions in which their gifts are best suited. There is Abnegation, the selfless. They put other’s needs in front of their own. They dress in plain, modest clothing and seek to do what is best for the greater whole. Next is the Erudite, the intelligent. They hold all of the knowledge and technology of the society. Third is Dauntless, the brave. This is the class whose job it is to protect the society; the police and military. Fourth is Amity, the peaceful. They are known for their happiness and putting peace above all. They are willing to serve, but unlike Abnegation, they do not come face-to-face with those they serve. These they serve behind the scenes. The last faction is Candor, the honest. They value honesty above all else. As a member of Candor, you cannot tell a lie and you always let people know your opinion. There is one more group of people that are called the Factionless. These are essentially the homeless in today’s society. They, for one reason or another, are not accepted into the faction they chose to be a part of and therefore cannot go to another faction. It is also important to point out that not everyone chooses the faction into which they were born. At age 16 everyone takes a test, and, after that 16
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
OUR COMMON LIFE
test, they can choose which faction they want to be a part of. Once you choose a faction you are not supposed to be in communications with anyone in the other factions, including any family members. One of the main reasons I read this book was because it came out as a movie earlier in the summer, and I wanted to read what all of the hype was about. As I got into reading it, it made me think about the church. (When I read things I typically read them through that lens). In a way, this can be the church on many different levels. Often we pick one church over another, and, in doing so, we leave behind those who are not a part of our church. We don’t do it intentionally, but we get busy in the life and work at our church, and it doesn’t leave time to think about what others in the bigger community are doing. We all do our part for the Kingdom of God but don’t really know what anyone else is doing. The second book I read, David and Goliath, is all about how, when facing a Giant, you can’t play by the “rules” and expect to win. You have to think outside the box. Taking note that if David had fought Goliath with armor and sword, he would have died. To combat the giant that he faced, David used a weapon, a sling, which could be used at a distance where his size and strength didn’t matter. David brought a gun to a knife fight. Malcolm Gladwell talks about several different scenarios in which people, when faced with a major obstacle, change the rules of the game to their advantage. To give an example, Malcolm talks about a high school football team that NEVER punts and ALWAYS goes for an onside kick. For those who know the game of football that sounds crazy, but when the coach did the math, punting really didn’t give them any advantage. Kicking off deep, verses onside kicking, was only the difference of 15 yards. The coach played for the turnover. If they could get one extra possession because of an onside kick, or by getting a first down by going for it on 4th down, that was to their advantage. Despite how crazy it sounds, the football team won state championships multiple years, but despite that, Please see READING next page Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
17
READING from page 17 no one follows this logic when it comes to football. Again this made me think about the church and how we do “things.” As a church we can play the game by the “rules” and hope that somehow people will hear the gospel message, programs will grow, and money will come in, or we can change the “rules”. What would it look like to not just think outside the box but get rid of the box altogether - to start doing ministry in ways that defies the “rules.” Gladwell points out that with faith great things can be done - look at David - but we must have faith. If you want to learn something new, pick up Gladwell’s book; it is fun and insightful. If you are looking for something for pure entertainment, Divergent is the way to go. PINNACLE ONLINE CHURCH WEBSITE Please visit Pinnacle’s website, pinnaclepres.org, for the weekly calendar and activity listings, photos and other important news. You can also listen to sermons online.
iTUNES PODCAST Subscribe to the free Pinnacle Sermon Podcast through the Apple iTunes
FOLLOW
VISTAS ONLINE
PINNACLE
Download PDFs of Pinnacle
Store and have sermons
Join Pinnacle’s
automatically downloaded
to your computer or iPod.
page or follow
Open iTunes and search
‘PinnaclePres’ on Twitter to
Find out more about
for “Pinnacle Presbyterian
keep up with church events,
all of this by going to
Church.”
news, and more.
pinnaclepres.org.
Vistas to read online or email to friends and family.
OUR CHURCH FAMILY OUR SYMPATHY: To JeanEtte and Bill Hyatt on the death of son, Terrill. To Kim and Dave Schaller on the death of Kim’s mother, Helen Donaldson. 18
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS December 1 Olivia Wilson December 2 Ava Bianco Skip Garrod December 3 Tracee Balvin Meredith Fedyna Bryce Fitzgerald Sam Nelson Stephanie Webster Anne Wells Derek Wilson December 4 Karen Moore Adam Rogers Mary Westoby December 5 Alex DeWeese Katie Kalina Sarah Klemmer Owen Rhodes Curtis Sorenson Caitlyn Walker December 6 Teresa Hanson Paul Premo Nile Wessel December 7 Alyssa Coughenour Barb Dios Dianne Drake Harlan Stratton December 8 Jack Coubrough Richard Ebert Michael Hegeman Leyla Hobbi Luke Neumann Andy Yaconis December 9 Chris Hylton Brodie Moore December 10 Dean Coughenour
Vicki Dillon December 11 Jeanee Dean Rosalea McLemore Ann Swanson December 12 Alec Bright Chris Harper December 13 Kelsey Casas Herb Dixon Marilyn Reese Tony Walker December 14 Karis Conner Lynda Elliott Roselyn O'Connell Marcia Sobek December 15 Terri Baker Caitlyn Croll Hannah Hampton L.A. Kowal Jeff Miller Grayson Morris Parris Richie December 16 Doug Brown Taylor Clarkin Sharon Dolan December 17 Karen Armknecht Jamee Balvin Ivey Martin Lily Martin December 18 Paul Avram Henry Beattie Blair Myers Elyce Walthall December 19 Jan Halliday Nancy Noyes Greer Pattison Matt Rank
Pinnacle Vistas • December 2014
December 20 Nancy Lipscomb December 21 Justin Augustine Clare Cline Patricia Frankel Jarett Upchurch December 22 Carolyn Baer Jack Mason December 23 Pat Pollock Jade Wells December 25 Virginia Belt December 27 Jim Keegan John P. Klecker December 28 David Miller Alice Roe December 29 Jan Crews Davis Hartman Bud Koyen Abigail Reiss December 30 John Brenalvirez Tom Clark Teresa Corelli Joan Hutton December 31 Kerry Croll Wallace Davis Aubyn Howe Mary Vedder
DO WE HAVE YOUR BIRTHDAY ON FILE? If not, please call the church office.
19
Scottsdale Rd.
Pinnacle Peak Rd.
Happy Valley Rd.
TIME DATED MATERIAL
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
25150 N. PIMA RD. | SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85255 480.585.9448 | PINNACLEPRES.ORG
Pima Rd.
PERMIT #815 PHOENIX, AZ
PAID
U.S. POSTAGE
NONPROFIT ORG.
The Pinnacle Pulpit Catching More, Wanting Less Dr. Wesley Avram preaching
November 2, 2014 Stewardship Sermon
November 2, 2014, Stewardship Isaiah 41: 16b-20; Luke 5: 1-11 So I got an email from a Pinnacle member a couple of weeks ago. It began, "The first year that you were here you preached a wonderful stewardship sermon." Now how often does a pastor hear the words "wonderful" and "stewardship sermon" in the same sentence?!
"Please give some thought to giving it again," she went on.
This email was getting better and better. How often does a pastor also get permission to save time to preach a sermon they'd preached before? "We have many new members who have not heard it and the rest of us probably won't remember that we have," it concluded. Now to the person who wrote me that note: You may write me whenever you want! But seriously, preachers don't simply repeat sermons to the same congregation, as much as we might like to. We do sometimes look at the same scripture again, use ideas we've used before, even reshape or expand on a story we've used—for new folks who've not heard, to bring out different meanings for folks who have heard, or to gently remind folks who've forgotten. But I did let that kind email send me back to that earlier sermon. It gave a chance to think about what we've done in these five years— what unexpected challenges we've faced, what we've grieved about, what we've wrestled over, what we've rejoiced over, what we've accomplished, and how so so many of you have made a remarkable five years of church possible. You've expanded our mission, you've offered time and imagination and love as partners in ministry, and you've paid the bills.
So I decided to honor the gift of that email in a couple of ways today:
I'm going to use the same scripture.
I'm going to take a little time to talk about how we've faced stewardship challenges these last five years, as a way of describing our opportunity today. And I'm going to finish with the same memory I shared with you five years ago—for the reasons I just told you that preachers sometimes retell stories.
It's a different sermon, but it's the same hope. ~ ~ ~
So let me begin with that passage of scripture, from the 5th chapter of Luke. (5:1-11)
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” when they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that
they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. ~ ~ ~ Peter, James, and John knew how to fish. I mean, really, they knew how to fish. They knew where the fish could be found, if they could be found. They knew when, and they knew how.
- Stay close to shore; the fish feed around the springs and streams where the water is fresh. - Don't go out into the deep; few fish there. - Fish at twilight and through the night, not during the day. - Come to shore in the morning, prepare your catch for market, wash and mend your nets, and get some sleep. - Don't trust your livelihood to luck or inexperience! - And even then, know that it won't always go your way. So on the night we read about today, they had had a bit of a downturn. All night. No catch. We run into them washing their nets in the morning—maybe worried about it all and wondering how to turn it around tomorrow. This was hardly the time for someone to come along and distract them. But something unusual was going on. Crowds were gathering and folks were talking about this preacher Jesus. I'm thinking Simon looked over and saw a figure down the beach being pressed by a crowd. "They're going to push him right into the water if he's not careful. But it's not my problem." And Jesus walks down the beach and right onto Simon's boat and becomes Simon's problem. He asks Simon to take the boat a few
feet out and hold it against the current so he can speak to the crowds. The water will carry his voice well and no one will press on him.
Jesus finishes his teaching. The crowd disperses.
"How about trying that fishing again? Let me go back out with you. Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Now remember that you're the expert. You know where the markets are going, or not—or at least you think you do. You know when it's best to cast your nets and when it's best to wait it out. You know. He doesn't.
“Well, we don't want to be unfriendly, Rabbi, but there's nothing out there, and this is the wrong time." Silence. "Okay.” And you heard what happened: Simon was unnerved. Too much. Too dramatic. On top of what Jesus was teaching, the catch of fish just went way too close to his soul and forced him to rethink way too much.
Miracles can do that. They humble us. It was the same with James and John. And Jesus said, “There is nothing to fear. This can be your new normal, if you'll let it. From now on you can be my crew--experts at a new kind of fishing!” (paraphrase adapted from The Message) ~ ~ ~ When I read this story in 2009, it was my first Stewardship Sunday with you.
Think back, if you were here then.
On that morning, Fran Park and Kristin Willett sat on this chancel with me, and one pastoral position was vacant. We've seen staff and members come and go since, tended to each other's lives, disagreed and learned, understood and misunderstood, found our way, welcomed new folks into leadership, done new things in mission, education, and more. And we've worshipped—every single week, we've worshipped. Now just before I arrived that year, you all completed a 2006 campaign and closed your building fund. You incorporated into your operating budget a nearly quarter million dollar annual payment on the loan you were still carrying for this beautiful sanctuary. You also had a spending freeze on because of a downturn in giving. Many were in personal financial distress from forces of the Great Recession. Money was being saved from being short staffed, but that wasn't enough. I sent an appeal to the congregation that fall for help. You responded sacrificially to that appeal and enough came in to meet both our expenses and our loan obligation that year.
It was an encouraging way to begin a ministry.
You responded again in 2010 by giving above your pledging, and we funded our ministry that year too. And we began to make plans to go out into the deep, to do what God has been calling us to do to open the doors, to both maintain our ministry as folks come and go and to also enter a season of growth—if God so wills. And so 2011. As you remember if you where here, 2011 was in many ways shaped by Fran's illness and death, an ongoing pastoral search, and our ongoing ministries. For reasons that weren't clear, we entered the fall of that year behind again in giving. But after some conversations, words form the chancel steps, prayer and faith, we saw an enormous outpouring at the end of that year and entered 2012 in a better end of the year financial position than the church had been in for several years.
By that time, though, it was clear that our continuing debt was inhibiting our imagination and preoccupying our attention. And so against all conventional wisdom that says debt-reduction is the hardest kind of campaign to accomplish (you know, the kind of conventional wisdom that says you shouldn't go out into the deep or fish during the day), your session committed to calling the congregation to do a couple of things, alongside regular giving: to pledge to eliminate our debt, and its interest payments, in 3 years; and to provide seed money to make good on a long delayed promise to young families for a working kitchen and to expand our parking lot to a level appropriate for our sanctuary. Under the leadership of a remarkable committee and the generosity of so many—including a small group of givers especially committed to this campaign—we received those pledges and we turned our faces toward the future. What a blessing that was, and still is. And what a confirmation of God at work among us. Now we're in the second year of receiving those pledges. The debt is much less than half of what it was and will be even lower by the end of December. We look forward to watching it approach zero as folks complete their pledges. And we look forward to inviting additional gifts, perhaps from some who weren't able to participate in the campaign itself, to keep us moving forward on the kitchen and parking (especially since finding some unexpected plumbing issues connected to the kitchen! But plumbing is another sermon.)
And again . . . this has all been a great gift of faith. ~ ~ ~
Which brings us closer to now. We saw here what sometimes happens in churches after a capital campaign, with regular giving dipping the first year after the campaign. We've been hoping that it would go up again in
the second year, but we haven't seen that happen yet. Yet committed to strong ministry, we've finally filled our pastoral staff and made other progress. Administrative and maintenance needs have been tended to, deferred repairs have been tackled, helped in part by our Foundation, and we've continued to trim costs as we can. And with this, we're now seeing what it will actually cost us to maintain and advance our mission. So I'm naming the challenge again for you, in the same way I named the challenge of the mortgage in years past:
The successful campaign was not a reason to relax in stewardship. It was an occasion to call us all to recommit to deep support for our day-to-day ministry. I need to ask you to do that, as you feel called. We find ourselves in a position similar to 2011, when a beautiful outpouring of support closed a large gap and took us into the new year on track. We also need to see a real, measurable increase in pledges for 2015 to meet our obligations without cutting back. 1 ~ ~ ~ 1 There's not a whole lot we can save in costs right now. We've committed to staffing and programming to stay strong. We've addressed pressing property needs for what is an expensive campus for a congregation of our size. And we've committed to taking care of our staff and maintaining our mission. To meet this need in 2014, we'll need to see an additional $250,000 this year, and a real, measurable, increase in pledged giving for 2015. And so here we are. It's been a remarkable, and remarkably faithfilled few years since this story of Jesus, Simon, and fishing was last read in our worship.
Even if you've only been part of Pinnacle for just five weeks, and not five years, I still want you to hear this story—for it is a story of God holding us, and providing for us, and sending us out into the deep, in the light of day, against conventional wisdom that would tell us to stay back closer to shore. And so here I am, in the same place I stood five years ago, naming the challenge but shaping that challenge with stories of new faithfulness and new opportunities. That's stewardship. Stewardship is mending the nets, hearing God's call, and going out. It's risking those same nets for more catch. It's recognizing what we're called to do—to let go, to grab on, and to follow. The deep we're called to is not the safe part of the sea. Yet when Jesus calls us there, it is full and plentiful. And I believe he has called us there. We are a deep, not shallow, congregation. We have a deep, not shallow, ministry—much deeper than most congregations of our size. We have dreams befitting a deep, not shallow, future. And we have deep faith, and deep confidence in each other, and deep trust. We have what we need, right here, in the Lord we serve, in what he is giving us.
These are God's gift to us, and we are called to steward them.
And we will do this best when we do it not for ourselves, but for others, to make it possible for everyone to participate in this ministry— no matter their situation, no matter their needs, no matter their doubt, no matter their resources. We’re a loving and hopeful community of mutual support, grateful to God for the opportunity to build something good here and to sustain it into the future.
We all do our part, whatever it might be in a moment—even if in this moment, for you, your part is to simply receive the grace and love of the church, to receive the gifts that others give until you're strong enough to give again. That’s why we’re here. That’s our mission, too. ~ ~ ~ So this all leads to an undebatable conclusion about Christian stewardship—whether about money or about anything else we give in your lives, wherever we give it:
As a steward of God's good gifts, we give, not to get more, but to make more possible; we give, not to get honor, but to give honor; And we give, not to receive thanks, but to give thanks. ~ ~ ~
And so my story, to finish:
I remember back in the 1960s, when the little church I spent my childhood in decided it was time for new pews to replace the rickety old ones handed down from another church. I remember the thermometer in the narthex, counting the numbers of families and individuals who pledged a pew. I think they were about $150 a piece. Doesn't sound like much, now does it? But in those times, in that neighborhood, it was not a little sum. I remember one night walking into the kitchen of our little postwar ranch house and seeing my parents at the table with their checkbook open and a pad of paper, scribbling and adding and talking about whether they could buy a pew for this ministry they had made a promise to. They decided they would, even though I'm not too sure they really could. I remember pleasure on their faces, a sense that they had themselves received a gift in their power to give. I wondered why they were so happy to be able to give their money away. Then I learned.
I have no fear in asking you to give, and to give more if you can, because I want for you that same joy, and that same freedom. Maybe that's why your compatriot suggested I tell all this again. And so to folks who are here for the first time or have only been a few times, I hope that you see in this congregation a community of real faith, ready to follow into the deep, and ready to welcome you on the journey. We're glad you're here. And so to our members and friends: It might feel like a morning without fish for some of you. It might seem foolish to go back out into the water, against all odds, just because he's told us to. And yet he still calls us to. And I'm sure you can apply this fact to your whole life too and not just the church. He calls us out, to put down the nets again. For the fish are his. He knows where they are. And he’ll provide what we need to follow him, if we will. So please sit at your own kitchen table this week. Read the material we've sent you. Pray. And pray again--for your own sense of mission, and for the joy of giving. Come next week and if you are ready, place your estimate of giving in the basket at the end of our service. And if you are not ready next week, don't stay away. Come and place your promise to pray in the same basket, and your desire to serve. And you can make your pledge when you can.
Amen.