Vistas
PINNACLE
the newsletter for pinnacle presbyterian church, scottsdale, az |
February 2015
Discerning God's Vision: A Chance to Listen Dear friends in Christ, I enjoy writing these letters to you each month for Vistas, so I'm pretty protective of the newsletter space! But once in a while an opportunity or project comes along that's exciting enough that I decide to give it the place of my pastoral letter. This is one of those months, as our Session-appointed Pinnacle Vision Steering Committee has a special request for you. So with thanks for their work and excitement about what it promises, this is a letter from that good group:
At the request of our Session, your Pinnacle Vision team has been hard at work preparing a process and tools dedicated to the Please see VISION on page 14
INSIDE... WOMEN INC - Women in Christ is a new ministry for women SEE PAGE 2 WORSHIP ANEW - Experience God in a new way SEE PAGE 3
OUR COMMON LIFE
Forgiveness: A Lenten Study Forgiveness is the one practice that challenges us to act, calls us to change and defines us in our Christian faith. We find our forgiveness at the cross with Jesus. We spend the season of lent helping ourselves understand what this means for our life, our relationships and our faith. Join us in one of our weekly small groups to think about forgiveness in a new way through Forgiveness: A Lenten Study by Marjorie J. Thompson. Books will be available on the patio and in the church office for $11 each. Or you can order online for your tablet for $8 on amazon.com. GROUP LEADER
DATES
TIME
LOCATION
Parris Richie
Thursdays 2/19, 2/26, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26
10 am
Chapel Parlor
Paul Rooker
Sundays, 2/22, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, 3/29
9 am
Chapel Library
Angie Heuser
Tuesdays, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10,3/17,3/24, 3/31
9 am
Barnes & Noble, Desert Ridge
2
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
OUR COMMON LIFE
Lenten Vespers Wednesdays, Beginning February 18 | 6:15 pm | Chapel You are Forgiven. During vespers this season we will be walking towards the cross of forgiveness. Step away from the busyness of daily life to be rejuvenated by our savior who forgives. Vespers begins with our Ash Wednesday service in the Sanctuary February 18 at 6:30 pm. Each following Wednesday will be in the chapel at 6:15 pm.
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
3
OUR COMMON LIFE
PPC Foundation Announces Scholarship Award The Pinnacle Presbyterian Church Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now available for the 2015 Scholar Awards. This fund will provide up to $4000 for multiple scholarships. Interested students who have been accepted to or are attending an accredited post-secondary school program are eligible. Applicants must be a member of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church and show involvement in school, community and church activities. Applications may be requested from the church office, 480.585.9448 or found on the church website by clicking here. Completed applications must be returned to the church office by March 15, 2015. Awards will be announced in April, 2015. Questions? Contact Nancy Holloran, Foundation Trustee, 602.266.4653. PINNACLE FINANCE REPORT 12/31/14 YTD Actual
12/31/13 YTD Actual
2014 vs 2013
%
Total Income
$971,896
$801,809
$170,087
21%
Total Expenditures
$965,966
$976,657
$10,691
1%
$5,930
($174,847)
$180,777
(Over)/Under Cash Available for Operations
$519,056
Cash Balance-Restricted
$256,280
Total Cash Balance
$775,336
Our cash balance ended December 2014 at $519,056. This balance includes Tending the Promise Funds given for mortgage reduction (which will be transferred for that purpose on schedule). We continue to carry a debt obligation of $250,000 on our line of credit, which allowed us to manage expenses during months of lower giving. Our current cash balance also contains funds to partially reduce the line of credit, as well, in preparation for 2015. 4
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
TENDING THE PROMISE
A Note From Your Treasurer, Dorothy Stingley Your generosity and the velocity with which we continue to pay down our debt are amazing. We are on target to meet our goal of debt retirement by the end of our Tending the Promise campaign. We paid $150,000 toward debt principal in December and will pay another $200,000 early this month. Please continue to fulfill your pledges as you are able, and if anyone would still like to participate in the Campaign as we look to future projects of kitchen and parking improvements, we welcome your participation. You may contact the church office to make a pledge or simply earmark a special offering to benefit the Tending the Promise Campaign. The completion of our campaign is part of a holistic approach to stewardship, balancing our budget, forwarding our ministry and maintaining our beautiful property. God is good! And so are you, the people of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church. As of December 31, 2014 Pledges
$2,799,517
Debt Principal Paid
$1,741,953 (on both notes)
Debt Principal Balance
$ 770,689
We “Triple Dog Dare” You to
Save the Date!
Pinnacle’s All-Church Family Camp, will be held Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23, at Lost Canyon, an amazing camp in Williams, AZ. You will not want to miss this, so be sure to mark your calendars. More information to follow.
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
5
MISSION AT PINNACLE
Habitat for Humanity Spring Project Since 1996, Pinnacle has been active with Habitat in building homes for hard-working people of limited means. This Spring, Pinnacle will participate in the construction of a home for Karina Mendez and her one-year-old daughter. Karina, concerned for her daughter’s welfare, was looking for alternatives to her current apartment, located in a marginal neighborhood area. A friend suggested she meet with Habitat's staff, subsequently completing an application process, and later was accepted. Construction on the new home will soon begin. Pinnacle has been assigned four work dates (March 7, March 21, April 25, May 30) with different responsibilites ranging from roofing, to painting, and ending with a touch-up day. Individuals, ages beginning at 16 years, can help this family own their first home in a safe neighborhood. Parris Richie, in her Mission video on Habitat last Fall, noted "how inspired she was working side by side with a woman who would be the new owner of her own Habitat home". Please call Carl Richie (480-551-6855) or Doug Brown (480-502-8667) or email habitat@pinnaclepres.org to become a part of this team.
Pastor Luc Deratus to Visit from Haiti Our Haiti mission team will be back from their trip with pictures and stories, and Pastor Luc Deratus will join us for our “focus on Haiti” weekend, February 13-15. The Kids Can kids have been raising money to purchase Creole language Bibles which they will present to Pastor Luc on Sunday, and we hope to raise money to purchase the needed benches for the new sanctuary in Port-au-Prince. Come and meet Pastor Luc, ask questions, and learn about Harmony Ministries on Sunday, February 15. 6
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
MISSION AT PINNACLE
Growing and Growing Up A 25th Anniversary Mission Project For the past 25 years, Pinnacle has grown: spiritually, numerically, and in fellowship. As we have grown and will continue to grow, we want to help our homeless and low income community grow physically, emotionally and mentally with good healthy food. In honor of our 25th anniversary, our mission team would like to invite you to our Growing Up Mission Project. We are challenging you to help us collect: 2,500 cans of food 2,500 pounds of harvested produce at our one-day mission project We will begin collecting food on March 1 in the Chapel and Sanctuary Narthexes until Sunday, March 15. All donations will be divided equally between our two largest homeless food pantries, St. Vincent de Paul and Vista Del Camino. Also, to give fresh food to our homeless neighbors, join us at St. Vincent De Paul on March 14 for our mission gardening day where we will work from 8:30-11:30 am, and join them for lunch and conversation afterward. For more information or to RSVP for the gardening day please email Pastor Kelsy at kbrown@pinnaclepres.org. Learn more about the ministries of St. Vincent De Paul at www.stvincentdepaul.net/. Learn about the ministries of Vista Del Camino at www.scottsdaleaz.gov/assistance/vista
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
7
Time Out for the Arts
Monday, February 9 | 7:00 pm | Sanctuary Choir Loft
A MUSICAL ENCOUNTER WITH “THE DAY OF WRATH” The strains of the sinister Dies Irae (“The Day of Wrath”) are heard frequently in Stanley Kubrick’s films, particularly throughout "The Shining" and in portions of "A Clockwork Orange". This most famous Christian doomsday hymn has been attributed to the 13th-century composer Thomas of Celano. In the 16th century it became an obligatory part of the Requiem Mass, which has its place at funerals, memorial services, and on All Souls’ Day. It evokes the apocalyptic picture of the dissolution of the world into ashes and implores the Lord not to cast the repentant sinner into outer darkness. Join Brent Hylton as he discusses the numerous classical composers who have quoted it in their works to demonic effect. Most notable occurrences include Hector Berlioz in the Symphonie Fantastique; Franz Liszt in the monumental Totentanz for Piano and Orchestra and Camille Saint-Saens in the Danse Macabre among others. This presentation is not intended for the faint of heart! ADULT EDUCATION
Clash of Cultures Alan Stone February 15 | 11:15 am | Chapel Native Americans Today: A quick statistical look at where Native Americans are today and what they continue to contribute as citizens of the U.S., with a particular look at our Arizona neighbors, who make up only 5% of the state's population, but make a much larger imprint on our lives. 8
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
PINNACLE PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
This year Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool celebrates its 20th anniversary. We have touched the lives of over 2,500 children in our care over the past 20 years. In 1995, the preschool opened its doors with two teachers and seven children. Today the school employs 22 teachers in 9 classrooms, reaching out to 160 families and 170 children. Nationally accredited and inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, our preschool is regarded as one of the finest places of early learning in the Phoenix valley. Expanding access to high quality early childhood education is among the smartest investments that we can make. Research has shown that the early years in a child’s life represent a critically important window of opportunity to develop a child’s full potential, shaping the academic, social and cognitive skills that determine a child’s success in school and in life. Sabrina Ball, Director of the preschool, comments, “We are blessed with the vision and mission of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church. We are blessed with this wonderful campus as it reflects our desire to create beautiful spaces for children to learn. We are blessed to be located in a community where there is a high level of support for early childhood education.“ Our thanks go out to all of our teachers, students, parents, church members and board members, past and present, for making our preschool such a wonderful place to learn and grow. Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
9
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Church School Sneak Peak This month, the children in our Godly Play Class (3’s-Kdg) will continue to hear the New Testament stories of Jesus’ life and teaching. The New Testament stories will come to life as adults tell them, using small figures so the kids not only hear the stories, but become part of the stories. This month our 1st-5th graders will be looking more closely at kindness: showing others they are valuable by how you treat them. All month we’ll be working on memorizing Luke 6:31, “Do to others as you want them to do to you.” This simple verse is a great reminder of what Jesus said about kindness. We want others to show kindness towards us, so it’s important that we turn around and show kindness to them as well.
Club 45 Goes GaGa Sunday, February 8 | 3 - 5 pm | Teen Center Club 45 is meeting to work on the much anticipated GaGa Ball court!! We will be painting and preparing the court for its unveiling on March 1. We hope you can join us for this exciting time.
You Can Too! Shows Kindness Sunday, February 15 | 10:15 am | Fellowship Hall Following our Church School theme of KINDNESS, You Can Too! will be doing something kind for our friends in Haiti. Pastor Luc, from our sister church Harmony Ministries in Haiti, will be with us in worship this Sunday. We will show our kindness by supporting his work with the people in Haiti. We hope that you will be able to join us in Fellowship Hall for this mission-filled Sunday during 10 am worship service. 10
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Vacation Bible School is June 1 - 5 If you are looking for a chilly way to start your summer, we have something in store for you. This year at Pinnacle’s Vacation Bible School we will cool off with Everest VBS, where children will explore one of the most majestic, beautiful (and sometimes dangerous!) places on earth. They will join climbing crews to “trek” through our Everest VBS, discovering God’s power and promises all along the way. Vacation Bible School is always a great place for kids to learn about and experience God’s love, and this year will be no exception. If you would like to be involved in the planning stages of this, please contact Frank Harmon at fharmon@pinnaclepres.org. Vacation Bible School is open to children from age 4 through 5th grade, and children can begin as volunteers when they enter 6th grade. Registration information will be online and in next month’s Vistas, so be sure to plan ahead to be a part of this exciting adventure! OUR CHURCH FAMILY MARRIAGE: 1/2/15 - Scott MacGregor and Debbie Mok BAPTISMS: Stephen Byrd Horrell IV, child of Kasey and Stephen Horrell and grandchild of Steve and Cathy Horrell. OUR SYMPATHY: To the family of Sam Mullen, on his death Dorothy and Herb Kauhl on their death Diane Oeste and family on the death of her mother Iryna and Bret Reiss and family on the death of Bret’s father, Bruce Reiss Ginny Herb on the death of her husband, Robert Herb Myrna and John Richard on the death of John’s brother, Charles Richard Marianne and Dave Mathews on the death of Dave’s father, Earl Mathews Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
11
YOUTH MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Jr. High Winter Camp February 20-22 | Leinweber’s Cabin (Cornville, AZ) Cost $125 ($100 for additional siblings)
Jr. High Winter Campers in 2014
Our Junior High, (6th-8th grade) will be heading back up to Cornville this winter for our annual Jr. High Winter camp on February 20-22 (please note this is not President’s Day Weekend). Registration forms and full payment are due now. Medical forms and permission forms must be on file and can be found on our website, along with registration forms, at http://www.pinnaclepres.org/connect-youth/. This will be a great time to have fun, play games, have adventures and grow closer to God and each other. We hope that you will consider joining us for this great time together. 12
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
YOUTH MINISTRIES AT PINNACLE
Jr. and Sr. High Super Bowl Party February 1 | 3:30 - 8:00 pm | Harmon Residence With the Super Bowl being held in Phoenix this year, our town is set to be filled with excitement. To add to that excitement, Becca and Frank Harmon would like to invite all those in Jr. and Sr. High to their home to watch the big game. The Harmons will provide the main dish and drinks. They ask those in Jr. High to bring a side dish and those in Sr. High to bring a dessert. RSVP to Frank Harmon at fharmon@pinnaclepres.org.
Souper Bowl of Caring February 1 | Following 8:00 am and 10:00 am Services This coming February, the eyes of the nation, and much of the world, will be on Phoenix as we host the XLIX Super Bowl. While all eyes are on us for the big game, Pinnacle Youth will join local schools, businesses, and community organizations to tackle hunger through Souper Bowl of Caring. Our Youth will collect money for this worthwhile cause following both services. All money collected will go to benefit Andre House, one of our ministry partners that helps feed the poor. Teens, contact Frank Harmon at fharmon@pinnaclepres.org if you would like to help serve.
Pinnacle’s Annual Rummage Sale March 27 & 28 We are in the midst of preparing for our annual Rummage Sale. There is now extra storage on campus, and we are already collecting furniture and bigger items. If you have large items that you need to donate now, you can drop them off any time. If you have smaller items, or large items that you would like to have picked up in March, please contact Frank Harmon at fharmon@pinnaclepres.org so he can start making arrangements. Our Rummage Sale is the main fundraiser for our Sr. High Mission Trip. Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
13
VISION from page 1 goal of better understanding the composition of our church family and how best to serve each other, our community, and all God’s people. To this end, we'll be providing a couple of ways in which members and active participants at Pinnacle can be involved. To begin, a survey will be coming at the beginning of February to you. We hope you'll participate. The purpose of this survey is to compile, understand, and appreciate the composition, needs, and desires of the congregation. This will be information that will help inform Pinnacle visioning. There will be more than one way for you to complete the survey, including online, so keep your eyes open for it! In addition, we'll be making opportunities for small group conversations where you can tell stories of how you've felt God in your life, how Pinnacle has helped your spiritual growth, and what is your dream for this church in the future. We will be doing all of this in the spirit of discerning and fulfilling God’s will for Pinnacle. This survey is just the beginning of our journey, with these additional opportunities for small group fellowship and discussion to round out the effort. We look forward to your participation and input as we learn more about ourselves as people of God. So keep your eyes open for more news, and thank you in advance for completing the congregation-wide survey this month. Thank you, and may God bless our ministry! Your Pinnacle Vision Steering Committee, Elders Ruth O'Brien and Dorothy Stingley, Co-Chairs Thanks for reading,
VISTAS CONTRIBUTIONS WELCOME To submit articles for Pinnacle Vistas, please
contact Carol Skewes at cskewes@pinnaclepres.org. The deadline for the March issue of Pinnacle Vistas is February 10.
14
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
HAPPY FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS February 1 William Bryce Michelle Decker February 2 Greg Barber Kathy Cline February 3 Fred Dodge Michelle Lonergan February 4 Luke Niemann February 5 Kevin Nolan Ethan Rimkus February 6 Susan Adkins Landon Biggs February 7 Ruth Dugue Mackenzi Ives Herb Nagel Tyler Watson February 8 Mickaela Elich Elliot Loken Michelle Patton February 9 Donald Cosgrove Emma Kessler Ashley Potter Christie Slegers February 10 Dick Eichof Gary Glava Aubrey Gress Jan Loichle February 11 David Emig Ben Emig Will Klemmer February 12 Jim Blankenbaker Christian Fechtmeyer Alan Smith David Van Driel
February 13 Judy Callahan Aaron Hill Ruth Ann Kelsey February 14 Wendy Brown Bill Holgate James L. Lipscomb Flynn Stewart Cristina Van Driel Lyle Willson February 15 Andrew Avram Jody Boyd Dawson Dopp February 16 Steven Croll Scott Powell February 17 Steve Jesson Courtney Myers February 18 Matthew Biggs Ted Crow Marcus Downing Bob Staley Craig Starkey Sara Stockett February 19 Jim MacAllen Jim McDowell Liesel Nolan Bob Pollock John Prenzno Toni Yarwood February 20 Bill Camp Katie Cavin Nancy Dueker Steven Loken Donald Luke Jim Moore Nolan Wessel February 21 Sherry Gamble
Pinnacle Vistas • February 2015
February 22 Amber Lenniger Grant Lisk John Simpson February 24 Bob Armstrong Jo Ann Dixon Marti King Susan Storch February 25 Colleen Diedrich Trisha Mancini Todd Mason February 26 Lynn Alsager Barb Callison Tom Pilgreen Bud Potter Nick Roe February 27 Kevin DeRuiter Delaney Dopp Althea McConnell February 28 Olivia DeRuiter Don Dolan George Jones Megan Mathews Emily Mitchell Lily Rogers Robert Slegers February 29 Muriel Langdon
DO WE HAVE YOUR BIRTHDAY ON FILE? If not, please call the church office.
15
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
25150 N. PIMA RD. | SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85255 480.585.9448 | PINNACLEPRES.ORG