February 2012
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8
Love in Action by Dave McKechnie, Interim Senior Pastor Tuesday, February 14, is Valentine’s Day. Who in the world was St. Valentine? He was the patron saint of lovers. On February 14, 270 A.D., he was beheaded by Claudius II. The Bishop of Terni in Italy defied the ban of the Roman Emperor Claudius II against marriage. Claudius said marriage made poor quality soldiers. In spite of the marriage ban, the Bishop presided at many weddings. As a result, he lost his head! On Valentine’s Day, one billion cards will be given in appreciation of parents, grandparents, children, teachers, coaches, spouses and lovers. That is 10 times the amount of cards sent at Easter, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. That does not include other kinds of media messages.
worth. The love of Christ arms and disarms. Love is the currency of the relational life. The best description of love that I know is found in 1 Corinthians 13. No, it is not a definition of love but a description of love in action. There are moments in life when you are tempted to think you are as unimportant and unremembered as the flying grains of sand on a windswept beach. However, the promise of God’s Word is that his love will never let you go. I trust that.
Say it elegantly, humorously or sweetly, but don’t forget to say it. I love you. After all, love is a chemical cousin of amphetamines! “Faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13. God’s redemptive program is reduced to this: God loves you enough to purchase you! No matter where you go, what you do or what you think, the love of Christ persists. That love is fixed through Calvary in the flux of life. The better you understand the cost of your redemption, the better you understand your
ASH WEDNESDAY February 22 services @ noon (Chapel) and 7 p.m. (Sanctuary)
message series • February 2012
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Eastwind Newsletter
February 5
February 12
February 19
February 26
Steve Dickie
It’s Bath Time! Paul Bammel 2 Kings 5:1-14
In Your Face! Dave McKechnie 1 Samuel 17:41-51
Eyeball to Eyeball with the Devil Over Economics Dave McKechnie Luke 4:1-4
Essentials of our faith
All Scripture is self-attesting and being Truth, requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks. On this sure foundation we affirm these additional Essentials of our faith:
1. We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory and praise forever! 2.
Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.
3.
The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior. Indwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
4.
Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, thereby justifies them in His sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
5.
The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible, yet imperfect, expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity; where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting, she awaits the return of her Lord.
6.
Jesus Christ will come again to the earth — personally, visibly, and bodily — to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20)
7.
The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)
You can learn more about the EPC denomination online at epc.org. Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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A Gift from God by Cheryl Hennigh, Preschool / Kid’s Day Out Director Every January I try to come up with some ideas for New Year’s resolutions. (Isn’t that what everyone asks you during the first month of the year?) But this year I decided to forget making resolutions, because I never can stay with them past February anyway. No, I am going to take the time this year to enjoy the many memories of the past and look forward to making memories in the future. What started me thinking this way was when I realized we are now beginning enrollment for our 18th year at Eastminster Preschool. I have been remembering the many warm, wonderful, funny memories I have had here. For these last 17 years, I have professed that Eastminster Preschool was truly a gift from God. When I was asked to start a preschool in the spring of 1995 at Eastminster, we anticipated starting with one small class in January of 1996 because of all of the requirements from the county and state for classroom changes, policies, approvals and licensing. And I wasn’t very optimistic that would even happen. But God handled all of the details, and all of our needs were met within just a few months. To our surprise, we were able to start our preschool in September 1995 with two classrooms and 35 children. And the memories have been in the making ever since! I have to smile when I remember so many of the sweet things the children have said about their teachers. For several years, one of our teachers was a small, black lady whom we all loved. When Mrs. Nancy became ill, she was gone for several days and was greatly missed by her students. As school was starting one
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of those days, a little 3-year-old came to me with tears in his eyes. When I asked what the problem was he asked, “Where is my chocolate teacher? I really miss her.” I told him I would be in the classroom with him and he exclaimed, “But you are a vanilla teacher and I like chocolate better.” I had no answer for that one. Many years later, her family asked me to share that story with others at her funeral. Another day at preschool, one of the teachers was talking about going on a diet. One of her little students very quickly spoke up and said, “No, don’t do that. I like you because you are so fluffy!” The whole staff went to lunch that day to celebrate our “fluffiness.” And there was the time I was walking through the grocery store and I hear a very loud, little voice yell, “Hey, Mom, that’s the lady that owns the church. She must be getting dinner for all of the people!” I always say the preschool is such a happy place because we see many smiles, and the laughter and busy chatter can be heard all down the hallway. What a joy it is to welcome the children as they come into the classroom just bursting to tell you of something
new in their life. And at the ages of 3 and 4, they have a lot of new experiences. I would love to write about many of those experiences they share with us, but I am sure the parents would not want those stories in print! One cute little red-headed boy came into class one day just giggling so hard and could not stop. After we all giggled with him for a while, his teacher asked why he was giggling. He whispered in her ear that it was a secret. She asked if he would like to share his secret and he did. He told her that he had played outside and got in the mud, and the mud went into his shoes and was all over his socks. He did not want his mommy to know, so he hid the muddy socks in the back of his daddy’s closet. The teacher asked what would happen if his daddy found the socks. He assured her that daddy never would find them because his closet was so messy, but his mommy might find them. “What will your mommy do then?” asked the teacher. “She will yell at my daddy and make him do some work,” he said. “What kind of work will she make your daddy do?” asked the teacher. “Well,” he said, “I hope she makes him clean up the garage, because I got it all muddy with my shoes and socks.” With that funny story, he walked away for a new adventure. One part of my job as director is getting to know the parents and helping them with all kinds of “children-related” issues. Usually the first thing I am asked by a parent is, “What did they say?” Well, to answer that question, “We hear it all!” But we stand together and make an agreement with each other. “I will not repeat anything I hear about you as long as you don’t repeat anything you hear about me!” But sometimes the stories are just too good not to share at least with the parents. And most of the time they are not surprised by what their child has told us. However, I had a conference with some parents who were in total disbelief about
their child. As the teacher was going over the child’s progress report with them, she was explaining how well this little girl was doing in class. She had achieved all of the goals for that semester and had even exceeded many. The teacher went on to explain how self-sufficient she was and how sweet and helpful she was to the other children. The parents sat very quietly, occasionally looking at each other. Finally the father just burst out, “I think this is the wrong report for our child. This is not our daughter!” The teacher laughingly assured him that she was and she was doing great. “This can’t be our daughter. She doesn’t do any of these things at home and she definitely is not sweet to her little brother! You have to be talking about another child!” With that he pulled out a picture from his wallet and said, “This is our daughter, this is what she looks like!” After convincing him they were all talking about the same child, I reminded the parents that we get the “good child” at school, where they try so hard to do the right things and please us for 2 ½ hours. By the time they come home, they have used up all of their “good,” so the parents get to experience everything else. No one said parenting was easy! But of all of the funny stories, situations and predicaments, I also remember all of the learning and growing that has gone on with more than 2,100 children in the last 17 years in a learning environment that is biblically based and God’s love is
modeled by the teachers every day. How sweet it is to watch their faces as they sit in Chapel hearing their favorite Bible stories or discovering new ones. How joyful it is to hear them sing, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” Those are the memories I will keep forever in my heart. Since 1995, Eastminster Preschool has also been a great beginning for many of our families to become connected with our church and attend our New Member Class. And many of
our preschool children, now nearly grown, are an integral part of our Student Ministries here and on college campuses. Eastminster Preschool has definitely been a gift from God to so many — and to Eastminster Church. And it has also been a gift of memories, friendships and incredible moments for me.
Check out details about our 2012-2013 academic year @ eastminster.org/preschool. Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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Send & Receive
Eastminster Women’s Conference 2012
Women’s Conference speaker Courtney Doctor shares on her Eastminster roots, deep faith and favorite way to pray.
W
e recently had the chance to get to know Courtney Doctor, a Wichita native, Eastminster friend and this year’s Women’s Conference speaker. Now living in St. Louis as she and her husband attend seminary, Courtney opens up about her family, her ministry and the message behind Send & Receive. You’re originally from Wichita, right? How did you end up in St. Louis? My family moved to Wichita the summer between my third and fourth grade years. After college, Craig and I were very committed to trying to live in Wichita and raise our family. We moved back to Wichita in ’94 and, except for a two-year stint in Dallas with Pizza Hut, have been there ever since. We have both wanted to be in full-time ministry for a long time but we weren’t sure what that was going to look like. When seminary became an option, we started taking classes through the long-distance program at Covenant Theological Seminary, knowing we would eventually need to move to St. Louis in order to finish our degrees. So in June of 2010, we packed up and moved to St. Louis. How did you begin your career ministering and speaking? The first class I ever taught was at Eastminster. When we lived in Dallas our church had a vibrant Wednesday evening program with dinner and classes and when we moved back to Wichita, Eastmin-
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ster didn’t offer something like that. Little did I know it was already in the works when I went into Steve Dickie’s office to pitch the idea to him. He let me know that a trial program was being kicked off, and wanted to know if I would be interested in teaching a class on parenting. In light of the fact that I was in my late twenties and my oldest child was in first grade, I knew I could use the help of those who were further down the path than me. So I asked my friends Bill and Suzy Cozine to help me and we had a great semester teaching. Steve then graciously asked me to join him in teaching a Sunday morning class and we ended up teaching several Wednesday night and Sunday morning classes together through the years. He was really the first person to encourage me to teach and he gave me numerous invaluable opportunities to learn. As a busy mother, speaker and student, how do you like to spend your free time? What are your passions? Cliché as it might sound, I am passionate about God: knowing him, loving him, and encouraging others to know and love him. I am also passionate about my kids! I sure do love them and am so proud of them. And, my friends and family would tease me and accuse me of not being completely honest if I didn’t admit to being fairly passionate about my horse, Carson. But in all fairness, she is the greatest horse that has
ever lived, so I am justified in my bias and passion. Oh, and coffee — I am definitely passionate about coffee. Is there a verse God is using in your life right now? Every day there is a verse that he uses! That is one thing I love about his Word. It truly is living and active and he uses it to speak into the specifics of my life to challenge, instruct, encourage and convict me. One verse that has been rolling around in my mind recently is Hebrews 7:25: “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” What a powerful statement: He is able! He is able to save!
He is able to save to the uttermost! And his intercession for us is part of his saving us. What a Savior! Tell us a few interesting facts about yourself. Favorite start to the day: Quiet time and a cup of coffee Favorite way to relax: ride my horse A killer recipe I’m known for: Pistachio Salmon Funny fact about myself: I used to be embarrassed to pray while I was driving (because I can’t pray without actually talking) so I would pray while holding my cell phone to my ear so others would just think I was on the phone. Tell us a little about your family. I have a great and godly husband who carries my backpack to all of our classes. Austin, a junior, and Bradon, a sophomore, are roommates at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Ga. Austin is studying history and is the discipleship coordinator for his hall which is a great fit for his pastor’s heart. Bradon is majoring in business with a minor in music and has an exciting and busy spring in front of him with the male lead in Covenant’s spring musical, Aida. Shelby is a freshman in high school, plays the piano, and never misses an opportunity to talk or hang out with a friend. Rebecca is in seventh grade and is a great student and a budding violinist. Why is the message behind Send & Receive so important for today’s women? My hope for the message behind Send & Receive is that we would all be more grounded in the story of redemption. There is a marvelous, majestic story being played out, once we get to be a part of it. Whatever it is we are sent to do, it is never to earn the Father’s love. Instead, because he has already loved us, he allows us to be part of his redemption. In the words of one of my professors, “That is crazy talk!” Why the God of the universe would entrust such an important mission to the likes of us is beyond me. But he does, and it is a thrill, a privilege, and a journey like no other. By attending the Conference, I hope women leave loving God more and loving the women he has place around them more. We are in this story together! I also hope that they leave feeling refreshed and refocused. This journey is not always easy and weekends like this are a vital part of getting the energy we need to “keep on keeping on.” These weekends are like water breaks in a marathon – and it would be very hard to finish a marathon well without the breaks.
Send & Receive
Sending gifts, cards and letters is considered by some to be an art. Faded handwriting, dear words and old post marks are cherished treasures. The art of sending is a picture of God’s grace, and a portrait of his plan for our lives. He sent the first gift, the gift of his Son to rescue us. And now it’s our turn. After receiving this gift, he sends us out into the world to be his witnesses. But what does that look like in our lives as women? Join speaker & teacher Courtney Doctor as we take an in-depth look at being sent into the world to declare the gospel. WHEN February 10 - check-in 5:30 – 6 p.m., session ends at 9:15 p.m. February 11 - check-in 8:15 – 8:45 a.m., session ends at 2:45 p.m. COST Entire weekend: $45 Friday evening: $20 Saturday: $25 Fee includes dinner on Friday and light breakfast and lunch on Saturday, as well as all materials.
CHILD CARE Free child care for kids up to 5 years is available! Note this on your registration form. Child care deadline: February 3. REGISTER NOW! Register after Sunday services or at the reception desk during the week. Payment is due with registration. Our registration form is also available online at eastminster.org/ send. Check there for links, details and info about Courtney! QUESTIONS? Contact Kat Anderson at kanderson@eastminster.org.
I am so excited to join the women of Eastminster! Eastminster has been such a major part of my life. I became a believer at Westminster Woods the summer after seventh grade while there with the Eastminster youth group. There are so many pieces of my story that revolve around Eastminster and so many people that have shaped me that I am eternally grateful for the ministry and life of this particular church. It is a joy and honor to be coming back! Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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A Time to Yell “Hooray!” by Steve Dickie, Minister of Adult Discipleship
Cost: $189 per couple. Reserve your spot by paying an $89 deposit or the full amount. Registration deadline: February 10 Questions? Contact Steve Dickie (634.0337, ext. 205, or sdickie@ eastminster. org).
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One of the best things we can do in life is stop for a moment to celebrate. Whether we clap our hands, stomp our feet or just yell “hooray,” celebrating is a healthy thing to do — especially in marriage. Here at Eastminster, we believe that marriages are worth celebrating. One of the ways we accomplish this is through the Celebrate Marriage Retreat to be held over the weekend of March 2 – 4 at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Overland Park. We have been hosting this retreat since 1995, and over the years, many couples have experienced renewal and the encouragement that comes from taking a weekend to celebrate their marriage. Our 2012 retreat will continue that tradition by offering an affordable getaway and opportunity to enrich and renew relationships. Over the years, we have had a variety of guests from throughout the country to lead our event. This year, we have invited a core of seasoned Christian couples from our own church to lead our sessions. We like the idea of being able to focus in on marriage issues that are unique to our group and feel these couples will add extraordinary value to our weekend. Our topics will address issues of celebration, communication,
Eastwind Newsletter
intimacy and spirituality in marriage as our speakers share biblical marriage principles gathered from both their own breakthroughs and blunders. While we have a wonderful group of folks coordinating the logistics of the event, our dynamic speaking team includes: Chad and Renee Edwards, Jack and Mary Schurman, Don and Susan Lear, Dave and Linda McKechnie, and my wife, Linda Dickie, and me. Marriage years combined, we figure that’s about 150 years of history which we’ll be able to glean from! Roger Cooper (and wife Gwen), a fun and gifted musician with dozens of albums to his credit, will bring our music for the weekend. Our marriage retreat is for married couples of any age and stage of life. In each of our sessions, we
Cel-e-brate (se-le–brat): e
Celebrate Marriage Retreat March 2 – 4 Hyatt Place in Overland Park
A numbers of years ago, a young 5-year-old named Jordan offered a few helpful hints for married folk on how to love each other. His good advice included: “Don’t hit, kick, yell or do karate moves on each other,” and “You should bring your plate back to the kitchen and pick up your underwear.” His final word, however, was my favorite: “If they make you happy, you just have to let them know it — you can just clap your hands, stomp your feet and yell hooray!” Now that, my friends, is a helpful hint for married couples.
To observe with ceremonies of respect, honor, festivity or rejoicing. will receive marriage-changing principles that you can take home and apply to your daily lives that will strengthen your marriage. We want you to leave the weekend with encouragement, hope and practical tools to build and grow your relationship. The Celebrate Marriage Retreat provides a getaway for a chance to make a change. It’s a time to rediscover each other, find more intimacy in your life together and simply celebrate what God has given you.
Celebrating marriage is not only a good thing to do; it’s also healthy for a relationship. Researchers tell us that when couples are assigned to list positive things about their relationships, 70 percent begin to notice those things regularly. The idea is that we have a disposition for what we look for. Thomas J. Peters states it best: “Celebrate what you want to see more of.” Here are a few ways a retreat like ours helps to accomplish this.
Focus on our marriage While this will be a fun event, away from the kids, at a nice hotel, in a great town, with a fun group of people, it’s also a time to intentionally and purposefully focus on your marriage. The weekend provides somewhat of a “check-in” time with your mate, to not only see the health of your marriage, but also to put something good into the relationship to make it better.
Get to know others One of the highlights of this weekend is the opportunity to realize that you are not alone in the journey of marriage. God will bring together a really good group of people for the weekend, so take advantage of that and get to know each other.
Meet our speaking team “We love the different ages and life stages that join in on the retreat. One couple on the retreat leadership team, Katy and Ariel Lee, attended their first retreat during their first year of marriage. There is something for everyone in this setting.” Chad and Renee Edwards
“As we approach our 35th anniversary we are mindful of the importance and challenge to keep learning and growing in our marriage. There is always something to learn, and we don’t want to be complacent. A marriage retreat is a wonderful means for that.” Jack and Mary Schurman
Grow in new ways A weekend like this enables you to grow in new ways by fine-tuning certain areas of your relationship. Don’t be afraid of it. Embrace it. Allow yourself to be stretched. Stretching can sometimes be uncomfortable, but the growth results can be life-changing.
Invite God into your marriage A retreat is a perfect place to invite God into your marriage by reflecting on priorities and getting things straight or even making a fresh new start. If you want to have peace in your marriage, you must have peace with yourself; and to have peace with yourself, you must first have peace with God.
Have tons of fun! Many think you have to have problems in your marriage to go to a marriage retreat. That’s not necessarily true. While a retreat is certainly a great place to work through some things, it’s also a place to really have a good time. And that’s what we’re going to do. Enjoy this weekend. Laugh a lot. Connect with other couples. And celebrate your marriage! To use an old but relevant phrase — there is joy in the journey!
“When you think about it, we go to the doctor for a check-up, and we would never think of driving our car without regular maintenance. This weekend offers the opportunity to do a check-up and maintenance of our marriage. What a great opportunity!” Don and Susan Lear
“We look forward this retreat as a way to take a break from the routine, have some focused time with each other, make some new friends, have some fun and listen to the counsel of God’s Word and his people. A marriage retreat is preventative relational medicine.” Dave and Linda McKechnie
“We love our Eastminster marriage
We believe that God is has given us a great gift in marriage and that he has also given us the power to have a marriage far greater than we can ever imagine. In the midst of a culture that is often indifferent and sometimes antagonistic to the needs of marriage, it’s important for couples to take a purposeful time-out to enrich, renew and celebrate their relationship. Sometimes you just have to clap your hands, stomp your feet and yell “hooray!”
retreats, and this one will be extra special as it comes just 10 days after our 25th anniversary. The weekend is meaningful, it adds value to our relationship but to be honest, it’s also just plain fun!” Steve and Linda Dickie
Eastminster Presbyterian Church Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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Connection Points Join Our Online Communities to Stay Connected at Eastminster Did you know there are multiple ways to stay connected to your Eastminster family, even when you’re on the go? Connect with us online to watch or listen to messages, share photos, connect with other members, stay updated on events and announcements and so much more! Here are some ways to stay connected:
Facebook facebook.com/eastminsterwichita Facebook is our number one social media tool. Start here to join in discussions, connect with others, and get late-breaking news. It’s also a great place to find links and resources from Eastminster, our bloggers and ministry leaders.
Twitter twitter.com/myeastminster Connect on the go and follow our tweets for updates and more.
Vimeo vimeo.com/eastminster This is the place to start for videos. Watch any of our recent messages, or check out videos for upcoming events.
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Eastwind Newsletter
Flickr flickr.com/eastminsterwichita Catch up on pictures from your favorite Eastminster events and ministries, all in one spot!
eNews Our eNews is the best source for news, updates and connections sent straight to your inbox. You can also receive periodic updates from ministries you’re involved in like Women’s Ministries, Students and more. Just adjust your preferences for what you’d like to receive by going to eastminster.org and selecting the envelope icon on the home page. If you’re not currently receiving our eNews, or need to change your contact information, the home page icon is also the place to start.
Coming Soon: Mobile Web Watch for more details on how we’re making our website easier to use on your phone.
Senior Ministries Senior Spotlight: Sara Rogers She wanted to serve the church that had given her so much. “Eastminster is so special to me. The first Sunday we visited was Frank Kik’s first Sunday preaching, and we never went to another church,” remembers Sara. Now, giving back through the hospital calls has given her something in return. “One of the sweet things about this particular ministry is that you get to know those you call.”
Sara Rogers holds a unique post at the church, one many people might not even be aware exists. Each and every day for the last 20 years, she has called the three major Wichita hospitals to see if anyone from Eastminster has been admitted. “When the woman who was calling the hospitals passed away, I volunteered to step in the role,” says Sara.
One story in particular stands out in her memory. “A woman named Jan worked in the chaplain’s office at Wesley, and she was dying of cancer. I felt like I knew her just from talking to her on the phone each day,” shares Sara. “While she was in the hospital, I went to meet her in person, and she and I had a great friendship. After her death, her family arranged a meeting to discuss her life and treatment, and invited me to come. It was such a wonderful time
and I so appreciated being involved.” It’s this kind of personal connection that makes serving on behalf of her church so special. Sara says this kind of friendliness extends to Sunday morning as well. “My favorite thing about this church is how friendly it is. You can’t overestimate the power of personal connection. My friends Jodi and Don Louis invited me to Eastminster. They told me there was a new preacher and I should come hear him,” remembers Sara. “That’s something I’ll never forget. It really does help to find others in need of church – that’s how the word gets around. That personal invitation makes all the difference.” Sara says she’ll continue doing hospital calls for as long as she’s able. “There’s a woman who volunteers at Wesley on Mondays named Margie, and I just feel like she’s my mother. It’s such a special ministry that way. I’m so glad to do it!”
Notes from the Chairman by Warren Hillwig, Co-Chair
A belated happy New Year to all. We would like to thank our outgoing senior committee chairman, Martha Buford, for her dedication and leadership over the past several years. While she is stepping down from the chair, she will remain a member of the senior committee and will continue to be a valuable resource to our group. Your new leadership team consists of co-chairs, Phyllis Ellis and myself, plus Marilyn Gorham as secretary. We also want to welcome Beverly Filson as the newest member to the senior committee. Be sure to congratulate her the next time you see her.
This is a timely topic for everyone watching the Kansas skies. Registration for this program will begin February 26, and continue on March 4 and 11. Watch for more details in upcoming Sunday bulletins. On Friday, April 20, we will go off site to Botanica for lunch and a presentation by Marty Miller. Marty is the Executive Director of Botanica. The gardens will be open and the tulips should be in bloom.
Spring Events
Our final spring season event will take place on May 18. Dr. Jerry Old, Director of Geriatric Medicine at the KU Medical Center of Wichita, will tell us about being Chronologically Gifted.
We are looking forward to an exciting new season of events for Eastminster seniors. We’ll kick off the season with a luncheon on March 16. Our guest speaker will be Lance Ferguson of KWCH Channel 12, with a presentation on weather and storm chasing.
We look forward to seeing you at these special spring events. Don’t miss out on these opportunities to connect with fellow seniors. Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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Non Profit Org. US Postage
PAID
Wichita, KS Permit No. 1293
Eastminster Presbyterian Church 1958 N. Webb Road • Wichita, Kansas 67206 316.634.0337 • www.eastminster.org
Worship Services Sundays at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m.;
The goal of Eastwind is to support the five Core Commitments of Eastminster Presbyterian Church: Know God, Grow in God, Connect in God, Serve God and Glorify God. Executive Director of Communications: Gail Adamo (gadamo@eastminster.org). Associate Director of Communications: Courtney Browning (cbrowning@eastminster.org).
2012
Middle School Just for Guys/Just for Girls April 18 A special break out session on purity.
High School Nicaragua Mission Trip May 26 – June 2 Spreading the gospel one life at a time.
School’s Out Bash May 25 Start summer off right.
Welcome Sunday June 3 Incoming freshmen join HS.
Welcome Sunday June 3 Incoming sixth graders join MS.
Summer Retreat July 8 – 13 Best. Week. Ever.
Summer Retreat July 15 – 20 The best week of your life!
Senior Banquet July 29 Send off the class of 2012.
Meet Your Deacon Sunday, February 26, following all three worship services in Fellowship Hall This is your chance to talk one-on-one and connect with your deacon. Deacons are ambassadors of the church who care for church members, so you’ll hear from your assigned deacon periodically. You’re always welcome to contact them if you’re in need of prayer, support or have concerns. Don’t miss this time to connect with your deacon!