October 2014
Glorify God. Follow Christ. Transform Lives.
Trunk or Treat // Oct. 31
Celebrating Milestones by Pastor Stan Van Den Berg One of the things I love about Eastminster is our great staff. They love the Lord and his church, they work as a team, and they get along. We all understand we work not for our own kingdoms but for the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom at Eastminster. This year we are celebrating the anniversaries of some of our staff. Dana Miller has served the church in some capacity for 30 years. At present she supports our Early Childhood Education department, and she also lends her terrific voice to the choir and her musical skills to the bell choir.
October Messages
So What? Series Theology in Our Everyday Lives October 5 • The Table 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; 11:17-32 Pastor Stan Van Den Berg October 12 • The Church Ephesians 2:11-22; 5:25 Pastor Stan Van Den Berg
Marcia Davis has been with us 16 years (we missed her 15th anniversary). She administrates our missions program. She knows all of our missionaries and their families, and keeps track of their monthly activities, synthesizing all the information gathered from all of our missionaries and communicating the information to those on the missions councils and the church. As I have prayed through what God wants Eastminster to be, I believe God has uniquely called Eastminster to be a missional church that will have a global impact on the spread of the gospel throughout the earth. This calling is not just Marcia’s or that of the missions councils, but it is one that belongs to all of us who call Eastminster home. In some way we all need to be part of the missions enterprise.
October 19 • The Body of Christ 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Pastor Stan Van Den Berg
Kim Case has been with us 15 years as our church administrator. During that time she has been the administrative constant and a faithful servant to the church. Her knowledge of every aspect of the church is invaluable to me and to the session.
Save the date!
Tom Wine celebrates 10 years as our choir director. He is well loved by the choir and they all enjoy singing for him. He brings excellent music to us every week, but I especially appreciate his ability to take the Scripture and sermon theme for each week and choose music which dovetails with the message. It is my belief that music must both ascribe glory to God and teach his truth. Tom is able to choose music that does both. The quality staff and the cooperation we experience has added to my joy as your pastor. They are also a reason why we can be hopeful about our future. God has brought together a group of
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gifted and faithful people to further the ministries of the church. Together with you all, we can cooperate with the Spirit to offer to God glorious worship, transform lives and redeem Wichita and the world. Read anniversary interviews with these staff members on pages 6 – 9.
Eastwind Newsletter
October 26 Pastor Paul Bammel
Eastminster hosts Preserving Bible Times January 23 & 24, 2015 To volunteer at the event contact Ben Marquez at 634.0337, ext. 211, or bmarquez@eastminster.org. Seminar registration opens in November.
The Power of the Spirit by Roy and Pam Roberts We attend First Evangelical Free Church; however this fall, we joined Dr. Hank Lederle’s Sunday adult class, Discovering the Holy Spirit Afresh, on the recommendation of our daughter, Courtney Browning. As you can imagine, this makes our Sunday morning pretty busy attending church at First Free then coming over to Eastminster for Dr. Hank’s class. It has been more than worth any inconvenience!
several things to our attention that began to reveal the power of the Holy Spirit in ways previously unfamiliar to us. Our desire is to understand the Holy Spirit’s work in light of Scripture, and Dr. Hank’s class does not disappoint. He is a thoughtful historian and a careful theologian as he lays out each lesson. So far, we have learned of the Spirit’s overall work in human history, how he is revealed in the Old Testament, and his role as a part of the Trinity. We are excited to continue to search the Scriptures with the class and learn all we can about God the Spirit who is at work in us. Our ultimate goal is to learn to tune our “heart, mind and spirit” more intentionally than ever to his leading in order to draw on that power and minister his love to all we meet. We cannot say enough about Dr. Hank’s excellent teaching! He is not only thorough in his discussion of Scripture, but also gives great examples of the work of the Holy Spirit in his own life and in the lives of others. We can highly recommend this class. In fact we would say, don’t miss it!
Several years ago as Pam was studying through the book of Ephesians, these verses caught her attention like never before, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…” (Ephesians 1:18-21) We have both been followers of our Lord Jesus Christ since we were teens, but did our lives show that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us? We felt as if we were missing something and began to study and search the Scriptures to find the answer. We came to the conclusion that much of our study and focus in the evangelical Christian church in America is on the Father and the Son, but (at least in our circles) we had not learned too much about the work of the Holy Spirit. Sure, we knew he draws us to salvation in Christ and teaches us his Word, but where was the power spoken of in Ephesians? About that time, God brought
Discovering the Holy Spirit Afresh Sunday Morning Class with Dr. Hank Lederle Sundays at 11 a.m.; C-15 We often refer to God the Holy Spirit as the neglected or forgotten Person of the Trinity. This does not need to be the case. Both the Old and New Testaments have extensive teaching on the Spirit of God. Dr. Hank has had a special interest in the study of the Spirit (Pneumatology). This class will look at the biblical, historical and experiential dimensions of the Spirit and also investigate the “Spirit” churches of the twentieth century – the Pentecostal and charismatic movements. Note: this class will be offered again at 9:30 a.m. next semester to fit other schedules
Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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Costumes, Candy & Gospel Connections Volunteers share on the impact Trunk or Treat has on our community.
from Mary Stephens, Director of Children’s Ministries “To know him and make him known.” That was the heart desire of Jim Elliot, a missionary who died sharing his faith among a tribal group he and his fellow Christ followers felt called to reach. In Wichita, there are many at our back door who need to know Christ, to hear the gospel, and even to simply know they are loved and worthy of love. That is, in part, what Trunk or Treat is about. On October 31 we want to extend an invitation to our neighbors to come to our campus for fun, laughter, candy and to be exposed unequivocally and unashamedly to the Good News that Jesus has power over darkness and wants a personal relationship with people. Our best estimates show that more than 1,200 people came to our campus last year. We ran out of candy, but not out of joy at seeing who God brought to our door. This year we want to embrace this opportunity and better serve those who come. We want to have many of our members here to greet people that may come from different backgrounds. We want to love on our Eastminster families AND their friends as our families invite those who may not attend church to this non-threatening environment. It’s a place where they can have fun but also hear the gospel message through our trunks and activities. Picture our parking lot filled with cars, vans and trucks decorated in a Bible theme or a non-scary alternative theme. (We are here to help with ideas, or a quick internet search will yield lots of options.) There will be bounce houses, a hay rack ride, petting zoo, food to enjoy, as well as games/activities at several of the trunks. There will even be a prize for the best Bible-themed trunk and the best alternatively themed trunk. Won’t you join us in this all-church ministry to our community? You can assist with decorating the entrance, clean up, greeting and showing hospitality at the entrance and in a receiving area, on the parking and security team, helping with the food or the petting zoo, or hosting a trunk and game/activity. Also we will need LOTS of donations of candy. Finally, invite your neighbors to our campus. Statistics show that fewer than 50% of people in Wichita have any religious affiliation. Use this as an opportunity to bring some of the people you know who don’t have a relationship with God to our campus where the seeds of faith can be planted.
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Eastwind Newsletter
from our volunteers What was your favorite part of Trunk or Treat? Louisa Markley: I just loved the energy that was present – it was overwhelming! There were so many people everywhere and everyone was so excited and having so much fun! Bonnie Dakan: My favorite part was the kids’ faces. I was dressed as an angel (what a stretch – ha!) and we had a big tub of very cold fake snow in which we put gold coins. The kids would come up and I would tell them that Jesus loved them no matter what they had done. We talked about sassing back to their parents, telling lies, being mean to brothers and sisters, and that all kids sin. But then I told them Jesus loved them so very much he would never ever let them go, and that to him they weren’t sinners – because when they believed in him, he would wash them “WHITE AS SNOW” and take away all their sins. Then we had them dive into the snow and find the gold coins. And when they came up with them, we said, “And that is how precious YOU are to Jesus. You are worth much, much more than coins of gold!” The fun was in watching their eyes get big when they thought of what was SIN, and also hearing their siblings and the grown ups add to the list. But it was very sobering to also watch the adults when we gave our testimony... they also wanted to hear that God loves you so very much he sent his Son to take your place, to wash you all as white as snow, and how God considers you to be precious as gold in his sight! Kat Anderson: I love this event because of all the visitors I see walk onto our campus. It is so awesome to see people that do not attend Eastminster come and enjoy themselves at a Christfocused outreach event.
Do you think Trunk or Treat impacted our community for Christ? Louisa: Absolutely! So many children came to Trunk or Treat and I think the gospel trunks were a great and fun way to bring Christ and the gospel into a night that is normally just about candy and costumes. Those trunks also handed out items/toys that had to do with God and Jesus. That gave them something tangible to take home to remember what they had learned at the gospel trunks. Bonnie: I felt there was great impact on the community since we had so many kids and adults come through. At my station, many of the adults wanted to also dig in for the gold coins and hear us tell them that God loves them all and is always waiting for them to believe. It really brought home the Scripture that says, “How can they believe if they have not been told?” Kat: I do! This event brings so many people to Eastminster who might otherwise not come. You never know what kinds of seeds are planted by giving out free candy! Dana Miller: We are a safe environment where parents can feel comfortable bringing their children to a fun event. For me as a believer, it is easier to share my love for Jesus when I’m greeting the families of children. Why should others be involved? Louisa: You should get involved because it is one of the most unique and fun church-related events you can participate in. It’s a great way to meet people who you may not normally meet and to welcome those into our church who probably wouldn’t attend otherwise. Kat: It is such a simple way to serve as a family and it is tons of fun to serve alongside your church friends. People can put as much work into their trunk as they want. Children’s Ministries makes it so easy to serve Jesus through this event. Bonnie: We needed lots more trunks and lots more people! There were so many kids and adults, and they were pretty patient in the long lines to each station. I think it gave them time to think about what we were saying and to watch the kids’ faces. Over and over I heard from these children, “You mean that Jesus loves ME?” The impact was great on me and the other volunteers. We saw firsthand there are many, many children right here in Wichita yearning for Christ’s love. We got to love them just as they are and to give them hope. They need a church to come to learn about Jesus’ love. We can be that church!
ALL HANDS ON DECK TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY! Friday, October 31 • 6 – 8 p.m. Sign up at eastminster.org/trunkortreat
Last year, more than 1,200 people from around Wichita packed the Eastminster campus for treats, games, prizes and lots of fall fun at Trunk or Treat! This is the largest outreach Eastminster holds, and an amazing way to share the gospel with local families. In order to accommodate all our guests, we need to at least quadruple the number of volunteers at Trunk or Treat! Pastor Stan is calling for “all hands on deck” as we host trunks, staff games, serve food, direct guests and make intentional connections. If you believe in the mission of Eastminster to Glorify God. Follow Christ. Transform Lives., then Trunk or Treat is the place to put that into action! Sign up to serve at eastminster.org/trunkortreat or at church kiosks. Lives will be touched and the gospel will be shared through our members serving the community in this way. Join in!
You can...
host a trunk (30 trunks needed) donate candy and glow sticks donate large prizes for Best Trunk contests clean up (10 volunteers needed) direct parking (8) distribute treats (4) serve on security team (7) do concessions (10) assist with inflatables (12) decorate/set up (10) man a gospel trunk (16) greet/host (20) assist with hayrack ride (4) assist with petting zoo (4) face painting (5) photo booth/iPad sign in (6) Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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Home Grown Missionaries From the Prairies of Kansas to the Jungle of Spanish-speaking Africa by Rev. Dr. Jason A. Carter The milestones in my life in which Eastminster has played a pivotal role are quickly becoming too many to count. Conversion? Yes, I came to Christ in October 1988 at Westminster Woods through an Eastminster middle school retreat. Discipled in the faith? That also happened at Eastminster, as elders and staff of the church took a personal interest in my spiritual formation. First sermon? With sweaty palms and rattling knees, I preached for the first time on a youth Sunday at age 16. International missions? Eastminster sent me to Costa Rica, Belize and Ethiopia during my college years. My call to ministry? That was confirmed by the elders of Eastminster, as they prayed for me and encouraged me during my seminary days. Over the years, I have baptized two (of our three) children in our beautiful Sanctuary. The ministry of Eastminster is stamped all over my life. After graduating from college, the church played an instrumental role in helping me serve overseas for a year. With youthful zeal, I went out from Wichita to “change the world” for Christ. Yet God would change much of me during my time in Equatorial Guinea, the only country in Africa where Spanish is the official language. During that initial stint in Equatorial Guinea many years ago, God gave me a deep love for the local people. God also gifted me with a glimpse of a dynamic grass roots seminary that had begun only six years prior to my arrival. Several years later (ahem!), my wife and I now have the privilege of investing our lives in future pastors and leaders who, by God’s grace, will still be serving the Lord in full-time ministry in 20, 30 or even 40 years from now.
Church Planting and Beyond Most of the students attending the seminary are first-generation Christians. Their lives have been radically altered by the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are passionate about evangelism and hold deep convictions regarding the power of prayer. I am constantly amazed by their sacrifice for the gospel and their willingness to proclaim tirelessly the risen Christ. One of our seminary graduates, Lupercio, hails from the Kombe tribe. Known for their good business acumen and their lively traditional dances, the Kombe peoples live along the coastal mainland of the country. Ten years ago, the Kombe would have been considered an “unreached people group” – no indigenous
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Eastwind Newsletter
church existed among them. Yet after his seminary graduation, Lupercio birthed a small Kombe church in his home. A few years later, Lupercio sent us Tomás, a brick-layer by trade, to prepare for pastoral ministry. Today, Pastor Tomás leads the largest Kombe church in the world – a growing church with 350 members. Samuel, from the Fang tribe, graduated from the seminary in 1999. After being ordained as a pastor in a local church, Pastor Samuel eventually became one of the first national professors of the seminary. Yet his foremost ministry for the last 18 years has been his work as the National Director for the translation of the New Testament into the Fang language. A few months ago, Samuel joyfully finished translating the book of Revelation. Currently, the first edition of the Fang New Testament is being printed! IBCP Seminary (Instituto Bíblico “Casa de la Palabra”) is a four-year degree program with the third year being a practical ministerial year. Undoubtedly, more churches have been planted by our third year students – both in the cities and in the rural villages – than by any other single denomination. We like to say that an unspoken prerequisite to graduate from IBCP Seminary has been to plant a new church!
The Great Commission: For Moms & Dads, too! I’ve heard it said that the difference between missionaries to Europe and Africa is this: “In Europe, the ministry is hard but the life is good. In Africa, the ministry is good but the life is hard.” We are taking three young boys to Africa. As a parent, the weight of this reality occasionally overwhelms me. Recently, I read an article (okay, okay, it was a blog) where a missionary mom to Cameroon wrote: “I have yet to discover a footnote to the Great Commission that says it was intended only for singles and that mothers and fathers are exempt.” Jesus never said it was going to be easy to reach “the least of these.” The best missional theology is always cruciform (aka: cross-centered). Our theology of mission must always seek to keep the Great Commission (“go and make disciples of all nations,” Matthew 28) in its rightful place: in the shadow of the cross. Authentic discipleship, missional living and cruciform lives are the threefold sum and substance of gospel messengers. And it’s a calling we all share together. I´m so grateful for a home church that has taught and modeled this trifecta.
BOOKS FOR IBCP SEMINARY
About the Carters Rev. Dr. Jason & Lisa Carter have served with WEC International since 2006. Jason recently completed a Ph.D. in world Christianity from the University of Edinburgh. They have three young boys: Kenyon, Jackson & Tristan. The Carter family will return to Equatorial Guinea on January 4. Sign up for newsletter updates at “The Carter Chronicle Blog” (thecarterteam.wordpress.com) or by emailing them at thecarterteam@hotmail.com. For the ministry of IBCP Seminary in Equatorial Guinea, visit: ibcp.wecinternational.org.
How you can pray for the Carters • Pray for God’s protection in the family’s health (Malaria, typhoid) and the family’s safety (crime, theft). • Pray as Jason & Lisa work closely with local churches in teaching, discipleship and equipping local pastors. • Pray as Jason directs a new Master of Arts in Ministry program with tracks in pastoral leadership and theological education. • Pray as Jason works on developing a TEE (Theological Education by Extension) program out of the seminary campus to promote discipleship & leadership development throughout the country. • Pray as Lisa home schools Kenyon & Jackson.
Imagine attending a seminary where you are preparing for a life-time of ministry. You have turned your back on your past which probably involved visits to the witch doctor — a decision which, in turn, has made life difficult for you when the inevitable crisis arises within your extended family. But no matter, you wish to become a good student of God’s Word, a careful preacher, an effective church planter and a faithful shepherd of God’s flock. Now image your horror at trying to share a single textbook with a class of 30 students. You begin to realize that some professors are hesitant to assign readings because of this problem with the seminary’s library. You study late into the night over a candle, you attend classes faithfully, you pray your heart out during chapel services. But your theology could be sharper and sounder, your spirituality more vibrant and deep, your pastoral ministry more contextual…if your seminary’s library was better. This is the reality at IBCP Seminary. IBCP Seminary´s most pressing need is to acquire multiple copies of key books that professors can confidently assign for readings in all its classes. To get involved, contact Marcia Davis at 634.0337, ext. 231, or mdavis@eastminster.org.
Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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30 Years of Service Dana Miller celebrates 30 years with Eastminster, currently serving as Early Childhood Ed. Coordinator You are one of Eastminster’s longest employees. What roles have you had over the years? I started working at Eastminster in July of 1984. I was hired to be the youth secretary. My office was in the manse across the parking lot at Eastminster’s 9th and Armour location. I also helped answer the main church phone line from there! I supported missions along with my youth ministry responsibilities. When we moved to our Webb Road location, I worked for a few months before I gave birth to my daughter, Sarah. I helped train new support staff, but they did not always work out so Pastor Frank Kik asked if I would come back and work full time. I said no, but I would come back and work part time. We went back and forth for a few months and he finally agreed, so I worked in the youth office around 20-25 hours a week. From there singles ministry was added to my responsibilities until I was asked to move to the front office and become the communications support staff, working 30-35 hours a week. I worked on the weekly bulletins, annual report and other ministry needs. After a few years, I moved back to youth ministry, followed by supporting the Preschool and then later Kid’s Day Out. I have been supporting the Preschool and Kid’s Day Out ministries now for nine or 10 years. God has used me in many different areas of the church which has given me a lot of experience, but I know I am exactly where God wants me to be – working with 2, 3, 4 and 5 year olds. I am so blessed! What was the church like when you began? There were no computers, no cell phones, and no photo copiers ... OH MY! We had land lines, typewriters and a mimeograph machine. We used a lot of white out! We probably had around 10-12 staff members and some of us were in the church on 9th and Armour and some of us were in the manse across the
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Eastwind Newsletter
parking lot. Our congregation was growing. It was hard to squeeze past each other in the packed hallways on a Sunday morning! What is your favorite thing about working at Eastminster? Working with people who have the same faith and beliefs as I do. I love being able to pray “on the spot” when a need arises. What has been an especially proud or meaningful moment in your career here? Probably the most meaningful moments were being able to participate in missions trips with the youth to New Mexico, Arizona, Costa Rica and two work teams to Guatemala. It helped me to share my faith with the children of the communities we were working in and to be able to just enjoy being with the children. Another meaningful moment was when I was able to be in the classroom with the young 3-year-olds during 2012 when I was going through chemo and radiation for breast cancer. When I would be sad or not feeling well, I would walk in the classroom and greet the children and get loved on. That was a huge blessing to me. How have you seen Eastminster grow during your time on staff? I was hired by Pastor Frank Kik back in July of 1984. In the 30 years at Eastminster there have been many changes and growth on staff. We have experienced great blessings but have also experienced great heartache. I have seen God heal many situations and we have come out as a better staff. What is the funniest story you remember? Pastor Dick Gorham and I go way back ... He doesn’t particularly love cats. I like cats. He was out of the office one day and somehow a stray kitten came to our campus. Shelley Cooper was his assistant at the time and together we decided to put the kitten in his office to “surprise” him! I think we almost gave him a heart attack. It was all in fun, because Pastor Dick has a great sense of humor! Why are you so passionate about Early Childhood Education? What is it like to work in that area? I love working with 2-5 year olds. I get excited when I get to be in the classroom and sit on the floor and talk with the children. They
ask questions, they are always curious, and when they play they are learning at the same time. We get to talk about Jesus, pray with them and the best part is that they love you unconditionally. When I went through breast cancer in 2012, I was in the classroom on Tuesday and Thursday with Mrs. Lisa with our young 3-year-olds. As I lost my hair and started wearing hats and wigs, of course they were curious and started asking questions. They loved on me! Being with the children is great therapy! I also love talking with parents about their children. I am here to be a support for them as well as their children and help them find resources or just be available to listen. I love my job!
through our Preschool and Kid’s Day Out programs. I am exactly where God wants me to be!
I am going to be in the classroom again this coming school year on Tuesday and Thursday mornings with Mrs. Lisa again. A typical morning is greeting the children as parents drop them off. After all of the children arrive, then we might have circle time! The new unit of study is introduced or the “letter of the week” or the color and shape of the month. There might be singing, dancing, the pledge of allegiance and a story. We will have an art project, learning centers with a variety of manipulatives, fine and gross motor activities and of course playground/gym time. We might have a snack next and we pray with the children at snack time. We also have chapel and music once a week. Then we will read a story, review what we learned and then it is time to go home! We keep them busy and active!
Dana has such a servant heart and has always been willing to go above and beyond to help not only other staff, but also members of Eastminster. When she was working in the youth area, she was able to relate so well to those middle school and high school Students as well as being of help to their parents. During the time she was writing and printing the weekly church bulletin she kept us all informed about what was happening at Eastminster and with the Eastminster family. We are also so blessed that she shares her incredible musical talent on so many occasions.
Cheryl Hennigh Celebrates Dana What a joy to celebrate Dana on her 30 years at Eastminster! I have worked with Dana since 1986 in many capacities while she has been on staff. The fun thing about Dana is that she has held numerous positions and been in many different offices! I am sure if we all looked carefully in our offices, we would find just a little bit of her signature office décor, which is Mickey Mouse, to show that she once worked for Disney!
Now she is serving in a whole new area of Eastminster by helping the families of our Preschool and Kid’s Day Out children. Her friendliness and wonderful smile to everyone who comes in is so welcoming and she immediately makes friends. And she loves all of those precious hugs she receives every day! Not only is Dana an incredible ambassador for Eastminster Early Childhood but also for Eastminster Church. What a great gift God has blessed Eastminster with. Congratulations, Dana, and I hope we have many more years working together.
Each of our preschoolers are given a Bible, purchased through a memorial given to the church. Their Bibles have pictures that are colorful and age appropriate and it’s fun to see the kids’ excitement. Our chapel stories correlate directly to their Bible. We send home a sticker on chapel days, so that when they go home and are asked about what we from Eastwind, talked about, mommies and daddies and can go directly to the story in their Bible. How do you hope God continues to use you/your ministry in the coming years? I absolutely love working in the Preschool and Kid’s Day Out areas of ministry. We have a great opportunity to reach out to nonchurch families through these programs and invite them into our church home. We hope to have more families come to Christ and come to our church by inviting them and meeting their needs
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“Dana Miller is a familiar face to our congregation and we’ve enjoyed her vocal talents in the past. She is a graduate of Wichita State University where she received
her degree in Music Education. During her college days she worked in several of the different music departments and after graduation in May 1982 married Wendell Miller. Since then, Dana started work at State Farm Insurance in a secretarial position. But after learning a great deal about the insurance business Dana received her license in Fire and Casualty Insurance. She stated that she is ‘excited about coming to work for Eastminster, being a member now for two years.’ She also adds that, ‘I am excited about God’s work in my life here at the church.’ In her spare time, she can be found playing tennis, reading, singing, doing cross-stitch, mowing the yard, working in the garden, or attending Wendell’s softball and basketball games (depending on which is in season).” Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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Tom Wine
Kim Case
Celebrating 10 years leading Eastminster in beautiful worship
Celebrating 15 years leading finance and administration
What is your favorite thing about working at Eastminster? The people! The sense of community is amazing.
What is your favorite thing about working at Eastminster? Working for a congregation and with a staff of people who really care about each other.
What is your biggest challenge? The people! Getting everyone together and on the same page at the same time is an adventure.
What is your biggest challenge? To always try my best to remember that it is God’s plan and to seek his will in all matters.
What has been an especially proud or meaningful moment in your career here? Initiating the Christmas Concert series has been both a musical growth opportunity for the choir and a genuine outreach to the community.
What is the funniest story you have? You might ask some of the choir members about the lengths I will go to make sure they are really watching the choir director.
How do you hope God continues to use you/your ministry in the coming years? In an era where the average church choir has 15-20 singers, Eastminster is a shining star representing a shared commitment to musical excellence and corporate worship. My hope is that the choir will continue to reach out to new generations of singers so they too can experience the power and security of a large choir singing inspired music.
Why do you enjoy being a part of Eastminster’s tradition of excellent worship? I have been lucky to be surrounded in the choir by talented people with tremendous faith. They are a constant source of inspiration. They challenge me to be a better musician and a better person. It is a privilege to stand with them in worship.
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Eastwind Newsletter
What has been an especially proud or meaningful moment in your career here? Making the difference for a moment in the life of a young girl who had run away from home and came to Eastminster for help. How have you seen Eastminster grow during your time on staff? Tremendous improvements in Eastminster’s communications, technology and building maintenance departments have provided professional level resources for all the ministries of Eastminster. What is the funniest story you remember? Gail Adamo and I were having lunch with some of the much younger ladies on staff when a comment was made about a green toilet. Gail and I both said at the exact same time, “I grew up with an avocado colored toilet.” It took us both a few seconds to catch why the girls were giggling so hard – to them, green meant environmentally friendly! How do you hope God continues to use you/your ministry in the coming years? God called me to Eastminster when I least expected it. At that point in my life, I had not yet made it a habit to trust God fully or to really seek his plan for me. I decided to do just that when I joined the Eastminster staff and have been rewarded many times over for that show of faith. It has been an honor to serve him and the fine people of Eastminster. Thank you. Why are you passionate about your job? I will always work hard to ensure the environment at Eastminster is pleasant, productive and rewarding for all as we work to build his kingdom.
staff and transitioned us into a new denomination during his tenure – all with specific joys and challenges.
Marcia Davis Celebrating 16 years sharing the gospel worldwide What is your favorite thing about working here? The people I work with. Not only the staff and the congregation members, but the missions families – knowing their ministry work and knowing them as people, as children, as parents and as fellow Christians. I get to see their every day struggles as well as their high points as people serving where God has called them. What is your biggest challenge? Since the internet and email, the challenge has been with getting so much information so quickly, compiling that information, and getting it to the people serving in missions who need it and can respond to it. Plus keeping the missions files up to date. What has been an especially meaningful moment in your career here? It is hard to pick just one. It has been a privilege to work for three associate pastors of missions: Rev. David Bridgman, Rev. Tom Edwards and Rev. Kermit Oppriecht. Each had a huge heart for missions and each of them was very knowledgeable about missions. Rev. Bridgman taught me about missions and our Eastminster missionaries – that they are an extension of our congregation as people, families and Christians. Rev. Bridgman was the first-ever associate pastor to retire from Eastminster and it was a joy to serve planning and celebrating with him. Rev. Edwards was young, energetic and took Eastminster through the Millennium Project which began in 1999. This project raised more than $2 million over three years for missions. This went toward our own chapel as well as disaster recovery in Guatemala following Hurricane Mitch, the seminary library in Ethiopia, the lay training institute in China, and The Urban Ministry Institute of World Impact right here in Wichita. Rev. Oppriecht had served at smaller Presbyterian churches and had done it all – including mowing the grass. His was a pastoral heart for missions and for those who serve as supported missionaries of Eastminster. He served as head of
I now work with Dr. Lederle who was a long-time college professor and served as chaplain at Sterling College. His ability to teach and explain theology is a true gift. Being from South Africa and planning short-term missions trips for students at Sterling means he has traveled extensively and sees the world from the unique perspective of a preacher, teacher and immigrant. What is the funniest story you have? Before email, I used to send things by fax to international missions partners when something was urgent. The joke between Rev. Bridgman and I was that there was only one fax machine in Ethiopia, and it only worked one day a month between 1 and 4 a.m. Sometimes it would take me weeks to get a fax to go through to the Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus. Now an email gets there in a matter of minutes. How do you hope God continues to use you and your ministry in the coming years? Missions is so ingrained in our heritage here at Eastminster. God has used us in the past to support endeavors where seed money was needed for a “first step.” Then, because we were willing to step forward, others came along side and huge changes followed. My prayer is that we would continue to be a people open and willing to step forward when God sends a need – even when no one else will. What do you see happening across the world? The world is a much smaller place than when I started working at Eastminster with instant email and instant information (whether accurate or not). Over the last few years there have been horrible world crises – the earthquake in Pakistan, the tsunami in Japan, the tsunami in Indonesia, as well as tornadoes right here in Andover, Greensburg and in Joplin, Oklahoma City and Moore. With all of these, Eastminster has sent funds but also people. The earthquake in Pakistan allowed people who had never seen a Christian to meet Christians from Eastminster who came to help set up temporary housing for them. Several teams and supplies went to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Our own donations of relief items and teams of youth and adults, traveled to Andover, Greensburg, Missouri and Oklahoma, not just once but multiple times, to be the hands and feet of Christ. God changes the people who go as well as the people who receive the love. No one knows how God will use Eastminster to further his kingdom. First, we must always be open and willing to hear, to discern and then to respond. The seeds are sown and with prayer and with God changing hearts there will be a future harvest – an eternal blessing. Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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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 mission of Eastminster Church: Glorify God. Follow Christ. Transform Lives. Director of Communications: Courtney Browning (cbrowning@eastminster.org). Associate Director of Communications: Hannah Lambert (hlambert@eastminster.org).
Up & Coming Uniquely You Class Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 25 & 26 Saturday, 9 – 11 a.m.; C-13/14 Sunday, 9:30 a.m.; Chapel OR Saturday/Sunday, Nov. 1 & 2 Saturday, 9 – 11 a.m.; C-13/14 Sunday, 9:30 a.m.; Chapel Discover your God-given spiritual gifts and how you can apply them right here at Eastminster, or in the community. This two-day class is for anyone wanting to join the church, or anyone who simply wishes to understand their giftings. Register with Louisa Markley at 634.0337 or lmarkley@eastminster.org.
Luncheon Hosted by Senior Ministries Friday, October 17, noon; Fellowship Hall Guest speaker Mike Pompeo will share on his experience as a Christian serving in our national government. Register on Sundays in Fellowship Hall ($10, checks only).
Faith & Sacraments Class Saturday, October 11, 9 a.m. – noon; Student Center For fourth and fifth graders and parents. Interactive workshop on baptism and Communion.
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Eastwind Newsletter
Tuesday, November 4 • Noon • Chapel Gather to intercede for our nation as citizens from around the country cast their votes. Pastor Stan will lead us in a 30-minute prayer service where we will lift up the elections, voters, our leaders and our country.
Monthly: Prayers for Our Nation Last Tuesday of the month (October 28), noon; Chapel This group meets monthly to lift up our city, state, nation and leaders. We are also praying for the crisis in the Middle East and those being persecuted around the world. Join us over your lunch hour.