Spring 2017 Eastwind

Spring 2017

Glorify God. Follow Christ. Transform Lives.

Y O U

A R E

T H E

L I G H T OF THE WORLD.

A CITY ON A HILL

CANNOT BE HIDDEN. INSIDE

How to GO with the Gospel in Wichita Caring for Refugees in Our City Easy Invite Tools for Easter

An Enemy Intercept Make sure you don’t tell anyone about Jesus nor invite anyone to church this Easter season. I’ve been working hard on preserving them for Hell.

And don’t pray or draw close to Jesus. I want him to have as little influence on you as possible.

Don’t give any money to the church or the work of the gospel. I hate what your church does and I’m trying to get you to be self-absorbed and self-indulgent.

Please hate the people you don’t agree with and bash people who are different that you. My vision of the world is one of violence and uncooperation. Besides, I want you to have a reputation of hate and being ungracious.

And that sin I’ve been dangling in front of you? Go for it. It’s bait to get you to bite so I can reel you in and ruin your life.

And stop going to church! I’m already influencing you most of your waking hours through the system of the world. I certainly don’t want you to think differently.

Are you thinking of ignoring services this coming Easter season? Good! I hate the cross and the resurrection. It reminds me that I lost, and I don’t want you learning how you can find power to resist me.

- Satan

GO. To the end of the street, and the ends of the earth.

A new message series coming April 23.

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Your Easter Invitation Could Transform A Life Easter by the Numbers

Five Easy Ways to Invite

Eastminster family, we have an incredible opportunity to share the hope of the gospel in our community. Christmas and Easter services are some of the highest attended by those who don’t know Jesus, and God can use your invitation to an Easter service to transform a life. An article from LifeWay Research states, “Thirty-nine percent of those who rarely attend religious services and 19 percent of those who only attend on religious holidays haven’t decided if they will attend an Easter service.

1. Cookies for the Neighbors Make a plate of homemade cookies (or really anything your neighbors would love) and attach an Eastminster Easter invite card. It’ll be a sweet surprise when they answer the door, and just may change a life.

2. Invite Your Barista Or the cashier at the supermarket, or your waiter at a restaurant, or pretty much anyone you see regularly.

One member gave an invite card to the receptionist at her chiropractor each time she had an appointment, and eventually the receptionist visited Eastminster!

3. Use Your Online Influence Many of us have the ability to share with hundreds of people through our social media profiles.

Use your platform for the gospel by sharing info about our Easter services and inviting friends online.

4. Use Your Daily Influence Where do you regularly interact with people? At the gym, at your kids’ soccer games, at work? Use your relationship with those people to invite them to church. It doesn’t have to be much, just mention that you and your family are going and you’d love for them to join in.

5. Invite the Community We’ve spotted church invite cards in the Target bathroom, on local business bulletin boards, tucked among the magazines at Barnes and Noble, and even in empty shopping carts. Get creative with leaving invite cards in public places. If you have kids, make it a game to see where you can leave cards while you’re out and about. You never know how God might use you to impact someone you’ve never even met.

‘Christians who automatically attend church on Easter should be mindful of their many friends, neighbors and family members who haven’t ruled out the idea of attending,’ said Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research. ‘It may be that a personal invitation is what would make a difference to them...As one in five Americans keeps their options open, Christians have no reason to be shy about asking friends to join them for an Easter service.’” 1

Invitation Tools • Invite Cards As always, invite cards will be available in the pews and around the church for you to pick up.

• Facebook Invitation Go to facebook.com/eastminsterwichita to see our Easter Facebook event. Use the event to send invitations to your Facebook friends.

• Social Tools We’ll have graphics and posts you can share on your favorite social media platforms. Watch our Facebook page for shareable posts, or download graphics at eastminster.org/eastertools.

• eVite You can send an email invitation to friends from our website! Just go to eastminster.org/eastertools.

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Rankin, Russ. “Survey: One in Five Americans Undecided About Easter Church Attendance.” http://www.lifeway.com/Article/research-survey-one-in-five-americansundecided-about-easter-church-attendance

See Easter details on page 18 Eastminster Presbyterian Church

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H O W

T O

go WITH THE GOSPEL IN WICHI TA

by Pastor Mike Goolsby

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

God has made us his people, his church, not for our own sake, but for his purpose: that we might proclaim his glory, his excellence to others. How can we do this? Do you have to be a gifted evangelist? No. You just have to be intentional, faithful.

In the business of our lives and in the information overload of our age, we get overwhelmed and think we cannot add one more thing to our list. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Here are ways we can prepare ourselves to go, and then actually GO that can fit right into your schedule.

1. Pray Ask the Lord to lead you to someone whom he is preparing to hear about him. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:44)

2. Reflect While God at times does supernaturally bring such people across our paths, I believe he also wants us to look around and see who might already be in close proximity. Who may already be nearby in that your paths cross regularly?

3. Invite I used to have a sign in my office that said, “Pray to God, but row to shore.” God does the preparing of hearts. He does the wooing and leading and ultimately accomplishes the work. But we still must participate in what he is doing. Once you have prayed and reflected, act upon the impulse the Holy Spirit may give you by simply saying, “I’d like to get to know you better.

Could we have coffee sometime?”

4. Think “relationship,” not “conversion” We don’t have to convert anyone. That 4

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is God’s work. When you meet for coffee or a meal, ask good questions to get to know the other person better. Be committed to future encounters in order to develop the relationship. It doesn’t have to be every day or even every week, but there will have to be some intentional regularity to it. Invite the person to accompany you to events that you regularly do (e.g., ball games, movies, shopping, etc.). This way you’re not adding another appointment to your schedule, but you still get an opportunity to interact.

5. Listen & Learn Really listen to your new acquaintance’s answers to your questions. These will help you know how to ask deeper questions, as well as help you know how to pray for them.

6. At the right time, SPEAK! How did you believe the gospel message? At some point in time, someone told you about Christ’s love for them and you had a chance, or several chances, to respond. Obviously, you’ll want to keep praying all along that God will prepare their heart to receive the message. But at some point (remembering there may never be what seems a “perfect time”), you need to deliver the message.

What message? The message of Christ – who he is, how he came to proclaim the kingdom of God and what it is like, how one can enter God’s kingdom by faith in Christ’s saving work on the cross, not by our own good works.

7. Keep reaching out. Be genuinely concerned for your new friend. Even if they say, “That’s not for me,” stay in contact with them. If the relationship ends, let it be because they made it clear they don’t want it to continue, not because you didn’t follow up!

We all go – some to the end of the street, and some to the ends of the earth – but we all GO. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21, NIV)

And did we mention it’s free?

Just go to eastminster.org/rightnow to get started

TEXT TO GIVE 1. Start a text to 316.226.8797.

2. In the message body, enter the amount you would like to give and hit “send.”

3. You will immediately receive a link to enter your payment information.

4. To give again, simply text the amount you would like to give.

5. You only have to register once, and future texted amounts will be automatically charged to the card you entered previously.

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The Deacons’ Call to Serve Eastminster’s deacons are a picture of Jesus when he said, “I came not to be served, but to serve.” The deacons’ primary goal is the care and support of our congregation. Here, a few members who have been impacted by the deacons’ love share their stories.

Lori Miller The story began in 2009 when my sister, Lynne, had a major health incident that left her with severe brain damage. And it was then that I became Lynne’s legal guardian. And it was in 2014 that God’s grace, blessings and glory were delivered through his hand-picked disciple, Mary Jane Kilgore. Mary Jane became the deacon assigned to visit Lynne, though she had never met her before. But God knew we needed Mary Jane’s help, and more importantly, God knew Lynne needed Mary Jane.

Lynne has been in three different group homes, and it was about 16 months ago that I moved Lynne to a group home on the west side of town, a location that requires an hour round trip. And through each move, Mary Jane followed Lynne despite the added distance and time it required.

Recently, I needed to be out of town for a few days. While I was away, the group home staff let me know there had been a serious incident involving Lynne. The very next day, I received a call from the group home nurse who informed me that Lynne had fallen out of the chair while at the dining table and that she hit he floor pretty hard. I had so much anxiety about Lynne’s well-being, especially since I was out of town and couldn’t get to her quickly.

But again, Mary Jane came to the rescue!

I called Mary Jane and the very next day she went to the house and talked with staff, observed the situation and environment for me, and of course blessed Lynne by reading Our Daily Bread, praying with Lynne, making her smile and in general letting Lynne know she is loved dearly.

Mary Jane’s actions and activities always include reading Scripture and devotionals to Lynne and praying with Lynne.

These activities certainly bless Lynne, and are also a wonderful witness to the varied staff and other group residents too.

I was beside myself since I couldn’t be there to be sure Lynne was okay. But God sent Mary Jane and cleared her schedule so she could be there to offer a calming presence and ensure Lynne was being cared for.

Another time I am confident God sent Mary Jane to be with Lynne was after Lynne’s medicine had been adjusted and as a result she started having terrible nightmares and hallucinating. On this particular day, Lynne woke up in her bed and came running out as if she was being chased. Unfortunately Lynne ran straight into the tall oven in the kitchen and slammed her eye right on the oven handle, slashing the skin around her eye wide open. Mary Jane arrived at the house without even knowing that just a few minutes earlier, Lynne’s face had smashed into the oven handle.

But God knew. The nurse and Mary Jane both called me and I got out there as soon as I could, but all that time Mary Jane stayed with Lynne, helped to ice her face, held her hand while the nurse treated the gashes, and blessed Lynne greatly by her comforting presence and shared love.

The number of times Mary Jane visited Lynne far exceeded the deacons’ recommended number of visits. And Mary Jane’s sacrificial love not only exceeded the expected number of visits, but in the majority of visits Mary Jane stayed with Lynne for more than an hour. Mary Jane truly and genuinely loves my sister, as shown year after year by her own sacrificial love showered on Lynne.

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As Christians, we may never know the impact that living Christlike can have on other people -- family, friends, and even strangers. Mary Jane’s service as a Deacon has represented and continues to represent -- Christ’s genuine, humble, patient, kind, compassionate, and sacrificial love that expects nothing in return. Thank you, Mary Jane, for living a life that glorifies

God, embodies Christ-like living, and is always transforming and inspiring the lives of those around you.

Susan Havener Last fall, Ken and I took a tour of New England to see the fall leaves in our motorhome. We were gone seven weeks and hired a woman to take care of our disabled son with meals and meds and doctor appointments. She was unable to bring him lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so the deacons filled in. They called Jeff ahead of time to see what he wanted and they would go pick it up and take it to him.

The deacons were a lifesaver! Jeff doesn’t drive and it is hard for him to be on his feet to fix his lunch. They made It so easy to line up volunteers to take him lunch. It would have been a real hardship on Jeff without their service and Ken and I didn’t have to worry about him being taken care of. It was very comforting to know the deacons were available to do something like that! And we were able to enjoy checking our trip off our bucket list.

The deacons are very important to the church. They are the ones with direct contact with those who aren’t able to come to church or are in the hospital. They make those members feel included.

Earle Rice Since the time of my wife Betty’s back surgery on December 1, the deacons provided many meals to our family. The meals were great and yielded leftovers for later. Deacons visited Betty in the hospital both times she was there and at home. They also made themselves available to help in other ways, such as spending the evening with our young adult son Nick, who has cerebral palsy, so I could go to the choir Christmas dinner, and sitting with him through two services on the Sunday of the choir Christmas concert so he didn’t have to be alone. I also believe many of the deacons prayed for us during this hard time.

This was not the first time deacons had helped with Nick. A couple of years ago when I had outpatient hernia surgery and had complications afterward, Warren Snyder and Greg Dickman spent the afternoon and evening with him. This was an invaluable help since we have no family in this area. At a later time Warren, Greg and their families spent another evening with Nick at Five Guys and a movie so we could do something we’d been given tickets to attend with friends.

The help we have received from the deacons has been so significant to us. I suppose we would have survived without it, but things would have been much harder and more bleak. What the deacons have done has been invaluable, and through the process we’ve gotten to know people we didn’t know before or barely knew. We have received assistance from other areas of our

lives like the choir, Betty’s PEO chapter and Nick’s Laughing Feet Performers group during this period, but the Eastminster deacons have been an integral part throughout the process. I don’t know what people do who don’t have this kind of support from a church family. It’s wonderful to know that people care about us and are paying attention to what’s happening.

I think the deacons are essential to the congregation to provide practical care for the needs of people in the church. Having received this kind of care from the deacons makes me more aware of my responsibility and increases my desire to do the same for other people down the road who have needs within the church.

All About Deacons Our deacons’ primary role is the care and support of the congregation. Their five teams each serve a unique need among our members. While deacons lead these teams, they are open to everyone who wants to serve our church family. If you have a heart for the care and support of Eastminster and would like to serve in one of these areas, contact Ginger Cox at 634.0337, ext. 200, or gcox@eastminster.org.

Bereavement Care Assists with funerals and receptions at the church. Provides care, prayer, comfort, support, and encouragement after a loss.

Care away from Home Encourages Eastminster members and their families who are temporarily away from home (college students, deployed military and their families).

Hospital Care Visits and prays with those in the hospital.

Homebound Care Cares for and visits those who are unable to attend church.

Member Care Oversee care, prayer, comfort, support and encouragement for Eastminster members as concerns arise.

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GO Partner: Villa Esperanza

Eastminster will host visitors from one of our key missions partners, Villa Esperanza in Managua, Nicaragua, March 4 and 5. Student teams from Eastminster have been traveling on short-term missions trips to the Villa for the last five years, and this September we’re adding another trip for adults to visit the Villa.

The Heady Family Tell us about your visit to the Villa.

Sarah Our family visited the Villa with a group of high school youth group students on a mission trip to the Villa in June 2015.

While there, we spent time with the girls and worked on various projects to help clean/repair the Villa.

Jana The first time I went to the Villa, I went with my family. I really wanted to experience a mission trip and see how well I did in such an environment, as I am involved with many local service opportunities but I wanted to have the chance to make a global impact. I had heard so much about the Villa from some of my friends who had gone previously, and I was excited to have the chance to make an impact in Nicaragua with my family. When I returned to Nicaragua the next summer, I went because a part of me had never truly left and I was dying to come back as soon as I left the first time.

Kent and Cindy We visited the Villa in June 2015 as a family. Ray Jones, who is looking down right now from Heaven, smiling and laughing, encouraged us to go. He told us that the girls at the Villa needed to see families living for Jesus and loving each other.

That did it for us. And, of course, Ray was right.

What is your favorite thing about being at the Villa?

Why is it such a special place?

Sarah My favorite part of the Villa is the people there, especially the girls who reside there. The Villa is a safe haven for girls in what is often an otherwise threatening place for them. These girls generally come from unstable homes (if they have family) and

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have had to support themselves and their families by rummaging through dumps or through other unsavory means. “Villa Esperanza” truly is a “house of hope” for them. Though some of the girls are shy and less trusting of strangers, many welcomed us to their home and immediately began talking and playing with us. It was so encouraging to see the bonds that formed despite language barriers! Several of the girls have remained in contact with and/or are now sponsored by members of our mission team.

The Villa is special because it is a place where God is quite visibly at work despite the brokenness of humanity.

Jana My favorite part about the Villa is the environment of hope.

So many of the girls there have been through terrible situations, but you wouldn’t know it just looking at them. They’re amazing.

They work hard to get an education, all while keeping up with their chores, and it is clear that they love Christ. The staff are some of the most inspirational people, and it is clear that they are truly invested in the lives of the girls.

Kent and Cindy The Villa is beautiful spiritually and physically.

It beams “hope.” It is a healing, nurturing place for all who enter — it is an honor to be involved there because it is clearly God’s powerful redemption at work in the lives of those who live there.

We hope to return, but will definitely be supportive prayerfully and financially of the girls who are blessed to be there.

Why do you think it’s important Eastminster partners with the Villa for missions work?

Sarah It is important for Eastminster to partner with the Villa in missions work financially so that the greatest good can be done for those at the Villa, but it is also important for Eastminster to partner through service so that people at Eastminster have an opportunity to expand their horizons, understand the importance of and need for ministries like the Villa, and participate in the calling of the Great Commission. During my time in Nicaragua, my understanding of the world was challenged and expanded.

I observed and interacted with a new way of life, saw flaws in my own ways of thinking, and came to associate Latin America with new friends. This short experience has led me to consider longer term involvement in medical missions and to be more motivated to learn Spanish language and Hispanic culture (which

I am currently studying in college). Others have stories similar to mine. One week of missions can trigger a transformation that lasts a lifetime.

Jana This is exactly the kind of service we have been called to do as Christians. Just walking onto the grounds of Villa Esperanza it is clear that God is working miracles in the lives of the people there.

My trips to Nicaragua have been life-changing, and I will always remember them. I think it is important that everyone who wants this kind of experience is allowed to have it, and this is the perfect first-time mission trip. It is well run by people who know what they’re doing, and we are truly able to make an impact on the lives of the people around us in Nicaragua.

Kent and Cindy Eastminster has so many wonderful deeply committed Christians. As we step out in faith to live out our faith, God will do amazing things for the Villa girls and for us as a congregation. When we see God’s work in the lives at the Villa, and realize we get to be a small piece in this big picture, it is both humbling and awesome.

Why is it important to you to do missions as a family?

How did it impact your family to do a trip together?

Sarah Serving as a family brings about unity in service to God. As we prepared for the trip, my family frequently prayed together and talked about the trip. On the trip, we were able to spend time serving together, and now we have a shared serving experience together that we often reflect on. It was especially powerful to see how the trip impacted each one of us individually.

Jana It would be very difficult to go on a trip like this and come back changed, only to be surrounded by people who hadn’t experienced the same change you had gone through. Because we went as a family, we were able to be changed together, and when we got back we had shared something special that brought us closer together. Although we would have been able to share photos and tell stories, images and words cannot do this experience justice. It’s something you must do for yourself, and especially something to be experienced as a family.

Kent and Cindy Anytime we work in ministry as a family, it gives us more than just memories. It cements who we are in Christ and as a family. We get to see God working in and through each other. We see new things in each other because of how God works through each of us.

What is your favorite story from your time at the Villa?

Sarah While we were at the Villa, we often spent time with the girls in the evening. One night, we had a fun activity night with the girls.

One of the girls on the trip brought a face paint kit with her, and within an hour almost all the girls had bright colors painted all over their faces. Meanwhile, some of the girls gave the translator a facial, complete with cucumbers over the eyes! The community bonding and laughter from this night was wonderful. I especially enjoyed getting to know one girl, Luisa, throughout the week, and we have

A Visit from the Villa Saturday, March 4, Noon – 3 p.m.; The Haenggi Home (15247 SW 130th, Rose Hill) Guns and Grub Guys, join us for lunch and a clay shoot as we connect with friends from the Villa.

Women’s Gathering While the guys are shooting clays, we’ll hear from Susanne Miller, Director of the Villa, as well as Perla and Ileana, girls who lived at the Villa and have incredible stories to share. Please RSVP to Marcia Davis at 634.0337, ext.

231, or mdavis@eastminster.org.

Saturday, March 4, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.; The Haenggi Home (15247 SW 130th, Rose Hill) Alumni Dinner If you’ve been to the Villa before, your family is invited to come and reconnect over dinner. Please RSVP to Marcia Davis at 634.0337, ext. 231, or mdavis@eastminster.org.

Sunday, March 5, Noon; Fellowship Hall Connections Lunch Everyone is invited to a lunch following the 11 a.m. service in Fellowship Hall. We’ll learn from Villa leadership, hear stories of hope, and learn more about the new adult trip to the Villa in September. No cost but donations toward the food are appreciated. Please RSVP to Marcia Davis at 634.0337, ext. 231, or mdavis@eastminster.org.

Visiting Partners • Pastor Wilbert Alvarado Cruz, Villa Esperanza • Susanne Miller, Director, Villa Esperanza, • Perla and Ileana, graduates of the Villa • Jeff Thompson, Forward Edge International

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some great memories and photos of her from that night.

Jana The second year I went to Nicaragua the people at the school were not only excited that we were there, but they were excited to help us. After their school day ended, some of the students (who were all below the sixth grade) and most of the teachers stayed behind to help us renovate their school. On the last day we worked at the school, the children put on a show for us and gave us crafts that they had made and letters they had written. It was amazing to see how much their lives had changed just by renovating their school. In the end, we have a great impact on them, but it’s possible that they had an even greater impact on us.

Kent and Cindy This is hard because there are SO many. Our favorite was watching children at the grade school discover the joy of learning to use a jump rope and watching our girls and the high school group with us and most notably Ray Jones demonstrate how to use the jump rope as a group. The kids were scared of it the first day. By day two, they couldn’t get enough of it and we couldn’t get enough pictures of joyful faces and giggles.

How did your life or outlook change because of your time at the Villa?

Kent and Cindy Our family connected especially with a girl named Luisa, whom we still communicate with two years later.

God increased my faith and trust in HIS goodness and HIS ability and desire to heal brokenness in the lives of these girls. He gave them beauty for ashes and witnessing that is SO powerful. Only God can heal and love so perfectly — yet he does it through his people. I am so blessed to be just a small part of it and get to actually see and experience it.

Nathan Hammar I have gone to the Villa Esperanza twice, once going into my sophomore year and then going into my junior year. I had heard nothing but positive feedback from those who had gone in years previous. I was looking for an opportunity to get involved in missions and Nicaragua seemed like the perfect fit. The Villa is so special because everyone is committed to common goals. The Villa workers wake up every morning and commit to furthering Christ’s kingdom, all the while loving on the Villa girls and loving on us.

The special part about my second trip was that the girls remembered me as soon as we drove in the Villa. They went back to their houses and pulled out friendship bracelets and photos that we had exchanged the year before. If we had not continued to partner with the Villa, I would’ve missed an opportunity to reconnect with friends and continue building our relationships. A key aspect of missions is building relationships and a continual partnership with one organization will ensure that happens.

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My favorite memory from the Villa would have to be staying up into the morning hours talking with a security guard who knew very little English. Breaking a language barrier and building a friendship with a total stranger at 2 in the morning is something I’ll never forget.

Elizabeth Brosz I have gone to the Villa twice, the past two summers. Returning the second time I looked forward to meeting some of the same people and further building relationships with the girls who live there. Both years we split our time. Part was volunteering around Managua – at local public schools, doing repair work, cleaning, and a lot of painting. The other part of our time was spent at the Villa, where we stayed throughout the trip, with staff and the girls who live there. Almost every night at the Villa we were given the opportunity to spend time with the girls doing crafts, games or other activities.

Being at the Villa is honestly incredible, you can look around at the people who live and work there and understand how much they love working there, and it shows through how they treat the place they live and work in. While you are there God’s goodness is just reflected in everything. The relationships you build are honestly the biggest takeaway. The entire Villa is constructed to be a tight-knit, God-centered community between people. Its focus is on serving and teaching the girls and others. The intentionality of all that goes on there is astounding.

The Villa is such a worthy cause for missions partnership. The work they do there is life changing to so many people in the community of Managua, not just the girls. The Villa reaches out into the communities, to the staff, families of the girls, and so many other people in a multitude of ways: offering discounted,

fresh food to workers, training staff and the girls, hosting family days for the girls’ families to come and receive prizes like free groceries. Being involved with the Villa, it is easy to know that transformative work is being done, through you and through those you’ve built relationships with and support. The atmosphere at the Villa is so entirely missions and relationship centered the impact the entire facility has is incomparable to anything I’ve seen before.

One of my favorite stories happened my first year at the Villa. In Nicaragua, anyone who has gone before can tell you that time runs differently there--it’s “Nicaragua time.” One evening, about halfway through the week, one of my roommates was on her way to take a shower. Right as she went into the bathroom she screamed and burst out the door. Immediately we heard the problem, and as she pointed up to the vent fan on the ceiling we saw some sort of black creature flailing its appendages out the vent. The obvious response in our room of all teenage girls was to scream and run out of our room. As people asked what was going on we told them the only thing we knew – there was a thing in our bathroom ceiling. My roommates and I told our facilitator

who was nearby the rancho, outside our room. She calmly replied that it was a bat and this sort of thing happens all the time.

Then she told us that once we finished helping some of the staff unload all of the groceries from the bus, she would get someone to remove the bat. Naturally, we gathered the forces, our other teammates, and unloaded the groceries in what I’m sure is worldrecord speed and shortly after, one of the staff members entered our room with a ladder and a machete. We waited outside the room and after just a few minutes he emerged with a bat, in rather poor looking shape, perched on the machete and then left.

Going to Nicaragua makes you feel more grateful for what you have and the opportunities you’ve been given. Volunteering at the public schools really opens your eyes to the differences in education and public maintenance. However, realizing the immense happiness that these girls and people have in God, even after living in complete poverty and “at-risk” situations has continued to fill me with an incredible hope. Nicaragua is an astounding place and has taught so many of us who have gone to love the Lord deeper and learn about him in truly transformative ways.

Family Fest: BOLD The Stevens family shares about their BOLD step of faith Our family moved to Wichita, from a place that didn’t have activities where our family could worship, or learn together about Christ outside of the home in the way we do at Eastminster.

Finding families who could support our beliefs and strengthen our values has been important to us since we moved here. In 2016 our family signed up to participate in our first Family Fest. With a teenager and 5th grader, we know sometimes finding something everyone can do to feel part of the activity is hard. We found out

that not only is it a way to connect with other families, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet the children and parents we wanted as an influence to our own. We stepped out to be BOLD by meeting new people, and joining activities together.

Jason: I was able to come straight from work, and join my family for dinner. We saw some of the people we had begun meeting, and I was able to start getting to know them outside of Sunday school and the few minutes in passing between services. The evenings always began with a lot of excitement and energy and although it took me out of my comfort zone, I dared to be BOLD and dance along with a group of worship leaders who were the best entertainment. Each night typically turned into laughing while I enjoyed watching my daughters stand with their friends, and see how new friendships were already beginning for them.

That was amazing for me, because I typically miss seeing that while away at work all day. My wife picked out the activities, and I was so relieved when it wasn’t a craft project the first night. We actually got to hear a great presentation about photography and the kids were encouraged to try techniques using either their own or their parents’ cell phones. The night ended with a game of dodge ball, and I quickly learned why my kids talked about this being their favorite part of Wednesday nights. Over the next

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couple of days we also did a project with wood, which is one of my favorite hobbies! I was able to spend time learning along with my girls that week, and supporting their understanding of how God is in all things in our lives. It is easy to know that we will want to participate again this year.

Wendy: I always want to find BOLD ways for our family to engage in events to meet new people. Participating in Family Fest was such a great way to do this. I chose activities that were something I knew my husband would be interested in too, as this was BOLD for him to be there. He connected with Michael Bankston, the photographer so much we asked him to take family photos in the fall for us. The woodworking project was great for him to meet other dads who liked building. Each of us were BOLD as we attempted things that were different from what we normally would do, but could appreciate that by doing it together, we saw what each family member enjoys and created a moment knowing we were experiencing their interests. The last night was my choice to decorate cookies, which was fun and tasty! Everyone benefited from that project too. My favorite part of the week was how Mary Stephens crafted projects around stories from the Bible. She artfully showed us how everything we do is a gift from God, including us. We are all projects and we are unique, special, and in his image. The week proved to be time together, time to meet new friends, and time to create a lasting impression, reminding us how truly blessed we are to have Eastminster in our lives.

Liz: Last year my family expressed their interest in Family Fest. I was a little hesitant to participate, however, I was asked to help supervise some of the activities with other teenagers and quickly found out that this event is completely family based. During my time volunteering I saw how all activities, big or small, involved the entire family to contribute, and had a message centered around God in our everyday life. It is a great time to learn new things while having family time. Some may be hesitant to jump right in and play the games or create new things, yet being BOLD and getting out of your comfort zone will be a great experience.

I’m glad our family signed up, and I got to spend time connecting with new friends and learning some pretty cool things too.

Abby: Everyone was so welcoming when we began at Eastminster, and at Family Fest too. We were always asked by a different family to eat dinner with them. I made so many friends before Family Fest, but my parents got to meet their parents, and during the summer we had a lot of play dates afterwards. It was so fun every night and I never knew what we were going to do, but I always had a great time. All the activities were kid friendly, but they always made my parents be BOLD and join in too. They played dodgeball, 9-square and it was SO hot, Miss Mary let us play the games inside. I made great memories with all my friends.

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Recently, Mary was talking about a china cup, and how it came from clay, and I remembered it was just like the story in Jeremiah 18, which was what Family Fest talked about last year. I will always be able to remember that God takes a lot of time to make us. I can’t wait for this year’s BOLD Family Fest.

Overall, Family Fest was an event that required all of us to be a little BOLD, but none of us can wait to participate again this year. This was a great time for fellowship, and we have already been BOLD when we have met families outside of Eastminster, and told them what an incredible time this is for everyone. This event strengthened our time to worship together, and instill a Christ centered life, which wasn’t something we found easy to do before coming to Kansas. We are so grateful for the opportunities at Eastminster, and will be BOLD by continuing to live each day with God in our life.

SAvE THE DATE

Bol d FAMILY FEST 2017 J u n e 1 4 -1 6

CAUSING A

R I OT Have you heard all the ruckus? We’re GOing with the gospel through serving refugees!

Eastminster is partnering with the Oaks Baptist Fellowship, a local church made up mostly of Congalese refugees, to help families new to Wichita assimilate to American culture, learn English, find jobs and enjoy becoming part of the community. We’re focusing on three areas, each with their own challenges and opportunities, to serve these immigrant families: Teaching English as a second language, transportation (most refugees do not have a drivers license or vehicle) and helping to find employment.

Members serving in each of these areas on the RIOT team (Refugee and Immigrant Outreach Team) share a little about what it’s like to work with refugees and the needs and challenges of each area.

Gwen Schaulis Gwen is a college student serving on the ESL team, as most of the refugees speak Swahili and very little English.

How did you get involved with the refugee team?

Pam Van Bebber, the refugee team coordinator, contacted me asking if I was interested. I jumped on the opportunity because I’d been searching for an outlet to volunteer and plug in. The refugee outreach team seemed like just the thing – a unique challenge to reach a small group of Congolese refugees living right here in Wichita. What a cool way to serve an untapped community and even better, with and through my home church, Eastminster!

What is your role in serving?

I meet with a team of two to three other church members once a week at the refugees’ homes for an English lesson. We go to them rather than them to us, because they lack transportation and because it’s easier for us to get to know each other when we step into their culture. They’re so eager to learn English and Eastminster Presbyterian Church

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it’s important that they do, so English lessons are our number 1 priority in helping them adjust to this unfamiliar place. We also make ourselves available to give them rides to the store, the International Rescue Commission, or other appointments. We’re essentially their American friends who spend quality time with them weekly and help them get settled into Wichita.

Why is it so crucial for refugees to learn English? How are you helping them with that?

Imagine having to flee to a foreign country, and not being able to communicate to someone what your name is, or anything else. A woman I meet with weekly did not know how to say her address in English until I taught her a few weeks ago. She’s lived here for more than six months. It is so key that these people learn things like how to introduce themselves and their families, how to ask for directions or give them, and how to converse with a cashier at a store. These are the basic English words we’re teaching them. You must speak the language of the country you’re living in to make it by. Without knowing the language, you can’t get a job, you can’t ask someone at the grocery store where an ingredient is, you can’t order food, and so much more! Learning English is the most important thing the refugees can be doing for their success in America. Our job is to help them learn it in a loving way.

What is it like to work with someone in learning English?

What’s the hardest part? The best part?

There’s a lot of giggling involved. It can be quite silly when you’re trying to communicate with someone who is speaking what sounds like gibberish to you. It’s best to take it slow and start with the basics. Repetition and practicing words out loud are two successful tools I’ve noticed thus far. Sometimes, I revert to google translate to have a conversation with them. That way they can read what I say in Swahili. It’s definitely not an easy process.

Language barriers are tough. There are times when my group leaves the home feeling discouraged, wondering if we’re making any difference in their lives. But with each meeting, the women begin to absorb and retain more. It’s very fun to watch them get totally ecstatic about saying the right words or answering our questions correctly. All they want is to be a part of our world, to connect with us! Even on our unproductive days, deep fulfilment always follows our time with them. The joy I feel when I witness our two cultures collide is the best part of it all.

Why do you think it’s important for followers of Jesus to care for refugees?

God calls us to serve one another humbly in love. He also tells us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. We, as the Church, have the freedom to reflect Christ’s heart in how we serve and love others. Matthew 25:35-40 says “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes

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and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you, a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

What is your favorite story from working with the refugees?

My favorite memory was our first time meeting the Congolese women. I was with Pam Van Bebber and Ali Wettig and we were leaving a woman’s apartment after our first get together. The language barrier was so difficult; we hadn’t accomplished much this time. When we say goodbye, one of us girls shouted “Vipi!” which is the Swahili word for “what’s up.” We all burst out in laughter because she misused the word and all of us realized at the same time, even the Swahili woman she said it to. We were worn out from fighting the language barrier for the first time and a little slap happy. The women from East Africa have radiant smiles and loud laughs! We love to make them laugh and joke around. The silly times are my absolute favorite because humor is universal. You don’t have to speak the same language to laugh together.

Scott Killingsworth Scott is part of the transportation team, and drives the Eastminster van to take members of the Oaks to and from church each Sunday afternoon.

How did you get involved with the refugee team?

Kathy and I were at the GO Sunday worship service that challenged everyone to get involved with either a local, national or worldwide outreach. We attended a meeting about working with refugees and immigrants and felt this could be a area that we could both be involved in locally.

What is one of your favorite stories of working with the refugees?

Last fall I helped in getting portable air conditioning units to several families and installing them. Some of the families were sleeping outside because it was cooler, or because they were not shown how to open their widows. One widow was so unsure and afraid of what was going on with this new box. I had to have her 12-year-old son try to translate what the unit did. I held her hand and walked her over to feel the cold air blowing out. Just seeing that huge smile on her face, I knew this is where God was calling me.

What is your role in serving?

Since most of the Oaks families do not have drivers licenses or vehicles, their pastor, John Ronel, was spending almost all of his day each Sunday traveling to each home and picking up families for church, followed by leading the two-hour worship service.

The RIOT team wanted to help with this burden, and I have made a six-month commitment to drive our 14-passenger small bus to take families to and from church. We can always use more drivers, as no CDL license is required, or drivers to help with other transportation needs.

As I have inquired about employment opportunities at various Wichita hotels and restaurants, I have prayed that the Lord would lead me to the right person who might resonate with what we are doing at Eastminster. It has been amazing to see how the Lord has gone before me in making these connections.

Each week I see and feel the love coming through all these families as they pray, sing and worship during their two hour service.

They have recently added a short children’s service. The kids will sing and pray, then an elder will teach them a lesson. They learned this from our GO Sunday service, when they came to Eastminster to sing to us in Swahili and English.

We are currently working on some strategic partnerships in our community that will help us secure good jobs for our refugee friends. Hopefully, in the next few weeks those will be in place.

The Congolese refugees have a strong desire to work and take responsibility for providing for their families. We want to encourage them in any way that we can.

Why do you think Eastminster’s involvement with the Oaks Baptist Fellowship so important?

There are so many lives and families that are being touched right here, 10 miles from Eastminster. It’s like seeing a foreign country, but without the trip. These people have been in refugee camps for decades. Some have met their spouses there and some have started a family (all inside a camp). Most do not know how to speak English, but they are eager to learn. Today I taught five English words while driving: father, mother, parents, children and kids. The mother did know how to say “thank you” and gave me a huge smile as I looked at her in the mirror. These same families did not know how to use a zipper when we gave them winter coats. They had never seen snow before. Just our presence with them and even showing them little things in living in a completely new environment makes a huge difference.

If members of our Eastminster family have influence or contacts in any industry or business that might increase our efforts to provide employment for our refugee friends, please contact the missions office. God is working in big ways to open doors for employment, and we can’t wait to share more on what he’s up to.

How many of us are so afraid to “step out of the boat and come” when called by Jesus? I challenge you to come on any Sunday afternoon and see for your self why God has called the Eastminster family to serve in this way.

Roxie Smith Roxie leads the jobs team, helping connect our refugees with local employment.

It has been a joy, but also a challenge, to explore employment opportunities in Wichita for our refugee friends. Our committee began by looking at manufacturing positions, but soon realized that due to the strict OSHA requirements, this would not be an option. This lead us to the food service and hotel industry.

JOIN T H E R I OT We have had such an outpouring of support and interest for the refugee team that there are just a few spots left to serve! We are so proud of the way the Eastminster family has rallied around this cause. If you’d like to get involved, check out these open positions:

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

• Rides: People who have a car to drive refugees to appointments, to run errands, and most importantly, to and from work.

• Sunday Bus: People willing to drive the Eastminster bus on Sundays to transport refugees to church (CDL license is not required).

E M P LOY M E N T

• Employers: People who own businesses to consider hiring a refugee as an employee. They are fully legal to work, and eager to support themselves.

T E AC H I N G E N G L I S H

There are just few more ESL positions open, though transportation and employment are the greater volunteer needs right now.

R E A DY TO S E RV E ?

Contact Marcia Davis at 634.0337, ext. 213, or mdavis@eastminster.org.

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

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Beyond the Screen: Parenting in the Digital Age

by Matt Jaderston

The most common question I get from parents in my years as a youth minister often looks like this, “how do I monitor what my kid does on his or her phone?” My experience seems to suggest that many parents feel ill-equipped to keep up with the rapid changes in technology, social media and smart phones, and this has caused a great deal of anxiety. According to the latest Pew research, the average teenager has 3.5 personal digital gadgets and spends 10.5 hours per day in mediated screen time. It would seem the logical conclusion is that they are obsessed with all things technological.

But according to professor Dr. Andrew Zirschy at Princeton University, his research suggests “teenage use of technology does not ultimately point to adolescent gadget hunger, but instead to a ravenous appetite for relationships—the deep, heart aching, knowing relationships that increasingly seem difficult to find in a fast-paced society separated by distance, speed, and sheer busyness.”1 I believe growth in social media use among adolescents has been a prime influencer in an identity crisis that we have witnessed among young people. As teens that have never known a world without smart phones try to navigate these waters, we cannot let them go on this journey alone. This article is a primer for a Wednesday night series a team of staff members and I will be teaching on parenting in the digital age in the fall of 2017. This article will hopefully give some broad strokes for what is to come, and give some practical wisdom for your family moving forward.

In His Image The relationship between an adolescent and his or her parents is a crucial relationship in identity formation, and yet I find so many adolescents don’t speak with their parents about spiritual things. In Matthew 3:17 after Jesus was baptized we hear the voice of the Father, “…this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”2 The Father speaks to the Son telling him both who he is, and expresses his love for him. His identity and worth is being affirmed by Father, which is an intrinsic longing of every person seeking to answer the question, “who am I?” Catherine Steiner-Adair, a psychologist and author of “The Big

Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age,” makes the claim that it’s not teen behavior that has changed, simply the way which teens seek affirmation and feedback about their identity.3 She suggests the danger is when the real-life identity and online identity become one in the mind of a teen, and when a hoard of commenters or others who are able to hide behind computer screens exploit this; it can be devastating. She claims at the core, the problem with teen identity formation is the struggle to differentiate between their real identity and the one they have created online. She suggests teens are treating their online identities as a brand, as if they are projecting a certain image of who they really are.

I get the question all the time, “what apps or programs are my kids are likely using?” I could start listing a bunch that I’m aware of: Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Ask.fm, kik, WhatsApp, Tumblr, Vine, Periscope (and apps like it), Whisper, etc. But the reality is this, it is nearly impossible to keep up with the rapid changing world of social media, and the dangers associated with the apps are not always easy to find.

Pervasive Pornography It has been my experience that many parents are not naïve to these dangers, but are often unaware of the accessibility their kids have to such things. Where pornography used to be viewing a magazine, it seems crazy to think laptops are now also out of date. Pocket porn is the new phrase I have heard thrown around to describe how a majority of adolescents are now accessing pornography. What many are unaware of is that porn is being viewed via safe apps like Instagram and Twitter. This presents an interesting challenge – how do parents monitor their browser history when their child is going around the system and using apps to access it? The answer is that, short of deleting the application, there is no true way to prevent or monitor these things digitally (that I am aware of). This means guardrails and porn filters are not enough; we must get at the root of the issue to truly see freedom in this area.

Secondly, we will discuss the realities of sexting, cyber bullying and various other dangers that come from social media. A crucial point of this lecture series is stressing the importance of having these conversations with your child and cultivating a home where both confession and honesty are encouraged.

Zirschky, Andrew. Beyond the Screen: Youth Ministry for the Connected but Alone Generation.

Nashville, TN: Youth Ministry Partners and Abingdon Press, 2015. (5) 2 NIV 3 Steiner-Adair, Catherine, and Teresa Barker. The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age. 1

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Guardrails and The Road

Family Values

At the end of the day, unless you are a tech guru, your kids will always be smarter than you in the arena of social media. They will figure out how to get around our filters and guardrails and cannot completely keep your kids safe. But they can be helpful in keeping your kids on the right track. Doug Fields and Andy McKee have a wonderful resource in their book, “Should I Just Smash My Kid’s Phone?”4 which provides the following questions to help you consider what rules to implement: • Do these rules help teach our kids discernment, or do these rules do all the thinking for them?

• Do these rules provide opportunities for us to dialogue with them?

• Is this rule really motivated by a desire for my kids’ development or is it more for my convenience?

We encourage families to be proactive in instilling relational values centered on intentionality and pursuit of the gospel.

Here are a few practical ways to encourage healthy relationships and practice being present with one another: 1. Attempt to have a family dinner around the table with all cell phones put in a bucket.

2. Start a family texting thread where everyone can communicate with one another.

3. Get a Post-It notepad. At the beginning of the week, have everyone write down three to four prayer requests and stick them on the refrigerator. At any point during the week, grab a request, pray for it and then throw it away.

4. Pick a night to go through old Facebook or Instagram photos as a family, then dig into the closet to find old family photos and/or videos to look at together.

5. Choose a day to do something fun as a family. However, it must be a screen-less activity.

6. Pick a night and find a box for everyone to put their cellphones in (if they are too young for a cellphone you can use a toy), and the last person to check their phone gets a prize.

Considering these questions when creating guardrails for your family will be helpful in discerning what is the best way to lead your family. To give some more clarity, here are some examples of what I mean by guardrails: • Mom and Dad have the right to check Facebook messages, text messages, etc.5 • All phones go in a designated location after 9 p.m. every night to be charged.

• Apply a separate Internet browser that sends reports of any explicit activity. (X3 church, covenant eyes, etc.)

• Any new app download must be approved by parents.

• No cellphones at the dinner table.

These are not necessarily prescriptive to every family, but hopefully provide some ideas for parents to discuss what is right for them.

Landmarks and Freedom Along with guardrails will need to come age-appropriate freedoms. After all, the goal is for our kids to eventually leave the home and be healthy, independent adults. At some point the guardrails will disappear and while the role of being a parent does not end, many of the advantages of having proximity to your child will be gone. While the right age is different for each child, there comes a time where a conversation about sexuality, puberty, the Internet, dating, college life, and other conversations should happen. Being intentional, even if the topic is awkward, is crucial.

These conversations rarely come up naturally in conversation and need to be made a priority. During our Wednesday class we will equip you to have these difficult conversations.

These challenges accomplish a few different things. For one, it promotes conversation about why it is important to take a break from screens. It also encourages family unity while parents are modeling the behavior. There is nothing more destructive than parents who are addicted to their screens while telling their kids to do otherwise. Discipleship happens best when it is both taught and lived. Perhaps we all need to do a heart check when it comes to our own shortcomings and work to model the behavior we desire to see in our family.

This fall we will be going on a deep dive into the world of technology and adolescent behavior, and we hope to provide you with tools to have intentional conversations about hard things like the reality of pornography, dangers of social media, cyber bullying, and other unhealthy addictions that arise in us. If we pay close attention to the longings of youth and listen carefully for the Holy Spirit, then I believe we can play a crucial role as parents in guiding them to experience true Christian relationships beyond the screen. I hope you’ll join me in this journey.

Parenting in The Digital Age coming Wednesday nights this fall!

Look for more information in the Fall Guide.

Fields, Doug, and Jonathan R. McKee. Should I Just Smash My Kid’s Phone?: How to Empower Your Kids to Make Good Choices and Develop Responsibility-- without Losing Your Mind!

5 Does not necessarily mean you snoop every opportunity you get, but you acknowledge that you as the parent have the right.

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Eastminster Presbyterian Church

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Easter at

EASTMINSTER Sunday, April 16 8, 9:30, 11:15 a.m.

8 and 9:30 a.m.

traditional services including choir, brass, bells and organ

11:15 a.m.

contemporary service with worship team

CLASSES

Sunday classes for students and adults will not meet, but children’s classes will continue as scheduled.

REGULAR ATTENDER?

Please consider joining us at 8 a.m. to allow more room for guests at the other services.

Maundy Thursday, April 13 | 7 p.m.

A traditional service with choir, organ and Communion as we remember the Last Supper.

Good Friday, April 14 | 7 p.m.

A family-friendly service remembering Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

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H O N O R I N G T H E P A S T. F O C U S I N G T H E F U T U R E .

S A V E

T H E

D A T E

60th anniversary celebration

NOvember 10, 11 & 12

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

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: Jill Clavin (jclavin@eastminster.org).

Up and Coming Find details at eastminster.org • Starting Point Group: The Gospel Wednesdays beginning March 8 With Ben Marquez. Join Ben for this seven-week class as he explores how the riches and power of the gospel free us from the power of sin and allow us to know the pleasure and goodness of God. Open to everyone and great if you’re new or looking to connect.

• Pure Truth (for fifth and sixth graders and parents) March 12 at 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Student Center Fifth and sixth grade students are invited to participate with their parents in this interactive event designed to equip our young people to face the challenges of maintaining virtuous character in a culture that often clashes with Christian values.

Lunch will be provided. RSVP to Julie Pritchard at 634.0337, ext. 215, or jpritchard@eastminster.org by March 8.

• Membership Class Wednesdays beginning March 15 Ready to join the church? RSVP to Ginger Cox at 634.0337 or gcox@eastminster.org.

LIGONIER REGIONAL CONFERENCE STAND FIRM with Ligonier Ministries teaching fellows W. Robert Godfrey, Westminster Seminary California Stephen Nichols, Reformation Bible College Derek Thomas, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, SC

May 19 & 20 at Eastminster Register at ligonier.org/wichita