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M o n t h l y N e w s f r o m F P C Ty l e r • Vo l u m e 1 3 , I s s u e 1 0 : O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8
What’s Your Why? by The Rev. Dr. Stuart Baskin A lot of people have remarked on my weight loss. I frequently hear three questions: first, “How much have you lost?” Second, “How did you do it?” And third, this one usually in a hushed voice, head leaning toward me, “Did you mean to lose weight?” I always chuckle a little bit at that last one because it’s a sign of my age, that people want to make sure I don’t have some dreaded disease that is causing me to lose weight! I don’t.
To everyone at the home of:
Budget & Finance. October 11 @ 12 pm — Conference Room | A 110 Building & Grounds. October 8 @ 12 pm — Library | A 111 Children’s Ministry. October 16 @ 5:30 pm — Library | A 111 Governance. October 1 @ 6:30 pm — Conference Room | A 110 Mission. October 8 @ 5:30 pm — Conference Room | A 110 Session. October 16 @ 7 pm — M 207 Student Ministry. October 22 @ 6:30 pm — Conference Room | A 110
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Knit Wits. 1:30 pm, Hill Room. Senior High Small Group. 6 pm, Gabriel residence. Meadow Lake Bible Study. 11:45 am, Meadow Lake. First Friday Fun: Kid’s Night Out. 6:30 pm, Children’s Wing. Grace Presbytery. All day, FPC Longview. Communion Sunday. 8:30 & 11am, Chapel & Sanctuary. Gateway Class for Newcomers. 9:45 am, M 102. Youth Ministry Meet & Greet Sunday School. 9:45 am, The Well. Youth Ministry Meet & Greet Lunch. 12 pm, The Well. Presbyterian Women Tuesday Circle. 10 am, F 101-102. Friends of PEB: Party with a Purpose. 6 pm, Ainsworth residence. Senior High Small Group. 6 pm, Gabriel residence. Fine Arts @ FPC: Scaling Everest - Rachmaninoff ’s Third. 7 pm, Sanctuary. Fine Arts @ FPC: UT Tyler Fall Concert. 6 pm, Sanctuary. Presbyterian Women Sunday Circle. 9:30 am, M 204. Steeple Times Submission Deadline. Sewing Bees. 10 am, F 104. Senior High Small Group. 6 pm, Gabriel residence. Fine Arts @ FPC: Music Dedication Sunday. 11 am, Sanctuary. Annual Meeting and Luncheon. 12 pm, Fellowship Hall. Senior High Small Group. 6 pm, Gabriel residence. Reformation Sunday. 8:30 & 11 am, Chapel & Sanctuary. Senior High Small Group. 6 pm, Gabriel residence. 1 3 4 5 6 7 7 7 7 9 9 10 11 13 14 15 17 17 21 21 24 28 31
OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS
I lost weight because I had a compelling “why.” A couple of years ago my doctor told me I had crossed the line separating someone with high blood sugar and someone with type 2 diabetes. Don’t be alarmed. I treated it as a blessing in disguise. I asked the questions, “What do I have to do to make sure that (1) I don’t lose my feet or legs, (2) I don’t go blind, and (3) I don’t die prematurely? And can I avoid taking medication and insulin injections?” The answer was pretty simple: “Change your diet and start exercising.” This was in August of 2016. I had my “why.” Since then, I have been running regularly and I have made a few significant
changes in my diet. The result is that I have lost 35 pounds and maintained that weight loss for 2 years now. That’s very hard to do…unless you’re properly motivated, unless you have your “why.” So now, what’s your “why?” Or better yet, what’s our “why” as a congregation? I see hand-wringing from time to time about our church, that our membership numbers are not increasing dramatically, and our worship attendance is slipping. These things are true as far as it goes. They are also problems that are pretty straightforward to solve, but there is one ingredient that is essential that does not involve new programs or fancy techniques. It is the question of why we exist. Do we exist to have a comfortable and congenial place to worship and belong? That’s not a sufficient answer. If our answer is inward-focused, if our answer is simply that we want our church to be a little bigger, we will never grow. Our “why” must be focused on the mission we’re given by God. And that mission is always outward-focused. If I may be so bold, I want to suggest that we have one mission in two parts. Our mission, to put it simply, is to bear witness to the good news of the reconciling love of God in Jesus Christ. The first part of that miscontinued on page 2.
i n t h i s i s s u e | H I GH LI GHT S & F E ATU RE S Stewardship 2019 | pg 3 Meetings will be taking place this month in volunteer homes. Join us!
Fine Arts @ FPC Resumes | pg 5 The 2018-19 Season has officially kicked off ! Learn about upcoming events.
Children’s Wing Wall Art | pg 7 Vandy Dubre shares her artistic talent in the Children’s Wing. First Presbyterian Church of Tyler, Texas 230 West Rusk Street, Tyler, Texas 75701-1696 (903) 597-6317 | www.fpctyler.com
CO NGR E GAT I O NAL N E WS
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY N EWS & EVENTS
We Are Thankful!
PRAYERFULLY SPEAKING from the FPC Prayer Team
Walter (Skip) Womack has been a volunteer with our youth program for many years. Not only has he served as a sponsor on many youth trips, camps, conferences, etc., he serves each week as a host for the youth Sunday school class. He has led the youth in music and made room for them to express themselves musically and creatively. He has served as an elder and deacon and is one of the “go to” people in our church to fill many jobs. He has served on many FPC committees, including the Student Ministries Director Search committee and the Student Ministries Team. And if that isn’t enough, he sings bass in the Chancel Choir. Skip always has a friendly smile to share as he serves our God and our church with a joyful spirit. THANK YOU for all you do at FPC!
Recently, Dr. Baskin preached on Solomon, and his request that God grant him wisdom. Of all the things he could have prayed for, he chose wisdom. Dr. Baskin named three things that wisdom brings: (1) humility—to keep our sense of being wise in check (there are always those wiser than we); (2) watchfulness—to stay alert to God’s ways in the world; and (3) gratefulness—gratitude to God is the beginning of wisdom - and understanding our debt to God should keep us humble.
Membership Updates New Members Join us in welcoming our newest member, Jill Hodges. Deaths Condolences to the families of our FPC members who entered the Church Triumphant: Dr. Robert Bone, Maureen Clopton, Allen Locklin, and Chester Vaughn.
All-knowing God, grant us the wisdom that brings humility, watchfulness, and gratefulness. (If you would like to submit a prayer request, please fill out the form found in the church pew and drop it in the collection plate or into a prayer
Fall Activities at Camp Gilmont
sion is to share this good news with others. The second part of that mission is to demonstrate this good news through acts of radical generosity in the world around us. We can organize ourselves till the cows come home; we can have the greatest programs in the world; we can have outstanding worship and music; but unless we, both individually and as a congregation, are on fire to bear witness to what God has done—unless we have a significant “why”—we will always be stuck in second gear.
Silent Retreat October 28-30 | Camp Gilmont Gilmont will provide space for you to grow into intentional silence comfortably whether you are a veteran or a novice. Participants will receive a small guide prior to arrival to explain expectations and to make suggestions as to how to guide yourself through the experience. Practice spaces will include: art supplies and instruction, guided prayer stations, camp fires, labyrinths and worship. Silence will be broken for an hour meeting with a spiritual director each day.
It’s not really rocket science. We can do all the right things and still not grow. Growing our church depends almost entirely on our own sense of “why.” Until our “why” is focused on the mission God has given us, things won’t change much. But if we get our “why” straight, we’ll be in great shape!
Friday, October 5 | 6:30—8:30 pm | Children’s Wing Join us for First Friday Fun—a kid’s night out for infants six weeks old through students in 2nd grade. We will share dinner, a Bible story, crafts, games and end our time with a movie or book. Register at fpctyler.com/events/firstfriday, so we can plan our meals and volunteer staff. Friends are welcome. There is no cost to the fun night out.
Sunday, December 16 | 11 am | Sanctuary Can you believe it? We are preparing our annual Christmas Pageant which will be a part of worship at 11 a.m. A churchwide luncheon will follow. Mark your calendars now so you will be ready to join in this special day for our church!
Come by our area and see our new art work! Recently, Vandy Dubre shared her art work for the Toddler, 2’s and 3’s class (see below and right). Come by the Children’s Wing to see the many hours of work that have gone into this first set of pictures. Look for the little worm called “Squiggles”—we always try to duplicate Squiggles’ expressions when we hear stories from the Spark Bible we use in the younger classes for Sunday school and in Children’s Church.
Stewardship Dedication Sunday | November 4
Dedicate your pledge for 2019. 2
Recap of the East Texas Youth Conference 2018 Our annual East Texas Youth Conference 2018 at Camp Gilmont was a lot of fun. The participants from our church and four others joined together to celebrate God’s abundance with the theme, Day to Day! Watch for pictures of everyone enjoying games, a campfire, small groups and worship. What a beautiful time of year to be outdoors together celebrating God’s incredible creation. A big thanks to Rev. Pam Leach and the leadership team for making this important time of retreat come together in such a meaningful way.
SUNDAY SCHOOL / SMALL GROUP LISTING SUNDAY SCHOOL @ 9:45 AM
SMALL GROUP SCHEDULE
FAITH BUILDERS
MEN | Lectionary Tuesdays | 6:30 am | Premier Flexipac | Contact: Skip Womack (903) 520-1300 or Bob Schmoker (903) 714-5746
| Lecture & discussion M202 | The book of Matthew | Contact: Bob Schmoker (903) 714-5746 | Lecture & discussion M 205 | The Rise of Christianity | Contact: Chris Bunt (903) 531-3535
THE FORUM
209ERS | Young Adults M209 | The Book of Forgiving | Contact: Debbie Pitts (debbiepitts@gmail.co
THE
s a v e t h e d a t e | N OVE M B E R 2 0 18 The Tyler Civic Chorale commemorates the end of the First World War.
SAVE THE DATE: Children’s Christmas Pageant
What’s Your Why? Continued from page 1.
Grace Presbytery PW Fall Gathering and Mini Retreat October 19—20 | Camp Gilmont Led by Joanna Kim, Director of Ministry Services with Grace Presbytery, this retreat offers workshops, a mission project, creative prayer, nature hike, and a book discussion on Waking Up White by Debby Irving. Day trippers are invited on Saturday for the Fall Gathering of Grace Presbytery PW.
Fine Arts @ FPC | November 11
First Friday Fun
PW Thank Offering | November 19
Join PW for worship service of thanksgiving followed by high tea.
| Book &/or DVD & discussion Thursdays | 9:30 am | Conference Room | Same Kind of Different As Me | Contact: Jan Carpenter (903) 566-8533 WOMEN
| Study & discussion M 207 | Feasting on the Word | Contact: David Palady (davidpalady@ gmail.com)
WESTMINSTER
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WORSHIP WITH US
FPC’s Regular Sunday Services 8:30 a.m. Service (Chapel) 9:15 a.m. Coffee Fellowship (The Hill Room) 9:45 a.m. Sunday School (campus-wide) 11:00 a.m. Service (Sanctuary)
M O N T H LY E V E N T H I G H L I G H T S
Childr en & Youth C a lenda r
october
FIRST FRIDAY RSVP DEADLINE!
KEY CM: Children's Ministry (6 weeks-5th grade) SM: Student Ministries (6th12th grade) SHSG: Senior High Small Group (9th-12th grade)
5 PM | CM:
6:30 PM | CM: First
Carol Choir
Friday Fun!
Fine Arts @ FPC: UT Tyler Fall Concert
Tuesday, October 9 | 6 pm | Ainsworth Home | 618 Tremont | Tyler Join us as we welcome Veda Javaid Gill, Executive Director of Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan (PEB), and celebrate 20 years of service since the return of its historic schools from the government of Pakistan. Learn more at fpctyler. com/events/partywithapurpose.
Saturday, October 13 | 6 pm | Sanctuary FPC is home to the joint concerts of the UT Tyler Patriot Singers and Concert Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Cameron Rose. Visit fpctyler.com/events/uttconcertfall.
Fine Arts @ FPC: Music Dedication Sunday Sunday, October 21 | 11 am | Sanctuary Join us for Music Dedication Sunday during our 11 a.m. service in the Sanctuary. Visit fpctyler.com/events/musicdedication.
Fine Arts @ FPC: Scaling Everest — Rachmaninoff’s Third
6 PM | SHSG
Annual Congregational Meeting & Luncheon
Thursday, October 11 | 7 pm | Sanctuary FREE ADMISSION
COMMUNION SUNDAY 8:30 AM | Worship 9:15 AM | Kirk Ringers 9:45 AM | Sunday School 11 AM | Worship 11 AM | Children’s Church
Friends of PEB: Party with a Purpose
5 PM | CM:
Carol Choir 6 PM | SHSG
8:30 AM | Worship
5:30 PM | CM:
5 PM | CM:
9:15 AM | Kirk Ringers
Team Meeting
6 PM | SHSG
9:45 AM | Sunday School
Sunday, October 21 | 12 pm | Fellowship Hall The Session has called the Annual Meeting of the Congregation. Lunch and childcare will be provided. Your donations will be appreciated. Visit fpctyler.com/events/annualmeeting.
Widely regarded as a pianistic Mount Everest for its many daunting challenges, Sergei Rachmaninoff ’s Third Piano Concerto was written specifically for his first North American tour in 1909. Hailed as a artist of ‘magnificent pianism’ with an ‘engaging personality,’ British pianist Tom Hicks joins Weston Jennings for a rare performance of this work as re-imagined for piano and organ. Visit fpctyler.com/events/scalingeverest.
Reformation Sunday Sunday, October 28 | 8:30 & 11 am services | Chapel & Sanctuary All are welcome as we celebrate the Presbyterian Reformed heritage at both worship services. Read more at fpctyler.com/ events/reformationsunday.
Carol Choir
11 AM | Worship 11 AM | Children’s Church
MUSIC DEDICATION SUNDAY
5 PM | CM:
8:30 AM | Worship
Carol Choir
9:15 AM | Kirk Ringers
6 PM | SHSG
The 2019 Stewardship Committee invites you to our
9:45 AM | Sunday School 11 AM | Worship
SMALL GROUP MEETINGS FOR STEWARDSHIP
11 AM | Children’s Church
8:30 AM | Worship
6:30 PM | SM
9:15 AM | Kirk Ringers
Team Meeting
9:45 AM | Sunday School 11 AM | Worship 11 AM | Children’s Church
October 8th—30th
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 5 PM | CM: Carol Choir 6 PM | SHSG
at FPC—member volunteer homes Information on each family’s assigned home, date and time have been mailed. Join us in learning about the role of stewardship in worship and having your heart follow your treasure as we commit to sharing the Lord’s bounty through our Family of Faith in Action. 2019 Stewardship Committee
A special “thank you� to Azalea Academy For Exceptional Adults for assembling our weekly worship bulletin and to John Simpson and his crew for assembling our “Steeple Times� monthly newsletter. Steeple Times is a publication of First Presbyterian Church, 230 W. Rusk St., Tyler, TX 75701. Acting editor: Stuart Baskin. FPC reserves the right to edit and/or exclude all submissions. Submit content to Dana Durman by the 15th of the month prior to publication: ddurman@ fpctyler.com, fax (903) 597-6326, or mail. An archive of the Steeple Times can be found online at fpctyler.com/archive.
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Kathy Babin, kjcbabin@gmail.com
Bob Skorkowsky, grskorkowsky@financialguide.com
Charley Ainsworth, charley@pbatyler.com
Beth Shepperd, megabeth2001@yahoo.com
Fran Cooper, francooper@suddenlink.net
Karen Novy, kjnovy@suddenlink.net
Julie Philley, jphilley@gmail.com 3
THE MISSION STORE
Yo u r m i s s i o n H Q a t F P C • M a t c h y o u r t a l e n t w i t h o u r c o m m u n i t y ’ s n e e d s
Achieving Dreams Gala at FPC
Youth Group Meet & Greet
Throughout October, PATH is collecting winter coats for children and teens. Please bring coat donations to the PATH crates located in the foyer of Fellowship Hall and near the elevator in the main building. Donations may also be dropped off at one of the following locations: The Cleaning Company, Dry Clean Super Center, Hart’s Cleaners, Progress Cleaners, Regency Cleaners, Shannon’s Cleaners, or Edward Jones in Whitehouse. Monetary donations are also accepted. For more information, visit pathhelps.org.
Thursday, October 4 | 6 pm | Fellowship Hall Achieving Dreams, a non-profit day program committed to providing opportunities and support to adults with special needs, is having their annual Circle of Caring Gala at FPC. The evening will feature live music, dinner, a silent auction, and more. Tickets are $30. Contact Bettie Clancy (903-521-1383) if you would like to attend or make a contribution. Learn more at achievingdreams.org.
Sunday, October 7 | 12 pm | The Well Parents & Students...join us for Sunday School at 9:45 a.m., and for lunch (provided) to talk about how we want to do youth group together (see Greetings on right). Visit fpctyler.com/ events/youthgroup.
Sewing Bees—Sewing with a Mission
The Peace and Global Witness Offering is one of several special offerings designated by PC(USA) in which FPC-Tyler participates. This offering will be collected on World Communion Sunday, October 7. A portion of this special offering is designated for local use.
PATH (People Attempting To Help)
Wednesday, October 17 | 10 am | F 104 Join us for a planning and organizational meeting for fall activities. Connect with sewing buffs of all ages and levels of expertise while helping others in need. For more information, visit fpctyler.com/events/sewingbees. Group contact is Mollie Bobo (903-530-2772).
Knit Wits—Knitters Unite for Camp Ministry Monday, October 1 | 1:30 pm | The Hill Room Are you an experienced knitter or would you like to learn a new skill or enhance neglected skills? We have a place for you with the Knit Wits. Group contact is Pat Cryer (903561-5242).
SAVE THE DATE: Special Friends Annual Christmas Party Thursday, December 6 | 1 pm | Fellowship Hall Look for details about this event in the near future. For further information, contact Bettie Clancy (903-521-1383) or Florrie Wallace (903-780-0268).
Analysis of Revenues & Expenses August 2018 Summary MTD ACTUAL
YTD ACTUAL
YTD BUDGET
REVENUES
$62,370
$117,640
$128,412
EXPENSES
$92,602
$175,444
$185,060
($30,232)
($57,804)
($56,648)
NET TOTAL
Planned Giving
The Peace and Global Witness Offering
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA)— “Out of Chaos, HOPE” The 2017 hurricane season was unprecedented. FEMA reported 25.8 million people in the U.S. and its territories were affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Through your generosity, PDA has been able to budget $10,400,000 to disburse over a threeyear period to assist those impacted by these hurricanes. Long-term recovery can take many years, and PDA is committed to working until its resources are depleted or the work is done. As the 2018 hurricane season is upon us with the recent devastation of Hurricane Florence, please help to continue the long-term recovery mission of PDA. Go to pcusa.org/PDA for more information or mail checks with “DR000194” on the memo line to: Presbyterian Church (USA), P. O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264.
Greetings from Jenni Marshall:
It’s so good to be at FPC Tyler...finally! I’m very excited to be your new minister for youth and I’ve started meeting some of you at Senior High Small Group, Camp Gilmont, and Sunday School. We’ll get to know each other more as the weeks go by, but let’s meet officially as middle school and senior high youth on Sunday, October 7. We’ll talk about how we want to do youth group together—from youth traditions you love to new things you’d like to try, mission events to Bible studies to food and fun stuff! This meeting is for all youth, parents, caregivers, and youth ministry volunteers. Childcare will be provided. RSVP to fpctyler.com/events/youthgroup. Hope to see you there!
Sr. High Small Group Returns Wednesdays | 6 pm | Gabriel Residence Join us for small group for senior high school students. Dinner is provided. For 9—12 grade high school students. Visit fpctyler.com/events/shgroup.
- Jenni
Fine Arts @ FPC Series Resumes by Weston Jennings Director of Music and Organist Thanks to a wonderful performance by the Crimson Duo (Jaymee Haefner, harp and Matt Milewski, violin), our Fine Arts @ FPC season is off to a great start. I could not imagine two more friendly and informative performers and, as anyone present will remember, they were keen on mixing in both images of landscape photographer Luke Mislinski, words from the composers themselves, and their own feelings about the pieces.
The series continues in October with a daring program on Thursday, October 11 entitled Scaling Everest: Rachmaninoff ’s Third. At the heart of the program stands Rachmaninoff ’s formidable Third Piano Concerto, long known as one of the most challenging works in the standard classical piano repertoire. Film aficionados may also recognize this piece as the focus of the 1996 film Shine. This particular performance on our series will be a re-imagining of Rachmaninoff ’s concerto with our grand pipe organ, the largest in East Texas, standing in as the orchestra.
On Sunday, October 21, we will celebrate the music and musicians of the church at our annual Music Dedication Sunday. This is always a joyous occasion observing the many talents and musical gifts of those who regularly participate in the musical life of First Presbyterian Church. All musical ensembles of the church will have a part in this service and there will be many rousing hymns for all to sing. Plan to join us in honoring God through our music.
Stay in the Know Stay in the know about news and events by connecting with FPC online. Subscribe to the weekly e-newsletter, and you’ll receive stories, event reminders, and mission updates. You’ll even get a sneak peek into what Stuart has planned for Sunday’s pulpit. Follow the QR code above or find the e-newsletter signup link on the website at fpctyler.com.
Have you remembered the church and other charities in your will? If you need help, contact Nanci Pollard (903-5976317) to request information, or visit the Texas PresbyteriStay in touch with us on social media, too: an Foundation at tpf.org. Assistance is confidential and free /fpctyler @fpctyler of charge. 4
The Fine Arts @ FPC season officially kicked off with a performance by The Crimson Duo in September. Joining Weston Jennings, FPC’s Director of Music and Organist (right) are performers Matt Milewski (left) and Jaymee Haefner (center).
@fpctyler 5