Spring 2018 IRONWoman

SPRING ISSUE • 2018

Vol. 02 • Issue. 01

by Katy Clement

AT A GLANCE:

Welcome to this edition of IRONWoman!

We are thankful for the wonderful support and interest you have shown for each of the newsletters we have published. What an honor to read the encouraging words of the Godly women in our community!

While it has been a challenging few months navigating our “new normal” without a Women’s Director, it has been a blessing to see the many ways our Lord has equipped so many women to fill in the gaps. From the teachers of the Word, to the Prayer Warriors, to the ladies who work tirelessly behind the scenes making our events happen, we could not have made it without you. We have seen the body of Christ come together in a mighty way. Thank you for stepping up and using your gifts to help our women’s ministry thrive!

As we move into this spring season, we eagerly anticipate the celebration of the new life we have in our Savior. Let us rest in the eternal hope that is found only through Him. Praise be to Christ for the gift of our salvation and the blessing of being able to build one another up in our faith! We are excited to share with you the many ways that God is moving through our community and we hope that you are encouraged by the words so lovingly added to this

PREPARING OUR HEARTS FOR EASTER AN INTERVIEW WITH ANNA JOHNSON

PHILLIS WHEATLEY: PIONEERING POET A HISTORICAL PIECE BY SARAH WHITE

newsletter.

MINISTRIES: FREEDOM SCHOOL A LOOK INTO THE HEART OF THIS MINISTRY.

THE CALLING OF THE IMPOVERISHED SOUL DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS BY LEAH JAKES

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.

I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.”

Psalm 63:1-8

My life journey has sometimes taken me into seasons of a spiritual dryness… a tired, gray, all-used-up sort of self that is tucked inside of a rather well-functioning exterior. In my earlier years as a Christian, I would often feel confused about these seasons. I wondered what was wrong with me. I wondered if God was angry with me and was somehow hiding from me. I thought I should “try harder” in my spiritual disciplines. I was afraid when I could not “feel” God near or get excited about singing His praises.

Well, the more that I talked with other believers, I learned that many other people go through similar seasons. If you do too, I want to encourage you today.

Somewhere, many years ago, I read about three types of worship. (I believe it was something written by C.S. Lewis.) The first and most enjoyable form of worship takes place when we are focused upon all the splendors of God and find ourselves overflowing with joyous expression of our delight in Him. These are the “mountain-top” experiences, the spiritual “highs,” and the “victories.” Another type of worship takes place when we committedly follow through with the steps of our spiritual practices and spiritual disciplines, even when it all seems less than spectacular.

We go to church, confess sins, take sacraments, read the Bible, pray… and nothing much seems to happen. This type of worship is much like being home with your family on a rainy Saturday when all you do is a little laundry and dishes, and maybe play a board game.

It isn’t flashy or obviously life-altering. It doesn’t feel special at all but it is good, and it is good for you.

The last type of worship is my topic for today. It takes place when you don’t want to carry on with the usual spiritual practices, when you don’t feel close to God, and when you don’t feel much of

anything except a sort of dull sadness when you think of God. Perhaps you are thinking “That is worship?! That doesn’t sound worshipful at all!” Here is where I want to encourage you, friend. We can thank God in and for these moments because they confirm in us a longing for God, dulled and pitiful as it may be. Our sadness can point to our desire to know Him more fully and experience Him in deeper and more joyful ways. This tired, sluggish sort of wistfulness may just be a quiet confession of your soul thirsting for the River of Life. Perhaps it is our very recognition of our “dryness” that proclaims our need of a Savior and our belief in His worth.

So, take heart my friend. Do not feel the need to fake your enthusiasm for Jesus. The surgeon is not glorified by my taking his knife away and trying to “clean up” my insides. The chef is not honored when I rush into the kitchen, assuming that I can finish up his masterpiece and give him the night off.

No, the surgeon is honored when I allow him to mend me! The chef is honored when I receive the meal so carefully prepared. Similarly, God is not glorified when I try to force or fake a joy or a faith or a love that can come only from His Spirit. The most earnest thing you can do in this spiritual wilderness is to surrender yourself to His knowing gaze and His goodness of character. He has promised to never leave you or forsake you. Let Him see your weary soul, show Him your worn-out, dulled spirit and senses. Let the Savior hold you like a mother who gently carries the helpless child to bed once she has fallen asleep at the dinner table, too tired to enjoy the meal. The God who humbled Himself, even unto death on a cross, will carry you and care for you – even when you are too tired to feel Him there.

AN INTERVIEW WITH JENNA KATY CLEMENT RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH JENNA TO TALK ABOUT HER FAMILY’S MINISTRY, THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE AND WAYS WE CAN SUPPORT THEM.

Briefly describe your family and a bit about what you have done the past few years.

My family moved to South Asia two years ago and my husband and I have been learning the language (Hindi) and adjusting to life in a new culture.

What are a few of the challenges you faced during your ministry? How were you blessed during those years?

One of the greatest challenges we faced was trying to understand and appreciate the differences in a different culture instead of being quick to judge the differences and view them as wrong instead of simply different. From the way people educate and parent to the way people cook, clean, and drive the differences are unending. The Lord, in his grace, has been kind to show us our sin. Our cultural norms are not the law, nor are they the gospel. We have learned (and continue to learn) to find wisdom from the Bible and leaning into the Lord for help instead of relying on our cultural norms. This has been humbling and the Lord has been

gracious in dealing with our hearts and encouraging us.

What has it been like being back in St. Louis in regard to the cultural differences?

We love being back home! I feel like I’m not constantly making mistakes and standing out. I know how to drive and what to expect when I enter grocery stores, homes, and churches. I do however miss the hospitality culture in S. Asia that brings warmth and welcome to anyone’s heart.

How can we support you and your ministry?

Prayer! It’s so easy to give that simple answer, but the thing is, we desperately need it and we know intentional and ongoing prayer is hard! Pray for the believers to grow in maturity in Christ and for church growth in S. Asia.

Also for our monthly financial support from individuals... we need 10% more. If you want to be added to our monthly newsletter, email us and we will add you to our list. Our email is bradyandjenna@swissmail.org

NIGHT TO SHINE RECENTLY, LAURA FRENCH WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE (ALONGSIDE MANY OTHERS IN OUR CONGREGATION) IN NIGHT TO SHINE 2018, SPONSORED BY THE TIM TEBOW FOUNDATION. THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT, WHICH NOW OCCURS ANNUALLY AT THE KIRK, IS A PROM NIGHT EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. READ A REFLECTION FROM LAURA BELOW. I have had the wonderful opportunity of participating in Night to Shine for the past three years. If you are unfamiliar with Night to Shine, it is a night in which over 500 churches nationwide, including our very own Kirk of the Hills, join with other churches around the world (so far in 16 different countries!) to host an incredible prom night experience for people with special needs. Not only is it a night for our honored guests to shine, but it is also a night for God’s love to shine in so many beautiful ways.

Each year, each of our guests is paired with a buddy. What has made my experience so special is that I’ve had the great pleasure of being paired with the same buddy each year.

I’ve learned a lot of new dance moves thanks to her and each year I wonder who had more fun!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to volunteer with Night to Shine, I highly recommend it. You may have to ice your feet from all the dancing or lose your voice from all the karaoke, but to see God’s goodness shining through each smiling face is totally worth it. This year, we had over over 200 volunteers who helped to make Night to Shine an amazing night to remember. God is so good!

We hope you will join us next year as we continue to share God’s love with our city in this unique way.

THE FREEDOM SCHOOL FOUNDED IN 1997 BY NEW CITY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH; THE SCHOOL BELONGS TO THE NETWORK OF MINISTRIES COLLECTIVELY CALLED RESTORE SAINT LOUIS. WHAT DOES THE DAY TO DAY OF THIS MINISTRY LOOK LIKE? READ MORE FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL ANGIE YARBROUGH BELOW.

The Freedom School is a ministry of New City Fellowship

through practical deeds of justice and mercy to those in

and Restore St. Louis. Some of you may know they hired

their school, community and the world.

a new management team three years ago, which includes

But what does that look like day to day? When Chris and

former Kirk member Chris Rensink as Assistant Head of

Head of School, Angie Yarbrough, came together three

School. The Freedom School vision and mission reads

years ago, they agreed that Reconciliation with God

as follows:

first, with themselves and their God-given

uniqueness

next,

School

and finally reconciliation with

welcomes students from all

others, had to be at the heart

walks of life and frees their

of everything they do at The

minds, hearts and hands from

Freedom School. True justice in

the bonds of sin to serve one

the lives of the Freedom School

another and the oppressed

children means making sure

around

children coming to the school

The

Freedom

the

Freedom

world.

School

The

reading

provides

three

grade

levels

a safe, nurturing learning

behind are just as well served

community where students

as children who may be gifted.

of different beliefs, races,

It means teachers are hired for

ethnicities

economic

their heart and trained for their

circumstances are reconciled

calling. It means that meeting

to God and one another by

the needs of a child’s family are

experiencing forgiveness by

just as important as meeting

and

grace through faith in Jesus Christ. They are equipped by

theirs.

a knowledgeable and caring staff, using research-based

Angie and Chris are together creating a curriculum in

curricula, to reach their unique potential as restored

which children of every ethnicity can see themselves and

image-bearers and servant leaders of God who steward

learn to ‘…act justly, love mercy and walk humbly before

His creation and proclaim His kingdom of righteousness

God…’ (Micah 6:8). During Black History Month, this has

In order to make this education accessible without regard for ability to pay, the Freedom School is 90% supported by donors. Furthermore, volunteer tutors, aides, readers… even a librarian keep all the gears moving day to day. There are many opportunities to get involved. This is a place where great things are happening every day, and we’d love for you to be a part of it!

meant teaching the children to see how many people around us are marginalized…pushed to the side, by those in power. Freedom School kids are being taught to see past race, class, gender, disability and mental health to hear the stories of people who may be overlooked.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: PCA WOMAN’S CONFERENCE

They are learning a lot about the mistakes of the past that have brought us to this moment in our nation’s history, but they are learning more about God’s love that has the power to tear down the walls of division that separate us and building new foundations on the Word of His truth.

James (not his real name) started at the Freedom School in Preschool. It quickly became clear to everyone that there was something going on mentally and emotionally.

He was not progressing academically like the other children and had frequent outbursts which kept him from making friends. The ages 4-6 are tricky ones for educators. No two children are alike. James’ behavior caused his teaches to believe he might be Autistic. But it was really too early to tell. A Freedom School parent worked with children on the autism spectrum and agreed to come in and give him special help in the Kindergarten classroom. For a year everyone in the school community

WITH SPEAKER COURTNEY DOCTOR

received updates on what worked and what didn’t work.

This child was a puzzle. He didn’t fit any category. But

It does not take much to divide us as women. Age,

he did grow. His Freedom School teachers and friends

opinions, race, preferences, comfort, conflict or any

met James where he was and applied whatever methods

indwelling sin can find us quickly separated from God

helped him to grow. Today James is reading on grade

and one another. And yet fundamentally we are more

level and has plenty of friends. His parents haven’t

alike than different. Last words can be both precious

been called to school in months. The current diagnosis

and profound. Jesus uttered some of His last words to

is ‘language processing disorder’, but it almost doesn’t

us on His way to the cross in His high priestly prayer,

even matter. James is getting what he needs. And The

“that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in

Freedom School has helped a little boy begin a lifetime

me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that

journey of self knowledge and growth that will help him

the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John

fulfill his potential as an image bearer of God.

17:21ESV).

You see, our unity with Him and one

another is not only imperative to Christ, it is ultimately a matter of life or death…will our unity compel the

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF THIS AMAZING MINISTRY, CONTACT CHRIS RENSINK AT CRENSINK@TFSSTL.ORG, MICHELLE HOWARD AT MDH006@GMAILCOM, OR CONTACT THE SCHOOL AT TFSSTL.ORG OR (314) 432-7396.

world to believe in Him? Our oneness will either validate or negate the claims of the gospel. We pray you will join us at a ONE conference in 2018 where we will challenge women to think biblically rather than emotively about oneness from the truths found in John 17.

REGISTER TODAY! OCTOBER 19-20 2018

https://pcacdm.org/one-conferences-stlouis/

HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES THAT ANNA SHARED WITH US TO ENCOURAGE YOU IN THIS JOURNEY WITH YOUR FAMILIES. (SHE DID NOT SHARE HER ABSOLUTE FAVORITE WITH US, HOWEVER, AS SHE IS SAVING IT TO READ AT THIS YEAR’S EGGS-ALT HIM EASTER EGG HUNT.)

Why Easter?

The Very First Easter

by Barbara Reoch by Paul L Maier

God Gave us Easter by Lisa Town Bergren

The Donkey Who Carried a King

by R.C Sproul

Benjamin’s Box

by Melody Carson

The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis

JOIN US!!

MARCH 31ST AT 9:30AM EGGS-ALT HIM EASTER EGG HUNT

PREPARING OUR HEARTS FOR EASTER KAMI BELMONT RECENTLY TOUCHED BASE WITH KIRK CHILDREN’S MINISTRY DIRECTOR, ANNA JOHNSON, ABOUT FINDING WAYS TO PREPARE OUR HEARTS AS FAMILIES FOR THE COMING CELEBRATION OF EASTER. What are some ways that you and your family prepare your hearts for Easter?

There are a few things we’ve done in our family to prepare for Easter.

We read lots of books — books that are exclusively the Easter story as well as the Easter story found in children’s Bibles. The Jesus Storybook Bible

by Sally Lloyd-Jones and The Big Picture Bible

by David Helm are our current favorites. We’ve used Resurrection Eggs to anticipate Easter morning. (This is a set of plastic eggs — usually somewhere between 6-12 — with a different object inside each egg. The eggs are numbered and there’s a devotional that goes with each day, telling the Easter story and ending with the resurrection on Easter morning. You can buy them on Amazon, find directions to make you own on Pinterest, or get your own set at Kirk’s Eggs-Alt Him Easter egg hunt.) We also have used a visual countdown, usually a paper chain, as a tactile reminder — and anticipation builder — of Easter!

Keeping it simple is also one thing we’ve tried to do — with varying degrees of success. It’s so easy to compare your traditions

with those of other families — or worse, with Pinterest — and feel like what you’re doing isn’t good enough or big enough.

It’s ok to be simple, and it’s ok to go big! The most important thing is to be intentional about whatever you choose to do. God uses simple and not-sosimple to accomplish His good purposes for you and your families!

Why do you see this as an important task to pursue in our homes and with our families?

Our desire in Children’s Ministry is to come alongside families as they disciple their children, to encourage, support, and help equip parents in this sometimes — no, often!

— overwhelming job.

Discipling little people and not-so-little people is hard work! It really does take a village — but it begins in the home. And while the way families disciple their children varies widely, the hope is the same — that our children would not only know the whole story of redemption that began with creation and will last for all eternity, but that they would also see the important, unique role they have in this amazing story. That they would come to a saving

knowledge of Jesus, and that everything they have learned in the home would be confirmed and reinforced in the church.

How does this intersect with what is going on in Children’s Worship and Sunday School during this season of Lent before Easter?

Ideally, it’s a seamless intersection between home and church. We intentionally plan our curriculum so that we are reinforcing what children are learning at home.

Children may hear the Easter story many times over each year — and that’s a good thing! I’m confident that each telling will offer a new or deeper understanding of Easter.

Even as adults, we’ll never reach a point where we say, “Ok, I completely understand very God of very God choosing to become a tiny human who will grow up to die a horrific death so that I can be with him for eternity.”

But with each telling we’re hopefully reinforcing the truth so that our precious little ones will grow up with such a firm foundation that they will never know a day when they did not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

PHILLIS WHEATLEY: CHRIST-HONORING AND PIONEERING POET A HISTORICAL STUDY BY SARAH WHITE While we know her as Phillis Wheatley, the first AfricanAmerican published poet remains a mystery to us in many ways. This is because she was kidnapped from her birth family and sold into slavery while still a small child. All we know of her origins is that she was born somewhere in West Africa around the year 1753, then transported to America, where she was purchased by a wealthy Boston couple, John and Susanna Wheatley. They intended for the little girl—around seven at the time—to work as a servant and companion to Mrs. Wheatley.

The Wheatley family named her after the Phillis, the ship on which she had made the Atlantic passage to America. Noticing how rapidly Phillis learned English, the family tutored her in reading and writing. She also attended Old South Meeting House, a Congregational church, alongside the family and showed an interest in Scripture and theology from a young age. Before Phillis was a teenager, she was avidly studying not only the Bible, but ancient Greek and Latin classics and English literature as well. She began experimenting with poetry and published her first poem in a newspaper at age 12. The Wheatleys encouraged Phillis and had a strikingly progressive attitude about education for their time; however, the fact remains that Phillis was enslaved by them until after she reached adulthood.

When the famous evangelist George Whitefield died in 1770, teenaged Phillis published an elegy for him. She had likely heard him preach in Boston just the week before.

Reflecting on Whitefield’s ministry, she wrote: “Take [Christ], my dear Americans, he said, Be your complaints on his kind bosom laid: Take him, ye Africans, he longs for you, Impartial Savior is his title due: Wash’d in the fountain of redeeming blood, You shall be sons, and kings, and priests to God.” The elegy’s popularity was the catalyst for Phillis’ first and only published book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. The volume was published in London, where

Phillis gained a number of wealthy patrons and traveled at the age of 20 to help promote her work. Her poems likely reached John Newton, former slave-trader and beloved pastor and hymnist, so it is entirely possible that they influenced Newton’s forceful abolitionism.

Among her writings, there is also a fascinating letter Phillis sent to the Rev. Samson Occom, a Presbyterian missionary and member of the Mohegan tribe. They apparently carried on a correspondence on the subject of slavery. Phillis comments, “…[I]n every human breast, God has implanted a principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of oppression, and pants for deliverance.” She adds, “God grant deliverance in his own way and time, and get [himself] honor upon all those whose avarice impels them to countenance and help forward the calamities of their fellow creatures. This I desire not for their hurt, but to convince them of the strange absurdity of their conduct whose words and actions are so diametrically opposite.”

Phillis was emancipated after the publication of her book. However, her later years were marked by hardship and grief. She sought to publish another book, but the colonies were embroiled in Revolution by this time, which made it difficult to find willing patrons. She married John Peters, a free African-American who worked as a grocer, in her mid-20s. They had three children together, but none of their babies survived infancy. The couple struggled with constant poverty, and John was jailed in debtors’ prison for a time. Phillis worked as a maid to help improve their lot, but the unaccustomed labor and poor conditions took a toll on her already fragile health.

Phillis died at the age of just 31.

From the trauma of enslavement to repeated loss of loved ones and material suffering, Phillis’ story is a tragic one. Yet her poems show her unflagging belief in God’s providence within and beyond sinful circumstances. While acknowledging the sorrows of her early life, she praises divine mercy for allowing her to learn “That there’s a God, that there’s a Savior too; once, I redemption neither sought nor knew.” Thanks to that same mercy, she remains an eloquent witness for Christ centuries after she first wrote.

SARAH PATTERSON WHITE GREW UP OUTSIDE OF PITTSBURGH, PA. SHE AND HER HUSBAND, KEVIN,NOW LIVE IN SAINT LOUIS AND ARE MEMBERS AT THE KIRK. SHE HAS EARNED A B.A IN ENGLISH AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES FROM HOLLINS UNIVERSITY, AS WELL AS AN MDiv FROM YALE DIVINITY SCHOOL.

THE KIRK FOUNDATION DO YOU HAVE A NEW IDEA FOR A MINISTRY? THE KIRK FOUNDATION EXISTS TO RECEIVE, REVIEW, AND RELEASE INITIATIVES BY KIRK MEMBERS WHO HAVE THE DESIRE TO LEAD FOCUSED EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY. In January Rev. Ben Porter introduced the Kirk Foundation, a mechanism for members of Kirk of the Hills to explore ways to utilize our spiritual gifts and engage with our community.

As God has blessed us each with unique gifts and moved in our hearts to minister in unique ways to our community, the Kirk Foundation seeks to support and foster those callings. Each of us have a local mission field: the community we work, live and play in. Our daily lives provide a great many opportunities to share God’s love with those we interact with. I encourage you to humbly look into your life for the spaces that God is creating for you to actively engage and share His love.

When we quiet our own desires and humbly ask God to speak He is always faithful to provide us with His vision. And then, the Kirk Foundation can help you move to the next step. The Kirk Foundation Board is ready to hear your ideas, help you identify practical considerations and brainstorm for the next steps, even helping to connect others who have a similar passion or a complementary skill. As we approach Easter praying for our city, seek to remember the many ways God shows His ultimate love for us in our daily lives, ask for God’s vision for you and your community and an awareness of the opportunities to engage.

By Michelle Howard

BOARD MEMBERS TAYLOR CLEMENT JOHN FASICK DAVID KLOTZ—EX OFFICIO BEN PORTER—EX OFFICIO JENNIFER SPOHR MIKE STANFILL CONTACT INFORMATION JSPOHR@THEKIRK.ORG

FAQs Do I have to be a Kirk member to apply?

Yes. The leader of the ministry group needs to be a Kirk member; however, the team can be made up of people from the community.

What if my idea doesn’t require funding?

Should I still apply?

Please do. The Foundation Board would love to support you through prayer, encouragement, ideas, etc. This is also a great way to get your ministry before other Kirk members at the Labor Day Local Ministry Fair.

I’m not too sure about my idea. Can I get help thinking it through?

Absolutely. The Board is here to help you think through your idea and how best to move forward. Contact Jennifer Spohr with your thoughts and questions.

If approved, will I get the funds in one lump sum in advance?

Probably not. When distributing the approved funds, the Kirk must follow proper procedure, which calls for documentation.

Will the Foundation fund 100% of my project?

The Foundation will evaluate each ministry idea on a case-by-case basis. However, the Kirk Benevolence budget will be available for project support.