On This Rock - Foundations of Our Faith Annual Campaign

ON THIS ROCK PALMS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOUNDATIONS

OF

FAITH

60TH DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise one who built their house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.�

- Matthew 7:24-25 2017

BY REV. DR. TOM WALKER

Concluding the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls the disciples back to the foundation, to building their lives on the foundations of His word. The life described in the gospels, a life that shares in the abundance of God’s kingdom and shares that kingdom with the world, is a solid rock upon which we stand, even and perhaps especially in face of the difficulties of life. Building the house of our lives on the rock of Christ, the love of God and the sharing of that love with the world is the foundation of our life as a community of disciples.

Sixty years as a community of disciples known as Palms Presbyterian Church is the focus of our celebration. By most accounts, a 60th anniversary is a diamond anniversary, which is fascinating but the Bible doesn't talk much about diamonds. Yet, we often call a diamond, “a rock”, and the scriptures talk a great deal about rocks. We are those who are standing on the rock of 60 years of faithful witness to Christ, a solid foundation that drives us to continue the glorious work of Palms – worshiping God through nurturing in love, connecting in community and serving in the world. Building our lives on the rock of Jesus is our calling. All we do at Palms flows from this foundation formed and engaged by our shared worship, connection, nurturing and service.

The foundation of Palms exists for the sole purpose of making a difference in the world for Jesus Christ. This enables us to move outward in joining God’s mission of restoration for all creation through Jesus Christ. This foundation enables us to work toward our vision of being “bridge builders in a divided world, ambassadors of compassion and reconciliation and servant leaders for God’s changing world.” For nearly 60 years, God has called Palms faithfully to be a presence in the Beaches and surrounding communities, and in the world. As we embark upon our 61st year, your faithful support will enable us to continue to build upon God's foundation as we seek to serve Christ and share His love.

"WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD,AND SERVE ONLY HIM."- MATTHEW 4:10

WORSHIP

Worship is our way of life. All that we do is to be offered to God as worship, an offering of praise and thanksgiving. Gathering for worship at Palms, we find our lives energized, our focus lifted and our hopes stoked for God’s kingdom. Twenty-nine cents of every dollar given to Palms supports our worship through our Sunday morning services, our special Christmas and Easter services, and our weekly Shalom Sabbath service of healing and wholeness. These funds support our incredible music program under the direction of Dr. Ronn Cummings, as well as providing for wonderful worship leadership including our Palms’ staff.

Gathering together, we bring the stories of our lives and have them loved, embraced and re-narrated in God’s great story for creation.

Our worship life is central to enabling us to make a difference in God’s world, as it is sustenance and energy for our faith journeys.

“…SO WE, WHO ARE MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY WE ARE MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER.” - ROMANS 12:5

CONNECT

NURTURE

One of the 'foundational' ways we worship God is “to connect in community”. God’s call has always been towards community, whether it be the children of Israel or the Body of Christ. Our rather new Connection Ministry at Palms is now under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Holly Inglis who has become our Associate Pastor for Community and Connection. With Holly, the Connection Ministry works to bridge us together as a family of faith, welcome new disciples to Palms and further connect Palms with our local community. New visions are being developed for how we can strengthen the ties that bind us together through fellowship and welcome, while also seeking to meet our neighbors where they are with the Good News of the Gospel. Sixteen cents of every dollar given to Palms will go to support the work of the Connection Ministry.

In order to join God at work at Palms and throughout the world, we intentionally nurture ourselves in and through the love of God. Growing in our faith for us as individuals means deepening our walk with God. This means that as a congregation we are called to nurture Palms’ disciples through opportunities for spiritual growth for all ages.

“BUT SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, WE MUST GROW UP IN EVERY WAY INTO HIM WHO IS THE HEAD, INTO CHRIST…” - EPHESIANS 4:15

Our Nurture Ministry provides opportunities as varied as mission trips, to Vacation Bible School to meditation spaces for every person who comes to Palms. All of these opportunities are to deepen and strengthen our relationship with God. Twenty-one cents of every dollar given to Palms goes to support our Nurture ministries that enrich and enhance our spiritual journeys.

Transformed and growing into Christ, we are intentionally prepared to be bridge builders, ambassadors and servant leaders in God’s world.

“LIKE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE MANIFOLD GRACE OF GOD, SERVE ONE ANOTHER WITH WHATEVER GIFT EACH OF YOU HAS RECEIVED.”- 1 PETER 4:10

SERVE

Disciples of God connected in community and nurtured in love serve God’s work in the world.

All of Palms' ministries are interconnected, woven together and all lead us to make a difference in the lives of those in and around Palms and throughout the world.

Our Serve Ministry enables us to live out our faith directly through the work of justice, compassion, and service. Serve ministries both care for our home bound disciples and also build homes for those in need through our support of Habitat for Humanity. This ministry also provides meals for disciples who need them and also feeds hungry children at local schools.

We ensure that disciples care for the Palms' community, and work with our community partners to enhance access for our neighbors to basic human needs. Our Haiti partnerships work to provide access to clean water, education and health care for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Thirty-four cents of every dollar given to Palms supports our living out Christ’s call in our lives to be servants to one another.

10,148 individually packaged snacks were donated, sorted and delivered to children at the Beaches during this year's Healthy Snack Drive.

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH

"THEREFORE, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US ALSO LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT AND THE SIN THAT CLINGS SO CLOSELY, AND LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, LOOKING TO JESUS THE PIONEER AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH…" - HEBREWS 12:1-2 We, the disciples of Palms, are the ones now running the race. The foundation has been laid for the past 60 years, that is the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us, and we are the ones called to continue to run the race as we move into Palms’ next 60 + years. God has made a difference through the gifts of faithful Palms disciples over the past 60 years, and our gifts join God as we move into the future.

WORSHIP. CONNECT. NURTURE. SERVE.

Grounded in God, standing on the firm foundation of Jesus, empowered by the Spirit, we are invited to share our resources and give them to the ongoing work of God through Palms Presbyterian Church. Let us run the race together as called disciples in Christ. Together we shall continue to build bridges, share compassion and grow servant leaders as we worship, connect, nurture and serve.

ON THIS ROCK

"As a commissioned Stephen Minister at Palms, this means that I have been granted the gift of serving people who need a listening kindred spirit to walk with them through the rough patches of their journey. It is a sacred gift. (it) has made and will make my relationship with God one hundred percent more real, more present and more awesome."

"Rev. Jack Swan graciously greeted me on my arrival at Palms. Since that day I have made friends and been moved by the wonderful music, good preaching and fantastic architecture. I am grateful for the loving concern given with each of my surgeries and the many projects and programs we have pursued. But, that which keeps me on my straight and narrow pathway is Sack Lunch Theology! I feel blessed."

– Sally Nielsen, Disciple & Stephen Minister - Betty Engle, Disciple

ON THIS ROCK

MARY ALEXANDER, DISCIPLE "I moved to the beach from a small town in Illinois, in 2002 due to a job change. I had no friends or family in the area, and felt quite alone. I was invited to attend Palms by my neighbor, Bob Vial. The moment I entered the sanctuary, I felt a sense of home. Since I’ve been coming to Palms, my faith has been strengthened, my hope has been restored and I’ve found a wonderful caring extended family. I’ve become more involved in the life of the church and am thankful to have found such an amazing group of people to join as the body of Christ, making a difference in our world."

MEREDITH TOUSEY MATTHEWS, CHILD OF PALMS, DISCIPLE & PRESCHOOL PARENT "Palms Presbyterian Church comprises a large part of the "village" that is raising our daughter along with us. It is a space where all three of us feel God's presence more intimately and overtly through its peaceful, beautiful physical spaces and its warm, genuine, loving people. Palms is our "yes" place. As much as possible, we say "yes" and accept God's grace and call. LeIghton is learning all the meanings of love at Palms and so are we!"

•30 YEARS• OVER 4,500 CHILDREN

ASHLEY TONKINSON, PALMS PRESCHOOL PARENT

"When you walk into the door at Palms Preschool, you immediately feel the love flowing throughout the building. Every teacher and staff member is there because they have a genuine passion for teaching children how to learn and thrive with others. Palms has helped our children become kids who share generously, laugh often and show empathy to others. As a working parent, my kids are often there shortly after the school opens and I pick them up shortly before the school closes every day, My kids are playing, engaged and happy. They love going to school. I've never felt judged for working the hours I do, instead, I always feel that our Palms family is there to support, encourage and comfort us throughout the weeks.

They seem to truly understand the challenges that working parents encounter each day, and they go above and beyond to partner with us in making the weeks go by smoothly. When my kids were two and three, I remember the many times a teacher would walk out with me to the car since my hands were so full with the little ones and help me buckle the kids in their seat belts. It was a simple act of kindness, though as a new mom trying to figure everything out with two toddlers, it made me feel so cared for and loved. Now that my kids are older, they think of all their friends and teachers at Palms as family, and so do I. I am forever grateful for the positive impact each person at Palms and the church has made on our family's life."

•76 YOUTH• OVER 9,000 HOURS OF MISSION WORK IN 2016 "I love youth group because it's like a second family. When we're all together, we have some "traditions." We always play scatter ball and knockout together and it's so much fun. The same people usually win the game every time, but it's always fun to play. Also, we all get to talk about what's happening with everyone while we eat and everyone cares about each other’s stories. If someone has a problem, other people try to help. All of these things make youth group feel like a second family. "

"This past summer I went to Project Homecoming. It was not what I expected at all!

I went on the CROSS mission trip when I was in middle school, but Project Homecoming was great for one reason: our group. We had so much fun serving together and experiencing a different culture in New Orleans. One highlight was when we walked around the Garden District and ate beignets. I will never forget how our Palms family came together in such a great way!"

- Erin Luytjes, Palms Youth

- Olivia Rouse, Palms Youth

THE JOURNEY

BY ELAINE MANN, DISCIPLE Scripture tells us we should help those in need.

I understand this. For many years I have attended church every Sunday and faithfully have given my financial pledge. And I do believe that during my career in public service I did help those in need and tried to live a Christ-like life, but it was not until my first mission trip with other Palms disciples to Haiti that I understood the importance of serving our brothers and sisters in the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere. When asked to return, I did not hesitate as the experience had changed my life and I was most eager to go back. I have been asked why go to another country when there is such great need in our own country. Even the poorest in America have a much higher standard of living than millions do in Haiti. There I saw poverty beyond comprehension and there I looked into the faces of those who have so little, yet they prayed for me. Yes, they prayed for me!

The Haitians have helped me understand gratitude and what it means to be a faithful follower of Christ.

Likewise, while serving on the Access Committee at Palms, I have gained a much better understanding of the struggles that people in my own community face every day. Working at the BEAM food pantry, alongside other Palms disciples, I have also looked into the faces there of those who strive every day to meet needs to which we give little thought. I have met Ken who lost his wife to alcoholism and his only two children, sons, to suicide. He has no car and depends upon friends for transportation. He tells me that he wonders what his purpose in life is. A few days later, he sees me in a public place and hugs me like a long-lost friend.

And then there is the woman at the bus stop where my husband and I waited for a bus to go downtown and experience firsthand how to get a senior pass so we would have a better understanding of the process. The woman I met at the stop lives on the north side of town off Moncrief Road. She works as a custodian at Finnegan Elementary and gets off work after 8 pm. Since buses stopped serving that area after 8 pm, she must walk to Atlantic Boulevard late at night—a four-mile walk. She then takes a bus to the downtown hub where she catches another bus to the Northside and from there walks home.

She expressed no anger, no feeling of unfairness. She smiled and laughed as she talked to me. I am in awe of her strength and determination and am reminded once again of the abundance I enjoy and how Christ would have me share that abundance.

Whether we are answering Christ’s call to serve one another in Haiti or in our own community, we are called to serve one another. Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” I have experienced that feeling of enrichment and being watered from being Einvolved L A I N E in MA N N , D Iand S C I service P L E at Palms outreach Presbyterian Church and am thankful to my fellow disciples for sharing this journey with me.

"IT'S OUR PLACE. IT'S WHERE WE GO. WE GO TO BE WITH FRIENDS AND MEET NEW FRIENDS. IT'S PART OF OUR FABRIC." - MELODY KIEHL, DISCIPLE

The stories on these pages represent only a small fraction of the story of Palms Presbyterian Church, and the many ways our community of faith continues to make a significant impact in our local communities and the world.

The act of giving joyfully deepens our faith and relationship with God. Every gift, of any amount, has a significant impact on the work Palms is doing in God's world. Most importantly, your gift is the starting point for transforming lives through the love of Jesus Christ.

"FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO." - MATTHEW 6:21 We are passionate about God's love and grace, and sharing that love and grace with the world.

We ask you to prayerfully consider where your treasures are, and in doing so, join your treasures to Palms through a pledge that enables Palms Presbyterian Church to continue to make a difference for Christ in our lives, the lives in the communities we serve and the world.

WAYS TO GIVE Please make a pledge to the work of your church. And then, if you are not already, become actively involved in Palms through service - giving of your time and talents.

Doing so is life changing for those who serve as well as those who are touched by these acts. Palms Presbyterian Church is blessed with many ministries in which to make a difference.

We urge you to find outlets and connections for service which engage your love of God and your passion for life.

• Pledge or give online at palmschurch.org • Use monthly offering envelope mailed to your home per request • Text to Give by texting PALMSGIVE to 904.204.2292 and follow instructions • Contact the church finance office at 904.246.6427 x 227 to set up the following giving options: • Automatic draft payment • Stock, IRA or other financial instrument transfer

PALMS PRESBYTERIAN OASIS SOCIETY A LEGACY VISION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Sixty years ago, the founders of Palms Presbyterian Church had the vision and determination to create a community where a family could worship God together and then bring the love of God in Christ to the beaches community. Because of their foresight, faith, and hard work, this piece of Third Street became holy ground upon which God would be worshiped.

Palms' first disciples laid the foundation from which works of love would proceed into the world. As the church grew and God’s mission through Palms prospered, those who followed cast a new vision that would let the wonderful work begun here by God lead into the future for our children and grandchildren, and all future generations.

This future vision is being built upon the foundation by our Palms Presbyterian Church Oasis Society.

The Palms Presbyterian Oasis Society is an act of love. It is a group of dedicated, faithful, and generous disciples whose hearts' desire is that this beautiful church continue forever with compassion and love for those to whom it ministers. In order to ensure their vision becomes a reality, each member of the Oasis Society has made provisions to the church such that the material blessings they have enjoyed, stewarded, and shared in this life may continue to bear God’s mission of love, even after they have joined the church eternal.

The disciples of the Palms Presbyterian Church Oasis Society encourage you to join us by remembering Palms Presbyterian Church in your estate planning. We welcome the opportunity to assist you and your advisors as you make plans regarding these important decisions. The financial office of Palms stands ready to assist you with information about how you can become a member of the Palms Presbyterian Church Oasis Society by means of a will, bequest, trust, IRA, gift annuity, stock/securities gift, real estate gift, life insurance gift, or other kinds of financial/estate planning instruments.

Every legacy gift, regardless of dollar amount, is a true blessing and will help ensure that this church will be here worshiping, connecting in community, nurturing in love and serving in the world.

For more information on the Palms Presbyterian Church Oasis Society, please contact Kendra Scaz, Director of Finance and Operations at kendra.scaz@palmschurch.org or 904.246.6427 x 227. Please consult a financial advisor, accountant, or lawyer regarding the current tax advantages which are readily available and are likely to apply to your gift.

Worship 29%

Serve 34%

DID YOU KNOW? The Cold Weather Shelter served more than 100 homeless brothers and sisters.

Connection 16%

Nurture 21%

75 Preschool Summer Campers joined Palms in 2016.

6 NEW Stephen Ministers joined Palms.

The Kids Kitchen program at Palms provided 1,170 bags of weekend food to Beaches children in food-deprived households. Each bag costs $17.

FISCAL YEAR 2016 - 2017

Palms Presbyterian was recognized for 20 years of partnership with Mission House and as a Super-Hero partner for Dial-a-Ride.

PLEDGES PER GIVING HOUSEHOLD

PLEASE CONSIDER INCREASING YOUR PLEDGE. BY DOING SO, PALMS WILL BE ABLE TO REACH OTHERS IN FAITH AND EXTEND OUR MISSION.

BY THE GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE CALLED TO WORSHIP GOD: TO CONNECT IN COMMUNITY, TO NURTURE IN LOVE AND TO SERVE IN THE WORLD.

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A NEW FOUND COMMITMENT TOÂ MY FAITH

BY KAREN BURDETTE, DISCIPLE I have spent most of my adult life ferociously building my career and business. As a business owner, wife, mother, and daughter of aging parents I felt I had little time for church or my faith. Going to church was an obligation. I was swimming on the surface of life and felt disconnected from God and what it meant to be a Christian. I had no idea of the power of one’s faith.

A few short years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was life changing in many ways. I am in remission now and doing well. But the impact on my life has been nothing short of miraculous. Through Palms, Pastor Tom Walker, and the many wonderful disciples of the church I for the first time in my life felt the power of prayer. I felt the collective power of prayer from the many people (some who did not even know me) praying for my recovery. And I found a natural and innate ability to reach out to God myself. Palms taught me Faith Not Fear.

Today I am a better version of myself spiritually, physically and mentally. Praise God.