esther 4
may 12
Nurturing
Life
Her royal majesty mothers are the water that make communities grow
Special Easter Offering
On miraculous occasions, Death Valley blooms. With the right combination of rain, sunlight and warmth, the barren landscape of one of the driest places on the planet springs to life. Bursts of colorful flowers transform roads and byways through the desert, as if seeded for show to those driving by. New life can grow in the driest of places. But seedlings are fragile. They need to be carefully planted and nurtured in order to grow. The act of cultivating such life is what we as the body of Christ do when we invest in people and communities around the world. This takes time and a sustained relationship. When we do the work of ministry in places such as Malawi, Costa Rica , India, and around the world, we act as God’s gardeners, putting a trowel to the world with the light and peace of Jesus. This month we celebrate our ongoing work and call each other to even greater works of growing new life. Sprout. Planting the seeds of2 God’s kingdom.
P eac htr e e P r e s by te r ian C h u r c h
welcom e to Pe achtree Presby terian Church Where everyone is welcome, nobody is perfect, and anything is possible.
HAPPY MOTHER”S DAY This morning in worship, we celebrate families and especially God’s gift of mothers. During our prelude, watch the screens to see a montage of Peachtree moms. We recognize moms and pray for moms during the service.
Today’s message Nurturing Life: Her Royal Majesty Scripture: Esther 4:12-14 Preacher: Vic Pentz at 8:45, 10:00 and 11:15 a.m. This morning we welcome Stella Kasirye from the Tubepoka Development Initiative (TDI), one of Peachtree’s global partnerships in Malawi. TDI is a network of 362 local churches that are committed to planting, nurturing and growing the seeds of God in their communities. Large-scale life change is occurring one individual, one family, and one community at a time. Under Stella’s guidance, the churches are improving the quality of life in their villages through transformational initiatives in Health, Education, Agriculture and Economic Empowerment. Stella has also served with the United Nations Global Program on AIDS in Uganda, and with World Relief in Rwanda and Malawi. She is the mother of four daughters and a little boy who went to be with the Lord in 2006.
Graduating? Let US KNOW. Peachtree is proud to recognize our High School and College Graduates. If you are heading off to college, please let us know where you attended high school and where you plan to study in the fall. If you are graduating from college, let us know where you graduated from. Please submit your information by May 23 to Anneka Miller, 404-842-3159, amiller@peachtreepres.org.
New to Peachtree Tours of Peachtree: If you are new to Peachtree and would like to learn more about all of our exciting environments, begin by taking a tour of Peachtree! Tours are offered the second Sunday of every month and begin in the Williams Center after each worship service. Next Tour: TODAY Exploring Peachtree: Join us in Room 2315 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. where you’ll learn more about Peachtree and have the opportunity to join our community. This interactive class is led by Executive Pastor Marnie Crumpler and other leaders. A light breakfast will be served. Next Class: MAY 19. To schedule a tour or register for Exploring Peachtree, please contact Rebecca Madden at 404.842.2173 or rmadden@peachtreepres.org.
w w w. p e ac h t r e e p r e s . o r g
3
MAY 12, 2013 - 8:45, 10:00 and 11:15 AM Services MOTHER’S DAY
Assemble in god’s name Prelude...............................................................................................Nicholas Bowden *Congregational Introit (Please stand and join in singing together) Christ is Made the Sure Foundation.....................................WESTMINSTER ABBEY
*Prayer of Adoration The origin of this hymn text is The Canticle of the Sun written by St. Francis of Assisi in 1225 when he was virtually blind and unable to endure daylight. How does God’s created world praise when they don’t have words? For what or whom do you praise God this morning?
Give praise to God * *Hymn of Praise All Creatiures of Our God and King..................................LASST UNS ERFREUEN Page 7 Lighting of the Candles Placement of the Bible ** Life of the Congregation
*Those who are able, please stand. **Ushers will seat latecomers at this time. 4
P eac htr e e P r e s by te r ian C h u r c h
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Offering Our Gifts Swell the Full Chorus from Solomon ................George Frederick Handel The Chancel Choir Swell the full chorus to sound the Lord’s praise. For God is the King, His great name we raise. That all generations His works may proclaim, And call every nation in songs to His Name.
*Hymn of Thanksgiving Holy, Holy, Holy (all singing)..........................................................................NICAEA Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning, our song shall rise to Thee. Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty. God in three Persons, blessed Trinity: Amen!
Listen to god’s word read and proclaimed Nurturing Life: Her Royal Majesty...................................................Vic Pentz Senior Pastor Scripture: Esther 4:12-14................................................................Pew Bible, page 776 12
hen Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this W answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
w w w. p e ac h t r e e p r e s . o r g
5
Swell the Full Chorus by Handel is the final chorus from Act 2 of his oratorio Solomon. The scene is taken from I Kings 3:16-28, in which all the Israelites praise God for the wisdom bestowed on King Solomon, after he discovers the true mother of the disputed child.
GO IN god’s NAME *Hymn of Response For the Beauty of the Earth..................................................................................................DIX Page 8 Englishman Folliot Pierpoint wrote this hymn on a beautiful spring afternoon in Bath, England, in 1864 “when all the earth seemed to rejoice.” It was originally composed as a communion hymn, but the text was changed to be a more general hymn of thanksgiving. If you were to write more verses to the hymn this week, what blessings from God would you include?
*Invitation and Benediction *Postlude............................................................................................Nicholas Bowden
The beautiful flowers in the Sanctuary this morning are given to the glory of God and in Memory of Laura Duncan Beard and honoring the wonderful Staff of Presbyterian Village for the care they gave our Mother and Grandmother. They are given by Duncan & Ellen Beard, Tom & Frances Beard and Charles & Laurie Beard. 6
P eac htr e e P r e s by te r ian C h u r c h
w w w. p e ac h t r e e p r e s . o r g
7
8
P eac htr e e P r e s by te r ian C h u r c h
sanctuary services Leading the worship Vic Pentz, senior pastor
8:45, 10:00 & 11:15
Chuck Roberts, pastor for congregational life Steve Huntley, pastor for grand adults
8:45
Chuck Roberts, pastor for congregational life Jay Madden, pastor for mission
10:00
Chuck Roberts, pastor for congregational life Vicki Harrington Franch, pastor for pastoral care
11:15
Leading the MUSIC The Chancel Choir
8:45, 10:00, 11:15
Mary Hoffman, director of music ministries Nicholas Bowden, principal organist
LIGHTING THE CANDLES Mary Axelson & Margaret Axelson Lindsey Little & Elizabeth Nicholson
8:45 10:00
elders placing the bible Billy Hull Carla Heard Nancy Ike
w w w. p e ac h t r e e p r e s . o r g
9
8:45 10:00 11:15
Support Groups & Pastoral Care For complete information, visit www.peachtreepres.org/support • Stephen Ministers • Cancer Care Team • Spiritual Life Recovery Group • Women’s Fertility & Prayer Support Group
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness(NAMI) Family-to-Family Educational Course
• Grief Support Group Harrington Library • Minor Brain Injury Support Group • Divorce Recovery Support Groups
• NAMI Family Support Group
• Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon
• NAMI Connections Recovery Support Group
CAREGIVING CONCERNS For pastoral care after hours (a personal crisis, death in the family, etc.) please call 404.693.6667 HOSPITALS Piedmont A.B. Martin
BIRTHS Brittany & Chuck Clay Boy: Raley Halston, 1/7
MEMBER DEATH Margaret McWhirter, 5/3
Cari & Stephen Anderson Boy: William (Will) Thomas, 3/8
FAMILY MEMBER DEATHS Margaret McWhirter, 5/3 Wife of Tom McWhirter, Sr. Max Bass, 5/5 Father of Joany Bass
Weekly Recommended Resource
The Easy Burden of Pleasing God By Patty Kirk
“The trait that best typifies the students who break down in my office is their great unhappiness. They are believers. Of this I am sure. Certainly they are more diligent believers than I am, to judge from all the good things they are constantly doing. But they are miserable, every one of them. And, though they usually manage to get back on track . . . I know that, in their spiritual work lives, they have not changed much either. And it breaks my heart.” Patty Kirk knows what it’s like to try to impress God. It’s like beating the air and bruising your soul. In The Easy Burden of Pleasing God she reminds us, through stories and reflections and careful meditation on the Scriptures, that despite what we may have heard or told ourselves, the yoke we take on as we follow Jesus is easy, and the burden of a loving God is light. To all of us who pursue perfection in vain and ache with the defeat that follows, The Easy Burden of Pleasing God will be truly good news. Available in the Peachtree Bookstore and the Williams Center. 10
P eac htr e e P r e s by te r ian C h u r c h
Camp Peaches 2013 Registration! Come join the fun at Preschool’s – Camp Peaches. Children who will be two-years-old by February 28, 2013, through rising third graders may attend one or both weeks.
join us popsicles in the park may 18 | 3:30-5:00pm S AV E T H E D AT E
picnic in the park august 25 | 5:00-7:00pm
when? S aturday, May 18, 2013
June 10 – 14, 2013 June 17 – 21, 2013 9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
where? A park in your community why? E njoy popsicles & new
Cost: $180 per week or $340 for both weeks
who? P eachtree Presbyterian
To register: peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org
Dr. Chap Clark
For Parents, Youth Leaders & Coaches!
June 2, 2013
The author of Sticky Faith and Hurt 2.0 will be joining us at Peachtree to discuss how we can influence kids to have a lifelong faith in a changing culture.
3:30 - 5:00 PM relationships!
families and friends
rsvp: To the community park at
peachtreepres.org/reddot
Peachtree MOPS
invites you to join us for our 2013-2014 season. (Sept-May) At MOPS you’ll discover: Real moms | Real topics Real relationships Morning MOPS: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30am The Lodge Evening MOPS: 3rd Wednesdays, 7-8:30pm Room 2315 For more info and to register: www.peachtreemops.org.
w w w. p e ac h t r e e p r e s . o r g
11
global giving 2013 Join us as we learn what God is doing through Peachtree to Plant, Nurture and Grow the next generation.
Give now by Visiting
http://peachtreepres.org/news/SproutGlobalGiving2013 Or give next week at one of our worship services we together make our Upcoming Key Dates at as Peachtree 2013 Global Gifts. May 18 May 18 May 19 June 3-6 June 9 June 9-13 June 16-21
Popsicles in the Park | 3:30-5:00 PM Peachtree Youth Choir in Concert | 7:00 PM Global Giving Sunday Vacation Bible School An American Pops Concert | 6:00 pm Ducktown Middle School Camp Rutledge High School Camp
For more information visit www.peachtreepres.org 3434 Roswell Road NW | Atlanta, Georgia 30305 | www.peachtreepres.org | 404.842.5800