The Life of Jesus: A Lenten Series During Lent this year we are challenging the congregation to read The Story of Jesus. This is a compilation of the Gospels to create a seamless narrative. Feel free to purchase the book from Kindle, Audio Book, or from us in The Gathering Place. As we experience the life of Jesus, we will learn from His teachings, actions, and parables. Let us all enter into the story as if we are reading the life of Jesus for the very first time. Allow Jesus’ story to intersect with our story. ST. ANDREW’S WORK DAY! Please come help at St. Andrew’s for a few hours on Saturday, March 23. We will meet briefly at 8:00 am in Friendship Hall, by the kitchen, on the NE campus, to be organized into project work teams. Please bring a hat, gloves, and, if you have them, a shovel, rake, pickaxe/mattock, broom, and dust pan. We will have tools if you don’t have them. Best of all, Heavenly Hosts will be providing goodies as always. We hope to see you there! For questions, contact Don Spiece at dspiece@gmail.com. ST. ANDREW’S BACKYARD BBQ Enjoy fellowship, food, games, and entertainment at the Deacons’ Annual St. Andrew’s Backyard BBQ Sunday, March 3, from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm on the NE Campus. Purchase tickets between services. Don’t miss this opportunity to invite family, friends, and neighbors to this fun-filled event. Proceeds from the BBQ will go to the benevolence fund.
CrossCurrents (020349) March 2019 Published monthly except July by St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 7650 N Paseo del Norte Tucson, AZ 85704 Periodicals postage paid at Tucson, AZ 85726-9753 POSTMASTER, send address changes to: CrossCurrents 7650 N Paseo del Norte Tucson, AZ 85704
PIECEMAKERS: A QUILTING MINISTRY The Piecemakers Quilting Group formed out of a Friday Morning Bible Study Group at St. Andrew’s in January 2002. It started with 10 women and is now 37 women, ages 30 to 98! Fellowship is an important aspect of this group, and we have developed strong friendships by doing many things together. Last year we accomplished many things and donated the following to various groups: • 147 quilts to Project Linus • 10 dog beds to Pima County Animal Shelter • 2 quilts to Peppi’s House (Hospice) • 1 quilt for the Deacon’s raffle • 20 pillowcases to 1Mission - Rocky Point Mission Trip • 12 pillowcases for graduating high school seniors in our church • 4 newborn tag blankets for baptized newborns Also the group assisted in organizing and finishing several Service Worship projects including Dementia Fidget Quilts and tied blankets for La Frontera. Piecemakers continue to look for ways to reach out to other women both inside and outside our congregation. All skill levels are welcome, even those that would like to learn. Although your own sewing machine is needed, we have donated fabric you can use. Some people come for half a day and some stay all day. We have devotions each meeting and pray for each other and our church family. We meet every Wednesday in the Choir Room from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information, contact Jana Knutson at knutsonfj@comcast.net.
AGAPE VILLAGE FOUNDATION Greetings Friends, We love to talk about the miracles that we have witnessed over the last 10 years in Africa. The latest miracle is, of course, the school. On our March 2017 trip to Agape Orphanage, we visited the school our children have been attending. We had been there a few times before and knew it was really bad, but it was the only school in the village. When we left the school after sitting in on a few classes, we felt this overpowering force saying to us that it was time for Agape Orphanage to have its own school. We knew there was nothing we could do to stop this from happening. It was God’s plan, so we just had to show up like we did when God built the orphanage. God’s plan was to build a school, and build He did! In 11 months, God built the Agape Village School with eight classrooms that will accommodate 160 students. It has a library and girls’ and boys’ bathrooms - on the inside! He equipped it with new student desks, teachers’ desks, teachers’ computers, short throw projectors, whiteboards, bulletin boards, even security cameras in the hallway. All of this, and in the ZAMBIAN BUSH, which is eight hours from the closest city!! AND THEN….. HE PAID FOR IT !!!!!! This January, we opened Agape Village School. It is right next to the Agape Village Orphanage, and opened with five new teachers and 50 plus students. We will be adding more students next year. It is a very exciting time for us. With your prayers and support you have helped to make this all possible. You have played a big part in changing the lives of many young people in the Zambian bush today and for many years to come. Thank you and God bless! Your friends in Christ, Mickey and Jackie Bailey
Agape Village Foundation School
SERVICE WORSHIP Kingdom Connections Our next Service Worship will take place on March 31. Our main focus will be on the Gospel Rescue Mission Center of Opportunity which will open its doors in April. We will have plenty of projects that will help launch the opening in a successful way. The leaders of this organization are incredibly excited that we are having our Service Worship at the end of March. We see God’s timing perfectly! Beginning Sunday March 17, (the first Service Worship sign up) we will be collecting non-perishable items such as cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter, soup with pop tops, canned vegetables, applesauce cups, fruit cups, pudding cups, and tuna or chicken. We are hoping to help Haven Totes Corporate and La Frontera with their empty pantries. Finally, if food isn’t your item of choice, we will also be collecting toilet paper for the single mom scholars at Interfaith Community Services and for those in need who are transitioning to their own apartments. Thank you for blessing our community with these Kingdom connections! Please contact RuthAnn at rsmithrud@sapctucson.org for more information.
FAITH THAT WORKS A New Dream Faith That Works was launched in 2013 as a sub-committee of the Missions team focusing on transforming the Tucson community for Christ. Through months of prayer and confirmation, we know that God is leading us to now make Faith That Works a non-profit for the poor. We wanted to share the process so far: • The proposal has been in Session discussion since December. • Community Renewal has agreed to include FTW as a member of its umbrella 501(c)(3) (non-profit) organization when FTW is ready. This will provide non-profit status immediately. • The Personnel Committee approved RuthAnn taking on a dual role where she will continue her current work for St. Andrew’s and serve as Director for Faith That Works as a non-profit. • The Missions Committee has recommended donating the Shower Unit trailer to the Faith That Works non-profit. Faith That Works will continue at St. Andrew’s. We will still have Service Worship as we do now. We can still participate in the Shower Unit as part of the FTW non-profit. We will continue to partner with other churches and organizations. Thank you for joining us on this new possibility as we hope to see Faith That Works become an independent non-profit in the Tucson community helping those in need.
IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE FOR CHILDREN! Stop by our table during the six weeks of Lent, March 10 through April 14, to pick up your FREE basket, handmade by the women of Zambia. Please fill it with your change, your dollar bills, and checks for Alliance for Children Everywhere. This year our goal is $6,500 for Education Funding for students in both Faith Works schools and the Christian High School. Many vulnerable orphans and children are unable to attend school because of uniform costs and fees. These funds will help the students transform their lives through education and realize their goals. Our new board member from St. Andrew’s is Carmen Morris who will be staffing the table with her husband, Troy, and retiring board members, Dave and Ellen Vellenga. Stop by to find out how God is working at ACE to change lives. Need more information? Check out the website at: childreneverywhere.org. / 3
VBS 2019: June 10-14
Introducing Group’s Roar VBS Life is wild…God is good!
Registration begins March 30! Register kids and volunteers at sapctucson.org/vbs Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His love endures forever! - Psalm 106:1 Welcome to Roar VBS...this summer’s mane event! This epic African adventure engages the whole herd. At Roar, kids explore God’s goodness and celebrate a ferocious faith that powers them through this wild life. You are in for a week of fun, superb music, and a wild setting all about God’s goodness! Each day focuses on a different Bible point: Monday: When life is unfair...God is good! Nahum 1:7 Tuesday: When life is scary…God is good! Psalm 23:4 Wednesday: When life changes...God is good! Psalm 106:1 Thursday: When life is sad...God is good! Psalm 34:18 Friday: When life is good...God is good! Nehemiah 4:14 MOVIE DAY! Join us for a showing of the movie Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie on March 21 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in Friendship Hall. Bring snacks, pillows, blankets, and lawn chairs to enjoy during the movie. All ages are welcome. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. For more information contact Heather at hbrannock@sapctucson.org. CHILDCARE CORNER Sunday Morning Childcare is available during Worship Services and classes at 9:00 am and 10:45 am. 7:30 am service childcare is available by request only. Regular weekday childcare continues as needed. Ash Wednesday Service on March 6 at 6:30 pm in Chapel on NE Campus. Childcare is in Room 7. Please call or email for special events, evening committee meetings, choir practices, orchestra rehearsals, exercise classes, small groups, or Bible studies. Please email Anita Degnan at adegnan@sapctucson.org for information and reservations so we may adequately staff the childcare. Cancellations are needed if your plans change to help the church avoid unnecessary childcare expenses.
GIVE UP FOR LENT Lent is almost here. It’s a time in the church year when we focus on Jesus’ coming sacrifice on the cross. It starts on Ash Wednesday (March 6) and ends on Easter (April 21). Historically Christians have “given up” something for Lent. You may have heard of people giving up chocolate, or soda during Lent. Christians in other denominations give up meat. But why do we do this? What’s the point? How can we do this as a family? Those are questions worth considering as we enter into this season. The idea behind giving up something for Lent is based on Luke 9:23 “Then He said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.’” Basically the idea of giving something up for Lent is about denying ourselves of worldly things and focusing on Jesus. The point of giving up something for the 40 days of Lent is to take that time we would normally spend on that activity and focus it on Christ through prayer and study. We are not going to lie, giving up something is hard work, even for just 40 days. So as a family, what can you give up? Can you put down your phones, and turn off the screens in the evening and spend time together reading the Bible? Can you sacrifice eating out for 40 days and give the money you save to a charity? Can you give up sweets and every time you reach for a cookie, pick up your Bible instead?
EGGS AND TREATS NEEDED FOR EGG HUNT: We’d love to know what you’re giving I want candy!! Well, we need candy for the Easter egg hunt on Palm Sunday. up. Come to the Sunday School hallway Treats can be individually wrapped candy, small toys, and stickers that we can use and sign our Lent Give Up board. Let us know what you’re giving up and what to fill the eggs. Please no chocolate candy (it melts) or candy with nuts (for food you’d like to focus on instead. We will allergies). Please no lollipops because they don’t fit inside the eggs. Pre-stuffed pray for you in your journey this Lent eggs (from the store) are fine. We also need plastic Easter eggs that we can fill with season. these treats! There’s no need to fill the eggs! Please bring your donations to the church office or to the Sunday School office. Donations need to be made by April 7. If you have any questions, CONTACT please contact Shelly at 297-7201 or SHELLY AKINS, Director of Children’s Discipleship Ministry sakins@sapctucson.org || 520-297-7201 x233 sakins@sapctucson.org. HEATHER BRANNOCK, Assistant Director of Children’s Discipleship Ministry hbrannock@sapctucson.org
CHILDREN’S DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY
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SUPER SIGN-UP SUNDAY - MARCH 3 Save the date for March 3 at 12:00 noon, our Super Sign-Up Sunday! Every summer during July, both Middle School and High School head to Forest Home Camp in the San Bernadino Mountains. The cost for camp is $460. Spaces are limited, and Super Sign-Up Sunday is your FIRST and possibly ONLY chance to get your spot for camp. Show up to
line up in the Boondocks with all of your camp forms and $50 deposit ready. Registration will start at 12:00 noon on Sunday, March 3. Contact Tim Christian for more information in the church office via his email at: tchristian@sapctucson.org. All forms available online or in the Youth Office. FOREST HOME JULY 7- 12 Are you ready to encounter Jesus in a whole new way? Wanting to deepen friendships with students in your youth group? What kind of adventure would make your summer unforgettable? Every summer during the month of July, our Middle School and High School Youth Groups head to Forest Home Camp in the San Bernadino Mountains. It is an amazing week filled with games, worship, teaching, ziplining, hiking, blobbing, competitions, night games, friendships, and more! Forest Home is an experience designed to challenge, encourage, and engage students. Each activity during the week is purposefully planned to get them out of their normal routines and challenge them into something more significant, more adventurous, and more intentional. The teaching is relevant and Biblically-based, and they each look for ways to encourage students to have deep discussions, prayer, and quiet times of reflection. Forest Home partners with our leaders to nurture students in their journeys with Christ, prompting them to make their faith their own. We also never want financial cost to stop kids from going to camp. Scholarships are available as well as sibling discounts, so please use them! To learn more, foresthome.org.
visit
sapcyouth.com
MOONLIGHT DINNER & AUCTION The Moonlight Dinner & Auction is our biggest fundraiser of the year. Funds raised go to Youth Missions, Youth Scholarships, and our Youth Intern Program. It is a huge event, and we need your help to make it happen! The Moonlight Dinner & Auction will be April 28, at 6:00 pm in Friendship Hall. Please save the date and consider how you can volunteer or support the event. Tickets will go on sale beginning March 18. DONATIONS NEEDED! We are currently accepting donations to be auctioned off. Some of the popular items in the past have been time shares, dinner parties, service projects, sports memorabilia, large diamonds, and private yachts. Please consider donating and attending our fun event! If you have any questions, please contact Rob Lantz at rlantz@sapctucson.org.
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CONTACT TIM CHRISTIAN, Director of Youth Discipleship Ministry tchristian@sapctucson.org || 520-297-7201 x228 RICHELLE KING, Assistant Director of Youth Discipleship Ministry rking@sapctucson.org || 520-297-7201 x 208
YOUTH DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY
We are looking forward to another summer of Science, Tech, Engineering, Art & Math FUN! This year our campers will get to explore the elements of STEAM that we use when camping in the great outdoors. Registration begins March 25 on our school website. Check our website and school Facebook page for more details to come. sapctucson.org/school
ST. ANDREW’S PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN
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FAITH UNCORKED Friday, March 15 | 6:00 pm-8:00 pm Women of all ages are invited to a FUN Night of fellowship, food and encouragement! Bring an appetizer to share and your favorite adult beverage. RSVP Connie at crandall@sapctucson. org or visit the Discipleship Table in The Gathering Place.
In Memoriam Charles Parker February 5, 2019
NEW TO THE LIBRARY The Patchwork Mystery Series, published by Guideposts, is proving to be very popular with our readers. If you love mysteries, quilts, or just light, clean, compelling fiction these nine volumes are for you. Here’s what readers are saying about Family Patterns, the first book in the series:
> All the old storytelling books you loved as a child: secret passages, written messages, a wrong to be righted. Sarah Hart is 60 years old, a grandmother, yet is able to solve the mystery of her own grandmother’s disappearance a hundred years earlier. Sarah has an ongoing conversation with the Almighty, which she shares with us as easily as she shares her quilt restoration techniques. > Blest Be the Tie That Binds! This very cute modern-day mystery includes oldsters, youngsters, and a decades-old mystery... all entwined in a background of crazy quilts. Themes include love of family and friends, faith and appreciating one’s family history. > I love books that are charming, and this book was absolutely that from the first page. The story was simple and the characters engaging. The twist at the end caught me off guard in the best way. Why not treat yourself to a Patchwork Mystery this month?
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY Friday Morning Women’s Bible Study: Join us Fridays at 9:00 am in Friendship Hall! The women will be winding down their study of Daniel on April 5. The next study will begin September 13 with a study on 1, 2, 3 John. More information will be in the August Gathering Page! Wednesday Night Edition: The Wednesday Night Women’s Bible Study continues its study on the prophecies of Daniel through the month of March, concluding April 10. The Gathering Place is where we meet from 6:30 pm 7:45 pm and our time is spent discussing the lesson and spending time praying for one another. There will be no class March 6 because of Ash Wednesday services. For more information, contact Linda Sebastian at 299-3167 or lindaandphil2@gmail.com.
St. Andrew’s Stephen Ministers are the After People. We are ready to come alongside you and provide comfort and support for as long after as needed. Call Pastors Jim or Mat at 297-7201 or Cheryl Smith at 271-6591.
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ALPHA DAY CLASS Thursday’s | 9:30 am - 11:30 am You are invited! Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the life and the Christian faith. Each talk looks at a different question around faith creating conversation and community. Light breakfast snacks will be provided. Contact Connie Randall at crandall@sapctucson.org or visit the Discipleship Table in The Gathering Place.
MOMS GROUP F R I D AY S / / 9 : 0 0 A M - 1 1 : 3 0 A M
ST. ANDREW’S WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB 4 T H T U E S D AY / / 7 : 0 0 P M
WIDOWS 1 S T T H U R S D AY / / 1 2 : 0 0 P M
We are continuing our Mom Set Free Study by Jennie Cunnion. Moms are welcome to join the group anytime! They meet Friday mornings on our SW Campus, lower level from 9:00 am - 11:30 am. For more information contact Karin Fiore at karinfiore@gmail.com.
St. Andrew’s Women’s Book Club will meet on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:00 pm to discuss Varina by Charles Frazier. Please join us even if you have not read the book as we discuss this book from one of America’s most distinguished literary masters. Contact Katrina Lantz for more information at klantz@comcast.net.
All widows are invited to join us for lunch on Thursday, March 7, at 12:00 pm. We will meet at Ragazzi Italian Restaurant (7850 N. Oracle at Magee). Please RSVP to Myra at 7449720 or at myrachris@comcast.net. We hope you can join us!
FAITH WALK BOOK CLUB
HUGS
SENIOR SINGLES
4 T H T H U R S D AY / / 4 : 0 0 P M
W E D N E S D AY S / / 1 0 : 1 5 A M
M O N T H LY
The Faith Walk Book to read and discuss for March is The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen. An Amazon Review for this book states partially that “The Wounded Healer is a hope-filled and profoundly simple book that speaks directly to those men and women who want to be of service in their church or community, but have found the traditional ways often threatening and ineffective. In this book, Henri Nouwen combines creative case studies of ministry with stories from diverse cultures and religious traditions in preparing a new model for ministry...” To discuss this book we will meet on March 28 in the church library at 4:00pm-5:00pm. For more information, contact Jean O’Hanlon at 743-1854, habanera@dakotacom.net.
HUGS is an interdenominational senior outreach program, open to all confessing to be a senior. We meet in Friendship Hall at St. Andrew’s and our time includes program, games, hot lunch, and more! We welcome seniors to come check us out! For information, contact Susan Lane at 419-8771, laneslink@msn.com or Bill Gross at 548-9874, bgross236@comcast.net
Single Seniors on the move in March! We will be visiting the Museum of the Horse Soldier (6541 E Tanque Verde Rd) on Friday, March 8. The museum seeks to present the historical record and achievements of mounted services “and to recognize the horses’ contributions to U.S. military history.”
UPCOMING DATES: March 6 - Birthdays & Games March 13 - Classic Plus Music March 20 - Dulcimer Music Group March 27 - St. Andrew’s Sisters
Tour begins at 1:00 pm, followed by fellowship at Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar (639 E. Grant Rd) from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm. All single seniors (over 50) are welcome to attend. Carpooling will be available. RSVP to Carol Stephenson at 513-535-6674 by Wednesday, March 6.
FINANCIAL UPDATE January total revenue $246,210 Year to date revenue $246,210 Monthly revenue required 231,995 YTD revenue required 231,995 Difference $14,215 Difference $14,215 / 7
volume 2019 | number 3
Palm Sunday Concert
APRIL 14 | 3:00 PM | SANCTUARY
Celebrating the 7th Annual Palm Sunday Concert! Come and join as we depict Holy Week and Easter through the gift of music!
Lenten Church Family Experience: We are excited to offer the opportunity during Lent for you to explore what you believe. This six week class will look at our individual beliefs about the Bible, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, and Salvation. Meetings will be Sundays March 10-April 14 from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm in Friendship Hall. This is open for all ages eight through adult. Sign up online at sapctucson.com or at the Adult Discipleship table in The Gathering Place. Questions? Contact Pastor Mat at mgrover@sapctucson.org.
Hear the St. Andrew’s Chancel Choir and Orchestra present a concert featuring John Rutter’s Requiem, as well as other notable composers.