CROSS CURRENTS VOLUME 2020 | ISSUE 3 | MARCH
ALPHA NOW LAUNCHING You are invited to Alpha! Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith, and will run over the course of seven weeks. Each talk looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation. Alpha is run all around the globe, and everyone is welcome. Join us for a great meal and conversation with others who are exploring life and faith; no strings attached. Let’s share life together during Lent! Come for yummy food, fellowship, information about what Alpha is, and a FUN video on “Is there more to life than this?” Register at our table in The Gathering Place or contact Connie at crandall@sapctucson.org or at sapctucson.org/alpha.
ALPHA STORIES “I prayed for the opportunity to experience greater depth with my relationships at St. Andrew’s. God led me to Alpha! During Alpha, I found a new community in my fellow faith explorers discovering God’s goodness, His promise to love me right where I am, but also a deep dive into the complex world that we live in and what it means to be steadfast and faithful. The videos of current experiences prove that the lessons of the Bible are just as applicable today, plus provided a greater understanding of Who God is, and the relationship of the Trinity. Alpha Conference 2020
Alpha provided a safe place to share my faith, my struggles, and questions – making these ladies my new and lasting Sisters-in-Christ that I turn to for friendship and support. Sharing our experiences and faith walk together has given me a richer maturity in my commitment to my journey – praising Jesus, thanking God and bringing everything (my joy, sorrow, troubles and thanks) to my Lord and Savior.
“Many years ago, I remember seeing a very large sign outside the church that read, “Alpha.” I always wondered what it meant. And.. that pretty much describes Alpha… a safe place to go where you can ask questions. Or, merely listen. There is no pressure. It is the perfect place. When I went to Alpha, it was at a difficult time in my life. I was searching for answers and found them at Alpha. I went alone after a long, tiring day at work and was so grateful for the hot meal we shared together. It was fun to meet people. It felt good to socialize with people from St. Andrew’s and, for the first time in a long while, I felt accepted there. I felt able to share in the discussions without feeling dumb or being judged. Every week I learned so much. We covered topics I had always wondered about, but never heard discussed or felt safe asking. Alpha taught me a huge deal and, more importantly, renewed my faith immensely when I needed it most.” - Lisa Best
I prayed, and, as usual - God delivered, and then some!” - Vickie Palmer
TUESDAYS | BEGINNING MARCH 3 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
HOLY WEEK PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES THE PRAYER EXPERIENCE
This year make plans to spend time in prayer during Holy Week. Experience prayer through prayer stations during The Prayer Experience. The Prayer Experience will be open April 9-12 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm in Alpha. It will also be open at 5:00 pm on April 8 for you to pray before attending the Maundy Thursday service. Contact Shelly for more information at sakins@sapctucson.org.
PRAYER VIGIL
The Holy Saturday Prayer Vigil will take place in Fireside on April 11 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Sign up to pray for an hour. The idea is to have the whole 12 hours covered in constant prayer. If someone is signed up for a time slot, feel free to join them. Look for a sign up in The Gathering Place in mid-March.
ENCOUNTER GROUP: A NEW SMALL GROUP FOR LENT
Are you looking to deepen your connection to the Holy Spirit during this Lenten season? Encounter Group brings together disciples of all ages to learn, grow, and fellowship together. Each meeting has a time for questions for connecting to others, Bible study, and silent prayer and reflection. Encounter Group will meet every Thursday night from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm in the Garden Room. Our first meeting will be March 5. Bring your Bible and please be on time as the group starts promptly at 6:00 pm. Questions, contact Shelly at sakins@sapctucson.org.
THE BLESSING OF LENT
CrossCurrents (020349) March 2020 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
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This past week, I was able to view Prince Elementary School’s opening of their food pantry provided by the Tucson Community Food Bank. It was amazing to watch the families come pouring in after school in order to receive their free food. While I was observing, two little second grade girls came in and asked if they could “shop” without their parents. The smiles that lit up their faces when they received a “yes” reminded me of the need.
they do not receive from the food bank.
I am excited to share that we will be collaborating with La Cima Middle School on their new pantry. In order to get this off to a great start, we would like to provide some extra items that
Thank you for the blessing of food during the special season of Lent! Questions? Please contact RuthAnn at rsmithrud@sapctucson.org.
Beginning March 8 and running for four weeks, we will be collecting pasta sauce (cans or plastic containers please), canned chicken or chili, cereal boxes, and macaroni and cheese boxes. Not only will these foods bless these families in need, but they will also be blessing our homeless friends at La Frontera.
CHANGE FOR CHILDREN: ALLIANCE THANK YOU FROM FOR CHILDREN EVERYWHERE DAILY BREAD Join us on March 8 when Christa from Alliance for Children Everywhere will join us at St. Andrew’s to kick off our Change for Children giving. Stop by our table during five weeks of Lent, March 8 through April 5, to pick up your FREE basket, handmade by Zambian women. Please fill it with your change, your dollar bills, and checks payable to St. Andrew’s with Change for Children on the memo line. Did you know it costs just $5.40 to change a child’s life? This year, our goal is to raise $10,790 to help orphaned and vulnerable children attending ACE’s FaithWorks
schools. Funds raised will place textbooks in the hands of two thousand children who would otherwise miss out on school due to hunger, loss of family, or intergenerational cycles of poverty. Together we can help FaithWorks students realize stronger futures for themselves and their communities. ACE board member Carmen Morris will staff the table with her husband, Troy, as well as former board members Ellen and David Vellenga. Stop by to discover how God is working through ACE to change children’s lives, or check out the website at childreneverywhere.org.
We are so grateful to our Youth for their support of Daily Bread during last month’s 30 Hour Famine. This is an annual event when our youth not only practice the spiritual discipline of fasting, but they seek to enter into the very pangs of suffering experienced by those who go hungry on a daily basis. As these young men and women abstained from eating, they made lunches for the clients of La Frontera, many of whom battle mental illness and homelessness. “During those days a large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people...for they have nothing to eat.’” Mark 8:1-2. How blessed we are at St. Andrew’s to have this compassionate Youth Group living out the words of our Savior. Well done faithful servants! May God continue to be glorified through each and every one of you! -Louise Boost
THANK YOU FROM MORE THAN A BED
SERVICE WORSHIP PLANNING TEAM
I am looking for a few individuals who would be willing to work with me in the planning of the projects for St. Andrew’s Service Worships. We typically have a serve day in the spring, in the summer for Serve Our Schools, and one in the fall. If the Lord nudges you in any way, please reach out to me, and I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have about the planning. This is not a big time commitment but one that would be helpful to me personally as the Local Outreach Director. I want to insure that St. Andrew’s continues its beautiful legacy in honoring the Lord and serving in our community. Feel free to reach me at 520-297-7201 ext 204 or rsmithrud@sapctucson.org. Thank you! - RuthAnn Smithrud
Please thank the congregation for their generous Christmas offering to More Than A Bed. We continually strive to improve the lives of these displaced children by providing new clean beds for them to lay their heads on, toys to help alleviate their sadness, and clothes that they can be proud to wear. St. Andrew’s – your help is and has been immeasurable. Thank you for the support you have provided over the last three years. We are so very blessed to have you as partners – actually the children in foster care are blessed even more. May God watch over and bless each and every one of you. With gratitude, Grace L. Stockdale Executive Director/Founder 3
VBS 2020 REGISTRATION Join us this summer for Group’s Rocky Railway VBS!
June 15-19, 2020
Registration begins March 29! Register kids and volunteers at sapctucson.org/vbs. For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 Welcome to Rocky Railway VBS…the summer event that puts kids on track for trusting Jesus! At Rocky Railway, kids explore Jesus power and how we can trust Jesus to pull us through when life feels like a valley or a mountaintop. Each day focuses on a different Bible point: Monday: Jesus’ power helps us do hard things. Tuesday: Jesus’ power gives us hope. Wednesday: Jesus’ power helps us be bold. Thursday: Jesus’ power lets us live forever. Friday: Jesus’ power helps us be good friends.
SPIRITUAL MILESTONE PLEASE RSVP
Make sure that you’ve RSVP’d for the Kindergarten milestone happening on March 8. Shelly wants to make sure that your child has a prayer partner waiting for him or her during the milestone event. You can RSVP to sakins@sapctucson.org. Please let Shelly know by March 4.
EGG HUNT: EGGS & TREATS NEEDED
nday Palm Su unt Egg H
EGG HUNT: APRIL 5
We want candy!! Well, we need candy for the Easter Egg Hunt on Palm Sunday. Treats can be individually wrapped candy, small toys, and stickers that we can use to fill the eggs. Please no chocolate candy (it melts) or candy with nuts (for food allergies). Please no lollipops because they don’t fit inside the eggs. Pre-stuffed eggs (from the store) are fine. We also need plastic Easter eggs we can fill with 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 March 30. If you have any questions, please contact Shelly at 297-7201 or sakins@sapctucson.org.
CONTACT SHELLY AKINS, Director of Children’s Discipleship Ministry sakins@sapctucson.org || 520-297-7201 x233 HEATHER BRANNOCK, Assistant Director of Children’s Discipleship Ministry hbrannock@sapctucson.org 4
30 HOUR FAMINE HIGHLIGHTS This year 70 Middle and High School students from St. Andrew’s and Northminster Presbyterian participated in 30 Hour Famine. This event is our opportunity to help Tucson and the world in the fight against poverty and hunger.
FOREST HOME SUPER SIGN UP
This year we partnered with organizations like Called to Love, Tucson Refugee Ministry, Rise Against Hunger, and World Vision to help solve this crisis near and far. With Rise Against Hunger, we packed 20,000 meals to be delivered to another country in efforts to stop the hunger crisis globally. Our students helped fundraise about $2,000 that will go to World Vision which will help feed almost 50 kids for a month. Thank you to our congregation for volunteering your time to help pack the meals, drive students, and the prayer. With the donations from the congregation, we raised $3,430 which will be split to help both Called to Love and World Vision. Thank you for all the support and prayers. It could not have been done without all of you!
MOONLIGHT DINNER & AUCTION Look out for tickets this month! We are now accepting donations to be auctioned off for our Moonlight Dinner and Auction. Some of the popular items in the past have been timeshares, dinner parties, service projects, baked goods, and sports memorabilia. Your donations are tax-deductible! All the money raised at the event
will support the Youth Internship Program, Camp Scholarship, and mission opportunities. Donations are accepted through the Youth Office. For more information, contact Rob Lantz at rlantz@sapctucson.org. Thank you for helping support the Youth Ministry!
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 5
FAI T H UNCORKED FAITH COMMUNITY
NURSES
NURSES RATED NUMBER ONE! Recently released Gallup pole states that nurses are consistently rated higher in honesty and ethics than all other professions. St. Andrew’s Faith Community Nurses ministry (formerly named Parish Nurses) has served our congregation for 24 years and here’s how we can be of help to you. • Health education – blood pressure screening and counseling, CPR & First Aid classes, health articles, campus safety and security. • Personal confidential health counseling. • Liaison to community resources – medical equipment lending, referral to specialty health organization to include domestic violence. • Match an individual’s needs with the nurse who has that specialty. • Interpreter of the relationship between faith and health – importance of strengthening your spiritual self in order to meet the challenge to your physical self. All contacts with St. Andrew’s eleven nurses are confidential and include not only a discussion of the illness but if desired prayer and healing scriptures.
CHURCH WORK DAY
Saturday, March 21, is our St. Andrew’s spring work day! Come at 8:00 am for 2-3 hours and join a project team. We will be mostly doing light landscaping and painting. Please bring a hat, gloves, and some tools, such as shovel, rake, loppers, broom, and dust pan. We will also have some tools available. Best of all, Heavenly Hosts will be providing goodies as always. We hope to see you there! Contact Don Spiece, dspiece@gmail.com for questions.
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Women of all ages are invited to a FUN night of fellowship, food, and encouragement! We gather together to get to know one another, support one another, and walk together in our faith journey. This month we will be meeting Friday, March 27, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Connie Randall’s home. RSVP to Connie at crandall@sapctucson.org or visit the Discipleship Table in The Gathering Place on Sunday mornings.
YES YOUNG ENERGETIC SENIORS
For our last meeting of this year we are inviting ICS (Interfaith Community Services) to join us. ICS was started here at St. Andrew’s in 1985. Since then it has become one of the leading organizations that help people in need in so many different and unique ways. Come learn all the ways that ICS is a helping hand to so many people in our community. Join us Monday, March 16, at 5:30 pm. It’s a potluck dinner, so bring a dish to share with others and your table service. Questions? Contact Susan Quillen at 544-2790 or squillen857@gmail.com.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDIES
The Bible ladies have been enjoying their Friday mornings and Wednesday evenings looking into the Beatitudes, learning the meaning of its words and how they can effect their lives! In March they will be doing a short four week study on Philippians, before breaking for the summer. It’s been a great season in the Word. They will be back together again in September. For more information contact Jan Littlefield for Friday mornings at: 299-6851 or jan.littlefield@comcast.net. Linda Sebastian for Wednesday nights at 2993167 or lindaandphil2@gmail.com.
LIBRARY CORNER
Among this month’s new order for the library are three books that were the basis of three Calvin College lectures. The Fool and the Heretic by Darrell Falk and Todd Charles Wood tells about two respected scientists who hold opposing views about the theory of evolution. Their journey to explore how they can remain in Christian fellowship when each thinks the other is harming the church is one that many face. The second book by Alice Marie Johnson with Nancy French is titled After Life, My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom. She turned to crime and gained a life sentence. Twenty years later, a video of her telling her story went viral. In the book she tells how her faith and helping others with hope let her persevere. The third book is God’s Double Agent by Bob Fu. By day, Bob Fu was a teacher in a communist school. By night, he was a preacher in an underground house church network. This book tells of his conversion to Christianity, arrest and imprisonment for starting an illegal house church, his harrowing escape, and his subsequent rise to prominence in the U. S. as an advocate for his oppressed brothers.
DEACON BACKYARD BBQ
St. Andrew’s Annual BBQ is on March 1 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. The BBQ is organized to benefit the Benevolence Fund that helps and supports those who need groceries, rent, and gas money. In addition to our made from scratch menu, we have line dancing, two bouncy castles, face painting, a fun photo booth, and door prizes. The BBQ is a chance for everyone to have a great time eating, dancing, and socializing! Purchase your tickets on Sundays or at the door. $8/person or $25/family
CITIZENSHIP
Several years ago, God brought 14 Karenni refugee families, mostly Christian, from the jungles of Burma and Thai refugee camps, to Tucson. After years of persecution, they were starting jobs at a new Asian market. Soon the Karenni Konnection (KK), an official partner with Tucson Refugee Ministry (TRM) was formed to bring local volunteers and Karenni refugee families together. Jasper Melton was an early volunteer and today there are nine active volunteers from St. Andrew’s along with volunteers from three other churches. All KK volunteers have been through TRM orientation, training, and screening to work with refugees. Volunteers provide adult English language and citizenship classes, Middle and High School math/science clubs, elementary homework clubs, 1:1 tutoring, college mentoring, medical case management, etc. Real blessings to the volunteers are the social events during the year such as celebrating graduations, citizenship ceremonies, and a large Christmas party (including sampling the families’ delicious ethnic cuisine). In this picture, three Karennis, out of 153 total immigrants from 39 countries, were naturalized as US citizens on Saturday, February 14. Six volunteers from St. Andrew’s helped celebrate their achievement at this annual Citizenship Ceremony at the Jewish Community Center.
OH, BY THE WAY, DID YOU KNOW?
There are many times I will have someone tell me about a surgery or illness that happened many days ago. I know that when I hear the words “Oh, by the way, did you know?” that my answer will most likely be “no”. The greatest challenge I face as the Director of Care is not knowing what I don’t know. I would love to hear from you. If you know someone is not well, going to the hospital, having surgery or some procedure, please let me know. I would love to know six times, because that tells me that six people are caring for that person. Six people are worried enough to let the church know. There are times when I find out many weeks after everything happened and I was never able to help out in any way. St. Andrew’s has a truly amazing group of people who are focused on caring for others. We can only help if we know where to go and when to be there. If you or someone you know needs care, let us know. The best way to get in touch with me is through email – care@sapctucson.org. - Steve Akins
SAFETY STRATEGIES GET OUT OF SIGHT St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Safety Committee, chaired by Trustee Claud Smith, is looking at numerous congregational safety and emergency planning concerns. In our last article we talked about personal and church-wide safety for protection of its people and physical assets being the highest goal. We said if you see something that seems unsafe or suspicious then say something about it. We turn now to concerns about the unlikely but important possible event of an active shooter situation. Conventional safety experts advise if you see anyone with a gun in the church you should run, hide, or fight for your life, prioritized in that order. One important caveat for that scenario is to remember that if you see a firearm or hear a gun shot, then the safest solution might be to get down behind a pew or other barrier out of sight and out of the line of fire from or toward a shooter. It would be better to be out of sight than in a sight. Look for further information about safety tips from this committee soon.
FINANCIAL UPDATE
January total revenue $218, 463 Monthly revenue required 236,258 Difference ($17,795) Year to date revenue $218,463 YTD revenue required 236,258 Difference ($17,795)
In Memoriam Dorie Voigt January 26, 2020 Betty Moyer February 9, 2020 Debbie Bouchard February 13, 2020 7
SUSAN WIGGINS
NARTHEX GALLERY - ARTIST BIOS
Long before ever creating art, I appreciated it. Rick Steves, the travel guru from Edmonds, WA where I lived for thirty years, wrote a book that influenced my life. Mona Winks is a book that highlights “must see” art highlights in major European museums and cities. Steves explains why each piece is important from a historical, cultural, and artistic perspective in a lighthearted way. Thus began my journey and education in art and a determination to visit the major museums he listed in his book and see the art he referenced. The Drawing Studio is where I took my first art class shortly after I retired in 2011. A couple years were spent repeating learning to draw classes and exploring different mediums and eventually I stuck with acrylic paint. The bright colors and the ability to paint over my mistakes was of immediate appeal. Gradually I shifted to oil paints and most recently watercolor, which is a challenge. Somewhere I read there are three stages of art...... first a student, then a painter and after you’ve paid your dues, an artist. Hopefully finding my voice or consistent style does not take 10,000 hours; but meanwhile the process is enjoyable to me. Beauty surrounds us in light and shadows. - Susan Wiggins
KAREN STUBBS
Half of the paintings in the Narthex this month are painted by Karen Stubbs, a resident at La Canada Care Center. Karen lost total use of her hands and arms in 1995 due to multiple sclerosis. Regardless of physical obstacles, Karen maintains a strong faith in Jesus and a profoundly positive outlook. She is very active within her community and attends weekly Saturday worship services at the Care Center led by SAPC volunteers. One of Karen’s passions is painting, and she accomplishes this feat by holding the paintbrush in her mouth. An instructor from the Drawing Studio gave Karen initial art lessons a few years ago. Special thanks to Denise Derouwen, Donna Cox, and Susan Wiggins for assisting Karen in the set up of her painting times each week. Also thanks to Thrivent Financial for a grant that purchased frames for Karen’s prints and art supplies.