2014 May Communicator

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Church Life

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Room in the Inn – A Successful, Giving Season! On Sunday, March 30, we hosted our Neighbors for the last time in the 2013/2014 Room In the Inn season. Over the past four months Sardis hosted 35 nights and welcomed over 450 of our homeless Neighbors to spend the night at Sardis House.

Once again, over two hundred Sardis volunteers stepped up and served as team captains, team members, food preparers and servers, and bus drivers in order to make this vital outreach to our community a success. Delicious and plentiful food, warmth, safety, rest and hospitality were the main elements in our service to our Neighbors.

On behalf of Community Service, a hearty thank you goes out to everyone who helped, and we hope you will continue to do so when we start over in eight short months. For those of you who have not participated, please give prayerful consideration to offering some of your time beginning in December to help keep this program as successful as it has been for so many years. You will be rewarded with a smile from one of our Neighbors who, for an evening and night, found comfort and rest.

Considering Stewardship

Don’t Forget to Eat Your Veggies!

By: Marilyn Marks

“There are three conversions a person needs to experience. The conversion of the head, the conversion of the heart, and the conversion of the pocketbook.” ‐Martin Luther

Stewardship season isn’t just in the fall. If we are in Sunday School, worship, Mustard Seed Groups, etc., we are hearing about stewardship all the time. That’s because we are studying Jesus’ words, and Jesus taught about stewardship all the time. Fifteen percent of everything Jesus taught was on the topic of money and possessions – more than His teachings on heaven and hell combined. His focus was on what we should do with what we have been given. We at Sardis don’t have to be shy about talking money; Jesus certainly wasn’t!

Many of us may feel intimidated when we hear the words pledge or tithe. A pledge is simply a commitment to support the work of God here at Sardis. A pledge can be at any financial level that you are comfortable with. A tithe represents 10 percent of your income, which may seem like an impossible goal! We would encour‐ age everyone to try a graduated tithe: Figure out what percentage you are giving currently, or start at 1 percent if you are new to giving, and then increase the amount you give by one percentage point every year.

Thank you for being a big part of go‐go fresco farmers market’s first year!

Did you know…

‐that they were able to raise over $8,000 for local missions just through selling local food?

‐the market takes cash, credit/debit cards, and EBT/ SNAP benefits? This makes it simple and easy to buy!

‐that the produce is 100% local, thereby supporting local farmers and our local economy?

‐that they opened two weekly ʺpay what you canʺ markets in economically diverse areas, so people can pay on a sliding scale, allowing everyone to afford food?

So please consider taking the time to stop by the go‐go fresco farmers market at Sardis, currently on Tuesdays from 11:15 a.m.—12:15 p.m. Their summer schedule may vary, so check their Web site or sign up for their newsletter at www.gogofresco.org.

God has blessed us all in many ways, and we know that whatever portion we return to Him will be a blessing to others! 2 The Communicator ~ May 2014


Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Friendship Connection On May 20 our fellowship group for retirees will be taking a trip to Mt. Airy, NC to visit the Andy Griffith Museum. We will leave from the Sardis Scout hut parking lot at 7 a.m. The cost to tour the museum is $3 per person. We will enjoy lunch at the Old North State Winery; the cost is $10 per person. The group will return to Sardis between 3—4 p.m.

Reservations are necessary and need to be made by noon on Friday, May 16. Call 704.926.1590 or register and pay online at www.sardis.org. Contact Alice Johnson for more information at alice.johnson@sardis.org.

Church Life

Calling All College Graduates! You have worked hard to reach this important milestone in your lives, and your church family would like to recognize your achievement in the June issue of The Communicator. All December 2013 and May 2014 graduates should submit their information (including name, college, and degree) by May 21 to deborah.pollack@sardis.org / 704.366.1854. Congratulations on this significant achievement!

Interested in Joining Sardis? New Member Classes begin May 4: contact Alice Johnson for more information about joining Sardis: 704.366.1854 or alice.johnson@sardis.org.

Alexander Youth Network’s Leadership Team Enjoyed Sardis Mission House in April

We will have one worship service at 10 a.m. June 8 through August 31. Sunday School will be at 9 a.m. each Sunday.

Alexander Youth Leadership Team expresses its sincere appreciation for the use of Sardis Mission House for a leadership workshop that spanned two days in April.

Summer Worship 2014 June Sunday Worship

10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Saturday June 14

5:30 p.m. worship in Fellowship Hall

July Sunday Worship

10:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall

Saturday July 12

5:30 p.m. worship in Fellowship Hall

August Sunday Worship

10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary

Saturday August 9

5:30 p.m. worship in Fellowship Hall

The attendees comments were so enthusiastic about how they loved the woodsy setting and great maintenance, allowing for maximum comfort in a modern facility.

Thank you, Sardis Presbyterian Church, for providing financial support, and a great place to meet; close to campus, yet far enough away to make it a retreat.

The Communicator ~ May 2014 3


Church Life

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

April Session and Diaconate Highlights April’s Session Highlights will be included in the June issue of The Communicator. The Diaconate did not meet in April. Complete minutes of the Session and Diaconate Meetings are available along with archived minutes in the Library. You can also find them online at www.sardis.org.

Financial Report for Month Ending March 2014 Thank you for your generous financial support—you make the ministry of this church possible! The approaching summer months are usually the lowest months for giving during the year, as families head out of town for summer fun. Keeping your gifts current during the summer will greatly help Sardis continue our ministry and plan appropriately for the rest of the year. You can make a quick gift at www.sardis.org in two ways: either under the “give” tab or by logging into your MySardis account. March

March budget

2014 YTD

2014 YTD budget

Pledges, gifts, and other budget revenue

$162,008.90

$161,143.33

$435,482.35

$456,663.32

Expenses

$156,306.06

$178,303.58

$463,588.26

$532,160,.75

Annual budget: $2,129,993

Our Church Family Our Christian Sympathy: to Trudy Griffin upon the death of her father, Lloyd Church; to Dot Sherrill upon the death of her brother, James Price; to Cindy Skelton upon the death of her grandmother Pat (Patsy) Marshall; to Harley Yancey upon the death of his brother, Dick Yancey; to Jane Boland upon the death of her mother, Carol Gray; to Anne and Phil Adams upon the death of their great‐grandson, Finn Schulz; to Joyce Long upon the death of her father, Lacy Thompson; and to Gloria Gunst upon the death of her husband, Robert Gunst.

Sunday, May 11, 2014 St. Stephen United Methodist Church Taizé services follow the worship style of the Taizé Community in France that was founded as an ecumenical monastery (comprised of Protestant and Catholic believers from 30 countries around the world) in 1940.

Worshippers gather in silence, followed by a time of singing uncomplicated repetitive songs, songs that are “uncluttered by too many words, allowing the mystery of God to become tangible through the beauty of simplicity.” Scripture is read, and worshippers are guided in a time of silent prayer and meditation on the Word, followed by singing and corporate prayer.

Questions? Contact Rev. Alice Johnson at 704‐366‐1854.

Take Sardis With You! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

sardispresbyterian

@sardispres

4 The Communicator ~ May 2014

@sardispres


Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Betty’s Legacy In her 73 years as a member of Sardis Presbyterian Church, Betty McGinnis McLeod was known and loved by many. Betty touched hundreds of lives, but had a special love for young people. She was a preschool teacher, and also taught Sunday School for many years here at Sardis.

When, after a brief illness, Betty died last summer at the age of 84, she left a bequest to Sardis in her will requesting that it be invested in the Sardis Gift Trust, the endowment fund of the church. Her son Max, as the executor of Betty’s estate, along with his wife Cindy, wanted to make sure the bequest was used in a way that would honor Betty, her legacy, and what she most loved about Sardis.

After discussion and prayer, Max and Cindy decided that the best way to continue Betty’s legacy of service through her gift was to establish a new fund, now known as the McGinnis McLeod Youth Fund. The fund will be used to support youth needs beyond the annual budget, such as additional scholarships to allow youth with financial need to go on mission trips and retreats, or for other expanded ministry of the youth program.

Church Life

Sardis Gift Trust at Work Perhaps you have noticed the new landscaping around the Columbarium at Sardis. If you normally enter the sanctuary from a different way, take a moment to walk through the Columbarium one day. The Sardis Cemetery/Columbarium committee, with the donated services of landscape architect and Sardis member Lin Leslie, recently completed a landscaping renovation of the area which was financed in great part with a lega‐ cy gift by a Sardis member. This member’s wish was to dedicate their legacy gift to that specific project, and what a marvelous result it has had.

The Sardis Gift Trust Commission’s responsibility is to oversee the management of the endowment funds that are dedicated to the Gift Trust by Sardis members. Members can gift funds as legacy gifts for specific projects such as the Columbarium, or a number of current endowment funds that have already been established to support various Sardis needs. There are numerous endowment plans that a member can choose to contribute to.

Please consider leaving an endowment for the Sardis Gift Trust in your Will, or if you are interested in making a legacy gift, please contact the Gift Trust Chairman, Ed Shoaf*.

“Betty would be thrilled to have her gift support youth at Sardis,” says Cindy. “As youth, both Max and I went on life‐changing youth trips at Sardis. So we especially hope the fund can be used to help youth who otherwise would not be able to participate to have these experiences. I can’t imagine what could have more impact in a youth’s life in learning how to spread God’s word, show God’s love, and discover the difference they can make in the world.”

You can make a bequest or gift to the McGinnis McLeod Youth Fund, or to any Sardis Gift Trust fund, and leave your legacy for Sardis. Please contact Ed Shoaf*. *Ed Shoaf Chairperson of the Sardis Gift Trust Commission eshoaf1@carolina.rr.com · 704‐365‐9609

The Communicator ~ May 2014 5


Lay Ministry

The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.

Soup Kitchen Volunteers Needed

A Book Of My Own!

THANK YOU!! The children at Rama Road Elementary School once again will have two books to take home this summer! Thanks to your donations, over $8,300 was raised!

If your Mustard Seed Group, church school class, circle or other group would like to participate in a worthwhile outreach project, the Soup Kitchen needs your help! Or, if you are an individual who would like to work at the Soup Kitchen, your help is needed, too.

The books have been ordered and will be taken to the school at the end of May. The children are always so excited and one of the comments last year was “Do we get to keep them?”

Sardis has committed to sending volunteers to the Soup Kitchen every fourth Saturday and five to six adults are needed each time. The hours involved are 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and the dates still to be filled are July 26 and October 25.

Please contact Sarah Tatum, Project Coordinator, at st204fairwinds@aol.com or 704‐807‐2536.

Thanks to you, they’ll get to keep their very own books!

Spaghetti Sauce Sundays

Last month we collected 47 pounds of sauce! Drop off your jars of spaghetti sauce to donate any Sunday in the Gathering Place or Narthex.

Spring Clothing Drive

Last month, 34 bags of clothing were delivered to Crisis Assistance Ministry!

Charlotte Family Housing – Volunteers Needed Are you interested in a one‐time volunteer commitment where you can make an immediate impact in the lives of a few families? Sardis has once again partnered with Charlotte Family Housing (CFH), a non‐profit committed to providing transitional housing for families in need. Annually, this organization provides housing to nearly 400 families in our area for three to six months at a time. Many of you may remember our involvement with Family Promise—CFH has absorbed Family Promise in Charlotte.

Four times a year, we will provide overnight hosts and meals for three families temporarily living at the Elizabeth House, one of CFHʹs homes. Our first week is May 11‐15, and we are in need of individuals to sleep over at the home or to provide a part of a meal. You will save CFH $100 as an overnight host, and by providing a meal you are making it easier for those families in CFH to eat healthily and be well fed a few times a week. For more information or to sign up to participate please contact Paula Banks ‐ overnight hosts, Paula.Banks@carolinashealthcare.org or Jill Smith ‐ meals, jillsternsmith@gmail.com. 6 The Communicator ~ May 2014


“Let the little children come unto me.”

Zone 45 Bowling Fun!

Zone 45, the 4th and 5th graders’ monthly Sunday afternoon fellowship, had fun at AMF Carolina Lanes recently in Matthews. Zone 45 goes on various field trips throughout the year to fun places like the Matthews Playhouse to see plays, Sky High Sports for jumping and bouncing, and to Plantation Estates for Christmas caroling. Join us on June 1 for our pool party at the Sardis Swim Club. Learn more about Zone 45, and other programs for children and youth at www.sardis.org.

Vacation Bible School! July 14‐18 Registration begins May 1! Don’t miss out on the big Escape!

Music Notes

Children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to come sing with Jared! They will come together to prepare a song to sing at the 10 a.m. service on June 8.

Rehearsals will be held on Wednesdays 5:30 p.m.—6:15 p.m. starting on April 30. We will meet in the choir room in the Administrative Building.

Coming This Summer From Your Christian Education Ministry Team!

FAITH AND FILM ‐ Come join us as we watch and discuss films and how they speak to our faith today. We will have a light dinner – fun and fellowship for all! 6 p.m. for dinner and 6:30 p.m. for program – June 11,18, 25 and July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

NEW – ONLINE Bible Study. Happening in June and July. You may call in from a phone or connect from your computer or tablet. We will be sharing information soon and will have a sign‐up and test date. Join us from wherever you are!

NEW – Children’s Book Group – designed for Elementary Students – book discussion, and what summer children’s group would be complete without ice cream sundaes? Starting in mid‐June.

MUSIKGARTEN enrichment program for Preschool Children will be offered with fun, story and music.

PRESCHOOL story time in the Children’s library on Wednesday mornings.

The Communicator ~ May 2014 7 7


The Communicator Published monthly by Sardis Presbyterian Church 6100 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270 www.sardis.org

Non‐Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Charlotte, NC Permit #1059


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