sardis
To read addi onal responses about how Sardis members Share the Love in our community, na on, and world, click here.
Make your pledge to share the love in 2018 at www.sardis.org.
Sharing the Love means following Jesus’ commandments to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbors. At Sardis we Share the Love by reaching out, caring, and serving our neighbors whether they sit with us on the pew in church, or they live across town, or they live across oceans. – Anne Hollowell Jesus talked as much or more about money and possessions as He did any other topic. It’s important! ALL of us are blessed with material possessions. As Chris ans, we are expected to give back to God a por on of that which He has given us. To us, that represents sharing the love. Through our thing, we allow Sardis to reach out to those in need locally, na onally and interna onally. A Rama Road School student goes home each weekend with a backpack of provisions or leaves for the summer with several books to read and keep. Through disaster relief, those who are experiencing the tribula ons of natural events get a hand back up when it’s most needed. The dear children of Bayonnais, Hai have clothes to wear to school and supplies to use while there. All of this is made possible by Sardis’ expression of love ‐ our collec ve giving. Lives are changed, people are personally touched, and God is glorified. Sir Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Carolyn and Tim Eichenbrenner Lissa and I were taught by our parents as small children to share. Sharing was a theme we learned all through childhood at our church, through high school and college, and when we began our married life. It is a concept that we have endeavored to pass on to our children and grandchildren. Our commitment to sharing has been very important to us since joining Sardis. We have seen the great things that Sardis can do if we all share together. The gi s that Lissa and I pass on to Sardis may do something small; but our gi s, combined with that of all Sardis members, does something much larger every day. Why do we give and share? Because it is the right thing to do. God shared His Son with us that we can live with Him forever. Sharing, on our part, is the least we can do. – Lissa and Dave Archer I have to admit that when I first saw this quote, I thought of my husband, William, whom I dearly love and adore. Then, I thought about my rela onship with God, and how my faith has been nourished at Sardis. If we grow old along with Christ in our hearts and in our lives, we know the BEST is yet to come. “Sardis has shown the love” to my family by the love and support we have felt over the years. The feeling of serving others, and belonging to a church with special friends and fellow believers is so very heartwarming and special. We are truly grateful for Sardis and look forward to the years ahead! – Lynn Sloan
Sharing the Love
We asked what Sharing the Love means at Sardis, and you responded . . .
6100 Sardis Road, Charlo e, NC 28270
presbyterian church Worship • Service • Fellowship • Evangelism • Discipleship
Sharing the Love Stewardship 2018
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34‐35 Sharing the Love. The theme for our 2018 Stewardship campaign is built from the commandment Jesus gave to his disciples and is a constant reminder of how we should seek to live our daily lives as a congrega on, families and individuals. As I reflect on how we live out this commandment at Sardis, I am reminded of how Sardis con nues to seek new ways to enrich our lives and the lives of those around us. Specifically, your 2017 pledges were used to Share the Love in areas that included, but were not limited to: Sponsorship of the Peru high school mission trip a ended by 20 of our
high school youth who worked alongside our Peruvian missionaries. Sponsorship of the upcoming Hai adult mission trip in November. Construc on of a new home with Habitat for Humanity of Ma hews. Increased summer camp offerings a ended by over 120 children. Improvements to exis ng Sardis facili es to increase the worship
Sharing the Love in 2017 – Sardis accomplished great things during the year as a result of our members answering the call financially and through the me and talents of our members. A few examples of how we responded as a congrega on to Share the Love include the following: You are changing lives with your generosity. This summer, you sent our high school youth to Peru where they worked alongside our missionaries Sarah Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson to dig the founda on for a future school building, and where they created memories that will last a life me. In addi on, our Hai Mission Team will make a trip to Bayonnais in November 2017 to con nue their support of the medical clinic located there and to provide love and support to those in the surrounding area.
A DISCUSSION WITH PASTOR ACTIONNEL FLEURISMA
experience and the func onality of exis ng space. An increased focus and commitment to the Sardis Weekday School
resul ng in a 40% increase in enrollment. In short, our ministries are flourishing. Our programs for children, youth and adults are growing in diversity and depth. Our worship services are inspira onal, our facili es are well maintained and used extensively by members of the congrega on and those in the community to enrich the lives of adults and children, and our reputa on for suppor ng those hur ng or in need is excellent. Your money is being put to use wisely. For all of these accomplishments, the needs of our congrega on and our community are many. We con nue to seek addi onal opportuni es to enhance our worship and Chris an educa on experiences and improve our facili es and programming. The opportuni es for outreach are significant. As this Stewardship season approaches, I ask you to reflect on how you have been impacted by the Sharing of Love at Sardis and how you can pay that love forward through a financial commitment for 2018. Celebra on Sunday will be held on November 19 where we will present our pledges for 2018. You will be receiving a mailing in early November containing your pledge packet and further informa on on how you can make a financial commitment to Sardis. Jeff Wilkinson Stewardship Ministry Chairperson
Sardis has been quick to respond to the needs of our community and our na on, both through the dona on of funds and through the gi of me and talents. During 2017, we provided assistance to those displaced and suffering as a result of natural disasters, and our mission team took on the job of construc ng portable showers to be used across the country for disaster relief.
Sardis con nues to dis nguish itself through its financial commitment and the gi of the me and talents of its members at Rama Road Elementary School. Whether it be through providing school supplies, food or books directly to students, tutoring children through a erschool programs, or providing assistance and support to the teachers, Sardis steps up to the plate to make a difference in the lives of the children and teachers at Rama Road.
Ac onnel is Founder and Senior Pastor of OFCB Ministries. (Opera on Force for Christ Bayonnais)
We asked Ac onnel how he and the ci zens of Bayonnais, Hai have benefi ed from the Sharing of Love from Sardis. He responded by explaining that love itself is not simple and is much more than a feeling. Rather, love requires ac on. In terms of our service to those in Hai , it is the ac on to take a risk to help, preserve, and save the people of Bayonnais. These ac ons by Sardis have le a profound impact on the ci zens of Bayonnais, and Ac onnel is constantly reminded of the delivery of food, clothing and medical supplies a er the earthquake in the region, our assistance in figh ng the cholera outbreak within the region that directly saved the lives of many in the region, and the significant successes that students in the area have a ained as compared to students in other areas of Hai as a direct result of the schools that we assisted. To hear the full discussion with Ac onnel, click here.