The Communicator | December 2019

THE COMMUNICATOR THE COMMUNICATOR

December 2019

A Publication of Sardis Presbyterian Church April 2018 Building God’s Kingdom Through Worship ● Service ● Fellowship ● Evangelism ● Disciple‐

A monthly publication of Sardis Presbyterian Church · Charlotte, North Carolina

at Sardis Presbyterian Church

5:00 p.m. Fellowship Hall

Family Worship

7:00 p.m. Sanctuary

Candlelight Worship

9:00 p.m. Sanctuary

Candlelight & Communion

The Communicator ~ December 2019 Exploring Faith. Changing Lives. ● Praise ● Learn ● Love ● Serve ● Share ● Witness

Church Life

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

Equipped to Witness Invite a friend or neighbor!

There are so many opportunities this Advent season to invite a neighbor, friend, or family member to join you at Sardis in fellowship, breaking bread, song, or worship. We hope you will prayerfully consider extending an invite to a special event and our Christmas Eve worship services.

$15/ ADULT $7/ CHILD (AGES 5‐10) CHILDREN UNDER 5 FREE

REGISTRATION CLOSES DECEMBER 8

2 The Communicator ~ December 2019

Church Life

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

How Do You Spell Welcome? Y‐O‐U

Share the Sardis spirit! Help us to welcome guests and members by signing up to be a Sardis Greeter. Access the Sign Up Genius at

www.sardis.org/serve/be‐a‐greeter.

Angel Tree

Questions?

Through December 8

Contact

Liz

Alba

at

lizalba@earthlink.net. Thanks!

Alternative Gift Market December 1 ‐ 22 and Wednesday, December 11 during the Christmas Dinner

December Friendship Connection

Friendship Connection, a fellowship group for retirees, will meet on Tuesday, December 17, in the Sardis House. The

Holiday Closures

11:00 a.m. program will be a musical program, “Sounds of

the Season” with Mary Ann Green singing and Kaitlyn

Sardis Presbyterian Church campus will be

Davros accompanying her on the piano.

closed Tuesday, December 24 at noon, and closed

all day on Wednesday, December 25 and

Lunch will follow at 12 p.m. and reservations are needed by

Thursday, December 26.

noon on December 13. Make your reservation by registering online, www.sardis.org, or call 704.926.1590.

Equipped to Witness

Margot Smith

Acts 1: 8 ...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Witnessing the Good News of Jesus Christ to provide hope for the world. Witnessing! This seems to me to be such a daunting task, until I try to look at this not from what I can do, but what Christ can do through me. Every day we all have an opportunity to witness and to reach out to someone in our lives. Sardis is doing such an amazing job teaching us all how to be equipped to Praise, Learn, Love, Serve, Share, and Witness! Every time I attend my bible study I have such a group of amazing people who witness their love of Christ to me. I recently asked them to share what they think it means to witness to others. They gave some wonderful examples: Reaching out to the person you see that may be visiting at Sardis and helping them to feel welcomed. Being the feet and hands of what we are asked to do in volunteering. We witness by how we show family members that they are loved. Our church family reaching out to our Rama Road Elementary staff and their students. Our Room in the Inn teams showing hospitality to our neighbors. Throne Together (a cappella singing group) from Sardis witnesses through their music. Mission trips where lives of both the mission teams and those who are in need of help are changed through Christ’s love for us. I know each one of us can think of so many different ways we can witness.

My hope is that throughout the year and in this stewardship season our biggest impact may be what each one of us does to share the love of Christ and to provide for the world through our actions. Let each one of us be the Hands and Feet of Christ!

The Communicator ~ December 2019 3

Church Life

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

Welcome, New Sardis

Talk to Your Tax Professional

Members!

Now About Giving Strategies

The last several years have brought changes to the way your generous giving affects your tax return. You may want to consider talking to your tax professional about the following giving strategies.

Prepay your 2020 Pledge: If you paid your 2019 pledge this calendar year, you might want to consider prepaying your 2020 pledge. “Stacking” your charitable giving may help you get over the new standard deduction thresholds.

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): If you are 70½ or older, you can make a direct transfer from your IRA to Sardis. Giving a QCD also goes toward satisfying your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). The non‐ Kelley Wheeler, and children,

deductible gift provides a benefit in that your adjusted gross income (AGI)

Meghan, Mike and Matthew

would be lowered.

Save the Date: On February 16, 2020, Sardis will celebrate its 230th birthday during worship and with a covered dish luncheon. Mark your calendars now!

Session Highlights can be found at www.sardis.org under the News & Events tab.

October Financial Highlights Thank you for contributing to Christ’s work through Sardis Presbyterian Church

October

October expected

This year so far

This year so far expected

Pledges, gifts, and other revenue

$140,257.97

$125,100.00

$1,557,846.87

$1,557,450.00

Expenses

$174,605.24

$153,361.50

$1,572,997.13

$1,624,424.57

Net Total

($34,347.27)

($28,261.50)

($15,150.26)

($66,974.57)

Annual Budget: $2,004,300

Our Church Family Our Christian Sympathy: to Susan Spencer‐Smith and Bryan Smith upon the death of their nephew, and to Julia Smith upon the death of her cousin, Carter Scott Smith; to Norma Burton upon the death of her daughter‐in‐law, Pamela Burton; to Harry Tatum upon the death of his sister, and Jenny Kaeppler upon the death of her aunt, Beverly Gale; to Carol Preslar upon the death of her mother, Edna Robinson; to the family of Elizabeth (Betsy) Rey; and to the family of Tom D. Parsons, Sr.

Congratulations: to Margot and Bobby Smith upon the birth of their granddaughter, Marguerite Clare Minnehan.

4 The Communicator ~ December 2019

Missions Ministry

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

Opening Our Doors and Changing Lives

The 2019 Alternative Gift Market at Sardis opens

6100 Sardis Road is the location for numerous ministries and

on Sunday, December 1! This is a unique

sometimes it is just because we open our doors to neighbors

opportunity for you to do all of your Christmas

like these so that they can have an impact in the lives of the

shopping in one place. You are invited to make a

people they serve.

donation to any of the nine ministries in this year’s Alternative Gift Market in honor of family members and friends. For each donation, you will receive an attractive card, which you can send to your family, friends, or group you wish to honor with a message announcing your gift.

Shop on Sundays or during the Christmas Dinner in the Christmas Market, located in the Children’s Library. You may also shop online at www.sardis.org. This year’s agencies include:

· OFCB (Bayonnais, Haiti) School Fund · OFCB (Bayonnais, Haiti) Medical Fund · OFCB (Bayonnais, Haiti) Maternity Fund · Children’s Hope Alliance · Marion Medical Mission · Rama Road Elementary Backpack Program · Loaves and Fishes · Greater Matthews Habitat for Humanity · Families Forward Charlotte · Refugee Support Services of the Carolinas will

Some of the organizations we host: AA Tucker UMC Choir, GA Shining Stars First Presbyterian Castlewood, SD Charlo e Secondary School Daughters of the American Revolu on Allegro Goodwill Toastmasters Emory University Families Forward Mid‐Carolina’s Handbell Fes val Ministry Development Svcs WIE Champions Stonehaven HOA Whitehead Manor Red Cross Providence Day School East Mecklenburg HS Community Exercise Group South Meck COM Sardis Forest Swim Club Camp Holiday Board of Elec ons Oak Creek HOA Sardis Forest HOA Rama Road Elementary Bobby Hope Lyle Book Club Community Culinary School of Charlo e SEE‐ Student Enrichment Exp. For the Blind

be set up during the Christmas Dinner.

Donations made in exchange for handmade hats,

Support Sardis by shopping for gifts or

scarves, purses, and more will help support RSS in providing services to refugees living in Charlotte.

everyday household items at smile.amazon.com.



Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to Sardis

More information on each agency can be found

Presbyterian

at sardis.org or by picking up an Alternative Gift

AmazonSmile.

Market booklet from the Children’s Library.



Church

whenever

you

shop

on

AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know! You use your existing Amazon account.

Donations are due by December 22. 

When you enter Sardis Presbyterian Church on your first visit to smile.amazon.com, don’t let the incorporation year puzzle you! While Sardis was founded in 1790, we were incorporated in 1984, so you’ll see that date associated with AmazonSmile.

The Communicator ~ December 2019 5

Youth ministry

“…set an example for the believers…” 1 Timothy 4:12.

College Age Christmas Gathering

All college age youth are invited to join us for our Christmas Gathering at the home of Chris and Julie Lueck, Tuesday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m. All Sardis college‐aged adults and friends are invited! Reconnect with all of your Sardis friends at this fun event. Dinner provided.

RSVP Julie Lueck (jbug.lueck@gmail.com)

Youth to Visit Older Members

Both high school and middle school youth have taken a Sunday evening and visited some of the older members of our congregation to hear their stories and share their own stories. The relationships that are building between our older members of the congregation and the youth are amazing to see!

Star Wars Movie Premier

Sunday Night Fellowship

The final installment in the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars

The Youth Ministry has offered some wonderful

Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker will be released on

Sunday Night Fellowship programs this year,

Thursday, December 19. The Youth Ministry has rented a

including pumpkin carving for middle school

theater at the Cinebarre in the Arboretum for a private

students, care packages for college freshmen, youth

screening. The movie will begin at 8:00 p.m., but Adrian

leading devotions, games, team building, a visit

will host trivia and other Star Wars related games at 7:40

from Dr. Martin, and so much more!

for some great prizes! Tickets are only $15 and are going fast. Join your Sardis family for the viewing of the next installment from a galaxy far, far away!

6 The Communicator ~ December 2019

“Let the little children come unto me.”

December Elementary Fellowship

Join us for a fun movie night on December 8 from 4:30‐6 p.m.! We’ll have a blast watching The Star and enjoying a popcorn bar! Bring your favorite drink to enjoy while we watch!

December Sunday School

Elementary schoolers will be learning about Ruth in December through cooking, art, and games! Our fourth and fifth graders will also be teaching us about the Christmas story on December 22!

Sardis Weekday School Updates!

Sardis Weekday School annual Halloween Parade and Picnic was a super fun event for all the students/staff and families. We are so blessed for such ample indoor space for this event as the inclement weather dampened the outdoors, but not our spirits!

The Communicator ~ December 2019 7

THE COMMUNICATOR

Non‐Profit Org.

Published monthly by

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Sardis Presbyterian Church 6100 Sardis Road

Charlotte, NC

Charlotte, NC 28270

Permit #1059

www.sardis.org

ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED

SERVING NEIGHBORS

Room In The Inn is a partnership program with the Urban Ministry

CHANGING LIVES

Center to provide overflow shelter and meals for Charlotte’s homeless during the winter. From December 1 through March 31, churches and colleges around

It takes around 200 volunteers to staff a season of RITI. There are so many ways to be a part of this community outreach.

the city provide a bed and three meals for folks who find themselves without a warm place to sleep.

Every Sunday and Wednesday night for more than twenty years, Sardis has hosted thirteen neighbors. That adds up to about 10,000 “bed‐nights,” meaning that our beds were occupied 10,000 times.

The people who come to us through RITI are people, not just “the homeless” of Charlotte. Our compassion grows through our interactions with these folks. We do not have to know the story of what led them to this place in life to know that they deserve our care and acceptance.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2. You can make a difference in someone’s life on a cold winter night, and they can a make a difference in yours.

8 The Communicator ~ December 2019

CAN YOU GIVE JUST 3 HOURS? Learn more and sign‐up to volunteer at www.sardis.org or contact Stacey Champion at otchampion@gmail.com.