2015 May Communicator

A Publication of Sardis Presbyterian Church

May 2015

Building God’s Kingdom Through Worship ● Service ● Fellowship ● Evangelism ● Discipleship

The Communicator ~ May 2015 Sardis Presbyterian Church · 6100 Sardis Road · Charlo-e, NC 28270 · 704-366-1854 · www.sardis.org

Church Life

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

A Time of Transition – What’s Next?

With my retirement, Sardis will enter a new period of transition. There will be many questions, some can be answered now and some only later as the church moves through the process.

On Monday, I will ask the session to call a congregational meeting for Sunday, May 17 in order to “dissolve the pastoral relationship” between myself and Sardis. The language sounds so cold, but it is an important part of our Presbyterian Polity. My last Sunday in worship and the pulpit will be June 14.

On Tuesday, May 26, the Presbytery of Charlo e will send a representative from the Commi ee on Ministry to guide the session through the important steps and decisions they will need to make during this interim time. The Presbytery of Charlo e will work closely with the Sardis session and members of the congregation. They are experts when it comes to navigating the waters between pastors.

Jeanne Hammons, our Clerk of Session, will keep all of you informed as the process of transition gets underway.

In the meantime, let’s follow the advice of scripture, “As we constantly keep each other in our prayers.”

God bless, Tom

Rev. Dr. Jane B. Fobel on Sabbatical In honoring the Presbytery of Charlo e terms of call for ministers, The Rev. Dr. Jane Fobel will be taking her sabbatical May 4 through August 2. A sabbatical is an extended Sabbath, which provides for even greater productivity when it is over. It is a time to take leave of oneʹs everyday work and for mind and soul to lay fallow; a time for spiritual enrichment, rest, and ultimately, regeneration. We are grateful Dr. Fobel will have this opportunity to restore and refresh herself physically and spiritually.

Sardis Gift Trust: Do You Love Our Church Campus?

Our wonderful campus is more than something for us to enjoy. The buildings and grounds are essential to the mission of Sardis and the God-given purposes of worship, service, evangelism, discipleship, and fellowship. To be good stewards of this property, we need to provide it with ongoing care and maintenance. Many of the repair and maintenance needs are beyond our annual budget, but thanks to generous gifts in the past to the Sardis Gift Trust, funds have been available for such needs. Funds are specifically established for Major Property Improvement and for maintenance of the Sanctuary and Chapel. Both funds need to grow to meet future needs. Anyone may add to either fund by lifetime gifts, memorials, or bequests.

For questions about how you may join in this permanent support of Sardis, please feel free to contact Ed Shoaf, current chair of the Gift Trust Commission, or Jennifer Childers, Director of Administration.

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The Communicator ~ May 2015

Church Life

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

Historical Corner The early parishioners had a strict observance of the Sabbath.

Calling All High School and College Graduates

Only the most essential work, such as milking cows and

You have worked hard to reach this important

feeding the stock, was permi ed. Cooking was done on

milestone in your lives, and your church family

Saturdays, and the food put away. Heating food, however,

would like to recognize your achievement in

was allowed on the Sabbath.

the June issue of The Communicator.

All sports on the Sabbath were forbidden. Almost all business

All December 2014 and May 2015 graduates

establishments were closed on Sabbath. The “Sunday

should submit their information (including

newspaper” became a problem. Officially it fell into the

name, school, and degree) by May 20 to

category of “secular reading,” forbidden by church standards.

nikki.livingston@sardis.org.

So it was tucked away in a bureau drawer until after church.

Then the rules changed. By a loose interpretation of the fourth commandment it might be brought forth and read. The

Please accept our congratulations on this significant achievement!

children were even allowed to read the funny papers!

Apparently the Lord relaxed his requirements somewhat, as a reward for one’s having a ended church.

Looking Ahead to Summer

Taizé Community Worship

The summer worship schedule starts on Saturday, June 13 and

Our next Taizé service will be held Sunday,

continues through Sunday, September 6. This summer we will

May 10 at St. Stephen United Methodist Church

be offering two worship opportunities: every Saturday

at 6 p.m.

evening in the Sardis House at 5:30 p.m. and on Sundays in the Sanctuary at 10 a.m. There is one exception – Sunday, July 19 worship service will be in the Fellowship Hall as the children from VBS help lead us in worship.

For more information visit www.sardis.org or contact Rev. Alice Johnson at 704.366.1854 or alice.johnson@sardis.org.

Piano Dedication Recital – Saturday, May 2, 7 p.m.

Our Piano Dedication Recital will feature Sardis Presbyterian’s Sanctuary Choir, vocal soloists, and oboists Hollis Ulakey and Cheryl Stevenson, as well as our own Kaitlyn Davis. We dedicate our sanctuary piano to the glory of God, and in memory of Maida Frye. Musical selections will be from Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna as well as composers Faure, Schumann, Debussy, Hampton, and Sco

Joplin. Childcare for this dedication recital will be

provided by reservation only. Please call 704.926.1599.

A Mason & Hamlin 7’ grand piano was purchased through a gift from the estate of Maida Frye. Maida was very active in music at Sardis: she was a 40-year member of the Sanctuary Choir, rang in Alpha Ringers, from ‘77-’87 was a chaperone for youth a ending the Worship and Music Conference in Montreat, directed and assisted with the middle school and children’s choir, and directed a chime choir for the Friendship Club.

The Communicator ~ May 2015

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Church Life

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

Sowing the Seeds of Stewardship

Donna Harwood

Youʹve all probably heard the old adage ʺyou reap what you sow.ʺ Iʹll bet most of us grew up thinking of reaping what we have sown in the negative sense. We think of paying consequence for sinful actions or foolish choices, but the laws of the harvest also have a positive side.

When we sow our time and talents at Sardis, we help build houses with Habitat for Humanity, we feed and provide shelter for our neighbors through Room In The Inn, we staff the soup kitchen at Urban Ministries, and we provide prayer shawls to those in our congregation that need to feel the warmth of our love.

Similarly, when we sow our financial resources at Sardis, we provide books for the students at Rama Road Elementary, perform maintenance on the physical structure of our Church, offer support for Haiti, the Sardis Weekday School, Camp Holiday, and Urban Ministries and have the ability to hire a Director of Youth Ministries, Minister of Music, Contemporary Worship Leader and Associate Pastor for Families. These are just a few examples of the many ways Sardis ʺsowsʺ your time, talents, and financial resources. So, wonʹt you join me in sowing the seeds of stewardship at Sardis?

And, remember… unlike many of us, Sardis doesnʹt take a vacation break over the summer, so please send in your pledge when you are away and cannot a end church services.

March Financial Highlights March

March Expected

Thank you for your generous financial This year so far

This year so far expected

support—you make the ministry of this church possible!

The

Pledges, gifts, and other $199,208.72 $187,744.88 $534,812.80 revenue

$526,250.02

Expenses

$544,672.80

approaching

usually

the

summer

lowest

months

months for

are

giving

during the year, as families head out of town for summer fun. Keeping your gifts current

Net Total

$197,461.03 $186,012.14 $525,104.13 $1,747.69

$1,732.74

$9,708.67

($18,422.78)

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

Annual Budget: $2,266,000

under the “give” tab or by logging in to your MySardis account.

Our Church Family Our Christian Sympathy: to Mitch Campbell upon the death of his grandfather, Kenneth Campbell, to Bobby Smith upon the death of his father, Jack Smith, and to the family of Jill Hall.

Congratulations: to Andy and Cathy Lankford upon the birth of their daughter, Molly Lankford, and to Sean and Jamie McDermo upon the birth of their daughter, Kelly McDermo .

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The Communicator ~ May 2015

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

Church Life

Friendship Connection– May 19

New Member Classes

The Friendship Connection is a fellowship group for retirees and meets on the third Tuesday of the month for a program and lunch.

Our guest for May 19, Jan Blodge , is the Davidson College Archivist. She

Interested in joining Sardis? May

will be speaking on “Under the Lake.” Learn what was buried when

New Member Classes begin on

Catawba River was dammed to form Lake Norman in 1963. This is a

May 10 and run through the end of

fascinating presentation on the history and process of forming a lake and

May. Classes are at 10 a.m. in the

its effect on the surrounding areas.

small dining room.

Reservations are necessary for lunch ($8/

Questions?

person) and need to be made by Friday, May

Contact

Rev.

Alice

Johnson at alice.johnson@sardis.org

15. To make your reservation, register online at

or 704.366.1854.

www.sardis.org or call 704.926.1590.

Baseball for Bayonnais is Back!

Join us on August 8 for a time of fun and fellowship, as we join with other area churches for a Charlo e Knights game supporting the OFCB ministry in Haiti. Join us for that Saturday night worship service at 5:30 p.m., then take the bus or caravan to the Knights Stadium. Tickets are $15 each, with $3 of each ticket being donated to support the efforts of OFCB in Bayonnais, Haiti.

Tickets may be purchased at www.sardis.org or in the church office. You must purchase your tickets through the church in order to sit with your friends and to ensure your ticket will support OFCB. Questions? Contact Rob Brownlee at robert.brownlee@gmail.com.

Social Groups – Let’s Build On Sardis’ 225 Year History Social groups have always been a part of Sardis Presbyterian’s rich history. A social group is defined as a collection of people who interact with each other and share similar interests and a sense of unity. Quiddlers, M&Ms, and Mixed Nuts are three social groups you may recognize. d

Our Sardis services and ministries are also a form of social groups. Over the next several weeks, the Fellowship Ministry will be gathering your ideas and interests in new social groups for Sardis. The goal is to create new groups of all ages you will connect to, based on shared interests, to promote a growing sense of unity at Sardis.

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking! Do you have any great ideas not mentioned here? Contact Bill Taylor at btaylor6604@gmail.com.

Movie Reviewers Kids Night Out Bikers and Hikers Parents and Teenagers

Got Kids Card Gamers Current Events Simply Single

Potluck Teach Me Tech Mall Crashers Around Town

The Communicator ~ May 2015

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Lay Ministry

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

Mission Projects in Celebration of Sardis’ 225th Anniversary Your Sardis Mission Interpretation Ministry has set aside funds to be used this year for

Congratulations, Sardis!

special one-time mission projects in celebration of our

Once again, your generosity has made it possible for

225th anniversary.

each child at Rama Road Elementary School to take

This month we provided money for cleaning supplies

home books for summer reading.

at Safe Alliance, a domestic violence shelter in

The books, which were chosen by the Rama staff,

Charlo e. The shelter has expanded, and cleaning

will help students maintain their reading levels during

supplies were needed for the women and children

the summer break and also encourage reading for

staying there.

pleasure.

Thank you, Sardis, for your support of mission for

Thank you again, Sardis, for your continued support of

225 years.

Rama Road Elementary!

Bus Driver Training If you are interested in becoming certified to drive the Sardis buses, please contact John Carriker at threefirefighters@yahoo.com or 704.650.4884. Training is scheduled to begin in early May.

Room In The Inn: A season of gratitude At the end of this RITI season, we are filled with gratitude for our eight dedicated team captains and the 138 team volunteers, the 34 various groups (and some individuals) who prepared delicious meals for our neighbors, our nine faithful bus drivers, and the support of the entire Sardis staff, all of whom helped make the RITI experience one of warmth and hospitality for our homeless neighbors. There were 440 beds occupied at Sardis House from December through March. What a blessing for those neighbors, and for Sardis. Please check the Community Service bulletin board to see who participated in this amazing ministry.

As a special year end treat for our neighbors, a fish fry was sponsored by Brad and Rosemary Helms, and prepared by chef Max McLeod and his crew!

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The Communicator ~ May 2015

“Let the li le children come unto me.”

VBS: July 13-17!

9 a.m.—noon Vacation Bible School has a new, improved model. Shepherds will guide classes to all student activities. There are also new opening and closing assemblies. So come to Nazareth this summer for a week of fun and learning!

Faith and Film Series On Wednesdays, June 17—August 12, you are invited to join us for a light supper (if you wish) and a chance to discuss faith through the eyes of films. We will view film clips and discuss them from biblical, cultural and spiritual points of view. Effort will be made to give advance notice of the film for the upcoming week for those who wish to preview it before class.

Supper is 6—6:30 p.m. (cost TBD) You may reserve a meal,

We need volunteers in the following areas, in

bring your own supper, or join us at 6:30 for the program.

both the preschool (P) and elementary (E) age

Come join us for lively discussion and sharing.

groups: M-F, 8:45 a.m.-12:10 p.m. *Shepherds in K-5 *Music leaders in P *Art leaders in P & E *Snack director

2-5 days, 9 a.m.-noon *Art helpers in P & E *Storytellers in P & E *Rec helpers in P & E *Snack helpers

Coming this fall,

an updated Sunday School for

our Elementary children – new topics, new approaches.

Planning is underway!

Sundays, June 7, 14, & 21 – The VBS team is counting on you to make this the year that every kid has a space at VBS! Call Renda Brinson or Heather Eddy at the church at 704.366.1854 to sign-up for a position.

there will be a special joint

Sunday School program that includes service projects around our Sardis campus. Join us from 9—10 a.m. to help your own Church family. There will be a devotion designed especially for children and youth.

Sardis Weekday School Announcements

Register now for Preschool!

Registration for SWS Summer Camps is now open for everyone! We have a

We

new and improved program that we are very excited about! Camps run

2015-2016 school year! For more

Tues-Thurs, 9:30 a.m.—1 p.m. The scheduled themes are:

information,

--June 2-4 Musikgarten

--June 30-July 2 Art

--June 9-11 Storytelling --June 16-18 Soccer --June 23-25 Yoga

--July 7-9 Spanish --July 21-23 Amazing Athletes --July 28-30 Atomz Lab

For more information on rates and how to register, please visit www.sardisweekdayschool.org or contact Louise Lippi at 704.366.9681 or louise.lippi@sardis.org.

The Graduation Ceremony for our four year olds will be held on Wednesday, May 27!

The Communicator ~ May 2015

have

openings please

for

the

contact

Louise Lippi.

Celebrate Mom! A Motherʹs Day Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, May 6 for our moms.

A sincere thank you to the SWS Consignment Commi ee for yet another successful sale.

Your hard work is appreciated!

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The Communicator

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Published monthly by Sardis Presbyterian Church 6100 Sardis Road Charlo e, NC 28270 www.sardis.org

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Cards for Levine Children’s Hospital

300 Snack Packs for Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club

Care Packages for Lily Pad Haven

150 Post cards for Urban Ministry

Sandwiches for Urban Ministry Center

?

What can 200 volunteers accomplish in just a few hours

Volunteers also spent time: -Visiting Plantation Estates residents -Organizing the Sardis House basement -Cleaning the Sardis Weekday School 8- Singing for Sardis Oaks residents The Communicator ~ May 2015

800

6 Baskets for Community Link

Participants gave the equivalent of over $9,220* In volunteer hours at the Give One Day event. *Independentsector.org