Church Life Sardis Chooses A New Missionary for Sponsorship “I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress.” Isaiah 65:19
Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.
Music Selections During Lent The season of Lent is a time of reflection of all that God has done for us. We begin our forty‐day journey together with a Lenten Breakfast, on Ash Wednesday morning, and an Ash Wednesday evening worship service. We will be blessed with music to guide our reflection in traditional worship from composers such as Byrd, Duruflé, Mendelssohn, and Stravinsky, and hymn selections that include, “How Great Thou Art,” and “Be Thou My Vision.” Our contemporary worship services will include versions of the Lord’s Prayer by Matt Maher and Selah. Reflections will be guided by songs such as “All My Fountains” by Chris Tomlin, and “Receive” by Calvin Nowell. Our own Sardis talent will be featured in musical offerings both vocally and instrumentally. We hope that you will be uplifted and renewed this Lenten season. “The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.” –Johann Sebastian
Officer Nominations
Serving the Church in the Offices of Elder & Deacon The Mission Committee has chosen to sponsor Rev. Kate Taber as she assists U.S. Presbyterian delegations visiting the Israel‐Palestine region and facilitates Presbyterian involvement through volunteer opportunities. Her responsibilities there include helping Presbyterians engage in peacemaking activities and building relationships between U.S. Presbyterians and Christians in the Israel‐Palestine region. Kate states, “I hope that U.S. Presbyterians might know and engage with Palestinian Christians: their lives, their ministries, their joys, and their struggles. I hope that our denomination might be a faithful Christian witness in and about the Holy Land.” Building relationships with other Christians, she emphasizes, is a heartfelt need of Christians living in the Holy Land. “The Christians of Palestine and Israel especially need and ask for this communion and partnership as they struggle with daily life in a conflict zone, and I feel called to connect U.S. Presbyterians with them and their stories.” Prior to entering mission service, Kate was a resident pastor at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, serving in a Lilly Foundation‐funded residency program for new ministers. She holds a B.A. degree from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and a M.Div. degree from Princeton Seminary. Kate is a member of the Greater Atlanta Presbytery. Sardis is honored and pleased to assist Kate in her peace‐making mission.
The 2014 Officer Nominating Committee seeks suggestions from the congregation for nominations to the Session and Diaconate. Elders should be persons of faith, dedication, and good judgment. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel, both within the church and in the world. An Elder should exercise leadership, government, and discipline, and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church as well as the church‐at‐large. Deacons should be persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, warm sympathies, and sound judgment. Deacons minister to those in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to anyone who may be in distress. An Elder or Deacon should regularly attend public worship, participate in church activities, be of service to the church, financially support the ministry of Sardis and demonstrate Christian living in his or her daily life. NAMES WILL BE ACCEPTED by the committee until April 13, 2014. Place your suggestions in the offering plate on Sunday or return them to the church office. Nominations may also be made at www.sardis.org. For Elder: ___________________________________________________
For Deacon: _________________________________________________
Comments on the nominee that would be helpful to the committee:
___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Submitted by: __________________________________________________
2 Sardis Presbyterian Church ~ The Communicator ~ March 2014
Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.
Drive a Sardis Mini‐Bus A training session is being planned for mid‐ to late‐March to train new drivers on our mini‐buses. If you would like to be trained please contact Jessica Otto in the church office: jessica.otto@sardis.org.
Worship Service Recording Help Needed Middle school age
Church Life SWS Consignment Sale
March 22 In The Fellowship Hall
Sale hours are: 7 a.m.‐ 8 a.m. Early Bird ($2 admission) and above are needed to help run the 8 a.m.‐ 12 p.m. Regular Sale camera during the 11:00 service. Training 12:30 p.m.‐ 2:30 p.m. Half‐Price Sale is provided. Contact Lance Read We are currently accepting consignors 704.566.8856/lanceread@carolina.rr.com. and volunteers for this event. Spring/ Are You Called to Care? Summer items for baby, kid, teen, and Join us Sunday, April 27 for a We need one thousand plastic eggs maternity will be featured. Since 2007, few hours of food, fun, loaded with individually wrapped candy SWSCS has given over $56,000 to the fellowship and serving others! for the Easter Egg Hunt on April 13. preschool which has helped purchase There are onsite and offsite Sunday school classes, Mustard Seed laptops, caps and gowns for opportunities including Groups, choirs, middle school, high graduation, new strollers, scholarships, making cards for Levine school ...we need your help! Contact Bill playground enhancement, the new Children’s Hospital, making Taylor at btaylor6604@gmail.com or the school website, special programs such sandwiches for Urban reservation line, 704.926.1590 to sign up. as Grey Seal Puppets, and so much Ministries, yard work at Rama Bill will contact you with information on more. Unless tuition was raised Road Elementary, singing at a delivery locations and times! drastically, none of this would be nursing home, and plenty of possible without help from the other exciting projects! Learn consignment sale. more and sign up at Interested volunteers can contact Kelly www.sardis.org. Cruse at kellymcruse@yahoo.com or 704.244.1851.Ask about the perks! Where Did The Snow Go? During the February snow storm, most of us Interested sponsors contact Telitha Hight at telithahight@yahoo.com or were at home, keeping warm and maybe 704.517.8724. catching up on our favorite TV shows. Did you know our facilities staff was hard at work? Want to be more involved? Contact Alfredo Mendoza, Ricardo Mendoza, and Mark Heather Odean at swscs1@gmail.com. Slimer and some volunteers worked through the Thank you for your support! snow days to make sure the campus was dry, clean, and safe for our congregation to enjoy Visit www.sardisweekdayschool.org Sunday worship services and classes. for more information.
APRIL 27
Friendship Connection– March 18 Margot Leydic‐Boyd will return and inform us with a further tour of some of the “world’s fascinating places.” Reservations are necessary for lunch ($8/person) and need to be made by Friday, March 14. Register online at www.sardis.org or call the reservation line at 704.926.1590. Also register for our day trip to Abingdon, VA on April 1st! We will enjoy a buffet lunch at Martha Washington Inn and a matinee of “Don’t Cry For Me, Margaret Mitchell” at the Barter Theatre. The cost is $60 and open to the first 25 people. Your check is your reservation by March 14.
Sardis Presbyterian Church ~ The Communicator ~ March 2014 3
Church Life
Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.
February Session Highlights •
Report from Ed Shoaf on Sardis Gift Trust Commission Approved recommendation for the establishment of a new designated fund, the McGinnis McLeod Youth Fund with a Donor Set endowment amount of $10,000 to be placed under the General Endowment. • Approved the following membership transfers: Abbey Rawald Cooke to First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC, Mike and Cindy Smith to Providence Presbyterian Church; Margaret Jaus Baldwin to Covenant Presbyterian Church; Robert and Evelyn Owen to Sharon Presbyterian; Sarah E. Francis to Matthews United Methodist Church. Approved reinstating membership of Deborah Barkley. • Approved baptism of: Virginia Emery Davidson, daughter of Brian and Amie Yandle Davidson, on April 13 • Approved addition of Hanes Walker to the 2014 Officer Nominating Committee as an at‐large member. • Approved request from the Worship Ministry and the Community Service Ministry that there be one worship service at 10am on Sunday, April 27 in the sanctuary, in support of the Give One Day event. • Approved two motions from Youth Ministry: The following advisors for the July 20‐26 trip to Montreat: Dean Bowen and David Abercrombie. Representatives from Samaritan’s Feet to speak at the April 6th meeting. • A combined meeting of the Diaconate and the Session received a report on the Education Building heating and air conditioning system. More information on this topic will be coming to the congregation in a letter from Dr. Kort. • The Session received reports from all Elders attending the February 8th Presbytery meeting.
February Diaconate Highlights • • • •
• •
A discussion was led by Alice Johnson on the book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations Community Service shared that Spaghetti sauce Sunday has been expanded to every Sunday Congregational Life and Care is coordinating a Women’s dinner for May 6. The Fellowship Committee is organizing a Beach party for May 17th and is planning on having Sardis under the Stars again this summer. Food service has secured a new refrigerator and ice tea maker. Registration for softball starts in the middle of February.
January Financial Report
January
January expected
Pledges, gifts, and other budget revenue
$136,785
$137,521
Expenses
$139,638
$168,970
Net Total
($2,853)
($31,449)
Annual Budget:
$2,129,993.00
Our Church Family Our Christian Sympathy: To Catherine Marsh upon the death of her sister, Frances Lawing; to Tricia Childress upon the death of her mother, Dee Childress; to Steve Camp upon the death of his uncle, Don Dillingham; to Pat Aldred upon the death of her brother, Gerry Kistler; to family and friends upon the death of Hubert Whitlock and to Ron Turner upon the death of his mother‐in‐law, Dorothy Ann Adams. Congratulations: To parents Whitney and John Martin and grandparents Steve and Debby Wade upon the birth of Jones Brady Martin; to parents Ryan and Elaine Thompson and grandparents Dave and Lissa Archer upon the birth of Ford Ryan Thompson; to parents Ashley and Chad Tilley and grandparents Jane and Richard Tilley upon the birth of Robert Graham Tilley. 4 Sardis Presbyterian Church ~ The Communicator ~ March 2014
Church Life
Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.
Why We Remember Sardis In Our Will There are many reasons why people choose to include Sardis in their will through the Sardis Gift Trust. Here are three reasons Anne and I have: First, Sardis has taught us to give in grateful response to blessings received. Both our annual pledge and our legacy gift to Sardis feel like the right response to our blessings. Second, Sardis has taught us that the path to meaningful giving is to give in proportion to what we have. We feel comfortable tithing a portion of our estate, and trust Sardis to use it well. Third, we believe that God’s kingdom is coming and that Sardis will continue to play an important role in bringing it alive here on earth. We love the many wonderful people and ministries here at Sardis and want to contribute to their continued growth however possible. These are just some of the reasons Anne and I have chosen to leave a legacy through the Sardis Gift Trust. We are grateful to Sardis for allowing us this opportunity to contribute through our estate for generations to come. It is our hope that you will consider including your own legacy to Sardis through the Gift Trust. For more information please feel free to contact me at eshoaf1@carolina.rr.com. Ed Shoaf, Chair, Sardis Gift Trust Commission
Easter Lily Orders Due April 14 To order, please complete the form below, place it in the offering plate or return it to the church office.
Attach a check for $10.75 per lily, payable to Sardis Presbyterian Church. Note “Easter Lily” on the memo line of your check. Payments must be received by April 14.
You may take the lilies home after worship on Easter Sunday.
Order Deadline: April 14. This form can also be downloaded at www.sardis.org. Your Name (as you would like it to appear in the bulletin):
Phone:
Email: Number of lilies you are ordering:
Stewardship: A Year‐Round Blessing Although the official stewardship season at Sardis is in the fall, the act of stewardship is really year round. The pledge that you made in the fall is your commitment to Sardis. It is your promise to support the many amazing and life‐changing ministries at Sardis. These ministries touch the lives of our own Sardis members and visitors and these ministries reach out to the Charlotte community, our nation, and other parts of the world. You will be supporting these ministries throughout the year as you faithfully fulfill your pledge. Stewardship is a response in gratitude to God’s grace. As you fulfill your promise this year, we thank you for your commitment to God and for being a blessing to the ministries of Sardis. If you haven’t pledged yet, it’s not too late! You can pledge online or by placing a pledge card in the offering plate or mailing a pledge card to the church office. We hope you will consider making a financial commitment to God’s work at Sardis in response to God’s faithfulness to you. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
I have made arrangements for my lilies to be picked up immediately following the 9:00 a.m. worship. I have made arrangements for my lilies to be picked up immediately following 11:00 a.m. worship. I will not be picking up my lilies.
Please fill out below as you would like names to appear in the bulletin: In Honor of: In Memory of:
Sardis Presbyterian Church ~ The Communicator ~ March 2014 5
Lay Ministry
The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.
EVRY Food Drive until March 9th. Bags labeled with items needed are available in the Narthex, Gathering Place, and Education Hall. Drop– off donations in the bins located in the hallway near the church library anytime before March 9.
in the Narthex or Fellowship Hall
April 6
From the Church Office: We are looking for volunteers who will be able to help at the front desk by answering phones and greeting visitors on an as‐needed basis.. If you would like to help please call the office at 704.366.1845.
8 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
To give blood, you must be healthy, at least 16 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have donated blood in the previous eight weeks. You can make an appointment online at www.sardis.org. Giving blood makes a real difference in our community. Almost everyone will know someone during their lifetime who needs a blood transfusion. They could be accident victims, cancer or transplant patients. There is no substitute for blood and only one source for these transfusions ‐ volunteer donors like yourself. The need is constant and the gratification is instant. Please join your Sardis friends on April 6 to give the gift of life!
Spring/Summer Clothing Drive March 23– April 7 It is time for our annual clothing drive to benefit Crisis Assistance Ministry. Please mark your calendars to gather and drop off your gently used spring and summer clothes in the designated bins located in the Education and Fellowship building any time between March 23 and April 7. Thanks to Sardis’ amazing support last year, we were able to provide each child at Rama Road Elementary School with two books to take home at the end of the year. The children were thrilled to have their own books. Rama students have been working hard throughout the school year to improve their reading skills. We hope to provide books for their new reading levels through our A Book of My Own project. Many of Rama’s students will not have access to books to read during their summer break. Research shows that the more access children have to books, the greater their opportunities for academic success. There are 686 students at Rama Road. A gift of $5 will purchase a book for one child and $100 will purchase books for an entire class. Please join this Sardis drive and help provide the joy books and reading can bring to the Rama Road children. Every gift helps! Give Online Now 6 Sardis Presbyterian Church ~ The Communicator ~ March 2014
“Let the little children come unto me.”
Christian Education
Bible Reading Guide for Lent The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 5. Lent is comprised of the 40 days before Easter, not counting the Sundays (each Sunday is considered, all year, as a “mini‐Easter,” a celebration of Jesusʹ victory over sin and death). It is a season of reflection on the gift to us of Jesus Christ and our need for Christ’s sacrifice for us and all people. A Bible reading guide has been prepared by the church staff to support your prayers and reflections in this season. The scripture lessons focus on the person, work, or teaching of Jesus Christ. Within the reading guide, along with the suggested scripture lesson for the day, there is a brief summation of the lesson’s message and some suggested questions for how we might personally connect with the passage. (The scripture lesson for each of the Sundays is a Psalm of praise, as each Sunday is a “mini‐Easter.”) The Reading Guide will be available in booklet form and electronically. The printed format will be available on Sunday, March 2nd, or you may subscribe to receive it electronically, or find it on the Sardis Facebook page.
Connect@Sardis in Lent On Wednesday evenings, March 12– April 9, the Rev. Dr. Richard Boyce, from Union Presbyterian Seminary, will lead a five‐part study. Dr. Boyce is an engaging speaker who always expands our understandings of how God speaks to us through the pages of scripture. The class will meet from 6:15– 7:15 p.m. in room 211/212 of the Fellowship Hall. NOTE: The time is a return to the schedule of the fall.
Vacation Bible School July 14‐18 Church School News The Reading for Reformed Reflection church school class will begin reading a new book on March 9. The class functions as a book group. Participants read assigned material and then engage in round‐table discussion about the book. The class facilitators are Jane Fobel and Dale LeCount. The new selection will be Final Words from the Cross by Adam Hamilton. The cost is $9 per book. To join the class and purchase a book, contact Jane Fobel at jane.fobel@sardis.org
MARCH 30 Bowling
Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday April 13 and April 20 There will be two special classes for all elementary age children. The children will experience Holy Week and the wonder of the Resurrection in a whole new way. Join us as we enter the tomb on Sunday morning to celebrate the joy of the first Easter Morning.
New Crosses in Fellowship Hall If you’ve attended the 9 a.m. worship service in the Fellowship Hall, you have probably noticed the beautiful new crosses adorning the walls on either side of the stage. Many people have asked where they came from. Sardis member Scott Armstrong constructed the crosses from cypress, a wood with timeless quality. The wood was specially finished to appear aged, and then stained gray to replicate the natural silver color that untreated cypress acquires as it weathers naturally. Many thanks to Scott for his hard work in creating these crosses that have helped transform the Fellowship Hall into a meaningful space for contemporary worship. If you have not seen the crosses, come take a look!
Sardis Presbyterian Church ~ The Communicator ~ March 2014 7
The Communicator Published monthly by Sardis Presbyterian Church 6100 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270 Address Service Requested
Non‐Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Charlotte, NC Permit #1059