Life at Unity. January 21, 2019 RECOVERY EFFORTS CONTINUE

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1 Life at Unity January 21, 2019 RECOVERY EFFORTS CONTINUE As reported earlier to the congregation, the Ministries Building has been saved from further fire and water damage. Our immediate response projects have concluded including the cleaning of the entire HVAC duct system. Now the challenge is putting this building back together. Coordinating with various contractors to install ceiling tiles, patch drywall, lay down carpet, and other related tasks are on our to do list. While endeavoring to complete the Ministries Building, our attention is also focused on the Historic Sanctuary and Unity Hall buildings. We are working with a wide range of professional consultants related to environmental conditions, structural framework, mechanical systems, architectural design, general construction, and several others to understand the conditions of these buildings. Working through these issues means investing enormous time with the insurance company. The dialogue includes ensuring a consensus about the buildings (physical condition and values); assembling contents inventory lists on each building and agreeing to the value of those items; determining the timeline for settling our claim, etc., etc. There is no firm timetable for getting through the claim process and fully recovering from the campus fire. It is our hope to make substantial progress in the coming weeks and months. Fully recovering from the fire will take more than just several months. The good news is that Unity members, leaders, and staff are all closely collaborating to keep the church s missions and ministries moving forward. FROM THE PASTOR Since 1788 United in Christ s love, we glorify God through worship, nurture, and service to all people. PRAYER CONCERNS Patsy White Mike Hill Jan Norman Marge Kitterman Pam Kay Greyson Gload Betty Kimbrell Millie Williams Bob Tuthill* Charlee Rae Gribble* Margaret Morgan* Libby Kern* Dee Rutter* Bob Lane* Billy Barron* Steve Gribble* Our Mission Coworkers Cindy Corell - Haiti Dori Hjalmarson - Honduras *Long Term Prayer Concern CONGRATULATIONS to Vicki Hawkins in the birth of her grandson, Hawkins Quinn Robinson, on January 8, 2019, in Memphis, Tennessee. Friends, want to go deeper into the Ten Commandments? Remember the context for the giving of the Decalogue/Ten Commandments: The formation of a unified nation was taking place out of a diverse and unorganized community of former slaves The purpose of the new community was worship (life in God s presence) The goal of the liberated community was Shalom: wholeness for the community, for individuals within the community, and ultimately for the world The history and experience of the enslaved community (in Egypt) had been characterized by oppression, servitude, and lack of self-directed purpose, resulting in the denial of personal and cultural worth/ value/ meaning...continued on back cover

2 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION STAFF Kathryn McGregor Director of Christian Education (children and adults) Rev. Lindsay White Assoc. Pastor for Youth Ministries (youth grades 6-12) Melissa Dye Children in Worship Coordinator Linda Bunge Director of Unity Preschool Lauren Lochel Nursery Coordinator WHAT WE VE BEEN UP TO As a Child Room M206 Mark CHRISTIAN EDUCATION ADULTS SUNDAY SCHOOL: JAN 27 Faith Connections Room M102 Renovate: Building a Life with God Fellowship Fellowship Hall Wisdom From The Early Church Holy Grounds Fellowship Hall Parlor Yes Lord, I Have Sinned, but I Have Several Excellent Excuses Unity Room M210 Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10 ALL CHURCH READ Join our 2019 All-Church Read, Sabbath Keeping by Rev. Dr. Lynne Baab. Rev. Baab will preach at both worship services on Feb 10 and speak at our All-Church Read Kick off at 4:00 pm that afternoon. Books will be available for purchase in the hallway by the Narthex beginning Feb 3. Sign up for a discussion group by logging in on the Unity website and choosing Available Small Groups on the home page or clicking: UNITY PRESCHOOL PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION Preschool Registration for the school year is now open. Please visit the Unity Preschool website ( for important dates, forms, and details. Registration forms are due by Monday, January 28. CHILDREN JUNIOR AND CHERUB CHOIRS The Junior and Cherub Choirs resume rehearsals Sunday, January 27th. The Junior Choir (grades 2 through 5) meets in the choir room from 4:15 until 5:00 and the Cherub Choir meets in the handbell room from 5:00 until 5:45. Cherub Choir is for children age 4 through first grade. Now is a great time to join, even if you did not sing in the fall! Please contact Margaret Monroe, Director of Music, at mmonroe@unityfortmill.org or with any questions. YOUTH CONFIRMATION Confirmation Class will be held in room M106 in the Youth Wing for the duration of the school year. It is the first room on the right. 2

3 LUNCH BUNCH Lunch Bunch will meet Jan. 28. Bring a sandwich and join us. Fort Mill Police Chief, Jeff Helms, will be our guest speaker. We meet in the fellowship hall at 12:00 noon. Chips, drinks and dessert will be provided. SUNDAY NIGHT LIVE MATCHING CHALLENGE ACHIEVED 88% OF GOAL In November 2018 the Unity Endowment Board was presented with a $10,000 matching challenge for contributions received by December 31, We did not quite meet that goal but we are extremely grateful to the 8 new donors and 12 repeating donors who made contributions that were 100% matched. Donations of $8,845 were received and matched for a total of $17,690. UNITY BLANKETS Unity will receive the Blankets + Offering on Feb. 17. Blankets + is a program through Church World Service to provide blankets and other services to those in need around the world and in the USA. Together we can help more people stay warm this winter. A blanket is truly a "one size fits all" gift! FIRST BLOOD DRIVE OF 2019 Unity's first blood drive for 2019 will be held in the Fellowship Hall on Tues., Feb 5 from 2:30-7pm. Online sign ups are available at redcrossblood.org. Signups in the narthex will be Jan 27 and Feb 3 after both services. There is a critical shortage of blood in our area. Please give the"gift of Life". CHILI FOR CHILDREN Mark your calendars for our Chili for Children fundraiser to raise money for Unity's newest playground. The land has been cleared and fenced, so now we would like to purchase some permanent play equipment. Chef Ronnie Dunn is preparing his famous chili and chicken soup available first come-first served in the Fellowship Hall on Super Bowl Sunday, February 3! Save the date! Sunday Night Live returns February 24 through March 24 VOLUNTEER SUBS Volunteer substitutes are needed by the York County Council on Aging for meal deliveries to shutins. If you re interested in helping, call and speak to Ashley (ext. 301) or KeAsia (ext. 302.) CONGRATULATIONS! We made it through the Year of the Bible! If you are not finished reading, keep going. We will plan to celebrate as a congregation during worship on January 27. LAST SUNDAY S ATTENDANCE 8:45 am :00 am Livestream

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8 Unity Presbyterian Church 303 Tom Hall Street PO Box 1267 Fort Mill, SC JOIN US SUNDAY 8:45 a.m. Worship service 10:00 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Worship service FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Newsletter Info Deadline: Wednesday by 5:00 pm Return Service Requested UnityFortMill.org FROM THE PASTOR, CONT FROM FRONT PAGE Moral and ethical standards had been imposed by powers not interested in the community s wellbeing; therefore the moral and ethical standards previously received were suspect and likely faulty The future of the community was moving toward wholeness and well-being, with choices and responsibilities and opportunities (the Land of Promise) Values were necessary to give form to what wholeness or Shalom would look like for individuals and for the community The words of the Decalogue may be conceived as declarations or vows to live into, to grow into, as a commitment taken on freely, in response to the deliverance of God (Covenant) The words of the Decalogue focus on protecting the other. [Example: the emphasis on not committing adultery is not that I am therefore protecting my own marriage, but that I am protecting the marriage of my neighbor. In a society that focuses on the protection of the other, my needs are protected because I am one of the others to the remainder of the community. By focusing on the protection of the other, I am therefore protecting myself. (This is in direct contrast to the more familiar asserting of my rights and demanding the protection of my rights. ) The Golden Rule is built on this premise rather than on a premise of personal rights: Do to others as you would have them do to you. ] Questions for Reflecting on Each Word/Commandment of the Decalogue 1. How might the situation of former slaves be reflected in this word? Does this word provide some remedy or protection that might be meaningful to a former slave? 2. Are any theological themes reflected in this word? (such as creation, the image of God in humanity, human limitation, salvation/redemption/forgiveness, worship/living in God s presence, sinfulness/failure, restoration/reconciliation, justice/righteousness, wholeness/fulfillment, Shalom/peace, hope/promise for the future, community of God s people, the coming realm of God) 3. How does this word contribute to the creation and stability of the faith community? Does it provide any cohesive force for holding the community together or any protection for keeping the community from splintering? Grace and peace, Mark Mark E. Diehl Church Office Emergency Pastoral Line Senior Interim Pastor Mark E. Diehl Senior Associate Pastor Jeannie Bickett Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry Lindsay White