From The Pastor s Desk

Transcription

1 Gilbert Presbyterian Church Presyterian Church (U.S.A) 235 East Guadalupe Road Gilbert, Arizona Tel: Fax: Web: WHAT IS INSIDE THIS ISSUE? From the Pastor s Desk... 1 Church Staff... 2 Clerk of Session Report... 2 Announcements... 3 Scott & Maria... 3 GPC by the Numbers... 4 Announcements... 4 Stewardship Committee... 5 Mission Committee... 6 Pastor Jen s Youth Corner... 7 Miracle of Jesus... 8 Christmas Service... 9 Christian Education...10 February Activities Calendar...11 February Celebrations...12 From The Pastor s Desk Dear Friends, You have heard me remind you both here and from the pulpit that as a community we are on a faith journey together. I use that image so often because I like it a lot! Being on a journey implies a destination. Every moment of every day we should be moving closer to God toward that time of a glad heavenly reunion with those who have gone before us. And that should be at the foundation of faith: to be one with Christ Jesus. But as we journey toward that destination, we also are reminded that there is plenty to see, plenty to do along the way. In my own life, I ve also found that the best trips, the best vacations, are the ones where getting there was just as exciting as being at the destination. At our bridge building event on January 23rd, about 30 folks from GPC spent some time talking about what it meant to us to be church on that journey together. And how do we share that news with others who might be looking for a faith community to join? How would you describe your life at Gilbert Presbyterian Church in thirty seconds? What a challenge! We thought of all the various activities that go on at the church. We discussed all the things that folks could do together and could invite a friend to join. And all that is important. But there has to be more to this journey, doesn t there? Each one of you has opportunity to get together in a neighborhood group, a school club, or a service organization that can offer you something to DO. And as a society, we are already running ourselves ragged trying to keep up with all that we feel we need to DO. GPC Newsletter - February 2016 But how many places offer the opportunity for you to BE? That is at the core of what it means to be Christian. It begins with the audacious claim that you are a child of God! And together we are the people of God! That is what God has called us to BE. Everything that we DO is rooted in that truth. Stan Ott, a writer and theologian who has studied the characteristics of vital, alive congregations, stresses we that we need to BE the people of God before we can DO the work of the people of God. As we move into the season of Lent, I would invite you to wrestle with coming up with a thirty second commercial that you could use, not to sell GPC, but to invite someone to walk with you on the journey to know Jesus. If we get the BE-ing right, the DO-ing will be a joyful snap! Happy Trails! Pastor Terry GPC Crossroads 1 Feb 2016

2 CHURCH STAFF Pastor... Rev. Dr. Theron J. Palmer Pastor for Youth & Family Ministires... Rev. Jen Fraser Admin. Assistant... Carole Blake Director - Chancel Choir... Bill Goodenberger Director - Chancel Bell Choir... Bill Goodenberger Director - Chapel Orchestra...Jan Palmer Director - Youth Choir...Susan Martinez Pianist/Organist...Susan Martinez Director - Children s Bell Choir... Web Master... Paul Ihms WORSHIP - 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. SUNDAY SCHOOL - 10:00 a.m. Office Hours...9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday CHURCH OFFICERS SESSION Anne Barton, Kevin Bauerle, Ann Bernal, Karen Gallagher, Wendy Ihms, Denise Jones, Susan Lucas, David Martinez, James Ralston, Pam Russell, Dorothy Smith, Judy Walmsley. Rochelle Mackey, Clerk of Session BOARD OF DEACONS Dan Bernal, Bret Blackburn, Carole Blake, Stacey Bruno, Joe Carpenter, Laurel Coughlin, Betty Gleason, Mary Ann Glenn, Ginny Goodbar, Tara Hall, Rob Nagy, David Nape, Cheri Peterson, Tom Russell, Angela Stover. GPC Session meets monthly on the 3rd. Tuesday Board of Deacons meets monthly on the 1st. Thursday STANDING COMMITTEES: Building & Grounds, Education, Evangelism, Finance, Mission, Nominating, Personnel, Stewardship and Worship. The Crossroads is published monthly; deadline is the 20th of the month before publication. News and information to be included may be submitted to the church office in hard copy, or as attachments to: azgpc1@aol.com Readers comments, ideas & suggestions are welcome. Editor: Tanja Bauerle Proof Readers: Grace Mossman & Carole Blake; Production & Circulation: Carole Blake; Layout & Design: Tanja Bauerle Clerk of Session Report Committee Assignments, Communion Dates Set Session members met for the first time in 2016 and agreed on the following assignments for GPC s standing committees: Buildings & Grounds Jim Ralston and Anne Barton; Christian Education Wendy Ihms and Denise Jones; Evangelism Dorothy Smith and Susan Lucas; Finance Kevin Bauerle and Anne Barton; Mission Ann Bernal and Karen Gallagher; Personnel Pam Russell and Ann Bernal; Stewardship David Martinez and Judy Walmsley; Worship Pam Russell. Communion dates, February 2016 through January 2017, were approved by session. These include the first Sunday monthly as well as special dates in the church Liturgical Year. These include Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Easter Son-Rise, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Christ the King Sunday, First Sunday of Advent, Christmas Eve, and Baptism of the Lord Sunday. Monthly communion dates may be found on the calendar on the back of each issue of Crossroads. Since the December 2015 Stated Meeting, communion was served to 468. This includes Christmas Eve, the first two Sundays in January, as well as to three home bound members. The meeting opened with devotions led by Ann Bernal. After reflection on Mark 1:35, about Jesus going to a solitary place to pray, she led session members in discussion. Moderator Palmer offered prayer. A Called Meeting of the session was approved, at the Clerk s request, for February 7 between services. It is to review and approve the 2015 Annual Statistical Report for General Assembly, a copy of which will be in GPC s Annual Report. The Clerk reported, for the record, on an vote in December approving support for Emily Nasiff to attend the 2016 Presbyterian Youth Triennium. It is held every three years at Perdue University, Indiana, for youth entering high school through graduated seniors. Denise Jones and Anne Barton were elected as the session representatives on the 2016 Nominating Committee. In addition to someone from the Board of Deacons, the committee will include four At-Large members to be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Congregation, February 28. Ten of 12 members of session attended the meeting. The next Stated Meeting is February 16, Members who want to address the session should contact the moderator, the Rev. Terry Palmer, for time on the docket. Rochelle Mackey - Clerk of Session GPC Crossroads 2 Feb 2016

3 NEW ELDERS AND DEACONS FOR CLASS OF 2018 Please help us welcome our new Elders and Deacons who will serve until The new Elders for Class of 2018 are: Kevin Bauerle Susan Lucas David Martinez Judy Walmsley The new Deacons for Class of 2018 are: Carole Blake Dan Bernal Stacey Bruno Cheri Peterson Tom Russell GPC IS FILLED WITH MUSIC! Whether it s the Chancel Choir raising their angelic voices or it s the Praise Team leading us in song during service... their talent makes GPC a very special place! GPC Crossroads 3 Feb 2016

4 JANUARY ATTENDANCE REPORT Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Average Average Total Total TREASURER S REPORT Treasurer s Report as of December 31, 2015: Account Balances: GPC by the Numbers ING Operating: Mortgage: Savings: Pastor Fund: Dec 31, 2015 $23,141 $1,385 $11,387 $15,001 Total Income received in December: $48,890 Total Expenses* for December: $32,031 *Includes loans, utilities, payroll, Presbytery pledges, etc. Associate Breakdown of Giving in December Amount Unrestricted Giving Sunday Offering...$22,828 Facility Use...$1,420 Restricted Giving Mortgage...$1,385 Per Capita... $454 Christmas Joy Offering...$1,357 Mission... $694 Extra Principal...$20,072 Flowers... $80 Memorials... $100 Emergency Aid... $500 HOSTED BY TROOP 286 Sunday, February 7 th at 9:30 am and noon (after first and second services) The cost is $6.00 for adults $4.00 for children under 12 Serving: pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash brown potatoes, toast, OJ, coffee Thank you for your support of GPC s ministry. Further information about church finances may be obtained through the Finance Committee, Kevin Bauerle - chair. GPC Crossroads 4 Feb 2016 Have you remembered your church in your will, trust or IRA?

5 Have you ever felt frustrated or perhaps even angry with God? Have you ever been tempted to ask God questions such as these, Why have you allowed my loved one to get sick, to have an accident, or to die? Then out of despair have you felt like saying, Why me Lord, why me? These questions do not have answers. That is life, it seems like whenever we have everything under control, stuff happens. We are human, we will get sick, accidents do happen, and yes our loved ones will die. It is fruitless to ask God why. That leads to inaction and discouragement on our part. Instead let us ask for strength in faith, guidance, and direction to lead us through our difficulties. Ask God for acceptance of the situation or a new path to take. Perhaps that new path will be the next exciting chapter in your life. And that will lead to positive action. Open your heart and mind and allow God to speak to you. Listen to what He is telling you. Even in our darkest moments God is always Why me, Lord, Why Me? teaching us and showing us the hope and love of His son, Jesus Christ. My mother was always a very positive person, strong in faith. Even in her darkest moments of cancer she never became discouraged or sorry for herself. My mother and I had a wonderful conversation the night before she died. She was asking me my plans for the future, my college classes next semester, graduation, and then a wedding in June, nothing about her pain and suffering. The next day December 17, 1960, I was with my mother as she lifted her weakened body to a sitting position with arms out-stretched. Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled as if she was looking at something wonderful. I could not see what she saw. But at that moment, I knew my mother entered heaven. I will never forget that evening. God was with me and through my mother, God was teaching me about love, faith, and heaven. What a wonderful lesson for a twenty-one year old. In 1980 I was diagnosed with a very rare medical condition where my thymus and thyroid glands grew into my chest. It was benign. At that time we lived in Morenci, a small mining community in Eastern Arizona. I had to have an open-chest surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix. After surgery I was in a very large ICU room with six patients, nurses, and multiple machines humming. I woke up frightened, scared, and could not get comfortable. I wanted my husband, Roy, but the nurses had told him to get some rest as he had been with me all night. A lady came into the room, and asked if I needed anything. She was black. The head nurse immediately said, No, she only needs to relax and allow the medication to take effect. The lady then came over to me, and I whispered, Take my hand. We silently held hands together black and white. The entire room became very quiet except for the hum of the machines. No one spoke, no one moved, time seemed to stand still. I felt the love, strength, and power of Christ through her hands. The last I saw of her, she was quickly leaving the room with tears in her eyes. I relaxed, fell asleep and next I knew Roy and our pastor were looking down on me. I did not know who my angel was, but she was there when I needed her most. Through her, God was showing me and teaching me about love that can take place between two strangers. One Sunday after church in April 2012, I said to Susan Martinez that I really enjoyed the piece she just finished playing, and I would like to take lessons from her. All the way home I thought, why did I ever tell her that? I can t take piano lessons. I don t have time to practice. I teach and have papers to grade. I was hoping that Susan would forget what I said, but she hadn t. Two weeks later she was telling me we could work something out. A few days later my eye doctor discovered a small tumor in the corner of my left eye and sent me to Tucson for radiation treatment. The treatment caused cataracts and double vision. Well, I cannot teach or grade papers with double vision, but I certainly can take piano lessons. My music became my spiritual escape, my refuge, my salvation while going through the treatments and surgeries. I know God is with me when I hear the birds sing with my music. God is showing me that I am not defined only as a math teacher, but that I have new paths to explore and more gifts to share. Even in our deepest problems and turmoil, God is always with us, guiding us, and teaching us. Listen to Him, perhaps He is telling you to take a different path, one that is not that familiar. Be ready to accept His will. Be of strong faith and look at the positive side to life s challenges. Allow the power and love of Jesus Christ to shine in and through your heart to others. Share your experiences and your gifts that God has given you. Eloise Annis, Stewardship Committee GPC Crossroads 5 Feb 2016

6 Message from the Mission Committee GPC will once again be joining Cypress Bible Church members from Cypress, Texas on a Mission Trip over Memorial Day weekend. The Family 2 Familias team from the church will travel to Juarez, Mexico to build a home for a family who is in severe need. Jim Ralston and Dan Bernal have already committed to join the team again this year and we are looking for others who might also be interested. Acuna, Mexico. Casas works together with the Mexican churches and pastors to insure that the families who are the neediest are able to get this provision. The Mexican Pastors provide ongoing ministry and follow up with these families to insure they have adequate understanding of a greater gift that is available to them in Christ. Each member of our team is responsible to raise support to make this trip and the building of this house possible. If you interested in how you might participate in this mission trip either through joining the team in building the house or by providing money to support the team members, please talk to Jim Ralston or Dan Bernal or any member of the Mission Committee. The team will be traveling May The great thing about this trip is that the team will be part of giving a family a brand new home in less than a week. Many families in Juarez are living in substandard conditions and have primitive shelters, often made out of pallets and tarps. In 3 work days, the team will lay a concrete foundation, frame and put up walls, insulate and drywall the interior, stucco the exterior, and give the family some basic electricity a couple of lights and a ceiling fan. This gives them significant protection from the rain and the hot summer heat. Cypress Bible Church has entered into a partnership with Casas por Cristo ( a US based ministry that coordinates the building of these houses in Juarez & BEFORE AFTER GPC Crossroads 6 Feb 2016

7 PASTOR JEN S YOUTH AND FAMILY MINISTRIES Youth Room Clean-Up Honoring Tradition Making Room for the New If you have stopped by the youth room lately you will notice a little bit of chaos is going on. The furniture has been pushed to the center of the room, the walls are bare, and a whole lot of stuff has gone missing. On January 24 after second service, the youth and a couple of us older folks, began our reconstruction of the youth room. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work (more fun than work) and the results were promising and unleashed a whole lot of creative ideas. As we sorted through the stuff in the room, we uncovered all kinds of mystery materials a long pole wrapped in lace, a second pole with signs attached, several 2x4s, a bunch of old curriculum, bible maps, and poster boards (mostly used). We were pretty thorough in our cleaning, after all, it had been a few years since the room had been gone through and youth ministry tends to produce a lot of craftytype material. If an item was broken or unusable it went into one pile if it was a keeper, it went into a second pile. The broken and unusable pile was pretty big and that is a good thing. That means that we were ready for God to do something new in our midst. Sometimes we have to be willing to let go before we can move ahead. The keeper pile wasn t as big, but what went into it was worth its weight in gold. Back behind the tables, under the reams of material and props from youth events of long ago, we found the pictures lots and lots of pictures. In each one there is some youth smiling or hugging or laughing. Each picture tells the story of an Easter Son Rise service, or a barbeque, or some overnight mission event. Each picture tells the story of a youth learning about Jesus love for him or her through a worship skit or at Montlure Camp, or during a spring picnic. Each picture tells the story of Gilbert Presbyterian Church through the eyes of its youth. They were all keepers. The next step in our transformation is paint, then we will work on flooring. We have already received donations of nice furniture and the youth have lots of great decorating ideas. Under their leadership that room will be reconstructed according to their design for their needs. One of their first ideas (after chalkboard paint for one of the walls) was to take all of the pictures and make a new collage, something that would honor all of the youth from GPC who are now amazing young adults. We in the church often think that the youth are bored with our old ways, with our old traditions and, of course, there is some truth to that. But they love and value the past more than we sometimes realize. They know that it is their past too, even if they were too young to remember it. For them it is a comforting memory that makes them laugh, it is a well-known road that promises to lead them into the future, and it is a foundation that supports their faith in God now. In Christ, Pastor Jen Family Ministry in February Youth February 7 Youth Group after second service (please bring $5 for lunch) February 21 Youth Group after second service / Confirmation February 28 Easter Son Rise service worship planning after second service (2 hours) Families with young children February 21 Christ Kid s get together (more details to follow) GPC Crossroads 7 Feb 2016

8 MEMORIES OF DECEMBER S MIRACLE OF JESUS PROGRAM GPC Crossroads 8 Feb 2016

9 CHRISTMAS SERICE - DECEMBER 2015 GPC Crossroads 9 Feb 2016

10 February Theme: What is Baptism? PreK through 6th Grade Bible references: Mark 1:9 11; Matt 3:13 17; Luke 3:21 22) Objectives: --at the end of the Rotation, kids should be able to: Explain what the sacrament of baptism represents Know who baptized Jesus Know why Jesus also had to be baptized Know some different ways that people can be baptized Learn that the act of baptism is not what saves a person, but rather the belief, repentance & acceptance of Jesus Jr. / Sr. High Youth: Gospel Journey Maui series with Rev. Jen Fraser Two Bible studies available for Adults: 1. DD based Bible Study and Discussion Group led by Susan Lucas 2. Bible Study class PLUS: College/Young Adult Bible Study TRUTHSEEKERS WORKSHOPS: GPC Crossroads 10 Feb 2016

11 February Monthly Planner GPC Crossroads 11 Feb 2016

12 Gilbert Presbyterian Church Presyterian Church (U.S.A) 235 East Guadalupe Road Gilbert, Arizona Tel: Fax: Web: ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED / DATED MATERIAL Remember It is never too late to send in your PLEDGE. Please help support the work of the larger church through Per Capita giving - $34 per member. Thank you! February Celebrations Birthdays: 1 Jen Fraser 1 Ward MacKenzie 2 Bret Blackburn 2 Angela Stover 3 Rob Nagy 6 Christian Gallagher 6 Arlyn Hearn 6 Greg Kevern 6 Judy Walmsley 7 Gregory Brooks 8 Bill Goodenberger 10 Brooke Ihms 10 Dave McDougall 12 Shirley Schmidt 17 Katy Nasiff 17 Andrew Walter 20 Grace Mossman 21 Sherry Gamble 25 Kyle Lucas 28 Paul Bengtson Anniversaries: 3 Hoyte and Jeanie Mitchell 10 Gary and Jane Lolling 12 Jason Heinkel and Jane Poston 26 Roy and Ginger Martin 28 John and Erica Modzelewski GPC Crossroads 12 Feb 2016