FYI. A Publication of North Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church. September Memory Verse

Transcription

1 VOLUME September 2018 Worship Connect Impact FYI A Publication of North Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church September Memory Verse God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (ESV)

2 Table of Contents 2 NPC Session Report 3 Did You Know? 4 Pastor s Corner McCandless Community Days NPC Trap Shoot 5 Fall Sunday School 6 Children s Ministry Giving Thanks Celebration 7 Youth Group 8 True Women 18 Simulcast Greeter or Welcome Desk Help 9 Compass Event 10 Weekend To Remember 11 Summer Mission Lunch Wayumi Weekend Retreat 12 Lebanon Mission Update 13 Family of the Month 14 Birthdays and Anniversaries NPC SESSION REPORT These summer months of 2018 for your elders, as usual for this time of year, have been about budget, staff, and officers. We were pleased to interview and recommend four new candidates for deacon who will be voted on at our August 26 Congregational Meeting. We reviewed and approved the reviews of NPC Staff and worked with the Administration and Personnel committee to finalize and deliver a review of Senior Pastor, Dan Hendley. For this year s budget, special attention is being paid to campus repairs, maintenance, and, enhancements. We are working with a diaconal team to prioritize projects for the coming year in light of long-term needs of our campus. Please be in prayer for us as we desire to steward well the precious investments of God s people for His glory and the good of NPC. North Park Church September 2018 FYI 2

3 Did You Know Did you know that Damion & Megan Carey, Natalie Carey, Beth Watson and Barbara Hipsley just became confirmed members of our church..that Franklin Roosevelt was the first president to speak on TV, but only 200 Americans owned one at the time.that Tim Holt is moving into Highpointe at Rebecca, a Senior Living facility where John Lengel lives..that the Kishs, Van tlands, Fowlers, and Bolibrucks just moved into new homes. that the King Ranch in Texas is bigger than Rhode Island 825K acres..that Sharon Hendley is looking to rent a room from someone ( ).that the LaBarres and the Lochners helped with our summer painting project that a Cornish game hen is just a small young chicken..that Jim Warmbrodt, Clint Van tland, Susan Burke, and Brian Osmond helped with our summer painting project..that Kristen Smalley went to Haiti on a missions trip this summer..that Andrew Jackson was the first US president born in the US.that Nick Piett and his fiancée, Rachael Carey, will be running Trekkers this year..that Janie Koska is down one appendix..that our new handicapped restroom in the Blue Room is nearly complete..that Kristin Brown went to high-school in Vero Beach, Florida..that Vic Ilnicki sells real estate with Coldwell Banker..that a one-day old antelope can run 23 mph..that those who read the FYI can run 11% faster than those who do not? Did you know these things? I thought you should. By Dan Hendley North Park Church September 2018 FYI 3

4 Pastor s Corner Beth and I got to spend a few days in July out in the Rocky Mountains due to an invitation from the Van Oss family to officiate Trenton s wedding to Jenn Bredemeier. This was my fifth and Beth s third time in Colorado. As always, I am just elated and elevated by the beauty of the mountains and the massive rocks. One spot particularly grabbed me. After a mile hike uphill we came to Dream Lake, a small lake tucked into the Rocky Mountain woods. It was certainly dreamy, just a gorgeous spot surrounded by pines reflecting off the water which shimmered in three shades of green. Another half-mile up, past a lot of gravity, was Emerald Lake which the chipmunks apparently preferred. It is all magnificent and I enjoyed the hikes with my bride, in part because she shares with me an adoration of the One who shaped all this beauty and spoke it into being. I enjoy the joke that Colorado is pretty but it s hard to see it with the mountains blocking your view. Truth is though, that mountains can block one s view one s view of the Creator. You can get so caught up with the mountain itself. It was sad to think and see how by Dan Hendley few Coloradans are able to see past the beauty of the mountains and the woods to the God who reigns above them. Curiously, some of the most beautiful parts of the country, like Colorado, Oregon, and San Francisco are also the least worshipful meaning that church attendance in these places is low and serious Jesuspeople are few by comparison. I suppose it goes back to what Paul said in Romans 1, that fallen humanity, deluded of heart and enchained to sin, worships and serves the created, rather than the creator. Our mission is to declare that there is someone higher than the mountains, more beautiful than Dream Lake, and more exhilarating than mountain climbing, whose soulsatisfying love is good for the healthy hiking millennial and his 98-year-old grandmother. Nate Luebbe on Instagram (@nateinthewild) McCandless Community Day! by Ben Burkholder Do you love North Park Church and want to tell others about it? Come join us for McCandless Community Day (September 8), which is a festive day for our local community. We will have a booth featuring your very own North Park Church where we will be handing out water and popcorn and inviting people to our September Compass event. We plan to have the booth staffed from 11:45 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. If you want to be a part of telling our community about North Park and want to take one of the two hour shifts, sign up in the lobby. NPC Trap Shoot Come join us for our yearly trap shoot! This is a great time to share with your children or neighbors. No experience is required. Safety and training lessons will be given to all new or inexperienced shooters. The trap shoot is open to all men, women, boys, and girls ages 11 and older. It will be held on Saturday, September 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gospel Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Valencia, PA. The cost is $12 per person (guests are free), which will cover clays, shells, and lunch. Sign up in the lobby. For questions, contact Dawson Haytock at dhaytock@gmail.com. For more information contact Pastor Ben at benburkholder@northparkepc.org. North Park Church September 2018 FYI 4

5 Sunday School Fall 2018 Announcing Fall 2018 Sunday School Electives! Thorns and Thistles OR Dignity and Glory: A Biblical Examination of Work w/dan Dupee in Room 112 We spend most of our waking hours working. Most of us do jobs that we in the church do not typically think of as the Lord s work. Are we using the best hours of our energy and imagination on something that matters? Or not? Join Dan Dupee for an examination of what scripture teaches about work, dignity, purpose, calling, and rest. We will see how Scripture reveals truths that have profound implications for what we do every day, and how we think (and feel) about it. We will look further into how this applies to each of us in our own situations. Old Testament Survey Part 3 - Kings and Prophets w/dan Hendley in Room 111 We will seek to grow in understanding and appreciation of the Old Testament historical and prophetic books. We begin with Solomon, cover the period of the kings, and discover when and how the prophets served the Lord in their generation. Parenting by the Word w/ David and Susann Pinkerton in Room 109 This class is aimed primarily at parents of young children through middle school, although much can apply to older children as well. Much of the material we will cover comes from two books by Lou Priolo - Teach Them Diligently and Heart of Anger. We will discuss teaching, convicting, training, communicating, thinking, and discipling with Scripture as well as practical ways of dealing with sinful heart attitudes in our children. Biblical parenting does not come naturally to us. This material will challenge us to put off our default modes of parenting and more consistently point our children to Jesus through direct use of the Word. The Ancient Word Still Speaks w/ Ben Burkholder in Room 305 We know that reading the Bible is important but sometimes it seems so foreign to our 21st-century American lives. How does this ancient book speak to us today? In this class, we will unpack how to read the Bible and how to understand it in its various contexts so we can better understand how to live it today. In addition, we will explore how we can communicate what we re learning with others in a compelling manner. North Park Church September 2018 FYI 10

6 by Jill Benson Update The school year is officially upon us! Sunday School will start September 9 and the teachers are excited to dive into God s word with our North Park kids. Here s what our children will be studying this Sunday School year. 3 & 4 Year Olds: Room 206. Dwell: Play curriculum with Mrs. Holly Fairfield and Mrs. Stacy Altmyer. Based on stories from Genesis through Acts, Dwell: Play leads children on a joyful discovery of God s love. 5 & 6 Year Olds: Room 208. Dwell: Imagine curriculum with Ms. Susan O Leary and Ms. Bonnie George. Our kindergarten class will spend the year imagining being a part of God s family, following God s directions, walking with Jesus, God s incredible rescue plan, and seeing God s power. 1 & 2 Grades: Room 302. Dwell: Wonder curriculum with Ms. Susan Burke and Mrs. Joyce Kish. In their study of the gospels, children will spend the year learning of God s amazing plan; Jesus surprising power, loving care and incredible love; and the Holy Spirit s life-changing power. 3 5 Grade Girls: Room 309. Dwell: Marvel curriculum with Mrs. Leslie Van Newkirk. Our 3-5 graders will spend half of the year in the gospels and the other half in the book of Acts, learning about God s love, mercy and protection, and the Holy Spirit s power and work. 3 5 Grade Boys: Room 301. Dwell: Marvel curriculum with Mr. Rob O Brien and Mr. Adam Bright. See description under 3-5 Grade Girls Class. We will finish up our last Summer Children s Worship lesson on September 2 (Labor Day) and then our Children and Worship curriculum will resume on September 9. Our stories this year will come from the first half of the Old Testament, moving from Creation to the story of Samuel. Our memory verse this fall comes from the story of Noah and reminds children that God placed a rainbow in the clouds as a reminder of His covenant with Noah (Genesis 9:15-16). Remember that some children will be moving to new classes and nursery rooms this fall! Parents will get a letter in the mail with their child s room assignments for Sunday School and during the Worship service. If you have any questions, contact Jill at jillbenson@northparkepc.org or (412) , ext Giving Thanks Celebration Do you remember that cold evening in January? You weathered the freezing temperatures and gathered to pray for my trip to Africa. God has answered many prayers, and I returned home safely. There were several adventurous moments. God s faithfulness and grace saw me through it all. North Park Church is invited to come and hear a presentation of my recent trips to Liberia and Kenya. I will show some short videos and pictures from my adventurous journey into the rainforest of West Africa by Maria Allewelt and my mission work in Kenya. God has answered many prayers. Let s celebrate together by giving thanks to Him. Saturday, September 22 from 6:00 8:00 p.m. at Community Center of Blueberry Hill 34 Strawberry Lane, Wexford PA Desserts and light refreshments will be served. Please feel free to bring a friend. Please let Maria know if you plan to come so she can make proper arrangements. Call or text (724) or her at maria.allewelt@gmail.com North Park Church September 2018 FYI 6

7 Youth Group Update Our entire student ministry team is eagerly looking forward to a new year of youth group that will begin in several weeks. We had an amazing summer of spiritual growth, sacrificial service, and relational unity. God abundantly provided for our missions trip to Alderson, WV in the middle of July. We were able to complete a variety of service projects that included painting two houses, fixing up a local community center, and cleaning out a home to make it livable. By God s grace, this trip stretched our students and deepened their connections with one another. Further testimonies and details from this trip will be provided at the Missions Luncheon. Our fall semester will kick off on September 9 with our first night of youth group. Taylor will begin a new 13-week sermon series through Paul s letter to the Galatian church. This series will be entitled Galatians: Set Free to Live Free. Bob Arnold will be returning to lead the older students through the final chapters of the book of Romans during the Sunday School hour. Grant and Deborah McKinney will be in charge of the Sunday School class for our 6 8 grade students. Starting on September 16, our Middle and High School small groups will be meeting every other Wednesday night at the church from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Please be in prayer for our ministry to the youth of North Park and the Wexford area. # # # # Here s how you can pray for this upcoming fall: Pray that God would grant wisdom and strength to Taylor and the other adult leaders Pray that students in our area will come to know Christ through the influence of our students and the preaching of God s Word at youth group Pray that our students will grow in their theological knowledge and their passion for the things of the Lord Pray that our fall retreat at the end of October will be extremely fruitful and impactful # YouthGroup September No Youth Group due to Labor Day Weekend 6:30-8:30 p.m. Youth Group 6:30-8:30 p.m. Youth Group :30-8:30 p.m. First Youth Group Of the Fall 6:30-8:30 p.m. Youth Group :00-8:30 p.m. Middle & High School Small Group at NPC 7:00-8:30 p.m. Middle & High School Small Group at NPC North Park Church September 2018 FYI 7

8 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-31 True Woman 18 Simulcast by Amber Stites As I sit to write this, I am tired. I just finished a one mile kayak ride, followed by a 4.5 mile hike that would have been 3 miles, except we got lost. After that we had to kayak the mile back. Next, we took some time to cool down with a swim in the lake. My kids want to do more, but I can see the fatigue in their faces and I can certainly hear it in their whining. I am done and want nothing more than to sit down, maybe even lay down and rest. It was a beautiful day, full of fun adventure, but it was also exhausting. According to multiple sources, the average amount of conscious decisions an adult makes each day equals about 35,000. Exhausting, right? And usually there is some action required following that decision. For example, when you wake up, you must decide what to serve for breakfast, then make that breakfast, and probably even clean up after it. Consequently, whether you are having an adventure on the lake or completing your day to day routine, we need to find time to renew our strength. Isaiah says that we do this by hoping in the Lord, and Romans tells us He is the God of hope and by trusting in Him, we can overflow with hope. I find that it is the trusting Him part that s difficult. Frequently it is hard because I have a distorted view of who He is and who I am. As you begin the busy fall season, I invite you to take some time to worship our great God of hope and to be reminded of His trustworthiness together, with women of all ages from all over the world. Women s Connection will kick off the ministry year by gathering on Friday evening, September 28 from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at NPC to share a meal and tune in to part of the True Woman 18 simulcast from Revive Our Hearts ministries. Mark your calendars, prayerfully consider who you might want to invite, and watch your bulletin for more details to come! Your Help Is Needed! Do you want to spread more Christian joy? OR Are you new to the church and want to meet people? OR Are you a longtime member and want to meet the new members? Then becoming a North Park Greeter or Welcome Desk Volunteer is the job for you. We need more people to serve as greeters and helpers at the Welcome Desk. Time commitment is about 15 minutes before the service for greeters and 15 minutes before and after the service for the Welcome Desk volunteers. Please contact Denise Velarde by at ambassador.denise@gmail.com or by phone (724) if you are interested in serving. North Park Church September 2018 FYI 8

9 RECENT DISCOVERIES IN BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY by Ben Burkholder Wednesday, September 19 Connect with the world of the Bible in a whole new way! For our next Compass event Dr. Jim Platt, scholar in residence at North Way Christian Community and active professor at local colleges and seminaries, will give us a tour of recent archaeological discoveries relevant to our understanding of Scripture. In addition, Jim has graciously offered to bring some of his personal artifacts to make this a tactile experience you won t forget. We will provide the main course of the meal, but would appreciate that each guest bring something to contribute to the meal according to their last names: A-F: Side G-O: Salad P-Z: Dessert The meal will begin at 6:00 p.m. in North Park Church s Multipurpose Room. The meal and lecture should be concluded around 7:45 p.m. Sign up at the table in the lobby and grab an invitation or two to invite your friends as well. Childcare will be available for children 0-3. Questions? Contact Pastor Ben at benburkholder@northparkepc.org Dr. Platt in action on a dig at Tel Zayit North Park Church September 2018 FYI 9

10 Great Marriages Don t Just Happen Wouldn t it be great if happily ever after really were the end of the story? by Mark Sharpnack The difference between a good marriage and a great one is hard work. FamilyLife s Weekend to Remember marriage getaway offers couples biblical wisdom and a safe environment to work on their marriage, free from distractions. No spilling your guts to strangers. No mumbo jumbo. Just the one-on-one focus you and your spouse (or future spouse) need to thrive, today and 10 years from today. Would you please consider joining Rachel and me on November 2-4 or November 9-11 at the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry Township? We believe so strongly in this weekend that we have gifted four of our nieces/nephews as well as our son and their spouses to attend. This conference also has been a blessing to many couples from North Park. We can give some names for reference. If you register between September 4 and September 24, FamilyLife will be offering HALF PRICE (BOGO) registrations to use with our group name - NorthParkEPC TIME WELL SPENT. Weekend to Remember helps you and your spouse escape the daily grind and focus on your relationship. By learning about and applying God s plan for a healthy marriage from our trained speakers, you and your spouse can: Connect with each other more intimately Improve communication Anticipate conflict and handle it head on Draw from the experience and advice of leading marriage experts Experience marriage the way God intended it to be Check out for more information. Contact Mark ( ) or Rachel ( ) with any questions about the Weekend to Remember events in November. North Park Church September 2018 FYI 10

11 Potluck by Ben Burkholder A number of people have given a part of their summer to serve others on a short-term missions trip. From the hills of Appalachia to journeys across the Atlantic, people from North Park have been engaged in all kinds of exciting missions this summer. On Sunday, September 30, after the service and lasting until 1:00 p.m., we will hear exciting reports of how God has been at work in each of the teams that went out this summer. This will be a potluck style lunch, so please bring something to share with others according to your last name below: A-L: Bring a main dish M-Z: Bring a side or dessert Please, sign up at the Information Counter so we can prepare the room accordingly. If you have gone on a trip this summer, please, let Pastor Ben know by ing him at benburkholder@northparkepc.org A Tribal Missions Experience Made Easy! Wayumi Weekend Retreat by Ben Burkholder Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a tribal missionary, braving the difficulties of jungle living? Or what it s like to tell people who have no access to modern appliances and gadgets about Jesus? You can now have that experience without ever leaving our great state of Pennsylvania! On October 19-21, we are taking a group from our church to have a simulated missionary experience in northcentral Pennsylvania. We will leave from the church on Friday, October 19 at 2:00 p.m. and return on Sunday, October 21 by 5:00 p.m. As a part of the simulation, you will get to walk through a mock tribal village, converse with the villagers, and hear from experienced missionaries about the painstaking efforts they take to present the Gospel in the people s own language. Your view of missionaries will never be the same! Travel costs to and from will be covered, but there is a registration cost of $79 for those 13 and older ($35 for those under 13), which can be paid at sign up or at the location. Lodging will be in twin beds, in dorm-style apartments, though you will have to bring a sleeping bag or your own bedding. Meals will be eaten there together. Are you wondering if this would be a great experience for your children? Since there will be periods of lecture mixed with other cultural experiences, the weekend is recommended for those second grade or older. If you have questions, please, Pastor Ben at benburkholder@northparkepc.org. You can also go to the following website: Sign up in the lobby or Pastor Ben at your earliest convenience as space is limited and will fill up quickly. North Park Church September 2018 FYI 11

12 Missions Update by Ben Burkholder One of the objectives of the Lebanon team was to visit the early childhood education center (GROW) that our missionaries, Robert and Joyce Hamd, have founded in Beirut, Lebanon. Having received government approval, the Hamds have been looking to expand to another location that will provide fruitful engagement with the refugee population in Lebanon. Last year, the Hamds asked North Park s missions committee to consider contributing financially to the expansion of the GROW center into other locations. During our time in Lebanon, the team observed the way in which GROW was working with a local church plant (Resurrection Church of Beirut) to reach the refugee population effectively. While GROW provided Christian education for the children, the local churches were busy ministering to the older children and parents through a myriad of programs and outreach events. It was this collaborative intersection of GROW with local church ministry that led us to believe that helping them launch to a new location, which will be accompanied by another church plant, was vital for the expansion of the ministry in Lebanon. In light of this, the missions committee designated money to support the expansion and additional ministry of GROW for this year. Thanks for your generous giving which allows us to contribute to God s work both near and far. The fields are ripe for harvest! North Park Church September 2018 FYI 12

13 Family of The Month Zaiser By Kelly Laird We go from A to Z! Last month we read about the Arnold family and this month it s the Zaisers. Get to know Barry, Kim and their grown kids, Rebekah, Aaron, and Ben. Kim Zaiser grew up in Wexford and attended Wheaton College. She met her husband in 1985 while attending another church and they married shortly thereafter. They found North Park about eighteen years ago. Barry is a native of Lewisburg, PA and graduated from Bucknell University. He moved to Pittsburgh for employment and met Kim almost right away at church. Barry works as an administrator at St. Clair Hospital and Kim works as a physician in emergency medicine at Allegheny General Hospital. They passed down their love of hospital work to their oldest, Rebekah (30) who has the same profession as her mom. Rebekah is married to Matt Blickendorf and they live in Indianapolis. Barry and Kim also have two sons. Aaron (29) is married to Christa and they live in New Mexico and Benjamin (27) lives in Columbus, Mississippi. Both their sons are pilots for the Air Force. Barry and Kim live in the Marshall area of the North Hills. Barry and Kim are living in a very hectic and busy season! You can find them involved in devotions, work, exercise, and family obligations. Barry is an usher and has been involved in the A & P Committee and a gathering of men. He also meets weekly with other men through CLC, Christian Leadership Concepts. Kim is a medical director at Choices Pregnancy Center. They ve found time to vacation most recently at Lake George, New York. You can also find Sam, their beloved Abyssinian cat as part of their daily life too. Pray for the Zaisers adult children and children-inlaw, that they will all grow spiritually, which is Barry and Kim s desire for them! Next time you see them, say hello to the Zaisers! North Park Church September 2018 FYI Their Favorite Scriptures Ephesians 1:3-10 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 13

14 September 2018 Birthdays 3 Grant McKinney Nabil Mikhael Eliana O Brien 4 Gayla Hopkins 7 Raymond Anderson 9 Sandy Garver 10 Joe Daly John Lengel 12 Paul Spangler Nina Rivero 13 Kelly Stitt 15 James Wilkin 16 Amy Kendall 17 Will Arnold 18 Philip Rooke 19 Edith Rosenberger 20 Vivian Miller 22 Robert Glancy Johnny Faber Jill Benson 23 Nicholas Osmond Bill Hargest Duncan Hopkins 25 Hazel McKinney Taylor Brown 26 Alexia Walters Abbey Mycyk 27 Lily Stites Josh Kish 28 Andrew Laird 29 Olivia Buirge 30 Lisa Lish Beth Kuchma Laura Fox Anniversaries 1 Dan and Carol Dupee James and June Yoder 9 Joe and Laura Daly 12 Jeffery and Barbara Buirge 14 Gary and Peggy Anderson 25 Samuel and Madeline Karpiak David and Susann Pinkerton 30 Bob and Lisa Arnold