Living Waters. Hot Button Issues. Swift Creek Presbyterian Church

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Living Waters. Hot Button Issues. Swift Creek Presbyterian Church"

Eleanor Richardson
5 years ago
Views:

Swift Creek Presbyterian Church Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.

Hopefully, with the Lenten season comes spring weather. We have developed a tradition of doing Lenten suppers followed by a brief time of teaching on Wednesday evenings during that season.

They will have a different flavor than what we have done in the past and will be different from what we typically offer during the Sunday school hour. We are calling this series Hot Button Issues.

1 Swift Creek Presbyterian Church Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. John 7:37-38 Volume 24, Issue 3 From the pastor s desk Living Waters Dear Friends, It has been a long winter but Lent is about to begin and before you know it Easter will be here. Hopefully, with the Lenten season comes spring weather. We have developed a tradition of doing Lenten suppers followed by a brief time of teaching on Wednesday evenings during that season. I hope you will consider joining us this year for those sessions. We are giving our teaching times a bit of a twist this year. They will have a different flavor than what we have done in the past and will be different from what we typically offer during the Sunday school hour. We are calling this series Hot Button Issues. The format will be discussion rather than teaching. I will not be coming with a presentation, or a set direction that I want the evening to go in. I will bring just enough to get the discussion going and then I envision us having a respectful dialogue about some of the issues that tend to separate us, even as Christians, from one another. What do the Scriptures have to say about these issues? What does it mean to live faithfully as a Christian in the midst of a society that is increasingly pluralistic and seems to be moving rapidly further and further from its Christian moorings? We don t often go down this road at Swift Creek but I am confident that we can have helpful discussions that will stretch our thinking about what it means to live faithfully for Christ in an ever challenging world. Each week will have its own topic, one per week. Hot Button Issues March 5: Competing Visions of America; Can America be a Christian country? March 12: Poverty, Redistribution of Wealth, and the American Dream March 19: The Gay Rights Movement and Traditional Marriage March 26: Technology and Privacy April 2: Environmentalism and Environmental Stewardship April 9: Israel and Zionism April 16: A Culture of Life Abortion, Euthanasia and the Death Penalty Dinner will be from 6:15 6:45 and our discussion will go from 6:45-7:30. Ash Wednesday, the first Wednesday of Lent, is Wednesday March 5. Hope that, even if you have never been before, this year you will join us. Because we are serving dinner, it would be helpful to have a ballpark idea on how many to expect. You can give us a non-binding signal by using the sign up genius link on the SCPC webpage or on our Facebook page. Grace, Tuck

Page 2 Living Waters Don t be shy Smile for new photo directory It's time for another Pictorial Church Directory - we're on a once-every-four-years rotation. We want you to be in it, so don't be shy.

2 Page 2 Living Waters Don t be shy Smile for new photo directory It's time for another Pictorial Church Directory - we're on a once-every-four-years rotation. We want you to be in it, so don't be shy. It's our family and you are a part of it, so whether you think you take a great picture or not, please give us all the gift of your participation. Portrait sittings are from Wednesday March 26 - Saturday March 29. You can sign up online at the Swift Creek website or in the Commons. Sunday Evening Ladies Bible New Priscilla Shirer Begins March 9 Jonah Navigating A Life Interrupted 7 Sessions, 6-8 p.m. Sunday evenings. What do we do when God interrupts our lives? Many times, like Jonah, we run! In this Bible study, Priscilla shows that interruption is actually God's invitation to do something beyond our wildest dreams. When Jonah was willing to allow God to interrupt his life, the result was revival in an entire city. Contact Joy Moody to sign up: or Ojoyful27@yahoo.com Music changes for Rockfish In the past we have set aside all of Sunday morning on Rockfish weekend to worship Rockfish style. This year the Rockfish band will be at the early service only. The second service on March 16 will be a traditional format with the hymns you are accustomed to at the 11o clock service. Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 am on Sunday, March 9 and ends at 2am on Sunday, November 2. Thank you On our behalf, as well as our extended family, we would like to thank so many of you for all of the expressions of love, support and sympathy as we dealt with our nephew Tim s illness and loss. Although the loss of a loved one is never easy, we really appreciate so many of you taking your time over the Christmas holidays to call or send a card, besides all of the kind words at church. We are so grateful to be a part of the Swift Creek family. Thanks, Bill and Kimberly Ruch Operational Budget Year-to-Date December Budget 2013 Actual Revenue: $495,000 $512,023 Expenses: $495,000 $479,384 YTD Net: - $32,639 Set up electronic giving at scpcva.org.

3 Living Waters Page 3 SWIFT CREEK YOUTH YOUTH FELLOWSHIP Join us on Sunday evenings for a time filled with fun, food and fellowship! Middle School: 5:00-6:00 p.m. Combined Dinner: 6:00-6:30 p.m. High School: 6:30-7:30 p.m. We are meeting on these Sundays in March: March 2, 9, 23 & 30. No meeting on March 16 since it is RockFISH weekend. See you at RockFISH! SUNDAY NIGHT WORSHIP There will be no designated youth worship service (SCYHAMSS, or Swift Creek Youth High and Middle School Service) this month, since there is RockFISH (see above) on March 14 & 15. There will be some awesome worship sessions at each night of that event. We hope you can join us and invite your friends! CONNECT Stay up to date on everything going on within the Swift Creek Youth Ministry by following us on Twitter, joining our group on Facebook and checking out the new church website. Website: Twitter: Facebook: SCPCYouthGroup ROCKFISH 2014 Swift Creek Youth s annual RockFISH event is coming up on March 14 & 15! This is our annual event where we pull out all the stops in order for new students to come into our church doors and experience God. We will have delicious food, great music, awesome games and a ton of fun. This year s speaker is Chris Mustard from Dayton, Ohio. The theme this year is: RockFISH: Get Hooked! Mark your calendars and invite your friends! You can sign up by contacting Kevin or you can also sign up online on the website. SMALL GROUPS High School Girls: Monday s from 7:00-8:30 at the Burns. Middle School Girls: Wednesday s from 7:00-8:30 at the DeSimone. Middle School Boys: Wednesday s from 7:30-8:30 at the Chin OR Tuesday s from 6:30-8:00 at the Perriello. Contact Kevin for more details. UPCOMING DATES High School Mission Trip to Kentucky: June 23-28, 2014 Middle School Mission Trip to Ohio: July 27-August 1, 2014

But even if your denomination doesn t formally practice this observance, drawing our hearts closer to God is still a worthwhile pursuit. POWERSOURCE ASK GOD: 1.

4 Page 4 Living Waters POWERSOURCE Preparing Our Hearts Swift Creek Presbyterian Church Wendy Hicks - Children s Director whicks@scpcva.org At this time of year, people in some denominations lead into Easter by preparing their hearts and drawing closer to God through a formal time of prayer, fasting, and giving (Lent). But even if your denomination doesn t formally practice this observance, drawing our hearts closer to God is still a worthwhile pursuit. POWERSOURCE ASK GOD: 1. To help you look for ways to grow closer to him and not just at certain times of the year. 2. For opportunities to teach your kids how to block out distractions and focus on him. 3. To help you be intentional with the way you lead your kids. In Matthew 13 Jesus talked about how good soil was key to a good harvest. A farmer who ignores the soil will have bad soil, but if he works to make the soil good, it will produce a great harvest. So it is with us. Jesus said that we can produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted. That s both overwhelming and exciting! When we pray, fast, and give, we re preparing the soil of our hearts. We re aligning ourselves with God and his great work. And it s never too early to teach our children to work the soil of our hearts. How can your family create soil-strengthening habits?

Living Waters Page 5 Date & Time To Be Determined Sunday 4/13 Palm Sunday Saturday 4/19 3-5 pm Friday 5/30 6-9 pm Friday 6/6 7 pm - 7 am Saturday 6/21 10 am - noon July 14th - 18th 9 am - noon

For more information, check with Wendy Hicks. At our Palm Sunday service we will have a children s choir singing and waving palm branches. If your child is interested, please speak with Wendy Hicks.

Night of Fun For our Kindergarten 3rd graders, more information to come! Overnighter for our 4th & 5th graders, more information to come!

5 Living Waters Page 5 Date & Time To Be Determined Sunday 4/13 Palm Sunday Saturday 4/ pm Friday 5/ pm Friday 6/6 7 pm - 7 am Saturday 6/21 10 am - noon July 14th - 18th 9 am - noon Information - For more information on any of these activities, please contact Wendy Hicks or whicks@scpcva.org Parent s Dinner An evening of good food and good fellowship. Location TBD. For more information, check with Wendy Hicks. At our Palm Sunday service we will have a children s choir singing and waving palm branches. If your child is interested, please speak with Wendy Hicks. Easter Celebration A not to miss church wide outreach event for the family. There will be Easter egg hunts for the kids, clowns, popcorn, games, crafts, Inflatable slide much much more! Night of Fun For our Kindergarten 3rd graders, more information to come! Overnighter for our 4th & 5th graders, more information to come! 1st Day of Summer Party For our Kindergarten 5th graders, more information to come! Vacation Bible School for our PreK - completed 5th graders. Mark your calendars and join us for some weird animal adventures. Let me know if your child has any upcoming games, school programs or activities that I could come see. Also would love to visit them at school for lunch one day. Loving on them outside the church walls is part of my passion. Wendy Hicks For March 2nd - Help One Another, Exodus 9th - Care for One Another, Ruth 16th - Learn from Parents, Deut. 23rd - Trust God, 2 Kings 30th - Obey Parents, Luke Join us and bring a friend! We are back at Clover Hill ES this Spring! Thursdays 3-4:30 pm February 20 - April 10 Sign up today with Ms. Wendy. Children s Sunday School For March

6 Page 6 Living Waters You re invited to adult Sunday School 10 a.m. classes Bible-in-Life - This class will study God s power as proclaimed through the person of Jesus Christ, resulting in Christians being empowered to live under God s rule. In March, Jesus' fulfillment of the Scriptures will be discussed. Learn how to apply Biblical principles to your life. - Led by Greg Moody. Walking with God in the Desert - Are you going through a difficult period of life? This series will reveal that it's only when we are totally dependent on him, that we find God is closer than ever and can experience his amazing grace and provision. Join this Ray Vander Laan DVD series that is filmed in Israel and incorporates the Bible with history, culture and geography. -Led by Randy Hinson and James Wrenn. SAVE THE DATE! Virginia Blood Services will be at the church on Saturday, April 5. If you can give a unit of blood, please put this date on your calendar. More to come next month. Sue Cummings Welcome to the Family Please welcome these new members to our Swift Creek family: Mike and Melody Beam John, Wendy and Matthew Hicks Roy and Loral Hoagland Steve and Jodi Larson 1 Mackenzie Doll Joy Moody 4 Beth Lewis 6 Jeff Crow Matthew Hicks Ashton Van Dyke 8 Molly Owens 10 Jack Davis Andrew Sydow 12 Veronica Lawler Tamara Gregg 16 Brian McCutcheon 17 Kelsey Butterfield Chris Hilton 18 Joshua Willard 19 Blaire Amis Stephanie Lescault 21 Trisha Bullington 22 Terry Pendleton Mike Periello 24 Jim McMahon 25 Jared Bell Elizabeth Taylor 26 Marvin Taylor 27 Ryan Chin Amy Periello 28 Lori Forman Craig Willard 29 Kyle Herceg Claire Moody Mike Traveline 30 Cindy Knupp 31 Matthew Herceg Dale Couch

The first of many 2014 Church Hill service opportunities will occur later this month.

7 Living Waters Page 7 On a Mission Our Stop Hunger Now event is almost here! On March 8, we will turn the sanctuary into a kitchen of sorts as we gather together to package over 20,000 meals to help to feed the hungry. You can find more details on the event in the newsletter. The first of many 2014 Church Hill service opportunities will occur later this month. SCPC will be serving food and warming hearts at East End Fellowship Church in the Robinson Theater on Sunday, March 23 from 3:15 6:30 pm. We re looking for about 6-8 volunteers to help set up, serve food and clean up for the post-service din- ner. Please sign up in the commons. Contact Mike Anderson with Finally, Young Life s Capernaum Club is looking for SCPC middle and high schoolers to eat with, sing with, and play games with Chesterfield County teens with varying degrees of disabilities. The next two Capernaum Clubs are on March 13 and April 10. Club is held at 7 pm at Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church in Midlothian. For information or if you re interested in participating in any of our missions programs, please contact Greg Herceg at Help provide 20,000 meals It s time to get ready for the fun, hands-on assembly line at church on Saturday, March 8 from 4-6 p.m. to package 20,000 meals. Thanks to everyone who pre-registered and/or donated to this outreach online at So far, we ve reached 80 percent of our monetary goal and there s still time to sign up. We will work with "Stop Hunger Now," an international, faith-based relief organization. Primarily through schools, it distributes these protein-packed meals to children in hunger-stricken regions across the world. Last year s event exceeded all expectations, so save the date for this family friendly event! Please remember that our church also is blessed to be involved with several on-going food-related ministries serving the local community. For more information, contact Greg Herceg (herceg5@verizon.net) or Bill Dennis (bill@denfamus.com). Time to spruce up for Easter! Spring Clean-Up Day is Saturday, April 5 from 8 a.m. to noon. Light breakfast will be available. Look for a sign-up sheet in the Commons! Mowers needed The trustees are looking for a few good volunteers to mow the grass. If interested, contact Ken Murawski at kmurawski@comcast.net.

Page 8 Living Waters Weekends With A Purpose Rockbridge Women s Retreat, March 28-30 Welcome to all women who want to experience a weekend away with friends enjoying the magnificent peace of the

8 Page 8 Living Waters Weekends With A Purpose Rockbridge Women s Retreat, March Welcome to all women who want to experience a weekend away with friends enjoying the magnificent peace of the Shenandoah Valley. Rockbridge, just outside Lexington, Virginia, is a luxury camp owned and operated by Young Life. We will take over the property to laugh, do the ropes course, perhaps sit and enjoy a latte, eat good meals together and share our lives. Experience a weekend with other ladies of like heart and mind around the person of Jesus Christ. We begin on Friday March 28 with dinner at 7 pm and conclude with a time of fellowship by noon on Sunday March 30. During the weekend, you will have opportunities to relax, shop at our gift tables, participate in a silent auction.and enjoy the many activities on the property. Pack your swim suit, good book, Bible and notebook, checkbook and a cozy sweater and carpool to a weekend of adventures. Our theme this year is God's Hand in our Lives. Often when we are going through a difficult or confusing time, we are unaware of how God is guiding us. Years later it becomes very clear why God brought us through that experience the way He did. Looking back, the hand of God can be clearly seen moving, guiding, and protecting. Please know that all women are welcome and will be d with friends old and new. Don t miss out and bring all your friends! Cost for the entire weekend: $150. Please sign up in the Commons so we know who s coming. You ll find the mail-in registration forms there or at weekendswithapurpose.wordpress.com. Andy Ferrar is the one to ask for more info at , or andylovesplants@gmail.com.

9 Living Waters Page 9 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 23 Children's Message 10:00 AM Confirmation Class 5:00 PM Middle School Youth 6:00 PM Youth Dinner 6:30 PM High School Youth 24 11:00 AM Ladies Bible Girls Bible /Burns 25 MARCH :00 AM Moving On Class 10:00 AM Ladies Bible 7:00 PM Middle School Girls Bible /DeSimone 3:00 PM Good News Club 6:30 PM Handbells 7:30 PM Boys Middle 7:30 PM Choir School Bible /Chin 28 1 Presbytery Meeting/New Hanover 9:00 AM Living Nativity Set Take Down 6:00 PM New Member Dinner 2 Communion Sunday 10:00 AM Confirmation Class 5:00 PM Middle School Youth 6:00 PM Youth Dinner 3 11:00 AM Ladies Bible Girls Bible /Burns :00 AM Moving On Class 10:00 AM Ladies Bible 6:15 PM Lenten Supper 6:45 PM Lenten Lesson 3:00 PM Good News Club 7:00 PM Middle School Girls 6:30 PM Handbells Bible /DeSimone 7:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Boys Middle School Bible /Chin 7 8 3:00 PM Stop Hunger Now 9 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME 10:00 AM Confirmation Class 10:00 AM Trustees Meeting 5:00 PM Middle School Youth 6:00 PM Youth Dinner 10 11:00 AM Ladies Bible Girls Bible /Burns 11 7:00 PM Deacon's Meeting :00 AM Moving On Class 6:15 PM Lenten Supper 6:45 PM Lenten Lesson 7:00 PM Middle School Girls Bible /DeSimone 7:30 PM Boys Middle School Bible /Chin 10:00 AM Ladies Bible 3:00 PM Good News Club 6:30 PM Handbells 7:30 PM Choir 14 5:30 PM ROCKFISH Youth Weekend 15 5:30 PM ROCKFISH Youth Weekend 16 10:00 AM Blood Pressure Screening 12:30 PM Friends Feeding Friends 17 11:00 AM Ladies Bible Girls Bible /Burns 18 7:00 PM Session Meeting :00 AM Moving On Class 6:15 PM Lenten Supper 6:45 PM Lenten Lesson 7:00 PM Middle School Girls Bible /DeSimone 7:30 PM Boys Middle School Bible /Chin 10:00 AM Ladies Bible 3:00 PM Good News Club 6:30 PM Handbells 7:30 PM Choir 21 Girl Scout Daddy/ Daughter Dance 22 9:30 AM Quilters Group 23 Children's Message 10:00 AM Confirmation Class 5:00 PM Middle School Youth 6:00 PM Youth Dinner 24 11:00 AM Ladies Bible Girls Bible /Burns Church Directory Photo Shoot 10:00 AM Moving On Class 6:15 PM Lenten Supper 6:45 PM Lenten Lesson 7:00 PM Middle School Girls Bible /DeSimone 7:30 PM Boys Middle School Bible /Chin Church Directory Photo Shoot 10:00 AM Ladies Bible 3:00 PM Good News Club 6:30 PM Handbells 7:30 PM Choir 28 Church Directory Photo Shoot 29 Church Directory Photo Shoot 30 Ministry Fair 10:00 AM Confirmation Class 12:00 PM Congregational Meeting 5:00 PM Middle School Youth 6:00 PM Youth Dinner 31 Girls Bible /Burns :00 AM Moving On Class 10:00 AM Ladies Bible 6:15 PM Lenten Supper 6:45 PM Lenten Lesson 3:00 PM Good News Club 7:00 PM Middle School Girls 6:30 PM Handbells Bible /DeSimone 7:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Boys Middle School Bible /Chin 4 5 8:00 AM Spring Work Day 9:00 AM Blood Drive 4:00 PM Inquirers Class (4-8 p.m.) Please check the online calendar for updates: Go to scpcva.org, then click on Church Calendar at the bottom of the page.

Page 10 Living Waters at SCPC August 4th - 8th 9 am - 3pm For current 1st 5th

10 Page 10 Living Waters at SCPC August 4th - 8th 9 am - 3pm For current 1st 5th graders Cost is $100 per child Camp is led by Camp Hanover staff Next Living Waters newsletter deadline is Wednesday, March 19 for the April issue. Please submit articles to Cindy Rosser crosser7412@verizon.net Articles for the newsletter may be placed in the newsletter box located in the church office or ed to the above address. Swift Creek Presbyterian Church Address Correction Requested 5900 Woolridge Road Moseley, Virginia Phone: Fax: We re on the Web! Worship 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. Church School 10 a.m. Open to All Ages

Swift Creek Presbyterian Church

Swift Creek Presbyterian Church Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. John 7:37-38 Volume 25, Issue 12 Swift Creek Presbyterian