The Saltshaker. meet our new missionaries! pg. 7. Inside. CAMP SOLID ROCK July june 1, 2017 Volume 203

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1 The Saltshaker june 1, 2017 Volume 203 Inside 2 Pastor s Pen Session/Diaconate Minutes CAMP SOLID ROCK July Have you registered yet for Camp Solid Rock 2017? This is our sixth year of trying to convince you to call it something besides VBS, and while that probably won t happen, we re once again expecting a superspecial week of fun and learning that s a little more than old-fashioned Bible school. Come celebrate with us on July 24-27, from 9 to 12 each morning, as we are thrown into the den with Daniel and the Fraidy Cats. We have a great Bible drama in store for the kids this year, with the amazing Zach Windsor starring as Daniel and a surprise guest star taking the role of Nebuchadnezzar (he says he ll only do it if we don t force him to eat grass like the real Neb). Steve Whitner will be in town this year to lead music, and Michelle Taylor has awesome crafts in store for all ages. All that plus games, snacks, tshirts, mission stories, scavenger hunts, fun with friends, a clear presentation of the Gospel, and a free cookout on Friday night, July 28, featuring a gigantic water slide. Register now and invite kids from your school or neighborhood--especially those who may not have a church home. (And yes, we also need lots of volunteers. You can sign-up for that online too, at Camp Solid Rock is open to children ages: 4 (by July 1) through rising 6th graders. visit for a brochure 3 New Members: The Blankley s 4 AVPC News 5 Children s Ministry God s House Kindergarten 6 Youth Happenings 7 Youth Seniors Missions News 8 June Birthdays Did You Know... Budget Reports meet our new missionaries! pg. 7 Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church

2 Pastor s Pen Brad Allison, Senior Pastor One of our core values as a church is to be a giving community. Our God is a giving God, and the better we know him, the more like him we become. I have witnessed and benefited from the generous hearts of so many here at our church, and I know many who could add their Amen to that. Due to the generous giving of our congregation, we finished the fiscal year 2016 with almost a $150,000 surplus in our General Fund. Some of that was due to the fact that we were without an Associate Pastor for several months, thus saving on expenses. But most of it was due to increased giving. At the same time God was being so generous to us, a need came to our attention with one of our daughter churches, Christ Community Church in Helena. They had put under contract the purchase of an existing building, with plans to convert it for use as their church facility. It is a seemingly insurmountable financial challenge for a church plant to move into their first building. I well remember the challenges I faced along those lines with the church I had planted in Maryland. Church plants often have an abundance of young families who are struggling financially. Giving capacity is often not as high as in more established churches. And the costs of purchasing raw land, developing the land and then erecting a building on it can easily run to a total cost of around $300 per square foot. That puts the cost of even a relatively small 12,000 square foot building (AVPC s facilities total about 30,000 square feet) at $3.6 million. God has provided Christ Community Church the opportunity to purchase and renovate a 12,000 square foot structure for less than $1 million. Even at that price, they have needed some help. After considering this and praying about it for two months, our Elders and Deacons agreed to give $50,000 toward this. Two of the Session members from that church, Tom Jackson and Wally Mertz (both former elders at AVPC), will be here on Sunday, June 4, to give us an update on what God is doing at Christ Community. minutes Session Meeting, april 18 Review of the 3-year Strategic Plan Revision was done and the plan was approved. Job Description & Funding Proposal for Young Adult Ministry Leader was revised and approved. The Session concurs with the following approved actions by the Missions Committee: One-time gift of $600 for Rebecca Linder Mission trip Fixed Point Foundation/France One-time gift of $800 for Caitlin Coats Mission trip Serge/Ireland One-time gift of $200 for Stephanie Whitner Mission Internship GFM/Clarkson, GA. Additions of new missionary to the following: Hannah Davidson New City Fellowship/Atlantic City, NJ Anvi Menalla CRU/Momentum Europe Argon & Elona Sopaj CRU/Turkey Diaconate Meeting, May 9 Mercy Team Report Six members of the Mercy Team will be attending the Orlando MNA Conference on June 2-3. Facility Team Report The Diaconate discussed a proposed format for tracking/reporting maintenance issues and projects each month. Finance Team Report The total cost for resolution of choir bells damaged by the April water leak stands at about $3,250. 2

3 Meet Our New MemberS Suzanne Alan What have you enjoyed about AVPC the most? God s word is preached and the people make visitors feel comfortable. How long have you been a Christian? About 43 years. Where were you born and raised and what do you remember most about your childhood? I was born in Greenville, MS playing with neighborhood friends and eating as a family with other families. I knew i was grown up when When I bought my first car.. My first job was Working at a toy store in a mall. The Blankley s What have you enjoyed about AVPC the most? That the gospel is preached with love. How long have you been a Christian? 50+ years Where were you born and raised and what do you remember most about your childhood? I was born in Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada and raised in Syracuse, NY. In Elementary school, I remember walking through Syracuse University s campus to get to school. In Junior High, playing basketball at the local park and in High School, working at Williams Grocery, the largest grocery store in the state at that time. How did you meet your spouse? What was special to you about him? We met at his brother s wedding. He was working toward his PhD when we meet and that impressed me. That showed me he was willing to work hard for what he wanted. How long have you been married? What have you done together in your marriage that has meant the most to you or been the most enjoyable? 27 years spending time together as a family. Raising our children was important to both of us. People would be surprised if they knew My kids have been out of the US more than I have. when I have free time I enjoy Reading, hiking and walking on the beach. The ultimate vacation for me would be Somewhere you can see God s beautiful creation mountains, woods, streams, lakes, oceans... My all time favorite movie is Hard to pick a favorite but one we like, as a family is What about Bob?. My favorite restaurant is because That is hard too I like to try different places but not strange food. As a young MAN, I thought I would be. but actually I thought a HS gym teacher but actually, a college professor of Accounting. I always thought it would be great to Live in Colorado or Montana. What was special to you about your spouse? She was a Christian, friendly and was willing to follow me wherever the Lord led. The ultimate vacation for me would be Exploring the world with my family. People would be surprised if they knew I ran across the country in college. My all time favorite movie is Either Chariots of Fire or Breaking Away. My favorite restaurant is because Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury, IN., because the food is great. The fried chicken is the best I have ever tasted. My hope for AVPC is that it could Continue to preach and teach the Word of God in truth and love. My hope for AVPC is that it could It will be a community were we can connect with people. 3

4 AVPC people News New Addition! Avery Lee Knowles Daughter of chris & kendra knowles Born april 26 OUR SYMPATHY We extend our sympathy to Mark Corbitt on the death of his father, Rev. Jim Corbitt, on May 1. We extend our sympathy to Marilyn Russell on the death of her mom, Ruth Otto, on May 13. In the News New Address Dennis and pat lee have a new address: 1001 highland creek circle guntersville, al be sure and drop them a line to tell them they are missed! Mother Of Many Catie Lumpkin was recently featured on ABC33/40 for her foster care to over 80 children in less than 8 years. You re gonna see a lot of these faces this summer! AVPC welcomes luther ward and ansley godwin as our 2017 youth summer interns. W E L C O M E congratulations to maggie nelson, james and karen marlar s granddaughter, who recently won the state championship in bible drills. Praise Report After 17 years at Briarwood Christian School, the Lord has orchestrated a NEW job for Melinda Calderini. On June 5 she will begin as the First Impressions Coordinator for The Southeastern Conference (The SEC!). We can t wait to see what God has in store for her. Congratulations Melinda!! 4

5 Children s Ministry Children s Library - Check It Out!! Betty Carter, Childrens Director Little by little, our children s library is growing. This quarter we added the new and popular Green Ember series, several Bible story books, and a few sports biographies, including this one (pictured) of Alabama legend Jesse Owens. Come to the Fireplace Room to see what we have and be sure to sign your name on the list if you borrow something (just so we know where it went). Also, do you struggle to find something decent to watch with your kids? Have you run out of ideas for family movie night? There are lots of very clean, classic movies that your kids will watch if you watch with them preferably cuddled up with a big bowl of popcorn on the couch. The slower pace of the older movies is actually good for children, because it requires them to sit still and listen, which are important skills for life (yes, black and white film does take a little getting used to, and you may hear a few complaints but The Absent-Minded Professor is just as funny as Flubber, AND if necessary you can reward them by adding M & Ms to the popcorn). This summer, encourage your kids to put down the technology and pick up a book or else sit with you and enjoy a clean family movie night it will be good for their brains and their hearts. god s house kindergarten As we cheer the end of another school year and welcome summer, we must bid a sad farewell to a treasured employee, Mary Jo O Dell. Mary Jo began her days at God s House over 25 years ago and has served our parents beyond expectation. We can t begin to count the tears she has wiped, hugs she has given and joyful hellos to each and every person. It goes without saying that she will be sorely missed. But as she leaves us, she and her husband Mike will embark on parks and trails worldwide as they are avid hikers. They will also be having fun spending time with their seven precious grandchildren. Her journey is just beginning and we can only hope she pops in every now and then to share her stories of travel and adventure. Anita McCarroll, GHK Teacher A special Thank You to the GHK Board and Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church for gifting us with a delicious lunch on Teacher Appreciation Day. Nothing better than getting together with friends and sharing a bite. We are grateful and humbled by your kindness. Now join us as we wish Happy Trails to Mary Jo 5

6 Youth Happenings June 2017 Gracie Lloyd callen & jaybeth popwell lake trip Senior High will return to the Roberson s Lakehouse on Lake Mitchell (Friday evening through Saturday night). 2nd & 3rd promotion sunday Our 6 th graders are promoted up to the Jr. High Sunday School class and 8 th graders are promoted to the Sr. High Sunday School class. 4th SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SR. HIGH LAKE TRIP SS/LU FISH $100 WED SS/LU B DAY B DAY B DAYS FISH $100 WED SS/LU FATHER S B DAY DAY JR THE EDGE SS/LU PFMC ICE CREAM $100 WED Caleb LUMPKIN james sheetz Looking ahead... ATLANTIC CITY MISSION TRIP July 1-8 SR GUY RAFTING July SS/LU Jr. High Sunday School and Sr. High Leadership 9:45 a.m. $100 WED Sr. High Youth Group 5-8 p.m. FISH Jr. High F.I.S.H. Nights (Friends In Someone s 5-7 p.m. 6 SR GIRL BEACH TRIP July 24-27

7 Goodbye To Our Seniors missions news Meet Our New Missionaries! At the April Session meeting, the Session approved the Missions Committee s request for the addition of four (4) new missionaries. The Missions Committee has filled 3 of these positions at this time: Hannah Davidson/Hope for Atlantic City, Avni & Maklen Menalla/CRU/Momentum Europe, and Agron and Elona Sopaj/CRU/Turkey. Over the next several months, we will help you meet our new missionaries with information about each of their ministries in our missions section of the Saltshaker. You may know a couple of them already. Hannah Davidson is a member here at AVPC, she is the daughter of Denise Davidson, and just graduated from Covenant College. She will be leaving within the next month for her new job in Atlantic City with Pastor Santo Garofalo. We also met Avni Menalla at our missions conference in 2016 as he helped us prepare for CRU s summer English camps for university students in Albania. And several of us on the missions committee had the opportunity to meet Agron and Elona when they came to the U.S. and visited us and several other churches here in Birmingham. Mitch and Sherry Cawley hosted them in their home for several weeks. They are the first missionaries that CRU/Albania has sent to another country Turkey. We still have one new additional missionary slot to fill. And we just found out that Laura Pettit, Serge/Ireland, will be coming off of the field at the end of July. This will create an additional position to be filled. Please pray for the missions committee as we make these decisions. 7

8 JUNE birth days 6/1 Ann Wilson 6/6 Mary Frances Snyder 6/7 Brian Beckett 6/7 Nora Snyder 6/8 Taylor Campbell 6/9 Scott Goodhew 6/10 Virginia Saunders 6/11 Caleb Lumpkin 6/12 Gracie Lloyd 6/12 Vivien Cvacho 6/14 Joel Sheetz 6/14 Callen Popwell 6/14 Jaybeth Popwell 6/15 Trey Holmes 6/17 Billy Jackson 6/17 Susan Larson 6/17 Wendy Allison 6/17 Alan Blankley 6/17 Beth Moore 6/18 Mary-Alyx Campbell 6/19 Lisa Bodkin 6/19 Charley Moore 6/19 Jacob Mayhew 6/19 Isla Drace 6/19 Andrew Drace 6/19 Philip Drace 6/20 Ally Belcher 6/21 Marcy Stephens 6/21 Holt Gray 6/22 Deborah Halbrooks 6/22 Aretha Jackson 6/23 Daniel Akin 6/24 John Burgess 6/24 Elizabeth Chick 6/24 James Sheetz 6/27 Virginia Acton 6/28 Angel Williams 6/29 Karen Marlar 6/30 Bill Sommer 6/30 Tucker Alley 6/30 Zac Campbell 6/30 Ansley Godwin Calling all family photographers We want to feature your vacation photos in the Art Gallery this coming September and November. Get your cameras out and see how creative you can be with your vacation photos. You will need to submit framed photos (no smaller than 8 x10 the larger the better, and it is fine to submit more than one photo). They must have either a saw tooth hanger or a wire hanger in order for them to fit on our hanging system. Please let Janet Friday (janetfriday@mindspring.com) know if you are going to submit any photos, or if you have any questions. Submisison deadline is August 27. Did you know... 1 pray for me campaign ice cream social June 25 from 7-8 p.m. How many former AVPC children and youth from the 1990s to the present are (a) now serving full time with a missions organization and (b) are supported by AVPC?? A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 APRIL financial report Beginning Balance Prayer Champions, are you looking for a fun way to reconnect with the teenager you re praying for? We thought you might and we ran with the idea of eating ice cream together in the summer. We d like to invite you to join in the fun at the Pray For Me Ice Cream Social, Sunday, June 25, from 7-8 p.m, in the Fellowship Hall. Go ahead and reach out now, champions to students and students to champions, to let each other know if you ll be there. D. 5 E. 6 Income Expenses Transfer Ending Balance General Fund $-63,777 $ 124,746 $ 94,183 $ -6,337 $-39,551 Missions $ -17,884 $ 33,357 $ 39,397 $ 6,337 $ -17,587 Total $-81,661 $ 158,103 $ 133,580 $ 0 $ -57,138 2 What was the name of the AVPC Clerk of Session during the early 1980s? A. Brick Wall B. Rocky Rodes C. Stone Mason D. Hammer Nailen ANSWER KEY: (1) D Matt Allison (Serge Philadelphia, PN); Hannah Davidson (New City Fellowship Atlantic City, NJ); Derek Dougherty (MTW Peru); James Dougherty (OMF Singapore); Jeremy Martin (MTW Uganda). (2) A Frank B. Wall ( Brick ) was the AVPC Clerk of Session during the early 1980s. 8