BEACON. How Big Is Our Tent? July/August to encourage...to inspire...to inform... S A F E H A R B O R P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C H

Transcription

1 July/August 2010 How Big Is Our Tent? S A F E H A R B O R P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C H BEACON to encourage...to inspire...to inform... I'm writing this pastor page from the Presbyterian Church in America's 38th General Assembly. It is an amazing gathering of over 2,000 pastors and leaders from our denomination and their families. Each night we join together in times of fellowship, praise and worship and every morning attend seminars and presentations intended to teach, equip and encourage the leaders of your church. Around, in, and through these times of learning and worship there are great reunions with old friends and past acquaintances in the ministry - and all of this is fantastic - its the rest of the time that tests my patience. The bulk of the "work" of the General Assembly is to hear reports and proposals from the committees and agencies of the church. We hear news of the work of the church and receive recommendations and proposals for action. In the midst of these reports, overtures and recommendations one can witness a staggering display of constipated bureaucracy. Don't get me wrong, when everything works correctly, even with motions and substitute motions, reconsiderations, amendments, and calls of the question - it s a beautiful thing to see how difficult issues can be handled civilly and fairly. But when things go wrong in Presbyterian polity, they go really wrong - not in a heretical or immoral way but in marathon tooth-pulling experience kind of way. A report scheduled to take a half an hour ending up going from 2:00 pm yesterday to just after midnight. It was incredibly discouraging. It was clear the vast majority felt the proposal at hand (a recommendation from our administration committee to adopt a strategic plan for our denomination that had been developed proposed and perfected over the last ten years) was in order, but the vocal minority raised objections and general participated in a filibuster of polity that dragged our meeting into the mind-melting, bum-numbing torture session it ended up being. While I was discouraged by not only the tactic to stall what was clearly the will of the Assembly, I was particularly disheartened by the tenor of the complaints and comments that were associated with the tactics. And while I walked out last night dreading my return to the floor of the meeting in less than 8 hours hence, I was strangely encouraged. My encouragement came from my recollection of seminar/debate that I had attended the night before. This debate was between two of the leading thinkers in our denomination who represent two very different approaches to ministry in the PCA. These two leaders were Drs. Ligon Duncan and Tim Keller, and while almost polar opposites in style and ministry philosophy, they shared the opinion that the PCA needs progressives and conservatives and the arguments that come to the floor of the assembly are actually signs of a vibrant and healthy fellowship. Keller asserts that there are three main personality types in the PCA the doctrinalist, the pietist, and the culturalist and that these three branches of Reformed Protestantism and their diverse views is a good thing. For Keller the constant bickering and complaining of each branch about the others is a sign of a healthy church. According to Keller, the PCA is stronger, healthier, and more faithful for having all of these branches on its trunk: I believe that all the critiques of the various branches are right. The doctrinalist branch can breed smugness and selfrighteousness over its purity, and develop almost an Old Testament concern for ceremonial cleanness namely, that we must not only not promote views that are suspect, but we must not associate with people who do. The pietistic branch is very pragmatic and results-oriented, and it is resistant to enter into processes of discipline or theological debate, even when that is what is required. The pietist branch also tends to give too much credence to pastors who grow their churches large.

2 The culturalist branch becomes too enamored with modern scholarship, and there are plenty of historical examples of how the emphasis on social engagement and justice has led to the erosion of orthodox theology. Neither the culturalists nor the doctrinalists have a good track record of vigorous evangelism. When it comes to culture, the doctrinalists are deeply concerned by any effort to contextualize yet are often blind to how accommodated they are to previous cultures (17th century British Puritanism or 16th century European Protestantism, or 19th century Southern Presbyterianism.) The pietists are often blind to how accommodated they are to capitalism and popular culture, while the culturalists are often unaware of how captured they are by elite, contemporary culture. If you believe that all the critiques are right then you should be happy (as I am) that the PCA has not thrown out one or two of the branches.. If you believe critiques of the other two but you are in denial about the dangers and weaknesses of your own branch, then you will find the breadth of the PCA to be at best troublesome and at worst dangerous. So how big is your tent? How quickly are you irritated with others who are different from you. Ligon Duncan pointed out one of our sins as a denomination in the past few years was a failure to celebrate the unity we have in Christ amidst the diversity that is so evident. May God give you a heart filled with joy and a sincere desire to rejoice in and celebrate your union with those who seem so obviously irritable. It s good for your soul.. Learning with you to rejoice in the irritants that smooth off the rough edges. Pastor Todd "Backstage with the BIBLE" VBS Information Teacher positions are still available for VBS August 2nd-6th. Please contact Kelly Ridgeway if you would like to help, 410/ TRAINING SESSIONS have been set for VBS teachers, assistant teachers and helpers. Please attend one of the sessions listed and RSVP to Kelly Ridgeway... REGISTRATION Thursday, July 8th, 7pm in church conference room Sunday, July 11th, after service in the conference room. Monday, July 12th, 7pm in the church conference room. VBS registration will be on Sundays July 18th, 25th and August 1st after church service. Additional registration forms will be available in the office during regular church office hours. ITEMS NEEDED FOR VBS We are in need to borrow the following items: Guitar cases or any instrument cases, large stereo speakers or amps, and anything that could be used to look like the backstage of a concert. Also, please bring in old, scratched, or broken CDs and DVDs. All items can be dropped off at the office during office hours and Sundays. Please label items with name and phone number for easy returns. Thank you!

3 Food of the Month: Pasta Sauce & Tuna Our next meeting will be Monday July 12 th 6pm. If you re interested in reaching out to others in need please join us. I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:40 Food Link Update Food Link is a partnership of churches in Queen Anne s County that gleans edible food surpluses from local grocery stores and through other donations, and redistributes them to the families and individuals in need. Safe Harbor members interested in helping with this worthy ministry will sign up for occasional Friday or Saturday mornings which require 1-2 hours of work. The job includes reporting to the assigned local grocery store, gathering pre-sorted food, transporting it in your personal vehicle, and delivering it to the Living Waters Food Bank in Stevensville. If you re interested, the summer schedule is being developed now. Contact Beryl Eismeier at (410) or BerylEismeier@gmail.com for more information. Our annual picnic for the Chesapeake Center was held on June 15th. We d like to thank everyone that provided us with a pasta salad for this event. The following joined us in this out reach: Shore Harvest Presbyterian, Kent Island United Methodist, and Royal Oak Community United Methodist Churches. To anyone new to Safe Harbor, our friends at the Chesapeake and Chesterwye centers have various degrees of developmental disabilities. God Has been reaching out to them, through us, since December Upcoming Events: The picnic for the Chesterwye Center will be held on Tuesday July 20 th. If you d like to come and help serve, visit our table in the narthex after the service, to sign up. Christian Graham and many of his youth group will be supplying the music and games and it has been a great joy to have them join us for these picnics. We all really look forward to getting together with our friends at the centers. When we leave it s a joy to hear them saying see you at Christmas. We Praise GOD for showing our friends at the centers though us that they are loved and not forgotten. Our Haven Shelter s 10K/5K run 4 shelter event is September 11 th. You can sign up to be a sponsor, or run the race. KIUMC and Saint Christopher s are getting a team set-up from each of their churches. Let s see if we can form a team for the run. For more information see Sandi Wiscott, Charlotte, or Mary Beth Young. Another one of our outreach programs is The Christian Community Center in Baltimore City. We re collecting school supplies for the children that come to the center. Visit our table to pick up a list of the supplies needed. Missions Weekend follow up.. We had a very good Missions weekend on May 15th and 16th, with a lot of good fellowship time. Tom Homans from the Christian Community Center in Baltimore seemed to really relax and enjoy being part of the service. The Frye s were especially enlightening at the Saturday morning breakfast, as they shared how God has increased their ministry in their town of Ighesu Vechi. Below is a thank you note from them. God Bless and keep looking up! Dear Family at Safe Harbor: Pastor Will It was such a blessed time visiting with you all during this last month. We truly enjoyed being able to share how God has used your prayers and gifts to further the ministry in Romania. Thank you for all your prayers, support, encouragement and gifts. We pray that God will allow you to see the fruit that God is producing through your giving, and bless you all in a great and mighty way. Thank you for openinig your hearts and always making us feel like family. Our pryaers continue for your church as you reach the lost in Maryland for Christ. Upcoming Mission Trips: West Virginia: July 24-31st: Pray that this trip will be fruitful to the participants as well as the families they help. Romania: July 8-19th: Please pray for this group, led by Pastor Will, going overseas to spread God s word and do His work.

4 Summer Youth Events July 8-10: Kings Fest at King s Dominion: (High school trip) July 20th: ChesterWye Picnic: (meet at church at 10am all youth) July 12th: Youth trip to Six Flags: (meet at church at 9am) July 21st High school trip to the beach July 26th Middle school Pool Night at the Bach s. August 2-6 Vacation Bible School August 16th Middle school Pool Party (location TBD) August 21st Whitewater Rafting Trip to Harpers Ferry (Wednesday Waffles and Bible Study nights for High School at the Grahams, and Monday Freefall nights at the church for Middle school unless another activity if planned that day.) NOTE; All Youth groups will take a break after August 21st. we will start up again the week of September 27th. SAFE HARBOR WEBSITE: If you would like to have a church related ministry, activity, or announcement placed on the church website ( please sent the text and documents to: jackperdue@gmail.com. Begin the subject line with "Safe Harbor" so that it will be directed properly. Questions and constructive suggestions regarding the website are always welcomed.

5 MERCY COMMITTEE REPORT If your neighbor told you that their electric was about to be shut off, and there would be no heat to warm his young family of four, would you help him out?... You have!!! If a friend told you that times have been really tough, and there was no extra money for gifts under the Christmas tree for the kids, would you be sure a few gifts magically were found on Christmas morning?... Of course you would It has been done!!! If you knew that children were going cold at night and did not have even one blanket to wrap around themselves, would you send blankets where they were needed?... You did!!! If you were told that a grieving mother could not afford to bury her oldest teenage son after he was killed in a tragic car accident, would you send money to help?.. You have!!! If you were contacted by a friend you have talked to many times at the softball field and told that they could not afford to go to the funeral of a close family member, would you find a way to help pay for a plane or a bus ticket?.. You have helped with this more than once!!! If your son told you that a school mate had no where to live because his family was now homeless after a fire or due to the inability of his father to pay the rent after a long bout of unemployment, would you be willing to put the family up in a hotel?... You did this time and again!!! If you became aware that a neighbor needed medication, oxygen or dental work that was needed with no medical coverage or money to pay for these necessities, would you find a way to help?... The family of Safe Harbor HAS helped!!! These are just a few examples of how the money donated to the Mercy Fund of Safe Harbor collected the 3 rd Sunday of each month is put into action to help our neighbors and friends in our church and the community. We have all been blessed as we have been given the privilege of helping others in need by sharing the many gifts God has given us. Thanks to everyone who have dug deep to donate gifts allowing the Mercy Committee to serve the Lord and provide many needed gifts and services totaling $24,903 in 2009 and $22,169 the first half of In 2009, donations received by your generous giving provided assistance to over 130 different needs. So far in 2010, approximately 80 needs have been met. Please know your generous giving is put to good use on a daily basis to help members of Safe Harbor and members of our community. In His Service, The 2010 Mercy Committee of Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church Ken Bach, Bobby Tull, Sandy Wiscott, Deb Kelly, Ruth Koch, Irv Martin If you have noticed that our grounds look well kept through-out the year, it is due to Safe Harbor s God Squad! This consists of Bill Seeds, Charlie Weese and Bill Bullis, who behind the scenes do many jobs around the church. Please let them know how much they are appreciated next time you see them. Mark Your Calendars: September 11th 5K/10K Fundraiser for the Shelter September 18th Annual Golf Tournament and Breakfast October 16th SHPC Fall Festival

6 Safe Harbor s ANNUAL FAMILY PICNIC at Tuckahoe State Park Sunday, August 29, :00pm Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, and Lemonade will be provided. If your name begins with: A - K - Bring Dessert Q - Z - Bring Salad/Side Dish Canoes Volleyball Playground Directions: Route 50 east to 404 east. Go about 7 miles to 2nd traffic light. Turn left onto Route 480. Make an immediate left turn onto Eveland Road. Go to the next crossroad and turn left onto Crouse Mill Road. Go a short distance to park entrance on right. Bring your lawn chairs.