Sharing the Message of Christ in Our Lives as St. Andrew Presbyterian Church SEPTEMBER 2018

Transcription

1 Sharing the Message of Christ in Our Lives as St. Andrew Presbyterian Church SEPTEMBER 2018 MESSENGER Forgiveness 6 New Life with God

2 A Note from Pastor Danie Rev. Dr. Daniel debeer Interim Senior Pastor Jesus had an upsetting, basic message, Trust in God and repent. God s reign has come among you! Trusting in God, Jesus said, should never be confused with strict obedience to a list of important and basic doctrines, as the Pharisees proposed. Trust, and belief, is a deep yearning for connection to the Holy God, knowing that we are permanently attached to God's steadfast love and faithfulness. It means that we should get the spiritual reality that God has never left our life, or the life of this world, or what has happened in our congregation. When we trust and wholeheartedly accept God s grace, love, and hospitality, we find the truth of Jesus words. We begin to see and understand differently. And we experience joy and compassion. And we find hope. God s love is constant and never-ending. This makes a difference in how we experience God s love - it makes it real for us. We make our residence in God s love. This changes our reality no matter what it may be. We find rest knowing that we are not alone. God is with us even more so in times of transition and change. Instead of agonizing because everything changes around us, God s love and trust beckons us to let go of the past which is well, the past! And to begin to look for new experiences and relationships that will help us partner with God as we go into the future. Let us welcome the future which is upon and around us, in the sure and certain hope that we remain in the reality of God's eternal love and that love will ultimately make us whole. 2 Messenger September 2018 It has been a long, long time since we had our last worship service on Melrose and have arrived here on Camp Cardinal! Most of us are ready for the time of transition to end soon. Transition means change, changeover, evolution, conversion, shift. Change theorists agree that people are not really afraid of change as such. What scares us is the idea of loss. To lose something that we have worked for over a long time, and sacrificed much for, and been used to. And then to wake up in a strange place; the doors are almost always locked when we want to go in; we do not do all the things the way we have always done it. We find ourselves in a scary place, not knowing what we are really going to get! Because it is just not the same. And we feel if everything we once had is drifting and shifting, and sometimes being pulled away from us. And we don t know what we will have after this is done. Where do we find comfort in this time of great transition and change for St. Andrew? Jesus spent his time on earth in a time of great transition and discomfort; a time of uncertainty for the people who believed that they were God s people and could trust in God s presence. Yet, the ministry and preaching of Jesus came in direct conflict with the way people had always understood God and God s faithfulness, who had God pegged, thinking that God s presence was certain because they followed rules and policies, respecting God s laws in the smallest details. Trust in him at all times, O people, pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge. -Psalm 62:8

3 Two Ways for Women to Connect Connections Ecumenical Women s Bible Study The Ecumenical Women's Bible Study invites women of all faiths to join us as we begin our fall semester on Wednesday, September 5, Lessons Learned from The Women of the Old Testament by Trudy Ries and Karen Scotti will be our study guide. The Bible study meets on Wednesday mornings 9:15-11:00 at St. Andrew. Park and enter on the lower level. Come enrich your faith with the fellowship, learning, and group discussions of lessons with other Christian women! Invite a friend and join us! For further information contact: Robbie Donahue at 319/ rjd52317@aol.com or Ginni Gibson 319/ kgibson07@aol.com. Women s Tuesday Morning Group We invite you to join the Women s Tuesday Morning Group that meets only once a month on the second Tuesday at 9:15 am in the St. Andrew Atrium. Starting this month, we will be focusing a part of our time each month on Richard Rohr s Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer. For more information contact Dedi Walker (dedi.walker@gmail.com), Bev Witwer (bevwitwer@gmail.com), or Myrna Farraj (jamfarraj@me.com). This Is My Brave by Annie Potter I have been chosen as a cast member for a show called This Is My Brave. The cast includes twelve people from our community who either have mental illness or who love someone who does. On September 16 at 2:00 pm, before a live audience at the Englert Theatre, we will share our personal stories through poetry, essays, and original music. The hope of the show is to give our audience insight into our lives and to reduce the stigma of mental illness. In my personal essay, I share some vignettes from my life with bipolar disorder, including manic episodes affecting my children and my dear husband, Ted. For those who saw firsthand the severity of my symptoms years ago, my recovery is truly miraculous. The best of medical care has been available to me and medications have proven effective in keeping my mood stable. I have enjoyed love and support from my family, especially from Theodore and from our two children. I have experienced unconditional Christian love from three church communities and from other faithful friends as well. Many of you who are reading this have supported me in this journey, and I am so grateful to you all. I am blessed, and eager to share onstage, our story of hope, so that others will be encouraged. It is because of all of you that I can be Brave. The Iowa City This Is My Brave show in 2015 was among the first. This Is My Brave shows now take place in Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, and Baltimore, and smaller cities as well. Money raised through our fundraising efforts and local sponsors help in growing this platform across the country. Donations to This Is My Brave, may be made online or by check. While donations are helpful, my greater hope is that I will see some of you in the Iowa City audience on Sunday afternoon September 16. Thanks for the love! Annie Connecting with the Session: Documents Online St. Andrew's Session generally meets at 7:00 pm on the third Thursday of most months. The remaining dates for 2018 are: September 20, October 18, November 29, and December 20. To look at the minutes from any Session meeting, follow this link ( to our website and scroll to the bottom of the page. Messenger September

4 Mission, Outreach, & Service (MOS) Building Mission Partnerships by Beth Anne Pigge A new group has formed under Pastor Mark and Carol Martin s leadership called Building Mission Partnerships. Our goal is to discern how to use the church building and how to connect organizations the members of the church are already involved with to our church family a real focus on local mission work. We started by reviewing the recipe book that was prepared earlier so many good ideas to choose from. One of the recipes suggested using the Pop-Up Ministry Room as a furniture warehouse. We have found a way to start small by partnering with Houses into Homes. This is a new non-profit in town that helps people coming out of homelessness to get appropriate furniture for their first house. Houses into Homes brings the furniture in and helps the family get settled and to turn it into a home. We have partnered with them by offering the Pop-Up Ministry Room for temporary mattress storage (mattresses are sanitized by Restore and delivered to us). We have helped carry mattresses, and we will help deliver mattresses. The mattresses will be taken to families that the Iowa City Community School District refers families that do not have beds for each family member. What is to come? We will be surveying the congregation in September to find out what organizations everyone is already involved with and to see what connections can be made to those organizations. We would also like to determine a list of gifts and skills the congregation has so we can match needs to skills. Finally, we would like to see if there are members of the church that have needs and to determine if we can help with those needs (we may or may not be able to do so) for instance if someone is food insecure and is ok with help, we would like to know. The team has met a total of three times, and anyone is welcome. Questions? Contact Mark at 319/ or me at 319/ Feed My Starving Children/MobilePack Update The 6th Annual Iowa City MobilePack Event is just a few short weeks away. Can you hear it? Chicken! Veggies! Soy! Rice! Volunteer Registration Now Open Registration is now open for the 2018 Iowa City MobilePack Event! You can sign up as an individual or as a group, just head over to for the volunteer sign-up link. We re looking for 540 volunteers (as young as 5!) and for those who don t want to be on their feet for 2 hours, we ve got some sit down jobs if you need them. We have one set-up shift on Friday, three packing shifts on Saturday, and a clean-up shift at the very end. Come join us for the most fun you can have in a hairnet! Parents Night Out HUGE Success Thank you to all who helped make our Parents Night Out fundraiser a HUGE success. A special thanks to Heather Woodin for helping us put together a super fun night for ALL and to everyone who helped by volunteering, participating and donating. We raised $1,380 WOW! WOW! WOW! For all of the MobilePack details, just visit 4 Messenger September 2018

5 An Update from Andy Smothers Thank you so much for thinking of me as I was departing for Bahrain, and I m so sorry for taking so long to respond! My travels to Bahrain went well, and the last month or so has gone well. It s been a busy time at a retreat in Oman in May and here in Bahrain since that time. I ve settled into my long-term housing, been welcomed in many homes, learned the basics for leading the church here over the summer, obtained my national ID and driver license, and opened a Bahraini Dinar banking account (a more complicated process than I expected). It s warm here. It s also starting to get much more humid. I m very happy we have air conditioning in most places (including where I stay and work). MOS continued I would invite your prayers as I lead the congregation here as the only pastor through early September. God is at work in Bahrain! I will continue in prayer for St. Andrew and look forward to providing more rapid answers and intentional updates. The summer has been busy. Both the senior pastor and the hospital chaplain (my predecessor at the church) have returned to the States for itineration and vacation. The chaplain returned mid-august, and the senior pastor is expected around mid-september. Thank you, again, for checking on things. Let me know how you are doing, and as always, forward any specific prayer requests you might have. My is AndyInBahrain@gmail.com. In Christ, Andy Save the Dates for Fall Disability & Faith Workshop & Worship Services October 6 & 7 St. Andrew s AIM Ministry (Access & Inclusive Mission) is sponsoring a Fall Disability & Faith Workshop on Saturday, October 6, The workshop will be held at the Coralville Public Library in Meeting Room A from 8:45 am 11:45 am. This event is free and open to public. Refreshments will be provided. Contact: Marcia Murphy at murphyma87533@gmail.com. The presenter, Jolene Philo, is the author of five books for the special needs community, including Does My Child Have PTSD? and What to Do When Your Child Is Hurting from the Inside Out. She is currently collaborating with Dr. Gary Chapman on a book about using the five love languages in special needs families. She also connects with parents of kids with special needs at her blog, DifferentDream.com. With her daughter, she co-hosts the Home Again Podcast, which explores intergenerational living. Jolene speaks about writing, special needs parenting, special needs ministry, and post-traumatic stress disorder around the country and internationally. She and her husband live in Polk City, Iowa. Then on Sunday, October 7, we will have our annual Disability Inclusion & Awareness Celebration Worship at both 8:30 & 11:00 am. From 7:45 to 12:15 that day, the More God, Less Psychiatric Illness Devotional with companion, Be Still music CD will be on sale in the Atrium. Look for Marcia Murphy there with a display. All proceeds go to the St. Andrew Mental Health Initiatives Ministry. The booklet contains essays and poems written by Marcia and other St. Andrew members. The CD was created by music director, Matthew Penning (vocals, instrumental), with contributions by Kristen DeGrazia and Lora Morgan Dunham, vocals. You may purchase a devotional booklet w/cd for $7 or separate CD only for $5. Questions? Contact Marcia at murphyma87533@gmail.com. Paying Your Per Capita Helps Mission Thank You! We want to thank all of you who contributed your $37 in per capita to provide funding for mission. Every dollar paid directly supports the mission of the church by giving additional budget dollars for MOS to distribute. Sincerely, The MOS Team Messenger September

6 Cover Story New Life with God by Sarah Dyck I don t know how many of you have had the chance to see the musical, Hamilton, or if you are familiar with the story as it is told by playwright, Lin-Manuel Miranda. I was blessed to receive a ticket for a July performance in Des Moines as a Christmas present this past December. At one point in the story, Hamilton s wife, Eliza, learns through a public declaration by her husband that he had an affair. It is devastating to say the least. Shortly after that, their son is killed in a duel that Alexander knew was going to take place, but Eliza did not. I can t even imagine how trying that must have been for Eliza and the marriage. I m writing about Hamilton not because it is my favorite musical to date (although it is!) or because of the evil that was done by Alexander and the person who shot his son (although evil is always a timely topic for churches to discuss, explore, and confront). I m sharing this story To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. Louis Smedes because of what happened to me during one amazing scene where Eliza forgives Alexander. In the middle of a very somber song (It s Quiet Uptown) about the couple dealing with the unimaginable, the lyrics pivot. Eliza takes Alexander s hand and finally forgives him. We aren t told why. We just know she does. I sat there in the Des Moines Performing Arts Center feeling crushed and thinking, I don t know that I could do that. At the same time, I was struck with a heart wrenching theological conundrum. We are told that we are to forgive as our father in heaven has forgiven us the unimaginable for so many of us. Why would Eliza do this? Why would any of us do this? Pastor Danie in his note to the congregation on page two talks about transition, change, and loss. He tells us that in times of great discomfort and transition, we need to hold onto the fact that Jesus tells us to trust in God because we can trust God s love and goodness. God is faithful. God knows we will deal with difficult trials, horrible pain, and fear in our lives. Most of us have experienced those things either personally, as a congregation, or both, including during this transition at Gathering Place Lane. But, he says, Instead of agonizing because everything changes around us, God s love and trust beckons us to let go of the past and begin to look for new experiences that will help us partner with God. I am convinced that God designed forgiveness to release us from the captivity of our circumstances that can often block us from walking freely with God the way he intended us to do. It is for our own spiritual growth and wellbeing. When we forgive, we don t necessarily forget, but we do find it easier to move forward with our lives, to do the good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10) When we walk freely with God, we also become a witness to those around us in our homes, schools, places of work, etc. to the grace and mercy of God. We are able to share in God s life-giving plan for everyone, as the body of Christ in the world. And when we struggle and still can t forgive, we can ask God to help us forgive. Because, ultimately, it is he who forgives perfectly. What an amazing gift to be given, receive, and share. It s almost unimaginable! 6 Messenger September 2018

7 Dedication/Anniversary Weekend Celebrating Our Past; Envisioning Our Future After a decade of planning, persistence, and prayer, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church is settling into its new home at 140 Gathering Place Lane. And after nine months of getting to know our neighbors, the time has come for us to hold a church-wide Housewarming Party. Invitations are being sent throughout eastern Iowa for members and friends of St. Andrew to join us from 4:00-8:30 p.m. on Thursday October 18 for a Community Open House. In addition to the tours of the building, the party will include children s games, organ demonstrations, and a Chili/ Soup Supper. The Open House will kick off a series of Homecoming events in which we honor St. Andrew s past (by celebrating the church s 60th anniversary) and focus on St. Andrew s future (by dedicating the new building and grounds): Coming Home for Homecoming: On Friday October 19, St. Andrew members will be staking off ground near the intersection of Clinton and Washington Streets, allowing us to gather as a group for the University of Iowa Homecoming Parade. Tours of the building as well as a reunion for former BASIC and ETC leaders will be held at the church following. Running Home for the Game: On Saturday morning, October 20, St. Andrew s lower parking lot will be transformed into a tailgating area. Members and friends are invited to stay and watch the University of Iowa Homecoming Game in The Hub and adjacent patios. For those interested in exercising rather than tailgating, Mike Anderson is plotting two All For One running routes one 4.1 miles, the other 1 mile to the building. Coming Home to Old Friends and Beautiful Music: On Saturday evening, October 20, Shelly Moorman-Stahlman St. Andrew s former director of music will perform a recital on the former University of Iowa Casavant organ in the Sanctuary. (It s an instrument she got to know very well during her studies in the University of Iowa organ program.) Dessert and conversation will follow. Coming Home to Worship: The 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship services being planned for Sunday morning October 21 are anything but regular. With past and present staff members, ministers and musicians on hand, the services will require literally pulling out all the stops. Coming Home to Dream of the Future: The official Building Dedication Ceremony will be held in the time between services. A church-wide potluck will follow immediately after the second service as old friends start their journey home. Many teams and members are being called into action to ensure that we have enough people on hand to set up for and to clean up after our celebrations. But still more help is needed. Please spread the word that St. Andrew is open and ready for business. A full list of Homecoming events is available at about/dedication-2018 and on the St. Andrew Facebook page. We also will need some members to open their homes and guest rooms to the old friends and former members returning to Iowa City for the weekend. Send an to dedication2018@saintandrew-ic.org to find out how to volunteer your time, talents, or domiciles. God has blessed St. Andrew abundantly during our first 60 years. Come join us as we ask God to continue to lead us through the next 60. Jeff Charis-Carlson, Peggy Hausler, Matthew Penning, Marylu Watkins, Nelda Wittig, and Heather Woodin Anniversary Dedication Planning Team, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church Messenger September

8 Children s + Family Ministry About 100 people attended School Year's Eve on August 22. The event sent students of all ages off to school filled with blessings, friendship, freebies, and food. Save the date and join us next year on August 22! 8 Messenger September 2018

9 Children s + Family Ministry continued Request for Sunday School Leaders We offer Sunday School classes for 2-year-olds through high school students, and we are now seeking leaders who have a heart for ministry and kids! All of our classes have a team of leaders, so there s a role for everyone, whether your gift is leading or helping out in the background. Here s how we group our students: 2 & 3-year olds; 4 & 5-year olds; Kindergarten-2nd grade; 3rd & 4th grade; 5th & 6th grade; 7th grade; 8th grade; high school. No previous experience is necessary, and you don t need special skills just a heart to serve and connect with students. Leaders do not have to be here every Sunday. Because we have teams of leaders, it s easy to cover for each other. For more information, talk to Heather about preschool-6 th grade, and Pastor Kyle about 7 th -12 th grade. Important Dates September 9: Sunday School Open House at 9:45 am. September 13: *spark* begins at 4:00 pm. September 16: Sunday School classes begin at 9:45 am. Want To Meet Some Awesome Kids? Be a Shepherd! I love my shepherd. We have opportunities for adults to help with ongoing or one-time events. These roles, called Shepherds, will be similar to room parents in elementary school folks who can offer an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands to help out with smaller tasks so leaders can focus on the lesson or rehearsal. Here are some areas where Shepherds can serve: Music Ministry (Shepherds will greet kids, take attendance, distribute handouts, and help with basic needs during rehearsals) Agape Singers (7-12 grade vocal, 6:00 to 7:00 pm Tuesdays) Jubilate Ringers (7-12 grade hand bells, 7:00 to 8:00 pm Tuesdays) Laudate Ringers (9 grade-adults hand bells, 7:00 to 8:00 pm Tuesdays) Choristers (3-6 grade vocal, 6:00 to 7:00 pm Wednesdays) Alpha Ringers ((3-6 grade hand bells, 7:00 to 7:45 pm Wednesdays) Sunday School (preschool-6 th grade, 9:45 am Sunday) Contact Matthew Penning mpenning@saintandrew-ic.org Children s Ministry Operation Christmas Child/The Shoebox Project: Help coordinate the Packing Party on November 1 (6:00 pm) Christmas pageant: Help at Sunday School in the weeks leading up to the December 9 pageant. Party Planner: Help coordinate the children s Christmas party in December. Children s Musical: Help at rehearsals in the weeks leading up to the March 31 presentation. Nursery: Coordinate appreciation gifts for nursery caregivers (college students) several times during the year. Group leader: Help supervise children when Sunday School teachers attend in-service gatherings on November 25, January 6, and March 31 (9:45 am) Contact Heather Woodin hwoodin@saintandrew-ic.org Messenger September

10 Music Ministry Why should you join a church music group? 1. We teach you to sing (and ring and skillfully play instruments). Children who cannot yet follow a melody or adults and youth who have trouble navigating a piece of music CAN learn to if they regularly attend rehearsals. Those who can sing or read music will learn additional skills that will stay with them throughout their lives. 2. We train all ages to be worship leaders. Many who feel their presence in a music ensemble is important to God, the church, and their families, continue to center their lives in worship long after their early choir experiences are over. We are building the church and musical leaders of tomorrow. 3. We enhance your Christian discipleship. Scripture, praise, and prayer that are set to music last a lifetime. 4. We offer the opportunity for all ages to learn first-hand about serving God with their time and talent. 5. Everyone is busy these days, but those who set aside time for music reap later rewards. 6. Singing and playing in front of others builds confidence that transfers to all areas of life. 7. There is no cost! Because the congregation sees this as an important part of our faith life, we are supported with resources to equip us for lives of worship and the sharing of the gospel through music. Source: Linda Mitchell (adapted) New to the Music Ministry? Feel free to contact Matthew, mpenning@saintandrew-ic.org or Lee, lrabe@saintandrew-ic.org with any questions you may have. If you have not already been receiving s via MailChimp, please follow this link to sign-up for your level of interest: 10 Messenger September 2018

11 Financials Our Church Finances: In Numbers...And In Words Messenger September

12 Staff Help Shelter House Pastors Rev. Dr. Daniel Danie debeer, Interim Pastor Rev. Kyle Otterbein, Associate Pastor Rev. Mark Martin, Pastor Emeritus Office John Benson, Finance Administrator Sarah Dyck, Office & Communications Admin. Children, Youth, & Families Randy Hausler, Director of Youth Ministries Heather Woodin, Director of Children s & Family Ministries Music ddebeer@saintandrew-ic.org kotterbein@saintandrew-ic.org pastormwm@gmail.com finance@saintandrew-ic.org sdyck@saintandrew-ic.org rhausler@saintandrew-ic.org hwoodin@saintandrew-ic.org Matthew Penning, Director of Music Ministries mpenning@saintandrew-ic.org Lee Rabe, Assistant Director of Instrumental Min. lrabe@saintandrew-ic.org Laura Kastens, Director lkastens@saintandrew-ic.org Nelda Wittig, Director nwittig@saintandrew-ic.org Address Service Requested 140 Gathering Place Ln Iowa City, IA THE MESSENGER Septem ber 2018 St. Andrew Presbyterian Church 140 Gathering Place Ln, Iowa City, IA office@saintandrew-ic.org 319/ Worship Times: 8:30 am + 11:00 am Sunday School: 9:45 am Our purpose is to be the body of Christ, living in Christ s love and serving as Christ served. If you would like to start/stop receiving the Messenger electronically, please the church office. Allow one week to process your request.