THE GRAPEVINE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SANDPOINT, IDAHO

Transcription

1 1 THE GRAPEVINE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SANDPOINT, IDAHO November 2017 FROM THE PASTOR One of the challenges faced by international exchange students involves going home after they had an extended time abroad in another culture, making new friends and staying with host families. How can they possibly relate the fullness of their experience to their family and friends back home? They can tell stories, show photos, and reminisce, but these are mere glimpses of what was lived through on a day to day basis. People have asked me if I am settling back in and getting into the routine upon Shawna and my return from a three month Sabbatical. The answer is YES and NO. Yes it is good to be home. Three months away is a long time and I can tell we were gone for an entire season simply by walking through my yard and seeing the projects that have been put on hold. Yes, it is good to see people again, and make connections with the church family and larger community. Walking around town, people see us and say, Welcome back! as they walk by. It is nice to have been missed, and feel welcome upon return. There are lots of reasons to answer, YES, it is good to be back home. There is also the NO. Part of me does not want to settle back in because there are practices in my work and home that I don t simply want to slip back into. In some areas, I desire a change or better way of doing things. This is such a great opportunity to reassess patterns and assumptions. This seems healthy enough, and such things as being more intentional with Centering Prayer on a daily basis will have an overall positive effect. So I hope I don t get too settled, too soon, and overlook an opportunity of healthy change and growth. In terms of sharing the experience, I do need to process this in my own mind and heart. The time away was like having many once in a lifetime experiences all back to back. I do enjoy sharing anecdotes along the way, and plan on slide shows and presentations this winter, on the overall themes of Celtic, Franciscan, and Reformed, with Contemplative Prayer, and on beekeeping, especially focusing on Slovenian techniques. Thank you, dear friends, for this opportunity of Sabbatical. It is unlike any experience I ve ever had and I am thankful for this special time. I am very glad the church did well with ministry in my absence, both in facing challenges and celebrating joy as we focused on similar themes. It was comforting to know you were tracking us via the itinerary, and keeping us in your prayers. We were praying for you as well. Peace and All Good, Pastor Andy

2 2 CHURCH BUDGET AND PRESBYTERIAN FOUNDATION By Pastor Andy If you read the financial notes at the end of the Sunday bulletin each week, it seems we are continually behind on church income. This is because we are behind on church income. The church is doing very well when it comes to managing expenses. But the income is not keeping up to cover the planned expenses. So, for example, when a request comes in like a recent one to partner with a ministry group in Africa by contributing toward a project, even though our Mission budget lists a line item amount that we could use, it is more likely that the request will be denied, because the actual money to support that line item simply is not there. This is true for any of the line items, potentially. Supporting mission around the world, paying salaries, and covering the heat bill all come out of the same General Fund. As we approach the end of 2017, please review your giving, especially if you made a pledge. If you are able to fulfill the pledge, thank you! If you are able to go above and beyond the pledge amount, thank you! If you are unable to fulfill your pledge, bless you for doing what you can. Unfortunately, the budget s income pattern represents a trend over the past few years. The Session will be discussing this pattern in future meetings, and even though we face this financial reality, there is much to celebrate. Many people, for example, have transitioned their support of the Building Fund into the General Fund, and this has helped greatly. For the first time, we also received a few hundred dollars toward the General Fund through our new online giving tool. First Presbyterian Church of Sandpoint has an account set up with the Presbyterian Foundation. The GIVE NOW link on the church website, and a QR scan code allows computer and smartphone users direct access to a donation page. People can give toward the General Fund or the Peace Garden Project in a secure, structured way. Donations and community support can now be raised beyond Sunday morning s pass the plate system. Many younger people, for example, don t even use paper checks, and people don t typically carry large cash bills. Passing the plate, although a very important symbol during worship, is less and less effective in reality as a method of receiving funds. Giving through electronic modes is more and more popular. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many people focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. This year it is Tuesday, November 28, Visit to access the Give Now feature, or use the QR Code from this newsletter. Thank you, and be sure and share the links and QR Code with your friends and relatives.

3 3 SABBATICAL MOMENT by Pastor Andy Over the next several months, I ll feature newsletter articles that highlight stories from the Sabbatical experience. I have lots of stories. To help provide focus, I ll share some answers to a question asked by a friend the other day. They asked, What are your top three highlights from the time away? I shared three, and Shawna shared three, plus I thought of one more. One of our three overlapped, so there are six total that we shared. These are the items I will focus on as the Sabbatical Moment newsletter article over the next several months. The big one for me is the trip to Slovenia. Meeting bee keepers and seeing how they keep bees using the A-Z hive system, visiting museums that highlight the cultural heritage of beekeeping in Slovenia, and staying at farms that are very welcoming to tourists and feature meals made with local farm foods; Slovenia was really fabulous! Plus, it was the first week where we actually felt like we had summer, and this was mid-august. The rain chased us everywhere else we visited. I only went swimming once the entire summer, and it was in the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean) at Piran, Slovenia, a quaint, costal town with a long history of harvesting sea salt. Touring in Slovenia we were not alone. Janez (Yah-ness) was our guide and translator, arranged through AriTours Travel Company. This customized, eight day ApiTour focused on seeing the entire country and how beekeepers of different regions go about the art of beekeeping. It also included tourist things, such as swimming in the sea, visiting the salt flats, touring a large limestone cave network, and checking out some castles. The country has two million citizens, and to drive diagonally across the nation from one side to the other takes two to three hours. It is small and beautiful. Slovenia is located south of Austria, west of Hungary, north of Croatia, and Italy is on its border as well. Although we stayed in Slovenia, we would catch glimpses of all those countries on the horizon from the places we toured. The country has a couple of cities about the size of Spokane, and lots of smaller villages and rural areas. The tourist farms we stayed at are amazing! They are working farms, with small herds of dairy cows, a few chickens, pastures, and multi-generational families passing on traditions. But farmers in Slovenia also need another job to support themselves, so many have constructed villas for tourists and serve homemade breakfasts and suppers at their dining rooms. Both tourists and other locals eat at these delicious locations that feature farm raised foods and specialties of the region. It all tastes so good, but you eat way too much! During the day, Janez would take us to visit people who specialize in various things. One family has a pumpkin oil business, another has an herb farm, one woman has a museum on historic bee houses and equipment. Slovenian beekeepers are not all alike. We met several who focus on Apitherapy, which is a holistic approach to beekeeping and includes such things as breathing air from the hive through a mask, or laying on a bed while meditating by watching through a window as the bees fly in and out of their hives, or mindfully resonating with the energy of the bee colony. Other beekeepers showed us the awards they won for the quality of their honey. Some collected pollen, while others thought that was not a good practice and actually harmed the bee. Some used the honey to make liquors or mead (honey wine), while others used the wax and propolis to make tinctures or medicinal products. There was lots of variety to bee keepers philosophy, practice, and specialty.

4 4 After landing at the airport, we picked up a rental car. I drove, Shawna sat in the passenger seat, and Janez sat in the back seat and told me where to turn. He knows the back roads, so we took a lot of scenic routes and only rarely used the expressways. He speaks five languages and specializes in sharing about cultural and historical aspects of Slovenia, so he would describe the church cathedrals, architecture, castles, and characters involved in this amazing culture. He also likes to get out into the mountains, so we had a high country walk through the forest and upper pastures of the Alps. It was good to have him as a translator as well. Slovenian is a Slavic language, and I had no idea what people were saying. On rare occasions they would speak German, since it used to be southern Austria, and Shawna could relate some of this. I do hope to build a bee house in the Slovenian style at my house, complete with A-Z hives. I hope to help promote getting others to adopt this system, as it is well suited for our climate with hot summers and cold winters. Building a bee house with fifteen to thirty hives takes money and time, so it won t be an overnight project. I currently have two hives that the Lilly Foundation purchased through the grant funding, and I will have a beekeeping workshop this winter. They don t have bees in them yet so people can see the equipment up close. There are so many details I just can t fit into this article, so this writing is rather general in scope. Some of the details I need to look up, like the name of that big cave we toured. Once I look it up, I have to remember how to pronounce it. Keep your eyes open for a future slide show, as pictures are very helpful in showing you glimpses of S-LOVE-NIA. LEARNING COMMUNITIES The Presbytery of the Inland Northwest is connecting congregations together into Learning Communities. First Presbyterian Church of Sandpoint is one of several churches involved in exploring what God is doing in our midst, the nature of ministry in today s context, where God may be leading us in our unique setting, and equipping leaders to engage others to learn and share what it means to be in mission in our neighborhoods. Our church team consists of Pastor Andy, Sharon Anderson, Anna Bates, Carol Curtis, Judy Labrie, and Marilyn Robertson. On October 21, Pastor Andy, Sharon, and Anna attended a meeting in Spokane at Northwood Presbyterian Church and Celtic Hall was filled with people learning more about this process. We worshipped together, and engaged the reflective process called Lectio Divina for exploring Acts 16:6-15. For a short while the pastors met separately from the other church leaders. Coming back together, we shared a lunch that featured local foods. Small groups explored two questions: How do we engage missionally with our neighbors? Viability in the future: how do we adapt faithfully in rapid change? In early and mid-november, our team will conduct interviews with some of the core members of the church. Conversations will be guided by such things as the following: 1. What do you love about our congregation? 2. Share a story of a time when have you experienced God s presence in our church. 3. Share a story of a time when have you experienced God s presence in the surrounding community. 4. With so much change happening around us, what do you think we must not lose sight of? 5. Anything else that you would like to share.

5 5 The Learning Communities process is just beginning and will be ongoing in the months ahead. Look for members of the team to share more. This process is unlike past attempts at church renewal, and is less theoretical than other studies. Experientially following God s leading and supporting one another in Christ, Learning Communities is a practical, genuine, and care-filled exercise of Christian community both locally and in partnership with other churches in our presbytery region. This process will help us look at who we are, how our context has changed, and encourage faith and action from a prayerful foundation. FINANCE As of October 25, 2017 please be aware of the following needs and priorities as we prepare to enter the last two months of Through October 2017 our Year-To-Date Budget requirements is $109, Current offering received through October 22, 2017 is $98, with one Sunday remaining in October. Currently year-to-date financial giving is short $11, of meeting the giving budget. 2. Through month ending September 2017 year to date the church is $1, under the established expense budget. This is a fantastic job in managing expenses. Thanks to everyone for their efforts. 3. November starts the time of preparing the 2018 Budget. As we enter the closing months and the start of a new year, it is again time for us to consider being stewards of all that God has given us. Shortly you will be receiving the 2018 Pledge Letter, please prayerfully consider your commitment for Gods work through our church. Thank you for your continued offerings of your time, of your God-given talents, and of your financial giving. Finance Committee MISSIONS Thanks to all those who contributed to the 2017 Peace and Global Witness Offering. To date, we have received 12 contributions totaling $ These gifts will be going to peace building ministries of accompaniment, advocacy and education in many countries throughout the world. Also, 25% of gifts go to peace related efforts in our local area. We recently purchased Arby s gift cards to share with people who are hungry if they stop by the church office. Dave Pietz

6 6 DEACONS It's hard to believe that it's time to think about Advent and Christmas, but they are sneaking up on us! Watch for the opportunity to order poinsettias in the Sunday bulletin. The Deacons will use them to decorate the church around Christmas, and then take them to our home bound members. The cost will be $12. On Saturday, December 2nd we will have our annual church decorating party. Watch for more details to come. We have the opportunity to serve our community by being bell ringers for the Salvation Army on December 9th from 10:00 to 2:00, at Yokes. There will be a sign up sheet downstairs. This is a unique opportunity to help others during this season of giving. It's always such a part of Christmas to hear those cheerful bells! Please consider being a part of this Christmas cheer. PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN Presbyterian Women had a very busy September with hosting the Fall Gathering of the Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest, and early October with the annual rummage sale. Both went well although attendance was down at the rummage sale. A big thank you to all who helped with both events it was very much appreciated. This year the rummage sale did not price items but took donations. Receipts were approximately $1,100 on par with other years. Some donations are still coming in. An update was received on the Betty Menser Scholarship fund. The Presbyterian Women of the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest also has a scholarship fund for college juniors and seniors. If anyone is interested contact Susie Haskins for details and an application. A friendly reminder that November is the Thank Offering, and PW is still receiving fair share contributions. The November 14th meeting program is a report on the Mexico Mission Trip some church members took with the Rotary Club. Time is 12:30 and the congregation is invited to attend.

7 7 KERMIT THE FROG ADDS SOME TINY TIPS FOR BEING GREEN Most of us are remembering recycling in some forms, both at home and at church. Here are two more ideas that are tiny, but helpful. In the rain and snow seasons, your newspaper probably comes in a plastic wrapper. If you hang each wrapper up to dry, you can eventually accumulate a bag of bags. If you attach that bag to the newspaper box, with a clothespin, the carrier will take and reuse the bags. Your pill bottles will probably not be literally refilled at your pharmacy, but if you return empty bottles, they will send them to their suppliers for cleaning and reuse. A reminder: The Dufort Road collection site takes unsorted items for recycling, including glass and plastic, that is not taken at Pacific Steel. It is a pilot project, which we should use, to encourage the county to consider providing other such sites at other locations. Kermit has a more challenging idea. Maybe we can each convince some friend or office to stop using bottled water. A good Web Site, among several, with convincing information, is entitled Problems with Bottled Water. That mentions that NY City consumers buy over a BILLION bottles of bottled water a year. Advertising has led them to believe that it is safer and tastier than tap water, while their tap water is actually just as safe, clean and healthy, and often more so. Bottled water creates many environmental, economic, public health, and social justice problems. The article names many of these negatives, including these 2 examples: Production of those plastic bottles in the U.S. annually requires about 17.6 million barrels of oil. Transporting to markets increases air pollution and emissions that contribute to global warming. So, we can be convincing in asking others to stop using bottled water! (Message from Kermit & the Earth Care Team)

8 8 Shoebox Gift Boxes The Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child shoebox program is a worldwide Christian outreach to children and their families. God's love is introduced to the children along with a shoebox, and if they choose to, they have an opportunity to learn more about God through accompanying lessons. Thank you to the kids who attended Kids Alive summer camp for donating ten shoeboxes. Now it's our turn. You can donate three ways: 1) Fill a shoebox with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies (no candy, toothpaste, food items, liquids or lotions, aerosol cans, or breakable items); 2) Donate individual items that will be combined with other individual items to fill shoeboxes; 3) Donate cash, which can be used to purchase individual items to complete shoeboxes and to pay for missing shipping ($9.00 per box). Please bring your items to the church no later than Sunday, November 12th. Thanks, Anna November 1 Dayna Maddox, Lynn Pietz 2 Jim Dustman 3 Jane Clark, John Windju 14 Kelly Curtis 16 Esther Inselman 26 Tim Cochran

9 9 Calendar Announcements November 1 Church Breakfast, 8:00 a.m. at Connies Café 4 Contemplative Prayer Retreat, 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 5 Change to Pacific Standard Time (Fall Back) 11 Church Cleanup 9:00 a.m. Noon 12 Deacons Meeting 8:00 a.m. 12 Architect Presentation for Church Entryway 14 PW Meeting 12:00 noon 14 Noon Pastor Andy interviewed on Radio Show, KSPT 1400 am and KBFI 1450 am 14 Session Meeting 6:30 p.m. Regular Monthly Events Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.; Fellowship, following service Sunday Adult Christian Education 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. We are studying the book An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. Monday 6:00 p.m. Al-Anon Tuesday Book Study Group 1:30 p.m. Contemplative Prayer Group 3:00 p.m. Choir Practice 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday Companions in Christ on 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. Church Breakfast First Wednesday of the month, 8:00 a.m. at Connies Cafe Thursday 12:00 p.m. Al-Anon 7:00 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous

10 10 First Presbyterian Church Ministers: Members and Friends Pastor Andy Kennaly 417 North Fourth Avenue, Sandpoint, Idaho Pastor cell phone: Scan below to Give Now