2018 Liberty Rings. January/February. Inside this issue: JANUARY - FEBRUARY WORSHIP We continue our Long Story Short Journey through the Bible!

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1 January/February 2018 Liberty Rings Inside this issue: Happenings 2 Discipleship & 5 Youth Ministry 7 Children s Ministry 8 Music Ministry 8 JANUARY - FEBRUARY WORSHIP We continue our Long Story Short Journey through the Bible! January 7 Pastor John, The King Who had it All Sacrament of Communion January 14 Pastor Becky, A Kingdom Torn in Two January 21 Pastor John, A Father s Love January 28 Pastor Becky, The Beginning of the End February 4 Pastor John, Life from Death Sacrament of Communion February 11 Youth Sunday! Valentine s Brunch Between Services February 14 Ash Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Candlelight Service, Barn Sanctuary February 18 Pastor Kyle, Daniel in Exile February 21 Wednesday Soup Supper & Service February 25 Salvation in a Minor Key Jesus said, Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ~Matthew 7:7 Dear Friends, We say it so often around here, you may not even hear it anymore: God is changing lives at Liberty. Every few weeks, we include a line or two in our bulletin about the ways that God is working in our midst. We project stories on the screen before worship from people whose lives have been transformed by God s power. We even have a section on our website dedicated to letting the world know that God is alive and at work here at Liberty. Seeing God at work in your lives is one of my greatest joys as one of your pastors. Worship, Bible Study, service projects, and Sunday school, all provide opportunities for people to encounter God s transforming Spirit. And even in the simpler, more mundane phone calls, visits, and prayers, people tell me that the power of God is on the loose. LIBERTY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH One way that people here at Liberty are encountering God face to face is through Long Story Short. As you all know, throughout this year, we are taking a long look at the BIG story of the Bible. We are spending time to understand the overarching narrative of the drama of Scripture. 175 of you are receiving the weekly reading guides in your boxes and following along with the daily reading plan. More than 60 Liberty folks are involved in a Bible Study, studying in depth the long story of the Bible. And, friends, I have to tell you, all that Bible reading is changing lives. More than a few of you have told me that because of Long Story Short, the Bible is coming alive for you in ways it never has before. Each week it seems, people wonder if the pastor has been following them around as he or she prepares the sermon. (I can speak for all three pastors; we haven t!) Some of you have seen changes in your spouses or children because God is meeting them in the pages of Scripture. And recently, a member of our congregation with a successful career came into my office and confessed, I know I sound crazy, but I think I might be called to ministry. The New Year is a time for making resolutions, to committing to self-improvement projects, to getting our lives back on track. This New Year season, I invite you to encounter God in the pages of Scripture and join us on the Long Story Short journey. Use the weekly reflection guides and discover the Big story of the Bible for yourself. Join a Bible Study, and find your story in the story of Scripture. But, when you do, don t be surprised if God begins to go to work on your life. Grace and peace, Pastor Kyle

2 Page 2 L i b e r t y R i n g s - J a n / F e b RENEW is devoted to the renewal of our church, our faith, and ourselves as we commit to supporting God s ministries and missions at Liberty in 2018 and 2019 and to complete several projects that are critical to our life together re-siding the Barn, reconfiguring our driveways & parking as the county expands Home Road, renovating the Youth Room and Old Hall, and many other important improvements. RENEW can be summarized as ONE-TWO-THREE : We have made ONE ask of the congregation, asking you to return a RENEW commitment card. This one ask is for a TWO-year financial commitment pledging how you will support Liberty financially in 2018 and This two-year financial commitment will support THREE projects: operating budget operating budget 3. Critical improvement and repair projects Liberty has responded generously to the RENEW initiative, and Session will be shortly signing contracts to begin work on three major capital projects: re-siding the Barn, renovating the Youth Room and renovating the re-named Fearing Hall. Some of you will want to have your commitment added into the final RENEW total so we can accomplish more. If so, please fill out a RENEW Commitment Card (located at the Barn main entrance and at the receptionist desk), or communicate your pledge to our Financial Administrator Thank you for your commitment to RENEW! LIBERTY S ANNUAL MEETING Liberty s Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Sunday, February 25, between services in the Barn Sanctuary. WEDNESDAYS IN LENT Please come to elect new elders and deacons and to receive brief updates from the Session. JANUARY OFFICE SCHEDULE The Church Office is closed Monday, January 1. The Harts are away until January 7. Please contact Pastor Kyle Doebler with any needs. (kyle@libertybarnchurch) Please call the Church Office, and Office Administrator Amy King will assist you. ( ) Please join us for a special candlelight Ash Wednesday service on February 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, to begin the Lenten season and the journey to the cross. Then join us the following Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m. in the Barn Lower level for a delicious soup supper, followed by an informal service of worship in the Chapel at 7:00 p.m. Steve Banks and the Second Stringers lead us in singing old favorites like The Old Rugged Cross ; a pastor leads us in prayer; and a member of Liberty shares a little of their faith journey with us. We will be handing out pocket coins as faith reminders for you to carry with you daily. Please join us on our Lenten journey!

3 L i b e r t y R i n g s - J a n / F e b Page 3 STEPHEN MINISTRY To all of the people who made Advent and Christmas happen at Liberty! Special Thanks to our wonderful: The Stephen Ministry Team welcomes the New Year. The start of a New Year brings hopes and dreams for the months ahead. Each year of life presents opportunities and challenges in our lives. Sometimes challenges are easily handled and sometimes they can be difficult to work through on your own. Stephen Ministers continue to work with members of our congregation who find them- selves facing difficult times in their lives. Having a caring friend to listen and share God s love with can make all the difference in how you welcome the New Year. Our Stephen Ministry team stands ready to help if you are facing a difficult time. If you would like a Stephen Minister or need more information, contact: Linda Johnson, Rayna Kaasa, Jim Mohr, Jerry Willet, or Pastor Becky. Staff, Greeters, Elders, Deacons, Musicians, Singers, Worship committee members, Advent Craft makers, Cookie Caper-ers, Adopt-a-Family-ers, Devotional writers, Deck the Hall-ers, Food servers, St. John s Supporters, Stephen Ministers, Church School Teachers, Telephone Answerers, Pageant leaders, Christmas Eve readers, Candle fixers, Child care providers, AND Parking Lot chaos directors! You name it, we had a Liberty saint taking care of it! Thank you all for your sacrificial help this season! ~Pastors Becky and John~ Submission deadline for the next issue is Thursday, February 15. DeAnne Miller: DeAnne@libertybarnchurch.com HOSPITALS & HOMES Please let us know if you are entering the Hospital or a Nursing Home, or would like a pastoral visit. We would love to support you, especially in times of illness. Remember: We can t go if we don t know! NEW MEMBER CLASS BEGINS IN FEBRUARY Think of the difference between a hotel and a home. At a hotel, the housekeeper will come and make the bed, clean the bathroom, and anything you need is available whenever you need it. But things are different at home. A home takes time, energy, maintenance, and attention. Homes require commitment. Church membership is like moving from a hotel to a home. It s a public commitment to a particular people of faith. It s a declaration that Liberty is more than your church hotel, but that it s your church home. If you are ready to make Liberty your church home, then don t miss our New Member class. Our next New Member class will begin on Sunday, February 4 from 12:30 2:00 p.m. in the Carriage House, and the class will continue until February 25. During our time together, our goal is to help you understand and advance in your own faith journey and to help you find your place in the Liberty family. New Members will meet together for a potluck dinner with the Elders and Deacons on Thursday, March 1. Childcare is provided, and advanced registration is strongly recommended. If you have questions or if you d like to register, please contact Pastor Kyle.

4 Page 4 L i b e r t y R i n g s - J a n / F e b LIBERTY S SNOW POLICY IN CASE OF SNOW... If Olentangy schools are closed, the church office is closed, and all church activities are cancelled for the day and evening. If Olentangy schools have a delayed opening, the Church Office is closed from 9:00- Noon, and all morning church activities are cancelled. At a level-2 snow emergency in Delaware County, worship services and church school are cancelled. The Liberty Early Education Center (LEEC) has its own snow policies, so please contact them directly at (740) Please be careful in winter on our parking lot railroad ties they do get slippery! WOMEN S DAY SAVE THE DATE! VALENTINE S BRUNCH February 11 We will be serving a delicious Valentine s Brunch between services. WOMEN S DAY! Save the date: Saturday, April 28 9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Women s Retreat FEATURING: Speakers, Crafts, Small Groups & Amazing Fellowship! If you d like to join our large and very fun Fellowship team, please Pastor Becky.

5 L i b e r t y R i n g s - J a n / F e b Page 5 HONDURAS MISSION TRIP RETURNS On October 20, the Honduras Mission team returned from a weeklong visit with our Sister Church in El Olvido, Honduras. The team consisting of Susan Scritchfield, Bev Graves, Beth Hoover, and Pastor Kyle went with three goals in mind: 1. To continue to build deeper relationships with our sister church; 2. To continue to investigate El Olvido s health care system; 3. To begin researching a new healthcare focused partnership, so that our annual medical trip can do work that is long lasting and leads to sustainable advances in the community s overall health. Why do we focus on sustainability? Over the years, our medical teams have discovered that most medical issues are chronic (such as Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, etc.), and require ongoing care. While our spring medical teams can dispense a ninety-day supply of medication, we want to ensure that communities are equipped to care for people on day 91, when the medicine runs out. Sustainable work not only treats immediate issues, but also equips communities to develop and use their own resources to care for people in their communities. During the trip, the team met with local government officials, El Olvido s town council, leaders of our sister church in El Olvido, and local health care providers. The team also toured a clinic in a remote village, and learned how volunteers are helping to provided much-needed health care. We are looking forward to putting our newfound knowledge into practice during our Spring Medical Mission trip (March 10 16, 2018). MISSIONS HOLIDAY RECAP WALLS BUILD SAVE THE DATE! Spring Walls Build will be on Saturday, April 21. Once again, the love of God was on full display through our holiday missions. Each year, Liberty partners with Delaware County Jobs & Family Services and Equitas Health to provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need. This year, 200 families received a delicious Thanksgiving Box dinner, thanks to your generosity. Each box contained dried and canned food for making all of the traditional Thanksgiving favorites, and Liberty missions dollars and an anonymous donation provided a $25 gift card for the turkey or ham. Families also included a Thanksgiving card to remind recipients that they are in our prayers and have not been forgotten. Many of the families who receive a Thanksgiving Box also participate in our annual Adopt-a-Family Ministry. This year, Liberty provided Christmas gifts to more than 100 families in partnership with Delaware County Jobs & Family Services and Equitas Health. Members of the Liberty community joined together to adopt families and do some extra Christmas shopping. Seeing the shopping lists was humbling many people asked for work clothes and boots. Others asked for bicycles to get to school or work. One person needed a new mattress so that she could wake up without pain. Through your generosity, you were able bring the joy of Christmas to these local families in need. A huge THANK YOU to Rosie Thompson, who coordinates these ministries for Liberty, and to the ETC II Sunday morning Bible Study, who did all the heavy lifting. We appreciate the way your commitment and organization enables all of us to serve Jesus together during this holiday season!

6 Page 6 L i b e r t y R i n g s - J a n / F e b UPDATE ON WALLS BUILD FROM SEPTEMBER 2017 God is Changing Lives at Liberty At Liberty, I've discovered that worship is no longer a thing I feel obligated to do, but something I want to do. (A member) He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. ~ Psalm 147:16

7 L i b e r t y R i n g s - J a n / F e b Page 7 YOUTH NEWS The Youth Ministry here at Liberty just finished up all our fun Advent and Christmas activities. We went to the Columbus Zoo for the Wildlights display, we did an Advent prayer stations focusing on the coming of Jesus, and we had our Christmas gift exchange. We even went to see Star Wars together as a youth group. The Christmas season can be a busy time, but I am so glad that the youth got to do so many fun activities together during this past season. We look forward to the months to come and all of the fun activities we have planned for this winter. We hope all our youth will be able to join us! YOUTH MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT This month s youth program spotlight is the Middle School Bible Study. These kids will participate in a couple of new studies this winter. After our break from the holidays, we will pick up with a study we have titled, Finding God in the Movies. We will be watching clips from popular movies and will focus on the lessons we can learn from that movie. We did this during our retreat this past fall, with a look at the movie Remember the Titans. We watched three clips from this movie and had discussion about our Christ-like attitudes, unity, and endurance. We had a fun time watching these clips and having discussions about what we can learn from the movie about our relationships with Christ. I am excited to do this a little more with our middle school youth and continue these conversations. In February, we will be starting a study that we have titled, The Journey, in which we will focus on the Journey of the Israelites, God s chosen people, from the Old Testament. We ll begin our study with a look at the story of Jacob. We will journey through the Old Testament with the Israelites; through the story of Joseph and his enslavement, the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt, Moses freeing the Israelites from slavery, their journey through the desert, their journey with Joshua, and ending with the Israelites finally getting to the promised land. I am very excited about this study for the Middle School group. It will allow them to look at the story in a way that they may have never seen it before. Most of these stories are stories that they will have heard in Sunday school, vacation bible school or other places, but we will be looking at them with a little more depth. It'll be fun to Journey with the Israelites as they seek out this land that God has promised them. January 4 Digging Deeper The Four Loves Ch. 1 7 High School Youth Group Couch Conversation 9 Middle School Youth Group Finding God in the Movies 1 11 Digging Deeper The Four Loves Ch All Youth Missions Opportunity Common Ground Free Store 14 High School Youth Group Chapel Hour 16 Middle School Youth Group Finding God in the Movies 2 18 Digging Deeper The Four Loves Ch High School Youth Group Laser Tag 23 Middle School Youth Group Finding God in the Movies 3 25 Digging Deeper The Four Loves Ch. 4 February Middle School Winter Retreat 2-4 High School Winter Retreat 6 Middle School Youth Group The Journey: Jacob 8 Digging Deeper The Four Loves Ch. 5 9 Youth Sunday Rehearsal 11 Youth Sunday 11 High School Youth Group Couch Conversation 13 Middle School Youth Group The Journey: Joseph 15 Digging Deeper Lectionary Lent 1B 18 High School Youth Group Chapel Hour 20 Middle School Youth Group Laser Tag 22 Digging Deeper Lectionary Lent 2B 25 High School Youth Group Finding God in the Movies 27 Middle School Youth Group The Journey: Egypt

8 Page 8 L i b e r t y R i n g s - J a n / F e b LEARNING ABOUT JESUS MINISTRY PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION FOR Children s Ministry begins the New Year with the study of Jesus and His early ministry. Bible Builders Preschool Our preschool children will have the opportunity to learn about Jesus as a baby, a small boy, and about His friends. Sessions will include Jesus as a baby with Zechariah, Jesus in the temple as a boy, and His baptism by John as a young man. The children will meet the first disciples and understand the importance of talking to God through prayer. Using the thank you ball, our kids will learn how to speak to God through prayer. They will craft prayer crosses and create scrolls to see what it would have been like to read God s word the way Jesus would have read it. After these lessons, the Bible Builders will have a greater understanding of who Jesus is in their life. Faith Journey Workshop Rotation for Kindergarten through Fourth Grades Our rotation workshop is all about Jesus. They begin with lessons on John the Baptist and Jesus early ministry. They will understand more deeply how Jesus fed others as they mission to feed others through P.I.N. Kids will discover the symbolism of baptism when they create a water color painting depicting Jesus giving water to the woman at the well. All will take in the depth of helping others as they realize being physically blind is not as damaging as spiritual blindness. Music, movies, games, and cooking are all a part of the discovery in the Rotation Workshop! C.I.A. Christians in Action (Fifth Grade) The fifth-grade class will begin their second half of the year learning about Spiritual Habits. Prayer, journaling and serving are just a few of the topics that will be discussed during class. They will be introduced to journaling while understanding the Psalms and create a new sense of giving as they study the words of Timothy. This class begins to claim their faith in a unique Volunteer Opportunities Children s Ministry is always in need of Sunday school helpers, and committee volunteers for various events. Please contact Dawn Parr if you would like more information. Liberty Early Education Center is now accepting student registrations for the school year for preschool aged children ages three through five. Liberty church members have priority January 3 through January 12. Registration forms, as well as additional information and photos can be found online at our website: libertyearlyeducationcenter.com MUSIC MINISTRY If you have any questions, or would like to take a tour, please contact Director Tracey Gascon at The current preschool year still has lots of fun activities coming up in January and February! In addition to our Valentine s Day parties, we will have naturalists from nearby Highbanks Park come in to talk about winter animals, and we will make a trip to Stratford Farms!