Why The Good Lie? Decembe r 2013 You may have seen the notice in The Lamp, inviting you to join the Outreach Committee for the viewing of the movie The Good Lie, which we have arranged to show at The Joyo Theater on Sunday Sept.13, at 4:00. For those of you unfamiliar with The Joyo, it is a historic movie theater in Havelock and often makes itself available for community events such as this. Why The Good Lie? you might ask. For one thing, in our opinion, it is a good movie and appropriate for young and old alike. There are so many more reasons to view it as a church family. In Lincoln, we are blessed to live in a multi-cultural community that welcomes immigrants and refugees from around the world. Undoubtedly, many of you have read Mary Pipher s book The Middle of Everywhere, which talks about the challenges faced by those new to our country and community, and the need to provide more than initial support to help them assimilate and achieve independence. The movie The Good Lie reinforces those ideas, as it tells the story of a group of the Lost Boys of Sudan, starting in their homeland, their escape from their homes to their early life in the U.S. Not only does it tell their story, but it gives insight into our own behavior and interactions with immigrants and refugees, what we do and do not understand about the challenges they face, and the support they need to live in our country. Regardless of the country they come from, the challenges are many. Given the ties EPC has to Aqua Africa, mission in South Sudan and Ethiopia, it seems especially appropriate that we share this opportunity as a church family. Please mark your calendars now, and invite friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to join us for The Good Lie. For more information, talk to Thomas or a member of the Outreach Committee. GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP BEGINNING AT EASTRIDGE Has someone in your life recently died? Do you find yourself struggling with all the changes since s/he passed away? Are you having a hard time sleeping, eating or concentrating? Do you feel like you shouldn t cry or show any sadness around others? Now that the funeral is over and everyone has gone home, do you find yourself all alone? Are holidays difficult for you? Do you wonder why others laugh and act like nothing has changed? If you have answered yes to any of the questions above, please consider attending a Grief Support group with us. There is no charge and the group will be facilitated by Tabitha s Bereavement Coordinator, Kristine Kluck and Eastridge Stephen Minister, Barb Anderson. We ask that you commit to attending all six sessions. Because space is limited, be sure to get your reservation in for the group by calling the church office. If you have questions, please call Barb Anderson (402-488-0028). You don t have to struggle with your loss all by yourself. Grief shared is grief lessened.
Decembe r 2013 Emerging Needs Your Mission Dollars at Work Continuing in August, our sermon series The Bible and will focus on what the Bible has to say about: Aug. 2 wealth; Aug. 9 mystery. Join us as we explore these themes! Ushers are needed for the 11:00 service for the March, June, September, December rotation. Please contact Seth Crawford or the office if you can help! Sunday School teachers needed! Our Christian Education Team is still looking for Sunday School teachers for this fall. Please contact Mason Todd or the church office for more information! Eastridge is now on Instagram! Follow us at: eastridgepc. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter for updates, news, photos, inspiration. You may have noticed a line in the annual budget entitled Emerging Needs, and wondered just what that meant. Other line items are quite clear local missions and programs, special offerings, and specific world missions, but Emerging Needs is less specific. It is that part of the Outreach budget that allows EPC to respond to unforeseen needs that develop during the budget year. Being able to respond to those needs allows us to serve in ways that were unknown at the time the budget was put together. It gives the committee joy to be able to do this, and that joy should be shared by the entire congregation. So far this calendar year we have used the Emerging Needs dollars to provide part of the supplies to pack the PCUSA disaster relief buckets. Little did we know that these buckets would be used very near us, as they were distributed to DeWitt, NE at the time of the flooding this spring. We have sent $500 to the PCUSA storm relief efforts, and $1000 to the PCU- SA fund for churches that have been burned in the south. We have approximately $4000 left to use this calendar year. Watch for further updates on the use of the Emerging Needs budget. Thanks for making these efforts possible through your annual pledges and offerings. The Outreach Committee is looking for volunteers to share a new service opportunity we have recently acquired. We have started picking up bread, for both The Gathering Place and the Eastridge Pantry. Volunteers need to pick up empty bread racks at Eastridge, then arrive at the warehouse between 1:45 and 2:00 and have a vehicle large enough to transport a few plastic bread racks. They will then deliver 30 loaves of bread to The Gathering Place and the rest to Eastridge, leaving the racks for the volunteers the next week. If you re interested in being part of the group that shares this responsibility, please contact the church office or Jo Bateman. VBS Blessing Bags: The children who attended Vacation Bible School this year put together 134 Blessing bags: ziplock bags that can be handed out to those in need. They included: soap, washcloth, flashlight, granola bar, fruit snack, raisins, toothbrush, toothpaste, water, candy. The bags will be distributed by The Lighthouse, The Indian Center, Fresh Start, Matt Talbot Kitchen, Community Action, Aging Partners, and several individuals.
OUTREACH COMMITTEE Are you looking for a way to share your passion for such things as local mission, world mission, peacemaking, or social justice? Consider becoming a part of the Eastridge Outreach Committee! We are seeking 2-4 more members who share our passion and commitment to carrying out God's work through this important part of the ministry of Eastridge Presbyterian Church. Our monthly meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month, from 4:15-5:15. For more information, contact Jo Bateman (moderator), Seth Crawford, Noel DeKalb, Debbie Kilian, Berna Stading or Bill Wehrbein. We'd love to have you join in this exciting work. THE GATHERING PLACE: One way to honor our friend Julie Eyth would be to volunteer at The Gathering Place! Julie was our coordinator for this ministry. Eastridge serves at The Gathering Place (serving the homeless or near-homeless) the fourth Monday of each month. Call the office if you d like to volunteer! Approximate time commitment is from 4:45-6:00 pm. Calvin Crest will host its 18th Annual BBQ and Quilt Auction on Saturday, August 15th. Quilts are on display at 10:00 am; lunch served from 11:30-1:00 pm; silent auction from 10:00-2:00 pm; the quilt auction begins at 1:00 pm. Please have items to church by August 5th. Presby Build: A partnership of churches and individuals in Homestead Presbytery and the Lincoln/Lancaster County Habitat for Humanity Chapter. WE RE BUILDING! Thanks to your generous contributions, we have raised enough funds to begin raising the house! Family Profile Jony; Nyakoang Jony Head of House Originally from Sudan, she has lived in the United States for 20 years, and in Lincoln since 2007. Nyakoang has worked at Cooks (Farmland Foods) for 6 years to support her family. She is a single mother of sons Riek (10), Jekgouy (8) and daughters Nyarial (13), Nyamal (11), Elizabeth (6). We are excited to announce that Presby Build will be Presbyterians building for Presbyterians as the Jony Family are members of the larger First Presbyterian Lincoln family. House information: Location: 330 NW 15th St, Lincoln. House Details: 1 Story, unfinished basement. 4 bedrooms, 3 on main floor and one (conforming) in the basement (to be finished by resident). 1 bathroom with rough-in for a second in basement. Save the Date! Wall Raising Party: August 8, 2015 Have Questions? Contact Leanne at 402-421-3704 Want to Volunteer? Contact Michelle at 402-477-9184. Like to Donate to help us fully reach our goal and fulfill our promise? Make Checks Payable to Homestead Presbytery noting Presby Build on the memo line.
Communion servers: Thank you for volunteering to serve by filling out your survey. Schedules will arrive in your mailbox this week if you haven t already received yours. I ve added servers to the online calendar, also (at this time, only through summer). Go to www.eastridge.org, Eastridge Events on the homepage: look at the calendar and click on the corresponding service on communion Sunday. Under view more details the servers will be listed. Youth News: Next month we ll have photos and more news from last week s Great Escape. Meanwhile, make plans to attend our Youth Group Kick-Off Event on August 7-8. Fun activities are being planned...you won t want to miss it! This event is for junior and senior high youth. Women of Eastridge! Please mark your calendars for Friday, July 31 at 7:30 pm in the Huxtable Lounge to celebrate Ladies Night In! We ll be watching Mom s Night Out, a film from the Christian film company that produced Fireproof, When the Game Stands Tall and To Save A Life. This film tackles the challenges of being a wife, mother, daughter, friend, leader, employee, Sunday School Teacher, etc. with lots of laughs and insight. Please take a moment for yourself and get away for the evening! We will supply popcorn and drinks. If you attend, please bring a snack to share and, if you would like to sit on the floor, a chair pillow, beanbag chair, blanket, etc. If you are in need of childcare for this event, please call Christi Moock at 402-805-4031. EPC Book Club Picks for 2015-2016 September 28: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt February 22 Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns March 28 Twelve Years A Slave by Solomon Northup October 26: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr April 25 The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin November 16 I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai May 23 The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah January 25 Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline June 27 The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
What we care about... Update on the Water Wells in the Maker Village Peter Dak, Pastor Melodie, Pastor Mason, and Susan Taylor recently met with Buey R. Tut, Executive Director of Aqua Africa to update the status on the wells. The planning and preparations to dig the wells this November have recently come to a halt due to conflict in the region. At this time, it is not safe to bring the equipment necessary across the Ethiopian border. Buey and Peter now have plans to travel to the village in January of 2016, and, if it is safe, to begin drilling at that time. The money we raised for the wells in the Maker Village is currently being held for our project, in the hopes that as soon as it is safe, we are ready to go! We also learned that a flood recently collapsed the village s church. It is our hope to be able to send enough money to purchase the supplies for a tin roof! Watch for more information and updates on these projects in the months to come Did you know that this newsletter was designed to be printed out with ease? It looks great on your computer, but you may print at home (in full color) for best results! If you d like to receive our weekly prayer email, contact the church office. Formerly a Yahoo! Group, we re now sending the email out via Constant Contact. If you d like to be included in the prayers, please let a pastor or the office know! Summer Sunday School for ages 3 through 2nd grade will be held during the 10:30 am service (following praise band). Three year olds and Pre-K will be in room M16; Kindergarten through grade 2 in M14. Question of the month Starting last month, we asked a question to get to know what you, as a congregation, are thinking. For September: What is your favorite homecooked meal? (this is related to our future Wednesday meal schedule!) Please respond via email, a note in the church s inbox, or a private message on the church s Facebook page. You may remain anonymous in print, if you choose. A winner, chosen randomly each month, will receive lunch with the pastor! We re excited about hearing from you! Question of the month for August: What things bring the greatest joy to you (as a congregation)? Lois Poppe wins the lunch with Melodie. Her answer: I feel joy when I see Eastridge Presbyterian Church members, friends, and staff share our talents and resources with others - VBS both here and Schuyler; through One Hour of Sharing and other offerings; the African well project; the Food Pantry; the Gathering Place; Stephen's Ministry; Prayers, -- just to name a few. Finding an address: You can access a member s address by going to www.eastridge.org, then click on member weblinks at the bottom of the page, then member login. This will allow you to create a login for Access ACS, the church s record-keeping software. Susan Taylor is retiring after 16 years here at Eastridge directing our children s programs (and many other activities!). On Sunday, August 9th we ll have a Celebration of Susan Taylor s ministry. The contemporary worship service that day will begin at 11:00, and cake will be served between services. If you d like to be a part of this planning committee, please contact Donna in the office!
The focus this month is on Parish 8, Lindsey Anderson and Deb Buller. Deb: I was married to Bob Buller 41 years ago at the United Presbyterian Church in Scottsbluff. We have two children, Lindsey, married to Jason Anderson; and Garet, married to Shira Kaplan-Buller. We have three beautiful granddaughters, Taryn and Kendall Anderson and Aylin Buller. We have been members of Eastridge for 36 years. I have served on many committees, the highlight being the PNC that brought Mike Loudon and his family here. This is my second term as a deacon. A graduate of Kearney State College, I taught at Meadowlane Preschool for 27 years and, prior to that, worked for the National Bank of Commerce. I am now retired. Hobbies include bowling, bridge, reading, sporting events (especially the granddaughters ), cooking and being with family. Love singing with the Chancel choir! Lindsey, married to Jason Anderson, is a lifelong Eastridge member. She has been involved with Kool Kids and has previously taught Sunday school. She is a claims representative for the Social Security Administration. Lindsey s hobbies are her kids and all of their activities, and playing volleyball. We want to celebrate your JOYS with you - please let us know if you would like to have a milestone or joy publicized in the newsletter or Lamp. Coming soon to Eastridge! The EPC Outreach Committee is excited to announce that the Presbyterian Ethiopian Mission Network has chosen Eastridge as the site of their annual conference in April of 2016. This will be a gathering of people from across the country who support and/ or engage with Presbyterian mission in Ethiopia. Please watch for further information to learn how you help in hosting our guests, as well as opportunities to participate in some of the activities. Prayer Request: For the last several years, EPC has supported the mission of Lawrence Elroy, who serves in Indonesia, through a program known as New Tribes Ministries. The Elroys were at EPC one evening in May to visit about their ministry. Recently, just prior to returning to Indonesia, Mr. Elroy was diagnosed with colon cancer. The extent of the disease and plan for treatment is not yet known. Please keep Lawrence Elroy, his family, and his team of doctors in your prayers as they respond to this diagnosis. To continue our Devotion Ministry, additional writers are needed as we begin a new year in August. Please prayerfully consider if you would write a devotion monthly, odd or even months, or occasionally. Contact Cathy Schapmann at 402-483-1795 or devotions@eastridge.org if you can help. Thank you!
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 6:00 PM Schumacher wedding 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9:00 am Worship 10:30 am Worship 7:00 pm Fellowship 7:00 pm Music & Worship Committee 9:30 am Staff 4:15 pm Outreach 6:30 pm Budget & Stewardship 7:00 pm Worship Team 4:30 pm Personnel Youth Kick-Off Event (through Saturday) Youth Kick-Off Ends Early AM 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 9:00 am Worship 11:00 am Worship Celebrate Susan Taylor! 1:30 PM Eastridge Neighborhood Association 9:30 am Staff 7:00 pm Stephen Ministry 7:00 pm Worship Team 5:30 pm Trustees Meeting 6:30 pm Deacons Meeting Leave for Ireland Mission Trip 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 8:00 am Worship 9:30 am Worship 9:30 am Staff 7:00 pm Worship Team 5:30 pm GROW Committee Meeting 11:00 am Worship Rally Day 6:30 pm Session Meeting 23/30 24/31 25 26 27 28 29 8:00 am Worship 9:30 am Worship 9:30 am Staff 5:30 PM M & E Meeting 1:00 pm Newsletter Assembly Group 3:00 PM Freeman Wedding 11:00 am Worship 7:00 pm Worship Team
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