Christian Education Building Report Schmolt Construction has finished the majority of the work in the Christian Education building. We were all ready to begin the move-in process when we discovered that we still have some plumbing issues. On Saturday, June 24, there was a major flood on the first floor. FPC members mobilized quickly to keep the damage to a minimum. A flood restoration service was called in to complete the process. Over the next few days, we will see what damage remains. We hope that this will just be a temporary setback. We have begun moving items into the second floor and we have scheduled professional movers to begin emptying the PODs on July 6. If you are available to help with the move-in, on July 6, please wear your work clothes and join us! The building is really looking good. We hope to rebound from our flood quickly and restore the first floor to the preflood condition. It appears that we had some issues with our plumbing. Sixty year old cast iron pipes can be temperamental. Let s thank God that Ginger and Doug Anderson decided to bring some items up to the Church. If they had not been there on Saturday night, there is a good chance that our entire facility would have been under water. Let s also give thanks for the volunteers who helped with clean up on Saturday night. We had shop vacs and mops going strong for hours! We plan to have an Open House at the end of August. Look for more information and volunteer opportunities in the epress, near the end of July. Let s make this a big deal. Really, moving back into the CE Building is a big deal!
Summer is now in full swing and the staff here at church has been coming and going a lot with camps, VBS, workshops, and vacations. It s easy to lose track of where everybody is at any given moment but the work of the church continues to move forward! God is in control and God is good! Even with the recent disappointing flooding problem, there remains a whole lot of excitement surrounding our eventual move back into the CE Building. We ve come too far and worked too hard to turn back now and I know we will persevere! Remember what the Psalmist says, Weeping may spend the night but joy comes in the morning! The Summer Cinema series begins on Friday evening, July 7, with Miracles from Heaven, a delightful movie for the entire family that s based on real life events. Then, based on the bestselling book, The Shack screens on July 14. If you missed this film at the theaters, then here s your chance to enjoy this wonderful story of one man s road to forgiveness and redemption. Risen will be screened on July 21. It s a story set just after the resurrection where Pilot assigns one his most trusted lieutenants the task of investigating what happened to Jesus missing body once the tomb was found empty. And the comedy-drama, Leap of Faith, which ends our summer series on July 28, stars Steve Martin in one of his early film rolls. Martin plays a charismatic tent revival preacher who preys on the unsuspecting believer but ultimately experiences a religious awakening of his own! Each movie begins promptly at 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall and refreshments are available! Enjoy! The Sanctuary Choir continues to lead music in our worship services through the end of July before taking a break. If you would like to come and sing over the next few weeks then come to the 10 a.m. warm-up on Sundays in the choir room and I ll set you up with music, folder, and a robe. We are singing familiar anthems and you ll be placed by a veteran singer who can help you learn the music. Come give it a try! Those of you who attended Pastor David s class on the Reformation this past winter will recall that the Reformation s 500th anniversary will occur in October this year. On one of our previous choir trips, the Sanctuary Choir sang in Wittenberg, Germany, for the annual Luther Festival. I can only imagine the heightened excitement the 500th anniversary will bring to that town. Pastor David, the choir, and I are in the planning stages for our own Reformation Celebration here at FPC this October. 500 is a BIG anniversary and we want to celebrate the day with other reformed churches the world over! We ll soon share the details but for now all you get is this little teaser! Ha! Speaking of choir trips (nice transition!) The Sanctuary Choir is going to England in June of 2018. We have close to 50 signed up and there s plenty of room for more travelers but you must act fast! Registration will remain open for a few more weeks and then we must close it down and make our final arrangements with the hotels, airlines, and performance venues. Don t let the recent events in England deter you from joining us on this fantastic tour! The best way to confront evil in the world is to share God s grace, love, and mercy with everybody we meet. The more we truly learn about each other the harder it becomes to hate each other. That may sound overly simplistic but as a seasoned traveler who has been to Europe over twenty times, I know it works! Grace and Peace, Ralph A Thank You Note from the Cook Family To all the wonderful Vacation Bible School volunteers at FPC Richardson! We just wanted to take a moment to say Thank you for all your wonderful service this week and the preparation for VBS. It was a wonderful week because of your contribution! Sarah had a wonderful time and mom and dad enjoyed some wonderful down time. Sarah has been preparing for a play she has been rehearsing for 3 weeks and has had rehearsals from 1-5 all week but even though she has been tired she always perks up and says, I m going to Bible School! That s because she loves all the work you do. Thanks again and we hope to see you again next year. Phil, Kristen, and Sarah Cook
There is a magic number that pastors talk about regularly 200. When worship attendance hits 200, new things really begin to happen. A church that can consistently hold attendance at 200 is positioned well to begin new programs, hire new staff, and affect the community in new ways. The number isn t everything, but it does provide a snapshot about the life of a congregation. On the rare occasion, we break 200. Sometimes it is because there is a baptism. Sometimes, we have a special event or speaker. You can tell, just by looking around, that the sanctuary is fuller than normal, when you hit that magic number. There are more children in worship. There is an energy that flows through the congregation and worship seems to be a little brighter, stronger, healthier. Most churches in the United States never hit that number. For most, it is a dream. The majority of modern churches are on the smaller size, with just around 100 members total. Of course, there are megachurches that buck that trend. But what we have is really near the sweet spot. Our regular attendance is near the number where folks can be as active or as anonymous as they wish. Our attendance is indicative of a church that is sitting on the cusp of growth. If there is anything that a congregation can get excited about, on a weekly basis, it is increasing attendance. Increased attendance means that the congregation has life and the larger community knows it. Recently, we have seen signs of that life as new members have joined and as our CE Building project has moved towards completion. We have a new Youth Group that is growing! We have folks who are interested in using the new CE Building space in new ways. We have partnered with the City of Richardson in several ways, to support their activities during their building project. All of this is to say, now is the time to be inviting folks to join us at Church. Maybe it is a fellowship meal or a concert that will be interesting. Maybe it will be the upcoming Open House or the plans for the renovated playground. Perhaps it will be a new program that will begin when the CE Building is up and operational. Whatever the draw may be we know that folks respond well to a personal invitation. Over the next few months, we plan to up our advertising game. We plan to send out more direct mail and to use social media to our advantage. We hope that you will participate in that effort. Now is a good time to brag on your Church a little bit. (I know that may be difficult for the frozen chosen Presbyterians but we have a lot to brag about.) Please consider sharing a little about your Church with your friends and neighbors. Invite them to come with you. If nothing else, let the church office know if there is someone who would be open to an invitation and the staff will send a postcard or letter. Now is the time to tell folks why you love this congregation so much. It is a wonderful and faithful congregation that is doing great things within our community. We are developing a reputation. Let s keep it up! Blessings, Pastor David I hope you have noticed that we have containers for trash AND for recycling. Trash cans have black liners and the recycling ones are blue or have blue liners. Please, please, please place your trash or recycling in the proper container. It is very unpleasant to have to dig through food trash to rescue the recyclables. We can recycle aluminum, glass, paper, and plastics. Check the Solo cups because they are recyclable. But please dump the liquid! Our carpets and floors will appreciate your thoughtfulness. (From left to right) Phillip Rigler (from St. Barnabas Presbyterian); Mickey Musong, and Noah Clayton are attending Adventure Camp at Camp Gilmont near Gilmer, TX this week. While there they will be sleeping in tree houses and cooking the majority of their meals outside. It is a great opportunity for these young men to have fun, share adventures, and strengthen their faith. We look forward to hearing about their week at Gilmont.
Different perspectives, priorities for youth ministry Parents and youth ministry leaders have differing views on youth ministry, suggests a recent report from the Barna Group. The report is derived from the comprehensive State of Youth Ministry study released last November in cooperation with Youth Specialties and YouthWorks. When asked what the objective of youth ministry was, 71 percent of pastors and 75 percent of youth pastors said discipleship and spiritual instruction were high priorities, followed by building relationships. On the other hand, 96 percent of parents say safety is very or somewhat important for youth ministry. Presumably this would include their kids being kept safe from physical harm, but many parents may also think of safety in emotional terms, especially since the recent introduction of safe spaces on campuses, the report concludes. Yet, the highest expectation parents had of youth leaders was discipling, for which it was a major expectation of 72 percent of respondents, falling in line with what pastors and youth ministers consider the focus of their work. Church leaders tend to form their goals from the church s mission statement, from their own understanding of Christian formation, or from a particular model of discipleship and ministry, said Gina Yeager-Buckley, PCUSA associate for youth ministries. Parents tend to form their goals based on their big picture view of their child s livelihood, ethical behavior and understanding and how their child reflects the family mission. The Rev. Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks, director of spiritual formation at Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, agrees that youth ministry leaders have broader goals in mind, including instilling lifelong faith and moral grounding. We re trying to create a moral and ethical framework with kids and their parents so they can live in the real world and adapt, not just know the right answers, she said. Barna s interest in this topic was piqued by the article The Overprotected Kid, which appeared in The Atlantic in 2014. Researchers found that the protective attitudes parents exhibit on the playground, in school and through sports apply equally to those entrusted with the spiritual welfare of their children. In the Barna survey, parents also ranked peer relationships, life guidance and activities as important aspects of youth ministry. Service opportunities and mission trips were ranked lowest; just 48 percent said they were very important. Youth ministers ranked mission trips highest in their list of external activities that also included camps and retreats, with 74 percent saying mission opportunities are very important. Study authors conclude mission trips will continue to play an important role, and saying, It will be important for youth ministry leaders and pastors to make strong connections to the outcomes they are attempting to create, such as discipleship, spiritual instruction and relationships. Yeager-Buckley recently participated in a youth ministry visioning process at a church where small groups of parents, youth leaders, youth and others voiced their hopes for the program. The results were similar to the Barna study. Parents said their primary goal was for their child to Learn to live responsibly, ethically and to demonstrate these things in all the aspects of their lives, she said. The primary goal of the youth was to learn about God, and the primary goal of the leaders was to call young people to discipleship in Jesus Christ. Wowie! Are these completely separate? Do they have connections? It s an interesting situation. Gregg Brekke, Reporter, Presbyterian News Service Young at Art Children s Exhibit - Coming Soon Arts Alive! Ministry is happy to announce our first ever exhibit of children s art coming at the end of August to coincide with the celebration of the renovated CE building and Blessing of the Backpacks in worship as school begins. Take-in date and other details will be announced soon. We will include members, their families, and friends visual and written pieces from the past, as well as our current children s work. There will probably be a limit of 2 pieces per person for this exhibit. Consider now what you will submit and don t miss this chance to share these delightful creations with us as we start the new school year.
New Hunger Action Congregation covenant launched by Rick Jones Presbyterian News Service For nearly 50 years, the Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP) has worked with Presbyterians and global partners towards the common goal of ending hunger and poverty. It is able to work with global partners to end hunger and poverty because of gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing. Now through the Hunger Action Congregations, PHP would like to recognize congregations that are doing at least one of the following six activities: Hunger Alleviation providing or sharing food while looking for long-term structural solutions Development Assistance addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty through sustainable development Hunger Education learning about systemic causes of hunger and working directly with those involved Lifestyle Integrity adopting sustainable personal and corporate lifestyles to restore justice and protect God s creation Corporate and Public Policy Witness advocating and campaigning for changes in policies and practices to end hunger Worship incorporate prayer, education and preaching about ending hunger and its causes. Rebecca Barnes, PHP coordinator says, This new program will help us to recognize congregations on two levels: one is for a congregation that covenants to care for those who are hungry and is doing some level of hunger ministry. Another level is for a congregation that would like to be certified, meaning it is operating across the board in all six areas mentioned. We hope this tool will help to connect, equip and support Presbyterian congregations, wherever they are in their hunger ministry. Presbyterians have historically and faithfully responded to this biblical call to feed the hungry and create conditions for people to feed themselves. We estimate as many as 90 percent of all churches are already doing this kind of work, said Andrew Kang Bartlett, associate for national hunger concerns. He hopes the designation will inspire churches by hearing stories and ideas from Presbyterians in other places to support new ways to help people provide for their families. It really is a human and political choice to put things in place that would ensure healthy food for everybody. All Hunger Action Congregations who have completed the covenant will be celebrated on World Food Day October 16. The covenant is very accessible. A broad variety of approaches to the common goal of ending hunger is included. A church can share food or send volunteers to a local soup kitchen to be considered, said Kang Bartlett. Only one activity per church is necessary to become a Hunger Action Congregation. Reformation Moment If you were at a gathering of Presbyterian church educators in 2009 there is a good chance you would see a t-shirt with an image of John Calvin and saying Calvin was an educator. It was a way of recognizing the 500th anniversary of Calvin s birth. But it was also true. Calvin, along with all of the early leaders of the Reformation, was an educator. The Reformers had to be educators. They held to the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers that every believer had the right and responsibility to read, study, and interpret scripture within the context of the Christian community. To be able to live out this doctrine, believers needed to be taught. They needed materials to facilitate teaching and learning. People needed to be taught to read. They needed the Bible to be translated into common languages. And they needed catechisms, confessions, Bible commentaries and longer works like Calvin s Institutes of the Christian Religion to help them in their exploration of the Bible. The Presbyterian wing of the Reformation has always embraced this focus on education. There is a long tradition of referring to ordained ministers as Teaching Elders. In this country, Presbyterians started many schools and colleges. As the frontier moved west, in many places Presbyterians organized a Sunday School even before a congregation with a resident minister was established. We are a part of this long tradition and we are reminded of this when we celebrate graduations, announce scholarships, and give Bibles to children.
News You Can Use Summer Cinema Retire-eze Come to Fellowship Hall on Fridays in July for Faith in the Movies. Movies begin promptly at 7 p.m. and snacks and drinks are provided. On July 7, see Miracles From Heaven; July 14, the movie is The Shack; on July 21 we ll see Risen! and on July 28, the movie is Leap of Faith. Join us in Fellowship Hall on Wednesday, July 19, for lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by Bingo. Please bring a White Elephant Gift for a prize. Call Shirley Bridges for information. Sunday Book Club We meet on July 16, at 5 p.m. in the church library. The book is Ordinary Grace, by William Kent Krueger. Everyone is welcome. Contact Ginger (Doug) Anderson for more information. VBS Hero Central This year 38 young Super Heroes attended VBS: Hero Central. They learned that God s heroes have Heart, Courage, Wisdom, Hope, and Power, and that they do good, seek peace and go after it! We wish everyone could have heard the parents and children s enthusiastic appreciation as they left Friday night. Thanks to the over 40 Super Hero volunteers who helped make it a super time for all! To God be all the glory, honor and praise! Shufflers The Shufflers meet on Wednesday, July 26, at 1 p.m. sharp for casual bridge. Contact Barbara Chapman or Frankie Markham to reserve a seat. It s time for Tools 4 School Seems like summer has just begun, but it is time to think about going back to school. The Network s Tools 4 School will help over 1,000 RISD children begin school with all the supplies they need. To help, please donate items from the list below. Shopping list postcards are also available. Supplies received from July 9 to August 6, will be sorted and packaged for distribution in mid-august. Some supplies will go to neighborhood schools and to First Friday children. Look for plastic bins marked Tools 4 School. You may also write a check to FPC, memo for School Supplies. The Mission Ministry thanks you for always being such a generous church. 24 count Crayola Crayons Black, blue and red pens #2 Pencils and Mechanical Pencils Notebook Paper (wide-ruled) Spiral Notebooks (wide-ruled Glue Sticks and Elmer s Glue (4 oz. size) Pink Beveled Erasers Thick WASHABLE Markers Plastic Pencil Boxes and Pouches Children s Scissors (blunt and sharp 5 & 7 ) 7 Map Pencils (12 count) 3-Ring Binders (2 & 3 ) Subject Dividers Pocket Folders Highlighters Index Cards Rulers Watercolors
July/August 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
July 5, 2017 A Worldwide Response to Trafficking Human trafficking is an intentional trade and no country is exempt. It is fed by economic systems that place values on people based on gender, race, sexuality and status. The value is not on human beings lives, but on their bodies, in a market that is anything but free and anything but fair. Christians around the world gather at the Communion table to celebrate Christ s life, death, and resurrection. We celebrate Christ s willing sacrifice, and the offering of his own body broken for you. Christ gave himself freely so that we all might be free. However, there are many who are not free, and who do not give their bodies freely. Many of these individuals are the least of these : children or people who are poor, or exploited. They are trapped in systems that commodify people s bodies. The Accra Confession, written in 2004 by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, calls upon Reformed Christians around the world to engage injustices in the world as part of their faith in Jesus Christ. The Accra Confession states: The root causes of massive threats to life are above all the product of an unjust economic system defended and protected by political and military might. Economic systems are a matter of life or death. To learn more, go to http://wcrc.ch/justice/broken Broken for You