RIDGLEA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

RIDGLEA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 6201 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76116-5524 (817)732-3388 www.ridgleapres.org September 2015 We will begin a new Narrative Lectionary year in September. The Narrative Lectionary s goal is to trace the sweep of the biblical story in order to center the lives of believers in God s story. Make plans to journey with us every week at 8:30am or 11:00am September is Join a Music Ministry Month! Autumn is here! No, really. That means it is time for music. If you have any interest in joining the music program, we are now beginning rehearsals for the rest of the year. Please join us! We are working on music for All Saints and Christmas. Come be a part of something amazing. Chancel Handbells Rehearses Weds. Evenings @ 6:15pm Chancel Choir Rehearses Weds. Evenings @ 7:30pm Chancel Praise Rehearses select Saturdays Experience God's love through music! The Session has called a Congregational Meeting September 13 12:45pm To act on the report from the Property Negotiations Team concerning the proposed contract for the sale of our building. *All members on the active roll of the church may vote. If you are unsure of your status, contact Virginia in the church office at 817-732-3388. *Per our Bylaws, you must be present to vote. No absentee ballots or proxy votes are permitted. *Childcare will be available*

Then they prayed and said, Lord, you know everyone s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen... - Acts 1:12-26 As I write these words, Ridglea Presbyterian Church is within three weeks of a congregational meeting that is likely to have a profound impact on the future of its ministry for years to come. As I hope you know by now, the session has called a meeting of the congregation for Sunday, September 13, at 12:45 p.m. to answer the question, Shall the congregation approve the proposed contract for the sale of the church property? If you have missed any of the informational meetings leading up to this day, extra copies of handouts and background materials are available in the church office. Logistically, the meeting on September 13 will be straightforward. We will call the meeting to order and put the question before the congregation. When the body is ready, we will proceed to a vote by secret ballot. Tellers will be appointed to count the ballots, and then the results of the vote will be announced. Per our principles of Presbyterian church government, a majority shall prevail, but the rights of the minority shall be protected. As moderator, I will do my best to ensure that decorum and mutual forbearance is maintained at all times. Those are the logistics, such as they are. But I see the question before us as theological rather than logistical in nature. As Presbyterians, we believe that when we make decisions together, we are not called to simply find the will of the majority or to represent the interests of a constituency. Rather, we are called to seek and represent the will of Christ for Christ s church. So the theological question is, What is Christ s will for Ridglea Presbyterian Church? My eighth-grade algebra teacher had a sign in her classroom that read, What s right is not always popular, and what s popular is not always right. I have thought about those words many times over these last years. What we discern might not be popular, but if we are earnest and faithful about seeking Christ s will for Christ s church, we will never be wrong. Please continue to pray for your church. Please pray for our elders and deacons and trustees. Please pray for the staff and for the faithful volunteers who have put in so many extra hours over these last months. Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Grace Presbytery who stand as our partners in faith. Please pray for my family, and please pray for me, that I might be a faithful leader and moderator in the days ahead. Grace and peace, Ryan

Ministry on the West Side of Fort Worth Join our brothers and sisters from John Knox and Westside Presbyterian Churches for a time for prayer and fellowship. As our three churches find ourselves in special need of discernment during these times of decision and transition, come pray and let the Spirit move among us! Wednesday, Sept. 9 7:00 pm Westside Presbyterian Church 8700 Chapin Road Rev. Betsy Pense, Interim Pastor at John Knox, will lead us in guided prayer with intentional time for others who wish to voice prayers out loud maybe 30 mins. or so. Fellowship time will follow. Refreshments will be served! Want to know more about membership at Ridglea Presbyterian Church? Join us for a Visitor Luncheon Sunday, Sept. 20 Following the 11:00 Worship RSVP to Virginia@ridgleapres.org or call the church office at 817-732-3388 Dear Friends, My role is changing as my parents age. For this reason I have moved to Cedar Hill ( near Duncanville / DeSoto ). You have made Ridglea my church home for almost 10 years! Thank you for including me. As I affirm my Trust in our Lord to guide & direct me, I know He will do the very same for RPC! Peace & Love Sincerely, ~Ruth De La Rosa 323 W. Beltline Rd. Apt. B-4, Cedar Hill, TX 75104 F E L L O W S H I P SEPT. 18 6:00-8:00 8:00pm CHILDCARE IS PROVIDED IF RSVP TO NICCI@RIDGLEAPRES.ORG BY 9/14. PIZZA WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THOSE IN CHILDCARE THAT RSVP BY 9/14.

Presbyterian Women of Ridglea celebrated our annual Women s Tea in Texas style great food and loving fellowship! Our own Rev. Amy Baer installed incoming officers with the theme In the Steps of Saints. It did remind us of all the faithful women who have gone before. Caroline Martin s program enlightened us on the many talented women hymn writers. These ladies composed or wrote some of our favorite hymns. Fanny Crosby Blessed Assurance; Francis Havergal Lord Speak to Me; Elizabeth Clephane Beneath the Cross of Jesus; Charlotte Elliott Just as I Am. What a joy to sing together these inspiring hymns. We were glad many members of the choir joined us to help us along. Thank you Caroline! We were so happy to have all our guests and hope they come join us in other activities. Now is a great time to Join a Circle!! These small groups of women gather together once a month to study the Word, have a time of fellowship, and support each other. Our new bible study is Come to the Waters by Rev. Judy Fletcher. She uses scripture to tell us the story of faith through water stories from Genesis to Revelation. For more information about Circle gatherings, call a Circle Leader: Circle 1 (home meetings on 2nd Tuesdays @ 10 am) Lynne Payne 817-782-9451 Circle 2 (meets at church on 2nd Tuesdays @ 10 am) Jo VanOosterhout 817-244-0364 Circle 3 (evenings, 1st Tuesday@ 6:30pm) Rachel Pena 817-831-3116 Circle 4 (meets at church on 3rd Tuesdays @6:30pm) Delaine Godwin 817-307-1573 Esther Circle (w/childcare @ church, Weds @ 9 am) Nicci Kennedy 817-732-3388 A workshop with the study author will be held at First Pres, FW on Sept. 15th. There will be two sessions: 10:30-11:45am or 1:00-2:00pm. Come for one or both. Lunch at 12:00 for $7.00. For reservations, contact Delaine Godwin at 817-238-8673 by September 4. Mission Projects will not meet in September, but will resume in October. Come join us. There s a seat waiting for you! Wednesdays at 8:00 am Call Ed Chandler for details 817-735-4682

Intergenerational Mission Month Together, we: * Painted 100 bowls to benefit Tarrant Area Food Bank s Empty Bowls Project * Packed 50 School Supply kits for Tarrant Churches Together * Stuffed over 100 pillows * Knotted 6 blankets for Project Linus *Made a cross * Prepared a meal for Patriot House * Made 100 cards * Packed up 100 Hygiene Kits for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance *Packed sack lunches * Made 240 sandwiches for the Presbyterian Night Shelter Many thanks to those who donated items or helped with stations!

The 221st General Assembly (2014) approved transforming the Peacemaking Offering to the Peace & Global Witness Offering to build on the rich tradition of our church s commitment to peacemaking as well as to engage with our global partners in new initiatives of reconciliation. Together we support efforts to inspire, equip, and connect Presbyterians engaging in ministries of reconciliation and peace that respond to cultures of violence, including our own. Through this vision of the Offering, we deepen our commitment to the transforming work of the Spirit. Session has designated the 25% of the Offering we keep locally to benefit Ladder Alliance, a local non-profit whose mission is to provide women of domestic violence or low-income women with the tools to lead self-reliant, independent, and successful lives. We are asked to prayerfully use September as a Season of Peace as we head toward World Communion Sunday on October 4 when we will be collecting this Special Offering. There are many great resources available to help: www.presbyterainmission.org/seasonofpeace Service Committees September 1 7:00pm Outreach Commitment Care Team Worship & Nurture Committees September 8 7:00pm Christian Education Worship Fellowship Government Committees September 10 7:00pm Finance & Budget Building Personnel

Grab some friends and join in to help Westaid! Register on line www.westaid.org or by mailing forms found at the Camp Bowie desk. Let s see if we can get 30 RPC members there to celebrate Westaid s 30th Anniversary! Enjoy food & fellowship with the veterans at the Patriot House, a transitional housing unit at the Presbyterian Night Shelter. Join the crew to visit and eat! The bus leaves the church parking lot at 5:30 pm sharp! september DATES: September 8 September 22 ** If you can t make it to the Patriot House, you can provide part of the meal! Sign up on the Outreach bulletin board in the main hallway or contact the church office! Box Tops Update! Thanks to all who have been collecting and submitting BoxTops for Education certificates. We recently gave the Como Elementary School Library 620 BoxTops, valued at $62. To date, Ridglea Presbyterian Church has contributed $546.20 worth of BoxTops to the school. A container is located in the first floor kitchen for those wanting to donate BoxTops. Every little bit helps!

Do you shop online? Use Amazon.com? Learn how your shopping on Amazon s website can benefit WestAid! AmazonSmile offers a way to give back to community while shopping online Amazon.com., the world s largest online retailer, created a way to give back to communities. In 2013 Amazon created a new site titled AmazonSmile. Amazon donates 0.5 percent of all eligible purchases to a U.S. charity of the buyer s choosing, automatically. There s no upper limit to the amount Amazon gives away. AmazonSmile is a simple way to support charitable organizations (WestAid) every time you shop. Buyers should navigate to smile.amazon.com to ensure the donations receive their chosen local charitable organization. You use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile.com As a purchaser, you can select WestAid as charity of your choosing. To change your charity, sign in to smile.amazon.com and select Change your Charity under Your Account. http://smile.amazon.com/about/ref=smi_ge_ul_lm_raas has FAQs There are a few openings in September to honor or remember loved ones or special events with flowers for worship. The cost is $50/week, and you may take the flowers with you after worship or donate them. Sign up by the elevator by the Camp Bowie desk. Lunch Bunch Meets most Thursdays at 11:30am in Currie Hall. Bring your lunch and ponder Scripture! Ichtus Fellowship- Meets once a month at member s homes for fellowship & study. Contact Andi Ferreira at andi_ferreira@hotmail.com to get involved! Welcome Back Preschool!! Our Preschool will be back in full session on September 8. We are so glad we have been entrusted with these precious children who bring joy to our building! Please be especially mindful of car pool lines, guests, and building security!

RPC Youth News... August Calendar for 6th 12th graders (#rpcy) Every Sunday begins with worship at 8:30am in chapel; Sunday School in Room 4 at 9:30am; Worship at 11am in the Sanctuary. June Calendar of Events: Sept 6th: Labor Day Weekend enjoy the three day weekend! Sept 13th: Confirmation begins for 8th 10th; Church lunch and meeting Sept. 20th: Sept 27th: More information on events available by contacting Nicci. Don t ever hesitate to bring friends or contact Nicci for more information! RSVP to nicci@ridgleapres.org or 817.732.3388. Messenger Fellowship (2nd 5th graders and friends) Sunday, Sept. 13th After the meeting, let s go SWIMMING!!! Parents, please help the kiddos change into swim gear before we leave. Send towel, goggles, etc. Pick up at 4:30pm RSVP mandatory by 8th Thank you RPC for celebrating and dancing with the youth! There are so many amazing people in this church family. Thank you, #rpcy, for sharing your energy and talents and even stepping out of your comfort zones. The way you encourage and support others is truly inspiring. Special thank you to all the adults who help make such opportunities possible. And, how do you DANCE?

~ September 2015 ~ Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 10a Staff Meeting 8a Men's Prayer 11:30a Ryan's Lunch 10:30a PWR Coordinating Team 9a Esther Circle 7p BSA Cub Pack 26 Breakfast Bunch 6:30p PWR Circle 3 Den Meetings 6:30p BSA T326 7:30p Chancel Choir Meeting 6:30p Service Session Work Group 7p Commitment Team 7p Evangelreach Team meeting 6 8:30a Worship 9:30a Sunday School 11a Worship 13 8:30a Worship 9:30a Sunday School 11a Worship 12p Fellowship Lunch 12:45p Congregational Meeting 1p Messengers Fellowship- TBD 20 8:30a Worship 9:30a Sunday School 11a Worship 12p Inquirer's Luncheon 27 8:30a Worship 9:30a Sunday School 11a Cherub Choir Sing 11a Worship 7 Church Office CLOSED 14 21 28 8 9 10a PWR Circles 8a Men's Prayer 10a Staff Meeting Breakfast 5:30p Patriot House Ministry 6:15p Chancel Bells 5:30p RPCMA Lessons 7:30p Chancel Choir 6:30p Worship & Nurture Work Group 7p BSA T326 Meeting 7p CE Team 7p Fellowship Team 7p Worship Team 15 7p BSA T326 Meeting 7p Cub Scout Committee Meeting 22 10a PWR General Meeting 10a Staff Meeting 5:30p Patriot House Ministry 5:30p RPCMA Lessons 7p BSA T326 Meeting 29 10a Staff Meeting 7p BSA T326 Meeting September 2015 16 8a Men's Prayer Breakfast 9a Esther Circle 10a Staff Meeting 6:15p Chancel Bells 7p Troop 326 Committee Meeting 7:30p Chancel Choir 23 8a Men's Prayer Breakfast 6:15p Chancel Bells 7:30p Chancel Choir 30 8a Men's Prayer Breakfast 6:15p Chancel Bells 7:30p Chancel Choir 10 11:30a Ryan's Lunch Bunch 6:30p Government Session Work Group 7p B&E 7p BSA Cub Pack 26 Den Meetings 7p F&B Team 7p Personnel Team 17 11:30a Ryan's Lunch Bunch 7p BSA Cub Pack 26 Den Meetings 7p Session Meeting 24 11:30a Ryan's Lunch Bunch 7p BSA Cub Pack 26 Den Meetings 11 18 Newsletter Deadline 6:30p Church wide Fellowship 25 12 19 26 For the most up-to-date information, view the Calendar on our website: Www.ridgleapres.org or see the back of the bulletin each Sunday.

Making contact... Ridglea Presbyterian Church is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA). It is governed by the Session, an elected body composing of elders and pastors. Our committees, led by elders, oversee our ministries. If you have any questions or concerns, please don t hesitate to contact us. Email: Clerk@RidgleaPres.org Our deacons oversee our ministries of care and compassion. Email: Deacons@RidgleaPres.org RPC Session Elder Assignment Nancy Staples... Worship & Nurture Sam Thomas... Worship & Nurture Andi Ferreira... Worship & Nurture Debra Lee... Worship & Nurture Ken Kibler... Worship & Nurture Brett Wyatt... Worship & Nurture Gayle Hanneman... Service Ann Shelton... Service Ruth De La Rosa... Service John Little... Service Nancy Marchant... Service Cary Dorman... Service Steve Staples... Government Gordon Ramsey... Government Zim Zimmerman... Government Kathy Severson... Government Tom Sisolak... Government Susan Maxwell... Government Jane Sisolak... Clerk of Session For after hours pastoral emergencies, please call the church main phone, 817-732-3388 and dial extension 125. Staff Ryan Baer, Pastor ryan@ridgleapres.org Ext. 103 Elizabeth Dick, Parish Associate elizabeth@ridgleapres.org Ext. 102 Virginia Welsh, Office Manager virginia@ridgleapres.org Ext. 105 Nicci Kennedy, Coord. of Child/Youth Ministries nicci@ridgleapres.org Ext. 106 Pier Crenshaw, Accountant pier@ridgleapres.org Ext. 104 John Sauvey, Director of Music Ministries john@ridgleapres.org Ext. 108 Dale Bench, Organist dalepipeorgan@sbcglobal.net Ext. 108 Debbie Gargis, Preschool Director rpcpreschool@ridgleapres.org Ext. 117 Thomas Rodriguez, Church Custodian building

RIDGLEA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 6201 CAMP BOWIE BLVD. FORT WORTH, TEXAS 76116 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED September Birthdays The next newsletter deadline will be September 18 at noon. Becky Fisher 1-Sep Mary Riley 1-Sep John Baker 2-Sep Jane Sisolak 3-Sep Virginia Welsh 3-Sep Josh Wyatt 4-Sep Kari Young 4-Sep Jean Godfrey 5-Sep Laura Saxton 5-Sep Cort Rea 5-Sep Rachael Smith 6-Sep Ann Shelton 7-Sep Laura Phillips 9-Sep Polly Hicks 11-Sep Shiryl Gillaspie 12-Sep Steve Cowden 12-Sep Nanette Monte 12-Sep Steven Staples 12-Sep Barbara Daugherty 13-Sep Bob Damon 14-Sep Linda Wilson 16-Sep Renee Larance 18-Sep Betsy Himmel 18-Sep Brad Roberts 18-Sep Jean Brandt 19-Sep Wilford Saxton 19-Sep Jeremy Martin 20-Sep Melinda Keating 21-Sep Hugh Hefley 22-Sep Sutton Fambro 23-Sep Stan Eubanks 24-Sep Kenneth Baker 24-Sep Ed Chandler 26-Sep Julie Ritz 26-Sep Blythe Lee 28-Sep Zim Zimmerman 29-Sep