2014 October Communicator

The Communicator ~ October 2014

2 The Communicator ~ October 2014

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do. Church Life

Friendship Connection to Visit Reynolda Historic District on October 21

On October 21, a group from Friendship Connection will visit the Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston‐Salem. We will leave the Sardis Scout Hut parking lot at 7:45 a.m. and upon arriving, we will be given a guided 90‐minute tour starting at 10 a.m. The cost is $12 plus tax, plus the cost of your lunch. The Reynolda Historic District includes the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Reynolda Gardens, and the Reynolda Village, featuring shops and restaurants. We will visit the 1917 home of industrialist R.J. Reynolds and his wife Katharine, a 45‐room residence which has the original Aeolian organ, original furnishings, and recreational facilities. The museum is considered the finest American art museum in the Southeast. This trip is limited to 30 attendees—reservations are due by October 19.

M&Ms Low Country Boil

M&Ms is a fellowship group open to all adults ages 55 and older. All M&Ms are invited to let the good olʹ times roll with a Low Country Boil. Join us on Friday, October 17 at 6 p.m. in the Sardis House.

The cost is $10 per person. Your payment is your RSVP. Turn your cash or check (made out to Anne Sweeny) to the front office by October 13. Questions? Contact Anne Sweeney by emailing [email protected] or calling 704.443.7063.

“Ask Me About Haiti”

ʺIf you are planting for a year… you plant grain. If you are planting for a decade… you plant trees. If you are planting for a generation… you plant people.ʺ

Actionnel Fleurisma, one of the principal founders and long‐time headmaster of the ICB School in Bayonnais, Haiti, spoke these everlasting words to a group of us from Sardis while gathered under the stars in Haiti in March.

You have the extraordinary opportunity to worship with Actionnel, Senior Pastor of The Christian Church of Bayonnais, when he delivers the sermon during both of our worship services on Sunday, October 12. Between services you will have an opportunity to meet Pastor Actionnel and learn more about this incredible ministry that you are part of, during an informal gathering in the conference room of the Administration Building. Actionnel will be preaching on stewardship and sharing over 21 years of his challenges to bring evangelism and education to the mountain region of Bayonnais. Through his faith and vision, and with the help of churches throughout the Carolinas, a school has been built, roads constructed, a health clinic opened, and agricultural projects started.

Actionnel grew up in Cathor, Bayonnais, and after graduating from high school in Gonaives (17 miles from Bayonnais), he received his formal education in the US at Central Piedmont Community College, and in Haiti where he studied law and attended seminary.

You won’t want to miss Actionnelʹs message and hear how Sardis has been a vital part of this story. We hope you will be so moved by what you hear that you will want to be part of the Sardis Mission Trip to Haiti in April 2015.

The Communicator ~ October 2014 3


Stewardship Commitment ‐Vic Lisciani

When we hear the term “Stewardship” in relationship to the church, we immediately associate this with a particular time of the year in the calendar of the church or pertaining to the church’s budget for the coming year.

In the book, “Beyond Money: Becoming Good and Faithful Stewards,” the author Dan R. Dick has a statement that I feel best expresses stewardship: ʺWhen the focus of the church is the world, the congregation becomes a place where disciples are trained to be stewards.”

What are the real principles of stewardship?

Healthy and vibrant stewardship commitment grows out of a healthy and vibrant faith community. Sardis, will you be “All In” with your commitment for the coming year?

Stewardship is not: • a one‐time‐a‐year appeal; • exclusively referring to material resources

or treasure; • fundraising for the purpose of meeting a

budget; • only about Sardis and what happens in

our church.

Stewardship is: • the grateful response to Christ’s redeeming love; • being true‐to‐life disciples, managing all God has

provided to us; • a responsibility from God, to do good for all people; • about praying and contemplating on your conscious,

purposeful decisions, as an individual or family, in a faith community;

• your commitment of time, talent, treasure, and influence; • greater than contributing money to our church.

Stewardship Sunday: I’m In for an Old‐Fashioned Covered Dish Lunch

Join your Sardis family on November 9 as we worship together in the sanctuary at 10 a.m. and then enjoy food and fellowship together afterward. We will serve chicken, barbeque, and mac‐n‐cheese from Moe’s BBQ. There is no charge to attend the lunch,

and reservations are not required, but we encourage everyone to bring a side dish or a dessert to share. There will be musical entertainment, and ministries will also be set up in the Fellowship Hall to showcase the work they are doing. In addition, we plan to decorate the tables with delicious homemade cakes, which we will auction off. Money from the cake auction will go to support Sardis missions. We will also be collecting a free‐will offering to help support Sardis missions.

So, we hope you will put November 9 on your calendar, as it promises to be a great day at Sardis! If you have questions, please contact Stephanie Vanderford at [email protected]. If you are interested in donating a homemade cake for the auction, please contact Margot Smith at [email protected].

For 2015


Our Church Family

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do. Church Life September Session Highlights

August August Expected This year so far This year so far expected Pledges, gi s, and other revenue

$235,606.45 $178,003.33 $1,275,388.41 $1,287,566.64

Expenses $171,287.26 $186,072.33 $1,307,446.15 $1,424,303.64

Net Total $64,319.19 ($8,069.00) ($32,057.74) ($136,737.00)

Annual Budget: $2,129,993

August Financial Report Last month we asked you to consider bringing your pledges up to date to deal with a significant YTD shortfall. We are pleased to report that you did just that and as a result we have made significant progress toward reducing the deficit and our cash position has improved dramatically. Pledge offerings received in August were $212,656, which was $52,656 over budget and non‐pledged offerings were $20,263, which were $4,263 over budget. Thank you so much for this wonderful response and your continued generous support! As we said last month, we were confident that God would continue to bless Sardis and our church family and He has. Thank you again for your faithfulness!

HVAC Update

The project is proceeding on schedule, and is approximately 50% complete to date. • 32 of the 36 air handling units have

been installed in each of the classrooms.

• All necessary refrigerant piping has been installed and pressure tested on both the 1st and 2nd floors.

• Concrete pad was poured today and condensers are scheduled to be installed early next week.

• 1st floor corridor wiring done, 2nd floor in progress.

For more information please contact Mark Slimer at [email protected] or call the church office.

The Diaconate did not meet in the month of August.

The Session approved a Worship Ministry recommendation that Sardis host the Hope College Chapel Choir March 14‐15, 2015. The Choir will perform a concert on Saturday and participate in worship on Sunday. We would like to collect a free‐will offering during Saturday’s concert. Also, the choir would like to sell their CDs/DVDs at the concert. Kaitlyn Davis will coordinate all aspects of the visit including finding church members to host the choir members.

The Session approved Rev. Dr. Tom Daugherty as guest preacher for Sunday, December 28. Dr. Daugherty is the father of Jared Daugherty, Director of Music Ministries.

The Session approved three members to share in the Stewardship sermon: Dave Archer, Anne Hollowell, and John Waller.

The Session continued the discussion of Chapter 5, Stewardship, from the book “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.”

Our Christian Sympathy: to Annee Boyce upon the death of her grandmother Effie Walters, to Frank Anderson upon the death of his mother, Ann Anderson, to Mary Ellen Bowman upon the death of her grandson, Brian Bowman, to Sue Howell upon the death of her husband, Nathaniel ʺNatʺ Howell, and to Anita Kirby upon the death of her husband, John (Jack) Kirby.

Congratulations: to Jerry and Libby Jackson Reed upon the birth of their grandson, Wills Davis Rauch.



Taizé Service—October 12

On Sunday, October 12 we join with Sardis Baptist and St. Stephen United Methodist to offer Taizé

Worship service at 6 p.m. in the Sardis Chapel. The service lasts about 40 minutes. Questions? Contact Jane Fobel or Alice Johnson at 704‐366‐1854.

World Communion Day

Join us as we take Communion with Christians around the

world on October 5.

October Sardis Supper and Speakers Series (S4) ‐ October 8

We will welcome as our speaker Dr. Rebecca Joubin, Chair of Arab Studies at Davidson College. Prior to joining Davidson in 2009, Dr. Joubin conducted research in Syria for close to a decade. Her topic for her time with us will be, “The Revolution (or Civil War) Through the Eyes of Syrian Television Drama.” The program begins at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Joubin describes the program as follows:

Political opposition is not new to Syrian drama, which has a rich history of protest from the 1960s, and since the uprising, television drama has continued along this critical trajectory.

In the past, Syrian drama was known to use every corner of the country, and cast and crew would travel lengthy distances to find the perfect place for filming even the smallest scene. Despite increased bloodshed and security concerns, due to artistic flexibility, innovation, and willingness of some cast and crew to relocate, 34 miniseries were broadcast in 2013. In this presentation, I will speak about my recent book on Syrian television drama, “The Politics of Love; Sexuality, Gender, and Marriage in Syrian Television Drama” (Lexington Press, October 2013) and show how drama creators from the 1960s used marriage and love metaphors to disguise their political critiques and evade the vigilant eyes of the censorship committee. After examining the history of political critique in Syrian television drama, I will describe several recent miniseries that offer us a rare glimpse into the multifaceted ways in which intellectuals have accounted for the bloodshed in Syria and proffered their own vision of the future.

S4 will be held on October 8. Supper, $8 per person, will be served from 5:30 – 6:15 p.m. Dr. Joubin will begin her presentation at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are required for the meal and need to be made by 10 a.m. on Monday, October 5. To make supper reservations call 704.926.1590, or register and pay online, www.sardis.org.

New Mustard Seed Group

A new group is forming and the leaders are Jane Gilbert and Anna Tucker. They will be leading an 8‐week series titled, “In the Dark.” The study and sharing in this group will recognize that at some time all people, Christians included, are likely to experience periods of extreme sadness, darkness or confusion. These might occur in reaction to difficult events, or for reasons of temperament, or clinical and emotional conditions. Each week the group will focus on God’s particular ways of caring for us during dark times, in a comfortable, non‐intrusive setting. On October 1, there will be an introductory “Meet for an Overview” session. It will be held in Fellowship Hall wing, room 216, at 7 p.m. The regular meeting time and day will be determined by those who gather for the introductory meeting. Questions? Contact Jane Gilbert at [email protected].


The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve. Lay Ministry

Spaghetti Sauce Sunday A whopping 54 pounds of sauce were collected in August and delivered to Loaves and Fishes! Drop off your extra spaghetti sauce any Sunday in the gathering place or narthex. Your donation will help feed a family in need.

Give a Hoot…Be an Owl!

Room In the Inn season begins December 3 and we need Owls. What is an owl? A creature of the night who keeps one eye open for danger, and appears calm and wise. That would describe the Owls on our RITI teams. What can you do if you’re an owl? You can catch up on your reading, answer emails, watch a movie on your notebook, meditate

and reflect, or take a nap when it’s your turn (tree perching is discouraged). You will also be there to unload the dishwasher, fix morning coffee and make sure laundry is completed. You can even finish off the cookies from dinner! Most importantly, Owls ensure that our 13 homeless neighbors have a quiet and restful night’s sleep.

The Owl shift begins at 10:45 p.m. and you are relieved by Roosters at 4:45 a.m. Please contact Marilyn Taylor at [email protected] or 704.362.2039 to volunteer and help us fill our great need for Owls this RITI season.

October 26 8 a.m.‐12:30 p.m.

30 units were donated during our most recent blood drive July 27. Thank you to all of our donors! The mobile unit will be used for our next drive on October 26 due to construction.

Alexander Youth Thanks Sardis Everyone at the Alexander Youth Network appreciated the support from our Sardis youth this summer when they completed their onsite volunteer project. The Beacon Hall location in Gastonia also thanks Sardis for the chairs we donated.

Ten Cents a Meal

The first Sunday of each month we collect “Ten‐Cents‐A‐Meal” donations to provide hunger relief and help at‐risk youth in our community. Watch for changes as we expand the participation of this service opportunity from the Youth, to all members of the Sardis family. Beginning this fall, the

Christian Education ministry is the first to rotate through the collection process. Thank you for setting aside ten cents at each meal and donating it on the first Sunday for our neighbors who need help.


Charlotte CROP Hunger Walk Sunday, October 19

One child dies from hunger‐related causes every five seconds. In the U.S., more than 43 million Americans donʹt have enough to eat. This year local hunger agencies are even more in need of our support. Twenty‐five percent of the money raised during the Charlotte Walk remains here to support local food charities. The balance of the money goes overseas to support the efforts of the sponsoring agency, Church World Service, to provide disaster relief and sustainable development in over 50 countries.

Sardis members are encouraged to participate through donations and/or joining our Sardis Team. The 6k (3.8 mile) walk starts at 2:30 p.m. in uptown Charlotte. We encourage Sunday School classes, Mustard Seed Groups, Youth Groups, Choirs, Circles, and families to walk to‐gether and maybe even engage in some healthy competition to see who can field the most walkers. We are challenging each of our walkers to raise $150, which is only $10 from 15 people!!

Choose one of the options to join the Sardis team and/or make a donation:

Sardis CROP Walk participants at a previous CROP Walk. Way to go Sardis!

1. www.charlottecropwalk.org 2. Volunteers from the Sardis Team will be in the Gathering Place from 9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the following

Sundays: October 5, 12, and 19. CROP Walk information, walker packets, and t‐shirts ($7) will be available and you can make a donation (cash or check) if you are not able to join us for the Walk. Every member at Sardis has the opportunity to participate (either by walking or sponsoring a walker) in this event and help fight hunger.

For information about walking, sponsoring, or volunteering, please contact Jane Tilley at 704.847.0191 or [email protected].

Lay Ministry The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.


2015 Sardis Presbyterian Church Confirmation Class

Pictured below is the 2015 Sardis Confirmation Class. The class consists of both new and life‐long Sardis members, whose interests and activities include singers, dancers, drummers, athletes, guitarists, scouts, musicians, school officers, cheerleaders, and much more. All are here to learn more about God and faith. We are thankful for them and to Sardis for providing this opportunity. Please keep these youth in our prayers during this year of discovery and growth.

Thomas Wilkinson

Jason Tidwell William Seaborn Jason Rickel William Stiff

Emma Kaeppler McKenna Lanier

Whitt Williams

Jordan Rice Hardin Moore

Elizabeth Ruth Craig Fred Denny Max Deppe Destiny Harris

Del Barnhill Lili Bowen Andrew Beals Ben Champion

“Let the little children come unto me.”


“Let the little children come unto me.”

9

Come Celebrate Louise Lippi and Her 30 Years of Service with Sardis Weekday School!

Join us October 12 for Punch on the Porch to celebrate Louise Lippiʹs 30th anniversary with Sardis Weekday School! The congregation and Sardis Weekday School families and alumni are invited to stay after the 11 a.m. service for a reception to honor the leadership, teaching and love Ms. Lippi has given to Sardis. Come share your memories and celebrate new ones with Ms. Lippi!

LOGOS—There is Still Time to Join In! LOGOS is a mid‐week faith and fellowship program for children, kindergarten through fifth grade. LOGOS meets on Wednesdays from 5‐7 p.m.

The semester has already begun, but there is still room for you! If you’d like to join or would like more information contact Renda Brinson at 704.926.1585 or [email protected]. You can also learn more about LOGOS at www.sardis.org. Hope to see you there!

Sardis Weekday School Updates! SWS would like to add a crib room class (children aged 6 months‐11 months) in January. If you are interested in enrolling your baby in a Mondays‐only crib room class, please contact Louise Lippi at 704.366.9681 or [email protected].

Save the date for the Book Fair on November 19, 20, and 21. One stop shopping for the family supporting

Sardis Weekday School!

www.facebook.com/ SardisWeekdaySchool

Remember: Relink your Harris Teeter VIC Card with Sardis Weekday

School #3452

SWS Happenings in October October 8 & 9: Donuts with Dad

October 11: SWS Ministry Strategic Planning

October 12: Celebrating 30 years of leadership with Louise Lippi during and following the 11:00 a.m. worship service.

October 22: Tarradiddle players at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. All are welcome!

October 29: Halloween Parade at 9:15 a.m.


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2014 October Communicator