2015 January Communicator

The Communicator ~ January 2015

2 The Communicator ~ January 2015

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

Friendship Connection

The Friendship Connection is a fellowship group for retirees and meets the third Tuesday of the month for a program and lunch.

The January program will be led by Kim Henderson from the Better Business Bureau. Some topics she will cover include fraud awareness, scams, and safety issues for seniors. The program begins at 11 a.m. in the Sardis House followed by lunch ($8/person) at noon.

Reservations are necessary for lunch and need to be made by noon on Friday, January 16. To make your reservation visit www.sardis.org or call 704.926.1590. Questions? Contact Rev. Alice Johnson at 704.366.1854 or [email protected].

Taizé Worship Schedule

Sardis Presbyterian Church is partnered with our neighbors, Sardis Baptist Church

and St. Stephen United Methodist Church, to offer Taizé Worship services monthly on a rotating basis. The services are held on the second Sunday of each month at 6 p.m. The upcoming dates and locations are:

January 11 at Sardis Presbyterian Church (Chapel) February 8 at St. Stephen United Methodist Church March 8 at Sardis Baptist Church

For more information visit www.sardis.org or contact Rev. Alice Johnson at 704.366.1854 or [email protected].

Inclement Weather is Just Around the Corner

If bad weather threatens (or has arrived), please check the home page at www.sardis.org for specific updates. For general schedule changes or cancellations at Sardis Presbyterian Church, please tune into the following TV stations or view their Web sites: WBTV, WSOC, and WCNC.

The church office will be closed on Thursday, January 1 for New Year’s Day and on

Monday, January 19 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Historical Corner

As we celebrate Sardis’ 225th anniversary in 2015, look for fun historical facts

about Sardis here and on Facebook. Many of our facts will be quoted from “A Goodly Heritage” by Jennings B. Reid, a native son of the congregation.

Did you know? “Five cotton farmers formed a new church (called a society) in Southern Mecklenburg County in 1790. The families of John Black, James Boyes, William Irwin, John Kirkpatrick, and Matthew Wallace began meeting in each other’s homes on a rotating basis on Sabbath mornings. The official organization date of Sardis is February 24, 1790, but the first recorded minutes of Session began on April 24, 1859, a gap of sixty‐nine years. Apparently keeping local church records was not considered important. What was important was providing for the worship of God.”

Look for the Historical Corner in next month’s issue of The Communicator for more fun Sardis facts.

The Communicator ~ January 2015 3

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do. Church Life Introducing Rev. Katherine B. Harrington, Associate Pastor for Families Katie is passionate about faith formation, mission, and connecting people to God and one another. Since 2005, Katie has lived out these passions as an associate pastor at South Mecklenburg Presbyterian Church. While focusing mainly in the area of youth ministry, Katie has also been involved in worship, community outreach, mission, and pastoral care. Katie has provided leadership on the presbytery level, serving on the Presbytery Youth Council, the Committee on Preparation for Ministry, and will serve as the vice moderator of the Presbytery of Charlotte in 2015.

Katie graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with a M.Div. and M.A. in youth ministry. Also a graduate of The College of Wooster (Ohio), Katie majored in Political Science and minored in English. Born and raised in the small town of Wilmington, Ohio, Katie grew up the oldest of three girls in a nurturing environment surrounded by friends and family, including the extended family of the Presbyterian Church of Wilmington. Katie is married to Todd, who works as a sales supervisor at Merrill Lynch. They have two children. Max, 5, loves super heroes and is in kindergarten at Olde Providence Elementary School. Josie, 2, loves to dance and do anything her big brother does. The Harringtons enjoy hiking as a family, particularly at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill. Katie also loves to read and is attempting to become a runner.

Thank you to the Associate Pastor for Families Search Committee for their hard work and effort during this search: Kristi Gallimore‐Brownlee, Laurie Hoots, Moby Moore, Jason Solomon, Stacey Vanderwel, and Jeff Wilkinson.

A New Year Brings New Exciting Music!

Sardis’ Sanctuary Choir will join with seven other choirs from the Charlotte area at Covenant Presbyterian Church on February 22, 2015 for the Festival of Church Music. Eric Nelson will be the guest conductor and the Charlotte Brass Ensemble will be present. This festival is sponsored by the Church Music Institute.

We are also excited to welcome Hope College’s Chapel Choir, directed by Dr. Brad Richmond, for the second weekend in March. There will be a concert following the Second Saturday Service, March 14 at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The Chapel Choir will also be our guest choir for the 11 a.m. Worship Service on March 15.

The Hope College Chapel Choir, founded in 1938, has toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada and has traveled abroad on seven occasions. The choir performs with the Hope College Symphonette and College Chorus in the annual Hope College Christmas Vespers program, broadcast throughout the United States on PBS Television and National Public Radio. The choir is made up of about 40 auditioned choristers. Brad Richmond has been Director of Choral Activities at Hope College since 1998. A Canada Council for the Arts Conducting Award winner, Dr. Richmond has toured with choirs throughout the United States, Canada, and beyond.


November Financial Highlights

Our Church Family

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do. Church Life November Session Highlights The examination of New Officers was completed according to the Book of Order G‐2.0402.

Recommendations approved by Session: ·Approved the following baptism: Greta Margaret Hall, daughter of Bryan and Gloria Hall, at the 11:00 service on December 14, 2014.

·Approved the following membership requests: Carrie York Beaumont – request for removal from the church rolls. Patricia Fisher – requested transfer to St. Stephens United Methodist, Charlotte, NC.

·Approved the Mission Interpretation Ministry request for a name change of the 31225 Designated Account from Sardis House Kenya to the Haiti Doctor Account. Funds will be used to fund a doctor’s salary at the Bayonnais Clinic.

·Approved the Sardis Weekday School request for a Bake Sale sponsored by the PAC on the morning of the Christmas Pageant, December 18, to raise funds for SWS.

·Approved the recommendation from Karen Muldoon, chair of Christian Education Ministry, that the Rev. Dr. Richard Boyce, speaker for the 2015 Enrichment Series, to be preacher for the February 22, 2015; and that there will be one worship service at 10 a.m. on February 22, 2015; (Dr. Boyce will present a teaching session during the 9 a.m. church school hour, preach at the 10 a.m. service, followed by a lunch and a third teaching session).

Approved the recommendation from Jenny Kaeppler, chair of Worship Ministry:

·To have the Second Saturday Worship services continue through 2015.

·The 2015 Communion schedule as follows: January 25, February 18—Ash Wednesday, April 2—Maundy Thursday, May 24—Pentecost (Confirmation class joins church), July 19—Summer Communion, August 30, October 4—World Communion Sunday, November 29—First Sunday in Advent, December 24—7:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Christmas Eve services.

·Approved Chuck McKay and Kristi Gallimore‐Brownlee to be speakers on Laity Sunday on January 18, 2015.

·Approved recommendation that the Seeds of Hope program (Rama Road Elementary) be extended for three years through 2017.

November financial results were very encouraging. Pledge receipts were slightly under budget for the month, but well ahead of November 2013. Non‐pledge income was well ahead of budget and significantly in excess of 2013 results. December remains the largest month in our 2014 goal for total income and by completing your 2014 financial commitment to the church we will have a successful year as we strive to “Build God’s Kingdom” through Sardis Church. The blessings of the season to one and all and thank you for all you do in the name of Christ!

Our Christian Sympathy: to the family of Joe Furr, to the family of Bette Murphy, to Diane Strawn upon the death of her mother, Nancy Dickson, to Dave Titus upon the death of his uncle, Seldon Loring, to the family of James Stuart, to Judy Schneider upon the death of her brother, Tom Spears, and to the family of Irene Rosser.


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

Sardis Gift Trust at Work to Serve You

Technology has come a long way in the last several years. Some of these changes affect our lives in small ways and others in pretty amazing ways. Most businesses are using new technologies to make better products, reach more people, and become more relevant.

We are doing the same thing here at Sardis. We are using technology every day to reach more people, affect more lives, and be more relevant in a world that seems to be expanding, yet shrinking at the same time. Recently, the Sardis Gift Trust granted monies from the General Endowment to provide a desperately‐needed computer server. This new server has helped the staff become more efficient, communicate with one another better, and serve the church and community more effectively. We are so thankful to the Sardis Gift Trust for this grant.

Your gifts to the Sardis Gift Trust, in addition to funds contributed by Sardis members over the years, give the church the ability to accomplish projects that are beyond the scope of the annual budget. If you are interested in investing in Sardis by supporting the Gift Trust beyond your normal offering, please contact Ed Shoaf, chair or Jennifer Childers, Director of Administration.

A Weekend with Richard Boyce Saturday, February 21, 2015 – Sunday, February 22, 2015

A special time of reflection is planned for the first weekend of the Lenten season in 2015. The Rev. Dr. Richard Boyce, Dean and Professor of Practical Theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Charlotte Campus will be with us at Sardis. Dr. Boyce is an energetic and engaging leader who regularly joins humor and biblical scholarship to inspire and illuminate.

The weekend schedule will be:

Saturday, February 21: dinner and program Sunday, February 22: teach in Sunday School, serve as the preacher in one worship service at 10 a.m., congregational lunch, with a concluding presentation after lunch.

The theme for the weekend is “From Mourning to Marching,” from grief to hope…from Lent to Easter…we will celebrate the hope that holds us and empowers us before any darkness.

Cost is $20 per person which includes Saturday dinner, Sunday lunch, and snacks. Childcare will be provided with reservations. Registration will begin January 19, 2015.

Communion Sunday

Holy Communion worship service will be on January 25.

Laity Sunday—January 18

Members of the congregation will lead our worship at both 9 and 11 a.m. on January 18. Members speaking during the service are Chuck McKay and Kristi Gallimore‐Brownlee.


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

Angel Tree—Making Christmas Special

Sardis made Christmas special for 146 angels from Rama Road Elementary School. Thanks to everyone involved in making this year’s Angel Tree a wonderful success. Gifts were donated and returned to Sardis in early December. On December 13, volunteers from Sardis and the Rama Road staff met at the church and delivered the gifts to Rama Road families. Your participation, once again, helped us make this Christmas brighter for 57 Rama Road families. Thank you, Sardis, for PLANTING SEEDS OF HOPE through our Angel Tree project.

Planting Seeds of Hope—Continued Partnership

In November, our Session committed to three additional years of support for the Planting Seeds of Hope Partnership with Rama Road Elementary School. This will allow Sardis to provide continued support to the Rama Road students, families and staff through the 2017‐2018 academic year.

Upon hearing this news, Sardis received the following note from Patricia Denny, Rama Road Elementary Principal:

Your note brings great news for the entire Rama community. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your constant support of our students, staff, and families. The gains we are making are because of intentional planning, fidelity to initiatives, and community support such as that from the Sardis Presbyterian Community. With your support of the requested commitments from our families referred for holiday support, we have achieved a parent teacher conference goal over 96% school‐wide, and each of those families has completed two hours of volunteer time to help with classroom projects; cutting out of instructional materials for math kits; making student journals, etc. These both represent a tremendous gain over past years for parental involvement at Rama. For some of the parents, it was their first time at Rama helping in this capacity and for their children to see them at the school helping and being involved was truly a gift that will go on and on. In this season of gratitude, we are truly appreciative of our partnership and the positive impact it is having on the lives of so many. Thank you for joining us in the work we do each day.


“Let the little children come unto me.”

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Midweek Study on Wednesday Evenings

Do you have questions about what it means to be a Christian in a world of great diversity? Do you have questions about what other religions believe? You will begin to get answers in a new study based on Adam Hamilton’s book, “Christianity and World Religions: Wrestling with Questions People Ask.” Adam Hamilton is the pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. His church is one of the largest and fastest growing congregations within the Methodist denomination.

The study will include video presentations and handouts prepared by Rev. Hamilton. It will meet on Wednesday evenings, January 7 through February 11, from 6:30—7:30 p.m. His book is not required to participate in the study, but it is highly recommended that participants have a copy to read in preparation for class each week. The books are $9.50 and may be purchased through Jane Fobel. Order your book by calling 704.366.1854 or email, [email protected].

Seekers Bible Study in 2015

The Seekers Bible Study meets on Thursday mornings, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m., and is led by Jane Fobel. The winter/spring series will begin on January 15. The gospel of Matthew will be studied. Questions? Contact Jane Fobel at 704.366.1854 or email [email protected].

LOGOS

The LOGOS second semester begins on January 14, 2015. To join this midweek faith and fellowship opportunity, visit online at www.sardis.org.

Sardis Weekday School Update

Facebook.com/SardisWeekdaySchool

Relink your HT VIC Card with SWS #3452!

Registration for the 2015‐2016 school year begins January 5! NEW for the 15/16 school year: ALL classes will have a 5 day option! SWS will begin school on August 25, and will end on June 9 for the 15/16 school year‐‐just like CMS. This adds three weeks to our school year. We will also be introducing a new curriculum for the 4 year old class. New registrations will be accepted in the Directorʹs office beginning at 9:30 a.m. for the following dates: January 5 for currently enrolled children and their siblings, January 26 for church members not currently enrolled, and January 27 for the community.

We still have crib room openings for children ages 6 months‐ 11 months on Mondays. If you are interested, please contact Louise Lippi at 704.366.9681 or [email protected].

Best wishes for a

Very Merry Christmas and a Happy

New Year!

Additional Midweek Study Offerings

Tuesday nights, from 6:30—8 p.m. we will study the book of Romans. On Thursday mornings, from 10—11:30 a.m. we will study the book of Parables. Please contact Renda Brinson at 704.926.1585 for more information.


The Communicator

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2015 January Communicator