In the Spirit of Giving

As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10: 15

How beautiful the feet indeed, but also how safe the feet that are “covered” while bringing good news!

2010 Shoe Drive

Following in faithful footsteps, Eastminster will once again join together with The Wilkinson Center to provide shoes for children who live in our neighborhood.

During the Sundays of July, you have the opportunity to be counted among the messengers who share the good news of God’s love in a very practical way.   Your gift of $17 will buy a pair of shoes and socks for children whose feet are in need of protection, support and fun!  Make checks to Eastminster, BUT, clearly mark in the memo section:  Shoe Drive.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, August 8th from 2:00 -5:00 p.m. you are invited to use your own feet to make your way to the PayLess Shoe Source store at 1918 S. Buckner Blvd., as we help staff the store for the children who will be receiving their new shoes.

Also, watch throughout the month as the path of our “feet” reach from one end of the church to the other!  As gifts are given, your name will be placed on a “shoe” and you join the faithful whose feet bring “Good News!”

Monetary donations received will be received July 4, 11, 18 and 25.

Volunteers to help greet the children and assist in fitting sizes are needed on Sunday, August 8th, from 2:00-5:00 p.m., at the PayLess Shoe Source, 1918 S. Buckner Blvd.  We will volunteer in shifts.   If you would like to help, please contact Michele or Tom Pappas, or call the office.

Joe Willy’s REALLY helped! (Say that three times quickly!)

From the youth of Eastminster Presbyterian Church to you, their Eastminster family, thank you!   To look at the dining rooms at the restaurant, you would have thought EPC was having a family reunion…and we did sort of…as we were seventy something strong.  Thanks to the generosity of our members and to good customers, $1,220.25 was received to help provide the opportunities for our youth to grow in faith and experience Christian fellowship as they attend summer camps, conferences and retreats.

And to Laura Bennett, an extra measure of thanksgiving.   From the idea stage to the planning stage to the organizing and following through phrase, Laura’s organizational skills, her work and her dedication to the youth ministry of Eastminster made this event possible.  So, Laura…thank you!

MISSION OPPORTUNITIES: A WHOLE NEW MEANING TO BROWN-BAGGING"

At Eastminster, we maintain our own food and clothing pantries, and although smaller in scale than Pleasant Grove Food Bank, The Wilkinson Center or other helping agencies, our pantries provide food and clothing for guests who come to our very doors. 

In a faithful attempt to show and share that our provision for basic needs is born out of the love of God and the call to be disciples of our Lord, we invite you to decorate paper bags in which our guests can place their goods or---not the creative type—then write a note of encouragement, extend a word of hope, write your favorite Scripture, etc…and bring them to the office and we will place them in our pantries for distribution when food or clothing are given.   Bags will be available from the church office and various locations around the church until they run out--about 500. 

Together, we CAN help!   Together, we CAN make a difference!

SEEDS OF HOPE

As you walk into the office, you will be greeted with a little extra “sunshine!”   The second Mission Madness Mondays found our kids learning about the stewardship of the earth and offering the gift of flowers in the bed closest to the office.   From them to you…may your days be brighter!

A big thank you to Christine Blair, Katie Karlen, Haley Feuerbacher, Gary Holloman, Mary Fields, Becky Gonzales Hensley, Michele Pappas, Lilly Pappas, Toni Bacon, Vicki Thiebaud, Charlotte Turner and Tammy Crouse for pledging to help make our service a fun and faithful adventure.

Rainbow Room and Mission Madness Mondays - RAINBOWS AND FLOWERS!

Our Mission Madness Mondays kicked off with a PJ Slumber Party and a trip to the Rainbow Room the following morning. Thanks to the generosity of our little ones and you the members of Eastminster, we were able to deliver 23 pairs of new pajamas, multiple “onesies,” receiving blankets, baby towels and cloths.   Way to go!

As we toured the Rainbow Room and their warehouse, our children got to see firsthand the need to help other children, youth and adults who often find themselves without a place to call home in an instant.   They learned that approximately 16,000 people from Dallas County alone received assistance last year from this amazing service.  At a later date, our children and youth will be making a return visit to put their hands and hearts to work in this great place. What is the Rainbow Room?

Community Partners of Dallas' Rainbow Room Program looks like any other children's boutique.  Its walls are painted with bright designs, its shelves overflow with brand-new toys and clothing.  Throughout the room are rounders of coats, shelves full of infant-care supplies, stacks of tiny T-shirts and displays of outfits that any kid would be proud to wear to school.  The only thing missing is a cash register.

Money doesn't change hands here.  "Shoppers" fill out forms and help themselves.  These customers are Child Protective Services caseworkers, and they're shopping for children of our community whose lives are in crisis.

Sometimes, the difference between a child who goes to school and one who doesn't is a pair of shoes, a winter coat, a notebook and pencil.  Sometimes, the difference between an infant who is healthy and one who isn't is formula, clean diapers, lotions and powders -- things that many parents take for granted.

In the past, caseworkers dipped into their own pockets to help provide for the families they served, which only added to the stress of caseworkers' jobs.  The Rainbow Room is an emergency resource center so that caseworkers may offer tangible help to families in need.

The Rainbow Room accepts new items only, operating on the credo that "abused and neglected children don't need abused and neglected clothes."   The Rainbow Room appreciates any help as they provide for the needs of our children and youth. Current needs include:  diapers, formula, receiving blankets, toothbrushes and deodorant for teens, teen clothing, new shoes for teens and birthday gifts for all ages.  They also invite all who wish to tour, to stock, to organize, to give them a call!

2010 Vacation Church School

From June 14-18, Eastminster volunteers had the opportunity to minister to over twenty intrepid “galactic explorers” during Galactic Blast Vacation Church School 2010.   Children ages three to eleven danced, sang, played, created, and learned during the weeklong VCS, delving daily into Scripture, space, and science as they discovered how the miracles of our world reflect the greatness of our God.  Organized and directed by Ginny Beatty, this year’s VCS boasted a talented, dedicated, and fun staff of leaders that included Cora Barraza, Loren Beatty, Denise Bennett, Laura Bennett, Christine Blair, Jennifer Gailey, Becky Hensley, Nancy Oliver, Vicki Thiebaud, Beverly Ridley, Heather Crabtree, Karli Gibbs, Kayla Kreger, Drew Turner and Emily Wood.  Our kitchen help included John Sill, Deborah Morris and Victoria Moore.  And don’t forget all those cookie bakers—yummmm!  A special thanks to Ginny and all her helpers for making this year’s Vacation Church School a real blast!

FALLING AHEAD - October 12, 2010

Mark your calendar for a fantastic fall event being hosted here at Eastminster.   On Tuesday, October 12, Andy Dearman, former Old Testament professor at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, will be our guest.  Considered an Old Testament Biblical scholar and veteran of archeological digs in historic Bible lands, Dearman comes with a wealth of information and a delightful spirit.   As more details are finalized we will keep you updated.  This is a cluster-wide event, and will serve as Eastminster’s October Senior’s Day Out.   Make plans now and invite, invite, invite!

Summer Sunday Church School

Summertime is an exciting season for the children and youth of Eastminster.   Our summer Sunday Church School program has gotten off to an exciting start!  We are utilizing the One Big Room curriculum from the Live B.I.G. series, which incorporates a variety of teaching approaches and tools such as arts, music, videos, discussion and physical activity to communicate its themes.  Throughout the month of June, we encountered several heroes for God from the Hebrew Bible who demonstrated the truth that God gives us the strength and courage to stand for what is right.  In July, our focus will shift to the New Testament as we delve into the parables of Jesus.

Our middle school and high school youth are exploring the same themes and Bible verse foci but are participating in age-appropriate activities and discussions that encourage them to look critically at the Scripture passages we study and creatively and impactfully apply their discoveries to their lives.

We have been blessed with several amazing adult volunteers gifted in facilitating discussions, telling stories with flair, guiding games and activities and keeping the rest of us in order.   Special thanks to Frank, Jr., and Kellie Karlen, Tom and Michele Pappas, and Blair Garrett for their leadership and to the many others who have offered their gifts and time to helping with our children and youth this summer.  If you are interested in sharing your Sunday mornings with us as a leader for One Big Room, please contact Haley Feuerbacher or Evelyn Parker.  I can guarantee that you will be energized and spiritually fed by your time with our wonderful young people!

Eastminster Presbyterian Women

EPW Circles invite all women in the church to join us for Food and Fellowship at Jessie’s Cafe off Town East Blvd., on Tuesday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m.  Once again, there will be discussion about the plans for the August Food and Fellowship events.  Hope to see you all there!  If you need a ride, please contact the church office.

Prayers and Prayerful Living

In his book, “Presbyterian Questions, Presbyterian Answers,” Don McKim asks the question, “How does God answer prayer?”   McKim, Academic and Reference Editor for Westminster John Knox Press, goes on to say this:  God answers through many means.   We often hear it said that God may answer our prayers in three ways:  yes, no or not yet.  This affirms that every prayer has an “answer.”  The answer may not be what we want or expect or what we think is best.  But the essence of prayer is trust.  When we perceive God’s answers to our prayers, our goal should be to trust those answers as being what is best for us.  Just as we trust God to hear our prayers and to answer, so we should trust those answers we receive, even when they seem difficult or hard for us to follow.

As Presbyterians we believe God answers prayers because of the evidence we have through Scripture.   We know that Jesus prayed constantly, provided a model prayer for us in the “Lord’s Prayer” and beckons us to a deeper relationship with God through prayer.

As prayer is essential for our personal relationship with God, so too is corporate prayer necessary for the growth and health of the whole body of Christ, the Church.   Eastminster has a long history of believing in prayer and living that out.

As we continue to grow in the spirit of prayer, you will find our weekly prayer lists inserted into our bulletins for all to see and take home if desired for personal prayer.

BUT, we need your help!   Our bulletins are copied on Thursdays and, with volunteer help, folded and made ready for Sunday worship.  Respecting the time of our volunteers, all prayer concerns will be typed, copied and placed in the bulletins no later than Thursday of each week.  What about concerns or joys that arise after the Thursday deadline?  No problem. Those requests can be added, by voice, during our time of prayer in the worship service.

From the PC(USA) Book of Order:  Prayer is shaped by the Word of God in Scripture and by the life of the community of faith. Prayer issues in commitment to join God’s work in the world.

Through our prayerful living may we trust that our prayers are heard and answered and may we grow inwardly in faith and outwardly in action, serving in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A New Opportunity for Study — Adult Life Groups

Starting the week of July 11 and continuing through the week of August 12, we will be implementing a new adult program that will allow us to “do life” together throughout the week – in our own neighborhoods!   We are currently looking for volunteers to facilitate a Life Group in your neighborhood.  Life Groups are midweek adult discussion groups that will meet at the location and time of your choosing and that are organized according to the geographical concentrations of Eastminster members.  Life Group facilitators may choose to host their group at home, at a restaurant, at a local coffee shop or park - or they may choose to rotate leadership duties among members of their particular Life Group.  These groups are meant to be relaxed and convenient to you and your family.  Utilizing the impetus behind our One Big Room summer church school curriculum, which is to unite the church across the generations, Life Groups will base their discussions upon the Scriptural passages used in the One Big Room lessons that our children and youth are learning.  A set of in-depth discussion questions will be provided to the facilitators, although facilitators are welcome to create their own methods of engaging their group.

If you are interested in participating in a Life Group, please sign up for the region most convenient to you and indicate if you are willing to facilitate a group.   If you have any questions, please contact Haley Feuerbacher or call the church office.

NOTES FROM FRED

By the time you receive this newsletter, the Choir will be on their well deserved vacation.   Some will continue to sing in the services as soloists, in duets, and other ensembles as members of the choir have done for 26 years.   This time helps them to refresh themselves, sit with family, aid in congregational singing among the congregation and take vacations.  I'm very appreciative of the time and talent that the choir shares with all of us through their calling.   So, again, thanks Choir for sharing your time and talents with us.

You probably have felt this, and I certainly have many times directing, singing in the choir, leading or hearing the children and/or youth sing, singing hymns in the pews, or playing an instrument in worship, that sometimes glimpse of the music's potential and power to shape and transform people's lives.   Music moves, provokes, soothes, calms and teaches. Here are a few quotes to think about concerning music in our worship services, private worship and our total lives:  In order to take the spiritual temperature of an individual or society, one must mark the music. (Plato)

Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul, on which they mightily fasten, imparting grace, and making the soul of him who is rightly educated graceful, or of him who is ill-educated ungraceful. (Socrates)

I am not ashamed to confess publicly that next to theology there is no art which is the equal of music, for she alone, after theology, can do what otherwise only theology can accomplish, namely, quiet and cheer up the soul of man, which is clear evidence that the devil, the originator of depressing worries and troubled thoughts, flees from the voice of music just as he flees from the words of theology. (Martin Luther, 1530)

Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak. (William Congreve, 1670-1729)He who sings, prays twice. (often attributed to Augustine of Hippo, ca. 430)

How does God feel about that power?   Of course it is extremely presumptuous to say what God feels, but here is a story that might give us a clue.

When Moses had brought the Israelites to the end of the wandering and they were preparing to go to the Promised Land, God told Moses he would die soon and that Joshua would be leading the people into the Land.   God also told Moses the people would forsake Him, worship other gods and break his covenant.   God said he would hide his face from them and the Israelites would say “God is not in our midst.”

So what does God tell Moses to do?   Go pray, preach, prophesy, warn the people?  God said to Moses write down this song and teach it to the people and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them and it will not be forgotten by their descendants.  Moses wrote down the song that day and taught it to the Israelites (you can read the whole story in Deuteronomy 31:16).

God knew the people would be in times of distress and duress and through Moses, he gave not a sermon, or a prayer, or a speech, or angered reproach, but a song. We are the heirs of the power of song.   Because we are doing nothing less than the transformation of a person, healing a body, teaching a mind, renewing a spirit and saving a soul, I pray those of us who lead, who sing in the congregation, will not consider it a small matter to select the hymns for worship, to accompany them, to lead them, and certainly to sing them always to.

“To the glory of God”

Fred

CHURCH FAMILY CAMPOUT - Camp Gilmont - October 29th -31st

For those of you who have never been to Camp Gilmont, you are missing the beauty of nature in a relaxing atmosphere.   If you have only been there as a summer camper, then you need to get out of the heat of the summer memories and see Gilmont in its autumn glory!

Knowing that the only weekend we had available to us this fall was on Halloween weekend, we took it anyway.   Halloween falls on Sunday this year, and the kids will be home well before time for trick or treating!  (The Fall Festival is the weekend before that!)

As usual, we will take turns preparing the daily meals, and we will have breakfast at the lodge before returning home after morning worship on Sunday.  The cost per person will be:   Adult, per night $41.00, Sunday Breakfast $6.75; Child, per night $20.00, Sunday Breakfast $3.25.

If you are considering attending the campout this year, please contact Jenelle so that we can confirm our reservation numbers soon.

Hope to see many of you there!

Sunday Schedule