Unsinkable - Altadena Valley Presbyterian Church

THE SALTSHAKER
MAY 1, 2016 | VOLUME 190
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WWW.AVPC.ORG/CAMP-SOLID-ROCK
2 Pastor’s Pen
Session/Diaconate Minutes
JUNE 6-9, 9:00 A.M. - NOON
OPEN TO CHILDREN AGES 4 (BY
JUNE 6) THROUGH 6TH GRADE
CA
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Thirteenth A
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2016
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T a l e s of the
Unsinkable: Takes of the Thirteenth Apostle
Camp Solid Rock | June 6-9
This year is the fifth anniversary of Camp Solid Rock! Come celebrate with us on June 6-9,
from 9 to 12 each morning, as we embark on an all-new adventure into the world of Paul,
the “thirteenth apostle.” During storytime each day, we’ll live out one important event in
Paul’s life, including—yes—that dramatic shipwreck. You’ve probably already guessed
this, but our master shipbuilder John Franklin has created a (not quite) seaworthy vessel
just for the occasion. The only question is where we’ll store it when we’re done with
camp. Is there room in Miss Betty’s office for a boat?
2016
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SOLID RO
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SO L I D R O
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2016
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REGISTRATION FORMS IN
PARLOR & WELCOME CENTER
(OR PRINTABLE ONLINE)
SOLID RO
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SO L I D R O
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New Member:
Daniel Smith
4
AVPC News
5 Children’s Ministry
God’s House
Kindergarten
6
Youth Happenings
7
Mary Kay Beard Story Goodbye from Corb
Missions News
8
May Birthdays
Did You Know...
Women’s Bible Study
Budget Reports
That’s just one of many details to be worked out before June 6. We want all kids ages 4
(by June 6) through 6th grade to register ASAP. We’re also looking for volunteers to be
tribe leaders, craft leaders and helpers, story and mission helpers, snack helpers, and
more. It may sound like work but CSR is actually an amazingly fun week of fellowship
with other church members that you don’t want to miss. Just go to avpc.org to register
and sign up.
Save the Date
JULY 11-15 • AVPC Worship Arts Camp for Kids (WACK)
JULY 19 • Men’s Ministry Barons Baseball Game
ARTISTS IN
THE MAKING
pg. 5
ALTADENA VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | WWW.AVPC.ORG
Pastor’s Pen
When I was in high school, my parents enrolled me one summer in a speed-reading course.
The course was marketed with stories such as a family all reading the same book in one
evening, not in unison but separately, accomplished by the simple fact that they could all
read so quickly. Students were promised that they could dramatically reduce their study
time and get even better results. It never worked for me. About all I succeeded in mastering
during the course was the ability to adopt the recommended reading posture and hand
motions while quickly turning pages.
As I was reflecting back on that course recently, it struck me how the values behind it were
an accurate reflection of our modern culture, where efficiency is prized over relationships.
Relationships, like a good book or a masterpiece work of art, take time before yielding
a reward. I think it is no accident that loneliness is becoming epidemic in a society that
values efficiency. One of the enemies of deep relationships today is our tendency to multitask everything. I read this week of a church member lined up to receive communion while
texting on her smartphone. When she got to the head of the line and was ready to receive
the sacrament, she momentarily lowered her phone, popped the elements into her mouth
and immediately resumed her texting. It’s easy to condemn such a shallow relationship
with God, but I think we need to look in the mirror before condemning her too strongly.
How many times do I find myself rushing through prayer in order to begin my pursuit of
efficient task-accomplishment? How many times do I rush conversations with the people
before me in order to get to other people or other tasks?
Since my speed-reading course back in high school, I have realized that slow reading
yields far better results than speed-reading. Slow reading takes time to ask questions of
the text, to think through its implications, to find associations between the new things in
the text and those things already known to me. The same skill is needed in my relationship
with God. You may want to try slowing down some in your relationship with God. As a
suggestion, take a small passage of Scripture, just one to three verses long, and meditate
on that passage. Pray through it. Ask God to speak to you. Apply it to your life. Worship God
for what it reveals about him. Practice being present with God and with people.
minutes
Brad Allison, Senior Pastor
SESSION MEETING, MARCH 15
• The Session held a training time where grace-centered change as seen in the doctrine of
Sancification was discussed.
• Jeff and Kim Clark were approved for membership.
• Session approval was granted to invite Colby and Lindsey Williamson to join the Missions
Committee.
• The Assistant Pastor serach process was reviewed and a tentative job description committee
was approved.
DIACONATE MEETING, APRIL 12
• Larry Church is rolling-off the Mercy Team. We are thankful for his many years of humble
service.
• Christy Alley has joined the Mercy Team.
• The new church sign is expected to be completed and installed by the end of May.
• We received 135 Faith Promise Pledges (goal was 130), totalling $321,774 (goal of $305,000).
2
MEET OUR NEW MEMBER
HOW DID YOU FIRST FIND OUT ABOUT OUR CHURCH?
Google search!
WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED ABOUT AVPC THE MOST?
Community, genuineness, and Christ-centeredness.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A CHRISTIAN?
All of my life, officially since I was five-years-old.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED AND WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER
MOST ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD?
I was born and raised in Pell City, Alabama. I remember my childhood being
very active—lots of time spent outdoors building things, running, and biking
everywhere with friends and family! I was always asking questions and being
interested in this beautiful world and many things filling it.
AS A YOUNG MAN, I THOUGHT I WOULD BE …. BUT ACTUALLY…
I thought I would be constantly developing and finding more about
this world and myself and how I can live my life and constantly grow to
show others the things I learn and help them in their lives on this same
earth. Actually, I am the same man, always growing, and loving life
because of all of the good I get to see in it and the beauty and creativity
God has infused in it. No matter what, we can see good around us
because it is there, and we are in fact redeemed! So we have ownership
of real life, and life beyond, from Christ.
Daniel Smith
MY FIRST JOB WAS…; MY WORST JOB WAS…; MY FAVORITE JOB WAS…; BECAUSE…
My first job? Probably sweeping the kitchen floor at the house as a young boy. Household chores teach us first about
working, serving, and keeping our belongings and this world a tidier place. My favorite jobs have been the ones that
are constantly changing, interesting, dynamic, or filled with music! My jobs as church musician have been wonderful.
Also, I’ve enjoyed just working, building, and selling electronics for others, sending long emails to wonderful people
either configuring their dream computer for their specific application, or helping them with frustrations or issues. I
love helping and communicating. Those jobs have been a blessing to me, and I enjoy them and grow through them.
I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO…
See the world, meet more people in other cultures, and engross myself in more cultures. All we have to do is live
and look for the opportunities, meet the people around us, and we can even locally find so much depth in life
unexpectedly. God is great!
WHEN I HAVE FREE TIME I ENJOY…
Probably anything active (sports!), music, communications, learning new skills and practicing older ones, constantly
researching and learning about new things and interests. I enjoy keeping myself occupied, busy, productive, moving
towards goals, learning more about Christ and growing closer (specifically in prayer lately), and just learning how to
serve better. Spending quality time with people. I love life!
THE ULTIMATE VACATION FOR ME WOULD BE…
A vacation with people I love. It is not hard to come up with ideas for things to do and places to go, but the location
would depend on who I went with—the people make the memories on the trip for me, not the wonderful places so
much. A dungeon could be a wonderful place if you have a best friend, and maybe even luxuries such as scripture,
and food and water.
MY HOPE FOR AVPC IS THAT IT COULD…
My hope is that it could continue to draw me to Christ, that the community both be alongside me as it has been in the
especially trying parts of our lives, and that I can also be a part and help to others here! That God will use this church
and its wide ministry reach to touch the world significantly, and that he would be in everything that we do. That is
important. It is good to officially be a part of this church now. I am proud to be a part of this church because I see Christ
in the people in it. AVPC, all of you, have been a blessing to me, and my family. Thank you all, and God be with you.
3
AVPC PEOPLE NEWS
Oh what
fun!
COREY WILLIAMS TOOK
HIS DAUGHTER, LONDYN,
TO THE HOOVER CITY
SCHOOLS DADDYDAUGHTER DANCE AT
SPAIN PARK HIGH SCHOOL.
CONGRATULATIONS
• Congratulations to NEWT
CRENSHAW, a former member of
AVPC, who was recently appointed
to the position of president of Young
Life. You can read more about it at
www.younglife.org.
• SHAHN & NAOMI WASHINGTON
are expecting a baby in December.
• RICK & DEBORAH HALBROOKS’
triplet granddaughters were born
on April 12.
CONGRATULATIONS TO
JONATHAN THIELMAN ON
HIS RECENT ENGAGEMENT
TO EMILY MARTIN. THEY MET
AT CHURCH IN FT. COLLINS,
COLORADO WHERE JONATHAN
IS WORKING ON HIS PHD IN
CHEMISTRY. THEY PLAN TO
MARRY IN THE FALL.
• BRAD & WENDY ALLISON’S
grandson, Hastings, was born on
April 12.
Best Wishes!
NEW GRADUATES!
Sarah Jane
Thielman
Katherine
Godwin
WASHINGTON & LEE
UNIVERSITY
MAJOR: ART HISTORY
MINOR: STUDIO ART
COVENANT COLLEGE
MAJOR: ELEMENTARY
EDUCATION
Elizabeth Coats
Joseph Wilson
COVENANT COLLEGE
MAJOR: BIOLOGY
MINOR: BIOCHEMISTRY
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
MAJOR: CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
4
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Finding God’s Target
by Betty Carter, Children’s Director
Easter Sunday was one of those days. I was in a pretty dismal
state of mind as I drove to church. Why? It could have been
because of my mother-in-law’s ongoing illness. I had definitely
found it emotionally difficult to watch her struggle over the
previous weeks. It could have because of the stormy weather.
Or it could have been because I’m a person; and when you’re a
person, you’re sometimes in a bad mood.
As I went about getting ready for Sunday School, it struck me
as a profound bummer that on Easter, of all days, I should feel
completely not up to the task of teaching. I had even prepared
pretty thoroughly this time, which isn’t like me. I had made a large tomb (big enough for Benjamin Lumpkin to get inside) from
paper mache and rigged it up with some special lighting effects. I had laid out costumes for the kids and written a composite
story of the Resurrection using the four Gospels. I had planned special music and a special craft activity for small groups. Sounds
good, right? But at 9:15 a.m., as kids started to pound into the room, I felt like I wanted to crawl inside the tomb myself and take a
long nap. Things proceeded from bad to worse. My music plans went awry, and half of my adult leaders never arrived (oops, guess
I failed to communicate the details about the schedule!). Pretty soon we were all doing the activity together in a big crowd on a
tarp laid out across the floor. And did I mention that this activity involved paint? It was Easter, for goodness sake! The girls were all
wearing beautiful dresses. Who planned this? Oh yeah, me.
Maybe you’re hoping that the Debbie Downer writing this is about to reach the happy part of the story, where great truths about
the resurrection of Jesus got across to the children in spite of my inner gloom and the chaos of the fireplace room. Honestly, I
don’t know what the kids got out of it. When I asked them to share something that struck them in the story, one hand went up. It
was a boy who needed to go to the bathroom. What I actually want to tell you is that as I look back at Easter’s not-so-great Sunday
School, I feel a freedom that I didn’t always have. This freedom has come from seeing the faithfulness of God over many years.
Sometimes he works through my abilities, and sometimes he works in spite of them!
Yeah, I have bad days. So do you. The good news is that God’s love for us is always there. He treasures us as his children—not
because we do things perfectly or because we always have the right attitude and feeling, but because we’re His. Hope you can rest
in that too, the next time your well-laid plans go to pieces.
GOD’S HOUSE KINDERGARTEN
We are enjoying spring at God’s House. Lessons of God’s creation and handiwork are visible in
every direction! The children are learning firsthand what new life and growth are about. It is so
rewarding to see their faces light up as they begin to understand new concepts.
Our Spring Art Show was a great success, and we want to thank all who
participated! This annual event is the major fundraiser for our school, and we are
thankful for the money raised. Every year we see God’s hand providing all our
needs. Besides, the Art Show is lots of fun!
And speaking of God’s provision, recently in our morning devotion, one staff
member gave thanks for a specific prayer that she had seen God answer. What
started as a moment to say thank you to God for a specific answer then led
to reflection of our prayers over the years. God’s House teachers have prayed
many prayers! And God has been faithful to provide the answers for our staff in
personal situations of health, finances, and guidance for our children, as well as
continually meeting the needs of our school. We serve a faithful God, and we are
thankful to Him for His blessings.
Lou Ann Spell, GHK Teacher
5
YOUTH HAPPENINGS
May 2016
MAY CLASSIC
3ON3
CONGRATS 2016
HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATES
Andrew Bonner
Caitlin Coats
Mason Cosby
Ansley Godwin
Silvia Kinnebrew
Jeannie Marks
Joel Sheetz
Sarah Stephens
Shelby Stephens
Anna Waldrip
Mary Wofford
EMMA CARTER
GIRLS’ SUMMER
INTERN STARTS
SUN
MON
7TH
TOURNAMENT
TUE
AGE BRACKETS: 11-12, 13-14, & 15-18
TEAM MAX IS 4 PLAYERS.
1ST & 2ND PLACE CASH PRIZES
FREE LUNCH & DRINKS
WED
THU
SR. HIGH 1
FREE FLIGHT
& TEA
2
3
8
9
10
YOUTH 11
SUNDAY
REHEARSAL
16 WELCOME 17
MOTHER’S
DAY
EMMA
CARTER
YG
100 22
ENVELOPES
DINNER
29
23
24
D & SG
4
FRI
SIGN UP ONSITE FOR 3-POINT CONTEST
FOR CASH PRIZES
5
SAT
6
LOCATION: ALTADENA PARK (4660 CALDWELL MILL RD.)
TOURNAMENT SPACE IS LIMITED SO BE SURE
TO SIGN UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
MAY
CLASSIC
13
14
THE 18
GATHERING
FINALE
19
20
21
25
26
27
28
MASON
COSBY
THE
GATHERING
FINALE
SR. HIGH GIRLS’ TEA
MASON COSBY
GUYS’ SUMMER
INTERN STARTS
THE
GATHERING
FINALE
Join us for the
finale at the
Kinnebrew’s
Farm (Bishop Ln.,
Indian Springs
Village, AL, 35124)
from 6-8 p.m.
LOOKING AHEAD...
LAKE TRIP • June 3-4
YG—Jr. & Sr. High Youth Group @ 5:00 p.m.
D & SG—Wednesday Night Dinner @ 5:15 p.m.; Small Groups @ 6:30 p.m.
6
7
12
30 WELCOME 31
The men of Altadena will
gather at Oak Mountain
State Park for food, fun,
and a sharing of life’s
experiences in honor of
our graduating Seniors.
Cost is $10/person.
The women of Altadena
will meet to honor our
graduating senior girls. It
will be held from 2-4 p.m.
at Katey Windsor’s home.
CLASSIC
REGISTER BY MAY 2
YOUTH 15
SUNDAY
SR. HIGH
1st
GUYS’
“FREE FLIGHT”
This year’s
age brackets
include: 1112 year-olds,
13-14 yearolds, and
MAY
15-18 yearolds. Get
more info at
ON
www.avpc.org/3on3
REGISTER AT AVPC.ORG/3on3 OR BY PHONE AT (205) 967-0680
and sign up by May
2.
$25/TEAM.
AGES 11-18.
Senior High will return to the Roberson’s Lakehouse
on Lake Mitchell (Friday evening through Saturday
night). Cost and details will come later in May.
MARY KAY
“WAS LOVE”
by Judy Bates
From rags to riches, from death to
life—this is the story of Mary Kay
Beard. God worked in miraculous
ways to change a rebellious bank
robber wanted by the Mafia and
FBI into a radiant daughter of God.
Mary Kay never hesitated to admit her sins using her past to
demonstrate God’s ability to create a new person from the worst of
sinners. Her favorite Bible verse was Ezekial 36:26. These are not the
things I remember about Mary Kay. I knew her as a small, feisty lady
with a big heart and incredible courage who gave sacrificially of her
time, energy, and resources. Mary Kay knew how to forgive—everyone,
everything. She knew the Bible from cover to cover and delighted in
sharing it with everyone she met. She loved people and often took
the unlovable into her home. Mary Kay loved birds, gardening, vanilla
ice cream, the color yellow, and people. She loved to laugh and often
laughed at herself. Mary Kay loved life—at its worst and its best.
Mary Kay accomplished much before God rewarded her with heaven.
However, Angel Tree, Shepherd’s Fold, Prison Fellowship, Encourager
Ministry, etc. were only symptoms of who Mary Kay was. Mary Kay was
love—love for others, yes—but mostly love for her Savior. The next to
last time I spoke with her, she said, “I just want to be in the arms of my
Jesus.” She is there waiting for all whom she showed the Way.
MARY KAY BEARD— JANUARY 22, 1945­- APRIL 17, 2016
Parting is Such
Sweet Sorrow
by Corb Heimburger
Shakespeare said it right, “Parting is such
sweet sorrow.” Sweet because of the loving
connection God’s Spirit has given Carol and me
with all of you over the past ten years. Sorrowful
because we won’t be able to interact with you
as often in the heart to heart vulnerability we so
cherish being a part of the fellowship here.
Thank you all for creating a safe place for Carol
and me to experience healing, renewal and
empowerment for ministry. We are torn as we
prepare for our move to St. Louis because a
big part of us will remain here. We anticipate
the adventure of opening a new chapter in our
lives—caring for Carol’s Mom, engaging actively
with our kids and grandkids and stepping into
the ministry God has for us—whatever that may
be. Please keep us in your prayers and in your
address lists. Drop UP and see us as soon as you
possibly can!
NEW ADDRESS:
1650 Beale Street, Apt. 549,
St. Charles, MO 63303
CELL PHONE & EMAIL ADDRESSES:
Corb: (205) 317-9339;
[email protected]
Carol: (205) 317-5580;
[email protected]
MISSIONS NEWS
2016 Faith Promise Exceeds Goal!
In December of 2015, the missions committee set a goal of $305,000 for our 2016 Faith
Promise. We prayed for God’s blessing knowing that this was going to be what we
thought would be a “stretch” for us as our previous year’s pledge was $282,472. Our 2016
goal was an increase of about $22,500 over the previous year. We hoped to grow our
missions budget as there are always so many missionaries each year that ask us for funds
to go on the field for the first time – all with amazing stories about how God has called
them to this work. God answered our prayers – our 2016 pledge is $321,774! That is an
increase of $39,300 ABOVE last year’s pledge. We also set a goal of 130 pledge cards and
received a total of 135 cards! Twenty (20) of those pledges were made by our youth/kids
for a total of $1,584!! Praise the Lord.
Albania Missions Trip Update - July 13-23
We have 13 folks going on our Albania trip this July! Our sojourners are: Sherry & Madeline Cawley, Becky Cox, Drennen & Robin
Defnall, Doug, Barclay, and Ansley Godwin, Corb & Carol Heimburger, Bob & Karen Ketchum, and Gayle Young. Their fundraising
has begun! Each person needs to raise approximately $3,600. Please pray for the team as they plan the details of the trip. These
next weeks will include some training as they learn about cultural Islam and work through John Piper’s book Let the Nations Be
Glad!
7
MAY
BIRTH
DAYS
Did you know...
1
5/2 Rick Halbrooks
Which one of these
AVPC church members
did NOT attend
Belhaven College?
5/2 Clara Austin
A. Laura English
5/3 Jamie Holmes
B. Susan Baird
5/3 Hannah Davidson
C. Lisa Bodkin
5/5 Cal Martin
5/6 Drew Russell
5/6 Sarah Monroe
5/7 Julie McCallum
5/8 Peggy Wardle
5/8 Elizabeth Granberry
5/11 Sarah French
5/11 Katherine Godwin
5/13 Jeri Marks
5/13 Ty Campbell
5/14 Tricia Dougherty
D. Mike Oaks
What is the correct chronological order
(first to last) in which the five PCA
Presbyteries in Alabama were formed:
A. Evangel, Warrior, Gulf Coast,
Providence, Southeast Alabama
B. Gulf Coast, Evangel, Warrior,
Southeast Alabama, Providence
C. Warrior, Gulf Coast, Evangel,
Southeast Alabama, Providence
ANSWER KEY: (1) B—Susan Baird attended Auburn University! (2) C— Warrior, Gulf Coast,
Evangel, Southeast Alabama, Providence. (We are part of Evangel Presbytery.)
5/3 Benjamin McCallum
2
WOMEN TO WOMEN SUMMER BIBLE STUDY
“As women, most of us harness only a small percentage of the love, joy, and peace that
God can give. Ask a woman about love and you are likely to hear about heartbreak. Ask
about her friends and you might hear about loneliness. Ask about her own needs and you
will hear about the needs of others. Ask about calling and you will hear uncertainty. Ask
about her identity, and shame and frustration leak out. Ask about rest and enjoyment,
and you will hear laments about time and busyness. We live a small fraction of the life
God
has for us.”
—Women & Identity by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun & Tracy Bianchi
This summer we will study Women & Identity which focuses on the lives of Biblical
women who learned in the crucible of hardships that God’s invitation to them was to live
wholehearted lives. Our ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ world robs us of the place of rest offered
to us by our Father, through Christ...please join your AVPC sisters this summer as we study
the word together and examine the possibility of God’s promise to provide for us the
strength and wisdom to live whole lives.
5/18 Kelly Jackson
We will meet the weeks of JUNE 1 - AUGUST 8 from 9-11 a.m. in the church parlor, SKIPPING
the week of June 8 for VBS. The study will also be offered on Sunday evenings from 5-7
p.m. and Monday afternoons from 3-5 p.m. Please see the website for those specific dates
and locations. We encourage sporadic summer attendance, come as your summer schedule
allows! Study guides are available for purchase in the church parlor in May. Free childcare
for all ages is available during the Wednesday morning study. We will be discussing the first
lesson at the first study! Questions? Contact Wendy Allison, [email protected].
5/18 Benji Snyder
WWW.AVPC.ORG/W T W-BIBLE-STUDY
5/15 Deborah Lloyd
5/15 Cory Brogan
5/17 Beth Mullins
5/19 Nan Eurton
MARCH FINANCIAL REPORT
5/20 Anna Barber
5/22 Bettie DeShazo
5/23 Corbett Heimburger
5/23 Alan Lee
5/24 Luis Orteza
5/25 Clarence Eurton
General Fund
Missions
Total
Beginning
Balance
Ending
Balance
Income
Expenses
Transfer
$ 27,508
$ 82,542
$ 93,216
$ -6,207
$ 24,769
$ 31,234
$ 28,694
$ 6,207
$ -16,022
$ 2,739
$ 113,776
$ 121,910
$0
$ -5,395
8
$10,627