The Evangel
Eastwood Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
Vol. 21, No. 5
May, 2016
Sunday, June 12: 4:00pm to 6:00pm - includes a big family cookout and
PARENT VBS from 4:30pm to 5:00pm with Pastor Nathan
Monday, June 13, Tuesday, June 14 & Wednesday, June 15: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Email Ms. Julie: [email protected] or Pastor Nathan: [email protected]
to register
“Shining our light by welcoming all people, building community, and serving God and neighbor.”
... do according to all that the
foreigner calls to you ...
– 1 Kings 8:43
Thoughts from Jay
Greetings, my friends:
One day long ago, a small group leader asked the question: “What do you think is the biggest
problem in the world?” It’s an open-ended question with many possible responses. My
response at the time: “Xenophobia – fear of foreigners.” To me, xenophobia is not just
fear of foreign people, but also fear of anything new and strange. Fear leads to defensiveness, isolationism, and often violence. Xenophobia keeps us from growing, from
incorporating new ideas and practices, from embracing all that God has created.
The opposite of xenophobia is hospitality. Readers of the Bible know that hospitality is a
frequent theme. Over and over, the Israelites are reminded: once, you were a foreign
people in a foreign land. You’d have all died from famine had the Pharaoh in Egypt not
welcomed you. So now, you too should show hospitality. The New Testament continues
the theme, from Jesus saying Let the little children come to me: do not stop them to Hebrews
13:2: Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have
shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
One remarkable scene in Israel’s history: when the great temple was built, King Solomon
stood before the altar in the presence of all Israel and offered a prayer of dedication. His
prayer includes these words: Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel ...
comes and prays towards this house, then hear in heaven ... and do according to all that the
foreigner calls to you. At the very moment they were dedicating their temple, the centerpiece
of centuries of worship, Solomon’s prayer expressed concern for the foreigner. Solomon
wanted hospitality and welcome to be at the very heart of Israelite practice.
Go thou, and do likewise.
Peace & Blessings to you all,
Pastor Jay
ATTENDANCE
9:00 am
32
10:30 am
100
5/8
9:00 am
23
10:30 am
161
5/15 9:00 am
36
10:30 am
103
5/22 9:00 am
34
10:30 am
107
5/1
Here’s What’s Going On...
Mark Your Calendars:
June 1
June 2
June 5
June 11
June 12
June 13 -15
June 18
Fellowship Meal, 5:45 pm
Theology on Tap, 6:30 pm
Ordination Service for Chanhee Heo, 10:30 am
Eastwood Yard Sale, 7:00 am - 1:00 pm
VBS: Let the Games Begin!, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
VBS: Let the Games Begin!, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
East C.A.N. Yard Sale, 7:00 am
Announcing the Ordination
of Chanhee Heo
on June 5, 2016
during the 10:30 worship service.
As part of Chanhee's ordination we will be compiling a book of
blessings and affirmations for Chanhee to take with her on her
next steps! If you would like to contribute please email your piece
to [email protected] by Friday, June 3.
Eastwood
We need your "treasurers" -- Please, if possible, price your items and bring them to church on
Sunday, June 5 or anytime the week preceding the event.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - pricers, organizers, haulers, sellers, cashiers, set-up and clean-up -join in the fellowship and effort!!
Contact Bob Frech - [email protected] or 615-708-7306 for more info.
There are so many exciting ways to get
connected at Eastwood!
This summer our
youth will embark on
an immersion trip to
Memphis, TN the
week of June 12! If
you would like to
invest in their faith
and lifelong memories you can make
checks to ECC with
memo: Youth Immersion Trip or give
cash to Heidi in the
office. Once you
invest in the youth
you are invited to
the Stock Holders
Dinner on August 10, 5:45pm. Come and learn about our experiences through picture, story,
and dinner! Through your investment may their faith grow and their eyes be opened to all the
ways they can experience God’s love!
Thinking ahead... If are interested in joining the youth
sponsor team in August as a youth Sunday School
teacher now is the time to express your interested or
prayerfully discern if you are called to something outside of your comfort zone!
Eastwood Community Groups consist of 8-10
people who meet once a month for food and fellowship, faith formation, discussion, and prayer. Community groups are a key expression of part of
our mission statement: building community and part
of our vision statement: to be a congregation challenging one another to learn and grow in Christian
discipleship. Becoming part of an ECG provides a
space to grow as a Disciple and become more connected with people you sit beside on Sunday mornings. Currently there is a new Eastwood Community Group forming—Kristina Guisler
has offered to host and the group is currently looking for about 5-7 more people to join.
If you are interested in nurturing the 9am worship service by thinking about how we might connect with new neighbors to invite them to join us in worship or by helping Sharon with the fellowship time between services let's get creative together!
These are just a few of the many ways you can share your gifts and talents with ECC. If any
of the above interests you please contact Christy Jo at [email protected]
Eastwood VBS – June 12-15, 2016
Eastwood VBS is coming soon! Our theme this year is “Let the Games Begin!” It’ll be a fun and
energetic few days of exploring how the Olympic Games are like our Christian life of following God with
grit, determination, and perseverance.
Our music, games, crafts, and stories will come from a wide variety of Olympics-related themes – but our
wonderful teachers and super times together will be our own Eastwood brand of VBS!
We will start on Sunday, June 12, at 4:00 p.m. in the sanctuary for an opening session with all the children
and their families! Then the children will head to classrooms with their teachers and the parents will stay
in the sanctuary for a short overview/study time with Pastor Nathan. Then we’ll all come back together on
the front lawn for a big family cookout!
The children will be dropped off between 5:45-6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary the next three nights – Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday – and will be picked up at 8:00 p.m. from the sanctuary.
Please register soon with Ms. Julie ([email protected]) or Pastor Nathan ([email protected])!
During Sunday’s worship service on May 8, we had
three Child Dedications!
Liam Pendley
Being held by
Pastor Jay)
TJ Nowak
(being held
by Pastor
Nathan)
and Bernadette
Reed (being
held by Pastor
Christy Jo)
Summer Sunday School Update
Every Sunday at 9:00 am
Children from ages 3 through 5th grade are invited to join us for fun and fellowship as we
dive into the Book of Acts. Each week, we will explore a new story about the events and
people in the early church through games, art, hands-on activities, cooking, and so forth.
Children meet in the Cardinals room on the second floor of the education building. Contact Nathan at [email protected] if you would like more info, or are interested in helping out.
June
June
June
June
June
Sunday School – The Church in Acts…
5 – Brings Healing (Acts 3:1-16 – Peter Heals)
12 – Serves Together (Acts 6:1-7 – Choosing Seven to Serve)
19 – Welcomes Everyone (Acts 8:26-40 – Peter and the Ethiopian Man)
26 – Is Transformed By Jesus (Acts 9:1-20 – Saul to Paul)
May 2016:
Singing the Same Song
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of
one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11
Holding hands in a circle and singing “Shalom chaverim” to the starlit sky, I looked around at our group, our eyelids heavy after a busy
week of games, crafts, workshops and singing. As we sang, my
mind wandered to my own summer camp experiences where I first
truly saw the face of God. It was there as a staff member that I felt
called to apply to Global Ministries. On a different continent, in a
different culture and surrounded by people I had just met, we sang
this same song. There, too, I felt the presence of God.
My week at the International Camp Leadership Conference reaffirmed the belief that I’ve held all along: camp changes
lives. There’s something special about cheering on team members in a ridiculous game, chatting and praying with your cabin before bed, and fervently singing a song about a watermelon
who aims to conquer the world. At camp, we learn to work as a team, to see past the walls of
society’s stereotypes and to provide space for each person to grow.
We know that there’s still work to be done, in our churches, in our communities and in ourselves. We seek to spread the camp spirit outside the walls of summer and across the borders
of our countries. We seek to sing the same song around the world: Shalom. Peace.
Lauren Kabat serves as a Global Mission Intern with the Pentecostal Church of Chile at the
Shalom Center. Her appointment is supported by Week of Compassion, Our Churches Wider
Mission, Disciples Mission Fund and your special gifts.
Welcome New Members!
ECC rejoices as we warmly welcome these families to our congregation.
Welcome, Kristina Guisler, and her two sons,
Simeon and Francis Page!
Kristina can be reached at
[email protected] and 615-480-8286.
They will added to the Peace Service Team.
Welcome, Rae Sovereign and Diane
Szczesniak !
Rae can be reached at
[email protected] and 574-904-3799.
Diane can be reached at
[email protected] and 330-990-3068.
They will added to the Peace Service Team.
Volunteer at
Work directly with The Contributor's 300+ newspaper vendors as you volunteer weekly in our sales
office. Our volunteers help us count papers, record sales in our database, interview new vendors,
and communicate information to our vendor force. Be a part of the team that keeps the office running
and the paper sales coming from individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to interact with The Contributor’s vendors, this is the opportunity
for you! Our office is not just a place for sales transactions, but a breeding ground for meaningful and
often fun conversations. Find a weekly shift that works for your schedule!
We have shifts 6 days a week:
Monday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tuesday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
And group volunteer opportunities for up to 6 on Monday mornings 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
*We like to schedule our volunteers for at least one reoccurring shift a week for either the whole day or a partial day.
For example, you could come in from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. or from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. if that’s easier on your schedule.
Please email Linda Bailey ([email protected]) if you’re interested, or find us on Hands
On Nashville: http://thecontributor.org/volunteerhon/
ECC Financial Update
We’re adding a new section to the Evangel each month to update everyone on our community’s stewardship and financial life. If you
want more information or what to share feedback, please contact William Aaron at [email protected]. Thanks!
Our Financial Position Is Sound
Our operational financial position remained solid through the end of April, with Income exceeding Expense by approximately 7%.
This is primarily due to expenses running 6.6% below budget – we owe our staff and worship team leaders a big thanks for their
thoughtful stewardship.
While our overall giving is a little ahead of budget through April, the dollars we received in April for pledged giving were nearly 25%
short of what was budgeted – so if you need to catch up on your pledges, now is a great time to do so!
E-Giving and “Free” Giving – New Tools for Supporting ECC
We’ll be rolling out our new e-giving tools in the next few days. As we get ready, here’s some information you may find helpful:
What Is E-Giving? E-Giving is a term that describes new ways you can make gifts to support ECC. (And e-giving is optional – you
don’t have to change anything you are doing now, if you don’t want to.) You will have the option to have money taken from your
checking account, paid from a debit card, or charged to a credit card. You can set up recurring donations or make one-time gifts; you
can set up a pledge and track how you fulfill that pledge. We’ll provide you with detailed instructions to help you get your e-giving
account set up.
What Makes E-Giving Useful? E-giving makes it possible to “set it and forget it” - if you want to ensure that you stay current with
a pledge or personal commitment, and/or you sometimes struggle to remember to bring a checkbook to church J, e-giving can help.
You may also prefer to use your debit or credit card, which e-giving makes possible.
Does E-Giving Cost $$ to Use? Yes, the convenience of e-giving has some costs to it. There are transaction fees with e-giving that
total about 3%. If you sign up for e-giving you’ll be given a chance to add 3% to your gift(s) to cover that fee so that ECC receives
the full amount you intend to give. If you can add that 3%, it is very helpful if you do so; without adding it, a $100 gift only gives
$97 to ECC, and that difference adds up quickly. Thanks in advance for adding that to your gift!
Are There Free Ways I Can Give? Absolutely! Putting cash or a check in the offer ing plate is still a gr eat way to give! Another way that is free for lots of folks is to use your checking account; for most of us, our checking accounts have a free “bill pay”
feature, and you can “set it and forget it” for that option as well. We have several givers who do this and it works great. We’re happy
to help you set that up, too.
When Will E-Giving Get Started? We’ve tested the systems and ever ything wor ks smoothly – so we’ll be rolling it all out in
early June. Watch for instructions – and if you have any questions, please reach out to William Aaron at [email protected].
April 2016 Year-to-Date Budget Report
Summary
April Actual
April Budget
YTD Actual
YTD Budget
Annual Budget
Total Income
$18,891.24
$21,702.49
$90,576.67
$88,730.08
$271,982.00
Total Expense
$16,143.30
$22,649.68
$84,602.14
$90,555.77
$271,982.00
$2,747.94
-$947.19
$5,974.53
-$1,825.69
$0.00
Bottom Line
Did you know …
…that for 2016 we’ve allocated 58.6% of our budget, or $159,319, for Personnel? Our Personnel budget provides funds for eight
employees, including our Senior Minister; our Director of Children’s Ministries and our Music Director; our two Associate Pastors;
our Office Manager; our Organist; and our two Nursery Caregivers. As we begin to plan for 2017 the Board has named it a top priority that we look at how we compensate our amazing staff and to work to bring pay in line with comparable churches.
Youth Sunday . . .
April 24, 2016
Congratulations to:
Jason, Sheena, & Grayson
Frech on the birth of Ellie
Kate Frech on May 13!
Sympathy to:
Erica Lane upon the death of
her grandmother on May 17.
Family and Friends of Kim
Daly Taylor, who passed
away on May 20. Kim’s Memorial Service will be here at
Eastwood on Saturday,
May 28 at 2:00 pm.
PRAYER LIST
Jere Adams
Elsie Burbank
Sandy Burton
Bruce Cate
Robert Cooper
Carl DeBlasio
Josh Duncan
Charity Eden
Atha Ellithorpe
Sharon Frech
Grant Houston
Bruce Howard
Jan Hutchins
Bill Ivie
Robert & Peggy Jackson
Ben & Marilyn Kooch
Kate Krug
Anna Lombardo
Rhonda Love
Georgetta Madole
Teresa Madole
Raul Marin
Lula Martin
Susan Martin
Elizabeth Maynard
Jeff Moreland
Mark Nelson
Sara Parker
Scott Parker
Theresa Prochnow
Alison R. & Family
Melodie Simmons
Art Stafford
Gary Swinger
Thelma Tanley
Candice Thigpen
Stephen Wallach
Evelyn Ware
Deana Watson
Audrey Grace Williams
Thomas Williams
Tanya Wooten
Molly Wrigley
Mike Yates
Ralph Young
Thank you, JOY SERVICE TEAM,
for serving during June .
Elders:
Deacons:
Months Serving:
Sid Burton, Cindy Lovelace, Allison Witt
Dave Waters, Beth Watkins, Lindsey Soward
October, February, June
Bland (Ralph & Veronica)
Brown (Brandon) + Cathey (Brandon), Coy David Brown-Cathey
Burton (Sid)
Cate (Bruce)
Cromer (Tim & Lauren, Trent)
Dominguez (Mike & Jen, Zoe, Grey, Juliette, Alice, Celia)
Duncan (Stuart & Dieta)
Girvin (Emily, Lily Beyer, Lucy Beyer)
Hartley (Jay & Dawn, Joseph, John, Jocelyn)
Hartung (Julie)
Hoeft (Heidi, Ainsley Billings, Gracyn Billings)
Horner (Saundra, Hope Brown)
Law (Paul & Samantha)
Liebergen (Todd)
Lovelace (Gene & Cindy)
Madole (John & Teresa, Katie, Rachel, John)
McHaffie (Doug)
Special thanks to
Pecinovsky (Teresa) + Siemsen (John)
Lindsey
Soward (pictured here
Reed (Brian & Jennifer, Silas, Bernadette)
with
husband, Lawson)
Shields (Tara & Johnny, Sawyer, Mason)
who is our Lead Deacon this
Simon (Ernie & Karen, Marlee)
month, coordinating our
Soward (Lawson & Lindsey)
worship service and fellowship
Waters (Dave & Gina, MaryAnn)
meal teams.
Watkins (Scott & Beth, Annalise, Charlotte)
Witt (Michael & Allison, Jared, Nathan)
June 2016
April
2008will be serving.
The JOY Service
Team
9:00 am SCRIPTURE READER
June 5
June 12
June 19
June 26
Todd Liebergen
Julie Hartung
Scott Watkins
Jared Witt
10:30 am SCRIPTURE READER
June 5
June 12
June 19
June 26
Simon Han
Tara Shields
Emily Girvin
Tim Cromer
10:30 am CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
June 5
June 12
June 19
June 26
Julie Aaron
Christy Jo Harber
Julie Aaron
Jay Hartley
LECTIONARY READINGS
6/5:
6/12:
6/19:
6/26:
1 Kings 17:8-16; Psalm 146; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17
1 Kings 21:1-10, 15-21a; Psalm 5:1-8; Galatians 2:15-21; Luke 7:36-8:3
1 Kings 19:1-4, 8-15a; Psalm 42 and 43; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62
birthdays
Ellis Aaron
Bruce Cate
Willa Fanning
Brandon Cathey
Biskie Duncan
Pastor Jay Hartley
Doug McHaffie
Lori Parker
Steve Walls
Terri De Yong
Norene Forrester
Gary Swinger
Catherine Taylor
June 3
June 3
June 5
June 8
June 8
June 8
June 9
June 9
June 12
June 13
June 19
June 20
June 21
june
Rebecca Hale
Todd Lombardo
Bill Ivie
Jamie Nowak
Gay Wiggins
Marie Wiggins
Bridgett Binns
Beverly Burge
Luke Cressman
Joel Overall
Scott Hallgren
Geri Ordway
June 22
June 22
June 23
June 23
June 24
June 26
June 27
June 27
June 27
June 27
June 29
June 30
anniversaries
Teresa Pecinovsky & John Siemssen
~ June 8
Cindy Reed & Steve Walls
~ June 8
Reanna & Chris Edwards
~June 19
EASTWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
(Disciples of Christ)
(615) 227-2285 Fax: (615) 228-4901
www.eastwoodchristianchurch.org
e-mail: [email protected]
Sunday School-9:00 am Worship-9:00 am and 10:30 am
Jay R. Hartley
Julie Aaron
Christy Jo Harber
Nathan Tenney
Ryan Huber
Heidi Hoeft
Marcia Blair
Linda Armstreet
Senior Minister
Director of Children’s Ministries/Music Director
Associate Pastor (Youth)
Associate Pastor (Children)
Organist
Administrative Assistant
Nursery Caregiver
Nursery Caregiver
The Evangel
Eastwood Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
1601 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206
Vol. 21, No. 5
May, 2016
(Disciples of Christ)
Eastwood Christian Church
The Evangel