Vol. 29, No. 1
January 2014
January 5
Second Sunday after Christmas
Jeremiah 31:7-14 (NRSV)
John 1:1-9, 10-18 (CEB)
“Going Home”
January 12
Baptism of the Lord
Ps. 29 (NRSV)
Acts 10:34-43 (CEB)
“New Love”
January 19
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 49:1-7 (NRSV)
I Corinthians 1:1-9 (CEB)
“Living the Graced & Gifted Life”
January 26
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 9:1-4 (NRSV)
Matthew 4:12-23 (CEB)
“Clear, Connected & Inclusively Communal”
From the Session
January 2014
I know this may come as a shock, but sometimes Ruling Elders
wake up on the first Tuesday of the month with a sense of dread—another
long, issue-filled Session meeting awaits them at the end of the day.
December 3 was no different, except for the pleasant surprise of an
efficient, 90-minute meeting that evening. Throughout the fall, most
Session meetings lasted around 2-1/2 hours as the Elders dealt with many
important issues, some spurring emotional discussion, and others related
to the Session and new pastor getting to know each other. The December
meeting was a bit of a change, lasting only 90 minutes.
Elders approved four significant motions. Congregational Life will
hold a Shrove Tuesday event on March 4, a tradition at Mission del Sol for
many years. This year they are looking for help in planning and
facilitating the event because we will not have the incredibly capable,
talented leadership of Rex and Sam Nichols. Let Ruth Rees or Carolyn
McBurney know if you are interested in helping out.
Session approved the Senior High mission trip to New York next
summer and the renovation of the lighting system in Mission Hall. And,
two new people were approved to serve on the Personnel Committee,
Diane Seller and John McComish, replacing others who have completed
terms on the committee. These members-at-large from the congregation
join David Nye and the Session Clerk. Updating policies and position
descriptions is first on the agenda for this group.
Wishing everyone a Happy new Year and blessings for Mission del
Sol as we begin a new year of ministry and mission together.
Linda Hubbard
Clerk of Session
MdS Leadership Team
Elders: Jane Aitken, Pam Bosch, David Boyne, Dan Brickley, John Christie, Owen Clymer,
Sean Graham, Phillip Horen, Linda Hubbard, Allan Johns, Carolyn McBurney, Ron Nickel,
Clyde Parks, Jeanette Parnell, Ruth Rees, Chuck Seller, Jan Spence, Ted Taylor
Deacons: Paula Armenta, Mike Bruggeman, Marcia Clark, Sharon DePietro, Darlene Englebright,
Geri Ferneau, Stacey Horen, Stephanie Kinsey, Bud Klassen, Ken MacKenzie, Janie Parks,
Kayla Shaw
Staff: Rev. Stan Martin, Pastor; Karen Frobe, Office Admin.; Kellie von Borstel, Director of
Christian Ed.; Patrick Fanning, Director of Music; Beryl Elwood, Organist;
Susan Osman, Financial Sec.; Tibor Szelinger, Custodian; Joy Garcia, Nursery Caregiver;
Dr. William R. Hayes and Dr. Arthur J. Campbell, Pastors Emeritus
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]; [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
Website: missiondelsol.org
Like us on Facebook!
Stan’s Sharing
January 2014
Welcome to 2014
Several years ago I, along with other faith-leaders, read and studied a
book entitled Behold I Do a New Thing – Transforming Communities
of Faith, by C Kirk Hadaway. Faith Communities – for sure – are
undergoing rapid changes on many levels. The insights gained in
studying Hadaway’s book are, to say the least, quite provocative.
Hadaway begins with a personal story that came after he finished a
lecture/presentation on Rerouting the Protestant Mainstream. He
writes:
“During the question and answer session [a man] said: ‘I
pastor a declining church in a small town in the hills of Eastern Pennsylvania.
Our membership is getting older, and even though our services are no longer held
in German, most of our members have German backgrounds, and we can’t seem to
attract anyone new. How can our church hold onto its German heritage and still
give something meaningful to people who don’t share it?’”
He continues:
“I don’t remember exactly what I said in response, but I do remember how uneasy
I felt as he described his church. My first thought was, ‘well … you ain’t got much
hope.’ But I didn’t have to tell him his situation was grim. He already knew it.
What he wanted to know was how a church like his – a declining ethnic
congregation with identity problems – could change in a direction that would give
it a new lease on life.”
That is the first premise of the book: Identity. Who are we? Why are we here? What is
our purpose?
Peter Drucker has worked with corporations and organizations on the issue of identity/
purpose. He asks them: “What is your business?” Often times, even businesses are
unsure. Hadaway suggests that “churches should ask themselves, ‘What business are we
in?’ And once they (re)discover their business, they should stick to it.”
We have mission statements, goal setting, agendas, planning sessions, vision statements,
and yet we often don’t recognize (or forget) the purpose.
Hadaway writes:
“It often happens that what an organization does has little to do with its purpose.
Many churches have mission statements, but how much of what we do helps to
fulfill, actualize, or live out our purpose? Most of our efforts are directed toward
satisfying one another, blaming someone for our problems, congratulating
ourselves, reinforcing an unrealistic self-identity, or simply enjoying being
together. The true purpose of the church has been subverted. Its purpose now is
to maintain itself as a cohesive social group while at the same time shoring up its
identity as a place where people worship God, learn the Bible, and maybe even
help the needy and oppressed.”
Continued on next page ...
Stan’s Sharing (continued)
Obviously, it is easy to lose our way.
Sometimes it helps to reframe the question:
“What makes us different?” How are we
different from a for-profit corporation or a
social club? Peter Drucker helps us here: “The
business of a church is to change people; the
business of a corporation is to satisfy them.”
If the first premise is identity/purpose, the
second premise is transformation. The
questions we must continually ask: Are people
being changed? Are we being changed? Am I
being changed? Am I moving from membership
to discipleship? Are we moving from a
community of members to a community of
disciples?
Sweets Day at MdS
On Wednesday, December 11
our library, patio and Mission Hall
were transformed into a beautiful
area for our first MdS “Sweets Day.”
Approximately 60 members and
friends enjoyed a wonderful variety
of delicious food, trivia games, a visit
from Santa and a fun time visiting
with each other.
Special thanks to Janet
Martin who spent days baking sweet
and savory treats!
When I began reading this book I was quickly
reminded of the Israelites’ wilderness journey.
Throughout the journey from Egypt to Canaan,
they were being changed. It was not always
(read: very infrequently)…comfortable. It was
often very troubling. There was hunger, anger,
depression. Some wanted to go back. Some
wanted to stay put. Some knew they had to go
forward.
Wilderness journeys are not generally easy, but
they are transforming. And we discover what
we didn’t even know we needed and that God
was/is with us all the way.
Owen Clymer won the “Guess How
Many Kisses” contest (343)!
So…welcome to 2014. Welcome to the
wilderness. Welcome to the journey.
Traveling Together,
Stan
Velma
Lawrence won
the Trivia
Contest.
Look for the
questions and
answers on the next page.
Sweets Day Trivia
Sweets Day Trivia Answers:
How many points does a snowflake have? Six
What did Frosty the Snowman have for a nose? A button
The name of Scrooge’s deceased business partner in Charles Dicken’s A
Christmas Carol was? Jacob Marley
How many gifts would you receive if you received all of the gifts in the
song The Twelve Days of Christmas? 364
What was Rudolph’s father’s name (hint: it is one of “the” reindeers)?
Donner
Which country created eggnog? England
How many Wise Men were there according to the Bible? Does not specify
Which reindeer’s name is also the name of a kitchen cleanser? Comet
What automobile manufacturer was born on Christmas Day in 1878?
Chevy
What state was the last to declare Christmas a legal holiday? Oklahoma
When Rudolf and his family were trapped in the cave with Bumble, what
animal noises did Hermie make to lure Bumble out? Pig, (or oink-oink)
In the poem The Night Before Christmas Santa Claus is mentioned how many
times? None
The word “mistletoe” derives from an Anglo-Saxon phrase meaning . . .
Dung on a twig
In the song The Twelve Days of Christmas, my true love brought me nine
what? Ladies dancing
What color are the berries of the mistletoe plant? White
During Charlie Brown’s psychiatric session with Lucy, he reveals that
he has pantaphobia. What is that? The fear of everything
According to Forbe’s magazine, if you were to buy all the gifts in The
Twelve Days of Christmas, how much money would you spend?
$114,651
January 2014
MdS News
January 2014
All in the family . . .
From Dorothy Hanson:
“Thank you for all the prayers, support and
genuine, “how are you doing?” as I’ve recovered from
hip surgery (August) and now face the challenges of
living with Myasthenia Gravis. You watched me
shrink and rise up again—God is good! Yes, I expect
I will return to Ethiopia, date unknown—only God
knows!
Please keep in your prayers . . .
Fran, Max, Jan, Dorothy, Kathleen, Bob
Per Capita
It’s that time of year again when you hear
that “per capita” is due. What is that? Well — the
Presbytery, the Synod and the General Assembly are
operated by the budget item called per capita. Each
member of the church is requested to pay a certain
amount each year to help keep the church working.
This year the figure is $31.00 per member. MdS will
pay a sum of that amount for each member on our
rolls. It would be greatly appreciated and it would
help our budget if each member would contribute this
amount.
Per capita payments may be mailed to the
church office or placed in the offering plate. Please
be sure you mark your check for “per capita.”
Donate Flowers for Worship
There are several dates available to donate
flowers for a Sunday worship
service. If interested, please
sign up on the flower chart
which is located on the kiosk or
call the church office. The cost
is only $50. Flowers may be
picked up after the worship
service or will be delivered to one of our home-bound
members.
1/01
1/03
1/04
1/05
1/08
1/08
1/09
1/09
1/11
1/13
1/13
1/14
1/14
1/15
1/16
1/16
1/17
1/17
1/18
1/18
1/21
1/24
1/27
1/27
1/27
1/28
1/29
1/29
1/30
1/30
1/31
Ken Crowl
Chloe Campbell Rapp
Bob Stanfill
Steven Rowe
Mandy Klassen
Ed Lindstrom
Amin Duncan Pope
Joshua Giroux
Megan Whittard
Zachary Rowe
Fletcher Zimpfer
Stephanie Heal
Kayla Whittard
Larry Langer
Kevin Welty
Zachary Zahradnik
Elsie Caudron
Chuck Seller
Jane McEwen
Kathy Sweeney
Christopher Zollars
Alia Duncan Pope
Jim Beal
Robert Elsaesser
William McKenna
Edward Moore
Craig Busskohl
Brian Osness
Maya Duncan Pope
Lois Fitzsimmons
Kyle McLemore
MdS News
January 2014
Quilting at MdS
Join the Peace by
Piece Quilters at their charity
sewing bee held monthly in
Mission Hall. Stop by for a
visit and see all the
volunteers creating comfort
quilts for seriously ill and
traumatized children in the
Phoenix area. The quilts are
distributed
throughout the community by
the non-profit organization AZ
Blankets 4 Kids.
The group will hold their
next sewing bee on Thursday,
January 2 from 10:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. A sewing machine is
helpful but not necessary, as
there are many other tasks to
do such as sorting, cutting,
pressing and tying quilts. Or—
just stop by around 2:00 p.m.
for a show and tell of all the quilts finished that
month. For more information about this group
and their efforts please visit
www.peacebypiecequilters.org or contact Lora
Riordan at [email protected]
Quilt Raffle
A generous gift
of a queen size quilt
made entirely of men’s
ties by the loving hands
of the Peace by Piece
Quilters has been given
to MdS. The Deacons
will be selling raffle
tickets for a chance to
win this quilt starting
at the Super Flea and
each Sunday morning
through March 2. The
winning ticket will be drawn at this year’s Shrove
Tuesday Pancake Supper on March 4.
Proceeds will benefit Deacon mission
projects.
MdS Annual Golf
Tournament
is Coming …
Mark your calendar
January 25, 2014
MdS’ annual golf outing is
scheduled for January 25 at Ironwood Golf
Club in Sun Lakes. We’ll have raffle
prizes, contests and fun for all.
Cost: $45 per player—includes
green fee, lunch and prizes. Non-players
can join us for lunch ($15 per person), at
11:00 a.m. Tee time is noon. This is a
perfect time to invite friends and guests
and introduce them to our MdS family.
Sign up on the patio Sunday
mornings or contact Tom Minor at 602-918
-2693 for more information.
Deacons News
Super Flea
The annual Super Flea is coming to Mission
Hall on Saturday, February 8. Set up will begin
after church on Sunday, February 2. We’ll need
plenty of help collecting and stacking chairs,
arranging tables and setting up the signage.
Sign up sheets to help with this huge event
will be posted in January.
In the meantime, start cleaning out those
closets and garages! We’ll begin accepting
donations on Monday morning, February 3.
Habitat for Humanity
The first build date for our Habitat
project this year is January 25 and we still
need more volunteers. Look for the sign up
sheet on the patio Sunday mornings or speak
to Paula Armenta or Bud Klassen.
Presbyterian Disaster
Assistance Program
The PDA assists with disasters in our
country and around the world. The June fire
in Yarnell took the lives of 19 young and
courageous firefighters from the Granite
Mountain hotshots and destroyed 129
residences and buildings. Assisting those
impacted in managing their grief and helping
them rebuild their community is an on-going
effort. The PDA is asking for volunteers to
help with the rebuilding. For more
information on how you can help, please speak
to Ed Spence.
This year the Deacons contributed
$2,500 to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Program to aid in the typhoon relief effort in
the Philippines.
January 2014
Come to the
Cabaret!
MdS Deacons
will sponsor a
Chocolate Festival on
Sunday, January 26.
Starting at noon
Mission Hall will
turn into a coffee
house where we will
have a cabaret of
musicians from the
Oh Yeah band and
Blues Mission
performing an array
of music while you
enjoy coffee and/or hot chocolate and
sample a variety of delectable treats to
find the prized chocolate.
Anyone interested in displaying
their culinary skills with chocolate
desserts for a good cause is invited to
submit their best treat to
be served and submitted
to be judged to find the
“glass slipper” of
chocolates. Email Geri
Ferneau at
[email protected]
to submit your favorite chocolate food
item.
Invite your
friends and families to
come and enjoy two
hours of music and
chocolate—does it get
any better than that?
Tickets will be on sale
Sunday mornings, January 12 and 19.
Cost: $10 per person, $5 for Jr. and Sr.
High students, or $25 per family. All
proceeds will benefit the MdS Montlure
Scholarship Fund.
Christian Education
WEEK DAY OPPORTUNITIES
WEDNESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
Are you looking for something to do midweek? Come join our Bible study/book group
that meets each Wednesday morning at 9:30 in
the Meet and Greet Room. Presently the group
is discussing the book Writing In the Sand:
Jesus, Spirituality, and the Soul of the Gospels
by Thomas Moore.
SUN LAKES BIBLE STUDY
This group meets the third Thursday of
each month in members’ homes. The next
meeting will be held at Irene Platt’s home on
January 16. Come at 9:45 a.m. for coffee; Bible
study begins at 10:00 a.m. This month’s topic is
“What’s Being Good, Good For?” (Adapted from
the Questions of Faith series).
THURSDAY EVENING FELLOWSHIP/STUDY
This group meets Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.
at the Hillside Spot Café in Ahwatukee. Come
for some lively discussions and study of the
book, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s
Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. The
discussion begins at 7:00 p.m., but many gather
earlier to order something to eat and enjoy
visiting on the patio. For more information
about the group please contact George
Prohaska at [email protected], Paige Murphy
Young at [email protected], or
Carolyn McBurney at [email protected]
January 2014
Cherub Club Reminder
On Communion Sundays (the first
Sunday of every month), children who
participate in Cherub Club will be
invited back into worship to celebrate the
Lord’s Supper with the congregation. We
believe it is important for children to be
involved in worship and this is a
tangible, participatory element that can
truly connect with children. Although
Miss Jane and Kellie will assist children
to find their families, we encourage you
to sit in aisle seats to make it easier for
your kids to find you when they enter the
sanctuary. If you have any questions,
please contact Kellie at
[email protected]
Vacation Bible School
Yes—this is a
summer program,
but we need your
help now. VBS is a
valuable experience
we can offer both
our own kids as
well as those in the
community. We are
looking for a leader
and/or co-leaders to facilitate this
program. Curriculum, training and
support is provided, but we do need
someone with a willingness to put plans
into action. If you are interested, please
speak to Kellie.
Christian Education
Our
preschool
through 3rd
graders use
the Holy Moly curriculum, interacting with the
Bible following the arc of the biblical narrative.
The children love watching the animated videos
of Bible stories each week that doesn’t use
narration—instead, visuals and sound effects
give the kids the opportunity to retell the story
in their own words. Following a time of
discussion and working with the Bible, they
have the opportunity to apply what they’ve
learned with visually stimulating activities and
crafts.
This month’s Holy Moly topics are:
January 2014
Our 4th—8th
graders are working
through the Connect
curriculum. Instead of just
looking and learning
individual Bible stories,
tweens/teens are beginning
to explore how overall themes and events
connect with the larger story of the Bible.
Students are encouraged to ask questions,
make connections and reflect, helping them to
make sense of the Bible. Videos using slapstick humor and solid theology is used to
engage students followed by lively discussions
and activities. In January we will finish our
fourth unit exploring Jesus: Early Life
(Matthew/Luke).
January 5
The Boy Teacher
Luke 2:41-50
Our 9th-12th
graders are
January 12
continuing to alternate
curriculums throughout
the year. Movie clips are
used to spark theological
and philosophical discussions, Tales of the
Talmud will be used to engage in deeper
conversations and Echo is used to interact with
the story of the Bible and how it makes sense
to both personal life as well as the larger world.
Journals are provided to help engage and
visually stimulate discussions.
The House on the Rock
Matthew 7:24-27
January 19
The Sower
Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23
January 26
The Mustard Seed
Mark 4:30-32
Feed My Starving Children
Kick off the new year with a family serving opportunity at
Feed My Starving Children on January 11 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Participants (ages 5+) will be bagging and packing boxes at the
Tempe facility to be distributed to hungry children across the
globe. We have limited spots available so please sign up in Sunday
School or email Kellie at [email protected]
Youth News
Youth Events
TNT (6th-8th Grades) and CIA (9th12th Grades) meet for games, discussions and
snacks with at least one other monthly
opportunity for either mission work or offcampus fun activities. Bring a friend and be
ready for fun! Both Sunday evening groups
meet from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 106 for
regular meetings.
January 2014
Thank you to our CIA
group for helping trim
trees on our campus.
TNT Meeting Schedule
January 12
Regular meeting, 6:00 p.m.
January 26
Chocolate Affair, 12:00 p.m.
CIA Meeting Schedule
Topics are based on You Tube Videos
and current music.
January 5
No Meeting
January 12
Dinner Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
January 18
The Rock and Worship Roadshow, 6:00 p.m.
January 19
No Meeting
January 26
Chocolate Affair, 12:00 p.m.
CIA shopping for Christmas gifts for the angel
tree project.
CIA Special Event:
The Rock and Worship
Roadshow
Come and join CIA for the Rock and
Worship Roadshow featuring MercyMe,
Jeremy Camp, Tedashii, Kutless, Familor
Force 5, Luminate, Adam Cappa, and more at
US Airways Center. Cost is $20; we will
carpool from MdS. Watch your email for more
details.
Santa visited MdS on December 15!
Our Mission: Mission del Sol Presbyterian Church (USA) is a faith community that receives, proclaims
and extends God’s love through word and deed, builds disciples through creative worship and exploration of
Biblical truth and fosters justice in all God’s creation.