www.lmpchurch.org

 

THE FORWARD LOOK

July 2010 (mailout edition)

BEN’S BIN      

It is so great to be back in America- the greatest country in the world!  In Israel an Israeli wears a machine gun from teenage years.   We were surprised when three Israelis with M-16s boarded our bus looking for terrorists.  In Israel there is a shrinking number of Christians (mostly Palestinian Christians), because Christians are persecuted as non-Jews (lumped together as Palestinians) by the Jews and persecuted by the Muslim majority as not being Muslim.  So Christian children have a hard time getting a great education, and have a hard time getting a good job and decent housing.  Bethlehem used to be 90% Christian, and now it is about 40% (National Geographic has a great article on this).   I am saying this, because, though people are growing in their criticism of Christians in our country, it is still possible to be free to worship God here. 
Every time I come back to America I appreciate that I do not have to worry about M-16s for our teens, or the persecution of people because they are Christian.   Freedom of Religion should not be taken lightly.  One of the last things we did was tour the Holocaust

Museum (Yad Vashim) which commemorates the 6 million Jews killed by the nazis and the persecution of many more.   I left their glad that they had made a museum there for them (there also is one in Washington D.C. and Germany).  But I also felt sad that there have been 40 million Christians killed (26 million last century), and there is no place to remember them.  But precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints (Ps. 72:14).  This July 4th let us celebrate the freedom we have to speak and to worship without fear.

PART TIME SUMMER STAFF HIRED

The Personnel Committee voted to hire Lorrie Watkins to help out our Christian Education program this summer.  Lorrie is a graduate of Presbyterian College (Christian Education), and has served Purity Presbyterian in Chester as their Director of Christian Education.  We are glad to have her aboard this summer as our Associate for Christian Education.  She will assist Jane and David in their work, and will head up the HUB ministries.

 

MINISTRY AT THE HUB- Lake Murray Presbyterian is sponsoring “Wednesdays at the HUB” in July.  It is a way for kids to get needed spiritual and physical nourishment.  Many of the kids who come are on free lunch, and do not have a way to get lunch in the summer when school is out (and summerschool is not in session).   We bring our VBS materials over and teach the children about Christ, have fun, and do crafts and play games.  We will meet 11:30- 1:00 each Wednesday in July.

 

GOoDWORKS BLITZ-
     The GOoDWorks Blitz youth and adults to sign up.  We need “whosoever will” come to come and make this work.  But we also need a few electricians carpenters site leaders; we need folks to donate snacks, to serve breakfast or lunch, donate water, pick up ice and deliver coolers, pick up and deliver supplies.   Work to be done will include painting, yard clean up, general repairs, roofing, sheet rocking, power washing (need some power washers), and need a few trucks and trailers. 
     Below is a picture or two of last year’s GOoDWorks Blitz:

 

July Nursery Volunteers

 

July 4- Anna Good, Alina Cuttino, Kristen Lamkin

July 11- Ginger Harris and Mary Ellen Lackey

July 18- Debbie Berry and Ann McCrary

July 25- Alyson and Carly Bouknight

July Children’s Church Volunteers

 

July 4- Lorrie Watkins and Tyler Sims

July 11- Elizabeth Teal and Belle Harrell

July 18- Anne Summers and Shelby Harrell

July 25- Molly and Emma Grace Sims

 

 

Galactic Blast “A Cosmic Adventure Praising God”

VBS 2010

 

July 19-22 (Monday-Thursday)

9 am- Noon

Ages 3 years as of 9/2009 through those who have completed 5th grade

Registration $5.00 per child or max of $10 per family

T-shirts are an additional $5.00

Please register by Wednesday, July 14th

Our VBS mission project is to fill the space ship with canned goods for WE CARE.

 

We still are in need of volunteers to shepherd groups from one station to another; volunteers to help with the preschool group; volunteers to help Dr. Roberts with music.  Youth, please give me a call if you can help that week.

 

Parents of Young Children

We have had our trip to Riverbanks Zoo in June.  We are planning a trip to Monkey Joe’s in Lexington in July.  Watch for further information. If you have any other ideas for a morning or afternoon out, please see me or call at 345.1152.

 

Preschool Summer Mini-Camps

We have had two very successful weeks of camp in June.  Our next camps are July 27-29 and August 3-5.  Camp is open to children 12 months through rising 1st graders.  Registration forms are on the counter

outside fellowship hall or you can call me at 345.1152.

Mandy’s Movin and Groovin

             The exercise classes will be up and running again starting August 2 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 am and Tuesday nights at 7:00.  This will be the time to get back into the swing of things. 

                 There will be a rafting trip on July 31st at the Nantahala Rive with Ryan McCrary.  Pick up a form outside the Fellowship Hall if you’re interested and bring it by the church office.  

                 We are having an all church retreat at Epworth by the sea on February 18-20, 2011.  The prices for the entire weekend including meals and tax are as follows:  Single $272.04,  Double $183.44,  Triple $167.52,  Quad $151.62. Mark these dates on your calendar and let

me know if you’re interested in going.  We have a reservation for fifty people but we need to know about how many people are interested. 

More details will follow after I know how many people are interested.

 

To my wonderful Lake Murray Church Family,

How can I find the right words to thank you during my recent hospital stay and recovery time. Thank you from the bottom of my

heart for all the cards, calls, food for my family, and especially for your prayers.  God is great and I am a living testimony that miracles can happen with the power of prayer.  God wasn't through with me on this earth yet.  If I can ever do anything for any of you please don't hesitate to ask me.  I owe you all so much.  Thank you again for everything.

With all my love,  Mandy McCathern

 

Bo’s Bay

Coming to LMPC - Fall 2010  The Last Days - The Passion & Resurrection!

[A Disciple Bible Study]   A look at Jesus' last journey to Jerusalem.  This is a small group Bible study (5 different meeting times). 

You may register by purchasing a book in the church office.

 

“Have a Little Faith: A True Story”  by Mitch Albom ~  “Have a little Faith is Albom’s first nonfiction book since his best seller, “Tuesdays with Morrie”.  The book is about his experiences with an African-American church in the inner-city with a hole in its roof, and 

a suburban synagogue led by an elderly Rabbi. Moving between their worlds, Christian and Jewish, African-American and white,

impoverished and well-to-do, Albom observes how these very different men employ faith similarly in fighting for survival.  One of the many interesting questions raised is: “What if our beliefs were not what divided us, but what pulled us together?”

 

A five week study, Sundays, July 25 – August 22nd    ~  Register by purchasing the book for $ 13.

 

 

 If you have a pastoral emergency and the office is closed, please call Ben Sloan at 727.3476, Bo Stalcup at 727.7451 or Pat Griffin at  586.9569.  If you cannot reach the minister, please contact the Elder-on-call.  Church Office Hours: Monday—Friday  8:00 am- 4:30 pm.

 

Elder-on-Call  Each week an active Elder and Deacon are on call.  In the case of hospitalization or death, they will be in touch with

you and your family.  This is just one way that we want to reach out and care for our members.

 

Elder on Call the week of:   Deacon on Call week of:

June 27                Lovic Brooks                    345.1950 June 27             Clare McGill 422.4497

July 4                   Lois Cathcart                    345.2190 July 4             Mike Murrell 407.4007

July 11                 Dede Elmore                    345.4065                              July 11          Lisa Cloyd 345.9714

July 18                 Mary Lovelace                 413.0669         July 18              Anne Cruz 932.4941

July 25                 Smyth McCrady               920.4430          July 25             Melissa Hattaway 407.0346

Prayer Request

 

*Brenda Shattuck; Howard Nickles, father of *Jean Atkins; *Darlene Dillard;

O.B. Ayers, brother in law of *Glenna Rowland; *Gerald Meetze and family upon the loss of his father Baker Meetze; Jerry Shealy; Ron Shive;  Janet Harris, cousin of  *Sally Harrell;  Lisa & Lauren Blanchette,:  Luther Shealy Meetze; *Jan Overstreet upon the loss of his sister Lee Overstreet; Carey Leverett, *Jonathan Leverett’s Father; 

Bob Greve, father of *Jane Jermac; *Cynthia Morrow; Carol Ann Norris, sister in-law

of *Deborah Cox; Rosemary Wright, mother or *Mary Margaret Thomas;  Ann Wallace; *Travis Davidson; Arnold Stancil, brother in law of *Kathleen Taylor; *Ann Webb; Cindy Johnson; *Bunny Williams upon the loss of her mother Lennie Evett; David

Emerson, father of Nancy Emerson;  Peggy Dewey, sister of Walt Rucker;  Alice Horein, *Eileen Rickman’s mother; Linda Wilson, friend of the *Runges and the *Harrell

families;  *Buddy Harley; Mary Sue McElveen, mother of *Susan Powell; Judy Johnson, *Bob Johnson’s sister in-law and Mark Johnson’s mother; Erma Grooms, mother of *Ann Nichols; *Ruth Palassis; Lee Coker Riser; *Betty Algar; David Husband, grandson of *Dan and *Charlene Morgan; Henrietta Heape; *Ruth Timmons; *Carl Scott; *Daniel White; *Alyssa Mott; and friends and family members serving in the military.   (*members)

 

 

Finance Committee Report

Our church, like all others, historically experiences a drop in weekly offerings during the summer months because of travel, etc.  Knowing this trend, the Session and its committees have minimized expenditures to the extent possible while doing their best to continue with minimal needs.  However, as the table shows, we are experiencing major shortfalls in revenue to date (short by nearly $82,000) and, despite expenditure cuts,

expenses to date exceed actual receipts by nearly $35,000.  This shortfall is putting a severe strain on our operating cash balance.  Thus, with another two months of summer ahead of us, the committee urges all members to strive to bring their general fund giving current so we can emerge from the slow summer months in as strong a financial position as possible.  Remember that pledges and other donations may be made online when you are away through the website at lmpchurch.org.

Year To Date Church financial Information

                                                   

                                                           Year to Date Through June 29, 2010

                                                                        2010 Budget      YTD Budget      YTD Actual

Income                                                                $860,755             $430,378          $348,879

Expenses                                                                                                   

 Administrative                                                      43,400                  22,015

 Property                                                             263,162               127,172

 Missions & Outreach                                            66,043                   7,180

 Worship                                                                  7,250                  2,147

 Personnel                                                           453,000                211,724

 Other Committees                                               27,900                    13,553

 

  Total Expenses to Date                                                                  $383,793

 

Revenue Less Expenditures                                                          -$34,914

 

Loan Balances as of 6-29-10:

Sanctuary Mortgage                                                  $455,606

Columbarium/Celebration Garden Loan                    $204,004