Echoes of DHPC | December 2014 - January 2015

December 2014 / January 2015

Desert Hills Presbyterian Church

Echoes

A CHILD IS BORN 34605 North Tom Darlington Drive P.O. Box 874 Carefree AZ 85377 480-488-3384

Echoes

December 2014 / January 2015

IN THIS ISSUE:

03 04 04 04 04 04

Pastor's Message Sanctuary Flowers

05 New Staff 06 C an You See God at Work

New Parents / Grandparents Community Bible Study Divine Stitcherhood Music & Arts Festival

in the World Around You?

08 08 08

Worship Schedule Chronicles of Suburbia

09 10 12 15 16

Advent Sundays From the Congregational Nurse I Love to Tell the Story Soldier Ride Dashboard

Christmas Eve Services

FEELING SOCIAL? Be sure to “like” Desert Hills Presbyterian Church on Facebook! Simply go to the DHPC website: www.deserthills.org and click the Facebook icon.

You may also type “Desert Hills Presbyterian Church” in the search bar on Facebook. We have security set so that “tagging” of photos is not permitted, so check out the page and enjoy the photos and information about your church family.

Echoes is published every other month by and for the congregation of Desert Hills Presbyterian Church in Carefree, Arizona. If you have received this publication by mistake or you would like to no longer subscribe to the magazine, simply call the DHPC office at 480-488-3384 or write to admin@ deserthills.org.

The lead time for the publication is four weeks before the first month displayed on the cover. For the February - March issue, deadline for submissions is January 10.

Contributions from any and all DHPC members are always welcome! Simply e-mail your documents and pictures to

2

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

editor@deserthills.org or drop them off at the church office.

The Echoes staff welcomes any and all feedback. If you would like to submit any questions, concerns or comments about the contents of this publication, please send them to editor@deserthills.org or drop them by the church office and we’ll make sure they are read and addressed as promptly as possible. Please allow 2-4 weeks for any necessary replies.

If you have been blessed with the ability to write or take pictures and feel called to use your talents to serve the Lord, Echoes would love to have you be part of our editorial team! Just call Patrick McAvoy at 602-549-7217 or write us at editor@deserthills.org.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

Pastor’s Message Jim Noble, Senior Pastor

jnoble@deserthills.org 480-488-3384

Fear Not! God did more than interrupt lives at Christmas; He

the normal routines after the celebration. Christmas

forever changed them. Mary was the first to give

calls us to surrender and lose our lives to the Lord.

her life to Christ when she said to the angel, “I am

The change produced is radical. It’s permanent.

the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

And there is no going back.

(Lk. 1:38) Mary conceived and gave birth to a son.

Are you ready? The angels are still proclaiming, “Do

There was no going back.

not be afraid.”

Joseph was next to respond to what the Lord was doing. At first he hesitated then accepted “what the

Peace in Christ,

Lord commanded him and he took Mary home as

Jim

his wife.” (Mt. 1:24) This was no small or incremental change, but a complete surrender. It was radical and permanent.

No wonder the angels always began the Christmas message with, “Fear not.” They know that we humans often fear change, especially change that means one can never go back to the way things were. The change is not something we can control or even manage; it comes from the presence and work of the Lord. Emmanuel! God is with us!

This is the Christmas that we are preparing to celebrate. We are going to bring it into our homes and church, our schools and places of work. But where are the warning labels? Christmas is not safe for those who want to maintain their lives or go back to

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

3

NEWS & NOTES SANCTUARY FLOWERS SIGNUP IN THE NARTHEX The flower chart for 2015 is now posted in the narthex. The cost of the flowers remains at $35 per arrangement.

We request just one arrangement per Sunday, and if your preferred date is not available, please select an alternative. Remember to indicate “flowers” in the memo section of your check.

Wednesday mornings. January 7 begins our in-depth study of the book of Esther.

For more information or to register, call Rolene Dinsdale at 480-4880409 or Amy Woods at 480-2133677.

New members are welcome at any time! Pre-registration is appreciated.

We would like to celebrate the wonderful arrival of your new little one. Please contact Donna in the church office with the information and we will place a rose in the sanctuary and in the church bulletin.

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS January is the perfect time to join Community Bible Study as we continue our journey with God in this year’s study of Israel’s return from Babylonian exile. You’ll be inspired by examples of some of God’s chosen people and see the big picture of God’s work in history.

Join 75 men and women of all levels of Bible knowledge for this time of study, small group discussion, teaching and fellowship 9:30-11:30

4

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL – FEBRUARY 20 & 21, 2015 Be sure to save the dates for the Music and Arts Festival! We will begin to register for the Festival at the end of January, so watch for more details!

There will be something for all ages and interests. This year we will have the following workshops (and may add more!):

BECOMING A NEW PARENT OR GRANDPARENT?

The cost of the rose is $10 and you may take the rose home after the service.

We meet every Wednesday from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the Lounge in Fellowship Center. See Meg Gowin or Diane Hillwig for more info.

• Music Just 4 Kids! - Carol Young • Fabulous Appetizers – Judie Preston • Can You Hear Me Now? – Larry Soughan

THE DIVINE STITCHERHOOD

• Drawing – Ron Carson and Joe Gilleland

The ladies of “The Divine Stitcherhood” worked together to create washcloths for Operation Shoe Box. We enjoyed creating useful items from pretty yarn, and sent off a bunch of them in October for packing for this Christmas season.

We will continue to knit or crochet them on occasion as the year goes by.

• Origami – Teri Ferro • Photography – Teri Ferro and Linda Covey • Arm Knitting – Binka Schwan • Stamping Cards – Sue Gilleland • Quilting – Vicky Crowe and Mary Denaro • Guitar - Karin Thomas

If you would like to participate in The Divine Stitcherhood, bring whatever kind of project you are currently creating and join the conversation and fellowship.

Some ladies knit, crochet, cross stitch, embroider, or whatever! If you would like to learn to knit or crochet, we will do our best to help you learn.

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

DHPC WELCOMES NEW STAFF Kitty Moore - Accountant

Tony Ventura - Property Manager

We are so happy to welcome Kitty Moore to Desert Hills as our accountant. Kitty, also known as Kat, was born Catherine Becker. Her dad was in the Navy so her childhood was lived wherever the Navy sent the family. They moved to Tempe when her Dad enrolled at ASU on the G I Bill in 1973.

Tony Ventura, a single man of Italian heritage, was born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, New York. His educational background is in music and business accounting at NYU. Tony served in the Air Force in a special RISK unit setting up emergency bases in war zones for wounded US fighting forces. He enjoyed singing in the Air Force Choir. He is very proud of his son, Daniel, who is currently in the military. Daniel won a Double Combat Medal of Valor for two years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tony’s daughter, Antoinette, lives in Peoria with her two children, and is a bookkeeper for Costco.

Kitty attended Junior High and High School in Tempe, then Grand Canyon University, where she earned BS and MBA degrees. She is married and has three stepchildren.

Kitty was raised in the Methodist Church and her grandfather was a Methodist pastor. When she was 12 years old a friend invited her to a Nazarene Church camp where she made her personal commitment to Jesus Christ. She attended Grace Community Church in Tempe for many years and later worked with Pastor Guy Davidson, founder of Grace Community. From there she attended and worked at a Messianic Congregation where she came to a deeper understanding of Jesus as our Hebrew Messiah.

In his spare time Tony loves to sing and play his guitar and enjoys target shooting. He is very much involved in flying for fun and also loves to teach remote control flying.

Tony leads a family life ministry where he mentors six men over a long period of time. He feels that he is really blessed to have the opportunity to work at DHPC and sees it not as a job, but as a unique ministry.

Kitty enjoys sewing and gardening at home, and she and her husband love watersports and snowmobiling in season.

Kitty looks forward to meeting and making new friends here at Desert Hills Church.

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

5

Can you see God at work in the world around you?

At this time of year when we are thinking about all that we are thankful for and anticipating the miracle of Christmas, it seems a good time to write this article which has been on my heart for two years. It deals with how to recognize God at work in the world around you.

Several years ago our church Session focused on reporting "God Sightings" by members in editions of Echoes. I had some difficulty understanding and recognizing what a "God sighting" was. I thought someone else might have this problem, too; thus, this article.

Being a student of human behavior and a coach/trainer in practical effective workplace behaviors, I analyzed how this process worked for me. First, I renamed the phenomenon "God at work," so I could relate to it. It required belief and faith. It required my valuing the spiritual more than the material world and defining what constituted evidence of God at work around me. I began noticing coincidences and nudges by the Holy Spirit to do or say something to encourage, lift up, or help

6

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

others. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." [Jeremiah 29:13] What emerged was the belief that there are no consequences or good luck and an acknowledgement that God is at work in the kindnesses of others.

Another revelation that seems so simple now came from Matthew 6:10 of the Lord's Prayer, "... your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, ..." God meant His work was to be accomplished through each believer!

As my observation skills improved, I was more open to the possibility of no coincidences, and I began to see my world differently. The following are examples of my discovery.

Two years ago my daughter-in-law was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, requiring chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and radiation. A breast cancer survivor myself, I offered to help them navigate the medical system for care and services. I asked our congregation to pray for her, and God answered in so

•

many ways! There was an outpouring of love and concern expressed for Sherri that warmed her heart.

Doors opened and good doctors in needed specialties provided appointments. Services and people became available for education and to help navigate the journey. With Bob's emotional and financial support, I was able to travel often to VA to help in physical ways, as well as comforting and spiritual. After a difficult two years, Sherri is doing well.

Last year I embarked on the Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure because I felt compelled to raise money for cancer research, to support Sherri and others who were dealing with cancer, and for those who had lost the battle. Committing to the walk was scary on two levels -- physical (55 miles in 3 days) and financial ($2,300). I prayed for direction, and when our church family and friends raised the $2,300 in just 11 days, there was no turning back then; so I trusted in the Lord to make it happen! What a tangible sign of God at work!! He gave me the endurance, energy, and strength required to complete that walk.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

Stephen Ministry THE BEST EXPRESSION OF LOVE IS TIME

The challenges did not end there, of course. This fall I was diagnosed with breast cancer again after 14 years. Now signs of God at work are more obvious to me. For example, on many days the daily devotions seem directed at my personal needs to reassure and comfort me. Again, our church family has responded with love and support. I have an excellent medical team, and God has taken away my fear of chemo and instilled a sense of peace and comfort.

Your journey of discovering God at work has probably been different. To summarize my journey, it involved the following:

God gives us challenging times to build our endurance and trust, to purify our heats, and to mold us into the potential He knows we have. Peter's experiences with the Lord are great examples. The Lord saw Peter's potential and needed a servant-leader to guide believers after His return to heaven. Peter was reprimanded and corrected by the Lord, often at times in front of peers. He humiliated himself as witnessed by a group of strangers when he denied Christ three times.

The Lord transformed Peter from an impulsive know-it-all to a more humble, greater man for the role He intended for him.

• Acknowledging nudges by the Holy Spirit .

• Renaming the phenomenon to God at work in the world.

• Belief and faith.

• Valuing the spiritual more than the material world.

• Defining what constitutes evidence of God at work around me.

• Noticing coincidences.

• Accepting an emerging belief that there are no coincidences or good luck.

• Acknowledging that God works within and through each one of us.

My prayer is that you will find this helpful if you need to know that you have a loving heavenly Father within and beside you always.

Time is our most precious gift because we only have a set amount of it. We can make more money, but we can’t make more time. When we give someone our time, we are giving them a portion of our life that we’ll never get back.

Our time is our life. That is why the greatest gift we can give someone is our time. It is not enough to just to say relationships are important.

We must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless.

Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is “T-I-M-E.” The essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others, but how much we give of ourselves- our ears, our eyes, our time, our attention, our presence, our focus.

Love concentrates so intently on another that we forget ourselves at that moment. Whenever we give our time, we are making a sacrifice, and sacrifice is the essence of love. Jesus modeled it for us all.

The best use of life is Love. The best expression of love is Time. The best time to love is Now.

Your sister in Christ,

Barbara Conti

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

7

OUR WORSHIP SCHEDULE DURING ADVENT WILL REMAIN THE SAME: • 8:30 a.m. - Traditional Service in the Sanctuary • 9:45 a.m. - Traditional Service in the Sanctuary • 11:00 a.m. - Praise Service in the Fellowship Center

THE CHRONICLES OF SUBURBIA: DECEMBER 7TH AT 6:30 PM A Christmas Musical in DHPC’s Fellowship Center!

December 7th at 6:30 pm

Christmas Eve

Services

We will be having three services for Christmas Eve: • 5:00 p.m. - Family Service • 7:00 p.m. - Service with Communion • 9:00 p.m. - Traditional Service All services will be held in the Sanctuary.

Three kids, attracted to a pine branch in their closet, wander into a magical adventure and learn what Christmas is really all about. Presented by kids from our community, grades K-12.

Dessert following! Reserve your seats by calling 480488-3384.

8

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

ADVENT SUNDAYS ARE HERE In December, we will begin our celebration of the Advent Season. Please join us as we worship the most miraculous time in history - The Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

• On November 30 - We will light the first candle of Advent - the Candle of Hope. As we light this candle, we pray that God’s hope will dawn in us, and shine through our lives until our Lord returns.

• December 7 - The second Sunday in Advent we light the Candle of Peace.

May the light of Christ’s Peace burn brightly in our lives.

• December 14 - The third candle we light in Advent is the Candle of Joy. We welcome the good news of Advent with Joy and join our hearts in proclaiming Joy to the World.

• December 21 - The fourth candle in the Advent wreath is the Candle of Love.

For God so loved the world that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ.

• December 24 - Christmas Eve service we will light the Christ Candle. It is Jesus Christ alone who brings salvation to the World.

Through Him we are filled with HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE.

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

9

from the

Congregational Nurse

Mary Kay Thurston, RN FCN

Congregational Nurse for DHPC

share your “presence” with others, reduce your stress, and create meaningful traditions that demonstrate God’s love.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

“And we have received God’s Spirit so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” 1 Corinthians 2:12 NLT

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” James 1:17 NIV

Everyone likes to give gifts at Christmas because it feels good to make dreams come true but remember to give responsibly and within your means.

Before you get caught up with your Christmas tasks, lists, and expectations, put them into perspective. Ask yourself what you should be celebrating: the hectic, stress-laden, financially burdened holiday season, or “the gift of peace and hope.”

Even though God gives us all we need for a healthy, happy life, we tend to disturb it by “spending” and “observing” the holiday on human terms. Look at the holiday traps that take up your time. Categorize your holiday tasks as “need to do,” “should do,” “want to do,” and “expected to do.” Which ones really address the Christmas spirit? Prioritize all of your activities. By weeding out those that distract you from the true meaning of Christmas, you will find less stress and more enjoyment from your choices.

Advent is a time for hope, peace, joy, and love, not mounds of gifts, chaotic rounds of parties, or copious amounts of food. Consider what has real meaning for you. Is it the Christmas story you heard as a child or its impact on you as an adult?

Think about the music of the holiday and how a beautiful rendition of “Joy to the World” or a quiet performance of “Silent Night” displays love and peace in a harried world. Don’t let commercialism or stress overshadow the gifts of love and sharing that you offer your loved ones. Remember the Spirit of Christmas,

10

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

“Be sure to give to the Lord the best portions of the gifts given to you.” Numbers 18:29 NLT The holidays are times of joy but also times of change.

Children grow into adults with lives of their own.

Families lose loved ones to death through illness, old age, or accidents. Young adults marry and move away from home, changing the comfortable family traditions of their youth.

Your gift to your family is providing loving presence during the changes in your family’s life, and helping them develop new traditions and relationships that incorporate the changes that have occurred. This season, remember the best gift you can give is yourself – be loving, be supportive, be present.

Starting the New Year What are you going to do for your health this New Year? Are you going to keep all of your old habits and ignore healthier ones? For example have you considered limiting your meals at fast-food restaurants? Can you develop healthier choices at the grocery store?

Will you improve your exercise habits by walking or joining a health club? Have you considered the health benefits of practicing self-care and a well-balanced lifestyle? Any and all of these will guide you to a healthier life.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

Many of us take the first step of making the promise to change our behavior or habits but find it difficult to take the actual steps and then follow through on the lifestyle change. To be successful when making the commitment to alter behavior you need to have dedication, strategy, and action. You must have a “plan” and begin to follow it.

We take our cars in for checkups and regular maintenance so why don’t you do the same for your body?

God gave you one body and the responsibility of keeping it healthy and strong. It is up to you to watch over it and pay attention to signs that you need a checkup.

The New Year is a good time to look at your life and determine what you need to change or improve. Start the year by considering your health. Follow good health tips from your medical provider and health education instructors to see how you can become healthy, prevent disease, or minimize complications to your current health. Focusing on the future and a wellbalanced life will help you participate more fully in the love and joy of your family.

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

If you have a lump in your breast, a mole that changes shape or color, sudden shortness of breath, or stools that are not usual, don’t wait. Visit your doctor and have the appropriate screenings to find the problem and the right treatment. The longer you wait, the more advanced a situation or disease will become and the harder it will be to deal with it.

Let us make the New Year a year of good and improved health physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

May God shower His blessings on you in 2015.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

11

Irresistible Grace - Eric's Story Early Life I was born into a lower middle class Jewish family. My father was from an Orthodox Jewish background (which he thoroughly rejected) and my mother from a more modern liberal one. My Jewish upbringing was very confused, with my parents being quite insistent that I have a proper Jewish education even though they did almost nothing in the way of home observance.

With no home support, they sent me to a very strict Hebrew after-school program. I was a very bright hyper active kid, precocious in many ways – it was hard enough to sit still in school every day let alone sitting through two more hours of Hebrew school three times a week! It was not a good start; I never really felt that I was a part of the “tribe”, remaining fairly aloof and frankly, mistrustful. I nevertheless somehow was strongly self-identified as Jewish Oddly enough, my best religious memories from childhood were of Christmas – I got lots of presents that day, which I think my mother considered “American” rather than Christian. She even used to join us sometimes when I would go Christmas caroling with the high school choir. I was involved in a lot of music.

I went to summer music camps where we often sang spiritual, gospel and classical Christian music which I loved, though with a sense of unease, like I wasn’t “supposed” to like it.

kind of Jewish involvement for his sake. We joined a very liberal reformed synagogue, but after my first wife and I separated, I found there was no real connection and stopped going.

Then, I met and married my second wife. She was (and is) very much into Jewish life and culture and I got more into the details of how to live a Jewish life. It was interesting and complex and fun to learn, but the more involved I got, the more I realized that there were major problems. For my own spirit it was increasingly unsatisfactory, seeming to me more about politics and social programs than it was about God. And somehow God started to become more important in my life.

I was asked once by the synagogue to talk about my idea of God. I realized that I really needed to sit down and start thinking about it and I did. I came to the conclusion that we can’t exist without Him and if He doesn’t exist, we better invent him! That really changed me.

After that, the relationship with Him and His presence became more and more important. Later I became aware that a certain Person was injecting himself into my life in surprising, random ways. Without even knowing much about Him, I felt a growing affection for Him. I’d look out the window and He’d be there (in a figurative way), saying, “Hi, Bud." I would think, "OK, I like You. You're a good guy. But, I’m Jewish, so what are you trying to tell me?"

I also discovered Bach as a 13 year old, not realizing until years later what a powerful servant of the Lord he was. None of this made me a Christian, but memories of religious involvement on the Christian side are awfully nice – I’m quite certain the Holy Spirit was at work there.

Later on As I got older, I drifted away from Judaism completely.

I didn’t have any real involvement with it again until I had my son and we decided we should have some

12

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

There were many other coincidences. My son's mom sent him to school at Saint John the Divine in New York City. It was a secular school, but a lot of time was spent in the Cathedral. When I went in, I’d say to myself, “Wow, I love to be in this place." It was so different from the feeling I got when I was in the synagogue.

For quite a number of years I was with the Civil Air Patrol. One day I called a particular squadron commander and at the end of her phone message I heard, "Thank you for calling and may our Lord Jesus Christ bless your day." I said to myself, “Wait a minute. Did she just say that on the Civil Air Patrol phone? That's too weird!" Several years later, when I called again, I knew something was up because this time I had a completely different reaction when I heard the message – I felt warm and blessed!

I used to take the train once a week to see a client. On and off I would see a little guy from the islands walking up and down the train station saying, "Good news! Jesus love you!" I’d seen him for years and smirked, but one day, it just struck me that he was right. It didn't make me a Christian, but did shake me up a bit.

In 2006 we began looking for a house in the area. After looking at lots of places we landed in a house right across the street from Jim Noble, which I know wasn’t an accident. There were four strong Christian families in the cul-de-sac and a lot of good energy there – I felt a “shine” that was unmistakable. I learned later that Jim was a pastor and though not sure exactly what he did, was very drawn to him. When Jim and Rhonda's daughter, Jessica, miraculously survived a serious car accident it really affected me. I thought, "This is God's miracle." It was very powerful and continued to pile up

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

fuel for a fire not quite ready to ignite. I even told my wife, “If this were a different life, I think I’d be a Christian."

New Life Then on a quiet night in early 2009 when my wife was out of town, I decided to go and get a movie. I was looking at all the car chases, cops and exploding heads and thought, "I'm really not in the mood for that."

Then, I saw this movie Fireproof: firemen and relationships, "Hmmm, this should be OK." Well honestly, the acting and directing in the beginning weren’t so good, and a little way in I realized "It's a Christian movie!" I picked up the remote to turn it off and something said to me, "This is about the 15th different coincidence involving me and Jesus and Christians. What’s going on here? Maybe you should just hear what the movie has to say." I put the remote down and watched. The movie laid out the Gospel in broad strokes and by the time it was over something had happened to me. I can’t describe it. It was like a flash. "Oh! Oh! Oh! The Bible makes sense. God is really real. My life has meaning. All the stuff that had been happening suddenly snapped together into a picture. I was overwhelmed at the idea that I could be redeemed, that all that I have done was completely forgiven. It was not just that He loves everyone, but that His love, His care, His interest are specifically for each of us as individuals!

The Holy Spirit had been working on me all along, but when the Gospel was actually delineated in the movie, that set the match to the fuel. It was all there waiting, then bang, "I know it’s right. He’s here. He's real. He wants me." Faith comes by hearing and understanding the Gospel. That's why it's so important to spread

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

13

the word because without that clear message you end up with general revelation which is not sufficient to show you God's plan and his intentions specifically for you.

Changed Life What are some of the changes you have seen? What are some of your new understandings?

• Forgiveness There's the sense of knowing that everything is OK, knowing that I am forgiven. I still struggle with sin (seriously), but the difference is now I have the ability to struggle and when I fall I can have a fresh start. It’s not my strength. It's His strength. I look back and see He's done a lot. I’m really different than I was.

Is there a spiritual truth you have learned in your Christian walk so far that you would like to share?

Sometimes, when it’s hard to feel and to know that God loves us and is looking after our lives, we need to realize that our lives are part of something much larger and much more important than we can even see.

Things may not always be good, yet Jesus has gathered all of us under his wing and it’s OK. It’s great to know that we are forgiven and can be forgiven on an ongoing basis. Even though we keep falling, we keep getting back up and moving forward. Look to Him. Make room for Him. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He’s walking with you all the time.

• Peace There's a clarity about why the world is the way it is. It’s hard sometimes. Yet, I know that there is a reason. It’s calming to know I'm not in charge of my life. He’s in charge. There is a purpose. When things happen and I don’t know how it’s going to work out I remember Joseph who said, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." That understanding is very strong and very helpful.

• Belonging B eing in this community has been such an amazing, wonderful experience. When I first came to church, I felt like I had been there all along. Of all things, here’s this Jewish guy from New York who you'd imagine might really stick out, yet I never had the slightest sense of anything other than just being loved. I’ve met so many good people and all the relationships are three way with Jesus in every one.

His presence is transformative. I go to the men's Bible study group. What a great bunch of guys, all so different and yet all pulling together in the love of Him. Knowing all these brothers and sisters has been so uplifting and fulfilling it defies words. What a great gift, what a blessing this church has been.

14

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

SOLDIER RIDE 2014 - A BIG SUCCESS! Desert Hills hosted approximately 55 Wounded Warriors and their entourage on Saturday, October 25th for the Carefree Soldier Ride, 2014.

The participants particularly appreciated flags made by our Sunday School classes, conveying their thanks for our freedom and for the soldiers' sacrifices! One rider was so touched by the children’s sentiments that he quietly asked if he could have one, to frame and hang in his home. Thank you to the children, and to Kathleen Harris for leading them in this project.

The Warriors deemed their day a huge success, finishing the race in great time and condition, as a happy, fit and appreciative group. The race began on schedule at 9 a.m. and proceeded through Carefree, Legend Trails, and winding through North Scottsdale to finish at Desert Hills. Pictures of the ride can be seen on the church’s Facebook page.

The Troop Care Ministry wishes to also thank:

The men and women in the ride, as well as the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) staff, verbalized their appreciation for our community and our church, saying they "loved us" and that the Carefree Ride was the best of all the rides!

They especially thanked all those citizens who made time on their Saturday mornings to come out and line the streets as they passed, waving flags, and calling out their support to the Wounded Warriors, thanking them for their service and sacrifices given for our country! Both riders and staff were sincerely thankful and deeply touched, and WWP presented our church with a framed “thank you” which will hang in the Fellowship Center Hall.

D E S E RT H I L L S

Echoes

•

• Every member of our congregation and their neighbors who decorated, waved, or supported the race along the route • The Parish Shepherds who spread the word to those living along the route, so news release articles could be submitted into their HOA newsletters, and emailed throughout their neighborhoods • All those who took the time to spread the word by placing posters throughout the community before the event • The volunteers who helped with hospitality alongside the troop care ministry team: Sara Ray, Al Sebransky, Nancy Taylor, Shelley Coleman, Bob Torcolini, and Brian and Mary Dailey.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | J A N U A RY 2 0 1 5

15

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid PAID Cave Creek, AZ Permit No. 9

34605 North Tom Darlington Drive P.O. Box 874 Carefree AZ 85377 480-488-3384

or current resident

CHURCH DASHBOARD