PINNACLE
Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole
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Quarterly Newsletter I VolUME no 2 WINTER 2019
we are made In the image of community
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O Come, O Come Immanuel
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Q&A Interview
Ally Kiefer
to be a c o m m u n i t y , Rooted in Christ, reaching out in love
Table of Contents Volume NO 2 I winter 2019
community
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PINNACLE The Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole's mission is to be a community, rooted in Christ, reaching out in love. The Winter 2018 edition of the Pinnacle focuses on the theme of community. Sharing life together in authentic community as brothers and sisters in the Lord is a vital aspect of our church living out its vision to see lives being transformed in Jesus Christ.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. u Hebrews 10:25
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we are made n the image of community
Q & A interview Ally Kiefer
~ Liz Collins
~ Re v Tammy Mitchell
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~ Rev Ben Pascal breathing god's name
~ Kenny Hadden
when it comes to certain things
~ Addie Pascal
ON THE cover: A glimpse of Heaven gathered in the PCJH dalquist chapel—our intergenerational community IN CHRIST. Photo: Beth Ricciardi
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O Come, O Come Immanuel
love your neighbor
~ Dylan Wade
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DECEMBER 9~ 12 ~ 21 ~ 24 ~
calendar
@pcjh.org/events
16th
Christmas Cantata
Christmas
Annual Women’s Luncheon
Pageant
Christmas Caroling PCJH neighborhood. All welcome!
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10:15pm
Christmas Eve Services 4:30pm & 6:15pm
JANUARY 6~ 9~
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Ordination/Installation of PCJH Elders and Deacons Community Dinners, After-School Adventures resume
Belong Class
FEBRUARY 10 ~ 17 ~
Congregational Meeting
Gondola Service @JHMR
20th ~
Gondola Service @JHMR
06th
first cross country ski
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after 10:15 service
24th Bluegrass Sunday, during the 10:15 Service. All are Welcome!
youth Ministry
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4-5:30pm, middle school Sundays youth group Thursdays pcjh.org
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Parents Night Out! 5:30-8:00 pm
7:45-8:30am, breakfast club high school group meetings
Young Adult Ministry Wednesday
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7pm, ASCENT 20s & 30s
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We are Made in the Image of Community
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We are made for community. Community is part of our spiritual DNA.
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~ Rev Ben Pascal
everal years ago Addie and I were having dinner with one of our friends, who was an atheist. We were talking about the various ways in which we lived our life in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ and he leaned over to his wife and said, “That’s what we need! We need community.” I smiled because he was revealing a great truth about who we are as human beings. We are made for community and we need community. In fact, I would go as far as to say we are made in the image of community. Let me explain. At the very beginning of the Bible, in Genesis chapter one, we learn the wonderful news that God created humans in God’s image, both male and female God created us. We are created in the image of God!
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…
Kate Kool with her daughter Marley, enjoying this year's Wednesday Thanksgiving community dinner. Helping hands of Jessica Miller. PHOTO: Beth Ricciardi
u Genesis 1:26
Did you see the plural pronouns used in this important verse of the Bible? I’ll use bold italics to emphasize this great mystery. “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…’ ” Many theologians point to this passage in Scripture as the very first revelation of the Trinity. We learn more about the Trinity in the New Testament as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity is shared by all Christians across the world and across denominations. Have you ever considered the implication that we are made in the image of the Triune God? What does that mean? It means that at the very core of God’s ontological being is a relational and communal God. God, at the core of Godself, is community. Relationship is at the heart of God’s being. God is a relational community between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a beautiful truth about God and it speaks to who we are as people created in God’s image. We are relational and communal creatures. We are not meant to journey through life alone. We need community. We are made for community. Community is part of our spiritual DNA. We are made in the image of community. Community. It is a word tossed around in our culture and can mean many things. �
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1 Holy Land Pilgrims worship together at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem 2 PCJH's Habitat for Humanity build day
3 Middle School Youth group 4 Cohen Miller and new found friend from Imani Miele choir enjoying Jackson Hole during their visit at PCJH this August
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We can experience a sense of community at the gym, at the golf and country club, on the ski hill, through recreational groups, at work, in the family, and even at church… but… that doesn’t mean we are experiencing Christian community. I would like to define Christian community as a unique form of community that is centered around Jesus Christ. Our mission at PCJH is to be a community rooted in Christ, reaching out in love. Let’s take a look at what it means to be this type of community. The early church gave us a great model for what it means to be in Christian community together. In Acts 2:42 it says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This one little sentence is packed full of wisdom for what it means to be in Christian community together. First, true Christian community is formed by people who are devoted to our Lord. Webster’s definition of devotion is “profound dedication; earnest attachment.” Dedication and attachment involve the heart. Devotion is a heart thing. God wants our hearts. We become devoted when we experience God’s love for us and God’s love for others. We become devoted when we take Jesus’ two great commandments seriously: to love God and to love our neighbor. Christian community happens when people get together out of a sense of devotion to our Lord and one another. It takes commitment and discipline. It is an intentional choice. It is a heart attached to God. That’s what it means to be devoted. Next, we see that there are four activities of Christian community in Acts 2:42 that the early church was devoted to: the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. These things are what make Christian community unique from other forms of community. As Christians we gather in community to learn from God’s word. We open the Scriptures. We listen to sermons, we study the Bible together, we memorize it, we allow the Holy Spirit to work as we wrestle with Scripture and embed it into our daily lives and choices. As Christians we gather in community for fellowship. The Greek word that we translate as fellowship is the word “koinonia” which is a fellowship defined by a deep intimate sharing of our lives through our unity in Christ. It means we do life together. We seek one another’s company, we eat meals together, we enjoy recreational activities together, we know each other’s families, we are aware of each others joys and challenges in life, we check in on one another, we develop deep friendships built on love and trust. This is true fellowship. As Christians we gather in community to break bread. The early church broke bread because Jesus said
to do so as a way to remember him and to proclaim his life, death and resurrection. I believe this refers to worship. One of the unique aspects of Christian community is that we can worship God together and proclaim the great hope we have in Jesus Christ through song and word and silence. Worship centers our life on the one who was, who is, and who is to come. As Christians we gather together for prayer. What a gift to have other brothers and sisters in Christ praying for one another in word and action. Our life of prayer encourages one another and calls us to action as we prayerfully love one another in tangible ways. These were the ways in which the early church was a community rooted in Christ’s teaching, fellowship, worship and prayer. When they lived out this way of community it manifested itself in love. They shared what they had, they ministered to people in need, they shared hope, and ultimately the Lord added to their number daily. Christian community invites, expands and grows. When we live out the principles of authentic Christian community we will see more people who desire to join in on the fun. How would you assess your communal life? Are you living within Christian community? Are you devoted to Christ’s community? Are you immersed in God’s word with other Christians or are you just reading God’s word in isolation? Are you doing life with other Christians or are you just saying “hello” on Sunday mornings? Is worshipping with other Christians a regular part of your life or have you bought into the lie that you can just worship in the mountains alone and call it church? Is prayer something you do with and for others that leads to tangible action, or are your prayers just empty words centered on yourself? These are just a few convicting questions to consider as you assess your communal Christian life. The most pivotal times in my walk with Christ have occurred in the midst of authentic community in the form of small groups. Whether it was the group of guys I met with in college for bible study, the young people from our church that Addie and I met with at our house every week in Seattle, or the groups of other married couples we have formed at various times and in various locations, or a group of other families we have met with regularly for fellowship, or the men’s groups I have been a part of throughout the years. These are all ways I have grown through Christian community. I am excited to see PCJH begin progress on developing a small group ministry. Our goal is not to be a church with small groups. Our goal is to be a church of small groups. We plan on making it part of the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole’s DNA. After all, we are made in the image of community. ✝
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Q & A
Interview with PCJH communications coordinator Ally Kiefer
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first met Ally Kiefer last summer over a coffee date. She was working her second season in Grand Teton National Park with ACMNP – A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. Flash forward 4 months, and we are so blessed to have Ally working as our communications coordinator. Ally’s joyful spirit and genuine heart for Christ are an example for all. I talked with Ally about her work in ACMNP. This national organization works to foster community and bring the community of Christ together in our country’s most holy of places – our parks. PCJH has long supported ACMNP, with members serving on the board. This winter PCJH, ACMNP and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort are piloting a new program. Two ACMNP employees will run worship services at our beloved mountain while being mentored by Pastor Ben and Pastor Tammy. PCJH looks forward to continued partnership with ACMNP – working together to build community in the name of Christ.
Liz Collins: Can you explain the mission of ACMNP, and what the experience of an ACMNP employee might look like?
Ally Kiefer: ACMNP is a nonprofit organization that sends young Christians – college students, post-grads, seminary students, etc. – to live, work and do ministry in national and state parks. ACMNP seeks to embody and extend the ministry of Jesus Christ through worship, witness, and the development of Christian leaders. The 300 team members, working in 50 parks, lead worship services every Sunday, guide bible studies, and create opportunities of praise and study for coworkers and park visitors alike. Living, working and doing ministry in a national park is an incredible, challenging, faith-testing and growing adventure. You get to see and feel God’s glory and character in powerful, moving ways through His creation, in rest and contemplation and through physical challenges, like hiking, backpacking, climbing, that’s abundant in the parks. For many of us, it’s our first experience planning a church service, leading worship and group prayer, giving a sermon —you’re pushed out of your comfort zone and have to rely on the Lord in new and unexpected ways. Working at the lodges, usually at physically demanding, minimum-wage jobs, tests your endurance and humbles you. You strive to shine Jesus’ light in places and to people with a lot of confusion, distortion and pain. You learn more about seeing others how the Father does, and loving with His unconditional, patient, grace-filled love. It’s hard, but so, so rewarding.
LC: Speaking of rewarding, what was the most rewarding part of your job experience over the past two summers? AK: The most rewarding part by far is the people you meet, and the relationships you build with your team and coworkers. The lodges tend to have a pretty hardcore party culture, so your ACMNP team really becomes your anchor, your family, the people you can turn to in the craziness and uncertainty and
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stress who you know share the same faith foundation as you, who can point you back to Jesus and your purpose in Him. You also become close with your coworkers, the people you work these hard jobs and live your day-to-day life with. Many people who work in the park thrive in the seasonal lifestyle, travelling from place to place, working various odd jobs, so they’re full of wild stories and always ready for adventure. I became close with people who I would never have had the joy of meeting if it wasn’t for working in the kitchen and the lodge, people who I now can’t imagine my life without.
LC: Similarly, what kind of impact do you feel you left on employees, park visitors, co-workers?
AK: It was such a joy to provide worship services to park visitors, who without our campground services might not have been able to make it to church on Sundays while traveling. There is something so unique and intimate about holding services outside, surrounded by forest and mountains and sky, and getting to meet and talk and pray with fellow believers from across the world. I believe that visitors felt that genuine connection and peace with the Lord and with each other as well during our services. It was also beautiful seeing coworkers react to the Holy Spirit moving through us at work and in the lodges. The reactions I and my fellow ACMNPers would get from being compassionate, patient, optimistic, from taking the time to listen and comfort, from our lifestyle choices, always surprised me. “You’re the nicest person I’ve ever met.” “You’re such a good person.” “You’re a light.” It was all Christ moving through us, and it was humbling and inspiring when others noticed Him in our actions and character.
LC: How did you work towards creating community in your work this past summer? AK: As a team leader, one of my goals was to create a close-knit community within our team, where we could feel comfortable being vulnerable, rely on each other, and worship Christ together with joy, honesty, accountability and support. Another goal was to make coworkers feel heard, valued and encouraged, and to invite them on hikes and other activities that got us out of the lodge, into the mountains, and away from the party culture, if only for a day. I think the most important thing I could do to foster these communities was to simply be present – to see those around me, ask with genuine interest how they were doing, and listen. Listening to the hopes, dreams, fears, and stories of others is a lost art, but one that speaks volumes to the love and grace of Christ. Something that I realized quickly (and will probably continue to re-realize) is that community doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to prioritize people and their needs over and over again, to prove to them that you care. I also realized that to build friendships and get to know others, you can’t sit back and wait for them to come to you – you have to take initiative and sit beside them, ask the first question, begin the conversation, make the first
knowing
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neighbors ~ with Liz Collins
Liz Collins PCJH Youth & Young Adult Ministry Coordinator pictured left, with Ally Kiefer. PHOTO: Beth Ricciardi
invite. If you want to do something or get to know someone, you have to put the effort in, even if it’s exhausting or intimidating. Showing up for others can be such a holy thing. God shows up for us over and over again, and as His children and ambassadors, we should do the same with those He’s placed before us.
LC: What led you to this current position you serve in at PCJH?
AK: God completely, 100% led me to this Communications position and to PCJH. I didn’t think I would be back to work in the Tetons when leaving last summer. I sobbed the whole way out of the valley, absolutely heartbroken to be driving away from the mountains that had so captured my heart and a season of such spiritual growth. All winter back home in
California, I felt the tug to go back, go back, go back, and after a LOT of prayer I came to understand it was God pulling me to return, not just my own desires. So I returned this past summer, back with Signal and ACMNP, and within a week realized that the thought of leaving filled me grief, and I had just begun the season! I started dreaming of making Jackson a permanent home, and one thing led to another. I stumbled upon this job opening when googling local churches, had connections here from ACMNP’s Ministry Support Committee, was ending my time at Signal the exact time PCJH was looking to fill my position—it worked out perfectly and felt so smooth, a sign to me that God was in the whole process, moving and guiding it all. What a good, good Father, completely faithful in His promises and in the fulfilling of dreams. ✝
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. u 1 John 4:12
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O Come, O Come Immanuel
~ Re v Tammy Mitchell
From the beginning, God reveals God’s true purpose; to be “with” us. of what “church” is. Yet the true nature of the church is not a “volunteer organization” or some sort of “vendor of religious goods”. The church’s true character proclaims Jesus as the Christ, the reigning Lord, by virtue of his crucifixion and resurrection. The whole purpose of church work and life is that people’s lives will be transformed because Christ is “with us!” Us—plural. The gospel was never meant to be an individual, private thing. It always was meant to include how we live together, as one body. We reflect and reveal Jesus Christ, as a community! Jesus very last prayer for his disciples was “that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” u John 17:21
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n th e b e g i n n i n g w a s th e W o r d , and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. u John 1:1,14 From the very beginning, God reveals God’s true purpose; to be “with” us. No living creature was created to be isolated, alone, or solitary. Our God is not a God who sits in a celestial rocking chair, removed, apathetic, passive, or powerless. The scriptures are clear; God longs to be “with” us. This is who God is: personal, relational and communal. It was no accident when the announcement came to Joseph that Mary was to bear a son, Matthew intentionally writes, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”).” u Mt. 1:20-23 I often wonder, in our Western individualized society, if we’ve adopted a truncated gospel. While God did come to save us from our sins and calls us into a personal relationship with Jesus, we must also recognize through faith, we are brought into a new life with one another; what the apostle Paul would call the very “body of Christ”, which is the church. Nowadays, we have all kinds of opinions and ideas
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Guder, Darrell; Missional Church, Eerdmans, '98, pg. 84. Bolsinger, Tod E.; It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian; Brazos Press, '04, pg.26
Pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it best in his classic work, Life Together. “Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this... We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means, first that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ. It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ. It means, third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity… Because God has already laid the only foundation of our fellowship, because God has bound us together in one body with other Christians in Jesus Christ, long before we entered into common life with them, we enter into that common life, not as demanders but as thankful recipients.” The true nature of the church is a visible witness of a “divine reality” (Bonhoeffer). It’s not really a place, rather it’s a gathering of “thankful recipients” created and sustained by the very presence and activity of the Spirit of Christ. And yes, while it is not perfect by any means, it is the way our Lord has chosen to show the world God’s great grace and compassion. Christmas is celebration of the the church. As one body, we worship Jesus, Immanuel, God-With-Us. This year, let us gather together “so that the world might believe.” Recall the last word of Jesus, “ Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” u Mt. 28:20 ✝
breathing god's name
~ Kenny Hadden
One explanation of the origin of God's name, Yahweh, is that it comes from the inhale and exhale of the breath.
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hroughout the Old and New Testaments, both the Hebrew and Greek words used for spirit can be literally translated as breath. That Yahweh also means “I am” in Hebrew is telling; in addition to being necessary for biological life, breathing is necessary for spiritual life. Indeed, the bible points us frequently back to our breath as a touchpoint in a chaotic world, a source of peace and connection and calm in God’s presence. This makes perfect sense as we consider the frequently-cited benefits of mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga, which focus the soul inward and connect us deeply with the Creator through the piece of His creation that we know most intimately – our own bodies. Singing is a way of harnessing the personal worship that naturally occurs as we concentrate on the breath and turning it outward. Meditation can be calming or invigorating, but it is always intended to be peaceful, approximating the mind of God. Singing, on the other hand, embraces the full spectrum of human emotion. And even when a song fills us with sadness or anger or despair, it somehow feels good because it expresses a true piece of who we are as humans. God created us and said we are “very good,” yet we routinely suppress certain parts of our emotional landscape. Singing – this powerful application of the breath, the Spirit within us – connects us with the goodness that exists in all of who we are. The profound connection of mind, body and spirit that happens while singing is not just an individual
experience, but is actually multiplied when we sing in community. As we sing together, we naturally breathe together. Each singer’s yah, weh matches those around her, and suddenly, almost accidentally, we are all breathing God’s holy name as one body. We breathe it with one heart as the music helps us to feel God’s love for the entire spectrum of the human experience. We breathe it with one mind as the lyrics give voice to our shared belief in God’s grace through Jesus. Indeed, as the unused oxygen in one exhale is taken in by others, we become physically a part of one another. If it wasn’t already obvious that our lives are deeply intertwined, singing together makes it clear.
“Singing, embraces the full spectrum of human emotion.”
The song Great are You Lord captures the special gift of singing in the lyrics, “It’s Your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise!” Of course – how could we respond any other way to the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit within us? So as we sing together this Christmas, let’s remember the One who gave us that breath, and may our collective exhale carry a song of joyous praise, glorifying God in our families, our community, and beyond. ✝
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when it comes to certain things
~ Addie Pascal
I have a tendancy to go all in. Dancing to the eighties? All in. Cooking obscure ethnic cuisine—ones laden with vegetables?
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LL In. Participating in cultural exchanges that allow our family to experience the beauty and diversity of the world we live in? All in. So when I found out that Kenny had booked the Imani Milele Ugandan Children’s Choir to perform in Jackson earlier this fall, I was beyond thrilled. Not only for the opportunity to hear beautiful music and watch dynamic dancing from people whose very blood seems to beat with a rhythm my white body could only dream about, but for the even more impactful opportunity of hosting some of the choir members in my own home. I had a few extra beds and I was determined to fill each one. However, as the weekend approached I began to feel just a touch overwhelmed at the decision I’d made to host six members of the choir in our home. Heck, I couldn’t even fit them all in my own car! What was a girl to do? I briefly considered backing out of my commitment to host. But then I remembered a similar experience I had as a child. A children’s choir, just like this one, visited our small church in Oregon. I still remember holding hands with a young girl about my age across the aisle as we sang together and the energizing rush of kinship that flowed between us in that moment. It was the beauty of unity at its best and I don’t doubt that this was one of my earliest experiences to spark a life long curiosity and joy in discovering new cultures, eventually coming to understand that the family of Christ is both bigger and smaller than I realize. I really want my kids to have experiences like this as they grow up. It also finally dawned on me that I wouldn’t be doing this alone- there were a lot of awesome families hosting the choir together. And isn’t that the point of church, anyway? To live life together, serving and learning and fellowshipping and growing together? Nope, we were not made to go this road alone. As the psalm goes, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). Indeed, the body of Christ is always better together and as that truth began to sink in, the weight of the expectations I had placed on myself began to fall away.
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The weekend was soon upon us and I delighted to see our church family set to work collaborating, engaging, and working together to welcome our special guests. From the beginning of our orientation to the very last performance, I felt a keen sense of community in every moment. My friend Amanda (who happens to be our Little Lambs Director and Graham’s teacher) took my kids while I readied my home. The Keenan's banded together with us for a fun-filled afternoon of sightseeing with our guests, which culminated at the top of the Gondola with several other host families. The Buckingham's graciously provided pizza for the host families and choir members after their performance. Deb even talked me off the ledge with the loving reminder that God-centered hosting is not about presenting ourselves as perfect, (maybe I overcooked my curry a little and maybe I was a little sad about it), but rather infusing His love into everything we offer: “You will have a table of grateful eaters and their hostess will delight in being perfectly imperfect as she smiles and takes joy in the “main dish” which is the people around her.” That girl is so wise sometimes. Isn’t it beautiful how God uses community to help lift each other, guide each other, encourage each other, and work together for His purposes? When we engage in this fully, we are free to experience authentic fellowship. My heart was filled to the brim with gratitude as our home buzzed with the energy of many children singing, dancing, laughing, sharing music and stories and practicing Ugandan words. A blur of chocolate and vanilla raced from one room to another and I knew this was not a moment any of them would soon forget. Tucking my daughters-for-the-weekend into beds half a world away from their own, I marveled once again at how the family of Christ can be both vast and intimate. Vast because our world is so big and wide. Intimate because we are all sons and daughters, connected by the love of Christ. The morning they left, we prayed for one another, holding hands together in my living room. Then we sent our Ugandan brothers and sisters off on their journey, knowing that, should we find ourselves in Kampala one day, we will have a home of open arms waiting for us. ✝
Love your neighbor
~ Dylan Wade
Why Children Need a Community
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recently watched the documentary “Would You Be My Neighbor” 1about Fred “Mister” Rogers. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it. As someone whose job has been to work with kids most of my adult life, this documentary about a man who made it his life purpose to help children had a profound impact on me. Fred Rogers, a Presbyterian minister from Pittsburgh, PA realized the need for children to be a part of a community or neighborhood. The need for children to feel loved. He made it the mission of his TV show—“Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood”. He realized that we all need, especially kids, a sense of belonging! He had a fantastic way of mentoring to young children through community, through his neighborhood.
compass which I will always fall back on. It was a blessing to have this and as I grew older I understood that many families or children growing up did not or do not have a community foundation from which to be shaped and formed. They pick up their habits and understandings of the world from other places. I have no evidence to back this up, but I believe when kids grow up without a sense of community or at least a place where they feel loved, they are put at a disadvantage in our society. Especially if they do not have a church community, they are out-casted and are more likely to turn to things or people who will make them feel good, such as drugs, alcohol, gangs, etc. Jesus gave us two great commandments: “Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is not just for adults but for all, including children. Fred Rogers understood this and we at PCJH need to be that community, or neighbor, for our kids so they may feel loved. We cannot all be Mister Rogers, but we can get to know the children of our congregation and beyond. This Christmas season I urge you to get to know at least one child (unrelated to yourself) within or outside of our congregation. Ask them to be your neighbor. Spend some time with them at their level, empathize with them, share your story, help them feel a part of our community. It will make an everlasting impact. ✝
PHOTO: Justin Ockinga
“Spend some time with them at their level, empathize with them, share your story, help them feel a part of our community.” What communities were you a part of as a child? Who took the time to love you in those communities and gave you the sense that you belonged and were loved? I personally did not grow up in a church community, but I did grow up in a strong family community as both my parents had four siblings. Thus I had 16 aunts and uncles and 20 some cousins. Almost every weekend we would be at one grandparent’s house or the other and visiting with my extended family. Especially on my dad’s side, my extended family helped shape who I am today, instilled in me values and gave me a solid moral
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Neville, Morgan, director. Won't You Be My Neighbor. Focus Features, 2018.
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PCJ h B i r t h d ay s / a n n i v e r s a r i e s
december
january
february
Pastoral Staff
02 Clete Crawford
01 Macye Maher
02 Lisle Hooper
Rev. Ben Pascal Senior Pastor
03 Naomi Pascal 04
Yvette Werner
03
David & Marian Meyers (38)
John Shipman
05 William Soltau
04 Barbara VanGenderen
06 Dean Berg
05 Tiffany Tate
04
Kate Kool
Larry & Paula Jorgenson (52) 05
Kathy Robertson
06 Don Harger
Debbie Iobst
06 Linda Hanlon
07 Cammy Lawson
Brad Herman
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07 Brian Remlinger
08 Christy Walto
Warren Myers 13 Stephen Spare
08 Ralph Hudelson
14 Daniel Hennessy
Michael Massie
Tammy Mitchell
Kathy Johnson
Madison Wigg 15 Carol Poole 17 Susan Conner Shirley Piper Bob Benz 18 Fred & Linda Walker (30) 19 Michele Halle 21 Carol Kelleghan Rich Viola 22 Bill Fox 23
Isaac Hayden
Yvonne Henz Barb Huh
Jenifer Snider
Rick Unruh 24 Robyn Jones 25 Patricia McDonald 26 Nancy Dunlap 28
Jessica Miller
Larry & Barbara VanGenderen (56)
Karin Unruh
Bob & Karen Graham (11) 11
Jennifer Baki
Sue Bybee Ed Wigg
Diane McGee 10 Bill Ward 11 Mike Jackson 14 Paul & Shirley Piper (26) 16 Charles Atwater 19 Cathy Blount
Bob & Vickie Jones (53)
Cindy Zabriskie 12
Ingrid Watsabaugh
13 Donna Clark 14 Tom Jordan
Cindy Dahlin
21 Chris Sandvig 22
Jack Larimer
23 Betsy Forster
Bill Neal
25 Debbie Schlinger
Nicole Robertson
28 Graham Pascal
Brian Smith 15 Liz Collins Pam Flores Therese Metherell
John & Linda Hanlon (19)
Rev. Tammy Mitchell Associate Pastor
bpascal@pcjh.org x 101 tmitchell@pcjh.org x 104
Office Staff Cindy Dahlin Church Administrator
cdahlin@pcjh.org x109
Ally Kiefer Communications Coordinator
akiefer@pcjh.org x102
Pam Flores Office Assistant
pflores@pcjh.org x107
Program Staff Kenny Hadden Worship Coordinator Amanda Lack Little Lambs Director
music@pcjh.org x123
alack@pcjh.org x111
Dylan Wade Children’s Ministry Coordinator
dwade@pcjh.org x103
Liz Collins lcollins@pcjh.org Youth & Young Adult Ministry Coordinator x124 Ruling Elders Class of 2019
2020
2021
Alan Lund* Finance
Kathy Robertson Vision
Steve Iobst Buildings & Grounds
Meg Womack Congregational Life
Caryn Haman Personnel
Cathy Ward Worship
Aaron Nydam Children’s Ministry
Ken Blount* Clerk of Session Adult Ministries
Wes Lucas Stewardship
Tom Segerstrom Nominating & Assimilation
Barb Andrews* Youth Ministry
16 Rich Mueller 18 Richard Spencer Meredith Woodford 28 Trent & Erin Abel (7)
Deacons Class of 2019
2020
2021
Liz Jorgenson
Nancy Brumsted*
Jen Baki*
29 Grace Berg
Annie Mueller
Jackie Montgomery*
Erin Rosenberg*
Dorothy Neckels
Marge McCallister
Carol Poole*
Jim Byrne
Sandra Zender*
Brad Herman
Michael Schrotz
Joy Steiner
Claudia Schrotz
Lori Dodd
George Scarlett
Ed Scott
Bill Klyn
Ryan Allen
20 Ginger Jones
Billy Robertson
Alicia Neathery
30 Andi & Huntley Dornan (2) 31
Kenlyn Long*
Jerry Tapp
Dorothy Neckels Susan Conner
14
community
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Laura Soltau
winter 2019
*Serving second term
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get to know US
Maddy Germain / pianist Madelaine (Maddy) German is from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Born the daughter of a professional music teacher and church musician, she began playing music at an early age. After earning a Bachelor's of Music from James Madison University in Virginia she headed to Los Angeles to complete an internship under film score composer Hans Zimmer. She now works as a full-time music professional: performing her signature piano singer 'Mountain Town Lounge' musical act at various events and weddings, working as a composer, and running 'Maddy's Music Studio,' her private education studio. In HER words Music is my native language. The discipline, solitude, and brave heart exploration required of a fluent musician have been the shaping of my character. I feel being a musician gives me an intuitive understanding of the world unique to the musician’s experience — being a musician is a vibrational way of “human becoming,” as I like to call it —for me, that means I “feel” everything and every person in my life in terms of its consonance and/or dissonance. Music is a divine vehicle capable of transporting a stadium of separate thousands into a unified heart space, tuning them to a single vibration. It has the power to transform and heal people from both physical and mental dissonance.
MEG WOMACK / ELDER congregational lifeA Meg Womack serves as our Congregational Life Elder on Session. She and her husband Ray lived in Montana before coming to Jackson 14 years ago for business opportunities in the engineering field. They have two married adult children and 6 grandchildren both in Jackson and Colorado. Both Meg and Ray have served for over 20 years in Engineering Ministries International (EMI). Their service ministries have been in Kenya, Uganda and the Dominican Republic. Meg has prayed with rural African women with Aids; painted interior walls in bat infested rooms; assisted in discovering water sources for a village; and ran percolation testing on Lake Victoria for a future medical clinic. Meg is passionate about connecting people with this church family and finding out how to best use the gifts God has placed within each and everyone of us. In her words It is a pleasure for me to be able to share the infectious joy from my faith by helping out with some of the fun happenings at the church and in the community as elder of Congregational Life. Something I have loved about my faith journey, is that it is always growing and changing, never stagnant. In each place our lives touch, our work, our families, our play, our worship, we are so deeply interconnected. As a veteran of the faith, I have so enjoyed the encouragement and teaching I have discovered at PCJH, and absorbing how Christ’s love, peace and hope is available to everyone.
Bill Klyn / Deacon Bill Klyn is currently serving his second year as a PCJH Deacon. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Bill first came to Lander, WY as part of the NOLS program and came to Jackson for its skiing, fishing, hunting and climbing opportunities. That was 42 years ago! Bill eventually became a partner in Jackson Dennis and helped establish Simms Fishing. He then spent the next 27 years with Patagonia and eventually worked as their International Business Program Developer and Product Line Director. Although Bill is currently retired, he continues to serve on numerous non-profits for the conservation and protection of public lands. Bill lives with is son, Sam, who is a high school senior here in Jackson Hole and looking forward to college next year. In HIS words I had always viewed both organized and spiritual religion as a community. Whether it is the Trobriand Islanders in the South Pacific or Yanomami tribe in South America, they possess a strong belief in a higher power that is a social cement that creates a much stronger community. I watched the incredibly strong community at PCJH first through Paul Hayden’s sermons and the terrific outreach programs including my son’s involvement in Upward Basketball years ago. Having then met with Ben Pascal and seeking a much stronger connection to God in my life, saw the powerful draw of worshiping together at PCJH that also reaches out to inspire and support others.
pcjh.org
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Pinnacle
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Address Service Requested Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit # 189 Jackson, WY 83002
S P iRiT
1251 South Park Loop Road, Mailing P.O. Box 7530, Jackson, WY 83002 I pcjh.org I 307 - 734 - 0388
sightings
Wildlife sightings are a spiritual thrill—if you live here or visit Jackson Hole. A rare and magical blessing to be captivated by a community or family of moose. PHOTO: Tom Deltz
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!'
u Revelation 5:13