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PCJH Quarterly Pinnacle Newsletter Spring 2019

Page 1

PINNACLE

Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole ~ Quarterly Newsletter I VolUME no 3

spring 2019

PCJH middle schoolers share the meaning,

TO BE ROOTeD in CHRIST pg.12

+

planted in the lord pg.04

+

a sabbatical prayer pg. 07

to be a c o m mu n i ty, Rooted in Christ, reaching out in love


Table of Contents Volume NO 3 I SPRING 2019

PINNACLE ˆ

ROOTED In CHRIST

ˆ

The Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole's mission is to be a community, rooted in Christ, reaching out in love. The Spring 2019 edition of the Pinnacle focuses on the theme of being rooted in Christ. Developing deep roots in God's Living Word (Christ) and God's written word (The Bible) is a vital aspect of our church living out its vision to see lives being transformed in Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. u Jeremiah 17:7-8

04

planted in the lord

07

A Sabbatical prayer

08

at home in the world

~ Re v. Tammy Mitchell

~ Re v. Ben Pascal

~ Summer Speaker Series

10

11

12

The master gardener

~ Cindy Dahlin

light (yellow) + LOVE (RED) = Orange

~ Aaron Nydam

cover: during the 2018 PCJH Holy land pilgrimage we were fortunate to have visited and prayed at the garden of Gethsemane. Photo: Beth Ricciardi

2 rooted in christ ~ spring 2019

whaT DOES it mean to be rooted in christ?

~ Liz Collins

14

get to know us


march 10 ~ 23 ~ th

Children’s Ministry Parent Mixer 4-6pm

th

Spring Break begins! Programs resume April 8th

april 14 ~ 18 ~ th

~ calendar @pcjh.org/events

_

6

th

Ash

Wednesday 7pm

in the chapel

may 3~

14th

Palm Sunday

th

Maundy Thursday – 7pm PCJH Chapel

rd

5 11 ~ 12 ~

adult fellowship bowling

Youth Ministry Retreat

th

th

th

4pm Hole Bowl

Habitat for Humanity Build Day Mother's Day

GOOD FRIDAY 7pm

19

th

Shepherd of the Mtns. Lutheran Church

19 ~ 21 28 ~ th

st

_

21

19 th

ST

PCJH Choir concert Center for the arts

EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES

8AM & 10:15am

Ascent 20s & 30s Retreat in Victor, ID

ongoing monthly

youth Ministry Thursdays Sundays pcjh.org

th

Sabbatical Send Off & Ethiopian Lunch – 11:30am Hayden Hall

26 ~ th

~ ~

~

7:45-8:30am, breakfast club

4-5:30pm, middle school youth group high school group meetings

Young Adult Ministry 5:30-8:00 pm

Wednesday

~

pcjh . o r g

7pm, ASCENT 20s & 30s

~

Pinnacle

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p l a n t e d in the

when PCJH’s vision team took on the task of crafting a new vision and mission, we were struck with how many images and metaphors there were in scripture about the simple phrase of being rooted or planted in the Lord God. These rich passages express the overwhelming efficacy of Christ’s love for us and how critical it is to stay steadfast in our faith in God.

lord ~ Rev. Tammy Mitchell

4 rooted in christ ~ spring 2019


I

In Jeremiah 17:7-8 we read, u "blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." u Psalm 1:2-3,

"but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers."

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

PHOTO: beth ricciardi

u Colossians 2:6-7,

wonder if the Lord is onto something. Maybe our God knows us just a little too well, and how easy it is for us to do the exact opposite – that is, to wander, to not stay put, to launch out on our own and go astray. I often see parents taking their young children into shopping areas or other public places. It seems like the first thing the children want to do is get away from their parent’s sight. It’s not uncommon to see and hear parents calling after their children in grocery stores or in parking lots. Those sweet children may have no clue as to what kind of potential risks they are taking. But the parent does. They know that the safest place for their kids to be is close to them. As we grow older, we venture off seeking to find our significance and identity in anything but God. We look to our choices in life, our careers, our popularity, our relationships, our knowledge, our education, our wealth, or our inf luence. While all those are wonderful, positive things, there remains that nagging sense of discontent, longing, and yearning. As a pastor, I’ve heard too many people share a simple question, “Is this all there is in life?” Philosopher and author Simone Weil once wrote, “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul. Uprootedness is by far the most dangerous malady to which human societies are exposed, for it is a self-propagating one.” Those who are truly uprooted, she says, either fall into a “spiritual lethargy resembling death, or they set out, often by violent means, to uproot those not yet uprooted. To be rooted … to have a strong and dependable system that provides nourishment, to be grounded, sure of who you are and what your life is about: this is indeed one of the most important needs of the human soul.” As St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” I Corinthians 13 reminds us that even if we have all the power and knowledge and altruism, but don’t have love, we are nothing. We need to be rooted in love – and God is love. Simple fact. Hear the heart of Paul: “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” ~ Eph. 3:17-18 When we hear the word “root”, many of us think of a strong tree which has deep roots that can bear its height and weight. I grew up in California and Colorado, where I was accustomed to see the great California redwoods and the sturdy oak trees, or the magnificent blue spruce, and the quaking aspen. Trees are a perfect metaphor for what it looks like to be rooted in Christ. They conjure up feelings of security, safety and shelter. Being rooted means we can trust in this immovable One and find refuge there. Roots signify our security, endurance, and strength in God. �

p cpcjh j h . o. o rg rg

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Pinnacle

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For a brief time, I lived in Florida. I encountered all sorts of new and different plant life. The cypress trees mostly found in swampy areas are known for their "knees" and buttressed trunks, which serve to supply oxygen to the roots of the trees and also support the tree in unstable muddy soils. According to arborists, the palm trees have a large number of short roots spread across the upper levels of the soil, which work to secure a large amount of soil around the root ball. As long as the soil is relatively dry to start off with, this works to create a super large, heavy anchor. As opposed to having just a few very strong roots, this wider network creates a bottom-heavy base that helps keep the tree in place. Florida trees demonstrate different kinds of root systems in order to develop their uncanny ability to endure their environment of heat, humidity, and even violent storms and hurricanes. Naturally, we make the comparison that when the worst of life’s storms hit - cancer, death, addiction, betrayal, or violence - there is One who will never leave us or forsake us. We put our roots of faith solidly in the person of Jesus Christ. But there was the other thing I learned while living in Florida. Every month, our church hosted an “orchid group.” These orchid enthusiasts would bring their amazing orchids and have speakers and discussions about growing orchids. To me, the orchid is one of the most delicate and beautiful of f lowers. Yet orchids have a unique root system. They prefer having their roots exposed to light and air; so, in addition to water, orchid roots need air. They seek out environments that maximize their chances for thriving. Orchid roots are the primary source of the f lower’s exquisite beauty. The roots not only provide stability for the fragile bloom, they provide nourishment so the f lower can blossom. One of my favorite orchids is the “ghost orchid” and it was only found in this certain state park and other places like Cuba and the Bahamas. This particular orchid would find its way to a particular host tree and would “attach” itself to the bark without being harmful to the tree. These ghost orchids are currently endangered and are hard to discover. But like all orchids, the roots don’t burrow down, they grow where they can get the most nutrients. So being rooted in Christ took on a new meaning for me. Yes, like a tree, I know I can find my strength and security in trusting our Lord in every life circumstance. But our faith is often like a delicate orchid, growing, twisting, seeking, and attaching ourselves to the only One who can satisfy our spiritual longing. Like the orchid, I need our Savior to f lourish and mature and even bloom. I am reminded of the worship song by

6 rooted in christ ~ spring 2019

Marie Barnett, Breathe, which has the following lines:

This is the air I breathe This is the air I breathe Your holy presence living in me This is my daily bread This is my daily bread Your very word spoken to me And I, I'm desperate for you And I, I'm lost without you Analogous to the orchid root, I am desperate to breathe in God’s Spirit. Being rooted in Christ means to live in God’s presence, drink in the Living Water and feast on the Bread of Life. We may search our entire lives, but we won’t find real love or forgiveness or joy in our circumstances or choices. It will only be found in the person of Jesus Christ. It’s not that the other things are bad or won’t help us be a better people. It’s just that being rooted in Christ is to find that we don’t need any other “host” to thrive - and we won’t find it. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” ~ John 15:5 ✝


A Sabbatical prayer ~ Re v. Ben Pascal The good news is that by God’s grace we are already rooted and established in his love. May we strengthen these roots together. I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. ~ Ephesians 3:17-18

T

his is my sabbatical prayer. As we (the Pascals and PCJH) experience a three-month time of renewal this summer, I pray that we will rest in the roots we have in Christ. Christ is our anchor in the midst of shifting tides. The good news is that by God’s grace we are already rooted and established in his love. May we strengthen these roots together. This is where our strength and power comes from as a church. As we draw from the nourishing roots we have in Jesus, may we also grasp how his vast love reaches across the earth. The theme for our sabbatical is “At Home in the World.” The overall idea is for the Pascals and PCJH to be renewed and refreshed as we see what God is doing around the world. Christ said we are to be in the world but not of it ~ John 17. My hope is that we will all have a greater understanding of how God is calling us to be engaged in our world (to be at home in the world) while remaining rooted in Christ. The Pascals will experience this together as a family as we travel to Ethiopia, Rwanda, Croatia and Greece to see what God is doing in these countries. PCJH will experience this together as a church family as you host special guests who will teach you about what God is doing across the globe. Through all of this, I believe we will have a better grasp of how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. A sabbatical is also about rest and learning how to cease and be still and to know God in a deeper way. It is a time to draw from the nourishment of our roots in Christ, and to be renewed and refreshed. I will begin and end the sabbatical by spending a week at a Benedictine monastery in silence and solitude as I learn more about the spiritual disciplines of our faith and to root myself in Christ’s love as I prepare for and process our travel experience. I hope that the people of PCJH

will also find ways to practice the spiritual disciplines during this time of sabbatical. We will spend the season of Lent (March and April) studying a few of the Christian spiritual disciplines as a way to prepare our hearts for sabbatical and also prepare our hearts for Easter. Lent is a time of introspection and discipline as we seek to commune with Christ in deeper ways. The spiritual disciplines we will explore are: fasting, prayer and meditation, simplicity, spiritual direction, study, solitude and silence, worship and confession, service, submission, celebration, and sabbath. Please journey with me on sabbatical. Please pray for me and my family. I will be praying for you. Even though we will be apart, may we continue to see lives being transformed in Christ as we live out our mission to be a community, rooted in Christ, reaching out in love. To learn more about the sabbatical, visit our church blogpost entitled “Sabbatical: Frequently Asked Questions” pcjh.org/sabbatical-information-faqs-for-pcjh/ To learn more about our summer line-up of special guest speakers, visit pages 8-9 of this Pinnacle edition. ✝

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. u Psalm 46:10 p cpcjh j h . o. o rg rg

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7


At HOME IN The world ~ May 31–June 2

Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri, Co-Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA.

Last June, Vilmarie was elected by the General Assembly to be our co-moderator with Rev. Cindy Kohlman. Vilmarie is a native of Puerto Rico and an English as a Second Language teacher. She is a ruling elder who has served on the Committee on Theological Education and as a translator from English to Spanish at numerous General Assemblies. As our ultimate global ambassador, Vilmarie has a deep passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ. When she was elected, she said, “We don’t know when our time will come. We need to try to live every day, loving God and loving the neighbor in concrete ways, not only by our words but by our actions. We must look for ways to be better Christians, citizens, and neighbors, to effect change and make a difference. I think God is calling us to do that now.” To learn more, check out vilmariecindy.com or pcusa.org. PCJH plans to host our neighboring presbyteries in providing a two-day inspirational leadership event with helpful breakout sessions and stimulating plenary times. This event will be open to the public. Moderator Vilmarie will preach at both services on June 2 as well as teach at the 9:00AM hour.

~

Regarded as one of the world's leading speakers on faith, hope and forgiveness, Immaculee has shared this universal message with world leaders, school children, multinational corporations, churches, and at events and conferences. Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in Rwanda, but in 1994 her family was brutally murdered during the horrible genocide that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans. Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor. She emerged from her bathroom hideout having discovered the meaning of truly unconditional love—a love so strong she was able seek out and forgive her family’s killers. Immaculee has authored 7 books, appeared on "60 Minutes", spoken at the Global Leadership Summit and has appeared in many other national and international venues. She has been recognized and honored with numerous humanitarian awards including the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace, the American Legacy's Women of Strength & Courage Award and the 2015 National Speaker’s Association's Master of Influence Award. For more information about Immaculee, visit immaculee.com/ Immaculee will be leading a two-day Foregiveness retreat, Friday and Saturday, at PCJH, which will be open to the public. To register for the retreat, visit immaculee.com/collections/ retreats/products/retreat-jackson-wy-june-14-15-2019-withimmaculee. Cost is $57. Registrations are now being accepted! On Sunday, June 16, Immaculee will speak at PCJH, following worship at 11:30AM, during a luncheon in Hayden Hall. This is a free event open to the public and where she will be available for signing books.

~

July 7 & July 14

Rev. Dr. Mark Labberton, President of Fuller Theological Seminary

June 14-16

Dr. Immaculee Ilibagiza, Renowned Speaker and Author

Mark Labberton was named the fifth president of Fuller Seminary in 2013, after four years as Fuller’s Lloyd John Ogilvie Associate Professor of Preaching and director of the Ogilvie Institute of Preaching. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he served in pastoral roles for 30 years prior

8 rooted in christ ~ spring 2019


GUEST SPEAKER SERIES PCJH S U M M ER 2 0 1 9 to coming to Fuller, most recently as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California, for 16 years. He also has served as cofounder and chair of the Christian International Scholarship Foundation, chair of John Stott Ministries, senior fellow of International Justice Mission, and in a number of other roles of service. He holds an MDiv from Fuller and a PhD in Theology from Cambridge University. Mark is committed to strengthening the intersection of the academy, church, and culture, and brings to his presidency a deep desire to enact justice, love, and grace on both a global and local level. A popular speaker at churches, conferences, educational institutions, and other contexts, he often uses these talks to reflect on what it means to act biblically in challenging, often divisive cultural times. For more information , go to fuller.edu. Dr. Labberton will preach on July 7, and 14th at both services and teach at the 9:00AM Sunday morning hour.

~

a motivator and a visionary with a passion for making things happen. His leadership has helped to engage and mobilize congregations across America on the global HIV and AIDS crisis. Steve was also one of the driving forces behind World Vision’s work to engage college and university students in advocacy for people living in poverty. He has addressed audiences of virtually every type, size, and denominational background. His expertise and zeal have won him interviews with CNN, Christianity Today, The New York Times, and a host of radio stations. To learn more about World Vision, visit worldvision.org. Steve will preach both Sunday morning services and teach the 9:00AM adult class.

~

August 4

Andre Moubarak, Pastor, Author, and Owner of Twins Tours and Travel Ltd.

July 21

Re v. Steve Haas, Vice President/Chief Catalyst of World Vision

Steve is a gifted and dynamic spokesperson for World Vision. His role as Catalyst includes working with church leaders, contributing to strategic planning on major humanitarian initiatives, and communicating about global issues that affect those living in poverty. Steve believes that “Christians are called to live out loud.” After graduating from the University of Kansas, he labored along the Thailand border as a relief worker aiding Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees. He served on the staff of Willow Creek Community Church where he developed small group ministry and then local and international ministries. Steve is known as

Andre Moubarak is the owner and founder of Twins Tours & Travel Ltd. in Israel. Born into a Palestinian Christian family along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem's Christian Quarter, Andre today is a licensed tour guide and an ordained minister, leading numerous groups through the Holy Land each year and teaching them about the Jewish roots of Jesus and the kingdom of God. With his wife, Marie, Andre also teaches at churches worldwide, helping people see the Bible anew through Middle Eastern eyes. Andre was PCJH's tour guide in the Holy Land during the Spring of 2018. For more information about Andre, go to twinstours.org. Andre will preach at both Sunday morning services and lead the adult class at 9:00AM. There will likely be a mid-week healing service—more information to come.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. u Colossians 3:16

p cpcjh j h . o. o rg rg

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The Master Gardener

~ Cindy Dahlin

Is it now finally time to think about planting and gardening in Jackson, Wyoming?

A

coording to the 2019 farmers' Almanac our spring will be arriving March 19, 2019 at 3:58 pm. Is it now finally time to think about planting and gardening in Jackson, Wyoming? Sorry friends, but the reality is ‘not yet’ because of our year-round possibility of frost. We have, however, been gifted a semisure window from Memorial Day to Labor Day for the common lay gardener. What a blessing it is that the cultivating season for our faith is an ongoing 12-month calendar year. Any garden begins with a single seed. Our Christian faith also begins with a single seed. This seed could be exposure to a Christian life as a young child, an experience during our life, questions being answered, a subtle relationship that cultivates this seed within us, or a combination of many things that God has brought together for each of us. We have so many opportunities to enrich this seed within us. The garden seed under the earth is fed with the same water and sun that God provides to us. It is impossible for us to see what is happening to that seed until a one-of-akind plant appears. Often our faith is growing as well without us even being aware of the progress we are making. With our desire to grow in faith, God is at work within and around us helping to develop us into vibrant and strong Christians. Believers are part of God’s garden in His world, where he is always tending, cultivating and equipping each one of us for continued growth. Tending to gardens that produce flowers or vegetables requires initial tilling of the soil and then fertilizing that soil, watering, weeding and pruning. Gardens do not just produce on their own to get to the point of

10 r o o t e d i n c h r i s t ~ s p r i n g 2 0 1 9

harvest and highest possible yield. They need our efforts. A Christian life full of faith and growth needs a conscious effort as well. Similar to the garden process, we need fertile soil to grow (an open heart); to be strongly rooted in Jesus Christ (faith, study and prayer); to be committed to a church family; to seek believers in fellowship and study; to pray faithfully; to worship regularly; and to continue to invite God into every aspect of every day. When we remain open to all the tools that God has laid out before us, our ability to grow is boundless. A beautiful and balanced life does not happen without consistent tending and that desire to grow. If our lives are rooted in Christ, our lives bear fruit – plain and simple. Just as plants need to be pruned to enhance their ability to grow even fuller and produce more fruit, so is our Christian walk. Taking away the distractions in our days or activities that do not produce the good fruits necessary, and often unpleasant. In scripture, Jesus explained that God the Father, who is the Master Gardener, removes branches that are not producing fruit. If there is no pruning of the vines, there is little harvest from the plant. When we, as God’s people, ignore the opportunities to spend quality time with family and friends, those relationships wither. In the same way, it takes proactive effort to grow and remain focused on God’s Kingdom. Prune away the distractions that prevent you from doing these things. If we fill our precious days with time-wasting activities, emotions that get us nowhere, or relationships that are the void of joy, we lose those opportunities to grow in our personal lives and relationships with God. Grow closer to Him. Reap the harvest. Share the fruit ! ✝


light (yellow) + LOVE (RED) = Orange

~ Aaron Nydam

I pause and ask myself, what memories do I hope and pray we are creating for our children?

I

would like to take a moment TO ref lect on our mission, “To be a community, rooted in christ, reaching out in love” and our vision “To see lives being transformed in Jesus Christ” in the context of children’s ministry at PCJH. My mind f lows through the sequence of purpose-filled words. I immediately consider the idea of community, and not just any community, but a community rooted in Christ. Images of my childhood saturate my thinking. Like some of us at PCJH, I was raised in a strong faith tradition and immersed in a community rooted in Christ. A multitude of inf luences defined my experience: the songs of worship, the humility of prayer, even the gentle hand of an elder redirecting my behavior, all pointing to one guiding prayer - being transformed in Jesus Christ. I consider these memories as a network of interacting people, programs, and pews - much like a system of roots holding a tree firm - a community rooted in Christ. I pause and ask myself, what memories do I hope and pray we are creating for our children? What images will define their experience at PCJH and represent our community, rooted in Christ, long from now? Over the past few months, our Children’s Ministry Team asked these same questions. And the three images we have distilled and would like to share include

Aaron Nydam, PCJH Ruling Elder—with wife Leah, and children Greta, Nora, and Samuel.

1) a consistent and vibrant gathering of parents sharing the most challenging and hilarious stories of our children with the goal of supporting each other on our shared path while rooted in Christ, 2) a bustling group/team of passionate and purposeful volunteers preparing engaging and meaningful experiences rooted in Christ, and 3) children joyfully interacting with each other and building relationships with all ages rooted in Christ. Seeking to bring these images to fruition, the Children’s Ministry Team held seasonal gatherings with parents. These evenings at Pastor Tammy’s home have been a blessing. Between the playful charades, the focused conversations and our celebration of a simple evening together without children, we find ourselves in the midst of a shared journey, a journey rooted in Christ. PCJH has also adopted a powerful curriculum by thinkorange.com. Orange believes, and we agree, that when the the Church partners deliberately with the home, there is far greater impact: (Light (yellow) + Love (red) = Orange). The design of the curriculum combines excellent pedagogy, developmental theory, and practical theology to grow a child’s personal faith. It rests on five challenging premises that I ask our community to consider: 1) what we do for kids and teenagers is more important than anything else our church does, 2) no one has more potential to inf luence a kid than a parent, and 3) a parent is not the only inf luence a child needs, 4) what we say every week should reinforce what we want kids to know about God at every phase, and 5) every kid is made in the image of God and has the potential to do remarkable things. Currently our Children’s Ministry Team is considering the organization of our program to amplify the role of committed individuals as “ambassadors” ready to invest and engage. Together all of us prayerfully strive to 1) serve our community’s children and their families in order that they know and experience the love of Jesus, 2) provide intentional, engaging experiences for children and families that nurture our Christian faith, shape character and build trusting relationships, and 3) participate in the restoration of God’s Kingdom. All of this we do, rooted in Christ, reaching out in love, to see lives transformed. Thank you for your support of our Children’s Ministry. It just might be the most important thing we do at PCJH. ✝

p cpcjh j h . o. o rg rg

~~

Pinnacle

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whaT DOES it mean to be rooted IN Christ? YOUTH GROUP STUDENTS WERE ASKED At breakfast club one morning, “what do you think it means to be Rooted in Christ?” Their answers are expressed here in illustrations, photographs, scripture and quotes.

~ Liz Collins

Lucy

~

sixth Grade

12 r o o t e d i n c h r i s t ~ s p r i n g 2 0 1 9

Olivia

~

eight Grade ›


~

gracen

seventh Grade

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. u Psalm 121

"god is always with you"

Belle

~

Sixth Grade

Clara

LANE

~

~

eighth Grade

"All things are rooted in something" Seventh Grade

K ATE

~

Seventh Grade

pcjh . o r g

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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 march 01

april

may

Mike Jorgenson Tena Webb

01

02

Scott O'Hare

05

Mary Gridley Tom Thompson

Kae & Kay Brockermeyer (51) Gene & Grace Pike (38)

07 09 10

12

Greg & Deborah Buckingham (35) Don Cushman Pamela Stockton Karen Brennan Bill Long Grace Pike Caryn Haman

13 Neil & Gemma Ford (26) 15

Julie Birrer Jeanne Hudelson

16

Robyn Reedy

Mike & Robyn Jones (45) 17

Sam and James Hayden Paul Piper

18

Mike Deland

19

Elizabeth Hennessy

Julie Matzke Nancy Schneider

02 Foster Friess

Mike & Marcia Taylor (24) 04 05

Don & Fran Harger (54) Rev Paul Hayden

06

Jeff Dahlin

07

Ryan Allen Becky Vogelheim

09

Peter Ordway

11

Alan Bybee

12

Stan Zaist Amy Scott

13

Cathy Ward

15

Steven Friess

16

Steve & Carol Poole (30)

17

Brett Franz

18

Brian Bultema

19

Karen Fox Andi Keenan Dornan Bob Snider

23 Scott McGee Jan Segerstrom

20 Stan & Carol Pugmire (39)

24

Alison Kyle

21

Caroline Ryan

25

Carol Pugmire

22

Mike Marshall Jim Miller

Ben & Addie Pascal (13) 26

Carol Marshall Kris Thomspon

28

Judy Weikle

30

Sally Byrne

31

Jerry Tapp

Stan & Joy Steiner (36)

23

Peter Keenan John Simms

Brian & Sandra Bultema (3) 26

Jack Hooper Joe Whitlock

25

Mike & Mils Halpin (10)

27

Sarah Hanson

28

Liz Jorgenson Jan Larimer Jacquie Montgomery

01 Randy & Robyn Reedy(37) 05

Jason Snider04 Kate Kool

06 Steve & Debbie Iobst (42) 07

Julie Huot

Merrill & Carole Seggerman (64) 08

Becky Kimmel

09 Mike & Darla Jackson (32) 10

Jim Byrne Kenny Hadden

Aaron & Leah Nydam (11)

Pastoral Staff Rev. Ben Pascal Senior Pastor

bpascal@pcjh.org x 101

Rev. Tammy Mitchell Associate Pastor

tmitchell@pcjh.org x 104

Office Staff Cindy Dahlin cdahlin@pcjh.org Church Administrator x109 Ally Kiefer Communications Coordinator

akiefer@pcjh.org x102 pflores@pcjh.org x107

11

Wes Womack

Pam Flores Office Assistant

12

Scott Zabriskie Tina Korpi

Program Staff

13

Christine Windey

Kenny Hadden Worship Coordinator

music@pcjh.org x123

14

Vickie Atwater Terri Hayden

Amanda Lack Little Lambs Director

alack@pcjh.org x111

16

Carol Lewis John Valiante

Dylan Wade Children’s Ministry Coordinator

17

Kraig Kobert Larry North

Liz Collins lcollins@pcjh.org Youth & Young Adult Ministry Coordinator x124

Dave & Liz Sparks (39) 18

Suzanne Kemmerer

19

Tom Segerstrom Barb Simms Ken Taylor

Larry & Barb Huhn (40) 20 Ken Blount Maddie Remlinger 22 Kent & Diane Nicholas (43) 23

Bob Lerch

28

Laura Miller

dwade@pcjh.org x103

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 Laura Soltau Mission

Ken Blount* Clerk of Session Adult Ministries

Wes Lucas Stewardship

Tom Segerstrom Nominating & Assimilation

Barb Andrews* Youth Ministry

Peter & Betsy Forester (55) Ron & Laura Miller(37) 27 Jim & Nancy Stockhouse (42)

Deacons Class of 2019

2020

2021

29 John & Maggie Valiante (43)

Liz Jorgenson

Nancy Brumsted*

Jen Baki*

30 Mike & Louisa Deland (32)

Annie Mueller

Jackie Montgomery*

Erin Rosenberg*

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

29 Gregg & Cathy Ward (16) 30 Ed Opler

Alicia Neathery Kenlyn Long* Dorothy Neckels Susan Conner

14 r o o t e d i n c h r i s t ~ s p r i n g 2 0 1 9

*Serving second term


~ get to know US heather martin / Little Lambs Teacher Heather Martin came to Jackson from Fennville, Michigan. She initially got involved at PCJH as a JOY summer camp counselor in the summer of 2016 and fell in love with everything Jackson has to offer. After that summer she went back to Michigan and earned her degree of child psychology. Immediately after graduating, she came back for another summer at JOY Summer Camp with the hope that she would be able to find another job and remain out here which she found in Little Lambs preschool where she is in her second year teaching. Heather is also involved in helping with the middle school youth group and regularly attends Ascent, the young adult group. IN HER WORDS I live to serve. It brings me so much joy to be able to serve and help others in any way I can and I feel so blessed to have been called to serve at PCJH. I have never been able to get connected in a church the way I have here and I am very thankful that this church has welcomed me with open arms. It is important to surround yourself with others who can point you back to Christ in order to remain rooted in Him. I strive to be like Christ through serving those around me and that brings me a little closer to Him everyday.

wes lucas / ELDER stewardship Wes Lucas fell in love with Jackson Hole in 1979 during a semester off from college, and finally moved here full time about 15 years ago for the skiing, hiking, and the Tetons. Wes’ true joy in his life is his wonderful wife of 30 years, Elisabet. They have two daughters, Sarah and Christina, and live in Teton Village. Wes loves to ski in the backcountry, and even took Ben Pascal up 25 Short in the Tetons (Ben did great – ask him about his adventure!). Sarah now lives in San Francisco and works as a search executive for Spencer Stuart. Christina is studying to become a doctor at Montana State. Wes has been a CEO at 5 different companies, from Fortune 500 companies to his own software venture, and now works as a Partner at a Private Equity firm. In his words How do I stay rooted in Christ? The same way that I stay rooted in my family and friends -- spending time with them! Meaning, the way that I stay rooted in Christ is by spending time in prayer. Just like when I do not talk with my wife and girls for a day, I need to talk with them. It is the same way with Jesus – daily, consistent prayer. I often fail, but I try to pray many times a day. For my walk with Christ, I try to make it as authentic, friendly, and natural as possible. Thus, I try to involve Jesus in everything that I do each day – so prayers of joy when I ski, prayers of thanks when I am blessed, prayers of hope for those in need, and prayers for everything that I encounter in my daily life.

Lori Dodd / Deacon Lori Dodd is currently serving her first year as a PCJH Deacon. Lori is originally from Illinois; but moved to Jackson from Dallas, Texas in 2017 to help her family. She’s spent 25 years serving both as a professional and a volunteer youth minister in Illinois, Iowa and Texas. Lori has a real love for helping young people recognize God’s presence in their life and grow comfortable in his embrace. Lori has one grown daughter who is a high school teacher in Plano, Texas. In her words One of my greatest joys is being able to serve others which, I believe, is the best way to be rooted in Christ. This passion started very young and the roots run deep within my spiritual life. The joy I receive helping others is immeasurable. It is such an honor to be asked to serve as a Deacon at PCJH. The community here is so warm and inviting and has wrapped itself around me from the moment I walked into church. As it says in John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit ... apart from me you can do nothing." I hope I can assist others in feeling at home when they walk in our door so they will want to plant their roots deep here at PCJH as well.

pcjh . o r g

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Pinnacle

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Address Service Requested Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Permit # 189 Jackson, WY 83002

1251 South Park Loop Road, P.O. Box 7530, Jackson, WY 83002 I pcjh.org I 307 - 734 - 0388

S P iRiT sightings

Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. u Song of Songs 2:12 PHOTO: beth ricciardi


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PCJH Quarterly Pinnacle Newsletter Spring 2019 by PCJH - Issuu