WITNESS: February 1, 2010

Presbyterian Church in America

pcpc Vol. XXI, No. 1 • Park

Good-bye, Tim!

“For by Him all things were created,

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in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things were created through Him and for Him.” —Colossians 1:16

Hearing the call

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Dates and Philly cheesesteaks 5 Bodies and souls being healed at Thao clinic 6

On December 20, 2009, the congregation of First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to elect Tim Tinsley as its senior pastor.

Tim has served PCPC for 18 years. He started out knowing one person in Dallas, David Gowdey, and is now beloved of thousands.

Lest we get sappy, however, Chrissy Snelling, PCPC’s first middle school director, reveals the truth about Tim’s heart: “Tim will say it is the people of Dallas he is going to miss, but it is really the Mexican food.”

A life-changing and sustaining week 8 Kathleen’s story continued 9 Praying through the night

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Women listen for guidance in ministry 11 New staff, new events, same gospel for kids 12 To Dallas with love

Cities Presbyterian Church • FEBRUARY 2010

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Concert celebrates eternity shut in a span 16

ture

Not the babysitter In the summer of 1991, the Session of PCPC was looking for a youth pastor. They believed it was more urgent to find someone who could cap-

Tim hoists his prize after winning the pastors’ car wash race at a staff retreat last year.

(The pastors were the cars.)

the hearts of their children than to hire a senior pastor.

“They believed that adults would keep coming as long as they kept getting decent preaching, but the kids wouldn’t,” Tim said.

David knew that Tim was in town on a mission trip with his church youth group from Knoxville, and he suggested that the Session solicit Tim’s advice on finding a good youth pastor.

Tim had served for ten years in youth ministry and spoke frequently at Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Young Life meetings.

“I was just very forthright, and we just hit it off big-

time,” Tim says of his first meeting with the PCPC elders. As soon as Tim left the room, Tommy Bain said, all the guys looked at each other and said, “That’s who we want.”

Tim, however, had no interest in moving to Dallas. He loved and respected his senior pastor, John Wood, whom he calls “the greatest living preacher I’ve ever met in my life.” His family had just built a house in Knoxville.

The next night the elders invited Tim back to meet some of the parents.

“They wanted me to say that I’ll take care of their kids,” Tim remembered. He told them, “I’m not really taking care of your kids if I’m not teaching them to reach the lost.

I’m not a babysitter.” Ultimately, Tim says, the parents appreciated this approach. Harry Hargrave walked Tim out to his car that night and told him they were interested in offering continued on page 2

Tim Tinsley

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him a job.

Tim had been unprepared to respect this group of wealthy Texans. “I wasn’t impressed with what they had,” he said, “but I was impressed with their fervency for Christ and their love for their children.”

When he came back to Knoxville, he told John Wood everything. “If he was against it, then I wouldn’t be for it,” Tim said. John reluctantly realized that the PCPC leadership and Tim had a strong vision in common: reaching the city with the gospel.

Ministry in the early days When Tim became youth director at PCPC on November 1, 1991, his office had a desk but no chair, no phone, and no computer. Church members helped Tim plan trips, figure out budgets, and organize events. “Facilities here weren’t good, so we had to meet in people’s houses,” Tim said. “People were so gracious to us.”

Tim remembers walking into the Highland Park High School cafeteria to eat lunch with students for the first time. He knew only one kid: Paul Jackson. “God used him to introduce me to the students, the teachers, and the staff,” Tim said. “I had a wide-open door.” He taught parenting classes

at the high school and counseled students. Coaches gave him season passes. He had firm parental support and strong student leadership at a number of local schools.

On the youth group’s first ski trip to Colorado, in 1992, there were 19 kids and four sponsors. After a couple of years, Tim said, “It just exploded.”

For Chrissy, the most unforgettable trip was when a kid boarded the bus right after throwing up, and everyone else on the trip soon got sick.

“We called it the chuckwagon,” Tim recalls.

Tommy remembers a clever tactic Tim used when he first taught the high school

Top, Tim says of his best friend, Tommy Bain, “I’ve never had anyone love me the way he does.” Pictured in 1996.

Above, the youth staff in 1995: Tim with Chrissy Snelling (l) and Lori Sparks (Nelson)

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class. Tim noticed that no one brought a Bible. He said, “One thing I’ve noticed that’s different in Dallas is that you all have the Bible memorized.” Then he started teaching from Galatians 1 without using a Bible. Slowly, more and more of the kids began to bring their Bibles because they wanted to evaluate

his memorization skills.

Tommy and Tim began meeting every week to prepare for the high school class. They continued meeting for the next 18 years as they became best friends. Growing to know Tim better, Tommy said, “you realize how deep and rich and tender his teaching is.”

“Tim taught me to hide God’s Word in my heart,” Chrissy says. She and Tim memorized seven memory verses a week for three and a half years. “To know God and to make Him known was our philosophy of ministry while doing youth work together,” Chrissy says. “Tim knew that children came to Christ based on relationships.”

As the years passed, Tim said, “I realized that the parents needed some FEBRUARY 2010

encouragement in terms of discipling their children.” In 1996, after his ordination, Tim became Pastor to Families.

“His teaching to parents over those few years was really extraordinary,” said Tommy. “It was a really rich time in the church’s history.”

Big changes come along Soon after that, the church began a nationwide search for an executive pastor. Skip Ryan and Tim were having lunch one day, talking about what they needed in a candidate, and Skip finally said, “Why don’t you do it?” Tim agreed to become executive pastor—for Skip’s sake. “We were just growing so fast,” Tim said. “It was so hard.” They had parking problems, staffing problems, and building problems, and Tim said, “I took all that off of Skip’s shoulders.”

In 2003, the elders encouraged Tim to take a year’s sabbatical as he dealt with his divorce. At the end of that time, Tim was afraid he would not be allowed to continue being a pastor. At a Session meeting, he told the elders that all he wanted in life was to preach the gospel, disciple men, and do missions. If the church shared this vision, he would stay. If not, he would go.

John Hawkins said, “We don’t shoot our wounded around here. We can’t imagine this church without you.”

So Tim’s role became Pastor of Evangelism. He traveled around the world on mission trips, sharing the gospel.

During that time, Tim met Laura Eaton. Her husband had died of cancer around the same time that Tim was going through his divorce. A mutual friend asked Tim to pray for Laura (whom he had never met) and at the same time asked Laura to pray for Tim. Laura also began reading Tim’s e-mail devotionals and falling in love.

Their first date was at Starbucks on March 23, 2006. “We immediately hit it off,” Tim said. Laura and Tim married July 20, 2006.

Growing ministry opportunities When Skip resigned as senior pastor a month later, Tim became the primary preaching pastor. He also

“God’s called me to be faithful, and if He wants me to be significant, that’s up to Him. There’s a real freedom in that.”

—Tim Tinsley began receiving job offers. But he said he clearly heard the Lord telling him, “You need to stay here.”

“I liked the burden of preparing each week and the thought that I was feeding God’s people,” Tim said.

“It was humbling.” For the past few years, Tim says he has been preparing three or four talks every week. He reads the scripture passage and then memorizes it and meditates upon it.

He spends considerable time thinking about what it means to a variety of people in the congregation—the single mother, the newlywed, the businessman.

“It’s about connecting people with the beauty of Christ,” Tim says. “I don’t teach like a seminary professor—I teach like a guy sitting at a bar or a coffee shop.”

Tommy sees one of Tim’s greatest strengths as evangelism.

“He will talk Christ to anyone who breathes and just does it in a winsome manner,” he says. “It just rolls off him.” Tim, however, doesn’t see himself as an evangelist. “I just like to talk to people about real stuff,” he says.

Tim says that the biggest highlight of his time here at PCPC has been his relationship with Tommy. “I’ve never had anyone love me the way he does,” Tim said.

He also says he learned a lot about gospel-centered thinking from Skip.

“To have the benefit of those two men in my life—just a huge impact on my life. Inestimable.” Finally, he prizes the friendships he has had with the kids in the youth group.

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As Tim reflects on the future of PCPC, he says, “I pray that our session will continue to be shepherding.

Now our Session does that so naturally, it’s beautiful.”

“I pray that we will see our membership grow through new professions of faith,” he adds. “The perception is that we could be very judgmental because of our theological acuity. But we have the best of both— a theological acuteness and a humble, loving spirit.”

The most important statement he can make about PCPC is that “I feel free to leave.” He would not leave if he felt that it would hurt the church.

Tim is drawn to the new opportunities ahead of him. “I want to preach every week,” he said. He looks forward to involvement in several local churches and organizations that have grown out of First Presbyterian Church. The church devotes half its contributions to missions, which greatly appeals to Tim. The church in Chattanooga has been experiencing some ups and downs, he says, and he can handle that. He referred to Philippians 4:11: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

Laura and Tim

Tim distills what the last 20 years of ministry have taught him: “God’s called me to be faithful, and if he wants me to be significant, that’s up to Him. There’s a real freedom in that.”

—Stephanie Byrd Note: Watch your THIS WEEK for news about an upcoming farewell event for Tim and Laura.

PCPC WITNESS

“Did you call to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ?”

Billy Graham Call Center at PCPC celebrates fifth anniversary

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It is hard to believe that last fall we celebrated five years as an official Billy Graham Call Center. During those five years, the Lord used our faithful team of volunteers to participate alongside 806 people as they came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ; to encourage 992

ence. ”If you build it, they will come,” we hear from the 1989 film Field of Dreams. And they do. The callers are young and old, poor and wealthy, and from every race.

The scriptures are clear. Believers have been given a Great Commission, and there is no easier way to do our part

mother being shot to death. I sent up a quick prayer, ‘Lord, teach me what to say to your broken child.’ The Lord formed my words, for He Himself had suffered in a manner surpassing any human torture of body and soul. By His grace, this decimated soul on the other end of the line received comfort. I never felt more like an instrument of His peace than in that phone conversation. I was profoundly grateful that He had positioned me to wait for such a call that life-changing night.”

In spite of the very busy schedules of our volunteers, every Wednesday evening when the Call Center is open, a volunteer arrives early to set up

PCPC Front: (l to r) Julia Lawrence, Mary Taylor, Ann Harris from BGEA, Sherry Elston, Bill Harter; Middle: Ed McDow, Raymond Turner, Joanne Kersten, Myrna Dunn, Dianne Wilkerson, Tom McBride: Back: Bob Heinonen, Ron Baxter, Lawrence Kersten, Doug Dunn, and Bill Sutton

people in the assurance of their faith; to help 682 people rededicate their lives to the Lord; and, finally, the Lord has given our volunteers the privilege of praying with 2,803 sweet believers who had other needs. Wow! What an awesome privilege it is to be used by God in such life-changing ways and to be part of something so much bigger than ourselves.

During and after television broadcasts of a Billy Graham Crusade message, some from as far back as the 1950s, hurting people call. Some callers have fervent prayer requests for themselves, their children and grandchildren, and even our country, while others find themselves at the foot of the cross yearning to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. Our volunteers eagerly listen, pray, and point the callers to the scripture and Christ as their only Salvation and Provider. It is a humbling and emotional experi-

to make God’s truth known than to pick up the phone and say something like, ”Hello, this is the Billy Graham Call Center and my name is Myrna.

Did you call to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ?” On the other end of the line we often hear a joyful ”Yes! Yes!” Dianne Wilkerson writes: “While briefly waiting for a call one Wednesday evening, I didn’t realize I was about to be pulled into an audio vortex of human suffering comparable to none I had ever personally encountered—except for once during a conversation with a Holocaust victim. The peripheral reason the young lady called was to ask for prayer because she was being persecuted for being a Christian by people in the projects where she lived in New York. It soon became clear to me that she was suffering from a string of crimes committed against her person and family which, over the years, ranged from the horrific to the monstrous—including witnessing her

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and open the computer programs.

The Lord brings more volunteers to answer the calls and others to follow up on the information gathered. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) sends each caller printed materials. More volunteers, led by Ed McDow, pray for each caller. If you are not quite ready for phone duty, that’s a great place to help.

Our band of regular volunteers is like an extended family. It is a joy to have fellowship and snacks as we prepare to take calls. At the end of the evening, it is always a blessing to pray for those who called and for one another after we review the calls we have received.

We serve the Lord for only two hours at the Call Center, but the blessings we reap are with us much longer.

We will eagerly wait to see what God has planned for the Call Center in the next five years. Won’t you come find out with us? Don’t miss a most blessed opportunity to be used by God. Pray about making it a 2010 resolution that you will keep!

—Sherry Elston, Chairperson FEBRUARY 2010

Dads&

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Daughters

Late last summer, I called Tim Tinsley for lunch to catch up. We touched on the four usual bases that guys catch up on—work, family, faith, and football. After about 20 minutes (I know— typical guys getting really deep), Tim said, “Hey, I’ve got an idea to run by you. Maybe you can help me with it.”

OK—now for true confessions. I was already thinking “Oh brother, where is he going to suggest I go on a mission trip? Cuba? Africa? China? Here I was at Good Eats having chicken-fried chicken with my pastor and he was going to try to get me to go to some far-off place where I would be eating boiled who knows what. So while I wanted to look him straight in the eye and say, ”Gosh, Tim, I’d love to, but I am really busy”; instead I looked him in the eye and said, “I’m in. Tell me about it.”

Tim began to tell me that for some time the Lord had been impressing him with the need to bring dads and daughters together to discuss not only father-daughter relationships but real life issues dealing with appearance, dating, and friends, as well as biblical examples of women in God’s Word. Tim went on to say that he had

What better investment?

topics, our study would be for highschool-aged girls and their dads only.

It would need to combat Bible-studyfizzle-out syndrome by having fixed start and end dates. It would be open to all dads and daughters regardless of church affiliation or lack thereof.

We’d make it a date night so dads and daughters could spend an evening together. We’d meet in a non-church setting—whoa, what? A non-church setting?

“OK Tim, I am all over this, but where will we meet?” I asked.

To that Tim replied, “I have a friend.”

Boy, did he ever have a friend—Tom Landis, who happens to own Texadelphia, who happens to be a believer, and who happens to have shared with Tim in the past his desire to use Texadelphia as a platform for Kingdom work. So in my fear of Tim asking me to eat boiled who knows what in some faraway place, he was asking me to eat Philly cheesesteaks on Greenville Avenue. Send me, Lord!

Over the next seven weeks Tim, as only Tim can do, by combining humor and heartfelt experiences, shared some wonderful insight into the heart of a woman, the heart of a man, and God’s desire for these young women.

Tim would share a message and then give us three or four points to discuss with our daughters as we enjoyed Texadelphia’s finest cuisine. Each week Tim would share God’s amazing grace and blessed message of forgiveness.

The topic for our final session was ”Unpacking your past so you can embrace the future!”

I can’t tell you what these eight weeks meant to me. To be with my daughter, to have fun, to share in meaningful conversations with her, and to have further connected with my daughter’s heart truly was remarkable. I thank my good friend Tim, and I thank my Heavenly Father.

—Martin Peck

even developed an eight-week study on it.

Our shallow catchup lunch began to head down a completely different path. Tim and I have daughters, and as we talked we verified how necessary a study like this really is. We framed up a few guidelines.

Given the nature and frankness of our

study groups, church groups, dance groups, sports groups, grumpy dads, and, oh yea, Game Two of the World Series. Yet Texadelphia filled up to the brim. As I sat there with my high school daughter, I thought back on my high school days and how that time so heavily influenced who I am today, in good and, frankly, not so good ways.

Then I thought about my daughter, realizing that she is at that stage right now! And then I thought about the privilege that I have to influence her during this fast-paced, changing period of her life.

Claire Merritt and dad Marshall mull a point.

With our plan in place, we picked the last Wednesday in September 2009 for our first session. We were up against

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To view videos of the eight sessions go to http://dadsanddaughters.pcpc.org.

PCPC WITNESS

Stories of Rescue from Thailand

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David Franklin and I recently traveled to Thailand and Laos to visit with local leaders of the Thao Project, a PCPC World 50 church planting project in those two Buddhist countries. During our conversations with them, we heard the following stories about what the Lord is doing through the medical clinic. The Christian Social Welfare Clinic in Thailand, part of the project, was started as a Word and deed ministry to share the love of Christ through medical care with the commitment to share the Word with all who came. Approximately 70% of the members of Gennesaret Church (the project’s cornerstone church) have come through the medical clinic.

That church now numbers about 170 members.

Below, members of the new sister church in Viengkom; background, Gennesaret Church in Nong Khai, Thailand)

Kanya’s story

Kanya had been ill for some time. It seemed that nothing she did helped her situation. Her family and friends in the Thai village of Viengkom suggested various remedies to try, but they did not help. Even the Buddhist prayer wheel had no effect. The nearest government clinic was not known for good medical care, nor did its staff seem to care about patients.

Then she heard about the Thao Project’s medical clinic in Nong Khai, about 50 miles from Viengkom. Going there would mean a bumpy, uncomfortable ride of at least two hours (more if it was the rainy season). But she decided to try it and made the difficult journey. Kanya went into the waiting area and was greeted by people who seemed to really care about

her condition. She was asked to wait, and while there, she heard a pastor (Sumran Mokchai) talking about Jesus Christ and the Bible to all who were waiting. There were even a couple of Buddhist monks there listening. She met the pastor and several others who worked at the clinic and at Gennesaret Church.

Then Kanya went in to see the Thai doctor who asked her more about her symptoms and even prayed for her.

The doctor gave her some medications and prayed that God would heal her.

Before she left, Kanya felt something in her heart about the truth of what Jesus had done for her. She did not fully understand it, but she prayed to receive Jesus Christ! Within days, Kanya realized she had been exposed to the love of Christ. She was healed both physically and spiritually.

Back in Viengkom, she urged her brother, Daw, to go to Nong Khai. She did not really understand why, but she told him, “You need to go there!”

He did and met many of the same people Kanya had met. Daw also became a believer of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Kanya and Daw then began telling their families and friends what had happened to them. There were no other real believers in the village. That was in 2005.

Now, the rest of the story: Today, Viengkom has 30 believers in seven families!

This is an amazing movement of the Spirit. Thirty believers in this hard-toreach village have now gone through new believer and baptism classes over several months and have been baptized in Nong Khai. In fact, every Sunday they cram into two vehicles for that two-hour ride to Nong Khai to attend worship and Bible study at Gennesaret Church. Once each month, Pastor Mokchai travels to Viengkom to conduct a worship service, including communion. God willing, this strong group of believers in Viengkom will become Gennesaret’s second daughter church!

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Kulup’s story

Kulap had suffered a stroke more than a year earlier and had been confined to a wheelchair since that event.

In early October, she visited the medical clinic for the first time. Kulap was not a believer in Jesus Christ, but she had heard about loving, caring people at this clinic in Nong Khai, and she had heard about people getting well.

She, too, heard the gospel as she waited to see the doctor. She, too, met Pastor Mokchai and several others who actually seemed to care about her. When she met the doctor, she was

asked about her faith. She said she was Buddhist, not Christian. After the examination, the doctor gave Kulap some medication and prayed for her.

But the Thai doctor also asked Kulap to pray every day to ask God to talk with her and make her better.

So Kulap began to pray. Then she returned for a second visit. She was a little better but still could not walk.

Once again, after the examination, the doctor prayed for her and asked that Kulap continue to pray every day. She also heard the gospel again during the visit.

On October 30, 2009, Kulap returned to the clinic and she was walking! And, of course, she was extremely happy.

What had happened? Kulap told the doctor that she had seen the power of Jesus and needed him! She asked the doctor to pray with her as she became one of Christ’s followers.

Stories of rescue? You bet… all over the world! Is God’s Kingdom growing even in strongly Buddhist countries?

Yes, again. And, he has allowed PCPC through our Lao Presbyterian Fellowship (LPF) and World Missions to be a part of it!

—Curt Dobbs

Partners celebrate 10 years of ministry

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My wife and I watched the Rev. and Mrs. Yoshinobu Hiroshashi walk into the baggage claim area at DFW Airport. Our Japanese friends only slightly revealed their travel fatigue and jetlag while prominently displaying their endearing smiles and joy.

As part of PCPC’s 2020 Vision, a plan to plant 100 churches in the U.S. and around the world by the year 2020, the Makuhari Project began in 1999 with Yoshinobu as the church planter. While projects often are associated with details, finances, plans, and agreements, this project has been defined by relationships and a sense of partnership in the Kingdom. Last November the Hirohashis came to formally express their gratitude and appreciation for these last 10 years of co-laboring for the Kingdom.

Prior to coming to Dallas, Yoshinobu spoke to PCPC member Mariko Jinbo. He said to her, “We don’t want to just send our thank-you cards and photos. We want to give them in person.”

Weeks later, Hiroshashi and Miho stood in front of our congregation and shared their gratitude for our partnership with them. Such a visit allowed us to celebrate together what God has done and is doing.

Church plant in Japan thriving

One of the more indelible moments of their visit was Pastor Hirohashi’s time with Mark Davis. Mark relayed that the church in Makuhari had given PCPC a very nice photo book with pictures of each member and the words of encouragement they wanted to share with us. Mark explained how Yoshinobu was eager to show him the members of his church. As Rev. Hirohashi pointed to his members, in Miho and Yoshinobu Hirohashi

broken English he kept saying something about “baptize.” Ultimately Mark understood that Yoshinobu was telling him that he had baptized each person to whom he was pointing. In

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ten years, a majority of his members came to know Jesus, by God’s grace, through Makuhari Grace Presbyterian Church!

At the end of their visit I watched the Hirohashis walk through security at the airport and embark on their return trip to Japan. They were so encouraged by their time here and by their interactions with members of PCPC. The afternoon of their departure, Miho explained how she was touched when a PCPC women’s Bible study prayed for her.

Shortly after arriving in Japan, the Hirohashis sent an e-mail overflowing with thanks for the love and care they felt during their visit.

The Hirohashis’ visit was very encouraging as we heard what God was doing. It was also encouraging to remember our own identity as a colaborer for the Kingdom.

—Corey Young PCPC WITNESS WITNESS PCPC

One Great Weekwe couldn’t live without it

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Have you ever had an experience where the events of your life suddenly seem to pass before your eyes in a matter of seconds? Frequently, these incidents will elicit from us a sense of joy and longing to relive the good things that have happened in our lives. The cause of these dramatic flash floods of memories might be triggered by something very simple, a kind of accidental encounter: a picture in a photo album, a drive through a neighborhood where you used to live, a delicious smell in the kitchen. Quite often, though, we seek to rekindle these strong memories and emotions through elaborately planned events: a homecoming weekend, a Christmas tradition, a class reunion, or a family vacation. We might observe that much of the joy in these events is the shared experience of memory, but also the increasing impact these events may have on us over the years. Put simply, we recall in these moments things which have made us who we are, and they so define us we can’t imagine our lives without them.

Each year PCPC devotes an entire week to the commemoration of Christ’s passion and resurrection. The observance of what we call Holy Week dates back to fourth-century Jerusalem.

Known at that time as The Great Week, the days from Palm Sunday to Easter

were spent in dramatized worship, with the participants literally walking in the footsteps of Jesus throughout the week. Preparations had begun seven weeks before as worshippers, through prayer and fasting, prepared to recount the Paschal Mystery, that Jesus died and was raised again.

The Great Week culminated in what Augustine called the triduum, or three days, beginning on Thursday evening and ending Sunday morning. The triduum was viewed not as a series of independent events, but as a single celebration of the One Event, the event that brought redemption and inaugurated the re-creation of the world.

Consequently, these final days of the Great Week were almost nonstop worship, including the Lord’s Supper and an all-night service on Thursday, and a pilgrimage to Gethsemane and Golgotha with readings about the arrest and trial of Jesus on Friday. Friday evening found worshippers meeting around a wooden cross. Saturday evening an all-night vigil service was held including the annual baptism of communicants. Easter was then celebrated beginning Sunday morning and continuing with eight days of worship and feasting.

Great Week at PCPC

Our own celebration of Holy Week includes eight days of worship beginning on Palm Sunday and ending Easter evening. In addition to Sunday morning and evening services, we have a service at noon Monday through Friday in the Sanctuary.

Each service contains the reading and preaching of the scripture with an emphasis on the passion (i.e. suffering) of Christ, singing, and prayer. On Thursday we gather for our annual Maundy Thursday service. Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum novum, referring to the new commandment Jesus taught His disciples (John 13:4). This is New Commandment Thursday. In the history of the church, this service has focused on three key areas of Jesus’ last week of ministry: the institution of the Lord’s Supper, the washing of the disciples’ feet, and His new commandment to love one another.

Our Maundy Thursday service ends with a Tenebrae service of deepening shadows, where the death of Christ is marked by the gradual extinguishing of the light in the church. Finally, a single lit candle enters, reminding us of the truth that death could not triumph over our Lord, and that He had authority to lay down His life and take it up again (John 10:18).

We end Holy Week with a triumphant celebration on Easter morning, but continue with resurrection themes through what is known as the Great 50 Days of Easter leading up to the celebration of Pentecost, the giving of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the church.

We invite you to worship with us during Holy Week this year. Come to remember what the Lord has done for us on the cross and by His resurrection from the dead. Come in order to see again, or maybe for the first time, how that One Great Week changed everything, and that you could never imagine life without it.

—Colin Howland

Palm Sunday Worship March 28, 8:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am, 6:00 pm (Oak Lawn West) Holy Week Services Monday-Friday, March 29-April 2, noon-12:30 pm Vespers Wednesday, March 31, 5:30 pm Maundy Thursday Communion service April 1, 7:00 pm Resurrection Sunday worship April 3, 8:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am, 6:00 pm (Oak Lawn West) PCPC PCPC WITNESS WITNESS

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FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2010 2010

Kathleen’s letter In the last issue of PCPC WITNESS, intern Jaceson Jennings told the story of Kathleen, a bone marrow transplant patient he met and ministered to for several weeks after a hospital technician spoke to him in the hall seeking someone to comfort Kathleen. (Go to www.pcpc.org to read the full story online.) Here is a letter Jaceson received from Kathleen before Christmas (slightly edited for her family’s privacy).

December 2, 2009 Dear Jaceson, I have thought of you and your church family many times over the past few months. I never dreamed that one who had studied the Bible seriously for 23 years and had taught for Bible Study Fellowship the past six could ever have found themselves in the pit in which I landed. I know it was the providence of God that sent that patient tech into my room that day. She didn’t normally work that side, and I never saw her again, but she took the time to see more than just a bed that needed to be changed; she saw the inside of my heart. I never dreamed she would walk out of that room, see you in the hall (having come to see Margaret [Eldridge]), and think enough of my hurt to approach you to tell you I was in need.

The true story was I was beyond need.

I had allowed myself to fill my heart with fear, anxiety, and doubt. Would God really do what I needed Him to?

[Kathleen refers here to a personal situation in her family.] There have been times when I have become

totally paralyzed while others watched as I followed God’s will for me, thinking that my life must be perfect. But I know that fear kept me from being used for His highest glory because I would not totally bend to His will. It was only by His grace that I could do what He asked of me.

When you came in that day and were willing to pray and to share God’s Word with me, it was just the beginning of what God wanted to do in my life. Each time you came or a member of your church kindly visited me, the words that were spoken were the

listen to the Word on TV, and replay the sermons you graciously shared with me. You and your church will never fully know what you did for me by being willing to seize an unexpected opportunity that the Lord placed in front of you that day.

I am doing well. It has been nearly four months since my transplant, and my doctor seems pleased most of the time. But I will never forget you or your precious church; in fact, I consider myself an out-of-town member of PCPC! When I’m well and come to Dallas, [my husband] and I both are looking forward to visiting your church. We have no doubts the worship of the Lord will be awesome.

“I was spiritually starved, and you and your church took the time to feed me back to spiritual health.” ones I needed to point me back to what I know to be true. God does not let us down. Oh, we may experience some bumps in the road—many I’ve dug myself—but God has never placed me or anyone else in a situation that cannot bring Him glory...

The best blessing I received from my stay at Baylor was the reminder of God’s promises, listening to you singing of our precious Savior, reading from the Heidelberg Catechism, and the wonderful sermons you provided.

I was spiritually starved, and you and your church took the time to feed me back to spiritual health.

Now that I’m home I’m still unable to attend church, and unfortunately our church does not have the outreach ministry of PCPC. So I read for myself,

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I did want you to know that I am claiming two verses and praying them. The first is from Nehemiah 8:10: ”This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” I really want that joy and strength so that I can answer as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6:8: ”Here am I. Send me.” I look forward with great anticipation to what the Lord will allow me to do during this time of healing and afterwards.

Jaceson, I really would not have made it through the transplant had it not been for God’s intervention and you listening to His call. God bless you and PCPC. You will always be on our hearts.

In Christ’s love, Kathleen (Kathleen now receives PCPC sermon CDs on a regular basis.)

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occasions kinds of prayers the saints

“Hi, I’m Cub Culbertson.” He shook my hand as he took a seat next to mine. “I’m sorry I’m late. I was seeing a seminary couple. She’s really not feeling well. I wonder if we could pray for them first before we begin.”

When he offered their names, both of us were pleasantly surprised that the young lady had been one of my former roommates. So as we began the 10 o’clock hour of the PCPC all-night prayer vigil on November 13–14, we were praying for two friends. Not only did we know their names but we knew their faces and some of their needs. We had spoken with them many times before, and when we spoke with them again in the future we would encourage them that they had been in our prayers.

We’re familiar with this kind of prayer—the kind that entrusts a friend to God that He might work on their behalf for His glory and their good.

As believers in the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and as members of one body united in Christ, however, we have the privilege of prayer that far exceeds this limited scope.

When Paul was concluding his letter to the Ephesians he reminded them: “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (6:18).

All occasions, all kinds of prayers, all the saints—those who took part in the prayer vigil shared a glimpse into this kind of praying. After we prayed for our two friends, we prayed for the PCPC congregation, that we as a body would long to worship God together, that we would want to know and live the Word of God, that we would pray boldly and dependently, that we would tell stories of God’s rescue, and that we would want to change the world. We prayed for the Advocates for Community Transformation ministry that seeks justice on behalf of Dallas citizens oppressed by crime.

We prayed for missionaries and their

families who are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people across the globe.

I don’t know all these people by name. I don’t know their faces. I don’t know all their needs. I may never speak with them or encourage them personally with my prayers. But I know the God who knows them intimately, who can meet all their needs, and who can encourage them directly through my prayers. I know the God who has purposes in their lives and in my prayers. And because I know this God I count it a joy and a privilege to share in these purposes by praying for all the saints with all kinds of prayers and requests on all occasions that all the world might witness the transforming presence of Jesus Christ.

“There is a hunger and thirst in me to stay in communion with my living God. Nothing else satisfies.”

—Libby Boggess We asked for feedback from participants of the vigil. Here are some replies: Grady Crosland: “I had a feeling of gratitude on leaving—wonderful to have spent time with people who are so intimate with the Lord. We need to pray as a body often, intently, and expectantly.”

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Second -night prayer vigil held Mary Anna Sutherland: “Let the congregation know it is not a forced prayer time where you must pray aloud. They don’t have to have a vocal part but can come and worship as others pray aloud.”

Judy Scott: “It is such a special event and a unique way to help make our large church a lot more intimate. It is such a great way to worship with others who might remain strangers. I truly look forward to and get excited about participating in the prayer vigil and love that PCPC has added this as an ongoing event.

“The prayer vigil is an uplifting experience, joining with other prayer warriors for intercessory prayer for PCPC. It is a very intimate, worshipful time and quite meaningful. I particularly love the prayer time in the quiet, early morning hours free of the intrusions, pressures, and time constraints of daily life. It is encouraging to see that there are many who are willing to participate at such an unusual and sacrificial time of day.”

Carrie Jane Pogoloff: “Always a blessing that I am always surprised about.”

Libby Boggess: “Personally, I believe God draws me to spend time with Him in His Word and in prayer. It is such a sweet time. It is good for my soul as well as good for everyone around me! Every morning, God wakes me up, and I can’t wait to be with Him (and to know that He loves to be with me, too!) ”There is a hunger and thirst in me to stay in communion with my living God. Nothing else satisfies. I have seen many answers to prayer and am so thankful for who God is and what He has done about my sin in sending His beloved Son to die for me. It always baffles me when Christians don’t desire to pray and spend time with God. They’re missing out on so much!”

—Erin Claxton FEBRUARY 2010

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Amidst the Christmas festivities in December, Women’s Ministries leaders gathered for “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, an annual opportunity to joyfully reflect on the Lord’s goodness in the year ending and seek His wisdom for the year ahead. Each attendee took time beforehand to pray and seek the Lord’s wisdom on provided questions.

We met to discuss areas of possible overconfidence, the temptation to impress, and how to set our vision on the Lord in the years ahead.

Ministry leaders reflect, envision, and rejoice

involved.

Women’s Ministries stood witness to the Lord’s continued goodness through weekly Bible studies. The doors of PCPC were opened wide for women to enter into fellowship and the teaching of His Word. Each study, through different materials, provided fellowship among women, growth in prayer, and the study of God’s Word.

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”

—Psalm 126:3 The room filled with joy as we recollected the many areas of

Above, one of many tasks tackled during Beyond Ourselves 2009.

Left, Allyson Redus, Renee Warner, and speaker Neatice Warner at the women’s spring luncheon.

service, study, and friendship that the Lord so faithfully provided for our women. In February 2009, the entire church community gathered to bless the urban areas of Dallas through Beyond Ourselves. Implementing a new structure to invite the greater church body, by His grace, over 600 people dedicated a Saturday to painting, building, planting, and cleaning the neighborhoods of our urban ministry partners. This unprecedented number of participants allowed us a new level of impact—not only on urban areas of Dallas, but also on the hearts of those

Initially canceled in June due the outbreak of swine flu, the women’s mission trip to Monterrey, Mexico, took place in August. The Lord made a way for the trip to be rescheduled.

His faithfulness knows no boundaries! For five days, women from PCPC ministered to the women of Monterrey. The ongoing relationships with the women and ministries of Monterrey continue to affirm our mission in Mexico. It is a joyful thought to consider what the Lord might do through this partnership in the future.

As we continued to celebrate the Lord’s greatness in 2009, the Fall Gathering luncheon and dinner quickly rose to the top of the list. On October 22, women from PCPC and the community gathered for fellow-

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ship and to enjoy encouragement from a beloved teacher, Neatice Warner. Through the event and Neatice’s message, women were called to reflect upon and delight in the steadfast love of our Lord.

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

—Jeremiah 29:11

Our thinking soon shifted to the year ahead, and we anticipated beautiful hopes and visions for Women’s Ministries in 2010. By His grace, we long to cultivate relationships.

Rather than bowing to the tempation to allow events to become a numbers game, we want to focus on each woman finding a connection. Our hope is that the heart of Women’s Ministries would be relational—ministry requiring time and dedication. Realizing that we live in a culture of constant busyness, there is a deep need to slim down and slow down. We are a full-plate generation in desperate need of Jesus.

We also long to grow disciples.

Through events, trainings, and Bible studies, we hope to provide an environment that invites women of all ages to grow as disciples of Christ. We were reminded that prayer is our desperate need and our greatest strength for the coming year. As a culture, we are very put together on the outside and often dying on the inside. Prayer is our lifeline, and we long to equip women to know this vital need.

Our time together affirmed that we are not dependent on programs, but on the Lord. Already in 2010, we have seen His faithfulness continued. We must take that deep dependency to the women of PCPC. According to His grace, we must trust the Lord to grow us as women of His Word and to be who God wants us to be. The results belong to Him—for His eternal glory.

—Ann Higginbottom PCPC WITNESS

Growing our heritage Young Families Ministry providing new ministry opportunities

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Reports on an urban Christmas celebration God’s might exhibited in the unexpected

activities. They are nurtured by volunteers and staff, well fed and nicely dressed. In chapel service one night

As Christmas approached, I wondered how PCPC was going to be able to provide the gifts that I Center had committed to Union Gospel of Hope disciple Mission’s Center of Hope. I had with her told the COH staff that PCPC devotional members would come forward book as in the past and generously give what was needed, as well as movie tickets for 70 women and 50 children, and wallets for 70 women. Two weeks before Christmas I had not received one call from a PCPC member wanting to help buy gifts for the homeless women and children.

But God always provides.

While no one had called, members were making donations a teenage daughter shared that this through our Christmas gift tree. And was the best Christmas she had ever three Sunday school classes that I told about our need responded generously. had! She was touched by the love of I had enough funds to buy all the gifts strangers and realized that there are many who really do care about her. promised and was even able to buy One of the disciples came to me a gifts for the women in the discipleship few days before Christmas with big program! tears rolling down her cheeks. I had The women and children had a placed new devotional books with wonderful Christmas this year, not space for journaling in the disciples’ just because of the gifts, but because rooms while they were in class. I they were in a warm, clean place enclosed a card with each one with a where Christ is the center of all the note of encouragement and signed it, ”Your friends at Park Cities Presbyterian Church.” She was holding onto her

Senior citizens at Voice of Hope come to receive Christmas boxes.

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book and told me that she had prayed with her chaplain the day before that somehow the Lord would provide a devotional book for her, specifically with room to journal. She was amazed at the quick answer to her prayer and could not wait to tell me and thank all of us.

—Diane Steele, Center of Hope Ministry Coordinator

Warmth through worship

Thanks to the faithfulness of God, PCPC members were able to share some of the joys of Christmas with some of the disciples of Calvert Place, the men’s mission of Union Gospel Mission. What could have been a very lonely morning for the disciples was instead turned into a wonderful time filled with warmth. Three families, (including young children) from PCPC, along with three other families, spent their Christmas morning with 38 disciples.

We celebrated the birth of Jesus with a wonderful time of worship and fellowship. The morning was filled with singing, and what a great time it was for everyone to join together in worshiping our King. Every disciple received two wrapped presents with their name on the packages and a special card of encouragement. The packages contained a shirt, a pair of socks, a Wal-Mart gift card, toothpaste, toothbrush and holder, dental floss, shaving cream and razors, shampoo, deodorant, toenail clippers, chapstick, and a comb.

To the disciples, they weren’t just packages on Christmas, but rather they were gifts given out of love.

It was an incredible glimpse of the Body of Christ as the Lord used some to provide the funds, others to purchase the gifts, and others to deliver them on Christmas morning. Thank you to all those who came together to help make this Christmas a special day for the men at Calvert Place.

—John Monroe, Calvert Place Ministry Coordinator

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Reaching out and moving forward in love

Three PCPC ministries partnered to expand the annual Christmas Food Basket Project: Young Families, Women’s Ministries, and Urban Ministries.

The project was launched this year at the Women’s Ministries luncheon in October which had as its theme Steadfast Love. Six large soup can barrels were filled to overflowing with canned food, and food items continued to come in over the next two months.

Young Families held a hot cocoa drive, and PCPC donations were combined with food donated by BWC, Inc..

Early on the morning of Saturday, December 12, over 600 members and children gathered with volunteers from seven urban ministries to pack food boxes at BWC warehouse. There was great excitement in the warehouse as groups assembled boxes, made Christmas ornaments with a gospel message, and wrote notes of encouragement to employees of 16 urban ministry partners. By noon, 2,500 boxes were packed, 2,200 ornaments were made, and 354 cards were written. What a true example of the body of Christ!

—Christina Spruill

ing not only to Voice of Hope (VOH) families but to the greater West Dallas area. Members of the VOH family were invited to assemble Christmas boxes alongside PCPC members. It was a wonderful event that allowed us to experience the diverse body of Christ serving alongside each other.

Once the boxes were delivered to VOH, community members and church congregations were invited to come and pick them up.

Seven area churches picked up boxes for each household in their congregations. Pastors expressed their gratitude and appreciation that VOH and PCPC would care so much about church congregations

senior citizens were so touched by the caring hearts of PCPC members. PCPC members not only gave them food but also prayed with these Christian widows and senior citizens.

“I was blessed to receive the food box during these difficult economic times,” Era Haywood, an 87-year old elder, said. Ms. Era said that she opened her box and shared with her neighbors. “I wanted to Brant Briner is one of the spread the same kindsmaller volunteers. ness to others.”

To see the generous in West heart of PCPC in action is overwhelmDallas, ing. God’s Word says, ”If anyone has especially Boxes of material possessions and sees his brother during blessing in need but has no pity on him, how can these hard From start to finthe love of God be in him? Dear children, economic ish the Christmas let us not love with words or tongue but times. boxes were a blesswith actions and in truth” (1 John 3:17Through18). PCPC members continually show out the day actions and truth, and without their Gary Doan about 50 partnership my department would hauls a packed cars pulled suffer immensely. Every prayer and box to the truck. through donation has been a great source of the VOH support for my beloved community. driveway I continue to hear people express and picked up a box! We even had an their appreciation for the Christmas unemployed West Dallas resident ride boxes. They say, “Do you know they his bike through because he does not gave us oil and sugar?” The people own a car. By the end of the day many were so grateful and content to retears of joy were shed. ceive this token of love.

While boxes were being picked up PCPC members exemplified Provby the community, members of PCPC erbs 22:9, ”A generous man will himself delivered boxes and Christmas gifts be blessed, for he shares his food with the directly to VOH families and senior poor.” My prayer is that we continue citizens. The families were so grateful to serve in the name of the Lord. that someone took the time to deliver —Debbie Solis, Voice of Hope Director of Laura Nell Morrow these items to their doorstep, and the Community Services and a little volunteer FEBRUARY 2010

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Periodical Postage Paid at Dallas, Texas

pcpc

Vol. XXI, No. 1 • FEBRUARY 2010 Park Cities Presbyterian Church 4124 Oak Lawn Avenue Dallas, Texas 75219 www.pcpc.org

Wonders

PCPC’s Christmas concert, A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, presented the Chapel, Covenant, High School, and Chancel choirs with symphony orchestra. We also featured baritone Donnie Ray Albert and our own Billy Park, tenor. It was an evening of firsts. We premiered Christopher Adkins’ new piece, ”Noël des Animaux.” Chris wrote both the music and text, which tells the story of an ox, donkey, and lamb who are traveling to see the Incarnate Christ. It ends with a call to all of us to respond to this Babe in the manger:

Welcome all wonders in one sight! Eternity shut in a span; summer in winter, day in night, heaven in earth, and God in man.

That He, the old Eternal Word, should be a Child and weep. Each of us his lamb will bring, each his pair of silver doves, till burnt at last in fire of Thy fair eyes, ourselves become our own best sacrifice.

Since Christmas carols are some of the very few songs sung both in churches and in the culture, Come now, every name and nation, rank and station, tongue this concert is one of our great and tribe, PCPC outreaches. Many guests atprostrate fall in adoration, to the Babe all laud ascribe! tend each year. The outward effect For the King doth freely offer, prodigal, thy pardon pure, will be felt for some time as the coin of grace from royal coffer, priceless pearl, salvation sure! generous offering of $13,258.60

will be distributed to local urban Jonathan Smith’s new orchestration of his “In the Bleak ministries Midwinter” arrangement poignantly began the program. with which The choir sang from the aisles as their candlelight illuwe partner. minated the darkness. The promise of redemptive hope —J. Marty found reiteration in Brian Piper’s captivating new setting Cope of “O Come, Emmanuel” for congregation and tenor soloist (Billy Park).

Toward the end, the Chancel Choir sang, “Welcome All Wonders.” The contemporary music of Richard Dirksen accompanied Richard Crashaw’s 17th-century text:

Scripture readers: top, Albert Gaitan right, Tom and Jane Werkema