itness W Presbyterian Church in America
pcpc
Vol. XVIII, No. 3 • Park Cities Presbyterian Church • AUGUST 2007
W
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:1)
Rejoicing in His Faithfulness
A current overview of PCPC from Jeff Barber, Executive Director
“There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides You; there is no rock like our God.
What is going on at PCPC these days? What do we look like in this season of our life together? Over 16 year ago PCPC committed itself to the mission of extending the transforming presence of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ in Dallas and to the world, and that remains our worthy calling. We have the joy of first experiencing
—1 Samuel 2:2
real. What a joy to see our body expressing the love of Christ to one another and to the world around us in so many ways. As we approach the fall, let’s reminisce a minute, then review what we can look forward to in September and beyond. Throughout the spring and summer we saw:
INSIDE
• Hundreds of men and women digging into the Word in Bible studies (see p. 5) • High school students serving in Asia and hosting students here • Middle schoolers learning how to share the gospel and care for the homeless in Austin • Hundreds reaching out around the globe on The Thursday Morning Bible Study taught by Kay Gabrysch
Worship the old fashioned way
4
Men, want to be winners at life?
5
Two births for Teresa
6
Learning love from God’s smile
8
Enjoying God and His music 9 Backyard games bring eternal victories
10
Bridging gaps in the Body of Christ 12 Women on a mission
14
Juarez trip changes
everything for Rebecca 16
Hearing the Master’s voice in Japan
18
Katrina leaves survivors “bay-polar
19
Staff takes a break
20
for ourselves the love of our King and then extending His infinitely valuable grace to many who hunger for what is true and
• Hearts of people raised in corporate worship that brings glory to God—and not just on Sundays. (see p. 4)
short-term missions (see pp. 14-19) • Many children around our city learning about Jesus in Backyard Bible Clubs (see pp. 10-11) Continued on page 2
Rejoicing in His faithfulness
cont.from page 1
• Volunteers in West Dallas committed to ongoing ministry in a variety of settings • An outreach to the arts community of Dallas that brought over 250 artists into our church building and caused them to consider the character of Christ portrayed in Psalm 23 • A radio and Internet ministry that reaches around the globe 24 hours a day and broadcasts the Word of God as it is preached here • An evangelism outreach through the Billy Graham Call Center that has been used by God to call many to Christ • Church plants and RUF chapters in the Southwest taking the gospel to new neighborhoods and campuses • A spring concert drawing many visitors from the community that “raised the roof” with glorious musical praise to God (see p. 9) • Mentoring and discipling in small groups and one-onone (see pp. 6 and p. 12) • The fiscal year ending with slightly fewer funds received from giving than anticipated, but also coming in under budget in expenditures, evidence of God’s faithfulness through the obedience of His people. Looking ahead New staff members have joined us who will lead us in ministering to others as well as helping those of us with pastoral needs. We anticipate Urban Ministries, under Julian Russell’s (julian.russell@pcpc.org) leadership, will guide us into effective ways of serving our community. Jeff White’s (jeff.white@pcpc.org) leadership in creating our Pastoral Care and Counseling Ministry provides a tangible way to come alongside those in our body facing life’s challenges. Jeff Barber speaks to the staff at a luncheon.
2 • PCPC WITNESS
And we’re bringing back an old favorite, the churchwide picnic! Watch for details on this fun event in the fall for us to enjoy an afternoon in the park together. Our Sunday school communities are core to our connection with one another in our body. As the fall gets underway, what a great time to reengage in the PCPC community with those you already know or to build new relationships. Pediatric surgery during a mission trip to Laos
Also in September, The Case for Kids, a Young Families Conference, will bring to us nationally known authors and speakers Paul and Tedd Tripp, who will address issues for parents of young children and teens. MIDWEEK provides many tools for spiritual growth, training, and a great sense of community in sharing a meal together on Wednesday evenings. Watch for new classes to begin in September. AUGUST 2007
Missions (note its new name) continues expanding our awareness of what God is doing and calling us to do around the world and will host a Missions Conference in January. Women’s Ministries has chosen the theme, “Prayer and Providence, Walking in the Graces of God” for the next year. Bible studies begin the week of September 11, and the fall luncheon on October 23 will feature speaker Jill Briscoe. Men’s Fraternity kicks off bright and early on ork September 17. See page 5 inning at for all the details. ome and And after much anticipation of this grand new addition to our worship, we will have our organ dedication on October 13 and 14. Don’t miss hearing this great instrument at full capacity!
W
H
Trey Hill and Tim Tinsley enjoy their West Dallas mentorees.
W
ministry for our church. And I am truly grateful for our pastors and Praying for our leaders ministry leaderAll of these great aspects y raternit F s ’ n ship who so often e of extending the Kingdom M 8 0 0 -2 7 0 0 go beyond their come through the people 2 God uses for His purposes. normal daily activity to meet In our months of transition, the needs wherever Session of PCPC has served us extremely well in overseethey arise. Our ing and caring for the needs of our people. These men care pastors have filled deeply about the spiritual and practical needs of our body. our pulpit well Our Pulpit Search Committee is serving our body with and “are worthy great faithfulness as they are earnestly and humbly seeking of double honor,” God’s guidance in calling a senior pastor to shepherd us. as the Apostle Paul Pray for these men and women and their very important expresses in 1 Timothy. PCPC’s Lao And I so Presbyterian enjoy serving Fellowship alongside the worships together. entire PCPC staff every day.
(l to r) Elaine Montague, Amy Tassos, Bill Sutton, and Debbie Blanton serve dinner at MIDWEEK.
So how do we look? Grateful. That our mighty, sovereign Lord would allow PCPC to be an instrument of bringing His providential grace to the hearts of our own members and to this city and world brings us to our knees in humility and awe at His goodness to us. To Him be all the glory. ? Any questions? Call 214-224-2500 or e-mail webmaster@ pcpc.org and we’ll direct you to the right place.
AUGUST 2007
PCPC WITNESS • 3
Ron Williams
60+ Community
An Old Fashioned Summer Bible Conference
I
It was a little like running a marathon for four consecutive Thursdays, but what a delightful time we all had! Beginning in June and concluding in July, the 60+ Community offered PCPC members and anyone else so inclined to attend an Old Fashioned Summer Bible Conference. You know the kind—great old hymns of the faith, the gospel preached loud and clear, lip smackin’ food and plenty of it, and loads of time for sweet fellowship with many we know well and others we had the wonderful opportunity of getting to know. It was a big hit. We had between 50 and 60 folk each week in spite of the rain. We ranged in age from 3 to 94. It was a privilege to have a wonderful group visit from Town Village North, one of the retirement homes where Ron Williams teaches a weekly Bible study. Joy Faye and Gilbert Adam brought five kiddos from West Dallas along one Thursday. Ron took his four brief but powerful messages from the Gospel of John. • John 1:29: Behold the Lamb of God, discussing the atonement, the death Christ died, the shedding of His precious blood. • John 1:14: The Word became flesh, dealing with the incarnation and why God had to become man. • John 3:7b: Ye must be born again, the statement Jesus made to Nicodemus, a very religious man. Could
4 • PCPC WITNESS
that religion get him into the Kingdom? Why must we be born again? • John 5:24-29: The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, a teaching on the resurrection power of God and victory over sin and death through the Son. It was like a cool, refreshing drink of water to the soul. I am always amazed at the simple, beautiful, powerful gospel of Jesus Christ. Another contributing factor to the success of this event was surely the toe tapping, uplifting gospel music supplied by J. Marty Cope, Don Reasons, and Ron Williams. (Yes, not only can he preach, he can play the piano like you wouldn’t believe.) Paula Williams put together our song book from
an ancient, frayed, yellow-paged Billy Graham song booklet loaded with the old hymns—I Love to Tell the Story, He Keeps Me Singing, Old Rugged Cross, Redeemed, Sunshine in My Soul—just to name a few. The music compelled us to sing along; we just couldn’t help ourselves. Festive Kitchen outdid themselves providing us with delicious food each time. Everyone raved about it! Of course, delicious food goes hand in hand with great fellowship. This time was no exception. Everyone arrived hungry and left full—emotionally, physically, and spiritually! We topped it all off with hot fudge sundaes with a cherry on top! It just doesn’t get much better than that! —Jane Beasley Left, Frances Seaman Left below, Gilbert (l) and Joy Faye Adam (r) and friends from West Dallas Below, Cameron, Melanie, and Sarah Adams
AUGUST 2007
Men’s Fraternity
A
Winning at Work and Home
As we walk along as men together in our journey with Christ, we are constantly measuring ourselves. Don’t we all want to become more Christlike? Don’t we long to morph into the men Christ has called us to be, at home and at the office? We have mirrors into which we gaze in order to measure our success. Success or failure at work and at home can define a man’s life. We want to win in both mirrors; we want to sense progress in our life. Often we are successful at work but struggle when it comes to being husbands and fathers. Even when we are wildly successful in one of these two areas, we will have a sense of failure beneath the surface of our lives if we are not doing well in the other area. This year at Men’s Fraternity, we are going to address the key issues that surround winning at work and at home. It can’t get more practical than that, can it, guys? Beginning at 6:30 in the morning on September 17, we will proactively address a man’s relationship with his wife or his girlfriend. Many men are busy trying to change their wives, while their wives are trying to change them, creating a mess at home! Some men simply retreat into their shells when confronted with the responsibility of caring for their wives and families, bumbling their way through life at home. Our time together in the fall will be spent equipping each other to understand and encourage our spouses. We will discuss a wide range of topics that include understanding your wife, emotional connectedness, enjoying a healthy sex life with your spouse, managing your finances together, and maximizing your opportunities as a parent. We will walk away from the first half of our year together with a AUGUST 2007
toolbox filled with helpful information and a few critical action steps.
Beginning in January 2008, we will learn how to win at work. Most men define themselves by what they do—we are performance driven. A man’s DNA is to be an action figure. At Men’s Fraternity, you will get a new perspective on the role that work plays in shaping your manhood. You may be dealing with a boss who doesn’t see your potential, or maybe you are being suffocated by a micromanager. Maybe you are desiring to do something new but lack the courage to head out on your own. You may be bored with your work and wish your life were more significant. I want you to be out there courageously doing the things that bring you joy and fulfillment, experiencing the life that God has for you.
Tim holds a sample of the Christmas gift he gave to each member of Men’s Fraternity last year, The Right Reverend’s Rub. For a description of his cooking creation, see the next page.
Does this scratch you where you itch? Yeah, it does me too. Come on and join us as we continue our quest for authentic manhood by addressing the topic of winning at home and at work. Every man is welcome to participate (you and your friends) and attendance at last year’s sessions is not a prerequisite. I’ll be looking for you at 6:30 am, Monday, September 17! —Tim Tinsley
PCPC WITNESS • 5
God is my strength
The story of God’s pursuit of His daughter, Teresa As part of God’s perfect plan, I share my story because I am a daughter, a sister, and a friend who appeared to have it all. The life I lived was fun, exciting, and even rewarding as the world can be, but inside I was dying a slow and painful death. And then one day my life would change forever.
I
It was August 7, 2005. I woke up hung over after a friend’s wedding, not an unusual state for me on a Sunday morning. I had spent still another night drowning any possible emotion with alcohol while putting on a carefree, smiling face to hide the pain. I had a feeling come over me that day, a sense of a new beginning. I was leav-
The idea for the Right Reverend’s
Rub came to me a few years ago as a way to express thanks to the members of our church and community who walked with me through a difficult time in my life—a personal token of appreciation that I made and then delivered one Christmas afternoon in my Santa Claus outfit and riding my Harley Davidson. While it may be used on all types of vegetables and meats (fish and poultry), it is especially appreciated by the brisket, a cut of beef that requires a more robust treatment than its naturally tender distant cousins. I developed the rub over the years while living here in Texas as I sampled and cooked brisket.
6 • PCPC WITNESS
ing the next day for Dallas, my new home, maybe the right place to start over. Maybe I would meet someone nice and stop being haunted by my very destructive past relationship with a former St Louis Cardinal’s baseball player. It had been a month since we had broken up, during which I had hoped alcohol and sex would heal my broken heart. They hadn’t. As I looked around my apartment at all the packed boxes, I felt that all the pain and destruction in my life would soon be behind me, but then a new worry crept into my mind. I started counting backwards and looked at a calendar. “There is no way I am preg-
The Spice of Life Brisket is a cut of meat that requires tender loving care and time. I slow cook my brisket for an hour a pound in a slow oven after having applied a liberal paste made from E.V.O.O. and rub. Of course there are many steps along the way which I am not at liberty to discuss, but this process coincides with the general rule of thumb when preparing Texas’ most popular “poor man’s prime rib.” This process is meaningful to me as I identify most strongly with the work to tenderize hardened, tough brisket. The brisket requires much time as it slow cooks, and I, too, have required much of the Lord’s time over the years as He has tended to my sanctification. The brisket requires some “spicin’ up” too as the right mixture of seasonings may well accent the clandestine charac-
nant,” I thought to myself. “After all, I am moving to Dallas where I know no one and have a chance to start over. I have a six-figure job waiting there and my whole life ahead of me.” As my grandfather would say, “You have the world by the tail on a downhill drag.” Downhill was right. Only months earlier I had found myself in the depths of despair. Taking a bottle of pain killers with a bottle of wine had seemed like a good idea at the time. But I was still around and still headed downhill. Well, you can guess what happened next—the test was positive. I was pregnant! Not only was I pregnant, I
teristics of the lower cut of beef. When the proper amount of cooking time and temperature are combined with the affections of the chef, the lowly brisket dances upon one’s taste buds with more flavor than its much ballyhooed distant cousin, the prime rib. As with my theological underpinnings, I stand on the shoulders of giants who have gone before when presenting this pedantic entrée, but walk with a stately pride it does into the hearts of every true Texan. The Right Reverend’s Rub seemed the perfect gift of love to the men who have walked with me through another soul-searching year in Men’s Fraternity. So after ordering mass quantities of spices online, my wife, children, and grandchildren gathered to mix/package our thank-you gifts for them. I hope they find delight in the flavors they create in their homes as their families sit down to talk about life and eat savory food together; until we partake of The Great Feast with our Savior. —Tim Tinsley
AUGUST 2007
was moving the next day to city full of strangers! I believed in God, and for the first time in a long time that night I really prayed: “God, I cannot do this! I will not make it!” As I went to sleep I had decided what I had to do—terminate the pregnancy and then change my life. I woke up the next morning with this message in my head: “Come to Me. I sent this child to rescue you. You are dying, and I am not going to let that happen. I have tried to get your attention subtly, but you are not listening.” That is the day I humbled myself before Jesus Christ. I put my life in His hands and trusted Him.
New life in Dallas
Once in Dallas I felt very sure that I was supposed to seek out a church. At the time I did not know it, but this was God’s hand continuing to guide me. I looked on the internet and found the closest church to my new home. It was PCPC. I called Kari Stainback, the Director of Women’s Ministries, and asked her if there was a place there for a girl like me. Her voice, so inviting, said, “Of course there is.” She told me they were having an event that Friday. A woman who wrote Lost Women of the Bible (Carolyn Custis James) would be speaking about her new book. “How fitting,” I thought. That Friday I drove up to the church and sat in the parking lot so scared and humbled, and too intimidated to walk in. Again His voice, subtle and assuring, said, “Come to Me.” I went in and found Kari, who immediately introduced me to women who would stay by my side through this journey. I was up front and honest about my situation. I was so amazed that they did not immediately turn their backs on me. I could not believe that these beautiful Christian women would want anything to do with a wretch AUGUST 2007
like me. Not only did they not turn their backs, but they pursued my friendship with persistence. If these women had not reached out to me, I would have gone back to my home alone, pregnant, and believing girls like that do not hang out with girls like me. Who would want to be seen with an unmarried pregnant girl? My sin was visible, not the kind you can hide under a smiling face and a pleasant demeanor.
The patience of Christ
I shudder to imagine the state I would be in without the people God has used to draw me closer to Him. Each day I trust Him more. I have learned that there is nothing I can do to make God love me any more than He does right now, and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me any less. As Paul states in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the worse. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life.” I trusted Him when He said “Come to Me,” and He has not left me since. I still struggle with my old nature,
but I know in His grip the battle has already been fought and won. The walk has not been easy, but each trial has brought me closer to the One who loved me first, our Heavenly Father. I am still broken and humble, and pray that I will always remain that way. The great Lover of my soul rescued me and sent me a child so that I may know Him. That night in August two years ago God gave me a new life as His child and… Nine months later, on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2006, at 1:35 am, Gabrielle Leonora Crafton was born. I named her Gabrielle because the name means “God is my strength.” Only by God’s amazing grace have I survived both physically and emotionally. For Him I press on in hopes that my story can help someone else find what true peace and happiness feels like. I searched the world for something to fill the canyon in my heart. He was there all along. Each day He uncovers a layer to expose His truths that now replace the lies upon which my life was built. God is our comfort, not because He removes us from a situation, but because He walks through it with us and surrounds us with His angels. —Teresa Crafton PCPC WITNESS • 7
Love Alone Is Credible A brief book review by Cynthia R. Nielsen Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988), a Catholic theologian of extraordinary intellect and imagination, is considered by some one of the most influential theological figures of the twentieth century. Known for his ecumenical charity, as exhibited in his friendship with Karl Barth, and his deep love and appreciation for the Patristics, von Balthasar works are permeated with a Christocentric focus and an attentiveness to beauty that engages both the mind and the heart. Though his work, Love Alone Is Credible, presupposes that the reader is familiar with a number of significant philosophical and theological figures, von Balthasar is able to interlace the more abstract and theoretical emphases of his work with concrete experiences of human relationships in order to help us see the mysterious and yet very real connection between God’s love for us and our love for others. For example, I find von Balthasar’s analogy of a mother’s smile awakening love in her child to be extremely helpful in expanding my own apprehension of God’s active, transforming love toward and in me. Prior to his presentation of this analogy, von Balthasar observes that in order for God to reveal His love for the world, this love—even in its wholly-otherness— must be recognizable by the world. Paradoxically, from the 8 • PCPC WITNESS
(humanly speaking) grandest to the most selfish lover, each must in some inchoate way already have at least a taste of love in order to recognize true love. As the Christian tradition confesses, God is our Creator, and if He is our Creator, He can no doubt create us with a capacity to love Him and can implant within us the seeds of such love which He himself can then (non-violently) bring to fruition. To illustrate how such love might be awakened, Balthasar offers his analogy of the mother’s smile: After a mother has smiled at her child for many days and weeks, she finally receives her child’s smile in response. She has awakened love in the heart of her child, and as the child awakens to love, it also awakens to knowledge: the initially empty-sense impressions gather meaningfully around the core of the Thou. Knowledge (with its whole complex of intuition and concept) comes into play, because the play of love has already begun beforehand, initiated by the mother.” Von Balthasar then compares this analogy to the way in which God manifests His love to human beings. God “radiates love, which kindles the light of love in the heart of man, and it is precisely this light that allows man to perceive this, the absolute Love: ‘For it is God who said,
“Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ’ (2 Cor 4:6).” In other words, it is in the self-giving, glorious face of Christ that God the Father smiles at us. As His creatures, created in His image, we have the “seed of love” lying dormant within and hence the capacity to be awakened to divine love is present. “But just as no child can be awakened to love without being loved, so too no human heart can come to an understanding of God without the free gift of His grace—in the image of His Son.”(p. 76). Due to space constraints, I have given but one example from von Balthasar’s book; yet the book overflows with hidden treasures such as von Balthasar’s discussion of the self-giving love of Christ and the inconceivability of a God who reconciles enemies while they are still enemies. This book is thus well-worth a slow, contemplative read. Given that the author is Roman Catholic, as one would expect, it is written from a Catholic perspective and of course contains teachings (e.g., the Magisterium) with which Protestants respectfully disagree. Nonetheless, there is much to be gleaned from von Balthasar’s work, and we would do well to humbly receive his insights. Ed. Note: This book was first published in 1963 and was reissued in English in 2005. Readers may also find the new book on Christology by Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, edifying as well while taking note of certain differences with our Protestant and reformed heritage.)
AUGUST 2007
The musicians combined to sing ”Amazing Grace” in five languages.
T
PCPC’s spring concert celebrates gospel’s global reach
“To glorify God, and fully to enjoy William How gives us an overwhelmWe also shared in music from the Him forever”—the Westminster ing glimpse of that gathering in his wider world community. As the gosCatechism provides this answer to the hymn “For all the Saints.” It conpel permeates all of creation, the echo pervading question on the essence of resounds from all peoples. Pieces from cludes: life: “What is the chief and highest end Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas of man?” Because of this (essentially) “From earth’s wide bounds, were played and sung. In culmination, biblical command, PCPC has always from ocean’s farthest coast, the choirs, soloists, and members of emphasized the worship of God—not Through gates of pearl PCPC’s Laotian fellowship combined only here in Dallas but to “all the streams in the countless host, to sing “Amazing Grace”—first by the world.” Singing to Father, Son different groups in Korean, Spanish, Specifically, this goal has always and Holy Ghost: Chinese, and Laotian, then all together found fruition in the musical arts—as Alleluia, Alleluia!” in English. a means of reflecting Christ and offering to Him our sac—J. Marty Cope rifice of worship. Members of PCPC have long participated in these God-directed expressions of art—as have many others from our community. The sharing of musical art has always been an important part of our outreach, and this continued in our spring concert on Sunday, April 29 with the PCPC choirs, symphony orchestra, and guests. The primary musical work featured poetry of George Herbert set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams: the Five Mystical Songs. This poetry, a collection of poems finished Soloists Kyonghee Kimn and Jenni Rasberry near Herbert’s death, poignantly captures truths of our faith. The sinner’s cry of “Love bade me welcome: yet my soul The program concluded drew back, guilty of dust and sin” is with an anticipation and celanswered by the reminder, “You must ebration of heaven where God sit down, says Love, and taste my will “gather all nations and Bagpiper Don Shannon played out on Oak meat.” “So I did sit and eat.” tongues.” The hymnwriter Lawn following the concert. AUGUST 2007
PCPC WITNESS • 9
GAME DAY BBCs score ultimate victory Runners, take your mark. Get set. Go! This year volunteers from PCPC along with sister ministries Providence Presbyterian, New St. Peter’s, Mercy Street and Cristo Rey, took this admonition to heart. Our goal—to share the love of Christ with children all over the Metroplex by welcoming them into backyards, parks, and homes for a week of fun, fellowship, and most importantly, gospel teaching. A group of dedicated leaders began training in December for the week of June 11-15 by choosing our sports theme, assembling a great team, and devising our strategy for “winning.” To win did not mean assembling a record number of children— although we did—nor did it mean to have some fun events that brought our church family together—although we did that too. Winning for this year’s BBC team meant obtaining the goal
Members of this year’s leadership team: (l to r) Susan Huffman, Jody Dodson, Renea Conser, Lauren Bell, Lisa Holmgren, and Melanie Cummins set before us in Hebrews 12:1–2—to run with endurance the race that God has set before us in order to win the prize of the high calling which is ours through Christ Jesus. To that end, hostesses and ministry leaders recruited 17 teams who prepared, prayed, and played with over 400 children. Each day they shared truths from Scripture using stories and song, then reinforced them with crafts and activities. One teacher commented, “I felt really
“Coach” John Broderson takes his little athletes through a warm up.
10 • PCPC WITNESS
good about presenting the gospel so many ways and times… That’s the whole purpose for doing this!” A hostess shared that even children from non-church homes went home telling their parents what they learned each day about Christ. At the end of the week, most clubs hosted a celebration where the parents and families of the little athletes came together to see what the “team” learned that week. This provided a great opportunity to share the gospel one more time in the hope of pointing our friends and neighbors to the only One who guarantees our ultimate victory: the Lord Jesus Christ. While the clubs were in full swing in Dallas, another group of PCPC families was ministering in Juarez, Mexico. They adapted the Game Day curriculum and crafts for the children they met while building houses and working with a local church. In July, Curt and Sue Dobbs took a missions team to Thailand and Laos where they also used the materials to share the love of Christ with children. Jahaziel Cantu, one of the organizers for Cristo Rey’s clubs, also took the materials overseas when he traveled to Nicaragua. AUGUST 2007
So, we consider this year’s Backyard Bible Club effort an “outof-the-park home run” as the family at PCPC worked with our sister ministries to extend the Kingdom of Christ in Dallas and around the world. What a privilege we have to belong to God’s “team” and to belong to one another in the work —and play!—to which He has called us here at home. May we continue to run with endurance, keeping our eyes fixed on Christ, who won the ultimate victory for His own. —Lauren Bell
Charlotte Ball (in hat) captures the children’s attention as she teaches them to sing scripture songs written by Robyn Howland for this year’s clubs.
The children at Cristo Rey’s club play games with volunteers from the 20+ Community.
Derek Leonard likes his cookie. John Conser, with Caroline and Brister, share a laugh at their club’s celebration.
Wendy O’Neill takes a break from refereeing to smile for the camera with Bennett.
Worthey Wiles listens to a story between games.
AUGUST 2007
PCPC WITNESS • 11
Young women crossing new bridges
W
When I first began attending PCPC in 2002 as an energetic 24-year-old new to Dallas, I was overwhelmed by the size of our church, as most people are. Yet, I was optimistic and knew that nothing came easy. If I plugged into a community at our church and actively pursued others then soon PCPC would be more like home. Two years later, after becoming a member, Sunday School, participating in a small group that had new faces weekly, attend-
first year on staff I felt burdened to help the young women in our church know the amazing women I had the privilege of knowing because of my job. After much prayer and discussion with others who shared this same burden, we developed a vision for what would eventually be labeled the Young Women’s Ministry. It has been a year since we launched this ministry, and it is evident this vision was given to us by the Lord. Developing the vision Our goals were two-fold: first, to offer a casual Bible study in a home for women in their 20s and 30s where they could form relationships with one another while studying the Word and learning how to practically apply it to their lives.
sphere. The second half of the vision was to create an event (now known as The Bridge) which would help young women in our church begin connecting with women of different ages in order to form mentoring relationships. This vision was not about creating a good program or having big numbers, but about meeting a need. Young women in the church need and desire to know women who have walked where they’ve walked and who can encourage them in their circumstances. Often our own insecurities or busy schedules keep them from this necessary element of Christian growth. A very successful young women’s pilot group in the summer of 2006 affirmed the need for the ministry, so we officially launched it in September. It’s name, The Bridge, symbolizes our desire to build bridges between the various ages and stages of women in our church as we also build bridges between what we know to be true
The Bridge offers great opportunities for friends in new age groups. Above, Kathy Smith and Ashley Evans Right, Christi Carter and Barb Mullins
ing a few women’s events, going on a singles retreat, and serving in the nursery, I still felt like a stranger. Much of this was due to the transient nature of my age and stage and my inability to commit to a weekly women’s Bible study because of work conflicts. But I was still frustrated and desperate to figure out the magical formula to make a church the size of PCPC “home.” There had to be an answer. In the Fall of 2005, after becoming a graduate student, I accepted a parttime job at PCPC in Women’s Ministries. I did not realize that not only would this be the answer to my problem, but that it would also become an avenue for other young women longing to connect at PCPC. After my 12 • PCPC WITNESS
Since most women who would come to this study were in the working world, we committed to providing a light dinner for those coming directly from the office. Meeting in homes would offer them a chance to get to know different women in our church and also provide a relaxing atmo-
about God and how we see His hand in our lives. Every six weeks from September to May, we invited all women in the church to come and fellowship over dinner in the home of Patty Smith and then hear a testimony from the lives of various women in our church. Women of all ages were blessed to AUGUST 2007
hear from Elizabeth Robinson, Carroll Turpin, Patty Smith, Becky Bain, Denise Nixon, and Barbara Adams. Becky McCamey, Susan Lewis, and Kathy Smith came consistently to help with food and to reach out to the younger women. In addition to The Bridge, the Young Women’s Bible study has now met weekly for the past year and has also proved to meet a great need.
Throughout the year women such as Gail Schoellkopf opened their homes to us for Bible study and a light dinner. I have been incredibly thankful for this group of women eager to dive into the Word and share their hearts with one another.
My Experience with The Bridge
One young woman, Erin, asked me, “What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were 25?” “The love of God,” I told her. Another young woman confessed to me that she had no problem believing that God loved the world—but her? No way. How could God love her?
by Patty Smith In August 2006, Ashley Evans called to ask if I would consider hosting a monthly meeting of young women in our home. “We would like to serve a light dinner, and there may be 25-40 people,” she said. “Wonderful idea,” I responded. “You can count on me.” Then Ashley asked if I would invite some older women. Without a moments hesitation I told her that I did not really know any older women. “Honestly, I guess I could call Caroline Hunt; she likes me, “ I replied. “I mean women your age, Patty.” “Ohhhhhhh, I get it. I am the older woman!“ The Bridge has been meeting for a year now in our home, and the reality of God’s goodness to all generations is evident. At The Bridge, we are teaching cross-generational mentoring; imploring all women to find a godly mentor and be one at the same time. We hope that the 20- or 30-year-old women will develop the life skill of serving by being the older woman to a teenager or college student living out the biblical principal of “A cord of three strands is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
It has been amazing to watch the Lord raise up women with great vision for this ministry and dedication to it. It is
Some of my observations about this age group are: 1. They have grown up in the church and now find themselves questioning, “Is this really true?” 2. The reality of living out their faith in the post-college marketplace presents hurdles I never imagined. They need our prayers. 3. Their friends are beginning to marry. 4. They find it difficult to come to worship as a single person without a family or companion/mate.
a picture of the body of Christ and how the church was meant to function. We are very excited to continue doing this next year and for the new faces we will see. We invite women of all ages not only to join us in Bible study and at The Bridge, but to offer themselves as vessels for God to use in others’ lives just as He will continue to use others in their lives. —Ashley Evans
These young women have so many places they could be on any given night. However, they come on Thursday nights because they are fellow truth seekers. They want to have dinner in a home and find refreshment through fellowship. It does my heart good to look around our home and see women of all ages in conversation, deep or lighthearted, developing relationships. The Bridge is a blessing to me. We have two nearly grown daughters who live out of state. I am starved for time with young women their ages. (I sense that these young women like a visit with a “substitute mom” too!) Actually, there are many of us who have walked with Christ long enough to give witness to His goodness and mercy. So here is my new definition of an older woman: A woman who knows the Fount of every blessing is named Jesus Christ. I almost forgot to mention—we are having so much fun! Please join us at The Bridge. We need you, and you need us.
5. They need listening ears. (l to r) Erin Townsend, Becky Bain, Gloria Cave
The testimonies of other “older women” like myself are encouraging and real faith boosters. The authentic questions from the younger set helps me recall God’s faithful loving kindness to me and the certainty of His grip. AUGUST2007 2007 AUGUST
PCPC WITNESS • 13• 13 PCPC WITNESS
The Invitation Don’t say “if,” say “when”
B
Be careful about accepting certain invitations—they could very likely change your heart! After Bible study one day this spring D’Ann Moxley asked me to join a women’s mission trip to Mexico. She mentioned teaching the Bible, encouraging pastors’ wives and missionaries, and teaching arts and crafts. D’Ann and I had taught at UP Elementary together for about ten years and shared a mutual love and respect for each other, so I said “yes” without hesitation. In preparation for our trip Corey Young, Director of Missions, provided notebooks full of spiritual food for thought, and D’Ann led us through bonding activities for the first few weeks. But my guilt level about going was rising because my mother-inlaw was in very poor health and my husband, Bill, was finishing a big building project at work. Then the State Department issued a travel alert for U.S. citizens traveling to Mexico. The drug cartels were at war, and my husband and son expressed concern for eight women traveling alone. I vaguely remember Kay Gabrysch responding to the warning by saying, “That makes me want to go even more,” and D’Ann referenced the trials our early missionaries experienced for the cause of Christ. My anxious heart was really doing a number on me then! I began to pray earnestly for God to let me know His direction and His decision. I started spending several hours each day at the Corner Bakery, huddled back in the corner with my notebook and Bible. I even learned how to turn on the gas to their fireplace. God began to demonstrate His power as I gave serious thought to our PCPC mission statement. Tim Tinsley preached a sermon that appeared to be leveled at our small missions group. I highlighted words in my notebook by Clarence W. Jones 14 • PCPC WITNESS
that said, “The more obstacles you have, the more opportunities there are for God to do something.” I also highlighted, “The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity,” by Mike Stachura. Finally, when Bill said, “Don’t keep saying ‘if I go on the missions trip,’ but The Humble Eight: front, Phyllis Mabus, Kari Stainback, Ashley Evans say, ‘when I go,’” I back, Kay Gabrysch, Laurie Butterfield, D’Ann Moxley, Patty Moody, knew that God had Keeley Chorn given him a peace about my trip. I also pastors’ wives and missionaries. She knew that God would be able to even purchased purple luggage (too handle a death, a funeral, a building childlike, we thought, for anyone to completion, but most of all our amazwant to steal!) to transport our suping team. (D’Ann named us the Fab plies. What a sensory de ja vous it was Eight!) God began to demonstrate His to see modern skyscrapers banded in clear direction to me through messenpurple against the lavender moungers He alone could send. tains in the industrial city of Monterrey. Our purple suitcases fit right in. Rose beads and purple luggage A second messenger touched I visited a store called Beading my material soul at a store where I Dreams to see if the young women was trying to purchase 100% cotton working there could provide direct-shirts. I explained that I was taking tion for making “fruit of the spirit” a mission trip to Monterrey where 98° bracelets (Galatians 5:22, 23) to would be the expected temperature enhance scripture memorization for with little hope of air conditioning. A the Mexican women and children. Mexican woman who was organizing A generous young woman whom I garments slipped a $20 bill into my had never met overheard my queshand and said, “I feel the Holy Spirit tions and presented a card to me in you. Please give this to someone that included specifics for making in Mexico who needs it.” I took this our bracelets. She had been to a charge seriously and prayed for the demonstration of that very project right recipient. A frail and elderly at another church! How fun to learn woman who sold wooden potholdthat rose quartz represents love! A ers on the street was paid for many UP parent had given D’Ann a box more potholders than I bought, and of loose stones that allowed us to be the actual $20 bill was later given to good stewards with our fundraising a Mexican minister to buy food or dollars. Patty Moody began culling medicine for a person in need in his the Dollar Stores for VBS supplies congregation. and gifts of encouragement for the AUGUST 2007
reat church is
rk
o
g fa
“
AUGUST 2007
sewing background, and we had only one machine, which Kay kept threaded for me. Another missionary, Julia Londis, sat beside me and prayed me through the last hour of sewing before our deadline, as I was weary after sewing for most of the day. She carefully trimmed the pillows as she silently lifted me up in prayer. We couldn’t think of letting a child from that church leave without a pillow.
•
Th e m a
The wall mural painted at Encuentro con Dios, a PCA church in Monterrey (l to r) D’Ann Moxley, Patty Moody, Laurie Butterfield, Kari Stainback
Besides being sisters forever to the amazing women on this mission, the highlight of the trip for me included sharing the bilingual Bibles we took. We paired off in twos to read and pray with our new amigos from Mexico. Psalms 86 will never be read the same for me. Diana Escalante read it to me in Spanish as I read to her in English. Two different languages, one amazing God.
The words stamped on each pillow said, Puro Corazón, and pure hearts emerged as themes in the churches where we studied, prayed, and taught. I watched the Humble Eight paint smiles on the faces of giraffes and other animals who seemed to be peeking through blades of lime green grass on a wall mural. The Mexican children took ownership as D’Ann invited them to add color. We had no air-conditioning to accompany that 115° “bad hair” day, and several of our team members were fighting colds. Laurie Butterfield, Keeley Chorn, and Ashley Evans embraced and entertained the well-behaved children that we were blessed to serve. The children sang to us that evening as we ate tamales that took four Mexican women about six hours to prepare from scratch. Our team is grateful to those who had the vision for the mission and thankful to our partners who prayed and supported us. My mother-inlaw is still with us, Bill’s project is near completion, and eight women came home safely after a week in Monterray. I cherish the mini-miracles God provided because we “accepted His invitation” to draw closer to Him by loving our neighbors to the south. —Phyllis Mabus
a hur ac St
no t
capacity ting bu a e t it s s ti s
e
One day I sewed 35 heart-shaped pillows for VBS children on a cranky, borrowed sewing machine. I realized why God gives us the body of Christ. Half of our team was involved in cutting out satin hearts while the others separated stones for making bracelets. I was the only one who had a
capacity.” — ing M nd ik se
Trusting God in our inadequacy As our team met before leaving for Mexico to pray, plan, and bond, mutual transparency began to emerge. We became vulnerable enough to admit that we felt completely inadequate to accomplish this mission and that we were comparing ourselves to each other. Imagine being sixty and going on a mission trip with many young, vibrant women. I couldn’t picture myself jogging in shorts before breakfast or managing 98° days, much less painting murals on classroom walls. Satan was assaulting our confidence, but God gave us courage through His Word. We renamed ourselves the Humble Eight.
Above in circle, Phyllis and her new amigo, Julia Londis, a member of PCPC who attends Cristo Rey and was serving for one month with the PCA’s Mission to the World in Monterrey as a missionary. PCPC WITNESS • 15
Finding joy just over the border Young families go on mission trip together
I
have never seen poverty like our Young Families mission team saw in Juarez, Mexico. I’m not just saying that. We saw families living in cardboard boxes or using mattress springs to create a roof over their heads. Drug trafficking is common. Honest work means walking many miles just to reach the bus for a fivehour ride to the factory to earn $6 a day.
evening. Jeff and Jenny, the leaders, live at the compound made up of 16 colorful little houses, a play area for children, and a dining hall all enclosed within four walls. It was a perfect place for us to stay while we built the simple houses for the community. We even had air conditioning and inside running water. Compared to the extreme poverty around us, I felt like a queen.
Some members of the group pose outside one of their building projects.
Little carpenter Sarah Grace Kroh
16 • PCPC WITNESS
Our team of 74 people, ranging in ages from 4 to 67, arrived in El Paso on June 13 and drove across the border in a bus and some vans. Because of the Mexican culture, we were all required to wear long pants once inside Mexico. Let me tell you, people sitting in a non-air conditioned bus in Mexico in June wearing long pants can get a little cranky! We finally arrived at the Missions Ministries compound, the home of an outreach program for Juarez, late in the
Early the next morning our team arrived at the job site, where the foundation was already poured. All we had to do was raise the four walls and assemble the houses (still challenging, though!). We built three homes: two for families and one a Sunday School room for the neighborhood church. The recipient families were precious and had eagerly anticipated our arrival. Blanca, the lady whose house my family built, wandered around the work site checking on her new palace. Both adults and children put forth 100% effort to build 12’ by 36’ houses with three rooms in two days. We hammered, glued, painted, put tar on the roof and witnessed to the families with the little broken Spanish we knew. Whenever one of the family members or children tried to communicate with us, we politely nodded our heads and acted like we understood every word. During one of our devotions at night, John Bateman told the group that 80% of communication is through the eyes. As the days progressed, I realized just how much that stateAUGUST 2007
ment was true. As we played with the neighborhood kids during Vacation Bible School in the afternoon, a child would march up to me and rapidly spew out a jumble of words that I could not comprehend. But their eyes shone with such an intensity of excitement and hope in Allison Hicks something greater that and Brooke I could not help but reply with a feeble smile and “No comprendo.” This trip was such a blessing because it showed us all how narrow-minded we have become. These people have nothing, and yet they find so many reasons to love and praise their Savior. On our last night there, we attended a neighborhood church service. Folding chairs were scattered throughout the hot room and the place was overflowing with Americans and Mexicans. Pastor Martin and his congregation welcomed us with open arms. I watched an older Mexican lady lift her hands high in praise as her voice rang throughout the church while we sang “Lord, We Lift Your Name on High” in Spanish. Her joy was incredibly pure and holy. I had truly expected the people of Juarez to rebuke Christ because of the life they had been dealt. Instead, they praise His glorious name despite their extreme poverty; and their love for Him is so genuine and deep that it makes me want to hide my face in shame, because I am a fraud. I attack Christ when I don’t get my way. I blame God for not being able to do what I want and when I want. After we left the tiny church and headed back to our cool showers and comfortable beds, I felt like such a hypocrite. How could I go back to my little bubble and resume the I-call-on-God-when-I-need-Him lifestyle when people just a few hundred miles from Dallas who have AUGUST 2007
absolutely nothing call on God purely because they love Him? God taught me something on this trip—I can’t go back the same. My views on Him and worldly materials have got to change. It’s not fair to my King that I complain when I can’t get the latest Fendi purse. In the end, all the earthly possessions we have required on this side of heaven mean zilch when it comes to the Kingdom of God. God doesn’t judge us according to the latest BMW model parked in our driveway or the most expensive article of clothing hanging in our closets. It comes down to the heart. The people of Juarez are further proof of the Spirit of God working in our sinful lives. The citizens of Juarez have learned a valuable lesson that sometimes takes us a lifetime to learn. I am truly grateful to have stood side-by-side with them and glimpsed into the grace of the Kingdom of Heaven. And I am truly grateful that my church “sent” me on this mission experience. —Rebecca Wilson Ed. Note: Rebecca Wilson is a rising sophomore at Highland Park High School. She and her family were among the 15 PCPC families that made the Young Families Mission Trip to Juarez, Mexico, on June 13-16. This was the first PCPC mission trip of this kind designed especially for parents and children to serve together, and plans are underway for more opportunities for families to minister together.
PCPC WITNESS • 17
Is there another U.S. state whose flag goes on mission trips? 20+ team members represented Texas well, all for the sake of the gospel. Included on the team were Cindy Steele (second from left), Terry McDonald (behind Cindy), Patrick Lafferty (in front of flag), David Lott (front right kneeling), and Amy Schofield (standing behind David). Below, Hidenobu (l) and PCPC team member Terry McDonald
Redeeming the Flock One Sheep at a Time: In a land with no word for “God” For several years now during the summer, members of the 20+ Community have headed to Chiba, Japan, a city 20 minutes southeast of Tokyo, to partner with the several churches in the area in bringing attention to their respective college ministries. This last June, five members of 20+ headed back to continue the work of sowing seeds for the gospel by hosting several “Texas Nights”—informal gatherings during which attendees would learn a little more about our love for Texas culture (complete with a crash course in line-dancing) and would hear a testimony about our greater love, Christ and His gospel. One story might encapsulate our time there: The phrase “unreached people group” is not one that most would associate with Japan, yet only about 0.5 % of its population claims any association with Christianity. Nevertheless, God is about the work of calling a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation, and indeed nothing will prevent Him from calling His people to Himself. Perhaps the best reminder we had of this wonderful truth was on a day when we least expected it. We spent one morning passing out flyers, or as the Japanese say, “Chirashi,” for a Texas-themed party held at a local church that evening. The idea was to generate a way for students to come to the AUGUST 2007
church and meet the permanent church members so that they could begin to hear the gospel. It often takes a few years of building relationships and sharing before a Japanese man or woman comes to Christ. We became discouraged because we only had one attendee at our Tuesday night Texas party after passing out hundreds of flyers. As time passed we learned that the young man who came to the party, Hidenobu, was fighting deep discouragement at work and in his life. We were able to share with him and spend the evening getting to know him. Three days after our arrival back in the U.S., we received word from a church member that Hidenobu had trusted Christ. Praise God! Only then did we see how wonderfully God had ordered that evening for Hidenobu to be our only guest, so that we could give him all our attention and love, and through it he might feel the greater love of his Father in Heaven. On a day which we would have counted near fruitless, God was planting the seed for great fruit. In the hour when we were weak, God’s strength was made manifest. Our thoughts were, “Are there sheep—here?” God replied, “There are sheep here.” Sixty-four hundred miles from the “Bible Belt,” in a land with a language containing no formal word for “God,” Christ was confessed as Savior and God by a thirsty soul. As Martin Luther so beautifully said many centuries ago, “Our Shepherd good and true is He, Who will at last His Israel free, from all their sin and sorrow.” Thanks be to God! —David Lott and Terry McDonald PCPC WITNESS • 18
I
Our presence and presents still needed in Katrina’s wake
It’s been nearly two years since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, but a trip to the area was still life-changing for PCPC deacon, Ron Baxter, my wife Christiana, and me. In June, the Trip to New Orleans and Mississippi an eye-opener three of us took a one-day trip to New Orleans and the Misssissippi Gulf vistas in Mississippi were somewhat sion of faith during a worship service. area. Our main purpose was two-fold: different. While thousands of homes She was a committed Buddhist just deliver three separate remained in New Orbefore her conversion to the Kingdom checks and visit with leans in spite of the of God. After a time of joyous praise “Jean also taught us brothers and sisters widespread flooding, and prayer, we got directions for First in our denominamany of the strucPresbyterian, Gulfport, and then said a new word, tion who have been tures along the Gulf our goodbyes. Bay-polar, adversely affected were just—gone! We did not meet the pastor of First to describe the by the destruction We arrived at Presbyterian. However, we traveled that Katrina left in Lagniappe Presbyto Camp Hope and met with Scott major emotional swings her wake. terian church plant and his wife Vicky, interim directors. that people in that We were met and were greeted by Their work is very similar to that of region experience with thunderstorms some excited staff their brethren at Lagniappe. Scott’s and a steady downmembers. They were comment was ”There are still a whole as they try to verbalize pour, the usual quite hospitable to lot of hurting people out there.” After the devastation summer weather in us as we waited for a brief exchange, we gave the gift to on the one hand and New Orleans, we pastor Jean Larroux Scott, prayed, then left for New Orwere told. Our first to return. It was a leans and a return flight home. God’s sovereign grace stop was in the 8th Ron, Chrisand providence Ward at the home of tiana, and I on the other.” Ben and Stephanie will never be McLeish, who the same. It serve with Deis my humble sire Street Minopinion that istries. While each of us the physical realizes more needs are very than ever the evident, Ben importance and Stephanie of Christian seemed more fellowship and elated to see us the joy and than receive a gift. Our visit with them encouragement was very encouraging, Ben later said. that it brings. I After a short prayer session, Ben gave Above, Julian and Christiana stand with Ben McLeish have a deeper at the site of the future St. Roch Community Church. a 40-minute tour of both the 8th and understanding Left, Jean Larroux with Christiana and Julian 9th Wards. The devastation there is inof the Psalmist’s credible! A vast majority of the houses great reunion for Christiana and me. ecstasy when he declared “How good in those neighborhoods are unoccuJean and I once served together in and pleasant it is when brothers dwell topied. One can still see the high water Memphis for several fruitful years. gether!” Our presence seemed far more marks throughout those communities. The work at that young mission is diz- valuable than our presents. While the After a short visit to their new site for zying! Their staff is outstanding, and need for financial resources abounds the St. Roch Community church plant, one walks away with the sense that in that region, it is the distinct sentiwe joined Stephanie and Silas (their God has raised up that young church ment of this observer that each local young son), and some of their friends to help lead the way in restoring faith community is in dire need of the for some Cajun cuisine and hospitality. an entire geographic area. Jean also encouragement that Christian fellowWe said our goodbyes and headed for taught us a new word, Bay-polar, to ship offers. Bay St. Louis, MS. describe the major emotional swings Please continue to pray for our While traveling on I-10, it became that people in that region experience brothers and sisters in the Gulf region. very apparent that the New Orleans as they try to verbalize the devastation Pray that God would give each of area is quite far from recovery. We saw on the one hand and God’s sovereign us a tender heart for them and their entire neighborhoods that appeared grace and providence on the other. monumental work of rebuilding entire to be abandoned; their images are We openly shed tears of joy as he communities—one life at a time! reminiscent of post-WWII Europe. The recounted his sister’s public profes —Julian Russell AUGUST 2007
PCPC WITNESS • 19
Staff takes a break Day away refreshes and renews
The Venomous Vixens were tennis champs.
Lauren Bell and Virginia Vandermeer listen for award winners (everyone was one).
A scavenger hunt team rushes to find esoteric clues: Sarah Bagby, Sally Rogers, J. Marty Cope, Gale Emerson, and Dana Howard.
The competition was fierce on a great mid-May day among teams of PCPC staffers dashing around the grounds of Country Club Place in Carrollton to win the scavenger hunt, then playing lively tennis, volleyball, or dominoes matches. The games followed two sessions of challenge and encouragement from our speaker, former PCPC elder Mario Zandstra, now president and CEO of Pine Cove Camps. The day-long retreat has become a annual event that gives the staff time to hear God’s Word, pray, and play together.
pcpc MAY 2007 • Vol. XVII, No. 2 Park Cities Presbyterian Church 4124 Oak Lawn Dallas, Texas 75219 www.pcpc.org
Periodical Postage Paid at Dallas, Texas