The Messenger May / June 2024

From Your Pastor

Brian Lays

Dear Riversiders:

Here’s a little quiz for you: How many of the following biblical characters or groups have you heard of?

Adam and Eve (ok, that’s an easy one…)

Shiphrah and Puah

The Daughters of Zelophehad

Deborah Queen Vashti

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Lydia

Eutychus

If you haven’t heard of many of these folks, don’t worry—you’re not alone! Even spellcheck doesn’t know who Zelophehad was and suggests that what I meant to type was “Melonhead.”

Our summer sermon series will probe the stories of these more obscure biblical characters, offering insights from their lives that may never appear in the Lectionary cycle we follow the rest of the year. This “Faces of Faith” series invites us to expand our knowledge of the many characters found in the pages of scripture, most of whom are not nearly as prominent as Peter or Paul, but whose names are surely preserved in the Bible as an example from which we can learn.

One of the ordination examinations that candidates for ministry must pass is the “Bible Content Exam.” Preparing for that exam makes you realize just how voluminous the Bible really is and how often we tend to linger on the same texts, with the same characters. This summer sermon series provides a great opportunity to explore texts we might otherwise never read.

We hope you find this series of interest, and if you’re away for some or all of the summer, please remember that you can always watch or listen to the sermons online, in real time or on demand!

Grace and peace,

Brian

Mission Trip, Chiapas 2024

Compiled by Kathy Para and Carol Proctor

”The relationships that were created between the people of Chiapas, Salvador and Irma, and Riversiders were life-giving and lifechanging.”

“We need to be at the airport at 3:45 am for our 5:02 am departure,” Pastor Brian explained in our pre-trip organizational meeting. And so it began 14 travelers at the Jacksonville airport at 3:45 am on March 9 on our way to our mission trip in Chiapas, Mexico, the poorest and southern most state in Mexico. Pastor Brian served masterfully as our rockstar translator, problem-solver, and spiritual guide. We stayed at a campus of Medical Mission, Inc., near the village of 20 de Noviembre, where we worked. The campus is also the home of Dr. and Mrs. Salvador and Irma de la Torre. Our accommodations were beautiful, colorfully decorated cottages surrounded by tropical trees and free roaming chickens, roosters (some were intent on waking us up before dawn), and turkeys. We enjoyed delicious meals in a large open-air dining room filled with sculptures and artwork that Salvador and Irma have collected during their mission trips to Malawi, Africa. Our hosts warmly welcomed us, fed us royally, and guided us in our travels, work, and play.

“Lots of fun, food, and fellowship with the church community. The hard work made it all worthwhile.”

Our work project was to paint the inside and outside of the Church of the Good Shepherd, a Presbyterian congregation. Members of the church worked along side us. A dedicated, kind group of women cooked lunch for us daily. The church dining and kitchen area was an open-air, concrete block structure with picnic tables and a separate “room” with the wood fire grill. The physical church campus was simple and humble. The hospitality and joy of the people were abundant.

“It was an amazing experience to be in a completely foreign culture with people whom we seemingly had little in common, yet shared the very same hopes, dreams, and faith.”

Together, we prayed, worked, worshipped, played, and ate. The RPC group collected an offering to purchase four ceiling fans for the church’s newly painted sanctuary. We visited other congregations in nearby villages. As we traveled, the poverty in Chiapas was apparent. In all locations, we were welcomed and covered with warm hospitality and grace.

Chiapas (continued)

“So many things stood out to me, but one in particular was the time of sharing and affirmation at the end of our trip where shared faith and friendship were celebrated.” We had morning and evening devotionals during which we connected as a team and processed our experiences in the context of our faith. In the afternoons, we visited national parks with waterfalls and swimming areas and also Mayan ruins. We had time as we departed to take a tour in Mexico City and shop in a rambling artisan market.

“I came with my cup empty and left with it overflowing.” The people of the church in 20 de Noviembre were immensely grateful for our time and labor and the gift of the ceiling fans. Our presence and work encouraged our siblings in Christ and they also encouraged us! The line between giver and receiver was blurred over and over again. We were happy and grateful to join with our church family in Mexico. It was a wonderful trip that left its mark on our hearts.

(Chiapas Team 2024: Fran Aenchbacher, Kamlyn Ammons, Cindy Benz, Gary Bowers, Joe Eberly, Brian Lays, Kathy Para, Carol Proctor, Pam Roberts, Ron Roberts, Cheryl Neder Sapora, Lauren Scott, Stephanie Stiltz, and Jody Welker.)

Growing the Presbyterian Family

Over 20 RPC women gifted Jessica Means a beautiful custom stole for her seminary graduation. She graduated from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary on April 27, 2024, and was certified ready to recieve a call by the Presbytery on April 16, 2024.

A Sample of the Music Ministries Newsletter

Do you love the music at Riverside Presbyterian? Stay up-to-date with musical happenings by subscribing to our Music Ministries Newsletter! Every month, our Music Ministries Newsletter covers musical events in the life of the Riverside Presbyterian community. Each newsletter features stories about the Riverside Choristers, Worship at Riverside, Concerts at Riverside, and one Musician of the Month. Be sure to subscribe to the Music Ministries Newsletter to stay current on all things musical at Riverside Presbyterian Church! Subscribe by visiting www.bit.ly/rpcmusicnewsletter or by scanning the QR code.

Growing and Learning Together as a Community

Riverside Choristers continue to grow and learn in our weekly rehearsals at Riverside! Choristers learn the fundamentals of good singing through paced breathing exercises, proper production of tone through vocalization exercises, and good listening skills by singing together as an ensemble. Our students also learn valuable life skills through these exercises.

In particular, Choristers learn the importance of giving and receiving responsible constructive criticism. We work to build a spirit of cooperation in rehearsals by singing in duets, where two students sing a phrase of music while others listen closely. Those who listened then provide one piece of feedback that would help the duet improve their performance while also encouraging them with the aspects of their performance that worked well. This skill is quite new to our younger students and requires a bit of practice in itself. By the end though, Choristers develop a sense of responsibility for their singing and a sense of community by encouraging others while still remaining invested in improvement. And they certainly have improved both in singing and in community spirit!

Worship at Riverside Looking Back: Palm Sunday Procession

This year’s Palm Sunday featured an exciting new tradition: a procession through the Five Points neighborhood! Our community has celebrated an extended procession in response to the Lectionary Gospel lesson for Palm Sunday, as the Gospel lesson describes Jesus’s procession into Jerusalem that day. Additionally, this year’s outdoor procession through the neighborhood with singing and palms allowed RPC the opportunity to be seen and heard as a positive presence in the community.

Mark your calendar for next year’s Palm Sunday on April 13, 2025, so that you can also join in the procession!

Looking Back: Shriven and Singin’: Shrove Tuesday Jazz and Pancakes

Shrove Tuesday at Riverside saw the return of the pancake dinner, and now with jazz! In true New Orleans fashion, our Mardi Gras celebration featured RPC’s Cliff Huber and friends in a setlist of jazz favorites coupled with familiar tunes from the Billboard charts. We often associate Mardi Gras—the French name for Shrove Tuesday—with jazz given the importance of indulgence and celebration before entering the austerity of Lent. Especially in New Orleans, jazz grew more and more central in Mardi Gras celebrations alongside other familiar traditions like sweet treats and brightly colored decorations.

RPC Musician of the Month

Susan Pardue

Each month, our Music Ministry Newsletter features an RPC Musician of the Month, where you get the chance to learn a bit about the folks who make music at RPC possible.

Susan Pardue plays a major role in the musical life of our city. As a member of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Florida Chamber Music Project, she embodies the importance of music in worship at Riverside. She writes, “I joined RPC because of the music, and it continues to inspire me… Music is an essential part of worship. Its best use is to glorify God. It expresses the inexpressible, which we sometimes need to do as part of worship.”

Susan has served on Music Director search committees at RPC and she played an organ/ string quartet concert with interim Music Director Jean Spyksma during the pandemic. She has also played for many worship services and viola/piano recitals at RPC with her mom.

Susan’s parents were professional church musicians, so her musical training outside the home began with children’s choir. She participated in a graded music ministry in her church, which included handbells.

A native of North Carolina, she earned a high school diploma and Bachelor of Music degree from the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem and a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School in New York. A Fulbright Scholar grant supported her post-graduate study with Piero Farulli in Florence, Italy. Prior to coming to Jacksonville, Susan played with the New World Symphony in Miami.

Be sure to catch Susan at a concert of the Florida Chamber Music Project or the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra!

Subscribe to the Music Ministries Newsletter to stay current on all things musical at Riverside Presbyterian Church! Visit www.bit.ly/rpcmusicnewsletter or by scanning the QR code.

Matthew 25 Lending Library: The Book Nook

by Carl Zacheis

The initial idea for a Matthew 25 Library came from a discussion with Julie Handley about her trip to the Lynching Memorial in Montgomery. I mentioned that I had several books on racism I had acquired at the Fernandina Beach Library semi-annual book sale that might be of interest to the Matthew 25 Committee. Later I counted them and discovered 20 volumes, which resulted in the Matthew 25 Lending Library or “Book Nook.”

My unexpected focus on racism caused examination of family history. At the beginning of the jazz age, my Dad escaped the family farm to become a musician, travel the South, and endure physical risk to hear many Negro bands. He discovered their high caliber and became an admirer both of the musicians and their music. I was educated in that atmosphere which taught me that their music was superior. Later he collected phonograph records, which were donated to the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University. Thus, my interest comes from my heritage.

TOP CHOICES

(Virtually an impossible job — they are all great.)

His Truth Is Marching On (John Lewis and the Power of Hope) by Jon Meacham

I have read the term “passive resistance” many times but did not know what it really meant. I learned what it meant and how it was taught in this book. If you really want to become involved, just think of Jesus as the perfect example of passive resistance.

Race Against Time by Jerry Mitchell

This is an investigative thriller, good as any fiction novel, but actually true. Mitchell was a multi-year reporter for the Jackson MS Clarion Ledger. Three civil rights workers were murdered during the height of the voting rights initiative. The culprits were not brought to trial. Mitchell wanted to make sure they were convicted prior their demise by natural causes.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

Sulzbacher is one of the important mission projects of the city and of RPC. This story describes the development of a relationship among a homeless black man, a gutsy woman, and an international art dealer at a mission in Ft. Worth. It is nonfiction, but the reader will find that the photos at the back are helpful reminders that the story is true-life. This is a must-read for those interested in mission.

All are highly recommended, but these categorizations may help in your selection:

HISTORY

• Frederick Douglass, Prophet of Freedom by David Blight

• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

• American Slavery American Freedom by Edmund Morgan

• Four Hundred Souls by Abram Kendi and Keisha Blair

• Roots, The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley

LOCAL HISTORY

• The Black Calhouns (primarily in Atlanta,) by Gail Lumet Buckley

• The Hornes (continuation of Calhouns) by Gail Lumet Buckley

These are about the family of singer Lena Horne

BEST WRITER

• Freedom Riders-1961, the Struggle for Racial Justice by Ray Arsenault

• The Sound of Freedom by Ray Arsenault

JIM CROW

• Separate, Story of Plessy v. Ferguson by Steve Luxenberg

• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

• The Second Founding (How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution) by Eric Foner

• Stony the Road, Reconstruction, White Supremacy, Jim Crow by Henry Lewis Gates

MISC.

• Between the World and Me (Letter to his Black son) Te-Nehisi Coates

LOCALES

• N.Y. - The Personal Librarian ( Pierpont Morgan Library) by Benedict & Murray

• New Orleans - The Yellow House by Sarah Broom

• Detroit - Arc of Justice by Kevin Boyle

• Natchez - The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant

Check out one of these books from the Matthew 25 Library in Bittinger Hall!

Earth Care Tips

Switch to sustainable cleaning products

Cleaning products can be harsh on the environment, especially those that contain bleach, which is extremely harmful to creatures living in rivers and oceans. Instead, switch to products that focus on using safe plant-based ingredients, such as ECOS Non-Toxic Cleaner and Seventh Generation products. It’s not just the products themselves that are bad for the environment: the bottles they come in create more waste, and any spray heads are non-recyclable as they’re made from a mix of ingredients. When possible, we recommend looking for products that offer refills in powder or tablet form, such as DAZZ Natural Cleaning Tablets Whole House Refill Pack. You simply mix them with water in an old spray bottle (or you can buy a reusable glass spray bottle), creating significantly less waste in the process.

Be a more eco-friendly pet owner

There are ways to be more eco-friendly as a pet owner. Make sure to always pick up your dog’s poop, even in remote areas, to prevent it from contaminating local waterways. Use biodegradable poop bags like Pooch Paper Biodegradable Dog Waste Sheet, and consider a pooper scooper at home to avoid plastic waste.

Why Do You Volunteer?

by Nancy Carlton

“I wanted something simple to do and not all-day tasks.”

“With all the blessings in my life I wanted to give back.”

“My mom received meals for years, and I wanted to pay it forward.”

“There is a need and I could help.”

Nancy Carlton, our Meals on Wheels (MOW) Coordinator, is always looking for volunteers to be on a substitution delivery/driver list. Nancy sometimes gets a call a driver can’t make it for one reason or another and needs a fill-in…can we add your name and number to this list?

Nancy usually texts a group (sub list), asks if anyone is available, and shares where the deliveries are for that day. Then, she waits for a response to fill the empty slot. Sometimes she needs volunteers for one daytime slot or sometimes for a month if a driver is out of town. If you are interested or if you can help, please reach out to Nancy at nancy.carlton@rpcjax.org or text her 904-945-9750. She will be happy to hear from you.

THANK YOU to one of our many volunteers… Ann Smith!

Ann and Jay have decided to relocate to Ponte Vedra Beach, and she will be truly missed as a MOW volunteer. She has been doing this for over 30 years. Nancy asked her the same question—why do you volunteer? She said, “I love the interaction with the people.” RPC’s Meals on Wheels could always count on Ann. If a driver was needed in a pinch she (and sometimes Jay) would come down that ramp and say, “Here we are!” Thank you for your many years of service. You will be missed!

Secret Pals Revealed to College Students!

What a wonderful group of Secret Pals who have been corresponding with and praying for a college student this year. They had a chance to meet their student at the annual brunch on Sunday, May 12.

*indicates a Senior

College Student

Jack Adams Duke

Kate Adams Dartmouth

*Anna Althuis Rollins

Emmanuella Althuis Rollins

*Ashton Body Harvard

Louie Body USAF

Tilson Branch Alabama

*Thomas Brumback FSU

Caroline Cavendish Dickinson

*Emily Coll Loyola

J.P. Coll Michigan

*Alice Creed Haverford

Chapman Davis FSU

Pru Davis FSU

Coral Day Fashon Institute

*Janie Day New College

*Mason Doherty U of the South

Josh Dryden FSCJ

Charity Fisher New College

*Alexis Garas Stetson

Grady Gillam GA Tech

Patrick Green South Carolina

Jane Gray Hager FSU

*Reid Hampton VMI

*Caroline Harding Parsons School of Design

*Cole Heeg USAF

*Luke Jenkins UF

Adrian Krunic UNF

Quentin Lockwood FL Polytechnic

*Christian Matson UF

Ford Milne Auburn

Jack Raynor Auburn

Lainey Rose New College

*Charlotte Rosenberg UF

Ben Sandlin UCF

Jessica Shipp Santa Fe CC

*Mabel Smith UVA

Julia Swiercek Samford

*Sam Swiercek Samford

*Kristin Taylor Wake Forest

Tyler Twilley UNF

Johnny Vodenicker FSU

Will Walker FSU

*Kendall Woodall Wake Forest

Secret Pal

Virginia Zeigler

Jean Grant-Dooley

Lisa Taylor

Elizabeth Jolley

Pam & Ron Roberts

Kathy Stanley

Leigh Rosenbloom

Bud Para

Lynne Matson

Norma Farnell

Stuart Harbison

Lisa Taylor

Heather Campbell

Anne Mesrobian

Mike Crumpler

Julie Handley

Lynne Matson

Jean Grant-Dooley

Carol Proctor

Darlene Hampton

Karen & Stephanie Stiltz

Randy Parks

Carol Hasselblad

Alexis Woods

Anne Reid Hawkins

Sarah Cotchaleovitch

Kristin Swiercek

Dave & Debbie Pierson

John Humes

Jean Grant-Dooley

Neil Schoenberger

Jessica Stevenson

Lisa Williams

Bitsy Body

Dorothy Marsh

Lissa Kiser

Ann Smith

Mary Coxe

Mary Elizabeth Ballentine

Marilyn Noon

Kathy Shuke

Mary Eliz Ballentine

Arden Brugger

Rebecca Creed

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