16- December Communicator

The Communicator ~ December 2016

Church Life

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Lessons & Carols:

Holiday Closings

A Gently‐Paced Service

The church office will close at noon on Friday,

December 23, and will be closed all day Monday,

Sunday, December 4 at 3‐3:30 p.m. in the Chapel

December 26 and Tuesday, December 27 for the

This service includes Holy Communion and is

Christmas holiday. Any closings or delays due to

specially designed for persons who have conditions

inclement weather will be announced on WSOC,

that limit their ability to sit for an hour‐long service.

WCNC, and WBTV, in an email to the congregation,

Families are encouraged to invite senior relatives and

and on www.sardis.org.

those with disabilities.

A Service of Hope & Remembrance

Wednesday, December 14 at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary

This is a service that recognizes that for many the wondrous season of joy at Christmas is also a season marked with sadness. Some enter the season with grief that a loved one will not be present at family gatherings; for others, the season might emphasize alienation or depression. At this service, we affirm that even in personal darkness we have sure hope through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.

The service this year, as in the past, includes a time for lighting a candle in memory of loved one who has died and for lighting a candle to claim our hope in darkness through Christ. A new aspect of the service this year is the inclusion of the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. All are invited to participate in this service of Scripture, prayer, reflections, candle lighting and claiming at the Holy Table the hope that is ours in Christ’s body broken for us. Childcare will be provided for preschoolers.

The Sound of Christmas—Community Christmas Concert

Sardis will host The Sound of Christmas, a free community Christmas concert, on December 17 at 7 p.m. The concert will feature the choirs from St. Stephen UMC and Sardis Presbyterian Church with special appearances from Sardis’ children and youth choirs. You will enjoy musical selections from composers like John Rutter, Gustav Holst, and Andre’ Thomas. We encourage you all to invite your family, friends, and neighbors to come and enjoy this concert. Childcare will be available. Please call 704.926.1590 to make arrangements for childcare.

2 The Communicator ~ December 2016

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Church Life

Church‐wide Christmas Caroling

Sunday, December 18, 4‐6 p.m.

Bring your family and friends and join us for an afternoon of spreading Christmas joy!

We will gather at 4 p.m. in the parking lot of the Education Building. Then, we will divide into groups to carol to members and others who might need a little extra Christmas cheer this year. All levels of singing experience are encouraged to come. Grab your kids, parents, and neighbors and join us as we share the birth of Christ through song. If you’d like more details, contact Adrian Martin at adrian.martin@sardis.org.

Calling All College‐Aged Sardis Members!

Please join us for an evening of fun, fellowship, and food! All current college students are invited to a Christmas Gathering at Paula and Doug Banks’ house on Monday, December 19. Invite your friends to join you at 2308 Queensland Drive Charlotte, NC at 6:30 p.m.

Questions? Contact Doug Banks at 704.996.2356 or dbanks@banks‐law.net. You can also let Doug know you will be attending by emailing or texting.

December 20 Friendship Connection

Friendship Connection is a fellowship group for retirees. Join us on Tuesday, December 20 for a Christmas Program given by our own Mrs. Linda McKechnie. She will be providing a special musical program of Christmas hymns and classical music. This program will truly lift your hearts and prepare us all for the birth of our Lord.

Reservations are necessary for lunch ($8/person) and need to be made by noon, Friday, December 16. Register online at www.sardis.org or call 704.926.1590.

Year of the Bible Celebration Lunch

Thursday, Dec. 22 at 12 p.m. in the Dining Room

All readers of The Year of the Bible in 2016 are cordially invited to celebrate our ending and our accomplishment by joining together for lunch at 12 noon, Thursday, December 22, in the dining room. To attend, you need not have participated in the class discussions. Reading all the Bible in 2016 is reason enough to celebrate! Please join us. No RSVP is required. Contact Rev. Dr. Jane Fobel if you have questions at 704.366.1854.

The Communicator ~ December 2016 3

Church Life

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Year‐End Giving

As you complete your 2016 commitments and gifts and make your pledge for 2017, please keep in mind the following helpful hints from the Finance Office:

 All 2016 contributions must be postmarked by the U.S. Post Office no later than December 31, 2016. Any

donations received with a postmark of January will be credited to 2017. Contribution statements will be mailed in December showing your 2016 giving activity from January 1‐November 30. Your tax statement with your complete contribution record should be mailed by January 16, 2017.

• We appreciate all gifts given to Sardis during this time of year. If you wish to donate stock, please contact David Cauble of Cauble Schrift at 704.272.1969, or call the church office, and we will be glad to send a form with all the information you need. This form is also available on the “Give” tab at www.sardis.org.

Charitable Giving Through Your IRA

Individuals 70½ or older may donate up to $100,000 annually to qualified charities through their traditional Individual Retirement Accounts. Donations are made directly from the IRA plan administrator. These distributions can count toward the IRA owner’s “required minimum distribution” (RMD) but arenʹt included in your adjusted gross income.

If you think you might benefit from this form of giving, please contact your financial advisor, accountant, or tax preparer for more information.

Session Highlights can be found at www.sardis.org under the News & Events tab.

Financial Highlights

October

October Expected

This year so far

This year so far expected

Pledges, gifts, and other revenue

$133,040.74

$157,969.57

$1,649,356.68

$1,694,732.22

Expenses

$179,386.55

$172,126.11

$1,796,503.20

$1,811,198.65

Net Total

($46,345.81)

($14,156.54)

($147,146.52)

($116,466.43)

Annual Budget: $2,241,000

Our Church Family Our Christian Sympathy: to the family of Mike Moshier, to the family of Jim Barrus, and to Phillip Hegg, upon the death of his mother, Edith Hegg .

4 The Communicator ~ December 2016

Church Life

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Sardis Gift Trust: Lowrance Sanctuary Fund

Our beautiful sanctuary, chapel, and parlor inspired Lorinna Lowrance in 2007 to establish a maintenance fund for these areas in honor of her late husband, Joe. From simple repairs to major painting, this fund has helped our worship spaces remain attractive and functional. Everyone is welcome to add to the principal balance of this fund at any time. Memorials, bequests, and planned giving instruments can be designated to grow this fund. In addition, gifts of any amounts during our lifetimes are welcome. If you feel pulled to give to this endowment, feel free to contact Ed Shoaf, Chair of the Gift Trust, Jennifer Childers, Director of Administration, or email gifttrust@sardis.org. We thank you for considering this fund as a way to leave a legacy to Sardis.

2017 Women’s Retreat

Registration is now open for the 2017 Women’s Retreat. Join us as we get away for two nights at the Dogwood Retreat Center in beautiful Lake Norman, NC on Friday, February 3 through Sunday, February 5. Lisa Giller will lead a study of Philippians. Leading us in music and worship will be Richard Ramsey. The cost is $150 for a double occupancy room or $215 for a single room (space is limited). You may download the registration form at www.sardis.org or pick one up from the church office. Payment may be made to Sardis Presbyterian Church and mailed to 6100 Sardis Rd., Charlotte, NC 28270. Questions? Contact Suzanne Weston at srweston216@gmail.com.

Broadway Review: A Showcase of Broadway Musicals

Broadway Review will be a showcase of singing, dancing, acting, and monologues from Broadway musicals for all ages. A community audition will be held on January 8 at 2:00 p.m. at Sardis. This is open to all ages of the congregation, and their friends, family, and neighbors. The Broadway Review show will take place on Sunday, January 22 after the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Lunch will be served followed by the show. The donations given at the event will help support music events for the growing Youth Choir and Handbell Ensemble. If you would like to audition or have questions, contact Kaitlyn Davros at kaitlyn.davros@sardis.org or 704.366.1854.

Porte Cochere & Drop‐Off‐ We Are Almost There!

Interested in Joining

Thank you to all who have shown excitement and support for the proposed

Sardis?

Porte Cochere and drop‐off. We have received $126,480 in donations toward

our $160,000 goal. The proposed project will take approximately three months to complete. We hope to reach our goal soon enough to complete the project by Easter 2017.

A New Member Class begins on January 8. Classes are held during the Sunday School hour and span three weeks. For more

Donation envelopes are located in the basket under the rendering in the

information contact Rev. Alice

Narthex or you may donate online www.sardis.org. Questions? Contact

Johnson at 704.366.1854.

Mark Slimer at 704.366.1854 or mark.slimer@sardis.org.

The Communicator ~ December 2016 5

Church Life

What Gratitude Means to Me

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Warren Langston—Stewardship Ministry

All of us have much to be grateful for. Entering this Stewardship season, we contemplate the many gifts we have received in our faith journeys.

At the age of 12, I joined Rocky Point Presbyterian Church in Eastern North Carolina. I fondly remember these early church experiences—loving teachers/friends, ministers, enjoyable church picnics at White Lake and Carolina Beach. Today my deep gratitude embraces Rocky Point Presbyterian Church, as the foundation for my youthful faith journey.

After moving to Raleigh for a job in the early days of the Research Triangle Park, I looked for a church to continue growing in my faith as a young adult. I visited Raleighʹs First Presbyterian Church where I still remember Dr. Al‐ bert Edwardsʹ distinctive Scottish accent, calling the newly baptized babies, the churchʹs ʺwee ones.ʺ At First Pres‐ byterian I met my wife Alma Jo, attending our first church as a newly married couple. Gratitude for faith experi‐ ences continued to grow at Raleighʹs First Presbyterian.

When in Beaumont, Texas, we joined St. Andrewʹs Presbyterian, volunteering with others, gratefully providing decent housing for Godʹs people through Habitat for Humanity. During these years, our two children were baptized at St. Andrews, Alma Jo & I served as officers, and made life‐long friends whose friendships we gratefully cherish today.

Yet another move was ahead—this time to Charlotte in 1985, where we joined Sardis, having heard a sermon by the Rev. Bob Smith encouraging Sardis to build its first Habitat home. Our family agreed that we had found the right church for us. Our son Brice was active in Boy Scouts/Troop 133, and our daughter Aimee, married at Sardis, now serves as an Elder at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church in Denver, Colorado.

Alma Jo and I are filled with gratitude as we remember the many ways that our faith journeys have been enriched

Parents Morning Out— What Every Parent Wants for Christmas!

December 10 · 9 a.m. ‐ 1 p.m. · Sardis House

Knock out your holiday shopping by dropping off your little ones and hitting the mall solo this December. Your kiddos will enjoy Christmas crafts, holiday movies and snacks while you get a free morning for shopping, lunching or just enjoying peace and quiet!

RESERVE A SPOT at bit.ly/sardisweekday or email amanda.c.willis@gmail.com. Pay by cash or check when you check in at the door at drop‐off.

WHO CAN COME: Children 10 & Under

PRICE: 1st Child: $25; Additional children: $10 each 6 The Communicator ~ December 2016

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do.

Church Life

Dear Sardis Pastors, Sardis Staff, Sardis Members,

This September will be 16 years, Allegro Foundation…a Champion for Children with Disabilities, has been a part of Sardis!

When I was at Sardis this week, I took a moment and looked back at all the years and all the support Sardis has given Allegro and thanked God and Sardis!

Without Sardis and Rev. Alice Johnson willing to speak with me and help me, I am not sure we would have found a home in Charlotte. As many of you know, I am originally from Charlotte and decided to move back to Charlotte after my husband died, and I relocated my foundation from Los Angeles to Charlotte to be close to my family.

Our first class of eight students at Sardis has grown to over 700 children with disabilities we teach.

We use movement education combined with medical and educational expertise to teach children living with disabilities. We have over 29 programs throughout Charlotte and surrounding communities.

Two years ago we expanded into South Carolina and this fall we will be expanding into Union county.

We are in the public schools, Novant Medical Center for our most medical fragile students and our Flagship – Sardis for our Community Outreach Class.

We continue to exist on private donations, and grants as we do not receive any government or state support.

All Allegro Movement Education Classes continue to be free to all families.

So many miracles have occurred during the 16 years of being a part of Sardis. With Allegro making history as the first organization for children with disabilities in the United States to ever do a presentation at the White House, many, many Sardis youth and staff were involved in that historic occasion.

Through the White House, we have worked for many years with the State Department and Library of Congress to help when they send delegations from other countries to learn about Allegro and our techniques of working with children with disabilities. The State Department and Library of Congress never pays Allegro for the visiting delegations, but Jane and I decide long ago as fellow Christians how could we not share our work with these delegations from different countries?

Remembering that our mission is not international work and we never intended it to be ‐ I guess God had other plans!

I didn’t mean to make this a long letter, but my heart was fill with joy and appreciation, and I wanted to thank you for helping me with Allegro.

God Bless You All, Pat Farmer Founder & President Allegro Foundation...a Champion for Children with Disabilities

The Communicator ~ December 2016 7

Youth ministry

“…set an example for the believers… 1 Timothy 4:12.”

High School to Plantation Estates

The

High

School

Youth

Ministry

traveled

to

Plantation

Estates on Sunday, November 20 for a night of Bingo with the residents. Everyone had a good time as we spent the evening in fellowship with another generation, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. We are blessed that we have this opportunity to visit our neighbors in Plantation Estates and spend an evening playing Bingo with them!

Middle School Angel Tree Shopping

Youth Ministry Silent Auction

On Sunday, November 27, the middle school students

The Youth Ministry Silent Auction, to support our

traveled to Target to purchase gifts for the Angel Tree

summer trips (Middle School The Great Escape,

recipients.

High School Montreat Youth Conference and

International Mission Trip to Peru) will be Sunday,

Funding was provided by the Crossroads Sunday School class and allowed the youth to help choose toys, games, and clothes for children that might not

March 26. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending this important fundraiser. If you would like to donate items for the auction, please contact Adrian Martin (704.778.6432). Thank you in

otherwise receive

advance!

anything for Christmas. Thank you for generous donations and allowing the youth this opportunity to give back!

Upcoming Dates

Friday Night Frenzy

December 11

HS Progressive Dinner

All youth and their friends are welcome to attend

December 11

MS Christmas Party

our Friday Night Frenzy program on Friday,

December 18

Church‐wide Caroling

December 2 from 8:30 – 11:00 p.m. We will play games in the gym, Education Hall, and our newly

For a complete listing of all of the youth activities,

renovated Youth Game Room. Friends are

including our weekly devotion schedule, please download

welcome! Come for a fun night of fellowship and

our fall semester calendar from either the weekly e‐letter or

games with adult leaders and other youth.

our website.

8 The Communicator ~ December 2016

“Let the little children come unto me.”

The Incredible Adam Angel

Calling all donkeys, angels, sheep, wise men and shepherds! We need preschool children to help our Nativity come to life during our musical.

Come to our rehearsals: Saturday, December 10 at 10:30 a.m. and Thursday, December 15 at 5:15 p.m. Contact Katie Harrington at 704.366.1854 to participate.

Plan to Join an Adult Bible Study in the New Year

Mark your calendars for two midweek Bible Studies:



Beginning Wednesday, January 4, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., the second series in the Covenant Bible Study will begin, “Living the Covenant.” It is a video‐based study that includes weekly Bible readings and a study book, $10. Even if you were not part of the first series, “Creating the Covenant,” you can still join in.



Beginning Thursday, January 12, from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m., there will be a study examining the Gospel of Matthew. A study guide will be available as a booklet and also posted on the Sardis website.

More details will be included in the January Communicator.

Zone45 at Sardis!

Come join us for Zone45 on December 11 as we explore the symbols of the Chrismon Tree Ornaments with a scavenger hunt around the Fellowship Hall to find the hidden ornaments.

Zone45 is a group for our fourth and fifth‐grade students. Zone45 will meet one Sunday a month for a time of fellowship. This special group is designed with our ʹtweenersʹ in mind.

Sardis Weekday School Update Registration for the 2017‐

Please join us for our Christmas Pageant and

Thanks to you, and another

2018 school year begins in

PAC sponsored Bake Sale on Thursday,

successful Consignment

January!

December 15 at 11 a.m. in the fellowship hall.

Sale, Alfred the Elf will be

Come and purchase some holiday sweets. All

visiting our classrooms with

proceeds go to SWS. All are welcome!

gifts! We

For

more

information,

please contact Louise Lippi at louise.lippi@sardis.org or 704.366.9681.

are so grateful!

The Communicator ~ December 2016 9

The Communicator

Non‐Profit Org.

Published monthly by

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Sardis Presbyterian Church

Charlotte, NC

6100 Sardis Road Charlotte,

NC

28270

www.sardis.org

10 The Communicator ~ December 2016

Permit #1059