Library Update

New head librarian Carol Maxwell has been cleaning and rearranging the furniture in the church library, and yesterday a more modern computer for cataloging the books was moved into the room.  Plans are afoot for a library open house, but in the meantime, feel free to stop by to check out a book or just check on progress!

Changes in the Courtyard

What's happening out there?

• The fountain has been removed; the fountain basin will be demolished shortly and the existing damaged brickwork in the Celtic cross replaced with new bricks.  Stop by the church office if you want to buy a memorial brick to go in this area - or several!
• The pavers have been removed from the seating area in the Memorial Garden.  Tomorrow the overgrown ficus trees will be removed and the sago palms (which are currently receiving too much sun) transplanted to the entryway to the parking lot.
• Last week many of the new plants for the courtyard and Memorial Garden were purchased at the Desert Botanical Garden's semi-annual plant sale, and more will be delivered tomorrow from Mountain States Nursery.  Planting will also begin tomorrow.

The transformation is beginning!  Here are some of the photos of work in progress.

Paver removal in the Memorial Garden

 

At the DBG plant sale

At the DBG plant sale

Schedule Changes

Please note these changes to our calendar:

• Prayer Shawl Ministry will now meet every Monday at 9:30 am in Annex 3, rather than only twice a month.
• The movie previously scheduled for October 7 (Philomena, with Judi Dench) will be shown at 10:30 am in Swain Hall on Tuesday, October 21 instead; the defective disk has been replaced.
• Because work in the courtyard is running behind schedule, the Fall Cleanup Days scheduled for October 24 and 25 have been postponed.  The new dates will be announced shortly.

Photos from Gloria's Birthday

Church member Gloria Bouckenooghe, mainstay of our choir and Fellowship Dinner cleanups, recently celebrated her 80th birthday at the church with her family. Here are some of the photos from the event.

 

 

 

 

 

2014-2015 Fellowship Dinners

Except for summer cookouts, which start at noon, our fellowship dinners begin at 5:00 pm. They are held in Swain Hall and each includes a short but engaging program. A freewill offering covers the costs. Please come; guests are welcome!

EVENING EVENTS

Wednesday, October 15
Pizza Night
Pizza buffet, plus the energetic John Leo on the harmonica.

Wednesday, November 19
Turkey Dinner
This pre-Thanksgiving celebration features our own Great Bells of Fire handbell choir.

Wednesday, December 17
Christmas Ham
Enjoy ham and all the trimmings while listening to the seasonal sounds of The Desert Belles.

Wednesday, January 21
Soup Supper
Warm up with a hot bowl of soup and a speaker from the AZ Humane Society.

TUESDAY, February 17
Shrove Tuesday Pancakes
Get into the Mardi Gras spirit at our traditional pre-Lent pancake supper with Ed Dawson of Fletcher Music on the organ.

Wednesday, March 18
Loaded Baked Potatoes
Back by popular demand! And don’t miss the program, “Learning through the Labyrinth.”

Wednesday, April 15
Burrito Bash
This year our annual Earth Day dinner will showcase recycling, with speakers from Parks & Sons and eGreen Electronics Recycling.

SUMMER COOKOUTS

Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day)
Saturday, July 4 (Independence Day)
Monday, September 7 (Labor Day)

Not everyone heads north to beat the heat. If you’re here for the summer holidays, join our grillmasters at high noon for burgers, hot dogs, and a few surprises.

Call the church office at 623.974.3605 to make your reservations!

Being Presbyterian

I’m not sure everyone knows that until very recently I have not actually been a member of this church.

As your Associate for Congregational Life, I am one of the people working to grow the church’s membership, but joining the church myself isn’t a job requirement—Otto Wedul, one of my predecessors, worked tirelessly to expand this congregation without ever becoming a member. Although I am employed by you, I could have joined any church in this area, or none, but I chose you.

Selecting a church is a very personal decision that encompasses everything from the very basic “Do I consider myself a Christian?” to the more complicated “Is this denomination a good fit with my personal beliefs?” and “Does this congregation meet my spiritual and emotional expectations?” For me, the answers to the first two questions are “gimmes.” My parents jointly decided to become Presbyterians when they married. I was baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian church. Over the years I have attended services at many different Christian churches and several Jewish synagogues, but I always come back to the comfort of the structured yet flexible Presbyterian Church. Reformed and always reforming; changed and always changing. The denomination’s willingness and ability to adapt to the evolution of society and theology has lost us some members recently, but over the long haul will keep Presbyterianism alive and vital.

Which brings me to that third question—is this the right congregation to join? For me, at least, the answer is a resounding yes. From the time I first started attending services here, you all have reached out to me in friendship and support. I appreciate the functional and attractive campus; the camaraderie of belonging to the small but mighty choir; and the intelligent, inspiring sermons Harrell delivers every Sunday. I love this church and am happy to be an official member of it.

One of the highlights of my recent vacation was a visit to the First Presbyterian Church of Belfast (founded in 1644, present building completed in 1783). The church is much smaller than ours, but very beautiful. When my sister and I admired the gorgeously modeled and painted plaster ceiling, our guide told us that some years ago it had been severely damaged by a bombing across the street. However, he went on to say, the destruction had been a blessing in disguise. The pews, covered in centuries of nasty black varnish, were so pitted by the falling plaster that they had to be stripped, revealing the lovely golden oak beneath. The Sanctuary is much lighter and brighter since they’ve been refinished.

The First Presbyterian Church in Belfast shares several important characteristics with the First Presbyterian Church of Sun City: A worshipful atmosphere. A commitment to caring for God’s house. And a friendly congregation with a positive, “we can do it” attitude.

It’s good to be back home. It’s good to be Presbyterian. It’s great to be a member of this church.

~Beth Mabee

News from the Library

We were saddened when Muffy Keen (right, in photo) stepped down August 1 as church librarian after many years of dedicated service. Muffy did a great job of keeping the library organized and the content focused. We are fortunate, however, that Carol Maxwell (left, in photo) has agreed to take over the position in Muffy’s place. Here is Carol’s first article about what’s going on in the library.

As the new church librarian, I am wondering how many of you folks have never checked out our library. I was in awe the first time I entered it to find something relaxing to read. Never before have I seen a church library like this one. There is an absolute wealth of reading material - something for everyone. We have many books on the Bible, the Christian Church, Christian Life, World Religions, Devotions, Worship and Prayer, Grief Support, Human Relations, Biographies, and yes, we even have a fine selection of Fiction.

I especially enjoyed reading a history of the Presbyterian church here in Arizona from its very beginning. If any of you read the series of books called Left Behind, you might want to check out a book in the Christian Life section called The Rapture Exposed by Barbara Rossing. It gives a much different interpretation than that proposed by Tim LeHayes and Jerry Jenkins in the Left Behind books. If you are a native of the West or a transplanted westerner, you might enjoy reading Dan Powell, The Making of an American Cowboy by Debbie Weitzell. It is in the fiction section. However, it is more of a biography as Dan Powell actually existed and eventually became a cowboy after being orphaned at a very early age. You'll find the library sandwiched between the Fireside Room and the hallway just off the courtyard entrance to the sanctuary. Do come and have a look-see!

~Carol Maxwell, Librarian