DecPress June 2012

Decatur Presbyterian Church June 2012

OU R FA I T H DE V E L O P M E N T : T A S K FO RC E PO I N T S AD O P T E D B Y SE S S I O N

Decatur, Georgia

DECPRESS

Choir in Columbia 2

DPCC Celebrates 3

McGills in Malawi 4

Global Village Project 5

Library Additions 6

Summer Interns 7

Monastery Album 8

(404) 378-1777 | decatur-presbyterian-church.atlpcusa.org

By Dave Williams, Chair

T he Task Force for Faith Develop-ment made its initial report to the session on Tuesday evening, May

22. I presented several motions to the ses-sion for approval, and the work of this task force will help shape the manner in which faith formation and spiritual growth are integrated into the fabric of congregational life at DPC for years to come.

Significant recom-mendations from this task force include the following: 1. Expanding the focus

of the Christian Edu-cation Council by renaming it to the Faith Formation Council and expand-ing the scope of its responsibilities to include spiritual for-mation and disci-plines, the action/reflection model, responding to God’s call by putting faith into action, and small group formation. This council will retain its current responsibility for Christian education.

2. Piloting several small groups this fall, each of which will be led by a staff member. Each group will have a differ-ent focus, and the lessons learned from this pilot program will be incorpo-rated into the process of forming addi-tional small groups.

3. Encouraging the Adult Education Com-mittee to expand the practice of offer-ing short-term classes all year, instead of only in the spring and fall.

4. Encouraging the Worship Council to work with the staff to offer an addi-tional worship experience to the members of DPC, beyond what we now have on Sunday mornings.

5. Orchestrating a panel discussion on faith development this Sep-tember with members of the faculty at Columbia Theo-logical Seminary and several pastors currently serving a church. More details on this exciting event will be pub-lished as we get closer to September. As part of its prepara-tion work, the task force has interviewed several mem-bers of the staff and congre-gation, and visited many churches, both Presbyterian

and those of other denominations, to speak with them about their approach to faith development.

All of the documentation of the task force is maintained on a special website and is available to anyone wishing to see it. This includes summaries of church visits, meeting minutes, work plans, and the task force charter. The URL is http://tffd.wordpress.com. No password is re-quired.

Continued on page 2

Task Force for

Faith Development Dave Williams, Chair Rebekah Abel Lamar,

Staff Marianne Adams

Amy Chastain Nancy Kinzer

Charlie Raynal Alice Wichmann

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June 2012

DPC C H A N C E L C H O I R T R AV E L E D T O C O L U M B I A , S C , F O R M A Y C O N C E R T

In addition to the work on faith devel-opment, the task force has met with sev-eral session councils to discuss and discern methods for assisting members of the con-gregation to make and maintain a connec-tion with DPC through service and reflec-tion. This area should prove to be espe-

cially fertile ground for members as they continue the journey of becoming disciples and apostles of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in learning more about the task force and the role of faith development at DPC, please contact Dave Williams.

1. Explore by week or month

2. View any or all of five sub-calendars

Councils and Committees

DPCC

Programs and Events

Worship and Learning

Youth Events

3. Click on a topic to see more information, such as the speaker or room number, contact info or menu.

By Tom Wigley

T he Chancel Choir was fortunate to have a mountain-

top experience in Columbia on May 19 when the South Carolina capital city opened its arms to welcome us.

Choristers enjoyed the city’s sophisticated culinary scene, the beauty and mag-nificent acoustics of St. Pe-ter's Catholic Church, and took time to visit some of the city’s unique sights. Most stayed in the historic Congaree Vista area a few blocks from the church.

The choir sang the "Solemn Mass" by Vierne for the well-attended 5:30

p.m. mass that Saturday. Following the mass, Matt McMahan, organist and choirmaster, was featured in a recital on the Peragallo pipe organ, playing the Widor 6th Symphony, mag-nificently, of course!

To enjoy an album of photos of the church and sights of Columbia, go to this Shutterfly website: http://dpcchoir2012columbiasc.shutterfly.com.

The DPC Chancel Choir had this view of the sanctuary of St. Peter’s Catholic Church from the balcony choir loft

Before their Saturday morning rehearsal, choir members paused for a photo on the steps of the church.

Task Force on Faith Development | Continued from Page 1

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DecPress

C H I L D R E N L E A R N E D A N D G R E W A T DPC C I N T H E 2 0 1 1 - 2012 S C H O O L Y E A R

By Ellen McClure

D ecatur Presbyterian Children’s Community (DPCC) closed one of its best years with post-planning

at the end of May. We said goodbye to the children and parents on Friday, May 25, amid a few tears and many well wishes for a great summer. DPCC welcomed 200 children during the 2011-2012 school year and gathered many wonderful memories each day.

Our infants and toddlers in Parents Morning Out (PMO) grew a lot, “owning” the PMO space and playground with enthusiasm and curiosity. Our 2-year olds grew so much taller and more verbal in the course of the year, bringing joy and laughter as they learned to play together.

Our 3-year olds refined their language skills and played hard. Our 4-year olds explored science and

social studies through their units, and

laid a solid foundation for

reading and math, all the

while never missing the

opportunities to play.

And our 5-year olds grew

incredibly long legs and

became readers and writers

of phonetically-spelled

stories and journals.

Many thanks to the

parents, teachers, Board, and

Council, who generously

shared their time, gifts, and

devotion to young children.

We are looking forward to August to see

what new adventures await in the 2012-

2013 school year.

JOIN YOUR FRIENDS AT DPC AND

Celebrate

July 4th

Bring your picnic, blan-kets and chairs and en-joy a leisurely evening on the lawn for the In-dependence Day Holi-day. July 4. Fireworks begin after sundown from the direction of Decatur High School.

The Congregational Care Council will set up a table for desserts un-der the awning in front of the McGeachy Build-ing. They’ll provide ice cream and cones for all to enjoy, and invite you to share your cupcakes, cookies or watermelon with the group.

Proud class members hold up letters spelling out “KINDERGARTEN” at their gradua-tion ceremony. Their parents beamed as each was celebrated individually for special qualities such as “cheerfulness” and “paying attention.”

The Visiting Artist program brings puppeteers to DPCC.

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June 2012

From Jim and Jody McGill

A s a family, we are gladly returning from Decatur to Malawi at the end of July or early August. We again

need to find a house and figure out how to finance and find a car. Our work responsi-bilities are in flux. Michael and Jason—our eldest twins—are to start boarding school about eight hours south of us, and the

schooling for the younger four remains unclear.

The country of Malawi has gone and is going through sig-nificant trials and changes this past year. The fuel crisis had continued to es-calate so much that people parked their cars for a month at a time waiting for fuel. The cost for a gallon of gasoline was over

$8.00 legally and double that from the black market.

The lack and cost of fuel was impacting the cost and availability of items such as sugar. The price of sugar went from K 100 last year to K 300 mid-March and K 500 in April. People are queuing for staples like

bread and sugar. Personal and political freedoms were suppressed with political opponents of the president arrested. The judicial system of the country was at a standstill as the judges were on strike.

However, on April 5, President Bingu Wa Muthaika died suddenly from a heart attack. Then discussions and negotiations took place over whether to follow the 17-year-old constitution. The pro-constitution supporters won, and the vice president, Joyce Banda, became the new president of Malawi.

President Banda is already at work talking to governmental representatives of the UK, U.S.A., European Union, and others to reinstate Malawi back into good stand-ing with the international community.

One example of what Jim will be con-tinuing to work on is the establishment of a "Smart Centre"—offering "Smart" solu-tions to the water and sanitation problems that face many Malawians.

The Smart Centre will be a training fa-cility to train and certify people in the proper techniques for hand drilling and hand digging wells, for fabrication of pumps, and for building of latrines. They also will link financing options for both buyers and sellers of these technicians’ products.

M C G I L L S R E T U R N T O M A L A W I , W I L L H E L P W I T H S A N I TA T I O N N E E D S

D

Workers install a rope pump on a new well at the “Smart” training center in Malawi.

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DecPress

Family and friends of Dr. Jean Staton, who died 5/6

Marginny Smith and Henry Reaves on the 5/6 death of Marginny’s brother-in-law Bill Edmondson

S Y M PA T H Y N ear the end of the school year, four girls came up the

stairs on a Monday morn-ing. They were unan-nounced and unexpected. On their own, though with help from GVS friends, they had all four carefully filled out applications to come to GVS, as well as their official withdrawal forms from DeKalb County!

We were stunned by their courage and the obvi-ous hope they had. They wanted to come to GVS!

Kelley Provence, our Academic Director, gave them assessments and then told them they had to go back to their DeKalb School for now pending a decision

on this highly unusual way to come to a new school. The following day, the teachers voted to accept them rather than wait until the start of the next school year. The end of the story for these four girls was a happy one: they will get the individual help they need to succeed in school whether they go back into the

DeKalb system or study for the GED.

You at Decatur Presby-terian Church have been a vital part of helping these four girls, and nearly 100 other adolescent refugee girls. As they go forward in the world with all their hopes and dreams of help-ing others, they will always remember Decatur Presby-terian and the shelter pro-vided here.

Here they have the des-perately needed safe and welcoming space. Many of you have also volunteered your time and wisdom. As the year ends, please know that we are all grateful for your generosity of spirit, treasure and time!

Beau and Brinsley Thrash

Thigpen on the 5/7 birth

of Jane Fulton

Thigpen. The

proud grand-

parents are

Jane and Mo

Thrash.

Luke and Rachel Ellis (and

Noah and Rosie) on the

5/9 birth of Max Simmons

Ellis (8 lbs., 14 oz.)

Ellen McClure on the 5/15

birth of granddaughter

Alice “Allie” McClure (8

lbs., 10 oz., 21 inches) to

Jack and Kayla (and

Everett) McClure.

J O Y S

GVP R E S T O R E S H O P E S , D R E A M S F O R R E F U G E E G I R L S R E C E I V I N G E D U C A T I O N

Students who have been refugees from across the global gather with their teachers and volunteers for a group photo at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

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O H , B OY ! B O O K S W O R T H R E A D I N G F O R Y O U R S U M M E R O N T H E S W I N G

June 2012

E njoy browsing, reading and check-

ing out books in the DPC library!

The following books have recently

been added to our collection, and you can

find them on the “New Books” shelves on

the right hand book case nearest the door.

The first two were given by a member in

response to an earlier DecPress request

and the last six also were donations.

Adult Children of Alcoholics by Janet

G. Woititz. The dedication reads, “To a

recovered alcoholic whose greatest gift

to his family was 32 years of sobriety.

Thanks Dad.”

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age

of Skepticism by Timothy Keller

Volumes 1 and 4 of Feasting on the

Word: Year C edited by David L. Bart-

lett and Barbara Brown Taylor, which

completes this commentary set for

Year C

Reformation Commentary: Ezekiel,

Daniel edited by Carl L. Beckwith

Theology of the Cross by Charles

Cousar

Henri Nouwen by Robert Jonas, a col-

lection of short essays by Henry Nou-

wen

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finish-

ing Well by Billy Graham

unChristian: What a New Generation

Thinks about Christianity by David Kin-

naman

The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of

Desert Nomads Changed the Way Eve-

ryone Thinks and Feels by Thomas Ca-

hill

Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews: A

Jewish Life and the Emergence of

Christianity by Paula Fredriksen

Paul: The Mind of the Apostle by A. N.

Wilson

Three books about angels: Where Angels

Walk edited by Joan Wester Anderson;

Angels Among Us in Guideposts; and A

Rustle of Angels by Marilynn Webber

To help control use of the church’s parking lot, the session has approved a trial partnership with Benchmark South Parking Company, effective immediately. This com-pany also manages parking in the busy Chick-Fil-A lot near us.

Their attendants will help control park-ing during the day by asking those who pull in, but are not coming to the church, to find another lot. So if you are coming to the church for a Bible camp, PW meeting, or memorial service (especially on week-days) you should find it easier to get a spot in our lot.

To offset the cost of this free service, Benchmark will monitor the lot in the eve-nings and charge for parking. Of every $5 collected, DPC will receive $3.

Church members and visitors will never have to pay — day or night. Display your parking sticker (available in the church office) or tell the attendant your affiliation. We have no plans to ever tow or boot vehicles.

We are grateful to the Property Com-mittee and Adminstration Council for pav-ing the way for this improvement.

R E L I E F F R O M P A R K I N G I S S U E S I S C O M I N G !

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DecPress

Linda Bailey’s sister, Janice, radiation for lung cancer

Marceil Joyner’s friend, 6-year-old Audrey Stanger, in TN, doctors found a second tumor

DPCC teacher Amy Wilson diagnosed with breast cancer

Ben and Laura Butler’s son Alan , sec-ond heart surgery, Texas, back at work part time and getting stronger

Mark Kinzer, melanoma in eye

Jean Elliott, 4/17 surgery for colon cancer, rehab at Cobblestone at Park Springs

Linda Shelles, stroke, recovering at home after rehab

DPCC student Conner Armistead, son of Doug and Jennifer Armistead, 4/24 surgery to remove cyst from brain

Elizabeth Turk, recovering at home from 5/14 colon surgery

Rita Gamble, 5/16 colon surgery

Terry McMahan, brother of Matt McMahan, recent heart stint, upcom-ing surgery to remove cancerous kid-ney, Gadsden, AL

Susan “Suzy” Parker, twin sister of Sally Gutzke, respiratory trouble, other health issues, Birmingham, AL

H O S P I TA L & H E A L T H C O N C E R N S

Wed, June 20| 6:30 PM

High School Youth

Sunday School Planning and Cookout

Home of Mike Florence

Sun, June 24 | 12 - 7 PM

All Youth Retreat Center Service Project

Includes swimming and boating, lunch and dinner

Suggested donation: $5

Tuesday, June 26

Tubing for Girls (rising 6th- 9th graders)

$5, plus lunch

Wednesday, June 27

All Youth Braves Game

$10, plus food

Week of July 22

All Youth Movie & Pizza Night

Donation for pizza $3

Sun, August 5 | 4 - 7 PM

All Youth End-of-Summer Pool Party & Cookout

Home of Pam & Reed Owens

To Come: Outing for Boys, Rising 6th– 9th Grades

Y O U T H

S U M M E R

E V E N T S W ith camps and mission trips upon us, our

two summer interns will jump into their new assign-ments at Decatur Pres-byerian Church. They were commissioned during the worship service June 3 after both completing their sec-ond year at CTS.

Lucy Baum grew up in Durham, NC, with her par-ents and two brothers. She attended Davidson College where she studied religion, Ultimate Frisbee, and late-night pizza. She recently married Matt Baum.

Lucy is excited to be-come a part of the life of the congregation this sum-mer, and she is grateful for the opportunity to explore

and grow with DPC.

Jacob Geerlings is from Chattanooga, TN, but has been studying in Atlanta six years, interrupted with one year in Kenya as a Young Adult Volunteer. His wife is Kate.

Jacob looks forward to gath-ering with you in worship, sharing our stories and naming God's work among us, and living life together. A math major and music minor, Jacob likes to find patterns and play with sym-bols.

I N T E R N S F R O M C TS B E G I N A B U S Y S U M M E R O F S E R V I C E , L E A R N I N G

Rev. Ken Hughes commissions our new interns, assisted by Rev. Dr. Jap Keith, who helped establish the program at DPC.

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by the 15th.

● 9 a.m. Sunday School

for all ages

● 10:15 a.m. Sunday

worship service

● Office open from

8:30 a.m. to 4:30

p.m. Monday through

Friday

S AM T R I P : E X P L O R I N G T H E P E A C E A N D B E A U T Y O F M O N A S T I C L I F E I N C O N Y E R S

M O N A S T E R Y O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T

DPC visitors joined the Trappist monks for their Midday Prayer Service in the Abbey Church after enjoying a video at the Mo-nastic Heritage Center (below, right). The new center features displays, the Garden Café, Bonsai Store, and the Abbey Store with books, gifts, and monk-crafted fruitcake and biscotti.

Photos by Les and Elinor Cook and Kathy Morse

DecPress June 2012

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