Thyat i r a P resby te r i an Church a t M i l l B r idge

Emai l : o f f i c e@thya t i rap resby te r i an .o rg Webs i t e : thyat i rap resby te r i an .o rg

O f f i ce : 704 -636-1595 Pas to r S te ck : 704 -245 -8100

PASTOR’S PAGE

Looking Out/Seeing In Update

We’re at 63% and Counting…

But April 1 is Coming!

Can We Rise to the Challenge? If you have already made your pledge or gift to the Looking Out/Seeing In Capital Campaign, thank you so very much. We are nearly 2/3 of the way to our goal of $82,000!

If you are still prayerfully considering the size of your gift, we’d love to be able to thank you too by Easter Sunday, April 1. That way, we’ll be able to take advantage of a very generous gift one of your fellow members will make in Thyatira’s name to Main Street Mission in China Grove. If you need more time, you can take as much as you’d like, but we’d love to wrap up the campaign by Sunday, and celebrate our generosity by sharing it!

If you have misplaced your Pledge Card, don’t worry! We can send you another by snail-mail, e-mail, or fax, or you can find a link to a PDF version on the church’s website at www.thyatirapresbyterian.org. And of course, you can also simply call the church office and confidentially share the amount of your pledge with Sharon Gantkowski, our Office Manager, at 704-636-1595.

No matter how you do it, please help us bless our wider community by reaching our goal by this Sunday!

Holy Week and Easter Schedule

Please join us for the moving conclusion to our Season of Kyrie Eleison as we remember Jesus’ final week on earth, his suffering, and his glorious resurrection!

On Maundy Thursday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m., our Choir will lead us in a Tenebrae service (Service of Shadows) as we share the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and recount Jesus’ last night with his disciples.

On Good Friday, March 30 at Noon, we’ll remember the day of Jesus’ death as we read John’s account of the Passion, sing familiar hymns, and hear the Solemn Intercession and Reproaches of the Cross.

On Holy Saturday, March 31, beginning at 10:00 a.m. we’ll meet at Don’s Gazebo in Sloan Park to walk and pray the Stations of the Forest, a prayer walk through the Alice Stanback Monument Forest remembering our sin against God’s whole creation.

April 2018 Newsletter Volume 41, Number 4

Easter Sunday, April 1 Our Alleluias return throughout

the morning in many ways: • 7:00 a.m. Sunrise Service

led by Thyatira’s Youth • 8:00 a.m. Breakfast offered

by the Men of the Church • 10:00 a.m. Sunday School

for adults • 11:00 a.m. Celebration of

the Resurrection and the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

PRAYER CONCERNS

Lutheran Home: Mullie Varner

C/O George Calhoun: Mary Alice Calhoun

White Oak Manor, Charlotte: Ruby Erwin

At Home: JoAnn Kerr Ted Deal

• Susan Beard, at Duke University Hospital • Family of Thelma Walton who passed away March 17 • O.C. Shoaf • Fred & Edna Stamper • James Myers’ sister Pauline is in the hospital • Elaine Hemmings, sister of Brenda Ward • Shelly Bluhm’s sister, recovering from lung cancer

surgery, friend of Candace McKnight • Pam Poteat Clough, friend of Joyce Caldwell • Tom Turner, recovering from knee replacement

surgery • The family of Tristen Hobbs, who passed away • Bill Hall, recovering from surgery • Bob Freeman, recovering from a fall • Tom Wilson, nephew of Brenda Ward, suffering from

blood clots • Joyce Caldwell, facing health challenges • Julie, a co-worker of Jada, recently diagnosed with

cancer • Kitty Harris, dealing with health issues, and the

unexpected loss of her cousin • Carol King, receiving cancer treatment • Evaun Bulman, friend of Sharry Davis, undergoing

cancer treatment • The situation in Puerto Rico following the hurricane • A friend of Keith Townsend, being treated for cancer • Alice Sloop’s friend, Nancy, under hospice care • Mike Hawkins’ mother, Elizabeth, now at Genesis • Linda Gaylor’s mother, Barbara • Ada Jo Sloop, serving in the Peace Corps • Bill Bergstrom is being treated for leukemia • Sharry Davis, being treated for cancer • Drema Clemens’ mother, Bertha Warden • Millicent Hoffner’s brother, Joe Kerr • Mike Hawkins who has RA • Jimmy’s mother and father, Ernestine &

Bill Hoffner • Paul Rogers’ daughter and family in

Pakistan • The Raymer family serving in Tanzania,

Africa

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY

For the month of March, we received 83% of our anticipated offerings. Please help us continue to bring

good news to our community by staying up-to-date with your estimated giving.

Liturgists:

1 - Debbie Edwards 8 - Phares Sechler 15 - Millicent Hoffner 22 - Melissa Kluttz 29 - Flora Calderón-

Steck Nursery Attendants:

1 - Carly Moore,

Ben Watts 8 - Michelle

Patterson, Robin Luther 15 - Jada Ware-Guy, Karen Townsend 22 - Melissa Waller, Beth Bates 29 - Leigh Anne

Wetmore, Selena Bell

Ushers: Eddie Bell, Captain Ryan Sloop Jeremy Deal Mike Hawkins Steven Wetmore Sunday School

Volunteers (2’s, 3’s, Preschool)

1 - Klancy Deal 8 - Selena Bell 15 - Karen Townsend 22 - Robin Luther 29 - Aaron Richmond

APRIL SCHEDULES

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5 Albert Gaylor O.C. Shoaf 6 Brandon Hoffner 10 Brandon White 13 Jessica Swanson 14 Crystal Hobbs 15 Nick King 16 Mary McCachren 17 Andrea Raymond 18 Ron Mercer 20 Dana Milam 21 Jewell Shoaf Cynthia Hampton 22 Brittany Stamper 24 Tucker Richmond 25 Ian Lambert 26 Beth McCorkle 27 Mary Deal 28 Kate Richmond

April Birthdays

I am so proud of “My Kids” for the music they presented on March 18. Personally, I think they sang the best ever. Once again, thank you parents for diligent effort getting your children to practice. We will take a short break from choir practice. We will resume April 8th. I realize some of you may be away, but if I have one child it is all worth it. I am flattered on the compliments I receive when we sing. However, when you have a group who love to sing like this group it’s an easy job. I must say that of the MANY groups I have worked with, this maybe is one of the most talented groups I have had. It's such a joy to me to listen to them sing We continue our work memorizing the Lord’s Prayer. My goal is for everyone to memorize it in their own timing. Much love, Mrs. Millicent

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We will not meet this month due to Easter falling on our regularly scheduled meeting day. We will resume our monthly meetings Sunday, May 6 at 9:00 am.

Our Book Club is open to everyone in the church, and reading is strongly suggested although not required. Discussions take place every other month at 7:00pm. Mark your calendar with the 2018 meetings listed below. Please contact Lydia Richmond with any questions.

April 27 - Summer Sisters by Judy Blume June 22 - No Time Like the Present by Nadine

Gordimer August 24 - Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee October 26 - Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult December 7 - We’re Just Like You, Only Prettier

by Celia Rivenbark

We will be hosting breakfast on Easter Sunday, April 1 at 8:00 am for the congregation.

INK CARTRIDGES

Bring your used ink cartridges (preferably in a plastic bag) to the church office and we can recycle them for you. Thyatira receives $2.00 per cartridge. The funds raised are used to purchase new ink and office supplies for the church.

BATTERY RECYCLING

You may bring your used household batteries to the church office to be recycled. (Single use alkaline, lithium, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and small sealed lead acid batteries only.)

Labeled recycling bins can be found in the church office under the mail sorter.

We are having a

Diaper and Wipes Drop

for the Wilkies!

Drop off diapers (Sizes N, 1, 2) and wipes in the playpen in the Educational

Building.

We will be collecting these from

April 15-29. For more information, please call

Melissa Waller at 704-314-6166.

Show them our Love x 2!

Recycle your

used

INK CARTRIDGES

&

BATTERIES

There is a meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 5 at 7:00 pm.

Women of the Church - Join us on Saturday, April 21st at 9am for our monthly meeting. We will be discussing setup for our circles to include Bible Study, Health, and DIY Crafts! If you cannot attend the meeting, but would like input into the Circles, just reach out to any one of our officers - Jada Ware-Guy, Flora Calderón-Steck, Drema Clemens, or Lydia Richmond. Additionally, we will have a fun activity to start off our Saturday morning!

There is a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 4 at 7:00 pm.

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Summer is Coming Soon. Camp Grier is an Option! Camp Grier offers an overnight residential camp each summer for boys and girls in 2nd - 12 grade. Our program, called the Summer Journey Series, is designed to grow with children as they mature. Program components include hiking, swimming, rock climbing, arts and crafts, agriculture, canoeing, service, whitewater paddling, mountain biking, and backpacking. Some programs are already filled up for this summer but many spaces remain in others. Register soon for the best options. For more information, browse www.campgrier.org Camp Grier is an outdoor ministry of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is a registered 501c(3) non-profit and operates under a special use permit from the US Forest Service.

Sanctuary Flowers Flowers on our altar are a way we bring some of the beauty of nature into our place of worship. Flowers are also a way to recognize and honor special people or occasions. If you would like to purchase alter flowers to honor someone or commemorate a special event, the cost is $57.25 for one center vase or 2 side vases for $100. Fill out the form below and put it in the offering plate or mail it to the church. Payment should be made 2 weeks in advance of the requested date, payable to Thyatira. For available dates, you may call the church office at 704-636-1595 or check the signup sheet on the bulletin board outside the office.

Sanctuary Flowers Order Form

Requested date for flowers:

Your name:

Telephone number:

In memory of:

In honor of:

Given by:

Requested colors:

One vase $57.25 OR Two vases $100

I plan to take my flowers after service

I plan to leave the flowers

PHONE PRAYER CHAIN: If you, a family member, or friend like to be added to our Phone Prayer Chain, please call Jim Albright at 704-279-3317. Thyatira's

Phone Prayer Chain is different from being added to our e-newsletter, mailed newsletter, and bulletin. We have 3 people that spread the word by calling approximately 25 prayer list members, who add your request to their daily prayers. Whatever your prayer need is, finding peace of mind provides a foundation of strength to face any situation. Your request is a sacred trust and is kept confidential among our prayer list members.

A Note Of Thanks:

Mike and I would like to thank Georgia and Glenn McCorkle for driving us down to get Mikes endoscopic procedure done and for staying with us while it was done. We are very blessed. Thank you Georgia and Glenn! Kaye & Mike Hawkins

If you ordered Easter Lilies from the Youth, please pick them up following worship on Easter Sunday. Thank you for your support!

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Many people suffer from a disease called acid reflux disease and may simply endure the symptoms without understanding the dangers or seeking a medical professional’s help for a long period of time. At the entrance to the stomach is a valve, which is a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Normally the LES closes as soon as food passes through it. If the LES doesn’t close all the way or is open too often, acid produced by the stomach can move up into the esophagus. This can cause symptoms such as a burning chest pain called heartburn, regurgitation of a sour or bitter tasting acid backing up into your throat or mouth, nausea, or a number of less damaging issues.

If you have frequent or severe symptoms which have not responded to lifestyle changes or medications, a medical professional may order one or more of a series of tests. These include:

• Barium swallow (esophagram) can check for ulcers or a narrowing of the esophagus. An X-ray is used in this procedure.

• Esophageal manometry can check the function of the esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter.

• pH monitoring can check for acid in the esophagus. This is a 1-2 day procedure.

• Endoscopy can check for problems with the esophagus and the stomach. This test involves inserting a long, flexible, lighted tube with a camera down the throat. The patient is given a sedative to make them comfortable during this procedure.

• A biopsy may be taken during an endoscopy to check samples of tissue for infection, abnormalities or other serious problems.

When patients are diagnosed with acid reflux disease, it is important that they do everything possible to control their production of acid and its movement into the esophagus. One very important activity which can provide them and their health care professional with essential information is to keep notes on the times in which they suffer acid reflux. Foods eaten, time of day of the last meal, how soon they lay down after the meal are all of primary importance in the plan to control this disease.

Some lifestyle changes have proven to be of immense benefit to some patients. Some steps to take are:

• Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day.

• Quit smoking.

• Put blocks under the head of the bed to raise it at least 4-6 inches.

• Eat at least 2-3 hours before lying down.

• Try sleeping in a chair for daytime naps.

• Don’t wear tight clothes or tight belts.

• If overweight, take steps to lose weight through diet and exercise as appropriate.

• Don’t drink certain beverages such as alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee or tea.

• Don’t eat certain foods such as citrus, tomato, chocolate, mint, garlic, onions, or spicy or fatty foods.

• Ask the doctor if any medication prescribe would aggravate acid reflex.

Although all of these are serious recommendations for anyone suffering from acid reflux to consider, it is very unlikely that anyone is going to follow all of these recommendations all of the time. Patients committed to making a true effort will find that they are getting positive results.

As with any health issue, diet plays an important role in any attempt to control the disease. The following are among the diet recommendations.

There are many foods which are suggested as beneficial to patients suffering from acid reflux. A few of the foods having many benefits, especially in controlling acid in the body are:

• Eating a small handful of almonds is an excellent idea; the oils that come from these nuts help stabilize the acid content of the body.

• Ginger root is best used when combining 1 tablespoon of ginger root, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 ounce of honey all mixed in an eight ounce glass of water. Ginger is also an excellent remedy for nausea.

• A small snack of red grapes (no more than 15) can reduce your acid reflux.

• Although drinking tea is discouraged, chamomile tea is the exception as it is known to help control the amount of acid in the body.

• While citrus is on the discouraged list, fresh bananas are highly recommended. Bananas can neutralize the acid content in the body, and the soothing quality of this fruit helps the esophagus.

According to some studies there are three easy behaviors that patients have found beneficial. One, eat slowly which allows less air entering your throat as you eat. Two, chew sugar-free gum 30 minutes after eating. Avoid peppermint and spearmint gums. Third, sleep on your left side, not your back or your right side. Patients have found that doing this reduced the frequency of acid reflux.

As with any health issue, it is important that patients try and use what works for them. Always consult your health care professional before trying any change which causes concern.

Acid Reflux Disease

In many of the Faith Community Health articles which appear in our newsletter, reference is made to studies and the helpful knowledge that has been gained from these. I am interested in learning about any members of our congregation and community who have participated in any study. Phyllis Patterson participated in a study on blueberries and their effects. I will be writing more about this in another article.

Since the mid-90’s, I have participated in the Sister-Sister Study. This study involved women who had not had breast cancer, but who had at least one sister who had this cancer. Throughout the world, women have been participating in this study.

At its beginning, a researcher made a personal visit; she took blood samples, fingernail and toenail clippings, as well as samples of dust within our home. There were other health checks and a lengthy list of questions about health issues of

relatives, past and present. The researchers noted where each participant grew up, the occupation, travel, and countless other aspects of life which might indicate why one person develops breast cancer and another does not. Every year participants completed a list of questions about themselves and their relatives. It is impossible to place a value on the research that has been done, its effects on breast cancer, and its relationship to other cancers.

Participation in this study did not require a great deal of me. There are many studies like this one which require no involvement with medication, no doing anything which is in any way dangerous. They simply require giving time to participate in research designed to gain knowledge which will be of benefit to others.

Sources:WebMD, Mayo Clinic, and Health.com

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Studies and Research

One Great Hour of Sharing Offering To Be Received on Easter Day

On Sunday, April 1, we will receive the annual One Great Hour of Sharing Offering that helps our national church do together what our individual churches cannot do alone. A gift to One Great Hour of Sharing enables the church to share God’s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world by providing relief to those affected by natural disasters, providing food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed. This year, Thyatira’s kids have been filling up their “fish banks” with their offerings and are invited to bring them on Easter Sunday. Please add your offering to theirs!

If you will not be able to be in worship on Easter, you can still participate by simply bringing or mailing your gift to the church office. Please note OGHS in your memo line. For more information on the blessings shared by your gift, please visit http://specialofferings.pcusa.org/oghs.

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Thyatira Presbyterian Church At Mill Bridge 220 White Rd. Salisbury, NC 28147-5606 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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April 2018 Newsletter

Two Year Old Classroom: This month the two year old class has worked on letters F and G. They worked on recognizing letters, picking letters out, as well as matching. We practiced recognizing their names and spelling them. Each day we work on colors, shapes, ABC’s, and counting to 20. During the month they have made Easter crafts - Cross of many colors, cross of brown shapes with their handprints (Jesus loves me this much). We ended our

month with our class Easter party and Egg hunt along with Celebrating Clara’s 3rd Birthday! Hope everyone has a joyous and blessed Easter, and a safe and happy spring break!!! Three Year Old Classroom: For Dr. Seuss's birthday we made a "Cat in the Hat Mask". Their noses were painted and whiskers were drawn on their cheeks. Preparing for St. Patrick's Day, the children made shamrocks and a leprechaun. They decorated Easter Baskets and dyed Easter eggs and listened to the Easter story. The month ended with singing for their family followed by an Easter egg hunt.

Four Year Old Classroom: The old saying states that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” We definitely felt the lion this month as we experienced the cold and snowy days. Despite the crazy weather we still continued to learn and grow in the four year old class. We studied the letters V, W, & X and made crafts to go along with them. We celebrated St Patrick’s Day on the 16th. What an exciting day we had chasing that elusive leprechaun! In the end, we were not successful catching him in our traps, but he did leave us some amazing treats! The month ended with our study of the Easter story and how much Jesus loves us. We also had an egg hunt and Easter party on the 28th. We are thankful that it is now spring and we look forward to the warm and sunny days ahead.

REGISTRATION OPEN!

Thyatira Presbyterian Preschool is accepting registrations for 2, 3, and 4 year olds (age as of August 31, 2018) for the 2018-2019 school year. Classes begin after Labor Day. If you know someone who may be interested, please have them contact the church at office@thyatirapresbyterian.org.