Worship
Sunday, August 12, 2018
10:00 AM Worship
Worship Leaders:
WIW: Ellyn Cochran
Liturgist: Virginia Legener
Head Usher: Marie Hodgman-Schoeneberg
Ushers: Susan Cornutt, Sherri and Rusty Godwin, Susan Constantine
Greeter: Cindy Hays
AV: Jason Schoenenberg and Dante Renzulli
Guest Musician: Phillip Adair
Extended Session
Nursery: Betty Busbee
2-3 yr olds: Ellyn Cochran
4-6 yr olds: Mark Cochran, Heidi Gleason
Floater: Jill Jacques
Flowers: The flowers are given by Holly Williams for all the good work NDPC does in the world.
Fellowship and Refreshments:
Weather permitting, after worship, fellowship and light refreshments will be served outdoors on the patio. In the event of rain, we will gather in the Fellowship Hall. Thank you to
Diane Wilkes of the
Northeast Parish for providing our refreshments.
To submit comments or suggestions about worship, or to volunteer to donate flowers or serve as an usher or liturgist, contact
worship@ndpc.org.
Sermons:
August 12th, 2018, Rev. Rick Neale preaching: John 4:5-26, Exodus 17:1-7; “Thirsty?”
In their 40-year trek through the desert from Egypt to Canaan, the Israelites experienced times of extreme thirst. Jesus was thirsty when he came to a certain well in a Samaritan village. These hot summer days can cause outright dehydration. What does it mean to be thirsty?
The Reverend Richard G. Neale: During his 30-year career as a pastor Rick led churches in upstate New York, Miami, and Atlanta, and he served as a chaplain at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. He is the current Moderator of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. He also serves on the Committee for Preparation for Ministry and as a member of Presbyterians for a Better Georgia. He enjoys hiking, reading, nerd stuff like computers and multi-media gear, listening to a wide variety of music, and doing household repair projects. Rick has three grown daughters, two of whom have growing families of their own. Rick’s wife, Ellen Herbert, serves as an elder here at North Decatur. Together they enjoy choral singing, caring for their yard and gardens, and spending as much time as possible with their six grandchildren.
Please Note: Thanks to the hard work of Tim Merritt, NDPC's website is up to date with great preaching in the tradition of NDPC! Go to
ndpc.org and select "sermons."
Congregational Care
A memorial service for Margaret Brown, sister of
Haywood Curry, will be held Monday, August 13th at noon at The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church, 1879 Glenwood Avenue, S.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30316. Thank you for holding in your hearts and prayers Haywood, Linda and the family during this time of loss.
Circle of Care, Sunday, August 12th, 4:30 pm, Parlor. Circle of Care meets twice a month and offers support and fellowship for caregivers and those living with mental or physical health issues. This group meets every 2nd and 4th Sunday at 4:30 pm. August dates are 12th and 26th. Contact Mary Anona,
maryanona@ndpc.org.
Do you need care or know someone who needs congregational care? The phone number for care at the church is 404-981-6372. Or contact
care@ndpc.org at our confidential email address to let a pastor know of a concern that needs prayer, a visit, or pastoral attention. If you would like to be added to the weekly
In Touch prayer list for a concern or a celebration, contact
iyabo@ndpc.org.
Children and Youth
Focus on Music for Children:
Starting this Sunday, August 12th and through
Labor Day weekend, extended session will focus on music with children. All children up through those rising to 5th grade are invited to leave worship after Word in Worship and join Kathy Smith for a time of learning about music and learning a song the children will sing on September 9th at the beginning of our education program year.
Office Matters
NDPC Office hours are 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday through Thursday, and upon request by members.
Please take the time to like our posts on Facebook and share them on your timelines. We are trying to expand our reach through that media organically. Thank you.
https://www.facebook.com/NDPChurch
NDPC Three Year Strategic Plan: You may access the NDPC strategic plan 2018-2021 presentation by clicking here.
Publication Deadlines:
The Communicator - Monday, August 12th at 5:00 pm
In Touch - Monday, August 12th at 9:00 am
Seasons Quarterly Newsletter - Wednesday, August 15th at 9:00 am
Please send all information for publication to
iyabo@ndpc.org
Community Life
Elder Nominating Committee
The Elder Nominating Committee is receiving recommendations from the congregation until Sunday, August 26th. We will be nominating six adult members to serve on the Session in the Class of 2021 and one youth to serve in the class of 2019.
You can access the nominating form by clicking on this link.
Sages Program Suggestions: Friends, it is that time once again when we are planning the programs for next year and we need your help. We always have a wonderful variety of programs so we would love any suggestions you have, even if they might seem off the wall to you! We want to continue to present programs that we can all enjoy so your input is very much appreciated. If you suggest someone to speak, please send any contact information you have to Barbara Jung at
barbarajung@gmail.com.
Homeless Laundry Ministry, Wednesday, August 15th, 6 pm, Medlock Laundry. Help wash clothes for our neighbors who are homeless. Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday, a group of volunteers meets at the Medlock Coin Laundry to wash clothes, study scripture, and pray with each other. Contact: Dee Raeside,
deeraeside@gmail.com.
Women Together, Thursday, August 16, 7:00 pm at Deedee Murphy’s home. Marion Reeves will provide the main dish, so please bring a drink, appetizer, side or dessert to share. We are honored to hear the remarkable and inspiring life story of our very own Mary Alice Kemp. Any questions? Contact is Deedee Murphy at
Ddmm54@comcast.net .
Haiti Book Drive, Sundays, August 19th and 26th, Narthex, after Worship: It’s back to school all over the world, and book drive time for the EcoVillage School in Haiti that NDPC helps to sponsor along with Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church and Emory Presbyterian, otherwise known as the Haiti EcoVillage School Partnership. The three churches will be holding drives in August and September to supply books for the Haiti school’s library and classrooms. You can help by making a donation in any amount on NDPC’s Sundays, Aug 19th and Aug 26
th. No amount is too small or too large. Bring cash or checkbooks and look for the EcoVillage book display next to the Global Missions table at the reception immediately following worship on the last two Sundays in August. For more information about the book drive contact
debmiller49@mac.com. For more information about the school, see the webpage
www.haitiecovillageschool.org.
Creation Care, Save The Date: September 23
Our NDPC Creation Care Committee gathered for potluck, ideas and fun at the Mosley’s Sunday evening. Save the Date for our first congregation-wide activity. (Pssstt.. It involves good food and fellowship).Watch for excitement and email our local conservationist rock star,
Katemosley99@gmail.com, for questions. Though the photo be fuzzy, our plan is not!
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: A Call to Serve. To tell the history of North Decatur Presbyterian Church is to tell of determined members launching bold programs for families to have a place to call home. That determination continues today and is named as a top priority in our 2018-2021 strategic plan:
ndpc-plan
We ask that you prayerfully consider joining a newly-forming working group to guide our congregation's affordable housing efforts into the future. Opportunities for involvement include:
- attending local events and conferences;
- contacting elected officials;
- identifying and strengthening partnerships with other churches and organizations;
- creating learning opportunities for our congregation;
- being part of a prayer group, praying daily that everyone has a place to call home, asking God for wisdom in our efforts, and listening for guidance; and
- leading or co-leading these efforts within our congregation.
The session will discuss this important work at its meeting on August 19th and by then we hope to have the beginnings of a working group taking shape. If you are interested, please contact Bobbie Wrenn Banks at bobbiewrenn@gmail.com, or Nancy Gathany at ntgathany@gmail.com. Thank you!
Peace and Justice Committee Request: NDPC's Peace & Justice Committee, at its planning meeting on August 5th, outlined strategies for addressing nine priority issues, including immigration and refugees. The separation of parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border is a major concern, and we hail
the "Grannies Respond" caravan and their motto: Zero Tolerance for Zero Tolerance. To learn more about Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace, contact Carol Tveit,
carol.j.tveit@gmail.com. Please watch this video to learn more and be inspired:
https://youtu.be/Kzia8opZQh8
“On Friday, August 3, 2018, 20 ATL Grandmothers and their supporters traveled to Montgomery, AL to greet the "Grannies Respond" caravan, a convoy of elderly women en route to the US-Mexico border to protest family separations. The caravan, which emerged out of social media connections, began its journey in Beacon, NY with a scheduled 7 stops, and is now on its way to New Orleans. The final stop on August 6 is at the nation's largest immigration facility in McAllen, Texas, where the Grannies will hold a 24-hour demonstration and participate in community service events. The "Grannies Respond" caravan has become a national grassroots movement, with caravans forming in Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, Oregon and Florida, among other states -- all moving southward toward the border. Their motto: We have zero tolerance for zero tolerance.”
FYI
Voter Registration Training, by Indivisible GA04, August 8th and 11th, Fellowship Hall.
What: Voter Registration Training Class - DECATUR
When: Two dates are offered. The training class is the same on each date. Choose which date works best for you and register for that one:
-- Wednesday August 8: 7:15pm-9:15pm
-- Saturday August 11: 3:00pm-5:00pm
Where: NDPC Fellowship Hall
Details: Please join us for a comprehensive Voter Registration Training Class. You will learn how to successfully register voters in Georgia as we work to get as many voters registered as possible before the cut-off date of October 9 arrives. RSVP's are required (use registration link,) in order to have the correct count for materials - which you will need during class. Thank you for your assistance. Email Margaret at: IndivisibleGA04VOTE@gmail.com for additional information, or to schedule another VR Training. Register here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e4eaaad2ba6ff2-voter4
City of Clarkston Town Hall Meeting, Saturday, August 11 at 10 am, Clarkston Community Center.
There is a significant issue brewing in Clarkston, where both NDPC and the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta have invested emotionally and financially in caring for the refugee community. We are urging NDPC members to attend in order to advocate for interfaith acceptance. The topic of the meeting is the development of a "regional ministry hub" of Send Relief, a ministry of the National American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Church. There are concerns being raised by local residents about proselytizing and colonizing, as well as growing conflict about the scope and environmental impact of the large-scale physical "campus" within the small city limits.
Some important links to follow:
*
*Info and Registration for Saturday's event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/coffee-with-council-town-hall-edition-tickets-48080301476
Needed: Men's Clothing.
Pastor Chad at Mercy Community Church has asked for men’s durable t-shirts and pants (medium) in order to help replenish the clothes closet depleted by the surge in need for clothing this summer. This is a picture from last winter, but now is filled with many empty hangers.
Our Mercy Laundry donation basket is currently located across the hall from the Educator's office. Quarters are also always needed and welcome and are collected in the Tide container in the narthex. Thank you all for your continued support of this directly effective ministry. For information, please contact Dee Raeside
deeraeside@gmail.com
The Presbytery Nominating Committee invites all who wish to participate in the life and decisions of the Presbytery to indicate an interest in serving on Presbytery committees/commissions that support mission, administration, education, leadership, and communities throughout our region and abroad. Please encourage gifted and willing members to express interest in the work of the Presbytery.
The descriptions of the opportunities for presbytery service are available
HERE. The signup/nomination form is
HERE.
The Presbytery Nominating Committee will meet in August to nominate members for the 2019-2021 term, and the presbytery will vote on nominees at the November 10 Stated Meeting of the Presbytery at Clairmont Presbyterian.
If there are persons you think would serve well on a committee/commission who may be reticent to complete a form, please notify Nominating Committee Chair Mary Evans with contact information so that she may reach out to them directly. Nominating Committee Chair Mary Evans:
tmevans@bellsouth.net at 770-493-9489.
John Morgan's Charge to the Congregation on Sunday, August 5th.
The Journey by William Barclay
I send you forth to the land that has been promised.
That it has been promised is all that I know.
I do not know the shape of the land, the route that you must go,
The dangers certain to befall you along the way.
My small experience leads me to suggest
You should expect your share of desert places
Where oases vanish upon close inspection
And water springs forth from most unlikely rocks.
Also, you should beware the golden calf,
Or any beast pretending to be God.
The likely candidates will have immense appeal
And an unpleasant after taste.
The great advantage of the promised land
Is that it will wait for you.
If on the road someone waylaid by thieves
Or sudden beauty should detain you, there is time.
You will know when you have reached the land
By the sudden fear you feel at the edge of grace
And the strong pull of familiar Egypt on your soul.
And the knowledge that there is no turning back.
Farewell, beloved.
Put on the whole armor of God, but leave your heart exposed.
Since life, like death, demands a certain vulnerability. (pause)
And learn a song or two to sing in a strange land.
Be wise as serpents, innocent as doves;
Accepting the worst from all, expecting the best.
You are less what you’ve learned than what you have learned to love.
Love is your journey’s name, and your final rest.
Amen.
Go in Peace!
Science of Fun has expressed their desire to be good stewards and partners, and the lease has provisions built in to account for cleaning and care of the space. They follow the City of Decatur school calendar (found at the City Schools of Decatur website, or go here: 
