February 2014 | www.epres.org

In this issue

Deacon's Corner

Quick Links

Upcoming Worship

February 2

Elements - Jesus, God in the Flesh

Dr. McConnell

Communion

February 9

Elements - Jesus, Savior and Lord

Dr. McConnell

February 16

Elements - Spirit of God

Dr. McConnell

February 23

Elements - The Church

Dr. McConnell

Celebrations!

1 Candy McNair

1 Valerie Mote

2 Mary Hamilton

2 Merilyn Mitchell

2 Brian Melcher

5 Jeanette Gowen

5 Ed Winn

5 Kyle Watson

6 Brenda Tighe

6 Jeffey Madson

6 Janeen DenHaese

6 Nick Keller

7 Thad Oviatt

8 Doneita Robinson

8 Kathleen Crock

8 Rachel Nielsen

9 John Speiser

9 Katharine Byrd

11 Madeline Kennedy

11 Ellie McConnell

12 Caroline Cribb

12 Leigh Moyer

13 Martie Pottinger

13 Robert Wiley

14 Phillip Morrissey

14 Stephen Touset

14 Michael Wang

14 Emily Jansen

15 Mike Moran

15 Matthew Wessner

18 Vani Arcuragi

18 Robert Madson

18 Ella Morris

19 Jocelyn Fowler

21 Jeff Driscoll

21 Sydney Allen

22 Chris Foster

23 William Hewett

23 Janette Welborn

24 Irene Misencik

24 Lisa Brewer

24 Jan Strydom

25 Harold Anglin

25 Chris Wickstrom

25 Sharon Melcher

25 Andy Starnes

25 Kendall Peery

26 Sonny Hall

28 James Coleman

28 Mikey Mortimer

Happy Anniversary

1 Jeff & Alyson Meigs

3 Bill & Melinda

Freeman

9 Hart & Mary Alice

Phinney

11 Jim & Debbie Bussart

14 Dan & Carolyn

Waters

15 John & Lynne

Buchanan

19 Tom & Jan Conkright

25 Lucian & Gina

McClendon

26 Hunter & Danielle

Edwards

Wed. Night Meals

February 5

Breakfast for Dinner!

Scrambled Eggs

Grits

Biscuits

Sausage

Bacon

Pancakes

Fruit Salad

February 12

Valentine's Dinner

(Bring your sweetie!)

Chicken Scallopine

Beef Stroganoff

Green Beans Almondine

Fruit Compote

Caesar Salad

Pink Lemonade

Dinner Rolls

Red Velvet Cake/Cream Cheese Icing

February 19

BIRTHDAY BASH

Oven Roasted Chicken

Meatloaf

Roasted Potatos

Carrots

Green Peas

Salad

Garlic Bread

Birthday Cake and Ice Cream for all February Birthdays!

February 26

Chicken and Dumplings

Chili

Cornbread

Cole Slaw

Lemon cake

Spice Cake

All menus are subject to change. We will try follow these menus, but sometimes last minute changes are necessary.

Christian Sympathy

Is expressed to . . .

Jeff Jones and family in the loss of his father, Malcolm Jones;

Alaine and Edna Bayless and family in the loss of Marvin Bayless;

Walt Keller and family in the loss of his mother, Barbara Keller;

Wonyean Gaye and family in the loss of his sister;

Sarah Keller and family in the loss of her uncle, Dean.

Greeters Needed

Do you want to meet old friends and new friends on Sundays? Sign up to be a greeter-- we need you! It only takes 15 minutes, a warm smile and a warm handshake!

Thank You. . .

I wanted to say thank you for all the cards, calls, thoughts and prayers sent to me and my family after Van passed away in November. Your support means so very, very much! Thank you!

Becky Sammons

Love and Chocolates

What Will Valentine's Day Teach Our Kids?

Mom's, start buying those Valentine's Day kits. It's coming. The onslaught of candy swapping. The little folded notes to every kid in the class. The bag that comes home full of notes and kisses...and maybe that one special, cryptic message from a special admirer!

And what will our kids learn? What will our children learn about love this Valentine's Day?

I'm afraid most of them will walk away with a skewed picture of love, namely that love is about being selected because of what you are on the outside. I imagine most kids walk away from that wondering if they will ever be loved.

God's love is very different. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." What's more, God loves us despite what He finds. God's love moves toward us to make us more valuable than we were when He started. As it says in Romans, God's love for us is proven by what He is willing to do to reach us and redeem us, even when we were disobedient to Him: "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

It will be hard to avoid the Valentine's Day type of love, as kids look around the room for the most valuable person they can possibly find, and try to attach themselves to them. But let's elevate a greater love. A love that seeks to instill value in what it loves. A love that loves first. The love we find in Jesus Christ.

Yours in Christ,

Timothy

Youth Calendar for February

Sunday 2: Super Bowl Party @ McConnell Home

Girls bring desserts,

Guys bring sides

(drinks and subs will be provided)

Wednesday 5: WND Youth

Saturday 8: Winter Jam Concert

Meet at 2 PM, return at 11 PM. Please bring $30

for tickets and money for dinner/snacks

Please RSVP to blake.hudson@epres.org by

Sunday, February 2!

Sunday 9: Youth Group

Wednesday 12: WND Youth

Sunday 16: Youth Group

Wednesday 19: WND Youth

Sunday 23: Youth Group

Wednesday 26: WND Youth

Summer Trips

Registration Now Open!

Youth families! Registration for summer trips is now open! If you are interested in having your youth attend these trips, please return the registration form (FOUND HERE) along with your deposit. While we will try to keep these trips open as long as possible, this is the only way to reserve a spot for your youth!

As a reminder, we are going on the following trips this summer...

June 1-6: Mission Trip To Hilton Head, SC

Open to Middle and High School Students

June 15-20: The Great Escape (outside Chattanooga, TN)

Open to Middle School Students Only

July 13-18: Fun In The Son (Hilton Head Island, SC)

Open to High School Students Only

Christian Education

On Sunday, February 23, our 1st/2nd grade students will be leading the congregation in The Lord's Prayer during both worship services. These students have been learning The Lord's Prayer as a worship "milestone" as part of their Christian Life Training curriculum and now they are ready to lead the congregation. Parents of 1st/2nd grade students are requested to RSVP to Hubie Mann (hubie.mann@epres.org) to let us know which service your child will be attending.

Teacher Training Event: On Sunday, February 23, from 2-4pm in CLC Room 208, we will be having our mid-year training event for all teachers of children's, youth, and adult Christian Life Training classes as well as youth Bible study leaders. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us!

Next Summer's VBS dates will be June 23-27, 2014 and the theme will be "Wilderness Escape: Where God Guides and Provides". Online registration will begin in March. Last year, it took 88 volunteers to staff our VBS program and we'll need just as many this summer! If you'd like to be a part of this incredibly fun outreach to the children of our community, please contact our Director of Christian Education, Hubie Mann (hubie.mann@epres.org).

Interested in joining a Small Group?

Please contact Don Fifield (dfifield@bellsouth.net) or Hubie Mann (hubie.mann@epres.org) for details.

It's not too late to join a class on Sunday morning or Wednesday night! Check out our Christian Life Training class offerings from the list below:

Sunday Morning Adult Classes (10:15-11am)
Experiencing God - led by Eddie & Terri Capparucci (Room 204)
How to REALLY Understand the Bible - led by Hubie & Terri Mann (Room 208)
Got Questions? - led by Mary-Evelyn Starnes (Library)

Acts of the Apostles - led by Carolyn Waters (Room 209)

The Choir Class (10-10:30am) - led by Don Fifield (Parlor)

Wednesday Evening Adult Classes (7-8pm)
The Pastor's Study (Book of Luke) - led by Dr. Tim McConnell (Room 209)
How to REALLY Understand the Bible - led by Hubie & Terri Mann (Room 208)

The French Confession - led by Tommy Nickles (Room 204)

Deacon's Corner

Do You Know Visiting Angels?

Did you know Eastminster has a ministry for shut-ins and assisted living residents in our congregation? Visiting Angels matches volunteers with members (or family members) of EPC who are shut-in or reside in an assisted living facility. It's important for these members to feel the love of their church family, especially after they can longer attend services regularly. If you know a member or have a family member that needs to be added to the Visiting Angels ministry, or if you'd like to volunteer to be a Visiting Angel, please contact Beth Hartt at beth.hartt@gmail.com.

Mission News

Third Annual Churchwide Mission Day

As part of our Spirit-led ongoing drive to be a missional church, we are getting ready for our 3rd annual March into Mission. The mission committee is very excited about this opportunity and pray that Eastminster would one day be known as much for its March into Mission outreach as for its Fall Festival BBQ. We are looking for "March into Mission" leaders and team members that are willing to share some of the blessings that we have received so abundantly. This local outreach will be on March 16. Last year, teams of our own missionaries spread out among the community to several sites and outreaches -- including 7 Bridges, Salvation Army, Letters to Martyrs and Visiting Angels -- to share the love of Jesus. We are interested in additional ideas that would serve our local communities. If you would like to help, contact Mark Shreiner at 770-364-9348 or m_shreiner@yahoo.com or Piet Strydom at 770 265 9139 or Piet.SAP.Strydom@gmail.com.

Hands of Hope Mission Trip Dates

Mark your calendars for the Hands of Hope Mission Trips!
Eastminster Mission Teams will be traveling to West Virginia on the following dates in 2014:

April 24, 25, 26 and 27

October 23, 24, 25 and 26

On March 1st there will be bins placed in the church Alcove and CLC for donations of small appliances and household goods. ( microwaves, toasters, fans, lamps, small tables, sheets, dishes, kitchen items etc.)

Please contact Suzie and Norm Baur if you would like more information regarding the mission trips. Suzie: ladybug112@bellsouth.net and Norm: nbaur@bellsouth. net. Home phone: 770-321-0188 As always thank you for your wonderful support of this mission. We will update you on the plans for the April trip and any specific needs for donations. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Thank You. . .

The Craft Circle would like to thank all who contributed to our Hat/Mitten/Scarf trees. We collected (20) hat/scarf sets, (162) hats, (67) scarves, (11) baby blankets, (124) gloves/mittens sets. We packed and sent some of the items with the mission team to West Virginia. The bulk and balance of the items were taken to MUST. Your generous contributions will help warm many this COLD winter! THANK YOU for participating in this wonderful ministry.

Women's Ministry

Spunky Spirits

Spunky Spirits Circle will meet in the CLC at 11:00 on Feb. 13. Ellie Tandy will be our hostess and Marsha Stemme will present the devotional. The lesson will be led by Jan Walls who will be covering Lesson 5 in our study book. Please bring a dish to share, your Bible, study book and a big smile!! Hope to see a big group on the 13th. Remember friends and guests are always welcome to join us.

Once again, the ladies (or should I say the elves) of the Spunky Spirits Circle out did themselves! The collection at Christmas for needy families was over $2600. 18 of us gathered on December 3rd to shop for five different families, a total of 16 people. These families ranged from a family of 6 with both a mom and a dad, to one family where a single mom was not only raising her own infant, but her 3 year old nephew. We were able to provide warm clothing, toys, a bicycle, diapers, microwave ovens, sheets and towels and food gift cards. This year we were even able to provide extra toys for the Families First Toy Closet. On the 5th we gathered for our holiday meeting and lunch and wrapped all the gifts. They were delivered to Families First in downtown Atlanta on the 9th where they were then distributed to the families by the social workers. Once again, kudos to everyone who contributed, shopped, wrapped, and prayed for these families!

Karen Jones

Craft Circle

Craft Circle will meet Monday, February 10th, 10-1, Room 203/CLC. We will continue making pet beds for Cobb County Animal Shelter. There'll be cutting and sewing, so a job for everyone! Sewing machines needed. Any questions, call Lynn Hall (770-552-0949) or Lynne Buchanan (404-234-5063).

Genesis Circle

The next meeting of Genesis Circle will be Tuesday, February 11th at Suzie Baur's house for dinner. We would love to have you join us for fellowship, prayer, a devotion and sharing time. No need to bring anything but yourself! Please contact Suzie Baur at 678-283-0774 , ladybug112@bellsouth.net or Georgia Bentley 770-321-8778, gsbentley1@aol.com if you would like more information.

Sonflower Sister

Moms with daughters in grades K-5 --- The next Sonflower Sisters meeting is Friday, February 21st at 7pm in the youth room in the CLC. We have an extra special guest speaker - Mrs. Abigail McConnell - coming to teach the girls about a young missionary currently serving in Uganda. We hope you can join us! Please contact Beth Hartt at beth.hartt@gmail.com with questions or to RSVP.

Lunch Bunch

Our special Ladies Lunch Bunch will meet February 20 at noon at O'Charley's Restaurant located at 3350 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta (corner of Sandy Plains and Shallowford Road). You are invited to bring your special guy with you. Please RSVP by February 18 to Sandra Allen at 770-977-8742 or allen47680@bellsouth.net. If you need transportation, please advise at that time.

Session Meeting Highlights

January 2014

Session approved the baptisms of Elinor Bell Hudson and Joanna Katrina Hudson, daughters of Revs. Blake & Katie Hudson, on February 16, 2014, at the 11:15 service.

Session acknowledged with sadness the passing of Dottie Cass on December 8, 2013.

Session approved designating February 23, 2014, as Scout Sunday.

Session approved holding Ash Wednesday services at 12pm and 7pm on March 5, 2014.

Session approved hosting Jeremiah Jones on March 22-23, 2014, for a Praise Band workshop at 10am Saturday, concert at 7pm Saturday, and worship at 9am Sunday.

Session approved the Youth event calendar for Spring and Summer 2014.

Session approved a motion for Rev. Katie Hudson to serve as Assistant Pastor for 2014. There is no salary for this position.

Session approved a motion for John Speiser to serve as Lay Pastor for Visitation for 2014. There is no salary for this position.

Session approved the following persons to serve as the Road Team for 2014: Vicky Ryder-Road Volunteer Director; Lee Kizer-Praise Band Director; Kevin French-A/V Stage Director.

Session approved Mike Dembski to serve as Treasurer for 2014.

Session approved moving $5,000 to The Journey account for the 2013 committed contribution which was not made last year.

Session approved adjusting the budgeted amounts for Dr. McConnell's and Reverend Hudson's salary and benefit accounts to correctly reflect actual amounts for 2014.

The next Stated Session Meeting will be Thursday, February 20, 2014, at 7:30pm in Room 204.

The ECO East Central Presbytery Meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC, from 10am-3pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Diane L. Brock

Clerk of Session

Eastminster Christian Preschool

Eastminster Christian Preschool Now Enrolling! ECP has classes available for children ages 16 mos. to 4 years for the 2014-15 school year. We offer a multisensory, child-centered approach to learning with Zoo-phonics curriculum, a top-notch teaching staff, and a variety of after-school programs. Enroll during the month of February and get $20 off the $100 registration/activity fee! Classes will fill up quickly so don't delay. You can find more information and registration forms at www.epres.org/classes-tuition.

Eastminster Presbyterian Church
info@epres.org | www.epres.org
3125 Sewell Mill Rd, Marietta, GA 30062
770-977-2976
Rev. Dr. Timothy P. McConnell, Senior Pastor