2015 may communicator

The Communicator ~ May 2015

A Publication of Sardis Presbyterian Church May 2015 Building God’s Kingdom Through Worship ● Service ● Fellowship ● Evangelism ● Discipleship

Sardis Presbyterian Church · 6100 Sardis Road · Charlo-e, NC 28270 · 704-366-1854 · www.sardis.org

2 The Communicator ~ May 2015

Ministry is about life in Christ which affects everything we do. Church LifeChurch LifeChurch LifeChurch Life

Rev. Dr. Jane B. Fobel on Sabbatical

In honoring the Presbytery of Charlo�e terms of call for ministers, The Rev. Dr. Jane

Fobel will be taking her sabbatical May 4 through August 2. A sabbatical is an

extended Sabbath, which provides for even greater productivity when it is over. It

is a time to take leave of oneʹs everyday work and for mind and soul to lay fallow; a time

for spiritual enrichment, rest, and ultimately, regeneration. We are grateful Dr. Fobel will

have this opportunity to restore and refresh herself physically and spiritually.

Sardis Gift Trust: Do You Love Our Church Campus?

Our wonderful campus is more than something for us to enjoy. The buildings and grounds are essential to the

mission of Sardis and the God-given purposes of worship, service, evangelism, discipleship, and fellowship. To be

good stewards of this property, we need to provide it with ongoing care and maintenance. Many of the repair and

maintenance needs are beyond our annual budget, but thanks to generous gifts in the past to the Sardis Gift Trust,

funds have been available for such needs. Funds are specifically established for Major Property Improvement and

for maintenance of the Sanctuary and Chapel. Both funds need to grow to meet future needs. Anyone may add to

either fund by lifetime gifts, memorials, or bequests.

For questions about how you may join in this permanent support of Sardis, please feel free to contact Ed Shoaf,

current chair of the Gift Trust Commission, or Jennifer Childers, Director of Administration.

A Time of Transition – What’s Next?

With my retirement, Sardis will enter a new period of transition. There will be many

questions, some can be answered now and some only later as the church moves

through the process.

On Monday, I will ask the session to call a congregational meeting for Sunday, May 17

in order to “dissolve the pastoral relationship” between myself and Sardis. The

language sounds so cold, but it is an important part of our Presbyterian Polity. My

last Sunday in worship and the pulpit will be June 14.

On Tuesday, May 26, the Presbytery of Charlo�e will send a representative from the Commi�ee on Ministry to

guide the session through the important steps and decisions they will need to make during this interim time. The

Presbytery of Charlo�e will work closely with the Sardis session and members of the congregation. They are

experts when it comes to navigating the waters between pastors.

Jeanne Hammons, our Clerk of Session, will keep all of you informed as the process of transition gets underway.

In the meantime, let’s follow the advice of scripture, “As we constantly keep each other in our prayers.”

God bless, Tom

The Communicator ~ May 2015 3


Historical Corner

The early parishioners had a strict observance of the Sabbath.

Only the most essential work, such as milking cows and

feeding the stock, was permi�ed. Cooking was done on

Saturdays, and the food put away. Heating food, however,

was allowed on the Sabbath.

All sports on the Sabbath were forbidden. Almost all business

establishments were closed on Sabbath. The “Sunday

newspaper” became a problem. Officially it fell into the

category of “secular reading,” forbidden by church standards.

So it was tucked away in a bureau drawer until after church.

Then the rules changed. By a loose interpretation of the fourth

commandment it might be brought forth and read. The

children were even allowed to read the funny papers!

Apparently the Lord relaxed his requirements somewhat, as a

reward for one’s having a�ended church.

Calling All High School

and College Graduates

You have worked hard to reach this important

milestone in your lives, and your church family

would like to recognize your achievement in

the June issue of The Communicator.

All December 2014 and May 2015 graduates

should submit their information (including

name, school, and degree) by May 20 to

[email protected].

Please accept our congratulations on this

significant achievement!

Looking Ahead to Summer

The summer worship schedule starts on Saturday, June 13 and

continues through Sunday, September 6. This summer we will

be offering two worship opportunities: every Saturday

evening in the Sardis House at 5:30 p.m. and on Sundays in

the Sanctuary at 10 a.m. There is one exception – Sunday, July

19 worship service will be in the Fellowship Hall as the

children from VBS help lead us in worship.

Taizé Community Worship

Our next Taizé service will be held Sunday,

May 10 at St. Stephen United Methodist Church

at 6 p.m.

For more information visit www.sardis.org or

contact Rev. Alice Johnson at 704.366.1854 or

[email protected].

Piano Dedication Recital – Saturday, May 2, 7 p.m.

Our Piano Dedication Recital will feature Sardis Presbyterian’s Sanctuary Choir, vocal soloists, and oboists Hollis

Ulakey and Cheryl Stevenson, as well as our own Kaitlyn Davis. We dedicate our sanctuary piano to the glory of

God, and in memory of Maida Frye. Musical selections will be from Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna as well as

composers Faure, Schumann, Debussy, Hampton, and Sco� Joplin. Childcare for this dedication recital will be

provided by reservation only. Please call 704.926.1599.

A Mason & Hamlin 7’ grand piano was purchased through a gift from the estate of Maida Frye. Maida was very

active in music at Sardis: she was a 40-year member of the Sanctuary Choir, rang in Alpha Ringers, from ‘77-’87

was a chaperone for youth a�ending the Worship and Music Conference in Montreat, directed and assisted with

the middle school and children’s choir, and directed a chime choir for the Friendship Club.


March Financial Highlights

Our Church Family


March March

Expected

This year

so far

This year so

far expected

Pledges, gifts,

and other

revenue

$199,208.72 $187,744.88 $534,812.80 $526,250.02

Expenses $197,461.03 $186,012.14 $525,104.13 $544,672.80

Net Total $1,747.69 $1,732.74 $9,708.67 ($18,422.78)

Annual Budget: $2,266,000

Thank you for your generous financial

support—you make the ministry of this

church possible!

The approaching summer months are

usually the lowest months for giving

during the year, as families head out of town

for summer fun. Keeping your gifts current

during the summer will greatly help Sardis

continue our ministry and plan appropriately

for the rest of the year. You can make a quick

gift at www.sardis.org in two ways: either

under the “give” tab or by logging in to your

MySardis account.

Sowing the Seeds of Stewardship Donna Harwood

Youʹve all probably heard the old adage ʺyou reap what you sow.ʺ Iʹll bet most of us grew up thinking of reaping

what we have sown in the negative sense. We think of paying consequence for sinful actions or foolish choices, but

the laws of the harvest also have a positive side.

When we sow our time and talents at Sardis, we help build houses with Habitat for Humanity, we feed and

provide shelter for our neighbors through Room In The Inn, we staff the soup kitchen at Urban Ministries, and we

provide prayer shawls to those in our congregation that need to feel the warmth of our love.

Similarly, when we sow our financial resources at Sardis, we provide books for the students at Rama Road

Elementary, perform maintenance on the physical structure of our Church, offer support for Haiti, the Sardis

Weekday School, Camp Holiday, and Urban Ministries and have the ability to hire a Director of Youth Ministries,

Minister of Music, Contemporary Worship Leader and Associate Pastor for Families. These are just a few

examples of the many ways Sardis ʺsowsʺ your time, talents, and financial resources. So, wonʹt you join me in

sowing the seeds of stewardship at Sardis?

And, remember… unlike many of us, Sardis doesnʹt take a vacation break over the summer, so please send in your

pledge when you are away and cannot a�end church services.

Our Christian Sympathy: to Mitch Campbell upon the death of his grandfather, Kenneth Campbell, to Bobby Smith

upon the death of his father, Jack Smith, and to the family of Jill Hall.

Congratulations: to Andy and Cathy Lankford upon the birth of their daughter, Molly Lankford, and to Sean and

Jamie McDermo� upon the birth of their daughter, Kelly McDermo�.



Social Groups – Let’s Build On Sardis’ 225 Year History

Social groups have always been a part of Sardis Presbyterian’s rich history. A social group is defined as a

collection of people who interact with each other and share similar interests and a sense of unity. Quiddlers,

M&Ms, and Mixed Nuts are three social groups you may recognize. d

Our Sardis services and ministries are also a form of social groups. Over the next several weeks, the Fellowship

Ministry will be gathering your ideas and interests in new social groups for Sardis. The goal is to create new

groups of all ages you will connect to, based on shared interests, to promote a growing sense of unity at Sardis.

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking! Do you have any great ideas not mentioned here? Contact

Bill Taylor at [email protected].

Movie Reviewers Got Kids Potluck

Kids Night Out Card Gamers Teach Me Tech

Bikers and Hikers Current Events Mall Crashers

Parents and Teenagers Simply Single Around Town

Friendship Connection– May 19

The Friendship Connection is a fellowship group for retirees and meets on

the third Tuesday of the month for a program and lunch.

Our guest for May 19, Jan Blodge�, is the Davidson College Archivist. She

will be speaking on “Under the Lake.” Learn what was buried when

Catawba River was dammed to form Lake Norman in 1963. This is a

fascinating presentation on the history and process of forming a lake and

its effect on the surrounding areas.

Reservations are necessary for lunch ($8/

person) and need to be made by Friday, May

15. To make your reservation, register online at

www.sardis.org or call 704.926.1590.

New Member

Classes

Interested in joining Sardis? May

New Member Classes begin on

May 10 and run through the end of

May. Classes are at 10 a.m. in the

small dining room.

Questions? Contact Rev. Alice

Johnson at [email protected]

or 704.366.1854.

Baseball for Bayonnais is Back!

Join us on August 8 for a time of fun and fellowship, as we join with other area churches for a Charlo�e Knights

game supporting the OFCB ministry in Haiti. Join us for that Saturday night worship service at 5:30 p.m., then take

the bus or caravan to the Knights Stadium. Tickets are $15 each, with $3 of each ticket being

donated to support the efforts of OFCB in Bayonnais, Haiti.

Tickets may be purchased at www.sardis.org or in the church office. You must purchase your

tickets through the church in order to sit with your friends and to ensure your ticket will support

OFCB. Questions? Contact Rob Brownlee at [email protected].


The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve. Lay MinistryLay MinistryLay MinistryLay Ministry

Congratulations, Sardis!

Once again, your generosity has made it possible for

each child at Rama Road Elementary School to take

home books for summer reading.

The books, which were chosen by the Rama staff,

will help students maintain their reading levels during

the summer break and also encourage reading for

pleasure.

Thank you again, Sardis, for your continued support of

Rama Road Elementary!

Bus Driver Training

If you are interested in becoming certified to drive the Sardis buses, please

contact John Carriker at [email protected] or 704.650.4884. Training is

scheduled to begin in early May.

Mission Projects in

Celebration of Sardis’

225th Anniversary

Your Sardis Mission Interpretation

Ministry has set aside funds to be used this year for

special one-time mission projects in celebration of our

225th anniversary.

This month we provided money for cleaning supplies

at Safe Alliance, a domestic violence shelter in

Charlo�e. The shelter has expanded, and cleaning

supplies were needed for the women and children

staying there.

Thank you, Sardis, for your support of mission for

225 years.

Room In The Inn: A season of gratitude

At the end of this RITI season, we are filled with gratitude for our eight dedicated team captains and the 138 team

volunteers, the 34 various groups (and some individuals) who prepared delicious meals for our neighbors, our

nine faithful bus drivers, and the support of the entire Sardis staff, all of whom helped make the RITI experience

one of warmth and hospitality for our homeless neighbors. There were 440 beds occupied at Sardis House from

December through March. What a blessing for those neighbors, and for Sardis. Please check the Community

Service bulletin board to see who participated in this amazing ministry.

As a special year end treat for

our neighbors, a fish fry was

sponsored by Brad and Rosemary

Helms, and prepared by chef Max

McLeod and his crew!


“Let the li�le children come unto me.”

7

Sardis Weekday School Announcements Register now for Preschool!

We have openings for the

2015-2016 school year! For more

information, please contact

Louise Lippi.

A sincere thank you to the

SWS Consignment Commi�ee

for yet another successful sale.

Your hard work is appreciated!

--June 2-4 Musikgarten --June 30-July 2 Art

--June 9-11 Storytelling --July 7-9 Spanish

--June 16-18 Soccer --July 21-23 Amazing Athletes

--June 23-25 Yoga --July 28-30 Atomz Lab

Registration for SWS Summer Camps is now open for everyone! We have a

new and improved program that we are very excited about! Camps run

Tues-Thurs, 9:30 a.m.—1 p.m. The scheduled themes are:

For more information on rates and how to register, please visit

www.sardisweekdayschool.org or contact Louise Lippi at 704.366.9681 or

[email protected].

The Graduation Ceremony

for our four year olds will be held

on Wednesday, May 27!

Celebrate Mom!

A Motherʹs Day Breakfast will be

held on Wednesday, May 6 for

our moms.

VBS: July 13-17!

9 a.m.—noon

Vacation Bible School has a new, improved

model. Shepherds will guide classes to all

student activities. There are also new opening

and closing assemblies. So come to Nazareth

this summer for a week of fun and learning!

We need volunteers in the following areas, in

both the preschool (P) and elementary (E) age

groups:

The VBS team is counting on you to make this

the year that every kid has a space at VBS! Call

Renda Brinson or Heather Eddy at the church at

704.366.1854 to sign-up for a position.

Faith and Film Series

On Wednesdays, June 17—August 12, you are invited to join

us for a light supper (if you wish) and a chance to discuss faith

through the eyes of films. We will view film clips and discuss

them from biblical, cultural and spiritual points of view. Effort

will be made to give advance notice of the film for the

upcoming week for those who wish to preview it before class.

Supper is 6—6:30 p.m. (cost TBD) You may reserve a meal,

bring your own supper, or join us at 6:30 for the program.

Come join us for lively discussion and sharing.

Coming this fall, an updated Sunday School for

our Elementary children – new topics, new approaches.

Planning is underway!

Sundays, June 7, 14, & 21 – there will be a special joint

Sunday School program that includes service projects around

our Sardis campus. Join us from 9—10 a.m. to help your own

Church family. There will be a devotion designed especially

for children and youth.

M-F, 8:45 a.m.-12:10 p.m. 2-5 days, 9 a.m.-noon

*Shepherds in K-5 *Art helpers in P & E

*Music leaders in P *Storytellers in P & E

*Art leaders in P & E *Rec helpers in P & E

*Snack director *Snack helpers


The CommunicatorThe CommunicatorThe CommunicatorThe Communicator

Published monthly by

Sardis Presbyterian Church

6100 Sardis Road

Charlo�e, NC 28270

www.sardis.org

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Charlo�e, NC

Permit #1059

What can 200 volunteers accomplish in just a few hours

? Volunteers also spent time:

-Visiting Plantation Estates residents

-Organizing the Sardis House basement

-Cleaning the Sardis Weekday School

- Singing for Sardis Oaks residents

Cards for Levine Children’s

Hospital

Snack Packs for Salvation Army Boys & Girls

Club

Care Packages for Lily Pad

Haven Sandwiches for Urban Ministry

Center

Participants gave the equivalent of over $9,220* In

volunteer hours at the Give One Day event.

*Independentsector.org

Baskets for Community

Link

30303030

300300300300 6666

800800800800 69696969 Post cards

for Urban Ministry

150150150150

2015 may communicator

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