SWIFT  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH

A Church That Practices Fruitful Living

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 RADICAL  HOSPITALITY 

“TWO OR MORE” LUNCH

The “Two or More” lunch group will meet at the Captain’s Choice Grill in the Gulf Bowl on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 11:30 a.m. The restaurant is at 2881 S. Juniper St., the road that runs behind the Tanger Outlets in Foley.

You can expect to find delicious food, reasonable prices and great conversation. Come and meet new friends.

Please RSVP if you know in advance you will be joining us — but if you don’t, we always have room for more at the table. Contact Lee Mansell, 232-4775.
 

BUTTERFLY GIRLS • GUYS’ NIGHT OUT

Butterfly Girls and Guys’ Night Out will meet on Thursday, Sept. 21,
at 6:30 p.m. at Wolf Bay Lodge, Miflin Road (County Road 20), Foley.

Come join us for food and conversation. The women and men will be seated in different areas.

Contacts are Daryl and Susan Pichoff, 251-233-9486.
 

ULTREYA AT SWIFT — SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

Swift will be hosting the Cursillo Ultreya reunion group on Saturday, Sept. 16. The council (about 10 people) will meet at 10 a.m. in the Andy Lay room. The full group (30–50 people) will then have lunch at noon in the fellowship hall, and stay there for worship, prayers and announcements. Swift will provide space, plates, cups, etc., and setup and cleanup. All are welcome.

Please contact Pastor Jody Beth, 251-213-6625, if you would like to assist as a host/hostess and/or in the kitchen.

Prior attendance at a Cursillo weekend is not required. Interest in attending a future Cursillo weekend is a very good reason to attend.

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 INTENTIONAL  FAITH  DEVELOPMENT 

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN
Teresa Thomas, elder

Now that school is back in session, football is gearing up and the weather is cooling down, we are ready to resume our children’s activities and pray for God’s blessings on each and every one of our children, their adult leaders/teachers/mentors and the lessons God has prepared for us to share.

Kids’ Club, for children in kindergarten through fourth grade, will resume in the fellowship hall, 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Dinner will be served. Anyone wishing to provide a meal, please call Teresa Thomas at 609-2209 or the church office. They meet the first Wednesday of each month.

Sunday school for children and youth resumes at 9 a.m. on Sept. 10. Children’s church will begin during the 10:00 service that same day.

​YOUTH REPORT
Tara Morrow, elder

Thank you to everyone who helped the youth with the fish fry and fill-a-bucket. We profited $731 to go toward Montreat this upcoming year. Sunday school begins on Sept. 10 at 9 a.m. for the youth. Also, after the 10:00 service on Sept. 10, we will hold a parent meeting in regard to the upcoming confirmation class. (See more information below.)

GɸG begins this month on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the church. Please contact Ginny Kleinschmidt if you would like to host Refuel or provide a meal.
 

COFFEE WITH KEITH
Pastor Keith Cardwell

During September, Coffee with Keith will focus on the spiritual discipline of hospitality. The class meets in the fellowship hall at 9 a.m. each Sunday.
 

BIBLE STUDY AND FELLOWSHIP GROUPS
FOR ADULTS AT SWIFT CHURCH

We are so blessed to have so many people who would like to be part of Bible study and fellowship at Swift Church. Here is a listing of the groups currently meeting. All of them are open to people visiting and/or joining the group, whether you are a member of Swift Church or not. For more information, contact the leaders or the church office.

Weekly:

• Sundays, 9 to 9:45 a.m., adult Sunday School class, Andy Lay room, a chronological study of the New Testament, led by Cheryl Jensen and Anthony Kaiser.

• Sundays, 9 to 9:45 a.m., Coffee with Keith class, fellowship hall, studying spiritual disciplines using the book Flunking Sainthood, led by Pastor Keith Cardwell.

• Sundays, 5:30 to 6:45, Sunday night Bible study, Andy Lay room, studying Jeremiah, led by Pastor Jody Beth and Philip Melton, 251-213-6625.

• Thursdays, 10 to 11:30, Thursday morning Bible study, Andy Lay room, studying Jeremiah, led by Pastor Jody Beth and Philip Melton, 251-213-6625.

Monthly:

• Thursdays (first Thursday of month), 11:30 a.m., “Two or More” fellowship lunch at Captain’s Choice Grill at the Gulf Bowl in Foley on Juniper Street. Contact is Lee Mansell, 251-232-4775.

• Thursdays (second Thursday of month), 1 p.m., Sack Lunch and Fellowship, fellowship hall. Bring your own sack lunch and enjoy Christian conversation. This is a new group, started by six people who attended Cursillo #36, and is open to everyone. Contact is Sue Johnson, 251-923-6550.

• Thursdays (third Thursday of month), 6:30 p.m., Butterfly Girls and Guys’ Night Out fellowship dinner at area restaurants, different place each month. Sometimes men and women eat at same restaurant at separate tables, sometimes two restaurants near one another. Contacts are Daryl and Susan Pichoff, 251-233-9486. On Sept. 21, they will meet at Wolf Bay Lodge, Miflin Road, Foley.
​

CONFIRMATION PARENTS AND YOUTH MEETING

Pastor Keith and Elder Tara Morrow will meet with parents and youth after the 10:00 worship service on Sept. 10 to talk about the upcoming confirmation classes.

Confirmation is a time for youth to explore their faith, learn about the Christian and Presbyterian traditions, and grow in community with one another.

When a baby is baptized in a Presbyterian church, the parents and the whole church make vows to raise that child lovingly in the Christian faith. When the church’s children reach a certain age (in our church it’s early youth) they are given the opportunity in confirmation to claim that faith as their own.

At the end of these classes youth will be asked if they are ready to affirm and confirm that Jesus is their Lord and that they are ready and willing to be members of the church. They will confirm this in class, in a meeting with the church session and finally before the congregation. Any youth who have not previously been baptized will be baptized on Confirmation Sunday.

This meeting will address questions and provide information everyone needs to make a decision about being part of this important milestone in Christian life. The class is open to people in fifth grade and above.

FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP WITH UKIRK STUDENTS

UKirk South Alabama is a campus ministry at the University of South Alabama that is supported by the PC(USA) and the Presbytery of South Alabama. They have weekly meetings on campus where they break bread together and share a message. They have a need for people to help them with meals by preparing, cooking, and transporting the meal to campus, and then people are encouraged to stay for food and fellowship with the students.

Philip Melton is putting together a menu and a team to provide the meal for their Monday, Sept. 25, gathering. If you would like to help with that meal, or provide a meal for a different Monday night (September through November), please call/text Philip at 251-213-6505, or go to the website for more information, https://mealtrain.com/3l9nrw.
 

 MISSION  AND  SERVICE 

MISSION REPORT
Cathy Rogers and Philip Melton, elders

August has been a busy month at the food pantry. The last food pantry served 32 families and the cupboards are bare. Please help by doing some shopping for the first Sunday in September to put some staples back on the shelves.

Our special mission project for August has been for our local Santa Foundation that helps families in our community with school uniforms and Christmas gifts. We set a goal of collecting $1,000 for this mission. As of now, we have $1,161 in donations. Thanks to all who were so generous with your prayers and donations for this worthy mission.

Our special mission for October will be the Peace and Global Witness offering. This offering is done during the Season of Peace, which ends on World Communion Sunday. This offering is used to promote the peace of Christ by addressing systems of injustice across the world.

Our Advent offering will again be for the Alabama Presbyterian Home for Children and will continue throughout the month of December.

Every third Sunday of the month is our “two cents a meal” offering that goes to Living Waters for the World to provide clean water.
 

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

The Swift Church Session met on Monday, Aug. 21, at 6:30 p.m. The time started with a review of an article addressing the presence of God and ways to make ourselves available to be aware of God’s presence. That time was followed with prayer concerns and prayer.

Financial reports were received on the general fund and the Swift Church Preschool. Our expenses for July  were $1,563 more than our income for the month. One reason was there were three pay periods in July.

Communion was served at Swift Church and Live Oak on July 2 and home communion was served to two families.

In other matters, the session:

▪ Received reports from deacons, pastor, lay pastor, all committees and approved minutes from previous meetings.

▪ Heard a report from the nominating committee that it is up and functioning and will continue work until three elders, four deacons and a trustee are selected for the congregation’s vote.

▪ Conducted the annual review of membership.

▪ Adjourned with prayer at 7:30.

COMMUNITY MISSION CHALLENGE

Please bring items to be donated to Emmy’s Thrift Shop in Fairhope to support the ecumenical group Repair Baldwin. This group is working to repair homes in Baldwin County for those who are not able to do it themselves. Emmy’s is located at 564 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope; phone: (251) 990-8995; baldwinemi.org

GRIEFSHARE REPORT
Series at Swift Church begins Saturday, Sept. 23 • 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dear Friends,            
Facing the reality of the death of someone you love is something that no one is ever ready for, and talking to someone who is going through the same thing is always comforting. Society puts pressure on people to get on with their lives, which is not an easy task. People don’t know how to face tomorrow. The church is offering a GriefShare support group beginning Sept. 23.

Helping people find ways to start putting their life back together again after a loss is the main purpose of GriefShare. Helping people find hope and support after they have lost a loved one is part of the process. GriefShare offers important tools that make the process of facing tomorrow a little less confusing. It is a Christ-centered 13-week program, open to anyone, taking people on a journey of how to deal with grief through a series of group meetings with a DVD, a workbook, and sharing.

The DVD and workbook help individuals discover the necessary steps needed to deal with the grief and move on with life one day at a time. The sharing helps us to realize that we are not alone.

It is sometimes scary to enter a meeting alone when you don’t know anyone. We encourage others to be a support system to those who are grieving, so if you don’t need GriefShare, support someone who is dealing with grief and come with them until they are comfortable. Grief has no time limit — so if you lost someone a few weeks ago or 20 years ago, you are welcome. Let’s walk this journey of grief together and go from “mourning to joy.”

God bless you.

Danny and Paula Brewer
 

LETTER FROM MISSIONARIES IN SOUTH SUDAN

Dear Pastor Keith, mission committee and members of Swift Presbyterian Church,

Warm greetings to you in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ! We want to express our thanks for your financial contribution this year to our ministry and also for your prayers. We are so grateful for your partnership with us here in South Sudan in witnessing to God’s grace and love in the midst of suffering.

We are beginning to feel at home in Juba, and making good progress with learning Juba Arabic. God has provided a great language helper who encourages us as we learn. We are also visiting churches and building relationships with our new colleagues. Bob is still slowly recovering from the Epstein-Barr virus, and we appreciate your prayers for full healing. We hope that you have been receiving our newsletters that share more of an update. If not, please let us know.

We have new prayer cards, updated with a new picture and a description of our work here in South Sudan. If you would like to have some sent to your church, please let us know or contact Nicole Gerkins at Nicole.gerkins@pcusa.org.

Again, we are so grateful for your faithful partnership with us in God’s work through the church in Africa. We pray that God continues to fill and empower you as you seek to witness to His love in your community and around the world. We are sorry that it did not work to visit you all last year. We hope that it can work out another time.

Together in God’s Kingdom,

Bob and Kristi [Rice]

►Newsletters: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/the-rev-bob-and-kristi-rice/
►Blog: http://bobandkristi.blogspot.com/
 

WE APPRECIATE OUR SEPTEMBER VOLUNTEERS

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10

GREETER/USHER TEAMS
Sept. 3 — Susie Alexander, Elinor Gartman, Sue Ann Lay, Lynda Walden
Sept. 10 — Lynn and Mike Barnwell, Willard Penfold, Eunice Ray
Sept. 17 — Jane King, Judy Walker, Kim and Tony Whitchard
Sept. 24 — Bridgit and Jessica Gosa, Greg McNair, Lee Mansell

NURSERY VOLUNTEERS
Sept. 3 — Megan Curry and Debbie Schmidt
Sept. 10 — Jane King and Carlie Sims
Sept. 17 — Pate and Brett Cardwell
Sept. 24 — Lezlie and Kenny Thomason

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
Sept. 3 — Cathy Rogers
Sept. 10 — Teresa Thomas
Sept. 17 — Jane King
Sept. 24 — Judy Walker

FELLOWSHIP DEACONS
Sept. 3 — Tresa Melton
Sept. 10 — Brett Cardwell
Sept. 17 — Tosha Thomas
Sept. 24 — Tresa Melton

ACOLYTES
Sept. 3 — Zoeylynn and Zadie Grace Barnwell
Sept. 10 — Jon Devery and Lainey Thomas
Sept. 24 — Diya Patterson and Saylor Morrow
 

 EXTRAVAGANT  GENEROSITY 

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS | FINANCE
REPAVING OF SWIFT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ENTRANCE AND PARKING LOT

As many of you know by now, the entrance and the entire parking lot of Swift needs to be resurfaced and widened. We are asking for a pledge donation to help fund this project. Any and all pledges will go 100 percent to this project. Our goal is $20,000. There will be a graph in the main sanctuary showing our progress. Please consider donating to keep our church safe and free of potholes for many years to come. If you need more information, please contact Charlie Hastings, Chuck Carneal or Pastor Keith Cardwell.
 

ABOUT ONLINE GIVING . . .

You may have noticed this box in your bulletin. Using your “smart phone” and this box you can connect to the church’s online giving page. You can set up for automatic donations of your tithes or one-time gifts to a number of funds benefiting ministries of Swift Church. Use this by either entering your credit/debit card information or your checking account information. Of course, this is a secure website. You can also do the same thing by clicking the donation link on the church’s website, www.swiftchurch.org.

 

  
 PRESBYTERY  NEWS 

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN
Sept. 30: Fall Gathering at First Presbyterian Church, Bay Minette
Bible study overview by the Rev. Rachel Knoll
Registration is $10 before Sept. 20; $15 after Sept. 20. Lunch provided.
For information about these and other PW opportunities, please contact Judy Persons at jpcreate@yahoo.com.

NEW WEBSITE
The Presbytery of South Alabama has a new website. Check it out at presbyteryofsa.org
 

 IN  THE  COMMUNITY 

FREE CONCERT AT SPANISH FORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Allenda Small-Campbell and Deland Jones will share their gifts of music.
Sunday, Sept. 10 • 6 p.m.