Swift Presbyterian Church - August 2017 newsletter

August 2017 newsletter

SWIFT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

A Church That Practices Fruitful Living

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PASSIONATE WORSHIP

UPCOMING SERVICES

MUSIC NOTES
Lisa Cardwell, music director

We are forming an intergenerational (children, youth and adults) beginner handbell group. We will begin rehearsals Aug. 13 after the 10:00 service, and will rehearse weekly. We are planning a seven-week session and are tentatively planning to play in worship on Sept 24. Basic music notation and ringing skills will be taught. Please contact Lisa if you are interested.

The Swift handbell choir will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, Aug 16. We will be playing in worship Sept. 17.

Many thanks to the chancel choir and our pianist Jenni Cain for consistently rehearsing and providing anthems through this summer. We are grateful for your dedication.

WORSHIP REPORT
Greg McNair and Kim Whitchard, elders

The calendar says we’re still in the midst of summer, but that bittersweet time will soon be here — time for students’ seasonal break to end and a new school term to begin. Baldwin County schools’ opening day for students will be Monday, Aug. 21. Colleges and universities will be getting back in full swing, too, this month or in early September.

Along with this comes Swift Church’s annual “Blessing of the Backpacks” on Aug. 20 for all who will be starting or returning to school. We pray that all of our students will be looking forward to returning to the classroom and seeing it as a positive learning adventure.

You may be reading this before the end of July, so the worship team wants to tell you that, on July 30, Pastor Keith will begin a series of sermons based on Bible stories most people should know — even young children. These sermons will continue until the first week in September.

Our church family will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper on Aug. 6.

We hope all of you are having a wonderful summer. Parents, we hope you and your children have found Take-Out Church to be fun and meaningful. We would love to have your feedback on this year’s boxes so we can start thinking about next year’s seasonal break. Please let elders Kim or Greg, Pastor Keith, Music Director Lisa, Pastor Jody Beth, or Judy know your thoughts or suggestions.

Once again, the worship committee wants to thank all of the worship helpers. It takes several people each week to do things you might not think too much about. The 8:00 worship service in the chapel is simpler and fewer helping hands are needed. In the 10:00 service in the sanctuary, some of our helpers are rarely seen doing their work. The folks who work in the balcony handle the sound board, record the sermons that you can play through our website and handle the projection work. They also count heads to come up with the attendance number. In the sanctuary, you see the people who serve as greeters and ushers — and all of the youngsters who serve as acolytes and are happy to bring in the light and carry it back out. You see the people who read the Scriptures. You may see someone collecting the pew sign-in sheets. A volunteer coordinates the flowers in the chancel.

If God is leading you to serve in any of these important areas, please let us know by contacting Kim Whitchard or Greg McNair. You can also use the gift-of-service signup form on the church website, www.swiftchurch.org, to indicate your area of interest, and we will get back to you personally. You will find that form under the worship tab.

Your worship elders keep check on the candles on the communion table, line up the schedule of volunteers and assemble visitor bags, among other duties. The “elder of the month” sets up the elements for The Lord’s Supper and puts them away afterward and reads the Scripture or enlists other members of the church family to read.

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, Aug. 3, at 11:30 a.m. The restaurant is at 2881 S. Juniper St., the road that runs behind the Tanger Outlets in Foley. 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, Aug. 17,
at 6:30 p.m. at the Hunan Chinese restaurant, 306 E. Laurel Ave. (Highway 98 East), Foley.
Come join us for food and conversation. The women and men will be seated in different areas.

INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN
Teresa Thomas, elder

Vacation Bible school was a great success.

Sunday school and children’s church will start back up the Sunday after Labor Day, and Kids’ Club will start back up on Sept. 6.

We will need two children’s Sunday school teachers this year as Tosha Thomas and Brett Cardwell will be on “maternity leave.” Please prayerfully consider giving of your time to our Swift children. It will be a blessing to you and them.

YOUTH REPORT
Tara Morrow, elder

The youth helped with vacation Bible school and shared their Montreat and Girls’ State experience with the church. August will be filled with back-to-school fun to include a fish fry and fill-the-bucket auction, and a middle school and youth camping retreat. Be on the lookout for details and dates.

We will begin Sunday School on Sept. 10 and I’ll be the teacher for it this year.

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, studying Proverbs, 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 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 Aug. 17, they will meet at the Hunan Chinese restaurant, 306 E. Laurel Ave., Foley.

COFFEE WITH KEITH
Pastor Keith Cardwell

The August spiritual discipline focus is gratitude. We will read and discuss chapter 8 of Flunking Sainthood and talk about our successes and failures in being grateful during the month. The class meets over coffee and snacks in the fellowship hall Sundays at 9 a.m.

MISSION AND SERVICE

MISSION REPORT
Cathy Rogers and Philip Melton, elders

The special offering collected in August by Swift Church will be for the local Santa Foundation. This nonprofit organization collects money to purchase toys for needy children in the Foley community, of which there are many. We will be putting up a Christmas tree strung with lights in the sanctuary. For every $25 donation, a light will be lit to celebrate that gift. Our goal for the Santa Foundation is to collect $1,000 to help make Christmas brighter for children in our community.

We continue our monthly missions of “Two Cents a Meal” for Living Waters for the World and our food pantry distribution on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. We served 24 families on July 26. Thanks to our volunteers who help in this mission.

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

The regular monthly meeting of Swift Church session was canceled because of vacation Bible school. The session did meet on two occasions July 16 to receive new members. Daryl Pichoff came forward after the 8:00 service and Tessie Helton-Carrel came forward after the 10:00 service. Both were gladly received.

FLOWER UPDATE

Susie Alexander has taken over the scheduling of our flower donations. She will be calling to see if those who have contributed in the past would like to reserve a date for the remainder of the year. Please call her to reserve your date. You can reach Susie at 251-943-4145 or thfairy6@centurylink.net.

WE APPRECIATE OUR AUGUST VOLUNTEERS
• Please pick up your summer schedule in the back of the church. •

“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
Aug. 6 — Lynn and Mike Barnwell, Willard Penfold, Eunice Ray
Aug. 13 — Jane King, Judy Walker, Kim and Tony Whitchard
Aug. 20 — Bridgit and Jessica Gosa, Greg McNair, Lee Mansell
Aug. 27 — Norm and Debbie Schmidt, Danny and Paula Brewer

NURSERY VOLUNTEERS
Aug. 6 — Brett and Pate Cardwell
Aug. 13 — Lezli and Kenny Thomason
Aug. 20 — Lyndsey and Aaron Ward
Aug. 27 — Bridgit Gosa and Tara Morrow

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
Aug. 6 — Teresa Thomas
Aug. 13 — Cathy Rogers
Aug. 20 — Jane King
Aug. 27 — Jane King

FELLOWSHIP DEACONS
Aug. 6 — Tosha Thomas
Aug. 13 — Tresa Melton
Aug. 20 — Brett Cardwell
Aug. 27 — Tosha Thomas

ACOLYTES
Aug. 6 — Gracie Carrel and Baylee Thomason
Aug. 13 — Diya Patterson and Saylor MorrowTresa Melton
Aug. 20 — Morgan and Madison Lay
Aug. 27 — Cadi Cardwell and McCoy Cooper

CHILDREN’S CHURCH
Will resume in September

SWIFT CHURCH PRESCHOOL

►Read the Swift Church Preschool newsletter for August.

EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY

FINANCE COMMITTEE

The finance committee will conduct a capital fund campaign for the purpose of raising money to redo and widen our driveway. The goal is $20,000. Details will follow in the next several weeks.

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

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CO-MODERATOR TO SPEAK

All are invited to Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi, to meet and hear the Rev. Dr. Jan Edmiston, co-moderator of the 222nd General Assembly at the stated meeting of the Presbytery of Mississippi on Aug. 11 and 12. However, reservations will be required for the meals. People may use email (pbyofms@aol.com) or phone 601-946-5858 to ask questions or make meal reservations.

The schedule is as follows:

FRIDAY, AUG. 11
4:30 to 5:15 p.m. — Registration
5 to 6 p.m. — Dinner
6 to 7 p.m. — Worship — The Rev. Dr. Jan Edmiston and worship team
7 to 7:15 p.m. — Break
7:15 to 8 p.m. — Presentation by Co-Moderator Edmiston
8 to 9 p.m. — Stated meeting plenary session

SATURDAY, AUG. 12
8 to 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast
8:30 to 9:30 a.m. — Worship and Communion — The Rev. Dr. Jan Edmiston and worship team
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. — Question-and-answer time with Co-Moderator Edmiston
10:30 to 10:45 a.m. — Break
10:45 to noon — Stated meeting plenary session (continued)
12:30 to 1 p.m. — Lunch

Briarwood is conveniently located just off I-55 North at 620 Briarwood Drive.