KOINONIA AT A GLANCE Offered by Pastor Dick:

CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
A PR IL / M AY /J U N E 2 0 13
KOINONIA
AT A GLANCE
Offered by Pastor Dick:
Man who is born of woman is of few days
and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower
and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does
not continue. (Job 14:1-2)
Three very different people died during the
last week or so. One can’t help but think about
their lives and deaths.
Edith Schaeffer, Matthew Warren, and
Annette Funicello left this life in very different
circumstances. Edith Schaeffer lived a long and
fruitful life. She was a year or so shy of 100
years of age. I met her once at a L’Abri
Conference in 1982. She autographed her book,
The Tapestry, for Dede with a sketch of a
mountain landscape and the inscription “To
Dede—with love from one ‘thread’ to another.”
Over the years of Francis Schaeffer’s ministry she
was just the right complement and balance for
him. She once said that she looked forward to
heaven when she would dance the ballet as she
always longed to. No doubt she is doing that
now. During the last few years she was seldom
lucid.
Matthew Warren was the son of wellknown Purpose Driven Life author and pastor,
Rick Warren. He was a tortured soul and took his
own life at the age of 27 years. Pastor Warren has
his faults, but I can say without hesitation that
Matthew’s problems had little or nothing to do
with his father’s shortcomings. That said, only a
preacher’s kid (or PK as they refer to themselves)
has any idea of what it’s like to grow up in
the fish bowl life of a minister’s family.
Those who expect more from a pastor’s
children than the children of other
Christians are confused. PKs didn’t choose
the ministry; their parents did. I’m praying
for Rick Warren and his family.
Annette Funicello was one of my
favorite Disney actors. I grew up watching
her in movies like Shaggy Dog and those
quirky beach movies. She started out as a
Mouseketeer. Who would have expected
that she would be diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis in 1984? In spite of her disease,
by all accounts she lived a full and
productive life. She died at age 70, which
used to sound old to me. Now it seems
relatively young.
These three people, who lived
different sorts of lives, had different kinds
of challenges and varying amounts of time
allotted to them here on earth. Yet each had
death in common, and each faced the same
sort of ultimate questions regarding God,
sin, Jesus, and redemption. Regardless of
the kind of life we have, it passes so very
quickly, doesn’t it? I know Edith is with
Christ. I think Matthew may be as well. I
don’t know anything about Annette’s view
of Christ. Dei Gratia ♦
P AGE 2
K O I NO NI A
Sacrificing Church for Sports
Combatting the issue often requires a change in the parents’ hearts.
“[Parents] will make sure Johnny goes to sports,
but when it comes to church, … the families that
have children in sport will sacrifice church for the
sake of their son or daughter’s sports program, so
sports is another huge reason why our church is
declining,” said one pastor surveyed in the study.
And the problem isn’t isolated to a particular
region. A 2008 Faith Communities Today (FACT)
study showed that school and sport-related
activities were the greatest obstacle keeping
people from attending church regularly in rural,
urban, and suburb regions. More than a third of
all congregations reported the competition as a
problem.
A new study blames slipping church attendance on
children’s Sunday morning sports.
The study, by researcher Stephen McMullin of
Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia, looked at
16 declining congregations in the United States
and Canada and asked the clergy and members
why people weren’t showing up. Most respondents
said they had competing activities on Sunday
mornings, including working, shopping, and
especially sports.
“[Parents] will make sure Johnny goes to sports,
but when it comes to church, … the families that
have children in sport will sacrifice church for the
sake of their son or daughter’s sports program, so
sports is another huge reason why our church is
declining,” said one pastor surveyed in the study.
And the problem isn’t isolated to a particular
region. A 2008 Faith Communities Today (FACT)
study showed that school and sport-related
activities were the greatest obstacle keeping
people from attending church regularly in rural,
urban, and suburb regions. More than a third of all
congregations reported the competition as a
problem.
The trend has continued as blue laws, which kept
stores closed on Sundays, have been mostly
dismantled, resulting in “many more people
working and shopping on Sundays, and
children’s athletic activities are often scheduled
on Sunday mornings at the very time when
many churches traditionally have provided
religious education,” the study concluded
At Community Christian Alliance Church
(CCAC) in Northridge, Calif., Pastor David
Clotfeltor sees this on a regular basis. Many
parents in his largely Asian congregation try to
get their children involved in as many activities
as possible.
“It’s either sports or there may be other
activities like academic decathlon or music
recitals,” he said. “We often see parents making
the decision do some sort of extra curricular
instead of coming to church.”
To solve the problem, some of the
congregations surveyed said they started
Saturday or Sunday evening services. Others
decided to offer their own sports programs,
which they found often works as an entryway to
the church. More than two-thirds of
congregations that had sports or fitness
programs reported a more than 10 percent
growth in attendance from 2000 to 2010,
according to a 2010 FACT survey. Only a third
of churches without these programs reported
such growth.
But at CCAC, Clotfeltor has found combatting
the issue requires a change in the parents’
hearts.
“We do it primarily by just teaching the
importance of kids getting a good grounding in
the Christian faith and helping parents
understand that if their kids gain everything else
in life but miss opportunity to learn about
Christ, that could lead to tremendous regret in
the parents,” he said.
Written by Angela Lu, WNS | Friday, April 12,
2013/ Aquila Report
K O I NO NI A
P AGE 3
Conservative Richard Weaver wrote a book entitled
Ideas Have Consequences, which was published in
1948. The late and great Russell Kirk described it as
“the first gun fired by America conservatives in their
intellectual rebellion against the liberalism” which
has dominated the nation since 1933. The thesis of
the work is expressed in the title. We Christians are a
people of The Book. We know that ideas have
consequences because the propositional truths (ideas)
we espouse are the basis and foundation of our faith.
There is no real Christian faith apart from the content
(ideas) expressed in Scripture.
Now this may all seem like some academic point with
no particular practical application, but, in fact, it is
very practical indeed. It means that our convictions
(ideas) necessarily impact the way we live, how we
treat others, how we spend our money, etc. It also
means that some ideas (truths) are non-negotiable,
even worth dying for. Politics in America today is
generally uncomfortable with this notion. It is
pragmatic, utilitarian, and success-oriented.
It is
about winning elections.
Hence, the current
discussion among prominent Republicans regarding
the need to evolve with the times if it wants to win
national elections.
The problem for American evangelical Christians is
that, in our time, secular humanism is the dominant
worldview. Secular humanism is necessarily antiChristian in substance and outcome. So Christians
will increasingly be perceived as obstructionists by
Republican leaders, especially when they insist on
policies and candidates which more or less reflect
biblical ideas. We evangelicals are sure to be
marginalized politically in the Republican Party just
as occurred in the Democratic Party in the early 70s.
This is a documentary film about Kermit
Gosnell, the Philadelphia Women's
Medical Society disaster, and the coverup by state and local oversight agencies.
If you have assumed that the Republican Party is
Christian in any meaningful sense of the term, you
will be disappointed. This doesn’t mean Christians
shouldn’t be in politics, but it does mean we will face
tough choices and a great deal of pressure to conform
in order to win elections in the future. But to simply
go along in order to put Republicans in office who
reject our ideas and convictions is sheer folly. In that
case, we will be saying, along with Pogo, “We have
met the enemy, and he is us!”
See the video at
3801lancaster.com.
Pastor Dick
" A person’s a person, no matter how small." (Dr. Seuss )
Ideas Have Consequences
P AGE 4
K O I NO NI A
Spotlight on our members…..an interview with Margaret Ann Bird.
Margaret Ann (MA) Bird has
been a member of CPC since
1993, has played an essential
role in our music ministry over
the years, and is the wife of
Ruling Elder Gary Bird.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Robstown, Texas.
Where did you go to high school?
Weren’t you a cheerleader?
First in Robstown, and yes, I was a
cheerleader there as a freshman, then
in Houston (when my mother moved
there after my father’s death), then
was able to go back to Robstown for
my senior year.
Your father died that young?
Yes, he died when I was a sophomore
in high school, so that was a lifealtering time; I was 15 and I was
Daddy’s little princess.
How would you describe your
childhood? Did it include church?
It was a pretty carefree childhood.
We were very involved in a small
Episcopalian church. Also I went to
the Baptist church for a time while
dating the minister’s son. It was a
bigger church; I sang in the choir Also the grandmother of that girl and
my grandmother were best friends.
there.
When I graduated and went to work
Is that where you developed your in San Antonio, living with a
voice?
girlfriend, I called Gary’s mother just
I did sing in the choir in the little to catch up with him. He invited me
Episcopal church and the Baptist to come down there with his mother
church and in the school choir; was for a visit, and we got serious soon
all-region as a sophomore and that after.
sort of thing. I just liked singing.
When mother and I lived in Houston,
my aunt and uncle gave me voice From that point on, how long
lessons, which was helpful. My aunt before you got married? Do you
and grandmother both had pretty remember where you were when
Gary proposed to you? Was he
voices.
already in medical school?
It was about a year, give or take a
Where did you go to college, why month or two. Gary was in his
did you choose that particular residency at Baylor. I’m not sure he
school, and what was your degree? ever really proposed. We just talked
I went to Southwestern in about it and decided to get married.
Georgetown and chose it because my But we did go to Kerrville where he
daddy had gone there and my aunt asked my mother for permission.
and my two brothers. My degree is a
B.S. in Education (elementary ed).
So where did you teach and what
ages?
What
was
your
church I taught at an Episcopal private
participation in college?
school in Ft. Worth (2nd grade), at a
It was very minimal; Unfortunately, I middle school in Dallas, and in a
was caught up in all the college stuff. Title I program in San Antonio.
When, where, and how did you
meet Gary?
We met Thanksgiving 1964 in
Robstown. He was my brother’s
roommate his first year in college and
his parents were overseas in Turkey,
so he came home for Thanksgiving
with Bill that year. At that time, I
had a steady boyfriend, so we simply
met. But when I was a sophomore in
college and Gary was a first year med
student, he contacted me to get my
brother’s address. I wrote him a
newsy letter about what was going on
in the family. He was coming up for
a frat party in Austin and invited me,
so that was our first date! We dated
off and on. The funny thing is that in
between he dated the daughter of my
mother’s best friend growing up.
Were the 2nd graders your
favorite?
Yes! The middle school was just
“thank goodness I got a job kind of
thing!”
What was it like to be married to a
resident M.D.?
Residency was okay; he was on call
every third night, so that wasn’t too
bad. It was kind of exciting.
How did you decide to make New
Braunfels your home? What year
was that?
Gary finished his residency in June of
’76 and we moved here in July, at
which time he started a private
practice with Ron Cohle. Ron was in
the residency program with Gary, and
he was thinking Sulphur Springs, but
Beverly couldn’t stand the thought of
that (no nearby shopping) . So we
looked at Kerrville, where my family
was, then we looked here and in
Seguin. New Braunfels was ripe for
new doctors, whereas a few years
before they hadn’t been excited about
opening doors for new doctors.
There was a place to rent on Landa,
which we finished out and remodeled, and Gary and Ron started
there with one nurse each and one
receptionist.
Did private practice make life kind
of crazy?
Yes, just the hours he was away. But
Ron and Beverly lived next door, so
we always had each other for
support. I helped at the office some
doing accounts payable and payroll.
How has New Braunfels changed
over the years from your
perspective?
Certainly the traffic is worse!
Another noticeable thing is that you
no longer hear people speaking
German around town.
But the
German heritage is still being
preserved.
Tell us about your sons and
grandchildren.
Trevor is our oldest; he’s 35, married
to a lovely young woman named
Katie.
They have two precious
children, Emily Grace (Millie, who is
2) and Reece, who is 9 months. They
live here in NB and he runs Gruene
Harley Davidson.
Derek, our
younger son, is 32, married to Paige,
and they have three darling
children—Hudson (4), Isabelle and
Sophia, who are 2 (twins). Derek
works with Paige’s dad building the
Cotton Crossing community. Both
boys are just good kids— sensitive
and thoughtful and caring; we’ve
been so blessed with them.
P AGE 5
who kept saying to trust God no
matter what happens or where you
are—and she looked at me one day
and said, ”Even if you’re in a
wheelchair, you learn to trust God.”
And she was right. As you grow, you
learn more and more to trust. That’s
so important!. You just cling to Him
and each time it reaffirms your faith
in Him (though our faith can
certainly falter daily as we get caught
up in day to day stuff).
How did you come to Christ
Presbyterian Church, and what
was it like in those early days?
We came because we were looking
for a church where we could grow
spiritually. CPC was meeting at the
Sac’N Pac at the time. The first
Sunday we came, we ran into Jana
Henry and her children, who were
members of the Episcopal Church
where we were members! It was
Mother’s Day Sunday. The church
was friendly, the sermon was great, Would BSF be your next step in
and we were impressed enough that your spiritual journey? I’ll always
we didn’t look around anymore.
remember that you were my very
first BSF leader!
Did you embrace the Reformed Yes. I got involved in BSF when I
first came to New Braunfels, and it
faith right away?
was a whole new thing for me. I
I didn’t really understand what that
certainly had never studied the bible
meant and, having grown up in a to that extent before. It was very
mainline denomination, I didn’t
good training and teaching. I was in
really know much.
I was very
BSF for a long time, finishing all the
influenced
by
the
Arminian
classes, then went back and was in
perspective, so when the Reformed
leadership.
ideas started being introduced to me,
I would question. Of course, it’s all
backed up so biblically that you can’t Name one thing God has taught
really argue with it, and I didn’t. I’m you over the years—the first that
pretty compliant!
comes into your head.
That He is in control—thank
Who has had a real impact on you goodness! And that He loves me.
as a believer over the years?
My godmother was very instrumental Do you have any specific advice for
in my rearing—her whole demeanor; someone facing chronic illness of
she was a precious Christian and I some kind?
wanted to be like her. My mother All I can do is tell of my experience
was faithful to take me to church, and and how Christ is my strength. When
I was involved because she was. you rest in Him, then you can have
Certainly one of my heroes is Joni
an inner peace and a security in
Eareckson Tada. Her testimony and knowing that the here and now is not
her life since her accident have really all that matters. Of course, it would
influenced me. I read her books in be nice to be able to cling to that all
the late 70’s and I really become a the time, but you have to continually
committed Christian at about that bring yourself back to that. The Lord
same time. That’s when I realized
gave me a verse back after Gary’s
my need for my Savior—although mother died, which was a really
probably not the gravity of my sin stressful year with several things
nature—but recognized that I needed going on. It was John 16:33: These
Christ and His strength. Also, once I things I have spoken to you, that in
had a Christian friend who was Me you may have peace. In the world
hosting a bible study at her house
(Continued on page 6)
Scotty Smith on Prayer: “Oh, the joy of knowing Your good answers to our prayers include “Yes,” “No,” “Maybe,” “Not yet,”
and “Not telling you!”
K O I NO NI A
K O I NO NI A
P AGE 6
(Continued from page 5)
you will have tribulation; but be of
good cheer, I have overcome the
world."
So that verse has sustained you?
It’s a good one to come back to,
and I always smile when I see it in
our bible study lessons.
Would you say your illness has
been your greatest source of
sanctification?
He certainly used it to get my
attention, but God uses all
situations in life—not just this.
There’s the normal daily grind, of
course.
You’ve seen a lot of or covenant
children grow up here in church
and community over the years.
What advice would you give to
young married couples?
Make Christ the center of your
home and let your kids know that
He’s the center.
Spend time
together in the Word and in prayer
and be open and honest with each
other.
What counsel do you have for
young Christian parents?
See that your children know God’s
Word and know who Jesus really
is and what He really did.
Growing up, I knew Jesus died for
my sins and that’s about as far as it
went. Looking back, I think I
thought I was a pretty good girl
and that I was okay, never really
realizing that Jesus had not only
died for my sins but he had lived
perfectly for me—doing what I
couldn’t do. I think we do our
children such a disservice when
we don’t help them understand
that it’s not what we do or don’t
do; it’s what Christ has already
done.
We need to have our
families in church on a consistent
basis because if, as the Bible says,
iron sharpens iron, we need that
constant togetherness with God’s
people. And how are we going to
teach our children if we don’t know
what to teach them?!!
Couples rearing young children
today are so very busy. With that
in mind, what would you say to
them as they struggle to make
time for church?
I think the blessings would far
outweigh the inconvenience. Giving
our kids a firm foundation of who
Christ is is the most important thing
we can do as Christian parents. I
wish I’d realized that sooner. And
what a joy it is to know your kids
are going to be with you in heaven!
Is there a particular book that has
been a blessing to you in the last
few years?
One book was Choosing Gratitude
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. It really
made me realize how much we need
to be grateful for every little thing
and how I’m to look for the
blessings and not just the negative
stuff.
What’s your favorite thing about
CPC?
It’s a toss-up between the preaching
and our church family—I guess I
would say the teaching is my
favorite thing.
Any parting thoughts?
Reading that book on gratitude
made me realize how very, very
blessed I am to have a husband who
is patient. He’s so devoted and
caring and of course he provides for
me. And to have two wonderful
boys who are happily married with
good wives and precious children.
I’m grateful for good health for
them and for their jobs. God has
blessed me with so much! ♦
Recipe from MA
Casserola La Paloma
Combine:
▪1 can cream of chicken soup
▪1/2 c. mayonnaise
▪1/2 T. lemon juice
▪1/4 t. curry powder
Then add:
▪2 c. cooked, cubed chicken
or turkey
▪1 pkg. mixed vegetables
(broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated
cheese on top, then cover
casserole with mixture of 1/4
c. melted butter and 1 c.
crushed corn flakes or
grapenuts.
Topping:
Bake @350 degrees for 45
minutes.
Serves 4-6
K O I NO NI A
1-Apr Eric Syverson
1-May
Stacy Cox
2-Jun Gary Holub
3-Apr Linda Coker
4-May
3-Jun Jami Baker
7-May
Mike Butts
Brian Riggs
Rachel Swank
Margaret Dugan
Beth Riggs
Frank Posey
9-May
Cheryl Williams
Chris Williams
4-Apr Leah Anderson
6-Apr Ben Pinales
6-May
7-Apr Joey Hrechko
8-Apr Irene Cohee
Peggy Walls
9-Apr Chris Parker
10-Apr David Speck
11-Apr Greg Payne
Mary Kay Steele
Warren Williams
12-Apr Ace Horan
Maggie Steele
13-Apr William Willard
15-Apr Carola Davis
Erin Garcia
Gracyn Holub
17-Apr Ian Smith
18-Apr Traci Hurta
Joe Walls
21-Apr Floyd Johnson
22-Apr Jean McLennan
23-Apr Patti Webb
24-Apr Graham Freiley
Ashleigh Johnson
25-Apr John Bordano
26-Apr Doug Culpepper
Janet Culpepper
Anna Park
29-Apr Carlyn Talkington
30-Apr Elena Donley
12-May Joseph Dugan
Jarrett Moeller
13-May Shawn Wedlund
14-May Tyler Lee Jones
15-May David Speedie
16-May Carolyn Goodenough
17-May Dianna Cotten
Barbara Johnson
Robert Teuton
18-May Kathy Lucas
19-May Stephanie House
20-May Dean Campbell
Amy Henderson
Betty Taylor
21-May Tate Freiley
23-May Elizabeth Lux
23-May Robert Ohlschwager
Rafi Tchilinguirian
4-Jun Richard Steele
6-Jun Mattie Thoms
7-Jun David Jr. Donley
8-Jun Annmarie Rusick
10-Jun Beth Potter
11-Jun Emily Boylan
Robert Olson
12-Jun Dean Showalter
13-Jun Carmen Butts
Janie Childers
14-Jun Lucy Henderson
16-Jun Valerie Posey
17-Jun Page Talkington
18-Jun Leigh Ann Holub
19-Jun Margaret Brown
23-Jun Kathy Bierstedt
24-Jun Trevor Henderson
27-Jun Paula Ayers
24-May Fae Warner
Scott Hickey
25-May Ben Johnson
Jennie Tchilinguirian
Keith Wingate
27-May Jason Dugan
28-May Frank Childress
Molly Speedie
29-May David Steele
30-May Mel Goodenough
31-May Analisa Culpepper
29-Jun Sarah Albright
Monica Bowman
Drew Freiley
30-Jun Millie Baker
Sally Forney
Austin Liss
“How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?” (Satchel Paige )
P AGE 7
P AGE 8
K O I NO NI A
STATISTICS DON'T LIE!!!
How to stay safe in the World today!
Where IS the Safest Place?
1. Avoid riding in automobiles because
responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents.
they
are
2. Do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in
the home.
3. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all
accidents occur to pedestrians.
▪ A Florida homeowners association has decided to
ban all outdoor play to keep neighborhood children
safe. No skateboards, roller blades, or bicycles are
4. Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all allowed on the complex’s roads or common
accidents involve these forms of transportation.
grounds. Even ball playing is prohibited. “They
5. Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in wanted to play when they were kids, didn’t they?”
Hospitals. So, above all else, avoid hospitals.
said a local 9-year old. “These people don’t know
what freedom is!”
But…..You will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all
deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are
usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore,
logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given
point in time is at CHURCH!
And . .. . Bible study is safe too! The percentage of deaths
during Bible study is even less.
So, Attend church, and read your Bible.
IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!
If you would like to have and/or
are interested in attending a
concealed weapons
class at CPC, please
let the church
know.
Despite reports of surging gun
sales, the proportion of U.S.
households in which a gun is
present has fallen from about
50 percent in the 1970s to 34
percent last year, according to
the General Social Survey.
The decline in household gun
ownership over that period
has been most marked among
those under 30, where it has
dropped from 47 percent to 23
percent.
The New York Times
▪ A Kentucky teen was charged with disorderly
conduct for falsely yelling “bingo” in a bingo hall.
District Judge Douglas Grothaus likened 18-yearold Austin Whaley’s prank to yelling “fire” in a
crowded theater, and ordered the teen not to say
the word “bingo” for six months. “People take
their bingo very seriously,” the judge said.
Pastor Dick would like to
encourage you to join the
NRA/TSRA. Applications are
in the EB.
K O I NO NI A
P AGE 9
Elizabeth Parker
Hannah Syverson
Aria Park
February 27
January 28
9 lbs. 3 oz
Parents: Eric & Elizabeth
7 lbs. 9 oz
March 2
Parents: Chris & Deborah
7 lbs. 10 oz
Big Brothers: James & Sam
Big Brothers: Caleb, Joshua
& Samuel
Parents: Jay & Anna
Big Sister: Avy
In Memoriam
Velma
Joel H. Griffin
Joan Jones
4-4-13
2-21-2013
A memorial service
will be held for Joel
on Saturday, May
4th at 12:30 pm
here at CPC.
Velma and her late
husband, Edgar, were charter members of our church. In
lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be
made to Christ Presbyterian Church’s church planting
fund or building fund.
Newest Communing Members
Makenzie Hurta
Mara Bredesen
“ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant.” (1 Corinthians 13:4 )
New Births
P AGE 1 0
K O I NO NI A
A LETTER FROM JANA HENRY
To my younger sisters in Christ,
It’s been 20 years since I first came to CPC.
I was one year older than Tasha when I first came
to the little “Sac-n-Pac” church on Union Street-scared to death. I was firmly entrenched in the
church I was attending at the time, although I can’t
say that I was living a life of faith, but rather one
of working my way to heaven and trying to look
very important to others. Anyway, I remember the
joy in hearing the solid word of God preached and
taught. I was hungry and I began to acquire
knowledge and put it to work in my faith and life.
A regular habit of Sunday School and worship
attendance had already been established with my
children, who were 13, 10, and 3 at the time we
began attending CPC. This habit continued, and I
was very firm about it through the teen years of
the older two, even when there was much
resistance. I had some knowledge and was eager
to cram it down my children’s throats without a lot
of grace. I forced them to listen to Tabletalk every
morning at 6am over their breakfast before we
headed off to school. They pretty much hated it,
and I may have provoked my middle child to anger
over it.
Time passed, the older two were gone off to
college, and grace was becoming more real to me
as I experienced the challenges of living in a fallen
world and how that plays out in the lives of our
children—even when we think we are doing our
best. As we sinners are wont to do, I began to lean
heavily on the grace side and slacked up a bit
(quite a bit) on the law (discipline) side. That was
coupled with the typical wearing off of the
romance of first love, just like a marriage (your
faith, or a new church family). I began to see the
warts and blemishes. This covenant family thing
began to be hard work. I stepped back and began
to enjoy different relationships outside the church;
began to enjoy my children more and get more
involved in their lives. (Please understand this was
a good thing in one sense, as I had been overly
neglectful of the older two in high school.) This
was experienced most by my son, who was very
gifted in the area of sports. I also felt (and still do)
that having your children involved in sports is a
good thing.
There are many valuable things to be
taught by participating in extracurricular
activities—being part of a team, etc. Studies do
show that kids tend to stay out of trouble when
they belong to and identify with sports or a club of
some sort throughout those awful teen years.
Practically speaking, I believe this to be somewhat
true. I got on the bandwagon of the club teams; I
saw my child begin to excel; it was fun!!! I began to
travel on the weekends. At first, I said I wouldn’t
do that; I told the coach we would not play on
Sundays (which as you know, ends up being that
your child doesn’t play at all). Then as time and
pressure continued and he showed real talent, I
was told that if you want the scholarship, you need
to play on Sundays. I told myself it was only for a
season; I would make sure my son was in church
all the other weekends when he wasn’t traveling. I
remember Coach Teuton telling me at the time
that if the kid was really good enough, he would
play at the college level, with or without club
sports. I thought he was wrong. Maybe, but I
know this to be true: If God wants your children to
play at the college level, they will. He will put that
passion in them and cause them to persevere if
they are HIS. But I do not believe He will do that at
the expense of having your child in church on
Sundays.
I paid a high price for traveling around the
country with Will during his teen years rather than
having him in worship. Many of you know that he
did not go on to play club sports; he was burned
out when it got to that point. By that time, he
identified more with his sports buddies, etc. than
with the church, which had not been so much a
vital part of the very crucial teen years of his life. I
also became detached from the church. I felt more
of a connection with my fellow sports moms and
very out of sync with what was going on at the
church—my God-given home to walk this journey
of faith in a foreign land. I began to identify more
with the “foreigners” than with my home. There
were other people who claimed to be Christians,
and probably were, that I was traveling around the
country with, but they were not my covenant
family.
It has only been in the past few years that I
have truly begun to sink myself back into the
covenant family where I belong. This church is the
local, ordained place where God has promised to
work out my salvation through the various means
of grace given through this local, particular body
of believers. I am so grateful to be home and
growing. Messy relationships still abound, but I
know that this is where I belong and need to be—
close and connected and serving and consistent in
(Continued on page 11)
(Continued from page 10)
attendance and participation with the body life
of this church. By God’s grace I am growing
once again. But it has come at a high price. Two
of my three children have not owned their faith
yet. One is tantamount to denying the faith, and
the other says he believes, yet has no interest in
being at church. He has begun to question.
There are many other things that I don’t feel
right sharing on paper, but what I want you to
know is that looking back, I realize one of the
biggest mistakes I made was to buy into the lie
of club sports or anything else that would keep
me and my children from being consistent in
worship, Sunday school and the overall life of
the church during their teen years. I paid a
heavy price.
My precious young sisters in Christ,
whom I love dearly: I have watched many of you
grow up in the church as newly marrieds,
watched you go through childbirth and the
young years, and now I see you relaxing a bit
when your children are approaching (or maybe
already are) in their teen years. I know you may
be telling yourself (as I did) that you established
a firm foundation and it will be okay for this
season. I plead with you as your older sister in
Christ who has been there: Don’t do it. The
price may be higher than you are willing to bear.
This letter is sent with all my love with
no judgment for, if so, I am the one who stands
judged. I confess that I was a bad example for
you to follow and I pray that you will forgive me,
and do not as I did, but as I should have done. I
love all of you as my sisters in Christ and pray
for nothing more than “for the knowledge of His
will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so as to walk in a manner worthy of the LORD,
fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good
work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
May you be strengthened with all power,
according to His might” for those whom God has
given to you for a season.
In His Love,
Jana
PS. The above quote was taken from one of the
scriptures read at Tasha’s wedding, at which
time I was able to see God’s sovereign grace and
mercy worked out in time. (Romans 8: 28, Joel 2:
25)
P AGE 1 1
FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE will have their
annual National Day of Prayer event on
Thursday, May 2, 2013, at Rio Terra,
beginning at 10:00. The key verse for this
year's prayer focus is "In His name the
nations will put their hope." Matthew 12:21.
All ladies of our church and friends are
encouraged to participate in this special day
to pray for our nation. We will have an
extended time of fellowship and lunch for
those interested. Please
note that this is the first
Thursday in May. We
will need reservations by
April 29th. (Contact Lois
Johnson)
A note from Hope Hospice:
Volunteers Needed!
If you are considering a volunteer opportunity,
there is no program more rewarding than
helping at Hope Hospice. Our volunteers are
vital members of the Hope Hospice Team.
Join our team today!
We are looking for dependable, responsible
individuals to join our Companionship and
11th Hour programs. You will be given
training to provide you with the tools you will
need to be successful.
Companionship Volunteers:
These volunteers provide support to
hospice patients and families through
compassionate presence.
11th Hour Volunteers:
Based on the precept that no one has to
die alone, 11th hour volunteers are trained to
be present during the last hours of a patient’s
life.
For more information contact Sarah Currie
at 830.358.5209 or scurrie@hopehospice.net.
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set I go into the other room and read a book. “
(Groucho Marx)
K O I NO NI A
K O I NO NI A
P AGE 1 2
What: Makeover party from head
to soul
When: Friday the 26th from 6 to
11 pm
Where: Youth house and
restaurant
Who: Junior high and High
school girls
Meet at the youth house at 6 pm.
Your very own CPC godmothers
will take you in a carriage (van)
to the restaurant and then back for
professional makeovers and
pictures before they turn into
pumpkins!
Preparations
have begun!
V. B. S.
July 22-26
Online
registration
forms are now
available. These forms are mandatory and
only take a few moments to fill out.
For Jr. High in Wimberley visit:
http://rymonline.org/jhtxregistration
For
Sr.
High
in
Florida
visit:
http://rymonline.org/shfl2registration
Also, the remainder of the camp fees are
due by May 1st. If you have any questions
please contact the church office.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q11: Can you see God?
ildren
h
c
r
fo
A11: No. I cannot see God, but he always sees me.
Q12: Does God know all things?
A12: Yes. Nothing can be hidden from God.
Q13: Can God do all things?
A13: Yes. God can do all his holy will.
Parents, please take some time and review these
questions and answers with your child.
After being interviewed by the school
administration, the prospective teacher said:
'Let me see if I've got this right.
'You want me to go into that room with all those
kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe
them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress
habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill
in them a love for learning.
'You want me to check their backpacks for
weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually
transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of
self esteem and personal pride.
'You want me to teach them patriotism and
good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play,
and how to register to vote, balance a
checkbook, and apply for a job.
'You want me to check their heads for lice,
recognize signs of antisocial behavior, and
make sure that they all pass the final exams.
'You also want me to provide them with an
equal education regardless of their handicaps,
and communicate regularly with their parents in
English, Spanish or any other language, by
letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card.
'You want me to do all this with a piece of
chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few
books, a big smile, and a starting salary that
qualifies me for food stamps.
'You want me to do all this, and then you tell
me......
I CAN'T PRAY?'
P AGE 1 3
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
K O I NO NI A
P AGE 1 4
K O I NO NI A
MOVIE REVIEW:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
By M. Daniel Berry, Movie Critic
Excerpted from The Berry Street Journal
Welcome to Middle Earth. Set sixty years prior to the acclaimed The Lord
of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows the
expedition of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. As J.R.R. Tolkien originally
imagined, The Hobbit begins, “In a whole in the ground….” Bilbo Baggins’
quaint life in his hobbit hole soon changes when a familiar wizard and
unexpected party of thirteen dwarves whisk Bilbo off on a long, exciting
adventure.
Bilbo begins his adventure with the high-spirited dwarves who long to take
back their once prosperous kingdom of Erebor, lost to the fierce dragon,
Smaug. Determined to reclaim their lost treasure that the dragon hoards, these
dwarves along with the reluctant hobbit, journey over misty mountains,
through dark caverns, fighting many foes as they venture across the vast
expanse of Middle Earth.
The movie’s creators have decided to extend the book into a three part
series. This decision led some to suspect monetary motives from the
producer. After all, how convenient to have another trilogy? What a nice
package-purchase that would make! Was there more than the love of money
and merchandising to this decision? Mr. Jackson and others involved with
the project disagree and say that there was simply too much material for a
single movie. By using appendices and information from other of Tolkien’s
works Jackson claims that he is telling the tale of the Hobbit that Tolkien
himself would have written if he had taken time to revise the story.
For those who watched director Peter Jackson’s telling of Tolkien’s
powerful trilogy The Lord of the Rings, there will be rejoicing in his return to
Middle Earth. The first installment of The Hobbit provides ample amount of
details and background into the characters as they begin their thrilling
journey.
Parents considering bringing younger children would be well advised to
heed the PG-13 rating the movie received. Prolonged images of grotesque,
evil creatures, frightening near-death moments, and brutal fight scenes all add
to the tension. On a lighter note, The Hobbit retains much of the same humor
Tolkien instilled into his book and you will find yourself laughing at his
ingenuity. So, whether expected or unexpected, prepare to take a fun-filled
journey with the hobbit across the many sights of Middle Earth.
“Thanks to the
congregation
for
thinking of us. We
greatly appreciate
the
gift
card,
baby
clothes, afghan, and delicious
food from the women of the
church. We are so blessed to be a
member
of
this
church
family. The Parker Family”
Accolades
~Larry Hughes— For his
skillful use of the BB Gun in
ridding our EB of bats
~Bob and Nancy Olson, Marty
Miller, and Frank Harris— for
graciously serving our supper on
Wednesday evenings
~Mario
Rodriguez—
for
organizing the cookout and All
the Great Cooks & Workers at
this year’s MIC BBQ
~Kaitlyn Anderson— for her
Web Radio show One City
Under God;
“Letting you know about the
latest and greatest Christ–
centered things happening in
New Braunfels, TX.”
You can follow her and fellow
host Jason Dias at:
Bilbo Baggins prepares for adventure in An Unexpected Journey
blogtalkradio.com/1cityundergod
twitter.com/1cityunderGod
Scan with your smartphone App to view the trailer.
facebook.com/1cityunderGod
K O I NO NI A
THE ‘MOTHER’S KISS’ IS AN EFFECTIVE
HOME REMEDY.
Technology fail
THE FACTS
Some well-known home remedies for common childhood
ailments are ineffective and potentially harmful, like
putting butter on a burn. But others may have some
scientific justification.
Among the latter is the so-called mother’s kiss, a remedy
for removing foreign objects from a child’s nose, a rather
frequent occurrence among children ages 2 to 5. The
technique calls for a parent to press shut the child’s
unaffected nostril with her finger, then place her mouth
over the child’s mouth and deliver a short but sharp puff of
air to expel the object from the obstructed nostril.
Elegant it is not. But the goal is to avoid a trip to the
hospital and a potentially painful removal. The technique
was first described 50 years ago by a New Jersey doctor,
and this month, in a report published in The Canadian
Medical Association Journal, it gained some credence.
Reviewing the medical literature, the researchers pooled
results from eight previous studies that had evaluated the
efficacy and safety of the technique. They found that it was
about 60 percent effective, and unlikely in most instances to
cause further injury or adverse events.
Like many other folk remedies subjected to scientific
scrutiny, the mother’s kiss seems to be a relatively cheap,
safe and effective cure for a common problem, said Dr.
Lawrence Rosen, author of the new book “Treatment
Alternatives for Children.”
Dr. Rosen said parents could give the technique two
attempts. If both fail, or if it is unclear what the object is
and it cannot be seen, they should seek medical help, he
said.
Chinese using ultrasounds to spur
abortion
THE BOTTOM LINE
According to research, the “mother’s kiss” remedy appears
safe and largely effective.
Anahad O’Connor, The New York Times
While ultrasound technology may bolster prolife efforts in the United States by producing
vivid photos of unborn children, the same
technology has produced an opposite effect in
China: Many families abort their children if an
ultrasound reveals a baby girl.
In early March, Chinese officials handed prison
terms to four people in Zhejiang province
accused of performing 736 illegal ultrasounds
and 15 sex-selective abortions in the back of a
pair of minivans. None of the group had
medical licenses.
The case highlights a problem that Chinese
authorities helped create with the country’s
one-child policy: If a family can have only one
child legally, many want boys. Millions have
aborted baby girls.
Chinese officials have tried to combat the
resulting disproportionate number of men by
forbidding ultrasounds that reveal the sex of an
unborn child. But many women visit a
flourishing black market of private clinics and
individuals with no medical certificates to
obtain the ultrasounds illegally.
The Global Times reported the Zhejiang case
involved a husband-wife team that handed out
cards and invited pregnant women into the back
of a van to discover the sex of their unborn
children. If a woman was unhappy with the
result, she could visit another van for a drug
that induced an abortion.
Sex selection isn’t the only reason for abortions
in China: Many abort a second child to avoid
exorbitant fines. In some cases, Chinese
authorities force the abortions.
Despite such realities, Chinese official Wang
Feng insists the country won’t change its onechild policy. The Chinese government also
revealed that since 1971, the country has
aborted 336 million babies—a number
equivalent to the U.S. population.♦
World Magazine
“Some will hate thee, some will love thee, Some will flatter, some will slight; Cease from man, and look above thee:
Trust in God and do the right.” (Norman Macleod)
P AGE 1 5
K O I NO NI A
P AGE 1 6
Christ Presbyterian Church
1620 E. Common St.
New Braunfels, TX 78130
Phone: 830-629-0405
Fax: 830-629-0470
E-mail: reformed@satx.rr.com
VISIT US ON THE
WEB!
www.christpresnb.org
Latest Website News
Currently on our website you will find
all of the messages from the Women's
Desire for the Lord’s glory
Conference. They are available to
download or email to others. Each
Desire for fellowship with God
Sunday afternoon we have the sermon
Desire for needs to be met
and bulletin available online for those
Desire for wisdom
who
are
unable
to
attend.
Additionally, Sunday School lessons
Desire for deliverance from trouble
are posted, including the answers
Desire for relief from fear and worry
following each week's class. Check
Desire to offer thanks for past blessings out the upcoming events and news at:
Desire to be free from the guilt of sin
www.christpresnb.org.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. Desire for the salvation of the lost
10. Desire for the spiritual growth of other
believers.
Taken from Lord, Teach Me to Pray by
John MacArthur
The Prayer Room
is available for your use during office hours,
and is located upstairs in the Sanctuary
(S203).
Monday–Friday
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.