ePulse Second Presbyterian Church

Dr. Charles B. Hardwick
Pastor / Head of Staff

Soul Searching in November

Today is the beginning of a new sermon series entitled, Soul Searching: A Fuller Picture of God. The series stems from a landmark study of the faith (or lack thereof) of American teenagers called the National Study on Youth and Religion. It is the largest sociological study ever completed on teenagers and has been published as the book Soul Searching by Dr. Christian Smith, and produced as a documentary bythe same title.
One of the study’s key findings is that many teens have an incomplete concept of God as compared to the fuller concept of God that the Christian tradition has maintained for centuries. Dr. Smith summarizes teens’ views as moralistic (religion can be boiled down to nothing but a series of rules), therapeutic (God exists primarily to make sure life goes well for us, like a divine butler) and deist (other than swooping in to help us out, God is absent from every day life). While each of these thoughts contains a germ of truth, the image of God which many teens form is a far cry from the image of God that Christians have long
believed about the Lord we serve.
My prayer is that this sermon series, lasting through November 23, will challenge our sometimes puny and limited concepts of God and help us to build a fuller notion of the One we worship. Today’s sermon will tackle the notion of deism.
Each sermon will contain video clips from the Soul Searching documentary, which will be shown in its entirety tonight at 5:30 pm. A discussion, led by youth director Josh Erickson and myself will follow. Come early for a free dinner at 5pm. If you have a teenager in your
life, or plan to one day, please come! The film gave me a lump in my throat as I grieved for the way many of the featured teens envisioned God.
Meanwhile, please continue to pray for the students of 2PC’s youth ministries and Josh as he works with a great team of leaders to help teens develop a richer faith in Christ.
In Him,
Chip
P.S. Many thanks to all who have already submitted a pledge card! Ifyou are a member and have not yet had a chance to pledge, you can find a stewardship card in the pew rack in front of you and drop it in the offering plate. Thank you for sowing generously so that we can reap generously in 2009.

Politics of God

Please join us November 2 in F100A for a new class entitled, “The Politics of God.” As the name implies, it will deal with issues surrounding the interaction between faith and politics. Dr. Don Crittenden and Dr. David Anderson will lead what promises to be a lively discussion centering upon such topics as:
•The place of faith in national public life, both in the community and in the larger political process.
•When should a nation enter into armed conflict? What is a just war?
•What responsibility do the haves help the have-nots? What is the government’s role in this issue?

Employee of the Month

•Andrea Kladder is the winner of the “Hold it Together” Employee of the Month Award for September 2008. Andrea successfully coordinated all children’s fall programming during Miranda Frank’s maternity leave and helped direct the Martin Hall renovation while overseeing the 20s/30s ministry.

•Nancy Harvey is the winner of the “Hold it Together” Employee of the Month Award for October 2008. With great expertise and professionalism, Nancy directed and ran the volunteer fair, along with her team of volunteers, and helped remind the rest of us what it really means to serve.

The Caring Ministry and the Deacons

We, the Deacons, want to make Second Presbyterian Church the most caring, large-church family in town. The key word in that sentence is “large.” It can be difficult for large
churches to care for their members the way small churches do, simply because of the number of people.
Scripture and the Presbyterian Book of Order charge the Deacons with the ministry of caring. In order to make our church the most caring, we are making a huge change in the way our Deacons function. Beginning in 2009, each member of our church family will be assigned a Deacon who will be their contact in times of need, hospitalization or otherwise, as well as on birthdays and other special occasions. This will allow us to provide a caring safety net and ensure everyone feels personally connected to the church.
The ministries the Deacons have been in charge of (such as blood drive, prayer quilts, flower delivery, etc.) will continue as independent ministries which report to the Deacon’s Quarterly Executive Committee. Current caring ministries (such as Friendly Visitors, Grief and Loss and Parish Nurses) will continue, aided by the traditional caring groups such as Presbyterian Women Circles, Friday Prayer Lunch and Small Groups.
We will need 40 Deacons for this new hands-on ministry. If you are interested in being a part of this rewarding ministry, please contact Roane Deckert by calling 828.6297. Don’t miss this opportunityto become fully engaged with your church family!

Soul Searching: Dinner, Documentary and Discussion (11/2)

Sunday kicks off a new sermon series that will focus on what teenagers believe about God and religion. Throughout the series, we will be showing video clips from the documentary, Soul Searching. A documentary about the story of the National Study on Youth and Religion (NSYR), this is the most comprehensive sociological study ever done on teenagers and religion.
There will be a full screening of Soul Searching tonight at 5:30pm followed by discussion led by Josh Erickson and Dr. Chip Hardwick. The screening will be preceded by a free dinner at 5pm. If you have been, are currently or will be the parent of a teenager, please plan on attending this event.

Election Day Worship Service (11/4)

On November 4, 2PC will pray for the United States and the election of local, state and national offices. Please make plans to come to a half-hour prayer service at 11:45am in the chapel, or visit the chapel for individual prayer any time during the hours polling places are open (6:00am to 7:00pm).

Serving on Saturdays Event (11/8)

There will be a Serving on Saturdays (S.O.S.) outing on November 8 from 8-11:30am. Meet at 2PC at 8am and spend the morning helping in your community. Contact Dean Kladder for questions at dean@secondpres.info.

Boy Scout Pancake Breakfast (11/8 and 9)

Boy Scout Troop 3 will host a pancake and sausage breakfast on November 8 from 8am-1pm and on November 9 from 10am-1pm in F100B. Tickets are on sale this Sunday at the Welcome Center and are $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 4-12. Contact Mark Wylie at 829.6246 for more information.

Veterans Day Breakfast (11/9)

Second Presbyterian Church is proud to host our Second Annual Veterans Day Breakfast on Sunday, November 9, at 8am in Grace Hall. Veterans from all branches of service, including those serving in reserve units, are invited to attend, along with their spouse or guest(s). There is no cost for this event; we simply want to thank you for your service.
If you are interested in attending, please stop by the Welcome Center or contact Pam Caywood at 369.3294 (cell) or 447.6285 (home) to complete a flyer. If you attended last year, there is no need to complete another form, but please contact Pam to make sure you‘re on the invitation list.

Me in Motion Concert (11/9)

Me in Motion, a highly acclaimed and newly signed Christian rock band, will perform at 2PC on Sunday, November 9. The concert is at 6:30pm in Grace Hall and is free and open to the public. Canned food donations for the Compassion Center will be accepted at the door.

JOY Fellowship Program (11/14)

Dr. Don Crittenden will present and discuss the June 2008 mission trip to Ocosingo, Mexico at the JOY fellowship program at 11am on Friday, November 14 in F100A.
JOY programs are open to church members and their friends. If you would like to stay for the Friday Prayer luncheon immediately following the JOY event, please make reservations by contacting Kim Pare at 828.6297.

Hospitality 2009 Volunteer Kickoff (11/15)

The hospitality ministry is hosting its 2009 Volunteer Kickoff on November 15 from 9-10:30am. This event will serve as a thank you to current volunteers and as an opportunity to plan and energize for the coming year. Everyone who is currently serving or is interested in serving as an usher, greeter, kitchen helper or Welcome Center assistant is invited. Childcare and a light breakfast will be provided. RSVP to Tammy at 828.6297 or tammy@secondpres.info.