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Tuesday, March 09, 2010 You Are Here: News / Main Newsletter  | 
From the Pulpit

"ANYONE WHO THINKS sitting in church can make you a Christian must also think that sitting in a garage can make you a car." - Garrison Keillor

ON MARCH 14 the message at the morning services will be “You’re Invited,” based on Joshua 5:1-12 and Luke 15:11-32. Remember to set clocks forward one hour for Daylight Saving Time!

WE HAVE A TRANSITIONAL PASTOR! Last week our committee brought in Rev. Rick Hull for interviews and off-site preaching. Everyone was so delighted with Rick, and he with Sandia, that our Session offered Rick a contract, and he accepted. Information on Rick’s background may be found under "More Information" on this page. Rick and his wife Barbara will be introduced to the congregation on Palm Sunday, and he will preach on Easter. Welcome, Rick and Barb!

NEW SERVICE. Try our new 5:00 p.m. Sunday evening contemplative service. Instead of the sermon from Sunday morning it features reflection, prayer, silence, acoustic-led singing, creative arts, and a weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper. During Lent we’ll explore Biblical and ancient expressions of prayer. Childcare is provided. Room 214.

NEWSLETTER SURVEY. Please take the time to complete and turn in your paper or online survey. If you already responded, thank you! Please be patient while we get this system in place—we need at least 500 households on e-mail reminders to be cost-effective, and we don’t have that many yet, plus system set-up will take some time. Please click here to complete the survey.

NEWCOMERS are welcome at SPC! Please make yourself at home. If you want to know more about our approach to following Christ, please consider attending an INQUIRY CLASS on the Sundays of April 11 and 18 at 9:30 a.m. NEW MEMBERS from previous classes will be received on Monday, March 15, at 7:00 p.m. Please click here to sign up. Childcare is provided.

PRAYING FOR SANDIA. Each Thursday morning a group gathers in our Prayer Room (just down the hall from the reception desk) at 9:00-10:00 a.m. to pray for our congregation in its journey ahead. Another prayer time is held on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. All are invited to join in. For information contact Diana Pooley, 872-2206.

FROM THE PULPIT:  Let me share a quote with you:
     “I believe that the church is at its best when it is committed to discipleship, embracing in personal relationships, joyfully celebrative in worship, and opportunistic in mission. I am enthusiastic about reaching out to families, and making the gospel both practical and inspirational for the faith of all generations and stages of the Christian life.”
     It’s from the application Rev. Rick Hull submitted to our transitional pastor search committee, and it immediately caught their attention. As they went about their search—carefully considering numerous applications, contacting and interviewing promising candidates, talking with references—their initial hunch about this particular application proved accurate. They found Rick not only an unusually experienced transitional pastor, having served two large churches in this capacity, but one with enthusiasm, warmth, and vision that matches Sandia Presbyterian Church.
     The search committee brought Rick to Albuquerque, interviewed him, and heard him preach. Thoroughly impressed, they brought both Rick and their wholehearted recommendation to the SPC session (our board of elders) this last Monday night. After getting to know Rick and hearing the search committee’s report, the session voted unanimously to invite Rick to become our transitional pastor, and he accepted (remember, a permanent pastor is called by a vote of the whole congregation; a transitional pastor is hired on the congregation’s behalf by the session). On Tuesday Rick met with the church staff and began this important working relationship.
     Between now and Palm Sunday (March 28th), the day we introduce Rick in person, you’ll be hearing more about him and his delightful wife Barbara. For now, we’ve put introductory information on our church website and in the previous newsletter. At this point we want the congregation to know that many prayers, much hard work by our impressive search committee (chair Don Blanton, Sara Bartholomew, Karen Chalmers, Jason Galloway, Martha Peercy, Ron Spanswick, and Tim Steider), and God’s faithfulness have brought us a transitional pastor with the experience, energy, humor, and vision to help us take the next step on our journey. God is good!    - David Casson
Educational Fellowship Opportunities

ADULT SUNDAY CLASSES, 9:30 a.m.:  Young Adults: A Fresh Look at Faith... Meditations of Our Hearts (2/21-3/28)... Inquiry Class #2 (3/14)

LOVING RELATIONSHIPS. The four-week Loving Relationships marriage and relationship enrichment course is for long-term, newlywed, or about-to-be married couples. Topics include: 1) balancing your relationship with other life demands; 2) creating and maintaining intimacy; 3) loving unconditionally; and 4) restoring vitality to your relationship. Dr. Jim Logan teaches this course twice a year. The next course will be offered March 31-April 21, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Please see "More Information" on this page and click here to sign up.

HOW DEEPLY HAS FORGIVENESS PENETRATED YOUR LIFE? During the six Sundays of Lent, Travis Bauer is leading a discussion class on The Meditations of Our Hearts, exploring the liberating power of forgiveness through texts of Scripture and key historical figures like St. Augustine. 9:30 a.m. Sundays, Room 214.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL. Set sail for a High Seas Expedition - Exploring the Love of God! June 7-11, 9:00 a.m.-noon. Registration for VBS is underway. Registration forms are outside the Exaltation Room and in Fellowship Hall, and on our website (please see "More Information" on this page). Space is limited. No registration forms will be mailed this year.
Social and Recreational Opportunities

BASKETBALL MOVES TO NEW TIME AND DAY. Beginning March 11, 50+ Basketball moves to Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m., and Open Adult Basketball moves to Thursdays, 7:30-9:00 p.m.

ORGAN RECITALS. Immanuel Presbyterian Church is sponsoring noontime pipe organ recitals by the church's organist, J. Michael McHugh, during Lent. These half-hour recitals are open to the public and are free. Friday, March 26, and Friday, April 2, at 12:30 p.m. in Immanuel's sanctuary.
Service Opportunities

20/20 CLUB DRIVERS NEEDED to drive low-vision people to monthly meetings. Membership is growing, and callers have been turned away. Meetings are usually at SPC at 2:00 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday, Sept.-June. If you can help, call Larry Thompson at 294-1850 or Virginia Campbell at 281-9399.

SPC’S FOOD PANTRY. Please bring nonperishable food to the collection boxes in Fellowship Hall and the FLC lobby. We give to a different food project each week, so we need new supplies weekly:  hearty soups, rice, beans, powdered milk, canned fruit/vegetables/ meat, peanut butter, jam/jelly, un-sugared cereal, baby food/formula/cereal, pasta, chili, stew, juice, oatmeal, crackers, breakfast/granola bars, various tomato products/sauces.

DISMAS HOUSE DINNERS. New sign-up sheets are out for 2010. Please help us provide dinner for residents twice a month. Ideal for covenant group service projects! Please click here to sign up.

QUILTS FOR BABIES.  Our Children's Ministries team presents babies with quilts when they are baptized. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, please contact Lorna Loeffler, 856-5040 x115. The group meets at SPC at 9:30 a.m. on the 2nd and 4th Mondays each month.

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Check out the Volunteer Book under the Missions bulletin board in Fellowship Hall.
More Information
Bits and Pieces

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME. Set your clocks forward one hour on Sunday, March 14.

EASTER LILIES. Dedicate them in memory or honor of special people. Sign up in Fellowship Hall or the FLC lobby by March 28. $17.

NO TRAFFIC OFFICER AFTER EASTER. For various reasons, we will discontinue our officer at Eubank and Palomas. To avoid traffic back-ups, we suggest avoiding left-turns to or from Eubank. Instead use Browning to the east (stoplight at Paseo). Please see "More Information" on this page for additional details on this change and upcoming construction on Eubank.

NEW TAX RULE FOR HAITI DONATIONS. A new tax-relief law allows donors who contributed in 2010 (Jan. 12-March 1) to charities providing Haiti earthquake relief to take a tax deduction for the contribution on the 2009 tax return instead of the 2010 return. Consult your tax professional (not SPC) for additional details/restrictions; details also at www.irs.gov.

PICTURES FROM SUZANNE'S RETIREMENT. Click here for photos from Suzanne's retirement celebration on February 14. If you have more pictures to add, please send them to Linda Hawley, spc_wm@sandiapres.org.

WOULD YOU USE ONLY OUR ONLINE NEWSLETTER? Please take the time to complete and turn in your paper or online survey. If you already responded, thank you! Please be patient while we get this system in place—we need at least 500 households on e-mail reminders to be cost-effective, and we don’t have that many yet, plus system set-up will take some time. Plese click here to respond electronically, or print and return the form found under "More Information" on this page.

PRESCHOOL CONSIGNMENT SALE. Saturday, April 10. Donate children’s items for a charitable tax deduction, or price your items and bring them to the sale (30% to the preschool). Children’s items only—toys, books, clothes, baby items, kid furniture, etc. Mark your calendar, tell your friends, start cleaning out those closets, and then come shop! For questions or details, please contact Audrey at 856-2937.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR DEWEY AND CHERI. You may reach Dewey and Cheri at:
Grace Presbyterian Church
105 Bailey Road
Crystal City, MO 63019
ministerdewey@gmail.com
www.gracechurch-pcusa.org
Please note new e-mail address.

ADDRESS CHANGE? USPS charges Sandia for returned or forwarded mailings. If your contact information has changed, please notify the church office ASAP, or click here to access a form for sending the information electronically.
Bulletin Board

Use the navigation bar or this link to access a non-commercial bulletin board for miscellaneous announcements such as lost and found or items available for donation (not sale). Community events of potential interest to members may also be submitted to spc_wm@sandiapres.org for consideration.
Copyright 2007 "Sandia Presbyterian Church"