SWIFT  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH

A Church That Practices Fruitful Living

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MUSIC  NOTES
by Lisa Cardwell, music director

Our music ministry is busy preparing for Holy Week 2017.

The Joyful Tones chime choir is rehearsing after 10:00 services on Sundays. We are preparing “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley” and “Near the Cross” for Maundy Thursday and “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross” and “There Is a Redeemer” for Good Friday. The congregation will be singing as we play.

The chancel choir is preparing a powerful Maundy Thursday anthem called “Awake, Alone in Gethsemane” incorporating the “Adagio” from Moonlight Sonata as the accompaniment and the hymn tune Aberystwyth as the vocal line. Aberystwyth is better known as “Watchman, Tell Us of the Night.” The anthem “How Beautiful” will also be sung on Maundy Thursday. On Good Friday, the choir will sing “Hope of the World,” featuring Erica Lovato on oboe. On Easter Morning, the chancel choir will sing “Communion Canon” with handbells.

The handbell choir will also be leading the Holy Week services. On Maundy Thursday, they will present “The Cross,” and on Good Friday, “Were You There?” Chris Rogers will have the honor of tolling the bell 33 times at the end of the Good Friday service, as we mourn the death of Jesus. On Easter Sunday, the handbell will play the prelude “Crown Him with Many Crowns.”

We welcome Jenni Rachel Cain as our 10:00 pianist. She has been playing for our 8:00 service for 11 years. She comes in at a busy time but has met the challenge with enthusiasm.

We pray that the many hours we collectively put in for Holy Week leadership are fruitful. We take leadership at this time of the year most seriously, as the events of Holy Week are powerful and humbling, reminding us of the amazing love of Christ for each of us.

WORSHIP REPORT
by Greg McNair and Kim Whitchard, worship elders

Holy Week is April 9–16, and the services at Swift Church promise to provide some interesting twists that should enrich your worship experience.

We pray these services will take you through Jesus’ steps in his final days walking the Earth as a man. We hope they will touch your heart and soul and help you to reflect on the amazing gift of God sending His Son Jesus to die and suffer again in the fires of hell to pay the price for all of our sins.

You won’t want to miss a moment — from Palm Sunday, when Jesus arrives triumphantly in Jerusalem, to Maundy Thursday, when Jesus is betrayed and taken away by the Roman soldiers, only to be humiliated, beaten and sentenced to be nailed to a cross and left to die on Good Friday. On Easter Sunday, we will celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the grave to become our Living LORD at God’s side in heaven.

For Palm Sunday, bring palm branches from home or get them when you arrive at church.

We will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper twice during Holy Week — on Maundy Thursday at the 6 p.m. service and again on Easter Sunday morning.

The Maundy Thursday service will feature symbols of Christ’s rejection. We will wrap the cross in the Good Friday service at 6 p.m.

On Easter Sunday, bring flowers to place on the resurrection cross as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s empty tomb and his ascension to heaven. The deacons will serve breakfast between 9 and 9:45.

Please join us for April worship services at Swift Presbyterian Church.

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO SERVE
OUR CHURCH AS A PROJECTIONIST?

We are looking for folks to learn how to be a projectionist on Sundays. This involves loading up the bulletin material, any photos, announcements, etc., and operating the projectors on Sunday mornings. Usually, projectionists take a month’s turn at a time, which generally amounts to three times a year. It can be an interesting and fun way to serve the church. Those who already know how to do this will train you. Please contact the church office if you are interested.

 RADICAL  HOSPITALITY 

‘TWO OR MORE’ GROUP WILL JOIN LENTEN LUNCHEON

The “Two or More” Lunch won’t be held this month. Instead, on Thursday, April 6, at 11:30 a.m., the group will attend the final weekly Community Lenten Luncheon at Foley United Methodist Church, 901 N. Pine St. The Rev. Joe Aldrete of Calvary Chapel Fellowship will give the devotion.
 

  
MEN OF SWIFT

The next event, scheduled for Saturday, April 8, at noon, is a visit to the naval aviation museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

The plan is to gather at the “Cubic Bar” Cafe (within the museum) for lunch at noon. A guided tour for our group will begin at 1 p.m. (it lasts 1½–2 hours). You can revisit any of the special exhibits and/or attractions afterward or view shows at the IMAX theaters. Admission is FREE, but donations are appreciated. Contact: phone/voice-mail/text Jim Runtz at 251-923-8169; e-mail jimruntz@gmail.com.

 INTENTIONAL  FAITH  DEVELOPMENT 

COFFEE WITH KEITH
Living in (or trying anyway) spiritual disciplines

Coffee with Keith is starting a year of monthly spiritual disciplines; a taste of a variety of historic ways of drawing closer to God. For April we taste Lectio Divina (sacred reading). Lectio Divina is a way of encountering God through Scripture. Traditionally, Lectio Divina has four separate steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate.

We’re using Jana Reiss’ book Flunking Sainthood as our primary source, following her April writings and devotionals.

You are welcome to be part of the class or take on these disciplines on your own. See Pastor Keith for more information.

DANIEL BIBLE STUDY

The study of the Book of Daniel will be finishing soon. The groups will be discussing which book they would like to study next. Please contact Pastor Jody Beth Melton for more information.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: HERO CENTRAL
“Discover Your Strength in God!”
Sunday through Thursday, July 16–20

Take kids on awesome adventures alongside some of their favorite Bible heroes and discover the qualities that make us truly heroic in God. Please prayerfully consider how you can use your talents and join the VBS staff. Contact Teresa Thomas, 609-2209, or the church office, 943-8367, for more information.

CHILDREN’S REPORT
by Teresa Thomas

Kids’ Club will meet again on April 5 and May 3 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. These are our last two meetings before summer break, and we are looking for someone to provide dinner for each day, at approximately 6 p.m. It can be something as simple as Chick-fil-A, which they all love. Of course, there is the pizza option — or if you feel so inclined to cook, that would be awesome as well. There are usually eight to 10 kids and three adults. Please let me know if you are willing to provide the meal, or you can even make a donation for the purchase if you like. My number is 609-2209.

As Easter approaches, we are asking for donations of plastic Easter eggs and candy to stuff in them. If you would please help with this, it would be greatly appreciated. You may bring in your bags of eggs and individually wrapped candy that will fit in the plastic eggs and leave them in the back of the church and I will pick them up.

Thank you.

YOUTH REPORT
by Tara Morrow

GɸG will be held on Sunday, April 2, in the youth room from 4 to 6 p.m.

Refuel is on April 13. We will meet in the youth room from 5:30 to 6 p.m. and then attend the Maundy Thursday service. Once the service has concluded, we will go back to the youth room.

For the youth who are attending Sunday school, we will begin stuffing Easter eggs every Sunday during that time.

The youth will have a fundraiser on April 23 right after the 10 a.m. worship service. Swift Café will serve a delicious spaghetti dinner for donations to assist with the cost of summer camp. This is a wonderful opportunity for the members of our youth, and any donation would be greatly appreciated.
 

 MISSION AND SERVICE 

SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

Swift Church session met on Monday, March 20. We began with hearing of Lectio Divina and the “how to” of that spiritual discipline. This was followed by prayer concerns and prayer.

We received the financial report, which showed February income to be $39,742 with expenses of $34,389.

We approved committee reports that included dates for vacation Bible school and fundraisers for youth.

A significant time was spent on conversations regarding buildings and grounds. The rot in the exterior walls of the fellowship hall and the deteriorating driveway were two main topics. Charlie Hastings is getting prices on these two concerns. We also talked about the value of a community garden plot on the northwest section of the property.

Our focus ministry at next month’s meeting will be missions.

See newsletter reports from church committees for more detail.

MISSIONS REPORT
by Cathy Rogers and Philip Melton, elders

The Swift Presbyterian Food Pantry served 43 families in March.

There have been six English as a Second Language classes held in the fellowship hall. This class is funded with a $1,700 grant from The Presbytery of South Alabama from a grant that was written for our Doc McDuffie Road Mission. Esther Tillmon, ESL director at South Baldwin Literacy Council, has been leading these classes. Linda Morrison donated the bilingual Spanish/English New Testament books at a cost of $100. Esther is paid $60 a class from the Presbytery Mission Grant to plan and conduct the class. Pastor Keith and/or Cathy Rogers attend as church volunteers and John M. participates in every class. The attendance has fluctuated between three and five Hispanic mothers and two or three children, none of whom are from the Doc McDuffie Road community. (We think that they are uncomfortable or afraid to come.) Those who attend are enrolled in other ESL classes offered by the literacy council. The classes consist of prayer, reading New Testament scripture in both Spanish and English and discussing the scripture. English verbs are identified and counted to reinforce English skills. A paper-and-pencil activity is done with the mothers and children, and Jesus Loves Me is sung in English and Spanish. The class ends with reciting the Lord’s Prayer in both English and Spanish. Sometimes the class goes to the church playground to allow the children to play while the adults socialize. Esther is implementing a knitting/crocheting/embroidery activity at the end of each class. You can be assured that the students appreciate this class and enjoy it tremendously. They are thankful to the church for the opportunity to learn and worship together. We would like to get more church members involved in attending this class for interaction.

The next mission project is “One Great Hour of Sharing” in April. A gift to “One Great Hour of Sharing” enables the church to share God’s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world by providing relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and oppressed. The mission committee has a plan for a visual display of the contributions that will come in and will begin accepting donations on April 2.
 

   
WE APPRECIATE OUR APRIL 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
April 2 — Bridgit and Jessica Gosa, Greg McNair, Judy Walker
April 9 — Norm and Debbie Schmidt, Danny and Paula Brewer
April 16 — Lynda Walden, Sue Ann Lay, Susie Alexander, Stevie Walker
April 23 — Willard Penfold, Lynn and Mike Barnwell, Eunice Ray
April 30 — Tony and Kim Whitchard, Jane King, Judy Walker

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
April 2 — Cathy Rogers
April 9 — Jane King
April 16 — Teresa Thomas
April 23 — Judy Walker
April 30 — Jane King

CHILDREN’S CHURCH
April 2 — Communion today; no children’s church
April 9 — Lynn Aspray and Teresa Thomas
April 16 — Easter Sunday; no children’s church
April 23 — Holy Humor Sunday; no children’s church
April 30 — Aaron and Lyndsey Ward

NURSERY VOLUNTEERS
April 2 — Aaron and Lyndsey Ward
April 9 — Bridgit Gosa and Tara Morrow
April 16 — Kathy and Moe Menk
April 23 — Pate and Brett Cardwell
April 30 — Karely and Bobby Kleinschmidt

FELLOWSHIP DEACONS
April 2 — Tosha Thomas
April 9 — Tresa Melton
April 16 — Brett Cardwell
April 23 — Tosha Thomas
April 30 — Tresa Melton
 

 EXTRAVAGANT  GENEROSITY 

SWIFT’S CHRISTMAS HOPE OFFERING

Thanks for helping make a miracle at the Presbyterian Home for Children

Below is the text of a letter addressed to the Swift Presbyterian Church family and to the attention of Pastor Keith Cardwell. It was dated March 13 and refers to our Christmas Hope offering. The writer is Mark Howard, president of the Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega.

Dear Keith and Friends,

The first signs of spring are beginning to appear on campus. Not just the early leaves and hints of flowers, but in the eagerness of teenagers to be outdoors even when the weather is not quite warm enough for comfort.

It is such a blessing to be able to watch the growth of children who arrived here from such difficult circumstances. Children like Melinda, who came to us after being rejected from other facilities and with little hope for her future. She is planning for college and making solid academic progress. When she was 13, it would have been a stretch for any of us to predict just how successful she would become.

Your gift of $4,531.67 through the Presbytery of South Alabama helps make miracles like this happen every day at the Presbyterian Home. There is no greater joy than watching a young life bloom and grow in the warmth of love and care.

Thank you for your part in making that miracle.

Blessings,

Mark Howard
President

As he signed his name, he added: “Thank you so much!”
 

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.

 IN  THE  COMMUNITY 

FRED VOSLOH MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

Eighth annual event is coming up May 7

Sponsored by the good people at First Presbyterian Church of Foley

Sunday, May 7, at 1 p.m. at Glenlakes Golf Club

• 4-person scramble on the Lakes/Vista courses
• Food and beverages in clubhouse after golf; awarding of prizes.
Cost is $60 a person or $240 a team.
More information and registration forms can be found in the back of the church
or contact Lacie Maynard, (251) 949-7725.