Pastor on Call
For an emergency over the weekend, please contact our Pastoral Associate, Warren Bock.

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Palm Sunday, April 1, 2007
Jody Welker, Preacher

Scripture:
Selected verses

Sermon:
"What Wondrous Love is This"

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Palm Processional
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, which is when we celebrate Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We join in the celebration by waving palms in celebration. You and your children are invited to participate.

If you attend the 9:00 a.m. service, please pick up your palm on the way into the sanctuary. During the first hymn, you and your children are encouraged to wave it. Children are also invited to bring their palms down with them during the Time With Children.

If you attend the 11:00 a.m. service, please pick up your palm in the Great Hall immediately following Sunday school at 10:50. Right before the service, we will get final instructions and get in line to prepare for the procession. During the first hymn, we will wave our palms while walking around the sanctuary. Elementary-age children may participate in the parade by themselves (though parents are welcome). Please make sure your child knows where you are sitting. Preschool-age children must have an adult to accompany them.

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Attendance Sunday, March 18:
9:00 a.m.: 168
11:00 a.m.: 348

Attendance Sunday, March 25:
9:00 a.m.: 238
11:00 a.m.: 312

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Monthly Food and Pennies for Hunger Offerings
Please bring your food donation to church this Sunday. Suggested donations include crackers/snacks, soup, pasta, cereal, peanut butter, and macaroni and cheese. Please leave your offering in the basket located in the narthex closet.

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Fellowship Time
Please plan to stay for fellowship with refreshments provided by Lisa Eberhart and Mary Helen Earle, members of our Fellowship Committee, following the 11:00 a.m. worship.

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Jody's Journal

Dear Family and Friends of the Kirk,

This Sunday begins our journey through Holy Week. This is the week that tells us the story of the last week of Jesus’ life and gave birth to Christian faith and discipleship.

Holy Week, as we call it, begins with high hopes and hosannas, moves through the valley of the shadow of despair and confusion, and seems to end on Friday as Jesus dies on the cross. This is a story of humanity at its worst. We seem to have a way of killing those who are sent by God to share messages of peace and love. But if this week reveals humanity at its worst, it also reveals God at God’s best. The story tells us of a God so in love with the world that God's own son would sacrifice his life for us. It also tells the story of a God who will not let death and despair have the last word. God raised Jesus from the dead as the most important reminder of God’s loving determination not to let death, and despair defeat us. This gift of resurrection has been the source of hope for Christians throughout the centuries. In addition to the hope of eternal life, we also receive the gift of hope in this life. There is nothing so awful that God cannot redeem it for good; nothing so hopeless that God cannot raise new hope in us. For that we can only offer God our praise.

We hope the services we are offering this week at the Kirk will enable you to experience the presence of Christ in a powerful way. Palm and Passion Sunday will be a service that helps you hear the whole story leading to Jesus' death. Maundy Thursday we will remember the last night Jesus spent with his disciples as we share communion with our Lord. On Good Friday the sanctuary will be open for prayer and meditation during the day. At 6:00 p.m. there will be a brief Good Friday service in the Session room. On Easter morning, bright and early, we will celebrate Christ’s resurrection with the 7:00 a.m. Sunrise Service and breakfast. We will also have Easter Service at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

I know the rest of the staff join me in wishing you a blessed Holy Week and a very happy Easter.

Grace and Peace,

Jody

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What Are Holy Week and Palm Sunday
Below is a helpful website for those looking for a basic understanding of the terms and events used during Holy Week leading to Easter. It is a good site to visit as we remember the last week of Jesus' life.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/214/story_21461_1.html

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Mary Kay's Cary Days

Dear friends,

Happy Spring! I have come to really enjoy this climate of North Carolina! The blossoms are just beautiful and I am grateful for last nights rain.

There is much to share about Holy Week and our ensembles of the Kirk. In worship last week we were treated to the voices of the Peace Choir at the early service. At 11:00 a.m. we were given the gifts of Lauren MacLean on French horn and our Chancel Choir in the poetic setting by Jane Marshall of “Lamb of God.”

Palm Sunday services will be led by Frank (welcome back from Toronto!), the Genesis Ringers, Peace Choir and Chancel Choir as we celebrate the beginning of Holy Week. The final Wednesday “Sounds of the Spirit” music, meditations and lunch will be offered on April 4. The menu is cream of asparagus soup and lemon pie. I am grateful to the pastoral staff, the volunteers who have prepared and served lunch, and especially to folks who have attended these programs. It feeds my spirit to offer them.

The Chancel Choir will participate on Maundy Thursday with a Renaissance setting of “Adoramus Te” and a recently-composed piece “Hear the Nails.” On Easter morning at the 7:00 a.m. service music will be led by Paul Hamilton. Psalm 150 will present contemporary settings of seasonal carols and the Grace Ringers will offer an interesting setting of an Easter carol for the 9:00 a.m. service. At 11:00 a.m. Chancel Ringers and Chancel Choir will lead us in a traditional celebration of music for this most special day of our faith.

Yep, we’ve all been busy! Thanks for supporting the many branches of our music ministry!

Peace,

Mary Kay

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Men of the Kirk Breakfast
All men (age 16 and over) are invited to attend our monthly breakfast and program on Saturday, April 14, 7:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Our program this month will be "Tips on Working with the Hearing Impaired" presented by Janet McGettrick. Our Chief Chef, Frank Rogers, will be cooking up a wonderful $2 breakfast, so be sure to get your reservation in to the Church office (467-4944) no later than April 12.

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Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network (WIHN)
WIHN provides shelter, meals, case management and educational services to homeless families in addition to promoting action and awareness in the community regarding homelessness. The Kirk provides temporary housing to homeless families three or four weeks out of the year.

Our next host week is April 15– 22. Please consider volunteering to setup, transport the families, cook meals, greet our guests, spend the night, clean up, or provide food.

“Signup” and “Information” sheets will be in the narthex.

Sandra Clark,Kirk WIHN Director

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Scotch Bonnet
Please note a correction for Scotch Bonnet in April. The "Windows" snail mail issue incorrectly listed where the group will be meeting. Scotch Bonnet will meet on Monday, April 16, at Pei-Wei Restaurant (free-standing at the Cary Towne Center). As usual the group meets at 11:30 a.m. If you have questions, please contact Debbie Eakes.

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50+ Group Pottery Tour Barbara Shannon and Edna Cole are finalizing plans for 50 Plus group's pottery tour on Saturday, April 21. We will leave the Kirk via bus at 9:00 a.m., and return mid-to-late afternoon.A head count is needed by April 14.

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September Katrina Trip
The March 18 meeting about the September 23-29 mission trip to New Orleans was well attended and touched on many topics, such as types of work to do (many), skill levels needed (low), transportation, accommodations, daily schedules, and packing lists. Thanks to Rich Woynicz for giving a PowerPoint presentation on the January trip and to Monty Brekke, Leslie Gordon, Linda Hale, Endy Kidanewold, and Jan Marallo, all veterans of past Katrina trips, for chiming in with important details. By the end of the meeting, thirteen people had signed up, but we plan to take twenty, so there is still room for you. If you're interested, please contact Chris Mazzara. For more information on RHINO, the program in which we are taking part, visit www.scapc.org/Pages/rhino.html (note the "Click here for more info" link at the left of that page).

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Carying Place Annual Benefit Auction
Please make plans to attend the Sixth Annual Benefit Auction benefiting The Carying Place. It will be held on May 11 at The Matthews House in Cary. If you would like to attend you may contact The Carying Place at 462-1800. You may also contact the church liaison Liz Hynson.

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Women's Thursday Morning Bible Study
Starting April 5, at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall the Women’s Thursday Morning Bible Study will begin delving into the life of King David. The study book is entitled "A Heart Like His" by Beth Moore and it may be purchased at Lifeway, near BJs in the Crossroads shopping area. Studying the life of David in the ancient Middle East may give insight into the unrest in that area today as well as understanding about the struggles of a man dedicated to God. All women are welcome to join the group for lively discussion, information and fellowship.

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Faith Quest Children's Memory Verse:
"God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die." (John 3:16)

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Did You Loan This Book?
The book "Thy Kingdom Come, An Evangelical's Lament" by Randall Balmer is looking for its owner. If it is you, please contact Val Peters.

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We Need Your Photos! We are revamping the Kirk's website and want to represent both in word and image the diverse and vibrant community we have here. If you have photos of some of the many activities that are part of Kirk life and the people who make them happen, please help us by submitting them for possible use on the new website. You may do this in a number of ways:

1. E-mail them to Emyr Edwards.

2. Write them onto a CD or DVD and give them to me or leave them at the church office for my attention

3. Bring them to me on a USB drive or similar portable media

4. The volume of material we expect to deal with means that we are generally only able to accept digital input. However, if you have something truly exceptional in print, negative or slide form, please call me.

Also, as you participate in Kirk activities during the year, I encourage you to "Click It and Send It!" - we want to keep the new site's content fresh and dynamic.

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Ushers for 11:00 a.m. Worship Service Needed
We are in need of volunteers on a rotating basis to usher at the 11:00 a.m. worship service. It is an easy job - - passing out bulletins, checking for open seats, and collecting the offering. If you want to help, please contact Jerry Bowser.

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Lawn Mowing Teams Forming As the weather begins to turn warm we need to begin mowing again. We are now forming mowing teams. If you would like to help out in this way, please contact Rusty Parks.

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Do you cry at weddings? Do you agree that every bride is beautiful? If you anwsered yes to these questions, the Kirk has a committe for you! The Wedding Guild consists of members who assist brides who marry here at the Kirk. Through this ministry, we meet with the couple, go over guidelines about the wedding and assist with the actual ceremony.

We always work in pairs, and you will be given extensive training. If you feel that this ministry is for you, please call Pattie Stephenson for more information. Please prayfully consider joining this wonderful ministry.

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New KOALA Staff Still Needed
The Kirk's after-school tutoring program for Briarcliff K-2 students is still seeking volunteers for two key positions, starting this fall (but training before then, we hope): liaison and van driver. The liaison, who assists the director in various ways and is the point of contact between KOALA and the Kirk, usually spends 2-5 hours per week on program activities. The van driver, who transports the students from the school to the church, will be needed for only 45 minutes (2:45-3:30) on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. For more information on the liaison position, contact Stephanie Horman. For more information on the driver position, contact Jerry Rhodes.

Like every other Kirk program, KOALA depends on volunteers. If a lack of volunteers means that we can't field a softball team, say, it's a bummer, but if it means that we can't run KOALA, it's a tragedy because a lot of children who badly need that academic boost won't get it. Please consider taking part in this vital ministry to the community.

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Dear Friends of the Kirk,

Jerry, myself, and our children want to thank you for all the prayers, cards, telephone calls, flowers, and endless hospital and Caregiver visits. The carolers at Christmas were like a round of applause cheering Jerry on to recovery. Your loving support over the last four months has helped our family through a very stressful and difficult time. And the Lord knows you have your own family to take care of but gave your hearts and time willingly for us. You just don't know how much that meant to our family - thank you so very, very much!!

We also want to tell you about God's love that continues to strengthen us in so many wonderful moments and is still leading us through doubtful situations. His mighty armies of angels have taken care of Jerry in the intensive care unit at Rex Hospital, on a critical ride to UNC Chapel Hill, with the miracle heart surgeon and cardiac specialists hands, and finally the protective defibrillator monitoring.

The fabulous care Jerry has received is outstanding. Through all this, he has had God's loving hands wrapped around his heart healing and strengthening his every move. He looks good, breathes better and is enjoying rehab.

From our hearts to yours, Jerry, Lynne, Corrie, Ryan and Sean Palmer

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Habitat for Humanity
Thanks to the following members of the Seekers Adult Sunday School Class: Carol and Paul Hamilton, Warren Bock, John and Joyce Billotte, Linda Hale, John Atwell, Karen Fleischhauer, and Lynnie Sullivan. Others participating were Amy and Joel Huenemann, Leslie Gordon, Annette Homiller, and Jim Farthing. These volunteers performed multiple tasks including installing shelves, painting, and installing appliances to get another house ready for occupancy. Our next work date is April 28. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Jim Farthing.

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ASP Congratulations!
Kirk college students, Katie Cole, Zack Hobbs, and Curtis Large have been chosen to serve as summer staff for ASP. These are competitive positions and we offer hearty congratulations and sincere thanks to these young men and women for serving God, the people of Appalachia, and ASP volunteers for the summer. Thank you!

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Prayer Request of the Week: Please include all churches together as we pilgrimage towards the cross and the resurrection in your prayer this week.

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Our Congratulations to Mary Coulson on the birth of a son, Braden James, born on March 24, and to the happy grandparents, Jerry and Stephanie Bynum.

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Our Condolences to Julie Schaffer and family on the death of her mother and to Jill Tate and family on the death of her father.

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Prayers: We pray for Lynn Godwin, Ashley Becker, Joyce Billotte, Judi Nagy (outpatient surgery, 4/9), Sallie Atwell, Jerry Palmer, Rebecca Slack, Sara Saunders, Alan MacIlroy, Colleen Calwell

If you would like more information regarding any of our concerns, please contact the church office.

Glenaire Healthcare Unit: Ruth Wagnon, Nedra Chesnutt, Martha Haake, Louise Harter, Mary Frances Webb, Lillian Soo-Hoo.

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On Easter Sunday, Presbyterians join Christians of many other denominations in receiving a special offering intended to support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development at home and abroad. This offering is known as One Great Hour of Sharing. "Recognizing that the hope we have in Christ is lived out in our hope for one another, we respond with gifts that help our sisters and brothers around the world find the hope for a brighter future" (PCUSA Web site). Of the undesignated offering received in our church, 36% goes to the Presbyterian Hunger Program, 32% to Self-Development of People, and 32% to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. For more information on these programs, visit www.pcusa.org/oghs. Also, look for the insert about One Great Hour of Sharing in your worship bulletin. Let us give generously, for we have received more than most.

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Spring 2007

The Kirk has nineteen active Stephen Ministers (those who provide a one-on-one caring relationship) and six Stephen Leaders (those who do the necessary administrative and organizational support work), and we want everyone to get to know something about those involved in the program. Each week we will share information and a personal comment from two of those involved in Stephen Ministry.

Stephen Ministers share a confidential caring relationship with someone of the same gender. Our Stephen Ministers and Leaders are quite a diverse group. We have founding Kirk members and new members willing to serve.

Carol Bennett has been a member of the Kirk for 27 years, and a Stephen Minister for six and a half years. "For me, Stephen Ministry is the most fulfilling ministry I have experienced. Not only am I blessed by helping someone, but I feel that Stephen Ministry also has enabled me to grow spiritually."

Barbara Huggins has been a member of the Kirk for two years, and a Stephen Minister for one year. "As a Stephen Minister I have had the opportunity to get to know someone I have grown to care very much about. I hope that my visits have brought her some comfort and peace in her time of trouble. She has given me a wonderful gift by sharing her life with me."

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• Middle School - Gather in Holywood in the Activity Building at 6 p.m. for a movie. No supper, but we'll have plenty of snacks and drinks. Bring a friend. We'll dismiss from the Activity Building at 8 p.m.
• High School - NO meeting this week. Feel free to get a group of Kirk youth together for ice cream or a movie at the theater.

• Middle School-No evening meeting-see note below about lock-in on Friday, April 13
•High school-Meet at 4:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall kitchen to cook for Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network. We'll eat with the WIHN guests, clean up, and dismiss between 6:30 and 7 p.m. We need all high schoolers to help. Thanks!

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