Pastor on Call
For an emergency over the weekend, please contact our Associate Pastor, Stephanie Arnold.

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Sunday, May 13, 2007
Cathy Church Norman, Preacher

Scripture
Acts 16:9-15
Psalm 67

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Attendance Sunday, May 6:
9:00 a.m.: 225
11:00 a.m.: 304

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Presbyterian Women's Birthday Offering

This Sunday, May 13, Presbyterian Women asks the congregation to support our Birthday Offering. This offering is collected each year to celebrate the blessings in the lives of Presbyterian Women. The offering funds projects that are not included in ongoing General Assembly mission support.

This year the grant recipients are:

This offering began in 1922, and over the years the Birthday Offering has given more than $29 million in support of mission projects throughout the world.

How can you make sure your donation goes to this offering? Please write "PW Birthday" on the memo line of your check or write it on the envelope.

Thank you for your support of this worthwhile mission.

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Nancy's Notes

Many Kirk youth will enjoy special experiences in their faith journey during the next two months. I ask you to celebrate, encourage and pray for these events.

May 20 is Confirmation Sunday when our youth publicly declare their faith in God and make a promise to follow Jesus as best they can. Pray for the Holy Spirit to touch each of them in ways that will strengthen their faith and hold them close to God for years to come.

June 10 is Graduation Sunday when we present high school seniors with a study Bible. You are not only invited to pray for these youth as they enter the next stage of their lives, but also to write a note or underline meaningful Bible passages in their Bibles. The Bibles are in the library during the week and on a table near the narthex on Sundays.

On June 17, 43 youth and adults will depart for Logan County, WV to participate in Appalachia Service Project (ASP). We also have three Kirk college students dedicating their summer as ASP staff members. Please pray for safety and offer thanks for the gifts these folks are sharing in God's name.

On June 22 middle school youth and adults will depart for Massanetta Springs MS conference. It is a fun, faith-building experience. We ask God to bless them during their time with young Christians from throughout the Southeast.

July brings the Montreat Youth Conference and Summer in the City. For high school students who attend Montreat, it is often a true "mountaintop experience" in their life with God. Summer in the City provides middle schoolers the joy of serving at agencies in Raleigh such as the Food Bank and WIHN. May God use all these experiences to awaken the Spirit in each participant.

God will certainly not be on vacation in the lives of our youth over the next few months. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Nancy

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Meet Our Summer Intern

Susan Sexton

On Tuesday, May 29, Susan Sexton will begin serving as our summer intern. Susan is studying at Union-PSCE in Richmond. She is an active member of White Memorial Presbyterian Church. Before going to seminary, Susan taught 6th grade, taught music in a school orchestra, played principal violinist in the symphony, and was active in the church. She has been active in music worship, Sunday School leadership, Adult Education and Presbyterian Women. She has a passion for pastoral care. We look forward to having Susan among us. Be sure to get to know her!

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Carying Place Annual Benefit Auction
The Sixth Annual Benefit Auction benefiting The Carying Place is tomorrow May 11 at The Matthews House in Cary. Contact The Carying Place (462-1800) or Liz Hynson.

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Habitat For Humanity The next scheduled Kirk work date is May 19. If you would like to volunteer, you must contact Jim Farthing no later than May 13.

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Deadline for Articles for June "Windows" Issue
Monday, May 14 is the deadline to have articles included in the June "Windows" issue.

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Circles

Martha - Meets Monday, May 14, 9:30 a.m. at the home of Carol Christenbury. Please remember to bring a covered dish for the year-end brunch.

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Book Discussion Group The monthly meeting of the Book Group will be Friday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. at the home of Jack and Barbara Shannon. We will be discussing the book "The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works-and How It's Transforming the American Economy" by Charles Fishman. All are welcome to come join in the group.

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Cub Scout Pack 218 Membership Drive
Scout Pack 218 would like to invite interested boys entering grades 1 through 5, and their families to attend our Pack Meeting on Monday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Kirk in the Great Hall and representatives will answer questions and provide registration material. The Pack will also have representatives at the Kirk after Sunday school and the 11:00 a.m. service on Sunday, May 20 to provide information about Cub Scouting. Interested families may contact the Pack's Cub Master, Scott Todd or Membership Chair, Ben Ryan for further information.

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Change Of Location For Scotch Bonnet
We will meet at "The Loop" restaurant (Kildaire Plaza) for lunch and Christian fellowship on Monday, May 21, 11:30 a.m. This will be our last fellowship lunch until fall. Hope all can join in the fun. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Eakes.

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Yoga At The Kirk Want to explore new ways of spending time with your church family? Come do a lunchtime yoga class at the Kirk on Wednesday, May 23, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in the Session Room.

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The Pastor's Summer Book Club

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

This summer, Jody Welker invites you to read this biography about Dr. Paul Farmer, the Harvard teacher and doctor whose life leads him to Haiti. He is a specialist in treating infectious diseases and applies that training to caring for people in the most desperate situations in Haiti. To find a complete description, go to amazon.com. At the end of the summer, those who sign up will gather for a discussion of the book. We will let you know the exact times for the discussion at a later date.

SIGN UP FOR SUMMER BOOK CLUB

___ Yes, sign me up for the Summer book club

Name(s) : ________________________________________

Email: _____________________________________

____ Enclosed is $12.00 for the church to order a copy for me (deadline is May 15)

____ I will purchase my own copy (Amazon price for paperback is $9.42)

RETURN SIGN UP BY MAY 31 (UNLESS ORDERING A BOOK THROUGH THE OFFICE).

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Columbarium and Memorial Garden Taskforce Begins Meeting

A taskforce has begun meeting to plan for a Memorial Garden and Columbarium for the Kirk. They will propose the location, scope, and design of this project. A columbarium is a permanent structure made up of spaces where family members can place urns containing the ashes (or cremains) of cremated loved ones. The word 'columbarium' is derived from the Latin term columba, meaning "dwelling place of a dove." The dove, of course, has long symbolized in Christian tradition the embodiment of the Holy Spirit. A Memorial Garden is a designated area where the cremains may be scattered, often under bushes or trees. The taskforce looks forward to planning a space where families can memorialize loved ones. If you have questions or ideas, please contact one of the members of the taskforce: Wendy Segreti (chair), Liz Hynson, Sara Saunders, Sharron Scroggin, and Victoria Vojnovich, David Wells.

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Vacation Bible School 2007

VBS Sign Up
All children are invited to Vacation Bible School! It is a wonderful week of learning about Jesus! This year, we will join Jesus on the sea of Galilee as he teaches his followers, walks on water and does other miracles. As in the past few years, we will step into the story by recreating life in the time when Jesus was alive-- complete with costumes, Roman soldiers, a marketplace with many activities, a synagogue and rabbi and a playground with fun games. In their tribe, the children will have lots of fun meeting new friends and learning Jewish customs.

VBS is June 17 to 21 (Thursday to Sunday) from 6-8 p.m. It is free and open to all children ages 4 to finished 5th grade. Invite your friends!
Registration is easy-- go to www.kirkofkildaire.org . You will see a link to the registration page.

VBS Volunteers
-- We need a handful of people on the leadership team that does all of the behind-the-scenes preparation organizational work-- specifically organizing supplies, organizing people and organizing registration.These volunteers are asked to come to four one-hour meetings and a few hours of other work. These are great positions for people who cannot come the week of VBS. The first meeting is this Tuesday, May 8, at 7:00 p.m. in the Session Room.

-- During the week of VBS, we need as many youth and adult volunteers as possible. Each year, the adults who volunteer find this to be extremely rewarding. All supplies and training are provided for you. Adults and youth can volunteer to be tribe leaders (who accompany children to the various locations) and shopkeepers (who help children complete specific tasks).

If you are interested in being a volunteer, go to the homepage of the Kirk website (www.kirkofkildaire.org) where there is a link for volunteers.

Questions? Ask Patty Snow.

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Coming This Fall... Get ready to join in on the food, fun and fellowship of our exciting new mid-week program starting in September! You can look forward to catered meals, time with friends and family, and activities for all ages. Look for more information coming soon!

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Want To Be A Greeter? The Worship Committee is looking for friendly people to serve as greeters for both the 9:00 and 11:00 o'clock services. Greeters welcome

Time commitment for Greeters is approximately 20-25 minutes one Sunday every couple of months. Greeters for the 9:00 o'clock service should plan to be in the narthex around 8:40; Greeters for the 11:00 o'clock service should arrive between 10:35 and 10:40. Families can greet together. There's nothing more welcoming than the smiling face of a child.

If you are interested in joining this friendly group, please respond by contacting Dot Rascoe. Let her know your preference for 9:00 or 11:00 o'clock and also indicate if you have a preference for a particular Sunday during the month, i.e. first Sunday, third Sunday, etc.

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Turn In Your Old Printer Ink Cartridges A collection box has been placed in the Great Hall kitchen for old ink cartridges of any kind. The collection box is picked up once monthly and the Kirk receives funds for all returned cartridges. It's an easy way to get rid of your cartridges and for the Kirk to make a few extra dollars.

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September Katrina Trip
There are still a few openings for the September 23-29 mission trip to New Orleans. To sign up, contact Chris Mazzara. For more information on RHINO, the program in which the Kirk is 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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KirkJournal
KirkJournal, the church's literary annual, is on sale for one last week. Pick up a copy for $5 on Sunday morning in the narthex. The proceeds will benefit the Literacy Council of Wake County (www.wakeliteracy.org).

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KOALA Staff Search Update Our search for a new van driver continues. This person will be responsible for transporting students from Briarcliff Elementary School to the Kirk once a week, on either Tuesdays or Thursdays.

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Long Range Planning - Goal Options On the Web

Listening to Our Dreams and Discerning Christ’s Mission for Us

The task force has been reading, processing, and listening to your voices and dreams. We have also been talking to community leaders and looking at area demographics as they relate to the Kirk. We now ask that you join us in the discerning process by reading the Goal Options.

The Goal Options will be posted on the Kirk’s web page. The goals are broken into several areas, Worship, Mission, Aspirations, etc., for ease of reading. Please go to the Kirk’s homepage and click on the Long Range Planning Information link, or go to http://www.kirkofkildaire.org/com/lrp.html. Here you will find the links to the goal option areas. Should you have comments or questions, there is an option on the site to email the task force. You may also contact any of us personally. Additionally, copies will be placed on the table in the Narthex for those who do not have internet access.

Lastly, as you discern, please pray. Pray for the Kirk, each other, the task force, discernment, wisdom, patience, and that we hear God’s voice that will so readily guide us through this process with love and grace. We are a church rich with love for each other and our community. Pray that we remain strong in determining Christ’s mission and that we all become disciples of that mission.

Grace and Peace,

Amy Woynicz, Craig Nygard, Larry Nielsen, Lisa Miller,
Don Stephenson, and Jody Welker

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Pentecost Offering
The second special offering of the year will be received on Pentecost Sunday, May 27. In a nutshell, the Pentecost Offering "provides a direct way to meet the needs of children at risk, youth, and young adults" (www.pcusa.org/pentecost). From the offering, 60% is channeled through the presbytery to the General Assembly, which uses this money to create "leadership development opportunities for Presbyterian youth and young adults" and to fund "children-at-risk programs at the national level." The other 40% is directed to a recipient designated by the Kirk's class of confirmands. This year's recipient is the Salvation Army's Women and Children's Shelters. For more information on the Pentecost Offering, visit the PCUSA Web site and read the inserts in your worship bulletin.

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New Refugee Arrival The Kirk is happy to welcome Temesgen Kebede Yilma from Ethiopia. He arrived in early April and will be moving into an apartment on Monday, May 14.

He hopes to find a job better utilizing his skills. His wife, Alemitu Fite Tesgera, and twin sons, Abdisa and Abdi, 13 will be arriving in about 3 months.

Temesgen knows how to drive and would greatly appreciate the donation of a car. We will be furnishing the apartment for the family and can use dishes, silverware, miscellaneous pots, pans, and kitchen utensils; as well as coffee and end tables, lamps, and sheets for double and twin beds. Many thanks to those who have donated other useful items. Please contact Wendy Segreti if you would like to help.

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Our congratulations to Karen and Mark Franklin on the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Hope, born on May 7.

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Our Condolences to Mike Anthony and family on the death of his father, to Shelley Holmes and family on the death of her mother, and to Melissa Morauer on the death of her mother.

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Prayer Request Of The Week - Please include the Presbyterian Women's Birthday Offering in your prayers this week.

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Prayers: We pray for Helen Floyd, Janice Coats, Willem van Eck, Jeff Slack, 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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Allan and Maria Acton - Allan is a dentist and Maria just recently become a stay-at-home mom; previously she was a clinical research monitor. They have a daughter, Molly, age six months. Allan joins by transfer from White Memorial in Raleigh and Maria comes by transfer from First Presbyterian in Hampton, Virginia.

Chris and Meredith Chandler - Chris is a computer engineer and Meredith is an urban designer. They have one child, daughter Casidy, soon to be one year old. Meredith joins by reaffirmation of faith and Chris by transfer from Ephesus Baptist in Raleigh.

Jeff and Beth Cook - Jeff is a finance manager and Beth lists her occupation as "home manager." They have a daughter, Lauren, who turns one in September. Both join today by reaffirmation of faith.

Glenn and Nancy Douden - Glenn and Nancy are retired. They join by reaffirmation of faith.

Adrienne Dyson - Adrienne works as a paralegal and has one son, Joel Goodson, age twelve. Adrienne joins by reaffirmation of faith.

Anne Eskew - Anne is a retired forensic toxicologist. Anne has two adult children, Kirk member Jill Tate and Thomas Eskew, Jr. Anne joins by transfer from North Avenue Presbyterian in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jerrod McConnell - Jerrod is a teacher and is engaged to be married to Kristin Titzer. Jerrod joins by reaffirmation of faith.

Bob and Penny Setzer - Bob is a trainer and Penny is a manager. They have two children - Randy, nearly fifteen, and Matthew, age twelve. They both join by profession of faith.

Gloria Stafford - Gloria works with Biologix in a clerical position. She joins by reaffirmation of faith.

Nancy Stephens - Nancy is a warehouse manager and has three college-age children, Jennifer, Melissa and John. She joins by transfer from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Durham.

Jerry and Janet Swank - Jerry is an auto parts manager and Janet is a human resources director. They join by transfer from Grace Covenant in Orlando, Florida.

Glenn and Tracy Weeks - Glenn is a real estate consultant and Tracy is a directory of instructional technology and media. They have a daughter, Keetyn, born just over a year ago. They join by transfers from First Presbyterian Church in Newton, NC (Tracy) and St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Kernersville (Glenn).

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The Stephen Series provides organizational support and training for congregations that want to engage in this distinctively Christian care-giving ministry. Stephen Leaders work behind the scenes to provide training, continuing education, and take care of administrative tasks. Stephen Leaders attend a week-long Leadership Training Course before being commissioned for this area of service. Meet two of the five people serving on the Stephen Leader Team:

Sylvia Nygard has been a member of the Kirk for 23 years, and served two years as one of the first Stephen Leaders and has recently rejoined the leadership team. "For me, Stephen Ministry is a good way to reach and help people. Although I am a leader and not directly involved in ministering to individuals, I feel that I can be instrumental when training men and women to become Stephen Ministers who can, in turn, provide care-giving to those who request it."

Warren Bock has been attending the Kirk for three and a half years, and has been with Stephen Ministry for one year. He is the pastoral liaison to our leadership team, and may sometimes have a care receiver from the Cary area. "For me, Stephen Ministry is a significant and creative way for lay persons to express the compassion which I believe is at the heart of God as we experience God in Jesus Christ.
At several times in my life, I have had friends minister to me by walking along side of me during difficult experiences. These friends cared deeply for me. To me, being a Stephen Minister offers such care and friendship. I am very glad to be part of this ministry."

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