The Messenger Newsletter

Baring something unforeseen—and we’ve seen the “unforeseen” during this construction, February should be our move-in month. After the final touches have been completed and necessary permits have been granted, we’ll move the Child Development Center and church offices from 9400 Plano Rd., and we’ll be ready to occupy our new church home.

February will also be a month full of changes and new opportunities. They are highlighted here; look elsewhere in this issue for more details:

• Sunday, February 6: Sunday morning schedule change to make time for the Contemporary Worship service
• Sunday, February 20: Rally Day, Annual Congregational Meeting and “Alleluia Sunday”
• Sunday, February 27: Festival of Sound: Sunday Evening Casual Concert
• Sunday Guided Tours of the Facilities
• New Contemporary Worship
• Attended Nursery and Toddlers’ Child Care
• Ushers and Greeters
• Elders on Call to Receive Members

Effective February 6

In order to accommodate the third, contemporary worship service, the following schedule takes effect on February 6. The session felt it would be easier for us to get used to the new schedule if we made the change on the first Sunday, rather than into the month. (The starting date for the contemporary service, “Praise on High,” will be announced later.)

Worship  8:30 – 9:30
Praise on High  9:00 – 9:45
Coffee & Fellowship  9:30 – 9:45
Christian Ed. Classes  9:45 – 10:45
Coffee & Fellowship  10:45 – 11:00
Worship  11:00 – 12:00

It all comes together February 20th, 2005 Alleluia Sunday Our first Fellowship Hall event! (Construction Allowing)

• Worship: 8:30 a.m.
• Rally Day: 9:45 a.m. Reorganization of the Christian Education children’s and youth Classes
• Worship: 11:00 a.m.
• Annual Congregational Meeting: After 11:00 a.m. Worship
• Álleluia Lunch: 12:00 Noon We will recognize members of the Property Development Committee and honor members of the Session, Class of 2004

“Praise on High” Contemporary Worship beginning as soon as possible after the completion of construction

Attended Nursery and Toddler Child Care beginning with our being able to occupy the new Education Building

Guided Tours of the Facilities after 8:30 and 11:00 am worship, conducted by Property and Fellowship Committees

Ushers and Greeters in the parking lot and Narthex to assist people coming to worship

Elders on Call to Receive New Members, meeting after 11:00 am worship to answer questions or receive new members

Just to keep you up to date, the following are notes gleaned from the minutes of the stated session meetings of December 20, 2004 and January 17, 2005.

Property Development pointed out that the sanctuary ceiling has been painted and the pews reinstalled.  It was also noted that much of the work currently being done is not obvious to the casual glance but includes plumbing and wiring installations that affect the air conditioning and security systems.  The target date for moving is sometime in February.

Note was taken of the deaths of Shirley Sowell in December and Merle Wensley and Claire Lankford in January.  It was also noted that the name of Lyle Moore has been placed on the Inactive Roll.

It was decided that the new Sunday morning worship schedule would begin on the first Sunday in February, excluding new contemporary worship service, Praise on High, which is not scheduled to begin until after the move.

It was noted that we have been requested by Grace Presbytery to remember those involved in the tsunami incident and to pray for the success of the partnership between Grace Presbytery and Congregation of South India.

The date of the annual congregational meeting was set for February 20, 2005.

Ralph Gifford of the Property Committee is organizing a group to serve as Narthex Greeters.  Their purpose will be to greet those who come to church and to be particularly watchful for visitors.

Christian Education announced that Jan Gifford has volunteered to assume the position of Sunday School Greeter (formerly known as Sunday School Superintendent) and will serve as overseer for the classes and their needs.

Youth Director Meg Richardson reported on the recent Winter Retreat which was attended by five youth and two adults from our church.  One of their projects was the collection of items for the tsunami relief effort.  Dates were announced for Denomination Day and Mission Mania.

Elections were held in December appointing Bob Palmer as Treasurer, Tammy Mackesey as Financial Secretary, Sammye Wood as Clerk and Martha Boyd as Assistant Clerk.

Although it is not possible to post the minutes at this time, they are available for reading in the church offices at any time.

The Session has called the congregation to meet for the following purposes:

1. To receive and review the 2004 Annual Report
2. To elect two (2) members to a one-year term on the Nominating Committee.  All nominations must be made from the floor; none will be presented by the Session.  Nominees must be members of the church and must have given consent to serve prior to the nomination.  In the event of more than two nominations, the election will be by balloting.  No current member of the Session is eligible for nomination.

Current members of the Nominating Committee are:

• From the Session: Hollis Jacobie (Chair), Dan Wadley and Geri McCleskey
• From Presbyterian Women: Carol Greenman
• From Presbyterian Youth: To be announced

Needed: Volunteer Pricer in the Resale Store (20 hrs/wk) to assist Ed and Rita Boyer.

During 2004 you helped assist 5,540, 16,155 people, of whom 7.509 were children.  You distributed 120,000 lbs of food, 57,449 items of clothing and helped pay $80,000 in rent and utility bills, $5,702 for prescription drugs, gave out 437 gas vouchers and 1,600 bus coupons.

Sunday Evening Casual Classics, February 27, 2005 - 6:00 p.m.  Reception to follow at Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church, 8525 Audelia Road, Dallas, TX 75238

For Questions: Contact the Church Office 214-348-2133

This performance will include: Winter – Vivaldi, Christmas Concerto – Corelli, Canon and Gigue – Pachelbel, Greensleeves - Mary Alice Rich Arrangement, Violin Concerto, 2nd Movement, Samuel Barber Bach Double Concerto.

Artists Include: Bruce Wittrig, DSO Violinist, Wang Bing, DSO Violinist, John Burkwall, LHPC Pianist

Performances are free
A $10 donation is requested – ALL monies are used as gifts of appreciation to participating musicians.

Circle l will meet Monday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m.  For meeting location and information call Joni Kern at 972-412-1059.

Circle 2 will meet Tuesday, February 15, at 9:30 a.m.  Please call Velma Smith at 214-328-8949 or Harriet Dingman at 214-348-2317 for meeting location.

Circle of Hope will meet Wednesday, February 16, at 10:00 a.m.  The meeting place is to be announced.  For information call Sara Secor at 214-348-7628.

Circle of Joy will meet Tuesday, February 15, at 7:30 p.m. For meeting location and more information call Meg Richardson at 214-763-1359 or Rebeka Stephens at 214-673-4759.

Other Opportunities
Women’s board meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 9, at 10:00 a.m. at the Audelia Road Campus.

The Stone Soup/Style Show with fashions presented from the White Rock Center of Hope has been postponed until next fall.  At the next meeting of each circle “A Love Offering” will be collected to benefit the White Rock Center of Hope.

All the women of the church are invited to a tea given for Brazos De Cristo/Las Amigos on Thursday, February 10.  For further information, please phone Nelda Walker at 214-824-7685.

Christmas cards are still needed by the Boy Scouts.  Cinda Koch is collecting the cards.

A One Day Seminar on the Christian Faith and Popular Culture
Saturday, February 19, 2005
9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.

Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Russell Dalton, TCU

Workshop Options:
Faith Journey Through Fantasy Lands
God’s Voice on the Big Screen
Reading with “Reformed” Eyes
Reality TV and the Reformed Faith

Children & Youth & Activities
2005 Youth Mission Mania!

What: 24 hours of mission projects including putting together Hope-in-a-box kits, crafts for the homebound members of the congregation, volunteering at Jonathan’s Place and more. We will also have plenty of time for tons of fun!

When: February 25th at 6:30 p.m. until February 26th at 6:30 p.m. at the ARC.

Cost: $25.00, includes meals, T-shirt and Laser Tag.

We need your help! The youth will be working on Hope-in-a-box Kits to send to Church World Service to distribute to children all over the world. We will be collecting donations for this project. Items needed are:

Small stuffed bear, Small soft balls Harmonica, or other small musical instruments, Slinky (metal or plastic), Yo-yo, Combs, Toothbrushes , Crayons (24 count), Tubes of toothpaste (4-7 oz.), Large eraser, pencil sharpener, ruler (30-centimeter), Children’s scissors (blunt pair), Jump Rope (7 foot), non-spiral bound pad of regular paper or construction paper, Flexible clear plastic 6.5 quart boxes with lids.

Stay tuned for more opportunities to help the youth with their Mission Mania projects!

Thank You,
     Thank you all for your prayers, cards and “yummy” food during my recent surgery. I do appreciate having such a loving church family.

     Love,

     Pat Massengale

Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church,
     Thank you all for the wonderful food you brought to Merle’s house and for the beautiful flowers at her service.

     You all have had such an important part in Merle’s life and your kind words and prayers have been very comforting to us all.

      God Bless You,

     Merle Wensley’s Family

To the Church from the Jim Sowell Family:
     To thank you for your kindness and sympathy at a time when it was deeply appreciated.

     My family and I appreciate the phone calls, cards

Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church,
     A sincere thanks and much appreciation to each of those in my church family who sent cards, flowers, made visits, phone calls, and offered up prayers in my behalf at the time of my latest health problems and resulting surgery.

     Words cannot express how much it has meant to me and helped.  I give thanks to the Lord, and all of you.

     My love,

     Margaret Phillips

Thank You,
     We thank you so much for your prayers for my daughter-in-law, Shelley Steiner.  She left the hospital on New Year’s Eve.  Making very slow progress and still needs our prayers.

     Thank you, again,

     The family of Nelda Walker

Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church,
     Thanks and blessings to everyone for the lovely cards, flowers, calls, and prayers to help my recovery from my fall and broken ankle more bearable.

     Doris Forrester

Memorial Gifts Shirley Sowell J.B. & Mary Lou Pendergrass Clair & Hazel Titus Kim & Lisa Titus Honorary Gifts Mrs. & Mrs. Greg Signall Hollis & Zoë Jacobie CDC Recovery Gifts Ralph & Jan Gifford Mac Hubbard Bob & Ione Humphrey Steve Moore Jim & Dana Pool Conor Puckett Mason Puckett Howard & Glenn Eva Riggs Herman & Pattye Sawyer Paul & Jill Schreiber Ann Shelton Kim & Lisa Titus Bill & Grace Cooper CDC Recovery Gifts Melany Gifford Ralph & Jan Gifford Al & Dolores Iliya James L. Jordan Jim & Cinda Koch L.V. & Pat Massengale Steve Moore J.B. & Mary Lou Pendergrass B. J. Rhoads Herman & Pattye Sawyer Mary Simpson Sue Sullivan Linda Swanson Linda Joy Valderas Eula Watterson

The best thing about the future is that it comes only on day at a time.

Christian sympathy to the family of Shirley Sowell.  Services were held on December 22nd.

The church expresses Christian sympathy to the Lankford family upon the death of Claire.  Services were held at Sparkman Crane on January 15th.

The church expresses Christian sympathy to the Wensley family, upon the death of Merle on January 2nd.  Services were held at FPC, Garland on January 5th.

The following persons visited worship during the months of December:

Anne Odum Stoops, Michael Lane, Mario, Susan & Elissa Barone, Rachael Pearson, Lindsay Slaydon, Doug Van Wey, Bob Volker, Paul & Jill Schreiber, Roy & Vivian Sayler, Glenda Holmes, Cindy Wood, John Conley, Bill & Irene Keil, Mary Lou Miller, Ellen Smith, Ciocan Family, Roland & Dorothy Mackey, Ellen Shelton-Ritchey & Andy Richey, Leslie Durham, Raymond Maciel, Anna Guerrero, Robin & Mary Rose Fagan

The 2005 prayer chain has been updated!  If you have not received your copy, please call Mac Hubbard.

Young at Heart (for those age 55+), will have a Valentine covered dish luncheon on Friday, February 18th at 11:00 a.m.  Bring an unsigned valentine card.  The location will be announced at a later date.  Everyone is welcome.  For more information, call Clyde Forrester at 214-348-6431.

Additional opportunities: Several of us attended the Preston Hollow Presbyterian “Emeritus Program” 1st Friday luncheons in December and January.  We were invited to participate by their director, Susie Johnson.  We thoroughly enjoyed the food, fellowship and programs . Here are the next two dates.  Lunch is $8.00 per person.

February 4, 2005: First Friday luncheon speaker is Federal Judge William F. Sanderson, Jr., who will talk about past U. S. Presidents, and give us some little know facts.  For reservations, contact Jan Gifford at 214-348-8595 by Tuesday, February 1st.  Friday, March 4, 2005:  First Friday Luncheon speaker will be Cartoonist, Bill Dior.  For reservations, please call Jan Gifford at 214-348-8595 by Tuesday, March 1st.