The Messenger Newsletter

In last month’s issue of The Messenger and in the entryway to the sanctuary aerial photos have been posted enabling you to have a bird’s eye view of the progress being made at Audelia Road.  Below is another photo that looks almost the same but really isn’t!  Despite the seemingly unceasing rain Mycon work crews have gone forward....

Forms have been laid for pouring the foundation for the new building (and while it doesn’t show in this photo, so also have the ones for half of the parking lot).

Exterior walls in the old Education Building have been demolished in preparation for expansion of the building to include the new kitchen.

The old breezeway has been demolished in preparation for the bigger narthex.

With any luck, weatherwise, framing will begin in the new Education Building by the time you receive this.

It’s true, some of this was reported to you last month, but just a comparison of the two photos will show you–PROGRESS IS BEING MADE!!  WOW!!

This year LHPC participated in Vacation Bible School for the third year with St. James Episcopal.  This year’s theme Patchwork Parables taught children to identify Christian values in books and places where God is never talked about.

Each day children learned about a new book and the Bible story that followed the same values.  They made quilt squares each day and by the end of the week they all left with their own quilt.  They also learned about different agencies in our area and took up donations for them.  These included Austin Street Shelter, Scottish Rite Hospital, Mi Escuelita Preschool and Family Gateway Center.  There were twelve participants from LHPC including children, youth and adults.

Special thanks to Brian Heil, Roger Ryan Esparza and Chris Dass who were among our oldest big brother/sister volunteers and who took on many leadership responsibilities this year.

When a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness, more and more families are seeking the help of hospice services and now a faith-based alternative to traditional hospice care is available in the Dallas area through Faith Hospice, a new non-profit hospice program created by Grace Presbyterian Village.

“After talking with many members of the community and our churches, we found there was a need for a hospice that goes beyond the traditional basic services provided by most for-profit hospices.  In addition to the usual medical and pharmaceutical interventions, Faith Hospice will find ways to enhance the quality of life for patients and to encourage a partnership with the patient’s church family,” said Godwin Dixon, Executive Director/CEO of Grace Presbyterian Village.

Hospice is a specialized form of care provided in the patient’s home or in a care center during the final months of illness.  The goal of hospice is not to cure illness, but to improve the patient’s quality of life and ensure their comfort by relieving the symptoms of their illness and assisting family members in providing care and dealing with their illnesses.  Patients can be referred to hospice during the final six months of illness and the sooner patients enter hospice care, the more that can be done to improve their quality of life and to assist family members.

Faith Hospice will provide complementary therapies and beneficial forms of care that ease pain and address the often difficult symptoms of their illnesses.  In addition, trained volunteers will work with patients to help them continue enjoying favorite activities, to try to make wishes come true and to ensure that patients and families have the support that they need.

Faith Hospice is seeking volunteers who will be trained to work with patients and family members, provide administrative support or to serve as prayer partners.  For more information about volunteer opportunities or how to refer a patient to Faith Hospice, please call Faith Hospice at 214-372-0090.

Come for an introduction to the Cathedral Window “quilting method” at the home of Martha Boyd, 9746 Chiswell (214-341-4747), on Thursday, July 22, at 10:00 a.m.

We have an unfinished quilt from Nell Enright’s estate with enough materials to add to and complete the project, hopefully for a future raffle prize for the Women’s organization.

The Cathedral Window pattern does not require the traditional quilting skills.  If you have intermediate hand sewing skills, you can do this.  Or if you’d just like to come to visit over tea or coffee with some of us who have worked on the quilt projects in the past few years, we’d love to see you.  We can supply the needles and thread—bring your own scissors and thimbles!

Just to keep you up to date, the following are notes gleaned from the session minutes of May 23 and June 16 and 21, 2004...

The CDC Recovery Team reported that they now plan to begin researching the possibility of obtaining a grant for the CDC.  It was also reported that the summer enrollment is slightly more than it was last year at this time.

The Property Development Committee reported that although the inclement weather has delayed the construction schedule to some extent, progress is being made.  The forms have been set for the building slab and for half of the parking lot.  Barring excessive rain these two areas should be poured by the time you receive this issue of The Messenger.  Once the building slab is poured, the walls will also be erected.

The session unanimously adopted the proposal of the Stewardship & Finance Committee for a planned giving program following the guidelines of the Texas Presbyterian Foundation.  More information will be forthcoming on this all- important issue.

It was noted that the Appreciative Inquiry Team met in late May with the chairs of the Program Committees and other leaders of church groups.  The committees are now charged with presenting the plan to their committees for the purpose of implementing the next phase of the program.  Each committee was assigned a liaison from the Team for this purpose.  The Missions Committee in its report stated that it has met and begun consideration of ways to implement the A-I program into their activities.

The Appreciative Inquiry Team also reported that the faith stories collected over the past year are currently being compiled into a booklet which will be distributed to the congregation in the near future.

Note was made, for the record, of the death of Mary Frances McKenzie on May 23, 2004.

Note was also made that Tamera Garibay and Ben and Ann Britt have requested removal of their names from the church rolls, having joined other churches.

The session approved the proposal that the Rev. Robert M. Shelton fill the pulpit and act as Moderator during the extended vacation of the Rev. Robert E. Shelton.  The session elected two commissioners and one alternate for the September and October presbytery meetings:  Cinda Koch will serve as Commissioner to the September PC(USA) meeting to be held in Killeen, Texas and Chuck Ramsay and Ginger Williams will serve as Commissioner and Alternate, respectively, to the October CPC meeting to be held in Ft. Worth.

On Saturday, July 31, 2004, the 26th Annual Children’s Home Softball Tournament will take place at new Hurst Athletic Complex.

This year LHPC will not be entering a team in the tournament.  But we still need your support for the Children’s Home.  Come for great softball, good food, fellowship, and lots of fun!

On Tuesday, July 13th, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. Men’s Fellowship will have the privilege of hearing Mr. Robert Gemberling speak.  Mr. Gemberling will present a concise overview of the investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.  Robert Gemberling is a former marine, a survivor of the Battle of Iwo Jima, and served as a Special Agent of the FBI for more than 30 years.

All men are welcome to come.  Bring a friend and your own meat to grill.

July 11  Roughriders Baseball Game An event for all children and youth
July 16  Youth go to Six Flags
July 18  Youth Fellowship at St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church
July 25  Youth Fellowship
August 1  Youth Fellowship
August 8  Picnic and Fun at Surf & Swim.  An event for all children and youth.
August 15  Youth Fellowship
August 21  Trip to Water Park
August 22  Youth Fellowship
August 29  Youth Fellowship

Youth News
Tierney T. received the Principal’s Award for the Highest Overall Academic Achievement in the 5th grade at Travis Vanguard for Academically Talented and Gifted Students.  Congratulations, Tierney!

Meg is busy with our Youth at summer camps.  Look for a report on all the summer activities from our Youth Director, Meg Richardson, in the September issue of The Messenger.

Dear Friends:
     Once again you have shown me what wonderful friends you are. Your many cards, gifts, and flowers during my recent illness are so appreciated. Every day I am feeling better and hope soon to be back among you. Until then, please accept my thanks and my gratitude for your love.

     With warmest regards,

     Mac Hubbard

To LHPC Members & Staff:
     My wife Sandy and I want to thank you for the support you have given us since my Mother, Mary Lee Kelly, passed away.  We appreciate the cards, the memorial gifts, your personal comments, your prayers and the food you provided for us the day of the funeral.  The food was greatly enjoyed by family, friends and neighbors at my Mother’s home that evening.      Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church was my Mother’s spiritual home and, equally important, many of you were her very good friends.  She took great pride in her term on the Session, loved the Church and loved her friends among you.  I am grateful that her life was enriched by her time with you.

     Sincerely yours,

     Bob Kelly

LHPC Members:
     The family of Frances McKenzie wishes to express deep appreciation and sincere thanks for your kind expressions of sympathy.  The basket garden of flowers was beautiful.

     Thank you,

     Babe

Dear LHPC:
     Thank you so much for the Bible I received for graduation.  I greatly appreciate it as well as all of your support throughout the years.  Thanks for thinking of me.

     Love,

     Lindsay Wyne

LHPC Friends:
     Marty, Ben, Julia & I would like to thank the congregation for the many cards and expressions of sympathy for my father’s (Don Molden) passing.  My father and mother always enjoyed visiting LHPC when they came to Dallas.  It was especially comforting to see the beautiful flowers from the church at his funeral on May 5th in Sioux City, Iowa.      Ben Halliburton write “thank you for the gift of God’s word” that he received in honor of his graduation from Lake Highlands High School.  He will be heading to Grinnell College, a small liberal arts school in Grinnell, Iowa, in August.  During his senior year Ben was honored as a National Merit Finalist and as one of the top students in his graduating class.

     Sincerely,

     Lisa Halliburton

Dr. Bob & church family:
     Thank you for all the love, prayers and support we received when my mother was in the hospital and at home recovering.  We all really appreciate it.

     Clifton & Molly (Melton)

     Griffin

Dear Church Members:
     Thank you for the bible.  I’ll take it to Nacadoches with me.

     Sincerely,

     Logan Adams

Harold Box Al & Dolores Iliya Velma Smith Buck & Katherine Buchanan Ann Shelton Frank Harden, Sr. Frank Harden, Jr. Eloise Hawthorne Marjorie Howard Molly Johnson Mac Hubbard Mary Lee Kelly Al & Dolores Iliya Kathryn Forrest Carol & Lois Potter Velma Smith Bill Rothfus Mac Hubbard Charles Smith Carl & Nelle O’Neal J.B. & Mary Lou Pendergrass Jack & Barbara Sudderth Don Molden J.B. & Mary Lou Pendergrass CDC Recovery Gifts Anonymous Bill & Martha Boyd Ralph & Jan Gifford Doug Van Wey & Carol Greenman Mac Hubbard Bob & Ione Humphrey Al & Delores Iliya Richard & Bertha Klein Eloise Love L.H. Presbyterian Women LHPC Youth Group Jack & Billie Martin L.V. & Pat Massengale Carl & Nelle O’Neal Lorene Pinnell Chuck & Maureen Ramsay Howard & Glen Eva Riggs Missy Rodgers Herman & Pattye Sawyer Sara Secor Bob & Peggy Signall Jack & Linda Swanson Rebeka Stephens Laura Taylor Marilyn Thomas Sammye Wood John & Kay Wyne

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

The church expresses Christian sympathy to The Halliburton family, upon the death of Lisa’s father, Don Molden

The church expresses Christian sympathy to the Sudderth family, upon the death of Barbara’s father, Carl Nicholson

The church expresses Christian sympathy to Marian Grubbs, upon the death of her sister, Frances McKenzie who died on June 3, 2004

The church expresses Christian sympathy to Pattye Sawyer, upon the death of Mechelle Alexander’s infant boy.

A Testimonial
In his sermon on Father’s Day, Robert E. Shelton compared the ideas expressed by an old African saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.”   To the thought “It takes a community to nurture a Christian.”  The profound truth of this statement about the Christian community fills me with gratitude for the Christian community that has nurtured me all these years.

It also fills my heart with the desire to see this Christian community continue after I am gone, providing Christian nurture to others, including those not yet born.  Leaving a portion of my assets to the church after I no long have need for them seems like a small gesture and helps fill an extremely important need.  It is almost as though I am giving the sleeves off my vest.

    —Anonymous

Testimonials about what the church means to you and why deferred giving is important to you are welcomed in this space, either over your name or anonymously.  Please submit your articles to the church office.

The church office has recently received a communiqué from the Worldwide Ministries Division of the PC (USA) which carries a letter from Scott Satterfield.  Scott, who grew up in the former Northminster congregation, and his wife are serving in the mission field in Thailand.  A copy of this communiqué is posted in the narthex if you would like to read Scott’s latest news from Thailand.

Meals on Wheels  The pick-up location for our meals beginning in July is at White Rock Methodist Church on Old Gate Lane.

August 10th is the deadline for the September Newsletter.

July 14th is the date for the joint Blood Drive with Highlands Christian Church.  Contact the church office at 214-348-2133 for more information.

The CDC and MDO would like to thank all of you for helping us to continue serving the children and families of our community. We are having a fun summer so far and have a few more happy children than we did last year at this time.

For adults 55+
July 16th 11:00 a.m.

Meeting at the Gifford’s, 10802 Hayfield.  Please bring your sack lunch.  Drinks and dessert will be furnished.  This will be a planning session for our August meeting.

ACT 2004
21st Century Discipleship: Reaching, Nurturing, Sending September 24-25, Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church, Keynote Speaker: Dr. Thomas Long.  These seminars and workshops are a great opportunity to learn about new things to bring back to the church or just to grow spiritually.  Check out information at www.gracepresbytery.com.  Or pick up a brochure available at the ARC or church office.  For more information contact Meg Richardson at the church office.

ACT II 2004
“If You’re Hungry Why Wait?”, September 25 5PM-8PM, Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church, Featuring: Jonathan Oglesbee- Keynote, Steve Price- “Dr. Energizer”, Rob Alexander- Music Leader.  An event for Jr. High/Sr. High youth and sponsors.  Come for fantastic worship, food, fun and fabulous music!