The Messenger Newsletter

Charitable gift annuities are an additional or alternate way of providing for your church after you are gone.  An advantage to the donor is that it pays the donor an income of 6% or more annually (depending on the age of the donor), for the life of the donor.  The balance then goes to the church.

In addition to providing an income and tax advantages to the donor, the charitable gift annuity is easy to do and no attorney is required.  LHPC has been notified that three donors have made LHPC beneficiaries of gift annuities totaling $27,200 since our May workshop.

Here is a testimonial from a Lake Highlands Presbyterian Member who was one of the three annuity donors:

Dear members of LHPC:

What do you give to someone who has everything?  How many times have you asked yourself that same question?

I wanted to give something to the Father.  While I couldn’t personally deliver it, I could leave it to the church.

Notice I said “leave it.”  I did not feel satisfied with this idea.  I kept thinking the money was sitting in the bank waiting for me to die.  I prayed for guidance in this matter, and I must tell you that God has answered so many times almost instantly.  Once again the answer was almost immediate.  I heard about the Charitable Gift Annuity offered by the Texas Presbyterian Foundation.  This was the perfect solution for me.  I could feel the “rightness” of my decision.  God gets the gift through the church and the church can do his work so much more with the money than I alone could ever do.

With joy and love in my heart for all of you,

Sincerely, An Anonymous Member

To see if a charitable gift annuity is right for you, call Melinda Hunt, Director of Development, Texas Presbyterian Foundation. You will find her very knowledgeable and easy to talk with.  Melinda can be reached at Texas Presbyterian Foundation, 214-522-3155.

Fellowship Hall & Office Building:  Room partitions are being completed.  For safety reasons, no Sunday school classes, including the nursery, are being held in this building. Infants and children are welcome in worship!

Narthex:  An engineering question has held up completion of “drying in.”  That has been resolved, and work to finish all roofing should be done soon.

Sanctuary:  During renovation and updating, it seems we are using the 21st Century counterpart to the rural Texas 19th Century “tabernacle”—except that we have air conditioning. Thanks for your understanding, patience and frontier spirit.

New Education Building:  Room walls are up and textured; work continues on the floor and ceiling.

It won’t be long now!

Just to keep you up to date, the following are notes gleaned from the minutes of the stated session meeting of September 20 and the called meetings of September 5 and 12, 2004....

The Property Development Committee reported on the building construction work on Audelia Road and expressed the hope of a completion date toward the end of October or first of November.

Mention was made of the need to plan a special celebration, perhaps in November, to commemorate the conclusion of the construction work.

The Worship Committee brought two recommendations to be considered by the session, one of which was the implementation of a Contemporary Worship Service on Sunday mornings to be held in addition to our current more traditional services.  A special task force was named to search for someone to lead these services with the idea in mind of having the first of the new Contemporary Worship services when we are able to occupy the new buildings.

The Stewardship & Finance Committee outlined the need for an increase in our giving pledges in order to meet the budgetary needs.  The session was requested and each member responded by pledging an increase in their personal giving to the church.  Because Consecration Sunday was set at last month’s meeting for October 24, it was decided to cancel the 8:30 a.m. service for that Sunday in order that more might be able to attend the 10:45 a.m. services and the luncheon immediately following.

The Nominating Committee plans to present its slate of suggested nominees to the Class of 2007 to the session on Sunday, September 26, at a called meeting. Based upon that, it was decided that a congregational meeting would be called on October 17, 2004, for the purpose of the election of the Class of 2007.

The CDC Committee reported that application has been made to the appropriate agency for opening the Center at the new location and that they are awaiting a response from that agency.

The Christian Education Committee announced the resignation of Carol Greenman as Sunday School Superintendent and the appointment of Larrilee Ferguson to fill that position.

The Youth Director announced that the youth are currently holding their meetings in the homes of members.  She also announced an upcoming garage sale to be held on November 13.  The women of the church will participate in this event with a bake sale.

The Appreciative Inquiry Team announced that the team and chairs of the various program committees are planning a meeting at which they hope to name activities to be put into effect that will strengthen the mission of LHPC.

The Youth Director announced that plans for McCree Esprit are moving forward.  Everyone will be encouraged to attend and take part in this event to be held October 3.  Proceeds from the event will go to White Rock Center of Hope.

The called meetings of September 5 and 12, 2004, were held to welcome Marion Santangelo into our church family and to address the preparation of the slate of prospective nominees to the Class of 2007.

Frank Damms, the Flying Dutchman, former member of Northminster, is going to tell us whether it is true that he buried Jimmy Hoffa in 1975, under the Meadowlands Stadium.  He will also share with us his loss of employment in New Jersey because he voted for the wrong man;  but it was the best thing that ever happened to him he says, because it precipitated his eventual move to Texas.  He will also tell us about the Jackson Whites, the oldest band of Hillbillies in America, who have lived (and continue to live) in the Ramapo Mountains, just 75 miles from Times Square, since the British pursued George Washington across New Jersey.  Kay Damms will be there to keep Frank on track, so bring your wife!  Tuesday, October 12, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. at the Audelia Road Campus.

Circle l will meet Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. with the meeting place to be announced.  For information call Joni Kern at 972-412-1059.

Circle 2 will meet Oct. 19 at 9:30 a.m. at the home of Velma Smith, 10817 Palace Way.  For information call Velma at 214-328-8949 or Harriet Dingman at 214-348-2317.

Circle of Hope will meet Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. with the meeting place to be announced.  For information call Sara Secor at 214-348-7628 or Linda Swanson at 214-327-5113.

Circle of Joy will meet Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Cinda Koch’s home, 9907 Capridge Drive.  For information call Meg Richardson at 214-763-1359 or Rebeka Stephens at 214-673-4759.

Other Opportunities
Please watch for news concerning the date of the Stone Soup Luncheon and Fashion Show usually held in October.
Oct. 4: Last day to bring items to the church to be taken to Veteran’s Hospital.
Oct. 9: A dinner to benefit Brazos de Cristo will be held from 6-8 p.m. at First Presbyterian Dallas. Tickets are $10.00. Contact Jan Gifford for information.
Oct. 13: Women’s Board meeting at the home of Jan Gifford, 10802 Hayfield.
Oct. 14: Grace Presbyterian Women United Fall Gathering will be held at Northpark Presbyterian. Call Jan Gifford for information.
Oct. 15 & 16: The Village Auxillary Bazaar will be held at the Village. Women of the church are asked to bring baked goods or any hand crafted bazaar items to the church before Oct. 15th. For information call Nelda Walker.
Oct. 25: Mission Workshop will be held in Fellowship Hall with new projects planned to interest “sewers and non- sewers.”

Looking Ahead. . .
Nov. 13: The Women will have a Cake Walk and Bake Sale in connection with the Youth Garage Sale at the ARC.

Centennial Celebration
Brazos de Cristo/Arms of Christ, building on the history of Presbyterian Latin American Auxilary and the Ladies Auxiliary Union is celebrating its one hundredth year, October 9, 2004. Come and remember, celebrate and participate in the beginning of the next one hundred years.

You are invited to this special celebration, located at Byrd Hall, FPC, Dallas, 408 Park Avenue, 6:00—8:00 p.m. Tickets are $10. Please call Nelda Walker at 214-824-7685 or Joni Kern at 972-412-1059 for more information on this event.

October 3  McCree Esprit
October 10  Broom Ball with Eastminster Youth Group
October 17  Youth Fellowship

Upcoming
"Whoo-hoo The New Buildong is Here"


Music & Youth
Out of Sight --- but not out of Sound!
Just thinking that you could put away those earplugs, were you?  No, you haven’t seen or heard the Altitude band playing over the summer, but don’t let that fool you!  Church construction, equipment security issues and the difficulty in moving all of their “stuff” has had them practicing in a variety of places this summer (the Jacobies, the Kochs) but they are still at it and really revving up for next month’s performance at McCree Esprit.

We hope you’ll be there on October 3rd to hear them perform three new songs, “Cannot Hide My Love,” “Oh, Praise Him,” and if it’s ready, a rocking song from the popular Christian band Switch foot, “Dare You to Move.”  Not bad for a bunch of kids!

The band rehearses every Sunday at the Koch’s house, from 3:45 to 5:00 p.m., and will play weekly for youth group whenever possible.  (And you think YOU are anxious to get into the new building---- These guys just can’t wait!!!)

Dear LHPC Friends:
     I want to thank you so much for your prayers, cards, phone calls, and concerns during my surgery and my recovery.  Thanks to Robert M. Shelton for coming to the hospital for my surgery and keeping Bert company.  With your support and prayers I was able to make a fast recovery.  Thanks again for all the love you shared with me during this time.  My love goes out to each and every one of you.

     Nancy Hager

Dear Friends,
     Thank you for your prayers, kind thoughts, cards & beautiful flowers when my mother passed away.  These expressions were so comforting to me and my family.

     Sincerely,

     Deborah Marshall-Brown

To LHPC Members:
     I would like to express a sincere thank you to each of you who sent a birthday card to me on the occasion of my birthday last month.  I dined with many of my relatives at the Celebration Restaurant.  It was a great day and you helped make it a memorable one, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness very much.

     Love,

     Zula Rogstad

Memorial Gifts Frances McKenzie Doris Bruner Carl Nicholson Doris Bruner Honorary Gifts Doris Bruner Jack & Barbara Sudderth CDC Recovery Gifts Cal & Johnie Foster Ralph & Jan Gifford Mac Hubbard Bob & Ione Humphrey Sarah Jones Jim & Cinda Koch Pam Leutz Rich & Tammy Mackesey Steve Moore Mason Puckett Glenn Eva Riggs Herman & Pattye Sawyer Ann Shelton Ginger Williams Sammye Wood Collene Ziegenfuss

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

Congratulations and thanks to Ethelylne Richardson.  She has retired as a weekly volunteer at Presbyterian Hospital after 35 years of service.  What a record of dedication and service!

The Board of Missions of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church honored the Reverend Mrs. Mabel Esch at the General Assembly/Convention meeting in Irving, Texas.  A special recognition was the presence of Mrs. Eula Watterson of LHPC, who was the first person Mabel baptized and received into the Cumberland Presbyterian Church following her ordination in 1937 at the Bowie, Texas Cumberland Presyterian Church.

The church expresses Christian sympathy to Martha Boyd on the death of her sister, Anna Gentle.  Services were held on September 11th in McKinney.

The church expresses Christian sympathy to the Pinnell Family upon the death of Lorene’s sister, Lydia Kastner, of Lexington, Texas.

The church expresses Christian sympathy to the Heaton Family upon the death of Mason Cole Roux, premature stillborn grandson of Don and Betty, on September 14th.

“Bibles for India” needs your used bibles and/or Christian literature to send to Christians in India.  The Missions Committee will be accepting your donations through Sunday, November 7th.  The donations box will be in the Narthex.  Contact Missy Rodgers at 214-902-9935 with any questions.

The LHPC Volleyball team schedule for the month is listed below.  All games will be held at the Mesquite Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  If you have any questions, call Meg Richardson.

     Oct. 3 at 1:30 p.m.
     Oct. 10 at 1:30 p.m.
     Oct. 17 at 2:45 p.m.
     Oct. 24 at 2:45 p.m.
     Oct. 31 at 1:30 p.m.

For adults 55+
October 15th - 10:00 a.m.

Young at Heart will take a trip to the Farmers Market on Friday, October 15th. Carpooling from PRC at 10:00 a.m., and eating lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Help the CDC earn Bonus Labels between September 12 and October 23, 2004 by using your Kroger shopping cards at any of the designated locations to purchase Campbell and Pepperidge Farm products.  Save your register receipts and turn them in by placing them in the yellow box located in the foyer at the back of the sanctuary.  If you have not gotten a card yet, please pick one up at the entryway to the sanctuary.  CDC really needs and appreciates your help!  Grace Presbyterian