THE NEWSLETTER    Vol 52, No. 14                                         April 3, 2019
You can always visit us on the web at www.parkwaypc.org and find us on facebook.

Parkway Joins the Vital Congregations Initiative
The Vital Congregations Initiative is a new program from the Theology, Formation and Evangelism Program of the Presbyterian Church. "The purpose of the Vital Congregations Initiative is to work alongside leaders of existing congregations continually assessing, discerning and living into faithful actions that increase vitality through intentional spiritual practices that take them deeper into following Jesus Christ, so that their own lives are changed, congregations are transformed and the mission of God spreads throughout particular communities and the world."
 
Recent research has identified seven qualities of vital congregations:
  1. Lifelong Discipleship Formation
  2. Intentional Authentic Evangelism
  3. Outward Incarnational Focus
  4. Empowering Servant Leadership
  5. Spirit-Inspired Worship
  6. Caring Relationships
  7. Ecclesial Health
The Revitalization Initiative is a two-year covenant relationship between Presbyteries
and the PC(USA) to prayerfully walk with pastors and existing congregations in intentional  efforts of revitalization. Year 1 builds authentic relationships of faith. Churches will embark  on an honest assessment, capturing their unique stories, confessing their realities, and  discerning the Spirit's call to action. Year 2 is about joining Christ in the new thing taking place, allowing the wonder of God to transform, and faithfully living into change.
 
The first step is a four-day training event being held in Denver in May that Allen Mosiman will attend.
 
Parkway is a vital congregation already and the hope of the Session is that participation in this program will help identify "best practices" that we might incorporate into our life together to further advance the work of the gospel.



Session Highlights
 
The following business was completed by the Session at its March meeting.
  • Voted to join the Vital Congregations Initiative of the General Assembly. (See lead article for more details.)
  • Approved Norman Wilcox to chair the Endowment Committee.
  • Laura Neely Villarreal expressed thanks for the many people who helped make her wedding a truly blessed day.
  • Approved funding the Mission Trip to Guatemala in July. This includes paying a portion of every team members registration fee, helping with some airfare costs, providing $1,000 for curriculum at Hope Academy, and $1,000 for use by the team if a need arises during the mission trip.
  • Provided $100 scholarship for each of five children to attend summer camp at John Knox Ranch.
  • A new estimated cost for the renovation of Fellowship Hall is awaiting design work by a structural engineer.
  • Staff Oversight Committee is working on a policy providing for a Sabbatical for pastors. The committee is also revising the current Parental Leave Policy.
  • Worship Committee reported that Frances Wolter has stepped down as the coordinator of the Chancel Guild. The Session instructed the Clerk to send a letter of thanks to Frances for her dedicated work.

 
Dodson Moorman Circle 
Will meet Tuesday, April 9, at 9:30 in the Garden Room. The study book is God's Promise: I Am With You, Barbara Leal will lead us in discussing chapter eight, God with Us as the Holy Spirit.  Primary scripture is John 14:1-31. All are welcome!
One Great Hour of Sharing, Palm Sunday | April 14th


Click here to watch a 2019 One Great Hour of Sharing video. 

Here is a big question: What is "the church?" As the wider culture becomes less traditionally religious, the church - something we share as a congregation and individually hold dear in our hearts - becomes less understood, or misunderstood, by many. Like it or not, it's a fact. And as hard as it is to admit, sometimes we too fall into the trap of reducing "the church" to the buildings where people gather on Sunday mornings. But let's move past that idea of buildings, of structures.
 
Many of us learned in our childhoods that "the church" is the people - it is you and me. The church is the people who come through the doors to worship. But it is something more. The church's makeup may be determined by opening its doors and welcoming people, but the church's identity is defined by opening its doors and joining with the most vulnerable of God's children in the world.
 
It is through One Great Hour of Sharing that Presbyterians come together to open our doors to become the church with all the people we see. We open our doors to join those dependent on outsiders for food, those who now receive seeds and silos to sustain a future for their children and communities; to partner with those whose land and livelihoods are threatened and who now receive legal aid and protection for the land that is rightfully theirs; and to work alongside those whose homes and loved ones have been lost to a catastrophic event, offering hands to help rebuild and prayers to help restore. Let us open our doors, again and again, to see the vulnerable we've been called to stand with and to serve. Let us open our doors, again and again, to share through this offering the love of Christ by ministries of justice, compassion, and joy.
 
One Great Hour of Sharing will be received on Palm Sunday, April 14th. Please give generously.


Getting the Word Out
...that the church was without power.

Nature from time-to-time makes it necessary to adjust our plans. Last Sunday, it was a cold front and high winds that caused a power outage. The company that monitors the church alarm system first contacted me about the outage at 12:30 a.m. and then again at 5:30 a.m. Ben was at the church to begin the Sunday morning preparations and noted the loss of power at 7:30.

I got to the church a little after 8:00 and a quick check of the building confirmed that the classrooms were too dark for reading using only the ambient light. The same was true for the sanctuary. Without electricity the heating system wasn't working so the building was cooling off as well.

By 8:30, Laura and I were able to send text messages from our smart phones to most of the teachers to let them know that Sunday school was cancelled, and we asked them to contact their students.

AEP has an "Outage map" complete with estimated repair times. The outage map indicated that power would not be restored to the church until 12:30 p.m. Laura used both Facebook and Realm to post a notice that we were cancelling worship. I sent text messages to Iris and Joyce, who then contacted the members of the choir. About 10:35 the power was restored, but it was then too late to effectively change plans.

For the most part, people got the message. However, we learned that we don't have a clear procedure for sending out notifications. No system is going to be 100% effective, but we will be working on a process to ensure that we can get important information from the church to you in a timely manner.

If you would, take a moment and e-mail me ( allen@parkwaypc.org ) and tell me how you learned of the power outage and cancelled service, or tell me what would be the most effective way to contact you if the situation arises.


The Nominating Committee is looking for a few great Ruling Elders! 
Electing Ruling Elders is both a privilege and responsibility as members of Parkway Presbyterian Church. Please pray about those whom you think God is calling to the next class of Ruling Elders. Look for an inserted nomination form in the Order of Worship for the next Sunday - April 7th and write down your nomination(s). Nominations will then be collected with the offering. You may also email the committee chair and/or co-chair with your nomination: Chair Kellie Jarvis at  kelliejar@gmail.com and Co-Chair Lou Lambiotte at  lou.geology@gmail.com.

Endowment Funds and Grant Applications
The Parkway Presbyterian Church Endowment Fund annually awards grant funds in three areas: education, benevolences, and capital improvements. These funds are distributed roughly in thirds to each designated area. This year the Endowment Committee has nearly $12,000 available for distribution.
 
Grant applications are available from the church office. Applications should be completed and returned to the church office by April 30th. A Distribution Task Force will make a recommendation to the Session. The Session will vote on the distribution of funds at its May meeting and the funds will be distributed thereafter.

Click here to download Endowment Grant Request form.

Easter Food Baskets
On Sunday, April 7th, grocery bags will be available in the narthex for those who will volunteer to take a bag and fill it for a needy family. A list of items to be purchased will be attached to each bag.  Hams and produce will be purchased to supplement the baskets.  Cash donations, which will be used to purchase the hams and produce, will also be accepted.

  As God has blessed us, let us be His instruments for blessing others.                  
                



Women of the Word Bible Study - Every Tuesday at Noon
Bring your lunch or come without a lunch, either is fine.  
Call or email any questions to  Nancy Graves . 
All women are welcome to join us. 
 

For Lent, we are reading, "Because of This I rejoice," by Max Vincent. 

Schedule: 
April 9    Ch5
April 16 Lent Ch 6 and Conclusion
              

The PCHAS, Presbyterian Children home, likes to give a gift to the moms that they serve for Mother's Day.  They were thinking 
about toiletries for this year.  I think this would be a good mission project for our group.  Can you all pick up some shampoo, lotion, soap or whatever else would make a nice gift to a mom for mother's day?  Let's do this in the next couple weeks and have it complete by mid-April.
 
Request from the Worship Committee
Parkway Presbyterian Church is asking for proposals for centerpieces for the Communion Table. Proposals will be reviewed by the Worship committee for size and theological appropriateness.  Please submit your proposals to the church office by 
June 1, 2019.
 
El Divino Salvador Clothes Closet
As you are doing your Spring cleaning, please remember that we will be taking donations of clothes, including shoes, in the narthex on Sunday, April 14 to be given to El Divino Salvador Presbyterian Church's clothes closet.  El Divino is located in a low income neighborhood and opens its clothes closet to the community around them.  Thank you for helping those  in need.
Mark Your Calendars for the Bloodmobile!
Sunday, April 28th 8:00 AM - 5 PM

Did you know that approximately 85% of the blood collected by the Coastal Bend Blood Center comes from community blood drives? We will have a community drive at Parkway on April 28th. The bloodmobile will be parked outside the church ready to receive donations before and after Sunday school and worship. You need to bring a photo I.D. to participate. No need to sign up. Please help us give the gift of life.


Parkway Rummage Sale Date:  May 18 
Time for spring cleaning, decluttering, and getting more useful space in our homes.   Please donate your usable or re-usable items to Parkway for the Rummage Sale Fund Raiser.    Dates to donate items are May 4th through May 18th. Questions? Please email  Nancy or call (361) 443-6567



Children's Fellowship 

Lenten Workshops available on Sunday starting at 4:00.
Music - Joyce Wilcox - April 7th


Acolytes
Acolytes have a l ong history in the church. They perform the very important function to bring the light of God into the sanctuary at the beginning of each worship service and carry the light of God out into the world at the end of each service.  Would your child be willing to serve?  Please   click here   to  sign up to commit to dates for service.  It is a great way to be involved in their church!  
April 7 -- April 13

Sunday -- Communion
  9:30 Sunday School
10:55 Worship
12:00 Communion to the Farthest Pew
  4:00 Lenten Workshop
 
Monday
12:00 Sweet Surrender Sisters 
            Reunion Group
  4:00 Musikgarten
  7:00 Properties Committee Meeting
 
Tuesday
  9:30 PW Dodson Moorman Circle
  9:30 Staff Meeting
10:00 Musikgarten
12:00 WOW Bible Study
  5:30 Worship Committee Meeting
  6:30 Sweet Adelines/Sparkling City
             Chorus
  6:30 Darn Yarn Group
  7:00 Events and Fellowship Committee
             Meeting
  
Wednesday
  9:15 Musikgarten
  4:00 Turquoise Table
  5:30 Book Discussion Group
  6:15 Handbells Rehearsal
  7:15 Choir Practice
             
Thursday
  9:00 Pyrography Classes
  1:00 Bridge
  5:30 Mission Outreach Committee
              Meeting
     
Friday 
  4:45 Loaves and Fishes
  8:00 Coastal Bend Woodturners
            Assoc. 
10:00 C.C. Music Teachers Association

 
Loaves and Fishes (Metro Ministries)
Loaves & Fishes is a free cafeteria that serves nutritious dine-in meals for the homeless, poor, working poor, disabled, and elderly. This program provides lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. Parkway has committed to serving in the soup kitchen every Friday, from 4:45 to 6 pm. A food handler's permit is required and quite easy to obtain. If you would like to participate in this ministry, contact Irene Jones.

April 5
Ed Jones
Irene Jones

Sign up will be available on April 7th.

April 12
Ann Bolton-Brownlee
Anne Veech

Prayer Concerns
If you would like to be a part of the prayer chain to lift up concerns of the congregation, contact Karen Wesson at 815-2099 to be added to the distribution list. You can also go to  www.parkwaypc.org.
                                                                                      
Evie Weatherbie
Judy Forbes Shana Lipstreu Dallas Marek 
Mandy Kellar
June and Les Baker
Billie Franklin
Carol Scott
Elizabeth Falk Pat Crocker Dick McCracken Sunny Stevens Napier 
Susan Yankee (mother of Mike Yankee)