DCPC
Faith and Families Newsletter
February 16, 2018

In this Issue:
Letter from Robert
Beautiful Things
Dear Friends,
              Yesterday was the beginning of the Lenten season. It was Ash Wednesday. It was also a day for another school shooting. On the day when we heard the words, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” seventeen high school students lost their lives. It happens too often and I fear that people are becoming numb to it. I remember hearing the concern among adults when I was young that violent movies and images and games would desensitize us to the horrors of real-world violence. Have we become desensitized?
              We spoke about the shooting around the dinner table. We also spoke of the loss of another life to suicide this week at Hough High School. And I worry that our children are faced with more real-life horror than I ever did. How can I remind them that life isn’t meant to be this way ? How can I teach them this isn’t normal ? God didn’t create the world or design humanity to function this way. Jesus came to remind us how we are to live and how we are to treat one another and he was killed for it. But he spoke the truth. He was the truth. He is the Truth. And he said “the truth will set you free.”
              The Bible teaches that God takes the brokenness of our shattered lives, families, and communities and brings good from them. Are we, as parents, able to help our children recognize the beautiful in the midst of the broken? Are we able to impart faith which offers hope in the midst of the disturbing news of school shootings, suicides, domestic violence, and sexual assault? Our Lenten Journey reminds us of our mortality and our frailty and it also draws us into the Truth that we are God’s own and God creates beautiful things from the dust and brokenness of our lives.
              Gungor’s song Beautiful Things has a way of speaking this truth to me that inspires. Here is a link to the music video. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is6weMrenls ) I hope you will watch it, listen to it, and share the truth of its message so that we might offer this hope to a world in pain. 


To God be the Glory!
Robert
UPCOMING STUFF
For Parents: Playing for Keeps-
WILL NOT MEET THIS SUNDAY
On many Sunday evenings at 5:30 parents are invited to gather in the DCPC Parlor with the goal of helping us regain some balance in priorities and invest wisely in our children over the course of time. Parents Group meets 5:30-6:30 pm in the parlor (or get started with dinner at 5 pm). You can find some other great resources for regaining balance by   clicking here .
Mission Opportunities
Habitat for Humanity – DCPC House! - Join us on one of the Saturday’s coming up this spring to help us build our next Habitat House! DCPC has accepted the challenge of providing a minimum of 12 volunteers for the following dates: March 3, March 24. April 21, May 5, and May 19. Volunteer work days are from 7:45 am until 1:00 pm. You can sign up to volunteer at https://volunteerup.com . Once you log in, you will be able to go to the column for 9814 Psalms and select the dates you want to help. You will also be able to see the type of work that is scheduled for each work day. A different type of work is planned for each day so hopefully there will be something that interests you. Volunteering on these construction projects is a very rewarding activity. We hope to see you at the site.
Spring Break PDA Mission Trip - April 2-6, 2018 – Columbia, SC. Families are invited to consider spending their spring break in service to others. Greg and Holly Moton, along with their two children, are leading a trip to work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in Columbia, SC. Children need to be age 14 or older. If you would like to learn more about this mission opportunity, please contact Holly Moton at hollymoton@bellsouth.net or 704-604-8426. 
Nicaragua Partnership Trip – This summer we will return to visit our partners in Kilambe, Nicaragua June 15-23. The trip is open to those who have completed the 9 th grade through adulthood. Would you like to join us this year? Come to an Information Session this coming Sunday (February 4 th ) at 12:15 pm (right after 11 a.m. worship) in the DCPC Parlor and learn more or contact Robert Alexander at ralexander@dcpc.org .


If there are concerns or joys that you would like to have listed here please email me at ralexander@dcpc.org  so that we might keep one another in prayer.

Mike Briggs – Mike is the stepfather of Stephanie Shryock. He is recovering from a recent stroke.

Family of Colin Bryan – We pray for Col and his family following the death of his father.

Leslie Everett – Leslie is the father of Libby Smith. He is hospitalized and in serious condition.

Judy Gabel – Judy is the mother of Meredith Harris. She is recovering from a recent shoulder injury.

Margaret Jones – Margaret is the mother of Kelly Pharr. She has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Michelle Malushizky – Michelle is David’s sister-in-law. She has Stage 4 liver cancer and is also recovering from a very serious infection.

Yvonne Miller – Yvonne is Michele Houck’s mother. She has been in the hospital with pneumonia and is now back home.

Jeff Osman – We continue to pray for Jeff and his family as he awaits a possible liver transplant.

Sheila Spack – Sheila is the mother of Steve Chaffin. She is hospitalized with several health concerns.

Bart Tritch – Bart is Rachel Lewis’ brother. He has been dealing with a number of health concerns and is currently hospitalized.
Davidson College Presbyterian Church
PO Box 337
Davidson, NC 28036
704-892-5641 www.dcpc.org