Pastor's Pen: Looking for a Hero

In 1938, two high school students from Cleveland had a vision for a comic hero.  He had super strength, super speed, and super senses.  The character resonated with the public, and Superman was born.  Since that time, a thousand heroes in tights have bloomed.  Whether they are women or men, aliens or mutants, or even wizards or robots, they all have one thing in common.  Each has powers and abilities far beyond us mortals.

In the early days, the assumption was that superheroes used their powers for “truth, justice, and the American way.”  However, since then we have grown cynical.  Power, we realize, has its own temptations.  This isn’t a new revelation.  In fact, it is as old as the tempting of Adam and Eve.  The serpent whispers, “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).

In 1962, Stan Lee created a comic character struggling to make the transition between adolescence to adulthood.  Due to a bite from a radioactive spider, the awkward teenager must deal with incredible powers thrust upon him.  “With great power,” we are told, “comes great responsibility.”  Jesus himself will similarly declare two thousand years earlier, “To whom much is given, much will be expected” (Luke 12:48).

We don’t have x-ray vision or the ability to sling webs, but we are blessed.  Our talents and abilities are formidable.  How do we avoid temptation?  How do we reject exploitation or the abuse of power?  How can we be gifted yet humble?

The model for us is Jesus.  Jesus came and walked with us.  He listened to God, trusting in God’s word.  He spoke out against injustice.  He faced danger with courage.  Jesus continues to love us with a sacrificial love.  Moreover, Jesus offers these gifts to us.  “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these” (John 14:12).  If we are looking to be a hero, we need to look to Jesus.

From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on June 18-22, our children will be exploring what it means to be a hero at Ardmore Presbyterian Church’s Vacation Bible School.  Exploring the stories of the Old and New Testament, we will be looking for Jesus.  Through games, crafts, and lessons, we learn what it means to follow him.  Check out www.ardmorepres.org for more information. 

Grace & Peace,

James Hodsden

REGISTER ON-LINE FOR VBS HERE.

Welcoming Rev. Dave Hackett to APC

This weekend we welcome David Hackett from the Seattle area as our main speaker at the fourth annual Spiritual Enrichment Retreat.  In writing about himself, Dave says...

I work with Phill Butler and a small set of others as global partnership specialists based in Edmonds, WA at www.visionsynergy.net. My focus includes, first, advising international Muslim-outreach related networks (to my joy) such as the Arabian Peninsula Network, the Southend Partnership, and the Libya Partnership; and secondly, advising networks promoting collaboration among those doing international evangelism online, such as the Muslim Internet Evangelism Network, the Turkey Internet Evangelism Network, the Internet Evangelism Coalition for Africa, Internet Evangelism Day, and more.

I spent childhood years in Saudi Arabia where my father was pastor to expats, which embedded my love for Muslims and Arabs. I served as a Presbyterian missionary (Volunteer in Mission), teaching English and Economics at a Presbyterian university in Korea from 1979-1981. (My uncle and aunt are Dr. Samuel and Eileen Moffett, career missionaries in Korea and professor emeritus at Princeton Seminary. They influenced me greatly.) My seminary work was at Fuller Seminary and Oxford University. I was ordained a PCUSA pastor in 1985 and had pastoral calls as mission pastor for eight years in two large churches in Tulsa OK and Bellevue WA, and then shifted for 12 years with Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship, coordinating Presbyterian mission work among UPGs, serving as executive director there. In 2003 I was on the founding board of visionSynergy with Phill Butler and in 2005 shifted over from PFF to visionSynergy to become a staff member. visionSynergy advises networks and equips the global Church in mission partnership. My wife Sandy is also a Presbyterian pastor and we live in Bothell, WA with our youngest daughter (of three) still at home.

 Here are some articles that Dave has recently written....

1.      Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism, Cape Town 2010 “Conversations” (Partnership Subject Matter Specialist) 

a.       Networks benefit by bringing together practitioners from a variety of approaches
b.      "Partnership" in Major Global Mission Declarations
c.       The Four Key Questions of Collaboration
d.      Nurturing a Culture of Exchange
e.       Are You a Network Owner or a Network Steward?
f.       A Partnership of Two is Inherently Unstable
g.      Sure-fire ways to kill a partnership
h.      On-the-Grounders Missing Media-Generated Inquirers
i.        Crossing the Will/Skill Divide

j.        Partnerships: Scarcity-minded or Abundance-minded?

2.      Lausanne World Pulse Magazine

a.       Global Internet Users Present Vast Opportunities for Online Evangelism
b.      Casting a Global Net
c.       Partnering in Mission: A Better Way to Change the World

3.      Christian Leadership Alliance Magazine

a.       Working Together—It's a God Idea

4.      The Mission Exchange “eXcelerate” Magazine

a.       Equipping the Next Generation for Collaboration
b.      Linking Arms for a Common Cause

5.      Christian Web Trends

a.       Internet Evangelism Idea #15: 3 Creative Ideas from the Non-Western World

6.      Cause Collaboration Course (MA/PhD-level Course curriculum)

a.       The Sub-Saharan Technology Evangelism Movement (a fictional teaching story presented as a model for the main course assignment) (available on request to dhackett@visionsynergy.net)

7.      Quoted or Interviewed In

a.       Adeney, Miriam. “Kingdom Without Borders: The Untold Story of Global Christianity”, InterVarsity Press
b.      Petersen, Jonathan. “Mobile, Glocal & Evangelism”, Lausanne World Pulse Magazine
c.       von Buseck, Craig. “Netcasters: Using the Internet to Make Fishers of Men”, B&H Publishing
d.      Whittaker, Tony. “The Twenty-first Century Roman Road–Signposts along the Way”, Lausanne World Pulse 

8.  Also if you get a chance, read his blog from a few years ago.

9.  Or follow Dave Hackett today on Twitter.

Introducing Patty Rich, Director of Youth and Children Ministries

Good Afternoon, Here's an update on our efforts to find a new Director of Youth and Children Ministries.

Kristen Thomas - Clarke When Kristen Thomas-Clarke informed me last August that she found a library position with the Kimberton Waldorf School, I was very sorry that she would be stepping down as our Director of Christian Education. Although she was not trained as a Christian educator, Kristen was competent and organized. From VBS to the Sunday School Program, she always had the best interests of our children and youth in mind. Ardmore Presbyterian Church is immensely grateful for the work that she did here. Nonetheless, Kristen had been waiting to find a library position for a long time. This is a great opportunity for her to use her talents to the fullest. Anne Foote In order to prevent the loss of momentum in our ministry, we approached Anne Foote to serve as an interim director. Currently the director of APC's Preschool, Anne has also served as Director of Christian Education in the past, and she was gracious enough to agree. She has worked very hard these last few months, especially considering that her husband Gren had some health issues during the same time. Anne is incredibly creative, and she brought that excitement and whimsy to the job. The Ardmore Presbyterian Church is especially thankful for the time and effort she gave to our youngest members. An Opportunity and a Difficult Decision Rather than simply filling the position, the Christian Education Committee and the session took a wiser course. They considered the vacancy as an opportunity to step out in faith. They redefined the position, looking at how we could expand our ministry to children and youth. During the recent stewardship campaign, several members of the congregation increased their giving in support of this decision. I am very grateful that this congregation remains invested in these ministries. After redefining and securing funding for the position, we had the hard task of finding the right person for the job. We reached out to potential candidates through our newsletter, the Philadelphia Presbytery, Eastern University and Palmer Seminary. We had a number of qualified candidates who applied, including some from our congregation. We should be thankful that our congregation has such a wealth of talented people. The decision was a difficult one, but we have hired Patty Rich as our new Director of Children and Youth Ministries. Patty Rich Patty has served as a ruling elder at the Marple Presbyterian Church in Newtown Square. She is also finishing her Masters of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. Prior to her training at the seminary, she served as a middle school and high school teacher at Marple Newtown School District. Over the years she has also volunteered her time working with youth in extracurricular activities such as directing musicals and producing dramas. Patty is married, and she has three adult children.

Over the next few weeks, please take the time to introduce yourself to Patty. Talk to her about our church and the wonderful opportunity we have to share God's love with our children. Then, pray about how you might get involved. Grace and Peace, James Hodsden Senior Pastor, Ardmore Presbyterian Church

Job Opening: Director of Youth and Children Ministry

Please pass this information to those who might be interested.

The Ardmore Presbyterian Church in Ardmore, Pennsylvania is seeking a part-time Director of Youth and Children Ministry. The Director reports to the Senior Pastor and maintains key relationships with staff and lay leaders. The Director oversees and develops ministry to our children and youth. In addition, the Director provides for the recruitment and training of all volunteers in these ministries. The part-time position assumes 20 hours a week. For a job description, click here.

Apply by sending a resume to admin@ardmorepres.org.

Minute for Stewardship: Director of Youth and Children Ministry

presented in worship on November 6, 2011...

Good morning.

As members of the congregation, we all make a promise to our children at their Baptism:

Do we the members of the Church of Jesus Christ, promise to guide and nurture [this child] by word and deed, with love and prayer, encouraging this child to know and follow Christ and to be a faithful member of his Church

I am here this morning as a child of this church who was baptized and confirmed here and attended Sunday School and Youth Fellowship. As a mother, I volunteered as a Sunday School teacher for 20 years and for the last 9 years, I have participated as a member of the CEC. The education of our children and youth are very important to the future of our congregation. As the leader of the Christian Education Committee and as a member of this congregation who contemplates my stewardship responsibilities at this time each year, just as we all do, I would like to share with you our need, as a congregation to financially support the expanded role of our Director of Youth and Children Ministries.

As you know, our Christian Education director, Kristen Thomas-Clarke, moved on in September to a new position in her field of library sciences, and we need to fill her position. Kristen’s position was officially compensated for 10 hours a week. She also volunteered many additional hours. This position is responsible for recruiting, training and leading a small army of 20-30 volunteers to teach our children and run their fellowship activities. This position is also responsible for selecting our educational materials, developing materials for our annual Spiritual Enrichment Retreat and Vacation Bible School. This position also participates as a member of the Christian Education Committee.

After reviewing the job responsibilities, and thoughtful and prayerful discussion, the Christian Education Committee recommended to the Session that to effectively keep our promise to “encourage our children to know and follow Christ and to be a faithful member of his Church” we need to expand and strengthen the children and youth program offerings. In order to accomplish this, we need to increase the hours of this role by adding 10 hours a week to the Director of Youth and Children Ministries. . . . . . . .taking it to a 20 hour a week position.

 At their August Session meeting, the Session approved the job description for the Director of Youth and Children Ministries voting to increase the hours of the Director position from 10 hours a week to 20 hours a week. At the September Session meeting, Session agreed to increase the compensation commensurate with the increase in hours.

To attract a candidate that has an education and experience in Youth ministries, we need to offer a competitive compensation package.  This commitment will result in a total of 20 hours a week and an increase to our budget of $10,000/year for a total compensation package of $20,000/year. We believe that 20 hours/week will meet the needs of our congregation and that this compensation level is in line with comparable positions elsewhere in the Presbytery.

As members of this congregation, we have a responsibility to support the programs that are critical to the success of our ministries. We do this by volunteering and by our financial support. Each of us needs to give prayerful thought to how we can best contribute to Ardmore Presbyterian’s ministries. $10,000 is a lot of money to raise, but think about it this way. . . That’s only $1.60 per week from each family in the church.  Without this additional support, the funding would have to be allocated from other areas within the church that also depend upon our membership’s stewardship for their ministries and programs.   

As you consider your stewardship commitment for the coming year, please consider increasing your pledge and including in that increase $1.60 a week to fund the compensation of this critical position.

The Christian Education Committee prays for you as you weigh the importance of this need to the future of the Ardmore Presbyterian Church.

Thank you.

Kathy Toal

Moderator, Christian Education Committee

Wednesday PLUS Starts Again on September 14

Dear APC Parents,

I look forward to a new year of Children's Choir as part of APC's "Wednesday PLUS" program.

I hope you read Anne Foote's letter of invitation.  As Interim Director of Christian Education, Anne will direct the activity portion of Wed. PLUS, using "Journey to Jerusalem," which has been very popular with children through many years.

Presently I estimate 15 singers in the choir, which is very good.  Fifth graders are more numerous than usual, which might allow me to push the envelope on musical challenges.  We are blessed again with the assistance of Mrs. Giese and Mrs. Hoelscher.

Please remember this is the year for the three-church choral festival (alternates years with the musical).  The adults will sing Brahms "Requiem" and the children/youth will sing anthems TBD.  Please save Sunday, March 25, 3:00 p.m. (festival) plus the previous morning (rehearsal) in your schedule.

Our first singing date in worship is October 16 (introit with youth choir).  We will also sing in the 13th annual Reformation Sunday three-choir anthem (Oct 30, Rutter's "Look at the World," see the video below).  You will receive a complete list of singing dates ASAP.

See you soon!

Gary Garletts

VBS: Media Wrap-Up

Thank God for a wonderful Vacation Bible School this year.  We traveled to Narnia to hear the story of God's sacrifice for us.  The local media covered our time.  Here is a media wrap-up:

...from the Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood Patch:

NARDMORNIA?  THE LION, THE WITCH, AND 'KINGS AND QUEENS'

...from the Main Line Media News:

ARDMORE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH WRITES ITS OWN NARNIA PROGRAM FOR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

There is a write-up with each video.  We all had a fun time.

2011 Summer Adult Sunday School

Conversations on Faith and Life
8:45 am to 9:45 Mill Creek Room

July 10: Isn't the Bible a Myth? Hasn't science disproved Christianity?

July 17: How can you say there is one way to God? What about other religions?

July 24: What gives you the right to tell me how to live my life? Why are there so many rules?

August 7: Why does God allow suffering? Why is there so much evil in the world?

August 14: Why is the Church responsible for so much injustice? Why are Christians such hypocrites?

August 21: How can God be full of love and wrath at the same time? How can God send good people to hell?

Each session will begin with a 20-minute video in which Tim Keller (a Presbyterian pastor in New York City and author of Prodigal God) interacts live and unscripted with folks he has just met as they share their beliefs and their thoughts about the above objections to Christianity. Following the video we will continue to discuss together that week's objection. Our goal is not to arm ourselves with arguments and answers to counter these objections but to learn how to engage others in conversations about life and faith with sensitivity, gentleness, humility, and respect, whether in the context of a friendship or a group setting. Each week is a separate unit so feel free to join us when you are not on vacation as we learn together about our faith and the ways we and other people think about it. Child care is available but please call the office by Tuesday of the weeks you will need it.

THANK YOU FOR A GREAT VBS

This summer we entered the land of Narnia to learn about the story of God's love.  It wouldn't have happened without the great work of lots of volunteers and the leadership of our Christian Education Director, Kristen Thomas-Clarke.  Thank you so much for your dedication to our children.

Sunday Surprise for July 2011 - Young Children in Worship

Sunday School remains an important part of the Christian education program here at the Ardmore Presbyterian Church.  It is one of the ways in which our community keeps the vows we make at the baptism of our children.  As a result, we are excited to offer a special Summer Surprise for the ages of 4 to10 on the first four Sundays in July of 2011.

Led by Carol Shih and the APC youth, our children will be experiencing four Montessori-based Sunday school sessions from a curriculum called “Young Children in Worship.” This unique approach to Sunday morning learning concentrates on community building and on spiritual formation. Young Children in Worship does not approach Christian education through a school model, but rather focuses on nurturing both spiritual community and the inner spiritual life of children -- by patterning its sessions after Christian worship. This curriculum conceives of Christian education as learning about God through worship experiences, not lessons. Children learn about God by experiencing God through hearing and responding to Bible stories in a liturgical context.

Developed out of this Christian framework, Young Children and Worship is a wonderful way to help children apply the gospel of grace to their own lives.

The sessions are structured in the four-part format of Presbyterian worship:

1. Gathering: children dial down and are invited one-by-one to enter meditatively into the worship space.

2. Hearing the Word: a Bible story is beautifully told with carefully crafted figurines and props (created by APC Youth).

3. Responding to the Word: children first meditate with each other about the story through “I wonder” questions; then respond privately to the story with expressive art; finally the children have the “Feast,” or a communal snack.

4. Sending Out: each child is given a special blessing as they leave to be God's disciples in their homes, schools, and activities.

Important Note: Because the dismissal is an integral part of the four part worship, we ask that parents wait outside the room until the children are given their individual blessings and sent out.

We look forward to the privilege of entering with our children into this experience of worship and learning. We pray you have a blessed summer.

James Hodsden, Senior Pastor

Kristen Thomas Clarke, Director Christian Education

Carol Shih

Sherina Poorman

APC Youth

Pastor's Pen: Wild About Harry

"Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love."
--1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Plans are well underway for the Ardmore Presbyterian Church’s 2010 Vacation Bible School. The games, the crafts, the stories and the music have been a wonderful tradition at our congregation. Both volunteers and the children have great fun. For a few hours each day, the participants escape into the world of imagination. They might step into a wild West town, a space station, or a medieval castle, but the setting never detracts from the important lessons about the good news of Jesus Christ.

If you haven’t heard by now, this year we will be exploring our faith using the stories of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Recreating a school for wizards in our Fellowship Hall might seem a strange way for the church to teach about the faith. When the books first arrived on the scene, some Christian groups condemned the stories as invitations to the real world of the occult and witchcraft. Since then, positive reviews of the books and movies have shown up in Christianity Today. Other authors such as John Granger have explored the Christian themes and symbolism found in the tales of Harry. Rowling, herself, has acknowledged that her own Christian faith has influenced the writing of the books.

We do need to acknowledge that magic is condemned in the Scriptures, and it is true that the occult seduces many into a spiritual bondage. However, the magic of Harry Potter is instrumental, not supernatural. Harry Potter does not call down spiritual forces. Instead, his magic is a tool or an ability that works in his world like technology does in our own. In that way, the magic of Harry Potter is similar to the force of Star Wars, the x-ray vision of Superman, or the magic of Cinderella’s fairy godmother.

Rowling has created a world where choices have consequences. The courage to stand with the right is honorable, and wickedness is condemned. Love and friendship are celebrated, and the theme of resurrection echoes throughout the books. G.K. Chesterton once praised fairy tales because they give children the idea that evil can be defeated. He writes, ”The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.” Soon we realize that the fairy tale is reflecting the light rather than generating it, and we open ourselves to the true source of light.

Join us June 28 through July 2 for this year’s “A Journey in Faith with Harry Potter”. More information and registration is available on our website at ardmorepres.org.

Thursday at Noon: Anne Lamott's "Traveling Mercies"

The San Francisco Chronicle writes that “Anne Lamott is walking proof that a person can be both reverent and irreverent in the same lifetime. Sometimes even in the same breath.” During this summer, a small group will be reading Lamott’s Traveling Mercies where she recounts her reluctant “lurch” into faith. The book is certainly not for the faint of heart nor for the easily offended, but some might argue that neither is the Christian faith. We will be beginning this Thursday, June 10th, at noon for lunch in the Fellowship Hall at the Ardmore Presbyterian Church. Please RSVP at admin@ardmorepres.org

2010 Confirmation Retreat

The 2010 Confirmation Class finished their requirements with a two-day retreat, May 7-8, on the shore at Sea Isle City in New Jersey. A big thanks to the adult leaders, Scott, Nan and James. We also thank Sally for lending us her house on the shore. We had a great time, and the youth showed that they had learned a lot over the 12 week class.

Some excerpts from the work of the youth...

"Holy Father, thank you for giving us joy and laughter, and help us to feel these gifts throughout our lives."

"Dear God, let us break away from merely practicing and let us apply our faith to the real world. Help us to succeed in your name. Amen."

"Dear God, help guide me to make you number one in our lives. Help us to put nothing else before you. Amen."

"God, Sometimes it's hard to be always the good friend. Help us to make the right choices."

"Lord, help me to be brave enough but also to be meek like your son, Jesus. Amen."

"Dear Father, we pray that you will guide us to victory. We choose the path of faith over drugs to show our love and trust in you. We do not share you, Lord. You need to be first in our lives. Use your strength to help us always make the right decision for you. Amen."

Spring Adult Sunday School Classes

Please join us for our new Sunday School offerings, "The Book of Confessions" and "Dreams of God's Faithfulness", starting May 9th.

THE BOOK OF CONFESSIONS
Sunday, 9:00 am in the Blue Room

Each Sunday as part of our Worship Service we respond to the reading, singing, and preaching of God’s Word in our Affirmation of Faith, the public declaration of what we believe. Most of us are familiar with The Apostle’s Creed, but you may have noticed that this is not the only creed we use to affirm our faith. We often use sections of other creeds and confessions of faith. These beliefs are rooted in Scripture and represent the church’s desire ever since the days of the early church to articulate what we believe Scripture teaches.

Join us in studying the eleven creeds and confessions of faith that make up our Book of Confessions as we seek to learn how the church has wrestled with the truths of Scripture and how they have sought to apply them in their particular cultural and historical context.

DREAMS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
The Life of Joseph: Genesis 37‐50 ‐
Sunday 9:00 am in the Mill Creek Room

Joseph was a dreamer. Ultimately, his dreams would bring about the redemption of his people. In the meantime, they were a source of trouble. Join us for eight weeks as we explore a story of arrogance, jealousy, deceit, political intrigue, sexual tension and redemption. Joseph’s narrative from the book of Genesis is a messy story, but it speaks about God’s actions in a messy world. As Joseph learns, we also learn the difficulty of being chosen by God.

Looking for God in Harry Potter

The Ardmore Presbyterian Church is pleased to present John Granger in the Chapel on Sunday, May 2nd at 7:00 pm. Mr. Granger will be speaking about faith in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling.

While considered children’s literature, many adults have greatly enjoyed reading the “Harry Potter” books, but few are aware of how the books speak to our faith. Mr. Granger is a classics scholar, who has written extensively on the Christian themes that run throughout the “Harry Potter” series. Some of the books he has written include Looking for God in Harry Potter, How Harry Cast His Spell, and The Deathly Hallows Lectures.

Mr. Granger's lecture will begin a Harry Potter focus for the next few months at the Ardmore Presbyterian Church. The Christian Education Committee is planning a Vacation Bible School this year using the stories to help teach the truths of the faith.

We invite adults and teens to learn how the “Harry Potter” books are filled with Biblical parallels that can help all in navigating their own lives. We hope you join us in listening to John Granger.

See you on May 2nd!