E Update

EASTMINSTERPRES.ORG

VOLUME 39 N UMBER 31 | OC TOBER 4, 2015

Dear Eastminster Family,

STAFF
DR. BRADLEY D. SMITH
Pastor
DR. MARK E. DURRETT
Associate Pastor
REV. LYNN A. GRANDSIRE
Associate Pastor
DR. JAMES I. ST. JOHN
Parish Associate
MR. CROSKEYS ROYALL
Director of Childrens Ministries
MRS. FREDNA LEE
Director of Music Ministries
MRS. ELIZABETH BOWER
EDS Director
MR. WILLIAM L. COLLINS, JR.
Business Manager
MS. JULIE MCDANIEL
Member Involvement
Coordinator

Though shalt not steal. Those four words compose the eighth commandment. To steal is to
take something that belongs to another without
permission or acknowledgement. Sadly, there
are dozens of people here this morning who have
had things stolen: a wallet, a car, items from your
house, or even your identity.
One of you all recently reminded me of another
type of stealing: When you and I steal from God.
Have you ever considered that? God gives us the
breath to breathe, food to live, and water to drink. God gives us eyes
with which to see, minds with which to think and tongues with which
to speak. God gives us parents that nurture us, adults who teach us,
and mentors who model for us. In Jesus, God loves us and died for us;
and through the Holy Spirit He sustains us and guides us heartbeat by
heartbeat and hope by hope. And us? We take and take, often without
thought or thanks.
Are you and I not blessed beyond even the imagining of most of the
people who have ever lived? Are we not blessed beyond even the imagining of the vast majority of people alive today? In a movie about Sudanese refugees called, A Good Lie, one of refugee boys, upon seeing
a bag of dog food in an American grocery store utters in amazement,
Wow, you have special food for dogs!

We are blessed beyond imagining and yet, how do we live, you and I?
Are joy and generosity overflowing from within us in meaningful ways?
Is our gratitude bubbling beyond ourselves, impacting our community
and world for Jesus Christ? Or, from the vantage point of heaven do
our actions look very much like the proverbial welfare recipients we often criticize, people who grab everything they can for themselves?
Stewardship, our time of planning for Gods work through Eastminster in the coming year, is upon us. Filled with gratitude for the gift of
Christs love and joy at the privilege of joining in Gods work, lets all of
us step forward in generosity together.
Gratefully,

Advent Devotions Are Needed

Members willing to write Advent devotions are asked to contact Shelli Knapp in the church office, 256-1654, ext. 122.

Annual Christmas Tree and

Wreath Fundraiser

Sponsored by the Youth of EPC,

Christmas Tree and Wreaths may
be ordered, beginning Thursday,
Oct. 1 through Sunday, Nov.
22 through the church website
(www.eastminsterpres.org) or following worship services. Each young person helping with
the project receives credit toward a mission trip or youth
conference.

Eastminster Joining with Others to Build

Habitat Home

Eastminster is teaming up with two other

churches to build a home for Ebony and
her five children. In addition to being a
mother and working full time at Palmetto
Health, Ebony is hard at work on the build
site. But she needs your help.
Eastminster has built many Habitat homes over the years. In
fact, the church family will provide Habitat with more than
$30,000 this year. But, it takes more than money. While this
continues to be an important local ministry, Eastminster has
had a hard time recruiting sufficient volunteers in recent years.
Please consider helping answer the prayers of Ebony and her
family. You can sign up on the website (www.eastminsterpres.
org) or call Mark Rosenberg for details at 803-446-0003.

EPC Tweens attending CROSS mission program

EPC fourth- and fifth-graders, and a parent, will be traveling to Myers Park Presbyterian, Charlotte, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 30-31,
to participate in the Myers Park CROSS Missions ministry. EPC volunteers will leave late Friday afternoon and return by Saturdays dinner hour. CROSS will match EPC participants with mission projects on Saturday morning and early Saturday afternoon
that are age appropriate, and that kids and parents can do together. Cost is $20 / child; parents are free. Contact Croskeys at
croyall@eastminsterpres.org for more information or to register.

Rev. Peter Gai will speak at EPC on Wednesday, Oct. 7

Following Eastminsters Wednesday Evening dinner on Oct. 7, the Rev. Peter Gai, moderator of the
Presbyterian Church of South Sudan and chair of the Council of Churches of South Sudan, will be
a guest speaker in Thompson Hall. He will speak on the recently signed peace agreement over South
Sudans civil war, and on ways Americans can support the South Sudanese people developing their new
country. To sign up for Wednesday Evening dinner, please email abower@eastminsterpres.org.

Prayer Cards Available at Welcome Desk

Prayer Cards are available at the Welcome Desk. Please take one and use it to pray for people and the ministries listed. Where
there are updates for the cards, please let Shelli Knapp or Lynn Grandsire know.

Middle School Prayer Breakfast Resumes

Middle school students are invited to morning prayer breakfasts before school beginning in September. On the first and
third Tuesdays, the breakfasts will be at the home of Sarah
Long; on the second Thursday of each month the breakfast will
be at the home of John Bailey and Lyndsay Moore. Rides from
the breakfast to school are available if needed. Come enjoy the
Bible and Bacon.

HeBrews Caf

The Senior High Youth enjoys coffee and breakfast in the HeBrews Caf every Sunday morning at 9:43. We love Jesus A
Latte!

Save The Date: Womens circles beginning

October

For information on Eastminster Presbyterian Women

Circles 1, 3 or 6, please contact Mary McCants or Lynn
Grandsire. Circles will begin meeting in October in the
church parlor.

Register now for Novembers Haiti Mission trip

Registration is open for the EPC mission trip to Leogane,

Haiti, Saturday-Saturday, Nov. 7-14, flying out of Charlotte. The team will be doing light construction and painting in addition to offering medical and dental assistance
to the doctors, dentists and nurses working at Hospital St.
Croix and the maternity clinic at Darbonne. The cost of
the trip is $1,000, payable to Eastminster. The trip payment
will be reflected on annual giving statements as a missions
gift. Additional scholarship funds are available if needed. To
register for the trip or for more information, contact Julie
McDaniel, jmcdaniel@eastminsterpres.org or 256-1654.

Volunteer Help Needed in Church Office

The church office staff is in need of someone who can devote their time from Noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
on Fridays, answering the telephone at the reception desk. This service will help give the staff a break for their lunch. Please contact Tricia at 256-1654 or tmccormick@eastminsterpres.org if you are willing to serve the church in this manner.

Please LIKE Eastminsters Page on Facebook

Facebook users are encouraged to visit Eastminsters Facebook Page and LIKE the
page by clicking the appropriate button located on the large photograph at the top of
the page. As the churchs Facebook community grows, this form of social media can
be used as a community wide outreach tool for telling the story of Gods work within
the church. www.facebook.com/eastminsterprez.

Memorial Gifts Supporting the Eastminster

Endowment

PEACE Service: Healing & Wholeness

Rev. Lynn Grandsire will be leading our PEACE Service
at 5 p.m. in the Adult Reception Hall on the 2nd Sunday
of each month. The topic will be Healing & Wholeness.

Understanding How God Changes Lives

Beginning Sunday, Oct. 4, the Spiritual Discoveries Sunday School class

will be studying/discussing spiritual
disciplines using The SPIRIT of the
DISCIPLINES: Understanding How
God Changes Lives written by Dallas Willard. This book is for everyone
who strives to be a disciple of Jesus in
thought and action as well as intention.
This is a hands-on group, with lively,
class-led discussion being a key part of class time. The
class meets in Christian Education Building, Room 351.

In memory of Patty Tuite, given by Franklyn, Susan, Betsy

& Franklyn IV Owen, Sarkis & Vicky Derderian, Robert G.
Tunell, Dr. & Mrs. William A. Johnson, Phillip & Mary Lou
Brown, Exit Real Estate Consultants, Rudy & Rose Marie
Newman.
In memory of Wade Hampton Oliver, given by Shannon
McCutchen.

CONGREGATIONAL CARE & CONCERN

DEATHS

Congregational Love and Sympathy are extended to:

Andy Tuite on the death of his wife, Patricia (Patty) Tuite, September 19. Daughter, Lisa (Mitch) Newman. Grandchildren, Quinn, Davis & Braxton Newman.

On weekends a minister is on call. If you have a crisis which

one of the ministers needs to know about, phone 256-1654
and leave a message. A minister will return your call.

AC Flora Falcons visiting EPC

Please welcome the AC Flora Falcons

varsity football team as they attend Jubilee worship on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Day School position available

Applications are being accepted for a full-time assistant

teacher position in the toddler classroom. Hours are
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 pm. Qualifications include:
Associate Degree in Early Childcare preferred; three to
four years of experience working with toddlers preferred;
and a genuine love and respect for children required.
Contact Elizabeth Bower: ebower@eastminsterpres.org
or 803-771-1512

P.E.P. Adult Ministry meeting Tuesday, Oct. 27

Guest speakers William & Kappy Hubbard (members of

EPC) will lead a fun program at the Tuesday, Oct. 27
meeting of P.E.P. in Thompson Hall, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Speakers will share about the re-dedication ceremony of
the Magna Carta in England as well as their meeting with
the Queen. RSVP to Shelli Knapp ext 122.

Deadline for UPDATE

Send your information to share with the congregation

to communications@eastminsterpres.org.
Please have your information in by October 11th
for the October 25th update.

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

3200 Trenholm Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29204

Nonprofit Org.
US POSTAGE
PAID
Columbia, SC
PERMIT No. 27

The 2015 Advent Retreat,

Friday-Sunday, Dec. 4-6,
at Blue Ridge Assembly
in Black Mountain, NC,
will include hiking, shopping, singing, worship and
rich fellowship. Registration brochures are available
throughout the Eastminster
church property and on the
church website, www.eastminsterpres.org.

Advent Retreat

Dedication Sunday, Eastminsters

Joy and Generosity, Oct. 18

As Eastminster church gathers together and

reaches out into the community and beyond, the
church is making a tremendous impact on others. To see how God works through His church is
a glorious blessing. Lets continue the work Hes
started by prayerfully considering support of the
church, its ministries and missions in 2016. Dedication Sunday will be Oct. 18, and pledge cards
will be collected at all three services.

Update for October 4, 2015