E Update

EASTMINSTERPRES.ORG

VOLUME 39 N UMBER 28 | SEP T E MBER 13, 2015

Dear Eastminster Family,

Celebration Sunday, formerly called Rally Day, is this Sunday!
Come enjoy special music at worship, bring a plate of cookies to
be delivered to First Responders, and join us for a BBQ lunch
and Ministry Opportunity Fair in the gym following 11:15 a.m.
worship.

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

Sabbatical next summer. A couple years ago the Eastminster

Session developed a sabbatical policy that provides ministers
who have completed seven years of consecutive service the
benefit of the renewal and refreshment of a sabbatical. During
the summer of 2016 I will use my vacation and study time, plus
the additional six weeks permitted in the policy, to have a sabbatical from early June to early
September.
For those that may not know, the word sabbatical comes from the word sabbath which
reminds us of the fourth commandment, You shall observe the sabbath and keep it holy
(Exodus 20). God instructs us to take time to be still, remembering His gracious provision
and our privilege to be His children.
I am grateful to the Eastminster family for making this possible and also to the National
Clergy Renewal Program of the Lilly Endowment for a grant that will allow our family to
make the most of this opportunity. Next summer is a long way off, but I wanted to share
this with you now even as we will be working through and sharing additional details in the
coming months.

MRS. ELIZABETH BOWER

EDS Director

Finally, on a far heavier note, please join me in praying for the displaced people of the
world. Our eyes are being opened to the desperation driving people to endure horrendous
circumstances for the hope of a better life. I think especially of the men, women and children trying to flee the violence and terror of Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan, even as I know
there are also people fleeing other desperate conditions.

MR. WILLIAM L. COLLINS, JR.

Business Manager

Please pray for them, and also for us, Eastminster, asking God how we, who are among the
most privileged people in the most privileged country in the most privileged era in the history of the world, are to join in His work to extend the love of Jesus Christ to these people.

MS. JULIE MCDANIEL

Member Involvement
Coordinator

We are blessed, richly blessed. In grateful response, let us be a blessing to others, both near
and far.
See you Sunday,

PEACE Service

Rev. Lynn Grandsire will be leading our PEACE Service at 5

p.m. in the Adult Reception Hall this Sunday. The topic will be
Healing & Wholeness.

Bradley Elementary Lunch Buddies needed

Bradley Elementary has 15 fifth-graders who need a Lunch

Buddy two Tuesdays per month, 11:40 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.,
beginning Tuesday, Sept. 15. Lunch Buddies get to know their
fifth-grader and help him or her with reading skills. If interested, please contact Julie McDaniel in the church office, 2561564, or by e-mail to jmcdaniel@eastminsterpres.org. Come
join others in making a difference in a childs life.

Eastminster Youth Ministry

Will meet on Sunday nights in the Christian Life Center from

5-6:30 p.m., beginning Sunday, Sept. 13. Middle School students will meet in the Arts & Crafts room of the CLC; High
School students will meet in the Multi-Purpose room of the
CLC. Both rooms are on the third floor.
This is a time for students to grow in their relationship with
God and others in a fun, casual environment. Its a time for
games, meeting friends from other schools, reading the Bible
and eating together.
Adult volunteers are always needed. To volunteer, please contact Laura Long at 530-6731.

Middle School Prayer Breakfast resumes

Middle School students are invited to morning prayer breakfasts, beginning in September, before school. 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.

Alpha Study

Eastminster is offering the Alpha study to men and women, of

all ages, desiring to dig deeper into Gods Word and draw nearer
to our Lord for the real meaning of life. Individuals and small
groups are welcome. Alpha, founded by Nicky Gumbel, is a
10-week interactive, inspirational study of Christianity. Sign up
for Alpha today by contacting Caroline Bennett at cbennett@
eastminsterpres.org or Julie McDaniel at jmcdaniel@eastminsterpres.org.

Tab collection for Ronald McDonald House

Aluminum can tabs are being collected to financially support

Ronald McDonald House. In Columbia, Ronald McDonald
House Charities serve families and children who travel to a Columbia medical facility so that the children can receive medical
care they need. Since January 2014 Eastminster has donated
60.5 pounds of aluminum tabs to Ronald McDonald House.
That includes 29 pounds collected by the Eastminster Day
School. Eastminster tabs, along with many others, are sold by
Ronald McDonald House, generating about $4,000 per year.
Aluminum tabs come from beverage cans and from many soup
and other canned goods cans. If in doubt about a tab being
aluminum, test it with a magnet. If the magnet attracts the
tab, it is not aluminum. Bring your tabs to Shelli Knapp in the
church office; look to the left as you enter for a bowl labeled
for tabs.

EPC Golf Tournament,

Sunday, Sept. 20

The Fellowship Committee and Eastminster friends will gather Sunday, Sept. 20
for a Captains Choice golf tournament
at Windermere Club. Shotgun start is at
1 p.m. The cost is $42 / person (four-person teams), which includes all golf cart
and fees, and a box lunch. Participants can sign up as a team
or as individuals and be added to a team. A portion of each entry will benefit the Eastminster Youth Mission activity. Friends
welcome. To register, please visit the Eastminster website, email Shelli Knapp at sknapp@eastminsterpres.org, or visit the
Welcome Desk in the church Narthex.

Ninth Grade Confirmation Class prayers

Please be in prayer for the 25 students walking with Jesus on their journey to becoming members of the church in Spring 2016.

Cookie Party to begin school year

A start-of-the-school-year Cookie Party for families with babies through Kindies will be at Citadel Park, Sunday, Sept. 27 from
3:30-4:30 p.m.

Join the EPC Book Club

The EPC Book Club is reading Harper Lees To Kill A Mockingbird in September and will meet on Monday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. at the home of Martha Casto, 16 Lord Nelson Court. In October, the club will
read Lees newly published book, Go Set A Watchman.

Middle School students gathering for breakfast

On the first and third Tuesdays or second and fourth Thursdays of each month, Middle School students will gather to eat, pray
and walk to school together. Text or e-mail junior high youth director Hannah Gordon for more details: hgordon@eastminsterpres.org, (843) 450-7846.

Parking on Sundays

As a reminder, parking spaces around the church are limited. Parking is available in the childrens home lot across from the sanctuary for our members and guests.

Eastminster Women Bible Study meets Sundays and Tuesdays

Eastminster Presbyterian Women (EPW) will be studying the book of Esther this fall. The study, Esther: The Hidden Hand of
God, will meet Sundays, 5-6 p.m., in Room 350, beginning Sept. 20 and concluding Nov. 8. The study will also be taught on
Tuesdays from 10-11 a.m. in Room 351 beginning Sept. 22 and concluding Nov. 10.

Eastminster Women Fall Gathering is Tuesday,

Sept. 15

The Eastminster Presbyterian Women (EPW) will have its annual Fall Gathering on Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. in Thompson Hall.

Save The Date: Womens circles beginning

October

CONGREGATIONAL CARE & CONCERN

Deaths

Congregational Love and Sympathy are extended to:

For information on Eastminster Presbyterian Women Circles Dr. Ron Miller, Jr. on the death of his father, Ron
1, 3 or 6, please contact Mary McCants or Lynn Grandsire. Miller, September 2.
Circles will begin meeting in October in the church parlor.

Brad Sherrill returns to Eastminster;

performing Apostle - the writings of Paul

Brad Sherrill is a 30-year Atlanta-based performer who brings

Scripture alive through his one-man performances focusing on
Scripture memorization and stage theatre. On Sunday, Sept.
27 and Monday, Sept. 28, 6-7:30 p.m., Brad will perform his
most recent show, Apostle, focusing on the writings of Paul.
Both performances will be in Thompson Hall and are presented at no charge. However, due to seating limitations an RSVP
is preferred and may be made by calling the church office at
256-1654 or sending e-mail to Julie McDaniel at jmcdaniel@
eastminsterpres.org. Childcare for up to age 10 can be provided
with advance reservation.

Births

Congratulations and love to:

Alan & Charlotte Henderson on the birth of their
daughter Emma Grace Henderson, born August 31.
Liesel & Rich Rescigno on the birth of their daughter
Chloe Anne Rescigno, born September 4. Grandparents, Don & Darla Helms.
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.

There will be a Called Congregational Meeting after worship on Sunday, Sept. 20 for the purpose
electing new officers and voting on the proposed
purchase of property offered by The Hearth, (formerly Carolina Childrens Home).

Called Congregational Meeting,

Sunday, Sept. 20

Beginning Sunday, Sept. 13 all middle and high

school students will meet 5-6:30 p.m. on the CLC
Third Floor. The cost for dinner is $6 / person.
Each Sunday will include games, fellowship, Bible
study and great food.

Sunday Youth Group begins Sept. 13

Please bring a dozen or more cookies to remember and thank our communitys First Responders.
Cookies should be well-wrapped and left in the
lobby of the Christian Life Center following the
11:15 a.m. service. If you or your family would
like to participate in delivering cookies to our heroes, please call, text or e-mail Jennifer Rayfield at
917-0064 or jenray2001@gmail.com.

Cookie collection to honor

First Responders

Following worship services this Sunday, EPC will

host its annual BBQ luncheon and Opportunity
Fair from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hudsons Smokehouse will provide a BBQ buffet in the gymnasium. Stationed around the gym and in the game
room, table exhibits will describe different ministry and education opportunities as we celebrate
all that God is doing in and through our church.

Celebration Sunday
Meal & Fair This Sunday!

Deadline for UPDATE

Send your information to share with the congregation

to communications@eastminsterpres.org.
Please have your information in by September 20th
for the October 11th update.

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

3200 Trenholm Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29204
Nonprofit Org.
US POSTAGE
PAID
Columbia, SC
PERMIT No. 27

Update for September 13, 2015