Exodus For Followers Of Jesus

Dr. Bradley D. Smith Pastor Dr. Mark E. Durrett Associate Pastor Rev. Lynn A. Grandsire Associate Pastor Rev. Jeffrey S. Smith Associate Pastor Dr. James I. St. John Parish Associate Rev. Jonathan S. Wagner Associate Pastor Mr. Croskeys Royall Director of Childrens Ministries Mrs. Fredna Lee Director of Music Ministries Mr. William L. Collins, Jr. Business Administrator
Our Missionaries: Rev. & Mrs. Donald Marsden-Virginia/Russia Steven & Natalie Hall - Alaska Sarah Snapp - Bolivia Rev. John McCall - Taiwan Steve & Kathy Amar - Virginia/Muslims in the US George & Anne Harper - Philippines Cindy Correll - Port au Prince, Haiti Dr. John and Gwenda Fletcher - Congo

From Wilderness To Wonder

STAFF

EASTMINSTeR UPDATe
803-256-1654 / www.eastminsterpres.org
Volume 37 Number 37 November 17, 2013

Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina

Dear Eastminster Family, One of the great mistakes of the twentieth-century church in America was to blend in with culture so effectively that we intimated that being a follower of Jesus could be reduced to coming to church periodically and trying not to swear when you were there. I pray God, and you, will forgive us for that. To live for God is to have different priorities, a different way of seeing life. A different way of understanding self. Marriage. Money. Family. Work. People. Everything. Frankly, to follow Jesus Christ as Lord means to be out of step with the world. In a culture that encourages our addiction to get more and more for us, Jesus tells us, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Beautifully, hundreds of you are responding, giving several million dollars each year to enable Christs work in, and beyond, this church. Thank you. Where our inner narcissism whispers, Whats in it for me, our Lord says, Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Beautifully, hundreds of you are responding by giving of yourselves: teaching, tutoring, feeding, washing, writing, singing, mentoring, praying and so much more. Thank you. Its stewardship time, yet another time of year when I have the audacity to say God wants to be first in your wallet. Why do I say this? Because our Lord wants to be first in your heart, and he knows that where our treasure is, there our heart is, as well. This will surprise some people, but over one-hundred family units are giving at least $7,000 of hard-earned money for Gods work through this church. Sixty-five of them are giving $10,000 or more; twenty are giving $20,000 or more; and a strong handful of families give $40,000 or more. Think what they are giving up to give like that! Are they all rich? By the worlds standards no, but somehow, in some different, out of step way, yes, they are really rich. Weve also got a hundred plus family units that dont give anything for Gods work through this church, and there are others who give a fraction of what they could give. For a few of these people, their finances are that tight. For most, its a matter of priorities. Ouch, this is direct, but I believe our Lord can use a frontal assault to work through our financial giving to capture our hearts, to give us new life. I believe it because Im living it. Thanks be to God,

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17
9:00 & 11:15 a.m. - Sanctuary 11:15 a.m. Jubilee Dr. Bradley D. Smith Does God Change His Mind? Exodus 32:1-14

Brad

Please submit an estimate of your 2014 giving by submitting a pledge card or completing the Stewardship Pledge Form found on the left-hand side (Quick Links) of www.eastminsterpres.org.

DAILY CALENDAR
SUNDAY, nOvEMBER 17
8:00 Celebration Choir Rehearsal 9:00 Worship & Childrens Church Harrison Chase Strong Baptism 10:00 Sunday School First Step Class Generation Change Jubilee Band Practice Parents Confirmation 10:05 Chancel Choir Rehearsal 11:15 Worship & Childrens Church Jubilee Worship 1:30 Youth Basketball Practices 2:00 Cub Scouts 3:00 Cub Scouts 4:00 Confirmation Content Session 5:00 Sunday@5 Elementary Program Middle School Sr. Highs Childcare

MOnday, nOvEMBER 18

On November 24, Eastminster will do their small part in feeding the hungry with an afternoon and evening of missional activities for the whole church to fight hunger in our community and internationally during the Thanksgiving season. From 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. church volunteers will assemble 30,000 shelf-stable meals meant for international distribution coordinated by the Stop HUnger Now organization. (Minimum age requirement is 5 years old. Childcare for children infant - 4K is offered beginning at 4:00 p.m.) A donation of $10.00 would help pay for the meals locally or internationally. This is also Double Peanut Butter Sunday - please bring canned goods and peanut butter for Harvest Hope! To sign up, go to www.eastminsterpres.org and look for Quick Links on the front page and click on ThanksLIVING Night. The Evangelism Committee is looking for at least 10 families to open up their homes and their tables on Thanksgiving Day to international college students who will remain on campus during their Thanksgiving break. We have the opportunity to extend the love of Christ and the good news to at least two students in our own homes, by simply inviting them to be a part of our family Thanksgiving meal this year. If you are interested in this wonderful and easy opportunity to extend Christs love, please contact Dina Boorda: dboorda@robinsonlaw. com or Jeff Smith: jsmith@eastminsterpres.org for more information. You are cordially invited to the 33rd Annual Thanksgiving Souper, Thursday, November 21, 5:30 7:30 p.m. in Thompson Hall. Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for children, and may be obtained at the Womens Shelter or at the door. Come enjoy the fellowship and a simple meal of a bowl of Chick-Fil-A soup and crackers!

Thanks LIVING Night November 24

7:00 Mens Prayer Breakfast 9:00 Count Team Fifty Plus Exercise Class 11:45 Staff Lunch 2:00 Pastors Mtg. CHAMPS Tutoring 2:30 Program Staff Mtg. 3:30 Staff Mtg. Youth Basketball Practices 5:30 Yoga Cub Scouts Mens B/B League 6:00 Mens Divorce Care Groups 6:30 BSF 7:00 Sr. High Girls D-Group Troop 10 Mtg.

Invite International Students . . . to YOUR Thanksgiving this year!

TUESDAY, nOvEMBER 19

7:15 Middle School Prayer Breakfast 9:00 Drop-In Nursery 10:00 Senior Fitness 11:45 Tuesday Lunch 12:00 Finance Committee 12:30 Bradley Lunch Buddies Visitation 1:00 Foot Care Ministry 3:00 Exercising for Arthritis 3:30 Youth B/B Practice 4:30 Stewardship Committee 5:00 Tai Chi 5:30 Zumba Fitness CLC Ministry Diaconate 6:00 Handbell Rehearsal Joint Session/Diaconate 6:30 Session 7:00 Zumba Fitness Scottish Country Dance

Womens Shelter Souper

NO Thanksgiving Plans? This Thanksgiving Feast Is For YOU!

WEDNESDAY, nOvEMBER 20

9:00 Fifty Plus Exercise Class Drop In Nursery 9:25 EDS Chapel 9:30 Prayer Shawl Ministry 11:00 Exodus Bible Study 11:35 Sanders Lunch Buddies 12:00 EDS Council 3:30 Youth Basketball Practice 5:15 WE@EPC Dinner 5:45 Childcare 6:15 Officer Training WE@EPC Classes Angel/Junior Choir Rehearsal 7:00 Sr. High Boys D-Group 7:15 Chancel Choir Rehearsal

Please join the Fellowship Committee for a Thanksgiving Feast on Sunday, November 24, at 1:00 p.m. in the CLC game room. It is an intergenerational event for members who are not traveling or eating elsewhere on Thanksgiving to share a meal. Last Names: A-G bring either a salad or vegetable; H-R bring either rice, pasta, or potato dish; and S-Z bring a dessert. Please bring enough to feed 10 people. The meat and drinks are being provided by the church. Please register (Name; Phone Number; E-Mail; Food Item; Number and Names in Party) by Monday, November 18, 2013. Registration forms will be located in the Narthex on Sunday morning, and in the Church receptionists area each day. Fill out a form and leave it in the adjacent basket or sign up electronically in the E-News.

THURSDAY, nOvEMBER 21

9:00 Drop-In Nursery 10:00 Senior Fitness 3:00 Exercising for Arthritis 3:30 Youth Basketball Practices 4:30 Transitions 5:00 Yoga 5:30 Thanksgiving Souper 7:00 Zumba Fitness Eagle Board of Review 7:30 Jubilee Band Practice

FRIDAY, nOvEMBER 22

The Flower Guild is accepting memorials and honoraria which will cover the cost of decorating the sanctuary and other areas of the church with live wreaths, greenery and poinsettias for Christmas. Please enclose the wording you would like to have printed in the Christmas bulletins with a check for $17.00 made out to Eastminster Flower Guild for each listing. Checks and enclosed information should be mailed to the church or placed in the Flower Guild box in the workroom. The deadline is Friday, December 6. Go ahead, send in your check today! No God - No Peace. Know God - Know Peace.

Christmas Memorials and Honoraria

9:00 Fifty Plus Exercise Class 11:00 Support Staff Mfg. 3:30 Youth Basketball Practices

SATURDAY, nOvEMBER 23

Eastminster will prepare the food and serve the folks at the Transitions Center on Thursday, November 21. If you would like to help with the food or to help serve the meal and interact with the individuals at Transitions, contact Laura Long, laurapricelong@att.net. For this meal we need bananas, pound cake, and especially pasta salad. Eastminster supports SEND missionaries Steven and Natalie Hall, who work with native people and residents in Alaska. They are on home leave this year, based out of Greenville, SC. They visited EPC a couple of years ago, and we are excited to be able to host them again while they are so close. They will be with us on Sunday, Nov. 24, in Thompson Hall from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Please let your class members know, and encourage them to give the Halls a warm welcome, while they are here to tell us about their ministry. The youth will be heading to Winterplace, West Virginia, for two nights at the Glade Springs Resort. In addition to lodging, lift tickets, ski rental, ski lessons and all meals (except traveling). The trip is $290.00 per person, and the registration and payment are due by Monday, December 9. The students will be taking a charter bus. If you need information or a registration form, contact Tricia, tmccormick@eastminsterpres.org or 256-1654. We are looking for volunteers to help! This year the Saint Lawrence Place Holiday Shop and Christmas party will be hosted at First Calvary Baptist Church in conjunction with Eastminster. We have over 26 families in need of being adopted. Volunteers are needed to put together necessity baskets and to work on the day of the event, Monday, December 9th. Please contact Meredith Christenberry for more information on how you can get involved in this ministry. This annual event is a wonderful way to give back over the holidays and is a whole lot of fun! To volunteer or for additional information contact meredithchristenberry@gmail.com or 803-269-8265.

Transitions Meal - November 21

CARE & CONCERN

EPC Prayer List Part of what it means to be a Family of Faith is to be in prayer for one another. Contact the church office at 256-1654 to be included on this Prayer List. EPC Special Concerns Boots Fuller, Remer Waguespack, Dr. Mary Tobin, Bill McInnis, Peggy Lewis, those serving in our military, Stephen Ministers & their care receivers and all those in need of Gods special care. Births Congratulations and love to:

Combined Adult Sunday School Class, November 24

Youth Ski Trip (Jr. & Sr. High) - February 7 - 9, 2014

Lauren & Will Gillespie, on the birth of their daughter, Evelyn Elizabeth Gillespie, October 22, 2013. Grandparents, Fred & Phyllis Price.
Deaths Congregational love and sympathy are extended to:

Saint Lawrence Place Holiday Shop and Christmas Party 2013!!

Lillian & George Lippard, on the death of her mother, Lillian Zogratfou, October 21, 2013. Marsha & Bruce Mosley, on the death of her father, James C. Hall, Jr., November 11, 2013.
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.

satURdAY - A DAY IN THE LIFE OF EASTMINSTER!

CHAMPS Activity

Wedding with Brad Smith

Wedding with Jeff Smith

Presbyterian Home Visit

Basketball Game

Dont miss out! Send your information to share with the congregation to tcarter@eastminsterpres.org. Please have your information in by Wednesday, November 20, to be shared in our next newsletter on December 1, 2013.

Deadline for UPDATE

Eastminster Presbyterian Church 3200 Trenholm Road Columbia, South Carolina 29204

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

Update for November 17, 2013

Join us from December 6 - 8 at the Advent Retreat with our speaker Dr. Robert Fuller, pastor and head of staff at Fairview Presbyterian Church in North Augusta. Call Mary 256-1654 or email mbaldauf@eastminsterpres.org to sign up. Pick up your shoe boxes from the CE building lobby during the week and the Narthex or Thompson Hall on Sunday. Instructions on how to package are with the boxes. If you have any questions, please contact Harper James at harperajames@yahoo.com or (803) 238-2502. Shoe boxes should to be returned to the church no later than Friday, November 21. Please bring new pairs of white tube socks to be donated to those in need and place them in the designated boxes located around the church and in the CE building lobby. Donations will be accepted through November 25.

Time is Running Out to Sign Up for the Advent Retreat

SeRVinG On SUndaY November 17

OFFICERS PRAYER: Elder Michael Schraibman DEACONS: Tiffany Beitz, Jeff Burden Deacon Matthew Burns (Jubilee) Deacon Ken Carey (Jubilee) ushERs: Don Helms & Milton Moore GREETERS: (9:00) Judy & Parks Small Mitzi Trotter, Charlie Weston Buz & Amy Teas (11:15) Roy & Laura Taylor Kay Lydon Stephen & Holley Van Horn Robert & Anne Sumwalt INFANT ROOM - CLC 115 (9:00) Meredith & Kyle Hewett (11:15) Will & Beth Brownlee TODDLER ROOM - CLC 117 (9:00) Edward & Ashley Rawl (11:15) Kim & John Leighton 2-K ROOM - CLC 119 (9:00) Jennifer Branham (11:15) Drake & McKeever Cobia CHILDRENS CHURCH 101 - 3K (9:00) Jordan & Ryan Horton (11:15) Albert & Harper James CHILDRENS CHURCH 103 - 4K (9:00) Brian & Margie Blackwelder (11:15) Ned & Kerry Boykin CHILDRENS CHURCH 106 - 5K (9:00) Elisa Lumpkin (11:15) Richards & Jennifer McCrae

Operation Christmas Child is HERE!

Socks in a Box

Christmas Lunch Set for Savvy Seniors

Savvy Seniors start the holiday season off with their annual Christmas Luncheon on Tuesday, December 3, at 11:30 a.m. at McCutchen House on the USC campus. Following the traditional buffet meal and drawing for door prizes, Dr. Jim St. John will lead the group in singing carols. Those attending will gather at 11:00 a.m. in the CLC Lobby for bus transportation to the event (parking in the area is scarce). Cost of the lunch is $12 per person and must be paid in advance. Space is limited so make reservations now by calling Mary Baldauf, 256-1654.

. . . The LoveBearers have written more than 200 notes and cards to members of the Eastminster congregation this year, as of the end of October. The eight members of the LoveBearers group meet once a month; however, notes and cards are written throughout each month to those who are ill, bereaved, or have other concerns. New members and the parents of new babies are also contacted. On occasion, a card or note may be written to a non-member who has a connection to Eastminster. The LoveBearers also pray for those to whom they send a note or card. If there is a concern of which the LoveBearers should be made aware, you may email Kay Lydon at klydon@sc.rr. com.

Did you know . . .