PCPC NEWSLETTER MARCH A Safe Place to Doubt by David C. Mauldin What do you do with your doubts? Aunt Tillie used to say, “Doubts are like unhappy feelings. You’ve got to push them back down deep where they came from and never admit they are there.” Aunt Tillie was wrong about a lot of things. If you refuse to ignore your doubts (or you cannot ignore them), how do you handle them? How do you feel about doubt? Are you afraid of doubts? When doubt arises in your mind, do you feel threatened? When someone else expresses doubt, do you try to squelch it? I am convinced that is the wrong way to handle doubt. We should not be afraid. Rather, we should treat doubt as an opportunity to grow a deeper, stronger faith. At the recent ECO National Gathering, I attended a workshop led by Jake Mulder from the Fuller Youth Institute. He told us, “Doubt is not the enemy of faith. Silence is.” Jake Mulder is right about a lot of things. I want every person to have faith in Jesus Christ and certainty about him. Such faith is possible. But rarely does it come without a time of testing. And even when you have a solid faith in Christ at the center of your soul, there is room for doubt around the edges. Let’s be honest. Doubt happens. It happens to believers. It happens to young people in the church. How we handle it matters. We must make the church a safe place to express doubt. If we do, we have a chance to seek answers together. If we do not, if we choose silence instead, then many will conclude we do not have answers. Truth never fears inquiry. Doubt shows up in the gospels. In Mark 9, a father came to Jesus wanting Jesus to heal his son. e father said, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus seemed offended by the if. Jesus answered, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” e father gave as honest a confession of faith as you’ll hear, “I believe; help my unbelief!” [Mark 9:22-24 ESV] Sometimes that’s the best we can offer Jesus. He healed the man’s son. cont’d on pg. 10
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PCPCNEWSLETTER MARCH
A Safe Place to Doubtby David C. MauldinWhat do you do with your doubts? Aunt Tillie used to say, “Doubts are like unhappy feelings. You’ve got to push them back down deep where they came from and never admit they are there.” Aunt Tillie was wrong about a lot of things.
If you refuse to ignore your doubts (or you cannot ignore them), how do you handle them? How do you feel about doubt? Are you afraid of doubts? When doubt arises in your mind, do you feel threatened? Whensomeone else expresses doubt, do you try to squelch it?
I am convinced that is the wrong way to handle doubt. We should not be afraid. Rather, we should treat doubt as an opportunity to grow a deeper, stronger faith. At the recent ECO National Gathering, I attended a workshop led by Jake Mulder from the Fuller Youth Institute. He told us, “Doubt is not the enemy of faith. Silence is.” Jake Mulder is right about a lot of things.
I want every person to have faith in Jesus Christ and certainty about him. Such faith is possible. But rarely does it come without a time of testing. And even when you have a solid faith in Christ at the center of your soul,there is room for doubt around the edges. Let’s be honest. Doubt happens. It happens to believers. It happens to young people in the church. How we handle it matters. We must make the church a safe place to express doubt.If we do, we have a chance to seek answers together. If we do not, if we choose silence instead, then many will conclude we do not have answers. Truth never fears inquiry.
Doubt shows up in the gospels. In Mark 9, a father came to Jesus wanting Jesus to heal his son. The father said, “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus seemed offended by the if. Jesus answered, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” The father gave as honest a confession of faith as you’ll hear, “I believe; help my unbelief!” [Mark 9:22-24 ESV] Sometimes that’s the best we can offer Jesus. He healed the man’s son.
cont’d on pg. 10
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“One day at a time, sweet Jesus.”
We can revise that line to “one step at a time” for this month’s angel. As our angel walks around the church campus, he may notice a door that doesn’t close properly, a light bulb that’s out in the breezeway or a trellis in the garden that needs painting. He then creates a punch list of items that need repair and hands it over to Bob Shubert, who is the head of our building and grounds committee. When our campus workday arrives, Bob takes our angel’s punch list and hands it right back to him. They both chuckle then off he goes to tackle the items on the list. That’s our angel! Not only is he willing to point out a problem, but he’s ready and able to fix it. Our angel of the month, aka Mr. Fix-it, is Mr. Tom King.
P.S. He’s also a crackerjack ping-pong player!
ANGEL OF THE MONTHby Janet Sallman
Thank You!
The Armstrong and Forestier families wish to thank the Pastors, staff, deacons and volunteers who gave so much of their time and efforts to make sure Bob was lovingly honored at his Celebration Service. Our families have been extremely touched by the outpouring of love, comfort and prayers.
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Florida Presbyterian PilgrimageRenew your faith, discover the Father’s love for you and His will for your life
The next retreat weekend is on April 19-22, 2018 at The Retreat in Silver Springs, Florida
Presbyterian Pilgrimage is a spiritual renewal weekend full of surprises. Those who have been testify to its life-changing potential. Pastor David Mauldin says, “I participated in Presbyterian Cursillo, which is very similar to Pilgrimage, both as a pilgrim and later as a spiritual advisor. Both weekends were powerful. I recommend Pilgrimage. In fact, I am going to be on staff as a spiritual advisor at the next Pilgrimage in April. I’d like to see more folks from Palm City there.”
For more information: http://floridapresbyterianpilgrimage.org/
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A group from our PCPC family joined Pastor Brad on a day trip to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando on February 17th. One of the exhibits they walked through was the Scriptorium: a 55-minute presentation detailing the history of the Bible over the last 4,000 years. The Scriptorium houses a priceless collection of biblical documents and artifacts. One of the items they saw on display is a 1599 edition of the Geneva Bible, which was the text brought to America in 1620 by the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. Also on the agenda was the Jerusalem Model A.D. 66 exhibit. A tour guide shared the history of Jerusalem with them as they "walked" through this remarkable indoor replica of the ancient city. They also saw several dramatic plays and musicals that depicted some of the major stories of the Bible. These professional productions told about the life of Jesus, the building of the Tabernacle, and the lives of several other well-known biblical figures.
“Everyone had a great time together, and the weather was picture perfect!” — Janet Sallman
Holy Land ExperienceHoly Land ExperienceHoly Land Experience
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A special thank you to PCPC members Mike & Lee England, owners of the Express Employment Professionals staffing franchise for the Treasure Coast Region. They generously sponsored and arranged for the appearance of the Express Clydesdales at the February 16th event.
Kids Ring! Bell ChoirThe Kids Ring! bell choir needs one more kid to ring! If you are interested in having fun and ringing bells andchimes at the same time, please contact Miss Janet in the church office at 772-286-9958 or email Miss Joanne at [email protected]. We rehearse every Sunday afternoon at 4:00. After rehearsal, we have Anna’s Pizza(delicious) at 5:30, and then some of us go to high school youth group at 6:00. Anyone from grades 4 through 12 is invited. Come and join us!
Love and blessings from Miss Joanne
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PHOTO DETAILFront Row (L to R): Patti Miller, Joan Sheldon, Judy McDonald, Lynn Church, Phyl Sullivan, Lindy Cardinale, Joanne ShawMiddle Row (L to R): Renee Gould, Carolyn Benninger, Jane Shubert, Trudy Johnson, Florine Blackshear, Judy Miller, Carole PetersonBack Row (L to R): Ed Witcher, Debbie Artman, Tammy Steckler, Bill Miller, Richard Porter, Pastor David MauldinNot Pictured: Carolyn Herman, Debbie Sahlberg, Tom Wiegerink
On February 6, 2018, the Palm City Presbyterian Church deacons gathered for their annual dinner welcoming new and returning members. While we renew our strength and our spirit, we remember Philippians 2:4 - “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
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Would you like to help save the life of an unborn child and bring a lost soul to Christ? Join us for our 29th Annual Walk for Life Fundraiser or support one of our walkers. All proceeds will benefit Care Net Pregnancy Services of the Trea-sure Coast.
The Walk for Life will take place at Jensen Beach High School on Saturday, March 24th at 9:00 a.m. There will be fun booths, free food, face painting, a zoo, games, and prizes for walkers.
Register at WalkForLifeTC.com or contact our church liaison, Ruthann Hew-son, through the church office to sponsor a walker or for more information.
We will also have a display table set up at the church on Sunday, March 11th. Ruthann will be available to answer questions, sign you up to join the walk or to be a sponsor.
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Videos from the ECO National Gathering are now available for viewing at http://econationalgathering.org/2018-renovate/
PCPC's most recent Turkey Trot raised over $14,000 for The Salvation Army of Martin County. Our staff gladly presented the check to Capt. Samuel Kim. The money will be used to help those in need in our local community.
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Our Chancel Choir, with orchestra, will present the musical At His Name(composed and arranged by Joel Raney) the evenings of
March 29th and 30th at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
This musical reflects on Jesus's ministry and life on earth—from his first preaching to the final momentous events of his passion—and
looks at the monumental effect Jesus's name has had on history.
10 ??At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission. On that occasion, when they saw the risen Jesus “they worshiped him, but some doubted.” [Matthew 28:17 ESV] Really?! Some doubted? They saw the risen Jesus right in front of them. They could hear him and touch him. And yet they doubted? Yes, they did. We should not be surprised. God does amazing, unexpected things. He blows our minds. The resurrection ranks high on that list. It took some time to get their minds around it. Should we expect to be different? Or that our children will be different? Doubt arises for a number of reasons. Young people or those new to the faith need to make the Christian faith their own. They have received a faith from others, but that is not enough. They have to work it out and make it theirs. Doubt is a natural part of that process. Doubt also comes out of intense suffering. When someone hurts you, you question God. When life falls apart, you wonder why. Christianity does not offer neat answers to every pain, but it provides a worldview with room to acknowledge our pain and trust God despite everything. Doubt comes because we live in a culture of unbelief. Christian truth is constantly challenged by alternative narratives. A secular society can make those narratives sound plausible. Never underestimate the power of peer pressure. I have never known a Christian who went to college and was convinced by reason that Christianity is not true. I have known several who were socialized into unbelief. They wanted to fit in and be
accepted. The people they admired were unbelievers. They followed the crowd. Doubt can even happen because God’s promises feel too good to be true. God loves me? Eternal life? A new heaven and earth where justice reigns? Do we dare believe all that? The March 2013 issue of Christianity Today featured a wonderful testimony written by Jordan Monge. Monge was a bright young woman who enrolled at Harvard University as an avowed atheist. In high school, she had some friends who were Christian, but she was a lot smarter than they were, and they couldn’t answer her questions. At Harvard, she met a friend who could. He was the editor of Ichthus, Harvard’s Christian journal. Rather than tell her she just had to “have faith,” he gave her reasons to believe. He began by showing her how her own beliefs were inconsistent. She believed God does not exist, but she also believed in right and wrong. But if God does not exist, there are no moral absolutes. She began to discover the richness of the Christian intellectual tradition. Some of the brightest minds in history have been Christians, and that is still true today. Her friend pushed her on the origins of the universe. What caused the universe? What was the cause of that cause? And so on. She first began to believe in God, but not Christianity; but her journey was not yet over. She read theology. She read the Bible. Things began to click. She began to see the beauty of the cross. And yet, what mattered was, “Is it true?” She rightly saw that no
A Safe Place to Doubt
by David C. Mauldin
cont’d from pg. 1
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?“7
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matter how attractive a belief might be, it is only worth believing if it is true. Eventually, she realized, as she puts it, “The only reasonable course of action was to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Here is the conclusion of her story:
I’d been waiting for my head and my heart to be in agreement. By the end of the church retreat, they weren’t completely in sync. Many days they still aren’t. But I realized that the unity could come later. If my heart had agreed at one point, and my head agreed now, then my heart would follow. I couldn’t let a malfunctioning heart delay the logical course of action, the obedience required by true faith.
I committed my life to Christ by being baptized on Easter Sunday, 2009.
This walk has proved to be quite a journey. I’ve struggled with depression. I would yell, scream, cry at this God whom I had begun to love but didn’t always like. But never once did I have to sacrifice my intellect for my faith, and he blessed me most keenly through my doubt. God revealed himself through Scripture, prayer, friendships, and the Christian tradition whenever I pursued him faithfully. I cannot say for certain where the journey ends, but I have committed to follow the way of Christ wherever it may lead. When confronted with the overwhelming body of evidence I encountered, when facing down the living God, it was the only rational course of action. [p. 87]
Her story is not unique. Notice how God used her doubt to draw her closer to him! Doubt is nothing to fear. It happens. It can be a necessary stage on the way to mature faith. God can use our doubt for his purposes. But doubt is uncomfortable. Doubt puts us on a fence. You can’t stay on a fence forever. Doubt is a question, and questions need answers. Therefore, doubt is never a place to stop and rest. Doubt motivates us to keep moving. I think the healthiest way to handle doubt is to see it as an invitation to faith or an opportunity for deeper faith. If we stuff doubt back down deep where it came from, our silence will kill faith. If we bring our doubts out into the light, and work through them together, we will find answers. God will help our unbelief. ??
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This past month we were blessed to host the Express Clydesdales on our campus. Not just a gift to us, but as we opened the event up to our community, more than 2200 people were able to come to PCPC and enjoy their magnificent presence! In addition to the Clydesdales and the stagecoach ride they provided for everyone, we welcomed our community to the church with bounce houses, miniature carnival games, and a petting zoo. Our youth sold hot dogs and were able to raise several hundred dollars toward their summer mission trip to Puerto Rico. But the real bonuses to the event were the fellowship and relationship seeds planted in those who might not normally set foot on our campus. Living in one of the least churched areas in the country, the constant question for us as Christians is always, “How can we bridge that gap?” I’ve heard it called sharing the gospel before preaching the gospel. Simply
put—before we can start having serious, intimate conversations with people about God and His grace, love, hope and salvation, we need to build relationships with our neighbors, co-workers, and our community that then might open the door to such conversations. It’s more than just inviting people to church. It’s about knowing, loving, serving and living with and alongside those in our community. The Express Clydesdales afforded us just such an inroad to those folks around us (2200+) who don’t know us (PCPC), and perhaps more importantly, don’t know God. What an opportunity for us as a church to start building relationships with those outside our church walls, and a reminder of what we as individuals need to constantly be doing in our own life spheres—building relationships and showing God’s love to others through
our own interactions with them. Thank you Mike and Lee England for bringing the Express Clydesdales to PCPC. Thank you PCPC youth, staff and all church members for attending either in a serving role (parking, food service, games, promotions), or simply by being a friendly face to welcome our guests and neighbors to the church.• Current youth series: “Friends, Relationships, and Romance”• Upcoming youth series: “Stuck: feeling stagnant in your spiritual walk?”• Summer Mission Trip to Puerto Rico: Our youth are eying a trip to Puerto Rico to assist in continued cleanup efforts on the island as a result of this past hurricane season. More details to follow. Narrowed down date windows: June 9-17 or June 29-July 8.
In His service and yours,Jason PridmoreDirector of Youth Ministry
Youth News “Love one another.” John 13:344
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Middle School Youth Group meets Tuesdays 4:30pm-6pm for games, fun, food, and conversation.zzHigh School Youth Group meets Sundays 6-8pm (all the same as Middle School youth with twice the fun).For more information regarding ongoing and upcoming youth events and activities:
fb.me/PCPCYouth
@pcpc_youth
To connect with Jason or to receive parenting resources and youth updates via email, please contact him directly.Email: [email protected] or Text: 714-809-5065
text “@pcpcyo” to the number “81010”
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The Shepherd Program here at PCPC continues to minister to our church family by making meaningful contact through cards, phone calls, and prayers.
Recently, three shepherds retired from serving their flocks. We are looking for three new individuals or couples who would like to shepherd a flock.
Here is what a shepherd does:• sends birthday and anniversary cards• sends get well and sympathy cards• sends cards of encouragement• prays for the flock
As a shepherd, you are provided a binder with all of the information about your flock. These details include names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, birthdates, and anniversary dates. PCPC supplies you with the cards to send to your flock. You do not have to live in a particular area to serve as a shepherd. While we do try to keep the flocks grouped within an area, with church growth, some may reach into other parts of our community. As a shepherd, you are not required to make any home visits; however, you are free to do so.
Could this possibly be the ministry for you? It is a wonderful & rewarding way to serve your church family. If you are interested, please contact me through the church office to discuss this amazing opportunity to serve at PCPC.Thank you for giving this request prayerful consideration.Susan Rosseau, Shepherd Coordinator
SHEPHERDPROGRAM
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LEARNING TO LOVETHE PSALMS
Women's Bible Study
a video series with Dr. Bob Godfrey
Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. in Langill Hall
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Save the Date!ART IS IN is returning to PCPC to put on another fabulous musical production with our children! VBS Drama Camp will be held June 18th-22nd, from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. The children will perform their musical for the public on Friday, June 22nd at 6:30 p.m. in the Huizenga Family Life Center. Cost for the camp is $125.00. Registration forms will be available in the Huizenga Family Life Center lobby, the Narthex, and the church office beginning March 1st.
June 18-22
VBS Drama Camp
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February 3 Lesson 4: Incarnation
February 10
February 17Lesson 5: God’s Grace in Christ
February 24Lesson 6: Election for Salvation and Service
March 3
March 10 Lesson 7: Covenant Life in the Church
March 17 Lesson 8: Faithful Stewardship in All of Life
March 24Lesson 9: Living in Obedience to the Word of God
Schedule for Pastor David’s Class on theEssential Tenets
Saturdays at 10:00am in Lower Langill Hall
Why do we believe Jesus is fully human and fully God?
NO CLASS
How do we get right with God?
What does God want me to do?
NO CLASS—PASTOR AT FLORIDA PRESBYTERIAN PILGRIMAGE
How do God’s children work and play well together?
How do I honor God with my life?
How does God’s Law help me live into the freedom Christ gives me?
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A special service will be held in the chapel.
Jesus said, “When I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself.” John 12:27-36 (ESV)
What makes Jesus so compelling? Why do billions worship a man who was crucified? Why do even unbelievers find Jesus attractive? On the Sunday before Easter, we revisit the horror and beauty of the cross.
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Pastor David will begin the new year with a short series on Jesus’ favorite book. In the gospels, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy more than any other book. “Jesus frees us from the Law, but the Law helps us follow Jesus,” Pastor David explains. “The Law guides and guards us as we live into the freedom Christ gives us.”
Feb 18 – 1st Sunday in LentColossians 3:17, 22-24Give to God Your Hands
Feb 25 – 2nd Sunday in LentRomans 12:1-2Give to God Your Mind
Mar 4 – 3rd Sunday in Lent1 Corinthians 6:12-20Give to God Your Body
Mar 11 – 4th Sunday in LentExodus 35:30–36:1Give to God Your Imagination
Mar 18 – 5th Sunday in LentEphesians 4:1-3, 25-32Give to God Your Relationships
This series encourages us to give ourselves to God fully and freely in response to his grace given to us in Jesus Christ.
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Celebrate our living Savior! His death set us free. His resurrection changed everything.
Luke 24:1-12
Adult Sunday School Sundays, 9:45 a.m. in Langill Hall
by Rev. Dr. Brad Klostreich
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We are restarting our Stephen Ministry ProgramWhat Is Stephen Ministry?Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2, NRSV).
o Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place in congregations.
o Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.
o Stephen Ministers are lay caregivers trained to provide care to one person at a time, meeting withthat person once a week for about an hour. Once a month, Stephen Ministers gather with theirStephen Leaders for supervision and continuing education.
How Stephen Ministry WorksStephen Minister training is an engaging, energizing experience that includes a mixture of lecture, video,
group discussion, skill practice, and spiritual growth activities.
o You deepen your faith as the Holy Spirit fashions you into a Christ-centered caregiver.
o You feel a special bond with those in your class—experiencing real Christian community.
o Stephen Minister training is a lot of fun!
If you are interested in training to become a Stephen Minister, applications are available at the church office.Applications must be submitted no later than April 1, 2018. The training is scheduled to begin May 8, 2018.
o Stephen Minister training teaches principles and skills that equip you to provide high-quality,Christ-centered emotional and spiritual care to others.
o You gain insight into the thoughts, feelings, and actions of people who are hurting.
o You develop relational and caring skills you can apply to all aspects of your life.
Adult Sunday School Sundays, 9:45 a.m. in Langill Hall
3/2 Abigail Cornea, Kristie Thomas, Dale White3/3 Emily Adkins, Robert Sonneman3/5 Richard Munn3/6 Alma O’Quinn3/8 Alex Thorpe3/9 Stella Brinkley, Sandra Fehribach, Linda Sanders3/10 Don Harper3/12 Eugene Schulz3/13 Nicholas Gunn, Jacob Klostreich, Don Metz3/14 Marti MacDonald, Jane Sonneman, Michael Stutzke3/15 Ron Morrow3/16 Bill McIntyre, Lucas Wagner3/18 Brad Klostreich, Sierra Stewart3/19 Marlene Cross, Judy Jackson, Debbie Sahlberg3/20 Dorothy Frey3/21 Fern Randall3/22 Carolyn Hersperger, Cole McCreary3/25 Melissa Thibodeaux3/26 April Day, Andy Johnson3/27 Jason Pridmore3/28 Jim Park3/29 Cheryl Burns3/30 Eugene Chenault, Bart Levengood, Eleanor Wishart3/31 Jon Albright
3/2 Eric & Jocelyn Olson3/14 Jon & Gloria Gottschalk3/16 Art & Irene Kalpin3/19 George & Janet Eagleson Matt & Carolyn Livings3/25 Glenn & Debby Hedden3/26 Donnie & Renee Gould3/30 David & Buffy Kadela
Have something for the next newsletter? Email it to our editors, Amy Kitchell and Andrea Wood: [email protected] by the deadline indicated on this newsletter’s calendar.
