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Spirit @ SCC Newsletter Vol. 60

No. 15

November 7, 2017

Welcome New Member! On Thursday, November 2, 2017 we welcomed Rosalind Saylors to Speedway Christian Church. Rosalind transferred her membership from Westview Christian Church.

Thanks for Giving - Call to stewardship "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through Him." Colossians 3:7 So many times when we offer our thanks to God, we offer thanks for what we have received. Do we ever thank God for what we have the opportunity to do? We have the chance to make a difference in people's lives. We have the opportunity to introduce people to the love of God through Jesus. We have the calling to touch the lives of people with love and fill the needs of the world. Suppose we give thanks for our opportunities for the things we are privileged to do - for the opportunity to do His work in the world. Give thanks for the chance to do all that we are called to do - through Jesus Christ, our Lord. You will soon receive a letter asking for your pledge to the 2018 Operational Budget. You have already received a letter regarding the renovation debt. We will be dedicating our pledges on November 16th and 19th during our services. I prayerfully ask that you consider your gift to God's work here at Speedway Christian Church. Thank you for Giving. ~ Leslie Condre, Stewardship Chair

Lunch and Learn On Mondays at noon, Scott has been leading a discussion of the scripture readings for the upcoming Thursday and Sunday worship services. The sessions are being held in the Bethany room. Bring a sack lunch and an open mind and heart as together we will seek to know what God has to say to us through scripture. All sessions will be on Mondays at the same time and same place. If you have any questions about these study sessions, let Scott know. Please Note: There will be no Lunch and Learn on Monday, November 13, but it will resume on Monday, November 20. All are welcome, please plan to join us.

Upcoming Events At Speedway Christian Church Sunday, November 19  One Worship Service @ 10:30 a.m.  No Sunday School Classes  All Church Pitch-In Dinner @ Noon—Fellowship Hall (meat course will be provided by church) Saturday, November 18 Arts & Craft Bazaar @ Speedway Junior High 11:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. (Booth sponsored by Hospitality & Evangelism Committee) Saturday, December 2 9:00 a.m. Hanging of the Greens — All are welcome. Sunday, December 3  CWF Bake Sale/Hall of Light—Between worship services  Christmas Families Tree Saturday, December 9 Final rehearsal for kid’s musical—Sanctuary 9:00 a.m.-Noon Sunday, December 10—Christmas Program  Children’s Musical @ 4:30 p.m.— Sanctuary The King and Me  Youth Band Performance (following Children’s Musical)  Annual Chili Cook-off - Fellowship Hall (following Children’s Musical) Sunday, December 17—10:15 a.m. Worship  Chancel Choir will bring Christmas Message in song during Worship—all will be works by composer John Rutter.  Christmas Families gifts due at church. Wednesday, December 20 Opportunity Day Preschool Christmas Program 9:30 a.m.. — Sanctuary Sunday, December 24—Christmas Eve  One Morning Worship Service @ 9:15 a.m.  No Sunday School Classes  4:30 p.m.—Family Candlelight Service  9:00 p.m.—Traditional Candlelight Service  11:00 p.m.—Vesper Candlelight Service Sunday, December 31—New Year’s Eve

Please keep in Prayer Charlene Hoyt LaVerne Crafton Betty Edmiston Ronald Patrick (Marge Miskoweic’s brother) Robert Willman (Christy Morris’s father) Denise Mitchell (Donna Pingleton’s sister)

Sympathy is extended to Denny & Jane Smith and Bob & Sandy McCallister and families upon the death of their mother Esther McCallister, who passed away on Saturday, October 7, 2017. Services were held on Thursday, October 12, 2017.

Sympathy is extended to Marge Graham and family upon the death of her brother, Steve Hollembaek, who passed away on Tuesday, October 17, 2017. Services were held on Tuesday, October 24, 2017 in Independence, MO.

~~~

Thank you — There are no words sufficient to express my thanks to all of you for all the cards, prayers, calls for all the many problems confronting me and my health as of late. I wouldn't blame any of you if you would just like to say---"What now?" Sometimes that is my feeling. But you hang in there time after time and give my family support as well as myself. Thank you over and over again!!!! And through the deaths of many of my family members------what would I do without the love of God and family and all of you? I would never be able to struggle through by myself. Let's hope there is a respite ahead. I love you Speedway Christian Church. Pauline Vermillion

Thank you to all who prayed and shared their concerns with our family over the past few weeks, as my grandson, Bill Ferrell had surgery. He is doing very good now, a healthy, happy boy! ~ Georgia Stackhouse, Rose Hunter (aunt) & Amy Ferrell (mom)

December Home-Bound Birthdays December 5 December 28

Mary Morgan Pam Hanna

Thinking Out Loud... The prayer of the prophet put it this way: “O that you (God) would tear open the heavens and come down…” (Isaiah 64:1a). If we go beyond these opening words, we read that the prophet did long for God to come among the people of Israel, but the motive behind the prophet’s prayer was to ask God to come among them to destroy their enemies. This prayer doesn’t fit the character of God. God is not a God of violence, as the prophet hoped God was. God was a God who loved all people. God did not and does not play favorites. The prophet didn’t realize that God had already answered part of the prophet’s prayer. God did dwell among them. God wasn’t among them to destroy their enemy, but God was already present. As Christians, we point to Jesus and say, “This firstcentury Jewish man is a visible reminder of God’s presence among us and within each of us.” Among other things, God comes to us to use us to share God’s love and to promote justice. This isn’t an easy task, so we better be careful about praying for God to be among us. God’s presence among us and within us means that we will love those whom we consider unlovable. It means that we will promote justice by standing up for the down and out, those who don’t have access to the resources to influence those in power. At our best, we demonstrate the kind of love and justice that Jesus calls us to promote. Too often we fall short of these. May God help us to show them more frequently. Advent begins on Sunday, December 3, and it culminates on Christmas Day. During the season of Advent, we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. I love the seasons of Advent and Christmas. I particularly love the Christmas Eve worship services. There is always a good feeling in the air, but Advent and Christmas aren’t simply about good feelings. The seasons point us to Jesus who reminds us that God is among us and calls us to live out the arduous tasks of love and justice. So Christmas isn’t just about a baby and his parents at the stable. Even during Christmas, we think of this man and not just the baby. If it weren’t for the man, Jesus, we would probably know nothing of his birth. We look at the birth through lens of Jesus’ example, his teachings, and his death and resurrection. Because of these, on Christmas Eve we will unite our voices and sing the great hymns of the season, but we will do so with the recognition that after we sing, we are also to unite in our common call to follow in the steps of Jesus. On the journey with you, Scott

Thanksgiving Food Pantry Dinner Our food pantry is putting together the ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to be distributed to our clients on Saturday November 11. World Outreach is seeking cash donations which will allow us to purchase the necessary items outside of what is offered from Gleaner’s Food Bank. Checks can be made out to Speedway Christian Church with ‘Food Pantry’ in the memo column. Thanks Be to God, World Outreach

CWF Thank You Thank you for supporting our October bake sale. With your help, we made $368. Impressive! CWF added an additional $232 to the bake sale amount, giving the church $600 towards the cost of painting Fellowship Hall. We will hold another bake sale between worship services on December 3. Proceeds will also go to help cover the painting of Fellowship Hall.

Renovation Fund Update Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The response to our request to pay or pledge to the renovation fund has been amazing. Many people have paid their pledge in full, and others have given over and above their normal gifts. The board, trustees and Michi Yochum, who manages the renovation fund, can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing we now have enough in the renovation fund to make payments for the rest of 2017 -- and even a little beyond. If you haven’t pledged or given yet, please consider doing so as a special gift and as part of your stewardship pledge for 2018. Our goals are: 1) to have enough money to make payments, 2) to always maintain enough in reserve to pay the next few month’s payments and 3) to pay more than the minimum payment so we can retire the renovation debt early. Thanks for your devotion to making Speedway Christian Church (and the building we worship in) a priority in your life.

Also thank you to all who contributed to CWF (Christian Women’s Fellowship) through their offerings in September. All funds received goes toward church projects here at SCC. Your support is greatly appreciated. ~ Teresa Gorrell

Many Thanks to Opportunity Day Preschool Have you noticed the new playground equipment located in the green space west of church? The equipment and mulch were purchased by Opportunity Day. O’ the fun they children of Opportunity Day Preschool and our church will have on this playground! Thank you Opportunity Day for your generous donation.

Books (used & new) for St. Vincent Cancer Center are being collected. Basket in the Hall of Light. Any questions contact Gyneth Hedrick @ 317-328-1961.

Christmas Offering for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) In December, we will have the opportunity to contribute to the special Christmas offering for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana. The offering: 1) supports the camping ministry; 2) helps congregations in search of ministers; 3) helps provide counseling to congregations in conflict; 4) helps provide nurture for those in route toward ordination; 5) provides support of ministry for racial reconciliation; 6) supports the Flourish ministry that gives aid to congregations that otherwise may not be able to afford a minister; 7) helps fund the region’s young adult retreat. These are just some of the ministries that our gift to the special Christmas offering helps the region fund. Please consider a gift to this offering. Checks can be made out to the church and mark in the memo section “Christmas Offering for the Region.” Thank you!

Food Pantry @ Central Christian Church Every year at this time, CWF collects canned goods for Central Christian Church. There is a bin marked for contributions of food items. This church is located downtown at 701 N. Delaware. There are so many needy all over the city. This is our chance to help in this area. They help 185 families every month. We hope you will join us as we think of others this Thanksgiving. Thank you for your help. ~ Teresa Gorrell, CWF I would like to thank Rich Hoerger for going above and beyond to help out at our Opportunity Day Open House on Monday evening, October 2nd. He put together an awesome slideshow using the church’s new TV and equipment, blew leaves off the entrance so it looked nice, and even stayed and helped out with refreshments. I appreciate his support of our program and the time he took to help make the night successful. Thanks Rich! ~ Amy DeLisle, OD Director During the week of September 18, Hope Partnership of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, used our church facility for their Leadership Academy training. Over 60+ attended from all over the United States and Canada. It was a busy week, but a good week at SCC! Following is a thank you that the church received from Hope Partnership, they were very appreciative and grateful to our church. Dear Scott, On behalf of the staff of Hope Partnership, please extend our thanks to your entire congregation for your hospitality as we held Leadership Academy last week. What a wonderful partnership and joyful witness to our 60 participants; both church planters as well as pastors and leaders of existing congregations in transformation. Thank you and blessings! ~ Hope Partnership

Crop Walk Thank You Thank you so much to everyone who supported this year’s Crop Walk to fight World Hunger! We had only a few walkers, but numerous generous donors who gave just over $1,600, $250 more than last year. Thank you to all who helped make this effort a success, especially Wilma and Jennifer, and those who assisted with publicity. It’s not too late to give – simply turn your contribution in to the office or write a check to Speedway Christian church with Crop Walk in the memo line. ~ Roy and Becky Shoemaker

Christmas Poinsettias If you would like to order a poinsettia(s), please complete the below order form, return the completed form along with your check (payable to Speedway Christian Church) by Monday, November 20 - noon. Any questions, please contact the church office. Extra order forms available in the Hall of Light. ~~~

Order Form for Christmas Poinsettias Name:________________________________________ ~~~ ___________ # of poinsettias @ $11.00 each = $_______________Total

In Honor or In Memory (circle if applicable) of:___________________________________________

_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Official Board Meeting Tuesday, November 28, 2017 6:30 p.m. All 2017 Board Members Officers, Trustees, Elders, Deacons, Department Chairs—are asked to attend.

_____________________________________________ Return the completed order form with payment to the church office by Monday, November 20, 2017- noon.

The E.D.G.E. During Fall Break last week my boys and I went for a hike up in northern Indiana. We took our 6-year-old dog, Emerson, with us as we usually do and headed out to explore one of our favorite trails. The first hour of our hike was pretty typical, we talked and enjoyed the scenery. Emerson was a good girl as always, staying close, following along as we lead her by her pretty pink leash. It was a beautiful day with a bright blue sky, no clouds, and very atypically warm weather for October in Indiana. When we reached one of our favorite spots, a clearing that has a small creek with rocks the boys like to climb across and search for minnows, tadpoles, and crawfish, I noted that there was no one else around and decided to let Emerson off her leash so she too could explore uninhibited. The boys were very nervous at first. “What if she runs away?” I assured them Emerson, who also was very anxious when first released from her leash, would not go too far. After cautiously sniffing and checking in with me several times for reassurance that all was well, Emerson suddenly took off at a dead sprint and ran in a huge circle around the grassy space. She made several loops before following the boys into the creek, at first just putting a paw gingerly in, then stepping carefully onto a rock, before diving in, stomping, drinking, and finally laying down in the cool water. The boys and I laughed and cheered as she repeated this cycle over and over again. She was the happiest puppy you have ever seen, several times actually crying out with joy. She would whimper and “talk” to us as though to say “Are you kidding me? Have you ever felt such cool water? Have you ever seen such blue skies? Can you believe how amazing this place is? Best. Day. Ever.” It brought us so much joy to watch Emerson experience such joy. I couldn’t help but imagine that this is how God feels when we actually stop just going through the motions, look up, and appreciate the beauty, goodness, magic, and wonder that is all around. There is so much adventure at our fingertips and so much to be joyful about but we often spend all our time with tunnel vision, focused on our long to-do lists, worried about circumstances out of our control, upset about who knows what, when really if we remove those feelings and challenges that tether us and allow ourselves to roam free we can appreciate all the good that surrounds us and all the joy that is free for the taking. May we all find many moments in the days and weeks to come to take off our leashes, lay down our burdens, and run wild and free, spend time with people we love, and be overwhelmed with joy that is infectious and spreads to all around us. ~ Melanie Heaviland, Elder

Advent Devotionals Beginning November 16—Devotionals will be available in the Narthex and on the Welcome Table (rear parking lot entrance).

Sunday mornings our Journey in Faith class had their first meetings with mentors. Sunday evenings we have been working on Joining the Story of God’s People, looking at Moses with the exodus from Egypt, the wanderings in the wilderness and the Ten Commandments, at stories of the Judges during a fragile and harrowing time for the people of Israel, and will take up Ruth and Naomi next week. And our Youth Band has begun rehearsals. They will play in worship on December 3 and before the children’s musical on December 10. Big thanks to Amanda Faulkner, Sharon Golden, Kari Hartman, Angie Smith, Betsy Enerson, and Ann Salima for providing Snack Suppers. Looking Ahead:  November 12 & 19 – Band Rehearsal 5:00 p.m., Snack Supper & Youth Groups @ 5:45  November 26 – Thanksgiving Weekend – Sunday School in morning – No evening groups  December 3 – Snack Supper & Youth Groups @ 5:45 p.m.  December 10 – Chili Cook-off  December17 – Christmas Party

Care Packages for Recent CYF Graduates The Class of 2017 High School graduates have been away to school, boot camp and other new experiences. This can be both an exciting and uncertain time for them. A care package will be going out to them from the youth group to offer support and welcome them back to our fold when we see them again. Our 2017 graduates are: Joshua Ridenour, Alex Salima, Claire Shutters, and Lauren Speer. If you too wish to share words of encouragement, please return a card or letter to Randy by November 30th. Our youth group will prepare, pack, and post the package during a youth meeting.

Spirit Newsletter Schedule Next publication date: December 5 All articles are needed by Thursday, November 30. Informational updates and announcements will be sent out as needed between publications.

Stewardship/Finance 2017 Approved Budget: $497,289 2017 Required to Date (11/5/2017)…………. $ 422,226.51 (to meet approved budget) 2017 Received to Date (11/5/2017) ............. . $ 391,006.82 2017 Year to Date (Shortfall as of 11/5/2017) $ 31,219.69 October 8, 2017 October 15, 2017 October 22, 2017 October 29, 2017 November 5, 2017

$ $ $ $ $

Offering

Attendance

7,330.60 13,098.10 3,560.50 12,239.50 9,572.10

266 201 183 206 234

Speedway Christian Church 5110 West 14th Street Speedway, Indiana 46224

Christmas Progressive Dinner—Y'all Come Once again we will be having a progressive dinner on Friday Dec. 8 beginning at 5 pm. The first course will be at Carolyn Stewart's, then we move to Mary Haug's for the main course and we will finish up at the church for the last course. Please look for sign up list in the hall of lights and sign up for a course. This is open to ALL. We hope to see lots of new faces this year.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Indianapolis, IN

Christmas Families Outreach The Christmas Families Tree will be up in the Hall of Light on Sunday, December 3, with our 2017 Christmas families! We are working with home advisors in Speedway schools to identify families for this year’s outreach. Watch for further details in the bulletin as we get closer to December. Gifts will be due back at the church Sunday morning, December 17.

Church - Emergency on Call Contact Friday, November 10 — Sunday, November 12 Marge Graham 317-313-5337

Taylor Condre Sermon Series @ Franklin College Taylor Condre, religious studies major at Franklin College, Franklin, IN, is preaching a 3-sermon series in the college chapel at 11 a.m. November 7, 14, and 21 for her Religious Studies Senior Project. She will be tackling some of the rich themes in the book of Job including depression, why bad things happen to good people, and how to talk to friends about faith. Taylor serves as intern for worship and outreach with the Religious Life staff at Franklin College.

Friday, November 17 — Sunday, November 19 Marge Graham 317-313-5337 Thursday, November 23— Sunday, November 26 Scott Cox 502-316-3085 Friday, December 1— Sunday, December 3 Randy Kuss 317-201-7095 Friday, December 8— Sunday, December 10 Scott Cox 502-316-3085

Taylor, daughter of Rich & TJ Condre, granddaughter of Richard “Gunner” and Leslie Condre, nurtured in her faith through the children’s and youth ministries here at SCC, will be heading to seminary at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, TX next fall.

Chili Cook-Off - December 10 Despite the recent oddly warm weather, the time is coming soon when the Chili Cooks of Speedway will begin to line up pots of chili for our 2017 Chili Cook-Off on December 10, right after the Children’s Advent program! Sign ups to bring chili start in a couple of weeks. Proceeds go to support the youth ministries of Speedway Christian Church.

Spirit @ SCC (USPS 510-220) Speedway Christian Church 5110 W. Fourteenth Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46224 (317) 244-7656 – FAX (317) 244-7660 www.speedwaychristian.org Bi-Weekly Publication January-December Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana Postmaster: Send address changes to Spirit @ SCC, 5110 W. Fourteenth Street, Indianapolis, IN 46224