May 10, 2015
Periodicals Postage Paid at Columbia, SC
Associate Reformed Synod 1324 Marion Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 (803) 799-9062 Fax: (803) 799-9172 FIRST THINGS (USPS 198-100): Published each week except Christmas week by First Presbyterian Church. Periodical postage paid at Columbia, SC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to First Things, First Presbyterian Church, 1324 Marion Street, Columbia, SC, 29201.
8:30 & 11:15 a.m. “The Strange God of Hope” I Kings 17:17-24 Dr. D. Ralph Davis Children’s Sermon (8:30)
6:00 p.m. “The Glory of the Lamb and the Bride” Revelation 21 Rev. David Lauten Children’s Sermon “Heaven Forbid” Children’s Catechism #31 What is meant by transgression? Doing what God forbids. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
Sunday, May 10 - Mother’s day 8:30 a.m. Worship Service* - Sanctuary 10:00 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages - Church Campus 10:50 a.m. Fellowship Time* - Jackson Hall 11:15 a.m. Worship Service* - Sanctuary 4:00 p.m. Laurel Crest Service - Laurel Crest 4:30 p.m. Cate Memorial Handbell Choir Rehearsal - P107 5:00 p.m. Orff Ensemble Rehearsal - T103 5:00 p.m. Church-Wide Prayer - T301 6:00 p.m. Evening Service* - Sanctuary 6:00 p.m. Friendship Club - T201/T214 6:15 p.m. Cherub Choir Rehearsal - T102 6:15 p.m. The Club (grades 1-5) - T213 7:15 p.m. Sunday Supper - Jackson Hall Monday, May 11 9:00 a.m. Aerobics@First - Family Life Center 12:00 p.m. Recorder Ensemble Rehearsal - P107 6:00 p.m. Open Gym Volleyball (ages 16 & up) - Family Life Center Tuesday, May 12 7:30 a.m. Men’s Prayer - P402A 8:00 a.m. Fitness Training - Family Life Center 8:30 a.m. Staff Prayer - P402 9:00 a.m. Ministry Staff Meeting - P402 5:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball (ages 40 & up) - Family Life Center 7:00 p.m. Women’s Bible Study - P105 7:30 p.m. Brass Ensemble Rehearsal - P110
Wednesday, May 13 9:00 a.m. Aerobics@First - Family Life Center 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays@First* - Jackson Hall 4:00 p.m. Primary and Junior Choir Rehearsal - T207/T201 4:00 p.m. Youth Chorus rehearsal P-110 5:30 p.m. Centerpoint Dinner - Jackson Hall 6:00 p.m. Centerpoint Nursery (Birth -3 years) - T106, T109, T112 6:15 p.m. Centerpoint Kids Catechism Club (K4-2nd grade)T102, T103, T107, T214 6:15 p.m. Centerpoint Kids Missions Club (3rd-5th grade)- T202 6:15 p.m. Centerpoint Bible Study - Jackson Hall 6:30 p.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal - Sanctuary 7:05 p.m. Centerpoint Prayer - Jackson Hall Thursday, May 14 7:30 a.m. Men’s Discipleship Bible Study - Blue Marlin 8:00 a.m. Fitness Training - Family Life Center Friday, May 15 6:45 a.m. Men’s Bible Study - 2920 Gervais Street 9:00 a.m. Aerobics@First - Family Life Center 6:00 p.m. Discipleship Class Covered Dish - Jackson Hall Saturday, May 16 If, at any time, you have an emergency, please call 513-7931 to contact a pastor. *Childcare is available from birth to four years.
Wednesdays@First Wednesday, May 13 GODLY WOMEN OF SCRIPTURE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE “The Samaritan Woman” Rev. Josh Squires Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. Program begins at 12:15 p.m. Jackson Hall
Wednesday, May 13 STANDING FIRM “What the Word Can Do” Dr. Dariusz Bryćko Supper begins at 5:15 p.m. Program begins at 6:15 p.m. Jackson Hall
Vol. LXV, No. 19 May 10, 2015 audio streaming at www.firstprescolumbia.org [email protected] Worship Service - Broadcast WISW 1320 AM at 11:00 a.m.
Thornwell Lectures 2015 Church & Culture: Living Faithfully in the World We live in a culture. Like everyone else on the globe we live in the midst of a whole matrix of relations, ranging from families, businesses, to political, educational, social arrangements, and so on. Every aspect of our lives molds and shapes the way we live and how we view the world in which we exist. As one theologian has stated the matter so simply, “Culture forms character.” Ours is a culture where secularism seeps into almost every pore of our society, nurturing apathy, indifference and, more aggressively, hatred toward God. This in turn becomes the new normal - just the way “life is.” And so our character is formed. Christians can become desensitized to this reality, thinking that they just need to ensure they attend church on Sunday and everything else will take care of itself. In many ways, this thinking is one of secularism’s great “gifts” (read: curses), teaching us that our lives can be cordoned off and separated into distinct spheres. Part of this “gift” - the more deadly part - is the destructive lie that our private lives remain untouched by the surrounding culture. In this context, however, our character is oftentimes shaped more by our unconscious habits, particularly in those moments when our guard is down and we’re relaxing, than by our deliberate and intentional attempts to progress in holiness. The biblical answer is not to develop a self-contained life of the Church, separated from, and set against, the world. The Church as “cloister,” that is, as a community that withdraws from culture, not only fails to work, but loses the biblical command to be a witness of Christ in the world and to the world. The call of the Church is to listen to, and obey, the biblical instruction that tells us that all life is lived before the face of God, whether in the classroom, the office, on the soccer (real football) field, in the boardroom, in the doctor’s office, home-schooling, pastoring, and soon on and so forth. From this biblical point of view, we can then approach the issues that present the most deadly threat to the way we seek to pursue God in our daily lives. This year the topic for the Thornwell lectures is “Church & Culture.” We have invited speakers to address ten of the most pressing issues that challenge the Church today. Each speaker will help us better discern issues prized by a culture that is opposed to the gospel. Each speaker will encourage us to better contend for the hope that has laid hold of us (1 Pet. 3:15). The aim and hope is that these lectures will help us not only to become wiser to the world, but also to grow more fully into faithful and mature disciples of Christ, and to develop into loving and engaging neighbours with those who have yet to find the love and delight that can only be had in Christ Jesus. The Thornwell lectures will take place at the Family Life Center each Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m., beginning June 7 and concluding August 9. We warmly invite you all to attend. Mark Ian McDowell On Behalf of the Christian Education Committee
WOC Circles Update
WOC Circles conclude their Bible Study this month. Circles will not meet in June, July or August except for Circle 12, which will continue to meet monthly over the summer for food and fellowship. Please contact Nancy Smith at [email protected] for times and locations. Circles will resume in September with a new Bible study. We are excited that a new Circle – Circle 16 – will be offered in Lexington. If you have questions regarding WOC Circles or need member contact information, please contact Diane Kirchner at [email protected].
May Circle Meeting Times This is our last Circle meeting this spring. Circles will resume in September (except Circle 12!), details above. Questions? Email Diane Kirchner at [email protected]. No. Date Time Location 1 Mon/11 10:30 a.m. Barbara Graves 719 Blanding St. 29201 2 Mon/11 10:00 a.m. Mary Tribble 1520 Hagood Ave. 29205 3 Mon/11 10:00 a.m. Laffitte Parlor, Jackson Hall 4 Tues/12 6:30 p.m. Young Women Andrea Cavanaugh 6309 Old Knight Parkway 29209 5 Mon/11 5:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church Palmer 107 6 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Peggy McMaster 1731 Senate St. 29201 7 Wed/13 10:00 a.m. Young Mothers Whitnie Hendrix 1122 Tarrytown Lane Children are welcome to attend. 8 Wed/13 10:15 a.m. Laffitte Parlor Jackson Hall 9 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Hannah House Hannah House 10 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Heart & Hand Jackson Hall 11 Tues/12 12:00 p.m. Lunch Fellowship Small Dining Room Lunch provided 12 Tues/12 6:30 p.m. Evening Fellowship Laurel Crest, Three Rivers Room Bonnie Haynes 100 Joseph Walker Dr. 13 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Jane Jefferson 14 Regatta Court, 29212 14 Mon/11 6:30 p.m. Grace McFadden 409 Shallow Brook Dr. 29223 15 Mon/11 10:30 a.m. Laurel Crest Living Room, Laurel Crest Lunch following
Church-Wide Picnic Sunday, May 17 at 4:00 p.m.
There will be activities for kids of all ages! The serving line will be open from 4:00 - 5:45 p.m. Food will be available in the Atrium. Weather permitting, we will have tables in the courtyard and Jackson Hall. There will be children's activities in the Family Life Center. Bring your family and join us for BBQ sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, and all the trimmings!
Food! Fun! Fellowship!
Spring Concert Thursday, May 21, 7:00 p.m. You are invited to attend the First Presbyterian Church Children's Choirs Spring Concert at Laurel Crest in the Three Rivers Room. Awards for outstanding attendance will be presented.
Middle School InCity Mission Monday, June 8 - Thursday, June 11 Cost: $25.00
Horizon High School Conference Monday, June 15 - Saturday, June 20 at Bonclarken Conference Center Deposit is $75.00. Total cost is $175.00. Registration deadline: Monday, May 11
Quest Middle School Conference Monday, June 22 - Saturday, June 27 at Bonclarken Conference Center Deposit is $75.00. Total cost is $175.00. Registration deadline: Monday, May 11 Register online at: www.firstprescolumbia.org/youthregistration
Summer Basketball Camps Registering Soon The 2015 Basketball Camps will be held August 10 - 13. Cost: $45 per camper Session I: Girls in Rising 1st grade - Rising 8th grade 9:00 a.m. until noon Session II: Boys in Rising 1st - Rising 3rd grade 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Session III: Boys in Rising 4th - Rising 8th grade 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. There will be a sign-up table in the Atrium on the following Sundays: May 17 & 24. Stop by the Atrium to sign up. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Mother’s Day Offering
The Lord’s Supper
Since the opening of Laurel Crest in August of 1994, the board has been committed to providing compassionate Christian care to our residents. The Endowment Trust Fund gives our residents security in knowing that funds may be available to assist them if their own resources become limited. In these uncertain economic times, funds that provide for the support of our residents is an important part of our mission.
Sunday, May 10, during our 6:00 p.m. worship service, we will observe the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The days ahead of us, therefore, are ones in which we prepare for a joyful gathering at the table of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The special offering on Mother’s Day gives us an opportunity to honor our mothers who nurtured and cared for us when we were young. Please give prayerful consideration to a financial contribution to this important part of Laurel Crest’s mission to our residents. W. Patrick Dorn, Jr.
WOC General Meeting and Salad Day Luncheon Tuesday, May 19 10:30 a.m. in Smith Chapel Wrap up our series of studies on Opening up Titus, by David Campbell Install the 2015-2016 Women of the Church officers Award Life Memberships, Love Gifts, and Partners in Ministry Enjoy the Salad Luncheon following the meeting Bring your favorite salad, with a serving spoon, to Jackson Hall before the General Meeting and enjoy a time of fellowship before summer begins! Shop the Bonclarken Boutique Nursery and childcare through 5K is available for the meeting and luncheon with reservations made to Beth Grider by Friday, May 15 at [email protected].
Bonclarken Boutique
VBS Snacks Help feed our hungry scientists with snacks for VBS. There is a list of snacks supplies we need at the VBS table in the Atrium.
Church Family Congratulations to: Emily and Jason Luther on the birth of their son, Joseph Everett “Rhett” Luther, on Tuesday, April 28. Christian sympathy is extended to: John R. de Witt on the death of his daughter, Glenda Shuler, on Wednesday, April 29.
Mardi and Chip Smith on the death of his father, Orville Stanley Smith, Jr., on Sunday, May 3. Items for Church Family? Contact Julie Dever: 799-9062, Ext. 244; [email protected].
War II Veterans A Salute to our World
The Bonclarken Boutique will once again be a part of the WOC General Meeting and Salad Day on Tuesday, May 19. Donations will be received in the Small Dining Room on Monday, May 18 from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., or before our General Meeting on Tuesday, May 19. Please price your items before you bring them, in dollar amounts. We encourage all ladies who enjoy arts and crafts to participate in this event. All proceeds from the Boutique, as well as all items not sold, will be donated to the Bonclarken Gift Shop. Questions? Please call Beth Ashworth at 203-2354.
Hold the Date! Friday evening, September 11 In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Annual Spring Golf Event - Sign up now!
Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 p.m. Lenora Morrow Jeffcoat will retire our Casavant console prior to our sanctuary summer renovation, playing works by Bach and Cesar Franck, as well as unique arrangements of favorite familiar hymns. Ron Miller will also be speaking briefly during the intermission on the organ’s history and the upcoming improvements to the instrument. For more information contact Laurie Price 799-9062, Ext. 222.
Where: Fort Jackson Golf Club When: Friday, May 29 Cost: $45.00/player New this year: Putting Contest at 11:00 a.m. Lunch will be at 11:30 a.m. followed by a testimony from Culver Choate. Captain’s Choice Golf starts at 12:30 p.m. You must register in advance due to security procedures at Fort Jackson. There will be a sign-up table in the Atrium on the following Sundays: May 10, & 17. Stop by the Atrium to sign up for yourself or your foursome, or contact Jimmy Easterby to register at [email protected] or 543-9456.
Organ Recital – “Goodbye, Old Friend!”
ABOUT THE LECTURES Named in honor of James Henley Thornwell, one of the most distinguished theologians of the nineteenth century and a former minister of First Presbyterian Church, the Thornwell Memorial Lectures will be given in the Family Life Center at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday during the months of June, July, and early August. These lectures provide a wonderful opportunity for us to enjoy hearing invited guests speak on subjects on which they have special expertise. This summer we anticipate being encouraged, informed, and challenged as we deal with a variety of topics related to the life of the Christian, the Church, and the place of both in the world.
06/07 Michael Kruger How the Bible Is Being Challenged in Our World Today
07/12 Ralph Davis The Way of Wisdom in an Age of Foolishness
06/14 Kelly Kapic
07/19 Kevin DeYoung
Liberated to Give in a SelfCentered Culture
Manhood and Womanhood: Social Construct or Divine Design?
06/21 Mark Ross
07/26 Brandon Barrett
The Pursuit of Happiness in the Light of the Cross
Faith & Family in a Digital Age
06/28 D.A. Carson The Church in a Culture of Rapid Transition
07/05 Matt Miller
08/02 Otis Pickett The Church, Race & Reconciliation
08/09 Carl Trueman Sexuality and the Crisis of Identity
The Church & Life in a Culture of Death
BEGINS
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1324 MARION STREET | COLUMBIA, SC 29201 803.799.9062 | firstprescolumbia.org
JUNE 7
10:00AM
FAMILY LIFE CENTER
THORNWELL LECTURES
SPEAKERS Michael Kruger Michael J. Kruger (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) is President and the Samuel C. Patterson Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC. He is the author of numerous books including The Gospel of the Savior (2005), The Heresy of Orthodoxy (Crossway, 2010, with Andreas Köstenberger), Canon Revisited (Crossway, 2012), and The Question of Canon (IVP, 2013). Michael is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America and also serves (part-time) as Pastor of Teaching at Uptown PCA in downtown Charlotte.
Kelly Kapic Kelly M. Kapic is professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA. Kelly is married to Tabitha, and they have two children, Jonathan and Margot. Kelly earned a Ph.D. in systematic and historical theology at King's College, University of London (United Kingdom). Kelly has written and edited numerous books, including God so Loved He Gave (Zondervan 2010), Communion with God (Baker Academic, 2007), and The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Puritan Classics (IVP Academic, 2004).
Mark Ross Mark Ross is the First Presbyterian Church – John R. de Witt Professor of Systematic Theology at the Erskine Theological Seminary Columbia Campus. Previously he served for twenty years as Associate Pastor for Teaching at the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC.
D.A. Carson Professor Carson came to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School from the faculty of Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he served for two years as academic dean. He has served as assistant pastor and pastor and has done itinerant ministry in Canada and the United Kingdom. He has written or edited more than fifty books and is the general editor for the New Studies in Biblical Theology series (IVP) and the Pillar New Testament Commentary series (Eerdmans). Additionally, he is the president of The Gospel Coalition. Professor Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world. He and his wife, Joy, reside in Libertyville, IL. They have two children.
Matthew Miller Matt graduated from Wake Forest University in 2000 with a degree in Economics and Philosophy, and received his Master of Divinity from RTSCharlotte after college. Matt worked as a Director of College Ministries at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, NC. After serving on staff for a year as the Director of Christian Education at Greenville ARP, Matt was called to be the Senior Minister of Greenville ARP Church in 2008. Matt, and his wife, Lindsay, have two children, Elise and Davis.
Ralph Davis Ralph Davis joined our staff in January 2014. Prior to that, his ministry has been divided between the pastoral and the academic; he has served pastorates in Kansas, Maryland, and Mississippi and taught in between pastorates at Belhaven College and Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS. He is married to Barbara; their clan consists of three sons, three daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.
Kevin DeYoung Kevin DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, MI, located near Michigan State University. His most recent books include: What Does the Bible Teach About Homosexuality? (Crossway, 2015), Taking God at His Word (Crossway, 2014) and Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will (Crossway, 2014) Kevin and his wife, Trisha, have six children: Ian, Jacob, Elizabeth, Paul, Mary and Benjamin.
Brandon Barrett Brandon Barrett is the pastor for Grace Presbyterian in northeast Columbia. The Barretts came to Columbia from Williamsburg, VA, where Brandon was pastor of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. Prior to his ministry in Virginia, he served as campus minister with RUF at the College of William and Mary. Brandon and his wife ‘Liz’ have five children: Caroline, Henry, John Mac, Hannah, and William.
Otis W. Pickett Otis W. Pickett holds a Ph.D. in First-Half U.S. History from The University of Mississippi where he graduated in 2013. He teaches classes in Southern Religious History, Civil War History, U.S. History, and Mississippi History. His research focuses on nineteenth-century missionaries to enslaved peoples in South Carolina and to the Choctaw and Chickasaw in Mississippi. Pickett is also the co-founder of the Mississippi Prison to College Pipeline Program, which seeks to reduce recidivism through offering college level courses to pre-release inmates.
Carl Trueman Carl R. Trueman is the Paul Woolley Professor of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glensdale, PA and is Senior Pastor at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Ambler, PA. Carl has degrees from St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, England and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland (Ph.D.) Carl has authored many books, including most recently, Luther on the Christian Life: Cross and Freedom (Crossway, 2015). He also writes regularly at First Things and co-hosts the Mortification of Spin podcast. He and his wife, Catriona, have two sons.
Associate Reformed Synod 1324 Marion Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 (803) 799-9062 Fax: (803) 799-9172 FIRST THINGS (USPS 198-100): Published each week except Christmas week by First Presbyterian Church. Periodical postage paid at Columbia, SC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to First Things, First Presbyterian Church, 1324 Marion Street, Columbia, SC, 29201.
8:30 & 11:15 a.m. “The Strange God of Hope” I Kings 17:17-24 Dr. D. Ralph Davis Children’s Sermon (8:30)
6:00 p.m. “The Glory of the Lamb and the Bride” Revelation 21 Rev. David Lauten Children’s Sermon “Heaven Forbid” Children’s Catechism #31 What is meant by transgression? Doing what God forbids. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
Sunday, May 10 - Mother’s day 8:30 a.m. Worship Service* - Sanctuary 10:00 a.m. Sunday School for All Ages - Church Campus 10:50 a.m. Fellowship Time* - Jackson Hall 11:15 a.m. Worship Service* - Sanctuary 4:00 p.m. Laurel Crest Service - Laurel Crest 4:30 p.m. Cate Memorial Handbell Choir Rehearsal - P107 5:00 p.m. Orff Ensemble Rehearsal - T103 5:00 p.m. Church-Wide Prayer - T301 6:00 p.m. Evening Service* - Sanctuary 6:00 p.m. Friendship Club - T201/T214 6:15 p.m. Cherub Choir Rehearsal - T102 6:15 p.m. The Club (grades 1-5) - T213 7:15 p.m. Sunday Supper - Jackson Hall Monday, May 11 9:00 a.m. Aerobics@First - Family Life Center 12:00 p.m. Recorder Ensemble Rehearsal - P107 6:00 p.m. Open Gym Volleyball (ages 16 & up) - Family Life Center Tuesday, May 12 7:30 a.m. Men’s Prayer - P402A 8:00 a.m. Fitness Training - Family Life Center 8:30 a.m. Staff Prayer - P402 9:00 a.m. Ministry Staff Meeting - P402 5:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball (ages 40 & up) - Family Life Center 7:00 p.m. Women’s Bible Study - P105 7:30 p.m. Brass Ensemble Rehearsal - P110
Wednesday, May 13 9:00 a.m. Aerobics@First - Family Life Center 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays@First* - Jackson Hall 4:00 p.m. Primary and Junior Choir Rehearsal - T207/T201 4:00 p.m. Youth Chorus rehearsal P-110 5:30 p.m. Centerpoint Dinner - Jackson Hall 6:00 p.m. Centerpoint Nursery (Birth -3 years) - T106, T109, T112 6:15 p.m. Centerpoint Kids Catechism Club (K4-2nd grade)T102, T103, T107, T214 6:15 p.m. Centerpoint Kids Missions Club (3rd-5th grade)- T202 6:15 p.m. Centerpoint Bible Study - Jackson Hall 6:30 p.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal - Sanctuary 7:05 p.m. Centerpoint Prayer - Jackson Hall Thursday, May 14 7:30 a.m. Men’s Discipleship Bible Study - Blue Marlin 8:00 a.m. Fitness Training - Family Life Center Friday, May 15 6:45 a.m. Men’s Bible Study - 2920 Gervais Street 9:00 a.m. Aerobics@First - Family Life Center 6:00 p.m. Discipleship Class Covered Dish - Jackson Hall Saturday, May 16 If, at any time, you have an emergency, please call 513-7931 to contact a pastor. *Childcare is available from birth to four years.
Wednesdays@First Wednesday, May 13 GODLY WOMEN OF SCRIPTURE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE “The Samaritan Woman” Rev. Josh Squires Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. Program begins at 12:15 p.m. Jackson Hall
Wednesday, May 13 STANDING FIRM “What the Word Can Do” Dr. Dariusz Bryćko Supper begins at 5:15 p.m. Program begins at 6:15 p.m. Jackson Hall
Vol. LXV, No. 19 May 10, 2015 audio streaming at www.firstprescolumbia.org [email protected] Worship Service - Broadcast WISW 1320 AM at 11:00 a.m.
Thornwell Lectures 2015 Church & Culture: Living Faithfully in the World We live in a culture. Like everyone else on the globe we live in the midst of a whole matrix of relations, ranging from families, businesses, to political, educational, social arrangements, and so on. Every aspect of our lives molds and shapes the way we live and how we view the world in which we exist. As one theologian has stated the matter so simply, “Culture forms character.” Ours is a culture where secularism seeps into almost every pore of our society, nurturing apathy, indifference and, more aggressively, hatred toward God. This in turn becomes the new normal - just the way “life is.” And so our character is formed. Christians can become desensitized to this reality, thinking that they just need to ensure they attend church on Sunday and everything else will take care of itself. In many ways, this thinking is one of secularism’s great “gifts” (read: curses), teaching us that our lives can be cordoned off and separated into distinct spheres. Part of this “gift” - the more deadly part - is the destructive lie that our private lives remain untouched by the surrounding culture. In this context, however, our character is oftentimes shaped more by our unconscious habits, particularly in those moments when our guard is down and we’re relaxing, than by our deliberate and intentional attempts to progress in holiness. The biblical answer is not to develop a self-contained life of the Church, separated from, and set against, the world. The Church as “cloister,” that is, as a community that withdraws from culture, not only fails to work, but loses the biblical command to be a witness of Christ in the world and to the world. The call of the Church is to listen to, and obey, the biblical instruction that tells us that all life is lived before the face of God, whether in the classroom, the office, on the soccer (real football) field, in the boardroom, in the doctor’s office, home-schooling, pastoring, and soon on and so forth. From this biblical point of view, we can then approach the issues that present the most deadly threat to the way we seek to pursue God in our daily lives. This year the topic for the Thornwell lectures is “Church & Culture.” We have invited speakers to address ten of the most pressing issues that challenge the Church today. Each speaker will help us better discern issues prized by a culture that is opposed to the gospel. Each speaker will encourage us to better contend for the hope that has laid hold of us (1 Pet. 3:15). The aim and hope is that these lectures will help us not only to become wiser to the world, but also to grow more fully into faithful and mature disciples of Christ, and to develop into loving and engaging neighbours with those who have yet to find the love and delight that can only be had in Christ Jesus. The Thornwell lectures will take place at the Family Life Center each Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m., beginning June 7 and concluding August 9. We warmly invite you all to attend. Mark Ian McDowell On Behalf of the Christian Education Committee
WOC Circles Update
WOC Circles conclude their Bible Study this month. Circles will not meet in June, July or August except for Circle 12, which will continue to meet monthly over the summer for food and fellowship. Please contact Nancy Smith at [email protected] for times and locations. Circles will resume in September with a new Bible study. We are excited that a new Circle – Circle 16 – will be offered in Lexington. If you have questions regarding WOC Circles or need member contact information, please contact Diane Kirchner at [email protected].
May Circle Meeting Times This is our last Circle meeting this spring. Circles will resume in September (except Circle 12!), details above. Questions? Email Diane Kirchner at [email protected]. No. Date Time Location 1 Mon/11 10:30 a.m. Barbara Graves 719 Blanding St. 29201 2 Mon/11 10:00 a.m. Mary Tribble 1520 Hagood Ave. 29205 3 Mon/11 10:00 a.m. Laffitte Parlor, Jackson Hall 4 Tues/12 6:30 p.m. Young Women Andrea Cavanaugh 6309 Old Knight Parkway 29209 5 Mon/11 5:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church Palmer 107 6 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Peggy McMaster 1731 Senate St. 29201 7 Wed/13 10:00 a.m. Young Mothers Whitnie Hendrix 1122 Tarrytown Lane Children are welcome to attend. 8 Wed/13 10:15 a.m. Laffitte Parlor Jackson Hall 9 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Hannah House Hannah House 10 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Heart & Hand Jackson Hall 11 Tues/12 12:00 p.m. Lunch Fellowship Small Dining Room Lunch provided 12 Tues/12 6:30 p.m. Evening Fellowship Laurel Crest, Three Rivers Room Bonnie Haynes 100 Joseph Walker Dr. 13 Tues/12 10:00 a.m. Jane Jefferson 14 Regatta Court, 29212 14 Mon/11 6:30 p.m. Grace McFadden 409 Shallow Brook Dr. 29223 15 Mon/11 10:30 a.m. Laurel Crest Living Room, Laurel Crest Lunch following
Church-Wide Picnic Sunday, May 17 at 4:00 p.m.
There will be activities for kids of all ages! The serving line will be open from 4:00 - 5:45 p.m. Food will be available in the Atrium. Weather permitting, we will have tables in the courtyard and Jackson Hall. There will be children's activities in the Family Life Center. Bring your family and join us for BBQ sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, and all the trimmings!
Food! Fun! Fellowship!
Spring Concert Thursday, May 21, 7:00 p.m. You are invited to attend the First Presbyterian Church Children's Choirs Spring Concert at Laurel Crest in the Three Rivers Room. Awards for outstanding attendance will be presented.
Middle School InCity Mission Monday, June 8 - Thursday, June 11 Cost: $25.00
Horizon High School Conference Monday, June 15 - Saturday, June 20 at Bonclarken Conference Center Deposit is $75.00. Total cost is $175.00. Registration deadline: Monday, May 11
Quest Middle School Conference Monday, June 22 - Saturday, June 27 at Bonclarken Conference Center Deposit is $75.00. Total cost is $175.00. Registration deadline: Monday, May 11 Register online at: www.firstprescolumbia.org/youthregistration
Summer Basketball Camps Registering Soon The 2015 Basketball Camps will be held August 10 - 13. Cost: $45 per camper Session I: Girls in Rising 1st grade - Rising 8th grade 9:00 a.m. until noon Session II: Boys in Rising 1st - Rising 3rd grade 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Session III: Boys in Rising 4th - Rising 8th grade 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. There will be a sign-up table in the Atrium on the following Sundays: May 17 & 24. Stop by the Atrium to sign up. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Mother’s Day Offering
The Lord’s Supper
Since the opening of Laurel Crest in August of 1994, the board has been committed to providing compassionate Christian care to our residents. The Endowment Trust Fund gives our residents security in knowing that funds may be available to assist them if their own resources become limited. In these uncertain economic times, funds that provide for the support of our residents is an important part of our mission.
Sunday, May 10, during our 6:00 p.m. worship service, we will observe the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The days ahead of us, therefore, are ones in which we prepare for a joyful gathering at the table of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The special offering on Mother’s Day gives us an opportunity to honor our mothers who nurtured and cared for us when we were young. Please give prayerful consideration to a financial contribution to this important part of Laurel Crest’s mission to our residents. W. Patrick Dorn, Jr.
WOC General Meeting and Salad Day Luncheon Tuesday, May 19 10:30 a.m. in Smith Chapel Wrap up our series of studies on Opening up Titus, by David Campbell Install the 2015-2016 Women of the Church officers Award Life Memberships, Love Gifts, and Partners in Ministry Enjoy the Salad Luncheon following the meeting Bring your favorite salad, with a serving spoon, to Jackson Hall before the General Meeting and enjoy a time of fellowship before summer begins! Shop the Bonclarken Boutique Nursery and childcare through 5K is available for the meeting and luncheon with reservations made to Beth Grider by Friday, May 15 at [email protected].
Bonclarken Boutique
VBS Snacks Help feed our hungry scientists with snacks for VBS. There is a list of snacks supplies we need at the VBS table in the Atrium.
Church Family Congratulations to: Emily and Jason Luther on the birth of their son, Joseph Everett “Rhett” Luther, on Tuesday, April 28. Christian sympathy is extended to: John R. de Witt on the death of his daughter, Glenda Shuler, on Wednesday, April 29.
Mardi and Chip Smith on the death of his father, Orville Stanley Smith, Jr., on Sunday, May 3. Items for Church Family? Contact Julie Dever: 799-9062, Ext. 244; [email protected].
War II Veterans A Salute to our World
The Bonclarken Boutique will once again be a part of the WOC General Meeting and Salad Day on Tuesday, May 19. Donations will be received in the Small Dining Room on Monday, May 18 from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., or before our General Meeting on Tuesday, May 19. Please price your items before you bring them, in dollar amounts. We encourage all ladies who enjoy arts and crafts to participate in this event. All proceeds from the Boutique, as well as all items not sold, will be donated to the Bonclarken Gift Shop. Questions? Please call Beth Ashworth at 203-2354.
Hold the Date! Friday evening, September 11 In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Annual Spring Golf Event - Sign up now!
Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 p.m. Lenora Morrow Jeffcoat will retire our Casavant console prior to our sanctuary summer renovation, playing works by Bach and Cesar Franck, as well as unique arrangements of favorite familiar hymns. Ron Miller will also be speaking briefly during the intermission on the organ’s history and the upcoming improvements to the instrument. For more information contact Laurie Price 799-9062, Ext. 222.
Where: Fort Jackson Golf Club When: Friday, May 29 Cost: $45.00/player New this year: Putting Contest at 11:00 a.m. Lunch will be at 11:30 a.m. followed by a testimony from Culver Choate. Captain’s Choice Golf starts at 12:30 p.m. You must register in advance due to security procedures at Fort Jackson. There will be a sign-up table in the Atrium on the following Sundays: May 10, & 17. Stop by the Atrium to sign up for yourself or your foursome, or contact Jimmy Easterby to register at [email protected] or 543-9456.
Organ Recital – “Goodbye, Old Friend!”
ABOUT THE LECTURES Named in honor of James Henley Thornwell, one of the most distinguished theologians of the nineteenth century and a former minister of First Presbyterian Church, the Thornwell Memorial Lectures will be given in the Family Life Center at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday during the months of June, July, and early August. These lectures provide a wonderful opportunity for us to enjoy hearing invited guests speak on subjects on which they have special expertise. This summer we anticipate being encouraged, informed, and challenged as we deal with a variety of topics related to the life of the Christian, the Church, and the place of both in the world.
06/07 Michael Kruger How the Bible Is Being Challenged in Our World Today
07/12 Ralph Davis The Way of Wisdom in an Age of Foolishness
06/14 Kelly Kapic
07/19 Kevin DeYoung
Liberated to Give in a SelfCentered Culture
Manhood and Womanhood: Social Construct or Divine Design?
06/21 Mark Ross
07/26 Brandon Barrett
The Pursuit of Happiness in the Light of the Cross
Faith & Family in a Digital Age
06/28 D.A. Carson The Church in a Culture of Rapid Transition
07/05 Matt Miller
08/02 Otis Pickett The Church, Race & Reconciliation
08/09 Carl Trueman Sexuality and the Crisis of Identity
The Church & Life in a Culture of Death
BEGINS
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1324 MARION STREET | COLUMBIA, SC 29201 803.799.9062 | firstprescolumbia.org
JUNE 7
10:00AM
FAMILY LIFE CENTER
THORNWELL LECTURES
SPEAKERS Michael Kruger Michael J. Kruger (Ph.D., University of Edinburgh) is President and the Samuel C. Patterson Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC. He is the author of numerous books including The Gospel of the Savior (2005), The Heresy of Orthodoxy (Crossway, 2010, with Andreas Köstenberger), Canon Revisited (Crossway, 2012), and The Question of Canon (IVP, 2013). Michael is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America and also serves (part-time) as Pastor of Teaching at Uptown PCA in downtown Charlotte.
Kelly Kapic Kelly M. Kapic is professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA. Kelly is married to Tabitha, and they have two children, Jonathan and Margot. Kelly earned a Ph.D. in systematic and historical theology at King's College, University of London (United Kingdom). Kelly has written and edited numerous books, including God so Loved He Gave (Zondervan 2010), Communion with God (Baker Academic, 2007), and The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Puritan Classics (IVP Academic, 2004).
Mark Ross Mark Ross is the First Presbyterian Church – John R. de Witt Professor of Systematic Theology at the Erskine Theological Seminary Columbia Campus. Previously he served for twenty years as Associate Pastor for Teaching at the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC.
D.A. Carson Professor Carson came to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School from the faculty of Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he served for two years as academic dean. He has served as assistant pastor and pastor and has done itinerant ministry in Canada and the United Kingdom. He has written or edited more than fifty books and is the general editor for the New Studies in Biblical Theology series (IVP) and the Pillar New Testament Commentary series (Eerdmans). Additionally, he is the president of The Gospel Coalition. Professor Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world. He and his wife, Joy, reside in Libertyville, IL. They have two children.
Matthew Miller Matt graduated from Wake Forest University in 2000 with a degree in Economics and Philosophy, and received his Master of Divinity from RTSCharlotte after college. Matt worked as a Director of College Ministries at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, NC. After serving on staff for a year as the Director of Christian Education at Greenville ARP, Matt was called to be the Senior Minister of Greenville ARP Church in 2008. Matt, and his wife, Lindsay, have two children, Elise and Davis.
Ralph Davis Ralph Davis joined our staff in January 2014. Prior to that, his ministry has been divided between the pastoral and the academic; he has served pastorates in Kansas, Maryland, and Mississippi and taught in between pastorates at Belhaven College and Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS. He is married to Barbara; their clan consists of three sons, three daughters-in-law and five grandchildren.
Kevin DeYoung Kevin DeYoung is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, MI, located near Michigan State University. His most recent books include: What Does the Bible Teach About Homosexuality? (Crossway, 2015), Taking God at His Word (Crossway, 2014) and Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will (Crossway, 2014) Kevin and his wife, Trisha, have six children: Ian, Jacob, Elizabeth, Paul, Mary and Benjamin.
Brandon Barrett Brandon Barrett is the pastor for Grace Presbyterian in northeast Columbia. The Barretts came to Columbia from Williamsburg, VA, where Brandon was pastor of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. Prior to his ministry in Virginia, he served as campus minister with RUF at the College of William and Mary. Brandon and his wife ‘Liz’ have five children: Caroline, Henry, John Mac, Hannah, and William.
Otis W. Pickett Otis W. Pickett holds a Ph.D. in First-Half U.S. History from The University of Mississippi where he graduated in 2013. He teaches classes in Southern Religious History, Civil War History, U.S. History, and Mississippi History. His research focuses on nineteenth-century missionaries to enslaved peoples in South Carolina and to the Choctaw and Chickasaw in Mississippi. Pickett is also the co-founder of the Mississippi Prison to College Pipeline Program, which seeks to reduce recidivism through offering college level courses to pre-release inmates.
Carl Trueman Carl R. Trueman is the Paul Woolley Professor of Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glensdale, PA and is Senior Pastor at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Ambler, PA. Carl has degrees from St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, England and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland (Ph.D.) Carl has authored many books, including most recently, Luther on the Christian Life: Cross and Freedom (Crossway, 2015). He also writes regularly at First Things and co-hosts the Mortification of Spin podcast. He and his wife, Catriona, have two sons.
