VBS 2013-Athens: Paul’s Dangerous Journey to tell the Truth
Posted on 02. Apr, 2013 by CeliaT in Children, Events
Opa! Eastwood Presbyterian Church has officially kicked off our 2013 Vacation Bible School registration & volunteer recruitment. If you haven’t heard about the exciting week we have planned for our children (and adults), then let me share a little of the information. This year’s theme is “Athens: Paul’s Journey to tell the Truth”. VBS will be June 10-13, from 9 a.m. until noon. We will be taking a trip back in time to Athens, Greece during the time that Paul was making his second missionary journey. Our church will be transformed into a Bible times culture. It will be a hands-on learning experience where every activity not only teaches our children Bible truths, but also teaches our children about the culture and region that Paul was traveling through at that time. This VBS is a little different from “traditional” VBS themes, however, your children (and you) will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the format, as well as how every little detail of the week makes the Bible come to life. We will need MANY volunteers, and not just the mothers. We need dads, moms, and older brothers & sisters to help create Athens. After all, Athens was not just a community of women. Even if you are only able to commit to 1 day (and that would only be 3 hours), PLEASE consider this WONDERFUL opportunity…we PROMISE it will be an experience you will remember for a very long time.
Another item we’d like to mention is that we have opened registration. Registration will be open until May 31st with no charge. If you register your child after May 31st, there will be a $10 fee/per child (only applies to Eastwood Church members. If you bring a guest and they don’t register until after May 31st, they will not be charged). So…please pick up a registration form at one of the ATHENS VBS information booths around the church. You may complete the form and either place it in the offering plate during church OR you may drop it off in the church office.
We are looking forward to seeing your children (and you!) in Athens!
Eastwood PCA Affirmation of the Christian Sabbath, or Lord’s Day
Posted on 03. Dec, 2012 by webmaster in Epistle, Henry, Newsletter, Undershepherd Groups
Webmaster’s note: the following was approved by the Eastwood PCA Session in its September, 2012, meeting:
Eastwood PCA Affirmation of the Christian Sabbath, or Lord’s Day
The Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire said that if you would destroy Christianity, you must first destroy the Christian Sabbath. Our Reformed forefathers viewed the Christian Sabbath, or the Lord’s Day, as the “lynchpin” of God’s moral law, the cornerstone of all moral government. In the last two centuries in America and in the West generally, this distinction of the first day of the week has eroded. Today, most Americans treat the Sabbath merely as part of their “weekend.” The PCA has not escaped this cultural trend and finds itself struggling to uphold the biblical view of the day expressed in the Westminster Standards as well as to promote practices consistent with that perspective. Eastwood is aware that, particularly on this subject, any position taken may be viewed by some Christians as legalism and by others as license. We seek to avoid both. We affirm the application of the Fourth Commandment to the New Testament Church and urge all our members to be thoughtful of it. We believe that a biblical view of the day is the starting point for adopting a God-honoring Sabbath observance. In short, we affirm that the Christian Sabbath is intended to secure the following for the Christian: rest, not regulation; blessing, not burden; delight, not drudgery.
The above viewpoint flows largely from Isaiah 58:13-14, which was easily the favorite “Sabbath” passage in the scriptures of earlier generations of Presbyterians:
If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken (ESV).
Nine Benefits of Sabbath Observance (this list is by no means exhaustive):
- Worship: Sabbath observance meets the soul’s need for corporate and private worship, including the preaching and hearing of the Word of God, prayer, the sacraments, and the fellowship of God’s people.
- War Against Worldliness: The Sabbath serves as a weekly “antidote” to the world’s influence in the heart, a reminder that we are living not for this world but for eternity.
- Character: Sabbath observance teaches one to fear God more than men. Even Christians may not always see the value of a consistently Reformed view of the Sabbath. You may even be viewed as legalistic for following your Sabbath convictions. But fear not.
- Doctrine: Studying the Sabbath in God’s Word reveals that the Bible is an integrated, unified book with an essential continuity between the testaments. Consistency in Reformed doctrine demands one’s acknowledgement of the Fourth Commandment.
- Witness: Sabbath observance is a visible witness to the world. While we are to live differently than the world on every day of the week, on the Sabbath we have the opportunity to demonstrate a greater distinction from the world in our outward practices.
- Rest: Sabbath observance provides opportunity for bodily rest. The rest of the Sabbath also reinforces the gospel truth that we cannot attain redemption by our own labors but only by receiving and resting upon Christ alone for salvation (WSC 86). Christ has labored for our salvation on the cross and we rest in Him alone (Matt. 11:28-29, Heb. 4).
- Mercy: In Matt 12:9-13 (& Mk. 3, Lk. 6), Christ taught that acts of mercy on the Sabbath are pleasing to God. A rewarding practice during the afternoon/evening is to minister to those who are shut-in or suffering or who would otherwise benefit from some specific act of mercy.
- Stewardship: Just as when we tithe, believers offer one-tenth of their substance to God, thereby teaching that all we possess properly belongs to the Lord, so in the Sabbath believers offer one- seventh of their time to God, thereby teaching that all of our days are His.
- Order: In an increasingly disorderly society, the Sabbath offers stability as God’s primary ordering institution in one’s personal and family life; it is intended as the apex of our week.
Six Practical Suggestions. We commend as appropriate Sabbath afternoon activities at home,
- discussing the morning’s sermon with your family during or after lunch;
- spending time in Bible reading (or Christian biography, theology, church history);
- spending extended time in prayer;
- taking a rest of a reasonable length;
- ministering to someone who is sick, shut-in, or in need of encouragement; and
- teaching the catechism to your children or learning it yourself.
Some Scripture passages that reinforce the validity, obligations, and blessedness of the Sabbath include Psalm 92 (the only psalm written specifically for the Sabbath), Psalm 116:7-8 and 118:22-24 (one of the most quoted Old Testament passages, and foreshadowing the change of day), Gen. 2:1-3, Ex. 16, Ex. 31:12-18, 2 Chr. 36:15-21, Neh. 13:15-22, Is. 56:1-8, Is. 58:13-14, Jer. 6:16, Jer. 17:19-27, Matt. 11:28-29, Matt. 12:1-13 (& the parallel passages in Mk. 2-3, Lk. 6), and Hebrews 4.
Previous generations understood the Fourth Commandment to address one’s love for God as well as for one’s neighbor. The latter aspect is not widely appreciated today but is found in Deut. 5:13-15 where the commandment’s rationale is so that your “servant may rest as well as you” (including non-Jews, sojourners). Thus, Eastwood encourages her members, particularly heads of household, to consider thoughtfully and prayerfully their commercial activity (i.e., paying others working for you) on the Sabbath (see WCF 21, Neh. 13:15-22, Jer. 17:19-27, Is. 58:13-14, BCO 48-5).
We might close with many excellent affirmations from Presbyterian history, but here is one from a broader source. As an American Tract Society publication stated in 1835, “On the children and youth who are now growing up, will rest the responsibility of deciding whether the Sabbath shall be only a day of sport and amusement – or whether it shall be a day when the poor shall rest and be refreshed, and when souls shall be sanctified, and fitted for heaven.”
–Eastwood PCA Session, Montgomery, Alabama, September 2012
Check Out Our New Children’s Ministry Page
Posted on 03. Oct, 2012 by webmaster in Blog, Children
If you have a moment, please click here to check out our newly updated Children’s Ministry page here on the website.
Our Children’s Director, Celia Thorington, has produced a really nice brochure that does several things very nicely. First, it introduces the ministry, and lets you know its goals and purposes. The brochure also highlights some events that are planned for the coming year.
If you have any questions about the Children’s Ministry, please feel free to contact Celia at 334 386 2385 or celiathorington @ eastwoodchurch . org
Thanks!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MENU CHANGE
Posted on 16. Sep, 2012 by Jerry Knotts in Blog, Events, Undershepherd Groups
WEDNESDAY NIGHT MENU CHANGE
The menu for this Wednesday night supper (9.19.12) has changed.
For the adults we will have turkey sandwiches from Chappy’s deli, salad, chips, and Blue Bell ice cream. The kids will have chicken fingers from Chappy’s instead of turkey sandwiches.
Men’s Fish Fry Coming Up On August 2
Posted on 24. Jul, 2012 by johncoley in Events, Missions
Eastwood Fish Fry on August 2, 2012
From the folks that brought you the Raccoon Hunt and the Wild Game Supper, the Outreach Committee is excited to announce the next men’s event:
Date: Thursday, August 2, 2012
Place: Eastwood Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Hall
Time: 6 – 8 PM
Who: Eastwood men and young men are invited, and encouraged to bring guests.
What: Fried fish and shrimp will be provided, but if you have some fish, please bring it, too! Freshwater, saltwater, we don’t care. We will start preparing food at 5:00, so please bring it by then at the latest. If you would like to drop it off before then, come by during office hours and put it in the freezer. Please be sure to label it well! Just let us know by emailing Matt Phillips at mattphillips@knology.net or 334-398-1667.
RSVP: please let us know if you plan to attend at mattphillips@knology.net or 334-398-1667.
Jeff Dunn will be there to give his testimony and present the gospel, and we know there will be a lot of great fellowship.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Eastwood Men’s Raccoon Hunt 2012
Posted on 17. Feb, 2012 by webmaster in Events
If you had any doubt that you lived in The South, let’s erase it with our next Men’s Fellowship event. The Men of Eastwood are planning a Raccoon Hunt!
In the first of (Lord willing) many, Matt Phillips is hosting a ‘Coon Hunt at his family land in Wetumpka on Friday, February 24, 2012, from 6 PM to about 10 PM. Those who know coon hunting know that the dogs are the stars, and the Phillips have arranged for some Grade A coon dogs to come in from Mississippi.
Here’s a quick video that will hopefully answer a lot of your questions:
If you have any questions, please call the church at (334) 272-3103 or email Matt at mattphillips@knology . net.
You won’t need a gun, but wear clothes that can stand up to some mud, woods, and fun. Bring your own chairs, etc, and plan on a bonfire and great fellowship.
We hope to count you among those that attend the “First Ever ‘Coon Hunt!”
Join Us For Mommy Bootcamp
Posted on 05. Jan, 2012 by webmaster in Events, Women
All moms with preschool children and younger are invited to join us for Mommy Bootcamp Saturday, January 28th, 2012.
Date: January 28th, 2012
Time: 9am-12pm
Place: Eastwood Presbyterian Church, The Fellowship Hall
Cost: $10 per person
Hungry? Breakfast and Lunch are provided.
Three topics that we plan to cover, and the teachers, are:
Biblical Discipline – Brenda Payne
Creative Family Times – Lauren Hixon
Teaching your Children Hospitality / Preciousness of Others – Tiffany Higginbotham
Please make arrangements for your children – there will be no nursery / childcare provided. Here’s a great chance for the dads to pitch in and help!
Look for opportunities over the next three Sundays to sign up at church. Please invite your friends & neighbors, we would love for this to be an outreach event.
Don’t let the $10 slow anyone down, scholarships are available. Email Tiffany Higginbotham at khiggi@knology.net or Lauren Hixon at laurenhixon@gmail.com with any questions.
Please RSVP!
Eastwood’s Lou Priolo Travels To Brazil
Posted on 02. Nov, 2011 by webmaster in Counseling Center, Lou
The Lord has blessed Eastwood Presbyterian Church with a wonderful Biblical Counseling Center. The staff members spend countless hours caring for not only the flock of Eastwood, but also non church members who desire Godly counseling.
Lou Priolo is the Director of the Counseling Center. This past Sunday, Lou made an exciting announcement at the Morning Worship service!
Lou will be traveling to Goiania, Brazil, this week to participate in a conference for Presbyterian pastors. Click here for more information about the conference. His messages will be both polemical and practical. This is a wonderful opportunity to influence the Brazilian culture for Christ.
Please pray for Lou and the attendees of this conference. Here are the topics he will be covering and the times (Goiania is three hours ahead of Alabama) he will be speaking.
Tuesday Evening @ 7:30 What is Biblical Counseling?
Wednesday Morning @ 10:30 Helping People Who Are Angry
Wednesday Evening @ 8:40 Helping People Who Are Fearful
Thursday Evening @ 8:40 Issues about Marriage (part 1)
Friday Evening @ 7:30 Issues about Marriage (part 2)
Lou will also be preaching at the Sunday Morning Worship Service, so please keep him in mind as we worship also.
Lou Priolo’s Books
You may already know that Lou has written many helpful books about Biblical living. Would you like links to some of Lou’s books? Please see below!
 The Heart of Anger: Practical Help for Prevention and Cure of Anger in Children by Lou Priolo |
 Selfishness: From Loving Yourself to Loving Your Neighbor (Resources for Biblical Living) by Lou Priolo |
Sunday School Audio: Spiritural Leadership In The Home #4
Posted on 25. Sep, 2011 by johncoley in Children, Sunday School
Here’s the latest link to the latest Sunday School Class taught by Andy Perry. This class has been very popular this quarter. In case you missed it, or were in the Romans class instead, see below for a quick link to the audio of Andy’s class. It is hosted by Sermon Cloud, like the sermons from Worship. This means you can download it to an iPod, iPhone, iPad, or other mp3 player, or you can just “stream” it – that is, just press play and listen to it through your computer.
Class Topic: Spiritual Leadership In The Home
Class Location: Fellowship Hall
Class Date: September 25, 2011
Teacher: Andy Perry
Would you like to hear other audio copies of the Sunday School Class taught by Andy Perry?
Just browse to our Sermons section of our website and navigate to Andy Perry’s material.
Sunday School Audio: Spiritual Leadership In The Home #3
Posted on 18. Sep, 2011 by johncoley in Children, Sunday School
We now have audio from the third Sunday School Class taught by Andy Perry on the subject of Spiritual Leadership in the Home. This is a really great topic, and we hope you will enjoy the audio to it. Please see below for a quick link to the audio of Andy’s class. Like the sermons from Worship, you can download it to an iPod, iPhone, iPad, or other mp3 player, or you can just “stream” it – that is, just press play and listen to it through your computer.
Please come and join us in the Fellowship Hall here at Eastwood Presbyterian Church each Sunday morning at 9:45 AM if you would like to be here in person!
Class Topic: Spiritual Leadership In The Home
Class Location: Fellowship Hall
Class Date: September 18, 2011
Teacher: Andy Perry
Would you like to hear other audio copies of the Sunday School Class taught by Andy Perry?
Just browse to our Sermons section of our website and navigate to Andy Perry’s material.
