WELCOME TO SUMMERLIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

THE PASTOR'S PEN

Thursday nights are becoming quite the feast, spiritually and for our bellies. This past Thursday night, at our Lenten get together, BJ Jamison cooked his special recipe for chili (that included London broil and cinnamon), and Robin McColley brought home made corn bread with honey butter. Yum!

A couple of Thursdays ago, Doris Krieger shared her family’s recipe for chicken noodle soup with angel hair pasta, if I ever catch a cold, I know whose soup I need to make me feel all better. Mary Jamison brought her family’s favorite 16 bean soup that was out of this world, and Donna Tate brought over her Lorne Doone cake that lasted about three minutes. This Thursday Joice Franklin is cooking up a surprise; and Kathy is thinking about whipping up an old recipe from the Northwest, and hopefully we’ll get a chance to eat some New Orleans Jambalaya before Lent is over. If I could, I’d stretch Lent for another two months just to eat. (Don’t tell anyone, but we’re putting together a cook book for SPC and families and friends with all of these delicious recipes, it might be called A Journey through Soup)

We have looked at Jesus’ journeys, our faith journeys, we’ve talked about why Jesus walked the places he did, and have tried to discover why he chose certain roads in his ministry. We have laughed a lot and told our stories of being along the way with God. It has been an encouragement for all of us, and I am certain it has been nourishment for our souls to connect and pray and enjoy each other’s company. It is a comfort to know there are others along the road with us.

Lent is a time of sacrifice to remind us of our blessings with God. With Thursday evenings always on the horizon, I have so much to look forward to in the stories of these people, I often forget the sacrificial tone of Lent and relish in the laughter of God’s people, and the joy of breaking soup together.

A couple of weeks ago, as we discussed why Jesus went through Samaria (John 4:5), it dawned on me; Jesus chose to meet a woman, whose reputation for being immoral and unclean was well known, at a well, a place where many women and men would meet to get married. As they lingered by the well, Jesus made it clear to her that along this particular road God chose to consummate God’s love story for her and for the world. The story of this woman’s journey takes hold of us because through this woman’s connection with Jesus, we see Jesus giving away love and experience being beloved. Jesus meets us in the places where we hunger for God the most (usually at the crossroads of sin and need) to fill us and set us free. Real love, like what Jesus shared with the woman at the well, is a love experienced as a well spring, meaning we will never have to thirst again for love, because, like this woman (who is just like you and I and the rest of the world) we are liberated to a new life fulfilled in God’s love because we know and experience God as God’s beloved.

How many of us, along our journey with God, yearn to experience this kind of love? How many of us, at the crossroads of our life’s greatest need (water and bread for our journey), are looking for something temporary, and are surprised by the everlasting power of God’s eternal love, changing us forever so we never temporally thirst for love and life again? The Lord is near. Reach out and ask Jesus, just like this woman did, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." (John 4:15)

Come Thursday nights and eat some soup with us. We would love to be a rest stop with you on your journey.

In Christ,

Pastor Tom

>>Pastor's Blog

THE MISSION FRONT

Gulf Coast Mission: Plans are underway to return to Pearlington, MS with a mission team in June to help the families affected by hurricane Katrina. If you are interested in joining the team or helping in preparations please contact. Kathy Lobaugh or Scott Thrasher.

Amazing Grace Ministry: The deacons, members & friends of Summerlin Presbyterian Church are on a mission! Every third Wednesday of the month, we serve Christ by preparing and serving a meal to those in need. If you are mission-minded and want to help, please see a deacon or contact Steve or Cheri Clark at 453-3336 to offer your time or talents.

>> SPC Mission Projects

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

NASCAR has left Las Vegas!

I love NASCAR people and I love SPC people even more! What a wonderful weekend of service, sacrifice, and inspiration from a wonderful group of selfless volunteers. The long hours and tiring labor is such a wonderful testimony of loving God’s people of the community of NASCAR. Ask any one of the following volunteers to share “their story” of witnessing and experiencing the fellowship of those in their trailer, the runners, the warehouse people and of all who came to their counters. It was an experience and a gift needing to be shared by all. Our deepest thanks to the following trailer angels:

Scott Thrasher Barbara Ludwig Janice Plummer Tom Lobaugh

Jon Hedberg Florence Luckett BJ Jamison Rachel Plummer

Jessica Lobaugh Bev Leeper Donna Tate Kayla Sherwood

Mary Jamison Robin McColley Christian Kolberg Diane Lockhart

Kevin Clemons Craig Leeper Kelvin Montaque Jennie Grimm

Cody Hopballe Bob Lockhart Emily Thrasher Sarah Thrasher

Adam Plummer Keith Marcos Steve Clark Jonathan Lobaugh

Devon Dane Helen Gaitan Bill Hutchins Kathy Hutchins

Cheri Clark Yesmi Rios

Thanks to those for all your prayers and support. We love NASCAR people and we love SPC people even more!

Kathy Lobaugh


I've had the pleasure of serving the homeless through Amazing Grace ministries. Every month when I've worked there are so many stories that touch my heart. I wonder if you all know through your gifts, small or large, what kind of impact you make on people that are in need. I wanted to share with you this one. At our February dinner I was wandering through the crowd as they were eating to see where I could clean up, or just to stop and chat. A lady asked me "Are you the church that gave us the blankets at Christmas." I said, "yes that was us" She told me how much she loves her new comforter and how beautiful it is with a flower pattern, and she said "and do you know what? I'm not homeless anymore and that beautiful bedspread now covers my bed." If you know me even a little, you'll know that her words brought tears to my eyes. I cry easily, but she really touched me. Sometimes I feel like the little things I do aren't enough, that I wish I could do more and solve all of the homelessness or hopelessness, but I can't and I realize that even the little gifts are enough sometimes. Please remember that too, and even if you can only help in a small way with one package of razors or one tube of toothpaste, it still matters in a big way to someone who has nothing. When you chose that flowered bedspread, and paid for it and made the effort to bring it in to church did you know what a blessing that would be to someone? Now you know. Your little efforts touch people in big ways. Cayce Newton When Dave was in the hospital last year he was very anxious one evening and the nurse he had that day was trying to get his doctor to prescribe some medication. Of course the meds didn't come and for some reason as she was going off duty she asked if she could pray with us. She led us in a wonderful and peace giving prayer. It was so wonderful for Dave and he was able to relax without any medication. With all that was going on with Dave in the hospital I didn't get a chance to thank her that evening and never saw her on the floor after that night. An angel of mercy and peace. I think so!! Robin McColley Street Teens is a volunteer based, non-profit organization dedicated to assisting homeless, abandoned, and at risk youth, ages 12-21, in the Las Vegas Valley. Their primary goal is to meet the survival needs of youth by providing basic necessities in a safe environment. Between the hours of 4pm and 8pm, 365 days a year, the Street Teen Center provides counseling, clothing, and a hot meal for the 18-25 youth who walk through their front door every day. These teens moved into the high risk street life over a period of time and rarely by their own choice. An alarmingly high number of them were sexually and/or physically abused over a period of time before running away, or they were simply abandoned. In February, the Deacons of SPC decided to support the Street Teen Center by preparing several hot meals for them. With the support of the congregation, it was hoped that 3 meals a week could be provided during the 6 weeks of Lent. I was very uncertain about this ministry in the beginning. Would 3 hot meals a week be too ambitious? Would the Center be in a dangerous neighborhood? Would the teenagers be dangerous? Would I be able to prepare enough food to feed 25 hungry teenagers? Well, maybe a big pot of soup – maybe I could do that. And lots of bread and milk to go with it might be filling. On my way to the shelter, I prayed that God would fill my car with angels so that when I arrived, I would be protected from those dangerous teenagers – Father please don’t let them rob me or stab me in the back; please let me live to see another day. In His infinite wisdom, I think God decided to answer that prayer by introducing me to those “dangerous teenagers”. Using Map Quest directions (not recommended), I got stuck in a horrible traffic jam, causing me to be an hour late. Instead of arriving at the pre-arranged time of 4pm, I finally pulled into the Center parking lot around 5:00. By that time, a dozen “dangerous teenagers” had also arrived at the Center. Two of the boys, I’m guessing 11 and 13 years old, met me at the door and helped me carry in the milk. Then several more children came outside to help me bring in the rest of the dinner. Those children and I carried the food back to their small kitchenette where I met several more youth who had heard that someone had brought them dinner. I’m guessing that they ranged in age from 11 to 14. They were so young! I was totally unprepared for that. How could children who are so young be living on the streets? They had never heard of ham and bean soup, but every one of those children thanked me for bringing them dinner and rewarded me with beautiful smiles – the kind of smiles that only children have. And as I was leaving, several more children who had apparently been in the back room when I arrived, came running out to the parking lot. They also wanted to thank me for dinner. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me that I was not the one who needed protection. These are your children and the ones You are hoping to protect through the ministry of the Street Teen Center. Mary Jamison

The Last Supper Matt. 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:3-39; John 13 Two Disciples, Peter and John, were hurrying along the road from Bethany to Jerusalem. They were going on an errand for their master. The day had come when the lamb for the Passover Feast should be killed, and Jesus had chosen these two disciples to go to Jerusalem and prepare the feast that the Twelve should eat with him that evening. After they had passed through the city gate, they looked about to find a man carrying a pitcher of water. Men seldom carried water-pitchers in the streets, for such work was usually left for women to do. But Jesus had told them they would see a man carrying a water-pitcher, and they did. Jesus also told them to follow the man to the house where he should go with his pitcher, so they followed. At the house they met the owner, and to him they gave the message that Jesus had sent. This was the message: "Our master sent us to ask your permission for him to use your guest-room in which to eat the Passover supper with his disciples." And the owner of the house led them to a nice room up-stairs which was furnished with a table and couches on which the guests might recline while they ate. No doubt this owner knew Jesus and was glad to give him the use of the guest-room in his home. When evening came, Jesus and the other ten joined Peter and John and together they sat around the table in that quiet room upstairs. A feeling of sadness crept into the hearts of the disciples, for their Master spoke to them so earnestly about going away soon. It was so hard for these men to believe that Jesus would really be taken away from them. They had seen him do such wonderful things that it seemed impossible to think men could ever kill him. And soon they were talking about other matters at the supper-table. Some were wondering who would be the greatest in the kingdom that they expected Jesus to set up soon. Jesus knew their thoughts, and he wished to teach them more about the kind of kingdom he was bringing to mankind. He rose up suddenly from the table, laid aside his outer garment, and tied a towel about his waits. Then he took a basin of water and began to wash the disciples' feet. The disciples looked at each other in silent astonishment. They could not understand why he should be doing this humble act of service, for they had washed the dust from their feet before coming into that upper room.
The Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30 14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.	(Click on thumbnail)
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

The Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30