Construction Area Ahead

Since I have a restless baby who doesn't always last in nursery (despite the best efforts of nursery workers!) I often get to spend time in the Catacombs. A recent benefit of that has been a chance to view the rapidly progressing construction. For those of you who don't make it down there, below are some pictures of the restroom construction.

Here are a few pictures I snapped a couple Sundays ago:

And some more recent pictures of the construction that were shared with me:

And, in case you haven't had a chance to make it up to the choir loft, here are some pictures that I took the Sunday after the dedicatory concert:

Reflections on Prayer and the Capital Campaign

A lot of times the blog contains updates on a project status, but we are fortunate to have a post today that reminds us that the capital campaign is more than a to do list--it is our journey in faith. Reading George McFarland's reflections not only encouraged me in regards to the Capital Campaign, but also gave me an opportunity to reflect on my own prayer life. I hope you are also encouraged and challenged by his reflections!

Over the past seven months the Session has encouraged our congregation to make the Capital Campaign a matter of prayer. The Elders, too, have also prayed for wisdom in the direction Tenth should move. We have seen the blessing of the Lord upon our congregation and thus I would like to reflect upon what I have learned as an elder who was directed by Session to head the Spiritual Formation Committee. Several things come to mind, but I’m sure there are others I am not aware of at this point, and certainly more to come as we will be working through by prayer the implementation of the campaign.

I realized how little I prayed. It wasn’t that I didn’t pray; in fact, I prayed quite regularly and systematically. The focus on the campaign, however, heightened my sense for the urgency of the Lord’s wisdom and provision for the campaign. I’ve found myself in the last seven months praying much more often. For example, I like to pray when I’m walking in the morning. What I came to experience was longer walks because I focused on praying through the items of the campaign and often did not realize how far I had walked. On one occasion I walked for 5 miles praying for aspects of the campaign when normally I walked 3-4 miles. The campaign gave a specific focus to pray and thus it encouraged me to pray “without ceasing.”

I realized how much there was to pray about. The prayer guides were helpful in this area in delineating specific matters to pray about. It wasn’t just a matter of praying for the general topics; though praying for these areas often led me to pray for what seemed to me innumerable aspects. I found that once I started to pray, I moved from one specific to another. This was very exciting because I saw the value of praying for very specific matters: the names of people who were directing the campaign and/or aspects of the each area. I learned in a small way why the Lord wants us to be very specific in our requests: He hears us and is not deaf or blind to those matters which we are bringing to him.

I realized the tremendous blessing of praying together. This came in many different ways that I found very encouraging. The Spiritual Formation Committee, for example, spent more time in prayer at our meetings than discussing business. Some meetings we prayed for close to an hour. My wife and I prayed for two thirty minutes sessions while we were in the car (I drove and, yes, I kept my eyes open). I knew, too, that over 60 people were praying as part of the Band of Gideon. What I realized was that I was not alone in praying, but that in praying with others I was encouraged to share my requests but also in hearing them pray for their requests. They share my petitions and I share theirs. It is often the case that as we pray together will Lord confirms certain matters as we hear others pray. The Lord, too, I believe enlarges our faith as we are surrounded by others praying. The Lord does indeed encamp around those who do trust in him . . . and certainly as we are together.

Like many of you, the past seven months has been a spiritual journey. For me, more specifically, it was a prayer journey. There were times when I didn’t “feel” like praying. At other times, it was a great joy to pray at length for aspects of the campaign. The Lord, I realize, knows our weaknesses and frailties. What I came to experience during the seven months I have enlarged in other praying areas of my life. Some times of prayer are very structured; others are very spontaneous. I know the Lord has a multitude of lessons for me about praying; if they are anything like those lessons of the past I will welcome it. May you, too, be blessed and encouraged in your prayer life.

George K. McFarland

Only A Few More Days

With the dedicatory concert drawing near, I thought I'd share a press release about Paul Jacobs, the organist who will be performing. Isn't it exciting to look back at where we started and see where God has brought us?

On September 12 Mr. Jacobs will perform in a free concert on Friday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Tenth Presbyterian Church located at 17th and Spruce Streets. The church’s new instrument is a four-manual Walker digital organ, the gift from former U.S. Surgeon-General and former church elder, C. Everett Koop, donated in memory of his wife Betty and their son David. Tenth Church celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2004 with a grand concert free to the public at the Kimmel Center, and it is in the same spirit that the church invites Philadelphia to this event.

Jacobs will reintroduce the Prelude and Fugue in B Minor, an unpublished prelude and fugue for organ by Samuel Barber, which received its only performance in 1928 by organist Carl Weinrich at The Curtis Institute of Music. Music historian Barbara Heyman discovered the Barber work at the Library of Congress in 1984, as part of the research for her award-winning biography-Samuel Barber: The Composer and His Music. Impressed by a recent performance by Mr. Jacobs, Dr. Heyman asked whether he would be interested in performing it. About the prelude and fugue, Mr. Jacobs comments, “Through this richly chromatic work, Barber seems to carry the listener beyond Brahms and Reger, into a new, personal realm of expression.” Both Heyman and Koop plan to be in attendance at the Philadelphia concert.

At 31, Paul Jacobs is widely acknowledged for reinvigorating today's organ scene with a fresh performance style and an "unbridled joy of music-making" in performances throughout America, as well as in Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia. In 2003 he became one of Juilliard's youngest faculty appointments and the following year was named chairman of the Juilliard organ department. Mr. Jacobs studied at The Curtis Institute of Music, where he doubled-majored in organ with John Weaver and harpsichord with Lionel Party, and subsequently at Yale University, where he studied with Thomas Murray.


Friday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m.

Tenth Presbyterian Church, 17th & Spruce Streets
Philadelphia, PA

Paul Jacobs, organ

Prelude and Fugue in B Major, Op. 7 - Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)

Trio Sonata in E Minor, BWV 528 - Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Prelude and Fugue in B Minor (1928) - Samuel Barber (1910-1981)

Pageant - Leo Sowerby (1895-1968)

Fantasia and Fugue on Ad nos, ad salutarem undam- Franz Liszt (1811-1886)


Admission is free. For more information, call 215.735.7688

Please Pardon Our Appearance

Renovations are underway! This has necessitated a few changes around Tenth. First, the choir loft is not available for seating at any services. Don’t worry, seating abounds in the side balconies and Catacombs if the main floor is full.

Second, due to the Catacomb bathroom renovations those bathrooms are not available. Portable bathrooms will be in the ramp area for men/boys. Both Fellowship Hall bathrooms will be designated for women/girls. The handicap bathroom in Reception Hall is accessible to men and women with physical challenges. And a special note for parents—make sure that your children use restrooms before attending any Catacombs Assembly Hall programs since facilities are no longer easily available.

Goodbye Organ!

After years of service, Tenth’s organ was disassembled and removed from the choir loft. This means we are one step closer to hearing the new Koop Memorial Organ! Don’t forget that the dedicatory concert is September 12!

Here are some pictures of the old organ prior to being disassembled:

And here are some pictures of it being disassembled:

Picking Up Steam

Although the blog has been quiet recently, this is in no way indicative of the activity level of the capital campaign projects. In fact, exciting developments are happening this week regarding the Koop Memorial Organ. Construction began on the choir loft and likely the old organ will no longer be there when you arrive for worship this Sunday. And it’s a good thing that all this is happening since Walker, the organ company which is constructing the new organ, has let us know that it is being built right now.

In addition to the developments on the organ project, there are also things happening on the global outreach front. Tenth is sending $26,000 from the Capital Campaign funds received thus far to help fund a new church building for the Los Olivos Community Center, Barranquilla, Colombia.

While these are just tidbits about these projects, in coming weeks you can expect to hear more about the organist who will be playing the dedicatory concert for the Koop Memorial Organ. (Don’t forget to mark you calendars for September 12!) And, we also hope to provide you with a more intimate perspective on the work being done in Colombia. Check back often has the blog is going to pick up steam to match the exciting pace of the capital campaign projects!

Envelopes

If you made a commitment to the capital campaign, you should receive several campaign giving envelopes with your confirmation letter. If you require more envelopes, these will be stocked in the pew racks, lobbies and the literature display rack in Reception Hall. You can also e-mail Nancy Hala, nhala@tenth.org, to request a supply of envelopes. However, it is not necessary to use these envelopes as you can merely write “capital campaign” on the memo line of your campaign checks and place them in your regular giving envelope.

Just the Beginning...

Some of you may have wondered if the Capital Campaign blog was defunct now that the public phase of the campaign has concluded. However, after a brief respite, we are up and running again. Although April 20, the official day for commitments, has come and gone, the journey that we embarked on last winter is only just beginning. If the time wasn’t right for you when commitments were originally accepted, but you now would like to make a commitment, it’s never too late! (Forms are available in the Narthex and Delancey Street lobbies and, in fact, commitments have continued rolling in.) And if you are new to the Tenth family and are interested in learning more about the campaign and the projects it is supporting, you might want to look back at previous posts and check the sidebar for links to campaign documents.

Besides the ongoing commitments as a continuing element of the campaign, the projects supported by the campaign funds are going to begin to be implemented in full force. A Capital Campaign Implementation Committee has been formed with Ruling Elder Frank Harder as the chairman. Members include Phil Ryken, Elmer Snethen, Brian Esterly, Clive Stockdale, and Pat Canavan.

So far there have been commitments and gifts totaling $4,063,725 —it will be so exciting to watch how God uses this money for Kingdom. He may not need “our” money to accomplish His purposes, but He graciously allows us to participate in His work by giving back what He has given us. All of which reminds me of the most important role of the blog—to continue highlighting the spiritual journey of Tenth’s members as we continue in the campaign. We’ve seen how many people have been challenged and have grown as they decided what to commit, now we can see how the use of the funds is changing the lives of people in our church and around the world. If you have a story about how God is using the capital campaign in your life, please feel free to email it to me at sarahsmcinnes@gmail.com. I will share it with the committee as an encouragement and may even post some testimonies on the blog (with your permission of course!)

In the weeks and months to come you will see more detailed information about the projects here and in the bulletin, but here are a few details about projects that are already underway.

Organ Project

• Design of the new Koop Memorial Organ is complete and the builder (Walker Technical Company) has begun work on the instrument. Tenth member and architect Greg Berzinsky has helped in the design so that the organ will be consistent with our church architecture and furnishings. If all continues as planned, we will be worshipping with the new organ by the first Sunday in September! (A dedicatory concert is scheduled for Friday, September 12.)

Facility Renovation Projects

• The Building Committee is currently working on finalizing designs for the Catacombs bathrooms, as well as the Catacombs and Sanctuary floor covering projects. Work on development of the construction specifications for the elevator has recently begun.

Church Planting

• The Church Planting Committee has prepared and distributed materials throughout the Philadelphia Presbytery about the Ethnic Church Planting Fund. We are looking for proposals that will make a significant impact on each church plant’s progress. The committee is also preparing materials for the Church Planting Apprenticeship. The apprenticeship involves two or three years of preparation with the intent of Tenth beginning a church plant somewhere in the city by the third year.

Global Outreach

• The Global Outreach Commission is planning to prioritize projects where Tenth plays a lead role; this would include the Middle East church and the orphanage in Colombia.

Catacombs Canteen Debut

Only a couple more weeks until commitment Sunday and the congregation is abuzz! If you haven’t had a chance to check out capital campaign events yet or if you’ve been involved since the beginning, this is a wonderful time to see what this campaign is all about—not just raising money, but coming alongside each other throughout this spiritual journey. A perfect way to do that is to sign up for the prayer-a-thon by picking a slot and committing to pray for the campaign during that time. You can sign-up on Sunday in Reception Hall.

Another way to be involved and support the hard work of Tenth’s children is to check out the Catacombs Canteen. Last Sunday the 1st, 3rd and 5th grade classes manned the tables which were laden with baked goods and craft items. I didn’t make it to the Canteen until after the 11am service and found that the vast majority of the goods had already been purchased—wow! (I did manage to snag a lovely greeting card.) But, I’ll share some excerpts of details with you that I received from an earlier observer (thanks, Dori!) And, I’ll have the opportunity to visit the Canteen again this coming Sunday when the 2nd, 4th and 6th graders will be running it. I hope to see you there (you’ll find me by the sweets)!

As soon as the tables started to fill up there were customers ready to make a purchase. There were people two deep trying to get to the tables. The items for sale were truly amazing...such variety! The fifth grade class took the suggestion of classmate Henry Listenberger's and sold fresh pretzels. A perfect accompaniment was Sarah Cohen’s lemonade. Both the pretzels and lemonade sold out so be sure to get there early next week when both will be sold again

Some other food also available were a granola & candy mix, fudge, cupcakes, chocolate lollipops, quick bread, cookies (many, many varieties!), and chocolate covered pretzels. Dori noted many customers wanted to know "who made" the items they were buying...the actual names
of the children, demonstrating a real interest in the whole stewardship adventure at a personal level and not just in satisfying their hunger!There were also crafts for sale, including greeting cards, ribbon hair bands, gift tags, decorated gift bags, books marks, pot holders and silk corsages. The crafts were beautiful and unique and were flying off the tables.

Next week the 4th and 6th graders will be manning the tables with their goodies. You can look forward to a raffle for special treats, handmade marionettes, and yarn dolls. You will also have the opportunity to purchase the party planning services of some of the 5th and 6th graders who have organized a special birthday party planner package. Clearly the creative juices have been flowing!Dori summed up the project, “So...lots of happy children and satisfied customers. Our children are learning from the Word and experiencing through the seed money stewardship adventure, ...that God CAN and DOES use children in big ways for kingdom work and His glory.”

(For more pictures, visit this slideshow at the Kodak Gallery.)

Harvest Time

Time is flying! April is here which means that we are in the public phase of the capital campaign. All of the praying, talking, events and information have been leading us to this time where many of us will make our commitments to the capital campaign. As you consider everything you have learned over the past few months, here is an encouraging update from Dori Baggs on one aspect of the campaign. Since the beginning we have heard about the role of children in the campaign and they have continued play an important part in it. (And don’t forget to visit the “Catacombs Canteen” which will run the first two Sunday’s in April during coffee hour and after the 11:00 service. Grades first, third and fifth will participate in the Canteen on Sunday, April 6th. Grades second, fourth and sixth will participate in the Canteen on Sunday, April 13th. You will have the chance to buy baked goods made with the children’s seed money and all proceeds will support the capital campaign.)

You should have been in the catacombs last Sunday. The children were very excited sharing the different projects they were engaged in and how much money they have made for the capital campaign...in one week! These children are excited because they really see and are beginning to understand that God can actually use them to accomplish big things...even though they are young! Just imagine where that type of faith will lead! Each of these children is like a tiny mustard seed...the journey of faith (yes, Elmer, even the children are on one!), they have embarked on will yield a crop!

Moving Up (and Down)

Another project that the capital campaign will fund is the installation of an elevator. Perhaps you’ve never known the isolating feeling of being unable to access part of the church, but chances are you’ve shared a pew with someone who has. Darv Dombach, a member of Tenth’s building committee, wrote the post below to highlight the many people who will be able to participate more fully in the life of Tenth with the installation of an elevator.

Who is the elevator for?

“When you give a feast, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind; and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:13-14.)

The elevator is about inviting those who have mobility difficulties to feast with us. It might be a physical feast such as a small dinner in Fellowship Hall, or a spiritual feast of God’s Word such as a Bible Study in the Catacombs.

Who are those people?

Maybe you’re like me, and the first people you think of are those who have reached a stage of life when their knees don’t bend as easily as they once did. For them, climbing stairs is laborious or even painful. We have a few in the congregation who already feel this limitation on themselves. Demographically, we expect those numbers to increase as our current middle-aged generation continues to age. Even though I still take stairs two steps at a time and perhaps feel slightly invincible, there are sober people who remind me from time to time that one day, our time will come, and they expect to be one of the beneficiaries.

It is surprising to remember, however, that even young people can have difficulty with stairs. Sometimes it’s the result of a congenital condition or a crippling disease. Dear Nada Ghattas comes to mind as someone who would greatly benefit. Other times, it is a more temporary affliction such as a broken bone sustained in a sports injury. We now have a couple young teenage men in the congregation who are ardent supporters of the elevator because they have had to live on crutches for a period of time.

Whatever the reason someone may “walk” through our doors without actually walking through them in the usually understood way, I am convinced that our elevator will be a means of introducing people to Christ or helping them to grow in their faith. It may be unbelievers who feel welcomed when they see our commitment to their needs, or believers who are refreshed during some opportunity for worship or service that was otherwise not available to them. Though they may not repay us for our act of love, God promises us immediate joy and full restitution at the final resurrection.

An Evening with Dr. Paul Tripp & Dr. Philip Ryken

You are cordially invited to a dessert reception
on April 6 following the evening worship service at approximately 8:00 pm at a
Center City location in close proximity to Tenth Presbyterian Church.

Drs. Tripp and Ryken are hosting a series of dessert receptions to present their vision for ministry and to visit with people who worship at Tenth, particularly the evening service. There will be an opportunity to discuss Tenth’s current significant spiritual journey as represented by its capital campaign.

Come meet Tenth’s pastors in an intimate setting and hear first-hand about the work God is calling this generation to do in Philadelphia and beyond. RSVPs are necessary as each dessert will have a limited number of guests. Regrettably, due to the limited space children will not be allowed. However, child care will be provided at the church for the March 30 reception. Please call or e-mail Nancy Hala at 215.735.7688 or nhala@tenth.org to reserve a spot.

Stewardship Center

In an effort to provide the congregation with a better understanding of financial issues and information on ways to give a Stewardship Center has been placed in Reception Hall. This display features brochures and guides that provide a basic understanding of key financial issues.

Provided below are a list of resources:

Brochures:
• Your Guide to Outright Charitable Gifts
• Your Guide to Making a Will
• Your Guide to Gifts of Securities
• Your Guide to Gifts of Real Estate
• Your Guide to Gifts of Life Insurance
• Your Guide to Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets
• Your Guide to Charitable Remainder Trusts
• Your Guide to Charitable Gift Annuities
[Also, Questions & Answers on Gift
Annuities]
• Your Guide to Basic Estate Planning
• Your Guide to Memorials and Endowments
• Your Guide to Effective Bequests

Guide to Important Stewardship Websites
Guide to Stewardship Radio Stations
Guide to Legal Assistance
Guide to Recommended Books from the Library
Guide to Stewardship Audios of John Piper

Campaign Case Statements
Campaign Devotional/Commitment guides
PCA Foundation Brochures

Coming soon:
Ten Ways to Give to Tenth
Answers to Common Excuses for Not Giving
Codicil/Bequest Language

If you require further information, please contact Chairman of the Planned Giving Committee, Bryce Bartruff, at 856.773.4756 (o) or bryce.bartruff@actelion.com

Prayer

From the Spiritual Formation Committee, here are some suggestions to guide you as a pray for the campaign:

Praise God for:

• The congregation's earnest participation in last Sunday's quarterly day of prayer and 2nd round of praying tours.
• The continued enthusiastic interest and fundraising efforts of our children in support of the campaign.
  

Pray for:

• Good health and strength for Dr. Ryken during a very busy spring of this year.
• Campaign donations to meet--and even exceed--commitments in the promised time frames.

Journey of Faith

Below is a story shared by Peggy Ann Garver. I had heard that she had a testimony that others might find encouraging as they consider their campaign commitments. When I asked her to share it, she was gracious enough to provide this post. I’m so glad I was encouraged to find out her story, it truly is comforting and inspirational to know that God is working through all details of the campaign and our lives as we consider what our commitment to the campaign will be.

I have a long history at Tenth Church. When I was a little girl, friends of my parents took me to Tenth to hear Dr. Barnhouse. We arrived early and I was delighted and amazed at the building structure. Philadelphia, itself was always a wonderful place to visit. I never dreamed that one day I would be a resident! Years later after our son became a member of Tenth, we visited off and on especially for Christmas Eve services and during our summer vacations. Several years back my husband had the privilege of marrying our son and daughter-in-law in the Tenth sanctuary. We certainly enjoyed the ministry of Dr. Boice and now of Dr. Ryken and the other fine men who are a part of Tenth Church.

Last year we had planned to give to a church my IRA money which was required to be withdrawn. This was not a difficulty for us since we had planned on giving this as a charitable gift since the government at that time allowed for this to be tax-free income! We felt that this was just good stewardship. Many things happened in our lives and we felt drawn to Tenth Church where we found worship in the true sense of the word. After a few months I joined the membership class and last August became a member of Tenth. When it came time to withdraw those IRA monies Tenth was the choice and that was our mutual decision.

My husband and I have been home missionaries for over thirty-eight years and we felt that the gift we were able to give to the Capital Campaign last year was, in fact, not enough. We should do more. We began to pray and so many infinite details came to us that we could hardly believe what was happening. First, we looked at annuities that would benefit us and the church, but after further observation and talking with our financial person, etc. we decided that this would not benefit our church in the way we would want. Two groupings of monies were coming to us in late January and early February. These monies were to be invested in the event we need some day to go to a retirement facility. The financial market was far from good and our financial person gave us the rates he had obtained and both of us had done computer lookups to see the best rates for CD’s in the US. This money was definitely in the CD portion of our finances. The credit union in my hometown was offering the best long-term rate of any place, however, we did not have the money just yet to invest. Time went on and it got near the time I would be having money to invest so I talked with one of the people at the bank. They in turn talked with someone higher up and decided they would hold that rate for us for a time. The first CD matured and was moved to a money market and then electronically to my checking account. It was a day late in arriving and we got a phone message that they could not hold the rate longer since the market was down and to give them a call. This was a Friday but the rates did not change and on Saturday the money was in our account. They seemed to indicate they would hold the rate. The following Monday the bottom dropped out of those CD rates! When we were going to bed my husband said that the Lord would give us the rate he wanted us to have. Even with some money in our account it was not nearly enough to get the rate we had asked for. However, God had a plan – the second CD was coming from a bank in another state and they did not have a system that would wire the money. They did agree to send it FED-X. The money arrived on the very day needed and we drove to the credit union window and deposited our check. The man at the credit union knew that we wanted to give a portion of this money to our church. Later that day both accounts were put into one CD with the best rate in the US. I had never ever heard of a bank holding a rate for a customer for such an extended period of time. Once the monies were reinvested and all the paperwork cleared we wrote a check for the Capital Campaign. That all these rather small pieces came together shows God’s protection and care for us. This very day another bank called and asked what they could do to get our business back and since they called me I did tell them about the providence of our Great God in giving us such a good rate, etc. The woman on the other end agreed they could not match that story.

We not only are blessed in being able to teach in Tenth’s Bible School, but we are truly enjoying the worship of our great God in the fellowship of believers. It is something new and special to me to Enjoy God! I feel certain that there will be many more stories to tell by our brothers and sisters in the Kingdom of God which is exactly what Tenth Church looks like to us. This is our journey of faith.

Bon Appetit!

On February 24 the first of three luncheons hosted by our senior minister occurred following the 11 am service and approximately 30 people attended. Invitations were sent to members and regular attenders who have not been at Tenth for a long period of time. The focus on this group came about as a result of last year’s spiritual health survey. The results of that survey indicated that those who have been at Tenth the shortest period of time felt least connected to the church body and the pastoral staff. These luncheons are a chance for some of the relative newcomers (like me!) to spend time with Dr. Ryken and some of the elders in a more intimate setting. Dr. Ryken shared about his sense of calling to Tenth and his lifetime ministry commitment to the church, as well as his vision for ministry at Tenth. In addition, there was an opportunity to share about the significant spiritual journey the church is on right now, the capital campaign. The invitation to attend one of the remaining two luncheons on March 16 or March 30 is now open to all, but seating is limited. If you would like to come, RSVP to Diana Frazier (215.237.2619 or dsfrazier@msn.com). The committee also asks for prayer for the upcoming lunches – that they would be well attended and that the attendees would be equally blessed.

To whet your appetite, here’s some feedback from someone who attended the February 24 luncheon:

Many Thanks for the wonderful time of fellowship, great meal, and extra bonus of background information on how the Lord brought the Rykens to minister at Tenth! Of course, it all naturally flowed into a family discussion: How is the Lord calling us to participate? And then more importantly, How are we as a family evaluating each purchase in light of the Capital Campaign?Many thoughts, but most importantly, Thanks!

It's a Small World

On February 17 we were visited by Professor Frédéric Hammann of the Reformed Seminary in Aix-en-Provence. After hearing a bit about the seminary which I shared in an earlier post, it was great to hear from someone at the seminary. Below I’ve included his remarks from the service.

It is a pleasure and a privilege for me to be here and to share in this worship with you.

I bring with me warm greetings from my colleagues at the Reformed Seminary in Aix-en-Provence and, of course, from my wife and our two little children.

I am very grateful to you for all you have done for our Seminary, and especially for the James Montgomery Boice Chair of Practical Theology, in the past, in the last months and for what you are planning to do this year in the context of your special Campaign.

You know, your support is very important and means a lot for us. It is the first time I come to the US and I am deeply moved with all what I see. I knew that you had interest in our French situation, but now I see how concrete it is, and it’s wonderful to discover the reality of such a fellowship in Christ.

As Reformed Evangelical Christians in France, we are a small minority within a minority! Protestant people, all together, represent about 2% of all the population living in France. And so you can understand how important it is for us to know that we are not alone in the ministry God gave us. Every day is a struggle for us. But we see the faithfulness of God, and the power of His promises as we persevere in our Christian walk.

Our students are a source of great motivation for us. They really want to serve the Lord, they love the Gospel, they love the truth and they want to speak it to the people around them, whomever they may be and wherever it might be. So it is a daily stimulation for us to try to find the proper articulation between theological education and spiritual formation. Both have to be closely linked together.

As the occupant of the James Montgomery Boice chair of practical theology, I am the coordinator of the program for practical theology, though we are several in the department. I personally give, (1) an introductory course to practical theology (where I show the unity and the coherence of all aspects of the life of the Church, of her unique ministry); I also teach (2) homiletics (preaching) and (3) pastoral care (counselling).

I have to recognize that, in this teaching ministry, I use a great deal of material / books which come from here, especially from Westminster Seminary. And I hope and pray that, one day, we’ll have good Reformed books in French too. We have work for the future!

Again, thank you for your invitation, and thank you very much for your support.
May God bless you.

A Few Updates

First, I would like to explain the dearth of new material on the blog this past week. Last week, my husband and I welcomed our daughter into the world and have been busy learning the ways of parenthood! We’re slowly getting into the swing of things so I wanted to get back to the blog to share some of the news from the past week and also resume sharing some of the amazing stories of the campaign that have been shared with me. Be sure to check back in soon as I plan on posting new material throughout the week.

• On February 29, the first campaign e-newsletter was sent out. If you didn’t receive it, check your spam to make sure it didn’t get accidentally filtered. And if it’s not there, please contact Dot Boersma (dboersma@tenth.org) to make sure your email is added to the database.
• Last Sunday was the Quarterly Day of Prayer. Brian Esterly had the following to say about the day: "There was a wonderful turnout of over 50 members and we had a rich time of praying for more than 75 minutes for the campaign. The spiritual formation group, led by George McFarland, had an excellent prayer guide that took us through praising God for his faithfulness and each of the six projects. I think everyone came away blessed as we were able to approach God's throne of grace and pray specifically for the spiritual journey God has put us on through this campaign." Let this congregational day of prayer inspire you to continue praying for the campaign! The spiritual formation committee has provided some items to guide you as you pray this week: for strength, energy and perseverance for the extended campaign committee as they are in the midst of a busy time, for the next round of praying tours and that the devotional study guide will be a useful resource for congregational members.
• Last week the devotional guide went out. If you didn’t receive one, please pick one up at the church. George McFarland of the spiritual formation committee shared the following post about the guide.

As Tenth Presbyterian Church moves forward with its Capital Campaign, the Spiritual Formation Committee is distributing to the congregation a 30 day devotional guide for their spiritual nourishment and instruction. In keeping with the rich history of biblical teaching and preaching at Tenth, this guide is comprised of various sermons which were preached by Dr. Philip Graham Ryken, Dr. Paul David Tripp, and the late Dr. James Montgomery Boice. All the sermons are expositions of portions of scripture that deal specifically with the idea of stewardship. The majority of sermons are taken out of the Gospel of Luke. The sermons have been divided into daily devotionals that span a total of four weeks. The length of each daily devotional is approximately two pages.

The Pastors and Elders of Tenth Presbyterian Church are encouraging the members of Tenth to read these devotionals privately as individuals, corporately with their families, and together with one another in other places of fellowship throughout the thirty days period of stewardship teaching. While the guide is formatted to be used during the month of March, it can be used during any 30-day period. Our hope is that you will go through the texts, lessons, questions, and prayers in preparation for Sunday, April 20, the day we plan to formally make financial commitments to the capital campaign. Those who read these devotionals should find them to be a rich means of instruction. The aim of the devotionals is to encourage Christian growth, by means of the word of God, in the lives of the people of God. We’re praying that the Lord will greatly use this Devotional Guide in the life of Tenth Church.

Prayer

From the Spiritual Formation Committee, here are some suggestions to guide you as a pray for the campaign:

Praise God:

• for the good turnout (over 100 people) at our first "Praying Tours" last Sunday.

Pray:

• for God to use the soon-to-be-mailed 30-day devotional guides in the lives of the congregation to help them make prayerful campaign commitment decisions.
• for upcoming events, specifically the quarterly day of prayer and the second of the praying tours, both on March 2.
• that the Lord will multiply the efforts and money directed toward church plants, as part of the campaign's city outreach efforts.

We have also had an encouraging update from the Band of Gideons. George McFarland reports that there are now 40 people who have signed up for the Band of Gideons and are praying daily for the Campaign! If you are interested in joining, please send him your name and email address at gmcfarland@dccs.org. You are also encouraged to share any particular blessing from the Campaign. Here are a few encouraging quotes that the Band considered in a recent email update:

"Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence." Charles Spurgeon

"Jesus did not pray about things, he brought things about by prayer." Armin Gesswein

Survivor

Survivor with new ball

The capital campaign contains designations for global outreach. One of the projects that the funds would support is the continued construction of the Rafiki Village in Monrovia, Liberia for orphans. Ed Bland, a missionary to the Rafiki Village, shared the story below in his February newsletter. It is easy to start to think of some of these projects and fund designations as bullet points in a list, but as the story below demonstrates, this is about supporting real people with real stories. Our contributions and prayers will bring us alongside people like Ed Bland as they participate in and witness the powerful work of God.

"Survivor." No, not a television show. A child. The people caring for this little boy gave him that name when he survived infancy. No one thought he would.

It was in the last years of the long Liberian civil war. Some people fleeing to Monrovia found him in the "bush," tied to his dead mother's back and brought him along. Everyone said he wouldn't survive. He did. Barely.

Several people kept him for a while and, finally, one woman agreed to care for him. She didn't think the baby would make it, but with some emergency feeding at a Red Cross center, "Survivor" continued to live. In fact, he has made it to his fourth "birthday." (No one knows his actual birth date.)

When the Red Cross and the Ministry of Health asked us to consider him for placement with Rafiki, we went to his home to meet him and talk with the family who had cared for him. The house was very humble. Many people resided there. These people had done what they could, but they wanted him to have an opportunity for a better life and for education.

We knew "Survivor" might be close to five years old, so we were surprised at how tiny he is. (He is wearing size 2 clothing.) He sat quietly, his large brown eyes taking in everything. The family assured us that although he wasn't saying anything while we were there, that he would be full of questions after we left. Initial interviews and medical testing were done and, soon, Home Office approval came to accept him.

Last Saturday, we went to bring "Survivor" to his new home at Rafiki Village Liberia. The old grandpa of the family told us that Survivor had been waiting every day for us to come. He said, "Every time Survivor saw a car drive near their home, he would say, 'Those are my people!'" (Yes, we are now definitely "his people"!)

As we were leaving, I asked the grandpa if Survivor had any little favorite toy that we should take. "No, " the grandpa said, "he doesn't have any toys, but I'm sure if someone gave him a toy, he would play with it!"

So Survivor came home to Rafiki Mother Charlesetta's house (Ephesus cottage). New clothes, new toys, medicine for the usual problems (malaria, worms, ringworm, etc.), lots of good food, and lots of love.

God is good. And He is able.

Thank you for standing with us.

Survivor age 4+ with Anna 18 months

Survivor at his old home (Yes, that is a chicken at the lower right!)

A few days later came this update about Survivor from Ed Bland.

Just thought you might enjoy a little more on “Survivor’s” new life at Rafiki. Last Saturday the President of Liberia and her entourage traveled down the road in front of the Rafiki Village to a town nearby. The Rafiki Mothers and the children were in the dining hall, having a snack, and heard the sirens. The mothers took the children outside to wave at the motorcade. Upon seeing the children, the President ordered her driver to stop, got out of her vehicle, and entered the Village to greet the children. So, at the end of his first week in his new home, little “Survivor” (we are calling him Benjamin here and he is pleased with his new name) met the President!

“Who is like the Lord our God? ... He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes…” Psalm 113:4-8

Sneak Preview

On March 1st you will have the opportunity to attend the Managing Your Money seminar at Tenth. (Contact Nancy Hala at nhala@tenth.org to register.) One of the speakers is Bryce Bartruff. Bryce has attended Tenth since 1980 where he has taught regularly on personal finance and has also served as the treasurer of the diaconate. He recently provided me with some more information, provided below, on the content of the seminar. I also asked him for his thoughts on what the purpose of the seminar is. He shared the following with me:

The idea is to provide Christians of every age and economic level the insights they need so they can be confident they are making wise financial decisions and lifestyle choices. The balance between saving for the future, living a nice lifestyle today and being able to contribute to the church in the way the Lord desires requires insight and wisdom. We will provide appropriate tools to be able to do just that.

Here are some of the talks you can look forward to hearing as Bryce, Dr. Ryken, Gary Morris and others work to equip you to achieve the balance that Bryce mentions:

• Understanding God’s Financial Plan for Your Life
• Establishing a Foundation for Making Financial Choices (designing a budget)
• Simple Steps for Making Wise Lifestyle Choices (building a personalized budget)
• The Beauty of Giving
• Biblical Principles for Navigating Modern Debt Choices
• Transportation
• Alternative Ways to Give
• Tightwads Guide for Frugal Living
• Recovering from Debt Bondage & Living Debt-Free
• Fundamentals of Investing for Retirement

Items for Prayer

From the Spiritual Formation Committee, here are some suggestions to guide you as a pray for the campaign:

Praise God for

• a good beginning to the children's program and the enthusiasm it's generating.
• the 25+ members who have thus far signed up to be part of the "Band of Gideon" prayer team.

Pray that:

• upcoming events--particularly the praying tours on 03/02 and 04/06, and the quarterly "Day of Prayer" on 03/02--will be well-attended.
• upcoming communications--especially the devotional guide to be mailed out in late February--will help members determine their level of campaign participation.

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS--Our Journey in Faith

Today's post is a piece written by Elmer Snethen, Capital Campaign Chairman. While many of you may have heard him share this before, such as at the January congregational meeting, I encourage you to read it as it serves as a reminder of why this campaign is much more than a fundraiser or list of projects to check off.

“It is January 20, 1852. Dr. Henry Augustus Boardman has invited several gentlemen belonging to Tenth Presbyterian Church to his house to discuss plans for founding a daughter church. They believed the time was right and by June had purchased a lot on 17th and Spruce. Then everything went wrong. They raised only half the money they needed. The help from other churches fell through. And within a year, Dr. Boardman seemed to be heading to Princeton. Then, the country entered a full financial depression that began developing in 1854 and did not let up until 1859. What did the people do? They thought it was the right time to move forward. In 1855, they laid the cornerstone, and in May 1856, the colony of thirty-six people began worship. See the sanctuary they built in 1857. You can’t see the steeple that towered 250 feet as the highest structure in Philadelphia. What vision they had!

Now think about this: their vision was too small! The sanctuary cannot hold half of Tenth’s membership and associates. And the only reason we can crowd the numbers who come for worship and study and fellowship and ministry is that one generation bought the Delancey building. Reception Hall was the office facility. The pastor’s study was up by the choir loft. What would we do without Delancey, which doubles as Sunday school classes? What would be have done if that same generation had not dug out the basement and created the classrooms and worship space of the Catacombs? What would we have done if our own generation had not purchased the 315 Building to fill up with more classes? And we still do not have enough space! Our vision has been too small!”
- Pastor Marion Clark

But let us go back to the end of the first paragraph. What vision they had. Yes, they truly had vision, but what they demonstrated the most and what they brought to 17th and Spruce was their tremendous faith. They were the first generation to fill this incredible place with faith and all the following generations have compounded it. That is what you feel when you come into this building and that is what makes this place so special – their tremendous and uncompromising faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You can feel it, can’t you? I know you have either brought people to Tenth and have had them share “There is truly something special here!” It is so so true. You can have a beautiful building, which it is, but it is only a building. But, to have a building filled with faith, that is a treasure given by the hand of God.

To me, this is not a Capital Campaign, but a Journey in Faith. Our session has spent a great deal of time and especially prayer discerning the Lord’s leading in His vision for the next generation. They unanimously believe in the Lord’s calling at this time in our church’s history to move His vision forward. His call, our response. What is Faith? We are clearly told in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

How do we get faith? Once again, the bible clearly gives the answer in Romans 10. “Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God.”
There is no other place that I know that teaches the word any clearer and more consistently, for almost 179 years, than here at Tenth Presbyterian Church.

Hebrews 11:6 reads, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Oswald Chambers shares, “Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life.” Faith always works in personal ways, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children. The life of faith says, “Lord, you have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in your word.” “Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”

This is His call and His gift to each and every member and regular attendee, as well as the corporate church, to grow in faith. He is offering this amazing gift to all; no one is to be left out. This is our time, our turn. His call, our response to pass on to the next generations our filling of His church with our generation of faith. If we accomplish everything on the Capital Campaign list - renovations, organ, elevator, etc., and as individuals and as a church have not grown in our faith, to me we have truly failed. Through faith all things are possible. Through faith we will accomplish both. But most importantly is to pass on our faith to the next generation. We are here for such a time as this. His call, our response.

This and That

There is a lot going on so here are a few quick updates to keep you in the loop.

• So far, 34 people have signed up for the Band of Gideons! It’s never too late to join, so don’t hesitate to email George McFarland (gmcfarland@dccs.org) in order to sign-up.


• In the next few days, you can expect to receive an e-newsletter. Be sure to check it out, especially if you’d like to hear Gresham Smith’s story, pictured above during the first collection of the children’s program.


• Don’t forget to sign up for the Managing Your Money Seminar on March 1! Brochures are available at Tenth and you will be able to find more information on the blog soon.


• And finally, some food for thought recently shared with me by a member thinking about the campaign: “Keep always before your mind the greatness of your calling, that is to say, these two things: the immensity of the task before you, the infinitude of the resources at your disposal.” Benjamin Warfield, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, to his students on October 4, 1911.

Praying Tours

If you’re like me, by the time the 11am service ends breakfast seems a long time past and after a few quick hellos you’re on your way out. But, this Sunday eat an extra granola bar and think about sticking around for another thirty minutes to participate in one of the praying tours. This is an opportunity to hear more about the campaign projects, participate in some Q & A and pray for the campaign. The tours will start at 12:30 and will last about thirty minutes. Here’s the list, so start thinking about which session you want to attend and some good questions for your host! By the way, if you find it difficult to select just one session, the praying tours will be repeated on March 2 and April 6.

Project, Location and Hosts

• Facility Improvements - Catacombs - Ron Ferner and Kim Dengler
• Digital Organ - Choir Loft - Dr. Paul Jones
• Property Acquisition - 18th St. Amen Pews - Frank Harder
• Elevator - Nursery - Rev. Carroll Wynne, Bob Sharrar and Darv Dombach
• Global Outreach - 1 West - Dr. Bruce McDowell and Bill Langford
• City Outreach-church planting - 2 West - Dr. Phil Ryken and Michael Hatem

Aix Marks the Spot

Seminary at Aix seminarians

As part of the commitment to global outreach, some of the funds raised during the campaign will be contributed to the endowment for the Dr. James M. Boice Chair of Practical Theology at the Reformed Seminary in Aix-en-Provence. William Edgar, professor of apologetics at the Reformed Seminary in Aix-en-Provence from 1979-1989 and current professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, recently provided me with some history and news from the Seminary at Aix, including the impact it’s having on the spread of the Gospel in France. As I read, I was struck by how the history of Tenth is intertwined with that of the Seminary at Aix. It’s exciting to think how this longstanding relationship will be continued through the campaign. We will have the opportunity to hear more about the Seminary at Aix in the services on February 17 when a guest from the seminary will be visiting us.

St-Quentin is a growing suburb of Paris. Although some inhabitants are commuters, most live and work right there. The town has excellent schools and cultural activities. Twenty years ago a group of dedicated church planters, studied the demographic trends and concluded that the real population growth was in these hamlets, neighboring the large cities. They took note of the Renault car company’s plan to locate their technology center there, alongside many other new French enterprises. Thus, a new church was born. Between January, 1990, the date of their first worship service, and today, there has been significant growth in the town and in the church. Today, they are a thriving community. Their strengths include, preaching, pastoral care, outreach to the surrounding population, foreign missions, and evangelism. Much of the early development in the church can be credited to the work of Gérard Bos, the dynamic pioneer who tirelessly preached the gospel and gathered leaders around him. Where did he train? Aix-en-Provence. As did his successors, Yannick Imbert, an interim, and Marc Toureille, the current pastor.

The Reformed Seminary in Aix-en-Provence was originally founded just before World War Two, with the considerable help of Donald G. Barnhouse of Tenth Presbyterian Church. Dr. Barnhouse preached regularly in France and was able to help purchase the property on which it now stands. In 1974 the Seminary changed its charter and became an independent, confessional institution. The purpose was and is to train gospel ministers, as well as other leaders in Kingdom work. Originally the hope was to revitalize the Reformed Church of France with evangelical leadership. While that still remains a goal, today the Seminary has a broader purpose, namely to train leaders both for church renewal and for church planting. Through the James Montgomery Boice Chair of Practical Theology, an endowed chair whose occupant, Frédéric Hammann is currently visiting the United States, the Seminary is assured of an enduring program not only to train leaders but to reflect on the whole endeavor of starting new churches. Targeting mostly urban areas in France and throughout Europe, the Seminary is aiming for nothing less than a European renaissance.

Though relatively small, with six full time professors and about 100 students, like the children’s story, this is the little Seminary that could! Its brilliant professors speak all over the world. They write books and articles that are unique and strategic. They not only teach but pastor the students through their years at Aix. The student body is French, but also international, with Africans, Spaniards, and even Koreans. When I was there in the 1980s we had a Waldensian student from the remarkable movement begun in the 12th century and eventually led by Peter Waldo. Persecuted, they survived till the 16th century when they embraced the Reformation. There are still numerous Waldensian churches in Southern France and in Italy.

The Seminary at Aix is the only historically orthodox Reformed institution of higher learning in the French-speaking world. It is a great testimony to the God who loves taking small things and using them for great achievements. Whether it be David’s sling shot, the widow’s mite, the ineloquent apostle, the Lord enjoys showing his power through weakness. The Seminary at Aix is fragile but has been a seedbed, producing some of the most important leaders in the church today. It is a privilege to partner with them in their marvelous mission.

Pictured is Nelly Vos, a Tenth Member and supported global partner, who is involved with student recruitment at the Seminary.

Library at Seminary at Aix