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.