Called to Worship, Empowered to Serve

Star Press THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF STARMOUNT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

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December 31, 2015

INSIDE... From The Associate Pastor ......... 2

Starmount at Worship ................ 2

Starmount Stats ......................... 3

Starmount People ...................... 4

Starmount Leadership ................ 5

Starmount Youth & Young Adults ...... 6

Starmount Missions ................... 7

Starmount in Pictures ......... 6 & 8

Starmount Volunteer Central ..... 9

Starmount Calendar ................. 10

Starmount Library News .......... 11

Dear Starmount Church Family,

The staff of Starmount Presbyterian Church joins

together in expressing a big thank you to the

members of the Starmount Presbyterian Church

for our recent Christmas gift. We are humbled

by your generosity and are grateful for the opportunity to serve in your

midst. It is a blessing to be part of this loving, caring,

and sharing community of faith.

With deep gratitude,

Thank you also to everyone who

participated in the Advent activities!

2 Starmount Presbyterian Church

Last year, at this same

time, I reflected on the

following quote: "You

have been God's grace

to me."

The quote from author

and theologian

Christine Pohl is one that

I continue to hold on to and think of often.

She explains the statement by saying:

“Hearing from another person that ‘you have

been God's grace to me’ changes how we

experience the ordinariness of our lives and

the sacrifices we willingly make for the good

of others. Seeing ourselves and others as

expressions or embodiments of God's grace

transforms life together. It simultaneously

recognizes God's goodness and the ways in

which we have been gifted through other

persons. It involves learning not to wait until

we're about to lose something we cherish

before we express how much we value it. A

posture of gratitude allows us to see beauty

and receive it, to recognize goodness and to

take pleasure in it, even when circumstances

are difficult.”

In the midst of transitions and gifts and losses

that Starmount has had through the past 12

months, I continue to be thankful for this

congregation and the gift of grace it has

been to me. It has been a gift to watch as the

session and staff has come together to

continue to serve as its leadership. It has been

a gift to hear the many ways the

congregation has continued to pray for one

another – perhaps in new and different ways.

It has been a gift of grace to watch the

Transition Team hard at work to assist in this

family’s next steps.

January 3 - 2nd Sunday after Christmas Day

Sacrament of Communion - Pastor Kathryn

Campbell preaching; Frances Gallagher assisting.

January 10 – Baptism of the Lord -

Faith Sharing: Jim Fisher, Karen Smith

Ordination/Installation of new Elders

January 17 – 2nd Sunday after Epiphany -

Epiphany will be celebrated. Guest preacher,

Rev. Christy Clore preaching; Pastor Kathryn

assisting.

January 24 – 3rd Sunday after Epiphany

Guest preacher Rev. Lori Pistor, Pastor Kathryn

assisting.

January 31 – 4th Sunday after Epiphany

Pastor Kathryn Campbell preaching, Pat Hall

assisting.

From Pastor Kathryn

at Worship

So, I say it again: You, Starmount Presbyteri-

an Church – each and every one of you –

has been God’s grace to me. I can’t thank

you enough.

Blessings and Thank You!

Pastor Kathryn

OPEN FLOWER DATES

If you would like to give flowers for a

worship service, the following dates are

available: January 17 and 31.

Contact Brenda Valle at

bvalle@starmountpres.org or 299-8234.

January 2016 3

Average Worship Attendance

January 196 July 159

February 186 August 174

March 183 September 185

April 172 October 206

May 187 November 176

June 180 December 203

2015 GENERAL FUND PLEDGES

BUDGET vs. RECEIVED

Month Budgeted Pledges Difference

Pledges Received

Over/

(Under)

January $ 58,000 $ 59,711 $ 1,711

February $ 44,000 $ 42,440 $ (1,560)

March $ 48,000 $ 55,870 $ 7,870

April $ 52,000 $ 43,193 $ (8,807)

May $ 46,000 $ 61,825 $ 15,825

June $ 48,000 $ 48,443 $ 443

July $ 48,000 $ 42,108 $ (5,892)

August $ 46,000 $ 35,215 $ (10,785)

September $ 44,000 $ 48,377 $ 4,377

October $ 50,000 $ 45,620 $ (4,380)

November $ 56,000 $ 44,153 $ (11,847)

2015 Total $ 540,000 $ 526,955 $ (13,045)

Stats

Be counted—please be sure

to sign the Friendship pad

as it is passed on

Sunday morning.

Starmount Nametags

Jesus calls us by name and so should his

disciples. Help us make that a reality by

wearing your nametag weekly.

If you have never received a nametag,

one will be ordered for you at no charge.

If you would like to order a new nametag

to replace a lost one or for some other

reason, the cost is $9.50.

Email info@starmountpres.org or call

299-8131,ext. 10.

Annual Meeting – February 7

Please mark your calendars for Starmount’s

2015 Annual Meeting. It will take place with

a simple soup lunch immediately following

worship on February 7, in honor of Super

Bowl Sunday. It will be a wonderful way to

celebrate the wonderful ways God is

working through the Holy Spirit at Starmount

Presbyterian Church! Registration for the

lunch will begin in a few short weeks –

please check the Sunday bulletin for more

information.

JUST LUNCH January 17

Just Lunch meets third Sundays at a local

restaurant. Dana, Josh,

Mason and Carter

Nelson will be hosting.

Immediately following

worship, stop by for

lunch and fellowship

with your Starmount

friends. Check

announcements in the Sunday bulletin for

location.

4 Starmount Presbyterian Church

1.

People

Just for

Women …..

2016

Starmount

Women’s Retreat

Good food, good faith, good fun!

February 19-21

Come to the Mountains to rejuvenate

and discover Mindfulness: through

the practice of yoga. This is an

introduction so it is for all ages and

abilities.

Join us for the weekend with Cathy Yonaitis

leading our program. Cathy has an extensive

background in Occupational Therapy, and

has practiced for over 17 years in many

different settings. She learned about yoga

about five years into her OT career and

realized the profound effect on healing her

own body, mind, and spirit. Yoga helped

take away her nagging back pain, calmed

her restless energy, and her spirit soared

with the yoga philosophy she learned in

training.

Cathy has always been a "seeker" of God.

Her father is a Lutheran Pastor. She has

over 2000 teaching hours logged and her

primary occupation is a "Yoga Therapist."

She works with clients whose average ages

are 40-70 and has private clients up into

their 80’s. Information/Registration

Brochures are available at the Welcome

desk in the narthex. Deadline: Sunday, February 10.

January Birthdays

1 William Ayuel

Gai Riak

Sonia Chhuani

Justine Koutou

Boris Belkoyo

Fidelia Allah-Issem

2 Ajak Ajak

3 Chuck White

George Shaffer

Keech Riak

4 Alice Schick

Libby Wilson

7 Lauren Shook

8 Jerry Davis

10 Norm Garrett

12 Linda Bradshaw

Jason Gundaker

13 Alice Connelly

15 Delois Shelton

Jim Edwards, Jr.

Adam Butler

16 Amanda Hunt

17 Caroline Smith

18 Suzanne White

Karen Smith

20 Connor Rechtin

21 Holli Melton

Kyle Webb

24 Mark Brassfield

25 Riak Ajak

26 Bob Hood, III

27 Greg Rechtin

28 Debbie Stubbs

31 Gene Parker

Joseph Owusu-Adjei

Frances Gallagher

January 2016 5

Fellowship

Leadership

The transition team has been hard at

work. We have vetted 13 interim pastoral

candidates, interviewed five of them, and

have “unanimously” narrowed our choices

down to one very strong candidate, with

two strong back-up contenders.

As we relayed during the congregational

listening sessions, the next step is approaching

the Committee on Ministry (COM) at

Salem Presbytery. The COM will review

our desired candidate and if approved,

we’ll then submit our candidate to

Session. Session has final approval on the

selection of the interim pastor.

We are hopeful that this approval process

will happen quickly. Our goal is to issue

the call and have the interim pastor in

place sometime in the month of February.

We have definitely felt your prayers during

this process and urge you to continue

them as we discern God’s will for this next

important step in Starmount’s future!

Happy New Year!

The Transition Team

Slade Lewis

Susan Porter

Rhonda Overman

Gale Owens

Lauren Shook

We give thanks for the

hundreds of folks who have

served Starmount in 2015 and

have given of their time,

talents, and treasure. We

especially give thanks for the

elders in the class of 2015: Lindsay Craven

Mark Hammer

Nancy Jones

Kurt Kronenfeld

Vera McLendon

Susan Preston

Gary Webb

Well done, good and faithful

servants.

We are grateful for newly

elected elders whom God

has called to reach for the

baton and lead Starmount

into the future: David Buchanan

Austin Campbell

Kim Dawson

April Hamilton

Jennifer Overman

Mary Vigue

Chris Wilson

We pray for your discernment

and we pledge our assistance

as you lead us forward in

Christ’s service.

Passing the Baton

Ordination / Installation of new Elder

class 2018 on Sunday, January 10th.

6 Starmount Presbyterian Church

Guinness and the Good News

If you are a young adult and would like to enjoy

fellowship, food, and great conversation, meet Pastor Kathryn and others at The PorterHouse

Bar & Grill, 4608 W. Market Street (between Montrose and N. Westgate Drive) for the

gathering’s next installment on Wednesday,

January 6, at 8 p.m.

UKirk and Starmount attend the

Montreat College Conference

January 2-5 each year is an exciting time that college students always look forward to. Why

those specific dates? Because it’s the same

dates, each year, of the Montreat College Conference! This year, twelve members of

UKirk Greensboro, including two Starmount college students, will join over 1,000 other

college students from across the country at the annual College Conference.

This year’s conference theme is “Faith in 3:16”,

asking participants to “reclaim” John 3:16 as a foundational scripture verse in our Christian

faith without being exclusionary. Of the conference’s topic, the leadership states:

“What did Jesus really mean when he said that? It is actually a text about a God that

LOVES and GIVES. It is a text that invites us to life. So how can this conference help us

reclaim the text in a reformed way?” Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber and former NFL athlete-

turned-farmer Jason Brown tackle this topic further.

Please pray for them during this conference

and make sure to ask questions about it when you see them!

Youth & Young Adults In pictures

January 2016 7

Missions

New Garden Friends Meeting invites you to join them in learning

how to help refugee families.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

New Garden Friends Meeting

801 New Garden Rd.

Event Schedule

10:00 Check-in and refreshments

10:15 Welcome and Introductions

Margaret Webb, Pastor NGFM

10:30 Greensboro’s History of Refugee

Resettlement

Dr. Raleigh Bailey, Director Emeritus CNNC

10:45 One Church’s Experience

Linda Anderson, Starmount Presbyterian

11:00 Panel Discussion

World Relief, Joseph McCann

Church World Service, Stephanie Adams

African Services Coalition, Million Mekonnen

11:45 Comments and Questions

12:00 Call to Action

Margaret Webb

8 Starmount Presbyterian Church

In Pictures continued

January 2016 9

JANUARY WORSHIP ASSISTANTS

Acolytes

3 Karenna Porter

10 Fidelia Allah-Issem

17 Boris Belkoyo

24 Isabelle Gustafson

31 Caleb Wilson

Readers

3 Kevin Kattmann

10 Matt Winters

17 Nancy Edwards

24 George Brown

31 Connie Fowler

Ushers

3 Team 5– Brad Smith, Head

10 Team 1– David Wallace, Head

17 Team 2 - Jack Sills, Head

24 Team 3 - Bryan Starrett, Head

31 Team 4 - Gary Webb, Head

Sound / Video Booth

3 Carter Walton / Rachel Young

10 Mark Hammer / Parks Williams

17 Campbell Buchanan / David Buchanan

24 Carter Walton / Rachel Young

31 Josh Wilson / Richard Porter

Parking Lot Greeters

3 Steve Blackwood

10 Fred Andresen

17 Stan Dixon

24

Lee Goodson

31 Josh Nelson

Openers / Closers

3 Parks Williams / Ray Shelton

10 Parks Williams / Stan Dixon

17 Parks Williams / Kevin Kattmann

24 Parks Williams / Brownie Owens

31 Parks Williams / Austin Campbell

Volunteer Central

NEXT STAR PRESS DEADLINE

Thursday, January 14

Email articles to Brenda Triplett:

brenda@starmountpres.org

Come and join us as we knit prayer shawls and scarves for the homeless. Don’t know how to knit? We will teach you. You have to learn only one stitch to knit a prayer shawl.

We have the yarn and the needles. You only have to bring your willing hands!

Our next meeting will be on Monday, January 25, at 10:30 a.m. in the Parlor. If you have questions, call Katherine Poole, 299-1984.

We Need New Knitters!

10 Starmount Presbyterian Church

Friday, January 1 Happy New Year! Church Offices Closed

Saturday, January 2 Montreat College Conference

Sunday, January 3 Montreat College Conference Christmas decorations taken down

Monday, January 4 Montreat College Conference 6:30-7:30 p.m. Personnel Committee

Tuesday, January 5 Montreat College Conference

Wednesday, January 6 6-7 p.m. Communications Committee 8-10 p.m. Guinness & the Good News

Thursday, January 7 9:30-10:30 a.m. Preschool Chapel 6-6:45 p.m. Thursday Ringers Rehearsal resumes 7-8:30 p.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal resumes

Saturday, January 9 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Session / Staff Retreat, Fellowship Hall

Sunday, January 10 New Elder Ordination/Installation 5:18-7 p.m. SPY! Youth Group 7:15-8:30 p.m. Faith Formation Committee

Monday, January 11 10:30 a.m. Sarah Circle

Tuesday, January 12 9-10 a.m. Administrative Committee 12-1 p.m. Mary Circle 1:30-2:30 p.m. Caring Ministries Committee 3-4 p.m. Ruth Circle 7-8 p.m. Martha Circle

Thursday, January 14 9-10:30 a.m. Preschool Committee 5 p.m. Star Press Newsletter Deadline 7-8 p.m. Finance Committee

Sunday, January 17 11:15-12:30 Just Lunch 5:18-7 p.m. SPY! Youth Group 7-8 p.m. Session Meeting

Monday, January 18 Church Offices & Preschool Closed in Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Wednesday, January 20 9-10:30 a.m. Preschool Pre Chapel 12-1 p.m. One Church, One Book, parlor

Thursday, January 21

11:30 a.m.

Higher Ground Ministry

8-9:30 p.m.

Bithiah Circle, parlor

Friday, January 22 Preschool Workday - No School

Sunday, January 24

5:18-7 p.m.

SPY! Youth Group

7-8 p.m.

Mission Committee

Monday, January 25

10:30-12:00

Knit One, Pray Too, parlor

Wednesday, January 27

6:30-8 p.m.

Being Mortal Book Discussion,

parlor

Thursday, January 28

9-10:30 a.m. Star Press Volunteers

Sunday, January 31

5:18-7 p.m.

SPY! Youth Group

Weekly Recurring Events Not Listed:

Sundays 8:45-11 am Common Grounds Coffee Café 9-9:50 am Sunday School - Adults, VIP’s, Children and Youth 9-11:30 am Childcare 10 am Worship 10:15 am Children’s Sunday School, (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Sundays)

11:10-11:30 am

Children’s Choir Rehearsal

11:10-11:55 am

Youth Ringers Rehearsal

Tuesdays 10-11:50 am Staff Meetings 7-8:30 pm UKirk Greensboro Fellowship

Wednesdays 11:30 am UKirk Greensboro-Lunch for All

Thursdays 7-8:30 am Men’s Bible Study 6-6:45 pm Thursday Ringers Rehearsal 7-8:30 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal

January 2016 Calender

ONE CHURCH, ONE BOOK Wednesday, January 20

noon-1 p.m., parlor Starmount’s book discussion group will be reading and discussing A Walk in the Woods - Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. “The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America–majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaining guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in).” Amazon.com

January 2016 11

Library News Peaceful Neighbor, Discovering the

Countercultural Mister Rogers by

Michael Long. "Fred Rogers was one

of the most radical pacifists of

contemporary history. We do not

usually think of him as radical, partly

because he wore colorful, soft

sweaters made by his mother. Nor do we usually

imagine him as a pacifist; that adjective seems

way too political to describe the host of a

children's program known for its focus on

feelings. We have restricted Fred Rogers to the

realm of entertainment, children, and feelings,

and we've ripped him out of his political and

religious context. Rogers was an ordained

Presbyterian minister, and although he rarely

shared his religious convictions on his program,

he fervently believed in a God who accepts us as

we are and who desires a world marked by

peace and wholeness. With this progressive

spirituality as his inspiration, Rogers used his

children's program as a platform for sharing

countercultural beliefs about caring nonviolently

for one another, animals, and the earth."--

Provided by publisher. Call no. B Rogers 2015

Slowing Time, Seeing the Sacred Outside Your Kitchen Door by Barbara Mahany. "In our hyper-e-networked world, too many of us live under the tyranny of the urgent. With Slowing Time, Barbara Mahany reminds us how not to lose sight of the things which are truly important

--the beauty, serenity, and sanity that we can find in life's calm and quiet moments. Whether the chirping of a bird, the tingle of an autumn breeze, or the hug of a child, Mahany helps us to see that when we entertain the seemingly mundane dimensions of life, we are embracing the sacred!" "We need whatever we can get to help us pay closer attention, be more awake to the moment, more alive amidst the clamoring distractions of the internet age. Barbara Mahany gives us a treasure--a thorough, practical guide full of wisdom, blessings, recipes, luminous facts, and elegant language. With her as our astute and patient

leader, we gain an intimate knowledge of the seasons." Reviews from back cover. Call no.242 Mah 2014

The Cultivated Life, From Ceaseless Striving to Receiving Joy by Susan Phillips. "Susan Phillips tells great stories and uses vivid word pictures. Her contrast between circus and garden reveals deep truths about the overstimulation in our daily lives and

Jesus' invitation to cultivate a restful and focused life rooted in him. Cultivation implies habits and discipline, and Susan winsomely invites us into new patterns of living. A garden implies lush green leaves and fruitful bounty, and Susan guides our paths into joy and rest. Come into the garden with Jesus and journey into abundant life." (Lynne M. Baab, author of The Power of Listening and Sabbath Keeping) Call no. 248.4 Phi 2015

Why Your Weirdness is Wonderful, Embrace Your Quirks & Live Your Strengths by Laurie Wallin. “We all have insecurities―quirks that preoccupy our minds and convince us we aren’t good enough. We worry too much, argue too much, talk too much… or not enough. We fight who

we are and beg God to make us different. But what if God gave us these quirks for a reason? What if who we are right now is exactly who God meant us to be? What if our weirdest, most annoying characteristics are actually . . . for a purpose? Author and certified life coach Laurie Wallin teaches us to stop fighting ourselves and to start following God. And the first step, she says, is to embrace our weirdness. In short, dynamic chapters, Wallin helps you move past obstacles by learning to see your “stumbling blocks” as strengths. She will show you how your weirdness enables you to love God uniquely and to love others more effectively. As you work to discover why your weirdness is wonderful, you will learn more about yourself and about God, and about how deeply he loves you--quirks and all” From Amazon.com Call no. 158 Wa 2014

Written by Mary Jane Conger

Ministers

Associate Pastor Parish Visitor

Rev. Kathryn G. N. Campbell Rev. Dr. Ken Meeks, Jr.

Ext. 13 kathryn@starmountpres.org 706.202.8821

kmjr@triad.rr.com

Pastor Emeritus

Dr. George Carpenter

Church Staff

9 a.m. Sunday School

10 a.m.

Worship/

Children’s Sunday School

Director of Music Ministries Robert Overman Ext. 20 bob@starmountpres.org

Pianist/Organist Michael Parker michael@starmountpres.org

Director of Congregational Fellowship and Parish Visitor Leslie Webb leslie@starmountpres.org

Director of Communications Thea DeLoreto Ext. 15 thea@starmountpres.org

Director of Finance and Administration Libby Wilson Ext. 17 libby@starmountpres.org Administrative Office Manager Brenda Triplett Ext. 10 brenda@starmountpres.org

Youth Coordinator Tracie Fitzpatrick fitzpatbc@gmail.com Preschool Director Cindy Lee Ext. 24 preschool@starmountpres.org Custodian Y’Mem

336-299-8131