IYFNORTH PARK CHURCH JULY 2020VOLUME 157

CONTENTS JULY 20204FAMILY OF THE MONTH

5THANK YOU FROM CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

5VBS 2020

6CM CHILDCARE OPTIONS

6MISSIONARIES SAY THANK YOU

8BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES

CONNECT WITH OUR MINISTRIES

NORTH PARK CHURCH | BG @northparkepc

WOMEN'S MINISTRY | BV @npcwomensministry STUDENT MINISTRY B@northparkchurchyouthgroup

V@npcyouthgroup

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY | B NPC Children's Ministry

Making disciples of Jesus who

WORSHIP God passionately,

CONNECT with each other in caring community, &

IMPACT the world through word and deed.

3 JULY 2020 NPC FYI

FEATURESDID YOU KNOW?

Features

Did you know that Jenna Vant Land is planning to wed this December in Texas....that coughs travel at 600 mph....that NPC is in possession of an automatic chair lift to navigate stairs (Free! - call church office)....that the memorial service for Lorraine Lippert had to be cancelled, but her family began a scholarship program in her name with the Pittsburgh Philharmonic Orchestra....that Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on TV’s The Dating Game in 1973....that Christine Mikhael graduated from the George Washington School of Law....that Jack Dupee graduated from Arizona State School of Law....that Jourdain Lamperski has been awarded a Ph.D from MIT....that monkeys have tales; apes do not....that Taylor and Kate just bought a Camry, which means that five of our NPC staff now drive Camrys....that Chris Cirucci is learning Bengali....that there are twice as many kangaroos as humans in Australia....that Emily Harrer has been approved as an NPC missionary and is heading to China....that Brian and Melody Gelb and their boys are moving to Texas....that toast lands butter-side down 62% of the time....that those who read the FYI use 8% more butter on their toast than those who do not? Did you know these things? I thought you should. - Dan Hendley

HISTORY CORNER It has been said that if you count up all the verses in the Bible, the one in the center of the whole Bible is Psalm 118:8, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." David Brickner, Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles, Moody Press, 2006

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING Our annual meeting to review the budget, approve compensation for pastors, and elect officers will be held after worship on Sunday, August 23. Watch for more info about the meeting and possible childcare. - Dan Hendley

RAY ANDERSON GRADUATES TO GLORY Long-time North Park member, Ray Anderson, went to be with Jesus on May 26. Ray was injured severely in a car accident and suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital. He was 77. Ray was the husband of Rose Ann, the father of four and grandfather of four. He worked as a local contractor and was active in local politics. Ray’s funeral was at our church on June 1 and was attended by many. - Dan Hendley

4 NPC FYI JULY 2020

FAMILY OF THE MONTH: HARRER What would you expect to find if you were invited to meet a family with four teenagers between the ages of 15-19, one adopted from El Salvador and another adopted from China? Chaos, right? After meeting them, I left thinking I had just experienced a night with a family that had been living in “Walden’s Pond”. Often I start with the parents, but in this case the children define how special the parents must be. Let’s start with 19-year-old Emily. I asked what her favorite subject was in high school only to be quickly shocked that she was about to graduate from Liberty University with an Interdisciplinary Degree. Home-schooled most of her life, she did three years of college online with Liberty while still in high school. Emily also loves to read, play piano, and walk outside. She works in the deli at Giant Eagle. Next, meet 16-year-old Ella born on her Mother’s 37th birthday. Like other 16 years-old, she just got her driver’s permit. She was home schooled to start but has attended Eden Christian Academy for a few years and will attend Liberty University’s Online Academy in the fall. She loves the outdoors, as well as music and art. She works at Chick Fil A in Wexford. Vicki, who is 15, was born in El Salvador and adopted at the age of 2. She attends Portersville Christian School. Her favorite subject is math but her passion is music. She has learned to play the guitar and has

written a few songs. Her favorite Christian singer is Tauren Wells. Vicki would love to have a career as a sound engineer because she loves to put different sounds together. She might be a candidate to learn the sound board at NPC if she can find time while working on the Stock Team at Giant Eagle. Daniel is also 15 and came to the family via international adoption from China. He has an amazing knowledge of the Bible, as he was fostered by an American missionary family in China before being adopted at age 8. He is on the Honor Roll going into 8th grade at Pennsylvania Leadership Cyber Charter School (PALCS). It was the first time I got to talk with an intelligent young man who uses a specialized device to communicate. He enjoys boxing lessons. He loves reading fiction, history, and political books. I would be afraid to challenge him to chess, but I was captivated by his positive attitude and smile. Fun fact, from May 15-19 each year Ella, Daniel and Vicki are all the same age. Let’s meet the remarkable parents. Both Brian and Julie were only children. Julie grew up in Maryland, near D.C. She has a BS in Criminology from the University of Maryland. Brian grew up in Scottdale, PA. He has degrees in math and computer science from Grove City College. He programmed for the steel industry before settling in as a computer programmer with Highmark in Pittsburgh. A mutual friend

convinced Brian that he should check out Julie while she was working at Quality Gardens in Valencia in 1994. She was impressed enough that she gave Brian her phone number. Fast forward, they were married June 7, 1997. They attended an Alpha class at Northway in 1999, asking lots of questions. Brian had grown up going to church, but it wasn’t real to him. Julie had not had a Christian influence growing up, but started listening to Word FM in the late 90’s. Alpha marks the beginning of a more committed spiritual journey for them both. When I asked if there were any prayer requests Julie mentioned Emily’s graduation. I thought, what is the big deal, you still have a houseful? Then it was explained that Emily will be going to teach English overseas at the age of 19. Brian’s favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13, and Julie’s is Isaiah

41:10. Seeing their family, verses about “Him who gives me strength” and “be not afraid” make lots of sense. I think this family is an example of II Corinthians 12:9-10 where God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Don’t miss the opportunity to get to know this remarkable family. - Jim Ludwig

Features

5 JULY 2020 NPC FYI

WORSHIPTHANKS FROM THE CHILDREN'S MINISTRY! The Children’s Ministry would like to thank the following people who have volunteered to serve either in the nursery caring for our littlest and precious ones, in Children and Worship on rotating teams every five weeks, leading Trekkers and/or teaching Sunday School class to our four through twelve years-old. We continue to offer excellent biblical instruction each week as well as tender, loving care to the kids of our church. Thanks to these people for stepping up and making it happen on a regular basis: - Kelly Laird

VBS IS STILL ON! Vacation Bible School is still in the works! Did you know that close to half of the VBS programs across the country have been cancelled this summer (according to Church Pulse Weekly podcast by Barna)? Well, your VBS directors hope that this is not the case for our own camp this year. Right now, plans are still ON at this point! Applications for campers continue to come in each day. People are warming to the idea of sending their kids to camp and trusting us with their most precious commodities. It appears, at the time of this going to print, that we are close to having enough volunteers to offer camp. However, due to state and CDC guidelines, our challenge has become greater in trying to offer a safe camp to our members and the people of our community who want to send their kids to our VBS. Please know that we are praying for wisdom, guidance, and creativity as we seek to offer the best option for our church culture. We would appreciate your prayers too on our behalf. Keep alert to our weekly Thursday Epistle for more information and details on The King is Coming 2020! - Kelly Laird

Stacy Altmyer Peggy Anderson Beka Arnold Lisa Arnold Jody Bishop Adam Bright Nicole Bright Susan Burke Jen Burkholder Carol Dupee Holly Fairfield Lauren Fowler Ana Fox Beth Fox Debbie Furey Laura Gilbert Diane Glancy Chloe Havener Elizabeth Haytock Kim Haytock Hannah Hepner Deb Holt Natalie Karr Amy Kendall Andy Kish Joyce Kish Josh Laird Kayleigh Layden Kiley Librich Heather Mattson Emerson Miller Lydia Miller Pam Miller Vivian Miller Bethany Mitchell Spencer Mitchell Beth Morley Jan Muzyn Kim Mycyk Rob O’Brien Susan O’Leary Bethany Osmond Laura Osmond Iona Pinkerton Isadora Pinkerton Susann Pinkerton Alison Sanders Beth Satariano Daniel Satariano Kristen Satariano Larry Satariano Rachel Sharpnack Kristen Smalley Will Smalley Caleb Stites Lana Stites Lily Stites Leslie Van Newkirk Taryn VanderWeele Elise VanderWeele Katy Walters Anna Warmbrodt Mary Warmbrodt Kristen Wickard Mia Wickard Rachel Woelke

Worship

6 JULY 2020 NPC FYI

Worship

IMPACT

CHILDCARE OPTIONS BEING DEVELOPED Parents and grandparents, we are aware that this COVID era has made things tricky in regards to child care. Some of us are very comfortable going out in public and others are tentative to re-engage society. Please know that we in the children’s ministry care deeply for your family and support whatever decision you make. It is OK to be wherever you are in the range of emotions and thinking in regards to doing what is best for your family. Please also know that I am praying for you too. There are things we can do from home as we prepare to come back to church. Praise God for His protection and provision during this time. Reach out if you are in need in any way. And then ask the Lord for direction as far as when to try and resume somewhat “normal” activities, knowing full well that normal is still in flux and changing often. I also suggest grace. Let’s all try our best to offer grace to our neighbors, family members, and friends - especially when we disagree or differ in opinions from them. Giving grace will go a long way toward maintaining and developing relationships. It is something that I’ve been really working on during this season we are in. Know too that we are preparing carefully for the return of our children to church. We are making plans with God’s guidance in the hopes of offering a safe, clean, welcoming environment for everyone. There are plans to train our volunteers like we always do but with added guidelines. Please know that when the kids return, we plan to be ready for them, with many ideas in place to offer the best programs we can! If you would like to be involved, or have any good ideas, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to discovering what our new normal will be together! - Kelly Laird

OUR MISSIONARIES THANK YOU! When the coronavirus first disrupted life in March of this year, we were not sure where things were going and what changes would be made. Through your generous giving we have been able to continue supporting our missionaries across the globe. While some of our missionaries submitted videos that you’ve been able to watch over the past few months online, others submitted written thank you’s that I am sharing here:

Dear Saints at NPC, My family and the ministry of EduNations and the EPC in Sierra Leone have

been richly blessed by our partnership in the gospel and on behalf of all of us in

Sierra Leone whom you pray for, whom you give to and to whom you send your

words of encouragement, I would like to say TENKI.

David says in Psalm 68:6 that "God puts the solitary into families..." and we

think that this is exactly what God has done for us though being in what others

have called the 'ends of the earth', yet have been blessed with this incredible

relationship with all the saints at NPC.

Although all our schools and churches are closed, we have been able to set

up a 5 man Task Force in each of our communities and with the Passes we have

been able to secure from the government, the Admin team is able to move freely

(hopefully safely) from one community to the other to bring encouragement, relief

and any vital supplies in this time of great need.

Our biggest challenge and prayer need is for God to move the hearts of our

generous donors to continue to support EduNations, which being a 'donor

dependent organization' has started to struggle to meet our operational needs

during this pandemic.

Thank you ever so much for your partnership in the gospel. We have you daily

in our prayers as we know you do for us.

- Samuel Sesay for Edunations (Sierra Leone)

Although the where and how of

campus ministry has changed

drastically over the last 6 weeks, the

why has remained the same. We

continue to trust God and to share

this hope with others. Your support

makes it possible to serve the Lord

and continue to minister to students

through virtual bible studies and large

group gatherings and virtual game

nights. Students have more time now

than ever before to engage with

scripture, wrestle with questions about

their faith, and practice lament for

feelings of loss or grief. Lives continue

to be impacted by the grace of God

at work in the lives of students during

this pandemic. Thank you for faithfully

standing behind me and partnering

with us in this work. Your generous gifts

are touching lives, like Christie. She has

started to meet with me weekly and is

7 JULY 2020 NPC FYI

Impact

As you can see, your continued giving is having worldwide impact from Sierra Leone to our local college students trying to make sense of faith and calling in the midst of their current situation. Thanks for standing with us through this time! - Ben Burkholder

North Park Church, Thank you so much for your support of CCO Campus

Ministry. We are learning and adjusting quickly in response to

the pandemic but are grateful for the opportunity, through

technology, to continue campus ministry! We continue both

large and small group gatherings with students and church

partners through zoom. We have seen an increase in student

attendance to online gatherings on some campuses as

students are asking questions about God in response to the

pandemic. Please pray for students to continue to engage in

conversations of faith during these uncertain times. Pray for

CCO campus staff to be creative and adaptable in pursuing

students virtually with the hope of the Gospel.

Pray for those of us in CCO leadership as we make

decisions to help our church partners and staff adjust

together in the midst of changing ministry opportunities

and methods so that students continue to be reached with

the hope of the Gospel. Last, please pray for wisdom as we

navigate hiring in this uncertain economic season. I just made

an offer that was accepted last week to sustain CCO ministry

at Edinboro University! We have three more positions that

we are still hoping to fill in Western, PA. We look forward to

how God will be faithful in providing the right candidates for

these positions and sustained resources so that we don't

have to cut the positions. We move forward with hope and

resiliency knowing that God is still at work in the lives of

students! Thank you for your support! - Jen Burkholder

Here is my expression of gratitude to the people of North Park church: My role as Chairman of the Board/President Emeritus of

the CCO is to support our organization's leadership, and

keep connection with those who are part of the CCO. That

means reaching out to financial supporters, fellow Board

members, CCO leadership and CCO staff. I would not be

doing this without the support of the North Park Family. You

are my senders! Thank you for supporting your missionaries

in times of plenty and times such as now. It's hard to

overstate the morale boost that comes from gifts given in

this season of uncertainty. Here is the biggest surprise of

this whole COVID-19 season. Ministry to college students,

growing faith in Jesus during an absolutely critical time of

life, does not depend on those students being on campus.

Just yesterday I spoke with three CCO supporters who

assumed that our work had shut down for the year. College

campuses have been emptied of students, so how can a

campus ministry keep doing its mission?

Contrast this understandable assumption with what I hear

from CCO staff and leaders. One staff member, who works

with athletes at Kent State has seen the number of students

on her leadership team double-down on their commitment

to regularly meeting. More of them are showing up to

the virtual meetings than were present for the physical

meetings, and they meet more often. She has seen students

who are not necessarily part of a particular Bible study ask

to join because they are a friend to someone already part of

that study. Some CCO ministries have actually grown since

students were sent home.

Another staff person in Indiana has not only kept in touch

with his students virtually, but has prayer-walked the empty

campus with small groups of students who are still nearby

(you can pray from six feet apart).

CCO staff are using this interruption in student's lives to

encourage the disassembling of old habits (checking their

devices several thousand times a day), and the rhythm of

new habits--those things like quiet, prayer, Bible reading,

Christian meditation, and where possible eating together.

We've had an international student in northern Ohio give

her life to Jesus virtually, which I'm pretty sure still counts.

The CCO has many capable leaders, such as our own Jen

Burkholder. Their work is also ongoing, since spring is the

season where we match staff to positions on campus. I'll let

Jen talk about a recent example or two. Her work is at the

core of Jesus' prayer of Matthew 9:38, to pray for Jesus to

send laborers into the harvest, which is plentiful (especially

with 18-22 years-old).

While I've been coaching individual CCO staff, I've also

been a sounding Board for CCO leadership. Thank you for

your support of my work! - Dan Dupee

understanding more and more of the Gospel and learning

how to live faithfully in her academics and future career in

Information Technology. Thank you! It encourages me that

you keep praying and giving.

- Julianna Kish

Jane Moore Rebecca Arnold Terry Meeneghan Nicole Bright Miles McKinney Amelia Burkholder Andrew Kish Samuel Buirge Maria Allewelt Dick Luther Kim Haytock Isabella Brown Deborah Furey Timothy Craft James Ludwig Steve Van Oss Susan Dean Manny Velarde Alison Sanders Ethan O'Brien Jane Koska Mark Sharpnack John Holtgraver Kevin Sanders Rebecca Leakey Chris Lamperski Linda Siger Beverly Hanrahan Thomas Mycyk Kiley Librich Matthew Satariano Susan O'Leary Kevin Sherwin Jody Bishop David Arnold Emily Stitt Deborah McKinney

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BIRTHDAYS

ANNIVERSARIESTodd & Holly Murphy James & Linda Ludwig Steve & Jodi Van Oss Andrew & Amber Stites Robert & Taryn VanderWeele Jeff & Kayleigh Layden Taylor & Kate Brown Len & Linda Siger Jeff & Kristen Smalley Wayne & Yvonne Darville

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