march 2011 eastwind

EastminstEr PrEsbytErian ChurCh 1

March 2011

registration begins March 1

project day April 30

details page 12

2 Eastwind Newsletter

The Rev. Dr. David G. McKechnie begins serving as Eastminster’s Interim Senior Pastor on March 15. He was pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston for 25 years. Recently, he completed three years as Interim Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Houston. Dave and his wife, Linda, have two married children and four grandsons. We asked Dave to share about his ministry, his joys and his heart for sharing the Good News.

First, we’re looking forward to having you serve as Interim Senior Pastor at Eastminster beginning March 15. What excites you most about this opportunity?Linda and I are looking forward to making many new friends in Wichita. In our denomination, Eastminster Presbyterian Church stands out because of its leadership, passion for sharing the gospel of Christ, ministering to the whole person, and serving as a catalyst in Wichita. Will you share a little about your background? I was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, the capital of Canada. I come from a long line of CPAs. My great uncle had an account-ing firm, my grandfather had an accounting firm, my father had an accounting firm, and now my brother has an accounting firm. I am the oldest of five children. My parents, now deceased, were strong Christians. My teenage rebellion was arrested when a young pastor invited me to work at his youth camp. While work-ing with him, he challenged me to make a commitment to Jesus Christ and mean it. I did just that. I have degrees in philosophy, theology and psychology. I have played trumpet for many years. In fact, Linda and I met on a blind date as a result of my playing in a brass quartet in New York City. Guess who was blind? Together we have served churches in New York, Tulsa, Beaumont and Houston. How did God lead you into full-time ministry?For four years I coached hockey at Nyack High School in New York. I put out a fleece before the Lord. I said, “Lord, if you want me to go into full-time ministry, please grant me a ministry with these hockey players and their families.” God did just that. It was the affirmation I needed to pursue a theological education and ordination.

Besides Jesus, who has most influenced your leadership?Peter Drucker was the guru of management consultants. His insights helped me stay balanced in the midst of numerous pas-toral demands. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to meet Peter and was thrilled to discover he was a serious Christian, an Episcopalian, no less!

From the Heart Our new Interim Senior Pastor shares about his ministry, his vision and his joys.

The Rev. Dr. David G. McKechnie and Linda, his wife. Linda is a pianist, arranger and bestselling instrumental artist in Christian music.


You served as pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston for 25 years before retiring in 2005. Share one experience from your years there that you will never forget.Grace Presbyterian Church, Houston, was a dynamic growth experience. The evidence of the Holy Spirit working in that great congregation was real. We went through four building programs. The miraculous way that God provided for our financial needs left me standing around with my eyes glazed over and my mouth wide open. I still drive by Grace Church and say, “Thank you, Lord!” You recently served at First Presbyterian Church, Houston, as their Interim Senior Pastor. What was your greatest challenge?When I was invited to be the Interim Senior Pastor for First Pres-byterian, Houston, I discovered numerous divisions within the session, staff and congregation. Healing has occurred in that great congregation thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of God’s people. After several months, an elder told me that he was feeling better because he was now speaking to some of the other session members. Obviously, I am welded to the idea that prayer really works! Tell us about your role as President of the Texas Theological Foundation and your work to bring Fuller Theological Seminary’s newest regional campus to Houston. Why is this important to you?When I retired from Grace Presbyterian Church, I was aware that Houston was the fourth largest city in America yet underserved in terms of graduate theological education. I formed the Texas Theological Foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to provide scholarships to seminarians and to underwrite the exten-sion of Fuller Theological Seminary in Texas. I started with no students, no faculty, no classrooms and no money. Today Fuller Texas has embraced more than 200 students in classes and has something north of 150 students in degree programs.

One of my concerns was that many of our students pursuing graduate theological education were heavily in debt from college. My purpose is to help them financially so that they do not finish seminary with even more debt. Presently, Fuller Texas is giving consideration to buying a major building to establish a physical presence in Houston. I believe the body of Christ deserves the best educated leadership possible. Fuller Seminary is the largest theological seminary in the world. The Mother Ship is located in Pasadena, Calif. In addition to that campus, there are six regional campuses spread throughout the United States. Fuller has more Presbyterian students than all of the students combined in the Presbyterian seminaries in the United States.

In your view, what’s one troubling trend in America’s Christian churches? One of the troubling trends happening in the American church is the acceptance of pastoral leadership without formal theological education. Yes, Greek and Hebrew are tough! However, if you are going to be a serious interpreter of the Bible, you need those tools. Does the Holy Spirit use individuals without formal educa-tion? Yes, of course. However, I want the best trained leaders possible to enhance the body of Christ.

What is one promising trend you see in the church today? One of the promising trends in the church in America is that of multi-culturalism. I am part of New Covenant Presbytery. On Sunday mornings, in our presbytery, worship is led in some 40 different languages. As a pastor, what is the toughest part of ministry?The expectations that are laid on a pastor are substantial. You are expected to be a prophet, priest and CEO. You are also expected to be an exemplary disciple of Jesus Christ. Another expecta-tion is that of leading a model Christian family. The tough part of being a pastor is to find a sense of balance in all of that. That’s why all of us should be praying for our pastors on a daily basis. What adjective would your friends say best describes your personality? Why? Malcolm Gladwell would describe me as “Connector.” It is my job to enable people to realize their potential. It is also my job to bring affirmation to people where appropriate. What brings you joy?I wake up every day with a sense of anticipation that God in his grace will make me an instrument of his peace. My joy comes in serving Jesus Christ, loving Linda and our family, and seeing others discover the mercy of God. Finish this sentence: I would like to spend more time …I would like to spend more time with our four grandsons. Ian is 9, Reid is 5, Baker is 4, and Bo is 3 months. I want to be part of the nurturing process of these four little guys. When a grandson turns 5 years of age, Linda and I take that 5-year-old ourselves to Disney World. To see their eyes light up is great fun. I also want to spend time with the members of Eastminster Presbyterian Church. I look forward to enhancing our circle of love.

Dr. McKechnie will begin preaching on Sunday, March 20, at all four services. You can also watch/listen to his messages online at eastminster.org.


We recently asked missionaries Cheri and Tony Brown to talk about their ministry work, its challenges, how it all began and where God is leading them today.

from CheriBecoming a missionary with the ministry of MANA, Inc., has caused me to look at life with a different perspective. It is always hard to make a major change in lifestyle, quitting a job, moving away from family and friends, leaving what has become comfortable. I was blessed to move to an area I had visited before with friendships already growing, and of course, with a husband who loves me. God is good and his plans are to prosper us and to grow us.

My goal for the ministry has been to build relationships with the people God has placed in my life now. To build trust and to grow friendships, I need to be known for who I am not just as Pastor Tony’s wife. It is interesting how situations change. Tony used to joke that he was “Mr. Cheri Brown” when in Wichita. Our roles have reversed here.

After taking about 18 months off from working full time to get adjusted, I have taken a job with the Family Bargain Center in Page. The job is very different from my job at Eastminster. I am on my feet all day sorting through donations and setting them out to be sold. Yet my job is the same as my old job at Eastminster in that I still work with the public to help and encourage. The bargain center helps to support the Page Regional Domestic Violence Shelter, so I am involved with two nonprofit organizations. The best part is that the center is

also the most popular store in Page, even more so than Walmart in my opinion. We serve people from all walks of life, so it is also a social network hub. I am making new friendships and growing the existing ones in a new manner. But I am still known as a missionary with Ministry Among Native Americans (MANA) and just the other day was able to have a conversation with a young lady about church.

Yes, I miss everyone back in Wichita more than I imagined as I jumped into the truck November of 2009 to start the moving pro-cess to Arizona. But I know with all my being that I am where the Lord has planned for me to be. We were asked to play the parts of Mary and Joseph last Christmas at one of the closer Navajo churches. I am being accepted. Praise the Lord the glory is his.

from TonyMANA, Inc., was conceived and implemented in the early 1990s. Waylen and Darlene Brown, my parents, retired from pastoral ministry and became involved in native ministry with an orga-

No ReservationsCheri and Tony Brown share their passion for God and their ministry, MANA.

nization in Oklahoma. After some time they separated from the organization and founded their own ministry, which even-tually became Ministry Among Native Americans, Inc.

MANA’s focus is on Native Americans throughout the United States with encour-aging and equipping as the goal. Early years were primarily summer vacation Bible school and Sunday school teacher training. I joined in 2000 as a full-time missionary with the understanding I was working to learn the ministry in order to continue its work. After several years of summer trips to Arizona and New Mexico for VBS and autumn trips to Arizona, New Mexico and North and South Dakota, the Lord began to lead me in a different direction with a new priority. Instead of meeting and dealing with the masses, I felt called to focus on the pastors and church leaders. With the native culture you have to spend the time to earn the right to be heard. The investment of time is important in many ways, just as the Lord demands our time so does our witness.

ministry togetherCheri and I began our relationship during those early years. I saw a lady who dug deep into God when times got tough. She fell in love with my passion for God and the ministry. After spending time with me and being called to help with summer VBS, she fell in love with me too! I moved to the Reservation and lived in a travel trailer with no water or electricity, and Cheri lived in Andover, Kan. After six years we promised each other in front of God, family and friends that he would always be first before each other and were married.

Cheri requested running water and electricity, so we found a home in Page, Ariz., thanks to the Lord’s blessing. Page is a tourist town on the northwest edge of the Navajo Reservation. She is learning to adjust to small-town living, a new culture

and me. I am adjusting to the big city and having a wife to answer to. We are both experiencing a new life as a missionary couple with new opportunities to expand MANA’s work. Living on the edge of the Reservation has enabled us to offer a place for our native families and pastors to feel free to come and spend time. We are also blessed to have local churches come alongside of us offering facilities, support and wanting to join us to further the ministry.

Our involve-ment with a native church nearby led to me filling in for the pastor who was on medical leave for a kidney transplant. When Pete needed to resign, I was asked to act as interim pastor until May. Being a pastor of a native church will enable me to be seen as a speaker and teacher rather than the children’s Bible school missionary. The Lord is leading MANA into leadership and scriptural training and mentoring to equip the pastors and leaders.

A few years ago a native pastor/evangelist in his 80s came to me for some questions and counsel. Alvin has been in ministry for more than 50 years and has become a father figure to me, sharing stories and ministry concerns. I never realized how God was using me until Alvin introduced me at a camp meeting (revival) on stage saying, “This is my pastor. This is who I go to for answers to those hard questions and situations I need help with. Listen to what he has to share with us.”

Second Sunday

Tony and Cheri BrownSunday, April 10

Don’t miss the chance to meet some of our missionaries face to face on the second Sunday of each month. Tony and Cheri Brown will be at Eastminster Sunday, April 10, and will share more about their ministry at a free luncheon in the Fireside Room after the 11 a.m. service. Contact Marcia Davis (634.0337, ext. 231) by April 6 to reserve your lunch.

242 Missions Trip

March 20 – 23 / Cookson Hills Camp / Kansas, Okla.

242 Young Adult Ministries is sending a nine-member team to spend spring break serving at Cookson Hills Camp in Oklahoma. They’ll help with various service projects around the camp, plus spend time with some of the kids there and enjoy worship together.

The 242 team includes Joel Epperson, Justin Gassner, Chris Haws, Zack Helgesen, Derek Magill, Stephen Scholtz, Holly Still, Ben Thowe and Andrea Veer.



March Madness is upon us! This is one of my favorite times of year, because I’m a huge college basketball fan. I’m sure there are plenty of K-State and Shocker fans reading this article, but as a former Big Jay (The University of Kansas mascot), I get a little more than excited rooting on the Jayhawks year after year. I’ve been especially excited this year, because the Jayhawks topped the rankings at one point this season and have given me hope that they will finish the season #1 in the country by winning the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.

Yet, with all the excitement of the Road to the Final Four, this year I think I’m actually more excited about the day between the Final Four games on April 2 and the Championship game on April 4. That’s because on Sunday, April 3, at 3 p.m., I’m finally going to reach the end of the Road to Ordination, a road that I have been traveling on for eight and a half years. There were times some may have wondered if the Presbyterian Church (USA) was a fan of basketball as well, since there were so many hoops that I had to go through (pun intended). I hope you’ll come out and be a part of the final stretch of this journey.

a long and winding road The Road to Ordination began from my perspective in the summer of 2002 out at Westminster Woods. I was praying with my friend and mentor, Michael Meier, when I felt that I was hearing God tell me that he wanted me to become a pastor. I had enjoyed volunteering as a Student Ministries leader, but I had never really given much thought to becoming a pas-tor. Plus, I was just one year away from a degree in business administration at the

University of Kansas when I heard this calling. I had always wanted to go and work for a major company on the East Coast somewhere, and this would mess up all those plans, but the Holy Spirit kept on tugging at my heart.

Following some more prayers and conver-sations with family and friends, I felt that I had indeed discerned a genuine call from God and decided to finish my degree at KU and then seek to go on to seminary where I could be trained and equipped as

The Road to Ordinationby Paul Bammel, Associate Pastor

Paul Bammel with his wife, Amanda. Paul begins his ministry as Associate Pastor at Eastminster on March 1.


a pastor. The session at Eastminster affirmed me in this call and took me under its care and sent me off down the long, winding, twisting and turning Road to Ordination.

After working as a youth director for a couple years at a Pres-byterian church outside of Philadelphia, Pa., I moved to South Hamilton, Mass., (near Boston) and attended Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. In the few days between Philly and Boston, God introduced me to my wife, Amanda. She had grown up in Derby and was at Wichita State getting a degree in nursing when we began dating. Nearly the whole time we dated we lived about 1,700 miles apart. After she graduated from nursing school and just before my final year of seminary, we were married.

the road back to Wichita Along the way God placed a desire in both of our hearts to return to Wichita. At first, it began as a little homesickness on the part of my wife. Later that week, my parents, who had purchased a new home, called to ask if Amanda and I would ever consider moving back to Wichita to live in their old house rent free while

they got it ready to put on the market. After praying for God to reveal what he wanted us to do, I found out that I could finish my last two courses online, and Amanda was offered her dream job as a Labor and Delivery nurse at the Wesley BirthCare Center in Wichita. Then I found out I could participate in the chaplain program at Wesley (a requirement for ordination). That was enough for God to convince us that we should be in Wichita, and wouldn’t you know it, we were back for about a month when Kermit approached me to consider becoming the first ever

Frank N. Kik Endowment Pastoral Intern, something I’d need to be in Wichita to complete.

While I was at seminary in Boston, I had become an Inquirer in the PC(USA) and a year later was approved as a Candidate for Minister of Word and Sacrament. Last year, after having passed all of the written ordination exams and fulfilling all of the requirements set forth by the PC(USA) and the Committee on Preparation for Ministry of the Presbytery of Southern Kansas, I was finally declared eligible to receive a call. Last month was a wonderful month for Amanda and me. We couldn’t have been more excited to have been called by East-minster to be an Associate Pastor. It was such a joy to stand before our congregation and before the Presbytery of Southern Kansas to be examined and approved for this call. Yet, while I am now officially your new Associate Pastor, the Road to Ordination continues until Sunday, April 3, at 3 p.m., when my Service of Ordination and Installation will be conducted by the Presbytery of Southern Kansas right here in the Sanctuary at Eastminster!

While the Road to Ordination is coming to an end for me, a new Road of Ordained Ministry is just beginning. I had the opportunity to preach at the last Presbytery meeting, and I chose to preach from 1 Timothy 4:6-16. I chose to preach from this text because in it Paul describes to Timothy, a young guy near the beginning of his ordained ministry, what it takes to be a good minister of Christ Jesus. By my count and to end up with a nice even number, I counted 10 things that Timothy needed to do and that I will need to do to be a good minister of Christ Jesus.

I will need to: 1) point out the things of God to others, 2) become a servant, 3) train myself to be godly, 4) trust in the promises that have eternal value, 5) put my hope in the living God, 6) set an example in speech, life, love, faith and purity, 7) devote myself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching, 8) use the gifts God has given me, 9) be diligent, and

10) watch my life and doctrine closely!

Would you help me do these things? Please continue to pray with me that God would strengthen, guide and encourage me to accomplish these things and truly become a good minister of Christ Jesus!

While the Road to Ordination is coming to an

end for me, a new Road of Ordained Ministry is

just beginning. I had the opportunity to preach

at the last Presbytery meeting, and I chose to

preach from 1 Timothy 4:6-16. I chose to preach

from this text because in it Paul describes to

Timothy, a young guy near the beginning of his

ordained ministry, what it takes to be a good

minister of Christ Jesus. By my count and to end

up with a nice even number, I counted 10 things

that Timothy needed to do and that I will need to

do to be a good minister of Christ Jesus.

You could win

an iPad!

Do you remember middle school? If you do, try to take yourself back to that age, maybe around 12 or 13. Then, picture a wide-open gymnasium filled with games and

activities like basketball, video games, Twister, gymnastics, movies and a rock climbing wall. Next, you get to enjoy as much pizza as you can fit in your stomach, washed down with fully-caf-feinated pop. And later, after the dodgeball tournament you won, you rock out with a live band as you praise Jesus and hear from some awesome speakers. And to top off your night, you find out you just won a free iPad! Sound like heaven on earth to a middle schooler? You’d be right. And it’s called the Eastminster Middle School MEGA Lock-In.

Joey Fink, our associate director of Student Ministries, plans all year for the lock-in, which is held at the Andover YMCA. “It’s the biggest thing our Student Ministries have ever done,” says Joey. “We have more than 300 kids from around the city come out for the event, and it’s just crazy fun.”

bigger and better This year is the second year for the lock-in, and Joey hopes it will grow to be even bigger. “The lock-in serves as a great first connection to church for kids. They get to experience church in a new way that’s relevant, fun and exciting to them.”

That makes all the difference, Joey says. Kids invite their friends because it’s just like inviting them to a fun party or sleepover, but on a MEGA scale. Once they’re there, have had a blast and made some new friends, guests realize there’s more to this party than they may have thought. In fact, it’s changed many kids’ lives. “The best part of the whole night is when we come together for this really intimate time of worship led by Shine Like Stars. And

then we make sure kids know who Jesus is and share the gospel. It’s awesome to get to connect with them in that way,” Joey shares.

life change Joey says one middle schooler in particular had a great experi-ence at the lock-in. “Last year I met and reached out to a student through a local middle school. He never came to church, even though I’d been mentoring him a little. But he did come to the lock-in. And that night, he gave his life to Christ. I’m still meeting and connecting with him today,” says Joey.

So is the lock-in all about having a wild and crazy night filled with dozens of pre-teens running loose? Absolutely. But it’s also about life change. It’s about reaching some of the thousands of kids in our city who don’t know about the hope in Jesus Christ. And Joey wouldn’t change a single minute of it.

“It’s definitely a controlled-chaos kind of night, but it feels like it’s part of something God is doing, not just an event we’re putting on. There’s nothing better than that.”

Middle School MEGA Lock-In Friday, April 15 • 9:30 p.m. – 7:30 a.m. • $20

Free stuff? Awesome. Food? Delish. Video games and movies? Even better. Rock wall? Incredible. Yep, we’ve got it all so don’t miss this MEGA night as we take over the Andover Y!

Bring as many friends as you can and come conquer, play and stay up late with us at the 2011 MEGA Lock-In. Learn more at believebigstudents.oom/megalockin.

The night includes a pizza dinner, tons of activities, live worship with Shine Like Stars and so much more! Plus, the more friends you bring, the more times you’re entered to win a FREE iPad!

More than 300 students attended last year’s Lock-In.

MEGA OutreachStudent Ministries’ largest event is reaching kids from across the city.


Celebrating FamiliesHow one family makes it a priority to spend time together.

We recently had the privilege of catching up with Sam and Kathy Murray to talk a little about their family and their faith. Sam grew up in El Dorado and works with Koch Indus-tries while Kathy is from Leon and manages the home and a part-time job with Hallmark. They have two teenagers at Andover Central, Taylor, a senior, and Jacob, a freshman.

How did you come to Eastminster?When our daughter, Taylor, was in middle school, she was invited by her friend to an Eastminster summer retreat at Westminster Woods. She started attending the youth group, and it wasn’t long before our son, Jacob, got involved too. They loved it and we saw them really growing spiritually. We were actually active at another great church but decided that it was vital that we worship together as a family. So here we are.

You are very connected here aren’t you?Yes, very! Taylor plays the keyboard in the High School Ministries worship band and is a Middle School leader while Jacob is also in the band, playing drums. We love the youth ministry as we know they are surrounded by a great group of students and leaders. Most of all, we are very proud of our kids’ choice to make Jesus the center of their life. We’re pretty active too as we partici-pate in adult Sunday school, help with the High School retreat weekends out at Westminster Woods, and join in with various other programs in the life of the church. We do a lot together too.

Family is very important to you isn’t it?Absolutely! We really enjoy each other and spend a lot of time together even in our very busy lives. Time doesn’t always come easily, so we are very intentional about “making” the time to be together. We like to watch movies, go out to eat, travel and sit down to have family discussions. This past year we worked the Special Olympics together and

even campaigned as a family for a neighbor who was running for a political office. And of course, we pray, study the Bible and do church together!

How do you connect your faith into your home?There are many things, but one of our Murray family principles is to keep an open dialogue with each other — talking about our faith and how it relates to our day-to-day lives. As we already shared, we have intentional and sometimes structured family discussions, but some of the best times come in talking about what God is teaching us during the normal rhythms of an average day — driving in the car, during a family meal, etc. Another thing, though we know we fail at it all the time, is we try to lead by example.

What is your goal for your family?Ultimately, we want the members of our family to expand their knowledge of God’s Word, grow in their relationship and service with others, and to have a positive impact for God wherever they go and whom-ever they encounter. We know that soon Taylor will be off to college, so we are mindful that both our children will carry with them the values they’ve learned at home. Our faith provides the impetus from which that is released.


All-Church Family Day Retreat

Westminster Woods Saturday, April 910 a.m. to 8 p.m.

This exciting all-church one-day retreat at Westminster Woods Conference Center is the highlight of the spring. Best of all, it’s only a 75-minute drive from Wichita. Lunch and dinner, music and worship in the new chapel, events and activities in the afternoon, and so much more are included in this wonderful day. And our new interim Senior Pastor, Dave McKechnie, will bring the messages! All for only $6 a person. Contact Katy Lee (634.0337, ext. 210, or [email protected]) to register or for information. We’ll also have a registration table set up in Fellowship Hall every Sunday in March.


Susan Van Hook is a woman who passionately pursues the heart of God. She is this year’s Women’s

Spring Tea speaker, and says she gets so excited about what God is teaching her that at times she “just about [can’t] shut up. I want to share what God is saying to me in his Word with anyone who will listen!”

Susan’s husband, Brent, is the senior pas-tor at First Church of the Nazerene here in Wichita. They have two young sons, Mat-thew and John David. Susan has spoken at numerous women’s events and gather-ings, and her vivacious, fun and kind spirit is contagious.

While she loves to speak and teach, Susan also says God is helping her learn about how to keep balance and priorities in her life. “Wow! God is stretching me!” says Susan. “He is teaching me the differ-

ence between my ‘calling’ and

my ‘service,’ I used to think I was called to speak and write and disciple oth-ers to a deeper walk with him. But actually, that is just how he is asking me to serve him right now. That can change if he so desires. My ‘calling’ will never change: to seek God daily through a vibrant love rela-tionship with him, to love my husband and boys and give them my full attention. I am

learning to not let my ‘service’ outweigh my ‘calling.’ When I do, the most precious things in my life get off balance.”

As Susan seeks to honor the Lord with both her calling and her service, she says she’s still passionate about sharing with others. In fact, she stumbled into that role almost by accident when her husband first began ministry. “The first time I was asked to speak at a women’s banquet I thought they were crazy ... They saw something in me that God had not revealed to me yet. I think I talked about the top 10 things I had learned from being a pastor’s wife. Things like: Don’t get in a fight with your husband on Saturday night before he has to preach … you may end up as a sermon illustra-tion. Goofy stuff like that! Somehow they still loved it. But God planted a seed in me through their encouragement.”

You truly won’t want to miss this time with Susan. Not only is she genuine and passionate, she’s funny too. In one story about the pitfalls of being a pastor’s wife, she shares, “I get a kick out of the funny stuff that happens due to everyday mis-haps, busyness or just because I am a blonde. Most recently, I sent out an e-mail to all the ladies in our church to encour-age them to sign up for our Women’s Winter Retreat. Only I was in too much of a rush and didn’t proofread the note. I got an e-mail back from someone who jokingly asked about the

theology of our church. Evidently I wrote, ‘If you have not done so yet, come by the church office to SIN up.’ Believe it or not, we doubled our sign-ups that week!”

During the Eastminster Women’s Spring Tea, Susan will share on loving one another as Christ loved us. And why does Susan think you should come to the Tea? “I believe God has a special job for each of us in his kingdom: And that is to share the love of Christ with as many as we can before his second coming so that they, too, will know his love for them. We live in a critical time and we have a critical role to play! Practically speaking, how do we do that? Come find out!”

Want more from Susan? Visiteastminster.org/springtea.

Women’s Spring Tea

Susan Van Hook

April 16 • 3:30 – 5 p.m. • Fellowship Halleastminster.org/springtea

Join us for a relaxed afternoon sipping tea with friends. We’ll enjoy tea, sweets and savories as we hear from guest speaker Susan Van Hook. Come hear her unique story and spend time with the girls at this fun spring event! It’s free but reservations are required to Jan Crabtree at 634.0337, ext. 204, or [email protected].

A Sip of God’s LoveThis year’s Women’s Spring Tea speaker has a heart for God, ministry and having fun!


The RunwaySenior Spotlight: Herm Wilson

Claude Eldridge, Editor

“I was in the first grade when I ran my first race, and I won,” says Herm Wilson. This might not be considered a milestone by most people, but for Herm, it defined the rest of his life. Herm is thought by many to be a track and field legend. He’s inter-

nationally known for being able to put on large-scale track events, and was a supe-rior athlete in high school and college,

holding several high school track records and playing football at the University of Kansas. He was the track and field coach at Wichita State University for 17 years, worked with the National Sports Festival, has trained many champion track athletes, and now has a legacy in his family of three generations of track and field stars. Today he works for Beynon Sports Surfaces building tracks in Kansas and Oklahoma, after a career with the company building tracks in all 50 states.

But Herm is quick to give the glory to God for his success. “God saved my life twice,” explains Herm. “When I was in Guam with the Navy, we went out on a boat trip to see an old battleship,” he remembers. He and his friends ended up having to swim about a half mile to the shore against the current. “Halfway through, my body just gave up. Thank-fully, a friend who was a strong swimmer came back to get me and took me the rest of the way. I thought I would drown,” he says.

The second time God spared him was more recent. “About two years ago I was driving on the turnpike in a downpour, and my car began to hydroplane,” says Herm. Just as his car was about to flip into a ditch, it suddenly turned and righted itself inexplicably. “God wanted me to live,” Herm says with a serious look on his face. He knows it was the Lord who spared him that day.

Today this Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and Shocker Sports Hall of Fame mem-ber is content to spend time with his two grandsons, Ryan and Brice, and help them compete in races. “I feel really fortunate because a lot of grandparents don’t get to see their grandchildren often. I get to see my two grandsons all the time, and have coached them all along the way,” says Herm. “It’s very hard to leave when you get into the world of sports. Everyone in athletics clings to our type of competitive-ness and camaraderie. But God has a plan for you. I’m just glad I still get to be a part of these things today.”

The Faithfulness of God: Mighty and Trueby Martha Buford

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

In the last few months, I have felt the depth of faith and trust of our church body that the Lord was in control, holding us tightly in his loving arms and leading us forward to a new day. We have prayed earnestly for his will to be revealed to our leaders and felt that he had chosen Pastor Oppriecht, Steve Dickie and Casey

Casamento and our wonderful staff to guide us on this journey. And they have done it well! God has truly blessed us!

Now a new season is beginning and I sense great excitement and anticipation over what the future holds, as we trust in God’s faithfulness. With the Rev. McKechnie coming as our Interim Senior Pastor and our own Paul Bammel being chosen as our new Associate Pastor, we look forward to walking with the Lord, one step at a time, as we continue to honor, glorify and serve him. Great is thy faithfulness!

Senior Committee

Martha Buford

Bill Chesnut

Mary Chesnut

Phyllis Ellis

Claude Eldridge

Nancy Frazier

Gini Gear

Na.omi Good

Mailyn Gorham

Trudy Haag

Warren Hillwig

Bev Hoover

Jim Mershon

Lou Patton

Reva Pyle

Maxine Rhodes

Marilyn Sheppad

Marty Weeks

Jean Wellshear

Herm Wilson

Non Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDWichita, KS

Permit No. 1293

Worship ServicesSundays at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m.;5 p.m. ekklesia

The goal of Eastwind is to support the five Core Commitments of Eastminster Presbyterian Church: Know God, Grow in God, Connect in God, Serve God and Glorify God. Executive Director of Communications: Gail Adamo ([email protected]). Associate Director of Communications: Courtney Roberts ([email protected]).

Eastminster Presbyterian Church1958 N. Webb Road • Wichita, Kansas 67206316.634.0337 • www.eastminster.org

Join the Journey on Route 83

You are invited on an 83-day adventure through the New Testament. Beginning Ash Wednesday, March 9, and continuing through May 30, we will experience a church-wide “Read-Through-the-New Testament-in-83 days” journey.

Starting March 9, you can view a Route 83 Daily Reading Guide online at eastminster.org. Sim-ply click on the Route 83 icon to open the calendar. We also have a printed guide available.

Ash Wednesday

Mark your calendars now for our special Ash Wednesday worship service at 7 p.m. March 9 in the Sanctuary.

ROUTE 83 When Love Comes to TownLOVE Wichita returns Saturday, April 30. (Rain date: May 7)Two shifts: 8 a.m. to noon / 1 to 5 p.m.

God is calling us to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7). To answer his call we’ll partner together with other churches to complete service projects throughout the area. Last year more than 2,000 volunteers from 30 churches across the city joined together in an attitude of service to bless our city as we cleaned, painted and encouraged the people we encountered.

Register to serve from 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m. or for all day. Registration is available now through the LOVE Wichita Web site at lovewichita.org. Forms will also be available following Sunday services during March and throughout the week at the reception desk. Each person serving is asked to wear a blue LOVE Wichita T-shirt. If you already have one, you may wear it again. To order a new one, you can pay for your T-shirt online when you register, at the registration table or at the reception desk. T-shirts are $6.50 each.

Go online at lovewichita.org for more details and to register.

march 2011 eastwind

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