The Sabbath

March 2020

“…the sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the sabbath.” These words from Jesus must have shocked the religious leaders complaining that his disci-ples were picking grain (work!) on the sabbath, the day of rest. Christ’s words are powerful, dangerous, and an opportunity for Christian witness. The words are powerful, they serve as a reminder that the laws of God don’t exist to put us beneath God’s omnipotent thumb, but they are there for our benefit, spiritually, physically and mentally. We all need rest, and time to recharge; a sabbath if made for us, for our benefit. Thank you, God. The words are dangerous. Hu-mans are tempted to take excessive

advantage of that one day in seven, since it was made for us, and in-stead of recharging body and soul – both, not either/or – we fill the day, indulging in the huge variety of options available. On numerous occasions I have said from the pulpit that Christianity in the twenty-first century is quite similar to Christian-ity in the first century: we compete in the marketplace of ideas. To that notion I now add, we compete in the marketplace of Sunday morning activities. Worship is the center of the life of every Christian commu-nity. Worship in the fellowship of believers is key to the recharging and the growth of the human con-nection with our God. But, “…the sabbath was made for humankind,

not humankind for the sabbath.” It has become difficult for many of our own families year-round to resist indulging repeatedly in the Sunday morning marketplace of activities to the detriment of their own spiritual selves. I say this not to scold, only to tell you what is readily noticeable among our own congregation. And thus, Christ’s words are an opportunity for Christian witness. Since “the sabbath was made for humankind,” given all the week-end options in which the Charlotte culture can indulge, can there be a more potent, weekly witness to our faith (not to mention weekly booster to our faith’s growth) than to spend a couple of hours at church?

2 | SHARON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

AT A GLANCE SHARON EVENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTSInteresting in becoming a member of Sharon Presbyte-rian Church? The Session will be receiving new mem-bers at its March 8th stated meeting at noon in Room 6 of the Gym. If you are feeling the nudge of the Holy Spir-it to become a member, please contact Rev. Ron Nelson at ron@sharonpcusa.org or 704-553-0869.

Photos for Sharon Presbyterian Pictorial Directory: If you missed getting your photo taken for our directory, we are trying to schedule a make-up photography day. We must have at least 18 families signed up for the pho-tographers to come out. If you want to participate in the make-up date, please contact Tim Brown at brownie@carolina.rr.com.

INVITESpring Parents Night at Legion Brewing Southpark - Friday, March 6th, 7:00-8:30pmAll parents of youth and children are invited to an eve-ning of fellowship and fun! RSVP with Matt at mattm@sharonpcusa.org no later than Sunday, March 1st.

Save the Date!!Palm Sunday Service - April 5th8:30am Morning Song, Chapel 10:30am Traditional, SanctuaryMaunday Thursday Service - April 9th7:30pm, SanctuaryEaster Sunday Services - April 12th 7:00am - Sunrise Service, Cemetery (Sanctuary if rain)7:30am – Breakfast, Gym (no reservations required)8:30am – Morning Song Service, Chapel9:30am – Sunday School10:30am – Traditional Service, Sanctuary11:30am – Children’s Easter Egg Hunt:(Pre-schoolers – 3rd Grade) &Scavenger Hunt: (4th – 5th Grade), Campus-Wide

TEACH Vacation Bible School – August 3rd-7th, 9:00am – 12:30pm, Entire CampusJoin Sharon Presbyterian Church Vacation Bible School as we go full steam ahead on the Rocky Railway! Kids will explore Jesus’ power and how they can trust Jesus to pull them through when life feels like a valley or a mountaintop. For participant and volunteer registration, visit www.sharonpcusa.org/events. Questions, contact Lauren Wheatley at 803-312-1073 or lauren.c.wheatley@gmail.com.

Women’s Bible Study – Wednesdays starting March 11th, 9:30am, Gathering Room 202, ChapelWe will begin a four week study titled Why Easter Matters by Andy Stanley. We welcome new and former participants, members and friends. Study guides may be ordered online at christianbook.com. Please join us! Any questions, feel free to contact Carol Howie at 704-578-3350 or chowie723@gmail.com.

SERVEThe Dahlia Grove Benefit Concert held Sunday, Feb-ruary 16th in our sanctuary raised $2500 in support of victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and sub-stance abuse. Many thanks to all the generous perform-ers and attendees.

Please bring your contributions for Loaves and Fishes. We will collect food items on March 8th. Items can be placed in the Narthex of the Sanctuary. Thank you for your continued support!

Upcoming Events

SHARON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | 3

GROW WORSHIP & MUSIC

Worship in our contemporary culture varies by de-nomination, and within denominations, it often varies by congregation. Some congregations have lots of shouters, others lots of clappers, still others are quite somber, even silent. Some congregations are big on liturgy, with lots of printed prayers and rituals that never change. In some the clergy are dressed, fancy as peacocks, in others expensive suits, in still others jeans, still others, plain, dark robes. No matter the setting, the devout have settled in a particular worship environment be-cause it makes them comfortable and gives them a sense of God’s presence in that space or with those people around them or with the style of the worship. It’s safe to say that regardless of the style of any modern congregation, no congregation approaches the worship style exhibited in Jerusalem in Jesus day. Here’s why. Outside the big front doors of the Jerusalem temple there would be worshippers seeking to purchase a sac-rifice, different types of sacrifice for different purposes to fit every budget. Inside the temple, commotion, some worshipers presenting their sacrifices for burnt offer-ings, a ritualistic holdover from very ancient times when it was believed that burning an offering sent fragrant fumes up to the nostrils of the Almighty (think a whiff of steak on the grill). At the very same time, others, in another part of the temple, would be presenting their gifts of money (remember the story of Jesus watching people giving and proclaiming that the widow had given more than all the rest for she gave from her poverty), still others would be praying silently, others praying aloud (there is a gospel story about that, too), still others coming to celebrate God’s rescue of them from danger or illness, and others pleading to be rescued from an enemy, and others praying for their enemies demise. Meanwhile, in another area, a teacher would be reading the scripture and leading a discussion. All of this going on at once. At once. Most of us would flee if our worship were so chaotic. There is a potent lesson about our own worship con-tained within this example from the temple of Jesus’ day.

All of us enter worship with our own baggage: frame of mind, joys, concerns, fears and regrets; meaning we each experience every worship service differently. Singing the great hymn of the church, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” may be an expression arising from a heart happy with life; for another, the hymn is a summons to lift eyes, mind and heart from sorrow; for still another, that same hymn rouses them from the demonic forces of regret and guilt. The strength of our worship is its corporate nature. It is not private, it is all of us united in our diversity before the one God who created and loves us all. We are called to confess and to praise, we are made aware of the com-munal business of our church life, and we listen to the scriptures, knowing that their timeless truths are made by God’s Spirit timely for us. Through most of the season of Lent we will be focus-ing on the Psalms. There are Psalms that were designed for use in the temple; royal Psalms designed to unite the priests and people with their king in submission before their God. There are Psalms of praise and Psalms of lament. What people experience and carry with them into worship hasn’t changed in all human history. Worship is many things to many people and, also, different for each of us. But worship invites us to unite with all our baggage together before our one God and his son, our savior.

The Season of Lent

4 | SHARON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

CONNECT COMMUNITY LIFE

Building Community Connections Arts+ is proud to partner with Sharon Presbyteri-an Church to fulfill our mission – to unleash creativity, transform lives and build community through outstand-ing and accessible arts education. At

Arts+, we know the benefits of an arts education extend far beyond the here and now. Arts+ training can help students develop skills such as problem solving and critical thinking, empowering them to achieve success in other areas of life. That’s why we strive to provide an outstanding and accessible arts education to every member in the community. Because it’s not just about the arts — it’s about everything an arts education adds

to our lives. From private lessons to summer camps to community outreach programs, we strive to help each student unlock their full potential through the power of arts education. We are excited to offer private music lessons at loca-tions across Charlotte, now including Sharon Presbyte-rian Church! At Sharon Presbyterian, we have openings for violin lessons on Tuesdays between 3-7pm and cello lessons on Thursdays between 3:30-8pm. If you are interested in taking music lessons through Arts+, please contact our office at 704-377-4187 or email us at regis-tration@artsplus.org. We will work with you to create an individualized, convenient and affordable music experi-ence, regardless of age or ability. Arts+ looks forward to being part of the community at Sharon Presbyterian Church! To learn more about Arts+ visit www.artsplus.org.

Chili and Cornbread Cook-off 2020 The 2020 Sha-ron Presbyterian Chili Cookoff is in the books with two newcomers (one each in the chili competition and cornbread competition) and two defenders winning bragging

rights in the annual battle for chili chef supremacy.More than 125 attended the annual event, enjoying samples from 20 chilis and 12 cornbreads entered in the always delicious competition.

In the mild competition, newly elected elder Sara Hart took top honors for her “Champion Chili.” Beth Jarnecke followed up her 2019 victory with another win in the spicy category with her “Hot Momma” submission. Out-going elder Amanda Buchanan successfully defend-ed her crown in the other competition with her vegetar-ian submission. In the hotly contested cornbread competition, Allison Wieland, another newly elected elder, and J.D. Pearce shared top honors. Pearce initially did not enter the competition because he did not think his corn muffins looked good enough, but the judges agreed that flavor was the key and Pearce and Wieland shared the honors.Thanks to all who competed and all who participated in the annual event.

SHARON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | 5

SPY YOUTH CHILDREN’S CORNER

Checkers Hockey Game On a chilly, rainy January evening, 14 of us trekked out for dinner at The Roasting Com-pany in Plaza Midwood, and then to Bojan-gles Coliseum for a Charlotte Checkers game.

While the hometown team ultimately lost to the Wil-kes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, we had a LOT of fun. If you’re a youth and you weren’t with us (or if you know

a youth who wasn’t with us), please take note, there’s a lot to look forward to this month. From a Parents Night at Legion Brewing Southpark on March, Friday 6th, from 7-8:30pm, to the SPY Tartan Fundraiser & Lunch on March, Saturday 14th, from 1-2:30pm, to the High School Beach Retreat the weekend of March 27th-29th, we’ve got a lot going on! For more details, or if you have ques-tions, please check out our calendar or contact Matt Moorman, Youth Director, at mattm@sharonpcusa.org.

Chances are, your parents told you “don’t play with your food” when you were a child. At Sharon Presby-terian Weekday School (SPWS), we pride ourselves in learning through play in every part of our day. Our theory is that if learning is fun, it never stops and play is the highest form of learning. One of our activities throughout the school year is “cooking”. Many might ask, how do you cook with a toddler. It is often messy but there is so much we can do with them. At our weekday school, we cook with toddlers by creating a fruit salad. We use plastic knives to strengthen our fingers, talk about colors of fruit, feel different textures of the fruit, and talk about sweet and sour tastes. In our Twos class, we may talk about different shapes in our lunch box from circle cheese, square or

triangle sandwiches and oval grapes. We talk about colors like “gold”fish, green veggie straws, and brown chicken nuggets. In our Three’s class, we count with food. We use skittles to make a rainbow and count colors, feed penguins goldfish that correspond with numbers to work on one to one counting, and put teddy grahams in caves as we learn about hibernation. In our Fours class, we build Mat Man (from our handwriting curricu-lum) out of graham crackers. We talk about positional concepts like up, down, beside and next to. In our TK class, we make ap-ple sauce and watch whole apples transform into applesauce filled with cinnamon. We see all the measuring, preparing, and cleaning that goes into a simple food that most of our students enjoy daily.

So the next time you are enjoying a snack or meal with a preschool-er, think about all the ways you can “play with your food”. Learning is so much fun and the possibilities are endless!

Don’t Play with Your Food

6 | SHARON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

SUPPORT SERVE

Together in Mission 2020 Through the Serving Committee, Sharon Church helps to support Jer-emy and Luta Garbat-Welch, PCU-SA Mission Co-Workers in Malawi, who work with partner churches and organizations in Africa in min-istries of health and wholeness. Luta serves as a community health facilitator in Malawi, and Jeremy, a clinically-trained hospital chaplain, shares his expertise with Presbyteri-an clergy in Malawi. We also help to support Chenoa Stock and José Luis Claure, PCUSA Mission Co-Workers in Peru, serving with the Evangeli-cal Church of Peru and the Joining Hands Peru Network. Chenoa and José are a vital part of our church’s annual mission trips to Peru. More information about our missionary families can be found at www.pres-byterianmission.org/ministries/world-mission/. Our Eastern North Carolina Mission Trip to Brunswick County usually takes place in April or May, Thursday through Sunday (2020 dates to be determined). Volun-teers stay in three houses at Ocean Isle Beach and work through the Brunswick Housing Opportunities (www.bho2020.org) and Brunswick Christian Recovery Center (www.bcrcrecovery.org). Projects include painting, landscape work, and home repairs. Outside of the beach ar-eas, Brunswick County is one of the poorest counties in North Carolina. For more information, contact Maria Harvey at maria@hahnmason.com. Our Middle School Youth are re-turning this year to CROSS Missions,

here in Charlotte, July 5th-10th, to engage in local mission opportuni-ties. Students will work with immi-grants and their children, homeless men and women, women and their children displaced by domestic vio-lence, and those who are unable to provide food for themselves. Contact Matt Moorman at mattm@sharonp-cusa.org for more information. Our High Schoolers are headed to Asheville, NC, June 28th -July 3rd, to serve with Asheville Youth Mis-sions. Our young people will have an opportunity to explore the hidden needs and struggles of those who are living on the margins within and around a beautiful tourist town. Groups will work with a variety of agencies working with those who are homeless, in poverty, or food insecure, both in urban and rural settings. Contact Matt Moorman at mattm@sharonpcusa.org for more information. The 2020 Mission Trip to Aya-cucho, Peru is scheduled for July 2nd-12th. We continue to nurture longstanding relationships and engage in mission projects with our partners in Peru. Please con-tact Randy Ross at 704-552-5573 or mrandallross@gmail.com if you would like additional information regarding the trip. Serving those who are experienc-ing homelessness in Charlotte is a focus of Sharon Church. We prepare and serve a beef stew meal at the Statesville Avenue campus of the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte the first Tuesday of every month. In addi-

tion, we serve a meatloaf meal the last Saturday of every month at The Salvation Army Center of Hope for women and children and also the Tryon Street campus of the Men’s Shelter. These programs provide in excess of 4000 meals/year made possible by the involvement of over 300 members and friends. In addi-tion, every Friday night, December through March, Sharon Church hosts up to twelve neighbors who are experiencing homelessness as part of the Urban Ministry Center’s winter shelter program, Room In The Inn. Sharon Church takes part in the Church World Service CROP Walk, held every year in October. The funds raised go to help alle-viate hunger locally and globally. Our youth’s Souper Bowl of Caring Offering every February helps to tackle hunger in Charlotte, as does our monthly nonperishable food collections for the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. We make hundreds of sandwiches for Urban Ministry Soup Kitchen through our Spread the Love event in November. While many already take part, more vol-unteers are always needed to make these efforts happen. If you would like to get involved, please contact the church office at 704-553-0869 or office@sharonpcusa.org for more information. Presbyterian Psychological Ser-vices (704-554-9900; www.presbyp-sych.org), located on our campus, is a non-profit, interdisciplinary

Continued top page 7

SHARON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | 7

CHURCH LIFE

Remember in PrayerPlease remember in prayer: in the hospital: Frank Black III, Judy Thrash; at home: Ian Moir (McWhorter House), Leah Price and Jeff Queen, Ron Ledford, Fred Smith (Royal Park), Marjo-rie Hefferon, Sylvia Burke, Betty Houston, Carol Ann Allen, Josie Tiller (Home/Novant Main), Chris Price, Grier Stanford, Kelly Bird (Khris Wigington’s sister), Gregary Smith (Stephanie Lee’s

brother), The Robson Family (for-mer Weekday School family), and our homebound members; Jeremy and Luta Garbat-Welch (PCUSA Missions in Malawi); Our Mission Partners in Peru; Chenoa Stock and José Luis Claure (PCUSA Missions in Peru). The prayer list is reset on the second Monday of each month. To submit or resub-mit a prayer request, please

contact Ron Nelson at ron@sha-ronpcusa.org. By request, prayer concerns may remain private and will not appear in the published list.

Together in Mission 2020Continued from page 6mental health resource. Believing that the healing pro-cesses is inherently relational, they are champions for emotional wellbeing and regard the counseling process as sacred work. They accept many major insurance plans and offer sliding-scale fees based on income to those who are uninsured. Sharon Presbyterian leases what was once the church manse as office space for the center for $1/year. In 2018, through the benevolence component of our Growing to Serve Campaign, we made a $10,000 dona-tion to Devonshire Elementary School and a donation of $17,000 to Lily Pad Haven. Devonshire is a Title 1 school here in Charlotte where our donation has been used to enhance their garden facility in conjunction with Real School Gardens (www.realschoolgardens.org). Lily Pad (www.lilypad-haven.org) has multiple houses in the greater Charlotte area that provide shelter and counsel-ing to victims of sexual trafficking, helping them to re-habilitate and assimilate back into society. We continue to cultivate relationships and provide support to Devon-shire and Lily Pad in various ways, including alternative giving opportunities in the Christmas season. Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Charlotte Cam-pus (980-636-1700; www.upsem.edu), located on our grounds, exists by God’s grace to educate, inspire, and

support generations of bold, faithful servant leaders as they seek actively to participate in God’s mission in the world. In support of the larger church and the educa-tion of its future leaders, Sharon Church cooperatively engaged in a long-term land lease with the seminary for $1/year, and we are able to schedule and share space in the seminary’s beautiful building. Alcoholics Anonymous (www.charlotteaa.org) is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem. In a cooperative effort to care for and to sup-port the people in our community, Sharon Presbyterian Church hosts 9 AA groups who provide 17 weekly meet-ings serving 600-700 people in our area. Al-Anon (www.al-anon.org) seeks to provide strength and hope for friends and families of problem drinkers. In a cooperative effort to care for and to support the people in our community, Sharon Presbyterian Church hosts two Al-Anon meetings on Wednesday evenings. Included our church’s annual budget is financial sup-port for a number of helping agencies in our community including: Alexander Youth Network, Urban Ministry Center, Charlotte Family Housing, Friendship Trays, Charlotte Rescue Mission, Crisis Assistance, Samaritan House, and Mecklenburg Ministries.

5201 SHARON ROAD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28210704-553-0869 | WWW.SHARONPCUSA.ORG

DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE IS:MONDAY MARCH 2, 2020SPCSUBMIT@SHARONPCUSA.ORGCONTRIBUTORS TO THE MARCH NEWSLETTER:

Writers & Editors:Arts+, Building Community ConnectionsRob Blumer, Sabbath; The Season of LentTim Brown, Chili and Cornbread Cook-off 2020Jennifer Hulighan, Don’t Play with Your FoodMatt Moorman, Checkers Hockey GameRon Nelson, Together in Mission 2020

Photography: Arts+Amanda KneppMatt MoormanRon NelsonDawn Rogers

The Church Scene

March Birthdays and Anniversaries

March Birthdays 1 Ashley Allen, David Osowski, Donna

Streicher, Eleanor Zellinski 2 Henry Cooper, Janet Gilbert, Maren

Gonzalez, Jessie Lawson 3 Russell Ash, Andy Davis, Isabel Ferber, Sue

Roberts 4 Lisa Weyhrich, Eve Willette

5 Everett Burke, Jean McDowell

6 Drew Kromer, Ty McBride, Lisa Nelson

7 Jack Nowaczewski

8 John Burgess, Blair Purser, Nancy Walker

9 Taylor Dries

10 Elgerine Elliott, Elizabeth Pickens

11 Joanne Jenkinson, Collins Mularz, Harrison

Mularz

12 Susan Alley, Bailey Schafer

13 Kurt Bombien, Kathy Casey, Gary Christian,

Rod Holtzmuller, Maggie Wall, Kelly

Weatherby, Bryce Worsman

14 Sophie Michael, Cameron Privett

15 Sam Hicks, Daniel Stanford, Ken Sumner

17 Bryson Gordon, Tyson Mays, Rick Schlieper

18 Gerard Baker, Tracy Jenkins, Marilyn Wright

19 Tammy Bagyi, Jerry Curry, Warren Lapp,

Dan Shartle

20 Will Owens, Will Shawver

21 Tricia Baker, Mike McGarity, Darrell Shealy

22 Paul Mickler, Battle Wall

23 Sherry Meacham, Jill Newton

24 Robin Harrill, Kristen Jones, Carolyn

Ledford, Blake Marler

25 Art Boelke, Susan Grady

26 Charles Charnock, Connor Dilsworth,

Martha Furr, Sophie Gonzalez

27 Norris Parker, Glenn Shea, Preston Streicher

28 Bob Nelsen, Paul Osowski, Chris Parnell,

Adam Tibbals

29 Candy Lee, Jake Nesbitt

30 Blake Barnette, Mary Beaty, Christian

Bennett, Charlie Davis, Kristen Esposito,

Sharon Garfield, Bill Mathers, Harris Milkey,

Wanda Towler

31 Nita Baisey, Michael Berzinis, Betty

Johnson, Griff Kuremsky

March Anniversaries 1 Art and Rosemary Boelke 2 Gloria and Bob Senn 5 Lillie and Ken McAfee 8 Emily and Jeff Hinds 16 Ann and John West 19 Betty and John Houston 21 Dao and Will Geller 24 Reese and Don Presson 25 Donna and Jim Appleton 27 Becky and John Burgess 28 Donna and Henry Cooper, Shannon and Ty

McBride

Memorials

US Allee, by Bonnie and Mike Barker

Jane and Jack Brawley, by Lisa and Tyson Brawley

Betty Howell, by Linda and Tom Skinner

Janet Shartle, by Jim Shartle and Joe Caniecki

In Memory

Deepest sympathy is extended to Carolyn Butler in the death of her mother, Dorothy “Dottie” Kamin, who died on December 18, 2019.

Deepest sympathy is extended to JD Pearce in the death of his mother, Virginia “Jenny” Meadows, who died on December 20, 2019.

Deepest sympathy is extended to Jerry Curry in the death of his brother and Myra Rounds in the death of her cousin, James Albert “Sonny” Curry, who died on December 27, 2019.

Deepest sympathy is extended to Claire Wilson in the death of her brother, Jimmy Williams, who died on January 16, 2020 and in the death of her step-mother, Marylene Williams, who died on February 4, 2020.

Deepest sympathy is extended to Ron Nelson in the death of his uncle, Maxie Williamson, who died on January 17, 2020.

Deepest sympathy is extended to Sharon Garfield in the death of her mother, Marie Daniels Cheek, who died on February 14, 2020.

Congrats

Brian Paul Mercado, son of Brittany and Jeff Mercado, was baptized on February 9, 2020.

Congratulations to Hallie and Sal Cornetta in the birth of their daughter, Marjorie “Margo” Cornetta, who was born on February 12, 2020.

Welcome New Members

Angie and Randy PackerFebruary 9th

Ben DunnFebruary 9th

Stephanie and Gen LeeFebruary 9th