Who are the Ivey Handbell Ringers? - First Presbyterian Church

TRADEWINDS
First Presbyterian Church Charlotte, North Carolina June 2011
Who are the
Ivey Handbell Ringers?
Starting in August, a small
group of teenagers faithfully
arrive at First Presbyterian
every Monday night at
7:40 pm. These teens
are the Ivey Handbell
Ringers. They will, during
the course of a year, ring
several times in our church
worship services, learn
enough music to ring two
complete concerts, and
commit to performing
in several community
events. But that is just the
beginning of the story.
Teens who ring in the
Ivey Handbell Ringers
began their “ringing
career” in the 6th grade
continued on page 5
The Annual Ivey
Homecoming Concert will be June 28 at 7 PM in the First
Presbyterian Church Sanctuary. Please plan now to attend this event
and show your appreciation to an amazing group of teenagers who have
given abundantly of their time and talents to the music ministry of First
Presbyterian Church.
PW honors two
women for a life of
dedication
Page 4
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Order of Worship
Dear First Presbyterian Parents
and Children,
Come join us for a week of
fellowship and fun at Vacation
Bible School, June 20-24th.
We look forward to exploring
the Parable of the Sower
through skits, music, planting
projects, art, storytelling and
outside games. The older
children (4th-6th Grades) will
be going to Stowe Botanical
Gardens on Wednesday for a
special program. We will have
visits from Discovery Place
several days and work together
to support a common mission.
It is a great opportunity for
your child to grow in faith
alongside friends at First Pres.,
as well as to make new friends.
It always proves to be one of
our families’ favorite weeks of
the summer. Please register
your children and volunteer to
be a part of this fun-filled week.
Hope Griggs
VBS
Co-Director
On May 8, the graduating high school seniors helped to lead worship in
their final Youth Sunday service as participants.
We feature excerpts from some of the meditations delivered
by four seniors on that day. Page 6-7
Second Sunday of Easter
Youth Sunday
May 8, 2011
9:00 AM and 11:00 AM
The Music in Preparation for Worship is intended to draw the people from the outside
o the presence of God. You are invited to remain silent during this time.

An Interim’s Impressions
I walked to the receptionist’s desk. I noted the time of my arrival,
indicated the doctor I had an appointment with, and signed in. The
receptionists kept reading the newspaper as she held out her hand and
said, “Insurance cards!” I handed them over. I wanted to ask, “Polly want
a cracker?” But didn’t.
“Good morning!” I said. She handed back my cards.
No eye contact. No smile or head nod. I barely
heard her say, “He’ll be with you in a minute.” It did
not seem to matter that “he” was actually a “she.” I
smiled and, refusing to give up, said as pleasantly as
possible, “Thank you. I really like the blouse you are
wearing.” I really did not. It made her look like a
cat woman on prowl; you recall maybe, one of those
horror movies from the 1940s and 50s when the woman turns into a
leopard and attacks some unsuspecting guy at the zoo by the leopard cage.
But I was not going to let her ruin my day. After all, it was only 8:15 a.m.
But it was not only “my day.” It was also “her day.” And it looked as if
it was already ruined for her. We never know what is going on within
someone else’s life. We have to be invited in before we can begin to know
even slightly the depth of pain or height of joy they may be experiencing.
And I owed her more than I was giving her. I was concentrating upon how
she was responding to me. It was one of those “all about me” moments.
How could I turn it around? I had already failed twice in just a very few
minutes.
Without enough thought I asked, “Hey, did you ever see any of those ‘cat
women’ horror movies back in the 40s or 50s? The woman was always
attractive, wore a blouse kind of like yours, and as she was meeting this guy
for a date at the zoo, she’d suddenly turn into a leopard and kill him.”
“She turned into a leotard?” she asked more than a little puzzled. “No, no,
a leopard, a big jungle cat,” I stammered out.
“I hate cats. And I would never wear a leotard in public. If you will just sit
down, he’ll be right with you.”
People have a right not to invite us into their private selves.
The doctor was treating me for a mild case of rosacea. As the doctor came
into the treatment room she said, “Goodness, the ointment does not seem
to be working. Your face is redder this time than ever before.”
TRADEWINDS 2
TRADEWINDS
A monthly publication of
First Presbyterian Church
200 West Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202-1623
Volume 27, Number 6, June 2011
Second Class Postage Paid, Charlotte, NC, USPS #751730
CHURCH TELEPHONE: 704.332.5123; FAX: 704.334.4135
HOME PAGE: www.firstpres-charlotte.org
SUNDAY WORSHIP: 9 am and 11 am
OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 am to 5 pm
INTERIM SENIOR MINISTER:
Roland Perdue
ASSOCIATE MINISTER FOR SERVICE & MISSIONS:
Kathleen A. Crowe
ASSOCIATE MINISTER FOR PASTORAL CARE
& CONGREGATIONAL LIFE:
Katherine W. Cooke
ASSOCIATE MINISTER FOR EVANGELISM &
YOUNG ADULTS:
Wesley B. Barry
ASSOCIATE MINISTER FOR
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION:
J. Kirkland Hall, IV
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR:
Dan Woodall
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC MINISTRIES:
D. Edwin Huss, Jr.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MUSIC MINISTRIES:
Becky Puster
DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES:
Lou Johnson
DIRECTOR OF SENIOR HIGH MINISTRIES:
Josh Herrin
DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL MINISTRIES:
Jen Evans
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR YOUTH MINISTRY:
Jamille White
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER DIRECTOR:
Debbie Shirkey
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR:
Sarah Price
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR:
Lisa Dillard
CHILD & FAMILY OUTREACH COORDINATOR:
Jessica Patchett
WEEKDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR:
Janis Rikard
FINANCIAL MANAGER:
Jan Gaddis
ASSISTANT FOR FINANCE:
Dowling McConnell
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER:
Dartinia Hull
PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR:
Roger Blackwelder
PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT:
Chris Bodmer
ASSISTANTS TO THE ASSOCIATE MINISTERS:
Judy Ploch and Kathleen Zeppernick
ASSISTANT TO SENIOR MINISTER & TV MINISTRY:
Kathleen Zeppernick
ASSISTANT FOR CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES:
Diane Baker
TECHNICAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR:
Ben Treece
FOOD SERVICE MANAGER:
George Hamilton
OPERATIONS MANAGER:
Jim Tyndall
SUPERVISOR-SECURITY/CUSTODIANS:
Ron Williams
RECEPTIONISTS:
Donna Dendy
Doris Mataragas
TRADEWINDS EDITOR:
Dartinia Hull

Service Sunday
... Planting vegetables at the FPC
Freedom School Garden
... Providing a meal for the Men’s
Shclter of Charlotte
... Planting
a garden at
Westerly Hills
Elementary
On Sunday, May 1, the family of faith at First
Presbyterian gathered for lunch and service ...
... Cleaning the sanctuary
... Painting at Lakewood Preschool
... Polishing silver
TRADEWINDS 3

TRADEWINDS 4
Presbyterian Women Birthday Dinner:
Sermons in Stitches
On Wednesday, May 11 Presbyterian Women gathered in the Wood
Fellowship Hall to celebrate the 89th Birthday of what was formerly
known as the Women’s Auxilary. Mary Barry and Woody Clark were
honored with Honorary Life Membership, Gibbs Ives (left) was recognized
for her year of service as PW Moderator and new officers were installed.
Marilyn Armstrong (far left), incoming moderator, presented the program
“Sermons in Stitches” honoring and recognizing the women who designed
and stitched the needlepoint pulpit chair covers and pew cushions in our
sanctuary.
Sisters receive Honorary Life Memberships in PW
For the first time in anyone’s memory, sisters were honored
with Honorary Life Memberships in Presbyterian Woman.
Mary Barry and her sister Woody Clark grew up in First
Presbyterian Church. Both raised children here and now
have the pleasure of seeing their grandchildren attend and
be involved in the life of the church. Both sisters have been
actively involved in the church throughout their lives.
Mary and her husband were married here, and through
the years she has been involved with numerous outreach
programs with children. She was instrumental in the
initiation of FPC’s Camp Grier outreach. She served
PW in many ways, including as Moderator in 1983-84.
As a long time church member, she was involved in the
planning team for the 150th anniversary of the church,
including the development of a play outlining the church’s history. Mary’s
contribution to the life of First Presbyterian Church is invaluable, and PW
honors her by naming her an Honorary Life Member.
Woody was also married in the church. She has served FPC as both a
Deacon and an Elder, and has been active “behind the scenes” in a number
of capacities. She participated in Outreach through Loaves and Fishes,
Friendship Trays and Room in the Inn. She currently serves as a Stephen
Woody Clark (above with Katherine Cooke) and her sister
Mary Barry (below) have been involved with First Presbyterian
Church from childhood.
Minister and co-chair of Circle 1, our homebound visitation circle. Because of her deep involvement in and love for
this church, PW is proud to confer upon Woody the distinction of Honorary Life Member.

From page 1
when they joined the Celtic Handbell Ringers. They will,
when space and ringing skill permit, move up from the
Celtic Handbell Ringers into the Knox Handbell Ringers.
They will continue in that handbell group, gaining musical
experience and serving the music ministry of the church,
until they are able to fill a position in the Ivey Handbell
Ringers. Some teens are lucky enough to spend two or three
years ringing in Ivey; others are only there for a year before
their high school graduation. All of this handbell experience
comes at high cost – by the time typical ringers graduate
from high school they will have spent almost 300 hours
in the handbell rooms attending rehearsals….300 hours
volunteering their service to the church and its ministry of
music! Every Christmas Eve the handbell groups ring concerts prior to the Christmas Eve services which means that
if your teen is a handbell ringer, your family must spend every Christmas
in Charlotte. The annual summer Ivey Handbell Tour takes precedence in
scheduling over other camps or activities. The summer concert tours are
an amazing experience for the ringers, but they are also a major expense for
their families. Through these tours, First Presbyterian Church has touched
the lives of people throughout the United States and Europe as our teens
share their gift of music.
Sports, dance, other music organizations…all of these must be coordinated
with handbell practice because one missing ringer makes rehearsal a real
problem! You might think that, due to the huge time commitment of
ringing, these teens are not involved in other outside activities but that is
not the case. This year, members of the Ivey Handbell Ringers are involved
in the following activities: Girl Scouts, Naval Junior Reserve Officer
Training Corps, volunteering at Discovery Place and the Charlotte Nature
Museum, Loaves and Fishes, Habitat for Humanity, student counsel, Key
Club, Boy Scouts, Odyssey of the Mind, yearbook staff, and German Club.
They are also active in school sports with members of the group playing
lacrosse, tennis, cross country and track, softball, rowing, and basketball.
They are also part of other performing organizations as several play
instruments in their school bands (flute, trombone, guitar, trumpet), sing in
choirs and study piano. What an amazing group of teens!
As we say good-bye at the
end of June to Becky Puster,
our Assistant Director of
Music Ministries, and to
Eddie Huss, Director of Music
Ministries, we are grateful
for their musical talents and
gifts, and for the ministry
that each of them has
brought to the members of
First Presbyterian Church.
If you would like to express
your appreciation and well
wishes through cards or
letters, please send them to
the Church. Please be sure
to write Becky’s or Eddie’s
name on the envelopes,
and the Worship and Music
Committee will deliver them.
This summer, the Ivey Handbell Ringers will be traveling to France June 15-27. Ringers in the 2010-2011 Ivey
Handbell Ringers are: Wilson Sink, Alex Jenkins, Lee Landess, Ben Conway, Mary Elizabeth Schultze, Ann Eubank,
Alex Hoover, Dana Neidinger, Julia Hoover, Meriwether Lyman, and Meredith Dann. They will ring for worship
services in The American Church in Paris and the Church of Chatillon in the Burgundy region. Limoges, one of
Charlotte’s sister cities, will be hosting our concert in the Jean Moulin Cultural Center. The ringers will perform as a
part of the National Music Festival in the city of Avignon, as well as ringing concerts in two churches in Provence.
They will also be a featured group in the “Les Journees Chatillonnaises” Festival in Chatillon.
TRADEWINDS 5

Mi héroe es mi tío
Rob, porque tiene
Order of Worship
Second Sunday of Easter
Youth Sunday
May 8, 2011
9:00 AM and 11:00 AM
cáncer, pero se niega
a darse por vencido.
Translated, this
means My hero
is my Uncle Rob,
because he has
cancer but refuses to
give up. As some of
you may know, the
Rob that I referred
to in my Spanish
presentation is Rob
Eubank, a member of this church who recently
passed away ... Rob was energetic, optimistic, and
a great guy to be around. He had great taste in
music. He let me borrow his jeans when I needed
a pair for my schools spirit week. He even watched
me sit on the bench during my varsity soccer
games. As time went on, the cancer grew stronger,
and his body grew weaker, but he never changed.
He was still energetic and optimistic. When I
wasn’t able to see him, I could read his updates on
his CaringBridge blog, where he talked about the
difficulties of cancer, but he never gave in. His
tenacity was so great that Steve Smith, the real
Steve Smith, commented on his website, praising
his strength, courage, and love. As time went on,
my dad relayed to us the news of his worsening
condition, and eventually the topics of discussion
switched from treatment to hospice. At this stage,
one would expect Rob to become depressed at this
turning point, to blame God for his misfortune,
but he miraculously did the opposite. He wanted
people to celebrate, and not feel sad for him. He
talked more and more about God, and heaven.
Shortly after Rob passed away, a group of family
and friends gathered with some of the ministers
The Music in Preparation for Worship is intended to draw the people from the outside
world into the presence of God. You are invited to remain silent during this time.
Preparation
MUSIC IN PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Alex Hoover, piano
PRELUDE “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” arr. Kevin McChesney
Celtic Handbell Ringers
WORDS OF WELCOME AND CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH
CALL TO WORSHIP
Adoration
† *OPENING SONG “Come, Now is the Time to Worship” Brian Doerksen
Come, now is the time to worship
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, just as you are to worship
Come, just as you are before your God
Come.
One day ev’ry tongue will confess You are God
One day ev’ry knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains for those,
Who gladly choose You now.
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Confession
Leader: God, you have always devoted yourself to us, have we always done the same to you?
People: We confess that we are not always disciplined in our prayers to you,
instead we devote our lives to school, work, friends, and other distractions.
Leader: Have we loved one another as you have loved us?
People: We confess that we can show our love everyday more completely.
Leader: Have we always used our gifts to glorify you, O God?
People: We confess that we have instead used our gifts for self-serving purposes.
All: Forgive us, Lord. Amen.
of the church to share stories of Rob to help with
the service. I saw God’s love reflected through
Rob that day. I saw God’s love reflected through
all of the stories of his good deeds, and his pranks.
In his childlike joy, and tremendous success and
generosity. Mi héroe es mi tío Rob, porque tiene
cáncer, pero se niega a darse por vencido.
Jackson Eubank
For Christ in the Heart of Charlotte
RESPONSE “Lord
Lord
ASSURANCE OF PA
Friends, bel
Youth Sun
In Jesus Ch
†
Sitting down with the
idea of this sermon,
the idea of love being
reflected…. Every time
I mulled this idea over
in my head I always
came out with the
thought of love as light
in a mirror. Sometimes
the light can be
HANDBELL VOLUN
*HYMN NO. 335
NEW TESTAMENT
ANTHEM
You are holy, y
I will love you
love and ador
who is worth
First
Presbyterian
blinding, reflected
in a circumstance
so obvious that you
cannot ignore it, these
experiences tend to be the basis of many Youth
Sunday sermons. However, I’ve decided to
focus on the little glint in the eye, that more
subtle example of love that while it may take
a little searching to find, makes the biggest
differences in our lives. ... I see this glimmer
every Sunday in this church. For the past
eighteen years it has been a constant in my life,
even as I have changed. It has the same smiling
faces and warm greetings, people asking how
you are and what’s going on in your life. While
there was never a huge “AHA” moment, the
constant current of first Presbyterian in my
river of life gave me a perspective that has been
very valuable to me.
This sermon is a bit of a thank you
letter to all of the people that have helped me
everyday because I think when you are blinded
by the light you tend to thank and appreciate
that person so much more. But, when was
the last time you honestly and truthfully
thanked the people that were just there. Their
love was always present and you knew it was
always reflecting but I, at least personally,
never recognized it. I am lucky to have people
that I can go to and that have supported me
throughout my life ... they are the people that
have caught me when I was falling in life.
Without them I would be lost in life and I hope
that I can repay them a little of the love they
have given me.
Robert Bryan
my Prince of P
you are might
Prince of Peac
reign forever
my Savior, M
life for you.
CHILDREN’S MESS
(At this time, TK
Church
MEDITATIONS
Charlotte, North Carolina
Organized 1821
Carson Ro
*AFFIRMATION OF
I believe in G
Christ, His on
the Virgin M
descended i
heaven, and
shall come t
catholic chu
of the body;
May 8, 2011
Volume 40, No. 19
*CONGREGATIONA
In Christ ther
of love throu
RECOGNITION OF S
PRAYERS OF THE P
... sometimes, Go
expecting; he p
did this to Jerem
prophet. In Jere
Sovereign Lord,
young.” I can rela
ing here in front
comfort zone. Bu
out of our bounda
about ourselve
The
William Ault
Elizabeth Barbour
Benjamin Barnes
Ford Barry
John Bowman
Rebecca Brinkley
Robert Bryan
Hunter Campbell
Elizabeth Carlson
Bo Coggins
Peter Conway
Meredith Dann

, Have Mercy” page 565
have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
RDON
ieve the good news.
rist, we
day.2011
are forgiven.
Proclamation
TARY “Praise Song” Donald Allured
Knox Handbell Ringers
Anger, denial,
“Though I May Speak” English Folk Melody
frustration, and guilt
LESSON I Peter 4:7-11 pew Bible page 235
pumped through my
“You Are Holy” Imboden/Rhoton veins as I stormed
Youth Praise Band
ou are mighty, you are worthy, worthy of our praise. I will follow, I will listen, through my front door.
all of my days. I will sing to and worship the King who is worthy. And I will
e Him, and I will bow down before Him. And I will sing to and worship the King I struggled to hide
y and I will love and adore Him, and I will bow down before Him. You’re all the feeling until
eace, and I will live my life for You. You are Lord of lords, you are King of kings,
y God, Lord of everything. You’re Emmanuel, you’re the Great I Am, you’re I the could reach a safe,
e who is the Lamb. You’re the living God, you’re my saving grace, you comfortable, will free space.
. You are Ancient of days. You are Alpha, Omega, beginning and end. You’r
essiah, Redeemer and friend. You’re my Prince of Peace, and I will live A my place where the tears
could go unseen, a place
AGE Brittan Lynch, Haley Owens where emotion was
, K, and 1 st graders will leave for CHILDREN and WORSHIP - 9 AM and 11 AM.)
“God Reected. God Gloried”
gers, Robert Bryan, Jackson Eubank, Austen Zoutewelle
FAITH THE APOSTLES’ CREED
od, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus
ly Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of
ary, suered under Pontius Pilate, was crucied, dead, and buried; he
nto hell. The third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into
sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he
o judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy
rch; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection
and the life everlasting. Amen.
L RESPONSE (HYMN NO. 439)
e is no east or west, in Him no south or north, but one great fellowship
ghout the whole wide earth.
ENIORS
EOPLE
d throws things our way that we aren’t
ushes us out of our comfort zone. He
iah when he called upon him to be a
miah 1:6, Jeremiah responded “Alas,
I do not know how to speak; I am too
te to Jeremiah in this instance. Speakof
you today has also put me out of my
t I believe that God plans for us to go
ries in order for us to learn something
s and to impart learning on others.
Carson Rogers
senior class of 2011 Kimberley Moye
Emily Day
Nick DeCarlo
Phillip Dixon
Elizabeth Eades
Jackson Eubank
Ashley Frith
Ella Froelich
Elizabeth Gardner
Paul Hunter
Marshall Jackson
Mac Lothrop
Brittan Lynch
Caroline O’Neill
Haley Owens
Anna Quattlebaum
Walker Ranson
Kathryn Richardson
Carson Rogers
Spencer Sitton
Alexis Smith
Alexandra Stoller
Harper Williams
Austen Zoutewelle
allowed, a place where
there was solitude.
For Christ in the Heart of Charlotte
First
Presbyterian
Tears began to creep down my face as I approached the welcoming door leading
to my room. The cycle began to unfold: I curled up in my bed letting the
emotions unravel. But on this particular day, instead of my normal silence and
seclusion, the hinges on my door creaked open and I heard my little brother
calmly call my name.
Church
Charlotte, North Carolina
Organized 1821
Startled, I peered over my comforter and tried to swipe away any tears that
might have slipped out. His calm voice lingered in my ears as I searched for the
composure to muster a reply. I slid down the covers on my bed and motioned for
J.P. to come sit next to me. As he crawled in, he asked, “A, are you okay?”
May 8, 2011
Volume 40, No. 19
I replied, “Well buddy, to be honest with you, I’m not. I’m sad about our family.
I wish that we could all be together.” His hand gently rose to my shoulder, and I
realized that there was no hiding the tears, and yet no need to hide them anymore
either.
“But A, Mommy love you. Daddy love you. No fight no more. They happy now.
God love you. I love you.” I sat in awe of his words, stunned, absorbing their
meaning and grasping his simplicity of such a complex situation.
He continued by saying, “A, I love you. Now let’s pray.” And as I sat there
listening to his prayer, I thanked God for the brother that I was blessed with. God
has bestowed each of us with gifts: Intelligence, prosperity, humor, empathy. J.P.
was given the gift of simplicity. He can calm me down, unveil the underlying
meaning, and show me what matters.
The best gifts can come from the most unexpected places. ... God might not
always explicitly show us one another’s abilities and strengths so it is our job to
slow down in life and detect one another’s aptitudes. J.P. was not the first person
I expected to grasp my distraught emotions, but on that day he utilized a gift he
had been given in order to strengthen me. I challenge you to appreciate the gifts
that we have all been given. Recognize and value the people around you because
God’s gifts are unpredictable.
Austen Zouetewelle

Mission: Discrimination vs. determination
Still, there are smiles among the
members of Hope Baptist in Russia
Ryazan Russia, where Hope Baptist is located, is sort of like the Fayetteville
of Russia. A large army training base is headquartered there. The barracks
are across the street from the hotel where FPC mission teams stay. People in
Ryazan live six to eight people in small apartments just to make ends meet.
The average wage is about $400/month. Picture in your mind the grimmest
Soviet-era high-rise housing - that is where Hope Baptist is physically located.
Just add, among other things, drunks, uncut grass, broken liquor bottles, and
pollution. Really, no one I saw smiles, except those who worship at Hope
Baptist. The congregation at Hope Baptist has nothing material. No money
and a rented sanctuary with a leaky roof (not any more, I hope). One former
ministers compared it to an early first-century Christian church. They are
hated, discriminated against, persecuted. They are barely surviving. For in
Russia, you are not considered Russian unless you are Russian Orthodox.
For most, even though they do not regularly attend, the Russian Orthodox
Church has replaced Communism as being a patriot. After the first time FPC
visited Hope Baptist in 2004, the windows of the church were smashed and
a swastika was painted on the door. Unfortunately, it has only gotten worse.
An example of what we are up against is an article that was published in the
regional paper a few weeks before our trip.
Komsomolskaya Pravda—Ryazan edition of 26 June 2008. HEADLINE: “Be Careful!” Ryazan priest names city’s most
dangerous cults. The article includes a map of church locations.
“Many people end up in cults because they know nothing about their activities,” says Father Arseny, head of the
missionary department of the Ryazan Diocese [RPC]. Cults are organizations with a hidden agenda. Even the relatively
harmless ones, for example the Baptists, in organizing events to which young people or married couples are inviting,
cover themselves with names such as ‘Spiritual Center’ or ‘Cultural-Educational Foundation,’ etc. You can get invited
into a group and in the beginning there is nothing to take offense at: hospitable young people, lots of personal attention,
compliments. But in the end, you won’t even notice how you are entering the circle of the cult — and you won’t be
able to get out.
“Educating Patriots” The Baptists — still another powerful Western movement — are distinguished by their special love
for charitable works. A shining example is the Solotchinsky Children’s Home, where American preachers have actively
worked for 12 years. Children who grow up here no longer associate themselves with Russia. They are ready to move to
America, and there are people ready to buy them a one-way ticket.
Hope Baptist does not have much in material possessions, but the one thing members have is God and their faith in Jesus
Christ. Despite all of the ongoing discrimination and persecution, they display it on a sign above the door, and they live
it. They hold services every Sunday. They have an event or bible study literally everyday. They even have circles like
Presbyterian Women (called a “hen” party). They run children’s and young adult camps. They have a mission to serve the
local girls prison (another unbelievable story itself). The main purpose of our mission trip was to be in Christian fellowship
with them and to let them know even though we are physically far away; we are with them in prayer and in Christ’s journey.
And we are. Brett Bond
TRADEWINDS 8

Mission: Partnership with Accion
Repeat trips help build churches
in Mexico and faith at home
The May Tradewinds included an article relating to the beginning of Accion Ministries in the Yucatan peninsula along
with information regarding First Presbyterian’s involvement with the ministry there. Many groups from First Presbyterian
have traveled to the three states of the Yucatan (Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo) to complete work projects and
have included team members ranging from 8 to 80 years old, and teams ranging from 13 to 50-some members.
First Presbyterian’s first two trips working with Accion were summer youth trips in 1989 and 1990. The 1989 team
consisted of 34 youth and adults who stayed in the Merida
facility that now doubles as the ministry’s office and the Shelter,
a residential facility for village boys who are completing their
education in the city under the care of Accion. The 1989 team
roofed a small church and led Vacation Bible School activities
in San Pedro, a small community on the outskirts of Merida.
As many teams have done since the initial trip, the group took
a day off in the middle of the week to visit the nearby Mayan
ruins of Uxmal, including the light show at night. One of the
unique aspects of this trip was that several years later, one of our
adult teams returned to visit the church and see the completed
sanctuary with Mayan tile floors, hand made pew benches and
beautifully painted walls.
Having successfully completed the initial trip, the 1990 team
ventured out of the city and stayed in the large village of Motul, northeast of Merida. Housing for this group, along
with many subsequent teams, included living in the homes of church members and villagers. In most instances, families
have moved out of their extremely modest homes or huts, and allowed mission teams to live in them for their time in
the community. Following the second successful youth trip to the Yucatan, many adults wanted to participate in the
experience, and adult teams were formed, some of whom included families as well as college students and senior citizens.
The first adult trip visited the very small village of Bacabchen in Yucatan. The entire team of 16 stayed in a small home
on the major highway, while the Mayan family homeowners slept in huts in the yard or other homes. Many of the adult
trips since 1991 have included team members from other churches, both in Charlotte and other communities. They have
provided a meaningful way to get to know a wide variety of people as well as an opportunity to spread the message of
Accion and its ministry to other church communities.
Whether our work teams in Mexico have been primarily youth or adults, or a blend of both, the lessons in servanthood
remain the same. Team members are forced to a slower pace of living; of sharing time with one another without the
interruptions of phones, computers, TV, jobs, carpools, meetings, and the host of many things that occupy our time. Team
members have an opportunity to be immersed in a culture and way of life strangely simplistic, but richly filled with faith
and love. Sleeping in hammocks and cold showers, if there is running water available, become the norm. Team members
all participate in fixing meals together, and kitchen “equipment” has varied from small electric stoves, to gas camp stoves
and coolers for refrigeration. It is quickly noted that materialism is not in the Mayan vocabulary, but rather a richness of
faith and love of the Lord provide their life focus. The church is the center of life for the congregations, and gathering to
worship 3 to 4 times a week is common. Team members gather at the end of each day to pray, sing, share experiences and
discuss observations/lessons learned. Without exception, the first night in the village includes team members discussions
continued on page 11
TRADEWINDS 9

“In the Heart of Charlotte”
Celebrating What God is Doing Through a
Community of Faith.
This summer, the Sunday adult classes will
combine for a special series entitled “In the Heart of
Charlotte.” This series will lift up and celebrate what
God is doing through each particular ministry with the
hope that First Presbyterian Church can:
THE SERIES: Each week in the Wood Fellowship
Hall, one of the various ministries of First
Presbyterian Church will present and witness
to what God is currently doing through that
particular ministry. This is an opportunity for the
entire community to see and hear how the church
is participating in God’s mission in the world.
THE PNC: As the congregation becomes more
informed about the ways that God is working
through each of these ministries, the Pastor
Nominating Committee will lead three Sunday
morning sessions throughout the summer to listen
to your observations and reflections as to how
God might be calling First Presbyterian Church
forward. Just as these “break-out sessions” offer
a space for the entire congregation to engage in
a faithful discussion and discernment of God’s
future for our community, they will inform the
PNC’s own process of discernment that will
culminate in the calling of a new Senior Minister.
THE DEVOTION: In order to faithfully center
this church-wide discernment process, everyone
is encouraged to participate in a summer-long
devotion. Available in booklet form and on the
church webpage, this weekly devotional will
include scripture, reflections, questions and prayer
that will lead us to that respective Sunday’s
combined session. Even if you are unable to be
present for the informative, weekly celebrations,
this devotional can provide the space to faithfully
reflect upon the Spirit’s work in the past, present
and future life of our family of faith.
With gratitude for a God who has brought us this
far and who promises to be with us, “even to the
end of the age,” we hope and pray that you will
offer a part of yourselves back to God through the
faithful stewardship of your time, energy and faith
this summer.
TRADEWINDS 10
Teacher Appreciation
and Celebration Sunday
On June 5, the church will gather in the Wood Fellowship Hall at
10:00 to honor those who have offered their spiritual gifts of teaching
back to God through the Christian Education ministry of First
Presbyterian Church. The day will be a church-wide celebration of
those gifts as we join for thanksgiving, singing, prayer and fellowship.
This will also be the day when the younger members of the church are
promoted to next year’s class.
ADULT TEACHERS
Bonnie Gilbert, Harold Hope, Hunter Hoover, David Dillard,
Julia McLean, Pender McElroy, Vicki Chadwick,
Ward McKeithen, Burt Melton, Tommy Holderness, Libby Bell,
Reid Campbell, Paul Griggs, Harold Hope, Doug Wilson,
Randy Phillips, Ross Loeser, Peter Buck, John Murchison,
Don Phillips, William Rikard, Garrell Keesler, Milt Childress,
Bryan Ives. Mary Elizabeth Coley. Macon Patton, Lori Patton,
Kay Valaoras, Todd Walker, Melissa Walker, Kedar Bryan,
Flo Bryan, Woods Potts, Lucy Caldwell.
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SENIOR HIGH TEACHERS
Thold Gill, Barret Butler, Ashley McMillan, Rand Ayer,
Ginger Voss, Mandy Herrin, Jeremy Glenn, Mike & Monica Ek,
Joe & Janna Mitchell, Frasier & Jane Ives, Dee O'Dell,
Sloan Dudley, David Williamson, Scott Angel, Mike Ranson,
Ted & Catherine Fleming, Hayes Thompson, Kim Stamey,
Gibbon & Deborah Pender
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS
Lauri & Andy Clark, Jenni & Rob Grier, Marty & Brad Griffin,
Shannon & Murray Kinlaw, Cynthia & Stephen Lloyd,
Mary Scott & Chad Peterson, Carrington & Scott Angel,
Beth & Erin Guinan, Holly & Mike Loeffler,
Dowling & David McConnell, Valerie & Rob Pressley,
Scott & Russell Bryan, Missy & Jon Giles, Amy Dunlevy,
Page & Martin Hull, Christy & Arthur Morehead,
Roz & Kelli Mallory, Nancy & Kern Carlton, Karen &
Lee Cory, Doug Neely, Kay & Nick Valaoras, Julie Rayner
(Catechism), Karen MacKenzie, Suzy & John Nurkin, Kathryn
Justis, Patti Bitter, Kim Bowman, Cathy Bradley, Lee Bradley,
Becca Champion, Martha Cochrane, Sonya Crump-Greene,
Sally Davis, JoLynn Ensminger, Kevin Griffith, Hope Griggs,
Heather Herring, Laurie Hidell, Amy Jackson, Caroline Knight,
Lisa Neely, Jenny Plummer, Michelle Reibel, Ashley Smith,
Mary Vance Spears, Caroline Veronee, Melissa Walker, Kellie
Wasson, Dawn Weber, Jenny Craver, Jennifer Duska, Lauren
Garber, Heather Hayes, Catherine Monroe, Gena Morris,
Jamie Morrow, Lindsay Barry, Mary Margaret Porter, Melissa
Self, Sonya Snowdon, Elizabeth Taylor, Alice Torstrick, Brent
Torstrick, Dianne Bailey, Sloan Dosser, Stephanie Briggs-Evans,
Ashley Robertson, Anne Schmit, Don Schmit, David Short,
Laura Short, Kellie Wasson

Welcome to the Stapleton-Davidson summer interns
For the past twenty-two years, First Presbyterian Church,
in partnership with Covenant Presbyterian Church,
has hosted the Stapleton-Davidson summer internship
experience. Each year, five students from Davidson
College are selected to participate in an urban plunge
to help them understand poverty, the city of Charlotte,
the faith community, themselves and God in a new way.
From Memorial Day weekend to August 5, interns work
with the homeless and working poor through area nonprofit
ministries while undergoing intensive supervision
each Wednesday afternoon that includes reflection
on their experiences. Students also study the gospel
of Luke, various readings on poverty, participate in a
poverty simulation, meet with area non-profit Executive
Directors and service providers, go through the Bridges
out of Poverty seminars hosted by the Urban Ministry
Center, attend meetings of the Homeless Services
Network and see some of the “tent cities” where
many of our homeless neighbors reside. Perhaps most
importantly, over the summer interns form relationships
with men, women and children in poverty that tend to
shape their perspectives and their lives forever. Interns
worship in a diversity of contexts each Sunday and
participate in worship at their host churches, all the
while learning what it means to be ‘church’ and to bear
witness to Christ in an urban context. Interns also stay
families from within the congregations, who graciously
From page 9
of the incredible happiness of the people amidst a life of
material poverty and hardships based on our own lives in
the States. We quickly discover, however, that we sing
some of the same hymns but in different languages, we
smile in the same language, and we worship the same
Lord.
Our mission trips to Mexico have each been unique. Our
teams have built roofs, created cement courtyards, laid
cement floors, painted walls, built walls, created roadways
and many other projects. We have led Vacation Bible
School to small groups of several dozen children, to up to
Tianna Butler Kelsi Hobbs
Paul Spellings
open their homes and their hearts to welcome them in
during the summer months.
Please help us welcome our Stapleton-Davidson interns
that will be partnered with First Presbyterian Church
this summer. All are rising Juniors at Davidson College.
Tianna Butler is a native of Salisbury, MD. She is
an English major and a part of the Bonner Scholar
program. She is staying with the family of Arthur and
Christy Morehead and will be working with the homeless
neighbors at the Urban Ministry Center. Kelsi Hobbs is
a native of Portsmouth, NH. She is an Economics major
who is hoping to pursue work in the non-profit sector and
will be working at Crisis Assistance Ministries. Kelsi is
staying with the family of Brian and Barrett Butler. Paul
Spellings hails from Dallas, TX. He is an Economics
major and is an aspiring minister. Paul will be working
at Friendship Trays and the Charlotte Men’s Shelter and
will be staying in the home of Paul and Hope Griggs.
Keep an eye out for them this summer!
200 men, women and children gathering together at the
end of the day. The experiences however varied do have
many common threads. On the surface, we return to work
with and share faith with our Mayan brothers and sisters
in Christ, and our teams have made a difference in many
Mayan lives. The real draw, however, is the experience
and witness of faith to all team members who have been
involved. One does not return with the same mindset.
Through gifts dedicated in capital campaigns, First
Presbyterian has provided the catalyst to start two major
projects for Accion, including the Boys Shelter in Merida
and Villa Infantil Maya in Quintana Roo. Watch for
future TradeWinds articles focusing on these programs.
Elise Barksdale
TRADEWINDS 11

Tr a d eWi n d s
Published monthly by
First Presbyterian Church
200 West Trade Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202-1623
Postmaster, please send address changes to:
Tradewinds, First Presbyterian Church
200 West Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202-1623
Bayonnais Easter Crusade a success
On the first Sunday
in April, a small
table was set up
in front of First
Presbyterian church
to sell tickets to
an Easter banquet
in Bayonnais,
Haiti, on behalf
of a person in
Haiti. The
tickets sold that
Sunday yielded
big results for the people of
Bayonnais and surrounding area. In response to the trauma of
the cholera epidemic, turmoil around the national elections
and the continued effects of the 2010 earthquake, this year our
partners at OFCB in Bayonnais organized a community crusade
during Holy Week to bear witness to Christ and to bring the
community together in celebration of God’s many blessings.
The week was a huge success marked by daily worship services
and evangelism, youth camps, lectures, and Bible classes that
culminated in a full day of worship, baptisms of new believers
and the provision of a much-needed meal for the entire
community.
PERIODICALS
Postage Paid
CHARLOTTE NC
USPS #751730
First Presbyterian is becoming more intentional
in getting word out about events and activities.
To that end, the PNC-sponsored
Summer Devotional Series, “In The
Heart of Charlotte,” is available online
and in hard-copy form. The devotionals
will be posted weekly for you to download
individually, or you can pick up a copy
at the church. The Pastor Nominating
Committee, which will spend time with
various church groups to discuss what they
want in the next minister, has a Q&A
form that is available on the Web site. The
PNC also has developed a survey that is
available on the church Web site and in
hard-copy form.
As a cost-saving measure, FirstNEWS will
be published every other week, beginning
June 19. On the weeks that FirstNEWS is
not published, the Order of Worship will be
emailed to those who normally receive FN
electronically and mailed through the Post
Office to those who wish to have paper copies.
The electronic version will contain additional
links to the Web site.