The Good News - This Week

It is that time of year when we celebrate graduates! Joining with family and friends, we acknowledge individuals who have worked hard to make significant accomplishments. In general, our society recognizes these achievements in a number of ways- graduation ceremonies, diplomas, gifts, parties, special Sunday services and more.

Perhaps you, yourself, are years away from a graduation day, but I encourage you to look beyond the traditional scope of graduation to consider how you have progressed in your own life. What achievements might you mark with celebration? Have you collected a 6 month chip, or celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary? Did you graduate from being an occasional buddy to a more steadfast friend? Does this year mark your move from financial instability and profligate spending to more sound practices and rediscovered priorities? Have you gone from being a casual Christian to one more committed to your faith, by completing Disciple class, attending worship regularly, engaging others in discussion, sharing with your neighbor in need, reading the Bible faithfully, praying more carefully?

This week as we recognize the wonderful graduates of APC, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the milestones of growth in your own life. Then, celebrate your own achievements! Returning praise to God, we know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Cancer Care Group

APC's Cancer Care Group will meet Sunday, May 20 at 9:45am in the Alpha Building, Classroom 1. Whether you have been the patient or the caregiver to a loved one, you know that cancer takes a toll on everyone. Please join us as we talk about programs and projects that we can share with members of our APC family who may be at some point in this journey of healing and need our support. We hope you will join us. If you have questions, please contact Hope Williams at shwalpha@aol.com.

New Summer Series

Don't Miss the Summer Adult CE Series! Molly Elkind will offer a five-week series of slide talks called Seek His Face: Images of Jesus in Art beginning Sunday, June 3 at 9:45am in the theater. Come see the wide variety of ways artists and believers have pictured Jesus over the centuries, beginning with the Roman catacombs and going right up through modern times. Some of the questions we'll consider are: How has art reflected both Christian truth and the culture of its time and place? How can these images of Christ inform and deepen our faith-not just illustrate it? Can we as reformed Christians reclaim Christian visual art as meaningful for us today?

Donate Today

Are you burdened with too many vehicles? The Thornwell Home for Children in Clinton, SC could really use an extra vehicle or two to facilitate getting 13 college age youth to their jobs and schools. If you have a late model, road worthy vehicle that you would donate to Thornwell, please communicate with Lindy Scott, 864-938-2685. Thanks!

Thornwell Home for Children is a joyful Christian community of the Presbyterian Church, offering hope and wholeness to children who have experienced abuse, abandonment and neglect.

STARS Picnic

Don't miss the STARS potluck lunch and picnic at Lake Lanier Islands West Bank Park on the lake in Cumming on Wednesday, May 23 at noon. Bring your own beverage, a potluck dish (and serving utensil) to share. Park entrance fee is $4 per car - pay at the park, or carpool from the APC parking lot at 11:15am and SAVE! Please signup by Monday, May 21. For more information contact Kathleen Wien at 770-521-6738.

Urgently Seeking Field Mice!

ACT1 Theater is currently rehearsing Kenneth Graham's classic tale, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS. The show is a really great musical and we have a super cast, but we still need a few young children, about 7-11yrs to play our field mice. Please see our website at http://www.act1theater.com/auditions.html for complete details of the schedule and loads of other information. If you would like to know more, please contact Lisa Matchen at 770-663-8989, or email to lkmatchen@bellsouth.netor Anne Voller at 404-314-0764 or e-mail to vollera@bellsouth.net

Faith & Families Class

New Faith and Families Series - Civility. What happened to civility in public discourse? While civility has long been a factor of Christianity and even in American politics, more recently it seems that our society and many of its leaders suffer from an appalling lack of it. This three-session, adult study by James Calvin Davis considers ways to think about political discussion between people who disagree in light of the four virtues of civility and the principles of civility found in Christianity. Please join us in the multi-purpose room at 9:45am this Sunday for the last informal group discussion.

VBS Registration

VBS Registration has begun and spots are filling up fast. Don't miss out on the fun! Sign up today! At this years theme, SKY, kids learn that with God everything is possible. VBS is for ages 3 (potty trained) through rising 6th graders and will be held July 10-13 from 8:45-12:00. Adult and Youth volunteers are needed as well. Don't wait! Sign up online today at www.alpharettapres.com/VBS.

Sports-N-Faith Camp

Sports-N-Faith Camp (June 6-8, 9:00am-noon) Signup sheets will be posted outside the Disciples' Village Sunday School gathering place; the Solid Rock Theater. This camp is open to rising Kindergarteners through 3^rd graders, whose families are members of (or regularly attend) APC. We are looking forward to a few fun-filled days of activity! We also welcome additional youth and adult volunteers to join us. We hope everyone interested will sign up ASAP! Please contact Kathy Ailts at kathy@alpharettapres.com for more info.

Career Transition

APC Career Transition Program - Recently the unemployment rate in Metro Atlanta dropped from 10.2% to 9.9 %. When individuals are no longer job hunting, as well as those who seek full-time jobs are counted, the real rate of unemployment is a conservative figure of 15%. Since 2007, Georgia has lost 360,000 positions, so the state now has approximately the same number of jobs that existed in 1999. Elder Bill Harris leads efforts at APC to address the employment concerns and needs your help. We are trying to get a handle on how many of our members are unemployed and underemployed and whether or not they participate in the Career Transition Group at APC. If you would like employment assistance, please email Bill at w.m.harris@att.net.

If you work for or lead an organization, we would appreciate any information on positions that might represent opportunities that become available or contact names that would ensure a more effective outreach. We need our employed professionals and executives to reach out and make information available that will give a competitive edge to members of our congregation who are endeavoring to gain a sense of the real jobs and hidden market versus Internet postings. In the Lobby, the Career Transition Bulletin Board is now up and running. Please email Bill with any assistance you can offer as we renew our commitment to serve our members, veterans and the community in this challenging and prolonged Recession.

Youth Ministry News

Youth Group will meet this Sunday at APC from 5:30-7:30pm. Please bring $4 for dinner and wear clothes that can get dirty!

During the summer, we will not send a weekly newsletter via e-mail, rather, we will send periodic information about summer activities and mission trips as needed. Please continue to refer to the Good News and the Youth Website for information.

For questions or more information, please contact Kelly Edwards, Director of Youth Ministries at kelly@alpharettapres.com or 770-751-0033.

Children's Ministry News

Disciples' Village will not meet during the summer. We will welcome everyone back on Rally Day, August 19.

Nursery care is provided on Sundays from 8:15am - 12:15pm for ages 0-2 in the nursery.

Promise Class is provided on Sundays during the 11:00 worship service for our special needs students in the Blue Room.

Kinderkirk (Children's Worship Education for children ages 3 - First Grade) will be during the 11:00 service only during the summer. Preschool classes will meet in Room 105 and Kindergarten and first grade in Room 108.

Sympathy & Celebrations

Sympathy - To Jennifer Autian and her family, at the death of her uncle, Bill Whitman, on Monday, May 14.

Sympathy - To Marilyn Raeburn and her family, at the death of her brother-in-law, Ed Harson, on Monday, May 14. Services will be held in Downer's Grove, IL.

Celebration - To Clint and Lara Moore, at the birth of their son, Beckett Archer Moore, on Tuesday, May 8 in Chicago, IL.

Sunday Volunteers

Serving as acolytes this Sunday: Chip Neal at 8:30 & Meaghan Bybee and Emma Mynatt at 11:00

Serving as greeters this Sunday: Volunteers Needed

Serving as ushers this Sunday: Kim and Valerie Fulkerson, Sybille Johnstone, Alan Crowell at 8:30 & Ed and Pat Rea, Jeff Stewart, Ralph Pollifrone at 11:00

11:00 Kinderkirk volunteers this Sunday: Renae Force & Ana Forman

Promise Class volunteers this Sunday: Fran Mosher at 11:00

APC Church Officers

The Session

Class of 2012 Class of 2013 Class of 2014

Dianne Berry-Children's Ministry George Bancroft-Property Scott Doll-Membership/Youth Ministry

Michelle Burton-Youth Ministry Jodie Barger-Children's Ministry Molly Elkind-Worship

Morris Estes-Finance Lynn Danson-Fellowship/Mission Stu Laubenstein-Personnel

Jim Gray-Clerk of Session/CE Pat Dennis-Open Arms Anne Mahone-Dayschool/LRP

John Shevlin-Mission Stacy Guy-Commitment/Commun. Charles Moriarty-Property/CE

Jessie Prigge-Youth Ministry Nancy Hill-Personnel/Nominating Sarah Provow-Open Arms/Commitment

Amy Rogers-Communications Jan Hughey-LRP/Finance Ferrell White-Worship/Fellowship

Jean Williams-Nominating/Membership Kylie Vacko-Open Arms

Deacon Care Teams

Hospitality - John Hicks, 678-513-4570, hicksjc@bellsouth.net

Companion Care - Carolyn Dillon, 770-751-3799, csdillon@bellsouth.net

Hospital & Recovery - Paul McChesney, 678-234-8471, paulsmcchesney@gmail.com

Sympathy & Celebrations, Steve Ludlow, 770-722-5473, ludlowst@comcast.net

APC on Facebook

Find us on Facebook! That's right Alpharetta Presbyterian Church has a facebook page! You can "like" APC at http://facebook.com/alpharettapres. Look for the latest information about activities and missions of the church!

The Good News - This Week

Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.
You can visit the church on line at www.alpharettapres.com or contact the office during regular business hours at 770-751-0033 (Mon-Thurs, 8:00am-4:00pm and Friday, 8:00am-1:00pm).