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February 2010 Grace Spoken Here Volume 11, Issue 2
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Dear Members and Friends, 
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Sandy Springs Christian Church is busy with many exciting activities in February. Two major events are:
The Congregational Meeting and Lunch Celebration on Sunday, February 7 at 12:00 noon is an event you don't want to miss. Details are given in the article below. Your attendance is important and it is a great time of fellowship. Sign up in the Centrum or call the church office.
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The start of the Lenten Series on Wednesdays, February 17 through March 24 is a highlight in this issue of The Wellspring. Be sure to read the description of the four adult classes being offered as well as the class for young people ages 10-13. Dinner is at 6:30 pm in Dunlap Hall, then a worship service at 7:00. Adult classes start at 7:30; the class for young people is 4:30-6:00.
Sign up in the Centrum for meals and classes. You can also reserve a space by calling the church office.
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This is a year of celebration: SSCC's 50th Anniversary!
The Anniversary Planning Team is working hard to make it a year to remember. Plans made to date are outlined in this Wellspring ("Celebrating Our First 50 Years of Ministry"). Watch upcoming issues of The Wellspring and weekly Chalice Chats for more details.
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Congregational Meeting February 7:
Launch of the 2010 Ministry Initiatives and Budget |
Please join us in Dunlap Hall on Sunday, February 7 at 12:00 noon for entertainment and a wonderful meal prepared by the Torbert team. Following the food and fellowship, Phil will share a vision of ministry for the upcoming year; then there will be a presentation of the 2010 budget* and call for a motion for approval of the Annual Plan and Financial Budget. It promises to be an energizing meeting as we also kick off our 50th Anniversary Celebration! To make your reservation, sign up in the Centrum or call the church office, 404-256-2582.
*A summary budget will be provided to all at the meeting. Please contact Jim Armstrong, Treasurer, if you would like to review a more detailed budget prior to the meeting. We respectfully request that all budget questions be submitted to Jim by Friday, February 5 so that he will have time to conduct the necessary research to prepare complete answers and so that we can answer as many questions as possible in our limited time.
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| Lenten Series February 17 - March 24 |
Our Lenten program will begin on Ash Wednesday, February 17 and continue on Wednesday evenings through March 24 (six weeks). We will gather at 6:15 pm for dinner, followed by a service in the sanctuary, then divide into one of four adult classes that will conclude at 8:30.
1. "Haiti - A Faithful Response" led by Rev. Phil Price
We've seen the images. We accept that our faith calls us to be present and to be willing to offer ourselves. How can we best help? This class will be a working group for a response to the suffering in Haiti. We will learn the history and culture, discover partnering organizations, and try to discern what is the best, most effective response that we can make.
2. "Adult Baptism" led by Rev. Erin Cooper
During this class, we will learn about what baptism means in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), in other traditions, and we will be open to responding to what we learn as God calls us to respond!
3. "Introducing The Jesus Seminar" led by Rev. Chuck Jones
In 1985, New Testament scholars began meeting as The Jesus Seminar, discussing and voting on which sayings and actions found in our Gospels were really said and done by Jesus, as opposed to being attributed to him later by the Christian community. Twenty-five years later, The Jesus Seminar continues to shape what we think about Jesus and how we read the New Testament. Come learn more from a long-time donor, volunteer, and fan of the Seminar.
4. "Coping with Grief" led by Revs. Betty and Travis Halford
If you are experiencing grief from death of a loved one/friend, loss of job, life-changing illness, relationship challenges, economic trauma or other losses, join us as we focus on "Coping with Grief" in a spiritual, safe and confidential space.
There is a sign sheet for the classes in the Centrum. Reserve your spot as soon as possible. You can also register by calling the church at 404.256.2582.
My Baptism: a class for young people ages 10-13
4:30 to 6:00 pm - Wednesdays in Lent
Whether you were baptized as an infant or are now considering this step in your faith life, this class is for you! We will explore the meaning of this event, and begin to tell our stories of how we know God is acting in our lives. Come prepared to be creative, expressive, reflective and maybe even a bit messy! To register, please call the church or sign up in the Centrum. 404.256.2582
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| Christian College of Georgia: Upcoming Classes at SSCC |
Sandy Springs Christian Church and the Christian College of Georgia (CCGA) have formed a partnership that will allow us to serve as the primary campus for metro Atlanta and north Georgia. As such, we will host several classes over the course of this year. Classes begin at 9 am and end at 4:30 pm on three non-consecutive Saturdays. There is a $100 cost for each class, plus the cost of books (usually $30-$60). Scholarships are available based on need; persons who need financial assistance should contact Dr. Bob Harris, President of Christian College of Georgia (e-mail rharris@ccofga.org or call 1.800.235.2496).
These courses are typically offered at an undergraduate level of instruction, and are primarily designed for persons who are not likely to enroll in a graduate program/theological seminary in preparation for Christian Ministry. We hosted a fascinating class last fall led by Dr. Jerry Gladson on Disciples of Christ history and polity with students from SSCC and several other area DOC congregations.
We are excited to announce the following two classes:
1. "Introduction to the First Testament: The TANAKH" - taught by Dr. Burdette Wantland (DOC minister and former professor at West Georgia College).
Class dates (all Saturdays): February 13, March 6, and March 20.
2. "Christian Education" - taught by our own Rev. Landa Simmons!
Class dates (all Saturdays): March 27, April 10, and May 1.
Elders, Sunday School teachers and all others interested are encouraged to participate. Please reserve a spot in either of the classes by signing up in the Centrum or by calling the church office (404.256.2582). Additional information on the courses is also available at: www.ccofga.org
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| FREE Community Babysitting! |
When? Saturday, February 13th - 5:00 to 8:00 pm RESERVATION REQUIRED
Where? Dunlap Hall, Sandy Springs Christian Church, 301 Johnson Ferry Rd NW
We will entertain your children with an exciting evening for FREE, and you can have an evening together! Dinner will be provided. We will be professionally staffed and full of fun ideas!
Sign up in the Centrum or call the church at 404-256-2582. Hurry while spots are still available! Brought to you by the Youth of Sandy Springs Christian Church.
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| Candlelight Café |
 On Saturday, February 20 our youth will work hard to transform Dunlap Hall into an elegant dining experience--the annual Candlelight Café, a major fundraiser for the Youth Mexico Mission Company. Please plan to join them at 6:00 pm for hors d'oeuvres and dinner at 7:00 pm. For those who have not attended in the past, you may not recognize Dunlap Hall as it is candlelit and a gourmet meal, the finest of the year, is prepared by the Torberts and served by the youth.
All proceeds from the evening will be used towards sending our youth on their Mexico Mission Trip in April. This is a wonderful opportunity to invite friends and neighbors to join you in a relaxing, enjoyable evening while showcasing and supporting our youth. Watch the Centrum for a sign up sheet or call the church to make a reservation (404.256.2582)!
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Celebrating Our First 50 Years of Ministry
Larri Bass, Leader, Planning Team |
These celebratory events and more are in the planning stages.
· In Gratitude for our Beginnings... a Prayer Service in gratitude for the first 50 years of ministry of Sandy Springs Christian Church
· The Story Begins...the Rev. Dr. Herb Leslie, preaching; Reunion of SSCC Timothys
· Telling the Story...the Rev. Dr. Lynn White, preaching; Reunion of SSCC Liturgists/Storytellers
· The Story Becomes a Legacy...Rev. Randy Johnson, Christian Church Foundation, preaching
· The Story in Action...the Rev. Dr. Richard (Dick) Hamm, preaching; Reunion of SSCC Elders
· Living the Story...the Rev. Dr. R. Glen Miles, preaching; Reunion of Mexico Missionaries
Watch future Wellsprings for complete details, and get ready to party!!!
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| International Dining Small Group Milt Hill, Facilitator |
Do you enjoy interesting international dining experiences? Would the experience be enhanced by joining some church friends? Would it help to know that the location of each of our meals has been enjoyably researched before our group goes to the restaurant? The International Dining Small Group of Sandy Springs Christian Church began meeting in April 2008.
Our February dining experience will be on Sunday, February 21 around 12:45 pm at Tassa Roti Shop, 224 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta. Tassa provides dishes from Trinidad and Tobago--and the Caribbean, in general. The Sunday buffet is $7.49 per person. Check them out at: http://www.tassarotishop.com/index.html
Please contact Milt Hill if you have questions or want to join the group on February 21 (770.926.0131 or milthill@comcast.net)
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| Learn to Decorate Cakes with SSCC! |
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First Class: Tuesday, February 16 - 7:00 to 9:00pm OR
Saturday, February 20 - 10:00 am to noon
Course Length: Four Consecutive Weeks (Tuesdays or Saturdays)
Conducted by: Certified Wilton Instructor
Where: Sandy Springs Christian Church
Cost: $45.00 per person (includes the Wilton beginner kit)
Sign Up: Email: map@mindspring.com or Call 770.952.8694
Benefit: SSCC Youth Scholarship Fund
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Children Ministries: How To See In The Dark
Rev. Erin Reed Cooper, Associate Minister |
 You're able to read this... Wow. You have learned to recognize these shapes, first as letters, then as sounds and finally as words. Did you know that our imaginations are really the tool we use to see the world and understand it? This was made clear to me on Sunday night.
Last Sunday, the kids of P.A.C. (our First through Fourth graders) went to "Dialog in the Dark," a museum that you explore in total darkness. On this tour, the participants are made aware of how much of our experience of the world is shaped by our imagination filling in the blanks. Our children were so brave. I had the great joy of having the trusting hands of two first graders looped around my elbows for most of the tour. They quickly learned from our guide, Damian, that he would be with us every step of the way, and that we knew more about how to get around without sight than we thought we did. He taught us to use our voices to help one another through a musky, earthy city park, to find potatoes and cash registers in a grocery store, to get in and out of a boat, and even how to listen our way across a busy city street. (Okay, that was really pretty scary for ALL of us!). Do you think you could tell the difference between a lemon and a lime in the dark? Megan Kahrs can! Ask her, she'll tell you!
 Our guide reminded us that we must never forget one of our most important senses: our sense of humor. Our children had such good humor, and they so quickly began to LOOK with so much more than their eyes. They truly used the lack of sight to open their eyes to their imaginations and their intuitions. They quickly developed faith in their community and their own ability to know their world. Our children are AMAZING.
In John 9, Jesus is asked what sin caused a man to be born blind. Jesus says, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned. He was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him." That which gives light to our hearts is not limited by physical sight, but is able to be revealed even in the darkness... for even darkness is not darkness to God.
With Peace That Passes Understanding,
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| The Jesus Seminar on the Road |
We will be hosting the Jesus Seminar on the Road lectures on April 16-17. This program brings scholars of the Jesus Seminar into conversation with interested people around the world.
The theme of the lectures will be "Jesus, Teller of Parables." The lectures will be conducted by two leading scholar-authors, Dr. Bernard Brandon Scott of Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa and Dr. Arthur J. Dewey, a professor of Theology at Xavier University in Cincinnati.
The program begins with a lecture on Friday evening, April 16 from 7:30-:00 pm. On Saturday , the program consists of two workshops from 9:30 am to noon and from 1:30-4:00 pm, with a break for lunch on your own.
Cost for the program is $60. Reserve a spot by signing up in the Centrum, call the church office at 404.256.2582, or go directly to the Westar Institute website at: www.westarinstitute.org. Go to the website for further information on the program or contact Chuck Jones at mr.chuck.jones@gmail.com.
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| Ministry Musings: The "So What" Question Rev. Philip Price, Senior Minister |
I like to win. I like to argue. I like to win arguments.
I have as much fun arguing or debating as some folks do playing tennis or golf. You name the issue and I'm in--religion, politics, economics, environmental degradation, pointing out inconsistencies, jabbing with newly uncovered or forgotten facts, using derision to dismiss a weak or flabby assertion, tossing out a red herring if someone lands a good blow. It is such fun! But like back yard wrestling matches, it's only fun until someone gets hurt.
Like my dad always said, "You can win an argument but lose a friend."
Hmmmm. I like to win. I like friends. I like to win friends.
Friends are more important than arguments. Relationship is more important than being right. Ouch.
I think Jesus was big on relationships and not all that interested in winning arguments. He seemed to be more interested in expressing love than in being right.
For centuries the church has gone in the direction of valuing being RIGHT over being Loving. Many times people could not even be part of the church unless they agreed, confessed that church doctrine or teachings were RIGHT. In fact, there have been times when folks who didn't agree that the church's teaching was RIGHT were considered heretics and were put to death. Being "right" can be very satisfying, but we have to ask, "what does it accomplish?"
We have to get better with the "so what" question. I can think that my opinion on illegal immigrants is right. So what? Has it helped in any way? I can think I am right on the global warming question. So what? I can think I am right in the health care debate. So what? How has my "right opinion" helped anyone? Of course, we have to be willing to engage these issues, but not just for the fun of winning arguments.
Love is expressed in action. Being "right" is often static and removes us from meaningful engagement. Love aches for wholeness and reaches for joy. Correctness is satisfied with winning an argument.
God, help me to remember that I haven't been called to be right or to win arguments; I have been called to welcome your Kingdom here on earth.
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New Covenant Groups Forming
Rev. Betty Halford, Associate Minister of Pastoral Care |
Whether you are new to SSCC or a long-term member, we welcome you to join  a new Covenant Group. Come explore what Covenant Groups can mean to you by attending one of two Informational Meetings:
Sunday, February 21, 4:00-6:00 pm, Classrooms 201-203 Monday, February 22, 6:00-8:00 pm, Classrooms 201-203 Light refreshments will be served at both meetings. Our very own Ellie Byrd, member and international expert in covenant groups, will be conducting the meetings. If you have already attended an Informational Meeting and want to join a group or if you have questions, please e-mail me at Betty@SandyspringsCC.org or call me on 404-771-7655. Sign up for one of the meetings in the Centrum or call the church office, 404.256.2582.  top |
| Friday Morning Men's Group: The First 20 Years
Mike Crowe, Facilitator |
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SSCC started two men's groups in 1975 (according to Dr. Bob Roper).  They met monthly, and both had expired by the summer of 1989. That fall, Bob and Coll Wise (Associate Pastor) were recruiting to start a new group --- I volunteered to serve as the facilitator. We decided to meet: (a) weekly, (b) at the church, (c) on Fridays, and (d) from 7:00 to 8:30am. Our first meeting was held in January 1990 with 5 members in attendance.
I was impressed with the open discussion format Judy Hiles employed in her "Parenthesis People" Sunday school class and chose to utilize it in our group. To assure continuity and avoid running out of personal experience material for discussion, we each purchased a common book for study. Our first book was "The McGill Report on Male Intimacy". One observation was: "Men tend to only talk about that which they can laugh about." It also urged men to take advantage of opportunities to share "What is currently happening in my life?" We have read a multitude of books, on a variety of subjects, during the intervening years.
Our 20th anniversary on January 8, 2010 was celebrated with a lot of fanfare: ice and snow were brought in; schools and businesses were closed; Jim Torbert prepared an outstanding meal; much camaraderie was enjoyed; and some reminiscing occurred. Lazo did the set-up, clean-up, and joined us for that day's food and fellowship.
My thanks to all of you who have participated and sustained our group over the years; to SSCC and staff for providing us with a meeting place and coffee; to Jim for the great food (and Marilyn for decorating the anniversary cake); and Woody for photographing this special occasion.
If you would like to be a part of our next 20 years, please join us.
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| Spiritual Stay-Cation |
SAVE THE DATE FOR SSCC'S NEWEST PROGRAM
June 3, 4, and 5 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Watch for more details on this inter-generational program of fun, meals, study and outreach projects for members and friends of all ages. Mark your calendar and contact Erin, Landa Simmons or Nancy McDaniel if you are interested in helping!
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| "Congratulations, Lazo" on 10 Years of Service! |
On November 11, 1999, Lazo Veselinovic and his family arrived in the United  from Croatia, sponsored by Sandy Springs Christian Church and several other congregations. Speaking no English and having no employment arranged, it was quite an adventurous step! On February 1, 2000 he began working at SSSCC. Think how far he has come...not only in miles but in growth of language, sharing of his many technical skills, and the love of this community.
What a blessing you are to us, Lazo. Happy Anniversary!
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| Book Fair and Amazon Sales Provide Major Support
for Camp Christian |
Thanks to everyone for their support of SSCC's 2009 Christmas Book Fair. Book sales totaled over $2000, and the sales resulted in $417.28 raised for Camp Christian this year. Thanks to Chris Dalton and Tony Chimera for coordinating this successful event.
Amazon Sales through the Georgia Disciples Website hit a record in the fourth quarter and raised $692.12 for our Camp Christian Conference Center, bringing the total raised to $1824.62 for the year!
Did you know that any time you access Amazon through the Georgia Disciples Website, a percentage of your purchase price is donated to Camp Christian? Please remember to log on to www.gadisciples.org/bookstore for all your Amazon purchases. Tell your friends! Anyone can help Camp Christian this way.
Just by making purchases at our Christmas Book Fair and shopping Amazon on-line (accessed through www.gadisciples.org), we raised over $1000 in the fourth quarter! It didn't cost anyone anything extra but raised enough to send more than 16 kids to camp this summer. Thanks to all who supported these two shopping venues.
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| Real People, Real Faith: a Rousing Success |
The sixth annual Real People Real Faith Lectureship on February 22  and 23 was a rousing success. The Rev. Dr. Bill Lee shared his story of transforming his church while putting his faith into action by providing health care to the uninsured in the local Roanoke, Virginia community.
Thanks to Jim and Marilyn Torbert and Sid and Kathy Elliot for providing the food; Wayne Dimmitt did the driving and Larry Steinmetz made the arrangements. Nancy McDaniel and Nan Woods provided the table decorations.
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| Ministry and Fellowship Opportunities |
2/6 Outreach to Staff CAC, 9:45 am-1:15 pm, followed by lunch at SSCC
2/7 Congregational Meeting & Dinner Celebration, 12:00 noon (DH)
2/13 Christian College First Testament Class, 9 am-4 pm (121)
2/13 Free Community Babysitting by SSCC Youth, 5-8 pm (DH)
2/16 Cake Decorating, Tuesdays, 7-9 pm (4 weeks)
2/17 Lenten Series Begins:
Dinner 6:15 pm, Service 7 pm, Adult Classes 7:30 pm
My Baptism: a class for young people ages 10-13, 4:30-6:00 pm
2/20 Cake Decorating, Saturdays, 10 am-12 noon (4 weeks)
2/20 7th Annual Candlelight Café, 7 pm (DH)
2/21 Covenant Group Informational Meeting, 4-6 pm (201-203)
2/22 Covenant Group Informational Meeting, 6-8 pm (201-203)
2/24 Lenten Series: Dinner 6:15 pm, Service 7 pm, Adult Classes 7:30 pm
My Baptism: a class for young people ages 10-13, 4:30-6:00 pm
2/28 Mexico Mission Company Opens
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| The Wellspring Contribution Guidelines |
Wellspring contributions are due on Thursday before the last Monday in the month. For example, March contributions should be submitted by FEBRUARY 18. Thank you for timely submissions!
Please limit your article to not more than 350 words. Submit your articles on ministry news and upcoming events; report on past events; send pictures! Keep the congregation and others informed about our busy, vital church.
Email your contributions to Nan Woods (woodynan@bellsouth.net).
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regional assembly at St. Simon's Island (Youth-a-Palooza). Many of our youth went to meet and engage youth from all over the state of Georgia in worship, games, and breaking bread together. We were able to connect with many of our friends from summer camp and friends we know from other congregations. It was a great reminder that we are part of God's greater story, interwoven with our brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world! 
School has started back and many youth are not as excited about that as they were about Youth-a-Palooza. We are now gearing up for the Candelight Café on February 20th. So mark your calendars! 
