 | Welcoming Our New Pastor and His Family! Rev. Dr. John V. Callahan, Jr. This is an exciting time in the life of Morrow Presbyterian Church as we welcome our new pastor, The Rev. Dr. John V. Callahan, Jr., his wife, Tamara, and their children, Parker and Amanda. Dr. Callahan is a native of Mt. Lebanon, PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He graduated with a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and ten years later earned his doctorate from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, with an emphasis on prayer and spirituality. He served as associate pastor in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, for three years before moving to Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, in 1998, as pastor of Clinton United Presbyterian Church. Dr. Callahan is excited about starting his ministry with us, so much so, that in the midst of the final details of his move, he took three days to attend the “Presbyterians Seeking Purpose-Driven Ministry Conference” in Satellite Beach, Florida, in order to get “up to speed” with what our church has been doing, as we adapt this model to our worship and ministry at MPC. John’s wife, Tamara, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, enjoys being a stay-at-home mom. At their church in Saxonburg, she played piano, sang in two quartets, and taught Sunday School. Their 10-year-old son, Parker, enjoys reading, building with Legos, basketball, and scouting. Amanda, their 7-year-old daughter, likes first grade and is a Brownie in Girl Scouts. They also enjoy playing with their pug, Chesie. Let’s plan to give this family a warm Morrow Presbyterian welcome and do all we can to show our love and support by upholding them in prayer, and assisting them in however we can, as they settle into a new home and community.
A MESSAGE FROM EARL: In May of 2006, I was saying "hello" in this newsletter. In April of 2008, I am saying "goodbye" in this newsletter. "Hellos" are much better and easier than "goodbyes". There is one good thing about "goodbyes." I get to take memories of people I have grown to love and cherish with me. That’s not too bad. Because of what I have experienced at MPC, your next pastor and family are in for a spiritual treat. For those who may not know, I have accepted the call to be the Interim Pastor for the First Presbyterian Church in Ocean Springs, MS. The church is in a community that was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. Lucy and I both feel that this is God’s will for us at this time. While Lucy and I were visiting Ocean Springs, your Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) was drawn to a pastor whose name and background was shared with the congregation at a called Congregational Meeting on Sunday, March 16. Both your PNC and I sensed God’s will for me and MPC on the same weekend. What an example of God’s providence. He surely does meet our needs at just the right time. Since Lucy will be keeping her job in Atlanta and visiting me every other weekend, as she did when I was serving as in Interim Pastor in Alabama prior to coming to MPC, you will probably see her from time to time on Sundays. Sunday, March 30 will be my last Sunday with you. I have a lot of loose ends to tie up as well as packing books, etc. If I have seemed distracted from time to time, it was because of everything that has been on my mind related to moving. One thing for sure, you will always be on my mind and in my heart. The best thing for sure is that God’s love is mutually shared by all of us. It really doesn’t get better than that. What a wonderful church family you are and have been to Lucy and me. Those are good memories I take with me. Earl Stewart, Interim Pastor Latest News WELCOME to our newest members E.G. Mani and Nathan Athisayanathan. Mani, Nathan and their sons, Kingsley and Krimson, joined our church March 30th by transfer of letter from the Church of South India, Redeemer Church; Vellore, Tamil Nadu, South India. Mani is a civil engineer and architect, and Nathan teaches chemistry and physical science at Jonesboro Senior High School. Kingsley is a 7th grade student at Jonesboro Middle School, and Krimson is a 4th grader at James A. Jackson Elementary School. They all love to travel and meet new people. MPC warmly welcomes this family to our church family. OUR MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH WILL BE SATURDAY, MAY 10TH - The theme for this year’s brunch is "The Many Talents of Women." Please let Elizabeth Barfield know if you would like to set up a table with a "Talent" theme. Some suggestions are: mother, grandmother, clerical, nursing, teaching, carpooling, soccer moms, etc... Be creative and plan to join the celebration of Women with us. Tickets will go on sale the middle of April. Invite your mothers, sisters, aunts, neices, friends, neighbors etc. LIFE GROUPS at MPC Our Life Groups hope to help everyone at MPC to find and become a part of an active small group ministry. We believe our life groups to be the key to connecting with other members in a Biblical and spiritual way. These groups provide healthy fellowship within a community marked by Christian love and oneness. Life groups can also help you to “grow” as a Christian, by helping you discover and use your spiritual gifts. ( ) Do you desire to become more like Christ? ( ) Are you looking for a way to connect more deeply with others at MPC? ( ) Do you wish to grow through prayer, Bible study, service, support, and accountability? If you answer “yes” to these questions and you are not presently in a life group, we invite you to join one of our seven life groups, which consist of a new member’s group, women’s groups, a group for couples with young children, and others. Please contact Mary Ann Moriles or Ben and Marcia Cartledge for more information to become an active part of this special opportunity. To the Special People of MPC, We want to thank you so much for the special service for us – for the special music, red shawl presentation, the reception, for all who brought food, the beautiful purple decorations, cake, photo album and wonderful words, thoughts, and flowers. A special thanks for the money tree – what a nice surprise and very thoughtful! Thanks for all the cards, gift cards, handmade cards from the children and pictures. MPC is a very special church, the love of Jesus shows through your support, ministries, thoughtfulness, caring and fun. We have really enjoyed our time together at MPC. Thanks again for everything – your love, support and prayers. Love in Christ, Earl and Lucy Dear Church Family, Ben and I want to thank each one of you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love and concern you have shown Angela, Brian, our precious Porter, and us. It has been a rough few months, and your strength continues to get us through some stressful times. We know God wants Porter here and in this family ... biological and church-wide family. Porter loves being loved, and someday soon we hope he will get to meet each one of you so you can see just how sweet he is. Thank you for your love, your caring, and most of all, your friendship. Marcia and Ben Young-at-Heart Get those bags packed and don’t forget your jackets! It’s getting close to time to “hit the road” for Mackinac Island, Michigan. Many activities and much fun have been planned for us, so we’re sure to have a wonderful time. We will see some folks who have traveled with us before, while meeting new ones. Plan to board the motorcoach at the church at 8:00 a.m., Sunday, May 18th. We plan to return to MPC on Saturday, May 24th, at approximately 8:00 p.m.
ATTENTION PARENTS OF KIDS PLANNING TO GO TO CAMP CALVIN OR GREAT ESCAPE – you must let Donna Boggs know so that the camp funds raised by Kid’s Club can be credited toward your balance. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED (Sunday, July 13th – Thursday, July 17th) Can you believe it's already time to think about VBS? It takes a lot of planning and preparation, so we need to start early. If you would like to help in any area (teaching, snacks, drama, crafts, recreation, etc.), please call Dianne Hooten at 770-474-2632, e-mail her at rdmhooten@bellsouth.net, or see her at church. The theme for this year is “Beach Party - Surfin' Through the Scriptures.” Thanks for your help! Plan to support our Relay for Life Team, “The Crosswalkers,” by coming to the Lovejoy Twelve Oaks Stadium the evening of Friday, May 16th! Bring your picnic and lawn chairs and join our congregation for a fun evening of fellowship, while we cheer our team as they walk around the track. The reception for Survivors will begin at 5:30 p.m., and The Survivor’s Victory Lap, at 7:00 p.m.
- Another "FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS"trip is being planned for March 2008. This time we will go to EGYPT and follow the ISRAELITES' journey form slavery to the land Canaan. If you are interested in hearing more, please call Pradeep Das (404-627-2681).
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN’S NEWS Our Presbyterian Women’s 2008 Project is our MPC FOOD PANTRY. Every couple of months we will have a new focus. The next few months will be "SPRING INTO ACTION". We ask that you continue to collect your loose change and bills and save them in the flower pots that you will receive at church. OUR " NEW" SUNDAY MORNING PW CIRCLE Our newest PW Circle began the last Sunday of February at 9:45 a.m. in the choir room. There were 8 women present, with Donna Boggs as Bible moderator, teaching from Donna Partow’s book,"Becoming a Vessel God Can Use." If you are not currently a member of a PW Circle, and would like to join one, consider becoming a part of this wonderful opportunity to participate with other women through Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and service to others. This new circle plans to continue to meet the last Sunday of each month, at 9:45 a.m. Remember that you are always welcome to join our two other circles. The Virginia Dews Circle meets the second Monday evening of each month at 6:30 p.m., and, the Dorcas Circle meets the second Tuesday morning of each month at 10:00 a.m.
PRAYER REQUESTS FOR OUR FRIENDS & FAMILIES Christian Love and Sympathy are extended to Malena Thornton on the death of her mother, Mardina Lynn Thornton. Melanie Coughlan (Dot Coughlan’s daughter), Marie Tuttle, Ardis White, Ferrell Boggs (Donna Boggs’ father), Denise Griffin (former member), Lane Littleton (grandson of friend of Angela Turner), Family of Ken Dockery, Chris Seckinger (former member), Joshua Berry (friend of Barfields and Garners), Birdia Carter (Catherine Vandiver’s care-giver), Helen Bell (former member), Spencer Frye (Pastor of Philadelphia Presbyterian Church), Ernest Wilkerson, Bill Hewes (Helen Bell’s nephew), Bill Felt & Will Felt, (former student and friends of Anne Fordham), Kate Burke, Fay Evatt & Denise Saunders (friends of Dianne Campbell), JoAnne Chapman (friend of Anne Fordham), Samantha Suber (friend of Victor Garaffa & Elaine Hayes), Porter Cartledge, (infant son of Brian & Angela Cartledge), Gerard Coughlin (Albert Coughlin’s father), Stella Creamer (Albert Coughlin’s sister), Sid Schell (Catherine Vandiver’s son-in-law), Ruth Batchelor (Marcia Cartledge’s mother), David Moss (husband of friend of Marcia Cartledge), Boots Phillips (Jack Bell’s neighbor), Minnie Lee McNair, Ann Biggs, Rick & Emma Sanford (friends of Earl Stewart), Carol Coles & Martha Dieghan (friends of Earl & Lucy Stewart), Gordon Richardson, Scott Clark (relative of Mary Bridges), Hazel Fink, Ramon Gonsalves (father of Mary Ann Moriles), Cecile Yates, Howard & Betty Harden (Suzanne Knapp’s parents), Rachel Parker (Cindy Buck’s grandmother), Terry Williams, Catherine Vandiver, Gwen Stanford, Allie Brandon, Darnell Bell, Odessa Cagle, Viola Shell (Gail Hardy’s mother), and Margaret Strelsky OUR MILITARY: Scott & Shaun Bland in the Navy; SSgt. Eric Acree (Charles & Barbara Lester’s grandson) in Hawaii; David Lester (Charles & Barbara Lester’s son) in Iraq; SGT. Stephen Brown, B-Co, 2-3 BTB, 3ID, Unit #40607, FOB Kalsu, APO AE 09312-0607, and his brother SGT Jeffrey Brown, TASK FORCE BAGHDAD, 86th CSH TF BAGHDAD, IBN SINA HOSPITAL, APO AE 09348 - both in Iraq (both nephews of Dianne Hooten; Marine PFC Christopher Acree (Charles and Barbara Lester’s grandson) in Okinawa, Japan. OUR MISSIONARIES: Rev. Al Tinio & family in the Philippines, and Dan & Elizabeth Turk & children in Madagascar WE HAVE A TON OF NEW BOOKS IN THE CHURCH LIBRARY COME BY AND "CHECK THEM OUT" – LITERALLY ! "Home to Holly Springs" – by Jan Karon "The Testament" and "The Brethren" – by John Grisham "A Moment of Weakness", "One Tuesday Morning" and "Beyond Tuesday Morning"– by Karen Kingsbury "Cold Sassy Tree" – by Olive Ann Burns "The Target" – by Catherine Coulter "Attic Treasures" – 4 stories by varied authors "Blindfold Game" – by Dana Stabenow "Heaven in High Gear" – by Joan Brady "End of the Spear" – by Steve Saint "Two Sides of Love" and "The Language of Love" – by Gary Smalley & John Truet "Letting Go of Worry and Anxiety" – by Pam Vredevelt "The Cost of Discipleship" – by Dietrich Bonhoeffer "Spirits Rebellious" and "The Procession"– by Kahlil Gibran "The Inspirational Writings of Charles Colson "The Search for the Twelve Apostles" – by Willima McBirnie, Ph.D. "The Redemption of Sarah Cain", "Sancturay", "The Preacher’s Daughter", "The Prodigal", "The Betrayal", ":The Crossroad", "The Postcard", and "October Song" – by Beverly Lewis "Coming Home" – by Rosmunde Pilcher "Love Finds A Home", "Love Takes Wing", & "Love’s Unfolding Dream" – by Janette Oke "Gilead" – by Marilynne Robinson "Julotta" – by Tracie Peterson "The Parables" – by Gary Inrig "The God Who Hung on the Cross" – by Dois Rosser, Jr. & Ellen Vaughn "The ChoiceTo Be Human" – by Eugene Kennedy "Centering Our Souls" – devotionals by R. Kirby Godsey "How We Got the Bible" – by Neil R. Lightfoot |
Welcome to Morrow Presbyterian est.1964