Vol. 4 Issue 1
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The Rincon Mountain MESSENGER Winter 2016 Volume 4, Issue 1 A Concert of the Arts The Rincon Mountain choir, let by Luke Smith, presented its holiday offering in early Inside this issu e: December. The Joy of Christmas: A Concert of the Arts featured a variety of sacred and popular music pieces along with other "treats." Artistic director Cindy Visser created visual introductions to each song, and there were original poetry and prose readings by Lois Christmas 1 Radtke and Rob Matte. Arie and Kylie Vande Geest performed piano solos, and the concert ended with a moving choral rendition of Silent Night. Kruis Korner 2 Hey Y’all! 3 Fire & Meat 3 A Word or Two 4 Trunk or Treat 4 One Take-Away 5 Arie Vande Geest playing a piano solo. The Rincon Mountain choir, led by Pastor Luke Smith. Missions 5 2015 Christmas Caroling Calendar 6 On a warm, sunny afternoon in mid-December, a small group of adults and children from Rincon Mountain visited Brookdale, a local memory-care facility, to sing Christmas carols and celebrate the birth of the Savior. As we sang the familiar lines, the residents joined in as well, even though many of them had trouble remembering basic information about themselves. Yet they hadn't forgotten those well-worn words, so together we filled the room with praises to Jesus. The sight caused one visitor (probably a family member of one of the residents) to cry quietly in the corner as she watched and whispered along. In between songs, we were able to give a short explanation of why Christ's birth is such amazing news for us today. We hope you join us next year! RMPC carolers singing at Brookdale. RMPC carolers singing at Brookdale. Candy Egan accompanies the carolers. Page 2 The Messenger Kruis Korner Out of the Corner and into the Community Did you know that Rincon who “love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the Mountain Presbyterian street corners, that they may be seen by others.” Church could legitimately go by the name Corner But then we hear that it is from the street corners that the Mountain Presbyterian king gathers guests, the good and the bad, for the wedding Church? Did you know that feast in Matthew 22. When Paul addresses the governor 'rincon' means 'corner' in Festus and King Agrippa in Acts 26 he declares that the king Spanish? However, rincon is knew all of the events of Christ's death and resurrection not the most common name because “this had not been done in a corner.” The events of Pastor Phil Kruis for corner and not the way the gospel had been accomplished in plain view for we usually think of corners. everyone to see. The kind of corner to which rincon refers is more like a nook or an inside corner. We enter 2016 as a healthy and vital church. We proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ from our pulpit and in our Our church takes its name from the mountain range that classrooms. We love and care for each other well. We build borders Tucson to the east. There really is no Rincon each other up in love and good deeds. If there is a sin that Mountain. There is a Rincon Peak which is the our body is guilty of I believe it is a weariness in doing good. southernmost peak of the three mountains and is actually the The Apostle Paul exhorts us in shortest of the peaks in height. The Rincon Galatians 6:9 to not grow weary in three mountains form a corner out of n: 1. an interior corner, a nook. doing good. To everyone. To those which emerges the Rincon Valley. who are of the household of God first and then to the world around us. There's an advantage to being a church that is, figuratively, tucked away in a corner. Being in a corner provides greater Let's work together as a body through the difficult tension of protection from outside influence and allows growth in living out the balance of life in the rincon and life out on las internal intimacy. We have known these kinds of esquinas del caminos (street corners). In the rincon we advantages at RMPC and we have grown in health and size challenge and encourage each other. On the street corners because of it. we live life motivated out of the reality of the gospel. May we love our community in such tangible ways that the But there's also a disadvantage to being a church that is gospel is real to them. tucked away in a corner. Jesus says that we are to let our lights so shine that they (the world around us) may see our What does this mean for us on a daily basis? It means that we good works and glorify our Father in heaven. In this sense, love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. It our lives are to be lived out front, out on the outward facing means loving your neighbor as yourself, giving him or her corners, as it were, rather than hidden away in the dark of your time and attention. It means engaging our culture corners or recesses of our own protected private world. from a Christian world and life view. It means building friendships with non-Christians so they can see your light We must take care, however, how our church lives in an shining. It means getting involved with local mission outward facing manner. There are varying pictures given in outreaches or going oversees on a short-term mission trip so the Bible of those who live on the street corners. King your light can shine into eyes that you know need Jesus. Solomon writes in Proverbs of the adulteress who lurks on the street corner and lies in wait for “young men lacking Let's get strengthened and empowered in the corner and sense.” Jesus himself warns us to not be like the hypocrites let's get out of the corner into the community. The Messenger Page 3 Hey Y’all! “How are you doing?” “Dear Friends, I want to write about involving ourselves might task us in those caring for people. I do so with trepidation moments with more than we are willing to take since my busy life precludes caring for on at the time (or ever). people as I ought and they need. N o n e t h e l e s s , e v e n t o m y o w n In that pastoral letter, William Still went on to condemnation I must air the subject write that “We can often help others by parting because of the challenge it presents, the curtains of mystery that hide ourselves and Pastor Luke Smith especially to readers who are intent on letting them see that we too are frail creatures becoming caring Christians.” These were the subject to common temptations.” This makes heartfelt words Pastor William Still wrote to his me wonder what the Lord might do in the congregation on the dawn of the New Year in midst of our church and in our communities 1972, his twenty-eighth shepherding his flock and other spheres of influence if we reserved in Aberdeen, Scotland. Now, I am sure that questions asking how others are doing for only many of us have made resolutions as we enter those moments when we really wanted to know further into the year before us: get healthier, the truth and, likewise, tell the truth. Whether save more money, read through the Bible, pray there was much silence or much conversation more—the list goes on and on with a lot of great in such an exercise, we would surely know one things, some of which we might even see another more intimately and be ready, or at through to completion. But what about caring least willing, to learn how to care for each other for others well? We all understand our lives are better than we already do. With all of the Bible busy and, yes, there are things—even good studies, Life Groups, Connect events, and things—that we should probably let go of to not worship services planned in 2016—not to miss the opportunities that the Lord has placed mention all of our casual, unplanned before us. But I think the quantity of our encount ers—we all will have ample connecting with others, dare I say, is secondary opportunity to take advantage of those to the quality of those connections. Many times providentially-timed moments to figure out we might use our busyness to excuse ourselves how to care for each other well. Your pastors from feeling any guilt for missed connections. and your elders are not exempt from this However, might it be more often that we would either—we have much to learn in caring for simply rather not involve ourselves with others each other, for you, and for our neighbors. So as in those moments for either something that has we enter into this season of life together, let me preoccupied our minds of seemingly (not ask us all the question “How are we doing?” usually) greater importance or because Fire & Meat On Friday, November 20ᵗ, several men and boys joined together for a "bonding" event. Fire and Meat was an opportunity to bring meat to cook on the grill between the portable buildings. While some of the meat was either undercooked or very well done, it was a great evening of fellowship.