Help Needed

Join a work team to help our urban missionaries, Bill and Char Elliott, with minor construction and renovation at their new home. On January 7 and 14, we will need painters, laborers, cooks, and others to join this project in New Jersey! Contact Fred Hill at 856-795-5257 or fredhill@comcast.net for more information.

The Two Towers

If you’ve ever wondered about the towers that you see in the old pictures of Tenth or how John McArthur was able to build a tower so much taller than other church steeples of the time, come to hear Holly Bombeke, who restored a McArthur tower on a church in New Jersey. She will present slides at Tenth on Friday, January 27, 7:30 pm, in Fellowship Hall. Invite friends who are interested in information on architecture or history.

Accommodations Needed

Accommodations are urgently needed for two ministers (not together) attending our upcoming Workshop on Biblical Exposition from February 1-3. Please contact Pat Russell if you are able to help (prussell@tenth.org or 215.735.7688x243. Thank you

8-5

New parking placards will be available this Sunday. One significant change. On the streets where the placard says 8:00-3:00. They are now extended to 5:00, thanks to Dot's efforts.

Worship in Spanish

That is what Spanish language worshippers will be able to do at Tenth starting this Sunday. Ten headphones will be available for the 11:00 service. The worshipper (sitting anywhere in the sanctuary) will hear a translator (sitting in a room in the Catacombs) guiding him or her through the service and then translating the sermon. Get the word out.

By the way, we could use help with financing the equipment. Probably another $700 is needed. Make out a check to Tenth and put "Spanish translation" on the memo line. Headphones cost $10 each.

Women's Ministry in the Local Church

I see in reformation21 that Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt have a book coming out on women's ministry. Here are the postings about it, including Phil's comments.

Ligon Duncan and Susan Hunt have a book coming out this week on women's ministry. They write: "The purpose of this book is to strengthen Christ’s Church by presenting a practical theology of women’s ministry in the local church."The book will answer five fundamental questions:
Why should a church have a women’s ministry—what is the biblical apologetic?
Who is responsible for the women’s ministry in a church?
How does a women’s ministry relate to the other ministries in a church?
What are the tasks of a women’s ministry?
How does a church implement a biblical approach to women’s ministry?
You can read the endorsements, table of contents, and chapter 1 online for free.

Phil Ryken's comments:
I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of Ligon's and Susan Hunt's new book on women's ministry in the local church and give it my wholehearted recommendation. I am not aware of any other resource that so effectively gives a biblical rationale for women's ministry without distorting the overall shape of the local church -- putting women's ministry in its proper context.

Aceh: One Year Later

Jon Perry, a missionary Tenth supports (international student ministry at Cornell) who formally served in Indonesia, sent this in:

Aceh, an isolated Indonesian province on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, was hit hardest by the tsunami that occu! red there on Dec. 26, 2004. At least 131,338 people in Indonesia were killed by the tsunami and more than 25,000 people remain missing. Here are pictures of what is being done.

Videos and panoramic images

Devotions for Women

Lydia Brownback has started a devotional blog for women. She sent me this email:

Following your lead, I am starting my own blog. I am beginning with a daily entry from a women's devotional that I recently completed writing. Overcoming fear was my speaking topic this past fall, and I've pieced this together into a fifty-plus day devotional. If you'd like to check out my blog, it's at www.CoffeeCup26.blogspot.com

Survey Deadline

If you have yet to complete the congregational survey for the strategic planning process (and you want to have your survey still considered), it must be in by the end of the day on Sunday. You can fill it out online at the church website.

“Forums on the Future of Center City”

In commemoration of its 50th anniversary, the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (CPDC) is holding a series of forums in 2006 to reflect upon significant accomplishments in Center City over the last half-century and to look toward the challenges and opportunities of the coming years. Through videos, lectures and discussion, each forum will focus upon a specific topic relevant to the development of Center City over the past five decades.

Center City’s Residential RevivalTuesday February 7, 2006;
4 pmThe Union League, Broad and Sansom Streets

Fifty years ago CPDC was created to market restored homes in Society Hill. What did we learn from that experience; how does Center City compare with other American downtowns; what are the economic benefits of a well-educated city population; how can the housing revival be sustained? There will also be an update on the Center City schools initiative.
Speakers:How Does Center City’s Housing Revival Compare to Other Major American Cities? -- Eugenie Birch, Chair, Department of City & Regional Planning, University of Pennsylvania.

Each forum will also begin with a short topical video commissioned for the occasion by CPDC, produced by WHYY, to highlight the accomplishments of the last 50 years through historical footage and contemporary interviews. A reception immediately follows each forum.

The forums are open to the public; registration cost is $35 per person for each forum, or $60 per person for both. For more details, or to register, please call 215.440.5575 or e-mail mrigler@centercityphila.org.

Exhange Hosts

My name is Michael Leland and I am a resident of Philadelphia who will be coordinating a month-long exchange program this January. The program, overseen by the Center for Cultural Interchange, invites participants to get to know American culture by observing local high school classes, participating in cultural excursions, and living with an American family. This year’s program runs from January 13th – February 10, 2006; due to some late applicants I am currently in need of a few more families. Hosting a student is a wonderful experience for both the families and the students. You can be assured of the quality of this program as CCI is recognized as an official exchange student sponsor by the U.S. State Department, and is also accredited by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). For more information please refer to CCI’s website: www.cci-exchange.com . I am attaching a student schedule and a flyer about the program. Word of mouth has been the best avenue to promote this program so please pass this information on to others who may be interested. Thanks again for your help and feel free to pass on my name and number:
Michael Leland
215-908-4064

Telephone Directories on the Internet

This bit of information was posted in the byFaith email I get weekly:

The Internet makes it easier than ever to search for people. There are numerous sites that help find people. But the search can be time-consuming. Argali is a free downloadable program that makes things a little easier. It will search some of the more popular directories. It will help you find e-mail addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses. And you can search by a number of different ways. Go to http://argali.com.

Back in the Saddle Again

I'm back. The Lord provided safety in my long journey, about 38 hours total of driving there and back. Am in the middle of a fascinating audio book, The World is Flat, by Thomas Friedman, a history of the significant events and trends of the past two decades. Now to get busy reviewing my 115 emails awaiting me!

Journey Notes

I am sitting in my daughter Jean's cubicle. Her colleague April was looking at my blog when we walked in. I have readers everywhere! Jean works at Nationwide as a CSR - Customer Service Representative. If you have a small business and want to renew your policy, she might be the one processing your application. I've looked around and verified that she has pictures of me.

I should be back, Lord willing, in Philadelphia Thursday night. Will be stopping in Columbia, SC tonight and watch with my brother Texas (my father's school) beat USC (not the real USC - U. of South Carolina) in the Rose Bowl.

Have been enjoying the warm weather, wearing t-shirts. Better go before Jean's boss catches me!

Sermon Posted

I've posted Sunday's sermon on my blogsite, DMC Messages. Click the link found on the righthand column.

Commendations

For the last two weekends, three groups of people have put in many hours and less sleep to assure that all the services took place: the diaconate, the sextons, and church musicians, most notably our music director and organist. Because of them, the services not only went on, but made the holiday weekends special blessing to us who attended. Thank you very much for making Christmas and New Year's memorable.

Skipping Town

By the time most of you read this posting I will be in the south heading to Florida. I am delivering furniture and boxes to my daughter Jean. This is spur of the moment trip. Looking over my calendar, I realized that this week is the least busy of the weeks leading to Jean's wedding in May. After the wedding, she and her husband Lucas will move to Houston. I may still make some postings, so check in. I will be back in the church, Lord willing, on Friday.