The Erica-Emily Duo

You can read the whole article if you want to about the swim meet, but here is what matters: "Erica Esterly set the Lansdowne team record in the 8-under butterfly (21.77). Teammate Emily Lehman established the team record in the 8-and-under breaststroke (27.75)."

The Aquila Report

If you like to keep up with the Reformed world, click here for a helpful news source - The Aquila Report. I will add the site to my links on the right. You will find some reports now on the PCA General Assembly.

Guest Preacher

Liam Goligher will be making what has become an annual summer appearance at Tenth for the next two Sundays. We are pleased to have him in the pulpit. One may question the propriety of having a minister from England preach on the 4th of July. I (the one with such a question) raised the subject with him. He assured me as a Scotsman that he would have been a "glad revolutionary" if he had been a colonist.

Liam's sermons will be:
July 4 - The Glory of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:1-18)
July 11 - Jars of Clay (2 Corinthians 4:7-15)

Friday Freedom

Beginning this week, the church staff moves to a four day week through mid-August. The office will be closed on Fridays, although next week is already an exception. The office next week will be closed on Monday.

Welcome, Zoe!

Jonathan and Alex Brandenburg are pleased to announce the birth of Zoe Grace, June 29, 6 lbs 13 oz, at 3:45 p.m.

Two Roads Diverged

(Tina Simon sent this in)

Dear Phil,

I’ve been thinking about what to say. Fifteen years is a long time. As Marion’s Tenth press points out, you came to Tenth with one child, you now have five. This is just one symbol of how much can happen in fifteen years.

When you came to Tenth, no one could predict that you would soon be taking over some of Marion’s responsibilities in a few years. No one even imagined that you would be senior minister quite so soon. Yet, God has so graciously blessed us all through all these unexpected, and sometimes very painful, changes. Our God is a God of paradox—who else could draw joy in pain or triumph on a cross.
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CHAMPIONS!

The University of South Carolina Gamecocks are the new national champions of college baseball! Thank you, thank you. I am happy to receive congratulations for my alma mater. Carolina (the only Carolina) defeated UCLA (actually swept them), coming from behind in eleven innings for a 2-1 victory. For the few of you who may not know about my school, USC (the real USC) is the equivalent of Philadelphia in sports, only a bit grimmer. To win a national championship is a quest that generations of fans dream about and agonize over as we fail time and again. Not only did we win the championship but defeat our arch-rivals (Clemson) in two games to get to the championship series. Ah......life is good.

Apartment available in July

Looking for someone to take over my rent. This is a 1 Bedroom (unfurnished) which will be available around the beginning of July.

This apartment is at a very quiet and convenient location in Mt. Airy.

• 3-5 min. walk from Wawa
• 10 min. walk from Acme
• 10 min. drive from Pathmark
• 6 min. walk from the Mt. Airy Station of R7
• 10 min. walk from Allen Lane Station of R8
• Being close to two SEPTA rail lines makes it very convenient to commute to Center City.
• This apartment is also very close to Chestnut Hill, which is a really great neighborhood to jog, walk around, or do shopping.

For those who have a car, the apartment is close to Lincoln Drive, which takes you to I-76 very easily. Garage is available if needed. (Additional monthly fee is required for garage.) The monthly rent is $660, which does not include electric and gas. Laundry is available on site. Apartment is available to show anytime during the weekends. Just email me when you will be able to stop by and take a look. For those who are going to WTS can also consider. This apartment is 3 miles away from the seminary. Please contact Roger Chu.

THF and SMI

1. In honor of the holiday, Tenth Healthcare Fellowship will not meet Sunday but will meet August 1 in Fellowship Hall.


2. The SMI Philly team wants to thank Tenth Church for all of their support in helping to make our outreach such a success. Praise God with us for working so mightily during that time and for there to be lasting fruit in our lives and in the lives of the Hunting Park community we worked in.

Donna Novakovitch

Donna Novakovitch is now with the Lord, having died this morning after a long illness. I will post details for a service when we receive them. Be in prayer for her daughter Mary Ann and family.

The funeral is scheduled for this Friday, July 2, at the church. Viewing at 10:00 a.m. and the funeral begins at 11:00 a.m.

the ways have been counted

dr ryken


thank you for accepting the call
thank you for taking up the mantle
thank you for filling the shoes
thank you for piloting the pulpit
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A Quest for More

In last night's sermon I made reference to Paul Tripp's book, A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger Than You. Chapter 4, "Welcome to My Little Kingdom," deals extensively with the passage of Matthew 6:19-34. I commend the book, and particularly that chapter to you. The publisher is New Growth Press.

True Treasure

Sunday's evening sermon is now available for reading. Click here, then click "more." The scripture text is Matthew 6:19-34, most of which is painted onto the painting presented to the Rykens. For added incentive to read, I give the principle that allows me to have peace about their moving.

Reception Thanks

Cathy Kempf - the Cookie Czar for yesterday's reception sent this in:

"Marion - Please put a thank you in the blog. So many people from all over the Tenth community participated. I believe we received over 200 dozen cookies. Some people even made it a project to bake 20 dozen or so. I'm thankful that the Lord prompted Sandy Hill and Heather Collins to volunteer for precisely the help we needed, and for the faithful quiet work of Otis Word and Sylvester Presley."

I walked in the preparation room, by the way, and saw the Kempf team at work - Cathy, Bob, Kate, and Annette. I should mention my own role, which was to do quality testing.

Joyce Ostertag made sure we did not pass out in the sun by providing the lemonade and water.

I tell, both of these women worked hard and with cheerfulness to bless the congregation.

The Perfect Gift Revealed

We actually pulled the surprise off with the gift given to Phil and Lisa. Now I can talk about it. The gift is an original art piece by Makoto Fujimura, Phil's favorite artist. They already have prints of his work, but, as they well know, a print cannot do justice to the original. Here is info about the painting and the artist, sent by the White Stone Gallery director. White Stone is in Manayunk and is the gallery where we purchased the painting. Fujimura's works are still being displayed there.
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Commissioning Text

Below is the text of the commissioning ceremony for Phil Sunday morning:

Whereas the congregation of Tenth Presbyterian Church accepts the providential work of God and trusts that he has called you, Philip G. Ryken, our Senior Minister, to serve his kingdom as President of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois;


And whereas you have faithfully served this church for fifteen years proclaiming and teaching the whole counsel of God and shepherding your flock;

And whereas you have exemplified before this church over these years that you are a servant who seeks foremost to be obedient to your Lord’s calling;

We are prepared this day to grant your request of us – to send you forth with our blessing.

We ask these questions of you:
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