The Chimes Vol. LIX No. 2 Web Edition February 2015

Dear Friends,

Now that 2015 is fully upon us, I write this month with some good news and with a request. The good news is that the Town Council, at its January 12 business meeting, gave final approval to three proposals affecting the next phase of our building project. The Council members granted a Special Use Permit for the construction of our building addition, a change to the zoning atlas that brings us into compliance with Town regulations regarding square footage, and our petition to close a portion of Robertson Lane, so as to re-route it.

The Council vote was the culmination of almost three years of work on the part of our building committee and design team. On your behalf, I want to say a word of deep appreciation to the members of the building committee (John Blythe and Rickie Howard, co-chairs; Allison Chambers, Jason Dell, Gordon Merklein, Mark Moshier), to the design team (DTW architects Robert Sotolongo, Susan Straw, and Dawn Vanorsdale, and Dan Jewell and Jeremy Anderson of Jewell Coulter Thames). I also thank all my colleagues at University Church who have devoted hours and hours to meetings and the coordination effort. Thanks, too, to those individuals who serve the greater good of Chapel Hill by their service on the town’s councils, commissions and advisory boards.

Of course, we are only just beginning the next phase of construction. We will spend the next several months securing the necessary permits to proceed with the demolition of the church-owned house at 212 East Rosemary Street, the road relocation and the building itself. We hope those steps will commence by late spring and hope to occupy our new space by next spring. For now, we are completing the punch list for the previous phase and looking forward to a couple of months of quiet before the next wave of activity. As always, we appreciate your patience and your prayers.

The request I have beckons us in a different direction. My colleagues and I are beginning to plan a summer sermon series that hinges upon your requests. In the next few weeks, we would like to hear from you. How would you complete the sentence: I would like to hear a sermon about__________? We won’t promise to take on every subject everyone names; we only have twelve Sundays, after all. But we’d like to hear from you as we plan for the summer. Please send us your requests (via email, snail mail or a note in the offering plate) by March 1, 2015. I hope your February is full of light and warmth.

Peace,

Bob Dunham, Pastor

FEBRUARY

Capital Campaign Update 3

Church Office Volunteers Needed 3

Montreat Worship and

Music Conference

3

Welcome, New Members! 4

News from New Hope Camp

and Conference Center

4

Choir News 5

Adult Christian Education 6

Vacation Bible School Registration 7

Presbyterian Youth Connection 7

Fifth Annual Women’s Retreat 8

Session Digest 8

Presbyterian Campus Ministry:

Montreat College Conference

9

UPC Staff Contact Information 9

Local Outreach News: Housing

for New Hope Thanks UPC

10

Young Adult Group 11

Get to Know UPC Staff 11

Local Outreach News:

Announcing the UPC Book Drive

12

U n i v e r s i t y P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h i s a f f i l i a t e d w i t h t h e P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h ( U . S . A . ) a n d i s a S t e p h e n M i n i s t r y C o n g r e g a t i o n .

The first phase of construction for the University Presbyterian Church Capital Campaign, Faith Forward, is almost

complete! To learn more about this phase and what it means for church members, please check out the construction

update on page 3 of this edition of The Chimes.

The Chimes Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015

The Ch imes i s a publ ica t ion of Univers i ty Presbyter ian Church

The Chimes is published monthly. Deadline for submission of articles is the 15th of each month for the following month’s

edition (with a few exceptions to accommodate holiday schedules). Please include your name, phone number and email

address. The newsletter is posted on the church’s Website (www.upcch.org) and on www.issuu.com/upcch. Send article

submissions and inquiries to Newsletter Editor, University Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 509, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-0509,

or email publications@upcch.org.

The church office may be reached by telephone at (919) 929-2102, by fax at (919) 929-7669 or by email at upcch@upcch.org.

Visit the UPC Website (www.upcch.org) or the UPC Facebook page (www.facebook.com/upcch) for more information.

** Deadline for the March edition of The Chimes is noon on Sunday, February 15, 2015.

University Presbyterian Church Staff: Robert E. Dunham, Pastor; Anna Pinckney Straight, Associate Pastor; John Rogers,

Associate Pastor for Campus Ministry; Kate Fiedler Boswell, Associate Pastor for Adult Ministries; Kim McNeill, Staff

Associate for Youth Ministries; Nancy Myer, Staff Associate for Children’s Ministries; Thomas Brown, Minister of Music;

Beth Auman Visser, Youth and Children’s Choir Director; Ellen Parker, Director, UPPS; Katharine Yager, Financial

Administrator; Jeanette Schmidt, Office Manager; Jennifer Johnson, Publications Coordinator; Kaitlin Dunn,

Administrative Assistant; Dennis Dallke, Property Manager; Rob Kurtz, Sexton.

Page 2

How to Submit Ar t ic les for The Sunday Bul le t in’s Announcements

Or for the Month ly Newslet ter, The Chimes

Our Church Family

The UPC congregation and its pastors

take seriously the call to pray and be

present with those who are in need, so

we encourage you, a friend or a family

member to let us know if you have

scheduled surgery or have been admitted

to the hospital. During the week, please

call the church office at (919) 929-2102,

and over the weekend, please call one of

the pastors. Thank you.

“Are any among you sick? They

should call for the elders of the

church and have them pray over

them, anointing them with oil in the

name of the Lord,” James 5:14.

Due to privacy concerns and HIPAA laws,

there are no notifications or lists at any

local hospitals or clinics which would in-

form the church if you are hospitalized,

receiving treatment or undergoing surgery.

Visit our Website: www.upcch.org

Please submit articles for the monthly newsletter (The Chimes) or announcements for the worship bulletin (Weekly Announcements) to

our Publications Coordinator, Jennifer Johnson. Email her at publications@upcch.org or call (919) 929-2102, extension 113.

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Page 3

Montr ea t Worship and Music Confer ence

If you would like to explore the class offering for this summer in more detail, please visit www.presbymusic.org/montreat.html. For more information, contact Beth Auman Visser at visser@upcch.org or (919) 929-2102 ext. 118. See you at Montreat!

You Are My Beloved: Baptism to Transfiguration

June 21 - 27, 2015

Time to sign up for some Montreat FUN!

Registration is due February 15, 2015

Open to all active choir members

Rising fourth graders to graduating Seniors

Capi tal Campaign Const ruc t ion Upda te We’re almost there! The first phase of construction is

almost done. We’re getting some parking back; the

dumpster is gone, and we’re working on the punch list

with CT Wilson. If you have a question, notice some-

thing that was supposed to be done during construc-

tion but hasn’t yet been completed, or if you see some-

thing that was affected by construction that hasn’t yet

been repaired, please email apstraight@upcch.org or

leave a note in Anna Pinckney Straight’s mailbox in

the church office.

As updates are available, we will pass them along.

Please keep an eye on the bulletin announcements and

Weekly E-News. To sign up for Weekly E-News, visit

www.upcch.org and click “Subscribe to E-News”

from the bottom of the page.

Church Of f ice Volunteers Needed! The church office needs volunteers for the first and third Friday afternoon of the month. The shift is 12:30-4:30. If you’re

interested in this service to the church, you can volunteer for one or both. Responsibilities include welcoming

visitors, answering the phone and simple clerical tasks.

If you’re available, or if you’d like to volunteer as a substitute instead, please call Shelley Adams at

(919) 942-2525. Thank you!

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Page 4

In January, University Presbyterian Church joyfully welcomed the following new members into the life of the church.

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of our congregation!

We Celebra te Our New Members

Lucy and Donald McMillan (Frank): Lucy and Donald McMillan joined UPC by reaffir-mation of faith. They met while they were stu-dents at UNC, and they lived briefly in Wash-ington, D.C. be-fore moving back to Chapel Hill. Donald is the

Vice President of Account Services at Demographics Pro, a leading social media analytics service. Lucy is an OB nurse at UNC Hospitals. Their son, Frank (age 2), was baptized in Se-wanee, TN.

Ellie Lamb: Ellie Lamb joined UPC by reaffirmation of faith. She was a member of University Presbyterian Church in the 1960s and returned to Chapel Hill to join her son, John Wil-son, and his family, after living in Tex-as for many years.

Betty Anne and Joe Cook: Betty Anne and Joe Cook trans-ferred their member-ship from South Pres-byterian Church in Dobbs Ferry, NY to UPC. Joe was the di-rector of a tropical disease program and later founded a non-profit for control of a blinding disease. Betty Anne was the health

coordinator for 25 Head Start programs in Westchester Coun-ty. They first lived in Chapel Hill 50 years ago while Joe com-pleted his residency in internal medicine and Betty Anne com-pleted her MPH in maternal and child health. They are happy to join their daughter, Marianne (Ratcliffe), whose family is active at University Presbyterian Church. They have three daughters and eight grandchildren.

News f rom New Hope Camp Save the date! Join us for our 10th annual fundraiser on Saturday April 11, 2015. This year we’ll have a new twist to our event, Tastes & Tunes. Enjoy live music and eat delicious food in support of New Hope Camp and Conference Center. The event will feature a Wall of Wine—pay $20 for a wine ticket and select a number on a bottle of wine. At the end of the evening, collect your wine! You may have the $15 bottle or the $75 bot-tle. Everyone is a winner! For those with a sweet tooth, we’ll have the Wall of Cookies. Pay $5 for a cookie ticket and pick a number. You could end up with a delicious plate of homemade cookies or a packet of Twinkies.

The event is from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. in the Dining Hall. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased in advance at the office or on the evening of the event. Please join us for an evening of fun and fellowship as we raise money for Summer Camp pro-grams and facilities! We hope to see you there.

Also, just a reminder that we are still accepting applications for our summer positions: Counselors and Lifeguards. The new summer staff application is online at www.newhopeccc.org.

Registration for Spring Intersession Camps and Summer Camps is in full swing. For information about these programs, go to our Website at www.newhopeccc.org or contact the office at (919) 942-4716.

~ Suzanne Blankfard, Summer Camp Registrar

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Choir News

Page 5 For more information about UPC choirs, contact Beth Auman Visser, Director

of Children’s and Youth Choirs, at (919) 929-2102 or visser@upcch.org.

Presented by the

UPC Youth Choir and the

Congregational Life Committee

February 5, 6 and 7

UPC Fellowship Hall

A Toe-Tapping Musical

Book by TOM KEY and RUSSELL TREYZ

Music and Lyrics by HARRY CHAPIN

Featuring Our Special Guests

The BIG FAT GAP

Bluegrass Band

The Thursday, February 5, performance is free. No meal is served and no ticket is needed.

On Friday, February 6, and Saturday, February 7, the meal is served at 6:00 p.m. and the show begins at 7:00 p.m.

Rich in humor and unsparing in their earthiness, Clarence’s translations and lectures “explode in our ears the mighty ideas which transformed the early disciples and enabled them to turn their world upside

down.” (Dallas Lee, Introduction to The Cotton Patch Evidence)

Cotton Patch Gospel is a highly acclaimed musical that humorously brings the Gospels of Matthew and John to the stage. With music composed by Harry Chapin (“Cat's in the Cradle” and “Taxi”), this colorful story brings the far away places of Nazareth, Jerusalem and Bethlehem into the contemporary Southern

United States. Follow the story of Mary Davidson’s son, Jesus, from His birth in a trailer park to His Good Friday lynching and Easter Sunday victory.

In Chapin’s own words, “Cotton Patch Gospel is special. It is a rare dramatic presentation that succeeds in both entertaining us and sharing fresh insight into the Gospel, the greatest story every told.”

More Choir News: The Junior Choir will sing on Sunday, February

8, at 11:00 a.m. worship. That afternoon, they will have an extended

rehearsal from 4:15- 5:45 p.m. to read through their spring musical.

Now is a great time to join this choir!

The Chimes Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015

Page 6

All are welcome to adult education classes at UPC! If you missed a previous term or week, no worries! Participation and enjoyment are not dependent upon previous classes. Watch for more details for each class and a detailed reading list in the Weekly E-News, the Sunday morning bulletin announcements and the UPC Website. Please visit www.upcch.org and click “Education.” To sign up for E-News, click “Subscribe to E-News” at the bottom of the Website. You can also find information about upcoming education opportunities on the UPC Facebook page. Visit www.facebook.com/upcch and click “Like” to join.

Adul t Chr is t ian Educa t ion Term 3: Through Februar y 8

All are welcome and encouraged to attend Adult Education classes on Sunday mornings from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.

Feasting on the Word: This class expands our understanding of the lectionary scripture for each Sunday. This curriculum is

coordinated with the children’s ministry planning. Facilitator: Bob Dunham. Location: Room 139.

Connections: This class features Holy Land Revealed video lectures by Dr. Jodi Magness, an archeologist and religion professor

at UNC. Facilitators: Lee and Myrah Scott. Location: Vance Barron Hall.

Faith Issues in Literature: Featuring Barbara Brown Taylor’s book, Home By Another Way,

this class will explore Taylor’s sermons through the church calendar. Facilitators: Kelly Ross

and Kate Fiedler Boswell. Location: Stephen Ministry Room.

Family Matters - Building Moral Intelligence: This class features the book The Seven

Essential Virtues that Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing, by bestselling author, Michele Borba.

These virtues are empathy, conscience, self-control, respect, kindness, tolerance and fair-

ness. Gain a new understanding of moral intelligence for our children through the study of

this indispensable book for parents and grandparents. The author confronts the front-page crisis we now face in our country

regarding youth violence, alienation, self-destructive behavior, cold-heartedness, lack of compassion, insensitivity, intolerance

and the breakdown of values. We will understand, evaluate and inspire our children (or grandchildren) with the seven essential

virtues which comprise moral intelligence. Facilitator: Jim Schultz. Location: Terrace Room..

Term 4: Februar y 15 - March 29 Feasting on the Word: This class expands our understanding of the lectionary scripture for each Sunday. This curriculum is

coordinated with the children’s ministry planning. Facilitators: Bob Dunham and Anna Pinckney Straight. Location: Stephen

Ministry Room.

Faith Issues in Literature: Featuring the poetry of Mary Oliver found in New and Selected Poems, Volume One. Facilitators:

Nancy Benjamin, Ruth Moose and Kelly Ross. Location: Terrace Room.

Connections: Dementia and Alzheimer’s - Finding Comfort in Knowledge, Faith and Hope: This class will explore

brain changes associated with normal aging, Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Each class will have a specific

focus and will be led by an expert in the field. Topics will include the most recent research on causes and treatment options;

practical advice and resources for loved ones and caregivers; a theological perspective on dementia and healthcare; a discussion

of the film Iris; and preventative measures to keep aging minds sharp and healthy. Facilitators: UPC Mental Health Taskforce.

Location: Vance Barron Hall.

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Page 7

Vaca t ion Bib le School Regis t ra t ion Opens Soon! Mark your calendar and plan to join us for Vacation Bible School 2015! This year, VBS will be held June 29 - July 2 at Camp New Hope. The theme will be Message Received: Hearing God’s Call.

Come spend time with your friends in a traditional outdoor camp setting and learn about how God calls each one of us. VBS is open to all children ages 3 years - rising 5th grade (grade child will enter in Fall 2015). Registration opens February 15, 2015. VBS is a morning activity from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. and is held at New Hope Camp and Conference Center. Cost is $40 per child ($80 maximum for one family). There are scholarships available.

This year, you will once again be able to register your child and provide payment online! Look for the link to the online registration page this month in the bulletin announcements and Weekly E-News. To sign up for Weekly E-News, visit www.upcch.org and click “Subscribe to E-News” from the bottom of the page. Paper forms will also be available in the church office. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Nancy Myer at nancy@upcch.org or Tracy Lovelady at tracylovelady@gmail.com.

Sunday, February 1: PYC will meet for lunch today from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

February 5, 6 and 7: 2015 Youth Choir Dinner Theatre Production, Cotton Patch Gospel

Sunday, February 8: No PYC tonight. Take some time to rest up after the musical.

ASP balance due ($150)

Thursday, February 12: Delayed Opening - Youth Sunday preachers will meet for

breakfast

Sunday, February 15: Youth Sunday Planning - High School Only tonight

Monday, February 16: Teacher workday (Middle School Service Day, deadline was January 11)

Sunday, February 22: Youth Sunday Planning – All Youth

Presbyter ian Youth Connect ion (PYC) Join in the fun, fellowship and faith development at Presbyterian Youth Connection! We meet each Sunday starting at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. After dinner (bring $5 to help with the cost of food), we enjoy a program and time for sharing our joys and concerns with one another. Pick-up is in the UPC parking lot at 8 p.m.

PYC is for any youth in 6th-12th grades. Email Kim McNeill, Staff Associate for Youth Ministries, at kim@upcch.org with any questions or to get more information about this incredible group.

February Calendar

Stay in touch with all things PYC. Be sure you’re receiving the weekly PYC email from Kim. It will tell you all you need to know for the coming week. And sign up for text reminders, too! Text “@UPCP” to (919) 267-2577 and you’ll be signed up to receive last minute reminders about PYC. We also invite youth and parents to follow us on Twitter @UPCPYC. Go to https://twitter.com/upcpyc.

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Page 8

At the January Session meeting, we:

listened to a devotion by Chip Sudderth based on 1 Corinthians 12—our spiritual gifts and how we are all different members of the body with different skills. He encouraged the new Session members to listen and learn and develop their talents for their role in the church body;

approved the baptism of David Sanford, the son of Bill and Katie Sanford, on February 8, 2015;

approved the pruning of our magnolia tree. (It may look odd for a while, but this will ensure its continued good health!);

listened to an explanation of UPC’s different financial accounts and current financial situation from Bob Dunham and Jeffrey Hart (Administration Committee). Information on upcoming budget decisions (in February) was also presented;

received a report from Stewardship (John Wilson). The 2015 Stewardship campaign has gone well—with good current pledging results to date. The Committee (and Session) hopes to receive more pledges to help fund the 2015 budget;

approved purchasing new air compressors and an extended warranty for the large HVAC chiller unit to be funded from the General Reserve Account;

received a report from Bob Dunham that the Chapel Hill Town Council has approved our special use permit and the

rezoning needed for our expansion project;

received a report from Susan Ross (Global Outreach) indicating $3000 from their 2015 budget would be sent to the Medical Benevolence Foundation immediately to assist with the Ebola crisis in Africa;

received the 2013 Audit from Bernard Robinson & Co. and discussed the additional assistance needed in the financial office; and

listened to many plans for upcoming events: Vacation Bible School (Nancy Myer), the 2015 Women’s Retreat (Kate Fiedler Boswell), and Second Sunday Lunches (Patty Baum, Congregational Life).

~Mary Ellen Olson, Clerk of Session

Sess ion Digest

Fi f th Annual Women’s Ret rea t Apri l 24 - 26, 2015

Join us for the fifth Annual Women’s Retreat, Pray, Eat, Love, from Friday, April 24, 6:00 p.m., through Sunday, April 26, 1:00 p.m. in Ocean Isle Beach, NC.

Our leader will be Deb Guess, a full-time jewelry and mixed media artist, producing artwork for galleries and teaching in the Soul Whispers Arts studio. Her passion is helping folks make connec-tions between creativity and personal spirituality. Deb previously taught a class focused on food and faith at the Annual Recreation Workshop at Montreat. She is excited about guiding our discussions about the theology of the table as we cook and share meals together.

This year we will head to the beach, with time to walk along the water, relax on the oceanfront deck or take a dip in the private pool. This retreat is designed to remind us that God speaks to us during the pauses of our lives; when we “retreat,” we are honoring the God-given gift of Sabbath.

Registration begins February 1, and you may register online at http://goo.gl/VKoSlM or through paper forms available in the church office. Cost for the retreat includes lodging for two nights, private bath, meals and retreat materials: $150 per person for one King, two people or $220 per person for two Queens, two people. Scholarships are available.

Please contact Kate Fiedler Boswell at kboswell@upcch.org or (919) 929-2102, ext. 130.

Join us for a fabulous weekend on the beach!

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Page 9

Presbyterian Campus Ministry (PCM) offers programming for undergraduate, graduate

and professional students and welcomes new participants at any time. The programming

is supported by the outreach of University Presbyterian Church. For more information,

visit the Website at www.uncpcm.com or contact John Rogers at jrogers@upcch.org.

Presbyter ian Campus Minis t ry 2015 Montr ea t Col lege Conference

What an inspiring time together at Montreat’s annual

College Conference this past month! PCM housed

over 30 of its own students as nearly 1000 college

students from around the country gathered to be a

part of this year’s theme, “Peace Bound.”

We are looking forward to a full spring semester of

Thursday night programs, retreats, worship leader-

ship, small groups, the spring break community im-

mersion trip to Colorado and a capstone trip with

our Lilly Endowment-funded small group, “Guide

my Feet,” to the Olympic Peninsula.

As always, thank you for welcoming our students!

~ John Rogers, Associate Pastor for Campus Ministry

Contact Informa tion for the S taf f a t

Univers i ty Presbyter ian Church

Program Staff:

Robert E. Dunham, Pastor Dunham@upcch.org; Ext. 111

Anna Pinckney Straight, Associate Pastor APStraight@upcch.org; Ext. 112

John Rogers, Associate Pastor for Campus Ministry JRogers@upcch.org; Ext. 119

Kate Fiedler Boswell, Associate Pastor for Adult Ministries KBoswell@upcch.org; Ext. 130

Thomas Brown, Minister of Music Brown@upcch.org; Ext. 131

Kim McNeill, Staff Associate for Youth Ministries Kim@upcch.org; Ext. 114

Nancy Myer, Staff Associate for Children’s Ministries Nancy@upcch.org; Ext. 125

Beth Auman Visser, Youth and Children’s Choir Director Visser@upcch.org; Ext. 118

Administrative Staff:

Jeanette Schmidt, Office Manager Jeanette@upcch.org; Ext; 129

Jennifer Johnson, Publications Coordinator publications@upcch.org; Ext. 113

Kaitlin Dunn, Administrative Assistant KDunn@upcch.org; Ext. 110

Katharine Yager, Financial Administrator finance@upcch.org, Ext. 117

Dennis Dallke, Property Manager Dallke@upcch.org; Ext. 115

Rob Kurtz, Sexton Kurtz@upcch.org; Ext. 115

Ellen Parker, Director of University Presbyterian Preschool preschool@upcch.org; Ext. 124

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Local Outreach News:

Housing for New Hope Thanks UPC

Page 10

Housing for New Hope has worked for over 20 years to prevent and

end homelessness by providing access to housing, healthcare and inte-

grated services in the Triangle. Over the holidays, Executive Director

Gretchen Senez sent this thank you note and the list below to tell UPC

what our 2014 donations accomplished. We are pleased to support their

ongoing work in our community.

To learn more about what Housing for New Hope does and how you

can be involved, visit www.housingfornewhope.org.

~ Mary Arnold, Local Outreach

During 2014, the staff and volunteers at Housing for New Hope:

Moved ten families home ($5700);

Prevented 630 people from experiencing homelessness;

Purchased ten beds for formerly homeless families to have a

place to lay their heads in their new homes ($1140);

Covered the moving truck and provided furniture for a homeless

individual or family moving home ($500);

Moved 19 chronically homeless individuals from the streets to

home;

Provided transportation to 33 mental health appointments for

our residents in permanent supportive housing ($157);

Provided eight outreach kits filled with toiletries, food, and

Housing for New Hope’s contact information to the chronically homeless living on the street ($50); and

Moved 24 families, built three picnic tables, created a community garden, and created a supportive community environ-

ment for our residents.

Learn More About Local and Global Outreach

The Global Outreach Committee coordinates the mission and outreach work we do with partners around the world and works

to educate the congregation about the lives of people in other nations. To learn more, con-

tact Carolyn Karpinos ckarpinos@gmail.com. UPC has a long tradition of extensive local

outreach, including work with the Inter-Faith Council, Habitat for Humanity, the CROP

Walk and more. If you would like to become a member of the Local Outreach Committee,

adding your voice and vision to the group, contact Bart Phillips at theonebart@gmail.com.

You may also visit the “Outreach” page of the UPC Website (www.upcch.org) to learn more,

or contact the Outreach Committee Chair, Susan Ross, at sdr380@gmail.com.

Page 11

Volume LIX, No. 2 February 2015 The Chimes

Get to Know UPC S taf f Meet Emily Brawley. Emily is our Sunday sexton and does

many different types of jobs for the

church. She sets up equipment and

chairs for meetings and events. She

directs members and visitors on

Sundays. She helps keep the church

building clean, and she takes time

to chat with members and visitors

whenever she can. Emily helps en-

sure that UPC is always organized,

clean and friendly. This May, Emily

will be graduating with a B.A. in

English and Music from UNC Chapel Hill. She also has an

A.A. degree from a community college on the North Carolina

coast. She grew up on the Virginia coast and has a culinary-

genius twin sister and a bubbly little sister. The sisters are all

very different, and Emily likes to joke that she’s the tormented

artist of the family. She’s a self-described music nerd, plays

classical guitar and classical clarinet, and is starting to learn to

play the piano. She also sings lead vocals for a UNC class

called Rock Lab where she plays classic rock hits and writes

songs with her peers. Emily loves art, too—she’s taking a

painting class at UNC—and hiking. In fact, when she’s not

sleeping, you’ll find Emily wearing a pair of men’s hiking

boots, ready to hit the trails at a moment’s notice!

Emily told us why she enjoys working at UPC. She said, “I

love to fix things and it feels good really good to know I can

help people. A couple of weeks ago I found a church-

member’s earring and was able to give it back to her. Just little

things like that make me feel like I’m making some sort of

difference. I’m thankful to be a part of such a dedicated team

that often works behind-the-scenes. Pastor Dunham, Rob, and

Dennis are wonderful. They taught me all I know. Of course, I

don’t have room to list all of the wonderful people who help

out at UPC. If you see them around, thank them!”

The most important thing that Emily has learned from her

time working at UPC is that God is everywhere. It’s so great to

have you on staff, Emily!

Meet Brandon Shiflett, UPC’s Church Mouse. A Church

Mouse or Resident Security Person is

someone who lives inside the church,

making sure all is well and providing

safety and security to the church and

all the church’s property. Working as

the Church Mouse is Brandon’s main

duty, but he does other things, as

well. He helps the staff by printing all

the bulletins and announcements for

Sunday worship and by printing The

Chimes. He also ensures that every-

thing is ready to welcome members and visitors to worship

each Sunday morning. Brandon is currently enrolled in com-

munity college at Nash Community College in Rocky Mount

studying to become a Physical Therapist Assistant, and he

works as a team leader at Chick-fil-A at University Mall in

Chapel Hill. Previously, Brandon was a calibration technician

for about five years and served in the United States Marine

Corps for five years of active duty. Brandon was born near

Richmond, Virginia.

Brandon told us why he enjoys being the Church Mouse for

UPC. He said, “The first reason is that the entire staff of UPC

has truly become like a second family to me. The second rea-

son is that God has truly gifted me with the gift of service; that

is one of the many platforms that God is using in my life to

display His grace, love, mercy, character and most importantly

the Gospel, and I think working at UPC truly utilizes this gra-

cious gift God has given me. Lastly, I enjoy being a part of the

great team with Dennis and Rob that keep UPC in awesome

condition, as well as safe and secure so that everyone who

comes to UPC can worship the one true God unhindered! I

pray that by God having me here I can truly serve Him but

also be here and serve every person that makes up the body of

Christ here at UPC.”

Everyone at UPC loves working with Brandon. He’s been an

excellent addition to our staff!

Young Adult Group a t Univers i ty Church Young Adult (YA) is a group at UPC for adults who are out of college and not in the Parents of Young Presbyterians (PYPs). The group gathers for lunch after church on Sundays to enjoy food and fellowship and meets once a month for dinner or a movie/game night.

If you would like to learn more about this group or if you would like to be added to their email list, please contact the group’s coordinator, Chelsey McElwee, at chelseymcelwee@gmail.com or contact the group’s staff liaison, Kate Fiedler Boswell, at kboswell@upcch.org.

Non Profit Org.

Permit No. 78

U.S. Postage Paid

Chapel Hill, NC

University Presbyterian Church

209 East Franklin Street

P.O. Box 509

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

W e w e l c o m e a l l

f a c u l t y, s t u d e n t s ,

n e w c o m e r s

a n d

v i s i t o r s .

February 2015 The Chimes Newslet ter University Presbyterian Church is affiliated with The Presbyterian

Church (U.S.A.) and is a Stephen Ministry Congregation. On Sunday

mornings, worship services are held at 8:30 and 11:00 and Sunday

School for all ages at 9:45 a.m. Children of all ages are welcomed and

cherished by this congregation. Childcare for infants through kinder-

garteners is provided on Sunday mornings by our paid sitters and

parent volunteers.

The Sanctuary is wheelchair accessible. Handicapped parking spaces

are available, and a parking assistant will be available to help you out

of your car. Assistive hearing devices and large-print bulletins and

hymnals are available during worship. Office hours: Monday—Friday

8:30-4:30. Call (919) 929-2102 for more information. Learn more

about our programs from the church Website (www.upcch.org) and

Facebook page (www.facebook.com/upcch).

Local Outreach News:

Announcing the UPC Book Dr ive !

Attention, all University Presbyterian Church families: We need your new and gently used children’s books!

We will be running a book drive from February 15 to March 1.

The books we collect will be donated to Book Harvest, a Triangle non-

profit that collects children’s books and provides them to children in

need. Book Harvest has given more than 170,000 donated books to low-

income children throughout the Triangle.

We know from recent studies that the single biggest predictor of aca-

demic success is the presence of books in the home. Yet many chil-

dren in the Triangle do not own a single book.

Together, we can help all our kids succeed in school and in life—simply

by giving them books! Let’s each take some time to clear our cluttered

shelves of books our kids have outgrown so that we may give those books

a second life with a child who needs them. We need books for all ages,

especially board books and picture books for the youngest readers.

Watch for the book collection bins at the Henderson Street en-

trance, in Room 228 and in the Parlor from Sunday, February 15, until Sunday, March 1—and please help us fill them!

To volunteer with our book drive or to learn more, please contact UPC Local Outreach Committee Chair Bart Phillips at

theonebart@gmail.com or Kaarin Huffman of the Adult Education Committee at kaarin.huffman@gmail.com.

To learn more about Book Harvest, please visit their Website at www.bookharvestnc.org.