Our Call
Our campaign theme is based on the hymn “God Whose Giving Knows No Ending”, focusing especially on a phrase in the last verse “Open wide our hands in sharing, as we heed Christ's ageless call, healing, teaching, and reclaiming, serving you by loving all.”
We are challenged to respond to God’s abundant gifts with the gift of self in service of God and God’s people. We nurture the children and youth in our congregation because God has entrusted them to our care. We support local, national, and international organizations, and look for further ways to serve others through the lens of our Matthew 25 initiative. We come together in worship, enriched by God’s word and beautiful music because we know we cannot live out our faith alone.
Despite the challenges of the past few years, God’s abundant blessings overflow. We hope you will join us in worship this Sunday, October 30, for our Stewardship Dedication Sunday, when we will bring our 2023 commitments forward in an act of stewardship as Christ’s disciples. After the 11 a.m. service, the Hospitality Committee is hosting a fall-themed congregational luncheon that you won’t want to miss. As we come together as the body of Christ who gathers at Anchorage Presbyterian, may we prayerfully consider recommitting our time, talents, and treasure to the “gracious donor of our days” - the one who directs, protects, and remains with us always.
Get Active
A church is just a building without its people. Anchorage Presbyterian is an active, vibrant community because we have so many members helping us live out our mission every day : Gathering people of God into community; Growing followers of Jesus Christ in faith, hope, and love; and sending servants of the Holy Spirit into the world.
There many ways to get involved. Whether it's supporting church events, helping with worship, joining a committee, engaging in different groups or supporting the numerous charities we sponsor, you will likely find something that enriches your faith journey.
We encourage you not only to give your treasure, but your talent as well by getting more involved in our church.
Each week, we will introduce you to members living out the church mission.
Offering Up Ourselves in Praise - WORSHIP
Worship transitioned from virtual to vibrant, as we joined together in praise with our fellow members for the first time since the pandemic. From Christmas Eve to Brush Arbor services, we safely and gratefully gathered. We also celebrated the confirmation of five APC youth on Easter Sunday. We are thankful for our many committees, volunteers, choir members, staff, and others who made it possible to join in communion once again.
Born with Talents, Make us Servants - OUTREACH
As a church body, we are grateful that the generosity of our membership allows us to give in abundance. We gifted more than $60,000 to charitable organizations. Our members donated 84 backpacks to children fleeing Ukraine. We rallied around Afghan refugees to help them find shelter, transportation, and jobs. Through the gift of music, talented vocalists and musicians opened the doors of our sanctuary to the community. And our Matthew 25 "A Place at the Table" speaker series opened eyes and hearts to the need to help foster equity in Louisville and beyond.
And to Spread the Gospel Word - FAITH FORMATION
Learning and spreading the word of Christ is our duty as disciples. This summer marked 45 years of the Bibletimes marketplace, bringing the story of exile to life for our youngest members. APC teens journeyed to the Montreat Conference to engage with fellow youth. Supper and Study returned for the first time since the pandemic. Plus, we joyfully kicked off our faith formation classes with a rousing Rally Day and our Live in the Light theme.
What are Your Fellow Members Saying?
It’s autumn in Kentucky with cool nights, sunny days and fall colors! Autumn has always been a time for me to restart and renew. It brings nostalgia of children returning to school, hopes for a winning football season, and anticipation of annual traditions of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas soon to come.
Autumn is also an opportunity for many aspects of our church life to restart. We look forward to Sunday school, choir, Bible study and pot-luck lunches after church. It is a time of renewal for the APC community, a time to reconnect in fellowship with our church family. And Autumn is the time when we renew our commitment to stewardship within our congregation and in God’s world. This year, Stewardship Dedication Sunday will be October 30. We are hoping to have all pledge cards in by early November so that the Finance Committee prepare the 2023 budget soon thereafter.
Each year when I consider my annual pledge to Anchorage Presbyterian Church, I am thankful for the time and money that our church gives to the broader community. This year, I also reflect on what this stewardship has meant to me personally over the years. Why am I drawn back to the church each year as the summer holidays and travel come to an end? Three words come to mind – community, acceptance, hope.
Ten years ago this month, my husband Ralph died after a long battle with cancer. The APC community surrounded Ralph, our children and me with loving care during his illness and death, accepted us as we struggled to put our lives back together, and gave us hope that we could find a new life without Ralph by our side. APC ministers, elders, deacons and members visited in the hospital, provided constant prayer, sent cards, delivered meals and guided me through the many details to be dealt with after death. Those of you who have said goodbye to a loved one in an APC memorial service know that this extremely difficult responsibility is something our church community does extremely well. The traditional meal for family and friends after the service is a wonderful blessing and one for which I will be forever grateful.
For many years, I hoped for a place where I could bury Ralph’s ashes and where our children could come to be present with him. The APC Memory Garden was an answer to that prayer. Contrary to the old saying, time does not completely heal all wounds. To help myself and others learn to live with similar life-long loss, I recently helped start an APC widow’s support group. These lovely women accept each other wherever they are in their grief and provide hope through the example of the lives they’ve rebuilt for themselves and their families.
After nine more Autumnal restarts with all the ups and downs life has to offer, my family is indeed rebuilt! My daughter, Jackie, returned to the church family and baptized her infant son who is now 3-years-old. My son, Shawn, had a daughter who is now 5 and recently married Sylina who has two daughters. My three granddaughters love to come to Sunday school, listen to the children’s sermon and to sing with Miss Darla. They announce, “That’s our church!” every time they pass by. The APC community extends their love and acceptance to another generation and renews my hope once again.
In this stewardship season, I am thankful for the open and accepting APC community who extends love and support and hope within and outside our Church. My annual pledge is one way I can repay a portion of my debt of gratitude to each of you and to our fellowship in the Christian faith.
From Ann Walthall, Stewardship Committee