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Markham Messenger
By: Rev. Joe Wendorph
“Lifetime Guarantee”
Alisa and I have always wanted to travel the coast of Maine. We had seen the images and docu-
mentaries which highlight the clear waters, rocky coast, and classic fishing-cove villages. In June,
we finally did our Maine adventure. Unfortunately, ‘all things must end,’ and so it was with our
Maine vacation. So, we said goodbye to the cool breezes, foggy mornings, and blue sky after-
noons. Stepping off the plane, Orlando met us with dark clouds, heavy rain and a hot muggy over-
coat. Oh, how we longed to be back in Maine.
But wait, there is more! Just after our first Sunday back with worship and lunch, we made our way
through the humidity into the coolness of our home. Not so fast. Through the day, I kept mention-
ing to Alisa that I was feeling warm – especially my ears. (I had recently experienced a case of
shingles in my ears which cause them to burn.) She said, she felt fine. Nearing the evening, I said
it again, and this time Alisa agreed. I went to check the thermostat in the house, and it was reading
79 degrees. Yep, our nine-year-old air conditioning had gone on the fritz. Does anything last forev-
er?
The fact that our not-so-old A/C did not last very long caused me to remember something I heard
on the flight back from Maine. Seated behind me on the plane was a rather talkative individual
whose unique voice traveled quite well. No, I was not eavesdropping; however, I could not help
hearing his conversation. Seems he was a wedding videographer (yes this is a thing) and he was
explaining the care that he put into every wedding shoot. What caught my attention was one partic-
ular phrase he used to express his motivation, “I want to give them a memory that will last as long
as their relationship.”
This struck me as curious. When I officiate at a wedding, I want the experience and the covenant
each couple makes to one another to last forever, not “as long as the relationship lasts.” The video
guy’s wording sounded open-ended as if the relationship were destined to end. I may be naive, but
I hope that a marriage covenant lasts a lifetime. I know that is not always the case, but I would not
want anyone entering a marital relationship thinking, ‘this is good as long as it lasts.’ In his words, I
felt the videographer was declaring no guarantee to the marriage. So, be it an air conditioner or a
marital relationship, does anything last forever?
There is only one which I know of – a relationship with God through the life-saving action of Jesus
Christ! The Bible does say we are forgiven as long as the relationship lasts, but we are talking
about God – God has no beginning, no end. Jesus is alive in all space and all time and all dimen-
sions. A relationship with Him does last. It’s a guarantee. It’s all in the warranty agreement – the
Bible, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away. See,
everything has become new!” (I Corinthians 5:17) “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
By the way, the cost for my new A/C is $8,000.00 and does not come with a lifetime guarantee.
The cost for Jesus’ lifetime guarantee? Nothing to us; however, it was the cross for Him. Let that
sink in a bit.
July 2021
2 The Markham Messenger
By: Finance Committee
Financial Report
MWPC financial cash flow year-to-date through May 31 is positive. Thanks to strong pledge support and continued
lower expenses reductions in other income have been offset. Session will continue to monitor the overall cash flow
to ensure all commitments are met. Summer months will be monitored closely as that is the time of lower overall in-
come.
Heathrow Christian Academy cash flow remains steady with support of higher enrollment during the early months of
2021, grant money and a second Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Sufficient reserve cash flow now exists
to cover costs during the summer months.
Following is a summary of the church portion of the campus budget. Overall cash flow is the key measurement for
the Session’s attention.
MWPC Budget Actual
Church Income $305,400
Church Expenses $292,600
Overall (Income less Expenses) $12,800
Session Notes By: Bryan Southard
Session ratified the e-vote to discontinue the relationship with the Hungarian School.
Session approved the planning of a potential fall youth/family retreat to occur in October.
Session approved the following recommendation regarding COVID-19 procedures:
Stop temperature screenings
Masks are optional
Continue with the procedure for communion offering
Continue disinfecting pews for now
Continue with the procedure that we have in place for now
Keep hand sanitizers in place, possibly permanently
Expand the use of Lectors starting in June
Session approved serving communion on June 14 for the Disciple II class.
Session approved the communion dates for 2021: 1/3, 2/7, 3/7, 4/4, 5/2, 6/6, 7/4, 8/1, 9/5, 10/3, 11/7, 12/5
Missions Update By: Jane Allingham
Here’s a brief update on the work MWPC is doing through the Grace n’ Grits program housed at First United Meth-
odist Church of Sanford. We continue to help with the food sorting (every Thursday at noon) and food distribution
(every Friday at 10 a.m.) and provide hot meals on Fridays. Thank you to the faithful volunteers! This is a great pro-
gram to get food into very hungry households. During the summer, the program is even more important since the
logistics and need to feed school age children can cripple the resources of families. Many of the families do not have
transportation and are unable to carry enough items home in their arms. As a result, this June, the program has
started a mobile food distribution effort. What a blessing for those families who won’t have to make a choice be-
tween carrying canned goods, meat, or milk.
This is an outgrowth of the Picnic Project based in Sanford. Did you know that part of their donations come from
people who order prepared food for pick-up on Sundays? Pick up is only on Sundays from 11 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Their
email is fare@picnicproject.org if you want to know more.
In other news, the sewing group is going strong with the monthly sewing sessions on Thursdays. Contact Patti
Lovette at rplovette@gmail.com if you are interested in assisting. Missions gets really rolling in August as we plan
and start up the end-of-year projects. Let me know if you are interested in being a part of this vital outreach.
3 The Markham Messenger
By: REV. JODY MASK
The Hardest Part
I miss Tom Petty. He was a Florida Man, back when that wasn't a pejorative statement. Born in Gainesville in 1950,
the man who fronted the rock band called The Heartbreakers would go on to sell more than 80 million records world-
wide.
Of course, his fame soon carried him far beyond north central Florida. But that fame might not have come were it not
for the fact that he met Elvis Presley at a film shoot in 1961 in Ocala, when Tom was ten years old. Young Tom soon
traded his Wham-O slingshot with a friend for a collection of Elvis 45s. And the rest was history!
One of my favorite Petty songs is "The Waiting," which was released two decades after that fateful meeting with Elvis.
By then, Petty was a certified platinum star. If you read the full lyrics of the song, it definitely sounds like a love song—
but one that was a long time coming, as the title states. The chorus paints a fuller portrait of this feeling:
The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you get one more yard
You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part
You know how much we don't like waiting for things these days? We've transcended mere instant gratification—now
we want it yesterday! And that could be anything: justice, a new season of your favorite show, that Amazon delivery,
or inspiration to solve that problem in your life. In the age of technological instance, waiting is counter cultural.
I recently read a fascinating essay response to a "support request" from Wired magazine's spiritual advice columnist
(sounds like a great gig!). Here's the request:
I recently downloaded one of those camera apps that makes you wait a few days before you can access the
photos. The delay reminds me of waiting to get photos developed as a kid and makes the whole process
more enjoyable. But aren’t I supposed to use technology to make things faster and more efficient? Am I de-
luding myself by trying to somehow live in the past?
The answer began with "It’s difficult to talk about cameras without also talking about time. Photography is an attempt
to outwit the clock and the calendar…" I never considered that angle (ahem) before, and the rest of the essay proved
equally thought-provoking. Consider especially this quote from Bertrand Russell: “A life too full of excitement is an
exhausting life, in which continually stronger stimuli are needed to give the thrill that has come to be thought an es-
sential part of pleasure." To think that Mr. Russell made that observation in 1930, when the only screens to be found
were in movie theaters, is enough to make you pass the popcorn.
We recently had dinner with friends we had not seen since the beginning of COVID. Eric, the husband of the couple,
is the woodworking artist who created the baptismal font stand in our sanctuary as a gift on behalf of my ordination.
His wife, Kathy, had dealt with cancer in the years prior to the lockdown. The cruel irony for them was that just as they
were receiving the good news that her cancer was in remission and she could circulate in the world more freely, the
world shut down.
Naturally, we had a great time catching up over a dinner of grilled chicken kabobs and salad. The chicken had been
marinating for 24 hours; with food prep, waiting is often key to flavor. But one thing I came to realize in the course of
our trying to solve the world's problems at dinner was that the speed of technological innovation--and the cultural
changes that accompany it-- has superseded our psychological and emotional capacity to process those changes.
So maybe we could use a new (old) spiritual discipline: waiting. Maybe we don't need that shiny new thing we saved
in our digital cart as much or as quickly as we think. Maybe the waiting will teach us about our priorities. Maybe it will
give us time to think about societal inequities and how we can fix them. Maybe it will simply provide space as well as
time to remember who is Lord of both space and time. Maybe it will remind us to go outside and watch the world go
by.
There are several psalms that encourage waiting, including the end of Psalm 27 and 130:5-8. During Advent, we de-
vote a whole season of church life to waiting. So, as you dig out some decorations to celebrate Christmas in July, you
might wait to celebrate Advent first! As you wait, look up a song by the Taizé community in France called "Wait for the
Lord." It can help you practice this spiritual discipline with these prescient reminders:
Wait for the Lord, whose day is near;
Wait for the Lord, keep watch, take heart!
5 The Markham Messenger
Hey Impact! By: Clayton and Cassidy
We hope everyone is making the most of their summers and enjoying every moment of it after a long and stressful
school year! This month Impact is having a MONTH OF ADVENTURE! Every week we will be offering a mid-week
Bible Study and hosting a fun outing! We will be going to Wekiva Island, Funspot, and Battleground Orlando! And
get this… to attend all these events costs a total of $25.00!!! Thanks to a generous and AMAZING donor, Impact
can make summer even more fun AND AFFORDABLE! To learn more about these events check out the descrip-
tions below and don’t forget to mark your calendars! We hope to see you this summer!
Date Event Time
July 7, 14, 21, 28 Bible study in the Student Center! We will be diving into a story 7:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m.
in the Bible and discussing it as a group. Dinner is included.
July 17 Impact is going to Wekiva Springs! Transportation from the Stu- Arrive by 8:30 a.m.
dent Center provided. Cost for event is $10.00. RSVP by 7/14. Bus departs at 8:45 a.m.
July 24 Impact is going to Funspot! Transportation from the Student Bus departs at 9:30 a.m.
Center provided. Cost for event is $10.00. RSVP by 7/14.
July 30 Impact is going to Battle Ground Orlando and having a lock-in Arrive by 7:30 p.m.
after. Depart from the Student Center to Battle Ground Orlando/
laser tag. After laser-tag, we will order pizzas and have a lock-in
at the student Center.
By: Pastor Joe
Summers Count...
I encourage all of us to use this upcoming summer for Christ, too. I know, even now, many of you may be off in
search of your own endless summer. Make the most of it. Create memories. Find your moments of restoration. Re-
member too that this summer counts in your commitment and fellowship to the ministry of Christ’s Body. Do the math.
How many summers do you have to serve Christ, to grow faith and help grow the faith of others? Your spiritual walk
and service to Christ is just as important this summer and all the summers God gives to you.
AUGUST 29, 2021
SINGLE SERVICE AT 10:00 a.m.
Connection Day following the service in Anderson Hall
4 The Markham Messenger
HCA Update By: Cheryl Beck
HCA started our school year with less than half our available enrollment. We ended the school year strong with al-
most 100% capacity for the programs that we offered during the 20-21 school year. HCA graduated 37 VPK students
and 11 Kindergarten students this year. Hats off to an amazing staff that made this year a wonderful experience for
the students, even with all the challenges that dealing with COVID-19 brought us.
The Gift of Love By: Cindy Teetzel
I believe that one of the main things that God expects of us is love. Paul writes about how important it is, that we can
do amazing things, and if we do not do it with love, we have nothing. Our church family has a lot of gifts and talent
and I know firsthand that it is all done with love. A perfect example of this is the many volunteers that made Vacation
Bible School happen this year. A big thank you to all the wonderful, loving people that spent hours planning, guiding,
and loving the many children in our community! You made it happen and many children had a fantastic experience
learning about the Armor of God and feeling His love through Markham Woods Presbyterian Church. You are great-
Women’s Retreat
ly appreciated!
6 The Markham Messenger
Get to know our Intern By: Cindy Anderson
Hope you are all doing well this summer! As many of you know, MWPC has a summer intern, JD Gierach. JD is no
stranger to our church, but do you really know him? JD attended our last deacons meeting, and we learned a little
about him, but I wanted to know more. So, here is a short Q&A that I asked JD to participate in, and I wanted to
share with our church family what I learned.
Tell us about your educational journey.
My educational journey has had a lot of variety. I got my B.S. in Psychology from Furman University and went
through the pre-dental track, going as far as taking the dental admissions test, but I felt a calling my senior year and
decided to follow up with it which brought me to Duke Divinity School. At Duke my faith has been challenged in many
ways, but it has made me stronger in my relationship with God and my commitment to God’s work. Studying the
Christian faith in an academic setting has no doubt tested my beliefs with fire (1 Cor. 3:13) but so far, I have come out
in a more passionate yet humble place to discover and learn new things about my faith each and every day.
Why did you choose to intern at MWPC?
I chose to intern at MWPC because I know this church and I figured MWPC would know where I would be most help-
ful and where I would need to grow. Duke Divinity allows you to go through the Duke Endowment which places you at
a church that they see best fits your goals or you can set up your own internship. Last summer I had an online intern-
ship (due to COVID), but I realized this year that working at a church that I know very well and that knows me would
be beneficial for many reasons, so I reached out to Pastor Joe and here we are. If I were to intern at a church that did
not know me as well as the staff and congregation here at MWPC, I don’t think I’d have the same opportunities. I am
grateful for this church that has helped me in my youth and encouraged me and supported me through college and
now seminary. Without MWPC I doubt I’d be where I am today, so in my humble opinion, I might as well learn from
the best!
What is your objective for the summer?
Pastor Joe and I have sat down and written a few objectives to accomplish. The main objectives that I’d like to gain
more experience in are: preaching/leading, pastoral care, and furthering my knowledge on the administrative work
behind the scenes. So far, I’ve been able to go on a pastoral visit and I’ve been to multiple administrative meetings
including the Central Florida Presbytery meeting. Behind all of the goals we’ve established for the summer is the big
objective of discerning my call into ministry. I still don’t know where I’ll end up after school, but I am leaning towards
pastoral work. This summer will play a huge role in determining what I choose to pursue after Divinity School.
When did you decide that you wanted to be in ministry?
My decision to be in ministry feels more like the story of Moses who made every excuse when God called him to be a
leader. As I said earlier, I was ready to apply to dental school, but I was a very different person by the time my senior
year rolled around, and one night the thought of ministry popped in my head. I researched seminary for hours and
called Pastor Joe the next week to discuss with him what was happening. I believe God placed that thought in my
head for a reason, and I started to realize that ministry is something I have always been passionate about. Seeing the
fact that God changed my life, I felt like I wanted to commit my life to bringing people to the Lord. A lot of people think
of heaven and hell when we talk about conversion, but Jesus spent the majority of His time on earth preaching the
Kingdom in the present moment. God was healing people and changing their lives on earth, not just in the life to
come. When my beliefs about Christianity switched from solely being a bunch of rules to follow into guiding principles
that would help me live a more fulfilling life, I had no choice but to try to give that to others, because God’s guidance
and presence have been the greatest blessings in my life.
What part of ministry are you most interested in and passionate about?
I am most interested in pastoral leadership and spiritual growth. My desire is that people will see the importance of
the spiritual life that is prayer and contemplation. I want those who don’t believe in God to see how great God is and
the significant ways that God can change our lives in the past, present and future.
Where do you believe your gifts will enable you to make the greatest impact?
This is something I’m praying about and trying to understand because at this point, I’m not sure. I think because I am
young and because of my journey to Christ I am able to relate to teenagers and college kids in a significant way. I am
hoping that my experience can be used to help them navigate their own faith journey. I am also musically gifted and
have been writing and recording music my whole life. My music brought me to the church when I first started playing
guitar for MWPC and I plan on keeping music at the forefront of my ministry as a way to connect with people outside
the church and a way to worship God in the church.
How would you share your faith with today's youth who don't necessarily believe or understand God?
In this current age I think the most important factor in sharing our faith with the youth is staying humble and sharing
what we do in a proper love that is established by God. If you ask people who don’t go to church, many will express a
feeling of resentment because they were judged and ridiculed by the church. We the, church, are supposed to be
known by our love, not by our strict rules that the church itself struggles to follow. If we spend more time trying to love
the youth because they are God’s creation and less time trying to reform their behavior, I think we will make progress.
Paul always called his churches to imitate him and to imitate Christ because that is how we are changed. If we want
the youth to know God, we need to imitate Christ by loving our youth despite our cultural differences and then hope
and pray that they will imitate us and imitate Christ.
Continued on page seven
The Markham Messenger 7
2 Alicia Emerine 18 Rick Kurtz
2 Wilson Jordan 18 Allan Stiles
July Years 19 Kelly Poppell
2 Alisa Wendorph
1 Greg & Heidi Limongi 33 20 Dane Bouck
3 Randy Andrus Jr
4 Aaron & Tiffany Staley 5 20 Holli Ridinger
3 William Holt
20 Sarah Ward
10 David & Cheryl Beck 38 4 Katie Leavitt 21 Erica Beaton
14 Robert & Lourdes Longobardo 36 5 Bobby Dove 22 Michael Bernheim
20 Jerry & Christine Bouck 36 5 Chris Fllint 22 Carlie Jackson
25 Mark & Karen Sutton 24 5 Bryce Gagne 22 Emma McCoy
27 Uday & Rebecca Yadav 49 5 Tim Poppell 23 Michael McDonald
29 Mike & Susan Dissinger 16 7 Linda Hitt 23 Jeff Potter
30 Bill & Camy Keck 38 7 Erin LeRoy 24 Kent Allingham
9 Christina Culbertson 24 Hailey Boveri
9 Rob Hawkins Jr. 24 Joan Brooks
9 Tami McDonald 24 Evan Terwilleger
By: Cheryl Beck
9 Olivia Menziuso 25 Terry Turner
A great big thank you to those who donated 26 Miles Bryan
45 records to the school for our craft project. 12 Rob Dove
The kids had fun hydro-dipping them for 12 Annika Waguespack 28 Ann Barkley
their art project. 28 Bruce Henry
13 Eyeri Rodriguez
14 Judy Southard 29 Lizzy Haller
15 Michael Andrews 29 Patti Lovette
15 Mark Mahler 29 Linda Parks
17 Morgan Mullins 30 James Robinson
17 Sallie Proudfoot 30 Sydney Winzeler
31 Tom Reininger
Continued from page 6
How would you persuade teenagers to be open to faith, God, and following the path that He has set out for
them when they want instant gratification?
This is a very difficult question because we as humans can be very shortsighted. If Adam and Eve fully understood
the repercussions of their decisions, I’m sure they would not have eaten from the tree. Yet we see from that story
that human nature includes impulsiveness and bad judgment. What happens next though? God pursues Adam and
Eve and in the larger Biblical story, God pursues the world eventually sending God’s own Son, Jesus, to save and
reorient the world towards goodness. Therefore, we first have to understand that even as adults we want instant grati-
fication, but we have learned from our mistakes in pursuing that. Many teenagers want instant gratification but have
not experienced how futile and harmful that pursuit can be. I think the best thing we can do is create meaningful and
open relationships so that they can open up to us and ask us for advice without feeling judged. When we create a
loving environment, a feeling of trust will bloom, and when trust abounds, teenagers will be more inclined to trust and
learn from our mistakes rather than having to make the same mistakes that we did. So we need to focus our efforts
on creating loving relationships that are filled with grace.
What an amazing story of how God is working through JD to serve the body of Christ. I believe you would agree that
it is exciting for MWPC to have a front row seat to his journey. It is a journey of stepping out in faith to follow God's
calling. An inspiration to all of us.
Markham Woods Presbyterian Church NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
5210 Markham Woods Road US POSTAGE
Lake Mary, Florida 32746 PAID
MID-FLORIDA
Growing the Faith of the Whole Family of God PERMIT #0064
Inwardly Strong, Outwardly Focused
OR CURRENT RESIDENT
JULY 2021
By: Chris Leinenkugel
Event Date and Time Location Contact
Bridge July 11 at 1:00 p.m. Classroom 1 Joan Dauphinee at dauphinee@cfl.rr.com
PrimeTimers July 12 at Noon Anderson Hall RSVP by July 12 to 407.333.2030 or
and Sanctuary Chris Leinenkugel at cleinenkugel@mwpcusa.org
Enjoy lunch and a concert with Bob Joyner and Tami McDonald. Kevin Grant is preparing a delicious lunch (optional
$5.00 contribution is requested) after lunch join us for an amazing organ and piano concert. You will not want to miss
this fun event!
We hope to have the rest of the PrimeTimers events confirmed shortly. Watch for notifications in the Markham Mes-
senger, bulletins and on the church’s Facebook page!
History of Christianity July 18 at 12:30 p.m. Doshi Room Chris Leinenkugel at cleinenkugel@mwpcusa.org
Course 101
Ally Anderson will be our presenter on the Reformation. Discussion will follow the presentations. Everyone is wel-
come. Stay tuned for future speakers and topics. This course will typically meet on the 3rd Sunday of the month.
Men’s Prayer Breakfast July 24 at 7:45 a.m. Cracker Barrel Mark Roberts at 407-718-7837
Sanford, FL
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