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ONE VISION LED TO YOUNGSTERS IN OUR PRESCHOOL AND OVER INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN PARK CENTER CLASSES. 3,373 155
Christian formation provides individuals the opportunity to grow their faith and deepen their understanding of God’s Word. At Pinnacle, we enjoy a wide variety of classes, lectures and small group gatherings.
Newly formed Women’s Fellowship small groups had over 50 women in six groups who enjoyed an 8-week study of Rachel Held Evan’s Inspired last fall.
In June Pinnacle hosted a community forum about Asylum Seekers. Over 120 members and friends attended the event to learn more.
Vacation Bible School 2019 was themed “Life is Wild, God is Good.” 200 infant - 5th Grade students and 85 volunteers participated in the week-long event. Pinnacle’s entire campus was used to share daily messages and lessons.
Pinnacle member William Tait and his non-profit company Reddeum Group provided an extensive evaluation and training for emergency response. Preschool staff participated in an active shooter training prior to children arriving in the fall.
At the beginning of 2019 Dr. Michael Hegeman took over leadership of SAGE (Senior Adults Gaining Enrichment), guiding a weekly time of fellowship and learning. The group covered a
myriad of educational topics, experienced two summer field trips, and took a deep dive into the Book of Psalms as we wrapped up 2019. A highlight for the year was having Pinnacle member Stephen Crosby present on the history and future of Notre Dame Cathedral. In 2020 we look forward to exploring the book of Mark and hearing from diverse speakers on art, faith, history, culture and mission.
A highlight for the Men’s Breakfast group, also led by Dr. Hegeman, occurred when church member, Ron Kevern, came to share his own story of working with men in prison, counselling them in matters of faith and spiritual growth, and when Lutheran pastor, Mark Rossman, came to share about the legacy of Martin Luther for Lutherans and other inheritors of the Reformation. SAGE and Men’s Breakfast, which both meet year-round, average 20/25 in attendance.
2019 marked a special event for our Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool, when 12 preschool educators traveled with a group of 200 educators from the US to Reggio Emilia, Italy for an intensive week-long Educator Study Tour. Our team explored multiple Reggio Emilia schools, engaging with Reggio educators while attending conference sessions and hands-on workshops.
Back home our preschool classrooms began an exploration of our desert environment. Designed as a school-wide intention, teaching teams provided time and multiple ways to experience the arroyo. The teachers and students created a shared learning experience of this amazing desert that we call home.
During spring the Fran Park Center for Faith and Life partnered with the Spiritual Arts Committee to recognize Earth Week 2019 by offering several activities and learning opportunities: Dr. Nate Stucky of Princeton Theological Seminary shared his stories of the "Farminary Project" which he started as a new teaching method at Princeton Seminary. His scholarship explores the integration of theological education and agrarianism which proves a success as the most demanded class(es) offered. Park Center participants learned how the work of farming is governed by the seasons and Sabbath. Over 200 members and friends joined us for Earth Week at Pinnacle and around the community.
For many, summer at Pinnacle offers opportunities for planning and strategizing. The Park Center took this opportunity to bring together its Advisory Group for a day-long retreat at the Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree to focus on the direction it's headed in 2020 and beyond. Revisiting its mission and vision statements, the group unanimously determined that a focus on the youth is pertinent. They also began to envision what a School of Theology would look like as it moves forward with online programming.
Pinnacle was delighted to welcome Ms. Brennen Hogg, as interim Director for Youth. Brennen provides leadership for Youth programming, while the Park Center has assumed leadership for the class of ten confirmands. Dr. Michael Hegeman serves as the class instructor and Kelly McGinn coordinates the programming aspects. We have ten dedicated confirmands currently in the program, each with a mentor who supports them in their faith journey. The program year started with a day-long retreat, we meet weekly for Confirmation Class + Worship and finished 2019 with a mission trip to UMOM where we taught Sunday School to the younger residents.
