HANDS OF CHRIST is a Presbyterian Church (USA) program that demonstrates the love of Christ by providing FREE uniforms and school supplies to children in need. Last year 4220 CCSD children benefited from this program.

Second Presbyterian responded generously with donations of school supplies, clothing (girls' and boys' underwear, socks and shirts (polo type with collars, white), and money. Supplies will be distributedfromJuly22ndthroughAugust13th from13Presbyterianchurches. Aslongassupplieshold out, each child will receive two uniforms (one new and one gently used) and a bag of grade-appropriate school supplies. Presbyterian Women are again asking you to participate by leaving your donations in the designated boxes in the Fellowship Hall.

In the last newsletter, I expressed the great desire our youth have for continued fellowship, continued adventures, and continued opportunities to grow in their faith. We have been praying for these things to be realities, particularly in the summer months, as we recognize that it is not uncommon for involvement to taper off significantly during this season.As we are now into July, still on a high from the youth trip to Montreat at the beginning of June and gearing up for a camping trip to Carowinds at the end of the month, I feel confident in saying that just because it's summertime, God has absolutely not stopped working in mighty ways through His ministry with the youth here. Most of all, I feel confident saying this because in the space between trips, activities, projects, and so on, there continues to be a sweet energy and excitement for what is going on amongst us. Mountain top experiences that the Lord gives us are certainly wonderful gifts, but they are not to be idolized and mistaken for where God is most alive. He is just as present and just as alive in the day-to-day, often monotonous motions of life as in our deepest spiritual encounters with Him. The Spirit is revealing this to our youth.

On June 5th, Laura Taylor, Brittany Baumer and I set off for Montreat, NC to attend the first 6-day youth conference of the summer. I was excited to have this extended time with these two girls, especially because we have a larger middle school group than high school group at Second Church, and I see both girls as leaders in the direction our youth group is heading, (Laura will be a sophomore in the fall and Brittany a freshman).Amongst many things, the week certainly served to inspire leadership in each of them. When asked at the end of the week for what purpose they each believed God had brought them on the trip, their responses were as follows:

Laura: “To reopen my eyes. To remind me that He is always with me, all I have to do is ask.”

Brittany: “To give me a release. To show me that people really care. To strengthen my faith.”

Many of you have been and are a part of what God has been doing in this area of the Body that we belong to. You may be a part of it by volunteering your time as a Sunday school teacher to our children and youth.You may have been a part of it through advocating for Sunday school to continue through the summer, (which it has been).You may have been a part through encouraging our youth as they have participated in worship services in various ways in the past few months. You may have supported them by eating barbecue on Mother's Day, the proceeds from which are going directly towards

Tea Room Thanks!

THANK YOU SO MUCH! To all of you who worked, cooked, ate and donated to the "Seconds Please" Tea Room, you made this year a tremendous success. Thanks to all of your efforts, we have contributed $6,100.00 to local missions. The committee (best committee etc.) worked tirelessly, as always, to stage a fantastic event!

Again, a round of applause to all of you and a big ThankYou!

I have fond memories of Charleston and now, after last weekend, have even more. Thanks!

Cathy. My love to each of you, You will be ever in my prayers.

Serving the IAM, Ron (Ronnie) White

Thanks from the Mission Committee

The Missions Committee would like to express their gratitude to the congregation of Second Church for their support during our recent Missions campaign. Donations were down from years past but we thank God for the response of our congregation.

Thanks to our church family for their generous donations as well as our Tea Room leaders and volunteers. Without your help Second Church would not be able to help with programs for neighborhood children, Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy, Colin McK. Grant Home, Crisis Ministries, Medical Benevolence Congo Good Shepherd Hospital, Presbyterian Student Association, Star Gospel Mission, Thornwell Home for Children, Water Missions International, Rural Missions, Bible Foundation, Habitat for Humanity Women's Build, just to name a few.

Celebrate the sharing of gifts from God through our Missions Program! Just remember…..it's never too late to donate to the Missions of Second Church…there is always a need.

Congratulations to Mel and Scott Pearson on the birth of their daughter, Sophia Lee Pearson on May 31, 2011.

Mom and baby are doing well and are at home, 355 Susan Drive, Charleston, SC 29407.

July July July July

7/1	Anne Bolt	7/8		Brittany Baumer		7/17		Suzanne Hallman			7/26	Michael Bonner
	Hydie Burroughs			Benjamin Muldrow				Barbara Jean McDonald				Alexander McNulty
7/2	Jason Gainey			Georgie Smythe, Jr.		7/18		Harry McLean			7/27	Cathy Hinson
7/4	Greta Howe	7/9		Lucas Aimar		7/20		Emmett Hughes			7/28	Stockton Jacobs
7/5	Rebecca Darwin			Mendel Scurfield		7/21		Meredith Hinson
	Sallie Schuh	7/10		Bruce Sibley		7/22		Isabelle Smythe
	Luke Whisnant	7/12		Ruth Carr		7/24		Shateara Hall
7/6	Christine Garner	7/15		Sharon Hoffman		7/25		Katherine King
	August			August				August				August
8/1	Victoria Bucher		8/12		Ashley Chandler		8/22		James Lichty	8/26		Lily Darwin
	Willliam P. Luhn		8/17		Carol Howe		8/23		SaSa Darwin	8/28		Diane Balister
8/3	Beverly Bonner		8/18		Dave Stanton				Gus Smythe			Dolly Burns
8/5	Thomas Broadwater		8/19		Lauren Staubes		8/24		Brady Quick-			Laura Tucker
	Stewart McKnight		8/21		Nancy Bryant				Garvan	8/31		Sue Barnett
8/11	Mark McKnight				Edward Howe				Matt Watson
							8/25		Walt Bonner, Jr.

Greetings in Christ from the children and staff at Thornwell. I hope your summer is beginning on a happy and healthy note. Summer vacation has begun on campus and is being celebrated and enjoyed by trips to camps and church conferences, Vacation Bible School, swimming lessons and cottage vacations. These are magical summer days of happy childhoods.

Thank you and the congregation of Second Presbyterian Church for your gift of $570.00. Your kind generosity helps our ministry provide opportunities for fun and personal growth to children who otherwise might never have them. By giving to Thornwell, you have invested in the lives of beautiful and deserving children who appreciate your kindness. Thank you!

This month marks the arrival of Thornwell's ninth president, Rev. Elliot M. Smith. Elliot and his wife Jill have come to us from Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services inAustin, Texas. We are delighted to have Elliot and Jill join our Thornwell family, and we are grateful to have you as a member of the Thornwell family and a partner in ministry.

Sincerely, WilliamF.(Bill)Tiller,VicePresidentforAdvancement

On a warm evening in April, a group of students from the College of Charleston and the Citadel gathered in the Children's Museum Park on John Street to hear and discuss the new vision for the Presbyterian campus ministry in Charleston. Newly authorized by the Presbytery to lead campus ministry in the new year just days before, I stood on a bench and talked about my hopes and plans for reviving a Presbyterian Students Association, a group that had ceased meeting for the last couple months because no students from the college were coming. I wanted to paint a picture for them about what campus ministry could become, what life the Holy Spirit could infuse into it if we could only be obedient to that same Spirit. Allow me to share with you vision that I challenged the students with. It starts with three words:

Christopher (Chris) Peters, former Second Church member, is excited to share the news that he has begun studies for a Masters of Divinity at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. Chris, an Inquirer for Ministry in Trinity Presbytery, recently finished six years of youth and young adult ministry at Forest Lake Presbyterian in Columbia, SC. While in Columbia, Chris began a Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Gulf Coast mission trip ministry, regularly assisted in worship leadership, preached two to three times annually, and moderated the Trinity Presbytery Youth Council. Chris has also led music, recreation, and keynoted Presbytery, regional, and national youth events, including two for Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery and the Montreat Ski Weekend! Next summer Chris will serve as a Co-Director for MontreatYouth Conferences weeks five and six.

“I give much credit to the Second Presbyterian community for laying a strong foundation of loving and serving God and neighbor in my life, which has led me to

attend seminary. I give thanks for memories such as learning the Lord's Prayer and Apostle's Creed in Sunday School, attending the 2nd Kindergarten where my mom taught, and for soup kitchen visits and Starbucks discussions with dedicated adults when I was a youth! As I begin Greek School in July, that foundation goes with me, as well as the stories, relationships, and even my Confirmation Bible from Second!

To all who were a part of my childhood journey at Second, thank you for the support and lasting witness! To all who have come since, I appreciate your prayers and will continue to keep you in my own throughout the days and years to come. God bless!”

Chris is the son of Stuart Peters of Newberry, SC and Jane Peters (d. 1993), former members, youth leaders, elders, and deacons at Second. Stuart andAnne Peters have lived in Newberry, SC since 2003.

Recently, one of our youth was able to take a trip of a lifetime. Brittany Baumer, a rising freshman at James Island Charter High, traveled abroad with the Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina. After ten years as a Girl Scout, she joined the Girl Scouts Globetrotters Group for twelve days and traveled to London, Paris, Florence, Assisi, Rome, Pompeii and Isle of Capri. The group toured London, saw the changing of the guards and Piccadilly Square just to name a few of the sights. She was even able to take a ride on the London Eye ferris wheel. Then she took the Eurostar to Paris where she took in the sights of the Louvre, Versaillies, and the Eiffel Tower. Once in Florence, Italy via a night train, she learned of the famous cathedrals that dot the city. Next she traveled ontoAssisi and toured the Basilica of St. Francis.

Rome was next on the list where she toured the Vatican and the surrounding city. On her walking tour she saw the impressive structures of the Colosseum and the Pantheon. To extend their tour they went on to Pompeii where she saw the cities of the Romans from 2,000 years ago and to Sorrento on the Bay of Naples. To wrap up the excursion, she spent the day on the picturesque Isle of Capri.

Congratulations Brittany on working hard to fund-raise and get the support that allowed you to take such a trip of a lifetime.

The church's organ recently had some long-needed work done. It was badly damaged during Hurricane Hugo, and underwent restoration at that time, some 20 years ago. However, over the years the windchests had begun to leak, batteries in the electrical action wore out, several successive winters of overheating opened cracks in some of the wooden pipes, and the motors which controlled the swell shades (louvers) in the instrument's interior needed replacement. In addition to making needed repairs, a few tonal changes were made which help the overall sound of the instrument. The work was funded by a small part of the Thiele Bequest money and was done byA.E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Co. of Lithonia, GA. An earlier incarnation of this firm, Pipe Organ Sales and Service, had done the work initially after Hugo. While there are still some minor bugs to work out, and it needs a couple more tunings to be stable, some definite improvements can be heard now:

#1 The work began with removal of the pipes. This picture shows the “trays” wooden boxes, which hold the ranks of pipes. #2 Wilson releathering the Swell windchest. He is gluing strips of leather on edges which leaked before. The neoprene which had been used after Hugo had collapsed and in some cases migrated, leaving voids in the seal. Leather is the standard material used for this. #3 Wilson and project foreman Pete Duys replacing one of the swell motors, which are on the ceiling of the chamber, quite a ways up. The mechanism for the chimes can be seen at lower right. #4 Completed, cleaned pipework returned to the Swell chamber (the part on the right as you face the organ)

This work will help to ensure that the organ works well for many years to come. I am happy to answer questions about it or show interested parties the organ interior.

When I first heard the name Robena, I thought, “What a pretty name but have I met her?”. Then she fell. The way people smiled when they spoke of her, made me sure I had to meet her. Now that I have had that pleasure, I find that being in her presence makes me smile, too.

Robena Medberry has been a member of Second Presbyterian Church for many, many years. She was here with her husband and children during those busy, active, years in her life. She still comes as often as she can, but it is a more quiet time now.

She has lived long and her body does not now cooperate as well as she would like. She has fallen and broken bones and acquired bruises, as sometimes happens when you are in your late 80's. But she is undaunted. Her Kindle allows her to keep up with the book selections without having to hold a heavy book, which is no longer possible and sometimes requires the help of her personal companion, Margaret for turning pages and setting up. But read them, she does. Her contributions and interest in the lively discussions are a real treat.

Her home is filled with memorabilia from her travels abroad and gifts from people she has befriended in faraway places. Strangers whose fates have been forever altered by her generosity. Families who have felt her warmth and will never forget her.

Robena has experienced many of the things most of us only read about in our books and can only imagine. Like the day she received the yellow telegram telling her that her young husband was lost in an air raid over Yugoslavia. Her married life only just begun and already ended with small child to raise. Her large family and the mountain they owned in Swanee Tennesee were a refuge for her and she was able to move on.

Her eyes sparkle when she talks about meeting her future husband at college in Huntsville, Alabama four years later. They soon married and made a wonderful life together here in Charleston, SC. Clinton Medberry was Chemistry professor at The Citadel. He also coached the track team and served as pre-med advisor to the cadets. Their family grew as they added three more children and their home was filled with young men, for whom the Medberry's were their other family. Robena made them sandwiches and cookies, and was there for them. She says her children had many 'daddies'.

What a wonderful environment this must have been for their children. Four bright, successful children three of whom became doctors. All in the medical field and leaders in their specialties, real people with names like Buddy and Chuck.

Clinton was only 62 years old when he succumbed to a brain tumor and she was once again left with a great deal of responsibility. Responsibilty she accepted with her usual grace and resolve.

Her children are grown now with children and grandchildren of their own. But this amazing lady has never stopped growing. She volunteered at the Nathaniel-Russell House for 40 years. She plays bridge every week and hosts the monthly 2nd Edition Book club in her lovely home.

Robenahastraveledfarandwide. Forher75thbirthday,shetookherwholefamilyonatriptoAfrica.Shehasvisitedall 50states,7continents,allofEurope,SouthAmerica,andCanada. ShevisitedtheAmazonwith6grandchildrenaged6

14. Her treasures include the bells she collects, penguins, jade, a bottle painted on the inside, jeweled art from the Ukraine.

If you have not met her yet, you might just want to do that. Even if you are not interested in the book club, look for her at church. She will be with Margaret, usually near the front, left of center. You don't need to say much. Just say hello and look into her face and that warmth will reflect back like a mirror. It will make her smile. It will make you smile.