Carol Comments Do Snow Flakes Die?
"I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me even
though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will
never die." Luke 11:25-26 NRSV
With all the snow we've had this past winter, many of us probably hoped
that snow died. And as the sun came out and the temperature rose, it
did seem that the snow died.
A six-year-old daughter
watched as the snowflakes fell gently from the sky. They lay upon
the earth for a bit and then they melted away. She turned to her
father and said, "Oh Daddy, the snow is dying." Her father
tried to explain that the snowflakes did not die, but turned into water
that nourished the earth, and eventually evaporated to become clouds that
would produce more snow.
No, snowflakes do not
die, but its rebirth comes in a different form, either as a new flake of
snow, or as a drop of water. It may even be returned as a part of
some other form of life. But more important than the birth and
eventual transition of the snowflake--and of humanity--is the purpose of
its existence. Each is placed upon the earth by God to bring new
vitality and nourishment to its worldly contacts. Each is vital to
the beauty, procreation, and betterment of the earth. God sees in each of
us beauty. God intends for us to better the earth with our service
and love lived out through God's Spirit.
Joseph Sweeney states the
religious beliefs of many concerning death. Death's but an open
door, we move from room to room. There is one life, no more, no
dying and no tomb. This statement doesn't calm our fears or give
us answers. But the scriptures do. "I am the resurrection
and the life," says Jesus. With the eyes of faith we can have
peace and hope. When we believe in Jesus, confess our wrongdoing, he
gives us life. He comes to live within us via the Holy Spirit.
He never leaves us nor forsakes us. Because he lives, we too shall
live now and forever. We are alive in Christ Jesus. Our bodies
are transformed like a snowflake in eternity. Our present
lives are transformed by God's Spirit living in us as we make this earthly
journey. And how can we say this? Because "He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!" And one day we too will be transformed into a
heavenly body. Hallelujah!
Blessings,
Pastor Carol M. Pfeiffer
Source:
www.christianglobe.com
Choir Practice
Come join us at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings, April 6 and 13
as we practice for special music on Palm Sunday. The music
will be familiar to most of you. We need your voice.
Messenger
Subscription
It is time to renew subscriptions for the Messenger.
One year is $13.50, and two years is $25.00. See Blanch Petty.
Study on Prayer
We are continuing our study on prayer on Sundays at 4:00 p.m.
using Invitation to Presence: A Guide to Spiritual Disciplines by
Wendy Miller. We will not meet on Palm Sunday or Easter, but
pick it up again April 27.
Lenten Luncheons
Join us for our Lenten Luncheons at noon on Thursdays. We have a
light meal of soup and bread followed with a brief mediation. We are
focusing on the roads that Jesus walked on the way to the cross. Tom
Richard will be bringing the April 3 and April 10 meditations.
Come to
the Table - Love Feast on Maundy Thursday, April 17
We will celebrate Love Feast
Maundy Thursday, April 17. We invite everyone to prepare prayerfully
and to come and celebrate together the practices that Jesus taught, as
we wash feet, share a simple love meal together and participate in the
bread and cup that signify Jesus’ body and blood given to forgive us.
Come and share in the blessings of the Lord’s Table.
Love Feast
is intended for those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ
and a community of believers because the service affirms and renews that
covenant relationship. For
Brethren, the traditional love feast, held once or twice a year, remains
the profound central act and symbol of the church’s life. It is as close
as “low church” Brethren get to a high holy time. Based on a literal
reading of the New Testament, Brethren have shaped an agape meal or love
feast. When Brethren gather for this special meal during Holy Week they
are able to see themselves as part of the events of Jesus’ final week with
the disciples. Whenever the community gathers around the love feast
tables they are reminded of the relationship of all disciples to one
another and to the Christ they serve.
The love
feast begins with a period of examination. Brethren cite Jesus’
words in Matthew 5:23-24, calling for reconciliation before offering gifts
to God, and Paul’s warning in I Corinthians 11:27-30 about the dangers of
participating in the love feast in a thoughtless fashion. At one time
deacons visited each member’s home to challenge members to examine whether
they remained firm in their covenants with God and brothers and sisters.
Today some opportunity for self-examination and prayer remains a vital
part of the love feast.
Following
this time of examination, participants ponder the powerful meanings in
Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet, recorded in John 13. These
meanings include God’s cleansing and forgiveness, as well as our need to
give and receive service. Jesus’ command to wash one another’s feet is a
clear reminder that if we do not live in the spirit of feetwashing, we
have no part in him. The exchange of an embrace and kiss that usually
follows feetwashing expresses the Christ love that binds members of the
community to one another, recalling the insistence in I John 4:7-21 that
the love we share with one another validates our knowledge of a God of
love.
The love
feast meal recalls the meal Jesus shared with his disciples. The
unique character of the relationship envisioned for those who are members
together in Christ’s body is described in John 14-17, and some segment of
that text is often used to frame this portion of the service. Christ is
the center, the source of the unity. The sharing of food symbolizes the
sharing of life and looks toward the messianic banquet of the future.
Finally, the
Brethren share the bread and cup, remembering Christ’s supreme gift
of life and renewing their commitment to embody Christ and to follow his
path of sacrificial lover for the world. After a closing hymn, it is a
pattern in many congregations for everyone to join in the necessary
chores. …The tables are cleared, dishes washed and dried. The sharing of
these simple tasks also express the covenant that binds members to one
another. They become another part of the feast of love.
– For All Who Minister, A Worship
Manual of the Church of the Brethren, pp. 183-184
Prayer Vigil
The Prayer Vigil will begin after the Love Feast on Maundy
Thursday and run until noon on Friday. Sign-up sheets are in the
East Sunday School classroom. Please sign up for either a watcher or
pray-er. Contact Leland Nicholson or a deacon for further information.
Good Friday Community Services
Announced
There will be a Community Good Friday service at the UCC
Congregational Christian Church,201 South Washington St., Hagerstown on
Friday, April 18 at noon. The preacher will be David Scifres,
pastor of Economy and Greens Fork United Methodist Churches. Music will
be provided by the churches of the Nettle Creek area.
Easter Sunrise Service
Plan to attend the Sunrise Service Sunday, April 20 at 7 a.m..
The youth are excited about the skit they have planned this year. It
has a very powerful message and will be a great start for your Easter
Sunday. Plan also to stay for a delicious Easter Breakfast
following the service.
Easter Breakfast
Donations
There is a sign-up sheet for food donations for the Easter
Breakfast in the East Sunday School Classroom. Items you may
donate are: bacon, eggs, orange juice. Cash donations will also
be accepted. See Kim and Bill Hall, Jodi and Otis Johnson, or
Darrel and Marjorie Briar for more information.
Preaching
Schedule
April 6 -
Pastor Carol "God's New Deal" Jeremiah 31:31-34 and John 12: 20-33
April 13 (Palm Sunday) - Tom Richard
April 20 (Easter) - Pastor Carol "Is Jesus Dead or Alive?"
John 20:1-18
April 27 - Pastor Carol "The Sin Cleaner" I John 1:1-2:2
Junior
High Event
The Junior Highs met March 30 at the parsonage for lunch and
planning for events. Meetings will be held once a month. The first
activity will be bowling in New Castle, Friday, April 25. We
will meet at the church at 5:30 p.m. and go out to eat and then to the
bowling alley.
Thank You From the
Youth
The youth would like to thank the church for helping purchase our
tickets to attend "Acquire the Fire" in Muncie, Indiana. There were
thirteen youth and five adults who attended and had a great time.
Exploring Your Call
for High School Juniors and Seniors
Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Indiana has been
given the opportunity, through the Lilly Foundation and the Barnabas and
Alina Foundations, to offer a twelve day seminary experience for high
school juniors and seniors. Exploring Your Call is
now in its third year of helping youth think through their life's work and
how their faith can transform that work. For twelve days this
summer, July 24-August 4, the youth will experience a wide variety
of activities related to Bethany and ministry. They will participate in
classes of theology, Bible, and Brethren History led by Bethany
faculty. Each student will also shadow another pastor for a
day and help planning and lead a Sunday morning worship. Throughout
the week there will be a variety of worship experiences and times of
reflection led by current Bethany students. Of course there will be
times of fun and relaxation so that each youth can connect with others who
have similar interests. For an application you can go to
http://www.bethanyseminary.edu/eyc.htm and submit it online. Just know
that registration is limited to the first thirty people and that
registrations ends on June 30, 2003. If you have any questions,
please call at 1-800-287-8822 and ask for Joshua at ext. 1832, or email
him at
eyc@bethanyseminary.edu.
Student
Minister-In-Training Reception
We will be having a reception for our Tom Richard, our
Student-Minister-in-Training, Sunday, May 4, 2003 following
worship. He will be ending his student placement with us.
Tom's ending time will involve being away from the congregation for a
period of three months per the seminary's suggestion for all students
except for those who were already in a hired position. Be sure to come and
share with Tom about how he has ministered to you during the months he has
been with us to bring closure to his experience among us.
From the Board Chair:
I recently had the opportunity to attend the youth rally at Ball State
University. During one of the breakout sessions for youth leaders, we got
to listen to Josh McDowell talk about today's youth. He had some
interesting things to say based on his 20 years in youth ministry.
The thing that I found the most fascinating was his discussion about how
today's youth decides what is the absolute truth pertaining to God's Word.
In previous generations the Bible was presented as God's final word with
no questions asked. Lives were examined based on what the bible says, and
where there was a contradiction between lifestyle and God's word the
lifestyle in question was changed.
Today's youth look at the lifestyle of God's people and when they find
hypocrisy they conclude that God's word is invalid and they begin seeking
the truth elsewhere. Instead of believing that because it is God's word
it must be true, they look at the lives of Christians for evidence of the
truth in the Word of God.
It is our challenge as the generations of the past to not only instill the
youth with the teachings of Christ, we must also model this in our daily
Christian walk as well. The good news is that while there are many
influences pulling at today's youth, they have the greatest potential to
be totally on fire for God and have the willingness to share it with
others.
May we acquire the fire for God and kindle the flames in our youth so
that the Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can reach a world
who is rapidly trying to snuff out the flame!
In the Spirit of Christ,
Curtis A. Healton
Stand Up 2004
Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Greetings! We are so excited with what God has been doing with our youth.
It was a true blessing to worship with 10,000 youth who were so
passionate about a relationship with Christ. No one left that weekend
without there life being changed, including the adults. It gave our
hearts great joy to witness several of the youth making recommitment or
first time commitments to a relationship with Christ. The hand of God was
truly moving this weekend. The good news is that it didn't stop after the
weekend. On Monday several Jr. High kids joined together in prayer during
lunch. Several gave up their old lifestyle to live the difference.
The emphasis of the weekend was to demonstrate to the kids that every
decision matters. This year we took 18 people to Acquire the Fire. The
kids have set a goal of 40 to take to Stand Up 2004, which is in
Indianapolis. As adults, every decision that we make matters as well. We
are asking you to prayerfully consider helping the youth reach their goal.
In 2003 we spent $750 to take 18 people. We have the opportunity to take
all 40 for $1000 if we buy the tickets by May 1, 2003. Thank you for all
that you do to support and encourage the Youth.
In Christ,
The Junior and Senior High Youth Leaders
Hymn Fest
There will be a Hymn Fest at Bethany Theological Seminary,
Nicarry Chapel, 615 National Rd. West, Richmond, Indiana on Friday,
April 11, 2003, at 7:00 p.m. Your favorite Brethren and
Mennonite Hymns and Songs from throughout the years will be featured.
Leadership: Nancy Rosenberger Faus, Rebecca Slough and members of
Bethany's Congregational Song Class.
Sectional C.B.W.F.
Spring Rally
The Church of the Brethren Women's Fellowship Spring Rally will be
held at the Richmond Church of the Brethren, Saturday, April 12,
2003. Registration and Coffee Hour will be from 9-10 a.m.
The program begins at 10 a.m. Kathy Royer, Asst. Pastor from
Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren in Ohio will be the speaker.
The theme is "Led by the Spirit." The program concludes by noon.
No lunch will served.
Sister Church Holds
Fish Fry
Our sister church, Buck Creek Church of the Brethren is
having their Annual Fish Fry April 5 starting at noon-7 p.m..
Directions: Go to the second cross roads north of Moreland to the left
middle road and continue north to the church several miles. (5 miles
N.W. of Mooreland on the Buck Creek Pike or 3 miles South of Mt. Pleasant
on the Buck Creek Pike. Freewill offering).
Continuing to Pray for...Unity - Tolerance - Peace
Connie McMillian
Fred Dilling
Austin Mendenhall Londa Crownover
Judy Federico
Laura Nicholson's father
Ben King
Richard Foulke
Brian Wieseke Estella Hilbert
LuFreda Bowman
Stewardship Thought
A vault can be a burial chamber or a chamber for the safekeeping
of valuables--like a bank vault. There is a strong connection between
those two types of vaults. A person can "bury" one's life in either
type of vault. In the case of early burial in a bank vault, it
happens when one hoards all of ones means on to oneself in a dark, hidden
fortress, and does not share or give.
Christian
living must have access to vaults. The stones of selfishness must
give way to the rolled-aside stones of stewardship. Pocketbooks must
be as open as prayer books. Every time we open our pocketbook and
give for the glory of God, Easter happens. We're released from the
tomb of self-preservation and set free. The death of the dark vault
no longer has dominion over us. We're free, released, yet secure.
How's that for having "no-vault" assurance?
"Stewardship
is what we do once we have said "I believe!" It is walking out of
the tomb, out of the vault.
LectionAid, Vol. 5, No. 1, Year B, 1997, p.64
Total
for Offerings: 2003
Average Weekly
Offering needed to meet budget = $1513.56
Average Total for
Church Offering for March..................$1212.05
Student
Minister-in-Training..................................................55.00
Hymnal
Inserts....................................................................125.00
One Great Hour of Sharing Offering....................................
154.41
Giving for March (five Sundays)
March
2...........................................................................$1881.21
March
9...............................................................................947.06
March
16............................................................................1211.15
March
23..............................................................................628.31
March
30............................................................................1392.50
$6060.23
April Birthdays
3 Barbara Winterer, Vanessa Hilbert
4 Homer Andrew
5 Jackie Bendsen, Frances Robinson
7 Sue Mendenhall, Sarah Lyles
8 Carol Bullock
13 Carol Rodenberg, John Conwell
14 Jeanne Maddock
15 Rebekah Rodenberg
16 Brandon Hilbert
20 Jerome Dines
23 Beverly Nicholson
25 Brian Wieseke
26 Velma Paddock
27 Donna Ramey, Sylvia Hoover
28 Linda DeVinney
29 Robert Burroughs
30 Leslie Ramey
Preaching Schedule
April 6 - Pastor Carol "God's New Deal"
Jeremiah 31:31-34 and John 12: 20-33
April 13 (Palm Sunday) - Tom Richard
April 20 Easter - Pastor Carol "Is Jesus Dead or
Alive?" John 20:1-18
April 27 - Pastor Carol "The Sin Cleaner"
I John 1:1-2:2
Greeters Schedule
April
6 Julie Potter and Teresa Renaker
April 13 Steve and Carolyn Wieseke
April 20 Bill and Ruth Stout
April 27 Linda and Bill DeVinney
Musician
April 6 Jeff and
Elizabeth Bach Chorister: Marjorie Briar
April 13 Lucille Dilling and Dee Reneau
April 20 Rita Hilbert
April 27 Lucille Dilling and Karen Garrett
District Wide Gathering Is Set for May 3
The subject is The Authority of Annual Conference Statements
and Individual Conscience.
The South Central District Advisory Board has identified this
issue as one that has caused division within the District. We feel
it is important to have dialogue on this subject. Location: In
Kokomo, Indiana at First Presbyterian Church, 200 W. Jefferson St,
Saturday, May 3. It is being organized by the District Advisory
Board, South Central Indiana District, Church of the Brethren. For
more information: District website;
www.cob-net.org/church/indiana_southcentral.htm. Please let the
district know that you are attending. Call: 1-877-402-1082 or
e-mail:
scicob@hoosierlink.net.
Campers
Deadline for Camp Mack for lesser fees was April 1.
You may still attend camp but the fees will be higher. See Kathy
Denney for camp information. You can still attend camp.
Camp Mack
News
Calling all available adults for the April 21-23 Volunteer Work Camp!
Help prepare the camp for summer. Call the Camp Office to register.
There’s no fee!
Calling summer Volunteers! Please prayerfully consider if God is
calling you to volunteer in the special ministry at Camp Mack. Dedicated
volunteer counselors and support staff are needed.
Summer Camp Counselors, CIT’s and Volunteer Directors, please make
leadership training on May 31st a top priority! Plan for a great
experience sharing God's love and your Christian experience with your
campers. Attend the training and be prepared!
Birdwatchers of all ages, register now for the Birdwatchers’
Retreat - May 8-10, 2003. Enjoy the out-of-doors and the sounds and
sightings of numerous birds.
Seasoned Citizens– Get ready for a spiritual boost and lots of fun,
fellowship and great food at the Seasoned Citizen’s Retreat, Monday
through Thursday, May 12-15. See your Camp Rep or call the Camp Office at
574-658-4831 for a brochure and registration form.
Other important dates: Fishing Camp June 6-8
Prayer Requests: Please pray daily: For the Camp Mack Staff and
Volunteers.
A Quiet Place Corner: Call us back, again and again, to the
roots of our believing – for if the roots are strong, the branches will be
sound and the fruit will be life-giving. – Margaret Silf
Healing
Out of Silence –Association of Brethren Caregivers Event (ABC)
Caring Ministries Assembly: a Spiritual Growth Event for Pastors,
Deacons,
Chaplains, Health Professionals, and other Caregivers will be
held August 14-16, 2003 at Bridgewater, VA, Church of the Brethren.
See Pastor Carol if you have interest in going. Cost is $95.00
before the June 30 deadline and $120 late (after June 30). Keynote
speakers: Tilden Edwards, founder and Senior Fellow of the Shalem
Institute, Deforia Lane, associate director of the Ireland Cancer
Center and director of Music Therapy, Marlene Kropf, executive
director of the Office of Congregational Life for the Mennonite Church
USA, and Carol Sheppard, assistant professor of Philosophy and
Religion at Bridgewater (VA) College. If you have questions, contact
Linda Timmons at (800) 323-8039, ext. 300 or e-mail:
ltimmons_abc@brethren.org;
fax (847)742-5160.
Calling Young Adults
The Young Adult Conference: Being
Brethren in Today’s Culture will be held May 23-25, 2003, Camp Eder,
Southern Pennsylvania. Guest Speaker will be Shawn Flory Replogle. For
more information contact Chris Douglas (800) 323-8039 or
cdouglas_gb@brethren.org.
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