Chevy Chase United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 H ighlights Chevy Chase United Methodist Church This year s Vacation Bible School from June 27 to July 1 will be an adventure in caving. Areas of the church will be transformed into caves for exploring. Kids will spend each day spelunking through field-tested activity stations with their Cave Crews (small groups of up to 5 kids and one leader). Every station is designed to reinforce the daily Bible Point in a hands-on, interactive way that keeps everyone engaged with stories, games, skits, songs and memorable characters like Radar the bat. For information on how to register, please see p. 4. From Palm Sunday to the Easter Brunch, we have celebrated the most important holiday in the Christian year. A huge thanks all who helped with the worship services, Maundy Thursday meal, Egg Hunt and Easter Brunch! For more photos, see p. 9. Our annual Rummage Sale is one of two major fundraisers for missions every year sponsored by the United Methodist Women. We count on donations and volunteer help from church members to make it a success! We are looking for toys, books, clothing, household items, and small pieces of furniture (no cribs, no mattresses), baby items, and electronics that are from 2011 or newer. Please bring your donations in ready to sell condition and place them on the stage in Phillips Hall. We will accept items until Sunday April 17. This will give us time to price and sort items before the sale opens on April 21. In addition to donations, we need people to help set up, sell items over the 3-day sale and help pack and clean up. SSL hours are available for youth. Sunday, April 17 is The Big Sort! There is something for everyone to do on this first day of set up. We will begin sorting and moving items at 4 pm, break for pizza at 6:00 pm and continue to work until 8:00 pm. (Gluten free pizza will also be ordered.) For the help needed schedule during the week, please see p. 7. Worship Schedule Pastor s Post Children s Ministry Youth News Opportunities for Ministry & Fellowship Music & Worship Easter Photos Missions Calendar & Staff

2 April 3 Communion Sunday Communion Offering: Native American Ministries (see below) Scripture: John 20:19-31 Sermon: Peace Be with You Rev. Kirkland Reynolds preaching April 10 Scripture: John 21:1-19 Sermon: Feed. Tend. Feed. Follow Rev. Kirkland Reynolds preaching April 17 April 24 Kids with Purpose Sunday Acts 9:36-43 and Psalms 23 Sermon: Restore and Dwell Rev. Kirkland Reynolds preaching Scouting Sunday Scripture: Revelation 21:1-6 Sermon: Renewal, not Escape Rev. Kirkland Reynolds preaching Editor, Cindy Hinchman Our Vision for Ministry Bringing All People Together through Christ to Know, Love, and Serve God On April 3 we will have a special offering which will go toward United Methodist ministries among Native Americans. The offering funds urban ministries with Native Americans, scholarships for Native Americans attending United Methodist seminaries and other Native American ministries. We, as the United Methodist Church, have an opportunity to stand with and learn from our Native American brothers and sisters and share the hope of Christ. Twenty-two percent of the more than 5 million Native Americans in the United States continue to live on reservations in some of our most desolate and difficult regions. They have little access to jobs or economic opportunity. Their poor living conditions have been compared to the poverty in the inner city or even developing countries. Our children are the future, as the saying goes. Even while U.S. graduation rates rise for many racial ethnic groups, those for Native American students continue to lag behind. Your donation will help to provide additional education opportunities. Please designate gifts either on your check, on the envelope or on-line as Native Americans. Welcoming Statement Chevy Chase United Methodist Church is an inclusive community of faith, following the ministry of Jesus Christ and deeply rooted in the Methodist tradition of grace and social justice. We seek to love as God loves and to open our hearts, minds, and doors to every age, race, ethnicity, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, relationship, family, and socioeconomic status. We invite you to join us in seeking, knowing, loving, and serving God. Articles are due by the 18th of each month for the following month. Please e- mail articles to: chinchman@chevychaseumc.org. Articles may also be faxed to (301) or dropped off at the church office.

3 Peace, Pastor Kirkland This April I can't help but say "Thank goodness it's Easter!" An early Easter can feel challenging. It felt like Lent started right after Christmas, it was at one point colder on Easter Sunday than it was on Christmas Day, and now we have this big gap between Easter and the next significant days in the church's calendar (Mothers' Day and Pentecost Sunday, obviously!). All of this is true, including the fact that this year's early Easter pushed back the date of our annual United Methodist Womens' Rummage Sale. And yet this preacher feels a big sense of relief that Holy Week is behind us and Easter is something we are no longer anticipating. Idelivered five different messages this Holy Week - preschool chapel services, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, a funeral, and Easter Sunday. If you had caught me in the office while I was working on any one of those messages you probably heard me say, "Holy Week is one of the main reasons why you become a pastor. Holy Week is the best week of the year. Holy Week is also why I take some vacation during the following week!" I assure you I'm not angling for sympathy or recognition here. I do want you to know what Holy Week requires. Since it is the holiest week of the church's year there is a lot that can and should be said during it. Preaching is privilege. I always feel an incredible responsibility with preaching, and I often feel this responsibility is unrivaled. Each week I am tasked with interpreting scripture and speaking about God so we may be converted again to God's good news in Jesus Christ. Most weeks I get around 15 to 20 minutes to share what I discern God would have us hear. During this Holy Week those five messages gave me more than an hour to share my best attempt at a good word. Reflecting on preaching with you reminds me that this privilege is also why there are some Saturdays when I cannot wait for Sunday and some Saturdays when I cannot sleep. Speaking on behalf of Jesus' ministry is not something I take lightly! There are weeks when I am so excited about the sermon and I cannot wait to share it with you. And sometimes I am so nervous about the sermon I lay awake at night wondering if it will go over well in worship. I recently started listening to a podcast featuring preachers reflecting on preaching (it's a great podcast if you're a preacher, for most others it probably sounds like the church's inside-baseball). The podcast taught me about a lost tradition where congregants would say "You stepped on some toes today, preacher" whenever they felt challenged by a sermon. That challenge didn't necessarily mean that the givers of the compliment changed their minds about theology. But it did mean they received the sermon as an invitation to reflect and pray on what they believe. The purpose of preaching is not to step on as many toes as possible. The purpose of preaching is to bring our attention to what the scriptures say. Preaching is one of the ways the church interprets God's word for the present age so we may be shaped, informed, and nurtured by God's word. While I hold the privilege and responsibility as the primary preacher in worship, all Christians share in the ministry of sharing God's word with the world. As Saint Francis said, "Preach the gospel always, and use words when necessary." Happy preaching, friends.

4 Gear up for an over-the-top VBS underground adventure! Ground kids in the rock-solid foundation of God s love, a love that takes us through life s dark times. You may register children from age 3 to 5th grade for VBS at the following: The fee is $50 per child with $100 maximum per family. You may also pay online if you like. If you are a member of the church and need aftercare during VBS week, please let us know. We are considering offering aftercare to families if there is a need in order for your child or children to participate. You can also join in the fun by signing up to be a volunteer during VBS week. Whether your talents lie with music, drama and storytelling, arts and crafts or games, or whether you'd prefer to help out behind the scenes (or making the scenes: the backdrops and decorations, that is!) we would love to have you join our crew. SSL hours are available for youth volunteers. Interested adults and youth are encouraged to attend the Cave Quest Kickoff on Sunday, May 1 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. For more information in the meantime, please contact Lisa Moreau at moreaus@gmail.com or Carolyn Greis at CAGreis@msn.com. Our CCUMC Preschool is a non-profit, self-supportive program. The school provides a morning preschool program for children ages 2-5. Afternoon enrichment programs are also available. The school emphasizes learning through play and parental involvement and the low staff/ child ratio allows for individual attention for each child. The preschool includes nine large, bright, well-equipped classrooms, an all-purpose room for indoor play and two playgrounds. If you would like an application or to learn more about the school, please call Director Lee Walsh or Lauren Bailey at Would you like to get a sneak peek at what goes on in Sunday school? We d like to have more classroom volunteers to assist our regular teachers! Let s get together. If you would be willing to volunteer one time, once monthly, every week, or for specific dates, please speak to Amy Holton at aholton@chevychaseumc.org or Jan Walden at jfkw1126@hotmail.com. We would love your help and both you and your child will enjoy it. Everybody got involved making spaghetti casseroles and salad for the Sunday evening meal for the homeless at Our Lady of Lourdes in Bethesda.

5 Youth group is for grades Join us for Sunday school at 9:45 am or meet with us on Sunday evening from 6:00 to 7:30 pm for some high energy games and casual discussion that will let you examine relevant faith by using media, news, and current events. You can find us in room 300 on the 3rd floor! Contact Youth Director Amy Holton at if you have any questions. Not receiving our weekly youth newsletter? Want to get your youth involved? Contact Amy Holton at and she will add you to the list! Join the CCUMC youth group from May 20 to 22 for a relaxing weekend on the beautiful coast of Maryland as we reflect on our faith and talk about how we can change the world through God, justice, and humility. Open to those in grades Join us for some upbeat foot-stomping bluegrass and folk music at the next concert in the Soundings series. The concert featuring the folk and bluegrass band Heavy Traffic Ahead will be on Sunday, April 3 at 3:00 pm. Donations at the door will go toward the youth mission trip in July. Join us in the Wesley room immediately following the concert for fresh homemade ice cream sandwiches made by Chevy Chase UMC youth! In July, 9 youth and 5 adults are heading to a Group Workcamp in Prince George County, Virginia to do home repairs that the homeowners cannot otherwise financially or physically complete. We must pay for our own travel, food and supplies. Donations may be made at any time on line or in the offering. Please designate Youth Mission Trip.

6 Do you want a more vibrant relationship with the Holy Spirit? He is described as "living water flowing from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea; purifying it into crystal clear waters". Do you look at the water and yearn to jump in or maybe you just get your toes wet? Ladies, it's time to jump in and experience the love and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Step Into the Waters is a study about our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Come and join our journey into the water. We meet on Tuesday evenings from 7-9 PM in the Wesley Room. The class will be meeting on April 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17 and 24 for a celebration dinner. Come as often as your schedule permits; just come! If you have any questions call Lois Hendrickson at or her at loishendrickson@hotmail.com Thanks, Ladies! Theology on Tap is a casual gathering for conversation and getting to know others from the church. If you are a young adult (or feel like a young adult) you are welcome to join us for our next Theology on Tap on Monday, April 11 beginning at 7pm at the Barking Dog in Bethesda (4723 Elm St, Bethesda, MD 20814). Please contact Pastor Kirkland if you would like more information. The United Methodist Women are sponsoring a flowerarranging workshop for all who are interested on Saturday, April 30 at 3:00 pm in the Epworth Room (105). Please bring your own scissors. You will get to take home a basket of flowers for yourself or a friend. Contact Lori Shore at lorishore1960@gmail.com for more information. The group otherwise know as PALS will hold their next meeting on Monday, April 11 at 11:00 am in the Epworth Room. Come and hear longtime member and professional musician Robin Bullock as he plays a mixture of Celtic music, Bach and whatever else on his new guitar. There will be a delicious homemade meal for $6.00 after the program. For more information contact Linda Ellinwood at All are invited - no age restrictions! Do you eagerly await your mail arrival each day? Do you look forward to opening each piece (even ads)? Do you display cards you receive in a special place? Some people do. Brighten the days of homebound friends and family, new moms and others with a card from the Card Ministry table in the Wesley Room at coffee hour on Sundays. Leave your card and the office will take care of mailing it. This summer Bishop Marcus Matthews is retiring from active ministry. United Methodists in the Greater Washington District are invited to a farewell and celebration for Bishop Matthews on Sunday, April 17 from 3-5pm at Asbury UMC, th St NW, Washington, DC If you would like a convenient way to give to the church or pay for special things like Vacation Bible School, we encourage you to check out our electronic giving option. To find our password-protected secure giving site, go to our website chevychaseumc.org and click the orange Give Online button or scan the QR code to the left with your smartphone. Gifts may be one-time or set up as recurring. Register by Sunday, April 3 and save the date. Enjoy a Supper for 7 on Saturday, April 9. Either hosting or attending a Supper for 7 is a great way to get to know people in the church who you might not have much contact with otherwise. You are invited to either host or attend as a guest on the final date. The Suppers for 7 committee will let you know with whom you will be dining and where your dinner will take place. When you sign up you may indicate if you are interested in hosting a meal which is either kid-friendly or adultsonly. A sign up form is available on the bulletin board by the Wesley Room or contact Monica Price by Sunday, April 3 at wyldcats7780@yahoo.com or for more information.

7 Did you choose to abstain from alcohol for Lent to help us create a Spirit Fund? The plan was to donate what you would have spent on alcohol (or maybe what you did spend if you decided to drink anyway) to a Spirit Fund. Now that Lent is over, the Missions Comm. will be counting up how much is in the fund and deciding on an appropriate place to donate it. Please place your donation in the offering or online at any time and label it Spriit Fund. Did you miss church on Sunday? Would you like to hear a particularly interesting sermon a second time? You can do it now. We are recording Pastor Kirkland s sermons on Sundays. They can be found on the church website chevychaseumc.org. Click on Sermon Podcast on the right sidebar. Memorial Service - William Bill Snape A memorial service for Bill Snape who passed away on November 18, 2015 will be held in the Sanctuary on Saturday, April 16 at 2:00 pm. A reception will follow in Phillips Hall. Parking will be available at the 4 H center in spots designated for visitors. In Memoriam Paul Frazier in February 2016 Katherine Belt on March 12, 1916 George Zaphiriou on March 18, A service for George was held on March 26 at Pumphrey s Funeral Home in Rockville. New Address Arianne Hadley Lowell has a new address as follows: 2842 Circlewood Rd. Dayton, OH We would love to have your help for a couple of hours or for all week, whatever fits your schedule. Your reward is that you get a first look at the goods! Monday April 18, 10:00am-3:00pm. Come join us to sort items and price things! Lunch will be provided. Tuesday April 19, 10:00am-3:00pm. More sorting and pricing! Lunch provided. Wednesday April 20, 10:00am-3:00pm. More sorting and pricing! Lunch provided. Thursday April 21, 10:00am-1:00pm. And more sorting and pricing as needed. Thursday, April 21, 5:00pm. Sale opens from 6:00pm- 9:00pm. Need workers to arrive at 5:00pm. Dinner will be provided. Friday April 22. 8:30am. Sale opens from 9:00am- 1:00pm. Saturday April 23. 8:30am. Sale opens from 9:00am- 1:00pm. Fill a bag for $5.00. Attic Treasures are 1/2 price. Clean up crew needed 12:30-3:00PM. If you can t volunteer come by and shop! By Rebecca Holmberg Walker At the last Reconciling Task Force meeting on February 22, we discussed how to live out our intentions to be an inclusive and welcoming church. Though our Task Force initially focused on our response to the United Methodist Church s exclusion of homosexuality in the Book of Discipline, through the process of developing our welcoming statement we learned that the need for inclusion at CCUMC is much broader. We seek to love as God loves and to open our hearts, minds, and doors to embrace all people with open arms, for those outside our ministry as much as for those within our congregation. We do not want to be a single-issue church, instead we desire to be relevant and inclusive to allow us to grow with and learn from God. It is for this reason that our task force requested to change its name to the Task Force on Inclusion to more accurately reflect our broadened focus to truly be inclusive to all. Our request was approved by Church Council at the meeting on March 16. We are hopeful and optimistic by our continuing discussions on how to be a welcoming and inclusive church, and we invite you to join us in this ministry.

8 Come hear this fun local band sing a variety of songs. Heavy Traffic Ahead will jam to some bluegrass, folk tunes, classic rock, and other fun genres. Bring the entire family! Based in Montgomery County, Maryland and born out of a weekly jam in Silver Spring, Heavy Traffic Ahead began performing in Influenced by legendary DC area bands such as The Country Gentlemen and The Johnson Mountain Boys, as well as bluegrass pioneers Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and The Stanley's, HTA shows imagination and taste in their selection and interpretation of both traditional and contemporary bluegrass music. Donations made at the concert will benefit our youth mission trip. You are invited to stay after the concert for homemade ice cream sandwiches. On Sunday, April 17 at 3:00pm, come listen to the sublime sounds of the sanctuary's grand piano as University of Maryland graduate students, under the tutelage of our very own Bradford Gowan, perform their graduate recital repertoire for us. This will be an afternoon of classical piano delight that you will not want to miss! Do you enjoy singing? Have you ever wondered about joining a choir, but perhaps you were too unsure to take the plunge? Come to a Sanctuary Choir rehearsal on Thursdays at 7:15 pm! You don't have to commit to try it out. If you come three times in a row, you will be hooked! Blake and the choir will make you feel welcomed, and you will be able to participate in fun, meaningful, worship-filled choral singing! For more information contact Director of Music Ministry Blake Clark at (301) or bclark@chevychaseumc.org. The following Earth Day Prayer of Confession is from Bishop Ken Carter: O God, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen: You place us in your creation, and you command us to care for it. Your works declare glory and splendor, and you call us to praise and reverence. Where we have degraded or destroyed earth's bounty, forgive us. Where we have taken beauty and majesty for granted, have mercy upon us. Where we have become estranged from the creatures with whom we share this planet, grant us your peace. Renew us in the waters of baptism, refresh us with the winds of your spirit, and sustain us with the bread of life. In the name of Jesus Christ, and for the sake of the new creation, we pray. Amen.

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10 Dear Friends, After much encouragement, over the past 6 months thirteen of our CCUMC kids ranging in age from 5 to 12, wrote letters for pen pals in Nicaragua. Some of these were in English and some in Spanish. Some had photos or baseball cards included. I delivered them a week after Dane and I arrived in Managua on Feb. 19, to the children at Primera Iglesia de Cristo in Barrio Nuevo. I cannot assure you that all of the letters got to the Nicaraguan children who had originally written to our kids about a year and a half ago because not all of the envelopes had a specific name. But I can assure you that all of the kids who did receive a letter were thrilled -- as you can see in the photo. They have promised to write back and I will bring the letters when we return to the U.S. on May 18. This is CCUMC s own small part at creating international friendships. Love to all our kids, Judy Smith Ed. Note: Members Dane and Judy Smith are in Managua, Nicaragua for three months teaching at the Martin Luther King Junior University. CCUMC has a history of supporting the work of two dentists in the area, one is a Methodist missionary, the other one is from Iglesia de Cristo (Church of Christ) en Barrio Nuevo. A number of people from our congregation have visited Nicaragua on mission trips. Our Citizenship program at CCUMC has been going for four years now and has helped more than a hundred immigrants and refugees who want to become American citizens. We have had more than 20 who have succeeded in becoming citizens and others who are in the process. The next session of 10 weekly classes will begin on Saturday, April 9 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Rainbow Room (107). Please help us to get the word out to any employees or friends you might think would be interested. In order to register a student must have a green card or other proof of legal residency and be able to read and speak some English. The best part of our program are the CCUMC mentors who are there every Saturday to help the students. We even have two dedicated mentors who are not CCUMC members (one of whom is bilingual) but just want to help. The mentors and the fact that our classes are free make our program different from other citizenship classes. You do not have to be there every Saturday in order to be a mentor. Just come when you can. We are looking for a publicity person who is willing to look for ways to advertise the class. For instance, we d like to make more contact with local Hispanic newspapers but the program leaders don t have time to both teach the class and do the publicity. Please consider taking this on as your mission and join our dedicated citizenship team. Contact Bob Levering if you think this could be your thing at bob.levering@gmail.com or The current series of Citizenship classes is continuing every Saturday morning for ten weeks beginning April 9 and continuing to June 11 with no class on April 23 because of the Rummage Sale.

11 Sunday, April 3 3:00 pm Soundings Concert - Heavy Traffic Ahead Tuesday, April 5 7:00 pm Potpourri - off site Wednesday, April 6 12:30 pm UMW Executive Mtg. - Wesley Rm. Saturday, April 9 Suppers for 7 - off site Monday, April 11 11:00 am Programs and Lunches for Seniors (PALS) 7:00 pm Theology on Tap - Barking Dog (see p. 6) 7:30 pm Christian Ed. Mtg. Tuesday, April 12 7:00 pm Step Into the Waters study - Wesley Rm. Thursday, April 14 7:00 pm Lay Leadership Mtg. - Wesley Rm. Saturday, April 16 2:00 pm Bill Snape Memorial Service & Reception Sunday, April 17 9:45 am Kids with Purpose - Phillips Hall 3:00 pm Soundings Concert - Piano Recital - Sanctuary 4:00 pm Homeless Dinner - Our Lady of Lourdes 4:00 pm Rummage Sale Set-up (see p.7 for more times) Monday, April 18 Highlights deadline - May issue Tuesday, April 19 1:30 pm Faith Circle - Off site 7:00 pm Step Into the Waters study - Wesley Rm. Thursday, April 21 10:00 am Sandwich Brigade - Ph. Hall kitchen Monday, April 25 7:30 pm Worship Comm. Mtg. - Wesley Rm. Tuesday, April 26 7:00 pm Step Into the Waters study - Wesley Rm. Saturday, April 30 3:00 pm UMW Mayday Celebration Sundays 8:30 am Nursery care available - Room 212 8:30 am Praise Band Rehearsal - Chapel 9:30 am Contemporary Worship - Sanctuary 9:45 am Children s Sunday School - 3rd floor 10:15 am Choir Rehearsal - Sanctuary 10:30 am Children s Choir Rehearsal - Room :30 am Coffee Fellowship - Wesley Room 11:00 am Traditional Worship - Sanctuary 6:00 pm Youth Group most Sundays - Room 300 Wednesdays 7:15 pm Praise Band Rehearsal - Chapel Thursdays 7:15 pm Choir Rehearsal - Room 100 Saturdays 7:30 am Men s Group - Wesley 10:00 am Citizenship Class - Room 107 (April 9 to June 11) Our calendar is constantly changing. For up-to-date information, please check the calendar at chevychaseumc.org or call the church office. Rev. Kirkland Reynolds, Pastor Ethan Shearer, Pastoral Intern Blake Clark, Director of Music and Worship Arts Amy Holton, Director of Youth and Children s Ministry George Monk, Financial Secretary Beth Shearer, Church Administrator Linda Ellinwood, Organist Rosa Ramirez and Dina Salinas, Nursery Attendants Belinda Forbes, Missionary in Nicaragua kreynolds@chevychaseumc.org Ethan.shearer@att.net bclark@chevychaseumc.org aholton@chevychaseumc.org gmonk@chevychaseumc.org bshearer@chevychaseumc.org jsbachlove@verizon.net

12 Return Service Requested Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Suburban, MD Permit No Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, Maryland Phone: Fax: chevychaseumc.org Facebook: Chevy Chase UMC Office hours 8:30 am to 3 pm, Mon. - Fri. 8:30 am to 12:30 pm - Nursery care 8:30 am - Praise Team rehearsal - Chapel 9:30 am - Contemporary Worship - Chapel Children s Sunday School after Children s Moment - 3rd Floor 10:30 am - Coffee Fellowship in Wesley Room 11:00 am - Traditional Worship - Sanctuary