THE WINDOW October 2014

Transcription

1 THE WINDOW October 2014 Guest Article: Faith and Choice By Cindy Thomas Over 700 years ago, Rabbi Munachnamen came from Spain to see the holy land with his own eyes; and he saw Jerusalem in her clothes of mourning that she had worn for a thousand years; and he touched the wounds of her destruction; and he wept. And he wrote a letter to his son (This is the heart of the matter). In his letter he said, That which is most holy suffers the greatest destruction. Now, you may be asking yourselves: Why should those who truly believe in GOD suffer the greatest destruction? It is this if you truly believe GOD, you have chosen to defend good against evil. The forces of evil are strong! The battle between evil and good is never ending. Those who are in the front of this battle suffer the greatest casualties. That is the choice we have to make. It is NOT decided for us. You may hear this and feel cynicism. You may ask, Who cares what choice we make? GOD cares. If we tolerate evil, we are forsaking GOD and the seed of our own destruction lies in this degeneration. When we make ourselves blind to it soon it becomes acceptable. It becomes a chosen way of living. If we believe GOD, we choose to see truth with our eyes, feel truth with our minds; and hear truth in our hearts. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. GOD S army stands on the front line and they stare evil in the face and call it what it is. What then becomes of those who crouch behind? Will they fill the empty spaces? It is written, Everything is in the hands of GOD EXCEPT our choice of GOD. יער ה,דודל רומזמ Psalm 23: Mizmor l'dovid Hashem Roi Mizmor le'david, Hashem roei lo echsar. Binot desheh yarbitzaini, al mei menuchot yenahaleini. Nafshi yeshovev yancheini bemagalei tzedek lema'an shemo. Gam ki elech be'gei tzalmavet, lo ira ra ki ata imadi, shivtecha u'mishantecha hema yenachamuni. Ta'aroch lefanai shulchan neged tzorerai, dishanta vashemen roshi, cosi revayah. Ach tov va'chesed yirdifuni kol yemei hayai ve'shavti be'veit Hashem lorech yamim. Translation: A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

2 Youth and Children Ministry News The children s monthly missions are getting a small facelift. We will be switching to 3-4 missions per year. The children will still be learning about the importance of giving back, the first Sunday of each month, during Jr. Worship. The Month of October is National Anti-Bully month, perfect for back to school! So don t be surprised if your child is asked to complete a small, personal mission that he or she can share about during Jr. Worship. You can continue to check our bulletin board in the Narthex to see what the kids are up to! Thank you for all your generosity with these missions and of course your outstanding support! Rebecca Hammond Are you as close to God as you would like to be? That is a question we may all think about from time to time. To that end, Pastor Nik would like to lead a small group experiential study into the differing forms of prayer that we can use to enhance our spiritual lives. He is willing to lead up to two different groups, one during the day time and one in the evening. Available evenings are Mondays or Wednesdays and available days are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The evening sessions would begin at 6:30 or 7:00 pm and last up to an hour and a half or shorter. Daytime sessions would begin at 10:30 am and end by noon or before. While we are in this time of transition, prayer is critical. Would you please indicate on the sheet in the narthex your interest and possible times? *NEW BIBLE STUDY* Mysteries of the Bible Please join us for a new weekly Bible Study that will be kicking off on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 7:00 pm at the home of Brian and Katy Lee. Chris Francis will lead the study, which will explore a new book of the Bible each week. We ll enjoy dessert and fellowship from 7:00-7:30, then Chris will offer the study, which will include some time for Q&A at the end before finishing with prayer around 8:30. Please bring a Bible with you if you are able and any questions you might have about the book for that week. For questions about the study, see Chris; for directions, see Brian or Katy. Hope to see you there! AHCC September Prayer Requests Prayer Requests for Healing Prayers for Joy, Safekeeping, &Thanksgiving Marge Graham Don Shellabarger Joy Kate Iles Ruth Morgan Joy LT, PD, Camille, Jos, Paula & all family members Parsonage Workers Thanksgiving Rich Cary Pennie Bally Rebecca Hammond Charlotte Tincher Kay Apostol and Family Family of Jean Dunn

3 Moderator Morsels I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. ~George Washington Carver I love fall! This is my favorite time of year to be outside marveling at God s creation, and I hope you are enjoying it as well. Here are a few morsels that I d like to share with you as we move into October: Interim Pastor Much has happened in our search for an interim pastor since last month. For one thing, Sean Riffle has joined our Interim Search Team (which also consists of Kathy Zwayer, Jane McSorley, Gayle Roush, and me). As you may remember, the board has recommended that we hire an intentional interim pastor that means that this pastor has specific, in-depth training in helping congregations through the transitional time. As our search team has moved through this process, we have learned that there is much more to calling an intentional interim than an interim pastor. Because this person will be with us for quite some time, we take the search process very seriously, as do the pastors, and it is crucial that we are a good fit for one another. We have had some good conversations with candidates and continue to learn and work through this process. At times we wish it would move more quickly, but we are trying to be patient and listen for God. We should have other news to share very soon that also has to do with our interim time stay tuned! New Bible Study! I m very happy to share that we are offering a new weekly Bible Study this fall: Mysteries of the Bible. Chris Francis will lead the study, which will be held at the Lee home on Tuesday evenings. Our first study will be on October 14 and will begin at 7:00 with dessert, then an hour-long study from 7:30-8:30. All are welcome! Please see Brian or me if you need directions to our house. Parsonage Renovation I am so very thankful for Brad Smith, Cindy Thomas, and everyone else who has spent time working on the parsonage over the past few months. It looks GREAT and we are almost ready to show it to potential tenants! Our church is fortunate to have this beautiful property and even more blessed to have individuals in our church family who are willing to share their time and talents this way. THANK YOU! I also want to thank Lee Hammond, who refinished the hardwood floors in the parsonage. Lee provided this service at a very reasonable cost and went above and beyond what a typical service provider does (including some repair work that he did not charge us for). The difference that the refinished floors makes to the appearance of the parsonage is amazing they look beautiful. If you are needing floor work at your home, please consider contacting Lee Hammond Floors! Strategic Plan for Ministry The strategic planning team has met twice and has begun the process of looking at AHCC s future plans for ministry. I was not able to attend the most recent meeting, but I have to say that I m really excited about some of the discussions this team is having and the way that God has worked and continues to work through this process. How is God speaking to YOU right now? Are you tuned in? I can t wait to see you Sunday! Joy and hope, Katy Lee, Moderator

4 Parsonage Update Respectfully Submitted by Cindy Thomas Preparing the parsonage for our potential tenants began in late July and after more than two months of steadfast work; we expect to begin showing it by Monday, October 6 th. Ani Vejdani, a local realtor, has offered to market and show the parsonage at no cost. She has also offered to do background checks as well as provide checklists and other necessary forms. We will post a For Rent sign in the front yard with her phone number as the contact. We will also post a listing on craigslist. Jeff Glaser, a particularly handsome fellow who has considerable real estate experience, has graciously agreed to show the parsonage to potential tenants if Ani is not available. I am not going to say the preparation of the parsonage has been easy. It has not. However, while the work has been challenging, the process has been a BLAST. The Saturday workdays at the parsonage have been a cyclone of collaboration, cooperation, communication, consideration, and coordination. I feel blessed to have been a participant. Though Saturdays have generally been considered the BIG work days, many people have given of their time on weekdays as well. For me, the parsonage has served as a kind of portal. Through it, I have experienced so many forms of LOVE and examples of honor and humbleness. So many people have generously given their time, patience, talents, wisdom, and encouragement. In addition, I want to acknowledge the monetary contributions that have been given. All of these gifts have produced a beautiful product. The parsonage has undergone a miraculous transformation. Love has made it beautiful inside and out. I think I can speak for everyone involved when I express that we sincerely hope our efforts will bring happiness to the lives who will reside within her walls. Mark Your Calendars Date Time Event Wednesday, November 5, am 12 pm IPM Mobile Pantry Saturday, November 15, :30 pm 7:00 pm AHCC Annual Turkey Dinner Sunday, November 30, :30 am Hanging of the Greens First Sunday of Advent Sunday, December 7, :30 am Children s Christmas Program Sunday, December 14, :30 am Christmas Cantata

5 Calendar of Events ~AHCC NEWS~ SWELS (Senior Women Eating Lunch Society) Join us on Monday, October 6 at 11:30 am at the Olive Garden on Beechmont. We welcome SMELS (Senior Men) as well as SWIT (Senior Women in Training) Sock and Underwear Drive This year AHCC collected a total of 461 items. The collection was blessed on Sunday, September 21 and delivered to City Gospel Mission for the homeless and needy. Thank you for your generous donations. Look for our Coats for Kids Kickoff coming soon. City Gospel Mission: Tuesday, October 7 We will be cooking dinner for City Gospel Mission. Members of the congregation are invited to contribute cookies, brownies, or any kind of dessert. Just have desserts at church on Tuesday. We'll be cooking here at 2:00-3:00 p.m. Delivery crew leaves at 5:45 pm. Thank you! Susan Smith AHCC Disciples Women Meeting Wednesday October 8th at 7:00pm We would love to have all of our AHCC women join us for some wonderful food, study and fellowship, so mark your calendars!!!! Blanket Sunday: Sunday, October 19 th This is the Disciple Women s service project for October and offers comfort in times of crisis. Contributions to CWS Blankets mean that Church World Service will be ready to help families around the world recover from disasters and displacement, and build viable, sustainable lives and communities. And here in the U.S., CWS Blankets provide comfort in many communities hit by disaster, and in shelters or agencies assisting those who are experiencing hard times. Turkey Dinner AHCC s annual turkey dinner will be Saturday, November 15 th from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Mark your calendar for this special annual event as your help will be needed. More details coming next month. Walking Club Thank you for joining us on Tuesdays for the past few months. Look for us starting up again in the spring. AHCC Kitchen Supplies Disciples Women has organized the kitchen and welcome groups to use the paper supplies that are on hand. The first cabinet is well stocked with plates, bowls, napkins, and silverware. Please shop our shelves for your next luncheon. CROP Walk 2014 AHCC, along with several of our neighboring churches, will be involved with the CROP Walk again this year. The walk is scheduled for Sunday November 2nd at 1pm at Beech Acres Park. Donations help third world countries with supplies that enable them to grow their own food and have access to clean water. Church World Services is the organization that heads up this effort, and some of the donations will go to IPM to help eliminate hunger in our own communities. Donation packets will be available beginning Sunday October 5th after worship service. Please consider asking your friends and neighbors to sponsor you, or if you are unable to walk, perhaps sponsor a member of our congregation. Laurie VanDierendonck Administration Team The Admin Team meeting will be Sunday, October 12 after worship. The Chair is Greg Hammond.

6 Board Meetings A Special Board Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, October 5 th after worship. This will be a brief meeting with a one item agenda. A regular Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 13 th at 7 pm. All board reports should be submitted to the office by Monday, October 6 th. Elders Meeting The Elders meeting will be Monday, October 20 th at 7 pm. Our Co-chairs are Jane McSorley and Gayle Roush. Ministry Team Meeting Sunday, October 26 th after worship is the next Ministry Team meeting. Please note that this is a rescheduled date. Our Co-chairs are Brian Lee and Melanie Preston. Community Meal Monday, October 27 at LCR at 6:00pm. We have another opportunity to serve our community by providing the meal at LCR on Monday, October 27 at 6pm. It will be a pasta meal, so be thinking of your favorite pasta dish to share as we plan for this meal. A list of all menu items needed will be posted in the narthex. All are welcome whether you are a cook or not. Please come and be a part of this ministry as we share this meal and get to know those in our community. Contact either Jane McSorley or Kathy Zwayer if you have any questions. The Ministry Team Shirts The new t-shirts and sweatshirts for AHCC have arrived. If you placed an order and have not yet picked yours up, they will be available at church each Sunday. If anyone meant to order a shirt and did not, please see Brian Lee or Melanie Preston as there are extra. Kroger Community Rewards AHCC (37849). Our quarterly statement from Kroger Community Rewards shows that 21 households earned us $ for the 5/1/14-7/30/14 quarter. Every little bit helps! Thank you for signing up for this program. If you haven t signed up for this yet, you can go to and use our NPO # The Finance Team thanks you for your assistance. Cub Scout Pack 476 Cub Scout Pack 476 will have a pack meeting on Monday October 27 th at 6:30 pm and den meetings on Mondays, October 6 th & 13 th at 6:30 pm. Pack 476 consists of boys in grades 1 st - 5 th, and their families, from Summit Elementary. Anyone interested in more information about Pack 476, joining or volunteering, should contact Brian Cox. AL ANON 12 Step and 12 Traditions Al-Anon Family Groups offers anonymous support for families and friends of problem drinkers, alcoholics, and addicts. Meetings are 7pm every Thursday here at AHCC. Open meeting, barrier-free access. Sunday Worship Slideshow Do you know how to get an announcement posted on the slides that run before Sunday worship? It's very easy; just Greg at gvandiere@aol.com or call at (513) and let him know what details you'd like included. Greg will format your information into the slideshow so that you can get the word out! WHY ARE YOU KEEPING... old eyeglasses, cell phones, and hearing aids? Disciples Women has a box in the Narthex to collect these items. Our last delivery was 25 pairs of glasses and 7 cell phones to agencies for reuse or recycling. So check your drawers and closets and help us and others by cleaning them out. Christmas Shopping Online this year? If you are like many people these days, you do some (or maybe all) of your Christmas shopping online. Or perhaps you do a lot of your shopping all year round online? If you shop on Amazon, be sure to start by going to and clicking on the Amazon link at the very bottom of the page. The Christian Church in Ohio gets a percentage back from all purchases that start from that link. Adding this additional step to your online shopping routine does not cost you anything extra and helps all of the ministries of the Christian Church in Ohio. Thank you in advance for your support!

7 ~COMMUNITY NEWS~ Choral Voices to Celebrate IPM s 50 Years of Service Music with a Mission a choral festival lifting up Inter Parish Ministry s 50 years of service will take place on October 19 at 3 p.m. at Armstrong Chapel, 5125 Drake Avenue, Indian Hill. All of Inter Parish Ministry s supporting congregations and the community are invited to attend this free-will offering event that will celebrate IPM s 50 th Anniversary through music. Right now, five choirs will present a sense of community in celebrating the service, past present and future of Inter Parish Ministry. All will also compete through an offering vote after each performance. At this time, the choirs participating are from Armstrong Chapel, Indian Hill Episcopal Presbyterian Church, St. Thomas Episcopal, Newtown United Methodist Church, and Mt. Moriah United Methodist Church. Mark your calendars now to come see and hear the amazing sounds of glory. Mt. Healthy Christian Church 175 th Anniversary The Mt. Healthy Christian Church in Cincinnati is turning 175 years old on October 12! The congregation is celebrating that long and illustrious history and their long and fruitful association with missionary movements and work all over the world by inviting Dr. Newell Williams, the President of Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University and Professor of Modern and American Church History there, to preach at both their morning worship services (9 and 10:45 am), followed by a meal around noon that day. MHCC invites any and all to be with them on their special day. If you are interested in attending and would like to join them for lunch, please contact Rev. Michael Doerr, the pastor at MHCC as soon as possible, so they can plan for food.

8 ~Servers for the Month of October~ Worship Leaders October 5 th Nik Donges October 12 th Brian Lee October 19 th Melanie Preston October 26 th - Deacon and Fellowship Snack Schedule Greeter Cinda Thompson (10/19) Preparers Tammy Riffle (10/5) Mary Heeney (10/12) Usher Barb Henderson (10/26) Subs All Deacons should be prepared to sub Elders Oct 5 th Pennie Bally/Sean Riffle Oct 12 th Laurie VanDierendonck/Pennie Bally Oct 19 th Gayle Roush/Laurie VanDierendonck Oct 26 th John Heeney/Gayle Roush ~Church Office Info~ Church Leadership As AHCC transitions to new Pastoral leadership, our Elders and Student Associate will be fulfilling the worship service roles and responsibilities. If you have questions call Katy Lee (Moderator) or Lynda Keller in the office. If you have a pastoral care need, please call your Elder Co-chairs Jane McSorley or Gayle Roush. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. Church Secretary Hours Lynda Keller s hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. If you would like your name removed from our Monthly Newsletter, please respond to this or call the church office at (513) , and we will promptly remove your name. Thank you. ~AHCC Fellowship Hall Rentals~ Karate: Tuesday & Thursday 5:30 8:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 10:30 am. Contact Kim Webber at Classical Indian Dance class with Prabha Nair: Fridays 6-9 pm, East Classroom

9 October 2014 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 5 10:30 am - Worship Service After Worship - Healing Service - Special Board Meeting 7:00 pm - Choir Practice Tony Gemma 12 Guest Preacher: Dr. Susan Street-Beavers 10:30 am - Worship Service After Worship - Healing Service - Admin Team 7:00 pm - Choir Practice John Martin Jr Tom Moore 19 Blanket Sunday 10:30 am - Worship Service After Worship - Healing Service 7:00 pm - Choir Practice 26 Coin Sunday 10:30 am - Worship Service After Worship - Healing Service - Ministry Team 7:00 pm - Choir Practice Shannon Harwood 6 11:30 am SWELS (Olive Garden) 6:30 pm Cub Scout Den Rebecca Hammond 13 6:30 pm Cub Scout Den 7:00 pm Board Meeting Lyon Family 20 7:00 pm Elders McSorley Family 27 6:00 pm Community LCR 6:30 pm Cub Scout Pack Roush Family Prayers Birthdays Anniversaries 7 6:00 pm City Gospel Mission Amy Sanders 14 7:00 pm Bible Study at Lee Family Home Marois Family 21 7:00 pm Bible Study at Lee Family Home Moore Family 28 7:00 pm Bible Study at Lee Family Home Schmogrow Family 1 Bob Gibbs 8 7:00 pm Disciple Women Matthew Crouch Greg Van Lear 15 Martin Family 22 Morgan Family 29 Shellabarger Family 2 7:00 pm Intercessory Prayer Horner Family 9 Lee Family 16 7:00 pm Intercessory Prayer McCandless Family 23 Preston Family 30 John Branch Gabe Lyon 3 Charlie Cox 10 Patricia (Hall) Crane 17 Greg VanDierdonck 24 Riffle Family 31 Jane McSorley 4 Hurst Family 11 Brian & Jennie Cox 18 9 am Strategic Planning Meeting Mary Alice Zwayer 25 Roessler Family