Dear Friends in Christ,

Transcription

1 Glad Tidings Organizing for Growth January 2014 Dear Friends in Christ, THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY C E D A R C R O F T Sunday Services at both 8:00 & 10:30 am Adult Forum at 9:15am in the library Children s Sunday School At 10:30 am in dayschool Healing Service Wednesday at 10:30 am Bible Study Wednesday at 11:30 am 419 Cedarcroft Road Baltimore, MD Phone: (410) Fax: (410) stewart@nativitycedarcroft.org nativity.secretary@verizon.net nativitycedarcroft If you go through Target or Walmart these days, the shelves that once were filled with Christmas decorations are now filled with large plastic storage containers. January is a time to put away the stuff we used to deck the halls and perhaps even organize and downsize a little bit. (Interesting though that we spend lots of money on stuff and then have to buy special boxes to store up that stuff. There is a sermon in there about storing up our treasures, but that is for another Sunday...) Anyway, while Doug was away in Nepal building a house with Habitat for Humanity, the house was quiet, and I started some of that organizing. The refrigerator, freezer and pantry were first. The workshop downstairs is now in much better shape. I even got rid of some of that old paint that we inherited when we bought our house almost seven years ago! (Doug had an amazing journey and looks forward to telling us more about it and showing us his pictures in the Adult Forum on February 16.) Things have been calm for a few weeks at Nativity too. The decorations are put away and my desk is somewhat clear. I have hired a new secretary who will start on January 21! Now I am excited to continue thinking about how we organize for growth here in our community. What needs to stay? What needs to be recycled? What have we forgotten? What is missing? There are several ongoing projects. I hope you will be at our special meeting on February 2 at 9:15am in Hart Hall when we hope to pass new bylaws and elect new vestry members. This is part of what will help us minister with ease. Merriam Webster defines organization as "the act or process of putting the different parts of something in a certain order so that they can be found or used easily." What things do we need to put in order in our community so that God can find and use us more easily? What do you need to do in your life so that God can use you more easily? These are good questions for us to ask as the vestry, as a congregation and as individuals. I hope there will be no easy or quick answers. Good organization takes reflection, time and planning. I am grateful that you are a part of the joyful Nativity family. Our organization is truly making a difference in the world. Faithfully Yours, Stewart+

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3 Deacon Doodle God so loved the world, he did not send a committee! Please join the conversation on Sunday, January 26 th. This is our time to GROUP and BRAIN STORM about OUTEACH here. Some questions to ponder for BRAIN STORMING: Do WE enjoy doing Outreach? We already do a smorgasbord of outreach: GEDCO s CARES food pantry collection monthly; warm winter clothing for Jessie Brain s Red Cross truck; shoe boxes for seafarers at Christmas; Christmas Party for Ascension Homes Folks; Baltimore Tree Trust Planting; support for Roseda Marshall in Libera; collections for Episcopal Relief and Development overseas and here in the USA particularly in Lent; Epiphany mite boxes for Friends of the Episcopal Diocese Jerusalem; fund raising spaghetti dinner and so much more. Why do WE do Outreach here at Nativity? Where does it say that Outreach is a part of being Christian? How would or could we change our Outreach? Would we like to have more hands on experience with Outreach? i.e.: Habitat Building in the City, serving at a soup kitchen, help with a reading camp for a week this summer???????? What funds do we have in our church budget to support Outreach and how? See you on Sunday the 26 th of January at 12:15 p.m. in the Library. Deacon Linda+ linda_hollis@comcast.net From our Treasurer Margaret Dowding I would like to thank the family and friends of the Church of the Nativity, who gave from the abundance of your hearts in ensuring the work and life of the church continued in To all the counters, thanks for your dedication each and every Sunday, as my job was made so much easier. Special thanks to Leona Carter, for ensuring that our quarterly statements are distributed on a timely basis. It has been an honor serving as your Treasurer in 2013, and being committed with the same zeal, enthusiasm and faith moving power to do the same in I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever, I have placed in God s hands that I still possess. Martin Luther

4 SPECIAL MEETING CALLED Sunday February 2, 2014 at 9:15am in Hart Hall So where can you get involved at Nativity? How can you help us get organized for ministry? Please speak to Stewart if you would like to join one of these ministries. Greeter Usher Altar Guild Acolyte Children & Adults! Choir Reader/Lector Intercessor/Prayers Chalicist Eucharistic Visitor Counter Food Pantry Delivery Hospitality Host please sign up to cook breakfast or host coffee hour on Sundays! If you are interested in helping plan our liturgies for Lent, Holy Week and Easter, please join us for a special meeting of the Music and Worship Group on Wednesday night, January 29 at 6:30pm in the Upper Room. Thank you! The Vestry of the Church of the Nativity, Cedarcroft has called a special meeting for Sunday February 2, 2014 at 9:15am in Hart Hall. The purpose of this meeting is to revise the bylaws. After several months of conversation at vestry meetings and in consultation with the chancellor of the Diocese of Maryland, the vestry proposes completely replacing our current bylaws. With the help of Senior Warden, Neal Baroody, the vestry adapted a boilerplate set of bylaws suggested by the chancellor. If the parish passes these new bylaws, several changes will take place including moving the Annual Meeting of the parish to the first Sunday of February instead of May. The vestry feels this would allow them to present the annual budget to the congregation earlier and review the previous calendar year rather than waiting until May. If the bylaws are adopted, the Special Meeting will be adjourned and our Annual Meeting would be called to order immediately to include the election of the next class of vestry members. The vestry and wardens will host a forum to give an overview of the suggested changes at an Adult Forum in January. Copies of the proposed bylaws will be available in the church office and online Please speak to Stewart+ or Neal Baroody if you have any questions.

5 Vestry Nominations The vestry has approved these nominees for election to the vestry of the Church of the Nativity, Cedarcroft. For three year terms: Melvina Coleman, Lee Smith and Betsy Reese. Jessie Brain has resigned from the vestry to dedicate more time to her ministry with the Red Cross. Michael Eversley has been nominated to fulfill her unexpired term of one year. He will be eligible for reelection in Melvina Coleman and Lee Smith Michael Eversley Many thanks to the nominating committee: Maria Hardinger, chair, Lee Smith, Priscilla Vaughan and Doris Webb. Betsy Reese

6 Claggett Center Summer Camps 2014 Summer camps benefit the whole person - socially, physically and spiritually! Youth are invited to a week filled with outdoor activities, faith-based discussion, and spirited worship in a loving, accepting community. The Rev. Dina van Klaveren, rector of St. Andrew's Church, Glenwood, will serve again as camp director. The theme will be "Recreation - Making Things Happen with God." High School Week June Mini Camp June 29 - July 2 Middle School Week July 6-11 Youth Camp Week July Rainbow Camp July Special Challenge Week July All God's Children Camp August 3-8 Camp Amazing Grace August For Claggett Programs: Visit for flyers, registration. programs.php Contact Donna Kerner for information: dkerner@bishopclaggett.org

7 The Rt. Rev. Eugene T. Sutton, Bishop January Birthdays Nativity Staff The Rev. T. Stewart Lucas, Priest-in-Charge The Rev. Linda Hollis, Deacon The Rev. Anthony Hollis, Priest Associate Wallington Hankerson, Jr., Director of Music Vestry and Officers Neal Baroody, Senior Warden Craig Hart, Junior Warden Margaret Dowding, Treasurer Betsy Reese, Registrar Class of 2014 Harold Hardinger Maria Hardinger Jonathan Pearce Class of 2015 Jessica Brain Robin Cox Amy Norwood Class of 2016 Amanda Cunningham Betsy Dunn Barbara Weldon 1 Virginia Heffernan 2 Cara Hardinger 4 Debby Tupper 8 Richard North 10 Justin Dowding 16 Elizabeth Reese 18 Don Hoatson 24 Margaret Dowding 25 Kate Phelan 28 Eddie Jones Be Blessed A Poem by Flora Sheard He will bless you if you take him at his word. Read God s word every day. Tell it to your children. Teach them how to pray. Believe I him. The Spirit will guide you to your blessing. Take him at his word. Love the cripple, the lame, th eland As God died for us all. He carries the sin of the whole world On his shoulders. He loves and blesses us all.

8 T H E C H U R C H OF T H E NATIVIT Y C E D A R C R O F T 419 CEDAR C R O F T RD B A L TI M O R E, MD Save the Date! Tuesday, March 4 6:30 pm Hart Hall