January 2018 Vol. 67, No. 1

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1 January 2018 Vol. 67, No. 1 In this Issue January Adult Education page 2 AG Market page Christmas Pageant page 4 Holiday Sharing page 6 V.O.I.C.E. Priorities page 7 Old Presbyterian Meeting House 323 South Fairfax Street Alexandria, Virginia phone Office Hours: 8:30 am 4:30 pm, Monday Friday The Old Presbyterian Meeting House is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the National Capital Presbytery, and a Covenant Network congregation. Welcome Aaron Siirila to our Staff Aaron Siirila joined the staff in December as Church Business Administrator, following Bob Clark s retirement from the position. Aaron comes to us after having served 5 years as Director of Operations at Silver Spring United Methodist Church, where he oversaw the facilities, finances, and administration. During his tenure, the church undertook a successful merger with another church, conducted a capital campaign, and opened a commercial kitchen. Aaron is married to Beth Jordan Siirila, an attorney working at a nonprofit research organization in Bethesda that focuses on improving outcomes for children. They have two children: Alice is a first grader who enjoys reading, art, and figuring out what makes things work, a scientist in the making. Kaitlin will be 4 years old in January and is a bright, busy and creative explorer, who keeps up with her sister and demands they wear matching clothes. Aaron is the son of missionary parents and grew up in Taipei, Taiwan, from the age of two until eighteen. He speaks conversational Mandarin Chinese and desperately misses authentic Chinese food. He has a bachelor s degree in Physics, a master s degree in International Affairs, and is accredited as a Certified Business Administrator. You may reach Aaron at ext. 111 or by (aaron@opmh.org). Reformed Institutes Annual Convocation January 27 Save Saturday January 27 for the Reformed Institute s annual convocation from 9 a.m. to noon at National Presbyterian Church. This year s topic is the role Reformed Protestants have played in the rapid growth Christianity has undergone in recent decades in the global South. Dr. Paul C. H. Lim of Vanderbilt Divinity School will present, Unexpected yet not Un-predestined? The Surprising Growth of Calvinism as a Global Religious Phenomenon in the late 20th Century. Register at reformedinstitute.org. Old Presbyterian Meeting House news 1

2 Meeting House Staff The Rev. Dr. Robert R. Laha, Jr. Senior Pastor The Rev. Katherine A. Stanford Associate Pastor The Rev. Ann E. Herlin Associate Pastor The Rev. Dr. Jon Smoot Parish Associate Mr. Samuel Baker Director of Music/Organist Mrs. Noelle Castin Director of Christian Education Mrs. Mary Pratt Perry Youth Director Mr. Aaron Siirila Church Business Administrator Mrs. Heather Starek Communications Manager Mrs. Ellen Haas Computer Specialist Mrs. Leslie Mounts Administrative Coordinator Mrs. Tania Ryan MHCP Director Mr. David Heiby Superintendent, Presbyterian Cemetery & Columbarium Please submit materials for the newsletter through your ministry leadership by the second Tuesday of the month before the issue date. The deadline for the February issue is January 19. January Adult Education Classes On January 7, 2018, you re invited to the adult education breakfast during the education hour. Come for fellowship and a chance to give feedback on adult education offerings at the Meeting House. The Architecture of Compassion II, Heritage Hall at 9:40 a.m. January 14 The Hope of Modern Architecture Jim Palmer, Principal, Sanchez Palmer Architects This class will begin with a brief recap of last year s series and continue our romp through the history of architecture with a focus on the history of architecture in America after We will touch on the impact of the birth of the modern age, the industrial revolution, the great political, social and religious movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and how they influence current architectural theory and practice. January 21 The Promise of Sustainable Architecture Jim Palmer, Principal, Sanchez Palmer Architects This class will focus on the question: Why has the promise of sustainable design in our modern post-industrial society become so politically controversial at a moment when the very fabric of our natural environment and manmade infrastructures appear to be so fragile? We will focus on examples of sustainable architectural and civil engineering that have attempted to address apparently insurmountable problems such as natural disasters and the inability to maintain infrastructure. January 28 Memorializing Hiroshima - Compassion/Atonement Dr. Christopher C. Mead, Emeritus Regents Professor, University of New Mexico and Past President of the Society of Architectural Historians Dr. Mead will consider how the Hiroshima Peace Memorial commemorates the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, His presentation will focus on how the Memorial speaks to the practices of atonement and compassion found in both Eastern and Western religions. February 4 The Compassionate Reaction to Modern Architecture New Urbanism Dhiru Thadani, Charter Member of the Congress for the New Urbanism, and Architect/Educator/Author Mr. Thadani will consider the origins of the New Urbanism as a compassionate response to the state of urban planning and modern architectural theory after World War II. He will feature his experiences practicing in the United States and India, and discuss how the different cultures approach their shared challenge of providing sustainable, healthy, livable communities. Meeting House Cooperative Preschool: Open House and Applications All are invited to an Open House for the preschool on Wednesday, January 10 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Applications for the school year are due January 31. Children who will be two by September 30, 2018 are eligible to enroll, and class options range from 2 days/week for the youngest children up to 5 days/week for Pre-K. Classes run from 9 a.m. to noon, with an extended day option to 1:30 p.m. for the oldest children. For more information, visit meetinghousepreschool.org or call news Old Presbyterian Meeting House

3 Alternative Giving Market Gives Thanks by Lois Rawson OPMH supports a long list of local and global missions and ministries. The Alternative Giving Christmas Market provides an opportunity to learn more about these various missions while shopping for friends and loved ones. Our mission partners offer handmade and other gifts, which they sell to support their ministries. The market was open on December 3 and 10 this year. OPMH Global missions were supported by sales of handcrafts, ornaments and gift cards for families, schools and orphanages in Haiti, Kenya and Pakistan. In Alexandria, donation opportunities included groceries for seniors, food, rental assistance and healthcare for the poor or homeless, books to help young readers, and advocacy for public policies to advance social justice. All money that was raised will go directly to the missions. Because of the support of OPMH members, the two fun and festive market days raised more than $15,000 toward the work of our mission teams. Thank you to all who participated! photos by Carol Stalun Old Presbyterian Meeting House news 3

4 2017 Christmas Eve Pageant! photos by Anne Williams and Carol Stalun 4 news Old Presbyterian Meeting House

5 Meeting House college students gathered on December 21. If you d like to be included in future college-age events, please contact Mary (mpratt@opmh.org). High School/Middle School Winter Retreats Sign up for the winter retreats. The high school retreat is January 13-15, and middle school retreat is February Mary (mpratt@opmh.org) for more information and forms. Old Presbyterian Meeting House news 5

6 Holiday Sharing 2017 Wrap Ups It is always wonderful to hear from Meeting House sponsors and donors as December approaches. Some are looking for feedback on choosing which items to give, some have questions about a wish list, some finish their shopping early, while others are waiting for certain items to come by mail or for a break in their work schedule that will allow them to finish shopping. As items are dropped off during the first two weekends in December, the 15 fabulous bicycles, microwaves, many gift parcels and the stories behind them inspired much goodwill! While most sponsors dropped off their gifts at Elliot House, Circle 5 and the parents of an 8 th grade friend group delivered their gifts to families homes. Each year Holiday Sharing can be viewed from another, more human perspective in terms of the people that we serve. Because of client confidentiality, we generally do not learn much about the individuals we sponsor other than their first name and the wishes, books and clothing items listed. For children other than foster teens, seniors and people with disabilities, we also see their age, gender and favorite color. Nonetheless, many wish lists provide references to ongoing challenges. This year, four of the families we sponsored included children with special needs; there was a single father with four boys close in age; and a Mom who had suffered a stroke but appeared interested in starting a baking than one year. business. From the wish lists, we also could discern interests of many of the children and adults we sponsored, including two young boys who are wild about Super Mario and two seniors who love the Washington Redskins. As to the Meting House sponsors and donors who provide gifts and gift cards, we have members that sponsor a family or one or more individuals on their own, and folks who sponsor with their household, with siblings, with grown children, or with groups of friends. When special cases came up and we needed several people to help cover a given list, there were as many as four Meeting House households that helped to supply items including items for the home, grocery gift cards, and gifts for one or more children. We had several people who filled in important needs as they arose. Others volunteered to sponsor in one category, but took on something different based on the needs presented to us. In the case of a senior who had requested a grocery gift card and a set of cubbies, one person provided the grocery card, another ordered the shelving and cubby system, another person assembled the system, and a mother and her teenage daughter provided most of the small wrapped gifts that turned a plain set of cubbies into the Twelve Days of Christmas, with a small gift in each bin. This year, Circle 5 sponsored a family with seven children and the Board of Deacons sponsored another large family; around 15 employees at Stratacomm contributed gifts for a family with three children; instead of a secret Santa gift exchange among themselves, a group of 19 8 th grade girls sponsored a family with three children; two teen girls, who jointly sponsored a teen girl close in age to them, provided each item on her wish list as well as extra items for her to enjoy; and upon learning from the City s Holiday Sharing coordinator that a popular request among foster teens this year was gift cards to Foot Locker and that none had been turned in yet, a donor provided all of the Foot Locker gift cards requested. Holiday Sharing couldn t happen at the Meeting House without all the volunteers who pitch in to help. From the time when the key dates for the program were determined in early September through the second week in December, over four months later, volunteers helped by organizing the program; taking sign-ups outside of church and by ; corresponding with sponsors and donors; receiving, labeling, and loading parcels; driving a donated truck to deliver two large truckloads of gifts to the building where gifts are picked up by others; and taking care of follow-up matters. Volunteers included very young artists, youth, and adults. Many thanks to all who contributed in some way to this year s Holiday Sharing Program each year we see your gifts, generosity, and commitment reflected in both the number of people we help and the very important human side of this program. 6 news Old Presbyterian Meeting House 2017 Holiday Sharing by the Numbers: à 101 households plus members of Circle 5, the Board of Deacons, an 8 th grade friend group, and employees of a local company directly sponsored a total of 165 people, that included 35 families, an additional parent, 28 seniors and people with disabilities, an early foster teen request, and 23 other foster teens. à The group we directly sponsored included 64 adults and 101 children and teens. At a suggested giving level of $125 per person, this equates to more that $20,000 in gifts and gift cards. à Our church community also provided another $5,340 in grocery and other gift cards and cash for distribution by the program to meet other pressing needs. à We also contributed 9 very large bags of toys and other items to the Alexandria Community Toy Drive that served families who were eligible for Holiday Sharing but were not matched with sponsors. à Over the past seven years from 2011 to 2017, the Meeting House community has directly sponsored 1,072 people a number that includes some repeated clients who were served by us for more article and photos by Margaret Rizzi

7 VOICE Your Social Justice Priorities Coming off what proved to be the largest citizen assembly of the 2017 Virginia election season, VOICE is holding local caucuses in January to determine the top regional priorities to press with the new governor and other local political leaders. If you attended the October public action with 1,565 other VOICE leaders or other past VOICE actions, mark your calendar to attend the Alexandria caucus Thursday, January 18, 7:15 8:45 p.m., at St. Joseph s Catholic Church (711 N. Columbus Street). We will vote at this caucus on where to focus our organized citizen power in OPMH is a founding member of VOICE, which is a community-based, multi-faith and nonpartisan organization. To learn more about VOICE and its local actions, visit In a December year-end review meeting, key leaders agreed VOICE should repeat its successful 2017 Get Out The Vote campaign in VOICE targeted eight low-voting precincts in 2017 increasing the voter turnout percentage between 24 and 39% in six precincts and between 9.5 and 11 in two others. With 375 VOICE volunteers going door-to-door on multiple weekends last fall, VOICE had one of the largest GOTV efforts. A Christmas Evening Thank you to everyone who came out to A Christmas Evening on Sunday, December 10. In addition to fellowship, crafts, food and the popular Christmas Readings, 72 Presbyterian Disaster Assistance kits were assembled! Save the Date! Blood Drive Sponsored by the Board of Deacons Mark your calendar for the blood drive sponsored by the Board of Deacons on Sunday, February 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. More information and sign ups coming soon! Senior Services of Alexandria (SSA) and AARP are sponsoring a Caregiver Workshop on Saturday, January 20. The featured speaker will be Bobbi Carducci, author of Confessions of an Imperfect Caregiver. Representatives from Insight Memory Care and Legacy Navigator will speak about local programs and services designed to help caregivers find the help they need for themselves and their loved ones. This free event will be held at Immanuel Church on the Hill at 3606 Seminary Road, from 9:30 a.m.-noon. Space is limited, so please register online at seniorservicesalex.org or by calling , ext Interested in learning more about your city's history? SSA and the Alexandria Library are offering free, private tours of several local historic sites for residents who are 60+. The next tour will be of Carlyle House, one of Alexandria's most treasured 18th century mansions. 15 participants will meet at Beatley Central Library at 10 a.m. on January 12 for a brief overview of the property by library experts, and then will be transported to Old Town for the exclusive tour. Register by calling , ext. 110 or at seniorservicesalex.org. Flower dedications Dedicating flowers is a wonderful way to remember a birthday, an anniversary, a special event, or a loved one. And it s easy to do! Heather Starek (hstarek@opmh.org) or Judi Elmore (judielmore@gmail.com) with your dedication and preferred date, and send a check for $65 to the church office. On your special Sunday your dedication will appear in the church bulletin. Old Presbyterian Meeting House news 7

8 OPMH Youth Stockings for Soldiers Packing Party & Lock-In On Saturday, December 2, the youth gathered for the annual stockings for soldiers packing party and lock-in. We shipped 250 stockings to troops serving abroad! Thank you to the Meeting House youth and congregation, and to everyone who helped in any way! To see a calendar of upcoming events, visit and click on Calendar.