From the Family of Lynnie Evans

Transcription

1 March 13, 2018 vol. 20, issue 11 Join us for Sunday Worship on March 18, 10:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. - Adult 10:00 a.m. - Service (w/ Sunday School) 5:30 p.m. - Stone Called to Serve Elders: Bud Graham, David Sisson Home Communion: Pamella Doerksen Preparing Deacons: Lisa Yarbrough Serving Deacons: Sherry Sisson, Janet Chenard, Tom Frederick, Mary Frederick* Coffee Cart and Snack: Sherry and David Sisson Flowers: na Greeter: Vera Rush Sunday Worship Accessibility: Large print bulletins and hymnals are available. Stone Soup Meal Count Tuesday, 3/6-91 Saturday, 3/ Sunday, 3/11-80 Church Staff Rev. Matt Gordon... Senior Minister Matthew Clark...Choir Director Eric Qian... Pianist Jill Shinkawa...Communications Manager Kevin Weaver... Paladin Lucas Teeter...Disciples House Resident Advisor Christa Schmeder... Director of Youth Ministry Ruth Chadd... Office Manager Contact Us Phone: (541) office@heartofcorvallis.org Website: Facebook: From the Family of Lynnie Evans Thank you for all the love and support extended to our family throughout the past ten years. You have carried us through this long difficult journey with your prayers and actions. You have been both forward leaning in offering help and yet respectful of our privacy. We deeply appreciate the care and compassion we have received. The EvansHerbs

2 Matt s Minute Patience is not my spiritual gift. Patience is especially not my spiritual gift when you combine it with anticipation. If I know something is up ahead, waiting for it is difficult. Being able to track packages online is brutal. Waiting for someone to respond to that important can be torture. When I was much younger, I used to wake up early on Christmas day, run down the stairs, unpack my Christmas stocking to see what I got, re-pack it and get back in bed and wait for everyone else to wake up. A lack of patience, in my experience, can often lead to disappointment. Anticipation builds and creates a perceived immensity and the end product can be underwhelming. Advertising and marketing does this to us all the time. Consider the Super Bowl or that television show that promises the most dramatic season finale ever. Amazon does not help either because it promises anything and everything in 2 to 3 business days. The world is at our fingertips and we can get anything we want and probably get it instantly. During this season of Lent, I am working on my patience. I think patience requires us to be comfortable with discomfort. Patience requires an acceptance of what we do not have and recognition of what is right in front of us. Patience requires an ability to recognize the present. Patience requires mindfulness. The truth is I like to have things wrapped up nicely. I like to know where I am going and what is around the corner. I like to know exactly what hour those new glasses are going to show up in my mailbox. However, I also recognize that my desire to control and be in charge interferes with my ability to recognize the gifts the world has to offer. My exercise during Lent is to schedule time for things to be unscheduled. Spring will help this exercise because I am more willing to go outside, explore nature, and marvel and the gifts of God all around me. Who knows what I might see? What gifts will reveal themselves in unexpected and unplanned ways? Peace, Pastor Matt Easter Schedule 2018 Easter is Coming! Sunday, March 25 - Palm/Passion Sunday, Old Rugged Cross Scripture focus: Matthew 27: What is our understanding of the cross? How does it inform our faith? Thursday, March 29 - Maundy Thursday, Seder Meal at 6:00 p.m. We will share a meal that connects us to our Hebrew story through a traditional Passover meal. Friday, March 30 - Good Friday service at 7:00 p.m. Together, with Rev. Matt Gordon Senior Minister Church phone: matt@heartofcorvallis.org Open Office Hours: Mondays: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Tuesdays: 1:00 p.m. - -4:00 p.m. Sermons Online First Presbyterian Church and First Congregational Church, we will remember the crucifixion of Christ on this Holy Friday. Service at First Presbyterian this year. Sunday, April 1 - Easter Join us for our day of Easter Celebration. 6:30 a.m. - Sunday Morning 5K walk/run 8:00 a.m. - Easter Sunrise Service with Folk Musicians 9:00 a.m. - Easter breakfast 10:00 a.m. - Easter Worship, a full morning with baptisms, special anthems from the choir and a message of resurrection and hope. Relying on the spirit and story of the Gospels, First Christian Church is supported primarily by donations. There is no charge for any event. We rely on freely given offerings to support our various ministries and opportunities. Your contributions and gifts allow us to continue to be a radically inclusive, justice-driven community of faith every day of the week. Thank you in advance for your gifts.

3 Women s History Month - Mechthild of Magdeburg and Other Connections A Christian mystic, Mechthild of Magdeburg (c c. 1282/1294), was one of the most original medieval mystics, and the first to write in the German language. She was a Beguine, a group of women who lived in a quasi-monastic community but did not take formal vows. Her work alternates between passionate descriptions of her love for God and scathing denunciations of many clergy and the laxity that she perceived in the official church of her time. In one passage of her book, she writes: A fish cannot drown in water, A bird does not fall in air. In the fire of creation, God doesn t vanish: The fire brightens. Each creature God made must live in its own true nature; How could I resist my nature, That lives for oneness with God? (Anderson, Elizabeth. Mechtild of Magdeburg. Lecture Notes, History of World Christianity from Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA, March 8, 2018.) Corvallis Youth Collective Event! Our service project will be with Produce for the People, an organic community garden with over 13,500 sq. ft. of vegetables, berries and fruit trees. The space is collaboratively managed by a small group of volunteers, with larger groups attending single-time work parties. Last year, they harvested and donated over 4000 lbs. of produce to local food banks and local agencies! We will assist with planting seeds for veggie starts in the greenhouse; outside we will be working in the Kids Garden constructing a Three Sisters area and As an aside, it is interesting that this quote resembles a writing from Japanese Buddhist priest and founder of the Soto school of Zen, Dogen Zenji (1/19/1200-9/19/1253) Fish swim the water and however much they swim, there is no end to the water. Birds fly the skies, and however much they fly, there is no end to the skies. Yet fish never once leave the waters, birds never forsake the sky. When their need is great, there is great activity. When their need is small, there is small activity. In this way, none ever fails to exert itself to the full, and nowhere does any fail to move and turn freely. If a bird leaves the sky, it will soon die. If a fish leaves the water, it at once perishes. We should grasp that water means life (for the fish), and the sky means life (for the bird). It must be that the bird means life (for the sky), and the fish means life (for the water); that life is the bird, life is the fish. (From The Heart of Dogen s Shobogenzo, Suny Press, Norman Waddell and Masao Abe, translators) a Pizza Garden. Wear weather appropriate clothes and shoes to have fun in the dirt! When: Sunday, April 8, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Where: Produce for the People Garden, behind Christ Church, at 4000 SW Western Blvd, Corvallis, between Western Blvd and Philomath Blvd. RSVP to Mary at Merryteacup@gmail.com In Our Prayers Lynnie Evans has passed away. Prayers for John and the Evans/ Herb family Sandy Landis broke her wrist and cannot drive. She would appreciate visitors. Chris Clausen s friend, Bill Judy Dyer has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer Leonard Higgins and family Safe travels to Prill and Don Zobel Prill s mother, Betty and Don s sister Viv Ellsworth Carol Bailey Georgann Taylor Marcene Stuart Teanna McMahan and her family Doris Montgomery Margaret Coon Wisdom and courage to the survivors and to the High School students who are taking a leadership role for school safety. Wisdom and courage to our lawmakers. Joys Aaron Marchbank s father got married. Congratulations! Register Soon If you are planning to attend the Women s Pray and Play Day at Salem First Christian on Saturday, March 24, get your registrations in to Dena Query by Friday, March 16! Contact Lauri Morris if you d like to carpool. Parking is limited. The 2018 theme for the women s retreats is Do the Math!

4 Looking Ahead March 15 1:00 pm - Women s lunch at Blue Sky Chinese Restaurant March 19 7:00 pm - Program Cabinet March 23 3:00-6:00 pm - March for Our Lives sign making in McLean Hall March 25 Palm Sunday March 29 6:00 pm - Maundy Thursday Seder Meal March 30 7:00 pm - Good Friday Service at First Presbyterian Church April 1- Easter Sunday! 6:30 am - Sunday Morning 5K walk/run 8:00 am - Easter Sunrise Service 9:00 am - Easter breakfast 10:00 am - Easter Worship April 4 9:00 am - Due Knots meet in room 35 April 18 1:00 pm - Women s Group lunch at Broken Yoke Cafe April 22 After Service - Adult Education Class - Simplifying Life May 12 2:00 pm - Tea Party at FCC Happy Birthdays! 3/2 - Peggy Hall 3/3 - David Amity 3/5 - Dawn Lasater 3/7 - Kathy Crawford 3/14 - Connie Plants 3/20 - Mike Dyer 3/21 - Bruce Cotton, Aaron Marchbanks, Cherie Reynolds 3/23 - William Baird 3/24 - Janet Chenard 3/26 - Jerry Lasater 3/30 - Charlotte Bates Happy Anniversaries 3/18 - Sylvia and Don Baarstad 3/21 - Amy and Jon Berry What s Happening Women s Group Event in March A women s event is planned for each month in 2018 and a get to know you sharing time at each. On Thursday, March 15 at 1:00 p.m. we are having lunch at Blue Sky Chinese Restaurant. Share a favorite memory from grade school and tell a little about the school. March for Our Lives Consider being part of this important event. On Friday, March 23, from 3:00 6:00 p.m., students from Corvallis High School will be gathering in McLean Hall to make signs and plan for the event the following day. March for Our Lives will happen on Saturday, March 24 starting at 10:30 a.m., downtown Corvallis. Due Knots Meet in April Due Knots next meeting is Wednesday, April 4 at 9:00 a.m. in room 35. Come and help us tie comforters for the needy kids in our community and join us for tea and conversation. There is room for you at our table! Simplifying Life - Adult Education Class in April Mark your calendars for a new adult education class: Simplifying Life. It takes place after service on Sunday, April 22. More details forthcoming. Announcements Women s Hygiene Item Drive Contributions of women s socks, moist towelettes (wet wipes), tampons, feminine pads, and other women s hygiene items - to fill the bags you donated would be greatly appreciated. Give your offerings to Christa. For more information, contact Christa. (christa@heartofcorvallis.org ) Thank you for your ongoing support! 2018 Regional Women s Pray and Play Dates Pray and Play Days are mini-retreats scheduled 4-5 times per year around the regional church for Disciples women and their friends to come and meet their sisters from nearby communities. Dates: LaGrande - 3/17, Salem First - March 24. To register go to: Join the Wild Women of the West Inter-Regional Event April 6-8 in Scottsdale AZ! Join your sisters from the Western states for Inter- Regional Gathering of Women! To register go to this link: Regional Assembly May Portland First Christian, hosting. Keynote speakers Rev. Dr. Timothy James, Associate General Minister, and Rev. Sandhya Jha, Director of the Oakland Peace Center, will bring words of vision and encouragement. Our Ministry Partner, Blanca Puma, from FEDICE in Ecuador plans to be with us, too. Around Town Arioso Chamber Players at First Christian Sunday, March 18, 3:00 p.m. at First Christian Church, Corvallis. Marion County Community Homeless Connect Tuesday, March 27, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Salem First Baptist Church, 395 Marion St NE, Salem. Community Homeless Connect is a one-day resource and health fair connecting homeless and those at-risk of homelessness with much needed services and resources. Want to volunteer? Attend an orientation the evening before, on Monday, March 26 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at Salem First Baptist Church. For more information and to register go to:

5 11 - Daylight Saving Time 9 am-bible 10 am-worship, w/sunday School After Service- Optimizing Brain Health 18 9 am-bible 10 am-worship, w/sunday School 12 7:00 pm-finance Cabinet 19 7:00 pm-program Cabinet March/April 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday pm-women s Lunch at Blue Sky Chinese Restaurant pm-march for Our Lives sign making in McLean Hall am-bible 10 am-palm Sunday, Folk Worship, no Sunday School pm-maundy Thursday Seder Meal 30 7 pm-good Friday Service at First Presbyterian Church 31 1 April Easter Sunday 6:30 am-5k walk/ fun run 8 am-easter Sunrise Folk Service 9 am-breakfast 10 am-easter Worship 2 3 3:30 pm-fcc s turn to prep/serve Stone Soup Meal Soup Meal 4 9 am-due Knots meet am-bible 10 am-worship, w/sunday School 9 7:00 pm-finance Cabinet

6 First Christian Church 602 SW Madison Avenue Corvallis, Oregon RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Our Vision The First Christian Church of Corvallis is a diverse inclusive community providing a living witness to the compassionate Christ. From our central location in the heart of Corvallis, we seek out, develop, and support ministries to meet the human needs for physical and spiritual wholeness. On the basis of our Disciple heritage, we embrace the ecumenical movement, develop lay leadership, and promote intellectual freedom in the pursuit of truth. All are welcome to participate. Inclusivity is one of our most important values. Help us save paper, postage and money - receive the newsletter electronically. Send an to jill@heartofcorvallis.org and put Subscribe Dispatch as the subject. If you are not receiving the Disciples Dispatch please inform the church office. Please recycle this newsletter.