George. May Dear Friends,

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1 Dear Friends, May 2015 This is an exciting and important time in the life of Green Street. Both the Search Committee and the Transition Team have been busy planning and working behind the scenes. Now their work will involve the whole congregation. As you have read in the April Evangel they joined together to gather information that will help both committees as they work hard to aid the church in this period of transition and as it gets ready to call a new Settled Pastor. Thus they are sponsoring a series of House Meetings to which all who are a part of Green Street are being invited. They will be small gatherings hosted by a number of different members and with at least one being planned to take place at the church. I write to urge you to make every effort to sign up for one of these gatherings for the information gleaned at them will not only guide us in these months of moving from one Settled Pastor to another, but will also provide important information to the Search Committee as it prepares the profile to be used in inviting possible candidates to consider Green Street. It will be my privilege to help facilitate as many of these meetings as possible. Doing so will also give me a chance to continue the process of getting acquainted with what I am experiencing as a great community of faith. In addition to the House Meetings, the Search Committee will be collecting data via a survey. I encourage you to take the time to complete it and to return it in a timely fashion so that they will have the input from as many of the Green Street community as possible. The church has charged these committees with very important and wonderful tasks, but in order to accomplish what they have been asked to do they need the input from the members and friends of the church so it is thus that I urge you to respond to the invitation that will be coming. Every voice needs to be heard. Every idea needs to be expressed and every concern needs to be heard. This is your chance to be involved in significant ways, so I hope you will eagerly and happily respond to the opportunities. Another word: while as your Interim Pastor I will have absolutely nothing to do with any part of the selection of a candidate, I am happy to be of what assistance I can in these early stages of gathering information. In addition, and especially, I want to be of service to this wonderful community in any way I can, so I hope you will feel free to call upon me and to let me know of any situation where I might be of help. I would rather hear of a given situation a number of times than not at all. My prayers and best wishes are with all. I am very appreciative of the way fellowship that is Green Street s expresses itself, and the way the church lives out its call to be followers of Jesus. Blessings to all! Sincerely, George George H. Sinclair, Jr. Interim Pastor

2 HOUSE MEETINGS Please keep an eye out for your invitation to attend one of the House Meetings. We would like everyone in the Church Family to attend one of these small group meetings that are being scheduled during May and June. Stay tuned! PASTORAL SEARCH SURVEY In early May we will be inviting you to participate in a survey, which will aid in our pastoral search. This is one of several important ways for you to provide input into the pastoral search process. We ask that each member of your household (ages 12 and above) complete an individual survey. All survey responses will be anonymous. Look for an (and letter to those without ) during the first week of May, providing more details regarding the survey. PRAYERS FOR WOMEN S RETREAT The first weekend in May, a group of 21 women will be attending the annual Women s Retreat. Rev. Cindy Maybeck is leading the group this year at Oceanwood Christian Center in Maine. Please hold the group in your prayers. Thank you to Vera for organizing the retreat GREEN STREET DIRECTORY Thank you to all who have responded and submitted updates to their contact information. If your information has changed and you have not yet alerted Florence, please contact her at secretarygsbc@comcast.net or ADONIRAM JUDSON ASSOCIATION Susan & David Hamilton represented Green Street at the Annual Meeting that took place on Sunday afternoon, April 19 th, at the First Baptist Church in Salem. Reports were presented and voted upon, an inspirational video on the work of House of Help Church in Lynn was made by Rev. Claire Sullivan, and there was an excellent soloist and pianist musical presentation. We learned that there are $100 Camperships available to Grotonwood or Oceanwood, but applications are due by May15th. If interested, please contact Dave Hamilton. Our Adoniram Judson Association is one of the eight associations that make up The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts (TABCOM). AFTER CHURCH LUNCHEON & HABITAT PRESENTAION- SUNDAY MAY, 17 TH In 2012, Habitat Greater Lowell began a partnership with the City of Lowell that hopes to see as many as 100 homes built and 50 repaired in Lowell s Acre- one of the most challenged neighborhoods in all of Lowell for over 100 years. Ten new homes will be built in the first phase. The American Baptist Congregations are supporting one of the homes. Six homes have already been completed and the groundbreaking for the Baptist home is expected to be in early June. Altogether, the first phase of Habitat s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative will help more than 20 low-income families and will directly serve more than 30 children by providing them with a simple, decent affordable home and an opportunity to thrive. Come hear about the Baptist initiative with opportunities to help with prayers, hands on work days, and financial support. OCEANWOOD CAMP IN MAINE Oceanwood Camp is enrolling for the 2015 summer camp program (scholarships available) and they also have several positions open for summer jobs. Visit for more info. THANKSGIVING IN MAY FOOD COLLECTION Note from Christa Evanson This year s Food Collection to help stock Servants Heart Food Pantry and Pantry of Hope for the summer is scheduled during the month of May. We encourage everyone to participate because there is a great need in our community. In the past you have responded and participated with great enthusiasm and generosity. The two pantries have given us their list of items needed which is listed below and posted in the Narthex. Let s see if we can exceed last year s impressive collection. You can bring your non-perishable food items all during the month. On the last Sunday, May 31 st we will dedicate it and celebrate God leading us in this endeavor. Pantry of Hope: Cereal, Coffee, Condiments, Crackers, Juice, Peanut Butter, Healthy Snacks, Sugar, Tea Servants Heart: Canned Beef Stew, Cereal, Corned Beef Hash, Juice, Rice Pilaf, Mouth Wash

3 NEW ORLEANS MISSION TRIP REPORT From Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil organized and accompanied 16 people from MA & ME on an annual week long spring mission trip to New Orleans from April 17 th to April 25th. Lee Laperche, his granddaughter Michaela Bennett, and Marlene Szabo joined the group, as well as Rev. Mike Cunningham who has preached at Green Street on several occasions. The week long mission trip was sponsored by The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts and the American Baptist Home Mission Societies. During the week, the group s skills and talents have helped to continue to rebuild The Lower 9th Ward. CSED (Center for Sustainable Engagement & Development) which was created after Hurricane Katrina by two local residents is the agency TABCOM has been working with for the past five years that these annual trips have taken place. CSED works with local residents in the Lower 9th Ward in helping to rebuild their homes and being better stewards of the environment. CSED is an example of community organizing work with a goal of helping citizens of Holy Cross parish become a sustainable community. The MA team helped to paint and put a ramp at the new office space for CSED, which is on the historical registry. The walls at this new office space are made out of restored barge boards. CSED has 1,000 volunteers helping with one day to week long projects in The Lower 9th Ward every year. The Massachusetts team has worked at the Dauphine community garden, done indoor and outdoor painting projects on Delery Street and St. Claude Avenue as well as installed a ramp and done exterior painting at the Chartres Street location of the CSED office. The team also visited Liberty's Kitchen in New Orleans where they had a sumptuous breakfast and an informative tour led by Dave Emond. We thank you for your continued prayers, financial support and words of encouragement. Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil, Director of Mission & Stewardship at The American Baptist Churches of MA (TABCOM) Marlene lends her skills to the exterior paint job. Michaela helps beautify the landscape. Rev. Mike adds some touches to the clapboard. Lee provides some music. Part of the group of extraordinary people who spent a week in the Lower 9 th Ward rebuilding lives and communities. Liberty s Kitchen empowers people through skills building and training.

4 Reading by Buck Locke on Palm Sunday, March 29 th 2015 Psalm 31 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God. Matthew 21: A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, Who is this? 11 The crowd answered, This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Matthew 27: Which of the two do you want me to release to you? asked the governor. Barabbas, they answered. 22 What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah? Pilate asked. They all answered, Crucify him! 23 Why? What crime has he committee? asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, Crucify him! How to reconcile and understand The Passion Play other than God s will As part of His divine plan Our salvation fulfill Hosanna our savior The Son of Man has come To change our behavior Bringing us back home What a week! They spread out palms in the way In celebration they did seek But it changed day by day Coming to the Temple He cast out the money changers For him it was simple He knew well the dangers Jesus knew what he must do At the Last Supper he foretold That Judas was the one due Betraying Him leaving the fold To Peter he did say Before twice the cock crows You will have your way Denying me everyone knows As chief priests and scribes With the elders lead the crowd With jeers and gibes Crucify him they cried out loud So in one week from triumph to despair Hosanna coming into Jerusalem to cheer Abandoned by disciples who did care But denied him out of fear Jesus reached Good Friday on the cross The light went out on earth As those who knew felt he was lost Waiting for Easter morn s rebirth!

5 Birthdays 4 Kevin Desrosiers 4 Scott Solmonson 6 Larry French 9 Abby Johanson 13 Katie Yoshua 14 Kevin Sheridan 16 Linda Solmonson 19 Judy Locke 20 Maria Frazier 22 Chris Munro 23 Andrea Hamilton 23 John Bohling 23 Gloria Ward Anniversaries 4-Craig & Nancy Hess 7 Peter & Lori Bidgood 9 Ron & Nancy Johanson 22 Scott & Carol Thompson 23 John & Carol Bohling 25 Paul & Gloria Fraizier 29 Bob & Marge Barr May Women s Retreat at Oceanwood & Communion Women s Retreat at Oceanwood 12:30 Open Hearts Women s Bible Study 8:00AM MOGS Church Kitchen 10 11:00 Mother s Day Worship 11 7:00 Diaconate 6:00 Bread of Life Appreciation Banquet :30 Open Hearts Women s Bible Study 7:00 Christian Ed :00 Luncheon / Habitat Presentation 7:00 Trustees Memorial Day Thanksgiving in May Dedication The friendly church where children learn, Youth mature and families grown in Christ.