February Trailing Beauty

Transcription

1 First Presbyterian Church of Bordentown Church Address: 420 Farnsworth Avenue Office Address: 435 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown, NJ Office Phone: February 2017 Trailing Beauty Whatever may be the tensions and the stresses of a particular day, there is always lurking close at hand the trailing beauty of forgotten joy or unremembered peace. Howard Thurman was a Christian theologian and mystic. During the Civil Rights Movement, in which he actively participated, Thurman served as a spiritual advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr. The above words appear in Thurman s 1953 book Meditations of the Heart (one of more than twenty books that he published Jesus and the Disinherited being the most popular). When Thurman wrote these words, there were still thousands upon thousands of public establishments that forbade him, as a non-white person, from entering their premises. The majority of his fellow African Americans were systematically barred from many schools, neighborhoods, and professions. Throughout much of the country, a culture of African American subjugation was (or should have been) egregiously apparent. Throughout much of the South, there reigned not only a culture of subjugation, but also a culture of brutality: the records of violence against African Americans throughout most of the 20th century, both at the hands of average citizens and at the hands of law enforcement officials, stagger our imaginations today. In light of this, how could Thurman write those words? Given the enormity of the tensions and the stresses that he experienced, for his own sake and for the sake of his people, how did he manage to direct his attention towards joy and peace, which are so easily lost in the fray of anger, grief, fear, and oppression? Clearly, God s Spirit was powerfully present and active in Howard Thurman. That may be the best answer I can give. I can also say, though, that if he can successfully seek out the trailing beauty in the midst of such chaos and hatred, then I m pretty sure that I by the power of that same Spirit can as well. Peace, William

2 2 Feb 2 Chris Venezia Feb 3 Denise Warner Feb 5 Jason Seaman Karin Venezia Feb 6 Emily Albrecht Billy Cook Feb 7 Barbara Hoffman Feb 11 Winston Taylor Feb 12 Alexander Freid Feb 14 George Chidley Feb 15 Richard Lawson Feb 22 Victoria Taylor Feb 23 Marion Stoneback Feb 24 Vincene Palmonari Feb 27 Heather O Malley February 8 Don & Dana Ryba February 20 Robert Joe Lee & Caryl Tipton February 24 Josh & Kerri Pell February 25 Howard & Ella Barman PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS Marie Katona; Vincene Palmonari; Evelyn Seyebe; Edith Van Arsdale; Paul Sootkoos; Mae Hamilton; Jean Allegre ; SaraLee Pindar; Shawna (Kochie) Catarinicchia; Ann McFate. Please contact the office or the Deacon on call if you wish to add someone to this long term prayer list.

3 3 Deacons Corner DEACONS MEETING: Sunday, February 12 (following Worship) CHANGE IN BOARD MEMBERS: A big thank you to outgoing deacons Guy Tassi and Simmee Darpino. A big welcome to newly elected Bobbi Maiuro, Megan Arnold, and Youth Deacon Celia Bolinger. CARE PACKAGE PROJECT: Packages containing home baked goodies will be mailed to college students among our church families. The plan is to prepare those packages a er worship on Feb. 5th. They will be mailed in me to arrive for Valen ne's Day. Volunteer bakers are asked to bring goodies to the church that morning. FOOD PANTRY: Ongoing dona ons of nonperishable food are collected in baskets at the rear of the sanctuary. A deacon delivers these to St. Mary s Church Food Pantry. Current needs of the Food Pantry include: canned potatoes, beets, mixed vegetables, carrots; paper napkins; toilet paper; toothpaste; empty egg cartons. MEDICAL SUPPLY CLOSET: Please contact the Deacon on Call if you are in need of medical supplies (i.e. walkers, canes, portable toilets). We are not collec ng addi onal supplies at this me. Deacon on call: Lisa Van Pelt: Your Deacons, Pat Andrus, Megan Arnold, Karen Chamberlin, Amy Dallas, Jane Erickson, Marlene Lyszczak, Bobbi Maiuro, Lisa Van Pelt Youth Deacon: Celia Bolinger WHO S IN CHARGE FOR FEBRUARY Pastoral Care Pastor William Stell PastorWilliam@bordentownpresbyterian.org Church Office: (609) Cell: (609) Deacon on Call or the Deacon moderator (Pat Andrus, ) Director of Music Gwendolyn Huber Accompanist Dr. Bob Lowden Office Manager Donna Valeri, Office Hours: Wed, Thurs, Fri 10 2 bordentownpresbyterian@gmail.com Sunday Mornings To volunteer: to be a Worship Reader, or for Fellowship Hour, Please contact Kathie Ackerman. Worship Readers 2/5 Bobbi Maiuro 2/12 Donna Po s 2/19 George Carmichael 2/26 Deb Branson Fellowship Hour 2/5 Bobbi Maiuro 2/12 Art Exhibit 2/19 John Burke 2/26 Deb Branson Communion Servers February Ted & Linda Miller Simmee Darpino, John Burke Communion Servers March Kathie Ackerman, Robert Joe Lee Guy Tassi, Cathy Ellio Shaw

4 4 Our next Bread of Life Mission Meal: Sunday, February 26, 2017 (immediately following worship) If you would like to donate to this worthwhile mission in our church, write a check to The First Presbyterian Church in Bordentown and write Mission or Bread of Life Meals in the memo section. Next Grocery Bag Mission due date: Week of February 19-25: deliver items to the First Baptist Church in Bordentown. Our church provides 50 microwaveable meals for the homeless each month. Our donation is combined with donations from other churches to provide grocery bags to homeless families living in local area motels. Some examples are pop-top soup cans, Chef-Boyardee pasta meals, or cans of stew. Donna Potts has a basket in the back of the church, labeled Grocery Bag Mission. If you can donate some items for this monthly collection, please place them in this basket. Thank you for your generosity! Ready to distribute Mission Meals: The Mission Team has been making up paper bags containing non-perishable food that can be stored and is ready to be distributed. The bags consist of bottles of water, juice, cereal, soups, microwaveable meals, fruit cups, puddings and anything else that stores well and doesn t need refrigeration. Please help us continue this important mission in our church by making up a bag now and then that can be stored at the church. Give your donated bag to anyone on the Mission Team and we will put it in storage. Grace and Peace to all! The Mission Team, Karen Chamberlin, Jane Erickson, Nancy Foster, Bobbi Maiuro, Donna Potts, Karin Venezia Chime Choir Children s Chime Choir will resume on February 5, 2017 at 8:55 am. Percussion Ensemble Percussion Ensemble rehearsal will tenta vely resume on February 19, 2017 at 11:45 am. Please watch for confirma on of the date! Café 420 A St. Patrick's Day Showcase will take place on Friday, March 9 in Café 420 at 7 pm Piano Recital A Piano recital with Dr. Chaoyin Cai will take place on Sunday, April 9 in the sanctuary at 12 pm The End of Year Financial Statements are in the Financial Box on the back counter in church. Please pick them up so the church can save money on postage. We will mail out unclaimed envelopes in March. Thank you.

5 5 5 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 10:30 Worship Communion College care packages 12 10:30 Worship Deacons Mtg Art Exhibit Noon 3 pm 6 pm YG 19 10:30 Worship Percussion 11:45 am Hike 3 pm 6 pm YG :30 pm Women s AA 13 7 pm WBS 7:30 pm Women s AA 20 7:30 pm Women s AA pm Session pm B&G 7 pm Choir 7:30 pm AA 8:15 pm Bells 7 pm Choir 7:30 pm AA 8:15 pm Bells AM Men s Breakfast 7 pm Choir 7:30 pm AA 8:15 pm Bells 7 pm Choir 7:30 pm AA 8:15 pm Bells pm Art Exhibit Hike 10 am Art Exhibit Noon 3 pm 10:30 Worship 7 pm WBS Percussion 7:30 pm 11:45 am Women s AA Mission Meal 6 pm YG OFFICE HOURS: Wed, Thurs, Fri 10am-2pm SUNDAY MORNINGS: Children s Chime Choir 8:55am ~ Church School, All Ages 9:15 am ~ Worship 10:30 am

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7 7 Art Show This year s Original Art and Fine Cra Exhibit and Sale promises to be a wonderful event, with something for everyone! In addi on to pain ngs and photographs, the exhibit will feature po ery, sculpture, handmade organic soap and body products, jewelry, handmade handbags, fabric art, and homemade cheesecake! Please note that addi onal assistance is needed in the following areas: A er church on Sunday, February 5 th to prepare Fellowship Hall for the exhibit, and again on Sunday, February 12 th at 4 pm to dismantle the exhibit and restore Fellowship Hall for regular use. Greeters are needed February 10 th from 6 to 9 pm and on February 11 th and 12 th from noon to 3 pm. Posters are available please take a few from church and post. This will help immensely to adver se the exhibit. Small post card size no ces are also available. If you have a favorite restaurant, hair salon, doctor, etc, these are great places to leave a few cards. In addi on, feel free to share via and social media. Finally, the Art Show has its own Facebook page at: h ps:// Please contact Cathy Ellio Shaw at (609) if you would like a pdf copy of the poster, or can help with the tasks described above. The Wanderers (55 and over) will be dining out for our February mee ng. We will be gathering at Angie's Luncheone e, at 15 Park Street in Bordentown City on February 9th at 12 Noon. We hope you will join us for a delicious lunch and lots of good fellowship. Please make your reserva ons with Marion Stoneback ( ) or see her at church. Ou ng Group: Our February walks/hikes will once again be the first Saturday at 10:00 am and the third Sunday at 3:00 pm, weather permi ng. The February 4th trip will be to Veterans Park in Hamilton NJ. We will meet in the parking lot at the Kuser Road entrance. The February 19th trip will be to the Kinkora Rail Trail in Columbus NJ. Details will be sent out to the group for each trip. Please contact Amy Dallas to be added to the group list aedallas@verizon.net. This list will also be used in case of any weather related changes. We are looking for volunteers to help with snow removal this winter. If you are willing to help on occasion, or know somebody who can, please contact Blake Bolinger at (609) (call or text) or any Buildings & Grounds member. Thanks, Blake

8 8 GREETERS Greeters are needed for every Sunday in February. Please contact Kathie Ackerman at or (609) FEBRUARY CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS! Bring canned/packaged meals for Bordentown Motel Ministry On the THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH (February 19) February 5 Communion; Bring baked goods for College students of our church. February 12 Deacons Mee ng following Worship; Last day of Art Exhibit February 19 Bring canned goods for Grocery Bag Ministry; Ou ng Group Hike at 3 pm February 26 Mission Meal following worship First Presbyterian Church of Bordentown 435 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown, New Jersey bordentownpresbyterian@gmail.com