The Heartbeat Louisville, Kentucky

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1 No Matter Who You Are, You Are Welcome Here The Heartbeat Louisville, Kentucky St. Andrew United Church of Christ February 2013, Issue 54, No. 2 St. Andrew United Church of Christ 2608 Browns Lane Louisville, Kentucky Phone: (502) Fax: (502) Website: Sunday School: 9:15 AM Worship Service: 10:30 AM Office Hours: 9 AM 1 PM, Monday Friday Dr. Watson s Corner By Dr. Jimmy Watson Lent is soon upon us. This year we will immerse ourselves in spiritual devotion and study, first by observing Ash Wednesday and subsequent Sundays in Lent, second by watching and discussing two video series. Judy Hardin will lead a discussion on Friday mornings at 10 a.m. on a video series called Living the Questions. Please see the Library page for a full description of this series. I will be offering a video series called Animate on Sunday afternoons at 4 p.m. beginning on February 10, the last Sunday after Epiphany. This is a seven week series that will conclude on Palm Sunday, March 24. The following are the topics and video personalities we will be watching: Feb. 10 God: Faith is a Quest Brian McLaren Feb. 17 Religion: Spirituality is Not Enough Lillian Daniel Feb. 24 Jesus: The Revolution of Love Mark Scandrette (continued page 2) Church Staff Dr. Jimmy Watson Pastor J.R. Cannaday Minister of Music Mary Rose Linker Church Secretary/Editor Joe Louden Custodian Donna Wenzel Parish Nurse Cheryl Willett President Mission 4/1 Earth ONE UNITED CHURCH on a shared resurrection witness for Planet Earth during 50 great days of greening up, powering down, and shouting out for the environment! That's Mission 4/1 Earth! "Mission 4/1 Earth: 50 Great Days" is about boldly living Jesus' let-your-light-shine proclamation in the Sermon on the Mount: That they may see your good works! It is an opportunity to live out our faith in unity, as one church for the sake of our fragile planet Earth. Launching on Easter Monday, April 1, 2013, and continuing through the great 50 days of Eastertide, United Church of Christ congregations, colleges, seminaries, camps and outdoor ministries, and health and human service agencies will join together in a shared mission campaign to: Collectively offer more than ONE MILLION HOURS of engaged earth care, including clean up, advocacy, education, and behavioral changes that will impact the environment. Collectively plant more than 100,000 TREES locally and globally in partnership with the National Arbor Day Foundation and the UCC's denominational partners around the world. Collectively write and send more than 100,000 ADVOCACY LETTERS on environmental concerns to elected officials and local and national newspapers. Mission 4/1 Earth links together four significant events Easter (March 31), Earth Day (April 22), Arbor Day (April 26) and Pentecost (May 19) for a sustained, aggressive and collective mission opportunity for the entire United Church of Christ. Together, we will inspire and aspire to what we can accomplish as ONE CHURCH. Groups are encouraged to engage in creative local mission projects, service opportunities, educational programs, worship services, and media events. Your innovation will spark momentum for the initiative and stir the imaginations of other UCC people, agencies, schools, and congregations. Inside this issue: Council Corner, Staff Relations Page 2 Library News, Thanks Page 3 Memorial, Living the Questions Page 4 World Day of Prayer, Brooklawn St. Andrew Events Page 5 Parish Nurse, Knitters, Nursery Page 6 Birthdays & Anniversaries, Page 7 Hygiene Kits, Thanks from Plymouth The Patchwork Lady Page 8 Daily Lectionary Page 9 Next Heartbeat Deadline Back

2 HEARTBEAT Page 2 Dr. Watson (continued from page 1) Mar. 3 Salvation: Abundant Life Now Shane Hipps Mar. 10 Cross: Where God Is Nadia Bolz-Weber Mar. 17 Bible: A Book Like No Other Lauren Winner Mar. 24 Church: An Imperfect Family Bruce Reyes-Chow In worship we will observe Lent from another angle, that of ethics and morality. For our theme, I have taken the title of a 1989 classic movie, Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee). Do we always do the right thing? The following are my sermon topics for the season of Lent: Feb. 13 (Ash Wednesday) Do the right thing in the right way for the right reasons Feb. 17 Doing the right thing must exceed the letter of the law Feb. 24 Imitation of role models as a way to do the right thing Mar. 3 Our right thing may not be God s right thing Mar. 10 Is tough love always the right thing to do? Mar. 17 Doing the right thing with our resources As you can see, if you take advantage of all these opportunities to learn and grow, the season of Lent 2013 will greatly enhance the spirituality of our community of faith. So please mark your calendar for these events. Bring a friend. Be faithful and supportive. It s the right thing to do Find Pastor Jimmy s sermons at and pick a date from the dropdown menu. COUNCIL CORNER On a recent morning, it was discovered that someone had turned up the thermostat in the gathering Area to a very high setting. This was most likely done in the mistaken belief that the higher the setting, the faster the heating. It only resulted in a greater consumption of gas, and therefore, a higher LG&E bill. Even more distressing is the fact that this obviously took place sometime on the previous day, and the person turning up the thermostat neglected to turn it back down to the recommended Off-duty setting posted by the thermostat. Since our LG&E bill is one of our largest outlays every month, it is most important that all of us pay close attention to the thermostat settings in all areas of the building during both the heating and cooling seasons. Please do not adjust the settings to unreasonable levels and be sure to return them to the off-duty levels posted by the non-automated thermostats before you leave. From the Staff Relations Team: Many different organizations use our St. Andrew UCC building. We are asking your help in keeping our church facilities including the sanctuary, kitchen, and restrooms clean and orderly. Please share with the church office anything which you think needs attention. A Custodial Needs message board is in the mailroom for anyone to note areas needing work. Thanks in advance for addressing this important need! 2013 CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS 2013 Cheryl Willett, President Al Laufer Donna Block, Vice President Sharmille Sawyer Bob Rosenbaum Gerri Riffe Jennifer Irving Suzanne Schwartz

3 HEARTBEAT Page 3 News from the Library The Quotable Soul, by Claudia Setzer, Ph. D. This treasury o inspiring short (one or two line) quotations captures the essence of our universal search for truth. Over 1,000 quotations cover a vibrant spectrum of timeless topics. Traveling across time and space, coming from diverse viewpoints, they all possess the power to delight the soul, sooth the spirit and challenge the intellect. These writings of women and men come from a variety of cultural backgrounds throughout recorded history. Their reflections on the soul, God, charity, love, courage, evil, compassion, and may other topics provide for us much pleasure and abundant insight. Here is a brief sample: Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world. Mother Teresa Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in a lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope. Reinhold Niebur While the situation is improving, women have had a long history of not being accepted as ordained ministers in the Christian churches of the United States. Further, if ordained, these women often found obstacles in receiving the rights and privileges of ordained men. In 1853, Antoinette Blackwell was the first woman to receive ordination as a minister in the United States; however, her ordination was not recognized by her denomination, the Congregational Church. In the next thirty years, nineteen denominations granted women ordination, but rarely were these women welcomed wholeheartedly into the ranks of ordained clergy. There were, surprisingly some exceptionally successful women pastors during the Pentecostal Movement in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries. In her book Limited Liberty: The Legacy of Four Pentecostal Women Pioneers Estrelda Y. Alexander examines the lives and churches of Mary Magdalena Lewis Tate, (The Church of the Living God), Florence Crawford, (The Apostolic Faith Church), Aimee Semple McPherson, (The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel), and Ida Robinson (The Mt. Sinai United Holy Church of America). The author s intent is to describe the successes of these Pentecostal ministers in an age of gender inequality. She looks at the strategies these women employed to secure their leadership and also studies their theologies. Most were charismatic women who did not seek permission from an existing body to preach but formed their own churches which still flourish today. Importantly, these ministers had the courage to act on God s call. Alexander s work is an interesting historical read about a successful Christian movement. Laura Bush s book, Spoken From the Heart, is the story of Laura bush s life in Midland, Texas, all the way to her life as First Lady of the USA, and beyond. Her life as a youngster, teenager, and college scholar, full of interesting experiences, shows how she became a woman of note. It is written in a delightful manner and holds interest all the way through, and the many photographs add zest. Spoken From the Heart can be found on the library cart in the gathering area. When you start reading it, you can t put it down.

4 HEARTBEAT Page 4 In memory of Fred Nicklies, donations were made to the Roof Fund by James P. McCracken M em orial AN INVITATION The St. Andrew Library is sponsoring a wonderful opportunity to hear and see on DVD some of the most learned contemporary biblical and theological thinkers today. This series, entitled Living the Questions, conveys the richness of the Christian tradition and invites Christians of all persuasions to begin a spiritual journey. Many churches are looking for ways to combine the best of old traditions and the most helpful of new ideas. This is an opportunity to learn what others are doing and to think about where we are on our Christian journey. Just listening to these men and women, many of whom have dedicated their lives to various religious disciplines including research, church leadership, college teaching, religious music, and caring for the least of these, is inspiring. Their spirit is contagious and their comments enlightening. We welcome you and your friends to the second series of seven week one-hour sessions beginning during Lent on February 15, Look for a sign-up sheet in the Welcome Center. Friday, February 15 at 10 AM: Restoring Relationships Friday, February 22 at 10 AM: The Prophetic Jesus Friday, March 1 at 10 AM: Evil, Suffering, and a God of Love Friday, March 8 at 10 AM: The Myth of Redemptive Violence Friday, March 15 at 10 AM: Practicing Resurrection Friday, March 22 at 10 AM: Debunking the Rapture Friday, March 29 at 10 AM: Honoring Creation Look for the Sign-up sheet for Living the Questions in the Gathering Area in February: Mark Your Calendars Now. World Day of Prayer Saturday, March 2, 2013 Written by Women of France Theme: I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me Meadowview Presbyterian Church 2944 Breckenridge Lane Registration: 10 AM Worship: 10:30 AM Everyone Invited Worship & Light Lunch Please bring canned goods for SEAM Child Care Provided Sponsored by Church Women United THANK YOU from Brooklawn Mark Your Calendars! Ladies Spring Tea & Card Party Saturday, April 6, 2013

5 HEARTBEAT Page 5 Ladies Day Out & Women of St. Andrew Monday, February 18 Ladies Day Out will meet as usual at 10 AM to work on door decorations and tray cards for the nursing home ministry. As always we are looking for women to join in this effort. At noon, the Women of St. Andrew and Ladies Day Out will meet together for lunch. After lunch, a short meeting will be held to share information and offer opportunities for fellowship and service. All women of the church are invited to attend either or both meetings. Bring a sandwich. Drinks will be provided. Andrew Class News The Andrew Class continues to watch and discuss a DVD series titled First Light: Jesus and the Kingdom of God. John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg, two of the world s leading Jesus scholars, produced this twelve week DVD series. Everyone is invited to come, watch, listen, and learn. FROM THE NURTURE TEAM REMINDER: The Ladies Day Out mission group always needs calendar pictures and cards to be used for the nursing home ministry and school project. Please consider donating any pictures or calendars, you may not be using. They may be placed in the Women of St. Andrew mailbox or on the shelf in the conference room. Dicey Ladies Bunco Let s Roll! Wednesday, February 27, at 11:30 am. Bring a friend anyone can play and have fun. Be there for the Bunco Squad! SAUCC IS BACK! Sundays 4-6 PM In the Fellowship Hall JOIN THE MOVIE BUFFS! Every 4 th Sunday, a group of movie enthusiasts gather to discuss a popular movie playing locally. Most of these are or become award-winning films. The question is: What does this movie have to say about the faith?

6 Page 6 HEARTBEAT From the Parish Nurse CLEARING UP AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE CONFUSION Autoimmune diseases those in which the immune system begins to attack the body instead of protecting it affect more than 23.5 million Americans and are among the leading causes of death and disability. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases. People who develop these diseases, such as lupus, celiac disease and multiple sclerosis, experience diverse symptoms and often struggle to find a proper diagnosis and treatment. Autoimmune diseases often involve many different body systems, so people with these conditions may get lost in a maze of specialists. These are ways to minimize time lost to illness and maximize time and money spent on getting and staying well. Find more information at The Scarf Project: Or talk to Gene Stotz, 3330 Robin Road, Louisville, KY *Have a basic understanding of the definition of an autoim40213, or Penny Wilding. mune disease, which is the damage caused when the body mis takenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. *If you are having symptoms that bother you, it s important to LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD PEOPLE find the cause. Getting an accurate diagnosis when you re dealing with an autoimmune disease can be tricky since many You might be surprised how much fun we have in the nursery during Worship hour each Sunday morning!! It s share some of the same symptoms. always a pleasure to be with the youngest members of *Once you realize you re not dealing with a common cold, flu, our church family, and we are inviting others to join as sore throat, etc., begin writing down your symptoms. This re- Nursery assistants. You won t miss church service but cord could help you find the right treatment faster. once a month or less, if you decide to offer your help. *See a primary care physician first and share your symptom diary. Make sure the Dr. has an up-to-date record of your family health history, since some autoimmune diseases run in families. Your primary care physician can then refer you to a specialist, if needed. We need to have two adults present each Sunday, and we work on a monthly schedule. If you cannot be present on your scheduled Sunday, there us always someone who can ill in for you. No special qualifications needed we ll provide the training! Please see or call Ann Beckemeyer ( ) if you wish to join us. *If you don t have the guidance of a primary care physician, see a specialist who deals with your most prominent symptom. Your nursery crew: Debbie Gianulis, Linda Sherer, If you have new rashes or marks on your skin, for example, Jeanne Cox, Jennifer Littrell, Laura Mills, Judy Johnson, you may want to begin by seeing a dermatologist. Elaine Hitt, Jennifer & Beau Irving, Rick Wehr, and Ann Beckemeyer *There are many different medicines used to treat autoimmune disorders. Work with your Dr. to find what will work best for you. THANKS TO ALL who brought used ink jets, toner, and cell phones to be recycled. They Autoimmune diseases often follow a pattern in which the Peace & Justice Team will continue to collect symptoms get worse for a while, called a flare-up or relapse, them in a special box in the Gathering Area. As a then get better or go away completely in some cases, also reminder, the only toner accepted are original HP, known as a remission. There are self-care principles that may Brother, Lexmark, and Dell. help with symptom management. While everyone should eat a healthy diet, engage in regular physical activity, get enough Funds raised by the project are given to Plymouth sleep and reduce stress, those with autoimmune diseases have to pay close attention to these common guidelines to enjoy the Community Renewal Center, so please remember to bring your used items to church. benefits of healthier living.

7 HEARTBEAT Page 7 Hygiene Kits nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Ada Haag Joyce Louden Bill Cox Madelyn Raderer Elizabeth Lehmann Autumn Bartley The Women of St. Andrew will be collecting items for Church World Service Hygiene Kits again this year until the last week of April of If you would like to assemble a kit or purchase any individual items, the list is below. We will also accept any financial donations for shipping ($2 per kit). Checks should be written to Women of St. Andrew. Thank You for all contributions. Look for collection carton in Welcome Center. 11th Darian Wicker James Harris 12th Cheryl Lewis 14th 15th 18th 19th 20th Betty Metzger Ken Bischof Katie Duncan Penny Wilding Emma Briggs Trudy Lewis Todd Whitehead Amy Laufer Coley Ballard 22nd Scott Schwartz 24th 25th 28th Trenton Jolly Haley Merideth Adele Neeriemer Betty Morgan Dreatha Dee Sullivan 18th Joyce and Bob Volk 23rd Kathy and John Ryan If your birthday or anniversary has been inadvertently omitted, please contact the office. To assemble each Hygiene Kit we will need: One hand towel measuring approximately 16" x 28" (no fingertip or bath towels) One washcloth One wide-tooth comb One nail clipper One bar of soap (bath size in wrapper) One toothbrush (in original packaging) Six standard size Band-Aids All items should be placed in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure and sealed. Please do not include toothpaste. Cartons of toothpaste that have an extended expiration date will be added to Hygiene Kit shipments just prior to shipment to the area where needed. Church World Service is a cooperative ministry of thirty-seven Christian denominations and communions in the US. Last year CWS provided 298,000 kits of various kinds in the United States and abroad. They are distributed in natural disasters, of which we seem to have plenty. THANKS FROM PLYMOUTH COMMUNITY RENEWAL CENTER Our friends at Plymouth report that their Christmas party for the Center children was a major success thank to one of our St. Andrew Advent projects. Our church family donated a trunk-load of gifts, so that each child could select one to take to their parent, grandparent, or other caregiver for Christmas. Each year, we gear about how much the children enjoy doing this pre-christmas shopping. Do you suppose they learn that giving is really more fun than receiving, that watching someone else smile warms their heart as much as getting a gift I ntheir own stocking? Hope so!!

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10 February 2013 Heartbeat Issue 54, No Browns Lane Louisville, KY No matter who you are, you are welcome here! Friday, February 15