MESSENGER March The. Welcome Class of 2021! Ordained and Installed January 28, Meet the Staff. Inside this issue

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1 The MESSENGER March 2018 Inside this issue Birthdays and Anniversaries page 6 Christian Education... page 5 From the Pastor... page 2-3 March Calendar... last page PNC update... page 4 Session News... page 4 Spotlight on Missions... page 6 Meet the Staff The Rev. Steven R. Garstad Interim Pastor heygarstad@earthlink.net Amy Duke Director of Music and Organist jbduke@cinci.rr.com Kate Gardin Choir Director gardinki@mail.uc.edu Deborah Senile Administrative Assistant glenpres@fuse.net Welcome Class of 2021! Ordained and Installed January 28, 2018 Elder: Bob Johnson (2nd term), Karen Reynolds, Tom Shevlin Deacon: Susan Galbraith (2nd term), Susy Spence Elders Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Carol Faulkner William Kreidler Bob Johnson Jane Simpson Marybeth Long-Wolff Karen Reynolds Charlotte Knowlton Tom Shevlin Deacons Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Nancy Gulick Sarah Hinkle Susan Galbraith Betty Robertson Sonya Kirkland Susy Spence All articles for the April edition of this newsletter must be received in the church office no later than 9:00am, Monday, March12.

2 Dear Friends in Christ, Funny things can happen when religious and civil holidays coincide. Several years ago, in mid-november I attended a week-long seminar on The Care and Nurture of Volunteers. Our leader was this sharp Jewish woman from a large New York City synagogue. She good-naturedly informed the room full of Christians pastors that Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish celebration of the Festival of Lights, began that year at Thanksgiving. Over the ages, American Jews, having become adept at adapting to their circumstances, took this coinciding of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving in good form, dubbing it Thanksgivukkah. Just google the word and you will get dozens of hits on how to roast a kosher Thanksgiving turkey with all the fixings. So, this year it is the Christians turn. Ash Wednesday coincides with Valentine s Day and Easter coincides with April Fools Day. This may not be as much of a mismatch as you might think! Ash Wednesday, as you know, marks the beginning of Lent, the Christian liturgical season lasting forty days (not including Sundays) and culminating with Holy Week and the celebration of Christ s resurrection at Easter. Valentine s Day is, well you know, a day when florists, candy manufactures, and greeting card companies make a killing. Our modern Valentine s Day observance began with the Feast Day of Saint Valentine, a priest in Rome who was martyred in 269. Legend has it while imprisoned and awaiting execution by the Roman authorities, he restored sight to the blind daughter of his judge. Before his execution he penned a letter of farewell to the young woman which he affectionately signed Your Valentine. The day first became associated with romantic love within the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14 th century when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 18 th century the feast day had evolved into a secular holiday where lovers celebrated their romantic love with the exchange of affectionate cards, candy, and flowers. And, of course, in modern-day America the day is dominated by FTD Florists, Whitman Chocolates, and Hallmark Greeting cards. Most of us remember exchanging Valentine s cards in our elementary school classrooms. I shudder to think what political correctness may have done to this sweet exchange of sentiment! So where is the convergence, you ask. Ash Wednesday begins a season of reflection upon our mortality, our sin, and our need for repentance. The meaning of the ashes derives from God s word to Adam and Eve after their rebellion, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:19) Being truly sorry and deeply contrite for our sin, utterly honest in confessing our sin, and genuinely desiring to repent of our sin are motivated by God s unceasing love for us and our love for God. Ash Wednesday begins with God s love for us when Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem and the Cross. Ash Wednesday concludes with our love for God and a season of repentance. This love takes many forms. Saint Valentine heals a young blind woman and later sends her a kind note. Chaucer writes about courtly love. Eventually this evolves into 2

3 a day of secular celebration of romantic love. Later even children get in on the act. Then we have the convergence of Easter and April Fool s Day. You think it is a stretch to connect these two observances? Wrong! Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul: We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. 1 Corinthians 4:10 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 You see, Easter is God s April Fool s joke on a world so impressed with our cleverness, our wealth, our power. In his kingdom, the last shall be first and the first shall be last. The beatitudes of life come not because we have earned them but because God is gracious and merciful in giving them. Lent of a season of repentance. The word comes from the Greek word μετάνοια or metanoia which means to change one s mind or change the inner being. Repentance literally means changing direction or doing an about face. This Lenten Season I hope and prayer for you and me a metanoia that we may become Fools for Christ. Happy Valentine s and April Fool s Days! Your fellow traveler in Christ, Pastor Steve The Deacons offer prayer, companionship, rides, or meals, but don t always know where care is needed. If you know of a need (your own or another s), call the church or any of our Deacons: Nancy Gulick, Betty Robertson, Sarah Hinkle, Sonya Kirkland, Susan Galbraith, and Susy Spence. Leading through 3 In our thoughts and prayers Mike Blackburn, William Breidenstein, Bill Clegern, Susan Galbraith, Nancy Gulick, Jane Kendrick, Greg Kiefer, Gail Long (sister of Karen Reynolds), Dottie Mack (friend of Anita Hilbun), Donna Loudon, Eloise Manhart, Jackie Ohlinger

4 Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire. - St. Catherine of Siena The Pastor Nominating Committee continues to meet weekly to search for our new pastor. We have reviewed over 40 Pastor Information Forms and have conducted six interviews. The pastors we have been interested in have not worked out. We currently have requested new match and are prayerful that something will work out soon. The Congregational Meeting on 21 Jan 2018, was a successful meeting. The By-Law amendment to decrease the members of the Nominating Committee from eight to six members was approved. Bill Faulkner, Chair of the Nominating Committee, presented the names of the members that were elected to the 2018 Nominating Committee: Bob Johnson, Chair, Susan Galbraith, Susan Armstrong, Bob Simpson and Bill Faulkner. New elders elected to the Class of 2021 were Bob Johnson, Karen Reynolds, and Tom Shevlin. Deacons elected to the Class of 2021 were Susan Galbraith and Susi Spence. Be sure and congratulate these officers for taking on the new responsibilities or continuing another three-year s service. All our officers do an excellent service for the church and donate lots of time and effort each month to fulfill duties that keeps our church running. Be sure and give Jerry Kirkland and Peter Galbraith a big thank you for their service as they have completed their tenure. We had our Session records reviewed by Rev. Brazell, representing the Presbytery, on 25 Jan With the addition of our newly approved Manual of Administrative Operations, Child Abuse Policy, and Sexual Harassment Policy, we faired a little better in the grading process. We still have room to improve and Debbie and I will be tackling our next steps on getting it done better. We are all very proud of our First Annual Calendar. We wish to thank all of you that contributed dates for your support of this effort. We are confident that everyone will find this calendar helpful throughout the year. Everyone should be more eager to get those 2019 dates turned in more promptly when requested beginning in November. All of our committees are working diligently to come up exciting, fun, meaningful, and interesting activities for our members. You will read about these efforts throughout this newsletter. Be sure and jump in to support these activities. Have a great March as we look forward to spring. 4

5 We must not wish for the disappearance of our troubles but for the grace to transform them. - Simone Weil Where: First Presbyterian Church, Glendale When: 6:00pm - 10:00pm, Saturday, March 10 Who: Children ages 0-12 years How: Call or text Charlotte Knowlton at and let her know how many children and their ages. The cost is $10.00 per child / $30.00 maximum per family. There will be activities, snacks, and games. We would love to hear from you. Dinner and a Movie will continue each Tuesday through Lent, ending on March 27. You may contact Charlotte Knowlton for more information. The dinners/movies are arranged so anyone can drop-in even if you have missed a week. Come, join us - the more the merrier! Prayer Vigil Join us on Good Friday, March 30, at 7:00pm for a one-hour prayer vigil. We will meet in the Church House, where we will explore the JOY of prayer and be guided in a prayer vigil. During this period of Lent, you will find 3x5 cards in the Narthex. Please use them for your prayer requests during Lent. Join us for the Illuminating Lent series. We have suspended the Reformation study in order to study the significance of Lent in this six-week course. The Reformation study will resume after April 1. The annual Easter Egg Hunt will follow the Easter Worship Service. Please meet in the Church House for fellowship after the service. The children will be called for staggered start times, with the youngest going first. We re planning a Pentecost Picnic on Sunday, May 20. Watch for a sign-up sheet and more information in April. 5

6 Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying. - Paul E. Billheimer The Mission Committee is bringing back a favorite event from the past. On Sunday, March 25, at 5:00pm, we will join together for fellowship, good food, and to fill Easter Baskets for children in need. A list of suggested items will be in the bulletins and on the Church House bulletin board beginning February 25. You may place your donations of wrapped candy and small toys in boxes in the Church House beginning Sunday, March 4. Mark your calendar, sign-up on the sheet in the Church House, bring in lots of little goodies for the baskets, and come share a joyous event. On Saturday, April 21, the Glendale Fire Department has again offered our Mission Committee a booth to sell the Glendale Directory at their annual Pancake Breakfast. This is an opportunity to assist the Fire Department, greet the community, and sell directories at one time, in one place - all to benefit Mission outreach. On Saturday, May 12, we will hold our annual Pancake Breakfast and Bake Sale in the Church House. Watch for the usual great menu for this special event. Proceeds benefit Valley Interfaith Community Resource Center in Lockland and The Princeton Closet. More detail to come Saturday, June 9, marks the day for our annual Fill the Glendale village Square with Food event. Each year we collect over four thousand dollars ($4,000.00) in food and personal care items for those in need - all to benefit Mission outreach, Valley Interfaith Community Resource Center, and The Princeton Closet. Saturday, September 15 is the date for our annual Tom Allen Memorial Golf Outing at The Mill Course. Watch for more details on this special event. Katie Kreidler... 1 Pam Carl... 3 Richard Ohlinger... 4 Madeline Christman... 4 Snowden Armstrong... 6 Craig Simonson... 8 Dorothy Ecker Jane Simpson Maggie McMillan Allison and Joseph Christman Stuart Clipson Alene Rice Doloris Gulick Rev. Jim Brazell Eloise Manhart Marybeth Long-Wolff Richard Spence Helen Frietch (nursery)... 30

7 Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will. - Abraham Lincoln All men are invited to join the Men s Group for lunch at Gold Star Chili on Springfield Pike Springdale on Wednesday, March 14. Lunch begins at 12:30pm. Twenty-four from our congregation, a resident of Glendale, and several from Presbyterian Church, Springdale attended our February 6 evening of CPR training, a lifesaving technique used in many medical emergencies. The class was presented by Dr. Sabrina Leach, a Glendale resident, the EMS Division of the Glendale Fire Department, and Sabrina s son John. Although we are hopeful we will never have to use this procedure, it is comforting to know we could be of assistance if the need should arise. Christ Church Glendale presents Music Live with Lunch Music Live with Lunch is a series of free public concerts on the second Wednesday of each month at Christ Church Glendale (965 Forest Avenue). All concerts begin at 12:05 (after the bells have rung!) and last about minutes. You are invited to bring your own lunch or purchase a prepared lunch for a nominal cost. Sit back and take a refreshing midday pause at one or more of these concerts. March 14, David D. Eaton, organist, teacher, and church musician whose performances have been described at world class, dynamic and consummately musical, meticulous and powerful, and the zenith of musical talent. April 11, The Clark and Jones Trio featuring Nancy Bick Clark, Frank Clark, and Jude Jones performing Celtic harp, fiddle, guitar, bodhran, recorder, dulcimer, and vocals. 7

8 Shamrock St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach people about the Godhead. Holding up a shamrock, he challenged them, Is this one leaf, or three? Inevitably, people replied that it was both, prompting St. Patrick to draw the analogy that so, too, is God: one God in First Presbyterian Church, Glendale 155 East Fountain Avenue, Glendale, OH Phone Fax glenpres@fuse.net firstpresbyterianglendale.org Mailed in Christian love on February 21, 2018 Sunday, March 11 8

9 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 4 10:30am - Worship 12:00pm - Illuminating Lent (adult study) 11 10:30am - Worship Sunday School 12:00pm - Illuminating Lent (adult study) 18 10:30am - Worship 12:00pm - Illuminating Lent (adult study) 25 10:30am - Worship Sunday School 12:00pm - Illuminating Lent (adult study) 5:00pm - Easter Basket Pot-Luck Dinner 5 Mission Committee mtg. (time and location TBD) 12 9:00am - April Messenger articles due 19 11:00am - Deacon mtg. 7:00pm - Creekwood Homeowners Assoc. 6 12:30pm - PNC mtg. 6:00pm - Lenten Dinner and Movie 13 12:30pm - PNC mtg. 6:00pm - Lenten Dinner and Movie :30pm - PNC mtg. 6:00pm - Lenten Dinner and Movie 12:30pm - PNC mtg. 6:00pm - Lenten Dinner and Movie The calendar is a living, breathing document subject to frequent changes. Please check the weekly calendar posted on the Church House bulletin board or contact the church :00am - Session reports due 12:30pm - Men s Lunch (Gold Star) 21 6:00pm - Session mtg. 1 6:30pm - Choir 6:30pm - Choir 15 6:30pm - Choir :30pm - Choir 7:00pm - Worship 2 10:00am - Gentle Yoga office for confirmation of meetings, events, or activities. Please call the church office if you do not see your meeting, event, or activity on this calendar. Likewise, please call the church office to update information on this calendar. 9 10:00am - Gentle Yoga 16 10:00am - Gentle Yoga 23 10:00am - Gentle Yoga 30 7:00pm - Prayer Vigil :00pm - Parents Night Out :00am - Choir 9