The Heartbeat. Saint Andrew United Church of Christ

Transcription

1 Saint Andrew United Church of Christ The Heartbeat March Browns Lane Louisville, Kentucky Website: Phone: (502) Sunday School for all ages 9:15 AM; Sanctuary Worship 10:30 AM Our Benevolence Focus: One Great Hour of Sharing In a world where communities are being displaced by the catastrophes of war, famine, and natural disasters, the Church is called to reclaim the spiritual discipline of solidarity. Christians are summoned to adopt and live out a theology of acompañamiento [accompaniment], in the words of the theologian Roberto Goizueta. As natural, economic, and political forces disrupt and uproot communities, the Church is called to stand in solidarity with those who seek to move beyond the trauma of displacement toward a promise of healing and peace. The story of Ruth is ultimately about this solidarity. Naomi and Ruth were very much like today s refugees: they never chose to move from country to country, rather, it was imposed upon them by forces beyond their control. They lived in a society where the patriarchal economy meant that a woman s livelihood was entirely dependent on her male relationships (father, husband, even son). Yet when that system failed them, Ruth chose solidarity with Naomi over despair, and accompanies her mother-in-law to pursue a livelihood for both of them. This option for accompaniment is truly a biblical principle that saturates the pages of scripture. From God who is present with Hagar in the desert and calls her to remain close to her son Ishmael (Genesis 21), to the Parable of the Sheep and Goats where the criterion for judgement is that of compassionate accompaniment (Matthew 25), to St. Paul s exhortation that Christians should rejoice with those who rejoice [and] weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15).This promise to walk together is mutual and reciprocal, where both parties are in need, and both experience the real power that emerges from the spiritual discipline of solidarity. Ruth s promise to Naomi defines what solidarity authentically entails, and it stands as a challenge for Christians today to walk with refugees as they build new homes in strange lands. Through the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, we, as the body of Christ, have opportunity and power to help those who are living in despair as refugees. If refugees had the choice to return home, many would not have a place to return. This year as you consider your gift to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, for one moment, think of what it would be like to not have a place to call home, and then make your very best gift. Let us make Ruth s promise our own. Let us live out the call of solidarity with all people, especially those displaced by disaster, war, and famine. From the Pastor Rev. Lori Miller-Price Take a look ahead at our Lenten worship series and schedule and plan to be a part of it all! Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, Master, save me! Jesus didn t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. - Matthew 14: The Message This Lenten worship series, based on the book by the same name by Eric Elnes, is about seeing life through new eyes, recognizing that experiences of failure, emptiness, and uncertainty are as critical for finding our way through life as they are unavoidable. We will see how experiences of life through the dark wood are actually clues to our calling or life path. How can the struggles of life be the seedbed of spiritual awakening to the fullness of life? Ash Wednesday, March 1-4:00-6:00 - We will be offering "Ashes to Go" again in the circular drive in front of our building. Ash Wednesday Worship Service - 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Worship Service, April 13 7:00 p.m. Good Friday, April 14 Guided prayer stations will be set up in the sanctuary to help you pray, contemplate and draw closer to God. You are invited to come anytime between 3:00 7:00 p.m. Pastor Lori will be available to have prayer with you also anytime during those hours. Easter Morning, April 16 We will have an Easter Sunrise service and our regular 10:30 worship. Inside this issue: Page 2 Ash Wednesday, Movie Discussion, Parish Health Page 3 Birthdays & Anniversaries, Merom for Adults Page 4 Women, Nurture, Youth Retreats, Laptop Coffee Shop Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Daily Lectionary Page 8 Next Heartbeat Deadline

2 HEARTBEAT Page 2 From the Pastor: It is traditional to do something during lent to help your spiritual growth. Often people give up something - often it is a particular food that people give up. While there is nothing wrong with doing that, I would like to suggest that you consider giving up something more substantial that will help your spiritual growth and your relationship with God. So you could give up violent tv shows or you could give up gossip or give up criticism of others, etc. In other words, choose something that will make a difference in your life with God. You also might want to consider "adding" something to your life instead of giving up something for lent. You could add a prayer practice - reading a devotion, praying with a prayer rope, gazing at a sacred piece of artwork, using a finger labyrinth. You could add something like starting a gratitude journal or during lent, you could add money to your regular giving at church, or you could volunteer to do something at church in addition to what you are currently doing. Those are just some ideas. Heartbeat of St. Andrew (Financially Speaking) January 1 to January 31, 2017 Budgeted Income, $18,473 Actual Income, $15,664 Budgeted Expense, $20,655 Actual Expense, $18,792 You can find detailed reports in the Gathering Area on the Council Bulletin Board. Specific questions can be left in the Treasurer s mail slot. Answers in 3-5 days. ASH WEDNESDAY MARCH 1 DRIVE THRU ASHES 4-6 PM (church s front circle drive) FISH FRY (every Wednesday in Lent) 4:30-7 pm WORSHIP SERVICE 7 PM Whatever you decide to do, I hope you will also participate in our St. Andrew Walk to Jerusalem Movie Discussions sponsored by our parish nurses. Each member is asked to fill out a slip of paper (available meeting at 7:00pm at the church on the last Sunday of the month. The routine remains the same: at church) that tells how many steps you walked each week. There is information hanging up at church that helps you calculate your steps if you I will announce a film during the middle of the dont' have a pedometer or fit bit. The idea is month. Each person will see the film on his/her that together we walk the 6,983 miles from St. own, considering the question What does this Andrew to Jerusalem! In the process, we will film have to say about our faith? be caring for our health which is a great way to thank God for the gift of life! Check out the information at church and get on board to do CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS 2017 some extra walking this lenten season! David Sickbert - President Another way you can make Lent more meaningful is to come visit the prayer area that is set up Mike Jones - Vice President for you in the back of the sanctuary. We have Teresa Aikens - Secretary made a "chapel" type area in front of the beauti- Elaine Caldwell ful stained glass windows and you are invited to come pray and light a candle in this small sa- Judy Johnson cred space in our very own sanctuary. Caroline Martinson Rose Mills Virginia Neat Kim Poppe

3 HEARTBEAT Page 3 From your Council President: 3rd Doris Harrison Laura Caldwell Kyle Caldwell 5th Dylan Thomas 6th Bob Rosenbaum 8th Mark Schwarz 11th Colin Barth 12th Betty Boeschel Allen Montgomery Lauren Leong 13th Madelyn Walsh 16th Ben Kilpatrick 20th Tom Miller-Price 22nd Mary Wilson Cade Whitehead Aric Whitehead 24th Mary Bundy 25th Charlotte James 26th Mary Lou Bischof 29th Cindy Kasten 30th John Block 31st Lori Miller-Price This promises to be a busy year for St. Andrew and for your Council. Before we get into this year s initiatives, I d like to give a big thank you to Renee Lage and John Wicker for their council leadership over the last couple of years. Communication In this Heartbeat, you will find some monthly and Year-to-date income and expense numbers. I encourage you to pay attention to how we are doing throughout the year. We will once again be posting Council Meeting minutes more detailed monthly financial reports on the bulletin board. These will be located under Council Corner in the gathering area. I will also do my best to write a monthly Heartbeat article with highlights. By-Laws and Policy reviews over this year, we will be doing a complete review of our Church Policies and procedure (Building Use Plan, Safe Child Policy etc) as well as the By-laws. There are a few contradictions in the Bylaws that need to be cleaned up. Obviously By-laws changes will be brought to the congregation for approval. Annual Pastoral Evaluation one of the items that Rev. Tom Nordberg emphasized was the need for the Council and Pastor to do an Annual Evaluation. This is to be a positive and constructive evaluation of her ministry at St. Andrew and is designed as a valuable tool to help both the Pastor and Church as we move forward together. We will be doing this in the June/July timeframe. Budget the council will be keeping a close eye on giving and expenses. You may recall that for the second year in a row we have passed a deficit budget. Spring Cleaning We will be doing some review of our storage needs and storage areas over the next month or two. Teams will receive a note about labeling items in certain storage areas. We will be cleaning out the Garage so it can be used as well. Be looking for more information and think about helping when we schedule some clean up/out times. As we enter into our second year with Pastor Lori, I m excited for the future. We ve got a lot going on and I encourage everyone to try something new at St Andrew and, as always, invite a friend to join you. 3rd Tom & Lori Miller-Price David 26th Bruce and Barbara Harrison 29th Art and Madelyn Raderer 31st Howard and Judy Hardin If we have inadvertently left you off this list, please contact the office so we may update our records. If you are new to St. Andrew, please share your birthday with us so that we may recognize you!

4 HEARTBEAT Page 4 Women of St. Andrew Business Meeting: Monday, March 20, Noon Conference Room All Women Are Welcome Bring a Sandwich: Drinks Are Provided The Ladies Day Out JCPS Outreach Project Has Not Been Selected But Will Be Discussed and You are Invited to help make the decision. NURTURE TEAM Memorials and Honoraria In Honor of Louise Grant s 100th birthday, a donation was made to the Library Fund by Anita Lyon and Art & Madalyn Raderer In memory of Bill Holton, a donation was made to the Boy Scouts by Art Raderer In Memory of ladies of St Andrew, a donation was made to the Current Fund by the Women of St. Andrew In Memory of Jane Thomas, donations were made to the Current Fund by Phyllis Fultz and Susan Poppe, donations were made to the Memorial Fund by Samuel & Helen Thomas, Myrna DeWeese, and Mary Lou & Ken Bischoff

5 HEARTBEAT Page 5 Parish Health Ministry Did you know for every hour of brisk walking, life expectancy for some people may increase by two hours! Wednesday, April 6, is National Walking Day. The American Heart Association is challenging us to lace up and go for a walk. By starting this simple healthy habit, we can improve our overall health in big ways. The statistics are startling. About 69 percent of American adults (more than 159 million) are overweight or obese, and 30 percent report that they do not participate in leisure time physical activity. That inactivity is leading to serious health issues, including heart disease and stroke, in one out of four American adults (about 85.6 million) nearly one in two for African Americans. National Walking Day is a chance to jumpstart your activity and improve those statistics, even if it is just a short walk around the block. A daily 30-minute walk can provide significant health benefits, including: * Reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes * Improving blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels * Preventing weight gain and lowering the risk of obesity * Improving mental well-being * Increasing energy and stamina * Reducing the risk of osteoporosis, breast cancer and colon cancer The American Heart Association recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. If you don t have a solid 30 minutes to devote to a walk, break it up and go for 10-minute walks three times during your day. It s easier than you think to add more steps to your routine: * Take the dog for a walk. * Take the kids to the park for 30 minutes of playtime among all of you. * Park farther from the entrance to your work, the grocery store, restaurant or mall. * Take the stairs, even if it is just one or two floors. * Have a walking meeting with co-workers. Commit to making a walk or other physical activity part of your daily routine starting on National Walking Day, and every day in April. See how you feel at the end of the month. The health benefits will pay off in a big way. Tracy Keller

6 HEARTBEAT Page 6 Ash Wednesday invites us into the season of Lent, a time within the church year to acknowledge that we are mortal, limited, so that we might be transformed and become the new life God calls us to be. An initiative of UCC New England Regional Environmental Ministries and endorsed by other denominations and faith groups, the Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast is an opportunity to become more conscious and conscientious in our daily lives. The activities range from the very simple (e.g. eliminate vampire electrical use) to the moderately challenging (e.g. take military" showers) to more long term (e.g. buy local produce). We consider all of the activities a form of spiritual practice, a concrete way of participating in the stewardship of God s creation. We want people to empower people so they can challenge themselves to do more. Find out more and receive daily s here: World Day of Prayer Worship Service Louisville Chinese Christian Church Friday, March 3, 2017 Written by the Women of the Philippines, the program invites us to explore concepts of economic justice both in the Filipino context and around the world and our response in light of God's generosity. Hosted by the Louisville Chinese Christian Church 6120 Lovers Lane Registration 9:30 AM Worship 10 AM Friday March 3,2017 Food and Fellowship immediately follow the service. Toiletries and canned goods will be collected for Dare To Care. The World Day of Prayer offering will be sent to the Philippines and around the world to meet the needs of families who are victims of poverty, violence, and injustice. The portion of the offering kept in the local area will go to the Fem Creek/Highview United Ministries. Offering checks should be made payable to Church Women United of Louisville and marked for World Day of Prayer (For WDP). All are invited St. Andrew members: Ann Beckemeyer & Judy Hardin. There will be a sign-up sheet in the Welcome Area of St. Andrew UCC if a ride is needed. EASTER LILY ORDER FORM You may wish to purchase an Easter Lily either in memory or in honor of a loved one to help decorate our Sanctuary on Easter morning. Following Worship hour on Easter, you may take your plant with you. Please fill in the bottom portion of this sheet, cut or tear at the dotted line, attach total amount of payment due and place it in the offering plate, mail it in to the office, or drop it off at the church during office hours (Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM). No telephone orders may be placed. Make check payable to: St. Andrew UCC and indicate for lilies on the memo line COST: $10.00 EACH DEADLINE: Sunday, April 9 - Name: 2017 EASTER LILY FORM Date: Phone #: # of Lilies purchased: Cash $ Check # Total Amount: $ In Memory Of: In Honor Of:

7 HEARTBEAT Daily Lectionary March2017 Page 7

8 March 2017 Heartbeat Issue 58 No Browns Lane Louisville, KY No matter who you are, you are welcome here! St. Andrew United Church of Christ 2608 Browns Lane Louisville, Kentucky Phone: (502) Fax: (call first) Website: Sunday School 9:15 AM Worship Service 10:30 AM Office Hours: 9 AM 1 PM, Monday Friday Church Staff Rev. Lori Miller-Price Senior Pastor J.R. Cannaday Minister of Music Mary Rose Linker Church Secretary/Editor Joe Louden Custodian Monday, March 13th