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POST EASTER 2015
MESSENGER BRYN MAWR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
VOLUME 117 | ISSUE 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Ministry Updates for Children, Youth & Their Families (pages 5 - 6) News from Fine Arts (pages 7 - 8) Motivating Mission (page 10) “Inhabiting Eden” Environmental Series (page 12)
TUTORING PROGRAM’S 50TH YEAR page 4
Letter from the Pastor The Christian church often acts like Easter is one great day of celebration, a High Holy Day among days. We pull out all the stops and expand our services; we print more bulletins; we are enthusiastic about having as many of our members as we can hold; and we welcome all kinds of visitors who join us whether they be extended family, passers-by, neighboring college students, out-of-town guests or curious seekers. However, in the wisdom of the church through long years, Easter is not merely a day among days. It is a full season in which we are invited to return to the mystery and majesty of the resurrection repeatedly as we assimilate this joyous proclamation in our everyday lives. Easter Sunday is merely the beginning of Eastertide, and the second Sunday, and the third, and so on offer many occasions to live into the good news that Christ has risen! New Testament scholar, Frank J. Matera, has written: Resurrection faith means accepting the evidence which God provides that Jesus is risen and alive. All evidence and signs of the resurrection are necessarily polyvalent and open to many meanings. Nevertheless, God has provided evidence, signs for those who believe, that Jesus is alive: the witness of Christian martyrs through the centuries; the lives of ordinary as well as extraordinary Christians; the ministry of the church to the poor and oppressed, and the indomitable spirit of hope and trust that characterizes so many. Resurrection faith is a gift, occurring when God speaks to the hearts of believers, calling them by name. This Messenger is filled with good news about how God has gifted us with resurrection faith by speaking to our hearts and calling us by name. Easter permeates everything we do as a congregation: recognizing long-term members and welcoming new members, lifting up new leaders for service, engaging in new service opportunities, celebrating milestones in mission and outreach, looking for new opportunities to grow in faith through worship, music, education and nurture. All of these activities of the church represent the polyvalent ways we experience resurrection. During this season of Eastertide, I encourage you to consider how Easter Sunday’s Alleluias continue to echo and reverberate through your participation at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Surely there is an article or photograph within these pages that may spark your interest in a new form of engagement, a new place to serve, a new opportunity to volunteer for, a new friendship to nurture. New and renewed faith is available to you through the ministry of this congregation because Christ’s resurrection becomes tangible through the individuals who make up this church and our corporate witness together. Grace and Peace,
Agnes W. Norfleet Pastor 1 MESSENGER | Post Easter 2015
New Church Officers Gavin McKendrick Elder(Youth)
Kyleen Considine Deacon (Youth)
Nancy Taylor Deacon
Natalie Stevens Elder (Youth)
Andrew Schmid Deacon (Youth)
Mark Cahill Trustee
Becky Brinks Elder
Bart Bastian Deacon
Bonnie Callahan Elder
Sally Nelson Deacon
Louise Hill Trustee
Sherri Shields Deacon
Lisa Kimbro Trustee
Gene Chang Elder
Jeff Swarr Deacon
Mark Stafford Trustee
These members were elected to leadership positions in January and will be ordained and/or installed on May ??
A Celebration of Membership By Dick Wohlschlaegger
As I have made my way around retirement homes where many of our members now live, I have been impressed with the pride people take in the longevity of their membership at BMPC. Cherished memories are shared with little provocation. It is clear that the church means more than we can say in people’s lives and in those of their families. After worship a few Sundays ago, two women introduced themselves as daughters of a woman I had visited at the hostpital one afternoon. One of the daughters is still local; the other lives in another city hundreds of miles away. But when she comes “home” to visit, she tries to attend worship in the church where she grew up and where her family still belongs. “I grew up in this church,” she said. “It’s where I was baptized, confirmed, and married. This church is so important to me and my family.” On Sunday, April 19, following worship, our Senior Adult Council will host a brunch honoring all who have been members of BMPC for 50 years or more. Those who have met the 50 and 51 year marks will be recognized and given a commemorative medal. This is one of the ways we can continue to honor the importance of this church to the lives of our members — and the importance of our members to BMPC. 2 MESSENGER | Post Easter 2015
Member Spotlight: Jennica Stevens It didn’t take long for Jennica Stevens to find our church after moving to the area two years ago. All she had to do was walk across the street. “I decided that I would start visiting churches within walking distance. Bryn Mawr Presbyterian was my first stop, and I felt so welcomed that I didn’t end up visiting any other churches,” Jennica says. After becoming a member in October 2013, Jennica became involved in the church by serving on the Eugene Bay Fund Committee and as a council member for the Middleton Center. She’s also enjoyed the adult education and spirituality classes. Jennica grew up on a lake in the middle of Indiana cornfields. Although her home church was in a town so small that it didn’t have a stop light, she says that BMPC feels like home. “I’ve really appreciated getting to know the people here,” Jennica says. “Since I’ve come here, so many people have made me feel welcome.” Jennica also has a heart for social justice in the U.S. and around the world. Before moving to the area, she worked in Rwanda for International Justice Mission, an NGO that works to combat instances of violent injustice and oppression. She now works as a Content Marketing Manager at American Bible Society, and one of her favorite programs is a trauma healing curriculum that is helping to provide hope and healing to survivors of war, natural disaster and abuse in locations including Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Amman, Jordan. “My faith forms a foundation for how I look at the world,” Jennica says. “It’s a privilege to be able to try to live out that faith through my career.”
Sharing the Love of God Each Sunday between 50 and 60 people gather in the Ministries Center and in the Education Building to welcome the children and youth of our congregation. What do they do? They prepare lessons and make sure that their classrooms and grade rooms are in order. They greet your children and grandchildren by name. They laugh at jokes and find out about the past week. They listen and they pray with students facing enormous questions and deep hurts. They cheer on students as they gain new insight into the story of God’s people and their place in that story. They say “goodbye” and “God bless” as students move into a new grade or a new program. As a congregation, we are blessed by the almost 5,000 hours our Sunday school teachers and youth advisors give each year to make sure that every child knows the love of God in Christ Jesus. As we finish this year and begin looking to next fall, we hope that you might prayerfully consider if you have a few hours to make this ministry possible.
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BMPC’s Tutoring Program: 50th Anniversary By Rosemary Mitchell, Mission Engagement Advisor for the Presbyterian Mission Agency
Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its tutoring program. The Bryn Mawr congregation has a deep commitment to mission and outreach going back to the late 1800s. In 1965 Elder Margaret Bailey Speer (d.1997), approached the Session with the idea of a tutoring program. It was a program that would also make good use of the empty rooms during the week. With the Session’s approval, Margaret reached out to the public elementary schools in North Philadelphia.
Margaret Speer was on the staff of the Western Languages Department and then Dean at Yenching University, Beijing. In 1941 she was sent to an internment camp at the beginning of WWII. There she set up educational activities for children and adults. After returning to the U.S. in 1943, she became the headmistress of a private school. Throughout her career and beyond, she focused her efforts on human rights and improving access to education. She was instrumental in opening the school to African American students. She regularly spoke to her students about service. Caroline Rogers, Director of the Wednesday Tutoring Program, was one of the students inspired by Margaret Speer. Caroline recalls, “In 1967 I heard the message of Margaret Bailey Speer. The program had already been established and I volunteered to be a tutor in 1972-73. In 2009 my daughter became a tutor. Today my son is a group leader for the program. It has become a part of our family and part of the fabric of the Bryn Mawr congregation.” Today the two-night-a-week tutoring program pairs 90 high school students from ten different high schools with 90 elementary students bussed in from the William Dick Elementary School in North Philadelphia. The tutors are members of the church as well as members from the larger community. There is a family resource person at the school who identifies children or parents who are interested. Leaders in the program have met with the principal and attended “back to school” night to introduce themselves to the parents. As the parents have increased their trust in the program, it has grown. “It’s a very popular, proven program because year after year, the high school students pass the word that it’s a great way to do service. The parents of the elementary students realize the positive benefits for their children. On both sides of the table, it is passed down to siblings,” added Caroline Rogers. The program also includes enrichment activities in the arts and music, yoga, and food, but reading is the hallmark of the program: to improve the love of reading and reading comprehension. Although the program originally started with tutors going to the school, the church now pays for a bus to transport the students to the church where a meal is provided by the congregation’s Hunger Committee and volunteers. Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church continues to be a place that brings people together in the interest of mutual understanding… leading us away from ourselves and into the mainstream of the Word of God.
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For Children and their Families
By the Rev. Rachel Pedersen
Parent Play Date Starting on April 17, the first and third Fridays of each month will be a parent play date in our nursery. Come by anytime from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., enjoy a cup of coffee or tea, fellowship with other parents and caregivers, and enjoy watching the babies and toddlers play. Feel free to bring a friend! The parent play dates will continue through the summer.
Vacation Bible Camp is Coming June 22 - 26! We will be going back in time to meet Jesus’ friends and family in Nazareth. Join us for an exciting week where children age 3 through rising 5th graders grow in God’s love, serve neighbors, and build a community together. We are looking for volunteers who can help prepare and volunteers who can help the week; we have a job for everyone! Interested in helping or have a question? Contact: MaryRichards@bmpc.org, ext. 8811. We invite everyone to bring a friend to this fun-filled week. To register for camp, search “Vacation Bible Camp” at www.bmpc.org.
Summer Sunday School Extravaganza Starting on Sunday, June 21, children ages 4 - rising 3rd graders are invited to join Pastor Rachel and friends for a special child-friendly worship service and activity in the Chapel following the children’s message in the Sanctuary. Parents are invited to join in the fun too! Childcare is available for children birth - 3 years. 5 MESSENGER | Post Easter 2015
Update from Youth Ministry By the Rev. Kellen Smith
The spring always seems to fly by! The highlight of the spring is certainly Confirmation Sunday, which will be another joyous occasion to celebrate our Confirmands and welcome them as the newest members of BMPC. They have learned, served, and enjoyed fellowship together throughout the year. Each of these eighth graders has benefitted from talking with an adult mentor about faith, reflected on sermons, and learned the Apostles Creed by heart. They have also worked on individual projects to explain how they experience God or have learned to practice their faith outside of the church. The Confirmands will present these projects to the congregation at our annual “Windows Into Faith” Expo in the gym on Sunday, May 10, when all are invited to stop by. At 10:00 a.m. worship, on Sunday, May 17, they will stand before the congregation to profess their faith as young Christian disciples.
Sarah and I express our gratitude at this exciting time in our lives. We feel very blessed to be welcoming our baby girl into this wonderful church community. At every step, we have felt showered with love and encouragement. It will be wonderful to introduce her to the “saints of BMPC.”
May will indeed be an exciting month for other reasons in youth ministry, as well. We’ll welcome next year’s sixth graders on Sunday, May 10, for “Fifth Grade Step-Up Day” at our last Sunday morning Youth Gathering until September. On Sunday, May 17, at 11:15 a.m., our youth and their families are invited to celebrate together at an end of the year luncheon catered by Chef Ruth, which will include the first church appearance of baby girl Smith! On Sunday, May 31, we’ll host a lunch fundraiser after church to help support the construction project of our High School Mission Trip in the Dominican Republic.
Come summer, we will be off on our annual summer trips. We’ll partner with a local church in the Dominic Republic, where we will take on a project that serves the community as well as engage in sports, hunger, and prayer ministry. The middle school Urban Plunge will take place in New York City, where we will be hosted by the Brick Presbyterian Church and join with organizations that work with NYC’s homeless population and community gardens. Finally, Camp Kirkwood will be the highpoint of the year as we retreat to the Poconos for a time focused on faith, fellowship, and fun.
Signature
Save the Date Luncheon Fundraiser Sun. May 31, 11:15 a.m., Congregational Hall. Proceeds will help support our construction project on our High School Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic.
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Music and Fine Arts News A Time of Sabbatical
Jeffrey Brillhart, our Director of Music and Fine Arts, will begin a three-month sabbatical on Sunday afternoon, April 19. This is his third sabbatical in his 32 years of ministry at BMPC. During this time of rest and renewal, he will begin work on a second book on organ improvisation, and work on several composition projects for choir and organ. Jeff will also explore every page of the new hymnal, Glory to God, to adequately prepare for its implementation at BMPC in the fall. He plans to teach two classes about the hymnal in September. While Jeff is away, Edward Landin will serve as our organist and conduct our choirs.
Glorifying God with Visual Arts By Jean Wolf and Bonnie Atwood, Visual Arts Committee Co-Chairs On Sunday, April 12, Russian Orthodox Christians around the world will celebrate Easter based on the Julian calendar, a week later than our worship. To share art, architecture, and knowledge of this religion, two beautiful and unique exhibits on Russian icons and churches will hang in the exhibit rooms of the Ministries Center from April 21 - May 31:
“He Who Has Seen Me Has Seen The Father” - Icons by students and iconographers of the Prosopon School of Iconology, Conference Room
Majestic Russian Orthodox Christian Churches – Photographs by Linda Madara,Witherspoon Parlor
On two Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. after church suppers, the artists will present talks. Susan Kelly von Medicus, artist and teacher at Villanova University, will provide insight into the history, spirituality, techniques, and dedication involved in the painting of icons on April 29. On May 13, Linda Madara, a member of BMPC, will chat about church history and features of the Russian Orthodox Christian churches she photographed during travels in Russia. A reception for all artists will be held on Sun., April 26, after Elizabeth Weigle’s recital. Starting on June 1, for at least a month, you will view art by artists from the community who gather with their art materials in the Gloucester Room every Thursday. There they enjoy creating together and sharing in a space filled with great light. At least ten artists will display works in different media to fill the Conference Room and Witherspoon Parlor. Their opening reception will be on Sunday, June 7, at 11:00 a.m. Now is the time for other artists in our congregation or the community to let Visual Arts co-chairs know what they may have on their easels, at press, in their cameras, on a lathe, in a kiln, etc., to share at future shows. All works exhibited can be listed for sale. Proceeds go to the artist with a portion to the Visual Arts budget. Please send information reguarding your creations for future exhibits to Bonnie at batwood313@verizon.net.
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Folksongs from Another World: A Song Recital By Elizabeth Weigle
From the wild teenage passion of Debussy to the cool humor of Cole Porter, please enjoy an hour of art song in our Sanctuary featuring BMPC Soprano Section Leader Elizabeth Weigle, accompanied by pianist Elizabeth Morgan, to welcome spring on Sunday, April 26, at 2:00 p.m. Debussy was in his late teens when he fell in love with his patron and muse, Madame Vasnier. We’ll perform three of the French mélodies he wrote for her featuring vocal fireworks, romantic poetry and lush harmonies. The New York Times had this to say about the Philadelphian composer, on our program: “Benjamin C.S. Boyle’s writing is rich in color and undeniably appealing.” Our program features his song cycle of five Elizabethan poets, Folksongs from Another World. Rounding out the recital are masterpieces by Schubert and Cole Porter.
Royal School of Church Music America By Edward Landin, Assistant Organist This July, several of our talented Choir School choristers will attend an annual choral program in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Pocono and Endless Mountains, the RSCMA King’s College Course is a week long summer camp filled with choir rehearsals, church services, many activities, and the opportunity to make lifelong friends. Anna Meyer, a Youth Chorale member, will be attending the course for the fourth time. She loves RSCMA because “it’s an opportunity to sing in a community of high-level musicians [who] share my ideals. Everybody is so nice and inclusive, and I look forward to RSCMA week all year!” As the psalmist wrote, “Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.” Join us as we send best wishes and prayers to our youth participating in this incredible week of personal growth and music making.
Hymnal Sales Continue Take advantage of an opportunity to invest in an integral part of our Sunday worship services! Whether you choose to honor, memorializes, or simply present a copy of our denomination’s new hymnal to BMPC, donations of $20 per volume will help fill the pew racks in our Sanctuary and Chapel. Special book plates will indicate the names of donors and honorees; envelopes are available at our reception desk in the Ministries Center or contact Susan Joseph, bibliothekarin@gmail.com, (610) 352-7072.
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The Fight Against Hunger
Interview with Deacon Grace Marable, Bethel Presbyterian Church By The Hunger Committee
Can you describe the neighborhood where Bethel Presbyterian Church is located? We’re in an impoverished North Philadelphia neighborhood—more than 40% of our residents have incomes below the poverty level. Many people, especially senior citizens, have trouble placing food on their tables. In many households, children go to school hungry; a free school lunch may be their best meal of the day. Why was the Food Cupboard started? We wanted to help relieve hunger and poverty in our neighborhood. By feeding families, the church can provide the nutrients people need to be healthier, pursue employment and do well in school. Our mission is to present a welcoming and comfortable place to feed our neighbors and address the hunger problems facing the people of our church community. We try to assist in meeting people’s basic needs while praying God to draw community members into the church. When did Bethel’s Food Ministry begin and how has it grown? In January 2012, we had a zero budget and started with a Day of Service when deacons, trustees, youth and other church members began to prepare space for our food program. The Food Cupboard opened in April 2012. Every Thursday we provide bags of food to community members. Between April and December 2012, we enrolled 120 families in our program and served an average of 113 families each week. We now have 425 families enrolled and serve 120-150 families a week. In 2014, we provided over 49,000 pounds of food to 3657 families; nearly a third were senior citizens. On cold days we also serve hot soup. Financial and food donations from Bryn Mawr Presbyterian help fill the food bags we distribute. Last June we started our Saturday Community Meal Program where we serve home-cooked meals to community and homeless people. From June to December we served nearly 1,000 meals. We also serve luncheons on Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving and distribute Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to local people. Our Seniors’ Ministry Club serves a healthy lunch once a month with Bible study, activities, and fresh food to take home. In the future, we hope to extend our senior services to those who cannot leave home. We also provide clothing, books, job information, housing referrals and counseling to people in our community. How has Bryn Mawr’s Hunger Ministry helped Bethel fight hunger? You have provided financial support as well as canned and packaged food for our Food Cupboard since 2014. As the number of recipients has grown, we are always scrambling to fill bags and not turn anyone away. During one week in February, our other food orders were not available. With canned goods from Bryn Mawr, we were able to prepare bags of food for 113 people and serve a big pot of chicken vegetable soup. It is at times like this when you truly see God’s hand in the mix.
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Motivating Mission at BMPC: What do we do Mission Summit 2015 and how can we do it better?
What does the phrase “motivating mission” mean to you? Maybe it means the choices we make as a church that motivate our members and friends to do mission with us. Or maybe it means that when we do mission, it energizes and motivates us. Regardless, we think of the mission we do as…. motivating mission!
If you are interested in knowing more about our mission and motivation, plan to attend our second Annual Mission Summit on Saturday, May 9. We will review the missions accomplished by our children, youth, and adults of all ages, and we’ll hear from members as well as mission partners from near and far about what motivates them and how we can help improve and increase our efforts. We look forward to having J. Herbert Nelson as our keynote speaker this year. The Rev. Dr. Nelson is a third generation Presbyterian pastor, currently serving the Office of Public Witness of the PCUSA, in Washington, DC, where he works to implement the social justice agenda of the denomination through advocacy with the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. Before coming to Washington, he served as Founder/Pastor of Liberation Community Presbyterian Church (LCC) in Memphis, Tennessee - the first African American Church formed in the Presbytery of Memphis in 46 years. Liberation Community is an African-centered congregation committed to evangelizing the poor to the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Progressive Worship Walk
The Progressive Worship Walk
The churches are mobilized, the snacks are organized, the weather is warmer, and the sidewalks are clear—but we still need walkers! If you can walk a few miles with your dog, or up and down the stairs, you can do this! Join us on Saturday, April 18, as we worship and walk together and re-invigorate the ties that bind us to our urban neighbors. If you can’t do ten miles, walk only as far as you feel able. Sign up at bmpc.org or contact CarolSchmidt@bmpc.org, ext. 9919.
Mission Trip to Mexico On October 10 -12, come and see what God is doing in Mexico City. We will make a short, educational trip to our exciting mission partner and 2014 Schaull Award winner, Fortaleza, a program of the Conexions Mosaica organization. Fortaleza develops the community’s own leadership and responds to expressed needs of those who live in the squatter communities of one of the world’s largest cities. Billed as a “Come and See” this weekend is intended to help us better understand the work that is going on and the challenges of this densely populated context. Our hope is to use these few days to dream together about future trips in both directions, that will foster a deep and multi-faceted long-term partnership. 10 MESSENGER | Post Easter 2015
Enriching the Lives of Adults
Grain & Politics
Sundays, Apr. 12 & 19, 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor. As we end the program year with a focus on “Bread,” we welcome Dr. Tiago Saraiva to discuss the interplay of food issues with global politics in the twentieth century. How did the California orange make its way to Spain, and how did it change the Mediterranean? Why did the Nazis want to raise pigs on entirely German-grown feed? What was Mussolini’s Battle of Wheat, and who won? In this two-part class, Dr. Tiago Saraiva, a professor at Drexel University, uses our theme of Bread, and combines analysis from technology and science with environmental and political history to discuss the interaction of food and politics in the 20th century.
Summer Class: TED Talks
Sundays, June 14 – Aug. 9, 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor. View and discuss 18 minute TED Talks chosen by BMPC members. TED is a platform for worthy ideas that was started in 1984 as a conference where technology, entertainment and design converged. Today TED shares ideas from a broad spectrum — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages. Contact: CarolSchmidt@bmpc.org, ext. 8819. TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. On TED.com, we’re building a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers — and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other, both online and at TED and TEDx events around the world, all year long. (From TED.com)
Bill Golderer and the Rooster Soup Company Wed., May 6, 7:00 p.m., Congregational Hall. Learn about the Rooster Soup Company, a socially minded, for-profit eatery planned for Center City as a collaborative project between Federal Donuts and Broad City Ministry. All proceeds will support the Broad Street Ministry Hospitality Collaborative, which serves hundreds of hungry people at four community meals each week.
The Bible for Beginners Ever decide to read the entire Bible, only to get bogged down somewhere around Leviticus? This group will gather monthly at members’ homes to find its way together through the more difficult regions of the Bible with the help of the Rev. Dr. Nicole Duran. For dates and meeting places, contact Anita Iyengar, aciyengar@gmail.com, 610 645-6044, or find our “Bible for Beginners” group on Facebook.
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Inhabiting Eden:
An Environmental Series The Environmental Justice Committee Mission statement says, “As human beings, we are in awe of God’s handiwork and are entrusted with the care of God’s good creation.” This committee explores and pursues the many ways that we, as Christians, can perform our responsibility. Ways that we can care for God’s good creation include opportunities for education, seen in this series.
Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants
Doug Tallamy, Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 7:00 p.m., Congregational Hall Our landscaping plants need to be more than “eye candy.” They need to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water. Tallamy’s 2007 book, Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, and his 2014 book, The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, show that we can increase habitat for insects and birds by adding native plants and trees to our home gardens and yards. Find out how!
Food for Life
Vicky Town, Sunday, April 26, 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor
Vicky Town and her husband Steve Pottorff homesteaded Haven Farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia in August 2010. They lived in a tent, working by day to build their house and in the early evenings to grow and preserve their own food. Now, in addition to a yearly harvest of vegetables and fruits, they have six bee hives in their apiary.
Saving Some $Green$ to Save Some Green
Courtenay Willcox & Jeff Wilber, Sunday, May 3, 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor
There is more to do than just caulking around doors and windows to save money on energy…from PECO energy audits to easy changes that will make your house more environmentally efficient. Learn about the new LED light bulbs (a cool new idea), low flower heads, energy saving power strips, tankless hot water heaters, ventless gas fireplaces and more.
Water: A Matter of Life and Death
Metin Duran, Sunday, May 17, 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor
How can water’s availability be critical when it is there every time we turn on the faucet? A global health issue, economic issue, education issue and even a women’s issue, understanding the world’s water crisis is where we start. An expert in wastewater treatment and microbial water quality control, Dr. Metin Duran, spouse of BMPC’s Nicole Duran, currently is a professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Villanova University.
Get Your Lawn Off Drugs!
Mike McGrath, Wednesday, May 20, 7:00 p.m., Congregational Hall
Learn how to go cold turkey on lawn pesticides. Host of nationally syndicated Public Radio show, You Bet Your Garden, and author of books on tomatoes, compost and kitchen gardening, Mike will teach you everything you need to know about keeping your piece of creation looking fine without added pesticides and herbicides.
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The Practice of Prayer By Joyce Krajian
Living beside Jesus for and extended period of time would have been the greatest teaching tool prayer. The disciples knew, after witnessing the many ways in which Jesus lived out his faith, that prayer was a way of life, not something for one place, one day of the week, or one time of the day. Therefore, they asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Join us on April 24 and 25 for this two-part opportunity to learn about and experience a variety of ways to pray. Steve Shussett, long-time student and teacher of prayer, Teaching Presbyter of Lehigh Presbytery, and Spiritual Director, will accompany us on this journey.
Sabbath Eating
Discover how “ Sabbath Eating” can make any meal much more than eating! How we eat is a telltale barometer of our sense of life at this moment in time, and this practice helps us attend to the work of grace in our lives. Come to Congregational Hall on Friday, April 24, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. for a meal that’s an opportunity to be more attentive to God and offers a place of deeper appreciation of self and others. Parents and children are encouraged to come. The cost is $8/adult and $5/children and students; all are welcome.
Prayer as Relationship
All can be in relationship with God. In life, we often crave deeper relationships with those we love. Accordingly, how can we deepen our relationship with the God we love? Seeking God wholeheartedly allows us to express our love in new ways and leads to new understanding of ourselves and our path to prayer. Join us on Sat., April 25, for continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m in Congregational Hall, followed by a program from 9:00 a.m to noon to consider “Prayer as Relationship.” Register for either or both of these events by April 17 at www.middletoncenter.org.
Take Advantage of Caregiving Ministries By Lorie Benovic
BMPC’s caregivers’ group, facilitated by Lorie Benovic, meets monthly in Converse House Parlor to provide emotional support, education and resource information to those who are caring for a loved one. Our Care Team, which includes Lorie, our Care Manager, and Ann Fossum, our Parish Nurse, provides support and guidance to BMPC members in multiple other ways as well, including: • • • • • • • • • •
care-planning referrals to services rides to medical appointments health and wellness consultation and advocacy counseling for children of aging parents answers to health care questions medical equipment loans help with hospital discharge planning and follow-up visits to the home bound oversight of the flower, greeting card, meal and prayer shawl ministries of the church
If Lorie or Ann might assist you with your questions or concerns, or if you know of someone to refer for these services, please contact Lorie or Ann at the church or in their Ministries Center office. 13 MESSENGER | Post Easter 2015
Blessed to be a Blessing By Judith Brackett
Years ago, while teaching confirmation at BMPC, I had a spark of an idea to have the confirmands bake the bread for Communion. Though the purpose was to engage youth in worship and sacraments, these Saturday mornings of kneading dough and sharing a simple meal were the yeast for my own spiritual growth, particularly an appreciation and interest in the theology of the table. On February 28, after three years at Princeton Theological Seminary, three church internships, 400 hours of clinical pastoral education, and countless cups of coffee, I was ordained as a Teaching Elder in the PC(USA). How apropos to my experience at BMPC that Christ’s table was prominent at my ordination. Held at Carmel Presbyterian Church in Glenside, where I am currently serving as interim supply associate pastor, Dr. Wes Avram preached the sermon and Rev. Cindy Jarvis gave the charge. My first act of ordained ministry was to call children around the table where we gestured the life of Christ, the Bread of Life, taken, blessed, broken, given. I am grateful for the financial assistance from the Miller Fund that I received from BMPC while a student at PTS. Susan Bravo served as my Session liaison and kept me company during presbytery appearances and encouraged me through the many steps toward ordination. The many generous souls at BMPC who offered their prayers and well wishes surround me as my cherished cloud of witnesses. My heart is glad for my BMPC days, and all the days that led to this day.
Forgive Us our...“Trespasses ”? By the Rev. Dr. Nicole Duran In the gospels, The Lord’s Prayer uses the Greek word for “debts.” So why do we say “trespasses”? First of all, the word “trespasses” appears elsewhere in the New Testament, especially in Paul’s letters, when he talks about sin. By the fourth century, Augustine was even concerned that “debts” might be interpreted too literally, with the poor demanding monetary debts be forgiven. Early Reformation Bible translators, Wycliffe and Tyndale, translated the Lord’s prayer differently (in 1395 Wycliffe translated “debts” and in 1526 Tyndale translated “trespasses”). By the mid 1500s “trespasses” was widely used in worship. During the Reformation, new biblical scholars retranslated the original Greek—and used the word “debts.” Those connected with the Book of Common Prayer (Anglicans and Episcopalian) followed Tyndale in using “trespasses” in worship and those who were part of the more upstart reformation traditions (Presbyterians and Congregationalists) shifted to “debts.” We at BMPC, good Presbyterians that we are, also said “debts” for most of our history. But here’s our Clerk of Session Emeritus, Jack Moon’s, account of how that changed: Back toward the founding of our church in 1876, we used the word “debts.” While the Rev. Dr. Andrew Mutch was pastor, though we became friendly with the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer across the road—where they said, “Forgive us our trespasses.” One day, the Rector of the Church of the Redeemer, noting that various members attended both churches from time to time, suggested to Dr. Mutch that we use the same word. They agreed, and decided to flip a coin to determine the decider. As our associate pastor, the Rev. Dr. Don Kocher put it, “we lost,” and began using “trespasses.” I have never personally heard “trespasses” in any other Presbyterian church; maybe one more way in which we are unique. 14 MESSENGER | Post Easter 2015
The Messenger Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church 625 Montgomery Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 610-525-2821 The Messenger (USPS #341840) Volume #117, Issue #3 is published quarterly by the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Periodical postage paid at Wayne, Pennsylvania and additional offices. Postmaster: Send Address Changes To The Messenger Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church 625 Montgomery Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Summer Sunday Schedule (May 24 through September 6)
Worship at 8:00 a.m. in the Chapel with Communion and at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary • •
Childcare for infants – age 3, Ed. Bldg. Room 102, 7:45-11:15 a.m. Childrens’ Chapel for age 4 – rising 3rd graders, 10:15 a.m. (after the Children’s Moment in worship)
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Grades 3-12 worship with their families
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TED Talk Discussions, June 14 - August 9, 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor
Save the Date • • • • •
April 26: Annual Meeting of the Congregation May 10: Confirmation “Windows into Faith” Expo May 20: Last Wed. Night Dinner June 14: Sundae Sunday and Sunday School Finale September 13: Sunday School Kick-off and Rally Day Celebration