Tidings Oct10

Having recently preached about the art of “making an ask,” it is perhaps not surprising that my recent reflections have been on the Christian practice of saying “yes” and saying “no.” Being in the position of recruiting confirmation mentors has given me ample opportunity to reflect on the “yes’s” and “no’s” I

have received.In her book, An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor muses

on how seductive the “yes” is. It’s an optimistic word, signaling the beginning of something new. Progress depends on it.

It is how we step forward into the future. But “yes” has a shadow side, too. We can say “yes” to something or someone out of a deep sense of God’s call or we can say “yes” because we are people pleasers or workaholics or because it feels good to feel needed or to feel chosen. Some people might feel obligated to the person making “the ask,” or we want them to like us. We could be avoiding another commitment or a feeling we’d like to keep tamped down. Others even could say “yes” because we do not honor ourselves enough to pay attention to the things that truly give us life, that connect us to God and to one another.

Likewise, we might say “no” because we do not think we are worthy or capable of doing what is asked. We might be afraid. Perhaps, we have given the wrong things priority in our lives. But we can also say no because we have done the hard work of discernment and said “yes” to other things which are important to us, which God has called us to do and/or which give us life. Such activities include caring for a sick friend or relative, being present to our own families, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, campaigning for public office, or choosing work that is meaningful but demanding.

Once I got past my initial disappointment of “no,” I was moved by the diverse, but often prayerful and gracious ways that people approached their discernment. While it affirmed my initial thinking that they would make good mentors, it also challenged me to listen for the ways that a “no” might be about more than juggling commitments and checking calendars. A funny thing happened. The more “no’s” I got, the more I wondered if God might be nudging us to consider a different approach to mentoring. Rather than insisting that each adult be paired with a specific young person, what would it be like to create space and time for the youth to get to know several adults and vice versa? The adults might feel less pressure to have all the answers, and the youth might be more likely to find someone they especially admired or connected with. Thus, everyone would benefit from the shared wisdom of the group. By our structure, we would be reinforcing the idea that choosing to be part of the Body of Christ

Pastor’s reflections

TheTidings

october 2010

Good news from

PasTor’s reflecTions ..1

ask The PasTor ...........2

Urban WiTness UPdaTe 3

choir To PresenT faUré reqUiem dUring all sainTs sUnday ......4

a minUs in The asseT colUmn ............4

neW sTaff member hired .........................4

greeTings from mbengWi, cameroon ...5

dakoTa Pre-school learning camPs receive doll hoUse gifT .........5

ocTober resPonsibiliTy schedUle ..................... 6

ocTober birThdays .....6

Pardon oUr dUsT .......7

Wn@b and handbell reminders .................7

ocTober 2010aT bmPa .....................8

in this issueby rev. emily rose ProcTor

[email protected]

continued on page 3

the tidinGs october 2010

ask the Pastor

Q: “What exactly does it mean to be blessed or forsomething to be a blessing?”

A: A “blessing” is something that is imbued withholiness. Like so much of Christian theology and practice, blessing originates with Judaism. A “berakhah” (blessing) is a word used in formal liturgies to acknowledge God as

the source of all that is good. So, for example, most Hebrew blessings begin with the formula, Berakhah Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam. “Blessed are you Lord God,

King of the Universe.” If you ever have an opportunity to worship with Jewish friends at Shabbat services or even in someone’s home, you are likely to hear this address as part of some formal blessing. Several Biblical characters are named Baruch, most notably the right-hand advisor to Jeremiah. (In case you were wondering, the “Barack” in Obama’s name is from a different Semitic root, meaning “lightening” or “shine.”)

Christianity has adopted “blessing” in many forms. In some high liturgical churches (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, etc.), a “blessing” is something bestowed by a priest who can operate as an emissary of or intermediary to God. Objects are “blessed” by a priest, sometimes with the assistance of other objects such as a “blessing cross,” a candle, or in the case of a bishop, a crozier (shepherd’s crook).

During the Reformation, many Protestants, including ancestors of Presbyterians, raised serious objections to the role of a priestly class. The central concerns of many Reformed Christians seemed to be the temptation to idolatry – worshiping something other than God and the role of a human being as intermediary, which in some Protestant views was a role reserved solely for Jesus Christ. While I have not seen specific information on the concept of “blessing” in relationship to this concern, I suspect that Reformers objected to the priestly practice of blessing on at least a couple of grounds:

1. human beings do not have the power to imbue anything with holiness (God does.)

2. objects deemed “holy” can quickly turn to idols – misplaced objects of our devotion

The concept of blessing – thoroughly rooted in scripture – was retained, but care was taken to make sure that the agent of blessing was God, rather than human beings. So, for example, the Westminster Catechism interprets “Give

us this day our daily bread” to mean that “we pray that, of God’s free gift, we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his [sic] blessing with them” (7.104). For this reason, Presbyterians do not often “bless” objects. I distinctly remember one Ash Wednesday service at Corpus Christi when Father Rich casually asked if I would “bless the ashes” to which I likely responded, “Sure, but you are going to have to show me how to do it.”

To the extent that we “bless the food” or “offer a blessing” we do so either as acknowledgement of the goodness that is already there (i.e. “You have blessed us with your grace,” or as a request (i.e. “Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies.”) It is important to remember that churches with priests would object to the characterization of their practices as somehow usurping the power of God. They would acknowledge the source of all blessing, just as we would, so differences in this area are open to reconsideration.

With these objections duly noted, the Reformed faith is careful not to argue that human beings are incapable of acting as conduits for God’s blessing. The Brief Statement of Faith says: “In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth.” (10.3) Likewise, at the end of each worship service the presiding minister in our congregation offers a “blessing” or “benediction” (from the Latin: “well” + “speak”). The minister’s blessing is not a claim to convey holiness, but an assurance to the people that God has already blessed us to be disciples.

Back to the original question, it is not uncommon around Baltimore to hear this exchange:

“How are you today?” “I’m blessed, how are you?” Or getting off the phone, “Have a blessed day.” To me, these greetings are simply ways of saying, “I’m

doing well because God is in my life” or “God has given me so much to be thankful for” or “I hope that you might experience the goodness of God this day.” I have found these conversations to be more deeply rooted in African-American culture, where faith talk is not quite as taboo as it has become for many other parts of our society. It brings into view the many ways that we experience God’s grace in our daily living.

* “Ask the Pastor” is a new feature of The Tidings. You may submit a liturgical or scriptural question to be answered by one of the Pastors to Ellen Carter Cooper at [email protected]. The deadline for questions is the 15th of every month.

?

by rev. andreW fosTer connors

[email protected]

october 2010 the tidinGs PaGe 3

The Urban Witness Committee has been working closely with BUILD and Maryland IAF to develop an agenda for this year’s political season focused on holding candidates accountable for supporting adequate education funding, holding banks accountable for interest rates on credit cards and building a strong jobs strategy for Maryland. There will be several activities during the month of October that we hope BMPA members will participate in and let their voices be heard.

BUILD and Maryland IAF want to hold the Gubernatorial Candidates Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., to supporting the following non-partisan agenda items:

• Create a job strategy that puts Marylanders back to work by calling for federal support for public works jobs. • Ensure quality education for Maryland’s children

to prepare them for jobs in the future. Maintain current levels of state funding for education and invest a minimum of $250 million each year for school construction. Ensure all residents, including immigrant students who graduate from Maryland high schools, have equal tuition rates to Maryland’s universities and colleges.• Hold banks accountable for charging 10%

interest on credit cards. If not, move state funds out of usurious banks to state chartered community banks to create more jobs. Maryland’s usury rate is currently 24%. This means that banks chartered in the state of Maryland cannot charge interest rates higher than 24%. Unfortunately, this means that most major banking institutions incorporate in states like Delaware that have either high or no interest rate caps. From the faith perspective, limits on interest rates have been around since Hammurabi’s Code. The Reformed Tradition has been very strong in arguing that unregulated inter-est rates are a great moral concern in that they promote a never-ending cycle of poverty. BUILD has worked with Del. Bill Frick (Montgomery County) to introduce a bill that would require banks doing business with public funds to abide by the state’s usury law or risk losing public dollars. • Support the creation of a non-profit health care

cooperative that will help fill in the gaps of federal health care plan to help keep Marylanders working.

The Urban Witness Committee will be working on several activities to support this agenda. We will be signing up voters from BMPA to support the agenda. Our goal is 500 signatures. We urge you to see the

Urban Witness Committee’s information tables after church, to sign the Non-Partisan Voter Pledge, and learn more about BUILD’s agenda.

Also, please save the date of Thursday, October 14 at 7:30 pm for BUILD and Maryland IAF’s Non-Partisan Accountability Assembly, being held at Resurrection Catholic Church; 3315 Greencastle Road; Burtonsville, Maryland 20866. Hopefully, this assembly will be attended by both Gubernatorial Candidates Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. We will concentrate on holding them accountable to supporting BUILD and Maryland IAF’s agenda of supporting adequate education funding, holding banks accountable for interest rates on credit cards, and building a strong jobs strategy for Maryland. The Urban Witness Committee will have additional details as the event approaches.

Stay tuned for details for community walks to Get out the Vote. We’ve done this in the past and it has been a great community building experience. It is a way to connect with people who live around us to, hear what is on their mind, and to share what we are working towards.

by david miller

urban witness uPdate

Pastor’s reflections

means choosing to be part of a community. Suddenly, all the “no’s” began to sound together like

a bigger “yes.” By the time I had my fifth mentor, I was convinced that God was at work, not only in providing the right people for this year, but also in shaping the larger process.

Saying “yes” and saying “no,” also known as discernment or stewardship, is not an easy thing. I have been the most impressed with the way that the Iona Community in Scotland approaches it. They affirm, as Jesus did, that as part of the Body of Christ, we do our best discernment in conversation with one another and with God. Their community has committed to a structure and disciplines to encourage this, such as daily prayer and reading the Bible, regular meeting together, and mutual sharing and accountability for the use of time and money in small groups. I am looking forward especially to exploring together how to discern what to say “yes” and “no” to in terms of our time and money at Wednesday Nights at Brown October 20 to November 10. I hope you will join us, but if your answer is “no,” I will trust that God is working in that too.

continued from page 1


When Mary Mahony “retired” as Brown Memorial’s financial secretary, we lost a valuable asset. At the service marking her “retirement,” it was revealed that she just showed up and started working. Actually, Barbara Ferguson, the previous bookkeeper from 1980 to 2001, recommended that she fill the position. Since Mary prepared the tax returns of Roger Gench, he vouched for her. Jim Shuman, who was the clerk of Session approved, also. Nothing more needed to be said.

For ten years Mary worked part-time at Brown Memorial. She kept our books, arranged our budgets, tracked income and expenditures, and handled some of our personnel paperwork. According to Mary, she worried as much about the church’s finances as she was concerned about her own.

Beckley, West Virginia, the coal mining capital of the country, is where Mary entered this world. Beckley is the home for the coal mining school, a ski resort, and whitewater rafting galore. Mary has lived in Baltimore since her family moved here when she was 14. Except for a period when her husband was transferred to Des Moines, Iowa, this talented lady has lived in the Baltimore area.

When Brick Bodies Fitness Centers first opened, Mary set up their bookkeeping system. She was a co-partner in a painting and wallpapering business, also. It was not necessary to hire a crowd of people to do the work. Mary did the painting and wallpapering herself! After working for several years at a local accounting firm, she officially retired before arriving at BMPA.

Sewing is one activity that will occupy Mary’s time now. She owns two embroidery machines which enable her to engage in another talent, heirloom sewing. Recently, she completed an heirloom christening dress. Her current project is making heirloom pillow cases. In addition to these activities, she will spend time with her husband, Paul, her children, and grandchildren.

Maintaining the books of Brown Memorial is not a simple task, so Mary will assist in transitioning the task to her successor. She says that, “Brown Memorial is the nicest place to work and the hardest place to retire from.” Mary believes that BMPA “is a family” and she couldn’t leave earlier because of her love for the people.

From her vantage point as an employee of the church, Mary has been in an excellent position to view Brown Memorial objectively. She stated that during her tenure membership has expanded every year. “Brown Memorial is growing so fast”, and “It is amazing that [Brown Memorial’s] members volunteer so much of their time,” she observed. Mary will miss us and we will miss her!

a minus in the asset columnby ellen carTer cooPer

new staff member hired

We welcome to the staff Sharon Lucas, our new financial administrator. She and her husband, Dave, live just around the corner from the church with their two children, Jake and Julianna. Sharon was looking for part-time employment with an organization making a positive impact on the community. We are pleased that her hopes aligned with our church’s mission. Sharon’s references had glowing things to say about her – “If I had an opening here, I’d hire her in a second;” “Sharon is not the loudest person in a meeting, but when she speaks, others quiet down to listen;” “I cannot think of a better person to fill this position.”

In addition to the requisite skills, Sharon possesses the kind of integrity and respect for confidentiality that a church needs from someone in this position. Sharon’s arrival posed one immediate challenge for the staff – two Sharons in one office! She plans to work three days a week – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. You can reach her by phone or email, [email protected]

choir to Present fauré requiem durinG all saints sunday

In commemoration of All Saints Day, on Sunday, October 31st, during the morning service of worship, Joseph Kneer will lead the Chancel Choir in the presentation of Gabriel Faure’s Requiem with Lydia Beasley and Christian Waugh as vocal

soloists, and John Walker as organist. Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) said that he saw

death “as a happy deliverance, an aspiration towards the happiness of the hereafter, rather

than as a painful passing away”. Describing the Requiem, he wrote: “altogether it is as GENTLE as I am myself!” For this reason, Fauré’s setting is remarkably subdued, omitting

conventional texts of wrath, and adding the Pie Jesu (Blessed Jesus) and In Paradisum (In Paradise) texts, emphasizing the granting of eternal rest. This latter section closes the Requiem with sublime and intimate assurance of God’s eternal protection.

As choirmaster at the Madeleine Church in Paris for twenty years, Fauré well understood the role of music in worship. He first presented his Requiem as part of a liturgical service in 1888. This composition continues to speak to the heart and soul of the wor-shipper today through its profound combination of text and music.

At the conclusion of the requiem, the congregation will be invited to light candles in silent prayer for all the saints.

Source: http://members.macconnect.com/users/j/ jimbob/classical/Faure_Requiem.html.

by John Walker, minisTer of mUsic

[email protected]

GreetinGs from mbenGwi, cameroonAugust 2010

“Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, from the congregation of the Mbengwi Presbyterian Church and the Mbengwi Presbyterian Schools.”

– Rev. Christina Tantoh, Mbengwi Presbyterian Church

The Mary Daniels Taylor Fund Committee received a report from the Partnership Committee that reflects all of the activities of the Mbengwi Nursery School and the Mbengwi Primary School. A couple of highlights are listed below.• The nursery school is growing. This year the

school had 62 children in attendance, 2 teachers and 1 assistant. Student teachers from the Presbyterian Teachers Training College assisted during their student teaching days. The children participated in many of the church activities as well as their own instructional program. On November 9, 2009, they participated in the Presbyterian Church Day celebration and recited a Bible verse in front of more than 2000 people. They also helped to celebrate National Youth Day on February 11th (celebrated all over Cameroon) by participating in several sports events with 6 nursery schools and they proudly placed first in two of

five events. The Mary Daniels Taylor Fund helped to sponsor the 62 children with scholarships, new materials and merry-go-round play equipment. • A successful year was had by the primary school, also. There were 163 students in attendance with 6 teachers. The students of the primary school completed their studies and wrote their end of the year exams. Those in the 6th level wrote the government exams for either higher education or for entrance into a technical program. The Mary Daniels Taylor Fund also provided funds for scholarships to help pay school tuition for 35 students. The criterion used for receiving funding is for “those most in need” as well as any children who have been orphaned. Additionally, funds that we sent paid for teacher training sessions and the purchase of materials and new books.

We were pleased to have received many pictures. They will be displayed in the assembly room after October 1st. The pictures were taken with the camera that we sent and show the activities of Palm Sunday and the progress of the building of the church and new primary school. We look forward to a continued relationship with the people of Mbengwi. If you are interested in joining this project, please contact Julie Hanks, chairperson.

dakota Pre-school learninG camPs receive doll house Gift

Chrystie Adams, Whisper, Peyton and Tiona enjoyed a special time playing with the Doll House designed and built by Court Robinson. The children really enjoyed this wonderful new toy, and many hours were spent playing with the new house and beautifully made furniture. Little dolls were added and families created. It was and will continue to be a blessing to the Preschool Camp. THANK YOU to Court Robinson. Photos courtesy of Julie Hanks.



If you have a conflict with this schedule – please call others on the list to make a swap. Then inform the church office of these changes at 410-523-1542 or [email protected].

acolytes

3rd aaron & adam mcnabney

10th annika brockman & eva mcnabney

17th anna connors & Julia lulJak

24th katie eGan & annie schindler

31st warner brockman & Peter lulJak

audio enGineer

3rd don PeePles

10th bud Graves

17th adrienne williams

24th brantley davis

31st bud Graves

children’s church volunteer

3rd ken mills & elena kirkPatrick

10th Grace PenG & mehran armand

17th elizabeth & charles reichelt

24th rachel & daryl smith

31st Jim & theresa veatch

coffee hour hosts

3rd t.b.d.10th t.b.d.17th t.b.d.24th t.b.d.31st Jason & michelle setty

communion PreParation

3rd t.b.d.

communion servers

3rd luke cliPPinGer

Gareth imParato

monica rakowski

henry taylor

John warmath

Greeters

3rd tom hall & linell smith

10th tom & micheline mcmanus

17th rob & susan enGlish

24th wendy & chiP davis

31st larry & June fletcher-hill

liturGist

3rd nannette mitchell

10th PaGe camPbell

17th martha bishai

24th brantley davis

31st w. court robinson

offertory counters

ken mills & andy ross

ushers

sarah buikema, charlie obrecht, PeGGy obrecht, & david rollison

october resPonsibility schedule11 a.m. worshiP service

october birthdays10/01 Brantley Davis10/03 Bill Wilson10/07 Katie Artes10/07 Violet Noel Schanbacher

10/08 Chris Saudek10/09 Bill Bishai10/10 Tom Maser10/11 Will Fletcher-Hill10/12 Gayle Barney10/12 Darin Crew10/14 Anne Holland10/17 Cal Jackson10/18 Paul Dagdigian10/19 Hedley Abernethy10/20 Hannah Loring-Davis10/21 Julia Christen Luljak10/21 Peter Christen Luljak10/21 Matt McNabney10/23 Paul Fletcher-Hill10/24 Yani Robinson10/24 Caitlin Schneider10/27 James Logan10/28 Mary Peeples10/31 Julie Hanks

Note: If you wish to have your birthday listed in The Tidings, please contact Sharon Holley, church secretary, at 410-523-1542, or via e-mail at [email protected].


Published monthly for members and friends of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church by the Membership Committee. Andrew Foster Connors, Pastor. Emily Rose Martin, Associate Pastor. 1316 Park Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21217. 410.523.1542.www.browndowntown.org. Send contributions bythe 15th of each month to Ellen Carter Cooper, editor([email protected]) or to Sharon Holley, church secrectary ([email protected]).

Good news from

TheTidings

go Green WiTh yoUr coPy of THE TIDINGS!Now that our new website is complete and we have a direct link to the most recent Tidings publication help us go GREEN by receiving your copy online. Receiving email notification of when the latest Tidings is available forreading will help us cut down on the environmental and financial costs of printing and mailing paper copies. If you would like to receive e-mail notification of when the latest Tidings is available, please send Sharon Holley an email at [email protected]. She will need your name and email address. Also, check our website directly for updates at www.browndowntown.org/index.php?s=newsletter to download the latest Tidings. Thanks for helping us to be better stewards of God’s magnificent creation.

take note

Pardon our dust...

At the insistence of our insurance company, Brown Memorial has begun an upgrade of our emergency exit lighting. The project will bring much needed modernization to our buildings and better prepare us to handle potential emergencies. For the first time we will have proper exit lighting in the sanctuary and all exit signs will be updated to LED models.

The work will be split into two phases, with the sanctuary building getting upgrades first, then the church house. In the sanctuary, our longtime contractor, Miller Electric, will install 11 emergency lighting and lit exit signs that will be wired into the building’s electrical system. The cost for the first phase is $6,870. The second phase, in which similar upgrades will be made to the Church House, will cost $4,100.

On a separate note, Marathon Roofing is nearing completion of our roofing repairs. This spring the repairs to the sanctuary roof were finished. The repairs included the planned installation of more than 250 feet of copper gutter and skirting around the perimeter of the roof and replacement of more than 450 slate tiles. Upon removal of the slates it was discovered that some roof decking needed to be replaced and a portion of a cornice needed to be repaired. In addition, roughly $60,000 in repairs was required because of damage from February’s snow. During the summer the flat roof portion of the Church House roof was replaced. In the next few weeks Marathon will repair skirting and gutters around the slate portion of the Church House roof and replace the copper roofing over the Bride’s Room. The total cost of all these repairs is just under $200,000.

by bill mcconnell,chair of The TrUsTees

Don’t Forget!

WN@BWednesdays

5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.and

Handbell RingersNeeded for Handbell Choir!


Service of Worship 11 a.m

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31General Election Polling Place for Cong. Dist. 7 Council, Dist. 11, Leg. Dist. 40 5:30 a.m

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Bolton Hill Nursery School Board M

eeting 7 p.m

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arm-Up

9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m

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Youth Mission Sunday 3 p.m

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Session Meeting

6:30 p.m.

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Christian Educators’ Meeting

11a.m.-2 p.m

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Reception for Emily and Richard

12:15 p.m.

Officer Training 12:30 p.m

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AGO Meeting

Youth Night Out on the Town

Under the Hill Gathering 6:30 p.m

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First Fruits Farm

Sunday School Service Project 9 a.m

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munity Dinners

AGO Meeting

Tiffany Series Concert

Tidings Oct10

Documents

Transcript of Tidings Oct10