Thursday, May 3
7:45 PM Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, May 6
9:00 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship/Communion, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM Session Meeting

Thursday, May 10
7:45 PM Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, May 13
9:00 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Don Stroud preaching

Thursday, May 17
7:45PM Choir Rehearsal

Saturday, May 19
Flea Market, Silent Auction, Flower Sale, & Cafe

Sunday, May 20
9:00 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching

Thursday, May 24
7:45PM Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, May 27
9:00 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Guest Preacher, TBA
S.O.B.E.R. Sunday

Please Join us for Bible Study (each Sunday at 9:00 a.m.)

Light Street Presbyterian Church Flea Market & Silent Auction Returns

After a two-year pause, the Light Street Church Flea Market and Silent Auction will return bigger and better this year, on Saturday, May 19, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. For 25 consecutive years, the Light Street Church Flea Market and Silent Auction had steadily grown into a well-known and successful annual fundraiser that benefited many who live in the communities of South Baltimore.

Everybody - members, friends, neighbors, supporters - is encouraged to help make the newly re-energized Light Street Flea Market and Silent Auction a huge success. In particular, as spring cleaning time approaches, start setting aside things you may want to donate. For the Flea Market, any type of item from your house, office, garage, etc. will be welcome. This includes kitchenware, small appliances, furniture, lamps, linens, collectibles, desk supplies, tools, toys, books, working electronic games and gadgets, bathroom accessories, and jewelry. Please, no clothing (except the rare, unusual, or brand new). For the Silent Auction, consider donating antiques, musical instruments, vintage items, china, crystal, silver, art objects, restaurant gift certificates, weekend getaways, legal or dental or personal services, or collections. Please bring your items to the Light Street Church on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., or by appointment with the church office (410-539-0125).

As part of the day-long event, a variety of plants will be available for sale, as well as items from the bake table. An expanded lunch menu will also be provided at reasonable prices.

This fundraiser will help to support Light Street Church's current missions and ministries which include a sister parish relationship in Cuba, South Baltimore Emergency Relief, lunches for the Freedom School at Digital Harbor High School, peacemaking commitments, and ecologically sustainable development of the church property.

Environmental Sustainability and Your Ecological Footprint

On Sunday, April 22, we celebrated Earth Day. In Roger's sermon, "The Challenge of Living Sustainably," he talked about his visit to Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, a Presbyterian-related college with a focus on environmental sustainability. If you'd like to learn more about this innovative school, visit their website at www.warren-wilson.edu. Roger also talked about measuring his "ecological footprint" - how much of the earth's resources he uses in daily living. If you would like to measure your ecological footprint, take the on-line quiz at www.ecofoot.org. The results may surprise you! But don't stop there. Click on "What You Can Do" to find out how to reduce the footprint you leave on the planet.

Neighborhood Survey Ready To Go!

Members of Session along with interested members and friends of the congregation met on Sunday, February 11, 2007, with Bill Millen of Baltimore Presbytery, to talk about their "Preferred Reality" for Light Street Church. Most agreed that over the next 3-5 years they wanted to see Light Street Church: (1) grow in worship attendance and membership; (2) find a new hands-on mission focus; and (3) retain its character & identity as a welcoming, inclusive community committed to social justice.

As a next step, we decided to create a neighborhood survey to solicit information from our neighbors about how our church could better serve the community. We wanted to create a way to find out what kinds of events and opportunities they would like to see our church offer. A team of people met together in March with a consultant, Linnea Nilsen Capshaw, who was provided to us by the Baltimore Presbytery. The drafting team included Andrew and Lauren Graham, Julie Helms, Kelli Langley, Suzanne O'Connor, Roger Powers, and Selina Scipio. After three meetings, we were able to come up with a brief, two-page survey, which has since been approved by the Session. A copy of the survey was mailed in the paper copy of the newsletter distributed to members and friends. If you are interested in a copy of this survey, please contact the church office at 410-539-0125.

We now need members and friends of the congregation to distribute copies of the survey everywhere they go in South Baltimore and ask people to fill it out. Copies are available on the church literature table. We plan to have a table in front of the church on weekends. People who come to the Flea Market on May 19th will also be encouraged to complete surveys. Our goal is to have 250 completed surveys by the end of this spring. If you are not a member or regular attender at Light Street Presbyterian Church, please call or stop by to get a copy of the survey, fill it out, and return it to the church at 809 Light Street, Baltimore, MD, 21230.

Thank you! Your input is important to us!

"FALSETTOS" BENEFIT PERFORMANCE FOR TAMFS:B

That All May Freely Serve: Baltimore (TAMFS:B) presents a benefit performance of "Falsettos" at the Fells Point Corner Theater, 251 S. Ann Street (between Pratt and Gough Streets), on Sunday, May 20, at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow the performance. Admission $40. For tickets call 410-785-2090. Come to this sophisticated, completely sung musical that chronicles a family's efforts over the course of two years to stick together and keep sane.

They confront everything from bar mitzvahs to baseball; from psychoanalysis to STD's; and from the closet to care giving, armed only with a keen sense of humor and undying love. You will support That All May Freely Serve: Baltimore in its work for the full inclusion of all people in all aspects of the Presbyterian Church regardless of sexual orientation.

OPPORTUNITIES AT FIRST & FRANKLIN STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Members and friend of Light Street Presbyterian Church are welcome and encouraged to participate in activities of our sister church located at 210 W. Madison St. in Baltimore. Here are some of the events going on there in the coming weeks. If you would like more information about any of these events, ask Roger (our pastor, their associate pastor).

Get on board - A Harbor Cruise on the Tall Ship "Clipper City"
Join members and friends of First & Franklin on board the tall ship "Clipper City" for a two-hour harbor cruise on Sunday, June 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. The Clipper City is a replica of one of the tall ships that carried lumber from one East Coast port to another between 1854 and 1892. While the crew manually sets the sails, we'll pass The National Aquarium, the three-masted Constellation, Christopher Columbus Center, Fells Point, Fort McHenry, and many other attractions. Once past Fort McHenry, the water opens up about a mile on either side. If the winds are favorable, we'll venture beyond the Francis Scott Key Bridge and around Fort Carroll. The Captain doesn't plan a specific spot as a destination, but uses the wind and tide conditions to set the course for the day.

This is an ideal opportunity to introduce friends, relatives, and neighbors to our congregation by inviting them to join us for this fun church outing. The cost is $16.50 per person ($3.50 off the regular ticket price). To reserve your spot, please make your check payable to "The First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church" earmarked "Harbor Cruise," and send it to the church office at 210 W. Madison St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, Attn: Roger Scott Powers. The absolute deadline for registration is Sunday, May 27, as we must have final numbers to Clipper City by Memorial Day.

S.O.B.E.R. Sunday - May 27

S.O.B.E.R. stands for South Baltimore Emergency Relief. Two dedicated people, John and Elizabeth, staff the operation, caring for the homeless and others in need of special help. They stock supplies in the small basement of Holy Cross Church at 110 E. West Street. Please help provide financial support, volunteer time, non-perishable food (soups, peanut butter, tuna, and one-dish meals). Flip-top cans are especially helpful for homeless persons who don't have access to kitchen facilities. Please bring your offering of non-perishable food and/or personal hygiene items to church on the last Sunday of the month to be contributed to S.O.B.E.R. (South Baltimore Emergency Relief). Checks made payable to Light Street Presbyterian Church should be clearly marked for SOBER.

ROGER'S SCHEDULE
Roger will be away May 12-18 on vacation, and May 21-26 on study leave. Normally, he is at Light Street Presbyterian Church (410-539-0125) on Wednesdays and Thursdays and at the First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church (410-728-5545, ext. 12), where he is associate pastor, on Mondays and Tuesdays. Roger also can be reached by email at lightstreetchurch@cavtel.net.

SERMONS
Copies of Roger's sermons are available on the downstairs hall table. A few selected sermons are posted on this website. If you are visiting our church, please feel free to pick up a copy if you missed a Sunday. Or, pass one on to a friend!

DEADLINE FOR JUNE NEWSLETTER: May 15
Send all newsletter material to John Ginovsky at jginovsk@aba.com