Every Wednesday
6:45 PM Overeaters Anonymous
8:00 PM Debtors Anonymous
Sunday, July 5
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship/Communion Sunday, Rev. Doris Cowan preaching
Sunday, July 12
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM Potluck Lunch & Cuba Partnership Celebration
Sunday, July 19
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
Saturday, July 25
2:30 - 5:30 PM Ashland P.C. cooks for Sarah's Hope
Sunday, July 26
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
Sunday, August 2
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship/Communion Sunday, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM First Sunday Potluck Lunch & Conversation
Sunday, August 9
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM Session meeting
Sunday, August 16
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
Saturday, August 22
2:30 - 5:30 PM Ashland P.C. cooks for Sarah's Hope
Sunday, August 23
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Gretchen van Utt preaching
Sunday, August 30
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
S.O.B.E.R. Sunday
First Sunday Potluck Lunch Moved to July 12
Our First Sunday Potluck Lunch, which would normally take place on July 5, is being postponed to the following Sunday, July 12, as a celebration/reception for our Cuban guest, the Rev. Mairolet Vega Comas. Please bring your favorite dish to share for lunch, and join the conversation.
Welcome to Two New Church Members
On Sunday, June 14, the session voted to receive two new members into the Light Street Church family: David Lascu and Mike Tinley. We welcome them both into the life of our congregation.
David Lascu was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He moved to Baltimore in April 2008 to serve as director of education for a small proprietary college. He has worked in higher education for twenty-five years. Before that he worked in the newspaper business. David has also been an activist with the Human Rights Campaigh, promoting human rights for the gay and lesbian community. In Light Street, he believes he has found an inclusive church that is engaged in good works in the community and will allow him to rediscover and grow in his Christian faith.
Mike Tinley is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, but he's lived in Maryland for more than 35 years, most of that time in South Baltimore. He has four brothers and sisters living all over the country. His dad passed away four years ago but his mom is still living ... soon to be 82 years young. Mike works as a project/vendor manager for eTrade Financial. He loves square dancing and renovating houses. When he first came to Light Street, he immediately felt like he belonged. He has found a sense of community here.
Congratulations to Gillian Mbambo
Congratulatins to Gillian Mbambo who graduated from high school last month and was awarded the 2009 Robert and Rosa Ferguson Scholarship; a $5,000 college scholarship administered by the Presbytery of Baltimore. We are all very proud of you!
Cuba Partnership Celebration
On Sunday, July 12, the Rev. Mairolet Vega Comas, pastor of our sister church in Cuba, will be preaching. Don't miss this opportunity to meet her and welcome her to our church. This is her first visit back to Baltimore in 3-4 years. Please bring your favorite dish to share for our Potluck Lunch/Cuba Partnership Celebration after worship.
Light Street Serves Fair Trade Coffee
Coffee is big business -- it's one of the most heavily traded commodities in the world. But for the majority of small coffee farmers, the benefits are small. The chain of events that leads from the coffee farm to your cup is long, often leaving the farmer with very little to live on.
Most small coffee farmers live in isolated communities in some of the poorest countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Cut off from markets, they usually sell their coffee through middlemen, known to Central American farmers as "coyotes." With world prices in constant flux and coyotes offering the lowest price possible, farmers never know how much they'll get for their crops.
Some 20 million people living near the equator depent on coffee for their livelihood. In their struggle just to make a simple living, the producers of a rich crop are often trapped in poverty. In recent years, a crisis in the world coffee market has meant that many farmers typically receive less than the cost of production for their beans.
But there is an alternative: FAIR TRADE. Fair trade shares the bounty of the coffee trade with those who grow the crop, helping them build a better future for themselves and their communities.
The Presbyterian Coffee Project is an innovative way to reach out to small-scale farmers in the developing world while enjoying fellowship and an excellent cup of coffee. As Christians we can address a consumer dilemma by buying coffee that is fairly traded. Presbyterian congregatons that participate are supporting practices which help farmers in Latin America, Africa, and Asia earn a fairer share of income, obtain access to credit and technical support, and gain a trading partner they can trust, a fair trade organization called Equal Exchange.
For more information, visit www.pcusa.org/coffee.
(Reprinted from the Presbyterian Coffee Project brochure)
Many Thanks to House of Ruth Supporters
During the month of June, Light Street Church collected funds for families at the House of Ruth. Donations received will be ued to purchase gift certificates to the Science Museum, Aquarium, Zoo, etc., so that children, who are out of school for the summer, can spend a fun and enriching day away from the shelter. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this special appeal.
Serving Sarah's Hope
Sarah's Hope on Mount Street in Baltimore offers shelter and support services to homeless women and their children, helping them quickly regain permanent housing and achieve long-term self-sufficiency. Sarah's Hope is a program of St. Vincent de Paul, an independent, faith-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people who are suffering from the effects of poverty meet their basic human needs and achieve a better future for themselves and their family.
On the fourth Saturday of every month, volunteers from Ashland Presbyterian Church in Cockeysville use Light Street's kitchen to prepare dinner for the families staying at Sarah's Hope. Additional volunteers from Light Street congregatin are welcome to participate. Dinner preparation takes place from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. To volunteer for July 25, contact JoAnn Ruther via email. To volunteer for August 22, contact Susan Ruhl via email.
National Welcoming & Affirming Presbyterian Conference -- Sept. 4-6
"God's Whole Family," the National Welcoming & Affirming Presbyterian Conference, will take place on Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-6, hosted by Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Mark your calendars and start making plans now to be in Nashville for the LGBT-affirming faith and spiritual experience of the year! For more information, see the church bulletin board or vist the More Light Presbyterians website.
SOBER Sundays - July 26 & August 30
South Baltimore Emergency Relief is in need of:
* Volunteers on Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - noon @ 110 E. West St.
* Mens' gloves, socks, pop-top canned meals, tuna packs, etc. (for the homeless in our community)
* Food supplies to make up kits of 3-days worth of meals (for walk-in clients)
* Canned meats (tuna, spam, corned beef, etc.), soups, fruit, veggies, spaghetti sauce (up to 26 oz.), peanut butter (up to 48 oz.), crackers
* Financial contributions (always welcome). All checks should be made payable to LSPC with "SOBER" on the reference line.
Sunday Morning Bible Study
On Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m., a small group of church members and friends gather for coffee and Bible study. The group uses a variety of curriculum materials, and has just completed "Jesus 101: Jesus - Extreme Forgiver." The group is open; newcomers are always welcome. For more information, contact Bonnie Cosner or Debbie Szostak.
Pastoral Spanish Classes Offered
The College of Notre Dame of Maryland is offering evening classes in Spanish Language and Culture for Pastoral Settings. The course is for professionals or volunteers who currently worl with or will work with Hispanic communities in parhises, schools, hospitals, or other pastoral settings. There is a language and a cultural component. The language component enables one to learn basic conversational skills and elemental phrases to better communicate with Spanish-speaking persons. Good pronunciation, listening and speaking skills are emphasized. The cultural component emphasizes the spirituality, faith expressions, customs and traditions of Hispanics. No prior experience in Spanish is necessary for Part I, which will be offered on Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m., Sept 22-Dec. 1. Fee: $400 per person or $1,000 for three participants if registered by 9/8/09. $425 per person or $1,175 for three participants if registered after 9/8/09.
Part 2B, a follow-up course to Spanish Language and Culture for Pastoral Settings (Part 1), continues to emphasize good pronunciation and speaking skills. It provides greater emphasis on grammar, especially the past tense, in order to increase conversational skills. There will be a continued cultural component to deepen understanding of the Hispanic community. Part 1 or the equivalent is a prerequsite. Part 2B will be offered on Mondays, 4-6 p.m., Sept. 21-Nov. 23.
For application materials or more information, contact Linda Stilling, SSND, Pastoral Spanish Coordinator, 410-532-5306, or via email; you can also visit the website.
Language and Learning
The Mambo Family is from Malawi and would like to teach us some of their native greetings and salutations in an effort to expand the diverse knowledge base of our members and promote information sharing and exchange. The Mambo's native language is Chichewa. Chichewa is the national language of the Republic of Malawi. The Mambo family would like to share the following with Light Street members and friends:
English = We are very proud to be part of Light Street Church. May God bless our church.
Chichewa = Ndife osangalala kukhala banja la tchalichi cha Light Street. Ambuye adalitse tchalichi chathu.
Some Basic Conversational Words and Phrases:
Good to see you = Takondwera Kukonani
Thanks = Zikomo
Bye = Pitani Bwino
To expand your learning, the following website has additional materials: Chichewa Learning Materials.
Come Sing With Us!
Choir rehearsals are an important part of worship preparation. Even though we are more than half-way through 2009, we still have much to contribute to the worship and spiritual growth experience you will find at Light Street Presbyterian Church. We have suspended our Thursday night practices for the summer. On Sunday mornings we rehearse before worship from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. Please join us! All voices are welcome!
Help Lead Worship!
Volunteers are needed to help lead worship each Sunday. This usually involves leading the congregation in the "Call to Worship" and "Prayer for Illumination" and reading the scripture lesson(s) for that Sunday. There is a sign up sheet on the downstairs bulletin board.
Fellowship Hour Volunteers Needed
It's wonderful each Sunday morning, following worship, to be able to gather downstairs for a time of fellowship and refreshment. But, it means someone needs to take responsibility each week for making coffee, providing refreshments, and cleaning up afterwards. If everyone in the congregation signed up to do this just a few Sundays a year, we would have it covered. Many hands make light work! Please sign up on the downstairs bulletin board.
SERMONS
Copies of Roger's sermons are available on the downstairs hall table. Please feel free to pick one up if you missed a Sunday. Or, pass one on to a friend!
DEADLINE FOR SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER: August 15
Send all newsletter material to John Ginovsky at jginovsk@aba.com