Sunday, March 1
9:30 AM Bible Study - Jesus 101 - Extreme Forgiver
11:00 AM Worship/Communion Sunday, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM First Sunday Potluck Lunch & Conversation
Wednesday, March 4
7:00 a.m. Lenten Meditation
Thursday, March 5
7:45 PM Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, March 8
9:30 AM Bible Study - Jesus 101 - Extreme Forgiver
10:15 AM Infant/Toddler Program
11:00 AM Worship, Elder Shari Jenson preaching
Wednesday, March 11
7:00 a.m. Lenten Meditation
Thursday, March 12
7:45 PM Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, March 15
9:15 AM Membership Exploration Class
9:30 AM Bible Study - Jesus 101 - Extreme Forgiver
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM Session Meeting
Wednesday, March 18
7:00 a.m. Lenten Meditation
Thursday, March 19
7:45 PM Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, March 21
9 AM - 3 PM All-Church Retreat
Sunday, March 22
9:30 AM Bible Study - Jesus 101 - Extreme Forgiver
10:15 AM Infant/Toddler Program
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
Wednesday, March 25
7:00 a.m. Lenten Meditation
Thursday, March 26
7:45 PM Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, March 28
10 AM - 2 PM Church Garden Cleanup Day
1 - 4 PM "Welcome Springtime" Tea
Sunday, March 22
9:30 AM Bible Study - Jesus 101 - Extreme Forgiver
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
S.O.B.E.R. Sunday
First Sunday Potluck Lunch and Conversation
Please bring your favorite dish to share for our First Sunday Potluck Lunch on March 1, immediately following worship. After we eat together, we will enter into a conversation about our congregation's culture. This month we will look at how we communicate at Light Street Church. Our conversation will be facilitated by Colleen Seremet.
Morning Meditation on Wednesdays through Lent
Beginning March 4, Bonnie Cosner will open the church on Wednesday mornings at 7:00 a.m. for Lenten Meditation. These Wednesday morning meditation times will continue through April 8th of Holy Week. All are welcome.
Infant/Toddler Program begins March 8
Light Street Presbyterian Church is launching a new program for babies and toddlers every other Sunday from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. beginning March 8. Children and their parents will learn simple Sign Language and enjoy guitar music together. All are welcome!
Intrested in Becoming a Member of Light Street Presbyterian Church?
Roger will offer a Membership Exploration Class on Sunday morning, March 15, from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. The class will offer an opportunity to have your questions answered, particularly: What does it mean to be a Presbyterian? Please let Roger know if you plan to attend either via email (lightstreetchurch@cavtel.net) or by phoning the office at 410-539-0125.
Session Book Study Begins: "Christianity for the Rest of Us"
In February, the Session began reading and studying together Diana Butler Bass' book, Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith. Harper San Francisco, September 2006.
Christianity for the Rest of Us tells the story of moderate and progressive mainline Protestant congregations - and how they found new vitality through spiritual practices and deeper meaning by pursuing God's hope for transformation in the world. Diana Butler Bass refers to these congregations as "pilgrim communities embarked on a journey of rediscovering Christianity" and "living guidebooks for spiritual nomads who are seeking to find wisdom's way." She identifies "three interrelated characteristics of church vitality": "tradition, not traditionalism," "practice, not purity," and "wisdom, not certainty."
Please consider picking up a copy of the book and reading it along with us. You can find it in bookstores or order it on-line at Cokesbury.com or Amazon.com. We'll begin our next few Session meetings talking about what we're reading, so feel free to join us after worship.
Sunday, Mar. 15 -- Part I, Ch. 4: Part II, Ch. 5-9
Sunday, Apr. 19 -- Part II, Chapters 10-14
Sunday, May 17 -- Part III, Chapters 15-Epilogue.
All Church Retreat - Saturday, March 21
On Saturday, March 21, the entire Light Street congregation is invited to go on a retreat together. The retreat will focus on leadership development and will be led by our Deep Shift Church Transformation consultants. We will meet together at Light Street at 8:00 a.m. for coffee and donuts, and then carpool to Ark & Dove Presbyterian Church, 8424 Piney Orchard Parkway, in Odenton, MD, where we will join with people from other Presbyterian churches who are also working with Deep Shift. The retreat will go from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will include lunch ($5 donation). Please sign up on the church bulletin board by Sunday, March 15.
Church Garden Cleanup Day & Welcome Springtime Tea - Saturday, March 28
Spring is just around the corner! Everyone is invited to pitch in on Saturday morning, March 28, beginning at 10:00 a.m. to spruce up the church garden. We will be trimming shrubs, pulling weeds, planting, and mulching. If you have starts of annuals to share, like daffodils, hosta, daylilies, or lily truf, we will gratefully plant them in our garden. Bring your gloves, pruners, rake, and, most importantly, your enthusiasm to make our outdoor sanctuary shine.
Also, Saturday afternoon, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Bonnie Cosner will be hosting the Third Annual Welcome Springtime Tea in the Light Street Fellowship Hall. She'll be serving a delicious variety of sandwiches, scones, sweet breads, cookies, (most of which will be freshly baked and prepared by Bonnie) and, of course, several varieties of tea. Donations of $15 will raise money for the church's Music Fund. Please call the church office at 410-539-0125 (or sign up on th sheet outside of the church office) to reserve your spot, so she'll know how much food to prepare. Children are absolutely welcome, and this is a great mother-daughter (or best-friend) event as well. Invite all your friends and neighbors. Hope to see you there!
SOBER Sunday - March 29
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.
Letter From Cuba
By Peter Nord, Executive Prebyter, Presbytery of Baltimore
(Reprinted with permission from Tidings, Baltimore Presbytery's weekly e-newsletter)
Sisters and Brothers,
Last week, I traveled along with members of the Presbytery of Baltimore to Cuba where our local churches have long nurtured a partnership with El Centro Presbytery, IPRC (Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada en Cuba). Eleven of us from Baltimore and another twenty from Cuba gathered to celebrate the conclusion of our first five years of partnership.
During the week-long trip, members of our group spent five days at a "rustic" camp in Santa Clara and then fanned out among ten community churches for the remainder of our stay. We engaged in daily Bible studies, which led to theological discussions on what it means to live in the midst of "Empire." Our constant discourse was supplemented by worship and presentations abut our presbyteries and churches. Of course, the shared meal times and cultural nights (and excuse for some rather energetic dancing and singing) left us with many fond memories. Finally, in a moment that surely felt as if the Spirit was at hand - we signed a new partnership agreement and exchanged gifts that, as it turned out, were both communion plates and goblets made by members of our respective churches (thanks to Curt Robinson on our side).
When I visit with our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in other countries, I am always amazed at the similar way in which we approach ministry despite our varied understanding of its context. In some ways this is a gift, for it puts the uniqueness of the Presbyterian Church in much sharper relief for me. In conversations about the future, I saw several ways we could learn from our Cuban brothers and sisters. Here are folks who have lived in a society that is clearly post-Constantinian. In Caibarien, the local Presbyterian church had fallen from 250 members with a highly regarded school of 300 students in 1955, to a congregation of three in 1985. Now, on the rebound, the church boasts 60 members at its Sunday worship.
There is much that makes the Cuban partnership difficult (everything is difficult in Cuba), but for this week many bridges were constructed and we saw more that binds us together than separates us. For the gift of this week I thank God and those within the Presbyteries of Baltimore and El Centro who make this partnership possible.
Blessings,
Peter Nord
The LSPC Green Corner
This month's LSPC Green Corner features reflections by Colleen Seremet:
I have come to value seeking every opportunity to Care for Creation and it has become part of my spiritual reflection, seeking both grace and peace. Sometimes the noice of city life (both the truly audible physical noise and the less audible but no less real emotionally and spiritually draining "busy-ness" of daily business) can be a challenge. By picking up trash in my alley, walking the dog in the park, walking to errands in the neighborhood, and minimizing my carbon footprint, I feel connected to my neighbors, to my co-workers, and to God. These acts can "quiet" my days when I approach them as an opportunity for spiritual renewal.
I recycle (my household recycling is approximately 3 times the volume of my trash) and I am down to one bin of recycling every two weeks and two small trash bags per week. I promote Care for Creation in my work setting by supporting major recycling efforts at our state agency, modeling energy conservation by NOT turning on my desk light, and using only overhead lighting, turning off my computer monitor each night (the computer has to stay on to keep up with network updates), and using my water bottle to refill rather than buying bottled water or using paper cups. I ensure that our staff of 75+ use state vehicles for travel and carpool in groups for any district technical assistance work. And my work includes responsibility for environmental education curriculum and services for Maryland's 875,000 students. I serve as caretaker to one of God's most wonderful canine creations. I see Care for Creation as a commandment between God's people and God's critters. Cal and I walk for exercise and enjoy the blessings of neighbors who share the human/canine connection. We combine our walks with neighborhood errands to cut down on use of gasoline, and many neighborhood businesses offer doggie treats and water bowls! My immediate family and I are reducing and reusing family furniture as we swap around couches, tables, and lamps for my son to use in his first apartment. I've sent the "Baby Rocking Chair" from my house to my daughter's as she anticipates her first child in March, and we are passing along much baby equipment from my son and his wife to my daughter ... there is much joy in having two grandchildren less than a year apart! Saves money and the environment and keeps everyone's home as simple and streamlined as possible.
Green Reminders
* If you are interested in bulk Equal Exchange products or have questions about LSPCs Fairly Traded/Environmentally Friendly products, you are encouraged to contact Kelli Langley for additional information.
* Consider bringing in a mug or two to add to our coffee/tea program that would reduce the need for LSPC to use non-environmentally friendly products.
* Even if you are not a coffee/tea drinker, consider purchasing coffee or tea to use during fellowship hour.
In Green Peace,
Kelli Langley
S.O.B.E.R. Sunday - January 25
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, all year 'round. 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.
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 is using The Scandalous Message of James: Faith Without Works is Dead, by Elsa Tamez. The book is available from Amazon.com (and other book stores). The group is open; newcomers are always welcome. For more information, contact Bonnie Cosner or Debbie Szostak.
Seventh Annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days
"Enough for All Creation" -- March 13-16, 2009, Washington, D.C.
Join us at the 7th annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days, as we explore ways to bring about a world with Enough for All Creation. Learn about the connections between climate change, migration and poverty in the U.S. and around the world. Come together with faith-based advocates and activists from across the United States in the nation's capitol March 13-16 as we discuss the abundance of our world and how it can be allocated in a way that is fair and just for all creation. Experts will train participants on policy issues and advocacy, culminating on Monday with lobby visits on Capitol Hill.
The high impact weekend, sponsored by the ecumenical Christian community is grounded in biblical witness and our shared traditions of justice, peace and integrity of creation. Our goal is to strengthen our Christian voice and mobilize for advocacy on a wide variety of U.S. domestic and international policy issues.
Registration fee: $175 includes two lunches and Sunday reception. Student scholarships are available; email scholarships@advocacydays.org. For more info., visit www.advocacydays.org.
Join Us at the Big Tent! June 11-13, 2009, in Atlanta Georgia
Discover a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) that is more exciting, more diverse, and more faithful than you ever imagined. The Big Tent has been called "a denominational happening" and "a big Presbyterian family reunion." Big Tent will inspire you and make you proud to be Presbyterian. The event will be celebratory, diverse and participatory, with intergenerational activities. There will be common worship services and shared meals, an exhibit hall and several workshop sessions open to all.
Big Tent is a first-of-its-kind event combining ten national Presbyterian conferences under one roof and one theme: "And the Word became flesh" (John 1:14). It takes place June 11-13, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta. Go to www.pcusa.org/bigtent for online registration or to download a form.
Come Sing With Us!
Choir rehearsals are well underway for 2009. We are practicing some beautiful and exciting pieces for Easter. We have fun singing together on Thursday nights from 7:45 to 9:00 p.m. On Sunday mornings we rehearse again before worship from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. Please join us! All voices are welcome! For more info., contact our Organist/Choir Director Nick Werner.
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 APRIL NEWSLETTER: March 15
Send all newsletter material to John Ginovsky at jginovsk@aba.com