Every Wednesday
6:45 PM Overeaters Anonymous
8:00 PM Debtors Anonymous

Thursday, February 4
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, February 7
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship/Communion Sunday, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM Souper Bowl of Caring - First Sunday Potluck Lunch & Annual Congregational Meeting

Thursday, February 11
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, February 14
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
12:15 PM Session Meeting

Wednesday, February 17
7:30 PM Ash Wednesday Communion Service

Thursday, February 18
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, February 21
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching

Wednesday, February 24
7:00 AM Lenten Meditation

Thursday, February 25
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, February 28
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Powers preaching
S.O.B.E.R. Sunday

SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY CHALLENGE

This year let Super Bowl Sunday be marked by more than football. Bring your team spirit out to tackle hunger and poverty in the world. On Sunday, February 7, we will be collecting spare change to benefit Heifer International. We're hoping to fill at least one soup pot to the brim, so start saving those quarters, nickels, and dimes, and bring them to church on the first Sunday in February. Can you spare a little social change?

ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING AND POTLUCK LUNCH - SUNDAY, FEB. 7TH

Immediately after worship, on Sunday, Feb. 7, members and friends of Light Street are encouraged to attend this annual event. We'll reflect back on the activities and accomplishments of 2009, review the church budget, and anticipate what's ahead for 2010. One of the topics to be discussed will be the future of fund raising events at Light Street. The Session would like your input. Are fund raising events worth the time and energy put into them? Are there new ideas for fund raising projects? Should we focus our fund raising event(s) on a particular mission project? In keeping with the Souper Bowl Sunday Challenge, a variety of soups will be prepared for the potluck lunch. Please bring bread, salad, or dessert to share.

PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE RUSHING TO HELP HAITI
by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service
JANUARY 19, 2010

LOUISVILLE - With the death toll from the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti mounting and chaos threatening in the capital city of Port au Prince because of fractured infrastructure that is making relief efforts difficult at best, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has staff on the ground in Haiti and has already issued $209,000 to provide immediate emergency support to earthquake survivors, including food, water, sanitation equipment and supplies.

The Associated Press reported today (Jan. 19) that as many as 200,000 may have died in the 7.3-magnitude quake.

By the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, Presbyterians had contributed well over $100,000 to the relief effort. Combined with $100,000 from One Great Hour of Sharing offering receipts, PDA sent $209,000 to PC(USA) partners in Haiti on Jan. 14.

PDA ha committed at least $500,000 to the short- and long-term response to the Haiti tragedy.

"Haiti has been devastated," said Randy Ackley, PDA coordinator. "The people there need help now and we are rushing in assistance. However, they will also need help for many months and years to come. Recovery from a disaster such as this is not rapid or easy. We want to be there to help over the long term."

Immediate funds are being used to help with basic humanitarian relief efforts of providing temporary shelter, food and health assistance. Funds are also being used to provide water and sanitation engineers, and equipment to construct water purification systems. Resources for building latrines are also being provided, as the sanitation situation is critical.

PDA continues to receive Haiti earthquake relief and recovery donations. Checks made payable to "Light Street Presbyterian Church" should be clearly earmarked for "PDA Haiti Earthquake Relief."

Many PC(USA) congregations reportedly received special collections for the relief effort on Sunday morning (Jan. 17).

In addition to the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, ACT International and Church World Service -- the PC(USA)'s longstanding partners in Haiti -- the Cuban Council of Churches is collaborating with our ecumenical partners in Haiti by temporarily seconding mission personnel trained to serve and work with people with disabilities and their families.

As reported earlier, PC(USA) Haiti mission worker Sharyn Babe is recovering in a Ft. Lauderdale, FL, hospital from leg and back injuries suffered when her apartment building in Port au Prince collapsed in the quake. She was initially airlifted to the U.S. medical facility at Guantanamo, Cuba.

Another PC(USA) mission worker in Haiti, Mark Hare, was uninjured and remains in Haiti to help with relief efforts. His blog is chronicling his experience of the situation on the ground in Haiti.

At least four mission teams from PC(USA) congregations were in Haiti at the time of the quake. Ten members of the team from First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta returned home Friday (Jan. 15). Another team member, Dr. Jim Ingvodstad chose to go to Port au Prince to be of service to the people of Haiti.

Teams from Warrenton (VA) Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville (NJ) and First Presbyterian Church of LaCrosse (WI) have also all returned home safely.

ECUMENICAL ADVOCACY DAYS FOR GLOBAL PEACE WITH JUSTICE
"A PLACE TO CALL HOME: IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND DISPLACED PEOPLES"
MARCH 19-22, 2010, WASHINGTON, D.C.

And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere o lay his head.' Luke 9:58

Jesus had no place to lay his head. Neither do tens of millions of migrants, refugees, and displaced persons. Be a part of an action weekend addressing this global injustice. Join hundreds of faith-based advocates in taking action on U.S. legislation that will welcome immigrant, protect refugees, and prevent displacement of millions.

Worship, study and dialogue with hundreds of people of faith at the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days. Then join us as we go to Capitol Hill to advocate for our members of Congress to remedy these global injustices. The 2010 conference will be held March 19-22 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. Registration fee: $160 includes two lunches and Sunday reception. Registration after February 13th will be $175. Register early!! Student scholarships are available; email for scholarship information. For more information about Ecumenical Advocacy Days, please visit our web site.

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. - Hebrews 13:1-2

LENT BEGINS WITH ASH WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17

The Lenten Season begins on February 17 this year. We will have an Ash Wednesday communion service here at Light Street at 7:30 p.m. Following Ash Wednesday, there will be Lenten Meditation services on Wednesday mornings at 7:00 a.m. through March 31 of Holy Week.

BALTIMORE PRESBYTERY'S BIG EVENT - SATURDAY, FEB. 20

The Baltimore Presbytery's BIG EVENT on the theme "Worship: Engage and Connect" will take place on Saturday, February 20, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church. It's not just for pastors, it's for everyone! Inspiring Worship, Informative Workshops, Great Speakers!

COME SING WITH US!

We have fun singing together on Thursday nights from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. On Sunday mornings we rehearse again before worship from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. Please join us! New voices are welcome!

SOBER SUNDAY FEBRUARY 28

As a socially engaged presbyterian church, we believe that faith leads directly into action; therefore, to believe is to do. One of the many ways in which Light Street Presbyterian Church gets involved in the community is by collecting non-perishable and canned goods on the last Sunday of every month, which are given to South Baltimore Emergency Relief (S.O.B.E.R.) for the hungry in our community.

South Baltimore Emergency Relief is in need of:
- For the Homeless: Men's gloves, Socks, Pop-top canned meals, tuna packs, etc.
- For Walk-In Clients: Food supplies to make up kits of (3) days of meals -- canned meats, soups, fruit, veggies, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, crackers, etc.
- Financial contributions are always welcome. Make checks out to LSPC, earmarked S.O.B.E.R.

Special re-usable shopping bags are available at church for this purpose. Take a bag with you and fill it up with canned and non-perishable goods (pop-top canned meals, tuna packs, spam, corned beef, soup, crackers, peanut butter up to 48 oz., spaghetti sauce up to 26 oz., canned fruits and/or vegetables, etc.) - however much or as little as you want. You can keep the bag in your car and fill it up with "goodies" the next time you go to your favorite supermarket. Another idea is to take the bag to work and have a can drive with your co-workers. Invite them to come to worship with you at Light Street when you return the bag on SOBER Sunday!

NOTE: Please do not donate food that is past its expiration date. It cannot be used, and it will be thrown away.

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 is currently looking at heroes of the Bible. Our focus for the Lenten Season will be Spiritual Time Management. The group is open; newcomers are always welcome. For more information, contact Bonnie Cosner or Debbie Szostak.

VIRTUAL BIBLE STUDY

Interested in weekly Bible Study bud don't feel like getting up earlier on Sunday mornings? Light Street has begun an experiment in on-line Bible Study. Each week the scripture passage for the next Sunday's sermon is posted to the group with a few questions to consider. During the week, participants post their comments, questions, and responses to the rest of the group. Only persons who want to be part of Light Street's Virtual Bible Study receive the emails from it, so if you are interested in trying this, you need to let Roger know to include you in the on-line group.

BREAD MINISTRY

Each Sunday after worship, we offer visitors to our church small loaves of bread as a way of thanking them for joining us for worship. Many thanks to Julia Malette and Debbie Szostak for doing most of the baking in recent months. If you would like to help out by baking some small loaves of bread for this ministry, please sign up on the church bulletin board.

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 AVAILABLE

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 MARCH NEWSLETTER: February 15
Send all newsletter material to John Ginovsky at jginovsk@aba.com