WEEKLY 12-STEP PROGRAMS AT LIGHT STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Every Monday
7:00 PM S.L.A.A.
8:15 PM Underearners Anonymous
Every Wednesday
6:45 PM Overeaters Anonymous
8:00 PM Debtors Anonymous
Sunday, May 2
9:30 AM Bible Study - Christian Education
10:15 AM Joyful Noise: A Gathering of Young Children, Parents & Friends
11:00 AM Worship/Communion Sunday, Martha Ruff & Sandra Falconer
12:15 PM Potluck Lunch & Book Discussion (Chapter 6, "Keeping Sabbath")
Thursday, May 6
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, May 9
9:30 AM Bible Study - Christian Education
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Susan Quass preaching
Thursday, May 13
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, May 16
9:30 AM Bible Study
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Don Stroud preaching
Thursday, May 20
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, May 23
9:30 AM Bible Study - Christian Education
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Bob Jewett preaching
Thursday, May 27
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, May 30
9:30 AM Bible Study - Christian Education
11:00 AM Worship, Rev. Roger Powers preaching
Dedication of Grail Foster Lent
S.O.B.E.R. Sunday
WORSHIP TO FEATURE STORYTELLING AND DANCE - MAY 2
On Sunday, May 2, our worship service will feature biblical storytelling and liturgical dance. Martha Ruff will tell the Bible story of Ruth. Sandra Falconer will perform a liturgical dance choreographed by Dan'te' Jenifer to the song "Up To The Mountain."
PASTOR TO BE PHILIPPINES ELECTION OBSERVER
Light Street's pastor, Roger Scott Powers, will be going to the Philippines in May as part of the International Philippines Election Observers Team 2010 (IPEOTeam2010). The IPEOTeam2010 was formed in response to a worldwide requst for election observers sent out by the Ecumenical Voice for Peace and Human Rights in the Philippines (EVPHRP), a coalition of Philippine religious and human rights groups convened by the National Council of Churches of the Philippines.
The role of an election observer is to observe the election process and report if the election was conducted according to national law and international standards. International election obserers tend to reduce election fraud by their mere presence and help document it when it does take place. The IPEOTeam2010 will be guided by the United Nations Declaration of Principles for Election Observers and all participants agree to abide by the United Nations Code of Conduct for International Election Observers.
The Republic of the Philippines will Hold its General Election on May 10, electing members of the Philippine House of Representatives, the Senate, and a new President. Please pray for a free and fair election in the Philippines.
Roger will be away May 3-20. In the event of a pastoral emergency during that time, please call the Rev. Cherry Marshall at 443-386-3273.
CHILDREN MAKE A "JOYFUL NOISE" ON MAY 2
"Joyful Noise" - a gathering of young children, their parents and friends, will take place on Sunday, May 2, from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. This program is especially for families with babies, toddlers, and young children through age 4. Children, their parents and friends will hear stories, learn simple sign language, and enjoy music together. All are welcome!
FIRST SUNDAY POTLUCK LUNCH AND BOOK DISCUSSION - MAY 2
On Sunday, May 2, we will have our First Sunday Potluck Lunch. Please bring a dish to share. We will also continue our discussion of Dorothy C. Bass' Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People . We will look at chapter 6 on "Keeping Sabbath." Didn't we discuss that last month? No, actually, we postponed our discussion of "Keeping Sabbath," because it turned out that most people were too busy to stay last time. Ironic, wouldn't you say?
LIGHT STREET GIVES GENEROUSLY TO HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
Donations to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for Haiti Earthquake Relief continue to be received. In addition to the Feb. 28 Benefit Concert, which raised more than $1,100, another $1,000+ has been donated, bringing Light Street's total contributions for Haiti assistance to $2,173. Thank you for your generosity!
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MEMBER OF LIGHT STREET?
Come and find out! Roger will offer a Membership Exploration Class on Sunday, June 27, beginning at 12:30 p.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 by email or by phone (410-539-0125.)
BREAD FOR THE WORLD OFFERING OF LETTERS
On Sunday, April 25, we dedicated an offering of more than 30 letters to Congress. The letters were written by members and friends of the Light Street congregation during fellowship time on the previous two Sundays.
The Offering of Letters is a project of Bread for the World, a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. This year we hope to make progress on two key components of ending hunger in the U.S.: helping low-income families make ends meet and ensuring that children have nutritious food. Congress is turning its attention to tax policy because a significant group of tax cuts and tax credits enacted in previous years will expire in 2010. Legislators must decide which ones to renew or change. Bread for the World's 2010 Offering of Letters calls on Congress to protect and strengthen key tax credits to help working families who struggle to put food on the table. Our Offering helps ensure that the needs of low-income families do not get lost in the critical congressional debate on taxes.
GREAT RESPONSE TO THE SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY CHALLENGE
Light Street Presbyterian Church collected $356 in "spare" change to benefit Heifer International. That amounts to one goat, one pig, three rabbits, a flock of chicks, a hive of honeybees, and a whole lot of social change for a community in need. Fantastic job! Let's do it again next year! - Lauren Graham
CHURCH DIRECTORIES AND ANNUAL REPORTS
Copies of the new, updated Church Directory and the 2009 Annual Report are available on the downstairs hall table. If you have not received your copies, please pick them up next time you are in church.
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 MAY 30
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!
Financial contributions are also welcome. Make checks payable to Light Street Presbyterian Church, clearly marked for SOBER (South Baltimore Emergency Relief).
NOTE: Please do not donate food that is past its expiration date. It cannot be used, and, by law, it must be thrown away.
SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY & CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
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 our focus for the upcoming weeks will be to read selections from the Bible, perhaps an entire book at a time, and discuss what meaning we find there. The group is open and newcomers are always welcome. For more information, contact Bonnie Cosner or Debbie Szostak.
VIRTUAL BIBLE STUDY
Interested in weekly Bible Study but don't feel like getting up earlier on Sunday mornings? Light Street has an ongoing 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 comments and questions to consider. During the week, participants post their comments, questions, and responses to the rest of the group. Only those who want to be part of Light Street's Virtual Bible Study receive the emails from it, so if you are interested in participating, 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. 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 JUNE NEWSLETTER: May 15
Send all newsletter material to John Ginovsky at jginovsk@aba.com