the church tower - second presbyterian church · it comes from her book, if life is a bowl of...

THE CHURCH TOWER The Second Presbyterian Church of Baltimore

Connecting Christ & Community Newsletter of the Second Presbyterian Church of Baltimore · Volume 57 · Number 1 · January 2011

A Gift We Can All Give to Another “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.” Proverbs 19:20

A s this new year begins, I’ve reflected on the dozens and dozens of stories that have been passed along to me through my years in ministry,

by word of mouth and forwarded to my computer. Some I save, many I forget, and a few I return to from time to time. Some time back people shared with me numerous stories attributed to Erma Bombeck, that writer of classic, homespun humor, with a note that “this would be worth putting in a sermon sometime.” Well, now is the time for one such story. It comes from her book, If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, Why Am I in the Pits? (You may well have this book on a shelf and read it some years back.) The story is worth repeating. In brief:

Erma began by opining that it was one of those days in which she wanted her own apartment—unlisted. Privacy, some time alone, is what she craved. Her doorbell had rung twice already that day: a salesman and a delivery to the wrong address. There were three phone calls she’d received—strike that—three monologues that could have been answered by a recording. Thankfully, she had a business trip to make later that day, a flight to Chicago to arrange some future work. In the cab to the airport, she continues, she got another verbal barrage in her ear, this time by a cab driver who was rambling on about his son he supported in college, who put a P.S. on his letter saying, "I got married. Her name is Diane." The cabbie asked me, "What do you think of that?" And proceeded to answer the question himself. “There were thirty whole beautiful minutes before my plane took off” she continues... “time for me to be alone with my own thoughts, to sit in the terminal, open a book and let my mind wander. Then a voice next to me belonging to an elderly woman said, "I’ll

bet it’s cold in Chicago." Stone-faced, I answered, "It’s likely." "I haven’t been to Chicago in nearly three years," she persisted.” “My son lives there." "That’s nice," I said, my eyes intent on the printed page of the book. "My husband’s body is on this plane. We’ve been married for fifty-three years. I don’t drive, you know, and when he died a nun drove me from the hospital. We aren’t even Catholic. The funeral director let me come to the airport with him." “I don’t think I have ever detested myself more than I did at that moment.” Erma wrote. “Another human being was screaming to be heard and in desperation had turned to a cold stranger who was more interested in a novel than the real-life drama at her elbow.” All she needed was a listener...no advice, wisdom, experience, money, assistance, expertise or even compassion...but just a minute or two to listen. It now seems totally incongruous that in a society of super-sophisticated communication, full of cell phones, text messaging and on-line social networks, we suffer from a shortage of listeners all too often. The elderly woman talked numbly and steadily until we boarded the plane, then found her seat in another section. As I hung up my coat, I heard her plaintive voice say to her seat companion, "I’ll bet it’s cold in Chicago".

I prayed, "Please, God, let that stranger listen." We all would do well to share the gift of listening this year. It is a gift each one of us can give to another, freely. Blessings to you and yours this New Year,

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THE CHURCH TOWER · A NEWSLETTER OF THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BALTIMORE

The Rev. Dr. Tom Blair

Pastor

The Rev. Jenn DiFrancesco Associate Pastor

Joyce Zimmerman Pastoral Assistant

Cecilia Amaral, MS Pastoral Counselor

Philip Olsen

Music Director

Liz Sesler-Beckman Youth Choir Director

Sarah Thober

Handbell Choir Director

JoAnn Minarchick Office Administrator

Chris Allison

Electronic Media Coordinator

Julie Evans Print Publications Coordinator Christian Education Assistant

Mary Jo Gibson

Bookkeeper

Vernon Wise Sexton

Second Presbyterian Church 4200 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD 21218

Phone: 410.467.4210 Fax: 410.467.4287

E-mail: [email protected]

January 2 John 1:10-18

“Jesus’ Neighborhood” The Rev. Jenn DiFrancesco

January 9

Matthew 3:13-17 “Life Opened Up”


January 16 John 1:29-42 “WWJBD?”


January 23 Matthew 4:12-23

“A Voice and a Cure” The Rev. Dr. Tom Blair

January 30

Matthew 5:1-12 “Blessed Hopefulness” The Rev. Dr. Tom Blair

Sermons: January 2011

Session Highlights October 19, 2010

Moderator Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Blair opened the Stated Session meeting. Elders Gail Levy and Deborah Slingluff led the opening worship. They read Matthew 28: 16-20, in which Jesus tells the disciples to make disciples of the peoples of all nations. The Elders read responsively and prayed the words of the hymn “Lord, You Give the Great Commission,” and participated in a meditation on Jesus’ command to make disciples and teach the fullness of God’s way of life. The Session heard a report from the small group charged with drafting a Session Covenant and thinking about ways to restructure Session. Elders were asked to review the draft Covenant and provide comments or edits electronically. The Elders then reviewed sections from the Book of Order concerning the Church’s Calling, which had been posted on easels around the room. The elders divided into groups to discuss what the words say to us, and what we are personally willing to commit to. The small group then distributed a draft Organization Chart and provided background information on its development. The small group asked for feedback on the draft. As usual, the Session received and reviewed reports from the Pastors, and from Councils, Boards, and Committees at its Stated Meeting. In addition, the Session: • Approved the baptisms of Elle Macon (daughter of Will and Becky Macon)

on November 14, 2010, and of Charlie O’Donnell (son of Julie (Thut) and Hugh O’Donnell) on November 21, 2010.

• Approved a bowling outing for 2nd – 5th graders and their families at Stoneleigh Lanes on November 13, 2010.

• Reviewed news about those on the Pastoral Prayer and Concerns list – health problems, bereavements, difficult situations, but also joys. Prayers were offered for those in need of support and care, and for their families.

Dr. Blair and the Elders closed with individual prayers of thanks and intercession by those present and with the Lord’s Prayer. Leslie Owsley for the Session

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I f you have grown up in a Christian church, you have probably used the word "amen"

more times than you can count. You’ve spoken it at the end of prayers, and if you sang hymns from a Presbyterian hymnal published before the current 1990 Presbyterian Hymnal, you probably sang “amen” at the end of every hymn. So where did the amens go? Why aren’t they printed anymore, and why did we stop singing them? We can begin to answer that question by thinking about the meaning of the word amen. Its most common usage is as a response. It is part of a liturgical conversation. Someone says something to us or on our behalf, and we respond, “Amen.” By doing so, we give our assent. It’s our way of saying, “I agree with that and I want to say so. I believe it.” Since ancient times this has been the way the people have responded to prayers. In some congregations, this vocal response becomes an important part of preaching the Word. As the pastor interprets the Word, listeners jo in the “conversa t ion” by interjecting “Amen” to those points that echo their own beliefs and commitments. A second historic use is as it appears in some of the moral teachings of Jesus. In the Greek those sayings begin “Amen, amen, I say to you” (English Bible translations more often have “Truly, truly, I say to you”), indicating that these sayings are true and binding on all those who hear them. History of Using "Amen" in Hymns What about “Amen” at the end of hymns? How do these ancient uses of the word apply to something that everyone sings? Or do they? Early American Presbyterian hymnals did not have any amens printed. The Presbyterian Hymnal of 1874 prints an amen only on chants that end with

“As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.” The chant version of The Lord’s Prayer also has a sung amen, but no hymns include one. When we look at the 1911 revision of The Hymnal (1895), we suddenly find an amen after every hymn. What happened? Why did they suddenly appear? One of the most famous of all hymnals, the 1861 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern, was printed in England. This hymnal, influenced by the Oxford Movement, which had an ardent interest in Latin hymnody, made available many of these hymns in English translations. The doxologies (“. . . world without end”),

with their amen attached, were a large part of this hymnal. So enamored of Latin hymnody were the compilers that they added doxological stanzas to every hymn, and therefore they added an amen to every hymn. The custom spread through Anglican hymnals and was imitated by the Congregationalists and the Presbyterians, and by some Methodists and Baptists. It seems the only reason it was picked up was that other denominations believed the Church of England knew what it was doing in liturgical matters. The custom that began in England crossed the waters to the United States, and soon we were singing an amen following our hymns. It seems a bit strange that nineteenth-century American Presbyterians would be so influenced by the Church of England, but we followed along with all the other Protestant denominations. Now consider that prior to the 1861 publication of Hymns Ancient

and Modern, hymns did not include a sung amen . The Pro tes tan t Reformation hymns did not have an amen. The Calvinist psalms were sung without an amen. The hymns of Isaac Watts, the thousands of hymns by Charles and John Wesley, the hymns of the Great Awakening, and the early American hymnals all were published without a sung amen at the end of the hymns. The only reason they were added was that a very influential English hymnal decided to add a doxological stanza to every hymn printed in that collection. Around 1920, the Church of England recognized that adding a doxological stanza and its attendant amen had been a rather odd thing to do, so they began to abandon the practice. By about 1950 the amen on hymns had virtually disappeared in England, although the custom held on a little longer in Scotland. Erik Routley, one of the foremost hymnologists of the twentieth century, wrote in his book Church Music and the Christian Faith (1978): “Now consider what a patchwork of misunderstanding and anachronism all this is. Singing amen after post-Reformation hymns was unknown before about 1850. There is no older precedent for it, it was in any case an error, and those who initiated it have long repented of it.” The Practice Today Since 1975 no major American hymnal prints an amen on each hymn, and most hymn writers of the last thirty years don’t include them either. There is no liturgical or musical reason for singing them, and we have finally realized they were printed in error. Recent hymnals have corrected the error and left the amen to its more authentic spoken responsive use. The historic use of the word amen indicates that the statement just made is true and personally binding. So let’s say it like we mean it.

The Meaning of Amen! By David Eicher- from The Presbyterian Leader

“Singing amen after post-Reformation hymns was unknown

before about 1850. There is no older precedent for it, it was in any case an error, and those who initiated it have

long repented of it.” Eric Routley, hymnologist

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Bright Spot Congratulations to Cian Callahan, son of Juli and Dan, whose Towson Spartans football team (age 6-8), won the division championship in November, 2010. Additionally, Cian was selected by the coaches to receive the Heritage Award, given to the player who puts the team ahead of himself, exemplifying that There is no “I” in Team. This award was created after 9/11 in memory of those who put others ahead of themselves. Cians’s team went on to win the Division 4 Maryland State Championship on December 5, 33-13, giving them an undefeated record of 12-0 for the season.

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

We invite you to share with us God’s love in action in your life. If you have any “Good News” or “Bright Spots” in your life to share with our congregation, please call the church office or contact Becky Ferrell at 410-377-8380.

Good News Column Taking a cue from the NBC Nightly News segment “Making a Difference,” the Caring and Fellowship Council is hoping to highlight the “Good News” within our congregation.

Making a Difference Bobby Shipley, son of Jan Shipley, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on October 10, 2010, with the ceremony celebrating his achievement taking place on December 11, at Severna Park United Methodist Church where Bobby is a member of Boy Scout Troop 993. He began his scouting life at Second Presbyterian in Cub Scout Pack 5 and Boy Scout Troop 5. While retaining their membership at Second Presbyterian, the Shipleys moved to Severna Park and Bobby continued in scouting there with Troop 993. Bobby’s younger brother Jimmy is a Life Scout and hopes to achieve Eagle next year. Bobby’s words describe his Eagle Scout project plan: “My project is to build a chicken enclosure for the chickens at Kinder Farm Park, an Anne Arundel County Park. The 288-acre park is located in Millersville, Maryland, and is used for recreational and outdoor activities. The park is developing a working farm that shows past and present agricultural practices in Anne Arundel County. The farm animals living at the park are owned and cared for by the Kinder Farm Park 4-H Livestock Club. These animals include cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, turkeys and chickens. The chicken enclosure will be built in the chicken pen, adjacent to the chicken house. It will give the chickens protection from wild animals and disease. The chicken enclosure will allow the Kinder Farm Park 4-H Livestock Club to raise chickens more effectively. The 4-H Club membership is growing as young people from age 8 to 18 have the opportunity to raise and care for

livestock and experience farm life in their community. Currently, the chicken house opens up into a yard that is approximately 35x55 feet and is surrounded by a split rail and wire fence. With no roof over the yard, the chickens are vulnerable to predators such as hawks, foxes and raccoons. Wild pigeons and squirrels that eat the chickens’ food are another problem for the 4-H Club chicken owners because the chickens are exposed to disease. The enclosure will provide protection for the chickens and

prevent contamination in the pen. The 4-H Club members would benefit from having a safer, healthier environment to raise their chickens which would encourage more people to participate in the program. Visitors to Kinder Farm Park would be able to view the chickens through the fence of the enclosure. They can learn about chicken farming and different kinds of chickens and how to care for them.” In addition to scouts, Bobby is active in local

recreational and high school sports such as soccer, lacrosse and sailing. He works part time as a clerk at Safeway, has good grades and will graduate in June from Severna Park High School. He plans to attend Anne Arundel Community College next year to pursue a degree in electrical engineering with the goal of transferring to an engineering program at a school like UMBC or Virginia Tech in two years.

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Knowing Your Second Family: Gail & Bernie Levy Guess what? Dental school isn’t all about teeth….yep, you can fall in love, even there! That’s what happened to Gail and Bernie. They both hail from the Midwest— Bernie from Ohio and Gail from Michigan— but it took an energy crisis in Maryland to bring them together. Bernie graduated from Ohio University in Athens and attended Dental school at Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve). He completed a surgery residency at Western Reserve University Hospital, and a pathology residency at Indiana University. He specializes in head and neck pathology, and has taught at the University of Maryland Dental School since 1969. Gail graduated from the University of Michigan (dental hygiene, public health and allied health education), and completed her M.A. in Information Systems Design at UMBC. She took a position at the University of Tennessee to teach dental hygiene, and then moved to the University of Maryland in 1975 to teach the subject there. If you are over 40, you will likely remember the energy crisis in the mid-1970s with its price spikes and gas lines. Gail and Bernie very wisely decided to carpool to work with others who lived in the Roland Park area. Voila! It happened. They met in 1975, married in the middle of a blizzard in January, 1977, and continued to live in the Roland Park area for the next 11 years. As their family grew they moved to Ruxton Ridge, where they have happily resided for the last 22 years. Their daughter, Alice (age 31), is currently a PhD candidate and Senior Research Associate in Public Policy at George Washington University. Their son, David (age 29), has a PhD in political science from Boston College,

and is currently doing a post-doctoral fellowship in philosophy and political science. Gail and Bernie are now empty nesters, but continue to be very involved and active. Bernie now has two full time jobs. He is the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences at the University of Maryland Dental School, plus he is the Director of International Operations. He is helping develop two dental schools in the Persian Gulf area, and is responsible for numerous incoming and outgoing international externs. In 1986, Gail stopped practicing clinical dental hygiene. Since 1989 she has had her own business doing strategic planning, operations and human resources for healthcare organizations (health systems, clinics and private medical/dental practices) and small businesses. Gail was raised in the Presbyterian Church. In fact, her grandfather was a Presbyterian minister. Bernie is Jewish by birth. During the first few years of their marriage they attended St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Catonsville. When their children arrived they began to look for churches closer to home. They were living in Roland Park, and had friends who attended Second Presbyterian. They both liked the warm, friendly environment and, although it was a large church, it seemed to be very welcoming. They joined Second Church in 1981. Bernie and the children were baptized here, and their children attended Sunday school and were confirmed at Second. They both taught Sunday school. Bernie served two three-year terms as both a Deacon and an Elder. Gail has served twice as a Trustee for a total of twelve years, is currently a member of the Session and has been a member of the Mission Council, Youth Council and the Personnel Committee. Both Gail and Bernie are vigorous outdoors people and enjoy hiking, kayaking, fishing and traveling. They have had fabulous trips to such places as Egypt, Russia, the Amazon in Brazil, and the Himalayas. Their children have ventured to many of these exciting spots, too. Since their respective families live in the Midwest, Gail and Bernie have truly adopted Second Church as a second home. They, along with Alice and David, have been active in youth groups and church fellowship, and feel that Second has not only provided their family with structure and a place to worship, but also a sense of belonging …. and has truly become their extended family.

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January Birthdays Second Family News We celebrated the births of:

Lyla Leah Hoesch on November 7, 2010. Lyla is the daughter of Caroline (Nalwasky) and Mark Hoesch, the sister of Emma and Jack, and the granddaughter of Betty (Nalwasky) Pope.

Catrin Lucile Williams on November 26, 2010. Catrin is the daughter of Amy and Gareth Williams.

We celebrated the arrival of:

Rosalie May Chadeayne, born August 8, 2009, and brought home in November from China by Ted and Karen Chadeayne and her big sister Abby.

We extend our Christian love and sympathy to the family and friends of these church members: Isabel Vickery, died November 12, 2010 Martha Willis, died November 16, 2010

Deborah Bertron Morrison, died November 25, 2010. Tuesdays at Ten You are invited to come along with us as we tour the Biblical region of the Galilee in an eight-part video Bible study, "Land of the Bible," beginning January 4. We'll get a thorough education in the geography of this fascinating section of Israel, and we'll also gain valuable insights into the Biblical events that took place there. Please join in dialogues based on the video contents and personal home study and enjoy the wonderful Christian fellowship always present when we meet. All sessions are held at the church, room 104, every Tuesday, at 10 a.m., and last for about one and one-half hours. For more information, contact Gene Haupt at 410-366-7599 or [email protected]. Dinners for Eight As we enter the new winter season, we can begin to look forward to the small group Dinners for Eight. These are small group, potluck dinners hosted in our members’ homes, providing warm fellowship inside and a respite from the cold weather outside. For the first time, there will be homes provided especially for those families with preschool children. We are expecting to schedule these dinners in late February and early March. Watch for more details. Call Becky Ferrell for additional information at 410-377-8380. Prayer Shawl Ministry Calling knitters and crocheters (or those who ever wanted to learn) to join Second Presbyterian’s prayer shawl ministry group. The patterns are simple. Completed shawls are blessed at a church service and given to fellow members in need of care or comfort. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at members’ homes. Contact Becky Farrell at 410-377-8380.

2nd Matt Blair Anne Holmes 3rd Jenn DiFrancesco Chris Dudek Ben Payne Don Scott 4th Sally Birmingham Juanita Sowell Pamela Suan 6th James Lewis 7th Polly Behrens 8th Meg Craft 10th Ellie Paulk 12th Melissa Banister 13th Nathaniel Jones III Tolliver Wyskiel 14th Susan Emrich Philip Grill Sophia Verbic 16th Chuck Harlan Katherine Murphy 17th Cressy Spence 19th Ben Hoskins

20th Laurel Payne Shirley Reid Mark Thober 21st Stacy Coggeshall Sandy Navaleza 22nd Caroline Hoesch Cary Phelps 23rd Cindy Leahy 25th Jen Pitz Clark Pool 27th Hannah Allen John Horrigan 28th Will Murphy 29th Patrice Burd 30th Michael Johnston

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News from the Facilities Planning Committee

We hoped for competence and skill, and we are getting incredible craftsmanship and management as part of the deal—Lewis Contractors and Tom McCracken, our Owner’s Representative, are truly godsends. We are grateful for Jeff and Fred and Tom and all their sub-contractors, consultants and fine workmen. If you’ve been opening the links to construction photos, you have seen the inside of the sanctuary and chapel emerging out of the dust. Outside, the mountains of dirt on the grounds are leveled once more, covering lots of infrastructure that will serve our congregation well for many decades. Here’s where some other things stand (incidentally, we’re still on schedule and budget): 1. The congregation took a peek at the chapel, under

construction, on a recent Sunday, and saw the new ceiling in place, as well as the new remote-controlled shades in their recessed pockets to control sunlight and glare for the 9:00 a.m. worship services. The framework for the wall paneling around the chancel area is being constructed. The FPC has reviewed further detailed drawings for that paneling as well as new liturgical furniture—a communion table and moveable lectern, for example. The architects selected a light, natural wood for the basic material, beautifully detailed.

2. At a recent meeting, the FPC climbed the scaffold to the platform high over the Sanctuary to see for ourselves the new ceiling modules that are being installed. They are made of a special gypsum-resin– plaster compound, then fitted into the barrel vault of the new ceiling. But each row must meet the existing arches that rise—in the opposite direction— from the aisles flanking the vault. To say this is a labor of love and great effort is an understatement. Each week the architects review specific conditions with the plastering team and Lewis Contractors’ supervisors, making minute adjustments to account for all the hand-built effort and idiosyncrasies that went into the original structure.

3. Bolts and bolts of fabric have been ordered for new draperies in the Sanctuary. Since each of the twelve windows is 19 feet high, you can imagine what a container this will take to bring it from Switzerland, where it is manufactured. It will meet all the codes for fire safety, dimensional stability, stain resistance and every other requirement necessary to grace those gorgeous windows.

4. The existing chandeliers in the Sanctuary are being rewired (and cleaned and relamped) before they will

be reinstalled under the new coffered ceiling. 5. Rough-in for new toilet rooms and the new

kitchenette have been completed, and ceramic tile will be installed soon in these areas.

6. Ceiling grid is being installed for new ceilings and lighting in the lower level. Work there also continues on new kid-sized toilets and sinks in classrooms for the youngest children.

7. If it seems that the mechanical improvements go on and on—they do, and although boring, they will greatly improve heating, cooling, plumbing and wiring in the 1960s addition and in the Sanctuary. Things, such as relining the chimney (which has four flues running through it), have required a great deal of creative effort on the part of the contractors.

8. The city has been cooperating with Lewis Contractors to finally clear the drainage system along Stratford Road. This was facilitated beautifully by our person at City Hall, Cindy Leahy—many thanks!

I hope you realize, along with the entire FPC, how gratifying it is to work on this project of renewal for this beloved church. The time is approaching when we will all celebrate this marvelous, once-in-a-lifetime effort. Stay tuned—and, in the meantime, please join us in prayers of thanks and hope. Elaine, for the Facilities Planning Committee

We’re Preparing for New Members for 2011!

Beginning in January, new members orientation sessions will be held for those interested to get to know one another better and to discover and discern the work God has called us to do here together. Our meetings will consist of presentations from the Chairpersons of our Church Councils, Elders, Deacons and Staff, describing the roles they play in the life of our congregation and how you might become involved in part of Christ’s work here. Due to our continuing renovation, the time and location of these sessions is yet to be determined, but we will find the best time and site for one and all. New members will be received & recognized at one of our Sunday morning services in February.

If interested, please contact the Rev. Jenn Difrancesco,

the Rev. Dr. Tom Blair, or Joyce Zimmerman.

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Yoga Classes to Start in 2011 Yoga classes will be offered later this winter at the church. Because space is an issue due to the current renovations, a beginning date has not yet been set. Watch for more details. If you are interested, please contact the church office at 410-467-4210. Annual Meeting February 6 The 2011 Annual Meeting for Second Presbyterian Church will take place on Sunday, February 6. Details will be forthcoming. Council and Committee reports for the Annual Report are due on Monday, January 10. Please send to Julie Evans at [email protected]. Souper Bowl of Caring February 6 Our 2nd through 5th grade Sunday School Classes will hold soup pots at the church doors on Super Bowl Sunday, February 6. They will join people in congregations across the country to collect money and canned goods for those who are hungry and hurting. In 2010, more than 13,000 groups participated in the Souper Bowl of Caring, generating over $10 million. The money and food collected will go to local food pantries in Baltimore City. Please support our Sunday school classes in this effort to “love our neighbors” by dropping your dollar, check (made payable to Second Presbyterian Church with “Souper Bowl” written on the memo line), or you may place a can in the soup pot on February 6.

COMMUNITY CONCERTS AT SECOND music for all

Chamber Music by Candlelight January 23, 7:30 pm Program includes Mozart’s Duo in B-flat K. 424, John Harbison’s Quintet for Winds, Nicolai Resanovich’s Four Points of View and Richard Strauss’ Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 18.

Aspen Trio January 30, 3:30 p.m. Long time artist-faculty of the Aspen Music Festival and artists in residence at the University of Baltimore, the Aspen String Trio has performed together for years as members of the internationally touring Aspen Ensemble. David Perry, Victoria Chiang, and Michael Mermagen will present three of the five Beethoven string trios from their upcoming all Beethoven recording.

Christian Education

Winter Series

Flawed but Called: Biblical

Superheroes?

January 9 Adam and Eve

January 16

Jacob and Esau

January 23 David

January 30

Jonah

February 6 Mary and Martha

February 13

Peter

YOUTH SKI TRIP! Massanetta Springs Ski Trip Middle and High School Youth February 18-20, 2011 President’s Day Weekend We depart Friday evening and return Sunday afternoon.

For Christian Educators & Children OMG! {Oh My God}: The Next Generation Featuring Anna Carter Florence & Roland Martinson Saturday, February 26 OMG! Is it a prayer, a plea, a petition, surprise or an entreaty for our children and youth? The Baltimore Presbytery’s 2011 BIG EVENT explores the spiritual foundation of the "Next Generation." Teachers, Pastors, parents, church members will come away with practical ideas and knowledge. OMG! These are OUR youth we are talking about! Kids will enjoy the Children’s Peace Program. The Big Event will take place on February 26 at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

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The Franciscan Center Launches New Winter Program, “Our Warm Welcome” Excerpts from a Note from Ed McNalley, Executive Director, Franciscan Center of Baltimore Dear Jennifer, I hope you and your congregation at Second Presbyterian Church are having a peaceful and joyful holiday season. Advent and Christmas are the ideal times to focus our attention on the reality of God’s attention and love for us... For over 40 years the Franciscan Center has been responding to the needs of Baltimore. From serving a hot meal served with care, to giving a warm coat during the winter months, to providing financial assistance with a BG&E bill or an eviction notice, the Center continues to carry on the important and enduring task of treating every human being with dignity and respect as God’s children. After little more than six months on the job here at the Center, I am grateful for so many wonderful partners and supporters in the community. Second Presbyterian Church is one of our friends and neighbors that we are most grateful for every year. We are blessed to receive your support in many ways and we welcome your congregation to continue to respond with us to the needs of Baltimore. I hope you will convey my gratitude to your congregation and ask them to stop by the Center with any gifts they wish to give us. We are always grateful to receive food, clothing and financial support. We also welcome volunteers and encourage members of your church to visit us and learn about our programs and get involved... In fact, beginning Friday mornings in January, we are launching a new program called “Our Warm Welcome”. As you may recall, we had to close our services on Fridays due to the poor economy. In an effort to provide some help during the winter months, we are hoping to offer a warm welcome to our guests starting January 7th, 2011. Each Friday, from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. the Center will open our dining room, offering coffee and donuts and a place in from the cold. Our goal is to achieve this entirely with volunteers and donations. I hope you will invite your congregation to join us and be a part of this or some of our other programs. For more information on this program or volunteering, please contact Ms. Carol Miles, our Director of Volunteers, at 410-467-5340 x104 or [email protected]. I hope you and your generous community experience the hope of Christmas now and throughout the year. Keep us in your prayers and please stop by 101 West 23rd Street to see the good work you and many others make possible here at the Franciscan Center. Merry Christmas! Yours truly, Edward F. McNally, Executive Director, Franciscan Center of Baltimore www.franciscancenterbaltimore.org.

Opportunities for Mission

From the Larger Church Help Orphans/Street Kids in Ukraine by donating your bicycles. (This opportunity for mission comes from the Rev. Robert Gamble, Interim Pastor at the First Presbyterian Church of Cumberland, Maryland) “This Child Here” is beginning a bicycle project with social orphans in Ukraine; we have former street kids, social orphans and kids from “at risk” families who can clean, repair and sell good used bicycles, learn a trade, make some income, and enhance their self-esteem. Can you donate a good used bicycle? Do you have any good used bike parts? We are looking bikes with aluminum or lighter weight frames. We cannot take Huffy, Sears or Walmart brand bikes as the market in Ukraine is already flooded with them. Please email Robert Gamble if you have a bicycle to donate at [email protected]. You should put your name on the bike and mailing address or email address to receive a letter for tax deduction purposes. This Child Here is a registered nonprofit supported primarily by Presbyterian Churches (USA).” Robert Gamble is also the executive director of the organization.

www.thischildhere.org.

Your Mission Dollars at Work GEDCO Starts Construction on Green House® Residences at Stadium Place The Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation (GEDCO) celebrates the launch of construction for the Green House® Residences at Stadium Place in January. The new residences will be home to 49 older adults requiring long-term nursing care. They are an important component of GEDCO’s plan to develop a low/moderate-income urban retirement community with a full continuum of care to allow “aging in community.” After years of study, GEDCO decided to pursue a new person-centered model of care developed by Dr. Bill Thomas known as the Green House model. This concept is now a trademark-protected initiative supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with more than 90 Green House homes currently operating on 24 campuses in 16 states. It will be the first of its kind in Maryland.

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Join Baltimore United Congregations for the Homeless Service Providers

Progressive Open House

Sunday, January 30, 2011 1-4 p.m.

See how non-profits throughout Balti-more are working for justice in your

community by aiding the homeless — and how you can help.

Organizations will have special presentations on how they provide aid.

Beans & Bread — 402 S. Bond Street By combining essential basic needs and services with life improving resources and case management, Beans & Bread seeks to stabilize and strengthen the individual, providing them with tools to be self-sufficient, live independently, and be an asset to their family and the community. Earl’s Place — 1400 E. Lombard Street Earl’s Place provides long-term housing and individualized supportive services to homeless men and assists them with the transition to permanent housing and re-entry into society as self-sufficient and productive citizens. Health Care for the Homeless — 421 Fallsway Health Care for the Homeless offers medical care, mental health services, social work and case management, additional treatment, dental care, HIV services, outreach, prison re-entry services, supportive housing, and access to education and employment through direct service as well as advocacy. Our Daily Bread — 725 Fallsway The Our Daily Bread Employment Center improves the lives of people in need by providing resources to help them achieve self-sufficiency through a hot meal program, an employment academy, re-entry services, case management, and an array of unemployment, housing, education, referral and emergency services. Homeless Persons’ Representation Project — 1800 N. Charles Street, Suite 206 HPRP’s mission is to end homelessness in Maryland by providing free legal services, including advice, counsel, educa-tion, representation and advocacy, for low-income persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

www.baltimoreunitedcongregations.org

Weather Cancellation Policy

If it becomes necessary this winter to close Second Presbyterian Church, we will do our best to announce the cancellation on local TV stations (WBAL, WJZ and WMAR) and WBAL radio. However, there is no guarantee our closing will be announced.

We will be sure to send an e-mail announcement to those on our Friday Flyer list, and will post an alert on our church website www.secondpresby.org. For further confirmation of a cancellation, you can also call Second Presbyterian Church, 410-467-4210, to receive a voice message. Decisions should be made by 8 p.m. Saturday evenings, unless the overnight weather forecast is uncertain, in which case a decision will be made by 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Second Presbyterian Church of Baltimore 4200 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD 21218 return service requested

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT NO. 2571 BALTIMORE, MD

THE CHURCH TOWER • A NEWSLETTER OF THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BALTIMORE

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