The mission of the Newlonsburg Music Academy is to provide an environment where students, regardless of age, can develop their musical skills, work ethic and self discipline while maximizing their musical potential and each individual will be encouraged to use their God given gifts in future ministry and within their community.

Beliefs and Values

The Newlonsburg Music Academy believes that music is a gift from God and that, as a church sponsored ministry, individuals should be provided a safe, structured environment that encourages them to recognize the value of self discipline, a good work ethic and responsibility while in the pursuit of improving their music skills.  In partnership with the faculty, we also hope to increase the number of musicians in the faith community by equipping and sending out students with musical skills which they can then share with others. All musicians will be encouraged to share their traditional worship music within the structure of the program.

The academy will provide individual and group instruction as well as ensemble opportunities.  It will provide for presentation of musical gifts through recitals and/or worship leadership.  The Academy will also provide opportunities for the public to hear student and faculty musicians in concert.  The hope is that students will enjoy growth and satisfaction both in performing and appreciating the art of music.

Announcements are important for maintaining community but can interrupt the flow of the worship service, so we have chosen to have them at the very beginning of the worship service.

If you’ve missed some details, or want to learn more about an announcement, there are some other great ways to stay connected – there’s the weekly bulletin and the monthly newsletter to start.  And if you’ve tossed either of those, this website has links to the bulletins and newsletters on both the Members page and The Visitors page.

Week 32: Why do we do Joys and Concerns?

Our Book of Order (read: the constitution for the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.) defines the order of worship to include Gathering around the Word, Proclaiming the Word, and Responding to the Word.  It is in the Responding part that we both give thanks for life and life’s transitions, as well as lift up prayers of intercession and supplication.  And so in our Joys and Concerns, we commemorate important events in our lives and the life of our church, and we also pray for guidance and support, wisdom and assurance, and comfort and healing for those in need within our extended church family.

Week 33: Why do we have a Christ candle lit in worship?

The Christ candle (also known as the Paschal candle) is lit for worship each week to serve as a reminder that Christ is the light of the world, and also as a reminder of his presence as we worship.

The use of the Paschal candle is traced back to the Easter Vigils of the fourth century.  In our current liturgical practice, modern Paschal candles are often adorned with the cross and inscribed with the date of the current year.

Week 34: Why do we have flowers for worship every week?

Our Reformed heritage calls upon us to worship within a place of simplicity of form and function, to direct attention to what God has done and to the claim that God makes upon human life.

The Book of Order tells us that “artistic expressions” (like flowers) are appropriate when they awaken us to God’s presence.  Each week, our arrangement of flowers is there to remind us of the reality and grace of God.

Week 35: Who is called to worship by the “Call to Worship”?

The call isn’t for God – God is always present so there’s no need to call.  The “Call to Worship” is like the call we used to get from our moms when it was time for dinner.  It is a reminder that we are to leave what we have been doing – working or cleaning or playing or watching TV – and to focus on our time of worship.  And just like dinner, our worship provides sustenance to us on a regular basis.

Week 36: What do we call the different areas of the church?

Sanctuary, Chancel, Narthex, Nave – these may sound like book titles or prescription medications, but they are the traditional names for parts of a church.  “Historical” church denominations Lutherans, Catholics, Presbyterians, etc – still bear the stamp of early Christian worship and so we use those traditional words to define our worship space.

Originally during worship the leader sat at one end of a rectangular room on a raised platform, and the rest of the people stood.  (Pews were invented about the time of the Protestant Reformation, because along with Protestantism came some very long sermons.)  The word sanctuary can mean either the raised platform or the entire worship space.  The chancel specifically means the raised platform at the front of the church.  The place where worshippers sit is often called the sanctuary, but more technically it is called the nave; it is considered the “ship of faith” and is named as such because a traditional nave had a keel shape to its vaulted ceiling.  The narthex is the entrance or lobby area – with an original purpose to allow those not eligible for admittance to the nave to still hear the service – that is now simply the point of entry into the church.

Week 37: Who serves communion?

The Book of Order (part of our Presbyterian constitution) tells us that “the bread and the cup may be served by ordained officers of the church, or by other church members on invitation of the session.”   Here at Newlonsburg we have both elders and deacons assisting the pastors with communion – typically eight assisting at the sanctuary service, and two or more assisting in Fellowship Hall.  Wayne Shick of the Affirmation Committee schedules the folks that you see moving up to the front right before the celebration of the Last Supper.

Week 38: Can you find the antependium, and what do the symbols mean?

Antependium, literally meaning “to hang before”, is the decorative piece of fabric that is hanging at the front of our pulpit in the sanctuary.  Traditionally it is the same color and fabric as the vestments worn by the clergy.  The color of the antependium follows the liturgical colors – so in this period of Ordinary time, you will see the green cloth to symbolize growth.

For Ordinary time, the symbols are three interlocking circles, signifying the trinity.  Other symbols you’ll see on antependia throughout the year include the cross and crown, on white; the Chi Rho (the monogram of Jesus), also on white; a Jesse Tree for Advent and a cross with grape vine on the purple antependium.

Week 39: Why do we say offering instead of collection?

We may tend to use the words synonymously, but there’s a subtle difference that, among other things, broadens the definition of our offerings of “self and substance.”

The Christian life is an offering of one’s self to God.  In worship we are presented with the costly self-offering of Jesus Christ, are claimed and set free by him, and are led to respond by offering to him our lives, our gifts and abilities, and our material goods.

Collection can connote the gathering of currency to pay the church’s bills and do good works; offering expands that concept to offer a portion of all of the blessings God has given us.  Our offering is not only represented by our money, but all of our gifts that we share.

Week 40: What exactly is the Doxology?

Doxology comes from the Greek “doxa”, meaning glory, plus “logos”, meaning word or speaking.  It’s a short hymn of praise to God in Christian worship services.  The tradition derives from a similar practice in the Jewish synagogue, where some form of the Kaddish ends each section of the service.  Among Christian traditions a doxology is typically a sung expression of praise to the Holy Trinity.

The doxology that we sing, “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” was written in 1674 by Thomas Ken, an Anglican Bishop, and was originally the final verse of two hymns used for morning and evening worship.   It is sung to the tune “Old 100^th”, a hymn tune written over one hundred years earlier in 1551; the tune was originally associated with Psalm 134 but its name comes from a later association with the 100^th Psalm.

One day out of 365 is hardly sufficient to celebrate the great mystery of our faith – that Christ is risen from the dead.  So the season of Easter lasts seven weeks, spanning the fifty days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday.   This idea of Easter as a season of 50 days is patterned after the ancient Jewish festival of seven weeks that extended from the beginning of the barley harvest (on the second day after the beginning of Passover) to the end of the wheat harvest, at the Festival of Weeks.  The Festival of Weeks later came to be called Pentecost (“fiftieth day”) by Greek speaking Jews.

The symbolic value of numbers also plays a meaningful role in the length of the season.  In ancient Israelite culture the number seven represented wholeness or completion; a period of seven weeks suggests fullness squared.  The season of Easter is therefore, a “week” of weeks, and is intended to be an extended time of joy and celebration in the church.

Week 22: Why is Sunday sometimes called the 8^th day of creation?

Jews mark days from sunset to sunset so their Sabbath is Friday evening through Saturday; generally we mark Saturday as their Sabbath.  God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh.  These are the 7 days of creation with the assumption that Saturday Sabbath is the seventh day.  Jesus rose from the dead on the morning after the Sabbath.  So Christians began to mark Sunday as the holy day, like so many little Easters.  And because Jesus is the light of the world and was raised in the morning, Christians shifted the day to morning to morning instead of sunset to sunset.

This eighth day of creation, and first day of the week, is what has become known as the Lord’s Day, the day of the resurrection.

Christ in his rising opens the way to new life for us and so for “making us a new creation” by his death and resurrection.

Week 23: Who’s responsible for preparing communion?

Members of the Affirmation ministry do both the preparation and clean-up of communion.  Preparation begins the day before, with bread cut and wrapped for use the next day.  Both wheat-based and gluten free bread are available.

And how do they fill the little cups of grape juice used in the Sanctuary?  Newlonsburg has a special pitcher designed just for this purpose; it has a squeeze-bulb on top that allows for easy portion-control into the small cups.

The Affirmation ministry, currently chaired by Karen Hay with elders Wayne Shick and Cynthia Goff, is responsible for all aspects of our worship, including preparation of communion.  If you are interested in joining the Affirmation committee, Karen Hay would love to hear from you!

Week 24: What is the significance of the robes that our pastors wear?

Most liturgical vestments have their origins in the street clothes of an earlier era.  The oldest is the alb, a long white garment derived from the ancient Roman tunic.  The alb has come to represent equality in ministry, and can be worn by any baptized liturgical leader.  The cincture is a rope belt worn with the alb.

The Geneva gown is black robe, once commonly worn in public by those with academic credentials.  The Geneva gown symbolizes scholarly training and learned preaching, a historical value and strength of the Reformed tradition.  The addition of three bars called chevrons to the sleeve signifies the doctoral degree.

A stole is a long band of cloth, generally color-coordinated with the liturgical season.  Its practical origin was a scarf, though it has come to be associated with the ordained ministry and the yoke of service to Christ.

Continuing in the tradition of the Reformers, in some instances pastors choose to wear contemporary street clothes to downplay the impression of clericalism and to emphasize the ministry of all believers.

Week 25: How is confirmation different than baptism?

Baptism is the sign and symbol of inclusion in God’s grace and covenant with the Church.  It enacts and seals what the Word proclaims:  God’s redeeming grace is offered to all people.  The practice of baptizing infants has come to signify for us that God’s love and care for us precedes our understanding.

Confirmation in the Presbyterian Church is the opportunity for individuals to make public their personal profession of faith and their acceptance of responsibility in the life of the church.   Our young people confirm their answers to the baptismal questions their parents answered on their behalf when they were infants.

Follow along from the Book of Order as our confirmation class:

• Professes their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,
• Renounces evil and affirms their reliance on God’s grace,
• Declares their intention to participate actively and responsibly in the worship and mission of the church.

Week 26: Why do we use red for Pentecost?

The word “Pentecost” means “fiftieth day”, and occurs 50 days following Easter Sunday.  Pentecost has its roots in a Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, also called Pentecost, which is celebrated 50 days after Passover.

According to the Day of Pentecost story in Acts 2:1-13, God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower witnesses to the resurrection.  The Holy Spirit appeared as a burning fire in the house where the apostles had gathered.  A power – the unseen power of God – moved among them and gripped them.   The book of Acts tells the story of the outcome of Pentecost’s new creation:  people witness in word and in deed to the risen Christ.

So the red that you see in our sanctuary this week symbolizes the fire of Pentecost – the red of the fabric art decorating the chancel, the red of geraniums in the sanctuary, and the red that so many of us are wearing to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church and to each of us.

Week 27: What is Trinity Sunday?

Unlike other days in the church’s liturgical calendar, Trinity Sunday celebrates a doctrine of the church, rather than an event.  On Trinity Sunday we celebrate the mystery of God’s being as the trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Trinity Sunday helps us synthesize all we have celebrated over the past months:  Christmas and Epiphany celebrating God’s taking flesh and dwelling among us in Jesus Christ, Easter celebrating Christ’s death and resurrection for us, and Pentecost, celebrating God the Holy Spirit among us.  So it’s a fitting transition to that part of the year when Sunday by Sunday the work of God among us is unfolded in a more general way.

Week 28: How do we pray for our seniors as they graduate?

This week in worship we have the opportunity to celebrate our graduating high school seniors – we get to learn what they are doing next, and maybe hear a funny story or two about their memories of their time here at Newlonsburg.  We’ve watched these kids grow up; some were baptized here and sat on the steps with Marnie for Small Talk; others joined us as their families moved to our church, and still others came to know us through their involvement in Lost Sheep.

As members of this church we take on a responsibility at the time of baptism – to nurture our children in their faith.  Eighteen or so years later, we can still nurture these young people by praying for them at this milestone of graduation.  As a congregation we will gather around each of our seniors and surround them with our prayers as they commence the next season of their lives.

Week 29: How do worship and mission connect in the life of Christians?

Our Sunday morning worship is like a concentrated dose of worshipping God, to remind us of how we should be living our lives 24/7.   During worship, we remember that God calls the church to join the mission of Jesus Christ in service to the world.

Jesus called, commissioned and promised to be present to a people gathered in his name.  To each member, the Holy Spirit gives gifts for building up the body of Christ and for equipping it for the work of ministry.   God sends the church to exercise compassion in the world; to feed the hungry, comfort the grieving, care for the sick, visit the prisoners, free the captives, shelter the homeless and befriend the lonely.

And so our mission – “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me” becomes an extension of our weekly Sunday morning worship service.

Week 30: What’s so ordinary about Ordinary Time?

The name “Ordinary Time” sounds mundane, but this is not to imply that these weeks represent an unimportant part of the Christian year – quite the opposite is true.  Ordinary Time is a reminder that Christian life is an everyday vocation and is not reserved simply for special occasions.  The word ordinary derives from the Latin ordo, (“rule” or “order”) and the liturgical term “ordinary” means that which is standard, normative, usual or typical.

The liturgical year has two periods of Ordinary Time:  the first is from January 7 (the day after Epiphany) through the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and the second is from the day after Pentecost to the day before the first Sunday of Advent.   Both periods are recognized as seasons for growth, and the green color of Ordinary Time is a good reminder of this growing season for us as Christians.

Texting, Facebook, Twitter, email, direct mail and conversations over coffee keep us connected as individuals and a community.  You are invited to 5-part Bible study that explores how we can use these conversations to deepen our faith and our friendships.  The Bible study will be led by Sue Washburn, former editor of the “Redstone Record”.

We will study:

Moses. This man of few words turned a group of slaves into a nation. His journey is steeped in both the ordinary (What will we eat?) and the spiritual (How will we worship?). What can we learn from Moses today?

Ezekiel and Jeremiah.  With their flair for theatrics, these prophets managed to share the visions God has given them with a captive Israel. How did their public drama influence the people of their time?

Jesus (2-parts). People were drawn to Jesus’ compelling stories and magnetic personality.  Even today his communication style is challenging to us. He is both revolutionary and ordinary, passionate and compassionate, preachy and personal. Who is Jesus calling us to be? What kind of “voice” should we be using today?

Paul. As the preeminent mass communicator of his day, Paul took advantage of the newest technology to spread the gospel. While the Roman roads, ships and writing instruments of his day may seem primitive to us, Paul used everything at his disposal to get his message out. Are we taking full advantage of the communication devices of our time to reach our community?

NPC seeks to improve its communication and discipleship within both the congregation and the community.  Following the Bible study, we will be asking for volunteers to serve on a communication committee that will be intentional about communicating our activities, messages and vision both within the congregation and to the external community as we seek to do Christ’s work in the world. Your prayer and participation are appreciated.

The most straightforward answer is that Presbyterians, along with other reformed churches like the United Church of Christ and Reformed Church in America have a table at the front of the church, usually placed so that it is not up against a wall.  It is our understanding that Christ invites us to His table to share in communion just as he invited the twelve disciples at the Last Supper; as we symbolically gather around the table we remember how he celebrated the first meal of remembrance.  Many other churches have altars; their understanding is that Christ is the last great sacrifice and the altar reminds us that with the sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God, no other sacrifice of people or animals is needed.

So both the table and the altar can remind us of the meaning of Communion; if you are interested in coming up with your own theory on the meaning of each of these symbols you may want to check out passages in the book of Hebrews chapters 9 and 10.

Week 12: Where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?

The simple answer is that the ashes come from burning the palm fronds that were used for last year’s Palm Sunday.  But this takes us to two more questions:  first, why ashes, and second, why palms?

In biblical times, people relied on wood fires for heating and cooking; keeping ashes under control was a major housekeeping task – one that might be neglected in times of sorrow.  Ashes became a symbol of remorse, repentance and mourning; today, a person might wear a black armband to signify that they are in mourning; back then people put ashes on their foreheads.  During Lent, ancient Christians mourned their sins and repented of them, and showed their sincerity by having ashes on their foreheads.

And the palms?  We can remember the rejoicing of the crowd as Jesus rode into Jerusalem and our own joy from our worship last year at Palm Sunday and Easter.  But the palms also can remind us of the crowd that turned on Jesus long ago, and our tendency to go back to our sinful ways during the long year.  We burn the palms and use them for our ashes as a tangible symbol that we have fallen short, but God give us a chance to use Lent for reflection and a chance to begin anew.

Week 13: Where can you find purple in worship this week, and what is its significance?

Depending on whether you are in Fellowship Hall or the Sanctuary this week, you find can purple in the Lenten banner, the pastors’ stoles, the antependium and the choir stoles.  And of course in the sanctuary you can also find purple in the carpeting, and the beams overhead.

But why do we use purple for Lent?  Purple is the traditional color for the season of Lent because it symbolizes penitence and preparation (a useful albeit coincidental alliteration) along with the royal dignity of “Christ the newborn king.”  Lent is a season of preparation and repentance during which we anticipate Good Friday and Easter.  Just like we prepare for other events in our lives – like a wedding or commencement – we use Lent as a time of preparation for marking Christ’s sacrifice and the celebration of Easter.

Week 14: Why are there no Alleluias during Lent?

Some congregations, including ours, choose to highlight the contract between Lent and Easter by omitting the singing of “Alleluia” during the Lenten season.

The omission of Alleluias during Lent goes back at least to the fifth century, and a custom of “burying the alleluia” developed in the Middle Ages.  In today’s world, we can think of it as “giving it a rest” – just like after Christmas we put away our lights, crèche and star away.  We can anticipate putting them out again (at the right time) but we would not want them up all year! When we retire something familiar for a season, recovering its use has a way of making it new again.

So for now we put away our Alleluias, and look forward to Easter morning when we can sing “Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!”

Week 15: Why is Lent longer than 40 days on the calendar?

In 2010, Ash Wednesday fell on February 17, and Easter will be April 4.  Do the math and you’ll see that Lent is actually 46 days long.  Since Sundays celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the six Sundays that occur during Lent are not counted as part of the 40 days of Lent, and are referred to as the Sundays in Lent, not of Lent.

The period of Lent has had, and still has, an emphasis on reaffirming baptismal identity, of knowing and living the faith.  During Lent, we have the opportunity to reaffirm who we are and always will be, in anticipation of Easter.

Week 16: What is the significance of the 40 days of Lent?

The practice of a forty-day preparation period began in the Christian church during the third and fourth centuries.  The number forty carries biblical significance based on Moses’ forty years preparing for his ministry,  forty years of Israel spent in the wilderness and Jesus’ forty-day fast in the wilderness.   Historically, forty has been used as a round number to designate a fairly long period of time in terms of human existence or endurance.    Though the earliest traditions are unclear, Lent apparently evolved as a time for training, particularly as a time of final preparation of candidates for baptism at Easter.  Lent also became a time for the renewal of the faithful.  In today’s world, Lent continues to be a season of spiritual discipline and preparation, anticipating the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ.

Week 17: Why do we have Youth Sunday?

Having a Sunday worship service led by our youth affirms their presence and ministry in the church, and serves as a great reminder that the youth are not only the church of tomorrow but the church of today.  They are members of our congregation with their own gifts to share right now.

A big part of our youth ministry is about establishing patterns today to prepare them for the future. Just like moving from a textbook to the lab, planning and participating in Sunday morning worship provides our youth a whole new view of our worship service; a real hands on way to experience the weekly affirmation of faith.  As our seniors present their sermons, listen as they translate their faith into words spoken or performed, perhaps for the first time to a roomful of people.

For those of you with young children – don’t blink!   Sooner than you can believe, it will be your child reading, ushering, leading us in prayer, or giving the benediction.   Yes, Sarah – even young Mason will be up there before you know it!

Week 18: Why do our palms look different than traditional palms?

Our church uses a type of palm called “eco-palm” to celebrate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem before his crucifixion.    As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, followers spread palm branches in his path, indicating that a dignitary was arriving in triumph.

These environmentally friendly fronds are made available by a partnership between the University of Minnesota and government agencies in Guatemala and Mexico.  Harvesters cut down individual palm branches instead of whole palm trees so that the trees stay alive to produce more fronds, thus helping to sustain forests in these areas.  Villagers are paid a fair price and rewarded for the quality of the palms they harvest, and the palms are bundled by women in the local communities rather than in a distant warehouse.

Christian churches are the largest consumers of palms in North America, with an estimated 25 million palms stems sold every year for Palm Sunday.  In 2005, a pilot project was begun under the premise that churches that were already tuned into fair-trade coffee would also support the idea of environmental and socially-conscious practices for harvesting palms.  The idea has grown – in 2009 over 2500 churches, including ours, purchased an estimated 640,000 eco-palm fronds.

Week 19: Why do we use lilies to represent Easter?

The Easter lily, with its beautiful trumpet-shaped blossoms, symbolizes purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life – the spiritual essence of Easter.   The lily also reminds us that a bulb decaying in the soil produces a new bulb, stem, leaves and flowers, rising in glory above the dark soil in which the process of death and the release of life are inseparable.   Churches traditionally use lilies at Easter to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and hope of life everlasting.

The large painting of lilies hanging in the sanctuary was created by our own Alice Lieb, and serves as a reminder each year of the promise of new life that comes to us each Easter.

Week 20: Why are we using white for our worship colors?

White symbolizes purity, holiness and virtue, as well as respect and reverence.  You’ll find that white is used for all of the high holy days of the liturgical year, including this Easter season, as well as for baptism, marriage, ordination and dedications.

In our worship this week and throughout the season of Easter, you will find white runners on the tables in Fellowship Hall, white stoles worn by our choir, and a white antependium hanging in front of the pulpit.

Advent is part of the Christmas Cycle which, along with the whole liturgical year evolved into its current shape by the fourth century. The Christmas cycle includes Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. As Easter is preceded by a season of preparation so is Christmas preceded by Advent.  Christmas begins the story of “God with us” and Advent (literally Ad – to, toward; Vent –coming) is the season that prepares us or helps us “come to or toward” Christmas. It is a season of hope during which we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ and anticipate the future coming of Christ. The Christian year follows Christ’s life through to the birth of the church and so begins with focus on is birth. Christmas is a set day and Advent is its prelude, starting on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and so begins the liturgical or Christian year.

Week 2:  Why are our advent candles blue?

Our advent candles are blue because this is a season for hope, and blue is the color of hope. The antependia (pulpit hanging), the choir stoles, and the Fellowship Hall table covers are all blue for the same reason. Originally God’s people hoped for a Messiah. Then Jesus fulfilled that hope at Christmas. Now we hope Jesus will come again even as we remember how he came the first time. The calligraphy in the front of the sanctuary is a quote from Revelation where the promise is made, “Behold He is coming!” (Notice there is blue in this creation by Graham Whitlow).

Week 3:   What do the four candles on the advent wreath represent?

The four blue candles on the Advent wreath represent the four Sundays of the Advent season and a 5^th candle which is white will be added to the center to represent the coming of Christ into our world. As it says in Isaiah, “The People who have walked in darkness have seen a great light…for a child has been born to us….named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Additionally the four candles may represent another concept, which can vary from church to church and year to year. Often love, hope, joy, and peace are used. Traditionally “joy” is the third week (Gaudate Sunday in Latin). (When a wreath has 3 purple candles and one pink one, the third is the pink one to go with this joy theme). Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-55) is often the text for this 3^rd week and it seems a good day for our children to have a Christmas pageant, and for our musicians to share a cantata as a joyful noise and gift of praise.

Week 4: What is a Jesse tree?

In Matthew Chapter 1, we can read Jesus’ Genealogy. We often talk about Jesus being a descendant of David. Jesse was David’s father and a tradition began that illustrates Jesus’ family tree and it has been called a Jesse Tree. This is probably rooted in the verse from Isaiah 11:1 which says, “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” The tree on the front of the pulpit hanging (antependia) is a small representation of a Jesse tree with a “rose” at the top representing Jesus. (It was designed by Alice Lieb) The ornaments on the Fellowship Hall tree are “Jesse Tree ornaments” and represent some of Jesus’ ancestors –going back all the way to Adam and Eve. Look and see how many you recognize (these were designed and made by Betty Olhoeft and former member Dot Spuhler).

Week 5: Why are we still singing Christmas carols after Christmas?

Christmas is often celebrated as a season of time, rather than just a day.  Christmas begins with Christmas Day, December 25, and lasts for twelve days until Epiphany, January 6.  The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide.

During Advent, we sing songs that emphasize expectation, longing, and hope, a preparation for celebration much as Lent is a preparation for Easter.  For Christmas, and during Christmastide, we celebrate the “Joy to the World” of the coming of Christ our Savior.

Week 6:  Why is it called Epiphany?

Epiphany means “to show”, or “to make known” or even “to reveal” – today we might call that an “aha moment.”   At Christmas, God came to be with us but he looked like an ordinary baby.  Through a series of “ahas” God’s people begin to discover who this boy Jesus really is.  Epiphany marks the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child; by doing so they first reveal Jesus to the world as Lord and King.  Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season and the twelve days of Christmas.  The lectionary gospel texts between Epiphany and Lent are stories such as Jesus’ Baptism that continue to reveal who Jesus is.

Week 7:   Why are we baptized only once?

Baptism is the sign and symbol of inclusion in God’s grace and covenant with the Church.  It enacts and seals what the Word proclaims:  God’s redeeming grace is offered to all people.  Baptism is God’s gift of grace and also God’s summons to respond to that grace.  God’s faithfulness signified in Baptism is constant and sure, even when human faithfulness to God is not.  Because Baptism is God’s action, not ours, it does not need to be repeated.

We can re-affirm our baptismal covenant through a simple ritual of Remembrance – a time and a way to become re-connected with the grace of God.

Week 8: Where can you find green in worship this week, and what is its significance?

The liturgical calendar has seasons – not like Winter or Spring, but seasons of the Christian life.  We use five colors to identify different seasons:  White is used to display God’s redemptive acts and is the color for Christmas and Easter and other “Big Jesus” days.  Purple represents penitence and preparation and is used for Lent.   Blue, representing hope, is used for Advent.  Red is for celebrations such as Pentecost where we celebrate the Holy Spirit.  And green is used in all other times known as “Ordinary Time” to show our continual need to grow closer to God.

Many of us, this writer included, find comfort in coming to the same place every Sunday – maybe even the same table in Fellowship Hall, or pew in the Sanctuary.   It can be easy to miss the subtle changes in our surroundings.  But if you look around you will see that the white of Christmas has been replaced with green – from the table runners and covers in Fellowship Hall, to the choir and pastor stoles, and the antependium in front of the pulpit in the sanctuary.  There is green (and all the liturgical colors) in the stained glass design of the sanctuary and it is no accident that the carpet in Fellowship Hall is green.   Let the green be a reminder that this is a season to grow closer to God.

Week 9: Why does the congregation meet once a year?

The Presbyterian Church is organized as a representative democracy – for example, members elect elders to represent the congregation on session within each individual church.  The rules by which we operate are included in the Book of Order [which is technically part II of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Constitution; part I is the Book of Confessions, from which we have been reading short excerpts each week as our affirmation of faith.]  The Book of Order details our form of governance, the directory for worship, and rules of discipline.

The Book of Order identifies that each individual church will have an annual meeting, and may hold other meetings as needed.  The annual meeting is our opportunity as members to learn firsthand from our elected leaders about how we are doing – how we are growing in faith as disciples, and how we are serving our members, our community and our world as Christians.

Week 10: What’s the difference between ordaining and installing officers?

Ordination is the act by which the church sets apart people to be presbyters (ministers of the Word and Sacrament or elders) and deacons; it is accompanied with prayer and the laying on of hands.  The laying of hands is a literal connection from Jesus Christ to his disciples, to ministers throughout the ages, and to our church leaders today – a true “social network” begun 2000 years before Facebook!

Ordination is perpetual; however, election to a specific office or board is for a specific term – which in our church is for three years.  Vacancies can be filled as needed. Installation is the term we use for bringing an ordained person into active service, such as an elder serving again as a member of session, or as a deacon on the board of deacons.

Dear Friends:

Greetings. Thanks a lot for your prayers. We need them as we stand to comfort those who had lost their loved ones in the earthquake. Many in Lacroix had their loved ones in Port au Prince. Some of them left after the hurricane Jeanne hit Gonaives in 2004 and others left after the three hurricanes in a row hit Haiti and in particular Gonaives and Lacroix. There is a lesson that they learn today; that is, “Never run away for problems.” Most of the time, “It’s only to jump from the fry pan into the fire.” There were more people from lacroix who were living in Port au Prince that I had knowledge of. Today all over Lacroix people are mourning. I have an unchurch gathering that is scheduled for tomorrow at 2:00 PM that I put off in order to sympathise with the mourners. Among them are a lot of people from Perisse.

My wife went to Gonaives today to visit people who have lost their loved ones in Port au Prince. Our driver, Antonio, has lost his daughter who was going to College. She went to do some copies and the building collapsed on her. Her body has not been found yet. It is believed that she is still under debris. A very good friend of mine who is also from lacroix lost his wife. A building contractor who had done work for us in Gonaives had lost his son who is an engineer when the house he was working on collapsed. Our mechanic Guercy lost his brother -in-law. Many more are still missing. Some one told me this morning that now one can count the houses that are left in Port au prince. Carrefour a suburb located south of Port au Prince is completely destroyed. Some people were walking when houses collapesd on them. Some were even in their cars when debris cover them.

The city of Port au Prince stinks with the dead bodies. Some one told me that they were talking about the devastation of Jeanne in 2004 and the three hurricanes in 2008, this one has no precedent. Port au Prince is finished. People are starving having no food and waters. Some people are vandalising. They become very wicked. They are killing people with fire arms and machetes. It could be those people who escaped from prison when the prison collapsed.

The bad news is this an inmate known as Ti Will originary from Gonaives who had caused all the unrest in this town in the early 2000s escaped and with guns in hand he is leading demonstration in the city of Gonaives. He was one of those responsible for my name on the hit list in 2003.  I hope the authorithy capture him as soon as possible. He is not hiding he is circulating freely in the city. This is a prayer request.

I am not afraid. No, not at all. I told people that when I realized it was an earthquake, I was not scared because Death and I we shook hands two years ago when I was facing him. Therefore we know each other. It is a joke. In the middle of turmoil you have to laugh and make others laugh. I am using the same old saying to comfort people “Rather be ugly but alive.”

People start coming back to Gonaives and to lacroix. Those who have left for problems. In general every one who migrated in Port au Prince is heading back where they come from. Every thing is completely dead. No activities. No electricity, no cell phones service. Thank God we are in lacroix we have water in the wells that we have access to. So far we have food though we don’t know for how long because whatever food they have left in the stores are either stolen and sold in the black market or it is under debris. In our area that is to say l’Estere people can still buy food but very expensive. Now fuel is being sold in the black market. Pastor Wisner told me that he could not find gas for his motorcycle. It reminds me back in the early 90s during the embargo, I almost pay $100.00 Hts for a gallon of diesel.

Several banks bulding are down in Port au Prince and thus banks in the province are not affected but they are paralyzed because of the bank central. There is no access to funds. Someone who was building a chateau was stunned to see the building flat on the ground. He asked where is my million? Another one answered right on the ground. He was serious and not in irony.

This is the situation Please continue to pray.

In his service,
Prosperpierre

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At La Croix New Testament Mission

Barbara Rissler at the Clinic early February

A busy clinic

Feb. 1, 2010 Denise Douglas emailed

Friends,
I wanted you to have an update as to what we know about Haiti. The satellite for email is often not working, so news has been scarce. That is why I haven’t had much to tell you, but the work continues inspite of the lack of communication.

There is a group at the Mission now (editor’s note: see photo above) and one that just returned over the weekend.
They both have been blessed to have connected with the Humanitarian planes that have left from Pgh last week and this week. The flights have been a bit easier than going through the Dominican. The DR adds an extra travel day to the trips which is one less day to serve the people.

The group currently there has 3 docs, 3 nurses, a dentist and some extra hands. Some of the folks are from Westminster Church and you may have read about them in the local newspaper.  They left Saturday with a lot of medicine, and supplies to treat everything they could think of. They also had high spirits, which I think they will need.

Some of the group will be going to some outlying villages to see people that may not be able to get to the clinic due to the distance. One of the villages is Paul which is a ROUGH, 2 hour ride by truck. I know the people will be so glad to have some medical care in that area.

It is a balancing act, to continue to treat the usual health issues third world people have, and treating the disaster issues as well. It is kind of like juggling. Addressing the urgent health issues but making sure the other less urgent issues are attended to as well. This is not easy work!

The travelers who are there have experience and Pastor Pierre’s guidance. Also with God leading the way, how can success not be achieved!

It seems like when the docs and helpers return from Haiti they are spent both physically and emotionally. Please include this group in your prayers all week.

The church at the Mission has been filled to capacity each week since the earthquake. A sign that people are looking for comfort and a way to cope with their situation. Often it is because of a tragic experience that people realize they need God.

School is back in session starting today. The children have been off since the earthquake so that families can clean up, grieve and establish some sort of normal in their lives. I believe starting back to school will help teachers, staff and children find a new normal after this horrible experience. So again I ask for prayers as they try to get back to life in Haiti.

Lastly, I want to share a quote from Pastor Pierre, “We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.” Please lift up Pastor Pierre, the staff and teachers as well as the people of Haiti in your prayers.

God Bless all of you,
Denise

Growing as disciples through our weekly worship

Affirming our faith through worship is a central part of our covenant with God and our church.  Join us on this journey through our Christian traditions, biblical teachings, and even a little bit of Newlonsburg trivia through these 52 weeks of worship.  Click on the question to go to the answer.

Week 1: Why is the first week Advent of the first week of the liturgical year?
Week 2: Why are our advent candles blue?
Week 3: What do the four candles on the advent wreath represent?
Week 4: What is a Jesse tree?
Week 5: Why are we still singing Christmas carols after Christmas?
Week 6: Why is it called Epiphany?
Week 7: Why are we baptized only once?
Week 8: Where can you find green in worship this week, and what is its                         significance?
Week 9: Why does the congregation meet once a year?
Week 10: What’s the difference between ordaining and installing officers?
Week 11: Why do we have a table instead of an altar?
Week 12: Where do the ashes for Ash Wednesday come from?
Week 13: Where can you find purple in worship this week, and what is its significance?
Week 14: Why are there no Alleluias during Lent?
Week 15: Why is Lent longer than 40 days on the calendar?
Week 16: What is the significance of the 40 days of Lent?
Week 17: Why do we have Youth Sunday?
Week 18: Why do our palms look different than traditional palms?
Week 19: Why do we use lilies to represent Easter?
Week 20: Why are we using white for our worship colors?
Week 21: How long is the time of Easter?
Week 22: Why is Sunday sometimes called the 8^th day of creation?
Week 23: Who’s responsible for preparing communion?
Week 24: What is the significance of the robes that our pastors wear?
Week 25: How is confirmation different than baptism?
Week 26: Why do we use red for Pentecost?
Week 27: What is Trinity Sunday?
Week 28: How do we pray for our seniors as they graduate?
Week 29: How do worship and mission connect in the life of Christians?
Week 30: What’s so ordinary about Ordinary Time?
Week 31: Why are announcements at the beginning of worship?
Week 32: Why do we do Joys and Concerns?
Week 33: Why do we have a Christ candle lit in worship?
Week 34: Why do we have flowers for worship every week?
Week 35: Who is called to worship by the “Call to Worship”?
Week 36: What do we call the different areas of the church?
Week 37: Who serves communion?
Week 38: Can you find the antependium, and what do the symbols mean?
Week 39: Why do we say offering instead of collection?
Week 40: What exactly is the Doxology?
Week 41:
Week 42:
Week 43:
Week 44:
Week 45:
Week 46:
Week 47:
Week 48:
Week 49:
Week 50:
Week 51:
Week 52: