Marnie Silbert will offer a class on Thursday mornings 10:00-11:30 beginning February 23 and continuing for 6 weeks through March 29th.

We will work our way through Jack Haberer’s book Godviews. This book looks at generic sorts of church members and what each brings to the community of faith and also at what liabilities  each type would be up against without the other sorts of people in the mix of the church community. Jack is a Presbyterian minister who served in Texas before becoming Editor of “The  Presbyterian Outlook” a bi-monthly news journal about our denomination. We will have some copies for sale in the office ($17.00) or you may find your own. Please let the office know if you  plan to take part. The more the merrier.

Curtis Paul will lead: Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and Its Fashionable Enemies
A Lenten Book Study on Mondays at 7pm in room 101 starting 2/27 – 4/9

A summary in Curtis’ words: “Christianity changed the human mind. The Christian faith revolutionized how we humans value one another. Before Christianity we humans were violent  brutes. Even in the 20th century we had governments systematically murdering its citizens or others (Germany, Russia, Japan, Turkey and Rwanda).”
Here is the blurb from Yale Press:
Currently it is fashionable to be devoutly undevout. Religion’s most passionate antagonists—Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, and others—have publishers competing eagerly to market their various denunciations of religion, monotheism, Christianity, and Roman Catholicism. But contemporary antireligious polemics are based not only upon profound conceptual confusions but upon facile simplifications of history or even outright historical ignorance: so contends David Bentley Hart in this bold correction of the distortions. One of the most brilliant scholars of religion of our time, Hart provides a powerful antidote to the New Atheists’ misrepresentations of the Christian past, bringing into focus the truth about the most radical revolution in Western history. Hart outlines how Christianity transformed the ancient world in ways we may have forgotten: bringing liberation from fatalism, conferring great dignity on human beings, subverting the cruelest aspects of pagan society, and elevating charity above all virtues. He then argues that what we term the “Age of Reason”  as in fact the beginning of the eclipse of reason’s authority as a cultural value. Hart closes the book in the present, delineating the ominous consequences of the decline of Christendom in a culture that is built upon its moral and spiritual values. David Bentley Hart is the author of several books, including In the Aftermath: Provocations and Laments and The Beauty of the Infinite: The Aesthetics of Christian Truth. He lives in Providence, RI.
The book can be purchased from Amazon for roughly $10 or cheaper if you buy used.
I hope to see you on Mondays in Lent.
-Pastor Curtis

http://music.ciweb.org/

http://www.pittsburghclo.org/summer-camps

http://www.cmu.edu/enrollment/pre-college/

http://www.setonhill.edu/campusservices/community_wnj.cfm

http://camp.interlochen.org/

http://new.oberlin.edu/conservatory/summer/

Once again this Christmas season we ask you to find room in your hearts and your Christmas budget for Raniel Danglay, our ChildFund (formerly Christian Children’s Fund) scholarship recipient who lives in the Phillippines. We support his education while sending Christmas greetings to one another in a unique way. Before and after each service in Advent, you will see a large community Chirstmas card display. We each sign the card and contribute to Raniel’s education fund. The rationale is that by signing the community card we can save the cost of cards and postage to our church family and commit those savings to help Raniel continue his studies.

Thanks to our efforts, Raniel has learned to read and write and can purchase books for school, enjoy nourishing meals and decent clothing. His mother writes, “Raniel is growing taller; he is very sweet and humble. During school days he wakes up early to fetch water and feed the dogs before school. Saturdays he helps me care for his youngest sister so I can do household chores. We all go to church on Sunday. God bless you all – we thank you so much for the assistance and blessings.” Please remember to sign the card and give your contribution to help Raniel grow into a literate, healthy young man.

Have a blessed Christmas. Thank you!

When you have decided for what role/position God has called you,
Contact Ann Rittiger (arittiger@windstream.net)
or Jill Wilson (wilsonjill@comcast.net)

Most positions need to be filled THIS SUMMER!

Each ministry offers positions with a range of time requirements or investment on your part

Children and Worship (CAW)

Kids-In-Christ (KIC)

Pine Springs Camp

Sunday School

Vacation Bible School (VBS)

Mid-Week Family Event Planning

When you have decided for what role/position God has called you,

Contact Ann Rittiger (arittiger@windstream.net)

or Jill Wilson (wilsonjill@comcast.net)

]]> http://newlonsburgchurch.org/christian-education/childrens-ministry-volunteer-positions-needed/feed/ 0 http://newlonsburgchurch.org/christmas-pageant/ http://newlonsburgchurch.org/christmas-pageant/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:57:31 +0000 npc http://newlonsburgchurch.org/?page_id=2414

A lot happens in our church throughout the week, but the cornerstone of our week is Sunday worship, where two different services revitalize us with worship, preaching, music, prayer and fellowship.

Our less formal 8:30 service takes place in Fellowship Hall (on the right, as you face our church from Old William Penn Highway).  Light refreshments (coffee/tea/juice and doughnuts) are available – and people take them into the service, sitting in small groups at tables or in rows of chairs. We have a Praise Team to lead the congregation in singing, and we also enjoy special music from volunteers and members of our Music Academy – clarinets, flutes, brass, guitars and drums – even a jazz band.

Our 11:00 service is more traditional, and takes place in our Sanctuary (beneath the Celtic cross on the roof towards the left of our main building as you face it from the street).  Here the seating is in pews and the music is led by our organist and our Sanctuary Choir. Both services last about an hour, and are described below, in The Bulletin and Order of Worship.

Of course you’re always welcome to drop by, talk to a pastor or office staff (office open 9:00 am to 4:00 pm), pray, or just sit quietly in one of our gardens.

We know some people have not been a member of a church community before, or are unfamiliar with Christian practices and customs, and may be nervous about their first visit to a Christian worship service.  Even if you come from a church background, there are many ways Christians worship, and our ways of worshipping may not be familiar to some people.

So whether you’re new to Christian worship or just new to our particular congregation, here’s some basic information to give you a glimpse of what to expect.  Just click for more information.

• What to wear
• A warm welcome is waiting
• Parking
• What to do when you arrive
• Handicapped access
• Finding your way around the church
• Coffee and donuts
• Child Care
• Children
• “Children and Worship”
• The Bulletin and Order of Worship
• Standing and sitting
• Music and singing
• Bible readings
• Sermon
• Communion
• The Offering
• Special needs and accessibility
• Restrooms
• Sunday School for Adults

To Our Guests

We hope this helps answer some of your questions, and we look forward to meeting you on Sunday.

If you wish to speak to a pastor or one of our staff, please call the church office – 724-327-0061

Our office manager’s name is Shelley.

What to wear

The 11:00 service in the sanctuary is a little more formal, but casual dress is fine at both services.  We’re not a “dress up” church, and you won’t be out of place whatever you wear.

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A warm welcome is waiting

Everyone is welcome to attend our worship services.  It doesn’t matter if you’re of another religion, if you have no religion, or if you’ve never been to church before.  People with questions and doubts are especially welcome.  You will be greeted warmly, welcomed, treated with dignity, and your privacy will be respected.  No one will try to convert you.  We’re just happy you came and hope you find some spiritual sustenance with us. We invite you to ask questions of our elders, pastors, greeters or members.

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Parking

Our parking lot often appears to be full, but there are usually visitor spaces close to the building, in the front row, which is mostly reserved for visitors. If the parking lot really is full, additional parking is available in the Tarr Hollow Road lot (down on the left as you face the building – reached by steps).

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What to do when you arrive

If you arrive before the 8:30 service, please join us in Common Ground for coffee and doughnuts. Common Ground is on the lower level, to the right, as you face the building.  8:30 worship is held in Fellowship Hall, which is located above Common Ground, and can be reached from outside doors at the right of the building (this avoids steps), or up the stairs from either doors into the main corridor.

11:00 worship takes place in the Sanctuary, which is on the left side of the building, and is reached through the main doors into the Narthex, or from the main corridor inside the building.

You’ll probably see a pastor and an elder greeter outside welcoming people.  They’d love to show you where you need to be, and answer any questions you may have.  Ushers inside will give you a bulletin (our order of worship) and show you to restrooms, childcare, Sunday school and other amenities.

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Handicapped Access

Handicapped access to Fellowship Hall is easiest through the doors at the end of the ramp from the parking lot (at the far right of the building).  Access to Common Ground is from the front, down the ramp to the doors. Inside the building the wheelchair lift requires a key – pleases ask someone for help.

The center doors lead into a corridor – all on one level – which links both ends of the building.

The Narthex, which leads to the Sanctuary, is handicapped accessible from the parking lot. Inside, a ramp to the left leads to the upper level of the Education Wing.  The lower level of the Education Wing can be reached by elevator (along the corridor and around the corner).  External doors to the Education Wing require steps.  The ARC (gymnasium) is reachable from the outside, by following the pathway round the left side of the complex, down a ramp to the patio.  Once there, handicapped access to the upper floor of the Education Wing and the Sanctuary is via the elevator.

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Finding your way around the church

Please look for floor layout “maps” inside the main entrances – or just ask someone for directions.

Newlonsburg has developed a unique vocabulary that will be unfamiliar to you – we have our own names for many rooms in the church.  Here are a few you may hear:

Common Ground:  coffee and donuts – children and worship – adult bible study – restrooms

Fellowship Hall: early worship service (8:30 am) – 20-30s Sunday school – church dinners

The Office:  administrative hub – office manager – pastors’ offices

Adult Meeting Room:  small group meetings – contemporary affairs Sunday school discussion group

The Narthex:  entrance to the Sanctuary – link to the Education Wing – restrooms

The Sanctuary:  second service (11:00 am)

The Ed Wing:  Sunday school classrooms – Nursery – Music Academy – link to the ARC

The ARC:   Activities Resource Center – gymnasium

We also love acronyms – so you may see “CG” for Common Ground, “FH” for Fellowship Hall, and “AMR” for the Adult Meeting Room.  It’s a Newlonsburg thing – please bear with us.

Some of these rooms have their own entrances, but these may be closed.  The ones typically open on Sundays are the side entrance to Fellowship Hall, the lower entrance to Common Ground, the two entrances to the front of the building, and the entrance to the Narthex.

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Coffee and Donuts

We serve light refreshments (coffee/tea/juice/donuts) in Common Ground, before our early service. Breaking bread together is a Newlonsburg tradition from the 1960s, and we often meet and greet before the worship service.  If you’re a newcomer, please feel free to join us, and meet other members of our congregation for a chit-chat and to enjoy the treats.  Many people take their coffee into service. Members make a donation to cover the cost, but if you’re a first-time guest, this is our gift to you.

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Child Care

Child care is offered for both regular services and for our 9:30 am service in the summer. For infants, we offer child care in the nursery on the upper level of the Ed Wing.  Our child care is well-controlled and always attended by two caregivers. You sign in, and someone will come and get you if reaching the child care room presents a challenge. Otherwise, our Visitor Greeters or Ushers will be glad to take you to the appropriate room (the Nursery for infants, and the log-cabin room on the upper level of the Education Wing, for children 2 years-Kindergarten).

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Children

We are always delighted to welcome children into our worship experience, and children of any age are welcome to stay with their families throughout the whole worship service.  All children are in worship for the first part of the service. About 10 minutes into the service, the pastor will call young children to come to the front, to share a Children’s Message (we call it “small talk”).  This may be a message about a Christian characteristic, like sharing or kindness, or may be a story from the Bible.  After the Children’s message, the children who wish to go to Children and Worship are taken there by parents, and parents who want their children to go to child care take them there and then return to the service.

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“Children and Worship”

This worship service runs concurrently with the 8:30 and 11:00 worship services, and quietly takes the four year olds, kindergarteners, and first and second graders through a service they can understand. This worship service takes place in the Common Ground area beneath the Fellowship Hall. The service follows the adult order of worship and involves a storyteller. It is designed to prepare our younger church goers for a lifelong faith journey.  It uses “Young Children at Worship”, based on Montessori methodology with hallmark biblical stories.

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The Bulletin

Everything you need to know about our worship service is contained in the Bulletin. We call this our Order of Worship.  It’s a “play-by-play” of everything that will happen during the service – and includes everything you need to fully participate in the worship.

• When something is in bold type, it means it is said by the whole congregation
• When something is indicated with an asterisk, it means the congregation stands

(if it is awkward for you to stand, please feel free to sit)

• Hymns are found in the Blue Hymnal, the Red Songbook, or printed in the bulletin

(at the 8:30 service, words are shown on a screen at the front of Fellowship Hall)

• The bulletin also contains announcements, contact listings and other information

Once the service starts, please turn off your cell phone, and follow along with the order in the Bulletin.

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Standing and Sitting

Generally the congregation is seated during the service.  We have some parts of our service where it is our tradition to stand, like the “Gloria” (Glory Be To The Father), the “Doxology” (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow) and the parting “Benediction”.  In most cases, you can take your cue from other members of the congregation.  Our community includes people with physical challenges, and we invite you to stay seated at any time you feel it’s more appropriate or comfortable for you.

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Music and Singing

Newlonsburg loves music in worship, and we base our music on the Scriptural theme of the day.  Like the Psalmists, we share in our singing as a prayer.  In our early service, a Praise team leads our singing, typically with guitars, drums and piano.  In this blended style service, we incorporate traditional and modern hymns into a contemporary format.  We’re blessed with musical talent – teachers and students from our Music Academy frequently enhance our worship, with cellists, clarinetists, flautists, brass, saxophonists, even a jazz band!  At this service you may hear anything from harp to bagpipes! click here for more information.

In our second service, in the Sanctuary, singing is accompanied by organ or piano, and led by our Sanctuary choir of about 30 volunteers. This service is a more traditional Presbyterian service, where service music includes a Kyrie, Gloria Patri and traditional hymns. There’s a special anthem each week to support the Scriptural theme, and the Sanctuary choir offers a variety of music ranging from African songs like “Siyahamba”, to the classical excerpts from Mozart’s Sparrow Mass.  Sometimes our Hand Bell Choir rings us an anthem and an offertory. For Christmas and Easter, we hire professional musicians, like brass quartets, string ensembles and tympanists, to enhance our worship services.  click here for more information.

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Bible Readings

There are usually two readings from the Bible – one from the Old Testament and one from the New.  These may come from a 3-year rotational schedule called “the lectionary”, which is chosen by the Christian church as a whole, or they may be chosen by the pastor to support the sermon of the day.  In general, the readings and the music will be related to the sermon topic.

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Sermon

At Newlonsburg we have a history of excellent preachers. Our sermon topics are available in advance.

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Communion

Once a month, and on some additional occasions, we celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion (known by some as “the Lord’s Supper” or “the Eucharist”).  All Christians are welcome to participate.  You’ll probably hear the pastors say “all who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are welcome” – and they really mean it.  The sacrament is open to everyone, regardless of religious denomination, church affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, race, language or age.  If you’re not comfortable, or don’t understand the ritual well enough to take part, just stay in your seat and don’t worry.  No one will pressure you to take part.  But if you want to take part but don’t know what to do, just do what others around you are doing.  In our Fellowship Hall service, we line up at one of the Communion stations, and when we get to the server, we break off a piece of bread, dip it in the grape juice, and eat it.  One of those stations will serve gluten-free bread. Then we return to our seats.  In our Sanctuary service, the elements (bread and grape juice) are brought to each pew, and passed from person to person – each person takes a piece of bread (all gluten free) before passing it on – and each person takes a glass on juice before passing it on.  Again, if you don’t wish to take part, just pass the elements on to the person beside you.  An usher will collect them at the end of your pew.

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The Offering

The Offering is an act of worship for Christians.  It is a symbol of our belief that everything we have comes from God.  It is also an act of generosity, to support the ministry programs at our own church and the many programs we support across the United States and around the world to help others.

In the Fellowship Hall service, offering baskets are on the tables, or at the end of a row of chairs.  The offering is announced by the pastor, and people contribute cash or envelopes.  As our guest, we don’t expect you to participate in the offering – but you’re certainly welcome to contribute, if you wish to. Consider the worship service our gift to you, with our hope that it gives you spiritual sustenance.

If you decide to make Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church your church home (and we hope you do!), we hope you will consider regular participation in our offering, and choose from many different ways to contribute your time and talents and resources.

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Special Needs and Accessibility

Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church is fully wheelchair accessible – see Handicapped Access above.

If you have other needs, please ask an usher or greeter for assistance.  At the 11:00 service we offer hearing assistance, and large print bulletins are available at both services for those who need them.

If you have someone in your family who cannot come to worship, please ask the pastor or an usher about getting a CD of the 11:00 service.

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Restrooms

Restrooms are available in Fellowship Hall and next to Common Ground.  For the second service, restrooms are between the Sanctuary and the Ed Wing.  For our summer patio service, which is held on the patio outside the ARC, restrooms are available inside, on the way to the Ed Wing.

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Sunday School for Adults

In the school year we offer a variety of Sunday school options from 9:45 to 10:45 between services.

• Adult Bible Study – usually a video, followed by discussion – in Common Ground
• Contemporary Issues – a discussion group – in the Adult Meeting Room
• Lectio Divina – reading, listening, and reflecting to understand the Word – in the Ed. Wing
• Twenty/Thirty Something – topical discussion – in Fellowship Hall
• Children’s Sunday School classes – curriculum available – in the Education Wing
• MINTEC – an adult education class for exceptional citizens – in Common Ground
• Labyrinth – an ancient Christian spiritual tool – available in the ARC

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The Gloria Patri, so named for its first two words in Latin, is a short hymn praising God and declaring faith in the Holy Trinity.   It is also known as the Lesser Doxology, to distinguish it from the Greater Doxology, Gloria in Excelsis Deo.  The lyrics have their roots in the 2^nd century, and the Trinitarian language comes from Matthew 28:19, the great commission.  The tune we sing was composed by Henry Wellington Greatorex in 1851.

Why do we sing the Gloria Patri, along with the Doxology, most weeks in worship?  In the study of the human brain, scientists find that musical activity involves nearly every region of the brain that we know about, along with every neural subsystem.  At a deeper level, the emotions that we experience in response to music involve structures deep in the amygdala, the heart of emotional processing in the brain cortex.   Melodies and lyrics are firmly lodged in our heads and hearts – we know that for those with dementia, familiar music and lyrics remain when all other memories fade away.  And so if it is music that is stored most deeply within us, why not encourage those memories to be the hymns  “Glory be to the Father”, and “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow?”

Week 42: Why do we have greeters at each service?

Our church greeters, with a handshake, a smile and a greeting, are demonstrating hospitality to all who enter our worship space. As part of our church’s responsibility to offer hospitality, our greeters demonstrate that all are welcome at Newlonsburg. Organizing the greeters is the responsibility of the Board of Deacons, with Lynne O’Connor scheduling the greeters eachweek.

The biblical basis for hospitality is clear in both the Old and New Testaments. God’s people remember that they were once strangers and refugees who were taken in by God (Deuteronomy 10:19). And in Romans 12:13 we are reminded to “Share with God’s people who are in need.Practice hospitality.”

“To welcome the stranger is to acknowledge him as a human being made in God’s image; it is to treat her as one of equal worth with ourselves – indeed, as one who may teach us something out of the richness of experiences different from our own.”

-Ana Maria Pineda, from the Valparaiso Project on the Education and Formation of People in Faith

Week 43: Why do we have Small Talk?

The Book of Order reminds us, “Children bring special gifts to worship and grow in the faith through their regular inclusion and participation in the worship of the congregation.”   And from Matthew 21:16b “out of the mouth of infants and nursing children you have prepared praise.”   Often our children proclaim the gospel in a most powerful way!  Through Small Talk, our pastors spend time with the children exploring the day’s scripture or season or theme for the worship service.

Week 44: Where do the kids go after Small Talk?

During the hymn after Small Talk, parents may take their young children to one of three special places where the children are cared for during worship.  The youngest children (babies and toddlers) go to the nursery, which is right around the corner from the sanctuary.  Pre-schoolers (about age two to five) spend their time in the Log Cabin Room at the end of the education wing, where they enjoy a bible-based story and craft along with playtime.   Children ages four through second grade are invited to attend “Children and Worship” in the Common Ground area beneath Fellowship Hall; this service follows the adult order of worship and involves a storyteller.  This program uses “Young Children at Worship”, based on Montessori methodology using hallmark biblical stories.

All of these programs are staffed by teams of volunteers. Are you interested in learning more about our childcare offerings, or joining one of the teams?  Contact Laurie Lach for 8:30 Childcare, Cindy Hopper for 11:00 childcare, or Lori Livingston for Children and Worship.

Week 45: What is World Communion Sunday?

World Communion Sunday, observed on the first Sunday in October, is a time when many Christian denominations celebrate our oneness in Christ in the midst of the world we are called to serve.   World Communion Sunday originated in the mid-1930s (here in Pittsburgh, at Shadyside Presbyterian Church) at a time when North Americans were experiencing the economic upheaval of the Great Depression, and many were concerned about the instability in Europe and the possibility of another world war.  A group of Presbyterian ministers met to pray and talk about the church’s role in such a time. Rediscovering the unifying power of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, they reaffirmed that in Christ all Christians are one, regardless of nationality, race, or ethnicity. From their meeting came the first World Communion Sunday in 1936.  In the years that followed other denominations began to celebrate this special Sunday.

Week 46: What is the difference between Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs?

The phrase “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” is a reference to Ephesians 5:19-20; “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So what’s the difference among the three?  Psalms are the actual psalms from scripture, often accompanied by an instrument.  Hymns are those songs that have been specifically written for the purpose of praise to God, adoration or prayer.  And spiritual songs are those that come to us directly from the Holy Spirit.

And so from Colossians 3:16; “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sign psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to Go.”

Week 47: What is the difference between the great choir and the chancel choir?

Song unites the faithful in common prayer; singing is a response which engages the whole self in prayer.  As a congregation, our combined voices become what is called the great choir; our group of singers that lead us is often known as the chancel choir  (In the sanctuary our choir sits in the chancel; in Fellowship Hall, our music leaders are also be called the praise team.)  The choir, along with other music leaders and musicians, enhance and assist the whole people of God in their praise of God.  In addition to leading the congregation, they also pray on behalf of the congregation with introits, responses, and anthems.

This is in no way implies that our choirs are not also “great”; they create truly beautiful music and are great people too!  If you are considering a move from the great choir of the congregation to our chancel choir, bell choir or 8:30 music team, contact Bettie Jarosz or Nadina Bembic to learn more.

Week 48: How is the worship music selected for each week?

Our music directors for our 8:30 and 11:00 services, Nadina Bembic and Bettie Jarosz, select the music for us each week.  Listen to the lyrics of our hymns each week, and you’ll find that the themes of the scripture and sermon are reflected in the selected hymns, with the overall goal of having the music enhance our worship.   And as you listen to the music throughout the worship service, you’ll hear a variety of styles of music – contemporary and traditional, fast and slow, so that we are able to experience a variety of emotional experiences in worship.  Real-life logistics matter too – enough time to learn the music, enough copies of the music for the choir, and the talents of specific musicians all factor into the week’s music selections.

Week 49: What was reformed in the Reformation?

Martin Luther wrote a protest of the sale of indulgences and other clerical abuses in a document commonly known as the Ninety-Five Theses, which is widely regarded as the primary catalyst for the Protestant Reformation.  Luther insisted that since forgiveness was God’s alone to grant, those who claimed that indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error.   From this catalyst, reformers called the church back to faithfulness around several other issues as well – issues such as the prominence of scripture, and worship in the language of the people.

Luther’s writing was posted on October 31, 1517 and was quickly translated from Latin into German, printed, and widely copied, making the controversy one of the first in history to be aided by the printing  press.   Reformation Day is a religious holiday celebrated in remembrance of the Reformation; it is now held on the Sunday on or before October 31.

Week 50: Why do we do things in the same order every week?

The pastor, with the concurrence of the session, sets the pattern for our weekly worship.  The Book of Order suggests the following five major sections which you can find in our worship each week:

• Gathering around the Word, including the call to worship, a prayer or hymn of adoration and praise, and perhaps a prayer of confession.
• Proclaiming the Word, including scripture, an anthem, and a sermon.
• Responding to the Word through singing a hymn or saying a creed of the church, sharing joys and concerns, and gathering tithes and offers.
• Sealing of the Word through the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and
• Bearing and following the Word into the world including the Benediction.

Week 51: How do the ushers serve the congregation?

The concept of ushers goes back to the Old Testament, with positions known as “Doorkeepers” or “Gatekeepers”.  Jesus’ disciples could be considered ushers, in the sense that they prepared the way for Jesus, kept order among those listening to Christ, and cleaned up after a service, such as the Feeding of the Five Thousand.

Today our ushers serve the church before, during and after worship.  Their duties range from greeting people and handing out bulletins, to assisting those who need a little extra help entering the church or finding a seat, to straightening the Sanctuary or Fellowship Hall after the worship service has ended.

Are you interested in joining this team?  Contact Neil Lewis, the deacon responsible for ushers and he will be happy to tell you more.

Week 52: Why is Christ the King Sunday the theme for the end of the Christian year?

The festival of Christ the King ends the marking of Ordinary Time after Pentecost, and moves us to the threshold of Advent, the season of hope.  The day centers upon the crucified and risen Christ, whom God exalted to rule over the universe.  The celebration looks back to the Ascension, Easter, and Transfiguration, and points ahead to the appearing in glory of the King of kings and Lord of lords.