Have a Minute?

By Hank Fairman

Each year at Lent, I select a devotional to help me put my life in faith in perspective. This year, the devotional selected me. I received in my email a note entitled “Lenten Disciplines: a daily blog-fest.” Blogs, or web-logs, are personal websites that allow folks to share their views without impunity or redaction. Sometimes, this is a bad thing; some folks just need editors. For my blog-reading habits, it has proven to be good thing—an insightful moment into perspectives I would have never known.

The “Lenten Disciplines” server sends me a link to a random blog, providing me with one person’s thoughts on Lent. Reading and praying on these has become my spiritual discipline for this time of reflection. In past times, the word “Diet” was used for spiritual disciplines, including the “Diet of Lent.” This Diet of Blogs has left me with a taste for deeper searching, and I offer to you this reflection on my Lenten journey.

Somehow, we have come into Lent with other diets, other disciplines capturing our attention. Mardi Gras (or Shrove Tuesday) came and went, though more folks called it Super Tuesday. The discipline of Ash Wednesday became a discipline of counting delegates, and guessing on Super Delegates (When I hear that term, I cannot help but picture Christopher Reeve with his blue suit and red cape.) The Diet of Delegates did not stop there, and will not for the conceivable future. Neither will Lent, our period of deep, faithful reflection.

One blogger, a “Father Neo,” wrote of Ash Wednesday:

Many have reduced Lent to a time when we give up candy or chocolate and that’s not a bad thing.

We certainly do not need more candy or chocolate in our lives. However, what brings us to the heart

of Lenten discipline are Jesus’ words: ‘For wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’

How do you know where your heart is? Easy. How do you spend your time?
How do you know where your treasure is? Easy. How do you spend your time?
TV time. Work time. Family time. Tinker time. Fun time. Me time. God time?

Jesus says, ‘when you fast, when you pray, when you give alms.’ He says ‘when’ and not ‘if.’

The greatest thing you can give God is your time. Time in doing what is right. Time in giving money

and skills, time in prayer and fasting, and studying the Scriptures.

Maybe now, more than ever, we need Lent. This Diet of Delegates will continue to leave us hollow, hungering for meaning in the face of our daily living. In this moment of indecision, we could use a change in our daily bread. We live in a world of immediate pleasure and broadband entertainment, confronted by this time of repentance and reflection. We live in a world where ease and pleasure is a right and effort and difficulty an inconvenience. We live in a world where we must stop, and listen to our Still-speaking God, and look to the mystery of our faith, and question what we are being fed.

As C. S. Lewis said, “All that is not eternal is eternally useless.” More than ever we need to be aware of our disciplines, as we seek to be disciples of Christ. We are now nearly half-way through this Diet of Lent. Each moment as we journey towards Palm Sunday and Easter is a moment to reflect . May you find the time to stick to your diet, and seek the mystery of our faith.

Bi-Weekly Church Calendar

Please click here to view the current Rock Spring bi-weekly calendar.

News & Notes

Thoughts & Prayers

Prayers are requested for Howard Hjort as he continues to recover from surgery and illness at home....Condolences to everyone in the Rock Spring family who knew and loved John "Jack" McWethy, the ABC News correspondent who died tragically in a ski accident on Feb. 6....Thanks to everyone who made the potluck for the Iraqi family a great success, and continued prayers for this wonderful family as they get on their feet with lots of love from Rock Springers

Easter Flowers

Easter is very early this year, March 23. Starting Sunday, February 24 and for the following three Sundays (ending March 16), a deacon will be collecting Easter flower donations and dedications in the Saegmueller Room after each service. Please remember to come by to dedicate Easter flowers.

Lenten Opportunities

-Wednesday worship services, 7:00-7:30 pm in the sanctuary. Led by pastors and laity. Usually quiet, meditative spiritual journeys for soul renewal. Often prayer for spiritual healing. Child Care provided.

A Celebration of Chuck's 40 Year Ministry

How do we thank him? Let us count the ways! There will be many opportunities over the next few weeks to celebrate Chuck’s long and faithful service, and Chuck and Anne’s nearly 20 years of ministry at Rock Spring. Word will be coming out shortly about all of the events taking place between now and April. Watch your mailboxes, the Rock Spring News and the Sunday bulletins. On April 5, we will be honoring Chuck and Anne during a very special evening. You should have received your invitation in the mail by now. If you have not, or if you have questions, please contact Barbara Wright. This dinner and program will be held at the Columbus Club at the Knights of Columbus, 5115 Little Falls Road, Arlington. We are strictly limited to 350 attendees at this event! We will have to cut off reservations at 350, so don’t delay if you are planning to join us for that very special evening.

Wanted: FULL-TIME, LIVE OUT CHILDCARE (Fall 2008)

In anticipation of bringing our baby home from South Korea, we would like to arrange for someone to take care of our child in our home. If you, or someone you know may be interested, please contact me. Please call Katrina Glynn Ivatts: (703) 536-5234. Thank you!

Participate in Ecumenical Advocacy Days  

From March 7-10 over 1,000 advocates from the Christian community will gather in Washington, DC to participate in the sixth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days. Participants will receive education and training from experts on how to advocate for a wide variety of U.S. domestic and international policies. The conference will culminate with with legislators on Capitol Hill, when participants will apply the new knowledge and skills they have learned.

The theme of this year’s conference is “2008: Claiming a Vision of True Security.” Speakers and workshops will center on a vision of a world in which security is not measured by military power, but by the capacity to achieve the common global good and share the resources which sustain communities. For more information about the theme, speakers, and workshops, visit www.advocacydays.org.  To participate in Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2008, register online at www.advocacydays.org/registration . To receive a reduced rate, register by February 15th. Conference participants will have the option to participate in track sessions which offer comprehensive issue briefings on a variety of issues.  "Tracks" for participants include  Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, Domestic, Jubilee & Economic Justice, Eco-Justice, and Peace and Global Security.  After the event, participants will be equipped to be knowledgeable advocates in their own communities.  

Let's send some Rock Springers to take advantage of this great opportunity this year.  If interested in going, let Janet Parker know and perhaps a group can plan to go together for part or all of this event.

Notice of change to procedure for donating to the Iraqi Family

A change in the US Tax Code effective 1 January 2007 requires that a taxpayer have a written acknowledgement from the charitable donee to whom the taypayer has made a donation of $250 or more in a single tax year in order to legally deduct the donation. In the case of Rock Spring only donations acknowledged by the Financial Secretary in the quarterly statements are deductible for tax purposes.
 
The issue has arisen because of Rock Spring’s sponsorship of an Iraqi family and the very generous response from the congregation.  In order to have any such donations to this project included in the statement that you receive from the Financial Secretary, please write any checks for this purpose to Rock Spring Congregational Church and indicate on the memo line “Disaster Fund.”  The Disaster Fund is a permanent fund that is accounted for in the church’s books, as opposed to suspense accounts that are simply “money-in” “money-out” funds that are never included on the official financial reports of the Church.  If you have already made a donation of $250 or more, you will receive a written acknowledgement from the Social Action Board.  Although, there is no guarantee that this will suffice for the IRS, it should be adequate for the purpose.

Calling All Scrapbookers

Where are your Christmas photos? Need more time (and space) to add those birthday, vacation or baptism photos to your scrapbook? Still working on your 4 year old's baby book? What happened to all of those precious grandchild photos? Join us after church in Carpenter Hall on Sunday February 24. Come for all or part of this fun and productive afternoon (12:30-4:00). Feel free to drop off your lunch, photos, scrapbook and materials (scissors, pens, paper, etc.) in Carpenter Hall before church. Questions????? Contact Susan Alverson.

Sunday School News & Notes

On February 10, we welcomed our next-newest member of the Rock Spring staff team. Janine Halton is our third Child Care Provider, giving care to our youngest RS’ers. Between Fern, Roxanne, and Janine, we will offer two staff caregivers each week for both services and special events! Stop by the Infant & Toddler Nurseries and introduce yourself!

There’s a new “buzz” around the Infant & Toddler Nurseries, too! In the hope of better serving the needs of our families, the Board of Christian Education has invested in an “On Site Pager” system. When you drop off your child with our excellent caregivers, you will receive a small vibrate-only pager. Parents, if you are needed, we’ll “buzz.” We hope that the pagers will allow our families with younger children the freedom to share deeper in the life of the congregation.

For more information on all of our Christian Education programs, please visit www.rockspringucc.org/html/education.

Confirmation Class

With the varied and busy lives our youth lead today, this year’s Confirmation Class agreed to meet on Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:30, on a (mostly) every-other-week schedule. Upcoming dates and homework for Confirmation are:

Senior High YoRS Summer Mission Experience 2008

Got a hammer? Let’s put the final nails in this year’s Summer Mission experience! Our criteria for selecting a mission site for this year’s trip were: 1) Home construction/rehab work; 2) With other youth groups; 3)  in an urban setting.

We’ve met all three!  The Pittsburgh Project (Pittsburgh, PA) is a community development organization with a 22-year track record of developing leaders and serving the city’s most vulnerable residents. This program performs free home repairs for Pittsburgh’s in-need elderly homeowners, and spearheads economic development and anti-violence efforts in our Pittsburgh neighborhood.  You can read more about them at: pittsburghproject.savvior.com

A big thanks to Taryn Roman and Jason Henderson for volunteering to chaperone this year’s trip! We still have two slots for adult leaders (one male, one female). If you are interested, and available, please contact yors@rockspringucc.org.

The Details:
Who: High School Youth, who have completed 9th grade
When: June 29-July 5 (as agreed)
How much: $450, with food/lodging/transportation included
**Please note: the cost per person will go down, based on our fund raising.  In the case of financial need, please contact Pastor Hank personally (and confidentially).

Registration:
Our YoRS Mission Experience Group Covenant form, Rock Spring Medical Release form, and a $50 deposit are due by our meeting on 3/3. These are available from Pastor Hank. Please make checks payable to Rock Spring Congregational UCC, with a memo of “Senior High Mission Experience 2008”
Forms are available via email yors@rockspringucc.org.
The balance of fees is due 4/27.

Senior High YoRS Dates:

Youth of Rock Spring (YoRS)

For our journey through Lent, the Middle High YoRS group will be investigating The Many Names for God in our world. This will be an immersion journey into religious traditions other than our own! Members and Friends of Rock Spring, if you have shared in the traditions of Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Orthodox Christianity, Mormonism, or one of the many faces of God, we’d love to have your help sharing the faith and practices. Please contact yors@rockspringucc.org, and we’ll work out the weekly presentation schedule.

Middle High YoRS Dates:

For more information on our Middle High and Senior High Youth Ministries, please email yors@rockspringucc.org.

Church Staff