Have a Minute?

By Janet Parker

“To Keep a True Lent”

It’s that time of the year again—Lent. What is the season of Lent? In the liturgical calendar, it marks the 40 day period leading up to Easter. It’s the liturgical stepchild for many Protestants who only recently have reclaimed it as part of our spiritual heritage, after years of rejecting it as too “Catholic.” Even now, we have lingering suspicions about it. What is it really all about? It seems to hearken back to an earlier time when people wore hair shirts, fasted, practiced self-denial as a serious spiritual discipline, or spent excessive amounts of time worrying about real and imagined sins. Yet even in the liberal UCC, we have reclaimed Ash Wednesday and many of our churches, like Rock Spring, practice the imposition of ashes to mark our entry into Lent. But what, really, are we to make of this ancient tradition? How do we pour old liturgical wine into the new wineskins of a progressive, forward-looking Christian church? Believe it or not, I think we can take a clue from a 17th century English poet, Robert Herrick, who has a thing or two to say about how “To Keep a True Lent.” Herrick writes:

Is this a Fast, to keep
the larder lean?
And clean
From vat of veals and sheep?
Is it to quit the dish
of flesh, yet still
To fill
The platter high with fish?
Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragg’d to go,
Or show
A down-cast look and sour?
No: ‘tis a Fast to dole
Thy sheaf of wheat
And meat
With the hungry soul.
It is to fast from strife
And old debate,
And hate;
To circumcise thy life.
To show a heart grief-rent;
To starve thy sin,
Not bin;
And that’s to keep thy Lent.

Herrick suggests that Lent is less about self-denial for self-denial’s sake, and more about practicing frugality so that we may share our blessings with others. It’s less about navel-gazing or self-flagellating criticism and more about refraining from judging others and building the beloved community. It does require some honest self-examination, yes, and perhaps even repentance (remembering my suggestion from Advent that repentance can mean “rethink everything”), but let’s remember that the goal is not guilt but grace, and that the wilderness journey of Lent, undertaken with courage and heart, leads not only to the cross, but to an empty tomb and a new community of faith.

News & Notes

Bi-Weekly Church Calendar

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

Thoughts & Prayers

Continued prayers are requested for Mary Appling and Mandy Ellis,  who are both recovering well after returning home from the hospital.

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.

Annual Meeting Affirms Future

Our Jan. 27 Annual Meeting nearly overflowed Agnes Carpenter Fellowship Hall. After a delicious lunch prepared by Women’s Fellowship, Council President Beth Porter led a time of gratitude for the ministries of the Wildmans, other staff and lay leaders. Moderator Mark Jinks skillfully guided the group through various items of business. Highlights:

-After thoughtful debate, Council’s recommended 2008 Church Budget passed with a strong majority. The budget includes funds for an interim senior pastor to begin in June but also has a $50,000 deficit to be addressed later in the year. The congregation committed itself to increased pledges, a careful watch on expenditures and possibly requesting a one-time assist from the Endowment Fund (in addition to the interest income already budgeted for this budget.)

-The recommended changes in the member roles were voted with corrections.

-All nominees for 2008 officers were approved with appreciation by to the Nominating Committee, chaired by Peggy Greenwood. After the meeting, the ’08 Council voted Jim Meehan as President, Gail Howell, Vice Pres. Marie Morris is the new Church Clerk. Jackie Brown will serve as Treasurer for one year, completing the unexpired term of Steve Hawkins, who resigned to become Financial Secretary.

-After serious consideration, the body voted- under “other business appropriate to come before the meeting”- to begin a process to convert the Pastor for Parish Life position into a called position. Council President is to appoint a committee to work on this project jointly with the Potomac Association Church and Ministry Committee.

OWL Training Event and News About OWL at Rock Spring

By Christina Fairman, for the OWL Launch Team

The Our Whole Lives / Sexuality and Our Faith (OWL) Training event hosted in Neighborhood House from January 25 through January 27 was a huge success! We had eleven participants: five from Rock Spring, two from Florida, one from Norfolk, VA, one from New York and one from Canada. Our trainers were June Grubb (a UCC minister) and Houston Hall (a minister with standing in the UCC) from North Carolina.

The OWL Launch Team is pleased to report that our trainers said that Rock Spring provided one of the best venues they have ever had. Everyone commented on how welcoming the congregation was. All were grateful for the delicious food prepared by John Roman, Gina Dale, Ann Divecha and Ann Parcell.

We are grateful for the support from the entire congregation. Without your support for the OWL program, we would not have been able to offer this training. Without your help we would not have been able to host such a great event. In particular, we thank the Rock Spring families who opened their homes. You made it possible for the OWL Launch Team to offer home hospitality to our out-of-town participants. A special thanks to those who provided transportation for participants.

What made this training most successful was the certification of our Rock Spring OWL Leaders for Grades K-1 and Grades 4-6. Congratulations to the “3 A.M. Team”: Ashley Martinage, Allen Moore and Anne Moredock! 3 A.M. is an amazing team with great facilitation skills. We look forward to offering OWL Grades 4-6 under their leadership. Rev. Hank Fairman and Christina Fairman were also certified as OWL Leaders.

Look for more OWL news coming soon! Remember: you can always send questions or comments to owl@rockspringucc.org.

Rock Spring Sponsoring Iraqi Family

Potluck Dinner For The Iraqi Family

Come to the Potluck Lunch on Sunday, February 10 at 12:30 p.m. to welcome the Salam Family to Rock Spring! They are the Iraqi refugee family that our church is sponsoring while they get settled in their new life in the U.S. Bring a dish to share and come meet the family of seven at a potluck lunch in Carpenter Hall. If your last name starts with:

A - H please bring a salad
I - M please bring a main dish
N - S please bring a dessert
T - Z please bring drinks to share

We’d like to give the meal an international flair, so please bring an international dish if you can (but American food is fine too). No pork,please! We hope to have a good turn-out, so we’ll see you there!

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 taxpayer 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.

We Support Our OCWM

Rock Spring’s 2007 contribution to Our Church’s Wider Mission was $85,575. See Sara Fitzgerald’s letter below.

To the Clergy and Congregations of the Central Atlantic Conference:

We have just finished tallying your gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM) for the 2007 calendar year and are very pleased to report that overall, Central Atlantic Conference congregations contributed more than $1.213 million, which represented an increase of 1.12 percent over 2006.
 
This continues our congregations’ trend of increased giving to OCWM, for which both the Conference leadership and the wider United Church of Christ are very grateful.
 
Thirty-five percent of your gifts are sent on to the global and national ministries of the United Church of Christ, in accordance with the budget that was approved at our last annual meeting. A few days ago, I received a letter from Rev. John Thomas, president and general minister of the United Church of Christ, in which he thanked the CAC for its generous sharing of OCWM basic support.  “The gifts from your churches enable significant mission—mission that belongs to God and that all of us do together. I believe and know that only together—as congregations, Conferences, and National setting—can we be the United Church of Christ that the future will demand.”
 
Rev. Thomas also recognized the CAC’s participation in the Covenant Keeper program, through which congregations are recognized for intentional growth or outstanding giving to OCWM.  Last year, 51 CAC congregations were recognized as Covenant Keepers. If you would like to find out more about this Stewardship program, please let us know.
 
Thanks again for your generous support this past year.
 
In Christ,
Sara Fitzgerald
President
Central Atlantic Conference Board of Directors

Attention 2008 Card Ministry Volunteers

by Marcia Johnson

Please let me know if you did not receive general information about the program and a list of card writers & assignments for 2008. The information was sent via e-mail or letter in mid-December. Please contact me by e-mail or by phone if you need any information or have other questions. Thanks.

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.

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.

Eco-Justice Green Tip of The Week

If you see green English ivy on your property, remove this non-native, invasive plant. Start at your property borders. Remove ivy by hand pulling, cutting and mulching over top, and expect to re-treat a few times for complete elimination. Try it! Brought to you by the Rock Spring Eco justice Committee.

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:

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: www.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.

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:

Senior High YoRS Dates:

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

Church Staff