The Fairview -- Current Newsletter
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11243 Chapel Road,.......................9:45 a.m. Sunday School
Cordova, MD 21625....................11:00 a.m. Worship Service
410-364-5113
MARCH NEWSLETTER!
Publisher: Laura Swann lbswann@dmv.com 410-364-5232
Date: March 2004 fairview@goeaston.net 410-364-5113
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I hope that you have enjoyed our journey into the Book of Acts. The earliest Brethren attempted to live out their daily lives using the early church, and the New Testament as their guide. The Book of Acts gives a clear picture of how the early Christians came together and lived their lives through an obedient faith in the life and teachings of their Messiah rabbi Jesus Christ. I hope and pray that we can do the same.
All their faith was stacked upon “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.” Belief in the very Christ, Jesus, who lived among them and was brutally crucified, died, was resurrected and sits at the right hand of the Father in glory. The living Christ, who sends us the Holy Spirit as our guide until He comes again, is the foundation upon which Christians learn to build their lives. After the Holy Spirit is poured out at Pentecost, the church is formed and begins its journey.
In January I suggested that the New Year holds a promise for all of us; a promise given by the Lord, a promise that is
prepared for us, a promise that calls us to “act” as the early apostles, disciples and followers of Jesus Christ did.
According to Westminster’s Dictionary of Theological Terms, an apostle is “one who is sent”, and a disciple is
“one who follows and learns from another”. These are terms explaining the “who” of following Jesus and the Book of Acts explains the “how” of following Jesus.
The operative word here is ACT! The early church came together in fellowship, taught and lived the Word, studied the Bible, met together at church, prayed unceasingly, praised God, and enjoyed it! Can we do anything less? After all, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Let us continue to share the love of Jesus Christ with those we meet and with those with whom we live out our lives.
His Peace be with you, Pastor Tom
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The Fairview Church of the Brethren celebrates the Good News of Jesus Christ. We invite everyone to join our growing church family. We strive to walk daily with Christ in love, fellowship and service. We are committed to sharing God’s love and saving grace with all people.
Monthly Schedule
1st Sunday, 2 cent club offering
4th Sunday, Prayer Meeting 9:00 am
5th Sunday, Building Fund Offering
Mondays, J.A.M. Choir 7:00 pm, Fairview Choir 7:30 pm
1st & 3rd Mondays Children’s Choir 7 pm
Tuesdays, Bible Study at Regenia’s 3 pm
2nd Wednesday, Board Meeting 7:30
Thursdays, Prayer Gathering 7:30 pm
Please Note….
Just a reminder to all - the weekly services is again being taped onto cassettes. Anyone wishing to borrow the cassette simply needs to see Randy Swann immediately follow service - or, contact him at lbswann@dmv.com or 410-364-5232 to make advance plans. (CD’s are available -- see Randy for details)
Women’s Group
Mm! Mm! Good!! We Need Your Assistance!
The Women's Group has begun a new ministry providing meals for our Church Families in need. Please call Jeannette Miller at 4l0-822-3469 and she will arrange for our ladies to put on their aprons and create some "soul food"!
Jeannette Miller
Happy Anniversary
12 Steve & Dawn Andrews
15 Mike & Rebecca Keyton
19 Harold & Regenia Hutchison
Bill & Mary Bartholomy
Happy Birthday
6 Martha Eason
7 Helen Schwarten, Laci Patterson
8 Jodi Zeleny, Dave Lee
10 Betty Markell, Trent Riggs
11 Chris Baker
13 Elizabeth Ostermann
16 Mary Muller
20 John Williams, Jr.
22 Amanda Eason, Holly Smith
23 Connor Swann
24 Alfred Schwarten
25 A. J. Hutchison
27 Lesley Buchanan, Philip MacDonald, Jr.
28 Mark Hutchison, Rob Bayliss
29 Brian Kolakowski
31 Joy Kolakowski
Children’s Church Schedule
Please contact Jodi Richardson for the
upcoming schedule! If you would like
to be added or taken off the Children's
Church list you can reach Jodi at
410-819-8293.
Camp Mardela Happenings
The good news is that the manager’s house at Camp Mardela is coming along really well. The bad news is that they have gone over on some of the construction allowances that Stanley listed in the contract. So we need some donations from Camp Mardela supporters to help close the gap. So please if you feel led to help your check may be sent to Camp Mardela, P. O. Box 460, Denton, Md. 21625. The manager’s house is looking really nice.
By now those of you who attended camp last year should have received you registration form for this year’s camping. If you did not get one contact Pastor Tom, the church office or Mary Ellen Hutchison. Also if there are any boys and girls who are now old enough to attend we would like for you to get a registration form.
Anyone who would be willing to help as a counselor or help some other way in camp this summer please let Mary Ellen know.
Don’t forget to put Camp Clean up Day, Saturday, April 3, 2004 on your calendar because we always can use plenty of help to clean up after the winter. We are responsible for one cabin and the kitchen in Krabill Hall.
Mary Ellen Hutchison, Camp Mardela representative
Music and Worship
We are busy planning REVIVAL SERVICES on March 30, 31 and April 1 at 7:30 PM. On Tues. night we will have Pastor Bill Dory from the Dover area minister to us with Alvin Sanger's group providing the music. Thurs. night we will welcome Steve & Apryl Caldwell, The Gospel Sounds Duet, for both the word and the music.
Our goal is to have our members bring guests with them every night to witness to the Lord! Any comments or suggestions - please call Steve Saulsbury 410-822-5343 or 410-253-5343. Please mark all three nights on your calendar! Steve Saulsbury
Camp Mardela - 2004 Calendar
(*Some of the dates listed in last month’s newsletter were incorrect.)
Outdoor Ministries Emphasis Sunday March 7
(See January & February issues of The Journey for more details)
Camp Clean-Up Day April 3
Camp Appreciation Day April 25
Junior Counselor Training (ages 15 - 18) May 14 - 15
Gospel Concert June 5
Director's Meeting June 4
Counselor Training June 5
Me & You Camp June 25 - 26
Fourth & Fifth Grade Camp June 27 - July 2
Outdoor Adventures June 27 - July 2
Youth Camp (9th - 12th) July 11 - 17
Mini-Camp (2 & 3) July 18 - 20
Third & Fourth Grade Camp July 25 - 30
Jr. High Camp (7th & 8th) August 1 - 7
Fifth & Sixth Grade Camp August 8 - 13
Family Camp Weekend September 3 - 5
Apple Sauce Day September 15
Camp Supper September 18
Bird Watchers’ Retreat October 2
Volunteer Work Camp October 10 - 15
Camp Auction October 16
Fall Work Day November 6
Mardela Women’s Retreat November 12-13
Mary Ellen Hutchison
Attention: Jr/Sr High School Students
The Youth Choir is starting up again! Every Monday night at 7:00 p.m. we’ll be practicing at the church. On the 1st and 3rd Mondays, we’ll be meeting upstairs in the Beacon Class Room. Everyone in junior or senior high school is welcome! This is not a J.A.M. meeting - this is just for the choir! Everyone is welcome! Come and see what we’re singing and give it a try! Laura Swann
Christian Education
I want to thank everyone who has volunteered to teach our Sunday school classes. If you currently do not attend a class, we want you to give it a try. We have plenty of classes for all age groups. There is no need to register, you can join at anytime and it's totally free. Can it get any better than that?
The schedule for our Nursery (under 3 yrs) and Beginner classes (4-5 yrs) is as follows:
March 7 Nursery - Amy Beginner - Joni
March 14 Nursery - Lisa Beginner - Amy
March 21 Nursery - Amy Beginner - Leah
March 28 Nursery - Amy Beginner - Jean S.
Please make sure you receive / return your curriculum to the next person. If you are unable to do your week, just let Amy (Paul) know. If anyone has an interest in teaching or helping in any of the classes, let us know. Amy M. Hutchison
Brethren Bits
General Board positions, National Young Adult Conference, & more.
*Jeanne Davies, program assistant for Congregational Life Ministries, has announced her resignation effective Mar. 3. She has worked for the General Board since May 2003. Davies, who attends Bethany Theological Seminary in the "Connections" program, has accepted a position as associate pastor with Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Ill.
*Lyall and Vivian Sherred returned to Nigeria Feb. 1 as program volunteers through the Global Mission Partnerships Office of the General Board. They will teach at the Kulp Bible College of Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) for six months. For the last several years the Sherreds have made repeated visits to Nigeria and have served previously at the college as well as at the Theological College of Northern Nigeria.
*Registration for the denomination's first large-scale National Young Adult Conference (NYAC), scheduled for June 14-18 in Winter Park, Colo., stood at 160 as of early February. The site can accommodate 500. About 70 percent of those who have registered to date have never before attended a denominational young adult conference, according to Becky Ullom, NYAC coordinator. Registration remains open through April 15 at www.nyac2004.org.
*Annual Conference moderator Chris Bowman, India consultant Bob Gross, and General Board Global Mission Partnerships executive director Merv Keeney will travel to India to meet with church partners Feb. 25 to March 5. The delegation will meet with India Brethren leadership about next steps to rebuild relationships after 30 years of separation. The group will also meet with the Church of North India. This visit implements the 2003 Annual Conference action directing relationship with both churches.
*More than 130 people attended a symposium entitled "Lost in Florida: Rekindling Your First Love for Jesus Christ," at St. Petersburg First Church of the Brethren Jan. 31. Featured speakers were James Myer of White Oak Church of the Brethren, Manheim, Pa., and Paul Mundey, pastor of Frederick (Md.) Church of the Brethren. Other presenters were Don White on personal evangelism, Carol Yeazell on prayer and spiritual growth, Merle Crouse on missions, and Nancy Knepper Cruz on the "Percept" program. St. Petersburg pastor Terry Hatfield coordinated the event.
*Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) has received $50,000 from Johnson & Johnson to facilitate distribution of 12,500 Tibozole treatments for HIV/AIDS patients in Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Dominican Republic, Congo, and Haiti. Tibozole is used to treat oro-pharyngeal candidiasis, or thrush, one of the most frequent complaints of those living with HIV/AIDS, according to African home-based care health workers. The Church of the Brethren is an agency partner in IMA, which warehouses medical supplies at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
*Church World Service (CWS) is preparing to assist refugees from Haiti, in response to the escalating political and humanitarian crisis there. In addition, "Haitians are hungry," said a CWS press release. A worsening food crisis was exacerbated by floods in December. CWS has had a long-standing presence in Haiti and supports Haitian asylum seekers and detainees in the US.
*A National Council of Churches (NCC) delegation returned from Cuba convinced of the importance of maintaining contact with churches there, according to an NCC press release. The 30-member group spent Jan. 22-28 in Cuba, led by NCC general secretary Bob Edgar. They heard concerns about the US trade embargo, travel restrictions, and aggressive rhetoric. They were among 2,000 who came from around the world for the consecration of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the first new church to be constructed in Cuba in more than 40 years. President Fidel Castro and other government officials were present for the consecration.
*A Church World Service (CWS) Forum on Domestic Disaster Ministry will offer education and an opportunity for discussion among disaster ministry professionals and volunteers who plan and implement response by the faith community. The March 27-31 event at Princeton (N.J.) Theological Seminary was created by disaster ministry staff and volunteers from the Church of the Brethren, Lutheran Disaster Response, Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. It is the first such meeting sponsored by CWS.
*Southern Ohio District is offering deacons a one-day workshop on "Nurturing the Spiritual Life of Deacons" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 6 at New Carlisle Church of the Brethren. Scott Douglas, staff of the Association of Brethren Caregivers, will lead the event. Participants will explore how personal and corporate spiritual formation shapes and directs care giving, and will look at ways to develop spiritually. Cost is $10 per person. Congregations should let the district office know by March 1 the number of deacons they are sending.
15) NCC offers reflection guide for "Passion of the Christ" film.
A reflection guide to Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ" is offered by the National Council of Churches (NCC) to help Christians think through issues raised by the film.
"The Passion of the Christ," opens Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25, and already has generated both rave reviews and controversy. The NCC Interfaith Relations Commission, which issued the guide, does not comment on the film but rather offers Christian viewers a framework in which to see and discuss it. The guide is available on the NCC website www.ncccusa.org.
The guide recognizes that the story of Christ's Passion is deeply meaningful to Christians and that dramatic depictions can be a powerful experience of faith. Such depictions also have a tragic history, sometimes leading to the labeling of Jews as "Christ-killers" and to acts of violence against Jews. Many Christian and Jewish leaders are concerned that the movie might set back decades of Jewish-Christian relations, an NCC release said.
Addressing the question "Who killed Jesus?" the guide reminds readers that Jesus was born a Jew and li
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