In this Issue:
Vol. 3 No. 7
Covering 3/25/07 - 4/7/2007
March 25
Fifth Sunday in Lent
New Members Received, 11:00
Hank Fairman, preaching
Ecclesiastical Council for Rev. Fairman,
3:00 pm
Hank's Service of Installation, 4:00 pm
Reception, 5:15 pm
April 1
Palm Sunday
Janet Parker, preaching
Faure Requiem, 12:30-1:15 pm
(Child Care)
April 5
Maundy Thursday
Tenebrae Communion
Texts- The Last Supper & Good Friday
THE NEXT TWO ROCK SPRING NEWS DEADLINES ARE MONDAY MARCH 26 &
MONDAY APRIL 9
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8
Sunday April 1, 2007
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 22:14-23:56
PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR NOW - FOR ALL AGES AND STAGES
The 2007 Rock Spring Sock Hop Friday, April 13, 7:00 to 9:30 in Carpenter Hall.
Featuring: The best of 50's and 60's music - live band performance - games and prizes - food and bev -
locomotion and limbo - wear your period clothing if you've got 'em - yes, it's FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH - DJ in action - let's dance - a JFFL
Production. Questions? Call Dwight Rodgers 703-534-8879 (after March 23). Be There Or Be Square.
SAVE THE DATE: Women's Retreat on May
12
The next issue of the Rock Spring News will have registration information for the women's retreat, an all-day
event at Rock Spring on Saturday, May 12, to be led by the Rev. Anne Holmes on spiritual practices. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend. If
you are able to help with logistics, please contact Eileen Jinks (ejinks@comcast.net).
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
Spring is here, and it's time to think about the Strawberry Festival. Mark your calendars for Saturday,
May 19, and watch this space for more information.
UPDATE FROM YOUR CARING MINISTRY TEAM
Upcoming Training Opportunities for Lay Caregivers:
NEED TO REVIEW THE BASICS? Little River United Church of Christ is offering a substantial general introduction to lay caregiving, with
a particular focus on issues of grief and loss. The session will be facilitated by Rev. Melinda Reed, who has been trained in the UCC Called to
Care curriculum--A great opportunity for any lay caregivers who missed some of our early resource and caring sessions last year or who want a
refresher. Details: March 31st, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, lunch provided, small donation for lunch welcome. Must RSVP to office@lrucc.org, and it would also be helpful if you let Janet know you are going.
NEXT ROCK SPRING RESOURCE AND CARING SESSION: Tuesday, May 15, 7-9 pm. This will be a follow-up to the session held on January 30th
led by Don Britton that focused on resources of faith. At the May session, Chuck Wildman will lead us in further reflection on how to use the
resources of our faith--scripture, prayer, and conversation about faith--in our visitation and caregiving. Please RSVP to ellenswain@verizon.net if you plan to attend or if you would like more information.
HOW TO CONTACT US: We hope all of the Rock Spring Church family are aware of the Caring Ministry Program and will not hesitate
to let Program Coordinators know of those you know who are in need. The program is guided by Rev. Janet Parker and the Deacons' Caring Ministry
Committee chaired by Bettie Clark. Program Coordinators are Marcia Johnson for cards: majohn@comcast.net; Ann Rosser for transportation: annrosser@comcast.net; and Ellen Swain for visits: ellenswain@verizon.net. Please contact any one of those to request care.
GREEN ACTION:
This week, try using a biodegradable dishwashing soap. For example, the Washington Post recently gave a favorable review to Farmhouse Dish Soap
for cleaning super-dirty dishes. Farmhouse Dish Soap is biodegradable, and free of harsh detergents and chemicals (more information at www.sweetgrassonline.
com. There are many other brands and options that can be found at local stores. Try it! Brought to you by Rock Spring's Eco-Justice
Committee.
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HAVE A MINUTE?
by Janet Parker
As spring struggled to break out of the grip of winter, as the days begin to lengthen and brighten, and as our Lenten journey proceeded towards its
climax in Holy Week, Rock Spring completed a seventeen month long process of study, discernment, and prayer on March 18, when the Congregation voted
to accept a Council-endorsed revision to our Open and Affirming Statement which removed the last vestige of discrimination against LGBT people from
our church. The original statement, which reserved "traditional marriage" for heterosexual couples and offered same-gender couples services of
"committed union," was changed to make ceremonies of holy marriage available to all couples, regardless of gender. No more two-track system for
gay and straight couples at Rock Spring, no more separate but equal treatment. In addition, the congregation voted to extend our witness to the
principle of marriage equality and full civil rights for LGBT people beyond our own four walls into the broader society, with a powerful and
groundbreaking statement of the affirmation of Rock Spring's commitment to witness in broader public and political arenas for the civil rights of
LGBT people.
This action by Rock Spring Church, achieved through a near unanimous vote of the people attending the meeting, provides an extraordinary witness to
our own immediate community, our state, and our denomination. It sets a high standard for other churches to follow; and it clarifies beyond
doubt that our church is truly committed to full inclusion of all people regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. In the season of
Lent, as we move into Holy Week where we remember the passion of Christ, this action serves notice that we understand our vocation as the Church to
be
a public vocation, a mission which shares with Christ the call to participate in the sufferings of the world. In the context of Virginia, a
state that has the distinction of having some of the most discriminatory laws in the country in relation to LGBT people, our action inspires hope,
and it also expresses a willingness to bear the cost of our prophetic witness. For as Larry Rasmussen has said, "the public life of the church
is, in a word, the way of the cross as a community ethic." I would like to close with the words of Sam Cline one of the members of the Marriage
Equality Study Committee, which he shared with me the morning after the vote (quoted with permission):
"In the darkness, Rock Spring Church has lit a little candle. We don't want to hide it under a bushel, but we must let it shine so all can see
our light in the darkness. Then other congregations may light their own little candle and then there will be light for everyone, and the light
will spread. A new day is dawning."
IN REMEMBRANCE- ANNA BARBER
We give thanks for Anna Barber and her life with us at Rock Spring. Anna died March 12 in Brooklyn, New York after moving there the day before to be
closer to her son, Richard and his family. A memorial service is being planned for Rock Spring for Saturday, March 31
at 11:00 am, with a
reception in the Saegmuller Room. Anna will be remembered by Rock Spring and the entire metropolitan community for her tireless efforts on behalf of
generations of the poor and the needy. Our prayers are with her family.
Please keep these people in special prayers... Del Anderson (surgery)...Netty Wesselink...Charlie
Per-Lee...Catherine Carlston...Donn Henricksen...Eleanor Basler...Bob Vandivier.
LENTEN FORUM:
The War on Terror and Just Peacemaking Theory Wednesday, March 28, 7:40-9:00 pm, Saegmuller Room
Join Janet Parker on the last Wednesday in Lent to discuss the papers
which she and two other Christian ethicists presented at the Society of
Christian Ethics meeting in January and the Loyola University
conference on "Peacemaking in an Age of Terrorism" in March.
Participants will
have the opportunity to read all three papers from the panel, including
Pamela Brubaker's critique of Jean Bethke Elshtain's use of the just
war
tradition to support the war on terror, Janet's paper on the World
Council of Churches' approach to counter terrorism, and Glen Stassen's
paper on
the application of just peacemaking theory to the challenge of
terrorism. Papers may be picked up in the church office, or requested
by email
from janet@rockspringucc.org. The forum will begin after the Lenten Vespers
service.
EASTER FLOWERS
Please remember to sign up for Easter flower dedications for the Easter services on Sunday, April 8. There will be a deacon in the Saegmuller Room
collecting donations for the dedications after each service through Palm Sunday, April 1.
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VIRTUAL COMMITTEE
FORMING
Join the Centennial Planning Committee which will operate as a virtual committee (though if you don't have a computer you can still join in).
Help with developing a five year game plan for celebrating 2012, Rock Spring's centennial year. Seems far away, but we need to look now at
things that might have long lead times. Members could take on tasks like figuring out potential projects and approximating their cost.
For example, someone might look at commissioning a piece of music in honor of the centennial and work with Elizabeth Niblock on how and when we would
do so. Someone could talk or email with Rev Hank on how to involve the youth of Rock Spring. Someone could work with committee member
Dana
Kluegel on how to update our our history. All ideas are welcome. Also welcome is advice from those Rock Springers who planned the 75th
anniversary. We need to hear about the challenges you faced. Contact Gail Howell at jlhowell@cavtel.net or call her at 703-532-6779.
CALLING ALL FORMER DEACONS
If you have served on the Board of Deacons, your current board is hoping you might be willing to be called upon on occasion to serve Communion or
handle Hospitality duties. We are currently short one Deacon and would appreciate knowing who is able to supplement our ranks as the need arises. To
be part of our substitute list, please email Eileen Jinks at ejinks@comcast.net (or
703.532.7472) and specify Communion and/or Hospitality duty and whether you prefer the 9 or 11 am service. Many thanks!
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WHY DO WE SELL COFFEE IN CHURCH?
The United Church of Christ is part of Equal Exchange's Interfaith Program. Rock Spring supports this mission. Equal Exchange began in
1986 with a desire to help farmers around the world gain more control over their economic futures and to provide quality products "to nourish body
and soul." Equal Exchange's worker run coops in Latin America, Asia, and Africa must be democratically run and must seek to minimize their
impact on the environment. Small farmers get a fair price for their coffee, chocolate, and tea, and are offered pre-harvest loans as well. The
individual farmers and their communities both benefit from this exchange.
Share this vision of a better world, and buy your coffee today!
All profits help to support the YORS Mission Trip.
SOUPER BOWL OF CARING A BIG SUCCESS
A huge thank you to Middle School YoRS and to everyone at Rock spring who supported the Souper Bowl collection on February 4th. Kathy Morland
delivered 158 lbs of food and $190 in cash to AFAC on Monday, February 5th and the organization was delighted with the Middle School
YoRS participation in the project.
Anyone can go to the Souper Bowl web site at http://www.souperbowl.org/ ,
put in
the zip code for Rock Spring, and check out the totals for our church (and the running total for the whole country) -- as well as see that quite a
few churches in Arlington are participating in the Souper Bowl project.
AFAC is holding another food drive in June. If the Middle School YORS group and Rock Spring Church participates in this second food
drive, we can add the results to ourSouper Bowl totals.
Check out the Souper Bowl certificate on the church bulletin board.
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND:
Rock Spring Bible Basics
A three session survey for newcomers and for those needing a refresher.
Week One - Sunday, April 29 - All 66 (or is it 81?) books- structure - when? - by whom? Why these books?
Week Two - Sunday, May 6 - The New Testament with particular attention to Luke and Acts.
Week Three - Sunday, May 20 - The Old Testament with particular attention to Genesis and Exodus.
All sessions will be held in the Hunter Classroom Wing, second floor, last classroom on the left from 12:30 until 2:00 p.m. sharp. Coffee and
tea provided, feel free to bring a snack. Interested? Tell Dwight Rodgers in person, or at 703-534-8879, or at laurierodgers@verizon.net
The Church Staff
| Senior
Pastor |
Charles L. Wildman' |
|
Pastor for Parish Life
|
Janet L. Parker |
| Pastor for Children, Youth & Families |
Henry E Fairman |
| Director of Music |
Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock |
| Asst. Director of Music |
Edward Roberts |
|
Children's Music Ed. Director
|
Amy McDowell
|
| Office Administrator |
Ben Eckman |
| Administrative Assistant |
Lisa Mikell |
| Bookkeeper |
Lisa Mikell
|
| Property
Manager |
Don Bauman |
| Nursery
Supervisor |
Fern Lawrence |
| Infant Care
Supervisor |
Maria Elena Cortez |
|
Custodians
|
Willis Gardner &
Vicki Morales
|
| Bus Driver |
Rico Picarriello |
|
