Feb. 11 - Women's Sunday
Services of Worship at 9:00 & 11:00
Designed and Presented by Rock Spring Women.
Amy McDowell, preaching
Feb. 18 - Transfiguration Sunday
Services of Worship at 9:00 & 11:00
"An Extraordinary Day"
Chuck Wildman, preaching
Feb. 21 - Ash Wednesday
Service of Prayer & Imposition of Ashes
Sanctuary
7:00 - 7:30 pm
Child care provided
THE NEXT TWO ROCK SPRING NEWS DEADLINES ARE MONDAY FEBRUARY 12 & MONDAY FEBRUARY 26
Isaiah 6:1-13
Psalm 138
Luke 5:1-11
Sunday February 18, 2007
Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
II Corinthians 3:12-4:2 Luke 9:28-36, (37-43)
STAFF DOINGS
Congratulations to Lisa Mikell who has been appointed to the position of part time Bookkeeper. Lisa assumes this
position in addition to her full time duties as Administrative Assistant...Thanks to Christine Amaratti for her dedicated and skilled service as
Bookkeeper for the last several years
2007 COUNCIL ELECTS BETH PORTER CHAIR
Immediately after adjournment of the Annual Meeting, the '07 chairs of all church boards, the at-large council members, and other officers, and
pastors, met to elect new leadership. Vice Chair Beth Porter, was elected unanimously as Council President. Council is enthusiastic about
Beth's process skills and the new insights she brings as a "next generation" leader of Rock Spring in a time of challenge and change. Long time
member and church leader, Jim Meehan, was elected as Vice Chair. Denise Calvert continues her term as Clerk of the Church. Church Council
heads to its annual planning retreat in Harper's Ferry, WVA Feb. 23-24.
UP AND COMING JFFAL EVENTS(Just For Fun And Laughter)
New JFFAL Event--Matinee at Signature Theatre
JFFAL
is
sponsoring an outing to Arlington's own Signature Theatre's opening
production "Into the Woods" by Stephen Sondheim, Sunday February 18, at
2:00 p.m.
This musical in Signature's new Shirlington building will be followed
by a special back stage tour and dinner at nearby Charlie Chiang's.
Cost for
the
show is $46 and dinner, $23. For information contact Cherie or John
Bottum or any other JFFAL member, JSBottum@aol.com or 703-536-4120.. Sign up and buy your ticket
soon.
JFFAL Lunch & Wine Tasting
JFFAL invites you to lunch and wine tasting at Naked Mountain Vineyard (NM) www.nakedmtnwinery.com on Saturday, March 10th! A caravan will leave at 10:30, returning
around 2:30, and the cost is $20 per person. The lasagna lunch is a 15-year tradition at NM and comes highly recommended. To sign-up contact
Catherine Gahres, (703) 237-8611, or cgahres@verizon.net, by Feb. 24th
(indicate if you'd like sausage or vegetarian lasagna). There is only space for 24, so sign-up early! Carpools will be arranged. Visit the NM web
site for details about their delicious lunch and wine offerings!
LENTEN BOOK STUDY OFFERED BY ECO-JUSTICE
COMMITTEE
3 Wednesday evenings after Lenten Vespers, beginning at 7:30 in the Saegmuller Room February 28, March 7, March 14
Lent offers a wonderful opportunity to spend some time in study and
reflection together on issues of importance to our spirituality and the
world we
live in. This Lenten season, the Eco-justice Committee invites one and
all to come and join us in reading and discussing Thomas Berry's
well-known
book, The Great Work: Our Way Into The Future. Janet Parker
will facilitate the sessions. To quote Ursula Goodenough, professor of
Biology
at Washington University in St. Louis, "Thomas Berry is one of the most
eminent cultural historians of our time. Here he presents the
culmination of
his ideas and
urges us to move from being a disrupting force on the Earth to a benign
presence. The transition is the Great Work--the most necessary and
most
ennobling work we will ever undertake." Berry is a former Catholic
priest, and his work is deeply spiritual, and broadly interfaith in its
reach. Purchase or order the books in the Saegmuller room after
services on Sunday, or buy through Amazon.com or your local bookstore.
Our reading schedule will be as follows:
February 28:
Read the Introduction through chapter 6
March 7:
Read chapters 7-11
March 14:
Read chapters 12-17
PROPERTY BOARD SEEKS NIGHTLY LOCK-UP VOLUNTEERS
FOR 2007
To help ensure that the
Church is fully locked-up on a nightly basis given all the activities
that occur
on the grounds, the Property Board seeks the assistance of volunteers who can routinely lock-up on a weekly basis. If you are able to help
with this recurring and important task, or are able to continue your
current duties for another year, please contact Bill Wiggins at
wfbmawiggins@verizon.net or (703) 486-3631.
GREEN ACTION:
Previously, we suggested using newspaper instead of paper towels to
clean your windows. Instead of using store-bought glass cleaner, try
mixing
equal parts vinegar and water, and putting the mixture in a spray
bottle. Try it! Brought to you by Rock Spring's Eco-Justice Committee.
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Top
LEARN ABOUT
OUR
POTOMAC
ASSOCIATION
Visit the new association website: www.potomacucc.org. Thanks to our own Sara Fitzgerald, who serves as the President of the CAC Conference Board of
Directors.
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BI-WEEKLY
CHURCH CALENDAR
In an effort to create the most effective enews for you, we are
starting a 3 issue trial of sending the bi-weekly calendar in a
separate email.
Please look for it in your inbox. This should reduce the number of printed pages to less than 10 and make the calendar easier to read and
understand.
-- Ben Eckman
THE JOURNEY OF LENT?
While much of the busy world will pay scant notice, Christians everywhere will quietly begin a treasured spiritual journey on the 21st of February,
Ash Wednesday, and extending forty weekdays before Easter, April 8. Lent, (from ME lente, springtime) has been observed by the Roman, Eastern and
Anglican churches from ancient times up to the present, when some of us Protestants adopted the practice. Many of us find Lent a helpful
spiritual preparation for the celebration of the Resurrection. In most UCC churches, special study, prayer and service provide needed
re-orientation as we seek understanding, empathy and faith in the Resurrection Story.
At Rock Spring, we begin with a powerful Ash Wednesday service, Feb. 21, 7:00-7:30 pm. We will gather in the candlelit sanctuary for quiet
music, scripture, confession and the imposition of ashes (optional). The following Lenten Wednesdays, quiet meditation and prayers also will be
offered at the same time, led by pastoral staff and lay leaders.
During Holy Week, the remarkable Tenebrae Communion Service will be shared on Maundy Thursday, April 5, 7:30-8:30 pm. And, as is our tradition,
Easter Morning, we will hold three Resurrection celebrations at 6:00, 9:00 and 11:00. In addition, the Church School and Youth Ministry
programs
will offer still more opportunities for Lenten learning and fellowship. Several adult education offerings also are planned, including Janet
Parker's book study (see article), the regular Sunday video theology class, the Tuesday Pastors' Lectionary class, and more. For folks at home, the
weekly scripture texts are listed in the Rock Spring News. 'See you on the journey!
ROCK SPRING'S 84TH ANNUAL MEETING CELEBRATES VOLUNTEERS
After a tasty lunch by the women (and some men) of Rock Spring, the January 28 meeting was called together at 12:45 pm by Moderator Mark Jinks.
Over 125 people were in attendance. The group sang "Happy Birthday to Hank Fairman," whose birthday is indeed Jan. 28. Janet Parker was
recognized for completing her first full year at Rock Spring, and for her energetic ministries in social justice. Another highlight
of the meeting was Council President Peggy Greenwood's recognition of several lay people- representing hundreds more- whom she said spend
extraordinary time and effort to keep the church facilities, grounds and programs humming. The full list is in the minutes of the meeting.
The 2006 Annual Report of the Congregation's officers, boards and committees was reviewed with questions, clarifications and additions. The
report was approved with appreciation for all of the hard work. (The final audit report will be appended as soon as it is completed, with fully
completed reports available from the church office as soon as possible.)
The 2007 Budget Goals were adopted without change after considerable comment. There main concern is that we work hard to raise funds for the
2008 church budget to compensate for the expected lack of a major carryover enjoyed this year. The pledge campaign coordinators stated that,
while our campaign was very good, it still lagged behind the needed total to carry three full time ordained pastors on the staff, as voted by the
congregation. The total church budget for 2007, including all benvolences local and national and global is $901,752. Benevolences are
budgeted at $135,646, with $85,575 to OCWM (Our Church's Wider Mission of our United Church of Christ).
The list from the Board of Deacons of membership reclassifications was voted as printed after one individual was first deleted due to a clerical
error. The number of people removed from the roles (according to our Church Constitution's requirements) due transfers or significant
lack of interest over many years in spite of kindly reminders was 36.
All recommendations of the Nominating Committee for new members of church boards and council at large were approved. Two addition volunteers
were
nominated and elected from the floor of the meeting. A complete list of 2007 church officers and board members is posted outside the office and
available from the office at any time.
Under "any other business appropriate to come before the meeting," Senior Pastor Chuck Wildman asked for a moment to read a paragraph on behalf of
all three pastors. The statement concerned the on-going issue of clergy signing state wedding licenses and any possible relation of that action
to the on-going congregational discussion on amending the Rock Spring Open and Affirming Statement of 2000 to support equality in marriage for all
couples regardless of gender. The pastors' paragraph declared that, "for the present time," the practice of Rock Spring clergy signing state marriage
licenses
would continue without change. Chuck commented that, while the pastors believe that the issue of clergy being made agents of the state,
especially in a state like Virginia in which marriage laws are seriously discriminatory to entire classes of people, is a serious issue that deserves
careful discussion, such discussion most helpfully could come at a time in which it could receive its own clear focus. After a few questions
for
clarification and a plea from one member that the pastors guarantee that they would never refuse to sign a state marriage license, the topic was
dropped.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:15 pm with prayer by Rev. Parker.
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Prayers are with Allen Moore on the death of his mother, Marion Moore, January
28 in California... the family of Bob Frederick, husband of long-time church office
administrator, Rosemary.
Bob's memorial service was held in the sanctuary Feb. 6. Interment will be in Rock Spring Terrace at a later date. Memorials to the Endowment
Fund ...and also with former member Sarah Mowitt on the recent death of her father, William Allen, in Rockport, MA ...We also keep
many in prayer for
health and peace, including Olive Swinney, Netty Wesselink, Donn Henricksen, Janet Moore, Anna Barber,
Catherine Carlston,
Bob Schmidt, Bob Vandivier... Congratulations to Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock and Rob Niblock, and to proud
grandparents
Daena and Ken Kluegel, on the baptism Jan. 21 of Nathaniel John Niblock...We pray for Rock Spring young men
in uniform who are stationed in dangerous places, including Robert Morris (Afghanistan) and Ryan Frederick
(Iraq). Are there others? Please let us know.
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CONGREGATION DISCUSSES MARRIAGE
EQUALITY
This I Believe...About Marriage Equality
by Samuel Cline
Because God does not discriminate against certain minorities but loves
all people, I feel that we humans can do no less, but should follow the
teachings of Jesus Christ. Therefore the injustices visited upon LGBT,
blacks, hispanics, the American Indian, Muslims, Jews and others should
be stopped immediately. I believe two people who love each other should
be able to marry and receive all the rights that are bestowed on all
marriages.
Discussions on a proposed revision of our Open and Affirming Statement.
The congregation is invited to participate in an ongoing series of Listening and Discussion Sessions on a proposed revision of our Open and
Affirming Statement, as part of the consultation process for the March 18 Congregational Meeting to consider a proposed marriage equality
amendment. Come share all views, learn about the process that led to the proposal, and its implications for Rock Spring. Additional sessions
will be offered after services on Feb. 11, 18, and March 11. On Feb. 11, Chuck alone will offer a session designed for those who would like to have a
conversation with him to ask questions, share their feelings or air concerns in a more private and confidential setting. The meeting will take place
in
the Peace Room. Sessions facilitated by the Marriage Equality Study Committee will be held on February 18 and March 11 in the Peace Room, after
the 9:00 am service (to allow for choir rehearsal in the Sanctuary), and in the Sanctuary, after the 11:00 am service. Everyone is encouraged
to
come to at least one session. For more information, see the ONA section of the Rock Spring website or the materials in the library and
Saegmuller Room.
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GOT YORS?
Senior High YORS
Senior High YORS has voted to change meeting times. We'll meet on Sundays, from 1:00-3:00 beginning 1/21/07.
We'll share in a fun lunch, a fun time, and some fun planning on what is fun! Look to the E-News for the upcoming "cultural immersion"
menu!
Upcoming Dates:
2/11 - Journey to Casablanca
2/18 - Parlez-vous Francais?
2-25 - How about some Breakfast?
Middle School YORS
Special February Events:
February 11--Gear up for laser tag at Ultrazone!
February 18--Get ready for Lent with a Mardi Gras Party!
"Destination: Easter" Program Beginning Feb. 25: Hank will lead us through the season of Lent with a series of very special,
fun-packed
activities. More information will follow, but we will need some extra help from parents to manage activities during this program.
End of Year Trip: Save the Date! Weather permitting, we plan to have an overnight at the Morland's Shenandoah River cabin the night
of Saturday, June 2 with canoeing and outdoor activities on Sunday, June 3.
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 |
|
