Frederick Buechner notes that in the Episcopal order of worship, the priest sometimes introduces the Lord’s Prayer with the words, “Now, as our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold to say .…” He suggests that the word “bold” is worth noting. We should pray it boldly because it takes guts to pray it at all. We often pray it in a perfunctory or rote way, disregarding the importance of what we are praying.
Ash Wednesday February 22
Services at 12:10 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
This Lent will give us an opportunity to plumb the depths of this prayer and become bold prayers of it in our spiritual life. Your pastors and staff, the Adult Education and Spiritual Formation Committee, and the Children, Family, and Youth Committee have teamed together to bring us an all-church focus on this significant prayer in our Christian life. Note the article on the next
page which explains the small group experience for adults. Each Sunday in Lent our children in Church School will also discover the riches of the Lord’s Prayer. In worship beginning with Ash Wednesday and concluding with the Fifth Sunday in Lent, the pastors will preach on the various petitions of the prayer. Preaching on this great prayer would be incomplete without wonderful music to seal in our hearts and minds the greatness of God’s word, and so our choir will present in worship various choral renditions of the Lord’s Prayer. This will be a comprehensive experience for the whole church family.
The Lord’s Prayer, as a great theologian said, “spans the world.” It embraces the whole context of human life, from heaven to earth, from the
Music At Pine Street Offers Valentines Concert
by Tom Clark-Jones
There is an old saying amongst church professionals that one best be really sold on any program that is introduced into your ministry because it well might become a tradition. I’m not sure the Music at Pine Street committee thought the Broadway revue through that clearly when we first put this program on the agenda, but it has become a Pine Street tradition, and one that everyone seems to enjoy.
DDB News… Update 2012
Cody Thomas, DDB weekend cook, is unfortunately not in that position any longer. Until we decide on Cody’s replacement, one of our DDB volunteers, Valerie will be present on the weekends. If you are serving at DDB, please give Valerie a warm Pine Street welcome and offer to help her in any way you can. She knows some of the DDB clients but probably does not know you.
In addition, DDB has hired a mental health homeless outreach counselor with funds granted from a Dauphin County Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Grant. The role of this counselor is to work with clients who suffer from mental health issues and co-occurring disorders (drugs, alcohol). Our new employee is Dr. Stephen Heller who comes to us from Belleville, PA each day. If you see Stephen at DDB, please give him a warm welcome, as well.
Thanks to everyone for all you do for DDB and Best Wishes from all of us for a very Happy, Healthy New Year.
Weekend Cook Needed
VaLentines
Continued from page 1
Please spread the word that DDB is accepting applications for a weekend cook to prepare and serve meals at midday on Saturdays and Sundays. Cooking experience is required. In addition, good people skills are a plus. The cook will run the kitchen and dining area, and be responsible for supervising volunteers and cleaning up the kitchen and dining area. If you are interested or know anyone who may be, please send resumes to Elaine Strokoff, DDB Director, at 310 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1345. For more information, please call DDB at (717) 238-4717 or visit the website at www. downtowndailybread. org
Its original purpose was to give the choir a break from sacred music and holy texts. It was a chance to let their hair down and do some fun music for the sheer enjoyment of the experience. And they have done just that. We have seen, over the years, memorable performances from folks who are usually not thought of as soloists, and yet have wonderful talents that they quietly share every week in church, and that come out in spades at this show.
So, on February 10 at 7:30 p.m., we present our ‘traditional’ Broadway and Hollywood revue: Love Songs for Valentines. Tickets are $10.00 each and are on sale at the Welcome Center and on our web site via PayPal as you receive this issue of Pine Street Life. Get yours soon as this is usually a sell out show, and seating is limited. For your ‘tenner’ you get a great show from the choir and some of their friends as well as memorable desserts and coffee (or tea, if you prefer). Last year’s show ran a bit long so we are going to guarantee a two hour limit this time. The South Street Garage will be open for free parking. In addition, this year, we have set the following Friday, January 17 as the snow date, just in case. All of us in the music department are looking forward to this show that lightens up the winter months with warm fellowship around the tables and beautiful music from great American theatre and movies. Come, enjoy!
The Congregational Life Committee invites you to attend our annual Lenten Breakfast on Sunday, February 26, 2012. We will gather in Fellowship Hall at 9:40 am to enjoy a hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage and fruit cup. A program will follow led by the children of Pine Street. Cost is $5 for adults and $ 3 for children. Sign up now at the Welcome Center or on our web site via PayPal.
What is Retirement?
by Ron Poorman
In years gone by, retirement had a certain air of leisure. Today, with the increased health and vitality of those leaving life-long careers, retirement poses questions not faced by earlier generations. At one time, golf and extended vacations in warmer climes provided the answer for the question of what to do with newly acquired freedom. Today, it seems that golf or volunteer work may not be enough.
On March 3, 2012, Pine Street Church will host a seminar for those contemplating retirement or those who are newly retired. Rev. David Rich will lead a seminar titled “Rethinking Retirement.” David is a figure well known to some Pine Streeters as the husband of our former Associate Pastor, Deborah McKinley. David is a retired Presbyterian minister, teacher and retreat leader who was the Director of Retirement Planning for the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Retirement can be an exciting time with many new possibilities as well as uncertainties. We are living longer, are healthier, have more choices and, perhaps, more time to pursue other interests. Whether you are already retired, or are contemplating retirement in the near future, this workshop may be of interest to you and your significant other. It is a great time to pause and reflect on the freedom before us.
The seminar, from 8:45 am to 3:00 pm will examine some questions and issues that may give shape to your retirement years:
When is the right time to retire?
What are my gifts and talents gleaned from my life’s work?
Who am I, and what does God call me to be in my later years?
How will I use my time?
Will my work continue to define my identity?
Where do I and my partner want to live? What kind of living space do I/we want?
What kind of personal support network will be helpful?
The workshop will be held at Pine Street Church on Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 8:45 am to 3:00 pm in McCormick Fellowship Hall. The schedule is as follows:
8:45 am — Registration, Coffee
9:00 am — Workshop Begins
12:00 pm — Light Luncheon
12:30 pm — Workshop Reconvenes
3:00 pm — Workshop Concludes
The cost of the workshop is $25.00 per person and includes a light luncheon and printed materials. Registrations may be sent to Pine Street Presbyterian Church, 310 North 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA. Registrations will also be taken at the Welcome Center at the Church on Sundays
Bad Weather. . . Are We Having Church?
It’s that time of year again, so if it’s snowing on Sunday morning or while you’re getting ready for a meeting, you can find revised schedule and cancellation info on our website, www. pinestreet.org, and on Channel 21 (WHP-TV) or Channel 27 (WHTMTV). Remember, even if church is being held, you need to be comfortable driving in whatever weather conditions have come our way. . . be safe first.
Annual Women's Retreat
The annual Women’s Retreat will be held at Camp Hebron March 16, 17, and 18, 2012. This is not daylight savings weekend! Come join us for this weekend of felowship and renewal. Our leader will be the Rev. Sandy Strauss, and she will be leading us in discussion on the topic of “The Path from Turmoil to Peace.” Cost for the weekend is $150. Sign up at the Welcome Center or on our web site via PayPal.
Library Receives Generous Donation
by Sue Black
A huge thank you to Bob Kerr for his generous donation to Pine Street’s library of 76 volumes of The Anchor Bible Commentaries that were part of the estate of his father, Robert S. Kerr, Sr.
The Anchor Bible series is described by its publisher, The Yale University Press, as “a project of international and interfaith scope in which Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish scholars from many countries contribute individual volumes.” For each biblical book, there is an original translation of the ancient texts, with annotations and alternative translations; overviews of the historical, critical, and literary evolution of the text; an outline of major themes and topics; a verse-by-verse commentary; treatment of competing scholarly theories; historical background; and photographs, illustrations, and maps of artifacts and places associated with biblical figures and sites.
The volumes are located on the bottom shelves along the west wall of the library. They are currently designed as “Reference” to be used only in the library so that they can remain available to everyone. There are 24 duplicate volumes in the regular collection that may be signed out. You can view all of the library holdings at: www.librarything.com/catalog/pinestreet.
Do you have books at home that need to be returned to Pine Street’s library? Please check around: under that stack of mail in the kitchen, between the sofa cushions and under the seat of your car. You may place them on the library cart in the Gathering Place (and check out some new ones!)
Sing to the Lord a New Song, all the Earth!
by Ron Poorman
In 2004, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gave authorization to begin research into the feasibility of a new Presbyterian hymnal. The results of this feasibility study were to be reported to the 217th General Assembly in 2006. The 2006 General Assembly granted authorization for the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation to research, develop, and produce a new hymnal. The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation assumed all costs of the hymnal, including the expenses of the Hymnal Committee. No money is being spent on the project from the denomination’s budget.
Members of the Hymnal Committee were selected, and their first meeting was in the fall of 2008. The Hymnal Committee consists of fifteen voting members (two of whom are under the age of twenty-five), the editor (with vote), and three ex officio members appointed by the three denominational entities that are charged with responsibility for the hymnal: the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, and the Office of Theology and Worship. It is projected that the work of the Hymnal Committee will take four to five years.
The biblical narrative contains many references to singing joyfully to our God. In every generation we are called to claim our song and bear witness to what God is doing in the world. A new hymnal will give us an opportunity to make available a great wealth of hymns and spiritual songs that have arisen since the 1990 hymnal, to acquaint worshipers with wonderful resources from Christian communities around the world, and to review again the great heritage of congregational songs that have been passed on to us from past generations of faithful worshipers.
The process of compiling a new hymnal is now virtually complete! The full hymnal will be presented at the General Assembly in 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA. We look forward to hearing and singing more of the offerings of the new hymnal and encourage you to be involved in discussion as we approach a decision point of whether to purchase the new hymnal for use at Pine Street Church.
God calls us to be faithful in all things. This includes finding new ways to sing his praise. Expect more information about the new hymnal and explore the project at: http://www.presbyterianhymnal.org/
Peacemaking Offering
$ 558.12 (one fourth of the Peacemaking Offering collected in October, 2011) is being given to Heeding God’s Call, a new faith-based campaign to prevent gun violence. Several local congregations are involved, including Market Square Presbyterian Church, First Church of the Brethren, Martin Luther King Baptist Church, United Baptist Church, Unitarian Universalists of Harrisburg, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Pine Street’s mission committee is interested in learning more about this group, so STAY TUNED for more information and a chance to become involved.
Payments for many events at Pine Street may now be made with a credit card through our web site using PayPal. There is a small fee charged by PayPal for this convenience. Upcoming events are listed on our web site at http://www.pinestreet. org/category/events/
News From Our Church Family
Former Pennsylvania state legislator and Pine Streeter, Franklin L. Kury, has written a new book: Clean Politics, Clean Streams: A Legislative Autobiography and Reflections. A rave review in the Winter, 2012 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage magazine reports that the book “offers an intimate and insightful look at the working of the state legislature and describes his role in the passage of environmental leglistaion . . . The author’s lively narrative is engaging and his firsthand account of how and why certain bills passed (or did not pass) is engrossing, especially because he sponsored major pieces of legislation.” The book includes numerous photos, including the cover photo taken by his wife, Elizabeth
Franklin recently gave a book signing at the State Museum Book Store and is scheduled to discuss his book in a talk with Brian Lockman on PCN at 9:00 pm on January 29th
Books are available in the State Museum Book Store as well as through online retailers. E-books for Kindle and Nook are also available.
Get Connected with “Pine Street Connect”
On February 5th, there will be seminar on Pine Street Connect after the 11:00 am service. Two of our new members, Susan Ewing and Michael Rathfon, will be running the seminar. They will take you through all of the ways Pine Street Connect can enhance our community at Pine Street. Furthermore, they are offering to take a high resolution photo for your profile picture. If you have had trouble using Pine Street Connect or are not familiar with all of the elements Pine Street Connect offers, then this seminar is for you. Lunch will be offered and we ask that you sign up at the Welcome Center so we know how many people for whom we need to prepare food.
Births
December 29, 2011
Violet Claire Marchand daughter of Chris & Jenny Marchand
