winter newsletter 2012

Our Community Commons

 Pastor’s Corner

I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!

Now that I have that song stuck in your head, lets keep

it going.

Proverbs 17:22 -

"A cheerful heart is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

We have a choice in church to be cheerful or be dry.

What do you think glorifies God more, and what do

you think make people want to come more?

Isaiah 55:12 -

"You will go out in joy and be led forth

in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song

before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their

hands."

We can choose to be bitter and spread bitterness or we

can spread joy. What is the greater blessing?

Psalms 47:1

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to

God with loud songs of joy!

We can celebrate the joy of the Lord or we can focus

of what we don’t have.

Philippians 1:3-5

I thank my God in all my

remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine

for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your

partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Paul writes this letter because he loves the help he has

received from the church in the ministry. Today I

stand before you and thank God for the same thing.

This year we have served thousands of people through

our outreach ministries. We have spread the good

news of the Lord through our community and beyond.

We have visited many folks both in their homes and

hospitals. We have taken our Bible studies outside of

the church. We have joined the churches within our

community in ministry. We have joined the community

in ministry to one another. Are you joyful yet?

We have become a beacon of light within our

denomination. We have become well known outside of

Brookpark for the outreach we are doing. We have

folks wanting to join the church because they are

excited about what we are doing and where we are

going. Other pastors are talking with us to find out how

we are doing what we are doing. Other churches are

copying what we are doing. Are you joyful yet?

We have had some tough times, but we overcame and

move forward. There are those who will struggle with

the direction we are going, but as we continue more

and more of those who doubt, find themselves also

getting joyful. We will make mistakes and mess things

up, but we keep growing and moving. Are you joyful

yet???

My challenge to you this year is to become ridiculously

joyful. So joyful that even when we are at odds, we are

joyful with one another, and laughing and loving all

the way. So joyful that it fuels all we do, the light so

bright that it is blinding.

I don’t know about you but I want to come here and be

joyful, make joy, find joy, be around people who are

full of joy. I don’t want to come here and be brought

down, I want to be lifted up!

So let me ask you one last time…Are you joyful yet?!?

OUR COMMUNITY COMMONS

WINTER 2012

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Deacon Notes

The deacons have been busy putting together thanksgiving

baskets and Christmas baskets. It has been such a blessing

delivering these to those in our church and our community.

We continue to look for ways to serve the churches spiritual

needs, and we our in constant prayer for all. One way we

try to help with spiritual needs is by being up front every

Sunday after service for prayer. If you need prayer please let

us know.

We will be collecting for the food pantry in 2013 during the

children’s collection. Please bring a non-perishable item to

share.

Finally we have had a lot of sickness and death this

year in our church and the deacons have been there to help

in any way. If you are going into the hospital or have a need

for a visit, please let us or Pastor Dan know.

Blessed to serve you,

Your Deacon body

The stewards continue to work around the church. We

have put in some new electrical in the fellowship hall

and outside. We have put in a new fan in the men’s

bathroom (all men rejoice). We have been working on

the heating issues throughout the church. There always

seems to be something to fix or improve.

We will be cleaning the carpet soon and will be looking

for volunteers to come and help clean, so keep your

ears open for that announcement.

The Stewards enjoy serving and fixing things, if you

notice something that needs attention please let one of

us know. If you have a desire to fix things, please let

one of us know.

In His service,

The Steward body

Stewards’ Notes

OUR COMMUNITY COMMONS

WINTER 2012

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Witness Commission

Witness commission once again had a very busy year.

Let’s do an overview of all our activities the past year.

Children’s Outreach

We had another good year with fundraisers for the camp

scholarship fund. We raised more than $1200 this year to

send our children to church camp this past summer. We

will start fundraising in the spring so our children may

attend church camp at Inspiration Hills next summer. We

sponsored eight children this past summer for church

camp and had money left over to start the new year. Our

camp representative will continue to oversee the

scholarship fund, fundraisers and paperwork. Our camp

representative Sierra Swanson has taken my passion for

the children and has made it her own with all her time

and energy so that whoever chooses to go to camp there

will be money in the scholarship fund. So I thank Sierra

for all her hard work for the children. The witness

commission and children would like to thank the

congregation for their love and support.

We once again had the lunch program for the kids during

the summer months. We served 325 lunches with an

“Around the World” food theme. After lunch the kids

played and run around the fellowship hall with such joy

to the delight of all the adults in the room. Next summer

we hope to include the seniors from the community in the

lunch program.

Community outreach

There were many adults and children in the home day

parade in July – a huge “thank you!” to all who walked

or rode in the parade. Our appearance in the parade

shows the community that our church has pride and ties

to the Brook Park community.

The community garden had another super harvest this

year. The vegetables and herbs were truly a blessing to

the community and the congregation. The witness

commission and the congregation would like to say a big

thank you to the garden members.

Interfaith service was held at the Redeemer Lutheran

Church with Pastor Dan and Pastor James preaching the

word at the service.

The outside groups continue to use our church for their

meting place. We have added a 4-H and Girl Scout troop

to the list of outside groups. What a blessings these

outside groups are to our church.

Community Services

The community cupboard has been a blessing. With

Brook Park Community Church being a member of the

Cleveland Food Bank we are able to open the food pantry

to those in need. So far this year we have helped a total of

2780 people in 1101 households, which included 719

children.

Audrey's closet clothing give away has had another

successful year. We had five clothing giveaways with a

total of 1267 people being helped with clothing and

household items. We will continue to have clothes and

shoes available during food pantry hours.

We served five community meals over this past year. The

Brook Park Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church,

United Methodist Church and Mary, Queen of the

Apostle Catholic partnered with us for all six meals to

prepare and serve the community. We served 1145 meals

to the community and more than 300 take out meal to the

shut-in members of all five churches.

And in closing help us to continue challenging ourselves

to keep dreaming big dreams for the Brook Park

Community Church.

Mary Rohrl-chairperson, Sierea Swanson and Linda

Cronan

OUR COMMUNITY COMMONS

WINTER 2012

4

Christian Education

Christian Education Commission continues to work

hard for you and the children of the church. We

continue to have Sunday school during the worship

time and also nursery for those who are too young for

Sunday school. We are always looking for volunteers

to help with that, so if you are interested please see

Jack, Harmony, Tami, or George.

Christmas Eve

Christian Education is working on a Christmas Eve

program, which will include both adults and children.

We are hoping this will be both entertaining and

educational for the worship service.

Sunday School

Finally we would like to encourage all of the parents,

grandparents, aunts and uncles, to encourage your

young ones to come to Sunday school. It is always a

blessing to see the front filled with children during the

children’s time, and then for all of them to run back for

Sunday school.

Thank you!

We would like to thank you for your continued support

and look forward to dreaming big in 2013 and sharing

our story.

God bless,

Christian Education commission

OUR COMMUNITY COMMONS

WINTER 2012

5

Farewell from your Board Chair

The end of December marks the end of my two years as Board Chair and I

am very grateful for the help and support that I received throughout my

tenure. However, I am reluctant to identify individuals at risk of overlooking

any one person so I choose to send out a blanket “thank you.” I have never

held a position with the dynamics and characteristics of Board Chair.

I saw the full spectrum of feelings and emotions within the congregation.

Like a marriage, there were good times and bad, sickness and health.

Financially, we were never too rich but never felt poor even as the economy

tumbled.

During a particularly difficult period in the spring/summer of 2011 I

attended my first prayer session where several of our brothers and sisters

shared very personal stories about our church and the support they received

during difficult and trying times. Many of these people were not active in the

various conflicts and matters in which we struggled and it was at that prayer

session that I felt my greatest motivation.

It was very tempting to quit before I heard these people testify; it was

impossible to quit afterwards.

Candidly, I leave the position without any great sense of accomplishment

but perhaps that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Thank you for your support over the past 2 years and for the opportunity to

get to know many of you in ways I never would have otherwise.

Merry Christmas and God bless,

Mark Stepowoy

Christmas Lunch

This year our Nurture Commission

decided to have a “Christmas Lunch”

instead of the traditional Christmas

dinner.We hope this time will allow

more people to attend.

Our “Christmas Lunch” this year will

be

Sunday December 16th after the

Worship Service at 1:00 pm at

Goody’s Family Restaurant.

The menu choice:

Roast Beef Dinner or Smothered

chicken or

Broiled Boston Scrod.

Beverage & desert will be included all

for

$10.00

- Mike Ramser

Summer 2012 News letter

Our Community Commons

Brook Park Community Church of the Brethren

S U M M E R 2 0 1 2

Well it is that time of year again, time for annual and district

conferences. This year like years in the past there is some

discourse among the Brethren. There are those who want to

“go back” to the good old days and do everything as it was

done in the past. There are those who like the way it is right

now, and then those who want everything to change.

In some ways our church is shielded from all this because

we are located north of all the action. It is easy for us to just

“do our thing” and not worry about the state of the

conference and district. However, in doing so we are not

living up to our commitment to Christ who calls us to be one

body. We have also learned in the past few years that even

the peaceful Brook Park Community Church of the Brethren

is not immune to some discourse.

It is human nature to want our way and only our way; it is

implanted in us at an early age to fight for what we want.

However, Jesus Christ calls us to not fight for what we want,

but to keep what He has given us.

In Colossians 3:14-16 we are given a command that says,

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all

together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your

hearts, since as members of one body you were called to

peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you

richly as you teach and admonish one another with all

wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs

with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

There isn’t a lot of love when we fight for what we want, but

when we keep God’s commands there is love and peace.

Brothers and Sisters, I ask that you pray for our Conference

and District in these coming months to “put on love”. I also

ask that we as the Church continue to strive to “put on love”

in everything we do. We aren’t always going to agree, but

we can always love and strive for peace.

Blessings,

Pastor Dan

Pastor’s Corner

2

OUR COMMUNITY COMMONS

SUMMER 2012

Witness Commission

Community Meal

Summer is here and Witness Commission is seeing the fruits

of its labor. The community meal on a sunny day in May

was a spirit-filled meal. We partnered with other churches in

the community to prepare and serve the meal. A total of 215

meals were served with the breakdown of 115 eat in meals

and 100 take out meals. Once again there was a piano

player and people singing and enjoying the meal of roast

beef and mashed potatoes with all the fixins. The

next community meal will be in July.

Clothing Giveaway

The clothing give away in June served a total of 263 adults

and children. Doors opened at 9:00 AM and by 9:30 a total

of 166 people had enter the church. Food and drink were

served by the ladies in the church and, don’t forget the donut

holes served by the donut fairy. Next community meal will

be in July.

Fundraising

The fruits of all the fundraising have allowed us to sponsor 8

children this summer. Once again Sierra and I say thank you

for your love and support of our children.

The summer lunch program started June 12 with a

summerfest/waterworks theme with macaroni and cheese

and chicken nuggets and sharks swimming in blue water

(Jell-o). The lunch program has an “Around the World”

theme moving onto the British Isles for the 2nd week. We

served bangers and mashes for week 2, which was England's

Prince William 30th birthday. We had big fun explaining

that bangers (sausage) and mashes (mashed potatoes) is an

English meal. This summer we will go to France, Mexico,

Italy, Asia. Poland, Germany and back to the USA, all in 9

weeks. Our church will be very busy this summer with

outreach programs so come and join the fun.

In Christ,

Mary Rohrl-chairperson, Sierra Swanson, Linda Cronan

Summer Lunch Program

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OUR COMMUNITY COMMONS

SUMMER 2012

Nurture Commission

The Nurture team has been very busy with

fundraising and preparing for some exciting events.

On April 29

th we had a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

for the Annual and District delegates. Annual

Conference is in St. Louis and District is in

Ashland, Ohio. Our delegates are Mary Ellen

Larkin (annual), Alice Ramser and Jan Skinner

(district). With the help of so many, we wanted to

thank the delegates, the Christian Education

commission who helped in the preparation and

serving and of course we want to thank all of you

that joined us for lunch and donated so abundantly.

We raised $512.12 and then had plate offering

donations of almost $500 that was used to pay for

registration for all three delegates and the remainder

will be used to defray the cost of travel and hotel

accommodations for Mary Ellen. A big “Thank

You” to all!!!

The Nurture team has been working diligently on

exploring and educating everyone on our Brethren

Heritage. On June 17 we began the Brethren

Historical moment, which is read each Sunday

morning by the Deacons, and the Nurture team

provides a handout of each moment as a keepsake.

These historical moments will conclude on

September 23 when we will have our Brethren

Heritage Sunday Service. Plans for this service are

still in the works, so anyone who is being inspired

by the Holy Spirit (or a Nurture commission

member begging you) should contact one of the

Nurture team members to help us plan. It is an

exciting and sure-to-be memorable day for all.

Please join us.

We will be having a Brethren Heritage Field trip to

the Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center in Berlin,

Ohio, on September 22. A sign-up sheet is being

distributed each Sunday morning or you can contact

Mike, Cyndi or Josh if you’d like to participate.

We are having a guided tour and the cost is $7.75

per person (paid in advance to secure our spot).

After the tour we’ll be heading over to the Berlin

Farmstead Restaurant for lunch and then we may

amble around to do some shopping. A great time

will be had by all, so sign up now. You don’t want

to miss this exciting event. We’ll be carpooling and

will be leaving the Church parking lot around 9 AM

for the 10:30 AM tour.

Important Dates:

June 17

th through September 2nd - Summer

hours, church begins at 9:30 AM

July 2

nd-9th – Pastor Dan and family will be

on vacation, please contact the Deacons or

Nurture commission with any questions or

needs that you may have during this time

July 8

th – Pastor James Washington will be

providing Sunday’s message

September 9

th – Normal hours resume at

10:30 AM and Cookie Hour resume

September 22

nd – Brethren Heritage Field

Trip

September 23

rd – Brethren Heritage Sunday

Service

We also celebrated Father’s Day with a wonderful

Children Story provided by Pastor James and gifts

from the Nurture team. A big thank you to: Josh,

Mike and Sierra who planned and delivered the

morning events.

A scripture that we’d like to share with you this

month is Philippians 4:8-9

“

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,

whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is

pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if

anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about

such things.

9 Whatever you have learned or

received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it

into practice. And the God of peace will be with

you.”

The Nurture team has much to think about because

you brothers and sisters have shared things that are

true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, things of

excellence and praiseworthy. Thank you again for

all you do and allowing us to serve our Lord and

each of you.

God Bless and see you on Sunday morning.

The 2012 Nurture Commission Team

Mike, Cyndi & Josh

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OUR COMMUNITY COMMONS

SUMMER 2012

Christian Education

Over the past few months Christian Ed has been

working on finding a Youth Pastor. Not surprisingly,

our Lord already knew our needs and had already

provided. He just didn't tell us. Our new Youth Pastor

is James Washington, and he and his family are already

members. James has already worked in youth

ministries in California and was very successful in his

program there. In fact his ministries

there still exist to

this day. James will be working with the youth

immediately after church and we are extremely excited

about all that he has to offer. We encourage the youth

to participate and hope the parents will encourage the

youth to participate in as many activities as possible.

Although National Youth Conference is still

approximately two years away, fund raising events are

already beginning. The cost 2 years ago was estimated

to be approximately $800.00 so the sooner fund raising

begins the better it will be. Parents, please be aware

that the church board decided at our last board meeting

that scholarships will ONLY BE AWARDED TO

THOSE YOUTHS WHO PARTICIPATE IN

FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES! In other words, all

youth may attend NYC, but only the youth who help

raise funds will receive those funds. The youth are

having their first fund raising activity on July 15,

selling bottles of water during and after the City of

Brook Park Home Days Parade. Haley Naig has

graciously agreed to head this first event and will be

contacting the other youth soon. Good Luck Youth!

Also, please remember that activity bags have been

prepared for the children for use during church as

Sunday school teachers have the summer off. There are

crayons, pictures and other activities included in each

bag and each bag is personalized for each child. Please

see Harmony before the service begins if you don't

know where the activity bags are located. Pastor Dan

has set aside special space on his wall or bulletin board

for the children's purchases.

Vacation Bible School this year will begin on July 17

and run through July 20. It will begin at 5:30 with a

meal so bring your kids, drop them off and mom and

dad can go out and have a quiet dinner alone. VBS will

end at 7:30 so the kids can get home and get to bed on

time! VBS helpers are welcome also!

Hope to see everyone at VBS!

Thrivent Helps Fund Lunches

The Southwest Cuyahoga County Chapter of Thrivent

Financial for Lutherans has partnered with Audrey's

Closet in support of the Summer Lunch Program. A

donation of $600 will be made through Thrivent's Care

Abounds in Communities program to assist in the

purchase of food and paper products for the lunches.

Thrivent Financial provides financial support and

other resources for its members to help their

communities and congregations through

fundraisers and service activities, to make a

difference in peoples's lives.

Thank you, Thrivent!

June/July/August 2011

Pastor's Corner

If you are reading this, then I guess Mr. Camping was wrong again; if you’re not reading this, then I guess he was right. The May 21 Judgment Day memo is the brainchild of an 89-year-old radio evangelist named Harold Camping. Using a mathematical system of his own creation to interpret obscure prophecies in the Bible, Camping originally predicted that Sept. 6, 1994, would be Judgment Day, or the day of the "Rapture" when Christian believers will ascend to heaven, leaving the rest of humanity to its deservedly dreary fate.

3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come and will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)

One of Aubrie’s favorite things to say is “wait for it.” I watched Marmaduke, the movie, with Aubrie, and in it the dog farts in bed and says, “wait for it” before he does it, and Aubrie just loves to say it now. Many years ago the prophet Habakkuk had the same message, just not about expelling gas. So things are bad, we can all see that, but when is it bad enough? When will God put an end to it and call the game? The Bible tells us we do not know the time, but it will come. So what do we do in the mean time? We wait for it. And while we wait, we prepare! We make sure that we are walking the path with Jesus, and then we make sure others are doing likewise. Our job as a church is to get others to join us on our journey. We do this by showing the love of Christ to all we can. We won’t do this by fighting and gossiping, but by loving. We have a job to do, and we have to do it in a way that is counter cultural. Love all, forgive all, and be at peace with all. It isn’t easy but it is required!

Brothers and Sisters the end times will come. I don’t know when, and if we are reading this, then May 21st wasn’t it. We are commissioned to be travel agents and help others as well as ourselves prepare for the trip. Ask yourself what you are doing to help this? Ask yourself what you are doing to hinder this? Increase the positive and decrease the negative. If we can do this, we will all have happy endings.

Until Sunday, Pastor Dan

Stewards

• We have a lot of plans for the summer months to keep us busy. To start we’d like to thank the ladies who weeded the flower beds a couple of weeks ago. That was a big job and it looks good. Unfortunately, with the spring we are having, we will need to have it done again and again to keep up with it. We are also looking for some donations of some perennials to pretty up the beds and so that we don’t have to keep planting. Any and all help is appreciated.

• We will be making a permanent cabinet for the sound box in the back of the sanctuary. This, when done, will match the praise band stage up front.

• We will also be working on some new storage for the Community Cupboard as it is growing in use and donations from some outside sources. You will notice the deep freezer in the fellowship hall. This was donated to us to use with the Community Cupboard so that we can also take in meats and other frozen foods to distribute.

• We are planning to have a meal or two after church to help fund some needed updates in the bathrooms. Happy eating and easier on the budget.

• A big thank you to Berlene and Rose (and anyone who helped put them up) for making the sheers for the windows in the sanctuary to help cut down on the sun glare (now we need sun to test them out).

Witness

• We had a Clothing Giveaway on May 14th. We had an amazing 200 people served that day! What a blessing it was. We also gave out 8 Bibles to some children who came with their parents. They were truly excited to receive a Bible of their own, and we were just as excited to give them out. We also opened up the Community Cupboard to several in need. We are hoping to set up two more giveaways in the summer. The first will be June 25th and the second will be August 13th when the garden starts to produce its harvest.

• The next Community Meal is set for June 18th serving from 4-7. This is being advertised on Craigslist, in the Brook Park Memorial school newsletter, as well as at the clothing giveaway in May. This meal will be a cookout. The sign up is going around for helpers and donations.

• The next project is going to be lunches in the summer for neighborhood children. There is a need in this area for a program as there are many children in the Brook Park schools who receive breakfast and lunch at school and then have nothing during the summer months. We would like to fill that gap and feed our children. Margi Jay will head up this summer project. It will be from June 14-Aug 18 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30-1pm serving. All three Brook Park schools will be notified. Parents are also invited to stay with their children and eat. There will be fliers passed out inviting them to VBS in August as well.

• For the past month in between the raindrops the Helping Hands have been building a ramp for Pat Cronan. They have worked hard and enjoyed the camaraderie. Bless them.

Nurture

• We have a couple of semi-quiet months ahead of us. However, we are planning to continue Cans for Cookies through the summer months. This means cookie hours will continue and we are asking for help with baked goods (maybe more pastries for morning time in July and August, than the usual cookies). June 5th is the next cookie hour.

• Summer worship hours begin on June 12th. Worship will begin at 9:20 am with announcements and this will hopefully allow us to be out before the summer sweltering heat hits.

• Father’s Day is June 19th and we will recognize our dads as we did our moms for all the love they give to us.

• On July 10th Brook Park Home Days ends their weekend with fireworks and we will have our annual picnic in the back yard of the church to fellowship together and watch the fireworks. Please bring your own meat and dish to share as well as your table ware and lawn chairs to sit on.

Christian Education

• After reviewing more than a dozen applications and conducting four interviews, the Christian education commission and Pastor Dan have agreed upon a candidate for the Youth Minister position to present to board. This will take place at the 5/17/2011 board meeting.

• Sunday School continues to go very well. We have decided to continue Sunday School in the Summer, in the form of a single combined-ages class, meeting at the normal time during worship. Sunday School will revert back to the current a two-class model again in the Fall.

• During worship on the last Spring-schedule Sunday, the CEC will recognize all of the children who have participated in Sunday School this calendar year and all of the teachers who have volunteered their time. Additionally, new high school and college graduates will be recognized. If you know of anyone in the church who is graduating, please let someone on the CEC know!

• VBS curriculum (Inside Out and Upside Down on Mainstreet) has been ordered. VBS will be held from August 7th-11th, from either 5:00PM – 7:30PM or 5:30PM – 8:00PM, depending on what works best for the volunteers and attendees. Parents and volunteers, please mark your calendars – it’s going to be a blast!

Deacons

• The Deacons are now in the discernment process for three new deacons. Their term is for 4 years with 3 coming off each year. Their new year begins on July 1st. Please keep the deacons in prayer as they go through this process for you.

From My Desk To Yours - Karen

Well, American Idol and Dancing with the Stars are over for the summer. A couple of let downs as far I’m concerned, but life goes on. I also randomly/intermittently watched The Biggest Loser this season. I was impressed. Not only was this a show about changing lives for the better, mentally and physically, it was a show about working together for everyone’s benefit. Weekly they had to choose who would go home, and they honestly agonized about it. Sometimes contestants purposely gained a pound or two to be forced off to save another from going home. They seemed to be there to help each other. It was not every man for himself. What an amazing concept to help each other out. The end result was also not a popularity contest with America voting; it was each person’s gain (well loss actually) that got them where they were. The one who won was there because she had truly changed herself for the better, for herself and her family. But they were all winners on that show; no one came away unchanged. They were all healthier and happier with themselves. Why can’t that be the way we all live-helping each other win and winning to make a change for the better in our lives. Why do we have to vote for the prettiest and the most popular when we can work together and all be winners?

April/May 2011

Pastor's Corner

Ezekiel 37 is one of my favorite Old Testament stories. Ezekiel finds himself in the middle of a dry land full of bones. No life to be found, void of hope and a future. What a lonely place that must have been, and how depressing! I mean if we are honest with ourselves there are times in our lives and careers when we feel as if we also have been dumped into the valley. We sit in meeting after meeting at work with new, fresh ideas and all we get in response is “no way, that won’t work, you’re crazy, we have never done it that way before.” Or maybe your relationship has led you to the valley where you always do the same things over and over again, never trying anything new and exciting. It is a tough place to be when you’re looking for life, and want to live life. However, unfortunately, we are too often surrounded by those who would rather die in comfort, than live with change and uncertainty. For sure, life is often scary and out of control, and there is nothing more controlled than just lying there dead. God wants to show Ezekiel and you and me that there is nothing in that valley that glorifies Him. He has to come and breathe His Spirit into the dead bones to bring them to life, and then and only then is He glorified.

Brothers and Sisters lately we have seen God’s breath breathing new life into our church. We have seen many new faces in worship, we have seen many new programs proposed and started, and we have even seen a proposal for a new building. This is scary stuff for those who are happy with the status quo and the way things used to be. I mean new people sit in our seats and we may have to find a new seat or rudely ask them to move, in which case we won’t see many new people. New programs mean new ways of thinking and doing, and that is scary. On top of all that there are these crazy folks out there talking about a new building; don’t they know we are fine the way we are? I don’t mean to be flippant, but I think if you take a step back and look with Christ-like eyes, you will see Ezekiel’s story. We can choose to be bones or we can choose to be alive.

If we were to take a hard look at church history and our church’s history, we would see that our Christian ancestors had to make some radical changes in the way they did things or we wouldn’t be here today. When Sunday school was first proposed, the Church at large thought it was crazy and it would never last. When music was first introduced, the same reaction occurred. When single men and woman were allowed to sit together in worship, some thought the end had come. If we were to go back in time and worship and run church the way we do now, we would have been thrown out of the church. Make no mistake, things have changed over the years and they will continue to change. If we stop growing and changing, then we die. Is that what we want?

In closing I would like to quote theologian Richard E. Byrd, “give wind and tide a chance to change.” You may just find yourself liking the new ways, and in a few years they will be the old, comfortable ways.

Until Sunday, Pastor Dan

Stewards

• We are looking into the prices of the materials to build a platform for the praise band and their instruments.

• Another event in the works for Stewards is an after church dinner fundraiser to help cover the costs to re-vamp the bathrooms. We will be looking to repaint the walls, retile the floors, and replace the toilets.

• With spring just around the corner, weather-wise, we will be looking for help with cleaning the yard waste and soon we will be back to mowing the lawn.

• The copier in the office has been replaced. As many of you remember, we had no bulletins a few weeks ago due to the old copier finally dying of old age. The new copier can do what needs to be done, but we do ask that you ask for help in making copies as there are settings that need to be changed with each type of copy made.

Witness

• The Clothing Giveaway was on March 19th. We were pleased to serve 101 adults and 8 children. This is the most we have had for our one day giveaways. Blessings to all who helped.

• The next Community Meal is set for Saturday, April 16th from 4 to 7pm. The set up and cooking time will begin at noon that day. If you know of anyone who would benefit from coming that day, please pass along the information. Please ask them to call the church on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 8-11am to leave a name and number of those coming.

• We continue to have fundraisers for the Camp Scholarship Fund. We will be selling Easter Candy this month to build the fund. We will also be doing the Easter breakfast this year instead of the Youth Group. Our goal is for us to be able to send any and all of our kids to camp this summer, based on desire to go not on need of assistance.

Nurture

• Easter is soon with us.

• We will be soon passing out Flower Order Forms. We have always decorated the front of the sanctuary with beautiful spring flowers and this year will be no different.

• We have already shared the service of Ash Wednesday together and begun the season of Lent. The season continues this month as we head to Palm Sunday, April 17th which is the beginning of Holy Week. During Worship on Palm Sunday we will be having baptism of the Youth who have chosen to join the church family membership. On Thursday, April 21 at 7pm we will come together to celebrate Love Feast with feet washing and communion. On Friday there will be a Choir cantata and scripture readings with communion for Good Friday Service which is also at 7pm. There will also be a service on Holy Saturday, April 23rd at 7pm. This is a candle service of the extinction of the light.

• This leads us to Easter Sunday, the Service of Light! SonRise service will be at 8am followed by breakfast. Easter Worship Service is at 10:20.

Christian Education

• The CE commission has finalized the job description for the Youth Minister position. It is now posted both on the church website (brookparkbrethren.org) and in the narthex. If you know of anyone who might be interested in the position, please forward this information to them.

• We are looking for adults interested in helping out with planning and fundraising for the Jr. and Sr. High Youth, as members of the new Youth Support Team. This group will plan and direct the youth fundraising efforts (for NYC, trips, etc.), will coordinate transportation and chaperoning for youth events, and at least one representative from the YST will attend the second half of each of the Sunday afternoon youth meetings. Please let Matt, Meredith, or Tammy know if you are interested.

• The first few weeks of the new Sunday School schedule have gone very well, and overall attendance is up. Youth meeting attendance and Soteria service attendance are also increasing. Thank you to all of the teachers, helpers, and nursery staff for sharing your gifts.

• Bibles for the children and youth who had not yet received one were ordered and distributed. If you did not receive one and would like one, please let us know.

• Pastor Dan’s baptism class is currently underway and going well.

Deacons

• The book cart will be wheeled out weekly in to the vestibule. Check out the books for some great reading. Donations are accepted too.

• The Deacons are ready to start the process of nominations for new deacons. Every year three deacons come off and three new go on for a four year term beginning July 1st. Please take a few minutes and fill out a form with up to three names to call to be deacons. The forms must be completed by May 15th.

Other Important Tidbits

• Offering Envelopes-If you'd like your own box of offering envelopes, please call or see Margi Jay.

• Recycling-You know helping make the Earth a greener place is near and dear to my (Margi’s) heart. Perhaps you have noticed the green and yellow dumpsters in the school and city parking lots. You can put all your newspapers, junk mail, magazines, phone books, (yes, they take them now), and lightweight cardboard (ex: cereal boxes, granola bar boxes, anything not corrugated). The city has 2 dumpsters in the football field parking (across from city hall) lot where you can take heavyweight cardboard. They are marked cardboard only. You will notice your amount of trash drop significantly if you recycle all your paper and cardboard.

• Brethren Disaster Ministries is supporting Church World Service with its relief efforts in Japan. If you feel called to donate gifts of money you can go online at www.brethren.org/emergencydisasterfund or send donations to
Emergency Disaster Fund 1451 Dundee Ave
Elgin, IL 60120

From My Desk To Yours - Karen

I was out of the office most of the week of St. Patrick’s Day, and when I came for choir practice, imagine my surprise to see the whole flower bed outside the office window filled with purple crocuses already up and blooming. What a beautiful treat that was. Living in the Cleveland area, we have learned that Spring comes when it is ready, calendar or not. When it does finally really arrive, we are blessed to see the beauty of color and songs of birds. When it seems like we just can’t take anymore of the cold, and we are tired of being isolated from everyone, that small flower of faith pops up, and we are renewed. The change in us is as visible as the change in the earth around us. May the spring blessings find us all.

January/February/March 2011

Pastor's Corner

1 Corinthians 10:13

13” No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

As I write this I have just left the emergency room with my wife in a leg brace and on crutches after she fell and badly hurt her knee. We will be seeing an orthopedic surgeon today to see if surgery is needed. This event comes at the most inopportune time. You see I’m still recovering from back surgery with one more on the way in a few days; I’m also trying to overcome a cough that won’t go away. Harmony is scheduled for a procedure to help with some preexisting issues the day after my second back surgery. Aubrie has a stomach virus that keeps coming and going, and she just started a new gym class. My mother is scheduled for knee replacement surgery. Just to add one more issue to this already chaotic situation, my jeep developed some issues while trying to get Harmony to the emergency room after her fall. Sounds like a bad joke doesn’t it? However I’m still waiting for the punch line!

1 Corinthians 10:13 can be translated in a couple of different ways. The one that is most common talks of temptation; however, the word “tempted” in Greek can also mean “tested”. This is the scripture where we get the all-familiar saying, “God will not put more on you than you can handle.” You can see where I’m going with this I’m sure. As a pastor, I encounter folks everyday who have been dumped on such as we have in the last few weeks, some even more so. Maybe you’re one of those people who read my story and say “that isn’t anything let me tell you about my life.” We all have these stories; we have all lived or are living through these trials. When these things over take us, we find ourselves thinking, “Lord how much more do You think I can take?” My favorite has always been, “Lord I wish You didn’t have so much faith in what I can handle” or I think “You may have misjudged my testing threshold.” It is overwhelming what we find ourselves in all of a sudden, and we just don’t see how we are going to get out of it. I caution on asking God what next, for when I do so there always seems to be an answer that I don’t like.

So how do we survive? How will my family and I ever get through this? I mean not just the problem of trying to be ten places at once, but what if Harmony has to miss a lot of work; what then? And if I dare say it what if something else happens?

Have you ever felt this way? I know you have, we all have. It is crazy, it is overwhelming, and it is so out of control. I believe that is the issue most at hand; it is out of control! Whose control? My control! Now we see the issue don’t we?

In Matthew 4:35-41 the disciples find themselves in an out of control situation. Jesus had asked them to set sail on the sea, and He decided to take a nap. The problem is that while He was sleeping, a terrific storm kicked up and the disciples thought they were going to drown. Sound familiar? I can relate. I feel like I’m going to drown in all this stuff I’m in right now. The funny thing is Jesus is still sleeping like a baby. Now let me paint a picture for you if I can. This wasn’t a luxury cruise liner of a boat; this was a raft with open sides and a shallow hull. It was the kind of boat that you would see two lovers taking across a calm pond to watch the stars. However this was a storm in the middle of the sea with no land in sight with waves bigger than the boat and lots and lots of water. Did I mention that Jesus was asleep? The disciples woke Jesus in panic and asked what to do. I can imagine Jesus slowly stretching and rubbing his eyes, kind of like Aubrie when I have to wake her in the middle of the night, awake but not quite with not a care in the world. Jesus looked around, saw the storm and asked why they were frightened. You have to be kidding me, right! Jesus looks at my situation and asks me why I’m stressed. Is He that disconnected with my life? He doesn’t have a clue! But just as the disciples had to have been asking the same questions, Jesus raised His hand and the storm vanished. He then asked the disciples why they were so afraid and did they still lack faith.

I have to be honest; my faith is wavering at this moment. I know it could be a lot worse, but you have to admit this is pretty bad. Harmony and I had to discuss scheduling of surgeries and possible reschedule, and we sounded like old people in the emergency room. However, I know just like in the past when life has overtaken us, God will see us through. We will look back at this and laugh and wonder what we were ever stressed about. Psalm 30 says, “…although pain may come by the night, joy comes in the morning”. The morning can’t come fast enough.

Until Sunday, Pastor Dan

Stewards

*We have many projects in the works right now. To begin, at the end of this month, on Jan 28-29, we are planning on scrubbing and waxing the fellowship hall floor. We can use any help offered, especially to move the items out of the hall.

*We will also be removing and cutting up the old and broken pews that are in the hall.

*In the ladies bathroom the floor tiles need to be replaced and we are also looking to replace the toilets as they are old and use a lot of water. New efficient toilets will reduce the water consumption and lower our water bills a bit.

*Next on the list to be replaced are the tables in the Sunday School rooms. They are very old and sagging.

*The big job/improvement we hope will be replacing the projector screen in the sanctuary and mounting the new one permanently to the front wall which will eliminate the cluttered look in the front by the altar.

Witness

*On February 12th we will be offering the first of many free community dinners. This first dinner will be Italian fare and will be served from 3:30-6:30pm. We are asking for reservations so we have a head count. There will be cap of 150 people to be served, so a phone call and reservations are necessary. Please spread the word to any you feel would benefit from this dinner. The next dinner will be on April 16th. The information so far has been put out to the families in the Berea School System. If you can help with set up, serving, clean up or donation for these meals see Jan Skinner and Alice Ramser who are in charge of the kitchen.

*We are collecting clothes still for the next clothing giveaway, set for March 19th from 9-2pm. The set up will be Friday, March 18th from 5-7pm. A new side on the clothing giveaways-if anyone does a lot of traveling and would like to, we would like to offer the hotel hygiene products at the giveaways. If you don’t use these products but can take them anyway we can put them out as well to help. These can also go into the community cupboard.

Nurture

*We’d like to start by thanking everyone who stayed and helped undecorated the church after the Christmas season ended. Many hands make light work.

*Cookie hours continue the first Sunday of each month. If you would like to help and bake cookies/bakery, please see anyone on Nurture.

*This is a slow month for us, but things will be changing soon as Lent begins in just a month.
We will be hosting The Ecumenical Ash Wednesday service this year on March 9th. Then the Easter season begins a few short weeks later.

*The new sound system is in place and there are still a few kinks to work out, but we can hear everything now. We are looking to also purchase four wireless portable speakers to mount in the fellowship hall and the nursery room since the new system does not work with those old speakers. The system itself is paid for, 80% coming from grant monies and the remaining from our Memorial Funds. We thank everyone who helps with the working of this each Sunday.

Christian Education

Membership Classes –
*We have decided to separate membership and baptism classes. The membership classes will focus mostly on the denomination’s history and beliefs, while the baptism classes will also include a large focus on personal faith.
*We would like to get a class going in the next month or two. Please contact Pastor Dan if you would like to become a member or be baptized.

Vacation Bible School –
*We are beginning the process of selecting VBS curriculum.
*VBS will be held August 7-11, 2011.
*Please check your calendar, as we will start looking for volunteers soon! We will have 3-4 planning meetings for the volunteers, starting in late spring.

Youth Minister –
*The Christian Education commission is working with Pastor Dan to put together a detailed job description for a new youth minister position, focusing on the Junior and Senior High youth. We feel that engaging the youth is crucial, so we are open to filling this position from inside or outside our Church body. In any case, the youth minister would need to be vetted and approved by Pastor Dan, the executive board, and any other church leadership required by our bylaws.

Sunday School –
*In early spring, youth and children’s Sunday School will undergo some exciting changes! Pre-worship Sunday School attendance is variable and low, which makes it difficult for teachers to plan lessons. Also, we have many more children attending Children’s Church than Sunday School. Therefore, we will eventually be moving children’s Sunday School to take the place of Children’s Church (during worship).
*Pre-K through 2nd grade will be in one class, and 3rd through 5th grade will be in another. We are currently looking at using the Brethren Press’ “Gather Round” age-specific curriculum for these classes. We will be working with the teachers to navigate these changes.
*The Junior and Senior High youth will each be combining their Sunday School with Youth Group meetings. This is still in the planning stages, but one idea is to have Junior High (6th-8th grade) youth meet on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month from 4:15-6:15pm, and the Senior High (9th-12th grade) youth meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays, also from 4:15-6:15pm. Meetings, led by the youth minister, would include bible study, a focus on personal faith, team-building, service, and of course fun! The youth would then have the option of staying for the potluck meal (6-7pm) and Soteria service (7-8pm). The evening service would be an awesome place for our youth to get plugged in!
*Please note that these plans have not yet been implemented, and the current Sunday School/Youth Group schedules are still in effect. We will update you when the switch is made.

Deacons

*We are excited to see new families attending church with us. Please join us in welcoming them into our church family.

*We also have seen steady use of the community cupboard this winter. Please continue to bring in donations. Always needed are cans of heat and eat soups and stews, rice and noodle packets, peanut butter, etc. Particularly needed are cereals, boxed or instant foods, baby foods, feminine products, personal hygiene products, and of course money.
On behalf of the deacon body, thanks and God Bless.