THE EPISTLE &

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church 10401 Armory Ave. Kensington, Maryland 20895 http://www.stpaulsk.org 301-933-7933

Vol. 49, No. 7

AUGUST 2006

FOCUS GROUPS SCHEDULED

As many of you are aware, our church has been in the planning stages for building renovation and expansion. The Church Council and Trustees have completed much of the preliminary work and we are excited about presenting it to the congregation.

You are cordially invited to attend one of our Focus Group Meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to give everyone in our congregation an opportunity to hear the proposed building and expansion plans for St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. This is an excellent opportunity for each member of our church to provide the Church Council and Trustees with your thoughts concerning our needs. All meetings will be held at the church in the Library.

The following is a list of dates and times of the meetings:

Sun. August 20th 9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

Wed. August 23rd 7:00 p.m.

Sun. August 27th 9:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

Wed. August 30th 7:00 p.m.

Sun. September 3rd 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Thurs. September 7th 7:00 p.m.

Sun. September 10th 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Please check your schedules and mark your calendar for one of these very important meetings. Each presentation will last approximately 20 minutes and light refreshments will be offered. You will then have an opportunity to ask questions and to answer a brief, but important questionnaire before the meeting concludes.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church is important to all of us and your suggestions are needed to be certain we are fulfilling our responsibilities to our congregation and our faith.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Karin

Karin’s Comments

And Jesus took the bread, gave thanks and somehow there was enough for all to eat and for there even to be leftovers.

Dear Friends,

This fall, St. Paul’s is exploring the possibility of making significant renovations to our building. Our vision is to continue to proclaim Jesus Christ in this community in vital ways as we respond to God’s call and meet the challenges of our day. Our hope is to be able to respond to the needs before us that new ministries can take place within our walls and outside our walls and that we have the facilities available to accommodate those who want to participate.

I am confident that we, as people of God in this community, will respond as God is calling us. We need you to be a part of the conversation. Please make every effort to join us for a focus group session (listed on page 1) as we gather to pray and consider all these things.

Scripture is a witness to the fact that whenever Jesus was present, grace overflowed. From the multiplying of the loaves and fish to turning water into wine and helping a family save face, Jesus is about grace upon grace. Will you please pray for the community of St. Paul’s Church as together we make decisions that will impact our future as well as the community we serve.

God’s miracles abound. Be on the watch!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Karin

John’s Jottings

Hi everyone,

Most of us love summertime, when the living is easy. Whether parked on a beach with the roaring surf nearby, or by a quiet pond, or perched on a mountainside, vacation days offer wonderful respite from the stresses of the year. Once again I thought I would share several book titles you might want to take with you on vacation. All are books that have helped me through the years: Life After Life* (case histories of people who have had out of the body experiences) by Dr. Raymond Moody;

Hope for Each Day by Billy Graham; In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado; When God Whispers Your Name* by Max Lucado; Amazed by Grace, a collection, W Publishing Group; The Road Less Traveled* by Scott Peck, MD (a great old classic!); and God's Little Devotional Book for Dads (a great Father's Day gift).

If you want to read something delightful, also from way back, try The Best of Clarence Day (Life with Father, Life with Mother, etc.), an accounting of how things were back in Victorian times, and my how things have changed. There's nothing like a good book to while away lazy vacation days. I hope you all have great ones. Fondly,

John

PS - I have most of these books if anyone wants to borrow them (and will promise to return them!) *Titles with asterisks are in the church library. (editor).

We are winding down our schedule and looking forward to a summer break.

We are looking forward to the fall activities and meetings with the new president Eric Eaton. I would like to thank everybody who supported me for the last 4.5 years as president of the UMM.

September 2, Pancake Breakfast

September 6, UMM Executive Committee meeting

May you all have a relaxing and enjoyable summer!

Harold Moyer
President

YOUTH Volunteers-In-Mission were commissioned Sunday, July 9

The following youth and adult chaperones were: Pat Warren, Rick Buckingham, Lauren Beck, Kap Chatfield, David DeMoss, Sam Englehart, Mary Jeanne Harwood, Bobby Hewitt, Chris Higgins, Ted Lillie, Will McCurry and Kristina Taylor. They headed for the Great Bay Group Work Camp in Exeter, New Hampshire, July 16-22 doing maintenance and repairs on the houses of elderly home owners in an area which suffered greatly during this spring’s torrential rains and flooding.

SUMMERTIME---Make your life easier

Don’t forget your pledge.

We now make it easier than ever for you to keep current with your pledges. You can have it automatically deducted from your account and credited to St. Paul’s account. The forms are in the office on the counter, all it takes is a little of your time to fill one out and your pledge will be deducted once a month on the 5^th.

“Dear Fellow St. Paulians,

Thank you for the many prayers and cards that you have sent during my illness. They have been very encouraging. I very much appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

Joe Kordella

“Dear Rev. Walker,

Please inform your congregation that I wish to thank all of them for their prayers, beautiful cards, and phone calls I have received during my treatment for prostate cancer. All of this has been a great help gratefully appreciated by me and my wife and family.

We were members of St. Paul’s for many years and even though we moved to Gettysburg, our friends have not forgotten us. This is a great blessing and appreciated more than you will ever know. We occasionally visit the church when we come down to see our daughter Diane. She, also, has been a great help to us and is deeply appreciated.

With God’s help, I will survive this ordeal and get well.

Thank all of you again and God bless each and every one of you. Peace be with you.”

Edgar K. Moore

“Dear Members of St. Paul’s,

Our many thanks to you for the beautiful flowers brought to us by Debra McCurry. We also thank all of those who have sent many cards. It means a lot to know we are not forgotten.”

Christine King

“I am deeply grateful to our St. Paul's family for their kind expressions of sympathy on the passing of my youngest brother, Dennis. He would have been 57 on July 15. He is home!”

Shannon Braddock

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Politics and the Faith Community

Consensus Statements. In the June Epistle, consensus statements adopted at the May 21 dialogue, “Christians in Conversation about Immigration,” were incomplete. The following reflects the consensus of opinion among the 18 participants who attended:

“As Christians, we believe that immigrant values strengthen America, and that the Kingdom of God has lots of room for lots of people who we might not like or agree with, but Jesus invited them in.

As Christians, we are therefore called: to accept immigrants for who they are; to engage immigrants as God’s children; to reach out to others individually and collectively; to learn from one another as friends who speak the truth in love; as friends to effect change in our community.”

God’s Politics, Part 2 Mike McCurry led more than a dozen members in a lively discussion about Jim Wallis’ book, focusing on the questions: “How can we respond to Wallis’ call to be active and engage in our community? Can we use one of the prophetic models proposed in the book?”

Participants expressed concerns about the separation of church and state, about mixing politics and religion; about relying too much on politicians; and about avoiding a narrow, very personal focus about learning how to be greater advocates for change in larger public policies.

One suggestion was getting more personally involved with individual people in the local immigrant community. Interacting and developing friendships with immigrants would inevitably draw us into discussions about what is right and fair for this population who are largely ignored. Forty percent of Maryland’s immigrants live in Montgomery County.

More conversations are slated in the fall on what politics is and is not, why we cannot ignore politics in the faith community, and what “Faithful Citizenship” means.

To continue church-wide discussion on whether we should join Action In Montgomery, David Stegmaier will lead a book study in September on John McKnight’s The Careless Society: Community and its Counterfeits.

CHRIS HIGGINS GOES TO JAPAN

FOR IT’S ACADEMIC

Congratulations to Christopher Higgins, recent graduate of Richard Montgomery High School, whose “It’s Academic” Team competed in Chicago, IL on the weekend of June 3-4 to win the 2006 “It’s Academic” National Championship. This also included 50 scholarships to RM class of 2007 who will attend the George Washington University in the fall of 2007. The week of August 13, Chris and his teammates will be representing The United States at the “It’s Academic” World Championship in Tokyo, Japan. Chris should return from the international competition in time to start his freshman year at the University Of Maryland School of Engineering. Let us wish Chris success and keep him and the other competitors in our prayers for safe travel.

TRUSTEES NEWS –

By Tracey Furman

Glass replacement on parking lot sign and plaque donatION

The Trustees wish to thank Oral Folks for the glass replacement on the parking lot sign. I’ve had many comments about visual improvement. We’re very grateful to Oral for donating the materials and his labor for this endeavor. Oral also donated and installed a small plaque describing the Old Church cornerstone in the Columbarium.

LANDSCAPING IMPROVED

BUT NEEDS ASSISTANTS

We also want to recognize Alesia and Steve Peterson for their continued efforts in keeping up the church landscaping. Alesia can always use assistants, so if you like to garden (or water) please contact Alesia or me and we’ll put you to work!

While most of our committees will be taking the summer off, the Trustees have an ambitious project list to keep our building superintendent, Marco Palma, and many of our committee members busy over the summer.

ROOMS TO BE PAINTED

AND TALKS WITH SAFEWAY

Projects include: Painting Rooms 211, Music Room, 109, Mountain Way Shop, misc. walls in the education wing and the stairwell by the office.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Special thanks to: The Martha Circle who donated and planted flowers along the Heavener Hall ramp and to Jerry Watkins, Harold Moyer, John Brown, and Steve Warren for always making themselves available to help me out with “fix-it projects”. I really appreciate you guys!

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE IMPROVEMENT FUND

To the congregation, thank-you for supporting the Improvement Fund, these funds make all the improvements happen.

Tracey Furman

Trustee President

Altar guild

needs large cans

While we have glass containers for flowers for those who want smaller amounts, we still need large cans for those who want the whole bouquet on Sundays. Please rinse them out and bring them to the flower room. Thank you, Sarah Jenkins

Altar Guild, Chair.

thanks to flower angels

As summer goes by many of our flower arrangers are vacationing and others are filling in for July and August. Please join me in thanking our flower angels for a job superbly done! Norma Townsend, Flower Coordinator, Nancy McArdle, Marie Powell, Becky Little and Wendy McCutheon (trainee). Their talents and dedication enhance the beauty of our sanctuary.

The summer team is Sharon Ziegler, Sherrye Schenke, Marie Powell and Nancy McArdle. Sharon and Sherrye bring their talent and dedication to our amazing group and Marie and Nancy continue theirs. We are very fortunate to have all of them. Of course the support team of Tracey, Marco and Carol remain the year around!

Sarah Jenkins

Altar Guild, Chair

St. Paul’s Friendship Program: Being Friends Is All We Need to Be!

As disciples of Christ, making friends with others is among the most important things we can do. On the occasion of the Last Supper, Jesus, in his final opportunity to share the central values of the faith, instructed his disciples to serve others by being their friends. As John McKnight, a Christian social worker in the Chicago area has put it: “Perhaps beyond the revolution of Christian service is the final revolution, the possibility of being friends. Friends are people who know, care, respect, struggle, love justice, and have a commitment to each other through time.” Immediately surrounding St. Paul’s United Methodist Church are many people living in Wheaton and Silver Spring who yearn for our friendship, and through whose friendship we can serve Christ.

Tutoring and Mentoring Students: The Justice and Compassion Ministry of St. Paul’s has been engaged in establishing a program by which members of the congregation would befriend students, by becoming their tutors at Saturday schools already in existence at Wheaton and Kennedy High Schools. Recognizing the tragically high dropout rate at these two schools, as well as at nearby Einstein High School, the committee believes that adult and student members of our congregation can influence students who are on the verge of dropping out, to stay in school and be engaged in academic work. A couple of members of our congregation were engaged in the Saturday schools during the spring, and, the possibility exists for many more members of the congregation to become involved this fall.

Being Friends of Isolated Adults: Meanwhile, an opportunity has presented itself this summer, that gives us the chance to begin the friendship program with adults. Montgomery County has the largest number of first generation immigrants of any county in Maryland, and many of these immigrants spend so much of their time working and taking care of their families, that they don’t have a chance to develop relationships with others, especially long-time residents of this country. Many of these individuals would like to learn English better and become more engaged in the traditions and customs of their adopted country, yet, without adults from whom they can learn, this isolation will continue.

There are many individual members of our congregation willing to extend the hand of friendship to a new immigrant. Dave Stegmaier and Marie Powell of the Justice and Compassion Ministry are organizing this adult friendship program, determining how widespread the interest is among the members of the church to participate, and determining how widespread the need is on the part of the immigrant population.

Please sign up for the Friendship Program in the church office either because you already know you want to participate, or, you would simply like to find out more about it. Meanwhile, Dave and Marie will be contacting news outlets and other organizations that cater to the new immigrant, to identify individuals interested in establishing friendships with adults from St. Paul’s.

“As ushers, we hope everyone, including newcomers to St. Paul’s, will feel welcome,” says Jim King, Head Usher.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, during the Great Depression, Jim was drafted right out of high school into World War II. “I perfected my managerial expertise as a drill instructor. My language has improved, but I’m still pushy,” he says. After graduating from Auburn University in engineering, he worked for the General Services Administration for 28 years, including construction consulting in Saudi Arabia. He then served as assistant construction director for the University of Maryland. Jim retired in 1993 after more than 40 years as a licensed electrical engineer.

Jim met Bettye in high school; they married in 1947 and came to St. Paul’s in 1957. One of their daughters is a chemical engineer/teacher and the other teaches special education in Virginia. They have one grandson and three granddaughters. One received her M.D. in May.

Jim managed the recent replacement and repair of St. Paul’s heating and air conditioning. He has also served as a member and president of the Trustees, a member of the Worship Committee, and long-time usher and active member of the United Methodist Men. He co-authored a number of men’s club plays. In the early 60’s, he was president of the Young Adult Fellowship.

Leisure activities include yard work, bike-riding on the C&O Canal, golf and spending time with family and friends.

Pray for our Servicemen

Servicemen overseas

or about to go:

Pray and write to our servicemen. They want to hear local news:

Arthur Baker - Martine Baker’s son

L/Cpl. Arthur Baker III (will be returning to Iraq)

3^rd Battalion, 6^th Marines, Weapons Co.,

Sniper Platoon

Camp Lejeune, NC 28547

Nate Furman – David & Tracey Furman’s son

(Orders to Iraq cancelled – will stay in FL)

Tech Sgt. Nate Furman

95^th Fighter Squadron / Tyndall AFB

Panama City, FL 32403

Brian Thornton - Pat Moffett’s son-in-law

Major Brian Thornton

HHC 876th Engineer BN/ 2-28 BCT

APO AE 09362-9997

John Christopher Walker son of the Rev. and Mrs. John Walker (going to Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot)

BW5 J. Chris Walker

PMB202 / P.O. Box 8001

Fort Hood, TX 76544

David Zwick- Debbie Zwick’s husband

Lt. David Zwick (is in Iraq)

c/o Mrs. David Zwick

4618 Saul Rd.

Kensington, MD 20895

Please let us know of family member servicemen or women.

David Erskine – Carol Erskine’s husband, and son-in-law of Bette and Eric Eaton (in Iraq)

Alex Doyle – Carol Erskine’s stepson (will go to Afghanistan) Bette and Eric Eaton’s grandson

Enjoy the display of current servicemen and those from WWI and WWII in the Narthex now thru July 4^th. After that the display will reside in the lower level hallway, at the bottom of the stairs from the kitchen.

Emily Robinson, History Committee Chair

Volunteers for mailing the June Epistle:

Nelson Hunt, Aileen Hunt, Marilyn Jenkins, Mae Miles, Frances Reed, Vernon Pierce, Gerry Hobbs, Peggy Lehman, George Lehman, Ida DeVierno, Evelyn Schaeffer, John Boggess, Tracey Furman & Marco Palma

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Pastor Deacon Youth/Education Epistle Editor

Rev. Karin Walker Rev. Rick Buckingham Del Moyer

revkarin@comcast.net ricklby@yahoo.com del@moyer.us

Minister of Visitation Office Manager Copy Editor

Rev. John C. Walker Carol Lewis Jan Aamodt

friartuck4@verizon.net stpaulsunited@verizon.net jan.aamodt@verizon.net

ST PAUL’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

8:30 a.m. Worship with Communion
10:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
10:00 a.m. Summer Sunday School

THE PURPOSE of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church is

to invite and welcome all:
— To worship God
     — To grow as disciples of Jesus Christ
           — To love and support one another
— To do justice and serve compassionately in the world
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.” Acts 1:8a