september rock spring newsletter

Rock Spring News SEPTEMBER 2013 1

Rock Spring CongregationalUnited Church of Christ

5010 Little Falls Rd. Arlington, VA703-538-4886

www.rockspringucc.org

The Rock Spring NewsSeptember 2013 Vol. 13 No.08

This exciting occasion builds on the memorable service observed on the tenth

anniversary of 9/11 in September 2011 by the congregations of Dar Al-Hijrah and

Rock Spring, and another in 2012. The service will involve elements from each of

the faiths, and after a luncheon, many congregants will join the 9/11 Unity Walk on

Massachusetts Avenue in Washington DC, which “seeks to create a world where we

are united, rather than divided, by our many faiths” http://911unitywalk.org/about

WORLD PEACE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, AT 10:00 A.M.“Two Faiths, One Creation”

Members of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center will join us at Rock Spring in a service for World

Peace followed by a luncheon.

To supply specific basic dishes for the luncheon. Please sign up online:www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0D48A4AB29A7F49-world/7332775 To participate in the DC Unity Walk after lunch. A bus will provide transportation to returning walkers to Rock Spring by 4:00 p.m. To bring a photo, object, or piece of art that captures a part of creation that inspires you. Please bring your items to Carpenter Hall prior to the start of the service.

You are invited:

Rock Spring News SEPTEMBER 2013 2 SEPTEMBER 2013 Rock Spring News

SundayS in September at rock Spring

SEPTEMBER 1

SEPTEMBER 8

SEPTEMBER 15

SEPTEMBER 22

SEPTEMBER 29

Season of Creation: Ocean

Annual Labor Day Hymn Sing

Communion

World Peace Sunday

Season of Creation: Cosmos

Worship Service at 10:00 a.m. with Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center

Luncheon (potluck) to follow in Carpenter Hall

DC Unity Walk (a bus will transport walkers to and from the walk,

returning to Rock Spring by 4:00 p.m.)

BACK TO TWO SERVICES at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Homecoming Sunday

Season of Creation: Flora and Fauna – Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28

“Look to the Stars” Luke 12:35-40, Hebrews 11:1-12

Season of Creation: Storm

Congregational Conversation about ordained staffing following the 11:00 a.m. service.

How many pastors do we need? How many pastors do we want and how does that desire fit

within the other budget goals of the church?

Kick-off of Y0RS (both Middle High and Senior High to meet from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. this year!)

Sermon title, “Rending Walls” Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16, Luke 16:19-31

Fifth Sunday (see article page 13)

Upcoming Worship Services:Friday, October 4, 6:30 – 7:00 p.m. Candlelight Evening Prayer with Music in the Style of Taizé returnsThis 30 minute service is the perfect way to enter the weekend. Let the music calm your spirit. Let the candles center your soul. Let the silence bring you peace.

Sunday, October 6, 4:00 p.m. Blessing of the AnimalsInspired by St. Francis of Assisi’s love of all creation, this service offers a blessing to pets. Bring your pets (dogs, cats, hamsters, birds) to this informal service. Please bring your small animals in a carrier.


Staffing: Where We are, Where We are headed

While the changes outlined below pertain to our lay staff and employees, congregation-wide discussions will be held this Fall to discuss how the current budget/pledging landscape fits with Rock Spring’s priorities as to or-dained staff, including the number of pastors serving the church, as well as potential areas of focus and exper-tise for each. The first of these discussions is scheduled to take place following the 11:00 a.m. worship service on September 22. Please plan to participate that day to share your thoughts and ideas.

To round out our office support, we are expanding the role of our volunteer Rock Spring Ambassadors. Rock Spring Ambassadors assist in the office on a volunteer basis, helping to lower our administrative expenses but as importantly incorporating more members into the day-to-day operations of the church. Maybe you will feel called to serve your church in such a capacity. Look for a full job description on page 18.

With these changes, and all other things remaining constant, the Personnel budget for 2014 will actually be lower than what we had budgeted for 2013 -- another blessing! Please mark your calendars for September 22 to participate in the discussion and planning around Rock Spring’s pastoral staff configuration, now and in the future.

Peace,

Rebecca Womeldorf, Council ChairKathy Dwyer, Senior Pastor

Thanks to some creative thinking by our Boards of Christian Education and Personnel, the flexibility and talents of our existing staff and church members, and perhaps even a little divine intervention, we are entering the Fall with a plan that promises to cover our office needs as well as Linda Carder’s role with our youngest Rock Springers (pre-K through 5th grade) when Linda “re-retires” as announced this November.

Sarah Steel will continue on a contract basis although she has agreed to shift her role a bit. As Rock Spring’s “Operations Consultant,” Sarah will work closely with the Finance and Property Boards under supervision by the Senior Pastor. Sarah will assume duties that in the past have fallen out of necessity to ordained staff, with the specific goal of allowing our pastors to focus more on true pastoral concerns. We anticipate that Sarah will be involved with all budget conversations this fall.

The Council met on August 21 and acted on several hiring decisions that will allow us to continue to operate effectively while leaving open the ability to explore longer-term staffing scenarios. We are delighted to share that beginning September 1, Angel Washington was promoted from Administra-tive Assistant to Office Administrator and will be working for Rock Spring on a full time basis. In this capacity, Angel will receive health benefits, which Council recognized as a priority.

Finally, at the recommendation of the Personnel and Christian Education boards, Council voted unanimously to hire Ashley Martinage to assume the lay role of part-time Director of Children’s Ministries when Linda Carder’s self-imposed term in that position ends this November. Ashley will continue on a volunteer basis to coordinate the middle school YoRS program.

Angel Washington

Sarah Steel

Ashley Martinage

SEPTEMBER 2013 Rock Spring News Rock Spring News SEPTEMBER 2013 4

reflectionS

REV. MARK SURIANOand Education Center (SEEC), Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) and Arlington Street Peoples Assistance Network (A-SPAN), and others as well.I am looking forward to the beginning of the YoRS group this September 22! Both the Middle High and Senior High will meet at the same time this year, although they will still have separate spaces. This move will encourage greater participation by youth, ease the amount of driving on families with a child in each group, and give the young people more time to be at home with their families on Sunday afternoons. We are also looking forward to a number of joint events to encourage the two groups to get to know each other and to work together. If you or your children are in grades 6-12, I hope you will join us.

One of the things the Senior High YoRS will be doing is cooking for the SEEC program every other month starting in September. I offer you all the opportunity to match their efforts by sign-ing up to cook and/or deliver food to the workers the second Wednesday of each month. You can sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F084FADAA22A31-seec or email me of your interest.

Finally, I want to invite you all to our Church Picnic on Sunday, September 15 following the 11:00 a.m. service. This is a “just for fun” gathering featuring grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, veg-gie burgers, side dishes, and a cooler full of popsicles and ice cream for dessert! We also will enjoy the return of the Moon Bounce and Water Slide (bring your towels and bathing suits!) and some lawn games as well. I hope you will join in reconnecting with other Rock Springers after the busy summer.Meanwhile, thanks again for the privilege of being here with you!

– Mark

After a busy and fruitful summer we are once again at the beginning of a new program year. These past few weeks in particular have been filled with preparations for the educational programs of the church and with planning for fall worship and service opportunities. I want to ac-knowledge the hard work of Cheryl Ramp and the Christian Education Board in helping Linda and me think creatively and with new energy about Christian Education and YoRS (Youth of Rock Spring); this board has been very active! I also want to thank Iris Gibson and the Social Ac-tion and Mission Board for their thoughtful work with the grants and for encouraging greater participation in the Shirlington Employment


Spiritual groWth & learning

The Unofficial Handbook ofthe United Church of Christ

Celebrate the UCC’s Media Justice Legacy at the 2013 Everett Parker Lecture

You are invited to join the United Church of Christ’s Office of the Communication, Inc., for the 31st Annual Everett C. Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture and Awards Breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 1, at First Congre-gational UCC, 948 G Street NW.

The event celebrates the UCC’s historic media justice ministry and the role its founder, Rev. Everett Parker, and others played in opening up our country’s airwaves to people of color and women. This year’s Parker Lecture will be deliv-ered by Hilary Shelton, Washington vice president of the NAACP and a member of People’s Congregational UCC in the District. The event will also honor Albert H. Kramer, founder of the Citizens’ Communications Center, and Malkia Amala Cyril, founder of the Center for Media Justice.

Individual tickets are $50.00 each and include breakfast; proceeds help OC Inc’s ongoing media advocacy work. For more information and to purchase tickets online, go to http://www.uccmediajustice.org/parkerlecture2013. Plans are also under way for a workshop later that morning on the connection between media reform and racial justice, organized by OC Inc., the Center for Media Justice and the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries.

For more information, contact Sara Fitzgerald.

In case you missed it (as I did), former Rock Spring seminarian Curtis Preston, now pastor of Lakewood UCC in Lakewood, Colorado, is the co-author of a light-hearted book called “The Unofficial Handbook of the United Church of Christ” (Curtis’s co-author is the Rev.Quinn Caldwell, a member of the UCC’s StillSpeaking Writers Group).

The book is designed for all UCCers, but particularly for members of the millennial genera-tion: confirmation-aged youth and teens. “All of the facts are reliable and all of the humor is totally ‘unofficial.’” The book can be ordered online for $12.00 at https://secure3.convio.net/ucc/site/Ecommerce/783773967?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=38742&store_id=1401&JServSessionIdr004=f67rzd1ow3.app332a. --Sara Fitzgerald


Spiritual groWth & learning

Adult EducationBIBLE BASICS CLASSTHE BIBLE: A 21ST CENTURY LOOK AT BASIC THEMES

Here is a listing of the topics we will be covering in the Bible Basics class this year:

FRIDAY EVENING SUNDAY AFTERNOON7:00-9:00 12:30-2:00

September 6, 2013 September 8, 2013 How we got the bible

October 4, 2013 October 6, 2013 Survey of the Old Testament (including stories behind the Jewish holidays)

November 1, 2013 November 3, 2013 Survey of the New Testament (authors and their agendas)

December 6, 2013 December 8, 2013 Birth Narratives

January 3, 2014 January 5, 2014 The life and times of Jesus

February 1, 2014 February 3, 2014 Beginnings and endings (Survey of Genesis and Revelation)

March 7, 2014 March 9, 2014 Matriarchs and Heroines

April 4, 2014 April 6, 2014 Wicked Women of the Bible

May 2, 2014 May 4, 2014 TBA

If you have any questions, please contactCarol George- [email protected] or Janice Langholz – [email protected]

Men’s Group About a dozen men met in late August to begin a discussion on forming a men’s group at Rock Spring. We are looking to develop the vehicle for men of the church to get together for various opportunities from social events to service and everything in between. We are still looking for you to add your voice!

We will gather on Sunday September 22 at noon for a lunch meeting (place to be deter-mined), and we hope to see you there. If you are interested contact Pastor Mark at [email protected].


FOR CHILDREN ONLY

(Well, I guess you can let your parents read this if you want!)

How would you like watching movies in a movie theater while you

eat popcorn and drink lemonade? Or learning by playing games

like tag? Or baking bread and then having your bread used for

communion?

children, youth & familieS

The children will still be in age level groups and each group will have a “Shepherd.” Each shepherd will have

a staff with a symbol on it. Each child will have a sticker, which matches one of the shepherd’s staff symbols.

After the children’s time in worship the children will “flock” to their shepherd and follow their shepherd to their

workshop for the day. The shepherds will be with their children each week, leading, assisting, encouraging,

and supporting their flock of children.

You will receive information ahead of time as to which group your child is in. We will use the Children’s Time during

the service on September 15 to get everyone in their groups. The Sunday Bulletin will tell you each week where your

child will be, and the shepherd’s staff will be outside the door of the room they are in. If they are outside, the staff

will be by the office door. The shepherds at 11:00 a.m. will be Jim Alverson, Andy Schwartz, Eri Kimura, Ann Parcell,

Denise Calvert, and Ann Divecha. Adam Gordon will shepherd the children at 9:00 a.m.

(Continued on Page 8)

To experience all these things and more, come to Sunday school, either at 900 a.m. or 11:00 a.m., to find out the rest

of our exciting new things! Sunday School starts September 15. That is Rally Day, so after church we will have a picnic

and lots of fun. And guess what? I think the moon bounce and slide might just be back!

See you soon!--Linda Carder

NEW CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING THIS FALL

If you read the last Rock Spring News, you will know that we will be

initiating the Workshop Rotation Model of Sunday school this fall

for the kindergarteners through the fifth graders at both services.

Each Sunday school room

or space will be decorated in the theme of one of the work-

shops. This fall, we will have a Sacred Story Theater, an Art Studio,

a Discovery Room, a Music and Movement Room, a World Wide

Bakery, and a Goofy Global Games area. Most of the rooms will

be on the top floor of the Hunter building. Games will be outside

and Baking will be in the kitchen of Carpenter Hall.


children, youth & familieS(Continued from Page 7)

The theme for the first six weeks is “Creation.” That will also be the theme in worship for those weeks, so that our whole faith community will have the same focus. We will do that as often as possible. The workshops and teachers for this Rotation are

• Photography Scavenger Hunt – Brad Hopewell • Science – Dick Metzger • Sacred Story Theater – Iris Gibson • Music and Movement – Peter Moll and Taryn Roman • Global Games – Charlie Gilmour • World Wide Bread Baking – Martha Jolkovski

The rooms will be set up to fit the specific focus, so there will be a movie theater, an art studio, etc. Many, many thanks to Betsy Thomassen who will turn the upstairs hallway into a Creation extravaganza!

We will have 4 groups, therefore each teacher will teach only 4 of the 6 Sundays. The classes will include the Bible story as well as the specified activities. There will be a focus on the sacredness of Creation and the sacredness of their work. Therefore, the bread baked will be used on World Wide Communion Sunday, photos taken of God’s creation will be exhibited in the Saegmuller Room, songs learned and poems written will become part of our worship or will appear in the Rock Spring News.

Our pre-K classes will also be on the “Creation” theme and will meet in the room with the red door in the lower level of the Hunter building. The 9:00 a.m. teachers are Betsey Wildhack and Judy Johnson. Matt Nolan will teach the 11:00 a.m. class, Mary Black will be the teaching assistant, and Lucy Dale will be the helper.

I will be sending ideas for how to support what your children are learning in their classes on Sundays at the beginning of each rotation rather than sending them each week. Of course I will also send other helps at other times. We are looking forward to a very exciting and meaningful year with the children of our church. Please feel free to drop by and check us out anytime. If you have any questions, you may contact me at [email protected].


children, youth & familieS

MIDDLE HIGH YORS

September is here, school is about to start, and that can only mean

one thing: it’s time to get the Middle High Youth of Rock Spring

party started! If you are in grades 6, 7, or 8, we invite you to join us

in a fellowship group where everyone is welcome. This year we will

meet from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Sunday evenings. Every week, we will

play games, share our stories, have adventures, do service projects,

and eat a snack (yes, there is always a snack).

Come say hello during the Rally Day picnic, on Sunday, September 15. I’ll have information to share about our sched-ule for the year, and I’ll answer any questions you have about YoRS. Our official Kick-Off will be Sunday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m. We will play games, establish ground rules to ensure that everyone feels safe and included, and talk about our hopes and dreams for the year. And we will have a special snack: chocolate fondue. Lots and lots of chocolate fondue….

We have lots of great things already in the works for this coming year, including a lock-in, creating a Haunted House, making chocolate, and going on an overnight to the Adventure Links course at Hemlock Overlook Regional Park. What would you like to add to that list? Join us on September 22 to add your ideas and help shape our year!

Questions? Contact Ashley Martinage at [email protected], or by phone/text at 703.447.0873.

We are in the process of planning engaging activities for the 2013-2014 YORS year and welcome all youth in grades 9-12 to join us. Although our official kick off for the YORS year will be September 22, we have two pre-season events. Sunday, September 8 from 6:30-8:30 pm, we will be cooking lunches for the day workers at the Shirlington Educa-tion and Employment Center. Shirley Ruhe will lead us in making some outstanding dishes and, as usual, we will make enough to sample our fare. Sunday, September 15 will be an all-church picnic after the 11:00 a.m. service. We hope to gather Senior High YoRS at the picnic to have some fun and do some planning for the upcoming year. Stay tuned for more details, but we anticipate that cooking for the day laborers, a fall overnight, and a winter ski weekend will be among our activities.

If you want information about the Senior High YORS program, please feel free to contact Rev. Mark Suriano or the adult advisors: Kathy or John Morland ([email protected]), John Hotchkiss([email protected]), or Heather Moore ([email protected]).

2012-2013 Middle High YoRS

SENIOR HIGH YORSThis summer ten Rock Spring senior youth and three adults participat-ed in a mission trip to West Virginia as part of a seventy-three youth team from nine area UCC churches. Working with Habitat for Human-ity, the group did a “blitz build” for the Hendricks family, raising their new home from slab to closed-in structure in five days. All participants reported great fun and success. We also had an August movie night and pizza party at the Calvert’s house to catch up on summer activi-ties and to give our seniors a college send off.

2012-2013 Senior High YoRS


Social action and miSSion

ONA (OPEN & AFFIRMING)Conversation on Transgender with Kye Allumsafter church on Sunday, October 20Rock Spring is developing a relationship with the (Arabic Congregation of the) Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem. This is the second in a series of articles, mainly edited abstracts of material from the website of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. This month we meet the Arabic Congregation’s Pastor Azar and the ELCJHL’s Bishop Younan. Please hold Pastor Azar in prayer; we heard that he has had some health concerns recently.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS GRANTS PROCESS IN 2013The Board of Social Action and Mission is charged with the responsibility for managing Rock Spring’s Wider Mission budget, including the grants to Community Partners who share our passion for social justice. This year invitations to apply for a grant were sent to 22 “local” Community Partners in mid-April. Twenty of them submitted applications by the June 10 deadline, and the Board approved grants to 16 of them at its August 8 meeting. Letters informing successful and unsuccessful appli-cants are being mailed, and the checks to the former are being issued in August, September, and October.

The Community Partners budget for 2013 is $35,100. The 16 successful “local” Community Part-ners will receive $30,440, $1,000 has been approved for SembrandoPaz in Colombia, $1,000 has been reserved for the Church of the Redeemer, $1,700 has been or will be used to reimburse Rock Springers who purchase food for the Safe Haven and SEEC programs, and $960 has been used to reimburse registration fees for the A-SPAN event. The first four checks will be issued to Culpepper Garden, Arlington Thrive, Offender Aid and Restoration, and Shaw Community Ministries, in August. The second set of checks will be issued to Arlington/Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless, Door-ways, Shelter House, Arlington Free Clinic, and Arlington Pediatric Center. Those scheduled to re-ceive checks in October are the Alliance for Housing Solutions, Buyers and Renters Arlington Voice, A-SPAN, Just Neighbors, Shirlington Employment and Education Center, VOICE, SembrandoPaz, and the UCC Coalition for LGBT concerns.

The Board appointed Grants Subcommittee facilitated the grants process by preparing the list of invitees, the invitation letter, the grant application and guidelines, the letters to applicants, and by assessing the applications.



GLOBAL MISSIONWorld Peace Sunday will be held on Sunday, September 8, 2013 From Different Paths, We Walk As OneBe sure to join Rock Springers, members of Dar Al Hijrah, and many others for the 8th annual 9/11 Unity Walk. It will be held on September 8 and begins at 1:00 p.m. It starts at Washington Hebrew Congregation (3935 Macomb St. NW 20016).

HELP INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSINGAs many of you are aware, the lack of housing that is affordable to low-income families, both here in Arlington and throughout the U.S., is a serious problem and one that has been getting worse. Between 2000 and 2011 the number of units affordable to families in Arlington making $60,000 per year or less dropped from 20,000 to 6,500. Nationwide, according to HUD, an estimated 12 million renter and homeowner households now pay more than 50% of their annual incomes for housing, and a family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.

Over the past few years, Rock Spring has expressed concern about the availability of affordable housing in our área, and now there is a chance to do something about it. Area churches and other faith communities involved in VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engage-ment) are trying to collect 10,000 signatures on a petition calling for 1,000 -1,500 new units of rental housing in Arlington over the next 3-5 years that would be affordable to families making under $50,000 per year and dedicated revenue of $50-75 million using Tax Increment Financing and other non-property tax revenue. Our Social Action and Mission Board has agreed to help collect these signatures, but we need your help. Please stop by the Saegmuller Room after the morning service during late August and throughout September to sign the petition or, better still, to get one to take home and have your family and friends sign it as well. You do not have to be an Arlington resident to sign the petition. Please contact Hunter Moore at [email protected] or Rick Hale at [email protected] if you have any questions.



I see this visit as a first step in the inevitably long process of building a relationship. In my initial learn-ing about the church in Palestine and Israel, I have been struck by the frequency with which I read or hear a simple cry, “Just come. Visit us.” I do not hear a plea for funding, or for days of labor, though those might be appreciated. Instead they seem to be offering a gift—that of comprehen-sion.

As the relationship develops, we can hope that it will help us all to understand better the situation of a partner church in “the Holy Land”, and to appreciate the struggles they go through as indi-viduals. The team that visits will help us at RockSpring understand better both the human dimen-sion and complexities of this troubled corner of our world, and to consider what is an appropriate response.

Michael BellChair, Global Mission Committee

• An outgrowth of the church-wide discernment process known as IMAGINE, as we sought to add an international element to our social justice ministry and to honor our status as a Just Peace congregation;

• An interpretation of “mission” as a search for partnership where each partner might expect to grow together;

• Beginning to seek out a specific situation of “critical presence” —a meaningful partnership at the point of deepest need.

The decision to focus on the Middle East, and then Palestine/Israel was complex, but two fac-tors stand out. First, it meshed well with our emerging interfaith focus, specifically our relationship with Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center. Second, it drew on established interests and expertise within the UCC—the CAC is actively engaged with partners in the region; hence Rev. Deckenback’s pres-ence on the team will be invaluable.

Rock Spring Reaches Out in Jerusalem In late October, four Rock Springers—Senior Pastor Kathy Dwyer, Laura Martin, Martha Stansell-Gamm, and Howard Hjort—accompanied by UCC Central Atlantic Conference Minister John Deckenback, will travel to Jerusalem. They will be exploring ways to deepen our budding relationship with the Church of the Redeemer. The visit marks a major step forward in our journey as a Global Mission congregation. It is a good time to pause and ask…..Why are they go-ing? And what do they hope to achieve?

About a year ago, Rock Spring decided to become a Global Mission con-gregation with a particular focus on the Middle East. Getting to that point involved several things:


This year we will be working with Outreach Inc to package food. Their mission is to provide safe water, food, medical care and education to children at home and abroad. They were a 2013 recipient of The Point Of Light award that was presented to them by President George H. Bush and President Obama.

In the Rock Spring tradition we are challenging ourselves to package even more food than last year. Our 2013 goal is 30,000 packaged meals! The wonderful aspect of this project is that it is ageless. We are hoping everyone of all ages will take part in this uplifting and meaningful project. The meals we package will stay in our region to feed those close to home. Half of the meals will go to the Blue Ridge Food Bank located in the western part of Virginia, Verona, who is in desperate need of assistance, and a DC organization called Southeast White House. The Southeast White House has continuously served the southeast district of Washington, D.C. since 1996. It strives to be “a house on a hill for all people” as it works with inner-city youth, local organizations, and national leaders to improve the lives of people. They will be distributing the meals to local churches for their members in need.Another huge aspect of our day is our silent auction. The proceeds from this is how we raise money to pay for the meals we package. PLEASE help us collect items for our auction. There is nothing too small and nothing too large! Some items to think about are gift cards (to anything), vacation homes, house-hold items, and your donation of your talents. And of course we need your participation in the auction itself! The more we bid the more we raise. Part of the proceeds from the auction this month will go to the American Indian Heritage Association. It is a highly rated charity and a direct service organization. They provide food, clothing, stoves/fuel for heating during the winter, Christmas toys, emergency fuel vouchers for transportation, and vouchers to buy winter clothing. This organization provides these services to the Lakota (Sioux) reservations in South Dakota, where unemployment rates are at 80%, the life expectancy is 58 years, and infant mortality is 10 times the national average.

Finally we will have a food drive for AFAC. Please bring lots of food that Sunday for us to collect and deliver. You have been so generous in the past events so, hopefully, this year will be no different.


FIFTH SUNDAYSThe September Fifth Sundays event, God’s Harvest, is officially underway. As in years past, we will be working to raise money and awareness for the fight to stop hunger. Sunday, Septem-ber 29 has a full agenda! The day starts out with the silent auc-tion opening at 9:00 a.m. and closing at 1:00 p.m., a breakfast from 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., a food drive, and meal packaging starting promptly at 1:00 p.m..

Your Participation in God’s Harvest will undoubtably give you a feeling of satisfaction as you work along side your friends to help put an end to hunger but most importantly, it will give the much needed support to the organizations that dedicate themselves to once and for all ending hunger. Please join us on Sunday, September 29. We need you.

In peace and charity,Susan OlsonCo-Chair of the 5th Sunday’s Task Force


muSic noteSRock Spring has a vibrant and welcoming music program for all ages. We have 3 adult ensembles and 2 children’s ensembles

that bring music to worship on a weekly or monthly basis. You are warmly welcomed to participate with any of our choirs out-

lined on the following pages. Perhaps you have an instrument that you play, and you would be willing to offer your musical

gifts in worship .

Please contact Elizabeth Kluegel-Niblock to discuss how you might participate.

You may email her at [email protected].

Below are rehearsal schedules for each of our choirs.

Sanctuary Choir Sunday, August 25 - rehearsal for 9/8 - 11:15 to 12:00 noonRegular rehearsals - Thursday, Sept. 5 - 7:30 p.m. Men’s ChoirRegular rehearsals - Thursday, Sept. 12 - 7:00 p.m. ChoristersRegular rehearsals - Sunday, Sept. 15 - 10 a.m.First robing up Sunday - Sept. 22nd Youth Choir Regular rehearsals - Sunday, Sept. 15 - 12:30 p.m. Bell ChoirRegular rehearsals - Wednesday, Sept. 11 - 7:45 p.m.First introit - Sunday, Sept. 22nd


rock Spring revieW

New Members ClassAre you interested in exploring what membership at Rock Spring might mean for you? A New

Members’ Class will be held in October. There are three sessions, each with a different focus.

The classes meet in upper Neighborhood House on October 6, 13 and 20 from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Childcare is available. To register, please email [email protected].

Poverty in America –Film and Discussion at Bethel UCCOn September 15 at 6:30 p.m., Bethel UCC (4347 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington) along with AFAC is sponsoring a film on povery in America. A really good panel discussion will be held afterward. All are invited to attend.

Women’s Retreat Save the DateWe are offering two women’s retreats this year: Saturday, November 16 is a one-day retreat led by Laura Martin here at church.

April 5-6, 2014, Saturday to Sunday, will be our overnight retreat at Shepherd’s Spring Out-door Ministry Center, with an option to add Friday night. Janet Booth and friends will lead this retreat. Be sure to save these dates. Details will follow later.


rock Spring revieW

Greeters Needed!

Who:

Adults, teens, and groups (i.e., friends working as a pair, small families) all are invited to join the

Sunday greeting team at Rock Spring Church, for the 9:00 a.m. and the 11:00 a.m. services.

What:

Show up 15-20 minutes before the service and welcome members and visitors as they arrive.

When:

This can be a regular once-a-month assignment or an occasional stint as a substitute, when help

is needed.

Where:

Greeters are stationed at both the front door of the church and on the Rock Spring Road side

door entrance.

How:

No special training is needed! We provide a short memo that reminds you about timing, wearing a

name tag and a smile! You do not have to remember names.

Why:

It is an important job—it is the first impression that visitors have of Rock Spring, and it makes

both visitors and members feel welcome. It sets the tone for the morning.

And…it is a satisfying way to help.

If you’re interested, contact Claudia Sturges Scott at [email protected] or 703-538-6681.


rock Spring revieW

Seeking Volunteer Rock SpringAmbassadorsTo round out our office support, we are expanding the role of our volunteer Rock Spring Ambas-

sadors. Rock Spring Ambassadors assist in the office on a volunteer basis, helping to lower our

administrative expenses but as importantly incorporating more members into the day-to-day

operations of the church. Maybe you will feel called to serve your church in such a capacity.

Please see the job description on the next page and if you are interested, please contact Kathy Dwyer or Angel Washington.

Note from Council: On August 28, Council received and approved two requests from members to serve alcohol at upcoming invitation-only private wedding receptions planned for Carpenter Hall. While recognizing this action as a shift from historical practice, Council supported the requests of these members with the caveats that the events were invitation-only and that any alcohol/containers will be removed from campus immediately after the event.

We also investigated Rock Spring’s existing insurance coverage to ensure that the Church would incur no additional costs related to this limited action. The minutes of the meeting will reflect Council’s strong view that any change to Rock Spring’s existing practice of not serving alcohol at church-wide events would need to be the subject of further study and congregational conversation. If you have any questions or comments, please talk to Re-becca Womeldorf, Council Chair (text/call 202 731 1435, or email: [email protected]) or any other member of Council.


rock Spring revieW

Office Ambassador Job DescriptionPosition Title: Office Ambassador

Position Purpose: The Office Ambassador is a volunteer position that provides significant administrative support to the

administrative office of the church on a regular basis. The position is shared by several individuals, each cross-trained

to assist with each function and task assigned to this role.

Reports To: Office Administrator and Senior Pastor

Position Summary:

The Ambassador provides receptionist, basic clerical and database support to Rock Spring Church for four hours each

week day. The role has several tasks assigned to it on a regular basis but takes immediate guidance from the Office Man-

ager for any other support that is needed.

Essential Functions and Tasks:

•Provide day-to-day clerical services in the Church office, supporting the pastoral staff and the Administrative Assistant.

•Provide receptionist services (e.g., answer telephones, receive and relay messages and faxes, greet visitors to the Church

office, etc.) when in the office.

•Greet and support contractors and outside vendors (e.g., courier and delivery services, repair and maintenance services).

•Receive and distribute mail, receive and certify deliveries from Fed Ex, UPS, and other carriers.

•Assist with the membership database, Roll Call, by entering new visitors from worship services; updating member

information as necessary and providing member information, when appropriate, upon request.

•Enter Sunday School attendance each Monday.

•Write welcome notes to new visitors each week on an as needed basis.

•Perform administrative tasks that could include, document preparation, photocopying, filing, mass-mailing preparation,

and shredding upon request.

•Conduct monthly inventory reviews for office and hospitality supplies, comparing against the established pars, and inform

the Administrative Assistant of any orders that need placed.

•Provide support for other projects and tasks on an as-needed basis.

Qualifications:

•Maturity, compassion, and discretion, including ability to maintain strict confidence.

•Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.

•Detail-oriented, very well organized, able to maintain careful, accurate records.

•Committed to high standards of service, teamwork, and quality performance.

•Ability to work cooperatively with and facilitate the work of others in a collegial manner.

•Good computer skills (word processing, data entry) and knowledge of Microsoft Office programs on

a MacIntosh platform a plus.

Interested?

Please contact Kathy Dwyer, [email protected] or Angel Washington, [email protected].


rock Spring revieW

Thank you’s The Thistle Dancers Say Thank You!Thank you to everyone who came to the Scottish dancing performance in June. Your support and generosity is greatly appreciated and will assist me and my fellow Thistle Dancers to attend the B.A.T.D . invitation-only North American competition and work-shop in Niagara Falls, Canada this October. I really enjoyed the opportunity to perform for you! -Sarah Alverson and the Thistle Dancers

A huge thank you to everyone who donated school supplies for our drive this year! The Social Action and Mission Board appreciates your thoughtfulness and generosity. We gathered over 15 backpacks, several boxes of paper, and lots of crayons, pencils, glue sticks, and other school supplies, which we delivered to William Ramsay School in Alexandria on August 26. The supplies will help students start the school year off right, and eased significantly the financial burden on the school’s families, a majority of whom qualify for free and reduced price lunch.

Milestones and MarkersOur sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Rosina Reid who passed away on August 26. She touched a lot of lives through her extensive volunteer work at Rock Spring, AFAC, and Goodwin House. A memorial service will be held in late fall.

ThankYou

SEPTEMBER 2013 Rock Spring News20

Rock Spring Congregational5010 Little Falls RoadArlington, VA 22207

Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ

The Congregation, The Ministers

Kathryn N. Dwyer, Senior [email protected]

Mark J. Suriano, Transitional Associate [email protected]

Linda Carder, Interim Director of Children’s [email protected]

Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock, Director of [email protected]

Edward Roberts, Assistant Director of Music, Organist

[email protected]

5010 Little Falls Road, Arlington, VA 22207 – 1810703.538.4886 www.rockspringucc.org

Administrative Staff:

Sarah Lengyel Steel,Operations [email protected]

Angel M. Washington, Office [email protected]

Pastoral Interns:Kyle Wyman & Laura Martin

Childcare Staff:

Fern Lawrence, Cecilia Welch, Judy Carrillo,& Blanca Cespedes

Custodial Staff:Willis Gardener & Vicki Morales

september rock spring newsletter

Documents

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rock spring newsseptember

rock springseptember

minute service

memorable service

cosmosworship service

informal service

congregations of dar