tidings jan10

I have never been one for New Year’s resolutions. The Enneagram describes my personality as a “reformer” or “perfectionist,” so I am pretty much on a constant self-improvement regimen. Honestly, I often wonder about the way that these

running “to do (more)” and “to be (better)” lists create more anxiety than they do quality of life, and feed into that old heresy that we need to earn our salvation. So I’ve been thinking about two very different ways to think of ushering in this new year.

One is based on the practice of “Examen” that the youth do every Sunday, and that the adults gave a try this past month during the Wednesday Nights at Brown series on Gratitude. The suggestion is this: sometime this month, take some time for yourself – on your couch, at your breakfast table, at a local coffee shop, with your partner – and think back on the past year. For what in the past year are you most grateful? Make a list, then see if you can prioritize your top three things. Then ask yourself, for what in the past year were you least grateful? Then, finally, ask yourself, “What am I hungry for?” Take some time to meditate on your answers to these three questions. Lift them up to God in prayer and ask God for guidance as you think about the year to come. What should your priorities be? How might the Spirit be using your gratitude, ingratitude, and hunger to get your attention or nudge you down a particular path? Let these questions and your reflections on them tumble around in your heart and head, and in conversation with friends and loved ones, until you hear the Spirit speaking (perhaps gently, perhaps surprisingly, perhaps in a way that knocks you flat)…however long that takes.

The other way to think about the New Year is as a chance to be a new parent. When I think about how that first Christmas must have changed the lives of Mary and Joseph, I think about the changes that occur for every couple newly blessed with a child. It’s not that you create a new list of things you’d like to do now that you have a new child. Everything about your life changes – from your schedule to your budget! They have to change, and so do you. Your priorities shift. So does the way you see the world. I invite you to wonder with me how our lives would shift if we thought of Christ as a newborn that has suddenly taken center stage in our lives. How would our priorities shift? How would we rethink the way we spent our time and our money? What about our present reality would we be willing to sacrifice in light of this new person, so demanding of our time and energy, and yet such a source of meaning and joy? If you are part of a couple, how do your perspectives of this seismic shift in your lives compare? If you are a “single parent,” with whom will you share your new joys, fears, responsibilities, and dreams of the future?

No matter how you think about the new year, my hope is the Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church will be a place where you find inspiration and support in prayer, in worship, and in fellowship for whatever comes your way in 2010.

Pastor’s reflections

TheTidings

January 2010

Good news from

PasTor’s reflecTions 1

clerk’s corner .......2

“he Wears The rose of YouTh uPon him” 2

ask The PasTor ........3

a noTe of Thanks .....3

Build and The Bec ProTecT school funding ....................4

a reminder: sign uP conTinues for The neW BmPa PicToral direcTorY ................5

a “Thank You” from The memBershiP commiTTee ...............5 BirThdaYs.................5

BmPa communiTY announcemenTs/commiTTee chairs ....6

JanuarY 2010aT BmPa .................7

in this issueBY emilY rose marTin

[email protected]

the tidinGs January 2010

clerk’s cornerBY carol gevecker graves

[email protected]

A lot happened in November. We welcomed a large class of new members, the second largest group in the past eight months.

We held a congregational meeting and accomplished two items of business. We elected Andy Imparato and Andy Johnston as elders, Barbara Christen and

Hanna Loring-Davis as deacons, and Willard Graves as trustee. We also approved a loan from the Presbyterian Loan Program for $100,000 to repair both the church and church house roofs. The church house will get a white, eco-friendly roof which we hope will save us money in the long run.

In response to flooding in El Salvador, we took up a special collection and sent over $500 to SHARE for emergency relief.

The Baltimore Presbytery met and passed the Govans Overture changing the Book of Order to define marriage as between two people. We concurred with this overture. It now goes to the General Assembly

for consideration by the entire Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in July 2010.

In December, we spent practically the entire session meeting going over the proposed budget for 2010. Luke Clippinger worked hard putting together requests from all sectors of the church. John Tucker and his stewardship committee worked hard on obtaining pledges. Both deserve our sincere thanks. Do you realize/appreciate the size of the budget? Our annual income is projected to be over $570,000 (including $160,000 from the endowment). Our expenses are projected to be $610,000. You can do the math. Any deficit also comes out of the endowment.

I view the Clerk’s Corner as a means to inform you of news you might miss if you are not in church every week. I go through session minutes to prepare these notes, and I know they are more business than inspiration. But please know that, while the session goes about the business of Brown Memorial, we try hard to keep in mind the lessons from the Bible and to follow Jesus’ path.

The elders (members of the session) wish you the Peace of Christ in the New Year.

“he wears the rose of youth uPon him”*

BY ellen carTer cooPer

You have seen him moving in and out of the Church House and the Sanctuary. He has grown taller and more hirsute. This junior at Baltimore City College High School was born in Washington, D.C. He moved to Baltimore at the age of one. His parents, Betsy Nix and Andy Imparato, brought him to Brown Memorial when he was five years old. Since then, Gareth has been a fixture here. He is a very active member of the Youth Group and has appeared in the Brown Memorial Christmas Pageant. His most recent public gesture was serving as a reader for the annual Lessons and Carols service on Christmas Eve.

Gareth is equally visible at City College. He participates in the speech and debate club, mock trials team, and the student congress. As a member of the drama club, he has appeared in The Visit and William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Not surprisingly, his academic interests include the humanities and philosophy. Looking to the future when he is graduated from City, Gareth is considering, among several options, matriculation at Yale University (the Alma Mater of both his parents).

“A fantastic place to grow up in” is the phrase Gareth would use to describe Brown Memorial. He likes the “community”

of the church. Gareth said the church helps him to display the “accepting and positive form of Christianity that I can exhibit to my peers”. If he could deliver a sermon to the

congregation, this wise young man would exhort the hearers to discuss and demonstrate the diverse and varied aspects of Christianity because the world too often only sees a very narrow view of our religion.

Whatever path Gareth decides to create and follow for himself and others, expect to learn of his contributions in the years to come. He

remembers that there is another Imparato, his younger brother, Nicholas, who is watching from his middle school perch as he starts his journey.

* William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra

Gareth Imparato

January 2010 the tidinGs PaGe 3

Q: Is it okay to clap in worship?A: Some of you might be surprised to know how often this

question arises. I have heard it said here that clapping in worship is “the way white people say ‘amen.’” The blanket statement isn’t true across the board, of course, but it does raise the issue of the way culture affects worship style and substance. Comparatively speaking, our own

congregation tends to be somewhat reserved in congregational expression in worship. I was reminded of this at the City Temple Baptist Church during the BUILD Advent Service as those of us in the pulpit area swayed, raised our hands, clapped, and shouted out at different points in the worship service. The worship was every bit as focused on worshiping God as is our own worship experience. The cultural manner in which that worship was expressed was different.

Of course, as soon as one starts making generalizations, countless exceptions have to be made. I recall, in particular, a newspaper article that quoted Rev. Marion C. Bascom, pastor emeritus of the Douglas Memorial Community Church (and friend of BMPA), criticizing the shift in many African American churches toward “shake and bake” worship. If my memory serves me correctly, his critique was that some African-American churches were sacrificing substance for a new form of entertainment, heavy on style and light on theological integrity. It seems to me that a similar kind of critique could be made of other churches not considered part of the black church. All of this leads me to believe that while it is helpful to recognize that cultural backgrounds affect assumptions about worship and expressions that grow out of those assumptions, we need not be limited by them either. I firmly believe that God is calling us to a wvision of the reign of God that is much larger than our racial or cultural backgrounds, or any other distinction for that matter.

So back to the question at hand: is it okay to clap in worship? The Directory for Worship in our Presbyterian Book of Order gives an emphatic yes:

“In the Old and New Testaments and through the ages, the people of God expressed prayer through actions as well as speech and song. So in worship today it is appropriate:

• to kneel, to bow, to stand, to lift hands in prayer, • to dance, to clap, to embrace in joy and praise,• to anoint and to lay hands in intercession and

supplication, commissioning and ordination.” (W-2.1005)The context is important. Clapping is included as an act of

prayer. It felt like prayer to me this past week when spontaneous clapping broke out celebrating the healing wrought in the lives of Bonnie Schneider, Deb Milcarek, and Sally Robinson. Having spent time in prayer for each of

them, as well as understanding the gravity of their situations, clapping was truly an act of grateful response to God. In the same way, I recall a spontaneous outburst of applause (did this really happen or only in my imagination?) following the choir’s triumphant Easter declaration that death does not have the last word. I was not applauding a performance but signaling that the choir’s hopeful prayer and their determined affirmation was indeed my own.

On the other hand, I wonder about the clapping that has now become a part of what follows the postlude. I challenge those of you who listen during the postlude to examine the motivation behind the response. There are many Sundays, when the joy of the postlude expresses our gratitude and clapping is indeed our prayer of thanks. But when we enter Lent, for example, and John Walker’s postlude selections turn pensive, penitent, and sometimes pleading, the clapping feels out of step to me, more like applause for a mini concert than a response to God. On these Sundays, I wonder if a different kind of expression, perhaps a spoken “amen,” an authentic posture of prayer, or the embrace of a fellow worshiper might be a more meaningful response.

Ultimately the best judge of how to respond most authentically to our encounter of God in worship is the worshipers themselves. The challenge is to be aware of our own preferences, be they guided by cultural background or contemporary choice, so that we make room for the full expression of diversity in our congregation.

* “Ask the Pastor” is a new feature of The Tidings. You may submit a liturgical or scriptural question to be answered by one of the Pastors to Ellen Carter Cooper at [email protected]. The deadline for questions is the 15th? of every month.

ask the PastorBY andreW fosTer connors

[email protected]

?

A Note of ThanksDear Brown Memorial Park Avenue

Presbyterian Church, On behalf of the Midtown Academy community, I

would like to thank you for allowing our Food for Life Program to use your space on Friday afternoons. We believe that strength within a community creates great places for students to live and go to school. By providing the space for our program, you have made it possible for us to offer our students the opportunity to learn and to begin living with healthy eating habits! Thank you for your generosity and community spirit.

Sincerely, Suzanne BellAssistant Principal


The Baltimore Education Coalition (BEC) was founded last year by BUILD, Child First, the ACLU and several other Baltimore organizations in response to Governor O’Malley’s proposed budget which would have cut Baltimore City Schools funding by $32 million.

This year, BUILD and the BEC is already organizing in advance of the Governor’s budget, which will be released the third week of January. With 40% of the state budget going towards education, funding is sure to be a contentious issue. Baltimore City schools have made great strides in key areas such as test scores, drop-out, and graduation rates. In 2008-09 three high schools exited “school improvement” status as calculated by Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) the federal student achievement standard required under No Child Left Behind. Over the past two years, 931 fewer students dropped out than in 2006-07, resulting in the schools’ lowest drop out rate on record. And last year, the first year that students in Maryland were required to meet the High School Assessment (HSA) requirement in order to graduate, 253 more students received diplomas. All of this great progress is the result of a significant commitment to education funding over the past several years.

However, now is not the time to back off on funding for our schools. Too many children are still not getting the opportunities they deserve. For example, more than half of Baltimore City’s thirty-eight schools did not make AYP. Only 66% of seniors received diplomas and 6.2% of high school students dropped out of school.

Several teams of parents and teachers have begun meeting with the Senators and Delegates that represent Baltimore city. I joined Bebe Verdery of the ACLU, Karen DeCamp of Greater Homewood Community Corporation and Kevin Brooks, a RPEMS parent, BCPSS principal and BUILD pastor in a meeting with Delegate Maggie McIntosh. She gave us some valuable insight as to how we might approach the various members of the City Delegation. Senator Joan Carter Conway, the chair of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee pointed out during her meeting with BUILD and BEC that every year, she sees Dr. Alonso, the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, down in Annapolis lobbying for the children. But she does not see much of a presence from parents and the broader community. We aim to change that.

I invite the Brown Memorial Park Avenue community to become engaged in this important issue. Now is the time to write, call or e-mail Governor O’Malley to tell him we cannot afford to cut funding to Baltimore City Public Schools. You can also call, write or email your state Senator and Delegates to let them you expect their full support of protecting education funding during the legislative session. Also, plan to attend the BUILD and BEC Action on Tuesday, January 26th from 5:30-7:30. This action will be a response to Governor O’Malley’s budget, which will be released the week before. Once the location is determined, announcements will be placed in the church bulletin and weekly emails.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Elizabeth Reichelt at 410 435 6152 or [email protected]

Build and the Baltimore education coalitionProtect school fundinG

BY elizaBeTh reichelT

§


The Membership Committee would like to extend a huge “thank you” to Laura McConnell for her work designing the new welcome brochures and prayer requests cards. Without Laura’s suggestions, design and efforts, our committee would more than likely still be working on the layout. I hope each of you will join me in saying a very heartfelt “thank you” to Laura. Laura’s professionalism and talents are greatly appreciated.

a reminder: siGn uP continues for the new BmPa Pictoral directory

Photography dates are: wednesday, January 13, 2010, from 3:00 P.m.

to 9:30 P.m.friday, January 22, 2010, from 3:00 P.m. to

9:30 P.m.saturday, January 23, 2010, from 10:00 a.m.

to 5:00 P.m.

Through January 10, we will be signing up members after worship in the assembly room.

Here are some more important facts:• Every participating family/household that selects a pose for the directory will receive a free directory and a complimentary Olan Mills 8x10 Custom Natural Portrait.• You will come to the church only once forphotography and for portrait viewing.• This program is available at no cost to the church.• You will have the opportunity to order additional portraits during your scheduled time, if you wish. These portraits come with Olan Mills’ 100% satisfaction guarantee.

• You can invite other family members and friends to have portraits taken while we are photographing for our directory. They just need to sign up for an appointment slot.

Please make a point of sitting for a photo for the directory. It will not be complete without you!Questions? Want to help? See Carol Graves or Jenny Williams.

BY JennY Williams

January Birthdays01/01 Fred Lazarus01/02 Pauline Piper01/03 John Warmath

01/04 Emily Burton01/05 Elden Schneider01/09 Yari Armand01/09 Rebecca Thomson01/10 Brad Bradford01/12 Elizabeth “Lizzie” Mills01/12 Meredith “Nellie” Mills01/13 Emily Bishai01/13 Richard Cook01/14 Taylor Branch01/16 Kathy Smith

01/17 Elena Kirkpatrick01/19 Elizabeth Wagner Cavallon01/20 Michael Hughes01/21 Kristi Satterlee01/22 Chrystie Adams01/22 Jane Swope01/24 Charles McManus01/25 Shayna Blinkoff01/26 Sean Artes01/27 Rebecca Adams01/28 Charles Joseph Reichelt, II01/31 Moragan Happ

Note: If you wish to have your birthday listed in The Tidings, please contact Sharon Holley, church secretary, at 410-523-1542, or via e-mail at [email protected].

a “thank you” from the

memBershiP committeeBY monica rakoWski


BmPa community announcements

committee chairs

WN@BThe third session of our Wednesday evening

fellowship program begins January 6, 2010 and runs through February 10. We gather for a catered meal followed by educational programs for children and adults. Dinner reservations are required.

Contact Rachel Cunningham for more information, (410) 523-1542, Ext. 14, or [email protected].

SeSSion iii

memBers helPinG memBersOur church has been looking for ways to help our members

in these times of economic uncertainty. We offer this space to church members to let other members of our community know about their particular concerns. Please contact them if you know of resources that might be useful. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to be added to the list.

• Philip Aaron, Rachel Aaron Smith’s brother, isunemployed at the moment. He is a graphic artist, web designer and does print work. He graduated from the Art Institute of York, PA with an Associates Degree in Digital Arts. If anyone has any leads, he will be happy to pursue them. His cell phone number is 410-336-3102.• Graham Richardson has been out of work for several months and is seeking employment in education, construction, historic preservation, etc. (Graham is a real renaissance man!) At present he is doing odd jobs for people around town and could do things for Brown Memorial Park Avenue, too. Please call Graham at 443-618-5741 or e-mail him, [email protected].• Daryl Smith, Rachel Aaron Smith’s husband, is acontractor, specializing in painting services, and is looking for jobs/projects to bid on, commercial or residential. His number is 410-419-5944; the company is Blue Line Services.

Adult Education Henry TaylorBUILD Liaison Elizabeth ReicheltChristian Education Carol NewillDiversity Hilbert Byers and Page CampbellEco-Stewardship Task Force Luke ClippingerFinance Luke Clippinger

Global Mission Christy Macy• Cameroon (Mary Taylor Fund) Julie Hanks• El Salvador Susan Saudek• Dakota Partnership Chrystie Adams

Investment Hilbert Byers and John WarmathMembership Monica RakowskiNominating Donna SenftPersonnel Donna SenftPresbytery Donna SenftStewardship John Tucker

TAMFS:B Carol Graves and Donna Senft

Tiffany Series Shirley Parry and Chris Saudek

Urban Mission Tom Waldron and Elden Schneider

Wednesday Nights @ Brown Carol Newill

Worship Ellen Carter Cooper and Betsy Nix

local food Pantries have Bare shelvesThe need for non-perishable food items is crucial right now

as the economy worsens. Many of the food banks that local programs such as Memorial Episcopal’s Samaritan Community go for resources simply don’t have any food to give out. Please consider bringing a non-perishable food item each week along with your regular offering. We have food baskets to collect items as you enter the sanctuary from Park Avenue. This is a wonderful opportunity to involve your children in stewardship. Children can participate in the selection of foods to be donated and can help remember to bring them on Sunday mornings.


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8:30 a.m.-10 a.m

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Directory Photos- Olan Mills

3:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m

.Directory Photos- Olan M

ills10:00 a.m

.-5 p.m.

Youth Group Dinners Out

Service of Worship

11 a.m.


.- 1p.m.

CFM Team

Meeting 12:15 p.m

.-1:30 p.m

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Teacher Roundtable Discussions 12:15 p.m

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Annual Congregational Meeting

12:15 p.m.- 1: 30 p.m

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TheTidingsPublished for members and friends of

Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian ChurchAndrew Foster Connors, Pastor

1316 Park AvenueBaltimore, MD 21217

410.523.1542www.browndowntown.org

Published monthly by the Membership Committee. Send contributions by January 15th to Ellen Carter Cooper

([email protected]) or to Sharon Holley ([email protected]).

1316 Park AvenueBaltimore, MD 21217Phone: 410.523.1542Fax: 410.523.5501www.browndowntown.org

TheTidings

daTed maTerial

address service requesTed

non-ProfiT organizaTion u.s. PosTage

PaidBalTimore, mdPermiT no. 2610

Good news from

tidings jan10

Technology

new parent

new child

new joys

new person

past year

new years resolutions

church deficit

new list of things youd