Work Continues on Interim Pastor Search

The Session of the United Church has finished interviewing 5 candidates for the Interim Pastor position. We will meet again after church on Sunday, Jan. 26th to finalize our list. Once done, we will contact each candidate letting them know of our decision. There will be a good deal of paper work and guidance from Presbytery.

We hope to have the pulpit filled by March 1st. We may yet need to consider sharing a pastor with another local church. For now, the committee continues to move forward, work hard and meet regularly to discuss our needs. Be reassured that the congregation will continue to be appraised of our progress.

Please pray for the church as we continue in this time of transition.

Thank you.

Martin Luther King and Me

This is from Theolog, the excellent blog of the excellent magazine, Christian Century.

Martin Luther King was 39 years old when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. This January, I am turning 39 years old. What have I done with my life, compared with what Martin Luther King did with his?

Well, not much. But that’s OK.

Rowan Williams once said that when he gets to heaven, God will not ask him why he was not Martin Luther King; God will ask him why he was not Rowan Williams. I figure when I show up at the pearly gates, there’s a good chance that God will ask me, “Why weren’t you Jonathan Marlowe?”

Continue Reading "Martin Luther King and Me"

Lent, Palm Sunday, and Good Friday

Easter comes almost as early as it possibly could this year, March 23. You may be wondering how the date is determined. It is always on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. That means it could be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.

As Easter is early in the year, so Lent (the forty days prior to Easter Sunday) begins early - February 6 with Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday is March 16 and Good Friday is March 21. Oh, yeah, let us not forget that Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is on the fifth.

So now you know a bit more about dates. As we get closer, I hope to have a bit of discussion on the significance of these holy days (and Mardi Gras), but for now, let me tell you about some upcoming events.

Several churches in Greenwich are participating in Easter-tide services as part of an interfaith fellowship. I have to tell you, when I moved to Greenwich and found such a strong ecumenical current, I was swept away. We are all, truly, brothers and sisters in Christ, and these multi-denominational efforts prove it. This year's events promise a new opportunity to reflect upon the significance of these days and our relationship to God, through Jesus.

Tuesdays in Lent

The Way of Grace

During Lent, 12:00 noon each Tuesday will find an area church hosting a lunch of soup and bread. A speaker from another church will present a meditation on a selected biblical personality and their encounter with Jesus.

February 12 Lenten lunch
Hosted by: St. Paul's
Speaker: Virginia Cornell
Biblical Personality: Woman caught in adultery

February 19 Lenten lunch
Hosted by: The United Church - Presbyterian
Speaker: Sandra Spaulding
Biblical Personalities: The four fishermen

February 26 Lenten lunch
Hosted by: Stump and Easton Methodist will host at Centenary
Speaker: Eileen Demming
Biblical Personality: Simon Peter

March 4 Lenten lunch
Hosted by: St. Joseph's
Speaker: Sue Cox
Biblical Personalities: Blind man and Lame man

March 11 Lenten lunch
Hosted by: Centenary
Speaker: Jeff Peck
Biblical Personality: Samaritan Woman

March 18 Lenten lunch
Hosted by: Bottskill
Speaker: Father Allen Peyton
Biblical Personality: Mary and Martha

Palm Sunday
March 16

9:00 am Liturgy of the Palms
For those congregations who can participate, we will gather at the gazebo in Mowry Park. Obtain palms from your church.

7:00 pm 'Living' Last Supper
Each congregation will contribute two men to portray the men seated with Jesus at the last supper.

Maundy Thursday
March 20

Maundy comes to us from the Latin mandatus, meaning commandment. As in Jesus' commandment, "Love each other as I have loved you." John 13:34

6:30 pm
At Bottskill Baptist Church

Good Friday
March 21

We call it good because, from where we stand, this side of Easter, we can see the goodness of God's plan to draw the world closer to Him through Jesus, his death, and his resurrection.

12:00 The Seven Last Words
At St. Paul's. The service will last one hour.

Advertising I Don't Hate

Once in a while you I'll see an ad and think it pretty neat, maybe even cool. This, I think wonderful. What does it have to do with the church, you ask? It has a powerful message about living in today's world.




Hope you enjoy it, too

Search for Interim Pastor Continues

The Session Interim Search Committee has been meeting weekly during the month of December in an effort to find an Interim Pastor. On Thursday, December 20th, the group met again with Helen Dickens presiding to discuss information that was gathered from contacting references.

The Session is looking to fill a half time position, and while the candidate pool is strong and interest remains high, many candidates require a full-time position. Session has not determined any favorites, but at some point during these meetings the right candidate(s) will emerge and depending on their needs and careful deliberations, we may need to share this pastor with another local church. For now the committee continues to work hard and meet regularly to discuss the direction that the church will follow. Please pray for the church as we continue in this time of transition.

The Session will continue to keep you informed about the progress of these meetings. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact any member of the Session.