We had a wonderful Ash Wednesday service this week. One of the things that made it so special was the fact that nearly twenty of our Youth Club children stayed and took part in the service.
Even though the students had been at school all day, and even though they had already spent more than three hours at the church for Youth Club, a large number of the young people expressed a desire to share in the worship service. Some of the children, in fact, even pleaded with their parents for permission to stay. It was a rather amazing thing.
During the service, all of the children sang a special song, two of them served as acolytes, and one helped to run the video projectors. After the service, many of the adults present commented on how well the children conducted themselves.
It's exciting to see young people becoming so enthused about worshiping God. It's my hope and prayer that in the coming months that children and families that don't currently have a church to worship with will continue to feel led to worship with us, and that together we might grow in our love and worship of God.
Ed Bowen
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Donation Decision
Back in October our church received an anonymous donation of $46,600. The money came in the form of a cashier's check from a local bank, so we could not ascertain who the gift was from. The check simply came with a hand-printed, unsigned note that said "Please use this money in whatever way God directs you in his service."
After receiving input from the congregation and after prayerfully considering the matter for several months, our session recently decided how to use the funds. Almost half of the money ($20,000) will be set aside to help fund a new Community Nurse Ministry. The idea is that we will be looking to hire a registered nurse who would be available to work with us about 12 hours per week. The Community Nurse would serve a wide variety of roles. For instance, the nurse could be available to visit people in their homes after they are discharged from the hospital to make sure that they are doing OK. The nurse could also visit with many of the older adults in the area, counseling with them about their health and well-being, realizing that many older adults do not have family members nearby to make sure that they are getting the care and attention they might need. Also, recognizing that many people of all ages in the area do not have health insurance, the Community Nurse could help connect people with the healthcare resources that are available to them.
But beyond discussing with people their physical needs, the Community Nurse will also address the spiritual needs that people might have. In that regard, the Community Nurse will work with a Health Ministry Team that we will assemble in the coming months. The Health Ministry Team will work with the Community Nurse to sponsor helpful programs, such as possibily offering training for teenage babysitters, or putting on classes for parents of newborns, or sponsoring seminars for people who are caring for loved ones who are experiencing dementia. The possibilities are endless. The Health Ministry Team would also seek to provide hands-on caring for people, perhaps by transporting people to medical appointments or by visiting with those who are sick or who are going through a time of grief.
In addition to the Community Nurse Ministry, another portion of the anonymous donation ($6,600) will be used to provide scholarships for young people to attend church summer camp, mission trips, retreats, and other special events. This will help make sure that young people will not be prevented from taking part in meaningful events if their family cannot afford it.
Another $10,000 of the funds will be used to do improvements to the kitchen and fellowship hall, and another $10,000 will be used to help replace the church's boiler. While that money will help improve and enhance our physical facility, the session believes that using that money in that way also helps us to continue our church's ministry, since so many community groups count on having our church available to them and since so much of our building is utilized by our many outreach activities, such as the Youth Club, the CAMP senior citizen group, and the food pantry.
The church is grateful for this wonderful gift. We look forward to the fruit that will result from the undertakings that are being made possible because of that donation.
Ed Bowen
After receiving input from the congregation and after prayerfully considering the matter for several months, our session recently decided how to use the funds. Almost half of the money ($20,000) will be set aside to help fund a new Community Nurse Ministry. The idea is that we will be looking to hire a registered nurse who would be available to work with us about 12 hours per week. The Community Nurse would serve a wide variety of roles. For instance, the nurse could be available to visit people in their homes after they are discharged from the hospital to make sure that they are doing OK. The nurse could also visit with many of the older adults in the area, counseling with them about their health and well-being, realizing that many older adults do not have family members nearby to make sure that they are getting the care and attention they might need. Also, recognizing that many people of all ages in the area do not have health insurance, the Community Nurse could help connect people with the healthcare resources that are available to them.
But beyond discussing with people their physical needs, the Community Nurse will also address the spiritual needs that people might have. In that regard, the Community Nurse will work with a Health Ministry Team that we will assemble in the coming months. The Health Ministry Team will work with the Community Nurse to sponsor helpful programs, such as possibily offering training for teenage babysitters, or putting on classes for parents of newborns, or sponsoring seminars for people who are caring for loved ones who are experiencing dementia. The possibilities are endless. The Health Ministry Team would also seek to provide hands-on caring for people, perhaps by transporting people to medical appointments or by visiting with those who are sick or who are going through a time of grief.
In addition to the Community Nurse Ministry, another portion of the anonymous donation ($6,600) will be used to provide scholarships for young people to attend church summer camp, mission trips, retreats, and other special events. This will help make sure that young people will not be prevented from taking part in meaningful events if their family cannot afford it.
Another $10,000 of the funds will be used to do improvements to the kitchen and fellowship hall, and another $10,000 will be used to help replace the church's boiler. While that money will help improve and enhance our physical facility, the session believes that using that money in that way also helps us to continue our church's ministry, since so many community groups count on having our church available to them and since so much of our building is utilized by our many outreach activities, such as the Youth Club, the CAMP senior citizen group, and the food pantry.
The church is grateful for this wonderful gift. We look forward to the fruit that will result from the undertakings that are being made possible because of that donation.
Ed Bowen
Friday, February 6, 2009
School District Consolidation
I have to admit that it has been a long time since I wrote to a government official. But when I read about the Governor's recent proposal to institute a process that would lead to the consolidation of the state's 501 school districts into 100 districts, I sent letters to my state representative and senator, asking them to do what they could to oppose that plan.
I agree that making school districts more efficient and cost-effective is certainly a desirable goal. But my concern is that by creating these mega-districts, more and more students are going to get lost in the system. According to the Post-Gazette, if this consolidation were to take place, the typical school district would be made up of about 17,500 students, meaning that each grade level would include approximately 1,400 students.
Perhaps just as important, families and local communities are going to be more and more marginalized from the education system. If districts become exponentially larger, as the Governor is wanting, there is no way that administrators and school boards are going to be able to be as responsive to the particular needs of students, families, or communities.
Another consideration is the fact that if there were to be significant consolidations, many students - including elementary school students - are going to end up being bussed out of their neighborhoods considerable distances to new schools.
I believe that the decision about whether to consolidate or not should be left to local school districts and voters. Consolidation should not be mandated by the powers-that-be in Harrisburg.
Finding ways to reduce the cost of education is certainly a worthwhile undertaking. But I believe that the Governor's rather heavy-handed proposal is wrong for the schools of our state.
If you have a strong feeling about this matter, I would encourage you to contact your legislators. For those in the Crafton area, your Senator is Wayne Fontana, Senate Box 203042, Harrisburg PA 17120, and your Representative is Daniel J. Deasy, P.O. Box 202027, Harrisburg PA 17120.
Ed Bowen
I agree that making school districts more efficient and cost-effective is certainly a desirable goal. But my concern is that by creating these mega-districts, more and more students are going to get lost in the system. According to the Post-Gazette, if this consolidation were to take place, the typical school district would be made up of about 17,500 students, meaning that each grade level would include approximately 1,400 students.
Perhaps just as important, families and local communities are going to be more and more marginalized from the education system. If districts become exponentially larger, as the Governor is wanting, there is no way that administrators and school boards are going to be able to be as responsive to the particular needs of students, families, or communities.
Another consideration is the fact that if there were to be significant consolidations, many students - including elementary school students - are going to end up being bussed out of their neighborhoods considerable distances to new schools.
I believe that the decision about whether to consolidate or not should be left to local school districts and voters. Consolidation should not be mandated by the powers-that-be in Harrisburg.
Finding ways to reduce the cost of education is certainly a worthwhile undertaking. But I believe that the Governor's rather heavy-handed proposal is wrong for the schools of our state.
If you have a strong feeling about this matter, I would encourage you to contact your legislators. For those in the Crafton area, your Senator is Wayne Fontana, Senate Box 203042, Harrisburg PA 17120, and your Representative is Daniel J. Deasy, P.O. Box 202027, Harrisburg PA 17120.
Ed Bowen
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Happy Candlemas!
February 2, of course, is an important day in Pennsylvania. It's the one day when the nation turns its attention to the small town of Punxsutawney and waits to see if the groundhog sees his shadow or not. The origin of Groundhog Day seems to date back centuries and centuries to a belief held by the Romans that if the sun shined on Candlemas Day - February 2 - and the hedgehog saw his shadow, that meant there would be another six weeks of cold winter weather. And as the Romans extended their empire throughout Europe, they eventually passed that belief on to the Germans.
So when the Germans started migrating to North America in the 1700s and 1800s, and began settling mainly in Pennsylvania, they brought that tradition with them. The only problem was that since Pennsylvania doesn't have hedgehogs, they figured that groundhogs could serve the same purpose. And now since 1886, every year on Candlemas, February 2, the world focuses in on Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to see what the groundhog's prediction is going to be.
But that still leave the question: What is Candlemas? Well, Candlemas is the fortieth day after Christmas, and the holiday, if you want to call it that, is based on a passage in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. According to the religious law in Jesus' day, after a woman gave birth, she was not allowed to worship in the temple until after forty days had gone by. And so, on the fortieth day after the celebration of Jesus' birth, we remember the first time that Mary brought Jesus into the temple.
And when Mary came into the temple with Jesus, there was an elderly man there named Simeon. Apparently Simeon was a very faithful man, constantly in prayer to God, and God had told Simeon that he would not die until he had had the chance to see the Savior. So when Mary walked into the temple with Jesus in her arms, Simeon's eyes lit up, and he looked up to God and said, "My eyes have seen your salvation....[He is] a light of revelation" (Luke 2:30,32).
And so dating all the way back to at least the fourth century Candlemas has been celebrated on the fortieth day after Jesus' birth. The day is called Candlemas because it was on that day the priests would bless people's candles. That act was done to remember what Simeon said when he first saw Jesus, "He is a light of revelation." Thus, the blessing of candles on Candlemas was a way of reminding people of how Jesus is the light that shines amid the darkness of our world. And you thought that February 2 was just Groundhog Day!
Ed Bowen
So when the Germans started migrating to North America in the 1700s and 1800s, and began settling mainly in Pennsylvania, they brought that tradition with them. The only problem was that since Pennsylvania doesn't have hedgehogs, they figured that groundhogs could serve the same purpose. And now since 1886, every year on Candlemas, February 2, the world focuses in on Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to see what the groundhog's prediction is going to be.
But that still leave the question: What is Candlemas? Well, Candlemas is the fortieth day after Christmas, and the holiday, if you want to call it that, is based on a passage in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. According to the religious law in Jesus' day, after a woman gave birth, she was not allowed to worship in the temple until after forty days had gone by. And so, on the fortieth day after the celebration of Jesus' birth, we remember the first time that Mary brought Jesus into the temple.
And when Mary came into the temple with Jesus, there was an elderly man there named Simeon. Apparently Simeon was a very faithful man, constantly in prayer to God, and God had told Simeon that he would not die until he had had the chance to see the Savior. So when Mary walked into the temple with Jesus in her arms, Simeon's eyes lit up, and he looked up to God and said, "My eyes have seen your salvation....[He is] a light of revelation" (Luke 2:30,32).
And so dating all the way back to at least the fourth century Candlemas has been celebrated on the fortieth day after Jesus' birth. The day is called Candlemas because it was on that day the priests would bless people's candles. That act was done to remember what Simeon said when he first saw Jesus, "He is a light of revelation." Thus, the blessing of candles on Candlemas was a way of reminding people of how Jesus is the light that shines amid the darkness of our world. And you thought that February 2 was just Groundhog Day!
Ed Bowen
Monday, January 19, 2009
What Are Your Ideas For This Blog?
Although blogging has been around for quite a few years now, I have to admit that this is something new for me. So I would appreciate your input and ideas. What kinds of subjects or topics would be most helpful and interesting?
My tentative plan is to occasionally comment about aspects of our chuch's ministry and mission, offer reflections on biblical and theological subjects, and share thoughts about matters that are going on in the community and society around us.
But my hope is that this blog will not be merely a monologue, with me doing all the talking. I hope that some of the postings will motivate people to share responses and generate a conversation.
So, what are your ideas for this blog? I would appreciate your feedback.
Ed Bowen
My tentative plan is to occasionally comment about aspects of our chuch's ministry and mission, offer reflections on biblical and theological subjects, and share thoughts about matters that are going on in the community and society around us.
But my hope is that this blog will not be merely a monologue, with me doing all the talking. I hope that some of the postings will motivate people to share responses and generate a conversation.
So, what are your ideas for this blog? I would appreciate your feedback.
Ed Bowen
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Healing
When you read the Gospels, you find that Jesus' ministry was essentially made up of three main components: preaching, teaching, and healing. In most churches today, we tend to focus on the first two of those components. We put a great deal of emphasis on our Sunday morning worship, with the preaching of the sermon being a central focus of that weekly experience. Likewise, most churches offer a wide variety of teaching opportunities, ranging from Bible studies to Sunday school to various small group gatherings.
Yet many churches tend to downplay the role of healing. Healing, however, is as much needed today as it was in Jesus' time.
Especially during the past month I have personally experienced how important the gift of healing is. My stay in the hospital for my surgery, and my subsequent recoverytime, has taken considerably longer than my doctors had first estimated, primarily because the operation ended up being much more complicated than was originally anticipated. And it is hard for me to imagine how I would have made it through this period without the care, prayers, and visits that I have received from my family, from our church members, and from friends.
My hope is that as we move into this new year together, as a church we will make healing an even more important focus of our church's ministry. Of course, we can continue to pray for the sick and for those going through difficult times, as we already do. But my hope is that we will be able to offer even more tangible forms of assistance. For instance, there are older people in the area who sometimes have difficulty in getting to doctor's appointments. Perhaps our church could be more intentional in helping people in that way. Or others have questions about health problems, and what they should do about them. A goal that I have is that we will be able to offer people - in our church and in the surrounding community - with opportunities to consult with a nurse or other health professional to guide them in the right direction so that they can get the help they need. And as people deal with health issues, my hope is that our church will be even more intentional in caring for those people through home visits, telephone calls, cards, and other expressions of concern, so that those who are suffering can be assured that they are not going through those trying times alone.
I believe healing was central to Jesus' ministry, because when we are suffering in our bodies it becomes very difficult for us to focus on God and it becomes very difficult us for us to feel able to do the work that God wants us to do. Therefore, healing is the gift that comes from God that makes it possible for us to be re-connected to God, and to be re-empowered to fulfill the mission that God has for each of us.
Ed Bowen
Yet many churches tend to downplay the role of healing. Healing, however, is as much needed today as it was in Jesus' time.
Especially during the past month I have personally experienced how important the gift of healing is. My stay in the hospital for my surgery, and my subsequent recoverytime, has taken considerably longer than my doctors had first estimated, primarily because the operation ended up being much more complicated than was originally anticipated. And it is hard for me to imagine how I would have made it through this period without the care, prayers, and visits that I have received from my family, from our church members, and from friends.
My hope is that as we move into this new year together, as a church we will make healing an even more important focus of our church's ministry. Of course, we can continue to pray for the sick and for those going through difficult times, as we already do. But my hope is that we will be able to offer even more tangible forms of assistance. For instance, there are older people in the area who sometimes have difficulty in getting to doctor's appointments. Perhaps our church could be more intentional in helping people in that way. Or others have questions about health problems, and what they should do about them. A goal that I have is that we will be able to offer people - in our church and in the surrounding community - with opportunities to consult with a nurse or other health professional to guide them in the right direction so that they can get the help they need. And as people deal with health issues, my hope is that our church will be even more intentional in caring for those people through home visits, telephone calls, cards, and other expressions of concern, so that those who are suffering can be assured that they are not going through those trying times alone.
I believe healing was central to Jesus' ministry, because when we are suffering in our bodies it becomes very difficult for us to focus on God and it becomes very difficult us for us to feel able to do the work that God wants us to do. Therefore, healing is the gift that comes from God that makes it possible for us to be re-connected to God, and to be re-empowered to fulfill the mission that God has for each of us.
Ed Bowen
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Good News
In the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke, the angel says to the shepherds, "I am bringing you good news of a great joy that is for all the people: for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord."
The angel came to the shepherds to bring them good news. Yet we live in a world where so often we seem to be bombarded with bad news. The paper each day tells about fires, robberies, and corruption. The TV broadcasts tell about wars, murders, and floods. And even in our conversations with other people, so often we hear negative comments and criticisms.
But in the midst of all that bad news, as Christians we are called to hear and proclaim the good news of what God is doing in our world. As I look back over just the past month or so here in our church, these are just a few examples of the good news that I have witnessed:
1. Incredibly generous donations have been pouring in to the food pantry. As people in the community have become more aware of the increasing needs in our area, many families, businesses, and groups have been stepping forward with generous donations of money and food.
2. We have been seeing a steady increase in our worship attendance. Every week people are visiting with us in worship, and in many cases they are returning week after week. Quite a few recent visitors have commented how they feel God's presence alive in our congregation.
3. The Adventure Group (our young people in grades 4-6) put on a nice Christmas play, and the subsequent dinner and party was a great gathering of all different ages. About 20 young people and adults even braved the extremely cold weather that night to carol around the neighborhood.
4. Our tutoring program for students in grades 7-8 is growing in numbers. But it is also growing in another important way - many of the students are developing relationships with the adult mentors, who are providing listening ears and caring concern.
5. Our deacons organized a drive to collect toys for children in the area whose families were not able to buy presents this year. The response to the deacons' project was overwhelming.
There is a lot of bad news in the world. But there is also a lot of good news that often gets overlooked. As we look forward to the new year, take time to consider the good news that is there in our church and in your life.
Ed Bowen
The angel came to the shepherds to bring them good news. Yet we live in a world where so often we seem to be bombarded with bad news. The paper each day tells about fires, robberies, and corruption. The TV broadcasts tell about wars, murders, and floods. And even in our conversations with other people, so often we hear negative comments and criticisms.
But in the midst of all that bad news, as Christians we are called to hear and proclaim the good news of what God is doing in our world. As I look back over just the past month or so here in our church, these are just a few examples of the good news that I have witnessed:
1. Incredibly generous donations have been pouring in to the food pantry. As people in the community have become more aware of the increasing needs in our area, many families, businesses, and groups have been stepping forward with generous donations of money and food.
2. We have been seeing a steady increase in our worship attendance. Every week people are visiting with us in worship, and in many cases they are returning week after week. Quite a few recent visitors have commented how they feel God's presence alive in our congregation.
3. The Adventure Group (our young people in grades 4-6) put on a nice Christmas play, and the subsequent dinner and party was a great gathering of all different ages. About 20 young people and adults even braved the extremely cold weather that night to carol around the neighborhood.
4. Our tutoring program for students in grades 7-8 is growing in numbers. But it is also growing in another important way - many of the students are developing relationships with the adult mentors, who are providing listening ears and caring concern.
5. Our deacons organized a drive to collect toys for children in the area whose families were not able to buy presents this year. The response to the deacons' project was overwhelming.
There is a lot of bad news in the world. But there is also a lot of good news that often gets overlooked. As we look forward to the new year, take time to consider the good news that is there in our church and in your life.
Ed Bowen
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