June 6, 2005

Sabbath Balance

In a world where executives celebrate 70-hour workweeks and success rates by numbers, words from the Hebrew Bible mandating Sabbath may sound powerless and old-fashioned. At last month’s Educator Round Table, leader Susan Saunders -- educator, therapist, and theologian -- challenged us concerning Sabbath. “…You shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, given in order that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you…everyone who profanes it shall be put to death; whoever does any work on it shall be cut off from among the people” (Exodus 31:13-14).

How do you keep the Sabbath? In a Sabbath confrontation with Pharisees, Jesus said: "The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28) reminding us that Sabbath is a gift to us.

How could any educator, pastor, or worship leader not respond to Abraham Heschel’s statement: “All week we may ponder and worry whether we are rich or poor; whether we succeed or fail in our occupations; whether we accomplish or fall short of reaching our goal…But who could feel distressed when gazing at spectral glimpses of eternity; except to feel startled at the vanity of being so distressed? The Sabbath is no time for personal anxiety or care, for any activity that might dampen the spirit of joy. The Sabbath is no time to remember sins, to confess, to repent or even to pray for relief or anything we might need. It is a day for praise, not a day for petitions…One must abstain from toil and strain on the seventh day, even from strain in the service of God” (The Sabbath).

Wrestling with the how, when, and why we find and use Sabbath is part of our ministry as educators, pastors and church leaders. Whether we admit it or not, we are models for our congregations. Perhaps wrestling with Sabbath should become more of a valid chunk of time during those seventy-hours?

God’s peace be with you, Terry Martin-Minnich

Inside this issue

Take Note/Act Now

§ Public Policy Advocacy

§ Darfur, Sudan

§ “Hurricane Ivan: The Cayman Experience”

§ Sabbatical

§ Nonviolence Training Event

§ Job Opportunities Online

§ Local Church Announcements

Prayer Concerns

§ Churchville PC

§ Mt. Hebron PC

People

Please pray for Dave Wilson who will have back surgery on July 13 to fuse 3 vertebrae, correcting a 30-year problem.

Frank Stephens’ Interim at Madison Avenue PC will end on July 31. Carroll Jenkins is scheduled to begin as Interim on August 1.

Elizabeth Rogers has been called as Pastor of Granite PC effective July 15.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Don Boardman whose mother passed away on June 28.

Prayer Concerns

Churchville PC asks for prayers:

§ As we review, evaluate and refocus our entire Christian Education and Sunday School ministry.

§ As we seek to increase the enrollments in our larger Day Care facility and provide a good ministry with these small children.

§ As our church gets involved with AIDS orphaned children in Kenya.

Mt. Hebron PC asks for prayers for:

§ A successful fundraising drive for our new organ and sound system.

§ As we look forward to the addition of a driveway and 20 additional parking spaces.

§ And we are very thankful for: the services of our Director of Christian Education and Youth Ministries Coordinator, our active youth program, and the Harris’ call to our neighboring church, First of Howard County.

Take Note/Act Now

Public Policy Advocacy – On the second Tuesday of those months when Congress is in session, the Washington office of PC(USA) presents a two-hour briefing on the status of bills that relate to topics addressed by past General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church. On July 12, Sept. 13, Oct. 11, and Nov. 8, the Public Policy Advocacy teams will take the MARC train to DC to visit the PC(USA) office. After the briefing, attendees meet with their members of Congress to advocate positions promoted by the Church. Contact Dorothy Janzen for more information: dmcjjanzen@aol.com.

On July 15-17 millions of Americans will unite in a National Weekend of Prayer and Reflection to end genocide and suffering in Darfur, Sudan. For more information and worship resources, go to: www.savedarfur.org/faith [press release]

Rev. Joe Crawford, former pastor of the Lochearn Church and currently pastor of a church in the Cayman Islands, has sent us a video documentary called “Hurricane Ivan: The Cayman Experience,” a terrifying event which he lived through last September. Please contact the Presbytery if you would like to borrow it.

Thinking of a Sabbatical? Check out a sample sabbatical policy at

http://baltimorepresbytery.org/comformspolicies.html, and grants offered by the Lilly Foundation at http://www.louisville-institute.org/.

"Transforming Violence Into Wholeness," Nonviolence Training Event to be held September 23-25 at Frederick Presbyterian Church.

Also on our website

The Presbytery of Baltimore posts job opportunities: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/opportunitycalls.html

Past Issues of Tidings are available at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/midweekmail.html

Local Church Announcements / Presbytery Yearly Calendar

Contact Us

Presbytery of Baltimore

5400 Loch Raven Blvd.

Baltimore, MD 21239

Office: 410-433-2012 or 800-511-0087 Fax: 410-433-2066