May 22, 2006

Purpose and Passion

We have a rather large hillside in our backyard and over the last three years we have removed seven dead trees, tons of poison ivy, overgrowth, and broken glass (the previous owners’ son had a BB gun). We then hauled in topsoil and mulch and, in the final analysis, the titan was no more. Man verses nature: man 1, nature 0. After three years, we had tamed the “mighty hill beast” we were ready...and it was planting season. Life could not be sweeter. I instantly thought of all the flowers I had grown to love (in other people’s gardens). I was purpose-driven and determined to fill our space with my passion. Peonies, clematis, salvia, cone flowers, rhododendron, and tiger lilies.

Well, it’s been two months and how I do enjoy my flower bed. I love the flowers’ color, texture, and fragrance; but above all, what I have come to realize is that flowers, too have a purpose and a passion. What I know for sure is that flowers exist to serve; boldly, unabashedly, reverently and gladly they live to serve. I find both joy and delight in the flowers and I am grateful; but, this joy is not mine alone. They have also served the rabbits (which have eaten all the cone flowers and most of the clematis); humming birds, squirrels and the occasional possum all share in my joy. But the nice thing is there is enough and more. Cone flowers for the rabbits, peonies for me. Man 1, nature 1. We can learn a lot from flowers. We too can shape our purpose to our passion. We too can serve. Our time, our talent, our resources. There is enough.

Warmly,

Rita Walters

Director of Development

Inside this issue

Events of the Week

Conference call with Michael Durall

Re: Creating the Church of the Future

Wed., May 24 3:00pm

1.877.597.2663 | Acc. code: 7591772#

Take Note/Act Now

§ Michael Durall Conf. Call

§ Benefit Concert at Highland PC

§ Pres. Nominating Committee

§ Hurricane Stan Relief Update

§ Pastoral Lay Ministry

§ Letter from Rick Ufford-Chase

§ Local Presbyterian Grads of E.I.

§ Presbyterian Home of MD

§ FCCAU Bowl-a-Thon

Prayer Concerns

Presbytery of Baltimore

People

The Presbytery office will be closed on Monday, May 29^th for Memorial Day.

Itchaya Sitterly, Bill Sitterly’s wife, received American citizenship this past weekend.

Kate Foster Connors’s grandfather died last week.

Joyce Zimmerman’s mother died two weeks ago.

Prayer Concerns

The Presbytery of Baltimore

asks for prayers:

· for our churches looking for new pastors: Frederick, Govans, Madison Avenue, New Imani, and Woods

· of healing for Harry Holfelder

· for Deb Milcarek’s full recovery from surgery

· of Thanksgiving for new life in the birth of Abigail, Judi Forrester’s first granddaughter

Take Note/Act Now

Baltimore Presbytery Items

Conference call with Michael Durall on Wed., May 24^th at 3:00pm. The call will be a chance to ask questions about and preview his one-day seminar titled “Creating the Church of the Future”, focusing on Stewardship and Evangelism, to be held on September 30^th, 2006. Conference phone number: 1-877-597-2663; access code: 7591772#. Contact Rita Walters rwalters@baltimorepresbytery.org or 410-433-2012 for more information.

Highland PC presents “An Evening with Jack Carlson, Folk Singer/Pastor” on Friday, June 2^nd at 8:00 pm in a Benefit Concert to support Allison Carlson in a year of service as a Young Adult Volunteer for PC(USA) in Kerela, India. Enjoy folk favorites, songs from the 60's and some of Jack's own songs (more).

Presbytery’s Nominating Committee needs you! Members are working hard to complete the slates of committee members for the class of 2009 – and to fill vacancies in 2007 and 2008 which need to be voted on at the June meeting of Presbytery. There are a variety of openings for clergy, elders, and some laypersons – men and women – all ages, races. Please respond to the Presbytery office (410.433.2012) or Doris Cowan before June 6^th (More).

Read an update from members of the Guatemala Kaqchikel Mission Partnership on the Hurricane Stan relief efforts in Guatemala and consider their appeal for continued support as the planting season begins (Read Letter).

The Subcommittee on Preparation for Lay Pastoral Ministry has completed a Handbook for Preparation for Lay Pastoral Ministry (view handbook). For more information, contact the subcommittee members listed on the linked page or Millie Kreider at Ltljericho@aol.com.

Synod and GA items

Read a letter to the church from Rick Ufford-Chase, Moderator of the General Assembly about the GAC’s recent action and the related recent staff changes at the GA level.

Other Resources and Articles

Two Baltimore Presbyterians graduated from the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s on May 11^th: Kimberly J. Erikson-Funk of Towson Presbyterian and William H. Webster of Catonsville Presbyterian (read article).

Presbyterian Home of MD, in Towson, MD, has a new website with information about their history, levels of care, and services: http://www.presbyterianhomeofmd.org/index.html .

Other Events

Faith Communities and Civic Agencies United (FCCAU) presents their 2^nd Annual “Bowling for Homelessness” fundraising event on Saturday, June 10^th from noon to 4:00pm at the Forest Hill Bowling Alley in Harford Co. Call Robert Meza, 410.612.0625 for more info. (Flyer)

Also on our website

Don’t miss all the new Local Church Announcements at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/announcements.html Presbytery Yearly Calendar

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

Peter Nord, Executive Presbyter

pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org

Bill Millen, Associate Executive

bmillen@baltimorepresbytery.org

Deb Milcarek

Associate of Mission and Justice

dmilcarek@baltimorepresbytery.org

Charles Forbes, Stated Clerk

cforbes@baltimorepresbytery.org