Ash Wednesday Service
February 18, 7:30 p.m.
Quiet reflection, music and prayer will be the focus of this service to assist our meaningful entry into the season of Lent. The service will provide a time of peaceful renewal in the midst of our challenging days.
Join the church family, and help us welcome others, to this traditional service marking the start of Lent. There will be ashes and an opportunity for placing them on our foreheads as the sign of our humility and dependence upon God’s grace (use of ashes will be voluntary).
This can be an important start, in the right spirit, to the journey of Lent toward Holy Week. Please plan to make it part of your life.
Announcing our new officers….
If you didn’t make it to the Annual Meeting, here are the names of the new Officers for the Class of 2018. Their ordination/installation will take place on January 25.
Pray for them as they fulfill these callings to special service in the church.
Deacon’s Corner
Niloo Hennings will be retiring from active service as a deacon this month. Niloo has each served for three years. She has served as our secretary and as the deacon representative to the Personnel Committee. We thank her for all her hard work over the past few years. It has been challenging to all as we have served without a full board for the past 2 years. She will be missed.
Don’t forget our monthly pantry needs of 20 oz. bottles of dish detergent and individually wrapped bars of soap. We always collect on the first Sunday of the month…Jan 4th this month.
Stewardship
Each year the Presbytery of Boston requires member churches to pay a “Per Capita Apportionment” to support the mission and ministry of the Presbytery, Synod and the General Assembly. “Per Capita” means a certain amount to be given for each adult confirmed member of the church (children who are below confirmation age are not included.) This year’s Per Capita is $51.07. Two adult members in a household would each contribute $51.07; a family with two adult members, one confirmed youth and two younger siblings would be asked to contribute for only the three household residents who are church members. The Session invites you to use the Per Capita envelope in your envelope sets (if you use envelopes) or to use the Per Capita envelopes that can be found in the narthex. Please make checks out to the Presbyterian Church in Burlington. Every Per Capita payment received will free up money for use elsewhere in a very tight 2015 budget
YAV REPORT
Amanda Moak
After our successful book study on January 22, the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce Charitable Foundation will be taking a much-needed break for the month of February. Don’t let that worry you, though, because we have big plans for the upcoming months.
Our first event will be on the evening of Monday, March 2. We will be having a speaker, Brian Donohue, from Brandies University, present on the New England 50×60 food plan. There will also be a panel as part of the presentation, to answer any questions we may have about CSAs and the ideas behind farm-to-table marketing. There will also be displays from the Burlington High School Science Center and different organizations about composting and greener living. I will continue to make announcements at church in greater detail about the upcoming event and what we can expect. Right now, I can only ask that you mark you calendars for what is sure to be a great evening and event.
Also, be on the lookout for different events surrounding the Burlington Community Garden and all of our favorite food and gardening holidays. As soon as we can dig our way out of all this snow, the foundation will hopefully start hosting more events outdoors as a way to bring our community together around the garden.
Women’s Bible Study
The Women’s Bible Study has been studying, “A Deeper Look at Fruit of the Spirit” by Hazel Offner. It’s not too late to join in. If you are interested in attending Bible Study, please come on Thursday morning at 9:30. All are welcome.
Leadership Training
Boston Presbytery is offering Leadership Training at our church on Saturday, February 28, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. With sessions for Ruling/Teaching Elders, Deacons, and Finance leadership, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the role you are playing in your congregation and connect with others in similar positions. The morning sessions will focus on the basics and after lunch will focus on deepening and learning helpful skills. Elders will explore how to lead change and transformation in the congregation and Deacons will explore the aspects of visitation and prayer. Ten dollars covers materials and lunch provided by the Presbytery.
The Rosebud
By
Pastor Darryl L. Brown
It is only a tiny rosebud
A flower of God’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
The flower God opens so gently
In my hands would fade and die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God’s design,
How can I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I’ll trust in him for his leading
Each moment of every day,
And I’ll look to him for his guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
For the pathway that lies before me
My heavenly Father knows.
I’ll trust him to unfold the moments
Just as he unfolds the rose.
Presbyterian Church in Burlington 