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The Reflector
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REV. MITCHELL LEE MILLER
FALLSTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - APRIL 2006
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FROM THE PASTOR
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Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here we go again. Spring is in the air and the Church is gearing up for Easter. People are making plans for Easter dinners, sunrise services, Easter breakfasts, celebrations surrounding the ending of lent and the fasting they have taken on. Eggs are being colored and flowers ordered and planted. People are deepening their Spiritual lives with Bible Studies and Lenten services. It is truly and exciting time of preparation for the Holiest Day of the Christian year, the day of Resurrection. The day that makes our Christian Faith unique, the day that makes us what we are as Christians.
But have you noticed what’s happening out in the politically correct world? While it isn’t getting the attention we give it at Christmas time, it seems that those offended by Christianity are quietly removing Easter from the public discourse. Many of the places where one might normally see the word “Easter,” the “Spring” has replaced it. Now if this were an attempt to truly reclaim the meaning of Easter, to separate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from bunnies and flowery hats and candy, I would be excited. I dream of a day when we reclaim the holidays as Holy Days. But sadly this does not seem to be the case, this is not a move being pushed by churches, it is a move by those who are afraid of offending non-Christians and by those who seek to offend Christians.
Our deeply held rights to freedom of speech and the preservation of minority rights compel me to honor the wishes of those who would seek to live a life outside the Christian Faith. But freedom of religion does not necessarily mean freedom from religion. I think we sometimes forget that the majority has rights also, and the church has a right to speak freely as well. Let us not fall into the trap of battling over the use of the word Easter versus the word Spring. That is not really the issue. The issue is that the church should not be dependant upon the culture to propagate our faith, Christians need to take the responsibility of telling people what Easter is really all about. It is our responsibility to teach our children and our neighbors that Easter is the day that Jesus was resurrected from death and that His death was the sacrifice that frees us from sin. For the Good Friday - Easter celebration is our only hope to gain eternal life.
I am not opposed to the Easter Bunny and painted eggs, neither am I offended by Easter bonnets and flowers. In deed I think these traditions that have grown up in our culture around the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection can be wonderful tools used by the faithful to speak of Jesus and the grace of God that makes Easter the most important day in the Church year. But these traditions are not to be held in competition with Easter, but rather, they should clearly point us toward and support the Easter celebration.
I challenge you to take back Easter in your hearts. Reclaim the Easter holiday in your own life, and make it a Holy Day once again. Prepare yourselves through prayer and study to make Easter the most important day of your life. And be ready to share the Good News of Easter with those who do not understand. In this way, those people among the un-churched and the under-churched who have lost sight of the meaning of Easter, will have their sight restored and by the power of the Holy Spirit, their lives redeemed in Jesus Christ.
May the peace and blessings of God, the joy of Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit be with you all, Mitchell Lee Miller
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MEMBERSHIP
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 Wednesday Night Lenten Dinners continue through April 5th.
Come join us for food and fun.
March 29 Pizza/Salad
April 5 Fried Chicken/Mac & Cheese
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SPOTLIGHT ON MISSIONS
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| The Navigators
What is it? The Navigators is a ministry whose goal is “not only to reach people for Christ but to equip them, so they in turn can help fulfill Christ’s commission to ‘go and make disciples of all nations…’.” (Matt. 28:19) The organization consists of over 3000 staff members who represent 60 nationalities and minister in over 100 countries.
We support a young couple, Matt and Bev Hale, who reside in Detroit. There they live and work with people in their diverse community, focusing especially on young college students attending Wayne State University. The Hales really are missionaries who “invest deeply in a small number of people, and through genuine relationships, equip them to take the gospel into their world.”
How does FPC help? We make an annual monetary donation of $500.00.
How can YOU help? Pray for their success, write to Matt and Bev, or perhaps make a donation to help them in their ministry.
Mission ’s Focus Donations for April
Shampoo for the Harford Community Action Agency’s food pantry
Continued support for Magnolia Elementary School
in donating school supplies
and children’s underwear
Any additional donations are very welcome for these or any other organization.
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The next Mission Committee meeting will be
Monday, May 1 st at 7:00 at Judy’s home.
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TRANSFORMING VIOLENCE INTO WHOLENESS
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Nonviolence Training Retreat will take place the weekend of May 5, 6, 7, 2006 at Camp Ramblewood, 2564 Silver Rd, Darlington, MD 21034,
sponsored by Deer Creek Harmony Presbyterian Church in cooperation with the Baltimore Presbytery Peace and Justice Committee in association with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) Nyack, New York.
This ten session training program explores the spirituality and practice of active nonviolence. It is build on teachings of Jesus Christ, examines current Christian practices and studies the dynamics of social movements developed by leader such as Martin Luther King, Jr. The registration fee of $275 includes two overnights, six meals and leadership.
To Register, download a registration form from http://baltimorepresbytery.org or call Alice McGee at 800 511 0087.
Send your completed application, along with a check in the amount of $275
To: Alice McGee
Presbytery of Baltimore,
5400 Loch Raven Blvd ,
Baltimore , MD 21239 .
For additional information, contact Nancy Fayer at 410 750 1479,
or David Pollitt at 410 638 6022.
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EASTER FLOWERS
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 EASTER FLOWERS ($7.00 EACH)
Lily - White Only _______Quantity
In Memory of:_________________________ From: ______________________
In Honor of: __________________________ From: ______________________
Tulip - Red ____Quantity Yellow ____Quantity
In Memory of:_________________________ From: ______________________
In Honor of: __________________________ From: ______________________
Hyacinth - Blue ___ Quantity Pink ___ Quantity
In Memory of:_________________________ From: ______________________
In Honor of: __________________________ From: ______________________
Orders must be placed by April 6th.
There are marked envelopes in the Narthex or you may contact the office.
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Fallston Presbyterian Mission Trip to Gulfport - 2006
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BIG DADDY |
A Mississippi mission trip was set upon our plate,
To help the people way down there, this seemed to be our fate.
Its not a trip that’s easy, its enough to drive you batty,
Since Steele put this together, we nicknamed him Big Daddy.
We set out from the Church that morning all of us excited.
Pictures taken, gear was packed and all of us were knighted.
Musical chairs in cars we rode, so we’d be oh so chatty,
And all of this was pre-determined by our own Big Daddy.
2nd Presbyterian put us up that night.
They showed us that the people there also shared Gods light.
The game room was abundant: tho’ no golf and no caddie,
But games we played and games we won along with our Big Daddy.
Orange Grove Presbyterian, the place that we would stay,
And we were looking forward to assignments the next day.
They gave us huts, the place was clean - not like a pig paddy,
But that all changed the moment that they let in our Big Daddy.
We got our tasks and headed out and worked for those who lost,
Their homes, their cars and even more at such horrendous cost.
Destruction here, destruction there, the robbing? No wagons paddy,
But work and drive, and drive and work ,that was our Big Daddy.
Sandy, John and Doc and Gean, Mel and Tom and more.
Then there’s Geary, Wade and Eric, what a winning score.
Ryan was along to learn, he was the only laddie,
But most the time - who acted younger? Our very own Big Daddy!
Steele worried more than anyone about our chores and goals.
He wasn’t his old normal self, he closed up all loopholes.
We joked and joshed and hammered him, we laughed and we were baddies,
But he worked harder than the rest, that was our Big Daddy.
Two ladies were excited when we showed up at their homes that day,
They knew that we had come to work all week and without pay.
The Lord was with us , Orange Grove fed us - just like Bea Gaddy,
But miss a meal or a hot shower ? Not our own Big Daddy !
We gave our all and wondered if fruition we would find.
Our tasks were tough and dirty, but that we didn't mind,
And all of those who worked all week and lost some of their fatty,
That is of course with one exception, our own great Big Daddy.
We've served our time and did our tour and homebound we are set.
We've fueled our cars and filled our bellies, our mission we have met.
Good times were had by all of us, and sometimes we were bratty,
But he worked hard and made us feel just like our Big Daddy.
We're heading back now - seven days, and looking forward to,
Some long hot showers, nice warm beds and our own private loo.
The natives miss us, Orange Grove loves us, yaddy, yaddy, yaddy,
But when they looked for the right fix, they'd look for our Big Daddy.
Now we're home and God has blessed us all of this last week.
We hope we've shown that we will serve for those who need and seek.
But now we have this one last task - wash off this funk and natty,
And wish a fond, heartfelt farewell , to our own Big Daddy. |
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SOME THOUGHTS ON A MISSION TRIP
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Having just returned from my fourth mission trip, I encourage all to consider going on at least one. Not experienced? So what, Moses wasn’t experienced about building a nation but God led him. We are planning another trip in the spring of 07; we would love to have you. Here are some observations to pray about:
Accept who is in charge; I have been told that I did good job. It was not me, it was God. He blessed us with good weather, smooth travel and most important no one was injured. It had rained often in the previous weeks, yet we had no rain enabling us to repair a roof. We all got along and there were no arguments. When you have good people, and an awesome God then it is easy to accept that He is in charge.
Come to learn; no matter your skill level there is room and a task for you. Whether you are a skilled tradesman or a beginner, be guaranteed you that you will learn something. First I learned that once a year is not enough to maintain any kind of capability. So I accepted that with each trip I am happy to be a gofer. Second and more important I learned that when God sends me on a task, it is not my place to ask why or be judgmental. God taught all of us something, and he does every trip.
Expect the unexpected; during our trip we heard miraculous stories that could have only come from God. There is no such thing as a routine mission trip no matter how well it is planned. While planning is crucial and prevents a lot of problems, God will always give us opportunities that we could not have counted on. When we left, we thought we would be doing plumbing and electrical work, however that changed.
Enjoy Gods loving hand; it was nice to have week where the material things of the world seemed so unimportant. Each night we attended a devotional, and heard stories from other teams. People from all walks of life were brought together with a common purpose. Each person had a story of how the hand of the Lord had been on them.
The Marine in me makes me say this, start planning ahead. Certainly you will not need any tools, but if you want to bring something there is always room for a hammer, cheap tape measure, and if you are so inclined a cordless drill. But let me emphasize if you just bring yourself you will be serving a useful purpose. The other main item, enough clothes for five days that you can ruin and still smile cheerfully. If you are truly serious we will give you a detailed list of what to bring as the trip approaches.
Finally prepare for the joy of knowing that you are serving others. To see the smile on someone’s face as you have restored their home goes far beyond description. There will be more to tell about this, but it is a thrill.
So if YOU feel a calling to go in the future, answer it! Don’t feel there is nothing you can do; we serve a wonderful God who will show you the way. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always. ~Steele
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HEALTH FOR THE BODY AND SOUL by D. Glenn BSN
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All the people tried to touch him, for power was going out from him and healing them all.
(Luke 6:19)
Senior Health Fair
On April 15th from 11-1, the 2nd annual Senior Health Fair will be held in the Fellowship Hall from 11am-1pm. The Upper Chesapeake Health Link will be here to do general health screening, blood pressure monitoring, and cholesterol check. The Office on Aging will also be here with useful information. Dr. Dean Vassar has kindly accepted an invitation to talk about heart health in seniors and to answer questions. There will be door prizes and other goodies. There is no charge for the fair for seniors over 50. Invite a friend to share health news, fellowship and as always a tasty lunch.
Medication Focus
(new this month, I will pick a commonly prescribed or over the counter drug and give some basic information. If you want information on a medication, let me know for the next month)
Atenolol
Atenolol is a medication in the class of drugs called Beta Blockers. These drugs are used to treat hypertension, rapid heart rate, to relieve angina and to prevent further heart attacks in people who have suffered a heart attack.
Beta Blockers affect the response to some nerve impulses in certain parts of the body and decreasing the hearts need for blood, and oxygen by reducing the work load on the heart. They also help the heart beat more regularly and slower.
Tell your doctor of all prescription and over the counter medications you are taking if he/she prescribes a beta blocker. Beta Blockers should not be used in people who have asthma, emphysema or a slow heart rate. Don’t stop this medication suddenly or skip doses.
You may feel tired until your body adapts to the effects of Atenolol.
Marijuana and Memory
A recently published study documents that people who use marijuana develop a hazy memory over time. Long term users who smoked at least 10 joints per week were at a higher risk. These test subjects consistently performed poorly on tests of memory, attention and mental processing.
Childhood Obesity
The World Health Organization recently reported that by the year 2010, there will be a dramatic increase in childhood obesity world wide. It is expected that nearly ½ of children in North and South America will be overweight. This will bring along an increase in the risk for diabetes, hypertension and elevated cholesterol in our youth. Prevention remains the most logical cure: decrease the consumption of empty calories, and increase activity levels.
Healthy Snacks
Tired of rice cakes? Need something sweet? Salty? Crunchy? Fred’s Losers will answer “yes” to each of these!
For the last month, I have been trying to find something low-cal in each of these categories. Here are a few things to try:
*Celery spread with low-fat peanut butter
*Carrots dipped in low-fat ranch dressing
*Sugar –free Oreo cookies are new on the market and pretty tasty
*15 roasted almonds
*Sugar-free Jell-O with a teaspoon Cool Whip
Spring into Action
Spring is here and it is time to get outside and get active. Just how many calories will we burn with certain activities?
*Gardening------324cal
*Mowing the lawn-------324cal
*Playing with the kids-------216cal
*Strolling------206cal
Compare that to watching TV------72cal (based on a 150 pound person)
Sautéed Chicken and Spinach
Heat 6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan or heavy skillet. Add 1 clove garlic and cook until soft. Add 2 cut up boneless chicken breasts, salt and pepper to taste. Cook approx. 8 minutes. Add 2 tbsp capers, 1 small jar artichoke hearts, 10 sliced mushroom, and ¼ cup white wine. Cook until mushrooms are tender. Remove from pan.
Add another 2 Tbsp. olive oil and heat. Add 1 bag chopped, fresh spinach and cook until wilted. Put the chicken back in the pan and heat together. Serve over whole grain pasta tossed in olive oil.
Cancer and Community Resources
The diagnosis of cancer brings with it uncertainty and fear. Every community has resources available to help deal with these and other issues. The first step is to know what questions to ask. What kind of help do I need? The answer may be treatment decisions, prevention, home health, hospice care, financial advice or transportation help. The next step is knowing where to look for the answers to these questions. Most physicians’ offices can help make referrals to the appropriate resources. Hospitals have social service departments that can help with home health and other referrals. The public library is an excellent source for information as are many churches. Local governments can offer information and information on resources. In Harford County, call 410-879-8322. The American Cancer Society has local and regional offices with people trained to help answer the overwhelming questions related to a diagnosis of cancer. For our area, call 410-931-6850.
Stephen Ministry
Health is the culmination of physical, spiritual and emotional well being. If one of these areas is suffering, all will eventually suffer. Stephen Ministry addresses all aspects of health through a one-on-one Christian caring relationship.
Are you or someone you know within our congregation or community lacking physical, emotional or spiritual health? We can help.
Confidential referrals can be made to Rev. Miller, June Clark or Debbie Glenn. God wants us to care for each other and we have specially trained volunteers within our congregation who can provide that caring.
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SENIOR LUNCHEON |
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Join us for the Senior Health Fair and Luncheon on 
Saturday, April 15, from 11:00 am until 1:00pm.
Upper Chesapeake Health Link will do health screening, blood pressure monitoring and cholesterol screening. A representative of Harford County Office on Aging will be present and Dr. Dean Vassar, Cardiologist, will talk to us about heart health in seniors and related health issues. Bring a dish to share. Call 410 879 7729 or email churchoffice@fallstonpc.org to reserve your place.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS
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Rose, Ann's Mom, thanks everyone for their prayers and cards. When you reach the age of 93 many of your old friends are not longer around to support you, it is such a blessing to receive strength and hope from new friends at the Fallston Presbyterian Church.
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PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
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I have been giving prayer shawls to people outside our church that are in need of comfort, healing or having babies. They have been so greatly received and appreciated that they want to give me gifts in return. Of course, I tell them that the purpose of the prayer shawl is to spread God's love and offer them the needed prayers in their lives. All the shawls come with a card that say what is the purpose of the prayer shawl and the significance of the 3's. It is signed by myself and Friends of Fallston Presbyterian Church. It also has on the card who the shawl is made by. I am so excited now that even fellow co-workers are now coming to me requesting prayer shawls because a family member could really use one.
I am so excited that this shawl ministry is now extending outside our immediate church family. What a blessing that others are feeling comfortable enough to come to me to ask for a shawl for a loved one. Thanks again to Miss Essie and Mr. George for helping to keep me supplied in shawls. I am so very grateful. ~Wendy |
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MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY MISSION
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Jesse, a FPC Member, recently donated 700 plus, new stuffed animals to our school so each student could have a reading buddy. We had an read-in assembly and invited Jesse to come. He was able to see each student with a stuffed animal and how excited they were to have one. Jesse read Dumbo to the entire student body and he did a wonderful job!!! Some teachers are keeping them in their classrooms, so they get to read with them every day in class,while other students took them home. I am so very appreciative, as well as everyone at Magnolia, for Jesse's generosity in doing such a wonderful thing for our students.
Thanks again for all the donations to the school. They are put in a separate area so the supplies only go to the students. Please keep sending in underwear, socks, and pants ranging from size 6 to 10-12. We are also accepted backpacks in addition to pencils, composition books, folders, glue sticks, markers, crayons, etc. I am now called the bag lady because I come in every Monday with things that Fallston has donated. Everyone is excited when they see me coming on Monday mornings.
~Wendy |
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VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
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Mark your calendar! Vacation Bible School will begin Sunday, June 25 th and end Friday, June 29 th. Please prayerfully consider helping us with this worthwhile project.
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FACILITIES & GROUNDS COMMITTEE |
So far, it’s been too cold to work outdoors, but the time will come soon. We are planning several projects such as spreading mulch, painting, and coating the pavement. Way more work than Wade can do by himself. So if I were you, I would get your own place ready for spring right now, because we will need your help. I will let you know the dates we will be needing help in the next month’s Reflector.
We are happy to welcome a new member to our committee, Tom. He joins the team of Wade, John, Emory, Bob, Walt, and Ray. If you have any suggestions or comments about the property let them know.
The most recent water test shows the MTBE to be non-detectable.
Fred
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HOLY WEEK AT FALLSTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH |
Holy week will be a special week at FPC.
The week begins April 9 with Palm Sunday. We will be worshiping all together in one service at 10:00 am and will be treated to an Easter cantata by the choir. We hope that you will all come out and support the return of the choir and our new Minister of Music, Andrew Long.
Thursday of Holy Week is Maundy Thursday, the day we commemorate Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and the celebrate the institution of the Lord’s Supper. We will celebrate this event with a Christian Passover Seder meal. We will gather in the fellowship hall at 6:00pm and enjoy a meal together in the tradition of the Passover feast that Jesus celebrated that night in the “upper room.” We will see how Jesus used the familiar Jewish Passover tradition to teach his disciples of the New Covenant and the origin of our celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Following the Seder meal, we will journey together to the sanctuary for a Tennebrae Service. The Tennebrae is a medieval custom that has become popular again as a commemoration of the crucifixion and the extinguishing of the Christ Candle signifying the death of Jesus and the exit of his light from the world.
On Good Friday, the Sanctuary will be open from 7:00 am to 9:00pm for those who would like to come pray on the day of Jesus’ Crucifixion. There will be materials available to aid you in your prayers.
Easter Sunday, the Day of Resurrection! (April 16) will begin with Sunrise service at 6:30am. Weather permitting, (which means if there is no rain) we will hold the service in the out-door chapel.
Breakfast will be served from 7:00 to 8:45 am with an Easter-egg hunt for the children at 9:00 am and special activities for all.
Easter Sunday Worship will be celebrated in a joint Service at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary.
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APRIL BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES |
2 CINDY 
2 DAVID
4 DIANE
6 LAUREN
6 KIM
6 JANICE
7 DEAN & ANN (A)
8 LAUREN
9 TIM
9 KEVIN
11 DALE & CINDY (A)
14 GEORGE & ESTELLE (A)
14 DOUGLAS
16 TODD & DIANE (A)
16 JESSICA
17 MARK
18 MEL & BARRIE (A)
19 MARY ANN
19 DAVE
20 BERTHA
21 RUSS & WENDY (A)
22 DOUGLAS & DENEICE (A)
22 DALE
23 EMILY
24 RAY & JUDY( A)
24 DEBBIE
25 LARRY
26 ROBERT
26 GLORIA
Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary from your FPC Family! |
WORSHIP PARTICIPANTS SIGN UP CHARTS |
There are charts hanging in the Narthex for you to sign up for the position you would like to fill for a particular date and service. There is one chart to sign up for the 8:30 service and another to sign up for the 11:00 service. Our hope is this will make it easier for you to see where help is needed.
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