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THE BEACON LITTLE HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH June 2008 Pastor’s Ponderings June 2008 Charles H. Weisgerber’s painting “The Birth of the American Flag” shows us a woman showing the new flag to three men.
The woman, of course, is Betsy Ross (most of us probably remember her from our American History classes). The man standing up is
George Ross, her late husband’s uncle, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The man sitting close to her is Robert Morris,
also a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who financed much of the American Revolution, and the man for whom Robert Morris
University is named. The other man is, of course, George Washington. They came to her in May 1776—the month before the Declaration
of Independence was written—as a secret committee of the Continental Congress, to ask her to make a flag for the soon-to-be new nation.
It is obvious how she knew George Ross, her late husband’s uncle. But how did she know Robert Morris and George Washington? The exact
details of how and when they met is unclear—but one detail is known to us: THEY ALL ATTENDED THE SAME CHURCH! In fact, Betsy’s
pew in Christ Episcopal Church in Philadelphia was next to George and Martha Washington’s pew. They were social acquaintances, and she
had done seamstress work for him. He knew her work, and that she would be the right person to create this flag.
Isn’t it amazing what can happen because we meet people in church? We develop friendships that have meaning and purpose not only inside
the walls of the church, but beyond those walls—and because we share that common bond of our faith, we know one another and care for
one another and trust one another at a level beyond most social or professional relationships.
It is important that our connections in the church go beyond the church. It matters that we live what we believe, that we have our Monday
through Saturday not be entirely separate and unrelated. And it matters that the people we know at church not only be known at church, but
that we make a difference along with them in the wider world.
After all, without those friendships and connections made at Christ Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, it’s possible we wouldn’t have our American
Flag and wouldn’t be celebrating Flag Day on June 14!
Grace and Peace, Alternative Worship and Community Dinner Begin June 8
Our new Alternative Worship Service and Community Dinner begin on Sunday, June 8! The Community Dinner will run from 5 – 6:30 PM, with the worship to follow at 6:45 PM. All of this will be in the Fellowship Hall. The cost for the dinner will be $5 per person, for a main course, vegetable, potato or something, tossed salad, beverage and dessert. Lance Harris, chef at St. Paul’s UMC in Allison Park is graciously providing us with this. You may of course come to dinner and not stay for worship—but we hope you DO stay! This worship will be alternative in three ways: one, in terms of time—Sunday evening—to accommodate those whose work schedules and family schedules cause Sunday morning to be difficult. Second, it will be alternative in terms of style, a bit less formal (Pastor Bruce will not wear a pulpit robe or a tie) with some different music and a Praise Band to lead the music. Pastor Bruce’s sermon will be the same one he’ll preach on Sunday morning, but again, a bit more informal in its delivery. And third, it will be alternative in terms of location, as we will not meet in the Sanctuary, but in the Fellowship Hall.. The Praise Band has begun to rehearse. Steve Kayner, formerly with The Reply (the rock band Pastor Bruce plays in) will lead the music, with several of our church members participating. Be in prayer for this new opportunity to praise God in worship, that it will—as we trust and pray that Sunday morning does—meet the needs of those who choose to participate. In addition, be in prayer that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide the planning and raise up people to participate with their gifts and talents, given to them by God. Women in Mission Sponsor Bake Sale June 14 On Saturday June 14, beginning at 8 AM and continuing until noon (probably!) the Women in Mission will sponsor a Bake Sale at Walcott Park in Sewickley. It may be a coup that we were able to do this on Flag Day! All proceeds go to missions, so help out those in need by buying some goodies! Little Hill to Participate in “Festival in the Park” Saturday, June 28 On Saturday, June 28, from 2:30 to 10 PM, 3000 to 5000 people are anticipated for the annual “Festival in the Park” in Blueberry Hill Park—and Little Hill will have space among the other community organizations to advertise who we are, what we do—and just how much fun we are! We will join the other participating organizations in having activities for children. This is an opportunity to get the word out that we’re here! Plan to participate! More details as we get closer to the event. Chris and Leah, The New Mr. and Mrs. Miskiel, Married May 17
Standing room only witnessed and blessed the marriage of new members Christopher Michael Miskiel and Leah Ann Westen on Saturday May 17. The new Mr. and Mrs. Miskiel exchanged vows and rings, lit a unity candle—and in their first act as a married couple, served Holy Communion (assisted by their best man, Chris’s brother Tyler, and maid of honor, Leah’s sister Melissa) to the congregation attending their wedding. Youth Group Meets, Provides Coffee Time The Youth continue to sponsor Coffee Time following worship on certain Sundays. Keep your eyes and ears open for those times. Youth Group will continue to meet monthly; the time is still being worked out because of the Alternative Worship. June Wish List is for the Youth Room Church Council has approved a proposal by the PR/Evangelism Committee for a Wish List for focusing on improvements one room at a time. June continues our appeal for help on the Youth Room, so our Youth can have a place to call their own! The Youth Room will need much more work than the Nursery did, since we were already using the Nursery and right now the proposed Youth Room is being used for kind of ad hoc storage. We need to go through a bunch of stuff and decide if it stays or goes, we need to do some significant scrubbing and cleaning. We have already received a donation of a big television, but we will need carpeting or rugs, and furniture. Next up after the Youth Room will be the kitchen. It is in better shape, since we do use it frequently, but we certainly have some wishes for it! But that’s a couple of months down the road. The Youth Room will take some time and effort and prayer, so let’s get started on it! One More Wish for the Nursery All of the donations and help for the Nursery is much appreciated. One more item would really help, however. We are in need of a changing table. If you have one, or find one at a yard sale, or can contribute toward one, we would be grateful—and so would the babies whose diapers will be changed on it! Bible Study Regroups A Bible Study is meeting in the Library at Little Hill on Wednesday nights, beginning at 7:30 PM. (The third Wednesday is Church Council, so the Bible Study will not meet). We will be doing a short-term study on some of Jesus’ parables, using the Bible (of course) and Maxie Dunnam’s book Twelve Parables of Jesus. Annual Conference in Grove City June 12-15 The Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church will hold Annual Conference from Thursday June 12 through Sunday June 15. New ministers will be ordained, celebrations of worship and program will be held, and 1200 people will sing joyously together. Our Bishop, Thomas Bickerton, will preside over this annual celebration of our connection as United Methodists in western Pennsylvania. Bible Reading Plan—Continues! Our church-wide Bible reading plan continues; we’ll be reading the Bible through in a year; Pastor Bruce’s sermons will also be based on those same passages. THROUGH-THE-BIBLE READING PLAN 2008
June July August 1 Prov. 19-21; Rom. 13 1 Is. 1-3; Titus 3 1 Is.65, 66; Ps. 62; Jn. 3 2 Prov. 22-24; Rom. 14 2 Is. 4, 5; Ps.115, 116; Jude 2 2Ki. 21; 2Chr. 33; Jn. 4 3 Prov. 25-27; Rom. 15 3 Is. 6, 7; 2Chr. 26, 27; Philem 3 Nah. 1-3; Jn. 5 4 Prov. 28,29; Ps. 60; Rom. 16 4 2 Ki. 15,16; Hos.1; Heb.1 4 2Ki. 22; 2Chr. 34; Jn. 6 5 Prov. 30, 31; Ps. 33; Eph. 1 5 Hos. 2-5; Heb. 2 5 2Ki. 23; 2Chr. 35; Jn. 7 6 Ecc. 1-3; Ps. 45; Eph. 2 6 Hos. 6-9; Heb. 3 6 Hab. 1-3; Jn. 8 7 Ecc. 4-6; Ps. 18; Eph. 3 7 Hos.10-12; Ps.73; Heb. 4 7 Zeph. 1-3; Jn. 9 8 Ecc. 7-9; Eph. 4 8 Hos.13, 14; Ps.100, 102; Heb.5 8 Jer. 1, 2; Jn. 10 9 Ecc. 10-12; Ps. 94; Eph. 5 9 Mic.1-4; Heb. 6 9 Jer. 3, 4; Jn. 11 10 Song 1-4; Eph. 6 10 Mic.5-7; Heb. 7 10 Jer. 5, 6; Jn. 12 11 Song 5-8; Phil. 1 11 Is. 8-10; Heb. 8 11 Jer. 7-9; Jn. 13 12 1 Ki. 12; 2 Chr. 12; Phil. 2 12 Is. 11-14; Heb. 9 12 Jer. 10-12; Jn. 14 13 1 Ki. 13; 14; 2 Chr. 12; Phil. 3 13 Is. 15-18; Heb. 10 13 Jer. 13-15; Jn. 15 14 1 Ki. 15; 2 Chr. 13, 14; Phil. 4 14 Is. 19-21; Heb. 11 14 Jer. 16, 17; Ps. 96; Jn. 16 15 1 Ki. 16; 2 Chr. 15, 16; Col. 1 15 Is. 22-24; Heb. 12 15 Jer. 18-20; Ps. 93; Jn. 17 16 1 Ki. 17-19; Col. 2 16 Is. 25-28; Heb. 13 16 2 Ki.24; Jer.22; Ps.112; Jn.18 17 1 Ki. 20, 21; 2 Chr. 17, Col. 3 17 Is. 29-31; Jas. 1 17 Jer. 23-25; Jn. 19 18 1 Ki. 22; 2 Chr.18, 19; Col. 4 18 Is. 32-35; Jas. 2 18 Jer.26, 35, 36; Jn.20 19 2 Ki. 1-3; Ps. 82; 1 Tim. 1 19 2Ki.17; 2Chr.28; Ps.46; Jas. 3 19 Jer.45-47; Ps.105; Jn.21 20 2 Ki. 4, 5; Ps. 83; 1 Tim. 2 20 2Chr.29-31; Jas. 4 20 Jer.48, 49; Ps.67; 1 Jn. 1 21 2 Ki. 6, 7; 2 Chr. 20; 1 Tim. 3 21 2Ki.18,19; 2Chr.32; Jas. 5 21 Jer.21, 24, 27; Ps.118; 1 Jn. 2 22 2 Ki. 8, 9; 2 Chr.21; 1 Tim. 4 22 Is.36,37; Ps.76; 1 Pet. 1 22 Jer.28-30; 1 Jn. 3 23 2 Ki. 10; 2 Chr. 22,23; 1 Tim. 5 23 2Ki.20; Is.38,39; Ps.75; 1Pet. 2 23 Jer.31, 32; 1 Jn. 4 24 2 Ki. 11, 12; 2 Chr. 24; 1 Tim. 6 24 Is.40-42; 1 Pet. 3 24 Jer.33, 34; Ps.74; 1 Jn. 5 25 Joel 1-3; 2 Tim. 1 25 Is.43-45; 1 Pet. 4 25 Jer.37-39; Ps.79; 2 Jn. 26 Jonah 1-4; 2 Tim. 2 26 Is.46-49; 1 Pet. 5 26 Jer.50-51; 3 Jn. 27 2Ki.13, 14; 2Chr. 25; 2 Tim. 3 27 Is.50-52; Ps. 92; 2 Pet. 1 27 Jer.52; Rev.1; Ps.143,144 28 Amos 1-3; Ps. 80; 2 Tim. 4 28 Is.53-56; 2 Pet. 2 28 Ezek. 1-3; Rev. 2 29 Amos 4-6; Ps. 86, 87; Titus 1 29 Is.57-59; Ps. 103; 2 Pet. 3 29 Ezek. 4-7; Rev. 3 30 Amos 7-9; Ps. 104; Titus 2 30 Is.60-62; Jn. 1 30 Ezek. 8-11; Rev. 4 31 Is.63, 64; Ps. 107; Jn. 2 31 Ezek. 12-14; Rev. 5
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR JUNE 2008
Sunday, June 1 Holy Communion, Food Bank Sunday 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School 6:30 PM Worship Band Rehearsal
Tuesday, June 3 1:30 PM Women in Mission
Wednesday, June 4 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Bible Study
Thursday, June 5 7 PM Worship Band Rehearsal
Sunday, June 8 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School 5 – 6:30 PM Community Dinner 6:45 PM Alternative Worship
Tuesday, June 10 noon Keenagers
Wednesday, June 11 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Bible Study
Thursday, June 12 7 PM Worship Band Rehearsal
Saturday, June 14 8 AM – noon Bake Sale sponsored by Women in Mission Walcott Park, Sewickley
Sunday, June 15 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School 5 – 6:30 PM Community Dinner 6:45 PM Alternative Worship
Wednesday, June 18 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 Church Council
Thursday, June 19 7 PM Worship Band Rehearsal
Sunday, June 22 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School 5 – 6:30 PM Community Dinner 6:45 PM Alternative Worship
Wednesday, June 25 7:30 PM Bible Study
Thursday, June 26 7 PM Worship Band Rehearsal
Saturday, June 28 2:30 - 10 PM Festival in the Park Blueberry Hill Park, Nicholson Road
Sunday, June 29 11 AM Worship, Children’s Sunday School 5 – 6:30 PM Community Dinner 6:45 PM Alternative Worship
WORSHIP AT LITTLE HILL JUNE 2008
DATE SERMON / WORSHIP EVENT
June 2 Eddie S. Sara C. June 9 Amanda M. June 10 Patty B. June 14 Caleb C. June 15 Billie S. June 17 Nathanyal R. June 18 Samantha C. June 25 Jean R. June 28 Alanna S. June 30 Rev. Bruce Stollings
June 11 Bertha & George K.
June 18 Eileen & Wayne H.
June 30 Bob & Jean R.
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