Crossroads Notes:

It’s a Homegrown Coffeehouse & Mardi Gras Party! Saturday, February 25, 6:30 p.m.           Do you sing? Play an instrument? Tell jokes? Juggle? Read poetry? Or do you just like to be with the church family when it’s having a good time? Mark your calendar for this don’t-miss, doldrums-beating variety show for all ages.           Proceeds will benefit two things: Katrina relief and this year’s MATE crew (to work on housing for elderly and poor in Maine).           Talent-scouts are scouring the congregation for performers – don’t wait to be drafted! Sign up now! Confirmation Class Forming           Letters are being sent to families with youth in grade 8 and above, inviting them to join in the confirmation experience this year. Plans are for Sundays after worship during March – early April, with confirmation tentatively scheduled for Easter. Course will be led by Brenda Flynn, assisted by Rev. MacDonald. Speak to them or call church (781-272-9190) for information. Deacon’s Corner          In December 2005, we sent four care packages to military personnel who are serving in the Middle East. We plan to send more in early February, to be received by Valentine’s Day. If you would like to help by contributing items for the packages, there are some lists of suggested items on the table in the entryway. You can also find this information online at http://operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html and www.operationshoebox.com/itemlist. Cash contributions are also welcome. Linda Roscoe is coordinating this project, so please give the items to her by Sunday, February 5, or leave a bag with her name on it in the office. We hope to continue this project for other holidays, so please check the bulletins and newsletters for future shipping dates. We Confess. . .           The Presbyterian Church is known as a confessing church. In fact, we have an official Book of confessions, with statements of our faith going back to the beginnings of the Christian church. But what do they say about our faith? How do they guide 21st century Presbyterians?           In this discussion series, we’re exploring some of the big questions of life and faith that Christians have wrestled with for 2000 years. Who is Jesus? Why did he have to die? Who is God? What does God want for me? How are we to live our faith?           Each week we focus on one question. Using our Presbyterian confessions, we look at how the church has responded to the question over time. We discuss how and why the confessions take different approaches as they bear witness to our reformed and reforming faith. And of course we wrestle with our own questions.           We’ll continue to meet Wednesday evenings in February (except Feb. 1). A light supper for adults and children is served at 6:30 p.m. and the program runs from 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. Childcare will be provided.

Stewardly Reminder           Pledges of money, time and talents were dedicated during our Harvest of Offerings service on November 21. If you have not taken the opportunity to pledge to our shared ministry, please don’t forget. Our mission depends on all of us! If you need pledge materials, contact the church office. Pledge cards, and time & talent pledges, may be placed in the Sunday offering or sent to our treasurer, Jim Brunner. Update on Cabanlutan Village Philippine Outreach           Priscilla Kelso reports that the health and education project in Cabanlutan Village, which Burlington Presbyterian Church has been supporting faithfully, is doing well. She and her husband, Bart, pastor of Cambridge Presbyterian Church, spent several days there last August and met with the rural Christians who have been the beneficiaries of the annual gift from the Burlington congregation.           One encouraging improvement is in the nutritional health of the school children in the village school. Priscilla and Bart visited the classrooms of elementary and high school students in Cabanlutan. The health center is being used by medical doctors and nurses from a nearby city who conduct free health exams for the villagers, many of them working as subsistence farmers.           May God continue to bless this partnership between Burlington Church and a Philippine Village halfway across the world. Information on How to be a Marrow Donor           For all those who have been asking how to be a donor. First you have to contact the Donor Center in our area (in MA it's the Dana Farber Cancer Institute )but you don't have to go there. There is a contact name who will either mail or e-mail you the forms you need to fill out. You fill them out (very easy, not too long) you mail it back to them. Once she receives them, she will send you a kit. You call your own doctor, tell them why you are going, bring in the info you received from Dana Farber, and you can go to your own doctor and they will draw the blood sample. That's all there is to it. Here is the contact name if you want more info... Colleen Blanchard National Marrow Donor Program Dana Farber Institute 44 Binney Street Boston, MA 02115 Colleen_Blanchard@DFCI.Harvard.EDU           Please pass this message along to as many people as you know. It just takes a moment to cut and paste it into an email. If you are not a match for Emily Quinlan, you could be a match for another precious life. It is a busy time of year to focus on all of this, but cancer doesn't wait for the holidays to be over.