The Presbyterian Church in Burlington, Massachusetts --- 01803

Families, Kids & Communion
Teaching Supper
Maundy Thursday, March 24

Does your child receive communion?
Would you like your child to begin to participate?
Care to join an intergenerational gathering for some helps for both parents and children?

Families, especially those with children in the K-Grade 6 range, are warmly invited by Session and Worship Committee to join in a light supper, and some simple instructional time, on Maundy Thursday at 6:00 PM (plan is for pizza). The program will be led by the pastor, with some assistance from others. If you have a child who has not yet received communion, this would be a good time for preparing. If you have children who already participate, it should be a good review, and good fellowship. All are welcome. Following the supper, there will be opportunity for families to attend the regular Maundy Thursday communion service, beginning at 7:30 PM. At this service, we remember Jesus' last supper with his disciples, and his instituting of communion. We usually take part in the communion by standing in a large circle around the communion table. Families might also choose to come for the supper but leave before the service.

The Presbyterian church welcomes baptized children in the church's celebrations of communion. Parents are to use their discretion regarding when a child is ready, based on some beginning understanding of the sacrament's meaning. The session is responsible for providing for helps in preparing parents and children.

Wednesday evenings in Lent
It will be this year's version of the popular series over the years. It will be an adult fellowship opportunity, beginning with a simple supper at 6:30 -- the fare will be "take out" or prepared by group members, depending upon the wishes and convenience of the participants.

Then, the group will enjoy time for discussion and prayer. Topics under consideration include a couple of the Kerygma series: One is called "Sowing Tears, Reaping Joy: The Bible and Brahms Requeim" (which includes listening to this inspiring music and reflecting on Biblical connections to it). Another is "Job and the Life of Faith", which would be an appropriate theme as we consider Lent and the passion of Jesus himself.

Other topics may be considered. What's most important is to let Rod know that you want to be part of this fellowship! Call or email today! From March 6 to April 3, the Church School classes will be collecting money to support Heifer Project International. This organization helps families all over the world by giving them animals of various types, training them to house and care for their animals, and helping them save or improve their local environment. These families are then expected to help their neighbors by sharing some of the offspring form their animals. Our goal is to raise $60.00 to purchase three rabbits.

Please help your children help other children have a better life.

On Easter morning, all children in grades 2 - 6, including visitors, are welcome to join the Kids comings youth group for an Easter party. The festivities will take place in the youth room on March 27, between the Easter breakfast and worship, so roughly 9:30 - 10:30 am. We'll have fun learning about Easter traditions from around the world, and will play egg-themed games.

Here's an update on the health kits we assembled during our January meeting: Including donations that continued to trickle in after the event, we were able to ship a total of 74 health kits to Church World Service, which will forward them to tsunami victims. Thanks everyone who contributed soap, toothbrushes & toothpaste, nail files, washcloths & towels, and band-aids. This was a great way for our kidz to mak a difference! Looking ahead, ideas that have been floated for April and May include a trip to the Stone zoo and a trip to see a minor-league baseball game.

The Presbyterian Church form of government incorporates several levels of administration. Locally we have our Session. Directly above us is the Presbytery of Boston. Above them is the Synod of the Northeast, adn finally, above all the Synods is the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). We provide for the costs of our Session via our annual operating budget. The administrative costs of the higher governmnetal agencies is provided by the per capita assessment levied based on our membership. For 2005 the per capita assessment amounts to $38.11. This provides the following per capita amounts: $28.78 to Presbytery, $3.76 to Synod, and $5.57 to General Assembly.

In order to increase the amount of our operating budget that can be applied to mission projects we hope that our members will contribute separately to the per capita expense. For those of you that use offering envelopes, there is a per capita envelope at the front of your box. In other instances, you may notate your check if a portion of it is for per capita. If you have questions, please speak to our treasurer, Jim Brunner.

Easter is coming upon us early this year. The Deacons are doing their usual purchasing of flowers for the church. Please keep an eye out for the inserts in the Bulletin. Again, you may purchase flowers and/or make a donation in place of the flowers and any money over the amount of the purchase will be contributed to the fund.

People Helping People's Holiday Program was a great success this year. 61 families were served and 970 wishes granted, including contributions of p.j.s and underclothing as well as Wish Tree gifts and 53 families received extra food from People Helping People as well.

Maundy Thursday's offering through the Deacons this year will be going toward the sad tragedy in the Far East, the Presbyterian Disaster Fund for Tsunami victims (pending Session approval) and to this end the Deacons hope it is a successful donation to a much-needed cause.

Keep watch for information regarding the upcoming Women's Retreat which is currently being planned for June 3 and 5 at the Espousal Center in Waltham. It looks to be a very enlightening and enjoyable experience for the women of the congregation.

As you may be aware, the Trustees have taken over management of the cleaning service from the Presbyterian Nursery School. This means any communication with our cleaning service should now be made through Mark Well or Dave Babbidge, and we can relieve Heather Dinsmore of any involvement.

There are two calendars (the current month and the following month) in the office, on the outside of the closet door, which should have all church events listed on them. If you are planning a church sponsored event, first check the calendars either yourself or by calling the office. Once you have found a time that will work for your event, get it onto the calendar by contacting Ann Montague or Rod, then tell Mark and Dave.

The Dot and Fran Team needs you!

Dot Anderson and Fran Anthony were members of or church family who lived with multiple sclerosis. In their honor, for the past several years we've sent a team of walkers to participate in the annual MS Walk in Concord. The walk raises funds to help fund the search for a cure and to help the almost 13,000 people and their families affected by multiple sclerosis in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The walk in Concord is about 6.5 miles and is scheduled to begin at noon on Sunday, April 10, 2005. If you are interested, please contact Linda Roscoe.

Since 1949 the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has joined with many ecumenical partners in sharing God's love with people in need through One Great Hour of Sharing. Presbyterians' gifts help God's children know hope in their time of need and despair. These gifts help people to find safe refuge in order to start their lives anew, to learn new trades and skills to feed and support themselves and their families, and to obtain better health care. Recognizing that the hope we have in Christ is lived out in our hope for one antoher, we respond with gifts that help our brothers and sisters around the world find the hope for a brighter future.

Presbyterians' gifts enable Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, The Presbyterian Committee for the Self-Development of People, and the Presbyterian Hunger Program to respond to the immediate and long-term needs of God's people. Disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community devleopment are all part of the ministries of One Great Hour of Sharing across the United States and around the world.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance receives 36% of undesignated One Great Hour of Sharing gifts, while Self-Development of People and the Presbyterian Hunger Program each receive 32%.

This year our One Great Hour of Sharing offering will be received on Palm Sunday, March 20. March 30 at 7:30 P.M.
These services of evening prayer are offered on a once-a-month basis. The emphasis will be on quiet reflection and prayer, with opportunity for individual prayers for healing and peace. Plenty of music will be included, in the same spirit. If you would like to be part of leading, or providing music for, these services, please contact Brenda Flynn, Joan Ross, or Rod MacDonald. Do consider bringing a friend who might be searching for the peace that God can give.