Crossroads Notes:

Priorities for ‘06 Set By Session – ‘Safe Child,’ Nursery School, Roof/Bathroom BPC’s Session has given attention at its February and March meetings to setting and proceeding with priorities for ’06. The three at the top of the list are: ‘Safe Child Program’ implementation: Training sessions are well underway, and screening and response teams have been set. Presbyterian Nursery School: New elder Peter Rochford is working with weekday nursery school personnel and others as we take a look at the future of this program. Roof repair and bathroom renovations: The south side of the sanctuary roof needs attention – and our increasingly diverse church family has made the addition of accessible bathrooms a must! Session has asked trustees for proposals – with the aim in mind of a special funding campaign in conjunction with our upcoming 45th anniversary (in 2007). One Great Hour of Sharing           For the village of Kasangali, Uganda, the nearest safe water was 4 miles away. The women and children who made that trip every day dreamed of a time when their village would have a safe water supply. A grant from the Presbyterian Hunger Program helped the village purchase materials to pipe water to the village.           Last year, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance set up a series of Volunteer Villages along the Gulf Coast to provide food, water, and housing for volunteer workers so they would not be a burden on an already devastated area.           People in the West African village of Zamdigo in Burkina Faso were faced with severe drought which threatened to make the area uninhabitable. A grant from Self-Development of People has enabled them to tap underground sources of water and begin to reclaim the land.           All of these agencies receive a portion of the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Please participate in this special offering which will be received on Palm Sunday. Spring Clean-Up           The church will have a spring clean-up May 6th at 9:00 a.m., with a rain date of May 20th. Please come and help clean-up the church grounds for Mother’s Day. We will be doing grounds work and taking out the drain pipes that got through the ceilings of the classrooms. All help is welcome. Membership Committee News           The Membership committee has planned their calendar from now until mid-summer. We would like you to mark your calendars for the following events. An Explorers Class is planned for May 7 or 11 for session 1, May 14 or 17 for session 2. People who are interested in exploring the possibility of membership at our Presbyterian Church may attend any of those times but keeping in mind that you should attend sessions 1 and 2. May 7 and 14 are on Sunday after church and a lunch will be served. May 11 and 17 are Thursday evenings, the exact time to be announced.           International Potluck Dinner is planned for Saturday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m. It will be much on the order of the last time we had such an event. Plan your contribution, food, native dress, displays etc.          Church picnic is planned for July 16 after church at Springsbrook Park in Bedford. The park has swimming and a playground; some new things are being added this year.          Picture this, a large bulletin board with pictures of all of us! We are looking for photographers who have digital cameras who would volunteer to take pictures. A schedule of times of “sittings” will be set up and posted.          Don’t forget Easter breakfast April 16, 9:00 a.m. BPC Women Save the Date           The 2nd Annual Women's Retreat will be held Friday and Saturday, June 2 & 3 at the Espousal Center in Waltham. Mark your calendars and save the date(s)! The Retreat Committee is very excited to announce that our leader this year will be Rev. Jan Gough, a Presbyterian minister and spiritual director who has had experience leading retreats and will incorporate many different activities and ideas into the program. Details about the theme, cost and activities will follow in a letter to be sent to each woman member or friend of the congregation. Participants are invited to come for Friday night and Saturday, or just for the day on Saturday. It's not too early to ask about scholarship assistance - we want to make it possible for everyone interested to be able to attend. The members of this year's Retreat Committee are: Nancy Babbidge, Jennifer Dewar, Colette Greco, Candy McLaughlin and Linda Roscoe.

Funds for Peace Scholarship and Future Seminarian           Session has approved the use of the $170.00 in our church’s Peacemaking Fund for the ’06 Peace Scholarship program of the cooperating Congregations of Burlington. James McIninch has tentatively volunteered to serve as our representative on the Selection Committee.           In other activities, Session established a new fund – the Seminarian Fund – which we hope will grow in order that we will be able to afford the stipend for another student minister within the next 2-3 years. All contributions and fundraising efforts are warmly encouraged! Passover Seder for the Community           Monday, April 3, 6:00 p.m., St. Malachy’s Church, Burlington. Learn the traditions of Passover from Rabbi Susan Abramson, and their connections to Christian Communion from Rev. MacDonald. Enjoy a complete chicken dinner with neighbors from various congregations. Suggested donation: $5.00 per person, $15.00 max per family. If interested, call church office. Families, Kids and Communion Teaching Supper Maundy Thursday, April 13           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 p.m. 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 p.m. 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.           If you plan to attend, please sign up at church or call (781-272-9190) or email (burlpres@aol.com.) the church office. Deadline is April 5. Deacons Corner News from the Deacons includes the following: The prayer chain list has been updated to reflect changes on the Board. Two stoneware communion sets (cup and plate) have been purchased to be used for celebration of communion by intinction. The Board approved using the kitchen fund for the purchase of two baskets for the church dishwasher for washing silverware. June 10th is the date set for this year’s Yard Sale. Mark your calendars now and start weeding out items to donate! Deacons are taking orders for Easter flowers through Sunday, April 2. Inserts in the Sunday bulletins can be used for ordering either Lilies ($8.00), Tulips ($7.00) or Hydrangeas ($6.00), or to make a donation to the Community Day Center at the Waltham Presbyterian Church. What is the Walk for Hunger and Why Do We Do It?          The Walk is a well-designed 20 mile route from the Boston Common, down Commonwealth Ave. and Beacon St. to Newton, across the Charles River into Cambridge and back to the Common. No matter how far one walks, efforts will help the hungry. You can complete your Walk at any of the 8 checkpoints and take a shuttle bus back to the Common. Boston's Walk for Hunger is the oldest continual pledge walk in the country and one of the few walks dedicated to social justice.           Today in Massachusetts, nearly 450,000 people lack adequate food. They include children, the elderly, and the working poor. The Walk supports 400 emergency food providers in 136 Massachusetts communities.           BPC has supported a team for many years. This year Linda Delman, Candy and Sarah McLaughlin, Ray Gabler, Sue McGilvray-Rivet and Caitlin and Colin Rivet, and Linda Roscoe are planning to walk. More walkers are welcome! We will meet in the church parking lot early on the morning of May 7th for the "Blessing of the Feet", then travel into Boston together and walk as far as we can.           Volunteers are also needed. For more information go to www.projectbread.org or call 617-723-5000.           Linda Roscoe is our team captain, so contact her if you'd like to join us or have any questions. Pledges to the team may be made online or there will be a pledge sheet posted on the bulletin board outside the front classroom.