Crossroads Notes:

BPC’s Dot & Fran Team Says: THANKS           On a lovely (sunny, yet breezy) early spring day we all completed the Walk for MS in Concord, and thanks to your contributions, so far have raised $1,625. That money will go towards research to find a cure for multiple sclerosis and for services to individual and families. Sunday Morning Rides Needed          There are two people who need rides to and from church. Please speak to Joanne Stephens. Sign up in Fellowship Hall. Explorers Group Will Gather in May An invitation to All Who are New to Our Church           New to BPC and wondering how we work? Want to understand better what the Presbyterian Church (USA) believes and does? Or would you just like to get to know some other folks, whether new or “settled” members?           Our annual spring Explorers Group is for you! You are invited to meet on Sundays, May 7 and 14, after worship, noon-1:30 (with a light lunch)—or come to the alternate times, Thursdays, May 11 and 18, 7:30-8:45 p.m.           We’ll consider the questions above, and reflect on our own faith journeys. The group is led by Rev. MacDonald with help from the Membership Committee. For those who choose to become full members of our church, this is also the path to membership.           Watch for a signup list at church, or call the office at 781-272-9190 or email burlpres@aol.com for more information. 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. Pentecost Offering           Pentecost Sunday is an amazing, life-giving day in the community of faith. At Pentecost, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to transform human life and all of creation. Through participation in the Pentecost Offering we take part in bringing the transforming love of God to those in need, especially to children at risk, youth, and young adults.          Using Pentecost Offering receipts, we help provide avenues through which children are rescued from trauma, disease, neglect, and exploitation in this country and around the world. The offering undergirds the hope we have for the church and the world by assisting in guiding and nurturing the faith of Presbyterian young people. And, with support from the offering, we call forth a new generation of leadership in mission service through National and International Young Adult Volunteers and Interns, and develop our future leaders on college campuses nationwide.           Congregations are encouraged to keep forty percent of the offering for local use with children at risk. Sixty percent will go to the General Assembly for child advocacy and ministries with youth and young adults. Offering will be received by June 4.

M.A.T.E. Crew Taking Shape for This Year!           As many as 8 folks so far have shown interest in being part of this year’s volunteer crew to work on renovations of homes of the rural elderly and poor in central Maine, through Mission At The Eastward. The week is July 30-August 4, though you can come for just part of that time. Skilled and unskilled labor welcome. We stay in a dorm of the U. Maine, Farmington. We’ll be joining with a few folks from other churches in Boston Presbytery.           Our crew will also welcome financial contributions, to help with our expenses, and donations of food items (to be specified later). See Rod MacDonald for more info. Spring Clean-Up The church will have a spring ‘clean-up’           May 6 at 9:00 a.m., with a rain date of May 20. 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 go through the ceilings of the classrooms. Any help that you can give will be greatly appreciated. Deacons Corner Yard Sale          It is springtime and once again it is time to get ready for the annual church yard sale. This year the yard sale will be June 10th, rain or shine. The proceeds this year will be divided: $450 to MATE for summer workers, $350 to Cabanlutan, $200 for the Seminary Student Fund and the rest to the Trustees for their use. The sale will be held both inside and outside the church.          As you start your spring cleaning remember to put things aside for the sale. Items can be dropped off at the church starting on Tuesday May 30. Workers will be at the church from 7-9 p.m. during the week to accept items. Large items – furniture, etc. – should be brought after June 6. Nothing will be accepted after 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 9. For any large item not sold it will be the responsibility of the person bringing it to dispose of it after the yard sale. Please bring only items that are clean and in working order. Any electronic item should be marked as to its working condition. Plants are a big seller so get busy with your cuttings. Workers will be needed to price and sort things the two weeks before and also for the day of the sale. Sign-up sheets will be posted on the board in Fellowship Hall soon. Any questions? Please see Marion McPhee.          In addition, please mark your calendars for the annual Blanket Sunday, May 14 and Tools Sunday, June 18 and plan to support these two important efforts to help others. Listen for details during announcement time on upcoming Sundays.          Finally, Deacons will coordinate serving a meal at the Dwelling Place on Wednesday, May 17. Please sign up in Fellowship Hall if you can help provide a part of the meal and to help serve. Per Capita          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, and 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 governmental agencies are provide by the per capita assessment levied based on our membership. For 2006 the per capita assessment amounts to $41.45. This provides the following per capita amounts: $32.18 to Presbytery, $3.70 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.