Month: March 2016

Sermon: “Taking Off Our Cloaks”
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
Why did the people on the Mount of Olives take off their cloaks for Jesus? At one level, it may simply have been an ancient way of showing respect for a king. At another level, however, I believe Luke is telling a story that suggests that taking off our cloaks as Jesus passes by is much more than showing respect for him as a “king”. We will explore this dimension, this opportunity for becoming truer selves, in the message this Palm Sunday.
Join us for worship and the celebration of Easter on Sunday, March 27th at 10:30 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship after the service. Fellowship will be held in the Nave Gallery, adjacent to the church sanctuary. All are welcome!
If you would like to bring a sweet or savory snack to supplement our coffee hour spread for Easter Sunday, we would love to have you share them with us. Due to serious allergies, we have to ask for NO NUTS in your treats. Unless it needs to be refrigerated, the dish can be left in the Nave Gallery.

Publicity!
Check out http://somerville.wickedlocal.com/. There’s an article about Scot Bennett’s artwork, an interview with Allen, and a pictures of the Palm Sunday walk that shows members of our congregation!

Special Offering for Francis Situma
A former and beloved member of this congregation, Francis Situma (from Kenya), lost his wife in a tragic accident several months ago. Many of our members who remember him (he has also visited twice in recent years) have wanted to find a way to support him during this time. NOTE: Rather than try to select out only people who remember him, and possibly miss people, this financial request is going out to our larger church list. Those who did not know him should feel no obligation to support this request (it is not a regular offering of the church).
We have determined that it would be helpful to Francis and his family if we wired them a contribution (Western Union) directly to him in Nairobi to assist him and his family in paying for various hospital bills, and to help do something in his wife’s memory (possibly through their church, St. Andrews Presbyterian, in Nairobi).
If you wish to contribute to this, please either bring a check/cash this Sunday or send a “pledge” e-mail to Ellen Schemerhorn (ellends1313@gmail.com) with a particular amount. There will also be pledge cards available this Sunday. We are hoping to write a check from the church this coming week and wire the money.

Pastor Allen Regular Office Hours
He will be in the church office during the following times unless called away:
Mondays and Thursdays: 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
1st and 3rd Monday evenings: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday afternoons: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Rev. Fairfax is generally available for pastoral concerns or other church business at most other times as well, so don’t hesitate to contact him outside of these office hours.
Please drop by the church or contact him in our Contact Page

 

– – – Upcoming Events – – –

CHPC Bible Study
Bible study meets at Porter Square Panera Bread every other Wednesday. For details on dates, time, place, and more information, please contact Kevin. (kevin.sungwon@gmail.com)

Lenten Study
For our Lenten study this year, we will be reading and discussing the book, “If God is Love” by Pastors Philip Gulley and James Mulholland. Copies of the book are available; contact Pastor Allen if you would like a copy. The book is easy to read, and the topic is interesting and relevant. We had such a great discussion at our last meeting that we decided to extend it for one more session. We will meet next on Sunday, April 3rd, in the Green Room, after coffee hour, to finish our discussion. After we finish our Lenten study, we will choose a fiction book for our next discussion. If you have suggestions for a fiction book, let us know.

Upcoming Fellowship
Our next fellowship event will be on Saturday, April 9th. Save the date and stayed tuned for details!

Opening Reception
Claire Roll welcomes you to the Boston University MFA Thesis Exhibition. The Opening Reception is on Friday, April 8th from 6-8 p.m. The exhibit runs from April 8th to April 24th. It’s located at the 808 Gallery, 808 Commwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215. The exhibit hours are Tuesday to Sunday from noon- 5:00 p.m., and Thursdays from noon – 8:00 p.m. Open Studios will be on April 23rd and 24th from 1-6:00 p.m., at 808 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd floor.

Fundraiser for the Boston Food Justice Young Adult Volunteer Program
Join us for an evening of lively and uplifting music with The Porch Party Mamas, and support the Boston Food Justice Young Adult Volunteer Program! The Porch Party Mamas are an engaging and magnetic group of 5 musically dynamic artists. They perform unique arrangements of original songs, have 4 strong lead vocalists, and back it up with sweet 3 & 4-part harmonies, guitar, bass, accordion, fiddle, and percussion.
This coffee house style event will feature delicious desserts and beverages, great music, and an opportunity to learn more about the work of the Young Adult Volunteers and the programs and churches in which they serve. Your ticket price will support the work of the program and it will be a fun evening out with friends from the Presbytery of Boston and beyond.
Join us on Saturday, April 30th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at the Presbyterian Church in Needham, located at 1458 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, MA.
For more info, and to purchase tickets, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/clappin-and-toe-tappin-with-the-porch-party-mamas-tickets-22130756689

 

– – – Deacons News – – –

Prayer Request Email
The Deacons are in the process of setting up an online prayer request list. This will be a closed group (to insure privacy.) If you would like to be a member of the group so that you can ask for prayers, and have others pray for you, please send an email to Ellen (ellends1313@gmail.com). Once we have everything set up, we will share information about the group with the congregation, so that others can join.

 

 

– – – – – – –

Press Release
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powderhouse Blvd in Somerville, is hosting in its sanctuary an art exhibit by Scot Bennett during this Easter season. The exhibit is themed Sacrifice, and consists of 12 pieces evocative of the stations of the cross. Also included are 2 longer scrolls and a smaller triptych related to the theme.
The sanctuary will be open for viewing the exhibit on Good Friday between 2 and 4 pm, and also on Holy Saturday between 1 and 3
m, in addition to Easter Sunday during worship, starting at 10:30 a.m.
For further information, please contact the church at 617-625-4823; pastor@clarendonhillchurch.org or see our facebook post.

 

– – – – – – –

Sunday, March 20, 2016 – Palm Sunday
The Palm Sunday Donkey Walk begins in Powderhouse Park at 9:00 a.m. and ends after a parade down to Davis Square.

Sermon: “Taking Off Our Cloaks”
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
Why did the people on the Mount of Olives take off their cloaks for Jesus? At one level, it may simply have been an ancient way of showing respect for a king. At another level, however, I believe Luke is telling a story that suggests that taking off our cloaks as Jesus passes by is much more than showing respect for him as a “king”. We will explore this dimension, this opportunity for becoming truer selves, in the message this Palm Sunday.
Join us for Worship at 10:30 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship after the service. All are welcome!

Potluck and Program
On Palm Sunday, March 20th we will have potluck meal after the service, and learn more about The Palestinine Children’s Relief Fund. Please bring a dish to share (appetizer, soup, salad, side dish, main dish or dessert – NO NUTS, PLEASE!) If you would like, please bring a Middle Eastern dish. Laila Kassis will join us to provide more detail about the projects that the fund supports. For more information, see http://pcrf.net/
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is a registered non-political, non-profit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization that was established in 1991 by concerned people in the U.S. to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East. It has since expanded to help suffering children from the region, based only on their medical needs. We do not discriminate based on religion, gender, nationality or sect.
“I commend The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (The PCRF) for over 20 years of dedication to healing the wounds of war, occupation and poverty for children in the Middle East by providing urgent medical and humanitarian care to thousands of children.” -President Jimmy Carter
Our presenter, Laila Kassis, is a Palestinian American and a proud mother of two little ones -3-year old Noora and 1-year old Omar. She’s happily married to Mohamad Elzein, a Lebanese American. Laila has been active in the Arab-American and Palestinian-American communities since she was a young child. Her weekends were filled with dabke practices (dabke is a traditional Arabic dance), letter writing campaigns, picnics, galas and other forms of activism. She was President of the Arab Student Organization at the University of Virginia, she co-founded the Network of Arab American Professionals – Boston Chapter, the Harvard Arab Student Organization and the Harvard Palestine Trek. Laila also co-founded the Boston Chapter of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and currently serves on its board. Laila holds an MBA from Harvard Business School where she was a Baker’s Scholar and an MPA in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School. She currently works full time as a management consultant.

One Great Hour of Sharing
Around the world, people lack access to food, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. Each gift to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) serves to help change the lives of people in these challenging situations. The Offering provides us a way to share God’s love
with our neighbors in need. This year’s quote is “Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” 1 Peter 4:10.
One Great Hour of Sharing, received during the season of Lent, makes a difference in the world through three programs: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People. The three programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People) all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need.
From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. We remain grateful for the transformation made possible through this special offering. In places here in the U.S., and around the world, those most in need are finding hope and help through the work of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Self-Development of People program, and their partners in ministry.
When we give this year, we give in faith—knowing that staff in the three One Great Hour of Sharing programs will be responding in Christ’s name to the cries of our sisters and brothers throughout the next year. We trust that they will respond immediately, directly, and through our partners wherever the emergency occurs. But equally important, we know that they will remain in areas of devastation long after the news cameras have moved elsewhere as they continue rebuilding both lives and communities.
Feeding the hungry, helping people build up their own livelihoods, responding to disasters—these are all ways that your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing are changing lives, changing communities, and changing the world. During the next few weeks, we’ll read and hear about examples of this in bulletin inserts and during our Focus on Mission in the service. Clarendon Hill will be collecting the offering on Palm Sunday (March 20th.) Please give as generously as you are able!

Passion Week Events
Maundy Thursday meal and service, March 24th at 7:00 p.m.
We will have a meal/worship service upstairs in the sanctuary.
People can gather to help prepare the meal, bring up from the kitchen, etc. at 6:30 p.m.
We will sit down for the service and meal at 7.
At the end of the service, we will cover the cross and make the sanctuary bare in some other ways. We will clean up in silence and leave with minimal talking.

Special Offering for Francis Situma
A former and beloved member of this congregation, Francis Situma (from Kenya), lost his wife in a tragic accident several months ago. Many of our members who remember him (he has also visited twice in recent years) have wanted to find a way to support him during this time. NOTE: Rather than try to select out only people who remember him, and possibly miss people, this financial request is going out to our larger church list. Those who did not know him should feel no obligation to support this request (it is not a regular offering of the church).
We have determined that it would be helpful to Francis and his family if we wired them a contribution (Western Union) directly to him in Nairobi to assist him and his family in paying for various hospital bills, and to help do something in his wife’s memory (possibly through their church, St. Andrews Presbyterian, in Nairobi).
If you wish to contribute to this, please either bring a check/cash this Sunday or send a “pledge” e-mail to Ellen Schemerhorn (ellends1313@gmail.com) with a particular amount. There will also be pledge cards available this Sunday. We are hoping to write a check from the church this coming week and wire the money.

Pastor Allen Regular Office Hours
He will be in the church office during the following times unless called away:
Mondays and Thursdays: 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
1st and 3rd Monday evenings: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday afternoons: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Rev. Fairfax is generally available for pastoral concerns or other church business at most other times as well, so don’t hesitate to contact him outside of these office hours.
Please drop by the church or contact him in our Contact Page

 

– – – Upcoming Events – – –

CHPC Bible Study
Bible study meets at Porter Square Panera Bread every other Wednesday. For details on dates, time, place, and more information, please contact Kevin. (kevin.sungwon@gmail.com)

Lenten Study
For our Lenten study this year, we will be reading and discussing the book, “If God is Love” by Pastors Philip Gulley and James Mulholland. Copies of the book are available; contact Pastor Allen if you would like a copy. The book is easy to read, and the topic is interesting and relevant. We had such a great discussion at our last meeting that we decided to extend it for one more session. We will meet next on Sunday, April 3rd, in the Green Room, after coffee hour, to finish our discussion. After we finish our Lenten study, we will choose a fiction book for our next discussion. If you have suggestions for a fiction book, let us know.

Upcoming Fellowship
Our next fellowship event will be on Saturday, April 9th. Save the date and stayed tuned for details!

Fundraiser for the Boston Food Justice Young Adult Volunteer Program
Join us for an evening of lively and uplifting music with The Porch Party Mamas, and support the Boston Food Justice Young Adult Volunteer Program! The Porch Party Mamas are an engaging and magnetic group of 5 musically dynamic artists. They perform unique arrangements of original songs, have 4 strong lead vocalists, and back it up with sweet 3 & 4-part harmonies, guitar, bass, accordion, fiddle, and percussion.
This coffee house style event will feature delicious desserts and beverages, great music, and an opportunity to learn more about the work of the Young Adult Volunteers and the programs and churches in which they serve. Your ticket price will support the work of the program and it will be a fun evening out with friends from the Presbytery of Boston and beyond.
Join us on Saturday, April 30th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at the Presbyterian Church in Needham, located at 1458 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, MA.
For more info, and to purchase tickets, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/clappin-and-toe-tappin-with-the-porch-party-mamas-tickets-22130756689

 

– – – Deacons News – – –

Prayer Request Email
The Deacons are in the process of setting up an online prayer request list. This will be a closed group (to insure privacy.) If you would like to be a member of the group so that you can ask for prayers, and have others pray for you, please send an email to Ellen (ellends1313@gmail.com). Once we have everything set up, we will share information about the group with the congregation, so that others can join.

 

 

– – – – – – –

Press Release
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powderhouse Blvd in Somerville, is hosting in its sanctuary an art exhibit by Scot Bennett during this Easter season. The exhibit is themed Sacrifice, and consists of 12 pieces evocative of the stations of the cross. Also included are 2 longer scrolls and a smaller triptych related to the theme.
The sanctuary will be open for viewing the exhibit on Good Friday between 2 and 4 pm, and also on Holy Saturday between 1 and 3
m, in addition to Easter Sunday during worship, starting at 10:30 a.m.
For further information, please contact the church at 617-625-4823; pastor@clarendonhillchurch.org or see our facebook post.

 

– – – – – – –

Sermon: Are You Filling Alright?”
Scripture: John 12:1-8
This story of Mary washing Jesus’ feet should be read along with the way she fell at Jesus’ feet in John 11:32, and with the story of Jesus’ washing the disciples feet starting in John 13:5. There is an even larger Christian context for the symbolism of feet (how it is related to the death of Jesus) if one looks at First Corinthians 15:24-26, and Ephesians 1:22. What all of this is tied up with is the way the “pure” (read “faithful” in Greek) nard fills the space. The writer of the Gospel is bringing the teaching of Jesus to an amazing symbolic depth here (and why Judas did not see it), and we are invited to explore this Spirit-ual “filling” of the world, of our hearts, of our churches, as we continue along our Lenten journey.

Join us for Worship at 10:30 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship after the service. All are welcome!

Special Offering for Francis Situma
A former and beloved member of this congregation, Francis Situma (from Kenya), lost his wife in a tragic accident several months ago. Many of our members who remember him (he has also visited twice in recent years) have wanted to find a way to support him during this time. NOTE: Rather than try to select out only people who remember him, and possibly miss people, this financial request is going out to our larger church list. Those who did not know him should feel no obligation to support this request (it is not a regular offering of the church).
We have determined that it would be helpful to Francis and his family if we wired them a contribution (Western Union) directly to him in Nairobi to assist him and his family in paying for various hospital bills, and to help do something in his wife’s memory (possibly through their church, St. Andrews Presbyterian, in Nairobi).
If you wish to contribute to this, please either bring a check/cash this Sunday or send a “pledge” e-mail to Ellen Schemerhorn (ellends1313@gmail.com) with a particular amount. There will also be pledge cards available this Sunday. We are hoping to write a check from the church this coming week and wire the money.

Pastor Allen Regular Office Hours
He will be in the church office during the following times unless called away:
Mondays and Thursdays: 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
1st and 3rd Monday evenings: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday afternoons: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Rev. Fairfax is generally available for pastoral concerns or other church business at most other times as well, so don’t hesitate to contact him outside of these office hours.
Please drop by the church or contact him in our Contact Page

 

– – – Upcoming Events – – –

CHPC Bible Study
Bible study meets at Porter Square Panera Bread every other Wednesday. For details on dates, time, place, and more information, please contact Kevin. (kevin.sungwon@gmail.com)

Lenten Study
For our Lenten study this year, we will be reading and discussing the book, “If God is Love” by Pastors Philip Gulley and James Mulholland. Copies of the book are available; contact Pastor Allen if you would like a copy. The book is easy to read, and the topic is interesting and relevant. We will meet next Sunday, February 28th, in the Green Room, after coffee hour, to begin our discussion. We will also meet on March 13th. After we finish our Lenten study, we will choose a fiction book for our next discussion. If you have suggestions for a fiction book, let us know.

Potluck and Program
On Palm Sunday, March 20th we will have potluck meal after the service, and learn more about The Palestinine Children’s Relief Fund. Please bring a dish to share (appetizer, soup, salad, side dish, main dish or dessert – NO NUTS, PLEASE!) Laila Kassis will join u to provide more detail about the projects that the fund supports. For more information, see http://pcrf.net/
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is a registered non-political, non-profit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization that was established in 1991 by concerned people in the U.S. to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East. It has since expanded to help suffering children from the region, based only on their medical needs. We do not discriminate based on religion, gender, nationality or sect.
“I commend The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (The PCRF) for over 20 years of dedication to healing the wounds of war, occupation and poverty for children in the Middle East by providing urgent medical and humanitarian care to thousands of children.” -President Jimmy Carter

One Great Hour of Sharing
Around the world, people lack access to food, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. Each gift to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) serves to help change the lives of people in these challenging situations. The Offering provides us a way to share God’s love
with our neighbors in need. This year’s quote is “Serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” 1 Peter 4:10.
One Great Hour of Sharing, received during the season of Lent, makes a difference in the world through three programs: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People. The three programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People) all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need.
From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. We remain grateful for the transformation made possible through this special offering. In places here in the U.S., and around the world, those most in need are finding hope and help through the work of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Self-Development of People program, and their partners in ministry.
When we give this year, we give in faith—knowing that staff in the three One Great Hour of Sharing programs will be responding in Christ’s name to the cries of our sisters and brothers throughout the next year. We trust that they will respond immediately, directly, and through our partners wherever the emergency occurs. But equally important, we know that they will remain in areas of devastation long after the news cameras have moved elsewhere as they continue rebuilding both lives and communities.
Feeding the hungry, helping people build up their own livelihoods, responding to disasters—these are all ways that your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing are changing lives, changing communities, and changing the world. During the next few weeks, we’ll read and hear about examples of this in bulletin inserts and during our Focus on Mission in the service. Clarendon Hill will be collecting the offering on Palm Sunday (March 20th.) Please give as generously as you are able!

Fundraiser for the Boston Food Justice Young Adult Volunteer Program
Join us for an evening of lively and uplifting music with The Porch Party Mamas, and support the Boston Food Justice Young Adult Volunteer Program! The Porch Party Mamas are an engaging and magnetic group of 5 musically dynamic artists. They perform unique arrangements of original songs, have 4 strong lead vocalists, and back it up with sweet 3 & 4-part harmonies, guitar, bass, accordion, fiddle, and percussion.
This coffee house style event will feature delicious desserts and beverages, great music, and an opportunity to learn more about the work of the Young Adult Volunteers and the programs and churches in which they serve. Your ticket price will support the work of the program and it will be a fun evening out with friends from the Presbytery of Boston and beyond.
Join us on Saturday, April 30th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at the Presbyterian Church in Needham, located at 1458 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, MA.
For more info, and to purchase tickets, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/clappin-and-toe-tappin-with-the-porch-party-mamas-tickets-22130756689

 

– – – Deacons News – – –

Prayer Request Email
The Deacons are in the process of setting up an online prayer request list. This will be a closed group (to insure privacy.) If you would like to be a member of the group so that you can ask for prayers, and have others pray for you, please send an email to Ellen (ellends1313@gmail.com). Once we have everything set up, we will share information about the group with the congregation, so that others can join.