News From Calvary

From the Pastor:
As Christmas cards began to arrive the other day I got to thinking about a card which was one of my favorites. It came, last year, from Jay and Debbie Neubauer, who had just been sent to Alaska for a year of duty. The card was printed on simple brown or gray card stock. On the front of the card was a baby's footprint, and the words "To you is born." When the card is open there is a hand print with a red drop in the middle and the words "A Savior."
I have an idea about what those words, "To you is born a Savior", have come to mean within the Christian context, but I wonder what they might have meant to people in the context of the first century. How would simple shepherds have heard those words? What would the word "Savior" mean to them? The Greek word used by Luke can mean save, rescue, deliver, keep safe, preserve, cure, make well… of course these shepherds couldn't probably speak Greek. So, if they were to understand at all, they would have probably have had to hear some Hebrew or Aramaic word like yashav… the root of Jesus' real name, his Hebrew name, Joshua. That’s the way Matthew told it "She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus (Joshua), for he will save (yashav) his people from sin"… What could those words "save from sin" have meant to Joseph?
Maybe the key to the passage is not that confusing word save, but the pronoun "you". Maybe the meaning of salvation is intensely personal… "Unto you/me is born a Savior"… who will rescue, deliver, keep safe, preserve, cure… you/me. Maybe Jesus (Joshua) is different for all of us, because all of us have different things to be saved/delivered… from.
But while our point of rescue is intensely personal… defined by who, when, and where we are… our destination is the same… the presence of God. It is in Jesus that we, the imperfect, are reassured that we can be delivered into the presence of God, the perfect. Salvation is the hope of healing and wholeness, reunion and oneness with the source of all being, God… Emanuel… God with us. May this Christmas miracle be yours this year and with each day.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Wednesday Evening Programs as usual
December 3rd, 10th and 17th.. There will be no programs December 24th and 31st due to celebration of Christmas and the New Year.

December 7th Communion,
Congregational meeting immediately following Worship Service to approve Budget 2003. The congregation will vote on the Abraham’s Tent Resource Center, which is to provide a three story unit, replacing the current assistance center building. Lunch will be served during the business meeting.

6:00 p.m. DSI Youth Meeting.

December 8th
12 Noon - Annie Armstrong Circle will meet in the home of Irene Eaton, 8800 Walther Blvd., #1116, 410-63-0680. Please bring a sandwich. Ann France will be our speaker.

Bring your gifts of toys (unwrapped) for the Baptist Families and Children. You may bring the gift wrapping and/or cash contribution. Contact Alta Schuster if you have any questions

December 13th
9:30 a.m. Childrens’ play rehearsal
Childrens’ crafts and pie making.

December 14th
11 a.m. Christmas Pageant, presented by the children.
Christmas Dinner immediately following Worship Service.

Needles & News will not meet this month.

December 20st,
9:00 a.m. Hanging of the greens in the sanctuary.
3:00-8:00 p.m.- Caroling. All are invited; meet at the church.

December 21st,
12 Noon Anne Judson Circle beginning at Edenwald’s Garden Court for lunch, followed by meeting. Visitors are welcome.

December 24th , Christmas Eve Candle Light Service
4:30 p.m. Special music begins.
5:00 a.m. Service begins

December 28th
Pick-up cakes for Our Daily Bread and return by Saturday.

Snow Policy: As a reminder to you of what we do when it snows after we have gotten back from the store with necessary provisions:
1. Sunday Morning activities are never canceled. However if you are scheduled to take part in Worship or Sunday School, prayer, reading, music, or teaching, don’t kill yourself getting here. We will get along with whoever shows up.
2. Wednesday Evening programs follow the schedule for Baltimore County Schools. If they are closed, so are we. If they close early we are closed.
3. Use your common sense.

Budget & Grounds Report
Church House Porch: The mini-work day was most successful and the Church House porch was completely cleaned, repaired and painted. Stop by and take a look; you will be truly pleased.
Special thanks to Tom Talbott (the use of his power washer, plus climbing the ladder to wash and paint!), Doug Thomas( the carpentry work, repairing the sign post and door sill, and painting), and Fred Weimert (priming and staining the porch decking), for helping me complete this project. With the donation of skill, energy, and time, we were able to complete this project for $135.85.
Fred Ray

Nursery Memorial Committee
At the Deacons’ meeting on Wednesday, the Broad approved the appointment of the committee to begin work on the Nursery. Many memorial contributions were made in honor of Rev. Weimert’s father and mother for this purpose.
Members of the committee are Beth Eifert, Ann Ray, and Diana Romano.

To the Members of Calvary Baptist Church:
I wish to thank the many Calvary members
who expressed concern over my accident, and who said prayers on my behalf. My family and I feel
privileged to be associated with such a loving, caring group of people. With much appreciation,
Don Romano