From the Pastor

I have just started reading a book which Matthew Fox wrote last year entitled The Hidden Spirituality of Men—Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine.  In the preface of the book Fox mentions our city, Baltimore:  “In fact, young men are so disappearing.  In Baltimore, in the shadow of the nation’s capital, 76 percent of young black men are not graduating from high school.  It is no secret that failed education frequently leads to incarceration, and as a result, in America today there are more young black men in prison than in college.” (pg. xiii-xiv)  Adding to that statistic, last week in Baltimore County, a young star athlete from Randallstown High School was arrested for several violent crimes committed in the Liberty Road area.  So, one more young man joins the group of those not going to college.  What Fox is driving at, in this book, is the need for new male archetypes for young men to grow toward.  

In a way this same need may well be seen in the ministry of Jesus and the events of Holy Week and beyond.  During his ministry Jesus’ disciples had seized on a model of messianic expectation embraced by many in their culture.  They expected Jesus to become a political ruler with power to elevate friends and humiliate enemies, and just as that dream appeared to be coming to fruition, it was dashed.  Peter’s macho posturing at the last supper was turned to shame at the cock’s crowing.  All of the political aspirations of those, who would rule with Jesus, fled just as they did from the garden of Gethsemane.  In the end the men were gone and all that remained were the women—doing the kinds of things women were suppose to do.

In the end, or actually the beginning, with the word from the tomb, that Jesus had risen, the men began to reassemble, and I think they began to re-envision what it meant to be a follower of Jesus… and a man.  It was about strength and courage in the face of oppressors… it was about allowing oneself to be moved by compassion by the needs of ones neighbors and even enemies… it  was about loving and serving God and neighbors… it was about walking humbly with God in creation…  it was all about a change in paradigms.

Sadly the Church, with the advent of the power that came with Constantine’s endorsement, in many places chose to go back to a worldlier model of male empowerment.  The Spirit that was in Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit in him, really hasn’t changed.  In this Easter season may you experience it anew and in that encounter may the fear and anger of this age hear again that still small voice of God’s presence with us always.

No Wednesday Evening Program on April 8^th.

April 5^th - Communion

April 9^th  7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service

April 12^th - Easter Sunday

Annie Armstrong Circle is not meeting  this month.

April 13^th - 7:30 p.m. Needles & News  meeting at the home  of Judy Weimert, 410-825-5366.

April 19th - Teachers’ Appreciation Sunday.

April 26th

Pick-up cakes for Our Daily Bread and return by Saturday,  May 2nd.

April 27th - 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.- Sarah’s Hope.

Annie Armstrong Circle is still collecting canned food for Canton Church food pantry.  The box for your contribution is at the back door of the church.

MIGRANT WORKER and DISASTER HEALTH KITS  Beginning the first of April through mid-May

The Annie Armstrong Circle is collecting items   for the migrant worker kits now to through the middle of  May.  This is a list of the needed items: Bath towel, Wash cloth, Soap, Shampoo, Comb, Tooth brush, Tooth paste, Deodorant. We are accepting money if you would  prefer that we make the purchases. Thank you for all of your contributions.

SUNDAY:  May 17^th  Candace Geelhaar stars in the lead role in the  Broadway Show “Footloose” at the Lorenzo”s Timonium Dinner Theatre.  We have group reservations for the church family and friends May 17th for the matinee; doors open at 1:00 p.m., dinner served at 1:30, show time 3:00.  If 15 attend the price is $30.75 each adult.  Please contact Diana Romano to send in your money for your reservation, 443-255-8794, or the church office 410-825-3360. The cut-off date is Wednesday May 6^th  in order to honor our contract.

 Contributions to Our Daily Bread from the church members

   15 boxes of sandwich bags          2510    $39.20

   10 boxes of tea bags                      865      29.00

    1 can of coffee                                           4.00

    7 packs lunch bags                       800        8.00   

                                                                    $80.20

Thank you for your contributions to this project.

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS - Don’t Forget - We are still requesting your email address.  With the rise in postage rates, sending Newsletters by email would help with our office expense.  You may call it in or write it on the back of your attendance card. 

I wish to thank you so much for supporting me in the UNC’s 24  Hour Dance Marathon several weeks ago.  We surpassed our fund raising goal  for the NC Children’s Hospital Kids Fund by raising $394,280.  Over 1,800 students participated!  Thanks to your kind words of support and encouragement.  I made it the full 24 hours and had an amazing experience throughout.  It was quite a challenge and I could not have done without you.  Thank you so very much.

            Love, Leah Edwards

From Cooperative Baptist Fellowship;

            Thank you for your support of the Fellowship and its ministries.  Lives have been changed because you give.

Note: We contributed $100 through our Mission Budget.