Calvary Baptist Church

120 W. Pennsylvania Avenue

Towson, Maryland

Telephone 410-825-3360

NOVEMBER

Calvary Baptist Church

120 W. Pennsylvania Avenue

Towson, Maryland

Telephone 410-825-3360

Missions Breakfast

Turn your clocks back and come

Sunday November 1st

9:00a.m. Breakfast

(Call to let us know you are coming 410-825-3360)

From the Pastor:

This week the cover story in the Christian Century Magazine was about “Getting into Scripture,” and the lead article on the subject was “Biblically Challenged, Overcoming scriptural illiteracy.” It is amazing to me how often I forget or manage to twist around in my mind Bible stories that I may feel I know by heart. Usually when the lectionary moves from one book to another I will read each of the new book assigned for use, over again. In doing this I inevitably find things which I had overlooked or forgotten. Sometimes this new understanding occurs because I am in a different place than I was when last I read the material… The Bible is like that.

There is a dynamism in this book which defies a simple literal understanding. The author of the main article, Kristin Swenson writes: “Underlying the reasons for today’s biblical illiteracy is this well-kept little secret: the Bible is incredibly difficult. It looks like any other book, with pages bound between two covers, but it is as dissimilar to modern books as Ursa Major is to a teddy bear.”

I remember hearing Fr. Raymond Brown, a Catholic Biblical scholar and former professor at St. Mary’s Seminary, speaking about fundamentalism, and he said “The battle with fundamentalism will be fought with every new generation, because it is natural to believe that you can read the Bible as you would read any other book.” It is no where near that simple. Oh, it can be read literally, or it can be read allegorically, or it can be read histo-critically. The Bible can be read in hundreds of different ways, but ultimately it is a group of stories which were told in hopes that they would challenge readers to think about God, and about what God would have us do.

I talk to you every week about my thoughts about these stories, but those are my thoughts… It is kind of like those birds which bring back, to their nests, digested food to nourish their young. Ultimately the Bible is there for us to find the food we need for the demands the world is placing on us. I hope you will still come to worship and study scripture together, but I also hope you will find time to read scripture for yourselves.

November is Bible reading month. As part of this I have placed some “Bible Guides” in the foyer of the Church to guide you in readings for the year; take one.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday Evening Programs as usual.

November 4th, 11th, 18th. There will be no programs November 25th due to Thanksgiving Holiday.

November 1st

Communion.

9:00 a.m. Missions Breakfast.

November 8th

Coffee Hour following Church Service.

November 9th

12 Noon – Annie Armstrong Circle meeting in the church social room, Mary Frantz hostess.

7:30 p.m. - Needles & News at the home of Judy Weimert.

Saturday November 14th

11:00 a.m. RETREAT - "Techniques in Meditation and Yoga to Release Stress" and a study in Hindu Philosophy. Contact the church office if you are interested in attending.

November 23rd

Sarah’s Hope 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

THANKSGIVING MORNING

At 10:00 a.m. on November 26th, we will have our Thanksgiving Service at Calvary Baptist Church with Members from Towson Methodist.

November 29^h

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

2:00 p.m. Service at Pickersgill Retirement Home.

Be sure to purchase your Christmas Cards with the picture of our sanctuary decorated for Christmas Eve.

BUDGET CONCERNS:

Every year at this time it seems we talk about budget concerns. Currently, we are behind what we estimated we would receive in tithes and offerings. I put “we estimated” in bold because we did estimate and project what we would need and receive. What we need you to do is:

1. Check to see if you have given what you did pledge to the congregation, and if you have not and you are able to make a gift, please do this now.

2. Fill out a pledge card this month so our projection for next year will be more accurate.

3. Please return the pledge card by Sunday November 22nd.

Saturday November 7^th, 14^th, 21^st, 9:30 a.m.Christmas play practice. Susan Edwards has already contacted you.

If you are bringing in Thanksgiving baskets for ACTC, please have them to Calvary by the 16^th. There is also need for cash for the Thanksgiving Baskets (some cash put in every basket) If you are unable to make up a basket you can give cash. Make your checks payable to Calvary Baptist Church, designated Assistant Center.

Dear Calvary Baptist Church;

Thank you so much for your gift of $500 to Habitat for Humanity. We appreciate your commitment as we impact both here and around the world and make dreams come true for so many families.

Mike Mitchell,

Chief Executive Officer

(This amount is included in our 2009 Budget.)