Readings - Carmel Presbyterian Church

Carmel
Courier
1
March 2016
Carmel Presbyterian Church of Glenside, PA 19038-3099
Celebrate Easter – Join the Choir
Where to Look
A Pastoral Message
2
Address Change . . . . . . . . . . 16
Birthdays
15
Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Coffee and Conversation
11
Easter Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . 6
Evangelism
8
Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Holy Week
7
Kids Korner
Insert & 17
Lectionary Readings. . . . . . . 18
Library
19 & 20
New Auditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
New Session Member
13
New Shepherds . . . . . . . . . . . 13
One Great Hour of Sharing 11
Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Refuge
8
ROAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Souper Bowl
12
Stewardship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Thank You
6
Youth Birthdays . . . . . . . . . . 16
You are invited to join our Sanctuary Choir to
help form a special Festival Choir for our Good Friday
and Easter services. Carmel members and friends who
cannot make that weekly Thursday night commitment
throughout the year, but would like to sing in a choir, are
invited for these special services. Anyone who can
match pitch and can smile are welcome to sing.
Rehearsals for Easter begin on Thursday, February 25, at 8:00 PM in the
choir room. Rehearsals will
run for five weeks: Thursdays, February 25, March 3,
March 10, March 17 and
Wednesday March 23 at
8:00 PM. We will be singing for the Good Friday
service on March 25 and the 10:00 AM Easter service on
March 27.
Please contact Abby Palmisano and let her know
that you can come, or just come to as many of the rehearsal dates as you can make. Hope to see you then. If
you have any questions please call 215-554-1074 and
press #3.
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A Pastoral Message
A LENTEN DISCIPLINE –
FOCUS ON TEMPTATION
Temptation, despite its effect on
living the Christian life, is one of those things
we have a hard time talking about openly and
honestly in the community of faith. It brings
up a sense of guilt or shame that makes us
squirm and then suddenly to fall silent.
However, Lent is
appropriate season
of the church year
to focus on the
power of
temptation in our
lives.
Recently, I
was glad to discover a list of
“misunderstandings” regarding temptation
presented by Charles Stanley, the famous
television preacher out of First Baptist
Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Among those
misunderstandings he listed were: 1)
“Temptation itself is sin” (it is not). 2) “We
‘fall’ into temptation” (as if we have
nothing to do with it). 3) “God is
disappointed and displeased when we are
tempted” (not true, temptation itself is not
wrong and even could be productive toward
spiritual insight). 4) “To be strongly tempted
means we are as guilty as if we had actually
committed sin” (again, not true, the strength
of the temptation doesn’t change its category
from temptation to sin). 5) “When we are
spiritually mature, we will no longer be
harassed by temptation” (absolutely not
true, temptation will be present with us as
long as we live no matter how spiritually
mature we ever become).
That’s a good list and represents a
number of the most important
misunderstandings about temptation.
However, I would add a couple more that
are I believe are vital to living the Christian
life. The first is the notion that temptation
only comes along every so often when we
have to weigh a “good” decision against a
“bad” one, as if we had an angel on one
shoulder and a devil on the other whispering
in our ears. The second is that temptation
mostly comes from things outside of us that
seek to influence us toward a “bad
decision.” Moreover, these two
misunderstandings are intimately related.
Instead, the truth is that 99% of temptation
comes from inside of us, not by an external
tempter, and it isn’t “every so often,” but is
present with us in every breath we take.
When most of us think of temptation
biblically, we usually think of Genesis 3,
and given that Luke closed the 3rd chapter of
his gospel by tracing our Lord’s descent
from Adam, perhaps Luke was thinking of
that as well. In any event, I think it’s helpful
to point out that the temptation of Adam and
Eve had next to nothing to do with a “power
grab” and almost everything to do with
“insecurity” and “mistrust.” We sometimes
label the devil as “the great deceiver” and
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with good reason. But, in point of fact, it’s
not the case in this scene from Genesis. The
serpent did not really sow “deception” –
Adam and Eve did not, in fact, “die” when
they ate the fruit – rather the serpent sowed
“mistrust.” He distorted God’s
commandment and played upon the
insecurity of Adam and Eve (yes, they’re
both there together), in order to call into
question God’s intentions. “God hasn’t told
you everything about the forbidden fruit. So
what else has God not told you? What else
is God withholding?” In other words,
Genesis 3 is really a story of “mistrust.”
When Adam and Eve chose to follow the
temptation toward “mistrust” and then
embraced the “mistrust” and held onto it,
they moved from temptation to sin and the
result was the dissolution of the relationship
between themselves and God, then between
each other, and finally between them and the
rest of creation.
Thus, we acknowledge the crucial
link between trust and temptation. To the
degree that we trust God for our daily needs,
for a sense of purpose, for our identity as a
child of God, the temptations triggered by
everyday life have less appeal. But to the
degree that we allow our human insecurities
to lead us to mistrust God, we are open to
the possibility, appeal, and temptation of the
proposition that it is all up to us, that
God is not able to love us, to provide for
us and to protect us, so we’d better take
matters into our own hands. And
frankly, “mistrust” has become our
habit. Of course, the temptations that
trigger it and sin that results from a
particular “mistrust” are different from
person to person, but it is certainly our
habit. Just look at our reactivity, inside
and out, to the smallest of things. Because
it is a habit, it happens in the blink of an
eye. Temptation rises up in us to feel
abandonment, suspicion, judgment,
resentment, vengeance, detachment,
betrayal, and so on, and in a millisecond
we grab onto it. It happens so fast, we
don’t even know we’ve done it. It happens
so fast, we can’t separate the temptation
from the action of the will that accepts
temptation as truth and takes action toward
it, sometimes inside,
sometimes out. It
happens so fast, we
come to identify
ourselves with the sin.
Instead of seeing the
“mistrust” of God that
promotes these
thoughts and actions as
existing within us, we say to ourselves and
others, “Oh well, that’s just me.” In doing
so, we fail to recognize how it sabotages
our lives and builds walls in our
relationships.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
We can start to slow it all down, to not
accept our habits as the essence of us, and to
separate the temptation from the sin.
Indeed, that is always a part of “spiritual
maturity” and it all begins with “trust.”
“Trust” is at the heart of our relationship
with God and with each other. It’s not
always easy to hold onto it and when we
See TEMPTATION page 6
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Board Updates
Session Notes
By Nancy Pinkowicz
The February meeting of Session
was challenged with an evening snow storm
but in spite of the weather the Board
accomplished a lot of work in a short
amount of time. The following items were
among the reports and business conducted
during the Regular Meeting of the Session.
Christian Education has scheduled
a clothing drive fundraiser beginning
February 14 through April 4. Proceed will
go to the 2016 Youth Triennium Trip. All
donations can be left in the church lobby.
Congregational Life has planned
many activities for the year that will take us
from Lent through Advent. The first
scheduled event will be the Easter Breakfast
on March 27 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
following the sunrise service.
Stewardship Committee reported
that the donations collected from the Souper
Bowl collection will go to the Bread Baking
program of the Board Street Ministry.
Worship and Sacraments has
revised the Ushering scheduled to better fit
the activities of the Boards who provide the
ushering and to provide our youth more
opportunities to serve during worship.
Session approved the rescheduling
of the Deacon’s cook-in to provide meals to
Aids for Friends which took place the last
Sunday in February.
Lent kicked off with our Annual
Ash Wednesday Soup Pot Luck dinner
followed by a meaningful worship service
with ashes led by Dr. Thornton. Thank you
to Melissa Deacon who prepared the
delicious soup for our meal and to the
members of Women’s Fellowship who did
the set up and clean up.
For more information about these
activities and more, please be sure to read
the related article included in this edition of
the Courier.
Deacons Notes
By Heidi Lindsay
The dynamo that is Carol Moll is
energizing our Meals in a Moment ministry
and we are seeking renewed commitment
from our small but mighty band of volunteer
cooks. Are weekly, or even monthly,
volunteer commitments too much for you?
Not available during the day or have limited
evening hours? We’ve got the opportunity
for you! You are a perfect candidate if you
can cook for yourself or your own family;
you just need to cook for a different family.
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As Carmel
members
become in need
of short term
assistance with
meals, Carol
reaches out to the group and volunteers each
cover only one night by making and
delivering a meal. This ministry is such an
amazing blessing to all involved. Having
been on both ends, I can attest to the
friendship that is developed, the relief of
knowing there is one less thing to be
handled and knowing that I have eased
someone else’s burden. Check out our
revamped bulletin board in the lobby for
additional information. And as always,
reach out to a Deacon if you would like even
more information.
they’re waking up well-rested every
morning.”
One of the most local organizations
supported through Deacons Offering
envelopes is One House At A Time, hosted
by Upper Dublin Lutheran Church. Last
year, OHAAT provided an astounding 909
beds to 465 families. From a thank you
note, “We recently received a call from a
grandmother who
took in her five
grandchildren so
they wouldn’t be
split up in foster
care. She was so
grateful for the beds
we provided that
she was crying. Not
only are the kids
sleeping better now that they’re off of the
floor, but so is she because she knows that
OHAAT is just one of the reasons
that your envelope giving to the Deacons is
so critical. Funding we receive from the
congregation is
down and we do
not receive funds
from the church’s
operating budget.
Without increased
financial support through pledge envelopes,
which is just the first Sunday of the month,
the Deacons will struggle this year to
maintain our mission giving. Please give as
you are able so that we can continue to help
fund these wonderful organizations.
Imagine that for a moment. You’ve
raised your kids but take in your FIVE
grandchildren because the alternative is
essentially putting them in the system.
There is nowhere else for them to sleep but
on the floor. Would you, yourself, then
sleep well at night? Imagine being a child,
sleeping on the floor and then getting up and
getting to school. Do you think you would
be well-rested? Able to focus and learn? Or
would you be exhausted and achy? Every.
Single. Day. Now imagine that someone is
able to change all of that and give you your
own proper bed, bedding and extras like a
stuffed animal and books. It would change
everything.
In other news, February yielded
donated household and clothing items taken
to Impact Thrift Store, 21 care cards sent to
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Carmel members, visitation with a long-time
Carmel couple who provided tremendous
insight, continued funding of the Elevator
Project and a $1000 grant from the Carmel
College Fund. Oh, we ushered and served
Communion too.
Please pray for us. Pray that we are
able to bring the needs of others to the
congregation. Pray that
we are able to relieve
burdens. Pray that we
are able to do all that is
asked of us, and more.
Pray that God leads us
to those that need us
most.
Thank You
Thank you for the beautiful flowers
Mary Ellen Thomas delivered after my foot
surgery. I was home only one hour when she
delivered them to me. She arrived here just
before the snow began.
TEMPTATION from Page 3
lose it sin stands knocking at the door. For
this very reason, we need the deep support of
our community of faith to grow in our ability
to trust and live out of a sense of abundance
and courage rather than scarcity and fear.
The community of faith can be a big part in
helping us to be anchored moment by
moment in the promises of God.
Dr. James W. Thornton
Easter morning breakfast
We will be
having Breakfast after
the Sunrise Service
and before the 10:00
AM Service.
There will be
no coffee hour after the
10:00 AM service.
Then the first Sunday I returned for
the 10:00 AM service, Louise Robinson
handed me another bouquet of flowers and a
letter signed by all. Thank you. You really
made me feel special!
Anne Newman
Daylight Savings Time begins
March 13
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HOLY WEEK
From Palm Sunday to Easter, 2016
Palm Sunday, March 20, 10:00 AM
Our service will sing out with Hosannas as we
remember the triumph of our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem.
Processional with palm branches. Children’s Choir and Junior
Choir singing Antiphonal Hosanna. Congregation receives
palms.
Maundy Thursday, March 24, 6:30 PM
Worship in Carmel Hall, with a pre-service potluck meal. Communion will be
celebrated around the tables after a brief service and meditation. Bring any potluck
dish you wish. Please inform the Church Office if nursery care will be needed.
Good Friday, March 25, 7:30 PM
Tenebrae Service of Shadows and Meditation. This inspirational service
takes place in a slowly darkening and barely decorated Sanctuary. The withdrawing of
lights expresses outwardly the sense of the Church’s bereavement during the time of
Christ’s passion and burial. Worshipers are asked to leave silently. Readings are from
the trial and crucifixion narratives in Matthew’s gospel. Anthems by Festival Choir.
Please advise the Church Office if nursery care is needed.
Easter Sunday, March 27, 7:30, 10:00 AM
Sunrise Service at 7:30 AM to joyously welcome the risen Savior, followed by
breakfast in Carmel Hall. No Education Hour. At 10:00 AM, we join with Christians
all over the world in joyfully celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord and the victory
over death in our traditional service in the Sanctuary.
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Easter music
includes: special music for organ and trumpets;
Festival Choir singing, and the Hallelujah Chorus
from Handel’s Messiah.
Please join us for the entire Holy Week Experience!
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Carmel Family Activities
Evangelisim
By Beth Cherry
Carmel’s Evangelism Committee
has sent you, the congregation, a District
Letter informing you
of you Elder,
Deacon, and
Shepherd. Please feel
free to contact us
with any questions or inquires of any
functions the church will be having during
the year. If you have any suggestion, or
prayer request, and cannot reach the church
office, please contact your Elder, Deacon, or
Shepherd. We sincerely hope you will find
ways to be a part of our fellowship this year.
We hope to see you all in church! Stop
down to the coffee hour following the
service.
Refuge clothing drive
fun way to support the Carmel Youth Group
and Triennium participants? Please join us
in collecting clothing items during Lent.
Pick up a bag and add one item each day! At
the end of the fundraiser, we will receive
money based on the pounds of clothing that
we have collected.
Thank you for your ongoing support
of our Youth Ministry Program!!
ROAM (Retirees On A Mission)
By Pat Morris
ROAM
meets on the first
Wednesday of October through December
and February through June. We usually start
with a covered dish lunch and then some
kind of program or activity. We also try to
do a mission project.
Here is our upcoming schedule:
By Connie Tolton
From
February 14 to
April 2 you may
drop off bags of any clothing items you no
longer want in Carmel Hall. 40 days, 40
items, Lenten fundraiser
March 2nd – Lunch and Group Participation
Games
April 6
Lunch and a Sing-A-Long
May 4
Lunch and a “Birthday Party” –
details to follow
June 1
Picnic Lunch at Fort
Washington Park
Do you have extra clothes lying
around your house? Are you looking for a
We have lots of fun and hope to see
many new faces in the coming months.
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Questions? Talk to Karen Bogle or Gene
Morris.
Carmel’s investments
By Ken Schuyler and Janet Simon
Thanks to the foresight of earlier
generations of Carmel members, Carmel
Church has enjoyed supplementary income
for operating expenses and benevolence.
These investment trust funds are known as
Trust Fund A and Trust Fund B and are
managed by the church’s
brokerage firm, Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney. The
Carmel Finance, Investments
and Insurance Committee
provides oversight.
Trust Fund A income goes toward
church operating expenses and Trust Fund B
income is allocated by the Board of
Deacons, with Session approval, for
Presbytery or PC-USA benevolence causes.
More recently, as part of the Donald Jones
Bequest distribution, an Associate Pastor
Fund was created to provide income to
partially offset expenses related to the
Associate Pastor position.
At its December 17, 2013 meeting,
Session instructed Dr. Thornton to appoint a
Task Force to investigate the possibility of
establishing a total return plan for
investments currently held in Trust Fund A.
Serving on the Task Force were: Kent Dyer,
Bill Miller, Nancy Pinkowicz, and Barbara
Podrost. In April, 2015, Task Force
recommendations approved by Session
included redefining the term “net income” as
interest, dividends and capital gains.
Previously net income did not include
capital gains.
Also approved by Session was the
Task Force recommendation of a revision to
the “Spending Rate Policy” of the
“Statement of Investment Policy” that will
allow an annual distribution for the
following year from the Trust Fund A of 45% of the previous 20 quarter average
market value of the Funds, as
determined each September 30,
with a maximum of 7% with
Session’s approval.
After the trust language
was further modified to be
consistent with the applicable PA statute
governing charitable trusts, the changes
were approved by Session and the PA Office
of Attorney General. Thanks go to the
members of the Task Force on Investment
Options who worked on recommendations
for these policy changes, and to Robert
Gerhard, Jr., Carmel legal advisor, for his
work on the trust language to achieve the
Attorney General acceptance.
These changes which occurred
during 2015 were summarized by 2015
Finance, Investments and Insurance Chair
Ken Schuyler at the Annual Meeting of the
Carmel Congregation and Corporation on
January 31, 2016. A more detailed report
from the Committee can be found in the
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Annual Report, available through the
Church Office.
The change to a “total return policy”
brings Carmel in line with current policies
used by many churches and charitable
organizations and will provide additional
income as needed for Carmel’s operating
expenses, as well as aid in efforts to
maintain a balanced yearly budget.
Property Committee Notes
By Lynne Schutt
We are in the
depths of winter, and the
cold weather has finally
arrived. The heavy January
storm and the more recent annoying snow
events have cut into our grounds budget. We
were blessed with warm temperatures
through December, and I was hoping for
some relief with the costs this year, but my
hopes have been dashed. Do you remember
how warm it was on Christmas Eve? The
mums were still alive, and I think the air
conditioning was on in the sanctuary!
Speaking of cold weather, our
heating contractor, Guy M. Cooper, installed
new programmable thermostats on the boiler
system. The old ones were programmable,
but they were old and failing. Our heating
system is complicated because one system
heats our large facility, which is made up of
the original building and the education
building that we added on in the 50's. The
old windows in the education
building make the nursery
school classrooms, hallways
and stairwells hard to heat
especially during very cold
and windy weather. The
windows are metal, they leak, and many
storm windows are missing and cannot be
replaced. With that in mind, the Property
Committee may investigate the cost and
feasibility of replacing the windows over
time and in phases.
The elevator plans have been
completed, and the builder filed an
application for a building permit with
Abington Township. If everything goes
smoothly, he hopes to be able to begin
construction in early March with a
completion date in August. No guarantees things don't always go as planned.
The final piece of news is that
Session has approved a lease for the manse.
The tenants are a
married couple and
two adult males.
Husband and the
two gentlemen are
students at
Westminster
Seminary, and wife
is a music teacher.
The group will be
sharing expenses. The lease begins on April
1st. The arrangement should be a good fit
for all concerned.
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Coffee and Conversation
One Great Hour of Sharing
By Janet Simon
By Anne Newman
A new adult
class, is meeting on
Sunday mornings from
8:45 AM to 9:45 AM in
Carmel Hall. The class
is being led by Carmel
Youth Director Bridget
Wendell, a student at Princeton Seminary.
One Great Hour of Sharing was
begun in 1949 with a radio program as a
once-time effort. It was such a success that it
was continued and has grown each year.
Class sessions will deal with books
of the New Testament, including
background on specific N.T. books, a close
reading of a chosen text using the "Lectio
Divina" (sacred reading)" technique, and
opportunities for sharing and discussion.
Lectio Divina is an ancient method
for praying with scripture, being open to
hearing in the words afresh, a personally
enlivening and transforming word from
God. Steps include reading, meditating,
praying, and contemplating. The approach
allows you to focus on a word or phrase, call
forth your own experiences or memories,
and seek out what God is calling you to do
or be.
Newcomers are welcome. Stop by,
learn, and discuss in this informal study
opportunity.
The program now sends 32% of the
proceeds to Presbyterian
Disaster Assistance. In
2015, help was sent to
Nepal following the
devastating earthquake,
the ongoing Syrian
refugee problem, super
storm Sandy, and the northeast snowstorm
respite among many other requests.
36% goes to the Presbyterian
Hunger Foundation. It helps with at least 30
international groups and 65 grant partners in
the United States.
The last 32% goes to the SelfDevelopment of People which provides
funds to help individual programs around
the world to provide ways for people to
begin their own ways of supporting
themselves and trying to reduce poverty in
the world. In 2015 a Senior Center in
Calumet, MI, the Detroit Water Crisis, Jobs
not Jails in MA, and JUNTOS in
Philadelphia were a few of the new projects.
This year, the Stewardship
committee has asked for an additional
project and Session has voted to take $50.00
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from the offering to purchase two sets of
two males and three female chickens to
provide help to people who are starving
without any means of support. Each chicken
family can provide eggs for food and a way
for the human family to earn a way to
support itself.
Envelopes can be found in the pew
racks beginning February 15 and continuing
through March. Look for the bulletin inserts
in February and March. The collection will
be dedicated on Palm Sunday, March 20.
The Stewardship committee encourages
your thoughtful, generous support. If you
need it, more information can be found on
presbyterianmission,org/give-oghs.
Stewardship Report
February 14, 2016
Anticipated $31,230.77
Received $29,347.26
Difference ($1,883.51)
Special congregation collection
On Sunday, February 7
Carmel’s Refuge youth
collected donations in soup
pots as we left the church. The
special Souper Bowl funds will
go to Broad Street Ministry in
center city Philadelphia. Their
Breaking Bread meals and 315
Café during the winter months
help to provide food and shelter to the
homeless and the hungry. Thank you for
your donation can help those who need daily
bread and warm food. A total of $176.30
was donated.
Handyman volunteers needed!
By Lynne Schutt
The Property Committee is asking
for volunteers to help manage the heating
system in general, and specifically to learn
how the system works, to check the Red
Book and program the thermostats weekly,
to interact with Guy Cooper servicemen, to
take calls from staff about heating issues and
to meet with servicemen when required. We
need two or three people who would work
together, coordinate their schedules, and
divide up the responsibilities. Robin McGill
did this by
herself for
a lot of
years
beginning when the system was new, and
Dick Thomas took over the job when she
was no longer able to do it. Now Dick would
like to wean himself from the job, and we
are looking for volunteers to pitch in. Dick
and the Guy Cooper technicians will teach
you the ropes, and Dick will be available as
a resource for as long as you need him. The
system consists of two boilers, radiator/hot
water heat, and lots of heating zones.
Keeping the heating system functioning is
essential to the operation of the church and
the nursery school. Please seriously and
prayerfully consider this request. If you are
interested or if you have any questions,
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please contact either Dick Thomas or Lynne
Schutt.
Our new Session member
David Campbell grew up in
Ardsley with his sisters Nicole Campbell,
Heather Coelho and his mother Bertha
Campbell. He has been a very active
member of Carmel. He and his wife, Jessica,
now live in Horsham.
David attended Carmel for 29 years
and has been a member for 17 years. He has
gone on various mission trips: Kentucky,
Tennessee, Maine, and Joplin Missouri. He
has been in Choir for 25 years and often
sings solo
His occupation is a car salesman at
Chapman Ford, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge at
Ram of Horsham. David fills his leisure time
with singing, reading, writing, home
brewing, Tai Chi, Reiki, and exercise.
Meet Carmel’s new Shepherds
Ruth Kucera is a very active
Carmel member. She was born in the Marine
Hospital on Staten Island, New York and
now lives in Ardsley. She and Rich
officially joined Carmel in 1978. Ruth has
served on the Session, Deacons, Trustees,
Shepherds, taught Sunday School, was
Junior High Advisor, volunteer in Carmel’s
Library, counts money, collate Courier,
sings in the Choir since 1976, served on
Associate Pastor Nominating Committee,
church officer nominating committee and
organist search committee. Ruth and Rich
have two sons, Steve and Doug, and a
grandson Steve, Jr.
She is happily retired. She has
enjoyed traveling (42 states, Bermuda,
Iceland, Europe, seven countries, Russia,
Ukraine, Canada – East Atlantic to Pacific.
Reading, exercise, keeping in touch with
friends by phone or snail mail (no e-mail for
me!) Helping out wherever I can, just sitting
back relaxing and enjoying nature! “And
always look on the bright side of life” (is
there any other way?)
Patty Maddish is enjoying
retirement. She has three sons,
William, Richard and Robert
Hughes. All attended Sunday
School at Carmel. She also has two
step sons, Christopher and
Benjamin Maddish, five grand
children and one great-granddaughter.
Patty grew up in Elkins
Park and Jenkintown and now lives in
Oreland. She has been a member since 1969.
Patty has been a Sunday School Teacher,
Bible School Teacher, Shepherd, Elder,
Deacon, Stephen Minister, circle leader,
served on Nominating Committee.
Her interests and hobbies are
traveling, reading and enjoying her grandchildren and great-grand daughter.
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Joan Kohn is retired from the
custom drapery business. She has lived in
Glenside and she and her husband Everett
now live in Willow Grove. She has been a
Carmel member for over 60 years.
She enjoys sewing, quilting,
bowling and reading. Joan is involved in
Order of Eastern Star, which supports many
charities and Daughters of the Nile which
supports Shriner’s Hospitals.
Denise Abraham is married to
Damon Abraham. They have two daughters,
Evelyn (11 ½) and Audrey who just turned
10. Her parents are Kathryn Carroll (mom)
and Fred Bohrer (dad) are also members of
Carmel. You may see my sister Karen
Bohrer at church too from time to time when
she visits from Brooklyn, NY
Denise is a self-employed yoga
instructor. She has been practicing Bikram
yoga since 1997 and became certified to
teach the Bikram method in 1999. In 2002
she opened the first Bikram yoga studio in
Palm Desert, CA. She sold the studio in
2012 to move back to her hometown to
raise her children closer to her family.
Denise continues to teach Bikram yoga a
Twisters Wellness Center in Erdenhaim and
at Jenkintown Hot Yoga and Bikram Yoga I
Doylestown.
Denise grew up in the Lawndale
section of Northeast Philadelphia and in her
sophomore year of high school relocated to
Glenside. After attending Barnard College in
New York City she lived in center city until
moving to San Francisco in 1995. She spent
17 years in California (4 in San Francisco
and 13 in Southern California). Denise
moved back to Glenside in 2012 where she
resides and is glad to enjoy the four seasons
again and loves the great schools in
Abington as well as living in Keswick
village. She has been a member about two
years.
She has helped cook for Refuge,
spent a brief period on the Congregational
Life committee and now is excited to serve
as a Shepherd. She is an active participant of
the Enneagram group as well.
Denise loves yoga and running and
taking Barre classes. She is hoping to sign
up for a ballet class too as she loves to dance
and take ballet. I also ran my first half
marathon last year (I’m only half crazy!)
and the plan to run the Broad Street 10 miler
this May as well as doing another half
marathon or maybe two! She also enjoys the
great outdoors and loves hiking in nature or
bird watching with her daughter Evelyn and
camping in their pop up camper. She loves
food and eating and cooking healthy meals,
except when she bakes cupcakes with
Audrey. Scrabble is her favorite game and
she loves playing any chance she gets.
Scrabble anyone?
Patricia Agbote is a nurse and
currently lives in Elkins Park with her
children Fabrice who is a student at Temple
University, Venus is in 7th grade, and
15
Jocelyn is a 2 year old Agbadan. Patricia
previously lived in Ghana, West Africa.
Belated birthday wishes
She is now a Shepherd and has
been active with Deacons and the Christian
Education Committee.
Sally Hanline had
a very special birthday on
February 2 and we missed
it. She celebrated a life of
90 years of birthdays
which means she has
joined Carmel’s 90 and
over celebrities.
Best wishes and congratulations.
AJ Heintz
grew up in Ardsley
with his parents
Marleen and Steve,
sister Sarah and
brother Steve. He has
been a very active
member of Carmel and now is Head Coach
of boys soccer team at Bishop McDevitt
and Technical Project Manager at MNG
Direct.
AJ has been a member for
approximate 12 years. His involvement at
Carmel is as Refuge Leader.
Birthday Blessings to
Jean Turkot who will
be celebrating 94 years of
blowing out candles on March
21. We wish her blessings on
her special day.
His interests are Soccer (Union
Season ticket holder), watching the other
Philadelphia sports teams, playing board
games and watching TV.
Betty
McGlade was in
Abington Hospital
for a few days and
has moved on to
Power Back for
recovery.
Meghan Watkins and David Durvin
Hatboro, PA 19040
16
Meals On Wheels
Volunteers Needed
The Glenside
Meals on Wheels
program runs out of
Carmel Presbyterian
Church Monday
through Friday
mornings.
The program sorely needs
volunteers to either partner or drive. If you
can spare two hours one morning a week, it
would be appreciated.
Please call Karen Smith at 215-619
-8863 (afternoons are best).
To our Youth
Alexandra Beil, March 3
Bobby Scholly, March 3
Gabe Stone, March 5
Neve Coelho, March 9
Brianna Coelho, March 10
Broghan Sweeney, March 16
Abigail Fisher, March 27
Address Changes
This month edited by Doris Golingan
Joan Cramp
Rydal, PA 19046
Karen Bogle
Penllyn, PA 19422
Next Courier Deadline —
Second Sunday
March 13, 2016
Editor of the month — Heidi Lindsay
Kids Corner
17
18
Sunday Lectionary Readings
March 6
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Joshua 5:9-12
Psalm 32
2 Corinthians 5:16-12
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
March 24
Maundy Thursday
Exodus 12:1-4 [5-10] 11-14
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
March 13
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4b-14
John 12:1-8
March 25
Good Friday
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 22
Hebrews 10:16-25 or
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
John 18:1-19:42
March 20
Palm Sunday
Liturgy of the Palms
Luke 19:28-40
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Liturgy of Passion
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49
March 21
Monday of Holy Week
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 36:5-11
Hebrews 9:11-15
John 12:1-11
March 23
Wednesday of Holy Week
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 70
Hebrews 12:1-3
John 13:21-32
March 26
Easter Vigil
A minimum of three Old Testament readings
should be chosen. The reading from Exodus
14 should always be used.
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26
Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18, 9:8-13
Psalm 46
Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21
Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18
Isaiah 55:1-11
Isaiah 12:2-6
Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6
Psalm 19
Ezekiel 36:24-28
Psalm 42 and 43
Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 114
March 27
Easter Sunday
Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or Acts 10:34-43
John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12
19
Carmel Memorial Library
By Nancy Rose, Library Volunteer
SEE ME: Here is the newest book by
popular storyteller Nicholas Sparks
whose many books have
been turned into bestselling
motion pictures. This one
takes a different turn from
most of them, however.
Colin Hancock is being
given a second chance,
leaving his life of violence
and bad decisions behind
him to pursue a teaching
degree. Maria Sanchez is a
successful, beautiful lawyer who needs
to return to her hometown and question
what she once believed. Although not
friends at first, they dare to envision a
future together until menacing
reminders of Maria’s past emerge. This
is one you can’t put down or figure out
until the end! (F Sp)
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS: Despite the
tumor-shrinking medical miracle that
has bought her a few years, Hazel has
never been anything but terminal, her
final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis.
But when a plot twist named Augustus
Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid
Support Group, Hazel’s story is about
to be completely rewritten. By John
Green, (F Gr)
IF I STAY: What would you do if you had
to choose? Mia had everything: a
loving family, an adoring boyfriend and
a bright future full of music and
choices. Then, in an instant,
almost all of that is taken from
her. Caught between life and
death, between a happy past and
an unknowable future, Mia
spends one critical day
contemplating the only decision
she has left – the most important
decision she’ll ever make. By
Gayle Forman, (F Fo)
Gift of Everett and Joan Kohn:
UNNATURAL EXPOSURE: Virginia’s
chief medical examiner, Kay Scarpetta,
is trapped in a nightmare of unsolved
murders and a terrible virus in this
exciting thriller. By Patricia Cronwell,
(F Co)
For Younger Readers
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK: A perfectly
wonderful book about friendship,
cooperation and so much more. The
little blue truck rolls happily down the
road saying hi to all his animal friends.
The big dump truck knocks him out of
the way because he believes he has so
much more important work to do and…
gets stuck in the mud! Who will help
20
him? Why the little blue truck of
course! But he gets stuck too! Who will
help them both? Beautiful rhyming. By
Alice Schertle and illustrations by Jill
McElmurry, ( jF Sc)
March is a busy month this year.
Both Easter and Saint Patrick’s Day are
celebrated in this month. And while Easter is
a very special holiday for Christians
everywhere, Saint Patrick’s Day is a fun day
as well. Here are just a few of the many
books the Carmel Library has to offer our
children:
SHAMROCKS, HARPS, AND
SHILLELAGHS: This book contains the
stories of the St. Patrick’s Day symbols :
leprechauns, St. Patrick himself, a sprig
of shillelagh, potatoes, harps and pipes.
Older children could find much history
in this book, By Edna Barth, (j394.2)
LEPRECHAUNS NEVER LIE: Ninny
Nanny and Gram lived together in a
thatched hut and had very little money.
Ninny Nanny was lazy and Gram was
ailing and before long they had nothing
left to eat. Ninny Nanny decided she
would find a leprechaun who would lead
her to his treasure. And she did! She
bagged him up and brought him home.
He gave clues to where to find the gold
but in each case it was not there. In the
meantime the leprechaun had Ninny
Nanny doing all the things she needed to
do to fix her house and get food. Terrific
tale! By Lorna Balian, (jF Ba)
Find other St. Patrick’s Day books
behind the door between the library and the
office or placed on tables during March by
our Librarian.
EASTER CRACK-UPS: This is a book of
knock-knock jokes with an Easter theme
in a flap-up book. It is very entertaining.
By Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg,
(j394.2)
THE STORY OF EASTER: This book is a
perfect way to introduce the story of
Jesus to very young children. A gentle
story with lovely illustrations joins
springtime and Easter and Jesus in a
gentle kind way. By Patricia A. Pingry,
(j394.2)
THE BEST EASTER EGGS EVER: Easter
is almost here but Easter Bunny is
seeing spots from painting so many
polka dots. Will he get all his special
eggs painted in time for the big day? By
Jerry Smath, (j394.2)
Look for many other beautiful
Easter books throughout the library during
March.