VOLUME XLIV– NUMBER 2 February 2015 Souper Bowl scheduled for this Sunday I t’s time for our annual Souper Bowl celebration and we invite you to participate. Heidelberg UCC 47 WEST PHILADELPHIA STREET, YORK, PA 17401 This Sunday, February 1, plan to “vote” for your favorite team with a can of soup to benefit our Food Pantry. The more cans, the more votes. Who will win? Seattle? New England? Only you can determine that! When you’re out choosing your soups, our Pantry staff reminds you that we prefer pull tops lids for the benefit of our clients. Bring your donations to the Sanctuary this Sunday for the big play off! This Sunday will also feature the first in our lay sermon series on “Creeds: What I Believe” and our service will include the Sacrament of Holy Communion. If you haven’t brought in a piece of fabric for the Communion Quilt, please do so this week. After worship it’s our monthly “Welcome Table” covered dish meal. Bring a main dish and either a side dish or a dessert to share. It’s always a feast and a great time to visit with new and old friends alike. See you Sunday! Gay Men’s Chorus performs Friday T he Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus will be in concert at Heidelberg this Friday, January 30 at 7 pm. There is no charge, but a free will offering will be received. The chorus will present their program “Lessons from Carols.” This playful take on the traditional holiday program Lessons and Carols features delightful music from famous men and women named Carol. The Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates the LGBT experience in song and performance, fosters a greater appreciation of the male choral musical tradition, nurtures members in their artistic and personal growth, and enriches the region through entertainment and positive interaction. Heidelberg Worship this Winter Who do you say that I am? F ebruary 1, 8 and 15 will feature sermons created by members of our church. If we are to follow Christ, part of the process is struggling with just what it is that we believe and what it is that we are proclaiming to the world. Each week three people will write their own “creed,” a statement of their beliefs, and share them in worship, along with their brief reflections on the process of writing. Please support these friends with your presence as they share their deepest thoughts: February 8: February 1: February 15: George Simpson Tara Mueller Wick Barnes Craig Ellis Allie Kochert Andrew Texter Susan Newcomer Sue Joiner Danielle Glugla Lent to begin February 18 T he season of Lent begins on Wednesday, February 18 with a service of Ashes and Communion at 6:30 PM in our Sanctuary. Lent is a turning inward, a time for contemplation and spiritual journeying. Join us for this quiet evening as we enter this most sacred of seasons. Page 2 H E I DE L B E R G U C C New Working Groups established B eginning this month, a whole new set of “working groups” have been established to share in the ministry of our congrega- tion. These groups, less formal than committees, will meet as needed to provide direction and programming for our church. They will report to Consistory for overall coordination. Those interested in volunteering to work with any of these groups are invited to look at the sign up sheets in the Auditorium, to read the descriptions of the working groups and to sign up in their areas of interest. T         he working groups include: Fellowship and Hospitality Property Outreach The Arts Community Breakfast Stewardship and Finance Spiritual Nurture & Growth Attracting and Welcoming Story Telling Pizza Lunch set for March 15 O ne of most wonderful things we do here at Heidelberg is rather simple. When we have a group of folks considering membership, we plan a pizza lunch for after church and invite the new folks as well as any of our established members to sit together and tell our stories. It’s a great way to get to know one another, and a powerful testimony to what makes Heidelberg a unique community. We’ve scheduled such a lunch for Sunday, March 15 after coffee hour V O L U M E XL I V – NU M B E R 2 and we encourage all newcomers to plan to stay. Since we haven’t done this for a while, there are some of you who have already joined who will want to come that day as well, to have the chance to speak and to listen. And as always, we invite “alreadys” to come and share as well with the “not yets.” If you plan to join us, sign up in the Auditorium so we can order enough pizza. It’s simple, it’s fun. It’s the storytelling church at its finest! Page 3 Conversations On Being: Sundays 9:30 AM T he “Conversations On Being” class meets Sundays at 9:30 AM in the Social Hall in the basement. Each week, before coming to class, you are invited to listen to a podcast of the NPR radio program “On Being.” When we gather, a different member of the group each week provides leadership for the conversation which can go wherever the podcast sent our minds in their wanderings. This month the topics are: February 1: Eckhart Tolle: The Power of Now O ne of today's most influential spiritual teachers shares his youthful experience of depression and despair — suffering that led him to his own spiritual breakthrough, and ultimately, freedom and peace of mind. He also explicates his view of what he calls "the pain body" — the accumulated emotional pain that may influence us and our relationships in negative ways. And Tolle talks about spirit and God, and what those concepts mean to him. Danielle Glugla convenes. http://www.onbeing.org/program/power-eckharttolles-now/217 February 8: Jean Vanier : The Wisdom of Tenderness C onsidered by some to be a living saint, Jean Vanier created L'Arche, a model of community for people with mental disabilities that celebrates power in smallness and light in the darkness of human existence. The French Canadian philosopher and Catholic social innovator speaks about his understanding of humanity and God that has been shaped by Aristotle, Mother Teresa, and people who would once have been locked away from society. Allie Kochert convenes. February 15: Jane Gross: The Far Shore of Aging K rista Tippett speaks with Jane Gross, creator of The New York Times’ New Old Age blog. As she learned by taking care of her mother during her final years, we’re living longer and dying more slowly. Gross shares her wisdom about the new relationship between children and parents, and the changing way we think about the far shore of aging. Linda Wagner convenes. http://www.onbeing.org/program/far-shoreaging/255 February 22: Bernard Chazelle : Discovering the Cosmology of Bach C omputer scientist Bernard Chazelle has an original take on what music works in us — especially the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Just as mathematicians talk about discovering rather than inventing great equations, so, he says, Bach set out to “discover” the musical rules behind the universe. After hearing this conversation, you may never listen to any piece of music — whether Bach or Jay-Z — in quite the same way again. Bob Sherfy convenes. http://www.onbeing.org/program/bernard-chazellediscovering-the-cosmology-of-bach/7026 http://www.onbeing.org/program/wisdomtenderness/234 Page 4 H E I DE L B E R G U C C “BOYHOOD” is film group choice for February T he Heidelberg Film Group will gather on February 15 at 5 PM to view the film BOYHOOD. Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, Richard Linklater's BOYHOOD is a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason, who literally grows up on screen before our eyes. Starring Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette as Mason's parents and newcomer Lorelei Linklater as his sister Samantha, BOYHOOD charts the rocky terrain of childhood like no other film has before. Snapshots of adolescence from road trips and family dinners to birthdays and graduations and all the moments in between become transcendent. BOYHOOD is both a nostalgic time capsule of the recent past and an ode to growing up and parenting. It's impossible to watch Mason and his family without thinking about our own journey. “Epic in technical scale but breathlessly intimate in narrative scope, Boyhood is a sprawling investigation of the human condition.” Join us at 5 PM for viewing and conversation, and bring a snack to share! Everything I Never Told You is book A busy holiday season led to the postponement of the January Book Club meeting, so Wild by Cheryl Strayed is still the choice of the group for its meeting on February 13. The group will meet on Friday evening, February 13 at 7 PM at the home of Linda Wagner. (If you plan to attend, please let Linda know. We’re asking attendees to bring drinks or snacks to share). Thus, the book for March will be Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the book group meeting and at the church. V O L U M E XL I V – NU M B E R 2 Page 5 HeidelBean Stage dark in February; Opens again March 6 A fter a month off during the winter days of February, HeidelBean Coffee House will open again on Friday, March 6th and we will welcome Entertainer and Musician Elijah Cross to our stage. Elijah Cross was born in California, and attended the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts before moving to New York, then Florida, Georgia, and all of them again before settling in Pennsylvania. We are delighted to have him with us. He will be on stage from 7 to 9:30 PM. HeidelBean will be open from 6 until 10. Listen to Elijah here: http:// elijahcross.bandcamp.com/track/understudy Join us for conversation, coffee, snacks, table games, free wi-fi and community. If you’d like to help by baking, greeting or serving coffee, please sign up in the Auditorium. Winter Storm Policy A s the deep winter approaches, we remind you of our winter snow policy. When it is safe, we will have church during inclement weather. If church needs to be canceled, we will do these things by 9 AM on Sunday morning: 1. Post cancellations on WGAL TV 2. Post cancellations on our Facebook Page 3. Post a cancellation message on the Church Answering machine. 4. Send a group email. 5. When possible, we will make phone calls to those without internet. But to be sure, please check one of these sources of information and above all, be safe. Page 6 H E I DE L B E R G U C C Heidelberg Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance for Singles and Couples and Families and Friends J oin us on Saturday, February 14 for a Valentine’s Celebration at Heidelberg. It’s a Dinner and a Dance and a fund raiser for building renovations for our church. Wick Barnes will be on stage providing music with The Stray Catechisms for both listening and dancing. Gloria Lehigh is organizing the dinner. Here’s the blueprint for the evening: Appetizers and Dinner Music 5:00-5:30 pm Dinner 5:45 pm Menu Italian Wedding Soup Caesar Salad Crab Mac & Cheese or Four Cheese Mac & Cheese Baked Ham Green Beans with slivered almonds. Dancing and Dessert 7 pm until….. Ticket cost $15 adults Children 5-14 $7.50, Children 4 & under free. Just “Dessert & Dancing” a donation. Total amount of ticket sales will be donated to church renovations. In addition, there will be a silent auction. We’re looking for donations or suggestions of donations. Please speak with Gloria or the church office. Music by “The Stray Catechisms" V O L U M E XL I V – NU M B E R 2 Page 7 February Birthdays 2-1 Wayne Kramer 2-7 Linda Wagner 2-8 Caleb Kochert 2-10 Leah Kochert 2-14 John Prescott 2-16 Bob Sherfy 2-20 Donna Hartley Phyllis Sipes 2-21 Connie Sprenkle 2-26 Vernon Baum 2-27 Susan Newcomer February Anniversaries 2-12 Jocelyn and Earle Ellis, Jr. (43) ( ) = number of years married Join us for a celebration of Rev. Vernon Baum’s 90th birthday during coffee hour on Sunday, February 22nd. Called to Care Senior Living Communities The Broadmore 2405 Knobhill Rd., York, PA 17403-4782 812.9777 (main office) Betty Fulton, Room 227 Country Meadows - South 2760 Pine Grove Rd., York, PA 17403 741.5518 or 309.9185 Emma Statella, Apt. 324 Country Meadows – West 1920 Trolley Rd., York, PA 17408-1018 764.1190 Ruth Brillhart, Room 406 Pleasant Acres 118 Pleasant Acres Rd., York, PA 17402-8975 840.7100 Gene Miller, Room 220A Rest Haven 1050 S. George St., York, PA 17403-3638 843.9866 Gloria Sprenkle, Room 332 The Village at Kelly Drive 750 Kelly Dr., York, PA 17404-2433 848.2585 or 764.8798 Reda Gross, Room 272 Lenore Drescher Masonic Village 453 Freemason Dr. Elizabethtown, PA 17022 717.287.2403 Note of Thanks Jim Grove 1310 Porter Ave. Scranton, PA 18504-3228 570.961.5236 A kind “Thank You” to the many members who remembered me at Christmas with your cards, notes and letters. A Happy New Year to Everyone, Lenore Drescher Barb Kreiser Kindred Place at Annville 57 Kindred Place Annville, PA 17003 717.867.5572 Page 8 H E I DE L B E R G U C C February 2015 Sun 1 Mon 2 Tue 3 Wed 4 Thu 5 Worship w/ Holy Communion, 10:45AM The Welcome Table 9 10 Education, 9:30 AM Worship, 10:45 AM Installation of Officers 15 7 Snow Date for Harrisburg Gay Men’s Chorus Lessons from Carols, 7 PM YSC, 7-9 PM Daughters of Union Veterans Mtg., 2 PM 6 Sat LIU Helpers, 10 AM Education, 9:30 AM 8 Fri YSC, 7-9 PM Consistory, 6:30 PM 16 17 11 12 Women of Heidelberg, 9 AM LIU Helpers, 10 AM 18 LIU Helpers, 10 AM Education, 9:30 AM Worship, 10:45 AM 19 13 14 HeidelBook at the home of Linda Wagner, 7 PM Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance, 5 PM 20 21 27 28 Newsletter Deadline Film Group, 5 PM Ash Wednesday, 6:30 PM YSC, 7-9 PM 22 23 24 25 26 LIU Helpers, 10 AM Education, 9:30 AM Worship, 10:45 AM Lunch Bunch, 1 PM Shangrila Chinese Restaurant, 2150 White St., York, PA 17404 YSC, 7-9 PM Community Breakfast, 8-9 AM Page 10 H E I DE L B E R G U C C V O L U M E XL I V – NU M B E R 2 Page 11 February Volunteers 2-1 2-8 2-15 2-22 Greeters/ Andrew Texter Wick Barnes Mike Feight Sue Joiner Ushers Linda Wagner Craig Ellis Pat Flury-Ogle Jeff Lehigh Fellowship The Welcome Table Donna Hartley, Kelly McCaffery and Wendy Rittenhouse Gloria Lehigh Phyllis Baum (In Honor of Vernon’s 90th Birthday) Child Care Marcia Smyser Liz Schneider Sue Barnes Danielle Glugla B e sure to use your green “Improvement Fund” envelopes which appear the first Sunday of the month to contribute to our ongoing fund-raising efforts to pay off the heating and air conditioning project as well as our new roof repairs. We’re over half way to meeting our $160,000 goal! Heidelberg United Church of Christ Our Church is Accessible to All 47 West Philadelphia Street, York, PA 17401-5309 Pastoral Team: The Rev. Amy J. Schultz Email: [email protected] The Rev. Robert E. Brown Email: [email protected]  Alison Vedder, Church Secretary Email: [email protected] Phone: 717-854-7125 Church Office Hours: 9 AM - 12 PM Monday - Thursday  Mary Jane Miller, Minister of Music Bill Bentz, Sexton Linda Wagner, Consistory President @ HeidelbergUCC York, PA Visit our Website: http://heidelberguccyork.com