The Ardmore Presbyterian Church Preschool will be closed for Thursday, February 11, 2010. Due to the Presidents' Day weekend, the preschool will also be closed on Friday, February 12 and Monday, February 15.
Have a wonderful Valentine's Day, and we look forward to seeing your children on Tuesday, February 16.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Mark Your Calendars: Bach Festival
While you are home watching the snow, please MARK your calendars for the upcoming BACH Festival. All our choirs (and those of Overbrook Presbyterian and St. Paul's Lutheran) have been working hard in preparation for this big event.
DRESS REHEARSAL -
SAT, MARCH 20, 2:00 p.m.(children should be done by 3:15)at St. Paul's Lutheran Church
BACH FESTIVAL SERVICE -
SUN, MARCH 21, 4:00 p.m.(service should be done by 5:15)at St. Paul's Lutheran Church
The program will mark the 325th anniversary of J.S. Bach, one of the most revered composers of all time, and one of the most influential in church music (he has been called "the fifth evangelist," e.g. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, JSB).
The children are doing well with all the music, especially "Wir eilen mit schwachen." To listen to this one, I recommend the following site:
(our choirs will sing the first 2:00 and the recap, then soloists will sing the middle section).
Gary G
SNOW CLOSINGS - February 10, 2010
- The ARDMORE PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL will be closed for February 10, 2010.
- The CHURCH OFFICE will be closed for February 10, 2010.
- The MEN and WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY and lunch will be canceled for February 10, 2010.
- WEDNESDAY PLUS and YOUTH FELLOWSHIP will be canceled for February 10, 2010.
- Just as a reminder, we have no WEDNESDAY PLUS and YOUTH FELLOWSHIP on Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2010. So we will see you in two weeks.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Souper Bowl of Caring
Sunday, February 7th the Youth Group will join forces with our Fellowship & Outreach committee to partake in the 2010 “Souper Bowl of Caring”.
The Souper Bowl of Caring is a nationwide fundraising effort taken on by churches and schools alike. It was started in 1990. On Super Bowl Sunday, the youth collect funds in soup pots to raise money for an organization of their choice that has to do with hunger. Throughout the US, youth have raised millions of dollars each year. In 2009, 10 million dollars was raised in funds and donated food.
This year the youth have chosen Covenant House, an organization that helps homeless youth, to receive the funds collected.
In addition to what the Youth collect during the service, the Fellowship & Outreach committee will be sponsoring a soup lunch immediately following worship. A $3 per person donation is requested and will go directly to Covenant House. Please plan to join us!
Thomas Brookshier Memorial Service
A memorial service will be held on Monday, February 8 at 2 pm at the Ardmore Presbyterian Church at 5 W. Montgomery Ave in Ardmore, PA. The family will receive guests from 12:30 pm until the time of the memorial service. Out of respect for the family and our desire not to distract from the worship, please do not take flash photography or video.
TRAVEL
We are encouraging everyone to use the R5 train. The church is only a short walk from the Ardmore Station.
For those traveling by car, the church is located at 5 W. Montgomery Ave, Ardmore, PA. For a map and directions, please follow this link.
PARKING
Suburban Square will be providing parking across from the church. There will also be parking from 12 pm to 3:30pm at the Ardmore YMCA at 100 Saint Georges Road, Ardmore, PA. There will also be some spaces available at the Bridal Bijou on 102 E. Montgomery Ave, Ardmore, PA. We would like to thank each of these folks for their gracious generosity.
Finally, Ardmore has various metered parking areas near the church. Please note the map.
WEATHER
If the weather forces a change in the memorial service, we will be in contact with radio station AM 610 WIP.
OUR HOPE AND COMFORT
The Ardmore Presbyterian Church is praying for you as we mourn and remember our loved one and friend, Tom Brookshier. In this difficult time, please remember that nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God In Jesus Christ (Romans 8:37-39). God bless you.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Pastor's Pen: When Philosophies Fail
No matter what we profess, most of us share a simple philosophy. We believe good things happen to the good, and bad things happen to the bad. We choose to do the right thing, and we expect to be rewarded. When we do wrong, we expect the consequences. We teach this philosophy to our kids, and for the most part, it’s true. However, occasionally reality doesn’t fit our expectations.Bad stuff sometimes happens for no apparent reason. The rules that we once trusted don’t seem to apply. When faced with a situation that we cannot explain, it can be scary. To cope, we even try to force the evidence to fit the analysis. In the book of Job, his friends cannot understand why Job is suffering. Why would the righteous be punished by God? The friends assume that Job must be guilty of some secret sin. They fabricate sins and condemn Job so their philosophy remains intact.
A few weeks ago, the earth shook in Haiti. Some reports estimate the dead as numbering around 200,000. The ticker on the cable stations run a constant stream of bad news. We see the pictures, and we wonder why. The devastation in Haiti does not make sense. Like Job’s friends justifying their own philosophy, I recently heard a minister tell a television audience that Haiti was being punished because of a deal with the devil made many years ago. The story is outlandish and pure fiction, but some hold onto it because it fits. What goes around, comes around.
Our philosophy falls short. As Christians, we know that we are broken by sin, and the world is broken as well. All the explanations in the world will not take away the pain. What we really want is comfort in the midst of an uncomfortable world. The suffering of this world will be redeemed by God in Jesus Christ. We have hope because of Christ’s death and resurrection. We have comfort, and we must be a comfort.
The earthquake in Haiti is not a time for recriminations. Instead, it is a call to action. When explanations are not available, we need to hold onto the comfort of Jesus Christ. Take the time to offer comfort in a world where our philosophies fail.
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