One Great Hour of Sharing

Who Is My Neighbor?

In Luke the lawyer asks Jesus “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers this question by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. In answering this question today we are compelled to go beyond local, state, and national boundaries. We must recognize our neighbors as those people, even our enemies, in need all over the world.

The news media keeps before us the faces of starving children in Africa, victims of hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disaster, those suffering because of wars and political violence, and people who lives are blighted by poverty. Today these are our neighbors. We cannot close our mind and hearts to the staggering tragedy being played out in our world.

One of the many programs which directly responds to these disasters is the One Great Hour of Sharing. This is an ecumenical alliance of many denominations, pooling their resources and developing strategies to alleviate suffering whenever, and wherever it occurs.

First begun after World War II to respond to the war’s devastation, a large delegation of celebrities and national leaders assembled to ask Americans to give generously to meet urgent needs around the world. The following Sunday more than 75,000 churches received an offering in response to this call. Since that time Christians have been working together. For each of the last ten years the offering has been about 20 million dollars. The offering from the Presbyterian Church USA has been between 9 and 11 million dollars. This Ester Sunday we will again celebrate One Great Hour of Sharing, with our offerings which give us the opportunity to reach out in love to our neighbors around the world.

The Pastor's Ponderings

Holy Week and Easter

As you receive this newsletter, we are on the verge of a flood of emotions surrounding the end of Lent, then Holy Week, and Easter.

We will wave the palm branches and shout “Hosanna!” and then quickly move to hearing the story of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t rush through the emotional rollercoaster of events that Jesus experienced that final week of his earthly life. Allow yourself to be caught up in the experience of the betrayal, the mockery of a trial, and Jesus’ crucifixion.

The Apostle Paul’s words to the church in Rome ring loud and clear:”For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:5-8)

We live in the promise of the power of the resurrection. The power God used to raise Jesus from the dead is also the power God uses to raise us. This is the hope in which we live.

So - in the midst of the Easter ham and the deviled eggs, allow your hearts to fill with joy at the completion of another journey through Lent and arriving at another Easter.

Listen to these words from Ann Weems’ in Kneeling in Jerusalem.

“And the Glory”
The silence breaks into morning.
That one Star lights the world.
The lily springs to life and
not even Solomon . . .

Let it begin with singing
And never end!
Oh, angels, quit your lamenting!
Oh pilgrims,
upon your knees in tearful prayer,
rise up
and take your hearts
and run!

Resurrection joy!
Denise

We Welcome the
Norberg Family

Jeff, Connie,
Allison, Lyndsey and Nathan

New Arrivals

Grandmother Cynthia Pedersen and Great-grandmother Claire Poole welcome a new arrival, Zachary Robert Ernst, born on March 22 in South Carolina.

Jay, Amy, and big brother Finn Thompson, welcome Virginia, who was born on Monday, March 26, 2007. She is in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at UVA Hospital, Charlottesville. Jack and Margaret Thompson are the grandparents.

State Record Set

Logan Collins, a junior at Orange County High School, set a new state record in the 1000 meter run with a time of 2:30.98 beating the old record by three seconds at a recent track event in Lynchburg. Congratulations, Logan!

Calling All Knitters!

The Knitting Group has a very special and new project that they would like to start.  Please call Linda Nash at 672-2199 for  further information.

The Morning Circle

The Morning Circle will meet Tuesday, April 3rd at the home of Elizabeth Szunyogh. Please meet at the church at 9:30am to carpool.

Tuesdays are Terrific!!

Our next Terrific Tuesday will be held Tuesday, April 17, at 6:00 pm. Dinner will be a build your own taco salad. After that, we will be playing Parable Charades. We had a great time last month, we would love for you to join us!

A Note Of Thanks

Just a note of appreciation to all. Thanks for the flowers, prayers and visits. It has made my hospital stay very enjoyable and seem a short stay. Thanks to everyone for all this kindness.
Andrew “Skinny” Redmon

Orange Free Clinic To Open

For those with no health insurance or inadequate heath insurance, the high cost of medical care can mean that no treatment is available. Chronic, or even minor problems are left to fester and get worse, until the result is a more serious health problem or a trip to the (expensive!) emergency room. Many communities in this area have been working to address this problem, and Orange has now joined that effort.

The free Clinic of Orange will open very soon (possibly in April and no later than June) and will be located in the Health Department. These are doctors, nurses and a pharmacy on board to help. Since they are just getting started, the Clinic will be open every Tuesday, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Mission & Outreach Committee has supported the behind the scenes work to get this clinic started, and our Orange Presbyterian Church Session has recently approved a $1,000.00 donation to the Free Clinic from our Benevolence Endowment Fund.

How can you help with this important work in our community? Donations can be mailed to the Orange Free Clinic at P. O. Box 4011, Orange, VA 22960 (these are tax deductible). Volunteers are being coordinated and trained by Elaine Anderson at TRIAD (672-1536). Elaine says they need both clinical and clerical volunteers. Give Elaine a call if you have any interest in becoming a volunteer at the Clinic.

Treasurer's February Report

Please speak to me if you have any questions.
Gail Chapman, Treasurer

PIANO RESTORATION

The Andrews Steinway Restoration project is MOVING forward literally. Charlottesville Piano Company is coming on April 26th to pick up and move the piano. We have raised enough money to send the piano to the restoration company. We pay half of the costs on the pick up day and pay another quarter of the costs 8 weeks later. That gives us until the piano is completely restored to raise the remaining $4,298.00. We have done a really great job raising 3/4 of the costs of the restoration so far. Thanks to everyone who has contributed. At this time we have $16,442.00 in our coffers for the project.  Restoration history ...

February Session Highlights

Approved unanimously to receive Connie Norberg, and her children Allison, Lyndsey and Nathan by transfer of membership from Oreland Presbyterian Church in Oreland, PA, and to receive Jeff Norberg by affirmation of faith. Elder Graves will introduce the Norbergs during worship on Sunday, March 25th.

• Approved unanimously February Session minutes as presented and the February congregational meeting minutes as read.
• Received Treasurer’s Report and updated offering reporting in the bulletin.
• Received from Don Davies a gift of a refurbished piano for the Fellowship Hall.
• Approved unanimously to give $1,000 to the new Orange Free Clinic opening in May.
• Approved unanimously Stewardship committee name change to Congregational Care & Commitment.
• Approved unanimously a May birthday offering as a fund raiser for Piano Restoration.
• Approved Lord’s Supper services the first Sunday of each month beginning in April. The April 5th Lord’s Supper will be administered by intinction.
• Heard first reading of two proposed changes to the Endowment Committee and Funds policy.
• Asked Endowment Committee to examine policy of allotting undesignated memorial gifts to the endowed funds restricted principal.
• Approved unanimously to send piano to Charlottesville Piano for restoration.

One-Day Mission Trip

Re-Building Together (what used to be called Christmas in April) needs volunteers to work on a house located on the Lahore Road. Re-Building Together helps low-income homeowners with home repairs, and our Re-Building affiliate works in both Orange and Louisa Counties.

On Saturday, April 28th we’ll be starting at 8 a.m. and working throughout the day. If you can’t come at 8, come a little later. Stay as long as you can. Lunch will be provided. Here’s what we’ll be working on:

• Painting in one or two rooms
• Scraping & painting exterior and interior windowsills, fascia, and trim
• Repair one spot in the Living room floor
• Repair or replace one doorframe
• Perhaps some plumbing (hooking up the water lines)
• Install a countertop

There are plenty of jobs to do, so if you have a few hours to give on Saturday, April 28th, please come out and join us. Here are directions: Rt. 20 towards Unionville. At Gas & Stuff, turn right onto 629 (Lahore Rd). Go slightly more than 1 mile, there is a one story, white house on the left. There is a trailer in the yard. The address is 19201 Lahore Rd.
Rain date will be the following Saturday, May 5th.
If you have any questions, contact Cindy Reid (672-3461).

Needs at Love Outreach Food Pantry

The Love Outreach Food Pantry, is trying to help with the needy. Each month they are collecting different items.  Items can be bought to the narthex of the church and will be taken periodically to the Food Pantry. Look for a basket to place your items.  The items for the rest of the year are: 

• April: toothbrushes and shampoo
• May:  toilet paper
• June:  laundry detergent
• July:  paper towels
• August:  flour
• September:  sugar
• October:  cooking oil
• November:  body soap
• December:  cake mix and frosting.

 Thanks in advance for your generous support of this important ministry!

Louise Whitaker

1Lynn & Lynne Clements

Elinor Vasquez

Mrs. Lynne Clements

If you are unable to help on the day assigned, you are expected to obtain your own substitute and call the church office so that the correct information will appear in the Bulletin each Sunday.
If you are unable to serve on your scheduled Sunday, please secure your own substitute.
Thank you for sharing in our common ministry.