September 1, 2010

Old South News & Notes
Church Website: www.oldsouthcongregational.org
Email: oldsouth@gwi.net
Phone: (207) 622-1220

The Rev. Susan M. Reisert, Minister (home phone: (207) 877-8489; smreiser@colby.edu)
Ms. Bunny Stanley, Music Director
Ms. Christine Bartlett, Administrative Assistant

Meetings and Events

OFFICE HOURS

Monday, 9:00 - 1:00; Tuesday, 9:00 - Noon; Wednesday, 9:00 - 11:00; and, Thursday, 9:00 - 1:00.    

PASTOR'S OFFICE HOURS

Wednesday, 2:00 - 4:00; Thursday, 9:00 - 10:30; and, Tuesday, 9:00 - Noon.

THE THINKING SPOT

A Daily Devotional from www.ucc.org:
Excerpt from Jeremiah 3:1-14:

"...I will bring you to Zion."

Reflection by Donna Schaper

I often tell people that our congregation is "the best choice you never heard of."  In olden days and ways, I would have said we are marching to Zion.  Our congregation, and many others, remind of nothing so much as the Isner/Mahut tennis match at Wimbledon.  It was the longest game of tennis ever played, and in it, everybody wins.  You can't possibly say that someone who stayed in that long a match LOST.  When you last that long, you don't lose.

What congregations do is to last.  We deserve so much better press than we ever get.  We do a kind of prehabilitation, instead of rehabilitation.  If anyone has ever done rehab, you know just how boring that can be.  Instead of letting our bodies or those of our offspring get bent into an injured stated, we lean out the window towards the possibility of healthy spiritual posture.  We lean against the injury and do spiritual rehab, bending ourselves towards each other and the world in a muscular way.

Through Sunday School juice boxes and weekly bulletins, offering plates and hymn selection, intern contracts and board meetings that go too long, secrets safely shared and alleluias belted out, on or off key, we march to Zion.  That youth group leader we chose will or will not plant the gospel in the heart of a sixteen-year-old, who may or may not build wells in Zambia or build a company that builds wells in Zambia.  But every now and then, one will.  He or she will be bent out of the shape of the world into the shape of Jesus, and will get the rest of us to Zion with him.   Bend by bend, breath by breath, congregations march to Zion.  They are the best idea you never heard of.

Prayer

O God, when we are deep in congregational criticism, lift us out of appreciation deficit disorder into an order that yields a path, all the way to Zion.  You promised!  And so have we.  Help us keep the ball in play.  Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEWS!

1. The search for a new CE Director.  The Trustees have authorized the CE Committee to begin the search for a new CE Director, who will work about 10 hours per week.  The Committee is working with Susan to create a job description.  If you know someone who might be interested in this position, please let Jackie Godbout or Susan Reisert know.  Thanks!

2. The first day of Sunday School will be on Sunday, September 12, although no actual classes will be in session on that day.  Instead, we will have a special family worship service.  Come on, come all and bring some friends!!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12-it's a special day!!

Worship returns to its 10:00 slot on the 12th.  Plus, it is Rally Day for the Church School.  We will have a special worship service that day, with no long sermon.  Instead, we will try something new.  You won't want to miss it!!

EMILY CIESLINSKI'S BLOG

Emily Cieslinski, daughter of Tom Cieslinski and Suanne Singer, is teaching science at a Christian school in Cambodia.  She is keeping a blog of her experiences that you may want to check out:
http://web.me.com/emilyincambodia/

THE LUNCH BUNCH

The Lunch Bunch is in session at South Parish, Wednesdays at noon. All are welcome for this Bible Study! We usually begin our discussion at 12:15 and we end before 1:00.

CARDS and NOTES

The following people would appreciate hearing from you:

Lorraine Stiles
Sandy River Center
119 Livermore Falls Rd.
Farmington, Me. 04938

(Do you know someone else who appreciate a card? Let me know!)

DEACON'S FUND

The Diaconate has provided envelopes in the pews for your contribution to the Diaconate Fund.  The fund is used to assist those in financial emergencies and to support a number of local, not-for-profit organizations throughout the year. Monies raised through August will go to Church World Service Disaster Relief.

OLD SOUTH CHURCH SLATES FOR SALE

We still have slates available for sale. The slates are from the roof of the Old South Church that over the years have fallen off. They now have a picture of the beautiful Old South Church printed on them. They are a remarkable piece of art and memorabilia from one of Maine's historical churches which dates back to 1790. Please speak to Cornell Knight if you are interested.

A Funny

RESULTS

A minister dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates.Ahead of him is a guy who's dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans.

Saint Peter addresses this guy, 'Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?'

The guy replies, 'I'm Joe Cohen, taxi driver, of Noo Yawk City.'

St. Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the taxi driver, 'Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.'

The taxi driver goes into Heaven with his robe and staff, and it's the minister's turn. He stands erect and booms out, 'I am Joseph Snow, pastor of Calvary Church for the last forty-three years.'

St Peter consults his list.

He says to the minister, 'Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.'

'Just a minute,' says the minister. 'That man was a taxi driver, and he gets a silken robe and golden staff. How can this be?'

'Up here, we work by results,' says Saint Peter. 'While you preached, people slept, while he drove, people prayed.'