WMPC WEEKLY. Volume LII March 21, 2018 No. 12. Technical Challenge

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1 WMPC WEEKLY Volume LII March 21, 2018 No. 12 Technical Challenge In our family, we don t have loads of time for television. But one of the family shows that we watch with regularity is The Great British Baking Show which comes to us via Netflix. It is, in my opinion, the way reality or competition television should be. The show relies upon the kindness and sportsmanship of the competitors and the hosts who deliver honest, but never shaming, critiques. The contestants are amateur bakers making confections and pies so amazing they leap through the television. They are so good I find myself wishing that Willy Wonka had actually invented his transportertelevision which transports food through the airwaves. Each week the contestants have to perform a technical challenge. In this challenge, they are given all the necessary ingredients to bake a secret confection or pie. But while they have the ingredients, they are not given complete instructions. How to employ all the ingredients is completely up to the bakers themselves. While I was watching the show with our daughter a week or two ago, it dawned on me that this technical challenge is more than a bit like Lent and Holy Week. In the great teachings of the church and in the words of scripture, we are given all the ingredients to understand Lent and Holy Week. The challenge lies in the execution. How do we take all the ingredients we are given for this spiritually rich time of year and mold them into a cohesive whole so that the six weeks of Lent and Holy Week influence our walk with God throughout the entire year? What steps to take? What to give up? What to take on? How much prayer to add to our lives? What kinds of prayer to add? Information is one thing. Technique is another. This Lent we have placed before our church family the faith-technical skill of stillness. The inspiration comes from scripture, one of the ingredients of Lent itself. Psalm 46:10, where the Psalmist inspires us to stillness by invoking the name of God: Be still and know that I am God. As a preacher and a pastor, I have found this theme stillness to be an amazingly rich and wonderful spiritual exploration. It has been rich because stillness is so daunting. This is true for Americans and especially for Presbyterians, where we have inherited from Calvin the tried and true Protestant work ethic. This work ethic generally serves us very well. But when it comes to the spiritual life, it can work against us. Just as with baking, sometimes doing more is too much. Sometimes the more we do spiritually, the more spiritually exhausted we become. Our Hebrew cousins, through the words of Moses and the law of God, baked sabbath-time intentional time for rest into the recipe for faith. We Americans generally have a struggle with sabbath. We like to cram schedules full and squeeze every ounce of meaning from activity and busyness. Scripture suggests a different tact: the tact of stillness. There is good reason why even Jesus himself takes time to be still. There is a level of relationship with God which only comes through intentional stillness. And for most of us, stillness is just about the most difficult technical challenge of all. May stillness and grace abound, Christopher Edmonston Visit whitememorial.org to view this week s Sunday Snippet.

2 Joys and Concerns Prayers and Christian Concerns to: Myrtle Talton on the death of her brother, Hugh Emmette Wallace, March 16. Hospitals (*designates discharged): Rex: *Hill Davis; Duke Raleigh: *Sid Hunt. Home Communion Visits Church elders and pastoral staff are available to provide home communion if you or someone you know cannot attend worship. If you would like to schedule a visit to share the sacrament of communion in your home, please contact Amy Claprood at , ext. 210, and let us know of your interest. Birth Announcements Sometimes, due to short hospital stays and weekend births, we miss finding out about our new Presbyterians. Call Rebecca Turner at , ext. 222, if you have a new baby. Is a White Memorial Friend or Relative in the Hospital? Please call the church office to let us know of relatives and friends who are in the hospital so that our pastoral staff may visit them. Due to HIPAA regulations, hospitals do not inform us when a member is hospitalized (even though a request for your church affiliation may appear on the admissions form.) We print members names in this newsletter and on our hospital board at church so we may pray for them. Please tell us if you or a relative do not want your name included; otherwise, we will follow our usual practice. Contact Amy Claprood at ext. 210 during business hours. Your Attention Please One Great Hour of Sharing One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is one of four church-wide special offerings. It will be collected on Easter Sunday, April 1. All funds collected will be sent to the Presbyterian Mission Agency and divided as follows: 36% for Presbyterian Hunger Program, 32% for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and 32% for Self- Development of People. Our church-wide offerings play an important role in defining what it means to be a connectional church in the 21 st century, bringing together the diversity of the PC(USA) to focus and take faith-based action on shared concerns. Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care Nominating Committee A nominating committee for a new Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care was formed and organized following the January 21, 2018, congregational meeting. A Ministry Information Form for the position has been prepared, approved and posted, as required. The committee meets regularly to assess background materials and related information from interested candidates and to take other actions that are part of a pastoral search. We re grateful for the congregation s confidence and support as we seek to discern the best person for the position, relying on the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance. Committee members are Erin Duffy, Chair; Mary Clayton, Co-Chair; Bill Barnett, Melinda Fox, Jim Hancock, Phil Lambert, Cheryl McLean and Anne Ramsay. You can view updates at whitememorial.org. Interested in Membership at White Memorial? The next Beginnings Class for new and prospective members will meet on Sunday, April 22. To register, visit whitememorial.org/join. April 11 newsletter & April 15 bulletin deadline: Tuesday noon, March 27 The WMPC Weekly, March 21, 2018 Page 2

3 Faith Formation Faith Foundations Reads Borg's Convictions Learn and grow in faith with the Faith Foundations class as we discuss Marcus Borg's book Convictions. We meet on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in K301, and we welcome visitors! Questions? Contact John White or Susan Hibbert WMPC Men s Retreat Register now! Don t miss this opportunity to grow in community with other men from White Memorial as we enjoy the outdoor setting of Camp New Life. Steve Lindsley, who grew up at WMPC and is the senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, will speak on the topic "What's Next: The Challenge of Being Church In the 21st Century. The retreat, which will be April 13-14, will open eyes to see how God is doing a new thing in our midst. Be ready for deep discussion, live music and great fellowship. Registration is $95 through April 2. Register at whitememorial.org/ register. Can you Play and Pray? Come to ground floor Luther to enjoy three child-friendly spiritual formation rooms where you ll do just that. We call the trio our Play and Pray area. You re welcome on weekdays after the preschool is over, and Saturdays and Sundays when the church is open. The WMPC Weekly, March 21, 2018 Page 3

4 Please register online at whitememorial.org/register. Registration deadline is March 21. The WMPC Weekly, March 21, 2018 Page 4

5 Community Ministry and Missions Volunteers Needed for Easter Lily Delivery White Memorial delivers Easter lilies to our homebound members. Our members appreciate the lovely flowers, the personal visit and that they are remembered by White Memorial. If you can help make these special visits on Easter Sunday, April 1, or the week after, call Amy Claprood at , ext. 210, to sign up. Even one visit will make a great impact. Presbyterian Women Study Books Registration has begun for Presbyterian Women study books! You may pre-order your study guide online at whitememorial.org/ register and pay either with a credit card or by bringing or sending a check to the church. Please make all checks payable to WMPC and to the attention of Tonya Higgins. Books are $10 or $15 for large print. Angel Food Ministry Looking for a way to get involved at White Memorial? If you want to volunteer your time to deliver meals or simply like to cook, please consider giving your time to the Angel Food Ministry. We are part of Martha Ministry, and we provide meals to church members in times of need. Contact Laura Bryant at lkcbryant@gmail.com or Jean Williams at jwilliams@whitememorial.org for more information about getting involved. StepUp Ministry Volunteer Appreciation Party Are you one of StepUp Ministry's 297 volunteers? StepUp is throwing a fiesta, just for you! Mark your calendar for Monday, April 16, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. and join us for our annual Volunteer Appreciation Party at Cantina 18. Contact Kathleen Liebowitz at kliebowitz@stepupministry.org or , ext. 111, with questions. Food Needed Remember that food is needed in our local pantries. When shopping, pick up a couple of extra cans to place in the crate in The Connector. Canned pasta, canned meat and canned fruit are always needed. Photo: Church members hard at work at a recent Angel Food cooking party helping to stock the ministry s freezer! Hurricane Matthew Recovery Day Trips There is still much to do in the eastern part of our state in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in October They could use work crews for a variety of tasks. If you have interest in joining in some day trips to the Rocky Mount/Tarboro area, contact Gloria Johnson at gjohnson@whitememorial.org or , ext Educator s Fund If you work in the Wake County Public School System, this fund could help you meet an immediate or otherwise not covered need. We offer small grants to help with student, teacher or school nurse needs, etc. Contact Gloria Johnson at , ext. 207, or gjohnson@whitememorial.org with questions. Oak City Outreach Collection Help the WMPC Young Adults collect donations for Oak City Outreach. Items needed are: bars of soap, wash cloths (dark colors), lotion, shaving cream, deodorant (men and women), toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, cough drops, tissue (individual packs), lip balm, disposable razors, over the counter pain relievers. Items need to be travel size and unopened/unused. Drop off items in marked bins located in The Connector. Come to Geneva Hall on Saturday, April 7, 10:00 a.m.-noon to make sandwiches for Raleigh Rescue Mission and collection bags for a food drive. Also on April 7, 9:00 a.m.-noon, is clean-up day at Oberlin Cemetery. The cemetery is located behind the Interact Building at 1014 Oberlin Road. The following tools with be helpful if you have them: axes, grubbing hoes, hand pruning saws (safety glasses), wheelbarrows, strong handle shovels, small clippers and gloves if you have them. Light refreshments and water will be provided. For details, contact Cam Lewis at clewis153@nc.rr.com. The WMPC Weekly, March 21, 2018 Page 5

6 Easter Memorials Contributions in memory of or in honor of a loved one, family member, friend, or member of the church family are welcomed. Contributions may be for any amount, but a gift of $20 or more is suggested. To request a memorial or honorarium, fill out and return the form below. Those honored or memorialized will be listed in the Order of Worship for Easter, April 1. All requests must be in the church office by noon on Monday, March 26, in order to meet the publication deadline. Call Rebecca Turner at , ext. 222, with questions. Easter flowers will stay at the church for morning worship and whenever possible, delivered to homebound members or members in nursing homes. Contributions will go into a fund used for all of the decorations in the sanctuary and chapel for Easter and at other times throughout the year. To sign up to help deliver, contact Amy Claprood at , ext. 210, or aclaprood@whitememorial.org. Easter Flower Form Please Print. Deadline: noon on Monday, March 26 Name of Donor: Telephone Donation Amount: Given: in honor of, or in memory of [Please refrain from using titles. List names with first (or goes by name) and last name. Example: Joe Green, or Peggy and John Jones. Due to space constraints, we are unable to note family relationship.] (Name) (Name) Put form in the offering plate on Sunday or drop it off in the church office to the attention of Rebecca Turner. The deadline is noon on Monday, March 26. The WMPC Weekly, March 21, 2018 Page 6

7 Sabbath Sunday March 25: Family devotional is available in the youth news. Easter Sunday April 1: No Sunday School or PYC Massanetta Youth and Parent Information Meeting April 8, 12:15 p.m. in C100 Impact Group Finale April 8, 5:00-6:30 p.m. See locations in Youth News. Montreat Youth and Parent Meeting April 15, 12:15 p.m. in K100 PYC April 15, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Bring $5 for dinner. Confirmation Sunday April 22, 9:30 a.m.: Breakfast in Geneva Hall; 11:00 a.m.: Recognition in Sanctuary Service ASP Youth and Parent Information Meeting April 29, 12:15 p.m. in K100 PYC Finale for all Youth Families April 29, 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Laurel Hills Park Weekly Youth Newsletter Do you want to receive the weekly youth newsletter that s full of great information? Contact Deb Smith at dsmith@whitememorial.org to be added to the contact list. Calendar for the Week Palm Sunday, March 25 (Isaiah 50:4-9a; Mark 11:1-11) Worship (8:15, 9:30, 11:00 a.m. - Sanctuary; 11:00 a.m. - OnPoint@1704, Pickard) 9:30 a.m. - OnPoint House Band (Pickard); Confirmands & Elders Gather (C100) 12:15 p.m. - Seniors Helping Seniors (C200, C , C ) 4:30 p.m. - Cancer Companions (C203) 5:00 p.m. - Middle/High School Sabbath Sunday (Off Site) Monday, March 26 (Ps. 121; Lam. 1:1-2, 6-12; 2 Cor. 1:1-7; Mark 11:12-25) 5:30 p.m. - T ai Chi for Exercise (Pickard) 6:00 p.m. - Men s Bible Study (Chapel) 6:15 p.m. - Nursery for Worship (L101) 6:30 p.m. - Holy Week Worship (Chapel) 7:00 p.m. - Alcoholics Anonymous (C100); Handbell Choir (S300); Stephen Min. Training (K302) 7:10 p.m. - Jim Gale Bible Study (K100) 8:00 p.m. - Adult Basketball (Pickard) Tuesday, March 27 (Ps. 25; Lam. 1:17-22; 2 Cor. 1:8-22; Mark 11:27-33) 7:00 a.m. - Men s/women s Breakfast Bible Study (Geneva/K100) 8:30 a.m. - Yoga for Exercise (C100) 9:30 a.m. - Fit after Fifty (Pickard); God Talk (W400) 10:30 a.m. - Tues. A. M. Bible Study (C301) 5:30 p.m. - StepUp Easter Egg Hunt (Pickard) 6:00 p.m. - StepUp Life Skills Program/Dinner (Geneva) 6:15 p.m. - Nursery for Worship (L101) 6:30 p.m. - Holy Week Worship (Chapel) 7:00 p.m. - Combined Sanctuary/Chancel Choirs (L304/S300); Weekday School Committee Meeting (C204) 7:30 p.m. - Boy Scout Troop 395 (Pickard) Wednesday, March 28 (Ps. 27; Lam. 2:1-9; 2 Cor. 1:23-2:11; Mark 12:1-11) 9:30 a.m. - Bible Belles (Off Site) 10:00 a.m. - Chair Yoga (C200) 4:30 p.m. - Carol Choir (L304); Joyful Noise Choir (S300); Cherub Choir (L311) 5:00 p.m. - Wednesdays Together Dinner (Pickard) 5:30 p.m. - Education & Nurture Committee (C301) 6:15 p.m. - Youth Band (K100); Nursery for Worship (L101) 6:30 p.m. - Holy Week Worship (Chapel) 7:00 p.m. - Disciple 1 (K307); Young Adult Bible Study (C102); Outreach Committee (W400); OnPoint House Band (K100) 8:00 p.m. - Al-Anon (C100) Thursday, March 29 (Ps. 126; Lam. 2:10-18; 1 Cor. 10:14-17, 11:27-32; Mark 14:12-25) 8:00 a.m. - Labyrinth Open for Walking (Chapel) 9:30 a.m. - Thurs. A.M. Bible Study (W400); T ai Chi (C200) 10:45 a.m. - Keenagers: The Cardinal Singers (K100) noon - Keenager Lunch (Geneva) 6:00 p.m. - NAMI Peer to Peer (C301); Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (W400) 6:30 p.m. - Nursery for Maundy Thursday Service (L101) 7:00 p.m. - Maundy Thursday Service (Sanctuary) Friday, March 30 (Ps. 105; Lam. 3:1-9, 19-33; 1 Peter 1:10-20; John 13:36-38) 7:00 p.m. - Good Friday Blues, Ballads and Spirituals (Sanctuary) 7:15 p.m. - Nursery for Good Friday Worship (L , L106) 8:00 p.m. - Alcoholics Anonymous (C100) Saturday, March 31 (Ps. 31; Lam. 3:37-58; Heb. 4:1-16; Rom. 8:1-11) 8:30 a.m. - Sunday School Setup (Classrooms) 7:30 p.m. - Easter Vigil at St. Michael s Episcopal Church (Off Site) The WMPC Weekly, March 21, 2018 Page 7

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