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Late Fall/Advent 2020
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Worship With Us
https://zoom.us/j/512606078?pwd=R1lQTDd3bm9ySFRlNGN1T1d0SkgrZz09
During the global pandemic, BPC is worshipping online every Sunday at 10 am. Join us using the above link.
Key Advent Dates
Saturday, December 12 will feature a special, safe Christmas drive-thru event at the BPC parking lot. See page 4 for more details.
Sunday, December 20 at 7 pm, we will host a virtual Longest Night Service, a place to bring our lament and grief.
On Christmas Eve, December 24, we will host two online worship services: 4 pm is the family service and 7 pm is the traditional service.
A Widened Circle
A finished product: Check out pages 11 and 12 to see a few images of our beautiful new church space. A video of the whole project will be shown at the Town Hall on Dec. 6.
THE NEW LEAF Newsletter of Burke Presbyterian Church Members and Friends
Advent is all about waiting. We can’t remember a year when we collectively have been more eager for an end to the waiting.Waiting for a vaccine.Waiting to be together again.We have found that Advent words can help. Join in our devotional practice of pondering a word every day: The words (featured above) come to us from our neighbors at the Virginia Theological Seminary and the #adventword project. Details about how to participate are in our bi-weekly emails and on Facebook.We also encourage you to subscribe to the Burke Presbyterian Church YouTube channel online (youtube.com), where we will be posting “fireside chats” about these words.Hang on, dear ones. He is coming.
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Pastors’ CornerAdvent means coming.That’s the literal truth, or, at least the etymological truth. The same Latin roots can also mean arriving, and I find hope for this season in this convergence. We are coming to a new place and arrival is guaranteed.Then I think way back to a child’s Christmas in Tennessee, which was never quite as lyrical as the one in Wales, but it was what we had, and it always seemed to take forever in arriving. December was not only the month of the longest night, but it was also somehow the month of endless days stretching out all too slowly from the arrival of the Sears catalog and the slow gathering of presents that began appearing beneath the tree.There were school days and carol sings, and, in our household, two birthdays, but none of that sped up the coming of Christmas.Still, if I recall correctly, every single year Christmas did eventually arrive more or less on time.Advent means coming and arriving.We’re invited to live in the tension between the two. Perhaps no year has this tension felt more real and less inviting than Advent 2020. In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, with news of a promising vaccine on the horizon, we’re living with hope and expectation that what’s coming will be good news for all of us.As followers of Jesus, we know good news to be good, and we know, as the promise in Luke puts it, that this shall be “good news of great joy for all people.” The hopes and fears of all the years are met in this good news.In a time of great fearfulness, let us be the body of Christ in and for the world, and a source of good news and great joy for all we meet through the living of these Advent days.
Pastor David
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A Town HallBPC Staff
Interim Pastor Rev. Dr. David Ensign ([email protected])
Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry Rev. Adam Ogg ([email protected])
Director of Spiritual Growth Arlene Decina ([email protected])
Director of Music Ministry Julianne Erbrecht ([email protected])
Director of Communications Kim Marin ([email protected])
Pianist Tim McReynolds ([email protected])
Business Administrator Holly Walsh ([email protected])
Leadership
BPC is governed by a 15-member Session (“elders”) charged with the spiritual leadership of the congregation, policy-setting and long-term planning.
The board of deacons provides pastoral care to congregants in need.
A full list of acting elders and deacons may be found at www.BurkePresChurch.org.
Our Mission Statement
“Becoming Disciples through Sabbath, Study and Service.”
Hear ye! Hear ye! We know that without the benefit of hallway chit-chat and in-person gatherings, it can be hard to feel like all your questions about the life of the church are being answered. That’s why our church leaders have organized a town hall meeting, which is less formal than our regular congregational meeting and is designed just for you, to offer various community updates and answer your questions. We will gather after worship (around 11 am) on Sunday, December 6. We’ll show you a video of our beautiful, newly completed space, now that the Widen the Circle construction project has been completed!Have questions about that project generally?About the BPC budget?The pastor nominating committee?The BPC preschool?The Session's thoughts about continuing virtual worship? Our leaders will be on hand to answer you. We are collecting questions in advance, so please compile YOURS and send them to Kim Marin ASAP: [email protected] will do our best to tackle as many of them on the 6th as possible.
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Advent HappeningsWords that Inspire: Art, "Fireside Chats," and Preparing Our Hearts for Christ. BPC invites you to join us in a spiritual practice that we hope will center us in the season while also connecting us when we cannot physically be together. Through social media and YouTube, we will focus every day throughout Advent on one word that speaks to the season. The first word, for example, was for November 29: "Tender." Pastor David recorded a mini "movie" (no more than 2 minutes) of himself reflecting on that word. And look … he even used our beautiful new gathering
space fireplace as a backdrop! Want to join in the fun? We want others in our community to consider making short videos as well! Sign up by going here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0e4ca8af2aaaf49-advent and we'll pass along the details. Want to simply follow along via YouTube? Subscribe to the account today! It’s easy and free. Just go to www.youtube.comAlso, you can participate by sharing pieces of art or writings on social media. Want to learn more about the "Advent Word of the Day" movement? Check out the list of words provided by our neighbors at the Virginia Theological Seminary here: https://adventword.org/en/adventword-2020/
A Christmas “Drive-Thru” Extravaganza: Saturday, December 12 (rain date is Dec. 13) We’re planning a safe Christmas experience for BPC members, friends, and the entire Burke community. You will stay safely in your cars, and still experience carol-singing (we have a radio to transmit!), cookies and a live nativity. Want to sign up bring cookies? Go here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c094aacaa2a1-cookiesCome to drop off your donations for various mission ministries (see adjacent pages). We will gather Saturday, December 12 (with a rain date of Sunday, December 13). We will have a sign-up to register in advance. The timing is 5-5:30 for the "full BPC experience" and 7-7:30 for the wider community to drop off donations, hear a few carols, and see the live nativity.We only have about 60 parking spots to “set aside” for individuals or families, so you will need to make a reservation: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094AACAA2A1-christmas Important note: If you come for this event, you will not be able to come and go freely from it. You will need to arrive by 5:30 and stay for the duration of the program. This is for the safety of all involved.
Make a Christmas Joy Offering
This is our opportunity to serve both the racial-ethnic educational programs of the church and the needs of retired ministers, missionaries and church workers. Half of the offering supports the continued ministry of educating and forming Christian leaders though our racial and ethnic schools and colleges. The other half goes toward current and retired church workers who experience tragedy, health concerns, or financial hardship.
Find the link to give at www.burkepreschurch.org/onlinegiving
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Mission During AdventHow You Can Help (in order of deadlines):
1. Do you want to help a local family who has requested a holiday meal through ECHO (Ecumenical Community Helping Others)? You can receive the name and address of a family in Burke or Springfield and send a grocery gift card through the mail in a contact-less but personal way. Suggested amounts include: 1 person-$25; 2 people-$30; 3 people-$40; 4 people-$50; 5 people-$60. Please contact Jean Buffardi at [email protected] or text her at 703-725-6549 by December 5 with the size of family you would like to support and she will send you the information. ECHO also has a wish list for items for families at: Holiday Gift Wishlist now: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1VYYXS0DTZ5PE?ref_=wl_share More information about ECHO needs may be obtained at echo-inc.org.
2. For many years, at Christmastime, BPC has supplied sweaters in a range of sizes for the men who reside at Christ House, a facility in downtown D.C. for the formerly homeless. We are doing things differently this year, but the project is still on. If you would like to buy some sweaters, please reach out to Al Bast ([email protected]) this week to get names and sweater sizes of the gift recipients. We will have a contact-less sweater drop off from 1-3pm in the BPC parking lot on December 5 so that we can get them to Christ House for its annual holiday event on Dec 8. Things you can plan to bring to the Christmas drive-through, drop-off event (see adjacent page): 3. BPC has supported a local family through Homestretch for several years, and we are on again this Christmas to bring joy to "C" and her two children. Here is the signup link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0e4ca8af2aaaf49-homestretch2 Start shopping now and you can deliver your wrapped gifts to the church parking lot on December 12.
4. Build some stockings! BPC supports the women at Bethany Women’s Center on N Street in downtown Washington every Christmas: This year, the center is quarantined, and as a result, stockings are needed for the Emergency Shelter and other supportive homes that serve a similar population of homeless women. Here’s how you can help: Buy a pair (or more) or thick, warm knee socks and stuff them with items that would be useful to the women: grooming supplies, lotions, small toiletries, notebooks, tissues, costume jewelry, hats, gloves, scarves … use your imagination! Tie your stockings with a bright ribbon and bring them to the December 12 parking lot event at BPC.
5. Alternative gifts: BPC offers ways for you to give something meaningful to the person who has everything! Make a donation to a cause the church supports (turn the page to see all your options), in honor of someone close to you. We have attached the form to the following page! Print it! Use it! Scan it, mail it, or bring it with you on December 12.
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Mission During Advent
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Kibwezi During CovidAn Update from Kibwezi, Kenya: The Tumaini Orphan Care Project “We are not alone in feeling isolated, uncertain, and displaced by COVID 19. Our partners in Kibwezi have had a similar experience.The Preschool, Primary School and Polytechnic are temporarily closed as a result of the COVID virus. Like all of us, they are socially distancing, washing hands, and wearing masks in hopes that the situation stabilizes.The Tumaini Orphan Care Project, sponsored by BPC, supports 35 child orphans as well as five older orphans who have been accepted and are at various levels of post-secondary school.Here’s an example of one recent success story: Denis Muli Tom, who has been in the TOCP since he was 9, graduated from Kenya Methodist University on November 14. Denis entered the TOCP after his Mother died of HIV/AIDS. He was left in the care of his uncle who was frequently not present.Denis was noticed by concerned people wandering the market … he did not have enough food or adequate clothing, and those concerned citizens notified our social workers. After doing a thorough intake interview, Muli Tom came to live at the TOCP home and has been under the care of the program that we all support. I (Susan Kipp) had the privilege of meeting this young man in 2016 when I was visiting Kibwezi. Tom majored in financial engineering and is working for a company that develops mobile banking apps. He has a future, he has hope.Our TOCP partnership in Kibwezi is working on so many levels and our partners want to thank Burke Presbyterian and Clifton Presbyterian for our positive presence in so many lives. Our Alternative Giving Program is one way you can continue to generously support a program that is changing lives in and around Kibwezi, Kenya.” With gratitude,Rick Bryan, Carol Bryan and Susan Kipp (the TOCP points of contact)
You also can donate to the TOCP ministry directly at any time by going to www.burkepreschurch.org/onlinegiving and clicking on “Kibwezi Ministries.”
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Small Groups, Books, and Kids!Let’s Start Some New Small Groups! At a post-worship gathering this fall, BPC members came up with a few “wish list” small groups for our community. Would you be interested in helping to connect with (or organize!) one of these groups? Or perhaps you have another in mind? Or, maybe you aren’t sure which of our many existing groups would be the best fit for you!Small Groups Elder Nancy Morrison would love to hear from you: [email protected]. A 20s/30s Group, for married or single young adults who want to connect for fun and fellowship.2. A Mid-Week Men’s Group, for all ages!3. Adult Children of Aging Parents - Its purpose would be to serve this population as a kind of support group, offering resources, information sessions, and overall emotional care. 4. Personal Financial Management Group - Such a group could gather regularly around a pre-planned topic.
Our Own Little Free Library A creative and enterprising BPC youth has built a wonderful new addition for our property: a “little free library.” Harper Ham has spent part of her quarantine time building the structure, which she installed next to the BPC parking lot at the start of the path that leads to Kohl’s. Our hope is that it will serve the many community members who use the path, church members, and eventually, when the school is up and running again, preschoolers! Harper will serve as the librarian, and she has placed a donation bin in a covered spot under the back steps to the cottage. Here’s where you come in! If you have books that are suitable for adults, youth, or children that you would like to donate, just swing by the church and add them to the plastic donation bin. Harper will periodically curate the
donations and make sure a good blend of choices are always available in the library. Want to learn more about the national “little free library” movement? Go here! https://littlefreelibrary.org/ We are waiting for the official plaque that has BPC’s registration number on it, and once received, Harper will be able to add this to the national map of libraries.Thanks especially to Harper and also to the Mission Committee and the Session for developing and supporting this community project.
The BPC Preschool May Be Temporarily Closed, But Behind the Scenes, Things are Happening! School Board members, preschool staff, and church leadership are meeting regularly to have everything in place so we can welcome children back to the program, hopefully in the fall of 2021. We also are working on hiring an Interim Preschool Director and rebuilding our school board. If you have an interest and feel called in any way to support the preschool (perhaps by sitting on the search committee or joining our school board), please contact Mary Berlin, Elder for Children’s Ministry, [email protected].
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A Widened Circle
Can you believe it? This project so many of us have been waiting for is finally complete. We want to celebrate and fill the space!
And yet, the timing is complicated: It is ready to use at the exact moment scientists are telling us to stay home to stay safe.
The Session has made it possible for some limited Mission-related gatherings to happen safely inside the building, namely Snacks and Backpacks, which is meeting in the lower-level children’s ministry wing on Monday afternoons—with many precautions in place.
Landscaping work continues, including plans for an elegant, handmade climbing structure for kids of all ages. Friends who are missing the tree that needed to be removed will note and appreciate this lovely homage to that bit of nature.
We will continue to keep the congregation up to date on the evolving policies related to use of the space.
But in the meantime, don’t miss the Town Hall meeting planned for 11 am (post worship) on December 6! We will show you a video of the entire space. You won’t want to miss this!
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A Widened Circle
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A Message From the SessionHere are some of the more recent actions of the BPC Session (which is meeting over Zoom). It has:
* accepted the resignation of National Capital Presbytery Commissioner John Steinmetz (if you are interested in filling his position and participating in a once monthly Presbytery meeting, please contact Craig Postlewaite—[email protected])
* received the Mission Study Team’s (MST) final report, dismissed the team with much thanks, and discussed opportunities to better meet congregational needs, including increased communications
* met with this year’s confirmands (7), discussed their statements of faith approved them for BPC membership
* remained apprised of the final steps to be taken in wrapping up the Widen the Circle building project, and monitored the expenditure of project funds
* remained apprised of the financial condition of the church, which remains on firm ground, despite the pandemic
* explored possible opportunities for small group gatherings, employing COVID mitigation measures, to be safely held in the church during the pandemic
* approved the installation of a neighborhood “free library” on the BPC grounds that was constructed and maintained by Hunter Ham
* approved a Congregational Meeting, which was held on Sept 20, to modify our Congregational By-Laws to allow for virtual meetings; to elect a new elder; and to elect a Pastor Nominating Committee.
* approved the “Fill the House” annual stewardship campaign to meet a projected 2021 budget of $1.172M
* approved the use of our Preschool space, with appropriate COVID mitigation measure, for the Snacks and Backpack Packs program to resume on Mondays
~ Craig Postlewaite, Clerk of Session
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Non-Profi tOrganizationU.S. Postage
PAIDBurke VA
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The Gift of Listening Our Stephen Ministers (lay pastoral care providers) walk alongside those in special need of support, even during this time of physical distancing. We can connect with people in many ways, and as you can imagine, the need for good listeners is great. Could you use a listener? Might you be interested in joining the team of good listeners? Please consider reaching out to Kay Taylor to learn more about this critical ministry: [email protected]
