6/28/2009

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at the Power House in Baltimore, Maryland.



It started out Sunday (6/14) with Morning Worship. We had a good crowd for the service and Lou was baptized and confirmed during it. Lou told me afterward that getting baptized is something she’s wanted to do for many years and that the events of the morning were “like a dream come true.” Her granddaughter Crystal is the one who started bringing her to church a few months ago.



Since it was the second Sunday of the month, we were using the video projector for songs, announcements, and a photo vignette. Unfortunately, the projector decided to repeatedly turn itself off. Though frustrated, we were able to get through most of the songs.



Meanwhile over at Carroll Park, Gloria was staffing a booth at a stop on the bicycle tour. This is an annual event that has grown dramatically over the years.



A man who was to give us an estimate on repairing our speakers was scheduled to come between Morning Worship and Kids’ Church. He didn’t show up. While waiting for him we finished our camp information mailing to the parents of kids who are attending this year.



Early Tuesday morning Danny dropped off the Andersons at BWI for a trip to Disney World. While we were gone Tamara and Jenn ran the children and youth activities while Gloria and Danny were responsible for different adult activities. Earl brought the message on Sunday morning.



Wednesday’s main focus was on catching up with paperwork from a week gone. We had lots of mail, email, phone messages, and the like. Included in them was a message from Dan in admissions at Graceland University. He’s going to be in town in a couple of weeks and wanted to schedule a time to meet with students and parents who might be interested in knowing more about Graceland. We scheduled the event for the evening of July 12.



On Thursday we spent some time working on Bible School. In the process we secured having the horses come one day and having the inflatable obstacle course and moon bounce another. We also left messages to try to connect up with having some nursing students help staff the event as well. Further, we updated the Bible School promotional banner so it can be hung on the front of the building this weekend.



While working on this I got a call from Stella. Her brother Frank had taken a turn for the worse. I went up to the hospice and spent about an hour there until all the family could gather.



That afternoon Gloria hosted the Healthy Communities meeting at the church. They’re using the facilities next week for a community gathering as well.



We also spent some time on Thursday trying to get some things repaired. The projector manufacturer wants us to mail it in so they can diagnose the problem. We had some further referrals for people who might be able to repair our speakers. None returned our calls.



That night Danny and I met together to discuss some long-term issues in the congregation. I’ll be meeting with some others to do likewise in the days to come.



Throughout the week we were in email dialogue with Donna. She’s an associate of Marjorie, the director of community nursing at University of Maryland, who has run a weekly community project for several years at St. Jerome’s Headstart here in Pigtown. This fall they will be needing a new base for this program and we’re coordinating to make The Power House that base. We’ll be meeting together in a couple of weeks to solidify plans.



Friday night brought Pizza Church. Tamara, Jenn, and Sarah were immersed in the final stages of camp preparation so they were unable to participate. Even without them we had good sessions throughout the evening. The camp-bound kids where especially excited about their upcoming trip.



After the kids left I noticed a message on the answering machine. Frank had died earlier that evening. I followed up with a call to Stella and began working on arrangements.



Tamara, Jenn Dubs, Jenn Maser, and Robert all headed out to camp on Saturday afternoon. They get there a day early to prepare for the campers’ arrival on Sunday afternoon.



On my way to the church that evening Elizabeth was out on her steps so I stopped to see how she was doing (her husband had died two weeks ago). She told me that Jenny wouldn’t be in church in the morning because her daughter had died earlier that day. I went straight to Jenny’s to visit with her for a few minutes and offer condolences.



That night brought our monthly Sundae Church. The senior high boys who came were all camp bound and had lots of things to share about their hopes for the week ahead.



Looking ahead to next week our regular schedule of activities will be different than usual. First thing in the morning on Sunday we’ll be going to BWI to pick up our rental vans. For Morning Worship we’ll have our camp sendoff service. At 2:00 we’ll be on the road taking kids to Prince William Forest park in Virginia. Because of this we will not have Kids’ Church or Evening Worship on that day. On Monday evening, Healthy Communities will host a community meeting at the church. The NA group meets on Wednesday and on Friday we’ll again pick up rental vans and head to Virginia to pick up the campers. We plan to be back in time for Pizza Church that night. Paul Davis is scheduled to arrive sometime on Saturday afternoon to spend some time in the neighborhood on his way home from reunion at Deer Park in Pennsylvania. In addition, we’ll be writing curriculum for July through December for Pizza Church and Kids’ Church and doing more preparations for our upcoming Bible School.



Along with the individuals and activities mentioned, please keep the following families in the forefront of your prayers:



The Harrison Family

The Walker Family

The Shorter Family

The Zerwonka Family

The Rice Family

The Lancaster Family

The Ferguson Family

The Pettis Family



Thank you for your continued prayer support.



Jeff and everyone at

The Power House

“Building the Kingdom of God Here and Now”

PowerHouseMD@Juno.com

www.pigtownchurch.org