Page of 1 7 April Newsletter 2018 calvarybaptist-towson.org Email: [email protected]120 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Towson, Maryland 21204 Phone: 410-825-3360 or 410-823-5282 Co-Pastors: Reverend Dr. William Sean Lee and Reverend Sarah W. Lee Calvary Baptist Church Find Your Heart in the Heart of Towson – Join Us for Sunday Worship Service 11:00 am Sunday Worship Service Church Office Hours Monday – Thursday 8:30 am – 2 pm Closed on Fridays Closed Monday, April 2 Wednesday Programs Prayer & Bible Study: • 9:30 am: Joyce Keedy • 7 pm: Pastor Sean Choir Practice: • 6:30 pm: Motley Choir • 7 pm: Handbell Choir Adult Sunday School 9:45 am •Ruth Kulkarni’s Class RESURRECTION PEOPLE What a wonderful Easter celebration we had here at Calvary Baptist Church! The worship, music, Children and Youth Play, pageantry and fellowship leave all of us feeling truly blessed. In Christ our sins are forgiven, and we have the sure promise of eternal life with Christ when death comes for us. We have every reason to rejoice as we face the journey of life that stretches out before us! Now the question for us to consider is, “How do we live as people of the resurrection in Christ?” Consider the following reflections from John Eldredge: “We all—men and women—were created in the image of God. Fearfully and wonderfully made, fashioned as living icons of the bravest, wisest, most stunning Person who ever lived. Those who have ever seen him fell to their knees without even thinking about it, as you find yourself breathless before the Grand Canyon or the Alps or the sea at dawn. That glory was shared with us; we were, in Chesterton's phrase, "statues of God walking about in a Garden," endowed with a strength and beauty all our own. All that we ever wished we could be, we were—and more. We were fully alive. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen. 1:27) When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have set in place—what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? For you made us only a little lower than God, and you crowned us with glory and honor. (Ps. 8:3-5 NLT) I daresay we've heard a bit about original sin, but not nearly enough about original glory, which comes before sin and is deeper to our nature. We were crowned with glory and honor. Why does a woman long to be beautiful? Why does a man hope to be found brave? Because we remember, if only faintly, that we were once more than we are now.” As resurrection people we can now live in the original blessing, or glory, that was ours before sin came into the equation. Theologian Matthew Fox wrote a thought provoking book about this concept titled, Original Blessing. He argues that before there was any “doctrine of original sin” there was original blessing according to the creation accounts of Genesis. Indeed and exactly! Once we receive the forgiveness of our sins through faith in Christ’s death for us on the cross, the resurrection of Christ from the dead restores our original relationship (read “blessing”) with God. In Christ we are “re-created” to be what we were always meant to be. In a daily walk with the Holy Spirit we can begin to experience the ever increasing glory of Christ in us!
What a wonderful Easter celebration we had here at Calvary Baptist Church! The worship, music, Children and Youth Play, pageantry and fellowship leave all of us feeling truly blessed. In Christ our sins are forgiven, and we have the sure promise of eternal life with Christ when death comes for us. We have every reason to rejoice as we face the journey of life that stretches out before us! Now the question for us to consider is, “How do we live as people of the resurrection in Christ?” Consider the following reflections from John Eldredge: “We all—men and women—were created in the image of God. Fearfully and wonderfully made, fashioned as living icons of the bravest, wisest, most stunning Person who ever lived. Those who have ever seen him fell to their knees without even thinking about it, as you find yourself breathless before the Grand Canyon or the Alps or the sea at dawn. That glory was shared with us; we were, in Chesterton's phrase, "statues of God walking about in a Garden," endowed with a strength and beauty all our own. All that we ever wished we could be, we were—and more. We were fully alive. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen. 1:27) When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have set in place—what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? For you made us only a little lower than God, and you crowned us with glory and honor. (Ps. 8:3-5 NLT) I daresay we've heard a bit about original sin, but not nearly enough about original glory, which comes before sin and is deeper to our nature. We were crowned with glory and honor. Why does a woman long to be beautiful? Why does a man hope to be found brave? Because we remember, if only faintly, that we were once more than we are now.” As resurrection people we can now live in the original blessing, or glory, that was ours before sin came into the equation. Theologian Matthew Fox wrote a thought provoking book about this concept titled, Original Blessing. He argues that before there was any “doctrine of original sin” there was original blessing according to the creation accounts of Genesis. Indeed and exactly! Once we receive the forgiveness of our sins through faith in Christ’s death for us on the cross, the resurrection of Christ from the dead restores our original relationship (read “blessing”) with God. In Christ we are “re-created” to be what we were always meant to be. In a daily walk with the Holy Spirit we can begin to experience the ever increasing glory of Christ in us!
April 1: Psalm 118:14-24, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, John 20:1-18 April 8: Psalm 133, 1 John 1:1-2:2, John 20:19-31 April 15: Acts 3:12-19, 1 John 3:1-7, Luke 24:36b-48 April 22: Psalm 23, 1 John 3:16-24, John 10:11-18 April 29: Psalm 22:25-31, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8
Children’s Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, (April 1) after the service in the Church Courtyard. All are welcome to come.
April 22nd
CHP Tanya Bindernagel will be here to visit the church. She is the Army Chaplain that Calvary Baptist ordained in January.
As we move onward in the journey of following Jesus, take time in Scripture reading, prayer, fellowship with others who love Christ, and worship to strengthen the presence of Christ in you. As we so abide in Christ and him in us, we will lead others to Christ and bear fruit for the Kingdom of God as His resurrection people.
Rejoicing in the Resurrection, Pastors Sarah and Sean
Saturday, March 31 10-11 am Drop off Cakes for Our Daily Bread (frosted in foil pans, please)
Sunday, April 1Easter Sunday Communion Easter Egg Hunt after the Service in the Courtyard
Monday, April 2 Calvary Church Day of Prayer – day after communion service, as a congregation praying together for the membership, spiritual growth, and programs of our church.
Monday, April 2 Church office closed for Easter Holiday
Friday, April 6 7 pm College Group in Youth Room
Sunday, April 8 Sunday Worship Coffee Hour following the service in the Fellowship Hall
Sunday, April 15 Worship Service Teacher’s Appreciation Day
Friday, April 20 7 pm College Group in Youth Room
Saturday, April 21 9-11 am 7th Man meeting at Bob Evans on Joppa Road
Saturday, April 21 11-12:30 Senior Sharing Fellowship (SSF) see Rudraksha for details
Saturday, April 21 11:30-2 pm Calvary Work Day
Sunday, April 22 Worship Service
Friday, April 27 7 pm College Group in Youth Room
Saturday, May 5 10-11 am Drop off Cakes for Our Daily Bread (frosted in foil pans, please)
Saturday, May 12 10 am Program Director’s Meeting
Sunday, May 20 Worship Service Retirement Luncheon for Pastor Ruth Kulkarni after the service
Lynette Earles has moved to a new home. Please celebrate her joy with your prayers and cards as she settles into her new residence.
8608 McDaniel Avenue Baltimore, MD 21237-3018
Lynette with her parents, John and Ann Earles, celebrating John’s 90th birthday January 16, 2018.
• 9:45 - 10:45 One Room Sunday School for Children and Youth of all Ages • 10:45 - 12:00 Nursery (newborn - 3 years) • 11:15 - 12:00 Children's Church (3 years to 5th grade) • 11:15 - 12:00 Youth Connection on the 2nd & 4th Sundays (middle schoolers)
Final Name Comment Location Floor
Youth Room old Winnie the Pooh Room
Education Wing 1st Room on Left
Basement
ACTC Room old Sunday School Room Education Wing 1st Room on Right
Basement
Conference Room old Deacons Room Education Wing 2nd Room on Right
Basement
Fellowship Hall old Social Room Basement
Prayer Room Quilt Room off Fellowship Hall at bottom of circular staircase
Basement
Nursery Education Wing 1st Room on Left
1st Floor
Children’s Room Education Wing 2nd Room on Left
1st Floor
Education Room old Junior Room & presently used for Ruth’s Sunday School Class
Education Wing 3rd Room on Left
1st Floor
Choir Room Education Wing 1st Room on Right
1st Floor
Robing/Communion Room hallway near piano side of Sanctuary
1st Floor
Calvary Room Names and Room Signs
The rooms in Calvary have been assigned names for clarification and consistency as outlined below.
A special thanks to Carol Weitzel for purchasing the book Tortured for Christ as a gift for members of Calvary. This book is “a timeless and bestselling account of courage, tenacious faith, and unbelievable endurance and forgiveness”. The book was handed out on two Sundays and more copies are still available. You are welcome to take a book, which is on the table just inside the sanctuary by the front vestibule with the devotionals and newsletters. “After years of imprisonment and solitary confinement, enduring inhumane torture, Richard Wumbrand emerges with a powerful testimony of courageous faith.” Even today, believers are suffering and dying for Christ, yet their faith will not falter under the most unthinkable persecutions. In this stirring account the author, Richard Wurmbrand, encourages us to remember those in chains and equips us to help our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. Carol has a tremendous love for our Lord and the gift of this book is one of the ways she has chosen to share her love. Please take a FREE book for yourself or as a gift for a friend as long as they last.
Suddenly, on March 17, 2018 David Bruce Hoatson, U.S. Vietnam Army Veteran of Towson passed away. Beloved husband of Kathy L. Hoatson; loving father of Lorie A. Caslin and John D. Hoatson. David had been a member of Calvary since 1974. The picture on the right is from the 1991 Calvey Picture Directory
Calvary Work Day
is planned for Saturday, April 21 from 11:30 am to 2 pm. Please call Pastor Sarah for more information.
