OPMH E Gram (July 8, 2007)

Meeting House Worshipers: Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Morning Service (10:00 am)

Scripture

Luke 10: 1-11, 16-20

2 Kings 5: 1-19

Sermon

Real Simple — Damaris Christensen

Hymns

God Is Here!

Be Thou My Vision

Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ

Other Special Music

Prelude:       Elevation– Marcel Dupré

Offertory:     God’s Time is Best – J.S. Bach

Postlude:      Festive Flourish – Malcolm Archer

Lemonade on the Lawn: Join us behind the Sanctuary after 10:00 am service. Hosted by the Education Committee.

Evening Service (6:30 pm in Heritage Hall, casual dress)

Scripture

Ephesians 4:1-16

Meditation (The Rev. Dr. Joyce Mercer)

Hymns

Various selections, usually contemporary in nature.

Christian Education. (Sunday classes do not meet during the summer months)

Tuesday Night Bible Study: Join us for a four-week study of Philippians, meeting from 7:30-8:30 pm in Flounder House (Room 1b) on July 10, 17, 24, and 31.

Fellowship, Study, and Prayer Groups:

Youth: Come to the 6:30 pm service in casual clothes.

20s/30s: This group is open to all in the 20s and 30s. Our “official” activities are on hiatus over the summer, but contact Make Campagna (703.785.4736) or Amy Anderson ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to be added to the mailing list.

First Sundays with the Stephen Ministers: An informal time of fellowship following the 10:00 am service (the first Sunday of each month) in the Elliot House Parlor. We welcome all who are experiencing loss or struggling to find joy in their lives to meet, one-on-one, with a Stephen Minister. Call Susan Grandy (703.836.6701) if you have questions.

Mission

The Environmental Issues Advocacy Group is exploring how OPMH can better care for God’s creation. Each month, the Group will share ideas and/or challenges to help the environment. Did you know that Alexandria City, and Arlington and Fairfax Counties recycle flattened paperboard? Paperboard includes cerial and cracker boxes (bags removed), outmeal containers, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, soda can cleeves and other food boxes.

Toy Donations Needed! Items needed are mini slinkies, small boxes of crayons, and small stuffed toys. Items will be taken to Massanetta Middle School Conference and ultimately given to local charities. This Sunday is the last day of collection. Boxes are located in Fellowship Hall, the Narthex and the Church Office. For more information contact Julie Peterson (703.4070.4835 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Back-to-School Drive: The Deacons are sponsoring a drive again this year to help low income families provide the school supplies their children need to begin school in the fall. Last year the congregation gave generously and over 37 students in Northern Virginia received backpacks containing these supplies. Collections will be made on July 15 and on July 22. Please plan to give generously to this cause.

Children of Chernobyl Benefit Picnic: Dima Kaspiavorich came to Alexandria from Belarus for the summers of 2005 and 2006 as part of the Children of Chernobyl program. Last fall, he was struck by a vehicle outside of his village and suffered life-threatening injuries and was hospitalized for 4 months. His spinal cord was severed, and this terrific soccer-loving boy will never walk again. The picnic seeks to raise $5,000 to cover the expenses of a top doctor from Israel, being arranged by Jewish Health International, to travel to Dima’s home to evaluate his medical condition and to determine what can be done for the best quality of life. Please bring a salad, side dish or dessert on Sunday, July 15 from 4:30-7:00 pm.  $20 per family for hamburgers, hotdogs, and activities for all ages.  Chinquapin Park Shelter, 3210 King Street, Alexandria (behind TC Williams.) RSVP to the Fallons at 703-489-0880 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Music:

Summer musicians needed while the choirs are on break Jun 17 thru Sep 2. Since Wayne will be on sabbatical, please contact Ina Berkey at 703.978.8558 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name, date, title & composer/arranger.

Churchwide News:

Our photo directories have arrived!  If you or your family were photographed for the directory, please stop by the Church Office to pick up your copy (one per family please.) The directories will be available Monday through Friday from 8:30-4:30. They will also be available at Lemonade on the Lawn the next two Sundays.

Our pastors are both away this weekend. For emergency pastoral concerns, please contact the Rev. Bill Kosanovich at 703-799-6402. Ann will be back Tuesday, July 10.

Electronic Info for the Meeting House Community:  Would you like a weekly preview of Sunday services?  It includes what hymns we’ll sing, the title of the sermon and other information. You can get this each Friday in an egram (via email) from Casey Naatjes by contacting him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it If you try it and find you don't want it, you can unsubscribe by following the instructions included with each egram.  The newsletter in color: WOW!!! When you choose to receive the OPMH monthly newsletter emailed to you versus snail mail, the colors throughout look great. The pictures are clearer, the text boxes, graphics and clip art stand out more, plus our mailing costs are reduced. You can either read directly from your computer screen or (if you have a color printer) you can print a hard copy and enjoy the colors that way. If you would like to have the newsletter emailed to you in the future please contact Cynthia Ehlinger at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 703-549-6670 ext. 120.

Are you ready?  A book entitled A Letter to My Loved Ones is available for sale in the Church Office. It is a self-help book to guide you through the process of collecting information your survivors will need after your death. It includes actual legal forms, medical forms, listings, addresses and other useful hints to make it easy to compile your wishes. The book is offered for $10 by the Spirit organization of the church.

Summer Evening Worship: Are you looking for an informal worship experience? Are you interested in singing some different worship songs, and worshiping in a smaller space? Does your vacation or summer schedule make it difficult to attend worship in the morning? Then check out the summer evening services at OPMH! Held in Heritage Hall at 6:30pm on Sundays in June and July. Join with people who are looking for hope in a difficult world, sharing their faith and fears while singing, praying and building community together. Come just as you are (yes, you can come in shorts and T-shirts), bring your family, friends and neighbors. Childcare will be provided in the Education Building. Watch this egram each week for information on the upcoming service. See you there!

Summer Evening Preachers are:

Damaris Christensen, June 3

Linda Lanam, June 10

Rory Mach, June 17

Rocky Laha, June 24

Larry Goleman, July 1

Joyce Mercer, July 7

John Hitchcock, July 15

Bill Kosanovich, July 22

Ann Herlin, July 29

New Members:

Chuck and Linda McIntyre (408 Prince St., 22314, 703-684-1328); transferring from First Presbyterian, Richmond, VA. Chuck is a lawyer with McGuire Woods, and enjoys reading and music.  Linda is an assistant registrar at the Georgetown University Law Center, and enjoys reading, gardening, and renovating their home. Their daughter Zoe is 4 1/2 months old.