OPMH E Gram (July 15, 2007)

Meeting House Worshipers: Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Morning Service (10:00 am)

Scripture

Colossians 1: 1-14

Luke 10: 25-37

Sermon

Getting Close — The Rev. Ann Herlin

Hymns

Praise Ye the Lord, the Almight

Christian Women, Christian Men

Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service

Other Special Music

Prelude:       Adagio– W.A. Mozart

Offertory:     Blessed Ye Who Live in Faith Unserving – Johannes Brahms

Postlude:      Prelude and Fugue in C minor – J.S. Bach

Lemonade on the Lawn: Join us behind the Sanctuary after 10:00 am service. Hosted by Priscilla and Todd Andre-Colton.

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

Scripture

Ephesians 5:6-14

Meditation (John Hitchcock)

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 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.

The Meeting House Hunger & Poverty Advocacy Working Group will meet July 26 at 7:30 pm in the Elliott House conference room. After conducting two educational sessions this spring to explore the issue, the group is ready to decide where to focus our advocacy efforts. If you feel called to action on this social justice issue, we need you at this meeting. Scott Boggess will facilitate this chartering session. If you have questions or want to receive summaries from our precious sessions, contact Marcha Rhea at 703.299.9717 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pray for our Mexico Work Campers: 27 members and friends of the Meeting House left this Sunday for Reynosa, Mexico. They are: Brian and Sam Alexander, Elizabeth Anderson, Jaura Cassidy, Katherine, Meredith, Michael, and Nancy Davidson, Dona de Leon, Abigail Dillingham, Cindy Douglass, Jaron, Morgan, Randy, and Ronda Drucker, Cate Elmore, Katherine and Margaret Gardner, Alice, Andrew, and Joe Howarth, Brad Kenimer, Lynn McClintock, Amanda Poe, Juli Smith, and Jane and Pete Winslow.

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 this Sunday and July 22. Please plan to give generously to this cause.

Children of Chernobyl Benefit Picnic this Sunday: 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. The times are 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.

Guest Organist: Ted Bickish, a student at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ is playing today. Please welcome him.

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 this Sunday and on July 22.

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