OPMH E Gram (Nov 4, 2007)

Meeting House Worshipers: Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Morning Services (8:30 and 11:00 am)

A Festival of Hymns

As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the “new” Lively-Fulcher Organ, we are delighted to have Michael Burkardt with us at both worship services this Sunday. Through readings and hymns, we will remember with thanksgiving those who have lived and died in the faith, and sing together the praises of the God who brings life out of death. As we are also celebrating our “Concerts with a Cause” series, a special offering will be received at both services to benefit the family to Family Program of the Meeting House, which provides emergency assistance to the working poor.

Michael Burkardt’s music is well known to us because it has been included in many of our worship services. Read all about him in the special bulletin for this Sunday.

Concerts with a Cause

This series began soon after the dedication of the organ in 1997. The series has the goal of providing musical enrichment, outreach to the community, and support for those in need. The concerts are free to the public, and an offering is taken to suport a local, national, or international mission effort.

The first concert was held on March 21, 1999, to benefit “Friends of Guest House,” a program providing supportive housing and counseling for female ex-offenders transitioning to life outside prison. Since then, the church has sponsored over fifty concerts, raising more than $80,000 to support causes ranging from health care in Pakistan, an orphanage in Kenya, and rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, to the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium and the Arlandria Health Care Center locally, to many more.

Family-to-Family Ministry

As mentioned above, you may make special donations to this ministry today. Simply write Family to Family on your offering envelope or on the check memo line. Family-to-Family helps the working poor meet temporary emergency needs. Clients must have an Arlington or Alexandria (City or Fairfax County) address. We receive referrals from social workers, check to see that the client has not been assisted within the last four months, and then send a check directly to the utility, rental agency, or other provider of services. Our maximum grant is $100. Recent requests have included expenses for baby food, tools with which to begin a new job, car repair to get to a job, mattresses for the reuniting family of an ex-offender, and diapers. The 2007 Meeting House budget provides $111,832, which is augmented from time to time by groups and individuals, or a Concert with a Cause. Five Meeting House volunteers staff this ministry, one per weekday. The demand is so high that generally the weekly funds are disbursed by Tuesday.

Coffee Hour: Join us in Fellowship Hall after the 11:00 am service.

Christian Education. Sunday morning education classes and Bridges to Worship resume this Sunday

Children’s Education: Classes for children, age 3 years through Grade 12 meet at 9:30 in the Education Building and Flounder House. Children in grades 1-5 continue their study of Stewardship – check the board in the Education Building entrance for your grade’s room assignment. This Sunday, children in Grades 1-5 will begin a new series of workshops digging into the story of Jonah. Check the board inside the Education Building for grade assignments.

Adult Education

Wednesday Evening Bible Study: The Book of Acts, 7:30-8:30 pm, Flounder 1b, through Nov. 28. Led by the Rev. Ann Herlin. Please RSVP to the Church Office; books are $12.

Westminster Hall: Sunday Morning Bible Study: The Gospel of Matthew, continues through Dec. 23,. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? The early church had a manual on discipleship – the Gospel of Matthew. Come join us for an in-depth study. Books are $6. Class facilitators: Lee Posey, Tom Roberts, Ed Willis, Hal Collums.

Heritage Hall: “Practicing our Faith,” continues through November 25. In the midst of such activities as prayer, hospitality, singing, forgiveness, keeping Sabbath, and household economics, participants will find ways to “practice faith.”

Fellowship Hall: Church Staff will lead “Presbyterian 101,” a four-week study exploring our Reformed heritage.This week’s study focuses on our unique theology and basic beliefs. The next the class will delve into our worship and sacraments; and the last week will explore our polity and form of church government.

Special Event! Theologian John de Gruchy will be here all the way from South Africa for a presentation, Christian Humanism and Reformed Identity, to be held here at OPMH on Sat., Nov. 3, from 10 am to noon in Heritage Hall. For more information or to register, go to www.reformedinstitutue.org or call 703.518.5125.

Reformed Institute: Look on the web site for these special offerings.

Fellowship, Study, and Prayer Groups:

Youth:

We will be meeting Sunday evening at 4:30 in the Sanctuary for training by the worship committee. After dinner, we will continue our work preparing for Youth Sunday, Nov 18.. We will wrap up between 6:30 and 7:00 pm.

There will also be parents meeting at 4 pm this Sunday in Fellowship Hall. (Parents: feel free to organize a dinner out together in Old town afterwards if you’d like!)

Don’t forget, please buy 4 Christmas stockings - to hand out this Sun. and next. On both Sundays we will meet at 9:15 in front of the sanctuary with stockings in hand ans station ourselves to pass them out after the 8:30 service.

20s/30s – Brunch today! This group is open to all in their 20s and 30s (married, single, members, visitors, friends). Join us on this and every first Sunday for brunch; meeting in front of the church after the 11:00 am service. We also meet on Monday nights at 913 Oronoco Street at 7 pm. All are welcome! For more info., call Mike Campagna at 703-785-4736 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

First Sundays with the Stephen Ministers: An informal time of fellowship on the first Sunday (this 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 (703-780-4134 or 703.836.6701) if you have questions.

Calling all Scandihoovians! Join in a day of lefse-making in preparation for the holidays. We will take over the Fellowship Hall kitchen and break into teams to peel 20+ lbs of potatoes (depending on number of participating households), boil them, rice them, make lefse dough logs, enjoy a lunch of soup while the dough logs cool, then start rolling out and cooking the lefse until it is all made! This is a lot of fun in a group and everyone will go home with lefse to put in their freezer or consume as they choose. Call Lisa Anderson to RSVP and coordinate at 703.549.5609 or cell, 703.851.0189. Tentative date reserved on OPMH calendar is the Friday after Thanksgiving. If too many interested in joining in will be out of town that day, another date can be planned.

Mission

Stockings for Soldiers: The OPMH Youth would like to send some Christmas cheer to soldiers in Iraq and and other overseas locations. Simply pick up a stocking from one of our youth after today’s service and stuff it with goodies for the holiday. A list of suggested items will be in each stocking. And don’t forget a Christmas card and personal note to let the troops know they are not alone. Children’s drawings are a real hit! Please return stockings to the church on Sun., Nov 18 or 25. Questions? Contact Cristy at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Emily Oehler at 703.836.1625 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

United College Ministries in Northern Virginia invites individuals and families from area congregations to host international students in their home for Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 22. Over the last 6 years 466 students have been hosted in 231 homes for a taste of an American family holiday. If you are interested, please send your name, address, phone number, email address and number of students you would like to host to Camilo Bearman at 703.739.9469 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Deadline is November 15. You will be matched with a student close to your home.

Sponsor a Family for Christmas! Alexandria’s Department of Human Services “Holiday Sharing” program matches our neediest neighbors with those who would like to share their blessings. OPMH has participated in this program for many years: Last year our congregation sponsored more than 20 families and several foster teens and senior citizens. If you would like to sponsor a family, please contact Debra McKeown by Nov. 11 at 703.780.5201 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . You will receive a “wish list” by Thanksgiving and need to deliver wrapped gifts to the church by Dec 14. Some people got to deliver directly to the family, and that can be arranged. Please prayerfully consider this mission opportunity.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is responding to the string of wildfires in southern California.  Beth Goss (minister member of National Capital Presbytery) and Mark White, members of the PDA National Response Team, are on their way to Los Angeles to offer spiritual and emotional care giving to staff of the Pacific Presbytery and the Malibu Presbyterian Church that burned Sunday night, Oct. 21. One Great Hour of Sharing funds are also being made available to help the Malibu congregation continue their ministry and to help provide a humanitarian response to the community. Additional information on the fire that destroyed the Malibu Presbyterian Church can be found on the PNS web site at http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2007/07678.htm.

The Global Missions Committee plans to organize another trip to Bay St. Louis, MS, in late April to help First Presbyterian Church with their continued reconstruction efforts following Hurricane Katrina. An information meeting for those interested in learning about this mission opportunity is scheduled for Jan. 13 following the 11:00 am service in Elliot House Library.

Music:

Adult Choir rehearses on Thursdays, at 7:30 pm in the balcony. Everyone is welcome!

Children’s Choir’s rehearses on Sundays, in room 22, Education Building. 12:05-12:50 pm.

If you’ve ever thought about singing with our adult choir but don’t have the time to devote to it permanently, you might consider joining for only a few weeks. On Sun., Dec 2, the choir is performing Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria” during both worship serivces and we welcome you to join us. Rehearsals begin at 8:15 pm on the Thurs evenings in Nov. You don’t need to be a budding Pavarotti or ‘American Idol’ finalist to join, a nice voice and the ability to read music is helpful. For more information contact Robert Saladini at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Churchwide News:

Stewardship Dedication Sunday, November 11: Next Sunday, Nov. 11, we will dedicate our pledges for the coming year. All members are asked to bring their pledge cards to worship and present them as a part of our worship. This promises to be a special time in the life of the Old Presbyterian meeting House. Your presence and pledge are very important. Please make every effort to be here.

Flower Dedications/Memorials: Kerri Stevens, the new point of contact for OPMH’s flower dedications, is seeking contributors for the next three months. Dedications are needed for Sunday, Oct 21^st onward. Donation cost is $65. Please contact Kerri at 703.966.3895 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to schedule your date and related dedication.

Anyone interested in training to be a Lay Reader on Sun. mornings, please meet Skip Bea and Christine Heiby in the Sanctuary immediately following the 11:00 service on Sun., Nov. 18. This is a refresher course for current Lay Readers and a chance to learn how to become a Lay Reader. All are welcome.

Did You Know – On in 10 people will use blood before the age of 70! (One in 10 people is about 1 person in every two pews in this Sanctuary.) .Someone you know could need your blood. Sign up for the Blood Drive on Nove 25 from 11:00 to 3:00 sponsored by the Deacons. Sign up before adult education or at coffee hour or call Suzanne Beerthuis at 703.360.7191.

Westminster at Lake Ridge cordially invites you to an Information Focus Group on Thurs., Nov. 8, at 12:30 pm in Fellowship Hall.  Lunch will be served and afterwards we are very excited to start with OPMH as our first stop in getting to know our church members again.  Do you know about Life Care or Fee for Service continuing care Retirement Communities like WLR?  Please come and share with us good food, information and great friends.  One of our new residents is very familiar to many of you who have attended the church.  Bill Sengel and his wife, Marian, will be joining us for the event.  Find out from him why he chose Westminster at Lake Ridge.  You don’t have to bring a thing – just yourself.  We have many good things to tell you about the community and where we are going.