April 2015

The Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church One Chevy Chase Circle Washington, DC 20015

Inside the Gateway

Worship and Music Worship Schedule for April ....................................................................... 2

Education Open Forum Schedule .................................................................................. 3

Community

Next Inquirers’ Seminar .............................................................................. 4 Fundraising Ideas........................................................................................... 4 Hard Hat Volunteers ..................................................................................... 4 The deadline to submit articles for the May Gateway is April 15 at 9:00 a.m.

Christ our Center Children our Blessing

Justice our Passion

It hardly seems possible that East-er is upon us. If shoveling snow can be considered penance, then we have done our fair share. Even as I write this, my phone buzzes with yet another winter weather advisory. We need Easter.

Still even as we long to be awakened to new life, we have barely celebrated Lent. It nearly slipped past us, almost unnoticed, as we held our Annual meeting, cele-brated the interim ministry of Jane Duffield, and scraped ice off our car windows. We are left running to catch up, hoping we won't miss the angel say, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised.”

It is time to sit and rest while we listen to the story that changes our lives, if we allow it to. The Easter story invites us to join a victory pa-rade and wave our palm branches. It calls us to sit in the Temple and hear Jesus debate the experts, and run when he kicks over the tables of the money changers. Jesus himself in-vites us to dine with him one last time, before everything falls apart.

It is this dinner, the Last Supper, that begins our Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service. One of the most beautiful and moving worship experiences of the year, this service bears us through betrayal, suffering and death. The movement of the service is reminiscent of the more familiar Lessons and Carols service at Christmas.

After sharing the Lord’s Supper, a passage of scripture is read and then followed by an anthem or hymn. With each passage, a candle in the chancel is extinguished. Eight can-dles in all give up their light as the story plunges us deeper into the darkness of Jesus’ suffering and death. Yet, there is nothing here that wallows in a glorification of pain. It is a story, simply and starkly told about God’s willingness to stop at nothing to confront injustice and misery. At the end of the service, the congregation sits in the darkness.

And in the quiet darkness, we can hear God’s heart break.

It is the breaking open of God’s heart that we experience on Easter. As the tomb is found open so God’s heart has broken open and love poured forth. Christ is risen! God’s will for life cannot be stopped even by the most cruel death. There is no suffering that God cannot relieve, no pain that God cannot heal.

That which was dead is alive again. It is a mystery best experienced through the heart rather than the head. I invite you to bring flowers on Easter Sunday to place on our flowering cross as you enter or leave the sanctuary. The flowers are signs of our giving our hearts to the mys-tery of new life. While we may not fully comprehend the death and res-urrection of Christ, we can experi-

ence the wonder of God’s tremendous life-giving love. I pray it may be so for you.

God’s Blessings,

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Worship Schedule

April 2 Worship: Maundy Thursday/Tenebrae Service at 7:30 p.m. MUSIC: 7:30— The Chancel Choir O vos omnes, Daniel Gawthrop (20th C) In Manus tuas, John Sheppard (16th C) O Sacred Head, harmonized by J.S. Bach Psalm 22 chanted to a setting by S.S.Wesley (19th C) Ubi Caritas, Ola Gjeilo (20th C) Were You There, traditional spiritual April 5 Worship: Easter

Services at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. The Rev. Molly Blythe Teichert will be preaching MUSIC: 9:15 & 11:15— The Chancel Choir, Brass and Organ

April 12 Worship: Communion Served Services at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. The Rev. Lynn Jostes will be preaching MUSIC: 9:15 & 11:15— Visiting Choir: The Darlington School from Rome, Georgia http://www.darlingtonschool.com April 19 Worship: Earth Justice Services at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. The Rev. Molly Blythe Teichert will be preaching MUSIC: 9:15— Revelations Guitar Group 11:15— The Chancel Choir

April 26 Worship: Service at 10:00 a.m. The Word offered in music in the Children’s Musical, “Rescue in the Night, The Story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den.”

DCFlutes The next concert on our 44th season of the Chevy Chase Concert Series will be a concert by DCFlutes on April 19 at 4 p.m. Founded in 2010, this vibrant performing group is conducted by Aaron Goldman, Principal Flute of the National Symphony Orchestra and sponsored by the Flute Society of Washington, D.C. In addition to summer camps and competitions, DCFlutes performs regularly around DC and will ap-pear this summer at the National Flute Con-vention in Washington, DC. The varied con-cert program will include The Faure Fanta-sie, op.79, with soloist, Aaron Goldman. A rare opportunity to hear a world-class flutist in our sanctuary! https://fsw.wildapricot.org

Children’s Musical: Rescue in the Night; The Story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den

The Carol, Junior and Chapel Choirs will present “Rescue in the Night; The Story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den!” at the combined 10:00 a.m. service, April 26th. Please plan on attending and invite your community friends with children to this very special presentation of the story of Daniel!

Good Friday

Ecumenical Stations of the Cross Friday, April 3, 2015

At each of the 14 stations, we remember Jesus’ final walk to Calvary. Journey to Easter with the Circle Churches All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Chevy Chase Baptist Church, Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. We’ll begin at 1:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary of The Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church and conclude around 2:30 with refreshments at Chevy Chase Baptist Church. The first three stations will be at CCPC. Please contact Lynn Jostes if you would be willing to par-ticipate as a reader, assistant, or cross-bearer in this annu-al tradition.

GO GREEN: Remember, you can save a tree and sign up to receive the Gateway electronically.

Church Building Schedule Update

Effective March 1, the church building will close at 7 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays.

The church building and office will be closed on Monday, April 6th.

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Adult Education and Nurture at CCPC

Options for Growing in Faith and Community April 2015: Sunday Mornings, 10:20 – 11:05 a.m.

Faith Trek (Meets from 10:00 – 11:05 a.m. in the Conference Room second floor of the center building, alley side) – NO CLASS on April 5. Happy Easter!! Faith Trek is a small group of CCPC adults who are curious about their faith and the world and who want to explore in the company of a circle of friends. The circle expands easily, and we would be delighted to have you join us. The group is reading Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Er-ic Metaxas. Check with Margaret Chan (301/656-5034) for more information.

Open Forum (Meets from 10:20 – 11:05 a.m. in Geneva Hall, second floor, Education Building, street side). Open

Forum offers a forum for sharing information and discussion of a variety of topics on the intersection of faith and life. –NO CLASS on April 5. Happy Easter!!

The Call of Environmental Justice. "Eco-justice [is] the wellbeing of all humankind on a thriving earth. As a goal, it retains and reinforces all of the church's longstanding commitment to justice in the social order, and it adds a major new insight of our time: that justice to human beings is inseparable from right relationships with and within the natural order. Eco-justice includes social and economic justice and, by combining it with ecological awareness and appreciation, profoundly affects the way it is to be achieved. Eco-justice means justice to all of God's creation." (from Keeping and Healing the Creation; a Resource Paper of the Presbyterian Eco-justice Task Force, issued by the Committee on Social Witness Policy of the PCUSA). CCPC’s Earth Stewards invite you to join them in celebrating and supporting Earth Justice in April conversations in Open Forum: April 12 = Think Globally, Act Locally: The Ministry of Interfaith Power & Light. Open Forum is pleased to welcome Joelle Novey, the Director of Interfaith Power & Light(DC.MD.NoVA) as its speaker this morning. This interfaith agency is working with congregations of all faith traditions across our region to support them in saving energy, going green, and responding to climate change. Join us as we reflect on what is happening to our world, and how we might respond as Presbyterians: personally, in our meeting, and by speaking out on energy policy locally. www.gwipl.org April 19 = “Journey to Planet Earth: Extreme Realities.” Notice something strange? What’s happening to our weather? Is it a fluke or the new normal? Join us on Earth Justice Sunday to view and discuss a new film which investigates the link between severe weather, climate change, and threats to our national security. CCPC’s Earth Stewards will moderate a discussion following the film and invite your ques-tions, input and conversation. April 26 = NO CLASS. Please join us in worship at 10:00 a.m. as our Carol and Junior Choirs share the Word through music in the musical, “Rescue in the Night: The Story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den.”

The Bible in Context Class (Meets from 10:20 – 11:05 a.m. in Room 350-B, third floor, Education Building) –

NO CLASS on April 5 (Happy Easter!) or on April 26 as we worship at 10:00. The Synoptic Gospels. The first three gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, are known as the Synoptic Gospels

because they share a common outline of events and report many of the same parables. These gospels are our ma-jor sources of knowledge for the life of Christ. But there are some differences between them on some of the inci-dents and parables. We’re going to look at one event or parable each week as it appears in two or all three of these Gospels. Bring your Bible and join leaders John Weicher, Dottie Boerner, and Beth Nyhus in exploring the unique history and audience of each Gospel as well as their audience and influence. All are welcome!

Wednesday Bible Study The Wednesday Morning Bible Study Group is now reading the Book of Exodus. We meet twice a month in Geneva Hall on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays from 10:00 – 12:00 noon. All are welcome to join us as we continue to explore the story of the people of Israel. Contact Grace Hyslop or study leader, Lynn Jostes, for more details or to purchase a study book.

Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church Christ our Center. Children our Blessing. Justice our Passion.

Next Inquirers’ Seminar Scheduled for April 26, 2015

The next Inquirers’ Seminar of the program year

will be offered on Sunday, April 26, 2015 from

11:30 to 3:00 p.m. in Room 250 (Geneva Hall) at

CCPC. This session is open not only to those per-

sons who may have decided to become members,

but also to persons who are exploring their call to

Christian discipleship as members of this congrega-

tion. The format for the afternoon following lunch

includes a brief overview of the basic history, be-

liefs, and traditions of the Presbyterian Church

(USA) as well as an outline of specific opportunities

for using your gifts with others in ministry at

CCPC. Those choosing to join will do so on May

10. If you are interested in participating in the semi-

nar on April 26 (or know someone who may be in-

terested), please contact Associate Pastor Lynn Jos-

tes at 202-363-2202 or lynn@chevychasepc.org for

more information or to sign up. Come join with the

disciples of The Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church

as we discover our gifts and answer our calling, and

together serve our Lord.

Wanted: Creative Ideas! The Session is looking for the next great fundraising idea and some entrepreneurial people to make it hap-pen. Two years ago, two church members hit on the idea of hosting a pig roast. The event was a fun so-cial event that raised a whopping $15,000. A second one last year yielded an additional $10,000 for the church’s always tight budget. This year, we need something new. Many CCPC members have worked on or attended fundraising events for their children’s schools or favorite nonprofits. Now it’s time to apply that know-how and CCPC energy to one or more activities that would promote more connections among CCPC members, attract the broader commu-nity to our church, and provide more resources for CCPC programs. If you already have an idea, or if you would be willing to serve on a small committee to brainstorm some concepts, please contact Pastor Lynn Jostes at lynn@chevychasepc.org. The "Hard Hats" are people who do assorted chores at CCPC (repairs, painting etc.). They are starting a major task painting the hallways on the 3rd floor of the Administrative building and would welcome help from a few more volunteers. Anyone who is interested in helping should contact either Campbell Graeub 301-652-2007 or Ed White 202-62 -0541.