Sharon News & Notes March 2009

Sha ron Bapt ist Church published monthly March, 2009

News & Notes Learning, and the Leaning into, Lent INS ID E T HIS ISS UE : Music Matters

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Cuba Connections 3 Youth News

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Church Finances

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Prayer for March

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The season of Lent begins on Wednesday, February 25. It spans the forty days (excluding Sundays) that lead up to Easter. The word “Lent” probably derives from the Anglo Saxon word for spring, lencten, and calls to mind a time budding with new hope after a bleak and barren winter. Easter is celebrated as the holiest day of the Christian year. In it, we celebrate God’s validation of all God's work in Jesus'

life, his death and his resurrection. In the first century, the Lenten watch lasted forty hours, mourning the time of Jesus' entombment, and ended with a 3:00 a.m. Easter service. By the third century, the Lenten observance extended through the six days before Easter known as “Holy Week.” Then, the six days grew to 36 days, with 36 being the tithe, or tenth, of the 365 day year. Finally, by the

eighth century, four more days were added to complete forty days in imitation of Jesus' own forty day fast in the wilderness. (This was also the fasting period of Moses in Exodus 34:28 and Elijah in 1 Kings 19:18). Lent is a time of honest self-examination. As we pray, fast and reflect, we come to terms with our need for God, and confess our sinful dependence (continued on page 2)

Mark Your Calendars! Contact our Ministry Staff: • Shana Castleberry Minister to Students [email protected]

• Christopher Ingram Pastor [email protected]

• Todd Johnson Music Director/ Organist [email protected]

• Debbie Wall Church Secretary [email protected]

Community Lenten Worship (Every Wednesday from February 25 – April 1) The Smithfield Area Ministries group offers weekly Wednesday noontime meditation services at First Presbyterian Church. Worship will last one-half hour followed by a light lunch provided by First Presbyterian. Our own Jeanell Cox will be preaching on April 1!

World Day of Prayer Worship Service (7:00 PM, Friday, March 6 @ Asbury UMC) Youth Dinner & Cake Auction Fundraiser (6:00 PM, Saturday, March 7 in the Fellowship Hall). Bring some friends, your appetite and your checkbooks to this fun way to help our youth get to camp this summer. Tickets are available for purchase now, but you can also pay at the door.

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Community Unity Service (6:00 PM Sunday March 15 @ First Baptist Church) Join us for this diverse, multi-cultural, ecumenical celebration of the many unique and gifted congregations in our community. The Love of Jesus – a Holy Week Musical Celebration by our Chancel Choir and friends (Sunday evening, April 5, time TBD)

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Sharon News and Notes Music Matters

“I will sing to the Lord as

long as I live; I

will sing praise to my God

while I have

being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I

rejoice in the Lord.”

Psalm 104:33-34

We have several exciting things going on in the music department at Sharon. First of all, I’m thrilled to have my dear friend Gayle Franks conducting the choir.

the music and sermons so uplifting, that she wants to stick around. To say the least, I’m thrilled and thankful that God has seen fit to lead her our way.

department, I want to express sincere thanks to Ron Whittington, Shirley Black and Bill Wilkins for their splendid work and to Bill for his coordination of the overall project.

As I shared with you congregation in early January, I have been overwhelmed in my role as choir director, accompanist and tenor singer, at least when I have to do all three at the same time!

Gayle brings many years of experience in church music. She and I formerly served together at Holland’s United Methodist Church in Raleigh, where we did everything from Beethoven and Handel to Southern Gospel. We both like variety, so that’s what you can continue to expect on Sunday mornings.

The choir is gearing up for The Love of Jesus, a truly inspirational Easter musical by Mike Speck. Since we will be using a number of guest singers from other churches, it is being scheduled for Palm Sunday evening. You will not want to miss it.

Although I didn’t know it then, my prayers for relief had already been answered. Gayle emailed me one day back in November and asked if she could participate in our Christmas music. Since that time she has found the people here so warm and welcoming, and

We also have a new sound system, not to mention a beautiful cabinet for all the controls. On behalf of all of us in the music

We have so much to be thankful for. I’m privileged to have the opportunity to express my gratitude through music. For God’s Glory, Todd Johnson

Learning, and Leaning into, Lent (continued)

“As we imitate the sacrificial life of Jesus, we become

united in his passion to

serve God and the world in new ways.”

on the wrong things. It is a disciplined effort to separate from the things we hold close, sometimes even closer than God. This is why the season is so often associated with the question “What did you give up for Lent this year?” However, “giving something up” is only part of the journey. Some Christians may take on a commitment for Lent, such as a new way of serving, a new habit of behavior, or a new way of praying or studying.

Unlike other elements of church practice, such as baptism or communion, there is no Biblical mandate for Lent. Still, since earliest times, many have understood its importance to disciples like us. I believe the season of confession more fully prepares us to celebrate the amazing grace of Easter. It makes real the promise of Romans 6:1, “For, if we have been united with him a death like his, we will certainly

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be resurrected with him in a life like his.” As we imitate the sacrificial life of Jesus, we become united in his passion to serve God and the world in new ways – and that would be the best Easter sermon of all!

With High Hopes,

Photos from our Friends in Cuba The Gethsemane Baptist Church has sent us some photographs to help us get to know and remember them.

Some of the children and adult members of the church hold one of the handmade signs that decorate the sanctuary walls. This one quotes Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens.”

Visiting, praying and singing in the home of the worship leader, Clara, and her husband (in the wheelchair).

Merry Christmas! The children in perform a Christmas pageant in the sanctuary on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), with “Mary” and “Joseph” leading the way. You may just be able to make out the nativity scene set up on the communion table.

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Sharon News and Notes Connecting With Cuba We are happy to welcome Ned Walsh back from his recent trip on behalf of our congregation to our sister church, the Gethsemane Baptist Church of Cuba. He brought back several gifts from them, along with a personal greeting from the pastor: “With this letter, we express our thanks for the visit of Brother Edward ‘Ned’ Walsh. We gratefully confirm the bonds of brotherhood and camaraderie evident

between our churches. We recall with pleasure the visit that Pastor Christopher and Todd Johnson made, as well as the correspondence received where you wished us a Merry Christmas and shared with us the programs that you were carrying out at that beautiful time. We also carried out similar programs as yours, proof of this being the photos that we are sending, which unite us more because it is as if we were physically there

among you, even though each time our church building is open we dedicate a moment of prayer for the Sharon Church. And now that Brother Ned tells us there are so many who are sick in your church, we are dedicating even more time to pray for this situation that affects everyone.

donate a cake for auction or dessert, please make sure you sign up on the sign-up sheet located on the bulletin board in the chapel. Tickets can be purchased from any of our youth. If you cannot get your tickets before the event, you can still pay at the door on the evening of the event. Come out and enjoy a fun evening together to support our youth ministry!

Youth Movie and Dinner Night on Friday, March 27 - Youth will meet at the church at 7 p.m. to head over to CiCi’s Pizza for dinner. Afterward, we will meet back at the church and head over to the youth room for more fun and fellowship with popcorn and a movie. Cost is only $5 per person. Bring a friend!

As a sign of gratitude, we are sending you this small piece of pottery that has been with us ever since we constituted as a

church, hoping that you receive it as a symbol of our affection, fraternity and brotherhood in our Lord and Savior Jesus. Hoping to meet again soon…Fraternally, Rafael Almieda Valdés

(Some of the pictures sent by Pastor Rafael are viewable on the back of this month’s calendar.)

Youth News Take note of these upcoming events: Cake Auction and Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, March 7, at 6:00 PM Now is the time to purchase your tickets for this annual youth fundraising event. Tickets are only $5, which includes a spaghetti dinner and chances at bidding for your favorite homemade cakes and pies. If you would like to

Shana Castleberry

Regular giving to our budget needs remains below full subscription. These times of economic

Monthly Receipts $9,421 Monthly Budget Expenses Unavailable Avg. Weekly Receipts (January)

Church Finances Every penny you contribute to support the work of Sharon Baptist Church is greatly appreciated – and conscientiously put to work.

GIVI NG A T A GLANC E JANUA RY 200 9

$2,355

uncertainty for many have an impact on our church, too. Together, let’s make this challenge to our church a matter of prayer and intentionality so we can remain on solid footing as we continue to reach in, reach out and grow in numbers and ministry impact.

Thank you for finding creative ways that help our church get the job done using your own gifts. Your experience, personal contacts, and the contribution of many uncompensated “people hours” are helping us move forward in hopefulness.

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Weekly Budget Needs $3,130 YTD Budget Receipts $46,905 YTD Budget Surplus/ (Deficit) ($12,573)

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Sharon News and Notes

S HA R ON BAP T IST CHUR CH 116 Britt Street Smithfiel d, NC 27577

Phone: (919) 934-8845

Fax: (919) 934-8845

(call first)

E-Mail: [email protected]

Web: www.sharononline.org

Prayer for the Month Our God, who calls us on this Lenten journey, we confess that we falter at walking this path to which you’ve set our feet, lacking the singleness of purpose that compelled you to walk it. We confess that we often fail to take the deliberate next step that will carry us closer to our destination, for we are uncomfortable with the attire of solitude and selfdenial, sacrifice and simplicity that we need for this journey. We are too easily distracted by the barkers on the side of the road

who draw our attention to more appealing attractions; we eagerly allow the tyranny of activity and business as usual to engage us in small talk even as other Lenten pilgrims pass us by. So help us, we pray, to continue on the journey, to walk with those around us who carry burdens of doubt and uncertainty, who limp along the Lenten path in their woundedness, who would sit in the middle of the road and just give up because they are weary from lack of hope.

SHARON BAPTIST CHURCH 116 BRITT STREET

SMITHFIELD, NC 27577

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Call us again on the journey for their sake and for our own. For only at the end of the path to the cross will we find again the hope that sustains us, the grace that saves us, and the love that leads to life and life abundant. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who walks before us. Amen. - by Israel Galindo in Let Us Pray: Contemporary Prayers for the Seasons of the Church