Pastor
Office phone & fax (301)249-6411
Home phone (301)249-5885
Church School 10:00 a.m.
Worship 11:00 a.m.
web page http://www.unitedparishbowie.org
| United Church of Christ | Presbyterian |
|---|---|
|
Carl O. Bickel, Ph.D.
Pastor Office phone & fax (301)249-6411 Home phone (301)249-5885 |
| MITCHELLVILLE AND MT. OAK ROADS
Church School 10:00 a.m. Worship 11:00 a.m. |
email:pastor@unitedparishbowie.org
web page http://www.unitedparishbowie.org |
| If you are new to the Bowie area, we invite you to worship with us at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. A nursery is provided. Christian education for children, youth and adults is Sunday at 10 a.m. We are affiliated with both the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the United Church of Christ. |
Some years ago when I was a farm girl and active in 4-H, I elected to take sewing as my project each summer. I learned first to hem a dishtowel by hand with tiny stitches, and I made a circular hot pad on the sewing machine which was as perfect as I could make it. At one point I had to cut out and sew a dress before I was a teenager. If I needed assistance with my sewing projects, I asked my mother for her know-how. Then I quickly tore out whatever stitches she may have done for me. These were my chosen assignments, and no one else could meet those demands for me.
Today I still rev up when I choose a challenge and attempt to accomplish my goal. The greatest summons for me, I think, is to try and live as a follower of Christ. My mind and heart dictate what I should be doing, but I, like Paul, too often feel strongly pulled to do that which is not Christlike. For example, I feel that I can be too critical of those whom I love the most. I want my children, husband, and myself to be just as perfect in everything as that little yellow hot pad I edged in green bias tape.
When I play the organ at church I sometimes make really obvious mistakes, and it can take me quite awhile to forgive myself for not having practiced more and done a better job of performing the music. At times I can sense God's forgiveness even before I'm able to forgive myself.
That's one of the many reasons I'm thankful to have been introduced to Christ. For it is Christ who gives you and me a worthwhile goal for our living. To please God with my actions and be with God in this life and the next, those are two of my goals. I would be completely overwhelmed if God did not offer the companionship of Christ's Spirit in our daily pursuits. Christ infuses me with that Spirit which causes me to be thankful for each new day.
September is the month of beginnings, and I'm anticipating many of the challenges that will soon involve me. At my job I'll be introducing a newly designed curriculum to parents and teachers of children. In our family our daughter will be starting her senior year, and we'll be guiding her as she makes her vocational and college choices. We'll also be welcoming our first grandchild, and I'm excited to develop a relationship with this new little person.
As we approach autumn, you too will have many goals and obligations and goals to pursue. Let us meet these challenges with confidence and eagerness because Christ lives in our midst and within you and me.
- Shirley Klotz Bickel, c. 2000
The search for a part-time Youth Director continues. Over the summer we received three resumes and we are still in contact with one of the applicants. Even though we have not received many applicants, we are hopeful that the right person will come along through continued efforts. If anyone is interested in joining the Search Committee, please talk to Donna Hanner.
Come have breakfast, catch up with old and new Sunday School friends, and find out what adventures are in store for your classmates. It is an event not to be missed.
We'll once again celebrate the start of another year of Christian Education with a breakfast at 9:30 a.m. on September 10. Children will proceed to their first class after breakfast while adults will stay behind to talk about the line-up of adult education classes for the year and fill out a questionnaire about what classes we should offer in the future.
Adult Education courses start up again this month with Rev. Bickel's much-anticipated class on "How to Read the Bible", a course he's been talking about teaching for over a year. (See below for a further course description.) The Adult Education Committee believes there's no better way to kick off the year than to learn how to interpret the Bible for the fullest meaning possible. We thought this subject had such broad appeal that we decided not to schedule a competing course at the same time. Carl's course is tentatively scheduled to last for six weeks but could run slightly longer.
Starting in late October, Seth Paradise will teach a class on Pilgrim's Progress, a novel written in the late 17th century by John Bunyan. This imaginary story of a young man traveling toward heaven was wildly popular for more than a century. Many early pioneers had only two books on their shelves - Pilgrim's Progress and the Good Book itself. At the same time, we'll be discussing another one of James Moore's down to earth books. This one is the aptly titled "Some Folks Feel the Rain, Others Just Get Wet" for those people who are prone to the glass half empty syndrome.
If you have a hankering to learn more about a certain subject or if you simply have some ideas for likely future courses, please contact Karen Riley at kjriley@ccconline.net.
As Protestants we believe the Bible is our authority in matters of belief and practice, yet the question arises, "How does a person interpret Scripture?" This series of six sessions, beginning Sunday, September 17, at 10:00 a.m., will be led by Pastor Carl Bickel. The series will employ denominational materials. Each session will begin with an opening presentation by Carl Bickel and be followed by discussion. Case studies of biblical interpretation will be employed. Please sign up in the narthex of the Church or phone (301)249-6411.
| Toddlers (2 and 3 year olds) | Becky DeMeo | |
| 4 year olds - 1st Grade | Brie Cianelli | |
| 2nd and 3rd Grades | Barbara Lazur and Linda Hutchinson | |
| 4th and 5th Grades | Frieda McKay | |
| Junior High (6th - 8th Grades) | Brian Hunt | |
| Senior High | Dick Freudig |
Pastor Carl Bickel plans to begin a confirmation class in late September, which will continue until Easter. It is for young people in sixth grade and older. Please sign up in the narthex or phone (301)249-6411. Parents of participants will meet with Carl Bickel following Church on September 17, to discuss expectations and to set a time for the weekly meetings.
The Youth Group for 7th thru 12th graders will meet regularly on Sundays from 7:00 until 8:30 at the church. Last year the group participated in a number of fun activities including hiking, skiing, and a Christmas concert at Wolf Trap. A meeting will be held soon to discuss plans for the coming year. Anyone interested in helping or wanting more information should contact Brian Hunt.
During this summer the United Parish introduced a new and exciting group - the Young Adult Group. The Young Adult Group studied some of the parables of Jesus and is now beginning to study worship. In this study we will be trying to gain a deeper understanding of worship through studying various biblical depictions, and also examine how it relates to our daily lives.
In addition to our Bible study, the group has provided an excellent opportunity for others in the church to get to know each other better, care for one another more deeply and have a fun time together. New attendees are highly welcomed and encouraged to attend. Meetings are every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at the church. If you have any questions, please contact the church.
The Women's Bible Study Group will resume meetings on Thursday, September 14. Every woman is invited to join other women of the Lydia Circle in an exploration of the fourth gospel, John. The first lesson's text is John 1:1-18.
Women meet at the church the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Some of the leaders for the year will be Kay Eisinger, Nikki Hillary, Linda Hutchinson, Nancy Snyder and Shirley Bickel. It's a wonderful opportunity to discuss implications of Jesus' teachings while we develop a deeper level of friendship with other women in the church. For more information contact Becky DeMeo.
The Men's Group meets the first and third Wednesday of each month for breakfast at 7:30 at the Dough Roller on Rt. 301 in Crofton. This group is for informal conversation and fellowship. All men are invited to attend.
The Adult Choir has resumed rehearsals on Wednesday evenings, at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. We will be singing a variety of music this year, including some pieces with Prism, a brass quintet, which will be performing on the third Sunday of each month. We would welcome any additional voices to join us.
We will be scheduling a Choir "Kick-Off" picnic. Come and join us for some good food, fellowship and songs. For additional information, or if you would like to join the choir, please call Diane Eades.
Prism, a brass quintet that the Washington Post has said exhibits "extraordinary artistry and technical brilliance", will be playing for the worship service at the United Parish on the third Sunday of each month. The members of prism are now in residence at the University of Maryland. The quintet consists of Steve Haase and Matthew Bickel (Matthew is a member of our Church), trumpet; Erik Kofoed on French horn; Aaron Moats, trombone; and Sam Buccigrossi on tuba. Prism has played several times previously in our worship services. In addition they have given two recitals at our Church. Welcome, Prism!
Religion had been "out", for example in the Democratic party. Now, due, one supposes, to the behavior of the current President, religion is now "in" in the Democratic party. Pendulums swing in politics as in all of American life. Thirty years ago the large church was "out" and the small church was "in". Today the large (mega) church is "in" and the small church is "out". This situation will surely change in a few years. Liberal religion had been "in" and now conservative religion is "in". This too will doubtless bounce around. Fashions come and go. Which brings me to my point.
I am less intimidated than I once was by someone else's style in clothes, cars, or by what they are or are not doing in their churches. I just want to be true to the way I think God is calling me to live. I certainly do not think my way of seeing Christianity is superior or the only way, but I would rather be authentic to my own calling rather than imitate someone else just to be fashionable.
I hope the United Parish is a place where each person can grow in following Jesus Christ in a way that is true to his or her own unique calling from God. We don't need to be carbon copies of one another but each one a genuine original.
- Carl Bickel, Pastor, United Parish of Bowie
After many months of discussion, the Building Committee can finally see the light at the end of the (first) tunnel. We have interviewed a number of architects and gone out in the field to see several churches and fellowship halls. We have completed this phase of our work and are very close to making the final selection of an architect. If this goes as planned, we hope to have preliminary plans for the new addition ready sometime in November.
- Mike Mehl, Building Committee Chairman
- unknown
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