Carl O. Bickel, Ph.D.
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 |
| The United Parish of Bowie is related to both the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ. We have a strong emphasis on Christian education for children and adults. We seek to appeal to both the mind and the heart. Also, we believe Christian faith should find expression in concrete acts of service by individual persons and the Church. We affirm there is no single verbal expression of Christian faith which is equally valid for everyone. We hold that all life for the Christian is to be an elaboration in word and deed of the affirmation, "Jesus is Lord". |
| We invite you to worship with us at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. A nursery is provided. |
We generally think of religion as a good thing. We should be more precise and say that religion is a powerful force, sometimes good, sometimes very evil. It's obvious that when religion is used by militant Islamic fundamentalists, it can be very, very evil. The recent horrors by Islamic fundamentalists in Russia are disturbing in the extreme.
As college sophomores sometimes love to point out, however, Christianity has had its dark side too. One can think immediately of the Inquisition. We know of the excesses of the Crusades (against the Muslims) and of how in other quarters Christianity has been used to support slavery and sometimes the oppression of poor people, minorities and women. We as Christians have had our own dark side.
We need to remember that the harshest comments Jesus made were about religious people, or people who made religious pretensions. Charles Kimball, in his recent book, When Religion Becomes Evil, mentions various qualities of religion gone sour. Among these characteristics are:
To be really precise, we shouldn't be trying to make people more religious. We should inviting them to follow Christ. Sometimes there is a difference.
Carl Bickel
Pastor, United Parish of Bowie
Dr. Michael Parker, an ordained Presbyterian minister, missionary to Africa and former member of the United Parish of Bowie, will be our missionary in residence during November and December of 2004. Mike will be staying with The Rev. Bob and Joann Bell in Washington, D.C. Mike will be preaching twice during this time and also leading a Sunday morning three-session course in Presbyterian missions today. It will be great to have Mike back in our midst.
Those of us working in Christian Education are looking forward to another wonderful year of working with the children of the church.
For the first time in a few years, we have lots of pre-school children. What a wonderful blessing for us! Therefore, we will again offer Sunday School classes at 11:00 a.m. every Sunday for the 3's, 4's, and 5's. They will be taught by Becky DeMeo and Ashley Blaker. Linda Hutchinson will be teaching the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. The teacher for the Jr. High class has yet to be determined. The first session for the Senior High students will be taught by Alex Barbato. All classes except the pre-school class will be held at 10:00 a.m. beginning September 12, 2004.
We are so fortunate to have so many dedicated teachers, but we always welcome and encourage new teachers to join us. If you are interested in working with the Christian Education program, please contact Marva Connolly via the church at (301)249-6411.
The first weekend of October a student or faculty member from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia will be preaching at our worship service and leading adult classes at 10 a.m. on seminary life today. Their appearance at our church will be part of a Union caravan to the Washington, D.C. area in which many Presbyterian churches in the Washington, D.C. area will be visited.
A group of men meet for breakfast the first and third Wednesdays of every month at 7:30 a.m. at IHOP in Bowie. All men are invited.
A breakfast will be held at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday, September 12th, which will be the beginning of Christian Education for children and adults. Following the breakfast, the children and youth will proceed to their classes. Adults will discuss adult Christian Education plans for the upcoming months.
The first course will be on Paul Tillich's Dynamics of Faith. This classic book by one of the great theologians of the twentieth century will provide the focus. The six-week course will begin September 19, and will be led by Carl Bickel. This course is a continuation of the course offered in the Spring; what has been covered will be reviewed so newcomers may easily join in. Each session will begin with a presentation by Carl Bickel and will be followed by discussion. Please sign up in the narthex or phone (301) 249-6411.
The second course will deal with Where Is God When It Hurts? by Philip Yancey. How can we cope with suffering? Are there ways we can help someone else who's struggling with pain? Is suffering necessary for growth? Why does a loving God permit pain? Are there times when evil produces good? What is Christ's attitude toward suffering? If these questions resonate with you, be sure to join this six-week course which will be introduced September 12 following the 9:45 a.m. breakfast.
The Women's Group will study the books of James and Peter this year. Our first meeting will be on Thursday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m. We extend a warm invitation to all women of the church. You may bring a neighbor/friend for the study.
The book of James was written in about 50 A.D. for Jewish and gentile Christians in the early church and explains how to be a real Christian under difficult circumstances. He exhorts his fellow Christians to endure the trials and temptations of his day with patience. He urges them to be "doers of the Word (of God)" and not merely "hearers of the Word." Paralleling Jesus' teaching from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:13-16, James pleads with his readers to let their light shine before men for the glory of God. James' writing is personal, practical and penetrating. The study will offer us pointers for practicing Christianity in today's world.
The United Parish of Bowie is committed to serving the youth in our church and community. Our Church has had an active youth group since the eighties and this year will be no exception. The senior high youth group, led by Matthew Bickel, will engage in weekly meetings (usually on Sunday nights) as well as fun activities ranging from trips to amusement parks, ski trips and a potential trip to the Impact Conference in Ocean City, MD. Our weekly meetings consist of fun activities and discussions that are focused on each of us as individuals gaining a clearer understanding of our purpose in life and our personal relationship with God. High school students in our community are welcome to join us. If you have any questions about our youth group or would like to participate in our meetings and activities, please call Matt at (301)249-6411.
Come hear the Prism Brass Quintet play a recital filled with popular tunes ranging from Basin Street Blues to Fly Me to the Moon at 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 26, here at the United Parish of Bowie. Admission is free and a reception will follow.
Imagine this. Our teenage son is leaving for a trip to Camden Yards. As a parent, I caution him:
Don't drive too fast to beat the traffic. Be sure you park in an area where the car won't be towed. I'll be waiting up for you, so come directly home after the game.
This overly-confident son, on his first drive to the Orioles' game without an adult in the car, feels he'll be able to handle this excursion with ease. Giving me a quick peck on the cheek, he hurries out the door with me anxiously following him:
"I know, Mom. I know. How many times have you told me the same things? Don't wait up for me. I'll be fine."
The van screeches down the driveway with the stereo blaring so loud it scares the cat into hiding under the picnic table. I fear for our son. He's pushing so hard for grown-up privileges. We've established principles that will protect him and yet allow him to mature. Why did he tear down the street so carelessly without regard for others he might harm?
His inflated sense of competence is most alarming. In my frustration I wash away some petunias with many buckets of water. It seems our son is rejecting our examples and what we taught him. Did he forget the rules for driving and coming home at the expected time? His cockiness is disappointing.
My thoughts turn to you, God, and I look for parallels between you and me, our son and me. Sometimes I do make excuses to do it "my way" rather than take the action I believe you expect. Why did you give me so much freedom if you didn't want me to use it? I really think I could manage without so many rules, God.
Yes, I know God. I'm being irresponsible if I screech my tires, pull away from you, and ignore your advice. But do you really expect me to keep the ten commandments in this survival-of-the-aggressive culture? Remember, God, it's just too scary and demanding if you expect me to love you as you loved us. My life is going quite well, God. Just stand by in case I need you later.
Shirley Klotz Bickel
The Committee continues to deliver the monthly meal to the Family Crisis Center at its new, undisclosed location. This provision of tasty, easy-to-prepare meals is popular with the Crisis Center residents. Occasionally we deliver other things to the home such as work clothes or the odd microwave oven.
Also ongoing is our collection of food for the Bowie Pantry. Members of the congregation bring in non-perishable food items. These get delivered to the Bowie Pantry housed at Christian Community Presbyterian Church. The Pantry particularly likes to have on hand basic items such as peanut butter, tuna, breakfast cereals, etc.
This year we gathered up materials to fill three backpacks (with extras, such as facial tissue boxes and markers) for children through the Central Union Mission. They were delivered to the pickup point the first week of August. Extra school supplies went to the Crisis Center so that they will be ready when children come in needing pencils, paper, crayons, folders, and the like.
Herb Sheppard coordinated the Christmas in April venture again this year. We have an annual Christmas bag filling for specific children identified by the Central Union Mission. These include clothing items as well as a toy, and we have outfitted a large number of children over the years. Judy Farrell has organized this project since its inception.
This past Christmas we had a smaller than usual Christmas basket program with food for a turkey dinner and staples to last beyond the holiday season. There was a change of administrators at the County's human services department, so we did not have the lengthy list of recipients we usually get. The Committee seeks deliverers of these baskets if the program is to return to its former, larger size.
Other ideas for service are under discussion at the meetings which have been held at the Snyder's' house the last couple of years. New members are always welcome.
Nancy Snyder, Chair
Community Services Committee
The Adult Choir has begun rehearsals for this year. We meet on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. Along with our regular rehearsals, we will have a series of sectional rehearsals to prepare for "The Messiah". We will perform this work during the worship service on December 12 at 11:00 a.m. If you would like to join us, here is a schedule for those rehearsals.
Women will have sectionals on September 22, October 20, November 3 and 17. Men will have sectionals on September 29, October 27, November 10, and December 1. All sectionals are on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.
Group rehearsals will be on Saturday, October 23, November 20, December 4 and 11. Group rehearsals will begin at 9:00.
We are looking forward to enjoying another wonderful year of singing and fellowship. Please come and join us!!
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