Facebook Workshop on November 2

 

Don’t forget the Facebook Work-shop on Wednesday, November 2, from 7:00-8:30 PM at the church!  This will be a hands-on workshop, so you are welcome to bring your laptop (though this isn’t necessary).  Presenter Stan Hargreaves, Registrar at Union Presbyterian Seminary and an expert on social network-ing, will explain the FB basics, talk about privacy issues, tell you how to “tag”—and a whole lot more. 

 

Please sign the sheet in the Narthex or call in (435-3948) your intention to attend (indicating if you will bring your laptop) so that we may have enough power strips available. People of all ages are invited.  Feel free to bring a friend.

 

 

Camp Hanover Retreat

Wrap-up

 

St. Andrews’ fourth annual retreat at the Presbytery of the James’ Camp Hanover was a big success and a lot of fun!  An all-time record high for attendance was set.  Forty-five people participated in at least some part of the event and twenty-eight people stayed overnight.

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All all-time record high for

attendance was set at this year’s

Camp Hanover Retreat.

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We began the Retreat with an ice-breaker Bingo-style activity.  Everyone was asked to write his or her name in any of 48 squares if the description or activity applied to him or her.  Examples:  “At this moment has a hole in sock” and “Can recite three Bible verses”. 

 

No one got “Bingo” by filling in a row or column.  However, your editor knows that participants have been eagerly awaiting an analysis of the responses, so here goes:

 

∙ The activity that the largest number of us has in common—22 names in the square—is that we have ever changed a diaper! 

 

∙ Next, we seem to like “Sesame Street.”  Twenty-one (21) of us have watched it.  (And we didn’t have 21 children in attendance!)

 

∙ We like broccoli (21 responses) and sushi (19 responses)!

 

∙ At the other extreme, no one (0) sleeps on a waterbed and no one (0) was born outside the U.S.

 

∙ Other factoids:

 

   ∙ On the first day of the retreat

   three (3) of us had a hole in

   our sock

 

   ∙ We have two (2) people who

   are twins and two (2) who

   are only children

 

   ∙ Two (2) people have suffered

   a broken leg, have used the

   excuse “The dog ate my

   homework”, and can do the

   splits 

 

   ∙ One (1) person watches soap

   operas (or will admit to doing

   so) 

 

What these data say about our Camp Hanover participants your editor has no idea—but it sure was fun learning more about each other! 

 

Thanks to all who helped make the Retreat happen and to all who came.

 

 

          Some of the participants at the Retreat.

 

 

Sabbath Rest and Renewal:  So Inviting, So Elusive

 

Sabbath is that ancient Biblical concept of a period of rest and worship.  The word “sabbath” comes from the He-brew word, shabbat, which means “to cease.”  The practice is so central to the Judeo-Christ-ian tradition that it is embedded in the Ten Commandments (“Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy”).  As the Creation story tells us, even God rested on the seventh day.

 

Though it is now only the beginning of November, probably many of us are starting to feel the start of Thanksgiving and Christmas stress.  Not only at holiday time, but also at other times, probably many of us have said something to ourselves along the lines of, “In our family, we are going to get off this busy-ness merry-go-round and practice Sabbath—somehow.”  And then we get too busy to try to get less busy. 

 

There are, of course, day-long and week-long programs that teach in depth about Sabbath-

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Here are some valuable, practical ways with which to move the concept of Sabbath from a good intention to an actual habit.

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keeping, but if attending such a program is not yet on your schedule, here are some valuable, practical ways with which to move the concept of Sabbath from a good intention to an actual habit.

 

Start small

 

Set aside three hours that you will honor as sacred each week.  Plan Sabbath-like ways to use this time.  Get it onto your calendar, and allow nothing to interfere with these three hours.  Commit to this practice for just four weeks, as a beginning.

 

Make it a “Snow Day”

 

You know what it’s like, when there’s an ice storm, and no one can leave home?  You drop your routines.  You do whatever you wish.  You don’t follow a plan.  You read, play games, snooze, gaze out the window.  Just so is the gift of Sabbath—one day a week that is yours—all yours—a God-given “snow day.”

 

Remember it’s about relationship

 

When we are in love with some-one, we respond to what that person thinks is important.  If you are in love with God—and resting on the seventh day is important to God—you will rest on the seventh day, just as a lover would do for his or her lover.

 

Receive Sabbath as a needed gift

 

God created Sabbath rest because we need it.  It’s good for us!  Yes, work is a gift and an honor—but being overworked is not honorable.  If you don’t know who you are apart from your work, it could be that you are overworked.

 

Mark its beginning with ritual

 

Take off your watch.  Light a candle.  Say, “Let there be light.”  Slow, deep breath.

 

Embrace Sabbath’s freedom

 

Freedom from daily work, homework, routine.  Freedom from “shoulds”.  Freedom from worry (trust in God to provide).  When worrying thoughts press in, try this:  Tell yourself, “I am going to stop worrying about this for this one day.”

 

Freedom for rest.  Prayer and worship.  Family.  Friends.  Hospitality.  Play and fun.  Examine your “kin-dom” values.  It’s not easy to practice Sabbath by yourself.  Sabbath is made for community.  Plan Sabbath with your kin.

 

Be a witness

 

When others see you trusting God to provide for you on the Sabbath, you are a witness that God provides.

 

From an article by Linda Morningstar,

Associate Director, Lifelong Learning,

Columbia Theological Seminary (PCUSA)

 

 

 

 

Locating websites that are safe for children

 

The American Library Association, working with the Association

for Library Service to Children, has created a website that provides links to other websites that the ALA and the ALSC have determined are safe for children.  The links connect a child to websites that offer such information as how to select a good book or help with homework in science, math, and world cultures.  Other links will take you to a museum or place you may have visited. 

 

The website is:

www.ala.org/greatsites

 

 

School days and maladies

 

School bells, unfortunately, often herald the onslaught of colds, viruses, and—head lice.

 

Head lice infestations have nothing to do with personal hygiene.  Head lice are parasitic, wingless insects that live on a person’s head and feed on human blood.  The adult (louse) is no bigger than sesame seed and has eggs (nits) that are as small as dandruff flakes.  They are extremely contagious and

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Head lice infestations have noting to do with personal hygiene.

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travel from one person to another via personal belongings such as hats, combs, and hairbrushes or by touching heads.  Sharing pillows and towels on an overnight visit also can share any head lice that might be present.  Lice can infect the scalp, the eyebrows, and the eyelashes.

 

Staying vigilant with young children is the best way to avoid or stop an infestation.  A parent can check a child’s hair on a routine basis with a fine-toothed comb, advise against using the hats and combs of others, consider keeping a girl’s hair shorter, and encourage more personal space for each child.  Remember:  If a child has head lice, everyone is the household is subject to catching them.

 

If a child complains of a tickling or creepy sensation on the heard, or if you observe sores from scratching, you should check for lice immediately.  The best place to check for head lice is around the neckline, on the shoulders, and behind the ears. 

  

Most healthcare providers recommend over-the-counter medications for children (other than infants).  Parents also can brush the lice and nits out of a child’s hair, but it is painstaking and must be done on a daily basis.  If any nits are left, the infestation starts all over.  All family members should be checked to make sure no one else has been infected.  It is also a good idea to vacuum furniture and rugs and run all bedclothes through the washer. 

 

The good news is that although head lice can cause some discomfort to a child, they are not deadly nor is an infestation something a parent should feel

guilty about.  Head lice are “just one of those things.”

 

Nancy Lee, R.N.

Faith Community Nurse 

 

 

Starfish and why we do missions

 

This is a parable that I hope you will enjoy. As we finish this month with the Water Mission International “Walk for Water” we enter into a month when we think about thanksgiving. This parable is meant to inspire you to get out and give to those in need, while being thankful for what you have.

 

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a starfish washed

up on the shore.  Having pity on the starfish he picked it up and threw it back into the water, so that it would not dry up and die.

 

As he continued to walk, he saw another starfish drying up on the beach.  He picked it up and threw it into the water so that it would live.

 

As he continued walking along the beach, he kept finding more and more starfish washed up and in need of help.  And so he continued to pick the starfish up and throw them back into the water, so that they might live.

 

At this time another man came walking along and noticed what was happening.  The man yelled, "You'll never get them all.  What does it matter?"  The first man simply picked up another starfish, threw it into the water, and said, "It matters to this one."

 

Kyle Lorenzino

Youth Leader

 

 

 

 

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St. Andrews Presbyterian Church

435 East Church Street

Kilmarnock, VA  22482

804-435-3948

www.saintandrewspc.org

 

The Rev. Judy Thomson

Pastor for Ministry Development

thomsonjudy@gmail.com

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