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The BeaconJune 17, 2009

10:00A.M. SUMMER WORSHIP

info@firstbaptistgranville.orgwww.firstbaptistgranville.orgPhone: (740) 587-0336FAX: (740) 587-2412

REFLECTIONS

My former denominational home, Unitarian Universalism, developed an overarching program called Journey to Wholeness,of which becoming a welcoming and affirming congregation was one step. As the name suggests, learning to be a whole andhealthy spiritual community is a process that a church undertakes over time and in stages. FBC has been on such a journeyfor much of its history thus far, and I believe we are ready for the next step on our own journey to wholeness, the step whichwould logically follow a decision to become a welcoming and affirming congregation. Having moved into a welcoming andaffirming position some years ago, and since lived into that position, I see us now poised for a step further into the practiceof hospitality, gathering up what we learned about being welcoming and affirming and taking it to a deeper level.

First, to dispel some popular notions about the subject, a few statements about what hospitality is not: hospitality is not aboutcookies and coffee after worship; hospitality is not about being some sort of superb hostess like Martha Stewart; hospitalityis not about greeting church visitors on Sundays; and hospitality is not about being an inclusive congregation, howeverlaudable that may be. Hospitality is much more demanding and risky than these friendly, welcoming gestures. Much of the deeper understanding of hospitality comes from teachings in the Old Testament, where the notion of the alienor the stranger appears repeatedly, usually in a context requiring that such persons, aliens or strangers, be given lavishwelcome, be taken into one’s home as guests with no restrictions on their presence or length of stay—and be invited to sharefully their own stories and traditions. Offering hospitality to such individuals involved taking the risk that the stranger’spresence in the home could result in unexpected changes in one’s circumstances (for the stranger might not leave any timesoon) or one’s traditions and beliefs (for the stranger might be from a rival country or a “pagan” religion). And herein liesthe radical difference between simply welcoming a visitor to church and actually offering hospitality: we, the host church,by offering hospitality to strangers, agree also to open ourselves to being changed by the strangers who come through ourdoors. We do not just give them a smile and a cup of coffee; we also give them our attention, listen to their perspective, andare willing to have them make a difference in our lives and in our views. We do not press our views on them, for hospitalityis not about remaking someone into our own image of the good liberal churchgoer or getting them to sign the membershipbook and give us a pledge.

A practice of hospitality begins by identifying exactly who the strangers are around us, and they may not be simply the peoplewe haven’t met yet. Rather, the strangers to whom we are challenged to offer hospitality are those we regard as being themost unlike us, the most “foreign” in terms of lifestyles or traditions or religious practices. Not the most different, but themost other—specifically, the most unacceptable to us. So to find the stranger, we can begin by asking ourselves, “What sortsof people most often push our buttons? Feel threatening to us? What sorts of people would we not want to be seated nextto at a dinner gathering?” Elizabeth Newman, in her book Untamed Hospitality, suggests that in offering hospitality to strangers, we may well comeinto contact with the Ultimate Stranger, the One who is most other, namely God. To meet God in someone we would preferto avoid: now there is an ultimate spiritual challenge.

NOTICE OF CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

The Church Board has called a special congregational meeting for Sunday, June 21, following theworship service (worship is now at 10:00, so the meeting will begin about 11:15) to discuss and vote on apossible name change for our church. In the time before the meeting, you are urged to share ideas, both inperson and via e-mail, about this question. Names that have already been submitted include:

First United Church of GranvilleFirst Baptist United Church of Christ

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THIS SUMMER SUNDAYS

We’ve launched our Sunday programming with a Junefocus on PeaceJam, the new Sunday School programadopted for our children and youth this past year.Folks gather around tables in a coffeehouse format inthe chapel, enjoy refreshments and conversation, andpractice some of the PeaceJam activities.

In July we’ll head downstairs to Whatever Works fora month exploring art and spirituality under artist andWhatever Works director Carol Whitt. Then whenAugust arrives, we move back upstairs into the chapelfor a month-long focus on our Lunches on the Squareprogram.

In addition to the main focus, each month will includea Sunday of special interactive processes where wedig deeper into new paths and possibilities for ourchurch.

PEACEJAM.... Our kids who are age 16 and overhave begun to work at the Habitat for Humanity housein Newark on Penney Rd. We anticipate going to thesite every Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 1:30 pmto help build the 2 story house for a single mom withkids.

When you visit Makers' Market on our church lawnon Saturday, stop by to get a cold drink from theyouth who are raising money for Habitat forHumanity. Next time you are shopping for groceries,if you find canned namebrand pop on sale, considerdonating a case to the kids to sell. At $1 per can, theprofit margin is terrific! (Your $3 purchase makes $12for Habitat!)

BAPTIST YOUTH CAMP.... 9 youth and 2 adultsleave for Baptist Youth Camp in Laurel Ridge, NorthCarolina on June 28, and we're excited to go!! Welook forward to a week of building friendships,worshipping and learning, and having LOTS of fun,and we'll return July 3 with stories to tell.

MISSION MATTERS

Lunches on the Square

MSAC thanks everyone for staying after church tomake lunches on the fourth Sunday of each month.It’s inspiring to see the chapel turned into a sandwichfactory! Our partnership with Trinity Episcopal inNewark is deepening. This summer, we’re providingsandwiches, condiments, napkins, cookies, and bags,and Trinity is providing fruit, a side, and a beverage.Guessing how many lunches to make is imprecise, butwe’re sticking with taking 200 to the square eachmonth. All lunches not given at the square are givento the Women’s Shelter and the Salvation Army, sonothing goes to waste.

Recently, Tommy Burkett has gotten numerouspledges from friends of the church who are not churchmembers or attenders; this money will go a long waytoward keeping our project alive. Also, we havereceived two unsolicited donations from otherchurches: St. Luke’s Episcopal in Granville, and St.John’s Evangelical Protestant UCC in Columbus. Weare quite grateful to these thoughtful people!

Rummage Sale

MSAC is planning to organize a rummage sale forSeptember 12. We’ll need volunteers from the entirecongregation, as well as all the rummage you canproduce! Summer’s a great time to clear out yourclosets and basements! Proceeds will go to theNicaragua work week.

We can all be pleased at how our outreach is going.Thank you to everyone who has been involved!

Everyone is encourage to bring donations (fooditems and money) for the Licking County FoodPantry.

Summer collections are:

JUNE: pasta and spaghetti sauce JULY: canned fruit and tuna AUGUST: fresh produce

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Mirror, Mirror

By Sylvia Niedner

As someone intimately connected with and yet at thispoint also somewhat removed from the ongoing life ofFirst Baptist - I'd like to share some reflections onchallenges and treasures I associate with this uniqueand powerful community.

It is here that I learned the most about the power andpossibilities of inclusive language. It is here that Imost learned to know and follow Jesus - even whenI'm deeply frustrated with church institutions andstructures. It is in the west parlor where I learned agreat deal about the power of small groups - throughweekday Bible study, and attendance at various 12step meetings. It is in this community that I found firstfound transformative family of the heart to support methrough trauma in growth and healing. It is here thatI still find people who know enough about my journeyto celebrate who I have become and where I am going.

I am sad and confused and encouraged by what I'veexperienced being with you recently. I am sad becauseit sounds like banning use of male pronouns is a questthat might be looked at as a weapon used againstthose who are outside the "party line". I am confused -because insistence on there being a particular *right*way of communicating seems to part of the patriarchaleither/or system that I hope we all are growing out of.I am encouraged - because I experience individual andcommunal spiritual growth, creativity andtransformation in the various contexts of which I'vebeen a part over the last couple years. In the "RepaintOur Parish" effort - I see the courage, wisdom andwhimsy that I so love about the community. And inoutreach efforts and the wonderful artistry ofWhatever Works I see the legacy of social justicecontinuing in profound ways.

One of the both most powerful and sometimes mostdisconcerting parts of Obama's campaign and hispresidency is his insistence on having as manyoptions, opinions and voices in the discussions aspossible. That definitely includes people whoseapproaches I find distasteful - like Rick Warren andTim Geitner. And yet - as the President stresses - weare *all* in this together - and we can all be part offiguring out a way forward. One of the keys is beingable to listen - not just with the context of the way wethink things should be - but how they are and howthey possibly can be with enough creativity andcompassion and resilience.

Is so called "inclusive language" an idol that isworshiped? Or might it be a gateway for self-examination and an opportunity for the winds of Spiritto flow through and breathe in new life?

much love -Sylvia Nformer FBC "church mouse"

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sat., June 20 Pride Parade, ColumbusSun., June 21 FBC Board meeting, after worshipSun., June 28 Lunches on the Square, after

worshipBoard meeting

June 28-July 3 Baptist Youth Camp, Laurel Ridge,NC

July 20-25 BPFNA Summer Conference,Ogden Utah

Join in the PEACE VIGILS at Opera House Park

each Saturday, from 9:00AM to 10:00am

and each Tuesday from 5:00to 6:00pm

NOTE FROM THE TREASURER:

Finances for First Baptist Church are as follows forthe end of May 2009.Income = $15,394.71, Expenses = $11,495.78,therefore for the end of May 2009 we have excessincome of $3,898.

Thank you for doing a great job of getting yourpledges in!

As a reminder, by the end of 2009 we couldpossibly have a $20,000 deficit, due to the fact thatour annual income budget is $174,837 and ourannual expense budget is $195,719.

SPECIAL NOTE: Louise prepares checks everyother Friday, to be signed by the treasurer onSunday, so plan ahead for any reimbursements.

Thank you!

Betty Wleh sends many thanks toFBC : ... “May kindness return toyou in the same beautiful way that itwas given.”

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VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2009: WILDWOOD FOREST

DISCOVERING THE UNTAMED NATURE OF GOD

During the week of June 8 , our sanctuary was transformed into the “Wildwood Forest,” where weth

hosted 155 children from preschool age through 6 grade for the 2009 Ecumenical Vacation Bible School,th

focusing on the theme of “Discovering the Untamed Nature of God.” For more than two decades, our churchhas partnered with First Presbyterian Church, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, and St. Edward’s Catholic Churchto host an ecumenical vacation Bible school for the children of Licking County. In addition to the children, wealso hosted dozens of teen and parent volunteers, who came to know our church, its people, and our missionthrough this year’s VBS.

Our CE building was also transformed for VBS 2009 to represent a Honduran treehouse. For this year’smission project, we were introduced to the children and mission of Montana de Luz (Mountain of Light), anorphanage for children with HIV/AIDS in Honduras. The VBS children were asked to bring a coin offering allweek, which will be used to build a treehouse for the children of Montana de Luz. Our children also wroteletters to the children in Honduras as they learned about life in Honduras and life with HIV/AIDS.

Please give your hearty thanks to our First Baptist volunteers who made this year’s VBS possible: KathyHurt (coordinator), Louise Gemmell (asst. coordinator), Diane Jaquish (set up), Bobbie Jaquish (teen volunteer),Clare Jaquish (teen volunteer), Gwynyth Chmara-Huff (parent volunteer), Zed Huff (teen volunteer), NancyReeb (nursery volunteer), Sylvia Niedner (teacher), and all those who donated time and materials for VBS.

From the Wildwood Forest (see photos),Gini Lohmann Bauman (parent volunteer)

THE NEXT FBC BOARD MEETING IS AFTER THE WORSHIP SERVICE ON JUNE 28 . TH

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First Baptist Church of Granville115 W. BroadwayGranville, Ohio 43023