Clean Your Desk Campaign
Yes, it’s that time of the year again; college
students have packed up their dorm rooms and
headed home, or out in to the world! And by the end
of this month, usually all students are out of school.
But what about all those school supplies that are left
over at the end of the academic year? We need your
gently used (or NEW!) notebooks, paper, pens,
pencils (regular and colored), crayons, etc. for our
annual Clean Your Desk Campaign.
Recycle, Reuse, and Renew Hope
for Nicaraguan Kids!
Each year, with your help, Quest for Peace
sends 60 tons of school supplies to Nicaragua for
use in the rural schools. With an average annual
income of $250, families cannot afford supplies for
their several children - nor does the government
provide them. In addition to school supplies,
“parents must come up with
additional salary, desks, materials,
school repairs, water and electric
bills, and cleaning materials,” says
Nan McCurddy in Education: A
Privilege in Nicaragua. Your
educational supplies will build
friendship between peoples, help
educate Nicaraguan children and
open a new world for you.
Donate school supplies such as:
pencils and erasers
paper and notebooks
art supplies
crayons and markers
scissors and rulers
musical instruments
basketballs, baseballs, etc.
Please--NO books, 3-ring binders or anything battery
operated.
The supplies are put in large cargo containers and
shipped to Nicaragua. They travel to the 300-plus
schools which Quest for Peace serves in Nicaragua.
(www.quixote.org)
Last year, Clarendon Hill shipped many pounds
of supplies. There will be a box in the foyer of the
church for you to deposit your supplies along with a
more extensive list of the supplies that are needed.
Remember to ask friends and neighbors to
Sunday Worship at Clarendon Hill
9:45 a.m.
Choir rehearsal
10:30 a.m.
Worship*
11:30 a.m.
Refreshments and fellowship
*Worship will begin at 10 a.m. from July 6
to August 31. Children’s Education and the
regular worship schedule will resume in
September.
The Clarendon Connection
June 2008
www.clarendonhillchurch.org
participate too! And if you or your colleagues
haven’t cleaned your work desk (or desk at home),
take a look to see what you can contribute. We will
collect supplies throughout the month of June.
If you don’t have school supplies to send, we
would also be grateful for monetary donations to
help defray the cost of shipping the items. Please see
Ellen Schemerhorn (ellends@verizon.net) for more
details.
Photos from Nathan
Williams’s installation
at Hope Community
Presbyterian Church in
Virginia, Minnesota.
Left: Nathan and
Leanne Williams
Introduction to Yoga
Come join our small, half-hour class during coffee
hour (12:15 p.m. on Sundays, June 15th and 22nd) to
practice mindful breathing and gentle yoga postures.
Great for stress release, improved flexibility and
strength. If interested, please email Liz at
cavatorta1@hotmail.com for more info.
Graduation Party for Gusti!
Please join Gusti’s out-of-town friends and family in “Celebrating the Mastery of Divinity” on Saturday,
June 7th, at 4:30 p.m. in the Nave Gallery. It will be a light reception to toast and roast those
graduating from Harvard Divinity School and to say a special thank you to a wonderful network of
support and encouragement. RSVP to Emily Redington Modak at
eeredington@hotmail.com.
Writing Group at Clarendon Hill
All Are Welcome!!
After exciting and productive meetings throughout
the year, the writing group will meet on
Wednesday, June 11th at 7:30 p.m. in the Green
Room. Please join us!! We will begin with a group
check-in, move through 1-2 writing exercises,
share as we feel moved, and finish with a group
check-out. We are open to everyone, regardless of
previous writing experience, and will tailor each
session to the needs and interests of those who
attend. Contact Gusti or Liz for more information:
gusti_newquist@yahoo.com or
Cavatorta1@hotmail.com
Parish News
Naila Jirmanus's brother Raja Saba passed
away on May 22nd. He was in the hospital in
the United Arab Emirates with very advanced
lung cancer; Raja’s death was sudden and a
shock to his family. Naila attended the burial in
Lebanon before returning to Boston. Please
keep Naila and her family in your prayers.
Ellen Schemerhorn has “retired” as editor of
The Clarendon Connection after ten years. Much
gratitude to Ellen for all of the work she put
into developing the newsletter and sharing
important news with the congregation.
Clarendon Hill’s Facebook Account
Missing Clarendon Hillers halfway through the
week? Want to make church friends digital friends?
Clarendon Hill has a new facebook account at
http://groups.to/clarendonhill/ For more
information about how to set up a Facebook
account, contact Rachel at reichiru@gmail.com.
Come join us!
Post-Annual-Meeting Meeting
On Sunday June 8th at 9 a.m., please join the Session for an informal meeting and breakfast before
church to discuss Clarendon Hill. During January's Annual meeting we decided to meet in June and see
what goals we have accomplished and what we still need to work on for the year. So please join us before
service to get the lastest update and maybe a muffin or two.
Rental Space Available!
Teen Empowerment recently left their rental space at the church, so there is room available! If you
know of a group or organization that is in need of office space, please have them get in touch with the
church as soon as possible.
A Call to Knit and Pray Our Way to the GA in San Jose!
A group of us have begun knitting and crocheting scarves to be sent to the General Assembly (GA) in
San Jose, California, later in June. These scarves will be worn by commissioners in support of the many
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals who are still excluded from serving as
deacons, elders and ministers in our denomination. If you are interested in knitting or crocheting a
scarf, please get in touch with Ellen, ellends@verizon.net.
Top Ten List of Issues before the
218th General Assembly (2008)
Before each General Assembly, the Stated Clerk of the
General Assembly shares what s/he considers to be the top
ten issues coming to the assembly. Here is the Clerk’s non-
prioritized list for 2008.
A Revised Form of Government
The Form of Government Task Force was created by the 217th General Assembly (2006) to propose a revised polity that
would be more flexible, foundational and appropriate for a missional Reformed church in the 21st century. The task
force is bringing a revised Form of Government for adoption by the assembly and recommendation to the presbyteries.
Partnership in World Mission
The 217th General Assembly called for a consultation between the General Assembly Council World Mission program
and a variety of mission initiators in the PC(USA). The fruits of that consultation will be before this assembly in a call for
an “Expanding Partnership in God’s Mission” that involves a wide variety of groups working together for the renewal of
PC(USA) World Mission.
PC(USA) Ecumenical Stance and Covenants
The 218th General Assembly will take action on a number of ecumenical items, including a proposed new policy on the
ecumenical stance of the PC(USA) and covenant agreements with four different churches: the Korean Presbyterian
Church in America, the Episcopal Church, the Catholic Church and the Moravian Church.
Peace, Unity and Purity of the PC(USA)
Several proposals concerning the peace, unity and purity of the church will be before this year’s assembly, including
fresh ways to use discernment in our life together, reconsideration of some or all of the actions of the previous assembly
in this area and proposals to change the constitutional standards for ordination.
The Belhar Confession
This assembly will be asked to act on a proposal to take the first step toward adding the Belhar Confession to The Book of
Confessions. This confession grows out of the experience of Christians in South Africa and is an affirmation of the
biblical call to Christian unity and racial reconciliation.
Middle East Concerns
Before this General Assembly will be a variety of overtures and advocacy committee proposals to strengthen the
PC(USA)’s witness to peace with justice in relation to both Israel/Palestine and Iraq.
Elections
A Moderator of the 218th General Assembly (2008) will be elected to a two-year term, and a new Stated Clerk of the
General Assembly will be elected to a four-year term.
Growing God’s Church Deep and Wide
The General Assembly Council is challenging the whole church to adopt a two-year commitment to grow the church in
membership, in discipleship and in diversity.
Domestic Social Justice Concerns
This assembly will address a large number of social justice concerns, including the adoption of a new Social Creed, as
well as the adoption of major policy papers on serious mental illness, energy and global warming, pay equity for women,
homelessness and electoral reform.
A Church for Future Generations
One assembly committee will do generative thinking as it focuses on the church’s ministry to and with youth to ensure a
church for future generations.
Overtures Call for End to Discrimination at the 218th General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church (USA): It's About Time
"Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly with your God" is the theme for the upcoming 218th
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in San Jose, CA, June 21 - 28. In a time like now,
and in the world as it is, the ancient Hebrew prophet Micah's call has a profoundly contemporary and
timely ring.
Many important matters of vision and mission face this Assembly and our Church: the election
of a new Stated Clerk; the election of the Moderator of our Church; the growing needs of our country
and world in terms of peacemaking, economic justice and addressing the real world problems of hunger,
homelessness, HIV-AIDS within the USA and around the globe, fair and just immigration policy, etc.
And, before our General Assembly is the opportunity to respond to the Call from within our
Church to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and their families
through prayerful consideration and passage of the LGBT-Affirming overtures that support spiritual,
ordination and marriage equality. This indeed seems to be a kairos moment in the life of our Church.
LGBT-Affirming Ordination overtures are the Hudson River and Cincinnati Presbytery Over-
tures. The Baltimore Overture that supports a loving and faithful relationship between two partners,
regardless of gender, is an LGBT-Affirming Overture that promotes a more just and loving definition of
marriage within our Directory for Worship. Correcting the mistranslation within the later Heidelberg
Catechism removes the anti-gay prejudice placed into this historic confession and restores integrity to
our Book of Confessions.
The National Board of Directors of More Light Presbyterians unanimously adopted the following
statement at its February 2008 board meeting in Santa Fe, NM. As we approach the 218th General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in San Jose, we covet your prayers, support, and help as we
work to make our Church one that welcomes and affirms all of God's people.
Please do forward this statement, prayer and Call to Action for the 218th General Assembly to
those who are praying, working and believing that God is at work in our midst; that the teachings,
example and Gospel of Jesus Christ call and inspire us to be a Church that does not discriminate against
any of God's children; and that the Spirit is doing a new thing in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Thank you for joining us in prayer for our Church and this General Assembly. Together We are
Building a Church for All God's people!
Grace and peace,
Vikki, Bear and Michael
Vikki Dearing and Bear Ride, Co-Moderators, Michael J. Adee, Executive Director & Field Organizer,
EDITORIAL from More Light Presbyterians
and the National Board of Directors, More Light Presbyterians
It’s About Time!
It’s about time for all disciples of Jesus Christ to take a stand
for those who are still denied full participation in our church ---
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers,
whom God loves and calls to faith and ministry.
It’s about time to end
the task forces, studies, judicial cases, interpretations,
and other abuses
that continue the unconscionable discriminatory policies
of our church.
It’s about time to lay aside our fears:
Fear of the unknown - fear of schism,
Fear of those who are different.
“God is love…there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
1 John, 4:16, 18
It’s about time to do the right thing,
to delete G-6.0106b which has created so much strife
in our beloved church.
It’s about time to trust in God’s wildly inclusive love,
and remove the boundaries we have set
around God’s free, unmerited grace.
It’s about time to make our church a welcoming
community
where everyone has an equal place at God’s table.
It’s about time!
www.mlp.org
Curated by Sandra Butler
and Rachel Mello
In this unique show a small group of visual
artists, dancers, filmmakers, and writers
who received Somerville Arts Council
Fellowship Grants in early 2007, reflect on
the evolution in their work over the course
of one year.
Considering earlier work side-by-side with
newest pieces offers the rare opportunity
to look into a developing sense of process
and direction in a handful of the city’s rich
population of dedicated artists. Artists featured include Karen Aqua, Sandra Butler, Benjamin Cariens,
Betsy Connors, Karl Cronin, Christopher Frost, Shaun Lynch, Rachel Mello, Christina Renfer, Ethan Gilsdorf,
and Bert Stern.
Opening reception, 12 June 2008, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., including readings and film screenings.
the nave gallery: 'Fanning the Flames'
Evolving Works of Somerville Arts Council Fellowship Recipients
12 June-6 July 2008
Karl Cronin, "Dry Earth fieldwork (still image from performance footage)", 2007
Peter Walker
13 July 2008, 7:30 p.m.
www.myspace.com/peterwalkerguitarist
Guitarist Peter Walker came up in the Cambridge MA and Greenwich
Village folk scenes of the Sixties. He recorded two albums for the Van-
guard label in the late Sixties in a style best described as American folk-
raga. He studied with Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, and was Dr.
Timothy Leary's musical director, organizing music for the LSD advocate's
"celebrations."
Peter Walker's 1967 debut album, Rainy Day Raga, features one of the
first studio appearances by jazz flautist Jeremy Steig, as well as guitarist
Bruce Langhorne, who recorded with Bob Dylan and many others. Rainy
Day Raga is a gentle and beautiful fusion of Eastern and Western musical traditions, and one of the earliest
examples of a style explored by Sandy Bull several years earlier. A second album, Second Poem to Karmela or,
Gypsies Are Important (1969) found Walker going even deeper into Indian instrumentation, playing sarod and
sitar. During this time, Peter played or was associated with such musicians as Lowell George, Fred Neil, Tim
Hardin, and Joan Baez, among many others.
Walker settled in upstate New York in the early Seventies. In more recent years, he has developed an intense
interest in flamenco guitar and, through regular trips to Spain, been accepted into the flamenco's exclusive
musical elite.
www.artsomerville.org
Church Assignments
June 2008
June 1
Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19
Psalm 46:1-11
Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31)
Matthew 7:21-29
June 8
Genesis 12:1-9
Psalm 33:1-12
Romans 4:13-25
Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
June 15
Genesis 18:1-15 (21:1-7)
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
Romans 5:1-8
Matthew 9:35-10:8 (9-23)
June 22
Genesis 21:8-21
Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
Romans 6:1b-11
Matthew 10:24-39
June 29
Genesis 22:1-14
Psalm 13:1-6
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42
July 2008
July 6
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Psalm 45:10-17 or Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
July 13
Genesis 25:19-34
Psalm 119:105-112
Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
July 20
Genesis 28:10-19a
Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
July 27
Genesis 29:15-28
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b or Psalm 128:1-6
Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
Lectionary for Sundays
scripture
focus on mission
coffee hour
nursery
June 1
M. Jirmanus
S. Rhodes
POTLUCK
N. Jirmanus
June 8
G. Newquist
T. Siggers
Chapman-Adisho
K. Gustafson
June 15
P. Beran
S. Donovan
Gustafson/Cavano
A. Chapman-Adisho
June 22
H. Rantisi
P. Auger
Schemerhorn
V. Donovan
June 29
M. Nickey
L. Cavano
Donovan
E. Schemerhorn
July 6
J. Auger
C. Milanesi
Siggers
N. Jirmanus
July 13
J. Bray
E. Schemerhorn
Jirmanus
A. Chapman-Adisho
July 20
R. Liberace
S. Otami
Augers
K. Gustafson
July 27
M. Reynolds
R. Winchester
Milanesi/Kumpa
E. Schemerhorn
If you would like to be added to the rotation for any of these opportunities, please contact Ann Crews
Melton, anncrews@gmail.com or 617.646.9690.
The Clarendon Connection is edited by Ann Crews Melton. Articles for the July issue are requested by June
24th. Email Ann at anncrews@gmail.com with news, photos, tidbits, corrections or suggestions.