The Meetinghouse News April 2018

The Meetinghouse News exposure, for many of us it might have been April 2018 a long time since we heard much about it – what it is, what it might mean, and why we The day the Lord created HOPE say it so often. For the next few months, I’ll is probably the same day he created be walking through the Apostles’ Creed and trying to address those questions. Think of it Spring as a refresher course! This time, I will be Bernard Williams discussing what the Apostle’s Creed is, what it does, and why we say it so often in Philosopher church.Lent- Easter Services The name “Apostles’ Creed” does notMaundy Thursday- 6:30 Old Scots indicate that one, or all, of the twelve closeHall disciples of Jesus actually wrote the Creed.Good Friday –7:00 Old Tennent There used to be a pious legend that each ofSanctuary the Twelve contributed a line of the Creed.Easter Sunrise-6:30am Outside But that is not the case: though individualNeff Chapel parts of the creed are quite ancient, in itsEaster Sunday-11:00 Sanctuary present form it seems to have arisen around 450 AD, and to have been used during Why the Apostles' Creed baptismal services. So the name “Apostles’ Creed” indicates that the faith we confess SaraJane Nixon when we say it is the faith of the Apostles,More Sundays than not, we stand up after rather than that the Apostles wrote it.we confess our sins together and are assuredof our pardon and recite some kind of creed. The authority of the Creed, then, is aMore Sundays than not, the creed we recite thoroughly human authority. Though theis the Apostles’ Creed. Despite our frequent church often considers it and the Nicene Creed to be the human documents with the most authority, the authority of Scripture is in a totally different class. Scripture has the authority of God; the creeds merely have a kind of derivative, though very real, authority as summaries of scripture. That authority, and the tradition we have of frequently reciting it during church services, raises some questions. For instance, once we have recited it, what is the point of continuing to do so, over and over? Or, what if you don’t believe all of it? Should you still say it? As a matter of fact, my answer to these questions is related. When my friend and mentor Dr. Richard Burnett was a student at Princeton Seminary, the school brought in an Easter Orthodox priest to give a talk. A student stood up and asked these very

questions, especially related to the Virgin Deaconsbirth. He didn’t believe it – why should he The Deacons would like to thank all thesay it? The priest paused for a moment, took church members who cooked, shopped,of his glasses, and looked at the student. “If served, set up and cleaned up for theyou say it, you will begin to believe it,” he Moorefield luncheon. Without everyone'ssaid. When the student protested – the point help we could not have fed the 120+ peoplewas he didn’t believe it, and didn’t want to – for that event.the priest wasn’t impressed. “Young man,”he said, “It isn’t your creed.” The Deacons would like to thank everyone who helped provide food and Easter basketsIt isn’t our creed. That is, it doesn’t belong for our 5 Samaritan Center families. The families are deeply appreciative of ourto any of us as individuals, but is the faith of efforts.the whole Church. There’s a Latin phrase The Deacons will be serving a Continentalthat our Episcopal brothers and sisters Breakfast after the Sunrise Service on Easter. Come join us for the Service andespecially like to say: Lex orandi, lex stay for a light meal in Old Scot's Hall afterward.credendi: As we pray, so we believe. Our Committee Reportsworship molds us into believing and acting Church Lifeas the human beings God intends us to be.And so we say the Apostles’ Creed, orsomething like it, week after week, and itbegins to form us over time into betterbelievers, better Christians, and betterhuman beings. On our best days, let usbelieve the Creed. On our worst days, let uswant to believe it, and say it anyway,trusting in the faith of the whole Church,and knowing that by God’s grace, the sayingof it will strengthen our belief. Thanks be toGod for the Apostles’ Creed!Important Dates Want to stay tuned in to the goings on at Old Tennent? It's easy - try our new onlineLent- Easter Services resources. 1. Maundy Thursday- 6:30 Old Scots Hall 1. Church webpage - 2. Good Friday –7:00 Old Tennent www.oldtennent.org Sanctuary 3. Easter Sunrise-6:30am Outside 2. Church facebook page Neff Chapel followed by a 3. Church monthly newsletter continental breakfast 4. Pastor Doug's monthly/weekly 4. Easter Sunday-11:00 Sanctuary email updates For more information about any of these please see Elder Leni Hughes or Cathy Mitschele

Finance WorshipThank You, Thank you, Thank you! If you would like to serve as a greeter orA giant thank you to all church members usher during our Sunday service pleasewho have paid their per capita for 2018. contact Linda Sauer. We are always lookingThe Finance Committee has committed to to expand our list of servers.pay the total per capita to the Presbytery for2018. The Presbytery provides many Monmouth County Historicalresources to help the individual church run Weekendtheir programs and asks each church to pay$37 per active member. It is never too late Old Tennent Church will be one of theto pay your portion. historical sites open for The Monmouth County Historical Weekend on May 5th andMission 6th. We need people who would be willing to give an hour of their time or more to giveThe envelopes for One Great Hour Of tours of our sanctuary. We always have funSharing were placed in the church pews and and meet a lot of interesting people. Wecollected during March. will have historical information available for you to review before the event. There is aThe Fish Banks were distributed to the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board as youSunday school students and we asked them enter Old Scots Hall on the left. Patto bring them back on Easter Sunday. Herczeg has some colonial costumes you may borrow to wear. The costumes will beIt is not too late to make a donation so if you available in church for you select on Aprilwant please give to Susan Mooney or put it 29. If you have questions see Rev. Hughes,in the offering and mark it for One Great Linda Sauer.Hour Of Sharing. Youth MinistriesThe youth did an awesome job and collected$305.00 for the 30 Hour Famine. Holy Week for the youth will be full of activities. On Palm Sunday an empty tombThank you everyone for your support of was given to all the youth. Fish banks werethese very important Mission projects. due no later than Easter Sunday for One Great Hour of Sharing. On Maundy Thursday after the Agape Service there will be a youth movie night beginning at 8:30 . The movie is \"Jesus Christ Superstar.\" On Easter Sunday there will be a family breakfast beginning at 10 am for Sunday School students and their families. Please contact Renee Naden for more information.

Worship Assistants Final ThoughtsApril 1 - 6:30 The joyful news that He is risen does notLiturgist-Bill Sauer change the contemporary world. StillGreeter- before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice.Head Usher-Linda SauerUshers- Bill Sauer But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline,April 1 - 11:00 and make the sacrifice.Liturgist- Eda Cruz ~Henry Knox SherrillGreeter-Marge NelsonHead Usher-George NelsonUshers- Sarah Shaw and Bonnie LandauApril 8Liturgist-Sara Jane NixonGreeter-RoseAnn ThompsonHead Usher-Charles BudaUshers- Virginia Campbell & Renee NadenApril 15Liturgist- Sara Jane NixonGreeter- Virginia CampbellHead Usher- Eda CruzUshers- Sara Hughes and Gary WeissApril 22Liturgist- Leni HughesGreeter- Sarah ShawHead Usher- Charles BudaUshers- Laura Herczeg and Pat HerczegApril 29Liturgist- Joyce ZimmermanGreeter-Carol McLeanHead Usher- Bob McLeanUshers- George Nelson and Marge Nelson