2013 National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) September 2-6, 2013

March 2013

At Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina For all who are 50 years old or older: Join us at NOAC 2013! A time of community, gathering in the company of sister and brothers in Christ A time of deepening relationships with God and with each other A time of challenge as we worship, learn, pray, serve, and play together. A time of response, ready to listen to Gods call. A time of renewal, as we experience Gods reassurance of refreshment and restoration! The Latin cross is the simplest and most common form of the Christian cross possibly dating from the second or third century. Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians typically displacy a crucifix~an image of Jesus hanging on the cross to remember his death for the sake of the world, while Protestant churches often favor the empty cross, commemorating Jesus resurrection.

PHILADELHIA FIRST CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

www.brethren.org/NOAC-online registration begins on March 1

First Light

Maundy Thursday Love Feast and Communion March 28, at 7:30 P.M. On Thursday, March 28, First Church will be holding its Love Feast and Communion Service. You are all invited to participate in one of the most sacred ordinances of the church. During this Lenten season, please take some time for some soul-searching and examine your list of priorities. Then join the rest of us on this solemn evening. Easter Joy Now let the heavens be joyful! Let earth her song begin! Let the round world keep triumph, And all that is therein, Invisible and visible, Their notes let all things blend, For Christ the Lord has risen, Our joy that hath no end. ~Saint John of Damascus
First Church Facts: Average Worship Attendance for February:

Dont Forget Dont forget the Peter Becker Community Flower Show on Thursday, March 14, through Saturday, March 16. The theme this year is Our Favorite Things.

Aid For Friends Cook-In Tuesday, March 5

First Church Calendar

M a rc h 2 0 1 3
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1 World Day of Prayer

Sat
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5 Aid for 6 Karate at 7 Friends Cook- 6:30 pm In at 9:30 am Bible Study at 7:30 pm 12 13 Karate at 6:30 pm Bible Study at 7:30 pm 14 PBC Flower Show March 14-16

10 Day light Savings Time Deacons Meeting after Worship 17 Saint Patricks Day

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15

16

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20 Karate at 6:30 pm Bible Study at 7:30 pm

21 Spring has sprung on the 20th!

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24 Palm Sunday

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28 Love Feast 29 Good Friand Commun- day Service at ion at 7:30 pm 7:00 pm

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31 Easter Sunday

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At A Glance:
March Happenings
1 World Day of Prayer 10 Day Light Savings Time Begins Deacons Meeting after Morning Worship 14-16 Peter Becker Community Flower Show 17 Saint Patricks Day 24 Palm Sunday 28 Maundy ThursdayLove Feast and Communion at 7:30 P.M. 29 Good FridayGood Friday Service at 7:00 P.M. 31 Easter Sunday 13 ~Gail Inderwies 18 ~ Owen Ziegler 19 ~David Lachman 21 -~Dee Ramirez 28 ~ Walter Eckenrode 31 ~Ioan Newberry

Top of the Hill Day Care News

Top of the Hill is planning many exciting activities during the month of March. The children will be participating in a variety of fun themes and activities such as Green Eggs and Ham Day, Saint Patricks Day parties and events to welcome spring. We are looking forward to warmer weather and to being outside in the fresh air more often.

March Birthdays

March is the Time to Renew Your Messenger Subscription

A Sign of Spring In The Story of the Easter Robin, Dandi March is the time to renew Daley Mackall retells an old Pennsyl- your yearly subscription to the vania Dutch tale of the robins comMessenger. passion as he witnessed Jesus death.

This is an excellent way to keep On Good Friday, a plan brown robin current of Church of the Brethflying over Jerusalem was curious ren issues and events. The cost about the nest atop Jesus head. per year is $14.50. Please conWhen the bird realized it was a crown of thorns, he tried to dislodge it. As the tact Janet Hoover if you are inrobin pulled out a long thorn from Je- terested in renewing or subsus forehead, a drop of blood landed scribing.
on the birds breast, staining it red. Now the robins red breast is a symbol of Jesus loving sacrifice, and the robins early-spring song is a reminder of Jesus joyful resurrection.

Womens Spring Fellowship March 9 Chiques COB Speaker: Pat Moyer Biblical Gardens and Fringe Benefit Registration: 8:45 A.M. First Session: 9:30 to 11:30 Lunch (if preregistered) Second Session: 1:00 to 2:30 P.M.

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March 2013

s we move through the Lenten season, it is a time for us to prepare anew, to remember Jesus death and resurrection. It is easy to reduce Easter to just the crucifixion of Jesus, or to limit it to Jesus resurrection. While there are clear and necessary overtones of sacrifice and victory, it is important to remember that this event, the Christ Event unfolds from Jesus living, teaching and his intention. The gospels tell us that Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. Going to his crucifixion and his resurrection were part of his clear intention. It was not accidental, nor was it avoidable. Jesus had purpose and intent in his trip to Jerusalem, but it started long before. We cannot read the gospel accounts of Jesus death and resurrection outside of the scope of Jesus incarnation. In Jesus we see the Word become flesh, and, as John points out for us, the Word was God from the beginning. God became human, made his dwelling among us, and rather than asking us to serve him, he served us. We see this time and again in the gospel accounts. Most clearly in the Crucifixion, but also the Last Supper where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He came not to be served, but to serve. Jesus talks of this in the first being last and the last being first, the greatest of our number being the one who is servant of all. Jesus paints a new picture of what it means to be great, not the one with the most wealth and power, but the one who cares for others, who serves others. It is easy to assume that such examples of Jesus are secondary to the Cross and the empty tomb. But as I consider this wondrous thing that God has done, I am increasingly struck by the interconnectedness of Jesus example and his action on the cross. They are not separate events, but rather the same truth expounded in different formats. Jesus dies to serve all of humanity, all those who will be saved. He does this though we do not ask. He literally became the servant of all, so that we might know life. This example, this principle of Kingdom life ought to permeate who we are as Gods people. In serving others, regardless of their request, we too ought to care enough for the people that God so loved that he sent his only Son. If Jesus loved them, those who have not asked for his love or service, enough to go to the cross, then we too ought to love them as well. People go to the military to die for country, and home, but are we willing to go to the cross and die so that others might know life, as Jesus did? Are we willing to be the servant of all or are we more interested in having others serve us? Blessings, Kevin

This is the latest book that I will be reading. If youd like to read along feel free. Here is what is being said about this book:

PHILADELHIA FIRST CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN

"Khaled Anatolios's new book is a welcome addition to the flood of revisionary scholarship on patristic Trinitarian theology in the last twenty years. Anatolios's treatment helps us to see the perennial importance of the key figures of the fourth and fifth centuries for all of our thought on this central mystery of the Christian faith. The clarity of his exposition and his constant desire to draw out the consequences of historical exposition mean that this book will find a treasured place on the bookshelves of theologians and theology students across the board." --Lewis Ayres, Bede Professor of Catholic Theology, Durham University

First Light