Have a Minute?

by Henry E. Fairman

Back to school we are!! Where did our summer go? Oh! I remember…

The SH-YoRS crew headed off for their Mission Experience in Pittsburgh. We welcomed Rev. Doug Griffin as our Interim Senior Pastor. We went camping with our friends from Rock Spring at Cunningham Falls State Park. We celebrated the work of Ben Eckman, as he set out to new labors. We took some time for rest and study. I’m sure we can add to this short list the many excursions, week-enders, and long walks that made our summer months so memorable.

And now…IT’S TIME FOR RALLY DAY! Never let it be said that Rock Spring takes a Summer break!

As we come back together, we join in a time of great energy and renewal. The Boards of the congregation are planning a strong year of fellowship and programs. Some will be the “old-standards,” ready for new and exciting times. Some will be new initiatives, built on the traditions of care and concern in our congregation. For every age and every generation, there is a place to come together and share in the mission and ministry of Rock Spring Congregational UCC.

In the eighth chapter of Nehemiah, we are told of the celebration of the Israelites after the Exile into Babylon. While our time apart began with far different reasons, I know we have that same energy to come together, recommit to our life in ministry, and rejoice in the blessings God has shown us in our lives and in our community of faith. Ezra and the Israelites joined in a seven-day feast when they came together in worship and thanksgiving. Ours will not be that long, but it will be just as large a celebration. The story tells us that when Ezra called the people together, he gave thanks to God. Then all the people said, “Amen! Amen!”

So, you are called back! Welcome Home! Amen! Amen!

Our Interim Time

What Can We Expect?

So, we’re in an interim time. We have an interim senior pastor. We have heard about the general goals for the interim time. But what can we expect? Is there any idea how long it will take? Have you wondered about these questions? If you have, take heart: you’re not alone. And, yes, there are reasonable expectations about the process and how long it takes.

Let’s outline the process in broad strokes. Then, in the weeks and months ahead, we can deal with specifics. We’ve already indicated that the first major goal is to develop an accurate verbal picture of who we are as a congregation in this community NOW. That’s the picture we want to paint in the Profile of the Congregation that will be used with potential candidates. So, as noted in a recent issue of the Rock Spring News, an Interim Team is being composed to work with Doug Griffin to coordinate ways that will invite wide-ranging input from the congregation. We want to address questions such as: What attracts you to Rock Spring Church? Why do you belong? What have been the two or three high points or defining events from Rock Spring Church’s past that you believe have shaped who we are now? What are your hopes and concerns about Rock Spring Church and our community as we move into the future? As the team begins to coordinate your responses, we’ll begin to recognize contours of Rock Spring’s current picture emerging from the responses. How long will this process take? It generally takes somewhere between four and six months, depending on the size of the congregation and the time it takes to coordinate and implement these “conversations of the congregation.”

Then, once we’ve compiled the responses, what happens next? Using this information along with data from the Strategic Plan and other existing sources, the team can begin formulating the Congregation Profile. We will use the standard template designed by the UCC national church office. If you’d like to see a copy feel free to request one from Doug Griffin, or find one at www.ucc.org/ministers then click “Resources” under “The Search and Call Process.” How long does it take to complete the Profile? Usually, between two and four months, again depending on such things as how long it takes to provide the congregation the opportunity to review and respond to the drafts of the Profile.

Finally, once the Profile is completed and the Pastoral Search Committee formed, the Search Committee follows a well-established process for conducting a comprehensive search for a Senior Pastor candidate. The Search Committee will recommend a candidate(s) to the Council for nomination. The Council will review the recommendation and nominate a candidate for the Congregation’s action at a duly called congregational meeting. And once elected, the new Senior Pastor will make the move to Rock Spring Church. How long will that take? The Search Process per se generally takes between nine months and a year. It all depends on the size of the pool of candidates the Search Committee considers, the complexity of the process, and how long it takes for the Senior Pastor-elect to make the transition here.

Those are the broad strokes of what the interim time looks like. It might appear that it is a long time. But as we approach each phase, it’s amazing how quickly the time goes! Nevertheless, hopefully it’s clear from this overview why the Council voted to enter into a two-year covenant with Doug Griffin. The interim time could well be that long. Though, as has been reported before, the covenant is flexible such that it can be shortened or extended, depending on how long it takes Rock Spring Church to complete its transition to a new Senior Pastor. As each phase of the process unfolds, we’ll provide more details to keep you up to speed with what’s going on. If you have questions or concerns about the interim process, please feel free to give Doug Griffin a call or drop by the office to chat with him.

Church Calendar

Please click here to view the current Rock Spring bi-weekly calendar.

News and Notes

Joys & Concerns

Congratulations to Beth and Bill Wiggins, on the baptism of their daughter, Elise, on September 14.

Prayers are requested for Donna and Geoffrey Hawley as they go through a difficult separation, and for Geoffrey, who is now living in Denver and struggling with health concerns. Please pray for two members of Doug Griffin’s family: his mother Darlene Griffin is having surgery for acute gall bladder disease on September 10 and his brother Dane continues a 12-week course of chemotherapy for kidney cancer.

Our continued prayers and condolences are extended to Pat and Anita Marx, as they honor the life of their beloved mother, Olivia Marx.  Continued prayers for Alexander Kincaid, and his parents Mark and Karin, as he continues his journey of healing.

JFFAL Annual All Church Picnic

Sunday, September 14 from 4pm to 8pm at Lacey Woods Park...corner of Washington Blvd. and George Mason Dr.  Questions? Contact Donna Cartwright.

WF Fall Bazaar Reminder

The Women's Fellowship reminds all Rock Springers who knit, sew, paint, or make crafts to begin creating items for the craft table at the Annual Fall Bazaar. The bazaar will be Saturday, November 1, so put your imaginations and fingers to work in your "spare" time this summer.

Bead Workshop

Don't forget our BEAD WORKSHOP continuing through October on: Wednesdays-September 10 and October 8 at 10:00 am--2:00 pm and Mondays- September 15 and October 20 at 7:30 pm-9:00 pm.  Everyone is welcome.  Come and learn and create!  Questions? Please contact Florence Otstot.

Board of Deacons News and Notes

Save The Date For "A Moveable Feast"!

Would you like to get to know other Rock Springers in a small group setting?  Want to feel more connected to our church?  Join A Moveable Feast!  Come to our organizing meeting on September 27 from 5pm to 7pm, where you will be randomly assigned (with your spouse, significant other, or a friend, if you so desire) to small groups of 8 people.  You will meet monthly with your small group through the fall, and then reconvene in January to be assigned to a second small group if you want to continue in the program.  A final gathering in May will mark the end of this year's Moveable Feast.  Over the course of the year, you'll make at least 12 new friends at Rock Spring!  Small groups will afford the opportunity to share your interests, background, faith, and life experience with other members of our community.  Come for fun, friendship and fellowship.  Child care WILL be provided.  We hope you will join us on September 27.

Opportunity To Consider Participating In Rock Spring Reading:

If you are interested in reading scriptures at the Rock Spring worship service--or just learning more about it and discussing the opportunity with Reverend Doug Griffin, please plan to stay for about 20 minutes after the 9 or 11 am service on Sunday, September 7 to learn more.  Any questions may be directed to Shirley Meehan.

Youth Ushers

Isn’t it wonderful to know you have a place to call your church? This year, the Board of Deacons is extending an invitation to all youth, grades 4-7, to help in the celebration of our worship services as Youth Ushers. The Youth Ushers will assist the Adult Ushers in their duties, including welcoming people to worship, handing out programs, collecting the offering, and, most specially, lighting the candles to begin services each week.
The organizational meeting for the Youth Ushers will take place on Sunday, September 28 after the 11:00 service. Parents, you will be receiving a more detailed letter/email on the Youth Ushers. If your child is in this age range, and you do not see the information by September 15, please contact Hank Fairman.

Sunday School News and Notes

Welcome back! The Board of Christian Education hopes you had a great summer, and that you are ready to come back to another year of encountering God’s still-speaking word. Rally Day is Sunday, September 7, 2008. We return to two services of worship and Sunday School at 9:00 and 11:00.

During the 9:00 hour, we offer professional care in our Infant and Toddler Nurseries, and a multi-age class for Pre-K through 2nd Grade. At 11:00, we offer professional care in our Infant and Toddler Nurseries, and classes for Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten-1st Grades, 2nd-3rd Grades, and 4th-5th Grades.

In our Middle High and Senior High classes, we will be trying something different this semester. Classes for the upper grades will meet during the 11:00 hour for 6th-7th Grades, 8th-9th Grades, and 10th-12th Grades. The goal is to provide a more age-relevant encounter with the Bible and faith, and to provide an experiential time for our youth to examine their faith.

Our Sunday School uses the Seasons of the Spirit curriculum. For more information on the scope and sequence, the foundations, and the specifics of the curriculum, please visit www.spiritseasons.com.

Come Meet Your Teacher(s)!

Please come and meet our Sunday School teachers on Sunday, September 21 following both worship services. This is a time to meet the students and parents in each of our wonderful educational programs. Rest assured, juice and cookies will be provided!

Children and Youth Information Update

At the beginning of each program year, the Sunday School reviews its roster to make sure that we know everyone’s name, grade, and birthday. Parents, please fill out a Sunday School Registration form, verifying your child(ren)’s information. These are located in the atrium to the Hunter Building, by the bulletin boards. The Board of Christian Education thanks you in advance for helping us keep good records!

Confirmation Class 2009

The Confirmation Class of 2009 will be forming during September. This is a time to get to know everyone who will be sharing in the class, and set our meeting day and time. We will hold a Rally Dinner before the end of this month (date/time TBD).

Confirmation is open to any youth who is currently in or beyond Ninth Grade. If your child is in this age group, you should have received an invitation letter in late August. If you have not received this letter, please contact Pastor Hank at hank@rockspringucc.org. Confirmation is a year-long group study in personal faith and spiritual discernment. Classes are usually every-other-week, and focused on teaching the faith and order of the United Church of Christ. The class begins in October, and will conclude on May 17, 2009, with the Confirmation Sunday service led by the class.

Parents of the Youth of Rock Spring

Parents, please join for an Information and Organization Meeting on Sunday, September 7, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm in Carpenter Hall. Please bring an appetizer or sweet to share. We will look towards the fall calendar, and discuss our leadership and chaperone needs for the coming year. This is a meeting for parents, guardians, and adults. Members and Friends of Rock Spring, you too are invited to come and learn more about the YoRS groups. For all of our Members and Friends who would like to help out with our Youth ministries, you are welcome to come and share in this gathering. There is room for all who feel called to walk with our youth! Parents, members, and friends, please RSVP to yors@rockspringucc.org. If you have a child in 6th Grade through 12th Grade, YoRS is the place to be!

Youth of Rock Spring (YoRS)

Middle High YoRS kicks off this year on September 14, at the JFFAL All-Church Picnic at Lacey Woods Park, starting at 4:00 pm. Our first meeting at our regular time of 6:30 pm-8:30 pm every Sunday will begin the following week, with a trip to Upton Hills Mini-Golf! We’ll gather at Carpenter Hall and head over on the bus! Bring $10 for fees and ice cream!

MH-YoRS Dates:

9/14/08 JFFAL All-Church Picnic at Lacey Woods Park, starting at 4:00 pm
9/21/08 Mini Golf at Upton Hill Park, meet @ 6:15 pm, leave @ 6:30 pm
9/28/08 Regular Meeting, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm @ Carpenter Hall

Save the Date!
10/12/08 Service Project: Dinner Program for Homeless Women; Meet at 3:45 pm, Return 7:30 pm!

Senior High YoRS begins the year with our planning for the Tents of Hope initiative! This will be our first focus this fall, leading up to the Tents of Hope Weekend on the National Mall. For more information on the “big picture,” please visit www.tentsofhope.org. For information on Rock Spring’s involvement, see the article from the Rock Spring Tents Team.

We’ll start the year joining in the September 14, at the JFFAL All-Church Picnic at Lacey Woods Park, starting at 4:00 pm. Our first in-church gathering will be on Sunday, September 21, from 1:00 pm-3:00 pm. We’ll do a pizza lunch for this one, and plan out our meeting times for the rest of the calendar year. The hope is to meet weekly!

SH-YoRS Dates:

9/14/08 JFFAL All-Church Picnic at Lacey Woods Park, starting at 4:00 pm
9/21/08 Lunch Meeting, 1:00 pm -3:00 pm @ Carpenter Hall
9/28/08 Lunch Meeting, 1:00 pm -3:00 pm @ Peace Room

Music News and Notes

The music program is ready to begin for the fall of 2008, and we invite you to join us! There is something for almost all age groups. If you need more info, please feel free to contact Elizabeth Kluegel Niblock at the church.

Sanctuary Choir - (adult choir for the 11 a.m. worship) Thursdays, beginning 9/4 7:30 p.m. - 9p.m. Child care provided on Thursdays. Rehearsals on Sunday are at 10:15 a.m.
Men's Choir - Thursdays, beginning 9/11 7 p.m.-7:30 p.m. (child care provided)
Choristers - (K-5th grade), Sundays, beginning 9/14 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. (except 9/14 ending at 10:30 a.m.)
Youth Choir - (6th-12th grade), Sundays, beginning 9/14 12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Handbell Choir - Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. beginning 9/10
Youth handbell choir - please contact Ed Roberts
R.S. Brass ensemble - please contact Ed Roberts

Social Action Board News:

“Torture: A Moral, Legal, and Political Disaster for America”
Sunday, September 21, 7:00-9:00 PM, Carpenter Hall

The Board of Social Action will host an open forum to discuss the moral, legal, political, and military implications of our current practices and policies relating to torture. The Rev. Dr. Janet Parker, Professor of Government Tony Arend of Georgetown University, and U.S. Representative Jim Moran are scheduled to address moral, legal, and political aspects of torture, respectively. Rock Springer Steven Xenakis, Army Brigadier General and psychiatrist who has done much work in this area, will provide the context and moderate the meeting. The event will be advertised area-wide to other churches and faith communities, seminaries, human rights groups, and organizations working on this topic. We hope to raise awareness and maintain enough continued interest to bring about a legislative change.

Mission Fair Fall 2008

The Board of Stewardship is sponsoring a Mission Fair, on September 28 in Carpenter Hall from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Representatives from local non-profits that Rock Spring supports through its Benevolences will be available to tell you about the services their agencies provide and opportunities to volunteer with their groups. Coffee and pastries will be served.

Help is needed for signs, letters to organizations, and setting up on Saturday before the event. If you can help us email Bill Wooten or Ann Rudd.

Make A Difference!  Join the Caring Ministry  Program

Beginning in September, the Caring Ministry program will be recruiting new volunteers. Launched in January of 2006 by the Board of Deacons, the Caring Ministry is a network of care that supports members and friends of Rock Spring. Lay caregivers provide regular visits to those who are ill, homebound, or living in long-term-care facilities, in addition to visits to those in the hospital. Transportation volunteers provide rides to those who need help getting to church or to important appointments. And an extensive network of volunteers sends regular greetings to members no longer able to attend church, as well as cards expressing get-well wishes, sympathy, and congratulations on the birth of a baby. For those who desire to join our visitation ministry, a training program will be provided beginning in October. Continuing training and support will be provided to returning lay caregivers. In this issue of the Rock Spring News and in the next issues we are including short testimonies from people who are involved in the Caring Ministry program. This issue features the transportation component (please refer to the last issue of the Rock Spring News for a focus on the visitation component). The next issue will feature our card ministry and transportation components. We hope these articles will give you some insight into this ministry and perhaps inspire you to join us!

Submitted by the Caring Ministry Team:
Bettie Clark, Susan Daniels, Eileen Jinks, Marcia Johnson, Ann Rosser, Stuart Scott, Ellen Swain, and Janet Parker

Transportation Volunteers

Lend your driving skills to get someone to church , to class, the grocery store, a doctor's appointment, or perhaps to serve Meals on Wheels.  An hour, a morning, a day spent participating in another's "need", short- or long-term, can refocus your attitude.

First, forget what captured your attention at home.  This is time set aside for this person.  Talk in the car or in a waiting room may be part of the deal. The errand or event may not be a matter of joy:  medical procedures are sometimes strictly not! But the occasion of sharing time is a positive.

Maybe you'll return with that simple uplifiting joy that tells you the time was well spent for another.  Or the encounter caught you laughing together starting a new friendship.  Sometimes the conversation touches a topic not usually broached at the Fellowship Hour after worship.

Offer your name to the Caring Ministries transportion program, but also consider offering rides to meetings and boards to those you kow have to be dropped off or picked up.  And, maybe during worship, we will work out a way for those who bus to Rock Spring to match with another who would return them to home or Metro.  A few more moments to share with another improve your day- Marjie Mayer

Update:  Rock Spring Web Site Enhancements

By Dawn Sword

Improved Rock Spring Calendar Now Ready

We've implemented a robust new calendar for the current Rock Spring website that enables visitors to view events in daily, weekly, monthly or yearly view and sort events by category. Each committee has its own login information and can enter events into the calendar.  Submitted events are then reviewed, approved and posted to the live calendar by Rock Spring office staff each day. We're hoping this new calendar will be a better resource for our community while making it easier for church groups to announce their events in a more timely manner.

Next Generation of the Rock Spring Website Under Development

We're currently in the process of rebuilding the Rock Spring website to include a powerful open source content management system and database-driven features. Our goal is to create a more interactive and up-to-date resource that serves the Rock Spring community as well as prospective members and friends. This overhaul will also enable church committees to update the content on their specific pages as regularly as they choose while greatly reducing the burden on the church office to complete these updates.

The new site will include all content we currently have plus additional features such as current announcements and upcoming events listings, "Recently Updated" content alerts, RSS news feeds, searchable archives for sermons and Rock Spring News articles, sermon podcasting, a robust calendar with color-coded categories, rotating "Eco-tips" that refresh on page load, and other enhancements.

We hope to have this new site ready for launch in the next few months. Additional possibilities for future development include an online member directory, online giving and individual wikis/group collaboration tools for church committees. We'll keep you posted!

Iraqi Family Update

In the past two months, with asylum secure and work permits ready, we have entered a process more typical of refugee sponsorship.  With the support of churches the Iraqi families and our family in particular, can put down roots in earnest.  The decrease in anxiety is palpable.  Salam has a job, Nahidah is actively interviewing, and Haider is eagerly looking forward to identifying a job that he might have on weekends.  All were able to navigate the demands of transportation to camp, summer school, the public library, and the new job teaching Arabic.  They shop, get to formal English courses, and travel to many appointments without our help, though we currently help Nahidah with transportation to drop-in classes between terms because travel requires three buses.  A Unitarian volunteer has introduced the two older boys to high school cross country and both have participated in pre-season since early August.  Our support currently focuses on helping the five children begin the new school year – the first time they have returned to the same school in the past three years (with three schools last year).  Beginning this month they will pay all of their own bills and Salam will study for the driver’s license test.   Thanks to everyone who has contributed so generously to the success of this project.  We no longer need much in the way of material goods. We will keep you up to date.  Marti Weston

Shaw Community Ministry  (SCM) Seeking New Executive Director

Earlier this summer Rev. Robbie Morganfield informed the SCM Board that he was accepting a call to pastor a church and therefore would be leaving his position as SCM Executive Director. Disappointed as the Board was to lose his enthusiasm and impressive talents, they were delighted for him that he has such a wonderful opportunity. Consequently, the Board is seeking a replacement - Position Announcement follows. (Please pass it along to anyone you think might be interested.) SCM will not be initiating programs until a new Director is found. The Board will use this period of transition to engage with key stakeholders in the neighborhood and the UCC to have them help identify key needs. The results of those discussions will help the Board determine strategic directions for SCM under the permanent director. Interested Rock Spring members are encouraged to contribute to the discussion of SCM's future. Please contact Susan Nelson Johnson for more information.

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Executive Director, Shaw Community Ministry, Washington D.C. Small non-profit serving low-income youth and families in inner-city Washington, DC, seeks a dynamic executive director to create and implement programs, raise funds, and coordinate volunteers. SCM, an urban ministry of the United Church of Christ, provides its programs on a non-sectarian basis. Director should be a self-starter, possess strong organizational and management skills, have proven success in working with youth, and be adept at communicating with a wide range of people and groups. Clergy and lay applicants will be considered, as will those seeking part-time as well as full-time work. Send resume and salary requirements to : Musil SCM Search, 860 Irvington Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20817, or musil@aacu.org. Visit our website at www.shawministry.org.

Church Staff