ContactNorth Bethesda

United Methodist Church

Volume 47 Issue 2

February 2018

Reconciling Fellowship Group

In the next few weeks, you'll be hearing from me regarding the formation of a Reconciling Fellowship Group. We will meet on an informal basis to fellowship as well as brain-storm about ideas of how to become more active in the rec-onciling movement. All are welcome to participate. Stay tuned for more announcements via the news flash and in church. If you have any comments you would like to share with me, please feel free to email me or chat with me at church.

Blessings.

Rose Aehle

Raehle1@aol.com

Pancakes and Performance!

The Arts Committee cordially invites you to attend the Shrove Tuesday “Pancakes and Performance” fun evening! Come for pancakes, sausages (meat or veggie), and ap-plesauce. Stay to enjoy your friends sing, dance, play an instrument, do cartwheels, whatever their talents are! Tuesday, February 13, 2018. Dinner at 6:00; performance at 7:00. Natalie McManus will have a sign-up sheet during coffee hour.

And we would love to see those exceedingly talented kids (I’m talking Sydney, Emily, Noe, Ikaia, Matt, Lilly, and the rest!) sign up. We’ll let you go first!

The Arts Committee

Page 2 February 2018 Contact

North Bethesda United Methodist Church

10100 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda MD 20814

Phone: (301) 530–4342

E–mail: nbumc.office@gmail.com

Website: www.NorthBethesdaUMC.org

Office Manager: Chris Lee

Office Hours: Tuesday -Thursday

8:30am– 3:00pm

Pastor: Pastor Jeff Jones

cell: (240) 994-1505

Minister of Visitation: Linda Thompson

Music Director: Tony Ashur

Coordinator of Education: Renee Newman

Contact Newsletter Editor: Valerie Blane

starlily5@comcast.net

Contact Newsletter Publisher: Chris Lee

1 Kyle Short

2 Jenny Bartholomot

6 Fannie Shelton

7 Eric McDaniel

7 Michael Haney

8 Brandon Kesselly

9 Emily Lamoreaux

15 Joy Burt

20 Lee Hillings

27 Helen Poole

27 Yuko Robinson

28 Amy Duroska

Famous Birthdays:

2 James Joyce

14 Terry Gross

10 Justin Gatlin

29 Augusta Savage

If you have corrections or addi-

tions you can contact Diane

Tabatabai at 301-983-6878 or

diane@linktech.org

MJ Blane celebrates her 95th birthday with friends at Asbury!

Volume 47, Issue 2 Page 3

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling’s Statement on the

Reported Remarks of President Trump Friends,

On Monday, January 15, our country will again celebrate the work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As we do so, we remember his prophet-ic words that, “Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses

life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”

With these words resounding in our hearts, it’s hard to reconcile the reported statement of President Trump, who used racist and defamatory language to speak about Haiti and several African nations. With these statements, President Trump’s fitness for office is no longer in question. One cannot lead while demonstrating blatant disregard and disre-spect for entire segments of the population.

It does not matter that those disparaged are from another continent or country; the implied effect of disparaging individuals from Haiti or Africa, while extolling those from Norway, belies a disdain for persons of color. That is undeniable and unacceptable from the leader of the free world.

I cannot understand those who seek to justify his comments as “putting America first.” We are first when we lead with decency and honor, equity, integrity and equality. We are not first when we espouse racism and bias, discrimination and inequality. That does not make us strong; rather, it makes us weak.

For those who are religious, humanists, patriots (in the truest sense of the term), or otherwise decent human beings, there can be no quarter for anyone practicing or sup-porting racism. Any form of hatred or bigotry that attempts to place a hierarchy on the value of human life is unacceptable.

As United Methodists, we embrace the Scriptural truths, which are also reiterated in Pa-ra. 3371 of our Book of Resolutions, that, “All women and men are made in God’s im-age and all persons are equally valuable in the sight of God . . . We must work toward a world in which each person’s value is respected and nurtured.”

But just noting our concern about racism and intolerance is not enough. We are a peo-ple of social holiness. As it states in para. 5012 of the Book of Resolutions, “Scripture recognizes that faithfulness to God requires political engagement by the people of God . . . The church should continually exert a strong ethical influence upon the state, sup-porting policies and programs deemed to be just and opposing policies and programs that are unjust.”

The office of the President warrants our respect. And, I do, in fact, respect that office. I respect it so much that I demand the holders of that office conduct themselves with the utmost integrity. With these comments, as reported, that standard has not been met. Therefore, there is no room for silence or justification or equivocation or obfuscation.

We are called to choose decency, love, and justice. Words have power. We must hold ourselves and our leaders accountable for our words and the actions they inspire. I call upon all the members and churches of the Baltimore-Washington Conference to pray and to act, so that justice and equality for all people stand as guiding principles for our leaders and the law of our land. Let us be illumined by love.

Your servant in Christ,

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling

Page 4 February 2018 Contact

Worship Themes

February is Black History Month. Many thanks to Penny Clarke and her team for planning our celebration. February also transitions from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday and into Lent, a time of preparation to fully experience the power of Easter.

Our Scripture lessons from the Gospel of John will be encounters with people whom Jesus blessed with new life or a whole new life after death. Our spiritual development is nurtured by similar encounters with Jesus.

2/4 Holy Communion John 4:1-42 Jesus & the Woman at Well, looking beyond the moment to see the bigger picture.

2/11 Transfiguration Sunday John 9: 1-41 A blind man. Jesus gives new life to a struggling man. The gift of sight and an awareness of what God can do. Jesus helps his disciples to see him for who he is as well.

2/14 Ash Wednesday Noon & Seven pm John 10:1-18 Jesus the Good Shepherd

2/18 First Sunday in Lent John 11:1-44 Jesus raises Lazarus. Hear Jesus tell us to come out and be set free.

2/25 Second Sunday in Lent John 13:1-17 Jesus washes feet, showing us how Jesus loves his followers and how we can be close to him.

Pastor Jeff

The Lectionary February 4 • Isa. 40:21-31 • Ps. 147:1-11, 20c or UMH

859 • 1 Cor. 9:16-23 • Mark 1:29-39 February 11 • 2 Kings 2:1-12 • Ps. 50:1-6 or UMH 783 • 2 Cor. 4:3-6 • Mark 9:2-9 February 18 • Gen. 9:8-17 • Ps. 25:1-10 or UMH 756 • 1 Pet. 3:18-22 • Mark 1:9-15 February 25 • Gen. 17:1-7, 15-16 • Ps. 22:23-31 or UMH 752 • Rom. 4:13-25 • Mark 8:31-38

A one liner from Tony:

Church blooper: "Hymn 514: "When We All Get to Heave."

Volume 47, Issue 2 Page 5

PREACHER FEATURE

February is an exciting month because it has interesting opportunities for establishing routines in our lives. Maybe now is a good time to put some routine into our spiritual lives.

Please pray for our church’s progress, including our new leadership, our roof repair, and our sound system. Pray for our finances, and hopefully increase a step or two in your own giving to continue our

great ministries and service. More about our new budget soon.

Pray for the retreat, for God’s guidance for good visions and goals.

Please pray that our leaders continue their dedicated service and that God gives them energy and wisdom to serve.

Please pray for new people to find the love of God and the love of this church here. That the Spirit goes ahead of us to prepare people’s hearts is one of John Wesley’s teachings of Prevenient Grace. Pray that prevenient grace is working.

Please pray on your way to church, that teachers be blessed and inspired to teach well. Please pray that the participants in study hear what God has to say.

Please pray for me, that I hear God clearly for what needs to be said to the gathered people and that the people will hear God’s words.

It’s much to ask, but we need to ask God, who accomplishes everything, to help us. Thank you. Blessings on you all.

Pastor Jeff

LENTEN JOURNEYS

Our Lenten study features the words and teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. Our Balti-more-Washington conference pastors and staff have produced a study/devotional to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s 1968 assassination. Many remember the impact that event had on our lives and communities.

The Jericho Road, taken from Jesus’ teaching about the Good Samaritan, incorporates Dr. King’s last speech about this road and the need for helping one another. Including a reading devotional, we will gather weekly on Wednesday nights as part of AWE to re-flect and share what we experience from the reading. We begin on Ash Wednesday, February 14. Provided in the study are suggested assignments for thoughts on the Lenten Journey.

We grow by listening to each other during the hours of sharing our truth and experi-ence. Let’s spend Lent getting to know each other and how Dr. King has influenced us.

Pastor Jeff

Page 6 February 2018 Contact

SHROVE TUESDAY AND ASH

WEDNESDAY

Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, is a way to cleanse the

house of the things for the Lenten Fast, a time for parties and joy before the serious efforts of renewal of faith in Lent. Pancake suppers represent getting rid of fats that should not be in the diet during Lent.

We will celebrate Shrove Tuesday, February 13, with a Pancake Supper, followed by a Talent Show of your gifts. Show off your singing, dancing, artistic blessings after dinner. Come at 6 pm for the Pancake Supper and stay for the 7 PM show.

Ash Wednesday will feature two services, including the imposition of ashes as a ritual sign of confession and preparation for the journey of Lent, at noon in Benedict Parlor and at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. The ashes remind us of our finite nature, as Job so eloquently put it, from dust to dust, a reminder of our true estate before God and to recognize God’s incredible love for us in forgiveness and new life.

Pastor Jeff

Reflecting on our ministry as a congrega-tion on Old Georgetown Road is a good thing. We invite you to our planning re-treat on Sat., February 10, from nine until noon as we look for ways to become bet-ter disciples of Jesus. We will look at the worship, programs, educational resources, community outreach, our relationships to one another. We will prioritize the ideas that come as we work together.

Planning together helps us deal with the rapidly changing cultural challenges. Our message doesn’t change, but we need to adapt our delivery to the times we live in. Pray that we feel God’s Spirit leading us.

Come be part of the conversation as we look for ways to help North Bethesda UMC to be an incredibly loving church that will demonstrate what God really wants for the rest of our world.

Pastor Jeff

As we struggle through these very cold days of winter, we have something to look forward to in the spring. Please reserve the days of March 15, 16, and 17, 2018, to schedule an appointment to have your family or single portrait made for our new NBUMC Pictorial Directory. You can schedule your appointment by clicking on this link and follow the guide. If you have questions, please contact Mary Lou Griffin 301-499-3673 or Chris Lee in the office.

https://booknow-lifetouch.appointment-plus.com/y8ckbx6q/

Mary Lou Griffin, Membership & Evangelism

Volume 47, Issue 2 Page 7

British Mystery Slang Words: keen as mustard: very enthusiastic

wooden hills: stairs

chelp: impudence

Ruby Murray: curry, in Cockney slang

Valerie Blane

Save the Date!!! On Saturday, June 30, the Arts Committee is sponsoring a trip to Toby’s Dinner Theatre to see “Mama Mia.” Tickets are $60.65 per person which includes the show, dinner, dessert, and coffee, tea, or water. We have room for 30 happy trippers!

The Arts Committee

sing: Right U hand starts at mouth and goes out in arcs.

dance: Right V hand fingers down moves back and forth across left palm up.

music: Left arm palm up; right B hand swishes over

it.

act: Both A hands alternately brush down chest.

Valerie Blane

Sign Language Corner: Performance Words

Page 8 February 2018 Contact

Dear Family and Friends,

On behalf of AHEAD, Inc. Board of Directors, AHEAD staff, and the many citizens of Tanzania, we thank you very much for your generous donation of $2,500.00 for your continual support of AHEAD, Inc.’s project and programs in Tanzania. Your contributions go beyond mere aid; they help to make a difference in the lives of many children and families in rural communities in Tanzania.

AHEAD’s Dental Program Begins in Bukoba, Tanzania (October 2017): Official Handing-Over Ceremony, Bukoba AHEAD Dental Trainee

The Bukoba projects demonstrate AHEAD, Inc.’s mission at work, “Helping People to help themselves.” The AHEAD Bukoba Advisory Committee is comprised of local residents, some who have retired and returned to live in the village. Committee members meet with villagers to discuss their needs and together decide on projects. Proposals are writ-ten and sent to AHEAD, Inc. Board of Directors requesting support. The Advisory com-mittee manages all activities, monitors progress, and submits periodic reports to AHEAD, Inc. Within one year, electricity was installed in Bukara Secondary school, latrines were constructed for girls, a 60,000 cubic liter water tank was constructed, and construction was begun on the Pediatric Ward at Health Center. This demonstrates real commitment by the people of Bukoba District in Kagera Region.

For more than 30 years, AHEAD, Inc. has partnered with critically challenged rural com-munities in Tanzania and The Gambia that are affected by extreme poverty and disease. My NBUMC family, your repeated donations and continual support over many years have enabled us to continue serving women and children in rural communities. AHEAD, Inc. programs have delivered health services, provided educational opportunities for orphans and youth from poor families, and improved environments in the critically challenged vil-lages where we serve. AHEAD, Inc. implemented a dental program in Bukoba in October. Be assured that your donations have made a significant impact on improving the health and education of children and families in Tanzania. For additional information, we invite you to visit our webpage: www.aheadinc.org.

With your support, we will continue to MOVE AHEAD.

Sincerely,

Ruby Burgess, PhD Elvira Felton Williams President Executive Director

Volume 47, Issue 2 Page 9

Truth, Stories, and Perspectives In November, 2017, SPRC hosted another presentation of Truth, Stories, and Perspectives after Sunday service. Diane Walsh Barberesi and Nathaniel Clarke presented their Truth, Stories, and Perspectives as they relate to their own personal spiritual journey and social/racial experiences. This ongoing initiative spearheaded by SPRC and coordinated by Tsitsi Sithole has been and continues to be compelling and serves as a timely conduit as the country as well as the world struggles with racial, spiritual, and social issues. SPRC is always looking for volunteers to present their stories. Please see Tsitsi or Rose if you would like to participate.

NBUMC’s YouTube link (found on NBUMC’s website) for those who may have missed this last presentation as well as earlier presentations:

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCSVJ8TLdjMDEgwj1Tbd1CbQ

On January 21, 2018, Raj Ghaman and Kimberly Kent Santoro presented their Truth, Stories, and Perspectives.

Giant Card Program Earns Church Another Grand

With all the competition out there for your food dollar, our Giant “Cash for Causes” program pulled in another $1,000 for NBUMC in 2017, the same amount as last year. Every penny supports the wonderful ministry of our church as well

as to people throughout the world. To our stalwart customers and others who buy occasionally, thank you so much!

Thanks also to the hard-working committee members who sell the cards in Johnson Hall after worship. We are always looking for volunteers, 12 years or older, to help sell the cards. Just speak to one of our committee members, Betty Ball, Patience Ball, Claude Bartholomot, Sue Enders, or me if you are interested.

Giant card purchases are not affected by any changes in the tax law, since they are not and never have been tax-deductible. The earnings for our church come from the significant and secure 5% discount NBUMC receives when the cards are bought from Giant for resale. You pay nothing over the face value of the cards in an even ex-change. For example, $50 buys a card valued at $50 for shopping at Giant. There are no hidden fees, and the cards do not expire, like some gift cards. Just present your card at checkout. You keep using a card until you have spent the amount on it.

NBUMC does not endorse Giant over any other store, but the financial support from Giant is much appreciated. Stop by the Giant table in Johnson Hall during Happy Hour and buy the amount that fits your needs, from $10 on up. Payments can be made with a check, cash, or credit card. Just want to talk? Our cheerful committee members are always happy to chat, as well as do business, so come on by!

Paul Hurlburt,

NBUMC Giant Card Program Manager

Page 10 February 2018 Contact

Church Council Report from January 16, 2018 Attendees engaged in thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation regarding church goals, committee reports, and the most important matter: ways to grow our spir-itual, Christian journey. Main points included: Church-wide Retreat: Saturday morning, February 10th from 9 am - Noon in Johnson Hall at NBUMC. We will be divided into small groups to develop near- and long-term goals, built upon the aspirational ideas generated at two Church Council meetings. The goals are geared toward one, five, and ten year plans for NBUMC. Discussion & Reading Materials: Pastor Jeff distributed two articles, "Quantum Leaps of Faith for the New Year" and "New Questions for a New Day" to provoke material relevant to the church retreat. Copies will be available at church. In "Quantum Leaps," the author sets out five leaps to be like Jesus for the New Year: 1) multiply ourselves with vision and values as leaders; 2) empower ourselves like Jesus to be not just hearers, but doers; 3) become accountable to people to live into our potential; 4) believe like Jesus to explore and stretch our faith; 5) love like Jesus that love and boundaries change the world. In "New Questions for a New Day," the author challenges the frequent refrain, “There are no new questions, only new answers,” by recommending that we find new questions for the larger church and our home churches. Church and Society are in new places. The author presents compelling questions that can assist our church in thriving.

Dr. Gordon Cragg recommended a book, The Language of God: A Sci-entist Presents Evidence for Belief by Dr. Frances S. Collins. Dr. Collins became a believer in God and faith, after seeing the remarkable effect faith had on his patients’ outcomes. He is now a devout believer and makes the case that science and faith are compatible.

Committee Reports 1) Arts: Pancakes & Performance - Shrove Tuesday, Feb. 13, 6 PM and 7 PM 2). M&E: new NBUMC Pictorial Directory shoot - March 15,16, 17. Pastor Jeff will be recording a phone call with more information. 3). SPRC: new congregation survey will be distributed after Easter 4). Finance - December 2017 offerings and pledges were excellent; 5). February Celebration of African- American Heritage Month: We will have spe-cial features for each Sunday. Closing Prayer from Mrs. Elvira Felton Williams, who was welcomed as the new Vice Chair of Church Council Adjourn to Love & Serve the Lord - Thank You for your Devotion & Service! Amy Duroska, Chair Church Council

Volume 47, Issue 2 Page 11

Stories, Truths, and Perception

Raj S. Ghaman

I was born on July 13, 1944, in Bhatinda, Punjab, India, the first son of my family. My mother passed away when I was 2 years old, and my father remarried. My father was an engineer with the state, and my stepmother was a homemaker who later had two sons and a daughter. My maternal grandmother raised me, although I spent summers with my father and stepmother. Nevertheless, my childhood was a happy one.

I graduated from high school, then received a diploma in Civil Engineering from Thapar University. I was accepted by the University of Michigan, School of Engineering and graduated with a B.S. in 1968. I obtained my M.S. in 1973 from The Catholic University. During my various employments, I passed the Registered Professional Engineer exam and registered in Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida.

My first job was with Montgomery County, Maryland, for twelve years followed by stints with a consulting firm in West Palm Beach, followed by eight years with the City of Washington, D.C., and finally with the US Department of Transportation. I retired in 2010. After retirement, I worked part time for Battelle National Lab and the Texas A&M University. I am currently on the faculty of the George Washington University. My expertise is in traffic operations, computerized traffic control systems, congestion management, autonomous vehicle controls simulation and modeling, and safety.

I was briefly married to Angela in 1965 and have a son, Roger, who is in film industry in California. Roger has a daughter, Ainsley, and a son, Sean. I married Martha in 1978 at NBUMC with Rev. Sargent officiating. From this union, I have a son, Matt, and daughter, Allison. Matt is a Montgomery County, MD, school teacher. Allison works for “The Washington Post.” Matt achieved the rank of Eagle Scout with the help of Rev. Deb Scott. Allison has trekked the entire length of Appalachian and Pacific Coast Trails and will embark on the Continental Divide Trail this year. Unfortunately, Martha passed away at a very young age in 2004.

Although I was born into Sikh religion, my recollection is that we were not an overly religious family. Unlike today, there were not many Sikh Temples in the United States (except in California), when I immigrated to Ann Arbor, MI, or in the Metro Washington area. I did not practice any religion in those days. In 1965, when I married Angela, who was a Catholic, I converted to Lutheran in order to marry at a Lutheran Church.

All that changed in 1978, when Martha and I became members of NBUMC and were married. Although Martha and I are true servants of our God and Lord Jesus, I truly believe that the dedication Martha brought to NBUMC was more overwhelming than my dedication. Over the years, we as a family grew in faith with the nurturing of NBUMC family and care and direction of various pastors. For that I am very grateful.

Interest and hobbies: Reading, current events, world affairs, issues facing developing and poor countries are my prime interests. I often try to assess how I can leave this place better than what I encountered. On a professional level, I continue to teach at GWU simply to keep current on ever-changing technology. For fun, I snow ski, play golf, and travel overseas.

Experiences with issues of race & equity: My family and I have been truly blessed, since we never experienced any discrimination with one exception. In my Montgomery County employment, I was discriminated against in a promotion for whatever reason (race and or country of origin.) However, this was a blessing in disguise. It gave me an incentive to improve my outlook beyond the county. This led to employment with USDOT and others and recognition as a national and international expert in traffic control systems. I was requested to assist not only the World Bank, but also NTSB, as well.

This experience also taught me as to how it feels to be discriminated against. As a manager at various employments throughout my professional career, I always attempted treat all individuals with dignity and respect, especially having gone through this experience.

My beliefs: This is fairly straight forward. I believe in the old adage, treat people as you wish to be treated, do no harm, respect, fairness and dignity for all and not the least leave this place better than you found.

Page 12 February 2018 Contact

Stories, Truths, and Perception Kim Santoro

My parents are each the youngest of four children, coming from very different backgrounds. My father is white and grew up near Boston. While his ancestors didn’t arrive on the Mayflower, they did come here from England in the 1600s. On that side, I come from a long line of educated people. Even my great-grandmother, who was born in 1885, had a college degree. My father left Massachusetts to go to college and never returned to New England to live. His first job out of college was as a social worker in Baltimore, which is where he met my mother.

My mother is black and grew up in Baltimore. Her parents were originally from rural North Carolina, and her father came to work at Bethlehem Steel. Her mother had an 8th grade education. Either my grandmother’s grandmother or her great-grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee. My grandmother physically looked more Native American. My mother attended segregated schools in Baltimore and graduated from high school early. She took a few college courses and then managed to get a scholarship to nursing school in NY. She returned to Baltimore and eventually worked for the Baltimore City Health Department. Ultimately, she earned her bachelor’s degree, becoming the only one of her siblings, and I believe of her cousins, as well, to earn a college degree.

I was born in Montgomery County and spent my early years here. Before my birth, my parents chose what they considered to be the perfect girl’s name, until they realized that my initials would then be KKK and figured that wouldn’t work so well. When I was 6, my family moved to Southern California so my father could pursue a PhD. We moved back to Maryland when I was 10, and I spent my middle and high school years in Howard County. Up until the age of 10, I don’t remember thinking a whole lot about race. The neighborhood we lived in in California was fairly integrated. I remember having friends, neighbors, and classmates who were white, black, Mexican, Vietnamese, and others. When we first returned to Maryland, we lived in Baltimore for about 7 months. My parents didn’t want to send us to Baltimore City Schools, so my brother and I attended Catholic school for a year. The school happened to be predominantly black. By the next school year, we were living in Howard County, and we were attending a predominantly white public school. I think both of those experiences led to my “otherness” feeling. I come across as racially ambiguous, and there are many people who’ve had a “need” to figure that out. My parents tell a story of when I was baby, and they were with me in a store. The clerk looked at my mother, looked at my father, and looked at me with my (at the time) blond hair and bright blue eyes and announced, in a shocked voice, “I didn’t think it was genetically possible.” I think I was in 5th grade when I first heard someone use the term “zebra” to describe a mixed person. I don’t honestly remember now whether it was in reference to me or to my brother.

Whenever I had to fill out some form requiring racial identification, I was never sure what to put. You were only supposed to check one box. I would never have checked just white, probably just thinking about the “one drop rule.” But checking just black never felt right either. One occasion I had to deal with it was for a part-time job I had in high school. I remember commenting on it to my supervisor, hoping she might provide some guidance. But her response was something like, “That’s very interesting. What do you put?” I was so happy when the census forms finally allowed for checking multiple boxes, although I was probably already doing that. But hurray! Finally some acknowledgment that I exist.

When I started my first real job after college, I’d been there maybe a week when a couple of coworkers went out of their way to decipher me. They tried to be real casual about it, acting as if they just happened to be talking about their various ethnic backgrounds so they could just slide into asking me, “So what are YOU?”

Another time, I was talking with a woman who had an accent that I couldn’t identify, so I asked her where she was from. It turned out she was from one of the former Soviet republics. But even as I asked the question, I debated whether I wanted to deal with the turnabout. Sure enough, she asked where I was from. Now I knew what she really meant, but I decided to take it at face value. I told her I was from Maryland. “No, what ARE you?” I sighed and told her, “a little bit of everything.” She persisted, “Yes, what?” I didn’t feel I needed to discuss my whole genetic makeup with a practical stranger. I’m a PK, a preacher’s kid. My father was a UM minister. I usually don’t go out of my way to tell people that. When I was a kid, it always seemed that people would have expectations of PKs, as

Volume 47, Issue 2 Page 13

if they should somehow be holier, or better behaved, or more something than other kids, and I was always very uncomfortable with that. It felt like everyone was watching me.

Going to college was an important growth experience, a time to forge my own identity. Two things in particular I found very good for me. I met a greater racial and ethnic mix of people, including other multiracial people. Up until that time, it seemed that the only mixed people I ever knew were related to me.

I also had an opportunity to step away from my parents and the PK role and find out whether my beliefs were truly mine or just a reflection of my parents. I participated in a campus ecumenical group, including Sunday evening services and a Wednesday evening fellowship group. The group consisted of a mix of people from various Protestant backgrounds, Methodist, Baptist, UCC, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and others. We spent a good bit of time discussing the similarities and the differences between these various denominations.

In college, I also met my husband, who is Catholic. Once we started dating, he would often come to my group’s events, and I would go to Catholic events on campus. After we graduated and started talking about marriage, I guess there was some brief consideration about whether one of us would convert, but really we were both too attached to our own traditions. My husband is the product of Catholic school education all the way through high school which means he had a lot of religious education. When we would talk about why such and such is done in the Mass, he would often have some long answer for why it was. When he would ask me things about what Methodists believe, I often couldn’t tell him for sure what official Methodist doctrine was versus what I personally believed. I started reading books on Methodist history. As I read, I recognized so much with many of the ideas incorporated into my being.

In graduate school, I took a diversity course in which I found a quotation by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that the most segregated hour in America is 11am Sunday morning. When I was looking for a church, I still found this true. I didn’t want to go to a white church. I didn’t want to go to a black church. I wanted to be somewhere with a mix of people, styles, music. I may always be an “other,” but that doesn’t feel so strange when surrounded by multiple racial groups. Then it just feels like I’m part of people.

My husband and I have four kids, aged 15 down to 6. One of my hobbies is schlepping them around to many soccer, basketball, softball, choir, band, and drama related activities. I also like reading, hiking, playing the piano (at home where no one’s listening to me.) I like singing with the choir.

I have not been the target of much blatantly obvious racism, but there have been occasions when things seemed a bit off. It’s only in retrospect that I wondered if there were racial undertones.

As a racially ambiguous person, I’ve also had occasions where I felt as if I were a spy undercover. Like the time a co-worker was complaining about her bus route, casually disparaging all the black drivers on it as if their blackness was the cause of whatever she found to be their inadequacies.

I have a copy of my father’s parents’ work on a family genealogy. This inspired my husband to work on his own family history. In the course of this, we ended up meeting an elderly family connection of his in Ohio. She decoded some of the family tree and told him a number of stories. On one occasion, she told us about a house that they used to own, probably in the late 50s or early 60s. Their neighborhood association didn’t want anybody to sell their house to any black people, because they were concerned that “the coloreds” would bring down the neighborhood. The neighbors banded together to keep them out until one neighbor sold his house. This lady was still mad, 40 years later, because the first neighbor got the best price, and everybody else had to sell for what they could get. It was a very surreal experience for me. It occurred to me that she had no idea I wasn’t white, and I was hearing a first-hand account of white flight that I had only learned about in social studies classes.

I’ve learned that not everyone experiences the world in the same way. My experiences are not the same as others. Even my one brother, who is just two years older than I and was going through many of the things that I did at the same time, in the same places, in the same circumstances, at a similar age, has had different experiences. Partly because he’s male. Partly because he has darker skin.

Page 14 February 2018 Contact

Why Do a Congregational Survey?

Within any organization, questions and complaints develop. If they are not addressed, coherence within the organization is diminished, and the goals of the organization will suffer. Too often feelings are suppressed or not shared with people who can make changes.

A survey of our congregation can provide a baseline of accurate and objective information from the entire church, rather than sporadic anecdotal conversations or gut feelings. This information can be vital to church leaders in identifying needs, setting priorities, making financial decisions, establishing Christian education programs for different age groups, creating effective worship services, eliciting ideas for church programs in music and holy dramatic productions, and in providing other input to the overall direction of our church.

Communication is the life-blood of any organization. If a culture does not foster a feeling of comfort in people directly addressing leaders about perceived or experienced problems, the problem cannot be dealt with. If unaddressed, it can fester into an attitude of resentment or detachment. This is such a pervasive situation throughout organizations in our country that the traditional “Personnel Department” has been expanded to today’s ubiquitous “Human Resources” that is intended to provide a channel for expressing dissatisfaction, grievances, or other workplace woes, in addition to their traditional recruitment, hiring, payroll, etc. responsibilities.

In our church, the Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) is meant to function as a bridge or conduit for fostering interaction and conversation between members, committees, staff, and pastor. For many years, members of the SPRC were not widely known, and church members seldom voiced concerns or questions to them for resolution or ideas that could improve our church’s programs. Last year, to help in remedying this, SPRC members began wearing green name tags during church services and coffee hour to let members know with whom they could express their concerns. Still, many people are reluctant to directly express their feelings, especially if they are critical of some aspect of our church or its leaders.

To gain a broad perspective of members’ feelings, attitudes, concerns, perceptions, and suggestions about all aspects of our church, SPRC elicited comments by means of a written anonymous survey during the past three years. These efforts have met with mixed results, and each year, the questionnaire has been carefully re-thought in order to be more responsive to our congregation and to provide useful information to church leaders for planning and carrying out the church’s programs for the coming years. It is designed to be anonymous and non-intrusive.

We also learned the importance of publicity and timing in distributing the survey. Last year, for instance, it unfortunately was sent out during the summer months when many people were on vacation or travel, so that some members never heard about it, and their valuable input was absent. Consequently, we will conduct this year’s survey after Easter and before summer vacation with renewed emphasis on asking our congregation to participate.

We hope that each of you will take the time to prayerfully and thoughtfully express your opinions and suggestions about NBUMC to the leadership through this year’s survey. And I encourage you to share concerns with an SPRC member.

Jack Enders, on behalf of fellow SPRC Members Mike Haney, Brandon Kesselly, Flora Milans, Pat Hilling, Sara Barakat, and Gordon Cragg

Volume 47, Issue 2 Page 15