Friday, April 10, 2009

Divide and Conquer

Tenth volunteers are working on significant garden planting this spring. We welcome more green thumbs to help with planting and weeding to lighten the load. We also welcome plant divisions and seedlings.

Plant requirements
· Drought tolerant
· Half-day sun

Colors
· Plants with solid color leaves in different shades of green (not striped or variegated leaves)
· Plants with flowers in purples; flowers in accent colors pink and yellow

Plant divisions
· Periwinkle/Vinca
· Ivy
· Bugleweed/Ajuga
· Tall perennial grasses
· Sedum
· Daylilies
· Purple-leaved plants
· Hostas—solid color leaves (not variegated), especially the large "elephant ear" types
· Liriope—solid color leaves (not striped)
· Any spent Easter lilies or spring flowering bulbs

Seedlings that you can start now at home and contribute later in spring
· Zinnia seedlings
· Cleome seedlings
· Eastern Columbine seed (wildflower native to PA)

Bring plant divisions to church in such a way that they will last 1-2 weeks before planting if needed.

If you have other plants to suggest or contribute, please email Greg at Berzinsky@aol.com.

Apartment for Rent

Large Bright, Sunny One-Bedroom Apartment for Rent in Victorian Styled Home, $835.00

Located just outside of the city of Philadelphia in Lansdowne, PA, on a quiet tree-lined street, its features include a large eat-in kitchen with full refrigerator, stove, pantry, full bathroom, bright living room & bedroom with large newer windows, hardwood floors, and new ceiling fans. It also has well-designed hallways, a large front porch, large driveway, buzzer security system and beautifully landscaped grounds. Central air system installed in 2008. This unit is over 840 square feet.

Well-maintained property, responsive management.This 2nd floor apartment is within walking distance to downtown Lansdowne, shopping, restaurants, banks, churches, post office and transportation. It’s an easy commute to Center City Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Broomall, Springfield, Swarthmore & Media! Just a few blocks from the R3 Regional Rail Line. Off Street parking available.

It is a Smoke-Free Environment. You pay for gas and electricity. $35 Application Fee. This space will be available June 1. For more information click (http://markethillone.com/listing02.html) here.

Sound and Feeling

I asked a famous conductor if he believed in God. “Only when I’m performing Bach. Then I start to think that if Christianity is capable of inspiring a human being to produce music of this sublime perfection, there must be something in it." Here is an article reflecting on the power of Holy Week music...more

Today

A reminder that the church offices are closed today. You may also have trouble sending emails to the church due to a scheduled power outage last night.

Our Good Friday service is from noon to 1:00. Tonight's choral concert begins at 7:30, though I recommend arriving at 7:00.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

The Centrality of the Cross

"...if the death of Christ on the cross is the true meaning of the Incarnation, then there is no gospel without the cross," wrote James Montgomery Boice...more

Weather and Worship

The weather forcast, according to KYW, for Sunday is "Windy and cool with sunshine." We anticipate holding the sunrise service at Rittenhouse Square at 7:30 a.m. However, if the temperature is too low for the Westminster Brass to play their instruments, we will move the service into the sanctuary, as we did last year.

The decision, out of necessity, won't be made before 7:00 a.m. So, if you come to the park at 7:25 and see no one, head for the church.

Regardless of the weather, Maranatha will serve hot pancakes in Fellowship Hall, following the service (Lord willing).

Choral Concert

To view the program for tomorrow night's concert, click here. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. I recommend you arrive at 7:00. This event has been packed the last couple of years.

The new "portatif" has arrived. For those of you not a muscially educated as I am, that is a portable organ by which the organist can activate the main console in the balcony. Paul Jones will be playing it in front of the sanctuary with the other musicians. (What's really cool is how he can fold it into a box!)

Power Outage

There will be a scheduled power outage between 11pm tonight to 7am tomorrow. PECO will be doing work out front arranging a cable hook up for the new building on 17th St. Our internet will shutdown at 10:30pm and restarted in the morning. No emails will come through during that time, and you can never be sure what happens out there in cyberspace; so you may want to avoid emails during that time period (in which I will be asleep anyway).

Welcome, Braedon!

Sharon and Bryan Stoudt are pleased to announce the safe arrival of their new son, Braedon Matthew Bryan Stoudt, born April 8, 1:52 am, 6 lbs., 14 oz., 19-1/4".

From the proud father:
His first name means "broad" and "wide," and we pray that he comes to know the "breadth and length and height and depth... of the love of Christ" (Ephesians 3:18). We gave him the name "Matthew" to honor his older brother, and the name "Bryan" to connect him to me.

Both Sharon and Braedon are doing well.

Hopeful's Conversion

CHRISTIAN: This was a revelation of Christ to your soul indeed. But tell me particularly what effect this had upon your soul. HOPEFUL: It made me see that...more

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Augustine's Conversion

“Pick it up, read it; pick it up, read it.” So sang the child and so Augustine obeyed and found the power to give himself over to the Lord...more

Looking for Christian Roommate(s)

"Beginning this August, my son Nathan will be attending Curtis Institute of Music. One of our prayers these last couple years has been for the Lord to provide a living situation at school which will encourage and support him in his faith."

If you are looking for a Christian roommate, or know of such a living situation, please contact Katrina: thevickerys@mac.com.

Bruce's Report

From Bruce McDowell who returns this weekend:

I have had a very blessed trip, with many people coming to faith in Christ through my preaching. People are hungry for the Word. Since leaving Chiang Mai back to the hills, at one service 13 put their faith in Christ, at another service 21, and at another 3. Today I had the privilege of explaining the gospel to B's father and brother, and they put their faith in Christ.

A Glorious Graduation


Here they are: the 23 women graduating last Saturday from African Enterprise's vocational rehabilitation program in Ghana standing under a banner that proclaims "I chose you and appointed you"--a wonderful reminder of their new position in Christ. Their beautiful dresses are made from batiks they made during their training. Already 18 more prostitutes have asked to register for the next session.

Please pray for these women. Pray too that God will enable us to give generously to the Easter Sacrificial Offering so that the next session can indeed run.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Northeast Opportunity

For the past few years, we have organized a summer day camp for children in our ethnically diversed community of Northeast Philadelphia. We are looking for churches this year again to partner with us. I know this is quite late. Since we are looking to run a multi-week program, we need to find a few more churches to help.

Youth In Action is structured like this....

(1) 4 year old to 3rd grade - VBS program, 9am to 3pm. About 40-50 kids. Ideally this goes from June 22 to July 17.
(2) 4th grade to 8th grade - Sports program, Arts program, and Science program. 9am to 3pm. About 20 kids in each program. June 22 to July 3.

We need help in the weeks between June 22 and July 10, 2009.

If your church is interested in helping or you know some other churches are looking for a short term mission opportunity. Please ask them to contact me by email or call me at 267-240-3326.

Thank you.

In Christ,
Pastor Maranatha Chung
Director, Gospel Grace Ministries
Northeast Philadelphia Mission (PCA)

Monday, April 06, 2009

Pun Fund

1. The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian .

3. She was only a whisky maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

6. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

7. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

8. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

9. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. In democracy, it's your vote that counts. In feudalism, it's your count that votes.

12. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

13. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, 'You stay here, I'll go on a head.'

14. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then, it hit me.

15. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said, 'Keep off the Grass.'

16. A small boy swallowed some coins and was taken to a hospital.
When his grandmother telephoned to ask how he was, a nurse said, 'No change yet.'

17. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

18. A backward poet writes inverse.

19. The short fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

20. The man who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

Couple desires one-bedroom apartment near Tenth

My name is Troy Kraszewski and I am an 07 graduate of Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. I have been accepted to the MDiv program at Westminster Theological Seminary and am scheduled to start classes this August. My wife and I plan to move up to Philadelphia this summer and are currently eagerly looking forward to being active in the 10th Presbyterian congregation. We are trying to find an apartment in the area close to the church but Rittenhouse appears to be a bit more than we are capable of paying for monthly rent. I was wondering if there was a way to get in contact with anyone from the church that is renting a small 1 bedroom apartment? Contact Troy.

No Servers Easter Sunday

This just in: our servers can't make the Easter Community Dinner. Fifteen teens or adults are now needed to provide food service to our homeless guests from 1:45-3:45 this Sunday in Fellowship Hall. Contact David Apple at dapple@tenth.org or 215-735-7688.

Weekend Schedule

Our weekend schedule is as follows:

Friday (Church offices closed)
12:00 - Good Friday Service
7:30 - Good Friday Choral Concert

Sunday
7:30 - Sunrise Service in Rittenhouse Square
7:45 - Pancake Breakfast
9:00 - Worship
11:00 - Worship
6:15 - Easter Hymn Festival

Bulletin Announcements

Because of the short week at the church (Friday we are closed), if you want an announcement placed in the bulletin, let Dot know today at dboersma@tenth.org.

Looking to the Cross

For this week, the postings at DMC Resources for the daily prayers and the Going Out Your Door writings will have a focus on the cross and experiences that point us to the cross. The daily prayers are based on scripture that speak directly to the cross. The writings are taken from fiction and nonfiction and remind us of the power of the gospel.