NEWSLETTER
Boyds Presbyterian Church
19901 White Ground Road
Boyds, MD 20841
phone: 301-540-2544
http://www.boydspc.org
e-mail: [email protected]
VOL. XXV
October 2015
No. 10
From the Desk of Pastor Eyde
Playing Our Parts
This week marks the anniversary of my first official meeting with the session of Boyds Presbyterian
church. I thought you might enjoy hearing about how all this transitional stuff got started. As part of
our discussion that night, the Session and I began to speculate about what the interim period was going
to look like. The Session was a friendly bunch and very welcoming to me in spite of the understandable
minor tremors of anxiety in the room. As we threw around a few thoughts about what kind of
leadership would serve the congregation best, I interjected a story.
As many of you know, I wear several hats and one of those hats is a Shako. A Shako is a military-type
hat often worn by marching bands. I actually don't wear a Shako, but I am a volunteer in a high school
marching band uniform closet. That role put me at a marching competition just a few weeks before this
Session meeting, and I felt compelled to share a moment from that event as it related to leadership
styles.
Our band had just performed their field show for a cadre of judges who were to offer professional
feedback to help our marching band in forthcoming competitions later in the season. The judge came
onto the field after the performance to share observations and give advice. The band were ready and
attentive. He asked them to play the final movement again, but he specifically asked that the seniors
and first chairs NOT play at all, and I cringed!
I cringed because it was the custom of this band's leadership to often ask only the seniors and first chairs
to play while the underclassmen and "less-skilled" musicians learn their movements or marching steps.
As a result, many of the rehearsals--to this point--consisted mostly of the marchers tracing their steps
and not performing the music at all.
So when the judge asked that the seniors and first chairs NOT play at this clinical setting, I suspected
certain disaster and my prediction was correct. It sounded awful. Cringe indeed.
The Session of Boyds listened to my story and very patiently waited for their new interim pastor to
finally make her point. (If you've heard me preach, you know this can sometimes take a while.) The
point was that the writer of the music intended the music to sound a certain way--the movement of the
melodic theme and supportive tones was to be filled with the various instruments and the various parts
or voices. By constantly asking only the seniors and first chairs to play, the leaders not only
compromised the fullness of the musical score, they failed to validate, honor, or train the rest of the band
to fulfill their true role as part of the ensemble. The judge spoke directly to the underclassmen and the
other marchers, and told them that they were not performing as they were intended, and encouraged
them to play their part to the fullest. When they did, the result was transformational. No cringe.
If leadership and various ministry roles in our church are only carried out by a few, not only will the
missional work of the church grow increasingly more difficult to carry out, but the message of how we
honor, respect, and value one another will also be quite confused and lost. As a Christian church, it will
always be important to attend to not only what we do, but the manner in which we do it. Our ministry
and our mission is the message.
I had only been with Boyds for a few weeks, but something told me to grab my journal and write down
exactly what I was observing from those football stadium stands that day. I'm so glad I did. It was just
days later that I found myself retelling the Session what I saw, and how I intended to help them learn
how to share the various responsibilities for ministry as a church preparing to call a new pastor.
It has been a year already since that meeting last October, and I am so thrilled to see how Boyds has
embraced various gifts of its members and have embraced the idea of sharing the missional work of
ministry together. We have learned our parts--ALL THE PARTS! Needless to say, our marching band
upgraded their approach to leadership and music rehearsals in the last 12 months and they sound
amazing. At Boyds, we have upgraded our approaches as well and we are quite hopeful for our future.
You may be relieved to know that we won't have to march in formation, or wear Shakos, or come to
attention when a drum major claps their hands (albeit learning our church polity may feel like marching
band sometimes), but we will have to learn the melodic themes of the Spirit's leading and learn to play
our various parts to accentuate the fullness, richness, and depth of the message of self-giving and selfsacrifice that Christ wants to showcase to our community and the world.
Blessings!
“Anchored Hope” Sermon Series
BEGINS OCTOBER 4
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by
the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created
the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint
of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.
(Hebrews 1:1-3, NRSV)
Salvation through Jesus is better! This was an important "AhHa" for the Jewish Culture, and it is important "Ah-Ha" for us
today as well. Although the Hebrews were tempted to go
back to their former rituals, the writer of Hebrews will show
us that there is nothing that compares to the amazing ministry
and ultimate sacrifice of Christ. Our sermon series this
October and November will follow our lectionary readings as
we walk through the Book of Hebrews-- which will take us
right up to Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Advent Season. If you are interested in materials for
further study, groups or individuals, please contact Pastor Eyde at [email protected].
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World Communion Sunday is
October 4th. Come join us!
Choir meets every Wednesday at
2 pm at Jane Dassen’s house.
Contact Jane at 301-948-9816 if
you’re interested in joining.
Mission and Merriment will
meet Tuesdays, October 6th and
20th at 11am in P-W Hall. Come
help with mission projects. For
more information, contact Susan Blackman at
301-279-7320 or [email protected].
The Lunch Bunch meets the
second Tuesday of each month at
various restaurants. The next
gathering is October 13th at noon
at IHOP in Germantown. For reservations,
contact Barbara Russell at 240-672-4510 or
[email protected] by Sunday, October 11th.
The Men’s Fellowship meets the
second Saturday of each month
at Bob Evans in Germantown.
Their next meeting is Saturday,
th
October 10 at 8am. For more information,
contact Rowland New at 301-882-7151.
The Boyds Crocheters meet the
second Saturday of each month.
Their next meeting is Saturday,
th
October 10 at 9:30am in P-W Hall.
We are collecting items for
Welcome
Baskets
through
October. These baskets are for
homeless individuals moving into
new housing. Suggested items
include: household cleaning supplies, household
items, linens, paper products, and toiletries.
Detailed item list is in P-W Hall.
The
Barnesville
School
Basement sale will be held on
Saturday, October 24th, 8am-4pm,
and Sunday, October 25th, 8 am-3 pm.
Come join us at the Fall Craft
Festival to benefit the Boyds
Historical Society on Sunday, Oct.
25th from 12-4 pm at the Boyds
Negro School. Local artists: stained
glass, crochet, ceramics, artwork, jewelry,
photography, face painting, and more. Contact
Fran Asbeck at 301-972-0511 or Carol Purcell at
301-926-2410 for more info.
Mark
your
calendars:
Stewardship
Commitment
Sunday is November 15th. We
will gather at tables for our
traditional “Thanksgiving Dinner.” Thanks in
advance to Linda New and team for coordinating
this event! Please contact Linda at 301-882-7151
if you can roast a turkey for the dinner.
The Community Tree Lighting in
front of the Boyds Post Office is
planned for Friday, December 4th at
7pm; then to Kerr Hall for fellowship,
refreshments and fun.
The Children’s Christmas Craft
Workshop will be held on
Saturday, December 5th. Please
contact Krista Ochlech at 301-8743536 or [email protected] if you would like
to help with crafts.
Middle School and Senior High
Ropes
Course
and
Lock-In
Scheduled for Saturday October 3rd.
Ropes course at 2:30 pm and Lock-in at 6:30 pm.
Bring your sleeping bag and overnight gear!
Ropes course could be postponed depending on
weather.
Middle and Senior High classes will visit
Brambleton Presbyterian Church in VA on
October 18th. Leave BPC at 8:30 am for church
service at Brambleton. Activities include lunch
and corn maze. We will return to BPC about
4:30pm. Please bring money for offering and
snacks. Cost of lunch and corn maze is covered
by BPC. Contact Dee Smith by October 10th at
301-318-4561 or [email protected] if you plan to
attend. Please dress appropriately for church and
bring clothes to change into for corn maze.
Drivers are needed!
Committee will also present a slate of members
to be named to the PNC.
In order to vote, you must be a member of the
Church. If you would like to find out more
about becoming a member, please contact the
Church Office at [email protected] or call
301-540-2544.
Church Officer Nominations
Traditionally, the Fall months call for our Church
Nominating Committee to get into action. This
year, the role of the Nominating Committee is
more important than ever. In addition to naming
the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC), they
will also select members to be Church Officers.
The Officer positions include Elders (serving on
Session), Trustees and Deacons. If you have an
interest in serving as a Church Officer, or if you
would like to nominate someone, please
complete the Nomination Form (available soon)
in the Narthex (vestibule) of the Sanctuary and in
Pollock-Williams Hall. You can also submit your
nominations via email to [email protected]
or by calling the Church Office at 301-540-2544.
Boyds Community Fall Harvest
Party
Join us October 24th from
4-6 pm in Kerr Hall. For Treats
(no tricks)! Games & more!
Kid’s ages 0-12 welcome! Youth volunteers are
needed to help with crafts/games and giving out
candy. Earn SSL hours.
The Adult Study group meets
Wednesday evening at 7pm in P-W
Hall. Contact Dick Ernst at
301-540-2143 for more information.
From the Session
Budgeting for 2016 Process Begins
The Session and the Stewardship Task Force will
begin to develop the budget for 2016 soon. The
basis for the income is pledges. If you haven’t
turned your pledge in, please do so. It helps the
budgeting process immensely. Pledge forms are
available in the Narthex, Pollock-Williams Hall
or by contacting the Church Office. Pledge forms
can also be found on the www.boydspc.info
website. So far, we have received 31 pledges
totaling $103,616.
Pastor Nominating Committee Update
The next major step in the Pastor search process
is naming a Pastor Nominating Committee
(PNC). At the September Session meeting,
Session approved a motion to notify Presbytery
that we believe we are ready to name a PNC.
The request is accompanied by the Mission
Study (available at www.boydspc.info).
The Church Nominating Committee (co-chairs
Everett Shupe and Cathy Jewell) will be called to
develop a slate of Church Officers for a
Congregational Meeting called for December 6
following the 11am Worship Service. This
Church Forum Reaches Record Attendance
With more than 40 members and friends of the
Church in attendance, we reached a new high for
participation in the Church Forums. This Forum
was the fourth in a series that are designed to
discuss the transition, learn more about the
process and increase transparency.
The
discussions are enriching, collaborative and
informative.
The focus of this Forum was “What’s Next?”
Session was seeking input on some key things
and the attendees were quite engaged in the
response. Here are the key questions that were
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focused on traditional and deeply
meaningful worship. Encourage
members to participate in volunteer
opportunities.
 What does “lay-led” really mean? This
discussion focused on making our Church
attractive to prospective pastors. Nearly
all PCUSA churches are lay-led, meaning
that the members of our Church, through
our Boards (Session, Trustees and
Deacons) take responsibility for the
administration of the Church. This results
in increased activity in each board and the
pastor directs action through the boards.
posed and a few of the highlighted responses
from those in attendance:
 What are the top-of-mind attributes of a
new pastor? A long list of adjectives was
developed, such as, humor, friendly,
traditional yet innovative, experimental,
fearless, articulate, not an administrator,
adaptive, community-minded, thinks
positive, trusts in God, lectionary
preacher, confident but not arrogant,
guided by the members but not wed to
the Book of Order and someone who can
preach about current events and tie it to
the Gospel.
Two other outcomes from the Forum included
posting the Pastor Nominating Committee
Guidebook and volunteer opportunities on the
www.boydspc.info website. There was wide
agreement that more people need to volunteer to
help share God’s work in our Church.
 How many members should the Pastor
Nominating Committee have? The
consensus was that the PNC should have
7-9 members. There was a preference for
an odd number as well as including a
youth member (high school sophomore or
junior).
Volunteers Needed!
Looking for ways to volunteer to help the
Church? Please check out a new feature on the
www.boydspc.info
website
–
Volunteer
Opportunities.
There are three immediate
volunteer needs.
Lay readers – We would like to include lay
readers of scripture in the worship services.
Volunteers will receive the scripture readings
about a week in advance.
Music Committee – Expanding and developing
our music program from its rich heritage is an
important initiative. At the October Session
meeting, Session will be discussing formation of
a Music Committee to brainstorm ideas how we
can further grow the music program.
Fellowship Hosting – Join with a friend or other
family or two to host Fellowship between the
services.
Next meeting: Tuesday, October 5th at 6pm in
P-W Hall.
 Should we consider moving to a
unicameral system of organization?
Today, the Church is organized in a
bicameral manner, meaning there is a
separate Session and a separate Board of
Trustees. Most PCUSA churches are
unicameral – meaning that the function of
the Board of Trustees is incorporated into
the function of the Session. The
discussion centered around improved
communication, streamlined decisionmaking, more effective management of
the Church’s affairs as well as positioning
our Church as attractive to potential
candidates. Most pastors do not manage
in a bicameral structure so our current
structure could limit our ability to find a
new pastor.
From the Deacons: Met September 14th.
They acknowledged a number of thank you
letters sent from Local Mission Projects. Final
details and preparation for the fall picnic were
 What can be done to strengthen our
appeal to current members? Remain
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reviewed. The Welcome Basket collection project
was discussed, as well as potential mission
giving plans during the holiday season. The
majority of the meeting involved discussion on
Deacon’s Roles and Responsibilities as
documented in the Mission Study.
Next meeting: Monday, October 12th at 7pm in
P-W Hall.
Prayer List
Pray for those who grieve: family of John
DeReggi, Jr, family of Marylynn Younkin.
From the Trustees: Met September 15th.
The Board of Trustees met on Tuesday,
September 15th. Trustees denied one request for
use of space. Received notice that water test
performed by Maryland Department of
Environment passed.
Manse tenants are
moving—Session is to decide whether to re-rent.
Frank Chiaramonte donated extensive concrete
work to Church (poured concrete walkway
adjacent to P-W Hall; poured concrete slab under
Manse powder room and back porch; removed
mulch from parking lot islands and filled them
with stone that was donated by Steve Kelly of
Jack Irwin Stone). Chuck Harner sprayed the
weeds in the parking lot. Drainage pipes in the
parking lot were cleaned out. Septic tank at
Education Building was pumped: cost $300.
Next meeting: Tuesday, October 20th at 7pm in
P-W Hall.
Pray for healing: Gerri Spring Bartee; Stephen
Breen; Nelle Brewer; Gloria Briggs; Billy &
Michael Broschart; Reese Burdette; Gladys & Will
Canas; Amalia Correa de Araujo; Teresa
Deavours; Carrie Donat; Elaine Dorman; Billy
Dorsey; Edith Dove; Dick Ernst; Annette Hale;
Ruth Hoyt; Tom Jerz; Keith Kerr; Julie King,
John’s mother; Joey Knott; Karen Kozel; Drew
Landriau, Ellen’s son; Karen Lightman; Brendan
McFall; Kris McHenry; Katie McWilliams; Chris
Miller Sr.; Bob Mongold; John Morgan; Rex Reed;
Edna Reffit; Sandy Sermon; Lindsay Slettin;
Michael Slinkard; Nancy Spring; Carol Wagner;
Phyllis Ward; Wendy Wood; Arthur Virts; Gene
Younkin; Mary Younkins.
Pray for those recovering from their war
wounds. Pray for communities and nations
recovering from natural disasters; for victims of
violence and war throughout the world.
Our prayers, love, and support go to the DeReggi
family and the Boyds Community.
God of hope,
we come to you in shock and grief
and confusion of heart.
Help us to find peace in the knowledge
of your loving mercy to all your children,
and give us light to guide us out of our darkness
into the assurance of your love,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We make a living by what we get~
We make a life by what we give!
~Winston Churchhill
Appreciation and gratitude: to Dee Smith, Barb
Stunder, Maria Romero and Janice Edwing for
making pancakes for Pancake Day; to all who
contributed cookies for Cheap Cookie Sunday; to
Cathy Reese & Maria Romero for hosting one of
the September fellowships; to everyone for
contributing to the September Potluck; to Kim
Grimes for cleaning the church during the month
of September. The church expresses a special
word of gratitude to Doug & Lisa Fiedler for
hosting the church picnic at their home.
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Boyds Presbyterian Church
19901 White Ground Road
Boyds, MD 20841
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SUBURBAN, MD
PERMIT NO. 1876
Return Services Requested
October
October
October
October
October
3 – Youth Lock-in/Ropes Course
4 – World Communion Sunday
12 – Columbus Day-Office Closed
18 – Youth trip to Brambleton
24 – Harvest Party
If your email address has changed, please notify
the church office at [email protected].
Newsletters can be found on the
Church web site: www.boydspc.org
or on our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/BoydsPresbyterianChurch
Link
to
our
special
web
site,
http://www.boydspc.info for updated info
regarding the interim period and the pastoral
search process.
