We hope you enjoy receiving  our weekly email  designed to keep  you informed on current and upcoming events scheduled here at Roland Park Presbyterian Church.   

In This Week's Email:

minute4mission
Living the Questions 
A Reflection by Pastor Mark 

This July you have an opportunity to have your most nagging or pressing theological questions addressed in a sermon series, Questions of Faith and Doubt. Notice, I said addressed and not answered. That's because the best questions are those that are not easily answered, or perhaps not answerable at all. Nonetheless, they need to be asked and the process of wrestling with them and seeking answers is a part of vital faith and deep, meaningful life.

In Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke advises his protégé, 

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.

Questions are a sign of strong, not weak faith. After all, the opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. Faith is our ability to trust in the love and guidance of God, even when we do not know.

The first three Sundays of July are already spoken for: 

* This Sunday, July 3 Mark will address questions of faith, politics and nationalism in a message entitled, "Are We a Christian Nation?". The scripture for the day is Psalm 146.
* July 10 we welcome a very special guest, The Rev. Cal Jackson, who will preach "The Power of the Tongue" based on Proverbs 12 and James 3.
* July 17 Mark will address the questions of the afterlife in a message entitled, "Is Belief in Heaven Just Wishful Thinking?" The scripture for the day is Romans 14: 7-9.

That leaves July 24 and 31 to address two other questions. Please feel free to email me yours! pastor@rolandparkchurch.org 

In August I will do a series based on several popular family-friendly movies. Every Thursday evening in August we plan to gather on the front lawn (weather permitting) to view the movie for that coming Sunday. Check out the box below for more information.

Blessings for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation as you travel and vacation this summer. When you are in town, I hope you will join us. It's not the same without you!

In faith, hope and love,
Mark

meeting
Congregation al Meeting
July 3rd after worship
Please plan to remain in the sanctuary after worship on July 3rd for a congregational meeting to elect officers. It will be very brief. 
questions
Call for Questions for 
July Sermon Series
We are planning a sermon series for the Sundays in July: Questions in Faith. 
It will be based on common
theological questions from the congregation. If you have a burning question of faith and/or doubt that you wish Pastor Mark to address in one of his messages in July, please email him at pastor@rolandparkchurch.org.

We will be kicking off the series on July 3rd with our first question: Are We a Christian Nation?

fourth
4th of July 
Children and Youth Fundraising Event to benefit the Widening our Welcome Capital Campaign
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The children and youth of RPPC will be supporting the Roland Park community and the RPPC Widening our Welcome campaign by selling drinks and snacks at the Roland Park Fourth of July parade. Estimated time commitment for this event is 9:30-11:30am on 7/4. Families who are available to help with this event, please contact Elayne Provost, elayne.provost@gmail.com or Liz Marsh, ebmarsh@jhmi.edu, to indicate your availability.

NOTE: ON SUNDAY, JULY 3 WE WILL BAKE FOR THE SALE IN THE CHURCH KITCHEN FROM 11:30AM-12:30PM. 

summer
Office Closed on Monday, 
July 4th
  mem

Summer Office Hours are now in effect: Monday - Thursday, 9am -2:30pm.

 

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Faith and Fiction Book Club
Next Meeting Date: 7/13 @7pm  

All are welcome to join our Faith and Fiction Book Club in reading our next selection:  The Man in the Wooden Hat by Jane Gardam. We will meet in the church library at 7pm on July 13th to discuss the book. Please contact Pastor Mark with any questions ( pastor@rolandparkchurch.org).

chambermusic
Summer Chamber Music
Season 9 Schedule

Season 9 of Summer Chamber Music in Roland Park has been announced! For a complete lineup, please visit www.rpchambermusic.com. Concerts will take place in the sanctuary at 7pm on Tuesday evenings in July.

gardenhelp
Summer Garden Help Needed 

Alyson Taylor is looking for a volunteer or a team of volunteers to take over for the months of July, August and September. The garden will be planted for the most part, so the tasks would primarily include harvesting about every two weeks and delivering the produce to the CARES Food Pantry. And, of course, there will be weeding, too! There is an automatic watering system set up so no need to worry about watering. Please email Alyson if you are interested in taking on all three months or teaming up with others to take a month each: firefly4492@hotmail.com. Thanks!
Worship
Worship This Sunday
July 3, 2016
1 0am 

 Scripture:  Psalm 146
Message: Are We a Christian Nation?
misty
Fun Family Movie Nights 
and Sermon Series
August Thursdays 6-9pm weathered-movie-reel.jpg
Join us on Thursdays in August for fun, fellowship and family-friendly PG-rated movies on the lawn. We will move into the fellowship room if the weather isn't cooperating. 

Fellowship begins at 6pm, Movie at 7pm.
The sermon on the following Sunday will be based on a theme from the Thursday night movie! Here's the schedule:

August 4th: Princess Bride

August 11th: ET

August 18th: Star Wars

August 25th: Truman Show

We will provide the movies, everything else is BYO. It's summer- let's picnic! Bring your blankets, chairs, coolers or picnic baskets!
DCE
DCE Search
  volunteer
We are currently conducting an official search for a new Director of Christian Education. While we have posted the job description to several sites, it is listed below and we invite you to forward this to anyone you know who may be a good candidate for this position.

Director of Christian Education (Part­Time) Roland Park Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, MD    

Roland Park Presbyterian is a small, welcoming church in the Roland Park neighborhood of  Baltimore, MD, seeking candidates for Director of Christian Education. The DCE serves as  leader and developer of education programming for all ages, including our Sunday morning children's program, youth program, and adult education. He or she collaborates with the Pastor,  Office & Communications Manager, Director of Music, Session, and members of the congregation, and is responsible for the design, staffing, and supervision of educational activities and events. The  DCE plans and supervises a monthly youth group and youth events as needed, and supervises  an annual confirmation class. The ideal candidate would have strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in recruiting, training, and managing staff and volunteers;  energy for intergenerational education; and a passion for promoting Christian and Presbyterian  values.   

Successful candidates should possess:  
 -Previous experience in education  
-Strong interpersonal skills  
-Independence, creativity and energy 
-Enthusiasm for intergenerational education for all ages from preschool to adult   
-Enthusiasm for collaboration with the church leadership and congregation  
-Enthusiasm for recruiting and training volunteers  
-Strong communication, organization, and leadership skills  
-Passion for the mission and values of the Presbyterian Church    

Minimum Qualifications:
-Prior education experience is required, with experience in Christian education preferred.  
-Experience developing curriculum for a wide variety of contexts.  
-Experience with programming for all ages, including children, youth, and adults. 
-Experience with common office software including Microsoft Office Suite.  
-Associate's or Bachelor's degree (or higher) in education or religious studies preferred.  
  
Schedule:
30 hours per week. 9:00am to 12:00pm on Sundays is required. All other hours and  days are flexible. Other evening and weekend hours may be required on a conditional basis for  special events or times of extraordinary need.   
 
Benefits:
2 week paid vacation after one full year of employment; 1 week paid continuing  education leave, 3 days paid sick leave; paid holidays in compliance with the Presbytery of  Baltimore Holiday Schedule. No Medical Benefits. 
GA
General Assembly Update
The 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is underway in Portland, Oregon this week. The General Assembly or GA is the largest gathering of our national denomination. Every two years commissioners from local presbyteries around the country gather for worship, work in committees as well as discuss and vote on overtures from synods and presbyteries.  Our Presbytery sent 5 commissioners: 2 minister (called teaching elders), 2 ruling elders and 1 young adult advisory delegate. Our very own Hannah Tennies is the YAAD, or young adult advisory delegate. She will be sharing reflections in the days and weeks to come. I invite you to pray for our commissioners and the assembly and encourage you to follow the progress through the denomination's website: www.pcusa.org
Roland Park Presbyterian Church
4801 Roland Avenue
Baltimore, MD  21210

 Summer Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9:00am -- 2:30pm

410/889-2001
410/889-2990- Pastor's direct line
410/889-2000-fax