Weekly Eblast
Hodges Boulevard
Presbyterian Church
March 19, 2019
Sunday, March 24, 2019
Third Sunday in Lent

9:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship
10:00 a.m. Education Hour
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship

Psalm 63:1-8
Luke 13:1-9


"Unreachable. Impossible. Beyond Hope."


A congregational meeting has been called for 10:00 a.m., on March 24, to elect the 2019 Congregational Nominating Committee members.
Nominees are:


Kathy Cockerham
Mark Johnson
Gale Keeley
Eli Newland
 
Dear beloved Hodges family,
                                                                                                             
As we continue in our Lenten journeys, I hope you have reflected upon what you might cultivate and what you might let go. I have joined you in this spiritual discipline and thought I might share with you a bit of my own journey, especially considering that my time with you is growing short. I share this with you to emphasize that God truly is good all the time.

I had something happen in my life about 3 years ago that was completely devastating. It was so horrific that I found myself filled with anger and rage, even to the point of wishing ill will for one of God’s children. Of course, this is embarrassing to admit, but as I am always pretty clear about, I am a completely flawed human being just like everyone else, it just so happens that God called me to ordained ministry as a vocation. Time passed and I could not seem to get past this hurtful event. I prayed, but was still so angry that I didn’t have the capacity, or, frankly, the desire to forgive. This is the state I was in when I began to serve you in September 2017.

When the call was issued to me to serve as your interim pastor, I came with a broken spirit, still feeling very hurt and dealing with overwhelming pain. I truly wanted to move on, but it was as if I was mired in quicksand and it was impossible. But, a glorious thing happened. You are such a warm, welcoming, compassionate congregation, and you have been so generous with your love and acceptance, that shards of your light began to filter into the darkness of my shattered soul. (This may sound as if I’m being melodramatic, but the fact is I was in a bad way.) That light started getting in, and I felt lighter, but I wasn’t “there” yet. There was still forgiveness that needed to happen. There was still something I needed to let go.

Which brings us to Ash Wednesday, 2019. What will we cultivate? What will we let go? As I drove home from the service that night, I drove in total silence, contemplating: What will I cultivate? What will I let go? I had picked up one of those little slips of paper that said:
This Lent,
I wish to CULTIVATE ____.
I wish to LET GO ____.
I filled in the blanks. This Lent I wish to cultivate forgiveness. This Lent I wish to let go of that debacle. I was ready to breathe again, I was ready to be free of it all. It was just too much and too hard to keep carrying around. A trusted friend said I needed to pray for the person who had caused so much pain. I needed to pray for that person’s happiness and well-being, my friend said. You will feel liberated, my friend said. It may be hard at first, my friend continued, but this person is also a child of God, one God has claimed, one God loves, one who has a past and possible pain of their own that you don’t know about. You need to pray for this person.

(LOOOOOOOONG PAUSE.)

I share this with you to say that I believe being in your presence and serving God alongside you at the Hodges Church has made it possible for me to begin something that heretofore had been unimaginable. And there are not words to express how profoundly grateful I am for that. I have not arrived at a place of total forgiveness and letting go, but I am close, and getting closer as I continue to pray for that person. The spirit of this congregation has helped me in an important and necessary spiritual exercise, and that is a gift I will be able to take with me to my next call, and the next, and the next. As you have been an incalculable blessing to me, I know that God will continue to use you to be a blessing to others. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. God is good.

My departure date (April 7) is based on the fact that our daughter’s first baby (in Colorado) is coming sooner than originally expected, and of course, this mama needs to be there. You will experience the tremendous blessing of having the Revs. Joyce and Chris Lieberman (Synod Executive for Synod of the South Atlantic and Relationship Coordination Director for the St. Augustine Presbytery, respectively) leading worship on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Easter Sunday. And, I have full confidence you will equally be a blessing to them as they worship with you.

In the meantime, as we continue our Lenten journeys,
What will you cultivate?
What will you let go?

Love and Lenten blessings,
Tweens
Our Tweens had a great time at Bravoz Entertainment Center this past Sunday.
Mystery Dinner Tickets are NOW ON SALE! Support the youth at their mystery dinner performance, “Missing Greenbacks: An Old-Time Radio Mystery” on April 27 at 5:00 pm. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for children 10 and under. You may purchase them in-between Sunday services or by contacting Debbie at dabbott@hbpcusa.org.

THIS SUNDAY: Camp Montgomery Climb Day! All youth and their friends are invited to join us March 24 for a climbing adventure at Camp Montgomery. We will leave right after Sunday School, stop for lunch on the way, and be home around 5:00 pm. You will need to bring $10 for climbing and another $10 for lunch on the way up. Also, don’t forget to wear close-toed shoes. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Kim Ross no later than Thursday, March 21. Parents will also need to fill out a release form for their climbers.

Calendar

Tuesday, March 19
9:30 a.m. Painters & Crafters
11:30 a.m. Staff Meeting
12:00 p.m. PW Afternoon Circle
3:30 p.m. Technology
6:30 p.m. Kensington HOA
7:00 p.m. PW Evening Circle

Wednesday, March 20
7:00 a.m. Bagels & Bibles
9:15 a.m. Women's Bible Study
5:00 p.m. The Story Continues
6:30 p.m. Traditions Choir

Thursday, March 21
7:00 p.m. Stated Session Meeting

Friday, March 22
Preschool Closed

Sunday, March 24
9:00 a.m. Contemporary Worship
10:00 a.m. Congregational Meeting
10:15 a.m. Endowment Presentation
10:15 a.m. Education Hour
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
6:00 p.m. Youth

Monday, March 25
9:15 a.m. Preschool Chapel

Tuesday, March 26
9:15 a.m. Preschool Chapel
9:30 a.m. Painters & Crafters
11:30 a.m. Staff Meeting








Remember In Prayer....

Pam Benson, Charlotte Berglund, Gale and Elaine Boylan, Mary Blanchard's daughter , Jeff Braden and family , family of Glenn Conner , Larry and Gerry Cook (friends of Judy Klein), Bob Danberg, Roy Hannon (Tish Hubbard's brother), Bob Hiller, Carolyn and Tom Hopper, Dave Keim, Nancy (Linda Martin’s friend), Katie Meredith, Jack Moore, Jack and Sylvia Moore, Kathy (Larry/Glenyce Payne’s daughter), Merrylin Opendo, Nolan Perret, Betty Phillips, Bill Salisbury (Tammie Wright’s father), Roger (Judy Schuler’s brother), Rochelle Seiler and family, Robin Soergel, Catherine and Bill Trask, Sue Williams, Patricia Zalusky-Taylor

PNC
Maryellen Beiletti,
Wezi Blunt, Chris Gesdorf, Ryan Gulick, Alice Harper, Tod McVey, Bruce Neu
Easter Breads and Butterfly Release
10:00 a.m. Easter Sunday

Why Easter Breads? Jesus is the bread of life! Different countries around the world celebrate with special Easter breads: Paska from the Ukraine, hot cross buns from England, festival loaf from Greece, and babka from Poland.

Please join us on the patio by the Sanctuary (due to worship being held in the Fellowship Hall)  during the Sunday School Hour, 10:00-10:45 a.m., on Easter Sunday morning for this special time of fellowship and celebration.  (The regularly scheduled Sunday school classes will not be held.)  Children and adults are asked to bring their favorite Easter bread, bagel, coffee cake, hot cross buns, etc. to share with our church family. It will be a great time to catch up with each other as well as to celebrate the Good News of Christ’s resurrection.

AND… at 10:30 a.m. we will gather around our beautiful flowery cross and release the butterflies, a symbol of new life.
Help Us Stuff Eggs!

Grab as many bags of eggs as you want (we have 1600 that need to be filled) and help us stuff them:
·      Individually wrapped candy (no loose Jelly Beans please)
·      Nothing with nuts or nut products like peanut butter
·      Avoid chocolates that will melt in the sun

We need to have all the eggs by Wednesday,
April 17. Questions?  Text, call or email Debbie! 
904-521-9491 or dabbott@hbpcusa.org
Easter Sunday Cross
Please bring flowers to decorate the cross Easter morning.

HBPC YOUTH PRESENTS
 
A Mystery Dinner Theater at
Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church
Saturday, April 27
5:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Fellowship Hall

The year is 1948. The atmosphere is thrilling and sensational. Penelope Parker presents her final radio show before heading to New York for all new television productions. Yet, not everyone is celebrating. The envy of others at the radio station brings a variety of reactions including resentment, betrayal, deception and thievery. Will treachery and injustice rule? Or will you be the winning hero by solving the mystery and finding the guilty culprit?

      Don’t miss the fun, food, and prizes!
Dress in 1940’s fashion.

COST: $30/adults, $20/kids 10 and under
Tickets available for purchase starting March 17 between services or from the church office during the week.

Questions? Contact Debbie Abbott at 904-223-6922
or dabbott@hbpcusa.org
Family Promise
April 7-14, 2019

HBPC will be hosting Family Promise the week of April 7-14. We cannot schedule evening meetings while our guests are here. Please make arrangements to reschedule your meeting or plan to meet elsewhere during that week. Your cooperation is much appreciated!
Betty's Buddies
April 11, 2019
11:30 a.m.

Olive Garden
9465 Atlantic Blvd.
Jacksonville, Florida

Contact Lynn Holmes 904-524-2134 or
Mary Blanchard
443-377-5544
phone: 904-223-6922 email: hodges@hbpcusa.org
website: hbpcusa.org