THINKING OUT LOUD

The earthquake in Haiti and its aftermath is a topic that is heavy on my mind these days. How does one respond when there is such grief and turmoil being experienced by so many of our fellow human beings? The scriptures offer us many opportunities to cry out (Psalms, Lamentations, to name only two) and, of course, we cry from the heart with our own words and tears. We are, however, inclined (thank God!) to want to offer tangible help.

To date, $1,080 has been sent from HPUCC members to the Penn Central Conference Haiti Relief Fund. This fund will be used to provide needed relief, in the form of food, water, medical supplies, and other necessities of life. It¡¯s helpful to have the Conference serve as the headquarters for our monetary relief efforts; it¡¯s efficient and I like that because more of our funds can be used to help more people directly.

If you are in a position to help in this way, please write a check to Penn Central Conference UCC, put Haiti Relief on the memo line, and send it to the church office or give it to me when you are at the church. Each Monday we are sending an envelope to the Conference office with checks received that week.

Then, be alert! The extreme poverty in Haiti - a situation its people have lived with for a long, long, time - has added much to the turmoil in these days. How can we as disciples be part of the long term solution? It¡¯s not an easy question to answer but I invite us to explore it together in those times when we come together in groups, small or large, when we function as the church of Jesus Christ in our world today. May God give us strength and wisdom for the journey, especially as we move into the season of Lent.

Warmly,

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SMALL GROUP LIFE

The Companions in Christ small group will meet on:

*February 1 to discuss chapter 7, "The Christ as Spirit Person," and

*February 15 to discuss chapter 8, "What Think Ye of Christ?."

Companions in Christ meets from 7 until 8:30 p.m. in Maugans Chapel on the first and third Mondays of each month.

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The Book Review group will meet on Tuesday, February 9^th, to discuss Maya Angelou¡¯s Letter to My Daughter.

"Dedicated to the daughter she never had but sees all around her, Letter to My Daughter reveals Maya Angelou¡¯s path to living well and living a life with meaning. Here in short spellbinding essays are glimpses of the tumultuous life that taught Angelou lessons in compassion and fortitude: how she was brought up by her indomitable grandmother in segregated Arkansas, taken in at thirteen by her more worldly and less religious mother, and grew to be an awkward six-foot-tall teenager whose first experience of loveless sex paradoxically left her with her greatest gift, a son.

Whether she is recalling lost friends such as Coretta Scott King and Ossie Davis, extolling honesty, decrying vulgarity, explaining why becoming a Christian is a lifelong endeavor, or simply singing the praises of a meal of red rice, Maya Angelou writes from the heart to millions of women she considers her extended family."

Several copies of Letter to My Daughter remain @ $9. See Pastor Cathy. Mountains Beyond Mountains, the story of Dr. Paul Farmer by Tracy Kidder, will be discussed at the March 9^th "Review."

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The In-Depth Group has scheduled two meetings for the month of February. The group will meet on:

* Friday, February 12^th at 6:30 p.m. at John and Anne Thayer¡¯s home

* Friday, February 26^th at 6:30 p.m. at Bob and Anne Webber¡¯s home.

The group will be studying Galatians and Thessalonians using the book Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians by N. T. Wright.

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"Knit Together" - HPUCC¡¯s small group for needle arts - meets on the 4^th Monday of each month (February 22) at 7 p.m. in Maugans Chapel. Everyone is welcome to participate in a group project (prayer shawls, Eli¡¯s Elves blankets, baptismal cloths and new baby blankets, etc.) or bring your own project to work on during the meeting. The fellowship is great!

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"SOUPER BOWL" SUNDAY REMINDER

Sunday, February 7^th, is "Souper Bowl" Sunday! Please bring canned soups or a money donation for the Lancaster County Council of Churches Food Bank. The Youth Group will receive your gifts in the narthex on morning of the 7^th. Then, totals will be reported to "Souper Bowl" headquarters to be added to totals from churches nationwide. Final tallies will be broadcast that evening during the Super Bowl. Watch for it! And ... don¡¯t forget the Food Bank each Sunday!

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"MEN¡¯S BREAKFAST" GROUP MEETS ON FEBRUARY 11 AT 8 A.M.

Join the conversation at the next meeting of the Men¡¯s Breakfast Group on Thursday, February 11^th. The group meets at 8 a.m. at the Apple Tree Restaurant on Centerville Rd. at Columbia Ave. Sign up in the narthex or call the church office to add your name to the list.

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ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE - FEBRUARY 17 AT 7 P.M.

The Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17^th, with a 7 p.m. service including the imposition of ashes. The service will include Taiz¨¦ music with Pastor Shiley¡¯s message, "Removing the Yoke," based on a study of Isaiah 58:1-12.

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NW ECUMENICAL CLUSTER SPONSORS FRIDAY LUNCHEONS & SERVICES BEGINNING FEBRUARY 19

You are invited to participate in the Northwest Ecumenical Cluster¡¯s Friday Lenten Luncheon and Worship program. This program is a long-standing tradition of the Cluster, offering time to meet for lunch and a worship service each Friday in Lent. The timing of the worship service makes it possible, in many cases, for folks to participate over their lunch hour. The schedule is included on a separate page in this "Watch."

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5-WEEK WEDNESDAY EVENING LENTEN STUDY PROGRAM

This year¡¯s Wednesday Evening Lenten Program will center on the NOOMA video series. Pastor Rob Bell offers 11 to 13 minute messages based on themes that are central to our walk in life as disciples of Jesus Christ. Each evening will consist of:

*Viewing the evening¡¯s video message

*Time for bible study and discussion

*A brief worship experience to close the evening.

The schedule follows:

*February 24 - "Lump" - theme is "confession"

*March 3 - "You" - theme is "what really matters?"

*March 10 - "Name" - theme is "our true selves"

*March 17 - "Rhythm" - theme is "relationship with God"

*March 24 - "Today" - theme is "our lives, now."

Sessions will be held from 7 until 8:30 p.m. in Maugans Chapel. Join us.

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WINTER OVERFLOW SHELTER - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Hamilton Park Church has been asked to staff the Winter Overflow Shelter at First Reformed Church the night of Wednesday, February 24^th. A staff of volunteers (led by ACT chair, Dottie Holt) will be needed to check people into the sheltering program as well as stay up throughout the night (or sleep in shifts). There¡¯s a need for both female and male volunteers, with primary need for women hosts because only women and children are being sheltered this year. If you can help, please sign up in the Narthex; if you have questions see Dottie Holt.

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NAMIBIAN BAKE SALE IS FEBRUARY 28

The ACT (Action Compassion Team) will hold a bake sale to benefit our partnership with the CCSA (Congregational Churches of Southern Africa) on Sunday morning, February 28. Will you bake something, and also plan to purchase items from the bake sale? There will be no prices "set" for the baked goods; offering is "freewill." The bake sale will be held in the narthex following the 8 a.m. service and before and after the 10:30 a.m. service.

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"PENNIES FOR PEACE"

Remember to bring your loose change for our "Pennies for Peace" jars and baskets, located in the narthex, the Sunday School classrooms, even the choir loft! "Pennies for Peace" is part of Greg Mortenson¡¯s (Three Cups of Tea) effort to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS TO EXPLORE "GUIDANCE FOR THE JOURNEY"

The Lenten study for adult education being offered by Lancaster Theological Seminary is "Guidance for the Journey: Exploring Christian Discipleship Together." Led by Professor and Dean Edwin Aponte, this study will join personal and group spiritual reflection, aimed at transforming our lives, congregations, and the world. Dean Aponte plans to cover the following in this six week study:

1. What¡¯s in a Name? Colossians 3:15-17

2. Just Because! Romans 12

3. Tradition and the Fiddler Psalm 19, 1 Peter 1:19-21; 3:15-16

4. What¡¯s It Got to Do with Me? 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22

5. What¡¯s Next? Mark 4:1-32

6. The Proof of the Pudding Deuteronomy 6:1-2; Isaiah 40:27-31; Luke 10:25-37

There will be an introductory lecture at the Seminary on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend the lecture, as well as the class which will meet in the social hall on Sunday mornings during Lent at 9:15 a.m.

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EASTER LILIES - ORDER NOW!

It¡¯s time to place orders for Memorial Lilies for Easter Sunday services. Checks may be made payable to "Hamilton Park Church."

MAIL THIS ORDER FORM TO THE CHURCH OFFICE.

Orders are due by Wednesday, March 10^th.

Hamilton Park Church, 1210 Maple Ave., Lancaster, PA 17603

ORDER FORM

I would like to order _______ lilies at $8 each.

Given in memory of ___________________________________________________.

Given by ___________________________________________________.

Your name _________________________________________________.

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ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING

The One Great Hour of Sharing offering will be received at Hamilton Park Church on Sunday, March 14^th, as well as at many other churches. This year¡¯s theme is based on John 21:15-17, asking the question, "Do You Love Me?" and offering the directive, "Feed My Sheep." Educational mission moments regarding the OGHS offering will be shared during worship on February 21 and 28 and March 7 and 14. More details in the March "Watch."

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SEWING GROUP TO LGH ON MARCH 15

A group from HPUCC will travel to Lancaster General Hospital on Monday, March 15^th to help with simple sewing projects for the hospital. If you are able to take advantage of this service opportunity, please contact Marianna Rasmussen at 394-7026. Up to eight volunteers are requested. You may use your own transportation or meet at the church for an 8 a.m. carpool departure. You will be picked up at the hospital at the end of the "shift," 2 p.m., and returned to the church.

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MEN¡¯S GOLF OUTING TO CACAPON

The annual Cacapon Men¡¯s Golf Outing is set for June 1 through 3. Participation at this time is limited to people with UCC affiliation. The cost is $120, payable to Ned Kreider. Sign up in the narthex.

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"WATCH" TO BECOME BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION

Beginning with the next issue of the Watch, to be mailed on March 1st, the publication will be issued bi-monthly ¡­¡­

March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December, January/February ¡­ in order to save on paper, printing, and postage costs. If you want an article included in the March/April issue, please submit it to Rene¨¦ Blankenstein by Tuesday, February 23.

NEWS FROM THE HPUCC PRE-SCHOOL

Registration is currently underway for the September 2010 classes at the Hamilton Park Pre-School. Spaces are still available in each class. Please call the church office (397-9791) or Mindy Newcomer, Pre-School Director (394-4926), for information or for registration forms.

February is the month of Love! It is amazing that a day such as Valentine¡¯s Day can be so exciting for our children. They love to make their own cards and goodies for friends, and then deliver them in the special bags or boxes they have decorated at school. It is certainly a fun-filled time. We wish you all days with fun, warmth and love!

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FEBRUARY USHER TEAM CAPTAINS

February 7 - Marge Mowrer

February 14 - Dan Frick

February 17 (Ash Wednesday) - Phil & Renee Blankenstein

February 21 - Doug Mullins

February 28 - Mike Landis

NURSERY TEAM LEADERS

February 7 - Roxanne McRoberts

February 14 - Annette Myers

February 17 (Ash Wednesday) - Newcomer/Koehler

February 21 - Jill Sultzbach

February 28 - Barb Eckman

LECTORS FOR FEBRUARY

February 7 - John Thayer

February 14 - Ted Rasmussen

February 21 - Flora Poulos

February 28 - Nancy Bonalumi

FEBRUARY GREETERS

February 7 - Bob and Donna Norris

February 14 - Brian & Robin Haflin

February 21 - Tom & Helen Reese

February 28 - Doug & Eleanor Mullins

OUR CHURCH FAMILY - THANK YOU NOTES

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

The following HPUCC members and friends are celebrating birthdays in February:

* February 3 - Janet Showalter

* February 3 - Karen Sandt

* February 4 - Donna Norris

* February 6 - Dick Glatfelter

* February 15 - Colin Eckman

* February 16 - Elizabeth Thayer

* February 16 - Ed Blankenstein

* February 16 - Gary Bonalumi

* February 20 - Andrew Koehler

* February 21 - Rick Bennawit

* February 21 - Samantha Brunner

* February 22 - Kathleen Houser

* February 23 - Scott Eckman

* February 25 - Eric Deatrick

* February 26 - Nancy Zielasko

* February 27 - Xander Stephen Zwally

* February 27 - Don Esbenshade

* February 27 - Priscilla Esbenshade

* February 28 - Laura Spangler

* February 28 - Chase Van Duzer

* March 1 - Marilyn Hite

* March 2 - Avery Ann Schreck

* March 7 - Marianna Rasmussen