The Seed Newsletter
November 7, 2021
THIS SUNDAY AT CHRISTIAN TEMPLE
It's All Saints Day at Christian Temple! So plan to be in worship right on time and listen as we read the names of the saints you have provided us. We've had a very generous response to our plea for names!
Rick Powell will be away this Sunday travelling to a family wedding in California. Brian Edwards will be preaching AND Cindy and Brian will provide their first report of the Search Committee. So plan to be in the sanctuary on this most special day in the church year!
SUNDAY WORSHIP LIVE STREAM
Those who have travelled through the pandemic with us know that our first move to bring worship to the masses was to create YouTube videos during the week- cobbling together various live and pre-taped videos- and sharing the finished product with the congregation on Sunday morning.
Once we began worshiping "live" in the sanctuary back in June we also began using Facebook as our platform for sharing worship over the internet. While that has worked pretty well for us, a few times we have experienced some technical difficulties with Facebook, last Sunday being a prime example.
So, this week we will be going back to using YouTube as our streaming platform. Our YouTube channel is Christian Temple (Disciples of Christ) and we will send out several reminders over the course of the week and weekend to guide people in the right direction.
Thanks to all those who so faithfully gather for online worship. Please know that our intention is to keep offering this to the congregation and to become more robust in our live streaming capacities as we go along.
CATONSVILLE CAN!
Join us for The Great Catonsville Fill-the-Truck food drive on Saturday, November 6, 2021 (9AM-1PM)!
This event will benefit Catonsville Emergency Assistance and the food pantry at Grace AME Church. Drop your food items off in the parking lot at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1010 Frederick Road -- Rain or Shine! CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FLYER
If you are interested in volunteering to help out, please use this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c44a9af28abfd0-fillthetruck1
We will especially need help unloading the truck and bringing the boxes into each food pantry. This is a great chance for students to earn community service hours!
Thank you for spreading the word about this important community food drive!
TRUNK OR TREAT
What a fun time! Take a peak at the festivities!
MY TWO CENTS
“Bringing in the Sheaves”
I was talking to Glenn Helme on the phone today. We were chatting about the church where he and his brothers grew up, all as preachers’ kids- The Main Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Rushville, IN.
Turns out Glenn’s dad was the pastor at Main Street Church from 1944 to 1966. These were the glory days for mainline congregations, especially those that occupied county seat towns throughout the Midwest. And even though you had to pull up the floorboard to get into the baptistry at Main Street Church, you can bet there were a ton of kids who began their journey of faith in that sanctuary, including Glenn and his two brothers, Frank and John.
Here’s a photo of the grand old building that housed that church, established in 1840. And still offering active ministry to their community.
Glenn and I were talking because I had just made a discovery. The old Gospel hymn composer, Knowles Shaw, grew up in Rush County, Indiana, and was a singing evangelist for the Churches of Christ, now Disciples of Christ. Shaw led revivals from Michigan to Texas “where many would come and hear him sing and remain to listen to his enthusiastic and convincing sermons”. I remember Glenn talking about being from Rush County. But, he had never heard Shaw mentioned during his time at Main Street. So, while a Disciple, Knowles was probably affiliated with a different congregation in Rush County.
What does all this have to do with anything?
Well, among the many fine hymns written by Knowles Shaw is the classic, “Bringing in the Sheaves” written in 1874. Who knew that a Disciple penned this hymn which has come to typify old time Gospel Christianity AND was about the only hymn my dad knew by heart? This hymn, which encourages, yea urges, yea pleads for us to share the Gospel message with our friends before it is too late, has its roots in our own little denomination.
So, why not? This Thanksgiving Sunday, November 21st, will are going to sing this great old (Disciples, Rush County, Revival, “Little House on the Prairie”) hymn AND invite everyone who has been a little hesitant to be among the sheaves who gather for in-person worship. Bring yourselves. Bring your kids. Bring a friend. Bring all the sheaves! Oh, and one catch? Bring in a can or two of food to be placed on the altar during the service in thanksgiving for our many blessings.
For, while we may question the resonance of a theology that urges us to convert before it’s too late, we can enthusiastically embrace a church with a rich history that loves to gather together and loves to sing!
Shalom,
Rick
ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW
Jane Byers wanted to let everyone know about this fun Arts & Crafts show on Saturday, November 13th (9AM-2PM). CLICK HERE for more information!
NINE O’CLOCK FORUM NEWS
Vaughn Ouellette will be leading a discussion based on the book “Stamped From The Beginning.” This book is about the history of racism and the individuals who defined it, used religion and science to justify it, and built profitable endeavors by it. The author tells how racist ideas have historically sprung from racist policies and how it was used for self-preservation of the ruling class. The book spans the period from Aristotle to Cotton Mather to Angela Davis. The book is divided into five sections with five to eight chapters per section. We plan on doing on section each Sunday.
While buying and reading the book is certainly an option, it is not a requirement to participate in the discussion. Summary materials are available in the Church Office or by requesting a copy at: vaughn.ouellette@verizon.net.
Join us on Zoom for our Nine O’Clock Forum starting Sunday, October 24 through Sunday, November 21.
9 O’Clock Forum (Sundays) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/602793616
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO ISN'T RECEIVING THE SEED?
Our email distribution lists are almost up-to-date, but we are concerned that we may have missed a friend or two during this process. If you know of anyone who isn't receiving the J&C and/or The Seed, please ask them to let the office know. Contact Robin at 410-747-2041 or at office@christiantemple.org. Thank you!
ZOOM LINKS!
Wednesday Bible Study
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89678926477?pwd=Yno4ZW01RER0a00zNGlnWUFyWE9wQT09
The Well will not be meeting this evening, November 4th, but will plan to gather again next week.
The Well, Thursdays (6:30 PM)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89200881845
9:00 Forum, Sundays (9 AM)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/602793616
Children's Choir, Sundays (10:15- 10:45 AM)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87001372088
