Worship this Sunday, March 10, 2019
Theme: Lent 1: Blessed Hunger, Holy Feast – God’s hand delivers us
Worship Leader: Dayna Olson-Getty
Song Leader: Angie Clemens
Prelude/Offertory: Carol Snell-Feikema
Preacher: Jennifer Davis Sensenig
Pastoral Prayer: Jennifer Davis Sensenig
Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Luke 4:1-13
Bulletin: 031019-Bulletin
Upcoming CMC Events
Sat, Mar 9 Open Circle Small Group, 6 pm, Room 109. All are welcome!
Sun, Mar 10 Bridges Community Gathering potluck and dance, 4-7 pm,
Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary. All are welcome!
Contemplative Worship Service, 8 pm, Sanctuary
Wed, Mar 13 Women’s Bible Study, 8:30 am, Room 109
Kids’ Club, 6 pm, Basement
Thur, Mar 14 Lent Contemplative Prayer, 7:15-7:45 am, Fellowship Hall
Sun, Mar 17 Prayer Circle, 10:50-11:20 am, Prayer Alcove
CMC Events and Announcements
This Sunday, March 10, CMC will be hosting the Bridges Community Gathering, an interfaith, intercultural potluck with music and dancing. This was the event that was postponed from last Sunday due to the weather. Music and dances will start at 4 pm in the sanctuary with the potluck about an hour later in the fellowship hall, followed by more music/dances until 7:00. Some children and youth are also planning to perform. Join in or watch from the sidelines! This is a chance to welcome our neighbors into our space. Bring a dish and join the fun! fb.me/bridges.friendlycity –Betty Shenk
Beginning Sunday March 10th there will be a new Contemplative Worship Service weekly at 8 PM at CMC. This service is an invitation to deepening our everyday connection to God, ourselves and the community through healing, action and contemplation for the sake of the world. The service will be a time for contemplative silence, embodied practice and a space that welcomes and affirms everyone. Please note children are welcome, however, there will be no childcare provided during the service. Contact Adam Yoder (yodera@yahoo.com) on behalf of the Contemplative Service Discernment Group for additional information.
During the 6 weeks of Lent, you are invited to a time of contemplative prayer every Thursday morning from 7:15 – 7:45 am in the Fellowship Hall of Community Mennonite Church beginning on March 14 and ending on April 18. Consider this an opportunity to begin your day by listening and consenting to the Spirit of God within you in the company and presence of brothers and sisters. "We need contemplative practices that remind us of who we are . . . practices that enable us to live the revolutionary teachings of Jesus . .." (Victoria Rosales) We will begin by listening to one of the Lenten scripture texts, followed by 15-20 minutes of silence. Instruction will be included for those who are new to Centering prayer. Please join us, entering by the ramp door on the North side of the building. Jane Peifer (from Shalom) and Keaton Shenk and Kathy Hochstedler (from CMC) will share the leadership.
Prayer Circles. A new prayer opportunity is available starting Sunday, March 17. On the 3rd Sunday of each month Prayer Circles will be held in the prayer alcove for personal prayer or for the needs of others. From 10:50 to 11:20 am a Prayer Companion along with a Pastoral Team Member or Elder will hold a time of reflection and prayer. All are welcome! –Prayer Companions
Weekly Lenten Devotional Email List – CMC collaborates every year on a daily Lenten devotional reflection, written by folks at Community, Shalom, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill Mennonite congregations. If you would like to have your name added to the email list, sign up here, or let the office if know you would like a printed copy. Daily postings will also be listed on CMC’s Facebook page.
Saturday Night Easter Vigil. Each year Community Mennonite Church collaborates with Park View Mennonite Church to sponsor na Easter Vigil–a rich service that begins at an outdoor fire, includes scriptures of our sacred history, offers an opportunity to renew our baptismal covenant and leads to a joyful transformation of the visual environment in celebration of resurrection. If you would like to participate this year as a scripture reader or in some other way (vigil begins at 10pm on Sat, April 20) please contact Pastor Jennifer. jennifer.davis.sensenig@cmcva.org
March Monthly Gathering. The next CMC Monthly Gathering will be Tuesday, March 19, with taco bar supper at 6 pm, followed at 7 p.m. by LIT (Learning Interesting Things). The topic will be: Mountain Valley Pipeline: Frontline stories from our Learning Tour. Hear stories and see images of the MVP from CMC’s learning tour in November. Learn about the big picture of fracked gas pipelines in Virginia, with an overview provided by activist Joshua Vana, coordinator of RAPTORS of the Valley. Take home resources for further study and action. Sponsored by CMC's Green Congregation Committee. For more info, contact Brian Martin Burkholder (brian.burkholder@emu.edu; 540-746-6419) or Mary Jo Bowman (bowbro@juno.com; 540-383-7792).
Reading the Bible Around the World (Adult Ed Class). As a North American Mennonite Church, we are accustomed to approaching Christian scripture in a certain way and reading it within a particular culture. However, Christians around the world in other cultural contexts frequently read and understand scripture differently from us. Here at CMC, there are many people who have lived and learned with people from other places and cultures. Each Sunday a different person will lead us – with some fear and trepidation – in looking at how Christians from a place and cultural context that they know read the Bible. So, come to this class, if you want to understand better how the Bible is read around the world. –Mike Brislen
Faith and Finances (Adult Ed Class). This week, the Faith and Finances for All Ages and Stages class will hear from Jennifer Davis Sensenig about “Simplicity and Stability. “ Please feel free to join us in Room 109!
Reta Finger has an article in the March issue of The Mennonite: "Of Shirts and Tunics: A Lenten Reflection." (p. 10) It compares the clothes Jesus wore before he was crucified with her father's wardrobe when he died.
Highland Retreat Registration. It’s time to register your child for camp at Highland Retreat! CMCers who attend Highland receive one $75 scholarship per child from CMC. When registering, use CMC’s code “CYM22” and the discount will be applied to your registration. Questions? Contact the office at 540-433-2148 or email cmc_office@cmcva.org.
Update from Tim Jost and request for prayer: Timothy Jost reports that he has completed the first round of chemotherapy at the UVA hospital and that it t was not wholly successful. He has now completed a 2nd round and hopes to be discharged from the hospital around the end of March. At that time he is praying that he will be in remission and can proceed to a stem cell transplant. Please support us in your prayers that 1) Timothy will be in remission at the end of the 2nd round of chemotherapy; 2) that a stem cell donor can be identified; 3) that a successful stem cell transplant can be completed; 4) that Ruth will have the strength and patience to accompany Timothy on this journey. In all, it will probably be a number of months, possibly until late summer, before we can return to Harrisonburg on a permanent basis.
If you're wanting to send a word of encouragement to Tim Jost while he's hospitalized at UVA, consider this UVA e-card service: https://ecards.uvahealth.com/ –Pastoral Team
Meals for Kids’ Club. Thank you so much to all of the small groups who have brought food to Kids’ Club so far! We are in need of more simple Wednesday meals for the winter/spring if it works for your small group or family. Generally we have 10-15 kids a week (sometimes more). Please email Hannah Hall, hannahdmhall@gmail.com if there’s a Wednesday that works for you!
Attention parents of EMS students and Mennonite college/university students: It's time to fill out the application for EMS and/or Mennonite college/university students for church matching grants/financial aid for the 2019-2020 school year. As of the 2019-2020 school year, CMC will provide $2000 each year ($1000 per semester) to qualified students who attend a Mennonite Church college or university. In addition, CMC provides financial aid to EMS students who qualify. In order to be considered for these grants/financial aid, please fill out the applicable google form below no later than March 17, 2019.
Eastern Mennonite School financial aid form
Mennonite College/University grant form
If you have questions about qualifications, please visit CMC's website or send an email to Shannon Sneary Alabanza at swsneary@gmail.com. Thank you!
‘FEAR NOT LITTLE FLOCK,' HE SAID SHEEPISHLY . . . for behold, the latest photo collage posted on the "CMC Today" bulletin board at the south end of the fellowship is featuring the first worship series of 2019 that focuses on the Luke 12:29-32 theme verses for this year. It will remain up and running for one more week. To its right, check out a photo review from the Jan. 6 Epiphany service; also a report on the local (in)famous Groundhog Day celebration ("I got you, babe") from the 2/18/19 issue of Mennonite World Review and a Lenten reflection from Daily News-Record. Enjoy! Jim Bishop
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE BEST KIND – Brothers and sisters, Lent me your ears (and eyes) – Cast ye corporate gaze eastward to the "CMC Yesterday" bulletin board on the east wall of the fellowship hall. There you'll find photo collages full of smiling happy people holding hands and 'encountering God,' the theme for Lenten services 2014. Remember? Jim Bishop
Greening CMC: Speaking Out. Virginia was the first southern state to propose direct steps to address their emissions, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality proposal to cap CO2 emissions is now in its final comment period. Speak out by March 6 on the proposal to join this regional initiative to reduce our climate impact.
Announcements from Virginia Mennonite Conference, Harrisonburg area and beyond
Join the Peace Church Planting webinar where church planters will share from their experience, and Mennonite Mission Network staff will introduce The Sent Network, a new online platform to support church planters. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, March 13, 6-7:15 p.m. EDT/ 5-6:15 p.m. Central /3-4:15 p.m. Pacific, and all are invited to attend. Visit mennoniteusa.org/churchplanting to register.
Be one of the first 2,000 people to register for MennoCon19 and receive a new Voices Together hymnal when it's available. Registration is open now at convention.mennoniteusa.org/registration!
Bridge of Hope Harrisonburg-Rockingham is currently looking for a Neighboring Volunteer group of 6-10 committed people that would like to walk alongside and encourage a family in our program. Bridge of Hope works with single-parent families (children under 18) facing homelessness in our community. The program lasts 12-24 months. Initial training, ongoing relational support, and planned monthly gatherings will be provided. If you have questions, you can ask any of CMC’s former neighboring group which included Sue Swartz, Rebecca Barge, Andrea Wenger, and Shirley Showalter. Please contact Chris Hoover Seidel, Director, at director@hr.bridgeofhopeinc.org or cell: 717-602-0871 if you are interested.
Would you like to open your home and your heart to a Mennonite Central Committee international volunteer? Please consider hosting an EMU foreign language assistant for the 2019-20 academic year. The department of language and literature is seeking Harrisonburg hosts to provide native speakers of Spanish with private bedrooms, packed lunches for weekdays, other meals at home, transportation to and from campus during the week and church on Sundays, and emotional support as they serve the EMU community. Compensation for host families includes a monthly stipend and rich international friendships. (You can read about the program at http://www.mcc.org/ivep/.) To explore the possibility of hosting, please contact Vi Dutcher at vi.dutcher@emu.edu.
Annual Tubman Day Celebration. Rev. Stan Maclin invites Community Mennonite Church on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 5pm to the Mabel Memorial Chapel (2025 Reservoir) for the Annual Tubman Day Celebration. The theme of this service is "TRAILBLAZER FOR JUSTICE" and will include a presentation of The Harriet Tubman Commemorative Leadership Award.
ACRS Welcomes Mark Metzler Sawin to the next ACRS Gathering at 7:30 am on March 11 in the Park View Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall. Mark’s presentation is titled, “A Wall Runs Through It: The History of US Immigration Policy.” For more information go to: http://www.emu.edu/acrs/events/
Story Table: Join us for Stories of Developmental Disabilities and Community at A Bowl of Good on Monday, March 11, 6pm to 8pm. We will hear stories from persons with developmental disabilities and persons close to them in our community. This is an opportunity to listen to each other in an unfiltered, agenda-free environment. Join Nancy Hopkins-Garriss (Executive Director), Joanie Hanshaw (individuals w/ disabilities-remembers Central Virginia Training Center), Dave Gullman (parent & pastor), Amy Labarge (special education teacher), and Katrina Didot (employer) for a conversation.
Thursday, March 14, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. — Parents of students who will enter 6th grade in fall 2019 are invited to a breakfast meeting. This is for parents of students who will attend 6th grade at Eastern Mennonite Middle School, or for those who may be interested in learning about 6th grade at EMMS. More details at www.easternmennonite.org. RSVP to Marsha Thomas (thomasm@emhs.net or 540-236-6021).
Join Highland Retreat for a Benefit Auction on Saturday morning, March 16 at Lindale Mennonite Church. The auction helps subsidize camp tuition for all camper families and provides scholarships for families with greater need. Doors open at 8am and the live auction will begin at 9:30am. There will be a summer camp Q&A table, plus special activities for children during the morning. Stop by for a tasty meal and baked goods, or stay for the whole auction – we'd love to see you there! See www.highlandretreat.org for more details and a link to the online auction (March 8-15), where you can pre-bid on live items or bid to win online-only items.
Not Made for This. A performance about the life of Jourden Banks who was born enslaved in Rockingham County will be shared at Court Square Theater on Saturday, March 16 at 7 pm. –Art Stoltzfus.
The Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony will present their Spring Concert on Sunday, March 17, at 4:00 pm in EMU’s Lehman Auditorium. The program will feature violin soloist Ada Zhang, a senior at EMHS, performing “Carmen Fantasy.” Please join us for this very special concert.
Disability Awareness Rally: Come and join us as we celebrate individuals with developmental disabilities who live in our community. We will meet on the east lawn of the Rockingham County Court House by 5:15pm on Tuesday, March 19 (rain/snow date March 26). Our opening speaker will be Nancy Hopkins-Garriss, Pleasant View Inc. Executive Director, followed by a member of the Harrisonburg Aktion Club. There will be an open microphone for short statements from other attendees in support and recognition of individuals with disabilities and their importance to our community. Any change in date will be posted to our website event page or Facebook event.
Cafe Veritas will host Craig Bartholomew (Director of the Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics at Tyndale House in Cambridge, England) to speak on “Signposts from a Divided World: Where is God in Contemporary Culture?” on Tuesday, March 19, 7pm at Court Square Theater (41 Court Square, Harrisonburg, VA 22801). Not all is well in our culture. We are living through a time of change and of crisis in Western civilization. Craig’s lecture will identify the nature of our Secular Age and the rich Christian resources available to us for healing our present condition and moving beyond it toward a world that promotes the flourishing of all in the light of Jesus Christ.
Screen Schooled: Two Veteran Teachers Expose How Technology Overuse Is Making Our Kids Dumber. Joe Clement and Matt Miles, educators and authors of a book by the same title, present at Eastern Mennonite School, March 20, 7:30 p.m. In the school auditorium. Area educators, parents, pastors, and those interested in childhood development are especially invited to this free presentation and Q&A on the impact of technology on children's' brain development. Presented in partnership with James Madison University and WVPT and with sponsorship support from EMU, Park View Federal Credit Union, Everence, Shirley's Popcorn and Brian Mayes Studio. See full article for more details.
Come "Meet and Greet" your healthcare colleagues and students! Mennonite Healthcare Fellowship (MHF) is sponsoring this informal event, Friday, March 22, 2019, 4:30-6:00 pm at the Eastern Mennonite University Suter Science Center, Room 104. Persons in medicine, nursing, therapeutic, mental health, chaplaincy, and other healthcare disciplines are encouraged to come. Students in related fields: Come and meet active professionals and discover the networks to help you in your emerging career! Refreshments will be served and a drawing will be held for books relating to healthcare and faith. For more information, contact MHF at 1-888-406-3643 or info@mennohealth.org or local host Kristopher Schmidt at kristopher.schmidt@emu.edu.
EMU Music Faculty Artist Series Concert: EMU piano professor David Berry will be joined by award-winning cellist and Berklee School of Music/Boston Conservatory professor Patrice Jackson-Tilghman for an exciting concert of solo and chamber masterworks at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23, in the EMS Martin Chapel. Musical works will include pieces by Chopin, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Martinu, and arrangements by Berry and Jackson-Tilghman. Admission is free, with donations welcome for EMU's music scholarship fund. For more information, visit emu.edu/music.
Monday, March 25, 8 a.m. — Middle and high school students are invited to shadow a current student at Eastern Mennonite School. Parents can participate in an informational session, tour the facilities and more. Download a registration form at www.emhs.net/admissions/visit.cfm. Call 540-236-6021 with questions.
Thursday, March 28 – Parents of students who are in pre-school through 4th grade are invited to drop in between 8:30 and 10 a.m. for coffee, conversation and observation to learn about Eastern Mennonite Elementary School. Talk with Maria Archer, principal; Marsha Thomas, admissions counselor; teachers, other parents and school counselors. Observe classrooms. More details at www.easternmennonite.org. RSVP to Marsha Thomas at 540-236-6021 or email thomasm@emhs.org
The Collins Center is offering a retreat for adult female survivors of sexual abuse on Saturday, March 30 from 9 am-2 pm. This retreat provides an opportunity for attendees to build community and reflect on their journeys of healing. If you would like more information, please feel free to reach out to Margaret at the Collins Center, margaret@thecollinscenter.org. Because CMC participates in the Safe Church program, there is no registration cost for CMCers who attend.
NewBridges Immigrant Resource Center invites you to attend the 13th annual Taste of the World, on Saturday, March 30th at First Presbyterian Church on Court Square! The evening will highlight the unique food, music and décor from this year’s theme country, Guatemala, as well as offerings from many other cultures. Single tickets are $65; a table of 8 is $480. Please RSVP by March 20th by purchasing tickets online at https://squareup.com/store/newbridgesIRC or sending a check made out to NewBridges Immigrant Resource Center to our office address: 64 W. Water Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. We hope to see you there!
Make Medicare an easy step. Gain confidence about moving to Medicare with guidance from Everence®, a faith-based organization that partners with our church. Attend this workshop on April 4, 2019, at 6 p.m. at The Gathering Place, 841 Mount Clinton Pike, Harrisonburg. Learn about your key steps to get Medicare, how to move from current coverage and enrollment details and deadlines. Reserve spots for you, friends and family members at (540) 437-7422 or harrisonburg@everence.com.
The Shenandoah Valley Scholars Latino Initiative (SLI) is a Harrisonburg-based nonprofit organization that creates college opportunities for first-generation Latino high school students through rigorous academic challenge, leadership development, supportive mentorships and scholarship awards. SLI has served more than 80 scholars since 2012 at Harrisonburg High School and John Handley High School in Winchester, awarding $116,000 in SLI college scholarship awards and $24,000 in SLI computer awards. It has also paid more than $9,000 in tuition support for students to enroll in college dual enrollment courses while in high school. For more information, please visit www.svsli.org or contact Christopher Clymer Kurtz (director of development) at christopher@svsli.org or 434-299-2549.
Eastern Mennonite School welcomes applications for a new Leadership Scholarship for students grades 9-12. Recipients will receive up to 50% off of the regular high school tuition rate. Applicants must be new students who have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and who wish to develop their leadership skills through contributions to the school. An interview and essay are required. Contact Marsha Thomas at 540-236-6021 or go to emhs.net/admissions/leadership-scholarship.cfm
Eastern Mennonite School is seeking candidates for fifth grade teacher, kindergarten assistant, peacebuilding curriculum teacher, Dining Hall team manager and Athletics Director. Go to easternmennonite.org/about/employment.cfm for details.
Eastern Mennonite University is seeking applicants for two Residence Director positions. Residence Directors are responsible for: participation in and contribution to the work of the professional staff; supervision of community advisors; programming to meet students’ needs; conduct and conflict awareness, intervention, and referral; crisis intervention; and general administration of the residence hall. Familiarity with restorative justice practices and processes is preferred. Works with other residence life professional staff as well as the Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life and the Director of Residence Life, Student Accountability and Restorative Justice in a team approach to residence life. Bachelor’s degree required, master’s in progress preferred. 9.5 month (August 1- May 15), live-in position. Selected candidate will be a person of high integrity who is committed to and supportive of the mission and policies of Eastern Mennonite University. Submit application, résumé and three references to: hr@emu.edu. For more information visit our website at www.emu.edu/humanresources. EMU is an equal opportunity employer, committed to enhancing diversity across the institution. EMU conducts criminal background investigations as part of the hiring process.