Sunday at Walnut Hill Church

Sunday, May 29, at Walnut Hill Church

Sunday Conversations, 10am, Trinity Hall

The Gospel According to Mary

We continue our conversation around the various portrayals

of Jesus beyond the New Testament and in the process catch 

a glimpse of the woman known as Mary Magdalene, even a 

"gospel" bearing her name.

Come and enjoy a cup of coffee, join the conversation, or just

listen in.  Nursery care provided.

Morning Worship, 11am, Sanctuary

Sermon -  That We Might Never Have To Do That Again

Text - Matthew 26:52

Nursery Care and Sunday School for Children.

After Worship Refreshments, Noon, Trinity Hall

All are invited to gather for refreshments and fellowship.

Walnut Hill Weekly Letter

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Greetings to all!

Memorial Day is upcoming, for many the unofficial beginning of summer, for others 

a day for remembrance and reflection.  The Yale historian, Sydney Ahlstrom, describes 

the day's early significance in the "American calendar." 

Memorial Day took its place in the American calendar not as an occasion for waving 

the bloody shirt but as a day of reconciliation. It joined Independence Day and 

Thanksgiving as a time when the American's love for country was blended with the 

solemnities of religion.  In villages and cities it became a day for invocations, 

benedictions and hymns...a "Decoration Day" in the nation's cemeteries.  A unique

American way of remembering a civil war emerged.  Sentiment celebrated its conquest 

of logic as the country traveled the "road to reunion." Battle flags were returned; joint 

observances were held at great battlefields; and in 1874 Senator L. Q. C. Lamar of Alabama 

delivered his famous memorial oration in honor of Charles Sumner.  In his words the 

illustrious Senator from Massachusetts speaks from the grave:  "My countrymen!  Know one 

another, and you will love one another."

(from A Religious History of the American People)

Sunday Conversations continue this Sunday, May 29, 10am, in Trinity Hall, regarding recently

discovered ancient "gospels" beyond those found in the New Testament.  Might they offer new 

insights regarding the person of Jesus? Come enjoy a cup of coffee, join the conversation,

or just listen in.  Nursery care is provided.

2011 Community Fund Grants - An open meeting will be held on Sunday, June 5, 10am, 

in Trinity Hall to determine the recipients (and amounts) of 2011 Community Fund Grants.  

All Walnut Hill members and friends are encouraged to attend this meeting, learn about this 

year's nominees, and help decide the 2011 grant  recipients.

Men's Coffee - Walnut Hill men are invited to gather for coffee each Saturday morning, 

8am, at Paneras on Richmond Road.  Feel free to stop in for as long or short a time as 

your schedule permits.  No rsvp required.

Making a Difference in the Real World  is the title of three Wednesday evening gatherings, 

June 8, 15, and 22, 6pm.  Each evening will include a fellowship meal and a "hands on" 

service project.  For all ages!  Rsvp via reply email, the sign up sheet in the Sanctuary foyer, 

or telephone to the church office (263-5304).

Violent storms continue in the midwest.  There are many agencies through which you

might help including Church World Service.  Check out the C.W.S. website 

(www.churchworldservice.org) for information and online donating.   Persons attending 

Walnut Hill on Sunday will have opportunity to donate via cash or check.

Peace to all.

Mike Ward

Sunday at Walnut Hill

This Sunday, May 22, at Walnut Hill Church...

Sunday Conversations, 10am, Trinity Hall

The Gospel of Thomas

Our conversation continues regarding the Gospel of Thomas,

an ancient collection of sayings attributed to Jesus.  This 

gospel presents a picture of Jesus quite different from the

New Testament gospels.  Does it also present a different way

of being Christian? We'll talk about it. 

Come enjoy a cup of coffee, join the conversation, or just 

listen in.  Nursery care provided.

Morning Worship, 11am, Sanctuary

Guest Minister - The Rev. Nancy Farley

Nursery Care and Sunday School for Children.

After Worship Gathering, Noon, Trinity Hall

All are invited to gather for refreshments and fellowship.

Our refreshment hosts for the day are Barbara & Bob

Berryman, Irene & John Ragland, Lee & Tom Ward. 

Walnut Hill Church Weekly Letter

Dear Friends:

I am sending the weekly letter a second time because I noticed

that it did not successfully get through to a significant number 

of our subscribers.  My apologies for any inconvenience to those

receiving the letter a second time.

Thanks,

Mike Ward

*****

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Greetings to all!

In his book, Blessed Are the Peacemakers, Wendell Berry comments on 

Jesus' promise of "abundant life."

When Jesus speaks of having life more abundantly, this, I think, is 

the life He means: a life that is not reducible by division, category, 

or degree, but is one thing, heavenly and earthly, spiritual and material, 

divided only insofar as it is embodied in distinct creatures.  He is talking 

about a finite world that is infinitely holy, a world of time that is filled with 

life that is eternal.  His offer of more abundant life, then, is not an invitation 

to declare ourselves as certified "Christians," but rather to become 

conscious, consenting, and responsible participants in the one great life, 

a fulfillment hardly institutional at all.

Sunday Conversations continue this Sunday, May 22, 10am, in

Trinity Hall, regarding the Gospel of Thomas, an ancient collection 

of sayings of Jesus with some similarities to, but also many differences

from, the gospels in the New Testament.  Come enjoy a cup of coffee, 

join the conversation, or just listen in.  Nursery care is provided.

Host Needed - A refreshment host(s) is needed for this Sunday, May 22.  

Remember that refreshments need not be elaborate, just something 

simple to gather around as we fellowship after worship. Use reply email 

to volunteer for this opportunity.

2011 Community Fund Grants - An open meeting will be held on

Sunday, June 5, 10am, in Trinity Hall to determine the recipients 

(and amounts) of 2011 Community Fund Grants.  All Walnut Hill 

members and friends are encouraged to attend this meeting, learn

about this year's nominees, and help decide the 2011 grant  recipients.

Men's Coffee - Walnut Hill men are invited to gather for coffee each 

Saturday morning, 8am, at Paneras on Richmond Road.  Feel free to stop

in for as long or short a time as your schedule permits.  No rsvp required.

Making a Difference in the Real World  is the title of three Wednesday

evening gatherings, June 8, 15, and 22, 6pm.  Each evening will include

a fellowship meal and a "hands on" service project.  For all ages!  Rsvp

via reply email, the sign up sheet in the Sanctuary, or telephone to the 

church office (263-5304).

Thanks to all who made our High School Graduation recognition and 

Spring Potluck a great occasion including our graduates John DeReamer,

Megan Smith, Julie Swim, and Emily Talbott, our organist for the morning,

Dave Sharrard, and our meal coordinator, Ellen Cornett (ably assisted by

her daughter, Charlotte), and of course all those who prepared delicious

potluck dishes.

Peace to all.

Mike Ward 

Sunday at Walnut Hill Church

Sunday, May 15, at Walnut Hill Church

Sunday Conversations, 10am, Trinity Hall

Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas

We will view and discuss a video describing the portrayal

of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas, which consists of 114

sayings attributed to Jesus, presenting Jesus as a sage

and teacher.  We will explore the relationship between 

Thomas and the gospels of the New Testament, its relationship 

to the mystery religion known as gnosticism, and the insights

it can provide to understanding the person of Jesus.

Nursery Care provided.

Morning Worship, 11am, Sanctuary

Sermon:  The Walnut Hill Baccalaureate

Text:  Proverbs 4:1-9

Recognition of High School Graduates.

Nursery Care and Sunday School for Children.

Spring Potluck, Noon, Trinity Hall

All are invited to this delicious Walnut Hill tradition.

Bring a salad or side dish.  Main dish and dessert provided.

Walnut Hill Church Weekly Letter

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Greetings to all!

Having completed a study of Jesus as found in the New Testament 

gospels, our Sunday Conversations turn to a few weeks of studying 

Jesus as found in the "non-canonical" gospels, such as The Gospel 

of Thomas.  Consider these words of Jesus from The Gospel of Thomas, 

and if they pique your curiosity, stop by at 10am on Sunday to hear more.

Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'Behold, the kingdom

is in the sky,'  then the birds will precede you.  If they say to you, 'It

is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you.  Rather, the kingdom is

inside of you, and it is outside of you.  When you come to know 

yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that

it is you who are the [children] of the living father.  But if you will not

know yourselves you dwell in poverty, and it is you who are that 

poverty." 

(as found in Lost Scriptures)

In Memory:  Walnut Hill member Irene Bloomfield departed this life

on Tuesday, May 10.   Friends may call on Friday, May 13, 4 - 7 pm, 

at the Bloomfield residence.  Burial services will be private.  Our prayers 

are with Irene's family. 

Men's Coffee:  Walnut Hill men are invited to gather for coffee this 

Saturday, May 14, 8am, at Paneras on Richmond Road.  Feel free to

stop in for as long or short a time as your schedule allows.  No rsvp

required.

Spring Potluck - Our traditional spring potluck will be held this Sunday, 

May 15, immediately after worship.  Bring a salad or side dish.  Meat,

dessert, and beverage will be provided.

Calling all Graduates - This Sunday, May 15, we will be honoring

high school graduates (Class of 2011) during the worship service.  We 

have contacted all the graduates of which we are aware to invite their 

participation.  If a graduate in your family has yet to receive this invitation, 

please let us know by reply email, so that we can include him/her in the 

celebration.

The Walnut Hill Day School is celebrating its 25th anniversary this Sunday,

May 15, 2:30 - 5:30 pm, with a festival on the Day School/Church grounds.

Congratulations to the Day School on the occasion of this anniversary.

Peace to all.

Mike Ward

Sunday at Walnut Hill Church

This Sunday, May 8, at Walnut Hill Church

Sunday Conversations, 10 am, Trinity Hall

The Christ of Faith

In this video presentation and conversation, we will consider

the distinction between the Jesus of history and the Christ of

faith.  

Come and enjoy a cup of coffee, join the conversation, or 

just listen in.  Nursery care will be available.

Morning Worship, 11am, Sanctuary

Sermon - Behold Your Mother

Text - John 19:25-27

Nursery care and Sunday School for children.

After Worship Gathering, Noon, Trinity Hall

All are invited to gather for refreshments and fellowship.

Walnut Hill Church Weekly Letter

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Greetings to all!

The headline events of this week have some people wondering if they 

bring us closer to or farther from peace in the world.  It is a good question 

even as peace is a good goal, beginning with our prayers for peace.  I 

remember Thomas Merton's reflections on praying for peace during the

"Cold War."  The "enemies" were different then, but the challenges of 

praying for genuine peace then were (and are) similar to now, and not 

particularly popular.  Consider Merton's thoughts as they relate to our 

"enemies" then and now.

When I pray for peace I pray God to pacify not only the Russians and

Chinese but above all my own nation and myself.  When I pray for

peace I pray to be protected not only from the Reds but also from the

folly and blindness of my own country.  When I pray for peace, I pray 

not only that the enemies of my country will cease to want war, but 

above all that my own country will cease to do the things that make 

war inevitable.  In other words, when I pray for peace I am not just

praying that the Russians will give up without a struggle and let us

have our own way.  I am praying that both we and the Russians may

somehow be restored to sanity and learn how to work out our problems, 

as best we can, together, instead of preparing for global suicide.

(from "On Praying for Peace" as found in A Thomas Merton Reader)

The lectionary readings for Sunday, May 8, 3rd Sunday of Easter:

Acts 2:14, 36-41

1 Peter 1:17-23

Luke 24:13-35

Sunday Conversations continue on Sunday, May 8, 10am, in Trinity Hall.  

This Sunday concludes our video lecture series focusing on Jesus as 

presented in the gospels. Come enjoy a cup of coffee, join the conversation, 

or just listen in.

The Vestry will meet this Sunday, May 8, 9:30am, in the upstairs office of 

Trinity Hall.

Sunday School for children and youth continue this Sunday, May 8, 

during the 11am worship hour.  Children and youth begin the hour in 

the Sanctuary and then are dismissed to their classes and discussions.

Spring Potluck - Our Spring Potluck will be held on Sunday, May 15, 

immediately after morning worship.  Bring a salad or side dish.  Main course 

(fried chicken) and dessert (cake) will be provided.  Don't miss this delicious 

Walnut Hill tradition.

Tornado Relief - Persons wishing to make a contribution in support of

tornado relief efforts in the southern U.S. are welcome to place cash or

checks (payable to Walnut Hill Church) in the collection baskets in the 

Sanctuary foyer.  All donations will be sent to the affected area via Church 

World Service.  For more information regarding Church World Service, 

see www.churchworldservice.org.

Camp Season is upon us!  Walnut Hill children and youth have opportunity

to enjoy either of two quality summer church camp programs, Cathedral 

Domain and Burnamwood.  For camp schedules, applications, and other 

information, check out the websites www.cathedraldomain.org and 

www.burnamwood.net .  Walnut Hill provides 50% scholarship for any 

Walnut Hill child who attends a camp program at the Domain or Burnamwood.

Peace to all.

Mike Ward