Messenger | March 15, 2023

This week's release at a glance:

• Pastor’s Message
• "Into the Words" Mini-Podcast
• St. Patrick's Day Dinner
• Lent Brochure
• Dedicate a Lily
• One Great Hour of Sharing
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• New Life Purpose Course

Pastor's Message

Dear friends and family of Woods Church,

One of the features of the gospels is how they each describe various miracles done by Jesus Christ. We learn about these stories in Sunday School; we hear about them in worship; and we sometimes use the language of "miracles" in our daily conversations.

But what exactly is a miracle? One definition is that a miracle is a surprising and welcome event not readily explained by natural laws and thus considered to be linked to divine agency. This fits nicely in a dictionary, somewhere between "minstrel" and "mirage." But the Bible treats the word with greater nuance. There are miracles that are "powerful deeds," "wonders," and—in John's gospel especially—"signs." They range from isolated healings that some insist were merely psychosomatic cures to huge events like the parting of the Red Sea waters or the resurrection of Christ.

In almost every case, the point of the miracle is not the miracle itself, but rather what it tells us about God's mercy and will for all humanity. Yes, healing a blind or deaf man is important, but it was included in the bible to remind us of Christ's power to heal our lingering blindness to the pains of the world and our persistent deafness to the living Word of God.

Miracles are moments in which God's presence is especially close to us, showing us a power and mercy different from the laws of nature or the habits of human society. Frankly every breath we take is a miracle. Every child, every tree, every tide pool, every act of kindness is a miracle too, for they all reflect God's "divine agency" in the world.

So think about miracles and give thanks for the many surprising ways God's love is revealed to you in the days ahead.

Peace in Christ,



Pastor Randy

Church News

“Into the Words” Mini-Podcast

 Check out our new “Into the Words” mini-podcast. In the most recent episode, Pastor Randy discusses works by poet Mary Oliver.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

The Woods St. Patrick's Day Dinner is back! We look forward to seeing all who registered at the Severna Park Community Center in the gymnasium on Friday, March 17, 5:30PM, for Irish food, music, and fun! The Crawford Family Celtic Dancers, Irish music and leprechauns will entertain us!



Ministry Announcements

Youth Group Bowling Party

This Sunday, March 19, our Youth Group will enjoy a bowling party at the Severna Park Bowling Lanes. Youth may be dropped off by 5:30PM, and picked up at 7PM. Please bring $10 to cover the cost of food and refreshments.



Communion at Home

We will be offering communion to those who are homebound on Sunday, March 26. If you would like to receive the elements of Communion to participate virtually from home, please contact Maureen Adams by calling the church office at 410.647.2550 or by emailing madams@woodschurch.org.

Kat's Corner

The Chickens are Coming! The Chickens are Coming!

Ok, actually the eggs are coming, but they are on their way. Be sure and check the Children's Ministry Facebook Page for updates each week!

Kat's Corner

Where will YOU "bee" June 26–29? From 4–7PM BEE with us at VBS!

We hope it will be fun for your children and you. Adults, do you want to lead a game? Tell a story? Help in the garden? The more volunteers we have, the more children we can invite from the community.

Let's be sure every child hears about how much God loves them. Parents are welcome to join their children and the volunteers for dinner each day.

Sign up is right around the corner, or check with Frances Carty!

Lent Brochure Now Available

A special Lent brochure is now available, which provides information about upcoming Holy Week and Easter services, special church events, and other news from the ministries of Woods Church. Check it out!

Lent Devotion Booklet

Read and consider ways of intentionally focusing on your faith at home. Whether it is a special place for prayer and play, or an activity to engage with the holy you will find various ways of being with God and each other in our Lent Devotion Booklet. Several children of Woods Church are featured on the pages. We pray you will find several new ways of listening for God’s directions through the season of Lent.

Click the button below to download a copy, or pick up a printed copy at the church.

Dedicate a Lily in Honor or Memory of a Loved One

  Every year, we decorate Woods' sanctuary with lovely lilies at Easter. The flowers are donated by members and friends to remember special people in their lives. If you would like to give a lily in memory or in honor of a loved one, the suggested donation is $25. Dedications will be accepted online through March 29, and in Fellowship Hall on Sundays, March 12, 19, and 26. Plants may be picked up after the 11AM Easter services.



Friendly Reminder from Noah’s Ark Ministry

 Lilies are beautiful and a wonderful way to adorn your house during the Easter season, but they can be very poisonous for cats and dogs, so please take care that your furry friends don’t get their paws on them!

Greeters Needed

On Sunday, April 9, we celebrate the resurrection of Christ by opening our church doors wide for members and visitors alike! To do that, we need lots of additional greeters to welcome people prior to the multiple services at 9:30 & 11AM. We also could use some people who are willing to assist at the Hospitality tent, as well as serving as parking lot attendants.

If you can assist with any of these roles, please contact Nancy Nolan (greeters, hospitality) at msmum@sent.com, or John McLaughlin (parking helpers) at jmclaughlin@woodschurch.org.

Would You Do It?

If you could provide relief to a young mother who lost her home because of an earthquake, would you do it? If you could provide food for a child whose father had lost his job, would you help out? If you could help someone in need to be able to succeed, would you step in?

If so, there's a wonderful opportunity for you on Sunday, March 19, when Woods Church will be receiving the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering.

During Lent, we celebrate that God connects with us through Jesus' resurrection, and connects us with "those who have the least." One Great Hour of Sharing is the single, largest way that Presbyterians come together to work for a better world.

Each gift helps improve the lives of the suffering and the vulnerable through three life-saving programs: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), providing relief form natural disasters; Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP), providing food for the hungry; and Self-Development of People (SDOP), providing support for the poor and oppressed.

On Sunday, March 19, One Great Hour of Sharing envelopes will be placed in the Sunday bulletin and on the welcome desk. Your envelope can be placed in the offering plate. Gifts also can be made online by clicking the button below. Please give generously. If we all do a little, it adds up to a lot!

Trip to Sancti Spiritus, Cuba

From March 22–29, 2023, Iglesia Presbiteriana de Sancti Spiritus and Woods Church will have their first visit since January 2020. We will spend a week participating in all activities in the daily life of this active congregation: visits to shut-ins, worship services at the church, and—at two mission locations—assistance in the food project for the elderly and with the water project, as well as meeting with the Session of Sancti Spiritus Church.

The members of Woods Church have supported this partnership with their donations to the Season of Giving in December, and we are currently using those funds to fill the requests of Sancti Spiritus. Those representing Woods Church are Lee Laque, Renee Mackey, and Mark and Marty Clayton. Renee is a retired pastor, and she will be preaching on Sunday, March 26.

Please pray for safe travel, no COVID interruptions and a time of Christian love and blessing for this partnership.

Upcoming Events

Jesus Christ Superstar

Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church presents Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's rock opera tracing the last seven days of the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of contemporary, modern storytellers. Come and experience legendary hit music and dynamic choreography as performed by local musical theater talents. The production includes flashing lights and loud noises, and may not be suitable for young children. Tickets are $15, doors open at 7PM.

Performance Schedule

Friday, March 24 | 7:30–10PM

Saturday, March 25 | 7:30–10PM

Sunday, March 26 | 7:30–10PM

Friday, March 31 | 7:30–10PM

Saturday, April 1 | 7:30–10PM

Sunday, April 2 | 7:30–10PM

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.woodstix.org. Click here to learn more about how Woods will be presenting the show.

Stylist Help Needed

If you have a background in or are interested in helping with hair and makeup for our Jesus Christ Superstar production, please reach out to Dave Merrill at dmerrill@woodschurch.org.

Congregational Prayer

We boldly address you, O Creator of heaven and earth. But we come into your presence mindful of all the disasters we call “natural” and the inhumane destruction caused by war and terror and brutality. Lord have mercy.

We boldly address you, Jesus the Lord of our life. But we come into your presence having divided the world into good and bad, friend and foe, us and them. Christ have mercy.

We boldly address you, Living and Holy Spirit. Be we come into your presence at times feeling lost, disregarded, ignored and unappreciated. Lord have mercy.

During this season of Lent, draw us close again to you. For you are our home, our maker, our lover, our deepest hope… and we are Yours! Amen.

From Walter Brueggemann, “Prayers for Justice.”