Messenger is here!

October 15, 2025

 This week's release at a glance:

• Pastor’s Message
• Service of Wholeness, October 15
• All Saints’ Day
• Pastor J.C. and Sarah Have Some News to Share
• Sunday Morning Fellowship
• WoodsWords
• Youth & Music Ministries Open Mic Night
• Baltimore Presbytery Fall Youth Gathering
• Children’s Fall Costume Party & Parade
• Pastors’ Bible Study
• Adult Education Class on Babylonian Captivity
• The Prince of Egypt Auditions
• AGO Hymn Festival
• Open Dance Classes
• Medicine Needed for Sancti Spíritus, Cuba
• Stride for SPAN Turkey Trot
• Help Fill SPANS’ Shelves

Pastor's Message

October is the season for many things: harvest decorations, baseball playoffs, Halloween celebrations, and…congregational nominations! That’s right, The Congregational Nominating Committee is beginning its work and is asking for your help in identifying people who might be called to service in particular elected offices in the congregation. Service for each of these offices is for a three-year term and would begin in the summer of 2026. I want to talk this week about exactly what that means, because the election of leaders for the church is one of the most important things we do as a congregation, and it’s important to understand what we’re asking people to do who serve in these offices.

First, there are the two ordained offices to which we elect leaders: Elders and Deacons. Some people have gifts to potentially serve in more than one of those offices, while others are particularly well-suited to one. But giftedness is the right way to consider whether someone might be called to serve. We do not elect people to office because they’ve “earned it” through the length of time they’ve been a member, or the amount of work they’ve done in the church, or how much money they give. Elected leadership in the church is for service, not for status. So what gifts are we looking for?

Elders could be alternatively called, “Ministers of Discernment and Governance.” They are elected to serve together on the Session, which makes almost all of the decisions in the life of a Presbyterian congregation. Their most important work, though, is not those decisions; the Session is called to nothing less than “discerning the will of Christ,” as the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Constitution puts it in the Book of Order. The Session is not merely a nonprofit board of directors; it is a council of Elders who are called to spiritual leadership in the life of the church, examining every decision before them through the lens of Christ’s will that we learn through Scripture, the historic faith of the church, and through the ongoing discussions in Session meetings.

Deacons have a different ministry: they are “Ministers of Compassion and Care.” The ministry of Deacons goes all the way back to the sixth chapter of the book of Acts in the New Testament, when the early church created them to ensure that widows and orphans, the poorest people in their society, were receiving the food they needed fairly and with dignity. Ever since, Deacons have focused on attending to the needs of people who are sick, poor, and marginalized—both within the church and in the larger community. Today, our Deacons visit people in the hospital and in senior living facilities, call on people who have difficulty leaving their homes, organize our senior fellowship events, community Christmas caroling, and so on.

Beyond those two ordained offices, Woods Church has a set of nominations to serve on the boards of other organizations in what I have started calling “the larger eco-system of Woods Church.” By that I mean the organizations that we share partnership and property with, particularly the Severna Park Community Center and Sunrise Senior Living. The Community Center has a board of directors to oversee its work on which Woods Church has a set number of members each year, so we are looking for people with a heart and vision for the work they do there. For Sunrise, we have “WoodsWise,” which is a board that oversees a fund that provides subsidies for residents at Sunrise who are struggling to meet the financial obligations to remain there.

Finally, members of the Congregational Nominating Committee have to be elected each year, and so we are seeking nominations for that, too. As its name indicates, the Congregational Nominating Committee reports directly to the congregation, because who is elected to ministry is one of the few things that the Session does not get to decide in a Presbyterian Church. This is a crucial role because we need people who have a broad knowledge of the congregation’s membership and can help call people who bring a diverse range of life and faith experiences and insights.

So, if you know someone that you think might be well-suited to one or more of these roles, please submit their name to the Congregational Nominating Committee. You can do this by sending the name of someone you feel might be called to one or more of these ministries, including yourself, to Nominating@WoodsChurch.org; please do indicate for which of the possibilities you are recommending them. Alternatively, you can find Nominating Committee cards on the Welcome Desk in the Church Lobby starting this Sunday, and can fill out those cards and turn them in at the Church Office Reception Desk.

Thank you for your consideration of these important decisions, and please keep the Nominating Committee in your prayers as they go about their work.

—Pastor J.C.

Church News

Service of Wholeness

There will be a Service of Wholeness on Wednesday, October 15, 6:45PM, in the Sanctuary. This is a deeply spiritual service of prayer, laying on of hands and anointing by the Pastors and elders for those experiencing emotional or physical concerns.

If you would like to attend, please contact Maureen Adams at 410.647.2550 or email her at madams@woodschurch.org.

All Saints’ Day

On Sunday, November 2, the congregation will celebrate All Saints’ Day as we worship together.

Our procession of banners will include our members who have returned home between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.

During the service, we will also include any family members of Woods Church who have also died between the dates mentioned. Please email Maureen Adams at madams@woodschurch.org with the names of any family members you would like to include.

Pastor J.C. and Sarah Have Some News to Share

Watch for a congregation-wide invitation to an Open House celebration honoring the upcoming wedding of Pastor J.C. and his fiancé Sarah.

Sunday Morning Fellowship

Don’t miss fellowship, coffee, and bagels every Sunday morning before and after services in Fellowship Hall!

The coffee of the week is COLUMBIA! Columbia Supremo is sourced from small to medium family-owned farms located within the city of Pereira in the department of Risaralda, Columbia. Coffee is cultivated on farms that average 2.5 hectares in size. Producers pick and process the beans at their own micro-wet mills and then dry their own coffee.



Looking for a place to serve without a long-term commitment? Try hosting Bagels & Coffee Fellowship one Sunday morning. Individuals, teens, friends, and families are welcome. Training provided. Stop by the Welcome Desk or Office for more information.

WoodsWords

Words mean something…and so do the actions that they launch. You have been invited to participate in helping our ministries spring into action this fall by sharing your own stories of how you have perceived God in your life.

These can be memories of a time when God was profoundly life-changing or the simple acknowledgement of the sighting of a cardinal that offered reassurance and comfort during a difficult time. Big or small, God’s presence and revelations make a difference in how we go about our days.

At Woods, God springs forth in new ways constantly. As the Prophet Isaiah has asked, “Do you perceive it?” Many of you have shared “God sightings” or “God Winks” over the years and the stories come across as faith statements and a willingness to open hearts and minds to God’s presence. We would like for those stories to enrich our ministries as they are part of the fabric woven together that make up Woods Church.

Isaiah also asks, “Do you believe it?” As a church we profess our beliefs on a regular basis: in worship, in service, in caring and reaching out to others. WoodsWords is an opportunity to proclaim God’s active presence in our lives and to put that presence into action. As you are able, you may contribute to the launching of our ministries by making a financial commitment (pledge) to Woods or increasing what you have already pledged. We are the action of God’s stories. Let’s make all kinds of ministries spring forth into our church and community. God is all around us. Stories and pledges can be made using the WoodsWords card at the Welcome Desk or online.

Do you perceive it? Do you believe it?

Youth News

Open Mic Night

Our Youth and Music Ministries are hosting an Open Mic Night on Friday, October 24, 7PM, in the Youth Room (212).

Do you sing? Play an instrument? Write poetry? Consider sharing your talents or just come to support others in this family friendly event. In the case of too many acts, our youth will be given priority on the sign-up sheet. Refreshments provided, but feel free to bring a snack to share.

Children's News

Children’s Fall Costume Party & Parade

The children of Severna Park, the CDC, and Woods Church are invited to our third annual Fall Costume Party & Parade! Dress up and show up for a fun fall celebration with games, prizes, our famous Cup Cake Walk, and a parade to visit our friends at Sunrise Senior Living!

YOU can help with the game, welcoming children, or providing safety for the parade. Contact Lindsey Miller or Kat Green for more information.

Kindness Connections

Can you be-leaf it is fall?! One way we show our belief is through Kindness Connections. Every week, we are watching the Kindness Connections add up on the bulletin board in the Children’s Sunday School Hallway. Put YOUR name on a leaf each week and tell Ms. Kat or Ms. Lindsey how YOU made a Kindness Connection at home, school, work, or play. The Kindness Connections are really piling up!

Education & Small Groups

Adult Education Class on the Babylonian Captivity

Adult Education is offering a new class on Sundays through November 9, 11AM, in concert with a new sermon series about exile and how God has used it in the past as a growing opportunity for God's people. When we are separated from our familiar surroundings, friends, and loved ones it is difficult. This is true both when caused by geographic isolation, ideological disagreements or by spiritual estrangement. Join us to explore the Babylonian Captivity and how it worked to shape and grow God's people. The class is led by Greg Hubert in Room 208.

Pastors’ Bible Study

Lead Pastor J.C. Austin and Associate Pastor Nancy Lincoln Reynolds offer a weekly Bible Study on Wednesdays, 11AM, to examine the upcoming Sunday’s scripture readings before they are presented in worship.

Join us on Zoom and gain a new understanding of scripture and enhance your worship experience.

Music News

The Prince of Egypt Auditions

Auditions for The Prince of Egypt will take place on Tuesday & Wednesday, November 11 & 12, at Woods Church in Severna Park. There will be eight show dates on March 13–15 & 19–21.

The Prince of Egypt is a sweeping, epic musical with music and lyrics by Grammy and Oscar winner Stephen Schwartz, a book by Philip LaZebnik, and 10 new songs written by Schwartz, together with five of his songs from the DreamWorks Animation film, including the Academy Award-winning song, “When You Believe.”

Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as Ramses and Moses—two young men raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege—find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One must rule as Pharaoh, the other must rise up and free his true people; both face a destiny that will change history forever.

We are looking for a cast of all ages, abilities, races, and gender identities. We also need help behind the scenes! Go to www.wmpcauditions.com for more information and to sign up!

Open Dance Classes

In order to bring our community together in a fun and movement-based way, join our Worship Ministry for a series of dance classes this fall! Professional teachers are set to offer a variety of dance styles including jazz, musical theater, contemporary, tap, yoga, and more!

Open to anyone ages 12 and over in and outside the Woods community. All experience levels are welcome, though classes will be taught at an intermediate level with options for beginners and advanced students.

We meet on Sundays, 2–3:15PM, in Fellowship Hall. For more information email Alyssa Barlis at alyssabarlis@gmail.com.

AGO Hymn Festival

On Sunday, November 9, 3PM, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Aune, Professor of Organ at Peabody, singers from 10 area church choirs, including Woods Church, will gather and lead us in singing some of our most well beloved hymns! Come on out and join in the singing!

For questions please email David Merrill at dmerrill@woodschurch.org.

Mission News

Medicine Needed for Sancti Spíritus, Cuba

Our partner church in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, is in desperate need of over-the-counter medicines. A group from Woods is going in early November and can take these to them. Please be sure that all containers are factory-sealed. Gummies can not be accepted.

Needed items: Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, Antihistamines, Omeprazole, Famotidine, children’s and adult vitamins (no gummies), artificial tears, pain cream, Simethicone (Gas-X), Hydrocortisone, triple antibiotics, Afrin, Pepto-Bismol, 81m Aspirin, Naproxen, Children’s Tylenol and vitamin C (no gummies).

Thank you for supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ who are caring for their community!

Stride for SPAN Turkey Trot

The 2025 Stride for SPAN Turkey Trot will be held on Saturday, November 1, 9AM, at Kinder Farm Park. This is SPAN’s primary fundraiser for the year to meet the extremely high levels of need for emergency financial assistance.

Please register today to be a sponsor or to do the 5K Race or 1-mile Fun Walk.

Help Fill SPANS’ Shelves

SPAN’s shelves are almost bare! Please support our neighbors in need by donating canned vegetables, canned meats or fish, pasta, sauce and other tomato-based products, instant and canned potatoes, peanut butter, jelly, pancake mix and syrup, coffee and tea, toothpaste, soap, paper towels, laundry detergent, and dish soap.

A Moment of Prayer

Gracious God, help us to follow where you lead us and to listen carefully for your voice in our midst. We thank you for the good things that you do in our lives that restore hope, redeem loss and enable undergird our faithfulness.

In Christ's service, Amen.