THE CONCORD COURIER SUMMER 2020 - Concord Presbyterian ...
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THE CONCORD COURIER
SUMMER 2020
Phone: 302/654-9652 www.concordpc.org Fax: 302/654-9599
GREETINGS! FROM YOUR PARISH ASSOCIATE, KATHIE POWNALL
I hope you are doing well in spite of and maybe even a bit “because of” the pandemic. I know that you have
had many challenges along the way but suggest that you look for the “joys” discovered on the journey –
especially in new understandings about things.
On Sunday, I heard Pastor Steve ask the question, “What is God calling you to do?” There was even some
lovely reflective music playing while that question came across the screen. Have you thought about what God is
calling you to do?
Note Idea: Caring for people at a distance is a
challenge we have all thought about, whether it be in
visiting, or hugging, or holding hands, or sitting next to
someone. How do we provide a gift of “presence” for
someone else when we CANNOT be with them?
Robert M. Pirsig wrote these words: “We’re in such
a hurry most of the time, we never get much of a chance
to talk.” In normal life [pre-Pandemic] we managed
quick greetings and little chats, often not stopping for
real conversation or exchanging thoughts and feelings
about anything.
By spending time to talk with others, we are both givers and beneficiaries of the gift of presence, and we
won’t have to worry about, in Pirsig’s words [in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance] , “a kind of day-to-
day shallowness, a monotony that leaves a person wondering years later where all the time went and sorry that
it’s all gone.”
During this time of “distancing” for safety and health reasons, remember all the ways [and opportunities]
you have for real conversation. Talk over the backyard fence [of course 6 feet away and maybe with mask if
closer], call or Facetime someone – family you haven’t seen, friends you haven’t heard from, neighbors up the
street, people on the prayer list from your church. Take the time to write a note or send a greeting [even email]
to someone. Provide the Presence in someone else’s life that you would like in your own.
In the meantime, see if you know any answers to Trivia Quiz on the next page.
Peace,
Kathie
(CONT’D)
(CONT’D)
TRIVIA QUIZ: Things I have found out while talking with members of our church family at a distance.
1. Who has a 50 lb. English bulldog?
2. Who is now taking care of herself with her walker and
chairlift even though she might have broken her hip? [Hint:
not quite 100 years old yet]
3. Who has a cat named Bibbles that crawls all over her and
furniture when her owner is on the phone?
4. What is Kathie’s baby grandson’s name?
5. Does our church organist/accompanist now have a beard?
6. Who swims 3 hours a week?
7. Who spends her time sheltering in her apartment rearranging food in refrigerator?
8. Who knows the answers to all these questions? ☺ Do your research, then check next week’s Concord
Connects to see if you are correct.
WORSHIP
PASSING THE PEACE
Your "Passing the Peace" videos are still more than welcome to be received, so that we can add them to a montage of faces
and voices in future Sunday worship videos. Take them with your digital camera or smart phone (using the "landscape"
position) and email them to Pastor Steve (steve.clark@concordpc.org) or text them to 734/612-4590. Very simply: Once the
camera starts rolling, pause 2-3
seconds looking at the screen before
speaking, say "Peace be with you"
OR "The peace of Christ be with
you." Then pause again for 3-5
seconds without saying anything
before saying "And also with you."
Then pause one final time for 2-3
seconds, still facing the camera/
phone but not speaking, before
stopping the video. All the pauses
give us space for editing the videos
together.
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDY
MUG & MUFFIN BIBLE STUDY
Mug & Muffin continues meeting (via Zoom) each Wednesday at 10:00am. We share joys and concerns for prayer and
discuss the Bible passage to be explored in the sermon the following Sunday. The gathering is usually led by the
preacher for the coming Sunday.
▪ To join the gathering online, use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8797805150?pwd=YU1Fc3laN0FXc3VYMXRFVnJoWTBHdz09
▪ To call in, dial 646-558-8656
▪ If prompted, provide this info:
- Meeting ID: 879 780 5150
- Password: SessionMtg
VOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS
"Voices from the Wilderness: The Lives and Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer & C. S. Lewis" continues through the
beginning of June. Led by Pastor Steve Clark, the final two sessions of this series will meet (via Zoom) 7:00pm
Thursday, June 4 and Thursday, June 11. No pre-registration or reading is required, and you don't have to attend all of
the meetings. Recordings of all the sessions are being made available; they can be accessed through the link on the
home page of the Concord Presbyterian website (www.concordpc.org).
The series looks at the lives and writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and C. S. Lewis, two influential 20 th-century Christian
thinkers whose works were shaped by
their own experiences of God at work in
the world and in their own lives. And we
are considering this: what can we learn
from them to help us in our walk with
the Lord in our own unique place and
time?
CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH MINISTRIES AT CONCORD
Youth Group continues to meet on Sunday evenings at 5:00pm via
ZOOM! We will be adding some service projects for the summer
including a Drive-Thru Ice Cream Festival for the church and community.
Look for details to come!
If you are in grade 6 and up and would like to join us, please contact
Christina Pressley. Friends are welcome!
Concord’s Vacation Bible School: Concord’s Spiritual Formation Committee is continuing to explore possible
options for a Summer VBS experience. These possibilities include an online offering, a drive-through pick up
of at-home materials, etc. An e-mail was recently sent out to counselors and campers to survey their needs
and wishes for VBS this summer. We will continue to update the congregation through Concord Connects,
as well as remain in communication with the community through e-mail.
For more information, contact Christina Pressley
christina.pressley@concordpc.org Cell: 302-740-8078
A PRAYER FOR OUR GRADUATES
Loving God, we thank you for all who graduate from grade school, high school, and college this time of the
year. You have blessed them during their years in school with wisdom, friendships, and skills. You continue to
challenge them to make this world a better place because of their education.
Help them to look forward to their next steps: continuing in their education or entering the work world. In
particular, help those who are seeking employment to find a job suitable to their education. Give them faith and a
sense of purpose in their next steps. Show them how to serve others in effective ways.
And may they be always be aware in everything they do that they will find fulfillment in doing your will, that
you will be with them always, and that you will bring to completion the good work you have begun in them.
Amen.
(CONT’D)
Rebecca Biddle
University of Delaware
▪ Major in Medical Diagnostics
(pre-Physician Assistant), Minor
in Biology, Cert. in Innovation &
Entrepreneurship for
Healthcare
▪ Postgrad I will be looking for a
job I can do for a year or two
before going back to school to
become a PA.
Jessica Casino
University of Delaware
▪ Bachelor of Science in Operations Management and
Marketing, Minor in International Business Studies
▪ I will be working full-time in Conshohocken, PA for Cintas as
a Management Trainee in the Fire Services Department. My
position will be a two-year rotational program where I learn
the different processes and operations of the company to
prepare for my transition into a management role. Also, I
have been accepted into two different MBA programs and am
planning on pursuing a higher education this fall while
working.
Sarah Gosling
University of Delaware
▪ Honors Bachelor of Science in Biomedical
Engineering
▪ I plan to work in Medical Device Development.
(CONT’D)
Courtney Kidder
Savannah College of Art and Design
▪ Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Degree in
Interior Design
▪ Courtney is planning to look for a job
in Georgia. She is interested in
commercial designing like hospitals
and offices.
▪ Behind Courtney is her senior
project. She designed a mental health
institute for children. (The actual
project write-up is over 50 pages in
length.)
Maddie Marconi
University of Delaware
▪ International Business Degree
▪ Moving into management with the Big Fish Grill Restaurant Group
Nicole Thompson
University of Delaware
▪ Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
▪ Progressive Nurse Residency Program at
Christiana Hospital
(CONT’D)
Melanie Rooney
University of Delaware
▪ Early Childhood and Special Education
▪ I will be teaching at a local elementary school.
Jill Rudolph Emma Rudolph
St. Joseph’s University Temple University
▪ Degree in Food Marketing ▪ Degree in Strategic Communications
▪ No plans to share as yet. ▪ Pursuing a career in healthcare PR or scientific
communications. Currently working in freelance
web design.
▪ Plans for grad school eventually. (CONT’D)
(CONT’D)
Nicholas Harpey
Mt. Pleasant High School
▪ Nicholas was awarded a Navy ROTC scholarship for four years
and is heading to The Citadel in Charleston, NC.
▪ He will apply to the U.S. Naval Academy next year.
Matt Bamonte
Springer Middle School
▪ Matt will attend ninth grade at Salesianum
High School next year.
Brady Fox
First State Montessori Academy
▪ Brady will be starting ninth grade at Tatnall School in the
fall.
(CONT’D)
(CONT’D)
Conrad Gehret
Concord Preschool
▪ Conrad is graduating from kindergarten and will be
attending Lombardy Elementary School.
Concord Church would like to offer its congratulations and best wishes to
the Class of 2020! We know this was not the way you thought graduation would
be celebrated and marked, but we want you to know how proud
we are of you. You will always be a part of the Concord Church family,
and we pray that you remain safe and healthy as you enter this new
and exciting phase of your life. God bless you in all you do!!
Last Thursday afternoon, Christina Pressley and Gayle Hazel picked up balloons
and delivered them to all the Concord Church family grads they could find in
Wilmington and Newark! (See photos on next page.) If you would like to send
an email or note of personal congratulations to the graduates,
please contact Christina for addresses.
(CONT’D)
MISSION
CONCORD’S MASK INITIATIVE
MAY 16
We can’t MASK how much we care about you!
Thanks to all who spent weeks sewing masks which we donated to the Fairfax community, placing about 100
packaged in plastic bags and secured with clothespins on the fence near the church. The masks went out on Saturday
morning and were gone by Sunday.FRIENDSHIP HOUSE CORNER
A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear Friends,
I want to acknowledge with deep appreciation the food and monetary donations Friendship House has
received from you our loving, supportive community. Your generosity not only provides much needed supplies
and prayers but lifts the spirits of the staff. I also want to give a huge shout out to Kim and the amazing staff
at Friendship House working daily on the front lines. I am in awe of their dedication, commitment, and
compassion for others.
The months ahead are still an unknown for all of us. I’m confident with our committed staff and your
continued support Friendship House will find a new “normal” using creative ways to continue to be a way
home and meet the changing needs of our community.
With gratitude,
Meg Aument, President of the Board
HIGHMARK VIRTUAL WALK
JUNE 12 & 13
Grab a friend, a dog, or a treadmill and remotely walk
with us! All proceeds go to Friendship House.
To register, visit https://www.friendshiphousede.org/.
GARDEN FUNDRAISER
This fundraiser is an opportunity for you to celebrate someone in your life by donating to our Transitional Housing
program. Every spring we plant bulbs and flowers in our gardens with funds from this fundraiser. These gardens
have become a place of sanctuary, rest, prayer, and beauty for our residents.
During this time, where we are asked to practice physical
distancing, this is a wonderful way to be a loving, supportive
community to a special person in your life with a monetary
donation to help us plant flowers in our gardens. We will
send a beautiful floral card to that special person with your
personal message acknowledging your donation (no dollar amount is listed). A card can be sent to anyone in your
life you would like to acknowledge during this spring season – a family member on Father’s Day, a graduate, as
a birthday present, or to someone special. To donate, visit https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/garden.
CLOTHING BANK OF DELAWARE
We know so many of you are diligently holding onto your no longer needed or
wanted clothing for our Clothing Bank! Please, hang in there a little longer. We are
planning a weekly donation day at our Clothing Bank site starting in June. We are
working out details to ensure you and our staff are safe during this process! In the
meantime, we continue to get clothing out for emergency cases. Some of our most
important needs are new socks and underwear for all ages.For more information, please register HERE!! Suggested $10 Donation to the Intercultural Encounters program, click here.
DEACONS
THE DEACONS’ FUND NEEDS YOUR HELP!
As part of its ministry, Concord provides financial aid to members of our community who are in distress arising from
sickness, job loss, a fire, or other acute circumstances, with a maximum of $200 per individual. Our monthly contribution
to Friendship House, which administers the Deacons’ Fund, is now $1,000. Friendship House works with the clients
referred to understand their needs and develop a plan to address them,
utilizing Concord’s Deacons’ Fund and other resources to help. Over 120
clients were recipients of $13,659 in Deacons’ Fund assistance through
Friendship House during 2019. Most assistance was to pay overdue utility
bills and rent, with an emphasis on preventing eviction and possible
homelessness.
We receive the offering for the Deacons’ Fund on the first Sunday of each
month. Even though we are now holding a “virtual” worship service, the needs are all too real. Next Sunday, June 7,
please prayerfully consider a contribution to the Fund. Checks should be payable to Concord Church (memo:
Deacons’ Fund) and mailed to the office. Contributions can also be made through our website (click here) or using
Zelle. If you give electronically, please send an email to ron.mckinney@concordpc.org to let him know the donation
is for the Deacons’ Fund.
FROM SESSION
At their meeting (via Zoom) on May 6, the Session took the following actions:
• Ratified their earlier informal email vote to approve plans for Service Sunday on May 3, having members drop off
supplies for Hanover Food Closet and Seamen’s Center, and collect face masks. (Follow-up: At this May meeting,
Mission Committee reported that the event went well. A full van of food was sent to Hanover and another vanload
of supplies went to the Seaman’s Center. Well done, Concord!)
• Approved in principle an Eagle Scout project to fix a closet under the stairwell in
the Chapel. Questions about insurance will be addressed before final approval.
(Follow-up: we learned that current insurance coverage is adequate for this
project, so it will go forward under Physical Plant Committee oversight.)
• Heard report from Staff Relations Committee that a person from Westminster
Presbyterian in West Chester PA has been contracted for eight weeks to handle
editing of video for Sunday worship services. Pastor Steve had been handling that
work, and it was taking time Session agreed he could better spend on other ministry priorities. It is hoped that
some Concord folk will be willing to be trained to do this kind of work in the future. It was noted in the Session
discussion that even after we return to live worship, we will want to continue to offer this type of worship
experience for those who cannot attend.
• Session learned from Treasurer Ron McKinney that the Preschool has learned that there are grants available from
the state. The Session had no objection to the Preschool applying for a state grant. (Follow-up: the grant was
approved, and an initial amount has already been received by Concord.)
• Session agreed that it is time for us to organize the task force, previously authorized in March, to develop a plan
for our next steps from the Mission Study. Session members were asked to suggest names of folks to serve on the
task force.NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The Church Officer Nominating Committee needs three members of the congregation to help with the task of
nominating candidates to serve as Elders and Deacons for the coming three-year term (2021-2023). These three "at-
large" members of the Committee cannot be currently serving on the Session or Board of Deacons. If you have a name
(or names) to suggest, please email them to Pastor Steve (steve.clark@concordpc.org). Three names will be selected
from those suggested and presented to the congregation for election at a special congregational meeting this
summer. (Date/time still to be determined – though it will likely be a "virtual" meeting done electronically.)
OUR CONCORD FAMILY
Thank you for your kindness and sympathy following the death of my father in April.
The plants, cookies, prayer shawl, personal notes, cards, and prayers brought much
comfort to me and my family. I am grateful to have such a loving church family to
support me in this time of sorrow.
With appreciation,
Margaret O’Boyle
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY HONORS
Great news from P.S. duPont and Talley Middle Schools! Students participated in Delaware's
National History Day Virtual Contest, Junior Division, with outstanding results!
From P.S. duPont -
Aubrey Eppes, first place, individual performance - Radium Girls
Students finishing in first and second place now represent Delaware in the national
competition.
DIRECTORY UPDATES
Codding, Julia B. Transferred to Center for Spiritual Living – Hockessin, DE
Whiting, Robert D. & Jacalyn J. 302/559-0799
38 Daisey Avenue
Ocean View, DE 19970As communicated in previous updates, Session has
extended the closing of Concord to worship and all group
gatherings until further notice. As we know from available
information, nobody can say how long this crisis will last,
but we will continue to monitor the situation and reopen
when it is safe to do so.
The office remains closed during this time. Staff,
including Margaret, do not have stated office hours and
work "off campus" most of the time. Staff can still be
reached via email and phone. (We'll be checking our
voicemail messages daily.)
OTHER NEWS
VOTE – DELAWARE
The Delaware Presidential Primary Election has been rescheduled for Tuesday, July 7. All eligible Delaware voters
(registered Democrats and Republicans) will receive an absentee ballot application by
mail. Voters are permitted to select the “sick” or “temporarily or permanently
physically disabled” option on the absentee ballot application. This applies if you are
self-quarantining or social distancing – it is not only for those suffering symptoms of
Covid-19. Voters must then return the completed application to the Delaware
Department of Elections or complete the application process online. The absentee
ballot will then be mailed, emailed, or faxed to you. To be counted, your completed
absentee ballot must be received by the Elections office no later than 8:00pm on
July 7. For those who prefer to vote in person, a limited number of polling places will be open in each county.
NATURALAWN OF AMERICA – WILMINGTON
Concord is grateful for the many years (10+) that NaturaLawn has
provided care, both feeding and pest management, for our lawn at no
charge. If you are shopping for a lawn service, please consider
contacting them at 302/652-2000 or visiting their website:
https://naturalawn.com/wilmington-de.CONCORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1800 FAIRFAX BOULEVARD
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 19803
(302) 654-9652
www.concordpc.org
The Rev. Steve Clark, Pastor
(302) 654-9557 steve.clark@concordpc.org
The Rev. Kathie Pownall, Parish Associate
302-373-7127 (cell) kspownallkathie@aol.com
Christina Pressley, Director of Children’s & Youth Ministries
christina.pressley@concordpc.org
Matthew Pressley, Minister of Music
matthew.pressley@concordpc.org
Margaret M. O’Boyle, Office Administrator
654-9652 margaret.oboyle@concordpc.org
Lori Bigalow, Concord Preschool & Childcare Administrator
654-9629 loricps@concordpc.org
Duane Jessup, Building Maintenance Engineer
654-9652
CONCORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OFFICERS
ELDERS
14 2020 2021 2022
Al Lund Dorothy Harding Alan Jewett
Nancy Tucker Marcie Jorgensen Don Potter
Carly Twilley Melanie Slezak Rick Rudolph
Carol Haas, Clerk
DEACONS
2020 2021 2022
John Barineau Sally Coulson , Moderator Gerry Crock
Troy Gehret A.T. Moffett Jenny Godowsky
Felleng Kalema Carol Schlegel Brenda Kidder
President: Melanie Slezak
Vice President: Alan Jewett
Secretary: Carol Haas
Treasurer: Ron McKinney
Financial Secretary: Alan JewettYou can also read
