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April 2021
The Courier
A Monthly Publication of The Inter-Faith Chapel
A House of Prayer for All People
From the desk of Rev. Dr. Woodie Rea
There are glimmers of hope in the air!
If you squint just a little and look ever so closely, you can begin to get small glimpses of a
light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. Glimpses of hope are appearing out of the darkness
of these long, extraordinary months.
That may seem like a bold and careless statement at a time when so many things still seem to
be controlled by this pandemic and while the COVID-19 virus continues to take its daily toll
on our lives.
For certain, this pandemic is not over - but there are glimmers of hope. The pace of vaccine
distribution is increasing and optimism rises with the number of individuals immunized.
Public health data indicating a declining rate of new confirmed cases is encouraging. Certain
restrictions on facilities are being relaxed.
We are hardly out of the woods, but glimmers of hope are returning.
Believing in this hope, The Chapel Council approved a plan for a cautious return to in-person
worship here at The Inter-Faith Chapel. On May 23, 2021, The Chapel Sanctuary will be
open to a limited number of pre-registered worshippers for our 10:00 AM Sunday morning
worship service. Those who have signed up through The Chapel Office, and who agree to
follow prescribed social distancing guidelines, will be admitted for this time of worship.
Please see inside for more information on this important development of hope!
This month, as we observe Easter, we celebrate hope! The writer of 1 st Peter reminds us that
we are “given a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
Easter is always a sign of hope and deep in our core it gives us the confidence to know that
we will overcome this pandemic period. Easter reminds us that light will prevail over dark-
ness, freedom will be victorious over bondage, love will triumph over hate, and hope will
prevail over despair.
There are glimpses of hope in the air and, if ever we needed a message of hope, it is now. We
are given a living hope, for times like these, and for all our days.
Living in hope,
Woodie
Page 2 THE APRIL 2021 COURIER
LECTIO DIVINA, Latin for divine reading, is a devotional style of
reading Holy Scripture. It provides a way of praying the Biblical text in
a way that calls us to study, ponder, listen and pray from God’s Word
each day. The steps are simple: 1) Read the passage slowly, listening
for and choosing a word or phrase that stands out to you. 2) Reflect on
that word or phrase. 3) Respond with Prayer, asking God to help you
apply the Scripture to your life and 4) Rest in God’s word and thank the
Lord for the way God has spoken to you through God’s Word. Then,
take a moment of silence. Try to slow your thoughts and focus on the
presence of God. Finally, we close as we Respond in Action.
Thursday, April 1 Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14 Saturday, April 17 Acts 3:1-10
Friday, April 2 Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Sunday, April 18 Acts 3:12-19
Saturday, April 3 Job 14:1-14 Monday, April 19 Jeremiah 30:1-11a
Sunday, April 4 Acts 10:34-43 Tuesday, April 20 Hosea 5:15-6:6
Monday April 5 Genesis 1:1-19 Wednesday, April 21 Proverbs 9:1-6
Tuesday, April 6 Genesis 1:20-2:4
Thursday, April 22 Genesis 30:25-43
Wednesday, April 7 Song of Solomon 3:1-11
Friday, April 23 Genesis 46:28-47:6
Thursday, April 8 Daniel 1:1-21
Saturday, April 24 Genesis 48:8-19
Friday, April 9 Daniel 2:1-23
Sunday, April 25 Acts 4:5-12
Saturday, April 10 Daniel 2:24-49
Monday, April 26 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Sunday, April 11 Acts 4:32-35
Tuesday, April 27 1 Chronicles 11:1-9
Monday, April 12 Daniel 3:1-30
Tuesday, April 13 Daniel 6:1-28 Wednesday, April 28 Micah 7:8-20
Wednesday, April 14 Isaiah 26:1-15 Thursday, April 29 Amos 8:1-7
Thursday, April 15 Daniel 9:1-19 Friday, April 30 Amos 8:11-13
Friday, April 16 Daniel 10:2-19
A Prayer of the Month
Resurrection Prayer
by Kathy Galloway
Christ our life,
You are alive - in the beauty of the earth
in the rhythm of the seasons Christ our life,
in the mystery of time and space You are alive - to offer re-creation
Alleluia to every unhealed hurt
to every deadened place
Christ our life, to every damaged heart
You are alive - in the tenderness of Alleluia.
touch
in the heartbeat of intimacy You set before us a great choice.
in the insights of solitude Therefore we choose life.
Alleluia The dance of resurrection soars and
surges through the whole creation,
Christ our life, This is grace, dying we live.
You are alive - in the creative possibility So let us live.
of the dullest conversation
of the dreariest task ~Iona Community
the most threatening event
Alleluia
THE APRIL 2021 COURIER Page 3
INTER-FAITH CHAPEL
TO RESUME IN-PERSON WORSHIP SERVICES
A year ago, The Inter-Faith Chapel Council made the difficult but
responsible decision to close The Chapel building and cancel in-
person worship services. That decision was made holding both
the congregation’s spiritual health and physical well-being in the
highest of regards.
The decision has now been made to resume limited and regulated
in-person worship services in The Inter-Faith Chapel Sanctuary on
Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 10:00 AM.
We want to return to worship in a responsible way that demonstrates love and care for one
another, while taking precautionary measures to reduce the risk of exposure or transmission
(especially to those in our congregation who are more susceptible to severe complications).
To that end, we are implementing the following practices that are designed to help us worship
together in the safest and most responsible fashion we can:
The number of worshippers will be limited to fifty (50) in attendance.
Worshippers will need to pre-register for each Sunday morning worship service by
12:00 PM on the Friday before attendance.
Worshippers will be expected to be fully vaccinated.
Worshippers will be required to wear face masks, sit in designated areas, and main-
tain social distancing (including no hugging or handshaking) throughout the entirety
of time in The Chapel building.
The format and liturgy of the worship service will be altered to consider safety
precautions.
The televised and online worship services will continue to be broadcast on Wednes-
days at 2:00 PM and Sundays at 11:00 AM on LW Channel 974; and available
anytime on our web page at www.inter-faithchapel.org.
The Chapel building will remain closed to public business during the week.
All plans are subject to change and may be canceled for any reason if there are new
risks to the safety and well-being of worshippers or staff.
More information on our returning to in-person worship will be available in next month’s
Courier.
As always, if you have any questions about this, or any other items we can assist you with,
please call The Chapel Office. May God bless you with peace and health.
Page 4 THE APRIL 2021 COURIER
April is Allergic Rhinitis Month April Centering Prayer
For many, along with Spring, comes Gatherings 7:00 p.m.
seasonal allergies. According to the Wednesdays, April 14, 21, & 28
American Academy of Allergy, Facilitated by Bertie Knisely
Asthma, and Immunology, Allergy Please join us for Cen-
Rhinitis known as “Hay fever” is an immune system re- tering Prayer in the up-
sponse to environmental allergens like grass, pollen, dust per right parking lot of
and animal dander. Physical symptoms of Allergic Rhini- the Inter-Faith Chapel.
tis are: Social Distancing Guide-
Nose: nasal congestion, sneezing, nasal itching, post- lines will be observed.
nasal drip, loss of taste. In case of inclement
Eyes: red and watery eyes, sinus pressure, and headache. weather, participants will
Throat & Ears: itchy, scratchy, sore throat, hoarse meet through Zoom.
voice, congestion, and itching of the ears.
Sleep-mouth breathing, frequent awakening, daytime Centering prayer is a method of con-
fatigue, trouble doing normal activities. templative prayer with the sole inten-
tion of offering ourselves to God and
Treatment: Allergen avoidance, and Pharmacotherapy consenting to God’s presence and work
with Antihistamines, and Decongestants. Seasonal Aller- within us. It is a spiritual practice of
gic Rhinitis is not preventable but can be controlled by intentional silence, in which we let go
the following: not only of the noise and sounds of the
1. Monitoring the pollen counts in your area and avoid outside world, but also seek to let go of
contact with the allergen as much as possible. the inner noise of our mind’s wander-
2. Keeping windows closed to avoid exposure to pollen ing thoughts. Centering prayer invites
when indoors, use an air conditioner if available. us to contemplation: communion with
3. Eliminate dust mites and animal dander from home. God beyond thoughts, words, emo-
With these health tips and behavior, we can enjoy tions, sense experiences, or acts. It
Spring and not sneezing! simply is seeing with the eyes of the
heart – from our spiritual awareness
and its perspective of oneness. Our
Donations for purpose is not to make our mind emp-
ty, have a mystical experience, or make
anything happen. God is already with
us. In centering prayer, we simply
During each Lenten season, the Chapel encourages dona- seek to be present and available to
tions to support the Society of St. Andrew so they may God.
share fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables with hungry peo- During each session, the group will de-
ple this spring and summer. What a way to celebrate the vote 20 minutes of silence to the prac-
resurrection of our Lord and give hope to our hungry tice of centering prayer. Our prayer
neighbors! together will also include a sacred
If you have collected coins in mite boxes, please put the reading, gentle body prayer, and/or
box or your loose coins in a sealed Ziploc bag and slide chanting. Bertie will review simple
into the mail slot at The Chapel office. You may also guidelines for the practice of centering
make a donation by check payable to The Inter-Faith Chap- prayer.
el and write Society of St. Andrew in the memo line. All
funds will be given to the Society for their important work.
Please make your donation or drop off your coins no later In Memoriam
than April 15. William Karppi, Jr.
For more information on the Society of St. Andrew, you March 6, 2021
may go to www.endhunger.org.
THE APRIL 2021 COURIER Page 5
Coffee and Conversation: The Chapel Inquiry
Wednesday, April 14 at 11:00 am on Zoom
Do you have friends or neighbors who have been watching Chapel services on Leisure World tel-
evision or on our website during the pandemic? We know there are many who have virtually
connected with our congregation during the past year and we want to offer a time to get to meet
them.
A special “Coffee and Conversation” gathering will be offered on Wednesday, April 14 at 11:00
AM for those who are new to our Chapel community. This will be casual time for offering infor-
mation about The Chapel, answering questions about our mission and structure, and providing
information on our various ministries and outreach. The time will be fun and light and all inquir-
ies and questions are welcome.
If you know anyone who may be interested in learning more about The Inter-Faith Chapel, please
tell your friend about this special Zoom call. Ask that they call 301-598-5312 by April 12 for
more information and instructions on how to join through Zoom or any telephone.
We hope to meet some new friends on Wednesday, April 14 and appreciate your help!
Spring Food Drive
Tuesday, April 27 – Thursday, April 29
Drop off outside from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Thank you to all who contributed to the Chapel’s Thanksgiving food drive. The
Leisure World community gave such a generous amount of food that we had to request a large truck
from Manna to haul all the food to their warehouse!
In 2021, many of our neighbors continue to struggle due to lost jobs or reduced
work hours. Local food banks estimate that one of ten residents of the DC metro-
politan experience food insecurity. Workers living paycheck to paycheck, seniors
on fixed incomes, or college students working their way through school may be
forced to make choices between food and expenses like housing and medicine.
Would you help by contributing to our Spring Food Drive? All donated foods will
be given to Manna Food Center, a local food bank serving Montgomery County.
Manna focuses on healthful food donations. Their most needed food list includes instant oatmeal,
brown rice, dry and canned beans, whole grain pasta, canned (in water) tuna, salmon or chicken, nut
butters, low sodium canned vegetables, canned fruit in juice, fruit cups, shelf stable milk boxes, cook-
ing oil, spices, infant formula and baby food. They do NOT accept soda, cake, candy and cookies.
Please check expiration dates of your food items before donating.
Drive up to The Chapel under the portico to drop off your non-perishable food items. Grocery carts
will be available outside from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on Tuesday, April 27, Wednesday, April 28, and
Thursday, April 29.
Each month we encourage our members to wish happy
birthday to our affiliates and friends who live in nursing
care facilities or group homes.
Please send a card. April 21
Norma Cottman
20900 New Hampshire
Brookeville, MD 20833
Page 6 THE APRIL 2021 COURIER
Online Healthy Living Classes
Do you miss the healthy living classes typically offered by
The Chapel? Brooke Grove Retirement Village offers a
number of classes available online via Zoom. Go to
www.inter-faithchapel.org and scroll down to the Announcements section. Click on Online
Healthy Living Classes to view their current list of programs. From there, you may click on
links to register with Brooke Grove for these programs.
A few of the programs offered this spring include Managing Arthritis through Exer-
cise, Everyday Balance, and Mindful Meditation, along with a cooking demonstration on
Power Bowls.
Calendar
These two events will be held on Zoom. If The Chapel has your email, you
will receive an invitation the day before the event. Please call 301-598-
5312 to be added to the email list or if you have any questions.
You can also join from any telephone. Call the office in advance and we
will give you the telephone number and Meeting ID needed to join the
Zoom call.
Wednesday, April 14 at 11:00 am Coffee and Conversation with the Pastors:
Learn more about The Chapel
Wednesday, April 21 at 10:00 am Inter-Faith Men’s Meeting
Please remember to include the Spring Food Drive on your calendar!
Tuesday, April 27 – Thursday, April 29 Drop off from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
MOVING WITHOUT PAIN CLASS CONTINUES
Thursdays: April 1, 8, 15 & 22 @ 6:45 p.m. —7:45 p.m.
As we age, many of us feel our aches and pains more and move
less because of it. What we don’t realize is that failing to use our
bodies can lead to more muscle degeneration and more pain. The
process is gradual but the progress is real.
IFC member, Christine Tetrault, is offering her third series of free chair yoga classes on ZOOM
to church members and their friends. The classes will be on Thursday evenings from 6:45pm
until 7:45pm. You are requested to sign in at 6:30 so we can start and end promptly. The clas-
ses will run from March 4th through April 22nd. Register by sending an email to
ctetra11@aol.com. Please include your phone number. Christine will send you an email with a
link you can click on Thursday to join.
Christine has been an instructor for Body and Brain Yoga for 11 years helping individuals of
all ages and levels of health to grow in health, peace, and happiness. She is also the proprietor
of the Body And Brain Center - Silver Spring and Olney.
THE APRIL 2021 COURIER Page 7
A Little Humor—LOL
If anyone needs an ark, I happen to Noah guy.
Q. How can you make God laugh? A. Tell him your plans.
How Long did Cain hate his brother? As long as he was
Abel.
What do they call Pastors in Germany? German Shepherds.
Who was the best business woman in the Bible? Pharaoh's
daughter, she went down to the bank of the Nile and with-
drew a little profit.
Why do they say Amen at the end of a prayer instead of
Awomen? Same reasons we sing Hymns and not Hers!
Who was the greatest investor in the Bible? Noah, he was
floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.
What did Adam say the day before Christmas? It’s Christmas, Eve!
Why did Noah have to punish and discipline the chicken on the Ark? Because they were
using fowl language.
What Is Maundy Thursday?
“Maundy”
Thursday is the
Thursday be-
fore Easter, be-
lieved to be the
day when Jesus
celebrated his
final Passover with His disciples.
Most notably, that Passover meal
was when Jesus washed the feet
of His disciples in an extraordi-
nary display of humility. He then
commanded them to do the same
for each other. Christ's 'mandate'
is commemorated on Maundy
Thursday---"maundy" being a
shortened form of mandatum
(Latin), which means 'command.'
It was on the Thursday of
Christ's final week before being
crucified and resurrected that He
said these words to his disci-
ples: A new commandment I give
to you, that you love one another: just
as I have loved you, you also are
to love one another (John 13:34).
Non Profit Organization
T HE IN TER - FAI TH C HAP EL U. S. Postage Paid
3 6 80 S. L EI S URE W O RL D BL V D
Suburban MD 20906
S I L V ER SP RI N G M D 2090 6
PERMIT NO. 0 2 3 3 8
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
phone 301-598-5312
www.inter-faithchapel.org
Rev. Dr. Woodie Rea,
Senior Minister
Rev. Dr. Ramonia L. Lee,
Minister of Congregational Life
Kevin M. Clemens, Director of Music
Bonnie B. Bonner, Administrator
Joy M. Dufour, Administrative Assistant
Steve Buck, Gary Carpenter
Video Technicians and Chapel Sextons
Christ is Risen: The
world below lies
desolate
Christ is Risen: The
spirits of evil are
fallen
Christ is Risen: The angels of God are
rejoicing
Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead
are empty
Christ is Risen indeed from the dead,
the first of the sleepers, Glory and
power are his forever and ever.
— St. Hippolytus of Rome
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