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The Pastor's Corner 
Old Testament Professor Walter Brueggermann says that the goal of preaching is to invite listeners to “abandon the script” that has heretofore given their lives purpose and meaning and to imaginatively “introduce a different script” that makes sense of life alternatively. “The task of the preacher is to exhibit this particular narrative script of the Bible and show how and in what ways life can be re-imagined, re-described, and relived if the biblical story is embraced.” Such embracing does not happen all at once. Such alternative ways of seeing life and following God’s alternative route may be painful and threatening. Martin Luther once said, “The Word sometimes has to first damn us in order to bless us.” Frank Honeycutt (another preaching professors) says preaching is something akin to surgery. “Few people approach surgery willingly, even when it becomes clear that such a course is what they need.”
I thought about this as I was reading a copy of Stephen Protheros “American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon” Protheros’ writes to remind American Christians that the person and message of Jesus gets easily disguised and twisted in order to fit our particular agendas. Instead of being hearing the Word and following an alternative route of faith, we remake Jesus into someone who blesses our ideal and baptizes our ways.
The first American makeover artist of Jesus was Thomas Jefferson, who called Jesus the “first of human sages” and famously lifted his “true sayings” from the gospels with the help of a pair of scissors and a strong desire to “rescue Jesus from St. Paul.” (I mention this because the paper Tigers are reading a book that seeks to rescue Paul from his detractors like Jefferson). Jefferson claimed that the “true sayings” of Jesus were easily distinguished from false sayings “as diamonds in a dunghill.” “I am a Christian,” Jefferson wrote a friend, “in the only sense in which he wished anyone to be, sincerely attached to his (Jefferson’s) doctrines in preference to all others.”
The Library of Congress has around 17,000 books about Jesus, twice as many as the next most popular historical figure. Jesus has been made a front man for industrialists and communists, The KKK and advocates of violent overthrow of elected governments. As Jesus said after several of his parables, “he, who has ears, let them hear.”
James Brassard
Worship notes for March 18th:
The series on the 10 Commandments takes a week off in order to hear again one of the best known parables of Jesus, The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:1-3, and 11-32). This familiar story shows up in the Lenten lectionary as a parable contrasting the extravagant grace and God in face of our extravagant foolishness. I think the story reminds us that some children “cost” us more money and resources to raise to mature adulthood then others. Some people in the church are loyal and ever faithful, whole some get lost for a spell. The sermon will talk about the “Deep Pockets and Long Reach of God’s Human Rescue Mission.”
Sunday Calendar, March 18, 2007
- 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM Worship Services
- Psalms of Ascent with Gary Cox (Parlor)
- New Members Seminar (Pastor's Study)
- Bible 102 with Dennis Evans (Conference Room)
- Children's Library Sunday - during the Education Hour.
Children will hear a story and then they may select new books to check out. Please return books that are due.
- Spiritual Gifts
- 6 PM - Jr. High
- 7 PM - Sr. High
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CCPC extends Special Honors and Thanks to all of our Teachers!
You are a gift to us all and we appreciate your hard work and dedication. God Bless you!
Children's Sunday School:
Laurel Cox, Patti Cable, Elizabeth McGeeham, Mary Walker, Rosegifty Ebot, Sue Evans, Ann Evankovich, Diane Dudley, Debbie Armstrong, Julia Leaman, Susan Ricci Rogel and Carrie Ahern.
Adult Sunday School:
Kevin Clemence, Dennis Evans, Jan Bridger, Susan Mather, Marshall Saylors, Shawn Jegede, Ajibade, Margaret Hallau and Anita Pesses, Gary Cox, Jim Bridger, Skip and Peggy Oates, Becky Bonds, Michelle and Jimmy Simpson and Pastor James Brassard
Youth Sunday School:
Chuck Dudley, Lori Kronser, Jim Sherrick and Charlie Dziduch.
We also want to thank our faithful babysitters who make some of our classes more available: Nicole Corbett, LeAnn Corbett and Genevieve Peters.
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Lent Readings 
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.”
Come hear the daily lectionary read each morning during Lent at 7:15 in the sanctuary.
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Lenten Dinners 
2007 schedule, menus and prices:
This Friday, March 16th A Salad Bar will be hosted by the PWOC.
March 23, the Deacons will serve specialty baked potatoes.
March 30, the Choirs will offer up chili.
Dinners start at 6 PM, with food, fellowship and intergenerational programs. Kids under 3 are free, those from 3 to 10 are $1, and ages 11 and up (including adults) are $3. We will not charge more than $10 per family. Plan now to come early, have fun, and get to know each other!
Please make plans to join us this Friday, March 16th for the Contemplative Series activity: Reiki Energy Night at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary, following the PWOC Lenten Dinner. This is an optional spiritual activity.
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Contemplative Series 
The Spirit and Self Discovery Group invites you to join them during their six week Contemplative Series in the Sanctuary each Friday night from 7-9 PM.
For the 6 weeks of Lent, Spirit and Self Discovery will be opening the Sanctuary on Friday nights at 7 PM to all for quiet contemplation. Each week will have a different activity that you may or may not choose to participate in. We will offer quiet music, soft lights and an open door....
This week's event: Reiki Energy Night- -We will have a session in the Sanctuary using cushions, bolsters and props to allow us to relax deeply and enjoy some stillness. Beginners are encouraged to attend . Visit Spirit and Self Discovery at
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3hvnp/spirit.html
to register or find more information on the complete series offerings.
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CCPC Youth Group Retreat 
The CCPC Youth group is having a retreat to Smith Island sponsored by the Save the Bay Foundation
Friday, March 23-25, 2007.
This retreat is for all Jr. & Sr. High students. We have space for 20 people total, youth and adults and slots are starting to fill up. We will be leaving from CCPC at 3 PM on Friday, March 23rd. We are charging everyone $20.00 to provide our own food during the week. Several of our youth have experienced these retreats and truly have had an enriching, fun, and fulfilling experience. I look forward to spending this time to tap out and experience a community where environmental stewardship is part of everyday life. Join us for this extraordinary weekend!!
If you are interested contact Ajibade Jegede @ 301-262-6008 (office), or at cpcydir@verizon.net.
CCPC, 3120 Belair Dr in Bowie, MD.
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Upcoming Memorial Service 
A Memorial Service for Clytie Saylors, (mother of Marshall) will be held Saturday, March 24th, at 2 PM in our Sanctuary. A reception will follow the service in Dodds Hall.
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Community Café 
CCPC’s regular visit to the Community Café was on Friday, March 9th. The group, who met on Thursday to prepare lunches included Elsie Bell, Wilhelmina Burress, Sylvia Dunlap, Effie Grubb, Sharon McNamara, Lois and Calvan Pals, Pat Stokes, Chuck Tanner, and Ellen Westbrook. Those who went to the café on Friday were Ralph LoRusso, Pat and Ron Stokes, and Marjorie and Charles Tanner. Pizza, salad, fruit and cookies were served and bags containing the packed lunches, socks, and the personal care packets (assembled by Jane Sumner) were distributed.
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CCPC's Coed Softball Team 
CCPC's Coed Softball team invites you to come out and play ball! This is our third year with the Metropolitan Christian League. Double-header Saturday morning games begin May 5th and run for 9 weeks. Practices will begin in March. Interested teens and adults ages 16 and up, please call Sheree Ruhl for more details.
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| Women's History Month 
Join us this month, in celebration of Women's History Month join featured visual artist and storyteller, Ellouise Schoettler for Wise Women, Original stories and folktales. Wednesday, March 21st, at Belair Mansion (12207 Belair Drive in Bowie) 6:30 PM light dinner; Program at 7:30 PM.
For more information, reservations and pricing, contact Priscilla Bouic.
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| Paper Tigers Book Review 
The attached book review is on "The Language of God" by Francis S. Collins, and was prepared by one of our own Paper Tigers, Jack Jones.
Sure He that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and god-like reason To fust in us unused. Shakespeare (Hamlet)
It is not good to have zeal without knowledge
Proverbs 19:2
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins, Free Press, 2006
This recent book deals with what is now an old question: Can the findings of science about the origins of the earth and life on earth be reconciled with the teachings of Jewish and Christian scriptures? Collins, who earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Yale and a medical degree from the University of North Carolina and headed the successful international project to map the Human Genome, is probably as well qualified as anyone to enter this enduring debate.
He came by his belief in God the hard way. He was not born into his faith, but as an adult followed a painful path from agnosticism through atheism to Christian belief. Collins' faith was forged on the crucible of experience, notably his medical practice as he ministered to patients facing severe crises in their lives with courage and evident peace of soul.
Thus, The Language of God is the personal story of a distinguished scientist's search for a spiritual foundation in his life, and the author's background adds interest and authenticity to his message. Collins describes how he reconciled a faith built on ancient writings and human altruism with the findings of empirical science.
The publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species in 1859 set off a storm of controversy which still rages even though scientific studies since the publication of Darwin's masterwork have added much confirmatory evidence to his findings; moreover, Darwin received strong support from such outstanding contemporaries as T. H. Huxley and Herbert Spencer.
The battle lines hardened between those who believed in evolution and those who believed in a literal reading of Genesis. Atheists considered evolution to be a strong weapon against spirituality and they used it. To many, belief in evolutionary theory was seen to be tantamount to atheism. As often happens, an extreme position on one side led to an equally extreme position on the other.
In the last fifteen years a branch of creationist belief has curdled into something called "Intelligent Design." This formulation (often abbreviated ID) maintains that life did not evolve in the natural way described by Darwin but received assists along the way from an "intelligent designer." ID claims to have a scientific basis, and in 2005, it even gained a partial endorsement from the President of the United States. But ID remains a fringe activity and gets little support from the mainstream scientific community, nor from Collins. His own view is that God put in place a process (evolution) by which life on earth came into being. This process was so perfect that it needed no further correction or adjustment. His belief is consistent with scientific knowledge and, he believes, can be reconciled with the Genesis stories. The name given to this belief is "theistic evolution" although Collins prefers his own term, "BioLogos."
Collins sees no conflict between science and religion. He thinks that the two disciplines need each other in their common search for truth. He concludes that there will always be harmony between reason and worship. I wish I had his confidence.
Jack Jones, for the Paper Tigers, 5 March 2007
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| CCPC Disaster Committee 
The CCPC Disaster Planning Committee will meet on Thursday, March 22, 2007 at 7 PM in the Church Parlor. We will be discussing a response to prolonged power outages in addition to other items which were discussed at the last meeting. Please join us.
CCPC, 3120 Belair Dr in Bowie, MD. 301-262-6008
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| Tiger Lilies - The Spiral Staircase 
Join us next Monday, March 19th at 7:30 PM in the Parlor for a discussion on American Gospel by Jon Meacham. Women are invited to join us. American Gospel is available on CD and paperback.
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| Women of Faith 2007 
The Women of Faith Amazing Freedom 2007 tour is coming to Washington, DC, July 13 and 14. Featured speakers at the Verizon Center include: Patsy Clairmont, Nicole Johnson, Marilyn Meberg, Sandi Patty, Anita Renfroe, Luci Swindoll, Sheila Walsh, Thelma Wells and special guest Max Lucado. A pre-conference day with Beth Moore is scheduled for 9 AM - 3 PM the Friday before the conference.
For more information, contact CCPC's 2007 group leader Peggy Oates. The deadline for registration is April 1st.
Learn more about the conference
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| Bike to Work Day 
Friday, May 18, 2007, 6:30 - 8:30 AM
Two Bowie Pit Stops: Bowie Town Center Food Court and Old Town Bowie (specific location to be determined)
Gear up for Bike to Work Day 2007! Participate and receive a free t-shirt! It is a free event full of fun, food and prizes. Join thousands of are commuters and show your support for bicycling, by taking part in a clean, fun and healthy way to get to work. Registration began March 1st. Visit Bike to Work Day to register, or call 202-518-0524. For more information contact Frank Stevens in the City's Planning Department at 301-809-3053 or fstevens@cityofbowie.org. Bike to Work Day!
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| Lost and Found 
Looking for a lost item? If you have recently misplaced an item, please call (301-262-6008), stop by the church office or email us at ccpcbowie@verizon.net. |
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CCPC Calendar 
Mail or E-mail? 