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Pastor Dan's Letter

In a recent conversation with Rabbi Jonathan Cohen, he expressed doubt the Exodus ever happened. He pointed out 600,000 fugitive Hebrew slaves could not have spent forty years in the wilderness without leaving a trail of pottery shards and other evidence, yet there is no archeological evidence of the Exodus. Moreover, the Egyptians were meticulous when it came to recording historical events. While they did put their spin on military defeats and other disasters they were included in Egyptian records. There is no mention of the biblical plagues or the annihilation of Pharaoh’s army in Egyptian histories. Lack of evidence does not prove an event didn’t happen, but it does raise doubts.

The Exodus is the most important story in all the Hebrew scripture. It gave rise to the commandment repeated more often in the Bible than any other, “Love the sojourner therefore; for you were a sojourner in the land of Egypt.” That is the foundation of the Hebrew ethic proclaimed by all the prophets and, ultimately, by Jesus.

What if the Exodus never happened? Would that nullify the ethic of the prophets and Jesus? Not to me. On the contrary, if the story of the Exodus is not historical it is all the more compelling. People, left to their own devices, tend to trace their origins to royalty and mythic heroes. Our spiritual ancestors traced their origins to oppressed slaves. They must not have been left to their own devices. If the Exodus was not a historical event it must be an inspired parable. No humans would have chosen such humble roots for their people.

To this day the story of the Exodus leads Jews and Christians to identify with and minister to those at the bottom of the social order. The Exodus may never have happened, and there is more truth in it than anything you’ll ever read in a newspaper.

The Potomac Association Spring Meetingby Louise Piper

The spring Potomac Association meeting was held April 28, 2007, at Bethesda United Church of Christ. Committee members and the association board of directors were elected. Rev. Bruce Irwin is the new associate moderator with his term ending in 2009.

The Higher Education Committee reported on the decrease in funding from the Presbyterian Church to the United Campus Ministries at the University of Maryland College Park and Northern Virginia Community Colleges. The UCC cannot make up a 37% loss of funding, and new funding sources will be required. Each church in the Potomac Association will be asked to contribute to these important ministries.

Rev. Dr. Barbara Brown Zikmund discussed the 50-year history of the United Church of Christ and what it was like to vote for the merger of the denominations that produced the UCC. The Congregational Church, the Evangelical and Reformed Church, the German Reformed Church, and non-sectarian Christians merged on June 25, 1957, after two long years of work.

Two resolutions were voted to be sent to the Central Atlantic Conference. The first resolution concerns climate change. It calls on us to address global warming in our decisions, investments, and planning; and to invest in energy conservation and efficiency; and in sustainable, renewable, and affordable transportation. The second resolution supported the workers at the Smithfield packing plant in Tar Heel, NC as they attempt to unionize. This plant is the largest in the world and slaughters 32,000 hogs per day with fast line speeds that promote repetitive injuries.

The meeting was attended by Leah Warner and Louise Piper.

Congregational Life: Holiday Bazaarby Marsha Voight

Congregational Life is hard at work gathering items for the fall bazaar coming November17.  We welcome contributions from the members of the congregation: services they can provide, homemade Items valued over $15, baked goods, or items for various baskets to auctioned. Both the Country Cupboard tables and the Christmas items tables need donations of new items, or gifts you received that are still in the box.  For questions or to make a donation, contact Marsha Voight, Laura Tanner, or Suze Marley.  Help in setting up on Friday, working at a table at the bazaar, or cleaning up afterwards would be greatly appreciated.

Sunday School: The Children are Published Authors!by Amy Hansen

The Children of Greenbelt Community Church became published authors in September, when Amy Hansen sold the pageant that she and the children wrote. “Christmas Cards” was produced in GCC for the Christmas season of 2005. Amy held up standard Christmas cards and asked the children to imagine what the shepherds, angels, magi and Holy Family were feeling. She took their answers and a Bible, and wrote scenes for each group. The publisher is Wild Grace (www.wildgrace.com), a small organization that deals mostly in liturgical plays. The editor is a member of a UCC church in Cleveland. The play will be available on their website, selling for $3.99 a copy. 

GCC Sunday School will be working from the curriculum “Gather Round”, developed by the UCC and Mennonite Churches. The Sunday School classes will also be working on monthly service projects for the community and the church. If you have a suggestion for service projects that may be accomplished in the 45-minute class time, please e-mail or call Amy Hansen or Paula Clinedinst.

Halloween Dance Party!!

Our Halloween Dance Party will be held on October 27th in the Social Hall. Find your costume and save the date! There will be great music, sodas, snack, candy, and a prize for the best costume. Adults: $5.00 and children under 12 with an adult: $3.00. Children without an adult: $100.00 – Hey, they’re scary!

Pen Pals Wanted!by Karen Jones

Two young ladies from Kenya are desperately seeking teenage pen pals in the U.S.  They are sisters ages 13 and 16.  For now, they would prefer to receive “snail mail.” They are:   Amanda Gakii Mbaabu, age 16, and Sheila Mwendwa Mbaabu, age 13

Letter writing is fast becoming a lost art form, so this could be a wonderful experience for a middle and/or high school student.

Another Great “Luncheon-on-the-Lawn”

This year’s Labor Day Luncheon-on-the-Lawn was another outstanding success! The weather was beautiful, the turnout was great, and the food was delicious, as always. With many thanks to the Board of Congregational Life and other helpers who set up, cooked, served, and cleaned up, we grossed over $1200.

Many Thanks to Summer Musicians

The Board of Worship extends special thanks to the musicians who provided music on Sundays during the summer. Worship services were enriched by the following performers:

For the Environment and People in Developing Countries…

You can help people in developing countries in Africa, do something good for the environment, and get a new flashlight for your home all at once. BoGo Lights sells a rechargeable solar-powered flashlight, and for each purchased will donate one to someone in Africa. Check out the website: http:/ www.bogolight.com. Thanks to Harriet Phelps for providing this information.

In Memoriam: by Rick Ransom, borrowing liberally from Pastor Dan's memorial remarks

Tom Hieber, a long-time member of our church, died in August at the Halquist Memorial In-Patient Center of Capital Hospice in Arlington, Virginia. He was 93. Tom was born in Pittsburgh, but his father died when he was seven and his mother followed when he was nine. He spent most of his formative school years at an orphanage in Scotland, PA. His first job was at an ice cream store in Pittsburgh, which is where he met and married Mildred Ressler in 1940. They were married for 58 years. Tom attended secretarial school for four months and worked for the power company. The couple moved to Washington when Tom took a job as a GS-2 with the Department of Agriculture. After obtaining a two- year degree in accounting, Tom transferred to the Treasury Department where he retired as a GS-15.

Tom and Mildred lived in Anacostia until 1942 when they moved to Greenbelt. That year saw the arrival of their first child, Marion. The late Tom, Jr. came along two years later, and Janet arrived in 1947. Tom and Mildred joined the church and remained faithful members for the rest of their lives. Son Jimmie was born in 1954 on Tom’s birthday.

I knew Tom Hieber as an adult when I was a child growing up in our church. He knew my mother and always asked me about her and about how I was doing. He was kind and considerate. I remember that Tom and Mildred were always involved in various activities of the church. Mildred had the better memory and it was she to whom I would most often go to for information (as well as many others in our church family). MaryAnn Halley also knew the Hiebers as a child when Tom and Mildred lived down on Parkway, prior to moving to their home of 43 years on Northway. She remembers that Tom always called her “Little MaryAnn”, even after she was an adult with children of her own. Tom served on various church boards and offered advice and opinions to the Trustees and others for many years. We are thankful for his service, and for the gift of his family within our midst for more than 50 years.

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