And so does the pastor!

Refreshed from the beach we've returned to beach-like weather this week, and already I'm looking forward to the weekend! That's what happens when we end the week with a Wii Kirk gathering.

Come out to play this Friday evening at 6:30. Mr. & Ms. Pizza (aka Clark Chesser and Cheryl Lederle) will be baking up the best pizza in all of Arlington. The big screen TV will be in Wilson Hall with Wii games running. Great conversation will be flowing, and there will no doubt be some wine flowing, as well.

Come on out and enjoy one another's company. It's a great evening to invite a friend -- especially a friend who's curious about new ways of being church.

We'll mix the old and the new come Sunday, with worship in the morning and Unchurch in the evening.

So, this weekend come out to play, pray and be church in all kinds of ways!

peace,

David

PS: Having nothing to do with any of the above ... if you'd like to honor or remember someone through the gift of flowers to decorate the sanctuary for Easter we'll be accepting donations at church for the next several Sundays. We're doing things a bit differently this year. Your $10 contribution will be acknowledged in the bulletin on Easter as a memorial or honorific, and the money will be used to purchase a variety of cut flowers and plants not limited to the traditional lilies.

Please join us for the CPC Kids' Second Annual Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 24th from 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. in Wilson Hall.  All donation proceeds will go to benefit the Heifer Project. If you don't know what that is, feel free to ask the kids to fill you in! An RSVP to mollydemaret@hotmail.com is appreciated but not required

At the congregational meetings in October and January CPC members expressed a desire to have opportunities to study the Bible and to have additional worship opportunities.

In response, during the season of Easter this spring, David will lead a 3-part Bible study looking comparatively at the four gospel accounts of Easter. What do these stories tell us? How are they similar? How are they different from one another? What is important in the differences, and in the similarities?

We'll meet on Wednesdays (April 18, May 9, May 23) in the chancel area of the sanctuary. We'll spend about an hour with the text, and close with a 20-minute Evensong worship.

Please let me know if you plan to join us for these evenings.

The 10th annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days, March 23-26, will explore "Economy, Livelihood, and Our National Priorities."

In this era of economic and political urgency, as critical decisions are being made about U.S. federal budget priorities and as national elections are fast approaching, join other Christian disciples in seeking a global economy and a national budget that breaks the yokes of injustice, poverty, hunger and unemployment -- heeding Isaiah's call to become "repairers of the breach and restorers of the streets to live in."

Experts will offer a faith-based vision for a just economy and training on key policy issues and grassroots advocacy, culminating on Monday, March 26, with lobby visits to Capitol Hill.

For details visit www.AdvocacyDays.org.

Presbyterians will hold a training day, Presbyterians and Economic Justice, at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Friday, March 23, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. To register visit www.pcusa.org/washington.

As many of you know, I was ordained in Transylvania Presbytery in Lexington, Ky. Last week's storms tore through that part of the country, leaving at least 20 dead and hundreds injured. The following note from Transylvania Presbytery was sent to churches there over the weekend.

"We have received a number of calls and emails from around the presbytery concerning the storms Friday evening and how we can respond. Let me tell you what has happened thus far, and what plans we are putting in place to respond in the weeks ahead. As you know from the news media, the town of West Liberty suffered terrible destruction, but that community is not alone. Rev. E.G. Clark, pastor at Jackson and Ezel, reports that Ezel was also hit hard by the storms.

"I have been in contact with John Robinson from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and we are processing an immediate financial response of $10,000. (By the way, these monies come from your offerings last year to the One Great Hour of Sharing - a fact that you might use in promoting this year's Easter offering). John Robinson is also working through the PDA program to put together an emergency response team which will be traveling to the region and will coordinate with E.G. Clark the Presbyterian response on a longer term basis.

"Presbyterians are well known for our quick response, but also for our staying power. Long after a disaster drops from the front pages of our papers, the Presbyterian efforts continue.

"Our Mission Committee is also organizing Transylvania's immediate and continuing response, and, as we know more about the needs, we will communicate with you about the exact kind of help that you can provide.

"Disaster kits are always needed. Here is a link that has information regarding what is included in those kits: http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/pda/making-gift-heart-kits/#baby."

CPC's staff design group continues its work this month according to the principles laid out fully in the attached document.

The group's work is being conducted in relationship to the broader visioning work of session and the congregation, and will proceed according to a set of broad goals and principles that emerged from the group's conversations and guidance from session.

To maintain and expand a vibrant congregation, the staff design group will ensure that staffing at Clarendon be designed to:

1. Ensure effective and efficient stewardship of the congregation's human, financial, and physical resources.
2. Develop more diverse and interactive ministries, particularly with respect to music and Christian education.
3. Facilitate better identification and harnessing of congregational time and talents.
4. Complement the strengths of existing staff and lay leadership.

The group has reviewed data from National Capital Presbytery and from the broader Presbytery Church (U.S.A.) on staffing patterns of similar-size congregations, and will present those findings Sunday. Elders Travis Reindl, Karen Kimmel, and Gordon Hawthorne, and members Dave Norman and Grant Mandsager are serving on the staff design team.