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Volume 44, Issue 1
January January 2015
Lessons and Carols
On Sunday, December 14, heavenly
music and words filled the sanctuary as
soloists, a brass quartet, the choir,
readers, and the congregation joyfully
participated in this year’s Lessons and
Carols. From Jerilyn Sodee's lighting of
the Advent Wreath through the Bible
lessons starting with Genesis and leading
up to Jesus’ glorious birth accompanied
by carols and anthems to the final carol
and the brass quartet’s postlude, the
service was a celebration of God’s glory
and the wonder of our Savior’s birth.
Many thanks to all who sang, read, played, prayed, and rejoiced! And bravo to multi-
talented Tony Ashur who orchestrated the whole service. We couldn’t have done it
without you!!!
Valerie Blane
(More pictures on page 8)
North Bethesda
United Methodist
January 2015 Contact Page 2
North Bethesda United Methodist Church
10100 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda MD 20814
Phone: (301) 530–4342
E–mail: [email protected]
Website: www.NorthBethesdaUMC.org
Office Manager: Chris Lee
Office Hours: Tuesday thru Thursday 8:30
AM– 4:30 PM
Pastor: Pastor Jeff Jones
Cell Phone: (240) 994-1505
Minister of Visitation: Linda Thompson
Music Director: Tony Ashur
Coordinator of Education: Vicki Morrison
Custodian: Ram Phuyal
Contact Newsletter Editor: Valerie Blane
Contact Newsletter Publisher: Chris Lee
2 Mame Amoa-Awua
3 Brendan Lewis
4 Bootie Donigian
6 Isabel Nogues
8 Jacqulyn Thorpe
10 Wanda Turner
11 Andrew Follman
13 Mary Jane Blane
15 John Griffin
16 Kathy Devadas
18 Safohene Amua-Awua
21 Adeline Browning
22 Brian Matos
23 Flo Finlayson
23 Sarah-Aline Duncan
27 Mara Blank
28 Mark Santoro
29 Valerie Blane
30 Connor Leidl
30 Mark Patkus
31 Tendai Ball
If you have corrections or additions
you can contact Diane Tabatabai at
301-983-6878 or
Rejoice! Come to the Family
Christmas Eve Service, December 24th,
6:30 p.m. We will see you there for a very
special musical service and play.
The Arts Committee
Volume 44, Issue 1 Page 3
Preacher Feature Happy New Year to each and everyone of you! I rejoice and give
thanks for the opportunity to work with you as we grow in faith
together. Let us look to God as the perfecter of our faith. The articles
will inspire you to nourish your faith journey this coming year.
Elaine and I want to thank you for your generous Christmas Gift, as
well as the cards, greetings, and love you have shown us these last
few months. We are truly thankful to be among you. We continue to
look forward to work together.
New things and changes are hard on people. I know because I’ve been
through several lately. But I’ve found that with a faith foundation, they are easier to deal
with. I’ve heard that the only person happy with change is a wet baby. Change can be a
blessing if we consider it as a step of progress or a better way to do the same thing we
treasure.
Some changes are good. Would you still want to watch television in black and white on a
little round tube? Or think of the surgical procedures that have changed since bloodletting
was the best way to cure somebody? Change does feel like a loss of a comfortable thing,
but if we see it as progress toward something better, we might be able to manage the
change.
With spiritual formation, change is seen as growth and progress toward being more Christ-
like. We do have to put aside some things that hinder us in order to make other things
better. In the coming year, we ask for prayers for our Church leaders as we look at better
ways to help us grow in faith. It might mean some new ideas, but they are all for the
church’s purpose, helping people draw near to God and to one another.
We live in a world that is changing all the time, sometimes faster than we want. We look to
church to keep the world from spinning and want it to be just as we found it twenty or
forty years ago. Staying that way could kill us for sure! God is ever present. If we put our
faith in God who will be alwys here for us, it might be easier to know what God meant
when he said, “Behold, I do a new thing. The old has gone; the new has come.” There are
about fifteen references from Leviticus, Isaiah, Jesus, Paul, and the Revelations that
encourage us to look to God for help in finding the good in the new.
There are 133 verses in the Bible that suggest we learn to sing a new song. That must
matter to God because it is mentioned so often. John and Charles Wesley were quite good
at teaching new songs. The power of music spreads the love of God through the Methodists
to all people around the world.
As we think about how can we help our neighbors and our grandchildren find God in our
church, we may end up doing some things a little differently through our love for them. We
want them to know the love and joy we find in Jesus. Pray with me, “Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done, in North Bethesda, as it is in heaven.”
Happy New Year to you all.
Pastor Jeff
January 2015 Contact Page 4
The Chronology of Our Heritage
June, 1956: Dr. Asbury Smith, Superintendent of the Washington West District,
informed Rev. Richard Irvin of the need for a new Methodist Church in North Bethesda
and appointed him minister.
July, 1956: Fourteen interested persons met with Rev. Irvin to explore that need and
possibilities.
September 9, 1956: The first service was held in the National Guard Barracks
(corner of Bells Mill and Old Georgetown Roads.) There were eighty-six worshippers in
attendance.
October 21, 1956: The young church moved to Grosvenor Elementary School.
November, 1956: One hundred eighteen Charter Members had united with the
church. They saw the wisdom and practicality of a building program that would
eventually provide a worship center to meet the needs of our community. These
Charter Members included: Russell and Helen Poole, Rolland and Betty Tabb, Harry
and Kathryn Wynkoop, Mr. and Mrs. Warner Bogley, Donald Smith, Alice DeSpain,
and Pat DeSpain.
September 8, 1958: The congregation moved to
Walter Johnson High School.
May 11, 1958: Ground was broken for the multi-
purpose building, marking the first phase of the
building program.
March 8, 1959: The first service was held in the
new building!
March 15, 1959: The new building was
consecrated.
March, 1960: The congregation voted to purchase the parsonage.
June, 1960: Rev. Harry Miles was appointed to
NBUMC.
March, 1962: The Exploratory Committee was
formed to consider the building of the sanctuary.
May 14, 1962: The Quarterly Conference gave
approval for the building of the sanctuary and
appointed a Building Committee.
November, 1962: The financial crusade to build the
sanctuary began.
Volume 44, Issue 1 Page 5
August 16, 1964: A congregational
meeting was held. The plans for the new
sanctuary, classrooms, and offices were
approved unanimously.
August 23, 1964: Ground was broken
for the sanctuary, beginning the second
phase of the building program.
December 12, 1965: The first services
were held in the new sanctuary with Dr.
Edward Carroll, Superintendent of
Washington Northwest District
preaching.
December 19, 1965: The sanctuary was consecrated to the Glory of God with Bishop John Wesley Lord officiating.
December 8, 1975: The memorial organ was dedicated to the Glory of God.
June, 1981: Rev. Harold Johnson was appointed to NBUMC.
January 1, 1986: Rev. Jeanne Klauda was appointed to NBUMC.
February 23, 1986: Fellowship Hall was renamed Johnson Hall and dedicated to the memory of Rev. Harold Johnson (who had died of a heart attack.)
May 4, 1986: Mortgage Burning and Rededication celebration with Rev. Thomas C.
Starnes, Superintendent of Washington West District preaching.
July, 1999: The Reverend Deborah L. Scott was appointed to North Bethesda United
Methodist Church.
August, 2001: The Parlor was designated Benedict Parlor in honor of Henry Benedict,
retired Director of Music.
September, 2006: Celebrated our 50th Anniversary.
July, 2014: The Reverend Jeff
Jones was appointed to North
Bethesda United Methodist
Church.
Many thanks to Kathryn
Wynkoop who leant me her
programs with this information.
Valerie Blane
January 2015 Contact Page 6
Sign language Corner
Communion signs are easy to remember. The sign I use for “communion” is made by
making a small cross in front of the mouth with the F hand. The sign for “bread” is
made by holding the left B hand, palm in, pinkie toward the floor, about 9” in front of
the chest. The right bent B hand slices several times down the back of the left hand.
The sign for “juice” is almost the same. Use a Y hand instead of a bent B hand. The
sign for “wine” is made with the right W hand, palm out, finger tips up, moving in a
circle next to the right cheek.
Communion Wine
Bread
Juice
Grammarian’s Corner: Adjectival phrases In the November Contact, we discussed adjectival phrases which often have a present participle in them. They describe the subject of the sentence. In a recent bulletin
were several examples of incorrect usage:
Coming from places that have seen better days, God bids us to celebrate this day. The subject of the sentence is God. It is the only subject mentioned. What this sentence
says is that God comes from places that have seen better days. I’m sure that God
comes from glorious places! A correct wording: Coming from places that have seen better days, we look for God to bid us celebrate this day.
Coming with our breath taken away by grief, the Holy Spirit breathes new life within
us. The subject of the sentence is the Holy Spirit. It is the only subject mentioned. What this sentence says is that the Holy Spirit has had its breath taken away by grief.
A correct wording: Coming with our breath taken away by grief, we meet the Holy
Spirit who breathes new life within us.
Coming to worship seeking a hope that will endure, Christ unbinds the fetters. The subject of the sentence is Christ. It is the only subject mentioned. What this sentence
says is that Christ is coming to worship seeking a hope that will endure. A correct wording: Coming to worship seeking a hope that will endure, we want Christ to unbind
our fetters.
Valerie Blane
Volume 44, Issue 1 Page 7
For sale: lamp or plant stand of dark wood
mahogany; one drawer and a shelf at the bottom.
Please call 301-947-5566, if interested.
David Early
Worship Themes
January is a time for new discoveries, fresh starts, efforts at keeping the new year resolutions we make, and a way to appreciate a new year on the calendar.
Typically in the church, it is the season we call Epiphany, to discover, (sometimes by surprise), something about God. In keeping that theme, we are looking at ways we can discover who God
is, what Jesus can give us, and what we can do in response to that. 1/4 Matthew 2:1-12 Three Men and a Baby Epiphany Sunday and Holy Communion 1/11 Genesis 1 & 2 The Creation
1/18 Colossians 1:15- 2:19 The Fullness of Christ 1/25 John 8: 12-20 & John 9 The Light of the World
We continue in the series of top fifty-two Bible passages as recommended in Tom Bandy’s book, The Uncommon Lectionary. You might want to read ahead to see where we are going
with the passages. If you have questions, please feel free to email the pastor with those ideas.
Generosity Appreciated Writing in mid December, I don’t have the final count, but I do have good news for supporting Jesus’ ministry at NBUMC. We have received 63 of giving cards, compared to 66 for all of last
year. Thirty estimates included an increase from last year. Thank you so much! Nine new cards were from new members and those who hadn’t signed one before. Thank you as well. Right now our estimate is $225,500 from cards turned in. We have hopes of $20,000 to
$25,000 from those who give and new supporters. We are hoping for $250,000 towards our goal. Last year we had $225,000 for the combination. Thanks!
We depend on rent and building use for about $110,000. We also have special offerings and fund raisers as needed. We will keep you posted about those. Our Finance Committee and Church Council will review the requested budget based on these
figures and make their final decision on the 2015 budget at the January meetings. Your generosity makes ministry possible. We can do so much more when you join us to make
a difference in people’s lives. We encourage you to share with us some of what God has put into your hands. Blessings and Happy New Year. Pastor Jeff
Page 8
January 2015 Contact
Volume 44, Issue 1 Page 9
Honoring Kathy Devadas In the afternoon of Sunday, November 2nd, our
wonderful NBUMC family member, Kathy Devadas was
honored at her PEO International President's Tea in
Johnson Hall. PEO, the Philanthropic Educational
Organization International, "is a philanthropic
organization where women celebrate the advancement
of women; educate women through scholarships,
grants, awards, loans, and stewardship of Cottey
College, and motivate women to achieve their highest
aspirations." www.peointernational.org Cottey
College is an independent, liberal arts and sciences
college for women located in Nevada, Missouri. Its residential student capacity of
350 typically represents 40 states and 20 countries. Cottey is owned by the PEO,
Sisterhood, an international women’s organization of over 238,000 members,
making Cottey the only nonsectarian college in the United States owned and
supported by women for women.
Kathy is the President of the entire District of Columbia PEO leadership that
encompasses many members and chapters in Maryland, the District of Columbia,
and Virginia. It is an honor to be selected for the DC Leadership Board, and
Kathy rose to the Presidency after fulfilling several other positions. The Tea was
a beautiful and joyful event with wonderful food and stunning rainbow colored
decorations that mirrored Kathy's artistic theme for her Presidency.
Kathy is loved and respected for her accomplishments with family, PEO, friends,
and professional life. At NBUMC, Kathy has been a life-long member and is a
devoted parishioner in many areas of church life, including accounting skills (her
day job) and often as a chef. Kathy
has even used her vacation time from
work to cook her excellent dinners for
Vacation Bible Camp.
Kathy also raised her son, Matt
Devadas, in the Church, and he is now
a young adult working in the
entertainment industry in L.A.
Congratulations, Kathy! We love you!
Amy Duroska
Page 10 January 2015 Contact
The Story Behind “We Three Kings” John Henry Hopkins, Jr., was born on Oct. 28, 1820. Although he first went to law
school at the University of Vermont, he decided to go into ministry and attended the
General Theological Seminary in New York City. He was ordained in 1850 and became
its music teacher. In 1857, Hopkins became the priest at Christ Episcopal Church in
Williamsport, PA. That Christmas, he wrote both the lyrics and the music for “We
Three Kings” as part of a Christmas pageant.
“We Three Kings” was the first carol from the United States to become widely spread
and was published in several Christmas Carol books during the next fifty years. It
continues to be a popular carol today.
It is interesting to note that the scriptures indicate that the magi visited Jesus, not
when he was born, but when he was a young child. They gave him three gifts: gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. The scriptures are also silent on the number of kings or
scholars or wise men, as well as their mode of transportation. We often picture
camels, but there is nothing to indicate that this is true. Their names, Melchior,
Caspar, and Balthazar, are based on legends. We presume they were kings because of
the expensive gifts.
One final note: John Hopkins was also a skilled stained glass designer.
Valerie Blane
Volume 44, Issue 1 Page 11
NBUMC Serves at the Interfaith Works
Wilkins Avenue Women’s Homeless Shelter
November 9 – 16, 2014
Many thanks to all who prepared and/or served dinners and
prepared lunches for the Women’s Homeless Shelter during the
week of November 9-16. We were delighted to welcome new
volunteers featured in the photos below! Pastor Jeff, joining Rose
and Mark Aehle and our wonderful Youth, with dessert from Janet
Replogle, got the week off to the usual great start.
Betsy, Joe, and Carter Samuel joined the Thursday
team led by Ken Ow and Erin Shannon, with dessert
from Carol Getzinger. Cheng Sithole joined the
Saturday team of Adam and Yuko Robinson, Wayne
Huff, Gordon and Jacqui Cragg, with dessert from
Ardoth Hassler. For the second consecutive
November, the Sodee family of Eliza, Michelle, Kurt,
and Matt led by Jerilyn served the ladies on the
Friday, with dessert from Merlyn
Vermury.
And, of course, a BIG THANK YOU to all our veteran volunteers
who have faithfully served the ladies for years; Monday - Janet
Mahaney, Basil Manns, and Emmett and Jane Ward; Tuesday -
Joy and Marv Burt, Natalie McManus, Santa Oldham, and Linda
Thompson; Wednesday - Sara Barakat, Michele Bernot, Joy
Hallman, and David Tardif-Douglin. Jack and Sue Enders, Dayna
Fellows, and Jacqui and Gordon Cragg prepared 210 lunches. On
Tuesday night, we were delighted to have Flo Tam from an Asian
congregation in Gaithersburg accompany Joy and Marv Burt to gain experience and
then encourage her congregation to serve the shelter.
Thank you, Joy.
Mark your calendars: NBUMC
weeks for 2015 are July 5-12
and Nov. 8-15. We welcome
more new volunteers to join the
teams - it’s a life-changing
experience!
Page 12 January 2015 Contact
Mark Your Calendars!
The Arts Committee will be staging a Dinner Theatre Evening on Saturday, MARCH 7th at 6:30pm. The
evening will include music, a lovely spaghetti dinner with dessert, and two short plays.
Actors (teens and adults) and backstage hands are
needed! Auditions are open to all members of the community so please let your fellow actor friends know.
Auditions will be held January 5th at 7pm in Johnson Hall. If you can't make it
that night, please contact the director for an alternate date/time. Rehearsals will
run Monday and Wednesday evenings in January and February, though you may not need to be there for every rehearsal.
Please contact Natalie McManus, Director, for further information at [email protected] or301-610-9313.
The Window at the Back of the Sanctuary Part 2
The liturgy for the first day of the New Year is the wonderful passage from Ecclesiastes that we all recognize, and from which Pastor Jeff preached a
few weeks ago. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…” How appropriate for the
start of a new year. See Ecclesiastes 3:1-13. Epiphany Sunday (2009): Matthew 2:1-12 tells the story of
the Three Kings. The window is so very bright at the top yet
the bottom is all earth tones, fitting to remember the long journey the kings took to find the Baby Jesus.
Baptism of the Lord/First Sunday after the Epiphany: "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not
worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit." (Mark 1:7-8, NRSV) Remember your Baptism! (2014): It was finally a dry day with
sun after much rain, snow, and bitter cold. Light comes in the side windows, its rays shining ever so brightly on the heads of
those on the south side of the sanctuary. Those of us who wear glasses, and especially Sue Enders, always tried to
remember to remove them or duck as Pastor sprinkled Holy Water on us all to remember our baptisms!
Ardoth Hassler
Volume 44, Issue 1 Page 13
Disciple 1 Class Starting in January
Join a Great Class that Will Change Your Life
Starting in January, Betsy and Joe Samuel will lead a Disciple 1 class: Becoming
Disciples Through Bible Study. The Disciple Bible Study series is a year long program
providing a wonderful starting point for aspiring Bible students. The Disciple 1
curriculum covers the entire Bible in a 34-week program.
Here are some additional details from Cokesbury.com: DISCIPLE is a program of
disciplined Bible study aimed at developing strong Christian leaders. The study gives
the Old and New Testaments equal time, emphasizing the wholeness of the Bible as a
revelation of God. DISCIPLE draws upon the work of scholars, the personal Bible
reading and study of the participant, and dynamic group discussion to aid
understanding of the Bible.
Commitment and Time Involved:
Three and one-half to four hours of independent study each
week (40 minutes daily for leaders and 30 minutes daily for group members) in preparation for weekly group meetings.
Attendance at weekly 2.5-hour meetings.
Study Manual: Each member of the group needs a study
manual and a Bible. The Bible is the text for the study, and
the study manual will guide group members in their study
and preparation for the weekly group session. The study
manual also includes suggestions for individual research and
study-related activities. Space is provided for taking notes while reading Scripture, for
recording thoughts and questions arising out of daily study, and for notes during the
weekly group session.
Typically, the program runs from September to May. Joe and Betsy wanted to start a
class sooner rather than later, so we will start in January. The class will be split in two
parts: the Old Testament from January through May and the New Testament from
September through December.
To be most effective, the class should have ten to fifteen people. Please let us know if
you are interested in taking Disciple 1 by emailing Betsy Samuel ([email protected]) with your day and time preferences. This doesn’t commit
you at this point. If you have any other comments or questions, please email them to Betsy as well. If you are interested, Betsy will communicate directly with you
regarding class time and the purchase of a study manual. If there is not enough interest in a class starting in January, we will try again for the fall.
Betsy and Joe Samuel
Page 14 January 2015 Contact
New Year’s Resolutions
In the “ideas to ponder” department, make spiritual resolutions along with your
physical and monetary resolutions. The Spiritual may just give you the power to succeed in the others. But the Spiritual Resolutions need to be significant and a priority
to make a difference.
Let’s go for reading more of the Bible this year. You could try a One Year Bible, which
divides up the scripture into fifteen minute blocks of reading for each day of the year.
These books can be purchased in book stores or online. You can even go to YouVersion.com and get an app that will guide you to one of those reading plans.
You could read five psalms a day to help you with your prayer life. I usually number the psalms by day of the month when I get a new Bible. I can turn to the right day and
read the next five psalms as part of my prayer time. This will go a long way to help you in your own prayer life. You will learn you can pray and talk to God about
anything. The psalmists always did. You get a boost in your confidence at praying.
Pray more during the day. First thing in the morning, last thing at night, at meals, at
coffee break, at red lights on your way home. When you are waiting for the elevator, when you are put on hold, when that beach ball spins on your computer screen - all of
them can be a call to prayer for that moment.
A C T S: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication could be a way to style
your prayer time. Think about God and the beauty of a Creator. Come clean with God about what’s going on and know that God does forgive. Gratitude for all that you have
is always something good about which to pray. Think about something new you
haven’t thanked God for lately, or ever. Since we are to love God and love our neighbors, the last part of prayer could be about others. People on the care concern
list, people you know going through a rough time, people you hear about in the news, your family, your pastor, your church, your church leaders, your church’s plans and
ministries. You could even pray for schools as you drive by or for the families when you are stopped for a bus dropping off children. All of them can be a call to prayer.
Try a Sunday School class, or a Bible Study, or start one of your own with a couple of friends. I know the pastor would be happy to help you get one going. Take the Disciple
Bible Study at church this year. Decide you want to learn more about God and about your life as a follower of Jesus.
Worship more often. If you are in worship once a month, try for twice or three times. Worship when you are out of town and bring the bulletin back to the pastor. He loves
to get good ideas from other places.
Decide to get involved in the mission projects and services available in the church.
Let the Compass of North Bethesda guide your resolutions. W N E S: Worship God,
Nourish your Soul, Embrace your Neighbor, Share and Serve. There are many opportunities here to help your faith life develop. Come and join us for those.
Happy New Year.
Pastor Jeff
Volume 44, Issue 1 Page 15
Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 16
