The Good News

Pulaski Heights Christian Church – web: phcc-lr.org | February 2016 – Volume 69 No. 2

Easter...Bunny? Have you ever wondered how became associated with bunnies and ? I found this information at www.history.com

© Superbass / CC-BY-SA-4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons) PHCC is a Hillcrest community church affiliated with the Christian Church The Bible makes no mention of a long-eared, (Disciples of Christ). It has been at the corner of Spruce and Hillcrest short-tailed creature who delivers decorated eggs to since 1927. Our email is [email protected]. well-behaved children on Easter Sunday; nevertheless, the Easter bunny has become a prominent symbol of 2015-2016 Board: ’s most important holiday. The exact origins Moderator, Sam Ellis ([email protected]) of this mythical mammal are unclear, but rabbits, Secretary, Greg Pendleton([email protected]) known to be prolific procreators, are an ancient symbol Angela Frazier ([email protected]) of fertility and new life. According to some sources, the 2015-2016 Elder: Rebecca Frazier ([email protected]); Minister: Susan G. Miller Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an -laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made Inside this Issue nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the __Page 1 fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to Easter…Bunny? include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, __Page 2 while decorated baskets replaced nests. Additionally, —Thursday, March 24 at 6:00 p.m. children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping. __Page 3 Broadway Bridge Project – Lenten Luncheon EASTER EGGS __Page 4 Easter is a religious holiday, but some of its customs, April 2016 Birthdays & Events such as Easter eggs, are likely linked to pagan May 2016 Birthdays & Events traditions. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has February 2016 Stewardship Report been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to Prayer Requests represent ’ emergence from the tomb and Another snow photo resurrection. Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to at least the 13th century, according to some sources. One explanation for this custom is that The Good News – February 2016 – page 1

eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten Tenebrae—Thursday, March 24 at 6:00 p.m. season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then This year we are having a service on Thursday in eat them on Easter as a celebration. in which we will combine the traditional remembrance of the , and the story of the crucifixion which will be recalled through a service of Tenebrae. The word Tenebrae comes from the Latin and means, “shadows” or “darkness”. The Tenebrae is an ancient Christian service which uses the extinguishing of candle light to tell the story of Christ’s last days. The waning of the light Ikonact (via Wikimedia Commons) symbolizes the growing darkness of betrayal, cruelty, hunts and egg rolling are two popular egg- abandonment, and crucifixion. related traditions. In the U.S., the Easter We will tell the story through scripture, music, and Egg Roll, a race in which children push decorated, hard- dramatic monologues from some of the characters boiled eggs across the White House lawn, is an annual who were present with Jesus in his last days. event held the Monday after Easter. The first official White House egg roll occurred in 1878, when The diminishing light reminds us of the powerful Rutherford B. Hayes was president. The event has no shadows cast by sin ultimately resulting in the religious significance, although some people have darkness of Jesus’ death. It is true that Easter will considered egg rolling symbolic of the stone blocking blaze brightly with the light of Resurrection morning, Jesus’ tomb being rolled away, leading to his but before the morning comes the dark night. We resurrection. cannot understand the power of Easter Resurrection JELLY BEANS until we have stood at the cross and seen the power of darkness. It is hard to look upon the savior’s face when it is beaten, bruised and bleeding but we dare not look away. For it is here that we see the depths of his

mercy and love. Evan-Amos (via Wikimedia Commons) Please come as you are from work and join with your brothers and sisters as we remember his Jelly Beans are a sweet treat for children at Easter. Lately, people have also used them as a teaching tool sacrifice on the cross. using the colors of the beans to tell children about the story of Jesus. Here is one of the versions I found: Red is for the Blood He gave Green is for the Garden where he Prayed Orange is for the Edge of Night Yellow is for Easter morning Sun So bright Black is for the Sins We Made White is for the cleansing of his grace Purple is for his Hour of Sorrow Pink is for Our New Tomorrow

A bag full of Jelly Beans Colorful and Sweet, Is a prayer, Is a promise, Is a special treat

May the joy of Christ's Resurrection Fill your heart and Bless your life — Susan page 2 – The Good News – February 2016

Broadway Bridge Project History in February: Lenten Luncheon

space headline We made it through our first time serving our The first Friday after Ash Wednesday saw dozens of brothers and sisters who are homeless, and they guestsThis wraps arrive to at column noon for on the the Lenten right Worship Series as it seemed to survive. Ha. Ha. It was actually a wonderful began for 2016. Not all could stay for the Luncheon meal of lasagna, chicken spaghetti, green beans, corn, afterward, but we servedheadline 47 meals. Fr. Erik Pohlmeier of Holy Souls Catholic Church brought the sermon. Evelyn and garlic bread and everyone was very appreciative. Behrle made the food on Thursday night before, with help We had the double blessing of working with our fromThis wrapsBetty Joto Thibaultcolumn andon the Greg right Pendleton. Susan joined partners from Holy Souls Catholic Church. They have them on Friday morning to serve soup and drinks to the agreed to share half of the expenses and to help visitors. Below are some photos from the luncheon. provide volunteers. We look forward to a wonderful ecumenical partnership. Many thanks go to Greg Pendleton for responding to the call on his heart to get involved with this wonderful ministry. Greg did all the research about how to get started and what equipment we would need. He taught us all a new way to make lasagna! Thanks also to Bill Ward for all his help and efforts, especially at clean up time. We know that many people in our church care about this ministry and look Evelyn Behrle checking soup on Thursday night forward to having new people sign up. You can sign up conveniently at a page created on the website SignUpGenius.com, or tell Susan and Greg when you can serve. Everyone should also have received an email invite with a simple link to the signup page. (To use the website, enter this string in your URL bar: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0b4aafa923a3f 85-volunteer -- or click the link. That's a lot of keystrokes to enter. If you haven't received that email message, please send an email to [email protected] Fr. Erik Pohlmeier brought the sermon and tell the church office you want the link to the Broadway Bridge signup page. Due to security restrictions built into the site you cannot easily search for our page on their homepage.) We will be serving on the 3rd Monday of the month. Our next time to serve is March 21 -— what a wonderful way to start off Holy Week. We will cook on Sunday afternoon, March 20th and then come back in the afternoon of the 21st to finish cooking, and getting Hunter Hall was filled with soup eaters ready to transport the food. We will then transport and set up the food downtown, and serve it to our friends. Thank you to the folks at the Gary Holt law firm for letting us serve from their parking lot. Thanks also to Ron Cogburn for a donation of funds toward the ministry. Our next time to serve is fast approaching. It is Monday, March 21st. If you would like to volunteer to help please call the church office, or sign up online through “sign up genius”. Greg Pendleton, Betty Jo Thibault, Rev. Susan Miller —Susan enjoy the soup on Friday

The Good News – February 2016 – page 3

Events in April 2016 Events in May 2016 Birthdays in April 15 – Sue Jenkins; 16 – Chet Chaney; Birthdays in May -- Currently we have none 28 – Lindsey Summerlin; 30 – Jennifer Summerlin; Events of note 30 – Alana Ragsdale. 11 - 6:00 pm Board Meeting Events of note 20 – Sign June birthday cards. 13 - 6:00 pm Board Meeting 17 – Sign May birthday cards. Sunday School May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Sunday School Series Experiencing the Heart of Jesus Apr. 3, 10, 17, 24

Please Continue Prayers for: Rev. Susan Miller, John E., Betty A., Susan G., Ron C., Jean H., Paula S., Julia Faye C., Tyler; Heath H.; Kim P., Trip R., Marie G., Patsy B., Lynda C., Keith R., Joseph R., Furkan Y; those rebuilding in the Philippines and Nepal; those struggling with fear and loss; our Church; the homeless of Little Rock; the children of Khayelihle Children's Village in Zimbabwe; and others God leads you to know of.

February 2016 Stewardship Report February Budget Needs – $6,345.83 February Offering – $4,808.00 Other Income – $1,916.08 Total February Actual Income – $6,724.08

February Budgeted Expenses – $7,584.92 We had snow and ice on January 22, 2016. This was the only time February Actual Expenses – $7,168.16 so far in the winter of 2015-2016 that an appreciable amount of Net Loss for February – $ -444.08 frozen water settled on the Little Rock area. This photo was taken Sunday the 24th. In February we had a lot of clouds, and some rain, Fiscal-Year-to-date through 2/29/16 but no ice or snow. A lot of the Winter was warmer than usual. Offering – $28,197.77 Pulaski Heights Christian Church Other Income – $17,643.27 (501) 663-8149 Total FYTD Income – $45,841.04 4724 Hillcrest Ave. Little Rock, AR 72205 [email protected] ~ www.phcclr.org Expenses FYTD – $54,143.65 Sunday Worship ~ 10:30 a.m. Net Loss FYTD – $ -8,302.61 Rev. Susan G. Miller, Minister FYTD loss reflects a Q3 2015 loss in our Music Ministry ~ Stephen & Jeannie Cross Musician ~ Betty Jo Thibault Brown Fund investments of $5,129.25 Office Assistant ~ Tom Ryan page 4 – The Good News – February 2016