Deacon's Corner - March 2025
Most
of us, at one time or another, have seen a marching band perform in a stadium.
The precise, in unison steps and crisp maneuvers are, in actuality, military
drills. Referred to as “U.S. Military drill and ceremony”, these exercises have
historical origins dating back to early European military protocols that were
specifically adapted to fit the needs of the American armed forces, with
particular emphasis on discipline, precision and uniformity. The successful
performance of any of these drills is accomplished through what are called
“drill commands”.
Most
drill commands consist of two parts: the Preparatory Command and the Command of
Execution. The Preparatory Command tells the marching soldier what movement is
to be performed and is designed to mentally prepare that soldier to execute
it. The Command of Execution tells when
the movement is to be carried out. For example: In the drill command “Forward,
MARCH”, The preparatory command is “forward” and the command of execution is “MARCH”.
In
last month's article we found that from a Biblical perspective February
represents a season of preparation and anticipation of new beginnings. Our
spiritual “Preparatory Command” if you will. As we enter March those
preparations turn to action as scripture encourages us to actively embrace
hope, experience transformation and concentrate on spiritual renewal, our
spiritual “Command of Execution”. Although March is not specifically mentioned
in the Bible, historical events that correspond with this time of the year make
the month scripturally and spiritually significant.
The
Israelites' exodus from Egypt occurred in the month of March, symbolizing
liberation, redemption and the beginning of a new chapter for God's chosen
people. March features significant events like Passover, symbolizing liberation
and freedom, which are central to both Jewish and Christian traditions. The month also marks the onset of spring
paralleling the resurrection of Jesus during Easter. “Therefore, if anyone
is in Christ, the New Creation has come. The old has gone and the new is here!”
2Corrinthians 5:17
The
Deacons will be both planning and doing for the month of March. We will be
conducting our rescheduled bake sale to benefit the Open Door Mission's Code
Blue shelter operation on March 16th. Bakers are asked to drop off
their dishes prior to worship on that day. On a positive note, despite the
weather that caused the bake sale to be rescheduled, the Super Bowl Pizza Kit
sale did take place and raised $440.
During
March we will be concentrating on preparations for our April mailing of cards
to our college students and military members, as well as our annual plant
deliveries to our Friends At Home.
We
will also have a sign up (and accept donations) for the April 27 Crop Walk on
Sunday March 30th and another the following week on April 6th.
A
couple of recurring items: We encourage any of you who have not signed into the
Open Door Mission's Volunteer Hub to take advantage of this convenient way to
volunteer for a number of different tasks that are available all the time.
Contact Tammy Lampkin at b02@b.volunteerhub.com. If you
have any difficulty, contact Corinne Fitzgerald (corinne.menke@gmail.com) or me (thomvideo@aol.com). Keep in
mind that our own food pantry can always use help!
And remember that your Deacons are a ministry
of service. Please reach out to us if you or someone you know should be in a
situation dealing with illness, injury, surgery, grief or any other occurrence
and could use a little assistance, be it as simple as a ride, an extra hand, a
pot of soup, or a meal. Contact any deacon or the Church office.
“Let us not be
weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not
give up.” – Galatians 6:9
Tom Genovese for the Deacons