In This Issue

Holy Week

Youth and Children News 

Easter Eggs Needed 

Madison Square All Church Retreat

GENDER IDENTITY & OUR FAITH COMMUNITIES

Early Morning Service – 8:50 am 

Wednesday Nights 

Children’s Education Changes 

MSPC Book Club List

The Deacons of MSPC

April Birthdays

Important Dates

Wednesday, April 1
10:00 am MSPC Writer’s Group
5:30 pm Bible Study
6:00 pm Dinner
7:15 pm, Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, April 5 – Palm Sunday
Worship, 8:50 am
Sunday School  9:30 am
9:30 am  Discovery Class
Worship/Cantata 10:50 am

Wednesday, April 8
5:30 pm Bible Study
6:00 pm Dinner
7:15 pm, Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, April 12 – Easter Sunday
Somewhat Sunrise Service, 8:30 am
 Easter in the Park  9:00 am – 10:30 am
Easter Breakfast  9:30 am – 10:30 am
Easter Worship 10:50 am

Wednesday, April 15
5:30 pm Bible Study
6:00 pm Dinner
6:15 pm, Bell Choir
7:15 pm, Choir Rehearsal

Sunday, April 19
Worship/Communion, 8:50 am
Sunday School, 9:30 am
Worship 10:50 am
Deacon’s Meeting 12:15 pm

 Wednesday, April 22
5:30 pm Bible Study
6:00 pm Dinner
6:15 pm, Bell Choir
7:15 pm, Choir Rehearsal


Sunday, April 26
Worship/Communion, 8:50 am
Sunday School, 9:30 am
Worship 10:50 am
Nominating Committee Meeting   12:15 pm

April Birthdays

 1 – Roy Horn
2 – Tyler Edwards
       Jeannie Whitley
4-  Valerie Oates
5 – Morgan Matson
      Cat Lookabaugh
10 – Amy Reznicek
11 – Joyce Jones
12 – Roy Balter
        Paul Vasquez
13 – Carol Johnson
14 – Deardra Sprott
15 – Micaela Reznicek
16 – Rebecca Baker
        Anne Mulligan
17 – Steve Marbach, Jr.
         Matt Jeffreys
         Philip Townsend
         Billy Stallings
18 – R. J. Crowder-Schaefer
19 – Diana Oxford
20 – Katsy Murphy
         Amy Wilson
         Krista Welch
         Bobby J. Jones
         Rosella Kliewer
21 – Al Townsend
         Charlie Regalado
22 – Dawn Martin
        Caroline White
23 – Ben Lytle
25 – Jane Armstrong
26 – Suzanne Klose
29 – Weston Boyd
         Wes Marcinowski
30 – Vick Williams
         Bud Robinson
         Clarissa Zamora

the Messenger is the monthly newsletter of Madison Square Presbyterian Church.  Please email your announcements to be published, questions, and comments to: church@msqpc.org

Deadline for publication in the newsletter is the 25th of each month.

Easter Morning
Somewhat Sunrise Service – 8:30 – 9:00 am
Easter in the Park – 9:00 – 10:30 am
Easter Breakfast – 9:30 – 10:30 am
Easter Worship – 10:50 am

Youth and Children News

SUNDAY, April 5 - Palm Sunday    Children join in carrying in palms

GOOD FRIDAY LOCK-IN  - Youth Event  7 p.m till 9 a.m.
New Confirmands and the rest of the youth will gather for a night of fun learning.

EASTER IN THE PARK - All are invited!
     8:30 a.m. Almost Sunrise Service
     9 a.m.  Crafts, Games, Petting Zoo, Pony Ride, Easter Egg Hunt and More!
     9:30-10:30  Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall
     10:50 a.m.  Easter Worship

Easter Eggs Needed
The Easter Bunny needs help. Next time you are at the store pick up a bag or two of plastic eggs and fill them with your favorite treats, and then drop them off in the church office! Thanks for your help!

Madison Square Church Retreat
– May 29 – 31 – Friday, Saturday & Sunday

Join us at beautiful Mo Ranch, a Presbyterian Conference Center on the Guadalupe River, in the heart of the hill country. If you have never been to Mo Ranch, check out their website: www.moranch.com

Here is the tentative schedule:
Friday evening – the adults will gather for happy hour, while the children and youth have a swim party.
Saturday: planned activities for the morning Afternoon and evening will be free time.
Sunday: Morning worship at Mo Ranch’s beautiful outside chapel on the hill overlooking the Guadalupe River. After breakfast is free time.

Cost/Housing:
Wynn/Flato (1-4 people – two queen beds per room) $190.00
Pheasant Run (1-4 people – two full beds per room)  $170.00
Guest Lodge (single beds – dorm style)                     $70.00

Meals – Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday breakfast = Adults - $36.00 and Children (4-12) - $26.00

See Pastor Kenny for more information.

GENDER IDENTITY & OUR FAITH COMMUNITIES
presented by THE Human Rights Campaign Foundation

Please join our community for an opportunity to explore the intersections of gender identity, gender expression and our religious beliefs. This educational workshop will help you demystify transgender experiences and invoke the compassion for diversity we are called to show all God’s children.

WHEN:
Sat., April 18, 2009
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
WHERE:
Madison Square
Presbyterian Church
319 Camden Street
San Antonio, TX 78215

Dr. Dawnne Woodie was born deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas to a Southern Baptist pastor and his wife. Dr. Woodie became third generation Baptist preacher in her family, before her transition. Currently, she lives in San Francisco and sits on the National Advisory Council for the Religion and Faith department for HRC and is the National Executive Director of Outreach Program for Transgenders In Crisis (OPTIC). Dr. Woodie says she will work to do all she can to bring pride in who we are to the public eye, and to make a difference in all our lives for the better.

Free and open to the public

Early Service Sunday Mornings Now Begins at 8:50 a.m.

Wednesday Nights

The Wednesday Night Bible Study reflects on the scripture that will be preached on the following Sunday. A diverse group gathers to share insights, ask questions and pray together.
The group moves from the Parlor to the fellowship hall for a prepared dinner. All are invited!
Many other activities happen on Wednesday nights.
Bible Study 5:30-6:30 pm
Dinner 6:30-7:00 pm
Bell Choir 6:15-7:15 pm
Choir Practice 7:15-8:15 pm

Children's Education Changes

Sunday Morning Schedule
9:15 a.m     Eddie’s Taco House
Come by the kitchen and grab a taco and some orange juice.
9:30 to 10 :15 a.m.     Children’s Choir
Meet in the sanctuary and we will work on music for special worship services like World Communion Sunday and the “Come As You Are Christmas Pageant.”
10:15-10:40 a.m.     Sunday School
Once choir is over join Linda and Erin in the 3rd floor children’s room. If you are hoping to light candles or ring the bell during worship this is the place to be.
10:50 a.m. Worship
At 10:40 the children will move to the 1st pew in the sanctuary. Children are invited to sit with our staff or with parents/guardians.
Worship
10:50-12 noon
Children begin worship in the sanctuary and then move to an experiential worship experience.
Godly Play (approximate ages 3 years to 8 years)
Godly Play is a methodology that uses a storyteller telling a holy story with moveable pieces, wondering about that story, and then using creative stations to help us interpret our feelings, our wonderings, our questions about the stories and how they lead us to God.
This is our third year to use Godly play with the kids & we have found that they are growing exponentially every year we use it. The wondering that they do at the end of a story is so amazingly complex and insightful that it often takes our breath away. What amazing kids we have!
Diving into Discussion (approximate ages 9 years to middle school)
This group will read the same scripture that is being read in the sanctuary. With the help of Pastor Kenny they will discuss what the scripture means in their lives.
After the sermon, the middle school aged kids will go back into church with Pastor Kenny and the elementary aged children will join Linda in the children’s room.
Special Days: While every day is a special one at Madison Square, here are some important dates for the children of the church.

 
MSPC Book Club List

April 3: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer; hosted by Jo McIver

May 1: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (DO NOT READ THE BLURB ON THE INSIDE COVER PRIOR TO READING THE NOVEL!); hosted by Betty Lynn Allen and led by Carol Frere

June 5: 1421: The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies; hosted by Beth Weiss and led by Richard McLean.

September 11: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen; hosted by Robin Raquet

October 2: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe; hosted by Rebecca Baker

November 6: title will be announced later; hosted by Jerry Correu

December 4: The Torch of Life (formerly titled Dr. Ida) by Dorothy Clarke Wilson; hosted by Dorothy Williams

January 8: select books for 2010; hosted by Carol Frere

February 5: TBA… suggestions or volunteers?

The Deacons of MSPC

Susan Scales
Diane Stallings
Rey Menchaca

Patricia Oxford
Randy Rice
Ken Sheppard

Jo McIver
Katsy Murphy
Kathy Sakai
Bobby Holmes

“Deacons offer a caring ministry in their commitment of compassionate, faithful, trustworthy and Christ-centered lives.  The Madison Square Presbyterian Church deacons offer a safe, caring outlet for anyone experiencing a life crisis or challenge which could include divorce, loss of a loved one, hospitalization, illness, relocation, retirement, unemployment, empty nest or other life transitions.”