Join us on Sunday, January 28th, at 11:00 a.m. for worship!

Join us for Worship on Sundays at 11 am via YouTube

Use this bulletin to follow along when joining worship online

Use our Facebook page to watch Sunday services and stay connected

Upcoming Liturgists and Offering Assistants

Attend Adult Encounters with God via Zoom on February 4th

Attend Bible Study via Zoom on Tuesdays at 12 pm

Join our monthly book club via Zoom

Our church calendar has a full listing of all events at MAPC

Connect with members. Pass any updates to the Office!

Use this link to make an online contribution

Dear MAPC,

I’ve been thinking about a prayer from Rev. John Buchanan. He was the pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago and editor of “Christian Century.” Whenever he preached, he would offer this prayer first:

Startle us, O God, with your truth. Open our hearts and minds to your presence among us. Silence all those voices internal and external, clamoring for our attentions so that we hear your Word written and made flesh. Turn our attentions to you in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

When Jesus appears in the synagogue in Mark 1, people are startled and astonished. I wonder about our own capacity for being startled. It feels like something we often avoid, preferring the familiar and comforting. But what happens when we allow God to startle us? My guess is we are opened up to receive possibility and newness. We let down a guard that allows us to reflect on identity and purpose. Perhaps, we even let go of things that do not give us life.

How have you been startled by God? If so, what have you learned about yourself? 

Startle us, O God,

Lucinda

Children's Encounters with God: January 28

Children's Encounters with God will be held twice in January on Jan 21st and Jan 28th from 9:45am to 10:45am prior to service in the Educational wing. We will be starting a new series for 2024 entitled "Where is God?" For January, we will focus on God is in the Church.  

Future themes will include God is in Music, God is in Nature, God is in Giving/Acts of Service, and God is in Art. If anyone has gifts in these areas and would like to assist with activities or lesson planning, please email Anne Marciniak at [email protected]. We are excited to share the gifts of the congregation with the children.  

Encounters with God: February 4th

February 4th - Poppy Evans and Sequoia Powers-Griffin will lead a discussion on Caring and Compassionate Listening.

Being willing to listen with an open heart and mind can be especially difficult when there is disagreement. Together we will explore ways of resolving conflict and preserving relationships by improving our listening and communication skills.

Annual Congregational Meeting: Feb 4th

Immediately following worship on Feb 4th, we will have our Annual Congregational Meeting to receive the 2023 Annual Report and 2024 Budget. The new officers will be installed during worship.

Debbie VanKuiken's Artist Talk: Feb 4th

Every day

I see or hear

something

that more or less

kills me

with delight,

that leaves me

like a needle

in the haystack

of light.

It was what I was born for–

to look, to listen,

to lose myself

inside this soft world

~Mary Oliver

Debbie VanKuiken will be the artist in residence from February to April. Her photography is primarily of Eden Park. Inspired by Mary Oliver, Theroux, O’Keeffe, and Van Gogh to mention a few, she is continually astonished by new discoveries and beauty. Debbie will lead a brief artist talk on February 4 following the congregational meeting. 

New Leaders Elected!

At the Congregational Meeting, new members for Session, Board of Deacons, and Nominating Committee were elected. Our new leaders on the Board of Deacons are Patty Muhleman, Heather Graden, Marlene Muse, and Mark Schuller. Our new leader for the Nominating Committee is Judy Lindblad. Our new leaders on Session are Rich Bitting, Sandee Ernst, Judy Cunningham, Diane Myers, and Ruth Anne Van Loon. Click the link below to read their bios.

Per Capita: Giving Request

As you probably know, we are facing a challenging year financially in 2024. In years past, MAPC collected an annual “Per Capita” contribution from each member to defray the cost of our association with the Presbytery of Cincinnati and the PC-USA. If you are able to participate, a separate contribution to MAPC of $35 per member would be helpful and appreciated. To make a Per Capita contribution, please send or bring a check for the offering plate with “Per Capita” on the memo line. For more information about Per Capita expenses, please click on the following link.

X Marks the Spot, February 18!

In a uniquely campy storytelling formula, Mary Kroner’s lively one-woman musical offers an unexpected view of the intersecting forces of history, geology, and the present physical moment as experienced from one exact spot on earth. Audiences leave with a new perspective of their own physical placement and role in how things move forward from their moment here.

What’s radiating from your X?

Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church

103 William Howard Taft Rd.

Sunday, February 18

Doors open at 4:30 pm

Performance 5-6:00 pm

Q&A 6-6:30

Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be provided

This performance is a benefit for Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, Sierra Club, and Communities United for Action (CUFA).

Suggested donation is $15, more if you can, less if you can’t

Donations are accepted at the door

Two New Volunteer Opportunities

Give one a spin!

•  Starting on JAN 25th, Heartfelt Tidbits (HT) is offering ESL classes to newly arrived immigrants and asylum seekers. The class is held in HT’s new space in the Centennial Barn at 110 Compton Road (45215). Help someone learn English and gain confidence while making a new friend. Contact Lia Cavalaris at [email protected] or by calling 513-427-5354.

•  Join the Ignite Peace (IP) Flying Pig team. This is a big fundraiser for IP and a great way to raise your heart rate and make new friends. You have your choice of walks and/or races. Linda Ford is already on the team to walk the 5k. Find out more by emailing Hayley: [email protected]

Want to bundle diapers?

JOIN the Sweet Cheeks volunteer list!

Justice seeking committee is organizing a group of ten volunteers to go to the Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank on Tuesday, FEB. 20th, from 1 to 3 pm. Let Linda Ford know if you want to join this group of happy bundlers: Jackie Gruer, Patty Muhleman, Lisa Foster, Deb Carle, Mark Schuller, Poppy Evans, and Pat Basler. We plan to carpool from church at 11:30 am so that we can have lunch together at Camp Washington Chili before driving over to the diaper bank location on State Street. If it works better for you to drive directly over to the bank at 1 pm, that works too. Either way, please let Linda know of your interest so she can get you registered.

Filling the Free Fridge on a snowy Friday afternoon

A snowstorm may close the schools and slow the traffic, but it does not stop MAPC from filling the fridge on the Northside porch. There is a new fridge to replace the one that broke down, and it was empty on Friday, January 19th. With no place to go and other volunteers sheltering at home, Linda and Doug Ford prepared 30 servings of a hearty green lentil and Italian sausage soup to fill the fridge.

Let’s plan to cook again on Friday, FEB 23. Please contact Linda to join the cooking group. She would love someone to pick the recipe to be prepared and lead the team in its preparation.

PLEASE continue to donate clean 8 to 16-ounce size containers with tight-fitting lids. We also need plastic utensils that you often get with carry-out food.

Church Workday Rescheduled: Feb 10

Just show up in the church kitchen at 9:00 a.m. Enjoy coffee, donuts, camaraderie, & the satisfaction of making our beloved building shine.

Tasks for all skill levels: kitchen cleaning, labeling electric panels, carpet shampooing, Geier floor cleaning/waxing, etc.

"Thank you, MAPC Earth Care Group!" From the Hub

The MAPC Earth Care group, represented by Kathy Downey, Bill Stiver, Yana Keck, Linda and Doug Ford, Susan Ingmire, Judy Lindblad and Mark Schuller, volunteered at The Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub this past August 2023. The group volunteered as part of our church's "go green" mission and activities in support of positive environmental stewardship that benefits the planet, and in turn, ourselves. The note (below) is a "thank you" from the Hub in appreciation for our effort. 

Dear MAPC,

'Tis the season for being grateful, and we absolutely appreciate you! Thank you for your generous donation of your time and energy to the Hub! We couldn't have saved over 120 tons from the landfill without your support. You have truly made a difference. On behalf of the Hub and the planet, we thank you and look forward to your continued support for our environment in 2024. 

Thank you, 

Amy Gable

Hub Volunteer

The Earth Care group plans to return to the Hub this year for a couple of volunteer shifts to assist with operations. If you are interested in participating in a Hub volunteer shift (with other MAPC congregation members) or future MAPC Earth Care activities, contact Kathy Downey at [email protected] or Mark Schuller at [email protected].

Third Way Peace Potlucks

The leadership team for the partnership between MAPC and the Third Way would like anyone to join us on Thursday evening for their Peace Potluck in Northside.

Right now we have two opportunities to help with their mission. One is the monthly cooking with Linda Ford to "fill the free fridge," watch for her announcements. The second way is for you to attend one of the Peace Potlucks on Thursday evening. Here is the information you'll need to know:

Northside

4234 Hamilton Ave (big white house next to CAIN food pantry)

Look for the blue awning in the parking lot. 

5:00-6:00 preparing the food (go to the second floor of the white building.)

6:00-8:00 dinner is served

Come to volunteer to cook food or come to share a meal and meet the other volunteers and the people in the neighborhood. Jono Sparks-Franklin is your contact person from Third Way. Both opportunities are extremely rewarding! If you want more information contact Diane Smith.

Brass Fellowship Concert at St. William - Jan 28th

The Mt. Auburn Brass Fellowship enters its 30^th year in 2024. As part of that celebration, we are delighted to return to St. William for a concert combining brass, organ and choir on January 28, 3:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.

The program will include music of Gabrieli, Strauss, and newer composers we have discovered. The music is a blend of religious and secular inspiration, but it all will raise spirits when performed in the awesome acoustic of St. William. Bring friends and family for this memorable event. Open to the public. Free admission. (Free will offering accepted). 

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/MtAuburnBrassFellowship/ or email [email protected] .

The December session meeting minutes are now available at [email protected]. The meeting included community circle planning, approval of a preliminary budget, and calling a congregational meeting to receive the slate of new officers from the nominating committee.

One highlight of the meeting was thanking Faye Burdick, with deep appreciation, for her six years of service as Clerk of Session. We also thanked Elders Yana Keck and Ellen Muse for their service.



Session’s next regular scheduled meeting is Wed. Jan 24, 7 pm in the MAPC conference room and by ZOOM. 

A list of Session members can be found in the MAPC newsletter. If you have any questions about our work, please don't hesitate to reach out. Please remember that ALL are welcome to attend the Session meeting – currently on the 4^th Wednesday of the month. We meet at 7 pm via in-person & Zoom. You will be in observation mode unless you request “privilege of voice” at the beginning of the meeting.

February Open Stacks Book Group

MAPC Open Stacks Book Group

Date: Friday, February 9, 2024 (RESCHEDULED)

Time: 7:00 Social Hour & 7:30-9:00 Book Discussion

Place: MAPC Geier Room

           Zoom Option Available

Book Selection: Apeirogon

Author: Colum McCann

Book Synopsis

Bassam Aramin is Palestinian. Rami Elhanan is Israeli. They inhabit a world of conflict that colors every aspect of their daily lives, from the roads they are allowed to drive on, to the schools their daughters, Abir and Smadar, each attend, to the checkpoints, both physical and emotional, they must negotiate.

Their worlds shift irreparably after ten-year-old Abir is killed by a rubber bullet and thirteen-year-old Smadar becomes the victim of suicide bombers. When Bassam and Rami learn of each other's stories, they recognize the loss that connects them and they attempt to use their grief as a weapon for peace.

McCann crafts Apeirogon out of a universe of fictional and nonfictional material. He crosses centuries and continents, stitching together time, art, history, nature, and politics in a tale both heartbreaking and hopeful. Musical, cinematic, muscular, delicate, and soaring, Apeirogon is a novel for our time.

Looking Ahead…

March 1, 2024 Book Selection

Book: The First Ladies

Author: Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

7 Dan Parsley

8 Pat Basler

Rachel Timm Holmer

10 Marcia Alscher

Nan Costello

11 Chris Basler

Christine Montefiore

Keith Syler

16 Rick Sowash

Debbie VanKuiken

17__Jane Carter

20 Amy Beegle

Deb Carle

Ella Mae Thigpen

20 Amy Beegle

Deb Carle

Ella Mae Thigpen

22 Harold Porter

Joaquin Leavitt-Alcántara

23 John Tallmadge

Nori Muro 

27 Judy Rhodes

28 Chap Sowash

29 Lisa Foster

31 Kathleen Downey

Bill Porter

JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES

6 – Lori Anthony & Lori Elliott

17 – Pat & Gary Basler

21 – Margaret Champion & Bo Miller

29 – Marianne Puntenney & Susan Osborn

OHIO DEATH ROW INMATES WITH JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

Remembering Jesus’ words, “I was in prison and you visited me,” please, take time to read this list and offer a prayer for each of them. Cards have been sent to the following inmates: Iman Siddique Abdulla Hasan, James Were, Danny Hill, David Myers, August Cassano, James Goff, Jerome Henderson, Samuel Moreland, Calvin Neyland, James Tench, George Brinkman, Christopher Whitaker, Austin Myers

If you want to see something on the prayer list,

please email [email protected]

and note how long it should remain on the list.

• Eric Burgmann as he recently underwent a stem cell transplant and faces a long recovery; and also for his wife, Linda Vaccariello as she provides care.
• Please pray that comfort and healing can come to Sonya Harry, wife of former MAPC choir member, Alison Perkins. Sonya has Stage 4 metastatic sarcoma. Cards are appreciated. 9321 Streamview Ct. Dayton, OH 45458
• Prayers for Elizabeth Marsh-Singh as she recovers from surgery.
• Prayers for Russell Marsh and family.
• Prayers for Brit Harwood and his family in the loss of his oldest son, Hamilton J. Harwood, due to an acute cardiac arrest on January 10, 2024. 
• Prayers for peace in Ukraine, Gaza, and around the world.

DONATE ONLINE

Now you can participate in the mission and ministry of Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church through convenient online giving! Scan the QR code with the camera on your phone and it will bring you directly to our donation website. Thank you for your generous support. 

NEWSLETTER

To include announcements for the weekly newsletters, contact Heidi at the Office. Please include the title "WEEKLY NEWSLETTER" in the subject line and note how long your announcement should remain in the newsletter. Email Heidi by 2pm on Thursday to be included in the newsletter the following day on Friday. This includes ALL events, prayer requests, and other items of interest. Thank You!!