Calvin Commentary

4201 Transcontinental Dr.

Metairie, LA 70006

504.888.1375 JULY 2015 www.johncalvinchurch.org

Calendar of

Events

NO WEDNESDAY CHOIR

REHEARSAL

CASUAL SUNDAY CONTINUES

7/3 – CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED

7/6 – 7/10 – PS SUMMER CAMP

7/13 – 7/17 – PS SUMMER CAMP

7/20 – 7/24 – VBS

7/26 – OLD FASHION HYMN SING

From the Study Window Cultivating Resilience

Getting knocked down is as basic as being human and so is the desire to get back up. All human beings get knocked down and all long to be back up. The difference between those who repeatedly get back up and those who don’t is the difference between those who are able to lead and those who aren’t. The name for this difference is resilience. Resilience is the ability to get back up again and again and again and again. It is not unique to leaders but it is essential for long term leadership. In his book on spotting exceptional talent, George Anders notes that one of the best predictors of effectiveness in leaders is resilience. Christians in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s letters and other New Testament books, display remarkable resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges. In addition to the normal challenges of poverty and sickness that were rife in the ancient world, Christians faced serious division within and lethal persecution from without major miscalculations in strategy, authority, crises, etc. Taken individually any one of these things would be enough to knock one down; taken together they show a community in acute stress and under such circumstances it would be all too easy for leaders to just give up. Instead this is how one of them responded: “we are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus sake so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body so then death is at work in us but life is at work in you. In short we are resilient for your sake”. Such resilience is not an inner strength or confidence. Resilience in the Christian sense is a kind of lived hope, a way to keep getting up again that has its roots in God’s permanent faithfulness. The question is, can such resilience be cultivated? Kavin Rowe a professor at Duke Divinity School suggests that it can and he points to three ways we can do so. First, he suggests that we can recalibrate our imaginations to the reality of profound difficulty as a natural part of life. He points out that in the developed world there is a pervasive sense that good things should be relatively easy to get and hold onto. The problem is the world won’t cooperate with this view and instead keeps sending us things that knock us down. In the face of reality, we should learn to expect struggle and even gross failure as parts of life as we know it. This is the not yet of Christian knowledge of the world. Changing our expectations of what the world owes us has the potential to disclose many of the ways in which we already exhibit resilience in daily life - the ability to go each day to a job we don’t really like, to face hard relationships with the hope of something better, to sacrifice our needs for someone else’s sake, etc. Accepting the difficulty of life in the world allows us to note daily forms of resilience; and attending to these develops the skill of discerning hope in the context of the struggle of life. Second, we need to establish sites of hopefulness in the midst of despair. Such things as STAIR, meals for the homeless, and the anonymous groups are classic examples of places where this is being done. Such things are the now of Christian knowledge of the world. By learning how to hope, people in despair learn how to get back up again and develop resilience step by step. Third as these examples indicate, resilience is best learned in community. We often think of resilience in individual terms this or that person is resilient. But communities of hope, which is what Christian communities are, are places that have resilience written into their being. They are founded on hope and their very existence testifies to the fact that getting back up is not simply a matter of individual will. We can be helped back up, and can learn how to help others up. Because of God’s work in Christ, we can quite literally hope for someone else and they can hope for us. Start talking with resilient leaders and soon enough you will see that someone helped them in a time when they couldn’t get back up. Resilience in this sense is a communal practice, the fruit of a common life rooted in hope. Resilient leaders are those who are best able to grab hold of the hope of the community in the face of failure after failure. In Christ’s Service, Rev. Harry Brown

MUSIC NOTES By: William Memmott

Summertime is a time of trips and vacations

-- and noticeable absenteeism. But even

though the choir loft is less full (and the

pews are more empty than filled), there is a

healthy spirit of worship going on. The

hymns seem just as loud, the orchestra plays

just as joyously, and the keyboards ping

along with as much enthusiasm. Perhaps it's

the anticipation of Labor Day and the return

to school. At least it's putting vacation days

behind us and moving back into normalcy.

As the choir leaves Wednesday night

rehearsals behind and enjoys the month of

August off, our attention focuses on what

comes as we return to full engagement in

the fall. In the meantime July 26 will mark

our annual "Old Fashioned Hymn Sing." Be

sure to scribble your favorites on a bulletin

insert. We will honor as many as

possible. Then rehearsals resume; we sing

in October for the Gathering of Choirs at St.

Clement of Rome; in November we join

forces with orchestra and guest singers at

The University of New Orleans to sing the

new Memmott oratorio, "For Such a Time

As This" (the life of Esther -- fulfillment of

requirements for a Masters Degree in

composition); and our Christmas Concert,

"A New Generation Sings Christmas"

(featuring more recent songs and anthems

for Christmas (you're goin' love this!).

I know there is vocal and instrumental talent

that could join us in Music Corner. As you

near Labor Day why not consider it? We

invite you!

Enjoy your summer days. And think

"Church Music." Soli Deo Gloria!

Birthdays

2 Andrew Palermo 8 Sandy Mundell 12 Mike (Roy) Wade 13 Erica Nelson 13 Kate Corcoran 13 Layne Corcoran 17 Jan Bagwell 18 Dian Ashurst 19 Mel Morrell 19 Joshua Bush 21 Emily Garland 21 Wyatt Stropolo 22 Langley Laporte 22 Sofia Hill 23 Kelly Frost Kron 25 Amy Fernandez 28 Portia Robinson 29 Amy Cardinale 29 Robert Malsbary 29 Christian James Herbert 31 Jeff Ferguson I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you.

- Philippians 1:3-4

SAVE THE DATE! When: Sunday, August 30th Time: 2:00 p.m Event: Summertime Sipping and Socializing Where: Nancy Davis’ home (641 Brouilly Dr. Kenner) Mark your calendars and join the John Calvin Presbyterian Women Board members for this end of summer event. We will be celebrating summer fun and the beginning of another school year. All women members and friends of the church are invited. Children are welcome with open arms. Learn about our supportive and fun Presbyterian Women Circles, and about the upcoming year’s circle reading selection. Summertime nibbles, wine and soft drinks will be provided.

We are in the midst of our Summer Camp with the last two weeks coming up in July. The kids are having a great time with crafts and various activities. We look forward to our school year starting on September 9, but until then we are enjoying all that summer has to offer. We have limited openings available, if you know of any young families that may be interested in experiencing all the wonderful things our playschool has to offer, let them know. -Lauren Oufnac

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL is fast approaching!. If you haven’t signed up yet, or would like to volunteer, please contact Laurie Robinson at 504.888.1375. You may register online at www.johncalvinchurch.org, or stop by the church office and pick up a registration

form. VBS is July 20-24 from 9am - Noon If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Robinson at 504.888.1375.

PROGRAM OF HOPE UPDATE - We’re pleased to report (with thanks) that we have 15 volunteers (notwithstanding, summer hiatus/vacations). We’re good to go – and underway – purchasing supplies for July (June 30 is our start date). We’ll be communicating directly with our volunteers in the coming days. BTW, as many as 120 people were served during the most recent Wednesday. We’ll be prepared! Importantly, we are collecting your donations of SEASONAL clothing, shoes, hygiene items (small sizes), fresh underwear and socks, backpacks and luggage. Men’s items are particularly needed. Thank you for your past generosity. Please keep those whom we serve and the Program in your prayers. -Richard Britson