Region 3 News

Congratulations!
Rev. Tom Bohache and Tom Laughingwolf Simmons were legally married at St. John's Chapel at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, on November 29, 2005, with the Rev. Robert Griffin presiding.

Rev. Kharma Amos was accepted into the Doctoral Program at Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA.

New Life MCC of Hampton Roads Has Moved!
As of January 1st New Life MCC of Hampton Roads has a new home and worship times:

New Life MCC of Hampton Roads
5701 Thurston Drive, Suite 101
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
(757) 460-5805
nlmccprayers@aol.com

Worship Times - 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM

Mailing address:
P. O. Box 8002
Norfolk, VA 23503

Prayer Request
Rev. Delores Berry is in the hospital. The doctors have determined that she has pneumonia, infection in both kidneys and a urinary tract infection. Her blood pressure is stabilized and the kidneys are beginning to function more and of course they are giving her lots of antibiotics. She is more alert and is improving. Thanks everyone for your notes and prayers.

Remember cards and well wishes can be sent to:
Email: revdberry@aol.com
Rev. Delores P. Berry Evangelistic Ministry
Judy Kiser
314 Bentley Ridge Blvd
Lancaster, PA 17602

'EIGHT IRREFUTABLE LAWS FOR THE MUSIC MINISTRY'
From Imago Dei MCC's Newsletter, compiled by Zoe

If a musician has singers, please get the song list to your singers as well as to Jim/Karla, so they know what they are singing! (Remember to email Jim at his home as well as at the church).

If possible, please rehearse before the day of the service with your singers (e.g. the previous Sunday, after worship), so you will all know where the cues are etc. If you practice on the day, please be at church early enough to get your practice done by 10.15am. (and notify your singers as to what time to arrive). There is to be no rehearsing 15 minutes before any service.

This may require photocopying or printing, but instead of using multiple books, and shuffling through papers, please put copies of all songs to be sung that service in one folder, to make it easy to just turn the page and have the music in front of you. These copies can have clearer instruction written on them, and can be used again! (See note below…) (as a sideline…I've been doing this since I started, as it made me too flustered trying to find things in books…To begin with, it does take some work to get a music/song sheet library together, but once you have started the process, it really becomes easier…I have a worship service folder, which contains all the music for the service, plus a huge folder, which has four dividers - HYMNBOOK SONGS; NON-HYMNBOOK SONGS; COMMUNION; SPECIAL MUSIC. I also have a separate folder for Christmas, Easter and Good Friday.)

SINGERS: YOU ALL HAVE BEAUTIFUL VOICES!!! SO, SING OUT, LOUISE!!! As you are the ones leading the congregation in the singing, let's hear those beautiful voices!!!! If you are unsure of the song that day, contact the musician and ask when would be good to get together for practice - even if it is Sunday before the service, arrange a specific time to go over the songs.

If you are planning to sing only a few verses in a song, please provide Jim those verses, so the numbers can be printed in the Order of Service, this will be easier for the congregation to remember by seeing the verses written down, than by just being told.
PIANO PLAYERS: This piano is FUN!!!! You can do all sorts of things to it, including transposing!!!! If a key seems a little high to sing in, then hit 'Customize' on the touch screen, hit 'Transpose' then hit one of the keys on the touch screen, and play with it until you find a sing-able key! It's actually quite fun and easy…Just remember to make a note of it on your music sheet, so you remember to transpose when the song is played.

You may want to spend a bit of time getting to know the piano…y'know, take it out for a nice meal somewhere…OK, Maybe not THAT drastic, but whenever you get the time, check it out and check out some of the other functions that it does…I did, and I didn't break it…WOOHOO!!!!!

ALL MUSICIANS: If you have copies of songs you want to play at church on a CD, and it is a song that your singers do not know, if you are able to, burn a CD with the song(s) so they can practice on their own: Marla especially has done this for many services, and it is a tremendous help when we cannot all meet regularly. I know many of us have limited time, or, especially in Shelly's case, live some distance from the Church, so it is difficult to meet for additional times etc. but with a bit of planning, even if it is practicing on Sundays, these are ways of possibly making it easier on all of us ? I hope this can be of some assistance to you…Getting a music/song sheet library together is very helpful (keeping it in alphabetical order is the killer!!!), and keeping channels of communication open between us all is essential to keeping this great team of people we have on the music ministry. I KNOW I DON'T JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I SPEAK FOR REV. KARLA AND MARLA WHEN I SAY YOU ALL ROCK!!! We are SO grateful to have you step up and share your gifts with the congregation, and though it may seem nerve-wrecking right now (!!!) It will get easier as you overcome those nerves, and as you get more comfortable with the things you can do, and more familiar with the different things. Remember: We're all here to help you out…If you need any help, don't be afraid to ask…

IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CCLI WEB SITE, HERE'S THE INFO: www.CCLI.com

Rev. Elder Ackerman's January Schedule
Rev. Elder Arlene Ackerman is currently visiting the churches in North and South Carolina. She has already visited MCC Charleston, MCC of the Upstate and MCC Columbia. Today she will be in Charlotte, NC visiting New Life MCC. Her schedule the rest of the week is as follows:

Tuesday, MCC Charlotte
Wednesday, St. Jude's MCC, Wilmington, NC
Thursday, St. John's MCC, Raleigh, NC
Friday, Imani MCC, Durham, NC
Saturday and Sunday, MCC Winston-Salem

15 Ordination service - Rev. Roben Wadell, MCC of the Spirit, Harrisburg, PA
16 - 18 Holiday & Days off
19 office
21 Conference Planning Team - Pittsburgh, PA
22 - 24 Days off
25 - 27 office
27 - 29 Vision of Hope MCC - Leadership Training

When Rev. Ackerman is away on vacation you can obtain information on who to reach in case of emergency by calling the office phone number 717 898-3713. When Arlene is traveling away from the office you can reach her by cell phone. Please remember, the cell phone does not work when Arlene is at her home or office