Lamp - Presbyterian Church of Fredericksburgfredericksburgpc.org/wp-content/uploads/Newsletter-January-2012-.pdfJen Rowe, 373-6633, ([email protected]) for more information. VBS July

Church School Winter Schedule

2012

On the INSIDE

Fellowship ........................ 2

PW News ......................... 3

CE .................................... 3

Mission ............................. 4

Stewardship .................. 4,5

Youth ............................... 6

Birthdays & Milestones .... 7

Our Fall semester was

tremendous thanks to our

teachers and the children,

youth and adults who par-

ticipated in the classes on

Sunday morning.

We invite you to join us

for a new semester on Sun-

day, January 8, that will

kick-off with BRUNCH at

9:30 a.m., in the Fellowship

Hall. You do not need to

bring any food or beverages

as that will be provided by

the Christian Education

Committee. Everyone will

move to their classes at

10:00 a.m. A description of

adult classes and locations

along with where children

and youth classes meet are

in the brochure included in

this newsletter .

Parents of 8th graders:

Eighth graders who are in

Confirmation will go to the

6th-8th grade class on Janu-

ary 8 & 15. Beginning on

January 22, they will meet

with the Confirmation Class

on the 2nd floor of the Mid-

dle House.

A Publication of The Presbyterian Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia Lamp

A New Year Begins Think for a moment about the bubbly quality of sparkling sodas, and juices.

Can you remember when they tickled your nose as a child? Or as an adult, how does

the effervescent fizz of certain drinks impress you?

―Laughter is carbonated holiness,‖ says Anne Lamott.

While you are toasting and celebrating, think about this unexpected image from the

distinguished writer. Maybe sharing a little carbonated holiness can help us start the

New Year on a good footing, with a more joyful demeanor.

A smile, a grin, or full-bodied laughter is such a gift in our super-serious world. It re-

minds us of friendship, of joy, of playfulness. And, it’s contagious.

Try it out today: see if you can help others break from their blank boredom, their

frowning sternness, or the veneers of cynicism and indifference that pancake so many

faces like mortuary make-up.

And ask yourself if you have lost sight of the great response to the opening question

of the Westminster Catechism: ―What is the chief end of man?‖ ―…to glorify God and

enjoy Him forever.‖

Being committed to glorifying God may just keep you open to laughter, joy, a more

balanced view of yourself and those you love. Do you suppose that laughing together

might even help keep us more faithful disciples?

Carbonated holiness seems as if it may be worth sharing!

Cheers,

Page 2 The Lamp The Presbyter ian Church

Fellowship & Small Groups

Prime Timers Prime Timers will go to the Bavarian

Chef (Old Train Station – 200 Lafayette

Blvd) on Wednesday, January 11, at 11:30

a.m. We will order from the menu and pay

by individual check. Please make a

reservation with Marcia or Neil Corry, 548

-4625 by January 4.

Forever Young The January Forever Young luncheon will

be on Tuesday, January 24, at 11:30 a.m., in

the Church House. Please call Jeanne Rams-

burg, 710-5891, by January 17, for a reserva-

tion, and let her also know if you need trans-

portation. The menu will be pork tenderloin,

scalloped potatoes, peas, apple sauce, bread

and cake.

Congregational Retreat Make your plans now to attend the 2012 Congregational Retreat at Camp Hanover, March

17-18. The committee is busy developing plans (games, activities, Bible study, worship,

campfire, etc) around the theme, ―Be a Blessing,‖ from the Beatitudes. The retreat is for

children, youth and adults of all ages and families of all shapes and sizes. Registration will

begin in late February. If you have questions or suggestions please talk to one of the com-

mittee members – Connie Barnes, Tristin Fidler, Jeff Spinnanger, Hannah Fisher, Barry

Hall, Michelle Porter, John Garrison, and Bruce Harvey.

Empty Nesters Join us on Saturday, January 28, 6:30 p.m., for an evening of fun, food, fellowship, and

games at Jim and Linda Ford's house, (11508 Henegan Place, Spotsylvania, 22551).

Bring an hors d’oeuvre, your favorite drink, and a board or group game. RSVP to the

Fords at 972-0883, ([email protected]), or Karen Johnson, 371-2719,

([email protected]).

Suppers for Seven Update The sixteen Suppers for Seven fellowship groups should have received their groupings

in the mail and should be hearing from the first dinner host (first one listed in the group-

ing) soon. Have a wonderful time. If you have any questions please get in touch with

David Johnson, Jeff Spinnanger, or Bruce Harvey.

Thursday Morning Women’s Bible Study January Book Club

Cozy up with The Shack by William P. Young this month, and join us for three discus-

sion sessions beginning January 12. This story of a grieving father spending a weekend

with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit has been both denounced as heresy and acclaimed as

this generation’s Pilgrim’s Progress.

Get 2012 off to a lively start and come share your opinion of this intriguing novel –

Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 in the Middle House. All women are invited and babysitting in

the church nursery is provided. Contact Chris Repp, 842-5039, ([email protected]) or

Jen Rowe, 373-6633, ([email protected]) for more information.

VBS July 15-19

mailto:[email protected]



PW Circle Meetings Resume in January

The PW's circle meetings will resume on their regular sched-

ules in January. Any ladies interested in joining a circle should talk to

the Moderator, Carol Johnson, or any circle member to gain more information

about the groups who function as a coordinated body of Christ's faithful servants

in bonded fellowship. Visitors to any of the meetings are cordially welcomed.

We are studying Committing to the Beatitudes, published by Horizons Bible

Studies. It is an in-depth study of Christ's instructions to all followers of His

Word, lending a deepening of conviction and further understanding of the his-

toricity of the events of the Sermons on the Mount and the Plain. PW members

are also very active in mission project work, especially serving local needs.

Children (1st-4th gr.) and their parents are

invited and encouraged to come to the Wor-

ship Workshop on Sunday, January 22, fol-

lowing the 11:00 a.m. worship service.

Lunch will be served in the Fellowship

Hall. The children and parents will rotate

through workshops on the Lord’s Prayer,

finding a scripture passage, the offering, the

Apostles’ Creed, finding a hymn, making a

hymnbook marker, the order of worship,

and the Doxology & Gloria Patri. We will

go to the Sanctuary at the end of the work-

shop for an orientation. Please do not hesi-

tate to get in touch with Bruce if you have

questions. Make a reservation by January

15, by calling the church office, 373-7057,

or email ([email protected]).

Our Wednesday Fellowship suppers and activities will resume on Wednesday, January 25,

and go through Wednesday, March 21, with supper from 5:45-6:45 p.m. and activities/

classes from 6:45-7:45 p.m. We will take a break for the Ash Wednesday service on

February 22.

Adults may choose from Christian Meditation coordinated by Diane Peterson, a

Bible study led by Pastor Fisher and a dance class led by Vicky Wilder. Senior Highs

will participate in a book club. Our 4-year-olds through 5th graders will share Bible sto-

ries, crafts, songs and games. Childcare will be provided for the youngest.

We encourage everyone to be a part of this wonderful fellowship.

PW Coordinating Team Meeting

The PW Coordinating Team will meet on January 17, at 10:00 a.m., in the Church

Parlor. All leaders and officers should be present to discuss plans and projected

activities for the coming months. It is a pleasure to announce that Sharon Moser has

offered to be our new Historian. Susie Kuliasha will serve as Treasurer-in training,

and Eleanor McCord is helping with Search Coordination. We will need a new

Moderator and also a Co-treasurer. Our Vice-Moderator, Ashley Conway, under-

standably wishes to apprentice for a full year before stepping up to that job, and

Susie would like to share the responsibility of keeping finances in order. If you feel

convicted to serve in any leadership capacity on the Team or in a

Circle, as a novice or as someone with past experience and

know-how, please let Carol Johnson know of your interest (373-

2703). Thank you, ladies!

Presbyterian Women Circle Meetings

Never Ending Circle January 8, 5:00 p.m.

Home of Tina (Kerchner) Christie Trudy McNatt, 373-2852

Circle of Joy January 2, 10:00 a.m.

Church Parlor Kathryn Hower, 361-7435 or

Gale Kehoe, 371-4570

Faith Circle January 9, 12:00 p.m.

Church Parlor Sonie Horstman, 972-7129

Circle of Prayer January 10, 12:00 p.m.

Middle House Jeanne Ramsburg, 710-5891

Friendship Circle January 10

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. Meeting: 12:30 p.m. Chancellor‟s Village Paula Kallay, 898-6169

Worship Workshop


Page 4 The Lamp The Presbyter ian

Vacation Bible School 2012 Yes, the date is set!

Mark your calendars for

July 15-19, 2012 for

VBS. Watch for program

details and opportunities

to serve in the coming

months!

Community Dinners Volunteers from the church serve a free

dinner for the community on the 3rd Satur-

day of every month. Contact Karen John-

son, 371-2719 ([email protected]),

if you would like to help between 2:00-

6:00 p.m., or if you would like to donate

brownies.

Upcoming dates: January 21,

February 18, March 17.

Summer Camp at Camp Hanover

Camp Hanover summer camp brochures should be out shortly. Children, youth and

parents – be on the lookout for them and remember to register early to make sure you

get the camp you want. You will find brochures in the Church Office or outside the

Sanctuary on Sundays.

Other Camp Hanover news – the camp is looking for a used, reliable, good gas

mileage sedan that can be used for travel. If you have one that you plan to replace,

please see Bruce or call Camp Hanover at 877-687-2267.

Online Giving Do you sometimes forget whether you’ve made your monthly contribution to the

church? Now there’s an easy way to avoid that worry— give online.

Through the church’s website, www.fredericksburgpc.org, you can set up your

contribution to recur every week, every month, or every quarter. You can use your

checking account or credit card. You can also make a one-time gift.

Simply click on ―Give Now‖ on the church’s website. You’ll then be asked to sign

in to the church’s Member Directory. If you’ve never signed in, click next to ―Need a

login?‖ When you see a color-coded password strength indicator, you can ignore it in or-

der to use a familiar password that you’ll remember.

Once you’ve signed in, not only can you give electronically, but you can also see your

past contributions. You can look up phone numbers and email addresses of other mem-

bers. You can look up events on the church calendar. You can email everyone in your cir-

cle.

Please contact me, Charlie Rowe, at [email protected] for help.

Adult Mission Trip The 2012 Adult Mission trip is April 9-14, to Birmingham, Alabama, where we will

work on houses damaged from the tornadoes last spring. We will fly down on Monday

and return on Saturday. We will stay at the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance village in

Forestdale, Alabama. Please contact Bruce Harvey (373-7057)

[email protected], if you are interested in going. There will be an orienta-

tion meeting on Sunday, January 15, at 5:00 p.m. in the Middle House.

School Dressing Days Every month with a 5th Sunday between

now and August will be a special collection

for School Dressing Days.

January’s 5th Sunday Collection will be

on the 29th. Items to be collected are

deodorant, soap, toothpaste and/or

toothbrush. You may bring your items be-

fore January 29, leaving them in bins

provided outside the Sanctuary on Sunday

morning, or outside the Fellowship Hall

during the week.




THANK YOU !!! Many, many thanks to those who helped us, once again, get over 300 pledges!!!

While it may look like we are down compared to last year, our 336 pledges actually put us at the exact same level as

a year ago. We reached 354 pledges last year, only after new members joined, and pledged, later in the year.

Thanks again to everyone.

The Annual Campaign Committee—Al Moreau, Dick Balch, Gary Boshears, Karen Boyles, Shirley Eye, Jim Ford,

Donna Hudgins, Gordon Keeley, Amy McCullough, Brad Repp, Charlie Rowe.

Pledges

314

281 272297

354336

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100

150

200

250

300

350

400

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Sanctuary Elevator

Design and Construction:

Completed in December

• Elevator shaft framing, entrance space, and exterior

brick work

• Interior sprinkler rough-in and electrical rough-in

Work to be completed in January

• Waterline installation for sprinkler

system and corrective landscaping

• Installation of plaster and sheetrock,

exterior and interior doors

Work to be completed in February

• Water tap and sprinkler system hook-up

• Installation of elevator

• Completion of elevator equipment room, interior

trim, and flooring

Phase II

Session will communicate to the congregation the scope,

estimated costs, and plans for financing the next phase.

Requests from Session to the Building Committee include:

• Addressing accessibility issues in the Christian

Education building. Expect schematic

designs with a scaled down approach in

accordance with the original master plan.

• Addressing the heating/cooling systems

in the Sanctuary and Education Building.

Expect schematic designs with a

comprehensive approach.

Capital Campaign

Thanks to everyone for making and fulfilling your pledge

in support of the Capital Campaign. To date $1,590,472 in

pledges and $752,696 in contributions have been received.

It's not too late to make your pledge! Please contact Ron

Rebman, Financial Secretary,

373-7057, [email protected].

Renovate, Revise, Renew ~ Building Update

Updates and photos can be found at www.facebook.com/PCBuildingUpdates. No login or personal

facebook page required.


http://www.facebook.com/PCBuildingUpdates


Thoughts from Our Youth Leader 2012. It sounds like such an important year, but I am

not sure why. Maybe because there is a movie with the

name (maybe it’s all even numbers) I don’t know. But it

sounds important, so let’s make it important. Make this

your year, start fresh with coming to Fusion or Velocity

and Church School, come to our senior high book club,

participate in worship in new ways. Join us for Montreat

and summer mission trips. There are so many ways to be

involved, find your way, and make 2012 as awesome as it

sounds like it is going to be.

Velocity (Middle School - 6:30 p.m., Sundays):

January

8 Games. We are back after a few weeks away,

and we’ll be playing games galore.

15 It’s Back to Basics for us!

22 We are getting crafty for missions; join us as

we make valentines for members of our

congregation who are homebound, and there

might be a game or two as well!

29 We will be talking about all that’s happening

February 5, the Souper Bowl of Caring and

Stop Hunger Now.

February

5: Youth Sunday, Velocity Youth will help usher

and collect for Souper Bowl of Caring. Be

ready to bring your favorite treat for coffee

hour. Assist with the Stop Hunger Now Event. Coming up:!

April 21-22: Presbytery Retreat to Camp Hanover.

Fusion (Senior High - 5:00 p.m., Sundays):

January 8 - We are gathering for games and fun

after the Christmas break.

15 It is almost Youth Sunday, come ready to plan

and prepare!

22 More Youth Sunday preparation

29 Our last Sunday to prepare for Youth Sunday

February

4 Youth Sunday rehearsal at 4 p.m.

5 Youth Sunday!

Wednesday January 25: Fusion Book club begins.

Come have dinner together and then stay for the dis-

cussions on The Hunger Games.

Coming up:

February 17-19: Fusion Mystery Trip. Be prepared

for any destination, mission work and fun!

March 9-11: Beach Retreat. We will head to North

Carolina for a weekend of relaxing and talking

about relationships. It’s going to be great!

STOP HUNGER NOW On Sunday February 5, following Youth Sunday, children, youth and adults are invited to

come to the Fellowship Hall to put together 15,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now. The

dehydrated meals go to poverty stricken areas around the world to help alleviate hunger and

especially to provide nutrition to children as they attend school. You may sign up beginning

January 1. There is a job for all ages.

2011-2012 Session

Moderator – Rev. Allen H. Fisher, Jr., Pastor

Clerk of Session - C. Milton McNatt

Associate Pastor - Rev. Patrick Dennis

Elders -

Margaret Beattie Suzanne Bevan

Greg Bohmke Johnny Boyles

Gaye Copley John Garrison

Barry Hall Barbara Howe

Carter Hudgins Sharon Humes

David Johnson Jeff Kunkler

Betsy Lewis Dave Peterson

Lindsay Pargman Bob Piersall

Tamie Pratt-Fartro Jeff Spinnanger

Doreen Vaughn

MILESTONES Capsule of Concern: Barry Hall, Jennie

Evans,

Continued Prayers: Jean Gill, Marjorie

Glassco, Bud Helmen, Janie Kash, Thelma Mann,

Bob Miller, Ruth Moffitt, JeanneWaite

Baptisms: Zoey McLellan Lusk, born November 24,

2005, and Sophia Caroline Lusk, born January 21,

2010. Zoey and Sophia’s parents are Caroline Teresa

Myers and Ryan Makes Lusk; and Debra Myers of our

congregation is their great-grandmother

Our heartfelt Christian love and sympathies are

extended to:

Jeff Veil and family on the death of his father, Paul,

who died on December 10, 2011.

Gary Vaughn and family on the death of his mother,

who died on December 14, 2011.

Stacy Horne and family on the death of her mother,

Ruth Olsen, who died December 15, 2011.

Beth Malmquist and family on the death of her

brother, Vance Stoneburg, who died December 16,

2011.

Gary Boshears and family on the death of his brother,

Dennis Boshears, who died on December 18, 2011, in

McKinnleyville, California.


2. Libby Humes, Scott Theado, Shelby Gleason,

Tom Wimberly

3. Brent McGhee

4. Mollie Cass, Jeremy Stoddard

5. Linda Spangler

6. Mark Hughes, Joan Darby

8. Haley Dameron

9. Bud Baker, Sarah Gormley, Mike Gillenwater,

Anne Thompson

10. Harry Farley, Bridget Harvey, Thomas Digges,

Fidelia Boshears

11. Eric Dowling, Lillian Remsen, Ruth Moreau,

Laura Digges

12. Mike Foreman, Ginger Oplinger

13. Pete Kolakowski, Claudia Emerson

14. Gary Scheibel, Allison Worthington, Ashley Kave

15. Lou Cralle, Duane Hansen, Neil Sullivan, Anne Betz,

Amy Maclean, Kristina Brough, Eleanor Bailey

16. Susan Harrison, Anne Shotwell, John Baer

17. Jane Williams, Erica Foreman

18. Rick Banez

19. Greg Medsker, Missy Dodson, Wendel Gouldman,

David Godshall

20. Don Wilson, Chris Repp, Miguel Pineda,

Meredith Goggin

21. Ben Middleton

22. Nellie Kate Dameron, Austin Rapkins

23. Nancy Wilson, Madison Early

24. Jeff Kunkler

25. Liz Thompson, Fred Betz

26. Harry Lewis, Sam Lowery

27. Seth Rapkins, Jamie Gillespie, Adam Bentley

28. Sue Stone, Claire Fritz

29. Ellie Bell, Bruce Harvey, Brian Baker, Silas Lacey,

Kim Liska, Courtney Stone, Paula Steven, April Stevens 30. Joan Eck, Kaileen Coffman, Don Doherty

31. Lynn Norfleet, Suzanne Broman, Robert King

January

Birthdays

Recycling Thanks to Opal Stroup

and Eleanor McCord for

weekly recycling our bulle-

tins and office paper. Please don’t put cigarette butts,

partially filled coffee cups, used tissues and other

trash in the recycling bins. (It gets a little gooey

sometimes.)

Children, youth and adults are invited to attend the Church School Brunch on Sunday, January 8, in the Fellow-ship Hall at 9:30 a.m., followed by classes meeting at 10:00 a.m. All food and beverages will be provided by the Chris-tian Education Committee. We encourage everyone to make Church School a regular part of their Christian journey.

Training of the Twelve

Led by Bill Nix

What lessons and teaching methods

did Jesus use to train the Twelve

Apostles and His other disciples? We

know he invested about three years of

time and effort to equip the Apostles

to lead when he would no longer be

with them. His use of word pictures,

parables, questions, and answers, object lessons, and Scrip-

ture were all important in preparing the Apostles and other

Disciples at that time and they are just as important for in-

structing Disciples like us in this time and place. Come

joining us in studying Christ‟s training of the Twelve – to-

gether we can learn more about being Christ‟s Disciples

today.

Undercroft

Feasting on the Word

Led by Michelle Porter, Tom Lewis, Rick Brehm, Bruce Harvey

How does my faith formation and my worship inte-

grate with my knowledge and experience of the world?

Feasting on the Word materials will engage adults in a deeper

exploration of Biblical texts. Christian faith will be en-

hanced when the Scriptures read and proclaimed in

worship are reinforced and expanded on what

they have been considering in their educational

time. Education and worship can be mutually supportive in

helping God‟s word in Scripture come alive in the Sunday

morning experience. Come join us for this exciting jour-

ney. For parents of 1st-5th graders - you will go over the

same scripture passages as your children each Sunday.

Middle House, 1st floor, back room

Parenting 101 & Beyond

Led by Carol Houchin, Roberta Karch, Donna Hudgins, John & Barbara Howe

How do parents raise children in the faith? Sacred Parent-

ing series – book, DVD and participant‟s

guide – will be the jumping off point for

parents. “This is not a „how to‟ book of

discussing how parents can change their

kids, Sacred Parenting turns the tables and dem-

onstrates how God uses our kids to change us.” Come join

this exciting study. Through class discussions parents will

be able to explore many issues, ask questions and seek an-

swers with other parents who are not experts but have

raised children to adulthood

Middle House, 1st floor, front room.

Searching for God

Led by Amy Talmadge, Karen Johnson, Nancy Stubbs

If you have ever found yourself exactly where

you felt God wanted you to be, this is the class for

you. If you’ve ever found yourself searching for

where God wanted you to be, this is the class for

you, too! We will use Barbara Brown Tay-

lor’s book, Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith,

as our text for our class during the Winter/Spring semester.

We will need the help of class members to lead the discussions.

This is not mandatory, but it’s a great opportunity to share what

God does in awesome and unexpected ways. Please join us!

Church House, 1st floor

FOR ADULTS Church School


Church School Teachers & Advisors

2 year olds Camille McAllister Lynn Simms Laura Eubanks Marsha Luckett

3 year olds Denise Hamlett Laura Digges Sarah Wright Ellen Fritz

4 year olds Jim Toler Patty Toler Ann Monroe Jacobs Stacy Horne

Kindergarten Terri Kunkler Schuyler Sweet Paulla Loder Suzanne Broman

1st Grade Kierstin Schneider Jon Schneider Ashley Conway Don Nance

2nd Grade Merry Egge Grace Hynden Gary Hynden Melissa Peterson

3rd

Grade Paula Kallay Holly Horn Dave Bohmke Sallie Nowacek

4th Grade Tristin Fidler Robert Fidler Jim Carelock Heather Carelock

5th Grade Joan Darby Ralph Lewis Marjolijn Bijlefeld Mike Fritz

6th - 8th Grade Jeff Spinnanger Elizabeth Rehm Porter Blakemore Tricia Garner

9th - 12th Grade Heather Howe Amanda Murray Lewis Lowery James Luckett

Middle School Advisors David Johnson

Scott Fischer

Mel Middleton

Dorothy Mondak

Katie Sue Van Valken-burg

Shelby Gleason

Sarah Dennis

Senior High Advisors

Robin Joel John Howe Randy Pargman Lindsay Pargman Rachel Ball Sarah Dennis

Confirmation Patrick Dennis Jen Rowe Bridget Harvey Barry Jones

Superintendents Connie Barnes, Barbara Howe, Tracey Rembisz, Ginger Bushman, Lois Jacob Cradle Nursery Joanne Farley, Jean Ravinsky, Jenny Major, Sharon

Moser

Education Building ~ 1st floor: Cradle Nursery, 2-year old and 3-year old classes

Education Building ~ 2nd Floor: 4-year old through 3rd grade classes

Middle House ~ Basement: 4th & 5th grade

Church House ~ Top Floor: 6th – 8th class

Middle House ~ Top Floor: 9th-12th grade class


NON PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Fredericksburg

VA PERMIT NO. 193

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

810 Princess Anne Street

Princess Anne and George Streets

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

From the Book Shelves of the Belk Memorial Library. The internationally renowned priest and author, respected professor and beloved pastor,

Henri Nouwen (1932 – 1996) wrote over 40 books on the spiritual life. His book, The

Return of the Prodigal: Story of Homecoming, was inspired by a poster of Rembrandt’s

painting The Return of the Prodigal Son. Nouwen’s sustained reflection on the painting

slowly emerges into awareness of a new vocation coming to flower in his heart, his own

personal call to ―come home,‖ to make his home with L'Arche, a home for those with in-

tellectual disabilities. Identifying with each of the three main figures in the painting, Nou-

wen crafts a fresh interpretation of a classic story, concluding: ―Though I am both the

younger son and the elder son, I am not to remain them, but called to become the Father.‖

Come and browse the book shelves and discover this book as well as others by Henri

Nouwen such as Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World; and Out of Soli-

tude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life, and more.

The subject for the painting, The Return of the Prodigal Son, by Rembrandt Harmensz

van Rijn comes from the Bible, The Gospel According to Luke, 15: 20-24. The artist had

already turned to the theme several times in his graphic works, but in the Hermitage

painting, created not long before his death, the painter endowed it with the sense of great

tragedy elevated to a symbol of universal significance. Complex emotions are expressed in

the figure of the bent old man and his suffering, kneeling son: repentance and charity,

boundless love and regret at the belated spiritual awakening. These images represent the

summit of Rembrandt's psychological mastery.

Lamp - Presbyterian Church of Fredericksburgfredericksburgpc.org/wp-content/uploads/Newsletter-January-2012-.pdfJen Rowe, 373-6633, ([email protected]) for more information. VBS July

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