One in Christ

Dear Friends,

Last week two deaths occurred among the congregation; truthfully, it seems more accurate to say “two more.” Covenant has had a hard, concentrated season of losing loved ones. In an email I asked the session and deacons to reach even deeper into their personal wells of compassion and in effect, become pastors for each other and for us all.

Mary Lee was the first responder. She says I may share with you what she wrote, which I want to do because for me, it was an immediate gesture of the very thing I had asked. I was comforted by her poetic imagination and touched to cleansing tears as I read it. You should have the same opportunity.

I had said that I was just so sad, and she replied: “As I went out the front door to put [sympathy] cards in the mailbox, the wind had come up and was blowing pink flowering plum petals in front of me. The image that crossed my mind was...even the trees are crying. I know the sun will come back, but it’s hard to remember that sometimes.”

May we be comforted by our oneness of community, with creation, in Christ.

Paula

From the Organ Bench
 

Last month we looked at the Covenant Church organ console and its accompanying pipes and electronic speakers. This month, we’ll take a look more specifically at the organ pipes and their digital electronic counterparts.

If you look at the titles printed on each organ draw knob, you will notice a number above them, such as, 16’, 8’, 4’, 2’, 32’, etc. These numbers relate to the length of the sound wave, not to the length of the pipe itself. Generally speaking, an organ pipe open at the top produces a sound wave equal to the length of the pipe. But if the pipe is plugged at the top —what is known as a stopped pipe—it produces a wavelength double that of the length of the pipe. Many such stopped pipes are used in churches where there is limited space above the pipes. For example, an open pipe 8 feet in length will produce (C2), a note two octaves lower than “Middle C” or what would appear as the lowest key on the manuals. A stopped pipe of 8 feet will produce an octave lower than that, equaling the sound of an open pipe of 16 feet. If a hole is drilled through the middle of an 8’ pipe, the sound produced will be an octave higher than that of an open pipe the same length, or a wave of 4’. This is similar to the function of the “octave key” on a flute, oboe or saxophone. This whole business of using sounds of different octaves allows an organist to add highs and lows to the sound while playing only a few keys.

Organ pipes come in a variety of general physical characteristics. But there are really only four main categories of pipes: wooden flues (yes, flues, like a chimney “flue”), metal flues, strings, and reeds. The wooden flues are square and usually stopped at the top. The metal flues are cylindrical and usually open at the top, but may also be stopped. The strings are mostly made of metal and tapered or “nicked” and “bearded” at the mouth. These last two techniques serve to highlight the upper harmonics of the tone to make it more “stringy.” The reeds are metal pipes that actually have a brass reed inside, similar to those in a harmonica or accordion, and give a brilliant sound like a trumpet or tuba, but are also used to produce lighter reed sounds, such as those of the oboe or clarinet.

The pipes are arranged in rows, called “ranks,” resting on a “wind chest” like test tubes. Under the rack of pipes are leather “pallets” that act as valves that open as each key on the console is depressed, allowing air to move into the pipe. The “stops” (or draw knobs) on the organ console determine which rank of pipes will be brought into play. An opening at the bottom of each pipe, known as the “toe hole,” receives the air. As the air moves upward into the pipe it is directed toward the “mouth,” a horizontal opening a few inches above the toe hole. From there the air is forced against the “lip,” a narrow slit behind the mouth that gives the pipe its unique tonal character. This is also where the actual pipe sound begins. From there the sound wave moves upward to the top of the pipe, the length of which will determine its pitch.

One last thing about the organ console that I didn’t mention in my last article: the top manual on a three-manual organ is called the SWELL, because originally it was the only manual on which the volume could be controlled; the middle manual is called the GREAT, because it contains the biggest sounding pipes; the bottom manual is called the CHOIR, because its pipes were originally nearest to the choir to keep them on pitch.

Now, is that everything you ever wanted to know about organ pipes? If not, talk to me and we’ll go into more detail. But for this venue, that’s all for now!

Donald E. Dillard

From the Library: Library Funded

More changes are coming at your local Church Library. Did you notice in the budget for next year that after your Librarian visited a Session meeting, the Session approved $500 for library additions for the coming year after not having any funding in recent history? Last year we made a few changes in the library corner, adding some new shelf signs and creating a “Young People’s Shelf.” Now we have a new opportunity to make the library better serve our needs and interests.

Please let me know if you are interested in being a part of this adventure. Paula Kelso and some Session members have entered the discussion, and I encourage as many as are interested to join in. We will be getting Presbyterian Life and Presbyterian Outlook magazines, and we already have a small number of new reference books in mind. Really, the only limitation is shelf space.
I see DVDs as a great opportunity that we haven’t taken advantage of yet. I have a strong interest in science and faith and in the early church, but I need to hear from more folks before I would grow those areas very much. I am very weak on the subject of books for children and youth, so I would especially appreciate support in those areas.

New additions this month? We just received from Kristen Sheau a donation of the book Gardening Eden; How Creation Care Will Change Your Faith, Your Life, and Our World by Michael Abbate (2009), a new work about environment and the church, a subject drawing the interest of many individuals and churches. In line with another topic currently of interest because of the Adult series on forgiveness, I’ve added Forgive for Good; a Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness by Fred Luskin of Stanford University (2001). This book is especially of interest because it describes the Stanford forgiveness project carried out in collaboration with our friend, Byron Bland, a local Presbyterian minister who has often worshipped with us.

How about joining me in this adventure of expanding and updating our Church Library? I welcome your help and interest!

Rudy Dyck, Librarian

Wednesdays in Lent

The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, February 17.  Join us at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary for communion and a time of prayer, music, and scripture to begin the liturgical season set aside for reflection and repentance as we anticipate celebrating the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Beginning February 24, from 6:30-8:00 p.m., we will have a series of Lenten Soup and Story nights, a time of cross-generational fellowship and a story to reflect on for Lent.

Christian Education

Adult Education

The Adult Study series on Learning Forgiveness, led by Rev. Julie Kim, continues through March 28, Palm/Passion Sunday.  Rev. Kim is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary.  An Asian American Presbyterian minister, she seeks creativity and new models and images of God as grace and mercy in our communities that will help us to be the people that God has called us to be.  Join us in the Fireside Room, 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings as we consider with our heads and hearts the Christian invitation to receive and imperative to offer forgiveness.

Covenant Men's Group

Covenant’s Men’s Group will meet Saturday, March 20, at 8:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room.  After a delicious breakfast prepared by our in-house cooks, we share a time of study, usually Biblically-based and led by José Espinoza, followed by sharing our joys and concerns.  This month’s topic is “If you could have a beer with Jesus, what would you talk about?”

Our monthly breakfast meetings give Covenant men a chance to see each other outside of church and away from work that helps us discern the direction God is giving to our lives.  We’ve formed lasting friendships and achieved greater peace in hectic and strenuous times through this easy opportunity to get together.  Please join us.

Godspeed Expands

Beginning in March, Covenant’s Godspeed program for youth in grades 5 through high school expands to two meetings each month, usually the first and third Sundays, time and activity to be announced.

Godspeed is excited to welcome Lindsay Sauln as our new activities director to help plan the monthly field trip activities to off campus locations and events.  Lindsay is enrolled in Latin American Studies at Foothill College and leaves soon for a trip to El Salvador.  She also volunteers as an art teacher in Palo Alto’s Art for Well Beings program.

Another surprise for Godspeed is in the works for a Pentecost project.  Young people of Godspeed age are invited to check out what’s going on next week, March 7, and bring a friend to share the fun

First Sunday Food

The South Palo Alto Food Closet has served as many as 71 families per week in recent weeks, up substantially since last fall.  Our first Sunday food offerings, this month on March 7, help support their efforts to supply food to needy neighbors.  

Jan Hoover, one of Covenant’s newest volunteers for the South Palo Alto Food Closet, reports that because of your generosity, the tuna supply is in good shape right now.  But because of changes in resources available from Second Harvest Food Bank, our local Food Closet now needs breakfast cereal and canned, diced tomatoes.

We hope you’ll add items for First Sunday Food to your grocery shopping regularly.  They also welcome cash gifts at any time.  You can leave a check, payable to Covenant Presbyterian Church with “SPA Food Closet” on the memo line, in the offering plate or the Church Office.  We thank you for your continuing support of this important local mission program.

Senior Chat

Senior Chat meets monthly on the second and fourth Fridays, from 10:00-11:45 a.m. in the Fireside Room.  Our information is geared to holistic health—mental, physical, emotional, spiritual.  We are fortunate to live in an area with so many resources and dedicated individuals.  Chats combine friendship, food, a little exercise, and a stimulating presentation.  Please join us.  For more information, call Rev. Dona Smith-Powers, (650) 494-3093.

March 12:  Housing Issues
Whether we plan to stay in our own home or to move, we need to think of ways to make our lives easier, safer, and more comfortable.  Cindy Hofen, the owner of Senior Transitions Management, will share with us the questions that we need to consider in a variety of living arrangements, and help us answer questions about where to live and how to live.

March 26:  Support Services
Diane Churchill is a program director working with Stanford Hospital and Clinics Aging Adult Services.  She will tell us about the multitude of services open to the community and give us the complete “scoop” on Lifeline, the leading medical alert service.  If we live in our own homes or have friends who do, this is valuable information.

Ecumenical Hunger Program

The Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto holds its annual fundraiser, Steppin’ Out for Ecumenical Hunger Program, on March 6, 5:30-9:00 p.m. at Bistro 412, 412 Emerson St., Palo Alto. Tickets for the festive cocktail party auction with an auctioneer, music, and dancing, are $60 per person for great snacks and wine, with almost all proceeds going directly to EHP.

You can order tickets online or call Flavia Berys at (650) 833-2419 or email her at flavia.berys@dlapiper.com. Wear your favorite hat to compete for a prize. Gotta have a hat to “Step Out!” Cindy and Alan Sauln are keeping their chapeaux a secret.

Ringers Hit the Road

This year for the first time the Covenant Ringers will participate in the Bay Area Spring Ring, an annual event offering area handbell groups a day of workshops focusing on the various aspects of bell ringing. 

The groups prepare one or more songs, rehearse together during the day, and participate in a mass ringing ensemble in an evening concert which also features music performed by some of the individual groups attending the event. 

Covenant Ringers have been learning 2 of the 4 songs and look forward to participating in the day’s activities.  You’re invited to come and enjoy the concert on Saturday, March 13, 6:30 p.m., at Valley Church, 10855 N. Stelling Road, Cupertino.