March 30, 2010
Today’s Program Easter and Passover
Today’s Speaker Dr. Gil Smith
Dr. Gil Smith leads the Celebrate Recovery program at the First United Methodist Church of St. Petersburg, and is here to speak about the determination of the day of Easter, and Easter’s relationship to the Passover date.
When Gil Smith sees people coming into the Celebrate Recovery searching for hope and help to overcome a destructive addiction, he knows exactly where they are coming from. Eight years ago he stood in their shoes.
With an addiction to prescription pain killers and alcohol, Smith, who had been in pastoral ministry for more than two decades at this time, checked himself into the Metro Atlanta Recovering Residences. After five months inside, he emerged determined to live without substance abuse.
And in time, he would become determined to help others overcome their addictions. Now, Smith uses his own experiences in recovery to minister more effectively to those with hurts, habits, and hang-ups in the community through Celebrate Recovery.
“I think I’m able to impact more people through my story of brokenness and grace and Celebrate Recovery than I ever could have before,” Smith said.
Peer pressure led Smith to his first drink when he was only fifteen years old. “I had an emotional need to belong,” Smith said. “That need transcended any morality or faith system that had been a part of my home. I needed to feel a part of something. So when I was offered that beer, I took it. That started me on a thirty-three year odyssey of substance abuse and alcohol dependency.”
About Easter and Passover
While there is an historical connection – the first Holy Thursday was the day of the Passover feast – the Council of Nicaea (A. D. 325) , one of the seven ecumenical councils acknowledged by both Catholics and Orthodox Christians, established a formula for calculating the date of Easter independent of the Jewish calculation of Passover.
The Council of Nicaea set the date of Easter as the Sunday following the paschal full moon, which is the full moon that falls on or after the vernal (spring) equinox.
We know that Easter must always occur on a Sunday, because Sunday was the day of Christ’s resurrection. But why the paschal full moon? Because that was the date of Passover in the Jewish calendar, and the Last Supper Holy Thursday occurred on the Passover. Therefore, Easter was the Sunday after Passover.
What’s Happening
More Scholarship Letters
We received the following letter from Chyla J. who is an Eighth Grader at Lealman Intermediate.
Dear Mr. Byelick,
I would like to thank you for giving me a Doorways scholarship. I promise to keep making positive choices, stay drug free, and crime free. I will try to make the honor roll every semester. Doorways has given this special opportunity me. I was quite amazed because there’s a lot of risks to take and a lot to think about before you actually take that risk.
When I graduate high school I am going to the University of Florida to study law. Thanks for giving me an opportunity at college.
Sincerely,
Chyla J.
Blues Fest Service Opportunity
Upon farther review, Pat Biscotti needs more volunteers for the Blues Fest, April 9-11. His signup sheet has more blanks than a child’s cap gun. Hey Gang, this is a good deal. All profits of the Blues Fest go to PARC and the music is very entertaining.
His Excellency
Your Prez needs Kiwanians to help with introductions and invocations. And he is a little light on qualified Finemasters, too.
Mark the Date
Biff Baker is hosting a field trip to All Children’s Hospital for the April 13th Kiwanis meeting. Plan on a little extra time, but well worth the effort as you will enjoy an insider’s look at this most extraordinary new facility.
Banana Republic
Yes, like Central American countries, we have elections, too. Charles Stuart handed out a list of members eligible for election. Take this seriously, folks, as the lifeblood of this club is strong leadership. The election is on May 4.
Last Week at Kiwanis
Kiwanian of the Day, Dick Koch, introduced Barbara Mabee and Steve Lightburn, representing the United States Census 2010.
Barbara explained that today’s census takers have challenges to gather their information such as entering gated communities, language barriers, and individuals’ distrust of government. Despite these hardships, the census taker still must collect the information so we as citizens are represented fairly and funding is distributed in an equitable fashion. Up for grabs is $400 billion dollars of public funding on an annual basis.
Barbara called the census collection a “snapshot of America” as the results indicate trends that lead to the allocation of services.
Steve told us that Census Day is April 1, 2010, so wherever an individual lives on that date is of legal record. By December 31, 2010, the counts are delivered to Washington. Upon receipt, reapportionment of funding and redistricting for the House of Representatives is commenced.
By now, everyone should have received a census form in the mail. Disappointingly, only about half the forms are returned. Thus, the census takers are sent door-to-door to complete the job. Steve’s office in Pinellas Park has 2,000 employees to service the Tampa Bay area.
Barbara and Steve, thanks for the lesson on why the census is needed. Kiwanians, send in your forms. Not only the right thing to do and is required by law, the information collected will benefit you and the nation. And, the good news is you only have to do this once every ten years.
This Week’s Quiz
- Name the four coaches in this year’s men’s Final Four.
- Name the four teams in this year’s women’s Final Four.
- Name the lowest seeded team to win the Men’s Division 1 NCAA basketball championship.
- What is college hockey’s version of the Final Four called?
- What team has not won the NCAA basketball championship?
a. Villanova b. Utah c. Michigan d. University of Texas El Paso
e. Arizona f. San Francisco g. Tennessee h. LaSalle
Last Week’s Quiz
- The first Census was taken August 2, 1790. The federal census records for the first census are missing for five states: Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey and Virginia. They were destroyed sometime between the time of the census-taking and 1830. The census estimated the population of the United States at 3,929,214.
- When asked why he should be paid more than the President of the United States after signing an $80,000 contract in 1930, Babe Ruth said, "Why not? I had a better year than he did." -. Herbert Hoover was President at the time.
- There are 30 states plus the District of Columbia represented in the field of 64 in the 2010 NCAA basketball tournament. The top three are Texas with six, Pennsylvania with five, and California with four.
- The nickname for the spring training league in Arizona is Cactus, and in Florida it is Grapefruit.
- The husband and wife in the television series “Green Acres” were Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor. The title song went like this:
Green acres is the place to be.
Farm livin' is the life for me.
Land spreadin' out so far and wide.
Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.
New York is where I'd rather stay.
I get allergic smelling hay.
I just adore a penthouse view.
Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue.
...The chores.
...The stores.
...Fresh air.
...Times Square
You are my wife.
Good bye, city life.
Green Acres we are there.
|
