The last day of our mission trip. We had a large team this year, which allowed us to repair five different homes. The common theme was water damage. That damage had us ripping up ceilings, walls, floors, trim, etc. and replacing them and then repainting. For variety, we also replaced a leaking hot water heater, […]

Our cooking team this year has three women (Carol Bunch, Ella Bastine, and Cecilia Bailey). We have been cooking for the Gaithersburg PDA mission team since 2007. Two of the women on the team start preparing at least two weeks prior to the trip. We brainstorm to establish a menu that is cost effective, besides […]

For over a decade, my father has told me of the wonderful adventures he’s had participating in his PDA trips. He told many stories of the wonderful people he’d met and the interesting and rewarding projects in which he participated. Surprisingly, our calendars and lives finally aligned allowing me to join him. After his 15th […]

“Time is not your friend.” by Fletcher Tukes – This statement guides our service this week.  The need is great!  We are helping as many families as possible so that they can live in safe homes. Five to six families are receiving our knowledge, conversation, and service this week. These homes have a lot of […]

Transformation can be extremely frustrating. I suspect I’m not the only one who secretly, or not so secretly wants whatever change I want to see to happen NOW. I don’t want to do the hard work that the change calls for. Standing in front of the block of marble I don’t want to have to […]

Monday morning arrived bright and sunny with a hint of cool. I was grateful for a cozy, dry sleep after our Sunday drive through a deluge, expertly maneuvered by our “submarine” captain, Lisa. The GPC team gathered gradually, chatting over wake-up beverages, and then was presented with a colorfully nutritious breakfast made by Carol, Ella […]

Gaithersburg Presbyterian is on a mission this week. Over 30 of our members (and brave friends of members) have driven to New Bern, NC, to rebuild homes destroyed by flooding. The Neuse River overflowed its banks when a hurricane stalled in this area, flooding hundreds of local homes. This is GPC’s fourth mission trip to […]

Our Follow Me study this Eastertide is called Sing a New Song and psalms and/or singing songs is the spiritual practice.  Let’s go back to the beginning, a song is basically a poem set to music. And what is a poem? A poem is a word picture. So how do you write a poem? Well, […]

Happy Eastertide all you wonderful Easter People!! As we settle into the new rhythm of this time, and as we prepare ourselves for this time of discernment, Traci Smith thoughtfully offered a Spiritual Practices Guide for Eastertide -the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost. Ideally, we would have begun Easter Sunday, but I think when […]

Romans 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s […]