Hebron Crossroads 7-21
By Jeff Gill

Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, set in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. In a huge open air concert setting, the Shed, for around a century music has floated through the trees led by Seiji Ozawa, Arthur Fiedler, and John Williams.

Other major orchestras around the country have developed similar venues, places like Wolf Trap and Ravinia, which have developed reputations of their own for fine music and picnicking that rivals Buckeye tailgating – just with wine usually replacing beer as the beverage of choice.

Could Dawes Arboretum become the next symphonic outdoor tradition? If last Sunday night with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra was any indication, it certainly is possible. A well-organized logistical plan by our own Dawes staff augmented by many local volunteers worked in harmony with the CSO as the parking, the pre-show children’s activities, and the warm July hillside blended into a harmonious evening of music, singing, and relaxation.

Albert-George Schram, the conductor, was a high energy interpreter of classics, pops, and plain old folk tunes, not only explaining the selections and their relationship to the evening theme of "Nature Rocks!" but he also sang along lustily with everything from "America the Beautiful" to "Old McDonald."

"Grand Canyon Suite" may be a well-worn concert favorite, but the CSO converted the northwest corner of the arboretum to a little bit of the Southwest, leaving a few of the concert-goers wistful for a red rock landscape; as they played their "Stars and Stripes Forever" finale, the red rubber ball in the haze to the west left an Arizonan glow across the horizon behind the white peaks of the Arboretum Amphitheater.
Your correspondent hopes that this first appearance of the Columbus Symphony at Dawes is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between the orchestra and southern Licking County!

The United Methodist Church of Hebron and Hebron Christian Church are jointly offering a Vacation Bible School next weekend on Friday evening and through Saturday. At 6:30 pm July 26 registration and opening activities for children aged K through 5th grade will take place on East Main Street at Hebron UMC, ending at 8:30 pm. Saturday July 27 the program opening at 10 am will begin in the Methodist sanctuary, and activities around the theme "Rainforest Adventure" will continue through lunch to 2 pm.

A family night program with pizza and movies for adult and youth tastes will start at 4 pm in the basement of Hebron Christian at 4 pm, wrapping up with a sundae bar around 7 pm. The older youth guides for VBS will celebrate their work on Sunday with a pool plunge at 4 pm.

Pal Printing is open for business as many of you have found out by using their services next door to the Duke Station in downtown Hebron. They are celebrating a "Grand Opening" on July 23, and if you have printing or copying needs, they are the place to visit. We still have a month to the Buckeye Outdoors big day, and they’re already open for business as well. The golden arches are up at 100 Integrity Drive (who knew we had an Integrity Drive?), and our Kroger is already looking bigger and nicer than the Pataskala store. . . but who’s comparing? Still, two-thirds of America’s economic energy is in small businesses like PAL Printing, so stop by and make their official opening grand!

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and recently returned from directing church camp, so pardon the hoarse voice; if you’d like to whisper some community news to him, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.

Church Window (print version) -– July 2002

Notes From My Knapsack

By the time you read this, 26 members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Metropolis, IL (yes, they have a Superman festival every year!) will have spent the night at the parsonage annex of the church. The pastor and his wife are old friends of Joyce’s and mine from University Church at Purdue (she was one of Joyce’s bridesmaids), and they’ve had a mission/study trip of senior highers and young adults work in Washington, DC at a shelter and day care center. They’ve slept on a variety of church basement floors and the like in a week-and-a-half of travel and community building.

In fact, Joyce and I really first became "a couple" while part of a work trip experience from UC/Purdue out to a conference center in New Mexico, and I’ve seen many more great benefits from participating in such a venture at other churches I’ve served.

If you’re thinking I’m going to recommend that Hebron Christian do such a thing, you’d be exactly correct. Whether it was to the Inman Christian Center in San Antonio, a Franciscan Mission on the Navajo Nation in Arizona, or to an inner-city church in Cincinnati, I believe both Christians and churches reap a rich harvest from doing mission work in an unfamiliar context.

Is there work that needs doing right here close to home? Sure there is, and there always will be. But a mission trip takes you, as Abby Daubenmire said in her great commencement address at Lakewood, "out of your comfort zone, where true learning and sharing can really happen." My co-director at Badger Camp, Jeanelle Gutheil of the Newark church, is taking the senior high youth and some adults to Cherokee, NC right after camp ends (now there’s commitment); they’ve been in recent years to southern WV and Benton Harbor, MI. They know Newark and Licking Co. still have needs, but the mission trip experience bonds the group together and opens up hearts and minds in a way a trip crosstown never would.

Whether we join Jeanelle and her crew, or choose a destination of our own, I hope Hebron will find a mission calling next summer. I need a new sleeping bag anyhow!

In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff

* * * * * * *
Youth Pool Plunge
McNichols’ Pool
Sun., July 28
4 pm to 6:30 pm
Come prune with us!
* * * * * * *

Scouter July 02 – Licking District

Commissioner’s Corner
Jeff Gill, District Commish

For the first time in fourteen years, the registration fee for Scouting will increase to $10. While certainly not enjoyable news, the increase had long beeen expected. One thing that is good about it is, unlike the Post Office, the intention is to go on up to a useful round number that will, we hope, stay put for another 14 years.

All scouters should remember that the $10 registration is essentially the sole support of the National Council, which maintains the national database through which all registrations, youth and adult pass. The requirement for registration of all adults spending time with unit activities or at camp with scouts is so all names and info goes through that national database, which is a vital element of our overall Youth Protection strategy.

Recent events show that having a cross-referencable database keeps problem scouters from being run off of one unit and then another, with state or county lines helping hide a troublesome background. The registration systems lets us red flag credible accusations and black flag convictions and ensures national consistency in managing adult volunteers, in a way many other youth-serving organizations now envy. Superior to even criminal background checks, which only uncover convictions, this is a system worth paying for.

Of course, the counterpart of that point about the registration fee is that Simon Kenton Council doesn’t get a penny of it, nor does the district or, obviously, the pack or troop. Some units ask a total registration fee of everyone each year which incorporates the national $10 and additional unit fees, while others ask each scout to pay the ten and then asks dues each week or month for support of the unit. A few very well organized units charge no fee at all due to their fundraising, which pays all costs for each Scout.

However your unit does money management, as you prepare for Fall recruiting and Round-ups in your area, make sure to adjust your fees to reflect the new $10 registration.
r

Hebron Crossroads
By Jeff Gill

"Man, that’s hot," said Scott Walters, Hebron Village councilman. He
wasn’t referring to the hot summer day (which it was), or a heated
council discussion (it was a Saturday!). He wasn’t even referring to the
huge blaze of pallets, straw, and some well-placed flares behind him.
Scott, councilmember Mike Halter, and village administrator Mike
McFarland were talking about the 20-plus pounds of what firefighters call
"turnout gear" that they were wearing. More than halfway through the Ohio
Fire Academy program "Feel The Heat" for local officials, staff, and
media, the three were more than halfway to doubling their appreciation
for what firefighters do everyday, from 100 degrees to 20 below. . .and
it wasn’t 20 below.

Since 1998, more than 400 elected officials and others nominated by their
local fire chiefs have attended this day-long event, which is held two to
four times a year depending on interest. The intention of the program,
introduced and managed by State Fire Marshall Robert Rielage, is "to
ensure that local public officials understand their training dollars are
going toward the best quality training at a reasonable cost."

To do that, Scott and the two Mikes had crawled through dim, smoky
building mock-ups, clambered up ladders, and wielded hoses,
extinguishers, and rescue gear like the "Jaws of Life." Mike Halter
observed, "Those Jaws are heavier than they look, and they look heavy!"
After dismantling a well-worn ’87 Nova, the trio from Hebron went to the
next of seven stations for the day, where they learned about the pros and
cons of various kinds of nozzles and foams for fire suppression and
management.

Lt. Rich Vance with the Hebron Fire Department drove the crew over to
Reynoldsburg, home of the state’s primary training facility right down
R oute 40, in Engine 5. Each occupied a jump seat and began the day
wearing everything from boots and bunker trousers to Nomex hood and
helmet, just as members of the HFD suit up whenever there’s a call that
takes them out of the sta tion. "What sounds small can get big in a hurry,
said Rich, "so whether it’s a fender-bender or a trash fire, if we’re
called out, we all suit up."

Your correspondent drove discreetly behind the engine, and had a much
cooler time of it in his civvies. Even at that, a full day mostly in
direct sun at 90 degrees and unthinkable humidity had this media weasel
in short-sleeves wilting, and quite frequently the crew was pulling on
their "self-contained bre athing apparatus" with mask, airhose, regulator,
and tank on the back.

A standard part of such "SCBA" gear nowadays is a "PASS device," for
"personal alert security system." Built into the regulator, the PASS
starts chirping when the firefighter wearing it either is unmoving for 15
seconds, or after a sharp blow. We all felt a bit of a chill when one was
first tested: the sound is that which was heard a thousand times over in
footage of 9-11 out of th e darkness after each tower fell. Those weren’t
car alarms, those were PASS devices on thousands of firemen who were just
getting back to their feet, and some hundreds who never did.

Actually, we all got used to the alert chirping a fter the first hour.
They claimed that, once on a fire scene, no one would stand still long
enough to set one off (or if they did, they weren’t working!), and even
we civilians started developing a "ten second twitch" to keep the a lert
at bay while waiting in line for the next evolution.

Except for lunch, the day was one evolution after another, with the heat
growing and energy clearly flagging. Mike McFarland had a little extra
motivation keeping him moving: his son Kevin, a firefighter/paramedic
with Violet Twp. "Feel The Heat" had participants from all over the
state, some of whom had left their home departments at 5 am to make the
trip to the Academy.

Faculty of the Ohio Fire Academy ran each station, so even when we were
riding a bucket on a Columbus fire truck up into the air and
"experiencing" its range of movement, there was a certain feeling of
confidence even in the most out there activi ties
The capstone of the day was the "burn building," a new construction at
the Academy just dedicated last May at a cost of $1.8 million. That may
sound like a lot for a modest, family size house with no furnishings or
ext erior decoration, but consider that it has been burned down about 50
times already and still looks pretty solid, and you can see what the
taxpayers are getting for their money.

"This structure is designed to be adjustable into a number of layouts so
both rookies and experienced firefighters can have a realistic and
challenging training event under a wide variety of conditions," said
Marshall Rielage. Obviously, a very simple scenario of a kitchen fire
just two rooms inside the front door was what awaited Mike and Kevin
McFarland as they had what’s probably the ultimate father-son bonding
experience, putting out a fire together.

At $5000 for a full rig of turnout gear for the individual fireman, to
the millions needed to maintain a top-flight training facility like the
OFA, five Hebron folks had a much clearer picture of what it takes to
maintain fire safety for a community as we made our weary way home. Y ou
can’t buy the heart and commitment it takes to put on that gear and go
out and fight fires, and you also can’t quantify the value that such
constant training brings to this vocation. "It’s a calling," said Mike
Halter, and this preacher clearly agrees.

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a fan of firehouse
cooking. If you know of an interesting story out of our community, call
him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.

* * * * * * *
Hebron Crossroads
By Jeff Gill

Nancy Dix of Hebron asked me "Are you going see ‘American Originals’ at
the Ohio Historical Society?" We were waiting together for a training
program for leading tours out at Cranberry Bog for the Greater Buckeye
Lake Historical Society.

I assured her that wild horses couldn’t drag me away from being first in
line to see this selection of treasures from the National Archives,
traveling the cou ntry as an outreach program while their centerpiece, the
"Charters of Freedom" were temporarily stored away while new display
cases are constructed.

"And don’t forget to go back when the Emancipation Proclamation comes to
Oh io," she reminded me. As the new vice-president of the OHS board, and
with her husband one of the many special sponsors of the Emancipation
Proclamation visit, she was doing her part to get the word out, and
reminded this correspondent to let you all know some weeks ago, as well.
Going to see Abraham Lincoln’s signature up close (albeit through safety
glass) and reading the original text of this primary document in American
history was lure enough, but there were many reasons for me to make a
special effort to go back just to see five pieces of paper with misty
writing and a faded seal in a dimly-lit room.

Because of its being on paper (the Charters – Declaration, Constitution,
Bill of Rights – are on parchment, which ages better), and due to many
decades on display in direct sunlight, the Proclamation is only "out in
public" about six days a year, and Ohio got more than half of that time
this year. The i nk is deteriorating faster than the material its written
on, and the Archives don’t want to "love it to death."

When I was there at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus, the crowds in
the American Originals exhibit hall were a te stimony to the attraction of
primary documents, the true texts of history. Many of these will be on
display for a few more weeks, along with a number of Ohio documents and
artifacts that are in the keeping of OHS. McKinley’s discharge from the
Civil War, Tecumseh’s signature on a treaty, everything but a receipt for
the non-existent bathtub Taft never got stuck in is there. But the
amusement and diversions of history took a back seat to the solemnity
showed by everyone, young and old, black, brown, and white, who waited in
the line to gaze, even if for a few moments at the Emancipation
Proclamation.

While the effective date is "January 1, 1863," the document is signed on
September 22, 1862. Lincoln had long wanted to make a statement
clarifying the causes and reasons for the Civil War, anchoring the fight
in freedom for the enslaved. More moderate factions in his cabinet had
urged caution in provoking the South with such a statement, but by early
1862 Lincoln had set himself to issue such a proclamation after a Union
victory, so as not to appear weak in making the claim for emancipation.
This September, on the 17th, is the 140th anniversary of the single
bloodiest day in American history, with the Battle of Antietam. The
recent Civil War re-enactment at Infirmary Mound Park gave tribute to
this commemoration, which is good since this September all Am erica will
no doubt be focused on a one year anniversary that came dangerously close
to claiming Antietam’s tragic mark.

After the armies cautiously withdrew from Sharpsburg, Maryland on the
18th, Lincoln decided that this inconclusive engagement may be the
closest thing Gen. McClelland would give him towards a victory, and so it
was five days after Antietam that Lincoln signed the Emancipation
Proclamation.

My great-great-grandfather fought hi s way with the 53rd Pennsylvania
across Bloody Lane at Antietam, and while he survived, was never quite
the same until his death not long after the way. He left part of himself
on the battlefield, where his unit slept that night among the cordwood-
stacked dead and the many wounded, just beside Bloody Lane.

What he and many others gave of themselves that day were the price
Lincoln needed to warrant signing the paper we all were looking at in
Columbus, Ohio on a summer day in 2002. Thank you to Nancy Dix and many
others who brought this memorial into our midst, and gave so many a
chance to remember.

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church, and a genealogical
resear cher from time to time; if you have something you’d like Hebron
folk to remember, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net

* * * * * * *
Hebron Crossroads
By Jeff Gill

It should come as a surprise to no one that U S Route 40, the National
Road and Hebron’s Main Street, has been named a "National Scenic Byway"
by the Federal Government.

Started with legislation signed by Thomas Jefferson and masterminded by
the brilliant Secretary of t he Treasury Albert Gallatin, the National
Road was the early 1800’s parallel to the Lewis and Clark expedition,
whose bicentennial largely overlaps the Ohio bicentennial celebrations
next year.

After Lewis and Clark returned, describing the wonders of the real estate
the Louisiana Purchase had added to the United States, everyone agreed
that we had to improve access to this asset. If the Corps of Discovery
expedition was the first "moon shot" endeavor of this country, then
building the National Road over the Alleghenies and the Ohio River was
the equivalent of the space shuttle program, making more everyday what
had been purely exceptional.

We love our bit of the National Road with good reason, knowing the
beauties of the view from Eagle’s Nest near Brownsville, the opening out
of the Appalachian foothills into the beginnings of the prairie at the
hill west of Jacksontown, and the steady straight progress from Sunset
Hill at Hebron on into Columbus and beyond to Indiana and Illinois.

But if you drive east, there’s the well-named Scenery Hill east of
Washington, PA; west Rt. 40 now goes well past the old capital of
Va ndalia, Illinois into western plains states that make Union and
Harrison Townships look downright mountainous!

There are also some special tax incentives and governmental
qualifications that can allow an area to benefit more fully f rom tourism
and preservation dollars with the "National Scenic Byway" designation,
and Hebron Crossroads will try to find out what some of these are and let
you know more details a little farther on down the road.

Don’t for get that almost every weekday during the summer there are
childrens’ and young adults’ programs at the Hebron Library on West Main
back of the Municipal Building. None of these require that you be in all
to enjoy each, so if you’ve missed a few, it is not too late to join in.

Finally, a number of you, this column in hand, have harassed a number of
TV stations and newspapers about where National Trails is. Channel 10,
WBNS, has capitulated utterly to the for ces of Hebronism, and has
promised to dateline drag races from "Hebron, Ohio," and can you all
please stop calling! 4 and 6 are still trying to figure out what hit
them, and we won’t talk about the Advocate. But some very nice peop le in
Luray have pointed out . . . well, Hebron is still the closest
incorporated community to the track, but local pride sure is a beautiful
thing, isn’t it?


Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a proud resi dent of .
. . yep, Hebron. But if you have news of neighboring communities, please
know you’ll get a fair hearing at 928-4066, or e-mail
disciple@voyager.net.

* * * * * * *e

Civil War Re-enactment 29 - 30 June – "Living Alongside the Civil War"

Learning history can be sobering, exciting, and even fun, and the annual Civil War Re-enactment at Infirmary Mound Park always manages to combine all three.Union and Confederate units of men in authentic period regalia fire cannon, shoot rifles, and wield sabers as various engagements of the War Between the States are brought to life before Licking County residents.

This year, on June 29 & 30, the re-enactment will offer a replay of the Battle of Antietam's South Mountain, which took place 140 years ago this September. But Mary Beth Sills, special projects co-ordinator for the Licking Park District, wants to show us the "civilian home front" during the Civil War.
"Come see how women and non-combatant men lived their lives outside the war," offers Sills, "with a small log cabin below the battlefield site showing home crafts and activities from everyday life."

A Town Meeting and a Ladies’ Tea are also part of the program through the weekend, along with a chance to merge the home front and the combatants with the now traditional Military Ball at 8:30 pm on Saturday, June 29. A period dance workshop is included at the start of the ball for guests to learn authentic steps and patterns, so they can participate with the re-enactors.

Infirmary Mound Park is host to most of the events of the weekend, charging $5 per carload with the gates opening at 9:30 am each day. All events inside the park are then without further charge, except for "Dinner with the Troops" on Saturday which is an additional $5 per person.

But the Civil War weekend continues to expand beyond the park and the two days: On Friday, June 28 is "Lunch With Lincoln" at the Buxton Inn in Granville for $15 (call 587-2535 for more info). Also appearing with the Lincoln presenter is Gov. Dennison, who will speak about Civil War era issues at the re-enactment, while they are making a number of appearances in the area Friday night and Sunday morning, including First Presbyterian Church in Pataskala and at the Licking Township Hall in Jacksontown.

Of course the boom of artillery and the crackle of gunfire is a major attraction, and battle re-enactments will take place on Saturday at 10:30 and 11:30 am, and at noon on Sunday. For many visitors, the spectacle of units marching across a field and the fun of noisemaking is tempered by the realization of what’s being "re-enacted" when soldiers slide to the ground, leading (as most re-enactors hope) to a better understanding of what was at stake in our nation’s critical conflict.

This year will be even more jarring, with the focus on Sept. 17, 1862, which is the single bloodiest day in American history.

Antietam found itself briefly back in the news after Sept. 11, when it was thought that the death toll that day had surpassed the near 5,000 dead near Sharpsburg, Maryland 140 years ago. While the 9-11 toll finally subsided below the grim toll for Sept. 17, the parallels were and are striking.


For more information on this and many other summer programs for families, children, and everyone, call the Licking Park District office at 587-2535. The re-enactment grounds are open June 29 & 30 from 9:30 am to dusk, with a Military Ball on Saturday night at 8:30 pm after Dinner with the Troops. Admission is $5 a carload.

* * * * * *

Hebron Crossroads
By Jeff Gill

First Community Church in Buckeye Lake will hold their Vacation Bible School starting Monday evening, June 24, from 6 to 9 pm. "Veggie Town Values" is the theme for the five nights of lessons, games, activities, and snacks running through June 28.
If you would like more information on "Veggie Town" at First Community, call 928-46 15. There will also be pre-registration on June 22 from 11 am to 2 pm, and further questions can be answered there.

Hebron United Methodist Church and Hebron Christian Church will again do a joint VBS July 26 & 27, with the Methodist Church as the site this year.

Hope all you dads had a great Father’s Day last weekend, and congratulations to Dave Cable for being selected as "Father of the Year" for his assistance with Martha Cable getting her master’s degree and care of their four kids through that time . . . and it was cheering for many of us in the community when word came that Martha’s been hired to work in Lakewood Schools this year. Dave was recognized by Hebron Christian Church, which has recognized a "Mother of the Year" for many years, and decided this year to salute fathers in a similar manner.

Dave and many other dads spent their Father’s Day doing groundskeeping and coaching out at Evans Park on Refugee Road with the big invitational tournament June 15 & 16; no results were available at presstime. Other dads around the area may have to have you repeat "Happy Father’s Day" a few times, not because they’re fishing for compliments, but because they were out at National Trails for the Pontiac Excitement Nationals. As one of the ticket-rippers and car-parkers out there, I can attest to the value of a good pair of ear-plugs! The top-fuel competitions were awesome back in Hebron sitting in the back yard, let alone standing by the tower watching the christmas tree flash down to green.

The traditional thunderstorms came, and just as quickly went, on Friday and Saturday evenings, and congrats to all the track staff for how smoothly traffic flowed through all four days.

While we’re at it, though, it is both interesting and frustrating to hear the various geographic attributions for National Trails Raceway. To the Advocate’s credit, they frequently credit datelines to the nearest municipality, our fair "Hebron." Most of the Columbus area media says "Kirkersville," which no doubt derives from the last town Columbus reporters pass through before arriving at the track.

But on ESPN, the dateline is "Columbus, Ohio." Oh, well. In central Ohio, we should be used to such confusion over fine distinctions here in "flyover country." Not too long ago, an article in a New York publication talking about Les Wexner’s mansion said that it was "two hours south of Cleveland," which is a funny way to refer to a metro area larger than Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and even Baltimore!

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church, and not only knows where Hebron is, he can find Moscow, Amsterdam, and Luray on a map . . . a Licking County map, that is. If you have geographical oddities or news of interest to share, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.

Hebron Crossroads 6-16
By Jeff Gill

Lakewood's girls softball team made us proud with their 24 and 7 run to the state final game. As impressive as their 2nd place finish out of 192 teams was, even more impressive was what principal Dennis Neff noted at the next day's commencement exercises for the LHS Class of 2002: the four senior girls on the team had a combined GPA of 3.675! One of those young women, Abby Daubenmire, was class salutatorian, and spoke at graduation about "stepping out of your comfort zone," and the blessings and rewards that can come from that step, which she's experienced in her own life these last few years.

Kristi Hoskinson, the class president, dedicated the afternoon to "LS Soop" Lou Staffilino, who retires at the end of 2002. She credited Mr. Staffilino with helping keep the class together and on the right track through the transitions from split sessions to a new building. Kimberly Lynn Kirk was class valedictorian, and Alexis Shelley Vance was recognized as Outstanding JVS student this year.

Breaking News, Traffic and Weather, all here on your Hebron Crossroads page!
OK, so this isn't the best place to get current updates, but as this is National Trails Raceway's Pontiac Excitement weekend, you can fairly well assume that the traffic around US 40 and Rt. 37 is heavy (watch for delays!), and that you need to use sunscreen in the direct sunlight alongside the asphalt unless you're in the middle of a thunderstorm. . .which will pass soon anyway, so reapply that sunscreen.

Truly, you do want to avoid going from Luray to Kirkersville by way of the National Road if you at all can help it until next Tuesday. Jim Layton and the gang do an amazing job of keeping the traffic moving into the parking areas and fields north and south of US 40, and the family-friendly atmosphere last year made for an overall calmer atmosphere around the track, but tens of thousands of cars and trucks and trailers can get backed up a bit. Remember, no coolers allowed this year into the track, as security concerns filter right on over into NHRA events, just like at Ohio Stadium.

Many of our Lakewood music and sports support groups will be working the concessions, the ticket-taking, and the parking out at National Trails, as kids and parents try to raise the money for both their activity and, in many cases, to help cover "pay-to-participate."

Licking Baptist Church, nestled in the hills north of Hebron, starts their Vacation Bible School on June 17 at 6 pm, running evenings through June 23. For more info on their programs for pre-school through adults, call 928-3586. A special feature on June 18 will have to be seen to be believed, so just show up and believe it!

Finally, don't forget to watch the sidewalks and crosswalks as you drive; school is out, and the kids are way, way out, and we all need to drive alertly and walk safely. As the saying goes, Hebron doesn't have any kids to spare.

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church, and always looks both ways when crossing the street; if you have other summer safety tips, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.

* * * * * * *

Booster cover story -- Grand Homes of Licking County

Just south of Hebron's Main Street, which as the National Road was once known as "America's Main Street," one of the oldest buildings in Licking County graces the corner of 7th and Deacon.

Built around 1826-8, what is still known as "the Madden House" in Hebron once stood downtown, just west of Porter's Barber Shop. After the Ohio and Erie Canal was planned to cross the National Road at the spot we call Hebron, a settlement sprang up. The original purpose of the structure is not known, but by the 1850's it was a dance hall.

From dance hall to preacher's house may be a bit of a leap, but that matches the trip the home made in 1880, when it was about to be torn down to make way for a National Guard armory (later replaced by the interurban power plant). Family and local legend has it that Thomas Madden, with nine children already born to him and his wife Nancy Virginia and four more yet to come, was walking by when he saw a cluster of men from the Lyons family discussing what to do with their property. Hearing that the house had to be moved or torn down right away, he walked up to them and said, "If I can have that house for what I've got in my pockets right now, I'll take it off your hands." The deal was closed with a handshake then and there, but the story closes by pointing out that while he got a house for $25 that way, it cost him $40 to move the house with a team of horses and a rope winch.

The Maddens had three sons and six daughters who survived infancy, and two of those daughters who never married, Letha and May, stayed in the Madden House the rest of their lives, and are buried across from Thomas and Nancy in the village cemetery. Charlie and Marian McDaniels, the owners, bought this beautiful home from other Madden relatives who lived briefly in it after the sisters' passing.

As active members of the Hebron Historical Society, the McDaniels have graciously shared their home with many different visitors, including long-lost Madden relatives passing through, village residents, and the historical society Christmas dinners. Charlie and Marian are still thankful for a decision made by Letha and May long before the McDaniels' moved to Hebron from Whitehall.

"Somebody offered them hundreds of dollars for that curved, cherry stair-railing, but they said 'No,' their father helped make it and it stays with the house," tells Charlie, "and since Marian had always wanted a house with a winding staircase, that just clinched the deal." Along with the warm, rich tones of the cherry bannister is the soft glow that only comes from hundreds of years of children's hands polishing the wood to a luminous smoothness.

Thomas Madden came to Hebron after the Civil War, where he rose almost immediately to the rank of sergeant in the 178th O.V.I.; his leadership skills also showed in how he helped organize a church right after he got to town in 1867. The fellowship he led often called lay preachers without formal education "Deacon," and while he went on to make ministry his full-time profession, and was one of the first "settled" pastors of both Hebron Christian Church and later Central Christian Church in Newark, the title "Deacon" Madden seems to have stuck, staying with us as the name of the street adjoining the Madden House.

Education has long been part of the vocation for both the Madden House and its residents; Letha and May frequently boarded teachers who worked at the Hebron School just west of them, and many of the Madden children and their spouses went into education . . . those that didn't go into the ministry, that is, and even some of those were involved in the early Sunday School movement, and one son-in-law, O.G. White, who married Lena, was an early state offical with the Disciples of Christ out of his work at West Virginia University.

Don't think for a moment that this home hasn't stories to tell beside hymn-singing and teacher's teas! Even beyond the dance hall days of Hebron's wilder past, one of Marian's prize possessions is a picture of Clara Madden, looking very prim and formal in a vast, sweeping bonnet, with an accompanying letter from Florence, the youngest surviving Madden. The letter asserts that, with her brother Arthur, Clara climbed the 150 foot tall smokestack of the old Hebron Power Plant, placing her high above the spot where the Madden House once stood. It was as if Clara and Florence wanted to tell a later generation, such as our own, that they knew how to cut up and have a good time even if their dad was a preacher!

Clara and Arthur, the smokestack and the Maddens are all gone from here, but the home they made and the influence they had in their church and community is still quite visible in Hebron. You can drive by 7th and Deacon and salute a living monument, still serving as a house and a home just as Tom and Nancy and the kids would have liked best.

And of an evening, if you squint just right at the sky behind Hayman's Dairy Bar, you might just see a blossom of crinolines perched near the top of a shadowy cylinder of brick, gazing out proudly across the rooftops of Hebron long ago.

Hebron Crossroads 6-09
by Jeff Gill

Lakewood High School will graduate the class of 2002 this Sunday, and after so many open houses (and so much cake!) it will be good to see the procession across the stage of the seniors, accompanied by the cheers of their families and friends.

Every ending is indeed a beginning, and for these 200-plus graduates a new beginning in a fast changing world . . .but wait, this is starting to sound like a commencement address, and we'll just wait until next week and hear what the student speakers have to share with us.

Buckeye Outdoors is graduating into their new building this week, with some walk-in traffic and sales starting already there behind AmeriHost. While the Grand Opening is August 11, Ohio's "largest hunting, fishing, and camping store on one floor" is already doing business. Stop by and answer "the call of the wild!"

Hebron Village council and administrator Mike McFarland did a great job getting the municipal complex with the Hebron Library connected to Evans Park on Refugee with a sidewalk. Not only does that make for more safe and comfortable walking in the village, but the symbolic connection of library and park reminds everyone to keep mind and body both in good health. Walkers started using the route just as soon as the concrete dried (maybe one or two just before), and the walking track at the park caps off a good morning of exercise from the library to Evans and back again after a lap or two.

Many folks around the village have commented with satisfaction on how quickly the National Road milestone was put back up when the concrete work was finished, and even augmented with some plantings around the base. Sadly, Licking County is one of the few places you can see most of the original markers in place for a considerable distance. Union and Licking Townships have most of their stones right where they belong, including the two within Hebron's municipal boundaries.

While some were made of cast iron that rusted away, and others of rapidly eroding sandstone, the biggest hazards the stones have faced over the last 150 or so years have been indifference and greed; some have gone into private backyards, others into county historical societies miles away from the National Road itself, and others are occasionally sold. Their main value, of course, is in relation to where they belong.

The milestone now re-set near the municipal complex says at the top "Cumberland 231," showing how far from the original starting point of Cumberland, Maryland you are. The next level down, on each "facet" of the stone, are mileages from the nearest cities both east and west, here being Zanesville and Columbus. The bottom level is usually an initial letter, such as "H." for Hebron or "L." for Luray, and the mileage (or half-mileage) to the next village either way.

In this season of important milestones like graduation, it's good to see some of our oldest milestones get some "Pomp and Circumstance" of their own!

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a big milestone fan. If you or someone you know has a big milestone to celebrate, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net and we'll announce it in the Crossroads.

Notes From My Knapsack
for June 2002 "Church Window"
Hebron Christian Church

They tell me Oprah has ended her Book Club, or at least will less frequently offer book recommendations than she has these last five years. That might just open up a chance to suggest a few "Church Window" book club choices for your summer relaxation.

The last few years I've recommending to anyone who would listen a small, thin book called "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." Translated from the French of Jean-Dominique Bauby, this is the story, told in first-person with some help, of a man who went from being the classic black turtleneck, cigarette smoking, sunglasses in a dark nightclub kind of editor for a French fashion magazine to a victim of "locked-in syndrome." This is a graceful medical term for the horrific state of not being able to move anything but, in Bauby's case, one of his eyelids.

With the help of friends, family, and medical professionals, he not only survives, but learns how to go from simple communication to dictating a book, all through techniques based on his eyelid's movement. This book should, by all rights, be unbearably sad, and yet it is strangely exhilarating to follow the growth of this man through his physical diminishment, which is the story he so wanted to share. His account of visiting the famous healing shrine at Lourdes is itself worth the price of the book.

In most situations, as a pastor I'm highly resistant to suggestions that physical ailments are "given" by God for our own good. While that's still my general assumption, there's no avoiding the fact that while, in this case, Bauby was not healed from his affliction, he was healed by his affliction.

There is a new book out in the "Mitford" series by Jan Karon, which may be a bit self-serving to recommend since a village priest in NC is the hero (one of 'em, anyhow), but I've been reading and enjoying these books since the first one came out from a small Christian publishing house and they were hard to find. Jan's gone mass-market now, but I'm glad more people can read them. She's also published a "facsimile" of Father Tim's sermon notebook, which I'm trying to get the Hebron Library to buy so I can read it more slowly; the problem is that I want to copy all his notes down into *my* sermon notebook!

A slightly grittier perspective on parish life (how come the Episcopalians have all the novels?) is in Gail Godwin's "Evensong," now in paperback and the follow-up to "Father Melancholy's Daughter." Both very fine novels, and both prominently featuring clergy. . .hmmmmmm.

OK, one last summer read I can highly recommend is -- wait, no, there's a couple clergy in it too, but one's nuts and the other is; well, just read the book -- "Empire Falls" by Richard Russo. It just came out in pb as well (I'm thinking cheaply here for you!) and is often found on shelves next to "Straight Man," a comic novel set on a campus much like one Joyce taught at some years ago, and "Nobody's Fool," which was made into a movie with Paul Newman a few years back. Russo won the Pulitzer at long last for "Empire Falls," and probably for his whole body of work including "Mohawk" and "The Risk Pool."

Let me know when you've read all those, and I'll start a new list!

In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff

Commissioner's Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish

You must be kidding me. You want me to think about Fall Program Planning?

Yeah, I can hear some of you say that when I mention the Program Planning Kickoff on August 20th at the Newark Public Library from 5 pm to ??? Note I said "some," because many of you battle-hardened Cubmasters and Scoutmasters have already learned full well the rule of 60.

What's the rule of 60. . . days, that is? Simply put, you can't reasonably expect families with kids (or anyone, but families especially) to put something on their calendar and make a firm commitment to participating with less than two months notice, or 60 days. Actually, on the district and council level (and this applies to church youth groups, 4-H'ers, etc.), the rule is more like 90 days, or three months, because by the time an event or activity announcement gets to a group in the mail, goes through committees or boards or whatever, and finally becomes an announcement or newsletter article, you've usually used up one month, and then you still need the 60 days notice.

Keep that in mind, as well as the Fall Program Planning Kick-off, which is now about . . . 60 days away!

* * * * * * *

Commissioner's Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish

Debriefing. That's not a word filled with woodsmoke and outdoorsiness, but Scout units that do a camping experience this summer can benefit from using a debriefing.

Soon after your return, sit down with your adult leaders, your youth leaders, and maybe just a few Scouts and parents, and talk through what you all just did and what the unit learned from it. Ideally, you might do a debriefing separately with each group, but depending on unit size and time constraints, any format is preferably to no debriefing at all.

One reason even scouters who are familiar with the concept of "debriefing" tend to shy away from doing it is the fear that the gathering will become a "gripe session" (you may be familiar with other words than "gripe" in this context). The best way to avoid that is to make the "debrief" focus on these three questions, IN THIS ORDER! 1.) What went well? 2.) What didn't go as well as you hoped, and why? 3.) What would you like to do differently, and how? This simple debriefing technique can help ensure that each outing is better than the last.


* * * * * * *

Commissioner's Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish

Family Night is, to put it bluntly, not the favorite part of the week for most of the summer camp staff. I say most because, having been a camp staffer in Scoutcraft, Nature/Conservation, Field Sports, Trading Post Manager, and as Program Director, I know how much I dreaded Family Night every summer EXCEPT the year I was TP Manager. Did I mention that they paid the manager by commission that summer?

Unit leaders can really help the staff be good hosts by getting some information out to your parents before camp starts. I always noticed that the units from which we had little or no trouble from the parents would have a set time they asked parents to arrive (which also facilitated car pooling), greeted them at the gate with an honor guard of youth in uniform, and escorted the family members through the sign-in for meals if that was part of the plan, and then together as a body to the campsite.

A little pre-talk by the unit leader for the week in the campsite also helps to share information on your terms, not from the youth, and gives you another chance to tell parents what's going well. Some parents will always be horrified that little Johnny is covered with mosquito bites, a few bark scrapes, and a fair-amount of ground-in dirt, but they'll be helped by your putting the week so far into perspective.

Plan for Family Night, and you can use the experience as a great support-building time from your scout families; just let Family Night happen, and you might start to feel the way some of the staffers do about it!

* * * * * * *

Commissioner's Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish

Poetry has been part of Scouting from the very beginning. As Baden-Powell re-wrote "Aids to Scouting" in 1908 into "Scouting for Boys," the beginning of the Scouting Movement, he had just read Rudyard Kipling's "Kim," and B-P got Kipling's permission to copy liberally from the book, which was still a world-wide best-seller.

Poems as meeting starters, Scoutmaster's Minutes, or campfire tales have continued to be a strong part of Scouting's heritage. From Kipling, there's the well-known "If":

http://www.cordair.com/apotheosis/ecards/poetry/kipling/if.htm

For both history and drama, almost anyone can read this poem well from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere":

http://www.cordair.com/apotheosis/ecards/poetry/longfellow/paul.htm

Edgar Guest was an American poet of the early 1900's who was quoted in many early editions of the BSA Scout Handbook, and Breen Bar Bill himself liked to recite "It Couldn't Be Done":

http://www.cordair.com/apotheosis/ecards/poetry/guest/itcouldnt.htm

And my favorite around a campfire on a muggy summer night is "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert Service (you'll cool off just hearing it read), but all his stuff is great for scouts, found at:

http://www.ude.net/service/index.html

And one more just for scouters. . .the younger scouts won't get this one, but I'm betting you will, titled "The Gods of the Copybook Heading":

http://www.cordair.com/apotheosis/ecards/poetry/kipling/cpybk.htm

Enjoy!

* * * * * * *

Commissioner's Corner
By Jeff Gill, Dist. Commish

Where can you find Round-Up packets, popcorn info, atl-atls, camping tips, free field trips, service project ideas, and fresh, hot coffee all in one place? At the Fall Program Planning Kickoff!

Tuesday, August 20th, in the meeting room of the Newark Public Library from 5 pm to 8:30 pm, you'll find all that and more. The Licking District Committee and Commissioner's staff will put on another great evening of resources and information guarateed to be useful or one of Baden-Powell's middle names isn't Smythe!

You don't have to sign up, but every unit does need to show up, so we can get you timely info about fall activities, give you a chance to swap ideas with other unit leaders, and so we can save postage on popcorn and Round-up mailings.

Look for the Unit Program Fishin' Hole, and cast your line out for a sure-fire big one that won't get away! There will be over 20 other booths and stations from Licking Park District, the Coast Guard Reserve, the OA, and many others. Drop by and drop a line with us . . .

Hebron Crossroads 6-02
By Jeff Gill

Memorial Day was clear and beautiful out at Hebron Cemetery, with just enough breeze to make the flags snap and keep the air cool. A platoon's worth of American Legion Post 285 was on hand in their simple uniforms, with seven armed for the 21-gun salute, and the Lakewood Band provided a bugler for "Taps" as they in their own summer uniform marched down the National Road behind a Hebron/Union Township fire engine.

Pastor Wes Baker of the Hebron United Methodist Church gave an address on the history of the observance, our unity in creation, and how sacrifice and freedom can bring us closer together. Chaplain Wayne Tressemer of Post 285 gave the traditional prayer for the departed, and Post Commander Doug Amspaugh oversaw a moving celebration of "our honored dead," right down to the laying of the wreaths for the Legion, their Auxiliary, and the Gold Star Mothers.

You may hear that, in some communities, there's not enough interest to sustain a Memorial Day parade and commemoration, but the simple dignity and straightforward elegance of this last Monday in May shows that it isn't all that complicated to bring a community together for a cause such as Memorial Day, especially in the wake of 9-11.

Of course, after the solemnity comes the celebration, and many families and groups began a season of grilling, horseshoes, croquet, boating, fishing, and deck building: and that's just what I heard people talking about walking back down Main Street! Open houses for high school and college graduates are also going on this weekend along with last week and well into next week.

Summer is truly here, and once we're past Lakewood commencement June 9, the chorus will begin in many homes of "I'm bored!" Activities that are regular, cheap, or even free can be hard to come by, but we are blessed in this area with a variety of Vacation Bible School programs in some churches as soon as the week after school is out, group activities at Ryan Park and Water's Edge Ministries in Buckeye Lake, and various kids programs for low fees at Dawes Arboretum and Licking Park District (at the Craner Nature Center NE of Jacksontown and at Infirmary Mound Park on Rt. 37).

One of the best children's offerings is through the Hebron Public Library, on the north side of the Municipal Complex, and their Summer Reading Programs. These have much more than just reading going on; the staff is creating a variety of activities which help reinforce good reading and learning habits.

Tuesday morning Storytime is on throughout June and July at 11 am, where children are invited with an accompanying adult, as this is aimed at the younger crowd of 4 to 6. The library will have Wednesday evening activities for ages 7 to 13 at 7 pm. Thursday afternoon specials at 2 pm with a story and craft will interest a wide range of younger readers, with enough activity to help focus even the pre-reader on what's going on. You'll also hear from special guest readers, like Dave Lehman on June 13 and Bob Kreidler on July 18.
Weekly trivia games for ages 10-16 from June 10 to August 2 will offer prizes to the weekly winners, in the "Circus of Fun Trivia" contest at "The greatest show in town," your Hebron Public Library.

That should keep most of us from being too "glued to the tube" this summer, but my son Chris and I have to take issue with fellow columnist Larry Fugate. We liked Steve on "Blue's Clues," but Joe is great, too. What else would you expect from a TV character that's been focus-grouped to the nth degree? Maybe we need a Joe Appreciation Society. . .every new member gets a block-pattern rugby shirt. . .or maybe Larry and Chris and I all need to get out and around this summer!

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and really likes Oswald even more than "Blue's Clues," but likes playing backyard tournament croquet even more; if you have reports on summer activities in the Hebron area, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.

The Church Window
May 2002 e-letter
Hebron Christian Church
Hebron, Ohio

* * * * * * *

Come Have a Life-Changing Summer With Us!

May 19 - Pentecost Sunday
8:30 am van(s) depart for ClownTown worship in Newark
(at OSU-N)
10:30 am Worship

May 26 - Memorial Day Sunday
8:30 am worship continues through Labor Day!

May 27 (Mon.) - Memorial Day
Parade from Legion Hall to Hebron Cemetery
Observances by Legion and Gold Star Mothers

Hebron Christian Church, as part of 135th, will hold a
Wreath-Laying Ceremony for Thomas & Nancy Madden
Thomas was a Civil War veteran, founder, and first
"settled" pastor of our church.

June 9 - Graduate Recognition Sunday
Chi Rho (6-8th gr.) Campers leave for Camp Christian

June 15 (Sat.) - "Keep The Fire Burning" Bus Trip
to Camp Christian; this is part of our regional capital
campaign (plus picking up our kids from camp).
If you've never seen our crown jewel of the
Christian Church in Ohio, come get on the bus!

June 30 - CYF Phyo (9-12th gr.) Conference
at Camp Christian, thru July 6

June 30 - Work Trip group from Metropolis, IL
St. Paul Lutheran Church staying overnight

July 7 - Badger Partnership (3-5th gr.) Camp
at Templed Hills, thru July 13

July 26 (Fri. eve) to July 28 (in worship)
Hebron Community VBS
"Rainforest Adventure"
hosting congr. this year - Hebron UMC
hosts, crafts, and kids still needed!!!

Aug. 3 (Sat.) to Aug. 10
Hartford Fair in Croton
Prime Producers 4-H all week!

Aug. 11 - Land of Legend Barbershop Chorus
in 10:30 am worship

Sept. 8 - Rally Day and end of Early Service

* * * * * * *

Notes From My Knapsack

Back in college, someone who knew i loved reading Chekhov's short stories and
Dostoyevsky's novels told me that i really needed to learn Russian, so i could appreciate all the more what i had been reading in the original languages. I promptly signed up for Russian 101, and spent a very long semester getting nowhere, in part no doubt due to failings on the part of the student, but also because the teacher admitted on the first day of class "I'm very sorry, but i actually don't speak Russian. I read it a little, and there are not enough Russian teachers, so you got me."

You have to appreciate her candor, but the obvious drawback was that we were all at sea in the the same boat, and fairly quickly the teacher lost control of the class. I still read Chekhov in English translation, if that tells you anything.

Later on, in seminary, when i learned to read Hebrew and enough Greek to fight my
way through a line-reading, i had the privilege of being taught by professors who knew
the language in question well, loved the history and the structure of them, and delighted bringing us along so that we might experience what they already knew.

My point here isn't really about languages, though; it is about teaching and learning.
The reading tutoring program at Hebron Elementary has been a pleasure to participate in, and often i regret how often i end up having to miss . . . but as few as they have, even my sporadic participation is a help. Michelle Henry and Judith Strain are doing a great job with what they have, but they need adults who love reading and can effectively communicate that love to their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders.

We're about to have hundreds of new Hebron residents in the next few years. Believe it or not, you do have to learn to "speak Hebron" to truly enjoy living here. Obviously not a whole 'nother language, speaking Hebron is knowing some of the shorthand and customs and references that we all take for granted. Nosy, obstinate folk like myself will dig their way through on their own (kind of like how i had to learn the Cyrillic alphabet), but many will need help. How will we provide that? In the absence of Welcome Wagons and other now-bygone rituals of introduction, who will teach Hebron? It would be best if that can be done by those who know well and love the language.

And of course, there is the language of faith. We have our own dialect of it at Hebron Christian, one rich in nuance and meaning. I got a chance to see that so clearly last week as i taught a class in "what does it mean to be a Disciples of Christ pastor" at Methesco, but that's another story.

We have wonderful church school teachers and fellowship group leaders who have much to share about the language of faith, but we have a specific and unique task ahead in teaching the language of faith to ones who are barely literate in matters of the spirit. How can we teach this tongue to new Christians, renewed Disciples, recent arrivals in our church? It would be best if that can be done by those who know well and love the language.

What we don't want to do is teach the wrong language at the wrong time to the wrong people. This final thought occurred to me as i was listening to Jimmy Carter on the news, speaking in (no doubt Georgia-accented) Spanish to a Cuban audience. Two more different presidents than George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter you could not find, i daresay, but they have one thing in common. They both know that an effective politician in America today speaks Spanish, and they both do. Meanwhile, when i was preparing to enter seminary, i thought i was all set when i saw the recommendation in the catalogue (circa 1984) that "Latin and German" are useful languages for prospective pastors, and i had two years in each.

As i pastor, i've never used Latin or German -- but i've sure wished i knew some Spanish, if only to help make someone feel a little more comfortable in a difficult situation, and to speak the language of their heart. Anyone have an old Spanish textbook?

In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff

Hebron Crossroads
by Jeff Gill

Don Thorp Field sounds pretty good, doesn't it? The only surprise was that it hadn't been named for him sooner. There's probably folks who've been calling Lakewood's diamond that for years already.

Out at Evans Park on Refugee Road, the evenings are drawing out so much longer now, which is a good thing considering that the ball fields are all filled most nights - with tee-ball, youth baseball, the occasional softball crew - and at the north end, soccer teams are running north-south, east-west, young and younger. Canal Park hosts girls' junior softball, and out at Thorp Field the annual hunt for boy's baseball victory is accompanied by the equally energetic Lakewood girl's softball line-up.If you haven't been to a ball game or soccer game this spring, you've really missed something. (Plus you can get a taco in a bag out at Evans for $2 from Jody or William, ask for extra peppers.)

At the Gill house, we're missing our three robin fledges, formerly chicks, formerly eggs. Right on schedule, 14-16 days after hatching, they flew away, and we wish them well. Truth be told, it is nice to have our front door back. Spring certainly is moving right along, no matter how cool it's gotten, if baby birds are already heading out of the nest.

Welcome to PAL Printing near the main crossroads on Main St., right next to the Duke/BP station. The former hardware/clock/body shop is now beautifully renovated into a top-notch looking print shop, and looks well worth our business! We'll let you know when word of "grand opening" activity is coming.

As you can tell, this is an "assorted items" column, with the rush of May events kind of washing past us; this is a good point to remind folks that if you have news of the Hebron area, this column is usually written and always turned in about a week to a week-and-a-half before the paper shows up in print. Next week, we'll have a full column of info about the summer programs at the Hebron Library, so if you have Vacation Bible School info from your church, ice cream socials or even particularly interesting yard sales (that means ones with lots of books), you need to e-mail me soonest at disciple@voyager.net or call 928-4066.

Next Sunday Hebron Christian Church adds again the summer "early service" at 8:30 am, which is a shorter and simpler service especially for those who may have just the one day to head off on family outings and such. Worship together is a great way to begin a family day of any sort. This service runs through Labor Day and often approaches the 10:30 service in attendance! Other churches with summer schedule changes are also encouraged to let me know pronto.

Pat Miller and her daughter Beth Walters, long-time local residents as well as local realtors, will be putting out small American flags again for Memorial Day weekend, all along East Main Street. Saturday the 25 they'll be out in the morning planting them along the roadway if anyone wants to help, and they will usher in the simple, dignified parade on Monday at 10 am from the Legion Hall to Hebron Cemetery, where Memorial Day observances will be held.

Finally, National Trails is booming out its presence across the evening skies, and the Pontiac Nationals are just weeks away. Hey, Hebron Crossroads may even issue its first traffic reports for that week! Many of us will be ticket-ripping, car-parking, and concession-standing for our various teams and charities that week as we welcome 100,000 new neighbors. Stay tuned . . . oh, and Happy 4th Birthday, Christopher!

Hebron Crossroads 5-19
by Jeff Gill

Down US 40 to the east end of town is the Hebron Cemetery, where each year on Memorial Day much of the village and surrounding area gathers to remember those "who gave the last full measure of devotion."

Behind the American Legion color guard and the Lakewood Band, local dignitaries and "just folks" of the township all walk down East Main to stand in tribute among the stones and markers, laying wreaths and keeping silence during "Taps."

We'll have more detailed information about Memorial Day observances next week, but as many of us anticipate being present for that observance, we can also anticipate a change in view, one more of many that have closed in around this once isolated spot. Just across the National Road is the rising profile of the new Kroger store, with Buckeye Outdoors already filling out part of the horizon due south. Southwest of the cemetery entrance can be seen the northern edge of what will soon dominate the southern approach to Hebron, the Lake Forest subdivision of Dominion Homes. And clearly in view to the north, at what's become the "north entrance" to Hebron at Enterprise Drive is the framing of the new McDonald's.

So much changes each year, and this year in particular, but out at Hebron Cemetery the stones keep their stations, and silently speak about what does not change. These foundation stones of our community heritage may lean in the earth, their inscriptions may fade a bit against the west wind, but our gathering each Memorial Day is something that doesn't have to change, and might even grow stronger.

Whatever the new Hebron will look like when the current round of construction and development is over, it will look all the more beautiful with the preservation not just of memorials, but also of traditions like our Memorial Day gathering. I hope you can join us that day, as veterans and citizens and all people of good will come together as a living memorial.

If you want to go a bit farther afield to see some of the visible memorials of our national heritage, the Ohio Historical Society (OHS) in Columbus will have a very special exhibit from the National Archives in Washington May 24 to September 2. "American Originals" is the name of the display, which will include the Louisiana Purchase treaty of 1803, Thomas Edison's patent application for the electric lamp of 1879, and a letter from Neil Armstrong to President Nixon inviting him to dinner before the Apollo 11 launch in 1969.

A very special part of this exhibit is the fragile original of the Emancipation Proclamation from 1863, which will be on display only from June 20 to 23. More durable for your ongoing access, at least, is the web site www.ohiomemory.org where digital versions of many aspects of Ohio history are already on display.

Starting Memorial Day weekend most of the 62 OHS sites around the state are opening up for regular weekend and some weekday hours, but my summer will definitely include a visit to the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus, just north of the Fairgrounds, to see the "American Originals" and . . . remember.

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a strong supporter of national service of all sorts; if you have thoughts on that or any other subject of general interest, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.

There Are Clowns Among Us!
by Jeff Gill, Contributing Scribbler

Newark may have 200 years of history to celebrate this year, but for an event which has been around just 7% of that time, "ClownTown" is turning into one of Newark and Licking County's chief claims to fame. Their signature "Clown Parade" at 4:00 pm, Saturday May 18, on Courthouse Square in Newark has become a don't miss experience for many, enhanced this year by the particpation of the Bicentennial Commission with added attractions from 2 to 6 pm.

With 300 red-nosed, floppy-shoed registrants hailing from Conneticut to Mars (they're pretty sure about the Conneticut one, anyhow), "ClownTown" is beginning its 14th year out at OSU-N/COTC. The three days of workshops, displays, and programs officially begin on Friday, May 17, but last weekend a dozen beginners went through a full day clown workshop that begins the "ClownTown" experience for many. The syllabus shows that they learned "adequately animating festive figures with your fingers," as well as "creating clever characters on children's cheeks," plus "talentedly twisting darling dirigibles," which turned out to be making balloon figures with Mr. FunnyBunny.
The next program was "Grandiose Gourmandizing," or lunch, so I took the opportunity to talk to Mr. FunnyBunny, who is occasionally called Mike Wesley when he's delivering mail . . . when he's not called "hey, balloon guy!"

Mike has been involved with "ClownTown" since the beginning, and has enjoyed the fellowship with clowns from literally all across the country. He and his brother Choo-Choo have been Mayors of "ClownTown," and the title this year goes to Choo-Choo's daughter Christina, also known as Crystal Clear.

Crystal Clear has grown up with "ClownTown," starting as a child and still active while teaching at Blessed Sacrament School. When asked what she most hoped to enjoy as mayor, she replied, "Getting to boss my dad and uncle around, and laughing the entire weekend."

As their beginner workshop titles show, even when clowns get serious they're pretty funny. Clowns do have a strong sense of history, and Jeff Potts, aka Bungles the Clown, told me about the three main types of clown.

"There's the classic whiteface, which can be both serious and funny," he told me, "and that basic kind of clown goes back to Rome and ancient Egypt as a comic figure." This is the "harlequin" type of appearance, often with a striped coverall and "clown white" makeup covering the entire face and head. "This type grew into the comedy whiteface, who you see in well-known clowns like Bozo and Ronald McDonald."

"Then there is the "Auguste" type or just "Gus," from the German for a clumsy boy," Bungles went on, with the red nose and big feet that might indicate a bit of drunken foolishness; this type emphazises physical humor and slapstick.

The last type is the character clown, like the Tramp made famous by Emmett Kelly in our day. In the 1800's, Joseph Grimaldi amazed audiences at circuses with his many characters and quick changes, memorialized in the clown nickname "a Joey."

Just as the beginner clown day ended with the "conscious conclusion of cavortation," all good things must end . . . but not "ClownTown," which seems to just keep going and going! The crowds at the Saturday Clown Parade just keep getting bigger and bigger, and the Mayor and Clowncil of "ClownTown" keep making plans for a newer, more exciting event each year. They also appreciate the help and support through the years from Moundbuilders Kiwanis, and this year from the Newark Bicentennial Commission to add activities to Saturday on the Square.

But they'll never stop making balloon animals, Mr. FunnyBunny promises.

For more information on ClownTown, see www.clowntown.org.

Hebron Crossroads
by Jeff Gill

Mother's Day this weekend reminds us to be thankful for and appreciate the mothers in our lives. Our own, our wives, grandmothers, aunts, even Sunday school teachers and friendly neighbors with a motherly way about them.

This year, I have a mother to appreciate that gives me a slightly different angle on appreciating motherhood. I mentioned a couple weeks ago that a robin had built her nest cradled in the welcome wreath hung from our front door. One egg appeared, and then disappeared into bits and pieces around our front stoop; then three more appeared.

Thinking that some of you might have robins' nests in odd spots around your home, and wondering how long we'd be directing visitors through the garage, Joyce and I did a little research. Robins tend to mate in February and lay eggs in late March or early April. The eggs are warmed under the mother in the nest for about three weeks, when they hatch.

Right on schedule, our eggs have turned into three gape-mouthed nestlings, each of which expect (loudly) their body weight in grubs, bugs, and worm bits every day. They tell us that from hatching, the nestlings (and Mother Robin!) have 14 to 16 days of this routine until they "fledge," or become fledglings, which is the most hazardous part of their average two- to three-year life-span.

During fledging, as they learn to fly, robin chicks may be found on the ground, and this is when well-intentioned folk often think they've found an "orphaned" chick. As any pilot can tell you, ground training is at least as important as learning aerobatic maneuvers, and that's what little robins have to get through. The flunk-out is a bit harsher than flight school normally imposes, though.

If you find a chick wandering and chirping, odds are mother is at a safe distance, but grimly watching nature take its course. Look around, and you may well see a nest nearby in a low branch . . . or on a door wreath. Resist the temptation to pick up the bird and replace it, and instead shoo away the gimlet-eyed cat or toddler who want to "hewp da tweedy burd."

Meanwhile, about a week after you read this, we should have our front door back! We'll see how fledging goes, but watching Mother Robin build her nest (good architecture), brood on her nest, and now feed her voracious nestful gives me a whole new appreciation for a mother's work, which we all know is never. . .!

Which brings us to a guest speaker at the Hebron Library on Wed., May 15, at 6:30 pm. Dr. Lorle Porter will be speaking on and signing her book "Sara's Table: Keeping House in Ohio, 1800-1950." Focused on New Concord, Ohio during that time period, her materials are gathered under the auspices of the old saying "A man may work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done."

Any guest speaker who can talk authoritatively about head cheese and souse has my attention, and I strongly encourage Hebron area women AND men to come welcome this local author.

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a friend to robins everywhere; if you have a story of mother's love to share or local news, call 928-4066 or e-mail him at disciple@voyager.net

Commish Corner
by Jeff Gill, Dist. Commissioner

A number of questions have come up lately about Youth Protection Training, which is one of Scouting's benchmark adult training requirements -- and the envy of many other youth-serving agencies. In fact, I've done "YPT" for a number of church and civic youth groups at their request, after they've heard how good our program is.

Basically, the full 90 minute YPT is a one-time requirement for the "trained" chevron with any leadership position. About 30 of you (in Licking District) completed that, or repeated that, up at Falling Rock during Spring Camporee. Jim Francis and I appreciated your interest and attention, and those who don't get their YPT cards at May or June Roundtable will get them in the mail. We discussed at that time regularly offering a "refresher" to review changes and developments in reporting requirements and Scouting procedures, but those will be for those who have completed YPT and won't replace the full training.

As always, there are three "exceptions." First and foremost, this still means that you may have to repeat the training for things like camp staff, Philmont leadership, Woodbadge, etc. Secondly, it is an annual expectation that each pack, troop, and crew will offer to the youth a presentation on child safety and abuse -- age appropriate material on video is available through the council office, and we hope to have copies in the district soon. Thirdly, Venturing YPT is the one entirely different training, since you're working with both young men and women ages 14 to 21. No one on the district level is currently certified to provide such training, but Steve Hoar has gone through it and finds it well worth the extra time.

And as always, if you have questions, call me at 928.4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net, and we'll find the answers!

Hebron Crossroads
by Jeff Gill

Last Sunday under a threatening sky, a dozen kids rode their bikes out at Evans Park on Refugee Road for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The difficult upwind struggle was made easier by remembering the cause they rode for.

"When you get tired and it feels hard, think of those kids at St. Jude's who are really struggling," Glenna Jones reminded the kids (and some brave parents!). "They're fighting cancer and leukemia and other illnesses that they can't just go home from." Clay's Cafe has been a regular sponsor of this event for some years.

Another thing that felt good about the ride was the pair of lead riders starting the St. Jude's Bike-a-thon off: Chief Carney and Sgt. Brooks of the Hebron Police on their patrol cycles. They did their best to serve as a wind break on the southern leg as the kids got going. The skies cleared and the weather alerts were canceled, but the winds just grew stronger. If you pledged one of these riders, you may want to think about doubling your contribution, because the kids really did pedal twice as hard to go around the perimeter track!

Tuesday, May 7 is a voting day in Ohio, and along with a number of county primary contests is our Lakewood levy for the local school district. Many of us in the area hope that the school board will be empowered again to offer full kindergarten programs, eliminate pay-to-participate, and give some raises instead of one-time year-end bonuses. We'll keep our quality teachers and staff for only so long while we're at 11th place out of 11 districts in Licking County. This columnist says: Lakewood Yes.

The Greater Buckeye Lake Historical Society, with a museum in Buckeye Lake that includes displays of all area communities, including Hebron, is responsible for helping the Dept. of Natural Resources with the once a year visitation of Cranberry Bog/Island. When I lived in Newark, my predecessor at Hebron Christian, Morgan Wickizer, would always call to tell me when "the day" was so Joyce and I could come walk on the famous "floating island."

Officially called "Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve in Buckeye Lake," this 11 acre area along the north shore of the lake is a remnant of glacial times, a mat of sphagnum moss, cottongrass, and mud sedge that broke loose and rose to the surface in 1830 as the lake was created as a feeder reservoir for the Ohio-Erie Canal. Rare orchids, cranberry and pitcher plants, and round-leafed sundew grow wild there, along with other wild and endangered plants.

Sat., June 22 is the date of the "open house," which is selected to coincide with the peak blooms of grass-pink and rose pogonia orchids. It is only one day, because of the fragile nature of this shrinking ecosystem (formerly 50 acres, Cranberry Bog is now barely 11 acres of area). And only 480 people can visit between 8 am and 4 pm; demand has been so great in recent years that a lottery system has been set up to keep us from loving this natural wonder to death.

To visit our local "Brigadoon" of the Ice Age, send a postcard to ODNR Div. of Natural Areas, 1889 Fountain Square Court, F-1, Columbus, Ohio 43224. Put "Cranberry Bog" on the postcard, along with your name, address with zip, daytime phone number, and number of people in your party not exceeding 10. There's only one postcard per family, and you'll get confirmation of your time if selected in June.

That may seem like a whole lot to go through just to visit a bog, even one with boardwalks and meat-eating plants (well, insects anyhow), but everyone who visits comes back marvelling at how it really is like a trip through time. Consider joining this lottery with much better odds and a very worthwhile payoff!

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a long-time bog walker. If you know of interesting places to get your feet wet or have other community news, call 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.

Notes From My Knapsack -- for May print issue

An editorial page from a Columbus Dispatch sat near the computer for the last two weeks; I had kept it to read more closely a lead editorial on "interstate dumping," the disposal of other states' trash into Ohio landfills. We received 1.77 million tons of trash in 2000, 26% from New York alone. Low-bid landfills in places like Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio are making money on this dubious transaction, which fills the highways with more long-haul trucks carrying noxious loads to rural areas where farmland is becoming a dump site.

I wasn't sure what I was going to make of this issue originally, other than a general "we are all downstream" kind of reminder of what goes around, comes around. But what brought a pastoral concern into focus was that, when I finally got around to reading this op-ed page, I also read a letter from a long-time resident of the campus neighborhoods near OSU, warning (5 days before!) of riotous behavior brewing around street keggers and block parties.

The writer's point was to the broader readership of the Dispatch, out even into Licking County. She points out that "Many students from suburbs and small towns are not just naive; they are destructive and disrespectful. Their parents somehow taught them that when they arrive in the urban environment around campus, they no longer have to respect other people and their property."

Just like the editorial on out-of-state garbage, the point is that there is no "somewhere else" in this world. Everywhere is someone's home -- even nature is home to wildlife -- and we have certain mutual obligations to each other that must be taught, and learned, and reinforced. We all have a stake in "somewhere else," and we need to live in relationship to others wherever we go.

Obviously a faith perspective helps us see that we are brothers and sisters, children of God, all together part of Creation. That perspective does not magically happen: it must be taught, and shared, and affirmed. A good immediate example for us is that just as much of our congregational leadership was shaped in places like Mansfield, Gallipolis, and Valparaiso, Indiana, we are training tomorrow's leadership not just for Hebron but for places so distant we can't name them yet. Our participation in the larger church affirms that important reality -- that in God's world there is no "somewhere else."

In Grace & Peace, Pastor Jeff

The Church Window
Hebron Christian Church
Hebron, Ohio
April 2002 on-line newsletter

Notes From My Knapsack

As a regular blood donor myself (O-, 7 gallons ;-D), I want to avoid sounding like i'm tooting my own horn, but the fellow you can read about at this link:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/04/23/record.blood.donor/index.html

-- shows far better than I can how blood donors are quiet, necessary heroes in our communities. If you'd like to make your contribution, Hebron Village Hall is hosting a Blood Drive on Wed., May 8th from 1:00 to 7:00 pm. All blood types and all ages are accepted; the usual exclusions are if you've had a recent surgery or have a pacemaker or defibrillator on your heart. Just about anyone else can donate!

This really is an important task that can only be accomplished one pint at a time, and since blood can only be stored (even frozen) for so long, an ongoing supply is so very important. The post-9/11 surge of blood donations has not resulted in new regular donors -- you can give a pint every 60 days -- so the need is now as great as it was on Sept. 10th.

The idea came from Village administrator Mike McFarland, who was looking for new ways to use the public spaces of the Municipal Complex (editor's note: somehow, i find "village hall" more chummy) and let Hebron area citizens know that this is their building. He has other plans in mind, but we had talked months ago about how either Hebron United Methodist or Hebron Christian couldn't sponsor a blood drive on their own, due to building limitations and the need to "guarantee" over 25 donors to make the mobile blood service worth the trip. I'm moving my regular donation appointment to be there May 7th, and i hope to see many of you there!

In Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jeff

* * * * * * *

Excuses, excuses . . .

This month's e-letter certainly missed the 15th (to complement the print letter, which comes out the 1st). While Joyce did have a good trip to Austin, TX for some training, and took the laptop with her, it was in fact taxes that bumped this e-missive, but not the filing of 1040's as you might think.

If you'd like to see in part what diverted me, click on:

http://clergyrant.blogspot.com

-- and see what's had me on the phone with the Pension Fund, Reps. Ney & Tiberi, and even with staff in House Minority Leader Armey's office. In short, while Congress is truly being helpful, the odds are that the long-standing (since 1921) tax exemption for the clergy housing allowance is going to be declared unconstitutional. The immediate case, before the Ninth Dist. Federal Court of Appeals, is being mitigated by the bill before Congress which passed the House like lightning and likely will cruise through the Senate ("Rev. Gill, you're on hold for Sen. DeWine's legislative counsel . . ."), but the other "interested parties" now involved will probably throw the Ramstad Bill in front of the Supreme Court, and friends whose views i trust are not optomistic.

The short-term (3 to 5 year) impact will be that average clergyfolk like myself will pay about $3000 more a year in taxes, and that's accordingly more for larger churches, a bit less for smaller . . . but not much less, since many smaller church pastors and bi-vocationals take much of their church compensation as housing allowance.

The slightly longer-term impact will be all of those churches, as they try to make up the difference (the amount plus 30% +/-, since you pay taxes on the "new" increase), and then taking some or all of that difference out of Basic Mission Finance, local mission projects, and community assistance.

It's that impact, as we're looking to churches to pick up more and more slack on the social safety net, that makes this not just a "pastor's paycheck" issue, and all the House staff i've talked to agree. At the very least, if we can't stop this $550,000,000 tax increase (i think that's *way* low, myself, and so do most others i've talked to) on 850,000 pastors, rabbis, and imams (yep, imams use the housing allowance, too), there needs to be some way of cushioning the impact on churches as this change in the tax code takes effect.

So, there you have it; you can keep checking http://clergyrant.blogspot.com for more info if you want. Not the stewardship issue i'd hoped to be spending time on this Spring, but like the pollen, we take the bitter with the sweet . . . atchooo.

* * * * * * *

That's all for now; we'll save the cheerier stuff for the next print newsletter! A quick link if you're enjoying the night skies to the west with the five-planet-alignment coming together:

http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/almanac/

-- which you can customize for "43025" or wherever your zip code is. This gives you not only sun/moon-rise/set info and links to star charts, but also info on when the Space Shuttle or Int'l Space Station pass overhead. After a day of frantic activity, the task of calming your breathing and steadying your hands to look for Jupiter's moons through a pair of binoculars, or picking out a galactic cluster near Andromeda by careful focus of the lenses, can bring you to a state perilously close to . . . prayer!

Hebron Crossroads
by Jeff Gill

"People think we're trying to extract blood from them anyhow," says Hebron village administrator Mike McFarland. "So we're giving them a chance to do just that."

Mike isn't talking about taxes, but about the village-sponsored blood drive coming on Wednesday, May 8, from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the lobby and council hall of the municipal complex. This new gathering space in Hebron has been the site of a dedication, some zoning displays, and other civic uses. Mike and the village staff were looking for new ways to let the area citizenry know that this is their building, and one idea that came up was to sponsor a blood drive.

"They still need blood all the time," Mike observed, noting that immediately after 9-11 so many came to donate, but relatively few thought to donate again. As a seven gallon blood donor who gives every 60 days myself, I can confirm that the Red Cross blood centers are in as much need for regularly given pints of blood as they were on Sept. 10. In seminary, I organized two or three blood drives a year, and the exclusions back then meant that every volunteer was precious to the supply, and the increase of piercings and tatooings (not a permanent exclusion, but still a short-term "can't donate" factor) along with other reasons has left the Red Cross in a permanent state of "blood supply emergency."

So thanks to our village staff, an opportunity as close as West Main St. will be available on the afternoon of May 8 to help someone in need. It's fairly painless, and may well be a good deed that only you can do. See you there!

This Sunday is the St. Jude's Children's Hospital Bike-a-thon out at Evans Park on Refugee Road; Clay's Cafe is the sponsor, and Glenna Jones would love to have you come out to cheer the kids on at 1 pm. She'll probably also extract a donation from you, but that's even more painless as blood donation. Call 929-2529 if you haven't pledged with a child to get signed up.

That kind of caring and sharing shown by our youth is just part of why so many area residents want to support them on May 7, when the Lakewood levy is up for a vote. This levy (unlike the last two proposed) is for a five year period, making the property tax burden each year a bit less. "The Music Man" production was a great argument for how great a job our teachers, staff, parents, and especially youth of all ages are doing in creating an educational system we are all proud of.

Whatever your perspective on schools and education, there's no denying the job Lou Staffilino and everyone involved in the Lakewood School District has done in bringing our "educational outcomes" this far, and it sure looks like a good investment to keep backing the route they've been taking. Kudos to board member Rick Black and parent Jim Dobos for putting together the campaign for "Lakewood Yes May 7."

Have you taken a look up at the western sky just after sunset lately? About the time you get this Booster, the planet Mercury is visible just above the horizon right after sunset, and that's the first of five planets you can see ascending past the moon in the west. Venus, Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter at the top are all bunching together over the next few weeks.

Don't worry about collisions: their closeness is a trick of the perspective we have here on Earth, 93 million miles out from that handy, nearby star that we call the Sun which all those planets revolve around. In a good pair of binoculars you can see the bumps of Saturn's rings on either side, and sometimes you can see one of Jupiter's moons. Obviously a telescope shows you all this very clearly, but you don't have to have expensive equipment to enjoy the wonders of the night sky. Clusters of galaxies, nebulae, and even the craters of the Moon are quite visible through binoculars . . . plus you can use them during the day to check out the birds migrating back north (a future column).

Please remember the "Full Pool" Breakfast sponsored by the Greater Buckeye Lake Chamber of Commerce on Friday, May 3. George Pugh has gotten Sam Speck, the head of ODNR for us as guest speaker, and residents of the Buckeye Ocean area will no doubt have questions! Tickets are $10 and are available to anyone, and this is a great opportunity to meet local leaders and decision-makers.

Jeff Gill is pastor of Hebron Christian Church and a proud member of the Greater Buckeye Lake Chamber of Commerce; if you have new commerce to promote or other worthwhile news, call him at 928-4066 or e-mail disciple@voyager.net.