Our Sunday morning service may be found anytime at

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1 The First Church FAMILY From the Pastor: The First Church in Albany Founded in 1642 Reformed Church in America Summer 2016 Dear Friends, Recently we learned that the New York Council of Churches, in cooperation with the Capital Area Council of Churches was offering lawn signs that say, To our Muslim Neighbors: a Blessed Ramadan. Ramadan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad, according to Muslim belief. At the June consistory meeting I asked whether we should consider placing a sign on the church property as a gesture of hospitality toward our Muslim neighbors. This led to a fruitful discussion. How do we both witness to our faith and show hospitality to those of other faiths in an increasingly multi-faith society? I wondered what inter-faith relationships were like in predominantly Muslim cultures. (That may vary greatly depending on the country, of course.) I wrote to Rev. Doug Leonard, who served as a Reformed Church missionary in Oman for several years and is now the director of RCA Global Mission, asking if, in his experience, it was considered appropriate to wish Muslims a blessed Ramadan. Doug replied: "Yes it would be absolutely appropriate for a Christian to wish a Muslim a blessed Ramadan. And Muslims routinely wish Christians both a blessed Christmas and Easter. My Muslim friends in Oman (as well as Muslim friends from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, the US and Libya) send me e-cards, text messages and gifts at Christmas. Those who are more knowledgeable about Christianity also send greetings for Easter. Our Sunday morning service may be found anytime at FAMILY is published eleven times a year by First Church in Albany, 110 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY

2 As Christians we follow Jesus in offering hospitality to all of God's people. All people of the earth are part of God's creation, so that hospitality must extend to Muslims as well, or we are failing in our commitment to Christ. Doug further suggested that we might consider sending a Ramadan greeting card to the area mosques in Albany and to Muslim friends. This is an especially important gesture now as suspicions about Muslims abound in this election cycle. I have heard very troubling stories of Muslims being afraid to reveal their religious affiliation for fear of discrimination and of Muslim youth who are refusing to travel to their countries of origin for holiday out of fear of not being let back into the US, which for Muslim Americans is their home. In any case, it will go a long way toward helping Muslims to feel safe and welcomed. In the end the consistory decided not to place a sign wishing our Muslim neighbors a Blessed Ramadan, but for some good reasons, I think. Mostly we did not want it to be an empty gesture simply a sign without actions or relationships to back it up. Fortunately, those relationships are beginning to develop. The Tuesday Bible study group spent several weeks learning about Islam and received an invitation to join the Muslim community in Schenectady for an Iftar the meal breaking the day-long fast after sundown. Others from First Church attended an Iftar at the Al Hidaya Islamic Community Center in Latham. By receiving the hospitality graciously offered to us by others and by showing Christian hospitality to our non-christian neighbors, we are building bridges of understanding and helping to combat fear and prejudice. And in the process we not only learn more about other faiths, but about our own as well. Sincerely, John D. Paarlberg

3 Summer Worship Schedule July 3 9:00 Drive-in Worship and Communion; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching 10:00 FOCUS Worship and First Church in Albany 11:30 Advocacy Presentation: Joe Paparone July 10 July 17 9:00 Drive-in Worship; Rev. Susan Cox, preaching 10:00 Worship; Rev. Susan Cox, preaching 9:00 Drive-in Worship; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching 10:00 Worship; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching July 24 9:00 Drive-in Worship; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching 10:00 Worship; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching July 31 9:00 Drive-in Worship; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching 10:00 Worship; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching; Sacrament of Holy Baptism August 7 9:00 Drive-in Worship; elder Peter Pagerey, preaching 10:00 FOCUS Worship and Reformed Church Rev. Jim Ketcham preaching August 14 9:00 Drive-in Worship and Communion; Rev. Susan Cox, preaching 10:00 Worship and Communion; Rev. Susan Cox, preaching August 21 9:00 Drive-in Worship; Rev. Abby Norton-Levering, preaching 10:00 Worship; Rev. Abby Norton-Levering, preaching August 28 9:00 Drive-in Worship; Rev. Dr. Allan Janssen, preaching 10:00 Worship; Rev. Dr. Allan Janssen, preaching September 4 9:00 Drive-in Worship and Communion; Rev. John Paarlberg, preaching 10:00 FOCUS Worship and Westminster Presbyterian Church 3

4 Guest Preachers this Summer On Sunday, August 7, Elder Peter Pagerey will lead drive-in worship. Pete is the assistant senior elder at First Church and a preaching elder in the Classis of Albany. Rev. Abby Norton-Levering will be the guest preacher at both services on August 21. Abby is the Synod Ministries Coordinator for the Synod of Albany. On August 28, the Rev. Dr. Allan Janssen will be our guest preacher. Al is theologian in residence at First Church and General Synod Professor of Theology at New Brunswick Seminary. This year and for the past three years the offerings received at the drive-in worship services have been designated for Koinonia Primary Care, a health ministry founded by Dr. Bob Paeglow in the West Hill neighborhood of Albany and serving people in that area and beyond. We are waiting confirmation but we hope that we ll have opportunity to learn more about that ministry when Dr. Bob is the guest preacher at one of the drive-in services this summer. Drive-In Worship Drive-In Worship happens each Sunday from 9 AM - 9:30 AM through Labor Day in our large parking lot off Sheridan Avenue. If you arrive for sanctuary Worship while the Drive- In is still in session, please park either against the brick wall that abuts North Pearl St. in the large parking lot and walk through Clee park; or park in the smaller Orange street lot on the North side of the church. Drive-In Offering The special offerings received at the Drive-In Worship this summer will be designated for Koinonia Primary Care/Compassion in Action, a ministry providing access to quality primary and mental health services for the underserved in West Hill and surrounding neighborhoods in Albany. Koinonia Primary Care, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Paeglow, has been serving people in Albany since

5 At Home with the WORD Daily Bible Readings from the Common Lectionary July 1 st - July 31 st Now available online at: 1. Galatians 6: Luke 10: Luke 10:1-11, Ninth Sunday after Pentecost 3. Seventh Sunday after Pentecost 18. Hosea 1: Amos 7: Psalm Psalm Genesis 18: Deuteronomy 30: Psalm Psalm 25: Colossians 2: Colossians 1: Luke 11: Luke 10: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 10. Eighth Sunday after Pentecost 25. Hosea 11: Amos 8: Psalm 107:1-9, Psalm Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2: Genesis 18: Psalm 49: Psalm Colossians 3: Colossians 1: Luke 12: Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost At Home with the WORD Daily Bible Readings from the Common Lectionary August 1 st - August 31 st Now available online at: 1. Isaiah 1:1, Psalm 71: Psalm 50:1-8, Isaiah 58: Genesis 15: Psalm 103: Psalm 33: Hebrews 12: Hebrews 11:1-3, Luke 13: Luke 12: Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost 7. Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost 22. Jeremiah 2: Isaiah 5: Psalm 81:1, Psalm 80:1-2, Proverbs 25: Jeremiah 23: Psalm Psalm Hebrews 13:1-8, Hebrews 11:29-12:2 27. Luke 14:1, Luke 12: Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 14. Thirteenth Sunday after 29. Jeremiah 18:1-11 Pentecost 30. Psalm 139:1-6, Jeremiah 1: Deuteronomy 30:

6 FOCUS Summer Combined Worship

7 Choir Picnic at Staats Island On a lovely evening in June the choir was treated to a get together at the Staats. Good food, good company and great singing! Thank you to our hosts: Bill and Vicki Staats! Youth Group Mission Trip to West Virginia The First Church Youth Group is traveling to Pocahontas, West Virginia to repair homes with 200 other youth from July 16 through July 24 th. The population of Pocahontas is 8,719, the average household income is $32,000. The youth will be sleeping in a school gym on air mattresses for the week, working during the day and worshiping in the evening. Those participating are: Andy Mondore, Monica Marsh, Stephen Reohr, Kenny Jackson, Whitney Ballou, Imani Ballou, Mackenzie Ballou, Caleb Ballou, Saniyah Ballou, Joshua Bliss & Kaitlyn Bliss. We have been asked to bring non perishable items of food to our mission in Pocahontas. Please help us fill the donation box located in the First Church lobby. 7

8 Urban Day Camp Thank you to Monica Marsh and Nancy Landrigan for organizing and running this year s Urban Day Camp. The children were at First Church on Monday with daily trips the successive days. Growing Green Making things greener In many parts of the world water is becoming increasingly scarce: CONSERVE - water lawns and gardens less, mulch more, shorten showers DRINK TAP WATER - Reuse water bottles RE-USE - Save and re-use rinse water and rain water. WORK to protect water on a local, national and global arena - write your representatives: look for companies that use water wisely and (a good resource is the faith based website 8

9 Spring Fling Concerts Wednesdays in June at 12:30 Thanks to all who participated in or came to the Spring Fling Concerts in June. the series of noon-time concerts in our sanctuary each Wednesday in June from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm. Thank you to our soloists and guest instrumentalists: Mary Bon and the organ; Neil Keen at the organ; Pianist Malcolm Moran; Soprano Rose Hunsberger accompanied by Mary Bon Art Exhibit of the works of Susan Bon July 2-28 at the Colonie Town Library 629 Albany Shaker Rd., Loudonville, NY There will be an opening reception on Wednesday, July 6, from 5:30-7:00 PM Susan Bon, Mary Bon s sister (July 15, July 30, 2010) was talented artist with a degree from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. Susan traveled widely, painting in the south of France, the Lake District in England, and the area around the lake of Zurich in Switzerland, as well as in the mountains, lake and fields around Bellingham, Washington, before settling in New Ipswich, in southern New Hampshire, where she did the majority of her paintings. Her love of nature, gardening, animals,(especially her cats) and her intimate relationship with the land around her are reflected in her paintings. 9

10 First Church Readers Group We are a group of First Church readers. Each month we read a different book and get together on a Sunday after worship to discuss it. The book group will not meet during the summer. Meetings will resume this fall with a new format. The group has already chosen books for the fall and each month a different member of the group will be helping to facilitate the discussion. Come join us. Upcoming books are: September: The Good Earth by Pearl Buck The Pulitzer Prize winning story of a family in 1920s China under the last emperor. October: The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah How two sisters in World War II France find different ways to endure life in occupied France. November: Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart A novel based on the true story of one of the country s first female deputy sheriffs. Other books we are considering include: "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History" by Elizabeth Kolbert The New York Times says Ms. Kolbert shows in these pages that she can write with elegiac poetry about the vanishing creatures of this planet, but the real power of her book resides in the hard science and historical context she delivers here, documenting the mounting losses that human beings are leaving in their wake. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson The endearing romance between a convention-bound English ex-military widower and a widowed Pakistani shop-keeper. Got a book you think would be an interesting read? Contact maryebon@verizon.net See the Impact of Your Generosity Today IRA Charitable Rollover Now Permanent A recently reinstated law allows you to make a tax-free gift from your individual retirement account (IRA). This law no longer has an expiration date, so you are free to make annual gifts to qualified charitable organizations from your IRA this year and well into the future. How it works: You must be 70 ½ or older at the time of your gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your tax deductions. It you have not yet taken your required minimum distribution for the year, your IRA charitable gift can satisfy all or part of that requirement. You may transfer up to $100,000 directly from your IRA to a qualified charitable organization such as First Church. 10

11 Rev. Cameron Monthly Brunch Rev. Bill Cameron began gathering a group for lunch on the first Thursday of the month. The group continues to meet each month at the Gateway Diner, 899 Central Ave. in Albany. Anyone can join us starting at 12:15 and stay until you wish to leave. We all pay for our own. Contact Donna E. Schultz at deschultz07@aol.com or Sunday Flower Date Available July 31st is available for the dedication of sanctuary flower arrangements. The cost is $50 for two vases. Please call the Church Office ( ) if you are interested. The deadline for the September issue of FAMILY is August 15. Thank You I can t begin to thank everyone for all your thoughts, prayers and many other things. God bless you all. Love, Vi Baker. In Celebration In celebration of Shirley Joosten s birthday, May 20 th a gift was received for the Lynn T. Joosten Scholarship Fund from three friends. Memorial In celebration of the life of Dr. Robert L. Friedlander a gift has been received from Shirley Bone for the Clee Park Fund. In Sympathy Sympathy is extended to Laurie and Giuseppe Viscusi, family and friends on the death of her mother, Hazel Gander on June 5,

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