A Newsletter of the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, New York May, Youth Lead Worship

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1 First Things A Newsletter of the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, New York May, 2013 Events May 5 Crop Walk May 12 Mother s Day Youth Service May 19 Pentecost Welcoming New Members Congregational Picnic May 27 Memorial Day -Office Closed June 2 Congregational Meeting On Sunday, May 5, the annual Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP) walk will take place at 12:30pm, beginning at Emmanuel Friedens Church and winding 5k through Schenectady. The proceeds support hunger-fighting efforts around the world, with 25% going to local food pantries, Community Crisis Network, and Senior Meals. Want to walk? Get a donation form from Stacey Midge. Non-walkers can drop off their donations at the church office. Checks should be made out to "CWS/CROP." Youth Lead Worship May 12 The youth of the church are taking over! The youth will be doing the readings, prayers, and music that morning, and our graduating seniors will be celebrated at the service. Please plan to attend and support our youth. Midweek Evening Prayer With the growing light and diminishing cold, May is a merry month to share a lovely service of gentle singing accompanied by guitar, guided reflection on the risen life, joyful sharing of the Lord's Supper (homemade bread; wine or juice,) honest praying aloud or in silence, and graciously extending a sign or word of Christ's peace. All who wish to rekindle their awareness of God's loving presence within, among, and beyond us are welcome any Wednesday, 7-7:45pm in Poling Chapel. Jazz Vespers 5pm May 5: Nat Phipps, piano; Pete Toigo, bass; Tom D'Andrea, drums May 12: 'Azzaam Hameed May 19: Peg Delaney, piano; Bill Delaney, bass; Tom D'Andrea, drums May 26: David Gleason Pentecost May 19 Celebrating the Spirit s presence, power, and peace among members old and new. Church Picnic, May 19 After worship come and join the fun at the annual spring picnic sponsored by the Youth Education and Nurture Committee. We will provide burgers, veggie burgers, hotdogs, and beverages for all. Please bring a side dish, dessert, or snack to share. In addition to food and conversation, games will be available for the children. Bring a friend to share in the fun! See you there! Union Presbyterian Pentecost Orientation On Pentecost, there will be a special orientation and tour of the building for folks from Union Presbyterian Church. If you would like to join in the briefing, anyone is welcome. 3pm, May 19 starting in the church office area. Entered Into Eternal Rest Carol Graybill Lewis April 2, 2013 Memorial Service Phyllis Demont memorial service will be on Saturday, June 8 at 11am in Poling Chapel.

2 Youth Group News Junior & Senior High Unless otherwise noted below, the JHYG (grades 6-8) meets every Sunday at 5pm in Friendship Hall for dinner, games, and discussion. The SHYG (grades 9-12) meets every Sunday at 7pm in Friendship Hall for snacks, discussion, and games. Friends are always welcome. May 12: Youth Service! Seniors will speak and youth will lead at the 10am worship service. Normal youth group programming will be on hiatus for the summer, but stay tuned for special events in the warm weather! At Camp Fowler Registration is now open for summer camp 2013! The theme is Unexpected People. Campers are students in grades 3-12; Fowler also offers a family camp. Volunteers are also needed as cabin counselors and kitchen and maintenance staff. You can find more information on the website at campfowler.org or by contacting Stacey Midge ( ), who serves on the Fowler Program Committee and will be spending a week as chaplain for the senior high campers. Joint VBS in July! FRC and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and Union Presbyterian are cooperating in a VBS experience from July for ages 4-10 years old. Stay tuned and plan on great fun. Kinderwyck We are looking for one adult to help play with our littlest children. No experience is required. Actually, we need an extra adult (over 18) in Kinderwyck each Sunday to keep FRC's child protection policies valid. Please find one Sunday this year to devote to this important child care. It s from 9:45-noon) A signup sheet will be outside room 20 and at Kinderwyck for all other Sundays. Summer Refreshments Beginning June 2, whenever possible, our post service refreshments will be served in the Huntley Garden. Please consider signing up for set-up, refreshments, and clean-up by yourself or with a friend. A sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board in Assembly Hall along with a sheet on "how to" suggestions. Please read these instructions prior to signing up as it is very important in that the set-up and clean-up is done differently. Any questions, please contact Heather Chestnut at Groups Group V We will have our end of the year picnic on Monday, May 6 at the home of Maria G. Todd, 1229 Viewmont Dr. Niskayuna. Bring a Salad picnic. For more information please contact Maria ( ). Group VII On Friday, May 17 at 11am we will have a tour at Congregation Gates of Heaven Temple. If any questions, contact Ronnie at Learning College Scholarships Applications for the Rev. Al Smith Education Scholarship are available through the Church Office. Please submit your completed application to the Church Office by Wednesday, May 15th. Questions can be directed to Sara Erickson at or ericksonhs@aol.com New Johnson Librarian It s been my favorite place for years a few minutes before Sunday Worship was usually time enough to find something good, maybe some poetry. I was impressed with the art book collection, and the self-help and psychology books, loving the old card catalog, the slip slide of the little oak drawers, the quiet. When Ginny Laumeister spoke to me about taking charge, I was a bit reluctant to make the commitment, but truth is, I d missed being part of a library. Years ago I d worked in Canajoharie, at the Library and Art Gallery (now the Arkell Museum) organizing book discussions and taking care of publicity, so I thought I d give our Johnson Library a try. And this winter I had fun with some wonderful behind the scenes helpers learning general library operations, typing new cards, covering books, discovering worthwhile novels and beautifully illustrated volumes for children. Since Ginny is stepping aside June 1 (after more than a dozen years of overseeing things,) I hope to do whatever it takes to keep things going at least as well as she did. I feel very motivated to serve you all as best I can. See you there. Catherine desalle

3 Music CRTC: ecumenical theological education, support for clergy, training for ministry, and resourcing services for congregations. All's Well That Ends Well: The Transformative Work of Retirement: Alban consultant Larry Peers, May 8 & 9, St. Edward the Confessor, Clifton Park. This workshop will provide pastors with tools for practical and spiritual questions that lead 2-10 years into retirement; prepare your congregation and yourself. CRTC 2013 Spring Event aboard the Captain JP Cruise Line: Monday, May 20, 6-9 pm. Bring a team from your church and join the fun when CRTC casts off on the Captain JP Cruise Line in Troy. Find "The Hidden Treasures of Resourcing!" Register online at or by phone at Watch our website for information on these and many other courses. Scholarships and group discounts available for most classes; please contact us for an application. Faith Bookshop Children wanting to find a Mother's Day gift should check out the donated jewelry in the Bookshop. The price is right, and there is something most mothers would love. The Shop would like more donations. They can be brought to the Shop or the church office. Proceeds will go to a worthy community cause. Octavo Concert May 5 Come hear Octavo Singers' spring concert on May 5 at 3pm to be held in First Reformed's sanctuary. This year, the 100+ member community chorus will perform Handel s Judas Maccabeus, which is often cited as being second only to Messiah in popularity. The concert will be performed with a professional chamber orchestra and a quartet of phenomenal soloists to make a memorable and inspirational experience for all. Tickets may be purchased by calling Stockade Choirs to Join for Evensong Service June 2 Two Stockade church choirs will join forces on Sunday, June 2 at 5pm for a service of Evensong at St. George s Episcopal Church, 30 N. Ferry St. The choir of St. George s will host the Chancel Choir of First Reformed Church of Schenectady. Music will include Evening Hymn by Balfour Gardiner, O Thou, the Central Orb by Charles Wood, Stay With Us by Egil Hovland, and the Magnifcat and Nunc Dimittis by Herbert Sumsion. Directors Andrew Krytoplski and Julie Panke have been meaning to have the choirs sing together and the Evensong will bring the plan to fruition. Capital Community Voices Spring Concert May 4 See Julie Panke for more details New, But Old Sexton Welcome Back Tom Mahan! As you all have noticed by now, we have a new Sexton. His name is Tom Mahan. If he looks familiar, it s because he is! Tom was the Sexton from Tom is back and happy to serve the First Reformed community once again. Tom has 2 beautiful children, Emily 21, and Adam, 19. For the past 10 years Tom has worked as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer for a security company in Colonie. Prior to that, he served in the United States Air Force stationed at Bitburg, Germany, supporting operation desert shield. Tom has an Associates of Science degree in Math and Science, and a Bachelors of Science degree in Human Biology from SUNY at Albany. In his spare time he likes to read, play guitar, mountain bike ride, and watch movies. As you see Tom wandering the halls, please take a moment to stop and say hello. Prayer Shawl Knitting Group We will be meeting at 9:30am on Thursday, May 23 at the home of Ronnie Bartholic. We welcome anyone interested in joining us. Please contact Ronnie at with any questions.

4 Stephen Minister of the Month Nancy Wainwright is one of our most recently-trained and commissioned Stephen Ministers. She is a true local, having been born in Amsterdam and raised in Rotterdam Junction. Nancy met her husband, Earl, years ago at Lake George; they were married, and they settled in Scotia, where they raised their two sons. She is lucky enough to still have one of her sons living locally in Delmar with two of their grandchildren, one of whom is at RPI and the other, the only granddaughter, is a sophomore in Bethlehem. Nancy worked twenty-three years for Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield. She also worked eight years for a local school library; maybe this is why she is so active in our own Faith Bookshop as its treasurer. She currently also serves as a deacon in our church and is a member of the Adult Education and Nurture Committee. If you have been on any of our church outings you know Nancy likes to hike, kayak, and snowshoe. She also enjoys Sudoku to keep her mind active. She is an avid reader and enjoys the Kerygma Bible study class. While Nancy's pleasant demeanor may suggest that she's has had an easy life, that is not the case. When she was eighteen she suddenly went blind for eight months. Although doctors at John Hopkins told her she would be blind for life, she nevertheless always felt God would somehow uphold her. In fact, God sent her a local doctor, who persevered in his treatment of Nancy and eventually cured her blindness. She has an inner strength rooted in an abiding trust in God, who has sustained her throughout her life and especially during life's crises. Nancy believes the training she received through Stephen Ministry has given her a greater understanding of people and developed her skills to be of help to others in their particular circumstances. We are all in it together, she says. She and Earl live on Washout Road in the countryside. She enjoys being outside and often finds God in the woods. We are fortunate that Nancy has so powerfully experienced God's care of her through others and has led her to be one of our Stephen Ministers, extending Christ's compassion to those in need within our community. Communion Helpers Mary Jewett is preparing communion and invites people to help her. It only requires coming at 9am on a communion Sunday of your choice. This would be a great activity for a family or a group of friends and does not require a long term commitment. Call the church office to sign up for a month. SAFE Inc. SAFE Inc. exists to help young, at risk, women and men get off the street. Though spring is here, for a lot of young women and men in Schenectady it is still a very cold world. That is why we are asking for your help. Young people from unprivileged backgrounds are very often rich in spirit and intellect, but rarely in the material goods or social capital to improve their lots on their own. Your time and your donations can help us to make their lives easier. If you can donate hygiene products, we can promise they will be put to immediate and very good use. If you can donate new or lightly-used clothing and linens, we can put those to immediate and very good use. Finally, if you can donate your time and talents, we will find a use for you as well. If any of these appeals to you, or you have ideas of your own about how you could help SAFE Inc., you can contact the Church s Missioner to SAFE Inc., Daniel Stone at (518) If you wish to speak to Daniel personally, he can almost always be found in the third to last row at the end of the Sunday morning service, wearing a goofy smile and even goofier tie. He certainly looks forward to meeting you.

5 Rev. Midge Away Stacey will be returning May 9 as she has been on a combination of study leave and vacation. Publication Deadlines First Things Articles due the 15 of the prior month, or the following Monday if the 15 falls on a weekend date. Bulletins Articles are due by noon, the Wednesday prior to the Sunday service. Please forward all First Things and Sunday bulletin articles to 1streformedpub@gmail.com and call the office with any questions. Yogurt at FRC No, actually, it's YOGA at FRC. Douglas Goodbee, certified in Kripalu/Hatha E-RYT and athletic yoga, teaches every Thursday at 6:45pm in Assembly Hall. These classes are free for FRC members. Learn yoga postures and breathing and have fun doing it. Drop in when you can. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a mat. This class is for everyone at any level, singles, families, and seniors. (Children must be with a parent or guardian.) Questions: contact Douglas at or dagoods1@gmail.com. The Bible and Our Moral Lives Greg Carey, Huffington Post Just this month a task force representing a significant group of Protestant churches published a document, "Scripture and Moral Discernment." For the first time, an ecumenical team working on behalf of several denominations has provided genuine guidance concerning the Bible's role in shaping our ethical lives. The consultation included pastors, theologians, and biblical scholars from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Reformed Church in America, and the United Church of Christ along with participation from Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Moravian Church in North America, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The report is being shared with among these diverse denominations for study and reflection. This statement could hardly be more timely. Denominations and congregations find themselves ripped apart, often in conversations regarding sexual morality. In other eras the issues have varied: slavery, war, divorce, segregation and women's leadership have all divided churches in the past. But the pattern remains the same: Adversaries throw Bible verses at one another as if they were spears. The document begins by acknowledging that faithful Christians can -- and do -- disagree about important matters. Indeed, we usually have very Christian reasons for our disagreements. Recognizing this basic, and obvious, reality can provide some help when we experience conflict. The document further affirms that the Bible's most basic function involves shaping and forming our imaginations after the pattern of God's gracious work to redeem the world. Scripture provides the stories of Israel, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, and the emergence of the church. That basic pattern of God's faithful initiative to foster life and wholeness should shape our dispositions to every question. The report further insists that "rarely" do we find adequate moral guidance from individual verses and passages, even compilations of them. The Bible is not a handbook with an index: "for information on masturbation, turn to Jeremiah 58 and Romans 21." Instead, "every passage and phrase stands within the entire wisdom and arc of Scripture." We must take individual passages very seriously even as we consider them in the contexts of the Bible's larger witness. Finally, the report reminds us that faithful interpretation requires "both devotion and art." Reading the Bible is a spiritual practice. The Bible calls for readers who are open to the work of the Spirit. Biblical interpretation requires that we use our brains as well. Faithful interpretation asks about the biblical languages and cultures. It takes account of the historical and social settings in which biblical books were composed and developed. It asks about the literary forms we encounter in the Bible, along with the apparent intentions of biblical authors. As "devotion and art," faithful interpretation acknowledges that contemporary forms of wisdom such as the social and natural sciences and the arts should inform our interpretation. It also confesses that Scripture often challenges "contemporary assumptions and experience" that may guide contemporary research.

6 Consistory Nominations The Nominating Committee of First Reformed Church is charged to nominate Elders and Deacons to serve two-year Consistory terms. The Committee begins its work soliciting recommendations from the congregation for Elder and Deacon Candidates. Those being recommended and those making recommendations must be members of First Reformed Church. Candidates for Consistory should be representative of the congregation, have vision, leadership skills, and be active participants in the worship and activities of this church. Elders and Deacons together with the Ministers form the Consistory, which is the governing body of this congregation. Elders exercise particular concern for the interior life and programs of the church (Worship, Fellowship, Education, and Congregational Care). Deacons exercise particular concern for the outreach of the church (Mission and Benevolence, Finance, Justice Advocacy, and Historical Concerns). Elders and Deacons will be elected at the annual meeting of the congregation on June 2, The names of recommended candidates for Elder and Deacon may be submitted on a white pew card or a yellow nomination form and delivered to the church office or given to any member of the Committee: Joe Gallagher, Lyn Gordon, Rebecca Grande, Hans Erickson, Jennifer Evans; Senior Elders, Caroline Brooks, Keith Muse; Ministers, Bill Levering, Daniel Carlson, or Stacey Midge. The Nominating Committee would appreciate your response as soon as possible. Johnson Library The Johnson Library is in need of a manual typewriter. If anyone has one to donate, we can pick it up. On-Line Member Directory If you would like to be able to have member information (telephone or address,) please contact the office to obtain a user name and password. Help Decipher FRC Marriage Records You can look over a copy of the records before or after service in the Church Office during the month of May. Facilities Use Form(s) For church groups using the church s facilities, please make sure a Facilities Use Form is submitted to the church office no later than one week in advance. The forms are available in the church office, online at and in the Facility Use Forms mail-box out in the hallway. Money Talks We can now look back at the first quarter results for The "green sheet" that goes to Consistory from Fred Daniels for March 31 shows encouraging results. Contributions for the first quarter were well ahead of what we would expect for the period and expenditures were right on budget. The result is a healthy year-todate surplus, and we were able to take somewhat less from endowment than budgeted. You may be aware that the stock market rose quite sharply in the first quarter; the result was a heartening increase in all three of our funds, that is the endowment, the Covenant fund, and the Tercentenary fund. We draw money from the endowment fund to support the Church's operating budget, from the Covenant fund to support our Covenanters and Missioners, and from the Tercentenary fund for special projects. On July 1 our church and Union Presbyterian join in "an embrace in Christian community." The Finance Committee and the church office are working to establish methods to maintain separate-but-related sets of books and procedures to identify received contributions so that both congregations in this collegiate church are able to support those programs and expenses that are not shared. That should be fun!

7 Union Presbyterian Church Plans to Join Us in July Our congregation and the congregation of Union Presbyterian Church will vote on June 2 on a plan to join with us in worship, education, and mission. At the moment, this plan is outlined below, but a committee is meeting regularly to hash out new issues. Both congregations need to unambiguously endorse the plan and the denominations need to ok it as well. Eventually, we expect UPC members to be completely integrated into the life of FRC. Agreement between Union Presbyterian Church and First Reformed Church, Schenectady To be effective July 1, 2013 April 21, 2013 DRAFT! FRC agrees to provide, at no cost to UPC: secretarial, duplication, and general administrative services to UPC and any organizational successor that is formally related to FRC shared worship and group study spaces for any purpose approved by the Session as available on FRC schedule one dedicated room for archives, historical items, and meetings a pastoral and administrative office as needed vital and engaging worship and Christian Education opportunities pastoral services only as approved by the UPC Session opportunities for UPC members to serve on program committees of FRC recognition of all PCUSA ordinations of all elders, deacons, and ministers UPC agrees to: worship with the FRC congregation conduct Christian Education with the FRC congregation manage its own assets, including any property it owns with its assets or other income, to manage its own benevolence disbursements send two representatives, appointed by the Session, to FRC consistory meetings have any members of UPC who wish to be loosely affiliated on the rolls of FRC as adherent members have an active Session to continue governing as long as UPC continues as a congregation. take responsibility for a room at FRC for its use allow all cash plate offering from worship services to go to FRC. UPC envelopes and checks payable to UPC will go to UPC. An Open Letter to Members of Union Presbyterian Church Dear Presbyterian Friends, We have been talking about worshipping, learning, and working together for some time now. I would like to share with you my view of First Reformed as a Presbyterian. First of all, I have been impressed by their warm hospitality. I was not very schooled in their denomination when I got here and thought that there might be a barrier or two that might cause some tensions. I was wrong. Aside from a different word or two, the services and structures of the church are indistinguishable from a Presbyterian church. More importantly, they have never ever made me feel anything other than completely a part of their community because of my denominational ties. This idea is even enshrined in the beloved covenant of this congregation approved over 50 years ago. I am still a Presbyterian and they still don't hold it against me. It is a marvel. I have heard rumors about how FRC was not always a warm fuzzy place. There may have been times in the past when things were a little more formal or off-putting, but this has not been my experience at all. There are a few traditions that look a bit unusual, like the elders who process in and sit in the first pew each Sunday. These traditions are not meant to be elitist, however, and they are not seen that way by those who do it. There may be a few things that are different. Together we may be a bit bigger than we have been used to in recent years, but together we will be able to say something about Christianity. Together we will be able to do more for Christianity. Together we will be able to educate our children better, we will be able to use our resources more responsibly, we will be able to offer a greater breadth of worship. I will try my darndest to make our life together feel like home for all of us. I have found First Reformed to be a limber institution that is able to make changes in their course with warmth and dignity. Perhaps this comes from having the church burn down several times and starting over. Perhaps it is the lingering spirit of the explorers and pioneers that founded the place hundreds of years ago. Whatever the case, it is a fine place to make a new home for your heart. I have moved many times in my life specifically to be a part of a new spiritual community. I have never been more pleased with any move I have made than the one I made to be here at First Reformed. Whatever moves are in your future, I hope they are as filled with unexpected grace. - Rev. Dr. Bill Levering

8 First Reformed Church 8 North Church Street Schenectady, NY (518) streformed@gmail.com Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 736 Albany, NY Address Service Requested May Preach Reader Vespers at 5 5 Bill Levering Bradley Lewis Phipps, Toigo & D Andrea 12 Youth George Trimarco Azzaam Hameed 19 Bill Levering Therese McCarty Peg & Bill Delaney & Tom D Andrea 26 Stacey Midge Catherine desalle David Gleason May Birthdays May Trevor Falconer Virginia Moore Graceyn Springer 2 Lukien Sheremeta Adam Bobok 3 Benjamin Crair Kelsey Mc Dermott Nancy Teichner 6 Ellie Brudos Elinor Herman Nathan Collins 7 Jamie Ipsen 8 Donald Flom Marcella Tebbano 9 Janne Mathes 11 Ruth Brondel Matthew Mc Dermott 13 Dee Gravink Jacob Ettkin 14 Nancy Martin Gillian Pizzolo 16 Ryan Hoagland 18 Brenda Spencer Gail Blinckmann Harlene Bachorik Calvin Welch 19 John Chequer Dave Schweizer Stacey Shultes Artie Smallwood Stacey Connor 20 Daniel Stone 22 Sunil Kumta 27 Nancy Hershey Kirby Vosburgh Molly Macon 29 Terry Koskowski Daniel Kosten 30 Nathaniel Phillips Sara Bobok Ashley Kerwin 31 Madison Hewitt Christine Daniels June Van Wie Every Sunday Choir Rehearsal, 9am HS Choir, 9:15am Worship, 10am Church School, 10:20am Fellowship, 11am Kirk Ringers, 11:15am Youth Orchestra, 4pm Vespers, 5pm JHYG, 5pm SHYG, 7pm Weekly Monday: Men s News Group, 9am Tuesday: Morning Prayer, 10am Wednesday: Kerygma, 9:30am Evening Prayer, 7pm Thursday: Bible Study, 7:30am Stitch Group, 10am Yoga, 6:45pm Chancel Choir, 7:30pm Monthly Meetings Concern for Hungry, 1 st Mon., 7pm Group V, 1 st Mon., 11am Creation Care Com., 4 th Mon., 7pm Archive Meeting, 2 nd Tues., 6pm Committees, 2 nd Tues., 6:30pm Consistory, 2 nd Tues., 7:30pm Support & Care, 3 rd Tues., 11am Tues. Ladies, 3 rd Tue., 7:30pm Archiving, 2 nd Wed., 1pm Stephen Ministry, 3 rd Thurs., 7pm Boy Scouts, 3 rd Thurs., 7pm Group VII, 3 rd Fri., 10am Mission Days, 4 th Sat., 9am Justice Action, 1 st Sun., 11am Membership, Last Sun., 11am Mission Day, Last Sun., TBA Upcoming Events 5 CROP Walk 6 Group V 12 Youth Service 17 Group VII 19 Church Picnic 23 Prayer Shawl Knitting Group