Church. Brookville NEWSLETTER. Brookville Church s Multi-faith Campus supports our Partner in Peace and Education: Rev.

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1 Brookville Church NEWSLETTER REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND Pastor of Congregational Life 2 BROOKVILLE ROAD BROOKVILLE, NY Where the doors are always open! Summer 2014 Brookville Church s Multi-faith Campus supports our Partner in Peace and Education: Rev. Justin Meyers A year ago, our multi-faith campus partnered together to support the work of Rev. Justin Meyers and the Al Amana Centre on the Arabian Peninsula in the country of Oman. Rev. Meyers is the Centre s newest director of long and short-term educational programs. The centre s mission is to seek deeper understanding and peace between Muslims and Christians. The hope is that it will inspire positive relations and cooperation between all religions. Our four faith communities at Brookville (Brookville Church, the Muslim Reform Movement Organization, The New Synagogue of Long Island, and The Interfaith Community of Long Island) are working together to promote multi-faith dialogue, understanding and peace. Just in the two short years I have been here, we have done some big things to get the message of reconciliation and peace out to Long Islanders through such efforts as our first Multi-faith Thanksgiving Celebration and just this past weekend our children and youth play, The Bridge on world peace. Both events were well attended and have helped build bridges of understanding among us. Partnering with the Al Amana Centre in Oman is a natural extension of the work toward peace, friendship and understanding across religions that we are doing locally, linking us with a global effort that is like-minded. This makes sense on so many levels. Brookville Church has been in existence for over 180 years and our denomination has had a presence in Oman for over 100 years helping with educational and medical efforts there. Both our local church and the denomination s presence in Oman have a long history. We are the only church campus in our denomination that has three other faith groups that are partnering together to raise funds to support Rev. Meyers. As a multi-faith campus, we have committed to a pledge of $6,200 a year for three years to help make this work in Oman possible. Most of the funds for this year have been raised, through a 10% pledge of $620 by four families along with the Muslim Reform group. Other gifts have come in from the other faith groups as well as individuals. To meet our commitment for 2014, we still have $1,750 yet to be raised. If three more families were to give a tenth to this project, we would meet our goal. If you are not able to give that amount, please give what you can. Hans Küng, a world renowned scholar and friend of Oman, has said there will be no peace between nations unless there is peace between religions. This is the reality of the world in which we live and the need to which the Al Amana Centre is responding. Please consider joining us in supporting this effort. Checks can be written to Brookville Church, with Meyer s mission written on the memo line. For more info: ~ Rev. Vicky Come hear Rev. Meyers preach on July 27th at 9:30 a.m. as we take a field trip to worship with the Community Reformed Church of Douglaston at a special outdoor service on the Douglaston Dock (Shore Road at the west end of Beverly Road).

2 Common Grounds Coffeehouse Plans Continue! By Lisa Denison JULY Reformed Church of Locust Valley 115 Ryefield Rd Worship time: 9:00 a.m. July 6, 13, 20 at Locust Valley July 27 ~ Worship time is 9:30 a.m. Field trip with the Community Reformed Church of Douglaston at the Douglaston Docks (Shore Rd. at the west end of Beverly Rd.) Rev. Justin Meyers preaching (our partner in peace and education in Oman). AUGUST - Brookville Church Worship time: 10:00 a.m. Aug. 3, at Brookville Church Aug. 24 ~ Field Trip to Marble Collegiate in NYC (carpooling available) Aug. 31 ~ Combined worship at Ref. Church of Locust Valley Congratulations to our Graduates! Debbie and Cameron Buchan are proud to announce that their son Phillip will be graduating North Shore High School in June and attending the University of Buffalo for engineering. Marcia and Matthew Stadler are proud to announce their son Austin is graduating from Locust Valley High School with honors. He will be attending Northeastern University in Boston but will be doing his first semester in London. Congratulations to Michaela Gawley from the Interfaith Community who is graduating from Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port Washington. She will be attending Brandeis University in the fall. As we all take a little time to rest, relax and do Summer things, plans for our SEPTEMBER 19th COFFEEHOUSE starring Stuart Racy and Irene Failenbogen from the IFC, as well as BJ Worsham, Mark Coffey and myself continue to take shape! Collection boxes from Long Island Cares/Harry Chapin Food Bank will be placed in Fellowship hall starting July 31 and remain until the Coffeehouse takes place. You can start bringing in non-perishable foods as soon as the boxes arrive, so please do! As always I am still looking for raffle basket items, people to bake, donate wine and other beverages and food and help set-up and clean up. You can contact me during the summer at or I will pick up items or you can drop them at Fellowship Hall in August. I will be away from August 4 18, but will be around all of July and after August 18. Have a wonderful, safe and blessed summer, and mark your calendars for SEPTEMBER 19th at 7:30 pm! Hospital Blanket Outreach Through September 1, our joint women s ministry will be collecting blankets for North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. You can contribute in two ways: If you knit or crochet, make a blanket (or two or three) for babies in the Neonatal ICU and adults in Palliative Care Unit. Blankets must be made with soft cotton, cotton blend or acrylic yarns in size 36 x 36 for babies or 60 x 60 for adults. Purchase new fleece blankets in standard size (50 x 60 ) For more info or to contribute, please contact Lesley Mazzotta at lesleymazzotta@gmail.com or Campus Open House Sept. 11:30 a.m. Starting this fall we are launching a new educational program for children and youth and we want to tell you about it! Stop in and hear about the exciting things happening on our multi-faith campus. There will be an opportunity for questions, food to enjoy and maybe even a game show called Name that Faith.

3 Choir News By Carol Goglia, Minister of Music The Bridge! Six months ago, during one coffee hour, Steve Gawley, Sarah Cirker and I were talking about the next play. I was really looking to do an inclusive play and I couldn't find one... anywhere!!!! During that coffee hour talk, 'The Bridge' was born. It has been a journey for me. To research and write this play has been enlightening for me, and at times, scary, busy, and always, fulfilling. That coffee hour talk will stay etched in my mind forever!! What an amazing day we had on June 8 during the worship service! 21 of our talented youth from the Brookville Church and the Interfaith Community presented a two act play that had the audience both laughing and in tears. The talents of these actors were just wonderful and inspiring. I am in awe of the kids and their serious commitment to this play and all the hard work they put in to make it such a success. None of this could have been possible without the total commitment of the wonderful parents of our actors. They organized driving back and forth every week for 2 hour rehearsals, brought snacks, provided supervision when we needed it, built the ark/bridge, set up and ran the equipment for the video, made sure the kids had any props they needed, and did everything needed behind the scenes!!!! Thank you parents!!!! You are just the best!!! A special thanks to Rev. Vicky who led the first rehearsal with a tie dying party which was labor intensive for her and a blast for us!!! And a very special thank you, Vicky, from me... you gave me the creative freedom to make this happen!! And to my very talented kids... You are just the best! Thank you for everything you did during all these weeks of rehearsals, and for being so amazing on play day. I hope you will ALL come out for the next play and bring even more actors with you! Our Cast ACT ONE - NOAH Jacob Apate, Joseph Apate, Gabe Cirker, Leah Cirker, Matteo DiGiraloma, Olivia Doyle, Charles Menkes, Danny Menkes, Alaina Pinto, Andrew Pinto, Evan Schombs, Hailey Schombs ACT TWO - THE BRIDGE Maddy Cirker, Raju Eastland, Matthew Gawley, Samantha Melendez, Cara Schombs, Ian Schombs, J.J. Worsham, Rachel Worsham, Sarah Worsham CONGRATULATIONS to all of you!!!! Thank You Lauren and Rigo!!! I want to personally thank both Lauren and Rigo for all of their hard work during this past year. Lauren Goglia, our administrative assistant, does so much for me during the year. She is always willing to do whatever I need. I am so thankful for Lauren's hard work. We have the best admin anywhere. Lauren, you are so special and wonderful. Thank you! Have a great summer. Rest and renew. You deserve it! Rigo Melaro, our sexton, has more energy than anyone I know. Thank you Rigo for the amazing amount of work you do for me alone! I wish you a wonderful summer as well. ~ Carol Goglia (An Addendum from Rev. Vicky) Carol made magic happen. By not giving up on a vision to do an interfaith play when one could not be found, her talent and passion for inclusion and the promotion of peace has impacted some of the interfaith families in a profound way. One Jewish mom said this was the first time in all the plays her children have participated in that she felt she could invite her conservative Jewish parents. Another mom told me that her Jewish mother-in-law was so moved by this play that she was brought to tears. In the words of this grateful mom, the play was about global peace and it brought peace straight into my family. To Carol Goglia, our Minister of Music, I say, Bravo! And keep up the good work!

4 Reflections Reflections No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~Hal Borland Nancy and I went to Delaware for Mother s Day weekend quite a different way to celebrate but it turned out as an enjoyable, even memorable, holiday at one of our favorite places. We used our daughter s large townhouse which would soon be occupied with summer renters, but we arrived ahead of them and enjoyed the ocean shore area of Lower Slower Delaware without the crowds. The local folk were anxious for the 2014 summer season to begin and they were ready that early May weekend. It was my task to arrange the special Sunday Brunch and that was a lot less traumatic than what happens on Long Island. The three free local weekly newspapers all had advertisements from restaurants inviting us to dine with them and the choices were encouraging. Instead of $35 to $50 per person the prices were modestly $15 to $25 and we selected one of our favorite places at $27. The food was great, the atmosphere delightful and the room was quiet and spacious. Nancy and all the mothers got a rose going out the door. Returning to that shore area after almost six months was like discovering new things, new shops, new vacation housing developments and even, that weekend, new warm weather. I had early morning jogs on the Bethany Beach oceanfront boardwalk where, at 7:00 AM, there were only adults exercising themselves and their dogs. I heard one person lamenting that, Next week the dogs are not allowed after 7 AM. On the way home there is a shop with a reader s choice to select the NY Times, Baltimore Sun or Washington Post. Then I have breakfast. Going to church there on a Sunday morning is always inspiring because it is an eight mile ride down the Coastal Highway along the Atlantic shore and through Fenwick Island State Park. The weather was warm as if we had gone way, way south, beach shops all open early, ready with beach chairs and umbrellas lined up outdoors, a young man, three miles from town, was using the bike lane with a backpack over his shoulders and a skateboard under his feet, and when I got to the church parking lot the cool ocean breezes moderated the rising temperatures. Inside St. Michaels-by-the-Sea Methodist Church, when the prelude started (In the Garden) the lights were turned down and the morning sun made the stained glass windows come alive with color setting a peaceful mood. That afternoon Nancy wanted to go to a Harris Teeter grocery and when we got to the local store she said, Not this one, the other, bigger one. I did not mind going eight miles south through lovely farmland to get to Selbeyville. She was right, there was a difference and, for you who do not know Harris Teeter, they are a bit different and worth a visit when you are in the south. Like all stores there are new items, new manufacturers and especially different local area specialties. Oysters, shucked and in pint jars. Five brands of corn meal, each in three sizes. Two varieties of biscuits and gravy. Fried green tomatoes batter. And these are just the ones I like. During all of our years of weekending someplace with the children we had to get home Sunday night for school and work Monday. Now I allow myself an extra day and it is purely a delight to relax during the Sunday afternoon and evening and not get into the line of cars headed home. That extra free morning on Monday is better even than Sunday s. Two weeks later I had to make a business trip to Suffolk County and had such a delightful ride I stopped and made notes so I could remember and share the experience here. After exiting the LIE I went north a bit into Ridge and was stunned by seeing a totally different part of Long Island. In a large development I saw that all of the roads going through the pine trees were called trails not streets. When the GPS said, Turn on Lakeside Trail, I wondered, What lake? For years I have heard the name, Lake Panamoka, and now I saw it. Immediately my mind was transported back to Minnesota. I was seeing a Sky Blue lake with lakeshore homes like those I grew up among. I slowed down and gawked. After my business I headed east along Sound Ave, north of Riverhead, which is always my route of choice as it is filled with pastoral scenery and farming businesses. I saw two fields of grain standing three feet tall. Then tree nurseries with multicolored trees, cultivated fields and huge expanses of lawn grass soon to be cut and sold. Frequently there were the unique potato sheds that used to be all over the North Fork raising only their roof above the otherwise buried structure. As it was still too early in the season for fresh vegetables Schmidt s farm stand was advertising Horseradish Tasting Today! My Dad would have liked to stop for that but not me. The wineries were open for tasting and the grape bushes were growing nicely in their long rows covering the fields that once grew potatoes. I was a bit saddened that the ride was over when I reached Brieremere s Farm Stand. I had called ahead ordering a bag of Lemon Heart cookies for Nancy, a Rhubarb pie for BJ and me, and, the reason for the trip, a Strawberry Cream Pie for anyone who wanted some. You would have an enjoyable day visiting the North Fork, I intend to be back there a couple of more times for Raspberry Cream Pie then Peach Cream Pie as they come into season. Branch Worsham End Word: I want to be your favorite Hello and your hardest Goodbye. GRANDPA S BEARD WAS STIFF AND COARSE AND THAT S WHAT CAUSED HIS FIFTH DIVORCE BURMA SHAVE

5 Growth and Development In an October 2012 letter, Cardinal Bergoglio (now Pope Francis) expressed a view of today s world in terms of closed doors. Where once people left their doors open, unlocked, they now secure them, protect them with alarms, video cameras and safety devices, distrustful of strangers. A closed door has come to symbolize the attitude of our culture, our lifestyle, our hearts; we permit fewer people to cross the thresholds of our homes and our lives. The image of an open door has always been the symbol of light, friendship, joy, freedom, confidence. How we need to recover these things! he wrote. The closed door harms us, paralyzes us, separates us. With courage to innovate and a vision of humility as the path to pastoral care and outreach, the pontiff is now shepherding the Catholic faith with messages of nonjudgment and inclusion the same tenets that have guided Brookville Church since its founding by a small group of Dutch families centuries ago. Our church has been a beacon of hope, providing a place of acceptance, love, belonging and healing for all God s children. It is, in fact, our tagline, Where the doors are always open. So: it is only fitting that Growth and Development (G&D) should carry forth a message of crossing the threshold of faith and walking with Jesus, who we as Christians believe is the door that opens the way to God. Just as there are different roads to God for all peoples of the Abrahamic religions, there are myriad ways to profess our faith by not only living it in our hearts but also expressing it in our works, our public commitment. It is the heart of our Growth and Development team mission. Some of G&D s efforts are short-term, even spontaneous, such as spending a couple hours on a Sunday afternoon in April doing yard work for Chiz and Bess Bell. With a crew comprised of adults and youth, who rose to the challenge with flying colors, we crossed the threshold of a door that swung both ways for all. It was a testament to the reciprocity of giving and receiving, providing us an awareness of what we received from Chiz and Bess in our giving to them. A real win-win, with an element of community, doing things together, helping each other. It was so successful that the kids want to do it again, which we will, and hopefully next time our crew will include members of the other faiths that call our Brookville premises home. A long-term reach-out effort, Together We Serve meal ministry, is in its early stages of operation. It is functioning primarily on an as needed, word-of-mouth basis as we start phasing in a more structured MealTrain.com account, which was set up with the help of Lisa Lebenns. Meanwhile one by one, individuals are volunteering, building a foundation that in time will comprise an efficient initiative serving all Brookville tri-faith members in need. Sarah Cirker has been an enthusiastic supporter from the start and has been working on getting out the word to the Interfaith Community (IFC); recently new IFC member Allison Bilawsky provided a meal of baked ziti, one of her favorites, to a BRC family. We all will be meeting together in July, when Pam Gawley will provide her expertise to further develop and implement the ministry. We hope that members from all faith groups will join in. With a cornerstone now in place, real work will be possible. A more detailed explanation of how our MealTrain account will work will follow at a future date. Our first field trip is slated for August 24 th, when Brookville and Locust Valley Reformed churches will attend Sunday worship at renowned Marble Collegiate Church at Fifth Avenue and 29 th Street in Manhattan. Founded in 1682, Marble achieved international fame after a previously unknown Methodist minister, who served as a last-minute replacement took to the pulpit and then went on to transform Marble into one of the world s great churches. His name was Dr. Norman Vincent Peale (The Power of Positive Thinking). Also noteworthy among its pastors is Dr. Arthur Caliandro (appointed Marble s fifth Senior Minister upon Dr. Peale s retirement in 1984), who expanded its ministries, installing women in powerful church positions, initiating the Partnership of Faith to strengthen ties between Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim communities, and leading the church in prayer vigils for peace. Do I hear an echo of sentiments expressed by Pope Francis? In addition to reserving pews for our group, Marble s Director of Connecting Ministries, Kim Ryan, has graciously offered to arrange a tour for us after the 11:00 AM service. An official New York City landmark, Marble Collegiate has a fascinating history. Lunch will follow, with arrangements courtesy of Joan Vivian. Transportation will be provided. There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex, or you can contact me (krisbaggelaar@yahoo.com or ) Won t you join us for a new, exciting, fun summer adventure? In another effort to accomplish our reach-in objective, a post card ministry was initiated at a recent consistory meeting. Each member took home pre-addressed cards to write notes to homebound and/or special need persons/families. The gesture is based on the simple premise that we are a small community, where everybody cares for each other. It is an abiding principle that will guide the Growth and Development team as we continue to explore new initiatives for expressing our love, growing our church and welcoming all to our Brookville home. ~ Kris B., chairperson

6 On May 31st we ended a long era of Attic Treasure Sales that the Women's Ministry has run for at least the past 15 years. These sales have raised thousands of dollars to help send underprivileged children of Long Island to summer camp. A lot of fun was had by all who participated in our last sale. The kids ran a hotdog and hamburger stand while many of our church ladies helped with the sale of items. I will never forget the excitement of one of our youth when she ran to share the wonderful story about a woman who pulled up and handed her a hundred dollar bill for our fundraiser, wanting nothing in return! Because of all the hard work put into this final sale, we were able to raise around $1,000 to send kids to camp. A BIG thank you goes out to Cathy O'Neil and Diane Beardslee who have spearheaded this fundraiser for years. Thank you also to the faithful women who always showed up to help the day of the sale. The left over items are being donated to charity and the Interfaith Community is launching a summer project to clean up the basement for use as meeting space starting in the fall. There is a saying that when God closes a door, God opens a window. Great things have been accomplished at our church for centuries and over those generations many eras have passed, leaving behind memories and charitable deeds. The window into our future is being opened as we continue to extend a hand of welcome to all who desire to call this campus home. I am looking forward to the many years ahead where we will create new memories together. ~ Rev. Vicky

7 Photo credits: Heidi Hunt

8 Photos credits: Heidi Hunt

9 Brookville Church Presents: Hymnal Dedication Celebration Friday - June 27, p.m. Light refreshments following 2 Brookville Road Brookville, New York (for GPS navigation, use: Glen Head) Featuring: Adult Choir - directed by: Minister of Music, Carol Goglia Musical talents of our youth Special Guests: Rev. Joyce Borger - senior editor of Lift Up Your Hearts and Diane Dykgraaf - editing assistant and copyright specialist, who will share the making of this newly published hymnal - a collaboration of the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Reformed Church in America In Lift Up Your Hearts you ll find not only the treasured hymns of our past, but also new contemporary and global songs. With over 850 songs blending the classic and contemporary, this hymnal brings everyone together in worship. Lift Up Our Hearts is not just a hymnal; it s a journey through the story of God.

10 THE REFORMED CHURCH OF LOCUST VALLEY FOURTH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2014 GLEN COVE GOLF COURSE $175.00/Player $700.00/Foursome includes Golf, Cart, Lunch & Dinner at The View Grill SCRAMBLE FORMAT 11:00 AM Registration / 1:15 PM Shotgun Dinner Only at 6:00 PM $40.00/Person, Seniors $30.00 (65+) Mail this form with your check payable to: Reformed Church of Locust Valley 115 Ryefield Road, Locust Valley, NY PLEASE PRINT PLAYER Cell Phone Home Phone Address 1. (primary contact) For more information call the church at or admin.lvrc@verizon.net All Proceeds to benefit the Reformed Church of Locust Valley