The Corner Stone. Stone Church ~ The Church on the Green. April 2014

Transcription

1 April 2014 Stone Church ~ The Church on the Green The purpose of Stone Church is to be an inviting, spiritual community of Christ, engaging in worship that inspires and challenges us to learn and grow as we reach out in caring and service, trusting in the love of God. April 6, Fifth Sunday in Lent The Lord s Supper Ezekiel 37:1-14 a vision of the valley of dry bones Psalm 130 Out of the depths I cry to God. Romans 8:6-11 To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. John 11:1-45 Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Sermon The Death of Death Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. Taizé Worship April 13, Passion/Palm Sunday The Lord s Supper Isaiah 50:4-9a a song of God s servant Psalm 31:9-16 a prayer for vindication Philippians 2:5-11 Have the mind of Christ among you. Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus enters Jerusalem in fulfillment of prophecy. Sermon Christ Mindfulness April 20, Easter Sunday 7:00 a.m. Sunrise on the Green April 20, Easter Sunday Morning Worship The Lord s Supper Acts 10:34-43 God shows no partiality. Psalm 118:1-2, The stone rejected has become the cornerstone. Colossians 3:1-4 Set your minds on the things that are above. Matthew 28:1-10 The women find an empty tomb. Sermon Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad! April 27, Second Sunday of Easter Acts 2:14a, Peter preaches about the resurrection. Psalm 16 God shows me the path of life. 1 Peter 1:3-9 We have been born again to a life full of hope. John 20: Jesus appears to a doubting disciple. Sermon Born Again into Hope

2 Page 2 Our Story Journey into the Four Easter Stories We have spent years learning how to talk about these stories, and almost no time learning how to tell them. (Tom Boomershine, Story Journey) I am profoundly delighted that Boomershine s observation about the biblical stories does not hold true for Stone Church. At 7:00 p.m. on Palm Sunday evening you will witness the reality for yourselves as the Stone Storytellers present for you Alive! The Four Easter Stories, a 70- minute performance of the Passion Narratives from the Gospels of Mark and John along with the four Gospels accounts of the empty tomb and appearances of Jesus after his resurrection. Over the years that I have been working with our scripture by heart troupe, I have seen them grow in their understanding and skill. The time they spend learning the sacred words by heart and practicing them for telling represents a major commitment on their part, and the results reward this church and its worship with uncommonly abundant blessings. Boomershine s landmark book, Story Journey: An Invitation to the Gospel As Storytelling was published in 1988, seven years after I met him at a continuing education event in Albany Presbytery and was inspired to learn the Gospel of Mark as a result. The rest, as they say, is history and a history in which you, as members and friends of Stone Church, have been included. Ours is truly a storied community. And we have Boomershine to thank in absentia. For several years I have served as a mentor for the Academy for Biblical Storytelling. Currently, I have four mentees, the Rev. Dr. Susan Wilson, an Episcopal priest from Ontario, Canada; Wendy Johnston, an Australian living in Belfast, Northern Ireland; Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams, an Old Testament professor from Virginia Theological Seminary; and the Rev. Jason Chesnut, Lutheran Pastor to a Baltimore area church-without-walls that meets at bars, in coffee houses, in apartments, on campuses and on the internet. The first writing assignment for the mentees was a book report on Boomershine s ground-breaking book. All my students impressed me with their thinking expressed in clear writing, and I want to share excerpts from Jason s work with you as a kind of prelude to our Palm Sunday performance and as an insightful commentary not only on the book, but on the spiritual discipline and performance art of biblical storytelling. Here are his words. Thomas Boomershine s Story Journey is one of the few academic books I ve read more than once and I keep coming back to this deep well of storytelling wisdom in order to drink my fill. Boomershine lays out accessible and practical ideas and practices that have shaped (and continue to shape) my biblical storytelling. He does this by connecting this art to ancient Christianity; understanding it through the context of worship; and encouraging the reader/teller to make real, raw, and relevant personal connections to the biblical story. Christianity has lost a lot of its original and radical story influenced by social power and empire, shrouded in meaningless church jargon, and complacent with its glorified country club status in communities across the world. These stories are often read in twenty-first century Christian communities with the same amount of interest as a grocery list. But these stories are so much more critical in the context of the Christian life. Story Journey describes them as an archaeological dig of sorts. We are seeking to hear an ancient story, Boomershine writes, so that we can retell it appropriately. Christianity s ancient roots are, slowly but surely, being recovered in what Phyllis Tickle (and others) call the great emergence. This recovery is of extreme interest to me, because when I tell biblical stories by heart, I feel connected to our two thousand year-old history. Boomershine says as much right from the start: To learn and tell the stories to ourselves and to others is to go back to the source. It is a return to the spring from which the early church drank. This is the root meaning of the word authority. The heart of the word is author. The authority of the Scriptures is based on their role as the source of our knowledge of God. Thus, entering into the story journey of the gospel tradition is a pilgrimage to the primary source of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. (continued on page 3)

3 Page 3 Our Story Journey into the Four Easter Stories (continued from page 2) To understand biblical storytelling as a pilgrimage, is a spot-on reflection of its inherent power for those who practice it. We are often bombarded in the media by religious leaders who talk about biblical values, but often neglect the biblical stories themselves - and, instead, treat the Bible as a weapon, instead of a guide as Story Journey presents it. As another biblical storyteller put it, When you tell the story instead of read it, you don t have that book in your hands and, therefore, you can t use it to pummel others. Boomershine not only connects biblical storytelling to ancient Christianity, he also frames it within the discussion of our central worship life as followers of Jesus. Learning to tell stories from the bible is more than an academic or philosophical exercise it concretely places us within the ancient stream of Christianity, and even farther back into Judaism and the stories of God s people. There are examples in Story Journey of ways to use biblical storytelling in corporate worship - both in the place of the public reading of scripture, but also as a way to transform the act of preaching God s Word in the Christian assembly. But it goes beyond worship. Boomershine encourages storytelling to be a primary aspect of teaching children in the community of faith. If our kids are not familiar with the stories of the faith, then what is the point? Neglecting to encourage them to learn and tell biblical stories is at the heart of a dying institution. In addition to a deep connection to the ancient church and a role to play within Christian worship, Boomershine argues that biblical storytelling is made even more powerful by drawing out real, raw, and relevant personal connections. One of the gifts of the storyteller is to bring the distinctiveness of her or his experience to the telling of the story. One of the most powerful examples of this comes in the author s treatment of Jesus parable of the two sons in Luke s Gospel account. As he does in every chapter, Boomershine looks at the story itself, at verbal threads, and at different characters within the story. Once we get to the experience of the prodigal son coming home, he writes these potent words: Some memory of coming home and publicly acknowledging something of which you were deeply ashamed will help to give the [prodigal son s] words meaning for you. It is not necessary to change the words. In fact, the words of the biblical story can provide a healthier context for those memories than telling your story directly. The words of the biblical story can provide a healthier context. This is a radical understanding of God s story, taking it beyond a placeholder role in worship or a vehicle for disjointed quotes. The teller is encouraged to bring her own experience into the telling of a story in such a way as to allow the biblical narrative to fully encompass it. More than simply allowing the story to marinate in us, Story Journey encourages us to see the story as critical in our own development not just as followers of Jesus, but as human beings. The stories of scripture take us on a journey, and, in the case of the author himself, change us forever. Story Journey is a trailblazing work, calling the church to wake up and see the biblical narratives as the lifechanging stories they are and to start treating them as such. Boomershine does this by connecting the story of God and God s people to the ancient stream of Christianity and the Jesus Movement, to the central worship life of Christians gathered in community, and to the intensely personal experience of those who study and learn to tell these sacred tales. Let me tell you a story, Boomershine writes at one point, rooting his narrative within the raw, radical, and real story of Jesus. When Jesus died, he left a group of followers eleven disciples, perhaps two hundred followers at most. Jesus left them with words and sacraments. When compared with the power of the Romans, the stories and sacraments of the Church seem relatively insignificant. But they are NOT. Jesus gave his disciples the essential means for setting free the power of faith. And what a story it is. In this season of the resurrection stories, thanks be to the Stone Storytellers. Thanks be to Jason Chesnut. Thanks be to Tom Boomershine. And thanks be to God!

4 Page 4 A CELEBRATION!!!!! Friday, June 13, 2014 It s time for a party!!!! This year will be the 35 th anniversary of Dennis s ordination. Everyone is invited to help him celebrate this milestone. It will be held at Twin Ponds Golf and Country Club at 6:00. We are hoping that the entire congregation will attend. It is guaranteed to be a fun evening!!! We are still working on details. There will be a sign-up in the near future with dinner choices etc. But for now just save the date. And..you never know there might be some unexpected surprises there. You definitely won t want to miss this special evening!!!!! John & Chris Menard, Gary & Judy LaGasse, Hal & Linda Rance Sharing resources. Changing lives. Thank you notes There are many kinds of ministry that taken together constitute the mission of Stone Presbyterian Church. We are grateful for all who minister in ways great and small. This month we extend our thanks to... Since 1949 Presbyterians have joined with millions of other Christians through One Great Hour of Sharing to share God s love with our neighbors-in-need around the world. Your generous gifts to this Special Offering help provide relief to those affected by natural disasters, provide food to the hungry, and assist in helping to empower the poor and oppressed. When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you are assisting in the empowerment of others as they move past emotional, physical, and spiritual misfortune. Your help gives hope.... Elizabeth Smith and Donna Goodfriend for leading Taizé worship in March.... Donna for leading March's Bible Brunch Bunch study.... Gene Lawson and Ceil Gilbert for auditing the church s books.... Helen Leonard and the CCS 5th Graders for inviting Dennis to do a program on Nicaragua.... Phil Conley and Julie Milograno for finding a wheelchair for the church.... The Deacons and others for giving rides to those who need them. Note: If you d like to express thanks for a service ministry someone has done, please let us know and we ll include it in a future newsletter. The offering will be received on both Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Please give generously. Please note The deadline for the May issue of the newsletter is Tuesday, April 22. Contact Midge Bakos, editor, at with questions or comments.

5 Page 5 Recipes wanted We are inviting you all to submit your favorite recipes (old family favorites or something new you have just tried and think it is incredible) for our monthly newsletter. You can send them by to stonepres@ verizon.net, regular mail to P.O. Box 33, Clinton or drop them in the offering plate during Sunday service. Here s hoping everyone participates, so we can have a recipe for each month. See this month s recipe on this page - submitted by Brooke Villiere Newsletter team Many thanks to Carolyn Barnum, Trudi Christeler, Ceil Gilbert, and Bev Miller who have collated, folded, taped and labeled this issue of The Corner Stone just for you! Recipe of the Month: Quick Reuben Casserole 1/4 c. chopped onions 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley 1 (16 oz.) can, drained, sauerkraut 1 tsp. caraway seed 8 oz. (2 c.) Swiss cheese, shredded 2/3 c. Thousand Island dressing 1/2 pound shaved corned beef 3 slices (2 c.) rye bread cut into 1/2 cubes 1/4 c. butter, melted Mix onion, parsley, sauerkraut, and caraway seed well in a medium bowl. In 8 square baking pan, layer sauerkraut mixture, 1 cup cheese, 1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing, and shaved corned beef. Top with remaining cheese and Thousand Island dressing. In medium bowl, toss bread cubes with melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 375 until heated through, about minutes. Serves 6. Brooke Villiere Country Pantry update Hope House s Wish List Here s the wish list for April: deodorant, coffee, razors, shampoo, sugar, and prayers. Please leave items in the Norton Room. Questions? Call Ceil Gilbert, No Cooking Necessary! Many thanks to all of the Stone Church members and friends who faithfully serve dinner each month at Hope House. Your efforts are greatly appreciated! As always, volunteers are needed on the fourth Monday of each month at 3:00 p.m. A sign-up sheet is in the back of the sanctuary. Questions? Call Ceil Gilbert, It is time to start thinking about school breaks and the need for KIDS PAKS. What is a kids pak? It is an extra bag of food given to children to offset the lack of school meals during school breaks. The focus is on food that will appeal to children. Please start bringing the items to church. Last year they distributed 150 bags each month, June - September. I'm sure the number will be greater this year as the demands on the Pantry continue to grow. KID-PAK items: peanut butter, 100% juice boxes, fruit cups, snack bars, oatmeal packets, canned pasta. The Pantry is always in need of canned fruit as this is an expensive item for them to purchase. Monetary donations may be sent to the Country Pantry at PO Box 76, Clinton, NY Questions? Contact Judy LaGasse,

6 Page 6 Deacons Corner During the Easter Season we all think about Lent and the Resurrection and spend time focusing on our faith. We need to remember that following Jesus has an implicit responsibility to become part of the light He brought to the world. This means that we are called to invite others to enter God s kingdom with us. It s so together we shine the light that brings healing and helping hands into this world. It is so that our voices are shining the good news helping people to know, and be known by the God who loves them and is working to redeem the world. As each of us journeys through Lent this year, let s decide with renewed commitment to let our light shine for the sake of His kingdom. During this season all of us, I am sure, are looking forward to the beautiful flowers and wonderful music we are blessed with here at Stone Church. We are so fortunate to have Rob and the angelic voices of our choir. So, I began to think why Do We Sing? (I should probably ask Rob!!) In the Bible, singing is the one approved way for us to respond to God s goodness and mercy. When we realize what He has done for us, we have to respond! We sing the Doxology to thank God for keeping our Church open and available, for the money He has provided to us through work and other means, for the ability to come to worship and sing to Him!! We sing the hymns to affirm what we believe and to show each other that we believe what we are singing. We sing to show our connection to God s word. When we sing certain hymns or praise songs, it s hard not to involve our emotions about how we feel towards the words. I know there are certain songs that I can t sing without tearing up. So, the reasons Why We Sing? To praise God, to confess our sins and to sing TOGETHER to put God s Word into action! Love & Peace to you all. Gil Adams, Jim Gavett, Emily Hughes, Gary LaGasse, Judy LaGasse, Bev Miller, Hal Rance, Linda Rance and Brooke Villiere P.S. Let s fill the sanctuary with the beauty of God s flowers. There is an order form in this issue of. Thank you! Highlights of the March 10, 2014 Session Meeting The Treasurer s report was reviewed. The annual church statistical report and clerk s questionnaire were approved. A date for a celebration of Dennis 35th Anniversary of Ordination has yet to be determined. The Ash Wednesday service with Three Steeples and Deansboro at Paris Hill went well. A $5000 check from Presbyterian Relief has been received. Three appraisals for the manse have been obtained. It will be sold in the spring. Jesse Miller, as a volunteer, continues with some repair and painting in the basement. Koinonia Groups have started. In Pat Joseph s absence, Shelly Coe will attend the next Presbytery meeting at Oneida on March 25. The Session approved of the deacons request to have their own checkbook. It will be part of the general ledger. Additional volunteers are needed to program the carillon. The Session voted to allow a youth acting class to meet at the church in the summer. The Session voted to allow the KAC, at their request, to use the current Boy Scout room for book storage. Ken Coe demonstrated the Computer-Aided Design model progress showing the layout of the church in 3-D.

7 Page 7 It s open! The Habitat ReStore is a retail home improvement center open to the public - filled with donated furniture, appliances, fixtures and building materials sold at discount prices. All of the proceeds benefit Oneida County Habitat for Humanity building efforts. The new ReStore is located at 216 Seward Ave. Utica. Volunteers are needed to stock and set-up this new store. If you are interested in volunteering you can contact the store manager, Rob Willson at Additionally, if you are remodeling or moving, you are asked to consider donating your used furniture, appliances, fixtures, cabinets or building materials to this Habitat ReStore. Not only will you be helping build and renovate more Habitat homes in Oneida County, your donation will keep unnecessary trash out of landfills, keeping our earth much cleaner and greener. For a listing of items, go to This is a great way to help Habitat for Humanity without having to donate manual labor. WHERE THERE IS LOVE Where there is love the heart is light, Where there is love the day is bright, Where there is love there is a song To help when things are going wrong, Where there is love there is a smile To make all things seem more worthwhile, Where there is love there s quiet peace, A tranquil place where turmoils cease Love changes darkness into light And makes the heart take wingless flight Oh, blest are they who walk in love They also walk with God above, And when man walks with God again There shall be peace on Earth for men. Written by Helen Steiner Rice Submitted by Ceil Gilbert April Happenings at Stone 2nd 7:00 p.m. Storytellers 3rd 10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Fair Trade Shoppe 6:00 p.m. Lenten Series - St. Mary s 5th 2:00 p.m. Junior B Sharp concert 6th 10:30 a.m. Worship 12:00 p.m. Storytellers 8th 12:00 p.m. Clinton Area Ministerium 5:30 p.m. WEP meeting 10th 10:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Fair Trade Shoppe 6:00 p.m. Lenten Series - St. Mary s 7:00 p.m. Taizé service 12th 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fair Trade Shoppe 13th 7:00 p.m. Epic Telling 14th 7:00 p.m. Session meeting 17th 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Fair Trade Shoppe 6:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday service at Deansboro 18th 12:00 p.m. Good Friday service & luncheon 20th 7:00 a.m. Easter service on the Village Green 10:30 a.m. Worship 24th 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Fair Trade Shoppe 28th 3 p.m. Hope House

8 Remember in Prayer If you would like to add someone to our prayer list or would like to receive the prayer list for daily prayer, please contact the church office at or go to our website stonepres.org and click Prayer Request. - Eleanor Palmer - Jim Royce - Joseph Pavlot - Gidget Royce-Pavlot - Jack Price - Larry and Gail Losch - Whittemore family - Catalin - Lauralyn Kolb s mother and family - Spencer (Donna Goodfriend s nephew) - Paul Macri (Lora Schilder s brother) - Mary Ann Stiefvater and family - Jim Hart (Sue Dewey s father) - Menard family - Gil Palmer - Mildred Schell - Wendy Kiger - Patty Jenkins deploying to Afghanistan - Barbara - Jim Gavett and family - Carolyn Barnum - Kogut family - Pavlot family - Family of Diana O Meara - Kevin Chesnut - Family of Rick Bellinger - Nita (Rob Kolb s sister) - Elizabeth Smith and family - Donna Marie Todd (Network of Biblical Storytellers) - Peodor Cienciala (Ewa Lawrence s uncle) & family - Bill & Chris Klossner - Alice - Frances Hunter (Sherry Robinson s aunt) & family - Hillary (Lauralyn s niece), unborn child, family & doctors April Birthdays 1 - Ryan Harrington 2 - Amber Goodfriend - Anne Dunn 3 - Lori Chamberlain 6 - Gina Padgett 7 - Carrie Goodfriend - Jacob Dahlin - Jack Price 13 - Mo Lalonde Hunter Padgett 17 - William Porter Your Address Did you know...? 19 - Jonathan Buckley 20 - Loring Watkins 21 - Alexander Russo 22 - Kate Monohan 24 - Helen Leonard Drew Altdoerffer 26 - Patricia Joseph 27 - Morgan Pavlot 28 - Benjamin Joseph If you have a new address, please send it to stonepres@verizon.net or put a note in the offering plate. Also, if you have family who would like to receive the newsletter, let us know!... that large-print hymnals and bulletins are available every Sunday?... that hearing-assisted devices are on hand in the sanctuary? Just ask an usher if you wish to use these items. Page 8 The Labyrinth is available in the Stone Church sanctuary for those who would like to use it for prayer and meditation. The church is open Monday through Friday 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In addition, the church is open Thursdays while the Fair Trade Shoppe is open until 6:30 p.m. Don t forget the Deacons! Please keep the Deacons in mind on the first Sunday of each month. All of the loose money collected on those Sundays goes to support the ministry of the Deacons.

9 Page 9 Let s make our Easter garden bloom! Easter Flowers are available this year for those who wish to remember a loved one. Please fill out the form below and put it in the collection plate or send it, along with a check, to the church office. The plants can be picked up after the Easter service. The deadline for ordering flowers is Sunday, April 13. Flower choices: Lilies $9.50 (6 pot) $18.00 (8 pot) Mums $11.00 (6 1/2 pot) yellow, white, or lavender Tulips $9.00 Daffodils $9.00 Hyacinths $9.00 pink or blue Hydrangeas $20.00 Azaleas $18.50 (7 1/2 pot) Questions? Call Linda Rance, , or Peggy Weldon, Name of donor(s) Given in memory of or Given in honor of Deacons may deliver the plant to the homebound yes no Flower choice Amount enclosed Rev. Dennis Dewey, Pastor Home Phone: ; Cell (emergencies): DenDew@aol.com Rev. Gerald R. Platz, Pastor Emeritus Director of Music: G. Roberts Kolb Sexton: Cros Harvey Office Manager: Peggy Weldon Clerk of Session: Scott Leonard Treasurer: Christine Menard Newsletter Editor: Midge Bakos Office: stonepres@verizon.net Sunday Worship: 10:30 a.m.; Church Office hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Monday - Friday

10 Stone Presbyterian Church P.O. Box 33 (8 S. Park Row) Clinton, NY CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Clinton, NY Permit No. 37

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