Messenger. August 2014 Peekskill Presbyterian Church W O R S H I P S U N D A Y S 1 0 A M RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

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1 THE MESSENGER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION PEEKSKILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH US POSTAGE PAID 705 SOUTH STREET WHITE PLAINS, NY PEEKSKILL, NY PERMIT # 6604 TIME DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DELIVER PROMPTLY RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PEEKSKILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ~ ~ Messenger August 2014 Peekskill Presbyterian Church W O R S H I P S U N D A Y S 1 0 A M Where to find... Pastor s Message 2 Session Update 3 Church News 5-8 Member Profile 12 Bible Study 14 Calendar Centerfold

2 1 Our Vision The Peekskill Presbyterian Church is a faithful and diverse community of Christians with varied backgrounds, ethnicities, talents, and ages. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we are committed to nurturing individual and corporate growth through: Vibrant Worship Committed Stewardship Relationship Building Fellowship Mission Focused Discipleship, and Servant Leadership Upcoming Events August 3: Community Breakfast August 16: Hudson River Good News & Music Festival August 25-29: Science Art & the Spirit Vacation Bible School August 27: Connect Prayer Meeting August 28: Thirsty Make a Joyful Noise! 16 1 Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow rs before Thee, Op ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day! 2 All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heav n reflect Thy rays, Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow ry meadow, flashing sea, Singing bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee. 3 Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Wellspring of the joy of living, Ocean depth of happy rest! Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, All who live in love are Thine; Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine. 4 Mortals, join the happy chorus, Which the morning stars began; Father love is reigning o er us, Brother love binds man to man. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife, Joyful music leads us Sunward In the triumph song of life. August Birthdays ~deleted to protect your privacy online~ Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have being. ~ Psalm 146 We want to celebrate you too; if we forgot your birthday, please contact the Church office.

3 15 Peekskill Presbyterian Personals ~ Thanks to John Bishop for the poem and the invitation! Solution to the Puzzle: When you open your eyes in the morning thank God that He has kept you through the night. Come be our guest At the gospel fest It's gonna be fun Fun for everyone It's gonna get hot Out in the parking lot It might even get loud We expect a big crowd But we need volunteers To prevent lots of tears So see me after service Sign up don't be nervous Many a position to fill And yes, it is God's Will!!! There'll be sign up every week From now till the 16th (Of August) Serving with Joy in August Date Elder on Duty Ushers Communion 3 Brenda Martinez Diana Heaton & Lynne Nayman Servers July 6 th 10 Michael Griest Marsha Vernon & Debra Campise by intinction, 17 Linda Johns Dick Crawford & Marilyn Tropiano Philena Bolden 24 Charlene Woods Jean Kaiser & Harry Percoulis 31 Philena Bolden Ray Brown & Carole Apolinario Peekskill Presbyterian Church on Facebook and on the web at A Message from 2 Our Pastor Study to Show Yourself Approved What would be the first words out of your mouth the moment you saw God? Would you laugh? Cry? Burst into song? Ask the questions you have longed to ask for decades? Whatever your response, Bible study leader, Francis Chan suggests in his DVD, Crazy Love, that we should not wait to have this kind of reaction to God s presence, but we should pray now with that same kind of excitement, awe and wonder. Crazy Love, is just one of 3500 Bible study videos available to all members of the Peekskill Presbyterian Church. This new electronic library makes Bible study, leader training, Sunday school, and conference resources easily accessible. We can study at home alone on our lap tops, with family members, with a friend, or in small groups. We can also gather at the Church to learn more about God. I want to you encourage you to browse the Right Now Ministries web site and discover the many valuable resources designed to help you learn at your own pace and with topics that are of particular interest to you. We are so fortunate to have this 21 st century learning tool. Over the next few months, I am planning to review a variety of resources in order to make recommendations for our collective study. Members of the Christian education ministry are also available to guide you as you learn to navigate your way through the Right Now Ministries library. Best wishes to you as you grow in God s grace and mature in the knowledge of the Lord. By Faith, Pastor Stephany

4 3 Notes Personal Bible Study 14 Verse: Psalm 23 The 23 rd Psalm is one of the most known and read passages in the Bible. At the July Session meeting our discussions included... Vision Statement vitalization Reaching out to congregants in need Request for building rental & associated staff needs Audio equipment Sight lines into the choir loft Festival plans including insurance, equipment, & publicity Introducing Gwen Davis to the congregation Representation at Presbytery meetings Vogt bequest Establishing an investment policy working group Repair of parking lot drains Memorial bricks Worship at the Hudson River in September Right Now Media Updating office computers ~ Questions about the Session Notes? Speak to Charlene Woods. Financial Summary As of July 1, ~ deleted for the online edition ~ ~ Please prayerfully consider your Church giving. Answers can be found in your King James Version Bible. How many verses are in this Psalm? What type of pastures does the Shepherd make the Psalmist 'lie down in'? 'He leads me beside waters'. What goes in the blank? What does the Psalmist say the Shepherd does to 'my soul'? What types of paths does the Psalmist say the Shepherd leads him in? 'Yea, though I walk through the '. What goes in the blank? In whose presence does the Psalmist say the Shepherd prepares him a table? What does the Shepherd anoint the Psalmist's head with? The Psalmist says the two things will 'follow me all the days of my life'. What are they? 'I will dwell in the house of the Lord '. What goes in the blank? On an average only 91% of us got or will get all the answers correct... ~ Thanks to Elder Marsha Vernon for this month s Bible Study. ~ ArtworK: The Lord is my Shepherd, by Adina Henderson

5 13 Prayer of Praise Finish the missing phrase to find out when our praise to God should begin. Use the letters in the two grids to fill in the blanks and find the message. Forgetting our own difficulties and troubles, let us praise God for an opportunity to live for the glory of His name. Let the fresh blessings of each new day awaken praise in our hearts for these tokens of His loving care. Thank Him for His peace in your heart. Morning, noon, and night, let gratitude as a sweet perfume ascend to heaven. Solution on page 15. Prayers & Sympathy 4 But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me. - Psalm 66:19-20 Please keep these persons in prayer... Prayers of Celebration For the birth of Harrison (Harry) Prayers for God s Keeping Benjamin Holz, grandson of Judy Luan Rodrigues Benjamin Bienca Francois Continued Prayer Prayers for Health Seaman Robert Woods Marianne Walther Elaine Galella Will Benjamin Joe Deutsch Helen Lindsey Bob Straub Kevin Campise Marge Crawford Nancy O Hare Polly Brandes Nancy Horton Helen Beuchert Odessa Graham Dot Whitehouse Linda Johns The people of the Middle East and in all areas of conflict All those struggling with addiction ~ If you have prayer requests for concerns or thanksgiving, please contact Philena Bolden. Prayer Ministries Wednesday Morning Prayer Call Join Pastor Stephany Wednesday mornings between 7:30-7:45 for the prayer call. To participate, dial ; when prompted enter code # Prayer Chain - Members of this ministry commit themselves to offer up prayers requested by the congregation and the community. More pray-ers are needed. To join the prayer chain, at or at prayerrequests@peekskillpresby.org. Connected Prayer Ministry - a quiet space and time for meditation and prayer; the 4th Wednesday every month at 6 p.m.

6 5 Church News Introducing Gwen Davis Our New Office Assistant Last month we welcomed our new office assistant Gwen Davis to our Church family. Gwen (pictured here with her husband Darrin Grimm, and 4 sons Davis, Jackson, Samuel, and Cooper) is a former musical theatre professional from the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. She and her husband moved to New York in Gwen enjoys baking, photography, and the creative arts. She contributes to theatrical performances at Lakeland HS, where Darrin works as a music teacher, and volunteers with her local cub scout pack, serving as advancemnt chair for the scouts. Gwen recently began a blog about her baking and parenting endeavors at Gwen and her family live in Mahopac and attend Grace Lutheran Church in Yorktown. In addition to her job with us, Gwen continues to work part-time as a concert soloist and as a desk associate at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club. If you haven t done it yet, stop in and say hello to Gwen. Our Vision Our Church Vision Statement is printed in this Messenger and in the bulletin on Sundays. It describes the kind of Church we hope to be. But we will only reach our Vision Destination if we consciously and purposefully start walking toward it. So, here we go... Beginning in August, and continuing each month through the end of the year, we plan to focus on one of our Vision Statement goals. We will be looking for suggestions from the congregation on how to get there, how to become the Church we long to be. Your ideas can be posted in the Social Hall and will be compiled and assessed each month by the Session. Don t worry, suggestions can be anonymous. Member Profile 12 Do You Know Linda Buckiewicz? On the east side of the sanctuary near the windows sits a quiet, unassuming woman sometimes with her husband, Jay, and/or her son Patrick. Because she is a sitting Elder, she may be seen at times welcoming members and visitors into the Church with her warm smile and handshake. At times you may see her ushering or serving communion. At any of our pot-lucks or special dinners or at our first Sunday free breakfasts, if you peek into the kitchen, you will see her earnestly at work. She worked diligently with the Pastoral Search Ministry; supports the Women of Hope; works in the Lord's Attic; regularly attends Bible study; is a member of our monthly book discussion group; sees to it that you receive the boxes with the envelopes for your pledge offerings; supports the efforts of Stewardship and Good News Ministries; and is currently Chair of the Nominating Ministry. So you see, tiny as she is, Linda Buckiewicz spins out a goodly number of threads which woven together create the great tapestry that is the membership and life of Peekskill Presbyterian Church. Lord bless and keep her! ~ Thanks to Caroline Renaud for the Member Profile The hardest part of any journey is taking the leap of faith at the beginning. But with God s help, we know we can get there. Our Vision Statement describes some beautiful aspirations. Let s make them real together. This month s vision: Can you tell us how to get there?

7 11 The Power of Praise & Worship What Is Praise? Praise means to commend, to applaud or magnify. For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration, and thanksgiving. High praises bring our spirit into a pinnacle of fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God it magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. Psalm 89:15 Praise Elevates Us into God s Presence & Power. The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people. Psalm 22:3 In other words, God dwells in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God! Praise and worship is the gate-pass which allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes, Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalm 100:4 How Should We Praise God? There are many actions involved with praise to God verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. But true praise is not merely going through these motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart. Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within. Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst. The true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:23 ~ Excerpted from The Power of Praise and Worship by Dr. Dale A. Robbins. Church News 6 New Office Hours The Church office has new open hours. Gwen Davis will be in the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:30 2:30. Pastor Stephany continues her office hours on Wednesdays from 10:00 3:00, Thursdays from 4:00 7:00, and on alternate Fridays/Saturdays and Mondays/Tuesdays, 11:30 4:30. Thanks to the Juneteenth Participants! Thanks to the members of the congregation and guests who participated in the Juneteenth events on Saturday, June 21 st, by either marching in the parade or by manning the Church s information table on the Riverfront Green: Manny and Julianna Asare, Philena Bolden, Ray Brown, Linda Buckiewicz, Patrick Buckiewicz, Gabrielle Duke, Vanessa Hull, Pastor Graham, Caroline and Ruth Jaisarie, Steve Lynn, Liz Maloy, Brenda Martinez, BrieAnna Punter, Terry Rooms, and Jennifer and Jonathan Vasquez. Manny Asare did a great job in organizing our participation in this event. The Juneteenth parade is part of a nationwide celebration of the final ending of the last vestiges of slavery in the United States of America. Thank you all for celebrating with us. Science Art & the Spirit VBS August 25 th - 29 th Join musician Daisy Joplin, science enthusiast Anthony Washington, and members of our congregation at Science Art & the Spirit, our Vacation Bible School this August. Open to kids in grades 1-7, we ll meet at the Church from 10 till 2 each day. Registration forms are available in the Church office or downloadable at It s free and is going to be fun. There is still time to volunteer to help. Contact Brenda Martinez if you want to explore science, art, and the spirit and have some fun with young people.

8 7 Church News Call for Good News & Music Festival Volunteers To make the August 16 th Good News & Music Festival a program of true glory and praise for the goodness of God, we will need the help of lots volunteers from our congregation. Church members can assist in a variety of ways. You could: help distribute publicity flyers visit churches to speak about and offer invitations to the festival greet and make people welcome or give out programs provide directions to the children s and adult programs, the end-of-day church service or sanctuary visitation prayer space, the food vendors, the picnic area, or portable toilets maintain a count of visitors or keep track of presenters and performers help set up and take down the tent and sound equipment help maintain contact with presenters and performers to be sure they are on schedule and to answer questions or concerns they may have monitor the sanctuary to be sure it is safe and protected throughout the day (the sanctuary will be open for visitors) be on call to handle emergencies be a contact for the food vendors to deal with their concerns help clean up and there will surely be other tasks on the list as the event approaches. Anyone willing to help should speak to John Bishop, Pastor Graham, Steve Lynn, or Dan Harrison so we can be sure we have coverage throughout the day. The festival is scheduled for Saturday August 16 th from 1:00 to 8:p.m., rain or shine. Working together we should have a very successful event! Scripture Memorization 10 Challenge You can also find the verse for the week in the glass case in the CE Lobby. July 27-August 2 Extol the Lord our God; worship at His footstool! Holy is He. Psalm 99:5 August 3-9 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7 August If we confess our sins, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9 August Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22 August We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 August 31 September 6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ~ Thanks to Rose Reed for the memorization challenge. Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ~ John 7:37

9 9 We Are A Connectional Church Presbyterian Church (USA) The 221 st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA met in June in Detroit. Many tough issues were addressed, and challenging decisions were made. In the next two years, Assembly attendees and other church leaders will work to interpret and guide people through the decisions made. Some Assembly highlights: Voted to divest from three corporations Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions whose business practices in Israel and Palestine were not deemed in line with the church s policy on socially responsible investing. Voted to approve an amendment to the Book of Order granting pastors discretion whether or not to conduct samegender marriages in civil jurisdictions where such are legal. Proposed an amendment to the Book of Order changing the definition of marriage from between a man and a woman to two people, traditionally a man and a woman. The vote was for the amendment, which goes to the 171 presbyteries for ratification during the next year. You can learn more about issues addressed by the Assembly at: pcusa.org/resource/assembly-brief-221-general-assembly-2014/ Hudson River Presbytery Changing the Conversation: Claiming our Voice is the title of a conference to be held September 27 and 28 at the Stony Point Center. Attendees will explore how we are called to employ our unique Christian voice to effect change. The conference features J. Herbert Nelson, Director of PC(USA) s Office of Public Witness and Mark Koenig, Director of PC(USA) s Ministry at the United Nations. They will help explore ways to engage government, corporations, denominations, congregations, and individuals through Presbyterian witness. $25 will cover the program, lunch, and coffee. On Sunday, September 28 th a presbytery-wide worship through video technology is planned. ~ Thanks to Lynne Nayman for the Connectional Church information. Church News 8 What s On the Program? Hudson Valley Good News & Music Festival Saturday, August 16 th 1 8 p.m. Free to All On the Church Lawn Rain or Shine On the Main Stage: (tentative program details subject to change) 1 p.m. J Sky Walker 1:40 PUMC Children s Dance Troupe 2:15 Preacher: Rev. Andre Barnes 2:50 Puerta del Cielo Praise Band 3:25 Mt. Olivet Gospel Choir 4:00 Preacher t/b/a 4:35 J Sky Walker 5:10 Praise Choir of the Spanish Church Tabernacle of Christ 5:45 Puerta del Cielo Praise Band 6:20 Preacher t/b/a 6:55 Music t/b/a 7:30 Worship with Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church Choir Free Children s Program, 2-5 p.m.: Featuring Party Hopper face painting, balloon creations, popcorn machines, cotton candy, crafts, and more.

10 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 3 JULY AUGUST 1 2 There s a lot going on at our Church, and the building has other users, such as HeadStart and Gates of Heaven. Contact the Church office to confirm availability before planning anything in the Church building. AA 6:30 Knitting 12:00 Church Office Hours Tuesday thru Thursday 9:30 2:30 Pastor s Office Hours: Wednesdays 10:00 3:00, Thursdays 4:00 7:00, Alternate Fridays & Saturdays and Mondays & Tuesdays 11:30 4:30 Thrift Shop Hours: Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays 10:00 3:00 CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER 3 Community Breakfast 8:30 WORSHIP 10:00 with Communion 4 Mission 7:30 Festival Planning 7:30 Boy Scouts 7:30 5 Christian Ed 7:30 Fitness Club 6:45 Pastor-Vacation 6 AA 6:30 Pastor-Vacation 7 C&B 7:00 Pastor-Vacation 8 Knitting 12:00 Pastor-Vacation 9 Men s Breakfast & Bible Study 9: Nominating 9:00 WORSHIP 10:00 Festival Planning 7:30 Boy Scouts 7:30 Deacons Fitness Club 6:45 AA 6:30 Session 7:30 Knitting 12:00 Good News & Music Festival WORSHIP 10:00 with Communion Boy Scouts 7:30 Fitness Club 6:45 Worship 6:00 AA 6:30 Knitting 12:00 Men s Breakfast & Bible Study 9:00 24 WORSHIP 10:00 Congregational Life 9:00 25 Science Art & the Spirit Youth Program Boy Scouts 7:30 26 Science Art & the Spirit Youth Program Soup Kitchen Prep 5:30 Fitness Club 6:45 27 Science Art & the Spirit Youth Program Connect Prayer Meeting 6:00 AA 6:30 28 Science Art & the Spirit Youth Program Thirsty 7:30 29 Science Art & the Spirit Youth Program Knitting 12: Stewardship 9:00 WORSHIP 10:00 SEPTEMBER 1 LABOR DAY 2 Fitness Club 6:45 Christian Education 7:30 3 AA 6: Men s Breakfast & Bible Study 9:00 PEEKSKILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AUGUST