Epistle We are a small congregation, part of God s larger family, teaching and living God s Word, and sharing God s love throughout the community.

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1 Epistle We are a small congregation, part of God s larger family, teaching and living God s Word, and sharing God s love throughout the community. Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church of Valatie Reverend Kathi L. Jones, Pastor P.O. Box 267, 3212 Church Street, Valatie, NY ifirstpresbyter1@nycap.rr.com Website: March 2019 From the Pastor s Pen Growing up, everything I remember about circled around the acts of self-denial. What food, entertainment, or habit one would give up and how hard it was to deny oneself of that thing. Somehow, for a young person, it was not always made clear that the denial was meant to help one think about God and Christ s sacrifice. Of course, it s understandable that the deeper meaning of can be missed. We Presbyterians understand rules. It is far easier to tell kids and ourselves to obey rules than to explain to them why we should desire to act rightly. We can end up following the rules simply because well, because that is what we do, that is how we think of religion. In, too often we are denying ourselves for the sake of denial. We give up chocolate or Facebook thinking that act of denial is the purpose of. And we end up missing the point. isn t about denial. It is about transformation. It is the season in which we prepare to encounter the mystery of Christ s passion, death, and resurrection by endeavoring to become more Christ-like ourselves. Transformation is about letting ourselves be filled with God s presence so that we can be shaped by God s grace. But we have to make room for God s grace. We have to empty ourselves to make room for God, and that may mean leaving aside your favorite TV shows, chocolate, or whatever else takes up time, space, and energy in your life. And so, we give up things, habits as a way of beginning the transformation. This process has a word Kenosis, the self-emptying of one s own will and becoming entirely receptive to God s divine will. Denying ourselves in order to allow God to fill us. The en disciplines of prayer, fasting, doing good and giving help prepare us to be transformed. We deny ourselves so that we can be reborn as new creations, to live more fully as the Kingdom citizens God desires us to be, to go and do the good that God would have us do. A good place to start is being intentional in one s life of prayer and making a space in your life to be in relationship with God. Now that Ash Wednesday is here, what is your en plan to make room in your life to be filled with God s grace? The peace of Christ be with you, Kathi

2 Christian Nurture March 1 st World Day of Prayer Our Christian Nurture committee meets once a month on the first Monday of the month at 10:30 am. All are welcome, even if for one or two meetings, no long term commitment necessary. This is the place to bring new ideas to enhance our worship services. Our next meeting is March 4. The Ash Wednesday Service will be held on March 6 at St. John the Baptist RC Church on Rt. 9 at Pastor Rudy Visser from Kinderhook Reformed Church will bring the message of the evening followed by the imposition of ashes. We encourage everyone to come and join your neighbors as we enter the season of. Pastor Kathi will lead a en Bible Study on Entering the Passion of Jesus. Although the Bible gives us insights into what Jesus was thinking between the time he entered into Jerusalem and the night he spent in the Garden of Gethsemane, we can t totally relate. But what if we look at the ordinary people who witnessed the Passion events the women around Jesus and his disciples? Or the bad guys Judas, Pilate, and Caiaphas? If we look closely at the people who were part of Jesus life during the last days before the crucifixion their relationships and roles in the story how might that deepen our understanding of what happened? Study will be held at on Thursdays March 14, March 21, March 28, April 4 and April 11. Join us for this annual en discipline of study and reflection. We will continue to worship in the Fellowship Hall through March 31. We have added coffee hours on first and third Sundays. Please consider signing up to prepare a coffee hour on either of those Sundays. Hertha Matuszek has a schedule and she will be happy to explain what is needed. These coffee hours are meant to be easy to prepare, a package of cookies will work. We are hoping to stock the kitchen with most items. This is still a work in progress as we are hoping to streamline the process. Our church participated with the Souper Bowl of Caring, held on February 3 rd. Souper Bowl of Caring is youth across the nation working to fight hunger and poverty in their own communities on Super Bowl Sunday. On that day our young people took up a collection using a soup pot, asking for at least a dollar for people in need. Thank you for your contributions to our Souper Bowl Sunday collection. $ was collected and will be given to the Ichabod Crane Ecumenical. The Presbyterian Women of the church meet the first Thursday of the month for study, fellowship and refreshment. Currently they are using a wonderful study by Rev. Amy Poling Sutherlun called God s Promise: I Am with You. The lessons include a DVD which we watch and a study guide which poses questions to help think through God s promise. We often forget that God is always with us and looking at those in the Bible who realized or didn t that God was with them reminds us to look to God especially during the most difficult times in our lives. Please join us for our next meeting on Thursday March 7 at 10:00am. There is also a Book Study Group that meets monthly. Contact Nancy Pienta if you have questions about either opportunity to connect with other women in the congregation. SAVE THE DATE!! Saturday April 6 from 11:30 to 2:30pm., the Albany Presbyterian Women will have their Spring Gathering. A special opportunity is available this year as the meeting will be held at Avila Retirement Community, 100 White Pine Drive, Albany. Lunch will be served by the dining room staff so reservations will be necessary. The meal is a gift to all who attend. The program will include a panel of women originally from African countries who are now residents here and members of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Albany. They will be sharing their work to help young girls stay in school in parts of Africa. The problems that face the girls will astound. Come and learn more about their desire for education and how we might be able to help them attain their goal.

3 Deacons Doings We would like to thank Girl Scout Troop 1538 for hosting the coffee hour on February 17th. Our own Elise Sayers is a member of the troop. They prepared the coffee hour as a thank you for using the Fellowship Hall last year. It was used to celebrate the girls earning a bronze award for a community service project that benefited the local girl scout camp in East Greenbush. If there are any needs that the Deacons can help with please contact Judy Bury or Alicia Albertson. If you need transportation to a doctor s appointment, Church or any other necessary trip please contact Pastor Kathi ( ) and she will make the appropriate arrangements. We would like to thank everyone who made a donation to Church World Service for the Blanket Plus program. Your support makes a difference in the lives of children and families all over the world. Prayer List We pray for: As we enter the en season we will be more reflective Community awareness about recycling and more waste consciousness For detainees that cases would be heard and determined quickly Those with job and financial instabilities People who have lost homes to fire and vehicles to accidents Those suffering from a brain injury, hemophilia, multiple sclerosis and eating disorders We are thankful for The Red Cross and all that they do The anticipation of spring MARCH BIRTHDAYS 2 Judy Bury 7 Geraldine McCrum 9 Wayne L. Austin 11 Mary Heermance 14 Christine Smith 16-Jamee Handley 22 Marc Petrie 25 Charles Heermance 28 Quentin Barton 30- Trinity Armstrong 31 Nancy Pienta CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL If we have missed your Birthday or Anniversary on our list, please give Naomi in the office a call. We want to celebrate with you and let others know about your special day. If you are reaching some other significant milestone let us know. LECTIONARY FOR FEBRUARY March 3: Exodus 34:29 35 Psalm 99 2 Corinthians 3:12 4:2 Luke 9:28 36, March 6 Ash Wednesday Joel 2:1 2, or Isaiah 58:1 12 Psalm 51: Corinthians 5:20b 6:10 Matthew 6:1 6, March 10: Deuteronomy 26:1 11 Psalm 91:1 2, 9 16 Romans 10:8b 13 Luke 4:1 13 March 17: Genesis 15:1 12, Psalm 27 Philippians 3:17 4:1 Luke 13:31 35 or Luke 9:28 36 March 24: Isaiah 55:1 9 Psalm 63:1 8 1 Corinthians 10:1 13 Luke 13:1 9 March 31: Joshua 5:9 12 Psalm 32 2 Corinthians 5:16 21 Luke 15:1 3, 11b 32

4 Soup Sampler & Bake Sale First Presbyterian Church Church Street, Valatie Saturday, March 2 11:00 A.M. 1:30 P.M. Choose from 15 + delicious homemade soups ADULTS $ 9.00 CHILDREN 5 11 $ 4.00 Under 5 Free Lunch includes all you can eat soup, crackers and a beverage.

5 First Presbyterian Church, Valatie March 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00am. Soup Sampler 3 First Sunday in 11:00 Worship led by Elders 12:15 Coffee & Fellowship 10 Second Sunday in 11:00 Worship Gifts of Women Sunday 4 10:30am. Christian Nurture :00pm. Scout Committee Ash Wednesday Service at St. Johns 13 Deacons Meeting 7 10:00am. Presbyterian Women Christian Nurture 14 7:00pm en Study am. 1-4:30pm. Joint Board Meeting 17 Third Sunday in St Patrick's Day 11:00 Worship 12:15 Coffee & Fellowship Finance & Stewardship 20 6:00pm. Session 21 2:00pm. Warm Up America! 7:00pm en Study am. 24 Fourth Sunday in 11:00 Worship 12:15 Coffee Hour :00am. Presbytery at Delmar 27 6:00pm. 28 7:00pm en Study Fifth Sunday in 11:00 Worship 12:15 Pot Luck and Program hosted by Christian Nurture Church Street Pre-School meets Monday through Friday from 9:00am. to 11:30am. March Hours Mondays - 12noon to 2pm Wednesday - 3/6, 3/20 & 3/27 6-8pm Saturday, 3/9 & 3/ am

6 3212 Church Street P. O. Box 267 Valatie, NY Phone: TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION-PLEASE DELIVER PROMPTLY March 6, :00 pm. St. John the Baptist RC Church Route 9 Rev. Rudy Visser preaching Imposition of Ashes Sandra Hohneker, Treasurer Bill Ring, Financial Secretary Naomi Handley, Secretary Sarah Sayers, Clerk of Session Ardelle Stewart, Organist Nick Becker, Sexton