The White Spire October 2015

Transcription

1 The White Spire October 2015 Special Congregational Meeting The session has called for a special meeting of the congregation for Sunday, October 4th, after morning worship. The single purpose of the meeting is to elect a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). Knowing that our current pastor, Herb, is planning to retire sometime around June 201 6, the session has gained permission from Utica Presbytery to begin the process of searching for a designated pastor, that is a pastor who serves a set term usually three years. Unlike the usual search for a pastor that must wait until the present pastor is gone, this search can begin while Herb is still with us. The goal is to call our next pastor by early fall next year thus greatly shortening the time between Herb s departure and the new pastor s arrival. Members of the church are strongly urged to attend this special congregational meeting. Taizé Worship Service Our monthly Taizé services continue again this month, on the 1 4th, at 7:30 pm. This meditative service provides an opportunity for worshippers to share in quiet, prayerful, and candlelit worship focused on song and silence. Both the music and the sanctuary are beautiful. Please, make space in your month for this service and bring a friend! 1 First Presbyterian Church 7707 N. State Street Lowville, NY preslow@frontiernet.net Rev. Dr. Herb Swanson, Pastor Jennie Kelly, Admin. Assistant Leon Austin, Interim Director of Music Rodney Rubar, Custodian Inside this issue Front Page From Herb's Desk All Saints' Day Designated Pastor Special Mtg. Session Notes UTG Rodeo Memory Joggers Misc. Outreach Thanks Page Women's News Holiday Bazaar If you currently receive the White Spire and calendar through the mail and would like to receive them as or at the church's website, please contact the church office. We would be happy to add you to our list!

2 (or beginning to think about searching for) a new church to serve. Your new and as yet unknown pastor is facing the same challenges we are here in Lowville. Please, keep your next pastor in your prayers. From Herb s Desk So, now we enter a time of transition. As most readers of the White Spire know, I have informed the session that I plan to retire by mid-year and that the session has already begun plans for what we hope will be a relatively rapid transition to your next pastorate. Before all else, let me express my thanks for many kind words of support that members have shared with me. Runee and I are just as much entering a challenging time of change for us personally as the church is as a faith community, and your understanding and support is deeply appreciated. Challenging time of change are the key words here. In its long history, this is the 31 st time that First Presbyterian, Lowville, has experienced a change of pastor. It is not like you haven t done this before! The most important two things that members and friends of the church can do are, first, to keep this whole process in prayer. Specifically, pray daily for the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) that the congregation will elect on Sunday, October 4th pray that the PNC has wisdom, patience, and unity. Pray for the Committee on Ministry (COM) of Utica Presbytery, which will play a special role in screening (not selecting, just screening) candidates, and particularly pray for the Rev. Jeanne Kumbalek, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Utica, who is COM s liaison with our church. And most especially begin to pray for your next pastor, even though we have no idea who that might be. She or he is right now going through a period of transition searching for The second thing members of the church can do is to remain positive about the things the Spirit is doing in this church and supportive of the process. Since all of this involves human beings and we all fall into that category, inevitably there will be some ups and downs. There will be opportunities for Monday morning quarterbacking. The thing is, the Spirit has its own profound wisdom and works it way through and past the stuff that happens in our human world. We (you, your next pastor, and Runee & I) can rely on the Spirit to see us through to a good end. So, pray and trust. Blessings on the journey, Herb All Saints Day 2 All Saints Day is an ancient celebration of the church that takes place on November 1st, which this year is a Sunday. In our Protestant tradition, it is a day when we remember the generations of faithful Christians that have gone before us and celebrate the heritage we have received from them. So, the Board of Deacons invites the congregation to come on Sunday November 1 st and share in a worship service celebrating the generations of members of our church as well as others who have been important to us in our faith journey. It will be a good time together.

3 screen candidates for the church and recommend a short-list of three to five candidates. The church s Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) receives the list and proceeds to interview the recommended candidates. The PNC is not obliged to take them and can ask for more. For the PNC, this is a shorter process. Explaining the Designated Pastor Idea In our denomination, a designated pastor is a pastor who is called to serve a church through an alternative process that is designed to reduce the time of transition between pastorates and to address certain specific needs in the church. There are two things distinctive about this process: first, designated pastors have set terms of service; and, second, the presbytery is more involved than is otherwise the case. There are two reasons why the session is pursuing this process: First, calling a designated pastor will allow the church to maintain the momentum we currently have going forward, which session fears will be lost through the usual long process involving an interim pastor. Second, as Herb has warned us more than once, we are an "at risk" church; we don't have time for the lengthier process. We need to move forward expeditiously now. A designated pastor has a set term of office: A designated pastor serves a term of from two to four years. If the church and the pastor agree at the end of that time, presbytery will give the pastor permission to continue as pastor indefinitely. Far more often than not, that is exactly what happens. In terms of the daily life of the church, a designated pastor is the pastor entirely and fully. The church will observe no differences because there are none other than the set term of office. Finally, it must be said that calling a designated pastor instead of going through the usual longer transition is not a risk-free process and still a very human one, but session is convinced that its potential benefits outweigh the potential risks. The presbytery is more involved: in the case of a designated pastor, the Committee on Ministry (COM) of presbytery will SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 FOLLOWING WORSHIP FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING THE PNC (PASTORAL NOMINATING COMMITTEE) 3

4 Carroll, the same contractor who is paving the street was reviewed. Session approved the paving project. Session Notes The following were taken from the regular session meeting on September 8. The Presbyterian Women have requested permission from Session to purchase pads for the pews in the sanctuary. We plan to invite them to the October Session meeting to get more information on this. Herb invited Session members to introduce themselves to Rev. Jeanne Kumbalek our Committee on Ministry (COM) liaison. A discussion was held. Report of the Clerk stats for communion were shared, Kelly Rohr was elected commissioner for the September 22 presbytery meeting, and correspondence included upcoming weddings. The UTG Rodeo! The UTG Rodeo was held on September 13 in the church social hall from 5:007:00pm. A total of thirty people attended including twenty-eight UTG members and two non-members. We sat as mixed UTG groups for a pot luck meal, followed by discussion that was thoughtful, detailed and joyful! (= laughter!) Pastor s Report Herb shared a letter to the congregation regarding his retirement. An informational meeting for church members and friends will be held September 27th following worship. Session approved to hold a congregational meeting for the purpose of electing the PNC on October 4th. As we gathered to connect as a church family and strengthen our spirituality, we prayed for continued guidance and strength for our groups. We discussed our UTG experiences and concluded by reporting to the large group our discussion points. Our collective responses suggest that people have been positively affected by their UTG experiences as they gained closer relationships and deepened spirituality. Many ideas were shared as how we could continue and strengthen our small group experience. Everyone supports continuing combined group UTG meetings 2-3 times per year that might include speakers, movies and discussions. A heartfelt thank you to all the participants for all of your contributions. Old Business Jim Schlieder is enlisting helpers to learn to wind the clock on a rotating basis as this needs to be done once weekly. Choir Director - Advertisement went out and one applicant replied - Leon Austin. Leon is currently acting as Interim Choir Director. New Business - Driveway proposal- Jim Schlieder shared maps of the parking area on the W. State Street entrance (handicap area) and an estimate from Paverite-Jason -Joanne Vance 4

5 The sympathy of the congregation is extended to: Communion Celebrated October 4 November White Spire Deadline The family and friends of Marcella (Sally) Paulsen who died September 5. Her funeral was September 1 0 at church. Sally was a 61 year member of our church having served as church treasurer, Sunday school teacher, trustee and member of Mary Circle. October 1 9 Lori Windover (Ohio), Esther Feldmann (Rochester) Lewis County Nursing Home - Marian Holliday #434 East Road Adult Home Mary Rhode, Don Virkler, Ray Kennison The family and friends of Anna Rubar who died September 9. Her funeral was September 1 2 at Iseneker's Funeral Home. Anna was a 55 year member of our church. Serving in the Armed Forces Jennifer Torres at Goodfellow AFB, TX, Petty Officer 2rd. Class Lance Gormley USN, (Grandson of Jean & Dave Puddington), Sgt. Jamie Byrd in Afghanistan (son-in-law of the Davey's) Address Change Church Contact Information 7707 N. State Street, Lowville, NY Visit us on Facebook Office Phone: Fax: preslow@frontiernet.net Website: Treasurer: Carole Dunbar, call (home) leave a message Church Secretary: Jennie Kelly Prayer Team: Mary Lou DeMinck (mldeminck@gmail.com), Facebook Editor: Mary Lou DeMinck Esther Feldmann has moved recently and would appreciate hearing from her church family and friends. Her new address is: St. Johns Home - Reservoir 234, 1 50 Highland Ave., Rochester, NY Fellowship Dinner Our next Fourth Sunday Fellowship Dinner will be on Sunday, October 25 following the worship service. You are asked to bring a dish to pass and our Deacons will be our hosts. This will be the last fellowship dinner for Herb s Contact Information Office Hours: Tues. & Thurs., 9a.m.-1 2:00p.m. Study Day: Monday Day off: Friday Home Phone: herbswanson@frontier.com Pastor s Blog: Session members: Kelly Clark, Carole Dunbar, Pat Homer, Mary Anne Kingsley, Kelly Rohr, Roger Quay, Jim Schlieder, Joanne Vance and Heidi VanZandt Board of Deacons: Kelly Adsit, Jan Cook, Barb Golas, Daryl Lehman, Phyllis Rohr and Bonnie Tarasek August 30 wedding of Jeffrey Quay and Paulina Littlefield with daughter Colette. 5

6 Special thanks to: Stone Soup Dinner The October 15 Stone Soup Dinner will be served at 5:30p.m. in the church dining room. The menu is pot roast with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. Look for the clipboard to sign up to help out! Pat Homer, who as mission chairperson, delivers our food pantry donations to the Lowville Food Pantry. Nat and Sheila Virkler for fixing a torn rug in the balcony. Art Hill and Dick Grimes for ushering at the September 10 funeral of Sally Paulsen. And to the Presbyterian Women for hosting a luncheon for the family as well as all who provided for the luncheon. Dorothy Payne and Sheila Virkler for organizing Presbyterian Women's closets. Our September worship participants: Kelly Rohr, Lee Vance, Carole Dunbar, Jan Cook, Steve Vance, Kelly Adsit, Mark Bennett and Eric Virkler. Rodney Rubar for all his dedication to our church buildings and grounds! Jan Cook for making sure Herb has fresh water prior to each sermon! Leon Austin for accepting the choir direction position. All volunteers and providers for our Stone Soup dinners. Herb for all his guidance during our transition and for his care and concern for our churches future. Thanksgiving Baskets Beginning on November 1 our church will begin collecting food items for our annual Thanksgiving Food baskets which we contribute to 1 2 Lewis County Head Start families. Your participation will be greatly appreciated. We are looking for volunteers who would like to contribute toward the 1 2 turkeys needed. Please contact Pat Homer if you are able to help with the turkeys. NRCIL Groups Anger Management Group meets at NRCIL office (7632 N. State St.) the first and fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 2p.m. Yoga meets every Friday from 1-2p.m. at the library. Choices Group (trauma support) meets at the NRCIL office the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from noon. Walk the Block meets at NRCIL office Mondays and Wednesdays at 1 0:30a.m. On behalf of the Lowville Food Pantry we would like to thank you for your donation and your continued support of the food pantry and the services we provide. Sincerely, Lowville Food Pantry Staff LCGH News Community Meeting to learn more about our affiliation with St. Joseph's Health at the Lowville Fire Hall Thursday, October 8. Breast Cancer Education Program at the John Herrman Conference Room on Thursday, October 1 at 5p.m. Church office closed on Columbus Day, October 12 Pantry Auction Lowville Food Pantry Fourth Annual Autumn Auction Saturday, October 3 at 3p.m. at the Lowville Fairgrounds. You may donate to the auction by dropping items off at the pantry M-F from 9-1 p.m. Gift certificates, gift cards, gift baskets and products are also accepted. 6 Remember to set your clocks back on October 31. You get an extra hour of sleep!

7 PW Fall Retreat 2015 The Presbyterian Women of both the Cayuga-Syracuse and Utica Presbyteries held their Fall Retreat on September 16 17, 2015 at Vanderkamp in Cleveland, NY. Over 30 women were inspired by Rev. Dr. Nancy Young using the theme "The Good News In the Music". They sang hymns, studied hymns and even wrote their own original hymns. Everyone agreed that it was one of the best retreats ever and were amazed by the creativity and originality in the hymns they wrote. The Rev. Dr. Nancy Young was an amazing retreat leader who demonstrated her love of music, her extensive knowledge of music and her deep faith. In other words, she "rocked"! The Craft Group will meet on Tuesday, October 13 and 27 at 9:30a.m. in the church basement. PW Circle will meet on Tuesday, October 13 at 11 a.m. in the Andover House. Please bring a sandwich to share. The Presbyterian Women of the Utica Presbytery will hold their Fall Gathering on Wednesday, October 14 at 1 0a.m. at the Oneida Presbyterian Church. The speaker is Rev. Quinn G. Caldwell, author of several books and also author in These Days devotional. The Fall Retreat is always such a special time where everyone can renew old friendships and begin new ones. Hopefully, you will consider attending the next Fall Retreat in September, Holiday Bazaar The annual holiday bazaar will be coming up on November 14. Everyone is asked to bake and donate/make craft items for the bazaar. If you have any questions please talk with Dorothy Payne, Sheila Virkler or Pat Parker. -Pat Parker Pictured are three women from the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery singing their original hymn in a beautifully harmonizing trio. 7 Pictured are women from the Utica Presbytery enjoying lunch together. Front row Dorothy Payne, Jan Cook, Darlene Michalski, Marge Mugglin. Second row Julia Fields, Pat Parker, and Sheila Virkler.

8 LOWVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Holiday Bazaar SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 9A.M. TO 2P.M. CRAFTS HOLIDAY DECORATIONS BAKE SALE GRANDMA S ATTIC COFFEE & PASTRIES IN THE MORNING CORNER CAFÉ: 11:00A.M. TO 1:00P.M. SOUP AND SANDWICH LUNCH Come and do all your holiday shopping. You will find something for everyone including yourself! 8