Rev. Diarmuid O Hara or (H)

Transcription

1 Rev. Diarmuid O Hara or (H) The mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Bainbridge is to serve God s community and grow in faith as we learn, express and share God s love in the encouragement and support of children, families and our local schools. Pastor s Page When the waters had increased over the earth for a hundred and fifty days, God thought of Noah and all the wild animals and the cattle with him in the ark, and he made a wind pass over the earth, and the waters began to subside. The springs of the abyss were stopped up, and so were the windows of the sky; the downpour from the skies was checked. The water gradually receded from the earth, and by the end of a hundred and fifty days it had disappeared. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark grounded on a mountain in Ararat. The water continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains could be seen. --- Genesis I remember that, as a boy, I understood the story of Noah to mean that the flood caused by the rain lasted forty days and forty nights, after which Noah was able to let the animals out of the ark onto dry land. Of course, when one reads the whole account they find out that the forty days was merely the time of the flood itself. It took many more months for the water to go back to its normal amount; a lot of time before the people and the animals could get off the ark. It took a long time before the water had gone all the way down, and the earth s condition was that of before the flood when the ground was dry and vegetation was fruitful. All that Noah and his small family had to do to get things organized and built and ready for use is not discussed in Genesis. It is just mentioned that Noah began to plant vineyards. We are told that God made a covenant with Noah and his descendants and all the animals. The covenant said that never again shall all living creatures be destroyed by the waters of the flood, never again shall there be a flood to lay waste the earth. We have had two floods in five years. Sure enough, neither has resulted in the entire earth or even half of it being laid waste. And thankfully all living creatures have not been destroyed. Yet there has been a terrible amount of damage and destruction, injury and death resulting from the earthquake, the hurricanes and the floods that hit the eastern side of the United States in the latter part of this year s summer. Is it due to the wrath of God as he observes the sinful way of life that mortal beings are guilty of, to one degree or another? Hardly. Ours is a loving God who is slow to anger and plentiful in mercy. Into the bargain, knowing that human beings will always be guilty of sin, God sent his Son to earth that all who believe in him and live with faith in him may have an eternal life in heaven. No; the forces of nature that can result in much destruction have natural causes. Certainly, the way that human beings have decided to treat and to use this planet and this atmosphere into which we were born have added to nature s doings. But still, it is nature, not God, that we come up against. But what happens as a result of natural forces says something to us. It says more to us than to God since the Lord already knows how we are each going to react. But how one acts in such trying situations says a lot. It tells us something of what a person thinks of her/his relationship with other people. It tells us something about how that person wishes to live out their fellowship with others. And hopefully that causes each of us to take a good long look at oneself. Looking at yourself, what do you see? Pastor Diarmuid

2 Birthdays for October Oct. 2 Ben Laing 2 Gordy Shields 4 Emily Bauerle 5 Brian Sternberg 7 Bobby Holden 7 Betsy Holden 7 Bill Laing 8 Frank Doolittle 10 Daniel Williams 11 William Closs 15 Brandon O Brien 16 Cheryl Nages 25 Shelley Delello 30 Vincent Taylor Wedding Anniversaries for October Oct. 10 Jim & Shelley Delello 14 Peter & Brenda Bauerle Ushers for October Oct. 2 Paul & Judy Niles 9 Bill Smith & James O Hara 16 George & Carolyn Williams 23 Vince & Kathy Taylor 30 Ellen Bosworth & Mary Ellen Whitmore Greeters for October Oct. 2 Marty & Evelyn Baker 9 Ted & Bert Banks 16 The Barnhart family 23 Lloyd & Helen Elwood 30 Anne O Hara & Carrie Higley Communion Servers for October *Sue Pixley, Blane Pixley, Tim Thomas, Lynn Thomas Splinters from Session Session met September 12 and opened with ups and downs, scripture and prayer flooding. 12:48 entitled Toys into Tools 25 and various breads will be served for World Communion Sunday, October 2 nd Peacemaking Offering-Oct. 2 nd, Stewardship Dedication Sunday-Nov. 6 th, Harvest Dinner-Nov. 12, 4-7pm, Christmas Joy Offering-Dec. 18 th, Souper Bowl Sunday-Feb. 5 th. minute for mission will be given by committees starting in October fered to the community on Oct. 12 th. Weather permitting work will start at the end of September. from Catalin Brandas 11th Ushers for November Nov. 6 Blane & Sue Pixley 13 John & Ann Baier 20 Peter & Brenda Bauerle 27 Linda Noble & Sue Fletcher Greeters for November Nov. 6 Joe & Eileen Bianchi 13 Paul Cliffe & Frank Doolittle 20 The Holden family 27 Tim & Lynn Thomas Communion Servers for November Paula Gifford, Linda Noble, Paul Niles, *Judy Niles If you cannot fill your Sunday, please find someone to change with. *Indicates home communion server for the month. Spiritual Nurture Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 25 at 6:30 PM in the choir room

3 Presbyterian Church Mission Committee (PCMC) The ongoing mission of our church is to recognize the needs in our schools and community and to serve those needs to the best of our ability and resources. In October the mission committee is having a free-to-the-community soup and bread supper. This will be serving two purposes. We will be giving a free and nutritious meal as well as saying thank you to the community who has supported us. The menu will be simple - three kinds of soup; a beef vegetable, chicken vegetable, and potato. Served with various breads and beverages. The date is October 12 from 5PM to 7 PM. Please sign up in the Narthex for this event and volunteer to make food or help to set up / serve. It s Pie Making Time! Come and gather round to peel apples, make pie crust, assemble pies and prepare for the freezer. On October 10 at 6:00 PM the annual pie making for the PW bazaar will be held at the church. If you are able to donate ingredients or pie tins, please bring them to church and leave in the kitchen. Needed: flour, shortening, apples, blueberries, other pie filling, aluminum pie tins. Annual PW Bazaar The annual bazaar will be held on Saturday, October 29 from 9:00 AM till 1:00 PM. Items for the White Elephant are already showing up in the choir room. Please be sure that they are clean and whole. There will be: bake sale, Rada stainless, sewing table, and plants. Also the women will be serving a soup & sandwich lunch beginning at 11:00. If you are willing and able to help, please contact Paula Gifford or Evelyn Baker. We are especially looking for someone to organize the White Elephant. Any items for the sale must be at the church by Wednesday October 26 or before if possible. Children s Sunday School Sunday school is off to a good start. We began on Rally Day with a coffee hour following worship and at the end of the month we made Lentil Soup as one of our lesson projects. This year we are beginning our classes at 9:45 in the classrooms instead of meeting in the sanctuary. Grades 4 and under meet in the room over the choir room and grades 5 and up meet in the Youth group room. Thanks for Dorian Bunting-Cliffe and Carrie Higley for teaching in September and for continuing through October. There will be no children s Sunday School on October 9 th. Youth Group Youth group will have our first meeting of the fall on October 2 nd. We met at the church from 3-5pm. We will be making soup for our church s soup & bread supper. On October 30 th the youth of the congregation will be helping out with worship on the 5 th Sunday of the month. Watch the church bulletin and your for more information. Students grade 5 and up are invited to join us for youth group activities. Contact Cheryl Nages, Pastor Diarmuid, or Carrie Higley for more information. Adult Choir Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. -Ephesians 5:19 The adult choir will practice on Thursday, October 13 th at 7pm (this is a change from the schedule). We will be singing on October 16 th, 23 rd, & 30 th. The choir schedule can always be found on the church website. If you cannot make it to the Thursday rehearsal and would like to sing please join us on Sunday mornings before worship for rehearsals at 10:30 am. New members are always welcome at any time. Come use your talents to praise God and lead our congregation in worship of our Lord. If you have any questions please don t hesitate to call me (Cheryl Nages ). Hope to see you in choir! Flue Shots will be given on Monday October 3 from 1:00-2:00 PM at the Bainbridge Museum formerly the Grange Hall on South Main Street.

4 Food Pantry Looking f or Volunteer Is there someone looking for a few hours a month to volunteer? Paula Gifford is in need of a person(s) to man the Food pantry on alternate Mondays from about 7:45 to 10a.m. We already have a regular person on the other two Mondays. Sherri Welsh and I have been covering Thursdays. It is not a difficult job and we will gladly make you comfortable with the procedure of giving out food boxes. Charlie Lord from the Soup Kitchen is also always there and helps with the small amount of paperwork so you would not be alone. Anyone interested please let me know and I will fill you in on what is involved. Thanks- Paula Knitting Supplies Needed Hi everyone, I will be running Knitting Club again this year at the high school. We currently have plenty of yarn for students, but are always looking for other knitting (and crocheting) supplies: knitting books (patterns or reference), knitting needles (straight, circular, or double-pointed, especially sizes 6-11), crochet hooks, embroidery needles, cable needles, or needle holders. If you have any of these things and would be willing to donate them, please send them over to me in Room 114 in the high school. If you're not in my building and would like the items to be picked up, just send me an and I'll make arrangements with you. Thank you very much! Have a great week. -Alyssa Preparations for Harvest Dinner November 6 after church we will be preparing the squash & applesauce for the Harvest Dinner. Lunch will be provided. November 11 beginning at 9:00 AM we will be peeling potatoes in preparation for the Harvest Dinner. November 12 from 4-7 HARVEST DINNER. Desserts will be needed and many hands to set up, serve, clean up, hostess. Please contact Marlene Barnhart if you are able to assist in any way. There will be a sign up sheet in the Narthex, also. (From the Lighter Side of Theology) CHANGING A LIGHT BULB THE CHRISTIAN WAY How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb? Charismatic : Only 1 Hands are already in the air. Pentecostal : 10 One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness. Presbyterians : None Lights will go on and off at predestined times. Roman Catholic: None - Candles only. Baptists : At least 15. One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken. Episcopalians: 3 One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was. Mormons : 5 One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it. Unitarians : We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, you are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, 3-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence. Methodists : Undetermined Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved. You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb. Bring a bulb of your choice to the Sunday lighting service and a covered dish to pass.. Nazarene : 6 One woman to replace the bulb while five men review church lighting policy. Lutherans : None Lutherans don't believe in change.. Amish : What's a light bulb?

5 World Communion Sunday/Peacemaking Offering Minute for Mission: 2011 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study Lynn Hasselbarth s first Communion in Peru when she was a Young Adult Volunteer fell on World Communion Sunday. Though the church was not formally celebrating it as a special Sunday, Lynn experienced a real sense of world communion as she took bread and cup in Huanuco, Peru, and at the same time imagined her home church of Hamilton Union Presbyterian in Guilderland, New York, receiving bread and cup. Lynn writes, This is, I think, where the idea of World Communion begins - the ability and willingness to physically live in one place but let your heart and soul reside in many places, among many people - to hold hands with someone from halfway across the world through a deep knowledge of their circumstances and a shared belief that we are connected through our relationship with God. World Communion for Lynn is sitting down for dinner at the table before her and at the same time sitting down at many tables, and then realizing it is all the same table, a larger table with a larger family spread around the earth. When everyone at the table is doing well, the meal is wonderful, but what happens when a member of that larger family is suffering? When you take Communion today, are you willing to let your heart reside in other places and with other people, people who are suffering and people who are thriving? To connect as family with others at the larger table of God is one reason that the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program was formed thirty years ago this year and the Peacemaking Offering set up to fund it. Presbyterians then were concerned about people around the world who were suffering from violence, war, hunger, and oppression. Presbyterians are still concerned today. Today, as the larger family gathers around Christ s Table in every land, may we celebrate with each other the joy of fellowship in Christ, weep for those who are in pain, and work faithfully as peacemakers, in our living and in our giving. To read Lynn Hasselbarth s essay on World Communion, see her blog at ml. Nancy Goodhue, associate for Mission Interpretation, General Assembly Mission Council Prayer Loving God, keep our hearts, minds, and hands open to your family around the world. In Christ s name. Amen

6 First Presbyterian Church PO Box 314 Bainbridge, NY TRICK OR TREAT FOR UNICEF

7 When God Calls Part 10: Called to abundant life By Byron Wade Presbyterians Today magazine In the care of the Good Shepherd, we can live life to the fullest. John 10:1-10 One day when I went to the gym for my weekly workout, a woman I had never met climbed onto the empty exercise machine adjacent to me. After some small talk, she began to share how she came to faith in Jesus Christ. (Sometimes I think Talk to me is written on my forehead!) I was just trying to keep up my pace and breathe as I listened. What really got my attention was when the woman said she was concerned that her sister, who brought her to faith, was worshiping in a church with a pastor whose teachings were very strict. I don t know what s going on with my sister and that church, she told me. I just know that Jesus came to give us life and life abundantly. Later I began to think about what it means to have abundant life. Most people are trying to live an abundant life, seeking happiness and fulfillment socially, emotionally and physically. But a society that gives us access to an abundance of material things can be hard on our spiritual lives. A candidate for ministry in my presbytery wrote, I m often left wondering if it is more difficult to grasp God s presence when we live in a society plagued with gross overabundance. On the other hand, when the economy is down or we believe that we don t have the resources to do what is needed, a mentality of scarcity often prevents us from experiencing the abundant life that Christ promises. God s generous provision The theme of abundance is prevalent throughout the Old and New Testaments. In Genesis 1-2, God creates the earth and everything in it for Adam and Eve to care for and enjoy. In Exodus 16-17, God gives food and water to the Israelites in the wilderness. From the familiar phrase my cup overflows in Psalm 23 to the Gospel story of Jesus feeding fish and bread to five thousand people, with bountiful leftovers, the Bible offers plenty of evidence that God generously and graciously provides for people in need. In John 10, Jesus is having one of his many discourses with the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day. He has tried to explain his mission to them, but they don t understand. So Jesus tells them a story, similar to a parable, about the Good Shepherd. Jesus identifies himself in three ways in this story: as the shepherd, the gate and the voice. The task of a shepherd was difficult in an arid land, where bandits, wild animals and other dangers threatened the sheep. Like the sheep s relationship with the shepherd, our relationship with Christ begins with our recognition that Christ is the one who protects us from danger and provides for our needs. As the shepherd, Jesus leads us along the winding road of life, among all the other things that beckon for our attention. As the gate, Jesus allows us into his presence and guards us from things that are not life-giving. As the voice, Jesus calls us to come to him for guidance. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has come to give us not only life, but life abundantly (John 10:10). The word used in Greek is perissos, which means exceeding, going beyond, more than enough. In Christ we have the opportunity to experience life s many blessings. We can cultivate and use the gifts we have been given and share them with others. We have the ability to become better stewards of our time, money and talents and to spend more time growing spiritually. We may face trials, but we are assured that nothing can overtake us as long as we are in the care of the Good Shepherd. There is no doubt that God wants us to live life to the fullest. In good times and bad Jerryd Bayless, a professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors, says his motto is Live life abundantly. In a post on his blog (JerryBayless5.com), he explains how he keeps a positive outlook even though life as an NBA player can be difficult. While being traded from one team to another is hard, he says, it has given him the opportunity to be exposed to different people and experiences. When his father had a serious heart attack, Bayless learned some valuable lessons. This trying experience taught him that he was not in control; rather, God controlled all things. He also realized that people don t live forever and vowed to spend more time with his family and friends. Bayless has the right outlook on life. The abundant life we have in Christ allows us to experience God s bountiful blessings and opportunities in good times and bad.