U N I T E D C H U R C H N E W S

Transcription

1 U N I T E D C H U R C H N E W S Singular Sensations Eastertide at UCF The season of Easter, the ongoing celebration of Christ's resurrection known as Eastertide, lasts from Easter Sunday through Pentecost, May 20. It can often be a challenge to sustain the spirit of joy throughout these days perhaps ironic for a people who pride ourselves on our ability to "party." There are a number of special events at UCF throughout April to help us keep up our resurrection hopes. A P R I L U N I T E D C H U R C H S T A F F Rev. Dr. Linda D. Even Pastor lindaeven@theucf.org Jared Shepard Director of Music Ministries jaredshepard@theucf.org Fulya Holtze Administrative Assistant office@theucf.org David DeHority Board Moderator Scott Manuel Treasurer treasurer@theucf.org Bob Craft Assistant Treasurer treasurer@theucf.org April 1 The first Sunday in April is, of course, Easter Day, when we gather as a community, often including neighbors and visiting family and friends, to sing favorite Easter hymns, enjoy additional musicians offering praise to God and see the glories of nature in the seasonal flower displays. This Easter we will also gather at the Table sharing the Lord's Supper. On April 15, our worship will be a special interfaith service, led by three community leaders. (See article.) On April 22, we will host the annual Spring Pops Concert by the Syracuse University Brass Ensemble, this year benefiting Vanderkamp. (See article.) On April 29, the Word will be Proclaimed through Music as our choirs become our primary worship leaders for a spiritually uplifting service of music. After the reflections, solemn services and sacrifices of Lent, be sure to step into the Easter light and energy reflected in all these offerings. In Faith,

2 P A G E 2 From the Music Director When I was recently working on the choir s schedule for the rest of the year, a lot of imagination was needed just to consider that June would arrive, never mind making plans for that month. It puts into perspective just how fast our ministry seasons progress. The moment Christmas settles, we are preparing for Lent and Easter. No sooner has Easter arrived, and we ve already made plans for the end of the season. It can make it easy to lose track of where the present lives. We have sought to build this connection with the present in our choir rehearsals and in worship. I remind myself that while rehearsals are a central part of the recipe for music making, the concept of spending your present now solely for a future now robs you of the experience of those moments which you are exchanging for a future that is, at best, uncertain. I was told once that all choral rehearsals must provide three things: something learned, something fun, and something beautiful. With some guidance from our choir members, we ve had more of these moments of beauty - together and in the present. I can tell that this has shaped our approach to music together - not just in the notes we sing, but in the silence in the spaces between the notes. I m excited about our music making together this April which will include singing with a quintet of brass players on Easter led by Dr. Jim S. During the season of Easter, the choir will sing an anthem in Hebrew during an interfaith service on the 3rd Sunday of Easter (April 15), and on the 5th Sunday of Easter (April 29) the choir will sing our spring Choral Service, which will focus on gospel music and spirituals. Even as I plan for these events, I'll keep my focus on being together with all of you in the 'now' in which we find each other as we share our time this spring. -Jared Shepard Director of Music Ministries

3 P A G E 3 News From the Board At its February meeting, the Board: Received with regret Kevin S.'s resignation from the Board and its committees, due to work demands. Kevin will remain a member and worshipper at UCF. We are grateful for his service. Set aside funds for the production of a pictorial directory. Watch the bulletin and newsletter for more information. Addressed the need for additional assistants in our elementary age Sunday school through the remainder the program year. Please contact Cindy R. if you are able to help and to check available Sundays. If you have not yet had a background check, Dr. Even (lindaeven@theucf.org) can send you the permission slip. Approved a $300 contribution from the Hunger Fund to the Samaritan Center. Approved a soup and bread sale for March 11 by the youth in order to fund planting a potato crop at Matthew 25. At is most recent meeting, the Board: Heard a report about the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in necessary locations. Approved the Food Bank of Central New York as the beneficiary of our spring offering, to be received on Pentecost Sunday Agreed to receive bids on the painting and carpeting of Beard Lounge Called a Special Meeting of the Congregation for Sunday, May 6, at the beginning of worship for the purpose of electing an elder to fill the Board vacancy created by the resignation of Elder Kevin S. U N I T E D C H U R C H N E W S

4 P A G E 4 UCF to Host SU Brass Ensemble s Pops Concert April 22, 3:00 pm Proceeds to benefit Vanderkamp s Kampership scholarships and programs. Save the Date! April 22, 3:00pm SU Brass Ensemble s Pops Concert The SU Brass ensemble will once again delight its concert goers with its annual Spring Pops Concert. This year, the musical selections include some of the ensemble s favorites: Fanfare for Full Fathom Five (based upon Shakespeare s The Tempest), Jesus Christ Superstar, Alexander s Ragtime Band, Scene One from Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky), Pirates of the Caribbean, Blades of Toledo (trombone favorite), and Sparks (Xylophone solo), amongst others. This spring, the ensemble has been invited to be a showcase band at the Great American Brass Band Festival in Kentucky, where they will perform many of these pieces. Vanderkamp works with its partners, the Presbyterian and Lutheran Churches in Central New York to offer an outstanding retreat and camping experience. Vanderkamp is located near Cleveland, off the north shore of Oneida Lake. During the summer months, Vanderkamp offers a Christian Summer Camping experience that parents and children alike agree is a one of a kind experience noted for its love and inclusive messages. New this summer, there is an all-beliefs camp week that will celebrate the diversity in all of us. Vanderkamp also offers facilities and support for retreats, meetings, and gatherings. Full meal services are offered to groups, but kitchens are located in each of our retreat lodges for those wanting to cook their own meals. Programs are offered for anyone from a solo retreater to a group of 150! Vanderkamp has a pristine private 45 acre lake that all can enjoy. Everyone is welcome, to roam the network of trails for hiking, or biking or head down to the lake for canoeing, kayaking, or rowboating during your stay or come just for the day. Proceeds from the concert s free will offering will make it possible for all kampers who want to attend kamp to do so. Funds will also support the many community-based and yearround programs at Vanderkamp.

5 Announcements P A G E 5 Social Media Updates We need your help! If you use" FaceBook weekly, type in United Church of Fayetteville at the top and go to our UCF FB page and Like Us often and type a message every once and a while so we can expand our visibility. If you have friends who might like an event here, share with them as well! Thank you in advance for your help! New albums and photos on the UCF website! Go to << and look at the list of titles across the home page. Choose Resources and scroll to Photo Gallery to see pictures of Advent and Christmas Eve. You can also be directed right to our FaceBook site by clicking the top blue FB symbol! Contact opens up our and Steeple Coffee House shows you our schedule. Outreach Highlights March 25,2018 One Great Hour of Sharing offering received during worship April 22, 2018 Syracuse Brass Concert to benefit Vanderkamp April 29, 2018 We are preparing and serving dinner at Brown Memorial on the west side of Syracuse May 1, 2018 Tabitha Circle is serving lunch at Interfaith Works for the senior companion's training meeting. Picture Directory Hooray! Plans for a picture directory are in progress! The possibility of reproducing pictures you may have is coming to fruition! Don t have a great selfie? Barb D. has graciously offered her services to take one of you and your family on specific Sundays in May. More information will be coming! -Mary Jane Membership Committee Chair U N I T E D C H U R C H N E W S

6 Help Honor Denny B. at Interfaith Leadership Awards Dinner One of our own, Denny B., will be recognized for his work toward a civil community at this year's Interfaith Leadership Awards Dinner on May 1. Join others from UCF at a table to celebrate Denny's honor and support the work of Interfaithworks. Tickets are $100, with all but $35 being a charitable contribution. Entrée selections include a vegetarian, salmon and chicken options. Contact Cindy R. or Jim K. to purchase your ticket and make your entree selection. Sunday Flowers If you would like to grace our church service with flowers on a given Sunday, please sign up on the bulletin board! Flowers in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings add beauty to our worship time together. It is a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday or anniversary with all of us. You can also give in honor or in memory of a loved one. If you have any questions please contact Pam B. Youth Education It takes a village to raise a child" is an African proverb that UCF has shown to be true over and over again, but, especially this year. With the support and participation of so many adults, the youth were able to raise $430. from the Soup and Bread Sale to help with the potato crop at Matthew 25 Farm. Details of when the actual planting will take place will follow as soon as we hear of a date from the farm. The younger Sunday School class has enjoyed welcoming adult guests into their class; first Bonnie L. and then Janet P. Mrs. L. shared the book, The Legend of the Bluebonnet, by Tomie depaola. This legend tells about the sacrifice made by a little girl that saved her entire village. The story brought about a meaningful discussion about sacrifices and the valuable contributions that children can make. Ms. P. brought her knowledge of American Sign Language to class and began teaching how the ASL of the Lord's Prayer. Jackie M. will visit in April to continue our ASL lessons. Lauryn G. has offered to head up an activity on Palm Sunday with Kathy B. assisting her. The children are really enjoying our adult visitors. Our remaining lessons this spring will focus on the importance of developing the characteristics needed to be good citizens in our home, school, church, and neighborhood communities. How can we be respectful, helpful, considerate and more aware of others and willing to put the needs of others before our own? "What would Jesus have me do?", will be our guiding essential question as we finish our school year.

7 P A G E 7 Interfaith Worship Service Sunday April 15 On this Sunday, our traditional worship service will have at its center a "sermon" the unscripted conversation among a Muslim, Jew, and Christian, focused on their respective faith's understanding of sin, mercy and God's forgiveness. Jim Brulé, a member of Temple Concord (Reform Movement Synagogue), is a Maggid, an ordained spiritual guide and storyteller, and is the Head of a school that teaches the Art of Spiritual Story Telling (Rev. Kerr-Whitt s wife, Jessie, is one of Jim s students). Jim works regionally and nationally with Jewish and Interfaith groups on the deepening of spiritual experience and understanding. Mohamed Khater is the (now-retiring) President of the Islamic Society of Central New York. He has also been a member of Interfaith Works Round Table of Faith Leaders for many years. He is president of the Rahma Health Clinic, 3100 South Salina Street, providing free health care to all. In addition to his leadership in the Islamic and Interfaith communities, he has been appreciatively-received as a guest speaker in Jewish and Christian congregations. Many at UCF got to know Mohamed when he and his wife participated in the interfaith weekend we hosted with Stony Point several years ago. Jim Kerr-Whitt (Rev.) After 24 years of ministry with the North Manlius United Church, Jim completed his vocation as a pastoral minister in October, Now a member of the United Church of Fayetteville, Jim is the American Baptist Churches representative to InterFaith Works Round Table of Faith Leaders, supports IFW in a number of volunteer capacities, and relishes the fellowship and work shared in the interfaith community. Jim was also the music and drama teacher at the Syracuse Hebrew (Jewish) Day School for 13 years. Jim, Mohamed and Jim will also be the leaders of that morning's Adult Forum where we can get to know them a bit better and learn how they developed this conversation and offering. They will also be available following worship for conversation: opening the floor for observations, questions, etc. They frequently banter with one another, modeling a frank, honest, dynamic, positive conversation and relationship. Through their own experience, they: ask questions that are an admittance of their relative ignorance of each other s faiths, while expressing great desire to learn. identify and honor significant an irreconcilable differences learning that these differences are not meant to be argued but treasured. realize that, as important as are the differences, just as important is all that we have in common. have come to trust that they can speak frankly, accept the discomfort of being challenged. are coming to know each other humanly. In sharing faith convictions, personal stories, the news of our day-to-day living, hopes, excitements and struggles, we coming to care deeply for each other and are growingly-committed to one another and to the dynamic of our threesome. have come to where they cannot deny that no one of them has an exclusive on Truth, God, the Sacred, the essential human experience.

8 P A G E 8 Sunday, April 1 Easter Sunday The Lord s Supper Adult Forum Resumes April 8 9:30 am Choir Rehearsal 9:45 am Nursery Care 10:00 am Worship (Children in Worship) 10:00 am Sunday School 11:00 am Fellowship Monday, April 2 OFFICE CLOSED Wednesday, April 4 2pm Bible Study in Women s Lounge Sunday, April 8 Second Sunday of Easter 8:45 am Adult Forum 9:30 am Choir Rehearsal 9:45 am Nursery Care 10:00 am Worship 10:00 am Sunday School 11:00 am Fellowship Tuesday, April 10 7pm Worship & Spiritual Life in Women s Lounge Saturday, April 14 Steeple Coffee House Bob Halligan Jr. & Joe Davoli Sunday, April 15 Third Sunday of Easter Interfaith Sunday 8:45 am Adult Forum 9:30 am Choir Rehearsal 9:45 am Nursery Care 10:00 am Worship 10:00 am Sunday School 11:00 am Fellowship 11:15 am Talk Back with Morning Worship Leaders Tuesday, April 17 7pm Board Meeting Wednesday, April 18 2pm Bible Study in Women s Lounge Sunday, April 22 Fourth Sunday of Easter Adult Forum Resumes April 29 9:30 am Choir Rehearsal 9:45 am Nursery Care 10:00 am Worship (Children in Worship) 11:00 am Fellowship 3:00PM SUBE Spring Concert Tuesday, April 24 Deadline for May/June Newsletter Saturday, April 28 Steeple Coffee House The Cadleys Sunday, April 29 Fifth Sunday of Easter The Word Proclaimed Through Music 8:45 am Adult Forum 9:30 am Choir Rehearsal 9:45 am Nursery Care 10:00 am Worship 10:00 am Sunday School 11:00 am Fellowship 3:00 pm Brown Memorial Dinner U N I T E D C H U R C H N E W S

9 P A G E 9 Adult Forum April Schedule April 1 Easter! Education Holiday April 8 Joyful Sign returns for an Encore Offering Earlier this spring, we were treated to the development of American Sign Language, the history of its use in this country and how "interpretation" differs from "translation. Hear more about the rich history of providing inclusion for people with hearing disabilities and its important role in UCF's worship ministry. April 15 The Abrahamic Faiths in Conversation Three men have come together to lead interfaith conversations throughout our community. Meet them and here how they developed this effort for the continued development of a civil community. Jim Brulé, a member of Temple Concord is a Maggid: an ordained spiritual guide and storyteller. Mohamed Khater is the (retiring) President of the Islamic Society of Central New York. Jim Kerr-Whitt (Rev.) After 24 years of ministry with the North Manlius United Church, Jim completed his vocation as a pastoral minister in Now a member of the United Church of Fayetteville, Jim is the American Baptist Churches representative to InterFaith Works Round Table of Faith Leaders. April 22 Education Holiday April 29 The History of Fayetteville and the Development of Historic District Pam and Malcom B. have been long involved with the village and historic preservation. We have learned about UCF's rich history. Now hear more about the concurrent development of the community in which we minister.

10 Reasons to Come to UCF Thanks to everyone who responded to the request for reasons why you come to UCF. (I am still receiving responses, if you hadn't had a chance to respond yet.) They'll be used in a variety of ways, but everyone here gets to see what folks said. Watch this space. UCF supports my spiritual pathway by thoughtful sermons and opportunities to contribute to the local community and world. A regular practice of church attendance keeps me grounded and focused on what is important in life. I miss this grounding connection even if i miss just one service. The ministry of this church has been and is: to be inclusive of all to do REAL work in world in Jesus' name to communicate love through action to bring the words of the Bible to life and to make the Word relevant in and for our lives to serve our neighbors to celebrate the triumphs, great and small, in our church family to support each other through the sorrows of our lives. U-understanding N-neighborly I-inclusive T-transformative E-engaging sermons D-discipling C-Christ-centered H-helping others U-uplifting music R-reaching out C-coffee house H-hopeful worship O-open F-forgiving F-friendly A-accepting Y-yearning for peace E-engaging T-telling the "good news" T-thankful E-educating V-vital ministries I-inviting L-loving L-learning E-ending injustice

11 UNITED CHURCH OF FAYETTEVILLE 310 EAST GENESEE STREET FAYETTEVILLE, NY UNITED CHURCH STAFF: Rev. Dr. Linda D. Even, Pastor Jared Shepard, Director of Music Ministries Fulya Holtze, Administrative Assistant David DeHority, Board Moderator Scott Manuel Treasurer Bob Craft, Asst. Treasurer Both can be reached at: CONTACT US: Web: