February Looking Back ~ Looking Forward

Transcription

1 Newsletter of the First Presbyterian Church of Marcellus Main & North Streets, Marcellus, NY February 2019 Looking Back ~ Looking Forward The first step in envisioning where we want to go as a congregation is to look back at our past; where we have been and what we have built on to get us to where we are today. We will take that first step on February 10 th when we will have a covered dish luncheon followed by a conversation, assisted by Rev. Anne Marie and the Pastoral Transition Committee. They will help us gather and record our personal stories about our journey here at First Presbyterian Church; important dates and events in our history and other happenings that have helped define who we are as a community of faith here in Marcellus. So, please, come join us immediately after the service on Sunday, February 10 th for the first covered dish luncheon of We plan to be finished by 1pm. Bring a dish to pass and your place setting. Beverages will be provided. As always with our MFPC luncheons, the food will be delicious and the conversation lively! Don t miss this opportunity for fellowship and to share your thoughts as we prepare for a new permanent pastor. Fellowship & Outreach Committee Occasionally winter driving conditions are so severe that it becomes necessary to cancel Sunday morning worship services for safety reasons. In the event that this becomes necessary, plan to look on the home page of our church website for information about weather related closings. It will also be on TV via CNY Central, which should include channels 3,5, 9 and 68 or at Inside This Issue Looking Forward 1 Weather Warning 1 Pastor s Corner 2 Calendar 3 Caring Ministry 4 News From the Pews 5 Per Capita 5 How To Help 6-7 Seeking Wisdom 7 Christian Education 8-9 Presbyterian Women 10 Food Pantry 10 Food Pantry Hours: Tuesday 11AM-12PM and 6:30PM - 7:30PM February 2019 Page 1

2 Waking Up White Pastor s Corner Last month there was a federal holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr (Jan 21). How did you spend the day? Was it just another day off work? Were you frustrated that banks and post office were closed? Or maybe you were still shoveling snow from the big storm that cancelled our Sunday (Jan20) worship service? I decided to listen to Dr. King s I Have a Dream speech. What a prophetic voice! Unfortunately, his message is still needed for our nation. I m feeling great sadness about the current state of our nation s divide between race, ethnicity, religion, etc. And I struggle with my own ism s e.g. sexism, ageism but also racism. What about you? Each of us have different experiences and see the world differently through our own personal frames/lenses. Take a moment to reflect on this: How have these lenses shaped how you view yourself and others? What might your lenses lead you NOT to notice as well as what they lead you TO notice? How might these lenses shape your expectations in life, and what you do or don t take for granted? The Tuesday evening book group has ended as Rev. Smith is very busy assisting churches who need her expertise. I would like to continue this discussion group for us and the community at large so I invite you to join me in reading the book, Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debbie Irving. This book was recommended by the 2016 moderators of the PCUSA. My hope is that our gathering will help each one of us to begin the process of identifying and articulating our frames/lenses as well as understanding our personal subjectivity and multiple perspectives. Communication across differences requires awareness of our own frames/lenses and those of others; this group will be a safe place where everyone will be able to speak and honestly share viewpoints, questions and struggles without judgment. We will learn together! Let s have a restorative conversation about racism so that we as a community, and we, as individual Presbyterians, can begin and continue in the work of considering how white supremacy and racist ideologies impact our day to day lives and the life of our beloved church. Invite neighbors, friends, strangers everyone! We will meet the same book study days & time second & fourth Tuesdays at 6:30pm, Fireside room. The first gathering will be Tuesday, February 12 th and will be a time of introduction. If you haven t started reading the book, that s ok don t stay away; please attend! Is there a group of folks who are interested in discussing this topic? Here is review of this book: For twenty-five years, Debby Irving sensed inexplicable racial tensions in her personal and profess sional relationships. As a colleague and neighbor, she worried about offending people she dearly wanted to befriend. As an arts administrator, she didn't understand why her diversity efforts lacked traction. As a teacher, she found her best efforts to reach out to students and families of color left her wondering what she was missing. Then, in 2009, one "aha!" moment launched an adventure of dis covery and insight that drastically shifted her worldview and upended her life plan. In Waking Up White, Irving tells her often cringe-worthy story with such openness that readers will turn every page rooting for her and ultimately for all of us. If you want to read more on this topic, look for the New York Times bestseller White Fragility: Why It s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. Writing as a white person, author Dr. Robin Diangelo explains how whites deny racism and how racism works in our daily lives. I look forward to gaining new insights with you. Peace and Blessings, Rev. Anne Marie Rev. Anne Marie Meyerhoffer Interim Pastor O God, may your Spirit move every human heart, that the barriers dividing us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease, and that, with our divisions healed, we might live in justice and peace. Amen. February 2019 Page 2

3 February 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 1 pm Diana Lax Funeral 2 9 am Zumba 9:30 am Officer Training 3 Communion Souper Bowl Sunday 9 am Confirmation Class 10:00 am Worship 10:30 am Church School 11:30 am Christian Education Committee Meeting 4 7 pm Fellowship & Outreach Meeting 7 pm Mission Interpretation Meeting 5 6 2:00 pm Worship and Music Committee Meeting 8 pm AA Meeting 7 10:30 am Coffee group at Marcellus Lanes 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal 8 9 Presbytery Meeting in Chittenango 9 am Zumba 10 am Seeking Wisdom 10 9 am Confirmation Class 10:00 am Worship 10:30 am Church School 11:15 pm Samaritan Sandwiches 11:30 am Covered Dish Luncheon 1 pm Youth Group Habitat for Humanity Bowling 11 7 pm Board of Deacons Meeting 12 6:30 pm Waking Up White 13 Valentine's Day 10 am Finance Meeting 7 pm Ecumenical Lay Committee 8 pm AA Meeting 14 10:30 am Coffee group at Marcellus Lanes 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal am Zumba 17 Food Pantry Sunday 10:00 am Worship No Church School 18 President s Day Office Closed :30 am Coffee group at Marcellus Lanes am Zumba 8 pm AA Meeting 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal :00 am Worship No Church School 7 pm Session Meeting 6:30 pm Waking Up White 8 pm AA Meeting 10:30 am Coffee group at Marcellus Lanes 7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal February 2019 Page 3

4 Communion To Shut-Ins The Deacons coordinate the offering of the Sacrament of Holy Communion to the homebound on Sundays that we celebrate the Sacrament in worship. The next opportunity for them to deliver Communion will be on February 3. If you are homebound and would like to receive Communion, please call Deb Swankey, Moderator of the Deacons, at CONNECTIONS Connections is published the first of each month by the First Presbyterian Church of Marcellus. Deadline for materials is the 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. Submit materials and address changes to Church Office. First Presbyterian Church of Marcellus PO Box 147, 1 East Main St. Marcellus, NY Phone: office@marcelluspc.com website: Worship: 10:00 AM Children are dismissed in woship for Church School at 10:30 AM Views expressed are those of the authors and not official positions of the Session, unless noted. Food Pantry Hours Tuesdays 11 am - 12 noon & 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm Caring Ministry IN OUR PRAYERS...Jane Amidon...Nancy and Jamel Morgan...Howard Carey...Linda Ball...Julie Becker...Tom Brown...Hank Bartholomew and family...jan Linderman Lyn Rice...Roger Hakes...Mike Caster...Kathy Robinson...Tobey Casler...victims of all disasters...our Armed forces worldwide...our friends & loved ones in need...peace The Deacons Happy Birthday... Vladimir Horyl 2/01 Lisa Gates 2/03 Taryn Jirousek 2/03 Justin Costa 2/14 Tim Swankey 2/16 John Longuil 2/17 Stu Holden 2/18 Carolynn Longuil 2/19 Joyce Nesfeder 2/27 Brian Ray 2/27 Tom O Neil 2/28 PEACE Luncheon Come join us for friendship, food and fun at the PEACE Luncheon, hosted every Thursday at the Methodist Church, The meal and fellowship is just $3.00. Reservations are requested so they know how many meals to make; call Darlene Hyde at (315) to make a reservation. You must be at least 60 years young to join us. Worship Attendance January 6 76 January January 20 Cancelled January Annual Reports Copies of the Annual Report can be found in the Gathering Space and the Narthex, along with an insert with the correct Mission Interpretation and Pastoral Transition Team Reports, You may also take a copy of the 2019 church directory. February 2019 Page 4

5 News From the Pews All elders & deacons! Officer training will be held in Fireside room Saturday, Feb 2 from 9:30am- 12:30pm. Please let Rev. AM know if you are not able to attend. Looking for Rev. Anne Marie? She welcomes unscheduled drop-ins on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 10 am to Noon, or schedule an appointment any day/time by either calling the church office (315) or ing pastor@marcelluspc.org Financial Contribution Statements may be picked up in the Gathering Space. A new laptop computer has been generously donated for the use of our congregation! If you'd like to borrow it for use at home, or need it for a church project, or during a hospital stay, etc. please contact Rev. Anne Marie so arrangements can be made. Please welcome a new arrival! Cayden Knickerbocker was born 1/18/2019 at 11:22 pm, measuring 8.6 Ibs and 20 inch, son of Carol LaPointe-Knickerbocker, brother of Clara Knickerbocker and grandson of Darlene Knickerbocker. Carol Stalker has moved to The Commons in Auburn; her address is The Commons on St. Anthony, 3 St. Anthony St. - Rm. 210A, Auburn, NY Diane Snyder s brother passed away. She is in Georgia; the Memorial Service will be in the spring. Her cell phone is in the directory and her mail to local address will be forwarded. Session elected Helen Stevens & Sandy Manciocchi as 2019 Commissioners to Presbytery meetings. We Are Seeking a Custodian ~ Spread the Word! Our Church is seeking a part-time Custodian. He/she will maintain the cleanliness and good appearance of the church facilities. The position is hourly approximately 7-10 hours per week. For more information, you may receive an application and job description in the church office weekdays 8:30am-12:30pm at North Street entrance. Please do not call. At First Presbyterian Church, we don t just accept difference we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees and our community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. Per Capita Per capita exists as a way for all Presbyterians to share costs that belong to the whole denomination, to give meaning to the interdependent nature of Presbyterian polity. It is part of the glue that holds Presbyterians together. It exists to allow the whole church to share equitably in those things that make us Presbyterian ~ our theological identity, our connectedness, our systems of mid-councils that allow elders & ministers together to discern the mind of Christ, our ecumenical connections that make us part of the church universal, our core structures that keep us together as a church, our call to work for full participation in decision-making. In essence, per capita is a set amount of money (apportionment) per member that congregations pay to the larger Presbyterian Church (USA). Every Presbyterian shares in the benefit of the PCUSA's system of government, so every Presbyterian is asked to share the expenses associated with coordinating and performing the functions of that system. All members are asked to pay their per capita above & beyond their annual pledge. If you are a member of this church you please don t forget to pay your per capita for 2019 which is $38.50 per person. Thank you. February 2019 Page 5

6 How Can I Help? By Allison Ray As all of you who work on committees or events at church know, these four words are some of the most appreciated and valuable things we can say to and hear from our fellow church members. Volunteerism is what keeps a church alive and thriving and requires dedication from all of its members to establish and maintain valued programming. In a church our size, our willingness to volunteer is even more important, as there is a vast workload to be shared by a limited number of people. This reality is surely felt by all committees in all areas of the church from time to time. The Christian Education Committee has been feeling the strains of low volunteerism for a couple of years now and is looking to the congregation to step up to join us to help keep our program vibrant. Right now we have only three people who are consistently serving on the committee and teaching across all grade levels. For reasons I need not explain, this is not ideal. So, we are again requesting that you prayerfully consider whether you might like to join the CE committee or come on board as a Sunday school teacher, youth group leader, or nursery volunteer. There truly is no greater joy than working with the children of our church. They are precious, interesting, thoughtful and energetic people who make every Sunday morning fun and different, and working with them helps us as adults explore and revisit our own understanding of our faith as we do our best to introduce the Word to them. If you are intimidated to join our committee or group of teachers, or aren t quite sure what goes on or what is expected, let me reassure you! Firstly, the CE committee has a lot of fun, and meetings are wellorganized and typically quite short, falling the first Sunday of each month after service. It is a relaxed experience that centers around the kids of our church and how we can provide the best programming. Positivity and creativity are the names of the game. As for Sunday School teaching, we follow a very simple and structured curriculum called Dig In that is available on-line and is VERY easy to navigate. If you worry that you aren t computer savvy, we can provide you with a tutorial on how to access the materials, or simply print out materials for you for the days you teach. Lessons are fully crafted for you! You can literally pick and choose pre-designed activities to structure a lesson that includes things that you feel comfortable doing with the kids. Don t like to talk a lot? You could choose to play a game the illustrates the day s lesson. Don t like to play games? You could choose to have the kids do a craft about the day s theme. All of these options are already created for you, so your work really requires reading through the Bible story or lesson materials for minutes before Sunday, choosing the activities that sound fun to you, and getting together any supplies that you might need (most of which we already have available for you). Sunday school classes run about minutes, which flies by once you throw in a quick snack and a How was everyone s week? checkin. The teaching schedule is flexible and accommodates the needs of our teaching volunteers you can even co-teach if you want some practice getting the hang of it before you fly solo! We don t want anyone to miss too much church themselves, so we typically rotate teachers throughout the year to minimize the work on any one person. Under the direction of the Rays, the youth group has followed a slightly different structure. Youth group lessons do not currently come from a pre-designed curriculum, though this has been done in the past and could be done again in the future with no problem. Currently the youth group lessons are created by the leaders to reflect current issues and interests of the students. There are also seasonal lessons and sermon-related lessons. For example, during a stretch of time when youth group members were expressing heightened levels of stress in their lives, a multi-week series of lessons was crafted that focused on this topic and what the Bible teaches us about stress, how we can cope, and what resources our faith provides to help us in those times. Much of the material used in these lessons was easily found and tailored from youth ministry internet resources. If this sounds intimidating to you, there are countless resources available that provide very structured lessons that could take a youth group through several years of material. The flexibility inherent in youth group leadership is one thing that keeps it rele- February 2019 Page 6

7 How Can I Help? vant and interesting for the kids and the leaders. If this is something that appeals to you, more leadership is ALWAYS welcome. And, last but not least, there are periodic events that CE helps coordinate, including the Advent Event, the Christmas Pageant, the Children s Sunday service, and other service events. If these are things that you have enjoyed as a participant or onlooker, why not think about joining the organizers on the other side to see how your own talents could contribute to the experience of our youth at MFPC? Our children deserve to be positively influenced by as many people as possible in our church family, and, speaking from experience, the enjoyment you will gain from volunteering with the kids far outweighs the work you will be putting in to it. Every one of you reading this right now has so much to offer. So this message will close as it began: How can YOU help? SEEKING WISDOM BIBLE STUDY A Gathering for EVERYONE SEEKING to DEEPEN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD and DISCOVER MORE about being a JESUS FOLLOWER Saturday, FEBRUARY 9, :00-11:30 AM - Fireside Room Led by Dr. Ginny Smith Please join us Saturday, FEBRUARY 9, 2018, for an enthusiastic and enlightening discussion of God s Word and how it applies to and can be lived out in our lives today. The Scriptures are amazing! Those who gather have found that Brian D. McLaren's book, We Make the Road by Walking, is an excellent guide in helping us dig deeper into what can often be unfamiliar territory. On FEBRUARY 9 we will be discussing chapters 27 ( a New Identity) and 28 ( A New Path to Aliveness ). We ll be digging deeply into Matthew 5:1-48 and reflecting on how the beatitudes can be the key to living a Christian life. (This was originally scheduled for our January gathering, but due to low attendance it postponed until February 9.) Who are blessed? What kinds of people should we seek to identify with?... (Jesus) creates a new kind of hero: not warriors, corporate executives, or politicians, but brave, determined activists for preemptive peace, willing to suffer with him in the prophetic tradition of justice. Our choice is clear from the start: if we want to be his disciples, we won t be able to simply coast along and conform to the norms of our society. We must choose a different definition of well-being, a different model of success, a new identity with a new set of values. Our next gathering times will be March 9, April 13, May 11, and June 8. Hope to see you on FEBRUARY 9. PEOPLE OF ALL AGES ARE ENCOURAGED TO COME. February 2019 Page 7

8 Christian Education Souper Bowl of Caring The Super Bowl falls on Sunday, February 3rd, this year, and we will once again be transforming the energy surrounding this famous sports event into a time of giving, aptly named the Souper Bowl! On that morning, please plan to bring some canned goods and non-perishable food items and a few extra dollars to be donated to our own ecumenical food pantry in Marcellus. The kids will be milling around the sanctuary and in Shinaman Hall after church with large soup pots to collect your monetary donations. Our contributions will stay local, but our collection figures will be reported to the nationwide Souper Bowl registry to be reflected in their larger effort to care for people who are hungry and in need! There will be collection bins for food at the altar, one representing each team in the Super Bowl. Let s see which fans can bring the most canned food items in to win the Souper Bowl competition at MFPC! Habitat for Humanity Bowl-A-Thon Sunday, February 10, 2019 Bowl-Mor Lanes, 201 Highland Ave. East Syracuse, NY A date has been set for the 18th Annual Youth/Adult Bowl-A- Thon: Sunday February 10, 2019!Through generous sponsors, the Bowl- A-Thon has funded entire home builds, tool sheds, as well as helped with ongoing builds. In addition, ten percent of the money raised goes to Uganda as a tithe to build houses with their affiliate. Last year alone, the Bowl-A-Thon raised over $7,000! There is a $6.00 fee per bowler, which covers two games and shoe rental. This event raises money through the bowlers, whom are required to obtain sponsors. Each bowler is urged to strive for at least $50 in sponsor pledges. Sponsor forms will be copied and distributed to all interested bowlers at church and we are encouraging our MFPC children and teens to try and participate if possible. Parents are also welcome! (Bumper bowling is available for our youngsters, as well as for the rest of us who may be terrible at bowling!) The Bowl-A-Thon does fall on the same Sunday as our congregational pot luck and historical meeting, but bowling check-in is not until 1:00pm and games do not not start until 1:30pm, so it should be possible for people to attend the church meeting and then head over to Bowl-Mor Lanes. Carpooling is an option, as well. Please see Allison Ray to RSVP and pick up a sponsor sheet. February 2019 Page 8

9 Christian Education Children s Corner: Children s Activity Bags and Worship Bulletins Most of you have probably noticed that we have created a little Children s Corner in the back of the Narthex where we have a bookshelf with weekly children s worship bulletins, an assortment of Beanie Babies, and hooks with activity bags for each of the children to use during worship services. The bags were recently replenished with new coloring and activity books and dry erase boards with markers so the kids can express their creative sides! We have also purchased and collected an assortment of books for all ages (babies and toddlers included!) that children are encouraged to bring into the sanctuary to look through during service. They are also welcome to bring them home for the week and return them the following Sunday. Each child has their own personalized bag for use each week, and there are a handful of unmarked bags for any children who might be visiting us. Please encourage your children or grandchildren to have some fun with these resources! I would also like to ask those of you who tend to hang your coats on that coat rack to consider hanging them on the rack on the opposite side of the Narthex so the children can easily access the bags and shelf. If you feel you must hang your coat on the rack by the Children s Corner, please try to hang it on the far end of the rack and not directly in front of the kids bags and bookshelf. Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation! Confirmation Class has begun Confirmation classes began on Sunday, January 13, under the direction of Sandy Manciocchi. Our two confirmation students will meet with Sandy every Sunday morning for several months, working through a Presbyterian confirmation curriculum to more deeply explore the Presbyterian tradition and intentionally explore their own faith beliefs. (Sidenote: If you happen to see Sandy around church, make sure to thank her for her outstanding service to the Christian Education program she goes so far above and beyond to help us out with all aspects of our program, and we could not be more grateful!) Easter Egg Hunt helper needed that morning! For the last several years, the Christian Education Committee has organized an Easter Egg hunt for the children at church at 9:00am on Easter morning. The kids meet just before then in the Gathering Space outside of the sanctuary and are told how many eggs are hidden in the church, how many they can collect, and the areas of the church where they are allowed to seek. Then, they are set loose in the church to find their Easter treasures! We would like to offer this hunt again this year, but need to ask for a volunteer to meet the kids in the Gathering Space at 9am to give them the necessary info and send them off to search. Allison Ray has done this for several years, but will not be available at 9am. Is there another parent or church member who would be willing to do this?? The Rays will take care of stuffing and hiding the eggs in the church the week before, and will leave a note with the number of eggs and any rooms that are off limits. All you d have to do is count the kids participating, let them know how many eggs they each can gather (yes, math!), and turn them loose. A few pictures of the participants and the hunt would be much appreciated, too! If you are willing to do this, please let Allison or Brian Ray know. Thank you, in advance. February 2019 Page 9

10 Presbyterian Women Presbyterian Women will not meet in the month of February. Jackie Davies FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MARCELLUS P.O. Box 147, 1 East Main Street Marcellus, NY Address Service Requested Please use P.O. Box 147 when corresponding with the Church Marcellus Ecumenical Food Pantry Federal employees and contract workers who are not being paid due to the government shutdown and who are residents of the Marcellus School district are eligible for food assistance from the Food Pantry. Food Pantry hours are Tuesdays from 11:00 noon and 6:30 7:30 pm. Further information is available by calling and following the voic prompts. Any Marcellus resident who has a food emergency, can also reach a Food Pantry representative by calling this number and one of the managers will make special arrangements. Marcellus Ecumenical Food Pantry is located in the Presbyterian Church at 1 E Main Street in Marcellus, and is accessed from the North Street side. Donations of non-perishable food items are always welcome and can be left in the marked bin just inside the North Street glass doors from 7:00AM 6:00PM weekdays. Please let your friends and neighbors know about the Marcellus Ecumenical Food Pantry, and help get the word out to those in Marcellus who may need a hand. February 2019 Page 10