A Newsletter of the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, New York September Welcome Back Picnic September 14

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1 First Things A Newsletter of the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, New York September 2008 Church School Time Moves Starting September 7 10:00 Families come to worship together. 10:20 All kids leave for Church School after their message. 11:00 Adults go to Coffee Hour after worship 11:20 Church School is over; Forum and Kid s Activity Time. The after church programs begin September :00 Programs conclude. Vespers Every Week Every Sunday at 5 p.m. a musical worship experience will be held in our sanctuary. Capitalizing on our Jazz Vespers, we now offer other types of music as well. 1 st Sunday Jazz 2 nd Sunday Chamber Music 3 rd Sunday Jazz 4 th Sunday Celtic Music 5 th Sunday Folk Music Welcome Back Picnic September 14 Join us on Sunday, September 14 th for a congregation-wide picnic/potluck festival immediately after worship in the side yard. All are welcome, visitors and members alike. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and drinks will be provided. Last names beginning with the letters A-S please bring a side dish to add to the buffet table. Last names beginning with the letters T-Z please furnish a dessert. Come and share your summer adventures, rekindle old acquaintances, or make new friends. Wednesday Evening Program FRC Resumes September 17th Our weekly Wednesday fellowship resumes this month. We share tasty home made soup, salad, bread, and dessert; the variety of stimulating studies facilitated by your ministers and other leaders; and candlelit contemplative prayer in the sanctuary. This well-received, drop-in, collection of supper, study, and brief worship returns with a slightly revised schedule: Supper begins at 6 in Assembly Hall. Studies begin at 7 in various locations. Worship begins at 8 in the sanctuary. The studies will start off with Bill Levering and his popular Preacher's Preview, and Daniel Carlson leading a discussion on a book by Larry Rasmussen. Feel free to come for any part of the evening. We would love to see you just for supper, for instance. The line-up for September includes: September 7 Nat Phipps, piano; Pete Togo, bass; Tom D Andrea, drums September 14 Karen Hosmer, oboe; and other members of the Albany Symphony Orchestra to be announced September 21 Ray Alexander, piano; Greg Brown, bass; Tom D Andrea, drums. September 28 Jane Rothfield (fiddle and banjo) and Allan Carr. Hear their music in advance at If you have any questions, contact Gay Doolittle ( ), Heather Chestnut ( ), or Bill Brooks ( ). September at a Glance 7 Church School begins 14 Picnic after worship 17 Kerygma begins 17 FRC begins 21 First Forum after worship

2 First Forum Begins September 21 The First Forum post service program (formerly known as Adult Forum) will now be offered after worship on the 1 st and 3 rd Sunday of the month, resuming on Sunday, September 21 st. Our first speaker for the fall will be Union College Assistant Professor Anastasia Pease. She is the Program Director of the Everyday Ethics Across the Curriculum program which will enter its third year this September. The curriculum initiative is one of several ethics programs at Union ranging from long-standing philosophy courses to the Ethics Bowl team. What s unique is that it impacts classrooms ranging from physics to photography. The ethics program is modeled after a pilot project begun in 2003 which introduced ethics into the economics curriculum. Initially the college-wide endeavor was chaired by Robert Baker, the William D. Williams Professor of Philosophy. Professor Pease may also bring another faculty member with her to present their prospective on the Ethics initiative. Kerygma Back on 17th The Kerygma Bible Study Class resumes on September 17 with a timely focus for this fall. We ll be engaging in a biblical, theological, and ethical investigation of creation and our responsibilities. To do so we ll read and discuss one of the books of Rev. Dr. Larry Rasmussen, the leader of our Spiritual Life Weekend in November. More information on which book and its availability will be noted in the bulletin and in worship in early September. All who are interested should register at the church office or contact Daniel. Kinderwyk Needs Helpers Please consider giving your time to our littlest people at Kinderwyk Sunday morning child care! Volunteers of all ages are most welcome. Our most wonderful and very qualified leader, Sarah Bachorik, is there every Sunday to assist you. Faith Bookshop News The Faith Bookshop is relocating! For a number of years, the church bookshop has been a special destination in an inconvenient location. By moving to the room across from the church library, we hope it will still be special but in a convenient location. Books can be purchased and ordered during this moving process. A member of the Bookshop Committee will be in the present bookshop room to assist for a few minutes after Sunday services. For additional help or questions, contact Birdie Blackmer ( ). Remember the church in your will. Youth Activities Summer is ending, but we are just beginning with this year's exciting lineup of youth activities Mark these dates on your calendars and plan to join us. Sunday, September 14 - Join us for the Welcome Back Picnic, and register for Junior or Senior High Youth Group. If you will not be present at the picnic but want to be part of the youth groups this year, please call or Stacey at revstacey@gmail.com so that we get accurate numbers and information on each youth group member. Sunday, September 21 - Senior High Youth Group begins meeting on the first and third Sundays of each month, at 7 pm. Sunday, October 5 - Junior High Youth Group begins meeting on the first Sunday of each month at 5 pm; Senior High meets at 7 pm. Sunday, October 19 - Senior High meets at 7 pm. Friday-Sunday, October Senior High retreat at Camp Fowler. Sunday, November 2 - Junior High meets at 5 pm; Senior High meets at 7 pm. Friday-Saturday, November Junior High retreat at Camp Fowler. Sunday, November 16 - Senior High meets at 7 pm.

3 Habitat for Humanity Opportunities News from our Treasurer Church School News Parents and grandparents note the new Church School Hour is now 10:20 11:20 am. Children will leave worship after the children s message for an hour of instruction. Parents will have time to catch a cup of coffee before they collect their children at 11:20. We need more teachers for limited tenures in most ages groups. At 11:20 parents can go the First Forum or a class while their children can either go to Christmas musical rehearsals in Friendship Hall or to a story time in the library. FRC Music For Kids (and grownup kids) Strings and Flutes will continue to meet from 8:30 9 am Sunday mornings in the music office. Anyone (adults too!) who has played their instrument 2 full years+ is encouraged to attend. (Woodwinds and Brass, please be patient. We are looking for a rehearsal time.) Let me know if you are interested! The Young Women s Choir (help, we need a name!) will meet from 9-9:30 am Sunday mornings in the music office. If you are a singing female between ages 14 and 21, jump on board! Christmas Musical rehearsals begin 9/21 at 11:30 am on the stage in Friendship Hall. Kids, 2nd grade and up, are all welcome to attend! Welcome Back! I hope it was a great summer for you. It certainly was for my family and me! Earlier in August, you received a pledge statement from the main office. Receiving the statement made my wife and me realize that we were behind a bit in our monthly plan; we wrote a larger than usual check and got caught up. We d just gotten distracted by the happy energy of the summer and lost track. How about you? Now that everybody s settling down for the school year, perhaps you could give the statement another look? Thanks for keeping up with your pledge to your church! Fred Daniels, Treasurer Third Way Outreach July and August were busy months for us in downtown Schenectady. We helped out in a month-long Urban Day Camp, began some employment endeavors, and participated in Friday Art Night events. The use of the church van for City Mission day trips was key ~ you allowed men from the Men s Shelter to visit places like Thatcher Park and Camp Fowler and to go fishing on some area lakes. Thank you! Art Hudak, Third Way Missioner We recently gave a $40,000 grant for the building of a handicappedaccessible house at 41 Verona Avenue. We are now pleased to announce that construction is well on its way! If you would like to participate in the building; provide lunches for workers, or do other volunteer tasks, please contact Stacey for a volunteer information form. Construction is happening every Wednesday and Saturday, weather permitting, and Habitat also welcomes individual volunteers as you have availability! Stockade Walkabout September 27 This year's Stockade Walkabout will take place on Saturday, September 27, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visiting the Waterfront Faire and taking a tour of special homes is a great chance to get to know the lively historic neighborhood of the Stockade. More information on the Walkabout is available at center/walkabout/walkabout.htm. At the church, we will have light refreshments available most of the day and music provided by some of our congregation members and the musicians who have been part of our Vespers series. Please stop by and participate in this exciting neighborhood event! If you like to bake, we d like your help on Friday evening, September 26, making the sweet Dutch pastry, banket, to share with those who visit. Please contact the church office or Daniel.

4 AIDSWalk 2008 September 28 Schenectady Art Society to Critique Your Art Members of the Schenectady Art Society will meet on Friday, September 11 th at 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall. Paul Kant will critique any work a member brings. Everyone is encouraged to come, learn, and enjoy. For more information, contact Connie Young. Fourth Sunday Frolic On September we ll be bicycling along the Warren County bikeway between Glens Falls and Lake George. The bikeway is mostly on pathways with some riding on quiet roads over flat and gently rolling terrain. From the Adirondack Community College to Lake George is 8½ miles, though the bikeway has been extended to Glens Falls for added distance if desired. The bikeway can be accessed from many points along the route, so it is possible to select shorter round-trip distances as well. The FRC van (and personal transport as required) will leave FRC after coffee refreshments following the morning worship service. Be sure to pack a lunch and drinks. You can support the Schenectady Damien Center by participating in AIDSWalk 2008! On September 28 th, more than 2,000 people will gather in Washington Park, Albany, to honor the lives of persons living with HIV/AIDS and the organizations that serve them. HIV infection rates are still climbing, and, as yet, there is no cure. As the economic slowdown continues to affect us all, individuals living with HIV/AIDS are witnessing the decline of necessary and life-saving services available to them. The twelfth annual AIDSWalk will help to ensure that AIDS service organizations in the Capital Region can continue to serve individuals in need. All proceeds from the AIDSWalk go directly to local organizations working to provide health care, support, and outreach to the HIV/AIDS community. At the Schenectady Damien Center, our mission is to provide relief and support to individuals infected and directly affected by the HIV/AIDS virus. Through nutritious meals, educational programming, support groups, and recreational activities, we at the Center hope to relieve some of the stress that individuals experience living with this disease. AIDSWalk is one of our main funding sources and allows us to continue our service to the HIV/AIDS community in Schenectady. We invite all people who want to help us with our mission and who are concerned about HIV/AIDS in our community to participate in AIDSWalk 2008 by walking with us or by donating to our cause. For more information, please contact Dan Butterworth at damiencenter@sicm.us or On behalf of the staff and guests of the Schenectady Damien Center, thank you for your support! Stephen Ministry Meeting Monthly meetings for Stephen Ministers resume in September-- though on a new day and time. In order to meet the goal of having adequate time for both continuing education and supervision, Stephen Ministry meetings this year will be held on the third Monday of each month from 7-9 p.m. in Assembly Hall. All active Stephen Ministers are required to attend. Questions about our Stephen Ministry may be directed to Stephen Leaders, Daniel Carlson ( ), Ruthellen Phillips ( ), Linda Ward ( ). Shawl Ministry Retreat On October 4 th from 10 am to 2 pm, the New Baltimore Reformed Church is sponsoring a retreat with Janet Bristow, one of the original founders of the shawl ministry movement. Anyone involved in a shawl ministry is invited to register. Participants are invited to bring their own knitting or crocheting supplies and a journal. To register NBRChurch@aol.com or call pastor Susan Kerr at The cost is $20 and includes lunch. Anyone interested in carpooling to New Baltimore may contact Abby Norton-Levering at

5 Room for All Room for All (RFA) is an organization of like-minded persons from Reformed Church in America congregations who are committed to working for full inclusion of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) persons in the life and ministry of the RCA. The organization began in 2005 and has regional chapters in the Hudson Valley area; Long Island; Pella, Iowa; and Holland, Michigan in addition to the Albany group. For further information about the national Room for All, visit their website at The Albany area RFA began meeting in November At that first meeting, we welcomed over 50 people from several area RCA congregations who shared personal stories about why welcoming and affirming LGBT persons was important to them as people of faith. There were several folks from First Church at that meeting, and our congregation continues to be represented. Joe Doolittle serves on the Albany area Steering Group and Stacey Midge is a member of the Room for All Board of Directors. The schedule for the program season has been set. Meetings will take place on Wednesdays, October 8, January 14, March 11 and May 13 th, from 7 9 p.m. The location for the October gathering has not been set. Please watch for an announcement in the Sunday bulletin. If you re interested in learning more about RFA and how you might share in this vision for welcoming and affirming LGBT persons into the life and ministry of RCA congregations, you are invited and encouraged to attend one or all of our meetings and to invite anyone you think might be interested. If you have questions about Room for All, or would like to be added to the contact list, please contact Joe or Gay Doolittle, ( ) or via at aldenjoe@att.net. Camp Fowler Benefit Seeks Scarves The 2 nd annual Scarf-It-Up Sale is looming on the horizon. Be inspired by the cooler nights and pull out your knitting needles! We welcome scarves in all colors and textures. Scarves will be sold at the Stockade Walkabout to benefit Camp Fowler. Call Jamie Ipsen ( ) for details. Blessing of the Pets Saturday, October 4 As the chill of autumn arrives, you may notice an odd sight. A procession of animals (everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and perhaps even horses ) is led to the church for a special ceremony called the Blessing of the Pets. This service is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi, who is known for his love for all creatures. Today there are over 62 million cats in the U.S., attesting to the enormous affection we have for our animal friends. Our pets are true companions, with a bond like no other relationship. At 4 pm on October 4, the feast day of St. Francis, we will honor that bond with a blessing ceremony. Each animal will be welcomed and blessed with a special prayer. Please join us - and bring your furry, feathered, or finned friend - as we celebrate the love given to and received from our pets, which draws us more deeply into the wonder of our relationship with our Creator. Faith - Forming Weekend The prominent author and educator Rev. Dr. Larry Rasmussen will preside at our 2008 Faith Forming (formerly called Spiritual Life) Weekend, November His focus will be Christianity s ecological phase and our responsibilities. Dr. Rasmussen is past president of Society of Christian Ethics; was co-moderator of the Justice, Peace, and Creation Unit of the World Council of Churches; and the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary. During his time with us he will lead a Friday-Saturday retreat at Fowler entitled The Power to Change: Green Discipleship, give a public presentation and workshop on Saturday evening in Schenectady ( Global Consumerism and a Simpler Life, ) preach within worship on Sunday, and present at First Forum. Opportunities to engage the work of Dr. Rasmussen before he arrives are available this fall within Wednesday morning Kerygma as well as one of the FRC studies. Registration for the retreat ($100) may be made through the church office. FRC Website News As you may know, we post MP3 recordings of Sunday morning and Vesper services and have been ing notices of the postings. We now routinely edit and post MP3 s within four hours of recording.

6 VBS a Huge Success! VBS! Carrots, potatoes, watermelon, homemade butter, milkshakes and dirt cups - a corn husking bee, relay races, skits, scarecrows, yellow braids, the rubber chicken fling, the Virginia Reel and soooo many smiles! These things helped us live and learn the fruits of the Spirit during VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, August 4 th -8 th. Eighteen children and youth and one director grew Love, sprouted Joy, produced Patience, planted Peace and picked Kindness. A fun time was had by all! VBS will be offered during one of the winter breaks in Let Jamie Ipsen know if you are interested in attending or helping out. VBS isn t just a summer thing! Home Furnishings Program Needs Stuff Beds are always in great demand and short supply. Small-sized kitchen table sets are our September Need of the Month. White Elephant Sale volunteers are needed any time September to set up, work the day of the Sale (Saturday) and clean up afterwards. Contact Sally Clark at New Board members are sought to serve two-year renewable terms, especially people with interest in publicity and marketing. Contact Don Leach ( ) or Peg Miller ( ) Associate Pastor s Perspective Bad backs are common in my family. I remember my dad being confined to bed for days when I was a child. I ve also been laid low from back pain and have hobbled around in discomfort more times than I d like to recall. Two years ago a friend lent me his copy of Back Rx, by Vijay Vad and Hilary Hinzmann. A Fifteen Minute-A-Day Yoga and Pilates Based Program to End Low Back Pain is the book s subtitle and that is what regularly following the back and abdominal stretches and strengthening exercises has accomplished for me. I ve been free of back pain for over a year. I also feel stronger, more balanced, confident, and peaceful following the brief workout three times a week. A focus on education and nurture is another theme within my family. Both of my parents were teachers, and one of my primary areas of responsibility here is Adult Education and Nurture. Given that and the great difference Back Rx has made for me, it was only a matter of time before I would start teaching it to whoever showed interest. Last year it was Mary, who s now so good she could teach it herself. When I was in Michigan with my family last month I led a few sessions on the living room floor. At one time there were eight of us breathing (and occasionally, grunting and laughing) deeply and stretching fully my dad and mom included! Closer to home, this summer I ve been leading a few members of the church staff in the beginning series of Back Rx a couple mornings a week in Assembly Hall. The response has been positive and interest appears to be growing. In light of all this I ve decided now is the time to begin teaching members of the congregation who want to learn a way of helping and healing their back. So, beginning September 15 each Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this fall in Assembly Hall at 9 a.m. I ll be leading the introductory series of Back Rx. The floor is nicely padded; any comfortable clothing is suitable. For those of you who already come this way on any of those days (or have thought about it,) just arrive a little earlier, stretch, and strengthen your back with us, and be all the more ready for the Men s News Group, prayer in Dykstra Chapel, or Kerygma Bible study. If coming to church any of these mornings is not yet part of your routine, maybe this is the time to start! Either way, wouldn t you like to experience less back pain and strain and more passion and stretch for whatever God has gifted and called you to be and do? That s a dimension of stewardship I have no problem promoting within my extended family and my church family too. Shalom, Daniel

7 Who Ya Gunna Call? Our dedicated staff stands ready to help our mutual ministries. You can call the church office for them ( ) or for our ministers at their home numbers below: Adult Education Daniel Carlson Big Ideas Bill Levering Building Issues Gary Nelson Building Reservations Heather Scribner Bulletins and Newsletters Pat Krawczak Child Care Sara Bachorik Church School Jamie Ipsen Complaints Bill Levering Compliments God Controversial Subjects Stacey Midge Damien Center Dan Butterworth Frolics Daniel Carlson Hospitalization Daniel Carlson Minute for Missions Stacey Midge Mission Projects Stacey Midge Music Program and Choirs Julie Panke Personal Problems Daniel Carlson Pet Care Stacey Midge Receptions and Parties Gay Doolittle Third Way Art Hudak Vespers Bill Levering Daniel Carlson Worship Bill Levering Intercessory Prayer Continues Every Tuesday at 10 a.m. the pastoral staff and anyone else who happens to be around gathers in the Dykstra Chapel for intercessory prayer. We pray for people in the congregation in particular need as well as working our way through a list of all the folks in the church. You are welcome to join us in this effort. Senior Moments It s that time again. Summer winds down and the normal year starts. All of us here at First Reformed hope that normal includes a trip to the church once or twice a week because we have a lot to offer. Who knew that Daniel was a budding athletic trainer? I know I m going to check out his new back health class. I also think many of you are missing out on the gem that is the musical vespers. Far more members of the community come to these things than our members. I suppose that is OK, but it may be a clue to you about what you are missing. I know we all lead busy lives, but take the time to have a fuller life, not a busier one. Bill Levering Our Denomination in Georgia Reformed Church World Service (RCWS) has made an initial commitment of $5,000 to assist refugees displaced by fighting in the Republic of Georgia. Congregations and individuals who wish to join the effort may send contributions, designated "Georgia Relief," to Reformed Church in America, P.O. Box 19381, Newark, NJ or, in Canada, to Synod of Canada, 201 Paradise Road, North Hamilton, ON L8S 3T3. To donate by credit card call the RCA Michigan Regional Center at (800) or visit the RCWS Donation page. RCWS is working with Action by Churches Together (ACT International) to provide food and shelter and other emergency relief for refugees from the current fighting in Georgia. ACT International is a Swiss-based international alliance of churches and relief agencies with which RCWS is affiliated. Hello Stockade Residents This issue of First Things is being delivered to everyone in the Stockade. We hope you know that you are welcome to anything that happens here. We also have a great library and free wifi in our lobby for your use. We are a part of your community and want to be a good neighbor. Check us out.

8 First Reformed Church 8 North Church Street Schenectady, NY (518) streformed@gmail.com Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 24 Schenectady, NY Address Correction Requested September Birthdays 1 Albert Holland 24 Cherie Gallagher 1 Allison Tebbano 24 Carol Harvey 2 Elizabeth Veeder 25 Joanne White 2 Matthew Mitsche 26 Joan Ipsen 3 Kristen Langdon 26 Curtis Robbins 4 Ann Di Sarro 26 Saundra Virtanen 4 Eric Bachorik 28 William Clock 8 Wallace Bzdell 28 Brian Kimmey 8 Margaret King 29 Elsie Dotter 8 James Linder 30 William Collins 9 Elaine Springsted 30 Eileen Herring 9 Martha Wallender 10 Mary Jane Dike 10 Caroline Welch 12 Diana Bennett 12 Anne Middleton 18 Geoffrey Maliszewski 19 John Anderton 20 Timothy Hamm 21 Julie Adams 21 Kimberly Burgoyne 21 Helen Mc Cary 22 Wendi Matusic 24 Erica Ball 24 Sarah Evans Weekly Calendar Every Sunday Youth Orchestra 8:30 Women s Ensemble 9 am Chancel Choir 9:15 am Worship 10 am Church School 10:20 am Coffee Hour 11 am First Forum or Sermon Feedback 11:20 am Vespers 5 pm Sr. High Fellowship 7 pm Every Week Monday: Men s News Group 9 am Back Rx 9 am Klokken Ringers 7 pm Tuesday: Tuesday Mom s Group 9 am Back Rx 9 am Morning Prayer 10 am Wednesday: Back Rx 9 am Kerygma 9:30 am Wednesday Dialogue - noon FRC 6 pm Thursday: Chancel Choir 7:30 pm September Events 1 Labor Day Closed 8 Concerned for Hungry 7:30 pm 9 Standing Committees 7 pm 9 Consistory 8 pm 11 Schenectady Art Society 7 pm 14 Welcome Back Picnic 11 am 15 Stephen Ministry 7 pm 16 Pastoral Care 11 am 27 Stockade Walkabout 11 am 28 Fourth Sunday Frolic 11:20 am