A Newsletter of the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, New York April Earth Sunday Frolic April 17

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1 First Things A Newsletter of the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, New York April 2016 Children s Spring Festival April 3 Easter Sunday was so busy, we are going to continue the celebration into the first Sunday of Eastertide. On April 3 after services at 11:30 am: there will be face painting, a bounce house, and an egg hunt at noon. Please feel free to bring friends, as this is open to the entire community. Thursday Musical Club and Mendelssohn Club Concert April 10 The Thursday Musical Club Chorus will present its Spring Concert on Sunday, April 10 at 2:30pm in the FRC church sanctuary. Guest artists will be members of the Mendelssohn Club. Both groups will feature songs from Broadway musicals and the two groups will combine for selections from Randall Thompson s Frostiana based on the poetry of Robert Frost. Complimentary tickets are available from Julie Panke or the church office. Earth Sunday Frolic April 17 We'll head out from the church a little after noon for H.G. Reist Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in Niskayuna, this 111-acre set apart area contains several miles of well marked and well maintained trails. Sign up in Assembly Hall for this Creation Care Commission sponsored inter-generational outing. WORD for April: Journey April 8 Our WORD service is a collection of stories about particular topics, much like some NPR thing. This month features stories about journeys. The service is Friday, April 8 at 7pm and features fine music, autobiographical stories, talks from our short-short fiction group, and a minister or two. A Reception for the Levering Family There will be a coffee hour reception on Sunday, April 10 to celebrate the birth of Alice Abigail Levering. Jazz Appreciation at Vespers April is Jazz Appreciation Month and the Vespers services during April will include additional horn players including Keith Pray, Ken Olsen, Jim Corigliano, and Steve Lambert courtesy of the Musical Union. See Sunday chart for the schedule. Entered into Eternal Rest Eleanor Jenkins 3/16/16 Service was held on 3/22 in Granville Carolyn S. Welch 3/17/16 Service was held 3/23 at FRC Ann P. Strobell 3/17/16 Memorial Service for Jean Brown April 16 at 2pm in Poling Chapel Memorial Service for Rev. Don Stake April 23 at 11am at Delmar Presbyterian Church

2 Every Wednesday in April Midweek Evening Meal Come share simple festive food at 6pm each Wednesday of April, prepared for those who are hungry for good food and fellowship. Midweek Evening Worship Our contemplative service returns to its usual time (7pm) and location (Poling Chapel) beginning April 6. Come dwell in the mystery and joy of Easter each Wednesday with reflective songs, selected Scripture, Holy Communion, shared prayers, and Christ's peace. Thanks A Note of Appreciation for Lenten Success The Adult Education and Nurture Committee is grateful to all who made the Lenten Series a success this year. An average of more than 55 people attended the dinners, with delicious food prepared by church members. We especially appreciated the efficient work of church staff member Isha, who made our cleanup efforts so much easier. Faith Bookshop Buys New Tablecloths If you participated in the Bookshop's donated jewelry project, you contributed to the purchase of new table clothes which will enhance our dining pleasure here at FRC. For a fuller explanation and word of appreciation, see Gay Doolittle's message which is posted on the jewelry table. After April 10, the remaining jewelry will be donated to the Elite Repeat Boutique on McClellan Street. Judy Moore Retires from Thursday Belles but Not Klokken Ringers Many thanks to Judy for her work with the Belles. Her final performance as director with the Belles will be as part of worship at FRC on Sunday, April 3. First Reformed church will continue to host Thursday Belles and Judy will continue to lead the Klokken Ringers. Book Report The Sunday lunch and book discussion group co-sponsored by the Justice and Action Council and Adult Education and Nurture Committee ended a discussion of Michelle Alexander's book The New Jim Crow, Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Michelle Alexander changed the way we see the world and challenged us to work for change in our society and legal system. The War on Drugs has incarcerated thousands of young people who will be punished for life before they have a chance to be adults. We learned that black men have been admitted to state prisons on drug charges at a rate that is more than 13 times higher than white men. Even more disturbing is the fact "most people who are under correctional control today are not in prison. If the nearly 7.3 million people currently under correctional control, only 1.6 million are in prison." The people who are not incarcerated are on probation and parole which has a dramatic effect on their lives. The collateral consequences of felon conviction for people can be ineligibility for federal health and welfare benefits, food stamps, public housing and federal educational assistance, suspension of driver's license and disqualification for certain employment and professional licenses and the right to vote. Our group found The New Jim Crow sometimes difficult, often disturbing but definitely a must read.

3 Youth Youth Group News The youth group welcomes students in grades 6-12 and meets every Sunday at 5pm unless otherwise noted. We eat dinner together and then engage in a combination of discussion, learning, games, and service projects. During April, the youth group will meet at its regular time each Sunday. Save the date for the annual Youth Sunday Service, which will be on May 22. Our worship will be planned and led by our youth and children, and the graduating seniors will have a special opportunity to share their gifts and reflections. Youth Schedule Regular meetings each Sunday in April at 5pm. Scholarships College Scholarships Applications for the Rev. Al Smith Education Scholarship are available through the church office. Please submit your completed application to the church office by Sunday, May 15. Questions can be directed to Sara Erickson at or ericksonhs@aol.com Camp Scholarships to Fowler Now is the time to sign kids and youth up for Summer Camp at Fowler. Several scholarships available. Mission Trip Many thanks to everyone who supported the Youth Group on their mission trip to Palermo! They partnered with the Waldensian Church, learning about the many social service programs they run for refugees in Italy, including: a school, a home for unaccompanied minors, housing and job training for survivors of trafficking, a restorative justice program, and antimafia efforts. While the amount of physical labor on this trip was somewhat less than most mission trips, the youth were told repeatedly that the greatest work they could accomplish in Palermo was to hear the truth of people's stories, and bring it back and raise awareness among others who may be able to help. Ask our youth about their experiences in Sicily; they will be delighted to share what they learned with you!

4 Groups Horizons Bible Study A new study on the Book of Acts will begin on April 5, as usual at 10am in the Poling Conference Room. Interested? Come join us. Stitch Group Our church stitch group meets every Thursday in Poling Conference room at 10am. Work on whatever project you have. Finish something old or make something new! All are welcome. For more info, contact Joan Lindsay, The Short-Short Writing Group A writing critique group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month in the Schermerhorn Conf. room at 7pm. Short-Shorts are stories, essays, memoirs, or other non-fiction works told in 1,000 words or less. For more info, contact James Gonda at jgonda12309@gmail.com. Prayer Shawl Knitting Group We meet every fourth Thursday of the month at 9:30am at the home of Ronnie Bartholic, unless otherwise noted. Contact Ronnie at with any questions. We welcome anyone interested in joining us. Group VII The next meeting is April 15 at 10am in the Dirck Romeyn Room. The Rev. Daniel Carlson will be presenting on his Doctoral Thesis: "To Serve the World We Touch." Co-hostesses are Elaine Springsted and Joanne Arnold. Men s Breakfast April 9 The Men's Breakfast group will meet at 8am, Saturday, April 9 in Assembly Hall. After the usual nourishing breakfast, we will hear a presentation from our own Brad Lewis. Brad's topic will be: The "intergenerational accounting" ruse and a strategy for actually helping the younger generation. Brad is known for making economics not only understandable, but entertaining as well. Come and learn the truth about the burdens that will be faced by our children and grandchildren if we mainly try to cut entitlements, raise taxes, and see intergenerational issues as zero-sum fiscal policy games. Pocket Prayer Shawls The Prayer Shawl Group is making pocket prayer shawls designed to fit in a pocket, purse, or backpack and can travel with you. Like a full-sized prayer shawl, the pocket shawl can remind you of God's comfort, support and closeness. Hold this prayer shawl in your hand and be reminded that God is always with you. Pocket prayer shawls will be available on the tables at the entrances to the sanctuary and in the church office. There is no charge for the shawls. Evening Circle The April meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27 at 7pm. Holly Pajak of Senior Moves by Design NY will present her ideas on downsizing and/or room design. She is a dynamic lady who will send you home with many good ideas! We'll meet at Sally Clark's apartment at Kingsway Village. Please call for directions ( ) and let her know that you'll be attending!! Justice Action Council Book Club The next Sunday Lunch and Book Discussion will be meeting April 17 and May 1, at noon in Assembly Hall. We will be discussing Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving. Copies of the book will be available in the FRC Bookshop. All are welcome! No RSVP required, but if you know you will be attending, a general count for the luncheon would be helpful. If you have questions or wish to confirm, you can contact Mary Jewett or Jeanne Shoulder (781) Fellowship Luncheon Join us on April 29 at 11:45am. Our speaker, John Kucij, will share with us experiences ranging from Peace Corp volunteers to their latest project. For the past 5 years Mr. and Mrs. Kucij have volunteered to lead a project organized by Albany's Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC). They have raised funds to build new classrooms and new wells, sponsor scholarships for 50 students per year, funded Ebola prevention education, and WPC now fully supports 11 children orphaned by Ebola who live at and attend Hope Mission School in the shanty town of Bernard Farm, Liberia. This is our last luncheon until September. Just bring a dish to share, sit back, and enjoy. Please sign up, either by phone ( ) or in Assembly Hall. Our hostesses will be Connie Young and Gini McDermott.

5 Note from Stacey: Upcoming Study Leave From April 9 - May 21, I will be out of the office on extended study leave. Extended study leave is a period of time (often 3-4 months) usually granted to ministers after about seven years of service, for the purposes of completing a course of study or an intensive project related to ministry. I will be spending my study leave completing a book project that I've been working on for quite some time. The topic of the book is how a broadened sacramental worldview that looks for the sacred in all things can inform the church as we shift in response to an increasingly secular culture. I'll be doing most of my writing from Scotland, a beloved space that provides for me both distance and familiarity. I will also spend a few days in Belfast at a conference that has proven challenging and inspiring for me in the past, and some time back in the US at a retreat center specifically for people writing about faith. I plan to emerge at the end with a complete (if not entirely edited) manuscript, and hope to share it with many of you in the coming months. I'm deeply appreciative of this time for creative reflection, and hopeful that it will allow me to produce a project that will be useful to a broad spectrum of church leaders. During this time, Bill, Daniel, and Paige will be covering my normal areas of ministry, and will be able to contact me in case of an urgent need. Classis Assessment Sometime soon you will be receiving a letter about our Classis assessment. We are currently assessed $93.91 a member to keep the denomination and its mission going. It's a lot, but we don't mind since it keeps us together nationally. It s sort of a franchise fee per member. Avery Presents: The Salon Musical Salon May 6 On May 6 at 7pm, Avery will feature Corine Salon with her Trio "Ensemble Pastourelle", Corine Salon, soprano; Susan Martula, 1st clarinetist Albany Symphony; Michael Clement, pianist; and guest artist Liisa Gregorov DMA, flute. They have performed on many concert series from Maine to the Caribbean doing their own arrangements of music by Bernstein, Rodrigo, Hundley, Canteloube, and Rachmaninoff. Music Program Survey and Choir Meeting April 10 As we look at our renovations, we want to make sure we are meeting the needs of the congregation in worship and music. The choir will be talking about the future of the program at a meeting at noon on April 10 to talk about these things and a survey is available online for everyone at 1stReformed.com. Underground Railroad Conference April A Fresh Interpretation of an Old Story The 15th public history conference on the Underground Railroad movement and its relevance for us today, "The Underground Railroad and American Identities," takes place April 15-17, at Russell Sage College Bush Memorial, St. John's Episcopal Church, and Rensselaer County Historical Society in Troy and The Stephen and Harriot Myers Residence in Albany. FRC is supporting this conference as it has supported the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region for ten years. To learn more about the conference, Educators Workshop, featured speakers, twenty presentation sessions, vendors, Remembrance Ceremony, art exhibit, music, and the Heritage Tour, just Google underground railroad history project or look on FRC bulletin boards. April Preacher Reader 10 am Music Forum Vespers at 5pm 3 Stacey Nancy First Futures Nat Phipps Trio Thursday Belles, Choir Midge Davidson Fred Daniels & Lisa Ettkin plus Keith Pray, sax 10 Ken Olsen, trombone; Tim Bill Christine Choir, Ensemble, Celebration Olsen, piano; Bill Delaney, Levering Daniels and Organ Coffee and Conversation bass; Tom D Andrea, drums Daniel Carlson Bill Levering Nancy Wainwright Ellie Rowland Musicians of Ma alwyck Choir and Organ Rev. Daniel Carlson To Serve the World We Touch Out of the Ashes, Where a Seed Finds Life 24 minute film Discussion led by Wales Brown Peg Delaney Trio Plus Jim Corigliano, sax Steve Lambert, trumpet; Dave Gleason, piano; Mike Lawrence, bass; Tom D Andrea, drums

6 Stories for Racial Healing April 5 Join us at the Schenectady Inner-City Ministry (SICM) Assembly - Mt. Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, 1055 Wendell Avenue, on Tuesday, April 5, at 7pm for a roundtable designed to deepen understanding of the complexities of racism in our society through the medium of storytelling. Built upon the success of this approach by the Albany Society of Friends, the program will be facilitated by Alden (Joe) Doolittle, Co-Chair of the First Reformed Church s Justice Action Council, and Sandy Powell from the Albany Friends. The program is the second in a series to create safe spaces in faith communities for this essential conversation. Come and share your stories, engage in a genuine dialogue, and help continue to advance understanding on this complex issue. For those interested the recent book, Waking Up White is a helpful resource. Refreshments will be available. Questions contact Joe Doolittle: aldenjoe@nycap.rr.com or phone Creation Corner We shall awaken from our dullness and rise vigorously toward justice. If we fall in love with creation deeper and deeper we will respond to its endangerment with passion. Hildegard of Bingen (twelfth century) Mission Lunn Cooperative The Lunn office continues to add new kinds of training and sharing opportunities: the most recent new endeavor was a webinar/discussion group that focused on fundraising. We gathered to learn from a professional, and to share questions and best practices with each other. On April 14, Fred Daniels will lead a training event here at FRC, called Marketing 101, which will later be followed up by a more in-depth Marketing 201 workshop. If you know of non-profit groups who d be interested in these sessions, please share with them, or give me contact information and I ll make sure they re invited to participate. All board members, staff, and volunteers who work in 501(c)3 s are welcome. Registration is always requested. Also needed is the help of a volunteer one morning a week to work on our database, update the web page or make phone calls. Contact me at , or lunncenter@gmail.com. Lynne Gilgore, Director Bethesda House Needs Your Help Located at 834 State St., Bethesda House serves the disenfranchised, poor, mentally ill, and homeless. They are in need of: blankets, gloves, hygiene kits, paper products, cleaning supplies, men s and women s socks. Another need is for: drivers with a car and clean license to pick up food donations, retired individuals with Social Service background to help guests fill out paper work, and doctor visit companions. Annual CROP Walk On Sunday, May 1, the annual Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP) walk will take place (12:30pm registration, 1:20pm opening ceremony, 1:30pm walk starts), beginning at Emmanuel Friedens Church and winding 5k through Schenectady. The proceeds support hunger-fighting efforts around the world, with 25% going to local food pantries, Community Crisis Network, and Senior Meals. Want to walk? Get a donation form from the church office. Non-walkers can simply drop off their donations at the church office. Checks should be made out to CWS/CROP. Checks eligible for GE Matching should be made out to SICM. Contact Cathy Lewis if you have??? APRIL 2016 MINI-NEWS The Home Furnishings Program NEEDS OF THE MONTH Furniture: bed frames, small dressers Furnishings: sheets & blankets, kitchen utensils, family drinking glasses, wastebaskets small appliances, especially toasters Call Jamie Doriguzzi Program Coordinator, at to arrange for pick-up or warehouse drop-off of useful items (not dirty, cracked, chipped, broken or torn, please) or us at homefurninc@aol.com

7 First Futures Next Phase While the Make Room campaign fundraising is ongoing, the planning process for the building improvements are shifting to a new phase which will consider the layout, look, and function of the spaces will be decided. The Consistory has agreed with a recommendation that a representative from each standing committee of the Consistory be asked to serve on this planning team. Members with suggestions are asked to convey those to folks in the chart below. The architect will be organizing meetings around the following five broad topics: Fellowship Hall and Kitchen: post worship, community, hospitality Education: children, adult, library, technology Music: rehearsal, storage, technology Community Use, Access, and Exterior: ADA, landscaping, parking, signage, meeting spaces Sustainable Building Practices: energy, insulation, lighting For instance, we are working on finding an even better flower room space right next to the sanctuary because feedback made it clear that this was a real necessity. For additional information or details contact Fred Daniels ( ) or Lisa Ettkin ( ). Senior Moments by Dr. Bill Levering A joyous Eastertide to you. The season of Easter lasts 50 days: right up to Pentecost. Just as Lent is a somber season, Eastertide is a time of continued joy and the blessings of spring in the northern hemisphere. Abby and I want to thank the hundreds of people who were cheering us on in the birth of Abigail Alice Levering. We look forward to the gracious reception on April 10 to thank you all more personally. First Futures Contacts for Suggestions Committee Chairperson Representative Archives and History Caroline Welch Laura Linder Worship and Arts George Trimarco George Trimarco Justice Action Council Jeanne Shoulder Marey Bailey Youth Ed and Nurture Dave Hjelmar Sarah Bachorik Adult Ed and Nurture Marilyn Leach Kitty Trimarco Care and Support Vickie McGowan-Horan Vickie McGowan-Horan Membership & Fellowship Bill Martin Barbara Mancuso Finance Fred Daniels Cathy Lewis Mission and Benevolence Peggy King Peggy King Property Bill Rochelle Gay Doolittle The RCA Special Council on Human Sexuality In April, a special council of 74 RCA members will gather in Chicago to seek a constitutional pathway forward for the Reformed Church in America to address the questions of human sexuality as it relates to ordination and marriage. A smaller council, called the Group of Five, is preparing for and will facilitate the special council. It will also inform the church of the results. The Group of Five consists of five past General Synod presidents Carol Mutch, our own Brad Lewis, Irving Rivera, Chuck Van Engen, and Tony Vis. They were selected for their wisdom and history of leadership in the denomination. The expectation is that [the special council] would come together, would listen to one another, would participate in conversation based upon an understanding of Scripture and coming out of their own experiences, and would seek in the midst of that to be open to the Holy Spirit speaking to them and through them to the church, says Vis, a retired RCA minister.

8 First Reformed Church 8 North Church Street Schenectady, NY (518) stReformed@gmail.com Address Service Requested Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Albany, NY Permit No. 736 April Birthdays April L. Ann Bish Timothy Cotter 2 Mary Carlson Anne Peterson Ralph Rosenthal 3 James Mitsche Rudy Nydegger Justin Smith Mary Tillma 4 Eleanor Kampf 5 Marion Rhude Roman Czwakiel 6 Ellen Hubbard Elizabeth Nejman 8 Cynthia Hamilton Samuel Rose 9 George Davidson 10 John Phillippe Eleanor Watson 11 Don Davidson Judy Moore 12 Roberta Blackmer Barbara Forth Christopher Langdon 14 Emma Cotter 15 Laura Hershey 16 Cynthia Ball Brennan Colby Gay Doolittle Morgan Valachovic Mark Walthers 17 Pearl Hali John Hubbard 18 Eleanor Rowland Kevin Weber 19 Olivia Mancuso Eric Tebbano 20 Marey Bailey 21 Karen Giuzio David Hjelmar 23 Timothy Merten Elaine Walthers 24 Robert White 25 Walter Robb 26 Susan Muse 27 Ruth Cox 28 Henry Roberts 29 Nicholas Brown Isabelle VanderVeen 30 Kathryn Opdyke Every Sunday Choir Rehearsal, 9am Orff, 9am Kinderwyk, 9:45am Worship, 10am Church School, 10:15am Refreshments, 11am Kirk Ringers & Singers, 11:15am Forum, 11:15am Vespers, 5pm Youth Group, 5pm Weekly Monday: Men s News Group, 9am Klokken Tower Ringers, 7pm Tuesday: Morning Prayer, 10am Horizons Bible Study, 10am Wednesday: Midweek Meal, 6pm Midweek Worship, 7pm Thursday: Bible Bunch, 7:30am Stitch Group, 10am Chancel Choir, 7:30pm Monthly Meetings Creation Care, 4 th Mon., 7pm Support & Care, 1 st Tues., 11:30am Archives, 2 nd Tues., 6pm Consistory, 2 nd Tues., 7:30pm Tues. Ladies, 3 rd Tue., 7pm Archives, 2 nd Wed., 1pm Writers Group, 2 nd & 4 th Wed., 7pm Stephen Ministry, 3 rd Thurs., 7pm Group VII, 3 rd Fri., 10:30am Men s Breakfast, 2 nd Sat., 8am Upcoming Events 1 Gardener s Group Avery Presents 3 Spring Festival Judy Moore s Belles Reception New Member s Class 8 WORD Service 9 Men s Breakfast 10 Levering Reception Thursday Musical Club Concert 15 Group VII 16 Jean Brown Memorial 17 Earth Day Frolic 27 Evening Circle 29 Fellowship Luncheon