; Follow the Star to First Baptist This Holiday Season

Transcription

1 the Visitor December 2017 First Baptist Church ; Follow the Star to First Baptist This Holiday Season Tis the Season! Goodwill abounds at First Baptist as we enter into the Christmas season. Contents Follow the Star to First Baptist This Holiday Season 1 Message from Rev. Debbie Bennett Reynolds 2 The Giving Tree Project Expands Outreach 2 Who Are We at First Baptist 2 Gift of Tablecloths & Napkins 2 Dispatch from Sophia Cotraccia in New Zealand 3 Goodwill and Holiday Spirit at Community Dinner 3 Volunteering at First Baptist 4 Did Jesus Really Exist? 4 Strategies for Maximizing Your Giving to First Baptist 5 Installation of Belfry Stars 5 What Makes a Church a Success 5 Love Gift from Eastern Star 6 Keep in Our Prayers 6 Staff / Elected Leaders / Ministry Teams 6 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Three Stars in the Belfry! Thanks to the ingenuity of David Caughey who built three stars for the church belfry and to Steve Farrell who helped David install them, our church tower lights up Dewitt Park welcoming all to our church (see pictures on page 5). Giving Tree! On December 3rd, the first Sunday in Advent, Tae and Sue Hemsath along with Linda Caughey collected a multitude of gifts for our annual Giving Tree to ensure that children in need at Enfield School have a good Christmas (story next page). Decorating the Church Saturday, December 9th, Tina and Steve Hilsdorf, assisted by Louise and Lars Mudrak, Meg Gillard and Liz Wilkinson created a warm and festive Christmas ambiance in our church s sanctuary and hallways. Tim Hembrooke Community Dinner What an experience it was to be at First Baptist the evening of December 10th and to experience the joy and goodwill of children and adults alike at the annual Tim Hembooke Community Dinner. Steve Farrell counted 85 guests at the dinner in addition to the First Baptist crew of over 20. Tae Hemsath, left, stands along with her mom Sue Hemsath and Linda Caughey after collection of gifts for the Giving Tree Dec. 3rd. Follow the Star to FBC! Contemplative Prayer Services Saturdays, December 16 - January 6: 5:00-5:45 pm Christmas Breakfast: December 17: 8:30 am Youth Pageant: December 17: 10:00 am Christmas Eve Candlelight Service December 24: 7:00 pm Labyrinth: Open to All Saturday, December 30: 5:00-8:00 pm New Year s Eve: 9 am - 1:00 pm; 6:00-8:00 pm New Year s Day: 2:00-4:00 pm January 2-5: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Epiphany Service: January 7: 10 am After being serenaded by a men s fraternity from Ithaca College, all feasted on a bountiful dinner before returning to the sanctuary where each child received a gift bag filled with a scarf, cuddly toy, book and more from an FBC youth (See photos on page 3). Elves at Work: From left to right, Liz Wilkinson, Tina Hilsdorf, Lars Mudrak and Meg Gillard prepare to decorate the sanctuary. Page 1

2 We did not ask for this room or this music; we were invited in. Therefore, because the dark surrounds us, let us turn our faces toward the light. Let us endure hardship to be grateful for plenty...we did not ask for this room or this music. But because we are here, let us dance.. STEPHEN KING ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Tablecloths & Napkins Given to First Baptist From Anne Farrell Cornell Laundry, which is owned by the company I have rent linens from, donated 50 square white table cloths and cloth napkins (around 200). I cleared a shelf in the closet next to the fridge to store them. There are more than enough for when we set up for brunches and meals and for our weekly set up for coffee hour. I ve washed them and the stains wash out very well. I ironed them, but if folded out of the dryer, they could be used without ironing. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Who We Are at First Baptist First Baptist Church, a member of the Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists, is a community centered in Christ, bound by grace, and called to model God s vision of inclusive love. Our ministry begins at First Baptist as we move beyond all barriers of race, gender, sexual orientation, background and creed to be a community of faithful worship. God s ministry continues through the lives of each person who carries his or her faith back into the world. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Wolfer family lights the Advent wreath during the Second Sunday in Advent service Dec. 10th. Dear Friends, December, 2017 I am enjoying my first Advent with you. The new stars in our belfry tower have brought joy to all of us, and last night s Tim Hembrooke Community Dinner was a great success. We had the last of our neighborhood meetings this past Wednesday. A total of 72 people participated, which I think is fantastic! Each meeting had a different feel and each conversation went in a different direction. We talked about ideas for our spiritual growth through worship and education, hopes for more visibility and witness in the community, ways to offer more care to our elders, and how to reach out to share God s love and work for Reverend Debbie Bennett Reynolds justice. I came away from every meeting energized and grateful to have the opportunity to be your pastor. Of course, we won t act on every idea we discussed, but we are moving forward together. I have felt your energy, creativity, and earnest desire to live faithfully and lovingly. I am experiencing that First Baptist folks are activists who are eager to do good and make a difference and that you are deeply spiritual people who seek to center your lives in the depths of God s Spirit. I feel God s presence as we worship together. It is a privilege to lead you in worship and in working together. As we move through Advent and approach the celebration of Christmas, I pray that we may experience God s loving presence in all we are doing. This time of year is very full - full of expectations and extra events, full of memories of loved ones and hopes for special times with family and friends. In the midst of all of that, I pray that we can know Emmanuel - God with us. We believe in the God who comes to us and lives with us and in us. In Christ, we know God s light and God s love. That is the good news we celebrate! Peace and Blessings to you, Debbie Bennett Reynolds The Giving Tree Project Expands Outreach By Linda Caughey, Sue Hemsath Page 2 The First Baptist Giving Tree Project expanded from helping seven Enfield School children this year to ten. Each child receives six gifts (pants, shirt, socks, hat/mitten, underwear, toy). Forty tags were taken, gifts purchased, wrapped, and returned to be taken to Enfield School. Financial Donations Many thanks also to all the wonderful financial donations made to the Giving Tree, that allowed Sue Hemsath to purchase all 10 gifts of underwear (few want to buy underwear)! And because of the Giving Tree line item in the budget, Sue was able to purchase hats/mittens on sale last winter for this year s children. Hearfelt Appreciation On dropping the gifts off at the school on December 5th, Sonja s comment other than deep appreciation was it is wonderful to be able to count on all of you! This year, 12 moms and three dads also received gifts. While each one was a bit different, the common presents were: hat, scarf and gloves; pens and note pads; holiday dish towel, pot holders and detergent; a holiday mug and candy; warm socks; and personal care items. Gifts were purchased by: Linda N., Amy B., Jud K., Tina H., Judy K., Marlene S., Sylvia B., Barbara F., Lisa K., Ella D., Mariana M., Elizabeth P-M., Lou C., Anne F., Helen F., Helen F., Bill A., Lil B., Sue E., Tony L., Belinda A., Andrea M., Bev S., Amy A./Laura & daughters, Priscilla W., Meg G., Leslie/James S., Liz W., Sara S. Presents ready to be delivered to Enfield School.

3 Dispatch from Sophia Cotraccia in New Zealand Hello FBC Family, New Zealand is a Pacific island nation of 4.7 million inhabitants consisting of two main cultural groups: New Zealanders of European descent; and the Maori, descendants of Polynesian settlers. It is made up of two main islands and numerous smaller ones. Around three-quarters of the population lives on the North Island, which is also home to the capital, Wellington. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What s in my bag? I spent September traveling in Europe, and packed in as much sightseeing as I could in Dublin and Barcelona. My favorite part of Europe so far has been the small Irish city of Galway, where I spent four days exploring and learning about Irish history and culture. I m excited to go back to Europe in the spring! I traveled to New Zealand in October, and settled in with a farming family outside the small village of Havelock North. Currently I m working on the Sophia at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. farm, helping plant groves of native New Zealand trees and starting a vegetable garden. I m learning lots about cattle and sheep, native plants, and life in the beautiful New Zealand countryside. Miss you all, Sophia Goodwill and Holiday Spirit Abound at Dinner The FBC dinner crew included the Aittama-Ward triplets Addy, Bay and Kai in the front. From left to right in the back are Anna Gibson, Mariana Morse, Priscilla Walker, Lou Carlucci, Tina Hilsdorf and Ella Dean. Waiting in line Marge Hansel s gift bags were a big hit with all the children. After dinner all gathered in the sanctuary for gift giving. Baruch Whitehead asked each child his or her name as they came up and then each of the 45 children was given a gift bag. Page 3 Seats quickly filled up at the festively decorated tables as folks proceeded through the buffet line.

4 When God is a Child Refrain: When God is a child there s joy in our song. The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong, and none shall be afraid. 1. Hope is a star that shines in the night, leading us on till the morning is bright. 2. Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth, giving a promise of safety and worth. 3. Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn, telling the world that the Saviour is born. 4. Love is a flame that burns in our heart. Jesus has come and will never depart. Words: Brian A. Wren 1985 Music: Joan Collier Fogg, 1987 Tune: MOON BEAMS Tower shows that over 40 pledges have been received to fund FBC s 2018 programs. Sixty is the goal! Volunteering at First Baptist Church By Priscilla Walker There are so many opportunities to volunteer at First Baptist Church, it is hard to decide where. Questions immediately follow. How much time will it take? How many meetings? Will it require action or deep thought? A car? Questions that can totally lead to inertia unless you have a dear friend at FBC as I have to push the volunteer decision making process along. Priscilla, we need extra hands to make sandwiches for the Rescue Mission and extra volunteers for Area Congregations Together food distribution at the Salvation Army. Can you help? Lunches for the Rescue Mission (RM) How could I say no to my dear friend, Linda Caughey, who knows me well. I m an action person and these two volunteer opportunities suit me. On the first Thursday of each month I bring some food items and meet a fab group of sandwiches makers and we, in short order, create 65 sandwiches. Sandwiches and other ready to eat food - fruit, chips, juices etc, are loaded in Steve Farrell s car and he transports it all to the Rescue Mission on State Street. Steve has done this service every time I ve volunteered. YAH Steve. Last month Steve took Pastor Debbie and me along with him. It was an opportune time since the previous night I had attended the Rescue Mission thank you to volunteers at Coltivare. I had the opportunity to talk with Rich Bennett, Regional Director, Ithaca Rescue Mission (RM) and he extended an invitation to come anytime for a tour at the Rescue Mission. So Steve, Debbie and I received an informational tour about RM services. We were impressed. On Thursday, the 16th, I walked to RM, boarded a Swarthout coach and headed to the Marriott Syracuse Hotel for the 2017 Rescue Mission Alliance HOPE AWARDS. Along with an excellent meal, I saw 50 plus RM recipients receive awards, five of them from Ithaca. These were people who had changed their lives with help from RM getting their own apartments, their Did Jesus Really Exist? A recent article by Brian Bethume in the Canadian magazine MacLean questioned whether Jesus really existed. Bethume cited a study in which 33 students, after visiting a morgue told others what they d seen. Researchers discovered that the more the story was repeated, the more it changed. This lent credence to the belief that Jesus never existed. But, eye witness accounts, though different in some details, do reflect what is observed. We might argue that Jesus said A rather than B, but that does not mean that He didn t exist. Indeed, as Siku Allooloo s article in a recent edition of Utne Reader suggests, the older women in her Page 4 children back, jobs, sobriety. It was amazing. Kitchen Cupboard Friday the 17th I was at the Priscilla Walker Salvation Army dispensing food to the recipients of the Area Congregations Together Kitchen Cupboard food giveaway. Sue Hemsath and I served 16 families and packed around 100 bags of food! The afternoon, while beyond exhausting, was exhilarating and humbling. I saw people at the window who I knew could be me if my life had turned just by a hair. Afterwards we helped bring food to the room: food donated by the Cornell Engineering Department, a drive that occurs each year. Indefatigable Joan Barber, who is 80 years old by this reading, corralled three vehicles along with herself to retrieve the donations. If you have not had the occasion to meet Joan, she is an icon. We first met 21 years ago when I was an FBC employee and chair of ACT. Her drive and commitment has not waivered. Excitedly she told Sue and me that PC FRESH! had donated several hundred pounds of food purchased specifically for the pantry because they liked what is being done there. As I hugged Joan she laid her head on my shoulder in sort of a tired collapse and then straightened to her calling: getting the food on the shelves for the next wave of ones who will be hungry without the help. Salvation Army Bell Ringing Another volunteer opportunity is happening right now - Salvation Army BELL RINGING. Since living in Ithaca, I have been an annual bell ringer most recently at the PC FRESH! because I noticed the volunteers are few and far between and the shoppers give generously. This year I don t have a car. If you want to volunteer for that important effort, there are many openings. FBC could garner volunteers to take a several hour stretch. Just saying. By Dick Fielding tribe retained a deep knowledge of tribal history and customs which helped preserve its identity. Much of the data on Jesus shared with the gospel writers may also have been remembered by the older women in the Christian tribes. What these people shared with the gospel writers may have been inaccurate in some small details, but was correct in stating that Jesus lived, taught, and was crucified. REFERENCE: Bethume, Brian, McLean magazine, Mar-Apr 2016, pp Allooloo, Siku, Living Death, Utne Reader, Fall 2017, pp

5 Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, we have new sidewalks in front of First Baptist. WHAT MAKES A CHURCH A SUCCESS Somxtimxs it sxxms to mx that our church is somxwhat likx my typxwritxr not all thx kxys arx working propxrly. You may say to yoursxlf, Wxll, I am only onx pxrson. I won t makx or brxak thx Church. But it doxs makx a diffxrncx bxcausx to bx xffxctivx nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry pxrson. So, nxxt timx you think you arx only onx pxrson and that your xfforts arx not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, I am a kxy pxrson in thx congrxgation, and I am nxxdxd vxry much. Submitted by Jan Butler ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ For though my faith is not yours and your faith is not mine, if we each are free to light our own flame, together we can banish some of the darkness of the world. RABBI LORD JONATHAN SACKS ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Strategies for Maximizing Your Giving to First Baptist Hello FBC Family, I am aware of several strategies that various members and/or friends of First Baptist use to minimize federal taxes in relation to their contributions to First Baptist. Since it is possible that others may want to take advantage of these techniques, I will describe them briefly here with thanks to Jan Butler, who has been encouraging me to do this for some time now. But, I must preface my remarks by noting that the federal income tax code is quite complex, and it is always best to consult a tax advisor to make sure all the appropriate conditions are met in your particular case. Give Capital Assets One strategy is to give capital assets (usually shares of stock) that have appreciated significantly since you purchased them, and that appreciation would be taxed as a capital gain if you were to realize the gain by selling the shares. If you give the shares directly to the church (I can tell you how to send them to the FBC Vanguard Brokerage Account), and you itemize deductions, you can deduct from your income the current market value of the stock, and you don t have to count as income the capital gains. If you had simply sold the stock, and contributed the proceeds as cash to First Baptist, you could still deduct the amount of the contribution, but you would have to pay tax on the net gain, so contributing the Installation of the Belfry Stars stock directly saves you having to pay tax on the net gain. Give IRA Distributions Another, even more effective way to avoid paying tax on any or all of your contribution to First Baptist is available if you have money in an IRA and have passed the 70 1/2 year threshold requiring you to make a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). According to current IRS regulations, you can transfer up to $100,000. annually directly to First Baptist from a traditional or Roth IRA. The amount you transfer can be deducted from your taxable income (if you itemize deductions), will be counted toward your RMD, and the transferred amount will not be included in your taxable income. Jan Butler can explain how to make the transfer of funds from your IRA to First Baptist to take advantage of this benefit. December 31st Deadline And, a final note with regard to the calendar. Contributions to First Baptist can be counted as having been made in the current year if they have been sent to the church i.e., either put in the collection plate, left in the Church Office, or put in the mail by December 31 (even if the church doesn t deposit them until after the new year). I hope you find these descriptions helpful; I d be happy to try to answer specific questions if you have them. David A. Caughey, Treasurer Steve Farrell next to star. First Baptist Tower Stars: At the November meeting of the worship committee, it was noted that, although First Baptist is beautifully decorated inside each Christmas, there are no outdoor decorations. Stars in the tower were suggested. At the next Cabinet meeting David Caughey decided to take on the project. But first the pigeons had to be evacuated from the tower. David, assisted by Bill Phelan, led that charge in mid November. Then David measured the belfry openings and built the customized stars using LED lights on a timer. Just in time for Advent, he and Steve Farrell climbed up the tower and installed three stars in three of the four belfry openings. Thanks to David, Steve and Bill, we and others can follow the star(s) to First Baptist this season. Page 5

6 Visitor Submissions As we are all called to be ministers, you are each invited to contribute to our Visitor. Please send announcements, articles, features, pictures to: by Jan. 4th for the next issue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please keep in your prayers: Lil Barron Judy Kennison Carol Fleming Alexei Waters Emily Young Nancy Sokol John Gross Naomi Hollister Laurel Lawshae (Jan and Frank Butler s daughter) Joan Yarborough and John Laney Barbara Lister David and Geri s Johnson s son-in-law Frank New members of AWAB: First Baptist Church, McMinn ville OR; and Grant Park Baptist Church, Portland, OR ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, Love mercy and Walk humbly with our God Micah 6:8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Love Gift: During the Dec. 10th Advent service, Millie Clarke-Maynard, far right, and her co-members of the Fraternal Order of the Eastern Star presented FBC with a Love Gift donation for the Kitchen Cupboard from the Eastern Star. She also presented a poinsetta to Baruch Whitehead for his work with the Dorothy Cotton Jubileee Singers. First Baptist Staff Pastor: Rev. Debbie Bennett-Reynolds Secretary: Shella Chace Organist: Christopher Morgan Loy Choir Director: Belinda Adams Youth and Children s Ministries Coordinator: Amy Beigel Childrens and Youth Performing Arts Coordinator: Belinda Adams Nursery Caregiver: Carol Fleming Sunday School Aide: Sarah Zipfel Custodian: David Hopkins Elected Leaders Moderator: Bill Fry Vice Moderator: Judy Kennison Membership Clerk: Tina Hilsdorf Recording Clerks: Rich Barron/Andrea Mooney Treasurer: David Caughey Assistant Treasurer: Andrea Mooney Financial Secretary: Marlene Sack Board of Trustees Rich Barron (chair); Mark Lawrence, Anne Farrell, Steve Hilsdorf, Baruch Whitehead, Marlene Sack, Susan Eymann, Bill Phelan, Jose Zanfordino, David Caughey (ex offico) Church Archivist: Linda Caughey Lay Delegates: Affiliate Organizations Rochester Genesee Region (2 delegates), ABC-USA (2 delegates): Ossie Heath-Crump, Anne Farrell, Debbie Allen, Bronwyn Evans, Mark Lawrence, Rich and Lil Barron ACT: Marge Hansel AWAB: Shella Chace, Josie Zanfordino, Baptist Peace Fellowship: Meg Gillard, Cornell Protestant Cooperative Ministry: Julia Dean, Linda Nicholson, Anne Farrell Kitchen Cupboard: Amanda Ufford, Sue Hemsath Tompkins County Workers Center: Bill Abeles Pastoral Relations/Search Committee Amy Chaffee, Bill Abeles, Judy Kennison, Tim Dean, Steve Farrell, Tina Hilsdorf, Lou Carlucci, (ex officio Johnson) Nominating Committee Leslie Schultz, Andrea Mooney, Louise Mudrak, Susan Eymann, Rich Barron Personnel Committee Tony Lister, Julia Dean, Beth Wolfer Ministry Teams Worship: Barbara Fry, co-chair; Debbie Allen, co-chair; Andrea Mooney, Bill Abeles, Bill Staffeld, Edie Reagan, Amy Chaffee, Susan Eymann Education: Meg Gillard, Carol Flemming, Lou Carlucci, Greta Cotraccia Christian Concern: Steve Farrell, Louise Mudrak, Baruch Whitehead, Lynne Glase, Bill Phelan, Susan Eymann, Tony Lister, Amanda Ufford, Beth & Matt Wolfer, Dana Murray-Cooper, Adrienne McNair Stewardship Committee: Steve and Anne Farrell, Alice Grow, Mark Lawrence, Adrienne McNair, Josie Zanfordino, Janet Cotraccia, Bronwyn Evans, Bill Fry, Rich Barron, Tony Lister Finance & Endowment David Caughey, Marlene Sack, Janet Cotraccia, Judy Kennison, Curt Ufford, Steve Hilsdorf, Bill Fry and Julie Costie Hospitality Ministry: Anne Farrell: chair; Shella Chace, Meg Gillard, Tina Hilsdorf, Adrienne McNair, Andrea Staffeld, Ella Dean and Greta Cotraccia Circle of Care: Coordinators: Amanda Ufford, Sue Hemsath Flower Committee: Barbara Fry, Mariana Morse, Tina Hilsdorf, Andrea Staffeld Parable of Talents: Shella Chace, Marlene Sack DeWitt Park Social Action Coalition and Green Ministry: Josie Zanfordino, Louise Mudrak, Lynn Glase, Adrienne McNair, Mariana Morse, Linda Caughey, Judy Kennison, Marlene Sack, Leslie Schultz, Sarah Zipfeld, Tony Lister, Barbara Pease Facility Planning: Tim Dean, Dan Lamb, Louise Mudrak, Mark Lawrence Myra s Ministry: Myra Fincher Interior Decoration: Barbara Fry, Julie Dean, Tina Hilsdorf, Bill Abeles, Anne Farrell, Andrea Staffeld, Susan Eymann Visitor December 2017 Issue Editor, publisher: Susan Eymann Proof readers: Judy Kennison, Tony Lister Contributors: Debbie Bennett Reynolds, Priscilla Walker, Dick Fielding, Linda & David Caughey, Sue Hemsath, Sophia Cotraccia, Jan Butler, Anne Farrell Photos: Susan Eymann, Tony Lister, David Caughey Page 6