FPCP Emails
Note: Weekly emails (below) came to an end when our in-person worship services were suspended due to COVID-19. However: We are sending E-blasts and e-newsletters with inspiration and information, so please sign up for our E-mails! Not sure if you're on our email list? We can help! Just email 1presbyterian@gmail.com, or call the office at 845-265-3220.
Below you will find copies of FPCP's Weekly Emails that are sent to our email list each Monday. This archive starts with the most recent e-mail and then works backwards to the beginning of the calendar year. Each Weekly Email is a wonderful snapshot of the amazing things happened during our Sunday morning worship services. It also provides church news, moments of grace, prayer, insights, and a little humor now and then. Everyone is welcome to sign up to receive these emails. It's a great way to stay in touch with us!
Below you will find copies of FPCP's Weekly Emails that are sent to our email list each Monday. This archive starts with the most recent e-mail and then works backwards to the beginning of the calendar year. Each Weekly Email is a wonderful snapshot of the amazing things happened during our Sunday morning worship services. It also provides church news, moments of grace, prayer, insights, and a little humor now and then. Everyone is welcome to sign up to receive these emails. It's a great way to stay in touch with us!
Church Notes 3/8/2020
We came together on this second Sunday of Lent and a day the church calls Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday. Globally, this day is celebrated as International Women's Day, a day aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler led off with a big welcome, a recognition of the COVID-19 concerns we share, and a call for announcements (see below). Following the Choir’s Introit, she called us to worship with a responsive reading – “All are welcome here; for you are loved by God and this is God’s house.” We read the Opening Prayer together.
Our Worship Leader today, Bev Taylor, who always says she is nervous at the microphone but comes across as a pro, guided us through the Prayer of Confession – “God, we give you our hearts. They are brimming with doubt and fear, but we give them to you anyway, for you promise to love us as we are…” Bev assured us that we are forgiven, as God sent Jesus Christ to give us the good news of forgiveness. We passed the peace with a prayerful bow, handshake, or hug, based on the level of our coronavirus concerns. And we are all concerned at some level.
The Choir sang a beautiful Bach anthem “Jesu, Be Thou Here Beside Me”. Then Bev read the first scripture reading of Genesis 12:1-4a, where God told Abram to leave his home of Harran, assuring Abram that God would make of him a great nation and favor him in many ways. Abram was 75 years old at the time. The second reading was a familiar Psalm, which we all read together. Psalm 121 is a song of assurance that God will look out for you always. “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler called the many children up for the Youth Sermon. She paraphrased Job (see Bible reference below), saying that he had counseled to ask the animals, the birds, and fish and they will teach you that everything comes from God, as God created all of us. She showed the kids a ruby-throated hummingbird, common in New York, from her Birds of New York book. But she really wanted to illustrate her lesson with the broad-tailed hummingbird, who only nests in Ramsey Canyon, AZ, and goes back to the same nest every year. Hummingbirds feed off flowers, and when they do, they carry a bit of pollen from one flower to the next. This pollination assures that the plants survive and the flowers will come back year after year. Rev. Doris asked the children, what would happen if somebody decided to use Ramsey Canyon for drilling oil or mining coal or another purpose that destroyed the environment, including the nests, the homes of the hummingbirds. Could the hummingbirds survive to do their important work? And what about the flowers? Rev. Dr. Chandler promised the children that for Lent, she would have a “Ask the Animals” story every week.
After the Offering and Prayer of Thanksgiving, the Rev. Dr. Chandler began her adult sermon saying that every year Lent invites us into a wilderness – a metaphor, of course, but one with meaning. During Lent we are asked to consider things we ordinarily push to the back of our minds, and, perhaps, go to those places we do not wish to go. We, as humans, may think we are better than or above other creatures, like hummingbirds, but consider our current situation in facing a worldwide pandemic. Consider the socioeconomic inequities, how our healthcare system in the U.S. is broken, and who is likely to get the care and attention needed with this one disease. “Now is the time to look at the wilderness of our broken institutions in the face. Write a letter. Ask questions about what needs to change to make this better. Doesn’t everyone need easy access to healthcare?” As Micah 6:8 states succinctly, the Lord wants us to “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.” It is not enough to be angry about injustice, God is saying you must act, but with kindness. In closing, Rev. Dr. Chandler gave her wish that Lent draw us into a wilderness where we confront some difficult subjects and that each us emerge from the wilderness ready and able to carry out the work she/he needs to do.
The Eucharist was celebrated today with the same words and passion as always, but with some changes in the Communion procedures. Because of the COVID-19 threat, we will be using tongs to drop the bread into cupped palms and serving the “wine” in individual cups. Both the adults and children were schooled on the new process, and it went quite smoothly. Cups are sanitized for the following week’s communion. Thanks to everyone for making and observing these changes.
We stood in place for the Benediction, as we will continue to do until we learn that the coronavirus threat has ended, and prayed with our pastor. Tom McCoy played Jules Massenet’s always soothing “Elegie”.
Job 12:7-10 New International Version (NIV)
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 3/1/2020
It was the first Sunday of Lent, also known as the Wilderness, and we filed into the pews to the Prelude melody of Sarabande (English Suite in A minor by J.S. Bach). We were immediately in for an education by our impressive Youth Group of Kate Jordan, Roy Smith, Maggie Gordineer, and Jack Gordineer, as they described the Lenten significance of every portion of the Wilderness Vase they prepared to grace our sanctuary, including sand, stones, moss and branches. Rev. Dr. Doris thanked the Youth Group presenters and then welcomed all of us to the service, saying -- as she always does to visitors and new people coming to the church -- that she does not believe you are here by accident. She called for announcements (see below).
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship with a responsive reading and we all read the Opening Prayer together – “Wild God of the wilderness, as we devote these forty days to you, shape us by your Spirit in our wilderness journey. Shape us so that a bigger space is created in our hearts for love to grow.” Cathy Carnevale was the Worship Leader this Sunday and first thanked the soup makers and bread bakers (Diana Geller and Bev Taylor; Ron Sopyla and Susan Jordan), as well as Rev. Dr. Chandler, for the delicious and meaningful Ash Wednesday dinner and service. Cathy then led the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, asking God to “Give us strength to say ‘no’ to that which separates us from you…Guide us out of our self-centered wilderness spaces and into your light.”
Cathy assured us of God’s grace in forgiving us – “God holds nothing against us; hold nothing back from God. We get a fresh start – our slates are wiped clean,” as found in Psalm 32:1-2. For our Passing of the Peace, we were instructed, in light of the current COVID-19 situation, to hold our hands in prayer with a slight bow to one another, rather than our usual handshake or hug. Everyone complied and seemed to enjoy the change.
The choir’s Anthem was Dust and Ashes (David Haas and Brian Wren), accompanied by our talented in-house musicians: Tom/piano, Lynn/flute, Carolyn/cello, and Gareth/clarinet, three of whose smiling faces are below. They played for the entire service!
The Old Testament scriptures were Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7, as well as Psalm 32 read responsively with the congregation. The Genesis story is the one about the tree of good and evil in God’s original garden and the serpent’s prodding of Eve to take its fruit which God has forbidden and share with Adam. The Psalm is an interesting one, as it acknowledges the pain one feels when they don’t admit their sins to God and the peace that comes with opening up – “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Fortunately, there were a lot of kids in the house for Rev. Dr. Chandler’s ounce-of-prevention Youth Sermon. She had the children demonstrate to the congregation how to sneeze into your elbows to prevent airborne contagion from spreading to neighbors. They also spread their fingers and showed us adults how to scrub our hands all over and often for 20 seconds (we had to sing Happy Birthday twice to make sure 20 seconds had transpired). It was a useful lesson as we prepare for the possibility of COVID-19, the new coronavirus that none of us wish to catch.
After the Offering, Rev. Dr. Chandler read Matthew 4:1-11, where Jesus is tested by Satan in the wilderness during Jesus’s 40 days and nights there. She cautioned us not to get too caught up in the scriptures today regarding the origin of good and evil, nor to view Satan as the Devil, but to see this figure in Matthew as Jesus’ adversary or perhaps the adversity that you encounter in your life. Doris asked us to focus on what Jesus actually did in countering this adversary. She also told us some personal stories that brought her to the conclusion that God’s intention is that we love one another. That was Jesus’ message. The worst sin is withholding love from those who need it – from your children, your family, your friends, your neighbors. Our love is demonstrated by our actions. Our actions are what matter. Further, if you encounter injustice or need, do what you can. In closing, she challenged us by saying that we are now in the season of wilderness; this is the time to explore where God is calling you and us to take action.
We sang a new hymn, “Wilderness Gifts Us a Holy Disruption”, and then we were invited to take Communion. As we will celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday in Lent, we will be making a few changes in how Communion is served due to the coronavirus threat.
We stood in the pews for the Benediction – partially to avoid hand holding, but also because we had too many people to come into the aisle, always a good thing! And then, Tom, Carolyn, Lynn, and Gareth gifted us with playing "What Wondrous Love is This" (Fernando Ortega).
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· The bulletin today contained the Ecological Calendar, that Rachel Thompson urged each of us to use as an inspiration for the Lenten season -- especially as the church’s new Green Team is getting organized to make a number of “green” changes in our church to combat climate change. She is also leading the Adult Study at 9 am on Sundays during the Lenten season, which is focusing on the environment. Please join in.
· Daylight Savings Time begins next Sunday, March 8. Turn your clocks ahead one hour and make sure you are on time for church!
· The rehearsals for Easter Pageant start next Sunday and will continue for four weeks with the pageant performed on Palm Sunday. All the youth of the church and any others who are interested are welcomed to join the fun of putting this pageant together!
· A group from the church is going to the Depot Theater next Saturday, March 7, at 7 pm to see the one-woman play by Ivy Omere, “My Story, My Voice”, which has received superlative reviews. Amy Dul has arranged for the church group to receive discounted tickets. Contact Bev Taylor, bevtaylor127@yahoo.com if you wish to go.
· Some of the theatrically inclined youth of this church will be appearing in upcoming plays. The high school play, Fiddler on the Roof, will be playing at Haldane from March 13-15 and the elementary musical, Annie, is in early April.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, February 23, 2020
The Church of the Open Door gathered on the last Sunday in February, in Epiphany, and the last Sunday before entering the season of Lent, to observe Transfiguration Sunday. All were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, and overjoyed to see Pat Guest back in the choir after many weeks under the weather at home! Announcements were shared (see below) to include our Ash Wednesday observance this week, on February 26, beginning with a soup and bread supper at 6:30 and Service of Worship at 7:00 pm. All are welcome!
We were musically welcomed by an original improvisation from Tom McCoy as the Prelude and the choir's introit "Sanctuary". The Pastor led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and we sang "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies". Worship Leader Mona Smith guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace, and the scripture readings from Exodus 24:12-18 and responsively, Psalm 99. The Choir sang "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" for the anthem.
At the Youth Sermon, Silas, James, Matty and Sarah came forward, and Pastor Doris asked Silas to divide a slice of bread for the 4 children to have. He divided it into 4 equal pieces, to which the Pastor taught, "You showed love by being as equal as possible. Think about how you show up in the world and treat people.We show love by our actions". As the children collected quarters and FILLED THE GOAT BANK!!!!! Andrea and Barry received the morning offering.
Rev. Dr. Chandler read the gospel account of the Transfiguration, Jesus on the mountaintop, from Matthew 17:1-9 and began her sermon. She spoke of this being the last Sunday in Epiphany, season of light, and ending it with "a big ole WOW light"! This Wednesday we take a turn from the WOW to the Wilderness as we begin Lent with ashes on our foreheads and the words, "You are dust and to dust you shall return". Doris returned to the WOW and spoke of a danger in this text - that we look for 'mountaintop experiences', we seek to be close to God, and we feel 'less than' if we don't have a grand mountaintop experience. She reminded us that there are transfigurations in the small things as well, that we see the Holy in small moments. Sometimes we take for granted all that is before us, the holiness and preciousness of life. She read a poem by Christian Wiman, entitled "From A Window" :
Incurable and unbelieving
In any truth but the truth of grieving,
I saw a tree inside a tree
Rise kaleidoscopically
As if the leaves had livelier ghosts.
I pressed my face as close
To the pane as I could get
To watch that fitful, fluent spirit
That seemed a single being undefined
Or countless beings of one mind
Haul its strange cohesion
Beyond the limits of my vision
Over the house heavenwards.
Of course I knew those leaves were birds.
Of course that old tree stood
Exactly as it had and would
(But why should it seem fuller now?)
And though a man’s mind might endow
Even a tree with some excess
Of life to which a man seems witness,
That life is not the life of men.
And that is where the joy came in.
A transfiguration moment. Look for those moments in your life. Step outside your comfort zone. See what you can get your mind around that gives you hope and purpose and life. What a ride! Get ready...Lent's coming!
Prayers were shared: of joy and blessing for Christoper and Michelle for their new home; for Mona's sister recovering from a fall; for healing for Peter; for Irwin, a grandfather healing after heart surgery; for Rachel's son Cody on the loss of his job; for the Pastor's companion Cole, with spinal issues; gratitude for Pat's return; and for the larger world, for a vaccine for the coronavirus and for our country and for fair elections. We spoke the words of the Lord's Prayer using the New Zealand Prayer Book version, and sang "Shine, Jesus, Shine". We joined hands for the benediction, charged to "be that transfiguring moment for someone; a love letter in the world". And Tom 'shined' with his postlude, a jazz improvisation of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 2/16/2020
A mid-winter sunny day and our pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, was back in the pulpit after a long trip back from Alabama. She had returned in time to preside at the previous evening’s Jazz Vespers, featuring vocalist Goldee Greene, which was enjoyed by a good crowd. A big thank you to Tom McCoy for organizing, as well as Rev. Dr. Chandler, Goldee, and the musicians who made the evening such a success.
Rev. Dr. Chandler gave us the news that John Golden had passed the previous day and asked for prayers for his wife, Lisa, his children and other family members. She then called for announcements; and, other than a reminder that our church administrator would not be in the office on President’s Day, there were none. One note, however, is that our church, as a body, is trying to become “greener”, out of love for God’s creation. To start, we will be using more china and less single-use plastic and paper products during our after-church socials. Stay tuned for more on this in coming weeks.
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship and led the Opening Prayer saying that we are called to be one with God and God’s creation. As Worship Leader, Susan Jordan guided us in the Prayer of Confession in which we acknowledged that “Our worship of work and devotion to consumerism disorders our love of you and each other.” After Passing the Peace with hugs and handshakes, the choir sang a beautiful rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Love Changes Everything” (lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart, below).
As today’s service was focused on the ordination and installation of church Deacons and Elders, the scripture readings (Deuteronomy 30:15-20, I Corinthians 3:1-9, and Matthew 5:21-37) were read with this focus in mind. In Deuteronomy, Moses is commanding that his people to follow God’s laws, in order to have life and prosper as a people. In Corinthians, Paul is explaining to the Corinthians that God is the one they should follow, not other humans. Even church leaders like Paul are only God’s co-workers. The Matthew reading is a portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is explaining some of the Mosaic laws to clarify further what they mean, including those on adultery, murder, and divorce. Jesus’ teaching internalizes the commandments, saying that it is not only our behaviors that we must consider, but we must also take into account what we are thinking or feeling. All three scriptures emphasize that we as God’s children need to follow what God, and God only, asks us to do. Rev. Dr. Chandler reflected that most of us find it easier to belong to a group than to do the hard work to follow God’s commandments.
We next began the process of ordaining and installing Deacons and Elders. We read from I Corinthians 12:6-7 that “God works through each person in a unique way, but it is God’s purpose that is accomplished. To each is given a gift of the Spirit to be used for the common good.” We ordained Nina Velez as Deacon and Ralph Cottiers as Elder. We installed Jean Duncan as Deacon and Andrea Bach and Mona Smith as Elders. Other Deacons and Elders came forward for a blessing and laying on of hands for the newly ordained and installed church leaders, followed by congratulations and applause!!
We completed the service with Rev. Dr. Chandler delivering the Prayers of the People and the Benediction. Tom played a Postlude of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (written by James Henry Miller, better known as Ewan McColl, in 1957 and recorded by Roberta Flack in 1972, in case anyone was struggling to remember).
LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING
Love, love changes everything
Hands and faces, earth and sky
Love, love changes everything
How you live and how you die
Love, can make the summer fly
Or a night seem like a lifetime
Yes love, love changes everything
Now I tremble at your name
Nothing in the world will ever be the same
Love, love changes everything
Days are longer, words mean more
Love, love changes everything
Pain is deeper than before
Love will turn your world around
And that world will last forever
Yes love, love changes everything
Brings you glory, brings you shame
Nothing in the world will ever be the same
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, February 9, 2020
Those gathered at The Church of the Open Door were warmly welcomed by Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, who quoted Richard Rohr, saying "God comes to us disguised as our life." Rachel called for announcements (see below) which ended with a rousing "Happy Birthday" sung to Rev. David Harkness, and, in absentia, to Dave Llewellyn, both having birthdays this coming week.
The choir introit was "Be Still and Know" followed by the Call to Worship: Let us worship God who has given us EVERYTHING: The moon, the stars, the land, the seas, the life-sustaining bounty of earth, and the joy of human relationship. Let us worship the God who created our earth and called us to be stewards of it. Help us, O God, to be worthy. The theme of stewardship of our world continued in the Opening Prayer, from The Chinook Psalter, the song "Seek Ye First", and the Prayer of Confession adapted from a poem by Wendell Berry: "To the sky, to the wind, to the earth and to all the faithful trees, I confess my sins: that I have not been happy enough, considering my good luck; have listened to too much noise; have been inattentive to wonders; have hasted after praise."
Worship Leader Ron Sopyla guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, readings from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 and, responsively, Isaiah 58:6-11. Ron also shared a delightful and colorful "cranky" mural as the youth sermon, a poem from India, which showed images of the heavens and the earth, and he closed with the statement that "Our world is wonderful and special, as is the presence of all of us in it, and God has given this to us."
Andrea and James received the morning offering while Matty and Silas collected quarters for the goat bank and Tom played "We Are The World". The anthem this morning was a lovely setting of "I Believe", from words discovered on a wall in a prison camp during the holocaust: "I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining... I believe in God, even when God is silent."
Rev. Rachel focused on passages from the prophet Isaiah for her sermon, a book which is cited more than any other Hebrew text, usually for its messages of hope (such as beating swords into plowshares, and the peaceable kingdom) but Isaiah was also called to deliver a message of doom to the powers that be. His sympathies were emphatically with the victimized poor, not with the courtiers and well-to-do.
Illustrating parallels to our society today, Rachel evoked a present-day prophet, who, "like Isaiah, has been called to a big mission; who, like Isaiah, has had a big impact on the culture; who, like Isaiah, is delivering a message of impending doom; and who, like Isaiah, is enraging those who have a vested interest in keeping things as they are." She was speaking of 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, recently named TIME magazine's Person of the Year, who spoke to a gathering of world leaders, saying" You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering, people are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!"
Rachel continued..."Greta Thunberg was doing what she felt called to do and because she knew it was right. She doesn't speak OUT of a religious context, but I believe it's very possible to put her concerns for the planet and its people IN to a religious context. The Bible is woven through with the idea of the sacredness of the earth, and continuing throughout with messages about the need for humans to be good stewards of what they have been given."
She also quoted from Pope Francis and his 2014 document "Laodato Si: On the Care for our Common Home":
The Pope warns, "We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth...The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet's capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes". Pope Francis argues that climate change is not just a political or economic issue, but a moral issue, as it affects all people and God's creation. He calls for personal conversion as well as societal change.
Rachel shared her hope, which she has shared with enthusiastic reception from Rev. Dr. Doris and the Session, that we form a "Green Team" here at FPCP and work with everyone here to make The Church of the Open Door a beacon of hope for the environment. Stay tuned for ways in which all ages can become involved in this new initiative, set to begin during Lent.
In closing Rachel shared,"One of our founding myths is that once upon a time we lived in a garden. We called it Paradise. Because of choices we human have made over the centuries, our garden has become endangered. We are now being called by God to make the choices that will help restore and nurture the sacred garden that we have been given to tend." And she ended with a hopeful verse from Isaiah, chapter 35: "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing." May it be so. Amen. (and applause!)
God comes to us disguised as our lives - in the prayers that we share - we prayed for Pat, for John and Lisa, for medical challenges facing others, for gun violence victims everywhere, for scientists working on challenges such as the corona virus and Alzheimer's, and both gratitude - and prayers - for teenagers! All this was gathered with a prayer from Pope Francis, and The Lord's Prayer.
We had a couple of interesting hymn tune substitutions as we sang "All Beautiful the March of Days" and "God, You Spin the Whirling Planets", and after joining hands for the benediction, Tom shared an improvisation on the tune we know as "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday February 2,2020
525,600 minutes...how do you measure, measure a year? Measure in love! That was the announcement about the Annual Congregational Meeting to review and celebrate the life and work of The Church of the Open Door in 2019, which took place following worship on this, the first Sunday in February, 2020. [02022020 - palindrome day! And Ground Hog Day]
Those gathered were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who then called for announcements (see below), to include her announcement of a return to Alabama today for a medical followup visit. Until her return on February 15, pastoral emergencies will graciously be covered by our Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, who will also be in the pulpit next Sunday, February 9.
"What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God." Those words were on the bulletin cover, used as our Call to Worship, read by Worship Leader Janet Barton, and formed the core of the Sermon for the day. Tom and the choir shared "Be Still and Know" as the Introit and an anthem proclaiming "Savior, hear my humble cry...Do not pass me by", with a rousing gospel piano accompaniment!
During the Youth Sermon, Pastor Doris shared a photo of a "super moon" with the children, explaining that there would be super moons in early March, April, and May. She also advised them to "look up, and remember that God loves you so much that you don't ever have to be in the dark!" As Andrea and Susan received the morning offering and the children collected quarters for the goat bank, Tom (picking up on 525,600 minutes) played "Season of Love" from "Rent" for the offertory.
Rev. Dr. Chandler read the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:1-12, and shared that both the Micah and Matthew scriptures are knocking at the door of a fundamental question - a plea for justice and mercy, and to walk humbly. She spoke about humility, asking, "Do you have a heart that's open and compassionate enough to create a sacred space to hold someone unlike you?" We are called to something different - and we will mourn, as those trying to live out our faith in a way that doesn't match the society in which we live. And if we, as a church, are fearful about the future, remember that the Bible says "Do not fear". I would rather be on God's team than on the world's team. And we will fill up this church coming from a place of love and compassion. Do not fear, Beloved Community, God's got you!
We sang a hymn version of the Prayer of St. Francis and were welcomed to the communion table. As Rev. Dr. Doris and Janet Barton served communion, Tom played "Let Us Break Bread Together" and "Jesus, Remember Me". Following the benediction, in which the congregation once again said together the words of Micah 6:8, Tom played the theme music from the film "Schindler's List" in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day this past week.
The 191st Annual Congregational Meeting began at 11:40 am and was adjourned at 12:30 pm. Elected to terms of office as Elders were Andrea Bach, Ralph Cottiers, and Mona Smith and as Deacons Jean Duncan and Nina Velez. Ordination and Installations will take place during worship on Sunday February 16, 2020. Reports were shared from all committees, with those preparing the reports thanked, and it was a true celebration of the life and work of this church!
The final report was from Church Historian Janet Rust, whose report concluded with a quote from the 70th Anniversary of the church in 1898 by then-Pastor The Rev. Charles W.E. Chapin:
"The elevating spiritual influence of this church has always been recognized. Its history has been uniformly good, and is not yet closed. Its usefulness has not been outlived. God has a good and perhaps a great work for it yet to do."
The Rev. Dr. Chandler closed the meeting with the words: "God's church requires energy and requires love...you love well!" Amen.
Church Notes 1/26/2020
It was a blessedly sunny day, especially as there had been a chance of snow, and Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us into the sanctuary. Announcements were few, but important. Susan Jordan, on behalf of Lynn Brown, the Clerk of Session, gave us public notice that the 191st Annual Congregational Meeting will be held next Sunday, February 2, directly after the service. We will be selecting elders and deacons and approving a budget. The meeting package, containing all committee reports, plus the proposed budget, is available today. Wally passed them out to everyone in the pews. Please read the reports and ask any questions you may have at next week’s meeting. Susan requested that everyone remember to bring the meeting package back with them next week, as only limited copies will be available. Nevertheless, everyone in the church email list should also receive an electronic copy of the report this week. She noted that only church members can vote at the meeting, but everyone interested in the life and future of this church is welcomed to attend.
The choir sang “Be Still and Know” as the Introit, and Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship saying, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light…” She led us in the Opening Prayer, praying to “God, our light and our salvation.” After singing a spirited “Gather Us In”, Ron Sopyla, today’s Worship Leader guided us through the Prayer of Confession where we confessed that that “We have allowed fear to divide us from those who seem different, and let distrust separate us from our brothers and sisters.” We asked God to “[s]hine your light into our darkened hearts.” We were assured of God’s grace and then passed God’s peace with a handshake or a hug to the young and the rest of us.
The choir sang its anthem of the day, “O Praise the Lord, Who Made All Beauty” by Hal H. Hopson. We applauded enthusiastically. As is our custom, following the anthem we sang “We limit not the truth of God, to our poor reach of mind. By notions of our day and sect, crude, partial, and confined. No, let a new and better hope within our hearts be stirred. The Lord hath yet more light and truth to break forth from the word.” Every week this song expresses our hopes in reading the scripture passages that follow.
Ron first read Isaiah 9:1-4, predicting that in the future God “will honor Galilee of the nations” and “on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy”. Ron next turned to our responsive reading of Psalm 27:1, 4-9, beginning with “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”
Rev. Dr. Chandler, kneeling down to the children’s level, asked them to repeat “The Lord is my light” and they did. She continued with “What does light do for us?” “Well,” they answered, “it lets us see!” But she asked more questions: “If light guides your way, how far do you need to see? If this room were dark, how much light would you need to get out of the darkness?” Answer: “You need enough light to take the next step”. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that, not only do we have God’s light, but God’s light is within each of us. Others may try to stifle or put out that light, but we can just turn it right back on, as we need this light to guide us in life and through darkness.
Our Gospel reading was Matthew 4:12-23. This is the story of when Jesus began to preach and to take on disciples. “12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles--
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”[a]
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach…”
Rev. Dr. Chandler gave us a geography lesson for Jesus’ time. She noted that Zebulun, at the southern end of Galilee, means “home” and Naphtali means “struggle” and that Jesus’ Jewish audiences of the time would have known what these names meant. So, when John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus withdrew, but he did not flee. There is wordplay between struggle and home. At some time on your spiritual journey, and Dr. Chandler referred back to hers, did you feel you were “home”? Were you in a place of love, a place you could live, maybe thrive? But what happens then? You have to face struggle within your life, with others, with your faith. Hence, Jesus did go to a place where it is home, but struggle is expected, and he finds disciples who stop what they are doing to follow him.
Matthew, as a book of the Bible, is efficient and economical in language in laying out Jesus’ life for us. Still, it is apparent that Jesus started his ministry with a sense of urgency about it. It is clear that Christ is the light referenced in Isaiah, and this light calls us forward to follow him and to act, just as Jesus did with the disciples. Rev. Dr. Chandler referred to the impeachment hearings this past week and the difficulties that all of us have in understanding how facts and views cannot converge. She exhorted us to follow God’s light in all we do. God expects us to act based on where this light is guiding us to go.
We said our Prayers for the People, Rev. Dr. Chandler praying for us to be the non-judgmental heart, mouth, hands, and feet of compassion as we care for all of God’s creation. We joined hands in the Benediction, acknowledging that God comforts, but also causes us discomfort when there is reason to do so, so we should pay attention.
For the Postlude, Tom rose to tell us a story. He had awakened from a dream in which members of this church were talking about their healing from all sorts of illnesses. He said “It was a beautiful dream!” Being a musician, music came along in the dream and he remembered the melody. He wanted to play it for us and sketch out some more of it for us today. The piece was light, hopeful, and somewhat haunting. It had no name, but, when asked, Tom captured it as a “soundtrack to a dream”. Sounds like a good name to me.
Church Notes 1/19/2020
Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed the “Righteous Remnant” this morning, referring to the intrepid congregation members who braved the snow to come to church. John Lane was one of them, and we were happy to see him back after his serious illness. He stood, saying “Things happen for a reason” but he wanted to thank this “amazingly strong community” who supported, fed, and prayed for him and his family. We applauded his being back in our midst and incredible recovery. He humorously apologized to Tom for missing choir practice and gifted Tom with Peace Pencils which he had intended to give Tom at Christmas. They were perfect for the “peace” theme of this day.
Lynn reminded everyone that two weeks from today, February 2, is the Annual Congregational Meeting to be held directly after the service. We will be selecting elders and deacons and need a quorum, so please plan to stay for the meeting. These are informative and important meetings in the life of this church and are rarely lengthy meetings. In other announcements, Carolyn asked people to sign up to teach Sunday School; and Gareth noted that our new church Administrator, Kate, will be out tomorrow for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but will be in on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
With announcements completed, the choir sang “Be Still and Know That I Am God” as their Introit and Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship, as well as leading us in the Opening Prayer. Lynn Brown was our Worship Leader, honoring MLK by quoting his words as an introduction into the Prayer of Confession. The prayer opened with “Mothering God, we have chased after foolish things… Deliver us from arrogance and forgive our self-concern…” We were assured of God’s grace and passed the peace up and down the aisle.
The choir’s anthem today was, in fact, “Peace” by Dave and Jean Perry, a lovely melody, and we are blessed to have a skilled and talented choir to sing it. Lynn read Isaiah 49:1-7, saying that even while still in the womb, God called saying “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” 4 But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”
Next, the entire congregation read responsively Psalm 40:1-11 – “…Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods…” Following this reading, Rev. Dr. Chandler had a treat for the children by playing the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams and asking them to dance and have fun. The point of this Youth Sermon was that God wants us to be happy. She explained that if you put your trust in God, you will not be disappointed, as you are God’s children and God wants you to be happy.
After the Offering and Offertory Prayer, Rev. Dr. Chandler read John 1:29-42, where John the Baptist testifies about Jesus – “29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.’”
For the sermon, Dr. Chandler began in saying that she did not know of a pastor who did not need a pastor. She harked back to the Isaiah reading where sometimes people feel as though they have spent their life on nothing. When one such pastor felt such weariness, she went to an older pastor who had been in service for 50 years and asked how he kept his spirits up over the years. At every one of her challenging questions, the older pastor provided a wise and “glass half full” response. Rev. Dr. Chandler remembered her own earlier days. “I used to think I could do some big things with the church, but I finally realized it was not my church, but God’s church. God is leading the church. I had to discern what God wished me to do.”
She noted that in the John 1 passage that John the Baptist teaches us where the power resides. He steps down when Jesus steps up. God is running the show and God is in each of us. We are the “lamb of God” who can do God’s work in “taking away the sins and suffering of the world”. Like Martin Luther King, Jr. in his time was God’s mouthpiece in the world -- an orator for equality and justice, so are we as individuals and this church here for a reason. We must work for God’s justice. And, in doing so, we should remember the words of MLK, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler chose for the hand-holding Benediction this day, the words of Pete Seeger who wrote “We Shall Overcome”. She read the words to the song and they were powerful in the reading. We sat back down to hear Tom’s medley of John Lennon’s “Imagine” coupled with “We Shall Overcome” which was transcendent in the playing.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown – Sunday, January 12, 2020
‘The Church of the Open Door’ gathered on the Baptism of the Lord Sunday to Tom McCoy’s prelude of river images setting the tone – a medley of “The Moldau” and ”Shall We Gather By the River”. Pastor Doris Chandler welcomed those gathered and called for announcements. Good news was shared about some of those for whom we have been praying – Joan is home, as is John Lane (spotted at a local café with the family!) and Rose has a great appetite and an exercise bicycle! (more announcements below)
Rev. Dr. Chandler again circulated the star words which she had shared last Sunday for those who may not have received one. She lit the Christ candle, reminding us that “Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it”.
The choir sang the introit “When Jesus Came to Jordan”, and Pastor Doris led the Call to Worship and the Opening Prayer: “God of life and new life, you are splendid and strong! Your voice thunders above the sound of loud waters. You sit enthroned above the floods of life. As Jesus heard you speak to him in his baptism, may we also hear you calling us your beloved…” We shared in the Hymn of Praise, “God is Here!” and Worship Leader Barry Llewellyn guided the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace and the first two readings, from Isaiah 42:1-9 and Psalm 29, read responsively.
During our youth sermon today, Rev. Dr. Chandler held up a picture of teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and we learned that we are never too young to lift up our voices to speak truth and do good! ️
Following her reading of the Gospel passage, Matthew’s account of Jesus’ Baptism, Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of the connecting thread between the lectionary readings today being about “voice”. God gives you and me a voice so that people will take note when we speak on behalf of God. As Maya Angelou has said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you”. What is it that we are passionate about? Get still. Listen Then use your voice, as Greta Thunberg did in her UN address: “You say you love your children above all else and yet you are stealing their future”, referring to the climate crisis. It took her voice, Her passion. May you find the courage to speak up and speak out. May this church continue to have the courage to speak up and speak out. You have a voice in this community. Use it for good.
We shared prayers of joys and concerns for specific people, for those in military service and their families, for the devastation in Australia and Puerto Rico. Hymns were sung, hands joined for the benediction, and a postlude of “Down to the River to Pray”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 1/5/2020
Alleluia! Carolyn was back on cello playing with Tom on piano for the entire service! Rev. Dr. Chandler welcomed us and asked for announcements. Surprisingly there was just one: Annie’s request that people grab the remaining poinsettias and take them home, as no one is at the church to water them. Another announcement raised later was a reminder that ShopRite is in the middle of their “Can Can Sale”, which is the best time to stock up on canned and other goods to donate to the Food Pantry. This is the second and last week of the sale.
Rev. Dr. Chandler noted that today is the 12th day of Christmas and tomorrow, January 6, is the Epiphany. It is a time to celebrate, so Reverend Chandler asked us to sit still and accept an epiphany “star gift”. She had cut out stars, put one word on each, and placed them in a plate. She directed us to hold the plate above our heads and put our hand in to take a star. They had words such as “Courage”, “Persistence”, “Judgement”. Each of us should put our star in a place where we can see it daily and give some thought as to why that particular star happened to find its way into our hands. Does it have a special meaning for you? Of course, you are free to toss the star in the trash or do anything you might wish with it, but be intentional about whatever you do, as we may talk about our stars at a later date.
We were called to worship and shared an Opening Prayer. Bev Taylor came to the pulpit and explained how nervous she becomes when she is the Worship Leader, a fear that she might stumble over words. Maybe a number of us feel that way. She said, “I guess the more I do it, the less nervous I’ll be.” The Prayer of Confession acknowledged that God has now come into the world and yet we do not recognize God with us. “Forgive our lack of insight and open our eyes to see you here and now, that we may receive your grace.”
After the Passing of the Peace, the choir sang the traditional English carol “Bye Bye Lully Lulay”. This is often called the Coventry Carol as in the original 16th c. Coventry nativity play, this carol was sung by women of Bethlehem with their children in arms, immediately after Joseph is warned by an angel to take his family and flee into Egypt. The Responsive Reading, read by all, was Psalm 147:12-20, a song giving praise to the Lord.
Rev. Dr. Chandler then called James Llewelyn up to the front as he, post-Christmas pageant, happened to be the only “youth” available for the Youth Sermon. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the game Rev. Chandler had for him. With three small pyramids and one marble, she demonstrated the shell game by moving the hollow pyramids around, asking James which one hid the marble. He watched closely, fascinated, but each time guessed the wrong one. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that unlike this game, God doesn’t make you guess where God is. God is in each and every one of us.
James collected quarters for goats. Following the Offering, we prayed together, “Gathering God, you bring us together from many backgrounds and conditions to be in this church” and asked God to use our offerings to use them for good purpose.
The Scripture Lesson was from John 1:1-9 and 10-18, where the Word became flesh. This passage begins with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It progresses to “9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him…12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Rev. Dr. Chandler took us back to the Old Testament beginning where God gave Adam and Eve a beautiful garden, but they wanted more. God took his people to the Promised Land, but that was not enough. A string of prophets was sent by God, but again, it was not enough. So, God became flesh to dwell among us. Pastor Doris reflected on her youth, where she was dunked in a creek to be baptized, and listened to fire and brimstone sermons that did not make sense to her. She cited her religious progression to the present day and her strong beliefs that God is love and that God loves each and every one of us. She emphasized that nothing can separate us from God, from God’s love. God made Jesus flesh to show us God’s love and that God is in each of us. The Word became flesh. We should love ourselves and look at others recognizing that God is within them, as well. Wherever and whatever they are on their surface, God is in them.
Rev. Dr. Chandler invited us to the table to join in the Eucharist. After Communion we said our prayers for family, friends, and others who need God’s blessings at this time. We sang our last hymn, “Joy to the World”, and listened to Rev. Dr. Chandler’s Benediction as she recited “The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman (see below).
Finally, we were blessed with Carolyn Llewellyn’s choice of a Postlude – “Some Children See Him”, composed by Alfred Burt in 1951 and played by both Carolyn and Tom. Alfred Burt (1920 – 1954) was an American jazz musician who for 12 years sent an annual Christmas carol to an old family friend as a holiday gift and this was the one for 1951. Quite a gift!
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers [and sisters],
To make music in the heart.
Howard Thurman
Below is a link with information from the FTC regarding gift card scams like the one some received via email recently:
Worshipers targeted by gift card scam | FTC Consumer Information
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/worshipers-targeted-gift-card-scam
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday December 29, 2019
As "The Church of the Open Door" gathered on the First Sunday after Christmas (which, by the way was the usual FPCP musical extravaganza, complemented by candlelight, readings, and extra chairs in the aisles to accommodate the crowd!), also the Last Sunday of the month, the year, and the decade, the Pastor's words of welcome were: "You never know what a day will bring!" Somehow, the heat had been turned off in the sanctuary, and so our always resourceful Deacons took charge and quickly transformed the social hall into worship space, with rows of folding chairs and hymnals and bibles brought out from the sanctuary! Tom McCoy at the piano and Carolyn Llewellyn on the cello played a medley of carols for the prelude, and together they provided all of the service music.
The Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, followed by the first of several opportunities in the service for "by request" Christmas Hymns. Worship Leader Gareth Guest guided the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and read the first two scriptures, from Isaiah 63:7-9 and Hebrews 2:10-18. Elaine and James received the morning offering, and Doris read the gospel from Matthew 2:13-23.
In a very creative and contemplative worship experience, Rev. Dr. Chandler offered a time for silent meditation and reflection following each of the 3 readings. The Isaiah passage was about the goodness of God, and the reflection questions included "How has the goodness of God come to you in 2019?" The Hebrews scripture was about suffering and being tested, and the question was "How have you been tested in 2019?" In the Matthew passage, God comes to Joseph twice in a dream, as an angel, first to tell him to take Mary and the baby and flee to Egypt, and a second time to return to Israel when it was safe to do so. We reflected on how God comes to us and asked "How open are you to discerning God's will for your life?"
We shared a time of prayer, raising concerns which included Karen and family, Pat, Joan, Maude, Carolyn's Dad Rich, Amy's Dad, Kathy's aunt Theresa, John Lane and family, Barry's sister Shirley, Lynn Brown and family on the sudden loss of Norm's sister Barbara, for families separated, and for instances of violence around the globe.
The Benediction was shared from Jan Richardson's "Blessing that Meets You in Love" which closes with these words:
"...today this blessing has come to tell you the secret that sends it to your door: that it gives itself only to those willing to come alive; that it vows itself only to those ready to be born anew."
And, in closing, Doris shared a musical recording of the song, "The Music of Christmas" by Steven Curtis Chapman: "So listen, listen with your heart and you will hear a song in the laughter of a child. Oh won't you listen for the sound of hope, and you will hear the music of Christmas, for the music of Christmas is love; Oh it's love." Amen.
May the New Year bring blessings upon blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love, to you and yours.
Church Notes 12/22/2019
Lynn on flute and Tom on piano played “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” as we filed into our pews. Rev. Dr. Chandler welcomed us and called for announcements (some next, some below). We heard the good news that John Lane, who recently suffered a cardiac arrest, can now wiggle his toes and move his face muscles (later in the day we learned that his “tube is out and he is able to communicate”). We also heard from Marilyn that her sister, Joan Crouch, is “looking good” after her pelvic fracture and surgery. Joan thanked everyone for the calls, visits, and cards. She is still at Wingate@Dutchess, Room 227, phone 202-5310. We are also happy that Pat Guest is back in the choir today after being sick for a while.
Bev Taylor thanked everyone for baking and buying at last Sunday’s bake sale after the pageant. As a result of everyone’s efforts, she was able to put $533 into the Community Nursery School scholarship fund. Carolyn voiced her appreciation for everyone who participated in the Christmas pageant last week. It was such a success! Rev. Dr. Chandler could not help but add her admiration for Mona with the enormous cue cards, the cast, the costumes, and Ron’s storytelling with the “crankie”. She said, “I will never look at a tabby with an ‘M’ on its forehead without thinking of that story.”
We also sang a rousing Happy Birthday to Brooke, 9, and Nicholas Taylor, 4, who share the same birthday.
Jen and Maggie Gordineer then lit the fourth candle of Advent, the candle of “love”, signifying God’s love in sending Christ to live among us. The choir followed with the introit, “Like a Child, Jesus Comes”. Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship and together we all read the Opening Prayer. Gareth Guest, as Worship Leader, introduced the Prayer of Confession, saying “May Christmas bring us peace, love, gratitude, and the highest expectations.” The prayer focused first on the “welfare of your [God’s] creation”, confessing that we are “trampling on the creatures and plants you have made, taking from the Earth what we cannot give back”. We were assured of God’s grace and Passed the Peace to our neighbors, friends, children, and visitors. The choir sang the hymn “Star Child”, which places adjectives before the word “child” -- e.g. lost, hurt, used, sad, wise, hope for peace, grown -- to include all God’s children.
Roy Smith then came to the pulpit to read Isaiah 7:10-16, where Isaiah tell Ahaz that the Lord will give him a sign which is a virgin giving birth to a son who will be named Immanuel and the land of the two kings that Ahaz is afraid of will be laid to waste (more on this story in the sermon). Next Gareth Guest led the responsive reading of Psalm 80:1-7 and 17-19, ending with –"Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. 18 Then we will not turn away from you;
revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”
For the Youth Sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler described the four Advent candles to the children in a way so they could remember them by using the sentence “The love of God grounds us in hope and therefore we can have peace and joy.” James asked about the middle candle and Rev. Doris explained that this is the Christ candle that we will light on Christmas Eve. As always, she concluded with “Go in peace, precious children of God”.
Elaine Llewellyn came to the pulpit to share Matthew 1:18-25, the story of Joseph, engaged to Mary. Joseph learns that she is pregnant, but not by him, and wishing to stay faithful to the law, he plans to break the engagement, but quietly. Then the angel of the Lord comes to him and tells him that his to-be son was conceived of the Holy Spirit. This son should be named Immanuel, “God with us”, as he will save people from their sins. Joseph believes and weds Mary.
For the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler provided some backdrop to the Isaiah story. Ahaz is quaking in his sandals because the kings of the two nations that he fears are demanding that he join their coalition. The prophet comes to Ahaz in Isaiah 7, telling Ahaz to stand firm in his faith. He is saying that Ahaz has a choice: he can put his trust in God or trust in human force. The prophet provides the added information that God is sending a child who will change the world and the two kings Ahaz is worried about will no longer prevail. Then, Rev. Dr. Chandler shifted her focus to Joseph and the Matthew story.
Joseph was already spiritually attuned to God and was trying to be faithful to God’s law, but kind to Mary as well. When the angel appears to him and explains that Mary has been honored to carry God’s son, the story does not say that Joseph argued or questioned, but, as a man of faith, Joseph carried out God’s will. Rev. Dr. Chandler asked us how we show up in situations before us when God’s will is clear? She related her own experience, talking about her time in seminary when she did not have the money to continue. Somehow, by bits and pieces, money appeared. God provided. All the stories told to us today on this 4th Sunday of Advent illustrate the tug between man’s reasoning and God’s will and, that where tough choices are before us, it is best to put our trust and future in God’s hands.
We said our Prayers for the People, and there were many. Rev. Dr. Chandler then offered a series of prayers, to which we responded “Hear our prayer.” We sang “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” and then held hands in Benediction. We sat back down as Tom played his Postlude – “Ave Maria” by Jacques Arcadelt, 1507-1568 -- first with the simple melody and then with Tom’s fulsome flourishes. Applause.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, December 15, 2019
What an exciting weekend at The Church of the Open Door!
On Saturday evening,our annual Jazz Nativity featured Director of Music Tom McCoy and guest jazz musicians vocalist Marty Elkins, Drummer Mike LaRocco, Bassist Lew Scott and Dale De Marco on saxes, clarinet, and flute. Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler led the service,complete with advent wreath lighting, and individual candles lit as those gathered sang "Silent Night". The Jazz Vesper committee put on its always wonderful wine & cheese reception with special Christmas goodies!
Then came Sunday morning, the day of the Sunday School's Christmas Pageant! There was great energy in the air as Directors Mona Smith and Ron Sopyla herded the children into the Sunday School room for their final preparations!
Meanwhile, in the sanctuary... the Third Sunday of Advent worship began with Tom's prelude of "O Come, Little Children", a warm welcome from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below) and Carolyn distributed bells to all present for ringing on cue in the pageant. The choir sang an introit, from the Advent hymn "O Lord,How Shall we Meet You?" and the Advent Wreath was lit by Michele and Bernadette. Pastor Doris led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and we sang the Hymn of Praise, "Prepare the Way".
Worship Leader Gareth Guest guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assured us of Grace, led the Passing of the Peace, read from Isaiah 35:1-10, and asked us to read in unison the 'Song of Mary' (or, the Magnificat) from Luke 1:46b-55. The choir shared a message to "Sing for Joy, this Festive Day!" as the Anthem. Andrea and Ralph received the morning offering as the children gathered quarters for the goat bank. Pastor Doris read from the Gospel of Matthew 11:2-11, about John the Baptist, and then the pageant began!
The narrator, Roy, came in along with James, decked out as a shepherd with sunglasses! Tom played "Star Wars", James brandished a light saber, and Roy exclaimed: "Wait, that's not OUR theme music!" The first part of the pageant was a drama of the nativity, with audience participation guided by Mona's cue cards, as the shepherds ("Yo, sheep!"). sheep ("BAA!"), Angels (ringing bells), Mary, Joseph, Camels and Kings all made their way to the manger. Part 2 was a collection of Christmas legends from around the world, related by storyteller Ron Sopyla, and illustrated with a 'crankie' scroll of pictures colored by the Sunday School children. The wonderful stories of How the Tabby Cat Got its "M" (Middle East), The Legend of the Poinsettia (Mexico); The Christmas Spider (Ukraine) and the Legend of Saint Nicholas (Turkey) captivated the congregation and we were truly blessed by all that was shared this morning!
Prayers were voiced for Joan Crouch, hospitalized and recovering from a fall and a broken hip; for Rich Segermark, for Pat, Betsy, retired sisters dealing with respiratory distress, the families of those lost in Sandy Hook 7 years ago, and for an end to gun violence. The service closed with the hymn "The Trees of the Field" clap their hands, and so did those gathered!
Emerging from the sanctuary, there was such a festive decorated social hall (thanks to Bev Taylor), and thanks to many who contributed items, a bake sale to benefit our church's scholarship fund to assist needy local children attending our Community Nursery School.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
This was second Sunday since Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler has returned to Cold Spring from her surgical recuperation in Alabama. We are glad she is home with us once again. She welcomed us all to our warm sanctuary on this icy cold day and called for announcements (many, see below). Pete and Sally Smith lit the Peace candle on our Advent wreath, saying “Believing that truth will prevail and justice be done for all people, we light this candle as a sign of peace.” We were called to worship and together read the Opening Prayer from Isaiah 11:10.
Along with the day’s Worship Leader, Bev Taylor, we prayed our Prayer of Confession and were assured of God’s grace, before Passing the Peace in the aisles with our friends, neighbors, and visitors. The choir sang a special rendition of Dona Nobis Pacem to the tune of “Pachelbel’s Canon” (Johann Pachelbel). Bev then read Isaiah 11:1-10, which is the well-known scripture passage predicting the coming of Christ and the peace that will come with him – The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together; and a little child will lead them.7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” The second scripture passage, all reading together, was Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, starting with “Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.”
As the children were all off practicing for the Christmas Pageant, Rev. Dr. Chandler asked the adults who had quarters to come to the front and experience the joy the children regularly have in dropping the coins into the tubes to buy goats for families in Africa. And come they did, while the Offering was also being taken in the pews. The Offertory Prayer thanked God for “all good things” including the “Earth itself, for creatures and plants, for water and food, for light and darkness; for Jesus, our brother, who enlarged our vision, …”
Rev. Dr. Chandler read the Gospel Reading of Matthew 3:1-12, another well-known passage where John the Baptist foretells Jesus’ coming -- 11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.” Doris stated that “there is no justice without peace and no peace without justice”, reflecting on our lighting of the candle of peace today. We can wait for peace to come, but wherever injustice resides there is no time to sit. She talked about all the time she had to sit during her recuperation, when she watched the news on TV, noting several horrific stories, including the abduction of Aniah Blanchard. Witnesses saw her being forced into a car, but did not report it nor follow the car. Rev. Doris asked us all, “how will you show up when you see injustice taking place?”
She continued with other stories, including the regeneration of a broken African Violet leaf that grew into a thriving plant. And then she congratulated the Haldane School for taking on the Laramie Project as its high school play. The story of a young gay student, Matt Shepard, in Wyoming who was brutalized and left to die on a prairie fence. At the sentencing of Aaron McKinney, the convicted killer, the father of Matt, made a statement, parts of which Rev. Chandler quoted. The father, Dennis Shepard had brokered with the courts, life sentences for his son’s killer, rather than a death penalty. Dennis said, "Mr. McKinney, I give you life in the memory of one who no longer lives.” He said, “I too believe in the death penalty. I would like nothing better than to see you die, Mr. McKinney. However, this is the time to begin the healing process. To show mercy to someone who refused to show any mercy.” In reflecting on his son’s death alone in the Wyoming prairie, he took some solace that his son was not really alone. In his final night, his son was in the company of "lifelong friends": the night sky, "the smell of Wyoming sagebrush," the "ever-present Wyoming wind" and God.
Rev. Dr. Chandler concluded her remarks considering that the human heart needs to be stretched. You can pray to God that you will never be alone, as you never will, but also ask God to clean you up some more, to make you more like God. That’s what Advent, the coming, is telling you to do. In the words of Elijah Cummings, “We are better than that.”
We said our Prayer of the People and The Lord’s Prayer, sang “O Day of Peace”, and joined hands in Benediction. Then we sat down to enjoy the Postlude, an inspired Tom-medley of “Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming" and “I Saw Three Ships on Christmas Day”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 11/24/2019
Reverend David Harkness came to the pulpit saying, “The Lord be with you”. We responded, “And also with you.” On this dismal, raw, rainy day, and looking over the congregation, Rev. Harkness playfully commented, “You are the ones who REALLY want to be here!” And then, “You get extra credit for this, just so you know!” He stated that today is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year. Next Sunday, the beginning of Advent, is the first Sunday of the church year, and Rev. Dr. Chandler will be back among us. Rev. Harkness asked that we pray for her safe travels after her long time away, and then he called for announcements (see below).
The Call to Worship was from Psalm 105, “let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.” After the Opening Prayer, we sang “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”, and then Worship Leader Lynn Brown led us in the Prayer of Confession, saying – “Loving God, …you know my secret obsessions and unfair comparisons; my alarming ability to overlook and excuse my faults and prejudices. In your clear and piercing light, expose and forgive me…” We were assured of God’s grace and Passed the Peace with a handshake or a hug.
Lynn gave us an update on the Stewardship Campaign, mentioning that Diana Geller had also hoped to be part of this Dedication of the Pledges, but her son CJ is home on leave from submarine duty in Japan for a short while, so the family is enjoying time in the city. Lynn said that the pledges, to date, total about 75% of our goal and she expects that more will come in today or the near future. She offered a dedication prayer for the continued health of our church that “fills our cup” every week.
The choir gave an exquisite rendition of “Let All Things Now Living”, in honor of our upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
Lynn read Jeremiah 23:1-6 foretelling the arrival of a “King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.” Lynn then asked us all to read together Colossians 1:11-20. This passage deals with the Jesus as the son of the invisible God – “19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
As the kids were in pageant rehearsal, Rev. Harkness, decided the adults might appreciate his Youth Sermon. He recounted how George Washington first came up with a national day of thanks, our Thanksgiving, that fell into some disfavor during the Civil War, but Lincoln had wanted to bring it back once we were a nation again. Rev. Harkness said that people generally are not very good at expressing thanks, but are impressively capable of criticizing. Noting that his audience for this little sermon was intended to be children, he, nevertheless, posed the possibility that we may wish to flip the one day of thanks to 364 days of thanksgiving and one day when we can offer criticisms of what we choose. Maybe this was a good lesson whatever our age.
Rev. Harkness began his adult sermon with the Gospel reading, Luke 23:32-43, where Jesus is crucified with the two criminals while guards are casting lots for his clothing. Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Rev. Harkness, to give perspective, explained that in being crucified, a person is suffocating slowly and can barely breathe. So, anything that can be uttered will be short and likely important to expend the effort. He also commented that although the guards mocked Jesus as “King of the Jews”, Jesus himself never called himself “King” but “the Son of Man”. In fact, Jesus withdrew from the title of “King” whenever it was bestowed upon him.
Jesus clearly felt it was important to provide this sweeping declaration of forgiveness when he was on the cross. Why? Did those who judged Jesus truly not know what they were doing? The Romans had the finest legal system of the day and the religious scholars were present and yet this was the justice meted out. One of the criminals crucified with Jesus even says Jesus is being crucified for committing no crime. What is Jesus saying by forgiving?
Rev. Harkness reflected on a Kenneth Bailey reading, posing that the act of forgiveness helps in the struggle for justice. Sir Laurens van der Post noted that people who had not suffered in the Holocaust had a harder time forgiving that those who had actually suffered at the hands of the Nazis. Those who had imagined suffering and grievance were angrier and less able to forgive. Rev. Harkness spoke of some young Jewish boys, who after visiting the Holocaust sites felt strongly about the phrase “Never Again”, but that phrase can beget more violence, whereas, forgiveness does not. Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address as the war was ending, began his speech with “With malice toward none, with charity for all, …” to set the nation on the path toward binding its wounds and establishing a foundation for enduring peace. Such an act of forgiveness, as Jesus’ act on the cross, provides a basis to move forward with love, toward justice, toward peace. Rev. Harkness said, “Let us reflect on the forgiving we need to do.”
As directed by Rev. Harkness, the Prayers of the People today focused on giving thanks, as one-by-one, people spoke of what they were thankful for. There was quite a lot! Rev. Harkness expressed his appreciation for this outpouring and noted that many of us are also praying silently for people who are sick or in need, so he prayed for our gladness and sadness. We sang “Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart” and gathered in the aisle for the Benediction.
For the Postlude, and in honor of Christ the King Sunday, Tom played with passion and zest the spiritual “He is King of Kings. He is Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ the first and last. Nobody works like him”.
Happy Thanksgiving to All!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
November 17, 2019
Rev. Joe Gilmore welcomed those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" with these words: "If you want to you, can open your heart here, you can open your mind here, you can breathe deeply here...we can be unabashedly spiritual here; we can let our souls out to play!"
There were announcements (see below), to include Elder Gareth Guest informing the congregation that our Office Administrator of 13 years, Christine Lawrence, has resigned, effective December 12. She and her husband Ira have just closed on a house in Florida, and while we will miss her professional and devoted work as the one who keeps all of the wheels in motion, and balls in the air, we wish them all the best in their new adventure! And we sang Happy Birthday to Susan Jordan!
The choir sang an introit "This is my Prayer" (to the tune of Finlandia),and Joe led the call to worship and the opening prayer, "...As this day unfolds, let us walk gently on the earth, grateful and glad. Before evening comes, let us say "Thank you" at least once - for there is beauty and grace in every direction. If we only knew. Amen." And we sang "Now Thank We All Our God".
Worship Leader Annie Becker guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace, read from the Gospel of Luke (18:1-7a, about the persistent widow), and led the unison reading of Psalm 8:1-4.
Speaking for the Stewardship Team, Lynn Brown gave the update that coming into this morning's service, there were 8 pledges totaling $25,000, or 25% of that which would match last year's totals. [UPDATE: following the service, pledges turned in were tallied, now at 25 pledges of $65,000 - or approx. 60%] Pledges will be dedicated next Sunday, November 24, so please return yours via email, postal mail or bring it to church next week. (An estimate of giving form is attached) She reminded us that giving is a response of gratitude to the way our "cups are filled" by being a part of this church family. The choir echoing the sentiment with "God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending".
Carolyn Llewellyn gave a youth sermon on the topic of "stories", preparing the children to begin work today on this year's Christmas Pageant! [Sunday December 15] The children collected quarters as the offering was received and Tom played "Fill My Cup, Let it Overflow"!
Rev. Joe read another passage from Luke (11:5-8), about a persistent friend asking a neighbor for bread to feed an unexpected guest. The sermon began with the story of John Borling, an American military officer who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, where he was beaten, tortured and humiliated, in efforts to break his human spirit. He became a poet in prison, tapping out poems on the walls of his cell with a numerical coding system for the letters. His poems were committed to memory over 6-1/2 years, recited in tapping, in coughing, in beating out the code with a broom [and 40 years later published in his book "Taps on the Walls: Poems from the Hanoi Hilton"]. Writer Bill Keller quotes Borling: "Life is made up of all kinds of approximations. You do the best you can under the circumstances." and Keller muses, 'Sometimes the best you can do is extraordinary, even heroic, but more often you are lucky if it is barely enough. It seems to me that Borling's life is a tribute to the underrated virtue of perseverance".
In further examining the persistence of the widow and the friend in the parables, and relating to Borling's story, Joe suggests that, in seeking the sacred, perseverance is what you need... tapping on the wall regardless. All of the world's spiritualities and impulses are versions of 'tapping', and in tapping on the wall, not all of the tapping is coming from our side of the wall. Example, someone you love dies. Grief is tapping on a wall named 'why?' What if the realization that the love you shared does not die, is a tapping from the other side? Looking with wonder at a night sky, perhaps being afraid of falling into the stars - what if this is tapping from the other side of the wall? In our lives and losses, tapping on our side of the wall, we encounter the mysterious moving, tapping from the other side.Amen. We sang "Kum By Yah" to a rousing rhythmic accompaniment from Tom, and there was much tapping of hymnals and pews as we sang!
We shared in prayers and the ancient prayer, The Lord's Prayer. The closing hymn was a setting of Psalm 23, "The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want". We joined hands for the benediction and then listened to Tom's medley of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" and "Simple Gifts".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Reverend Rachel Thompson was in the pulpit on this chilly but sunny morning. Announcements consisted of thanks to Mona for another beautiful newsletter for November-December. We also thanked Tom McCoy and Ron Sopyla for the amazing Jazz Vespers the previous evening. Ron performed a story that mesmerized the audience and the music was over-the-top. While we do have a number of community Jazz Vesper regulars that always attend, Tom encouraged more members of the congregation to see how inspirational these services can be! Bev Taylor also reminded all of us that the Lunch Bunch will gather at the Foundry Café at 12:30 PM on Tuesday, November 12, to enjoy food and conversation. Everyone is welcomed.
The Choir sang “Be Still My Soul” as its introit and Rev. Thompson called us to worship using Langston Hughes’ “My People” for its inspiration and ending with “Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people. Let us worship the God who created all the people of earth.” She led us in the Opening Prayer, praying to a loving God that “…you give us the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to feel…what it is like to live a life different from our own…”
Barry Llewellyn as Worship Leader then guided us through the Prayer of Confession explaining that God’s complex world sometimes causes us to “lose sight of what’s important to our souls”. Barry assured us that “the generosity of God is boundless…If we can truly open our hearts to the teachings of Jesus and the eternal love of God, we will know that all is well and all is forgiven.”
We Passed the Peace with joy and love. Diana Geller stood to remind us that we are in the middle of Stewardship season and should consider how our church “fills our cup” providing meaning and fulfillment in our lives. She said that in the first week, we are already over $13,000 in pledges. If anyone needs a pledge slip, please see her or Lynn Brown.
As Monday is Veteran’s Day, the choir sang “The American Veteran’s Hymn”, brought to Tom’s attention by choir member, Ralph Cottiers. Barry read Luke 19:1-10, the story of the tax collector, Zacchaeus, who Jesus befriended, despite criticism that he was mingling with a sinner. Zacchaeus decided to give up half his fortune to the poor and Jesus declared Zacchaeus’ salvation. Barry next had the congregation read Psalm 17:1-9, a prayer of David, asking God to --“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.”
For the Youth Sermon, Ron Sopyla had a special treat – introducing the children to a “crankie”, a box he had made with a scroll in it that told a story in black and white with silhouetted figures and words. Ron, the storyteller, explained to the children that both Mona Smith and he were going to have the children prepare similar scrolls for the Christmas Pageant, so they should pay attention today. Then, Ron began cranking through today’s scroll while telling a story about a man who thought he was the bravest and strongest. The only thing he was afraid of was a mouse. The mouse also felt he was very brave and strong, but was afraid of cats. The cat also considered himself quite strong and brave, but was so afraid of dogs. The dog, while viewing himself as strong and brave, was so afraid of his owner, a human. In the end, a voice calls out “You’re all okay. You’re all beloved.” And then all the creatures come and lie down together and find that they can live together in peace and love. Ron explained that however you or others see you, God loves you just the way you are.
Rachel returned to the Gospels, Romans 13:8-10, to start off her sermon. This scripture says that whatever all the commandments say, they are all summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.” At the beginning of today’s service, Rachel had asked each of us to think of 10 words to describe ourselves. Now she asked if any of us included the word “white” in our list? Most people in the US who are white don’t think of this as an important descriptor. Rachel told a story about a relative whose friend had accidentally bumped an African American with her purse and the woman lashed out saying “You white girls just think you can push all people around.” The friend had apologized, but Rachel’s relative was offended and asked the complainant, “Why do you have to get all racial about it?” And why did she? Perhaps it is hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
Next, Rachel related a story about her and her husband’s many years in volunteering at Sing Sing prison. Their church volunteers were white, while 95% of the prison is non-white. One year, the church and prisoner leadership decided to do a joint syllabus for the next semester and were very enthusiastic about the concept. However, one of the prisoner leaders wanted to spend the entire semester lecturing the church people on racism, which did not appear to be joint decision and resulted in arguments that spiraled down a rabbit hole with angst on both sides. The whites were feeling -- why do we have to focus on skin color? We are tired of it. In the end, the whites rejected the racism focus and did what the whites wanted to do.
Rachel mentioned that when Obama came into the White House, many whites were hoping – Whew! Now we finally can focus on a post-racism world. But we found out that was not the case…not by any means. Racism came out of the shadows and has more recently has increasingly demonstrated its malicious scope and range.
Rachel brought up another and her last example of injustice -- this time in the country’s educational system, which, as we all know, is primarily supported through property taxes. The poor neighborhoods have poor schools and the wealthy have better. Rachel asked, “Is that loving your neighbor?”
Throughout the sermon, Rev. Thompson’s illustrations were punctuated and reinforced with scripture – the many Biblical references to loving your neighbor: James 2:8, Galatians 5:13, Matthew 22:36, Luke 5:43, Leviticus 19:18, and Matthew 19:19. We have so much evidence that God does not want racism to exist, but wants us to love one another.
Rev. Thompson said she knew that sermons are supposed to end with “good news” and so she tried. “Although there is much to atone for…”, she said, we have also made “progress in righting some of the blatant social injustices that have been a part of the fabric of this country.” She mentioned personal relationships, like Joe and his friend, Shakin at Sing Sing, who were so close that they referred to themselves as “twins separated at birth.” And she said, “Aren’t we all, under the skin, twins separated at birth? Aren’t the qualities that bind us as humans so much greater than the details that separate us? Are we not, in fact, all neighbors?”
On the Cover of the Bulletin:
Late Fragment
And did you get what
You wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
Beloved on the earth.
--- Raymond Carver
Dial it down. Moving your thermostat down just two degrees in winter and up two degrees in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Church Notes 11/3/2019
Lynn Brown was in the pulpit, happy with the extra hour’s sleep last night and welcoming Marilyn Schlosser back after her brief stay in the hospital. She said that John Cimino is home recuperating from his recent heart surgery (address: 88 Hardscrabble Road, Chester, NY 10919) and that Rachel Thompson is still in California taking care of her sister. Gareth gave us the great news that our Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler will be back in the pulpit on December 1, after her surgery rehab in Alabama puts her solidly back on her feet for the holidays and Advent services. We also have the newsflash that Mona Smith and Ron Sopyla are going to partner in putting on the Christmas Pageant! Good news all around.
We sang Happy Birthday to Lynn for her November 5 birthday. Then, she gave us the update on the October Envelope Campaign which netted our Capital Campaign $3136 for the kitchen remodel. Pats on the back for everyone who participated!!
After other announcements (see below) and the Choir’s Introit, Lynn led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. She explained that today is Stewardship Sunday, led by the Brown/Geller team and that each of us would receive a pledge form today (see Announcements, also). Diana Geller then led the Prayer of Confession – “When my life becomes too crowded and I sorely need to pause and be renewed, remind me, Teacher of my Soul, how you rested and went apart from the pressures in your life. Grant me wisdom and courage to do the same.” We were assured of God’s grace and passed the Peace of Christ. After exuberantly applauding the choir’s anthem, Diana then came to the pulpit to read Genesis 2:1-3, where God takes a rest after creating the universe. We then read the 23rd Psalm together – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul…”
Diana presented the Youth Sermon, using a white board that contained the definition of “stewardship” as taking care of something. She brought forward a bedraggled Spiderplant, asking and hearing that the plant needed water, nutrients, and sunlight to thrive. Similarly, a car needed a source of energy, air in its tires and other servicing to run most efficiently. What about you? Do you operate well without healthy food, adequate sleep, some time away from schoolwork to recharge your batteries?
Lynn read Mark 1:29-35, the story of Jesus spending a day healing all who came to him and then “35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Lynn began her “Reflections on Stewardship” saying that we may spend most of our lives focused on work, the things we have to do. She read the two quotes on the front of the bulletin:
“Self-care is never a selfish act – It is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” -- Parker Palmer
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” --Eleanor Brown
She said that we are exactly one-year before the 2020 elections and in “Golden Rule 2020”, all Christians are challenged to treat others as they would treat themselves, but Lynn reflected that sometimes we don’t treat ourselves very well. How does this church replenish YOUR spirit, how does it help you in YOUR self-care?
Diana, next, reflected on some changes that have occurred in her own life, as she is trying to take better care of herself. She said she was pretty used to taking care of the family, the job, the dog, and friends, but probably neglected herself. She worried that she worried too much and felt over-worked. Now, however, she gets up early to spend some time breathing and meditating, doing a short yoga routine, preparing a healthy lunch and a big thermos of hot tea for breaks during the work day. She feels less stressed, and able to handle her day. Her self-care cup is replenished every day.
Lynn presented the Stewardship Board with a cup that will be filled with pledges and asked us to write on little paper cups how this church helps to fill your cup. People mentioned music, Jazz Vespers, community, inspired sermons, Adult Study, the hand-holding Benedictions, Passing of the Peace, and more. Lynn said when she leaves the church on a Sunday, she feels that her own cup overflows. Everyone was asked to fill out their pledges in the next couple weeks and give what they are able. Pledges will be dedicated on November 24.
THE LORD’S SUPPER: Lynn and Susan Jorden presided over this first Sunday of the month Eucharist, saying “This is a joyful feast”. Holy Communion was served to the congregation by intinction.
We came to the aisle and held hands for the Lynn’s Benediction: “May you be filled with joy and peace. I pray that you will overflow with confident hope. May God fill you up, satisfy your deepest longings, meet your greatest needs, and fill your heart with love. Amen.”
For the Postlude, Tom McCoy explained that the Halloween season is the time of year that our well-known, local storyteller, Jonathan Kruk (https://www.jonathankruk.com/ ) presents The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at many, many venues. Tom usually accompanies Jonathan’s storytelling with music – his original score -- which he played for us today. It was sinister, suspenseful, with gentle, melodious interludes, just like the story itself that starts out in the Old Dutch Church. Thank you, Tom!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· This Saturday, November 9, at 5:30 pm is our “As the Leaves Fly” Jazz Vespers. Again, Rene Bailey is the featured vocalist with musicians Damon Banks, Gwen Laster, Mike LaRocco, Dave Winograd, and bandleader Tom McCoy. Ron Sopyla has agreed to emcee the service. As always, we will have time for socializing with the artists, plus friends, neighbors, and visitors at the wine and cheese reception that follows the service.
· Stewardship Campaign – For those of you who were not in church today, the Stewardship letter and form that were handed out in church today are also attached to this Church E-news. They may be returned in the mail, emailed or placed in the offering plate in church the next two Sundays. Pledges will be dedicated on November 24.
- An action you can take to protect birds where you live: Plant native plants. Native flora provides birds with food in the form of fruit and seeds, and is home to tasty invertebrates like bugs and spiders.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, October 29, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on this rainy autumn Sunday morning were welcomed to this sacred space with a very special, beautifully sung Prelude: Linda Speziale, substituting for Tom, sang “Morning Has Broken,” which began a morning thread of bird songs. Susan Jordan introduced the guest preacher for the day, The Rev. Deke Spierling, and called for announcements (see below).
Following the choir introit "Give Peace O God, Give Peace Again", Rev. Spierling led the Call to Worship, a call to remember who we are, who God is, and that all belong here. Rev. Spierling then led us in the Opening Prayer, a prayer of praise to God for all God’s works and God’s glory. The opening hymn, "I Greet Thee Who My Sure Redeemer Art,” was selected in recognition of All Souls Day on Thursday, 31 October.
Worship Leader Susan Jordan led the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, in which we admitted ‘that we often forget, or just can’t believe, how beloved we are.’…that the uncertainties of life, ‘often eclipse the light of God’s love in Jesus, and we see only half-light, even darkness’…closing with hope, ‘Enable us to lie anew in the grace of your love, your astonishing love for us, and for all.’ The Assurance of Grace was a reminder of God’s compassion—‘With everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Holy One, our redeemer…return to me.’ Our Sung Response to God’s astonishing and everlasting love was “Give Thanks” followed by the Passing of the Peace. The anthem, “I’ve Got Peace Like a River,” continued the theme of love, peace, and joy. Susan read the First Reading for the morning, which consisted of selected verses from 3 different books of the Bible—Deuteronomy, Hebrews, and Matthew—all sharing the theme of hospitality. Rev. Spierling led the Responsive Reading of Psalm 65, a Psalm of thanksgiving for the earth’s bounty and the river of God, which is ever full of water abundantly watering the earth and greatly enriching it.
There was a captive audience of one youth, Mattie, for the Youth Sermon, as well as the congregation. Rev. Spierling had a rock that he asked Mattie to describe; holes, craters, not colorful, dull were used to describe a brown rock. But when Deke turned the rock around, it looked completely different: Mattie described it as a sunset over the ocean. Deke likened the rock (geode) to how we may judge people: at first meeting, we may think them nondescript, boring, but if we pay attention and get to know them, we may find something beautiful, something surprising and wonderful about them. In closing, Deke urged us to, ‘remember the rock, remember the beauty.’
Andrea Bach and Ralph Cottiers took the Offering while Linda Speziale played “Amazing Grace.”
The Gospel Reading, Luke 18:9-14, tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed that he was not like other men, especially the tax collector, that he lived by the rules (fasting, tithing), so he was on the right path. The tax collector, a marginalized man in the community, stands far from the Pharisee and could not look up to heaven; rather he beat his chest and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Rev. Spierling began his sermon by relating a conversation he had with a woman several years ago. She asked him to suppose a Muslim, a Jew, and a Christian were talking about death when they all die suddenly, exiting through their own door, but they all end up in the same room. The woman asked: ‘Whose Room Is It?’ In the reading of the parable, Deke said that he hears that question. We live in communities full of differences—different appearances, views, practices, etc—but as a Franciscan friar noted, ‘We all look at the same moon.’ In her book Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others, Barbara Brown Taylor relates that, through her experiences as a Professor of World Religions at Piedmont College, she found that people are fearful of those of a different faith, even fearful of entering the house of worship of another faith. She came to believe that it was her duty to find bridges amongst/between religions in order to make our communities safer for our children. Rev. Spierling continued by saying the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector teaches us that humility is the principal virtue. Simply following the ‘rules’ of our faith is not an end in itself; putting ourselves at the mercy of God, showing gratitude and humility justifies us before God. The selected readings of the day were threads demonstrating hospitality throughout the Bible: hospitality is a spiritual and theological necessity. How do we overcome fear, show hospitality to all, decide ‘whose room is it?’ The quote from Huston Smith on the cover of the bulletin provides an answer: “How do we comport ourselves in a pluralistic world that is riven by ideologies, some sacred, some profane? We listen.’”
The Rev. David Harkness shared that the hymn following the sermon, “God of the Sparrow,” is a favorite of his but could become a train wreck (not his analogy) if we did not follow the verses closely, causing Linda Speziale to quickly look over the music before playing! The small congregation persevered (a grateful nod back to Rev. Surgenor”s Youth Sermon last week on perseverance!), singing the hymn without a hitch. In the Prayers of the People, we shared prayers of thanks for Linda Speziale substituting for Tom, successful open heart surgery for John Cimino (and Rachel), Marilyn Schlosser who is home from the hospital; prayers of support for Lynn Brown, for Butch Tangen (and family) as he undergoes a cognitive evaluation; prayers for comfort and well-being for Sister Mary as she continues to fight end-stage cancer, and healing for Pamela, daughter of Paul Spierling, Deke’s brother, who is about to start chemotherapy.
For the Postlude, Linda sang a favorite hymn of hers and her grandmother, which was recorded by noted American singer and actress Ethel Waters—“His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” The congregation clapped appreciatively for Linda’s beautiful gift of voice.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, October 20, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on this autumn Sunday were welcomed by Clerk of Session Lynn Brown, who introduced the guest preacher for the day, The Rev. Dr. Cathy Surgenor, and called for announcements (see below).
Following the choir introit "Give Peace O God, Give Peace Again", Rev. Surgenor led the Call to Worship and the Opening Prayer: Holy God, in this season of harvest and fruitfulness we remember your faithfulness and your continued blessings given for us and all the earth. The last of tomatoes from our gardens, pumpkins, swirling leaves on our streets, apples harvested up river, and multitudes of color on the mountains are material reminders of your wisdom, care, and generosity. Open our hearts now to the wisdom of your words." The opening hymn, "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" was sung to Tom McCoy's signature Jazz treatment of the tune! Worship Leader Diana Geller led the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and Readings from Jeremiah 31:27-34 and 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5.
The choir anthem wove together the traditional hymn "Breathe on Me, Breath of God" with a new melody and text: "This is the air I breathe, this is my daily bread, and I'm lost without you..." Rev. Cathy and the young people talked about the word "Persist" which means, "never give up", "Keep on Truckin'" or "Keep on Keepin' On". Life can be hard, and trying to do something that's not easy (the children suggested tying shoes, doing a flip, or riding a bike) we may need encouragement, as Paul had encouraged the young Timothy in the reading we had shared. The children collected quarters for the goat bank during the offering time and then left for Sunday School.
Cathy thanked the congregation for such a warm welcome, thanked the choir and Tom for the music, and prayed before reading from Luke 18:1-8, where the persistent widow is given in to by an uncaring judge who just wanted her to go away. Jesus tells this parable to teach about how much better a loving God will treat us than an uncaring judge.
The Sermon: "Why Persist?" We've had uncaring, unjust judges for a very long time, and Cathy reminded us of Old Testament warnings about unjust judges. She also reminded us of the commandments to love the stranger, the 'alien', and to seek justice for those who don't have the power to seek it for themselves. She reflected on her recent time at the Mexican Border with Arizona, where she spent a week as part of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, witnessing and accompanying those waiting in Mexico, because the presence of Americans escorting asylum seekers often prevents violence and keeps them safe from extortion and kidnapping at the hands of the Mexican drug cartel. Cathy told about how people close to the opportunity to cross the border live in tents right up against the wall, with no ventilation or plumbing. Her job was to escort them (wearing specific identifying clothing) to a migrant center a couple of blocks away, a couple of times a day to use rest rooms, shower, and where children could play in a protected area. The center is a place of joy, where people feel safe - at least for the moment.
Cathy reminded us that we feel that sense of spirit and joy, for example, working at Habitat. There is an energy, on Saturday work days when all of the volunteers for the day come together at coffee break and Deke Spierling reflects on why we do what we do. [By the way, The Rev. Dr. Deke Spierling is our guest preacher next Sunday, October 27]. And Rev. Surgenor returned to the story Jesus told his disciples, meaning, it's going to be really hard when I'm gone, but know that God hears and will respond. We are the embodiment of the story of faith, and we create the kingdom of God when we act on our beliefs and love one another. Amen.
We shared in prayers for people who are fleeing whatever circumstance, who persist because they have no other choice. We prayed for those who have experienced loss, who are ill, for Marilyn Schlosser, currently hospitalized; for John Cimino undergoing heart surgery this week, and Tom's postlude was an an energetic, rousing improv based on Man of La Mancha in honor of John.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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On the bulletin cover was a story about the author, Kurt Vonnegut, who had been invited to preach in a church in Manhattan. When finished speaking and in true Vonnegut-style, he thanked everyone for “faking attentiveness”, but he also stated his beautiful belief that people don’t go to church to hear sermons – “I think they go because there they can dream about God.”
And so today the Reverend Joe Gilmore was in the pulpit. He welcomed us all and called for announcements (see below). Joe led us in the Call to Worship, saying “There are no hiding places, of course. Coming here, we bring the world in with us.” In the Opening Prayer, we prayed to God that “…When we have lived all the hours we have, and the clock stops, you will meet us in the right place at just the right time to introduce us to eternity. In the sweet meantime, stay beside us in the days of our lives.”
We sang “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”, but Tom asked if we might try the alternate tune and thought we might recognize it. Surprise! It was the melody we sing each week for “We Limit Not the Truth of God”.
Lynn Brown led us in the Prayer of Confession continuing the “time” theme of the Opening Prayer – “…I have come this far, to this very morning, and there is a farther to go I cannot know…” The Assurance of Grace asked God to “Deepen in us the wonder of just being alive. Coax us out of hiding in a self too small. In thy wisdom, if only we knew, we breathe grace in and hope out. Blessed art thou. Amen.” We Passed the Peace among our friends, neighbors and newcomers, and then settled in to hear the choir’s uplifting “Kyrie Eleison” by Susan Thrift. Of course, when we next sang “We Limit Not the Truth of God”, Tom switched the music to that of “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”, as, knowing Tom, was pretty much expected.
Lynn led us in reading together the first five verses of Psalm 8 exalting God’s majesty and creation, and asking “…who are we that thou art mindful of us and our children, that thou dost care for us?”
Carolyn Llewellyn dressed as a shepherd for the Youth Sermon. She mentioned that the kids in Sunday School had been talking about the Good Shepherd going after one lost sheep. She raised Jeremiah 29:7 “7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” She asked the children what welfare was and one responded “safe and healthy”. She suggested to the children that is what we should seek, that not only are we safe and healthy, but those around us are as well.
We took the Offering while Tom played “How Majestic is Your Name”. Rev. Gilmore prayed over the offering using the James 2 lesson that faith without works is meaningless. One cannot say that “15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that?” Amen.
For the sermon, Rev. Gilmore read us a “version” of Genesis 1,2:4, while offering commentary on God’s choice to create his universe in the particular order of the scripture. He offered a provocation as his basis for the sermon, entitled “Answer to St. Augustine’s Dilemma”: a joke that would lead us into the philosophy of a 5th century theologian. The joke: A man hears a knock on the door and opens it, but sees nothing except a small snail on the ground, which he picks up and throws in the bushes. A year later, the man again hears a knock on the door and opens it. The snail says, “What was that all about?”
Rev. Gilmore wanted to talk about time. But first he talked about Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a Polish-born American rabbi and one of the leading Jewish theologians of the 20th century, who often used the Hebrew word “kadosh”, meaning holy, to describe the mystery and majesty of the divine. Joe noted that Heschel, in appearance, had always reminded him of Moses. Joe said that in Genesis, God blessed the 7th day as a day when God took time to rest and made this day holy or kadosh. God gave God this gift of time, and sanctified it as holy. Humans, on the other hand, have found “time” to be their greatest challenge. We seem to concentrate on “space”, instead, where we can do or build or accumulate things. We’ve made time an enemy, something we cannot control. But Rev. Gilmore argued that time is “the cathedral, God’s song”. We live in space and should sanctify time. Is it possible we will get to the end of our lives and say exactly what the snail said – “What was that all about?”
St. Augustine of Hippo (5th Century) in his Book 11 of the Confessions focuses on time – past, present, and future. Rev. Gilmore paraphrased St. Augustine’s words, in saying “Of course I know what time is, until someone asks me.” Joe gave his own illustrations of time: “time is when one cell divides into two, the length of a day when a child is waiting for Christmas, how long it takes Baryshnikov to perform a grand jete…” He mused “why does sadness feel longer than merriment?” He also posed that time can be ignored. “Ask children at play to come in for supper or ask lovers what time it is.” Rev. Gilmore started to wind down his sermon with a nod to the snail joke, saying that Jesus had said, “knock and the door will be opened to you”. In the end, Reverend Gilmore finalized his sermon with an appeal to all of us to “Come, then, and sanctify time, as all time is kadosh.” Amen.
We prayed for those in need and the Lord’s Prayer. And then we gathered in the aisle for the Benediction. Apropos to the sermon, Tom played a medley of “Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven’s Door”, plus “Somebody’s Knocking at My Door”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, October 6, 2019
The Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness welcomed those gathered at 'The Church of the Open Door' and explained the history of World Wide Communion Sunday, which is celebrated on the first Sunday in October. Announcements were shared (see below) and the service of worship began.
Rev. Harkness led the Call to Worship, based on Psalm 103, "Bless the Lord, O my soul..." and the Opening Prayer. Worship leader Susan Jordan led the congregation into confessional prayer by saying: "God's blessings are new every morning...we need to be still and wait patiently for God to speak to us". Susan gave the Assurance of Grace, led the Passing of the Peace, read the first scripture from Lamentations 3:19-25 and the Responsive Reading of Psalm 37.
Rev. Martha-Louise invited the children forward for the youth sermon, in which she shared a family story about holiday meal gatherings as a child, and how there were special tablecloths, dishes and placecards. Together they looked at the communion table, with a special cloth and a silver chalice and plates, for our special communion meal today. After learning that ALL children of God are celebrating communion on this day, all over the world, the children were asked to name other countries, and their time closed with a prayer to remember our brothers and sisters around the world on this day.
The morning offering was received by Susan and Carolyn, as James, Silas and Sarah collected quarters for the goat bank. Tom played "Largo" by Handel as the offertory, and the choir had sung "A Classic Communion" as the anthem, also based on that tune.
Rev. Harkness read from Luke 15:5-10, sharing the translation from The Message by Eugene Peterson, as well as the NRSV passage.The sermon was about faith and grace., and another translation of the Luke scripture included, "If you have faith - and you do - God empowers a life of discipleship. Hang on to that faith and it will take you far." Martha-Louise shared an experience of communion while in Ireland on a pilgrimage, with cloistered nuns at a convent. She received communion, though she was not Catholic, and felt warmth, welcome, and a part of the body of the Universal Christ. With labels stripped away, we come together by faith. The Lord's Table draws us together as family, as somehow holy - a shared meal makes strangers into friends and we are fed on many levels. In closing, she shared a story by Naomi Shihab Nye called "Gate A-4"(attached), about an experience at an airport waiting for a delayed departure, how by the grace of God strangers became community, closing with "This is the world I want to live in. A shared. world...This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost".
The congregation shared in a prayer for World Communion Sunday(attached), and The Lord's Prayer. Communion was served by Rev, Harkness, assisted by Deacon Jean Llewellyn, as Tom played "Let Us Break Bread Together". We sang "In Christ there is No East or West", received the Benediction, and listened to the postlude, a rousing "O Bless the Lord, My Soul" from "Godspell".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, September 22, 2019
What a weekend at The Church of the Open Door!
On Saturday Evening, the first Jazz Vesper of the new season was presented by Director of Music Tom McCoy and guest instrumentalists Dave Winograd, Dale DeMarco, Gwen Laster and Mike LaRocco. The highlight was the inspirational performance of vocalist Miss Renee Bailey, who had extensive back surgery less than 3 months ago and returned to us to once again bring the house down! Elder (and storyteller) Ron Sopyla led the service and shared a Sufi tale as the meditation. Thanks to all!
On Sunday morning, the congregation was welcomed to the 10:30 am service by our guest preacher, The Rev. Dr. Deke Spierling, who called for announcements (see below) and led the Call to Worship, from the words of Charles Hefling: "The Spirit arrives incognito, bringing the indwelling love of God. Those who do not refuse it become lovers of the only God there is, because the only God has loved them first." We shared in opening prayer and a hymn from a Native American tradition, "Many and Great, O God Are Thy Things".
Worship Leader Gareth Guest led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace and Passing of the Peace. He then read the first scripture, from Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 (The Prophet Mourns for the People) and led the responsive reading from Psalm 79. Tom and the choir offered the Anthem "I Will Call Upon the Lord" and invited audience participation to sing along, which many did!
Deke gathered the young people for the youth sermon, in which he showed a sailboat model he had brought and told a story of being sailing with his daughter on vacation. The sailing was going great until there was a mishap and the sail had to be taken down, and there being no motor on the boat, it became quite an adventure! Finally, using the string from his bathing suit to re-tie the sail on, they were able to sail safely home. Deke spoke of his gratitude, and taught how we often forget to be grateful for so many wonders - to wake up, to see things, to have friends, to hike in beautiful places, and most of all that we are loved. God loves us. No matter what. The offering was received by Gareth and Susan as the children collected quarters for the goat bank, and Tom played "Sailing".
Deke, who is also presently the President of the Board of Habitat for Humanity in Newburgh, spoke briefly about the upcoming dedication of the 100th Habitat home in Newburgh (on October 5) and of this church's involvement in working on the 10th Presbybuild home with Habitat as well. All wonderful news, especially for the City of Newburgh, which certainly needs it!
As he began the sermon, "A Lover's Quarrel", Deke taught us a new word today: "Jeremiad" defined as 'a long, mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes'. He preached from the Jeremiah scripture- at a time when things were bad in Judea and were going to get worse. And it seemed that God had abandoned the people...but God sent prophets, who knew that the status quo of privilege and inequality was wrong. They spoke in anger and sorrow about Jerusalem, with no apparent solace or mending.
We, today, have experienced Jeremiads - complaints, lamentations, anger, at injustice, greed, bigotry and more. As in Jeremiah's time, God's love continues to be profound and enduring, a kind of "tough-love" that speaks truth to power and to the powerless. Deke spoke of being in seminary at Yale in the turbulent 1960's, when William Sloane Coffin, a prophetic voice for justice and peace, was the chaplain and he was quoted: "We may have a quarrel with our country but it is a lovers' quarrel". Deke began parish ministry in such times, seeking to be faithful to Hebrew and Christian scriptures. He spoke of the time we are now living in, of Christian Nationalism, of gun violence, of children caged at the border, and of the imperative to speak and act our faith; to quarrel but never lose our mindfulness of the love of God.
Deke shared a quote of E.B. White from The New Yorker in 1941, in part, " To hold America in one's thoughts is like holding a love letter in one's hands...for this privilege I would give everything", and he proposed that the Bible is a love letter. The Bible quarrels with the status quo, out of a profound love for 100% of us. No exceptions. Let's be grateful for the lover's quarrel and for the One who loves us.
The Prayers of the People included joys and concerns for those having health problems, those recovering, a local family that experienced a tragic loss in a car accident this week; gratitude for firefighters all weekend battling the blaze on nearby Sugarloaf Mountain, and for young people showing up for the climate marches everywhere. We joined hands for the benediction and Tom closed with a jazz improvisation on "There is A Balm in Gilead" - a musical response to the Jeremiah passage!
Finally, the bulletin cover quote, by Rami Shapiro: "The God of your understanding is just that: the God of your understanding. What you need is the God just beyond your understanding":
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 9/15/2019
Reverend David Harkness welcomed us all to the church on Homecoming Sunday, and noted that he was not Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, the church’s pastor, as she is still healing after her foot surgery. He invited everyone to stay for the Potluck Homecoming Lunch, whether you brought food or not. As he stated, and Susan Jordan confirmed, for church pot lucks the “God will provide” principle always reigns and there is plenty for everyone.
Rev. Harkness called us to worship with a responsive Psalm 92:1-4 reading, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord…” Our Opening Prayer, read together, asked God to “relieve us of unnecessary things and all the burdens we needlessly carry.” We sang “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” and then our Worship Leader, Ana Silverlinck, stood to lead us in our Prayer of Confession. But first, she explained that all of us go through days when we “lose control” and do things we regret later. That is why we confess and ask for forgiveness and mercy. We said the prayer together, urging God to “grant us each day a fresh start in the creative art of giving and receiving love, all through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
After the Passing of the Peace, our Music Director, Tom McCoy, stood to explain that the choir was about to sing Our Time, a Stephen Sondheim piece, in honor of Homecoming Sunday, as its lyrics look forward to a refreshing new start. John Lane was the soloist with the choir and the rendition was breathtaking. Some of the lyrics:
“Something is stirring, shifting ground
It's just begun
Edges are blurring, all around
And yesterday is done
Feel the flow, hear what's happening
We're what's happening
Don't you know, we're the movers and we're the shapers
We're the names in tomorrow's papers
Up to us man, to show 'em
It's our time…”
Ana read the first scripture reading of 1 Timothy 1:12-17, where Paul is grateful for God’s forgiveness: “16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”
The second scripture reading, read by all, was Psalm 14. It prayed for the salvation for the people of Israel, because “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?”
Rev. Harkness next called us, including all the children in the sanctuary, to celebrate together the Reaffirmation of Faith and Sacrament of Baptism for Nina Elizabeth Velez and her children, Matthew and Athena Portman. While all were assembling, David told a story about a woman who carried her jewels around with her, so afraid that they could be stolen. When she went to a friend’s house, she pulled the box holding the jewels from her bag to show her friend what was so precious. The friend called her children to her side, saying “These are my jewels.” Rev. Harkness expanded on this point, explaining that the church considers its people to be “its jewels”, all that is precious to the life of the church. Rev. Harkness further noted that the sacrament of baptism is for the church universal, not just the Presbyterian church. We read together the Apostles’ Creed and then the congregation was asked if we welcomed Nina, Matthew and Athena, and would renew our “commitment, with God’s help, to live before all God’s children with grace and understanding, and to share with them the knowledge and love of Christ?” We enthusiastically answered, “We do!!”
During the Offering, Gareth Guest and Tom McCoy played the 2nd of George Gershwin’s Three Preludes. We are so lucky to have our “in-house” musicians! Rev. Harkness blessed the gifts collected and asked God to use them for the life and mission of this church to do good and healing work.
Rev. David focused on Luke 15:1-10 for the sermon and took a deep dive in analyzing its meaning. These parables of the lost sheep and lost coin are well-known, and pit arguments of the Jewish authorities, who knew their religion’s rules well, against Jesus’s new sight into God’s will. The authorities – the Pharisees – chided Jesus for eating and spending time with the tax collectors, who clearly did not follow the religious laws. To the Pharisees it was clear that not sticking to the rules that God has revealed to his people would surely bring God’s displeasure. Jesus, on the other hand, using the parables of a single sheep and coin that are lost, tries to convince the Pharisees (and us) that God, as a good shepherd, wants to find those who have gone astray. Moreover, God wants us to celebrate when those who are lost have been found. Jesus is saying that this is his mission, and certainly God’s mission, to save those who are lost. This is the reason he spends time with “sinners” and rejoices with them and others when they renounce their sins. He is asking the Pharisees and us who would not want to join in the joy of God when someone missing from God’s community is found?
We said the Prayers of the People, including one for a young man of 29 (Chris Camus) who had just passed, as well as one for Rev. Dr. Doris, and one for Martha Louise Harkness who had just gone into the hospital for a kidney infection.
We joined hands in Benediction, as well as a blessing for the incredible food awaiting us. Music, however, still trumped appetite as we sat still for the superb Postlude -- the first of the Three Preludes by George Gershwin, played by Gareth and Tom. We walked into a beautifully decorated Social Hall with fall-colored tablecloths and napkins and mums, plus food, glorious food!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, September 8, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on this beautiful September morning, were greeted to Tom McCoy's piano prelude, "Largo" by Handel, and warmly welcomed by Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, to "God's house, where you are welcome, loved and accepted, just as you are" and she also told a "shaggy dog story" about Heaven, acceptance and friendship. Rachel called for announcements (see below) and the choir, back from their summer break, sang "God Is Here!" as the introit.
Rev. Rachel led the Call to Worship from Psalm 119, and the Opening Prayer: "Be with us, O God, as we contemplate your Word as it has come to us in our sacred texts. Help each of us to find meaning, comfort, and purpose in our holy scriptures. Seeking always to be closer to you and the way you would have us live, we ask your blessing as we go." and we sang the opening hymn, "Come and Find the Quiet Center".
Worship leader Gareth Guest led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and he read from Jeremiah 18:1-11, as well as the responsive reading from Psalm 139. The choir anthem "He Is Exalted", was followed by the Youth Sermon, today given by Carolyn Llewellyn. Carolyn's theme was breath and wind, which she illustrated by blowing up a beach ball of the globe and releasing the air, having the children breathe in and then sigh out. She shared two relevant verses of scripture, Genesis 1:2 and Romans 8:26. Her message was that every time we breathe, we breathe God in and out of us, and the closing prayer was a deep breath and a sigh.
The offering was received by Carolyn and Susan, while James and Matty collected quarters and FILLED THE GOAT BANK!!!!! and Tom played "Every Time I Feel the Spirit".
Rachel shared that her sermon today was about people using religion, and particularly the bible, against each other. She read the Gospel passage, from Matthew 15:1-9, explaining that the Pharisees were attempting to criticize Jesus using religious law, and in the example, he gave it right back to them!
The sermon "Let's Be Honest About the Bible" began with a quote from Wuthering Heights, "Joseph is the wearisomest and self righteous Pharisee who ever ransacked the Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses on his neighbor." Rachel spoke about a Bible Study at the church she served in Bedford, where the group took on the challenge of reading the entire Bible, beginning with Genesis (and they may not be done yet!). Point being, most of us are familiar with the standard lectionary passages, but don't know the entire Bible, which is, at times, bizarre, confounding, horrifying, contradictory, also profound and inspiring. It has everything in it, life and death, war and peace...all of human behavior is there, to include the human yearning to be in relationship with God. AND, the Bible can be used by anyone to support anything, as well as to support opposing views on the same issue! People generally choose portions which support their own world view and disregard the rest.
The Bible is a wisdom document that is relevant to any age. Rachel made reference to the Jeremiah passage, and how that prophet was, for warning Judah about the wrath that God would invoke on them, disregarded, beaten, tortured, and continued to preach the same message, no matter how many times he had to begin again. And Rachel shared a statement by former Union Seminary professor Rev. Barbara Lundblad, referring to Jeremiah, that "the Word of God is unstoppable"! Even if people don't want to hear it, and that is a beautiful and inspiring thing! If the word of God is unstoppable, then someday those who populate this planet will live in peace...humans will find a way to live sustainably on this earth...in the long run, people will figure out how to have everyone housed, fed, and treated fairly and equitably. God's word is relevant to our lives and it is up to us to discern, with all of our hearts and minds, and with reverence and care, what the Bible says to us.
The congregation sang "I Love You, Lord" and entered into a time of prayer, including for families dealing with loss and illness, and those impacted by the recent hurricane, especially in the Bahamas. The closing hymn was "Seek Ye First". We joined hands for the benediction, and listened to Tom's postlude, which was a mash-up of music from the film "Wuthering Heights" and the hymn "Change my Heart, O God."
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 9/1/2019
Lynn Brown filled the pulpit this Sunday and welcomed us all with a big “Good Morning!” It was our first Sunday back at our non-summer 10:30 am time. She called for announcements (see the many Announcements, below) and mentioned that our new September-October Newsletter is out. We all applauded Mona for her unending creativity in putting these 4-page gems together (it is attached to this e-news). Lynn called us to worship with Micah 6:8, as she asked what God requires of us, and we responded, “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.”
Bev Taylor stepped in as Worship Leader for Ron Sopyla, who is dealing with an elderly cat who has kidney issues and an infection. Bev led the Prayer of Confession, saying “Lead me into relationships with persons whom society pushes to the edge.”
Our first scripture reading this morning, Isaiah 58:1-9a, was read by the entire congregation. In this passage, God chides his people for fasting simply to get God’s attention. Instead God says “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”
The Youth Sermon today was a blessing for the children’s backpacks as the first day of school is this week. Lynn asked each child what they put in their backpacks. We heard “text books”, “snacks”, “binders and notebooks”, and the list went on. Lynn commented that sometimes our backpacks are light and sometimes heavy, empty or full, like our lives. She gave each child a heart to attach to her/his backpack to remember that they are each a child of God and are loved. Then Lynn read a backpack blessing as the children bowed their heads.
The second scripture lesson was Hebrews 13:1-8 and 15-16. Lynn explained that the early Jewish Christians are being exhorted to stay within Jesus’ teachings – “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
Lynn used this scripture as a springboard into her sermon, “Reflections on Hospitality, Justice, and Compassion”. She began by saying that she knows she is not the only one who struggles with the news she hears everyday that veer from “hostility to hospitality”. She said “each of us has enough resources to do something for those less fortunate”. We can do “small things with a big heart”.
She went on to quote some passages from Joyce Rupp’s book, Boundless Compassion, noting that living a compassionate life is “downright inconvenient”, but the rewards are immense. Lynn noted that two-thirds of the people on earth struggle to live day-by-day, and she mentioned two articles that she had come across recently on volunteering and its benefits. One of the articles was in the Journal News, which suggested 11 possible volunteer activities in honor of the 9/11 tragedy https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2018/08/28/westchester-county-announces-9-11-volunteer-campaign/1124221002/ Lynn invited us to consider compassion, as Joyce Rupp states, as a way of living our lives.
We all joined in Prayers of the People and The Lord’s Prayer. Afterwards, Lynn and Susan Jordan joined in serving Holy Communion this morning. We joined hands in the Benediction that ended with “May the God of hospitality, justice and compassion be with you now and abide with you always.”
Tom McCoy played the Postlude, Träumerei (Dreaming) by Robert Schumann, a tune that evokes thoughtfulness and compassion. A perfect ending for this service.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, August 25, 2019Friends,
The final Sunday in August, and our final Sunday of 10:00 am worship (Next week we resume 10:30), is a very special time in the Presbyterian Church USA... It's YAV Sunday! For the past week, 50 or so Young Adults from around the country have been gathered at Stony Point Conference Center to prepare for their year of volunteering in mission, in the US or around the world. And on this Sunday, the YAV's are dispersed to local congregations to share in worship and be commissioned for their year of service. The Church of the Open Door was honored to welcome Zakeyah (Keya) Frazier and Jack Lentz this morning, to hear from them about their year of service ahead and to commission them.
Elder Susan Jordan, who organized the service and picked up our visitors at Stony Point Center, welcomed the congregation and introduced Keya and Jack. Keya then led the congregation in the Opening Prayer, the Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Grace. Jack led the Passing of the Peace, the Responsive Reading from Psalm 71, and the Offering. The special music from Lynn Brown on flute and Tom McCoy on piano was Mozart's Andante. Following the scripture reading from Jeremiah 1:4-10, we heard a little about our guests.
Jack is from Cleveland, Ohio. He comes from a large Presbyterian Church there where singing in the choir and mission work have kept him connected. Having majored in communications in college, Jack is now in a process of finding the direction for his life, and hopes that his work with the homeless in Washington D.C. through a program called "Everyone Home DC" will provide some insight for him.
Zakeyah, originally from Paterson NJ, is a recent graduate of the University of Charlotte with a degree in sociology and a minor in human services. She will also be based in DC and will work with the homeless in Silver Spring MD through the organization "Interfaith Works". She shared with us a quote from Marian Wright Edelman, which she considers a guiding force in her life: "Be a good ancestor. Stand for something bigger than yourself. Add value to the earth during your sojourn".
Clerk of Session Lynn Brown led the commissioning of the YAVs, during which the congregation came forward for laying on of hands. Susan led a time of prayers, which included this version of The Lord's Prayer by Patricia Lynn Reilly:
Our Mother who art within us, We celebrate your many names.Your wisdom come. Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us. Each day you give us all that we need. You remind us of our limits and we let go. You support us in our power and we act with courage. For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us, and the celebration among us. As it was in the very beginning, may it be now. Amen.
We sang a final hymn, "Grace Alone", joined hands for the benediction, and listened as Tom offered an original composition of his, "Child's Play", as the postlude. Attached are photos of some of the congregation gathered with Keya and Jack in the sanctuary and at lunch at The Depot. We are grateful to Susan Jordan for her leadership this Sunday!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, August 18, 2019
A late August Sunday began at "The Church of the Open Door" with Tom McCoy's piano prelude of "Summertime" by George Gershwin. Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness, the preacher for the day, welcomed those gathered, called for announcements (see below), and led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Worship Leader Lynn Brown led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace and Passing of the Peace. Tom offered for the special music a wonderful piano solo "Kamennoi Ostrow" by Anton Rubinstein. He shared the personal significance of the piece to him, as his older brother had played it on piano as Tom was growing up; and he shared the history of how it was composed at a summer resort in St. Petersburg, Russia in the 1800's.
The bulletin called for Genesis 3:1-12 as the first reading, in which Lynn read the account of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Rev. Martha-Louise had intended the reading to be Exodus 3:1-12, the story of Moses and the burning bush, so she read that as a second reading, which was followed by the responsive Psalm 16.
The Gospel reading of Matthew 5: 13-16, from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, reminded us that we are called to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world". Rev. Harkness' sermon was "Holy Fire" - about the fire and light of God; the fire which Moses witnessed in the burning bush and his own fire; fire as a metaphor for God's power as evidenced by several scriptural references, like the "refiner's fire" the walk to Emmaus when the disciples' "hearts burned within them" and the Holy Spirit coming on the first pentecost in "tongues of fire". Martha-Louise shared a quote from John O'Donohue about the holy spirit, the immediacy of God, being "...a sacred hearth where all holy passion is kindled". Returning to the story of Moses and the burning bush, it was opined that the real miracle was not that the bush was burning and not being consumed, but that perhaps the real miracle was that Moses noticed the bush at all!
Rev. Harkness reviewed the story of Moses' life, approaching it with wonder, reverence, and humility. She spoke of his early life, being rescued in a basket by the Pharaoh's daughter and raised as a prince of Egypt, a life he had to flee and ended up as a shepherd in Midian. Moses was released from his past life, as he would release the Hebrew people. Moses' life as a shepherd provided 'the silence and solitude required to incubate a great soul'. Questions: Do we see our own lives with wonder? Are we open for wonder and a willingness to listen and follow? Who is God waiting to deliver from bondage today? Can we say to the authorities "Let My People Go!"? How might God be trying to get our attention today? What in your world needs liberating?
The sermon closed with a quote from the French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: "Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, [humanity] will have discovered fire."
We sang "I'm Gonna Live so God can Use Me" and moved into a time of prayer. Prayers were raised for the Smith family in the loss of Greg's mother, Lois; for Andrea Bach's mother hospitalized in Germany; and for office administrator Chris Lawrence's son, Shannon and his family, as they are encountering some difficulties.
The closing hymn was "O For A World", after which Rev. David Harkness gave a favorite benediction: "Peace, with adventures; Labor, and a light heart; A sense of vocation, and a sense of humor; A mind girded but not tense, alert but not anxious, employed but not busy; in a word, the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ" And Tom's postlude was an improvised medley of "Go Down, Moses" and "When You Believe" from Disney's Prince of Egypt.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 8/11/2019
We walked into the sanctuary to the music of Debussy (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair), played by Gareth Guest on clarinet and Yalin Chi (substituting today for Tom) on piano. Rev. Joe Gilmore, exclaimed “Joy to this old world” and called for announcements:
Yalin and Gareth played Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1 for our Special Music, and it WAS special! They received a standing ovation. What a treat on this glorious, cool morning of sun and light breezes. Even Rev. Joe gave our musicians an appreciative “Hmmmm!”.
The first scripture reading was Mark 12:28-31, in which Jesus is asked which is the most important commandment. He responds, 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] There is no commandment greater than these.” Rev. Joe emphasized that in order to love your neighbor as yourself, you first must learn to love yourself, which often is hard, given the lives we live. More on this in the sermon. The second reading – Psalm 63:1-8, where David is seeking God in the desert of Judah – was read responsively by Barry and the congregation.
During the Offering, Reverend Gilmore prayed that “everything gold should be turned to bread” for the hungry, turning the “Midas touch upside down”. Yalin played Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla.
Rev. Gilmore read the Gospel Reading of Revelation 21:1-6 – “Behold I make all things new”, before launching into his sermon “The Two Directions of Hope”. Rev. Joe spoke of his personal life, his memories of a family gathering where he and his sister played violin and piano, and then watching as his 94-year old mother and sister played duets together at the piano. Something set his mother to laughing and the rest of the room couldn’t help but join in the laughter. He recalled this as a moment of grace for him – thinking of the triumphs and tragedies of life, once important, but no longer in the light of onrushing mortality. Reminiscing about another family reunion, with multiple generations, and the usual family issues, he noted that that ours is a Universe that yearns to heal; a universe in which time and healing are not related. A past unhealed casts shadows into the future. The old story of human frailty and glory.
He deepened the stories’ meaning with a poem, “Thanks, Robert Frost” by David Ray.
Thanks, Robert Frost
Do you have hope for the future?
someone asked Robert Frost, toward the end.
Yes, and even for the past, he replied,
that it will turn out to have been all right
for what it was, something we can accept,
mistakes made by the selves we had to be,
not able to be, perhaps, what we wished,
or what looking back half the time it seems
we could so easily have been, or ought…
The future, yes, and even for the past,
that it will become something we can bear.
And I too, and my children, so I hope,
will recall as not too heavy the tug
of those albatrosses I sadly placed
upon their tender necks. Hope for the past,
yes, old Frost, your words provide that courage,
and it brings strange peace that itself passes
into past, easier to bear because
you said it, rather casually, as snow
went on falling in Vermont years ago.
David Ray ‘Music of Time: Selected and New Poems’ 2006
Joe talked about his own father who had worked all his life in a steel mill. He was either working or at home, resting from a long and hard day. Joe felt his father was a loving presence when there, but too exhausted to be the father Joe wanted. It wasn’t until Joe had a family that he understood that his father worked so his children would not have the same dirt-poor childhood he had. Joe’s admiration for his father grew once he understood. That was the meaning behind Robert Frost’s hope “for the past”. As Joe continued his story, he told of his father’s heart attack, when Joe was just 14, and how his dad was never the same after that. Joe watched his mother lovingly take care of his father for the rest of his life. Later, Joe felt this experience had taught him to appreciate what families go through when illness pervades the family home, and have empathy and love for those affected, but at the time Joe was simply angry at what had happened. The Reverend now spoke of the “alchemy of love and wisdom”; of kids in the process of “becoming”, with parents, as Frost said, “sadly” placing albatrosses “upon their tender necks”. The hope being that love and life may reveal some understanding for parents’ past situations and plights. We are all in the process of becoming and, thus, Frost’s hope for the past. Joe said the past will turn into the past, and we can take a small step into the light. Rev. Joe concluded with “Namaste: the God in me greets the God in you.”
We said many prayers for our friends, neighbors, family and the world. At the end we joined hands in the Benediction, and Rev. Gilmore referenced Ronald Blythe in explaining the mystery of God. “When we chop wood, God lights the fire. But there needs to be that first step.”
Gareth introduced the Postlude, mentioning that some of the audience shared their homes with cats. This selection, he said, evokes the sounds of a playful kitty, which it did. He and Yalin clearly had fun in its execution. The piece was Clarinatta by Richard Hyman.
A simple thing you can do to help protect the earth: Watch your waste. Items you may be throwing away can contaminate the soil and water for thousands or millions of years. Your community probably has special disposal procedures for the things like used oil and batteries. Ink cartridges can probably be recycled where you bought them. And many of the new superefficient lightbulbs contain mercury, so proper disposal is crucial. Check with the store where you buy them.
Church Notes 8/4/2019
As one participant exclaimed when leaving the tent to go home, “What an extraordinary service that was today!” Everyone who attended likely would agree – perfect weather, exquisite scenery, yummy and abundant food, and a sermon given by the people assembled, led by Rev. Rachel Thompson.
Our 2019 annual picnic and service was held at Boscobel, thanks to many, but especially Bev Taylor who managed a miracle in making arrangements for the site. We had lovely tables with sunflower centerpieces and Tom’s keyboard worked perfectly! Rachel opened the service by gazing at our view of the Hudson and, speaking for all of us, she affirmed her gratitude for God’s creation. Still, we had to stop a moment to pray silently for the victims in the horrific mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. It is tragic that these events have become our new normal.
Other announcements included a reminder that Rev. Dr. Chandler’s surgery is coming up on Tuesday, August 6, and Doris thanks all for the prayers on her behalf. A number of persons asked to have her Alabama address broadcast in the church e-news, so here it is: 2631 South Lane, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.
In further announcements, we learned that our church administrator, Chris Lawrence, is now the proud grandma to baby Jaden Frederick Scheppa, 7 lbs 4 oz, born August 3. Big congratulations!! Mom and baby doing well. Carolyn Llewellyn noted that it is that time again to sign up for teaching Sunday School, which will start in the fall. She also recognized Cathy Lim and Jill Golden for their work in organizing the demonstration last weekend against the caging of immigrant children and families that come to our southern border to escape violence in their own countries. It was important and quite a crowd formed to protest. Lastly, Tom McCoy mentioned that our favorite gospel singer, Rene Bailey, recently had spinal surgery and is in rehab care at Woodland Pond in New Paltz. Her number there is 845-256-5685. She is expected to go home mid-week, and her home number is 845-626-0979. She said she would love to hear from us while she is recuperating.
Rev. Thompson called us to worship, and we sang “Morning Has Broken” and then prayed together – “A divine voice signs through all creation right down to this day, this place, this picnic gathering. For all this beauty, we praise your name. Amen.”
The scripture reading, read by Bev Taylor, our Worship Leader for the day, was Deuteronomy 8:7-11 – “7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills.” Our meditation/sermon this morning continued with our theme of gratitude for nature/God’s creation with a series of poetry and other inspirational pieces read by members of the congregation. We heard from T. S. Eliot, e.e.cummings, Saint Patrick, D. H. Lawrence, and many more. A sampling of the readings follows:
O Lord, how lovely it is to be your guest. Breeze full of scents, mountains reaching to the skies; Waters like a boundless mirror, Reflecting the sun’s golden rays and the scudding clouds. All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing depths of tenderness. Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of your love. Blessed are you, mother earth, in your floating loveliness, Which wakens our yearning for happiness that will last forever, amid beauty that grows not old, where the cry rings out: Alleluia! --Gregory Petrov
Early in the morning a small sparrow sitting on a wire along any of our streets sings a long and lovely song. It is an ancient hymn passed down in feather and bone to the very bird which is thy voice in our ear if only we knew. For now, O God, we praise what we cannot understand; we thank thee for things which we do not know, things too wonderful for us. We have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but, we beseech thee; come shining unto us. Even us. – Joe Gilmore
Bless Thee, O Lord, for the living arc of the sky over me this morning. Bless Thee, O Lord, for the companionship of night mist far above the skyscraper peaks I saw when I woke once during the night. Bless Thee, O Lord, for the miracle of light to my eyes, and the mystery of it, ever changing. Bless Thee, O Lord, for the laws Thou hast ordained holding fast these tall oblongs of stone and steel, holding fast the planet Earth in its course, and farther beyond, the cycle of the Sun. – Carl Sandburg
Let the trees be consulted before you take any action every time you breathe in thank a tree. – John Wright
As it was the first Sunday of the month, we enjoyed the Sacrament of Communion with God’s world all around us. We then said a prayer together thanking God for the gifts of water, soil, air, as well as wonder and delight in all these gifts including creatures great and small. Afterwards, we did our best at singing Rachel’s “camp song”, Tell Me Why, for which Tom did not know the tune (he must not have gone to camp). Nevertheless, with gusto and keyboard accompaniment, we redeemed ourselves in singing “The World is Alive with the Sound of Music”. In closing the service, we joined hands in a very large circle as Rachel gave the Benediction.
And then we had a scrumptious picnic lunch! Thanks to everyone who helped to make this occasion so very special!!
A simple thing you can do to help protect the earth: Go for seconds. Recycling doesn’t mean only separating your cans and bottles. It can mean using things a second (or third) time. That nice padded envelope you got in the mail, for example? Instead of throwing it away, scratch out the address, tear off the stamps, and use it again.
Friends,
Entering the sanctuary on this mid-summer Sunday morning we were blessed by the sounds of Jon Klibinoff at the piano, subbing for our Director of Music, Tom McCoy who was enjoying a brief summer vacation. We were then warmly welcomed by The Rev. David Harkness, subbing for our Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who began a time of medical leave to have surgery on the ankle injured in an automobile accident in January. David was thanked for his willingness to share his time and talents with our congregation, as was The Rev. Rachel Thompson, our Parish Associate, who has graciously agreed to be on call for pastoral needs during these months of Doris' absence, and will lead the service at our outdoor worship next Sunday at Boscobel (see announcements below). We welcomed visitors, and welcomed back friends Rev. Deke and Wendy Spierling, who were here worshipping with us due to an electrical problem which caused the cancellation of worship at their home church of Calvary Pres in Newburgh, and it also happened to be their wedding anniversary! Congrats Deke and Wendy!
Rev. Harkness led those gathered in the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, "We come, O Lord, from all our different places, bearing with us our unique and individual experiences. Here we are your people, gathered by you to pray, sing, listen, and grow. Unite us in faith and in common cause with Jesus Christ. Enable us to see you and your world through new eyes." Following the opening hymn, "O That I Had a Thousand Voices", worship leader Susan Jordan led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace and the scripture readings of Genesis 18:20-32 and, responsively, Psalm 138. Jon Kllibinoff shared "Sheep May Safely Graze" as the Special Music.
The Youth Sermon was a brief conversation which David shared with all, about not making excuses, and to live in a way that others will notice and say "That's a great person. I'm happy that I know them". The Gospel reading was Luke's account of Jesus teaching the disciples to pray what we now know as The Lord's Prayer, following which David began the sermon with a story told by Ken Bailey, who, after the fall of the Soviet Union, lectured in the Latvian Lutheran Church. It seems that Bailey encountered a young congregation, age 25-35, who had not been raised in church since the Communist government prohibited it, and they did not have underground churches in this area. He asked on young woman how she came to learn her faith. She responded that they were allowed to recite The Lord's Prayer at funerals, and she said, "When you are raised in darkness, the tiniest point of light is very bright. That's what this prayer was for me".
Rev. Harkness continued the sermon with a brief examination of the opening phrases of The Lord's Prayer. "Father" translated from "Abba" which rather than MY Father, is OUR Father, a communal term which connects us. He could have chosen Hebrew names such as Yahweh (Lord), Adonai, or Elohim (God) but instead, Jesus taught us to pray using the language of the people; God has no special language, we are all taught to pray in the language which we use. God has no problem with translation. While "Father" is a male term, we know that God is beyond gender, that there are female images of God in the Bible, and even in the story of the prodigal son, a father who acts like a mother, a father who welcomes as a mother would. One God, one being, in whom love is close.
Examining the phrase, "Hallowed be your name", David shared that the God who loves is also Holy, and expects that we will keep the name holy by how we speak and how we love; that we think about God truly being near to us and keep the image of the cross near to us as a demonstration of what love requires. The "Kingdom of God" is being slowly revealed, a cry in the midst of tragedy, so be assured..."Give to us our daily bread": In times of no refrigeration, there was always fresh bread; only the bread needed for the day, and this a reminder that we may be relieved of our anxiety over whether or not there will be 'enough'. We need to trust God with our fears and anxieties - it's bread, not cake! and it's OUR bread, not MY bread.
The final two phrases examined, "Forgive us" asks Do we forgive everyone indebted to us? Do we let go of the failures of others? To do this connects our relationship to God to our relationship with each other. Relieved of anger, bitterness, hatred, desire for revenge, we can then address the underlying problems themselves. And, "Do not bring us to the time of trial": We are not spared from what anyone else faces - doubt, pain - we wonder where God is in this; it seems unjust and God seems far away. We pray to spare us the agony of a broken relationship with God, and to have a better relationship with God and with each other. As the young Latvian woman did, we can trust that we too will discover a similar light, in praying this prayer. Amen.
We sang, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", a hymn which David explained was written by Joseph Scriven in the 1800's and sent to his dying mother. That gentle spirit led us into the prayers of the people, among which prayers were requested for Lisa Niven and her husband John Golden, undergoing surgery this Tuesday; for Sandy Barton's sister Barbara, for Pastor Doris in her surgery next week; prayers of gratitude from Carolyn for care during her recent surgery; prayers for families at the borders, and for our national leadership. We also remember Rose Champlin in our prayers, and all those on the prayer line (attached). After praying The Lord's Prayer, we sang "Arise, Your Light Has Come", joined hands to share in the benediction, and enjoyed Jon's postlude of Arabesque No. 1 by Claude Debussy.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
Next Sunday, August 4: Our morning worship service will be at Boscobel, where the gates open at 10:00 and worship will begin at 10:30. We will have a picnic following, with sandwiches and wraps and beverages provided. Bring a side dish or dessert to share. Wear sneakers as there are many lovely trails on the property. Parking is past the paved parking lots, on the left side, down by the tent we will be using. Rev. Rachel Thompson will be leading the service for us, and we will celebrate communion. Don't miss it!
A SIMPLE THING we can do to protect the earth: Put one foot in front of the other. One hundred years ago, 99.9% of people got by without cars. They took the train, they lived near their workplaces... and they walked. Using fuel-efficient cars is important, but we can save even more fuel by simply driving less.
Church Notes 7/21/2019
On a dangerously sultry day, we filled the pews slowly to a “Barcarolle” by Gabriel Faure (barcarolles were originally folk songs by Venetian gondoliers) played by Tom McCoy on piano and Lynn Brown on flute. In our lightly air-conditioned sanctuary, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, noting that this “feels like Alabama weather”, called for announcements (see below). Janet Rust introduced her daughter-in-law’s mother, Delfina, from Spain, encouraging all who could speak Spanish to engage her in conversation. Pastor Doris also noted the welcome for the new Priest of St. Mary’s, Father Steve Schunk, and Marilyn Schlosser, who went to the dinner there, was impressed by his warmth as he visited each table to greet them. Additionally, Pastor Doris mentioned that Pastor Micah Campbell is new at the Cold Spring United Methodist Church, as is Father Steve Holton at St. Philips in the Highlands in Garrison.
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship and led the Opening Prayer – “O God, who chooses us, you call us to be a diverse family, yet truly one.” Gareth Guest was our Worship Leader leading us in the Prayer of Confession – “You are the God of all people, united to the body of Christ. Forgive us when we would fracture your body, and reconcile us in your spirit. Amen.”
After an exuberant Passing of the Peace, we settled in for some Special Music by Lynn and Tom, a “Berceuse” from Gabriel Faure. Gareth stood again to read Amos 8:1-12, a long passage where God tells Amos that the time is coming for the people of Israel. “Hear this”, God says, “you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land.” He says the days will come “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord”. The second scripture reading was Psalm 52, read responsively, scolding someone for boasting of his evil deeds – “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!”
The Youth Sermon was given to the congregation as children were absent on this hot day. Pastor Doris exclaimed that 50 years ago today Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. Aldrin, a member of the Webster Presbyterian Church, had packed with him a communion chalice, wine and a wafer on the moon flight to celebrate the eucharist when he had landed. The astronauts had been given 5 hours to relax before leaving the space module, during which time Buzz took the opportunity to take communion. Pastor Chandler said that wherever we land, God is always there.
During the Offertory, Tom played David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” – as we hummed “Ground control to Major Tom….”
Rev. Dr. Chandler read Luke 10:38-42. It is the story of Mary and Martha, with Martha the worker readying a meal for Jesus and Mary taking the time to stop and listen to his words. Everyone identifies with one woman or another, but Pastor Doris went back to last week’s Good Samaritan parable where Jesus says to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”. She said that both women were accomplishing this in their own way. There is a time for hearing and doing, and we can, and should, do both. In this church we listen on Sundays, but the church would not be strong without able hands and minds working to do God’s work. Rev. Dr. Chandler said this passage gives us a moment to reflect on the balance and value of listening to the word of God and doing God’s work in our daily lives.
We said our Prayers of the People, including the good news of a new granddaughter, Parker Lily, for the Guests. Prayers for healing were also sent in Pastor Doris’s direction.
Pastor Doris revealed that her ankle/foot injury requires more surgery. After consulting with her surgeon and the Session, she is returning to Alabama for surgery on August 6. She tearfully related that this is a detour in her ministry for our church, but promised to be back as soon as her surgeon allows – somewhere between 4-8 weeks. She will be thinking about us (and we about her) the entire time.
Lynn explained that she and Tom decided on playing all this Faure music because of Bastille Day, July 14. She was pleased to play “Morceau de Concours”, accompanied by Tom, as their final selection. Fauré’s Morceau (1898) is “a little gem written as a test piece for the flute while the composer was director at the Paris Conservatoire.” What a lovely Postlude an Amen to our service.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - July 7, 2019
The summer schedule of 10:00 am Sunday worship began with a jazz prelude from Gareth Guest on clarinet and Tom McCoy on the piano as they improvised on "Precious Lord, Take My Hand". Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed the somewhat smaller than usual crowd and called for announcements (see below). She then led the Church of the Open Door through the worship service, prayers, hymns, readings and a youth sermon in which Doris and Matty chatted about the US women's soccer team in the world cup finals today, as they looked at a photograph of the team. The question was raised, Why don't we have a uniform as God's team? And the response: "While we are all different, God gives us all our uniform inside of our hearts."
For the Special Music, Gareth and Tom played "Pie Jesu" from Requiem by Gabriel Faure. Annie and Ron received the morning offering, after which the Pastor read the two scripture passages: 2 Kings 5:1-14, the story of Naaman's healing from leprosy, and Luke 10: 1-11 and 16-20, where Jesus sends out the disciples.
The sermon began with a reflection on these two passages, which both contained "un-named heroes". In the story of Naaman, an un-named girl from Israel made a powerful difference by suggesting that Naaman seek healing in Samaria, from Elisha (and not from the King as erroneously believed). It is Naaman's un-named servants who steer him towards Elisha and the healing he needs. In the gospel, there are 70 un-named disciples who are sent out, and they do marvelous work. Flash forward to current events in the news: there are none of us that can turn on the news and not be affected by the images of those refugees who are being stripped of their dignity and human rights. There are many un-sung and un-named heroes who stand by and support those who are being held in "camps". The question is: Can we do more? What would it mean to do more? As one shop owner in Beacon has posted a sign in the establishment window: "Shut Down the Camps", a way of showing support - what can we do to continue to put the word out? We are called to speak truth to "inappropriate power" wherever we find it. Be an un-named hero. You can do nothing less as a Child of God. Amen.
Communion was celebrated with Deacon Betsy Anastasi assisting Rev. Dr. Chandler, as Gareth and Tom played "Jesus, Remember Me". The postlude from our instrumental duo was an arrangement of "O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee".
The benediction was adapted from the words of Elyse D. Frishman:
"May the door of this [Church of the Open Door] be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for friendship. May it welcome all who have cares to unburden, thanks to express,hopes to nurture. May the door of this [church] be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity. May its threshold be no stumbling block to young or straying feet. May it be too high to admit complacency, selfishness and harshness. May this [church] be for all who enter, the doorway to a richer and more meaningful life." Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday June 30, 2019
If you were among those present at The Church of The Open Door on our annual Music Appreciation Sunday, you know that you were blessed! Director of Music Tom McCoy once again assembled an array of guest instrumentalists and soloists, and our own chancel choir, with glorious musical selections! (see attached photo). Beginning with an introit of piano improvisation from Tom, those gathered were then welcomed by Parish Associate, Rev. Rachel Thompson, who called for announcements (see below) and shared 2 quotes:
“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life.” Those words were spoken by the Greek philosopher Plato more than 2500 years ago.
And these words were spoken by Lady Gaga last week sometime. “Music is one of the most powerful things the world has to offer. No matter what race or religion or nationality or sexual orientation or gender that you are, it has the power to unite us.” I’m sure Plato would agree.
Worship leader Susan Jordan led the prayer of confession, assurance of grace and passing of the peace.
Musical selections presented in this worship service included "I Believe" which featured soloist Laura Bach and the choir. The lyrics were from an inscription found on a wall in Germany during the Holocaust: "I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when I cannot feel it. I believe in God even when God is silent."
The "Pie Jesu" from the Requiem of Gabriel Faure was sung by Diana Ferrara, in memory of Dr. Erica McCoy. Diana was a long time teaching colleague of Erica's.
Instrumental selections included "Irlandaise" from Claude Bolling's Suite for Flute and Jazz piano, played by Lynn Brown, with jazz accompaniment and improv from Gareth Guest on clarinet, Lew Scott on bass, Verlaine Brunot on violin, Tom McCoy on piano, and Mike LaRocco on drums. Gareth and Tom played "Come Sunday" by Duke Ellington, also with Lew and Mike. The String Quartet, featuring Adrienne Harmon, Cynthia Ligenza, Verlaine Brunot and Susan Seligman played a movement of a Haydn String Quartet as Wally and Cathy received the morning offering.
In keeping with the musical focus of the day, Rachel had the responsive reading divided odd/even verses by Soprano/Tenor and Alto/Bass, or higher voices and lower voices, to share in Psalm 98. Longtime church member, choir member, and church historian Janet Rust had prepared an insert for the bulletin, about the history of Philipstown Concerts, (a series which FPCP presented to the community free of charge from 1974-2007), and she spoke briefly about the program.
More music! Again Laura Bach solo-ed with the choir on "Nella Fantasia" (In My Fantasy) a selection also known as "Gabriel's Oboe" from the film The Mission, and this was also dedicated to the memory of Dr. Erica McCoy. Baritone and friend of the congregation John Cimino sang selections from "Man of La Mancha" as requested by his wife Rachel, in honor of their 14th wedding anniversary, and commenting "All I do I do out of service to others, out of love"
The choir, with John Lane's dramatic opening solo (transporting us to 'The Lion King') and full instrumental accompaniment, presented the African selection "Akekho Ofana No Jesu" [translation: "There is no one like Jesus"]. This was followed by an Afican hymn, Siyahamba (We Are Marching (praying, singing, dancing - and we did! - in the Light of God) ,
Following the benediction, [May God bless you and keep you. May God’s light shine upon you and within you. May everything you do be done in love and with harmony. And may you always walk in the ways of peace, salaam, shalom.] Rachel gathered the congregation together in the front of the church and the room was filled with everyone singing or playing the music of John Lennon's "Imagine".. "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one." May it be so.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 6/23/2019
Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us all to this special service and called for announcements. There were none – probably the first time this has happened, but a couple of important ones have been added to this e-news below. Pastor Chandler called us to worship (“…we find ourselves united in Christ: one faith, one Lord, one baptism”) and led us in the Opening Prayer. Top of Form
The Worship Leader, Cathy Carnevale, greeted us with “Oh, what a beautiful morning!” to which the congregation replied, “Oh, what a beautiful day!”, and it really was. She first quoted a passage from Mother Teresa saying that “we have it in our power to be in heaven with God right now…at this very moment.” Cathy guided us in the Prayer of Confession – “As the deer longs for flowing streams, so our souls long for you, O God”, and then repeated Jesus’ last commandment to his disciples that “you love one another as I have loved you.” We Passed the Peace in our normal exuberant style and then enjoyed a special blessing for the high school graduates.
Will Speziale, representing all the graduates, received a loving blessing (see poem by Joyce Rupp below) from Pastor Doris as he moves on to the next stage of his life. It was beautiful. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory anthem, as the choir sang Bach’s “Alleluia, Sing Praise”.
Cathy gave a reading of the story from I Kings 19:1-15, which is the story of Elijah fleeing for his life. Jezebel, the wife of Israeli King Ahab, had sworn to kill Elijah for his actions against the prophets of Israel which had broken its covenant with God. Elijah escaped into the wilderness and fell asleep. An angel woke him and told him to eat and drink. Sure enough, bread and water had been provided for him. After he fell asleep again, the angel once more asked him to eat and drink because he was to journey 40 days and nights and needed this food to sustain him. Later in the story the Lord comes to Elijah, in a sudden silence following a strong wind, earthquake and fire, and tells Elijah, a God-fearing man and prophet himself, what he must do next in carrying out God’s work.
The second reading was Galatians 3:23-29, which explains the purpose of the law. Basically, it explains that the Jewish law existed as a discipline to be followed by God’s people, but once Christ came and showed the way of faith, this law was no longer needed. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
The Youth Sermon was interesting. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that God did amazing things with ordinary water, as we were about to baptize a child. She had the children and the family members of this child feel the water. The children said it was a bit cold. She asked if the children knew that their bodies were mainly water? The Lesson: God uses ordinary water to bless us.
Pastor Chandler then focused on Luke 8:26-39, telling us the story rather than reading the passage. Jesus went to a town across from Galilee and came across a naked man, possessed by many demons. Jesus purged the man of the impure spirits, but the demons then fled into a herd of swine who subsequently ran into the water and drowned. The swine herders were not pleased and reported the situation to the authorities. The town told Jesus to go as they were now afraid. As Jesus was leaving, the now-dressed and demon-free man wished to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to go home and “tell how much God has done for you.” So, the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler, for her sermon, talked to the parents, Godparents, and family of Carter Coles Hedden, the child about to be baptized. She drew from the three scripture lessons of the day. From the Elijah story, she said it is okay to be afraid sometimes in taking care of Carter Coles, as you can be assured that God will provide for him as a “Child of God”. She asked that the family teach him that human differences are okay; “otherness” is okay, because the Galations passage taught us that we are all one in the sight of God. For the Luke scripture, Carter Coles can one day go and tell the world what God has done for him. To the family, she said just teaching him to say “thank you” and “I’m sorry” will proclaim God’s love. Let him know that it is okay to fail, for the moments when we fail are the teachable moments when we grow the most. She ended by announcing to all that Carter Coles is a child of the light and will live as a light to others. The baptism ceremony proceeded after the “sermon” and the church erupted in applause for baptized Carter Coles, Child of God.
Following hymns, prayers, and our Benediction, we listened as Tom played “The Sound of Silence”, by Paul Simon and then “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from Oklahoma by Richard Rodgers.
We continued our celebration in the Social Hall with brownies, cookies and conversation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A Blessing of The Angels
May the angel of the annunciation bless you,
inviting you daily to awaken to the God-life within you.
May the angel of Joseph’s dreams bless you,
stirring your spirit to trust the many ways that Mystery whispers to you.
May the angel of birthing bless you,
calling forth wonder, awe, and gratitude for all that has helped you to become your true self.
May the angel of Bethlehem-songs bless you,
tickling your soul with laughter and joy,
heralding hope and good tidings to you.
May the angel of the journey to Egypt bless you,
guiding and protecting you as you travel the inner and out
roads of your life.
May the angel of desert wilderness bless you,
bringing courage when you experience bleak,
intense searching and struggle.
May the angel of prayer bless you,
gathering you closely to the divine Beloved who longs for your embrace.
May the angel of children on the lap of Jesus bless you,
helping you to see the beauty and freedom of your inner child.
May the angel of the agony in the garden bless you,
offering you solace in your times of tribulation.
May the angel at the tomb of resurrection bless you with faith,
assuring your faith and trust that all shall be well.
~ Joyce Rupp,
from Out of the Ordinary:
Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday June 16, 2019 - Trinity Sunday
"Happy Father's Day" was the enthusiastic greeting from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, as she welcomed those gathered at The Church of the Open Door, called for announcements (see below) and took a video of Tom playing the piano and the congregation singing "Happy Birthday" for homebound member Rose Champlin, whose birthday is this Saturday, June 22. [If you didn't bring a birthday card to add to the basket for Rose, you may mail her a card to 11 Paulding Ave. Cold Spring, NY 10516].
The choir sang "Spirit, now live in me" for their introit, and we shared the Call to Worship, Opening Prayer and Hymn of Praise, "Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!". Worship Leader Bernadette Humphrey-Nicol guided the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and the Scripture Readings from Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31 and Romans 5:1-5. The choir sang "Praise God" as the anthem, and, for the Youth Sermon, Pastor Doris shared a conversation with James about the Trinity - God the Creator, Jesus the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit - different images for God, separate but, mysteriously, all one. Carolyn and Susan received the morning offering as James collected quarters for the goat bank, and Tom played "This is My Father's World".
The Trinity Sunday Sermon began as an "Ode to Wisdom", as Rev. Dr. Chandler reflected on the decades-ago PCUSA "Re-imagining" Conference, which focused on God as Wisdom, or "Sophia" and was given feminine attributes. The wisdom in Proverbs tells us that all our constructs of God, male, female,or any other, are all limited, though they point us in the direction of what is Holy. Wisdom is the great public theologian: "Listen to me, I've got something to tell you"; trying to get us to look beyond ourselves. Everything around you is infused with God's spirit. Wisdom is all around us and we are all connected. Our salvific moment is in the fact that we are different, not that we are all the same; we are in community.
Parker Palmer wrote:, "Community is that place where the person you least want to live with always moves in, [and] when that person moves away, someone else arises immediately to take his or her place". Community opens us up, to give ourselves, to live with people we may not like at all. We are called to be tested, to live in community, and the Triune God always models for us a way to be different, and also to be "one". It is not always easy but we are called to it by our Creator/Redeemer/Spirit.
During the Prayers of the People, we remembered fathers, shared concerns and joys, and blessings for Graduates, to include Riley Bissinger and Will Speziale. We shared in reciting The Lord's Prayer. We sang, we joined hands for the benediction, and Tom shared as his postlude Forrest Silver's "Song for my Father".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown...Pentecost and Confirmation Sunday, June 9, 2019
What beautiful weather, on this day that had The Church of the Open Door buzzing with excitement! The "sea of red" decorating the sanctuary from the drape on the wall to the many gorgeous geraniums immediately proclaimed that this was no "ordinary" Sunday!
Prelude music from Tom McCoy included "When Morning Gilds The Skies" as Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler and the confirmands, about to become active members of the congregation, processed down the aisle. Those gathered were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, who called for announcements (see below) and gave a hearty "Happy Birthday, Church" . The choir sang "Spirit of God", and the congregation joined in the Call to Worship, "The day of Pentecost has come and we are together,... Spirit, give us courage. Set us afire to unashamedly love you and live holy and joyful lives!", the Opening Prayer, and the hymn "On Pentecost They Gathered".
Worship Leader Lynn Brown guided the congregation through the time of confession, the passing of the peace, and the first reading, from Acts 2:1-21. She introduced the story of Pentecost (as translated by Eugene Peterson in "The Message") and Ron Sopyla continued, reading the disciple Peter's speech from that day.
During time for the youth, the 3rd graders (Audrey, James, Matty, and Sophia) received their bibles, each with a special verse chosen for them by Pastor Doris. As all of the children joined together, they learned the sign language symbol for "I Love You" and directed it first to the confirmands, then to the congregation, who enthusiastically signed it back to the children. The children collected quarters for the goat bank as Kate and Roy received the morning offering and Tom played "Come O Spirit, Dwell Among Us".
Rev. Dr. Chandler read from the Gospel, John 14:8-17, spoke briefly about the confirmation process including classes, worship attendance, a service project and their freedom to choose whether or not to join the church. She then invited the confirmands each to the pulpit where they read bible verses which they had chosen, and explained why those verses are meaningful to them. The verses and reflections shared by Hannah Bissinger, Jack Gordineer, Maggie Gordineer, Amanda Johanson, Kate Jordan, Elaine Llewellyn and Roy Smith showed the wonderful heart and spirit of each, and we were blessed to hear from them all! Elders Mona Smith and Carolyn Llewellyn thanked the teachers of the confirmation program, Lynn Brown and Pastor Doris, for their work with the class.
The choir shared a special anthem for the confirmands, "I was there to hear your borning cry, I'll be there when you are old. I rejoiced the day you were baptized, to see your life unfold..."
The confirmands were reminded of their baptism, and then affirmed their faith by answering questions in front of the congregation, as they became the newest active members of First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown. Congratulations and welcome aboard! Elder for Christian Education Carolyn Llewellyn presented each with a certificate and a copy of "The Message".
Communion was celebrated, (with an opportunity for all to choose a button to tie onto their wrist, a symbol of being in community) the final hymn "Spirit" was sung, and we received the benediction and a blessing for the luncheon meal (of 'tongues of fire' chili!) and heard Tom's postlude of the "Ritual Fire Dance" by Manuel de Falla.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 6/2/2019
A beautiful day to honor all our teachers that provide us with the gift of knowledge and direction. Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us to this day of celebration and called for announcements (see below). One announcement was that James Llewellyn was about to turn 9 years old on June 3, but before we had a chance to sing Happy Birthday to James, others chimed in with a flood of May birthdays that had been missed. So here they are: Martha-Louise Harkness on May 13, Audrey Silverstein on May 11, Greg Smith on May 6, Elaine Llewellyn on May 22, Jean Llewellyn on May 8, and Bernadette Humphrey-Nicol on May 27. Tom played Happy Birthday with gusto for all the current and past-due birthdays!
Pastor Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Gareth Guest then took the pulpit with the Prayer of Confession (“Your will is to free us from the chains of injustice, but we would keep them on rather than disturb the peace.”). He then assured us of God’s grace, and we sang “Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord in Thee” as our response. After Passing the Peace, we enjoyed the choir’s anthem selection of “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”.
Rev. Dr. Chandler then read from our church’s history, quoting from Judge William Wood at the 80th anniversary of the church (1908). He talked about the origins of our church when “religious exercises were held in the loft of the pattern shop of the West Point Foundry by various denominations, of which the Presbyterians were the strongest.” Regarding the religious instruction of children of the early English, Irish and Scottish residents, he said that “as Sunday Schools were common in the land from hence they came, this method of instruction would appeal very strongly,…as it brought the children under the tuition of men and women qualified by knowledge and piety to lead the children into the light of the Gospel.” So, our Sunday school goes way back to a time before our church was even constructed. With that introduction, Carolyn Llewellyn and Pastor Doris presented flowers to our Sunday School teachers: Sally Smith, Ana Silverlinck, Rachel Emig, Janet Barton, Bev Taylor, and Emilia Anastasi. Carolyn, herself a teacher, was honored by the other teachers and our pastor for her leadership of all Christian Education at the church. Carolyn, speaking of the challenges in teaching, mentioned that our Sunday School includes “babies through 8th grade children and yet every week we have the miracle of teachers who answer the call!” Pastor Doris noted the patience and love that goes into teaching children and said a blessing for our wonderful teachers. A big appreciative round of applause followed.
Rev. Dr. Chandler also recognized those who teach the Adult Education sessions on Sunday mornings before church. They are: Lynn Brown, Nancy Witt, Elise LaRocco, and Rachel Thompson. As only Rachel was present, she came forward, but all were celebrated with another round of applause. Yay!!
Pastor Doris again read from the church history, noting that in 1967 the church did not feel it could justify the expense of the church addition if it were only to be used for an hour or two on Sunday morning and an occasional event. “As early as October 1967 a Mission and Planning Conference discussed the possibility of a nursery school or day care center for children of working mothers.” And in 1968 it was decided to do this on a pilot basis. “The proposal was for approximately 20 children 3 and 4 years old at a cost of $20 a month…” “One paid director, Mrs. Robert (Marie) Rohrberg and one paid assistant were engaged for the experiment.” Pastor Doris laughed at the initial pricing as she introduced the Community Nursery School Director, Rosemary Rodino, who succeeded Marie Rohrberg and has been at CNS for 35 years. Rosemary prefaced her remarks by saying that she didn’t mind public speaking, but just likes her audience to be under 5 years of age. She thanked a number of people for their continuing devotion to CNS and said that on June 6, CNS is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Pastor Doris remarked that our church is warmly regarded for many reasons, but a big one is the nursery school. She noted that CNS does not teach “God” but it does teach our core values of “gentleness, kindness, patience, and self-control”. Rosemary received much applause.
As time was short after the teacher celebration, the remainder of the service was somewhat truncated. Gareth did read the scripture lesson of Acts 16:16-34, where Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in jail, but through an act of God and their own faith, kindness, and humility are finally released by their jailer who becomes a believer. Rev. Dr. Chandler based her short sermon on this scripture, asking if we are willing to step up and show our faith in difficult situations where we need to, where people need our help or justice needs to be served? The Gospel reading of John 17:20-26, where Jesus prays to God for all believers, was not read. Instead, we focused on the Prayers of the People, responding “God of new life, hear our prayer”. Tom played “Teach Your Children Well” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young during the offering and “What Does the Lord Require of You?” as the Postlude.
After the Benediction we went into the Social Hall to celebrate further with ice cream (3 kinds!!) and ice cream cones, home-made cookies, and cupcakes with strawberries on top! Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 5/19/19
A sunny, warm, ‘suddenly summer’ day and Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us all into the church. She thanked Tom for the glorious and well-attended Jazz Vespers the previous night, and then asked for announcements (see picture and announcements below). Rennie introduced Rev. Bob White, and his wife, Allyson, explaining that he had been the pastor of this church some years ago. Rev. Doris stepped down from the pulpit to shake their hands and give them a warm welcome.
Rev. Dr. Doris called us to worship and we read the Opening Prayer together – “…we recognize all that exists, all of Creation exists to praise you.” Our Worship Leader for the day, Bev Taylor, stood and led us in the Prayer of Confession – “Judgement comes easy for us. Resentment sticks to us like Velcro. But compassion and forgiveness are slow to occur to us…”. Bev read the Assurance of Grace (“God makes all things new.”) and we Passed the Peace in the aisles and pews.
The Choir’s anthem, “I Must Tell Jesus All of My Trials” (Elisha A. Hoffman, 1894) followed. Bev then asked us all to read Acts 11:1-18 with her. In this passage Peter is criticized for bringing the word of God to the Gentiles and sitting down to eat what Jews would consider “unclean food” with them. Peter explains his vision: “9 “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.” When his critics heard this, they had no further objections and praised God.
Pastor Doris’ Youth Sermon was, as always, educational. She showed the children the Greek letters for alpha and omega, explaining that these were the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing the beginning and the end. She told them that God was there when each of them was born (their Alpha) and will be with them always, including when they pass from this earthly existence (their Omega).
The Gospel reading – John 13:31-35 – focuses on Jesus’ last commandment to his disciples to love one another as Jesus has loved them. It is to be taken in a larger context to all of us as his disciples.
Rev. Dr. Chandler used both scripture readings to launch into her Sermon, “Spirit of the Living God”. She noted that in the Acts passage, Peter was in hot water because Christianity was still a sect of the Jewish faith and was a young church; and yet Peter goes forth and baptizes Gentiles with the Holy Spirit. His fellow “Christians” did not understand why he would do such blasphemous thing. But the John passage reminds us that Jesus’ last commandment was that we love one another as Jesus has loved us, and the disciples took this directive to heart. The larger Christian church was now on its way!! Pastor Doris pulled from her own experience and the prayers of the day – how judgement and resentment pulls us down, and is not consistent with Jesus’ teachings of compassion, forgiveness, and love for each other. We may resent the way people act, dress, live. We may treat them as outsiders, but – surprise! – they are already insiders in God’s economy. They are not “them”; they are “us”. She asked us to reflect on this lesson as we live our own lives.
We prayed for our friends, family, neighbors, and the world. We sang “Today We Are Called to Be Disciples”, and we enjoyed Rev. Bob White’s Benediction where we held hands and blessed one another.
Tom played a flowing and uplifting version of “How Can I Keep from Singing” that washed over all of us and put us in a happy mood for conversation in the Social Hall. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday May 12, 2019
Friends,
The Church of the Open Door gathered on a rainy Mother's Day, with a welcome by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler including a quote from Mark Twain: "My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it". The pastor called for announcements (see below) and led the congregation in the call to worship and the opening prayer.
Worship Leader Sandy Larivee guided the prayer of confession, assured us of Grace, led the Passing of the Peace and the unison reading of Psalm 23. Tom and the choir presented an arrangement of an old gospel hymn, "Pass Me Not" as the anthem.
The youth sermon was presented to two of the confirmands. Elaine and Hannah walked up to the cross and were reminded that they are 'walking crosses', standing up straight, they are connected to God and reaching out their arms they are in relationship with others. Elaine and Hannah received the morning offering as Tom played "Ave Maria".
Pastor Doris read the gospel passage from John 10:22-30, and added a verse from Romans 16:13 (greeting the mother of Rufus, a mother to me also). She preached about mothers being a shepherdess; exposing children to Christ, teaching them to be still...rhrough it all, in mothering the highest calling is to love. We all need to be loved and to know that God loves us just as we are.
The prayers of the people offered times for sharing, first of gratitude for those who have mothered us, and prayers of healing and comfort.
We closed in song "God Bless Your Church With Strength"; joined hands in a circle for the benediction, and listened as Tom offered for the postlude "Everything's Alright" from Jesus Christ Superstar.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* The monthly church lunch outing is this Tuesday May 14 at the Depot Restaurant at 12:30. All are welcome to join!
* There will be a Jazz Vesper on Saturday May 18 at 5:30 pm which promises to be "Unforgettable", a tribute to Nat King Cole with vocalist Marty Elkins and other musical guests led by our own incomparable Tom McCoy! Wine & cheese reception to follow.
*There is an outing to the Depot Theatre to see "Nunsense" on Sunday May 19 at 3 pm. Check with Bev Taylor for ticket availability.
*The next Habitat workday is May 25. Signup sheet available.
*Habitat events coming up: "Hudson Valley Gives" day this Wed 5/15. First $5,000 to Habitat will be matched.
Chris O'Leary Band fundraiser for Habitat at Billy Joe's Ribworks Sat 5/18 from 12-4 pm. Also presbybuild talent show at Montgomery Presbyterian Church: desserts at 2, concert at 3pm, also this Saturday. Please designate any Habitat donations to Presbybuild and also note FPCP Cold Spring.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, May 5, 2019...
Friends,
As "The Church of the Open Door" gathered, on the morning after the Midnight Run, there were expressions of gratitude to all who participated, in some way, to this successful mission outreach experience, noting that truly, "It Takes A Village"!
There were words of welcome from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below), and singing of "Happy Birthday" to Diana Geller (today!),and Greg Smith and Jean Llewellyn this coming week. Other musical welcomes included Tom's prelude of "Christ is Alive" and the choir's Introit, a verse of the Easter hymn "Celebrate with Joy and Singing". Pastor Doris led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, followed by the hymn of praise "Blessing and Honor".
Worship Leader Mona Smith guided the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace, and responsive reading of Psalm 30. Tom and the choir shared an arrangement of "Softly and Tenderly" as the anthem. For the Youth Sermon, Doris and the children shared their first names, and then added "Child of God", observing that we are all in one large family, the family of God. With the words "Do good and share what you have", the children collected quarters for the goat bank, Carolyn and Susan received the morning offering and Tom played "I Sing the Mighty Power of God".
The Gospel reading was from John 21:1-19, where Jesus teaches "If you love me, feed my sheep". In the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler shared a story, and a caution that "sometimes we get too comfortable with what we know, and in arrogance, rush to judgement". She spoke of how, in the reading, Jesus asked Peter 3 times "Do you love me?" (mirroring the 3 times Peter had denied Jesus), and in Peter, Jesus was looking for a spiritual leader. Jesus offered Peter a chance for humility. We should hold what we believe 'loosely', and prepare to be surprised and offered a correction every now and then.
As we prepared to receive communion, Doris spoke about the "Eucharist on the Street" during the midnight run, saying that the eucharist is not bound to be in this space all the time: "This bread and cup is alive with the spirit of God. Do we ever really deserve this meal? Probably not. But God gives it anyway. That is grace". As we received the meal, Tom played a selection from the Taize community, "Confitemini Domino, or Come and Fill our Hearts with your Peace".
Those gathered joined in a circle for the benediction, and Tom closed with a postlude in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, a beautiful tune from the film "Schindler's List", with a little bit of 'What Does the Lord Require of You' interspersed, reflecting back to the refrain of our final hymn: "We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, April 28, 2019
Friends,
Before church, the Adult Study group met to continue discussion of Brian McLaren's "We Make The Road By Walking", and after church, our representative team ventured over to Newburgh to participate in the annual Habitat for Humanity "Walk for Housing" There seems to be a theme for the day!
As the worship hour began, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler warmly welcomed those gathered on this Second Sunday of Easter, called for announcements (see below) and led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Worship Leader Barry Llewellyn guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, and Passing the Peace. Barry read from Revelation 1: 4-8 and led the responsive reading of Acts 5:27-32. Tom and the choir presented the Introit "Celebrate with Joy and Singing" and the anthem 'Good Christians All, Rejoice and Sing".
For the Youth Sermon, Rev. Doris shared a print of "Jesus Laughing" with the children, saying that she believes we are 'called to laugh', and shared words of scripture from Proverbs " A cheerful heart is good medicine" and Psalms "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it". She told those gathered that God has a great sense of humor, so join in laughter - it's good for you and for all who share it! While the children collected quarters for the goat bank, and Andrea and Wally received the offering, Tom improvised on "Come Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain".
The Gospel reading of John 20:19-31, the story of Jesus post-resurrection appearance to the disciples and of Thomas' doubts, preceded the sermon, which began with teaching the congregation a verse to say: "Ho-ho-ho-ho-sanna, Ha-ha-ha-leluia, He-he-he-he loves us; We've got the joy of the Lord". This became the congregation's response several times during the sermon, when a humorous story or joke was told. Rev. Dr. Chandler focused on the tradition of Easter Monday, which evolved into "Bright Sunday" or "Holy Humor Sunday" the week following Easter - a time to party! "Everybody's path to the party is not the same" referenced Thomas, who finally did come around to his own party moment. And what about us? Where's our party moment? Has it happened? Can it happen over and over again? There were many funny stories and some church bulletin bloopers shared, with the conclusion that God got the last laugh when Jesus rose. As Gregory of Nyssa said, "When Jesus made the journey from death to life, we received once and for all the news that death does not have the last word". Concluding with some words of Mary Oliver, "I dressed in black and my heart sang" May we never let things get so black that our hearts can't sing! Amen.
With prayers and song, a benediction and postlude, we went out into the day.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 4/14/2019
A beautiful day, but the best news of all was that Rev. Dr. Chandler was back from her lengthy recuperation following her car accident in early January. She thanked us for the cards, emails, and prayers sent her way, saying that the good energy helped in her healing. She noted the loving care received from her wife and son. Lastly, she tearfully thanked the pastors who filled the pulpit during her absence – Revs. Rachel Thompson, David Harkness, Martha-Louise Harkness, and Joe Gilmore. The congregation applauded Rev. Dr. Chandler’s return and the wonderful pastors who so willingly served in her stead.
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship with a “Hosanna in the Highest!”, it being Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. In the Opening Prayer we were drawn back “to Jerusalem, to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ…”. Rev. Dr. Chandler read from Luke 19:28-40, where Jesus directs his disciples to untie a colt and bring it to him. The disciples place their cloaks on the colt and Jesus rides into Jerusalem as crowds of disciples pave the way with their cloaks, shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Andy Larivee, this Sunday’s Worship Leader, led the Prayer of Confession, acknowledging that “we like religion that makes us feel good”, but Jesus comes “proclaiming humble obedience as a virtue…challenging the rich…the powerful…to change their ways…” And yet, “We don’t want rejection or a cross…” Following the Assurance of Grace and Passing of the Peace, the choir sang a spirited “Hosanna, Hosanna, We Sing”.
Andy read Isaiah 50:4-9, an Old Testament passage, but one appropriate for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem: “Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other. Who is my accuser? Let him confront me!” We also read Psalm 31:9-16 responsively. Then it was time for the Easter Pageant!
The children performed the entire Easter story, from the last supper with Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, to the crucifixion, to the Marys finding the tomb empty, to Jesus’ revealing himself to his disciples. The congregation joined in with the Lord’s Prayer, and hymns “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” and “They’ll Know We Are Christians by our Love”. For young actors, it was a highly professional job, especially given a couple of last-minute cast changes due to illness. Congratulations and thanks to: James Llewellyn, Elaine Llewellyn, Allegra Clementson. Eli Barton, Marcello Clementson, Sarah Emig, Silas Emig, Aya Hull, Athena Portman, Evangeline Schick, Kayla Tangen, Ethan Taylor, Natalie Taylor, Sophia Taylor, Audrey Silverstein, River Silvertein, Matthew Portman, Hannah Bissinger, Jack Gordineer, Maggie Gordineer, Roy Smith, costume designer - Rachel Emig, and the directors – Janet Barton and Carolyn Llewellyn.
Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in the Eucharist, saying that the table was not just for Presbyterians; it was for all. And everyone, including the children, filed forward to take Communion by intinction. We enjoyed a crowded hand-holding Benediction given by our much-missed pastor. Then Tom played Chopin’s Polonaise in A Major, a piece apropos of heralding a king’s arrival into a city.
We went into the Social Hall and enjoyed a very sociable and celebratory pizza and salad lunch, with special desserts. Thanks to all who helped, and especially Bev Taylor.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 3/31/2019
Susan Jordan was in the pulpit this morning welcoming us and remarking that the daffodils were in bloom behind the church, so it must be Spring! She called for announcements (listed below). After the choir’s Introit, she led the Call to Worship, “We know that in Christ we have new life…” and the Opening Prayer, asking God to “[R]eceive in your loving embrace all who come home to you. Seat them at your bountiful table of grace…”.
Ralph Cottier was our Worship Leader today opening up the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace --“God forgives us before we even know we have done wrong”, and the Passing of the Peace. Then, the choir sang John Lennon’s “Imagine”, but not until Tom first noted that Lennon had asked his listeners to imagine a world without religion (see lyrics below). Following the Anthem, choir member Kate Dayton weighed on why she felt Lennon had included that line. Later, prior to her delivering the sermon, Susan Jordan also offered her sentiments on Lennon’s meaning. So, who says we don’t have impromptu dialogue during our services!
Ralph led us for the responsive scripture reading of Psalm 32, “Blessed is one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” Susan next read the Scripture Lesson of Luke 15:1-3 and 11b-32, the parable of the Prodigal Son. In this story, the younger of two sons asks his father for his inheritance and then goes far away from his home and squanders his share in reckless living. He falls on hard times and is starving, and finally decides to go home, saying “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” The father rejoices that his son has come home and holds a lavish celebration. The older son, however, is resentful as he did not run off, but instead worked hard with his father, and yet no celebration has ever been held for him. The father tries to explain his reasoning, yet Susan’s sermon started elsewhere.
She firsts asks us if we have ever been rebellious and selfish? That is one entry into this story. Have we ever been resentful of others or happy that someone who was lost has finally seen the light? The parable allows us to see the three characters in the story as ourselves, perhaps at different times in our lives or in different situations. All of us are lost in some way at some times in our lives. And don’t we want to be found, to be welcomed home? Susan illustrated her points with some real-life examples, including the story of John Newton, the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”, who was a former slave trader. Circumstances led him to change from his early days as a licentious libertine in the British navy to his religious conversion and taking up the abolitionist cause.
Susan also spoke of the now well-publicized story of the Rwandan woman who managed to forgive the man who murdered her husband and children during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. How can someone do this? How can such reconciliation take place? Jesus gives us this Prodigal Son parable, as well as others, to show God’s love for all of us, whatever stage we are in our learning curve. What do WE do to bring others to our table of grace and to share what has been given to us with those who have lost their way? Susan affirmed that there is always room at the table.
Susan and Lynn served communion today, followed by prayers for the people. After singing our last hymn, which happened to be “Amazing Grace”, we joined together in the aisle for the Benediction.
Next, Tom stood to relate a story about a conversation with Renee Cruikshank some years ago, where she declared her love of Igor Stravinsky’s music. Tom explained to the congregation that he had been practicing a piece since that conversation to play for her. Now, as she is intent on moving to Seattle in a number of weeks, he felt the time had come. While Annie turned the pages, Tom lit into the Third Movement of “Petrushka” (the Russian Version of Mardi Gras, he said), and he likely lost 5 pounds in the playing, it is such a spirited piece. In any case, Renee, as well as the rest of us, were enthralled and fortunate to be present for this moment.
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace, you
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Songwriters: John Winston Lennon
Imagine lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Friends,
On this Third Sunday of Lent, the First Sunday in Spring, we were welcomed by guest preacher Rev. Joe Gilmore, saying that this is "a room where we remember that time and eternity are two sides of one reality, lived in the presence of God..." In the temporal world of the Church of the Open Door, there were many announcements shared (see below) and the birthday of Annie Becker was celebrated with song! Joe shared a quote of Vincent Persichetti "music takes us to places we've never been". So Tom and the choir shared their introit, another verse of "My Song Is Love Unknown". We shared in the call to worship and opening prayer, and the singing of "The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll not Want".
Worship Leader Cathy Carnevale came to the pulpit and led us in reading together the bulletin cover message, a poem of Joe GIlmore's:
Come then. Put down every heavy thing. Rest awhile. Take deep breaths; the trees which have made the air would want you to go and this is a way-station. We have this hour in which we take off our boots sit by a fire tended by many generations. Here we can tell stories of these days of ours along the way we are going. We can consider the weather, and reorient ourselves toward the horizon we started for. Together we can pray for safe lodging this night, and a holy rest - and peace at the last. At last. Let grace gather us and draw us to it, as many flames in a mother fire.
Cathy led us in the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, singing "Breathe on me, Breath of God", passing the peace, and she read from Matthew 6, verses 19-21. Tom and the choir shared the beautiful and familiar "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" of J.S. Bach, who was born 334 years ago this week. Annie and Susan received the offering as Tom played "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God". Joe received the offering with the words: " So imagine our surprise that, when having given, we are the richer."Amen.
Joe read from Matthew 16, and Philip Appleman's "O Karma Dharma", and then began the sermon with a story about when, having officiated a wedding ceremony, some appreciative attendees told him that he would make a good Unitarian minister! It struck Joe that these people had no idea how enormously important the life of Jesus is to him, and shared his "quest, which may not and need not be yours, [and he asked] attention, not necessarily agreement." Joe examined various events in the life of Jesus: his birth - the incarnation; Good Friday - the crucifixion; Easter - the resurrection; his Baptism; his temptation in the wilderness; the transfiguration. In each instance Joe removed the word "the". In so doing, incarnation is about God embodied in the world, in us; crucifixion, in the larger sense, becomes the spear of wealth, power and violence; the shadow side of the human heart; resurrection becomes a bigger and farther reaching mystery of God; Baptism is a moment when each of us feels that we belong, that we are beloved, each of us has a vocation, a calling to become our deepest, most noble selves, temptation is our temptation; transfiguration is a shining moment in any human life. The story of Jesus is OUR story. And Joe closed with: "I want to know about US and transfiguration, incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, baptism, and temptation. Take away the "the" and give me the thing itself. I want God in my life, not the idea of God". Amen.
We sang "Let us Break Bread Together" and as parish associate Rev. Rachel Thompson joined Joe in serving Communion, he continued his quest, inviting us to share. "Come to the table, to follow Jesus of Nazareth, to whisper on your own: here is my body and blood for you, God...You are God, I am grateful, I will live the best I can so that there is hope for all of us".
Prayers were shared, the hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth" was sung, we joined hands and Joe gave the bendiction: "May we be nourished, where we may be famished; quieted, where we may be frantic; hopeful, where we may be stuck; found, where we may be lost. May we sing the song that is in each of us to be sung". Amen. Tom's postlude was a rousing Gershwin "I Got Plenty O' Nothin'" from Porgy and Bess, with a little insert of " 'f I were King" from The Wizard of Oz!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, March 10, 2019
Winter is a wonderful reminder that we are not in charge, as much as we like to think we are! While the overnight snowfall caused cancellation of our 9am Adult Study Class, those gathered at 'The Church of The Open Door' were warmly welcomed to worship by Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, on this first Sunday of Lent.
Announcements were shared (see below), Tom and the choir shared their introit, and the Call to Worship was from "For The Traveler" by John O'Donohue: "When you travel, a new silence goes with you, and if you listen, you will hear what your heart would love to say". We shared the opening hymn from the Taize community in France, "Confitemini Domino" or "Come and Fill our Hearts". Bev Taylor led the Prayer of Confession, a further request for God to fill our hearts with peace, "...even though we don't always follow the right path; we feel we have let you, others, or ourselves down, and even if we feel unworthy...or too worthy".We were assured of God's grace, and we passed the peace. Tom and the choir shared "Wade in the Water" as the anthem, and we read together Psalm 90:1-6.
As the youth sermon, Lynn Brown shared a 'ladybug labyrinth' with Kayla, Sophia, Natalie, and Ethan, and the congregation listened in, preparing for the labyrinth walk which was to follow the service. The children collected quarters for the goat bank as the offering was received by Annie and Sophia, and the youngsters left for their Sunday School time, with teacher Sally Smith and Amelia Anastasi.
The Scripture Lesson was a verse found in Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospels, which we read together: "Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my words shall never pass away." And it was followed by Rachel's sermon "This Too Shall Pass". This very familiar phrase is not only in the gospels, but dates back to medieval Persian Sufi priests, and was used in a speech by Abraham Lincoln in 1859, when he characterized it as "appropriate in all times and situations; how much it expresses, how consoling..." Rachel spoke about the only constant in our lives being change, "from zygote to corpse and every moment in between!" In times of being stuck, bored, immersed in tragedy, even in good times..this too shall pass. We examined the question: What does endure? Mountains? Rachel shared the story of the "Old Man Mountain" in New Hampshire, how it became their state symbol in 1945 and was depicted on the NH state quarter, but in 2003, the granite outcroppings of the "Old Man" crumbled...this, too, shall pass.
The symbolism of us being always on a journey is particularly applicable to the season of Lent, a journey with a beginning and a reliable end; and surely we can do a new spiritual practice for just 6 weeks! Lent is a great time for a labyrinth walk, too, a "this, too, shall pass, walk" because in a labyrinth walk,the 'You' that exits is not the you that entered the labyrinth. You may consider it a journey to God, with God being in the center - and what's in there, well, that's between you and God. The bottom line is that what truly endures is God, the mysterious and unlimited power of creation in the universe..ashes to ashes, dust to dust... and why is this good news? Because Jesus told us we are in God, and God is in us; we are made of God's breath and stardust! And Paul wrote, "I am convinced...that...nothing can separate us from the love of God". How does this help us? We need to remind ourselves, every minute of our lives, that "this, too, shall pass" and to appreciate the love in our lives now. And perhaps the verse might be amended to read, " Heaven and earth shall pass away but God, and you, in God, shall never pass away".
We prayed, we celebrated communion as Tom played, "Let Us Break Bread Together"; we joined hands for a labyrinth preparation and benediction: "With each step along the path, may you relax and be renewed with the life force energy of the earth...As you reach the center, may you be silent long enough to hear the guiding voice of your soul...As you walk the path out, may you breathe in the breath of God and keep it with you always as you walk the path of life". Tom played "Our Love is Here to Stay" as the postlude ("In time, the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, they're only made of clay, but... our love is here to stay".) We walked the labyrinth and proceeded into a new week, filled and grateful.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 3/3/2019
On this sunny and mild day, we filed into the sanctuary slowly to Tom’s Prelude. Reverend David Harkness opened the service with an anecdote. He told of the preacher who began a service with “The Lord be with you”, but he received no immediate response. He fiddled with the microphone, saying “There’s something wrong with the microphone”, to which the congregation replied “And also with you.” We laughed as Rev. Harkness called for announcements. There were many (please see below).
Rev. Harkness called us to worship with Psalm 29:7-9 and an Opening Prayer asking God to “set before us the freedom and trust that are in Christ.” The Prayer of Confession was led by Greg Smith, our Worship Leader for the day, who assured us of God’s Grace – “God’s mercy is wide and God’s extravagant love abounds.” We Passed the Peace, and the choir honored us with the spirit of a J.S. Bach piece “At God’s Right Hand He Doth Stand.”
The first scripture reading Exodus 34:29-35 was the story of Moses descending from the mountain: “29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” The second reading was Psalm 99, exhorting people to worship God: “5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.” Following the readings, the children came to the front for the Youth Sermon.
Rev. Harkness asked how many had seen and been inside the Statue of Liberty. That question was a bit of a dry hole as none of the kids had been in the statue. But, boy, did they know a lot about Lady Liberty from TV, pictures and school. In fact, they had so much to say that they barely allowed Rev. Harkness proceed with his lesson. His point was that even though the sculptors of the statue had never envisioned airplanes or helicopters being above Ms. Liberty’s head, they still sculpted it with the same detail and care as the rest of the statue. He said “little things matter.” He told a story about his mother having 6 grandchildren and deciding to send each $3.00 a week with a short note, so that she could be part of their lives, as they did not live nearby. It was something small, but important. And one of the grandkids, when grown, explained that he had kept every one of her letters; they meant so much to him.
Luke 9:28-36, “The Transfiguration” -- where Jesus took Peter, John and James to pray and Jesus’ face and clothes shone with a bright light -- formed the basis for the adult sermon. In this passage, Moses and Elijah also appear in glorious splendor and talk with Jesus about his soon to be fulfillment at Jerusalem. God speaks from a cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
Rev. Harkness explained that in this week before Lent, we explore this Biblical passage where Jesus is revealed as a Divine Presence to some of his disciples. Given the Exodus passage read earlier in the service and this one from Luke, we can see the merging of the Old Testament with the New Testament in God’s glory transfiguring both Moses and Christ. The glory of Christ comes to us in just a few, but clearly important, moments of the Bible. Such passages are small in number and words and are not explained. God’s mystery, the mystery of Christ, and of the events are preserved. In the reading, we, as did the disciples, simply witness the events; we do not understand what is happening. Nevertheless, the human and divine natures of Jesus, God’s church, and human, as God’s creations are highlighted in the glory passages. Rev. Harkness clarified that the “glory” of the church may be silent much of the time but is always there. The glory moments may be revealed infrequently and in small ways, yet the Lord is always in us and in this place. Amen.
We celebrated the Eucharist, with Rev. Harkness sharing the thought that the Christian Eucharist deepens the mystery of our faith and plunges us down into the depths of love. It also sends us out to be the body of Christ in the world.
Following our all-hands Benediction, Tom McCoy played a beautiful and comforting composition, entitled “A Float in the Heart of God”. And the composer? Tom McCoy!!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday February 24, 2019
Gathering for worship on this rainy morning, our spirits were lifted by the musical prelude from Tom McCoy at the piano and Carolyn Llewellyn on the cello, a lovely setting of "Amazing Grace", and yet further lifted by the words of welcome shared by guest preacher The Rev. Joe Gilmore, from John O'Donohue's Morning Offering:
"All that is eternal in me welcomes the wonder of this day, the field of brightness it creates, offering time for each thing to illuminate...May I have the courage today to live the life that I would love, to postpone my dream no longer, but do at last what I came here for, and waste my heart on fear no more".
Joe received the morning announcements (see below) and the choir again reminded us in their introit, "We Are God's People". Joe led the call to worship and opening prayer, after which we joined in singing a jazzy "Immortal Invisible, God Only Wise".
Worship Leader Diana Geller led the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, passing the peace, and a responsive reading of Isaiah 58:6-12. Tom, the choir, and Carolyn gave the lovely "Compassion Hymn" as the anthem, beginning with "There is an everlasting kindness lavished on us..."
Carolyn gave the youth sermon, reinforcing the Sunday School lesson in which the children are learning and memorizing The Lord's Prayer, and continuing from Rev. Martha Harkness' youth sermon last week about trees, particularly sugar maple trees which are now beginning to have the sap running. Carolyn explained that to turn the sap into maple syrup, it is boiled over and over and over and over...just as we (over and over and over) need to forgive others and will be forgiven ourselves.
At the offertory, we heard an improvisatory "Amen" on cello and piano, James and Matty collected quarters for the goat bank and Joe received the offering with the words, "What we do here is the opposite of King Midas - we turn gold into bread. No kidding"!
The Gospel reading was from Luke 18:1-5 about the persistent widow who kept returning to the court for justice, which was finally granted. The sermon, entitled "The Widow Warrior" began with words from Black Elk: "Everything the power of the world does, is done in a circle..." Joe gave a poetic interpretation of the widow's life, regarding her loss of 'the one she had loved whose life circled around her'; perhaps the circle of a grandmother's arms who taught her persistence, endurance and hope; forming a circle of friends in her youth which taught about community and trust; the circle of her own family. "Wise, wise is this widow". Joe asked the question "By whom have we been ordained in our lives with grace and hope? And, reflecting back to the Isaiah passage, "Are we not to share our bread with the hungry, offer hospitality to those who come to us as strangers, to love enemies, to stand against injustice, and are we not to have the poor WITH US always? Are we not to embody the extravagant love of God and walk in the way of Jesus?
Joe shared some words from Annie Dillard, and continued, what comes to us is a tattered and ragged gospel that comes from those no different than us. It requires prayers and hands full of grace. The way of Jesus is unfinished and waiting...it is where the bottom half of the rainbow is being built this very morning. He concluded with the words of Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer, of a biblical saying never set down: "Come unto me, for I am as full of contradictions as you!" Amen. (and applause!)
The prayers of the people were opened with the words, "All of our lives are journeys and often we come to places of jubilation, and also to cry out loud. Churches, mosques, synagogues are places where prayer is safe". We shared prayers celebrating where we live, a place of eagles, red wing blackbirds and where the sap is running! We prayed for life transitions and those in need of healing, and gratitude for music.
We prayed the Lord's Prayer as found in the New Zealand Prayer book, sang "O For A World", joined hands for the benediction and heard Tom's rendition of "The Circle of Life".
And, in closing, these words from our call to worship:
May good come to us in this new week, and with the good, the presence of God.
May love come to us also, and with love, the presence of God.
May kindness leave our hands and touch another, and with kindness, blessing.
In this very week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, February 17, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" were welcomed by Worship Leader Lynn Brown, who called for announcements (see below), introduced our Preacher for the day, The Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness, and expressed gratitude to both Revs. Harkness, Martha-Louise and David, and to Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson, for their generosity in sharing their gifts for ministry during the time of Pastor Doris Chandler's medical leave.
Tom and the choir reminded us through the introit that "We Are God's People" and Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness guided us through the Opening Prayer, Call to Worship, and singing the opening hymn "O Day of Radiant Gladness". We shared in a time of confession, assurance of grace and passing the peace.
Rev. David Harkness came forward, as our temporary moderator of the Session, as we received Ralph Cottiers into membership, by reaffirmation of faith. Ralph has been attending and singing in the choir for a little over a year, and has contributed many hours of volunteer work as well. Welcome, Ralph!
Tom introduced the Anthem as, "the psalm that swings"! And indeed it did! Our scripture readings were from Jeremiah, Chapter 17 and responsive reading of Psalm 1. Martha-Louise gathered the young people for the youth sermon in which she referred back to the scripture about "trees that are planted by flowing water" as being healthy and happy and giving us a great deal, such as those items she produced from her brown bag - maple syrup, a seed pod, leaves, and acorns. The youth sermon concluded with a reminder to listen to God's word and be nourished, as the trees are from water. The children collected quarters for the goat bank and headed out to Sunday School, as the morning offering was received.
Rev. Martha-Louise shared a Gospel passage from Luke 6, the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Luke's account, it speaks of Blessings and Woes. She spoke of being happy and blessed, through difficult times, reflecting on the tree mentioned earlier. Citing the work of "Happiness scholars", studies have shown that what makes people happy is more about human desire and accomplishment, than the psalmist's assertion that where we find happiness is to "delight in the law of the Lord." Rev. Harkness reflected on the foundational questions asked last week as we ordained and installed church officers, and today's questions of membership, "Who is your Lord and Savior?" Do we trust in Jesus, intend to be his disciple, to obey his word and show his love? and she candidly admitted "sometimes I do, sometimes I don't", continuing that it may be the hardest thing we ever do - intention is only the beginning! Returning to the Gospel passage, referring to being blessed, Martha-Louise shared the words of Mary McGlone, a Catholic sister of St. Joseph, who reflected: "In today's world, the blessed who weep are people who mourn over the suffering of others. They may begin with an anguished statement like 'I can't imagine the suffering of deported parents who are separated from their children...and will finally be moved to ask 'What can we do?' The blessed who weep are people who share God's concern for the poor and the hungry. When they understand that theirs are the only hands God can use to make a difference, their compassion will not let them rest until they go into action. They will feel impelled to make a difference...When others' suffering leads people to work for change...their activity buys them a place among that mysterious group of God's blessed ones whose hopes are shared by the needs of their most vulnerable brothers and sisters. Their commitment may end up making them poor, but they will experience a blessedness that is priceless."
We sang and prayed, remembering especially today Rose Champlin who is in a Rehab Facility, and our Pastor Doris recovering with family in Alabama. We joined hands in a circle for the benediction and were blessed to hear Tom's reprise of "Song for Martin" from a recent Jazz Vesper, as the postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 2/10/2019
Rev. David Harkness welcomed us today and explained that he was clearly not Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, our regular pastor, who is convalescing after a car accident. Gareth Guest was kind enough to fill us in on her progress (in Announcements below). We had other announcements, again they are below, before the Choir’s Introit of “God is Here Today” by Javier Gacías Mateo. Rev. Harkness led us in the Call to Worship, based on Psalm 92:1-4 – “It is good to give thanks to the Lord…” and the Opening Prayer. Janet Barton, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession, saying, “Show us again how to let the old self go…missing opportunities to witness, heal and inspire.” We were Assured of Grace and Passed the Peace, cut somewhat short by a reminder from the pulpit that we had a lot to cover in today’s service.
We proceeded to the Installation of Elders and Deacons, carried out by Rev. Harkness and our Clerk of Session, Lynn Brown. Our new Elders are: Andrea Bach, Sandy Barton, Barry Llewellyn, Ron Sopyla (finishing one term and starting another), and Bev Taylor. The new Deacons are Cathy Carnevale, Pat Guest, Jean Llewellyn, and Karen Tangen. In ending the ceremony, we applauded the Elders and Deacons that are stepping down and those continuing their terms of service.
The Choir sang an anthem, in the round, entitled “Alleluia”. As Tom explained, the author of the song is unknown, as is the century when it was written. We’re just glad it survived.
Janet led the first two scripture readings of Isaiah 6:1-8 and Psalm 138.
Ten children joined Reverend Harkness for the Youth Sermon, in contrast to an audience of one child last week. He said he wanted to talk to them about the “3 hardest things in life”. First was “Doing what you don’t feel like doing”, like doing your homework or chores around the house. Second was learning “not to be afraid”, and third, was “learning to forgive people” when they’ve obviously hurt you or someone else or done something horribly wrong. Rev. Harkness also listed “the 3 easiest things to do, which are: getting mad, wasting time, and spending money”. As it happened, the children did not dispute these lists, although one offered that the hardest thing for him is “trying to manage his life.” Ah, yes, many of us would agree.
Rev. Harkness read Luke 5:1-11, where Simon, tired from a night of fishing and coming home with a empty net, is asked by Jesus to set out again and let his nets down in “deep water”. He catches so many fish this time that a second boat is called in and the two of them cannot even hold his catch. As the boats begin to sink, Simon Peter says “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” and Jesus replies to him “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”
Rev. Harkness began his sermon with the notion that coincidence and Providence are interchangeable things. Sometimes we look back on a situation that seemed a fortuitous accident and say, “Oh, Lord, that was you!” We live life forward, but understand it backward. Simon Peter was not thrilled to go back to fish a second time after being out all night, but Jesus had asked him to, so he did, and it led to his discipleship. Rev. Harkness continued, saying often what the Lord gives us to do comes at inappropriate and inopportune times. We may not want to do what we are asked, and we may not see the ripeness of the moment, nor the miracles that it may produce. We may just see at the time that we are being asked to do more work…and we are. Nevertheless, don’t be afraid that you won’t be able to do the work. God thinks you can do it.
As a side note, Rev. Harkness mentioned that every time you see “follow me” in the New Testament, it means “I need your help”. In closing, Rev. Harkness challenged us to be people who have the instinct to put yourself “out there, come what may”. The greater the risk, the more the work, the greater the adventure and discovery and joy. God has given us our assignments.
In our prayers of the people, Carolyn Llewellyn told us of a friend – a wife and mother – who had just passed away. Carolyn went on, saying that same week as her friend’s death, her son, James, had come home from school singing “When the Saints Comes Marching In”. She thought that was an odd song for him to sing at the end of a school day and that thought stayed with her. Soon, the family went to her friend’s funeral and “When the Saints” was played three separate times at the funeral. It was an “oh, my” moment and Carolyn felt compelled to tell the story after hearing today’s sermon.
We joined hands in Benediction and prayed. Tom, of course, decided to play the jazziest version of “When the Saints Go Marching In” for the Postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Church Notes 2/3/2019
Rev. Rachel Thompson welcomed us in on a sunny Sunday with temperatures no longer in the single digits. For those new to the church, she explained that our regular pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, was in Alabama healing from a car accident a few weeks ago. Rev. Thompson stated that everyone is welcomed in this church, to come as you are, to a community where you are unconditionally loved. After Announcements, below, the choir sang “God is here today, as certain as the air I breathe”.
Our Call to Worship was I Corinthians 13:1-8a, a familiar passage – “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal…” The Opening Prayer continued in the same theme as we prayed, “Remind us again that you are mother, father, brother, sister – that you offer the unconditional love we most need.” Laura Reid, as Worship Leader, led us in our Prayer of Confession, and assured us of God’s grace before we passed the peace of Christ to one another.
The choir’s anthem was ethereal, with Laura Bach singing solo portions of the song. It was based on a poem written during WW2, on the wall of a cellar, by a Jew in the Cologne concentration camp. The words --
“I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining
And I believe in love,
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God,
even when God is silent.
The Responsive Scripture Reading was Psalm 71:1-6. Following the reading, the children gathered for the Youth Sermon, led by Lynn Brown. She held a TV remote in her hand and asked the children to identify the buttons on it. When they got to the Pause button, the children explained that this button made the program stop for a while. Lynn used this knowledge to consider the possibility of taking a pause every so often during the day to say a prayer, maybe a thank you to God. Pause – Breathe – Prayer – Amen. And each of the children took a pause to say a silent prayer.
We offered our gifts to God, the children gathering quarters for goats and the Capital Campaign, and having blessed all the gifts, Rev. Thompson launched into her sermon. The sermon was based on multiple scripture readings (Matthew 14:22-23a, Mark 6:46-47, Luke 5:15-16, Luke 6:12, Luke 9:28) that refer to Jesus’ going off to pray. Rev. Rachel prefaced her remarks by saying that she did not believe in an omnipotent God that controls everything we do. She couldn’t reconcile that God with the God who created the universe and thought it was good – “even wonderful, kind people get run over by a bus and cheaters prosper”, she said. She believes in a God of love who walks beside us. But if God isn’t in control, why do we pray?
Rachel broke down her thoughts on God as 1) a creator God; 2) an absolute source of the creation: God is good and God’s creation is good; 3) God’s intention/will is that life be abundant, healthy, lived to the maximum; 4) God is not controlling the creations/lives; and 5) we, as God’s creations, were designed for individual survival, that is, not for the common good. Nevertheless, God wants us not to be selfish but to look after one another and all God’s creatures – that is God’s aim for our lives, to live our lives and serve others. When we pray, we are asking to align our lives, our thinking, to God’s will – not because that is what God wants us to do, but because that is what we need. That is the purpose of prayer.
Rachel ended with a story from pastor and sociologist, Dr. Tony Campolo, about a boy with leg braces whose mother asks that the boy be healed. In the end, Dr. Campolo complies, anointing the boy and praying over him. Dr. Campolo believed he felt a presence when doing this, but the boy, of course, left as he came, unhealed. Three years later the mother comes back with her healthy-walking son. Dr. Campolo asks what happened to his legs that they were now normal? The woman said, don’t you remember, we prayed over him? The day after the prayers her son said the braces were too tight and they were loosened, and for every day after that, until his legs grew strong and the braces removed. Prayer and belief.
As this was the first Sunday of the month we were invited to the Lord’s Table for Communion and prayed our Prayers of the People. Our Benediction allowed us all to pause, take a breath, and pray with a final amen.
Tom played his unique piano rendition of Chris Tomlin’s “How Can I Keep from Singing” and most of us felt like doing just that on this sunny, mild day!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Those gathered at the Church of the Open Door were welcomed by Clerk of Session Lynn Brown, who explained that there were many announcements for several reasons, and to consider the announcement time "like the family gathering at the dinner table, to check in, see what's been happening and what's coming up".
Since our last worship together, we lost our dear friend and longtime member Barbara Harrington. A gathering in celebration of her life was held on Saturday.
Our Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, is presently on medical leave following an automobile accident and is recovering with family in Alabama for 8 weeks. Lynn read a statement from the Pastor, which had been emailed late last week. She also mentioned that Doris lost her beloved dog, Pete, this past week. Her address in Alabama is 2631 South Lane Mountain Brook, AL 35223.
We are grateful for the assistance of Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson, who will be covering Pastoral Care needs and some preaching in Doris' absence, and Revs. David and Martha-Louise Harkness who have also graciously offered pulpit supply during this time.
There was no worship service last week due to the ice conditions, but the Smith Family, Carolyn Llewellyn, and Janet Barton were thanked for making their way to the church to greet anyone who may have ventured out. The Jazz Vesper, also cancelled from last week due to weather, is expected to be rescheduled in Feb.
The official call for today's Annual Congregational Meeting was read by the Clerk, who then welcomed Rev. David Harkness to preside over the worship service, preach, and moderate the congregational meeting.
[More announcements below]
Tom and the choir let us know that "God is Here Today" in their Introit. Rev. Harkness led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and explained that our opening hymn text "Let Us With A Gladsome Mind" was written by John Milton at age 15!
Worship Leader Cathy Carnevale guided the Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Grace. The Passing of the Peace concluded with an impromptu tribute to Barbara Harrington by much clapping, as was Barbara's signature way of suggesting that it had been long enough! Cathy began the Old Testament scripture reading, "We don't often read from Nehemiah!..." and she led the repsonsive reading of Psalm 19.
The choir anthem was an arrangement of "Amazing Grace" set to the tune of our middle hymn "Though I May Speak".
Rev. Harkness gave the youth sermon, discussing with Silas the '3 things to do every day to be happy' as taught by Alice Palmer, a former President of Wellesley College: 1. See something beautiful every day; 2. memorize something beautiful every day, and 3. Do something beautiful every day, such as surprise someone. The children collected quarters for the goat bank as Annie and Wally received the morning offering and Tom played Haydn's "The Heavens are Telling".
The Gospel Reading, from Luke, recounted the beginning of Jesus' ministry, when he read from the scroll of Isaiah, chapter 61, in the synagogue at Nazareth. Rev. Harkness preached on this text, examining the reason for the Nazarenes' extreme reaction to Jesus' reading. It had presented the community with hard truth, too much for this crowd to bear that they wanted to be rid of him! The lesson for them, and for us today, is inthe themes of the church's mission: 1. Proclamation of the message - bring good news to the poor; 2. Social Justice - the captives and oppressed need to be made free; and 3. Compassion/Healing - recovery of sight to the blind. If we hold these all together as our mission, our assignment is having something to say; seek a just society, and bring healing and relief.
We prayed together, sang "We Are All One In Mission", joined in a circle for the benediction, had a brief Bach postlude from Tom, and proceeded into the Annual Congregational meeting.
Announcements:
Church Notes 1/13/2019
Rev. Rachel Thompson greeted us from the pulpit, explaining her reason for being there. This past week Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler injured her foot and ankle in a car accident and, after a quick trip to the hospital by ambulance, is now resting with her foot up at home. Julie flew up from Birmingham and is helping her recuperate. Get better, Doris!! Incidentally, Doris’ address is 7 Creek Drive, Apt. 314, Beacon, NY 12508.
Rachel explained that we might not adhere strictly to the content of the bulletin as she would be presenting a “Golden Oldie” sermon that she previously had delivered in her former church. And with that we proceeded through the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Barry Llewellyn was our Worship Leader for the Prayer of Confession, acknowledging that sometimes “…We cling to destructive habits, hold grudges, and show reluctance to welcome one another; we allow the past to hold us hostage.” After the Assurance of Grace, we Passed the Peace exuberantly, so much so that Rev. Rachel had to call us back to our seats.
Tom announced the Choir’s Anthem – calling it a “mash up” (dictionary meaning: a mixture or fusion of disparate elements) – and said that we’d understand what he meant. What transpired was an absolutely glorious rendition of “Shall We Gather at the River”, a traditional Christian hymn originally titled "Hanson Place," written by American poet and gospel music composer Robert Lowry.
Barry followed with the First Reading, Isaiah 43:1-7, where God says “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name…” Following on this reading, the Youth Sermon began with Lynn Brown asking the children, “What do you all have in common?” Lots of answers: “We all sometimes go to church!”, “We take baths”, “school”. Lynn said we all have names, too, and asked the kids to say their names. She wondered who named them, and when they answered “parents”, Lynn exclaimed they not only named you, but have loved you your entire lives! And God loves you, too. Having been told it was okay to scream, they all screamed, “Thank you, God.”
Rachel’s sermon was launched with the reading of Luke 10:38-42 – the sometimes enigmatic story of Mary and Martha. Jesus comes to their house, and Mary stops working and sits at the foot of the rabbi, while Martha continues working thinking it’s her duty while resenting the fact that Mary gets to relax. Well, that description is part of the reason people take sides with this story. Are you a Mary or a Martha?
Rev. Thompson called Annie Becker to the pulpit to do some role playing, where Mary and Martha speak more plainly. Martha: “It’s against the law for a woman to sit at the Rabbi’s feet along with the men. Of course, I’d rather sit, too, but the men will be hungry so we should be cooking for them.” Mary: “We’re always stuck outside cooking. Jesus wants us to learn God’s teachings and is asking us, even though we are women, to sit with him. It’s okay to take a time-out and listen.”
Rachel enlightened us on other Gospel stories related to this story of Mary and Martha, including that of Lazarus, their brother, and that of the Good Samaritan. The latter was a story that Jesus used to illustrate that it doesn’t matter who you are, but what you do, as someone who loves God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and your neighbor as yourself. Rev. Thompson also set forth several take-home messages that we might learn from Mary and Martha. 1) the liberating message for women of the day and now; that women had the same right as men to learn about the love of God; 2) that all of us need to take the time from our busyness to sit with God; and 3) that we are actually called to be “whole”, balanced Christians, to take the time for work/being busy and to take the time to foster our relationship with God. Rev. Thompson said only you know what you must do to find this balance.
We prayed for those who need our prayers and rejoiced at good news. Finally, we joined hands for the Benediction where we were thankful for those around us and what we are able to do beyond the church walls. Alleluia!
Tom, knowing that Mary and Martha were to be the subject of the sermon, played the “Flower Duet” (an aria sung by two women in the opera Lakmé) as our Postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday January 6, 2019
On the first Sunday of the New Year and the celebration of Epiphany, those gathered at “The Church of the Open Door” were warmly
welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements
(see below) and led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Worship Leader Jean
Llewellyn guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance
of Grace, Passing of the Peace and scripture readings of Isaiah 60:1-6
and Psalm 72. The children gathered with the pastor for the youth sermon, looking
at the artwork on the bulletin cover, of a crown, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The children had the opportunity to smell the scent of frankincense and myrrh
in an oil, and they were asked the question “What gift will you give to Jesus
this year?” For the Offertory, Tom played a jazz version of “We 3 Kings” as the
children collected quarters for the goat bank, and the offering was received by
Annie and Susan.
The Gospel reading was from Matthew 2:1-12, the very familiar passage recounting the visit of the Magi to the Christ child.
For the sermon, the pastor explored 3 characters of the story:
The Magi,
astrologers who were sincere and persistent as they searched for the child Jesus, filled with joy as they found him, and worshiped and gave gifts;
Herod,
seriously troubled and cruel, embodying the negative connotations of “King”. This
type of king will not prosper – God always wins, and the dream lives of a ruler
who has only the best interest of humankind at heart; and
Jesus, whose name
means “God saves”, the healer, and teacher who loves deeply, is compassionate, and
challenges systems that are unjust. Today being the Epiphany, we get more light
to understand Jesus as the bringer of reconciliation and peace. What matters is
that we all came from the creator who wishes one-ness for us all. Go now and be
light in the world!
Prior to the celebration of communion, Cathy Carnevale shared the story of the new chalice, which was a gift from Joy Albrecht, former member and elder who moved to Florida in 2018. The chalice had been a special possession since the Albrecht family received it many years ago from a Japanese potter, when they lived in Tokyo and were members of the community
church there. A local potter made a plate to accompany the chalice for communion
service at the First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown. We are grateful to Joy
for this gift and pray blessings on the communion meals which will be shared
with these vessels. The congregation shared the communion served by Rev.
Dr. Chandler and Lynn Brown.
Tom played a postlude of “Lullay, Lullay” and we were sent into the day and week ahead
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· Concerns and prayer requests were mentioned for the Isler, Kniffin, and Griffin families in the community who have
experienced loss this week.
· Longtime member Barbara Harrington is home on hospice care and hoping to get stronger and feel better. Requests for
prayers, cards and notes and visits to let Barbara know that we are thinking of her.
· The January/February newsletter is attached (thanks to Mona Smith!)
· Offering envelopes for 2019 are available.
Please contact Chris in the church office if you have not received yours. Also
the blue envelope for per capita is an annual amount collected per member to
support the presbytery, synod and Presbyterian Church USA. This year’s
per capita is $39.00
· Thanks to all who donated for poinsettias to decorate for Christmas. The plants remaining are available to be taken.
Church Notes 12/30/18
December 30, 2018 was our special day to sing Christmas hymns and songs. Mitch Dul led the service, welcoming all who entered, especially visitors, and explaining to them that he was “not Doris” (Rev. Dr. Chandler). He mused it was like going to a play and finding an insert saying that another actor was subbing for the lead. Nevertheless, he did quite well as a temporary surrogate, calling for Announcements (below), explaining how the service would proceed, and leading the Call to Worship and the Opening Prayer. Then he asked for requests from the congregation for Christmas hymns, which we shouted out by number and sang two verses of each with gusto! During the entire service we had a total of four hymns-by-request interludes.
Andy Larivee, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Grace (see below). We had a lengthy Passing of the Peace as there were quite a number of folks to see, but we eventually made it back to our pews to sing another tranche of Christmas hymns, followed by “We Limit Not the Truth of God” sung to the tune of “O, Little Town of Bethlehem”.
For the Scripture readings -- with a Silent Meditation after each – we read responsively 1 Samuel 2:18-20, followed by Colossians 3:12-17. Mitch led the Gospel Reading of Luke 2:41-52 (see below), where Jesus’ mother begins to understand her son’s destiny. Mitch noted that the children had already left the sanctuary for Sunday School, but the congregation asked him to give the Children’s Sermon anyway. He reflected that, as a parent, he identified more with Jesus’s parents, in the Luke scripture reading, as Mary and Joseph were fearful for the well-being of their child, Jesus. But Jesus was evolving and was just where he was supposed to be – in his “Father’s house”. Jesus knew it, but his parents were doing their job. Parents watch over their children as they change and grow into what they will become (see below for picture of Henry and Tess Dul, along with Renee, recently back from her trip to Seattle).
We said our Prayers for the People and the Lord’s Prayer, and, of course, sang more Christmas hymns – a total of 19 hymns in all, but ending with a secular “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly”. Mitch gave an in-place Benediction, as there were too many of us to hold hands in the aisle. Tom explained and then played Domenico Scarlatti’s “Pastorale” for the Postlude. It was magnificent!
The Deacons had put out many tasty post-Christmas treats in the Social Hall and we enjoyed each other’s company.
The Assurance of Grace
Where is the god who can compare with our God?
God wipes the slate clean of our guilt.
God turns a blind eye, a deaf ear, to our past sins.
God doesn’t nurse anger and stay angry for long.
Mercy is God’s specialty.
God, sink our brokenness to the bottom of the ocean.
Compassion is on its way to us!
Friends, believe the Good News! We are forgiven!
Luke 2:41-52 New International Version (NIV)
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[a] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, December 23, 2018
Those gathered in the beautifully decorated sanctuary on the Fourth Sunday of Advent were warmly welcomed by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler. We celebrated graduations this week for the Dul Family, Henry receiving his Bachelor's degree and Tess completing her Masters'! It was also birthday week for both Mitch and Henry Dul. We were also happy to have Bruce Geller joining us following his recent hospitalization.
Announcements were shared (see below) and then the candles of the Advent wreath were lit by choir members Kate Dayton, John Lane and Ralph Cottiers, who reminded us that the candles represent Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love all given to us in the birth of Jesus. Rev. Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer: "This day God is present with us; we feel it. Surely God is preparing for us a time of joy". Tom and the choir presented an Advent candle lighting song for the introit and "Coventry Carol" as the anthem.
Worship Leader Annie Becker guided the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, responsive reading of Micah 5:2-5a, and the reading of Luke 1:39-45 where Mary visits Elizabeth.
The Youth Sermon gave the children a closer look at the advent wreath and discussion about the birth of Jesus being the ultimate gift of love from God. The young people were encouraged to look for 'love notes' from God every day, such as the sunrise, birds singing, a shiny apple; to know that "God loves you...go in peace". The children collected quarters for the goat bank as Annie Becker and Greg Smith received the offering.
The Song of Mary, or the 'Magnificat' from Luke 1:46-55 was read by the pastor followed by the sermon, which began with reference to the painting "The Visitation" by Henry Ossawa Tanner, portraying Elizabeth with hands up, in awe, In the presence of Mary. Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of the holy in the everyday moments of our lives, such as the arrival of a friend, family member or someone in need. The congregation was invited into a guided meditation, beginning in a comfortable place in your own home, and the arrival of a visitor who turns out to be you, with news of a wonderful gift that you have for the world.
Prayers were shared, of gratitude for health and healing and for safe arrivals of family members for Christmas; of blessing for the Emig family's new home; concerns for those in need of healing, for those in the Indonesian tsunami and in conclusion the Lord's Prayer was spoken together.
Following the benediction, Tom offered a jazz medley of "Lo, How A Rose" and "I Saw Three Ships" as the postlude and those gathered moved into the social hall for coffee hour.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* The Christmas Joy offering, a Presbyterian Church USA special offering, will be received for the remainder of this month.
*Those who donated Christmas poinsettias as a memorial or in honor of someone were thanked.
*Gratitude was expressed to Ana Silverlinck for directing last week's pageant. Sunday School teachers are needed for Sundays in 2019. Please sign up for a Sunday!
12/16/18
The Christmas Pageant day is eagerly anticipated every year by the children, parents, and, well, all of us. But first, we had Announcements (below) and the lighting of the Advent Candles by Sandy and Janet Barton. Lynn Brown served as the Worship Leader leading us in the Prayer of Confession, “…Heal us and make us new through the good tidings of your presence in our lives. Amen.” Rev. Dr. Chandler called us back to our pews as we had a larger crowd and much enthusiasm in the Passing of the Peace. That enthusiasm was carried over into the choir’s anthem of “God Save the People” from Godspell , with solos from John Lane and Laura Bach.
Our Scripture Readings, read by Lynn, were Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- “…The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm…” and Isaiah 12:2-6 – “…Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” In the interest of time, Rev. Dr. Chandler chose not to read the Gospel reading of Luke 3:7-18, but she gave it as homework, with the teaser that John calls the people coming to be baptized, “You brood of vipers!” (see entire passage following the Announcements below).
We offered our gifts while Tom played “Day by Day”, also from Godspell.
And now, the moment everyone had been waiting for – Belief: A Nativity Story. The children filed in as the various human, animal or angelic characters in the play. King Herod had required that everyone must go and pay taxes in Bethlehem. The donkey doesn’t want to go and Joseph is quite upset, but the VERY pregnant Mary is a calming influence throughout, even when they cannot find a room at the Herod Hotel. In this play, the animals talk, have opinions and feel free to complain. Some felt quite cold in the stable. A favorite laugh line was – “I may be a sheep, but I wasn’t born yesterday!” The children sang several songs, ending the play with “Joy to the World”. In the Pageant Program, the Director, Ana Silverlinck, said:
My awe and appreciation for our cast extends to their parents, caregivers and the community of The Church of the Open Door where sugar coating is left to the cookies and the vigorous work of spiritual, intellectual and physical nourishment has happened 365 days a year for 190 years.
In rehearsals for the play, which dealt with a not-very-nice King Herod, Ana said the children had the opportunity to talk “about the miracle of being strong, brave and open-minded in dark and cold times.” The stars of the play – the children – were: Ameliia Alayon, James Llewellyn, Sophia Taylor, Audrey Silverlinck, Ryan Duncan, Roy Smith, Ethan Taylor, Natalie Taylor, Silas Emig, Sarah Emig, River Silverlinck, Allegra Clementson, Andrew Duncan, Elaine Llewellyn, Nadine Alayon, and Aya Hull. Bravo to the children and all the adults who brought it to our stage!!
Rev. Dr. Chandler gave our Prayers to the People and Benediction. She said of life, “It’s not about me, or about you. There is something bigger…. We should not be enemies to one another. We are in this together.”
Tom ended with a rousing rendition of “Bless the Lord” from – you got it – Godspell! We entered the Social Hall along with a lot of little animals who were happy and relieved.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Luke 3:7-18 New International Version (NIV)
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
Church Notes 12/9/2018
Our church is 190 years old TODAY (!!!) and yet it began like any other Sunday with our usual Welcome and Announcements (see below). Rev. Dr. Chandler, however, soon signaled how very stellar a day this was by welcoming special guests: Deborah Milcarek, the new General Presbyter of the Hudson River Presbytery; Cathy Duke, President of the Reformed Synagogue of Poughkeepsie; Mayor Bill O’Neill of Nelsonville, and Mayor Dave Merandy of Cold Spring.
Janet Rust, plus Barry and Jean Llewelyn stepped up to light the candles for the 2nd Sunday of Advent and, after the Introit, we were Called to Worship. Diana Geller, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession, acknowledging that God calls us to be “partners with {God}, with creation, with one another” but “we prove unequal to – or worse, unmindful of – the task.” After the Assurance of Grace and an enjoyable Passing of the Peace, we launched into some 190th Anniversary Celebration Remarks.
Janet Rust, as Church Historian, pointed to the history of the church, especially the building of the sanctuary 150 years ago and the Social Hall in 1968. She spoke of the Community Nursery School that started 50 years ago when the Social Hall was completed and Rosemary Rodino, its director for 35 years. She also reminded us of the “Ribbon Project”, started by one woman in recognition of the anniversary of Hiroshima, which led to 20,000 people wrapping panels constituting a Peace ribbon around the Pentagon. Our church’s panels are hung in the Social Hall today.
Mayor O’Neill, referring to recent anti-Semitic graffiti episode, said that “We are not a community of hate. We are a community of love. We are one”, as clearly evidenced by the recent community vigil. Mayor Merandy, as a contractor himself, remarked that he was happy to be inside the sanctuary today. Looking around, he could tell that “much love went into the church’s building, symbolic of the spirit of our community.”
We next heard from Deb Milcarek, who thanked Rev. Dr. Chandler for her invitation to this event, claiming it was the probably the first request she received upon taking her new job as General Presbyter. Knowing that she was celebrating the 190 years this church has existed, she Googled what was going on back in 1828 when the church was formally organized. She discovered that Noah Webster had published the first edition of his “dictionary”; Andrew Jackson was President of the United States; and construction was beginning on the B & O Railroad. She was happy to be here on behalf of the Hudson River Presbytery. Cathy Duke, President of the Philipstown Reformed Synagogue, then came to the podium thanking Rev. Dr. Chandler for her participation in the recent vigil, as well as her invitation to be part of our anniversary celebration.
This diverse array of guest speakers demonstrated the unity of spirit in our expansive community and our good fortune in having them celebrate with us.
Rev. Dr. Chandler did not focus on the past but built upon it in her remarks. She said that the word of God comes to us as we lean into yet another decade, a future that will be underpinned by hope. God’s light will swallow up all the darkness, as God is telling us to “fear not”. The work of this church is NOT about us, but about the work that God has for us to do.
Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in saying Grace for our Anniversary Luncheon and Deborah Milcarek provided the Benediction. For our Postlude, John Cimino had reworked his composition “This House of Friendships” for the 190th Anniversary and sang this new version beautifully. The lyrics are provided for everyone’s enjoyment following the Announcements below. Thank you, John!
_______________________________________
The 190th Anniversary Luncheon, with food from B & L Deli, was well-attended and delicious. Susan Jordan did a superb job on the arrangements for the luncheon and decorations, so “Thank You”, Susan! We have many others to thank, as well, but particularly Janet Rust with assistance from Cathy Lim, who prepared the very extensive historical exhibit on the church’s history – so, another big “Thank You” for their work.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
These Sunday mornings, these blessed peaceful days,
Our journeys cross the Hudson past Bear Mountain in the haze.
The little church in Cold Spring, the people gathered there,
The choir and the preacher, and the fellowships we share.
This world we live in, our nation fearing change,
A time when hope and justice feel like challenges most strange.
Yet here we are together, caring citizens and peers,
Seeking wisdom for our actions for 190 years.
The questions that we ponder, the hymns that fill the air,
The offerings and tithings, our hearts we lift in prayer.
The children and their laughter, the hands outstretched in care,
The working hands and kindness reaching out to everywhere.
This house of friendships, this church of open doors,
This place of quiet comforts in a world yet plagued by wars.
This place of peaceful yearnings, this host to mystery
Our home to understanding, and a home to you and me.
This gift we live in, the goodness everywhere
The striving and the handshakes and the hugs we love to share
The friendships and the learning, the wisdom that we seek
The blessings and reflections bring us home from week to week.
The food pantry, the garden, the Habitat repairs,
Compassion for the dying, the sick in need of care.
The Midnight Runs, the homeless, helping families in tears.
Our dream that’s been a-growin’ for 190 years.
These Sunday mornings, these blessed peaceful days,
This time we spend together learning love a thousand ways
The love that will transform us, give us courage, keep us free.
For it is love that will renew us in this home to you and me.
Yes, it’s love that will renew us in this home to you and me.
(text by John Cimino)
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown – December 2, 2018
Happy New Year! Those gathered at “The Church of the Open Door” were warmly welcomed on this first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the church year, by Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below).
The congregation was asked to keep in thoughts and prayers community residents Cat Guthrie and Joel Goss, in the tragic unexpected death of their son, Keaton, in a surfing accident this past week.
The first candle of the Advent Wreath, the candle of hope, was lit by Renee Cruikshank, and the choir’s introit echoed the spirit, “…candle, candle burning bright, fill our hearts with light”. Rev. Dr. Chandler led the Call to Worship and opening prayer, and the opening hymn, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” was sung. Worship leader Susan Jordan guided the congregation through the prayer of confession, assurance of forgiveness, and into the passing of the peace. Susan read the first scripture, from Jeremiah, and led a responsive reading of Psalm 25. Most of the young people were out rehearsing for the Christmas pageant, so Rosie was lifted to see the candle of hope on the advent wreath before she collected quarters for the goat bank.
Rev. Dr. Chandler read from the gospel of Luke 21:25-36 and began her sermon sharing a commentary of Frederick Buechner about the passage, that the ‘second coming’ is hard to comprehend, and perhaps it can be seen as a “great cosmic upheaval” of the world within us; the heart, mind and spirit of all humanity. Doris shared a story of a chance encounter with another train passenger on her way into the city, and the ensuing conversation about God, who shows up in the midst of upheaval. The message as we begin Advent was to not be afraid, let hope burn within you, and to remember that when upheaval comes, God is not far; God is close by. Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of this being one year since she arrived here, how it’s been a year of “Getting to Know You” and her task to preach well and connect well, looking forward to the next year of our journey together.
Those gathered shared in communion, with Rev. David Harkness as a co-celebrant with Rev. Chandler, who began with reading the poem “Christmas, by British poet John Betjeman, which concludes “…No love that in a family dwells, no carolling in frosty air, nor all the steeple-shaking bells can with this single truth compare – that God was [flesh] in Palestine and lives today in bread and wine.”
We shared the communion meal, while Tom played “Personet Hodie”, joined hands in a circle for the Benediction, and Tom closed with a postlude improvisation on “Getting to Know You”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• Join in the celebration of 190 years Loving God, Loving neighbor! Next Sunday, December 9, there will be a celebratory worship service, dedication of pledges for 2019, a festive luncheon and cake! All are most welcome to attend and participate, and please be sure to “buy” a candle for the cake (there are less than 70 candles remaining to be lit – see attached) and pledge your support of time, talents and money towards the ministry of our church, if you have not already done so (estimate of giving form attached). As of this Sunday, we are over $90,000 towards the goal of $120, 000 and have 27 of our targeted 35 pledges in hand. Help us meet the goal for the dedication! We clearly continue to be the “little church with a big heart!”.
There is also a form attached to order poinsettias to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas and then take home.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown – November 25, 2018
The Church of the Open Door gathered on the Sunday after Thanksgiving for a service of worship in observance of Christ the King Sunday, and that theme was evident from the very beginning, in Tom’s prelude, a medley of “king” music: “If I Were King”, “Camelot” and a jazzy rendition of “He is King of Kings”. It continued through the service with hymns and scriptures, the anthem “Rejoice, the Lord is King” and the youth and adult sermons.
Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler gave a warm welcome, announcements were shared (see below) and Karen Tangen gave gratitude for Babies, announcing the birth of Abby (Barton) and Chris Hedden’s son, Carter, who is Janet and Sandy’s newest grandchild! Karen also shared joy at the birth of a new grandchild for her sister.
Gareth Guest was worship leader for the day, introducing the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, passing of the peace, and reading scriptures from the Books of Daniel and Revelation.
The young people, before going off to pageant rehearsal with director Ana Silverlinck, shared a few moments with Rev. Doris, who spoke about hats people wear (fire hats, police uniform hats, crowns) and what it means that they do, finally teaching that Jesus was a kind of king who did not wear a crown; who walked around looking just like us, and who had a ‘superpower for good’, teaching us to love. The children collected quarters for the goat bank and the morning offering.
The gospel reading was from John 18, Jesus before Pilate, with Pilate asking Jesus if he is indeed a king, and asking him “what is truth?” Rev. Dr. Chandler gave a history of “Christ the King Sunday”, and then focused on the question Pilate had put to Jesus about truth. She spoke about coming into the presence of this king, who is humble, meek and so filled with love, a love to give the world and to touch the broken places. And the congregation was encouraged to ask the question “What illusions are you holding on to?” saying that standing in the truth of love peels away layers.
Rev, Dr. Chandler shared as benediction a haiku poem composed by the Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness:
Jesus manifests the redemptive work of Christ the embodiment of love.
For the postlude, good friend of the congregation John Cimino joined Tom McCoy in one of ten biblical songs composed by Antonin Dvorak, on the theme of Rejoicing with Thanksgiving!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Church Notes 11/18/2018
Fresh from the first snowfall of the season, we gathered at church, gave announcements (below) and sang a rousing Happy Birthday to Susan Jordan! Tom McCoy (piano) and Gareth Guest (clarinet) played “What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love” as we settled ourselves into the pews.
This week was the third and last week of our Stewardship Sundays, focusing on Faith, Hope, and Love. Today the theme of our entire service was Love – for God, for our neighbors, ourselves, and our church – reflecting God’s love for us. Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship with “Lord God we love you with all that we are.” Janet Barton, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession and in the Assurance of Grace, saying “Christ is always ready to take the fragments of our love and use them to make the world whole.”
After the Passing of the Peace, the first member of the Geller/Brown Stewardship Team, Lynn Brown, stood and asked us what we love. She said one of her great loves was this church, for many reasons. She showed us the Stewardship Heart filling up with pledges and the green pledge sheet. Julie Geller next took the podium, explaining that since she was young when she comes into our church she feels love and loved. Bruce Geller spoke from the aisle in his able and audible voice, opening with the fact that he has been in our seats listening to Stewardship campaigns. Citing a lyric from an old song – “Romance without finance ain’t got no chance,” Bruce said love and money have often been intertwined, but he countered that giving to the church is NOT a business transaction. It is about what the church means to you. Do you believe in having a place to go where love for God, neighbors, family, friends, and justice radiates outward into the community and beyond? Stewardship is a call to action, going that extra mile to give of your time, talents, and money so this church can continue to thrive and carry out its mission. Let love guide you as you decide how you wish to answer the Stewardship pledge.
The last Geller to speak was Diana, who talked about what she loved about our church. Diana, a teacher, had activities for us. She had cut out a bunch of hearts that were in each of the pews, and she directed us to use the Sharpies to write what we loved about the church (they were later gathered and now frame the Stewardship Bulletin Board). In closing our last Stewardship Sunday, Diana called our attention to the song sheets in our pews for Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love”, which we then sang to Tom’s and Gareth’s accompaniment.
After the choir’s beautiful anthem, Rev. Dr. Chandler called the children for the Youth Sermon, telling them about an anthropologist that gave some children in Africa an exercise. The anthropologist took a bowl of fruit and put it about 50 yards away, telling the children that when he said “Go”, the children could run and the first to get to the fruit would get all of it. Hearing this, the children joined hands and ran together. Asking why they did this, they told the anthropologist that if one of us is sad, then none of us is happy. That is love. Rev. Dr. Chandler, who had placed a bowl of fruit at the far end of the sanctuary, asked our kids to hold hands and run to the fruit and take it to Sunday school.
Our scripture reading was Hebrews 10:11-14 and responsive reading was Psalm 16, led by Janet Barton. When it became time for the Gospel reading and the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler decided that the Stewardship presentation had been our sermon for the day. So, we sang our remaining hymns and Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in the Prayers of the People. She noted that the next time we get together will be after Thanksgiving, when we will be around people who love us, maybe imperfectly, but the love is there, nonetheless. And she gave thanks to the Lord on behalf of all of us and for so many things.
Rev. Dr. Chandler provided a thankful and loving Benediction. The Postlude, "Pie Jesu" from Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem was played by Gareth and Tom and we wished for more.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sunday, November 11, 2018
First Presbyterian Church Philipstown – November 11, 2018
Those gathered at “The Church of the Open Door” on this chilly November morning were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below). There was a mention of admiration for our interfaith community who gathered on Saturday evening for a vigil in the aftermath of the synagogue shooting in PA and local expressions of anti-Semitism. Various clergy participated, along with bagpipers and shofar playing. Rev. Doris spoke of a desire to continue the interfaith clergy connection. It was observed that it is also the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht. We observed a moment of silence at 11:00 in honor of the armistice of World War 1 being signed on 11/11/18 at that time.
The second Sunday of our stewardship services raised the theme of HOPE. It was evident in the prayers, hymns, scriptures, and Tom and the choir presented “Lord of all Hopefulness” as the anthem. Worship leader Bev Taylor led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and the scripture readings from Romans 12 and, responsively, Psalm 127. The “Stewardship Team” Brown/Geller shared a time of hope – distributing sheets for people to fill out answering the questions: How have you experienced or felt Hope as a part of this church family? and What is your Hope for our church’s future? Thoughts and responses of the Gellers were shared. Julie spoke in a very heartfelt way about her hope that one day there will come an end to racial separation and people making assumptions based on race, as she has experienced, being of Asian birth. She said “I hoped for a safe place where I could be me; I hoped for a spiritual home where I could see the God in people, no matter their race. I hoped for a safe space, and I credit that hope to our church. Please let me and others continue that hope for another 190 years” Julie’s message was received with thunderous applause and a standing ovation.
The Sermon continued the message of hope, with Rev. Dr. Chandler sharing the poem “In Flanders Fields the poppies grow…” written during WW1 in 1918 by John McCrae. There was a sense of hope, that the first things that came up out of the ground in a field in Belgium, after lives were lost there, were poppies. Doris spoke of the many ‘saints’ of this church who are still very present, encouraging us to embrace hope and to believe…she shared words about hope from Desmond Tutu, and concluded with “Hope is built on faith, built on trust and nurtured by community and relationship. Hope sends us outward. Be a hope-filled community of faith, as we are called to by God”.
We sang “Take My Life and Let it Be”, we shared prayers, and our longest member, Janet Rust, shared a history moment on the centennial of the armistice, that this church has a framed “Honor Roll” listing those who enlisted in 1917 to leave America and fight in Europe. That list includes her father, Frederick Selleck. Elder Gareth Guest shared a prayer of remembrance. The closing hymn was “Song of Hope”, we joined hands for the benediction, and Tom played “You’ll Never Walk Alone” for the postlude.
Announcements:
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Church Notes 11/4/2018
A beautiful day, but a lot weighing on our minds with the Pittsburgh Tree of Life murders and anti-Semitic activities close to home in Beacon and Nelsonville. Also, election day is this coming Tuesday. Nevertheless, there are always things to celebrate. Rev. Dr. Chandler called for announcements (see below). The November-December newsletter came out today, thanks to Mona Smith and the many contributors. It is beautiful and information-dense. Mona said this time there was more content than she could fit into the four pages. Please take a look!
Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer in which we gave “thanks for the variety of cultures that weave the tapestry of humanity east and west, north and south.” Gareth Guest was the Worship Leader today with a Prayer of Confession asking God to stir us “to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas…where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.”
The choir’s anthem was “In Remembrance of Me” sung to Handel’s Largo from Xerxes. Prior to the choir’s breaking into song, Tom tricked us by playing the hymn introduction which turned into “Happy Birthday” for Lynn Brown. We all joined in to celebrate her birthday.
This Sunday was the first of three Sundays of our Stewardship Campaign, and the Brown-Geller team revealed this year’s theme (we learned that Julie Geller affectionately calls Stewardship Time “Stewy”). The theme is “Faith, Hope and Love.” Faith, hope and love has sustained this church for 190 years and will carry us forward for another 190 years. This week the team focused on Faith and how the mission of this church’s faith has focused outward in helping others. Bruce Geller said our goal this year is $115,000 and our vision is $120,000. He asked that people give what they can and give from the heart. And, then, Lynn revealed a poster board with our Stewardship Heart, which will be filled in as we proceed toward our goal and vision. Thank you, Brown-Geller team!
Rev. Dr. Chandler explained “Stewardship” in the Youth Sermon, saying the children were “young stewards.” What does that mean? God created everything and we are the stewards of God’s creation. That means we help animals, pick up trash, reuse or recycle plastic bottles, among other things.
Our scripture readings today were Hebrews 11:1-8 and Psalm 100. The Gospel reading was Mark 12:41-44, although Rev. Dr. Chandler expanded on it in both directions. Her sermon began with an illustration from Tolkien’s The Hobbit, where a steward cared for the Kingdom of Gondor, while it was in-between kings, to keep it in good order. Rev. Dr. Chandler said that God entrusts us with everything on earth to care for, to be stewards. She spoke about the Gospel reading and that Jesus was not saying about the poor widow that it was a good thing that she gave everything she had to the church. Instead, Rev. Dr. Chandler interpreted it as a lament from Jesus that this poor widow was giving her all, while others who had abundance were not. She explained the concept of tithing as meaning that Israelites were to give 10% of their harvests. As we value our church and its mission, we should think of our tithe in terms, not only of money, but also our time and our talents.
We celebrated Communion today, said Our Prayer of the People, and enjoyed a soulful Benediction. Tom played the Postlude, while the Gellers’ new puppy was pulled from a Victoria’s Secret bag to be loved by all!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sunday, October 28, 2018
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, October 28, 2018The Church of the Open Door gathered on a beautiful but chilly autumn morning and were welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who spoke briefly about the tragic synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. As we prayed for those who lost their lives, for the shooter, and for an end to the continued gun violence in our country, we were reminded of anti-Semitic flyers which had been circulated in Beacon recently and of the Interfaith Gathering this Thursday, November 1: “One Beacon: Light in the Darkness of Racism & Anti-Semitism” from 6-9 pm at Salem Tabernacle (flyer attached). Other announcements were shared (below).
Tom and the choir shared “Lord, Be Glorified” as the Introit and the anthem was a medley of hymns, including “I’m Bound for the Kingdom” and “My Shepherd will Supply My Need”. Andy Larivee was the Worship Leader, who guided the opening prayers and led us into passing the peace. He read the final passage of the book of Job and led a responsive reading from Psalm 34.
Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke with the youth about how what God sees looking at us is not our skin, our clothes, our outer selves, but what’s in our hearts and how we care about others. God loves us and asks us to love everyone, no matter who they are or what they believe. As Oscar and James collected quarters for the goat bank, Annie and Wally received the morning offering and Tom played “El Shaddai”.
The sermon was the ’final installment’ in a series on the Book of Job, the scripture today being about Job’s fortunes being restored. The message was that when Job gets face-to-face with God, his heart gets ‘re-worked’. Particularly on this day, after the tragedy in Pittsburgh, Job calls us to find faith in the middle of disaster. A reading was shared, about grief and anger; how anger is a normal response to grief, but it’s what we DO with it that’s important. Rev. Dr. Chandler shared the image of a ‘tiller’ as in God tilling our hearts through tragic events, and our hearts are opened and become changed. Believe that, in the end, all will be made well.
We sang a hymn with lyrics by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, written for this week, entitled “O God, This Day We Grieve”. We prayed for those in need of healing and for those who have experienced healing. We sang, “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”, and shared the benediction. Tom spoke about his work at a local synagogue, and shared a medley of service music from the Jewish faith as his postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The monthly Book Discussion group meets this Tuesday at 7 pm, at the home of Sally Smith, and will be discussing I Am Malala.
This Friday, November 2, from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm there is a Senior & Caregiver Wellness Fair at the old VFW Hall on Kemble Ave, sponsored by Bethel Senior Services and Nancy Montgomery. 914-204-7289 for a ride. Includes refreshments, giveaways, lectures, blood pressure screenings.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, October 7, 2018
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on the first Sunday of October were warmly welcomed by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below) and then led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Our Hymn of Praise, "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" was given a wonderful jazz treatment by our own Tom McCoy at the piano. Tom and the choir also presented the Lennon & McCartney song "All You Need Is Love" as the anthem.
Worship Leader Lynn Brown guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession,
Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace and reading of the scriptures from Job and responsively,from Hebrews.
During the Youth Sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler reminded the children of last week's message, based on the message of God's creation, to look in the mirror and say "I am good!". This was elaborated on this week to add that, being made in the image of God, we have the imprint of God in our spirit. We can say "I am good because God made me". now what do we DO with that? We go out into the world and do good!
There was a presentation by the Capital Campaign Committee, kicking off Phase 3 fundraising for a June 2019 kitchen renovation to our church's kitchen which services music of the local community in many ways. More to come regarding the campaign in a separate email but donations have already been coming in and can be made through the Sunday offering, designating Capital Campaign, mailing in a donation, or visiting the website www.presbychurchcoldspring.org and finding the capital campaign section to donate. Again the goal for our campaign in 100% participation, and no gift is too small!
The Sermon referenced the earlier reading from Job, with Rev. Dr. Chandler speaking about what Job did in the face of his difficulty...he kept his faith. And referring to the past week's national political turmoil, asking the question: Where do we go from here, maintaining hope? In sharing a bit from Maria Shriver's "Sunday Paper" reflection which included an excerpt from Anne Lamott's writing, encouraging clinging to hope and trusting in unfailing faith; believing that we are "pre-approved" by God as fundamentally good. And in closing, from the words of John Lennon: "Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end".
The communion meal was shared, we gathered in a circle for the benediction and Tom offered for his postlude some excerpts from Aaron Copland's Simple Gifts, Appalachian Spring and Fanfare for the Common Man.
Announcements:
Church Notes 9/30/2018
A morning after a successful Midnight Run, so there were a few sleepyheads in the congregation! We learned that all the food and “every scrap of clothing” from the new socks and underwear to coats and jeans were gratefully taken by NYC homeless. A good job, everyone. Rev. Dr. Chandler expressed her joy at being part of this strongly missioned church.
We sang Happy Birthday to Julie Geller, who is turning 16 this week. We also welcomed three generations, including Katie Brenner, daughter Allison, granddaughter Rosie, and brand-new granddaughter Louisa (see pictures below). Other announcements are in the list which follows.
We always enjoy it when Tom, on piano, and Carolyn Llewellyn, on cello, team up to provide music for the Sunday Service as they did today. Their Prelude was a children’s song “Leaves Are Falling” and the Introit, ”When Morning Gilds the Skies”. Rev. Dr. Chandler Called Us to Worship and led us in the Opening Prayer. Cathy Carnevale, as Worship Leader, took us through our Prayer of Confession, confessing to God that “…We confuse our preferences with Your intentions” and “Even when prayers for others are on our lips, we seek ways to secure our own advantages.”
After the Passing of the Peace, the choir’s rendition of the gospel song, “Lord, I Know I’ve Been Changed” set the tone for the rest of the service. Cathy read from Esther 7:1-6 and 9-10, as well as 9:20-22, all excerpts from the powerful story about a smart woman who found a path to save her people from a cunning foe who had planned their annihilation. The second reading was from James 5:13-20, The Prayer of Faith, read responsively.
A number of children joined with Rev. Dr. Chandler in the Youth Sermon, including baby Louisa and sister Rosie (see pictures below). Tom’s and Carolyn’s duet during the Offertory was “Create in Me a Clean Heart, O’ God”. Rev. Chandler read Mark 9:38-50, focusing on verse 40, “Whoever is not against us is for us”.
For the sermon Rev. Dr. Chandler elaborated on the Esther reading, which she said is most easily described as a Jewish novella. She explained that the book, Esther, is the most secular book in the Hebrew Canon. Esther is a Jew being raised by Mordecai and finds herself in the King’s fold as #1 in his harem. She becomes Queen, but a pretender to the throne, Haman, who does not like the Jews and Mordecai, plots to annihilate all of them. Esther makes a dinner for the King and Haman, and the King offers her the opportunity to state her petition and request, with the promise to grant them. Esther, speaking truth to power, exposes Haman’s plot, which leads to his destruction on the same gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai.
Rev. Dr. Chandler commented that this is an interesting text, given the events of the past week in Congress. Whatever one’s views on these events, a woman, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford did come forward and speak her truth. Rev. Dr. Chandler pondered that “you” could have been born at any time in history, but “you” were born for “such a time as this.” She said to have courage and to claim “your voice” in speaking truth to power. Persons who continue to hurt because of a past injustice or injury need to know that we hear them. That now that we hear them, that we and God love them, and that they are placed here to do God’s will and enjoy God’s love. Rev. Dr. Chandler closed with a song “For such a Time as This” by Wayne Watson.
In the Benediction, Rev. Dr. Chandler included in her blessing that “all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect” as all of us are God’s children.
Tom and Carolyn played “Some Children See Him” by Alfred Burt as the Postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sunday, September 23, 2018
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, September 23, 2018
The 'Church of the Open Door' gathered for worship on the first full day of Autumn with cooler temperatures, which were appreciated, especially by the Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, as she welcomed the congregation and called for announcements (see below). Tom and a very full choir offered as an introit "When Morning Gilds the Skies", and the anthem "Alleluia!". Worship leader Sandy Larivee guided the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, passing the peace, and readings of Psalm 1 and James 3:13 - 4:3.
The young people gathered with Rev. Dr. Chandler, who showed the children her backpack and cautioned them not to overload their backpacks, citing an article in the local paper which showed the weight limit for a backpack based on the weight of the child carrying it. She also spoke of our 'inner backpacks', and things we carry, such as anger, sadness, worry. Sometimes we carry loads that it hurts us to carry around. The young people were advised that instead of loading those things into their backpack, they could talk to God. Sophia and Natalie received the morning offering while the rest of the children collected quarters for the Heifer Project goat bank, and then they all left for Sunday School.
Rev. Dr. Chandler shared the Gospel reading from Mark 9:30-37, where Jesus foretells his betrayal, and also mediates the disciples' discussion of who is the greatest of them. In the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of the "thick-headed" disciples, whom Jesus continued to love and teach. He put a child in front of them to demonstrate that they should care for the least, those who have no voice, those who are invisible. We are challenged to look for who we can serve, and how we can lay down our lives for the love of God.
As we have all, at some time, experienced the feeling of not being "one of us", we are challenged to never make anyone feel that way, anyone of another faith, or no faith; everyone should be welcomed. We are the love letter from God to open the circle wider. In closing Rev. Dr. Chandler shared a story of a demonstration outside of a prison in Atlanta, calling for freedom for detainees, and a little girl waving a white handkerchief asking her mother "Are we going to stay here until they get out?" That's why the church is here; to herald the good news until all are free.
We shared prayers, hymns, the benediction and Tom sent us out with a jazzy improvisation on "What A Friend We Have in Jesus".
Announcements:
It's All Jesus' Fault
by Glenn Henricksen
If Jesus hadn't valued the poor,
It would be perfectly OK to take money from the poor
to give to the rich and large corporations.
If Jesus hadn't healed the helpless sick,
We would be justified in taking health care away from the poor.
If Jesus hadn't spoken to the Samaritan woman and rescued the adulterous woman from certain death,
It would be fine to control, disparage, and use women's lives.
It's all Jesus' fault
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Church Notes 9/16/2018
A beautiful, mild morning for our Homecoming Celebration. We welcomed Rev. Dr. Chandler back after a few weeks of study leave and vacation. Tom McCoy played two Chopin pieces for the Prelude – one being the “Raindrop Prelude” and the second, a portion of a mazurka. The sanctuary and the Social Hall were filled with 82 (yes, 82!!) huge chrysanthemums with a variety of colors. The announcements (below) were many. We also welcomed Mona Smith back from the opening of her play, Fire in a Dark House, in California to rave reviews. We learned from Mona that Lynn Brown and her daughter-in-law were in Sherman Oaks and attended opening night.
On a very, very sad note we learned from Tom of Erica McCoy’s passing on Friday, September 14. Erica, a much-loved friend of our church family, a choir member, and so much more, had been ill for some time. We will provide more information as we learn of it. Rev. Dr. Chandler said a prayer for Erica in being released from her suffering and for Tom and the entire family in dealing with this difficult loss.
Sandy Larivee was unable to serve as Worship Leader today, so Rev. Chandler took on those duties, including the Prayer of Confession that stated, “Humble us to embrace your wisdom with gladness.” After Passing the Peace, Rev. Dr. Chandler’s first scripture reading was from Proverbs 1:20-33, a rebuke from Wisdom. She, i.e., Wisdom, says:
“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
Rev. Dr. Chandler, in the interest of time, asked the congregation to read the entire passage later and ponder its message. The second reading was actually a hymn, putting Psalm 19 to song, “The Heaven’s Above Declare God’s Praise”.
The Youth Sermon was an interesting one, as Rev. Dr. Chandler brought out a picture of Jesus and showed it to the children. She asked what they saw. One child said in amazement, “It’s a mosaic! Of pictures!” And sure enough all the children saw that the picture was composed of photos of people’s faces. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that we are all made in Christ’s image and here Jesus is made of images of the people to show that Christ exists for us and, in fact, Christ’s church is us.
In the Gospel reading, Mark 8:27-38, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”. After hearing their responses, Jesus asks his disciples, “But… who do you say that I am?” Rev. Dr. Chandler asked each of us in the room this same question. “Who do WE say Jesus is?” We need to think about this in leading our church into its future. In some sense we all recognize that the church is its people, not a building. To illustrate, Rev. Dr. Chandler asked persons who are or have served on Session to stand and then asked the Deacons to stand. She explained what the Elders and Deacons do as leaders in the church. She then requested that the Choir, those that teach Sunday School, had gone on the Midnight Run, those who had prepared meals for the poor, contributed to Food Pantry, etc., etc. to stand. Everyone stood. A church as it should be.
Our Prayers of the People included celebration for many birthdays (River, Brennan, and Barry) and significant wedding anniversaries ( 15th for Mandy and Joe, 64th for Pat and Gareth, 50th for Janet and Sandy, and a 50th for Jean and Barry). We applauded for each with oooohs and aaaahs, and, of course, sang Happy Birthday! Rev. Dr. Chandler prayed for those affected by Hurricane Florence.
Tom played Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” as our Postlude, which he felt evoked the feeling of moonlight on the waves.
At the luncheon: Rev. Chandler had asked us during the service to think further as we went into our Homecoming Pot Luck luncheon about who we say Jesus is and to share our thoughts table by table, which we did. During the fabulous luncheon, Rev. Dr. Chandler pointed out the lavender pamphlet that Lynn Brown had just updated, showing the various activities and missions of the church – a long list – with contacts for getting involved in each. Please take the pamphlet home with you to peruse. Rev. Chandler emphasized that we are NOT a little church. Our mission activities demonstrate how far we reach out into the community and beyond, when we feel we can help and have positive effects. We are an amazing and a wonderful church!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, August 26, 2018
Elder Susan Jordan welcomed the congregation and announcements were shared (see below). Susan introduced our guests Deb Rookey, Dawson Mims, and Ryan Mullennex: 3 Young Adult Volunteers (YAV's) who assisted with worship leadership, shared their stories, and told about their upcoming year of volunteer work, which begins on Monday August 27.
Ryan led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, Deb guided the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace and Passing the Peace, and Dawson led the Responsive Reading of Psalm 84 and shared the scripture from Ephesians 6:10-20.
Tom's special music was a wonderful rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" requested by Janet Rust, who explained that Aretha Franklin, (who passed away very recently), had a hit song with that Simon & Garfunkel composition.
Our Youth Sermon was given by Mandy Strawn, who led a conversation with the young people about the beginning of the school year and all of the feelings associated with perhaps a new school, new teachers, and new friends. She assured them that no matter what their feelings - excited, nervous, scared, that God is always with us, as stated in Isaiah 43: "Fear not, for I am with you, I have called you by name and you are mine". Mandy had made charms to attach to their backpacks as a reminder of that thought. Each of those present chose a charm for their backpack, and Mandy shared a prayer over the backpacks and the students who will use them. (Thank you, Mandy!)
The Offering was received by Andrea and Susan, as the children collected quarters for the goat bank and Tom gave us another Simon and Garfunkel tune, "Homeward Bound".
At the Sermon time, each of the three YAV's came forward and told us about themselves.
Deb Rookey, a native of Little Rock, Ark, a singer and recent graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, studied humanities research, sign language poetry. Deb was active in campus ministry during college, which led to her pastor there suggesting a year of volunteer work. Deb will be living and working in Washington, D.C. in the Office of Public Witness of the PCUSA on Capitol Hill.
Dawson Mims, from Asheville, NC, is a visual artist, who studied architecture at Bradley Institute in Brooklyn, NY. In his desire to take a year off and 'see where his passions lie', Dawson's YAV assignment will be living and working in Los Angeles, CA, in a volunteer ministry to the homeless, with a focus on racial reconciliation.
Ryan Mullennex, a native of Randolph County, West Virginia, studied environmental science and sustainability at Davis & Elkins College. He earned a double major in 4 years, which also included a focus on social and economic equality. Having previous mission volunteer experience in Nicaragua, Ryan will be spending his year in Tuscon, AZ, exploring issues of globalization, inequality, immigration and food.
Feeling blessed and inspired by their presence and their sharing, we joined in singing "Here I Am, Lord"
Susan Jordan led the prayers of the people, shared communications from Rev. Dr. Chandler for the YAV's, and led us in an inclusive version of the Lord's Prayer.
Lynn Brown guided Deb, Dawson, and Ryan in making their public commitment, and invited all to come forward for laying on of hands to commission them for their year of service. We sang "Lord, You Give the Great Commission", we shared in the benediction, and Tom closed the service with the very moving "Gabriel's Oboe" by Ennio Morricone, from the film "The Mission", at the suggestion of Rev. David Harkness.
Following coffee hour, a small group joined Deb, Dawson and Ryan for lunch at The Depot. Thanks to Susan Jordan for all of her work organizing the service and lunch, and transporting the YAV's to and from Stony Point Center.
Announcements:
"Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
Sunday, August 19, 2018
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, August 19, 2018
Entering the sanctuary to the sounds of Tom McCoy playing a medley of "All Creatures of Our God and King" and "Lord of the Dance" and a warm welcome from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler. We appreciated the sizeable crowd for a late summer Sunday, and the return of Janet Rust, after a brief hospitalization and convalescence at home. Gareth Guest shared gratitude for daughter Allison's successful melanoma surgery. Announcements were shared (see below) following which a little music was requested by the pastor and Tom played an impromptu "Linus and Lucy" which evolved in to "Happy Birthday" for Cathy Carnevale, who was also the worship leader for the day.
Rev. Dr. Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and we sang "Be Thou My Vision". Cathy guided us through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Sung Response of "Seek Ye First", and Passing of the Peace. Following Tom's special music of Chopin, Cathy read the scripture from I Kings, about the death of David and the reign of Solomon; and asked us to read with her Ephesians 5:15-20, which she followed with the same passage in "The Message", instructions in the way to live.
Rev. Dr. Chandler taught the young people a verse of scripture which spoke of being baptized in Christ and clothed in Christ. They explored the baptismal font, learned about baptism, and were encouraged to, each day as they get dressed, to think of themselves as "clothed in Christ". Elaine and Susan received the morning offering as James, Oscar and Kayla collected quarters for the goat bank.
The Gospel was from John 6:51-58, Jesus speaking about being the 'bread of life', which Rev. Dr. Chandler interpreted as the spiritual food we need to help us in our walk of faith. Citing some of the previous passages in John's gospel, we were reminded that Jesus cautioned, "Don't attach to me, I'm just a signpost...take in what I'm saying but don't make me the object of your affection."
Rev. Chandler spoke of how the church is good at attaching to things, and that maybe some things don't need to be continued; they can be let go of. In an analogy to heart health, where a "limited rut" is not as healthy as variability, things in the church may become 'petrified' and maybe, as suggested in Isaiah 43:19, God is doing a new thing. Finally, the charge to trust that God will do something new among us; Allow the heart of this church to be stretched - to the glory of God.
Being reminded by the words of the hymn we sang that "God is Here", we shared in joys and concerns of the family, which included: Rachel's stepdaughter's wedding this weekend, and her brother's improved health as he undergoes chemo for lymphoma; Mandy and family settling into their new home; CJ being home for a short visit before leaving for Japan; Janet was grateful for the care and concern of the church, her family being with her, and her ability to be back at church; for people who come inside these doors, to 'come and see'; for teachers; and we keep Erica and Tom in our prayers.
Prior to the benediction, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Pastor Doris, who will be celebrating her birthday next week as she is away on study leave and vacation. Those who are teachers and students returning to school were asked to step into the center of the benediction circle, and were held in prayers for the coming school year. Tom shared the "Largo" from Xerxes by Handel as his postlude.
Announcements:
About 20+ members of our church family enjoyed a cloudy but rain-free picnic at Constitution Island. The potluck entries were varied as usual and scooped up with gusto, along with the hot dogs and hamburgers. Rev. Dr. Chandler and Tom McCoy provided us with a music-filled service in appreciation of the natural world and friends that surrounded us. We had a chance to see first-hand the progress that has been made on renovating the Warner House and the digging thereabouts for historical artifacts. Thanks to the MacLeods for hosting us and serving as island guides!
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Church Notes 7/5/18
A lovely morning, but the beginning of yet another heat wave. Rev. Dr. Chandler started the service with a call for announcements, opening with her own good news. Earlier in the week, she moved into a spacious and brand-new apartment in Beacon, with a lot of church family as helping hands. She wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and assistance in her long home-settling journey. As she said, “it takes a village”.
Tom McCoy played a lovely Prelude and Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship. Annie Becker served as the Worship Leader, asking forgiveness in the Prayer of Confession “For our part, known and unknown, in the pollution of oceans, rivers and streams; the destruction of forests and fields; the suffering of animals great and small and of your human family…” After the Passing of the Peace, Tom introduced his “Special Music” – Debussy’s “The Sunken Cathedral” – saying that the music came out of nowhere, just Debussy’s imagination. And imagination, as Tom elucidated, was one of our most important gifts from and connections with God. Tom “gifted” us with his exquisite playing of the piece and we applauded.
Rev. Dr. Chandler had the children recite “Taste and see the Lord is good” from Psalm 34:8. They then went on a small tour of the front sanctuary where Rev. Dr. Chandler illustrated what the verse meant. When you taste the communion bread and when you see flowers, “where did they come from?” God. And God is good.
The Gospel reading was John 6:24-35. In a back and forth conversation with followers, Jesus concludes with: “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” … “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler said that we might think these people following Jesus are “thick-headed”, but we are often that way, too. God may be throwing something quite obvious in our path and we don’t see it or taste it, nor understand that it is from God. In short, we often don’t “get it”. But what God is saying to us is that when you “screw up”, ask for forgiveness; and if you believe in Jesus whom God has sent, you will receive God’s true bread from heaven and will never be hungry or thirsty. In inviting us to the Lord’s Table, Rev. Dr. Chandler asked all to come to the communion table whether you “get it or not”.
For the Lord’s Prayer, we recited Lynn Brown’s version, as drawn from Prayers of the Cosmos (by Neil Douglas-Klotz, Harper San Francisco, 1990). And for the Postlude, Tom played a moving rendition of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, July 29, 2018
On a glorious mid-summer morning, the gathered 'church of the open door' was greeted by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below), and then treated to a rendition of "Precious Lord, Take My Hand", featuring Gareth Guest on clarinet and Tom McCoy on piano, as our prelude music.
Rev. Chandler led us in the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer and we joined in a hymn of praise. Worship Leader Sandy Barton guided us through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and the first readings, from 2 Samuel 11:1-15 and Ephesians 3:14-21.
For the Youth Sermon, Rev. Chandler shared a verse from Exodus which Moses read to the people, "...all that the Lord has said, we will hear and do". She explained that the reason we gather on Sunday mornings is to be reminded that God is always with us, and that we hear and do God's word.
Our "Special Music" was "Divertissement" from a suite by Darius Milhaud played by Gareth and Tom, and joined by Gareth and Pat's daughter, Allison Nyquist, on violin. Allison and Tom gave a lovely rendition of "Arioso" by J.S. Bach for the offertory, as Sophia and Natalie received the offering and Ethan and Oscar collected quarters for the Heifer Goat Bank.
Rev. Chandler read from the Gospel of John (6:1-21) the story of two miracles of Jesus - the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on water. The Sermon focused on the miracle of the loaves and fishes, as Rev. Chandler shared based on a sermon she had heard some years ago, that Bread is important in our lives as people of faith; that God takes the ordinary, such as bread, and blesses it to us. It can't stay in a loaf, it must be broken. If the bread is viewed as a 'character' in the story, what would it say? "Bless me, break me, give me..." What if, if after we receive communion we ARE the bread that goes out into the world. We, then, all need to be broken first. May we all look at our day and see where we can be the bread for the love of God.
We sang a very traditional hymn "What A Friend We Have in Jesus" with a wonderful non-traditional jazz accompaniment by Tom! At the benediction, Allison Nyquist came for a prayer of blessing and laying on of hands for her upcoming surgery. Our postlude was another movement of the Milhaud suite, "Jeu" (or "Game") which was an energetic and whimsical closing to our worship.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We came together on this second Sunday of Lent and a day the church calls Celebrate the Gifts of Women Sunday. Globally, this day is celebrated as International Women's Day, a day aimed to help nations worldwide eliminate discrimination against women. Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler led off with a big welcome, a recognition of the COVID-19 concerns we share, and a call for announcements (see below). Following the Choir’s Introit, she called us to worship with a responsive reading – “All are welcome here; for you are loved by God and this is God’s house.” We read the Opening Prayer together.
Our Worship Leader today, Bev Taylor, who always says she is nervous at the microphone but comes across as a pro, guided us through the Prayer of Confession – “God, we give you our hearts. They are brimming with doubt and fear, but we give them to you anyway, for you promise to love us as we are…” Bev assured us that we are forgiven, as God sent Jesus Christ to give us the good news of forgiveness. We passed the peace with a prayerful bow, handshake, or hug, based on the level of our coronavirus concerns. And we are all concerned at some level.
The Choir sang a beautiful Bach anthem “Jesu, Be Thou Here Beside Me”. Then Bev read the first scripture reading of Genesis 12:1-4a, where God told Abram to leave his home of Harran, assuring Abram that God would make of him a great nation and favor him in many ways. Abram was 75 years old at the time. The second reading was a familiar Psalm, which we all read together. Psalm 121 is a song of assurance that God will look out for you always. “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler called the many children up for the Youth Sermon. She paraphrased Job (see Bible reference below), saying that he had counseled to ask the animals, the birds, and fish and they will teach you that everything comes from God, as God created all of us. She showed the kids a ruby-throated hummingbird, common in New York, from her Birds of New York book. But she really wanted to illustrate her lesson with the broad-tailed hummingbird, who only nests in Ramsey Canyon, AZ, and goes back to the same nest every year. Hummingbirds feed off flowers, and when they do, they carry a bit of pollen from one flower to the next. This pollination assures that the plants survive and the flowers will come back year after year. Rev. Doris asked the children, what would happen if somebody decided to use Ramsey Canyon for drilling oil or mining coal or another purpose that destroyed the environment, including the nests, the homes of the hummingbirds. Could the hummingbirds survive to do their important work? And what about the flowers? Rev. Dr. Chandler promised the children that for Lent, she would have a “Ask the Animals” story every week.
After the Offering and Prayer of Thanksgiving, the Rev. Dr. Chandler began her adult sermon saying that every year Lent invites us into a wilderness – a metaphor, of course, but one with meaning. During Lent we are asked to consider things we ordinarily push to the back of our minds, and, perhaps, go to those places we do not wish to go. We, as humans, may think we are better than or above other creatures, like hummingbirds, but consider our current situation in facing a worldwide pandemic. Consider the socioeconomic inequities, how our healthcare system in the U.S. is broken, and who is likely to get the care and attention needed with this one disease. “Now is the time to look at the wilderness of our broken institutions in the face. Write a letter. Ask questions about what needs to change to make this better. Doesn’t everyone need easy access to healthcare?” As Micah 6:8 states succinctly, the Lord wants us to “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.” It is not enough to be angry about injustice, God is saying you must act, but with kindness. In closing, Rev. Dr. Chandler gave her wish that Lent draw us into a wilderness where we confront some difficult subjects and that each us emerge from the wilderness ready and able to carry out the work she/he needs to do.
The Eucharist was celebrated today with the same words and passion as always, but with some changes in the Communion procedures. Because of the COVID-19 threat, we will be using tongs to drop the bread into cupped palms and serving the “wine” in individual cups. Both the adults and children were schooled on the new process, and it went quite smoothly. Cups are sanitized for the following week’s communion. Thanks to everyone for making and observing these changes.
We stood in place for the Benediction, as we will continue to do until we learn that the coronavirus threat has ended, and prayed with our pastor. Tom McCoy played Jules Massenet’s always soothing “Elegie”.
Job 12:7-10 New International Version (NIV)
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- About a dozen church members had attended a concert at Chapel Restoration Saturday night of the Yale acapella group New Blue featuring Allie LaRocco, currently a student at Yale, who grew up in our church. Everyone raved about the entire performance and Allie’s solo in this all-woman group now celebrating its 50th anniversary.
- A group from the church also went to the Depot Theater on Saturday to see the one-woman play by Ivy Omere, “My Story, My Voice”, which was described as “amazing” and “powerful”. Amy Dul, Director at the theater, had arranged for the church group to receive discounted tickets.
- Our monthly Lunch Bunch – everybody and anybody who wishes to get together for lunch – is gathering at 12:30 PM at the Depot Restaurant in Cold Spring. We always enjoy the food and conversation. Please join us.
- We were reminded that a number of the theatrically inclined youth of this church will be appearing in The Fiddler on the Roof, Haldane’s High School play, March 13-15, and Haldane’s elementary musical, Annie, on April 2.
- Rachel Thompson is leading the Adult Study at 9 am on Sundays during the Lenten season, focusing on the environment: God’s creation of which we are a part. Please join in.
- The rehearsals for Easter Pageant have begun and will continue for the next three weeks, with the pageant being performed on Palm Sunday. All the youth of the church and any others who are interested are welcomed to join the fun of putting this pageant together (whether you miss any rehearsals or not)!
Church Notes 3/1/2020
It was the first Sunday of Lent, also known as the Wilderness, and we filed into the pews to the Prelude melody of Sarabande (English Suite in A minor by J.S. Bach). We were immediately in for an education by our impressive Youth Group of Kate Jordan, Roy Smith, Maggie Gordineer, and Jack Gordineer, as they described the Lenten significance of every portion of the Wilderness Vase they prepared to grace our sanctuary, including sand, stones, moss and branches. Rev. Dr. Doris thanked the Youth Group presenters and then welcomed all of us to the service, saying -- as she always does to visitors and new people coming to the church -- that she does not believe you are here by accident. She called for announcements (see below).
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship with a responsive reading and we all read the Opening Prayer together – “Wild God of the wilderness, as we devote these forty days to you, shape us by your Spirit in our wilderness journey. Shape us so that a bigger space is created in our hearts for love to grow.” Cathy Carnevale was the Worship Leader this Sunday and first thanked the soup makers and bread bakers (Diana Geller and Bev Taylor; Ron Sopyla and Susan Jordan), as well as Rev. Dr. Chandler, for the delicious and meaningful Ash Wednesday dinner and service. Cathy then led the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, asking God to “Give us strength to say ‘no’ to that which separates us from you…Guide us out of our self-centered wilderness spaces and into your light.”
Cathy assured us of God’s grace in forgiving us – “God holds nothing against us; hold nothing back from God. We get a fresh start – our slates are wiped clean,” as found in Psalm 32:1-2. For our Passing of the Peace, we were instructed, in light of the current COVID-19 situation, to hold our hands in prayer with a slight bow to one another, rather than our usual handshake or hug. Everyone complied and seemed to enjoy the change.
The choir’s Anthem was Dust and Ashes (David Haas and Brian Wren), accompanied by our talented in-house musicians: Tom/piano, Lynn/flute, Carolyn/cello, and Gareth/clarinet, three of whose smiling faces are below. They played for the entire service!
The Old Testament scriptures were Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7, as well as Psalm 32 read responsively with the congregation. The Genesis story is the one about the tree of good and evil in God’s original garden and the serpent’s prodding of Eve to take its fruit which God has forbidden and share with Adam. The Psalm is an interesting one, as it acknowledges the pain one feels when they don’t admit their sins to God and the peace that comes with opening up – “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Fortunately, there were a lot of kids in the house for Rev. Dr. Chandler’s ounce-of-prevention Youth Sermon. She had the children demonstrate to the congregation how to sneeze into your elbows to prevent airborne contagion from spreading to neighbors. They also spread their fingers and showed us adults how to scrub our hands all over and often for 20 seconds (we had to sing Happy Birthday twice to make sure 20 seconds had transpired). It was a useful lesson as we prepare for the possibility of COVID-19, the new coronavirus that none of us wish to catch.
After the Offering, Rev. Dr. Chandler read Matthew 4:1-11, where Jesus is tested by Satan in the wilderness during Jesus’s 40 days and nights there. She cautioned us not to get too caught up in the scriptures today regarding the origin of good and evil, nor to view Satan as the Devil, but to see this figure in Matthew as Jesus’ adversary or perhaps the adversity that you encounter in your life. Doris asked us to focus on what Jesus actually did in countering this adversary. She also told us some personal stories that brought her to the conclusion that God’s intention is that we love one another. That was Jesus’ message. The worst sin is withholding love from those who need it – from your children, your family, your friends, your neighbors. Our love is demonstrated by our actions. Our actions are what matter. Further, if you encounter injustice or need, do what you can. In closing, she challenged us by saying that we are now in the season of wilderness; this is the time to explore where God is calling you and us to take action.
We sang a new hymn, “Wilderness Gifts Us a Holy Disruption”, and then we were invited to take Communion. As we will celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday in Lent, we will be making a few changes in how Communion is served due to the coronavirus threat.
We stood in the pews for the Benediction – partially to avoid hand holding, but also because we had too many people to come into the aisle, always a good thing! And then, Tom, Carolyn, Lynn, and Gareth gifted us with playing "What Wondrous Love is This" (Fernando Ortega).
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· The bulletin today contained the Ecological Calendar, that Rachel Thompson urged each of us to use as an inspiration for the Lenten season -- especially as the church’s new Green Team is getting organized to make a number of “green” changes in our church to combat climate change. She is also leading the Adult Study at 9 am on Sundays during the Lenten season, which is focusing on the environment. Please join in.
· Daylight Savings Time begins next Sunday, March 8. Turn your clocks ahead one hour and make sure you are on time for church!
· The rehearsals for Easter Pageant start next Sunday and will continue for four weeks with the pageant performed on Palm Sunday. All the youth of the church and any others who are interested are welcomed to join the fun of putting this pageant together!
· A group from the church is going to the Depot Theater next Saturday, March 7, at 7 pm to see the one-woman play by Ivy Omere, “My Story, My Voice”, which has received superlative reviews. Amy Dul has arranged for the church group to receive discounted tickets. Contact Bev Taylor, bevtaylor127@yahoo.com if you wish to go.
· Some of the theatrically inclined youth of this church will be appearing in upcoming plays. The high school play, Fiddler on the Roof, will be playing at Haldane from March 13-15 and the elementary musical, Annie, is in early April.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, February 23, 2020
The Church of the Open Door gathered on the last Sunday in February, in Epiphany, and the last Sunday before entering the season of Lent, to observe Transfiguration Sunday. All were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, and overjoyed to see Pat Guest back in the choir after many weeks under the weather at home! Announcements were shared (see below) to include our Ash Wednesday observance this week, on February 26, beginning with a soup and bread supper at 6:30 and Service of Worship at 7:00 pm. All are welcome!
We were musically welcomed by an original improvisation from Tom McCoy as the Prelude and the choir's introit "Sanctuary". The Pastor led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and we sang "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies". Worship Leader Mona Smith guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace, and the scripture readings from Exodus 24:12-18 and responsively, Psalm 99. The Choir sang "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" for the anthem.
At the Youth Sermon, Silas, James, Matty and Sarah came forward, and Pastor Doris asked Silas to divide a slice of bread for the 4 children to have. He divided it into 4 equal pieces, to which the Pastor taught, "You showed love by being as equal as possible. Think about how you show up in the world and treat people.We show love by our actions". As the children collected quarters and FILLED THE GOAT BANK!!!!! Andrea and Barry received the morning offering.
Rev. Dr. Chandler read the gospel account of the Transfiguration, Jesus on the mountaintop, from Matthew 17:1-9 and began her sermon. She spoke of this being the last Sunday in Epiphany, season of light, and ending it with "a big ole WOW light"! This Wednesday we take a turn from the WOW to the Wilderness as we begin Lent with ashes on our foreheads and the words, "You are dust and to dust you shall return". Doris returned to the WOW and spoke of a danger in this text - that we look for 'mountaintop experiences', we seek to be close to God, and we feel 'less than' if we don't have a grand mountaintop experience. She reminded us that there are transfigurations in the small things as well, that we see the Holy in small moments. Sometimes we take for granted all that is before us, the holiness and preciousness of life. She read a poem by Christian Wiman, entitled "From A Window" :
Incurable and unbelieving
In any truth but the truth of grieving,
I saw a tree inside a tree
Rise kaleidoscopically
As if the leaves had livelier ghosts.
I pressed my face as close
To the pane as I could get
To watch that fitful, fluent spirit
That seemed a single being undefined
Or countless beings of one mind
Haul its strange cohesion
Beyond the limits of my vision
Over the house heavenwards.
Of course I knew those leaves were birds.
Of course that old tree stood
Exactly as it had and would
(But why should it seem fuller now?)
And though a man’s mind might endow
Even a tree with some excess
Of life to which a man seems witness,
That life is not the life of men.
And that is where the joy came in.
A transfiguration moment. Look for those moments in your life. Step outside your comfort zone. See what you can get your mind around that gives you hope and purpose and life. What a ride! Get ready...Lent's coming!
Prayers were shared: of joy and blessing for Christoper and Michelle for their new home; for Mona's sister recovering from a fall; for healing for Peter; for Irwin, a grandfather healing after heart surgery; for Rachel's son Cody on the loss of his job; for the Pastor's companion Cole, with spinal issues; gratitude for Pat's return; and for the larger world, for a vaccine for the coronavirus and for our country and for fair elections. We spoke the words of the Lord's Prayer using the New Zealand Prayer Book version, and sang "Shine, Jesus, Shine". We joined hands for the benediction, charged to "be that transfiguring moment for someone; a love letter in the world". And Tom 'shined' with his postlude, a jazz improvisation of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Ash Wednesday February 26 - Soup supper at 6:30 Worship service at 7:00 pm.
- Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson, heading up the new "FPCP Green Team" shares this message: At its first meeting yesterday, the FPCP Green Team agreed to try for Goal #1 of the Presbytery’s Lenten Zero Waste Challenge. That goal is to eliminate paper, plastic or Styrofoam cups at all church events. We were well on our way on Sunday when we used ceramic mugs at Coffee Hour. Please bring your own water bottles to church and/or use the glass glasses or ceramic mugs in the kitchen!
- The Sunday morning Adult Study for Lent begins next Sunday at 9 am in the church library.
- The Book Group meets this Tuesday at 7 pm at Susan Jordan's to discuss "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles
- Church member Allie LaRocco, who sings with an a capella group at Yale,will be performing with that group at the Chapel Restoration on Saturday, March 7 at 7 pm. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-new-blue-tickets-96079356943?aff=ebdssbeac70655492254/
- Pageant rehearsals begin on March 8. All young people are welcome to participate
Church Notes 2/16/2020
A mid-winter sunny day and our pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, was back in the pulpit after a long trip back from Alabama. She had returned in time to preside at the previous evening’s Jazz Vespers, featuring vocalist Goldee Greene, which was enjoyed by a good crowd. A big thank you to Tom McCoy for organizing, as well as Rev. Dr. Chandler, Goldee, and the musicians who made the evening such a success.
Rev. Dr. Chandler gave us the news that John Golden had passed the previous day and asked for prayers for his wife, Lisa, his children and other family members. She then called for announcements; and, other than a reminder that our church administrator would not be in the office on President’s Day, there were none. One note, however, is that our church, as a body, is trying to become “greener”, out of love for God’s creation. To start, we will be using more china and less single-use plastic and paper products during our after-church socials. Stay tuned for more on this in coming weeks.
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship and led the Opening Prayer saying that we are called to be one with God and God’s creation. As Worship Leader, Susan Jordan guided us in the Prayer of Confession in which we acknowledged that “Our worship of work and devotion to consumerism disorders our love of you and each other.” After Passing the Peace with hugs and handshakes, the choir sang a beautiful rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Love Changes Everything” (lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart, below).
As today’s service was focused on the ordination and installation of church Deacons and Elders, the scripture readings (Deuteronomy 30:15-20, I Corinthians 3:1-9, and Matthew 5:21-37) were read with this focus in mind. In Deuteronomy, Moses is commanding that his people to follow God’s laws, in order to have life and prosper as a people. In Corinthians, Paul is explaining to the Corinthians that God is the one they should follow, not other humans. Even church leaders like Paul are only God’s co-workers. The Matthew reading is a portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is explaining some of the Mosaic laws to clarify further what they mean, including those on adultery, murder, and divorce. Jesus’ teaching internalizes the commandments, saying that it is not only our behaviors that we must consider, but we must also take into account what we are thinking or feeling. All three scriptures emphasize that we as God’s children need to follow what God, and God only, asks us to do. Rev. Dr. Chandler reflected that most of us find it easier to belong to a group than to do the hard work to follow God’s commandments.
We next began the process of ordaining and installing Deacons and Elders. We read from I Corinthians 12:6-7 that “God works through each person in a unique way, but it is God’s purpose that is accomplished. To each is given a gift of the Spirit to be used for the common good.” We ordained Nina Velez as Deacon and Ralph Cottiers as Elder. We installed Jean Duncan as Deacon and Andrea Bach and Mona Smith as Elders. Other Deacons and Elders came forward for a blessing and laying on of hands for the newly ordained and installed church leaders, followed by congratulations and applause!!
We completed the service with Rev. Dr. Chandler delivering the Prayers of the People and the Benediction. Tom played a Postlude of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (written by James Henry Miller, better known as Ewan McColl, in 1957 and recorded by Roberta Flack in 1972, in case anyone was struggling to remember).
LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING
Love, love changes everything
Hands and faces, earth and sky
Love, love changes everything
How you live and how you die
Love, can make the summer fly
Or a night seem like a lifetime
Yes love, love changes everything
Now I tremble at your name
Nothing in the world will ever be the same
Love, love changes everything
Days are longer, words mean more
Love, love changes everything
Pain is deeper than before
Love will turn your world around
And that world will last forever
Yes love, love changes everything
Brings you glory, brings you shame
Nothing in the world will ever be the same
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, February 9, 2020
Those gathered at The Church of the Open Door were warmly welcomed by Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, who quoted Richard Rohr, saying "God comes to us disguised as our life." Rachel called for announcements (see below) which ended with a rousing "Happy Birthday" sung to Rev. David Harkness, and, in absentia, to Dave Llewellyn, both having birthdays this coming week.
The choir introit was "Be Still and Know" followed by the Call to Worship: Let us worship God who has given us EVERYTHING: The moon, the stars, the land, the seas, the life-sustaining bounty of earth, and the joy of human relationship. Let us worship the God who created our earth and called us to be stewards of it. Help us, O God, to be worthy. The theme of stewardship of our world continued in the Opening Prayer, from The Chinook Psalter, the song "Seek Ye First", and the Prayer of Confession adapted from a poem by Wendell Berry: "To the sky, to the wind, to the earth and to all the faithful trees, I confess my sins: that I have not been happy enough, considering my good luck; have listened to too much noise; have been inattentive to wonders; have hasted after praise."
Worship Leader Ron Sopyla guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, readings from 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 and, responsively, Isaiah 58:6-11. Ron also shared a delightful and colorful "cranky" mural as the youth sermon, a poem from India, which showed images of the heavens and the earth, and he closed with the statement that "Our world is wonderful and special, as is the presence of all of us in it, and God has given this to us."
Andrea and James received the morning offering while Matty and Silas collected quarters for the goat bank and Tom played "We Are The World". The anthem this morning was a lovely setting of "I Believe", from words discovered on a wall in a prison camp during the holocaust: "I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining... I believe in God, even when God is silent."
Rev. Rachel focused on passages from the prophet Isaiah for her sermon, a book which is cited more than any other Hebrew text, usually for its messages of hope (such as beating swords into plowshares, and the peaceable kingdom) but Isaiah was also called to deliver a message of doom to the powers that be. His sympathies were emphatically with the victimized poor, not with the courtiers and well-to-do.
Illustrating parallels to our society today, Rachel evoked a present-day prophet, who, "like Isaiah, has been called to a big mission; who, like Isaiah, has had a big impact on the culture; who, like Isaiah, is delivering a message of impending doom; and who, like Isaiah, is enraging those who have a vested interest in keeping things as they are." She was speaking of 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, recently named TIME magazine's Person of the Year, who spoke to a gathering of world leaders, saying" You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering, people are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!"
Rachel continued..."Greta Thunberg was doing what she felt called to do and because she knew it was right. She doesn't speak OUT of a religious context, but I believe it's very possible to put her concerns for the planet and its people IN to a religious context. The Bible is woven through with the idea of the sacredness of the earth, and continuing throughout with messages about the need for humans to be good stewards of what they have been given."
She also quoted from Pope Francis and his 2014 document "Laodato Si: On the Care for our Common Home":
The Pope warns, "We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth...The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet's capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes". Pope Francis argues that climate change is not just a political or economic issue, but a moral issue, as it affects all people and God's creation. He calls for personal conversion as well as societal change.
Rachel shared her hope, which she has shared with enthusiastic reception from Rev. Dr. Doris and the Session, that we form a "Green Team" here at FPCP and work with everyone here to make The Church of the Open Door a beacon of hope for the environment. Stay tuned for ways in which all ages can become involved in this new initiative, set to begin during Lent.
In closing Rachel shared,"One of our founding myths is that once upon a time we lived in a garden. We called it Paradise. Because of choices we human have made over the centuries, our garden has become endangered. We are now being called by God to make the choices that will help restore and nurture the sacred garden that we have been given to tend." And she ended with a hopeful verse from Isaiah, chapter 35: "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing." May it be so. Amen. (and applause!)
God comes to us disguised as our lives - in the prayers that we share - we prayed for Pat, for John and Lisa, for medical challenges facing others, for gun violence victims everywhere, for scientists working on challenges such as the corona virus and Alzheimer's, and both gratitude - and prayers - for teenagers! All this was gathered with a prayer from Pope Francis, and The Lord's Prayer.
We had a couple of interesting hymn tune substitutions as we sang "All Beautiful the March of Days" and "God, You Spin the Whirling Planets", and after joining hands for the benediction, Tom shared an improvisation on the tune we know as "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- This Saturday, February 15, there will be a Jazz Vespers at 5:30 pm featuring vocalist Goldee Greene, followed by our always wonderful reception!
- The monthly "Lunch Bunch" outing is this Tuesday, February 11, at 12:30 pm at the Depot Restaurant, Cold Spring. All are welcome to join!
- The season is approaching when many of our youth will be involved in musical theater productions at Haldane and with the Philipstown Rec. Dept. Stay tuned for dates to support our young people in "Annie Jr", "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Frozen".
- And kudos to the Deacons, who acted on Rachel's message and set up coffee hour with non-disposable plates and coffee cups!
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday February 2,2020
525,600 minutes...how do you measure, measure a year? Measure in love! That was the announcement about the Annual Congregational Meeting to review and celebrate the life and work of The Church of the Open Door in 2019, which took place following worship on this, the first Sunday in February, 2020. [02022020 - palindrome day! And Ground Hog Day]
Those gathered were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who then called for announcements (see below), to include her announcement of a return to Alabama today for a medical followup visit. Until her return on February 15, pastoral emergencies will graciously be covered by our Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, who will also be in the pulpit next Sunday, February 9.
"What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God." Those words were on the bulletin cover, used as our Call to Worship, read by Worship Leader Janet Barton, and formed the core of the Sermon for the day. Tom and the choir shared "Be Still and Know" as the Introit and an anthem proclaiming "Savior, hear my humble cry...Do not pass me by", with a rousing gospel piano accompaniment!
During the Youth Sermon, Pastor Doris shared a photo of a "super moon" with the children, explaining that there would be super moons in early March, April, and May. She also advised them to "look up, and remember that God loves you so much that you don't ever have to be in the dark!" As Andrea and Susan received the morning offering and the children collected quarters for the goat bank, Tom (picking up on 525,600 minutes) played "Season of Love" from "Rent" for the offertory.
Rev. Dr. Chandler read the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:1-12, and shared that both the Micah and Matthew scriptures are knocking at the door of a fundamental question - a plea for justice and mercy, and to walk humbly. She spoke about humility, asking, "Do you have a heart that's open and compassionate enough to create a sacred space to hold someone unlike you?" We are called to something different - and we will mourn, as those trying to live out our faith in a way that doesn't match the society in which we live. And if we, as a church, are fearful about the future, remember that the Bible says "Do not fear". I would rather be on God's team than on the world's team. And we will fill up this church coming from a place of love and compassion. Do not fear, Beloved Community, God's got you!
We sang a hymn version of the Prayer of St. Francis and were welcomed to the communion table. As Rev. Dr. Doris and Janet Barton served communion, Tom played "Let Us Break Bread Together" and "Jesus, Remember Me". Following the benediction, in which the congregation once again said together the words of Micah 6:8, Tom played the theme music from the film "Schindler's List" in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day this past week.
The 191st Annual Congregational Meeting began at 11:40 am and was adjourned at 12:30 pm. Elected to terms of office as Elders were Andrea Bach, Ralph Cottiers, and Mona Smith and as Deacons Jean Duncan and Nina Velez. Ordination and Installations will take place during worship on Sunday February 16, 2020. Reports were shared from all committees, with those preparing the reports thanked, and it was a true celebration of the life and work of this church!
The final report was from Church Historian Janet Rust, whose report concluded with a quote from the 70th Anniversary of the church in 1898 by then-Pastor The Rev. Charles W.E. Chapin:
"The elevating spiritual influence of this church has always been recognized. Its history has been uniformly good, and is not yet closed. Its usefulness has not been outlived. God has a good and perhaps a great work for it yet to do."
The Rev. Dr. Chandler closed the meeting with the words: "God's church requires energy and requires love...you love well!" Amen.
- Don't forget to check out the church website regularly www.presbychurchcoldspring.org
- Please visit (and LIKE!) our facebook page www.facebook.com/ChurchOfTheOpenDoorColdSpring/
Church Notes 1/26/2020
It was a blessedly sunny day, especially as there had been a chance of snow, and Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us into the sanctuary. Announcements were few, but important. Susan Jordan, on behalf of Lynn Brown, the Clerk of Session, gave us public notice that the 191st Annual Congregational Meeting will be held next Sunday, February 2, directly after the service. We will be selecting elders and deacons and approving a budget. The meeting package, containing all committee reports, plus the proposed budget, is available today. Wally passed them out to everyone in the pews. Please read the reports and ask any questions you may have at next week’s meeting. Susan requested that everyone remember to bring the meeting package back with them next week, as only limited copies will be available. Nevertheless, everyone in the church email list should also receive an electronic copy of the report this week. She noted that only church members can vote at the meeting, but everyone interested in the life and future of this church is welcomed to attend.
The choir sang “Be Still and Know” as the Introit, and Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship saying, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light…” She led us in the Opening Prayer, praying to “God, our light and our salvation.” After singing a spirited “Gather Us In”, Ron Sopyla, today’s Worship Leader guided us through the Prayer of Confession where we confessed that that “We have allowed fear to divide us from those who seem different, and let distrust separate us from our brothers and sisters.” We asked God to “[s]hine your light into our darkened hearts.” We were assured of God’s grace and then passed God’s peace with a handshake or a hug to the young and the rest of us.
The choir sang its anthem of the day, “O Praise the Lord, Who Made All Beauty” by Hal H. Hopson. We applauded enthusiastically. As is our custom, following the anthem we sang “We limit not the truth of God, to our poor reach of mind. By notions of our day and sect, crude, partial, and confined. No, let a new and better hope within our hearts be stirred. The Lord hath yet more light and truth to break forth from the word.” Every week this song expresses our hopes in reading the scripture passages that follow.
Ron first read Isaiah 9:1-4, predicting that in the future God “will honor Galilee of the nations” and “on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy”. Ron next turned to our responsive reading of Psalm 27:1, 4-9, beginning with “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”
Rev. Dr. Chandler, kneeling down to the children’s level, asked them to repeat “The Lord is my light” and they did. She continued with “What does light do for us?” “Well,” they answered, “it lets us see!” But she asked more questions: “If light guides your way, how far do you need to see? If this room were dark, how much light would you need to get out of the darkness?” Answer: “You need enough light to take the next step”. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that, not only do we have God’s light, but God’s light is within each of us. Others may try to stifle or put out that light, but we can just turn it right back on, as we need this light to guide us in life and through darkness.
Our Gospel reading was Matthew 4:12-23. This is the story of when Jesus began to preach and to take on disciples. “12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles--
16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”[a]
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach…”
Rev. Dr. Chandler gave us a geography lesson for Jesus’ time. She noted that Zebulun, at the southern end of Galilee, means “home” and Naphtali means “struggle” and that Jesus’ Jewish audiences of the time would have known what these names meant. So, when John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus withdrew, but he did not flee. There is wordplay between struggle and home. At some time on your spiritual journey, and Dr. Chandler referred back to hers, did you feel you were “home”? Were you in a place of love, a place you could live, maybe thrive? But what happens then? You have to face struggle within your life, with others, with your faith. Hence, Jesus did go to a place where it is home, but struggle is expected, and he finds disciples who stop what they are doing to follow him.
Matthew, as a book of the Bible, is efficient and economical in language in laying out Jesus’ life for us. Still, it is apparent that Jesus started his ministry with a sense of urgency about it. It is clear that Christ is the light referenced in Isaiah, and this light calls us forward to follow him and to act, just as Jesus did with the disciples. Rev. Dr. Chandler referred to the impeachment hearings this past week and the difficulties that all of us have in understanding how facts and views cannot converge. She exhorted us to follow God’s light in all we do. God expects us to act based on where this light is guiding us to go.
We said our Prayers for the People, Rev. Dr. Chandler praying for us to be the non-judgmental heart, mouth, hands, and feet of compassion as we care for all of God’s creation. We joined hands in the Benediction, acknowledging that God comforts, but also causes us discomfort when there is reason to do so, so we should pay attention.
For the Postlude, Tom rose to tell us a story. He had awakened from a dream in which members of this church were talking about their healing from all sorts of illnesses. He said “It was a beautiful dream!” Being a musician, music came along in the dream and he remembered the melody. He wanted to play it for us and sketch out some more of it for us today. The piece was light, hopeful, and somewhat haunting. It had no name, but, when asked, Tom captured it as a “soundtrack to a dream”. Sounds like a good name to me.
Church Notes 1/19/2020
Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed the “Righteous Remnant” this morning, referring to the intrepid congregation members who braved the snow to come to church. John Lane was one of them, and we were happy to see him back after his serious illness. He stood, saying “Things happen for a reason” but he wanted to thank this “amazingly strong community” who supported, fed, and prayed for him and his family. We applauded his being back in our midst and incredible recovery. He humorously apologized to Tom for missing choir practice and gifted Tom with Peace Pencils which he had intended to give Tom at Christmas. They were perfect for the “peace” theme of this day.
Lynn reminded everyone that two weeks from today, February 2, is the Annual Congregational Meeting to be held directly after the service. We will be selecting elders and deacons and need a quorum, so please plan to stay for the meeting. These are informative and important meetings in the life of this church and are rarely lengthy meetings. In other announcements, Carolyn asked people to sign up to teach Sunday School; and Gareth noted that our new church Administrator, Kate, will be out tomorrow for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but will be in on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
With announcements completed, the choir sang “Be Still and Know That I Am God” as their Introit and Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship, as well as leading us in the Opening Prayer. Lynn Brown was our Worship Leader, honoring MLK by quoting his words as an introduction into the Prayer of Confession. The prayer opened with “Mothering God, we have chased after foolish things… Deliver us from arrogance and forgive our self-concern…” We were assured of God’s grace and passed the peace up and down the aisle.
The choir’s anthem today was, in fact, “Peace” by Dave and Jean Perry, a lovely melody, and we are blessed to have a skilled and talented choir to sing it. Lynn read Isaiah 49:1-7, saying that even while still in the womb, God called saying “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.” 4 But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”
Next, the entire congregation read responsively Psalm 40:1-11 – “…Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods…” Following this reading, Rev. Dr. Chandler had a treat for the children by playing the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams and asking them to dance and have fun. The point of this Youth Sermon was that God wants us to be happy. She explained that if you put your trust in God, you will not be disappointed, as you are God’s children and God wants you to be happy.
After the Offering and Offertory Prayer, Rev. Dr. Chandler read John 1:29-42, where John the Baptist testifies about Jesus – “29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.’”
For the sermon, Dr. Chandler began in saying that she did not know of a pastor who did not need a pastor. She harked back to the Isaiah reading where sometimes people feel as though they have spent their life on nothing. When one such pastor felt such weariness, she went to an older pastor who had been in service for 50 years and asked how he kept his spirits up over the years. At every one of her challenging questions, the older pastor provided a wise and “glass half full” response. Rev. Dr. Chandler remembered her own earlier days. “I used to think I could do some big things with the church, but I finally realized it was not my church, but God’s church. God is leading the church. I had to discern what God wished me to do.”
She noted that in the John 1 passage that John the Baptist teaches us where the power resides. He steps down when Jesus steps up. God is running the show and God is in each of us. We are the “lamb of God” who can do God’s work in “taking away the sins and suffering of the world”. Like Martin Luther King, Jr. in his time was God’s mouthpiece in the world -- an orator for equality and justice, so are we as individuals and this church here for a reason. We must work for God’s justice. And, in doing so, we should remember the words of MLK, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler chose for the hand-holding Benediction this day, the words of Pete Seeger who wrote “We Shall Overcome”. She read the words to the song and they were powerful in the reading. We sat back down to hear Tom’s medley of John Lennon’s “Imagine” coupled with “We Shall Overcome” which was transcendent in the playing.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown – Sunday, January 12, 2020
‘The Church of the Open Door’ gathered on the Baptism of the Lord Sunday to Tom McCoy’s prelude of river images setting the tone – a medley of “The Moldau” and ”Shall We Gather By the River”. Pastor Doris Chandler welcomed those gathered and called for announcements. Good news was shared about some of those for whom we have been praying – Joan is home, as is John Lane (spotted at a local café with the family!) and Rose has a great appetite and an exercise bicycle! (more announcements below)
Rev. Dr. Chandler again circulated the star words which she had shared last Sunday for those who may not have received one. She lit the Christ candle, reminding us that “Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it”.
The choir sang the introit “When Jesus Came to Jordan”, and Pastor Doris led the Call to Worship and the Opening Prayer: “God of life and new life, you are splendid and strong! Your voice thunders above the sound of loud waters. You sit enthroned above the floods of life. As Jesus heard you speak to him in his baptism, may we also hear you calling us your beloved…” We shared in the Hymn of Praise, “God is Here!” and Worship Leader Barry Llewellyn guided the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace and the first two readings, from Isaiah 42:1-9 and Psalm 29, read responsively.
During our youth sermon today, Rev. Dr. Chandler held up a picture of teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and we learned that we are never too young to lift up our voices to speak truth and do good! ️
Following her reading of the Gospel passage, Matthew’s account of Jesus’ Baptism, Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of the connecting thread between the lectionary readings today being about “voice”. God gives you and me a voice so that people will take note when we speak on behalf of God. As Maya Angelou has said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you”. What is it that we are passionate about? Get still. Listen Then use your voice, as Greta Thunberg did in her UN address: “You say you love your children above all else and yet you are stealing their future”, referring to the climate crisis. It took her voice, Her passion. May you find the courage to speak up and speak out. May this church continue to have the courage to speak up and speak out. You have a voice in this community. Use it for good.
We shared prayers of joys and concerns for specific people, for those in military service and their families, for the devastation in Australia and Puerto Rico. Hymns were sung, hands joined for the benediction, and a postlude of “Down to the River to Pray”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Today, the Sunday 9 am Adult Study Group began a book study of Boundless Compassion by Joyce Rupp, which continues through January and February.
- The Monthly Lunch out is this Tuesday, January 14 at 12:30 p.m. at The Depot Restaurant.
- The “Per Capita” amount, which our church pays per member to support the Hudson River Presbytery, Synod of the Northeast, and PCUSA, is $38.80 for 2020. You may contribute your per capita amount if you would like to do so.
- The January-February newsletter is out, and Mona Smith has done it again! We are grateful for the colorful, informative document she produces bi-monthly, as well as all she does maintaining our website presbychurchcoldspring.org and our Facebook page: First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown: The Church of the Open Door (be sure to ‘like’ us!)
Church Notes 1/5/2020
Alleluia! Carolyn was back on cello playing with Tom on piano for the entire service! Rev. Dr. Chandler welcomed us and asked for announcements. Surprisingly there was just one: Annie’s request that people grab the remaining poinsettias and take them home, as no one is at the church to water them. Another announcement raised later was a reminder that ShopRite is in the middle of their “Can Can Sale”, which is the best time to stock up on canned and other goods to donate to the Food Pantry. This is the second and last week of the sale.
Rev. Dr. Chandler noted that today is the 12th day of Christmas and tomorrow, January 6, is the Epiphany. It is a time to celebrate, so Reverend Chandler asked us to sit still and accept an epiphany “star gift”. She had cut out stars, put one word on each, and placed them in a plate. She directed us to hold the plate above our heads and put our hand in to take a star. They had words such as “Courage”, “Persistence”, “Judgement”. Each of us should put our star in a place where we can see it daily and give some thought as to why that particular star happened to find its way into our hands. Does it have a special meaning for you? Of course, you are free to toss the star in the trash or do anything you might wish with it, but be intentional about whatever you do, as we may talk about our stars at a later date.
We were called to worship and shared an Opening Prayer. Bev Taylor came to the pulpit and explained how nervous she becomes when she is the Worship Leader, a fear that she might stumble over words. Maybe a number of us feel that way. She said, “I guess the more I do it, the less nervous I’ll be.” The Prayer of Confession acknowledged that God has now come into the world and yet we do not recognize God with us. “Forgive our lack of insight and open our eyes to see you here and now, that we may receive your grace.”
After the Passing of the Peace, the choir sang the traditional English carol “Bye Bye Lully Lulay”. This is often called the Coventry Carol as in the original 16th c. Coventry nativity play, this carol was sung by women of Bethlehem with their children in arms, immediately after Joseph is warned by an angel to take his family and flee into Egypt. The Responsive Reading, read by all, was Psalm 147:12-20, a song giving praise to the Lord.
Rev. Dr. Chandler then called James Llewelyn up to the front as he, post-Christmas pageant, happened to be the only “youth” available for the Youth Sermon. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the game Rev. Chandler had for him. With three small pyramids and one marble, she demonstrated the shell game by moving the hollow pyramids around, asking James which one hid the marble. He watched closely, fascinated, but each time guessed the wrong one. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that unlike this game, God doesn’t make you guess where God is. God is in each and every one of us.
James collected quarters for goats. Following the Offering, we prayed together, “Gathering God, you bring us together from many backgrounds and conditions to be in this church” and asked God to use our offerings to use them for good purpose.
The Scripture Lesson was from John 1:1-9 and 10-18, where the Word became flesh. This passage begins with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It progresses to “9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him…12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Rev. Dr. Chandler took us back to the Old Testament beginning where God gave Adam and Eve a beautiful garden, but they wanted more. God took his people to the Promised Land, but that was not enough. A string of prophets was sent by God, but again, it was not enough. So, God became flesh to dwell among us. Pastor Doris reflected on her youth, where she was dunked in a creek to be baptized, and listened to fire and brimstone sermons that did not make sense to her. She cited her religious progression to the present day and her strong beliefs that God is love and that God loves each and every one of us. She emphasized that nothing can separate us from God, from God’s love. God made Jesus flesh to show us God’s love and that God is in each of us. The Word became flesh. We should love ourselves and look at others recognizing that God is within them, as well. Wherever and whatever they are on their surface, God is in them.
Rev. Dr. Chandler invited us to the table to join in the Eucharist. After Communion we said our prayers for family, friends, and others who need God’s blessings at this time. We sang our last hymn, “Joy to the World”, and listened to Rev. Dr. Chandler’s Benediction as she recited “The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman (see below).
Finally, we were blessed with Carolyn Llewellyn’s choice of a Postlude – “Some Children See Him”, composed by Alfred Burt in 1951 and played by both Carolyn and Tom. Alfred Burt (1920 – 1954) was an American jazz musician who for 12 years sent an annual Christmas carol to an old family friend as a holiday gift and this was the one for 1951. Quite a gift!
The Work of Christmas
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers [and sisters],
To make music in the heart.
Howard Thurman
Below is a link with information from the FTC regarding gift card scams like the one some received via email recently:
Worshipers targeted by gift card scam | FTC Consumer Information
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/worshipers-targeted-gift-card-scam
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday December 29, 2019
As "The Church of the Open Door" gathered on the First Sunday after Christmas (which, by the way was the usual FPCP musical extravaganza, complemented by candlelight, readings, and extra chairs in the aisles to accommodate the crowd!), also the Last Sunday of the month, the year, and the decade, the Pastor's words of welcome were: "You never know what a day will bring!" Somehow, the heat had been turned off in the sanctuary, and so our always resourceful Deacons took charge and quickly transformed the social hall into worship space, with rows of folding chairs and hymnals and bibles brought out from the sanctuary! Tom McCoy at the piano and Carolyn Llewellyn on the cello played a medley of carols for the prelude, and together they provided all of the service music.
The Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, followed by the first of several opportunities in the service for "by request" Christmas Hymns. Worship Leader Gareth Guest guided the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and read the first two scriptures, from Isaiah 63:7-9 and Hebrews 2:10-18. Elaine and James received the morning offering, and Doris read the gospel from Matthew 2:13-23.
In a very creative and contemplative worship experience, Rev. Dr. Chandler offered a time for silent meditation and reflection following each of the 3 readings. The Isaiah passage was about the goodness of God, and the reflection questions included "How has the goodness of God come to you in 2019?" The Hebrews scripture was about suffering and being tested, and the question was "How have you been tested in 2019?" In the Matthew passage, God comes to Joseph twice in a dream, as an angel, first to tell him to take Mary and the baby and flee to Egypt, and a second time to return to Israel when it was safe to do so. We reflected on how God comes to us and asked "How open are you to discerning God's will for your life?"
We shared a time of prayer, raising concerns which included Karen and family, Pat, Joan, Maude, Carolyn's Dad Rich, Amy's Dad, Kathy's aunt Theresa, John Lane and family, Barry's sister Shirley, Lynn Brown and family on the sudden loss of Norm's sister Barbara, for families separated, and for instances of violence around the globe.
The Benediction was shared from Jan Richardson's "Blessing that Meets You in Love" which closes with these words:
"...today this blessing has come to tell you the secret that sends it to your door: that it gives itself only to those willing to come alive; that it vows itself only to those ready to be born anew."
And, in closing, Doris shared a musical recording of the song, "The Music of Christmas" by Steven Curtis Chapman: "So listen, listen with your heart and you will hear a song in the laughter of a child. Oh won't you listen for the sound of hope, and you will hear the music of Christmas, for the music of Christmas is love; Oh it's love." Amen.
May the New Year bring blessings upon blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love, to you and yours.
Church Notes 12/22/2019
Lynn on flute and Tom on piano played “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” as we filed into our pews. Rev. Dr. Chandler welcomed us and called for announcements (some next, some below). We heard the good news that John Lane, who recently suffered a cardiac arrest, can now wiggle his toes and move his face muscles (later in the day we learned that his “tube is out and he is able to communicate”). We also heard from Marilyn that her sister, Joan Crouch, is “looking good” after her pelvic fracture and surgery. Joan thanked everyone for the calls, visits, and cards. She is still at Wingate@Dutchess, Room 227, phone 202-5310. We are also happy that Pat Guest is back in the choir today after being sick for a while.
Bev Taylor thanked everyone for baking and buying at last Sunday’s bake sale after the pageant. As a result of everyone’s efforts, she was able to put $533 into the Community Nursery School scholarship fund. Carolyn voiced her appreciation for everyone who participated in the Christmas pageant last week. It was such a success! Rev. Dr. Chandler could not help but add her admiration for Mona with the enormous cue cards, the cast, the costumes, and Ron’s storytelling with the “crankie”. She said, “I will never look at a tabby with an ‘M’ on its forehead without thinking of that story.”
We also sang a rousing Happy Birthday to Brooke, 9, and Nicholas Taylor, 4, who share the same birthday.
Jen and Maggie Gordineer then lit the fourth candle of Advent, the candle of “love”, signifying God’s love in sending Christ to live among us. The choir followed with the introit, “Like a Child, Jesus Comes”. Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship and together we all read the Opening Prayer. Gareth Guest, as Worship Leader, introduced the Prayer of Confession, saying “May Christmas bring us peace, love, gratitude, and the highest expectations.” The prayer focused first on the “welfare of your [God’s] creation”, confessing that we are “trampling on the creatures and plants you have made, taking from the Earth what we cannot give back”. We were assured of God’s grace and Passed the Peace to our neighbors, friends, children, and visitors. The choir sang the hymn “Star Child”, which places adjectives before the word “child” -- e.g. lost, hurt, used, sad, wise, hope for peace, grown -- to include all God’s children.
Roy Smith then came to the pulpit to read Isaiah 7:10-16, where Isaiah tell Ahaz that the Lord will give him a sign which is a virgin giving birth to a son who will be named Immanuel and the land of the two kings that Ahaz is afraid of will be laid to waste (more on this story in the sermon). Next Gareth Guest led the responsive reading of Psalm 80:1-7 and 17-19, ending with –"Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself. 18 Then we will not turn away from you;
revive us, and we will call on your name. 19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”
For the Youth Sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler described the four Advent candles to the children in a way so they could remember them by using the sentence “The love of God grounds us in hope and therefore we can have peace and joy.” James asked about the middle candle and Rev. Doris explained that this is the Christ candle that we will light on Christmas Eve. As always, she concluded with “Go in peace, precious children of God”.
Elaine Llewellyn came to the pulpit to share Matthew 1:18-25, the story of Joseph, engaged to Mary. Joseph learns that she is pregnant, but not by him, and wishing to stay faithful to the law, he plans to break the engagement, but quietly. Then the angel of the Lord comes to him and tells him that his to-be son was conceived of the Holy Spirit. This son should be named Immanuel, “God with us”, as he will save people from their sins. Joseph believes and weds Mary.
For the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler provided some backdrop to the Isaiah story. Ahaz is quaking in his sandals because the kings of the two nations that he fears are demanding that he join their coalition. The prophet comes to Ahaz in Isaiah 7, telling Ahaz to stand firm in his faith. He is saying that Ahaz has a choice: he can put his trust in God or trust in human force. The prophet provides the added information that God is sending a child who will change the world and the two kings Ahaz is worried about will no longer prevail. Then, Rev. Dr. Chandler shifted her focus to Joseph and the Matthew story.
Joseph was already spiritually attuned to God and was trying to be faithful to God’s law, but kind to Mary as well. When the angel appears to him and explains that Mary has been honored to carry God’s son, the story does not say that Joseph argued or questioned, but, as a man of faith, Joseph carried out God’s will. Rev. Dr. Chandler asked us how we show up in situations before us when God’s will is clear? She related her own experience, talking about her time in seminary when she did not have the money to continue. Somehow, by bits and pieces, money appeared. God provided. All the stories told to us today on this 4th Sunday of Advent illustrate the tug between man’s reasoning and God’s will and, that where tough choices are before us, it is best to put our trust and future in God’s hands.
We said our Prayers for the People, and there were many. Rev. Dr. Chandler then offered a series of prayers, to which we responded “Hear our prayer.” We sang “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” and then held hands in Benediction. We sat back down as Tom played his Postlude – “Ave Maria” by Jacques Arcadelt, 1507-1568 -- first with the simple melody and then with Tom’s fulsome flourishes. Applause.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The new Sunday School signup sheet is in the Social Hall, so please volunteer for a Sunday or two. Also, the Easter Pageant is just around the corner and needs someone or a team to direct it. The kids love these special events and the adults do, too.
- The Christmas Eve Service is at 7 pm on December 24, not 6:30 as was in the newspaper.
- We learned later on Sunday that Maude Kahrs had had a fall and the injury required rehabilitation. She is fully ambulatory again and hopes to return to church soon.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, December 15, 2019
What an exciting weekend at The Church of the Open Door!
On Saturday evening,our annual Jazz Nativity featured Director of Music Tom McCoy and guest jazz musicians vocalist Marty Elkins, Drummer Mike LaRocco, Bassist Lew Scott and Dale De Marco on saxes, clarinet, and flute. Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler led the service,complete with advent wreath lighting, and individual candles lit as those gathered sang "Silent Night". The Jazz Vesper committee put on its always wonderful wine & cheese reception with special Christmas goodies!
Then came Sunday morning, the day of the Sunday School's Christmas Pageant! There was great energy in the air as Directors Mona Smith and Ron Sopyla herded the children into the Sunday School room for their final preparations!
Meanwhile, in the sanctuary... the Third Sunday of Advent worship began with Tom's prelude of "O Come, Little Children", a warm welcome from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below) and Carolyn distributed bells to all present for ringing on cue in the pageant. The choir sang an introit, from the Advent hymn "O Lord,How Shall we Meet You?" and the Advent Wreath was lit by Michele and Bernadette. Pastor Doris led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and we sang the Hymn of Praise, "Prepare the Way".
Worship Leader Gareth Guest guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assured us of Grace, led the Passing of the Peace, read from Isaiah 35:1-10, and asked us to read in unison the 'Song of Mary' (or, the Magnificat) from Luke 1:46b-55. The choir shared a message to "Sing for Joy, this Festive Day!" as the Anthem. Andrea and Ralph received the morning offering as the children gathered quarters for the goat bank. Pastor Doris read from the Gospel of Matthew 11:2-11, about John the Baptist, and then the pageant began!
The narrator, Roy, came in along with James, decked out as a shepherd with sunglasses! Tom played "Star Wars", James brandished a light saber, and Roy exclaimed: "Wait, that's not OUR theme music!" The first part of the pageant was a drama of the nativity, with audience participation guided by Mona's cue cards, as the shepherds ("Yo, sheep!"). sheep ("BAA!"), Angels (ringing bells), Mary, Joseph, Camels and Kings all made their way to the manger. Part 2 was a collection of Christmas legends from around the world, related by storyteller Ron Sopyla, and illustrated with a 'crankie' scroll of pictures colored by the Sunday School children. The wonderful stories of How the Tabby Cat Got its "M" (Middle East), The Legend of the Poinsettia (Mexico); The Christmas Spider (Ukraine) and the Legend of Saint Nicholas (Turkey) captivated the congregation and we were truly blessed by all that was shared this morning!
Prayers were voiced for Joan Crouch, hospitalized and recovering from a fall and a broken hip; for Rich Segermark, for Pat, Betsy, retired sisters dealing with respiratory distress, the families of those lost in Sandy Hook 7 years ago, and for an end to gun violence. The service closed with the hymn "The Trees of the Field" clap their hands, and so did those gathered!
Emerging from the sanctuary, there was such a festive decorated social hall (thanks to Bev Taylor), and thanks to many who contributed items, a bake sale to benefit our church's scholarship fund to assist needy local children attending our Community Nursery School.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The Wednesday Morning 7:00 am prayer group (open to all) meets this Wed. December 18, but will not be meeting on December 25 or January 1. The group resumes for 2020 on Wednesday, January 8.
- This Saturday, at 7:30 pm, there will be a "Longest Night" Service, which offers those gathered a sacred space, filled with candlelight, and an opportunity for remembrance, consolation and assurance, amidst the buzz of holiday festivities.
- Sunday, December 22 will be The Fourth Sunday of Advent Service at 10:30 am
- Tuesday, December 24, there will be one service on Christmas Eve, at 7:00 pm, a traditional candlelight service, featuring Director of Music Tom McCoy at the piano, the Chancel Choir, and guest musicians.
- First Presbyterian Church is grateful to all who have made pledges to support the work of this church in 2020. Pledge forms are available if you have not yet made such a commitment. We are close to our goal of $100,000 and can use a little help to get over the top!
- Lastly, we thank you for your interest and participation in the life of The Church of the Open Door, where: we seek to live out the truth of God's love; worship is inclusive and inventive; joy is found in nurturing one another; we seek to bring comfort to all people."
This was second Sunday since Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler has returned to Cold Spring from her surgical recuperation in Alabama. We are glad she is home with us once again. She welcomed us all to our warm sanctuary on this icy cold day and called for announcements (many, see below). Pete and Sally Smith lit the Peace candle on our Advent wreath, saying “Believing that truth will prevail and justice be done for all people, we light this candle as a sign of peace.” We were called to worship and together read the Opening Prayer from Isaiah 11:10.
Along with the day’s Worship Leader, Bev Taylor, we prayed our Prayer of Confession and were assured of God’s grace, before Passing the Peace in the aisles with our friends, neighbors, and visitors. The choir sang a special rendition of Dona Nobis Pacem to the tune of “Pachelbel’s Canon” (Johann Pachelbel). Bev then read Isaiah 11:1-10, which is the well-known scripture passage predicting the coming of Christ and the peace that will come with him – The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together; and a little child will lead them.7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” The second scripture passage, all reading together, was Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, starting with “Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.”
As the children were all off practicing for the Christmas Pageant, Rev. Dr. Chandler asked the adults who had quarters to come to the front and experience the joy the children regularly have in dropping the coins into the tubes to buy goats for families in Africa. And come they did, while the Offering was also being taken in the pews. The Offertory Prayer thanked God for “all good things” including the “Earth itself, for creatures and plants, for water and food, for light and darkness; for Jesus, our brother, who enlarged our vision, …”
Rev. Dr. Chandler read the Gospel Reading of Matthew 3:1-12, another well-known passage where John the Baptist foretells Jesus’ coming -- 11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.” Doris stated that “there is no justice without peace and no peace without justice”, reflecting on our lighting of the candle of peace today. We can wait for peace to come, but wherever injustice resides there is no time to sit. She talked about all the time she had to sit during her recuperation, when she watched the news on TV, noting several horrific stories, including the abduction of Aniah Blanchard. Witnesses saw her being forced into a car, but did not report it nor follow the car. Rev. Doris asked us all, “how will you show up when you see injustice taking place?”
She continued with other stories, including the regeneration of a broken African Violet leaf that grew into a thriving plant. And then she congratulated the Haldane School for taking on the Laramie Project as its high school play. The story of a young gay student, Matt Shepard, in Wyoming who was brutalized and left to die on a prairie fence. At the sentencing of Aaron McKinney, the convicted killer, the father of Matt, made a statement, parts of which Rev. Chandler quoted. The father, Dennis Shepard had brokered with the courts, life sentences for his son’s killer, rather than a death penalty. Dennis said, "Mr. McKinney, I give you life in the memory of one who no longer lives.” He said, “I too believe in the death penalty. I would like nothing better than to see you die, Mr. McKinney. However, this is the time to begin the healing process. To show mercy to someone who refused to show any mercy.” In reflecting on his son’s death alone in the Wyoming prairie, he took some solace that his son was not really alone. In his final night, his son was in the company of "lifelong friends": the night sky, "the smell of Wyoming sagebrush," the "ever-present Wyoming wind" and God.
Rev. Dr. Chandler concluded her remarks considering that the human heart needs to be stretched. You can pray to God that you will never be alone, as you never will, but also ask God to clean you up some more, to make you more like God. That’s what Advent, the coming, is telling you to do. In the words of Elijah Cummings, “We are better than that.”
We said our Prayer of the People and The Lord’s Prayer, sang “O Day of Peace”, and joined hands in Benediction. Then we sat down to enjoy the Postlude, an inspired Tom-medley of “Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming" and “I Saw Three Ships on Christmas Day”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Our Church Administrator, Chris Lawrence, is moving to Florida and we will miss her!! We wish her safe travels and joy in her new home, not to mention our heartfelt thanks for the last 13 years of devotion to our church! Chris’s last day is December 12.
- After interviewing several candidates, we found Kate Elliott, who will take Chris’s place. Fortunately, Chris and Kate know one another and are overlapping for a few days so Chris can do a bit of training. Kate is starting on Monday, December 9.
- Tuesday, December 10, at 12:30, is our next Lunch Bunch at the Depot Restaurant. Please come and see your friends for a chat over a meal. It’s fun, nourishing, and always informative!
- Rachel Thompson attended a meeting at the Hudson River Presbytery and picked up some materials relating to eco-friendly ideas for Christmas decorations. She placed them in the Social Hall.
- Jazz Nativity will take place this coming Saturday, December 14, at 5:30 pm. Rene Bailey is our guest vocalist and is always a treat for this service!
- Food bags are available at Foodtown for $10 apiece and will benefit the Philipstown Food Pantry for the holiday season.
- The Longest Night Service will take place in our sanctuary on December 21. Christmas and the holiday season can be hard on people who are going through difficult times or who have lost someone important to them during this time of year. Please join us.
- Poinsettias may be ordered, in memory of or in honor of, to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas. Choice of white or red at $9. Orders are due by December 15.
- The Christmas Pageant is on Sunday, December 15, and will be followed by a bake sale and some holiday items, proceeds for the church's scholarship fund which we maintain to assist the needy in our community with Community Nursery School tuition. Please bring some homemade baked items to sell!
- We are grateful that our sanctuary has been graced with lovely (complimentary!) floral arrangements from Mary Supino of Cold Spring Flowers for the last year or two. The arrangements will only be provided from here on if they are ordered and paid for by the individuals ordering them. There is a flower chart in the hallway for those interested in providing flowers for a particular Sunday.
- Rev. Dr. Chandler mentioned that the clergy group for Cold Spring was recently reconstituted and told us about the Church on the Hill’s Live Nativity event for later in the day. We will be hearing more about other churches’ events in the future.
- Tom McCoy had just learned that his son-in-law’s house had burned down. Everyone is okay and he doesn’t know much more at this point. More on this story later.
Church Notes 11/24/2019
Reverend David Harkness came to the pulpit saying, “The Lord be with you”. We responded, “And also with you.” On this dismal, raw, rainy day, and looking over the congregation, Rev. Harkness playfully commented, “You are the ones who REALLY want to be here!” And then, “You get extra credit for this, just so you know!” He stated that today is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year. Next Sunday, the beginning of Advent, is the first Sunday of the church year, and Rev. Dr. Chandler will be back among us. Rev. Harkness asked that we pray for her safe travels after her long time away, and then he called for announcements (see below).
The Call to Worship was from Psalm 105, “let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.” After the Opening Prayer, we sang “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”, and then Worship Leader Lynn Brown led us in the Prayer of Confession, saying – “Loving God, …you know my secret obsessions and unfair comparisons; my alarming ability to overlook and excuse my faults and prejudices. In your clear and piercing light, expose and forgive me…” We were assured of God’s grace and Passed the Peace with a handshake or a hug.
Lynn gave us an update on the Stewardship Campaign, mentioning that Diana Geller had also hoped to be part of this Dedication of the Pledges, but her son CJ is home on leave from submarine duty in Japan for a short while, so the family is enjoying time in the city. Lynn said that the pledges, to date, total about 75% of our goal and she expects that more will come in today or the near future. She offered a dedication prayer for the continued health of our church that “fills our cup” every week.
The choir gave an exquisite rendition of “Let All Things Now Living”, in honor of our upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
Lynn read Jeremiah 23:1-6 foretelling the arrival of a “King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.” Lynn then asked us all to read together Colossians 1:11-20. This passage deals with the Jesus as the son of the invisible God – “19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
As the kids were in pageant rehearsal, Rev. Harkness, decided the adults might appreciate his Youth Sermon. He recounted how George Washington first came up with a national day of thanks, our Thanksgiving, that fell into some disfavor during the Civil War, but Lincoln had wanted to bring it back once we were a nation again. Rev. Harkness said that people generally are not very good at expressing thanks, but are impressively capable of criticizing. Noting that his audience for this little sermon was intended to be children, he, nevertheless, posed the possibility that we may wish to flip the one day of thanks to 364 days of thanksgiving and one day when we can offer criticisms of what we choose. Maybe this was a good lesson whatever our age.
Rev. Harkness began his adult sermon with the Gospel reading, Luke 23:32-43, where Jesus is crucified with the two criminals while guards are casting lots for his clothing. Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Rev. Harkness, to give perspective, explained that in being crucified, a person is suffocating slowly and can barely breathe. So, anything that can be uttered will be short and likely important to expend the effort. He also commented that although the guards mocked Jesus as “King of the Jews”, Jesus himself never called himself “King” but “the Son of Man”. In fact, Jesus withdrew from the title of “King” whenever it was bestowed upon him.
Jesus clearly felt it was important to provide this sweeping declaration of forgiveness when he was on the cross. Why? Did those who judged Jesus truly not know what they were doing? The Romans had the finest legal system of the day and the religious scholars were present and yet this was the justice meted out. One of the criminals crucified with Jesus even says Jesus is being crucified for committing no crime. What is Jesus saying by forgiving?
Rev. Harkness reflected on a Kenneth Bailey reading, posing that the act of forgiveness helps in the struggle for justice. Sir Laurens van der Post noted that people who had not suffered in the Holocaust had a harder time forgiving that those who had actually suffered at the hands of the Nazis. Those who had imagined suffering and grievance were angrier and less able to forgive. Rev. Harkness spoke of some young Jewish boys, who after visiting the Holocaust sites felt strongly about the phrase “Never Again”, but that phrase can beget more violence, whereas, forgiveness does not. Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address as the war was ending, began his speech with “With malice toward none, with charity for all, …” to set the nation on the path toward binding its wounds and establishing a foundation for enduring peace. Such an act of forgiveness, as Jesus’ act on the cross, provides a basis to move forward with love, toward justice, toward peace. Rev. Harkness said, “Let us reflect on the forgiving we need to do.”
As directed by Rev. Harkness, the Prayers of the People today focused on giving thanks, as one-by-one, people spoke of what they were thankful for. There was quite a lot! Rev. Harkness expressed his appreciation for this outpouring and noted that many of us are also praying silently for people who are sick or in need, so he prayed for our gladness and sadness. We sang “Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart” and gathered in the aisle for the Benediction.
For the Postlude, and in honor of Christ the King Sunday, Tom played with passion and zest the spiritual “He is King of Kings. He is Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ the first and last. Nobody works like him”.
Happy Thanksgiving to All!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- A big thank you and everlasting gratitude to David, Rachel, Joe, and Martha Louise for stepping in to help guide the church and its services during Doris’s absence. We enthusiastically applauded them all!!
- Mitch Dul gave his thanks for all the contributions for clothes and winter wear for his co-worker whose house had recently burned down in a house fire. The colleague was so grateful for the quick response to the family’s plight, while they are recovering and living with relatives.
- Elf will be playing at the Depot Theater and Amy Dul has secured 10 tickets for December 8, at 2 o’clock. The sign-up sheet is in the Social Hall or let Bev Taylor know.
- The Christmas Pageant is coming on December 15, and we are having a Bake Sale after the service!! Bev said everybody is welcome to contribute baked goods and added that Nina Velez, who loves to bake, has already volunteered. We will have hot chocolate, cider, and coffee for free, and buy the baked goods. Proceeds will go to the Community Nursery School Scholarship Fund.
- Gareth again reminded us that we are losing our church administrator of 13 years and our right hand when Chris Lawrence leaves us December 12 to move to Florida. We are going to miss her can-do and cheerful spirit, not to mention knowledge of church workings and history when she vacates her important position in this church. More later.
November 17, 2019
Rev. Joe Gilmore welcomed those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" with these words: "If you want to you, can open your heart here, you can open your mind here, you can breathe deeply here...we can be unabashedly spiritual here; we can let our souls out to play!"
There were announcements (see below), to include Elder Gareth Guest informing the congregation that our Office Administrator of 13 years, Christine Lawrence, has resigned, effective December 12. She and her husband Ira have just closed on a house in Florida, and while we will miss her professional and devoted work as the one who keeps all of the wheels in motion, and balls in the air, we wish them all the best in their new adventure! And we sang Happy Birthday to Susan Jordan!
The choir sang an introit "This is my Prayer" (to the tune of Finlandia),and Joe led the call to worship and the opening prayer, "...As this day unfolds, let us walk gently on the earth, grateful and glad. Before evening comes, let us say "Thank you" at least once - for there is beauty and grace in every direction. If we only knew. Amen." And we sang "Now Thank We All Our God".
Worship Leader Annie Becker guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace, read from the Gospel of Luke (18:1-7a, about the persistent widow), and led the unison reading of Psalm 8:1-4.
Speaking for the Stewardship Team, Lynn Brown gave the update that coming into this morning's service, there were 8 pledges totaling $25,000, or 25% of that which would match last year's totals. [UPDATE: following the service, pledges turned in were tallied, now at 25 pledges of $65,000 - or approx. 60%] Pledges will be dedicated next Sunday, November 24, so please return yours via email, postal mail or bring it to church next week. (An estimate of giving form is attached) She reminded us that giving is a response of gratitude to the way our "cups are filled" by being a part of this church family. The choir echoing the sentiment with "God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending".
Carolyn Llewellyn gave a youth sermon on the topic of "stories", preparing the children to begin work today on this year's Christmas Pageant! [Sunday December 15] The children collected quarters as the offering was received and Tom played "Fill My Cup, Let it Overflow"!
Rev. Joe read another passage from Luke (11:5-8), about a persistent friend asking a neighbor for bread to feed an unexpected guest. The sermon began with the story of John Borling, an American military officer who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, where he was beaten, tortured and humiliated, in efforts to break his human spirit. He became a poet in prison, tapping out poems on the walls of his cell with a numerical coding system for the letters. His poems were committed to memory over 6-1/2 years, recited in tapping, in coughing, in beating out the code with a broom [and 40 years later published in his book "Taps on the Walls: Poems from the Hanoi Hilton"]. Writer Bill Keller quotes Borling: "Life is made up of all kinds of approximations. You do the best you can under the circumstances." and Keller muses, 'Sometimes the best you can do is extraordinary, even heroic, but more often you are lucky if it is barely enough. It seems to me that Borling's life is a tribute to the underrated virtue of perseverance".
In further examining the persistence of the widow and the friend in the parables, and relating to Borling's story, Joe suggests that, in seeking the sacred, perseverance is what you need... tapping on the wall regardless. All of the world's spiritualities and impulses are versions of 'tapping', and in tapping on the wall, not all of the tapping is coming from our side of the wall. Example, someone you love dies. Grief is tapping on a wall named 'why?' What if the realization that the love you shared does not die, is a tapping from the other side? Looking with wonder at a night sky, perhaps being afraid of falling into the stars - what if this is tapping from the other side of the wall? In our lives and losses, tapping on our side of the wall, we encounter the mysterious moving, tapping from the other side.Amen. We sang "Kum By Yah" to a rousing rhythmic accompaniment from Tom, and there was much tapping of hymnals and pews as we sang!
We shared in prayers and the ancient prayer, The Lord's Prayer. The closing hymn was a setting of Psalm 23, "The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want". We joined hands for the benediction and then listened to Tom's medley of Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" and "Simple Gifts".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Mitch Dul shared news of a co-worker, Lorena, who lost everything in a house fire. She, her husband, and 4 children are in temporary housing and rather than donated items Mitch suggested those who might want to contribute towards gift cards contact him.
- The Philipstown Behavioral Health Hub is now open on Stone Street in the village, with an open door to walk-ins from 9-3, Mon-Fri..
- Our annual Jazz Nativity will be held on Saturday December 14 at 5:30 pm, and features vocalist Renee Bailey!
- The children's production of "Elf" will be at the Depot Theatre this December and we have 10 tickets reserved for Sunday December 8 at 2 pm for $12. Sign up to save your seat!
Reverend Rachel Thompson was in the pulpit on this chilly but sunny morning. Announcements consisted of thanks to Mona for another beautiful newsletter for November-December. We also thanked Tom McCoy and Ron Sopyla for the amazing Jazz Vespers the previous evening. Ron performed a story that mesmerized the audience and the music was over-the-top. While we do have a number of community Jazz Vesper regulars that always attend, Tom encouraged more members of the congregation to see how inspirational these services can be! Bev Taylor also reminded all of us that the Lunch Bunch will gather at the Foundry Café at 12:30 PM on Tuesday, November 12, to enjoy food and conversation. Everyone is welcomed.
The Choir sang “Be Still My Soul” as its introit and Rev. Thompson called us to worship using Langston Hughes’ “My People” for its inspiration and ending with “Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people. Let us worship the God who created all the people of earth.” She led us in the Opening Prayer, praying to a loving God that “…you give us the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to feel…what it is like to live a life different from our own…”
Barry Llewellyn as Worship Leader then guided us through the Prayer of Confession explaining that God’s complex world sometimes causes us to “lose sight of what’s important to our souls”. Barry assured us that “the generosity of God is boundless…If we can truly open our hearts to the teachings of Jesus and the eternal love of God, we will know that all is well and all is forgiven.”
We Passed the Peace with joy and love. Diana Geller stood to remind us that we are in the middle of Stewardship season and should consider how our church “fills our cup” providing meaning and fulfillment in our lives. She said that in the first week, we are already over $13,000 in pledges. If anyone needs a pledge slip, please see her or Lynn Brown.
As Monday is Veteran’s Day, the choir sang “The American Veteran’s Hymn”, brought to Tom’s attention by choir member, Ralph Cottiers. Barry read Luke 19:1-10, the story of the tax collector, Zacchaeus, who Jesus befriended, despite criticism that he was mingling with a sinner. Zacchaeus decided to give up half his fortune to the poor and Jesus declared Zacchaeus’ salvation. Barry next had the congregation read Psalm 17:1-9, a prayer of David, asking God to --“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings 9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.”
For the Youth Sermon, Ron Sopyla had a special treat – introducing the children to a “crankie”, a box he had made with a scroll in it that told a story in black and white with silhouetted figures and words. Ron, the storyteller, explained to the children that both Mona Smith and he were going to have the children prepare similar scrolls for the Christmas Pageant, so they should pay attention today. Then, Ron began cranking through today’s scroll while telling a story about a man who thought he was the bravest and strongest. The only thing he was afraid of was a mouse. The mouse also felt he was very brave and strong, but was afraid of cats. The cat also considered himself quite strong and brave, but was so afraid of dogs. The dog, while viewing himself as strong and brave, was so afraid of his owner, a human. In the end, a voice calls out “You’re all okay. You’re all beloved.” And then all the creatures come and lie down together and find that they can live together in peace and love. Ron explained that however you or others see you, God loves you just the way you are.
Rachel returned to the Gospels, Romans 13:8-10, to start off her sermon. This scripture says that whatever all the commandments say, they are all summed up in “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.” At the beginning of today’s service, Rachel had asked each of us to think of 10 words to describe ourselves. Now she asked if any of us included the word “white” in our list? Most people in the US who are white don’t think of this as an important descriptor. Rachel told a story about a relative whose friend had accidentally bumped an African American with her purse and the woman lashed out saying “You white girls just think you can push all people around.” The friend had apologized, but Rachel’s relative was offended and asked the complainant, “Why do you have to get all racial about it?” And why did she? Perhaps it is hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
Next, Rachel related a story about her and her husband’s many years in volunteering at Sing Sing prison. Their church volunteers were white, while 95% of the prison is non-white. One year, the church and prisoner leadership decided to do a joint syllabus for the next semester and were very enthusiastic about the concept. However, one of the prisoner leaders wanted to spend the entire semester lecturing the church people on racism, which did not appear to be joint decision and resulted in arguments that spiraled down a rabbit hole with angst on both sides. The whites were feeling -- why do we have to focus on skin color? We are tired of it. In the end, the whites rejected the racism focus and did what the whites wanted to do.
Rachel mentioned that when Obama came into the White House, many whites were hoping – Whew! Now we finally can focus on a post-racism world. But we found out that was not the case…not by any means. Racism came out of the shadows and has more recently has increasingly demonstrated its malicious scope and range.
Rachel brought up another and her last example of injustice -- this time in the country’s educational system, which, as we all know, is primarily supported through property taxes. The poor neighborhoods have poor schools and the wealthy have better. Rachel asked, “Is that loving your neighbor?”
Throughout the sermon, Rev. Thompson’s illustrations were punctuated and reinforced with scripture – the many Biblical references to loving your neighbor: James 2:8, Galatians 5:13, Matthew 22:36, Luke 5:43, Leviticus 19:18, and Matthew 19:19. We have so much evidence that God does not want racism to exist, but wants us to love one another.
Rev. Thompson said she knew that sermons are supposed to end with “good news” and so she tried. “Although there is much to atone for…”, she said, we have also made “progress in righting some of the blatant social injustices that have been a part of the fabric of this country.” She mentioned personal relationships, like Joe and his friend, Shakin at Sing Sing, who were so close that they referred to themselves as “twins separated at birth.” And she said, “Aren’t we all, under the skin, twins separated at birth? Aren’t the qualities that bind us as humans so much greater than the details that separate us? Are we not, in fact, all neighbors?”
On the Cover of the Bulletin:
Late Fragment
And did you get what
You wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
Beloved on the earth.
--- Raymond Carver
Dial it down. Moving your thermostat down just two degrees in winter and up two degrees in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
Church Notes 11/3/2019
Lynn Brown was in the pulpit, happy with the extra hour’s sleep last night and welcoming Marilyn Schlosser back after her brief stay in the hospital. She said that John Cimino is home recuperating from his recent heart surgery (address: 88 Hardscrabble Road, Chester, NY 10919) and that Rachel Thompson is still in California taking care of her sister. Gareth gave us the great news that our Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler will be back in the pulpit on December 1, after her surgery rehab in Alabama puts her solidly back on her feet for the holidays and Advent services. We also have the newsflash that Mona Smith and Ron Sopyla are going to partner in putting on the Christmas Pageant! Good news all around.
We sang Happy Birthday to Lynn for her November 5 birthday. Then, she gave us the update on the October Envelope Campaign which netted our Capital Campaign $3136 for the kitchen remodel. Pats on the back for everyone who participated!!
After other announcements (see below) and the Choir’s Introit, Lynn led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. She explained that today is Stewardship Sunday, led by the Brown/Geller team and that each of us would receive a pledge form today (see Announcements, also). Diana Geller then led the Prayer of Confession – “When my life becomes too crowded and I sorely need to pause and be renewed, remind me, Teacher of my Soul, how you rested and went apart from the pressures in your life. Grant me wisdom and courage to do the same.” We were assured of God’s grace and passed the Peace of Christ. After exuberantly applauding the choir’s anthem, Diana then came to the pulpit to read Genesis 2:1-3, where God takes a rest after creating the universe. We then read the 23rd Psalm together – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul…”
Diana presented the Youth Sermon, using a white board that contained the definition of “stewardship” as taking care of something. She brought forward a bedraggled Spiderplant, asking and hearing that the plant needed water, nutrients, and sunlight to thrive. Similarly, a car needed a source of energy, air in its tires and other servicing to run most efficiently. What about you? Do you operate well without healthy food, adequate sleep, some time away from schoolwork to recharge your batteries?
Lynn read Mark 1:29-35, the story of Jesus spending a day healing all who came to him and then “35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Lynn began her “Reflections on Stewardship” saying that we may spend most of our lives focused on work, the things we have to do. She read the two quotes on the front of the bulletin:
“Self-care is never a selfish act – It is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” -- Parker Palmer
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” --Eleanor Brown
She said that we are exactly one-year before the 2020 elections and in “Golden Rule 2020”, all Christians are challenged to treat others as they would treat themselves, but Lynn reflected that sometimes we don’t treat ourselves very well. How does this church replenish YOUR spirit, how does it help you in YOUR self-care?
Diana, next, reflected on some changes that have occurred in her own life, as she is trying to take better care of herself. She said she was pretty used to taking care of the family, the job, the dog, and friends, but probably neglected herself. She worried that she worried too much and felt over-worked. Now, however, she gets up early to spend some time breathing and meditating, doing a short yoga routine, preparing a healthy lunch and a big thermos of hot tea for breaks during the work day. She feels less stressed, and able to handle her day. Her self-care cup is replenished every day.
Lynn presented the Stewardship Board with a cup that will be filled with pledges and asked us to write on little paper cups how this church helps to fill your cup. People mentioned music, Jazz Vespers, community, inspired sermons, Adult Study, the hand-holding Benedictions, Passing of the Peace, and more. Lynn said when she leaves the church on a Sunday, she feels that her own cup overflows. Everyone was asked to fill out their pledges in the next couple weeks and give what they are able. Pledges will be dedicated on November 24.
THE LORD’S SUPPER: Lynn and Susan Jorden presided over this first Sunday of the month Eucharist, saying “This is a joyful feast”. Holy Communion was served to the congregation by intinction.
We came to the aisle and held hands for the Lynn’s Benediction: “May you be filled with joy and peace. I pray that you will overflow with confident hope. May God fill you up, satisfy your deepest longings, meet your greatest needs, and fill your heart with love. Amen.”
For the Postlude, Tom McCoy explained that the Halloween season is the time of year that our well-known, local storyteller, Jonathan Kruk (https://www.jonathankruk.com/ ) presents The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at many, many venues. Tom usually accompanies Jonathan’s storytelling with music – his original score -- which he played for us today. It was sinister, suspenseful, with gentle, melodious interludes, just like the story itself that starts out in the Old Dutch Church. Thank you, Tom!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· This Saturday, November 9, at 5:30 pm is our “As the Leaves Fly” Jazz Vespers. Again, Rene Bailey is the featured vocalist with musicians Damon Banks, Gwen Laster, Mike LaRocco, Dave Winograd, and bandleader Tom McCoy. Ron Sopyla has agreed to emcee the service. As always, we will have time for socializing with the artists, plus friends, neighbors, and visitors at the wine and cheese reception that follows the service.
· Stewardship Campaign – For those of you who were not in church today, the Stewardship letter and form that were handed out in church today are also attached to this Church E-news. They may be returned in the mail, emailed or placed in the offering plate in church the next two Sundays. Pledges will be dedicated on November 24.
- An action you can take to protect birds where you live: Plant native plants. Native flora provides birds with food in the form of fruit and seeds, and is home to tasty invertebrates like bugs and spiders.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, October 29, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on this rainy autumn Sunday morning were welcomed to this sacred space with a very special, beautifully sung Prelude: Linda Speziale, substituting for Tom, sang “Morning Has Broken,” which began a morning thread of bird songs. Susan Jordan introduced the guest preacher for the day, The Rev. Deke Spierling, and called for announcements (see below).
Following the choir introit "Give Peace O God, Give Peace Again", Rev. Spierling led the Call to Worship, a call to remember who we are, who God is, and that all belong here. Rev. Spierling then led us in the Opening Prayer, a prayer of praise to God for all God’s works and God’s glory. The opening hymn, "I Greet Thee Who My Sure Redeemer Art,” was selected in recognition of All Souls Day on Thursday, 31 October.
Worship Leader Susan Jordan led the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, in which we admitted ‘that we often forget, or just can’t believe, how beloved we are.’…that the uncertainties of life, ‘often eclipse the light of God’s love in Jesus, and we see only half-light, even darkness’…closing with hope, ‘Enable us to lie anew in the grace of your love, your astonishing love for us, and for all.’ The Assurance of Grace was a reminder of God’s compassion—‘With everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Holy One, our redeemer…return to me.’ Our Sung Response to God’s astonishing and everlasting love was “Give Thanks” followed by the Passing of the Peace. The anthem, “I’ve Got Peace Like a River,” continued the theme of love, peace, and joy. Susan read the First Reading for the morning, which consisted of selected verses from 3 different books of the Bible—Deuteronomy, Hebrews, and Matthew—all sharing the theme of hospitality. Rev. Spierling led the Responsive Reading of Psalm 65, a Psalm of thanksgiving for the earth’s bounty and the river of God, which is ever full of water abundantly watering the earth and greatly enriching it.
There was a captive audience of one youth, Mattie, for the Youth Sermon, as well as the congregation. Rev. Spierling had a rock that he asked Mattie to describe; holes, craters, not colorful, dull were used to describe a brown rock. But when Deke turned the rock around, it looked completely different: Mattie described it as a sunset over the ocean. Deke likened the rock (geode) to how we may judge people: at first meeting, we may think them nondescript, boring, but if we pay attention and get to know them, we may find something beautiful, something surprising and wonderful about them. In closing, Deke urged us to, ‘remember the rock, remember the beauty.’
Andrea Bach and Ralph Cottiers took the Offering while Linda Speziale played “Amazing Grace.”
The Gospel Reading, Luke 18:9-14, tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed that he was not like other men, especially the tax collector, that he lived by the rules (fasting, tithing), so he was on the right path. The tax collector, a marginalized man in the community, stands far from the Pharisee and could not look up to heaven; rather he beat his chest and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Rev. Spierling began his sermon by relating a conversation he had with a woman several years ago. She asked him to suppose a Muslim, a Jew, and a Christian were talking about death when they all die suddenly, exiting through their own door, but they all end up in the same room. The woman asked: ‘Whose Room Is It?’ In the reading of the parable, Deke said that he hears that question. We live in communities full of differences—different appearances, views, practices, etc—but as a Franciscan friar noted, ‘We all look at the same moon.’ In her book Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others, Barbara Brown Taylor relates that, through her experiences as a Professor of World Religions at Piedmont College, she found that people are fearful of those of a different faith, even fearful of entering the house of worship of another faith. She came to believe that it was her duty to find bridges amongst/between religions in order to make our communities safer for our children. Rev. Spierling continued by saying the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector teaches us that humility is the principal virtue. Simply following the ‘rules’ of our faith is not an end in itself; putting ourselves at the mercy of God, showing gratitude and humility justifies us before God. The selected readings of the day were threads demonstrating hospitality throughout the Bible: hospitality is a spiritual and theological necessity. How do we overcome fear, show hospitality to all, decide ‘whose room is it?’ The quote from Huston Smith on the cover of the bulletin provides an answer: “How do we comport ourselves in a pluralistic world that is riven by ideologies, some sacred, some profane? We listen.’”
The Rev. David Harkness shared that the hymn following the sermon, “God of the Sparrow,” is a favorite of his but could become a train wreck (not his analogy) if we did not follow the verses closely, causing Linda Speziale to quickly look over the music before playing! The small congregation persevered (a grateful nod back to Rev. Surgenor”s Youth Sermon last week on perseverance!), singing the hymn without a hitch. In the Prayers of the People, we shared prayers of thanks for Linda Speziale substituting for Tom, successful open heart surgery for John Cimino (and Rachel), Marilyn Schlosser who is home from the hospital; prayers of support for Lynn Brown, for Butch Tangen (and family) as he undergoes a cognitive evaluation; prayers for comfort and well-being for Sister Mary as she continues to fight end-stage cancer, and healing for Pamela, daughter of Paul Spierling, Deke’s brother, who is about to start chemotherapy.
For the Postlude, Linda sang a favorite hymn of hers and her grandmother, which was recorded by noted American singer and actress Ethel Waters—“His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” The congregation clapped appreciatively for Linda’s beautiful gift of voice.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- This is the last Sunday for the October 100-envelope fundraiser for the Capital Campaign. Please help us rehab our community kitchen!
- Ron Sopyla invited us to attend a group story-telling event, Compassion and Mercy: Tales for Our Time, that he is participating in at 2 pm today at St. Joachim-St. John the Evangelist’s Church in Beacon.
- The staged reading of Mona Smith’s play, Fire In a Dark House, at the Paramount Theater in Peekskill on Saturday, 26 October, was well attended and well received. The play dealt with immigration issues that resonate today.
- To purchase the Fair Trade coffee, Café Justo, that Rev. Surgenor mentioned on 20 October and is being served at coffee hour, visit www.justcoffee.org .
- Thank you for all your prayers, love, and support. I am grateful and blessed. Karen Tangen
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, October 20, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on this autumn Sunday were welcomed by Clerk of Session Lynn Brown, who introduced the guest preacher for the day, The Rev. Dr. Cathy Surgenor, and called for announcements (see below).
Following the choir introit "Give Peace O God, Give Peace Again", Rev. Surgenor led the Call to Worship and the Opening Prayer: Holy God, in this season of harvest and fruitfulness we remember your faithfulness and your continued blessings given for us and all the earth. The last of tomatoes from our gardens, pumpkins, swirling leaves on our streets, apples harvested up river, and multitudes of color on the mountains are material reminders of your wisdom, care, and generosity. Open our hearts now to the wisdom of your words." The opening hymn, "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" was sung to Tom McCoy's signature Jazz treatment of the tune! Worship Leader Diana Geller led the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and Readings from Jeremiah 31:27-34 and 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5.
The choir anthem wove together the traditional hymn "Breathe on Me, Breath of God" with a new melody and text: "This is the air I breathe, this is my daily bread, and I'm lost without you..." Rev. Cathy and the young people talked about the word "Persist" which means, "never give up", "Keep on Truckin'" or "Keep on Keepin' On". Life can be hard, and trying to do something that's not easy (the children suggested tying shoes, doing a flip, or riding a bike) we may need encouragement, as Paul had encouraged the young Timothy in the reading we had shared. The children collected quarters for the goat bank during the offering time and then left for Sunday School.
Cathy thanked the congregation for such a warm welcome, thanked the choir and Tom for the music, and prayed before reading from Luke 18:1-8, where the persistent widow is given in to by an uncaring judge who just wanted her to go away. Jesus tells this parable to teach about how much better a loving God will treat us than an uncaring judge.
The Sermon: "Why Persist?" We've had uncaring, unjust judges for a very long time, and Cathy reminded us of Old Testament warnings about unjust judges. She also reminded us of the commandments to love the stranger, the 'alien', and to seek justice for those who don't have the power to seek it for themselves. She reflected on her recent time at the Mexican Border with Arizona, where she spent a week as part of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, witnessing and accompanying those waiting in Mexico, because the presence of Americans escorting asylum seekers often prevents violence and keeps them safe from extortion and kidnapping at the hands of the Mexican drug cartel. Cathy told about how people close to the opportunity to cross the border live in tents right up against the wall, with no ventilation or plumbing. Her job was to escort them (wearing specific identifying clothing) to a migrant center a couple of blocks away, a couple of times a day to use rest rooms, shower, and where children could play in a protected area. The center is a place of joy, where people feel safe - at least for the moment.
Cathy reminded us that we feel that sense of spirit and joy, for example, working at Habitat. There is an energy, on Saturday work days when all of the volunteers for the day come together at coffee break and Deke Spierling reflects on why we do what we do. [By the way, The Rev. Dr. Deke Spierling is our guest preacher next Sunday, October 27]. And Rev. Surgenor returned to the story Jesus told his disciples, meaning, it's going to be really hard when I'm gone, but know that God hears and will respond. We are the embodiment of the story of faith, and we create the kingdom of God when we act on our beliefs and love one another. Amen.
We shared in prayers for people who are fleeing whatever circumstance, who persist because they have no other choice. We prayed for those who have experienced loss, who are ill, for Marilyn Schlosser, currently hospitalized; for John Cimino undergoing heart surgery this week, and Tom's postlude was an an energetic, rousing improv based on Man of La Mancha in honor of John.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Opportunities are available to:
- join our Habitat work day in Newburgh on Saturday, October 26
- to attend a reading of Mona Smith's play "Fire in a Dark House" (dealing with immigration) at the Paramount Theater in Peekskill this Saturday October 26
- Visit the Haunted House at Philipstown Rec this weekend
- Teach Sunday School, or direct the Christmas Pageant!
- Participate in our October Capital Campaign Fundraiser Envelope Event - this week we are at almost $2,000 with 41 of the 100 envelopes claimed. There are only 49 envelopes left to go! Be a part of the fun and help our community kitchen!
- An action you can take to protect birds where you live: Make your windows visible to birds to prevent collisions. Put up screens, close drapes and blinds when you leave the house or stick multiple decals on the glass (decals need to be need to be no more than 2 to 4 inches apart to be effective).
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On the bulletin cover was a story about the author, Kurt Vonnegut, who had been invited to preach in a church in Manhattan. When finished speaking and in true Vonnegut-style, he thanked everyone for “faking attentiveness”, but he also stated his beautiful belief that people don’t go to church to hear sermons – “I think they go because there they can dream about God.”
And so today the Reverend Joe Gilmore was in the pulpit. He welcomed us all and called for announcements (see below). Joe led us in the Call to Worship, saying “There are no hiding places, of course. Coming here, we bring the world in with us.” In the Opening Prayer, we prayed to God that “…When we have lived all the hours we have, and the clock stops, you will meet us in the right place at just the right time to introduce us to eternity. In the sweet meantime, stay beside us in the days of our lives.”
We sang “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”, but Tom asked if we might try the alternate tune and thought we might recognize it. Surprise! It was the melody we sing each week for “We Limit Not the Truth of God”.
Lynn Brown led us in the Prayer of Confession continuing the “time” theme of the Opening Prayer – “…I have come this far, to this very morning, and there is a farther to go I cannot know…” The Assurance of Grace asked God to “Deepen in us the wonder of just being alive. Coax us out of hiding in a self too small. In thy wisdom, if only we knew, we breathe grace in and hope out. Blessed art thou. Amen.” We Passed the Peace among our friends, neighbors and newcomers, and then settled in to hear the choir’s uplifting “Kyrie Eleison” by Susan Thrift. Of course, when we next sang “We Limit Not the Truth of God”, Tom switched the music to that of “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”, as, knowing Tom, was pretty much expected.
Lynn led us in reading together the first five verses of Psalm 8 exalting God’s majesty and creation, and asking “…who are we that thou art mindful of us and our children, that thou dost care for us?”
Carolyn Llewellyn dressed as a shepherd for the Youth Sermon. She mentioned that the kids in Sunday School had been talking about the Good Shepherd going after one lost sheep. She raised Jeremiah 29:7 “7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” She asked the children what welfare was and one responded “safe and healthy”. She suggested to the children that is what we should seek, that not only are we safe and healthy, but those around us are as well.
We took the Offering while Tom played “How Majestic is Your Name”. Rev. Gilmore prayed over the offering using the James 2 lesson that faith without works is meaningless. One cannot say that “15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that?” Amen.
For the sermon, Rev. Gilmore read us a “version” of Genesis 1,2:4, while offering commentary on God’s choice to create his universe in the particular order of the scripture. He offered a provocation as his basis for the sermon, entitled “Answer to St. Augustine’s Dilemma”: a joke that would lead us into the philosophy of a 5th century theologian. The joke: A man hears a knock on the door and opens it, but sees nothing except a small snail on the ground, which he picks up and throws in the bushes. A year later, the man again hears a knock on the door and opens it. The snail says, “What was that all about?”
Rev. Gilmore wanted to talk about time. But first he talked about Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a Polish-born American rabbi and one of the leading Jewish theologians of the 20th century, who often used the Hebrew word “kadosh”, meaning holy, to describe the mystery and majesty of the divine. Joe noted that Heschel, in appearance, had always reminded him of Moses. Joe said that in Genesis, God blessed the 7th day as a day when God took time to rest and made this day holy or kadosh. God gave God this gift of time, and sanctified it as holy. Humans, on the other hand, have found “time” to be their greatest challenge. We seem to concentrate on “space”, instead, where we can do or build or accumulate things. We’ve made time an enemy, something we cannot control. But Rev. Gilmore argued that time is “the cathedral, God’s song”. We live in space and should sanctify time. Is it possible we will get to the end of our lives and say exactly what the snail said – “What was that all about?”
St. Augustine of Hippo (5th Century) in his Book 11 of the Confessions focuses on time – past, present, and future. Rev. Gilmore paraphrased St. Augustine’s words, in saying “Of course I know what time is, until someone asks me.” Joe gave his own illustrations of time: “time is when one cell divides into two, the length of a day when a child is waiting for Christmas, how long it takes Baryshnikov to perform a grand jete…” He mused “why does sadness feel longer than merriment?” He also posed that time can be ignored. “Ask children at play to come in for supper or ask lovers what time it is.” Rev. Gilmore started to wind down his sermon with a nod to the snail joke, saying that Jesus had said, “knock and the door will be opened to you”. In the end, Reverend Gilmore finalized his sermon with an appeal to all of us to “Come, then, and sanctify time, as all time is kadosh.” Amen.
We prayed for those in need and the Lord’s Prayer. And then we gathered in the aisle for the Benediction. Apropos to the sermon, Tom played a medley of “Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven’s Door”, plus “Somebody’s Knocking at My Door”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Our church’s next Habitat workday is October 26. So far only four people have signed up so PLEASE consider working with us on a Newburgh house. If you’ve never done it before, it is fun and people will instruct you on how to do what’s needed. We meet at the church at 7:30 am and you are back by 1 pm.
- Bev said today (10/13) was a beautiful fall day and perfect for a Walk Across the Hudson. She had brought reusable water bottles for folks to use during the walk and asked everyone who wanted to get some exercise to join in. Go as fast or slow as you wish. The walk is 1.26 miles in each direction.
- Carolyn Llewellyn said that the Sunday School sign-up sheet was lost, so she asked everyone who has already signed up to let her know what days and she’ll make another sign-up sheet. She reminded everyone that more teachers are needed, as well as a volunteer director(s) for the Christmas pageant.
- For the Capital Campaign, Lynn noted that the Envelope Board (with numbers from $1-$100) had already netted $1000 for the campaign to update our kitchen that is used not just by the church, but the community as well. She said once all the envelopes are taken, we will have $5000 to make our kitchen more functional and modern for all its myriad uses!!
- This coming Sunday, October 20, our guest preacher will be The Rev. Cathy Surgenor. She recently spent some time with folks at the border, on the Mexico side, and we hope to hear about her experience. Welcome Cathy!
- Breaking News!!! Also related to the Cap Campaign October Envelope Event -- As of the 2nd Sunday of our 5-week event, there have been 34 envelopes claimed for a total of $1,560! There are only 66 envelopes left, so please claim yours this Sunday! Choose your birthday, anniversary, favorite number, year of your birth, age, house number, or all of the above! Yes, you may choose more than one envelope!
- An action you can take to protect birds where you live: Identify the non-native invasive plants in your region, and work to remove them from your yard. And don’t bring any new invasives into your backyard habitat! Invasives don’t provide as much good food or habitat as natives do and can threaten healthy ecosystems.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, October 6, 2019
The Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness welcomed those gathered at 'The Church of the Open Door' and explained the history of World Wide Communion Sunday, which is celebrated on the first Sunday in October. Announcements were shared (see below) and the service of worship began.
Rev. Harkness led the Call to Worship, based on Psalm 103, "Bless the Lord, O my soul..." and the Opening Prayer. Worship leader Susan Jordan led the congregation into confessional prayer by saying: "God's blessings are new every morning...we need to be still and wait patiently for God to speak to us". Susan gave the Assurance of Grace, led the Passing of the Peace, read the first scripture from Lamentations 3:19-25 and the Responsive Reading of Psalm 37.
Rev. Martha-Louise invited the children forward for the youth sermon, in which she shared a family story about holiday meal gatherings as a child, and how there were special tablecloths, dishes and placecards. Together they looked at the communion table, with a special cloth and a silver chalice and plates, for our special communion meal today. After learning that ALL children of God are celebrating communion on this day, all over the world, the children were asked to name other countries, and their time closed with a prayer to remember our brothers and sisters around the world on this day.
The morning offering was received by Susan and Carolyn, as James, Silas and Sarah collected quarters for the goat bank. Tom played "Largo" by Handel as the offertory, and the choir had sung "A Classic Communion" as the anthem, also based on that tune.
Rev. Harkness read from Luke 15:5-10, sharing the translation from The Message by Eugene Peterson, as well as the NRSV passage.The sermon was about faith and grace., and another translation of the Luke scripture included, "If you have faith - and you do - God empowers a life of discipleship. Hang on to that faith and it will take you far." Martha-Louise shared an experience of communion while in Ireland on a pilgrimage, with cloistered nuns at a convent. She received communion, though she was not Catholic, and felt warmth, welcome, and a part of the body of the Universal Christ. With labels stripped away, we come together by faith. The Lord's Table draws us together as family, as somehow holy - a shared meal makes strangers into friends and we are fed on many levels. In closing, she shared a story by Naomi Shihab Nye called "Gate A-4"(attached), about an experience at an airport waiting for a delayed departure, how by the grace of God strangers became community, closing with "This is the world I want to live in. A shared. world...This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost".
The congregation shared in a prayer for World Communion Sunday(attached), and The Lord's Prayer. Communion was served by Rev, Harkness, assisted by Deacon Jean Llewellyn, as Tom played "Let Us Break Bread Together". We sang "In Christ there is No East or West", received the Benediction, and listened to the postlude, a rousing "O Bless the Lord, My Soul" from "Godspell".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The Capital Campaign Phase 3 kitchen renovation was updated by Wally Becker who explained that due to slow progress in collecting funding, the oven would be replaced first, and that the committee is in the process of applying for a couple of grants for which we may qualify. Lynn Brown explained an October fundraising event for the Capital Campaign, of envelopes on a board numbered 1 - 100. Choose an envelope and place that dollar amount in it to donate. When all 100 envelopes are turned in, we will have raised $5,000 by the end of October! (Note: envelopes taken on the first Sunday, total $1,148 so we are off to a great start!)
- Habitat for Humanity in Newburgh celebrated 20 years and dedicated its 100th house this past weekend! We have a work day scheduled on Saturday, October 26. Please sign up to join the crew. And bring your spare change on Sundays to add to our 'coins of change' jug to support the 10th Habitat/Presbybuild house.
- An action you can take to protect birds where you live: Create or protect water sources in your yard -- birds need water to drink and bathe in, just like we do. Be sure to keep birdbaths clean and change the water three times per week when mosquitoes are breeding.(worldwildlife.org)
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, September 22, 2019
What a weekend at The Church of the Open Door!
On Saturday Evening, the first Jazz Vesper of the new season was presented by Director of Music Tom McCoy and guest instrumentalists Dave Winograd, Dale DeMarco, Gwen Laster and Mike LaRocco. The highlight was the inspirational performance of vocalist Miss Renee Bailey, who had extensive back surgery less than 3 months ago and returned to us to once again bring the house down! Elder (and storyteller) Ron Sopyla led the service and shared a Sufi tale as the meditation. Thanks to all!
On Sunday morning, the congregation was welcomed to the 10:30 am service by our guest preacher, The Rev. Dr. Deke Spierling, who called for announcements (see below) and led the Call to Worship, from the words of Charles Hefling: "The Spirit arrives incognito, bringing the indwelling love of God. Those who do not refuse it become lovers of the only God there is, because the only God has loved them first." We shared in opening prayer and a hymn from a Native American tradition, "Many and Great, O God Are Thy Things".
Worship Leader Gareth Guest led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace and Passing of the Peace. He then read the first scripture, from Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 (The Prophet Mourns for the People) and led the responsive reading from Psalm 79. Tom and the choir offered the Anthem "I Will Call Upon the Lord" and invited audience participation to sing along, which many did!
Deke gathered the young people for the youth sermon, in which he showed a sailboat model he had brought and told a story of being sailing with his daughter on vacation. The sailing was going great until there was a mishap and the sail had to be taken down, and there being no motor on the boat, it became quite an adventure! Finally, using the string from his bathing suit to re-tie the sail on, they were able to sail safely home. Deke spoke of his gratitude, and taught how we often forget to be grateful for so many wonders - to wake up, to see things, to have friends, to hike in beautiful places, and most of all that we are loved. God loves us. No matter what. The offering was received by Gareth and Susan as the children collected quarters for the goat bank, and Tom played "Sailing".
Deke, who is also presently the President of the Board of Habitat for Humanity in Newburgh, spoke briefly about the upcoming dedication of the 100th Habitat home in Newburgh (on October 5) and of this church's involvement in working on the 10th Presbybuild home with Habitat as well. All wonderful news, especially for the City of Newburgh, which certainly needs it!
As he began the sermon, "A Lover's Quarrel", Deke taught us a new word today: "Jeremiad" defined as 'a long, mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes'. He preached from the Jeremiah scripture- at a time when things were bad in Judea and were going to get worse. And it seemed that God had abandoned the people...but God sent prophets, who knew that the status quo of privilege and inequality was wrong. They spoke in anger and sorrow about Jerusalem, with no apparent solace or mending.
We, today, have experienced Jeremiads - complaints, lamentations, anger, at injustice, greed, bigotry and more. As in Jeremiah's time, God's love continues to be profound and enduring, a kind of "tough-love" that speaks truth to power and to the powerless. Deke spoke of being in seminary at Yale in the turbulent 1960's, when William Sloane Coffin, a prophetic voice for justice and peace, was the chaplain and he was quoted: "We may have a quarrel with our country but it is a lovers' quarrel". Deke began parish ministry in such times, seeking to be faithful to Hebrew and Christian scriptures. He spoke of the time we are now living in, of Christian Nationalism, of gun violence, of children caged at the border, and of the imperative to speak and act our faith; to quarrel but never lose our mindfulness of the love of God.
Deke shared a quote of E.B. White from The New Yorker in 1941, in part, " To hold America in one's thoughts is like holding a love letter in one's hands...for this privilege I would give everything", and he proposed that the Bible is a love letter. The Bible quarrels with the status quo, out of a profound love for 100% of us. No exceptions. Let's be grateful for the lover's quarrel and for the One who loves us.
The Prayers of the People included joys and concerns for those having health problems, those recovering, a local family that experienced a tragic loss in a car accident this week; gratitude for firefighters all weekend battling the blaze on nearby Sugarloaf Mountain, and for young people showing up for the climate marches everywhere. We joined hands for the benediction and Tom closed with a jazz improvisation on "There is A Balm in Gilead" - a musical response to the Jeremiah passage!
Finally, the bulletin cover quote, by Rami Shapiro: "The God of your understanding is just that: the God of your understanding. What you need is the God just beyond your understanding":
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- This Saturday, 9/28 is our fall Midnight Run. Preparation at church from 1-3 pm and those who are going leave from the church at 8:30 pm. We are still in need of donations of good used mens clothing, especially jeans, sweats, hoodies, sneakers, light jackets, backpacks, sleeping bags and blankets. Drop off in the sanctuary during the week.
- Our next Habitat workday is Saturday October 26. A signup sheet is posted. And Sara reminded us that if you aren't able to build, that you can donate items to the Re-Store to support Habitat's work. (And bring your loose change for our Habitat/Presbybuild 'coins of change' jug on Sundays)
- The 9:00 am Adult Class, began a new season with a book study of R. Paul Stevens' "Aging Matters". All are welcome to attend the weekly series.
- The Evening Book Group meets this Tuesday at the home of Cathy Carnevale, 10 Fair St. at 7 pm to discuss "Love Thy Neighbor: A Muslim Doctor's Struggle for Home in Rural America" by Ayaz Virji.
- The choir practices at 7 pm on Wednesday evenings. New voices always welcome!
- A simple thing you can do to help protect the earth: Put on a sweater! Remember, when you turn up the heat in wintertime, your furnace is probably burning fossil fuels. A sweater or a nice warm robe will keep you even warmer and will help conserve resources and reduce climate change. (worldwildlife.org)
Church Notes 9/15/2019
Reverend David Harkness welcomed us all to the church on Homecoming Sunday, and noted that he was not Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, the church’s pastor, as she is still healing after her foot surgery. He invited everyone to stay for the Potluck Homecoming Lunch, whether you brought food or not. As he stated, and Susan Jordan confirmed, for church pot lucks the “God will provide” principle always reigns and there is plenty for everyone.
Rev. Harkness called us to worship with a responsive Psalm 92:1-4 reading, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord…” Our Opening Prayer, read together, asked God to “relieve us of unnecessary things and all the burdens we needlessly carry.” We sang “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” and then our Worship Leader, Ana Silverlinck, stood to lead us in our Prayer of Confession. But first, she explained that all of us go through days when we “lose control” and do things we regret later. That is why we confess and ask for forgiveness and mercy. We said the prayer together, urging God to “grant us each day a fresh start in the creative art of giving and receiving love, all through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
After the Passing of the Peace, our Music Director, Tom McCoy, stood to explain that the choir was about to sing Our Time, a Stephen Sondheim piece, in honor of Homecoming Sunday, as its lyrics look forward to a refreshing new start. John Lane was the soloist with the choir and the rendition was breathtaking. Some of the lyrics:
“Something is stirring, shifting ground
It's just begun
Edges are blurring, all around
And yesterday is done
Feel the flow, hear what's happening
We're what's happening
Don't you know, we're the movers and we're the shapers
We're the names in tomorrow's papers
Up to us man, to show 'em
It's our time…”
Ana read the first scripture reading of 1 Timothy 1:12-17, where Paul is grateful for God’s forgiveness: “16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”
The second scripture reading, read by all, was Psalm 14. It prayed for the salvation for the people of Israel, because “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?”
Rev. Harkness next called us, including all the children in the sanctuary, to celebrate together the Reaffirmation of Faith and Sacrament of Baptism for Nina Elizabeth Velez and her children, Matthew and Athena Portman. While all were assembling, David told a story about a woman who carried her jewels around with her, so afraid that they could be stolen. When she went to a friend’s house, she pulled the box holding the jewels from her bag to show her friend what was so precious. The friend called her children to her side, saying “These are my jewels.” Rev. Harkness expanded on this point, explaining that the church considers its people to be “its jewels”, all that is precious to the life of the church. Rev. Harkness further noted that the sacrament of baptism is for the church universal, not just the Presbyterian church. We read together the Apostles’ Creed and then the congregation was asked if we welcomed Nina, Matthew and Athena, and would renew our “commitment, with God’s help, to live before all God’s children with grace and understanding, and to share with them the knowledge and love of Christ?” We enthusiastically answered, “We do!!”
During the Offering, Gareth Guest and Tom McCoy played the 2nd of George Gershwin’s Three Preludes. We are so lucky to have our “in-house” musicians! Rev. Harkness blessed the gifts collected and asked God to use them for the life and mission of this church to do good and healing work.
Rev. David focused on Luke 15:1-10 for the sermon and took a deep dive in analyzing its meaning. These parables of the lost sheep and lost coin are well-known, and pit arguments of the Jewish authorities, who knew their religion’s rules well, against Jesus’s new sight into God’s will. The authorities – the Pharisees – chided Jesus for eating and spending time with the tax collectors, who clearly did not follow the religious laws. To the Pharisees it was clear that not sticking to the rules that God has revealed to his people would surely bring God’s displeasure. Jesus, on the other hand, using the parables of a single sheep and coin that are lost, tries to convince the Pharisees (and us) that God, as a good shepherd, wants to find those who have gone astray. Moreover, God wants us to celebrate when those who are lost have been found. Jesus is saying that this is his mission, and certainly God’s mission, to save those who are lost. This is the reason he spends time with “sinners” and rejoices with them and others when they renounce their sins. He is asking the Pharisees and us who would not want to join in the joy of God when someone missing from God’s community is found?
We said the Prayers of the People, including one for a young man of 29 (Chris Camus) who had just passed, as well as one for Rev. Dr. Doris, and one for Martha Louise Harkness who had just gone into the hospital for a kidney infection.
We joined hands in Benediction, as well as a blessing for the incredible food awaiting us. Music, however, still trumped appetite as we sat still for the superb Postlude -- the first of the Three Preludes by George Gershwin, played by Gareth and Tom. We walked into a beautifully decorated Social Hall with fall-colored tablecloths and napkins and mums, plus food, glorious food!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Our first Jazz Vespers takes place on September 21, next Saturday, at 5:30 pm. Rene Bailey will be in full voice for this initial JV, backed up with spectacular jazz musicians. Tom McCoy said it will be a “real bash”!! Wine and cheese reception to follow. We look forward to seeing you there!
- Annie thanked everyone for buying the chrysanthemums that graced the sanctuary for this Homecoming Sunday. Then she reminded everyone who bought them to take them home, as the church may not be watering them during the week.
- Midnight Run is next Saturday, the 28th. If you haven’t already, please sign up to donate food or for food preparation. Donations of good men’s clothing is still needed. Clothing may be brought to the church and left in the back pews of the sanctuary during the week
- There is a Habitat workday scheduled on Saturday, October 26.
- We recognized Wally Becker, Sandy Barton and Andy Reid for the sanctuary wall repair and admired the work. Thanks to our buildings and grounds committee for all they do in and around the church.
- We sang "Happy Birthday" to Roy Smith and River Silverstein.
- Sunday School started today, Homecoming Sunday, and Carolyn Llewellyn thanked all the teachers who have already signed up. She said there are still spaces for anyone wishing to teach Sunday School.
- Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson is available for pastoral care needs during Rev. Dr. Chandler's medical leave. Please contact Clerk of Session Lynn Brown at lebnab@optonline.net or call/text 845-987-2819
- A SIMPLE THING YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT THE EARTH: Catalogs ae great when they’re from companies you like to order from. But if you’re getting catalogs from companies you don’t buy from, call them and tell them to get you off their list – and that’s an order!
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, September 8, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on this beautiful September morning, were greeted to Tom McCoy's piano prelude, "Largo" by Handel, and warmly welcomed by Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, to "God's house, where you are welcome, loved and accepted, just as you are" and she also told a "shaggy dog story" about Heaven, acceptance and friendship. Rachel called for announcements (see below) and the choir, back from their summer break, sang "God Is Here!" as the introit.
Rev. Rachel led the Call to Worship from Psalm 119, and the Opening Prayer: "Be with us, O God, as we contemplate your Word as it has come to us in our sacred texts. Help each of us to find meaning, comfort, and purpose in our holy scriptures. Seeking always to be closer to you and the way you would have us live, we ask your blessing as we go." and we sang the opening hymn, "Come and Find the Quiet Center".
Worship leader Gareth Guest led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and he read from Jeremiah 18:1-11, as well as the responsive reading from Psalm 139. The choir anthem "He Is Exalted", was followed by the Youth Sermon, today given by Carolyn Llewellyn. Carolyn's theme was breath and wind, which she illustrated by blowing up a beach ball of the globe and releasing the air, having the children breathe in and then sigh out. She shared two relevant verses of scripture, Genesis 1:2 and Romans 8:26. Her message was that every time we breathe, we breathe God in and out of us, and the closing prayer was a deep breath and a sigh.
The offering was received by Carolyn and Susan, while James and Matty collected quarters and FILLED THE GOAT BANK!!!!! and Tom played "Every Time I Feel the Spirit".
Rachel shared that her sermon today was about people using religion, and particularly the bible, against each other. She read the Gospel passage, from Matthew 15:1-9, explaining that the Pharisees were attempting to criticize Jesus using religious law, and in the example, he gave it right back to them!
The sermon "Let's Be Honest About the Bible" began with a quote from Wuthering Heights, "Joseph is the wearisomest and self righteous Pharisee who ever ransacked the Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses on his neighbor." Rachel spoke about a Bible Study at the church she served in Bedford, where the group took on the challenge of reading the entire Bible, beginning with Genesis (and they may not be done yet!). Point being, most of us are familiar with the standard lectionary passages, but don't know the entire Bible, which is, at times, bizarre, confounding, horrifying, contradictory, also profound and inspiring. It has everything in it, life and death, war and peace...all of human behavior is there, to include the human yearning to be in relationship with God. AND, the Bible can be used by anyone to support anything, as well as to support opposing views on the same issue! People generally choose portions which support their own world view and disregard the rest.
The Bible is a wisdom document that is relevant to any age. Rachel made reference to the Jeremiah passage, and how that prophet was, for warning Judah about the wrath that God would invoke on them, disregarded, beaten, tortured, and continued to preach the same message, no matter how many times he had to begin again. And Rachel shared a statement by former Union Seminary professor Rev. Barbara Lundblad, referring to Jeremiah, that "the Word of God is unstoppable"! Even if people don't want to hear it, and that is a beautiful and inspiring thing! If the word of God is unstoppable, then someday those who populate this planet will live in peace...humans will find a way to live sustainably on this earth...in the long run, people will figure out how to have everyone housed, fed, and treated fairly and equitably. God's word is relevant to our lives and it is up to us to discern, with all of our hearts and minds, and with reverence and care, what the Bible says to us.
The congregation sang "I Love You, Lord" and entered into a time of prayer, including for families dealing with loss and illness, and those impacted by the recent hurricane, especially in the Bahamas. The closing hymn was "Seek Ye First". We joined hands for the benediction, and listened to Tom's postlude, which was a mash-up of music from the film "Wuthering Heights" and the hymn "Change my Heart, O God."
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Next Sunday, September 15, is Homecoming Sunday! We celebrate the life and work of this church, decorate with mums people have ordered, and share a pot-luck luncheon (bring a favorite dish to share, and invite a friend!). All are welcome! Sunday School also begins next Sunday and those who signed up to teach were thanked. There are still some spaces open
- This Tuesday, September 10, is our monthly lunch bunch outing. All are invited to meet at the Garrison Cafe on Route 9D next to the post office at 12:30 to share a meal.
- The next Midnight Run is on Saturday, September 28.Donations of good used men's clothing may be brought to the church and left in the back pews of the Sanctuary during the week, or brought to church on Sunday.
- There is a Habitat workday scheduled on Saturday, October 26.
- Wally Becker highlighted the sanctuary wall repair, which is looking great, and was received with great applause! Thanks to our buildings and grounds committee of Sandy Barton, Wally Becker, and Andy Reid, for all they do in and around the church.
- Birthdays this week for Barry Llewellyn and Roy Smith were noted, and we sang "Happy Birthday" to Barry, as Tom played it in a very low octave since Barry sings bass in the choir!
- Rose Champlin is home and doing well.She has been removed from hospice care!
- Gareth Guest shared communication from Pastor Doris Chandler on her progress following surgery, which is attached as well. Continued prayers and gratitude for Doris' recovery and healing.
- Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson is available for pastoral care needs during Rev. Dr. Chandler'smedical leave. Please contact Clerk of Session Lynn Brown at lebnab@optonline.net or call/text 845-987-2819
- Thank you to all those who have donated items and their time to the food pantry at The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown. We are very appreciative of all your efforts on our behalf! Please remember when donating food items to be aware of expiration dates. A donation, with good intent, was left at the church this weekend and most of the items had to be thrown away because of dates that were from 2011 to 2018. We can not accept food that have expiration dates that are not current. We know that person meant well but it is for the health and safety of our clients that we can not accept those items for distribution. Thank you, in advance, for your continued cooperation and support!
- A SIMPLE THING YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT THE EARTH: Get in touch with your roots. Plant a tree! It's good for the soil, good for the birds, good for reducing climate change -- and good for the air you're breathing!
Church Notes 9/1/2019
Lynn Brown filled the pulpit this Sunday and welcomed us all with a big “Good Morning!” It was our first Sunday back at our non-summer 10:30 am time. She called for announcements (see the many Announcements, below) and mentioned that our new September-October Newsletter is out. We all applauded Mona for her unending creativity in putting these 4-page gems together (it is attached to this e-news). Lynn called us to worship with Micah 6:8, as she asked what God requires of us, and we responded, “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.”
Bev Taylor stepped in as Worship Leader for Ron Sopyla, who is dealing with an elderly cat who has kidney issues and an infection. Bev led the Prayer of Confession, saying “Lead me into relationships with persons whom society pushes to the edge.”
Our first scripture reading this morning, Isaiah 58:1-9a, was read by the entire congregation. In this passage, God chides his people for fasting simply to get God’s attention. Instead God says “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”
The Youth Sermon today was a blessing for the children’s backpacks as the first day of school is this week. Lynn asked each child what they put in their backpacks. We heard “text books”, “snacks”, “binders and notebooks”, and the list went on. Lynn commented that sometimes our backpacks are light and sometimes heavy, empty or full, like our lives. She gave each child a heart to attach to her/his backpack to remember that they are each a child of God and are loved. Then Lynn read a backpack blessing as the children bowed their heads.
The second scripture lesson was Hebrews 13:1-8 and 15-16. Lynn explained that the early Jewish Christians are being exhorted to stay within Jesus’ teachings – “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
Lynn used this scripture as a springboard into her sermon, “Reflections on Hospitality, Justice, and Compassion”. She began by saying that she knows she is not the only one who struggles with the news she hears everyday that veer from “hostility to hospitality”. She said “each of us has enough resources to do something for those less fortunate”. We can do “small things with a big heart”.
She went on to quote some passages from Joyce Rupp’s book, Boundless Compassion, noting that living a compassionate life is “downright inconvenient”, but the rewards are immense. Lynn noted that two-thirds of the people on earth struggle to live day-by-day, and she mentioned two articles that she had come across recently on volunteering and its benefits. One of the articles was in the Journal News, which suggested 11 possible volunteer activities in honor of the 9/11 tragedy https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2018/08/28/westchester-county-announces-9-11-volunteer-campaign/1124221002/ Lynn invited us to consider compassion, as Joyce Rupp states, as a way of living our lives.
We all joined in Prayers of the People and The Lord’s Prayer. Afterwards, Lynn and Susan Jordan joined in serving Holy Communion this morning. We joined hands in the Benediction that ended with “May the God of hospitality, justice and compassion be with you now and abide with you always.”
Tom McCoy played the Postlude, Träumerei (Dreaming) by Robert Schumann, a tune that evokes thoughtfulness and compassion. A perfect ending for this service.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Homecoming Sunday is September 15. We will decorate the church with chrysanthemums. The order form is in the bulletin and attached to this e-news.
- Sunday School starts on Homecoming Sunday. Please sign up to teach our kids. You may learn as much from them as they will from you!!
- Choir practice starts this Wednesday, September 4, at 7 pm.
- Good news!! We had mentioned in an earlier e-news that Renee Bailey was recuperating from back surgery. The good news is that she is already back singing. Tom McCoy had played piano at a gig Saturday night with her. He said she was sitting, but in full voice and that is saying something!!
- More good news! Rose Champlin did so well in her recuperation that she is off Hospice care. She is now going outside in her wheelchair to enjoy nice weather and her garden. Go by anytime to visit. Incidentally, she likes chocolate and ice cream.
- Our next Jazz Vespers is September 21, at 5:30 pm. Tom asked Renee Bailey to come and she will be accompanied by Tom, Mike LaRocco, Dave Winograd, and one more. We look forward to seeing you at our first concert of the season.
- Our next MIDNIGHT RUN is fast approaching! On Sept. 28, we will be sorting clothing and food from 1-3 pm, and those going on the run will be visiting the homeless in NYC later that night. We are in need of good used men's clothing such as jeans, sweats, hoodies, light jackets, sneakers, as well as backpacks, sleeping bags and blankets. You may drop items off in the back pews of the sanctuary during the week or bring to church on Sundays. There is also a signup sheet to donate food needed for the run.
- Our pastor Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler continues to be on medical leave. Her address in Alabama is 2631 South Lane, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.
- Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson is available for pastoral care during this time. Please contact Clerk of Session Lynn Brown at lebnab@optonline.net or cell/text 845-987-2819.
- A SIMPLE THING YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT THE EARTH: Flip ‘em off. In much of America we can’t even see the stars anymore, due in part to all the electric lights. Keep the light on in the room you’re in, but keep the rest of your house dark. You’ll find the dark is soothing.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, August 25, 2019Friends,
The final Sunday in August, and our final Sunday of 10:00 am worship (Next week we resume 10:30), is a very special time in the Presbyterian Church USA... It's YAV Sunday! For the past week, 50 or so Young Adults from around the country have been gathered at Stony Point Conference Center to prepare for their year of volunteering in mission, in the US or around the world. And on this Sunday, the YAV's are dispersed to local congregations to share in worship and be commissioned for their year of service. The Church of the Open Door was honored to welcome Zakeyah (Keya) Frazier and Jack Lentz this morning, to hear from them about their year of service ahead and to commission them.
Elder Susan Jordan, who organized the service and picked up our visitors at Stony Point Center, welcomed the congregation and introduced Keya and Jack. Keya then led the congregation in the Opening Prayer, the Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Grace. Jack led the Passing of the Peace, the Responsive Reading from Psalm 71, and the Offering. The special music from Lynn Brown on flute and Tom McCoy on piano was Mozart's Andante. Following the scripture reading from Jeremiah 1:4-10, we heard a little about our guests.
Jack is from Cleveland, Ohio. He comes from a large Presbyterian Church there where singing in the choir and mission work have kept him connected. Having majored in communications in college, Jack is now in a process of finding the direction for his life, and hopes that his work with the homeless in Washington D.C. through a program called "Everyone Home DC" will provide some insight for him.
Zakeyah, originally from Paterson NJ, is a recent graduate of the University of Charlotte with a degree in sociology and a minor in human services. She will also be based in DC and will work with the homeless in Silver Spring MD through the organization "Interfaith Works". She shared with us a quote from Marian Wright Edelman, which she considers a guiding force in her life: "Be a good ancestor. Stand for something bigger than yourself. Add value to the earth during your sojourn".
Clerk of Session Lynn Brown led the commissioning of the YAVs, during which the congregation came forward for laying on of hands. Susan led a time of prayers, which included this version of The Lord's Prayer by Patricia Lynn Reilly:
Our Mother who art within us, We celebrate your many names.Your wisdom come. Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us. Each day you give us all that we need. You remind us of our limits and we let go. You support us in our power and we act with courage. For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us, and the celebration among us. As it was in the very beginning, may it be now. Amen.
We sang a final hymn, "Grace Alone", joined hands for the benediction, and listened as Tom offered an original composition of his, "Child's Play", as the postlude. Attached are photos of some of the congregation gathered with Keya and Jack in the sanctuary and at lunch at The Depot. We are grateful to Susan Jordan for her leadership this Sunday!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Next Sunday, September 1, we return to our Sept -June worship time of 10:30 am. We will once again be having a "Blessing of the Backpacks" as we send our students and teachers off to a new school year with prayer and good wishes. All children are invited to bring their backpacks to be blessed!
- Speaking of backpacks, if you would like to donate a backpack for our food pantry client children, please bring a new backpack, with a composition book, colored pencils, crayons, etc. to the church during office hours (M-W-TH 8am-noon) or drop off Friday at noon or Saturday morning at 8:30 am.
- Our next MIDNIGHT RUN is fast approaching! On Sept. 28, we will be sorting clothing and food from 1-3 pm, and those going on the run will be visiting the homeless in NYC later that night. We are in need of good used men's clothing such as jeans, sweats, hoodies, light jackets, sneakers, as well as backpacks, sleeping bags and blankets. You may drop items off in the back pews of the sanctuary during the week or bring to church on Sundays. There is also a signup sheet to donate some of the food needed for the run.
- Our pastor Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler continues to be on medical leave. Her address in Alabama is 2631 South Lane, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.
- Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson is available for pastoral care during this time. Please contact Clerk of Session Lynn Brown at lebnab@optonline.net or cell/text 845-987-2819.
- A SIMPLE THING YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT THE EARTH: Last year Americans went through about 50 billion plastic water bottles. Fill up a reusable water bottle at home and bring it with you. Don't like the taste of your tap water? Buy a filter! (Remember, much of the bottle water sold today is filtered tap water anyway.)
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, August 18, 2019
A late August Sunday began at "The Church of the Open Door" with Tom McCoy's piano prelude of "Summertime" by George Gershwin. Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness, the preacher for the day, welcomed those gathered, called for announcements (see below), and led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Worship Leader Lynn Brown led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace and Passing of the Peace. Tom offered for the special music a wonderful piano solo "Kamennoi Ostrow" by Anton Rubinstein. He shared the personal significance of the piece to him, as his older brother had played it on piano as Tom was growing up; and he shared the history of how it was composed at a summer resort in St. Petersburg, Russia in the 1800's.
The bulletin called for Genesis 3:1-12 as the first reading, in which Lynn read the account of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Rev. Martha-Louise had intended the reading to be Exodus 3:1-12, the story of Moses and the burning bush, so she read that as a second reading, which was followed by the responsive Psalm 16.
The Gospel reading of Matthew 5: 13-16, from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, reminded us that we are called to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world". Rev. Harkness' sermon was "Holy Fire" - about the fire and light of God; the fire which Moses witnessed in the burning bush and his own fire; fire as a metaphor for God's power as evidenced by several scriptural references, like the "refiner's fire" the walk to Emmaus when the disciples' "hearts burned within them" and the Holy Spirit coming on the first pentecost in "tongues of fire". Martha-Louise shared a quote from John O'Donohue about the holy spirit, the immediacy of God, being "...a sacred hearth where all holy passion is kindled". Returning to the story of Moses and the burning bush, it was opined that the real miracle was not that the bush was burning and not being consumed, but that perhaps the real miracle was that Moses noticed the bush at all!
Rev. Harkness reviewed the story of Moses' life, approaching it with wonder, reverence, and humility. She spoke of his early life, being rescued in a basket by the Pharaoh's daughter and raised as a prince of Egypt, a life he had to flee and ended up as a shepherd in Midian. Moses was released from his past life, as he would release the Hebrew people. Moses' life as a shepherd provided 'the silence and solitude required to incubate a great soul'. Questions: Do we see our own lives with wonder? Are we open for wonder and a willingness to listen and follow? Who is God waiting to deliver from bondage today? Can we say to the authorities "Let My People Go!"? How might God be trying to get our attention today? What in your world needs liberating?
The sermon closed with a quote from the French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: "Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides, and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, [humanity] will have discovered fire."
We sang "I'm Gonna Live so God can Use Me" and moved into a time of prayer. Prayers were raised for the Smith family in the loss of Greg's mother, Lois; for Andrea Bach's mother hospitalized in Germany; and for office administrator Chris Lawrence's son, Shannon and his family, as they are encountering some difficulties.
The closing hymn was "O For A World", after which Rev. David Harkness gave a favorite benediction: "Peace, with adventures; Labor, and a light heart; A sense of vocation, and a sense of humor; A mind girded but not tense, alert but not anxious, employed but not busy; in a word, the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ" And Tom's postlude was an improvised medley of "Go Down, Moses" and "When You Believe" from Disney's Prince of Egypt.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Next Sunday, August 25, we will welcome and commission two young adult volunteers (YAV) who are embarking on a year of volunteer mission work within the Presbyterian Church YAV program. We have been told to expect Zakeyah Frazier and Jack Lentz (photos and bio attached). Don't miss this inspirational service!
- We begin our Sept - June Sunday worship time of 10:30 am on September 1.
- Our annual Homecoming, or "Welcome Back" service, complete with mums and pot-luck luncheon, will be on Sunday September 15.
- The Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, continues on medical leave. Her address in Alabama is: 2631 South Lane, Mountain Brook AL 35223.
- Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson is available during this time for pastoral care. Contact Clerk of Session Lynn Brown at 845-987-2819 or lebnab@optonline.net
- A simple thing you can do to help protect the earth: Paper nor plastic. bring your bags with you! By taking reusable bags to the grocery store, you can cut down on the 350 bags the average American uses each year and reduce needless deaths of marine life caused by plastic bags that end up in streams, rivers, and oceans.
Church Notes 8/11/2019
We walked into the sanctuary to the music of Debussy (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair), played by Gareth Guest on clarinet and Yalin Chi (substituting today for Tom) on piano. Rev. Joe Gilmore, exclaimed “Joy to this old world” and called for announcements:
- Bev Taylor said that this Tuesday, August 13, we are gathering for lunch at The Depot Restaurant at 12:30 pm. All are welcomed!
- This year YAV (Young Adult Volunteers) Sunday is August 25. Three young (19-30 years old) adults, about to embark on their one-year special service projects on behalf of the Presbyterian church, come and tell us their stories and plans. This is always so inspiring! Afterwards, please join us in taking them to lunch.
- Homecoming Sunday is September 15 this year. This is our celebration of all we do as a church, and we have a potluck lunch following the service. Mark your calendars!!
Yalin and Gareth played Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1 for our Special Music, and it WAS special! They received a standing ovation. What a treat on this glorious, cool morning of sun and light breezes. Even Rev. Joe gave our musicians an appreciative “Hmmmm!”.
The first scripture reading was Mark 12:28-31, in which Jesus is asked which is the most important commandment. He responds, 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] There is no commandment greater than these.” Rev. Joe emphasized that in order to love your neighbor as yourself, you first must learn to love yourself, which often is hard, given the lives we live. More on this in the sermon. The second reading – Psalm 63:1-8, where David is seeking God in the desert of Judah – was read responsively by Barry and the congregation.
During the Offering, Reverend Gilmore prayed that “everything gold should be turned to bread” for the hungry, turning the “Midas touch upside down”. Yalin played Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla.
Rev. Gilmore read the Gospel Reading of Revelation 21:1-6 – “Behold I make all things new”, before launching into his sermon “The Two Directions of Hope”. Rev. Joe spoke of his personal life, his memories of a family gathering where he and his sister played violin and piano, and then watching as his 94-year old mother and sister played duets together at the piano. Something set his mother to laughing and the rest of the room couldn’t help but join in the laughter. He recalled this as a moment of grace for him – thinking of the triumphs and tragedies of life, once important, but no longer in the light of onrushing mortality. Reminiscing about another family reunion, with multiple generations, and the usual family issues, he noted that that ours is a Universe that yearns to heal; a universe in which time and healing are not related. A past unhealed casts shadows into the future. The old story of human frailty and glory.
He deepened the stories’ meaning with a poem, “Thanks, Robert Frost” by David Ray.
Thanks, Robert Frost
Do you have hope for the future?
someone asked Robert Frost, toward the end.
Yes, and even for the past, he replied,
that it will turn out to have been all right
for what it was, something we can accept,
mistakes made by the selves we had to be,
not able to be, perhaps, what we wished,
or what looking back half the time it seems
we could so easily have been, or ought…
The future, yes, and even for the past,
that it will become something we can bear.
And I too, and my children, so I hope,
will recall as not too heavy the tug
of those albatrosses I sadly placed
upon their tender necks. Hope for the past,
yes, old Frost, your words provide that courage,
and it brings strange peace that itself passes
into past, easier to bear because
you said it, rather casually, as snow
went on falling in Vermont years ago.
David Ray ‘Music of Time: Selected and New Poems’ 2006
Joe talked about his own father who had worked all his life in a steel mill. He was either working or at home, resting from a long and hard day. Joe felt his father was a loving presence when there, but too exhausted to be the father Joe wanted. It wasn’t until Joe had a family that he understood that his father worked so his children would not have the same dirt-poor childhood he had. Joe’s admiration for his father grew once he understood. That was the meaning behind Robert Frost’s hope “for the past”. As Joe continued his story, he told of his father’s heart attack, when Joe was just 14, and how his dad was never the same after that. Joe watched his mother lovingly take care of his father for the rest of his life. Later, Joe felt this experience had taught him to appreciate what families go through when illness pervades the family home, and have empathy and love for those affected, but at the time Joe was simply angry at what had happened. The Reverend now spoke of the “alchemy of love and wisdom”; of kids in the process of “becoming”, with parents, as Frost said, “sadly” placing albatrosses “upon their tender necks”. The hope being that love and life may reveal some understanding for parents’ past situations and plights. We are all in the process of becoming and, thus, Frost’s hope for the past. Joe said the past will turn into the past, and we can take a small step into the light. Rev. Joe concluded with “Namaste: the God in me greets the God in you.”
We said many prayers for our friends, neighbors, family and the world. At the end we joined hands in the Benediction, and Rev. Gilmore referenced Ronald Blythe in explaining the mystery of God. “When we chop wood, God lights the fire. But there needs to be that first step.”
Gareth introduced the Postlude, mentioning that some of the audience shared their homes with cats. This selection, he said, evokes the sounds of a playful kitty, which it did. He and Yalin clearly had fun in its execution. The piece was Clarinatta by Richard Hyman.
A simple thing you can do to help protect the earth: Watch your waste. Items you may be throwing away can contaminate the soil and water for thousands or millions of years. Your community probably has special disposal procedures for the things like used oil and batteries. Ink cartridges can probably be recycled where you bought them. And many of the new superefficient lightbulbs contain mercury, so proper disposal is crucial. Check with the store where you buy them.
Church Notes 8/4/2019
As one participant exclaimed when leaving the tent to go home, “What an extraordinary service that was today!” Everyone who attended likely would agree – perfect weather, exquisite scenery, yummy and abundant food, and a sermon given by the people assembled, led by Rev. Rachel Thompson.
Our 2019 annual picnic and service was held at Boscobel, thanks to many, but especially Bev Taylor who managed a miracle in making arrangements for the site. We had lovely tables with sunflower centerpieces and Tom’s keyboard worked perfectly! Rachel opened the service by gazing at our view of the Hudson and, speaking for all of us, she affirmed her gratitude for God’s creation. Still, we had to stop a moment to pray silently for the victims in the horrific mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. It is tragic that these events have become our new normal.
Other announcements included a reminder that Rev. Dr. Chandler’s surgery is coming up on Tuesday, August 6, and Doris thanks all for the prayers on her behalf. A number of persons asked to have her Alabama address broadcast in the church e-news, so here it is: 2631 South Lane, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.
In further announcements, we learned that our church administrator, Chris Lawrence, is now the proud grandma to baby Jaden Frederick Scheppa, 7 lbs 4 oz, born August 3. Big congratulations!! Mom and baby doing well. Carolyn Llewellyn noted that it is that time again to sign up for teaching Sunday School, which will start in the fall. She also recognized Cathy Lim and Jill Golden for their work in organizing the demonstration last weekend against the caging of immigrant children and families that come to our southern border to escape violence in their own countries. It was important and quite a crowd formed to protest. Lastly, Tom McCoy mentioned that our favorite gospel singer, Rene Bailey, recently had spinal surgery and is in rehab care at Woodland Pond in New Paltz. Her number there is 845-256-5685. She is expected to go home mid-week, and her home number is 845-626-0979. She said she would love to hear from us while she is recuperating.
Rev. Thompson called us to worship, and we sang “Morning Has Broken” and then prayed together – “A divine voice signs through all creation right down to this day, this place, this picnic gathering. For all this beauty, we praise your name. Amen.”
The scripture reading, read by Bev Taylor, our Worship Leader for the day, was Deuteronomy 8:7-11 – “7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills.” Our meditation/sermon this morning continued with our theme of gratitude for nature/God’s creation with a series of poetry and other inspirational pieces read by members of the congregation. We heard from T. S. Eliot, e.e.cummings, Saint Patrick, D. H. Lawrence, and many more. A sampling of the readings follows:
O Lord, how lovely it is to be your guest. Breeze full of scents, mountains reaching to the skies; Waters like a boundless mirror, Reflecting the sun’s golden rays and the scudding clouds. All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing depths of tenderness. Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of your love. Blessed are you, mother earth, in your floating loveliness, Which wakens our yearning for happiness that will last forever, amid beauty that grows not old, where the cry rings out: Alleluia! --Gregory Petrov
Early in the morning a small sparrow sitting on a wire along any of our streets sings a long and lovely song. It is an ancient hymn passed down in feather and bone to the very bird which is thy voice in our ear if only we knew. For now, O God, we praise what we cannot understand; we thank thee for things which we do not know, things too wonderful for us. We have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but, we beseech thee; come shining unto us. Even us. – Joe Gilmore
Bless Thee, O Lord, for the living arc of the sky over me this morning. Bless Thee, O Lord, for the companionship of night mist far above the skyscraper peaks I saw when I woke once during the night. Bless Thee, O Lord, for the miracle of light to my eyes, and the mystery of it, ever changing. Bless Thee, O Lord, for the laws Thou hast ordained holding fast these tall oblongs of stone and steel, holding fast the planet Earth in its course, and farther beyond, the cycle of the Sun. – Carl Sandburg
Let the trees be consulted before you take any action every time you breathe in thank a tree. – John Wright
As it was the first Sunday of the month, we enjoyed the Sacrament of Communion with God’s world all around us. We then said a prayer together thanking God for the gifts of water, soil, air, as well as wonder and delight in all these gifts including creatures great and small. Afterwards, we did our best at singing Rachel’s “camp song”, Tell Me Why, for which Tom did not know the tune (he must not have gone to camp). Nevertheless, with gusto and keyboard accompaniment, we redeemed ourselves in singing “The World is Alive with the Sound of Music”. In closing the service, we joined hands in a very large circle as Rachel gave the Benediction.
And then we had a scrumptious picnic lunch! Thanks to everyone who helped to make this occasion so very special!!
A simple thing you can do to help protect the earth: Go for seconds. Recycling doesn’t mean only separating your cans and bottles. It can mean using things a second (or third) time. That nice padded envelope you got in the mail, for example? Instead of throwing it away, scratch out the address, tear off the stamps, and use it again.
Friends,
Entering the sanctuary on this mid-summer Sunday morning we were blessed by the sounds of Jon Klibinoff at the piano, subbing for our Director of Music, Tom McCoy who was enjoying a brief summer vacation. We were then warmly welcomed by The Rev. David Harkness, subbing for our Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who began a time of medical leave to have surgery on the ankle injured in an automobile accident in January. David was thanked for his willingness to share his time and talents with our congregation, as was The Rev. Rachel Thompson, our Parish Associate, who has graciously agreed to be on call for pastoral needs during these months of Doris' absence, and will lead the service at our outdoor worship next Sunday at Boscobel (see announcements below). We welcomed visitors, and welcomed back friends Rev. Deke and Wendy Spierling, who were here worshipping with us due to an electrical problem which caused the cancellation of worship at their home church of Calvary Pres in Newburgh, and it also happened to be their wedding anniversary! Congrats Deke and Wendy!
Rev. Harkness led those gathered in the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, "We come, O Lord, from all our different places, bearing with us our unique and individual experiences. Here we are your people, gathered by you to pray, sing, listen, and grow. Unite us in faith and in common cause with Jesus Christ. Enable us to see you and your world through new eyes." Following the opening hymn, "O That I Had a Thousand Voices", worship leader Susan Jordan led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace and the scripture readings of Genesis 18:20-32 and, responsively, Psalm 138. Jon Kllibinoff shared "Sheep May Safely Graze" as the Special Music.
The Youth Sermon was a brief conversation which David shared with all, about not making excuses, and to live in a way that others will notice and say "That's a great person. I'm happy that I know them". The Gospel reading was Luke's account of Jesus teaching the disciples to pray what we now know as The Lord's Prayer, following which David began the sermon with a story told by Ken Bailey, who, after the fall of the Soviet Union, lectured in the Latvian Lutheran Church. It seems that Bailey encountered a young congregation, age 25-35, who had not been raised in church since the Communist government prohibited it, and they did not have underground churches in this area. He asked on young woman how she came to learn her faith. She responded that they were allowed to recite The Lord's Prayer at funerals, and she said, "When you are raised in darkness, the tiniest point of light is very bright. That's what this prayer was for me".
Rev. Harkness continued the sermon with a brief examination of the opening phrases of The Lord's Prayer. "Father" translated from "Abba" which rather than MY Father, is OUR Father, a communal term which connects us. He could have chosen Hebrew names such as Yahweh (Lord), Adonai, or Elohim (God) but instead, Jesus taught us to pray using the language of the people; God has no special language, we are all taught to pray in the language which we use. God has no problem with translation. While "Father" is a male term, we know that God is beyond gender, that there are female images of God in the Bible, and even in the story of the prodigal son, a father who acts like a mother, a father who welcomes as a mother would. One God, one being, in whom love is close.
Examining the phrase, "Hallowed be your name", David shared that the God who loves is also Holy, and expects that we will keep the name holy by how we speak and how we love; that we think about God truly being near to us and keep the image of the cross near to us as a demonstration of what love requires. The "Kingdom of God" is being slowly revealed, a cry in the midst of tragedy, so be assured..."Give to us our daily bread": In times of no refrigeration, there was always fresh bread; only the bread needed for the day, and this a reminder that we may be relieved of our anxiety over whether or not there will be 'enough'. We need to trust God with our fears and anxieties - it's bread, not cake! and it's OUR bread, not MY bread.
The final two phrases examined, "Forgive us" asks Do we forgive everyone indebted to us? Do we let go of the failures of others? To do this connects our relationship to God to our relationship with each other. Relieved of anger, bitterness, hatred, desire for revenge, we can then address the underlying problems themselves. And, "Do not bring us to the time of trial": We are not spared from what anyone else faces - doubt, pain - we wonder where God is in this; it seems unjust and God seems far away. We pray to spare us the agony of a broken relationship with God, and to have a better relationship with God and with each other. As the young Latvian woman did, we can trust that we too will discover a similar light, in praying this prayer. Amen.
We sang, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", a hymn which David explained was written by Joseph Scriven in the 1800's and sent to his dying mother. That gentle spirit led us into the prayers of the people, among which prayers were requested for Lisa Niven and her husband John Golden, undergoing surgery this Tuesday; for Sandy Barton's sister Barbara, for Pastor Doris in her surgery next week; prayers of gratitude from Carolyn for care during her recent surgery; prayers for families at the borders, and for our national leadership. We also remember Rose Champlin in our prayers, and all those on the prayer line (attached). After praying The Lord's Prayer, we sang "Arise, Your Light Has Come", joined hands to share in the benediction, and enjoyed Jon's postlude of Arabesque No. 1 by Claude Debussy.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
Next Sunday, August 4: Our morning worship service will be at Boscobel, where the gates open at 10:00 and worship will begin at 10:30. We will have a picnic following, with sandwiches and wraps and beverages provided. Bring a side dish or dessert to share. Wear sneakers as there are many lovely trails on the property. Parking is past the paved parking lots, on the left side, down by the tent we will be using. Rev. Rachel Thompson will be leading the service for us, and we will celebrate communion. Don't miss it!
A SIMPLE THING we can do to protect the earth: Put one foot in front of the other. One hundred years ago, 99.9% of people got by without cars. They took the train, they lived near their workplaces... and they walked. Using fuel-efficient cars is important, but we can save even more fuel by simply driving less.
Church Notes 7/21/2019
On a dangerously sultry day, we filled the pews slowly to a “Barcarolle” by Gabriel Faure (barcarolles were originally folk songs by Venetian gondoliers) played by Tom McCoy on piano and Lynn Brown on flute. In our lightly air-conditioned sanctuary, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, noting that this “feels like Alabama weather”, called for announcements (see below). Janet Rust introduced her daughter-in-law’s mother, Delfina, from Spain, encouraging all who could speak Spanish to engage her in conversation. Pastor Doris also noted the welcome for the new Priest of St. Mary’s, Father Steve Schunk, and Marilyn Schlosser, who went to the dinner there, was impressed by his warmth as he visited each table to greet them. Additionally, Pastor Doris mentioned that Pastor Micah Campbell is new at the Cold Spring United Methodist Church, as is Father Steve Holton at St. Philips in the Highlands in Garrison.
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship and led the Opening Prayer – “O God, who chooses us, you call us to be a diverse family, yet truly one.” Gareth Guest was our Worship Leader leading us in the Prayer of Confession – “You are the God of all people, united to the body of Christ. Forgive us when we would fracture your body, and reconcile us in your spirit. Amen.”
After an exuberant Passing of the Peace, we settled in for some Special Music by Lynn and Tom, a “Berceuse” from Gabriel Faure. Gareth stood again to read Amos 8:1-12, a long passage where God tells Amos that the time is coming for the people of Israel. “Hear this”, God says, “you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land.” He says the days will come “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord”. The second scripture reading was Psalm 52, read responsively, scolding someone for boasting of his evil deeds – “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!”
The Youth Sermon was given to the congregation as children were absent on this hot day. Pastor Doris exclaimed that 50 years ago today Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. Aldrin, a member of the Webster Presbyterian Church, had packed with him a communion chalice, wine and a wafer on the moon flight to celebrate the eucharist when he had landed. The astronauts had been given 5 hours to relax before leaving the space module, during which time Buzz took the opportunity to take communion. Pastor Chandler said that wherever we land, God is always there.
During the Offertory, Tom played David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” – as we hummed “Ground control to Major Tom….”
Rev. Dr. Chandler read Luke 10:38-42. It is the story of Mary and Martha, with Martha the worker readying a meal for Jesus and Mary taking the time to stop and listen to his words. Everyone identifies with one woman or another, but Pastor Doris went back to last week’s Good Samaritan parable where Jesus says to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”. She said that both women were accomplishing this in their own way. There is a time for hearing and doing, and we can, and should, do both. In this church we listen on Sundays, but the church would not be strong without able hands and minds working to do God’s work. Rev. Dr. Chandler said this passage gives us a moment to reflect on the balance and value of listening to the word of God and doing God’s work in our daily lives.
We said our Prayers of the People, including the good news of a new granddaughter, Parker Lily, for the Guests. Prayers for healing were also sent in Pastor Doris’s direction.
Pastor Doris revealed that her ankle/foot injury requires more surgery. After consulting with her surgeon and the Session, she is returning to Alabama for surgery on August 6. She tearfully related that this is a detour in her ministry for our church, but promised to be back as soon as her surgeon allows – somewhere between 4-8 weeks. She will be thinking about us (and we about her) the entire time.
Lynn explained that she and Tom decided on playing all this Faure music because of Bastille Day, July 14. She was pleased to play “Morceau de Concours”, accompanied by Tom, as their final selection. Fauré’s Morceau (1898) is “a little gem written as a test piece for the flute while the composer was director at the Paris Conservatoire.” What a lovely Postlude an Amen to our service.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- There will be a “Solidarity Cages” demonstration next Saturday from 2-3 pm on the lawn of St. Mary’s church to protest the way immigrants are being handled at our southern border. See Notice below.
- Our summer picnic this year will be at Boscobel on August 4, so MARK YOUR CALENDARS! It will be at 10:30 am in the tent behind the herb garden and everyone is encouraged to bring a dish or dessert. We will not barbeque this year but will have platter of sandwiches. We can walk around the grounds and even tour the house!! We are so fortunate to have this beautiful site for our annual picnic! Tom mentioned a product called “NoBiteMe”, which is great to keep the bugs away.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - July 7, 2019
The summer schedule of 10:00 am Sunday worship began with a jazz prelude from Gareth Guest on clarinet and Tom McCoy on the piano as they improvised on "Precious Lord, Take My Hand". Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed the somewhat smaller than usual crowd and called for announcements (see below). She then led the Church of the Open Door through the worship service, prayers, hymns, readings and a youth sermon in which Doris and Matty chatted about the US women's soccer team in the world cup finals today, as they looked at a photograph of the team. The question was raised, Why don't we have a uniform as God's team? And the response: "While we are all different, God gives us all our uniform inside of our hearts."
For the Special Music, Gareth and Tom played "Pie Jesu" from Requiem by Gabriel Faure. Annie and Ron received the morning offering, after which the Pastor read the two scripture passages: 2 Kings 5:1-14, the story of Naaman's healing from leprosy, and Luke 10: 1-11 and 16-20, where Jesus sends out the disciples.
The sermon began with a reflection on these two passages, which both contained "un-named heroes". In the story of Naaman, an un-named girl from Israel made a powerful difference by suggesting that Naaman seek healing in Samaria, from Elisha (and not from the King as erroneously believed). It is Naaman's un-named servants who steer him towards Elisha and the healing he needs. In the gospel, there are 70 un-named disciples who are sent out, and they do marvelous work. Flash forward to current events in the news: there are none of us that can turn on the news and not be affected by the images of those refugees who are being stripped of their dignity and human rights. There are many un-sung and un-named heroes who stand by and support those who are being held in "camps". The question is: Can we do more? What would it mean to do more? As one shop owner in Beacon has posted a sign in the establishment window: "Shut Down the Camps", a way of showing support - what can we do to continue to put the word out? We are called to speak truth to "inappropriate power" wherever we find it. Be an un-named hero. You can do nothing less as a Child of God. Amen.
Communion was celebrated with Deacon Betsy Anastasi assisting Rev. Dr. Chandler, as Gareth and Tom played "Jesus, Remember Me". The postlude from our instrumental duo was an arrangement of "O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee".
The benediction was adapted from the words of Elyse D. Frishman:
"May the door of this [Church of the Open Door] be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for friendship. May it welcome all who have cares to unburden, thanks to express,hopes to nurture. May the door of this [church] be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity. May its threshold be no stumbling block to young or straying feet. May it be too high to admit complacency, selfishness and harshness. May this [church] be for all who enter, the doorway to a richer and more meaningful life." Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The monthly "lunch bunch" outing is this Tuesday, July 9, at the Depot Restaurant at 12:30. All are welcome to join in!
- Tom mentioned that his friend Tashi, a Buddhist monk who has visited our congregation in the past, is in need of accumulating hours of community service, and due to a heavy work schedule, can do so only at odd hours. If anyone has suggestions, please let Tom know.
- Mike LaRocco and his East Coast Jazz Trio performed at the Town Crier for a Jazz Brunch today from 11:30 - 2:30. If you missed it this month, they are there on the first Sunday of every month and the music is free!
- We welcome the class of young playwrights from The Depot Theatre summer program who are using our church for their classroom space this month. We love having creative energy buzzing through the building!
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday June 30, 2019
If you were among those present at The Church of The Open Door on our annual Music Appreciation Sunday, you know that you were blessed! Director of Music Tom McCoy once again assembled an array of guest instrumentalists and soloists, and our own chancel choir, with glorious musical selections! (see attached photo). Beginning with an introit of piano improvisation from Tom, those gathered were then welcomed by Parish Associate, Rev. Rachel Thompson, who called for announcements (see below) and shared 2 quotes:
“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life.” Those words were spoken by the Greek philosopher Plato more than 2500 years ago.
And these words were spoken by Lady Gaga last week sometime. “Music is one of the most powerful things the world has to offer. No matter what race or religion or nationality or sexual orientation or gender that you are, it has the power to unite us.” I’m sure Plato would agree.
Worship leader Susan Jordan led the prayer of confession, assurance of grace and passing of the peace.
Musical selections presented in this worship service included "I Believe" which featured soloist Laura Bach and the choir. The lyrics were from an inscription found on a wall in Germany during the Holocaust: "I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when I cannot feel it. I believe in God even when God is silent."
The "Pie Jesu" from the Requiem of Gabriel Faure was sung by Diana Ferrara, in memory of Dr. Erica McCoy. Diana was a long time teaching colleague of Erica's.
Instrumental selections included "Irlandaise" from Claude Bolling's Suite for Flute and Jazz piano, played by Lynn Brown, with jazz accompaniment and improv from Gareth Guest on clarinet, Lew Scott on bass, Verlaine Brunot on violin, Tom McCoy on piano, and Mike LaRocco on drums. Gareth and Tom played "Come Sunday" by Duke Ellington, also with Lew and Mike. The String Quartet, featuring Adrienne Harmon, Cynthia Ligenza, Verlaine Brunot and Susan Seligman played a movement of a Haydn String Quartet as Wally and Cathy received the morning offering.
In keeping with the musical focus of the day, Rachel had the responsive reading divided odd/even verses by Soprano/Tenor and Alto/Bass, or higher voices and lower voices, to share in Psalm 98. Longtime church member, choir member, and church historian Janet Rust had prepared an insert for the bulletin, about the history of Philipstown Concerts, (a series which FPCP presented to the community free of charge from 1974-2007), and she spoke briefly about the program.
More music! Again Laura Bach solo-ed with the choir on "Nella Fantasia" (In My Fantasy) a selection also known as "Gabriel's Oboe" from the film The Mission, and this was also dedicated to the memory of Dr. Erica McCoy. Baritone and friend of the congregation John Cimino sang selections from "Man of La Mancha" as requested by his wife Rachel, in honor of their 14th wedding anniversary, and commenting "All I do I do out of service to others, out of love"
The choir, with John Lane's dramatic opening solo (transporting us to 'The Lion King') and full instrumental accompaniment, presented the African selection "Akekho Ofana No Jesu" [translation: "There is no one like Jesus"]. This was followed by an Afican hymn, Siyahamba (We Are Marching (praying, singing, dancing - and we did! - in the Light of God) ,
Following the benediction, [May God bless you and keep you. May God’s light shine upon you and within you. May everything you do be done in love and with harmony. And may you always walk in the ways of peace, salaam, shalom.] Rachel gathered the congregation together in the front of the church and the room was filled with everyone singing or playing the music of John Lennon's "Imagine".. "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one." May it be so.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Next Sunday, July 7 begins our summer worship time of 10:00 am for July and August.
- There is a new church directory for members and friends in the works. Draft copies will be available on Sundays for you to proof, add, or edit your entry.
- Elder Ron Sopyla shared the news of our officially becoming a "More Light" and New Covenant congregation, expanding on our inclusivity policy, which the Session adopted in 1990. Look for the logo to be included in our communications in the near future and for more information to come!
- Our Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, returns on July 7. For any pastoral needs this week, please contact Clerk of Session Lynn Brown at lebnab@optonline.net call or text 845-987-2819. Thanks to Rev. Rachel Thompson for her offer to be available this week.
Church Notes 6/23/2019
Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us all to this special service and called for announcements. There were none – probably the first time this has happened, but a couple of important ones have been added to this e-news below. Pastor Chandler called us to worship (“…we find ourselves united in Christ: one faith, one Lord, one baptism”) and led us in the Opening Prayer. Top of Form
The Worship Leader, Cathy Carnevale, greeted us with “Oh, what a beautiful morning!” to which the congregation replied, “Oh, what a beautiful day!”, and it really was. She first quoted a passage from Mother Teresa saying that “we have it in our power to be in heaven with God right now…at this very moment.” Cathy guided us in the Prayer of Confession – “As the deer longs for flowing streams, so our souls long for you, O God”, and then repeated Jesus’ last commandment to his disciples that “you love one another as I have loved you.” We Passed the Peace in our normal exuberant style and then enjoyed a special blessing for the high school graduates.
Will Speziale, representing all the graduates, received a loving blessing (see poem by Joyce Rupp below) from Pastor Doris as he moves on to the next stage of his life. It was beautiful. The ceremony was followed by a celebratory anthem, as the choir sang Bach’s “Alleluia, Sing Praise”.
Cathy gave a reading of the story from I Kings 19:1-15, which is the story of Elijah fleeing for his life. Jezebel, the wife of Israeli King Ahab, had sworn to kill Elijah for his actions against the prophets of Israel which had broken its covenant with God. Elijah escaped into the wilderness and fell asleep. An angel woke him and told him to eat and drink. Sure enough, bread and water had been provided for him. After he fell asleep again, the angel once more asked him to eat and drink because he was to journey 40 days and nights and needed this food to sustain him. Later in the story the Lord comes to Elijah, in a sudden silence following a strong wind, earthquake and fire, and tells Elijah, a God-fearing man and prophet himself, what he must do next in carrying out God’s work.
The second reading was Galatians 3:23-29, which explains the purpose of the law. Basically, it explains that the Jewish law existed as a discipline to be followed by God’s people, but once Christ came and showed the way of faith, this law was no longer needed. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
The Youth Sermon was interesting. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that God did amazing things with ordinary water, as we were about to baptize a child. She had the children and the family members of this child feel the water. The children said it was a bit cold. She asked if the children knew that their bodies were mainly water? The Lesson: God uses ordinary water to bless us.
Pastor Chandler then focused on Luke 8:26-39, telling us the story rather than reading the passage. Jesus went to a town across from Galilee and came across a naked man, possessed by many demons. Jesus purged the man of the impure spirits, but the demons then fled into a herd of swine who subsequently ran into the water and drowned. The swine herders were not pleased and reported the situation to the authorities. The town told Jesus to go as they were now afraid. As Jesus was leaving, the now-dressed and demon-free man wished to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to go home and “tell how much God has done for you.” So, the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler, for her sermon, talked to the parents, Godparents, and family of Carter Coles Hedden, the child about to be baptized. She drew from the three scripture lessons of the day. From the Elijah story, she said it is okay to be afraid sometimes in taking care of Carter Coles, as you can be assured that God will provide for him as a “Child of God”. She asked that the family teach him that human differences are okay; “otherness” is okay, because the Galations passage taught us that we are all one in the sight of God. For the Luke scripture, Carter Coles can one day go and tell the world what God has done for him. To the family, she said just teaching him to say “thank you” and “I’m sorry” will proclaim God’s love. Let him know that it is okay to fail, for the moments when we fail are the teachable moments when we grow the most. She ended by announcing to all that Carter Coles is a child of the light and will live as a light to others. The baptism ceremony proceeded after the “sermon” and the church erupted in applause for baptized Carter Coles, Child of God.
Following hymns, prayers, and our Benediction, we listened as Tom played “The Sound of Silence”, by Paul Simon and then “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from Oklahoma by Richard Rodgers.
We continued our celebration in the Social Hall with brownies, cookies and conversation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Rev. Dr. Chandler will be away from later today (June 23) until July 7. If there is a pastoral concern while Rev. Dr. Chandler is away, please contact Clerk of Session, Lynn Brown, at lebnab@optonline.net or 845-987-2819.
- Remember!!! Music Appreciation Sunday is next week, June 30. Tom always puts together an amazing service for us. Please come and bring friends and family. This should not be missed!
A Blessing of The Angels
May the angel of the annunciation bless you,
inviting you daily to awaken to the God-life within you.
May the angel of Joseph’s dreams bless you,
stirring your spirit to trust the many ways that Mystery whispers to you.
May the angel of birthing bless you,
calling forth wonder, awe, and gratitude for all that has helped you to become your true self.
May the angel of Bethlehem-songs bless you,
tickling your soul with laughter and joy,
heralding hope and good tidings to you.
May the angel of the journey to Egypt bless you,
guiding and protecting you as you travel the inner and out
roads of your life.
May the angel of desert wilderness bless you,
bringing courage when you experience bleak,
intense searching and struggle.
May the angel of prayer bless you,
gathering you closely to the divine Beloved who longs for your embrace.
May the angel of children on the lap of Jesus bless you,
helping you to see the beauty and freedom of your inner child.
May the angel of the agony in the garden bless you,
offering you solace in your times of tribulation.
May the angel at the tomb of resurrection bless you with faith,
assuring your faith and trust that all shall be well.
~ Joyce Rupp,
from Out of the Ordinary:
Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday June 16, 2019 - Trinity Sunday
"Happy Father's Day" was the enthusiastic greeting from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, as she welcomed those gathered at The Church of the Open Door, called for announcements (see below) and took a video of Tom playing the piano and the congregation singing "Happy Birthday" for homebound member Rose Champlin, whose birthday is this Saturday, June 22. [If you didn't bring a birthday card to add to the basket for Rose, you may mail her a card to 11 Paulding Ave. Cold Spring, NY 10516].
The choir sang "Spirit, now live in me" for their introit, and we shared the Call to Worship, Opening Prayer and Hymn of Praise, "Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!". Worship Leader Bernadette Humphrey-Nicol guided the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and the Scripture Readings from Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31 and Romans 5:1-5. The choir sang "Praise God" as the anthem, and, for the Youth Sermon, Pastor Doris shared a conversation with James about the Trinity - God the Creator, Jesus the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit - different images for God, separate but, mysteriously, all one. Carolyn and Susan received the morning offering as James collected quarters for the goat bank, and Tom played "This is My Father's World".
The Trinity Sunday Sermon began as an "Ode to Wisdom", as Rev. Dr. Chandler reflected on the decades-ago PCUSA "Re-imagining" Conference, which focused on God as Wisdom, or "Sophia" and was given feminine attributes. The wisdom in Proverbs tells us that all our constructs of God, male, female,or any other, are all limited, though they point us in the direction of what is Holy. Wisdom is the great public theologian: "Listen to me, I've got something to tell you"; trying to get us to look beyond ourselves. Everything around you is infused with God's spirit. Wisdom is all around us and we are all connected. Our salvific moment is in the fact that we are different, not that we are all the same; we are in community.
Parker Palmer wrote:, "Community is that place where the person you least want to live with always moves in, [and] when that person moves away, someone else arises immediately to take his or her place". Community opens us up, to give ourselves, to live with people we may not like at all. We are called to be tested, to live in community, and the Triune God always models for us a way to be different, and also to be "one". It is not always easy but we are called to it by our Creator/Redeemer/Spirit.
During the Prayers of the People, we remembered fathers, shared concerns and joys, and blessings for Graduates, to include Riley Bissinger and Will Speziale. We shared in reciting The Lord's Prayer. We sang, we joined hands for the benediction, and Tom shared as his postlude Forrest Silver's "Song for my Father".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- From our Community Nursery School and Learning Center Director, Rosemary Rodino, and staff Deb Pidala, Mary Dwyer and Hannah Langer: "A very special thank you for your simple kindness and sharing of appreciation!"
- There was an opportunity to donate towards scholarships for the Community Nursery School. If you missed it, you may make a contribution, being sure to note "CNS Scholarship" on your check or online donation.
- The Dream Choir, directed by Cat Guthrie, has a concert in our sanctuary next Sunday, June 23, at 3 pm.
- Don't miss our Annual Music Appreciation Sunday, on June 30, featuring our chancel choir, chamber orchestra, guest soloists, and our very own Tom McCoy!
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown...Pentecost and Confirmation Sunday, June 9, 2019
What beautiful weather, on this day that had The Church of the Open Door buzzing with excitement! The "sea of red" decorating the sanctuary from the drape on the wall to the many gorgeous geraniums immediately proclaimed that this was no "ordinary" Sunday!
Prelude music from Tom McCoy included "When Morning Gilds The Skies" as Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler and the confirmands, about to become active members of the congregation, processed down the aisle. Those gathered were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, who called for announcements (see below) and gave a hearty "Happy Birthday, Church" . The choir sang "Spirit of God", and the congregation joined in the Call to Worship, "The day of Pentecost has come and we are together,... Spirit, give us courage. Set us afire to unashamedly love you and live holy and joyful lives!", the Opening Prayer, and the hymn "On Pentecost They Gathered".
Worship Leader Lynn Brown guided the congregation through the time of confession, the passing of the peace, and the first reading, from Acts 2:1-21. She introduced the story of Pentecost (as translated by Eugene Peterson in "The Message") and Ron Sopyla continued, reading the disciple Peter's speech from that day.
During time for the youth, the 3rd graders (Audrey, James, Matty, and Sophia) received their bibles, each with a special verse chosen for them by Pastor Doris. As all of the children joined together, they learned the sign language symbol for "I Love You" and directed it first to the confirmands, then to the congregation, who enthusiastically signed it back to the children. The children collected quarters for the goat bank as Kate and Roy received the morning offering and Tom played "Come O Spirit, Dwell Among Us".
Rev. Dr. Chandler read from the Gospel, John 14:8-17, spoke briefly about the confirmation process including classes, worship attendance, a service project and their freedom to choose whether or not to join the church. She then invited the confirmands each to the pulpit where they read bible verses which they had chosen, and explained why those verses are meaningful to them. The verses and reflections shared by Hannah Bissinger, Jack Gordineer, Maggie Gordineer, Amanda Johanson, Kate Jordan, Elaine Llewellyn and Roy Smith showed the wonderful heart and spirit of each, and we were blessed to hear from them all! Elders Mona Smith and Carolyn Llewellyn thanked the teachers of the confirmation program, Lynn Brown and Pastor Doris, for their work with the class.
The choir shared a special anthem for the confirmands, "I was there to hear your borning cry, I'll be there when you are old. I rejoiced the day you were baptized, to see your life unfold..."
The confirmands were reminded of their baptism, and then affirmed their faith by answering questions in front of the congregation, as they became the newest active members of First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown. Congratulations and welcome aboard! Elder for Christian Education Carolyn Llewellyn presented each with a certificate and a copy of "The Message".
Communion was celebrated, (with an opportunity for all to choose a button to tie onto their wrist, a symbol of being in community) the final hymn "Spirit" was sung, and we received the benediction and a blessing for the luncheon meal (of 'tongues of fire' chili!) and heard Tom's postlude of the "Ritual Fire Dance" by Manuel de Falla.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Thanks to all who assisted with decorating, setup and cleanup, food preparation for a wonderful worship experience and family meal! (The recipe for the chopped kale salad is attached, since several people had asked!)
- The monthly "Lunch Bunch", a lunch out for all who want to join, is this Tuesday June 11, at 12:30 at the Depot restaurant.
- Remember that we are gathering birthday cards for homebound member Rose Champlin, whose birthday is June 22. Bring your card to church and add it to the basket.
- Our annual "Music Appreciation Sunday" is June 30. Please join us for this musical extravaganza, and thank the choir as they then take a break for the summer.
- Please say a special prayer for Jay Varrichio.
Church Notes 6/2/2019
A beautiful day to honor all our teachers that provide us with the gift of knowledge and direction. Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us to this day of celebration and called for announcements (see below). One announcement was that James Llewellyn was about to turn 9 years old on June 3, but before we had a chance to sing Happy Birthday to James, others chimed in with a flood of May birthdays that had been missed. So here they are: Martha-Louise Harkness on May 13, Audrey Silverstein on May 11, Greg Smith on May 6, Elaine Llewellyn on May 22, Jean Llewellyn on May 8, and Bernadette Humphrey-Nicol on May 27. Tom played Happy Birthday with gusto for all the current and past-due birthdays!
Pastor Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Gareth Guest then took the pulpit with the Prayer of Confession (“Your will is to free us from the chains of injustice, but we would keep them on rather than disturb the peace.”). He then assured us of God’s grace, and we sang “Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord in Thee” as our response. After Passing the Peace, we enjoyed the choir’s anthem selection of “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”.
Rev. Dr. Chandler then read from our church’s history, quoting from Judge William Wood at the 80th anniversary of the church (1908). He talked about the origins of our church when “religious exercises were held in the loft of the pattern shop of the West Point Foundry by various denominations, of which the Presbyterians were the strongest.” Regarding the religious instruction of children of the early English, Irish and Scottish residents, he said that “as Sunday Schools were common in the land from hence they came, this method of instruction would appeal very strongly,…as it brought the children under the tuition of men and women qualified by knowledge and piety to lead the children into the light of the Gospel.” So, our Sunday school goes way back to a time before our church was even constructed. With that introduction, Carolyn Llewellyn and Pastor Doris presented flowers to our Sunday School teachers: Sally Smith, Ana Silverlinck, Rachel Emig, Janet Barton, Bev Taylor, and Emilia Anastasi. Carolyn, herself a teacher, was honored by the other teachers and our pastor for her leadership of all Christian Education at the church. Carolyn, speaking of the challenges in teaching, mentioned that our Sunday School includes “babies through 8th grade children and yet every week we have the miracle of teachers who answer the call!” Pastor Doris noted the patience and love that goes into teaching children and said a blessing for our wonderful teachers. A big appreciative round of applause followed.
Rev. Dr. Chandler also recognized those who teach the Adult Education sessions on Sunday mornings before church. They are: Lynn Brown, Nancy Witt, Elise LaRocco, and Rachel Thompson. As only Rachel was present, she came forward, but all were celebrated with another round of applause. Yay!!
Pastor Doris again read from the church history, noting that in 1967 the church did not feel it could justify the expense of the church addition if it were only to be used for an hour or two on Sunday morning and an occasional event. “As early as October 1967 a Mission and Planning Conference discussed the possibility of a nursery school or day care center for children of working mothers.” And in 1968 it was decided to do this on a pilot basis. “The proposal was for approximately 20 children 3 and 4 years old at a cost of $20 a month…” “One paid director, Mrs. Robert (Marie) Rohrberg and one paid assistant were engaged for the experiment.” Pastor Doris laughed at the initial pricing as she introduced the Community Nursery School Director, Rosemary Rodino, who succeeded Marie Rohrberg and has been at CNS for 35 years. Rosemary prefaced her remarks by saying that she didn’t mind public speaking, but just likes her audience to be under 5 years of age. She thanked a number of people for their continuing devotion to CNS and said that on June 6, CNS is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Pastor Doris remarked that our church is warmly regarded for many reasons, but a big one is the nursery school. She noted that CNS does not teach “God” but it does teach our core values of “gentleness, kindness, patience, and self-control”. Rosemary received much applause.
As time was short after the teacher celebration, the remainder of the service was somewhat truncated. Gareth did read the scripture lesson of Acts 16:16-34, where Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in jail, but through an act of God and their own faith, kindness, and humility are finally released by their jailer who becomes a believer. Rev. Dr. Chandler based her short sermon on this scripture, asking if we are willing to step up and show our faith in difficult situations where we need to, where people need our help or justice needs to be served? The Gospel reading of John 17:20-26, where Jesus prays to God for all believers, was not read. Instead, we focused on the Prayers of the People, responding “God of new life, hear our prayer”. Tom played “Teach Your Children Well” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young during the offering and “What Does the Lord Require of You?” as the Postlude.
After the Benediction we went into the Social Hall to celebrate further with ice cream (3 kinds!!) and ice cream cones, home-made cookies, and cupcakes with strawberries on top! Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Carolyn reminded us of her friend Stanzi, a young mother of two who died six years ago from ovarian cancer. Stanzi Allan Pouthier had been working on a cookbook before and during her illness, and her friends had vowed to finish the book in her honor. The recipe book is called Nourish: Sharing Food & Friendship in the Hudson Valley and is due out in September. A launch party for the book is scheduled for 6-8:30 pm this Thursday, June 6 at Hudson Hil’s on Main Street with tastings from the book and drinks ($43 pp). The recipe book features vegetarian and vegan recipes, pictures of the Hudson Valley and more. Prepublication copies can be ordered online through a link at carolinekayephotography.com. Any profits will go to Stanzi’s sons.
- Andy Reid said all eight of the Glynwood discounted produce shares had been purchased to benefit the Philipstown Food Panty. He thanked everyone who donated and, then, added that an anonymous gift of $1000 also had been given with the designation that it be used to buy fresh produce for the Food Pantry after the summer Glynwood shares end. Everyone applauded the generous donors, every one of them!
- Mona mentioned that this coming weekend, Haldane School is putting on The Importance of Being Earnest with a number of this church’s young people participating in its production. Haldane’s plays are ALWAYS AMAZING and make for a great night out!
- Today’s offering will go to a Scholarship Fund for the Community Nursery School for a child whose family cannot afford the tuition. The church and its members have provided support for children in the past, but today is the first time an offering has been designated. If you wish to give outside of this offering, please make out a check to the church with a note designating its purpose or donate online through Paypal with an email to 1presbyterian@gmail.com designating your contribution for the CNS Scholarship Fund.
- Next Sunday, June 9, will be Confirmation Sunday for those young adults who have completed their confirmation classes and have chosen to be confirmed. It is also the ‘grand and glorious” day of Pentecost and communion will also be served on this very special day. Wear red!!! Oh, and there is chili for lunch!!
- Coming Soon – Rose Champlin’s birthday! We’d like to deliver many good wishes to her for her birthday on June 22. Bring in your signed birthday cards – we’ll have a basket at the church to collect them. The cards will be delivered to Rose on June 22nd. We’ll have cards here for you to sign if you forget to bring your own.
Church Notes 5/19/19
A sunny, warm, ‘suddenly summer’ day and Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler welcomed us all into the church. She thanked Tom for the glorious and well-attended Jazz Vespers the previous night, and then asked for announcements (see picture and announcements below). Rennie introduced Rev. Bob White, and his wife, Allyson, explaining that he had been the pastor of this church some years ago. Rev. Doris stepped down from the pulpit to shake their hands and give them a warm welcome.
Rev. Dr. Doris called us to worship and we read the Opening Prayer together – “…we recognize all that exists, all of Creation exists to praise you.” Our Worship Leader for the day, Bev Taylor, stood and led us in the Prayer of Confession – “Judgement comes easy for us. Resentment sticks to us like Velcro. But compassion and forgiveness are slow to occur to us…”. Bev read the Assurance of Grace (“God makes all things new.”) and we Passed the Peace in the aisles and pews.
The Choir’s anthem, “I Must Tell Jesus All of My Trials” (Elisha A. Hoffman, 1894) followed. Bev then asked us all to read Acts 11:1-18 with her. In this passage Peter is criticized for bringing the word of God to the Gentiles and sitting down to eat what Jews would consider “unclean food” with them. Peter explains his vision: “9 “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.” When his critics heard this, they had no further objections and praised God.
Pastor Doris’ Youth Sermon was, as always, educational. She showed the children the Greek letters for alpha and omega, explaining that these were the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing the beginning and the end. She told them that God was there when each of them was born (their Alpha) and will be with them always, including when they pass from this earthly existence (their Omega).
The Gospel reading – John 13:31-35 – focuses on Jesus’ last commandment to his disciples to love one another as Jesus has loved them. It is to be taken in a larger context to all of us as his disciples.
Rev. Dr. Chandler used both scripture readings to launch into her Sermon, “Spirit of the Living God”. She noted that in the Acts passage, Peter was in hot water because Christianity was still a sect of the Jewish faith and was a young church; and yet Peter goes forth and baptizes Gentiles with the Holy Spirit. His fellow “Christians” did not understand why he would do such blasphemous thing. But the John passage reminds us that Jesus’ last commandment was that we love one another as Jesus has loved us, and the disciples took this directive to heart. The larger Christian church was now on its way!! Pastor Doris pulled from her own experience and the prayers of the day – how judgement and resentment pulls us down, and is not consistent with Jesus’ teachings of compassion, forgiveness, and love for each other. We may resent the way people act, dress, live. We may treat them as outsiders, but – surprise! – they are already insiders in God’s economy. They are not “them”; they are “us”. She asked us to reflect on this lesson as we live our own lives.
We prayed for our friends, family, neighbors, and the world. We sang “Today We Are Called to Be Disciples”, and we enjoyed Rev. Bob White’s Benediction where we held hands and blessed one another.
Tom played a flowing and uplifting version of “How Can I Keep from Singing” that washed over all of us and put us in a happy mood for conversation in the Social Hall. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Amy Dul had arranged for 20 seats at the Depot Theater for Nunsense this afternoon. (It was fabulous and so much fun. Thanks, Amy!)
- Carolyn Llewellyn reminded folks that Tuesday is the election for Haldane School Board. If you pay taxes in Cold Spring, please get out and vote! She thanked the Sunday School teachers this year and said that June 2 will be Teacher Appreciation Day for both the Sunday School and Nursery School teachers. The following Sunday, June 9, will be Confirmation Sunday for those young adults who have completed their confirmation classes and choose to be confirmed.
- The Habitat Day has changed from May 25 to Saturday, June 1. Please sign up on the list in the Social Hall.
- The May Book Club discussion will be held on Tuesday, 28 May 2019, at Lynnette Rajala’s, 171 Hustis Road, Cold Spring. Lynnette has also graciously offered to lead the discussion of the May book, Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover.
- Andy Reid mentioned that Glynwood has again offered 8 heavily discounted shares of produce for the Philipstown Food Pantry. Andy said the fresh produce is so appreciated by the Food Pantry customers and goes quickly. We need donors to give money to buy the $100 shares (you can give any amount and Andy will consolidate the funds). We also need volunteers to pick up the produce on Saturday mornings at Glynwood (pickup at 7:45 am). I hear that Glynwood is beautiful at this hour!!
- The Food Pantry also needs soup, but no tomato soup!!
- Coming Soon – Rose Champlin’s birthday! We’d like to deliver many good wishes to her for her birthday on June 22. Bring in your signed birthday cards – we’ll have a basket at the church to collect them. The cards will be delivered to Rose on June 22nd. We’ll have cards here for you to sign if you forget to bring your own.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday May 12, 2019
Friends,
The Church of the Open Door gathered on a rainy Mother's Day, with a welcome by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler including a quote from Mark Twain: "My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it". The pastor called for announcements (see below) and led the congregation in the call to worship and the opening prayer.
Worship Leader Sandy Larivee guided the prayer of confession, assured us of Grace, led the Passing of the Peace and the unison reading of Psalm 23. Tom and the choir presented an arrangement of an old gospel hymn, "Pass Me Not" as the anthem.
The youth sermon was presented to two of the confirmands. Elaine and Hannah walked up to the cross and were reminded that they are 'walking crosses', standing up straight, they are connected to God and reaching out their arms they are in relationship with others. Elaine and Hannah received the morning offering as Tom played "Ave Maria".
Pastor Doris read the gospel passage from John 10:22-30, and added a verse from Romans 16:13 (greeting the mother of Rufus, a mother to me also). She preached about mothers being a shepherdess; exposing children to Christ, teaching them to be still...rhrough it all, in mothering the highest calling is to love. We all need to be loved and to know that God loves us just as we are.
The prayers of the people offered times for sharing, first of gratitude for those who have mothered us, and prayers of healing and comfort.
We closed in song "God Bless Your Church With Strength"; joined hands in a circle for the benediction, and listened as Tom offered for the postlude "Everything's Alright" from Jesus Christ Superstar.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* The monthly church lunch outing is this Tuesday May 14 at the Depot Restaurant at 12:30. All are welcome to join!
* There will be a Jazz Vesper on Saturday May 18 at 5:30 pm which promises to be "Unforgettable", a tribute to Nat King Cole with vocalist Marty Elkins and other musical guests led by our own incomparable Tom McCoy! Wine & cheese reception to follow.
*There is an outing to the Depot Theatre to see "Nunsense" on Sunday May 19 at 3 pm. Check with Bev Taylor for ticket availability.
*The next Habitat workday is May 25. Signup sheet available.
*Habitat events coming up: "Hudson Valley Gives" day this Wed 5/15. First $5,000 to Habitat will be matched.
Chris O'Leary Band fundraiser for Habitat at Billy Joe's Ribworks Sat 5/18 from 12-4 pm. Also presbybuild talent show at Montgomery Presbyterian Church: desserts at 2, concert at 3pm, also this Saturday. Please designate any Habitat donations to Presbybuild and also note FPCP Cold Spring.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, May 5, 2019...
Friends,
As "The Church of the Open Door" gathered, on the morning after the Midnight Run, there were expressions of gratitude to all who participated, in some way, to this successful mission outreach experience, noting that truly, "It Takes A Village"!
There were words of welcome from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below), and singing of "Happy Birthday" to Diana Geller (today!),and Greg Smith and Jean Llewellyn this coming week. Other musical welcomes included Tom's prelude of "Christ is Alive" and the choir's Introit, a verse of the Easter hymn "Celebrate with Joy and Singing". Pastor Doris led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, followed by the hymn of praise "Blessing and Honor".
Worship Leader Mona Smith guided the congregation in the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing the Peace, and responsive reading of Psalm 30. Tom and the choir shared an arrangement of "Softly and Tenderly" as the anthem. For the Youth Sermon, Doris and the children shared their first names, and then added "Child of God", observing that we are all in one large family, the family of God. With the words "Do good and share what you have", the children collected quarters for the goat bank, Carolyn and Susan received the morning offering and Tom played "I Sing the Mighty Power of God".
The Gospel reading was from John 21:1-19, where Jesus teaches "If you love me, feed my sheep". In the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler shared a story, and a caution that "sometimes we get too comfortable with what we know, and in arrogance, rush to judgement". She spoke of how, in the reading, Jesus asked Peter 3 times "Do you love me?" (mirroring the 3 times Peter had denied Jesus), and in Peter, Jesus was looking for a spiritual leader. Jesus offered Peter a chance for humility. We should hold what we believe 'loosely', and prepare to be surprised and offered a correction every now and then.
As we prepared to receive communion, Doris spoke about the "Eucharist on the Street" during the midnight run, saying that the eucharist is not bound to be in this space all the time: "This bread and cup is alive with the spirit of God. Do we ever really deserve this meal? Probably not. But God gives it anyway. That is grace". As we received the meal, Tom played a selection from the Taize community, "Confitemini Domino, or Come and Fill our Hearts with your Peace".
Those gathered joined in a circle for the benediction, and Tom closed with a postlude in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, a beautiful tune from the film "Schindler's List", with a little bit of 'What Does the Lord Require of You' interspersed, reflecting back to the refrain of our final hymn: "We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God".
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Bev Taylor is coordinating an outing to the Depot Theatre to see "Nunsense" on May 19 at 3 pm. Signup to share in our group tickets.
- There are some openings for Sunday School teachers for the remaining weeks (and thanks to Sally Smith for teaching today)
- Our May/June newsletter is out (and attached) Thanks to Mona Smith for the work she does on this!
- Preliminary figures from the Habitat Walk for Housing last Sunday in Newburgh: The walk raised more than $54,000 for Habitat, and of that close to $9,000 was designated for Presbybuild! Thanks to our small but dedicated team of Karen Tangen, Susan Jordan, Lynnette Rajala, and Lynn Brown, who braved the rain, and to all who supported our team!
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, April 28, 2019
Friends,
Before church, the Adult Study group met to continue discussion of Brian McLaren's "We Make The Road By Walking", and after church, our representative team ventured over to Newburgh to participate in the annual Habitat for Humanity "Walk for Housing" There seems to be a theme for the day!
As the worship hour began, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler warmly welcomed those gathered on this Second Sunday of Easter, called for announcements (see below) and led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Worship Leader Barry Llewellyn guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, and Passing the Peace. Barry read from Revelation 1: 4-8 and led the responsive reading of Acts 5:27-32. Tom and the choir presented the Introit "Celebrate with Joy and Singing" and the anthem 'Good Christians All, Rejoice and Sing".
For the Youth Sermon, Rev. Doris shared a print of "Jesus Laughing" with the children, saying that she believes we are 'called to laugh', and shared words of scripture from Proverbs " A cheerful heart is good medicine" and Psalms "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it". She told those gathered that God has a great sense of humor, so join in laughter - it's good for you and for all who share it! While the children collected quarters for the goat bank, and Andrea and Wally received the offering, Tom improvised on "Come Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain".
The Gospel reading of John 20:19-31, the story of Jesus post-resurrection appearance to the disciples and of Thomas' doubts, preceded the sermon, which began with teaching the congregation a verse to say: "Ho-ho-ho-ho-sanna, Ha-ha-ha-leluia, He-he-he-he loves us; We've got the joy of the Lord". This became the congregation's response several times during the sermon, when a humorous story or joke was told. Rev. Dr. Chandler focused on the tradition of Easter Monday, which evolved into "Bright Sunday" or "Holy Humor Sunday" the week following Easter - a time to party! "Everybody's path to the party is not the same" referenced Thomas, who finally did come around to his own party moment. And what about us? Where's our party moment? Has it happened? Can it happen over and over again? There were many funny stories and some church bulletin bloopers shared, with the conclusion that God got the last laugh when Jesus rose. As Gregory of Nyssa said, "When Jesus made the journey from death to life, we received once and for all the news that death does not have the last word". Concluding with some words of Mary Oliver, "I dressed in black and my heart sang" May we never let things get so black that our hearts can't sing! Amen.
With prayers and song, a benediction and postlude, we went out into the day.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The postal carriers annual food drive is on Saturday, May 11. Assistance will be needed in the afternoon to unpack the food delivery for the food pantry.
- The Putnam County Wine & Food Fest this year is in August at mayor's park in Cold Spring, and the Food Pantry will receive 45% of the ticket price if the promo code is used when ordering tickets on line. "PTFP2019"
- We shared birthday wishes for Pat Guest, Carolyn Llewellyn, Janet Barton, and Bruce Geller this week.
- The Midnight Run is this Saturday May 4. Donations may be dropped off in the back pews of the sanctuary during the week.
- The Community Nursery School is having a celebration of its 50th year this Thursday, May 2, from 7:00-8:30 pm. All are welcome to attend.
- Save the Date! We have a block of tickets for "Nunsense" at the Depot Theatre on the afternoon of May 19.
Church Notes 4/14/2019
A beautiful day, but the best news of all was that Rev. Dr. Chandler was back from her lengthy recuperation following her car accident in early January. She thanked us for the cards, emails, and prayers sent her way, saying that the good energy helped in her healing. She noted the loving care received from her wife and son. Lastly, she tearfully thanked the pastors who filled the pulpit during her absence – Revs. Rachel Thompson, David Harkness, Martha-Louise Harkness, and Joe Gilmore. The congregation applauded Rev. Dr. Chandler’s return and the wonderful pastors who so willingly served in her stead.
Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship with a “Hosanna in the Highest!”, it being Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. In the Opening Prayer we were drawn back “to Jerusalem, to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ…”. Rev. Dr. Chandler read from Luke 19:28-40, where Jesus directs his disciples to untie a colt and bring it to him. The disciples place their cloaks on the colt and Jesus rides into Jerusalem as crowds of disciples pave the way with their cloaks, shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Andy Larivee, this Sunday’s Worship Leader, led the Prayer of Confession, acknowledging that “we like religion that makes us feel good”, but Jesus comes “proclaiming humble obedience as a virtue…challenging the rich…the powerful…to change their ways…” And yet, “We don’t want rejection or a cross…” Following the Assurance of Grace and Passing of the Peace, the choir sang a spirited “Hosanna, Hosanna, We Sing”.
Andy read Isaiah 50:4-9, an Old Testament passage, but one appropriate for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem: “Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other. Who is my accuser? Let him confront me!” We also read Psalm 31:9-16 responsively. Then it was time for the Easter Pageant!
The children performed the entire Easter story, from the last supper with Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, to the crucifixion, to the Marys finding the tomb empty, to Jesus’ revealing himself to his disciples. The congregation joined in with the Lord’s Prayer, and hymns “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” and “They’ll Know We Are Christians by our Love”. For young actors, it was a highly professional job, especially given a couple of last-minute cast changes due to illness. Congratulations and thanks to: James Llewellyn, Elaine Llewellyn, Allegra Clementson. Eli Barton, Marcello Clementson, Sarah Emig, Silas Emig, Aya Hull, Athena Portman, Evangeline Schick, Kayla Tangen, Ethan Taylor, Natalie Taylor, Sophia Taylor, Audrey Silverstein, River Silvertein, Matthew Portman, Hannah Bissinger, Jack Gordineer, Maggie Gordineer, Roy Smith, costume designer - Rachel Emig, and the directors – Janet Barton and Carolyn Llewellyn.
Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in the Eucharist, saying that the table was not just for Presbyterians; it was for all. And everyone, including the children, filed forward to take Communion by intinction. We enjoyed a crowded hand-holding Benediction given by our much-missed pastor. Then Tom played Chopin’s Polonaise in A Major, a piece apropos of heralding a king’s arrival into a city.
We went into the Social Hall and enjoyed a very sociable and celebratory pizza and salad lunch, with special desserts. Thanks to all who helped, and especially Bev Taylor.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Maundy Thursday Service is this coming Thursday, April 18 at 7 pm. This is a special service. Please come.
- A Good Friday service on April 19 will be at St. Mary’s of the Highlands at 12 PM with a reception following, including “hot cross buns”. Rev. Dr. Chandler will be participating in this service.
- Next week’s glorious Easter Service, April 21, is at 10:30 am, featuring strings, woodwinds, bass, drums and piano, plus the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Please come early. This service is always full. Oh, and don’t forget the Easter Egg hunt right after the service!
- On May 4, we are having our next Midnight Run, where we visit the homeless in NYC. The signup sheets for donations of food and clothing are in the Social Hall. Andy Larivee says men’s jeans, coats, and sweaters are still needed, but give what you can. A number of this year’s Confirmation Class are going on this Run, so no more spaces are open. Nevertheless, we always need volunteers to prepare the lunches and sort the clothes. Please come on Saturday, May 4, from 1-3pm to help.
- Our next Habitat day is Saturday, May 25. Please signup in the Social Hall to volunteer in building the next PresbyBuild house in Newburgh.
- Carolyn Llewellyn and Janet Barton, the directors of this year’s Easter Pageant, which took place today, thanked all the children and their parents for their participation and hard work!!
Church Notes 3/31/2019
Susan Jordan was in the pulpit this morning welcoming us and remarking that the daffodils were in bloom behind the church, so it must be Spring! She called for announcements (listed below). After the choir’s Introit, she led the Call to Worship, “We know that in Christ we have new life…” and the Opening Prayer, asking God to “[R]eceive in your loving embrace all who come home to you. Seat them at your bountiful table of grace…”.
Ralph Cottier was our Worship Leader today opening up the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace --“God forgives us before we even know we have done wrong”, and the Passing of the Peace. Then, the choir sang John Lennon’s “Imagine”, but not until Tom first noted that Lennon had asked his listeners to imagine a world without religion (see lyrics below). Following the Anthem, choir member Kate Dayton weighed on why she felt Lennon had included that line. Later, prior to her delivering the sermon, Susan Jordan also offered her sentiments on Lennon’s meaning. So, who says we don’t have impromptu dialogue during our services!
Ralph led us for the responsive scripture reading of Psalm 32, “Blessed is one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” Susan next read the Scripture Lesson of Luke 15:1-3 and 11b-32, the parable of the Prodigal Son. In this story, the younger of two sons asks his father for his inheritance and then goes far away from his home and squanders his share in reckless living. He falls on hard times and is starving, and finally decides to go home, saying “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” The father rejoices that his son has come home and holds a lavish celebration. The older son, however, is resentful as he did not run off, but instead worked hard with his father, and yet no celebration has ever been held for him. The father tries to explain his reasoning, yet Susan’s sermon started elsewhere.
She firsts asks us if we have ever been rebellious and selfish? That is one entry into this story. Have we ever been resentful of others or happy that someone who was lost has finally seen the light? The parable allows us to see the three characters in the story as ourselves, perhaps at different times in our lives or in different situations. All of us are lost in some way at some times in our lives. And don’t we want to be found, to be welcomed home? Susan illustrated her points with some real-life examples, including the story of John Newton, the author of the hymn “Amazing Grace”, who was a former slave trader. Circumstances led him to change from his early days as a licentious libertine in the British navy to his religious conversion and taking up the abolitionist cause.
Susan also spoke of the now well-publicized story of the Rwandan woman who managed to forgive the man who murdered her husband and children during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. How can someone do this? How can such reconciliation take place? Jesus gives us this Prodigal Son parable, as well as others, to show God’s love for all of us, whatever stage we are in our learning curve. What do WE do to bring others to our table of grace and to share what has been given to us with those who have lost their way? Susan affirmed that there is always room at the table.
Susan and Lynn served communion today, followed by prayers for the people. After singing our last hymn, which happened to be “Amazing Grace”, we joined together in the aisle for the Benediction.
Next, Tom stood to relate a story about a conversation with Renee Cruikshank some years ago, where she declared her love of Igor Stravinsky’s music. Tom explained to the congregation that he had been practicing a piece since that conversation to play for her. Now, as she is intent on moving to Seattle in a number of weeks, he felt the time had come. While Annie turned the pages, Tom lit into the Third Movement of “Petrushka” (the Russian Version of Mardi Gras, he said), and he likely lost 5 pounds in the playing, it is such a spirited piece. In any case, Renee, as well as the rest of us, were enthralled and fortunate to be present for this moment.
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace, you
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world, you
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Songwriters: John Winston Lennon
Imagine lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Easter Pageant rehearsals are continuing for the next couple of weeks with the children. Make sure not to miss Palm Sunday April 14, when our Sunday School, assisted by some of the confirmation class participants and led by Janet Barton and Carolyn Llewellyn, will present the pageant. And afterwards we get to enjoy a pizza and salad lunch! Mark your calendars for "Palms and Pizza"!
- Rose Champlin is at home in hospice care and with 24/7 caregivers. Several of us have visited her this past week and she seems to appreciate the stimulation. So, do visit. She also appreciates the cards she’s been sent.
- Newburgh’s 20th Annual Walk for Housing takes place on April 28th from 12:30-3:30 pm. The walk raises money for Habitat and often walkers can go inside some of the houses that were built. A sign-up sheet is in the Social Hall. Other information can be found at http://www.hudsonriver.com/events/orange-county/newburgh/20th-annual-walk-housing-newburgh
- There is also a signup sheet posted for our next Habitat group workday on Saturday, May 25.
- Again, we thank to our church friend and neighbor, Frank Saliani, who will assist with the Inspiration Garden this season, along with some help from the Girl Scouts.
- Carolyn says that we should be able to see the baby sheep and goats at Glynwood on Mother’s Day. Stay tuned!
- The order slips for Easter tulips ($8) and miniature daffodils ($5) appeared today as bulletin inserts.
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Friends,
On this Third Sunday of Lent, the First Sunday in Spring, we were welcomed by guest preacher Rev. Joe Gilmore, saying that this is "a room where we remember that time and eternity are two sides of one reality, lived in the presence of God..." In the temporal world of the Church of the Open Door, there were many announcements shared (see below) and the birthday of Annie Becker was celebrated with song! Joe shared a quote of Vincent Persichetti "music takes us to places we've never been". So Tom and the choir shared their introit, another verse of "My Song Is Love Unknown". We shared in the call to worship and opening prayer, and the singing of "The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll not Want".
Worship Leader Cathy Carnevale came to the pulpit and led us in reading together the bulletin cover message, a poem of Joe GIlmore's:
Come then. Put down every heavy thing. Rest awhile. Take deep breaths; the trees which have made the air would want you to go and this is a way-station. We have this hour in which we take off our boots sit by a fire tended by many generations. Here we can tell stories of these days of ours along the way we are going. We can consider the weather, and reorient ourselves toward the horizon we started for. Together we can pray for safe lodging this night, and a holy rest - and peace at the last. At last. Let grace gather us and draw us to it, as many flames in a mother fire.
Cathy led us in the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, singing "Breathe on me, Breath of God", passing the peace, and she read from Matthew 6, verses 19-21. Tom and the choir shared the beautiful and familiar "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" of J.S. Bach, who was born 334 years ago this week. Annie and Susan received the offering as Tom played "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God". Joe received the offering with the words: " So imagine our surprise that, when having given, we are the richer."Amen.
Joe read from Matthew 16, and Philip Appleman's "O Karma Dharma", and then began the sermon with a story about when, having officiated a wedding ceremony, some appreciative attendees told him that he would make a good Unitarian minister! It struck Joe that these people had no idea how enormously important the life of Jesus is to him, and shared his "quest, which may not and need not be yours, [and he asked] attention, not necessarily agreement." Joe examined various events in the life of Jesus: his birth - the incarnation; Good Friday - the crucifixion; Easter - the resurrection; his Baptism; his temptation in the wilderness; the transfiguration. In each instance Joe removed the word "the". In so doing, incarnation is about God embodied in the world, in us; crucifixion, in the larger sense, becomes the spear of wealth, power and violence; the shadow side of the human heart; resurrection becomes a bigger and farther reaching mystery of God; Baptism is a moment when each of us feels that we belong, that we are beloved, each of us has a vocation, a calling to become our deepest, most noble selves, temptation is our temptation; transfiguration is a shining moment in any human life. The story of Jesus is OUR story. And Joe closed with: "I want to know about US and transfiguration, incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, baptism, and temptation. Take away the "the" and give me the thing itself. I want God in my life, not the idea of God". Amen.
We sang "Let us Break Bread Together" and as parish associate Rev. Rachel Thompson joined Joe in serving Communion, he continued his quest, inviting us to share. "Come to the table, to follow Jesus of Nazareth, to whisper on your own: here is my body and blood for you, God...You are God, I am grateful, I will live the best I can so that there is hope for all of us".
Prayers were shared, the hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth" was sung, we joined hands and Joe gave the bendiction: "May we be nourished, where we may be famished; quieted, where we may be frantic; hopeful, where we may be stuck; found, where we may be lost. May we sing the song that is in each of us to be sung". Amen. Tom's postlude was a rousing Gershwin "I Got Plenty O' Nothin'" from Porgy and Bess, with a little insert of " 'f I were King" from The Wizard of Oz!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- News from Habitat/Presbybuild includes the Walk for Housing on Sunday April 28 - please join our team!; the Beautiful Day bus tour of Habitat homes in Newburgh this Saturday, March 30, hosted by our friend Deke Spierling - make a reservation with Meghan Whalen,mwhalen@habitatnewburgh.org. Signup sheet is posted for our next group workday on Saturday, May 25.
- The Philipstown Food Pantry certification has been renewed for 2 years, based on a recent site visit. Also, the Food Pantry is the recipient of 45% of the ticket price for the Putnam County Wine & Food event at mayor's park in Cold Spring in August, when tickets are purchased using the code PTFP2019. More to come.
- Thanks to our friend and neighbor, Frank Saliani, whom Carolyn reports will assist with the Inspiration Garden this season!
- Don't miss Palm Sunday April 14, when our Sunday School, assisted by some of the confirmation class participants and led by Janet Barton and Carolyn Llewellyn, will present the pageant. And Bev Taylor suggests that we all stay after for a pizza and salad lunch! Mark your calendars for "Palms and Pizza"!
- Mona Smith updated the situation on her home county in Nebraska, devastated by the recent flooding, and will keep us posted on our facebook and website www.presbychurchcoldspring.org on how we can assist.
- Lynn Brown was thanked for stepping in to teach the first few confirmation classes in Doris' absence, and she expressed gratitude for the wonderful, thoughtful young people in the class: Amanda, Elaine, Hannah, Jack, Kate, Lilliana, Maggie, and Roy!
- The beautiful flowers were in honor of Sandy Barton's 70th birthday this coming week, and they were shared with Rose Champlin, who is home on hospice care. Please remember her in your prayers.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, March 10, 2019
Winter is a wonderful reminder that we are not in charge, as much as we like to think we are! While the overnight snowfall caused cancellation of our 9am Adult Study Class, those gathered at 'The Church of The Open Door' were warmly welcomed to worship by Parish Associate, The Rev. Rachel Thompson, on this first Sunday of Lent.
Announcements were shared (see below), Tom and the choir shared their introit, and the Call to Worship was from "For The Traveler" by John O'Donohue: "When you travel, a new silence goes with you, and if you listen, you will hear what your heart would love to say". We shared the opening hymn from the Taize community in France, "Confitemini Domino" or "Come and Fill our Hearts". Bev Taylor led the Prayer of Confession, a further request for God to fill our hearts with peace, "...even though we don't always follow the right path; we feel we have let you, others, or ourselves down, and even if we feel unworthy...or too worthy".We were assured of God's grace, and we passed the peace. Tom and the choir shared "Wade in the Water" as the anthem, and we read together Psalm 90:1-6.
As the youth sermon, Lynn Brown shared a 'ladybug labyrinth' with Kayla, Sophia, Natalie, and Ethan, and the congregation listened in, preparing for the labyrinth walk which was to follow the service. The children collected quarters for the goat bank as the offering was received by Annie and Sophia, and the youngsters left for their Sunday School time, with teacher Sally Smith and Amelia Anastasi.
The Scripture Lesson was a verse found in Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospels, which we read together: "Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my words shall never pass away." And it was followed by Rachel's sermon "This Too Shall Pass". This very familiar phrase is not only in the gospels, but dates back to medieval Persian Sufi priests, and was used in a speech by Abraham Lincoln in 1859, when he characterized it as "appropriate in all times and situations; how much it expresses, how consoling..." Rachel spoke about the only constant in our lives being change, "from zygote to corpse and every moment in between!" In times of being stuck, bored, immersed in tragedy, even in good times..this too shall pass. We examined the question: What does endure? Mountains? Rachel shared the story of the "Old Man Mountain" in New Hampshire, how it became their state symbol in 1945 and was depicted on the NH state quarter, but in 2003, the granite outcroppings of the "Old Man" crumbled...this, too, shall pass.
The symbolism of us being always on a journey is particularly applicable to the season of Lent, a journey with a beginning and a reliable end; and surely we can do a new spiritual practice for just 6 weeks! Lent is a great time for a labyrinth walk, too, a "this, too, shall pass, walk" because in a labyrinth walk,the 'You' that exits is not the you that entered the labyrinth. You may consider it a journey to God, with God being in the center - and what's in there, well, that's between you and God. The bottom line is that what truly endures is God, the mysterious and unlimited power of creation in the universe..ashes to ashes, dust to dust... and why is this good news? Because Jesus told us we are in God, and God is in us; we are made of God's breath and stardust! And Paul wrote, "I am convinced...that...nothing can separate us from the love of God". How does this help us? We need to remind ourselves, every minute of our lives, that "this, too, shall pass" and to appreciate the love in our lives now. And perhaps the verse might be amended to read, " Heaven and earth shall pass away but God, and you, in God, shall never pass away".
We prayed, we celebrated communion as Tom played, "Let Us Break Bread Together"; we joined hands for a labyrinth preparation and benediction: "With each step along the path, may you relax and be renewed with the life force energy of the earth...As you reach the center, may you be silent long enough to hear the guiding voice of your soul...As you walk the path out, may you breathe in the breath of God and keep it with you always as you walk the path of life". Tom played "Our Love is Here to Stay" as the postlude ("In time, the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, they're only made of clay, but... our love is here to stay".) We walked the labyrinth and proceeded into a new week, filled and grateful.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Don't miss this Saturday, March 16, Jazz Vesper at 5:30 pm!
- This Tuesday, March 12, all are invited to meet at the Depot for our monthly lunch out at 12:30 pm
- The Book Group meets this Tuesday, March 12 at Lynn Brown's home at 7 pm to discuss "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande
- Keep Rose Champlin and family in your prayers as she returns home this week.
Church Notes 3/3/2019
On this sunny and mild day, we filed into the sanctuary slowly to Tom’s Prelude. Reverend David Harkness opened the service with an anecdote. He told of the preacher who began a service with “The Lord be with you”, but he received no immediate response. He fiddled with the microphone, saying “There’s something wrong with the microphone”, to which the congregation replied “And also with you.” We laughed as Rev. Harkness called for announcements. There were many (please see below).
Rev. Harkness called us to worship with Psalm 29:7-9 and an Opening Prayer asking God to “set before us the freedom and trust that are in Christ.” The Prayer of Confession was led by Greg Smith, our Worship Leader for the day, who assured us of God’s Grace – “God’s mercy is wide and God’s extravagant love abounds.” We Passed the Peace, and the choir honored us with the spirit of a J.S. Bach piece “At God’s Right Hand He Doth Stand.”
The first scripture reading Exodus 34:29-35 was the story of Moses descending from the mountain: “29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” The second reading was Psalm 99, exhorting people to worship God: “5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.” Following the readings, the children came to the front for the Youth Sermon.
Rev. Harkness asked how many had seen and been inside the Statue of Liberty. That question was a bit of a dry hole as none of the kids had been in the statue. But, boy, did they know a lot about Lady Liberty from TV, pictures and school. In fact, they had so much to say that they barely allowed Rev. Harkness proceed with his lesson. His point was that even though the sculptors of the statue had never envisioned airplanes or helicopters being above Ms. Liberty’s head, they still sculpted it with the same detail and care as the rest of the statue. He said “little things matter.” He told a story about his mother having 6 grandchildren and deciding to send each $3.00 a week with a short note, so that she could be part of their lives, as they did not live nearby. It was something small, but important. And one of the grandkids, when grown, explained that he had kept every one of her letters; they meant so much to him.
Luke 9:28-36, “The Transfiguration” -- where Jesus took Peter, John and James to pray and Jesus’ face and clothes shone with a bright light -- formed the basis for the adult sermon. In this passage, Moses and Elijah also appear in glorious splendor and talk with Jesus about his soon to be fulfillment at Jerusalem. God speaks from a cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
Rev. Harkness explained that in this week before Lent, we explore this Biblical passage where Jesus is revealed as a Divine Presence to some of his disciples. Given the Exodus passage read earlier in the service and this one from Luke, we can see the merging of the Old Testament with the New Testament in God’s glory transfiguring both Moses and Christ. The glory of Christ comes to us in just a few, but clearly important, moments of the Bible. Such passages are small in number and words and are not explained. God’s mystery, the mystery of Christ, and of the events are preserved. In the reading, we, as did the disciples, simply witness the events; we do not understand what is happening. Nevertheless, the human and divine natures of Jesus, God’s church, and human, as God’s creations are highlighted in the glory passages. Rev. Harkness clarified that the “glory” of the church may be silent much of the time but is always there. The glory moments may be revealed infrequently and in small ways, yet the Lord is always in us and in this place. Amen.
We celebrated the Eucharist, with Rev. Harkness sharing the thought that the Christian Eucharist deepens the mystery of our faith and plunges us down into the depths of love. It also sends us out to be the body of Christ in the world.
Following our all-hands Benediction, Tom McCoy played a beautiful and comforting composition, entitled “A Float in the Heart of God”. And the composer? Tom McCoy!!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Gareth gave an update on our pastor’s recuperation. Rev. Dr. Chandler began physical therapy 10 days ago and is receiving it 3X/week. She is hopeful that she will be coming back to us the second week of April, and we are, too!
- This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, and we will be having a Soup and Bread Supper (6:30 pm) before the service at 7:00 PM. This is a joyous tradition in our church for the beginning of Lent. Please come. We have York Peppermint Patties for dessert.
- The Food Pantry is in need of hot beverages. Please consider donating coffee, cocoa, or tea.
- It is Girl Scout cookie time, again. Elaine Llewellyn is taking orders today after the service.
- Next week is the first Sunday of Lent. Rev. Rachel Thompson is preaching. We will have the Labyrinth walk available after the service in the Social Hall for those who wish to participate. Because the Labyrinth walk is a meditative experience, the post-service refreshments will take place in the Sunday School room. Please observe silence in the Social Hall after the service.
- Rose Champlin is in the hospital (Mid-Hudson Regional Medical Center in Poughkeepsie) and resting much of the time. Rev. Rachel read the email sent by Rose’s daughter, Dale, thanking all that have sent cards and visited Rose. Our prayers are with Rose and her family.
- Our Habitat Day is next Saturday, March 9, and not many people have signed up this time. The signup sheet is in the Social Hall. Please help out.
- Next week is also the beginning of Daylight Savings Time. Do not forget to “Spring Forward” Saturday night or you’ll be late for church.
- The good news is that both Janet Barton and Carolyn Llewellyn are taking charge of the Easter Pageant, set to take place on Palm Sunday. Rehearsals begin 2 weeks from today, so please get your children who are budding actors (whether they know it or not), musicians, handy with props and scenery to join in. They do not need to be affiliated with our church to participate. There will be 4 weeks of rehearsals taking place on Sundays at the same time as the church service.
- Happy Birthday this coming Friday (March 8) for Renee Cruickshank! We sang and cheered for likely the last birthday to celebrate with her before she heads off to her new home in Seattle.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday February 24, 2019
Gathering for worship on this rainy morning, our spirits were lifted by the musical prelude from Tom McCoy at the piano and Carolyn Llewellyn on the cello, a lovely setting of "Amazing Grace", and yet further lifted by the words of welcome shared by guest preacher The Rev. Joe Gilmore, from John O'Donohue's Morning Offering:
"All that is eternal in me welcomes the wonder of this day, the field of brightness it creates, offering time for each thing to illuminate...May I have the courage today to live the life that I would love, to postpone my dream no longer, but do at last what I came here for, and waste my heart on fear no more".
Joe received the morning announcements (see below) and the choir again reminded us in their introit, "We Are God's People". Joe led the call to worship and opening prayer, after which we joined in singing a jazzy "Immortal Invisible, God Only Wise".
Worship Leader Diana Geller led the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, passing the peace, and a responsive reading of Isaiah 58:6-12. Tom, the choir, and Carolyn gave the lovely "Compassion Hymn" as the anthem, beginning with "There is an everlasting kindness lavished on us..."
Carolyn gave the youth sermon, reinforcing the Sunday School lesson in which the children are learning and memorizing The Lord's Prayer, and continuing from Rev. Martha Harkness' youth sermon last week about trees, particularly sugar maple trees which are now beginning to have the sap running. Carolyn explained that to turn the sap into maple syrup, it is boiled over and over and over and over...just as we (over and over and over) need to forgive others and will be forgiven ourselves.
At the offertory, we heard an improvisatory "Amen" on cello and piano, James and Matty collected quarters for the goat bank and Joe received the offering with the words, "What we do here is the opposite of King Midas - we turn gold into bread. No kidding"!
The Gospel reading was from Luke 18:1-5 about the persistent widow who kept returning to the court for justice, which was finally granted. The sermon, entitled "The Widow Warrior" began with words from Black Elk: "Everything the power of the world does, is done in a circle..." Joe gave a poetic interpretation of the widow's life, regarding her loss of 'the one she had loved whose life circled around her'; perhaps the circle of a grandmother's arms who taught her persistence, endurance and hope; forming a circle of friends in her youth which taught about community and trust; the circle of her own family. "Wise, wise is this widow". Joe asked the question "By whom have we been ordained in our lives with grace and hope? And, reflecting back to the Isaiah passage, "Are we not to share our bread with the hungry, offer hospitality to those who come to us as strangers, to love enemies, to stand against injustice, and are we not to have the poor WITH US always? Are we not to embody the extravagant love of God and walk in the way of Jesus?
Joe shared some words from Annie Dillard, and continued, what comes to us is a tattered and ragged gospel that comes from those no different than us. It requires prayers and hands full of grace. The way of Jesus is unfinished and waiting...it is where the bottom half of the rainbow is being built this very morning. He concluded with the words of Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer, of a biblical saying never set down: "Come unto me, for I am as full of contradictions as you!" Amen. (and applause!)
The prayers of the people were opened with the words, "All of our lives are journeys and often we come to places of jubilation, and also to cry out loud. Churches, mosques, synagogues are places where prayer is safe". We shared prayers celebrating where we live, a place of eagles, red wing blackbirds and where the sap is running! We prayed for life transitions and those in need of healing, and gratitude for music.
We prayed the Lord's Prayer as found in the New Zealand Prayer book, sang "O For A World", joined hands for the benediction and heard Tom's rendition of "The Circle of Life".
And, in closing, these words from our call to worship:
May good come to us in this new week, and with the good, the presence of God.
May love come to us also, and with love, the presence of God.
May kindness leave our hands and touch another, and with kindness, blessing.
In this very week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Rose Champlin is now in Mid-Hudson Regional Medical Center in Poughkeepsie. There was a card available to sign, to be taken to her with the flowers, following the worship service.
- The March/April newsletter deadline is upon us, and any information to be included needs to go to Mona Smith asap.
- There was thanks given for the local Daisy Troop's donations to the food pantry.
- The next Habitat workday is Saturday, March 9. Also there is a change jug to support the Presbybuild House of Habitat Newburgh every Sunday, so in addition to quarters for the goat bank, other loose change may be deposited in the Habitat jug.
- We celebrated upcoming retirements for Renee Cruikshank (March 29) and Sandy Barton - this week!
- There is still a need for a pageant director for the Sunday School presentation on Palm Sunday. Contact Carolyn Llewellyn.
- Next Sunday, March 3, we welcome the Revs. David and Martha-Louise Harkness to lead our worship and communion service.
- ASH WEDNESDAY, the beginning of Lent, is Wednesday, March 6, when we will gather at 6:30 pm for a light supper of soup and bread, and have a 7:00 pm worship service, including Taize music and imposition of ashes, led by Rev. Rachel Thompson.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, February 17, 2019
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" were welcomed by Worship Leader Lynn Brown, who called for announcements (see below), introduced our Preacher for the day, The Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness, and expressed gratitude to both Revs. Harkness, Martha-Louise and David, and to Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson, for their generosity in sharing their gifts for ministry during the time of Pastor Doris Chandler's medical leave.
Tom and the choir reminded us through the introit that "We Are God's People" and Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness guided us through the Opening Prayer, Call to Worship, and singing the opening hymn "O Day of Radiant Gladness". We shared in a time of confession, assurance of grace and passing the peace.
Rev. David Harkness came forward, as our temporary moderator of the Session, as we received Ralph Cottiers into membership, by reaffirmation of faith. Ralph has been attending and singing in the choir for a little over a year, and has contributed many hours of volunteer work as well. Welcome, Ralph!
Tom introduced the Anthem as, "the psalm that swings"! And indeed it did! Our scripture readings were from Jeremiah, Chapter 17 and responsive reading of Psalm 1. Martha-Louise gathered the young people for the youth sermon in which she referred back to the scripture about "trees that are planted by flowing water" as being healthy and happy and giving us a great deal, such as those items she produced from her brown bag - maple syrup, a seed pod, leaves, and acorns. The youth sermon concluded with a reminder to listen to God's word and be nourished, as the trees are from water. The children collected quarters for the goat bank and headed out to Sunday School, as the morning offering was received.
Rev. Martha-Louise shared a Gospel passage from Luke 6, the Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Luke's account, it speaks of Blessings and Woes. She spoke of being happy and blessed, through difficult times, reflecting on the tree mentioned earlier. Citing the work of "Happiness scholars", studies have shown that what makes people happy is more about human desire and accomplishment, than the psalmist's assertion that where we find happiness is to "delight in the law of the Lord." Rev. Harkness reflected on the foundational questions asked last week as we ordained and installed church officers, and today's questions of membership, "Who is your Lord and Savior?" Do we trust in Jesus, intend to be his disciple, to obey his word and show his love? and she candidly admitted "sometimes I do, sometimes I don't", continuing that it may be the hardest thing we ever do - intention is only the beginning! Returning to the Gospel passage, referring to being blessed, Martha-Louise shared the words of Mary McGlone, a Catholic sister of St. Joseph, who reflected: "In today's world, the blessed who weep are people who mourn over the suffering of others. They may begin with an anguished statement like 'I can't imagine the suffering of deported parents who are separated from their children...and will finally be moved to ask 'What can we do?' The blessed who weep are people who share God's concern for the poor and the hungry. When they understand that theirs are the only hands God can use to make a difference, their compassion will not let them rest until they go into action. They will feel impelled to make a difference...When others' suffering leads people to work for change...their activity buys them a place among that mysterious group of God's blessed ones whose hopes are shared by the needs of their most vulnerable brothers and sisters. Their commitment may end up making them poor, but they will experience a blessedness that is priceless."
We sang and prayed, remembering especially today Rose Champlin who is in a Rehab Facility, and our Pastor Doris recovering with family in Alabama. We joined hands in a circle for the benediction and were blessed to hear Tom's reprise of "Song for Martin" from a recent Jazz Vesper, as the postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Rev. Dr. Chandler's address in Alabama is 2631 South Lane, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
- Rose Champlin is now at her daughter Dale's home in Hyde Park. Mail which is sent to Rose at 11 Paulding Ave. Cold Spring will be forwarded there.
- Gratitude was given for those who have signed up to teach Sunday School for the remaining weeks prior to the Easter Pageant rehearsals. We are still in need of a director for the pageant.
- The next Habitat Workday is Saturday March 9. There is a sign-up sheet posted in the social hall.
- Our guest preacher next Sunday is The Rev. Joe Gilmore.
Church Notes 2/10/2019
Rev. David Harkness welcomed us today and explained that he was clearly not Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, our regular pastor, who is convalescing after a car accident. Gareth Guest was kind enough to fill us in on her progress (in Announcements below). We had other announcements, again they are below, before the Choir’s Introit of “God is Here Today” by Javier Gacías Mateo. Rev. Harkness led us in the Call to Worship, based on Psalm 92:1-4 – “It is good to give thanks to the Lord…” and the Opening Prayer. Janet Barton, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession, saying, “Show us again how to let the old self go…missing opportunities to witness, heal and inspire.” We were Assured of Grace and Passed the Peace, cut somewhat short by a reminder from the pulpit that we had a lot to cover in today’s service.
We proceeded to the Installation of Elders and Deacons, carried out by Rev. Harkness and our Clerk of Session, Lynn Brown. Our new Elders are: Andrea Bach, Sandy Barton, Barry Llewellyn, Ron Sopyla (finishing one term and starting another), and Bev Taylor. The new Deacons are Cathy Carnevale, Pat Guest, Jean Llewellyn, and Karen Tangen. In ending the ceremony, we applauded the Elders and Deacons that are stepping down and those continuing their terms of service.
The Choir sang an anthem, in the round, entitled “Alleluia”. As Tom explained, the author of the song is unknown, as is the century when it was written. We’re just glad it survived.
Janet led the first two scripture readings of Isaiah 6:1-8 and Psalm 138.
Ten children joined Reverend Harkness for the Youth Sermon, in contrast to an audience of one child last week. He said he wanted to talk to them about the “3 hardest things in life”. First was “Doing what you don’t feel like doing”, like doing your homework or chores around the house. Second was learning “not to be afraid”, and third, was “learning to forgive people” when they’ve obviously hurt you or someone else or done something horribly wrong. Rev. Harkness also listed “the 3 easiest things to do, which are: getting mad, wasting time, and spending money”. As it happened, the children did not dispute these lists, although one offered that the hardest thing for him is “trying to manage his life.” Ah, yes, many of us would agree.
Rev. Harkness read Luke 5:1-11, where Simon, tired from a night of fishing and coming home with a empty net, is asked by Jesus to set out again and let his nets down in “deep water”. He catches so many fish this time that a second boat is called in and the two of them cannot even hold his catch. As the boats begin to sink, Simon Peter says “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” and Jesus replies to him “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”
Rev. Harkness began his sermon with the notion that coincidence and Providence are interchangeable things. Sometimes we look back on a situation that seemed a fortuitous accident and say, “Oh, Lord, that was you!” We live life forward, but understand it backward. Simon Peter was not thrilled to go back to fish a second time after being out all night, but Jesus had asked him to, so he did, and it led to his discipleship. Rev. Harkness continued, saying often what the Lord gives us to do comes at inappropriate and inopportune times. We may not want to do what we are asked, and we may not see the ripeness of the moment, nor the miracles that it may produce. We may just see at the time that we are being asked to do more work…and we are. Nevertheless, don’t be afraid that you won’t be able to do the work. God thinks you can do it.
As a side note, Rev. Harkness mentioned that every time you see “follow me” in the New Testament, it means “I need your help”. In closing, Rev. Harkness challenged us to be people who have the instinct to put yourself “out there, come what may”. The greater the risk, the more the work, the greater the adventure and discovery and joy. God has given us our assignments.
In our prayers of the people, Carolyn Llewellyn told us of a friend – a wife and mother – who had just passed away. Carolyn went on, saying that same week as her friend’s death, her son, James, had come home from school singing “When the Saints Comes Marching In”. She thought that was an odd song for him to sing at the end of a school day and that thought stayed with her. Soon, the family went to her friend’s funeral and “When the Saints” was played three separate times at the funeral. It was an “oh, my” moment and Carolyn felt compelled to tell the story after hearing today’s sermon.
We joined hands in Benediction and prayed. Tom, of course, decided to play the jazziest version of “When the Saints Go Marching In” for the Postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Rev. Dr. Chandler’s recuperation is progressing. She now has a longer boot, but more healing is necessary before physical therapy can begin. She expressed her gratitude for everyone’s prayers and for those filling the pulpit while she’s convalescing. Doris’s address in Alabama is: 2631 South Lane, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
- Rose Champlin has been moved to Eleanor Nursing Care Center in Hyde Park, near her daughter Dale's home. Her address and phone are as follows: Rose Champlin, 419 North Quaker Lane, Room 120, Hyde Park, NY 12538. Phone: 845-229-9177
- The Jazz Vespers that had been snowed out was held this Saturday, February 9, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and with Rene Bailey as featured vocalist. Many attended. Ron Sopyla gave a fitting tribute to MLK, Jr. At the end, Ms. Bailey stood and turned to Tom McCoy, saying to all assembled, “I hope you all recognize what a gem of a musician you have with Tom McCoy.” The audience nodded and gave him, as well as the other musicians, much applause.
- The Book Club that had been scheduled for January 29, was cancelled due to snow and has been rescheduled for February 12, at 7 pm, at Jean Llewellyn’s house. Stay tuned, as another snowfall is now scheduled for that date and this meeting will likely be cancelled again. The new date is February 19. The book Romantic Outlaws focuses on the writer Mary Shelley and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, both avid feminists for their time in the latter part of the 18th century.
- This past Wednesday evening the Confirmation Class information meeting was held for the 7th – 12th graders and their parents. Seven young people participated and four more may also join. The actual classes will begin in March. If you know of any young people who are curious about exploring their spirituality – church or non-church members and joining the church is not necessary at the end – please contact Mona Smith or Carolyn Llewellyn.
- As always, we appreciate volunteers to teach Sunday School.
- The February 12 Lunch Bunch was announced, but is being cancelled due to the expected weather. The next Lunch Bunch will be March 12 at the Depot Restaurant at 12:30 PM.
Church Notes 2/3/2019
Rev. Rachel Thompson welcomed us in on a sunny Sunday with temperatures no longer in the single digits. For those new to the church, she explained that our regular pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, was in Alabama healing from a car accident a few weeks ago. Rev. Thompson stated that everyone is welcomed in this church, to come as you are, to a community where you are unconditionally loved. After Announcements, below, the choir sang “God is here today, as certain as the air I breathe”.
Our Call to Worship was I Corinthians 13:1-8a, a familiar passage – “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal…” The Opening Prayer continued in the same theme as we prayed, “Remind us again that you are mother, father, brother, sister – that you offer the unconditional love we most need.” Laura Reid, as Worship Leader, led us in our Prayer of Confession, and assured us of God’s grace before we passed the peace of Christ to one another.
The choir’s anthem was ethereal, with Laura Bach singing solo portions of the song. It was based on a poem written during WW2, on the wall of a cellar, by a Jew in the Cologne concentration camp. The words --
“I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining
And I believe in love,
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God,
even when God is silent.
The Responsive Scripture Reading was Psalm 71:1-6. Following the reading, the children gathered for the Youth Sermon, led by Lynn Brown. She held a TV remote in her hand and asked the children to identify the buttons on it. When they got to the Pause button, the children explained that this button made the program stop for a while. Lynn used this knowledge to consider the possibility of taking a pause every so often during the day to say a prayer, maybe a thank you to God. Pause – Breathe – Prayer – Amen. And each of the children took a pause to say a silent prayer.
We offered our gifts to God, the children gathering quarters for goats and the Capital Campaign, and having blessed all the gifts, Rev. Thompson launched into her sermon. The sermon was based on multiple scripture readings (Matthew 14:22-23a, Mark 6:46-47, Luke 5:15-16, Luke 6:12, Luke 9:28) that refer to Jesus’ going off to pray. Rev. Rachel prefaced her remarks by saying that she did not believe in an omnipotent God that controls everything we do. She couldn’t reconcile that God with the God who created the universe and thought it was good – “even wonderful, kind people get run over by a bus and cheaters prosper”, she said. She believes in a God of love who walks beside us. But if God isn’t in control, why do we pray?
Rachel broke down her thoughts on God as 1) a creator God; 2) an absolute source of the creation: God is good and God’s creation is good; 3) God’s intention/will is that life be abundant, healthy, lived to the maximum; 4) God is not controlling the creations/lives; and 5) we, as God’s creations, were designed for individual survival, that is, not for the common good. Nevertheless, God wants us not to be selfish but to look after one another and all God’s creatures – that is God’s aim for our lives, to live our lives and serve others. When we pray, we are asking to align our lives, our thinking, to God’s will – not because that is what God wants us to do, but because that is what we need. That is the purpose of prayer.
Rachel ended with a story from pastor and sociologist, Dr. Tony Campolo, about a boy with leg braces whose mother asks that the boy be healed. In the end, Dr. Campolo complies, anointing the boy and praying over him. Dr. Campolo believed he felt a presence when doing this, but the boy, of course, left as he came, unhealed. Three years later the mother comes back with her healthy-walking son. Dr. Campolo asks what happened to his legs that they were now normal? The woman said, don’t you remember, we prayed over him? The day after the prayers her son said the braces were too tight and they were loosened, and for every day after that, until his legs grew strong and the braces removed. Prayer and belief.
As this was the first Sunday of the month we were invited to the Lord’s Table for Communion and prayed our Prayers of the People. Our Benediction allowed us all to pause, take a breath, and pray with a final amen.
Tom played his unique piano rendition of Chris Tomlin’s “How Can I Keep from Singing” and most of us felt like doing just that on this sunny, mild day!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The Jazz Vespers that had been snowed out is now rescheduled for February 9, this coming Saturday. Rene Bailey is headlining and it, again, will be in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. As always, there will be a wine and cheese reception to follow.
- Bev Taylor’s daughter-in-law, Karim Taylor, was just sworn in as a naturalized U.S. citizen this past week. Big congratulations to Karim and the entire family!!
- The Book Club that had been scheduled for January 29, but was cancelled due to snow, has been rescheduled for February 12, at 7 pm, at Jean Llewellyn’s house. The book Romantic Outlaws focuses on the writer Mary Shelley and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, both avid feminists for their time in the latter part of the 18th century.
- The new Confirmation Class will begin in March, but this coming Wednesday evening is the information meeting for the parents and young people (7th – 12th grades). If you know of any young people who are curious about exploring their spirituality – church or non-church members and joining the church is not necessary at the end – please contact Mona Smith or Carolyn Llewellyn.
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Those gathered at the Church of the Open Door were welcomed by Clerk of Session Lynn Brown, who explained that there were many announcements for several reasons, and to consider the announcement time "like the family gathering at the dinner table, to check in, see what's been happening and what's coming up".
Since our last worship together, we lost our dear friend and longtime member Barbara Harrington. A gathering in celebration of her life was held on Saturday.
Our Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, is presently on medical leave following an automobile accident and is recovering with family in Alabama for 8 weeks. Lynn read a statement from the Pastor, which had been emailed late last week. She also mentioned that Doris lost her beloved dog, Pete, this past week. Her address in Alabama is 2631 South Lane Mountain Brook, AL 35223.
We are grateful for the assistance of Parish Associate Rev. Rachel Thompson, who will be covering Pastoral Care needs and some preaching in Doris' absence, and Revs. David and Martha-Louise Harkness who have also graciously offered pulpit supply during this time.
There was no worship service last week due to the ice conditions, but the Smith Family, Carolyn Llewellyn, and Janet Barton were thanked for making their way to the church to greet anyone who may have ventured out. The Jazz Vesper, also cancelled from last week due to weather, is expected to be rescheduled in Feb.
The official call for today's Annual Congregational Meeting was read by the Clerk, who then welcomed Rev. David Harkness to preside over the worship service, preach, and moderate the congregational meeting.
[More announcements below]
Tom and the choir let us know that "God is Here Today" in their Introit. Rev. Harkness led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and explained that our opening hymn text "Let Us With A Gladsome Mind" was written by John Milton at age 15!
Worship Leader Cathy Carnevale guided the Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Grace. The Passing of the Peace concluded with an impromptu tribute to Barbara Harrington by much clapping, as was Barbara's signature way of suggesting that it had been long enough! Cathy began the Old Testament scripture reading, "We don't often read from Nehemiah!..." and she led the repsonsive reading of Psalm 19.
The choir anthem was an arrangement of "Amazing Grace" set to the tune of our middle hymn "Though I May Speak".
Rev. Harkness gave the youth sermon, discussing with Silas the '3 things to do every day to be happy' as taught by Alice Palmer, a former President of Wellesley College: 1. See something beautiful every day; 2. memorize something beautiful every day, and 3. Do something beautiful every day, such as surprise someone. The children collected quarters for the goat bank as Annie and Wally received the morning offering and Tom played Haydn's "The Heavens are Telling".
The Gospel Reading, from Luke, recounted the beginning of Jesus' ministry, when he read from the scroll of Isaiah, chapter 61, in the synagogue at Nazareth. Rev. Harkness preached on this text, examining the reason for the Nazarenes' extreme reaction to Jesus' reading. It had presented the community with hard truth, too much for this crowd to bear that they wanted to be rid of him! The lesson for them, and for us today, is inthe themes of the church's mission: 1. Proclamation of the message - bring good news to the poor; 2. Social Justice - the captives and oppressed need to be made free; and 3. Compassion/Healing - recovery of sight to the blind. If we hold these all together as our mission, our assignment is having something to say; seek a just society, and bring healing and relief.
We prayed together, sang "We Are All One In Mission", joined in a circle for the benediction, had a brief Bach postlude from Tom, and proceeded into the Annual Congregational meeting.
Announcements:
- The Book Club meets this Tuesday, January 29 at Jean Llewellyn's home at 7 pm
- Thanks to Sally Smith, who stepped up to cover Sunday School today at the last minute!
- Thanks to our crew that worked on our behalf at Habitat Newburgh on Saturday: Andy L, Wally, Priscilla, Ron, Ralph, Michele and Bernadette - they really worked demo-ing a concrete floor
Church Notes 1/13/2019
Rev. Rachel Thompson greeted us from the pulpit, explaining her reason for being there. This past week Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler injured her foot and ankle in a car accident and, after a quick trip to the hospital by ambulance, is now resting with her foot up at home. Julie flew up from Birmingham and is helping her recuperate. Get better, Doris!! Incidentally, Doris’ address is 7 Creek Drive, Apt. 314, Beacon, NY 12508.
Rachel explained that we might not adhere strictly to the content of the bulletin as she would be presenting a “Golden Oldie” sermon that she previously had delivered in her former church. And with that we proceeded through the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Barry Llewellyn was our Worship Leader for the Prayer of Confession, acknowledging that sometimes “…We cling to destructive habits, hold grudges, and show reluctance to welcome one another; we allow the past to hold us hostage.” After the Assurance of Grace, we Passed the Peace exuberantly, so much so that Rev. Rachel had to call us back to our seats.
Tom announced the Choir’s Anthem – calling it a “mash up” (dictionary meaning: a mixture or fusion of disparate elements) – and said that we’d understand what he meant. What transpired was an absolutely glorious rendition of “Shall We Gather at the River”, a traditional Christian hymn originally titled "Hanson Place," written by American poet and gospel music composer Robert Lowry.
Barry followed with the First Reading, Isaiah 43:1-7, where God says “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name…” Following on this reading, the Youth Sermon began with Lynn Brown asking the children, “What do you all have in common?” Lots of answers: “We all sometimes go to church!”, “We take baths”, “school”. Lynn said we all have names, too, and asked the kids to say their names. She wondered who named them, and when they answered “parents”, Lynn exclaimed they not only named you, but have loved you your entire lives! And God loves you, too. Having been told it was okay to scream, they all screamed, “Thank you, God.”
Rachel’s sermon was launched with the reading of Luke 10:38-42 – the sometimes enigmatic story of Mary and Martha. Jesus comes to their house, and Mary stops working and sits at the foot of the rabbi, while Martha continues working thinking it’s her duty while resenting the fact that Mary gets to relax. Well, that description is part of the reason people take sides with this story. Are you a Mary or a Martha?
Rev. Thompson called Annie Becker to the pulpit to do some role playing, where Mary and Martha speak more plainly. Martha: “It’s against the law for a woman to sit at the Rabbi’s feet along with the men. Of course, I’d rather sit, too, but the men will be hungry so we should be cooking for them.” Mary: “We’re always stuck outside cooking. Jesus wants us to learn God’s teachings and is asking us, even though we are women, to sit with him. It’s okay to take a time-out and listen.”
Rachel enlightened us on other Gospel stories related to this story of Mary and Martha, including that of Lazarus, their brother, and that of the Good Samaritan. The latter was a story that Jesus used to illustrate that it doesn’t matter who you are, but what you do, as someone who loves God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and your neighbor as yourself. Rev. Thompson also set forth several take-home messages that we might learn from Mary and Martha. 1) the liberating message for women of the day and now; that women had the same right as men to learn about the love of God; 2) that all of us need to take the time from our busyness to sit with God; and 3) that we are actually called to be “whole”, balanced Christians, to take the time for work/being busy and to take the time to foster our relationship with God. Rev. Thompson said only you know what you must do to find this balance.
We prayed for those who need our prayers and rejoiced at good news. Finally, we joined hands for the Benediction where we were thankful for those around us and what we are able to do beyond the church walls. Alleluia!
Tom, knowing that Mary and Martha were to be the subject of the sermon, played the “Flower Duet” (an aria sung by two women in the opera Lakmé) as our Postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Barbara Harrington is home on hospice care and hoping to get stronger and feel better. Prayers, cards, notes and visits are welcomed and to let Barbara know that we are thinking of her.
- This coming Saturday, January 19th at 5:30 is the next Jazz Vespers. As Gareth Guest puts it “Rene Bailey’s singing will melt the snow, if any is around.” Plus, we have a new addition to the Jazz Vespers with the talented violinist Gwen Laster. So, this JV – in honor of MLK, Jr. – should not be missed!! Wine and cheese reception to follow.
- Lunch Bunch – and that includes anyone who enjoys food, an outing, and conversation –will be at the Depot Restaurant on Tuesday, January 15, 12:30 PM.
- Our next Habitat Work Day is January 26, 7 am – 1 pm in Newburgh. Sign ups are in the Social Hall. No experience necessary. Everyone gets something productive to do in building the house.
- The Annual Congregational Meeting is January 27, after the church service. New Session members and deacons are confirmed. Everyone is welcomed to come. Church members can vote.
- Offering envelopes for 2019 are available. Please contact Chris in the church office if you have not received yours. Also
the blue envelope for per capita is an annual amount collected per member to
support the presbytery, synod and Presbyterian Church USA. This year’s
per capita is $39.00 - The Food Pantry is in need of things and Shop Rite is having its Can-Can sale, so you can buy all sorts of canned/bottled products for very little. Tomato sauce, soups other than tomato, beans, etc. are always needed.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday January 6, 2019
On the first Sunday of the New Year and the celebration of Epiphany, those gathered at “The Church of the Open Door” were warmly
welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements
(see below) and led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Worship Leader Jean
Llewellyn guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance
of Grace, Passing of the Peace and scripture readings of Isaiah 60:1-6
and Psalm 72. The children gathered with the pastor for the youth sermon, looking
at the artwork on the bulletin cover, of a crown, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The children had the opportunity to smell the scent of frankincense and myrrh
in an oil, and they were asked the question “What gift will you give to Jesus
this year?” For the Offertory, Tom played a jazz version of “We 3 Kings” as the
children collected quarters for the goat bank, and the offering was received by
Annie and Susan.
The Gospel reading was from Matthew 2:1-12, the very familiar passage recounting the visit of the Magi to the Christ child.
For the sermon, the pastor explored 3 characters of the story:
The Magi,
astrologers who were sincere and persistent as they searched for the child Jesus, filled with joy as they found him, and worshiped and gave gifts;
Herod,
seriously troubled and cruel, embodying the negative connotations of “King”. This
type of king will not prosper – God always wins, and the dream lives of a ruler
who has only the best interest of humankind at heart; and
Jesus, whose name
means “God saves”, the healer, and teacher who loves deeply, is compassionate, and
challenges systems that are unjust. Today being the Epiphany, we get more light
to understand Jesus as the bringer of reconciliation and peace. What matters is
that we all came from the creator who wishes one-ness for us all. Go now and be
light in the world!
Prior to the celebration of communion, Cathy Carnevale shared the story of the new chalice, which was a gift from Joy Albrecht, former member and elder who moved to Florida in 2018. The chalice had been a special possession since the Albrecht family received it many years ago from a Japanese potter, when they lived in Tokyo and were members of the community
church there. A local potter made a plate to accompany the chalice for communion
service at the First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown. We are grateful to Joy
for this gift and pray blessings on the communion meals which will be shared
with these vessels. The congregation shared the communion served by Rev.
Dr. Chandler and Lynn Brown.
Tom played a postlude of “Lullay, Lullay” and we were sent into the day and week ahead
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· Concerns and prayer requests were mentioned for the Isler, Kniffin, and Griffin families in the community who have
experienced loss this week.
· Longtime member Barbara Harrington is home on hospice care and hoping to get stronger and feel better. Requests for
prayers, cards and notes and visits to let Barbara know that we are thinking of her.
· The January/February newsletter is attached (thanks to Mona Smith!)
· Offering envelopes for 2019 are available.
Please contact Chris in the church office if you have not received yours. Also
the blue envelope for per capita is an annual amount collected per member to
support the presbytery, synod and Presbyterian Church USA. This year’s
per capita is $39.00
· Thanks to all who donated for poinsettias to decorate for Christmas. The plants remaining are available to be taken.
Church Notes 12/30/18
December 30, 2018 was our special day to sing Christmas hymns and songs. Mitch Dul led the service, welcoming all who entered, especially visitors, and explaining to them that he was “not Doris” (Rev. Dr. Chandler). He mused it was like going to a play and finding an insert saying that another actor was subbing for the lead. Nevertheless, he did quite well as a temporary surrogate, calling for Announcements (below), explaining how the service would proceed, and leading the Call to Worship and the Opening Prayer. Then he asked for requests from the congregation for Christmas hymns, which we shouted out by number and sang two verses of each with gusto! During the entire service we had a total of four hymns-by-request interludes.
Andy Larivee, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Grace (see below). We had a lengthy Passing of the Peace as there were quite a number of folks to see, but we eventually made it back to our pews to sing another tranche of Christmas hymns, followed by “We Limit Not the Truth of God” sung to the tune of “O, Little Town of Bethlehem”.
For the Scripture readings -- with a Silent Meditation after each – we read responsively 1 Samuel 2:18-20, followed by Colossians 3:12-17. Mitch led the Gospel Reading of Luke 2:41-52 (see below), where Jesus’ mother begins to understand her son’s destiny. Mitch noted that the children had already left the sanctuary for Sunday School, but the congregation asked him to give the Children’s Sermon anyway. He reflected that, as a parent, he identified more with Jesus’s parents, in the Luke scripture reading, as Mary and Joseph were fearful for the well-being of their child, Jesus. But Jesus was evolving and was just where he was supposed to be – in his “Father’s house”. Jesus knew it, but his parents were doing their job. Parents watch over their children as they change and grow into what they will become (see below for picture of Henry and Tess Dul, along with Renee, recently back from her trip to Seattle).
We said our Prayers for the People and the Lord’s Prayer, and, of course, sang more Christmas hymns – a total of 19 hymns in all, but ending with a secular “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly”. Mitch gave an in-place Benediction, as there were too many of us to hold hands in the aisle. Tom explained and then played Domenico Scarlatti’s “Pastorale” for the Postlude. It was magnificent!
The Deacons had put out many tasty post-Christmas treats in the Social Hall and we enjoyed each other’s company.
The Assurance of Grace
Where is the god who can compare with our God?
God wipes the slate clean of our guilt.
God turns a blind eye, a deaf ear, to our past sins.
God doesn’t nurse anger and stay angry for long.
Mercy is God’s specialty.
God, sink our brokenness to the bottom of the ocean.
Compassion is on its way to us!
Friends, believe the Good News! We are forgiven!
Luke 2:41-52 New International Version (NIV)
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”[a] 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The 7 PM Christmas Eve Service was lovely -- a packed house with chairs in the aisles, and beautiful music and Christmas message.
- The Lunch Bunch, which normally meets on the second Tuesday of each month, is meeting this month on the third Tuesday, January 15, at the Depot Restaurant in Cold Spring, at 12:30 PM.
- Our next Habitat day is January 26. The sign-up sheet is in the Social Hall.
- Sunday School teachers are always needed. Sign-up sheet is in the Social Hall or see Carolyn Llewellyn.
- The January-February Newsletter will be coming out soon. Please contact Mona Smith ASAP with updates or articles of interest (monazsmith62@gmail.com).
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, December 23, 2018
Those gathered in the beautifully decorated sanctuary on the Fourth Sunday of Advent were warmly welcomed by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler. We celebrated graduations this week for the Dul Family, Henry receiving his Bachelor's degree and Tess completing her Masters'! It was also birthday week for both Mitch and Henry Dul. We were also happy to have Bruce Geller joining us following his recent hospitalization.
Announcements were shared (see below) and then the candles of the Advent wreath were lit by choir members Kate Dayton, John Lane and Ralph Cottiers, who reminded us that the candles represent Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love all given to us in the birth of Jesus. Rev. Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer: "This day God is present with us; we feel it. Surely God is preparing for us a time of joy". Tom and the choir presented an Advent candle lighting song for the introit and "Coventry Carol" as the anthem.
Worship Leader Annie Becker guided the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, responsive reading of Micah 5:2-5a, and the reading of Luke 1:39-45 where Mary visits Elizabeth.
The Youth Sermon gave the children a closer look at the advent wreath and discussion about the birth of Jesus being the ultimate gift of love from God. The young people were encouraged to look for 'love notes' from God every day, such as the sunrise, birds singing, a shiny apple; to know that "God loves you...go in peace". The children collected quarters for the goat bank as Annie Becker and Greg Smith received the offering.
The Song of Mary, or the 'Magnificat' from Luke 1:46-55 was read by the pastor followed by the sermon, which began with reference to the painting "The Visitation" by Henry Ossawa Tanner, portraying Elizabeth with hands up, in awe, In the presence of Mary. Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of the holy in the everyday moments of our lives, such as the arrival of a friend, family member or someone in need. The congregation was invited into a guided meditation, beginning in a comfortable place in your own home, and the arrival of a visitor who turns out to be you, with news of a wonderful gift that you have for the world.
Prayers were shared, of gratitude for health and healing and for safe arrivals of family members for Christmas; of blessing for the Emig family's new home; concerns for those in need of healing, for those in the Indonesian tsunami and in conclusion the Lord's Prayer was spoken together.
Following the benediction, Tom offered a jazz medley of "Lo, How A Rose" and "I Saw Three Ships" as the postlude and those gathered moved into the social hall for coffee hour.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* The Christmas Joy offering, a Presbyterian Church USA special offering, will be received for the remainder of this month.
*Those who donated Christmas poinsettias as a memorial or in honor of someone were thanked.
*Gratitude was expressed to Ana Silverlinck for directing last week's pageant. Sunday School teachers are needed for Sundays in 2019. Please sign up for a Sunday!
12/16/18
The Christmas Pageant day is eagerly anticipated every year by the children, parents, and, well, all of us. But first, we had Announcements (below) and the lighting of the Advent Candles by Sandy and Janet Barton. Lynn Brown served as the Worship Leader leading us in the Prayer of Confession, “…Heal us and make us new through the good tidings of your presence in our lives. Amen.” Rev. Dr. Chandler called us back to our pews as we had a larger crowd and much enthusiasm in the Passing of the Peace. That enthusiasm was carried over into the choir’s anthem of “God Save the People” from Godspell , with solos from John Lane and Laura Bach.
Our Scripture Readings, read by Lynn, were Zephaniah 3:14-20 -- “…The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm…” and Isaiah 12:2-6 – “…Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” In the interest of time, Rev. Dr. Chandler chose not to read the Gospel reading of Luke 3:7-18, but she gave it as homework, with the teaser that John calls the people coming to be baptized, “You brood of vipers!” (see entire passage following the Announcements below).
We offered our gifts while Tom played “Day by Day”, also from Godspell.
And now, the moment everyone had been waiting for – Belief: A Nativity Story. The children filed in as the various human, animal or angelic characters in the play. King Herod had required that everyone must go and pay taxes in Bethlehem. The donkey doesn’t want to go and Joseph is quite upset, but the VERY pregnant Mary is a calming influence throughout, even when they cannot find a room at the Herod Hotel. In this play, the animals talk, have opinions and feel free to complain. Some felt quite cold in the stable. A favorite laugh line was – “I may be a sheep, but I wasn’t born yesterday!” The children sang several songs, ending the play with “Joy to the World”. In the Pageant Program, the Director, Ana Silverlinck, said:
My awe and appreciation for our cast extends to their parents, caregivers and the community of The Church of the Open Door where sugar coating is left to the cookies and the vigorous work of spiritual, intellectual and physical nourishment has happened 365 days a year for 190 years.
In rehearsals for the play, which dealt with a not-very-nice King Herod, Ana said the children had the opportunity to talk “about the miracle of being strong, brave and open-minded in dark and cold times.” The stars of the play – the children – were: Ameliia Alayon, James Llewellyn, Sophia Taylor, Audrey Silverlinck, Ryan Duncan, Roy Smith, Ethan Taylor, Natalie Taylor, Silas Emig, Sarah Emig, River Silverlinck, Allegra Clementson, Andrew Duncan, Elaine Llewellyn, Nadine Alayon, and Aya Hull. Bravo to the children and all the adults who brought it to our stage!!
Rev. Dr. Chandler gave our Prayers to the People and Benediction. She said of life, “It’s not about me, or about you. There is something bigger…. We should not be enemies to one another. We are in this together.”
Tom ended with a rousing rendition of “Bless the Lord” from – you got it – Godspell! We entered the Social Hall along with a lot of little animals who were happy and relieved.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Bruce Geller is in the hospital with an intestinal blockage. Please keep him, Diana, Julie, and CJ in your prayers.
- Renee Cruikshank is off to Seattle tomorrow to buy a house and celebrate Christmas with her “new” family.
- Jeff Silverstein and Ana Silverlinck are looking for people who might host a child from the inner city at your home for part of the summer, as sponsored by the Fresh Air Fund. If you are interested, please contact Ana or Jeff.
- On Saturday, the 15th, Lynn Brown was part of a house dedication for Habitat Presbybuild, as she passed the keys to the new owner in Newburgh. Our next Habitat day is January 26. Signups are in the Social Hall.
- Please see the pictures of our 190th Anniversary Celebration in the current issue of the PCNR!!
- Note that the Christmas Eve Service is at 7 pm on the 24th. It was misprinted as 7:30 pm in the PCNR, but will be corrected for this coming week’s issue. THE LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE ON DECEMBER 21 IS AT 7:30 PM.
- A big thank you to Tom McCoy for a beautiful Jazz Nativity concert on the 15th with Marty Elkins and thanks also to those who contributed to the festive reception afterwards.
Luke 3:7-18 New International Version (NIV)
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
Church Notes 12/9/2018
Our church is 190 years old TODAY (!!!) and yet it began like any other Sunday with our usual Welcome and Announcements (see below). Rev. Dr. Chandler, however, soon signaled how very stellar a day this was by welcoming special guests: Deborah Milcarek, the new General Presbyter of the Hudson River Presbytery; Cathy Duke, President of the Reformed Synagogue of Poughkeepsie; Mayor Bill O’Neill of Nelsonville, and Mayor Dave Merandy of Cold Spring.
Janet Rust, plus Barry and Jean Llewelyn stepped up to light the candles for the 2nd Sunday of Advent and, after the Introit, we were Called to Worship. Diana Geller, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession, acknowledging that God calls us to be “partners with {God}, with creation, with one another” but “we prove unequal to – or worse, unmindful of – the task.” After the Assurance of Grace and an enjoyable Passing of the Peace, we launched into some 190th Anniversary Celebration Remarks.
Janet Rust, as Church Historian, pointed to the history of the church, especially the building of the sanctuary 150 years ago and the Social Hall in 1968. She spoke of the Community Nursery School that started 50 years ago when the Social Hall was completed and Rosemary Rodino, its director for 35 years. She also reminded us of the “Ribbon Project”, started by one woman in recognition of the anniversary of Hiroshima, which led to 20,000 people wrapping panels constituting a Peace ribbon around the Pentagon. Our church’s panels are hung in the Social Hall today.
Mayor O’Neill, referring to recent anti-Semitic graffiti episode, said that “We are not a community of hate. We are a community of love. We are one”, as clearly evidenced by the recent community vigil. Mayor Merandy, as a contractor himself, remarked that he was happy to be inside the sanctuary today. Looking around, he could tell that “much love went into the church’s building, symbolic of the spirit of our community.”
We next heard from Deb Milcarek, who thanked Rev. Dr. Chandler for her invitation to this event, claiming it was the probably the first request she received upon taking her new job as General Presbyter. Knowing that she was celebrating the 190 years this church has existed, she Googled what was going on back in 1828 when the church was formally organized. She discovered that Noah Webster had published the first edition of his “dictionary”; Andrew Jackson was President of the United States; and construction was beginning on the B & O Railroad. She was happy to be here on behalf of the Hudson River Presbytery. Cathy Duke, President of the Philipstown Reformed Synagogue, then came to the podium thanking Rev. Dr. Chandler for her participation in the recent vigil, as well as her invitation to be part of our anniversary celebration.
This diverse array of guest speakers demonstrated the unity of spirit in our expansive community and our good fortune in having them celebrate with us.
Rev. Dr. Chandler did not focus on the past but built upon it in her remarks. She said that the word of God comes to us as we lean into yet another decade, a future that will be underpinned by hope. God’s light will swallow up all the darkness, as God is telling us to “fear not”. The work of this church is NOT about us, but about the work that God has for us to do.
Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in saying Grace for our Anniversary Luncheon and Deborah Milcarek provided the Benediction. For our Postlude, John Cimino had reworked his composition “This House of Friendships” for the 190th Anniversary and sang this new version beautifully. The lyrics are provided for everyone’s enjoyment following the Announcements below. Thank you, John!
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The 190th Anniversary Luncheon, with food from B & L Deli, was well-attended and delicious. Susan Jordan did a superb job on the arrangements for the luncheon and decorations, so “Thank You”, Susan! We have many others to thank, as well, but particularly Janet Rust with assistance from Cathy Lim, who prepared the very extensive historical exhibit on the church’s history – so, another big “Thank You” for their work.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- We celebrated Lynn Brown and her service to the church with applause. She is an inspiration to us all.
- 30 pledges have been received totaling $110,000. Please sign your annual stewardship pledge if you haven’t yet.
- 178 candles of the 190 on the 190th Birthday Cake were bought, totaling $3500 toward the Capital Campaign and the kitchen renovations. Everyone applauded.
- We gave out bookmarks commemorating the 190th church anniversary, so please pick up one or two if you were not able to be there for the celebration.
- It was mentioned that Tom McCoy and the choir sang at the annual Cold Spring Senior Luncheon, December 6. The 80+ people who came to the luncheon each had donated canned or boxed foods for the Philipstown Food Pantry. The Food Pantry was very thankful for their contributions.
- We had a moment of silence to pray for the young actors in the Christmas Pageant which we are eagerly anticipating next week on December 16.
- Next Saturday is our Jazz Nativity, December 15 at 5:30 pm. Please bring friends and neighbors to hear Marty Elkins, our guest vocalist, and our fine array of musicians. And don’t forget our wine and cheese reception following the jazz service.
- Allie Thompson is missing a green puffy winter coat that was on our coat rack on Dec 2. If anyone knows its whereabouts please let us know. Thank you!
- Thank you from Rose Champlin for all the thoughtfulness from soup to flowers. May God bless you all - Rose
These Sunday mornings, these blessed peaceful days,
Our journeys cross the Hudson past Bear Mountain in the haze.
The little church in Cold Spring, the people gathered there,
The choir and the preacher, and the fellowships we share.
This world we live in, our nation fearing change,
A time when hope and justice feel like challenges most strange.
Yet here we are together, caring citizens and peers,
Seeking wisdom for our actions for 190 years.
The questions that we ponder, the hymns that fill the air,
The offerings and tithings, our hearts we lift in prayer.
The children and their laughter, the hands outstretched in care,
The working hands and kindness reaching out to everywhere.
This house of friendships, this church of open doors,
This place of quiet comforts in a world yet plagued by wars.
This place of peaceful yearnings, this host to mystery
Our home to understanding, and a home to you and me.
This gift we live in, the goodness everywhere
The striving and the handshakes and the hugs we love to share
The friendships and the learning, the wisdom that we seek
The blessings and reflections bring us home from week to week.
The food pantry, the garden, the Habitat repairs,
Compassion for the dying, the sick in need of care.
The Midnight Runs, the homeless, helping families in tears.
Our dream that’s been a-growin’ for 190 years.
These Sunday mornings, these blessed peaceful days,
This time we spend together learning love a thousand ways
The love that will transform us, give us courage, keep us free.
For it is love that will renew us in this home to you and me.
Yes, it’s love that will renew us in this home to you and me.
(text by John Cimino)
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown – December 2, 2018
Happy New Year! Those gathered at “The Church of the Open Door” were warmly welcomed on this first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the church year, by Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below).
The congregation was asked to keep in thoughts and prayers community residents Cat Guthrie and Joel Goss, in the tragic unexpected death of their son, Keaton, in a surfing accident this past week.
The first candle of the Advent Wreath, the candle of hope, was lit by Renee Cruikshank, and the choir’s introit echoed the spirit, “…candle, candle burning bright, fill our hearts with light”. Rev. Dr. Chandler led the Call to Worship and opening prayer, and the opening hymn, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” was sung. Worship leader Susan Jordan guided the congregation through the prayer of confession, assurance of forgiveness, and into the passing of the peace. Susan read the first scripture, from Jeremiah, and led a responsive reading of Psalm 25. Most of the young people were out rehearsing for the Christmas pageant, so Rosie was lifted to see the candle of hope on the advent wreath before she collected quarters for the goat bank.
Rev. Dr. Chandler read from the gospel of Luke 21:25-36 and began her sermon sharing a commentary of Frederick Buechner about the passage, that the ‘second coming’ is hard to comprehend, and perhaps it can be seen as a “great cosmic upheaval” of the world within us; the heart, mind and spirit of all humanity. Doris shared a story of a chance encounter with another train passenger on her way into the city, and the ensuing conversation about God, who shows up in the midst of upheaval. The message as we begin Advent was to not be afraid, let hope burn within you, and to remember that when upheaval comes, God is not far; God is close by. Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of this being one year since she arrived here, how it’s been a year of “Getting to Know You” and her task to preach well and connect well, looking forward to the next year of our journey together.
Those gathered shared in communion, with Rev. David Harkness as a co-celebrant with Rev. Chandler, who began with reading the poem “Christmas, by British poet John Betjeman, which concludes “…No love that in a family dwells, no carolling in frosty air, nor all the steeple-shaking bells can with this single truth compare – that God was [flesh] in Palestine and lives today in bread and wine.”
We shared the communion meal, while Tom played “Personet Hodie”, joined hands in a circle for the Benediction, and Tom closed with a postlude improvisation on “Getting to Know You”.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
• Join in the celebration of 190 years Loving God, Loving neighbor! Next Sunday, December 9, there will be a celebratory worship service, dedication of pledges for 2019, a festive luncheon and cake! All are most welcome to attend and participate, and please be sure to “buy” a candle for the cake (there are less than 70 candles remaining to be lit – see attached) and pledge your support of time, talents and money towards the ministry of our church, if you have not already done so (estimate of giving form attached). As of this Sunday, we are over $90,000 towards the goal of $120, 000 and have 27 of our targeted 35 pledges in hand. Help us meet the goal for the dedication! We clearly continue to be the “little church with a big heart!”.
- Opportunities to gather: Lunch at The Depot Restaurant, Tuesday, December 11 at 12:30 pm. All are welcome to join! The monthly book club dinner is meeting for dinner at Cathryn’s Restaurant on Tuesday, December 18, at 7 pm. Let Susan Jordan know if you will attend as she has the reservation.
- This weekend “Romeo and Juliet” will be performed at Haldane School Friday and Saturday at 7 pm, including some familiar faces! Tickets at the door.
- The Adult Study group meets on Sundays at 9:00 am, currently discussing the advent portions of Brian McLaren’s Book We Make the Road By Walking, for 12/9 Chapter 15. All are welcome!
- Celebrate the Spirit of Light on Saturday, December 8th at 6:00 PM at The "Connections" Room @PPC. 705 South Street, Peekskill. Free Admission and featuring the music of Cheryl in Song and Steve Avitabile
There is also a form attached to order poinsettias to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas and then take home.
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown – November 25, 2018
The Church of the Open Door gathered on the Sunday after Thanksgiving for a service of worship in observance of Christ the King Sunday, and that theme was evident from the very beginning, in Tom’s prelude, a medley of “king” music: “If I Were King”, “Camelot” and a jazzy rendition of “He is King of Kings”. It continued through the service with hymns and scriptures, the anthem “Rejoice, the Lord is King” and the youth and adult sermons.
Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler gave a warm welcome, announcements were shared (see below) and Karen Tangen gave gratitude for Babies, announcing the birth of Abby (Barton) and Chris Hedden’s son, Carter, who is Janet and Sandy’s newest grandchild! Karen also shared joy at the birth of a new grandchild for her sister.
Gareth Guest was worship leader for the day, introducing the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, passing of the peace, and reading scriptures from the Books of Daniel and Revelation.
The young people, before going off to pageant rehearsal with director Ana Silverlinck, shared a few moments with Rev. Doris, who spoke about hats people wear (fire hats, police uniform hats, crowns) and what it means that they do, finally teaching that Jesus was a kind of king who did not wear a crown; who walked around looking just like us, and who had a ‘superpower for good’, teaching us to love. The children collected quarters for the goat bank and the morning offering.
The gospel reading was from John 18, Jesus before Pilate, with Pilate asking Jesus if he is indeed a king, and asking him “what is truth?” Rev. Dr. Chandler gave a history of “Christ the King Sunday”, and then focused on the question Pilate had put to Jesus about truth. She spoke about coming into the presence of this king, who is humble, meek and so filled with love, a love to give the world and to touch the broken places. And the congregation was encouraged to ask the question “What illusions are you holding on to?” saying that standing in the truth of love peels away layers.
Rev, Dr. Chandler shared as benediction a haiku poem composed by the Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness:
Jesus manifests the redemptive work of Christ the embodiment of love.
For the postlude, good friend of the congregation John Cimino joined Tom McCoy in one of ten biblical songs composed by Antonin Dvorak, on the theme of Rejoicing with Thanksgiving!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The 190th Birthday of our Church will be observed with a special worship service on Sunday, December 9. Newly elected General Presbyter of the Hudson River Presbytery, Deborah Milcarek, will be a guest. There will be a celebratory luncheon on that day, to include a birthday cake! We offer the opportunity to “buy” candles on a birthday cake of which 43 are already lit, and 147 available! See attached birthday cake information.
- Good news from our Stewardship Team! As of 11/18 there were 19 pledges for a total of over $70,000 towards our goal of $120,000. It was noted that if everyone who pledged in 2018 renews their pledge at the same amount, we will more than meet that goal! (pledge card attached).
- The monthly Book Club meets this Tuesday, November 27, at Lynn Brown’s home lebnab@optonline.net at 7 pm and will discuss Anne Lamott’s newest book- Almost Everything: Notes on Hope
- Next Sunday, December 2, is the First Sunday of Advent, and the Sunday morning 9 am Adult Study begins with “Alive in the Adventure of Jesus” an Advent/Christmas segment of Brian McLaren’s book We Make the Road By Walking, Chapter 14. All are welcome to attend!
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Church Notes 11/18/2018
Fresh from the first snowfall of the season, we gathered at church, gave announcements (below) and sang a rousing Happy Birthday to Susan Jordan! Tom McCoy (piano) and Gareth Guest (clarinet) played “What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love” as we settled ourselves into the pews.
This week was the third and last week of our Stewardship Sundays, focusing on Faith, Hope, and Love. Today the theme of our entire service was Love – for God, for our neighbors, ourselves, and our church – reflecting God’s love for us. Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship with “Lord God we love you with all that we are.” Janet Barton, as Worship Leader, led us in the Prayer of Confession and in the Assurance of Grace, saying “Christ is always ready to take the fragments of our love and use them to make the world whole.”
After the Passing of the Peace, the first member of the Geller/Brown Stewardship Team, Lynn Brown, stood and asked us what we love. She said one of her great loves was this church, for many reasons. She showed us the Stewardship Heart filling up with pledges and the green pledge sheet. Julie Geller next took the podium, explaining that since she was young when she comes into our church she feels love and loved. Bruce Geller spoke from the aisle in his able and audible voice, opening with the fact that he has been in our seats listening to Stewardship campaigns. Citing a lyric from an old song – “Romance without finance ain’t got no chance,” Bruce said love and money have often been intertwined, but he countered that giving to the church is NOT a business transaction. It is about what the church means to you. Do you believe in having a place to go where love for God, neighbors, family, friends, and justice radiates outward into the community and beyond? Stewardship is a call to action, going that extra mile to give of your time, talents, and money so this church can continue to thrive and carry out its mission. Let love guide you as you decide how you wish to answer the Stewardship pledge.
The last Geller to speak was Diana, who talked about what she loved about our church. Diana, a teacher, had activities for us. She had cut out a bunch of hearts that were in each of the pews, and she directed us to use the Sharpies to write what we loved about the church (they were later gathered and now frame the Stewardship Bulletin Board). In closing our last Stewardship Sunday, Diana called our attention to the song sheets in our pews for Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love”, which we then sang to Tom’s and Gareth’s accompaniment.
After the choir’s beautiful anthem, Rev. Dr. Chandler called the children for the Youth Sermon, telling them about an anthropologist that gave some children in Africa an exercise. The anthropologist took a bowl of fruit and put it about 50 yards away, telling the children that when he said “Go”, the children could run and the first to get to the fruit would get all of it. Hearing this, the children joined hands and ran together. Asking why they did this, they told the anthropologist that if one of us is sad, then none of us is happy. That is love. Rev. Dr. Chandler, who had placed a bowl of fruit at the far end of the sanctuary, asked our kids to hold hands and run to the fruit and take it to Sunday school.
Our scripture reading was Hebrews 10:11-14 and responsive reading was Psalm 16, led by Janet Barton. When it became time for the Gospel reading and the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler decided that the Stewardship presentation had been our sermon for the day. So, we sang our remaining hymns and Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in the Prayers of the People. She noted that the next time we get together will be after Thanksgiving, when we will be around people who love us, maybe imperfectly, but the love is there, nonetheless. And she gave thanks to the Lord on behalf of all of us and for so many things.
Rev. Dr. Chandler provided a thankful and loving Benediction. The Postlude, "Pie Jesu" from Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem was played by Gareth and Tom and we wished for more.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Pledges for 2019 will be dedicated on Sunday, December 2, so please complete an Estimate of Giving form (attached to this email) and bring it to church, mail it in or email it to the church office at 1presbyterian@gmail.com.
- Ana Silverlinck asked for all parents and children, of whatever age and whether or not members of the church, to join in the Christmas Pageant rehearsals that start today.
- Janet Barton asked for prayers for a coworker who she celebrated last week as having received a kidney transplant. The friend is now showing signs of transplant rejection and needs our prayers.
- Tom’s friend, a lama from Nepal, who lived for a time with Tom and Erica and also spent time at our church, is hoping to find someone willing to sponsor his mother to come to the U.S. on a tourist visa. If this is a possibility for you, please see Tom for more details.
- Lynette brought 24 potted pansies and asked folks to help themselves.
- Renee announced that she will be moving to Seattle in the not-too-distant future and has bookcases and other furniture that must go. Contact her if you are interested.
- There is a Birthday Cake with 190 candles on it in the social hall. Candles may be ‘purchased’ in memory of, in honor of, or in gratitude for someone or something. As a candle is purchased, it will be ‘lit’ and we are hopeful to have all 190 lit by the church’s 190th Anniversary celebration on Sunday December 9! Proceeds from the candle lighting will be used to support our kitchen renovation for Summer 2019. (see attached).
- The Food Pantry is in need of canned beans (any other than green beans) and peanut butter and jelly. Thanks to Garrison school students who held a food drive and assisted the Food Pantry!
- The Monthly Book Group for November will meet at the home of Lynn Brown lebnab@optonline.net on Tuesday November 27 at 7:00 pm to discuss Anne Lamott’s new book: Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. All are welcome!
Sunday, November 11, 2018
First Presbyterian Church Philipstown – November 11, 2018
Those gathered at “The Church of the Open Door” on this chilly November morning were warmly welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below). There was a mention of admiration for our interfaith community who gathered on Saturday evening for a vigil in the aftermath of the synagogue shooting in PA and local expressions of anti-Semitism. Various clergy participated, along with bagpipers and shofar playing. Rev. Doris spoke of a desire to continue the interfaith clergy connection. It was observed that it is also the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht. We observed a moment of silence at 11:00 in honor of the armistice of World War 1 being signed on 11/11/18 at that time.
The second Sunday of our stewardship services raised the theme of HOPE. It was evident in the prayers, hymns, scriptures, and Tom and the choir presented “Lord of all Hopefulness” as the anthem. Worship leader Bev Taylor led the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and the scripture readings from Romans 12 and, responsively, Psalm 127. The “Stewardship Team” Brown/Geller shared a time of hope – distributing sheets for people to fill out answering the questions: How have you experienced or felt Hope as a part of this church family? and What is your Hope for our church’s future? Thoughts and responses of the Gellers were shared. Julie spoke in a very heartfelt way about her hope that one day there will come an end to racial separation and people making assumptions based on race, as she has experienced, being of Asian birth. She said “I hoped for a safe place where I could be me; I hoped for a spiritual home where I could see the God in people, no matter their race. I hoped for a safe space, and I credit that hope to our church. Please let me and others continue that hope for another 190 years” Julie’s message was received with thunderous applause and a standing ovation.
The Sermon continued the message of hope, with Rev. Dr. Chandler sharing the poem “In Flanders Fields the poppies grow…” written during WW1 in 1918 by John McCrae. There was a sense of hope, that the first things that came up out of the ground in a field in Belgium, after lives were lost there, were poppies. Doris spoke of the many ‘saints’ of this church who are still very present, encouraging us to embrace hope and to believe…she shared words about hope from Desmond Tutu, and concluded with “Hope is built on faith, built on trust and nurtured by community and relationship. Hope sends us outward. Be a hope-filled community of faith, as we are called to by God”.
We sang “Take My Life and Let it Be”, we shared prayers, and our longest member, Janet Rust, shared a history moment on the centennial of the armistice, that this church has a framed “Honor Roll” listing those who enlisted in 1917 to leave America and fight in Europe. That list includes her father, Frederick Selleck. Elder Gareth Guest shared a prayer of remembrance. The closing hymn was “Song of Hope”, we joined hands for the benediction, and Tom played “You’ll Never Walk Alone” for the postlude.
Announcements:
- There is a Birthday Cake with 190 candles on it in the social hall. Candles may be ‘purchased’ in memory of, in honor of, or in gratitude for someone or something. As a candle is purchased, it will be ‘lit’ and we are hopeful to have all 190 lit by the church’s 190th Anniversary celebration on Sunday December 9! Proceeds from the candle lighting will be used to support our kitchen renovation for Summer 2019. (see attached)
- The Food Pantry is in need of canned beans (any other than green beans) and peanut butter and jelly. Thanks to Garrison school students who held a food drive and assisted the Food Pantry!
- The Monthly Book Group for November will meet at the home of Lynn Brown lebnab@optonline.net on Tuesday November 27 at 7:00 pm to discuss Anne Lamott’s new book : Almost Everything: Notes on Hope. Al are welcome!
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Church Notes 11/4/2018
A beautiful day, but a lot weighing on our minds with the Pittsburgh Tree of Life murders and anti-Semitic activities close to home in Beacon and Nelsonville. Also, election day is this coming Tuesday. Nevertheless, there are always things to celebrate. Rev. Dr. Chandler called for announcements (see below). The November-December newsletter came out today, thanks to Mona Smith and the many contributors. It is beautiful and information-dense. Mona said this time there was more content than she could fit into the four pages. Please take a look!
Rev. Dr. Chandler led us in the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer in which we gave “thanks for the variety of cultures that weave the tapestry of humanity east and west, north and south.” Gareth Guest was the Worship Leader today with a Prayer of Confession asking God to stir us “to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas…where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.”
The choir’s anthem was “In Remembrance of Me” sung to Handel’s Largo from Xerxes. Prior to the choir’s breaking into song, Tom tricked us by playing the hymn introduction which turned into “Happy Birthday” for Lynn Brown. We all joined in to celebrate her birthday.
This Sunday was the first of three Sundays of our Stewardship Campaign, and the Brown-Geller team revealed this year’s theme (we learned that Julie Geller affectionately calls Stewardship Time “Stewy”). The theme is “Faith, Hope and Love.” Faith, hope and love has sustained this church for 190 years and will carry us forward for another 190 years. This week the team focused on Faith and how the mission of this church’s faith has focused outward in helping others. Bruce Geller said our goal this year is $115,000 and our vision is $120,000. He asked that people give what they can and give from the heart. And, then, Lynn revealed a poster board with our Stewardship Heart, which will be filled in as we proceed toward our goal and vision. Thank you, Brown-Geller team!
Rev. Dr. Chandler explained “Stewardship” in the Youth Sermon, saying the children were “young stewards.” What does that mean? God created everything and we are the stewards of God’s creation. That means we help animals, pick up trash, reuse or recycle plastic bottles, among other things.
Our scripture readings today were Hebrews 11:1-8 and Psalm 100. The Gospel reading was Mark 12:41-44, although Rev. Dr. Chandler expanded on it in both directions. Her sermon began with an illustration from Tolkien’s The Hobbit, where a steward cared for the Kingdom of Gondor, while it was in-between kings, to keep it in good order. Rev. Dr. Chandler said that God entrusts us with everything on earth to care for, to be stewards. She spoke about the Gospel reading and that Jesus was not saying about the poor widow that it was a good thing that she gave everything she had to the church. Instead, Rev. Dr. Chandler interpreted it as a lament from Jesus that this poor widow was giving her all, while others who had abundance were not. She explained the concept of tithing as meaning that Israelites were to give 10% of their harvests. As we value our church and its mission, we should think of our tithe in terms, not only of money, but also our time and our talents.
We celebrated Communion today, said Our Prayer of the People, and enjoyed a soulful Benediction. Tom played the Postlude, while the Gellers’ new puppy was pulled from a Victoria’s Secret bag to be loved by all!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- The Philipstown Food Pantry needs beans! Please pick up a can or two when you are shopping. Also, The Garrison School are doing their pre-thanksgiving food drive and will be dropping their boxes off next Friday Nov 9th at around noon. Help is always appreciated in unpacking the boxes!
- Taken from St. Mary’s Facebook post: “On, Saturday, November 10th, the Philipstown Reform Synagogue is going to hold a candlelight vigil on the lawn of St. Mary’s Church and we would be honored if the members of your congregation would like to participate. The vigil which will begin about 7:45PM - 8PM will be to remember and honor the victims of the shooting in Pittsburgh, and to stand up against antisemitism and hatred in all its forms. We will be inviting the Philipstown community to participate. We will be handing out candles to participants. Following the vigil, we are inviting all participants to join us in the parish hall for coffee and dessert.”
- The church website has undergone some exciting changes, again thanks to our website wizard, Mona Smith and church contributors. Please take a look. https://www.presbychurchcoldspring.org/
- Christmas Pageant rehearsals start next week! Ana Silverlinck is taking charge of all your young, budding actors and the pageant will enchant us all on December 16. Please be sure to bring your children, whatever age, to the church next week and every week thereafter for rehearsals.
- A stewardship letter and estimate of giving form are
attached. The estimate of giving may be filled out and emailed back to the church, if desired.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, October 28, 2018The Church of the Open Door gathered on a beautiful but chilly autumn morning and were welcomed by the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who spoke briefly about the tragic synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. As we prayed for those who lost their lives, for the shooter, and for an end to the continued gun violence in our country, we were reminded of anti-Semitic flyers which had been circulated in Beacon recently and of the Interfaith Gathering this Thursday, November 1: “One Beacon: Light in the Darkness of Racism & Anti-Semitism” from 6-9 pm at Salem Tabernacle (flyer attached). Other announcements were shared (below).
Tom and the choir shared “Lord, Be Glorified” as the Introit and the anthem was a medley of hymns, including “I’m Bound for the Kingdom” and “My Shepherd will Supply My Need”. Andy Larivee was the Worship Leader, who guided the opening prayers and led us into passing the peace. He read the final passage of the book of Job and led a responsive reading from Psalm 34.
Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke with the youth about how what God sees looking at us is not our skin, our clothes, our outer selves, but what’s in our hearts and how we care about others. God loves us and asks us to love everyone, no matter who they are or what they believe. As Oscar and James collected quarters for the goat bank, Annie and Wally received the morning offering and Tom played “El Shaddai”.
The sermon was the ’final installment’ in a series on the Book of Job, the scripture today being about Job’s fortunes being restored. The message was that when Job gets face-to-face with God, his heart gets ‘re-worked’. Particularly on this day, after the tragedy in Pittsburgh, Job calls us to find faith in the middle of disaster. A reading was shared, about grief and anger; how anger is a normal response to grief, but it’s what we DO with it that’s important. Rev. Dr. Chandler shared the image of a ‘tiller’ as in God tilling our hearts through tragic events, and our hearts are opened and become changed. Believe that, in the end, all will be made well.
We sang a hymn with lyrics by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, written for this week, entitled “O God, This Day We Grieve”. We prayed for those in need of healing and for those who have experienced healing. We sang, “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”, and shared the benediction. Tom spoke about his work at a local synagogue, and shared a medley of service music from the Jewish faith as his postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The monthly Book Discussion group meets this Tuesday at 7 pm, at the home of Sally Smith, and will be discussing I Am Malala.
This Friday, November 2, from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm there is a Senior & Caregiver Wellness Fair at the old VFW Hall on Kemble Ave, sponsored by Bethel Senior Services and Nancy Montgomery. 914-204-7289 for a ride. Includes refreshments, giveaways, lectures, blood pressure screenings.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, October 7, 2018
Those gathered at "The Church of the Open Door" on the first Sunday of October were warmly welcomed by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below) and then led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer. Our Hymn of Praise, "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" was given a wonderful jazz treatment by our own Tom McCoy at the piano. Tom and the choir also presented the Lennon & McCartney song "All You Need Is Love" as the anthem.
Worship Leader Lynn Brown guided the congregation through the Prayer of Confession,
Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace and reading of the scriptures from Job and responsively,from Hebrews.
During the Youth Sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler reminded the children of last week's message, based on the message of God's creation, to look in the mirror and say "I am good!". This was elaborated on this week to add that, being made in the image of God, we have the imprint of God in our spirit. We can say "I am good because God made me". now what do we DO with that? We go out into the world and do good!
There was a presentation by the Capital Campaign Committee, kicking off Phase 3 fundraising for a June 2019 kitchen renovation to our church's kitchen which services music of the local community in many ways. More to come regarding the campaign in a separate email but donations have already been coming in and can be made through the Sunday offering, designating Capital Campaign, mailing in a donation, or visiting the website www.presbychurchcoldspring.org and finding the capital campaign section to donate. Again the goal for our campaign in 100% participation, and no gift is too small!
The Sermon referenced the earlier reading from Job, with Rev. Dr. Chandler speaking about what Job did in the face of his difficulty...he kept his faith. And referring to the past week's national political turmoil, asking the question: Where do we go from here, maintaining hope? In sharing a bit from Maria Shriver's "Sunday Paper" reflection which included an excerpt from Anne Lamott's writing, encouraging clinging to hope and trusting in unfailing faith; believing that we are "pre-approved" by God as fundamentally good. And in closing, from the words of John Lennon: "Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end".
The communion meal was shared, we gathered in a circle for the benediction and Tom offered for his postlude some excerpts from Aaron Copland's Simple Gifts, Appalachian Spring and Fanfare for the Common Man.
Announcements:
- Tom McCoy thanked the church for ongoing help and support in his loss of Erica. All are invited to the celebration of her life, to be held on Sunday, October 14 at 3pm at the Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church. Food for the reception is being coordinated by Elise LaRocco who can be contacted at laroccoelise@gmail.com if you would like to contribute food.
- The next Habitat for Humanity workday in Newburgh is on Saturday, October 27. A signup sheet to join the crew is posted. Our weekly change jug collects coins for our support of Habitat/Presbybuild.
- The monthly church lunch out is this Tuesday, October 9, at Juanita's at 12:30 pm. All are welcome to join us!
- The Monthly Church Book Group is reading I Am Malala and will meet to discuss it on Tuesday, October 30 at 7 pm. Location TBA
Church Notes 9/30/2018
A morning after a successful Midnight Run, so there were a few sleepyheads in the congregation! We learned that all the food and “every scrap of clothing” from the new socks and underwear to coats and jeans were gratefully taken by NYC homeless. A good job, everyone. Rev. Dr. Chandler expressed her joy at being part of this strongly missioned church.
We sang Happy Birthday to Julie Geller, who is turning 16 this week. We also welcomed three generations, including Katie Brenner, daughter Allison, granddaughter Rosie, and brand-new granddaughter Louisa (see pictures below). Other announcements are in the list which follows.
We always enjoy it when Tom, on piano, and Carolyn Llewellyn, on cello, team up to provide music for the Sunday Service as they did today. Their Prelude was a children’s song “Leaves Are Falling” and the Introit, ”When Morning Gilds the Skies”. Rev. Dr. Chandler Called Us to Worship and led us in the Opening Prayer. Cathy Carnevale, as Worship Leader, took us through our Prayer of Confession, confessing to God that “…We confuse our preferences with Your intentions” and “Even when prayers for others are on our lips, we seek ways to secure our own advantages.”
After the Passing of the Peace, the choir’s rendition of the gospel song, “Lord, I Know I’ve Been Changed” set the tone for the rest of the service. Cathy read from Esther 7:1-6 and 9-10, as well as 9:20-22, all excerpts from the powerful story about a smart woman who found a path to save her people from a cunning foe who had planned their annihilation. The second reading was from James 5:13-20, The Prayer of Faith, read responsively.
A number of children joined with Rev. Dr. Chandler in the Youth Sermon, including baby Louisa and sister Rosie (see pictures below). Tom’s and Carolyn’s duet during the Offertory was “Create in Me a Clean Heart, O’ God”. Rev. Chandler read Mark 9:38-50, focusing on verse 40, “Whoever is not against us is for us”.
For the sermon Rev. Dr. Chandler elaborated on the Esther reading, which she said is most easily described as a Jewish novella. She explained that the book, Esther, is the most secular book in the Hebrew Canon. Esther is a Jew being raised by Mordecai and finds herself in the King’s fold as #1 in his harem. She becomes Queen, but a pretender to the throne, Haman, who does not like the Jews and Mordecai, plots to annihilate all of them. Esther makes a dinner for the King and Haman, and the King offers her the opportunity to state her petition and request, with the promise to grant them. Esther, speaking truth to power, exposes Haman’s plot, which leads to his destruction on the same gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai.
Rev. Dr. Chandler commented that this is an interesting text, given the events of the past week in Congress. Whatever one’s views on these events, a woman, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford did come forward and speak her truth. Rev. Dr. Chandler pondered that “you” could have been born at any time in history, but “you” were born for “such a time as this.” She said to have courage and to claim “your voice” in speaking truth to power. Persons who continue to hurt because of a past injustice or injury need to know that we hear them. That now that we hear them, that we and God love them, and that they are placed here to do God’s will and enjoy God’s love. Rev. Dr. Chandler closed with a song “For such a Time as This” by Wayne Watson.
In the Benediction, Rev. Dr. Chandler included in her blessing that “all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect” as all of us are God’s children.
Tom and Carolyn played “Some Children See Him” by Alfred Burt as the Postlude.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Our annual congregational Sunday luncheon is coming up at Riverview Restaurant on October 7. Cost is $35. A generous donor has offered to assist those who would like to attend but may not be able to due to the cost. Signup sheet is posted.
- Tom McCoy is preparing a Celebration of Life service in remembrance of Erica on Sunday, October 14 at the Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church, at 3 pm, to which all are invited. The celebration will be followed by a pot-luck reception. Food is being coordinated by Elise LaRocco, so please let her know if you are able to assist in providing food. laroccoelise@gmail.com
- There is a Habitat for Humanity workday in Newburgh on Saturday, October 27. Signup sheet is posted.
- Sunday School teachers are needed! Thanks to Ana Silverlinck, who has volunteered to direct this year's Christmas pageant!
- The next meeting of the Monthly Book Club is on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at 7pm. The group is reading I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai. The host home and discussion leader have yet to be determined.
Sunday, September 23, 2018
First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown - Sunday, September 23, 2018
The 'Church of the Open Door' gathered for worship on the first full day of Autumn with cooler temperatures, which were appreciated, especially by the Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, as she welcomed the congregation and called for announcements (see below). Tom and a very full choir offered as an introit "When Morning Gilds the Skies", and the anthem "Alleluia!". Worship leader Sandy Larivee guided the prayer of confession, assurance of grace, passing the peace, and readings of Psalm 1 and James 3:13 - 4:3.
The young people gathered with Rev. Dr. Chandler, who showed the children her backpack and cautioned them not to overload their backpacks, citing an article in the local paper which showed the weight limit for a backpack based on the weight of the child carrying it. She also spoke of our 'inner backpacks', and things we carry, such as anger, sadness, worry. Sometimes we carry loads that it hurts us to carry around. The young people were advised that instead of loading those things into their backpack, they could talk to God. Sophia and Natalie received the morning offering while the rest of the children collected quarters for the Heifer Project goat bank, and then they all left for Sunday School.
Rev. Dr. Chandler shared the Gospel reading from Mark 9:30-37, where Jesus foretells his betrayal, and also mediates the disciples' discussion of who is the greatest of them. In the sermon, Rev. Dr. Chandler spoke of the "thick-headed" disciples, whom Jesus continued to love and teach. He put a child in front of them to demonstrate that they should care for the least, those who have no voice, those who are invisible. We are challenged to look for who we can serve, and how we can lay down our lives for the love of God.
As we have all, at some time, experienced the feeling of not being "one of us", we are challenged to never make anyone feel that way, anyone of another faith, or no faith; everyone should be welcomed. We are the love letter from God to open the circle wider. In closing Rev. Dr. Chandler shared a story of a demonstration outside of a prison in Atlanta, calling for freedom for detainees, and a little girl waving a white handkerchief asking her mother "Are we going to stay here until they get out?" That's why the church is here; to herald the good news until all are free.
We shared prayers, hymns, the benediction and Tom sent us out with a jazzy improvisation on "What A Friend We Have in Jesus".
Announcements:
- Tom McCoy is preparing a Celebration of Life service in remembrance of Erica on Sunday, October 14 at the Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church, at 3 pm, to which all are invited. The celebration will be followed by a pot-luck reception. Food is being coordinated by Elise LaRocco, so please let her know if you are able to assist in providing food. laroccoelise@gmail.com
- The Midnight Run is this Saturday, September 29, with afternoon preparation from 1-3. Items needed are good used men's jeans, sweats, hoodies, sneakers, light jackets. Also new men's underwear and tube socks; blankets, backpacks. Items may be left in the back pews of the sanctuary this week.
- There is a Habitat for Humanity workday in Newburgh on Saturday, October 27. Signup sheet is posted.
- Sunday School teachers are needed; and thanks to Ana Silverlinck, who has volunteered to direct this year's Christmas pageant!
- The monthly book club meets on Tuesday, September 25, at 7 pm at Susan Jordan's home, discussing "Manhattan Beach" by Jennifer Egan.
- Our annual congregational Sunday luncheon at Riverview Restaurant will be on October 7. Cost $35 and there has been a generous donor to assist those who would like to attend but may not be able to due to the cost. Signup sheet is posted.
It's All Jesus' Fault
by Glenn Henricksen
If Jesus hadn't valued the poor,
It would be perfectly OK to take money from the poor
to give to the rich and large corporations.
If Jesus hadn't healed the helpless sick,
We would be justified in taking health care away from the poor.
If Jesus hadn't spoken to the Samaritan woman and rescued the adulterous woman from certain death,
It would be fine to control, disparage, and use women's lives.
It's all Jesus' fault
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Church Notes 9/16/2018
A beautiful, mild morning for our Homecoming Celebration. We welcomed Rev. Dr. Chandler back after a few weeks of study leave and vacation. Tom McCoy played two Chopin pieces for the Prelude – one being the “Raindrop Prelude” and the second, a portion of a mazurka. The sanctuary and the Social Hall were filled with 82 (yes, 82!!) huge chrysanthemums with a variety of colors. The announcements (below) were many. We also welcomed Mona Smith back from the opening of her play, Fire in a Dark House, in California to rave reviews. We learned from Mona that Lynn Brown and her daughter-in-law were in Sherman Oaks and attended opening night.
On a very, very sad note we learned from Tom of Erica McCoy’s passing on Friday, September 14. Erica, a much-loved friend of our church family, a choir member, and so much more, had been ill for some time. We will provide more information as we learn of it. Rev. Dr. Chandler said a prayer for Erica in being released from her suffering and for Tom and the entire family in dealing with this difficult loss.
Sandy Larivee was unable to serve as Worship Leader today, so Rev. Chandler took on those duties, including the Prayer of Confession that stated, “Humble us to embrace your wisdom with gladness.” After Passing the Peace, Rev. Dr. Chandler’s first scripture reading was from Proverbs 1:20-33, a rebuke from Wisdom. She, i.e., Wisdom, says:
“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
Rev. Dr. Chandler, in the interest of time, asked the congregation to read the entire passage later and ponder its message. The second reading was actually a hymn, putting Psalm 19 to song, “The Heaven’s Above Declare God’s Praise”.
The Youth Sermon was an interesting one, as Rev. Dr. Chandler brought out a picture of Jesus and showed it to the children. She asked what they saw. One child said in amazement, “It’s a mosaic! Of pictures!” And sure enough all the children saw that the picture was composed of photos of people’s faces. Rev. Dr. Chandler explained that we are all made in Christ’s image and here Jesus is made of images of the people to show that Christ exists for us and, in fact, Christ’s church is us.
In the Gospel reading, Mark 8:27-38, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”. After hearing their responses, Jesus asks his disciples, “But… who do you say that I am?” Rev. Dr. Chandler asked each of us in the room this same question. “Who do WE say Jesus is?” We need to think about this in leading our church into its future. In some sense we all recognize that the church is its people, not a building. To illustrate, Rev. Dr. Chandler asked persons who are or have served on Session to stand and then asked the Deacons to stand. She explained what the Elders and Deacons do as leaders in the church. She then requested that the Choir, those that teach Sunday School, had gone on the Midnight Run, those who had prepared meals for the poor, contributed to Food Pantry, etc., etc. to stand. Everyone stood. A church as it should be.
Our Prayers of the People included celebration for many birthdays (River, Brennan, and Barry) and significant wedding anniversaries ( 15th for Mandy and Joe, 64th for Pat and Gareth, 50th for Janet and Sandy, and a 50th for Jean and Barry). We applauded for each with oooohs and aaaahs, and, of course, sang Happy Birthday! Rev. Dr. Chandler prayed for those affected by Hurricane Florence.
Tom played Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” as our Postlude, which he felt evoked the feeling of moonlight on the waves.
At the luncheon: Rev. Chandler had asked us during the service to think further as we went into our Homecoming Pot Luck luncheon about who we say Jesus is and to share our thoughts table by table, which we did. During the fabulous luncheon, Rev. Dr. Chandler pointed out the lavender pamphlet that Lynn Brown had just updated, showing the various activities and missions of the church – a long list – with contacts for getting involved in each. Please take the pamphlet home with you to peruse. Rev. Chandler emphasized that we are NOT a little church. Our mission activities demonstrate how far we reach out into the community and beyond, when we feel we can help and have positive effects. We are an amazing and a wonderful church!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Andrea Bach is looking for volunteers to take shifts at a table outside of Foodtown on Saturday, September 22, for a “Let’s Bag Hunger” food drive benefitting the Food Pantry.
- Our annual luncheon at Riverview will take place on October 7. The price is $35 for a three-course meal served family style, with plenty of choices. Please RSVP to Susan Jordan.
- The next MIDNIGHT RUN to bring food, clothing and conversation to homeless people in NY City, will be on Saturday, September 29. There are signups for donating food items, assisting with afternoon preparation, and going on the run. Donations of clothing items needed are good used men's jeans, sweats, hoodies, sneakers, light jackets, backpacks, sleeping bags, blankets, as well as new men's underwear and white tube socks. Items may be dropped off in the back pews of the sanctuary during the week or brought to church on Sundays. Questions, contact Andy Larivee (alarivee@klauberlace.com) or Lynn Brown (lebnab@optonline.net).
- Sunday School resumed today, September 16! Our children are blessed by different teachers who volunteer to share lessons week-by-week. Please consider teaching this year! For more information, contact Carolyn at pchamsia@gmail.com or (845) 265-3969. To sign up, go to https://tinyurl.com/opendoorsundayschool1819.
- Christmastime is coming! Every year a volunteer teen or adult leads our children in a pageant celebrating Christ's birth. Our pageants have ranged from traditional versions of the tale to puppet shows and interactive interpretations. Please consider bringing your personal gifts to this joyful event! Rehearsals are scheduled for Sundays (during church) 11/18 & 25 and 12/2 & 9. The pageant performance is 12/16 during the worship service.
- A confirmation class, "Confirm not Conform", is planned for early 2019. All middle and high school youth are invited, from our church and the wider community. Please spread the word about this exciting opportunity for young people to explore faith traditions, spirituality and their own calling. A meeting for parents and youth will be held on Sunday 2/17/19. Contact the church for more information.
- Rev. Dr. Chandler shared with us information about a Gala celebrating a Legacy of Hope on October 25, at Mill Creek Caterers in Hopewell Junction. The event benefits the Hodson Valley House of Hope for victims of domestic violence. Rev. Chandler is planning to go. Tickets are $100 for cocktails and dinner, featuring George Martin, formerly of the NY Giants.
- The Adult Study Group resumes on Sunday morning September 23, at 9:00 am, to begin a weekly study of We Make the Road By Walking by Brian McLaren. All are welcome to attend.
- The monthly Book Club is reading Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan. They will be meeting at Susan Jordan’s house on the evening of September 25 at 7 pm.
- The Food Pantry could use donations of tomato products such as sauces for spaghetti (not tomato soup!)
- There is great progress on our current Habitat/Presbybuild house in Newburgh and a workday in October is being scheduled. Remember that we have a jug available to collect coins each Sunday to help support this mission project.
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, August 26, 2018
Elder Susan Jordan welcomed the congregation and announcements were shared (see below). Susan introduced our guests Deb Rookey, Dawson Mims, and Ryan Mullennex: 3 Young Adult Volunteers (YAV's) who assisted with worship leadership, shared their stories, and told about their upcoming year of volunteer work, which begins on Monday August 27.
Ryan led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, Deb guided the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace and Passing the Peace, and Dawson led the Responsive Reading of Psalm 84 and shared the scripture from Ephesians 6:10-20.
Tom's special music was a wonderful rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" requested by Janet Rust, who explained that Aretha Franklin, (who passed away very recently), had a hit song with that Simon & Garfunkel composition.
Our Youth Sermon was given by Mandy Strawn, who led a conversation with the young people about the beginning of the school year and all of the feelings associated with perhaps a new school, new teachers, and new friends. She assured them that no matter what their feelings - excited, nervous, scared, that God is always with us, as stated in Isaiah 43: "Fear not, for I am with you, I have called you by name and you are mine". Mandy had made charms to attach to their backpacks as a reminder of that thought. Each of those present chose a charm for their backpack, and Mandy shared a prayer over the backpacks and the students who will use them. (Thank you, Mandy!)
The Offering was received by Andrea and Susan, as the children collected quarters for the goat bank and Tom gave us another Simon and Garfunkel tune, "Homeward Bound".
At the Sermon time, each of the three YAV's came forward and told us about themselves.
Deb Rookey, a native of Little Rock, Ark, a singer and recent graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, studied humanities research, sign language poetry. Deb was active in campus ministry during college, which led to her pastor there suggesting a year of volunteer work. Deb will be living and working in Washington, D.C. in the Office of Public Witness of the PCUSA on Capitol Hill.
Dawson Mims, from Asheville, NC, is a visual artist, who studied architecture at Bradley Institute in Brooklyn, NY. In his desire to take a year off and 'see where his passions lie', Dawson's YAV assignment will be living and working in Los Angeles, CA, in a volunteer ministry to the homeless, with a focus on racial reconciliation.
Ryan Mullennex, a native of Randolph County, West Virginia, studied environmental science and sustainability at Davis & Elkins College. He earned a double major in 4 years, which also included a focus on social and economic equality. Having previous mission volunteer experience in Nicaragua, Ryan will be spending his year in Tuscon, AZ, exploring issues of globalization, inequality, immigration and food.
Feeling blessed and inspired by their presence and their sharing, we joined in singing "Here I Am, Lord"
Susan Jordan led the prayers of the people, shared communications from Rev. Dr. Chandler for the YAV's, and led us in an inclusive version of the Lord's Prayer.
Lynn Brown guided Deb, Dawson, and Ryan in making their public commitment, and invited all to come forward for laying on of hands to commission them for their year of service. We sang "Lord, You Give the Great Commission", we shared in the benediction, and Tom closed the service with the very moving "Gabriel's Oboe" by Ennio Morricone, from the film "The Mission", at the suggestion of Rev. David Harkness.
Following coffee hour, a small group joined Deb, Dawson and Ryan for lunch at The Depot. Thanks to Susan Jordan for all of her work organizing the service and lunch, and transporting the YAV's to and from Stony Point Center.
Announcements:
- Rev. Dr. Chandler is away on study leave/vacation until Sept. 10.
- Next Sunday, September 2, we return to our Sept - June worship time of 10:30 a.m. Preaching and leading worship will be our Parish Associate, Rev. Rachel Thompson.
- Our guest in the pulpit on Sept. 9 will be Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness.
- Homecoming Sunday is Sept. 16, when Rev. Dr. Chandler will return and our Sunday School for children begins.
- Our next Midnight Run is on Saturday, September 29. There are now signup sheets available for donations of food items, to assist with food and clothing preparations on that afternoon, and to participate in the run that night. Lists of other items needed for donation are also posted. Questions? contact Andy Larivee or Lynn Brown
- There is a walk for the Walter Hoving Home on Saturday, September 1. You may walk or sponsor someone to walk. Susan Jordan has the information.
- The Book Club is having an outing to Hyde Park to visit Val-Kill, on Saturday Sept. 8, leaving from church at 9:30 a.m, after having read Eleanor Roosevelt's You Learn By Living. The visit will be followed by lunch at the Culinary Institute at 12:30. There is one open spot in the reservation. Let Susan Jordan know if you are interested.
- Choir rehearsals begin Wednesday, September 5 at 7 p.m. We will welcome the choir back to our worship on Sunday, September 9.
"Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
Sunday, August 19, 2018
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, Sunday, August 19, 2018
Entering the sanctuary to the sounds of Tom McCoy playing a medley of "All Creatures of Our God and King" and "Lord of the Dance" and a warm welcome from the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler. We appreciated the sizeable crowd for a late summer Sunday, and the return of Janet Rust, after a brief hospitalization and convalescence at home. Gareth Guest shared gratitude for daughter Allison's successful melanoma surgery. Announcements were shared (see below) following which a little music was requested by the pastor and Tom played an impromptu "Linus and Lucy" which evolved in to "Happy Birthday" for Cathy Carnevale, who was also the worship leader for the day.
Rev. Dr. Chandler led the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer, and we sang "Be Thou My Vision". Cathy guided us through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Sung Response of "Seek Ye First", and Passing of the Peace. Following Tom's special music of Chopin, Cathy read the scripture from I Kings, about the death of David and the reign of Solomon; and asked us to read with her Ephesians 5:15-20, which she followed with the same passage in "The Message", instructions in the way to live.
Rev. Dr. Chandler taught the young people a verse of scripture which spoke of being baptized in Christ and clothed in Christ. They explored the baptismal font, learned about baptism, and were encouraged to, each day as they get dressed, to think of themselves as "clothed in Christ". Elaine and Susan received the morning offering as James, Oscar and Kayla collected quarters for the goat bank.
The Gospel was from John 6:51-58, Jesus speaking about being the 'bread of life', which Rev. Dr. Chandler interpreted as the spiritual food we need to help us in our walk of faith. Citing some of the previous passages in John's gospel, we were reminded that Jesus cautioned, "Don't attach to me, I'm just a signpost...take in what I'm saying but don't make me the object of your affection."
Rev. Chandler spoke of how the church is good at attaching to things, and that maybe some things don't need to be continued; they can be let go of. In an analogy to heart health, where a "limited rut" is not as healthy as variability, things in the church may become 'petrified' and maybe, as suggested in Isaiah 43:19, God is doing a new thing. Finally, the charge to trust that God will do something new among us; Allow the heart of this church to be stretched - to the glory of God.
Being reminded by the words of the hymn we sang that "God is Here", we shared in joys and concerns of the family, which included: Rachel's stepdaughter's wedding this weekend, and her brother's improved health as he undergoes chemo for lymphoma; Mandy and family settling into their new home; CJ being home for a short visit before leaving for Japan; Janet was grateful for the care and concern of the church, her family being with her, and her ability to be back at church; for people who come inside these doors, to 'come and see'; for teachers; and we keep Erica and Tom in our prayers.
Prior to the benediction, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Pastor Doris, who will be celebrating her birthday next week as she is away on study leave and vacation. Those who are teachers and students returning to school were asked to step into the center of the benediction circle, and were held in prayers for the coming school year. Tom shared the "Largo" from Xerxes by Handel as his postlude.
Announcements:
- Next Sunday, August 26, we will host and commission 3 Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs) who are embarking on a year of mission service. Always an inspirational service, they will share with us what their mission work will be and participate as worship leaders.
- Sunday September 2 we return to 10:30 am worship time, with our Parish Associate, the Rev. Rachel Thompson preaching and on Sunday September 9 we welcome the Rev. Martha-Louise Harkness to the pulpit.
- Choir rehearsals begin on Wednesday, September 5 at 7 pm. The choir returns to our worship on Sunday September 9.New members are always welcome to join!
- If you are in need of pastoral care during Rev. Dr. Chandler's absence, 8/24-9/10, you may contact the office administrator during office hours at 845-265-3220 or during off hours you may send a text to 914-474-3399
About 20+ members of our church family enjoyed a cloudy but rain-free picnic at Constitution Island. The potluck entries were varied as usual and scooped up with gusto, along with the hot dogs and hamburgers. Rev. Dr. Chandler and Tom McCoy provided us with a music-filled service in appreciation of the natural world and friends that surrounded us. We had a chance to see first-hand the progress that has been made on renovating the Warner House and the digging thereabouts for historical artifacts. Thanks to the MacLeods for hosting us and serving as island guides!
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Church Notes 7/5/18
A lovely morning, but the beginning of yet another heat wave. Rev. Dr. Chandler started the service with a call for announcements, opening with her own good news. Earlier in the week, she moved into a spacious and brand-new apartment in Beacon, with a lot of church family as helping hands. She wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and assistance in her long home-settling journey. As she said, “it takes a village”.
Tom McCoy played a lovely Prelude and Rev. Dr. Chandler called us to worship. Annie Becker served as the Worship Leader, asking forgiveness in the Prayer of Confession “For our part, known and unknown, in the pollution of oceans, rivers and streams; the destruction of forests and fields; the suffering of animals great and small and of your human family…” After the Passing of the Peace, Tom introduced his “Special Music” – Debussy’s “The Sunken Cathedral” – saying that the music came out of nowhere, just Debussy’s imagination. And imagination, as Tom elucidated, was one of our most important gifts from and connections with God. Tom “gifted” us with his exquisite playing of the piece and we applauded.
Rev. Dr. Chandler had the children recite “Taste and see the Lord is good” from Psalm 34:8. They then went on a small tour of the front sanctuary where Rev. Dr. Chandler illustrated what the verse meant. When you taste the communion bread and when you see flowers, “where did they come from?” God. And God is good.
The Gospel reading was John 6:24-35. In a back and forth conversation with followers, Jesus concludes with: “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” … “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Rev. Dr. Chandler said that we might think these people following Jesus are “thick-headed”, but we are often that way, too. God may be throwing something quite obvious in our path and we don’t see it or taste it, nor understand that it is from God. In short, we often don’t “get it”. But what God is saying to us is that when you “screw up”, ask for forgiveness; and if you believe in Jesus whom God has sent, you will receive God’s true bread from heaven and will never be hungry or thirsty. In inviting us to the Lord’s Table, Rev. Dr. Chandler asked all to come to the communion table whether you “get it or not”.
For the Lord’s Prayer, we recited Lynn Brown’s version, as drawn from Prayers of the Cosmos (by Neil Douglas-Klotz, Harper San Francisco, 1990). And for the Postlude, Tom played a moving rendition of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- On Sunday, August 12, we will worship outdoors on Constitution Island followed by our annual church picnic. The gate to the island, at the far end of the Cold Spring train station is where we will gather at 9:45 am to carpool in for the event. Come dressed to hike, relax, and simply enjoy the historic island. Please bring your favorite side dish or salad to share (burgers and hot dogs provided) and a folding lawn chair, if you like. (There are picnic benches under the pavilion, and we are on rain or shine).
- Update on Janet Rust, who suffered a fall a few weeks ago, and then shortly after ended up in the hospital with a duodenal ulcer – As of Monday, she is now home and seems to be recuperating quite nicely. She may need some help at times from us, but both her daughter and son will be taking care of most needs for the next week or so. To contact her: janet.rust@gmail.com phone: 845-265-2345 or send a card to her at 41 Fair St. Cold Spring.
- We are mindful of the McCoys, as Tom and Erica deal with her ongoing cancer treatments, and we send them our love and prayers for healing. If you would like to send a note or card, their address is 20 Continental Drive, Fishkill, NY 12524. You can also go to the app “Lotsa Helping Hands” and enter FPCP/McCoy to help with dog walking or other household chores.
- The school year is beginning next month and that also means the beginning of the Sunday School year! Please sign up to be a Sunday School teacher for a few Sundays.
- The Bach’s son, Christian Bach, is going off to Germany to prepare for an entry exam with the hope that he can enter university/medical school in the fall. We wish him traveling mercies and much success in his goals. He was a great help in moving Rev. Chandler on Friday.
- E-news will resume on August 20 when our Office Administrator is back from vacation
The First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, July 29, 2018
On a glorious mid-summer morning, the gathered 'church of the open door' was greeted by the pastor, Rev. Dr. Doris Chandler, who called for announcements (see below), and then treated to a rendition of "Precious Lord, Take My Hand", featuring Gareth Guest on clarinet and Tom McCoy on piano, as our prelude music.
Rev. Chandler led us in the Call to Worship and Opening Prayer and we joined in a hymn of praise. Worship Leader Sandy Barton guided us through the Prayer of Confession, Assurance of Grace, Passing of the Peace, and the first readings, from 2 Samuel 11:1-15 and Ephesians 3:14-21.
For the Youth Sermon, Rev. Chandler shared a verse from Exodus which Moses read to the people, "...all that the Lord has said, we will hear and do". She explained that the reason we gather on Sunday mornings is to be reminded that God is always with us, and that we hear and do God's word.
Our "Special Music" was "Divertissement" from a suite by Darius Milhaud played by Gareth and Tom, and joined by Gareth and Pat's daughter, Allison Nyquist, on violin. Allison and Tom gave a lovely rendition of "Arioso" by J.S. Bach for the offertory, as Sophia and Natalie received the offering and Ethan and Oscar collected quarters for the Heifer Goat Bank.
Rev. Chandler read from the Gospel of John (6:1-21) the story of two miracles of Jesus - the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on water. The Sermon focused on the miracle of the loaves and fishes, as Rev. Chandler shared based on a sermon she had heard some years ago, that Bread is important in our lives as people of faith; that God takes the ordinary, such as bread, and blesses it to us. It can't stay in a loaf, it must be broken. If the bread is viewed as a 'character' in the story, what would it say? "Bless me, break me, give me..." What if, if after we receive communion we ARE the bread that goes out into the world. We, then, all need to be broken first. May we all look at our day and see where we can be the bread for the love of God.
We sang a very traditional hymn "What A Friend We Have in Jesus" with a wonderful non-traditional jazz accompaniment by Tom! At the benediction, Allison Nyquist came for a prayer of blessing and laying on of hands for her upcoming surgery. Our postlude was another movement of the Milhaud suite, "Jeu" (or "Game") which was an energetic and whimsical closing to our worship.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- In 2 weeks, on Sunday, August 12, we will worship outdoors on Constitution Island followed by our annual church picnic. The gate to the island, at the far end of the Cold Spring train station is where we will gather at 9:45 am to carpool in for the event. Come dressed to hike, relax, and simply enjoy the historic island. Please bring your favorite side dish or salad to share