St. M"rk`u [-uth era" Chur.h
Transcription
St. M"rk`u [-uth era" Chur.h
St. M"rk'u [-uthera"Chur.h Volume Number Publisher Church mouse f ,o*l 2013 astor(odt"g Seepage3 for his report. E-mail : Pastorrodney@midtel. net lssueNumber 23 lrug"r" fon..rns Please lift the following people up in Prayer: All the flood victims N.* website Our new webpage is up and running. Check it out. It is awesome! Thank you Angela. The addrcss is www.stmarkslutheran -middlebursh.com Marie Campbell Families of Lorccn Duncan and Thelma Serrie Cindy Family of Marc A. BilI Bonnie and Bill's grandson Joht Op"tt tion ChristmasChild, We are going to try something a little different this year. Rather than waiting until fall to start our collection of itcms for thc kids we are going to collect different items on a monthly basis. For the month of April plcase bring in boy toys. The box is up front near the cross. Up.o^ingL"e nts April9 - Council meeting 6 PM April 13 - Youth roller skating @ Interskate 88. Meet at church at 1:00 April 27-28 - 30 Hour famine. Meet at church 8:30 Saturday iAAay4 - Make owl houses May 14 - Council meeting 6 PM !outh, In the hallway by the music room are sign up sheetsfor the 30 hour famine, roller skating,building owl houses, zoom flume and Fright fest. If you would like to participatepleasesign uP. May 18 - Volunteer at Mr. Larawayts refuge farm June 1 - Youth families summer picnic and bingo night 5t. M" ,L't LutheranCh ur.h Food f antrg\.-ds Apr 7 - soups Apr 14 - spaghetti sauce Apr 21 - spaghettios Apr 28 - pudding applesauce / jello ************tF********** God is likc - Baycr aspirin - He works miraclcs. H"ppg Pags lllll Birthdays: April April 1 - Virginia Peterson April3-PatBeckcr April 5 - Nikki Gordon and Julic Sammons April 11 Carolyn Wyckoff and Maric Catcr April 19 HannahMartin April 20 - Diane France April24 - MauriceVan Dyke April 25 - Lori Warner and Liam Grapes April28 Bill Gordon April30 - Virgil Catcr God is like Wal-Mart - He has evcrything. Anniversaries: April God is like Alka - Seltzer - Try Him, you'll likc Him. March 15 - Tcd and Dcbbie Palmatier God is likc scotch tape - You can't sec Him, but you know Hc is thcre. ** ** * *** ** **trtr ** * * * tr* ** ** God is likc Delta - Hc's ready when you are. God is like Allstate - You're in good hands with Him. Food Pantry Blessing: In February, our food pantry received $423.38 from the Broomc Fire Department. The money was raised by t}e Westerlo Reformcd God is like Hallmark cards - He cares enough to send the very best. God is like Coke - He's the real thitg. God is like Chevrolet - the heart beat of America. Church community. The fire dcpartment was asked to select people in need or agencies that helped meet the needs ofarea residents. The food pantries at St. Mark's and the North Blenheim Methodist Church were the recipients. St. Mark's council and congregation are truly thankful for this generous donation. We have been blessedto be a blessing! A BlessedEaster to Everyone! The Apostle wrote in 1 Peter 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ fro* the dead, to en inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, ffid unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealedin the last time." On SundayMarch 3I, 2013 we will be celebratingthe resurrectionof our Lord. It is a time of great rejoicing and a seasonfor us to be glad. The resurrection of Christ signifies for us as Christians, hope and newnessof life. The long seasonof Lent is over, and it gave us a chanceto reflect on the sacrifice of Christ our Lord and; we were able to journey with him through theseforty days. Easter celebratesthe victory of light and life over darknessand death. God recreatesand redeemsall life from dead, dry, and destroyedbones. We are released from the bonds of self-obsession,addiction, and whatever would steal away the radical freedom of God-with-us. Our lives re-center in what is most holy and creative, the new thing God is continually doing in our midst. Practicing vulnerability toward the need and hunger of others around us, we have cultivated compassionatehearts. We join in baptismal rebirth in the midst of Jesus' own passing-over. The wonder of the resurrectionis upon us once more. May we embraceGod's ever-new life with every cell of our being, every yearning of our soul, and every muscle of our will. Christ is risen, deathis vanquished,humanity is restoredto holy and creativerelationship with God's ongoing and eternalliveliness. Praise God who brings light out of darkness,life out of death,ffid newnessout of the stale and moribund. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! PastorRoyan Rodney. 5t. M" rL'uf*utheranChrr.h $e-"rs {or ft7ril (ommittees: Christian Education / Youth: 5 adults and 13 youth went to the indoor water park @ Grcat Escape on March 9 and had a great time. Beginning March 3 the confirmation class will meet every Sunday from 12 1 lor class.This is for youth 7'h grade and up.Please be sure your child attends worship scrvices as they April T: Acolyte - MarylJenna Ushers - Dennis/Diane Readcr - Maric Grccter - Maurice Prayor - Gene Counter - Dianc April 14: class. See Pastor Rodney with Acolyte - Kenny/Brianna Ushcrs - Gcorgia/Nikki questions.Bring a bag lunch to cat during tJrc coffcc hour. Rcader - Allison Grcctcr - Harry Sign up sheets for roller skating, 30 hour famine , building owl houscs, Prayor - Bcth Counter - Dcb will need to takc scrmon notcs for voluntccring at Wildlifc Rcfugc, zoom flume and Fright fcst arc hanging in thc hall by thc music room. Sunday School is opcn to all children- all ages. New hours will be 9:15 to 10:15. **t<**{<{<{<**{<t *{<*X<{.***t<****t<** April2l: Acolytc - Gabby/Morgan Ushcrs - Bcth/Chris Rcadcr - Nanettc Grccter - Pat Prayor - Georgia Cor.rntcr - Dianc April28: Acolytc - Logan/Vivian Ushcrs - Aaron/Alyssa Reader - Ethel Greetcr - Janct Prayor - Ginny Counter - Deb ,F{<************8*****t<tr *{<***** Please join us as we celebrate the life of Lorene Duncan with a memorial service followed by a luncheon on April20th at 3:00 Kiss a Gow Fundraiserfor World Hunger Here how it works! During the month of April vote for the candidateof your choiceto kiss the Gou - either Pastor Rodncyor Pat McGoy. Alongwith your vote pleaseoonsider makinga donationto World Hunger. The pcrson with the most votes ..wins, (or looses) and gets to kiss the Gow. Kissingwill take place $undayApril 28* at l2 noon. The youth will also be collecting donationsand the Soal is to collect Sl OOO.If they do not reach that goal all the youth will kiss the Gowtoo! Vote Ofrenr DonateOfren Votingtable is in the fellowshiphall. Helpmg to.uno uruld.hlungerln Amerrca I unllcl Hunger bnds Here PageI ot 2 Tell your friends About the progrcrm Reqlities of hunger Tdldng action lliv,EEE Voices lor hope stcrrtswith q code. FEffi@W@& W %-wcqtrEffi Look lor codes on these pqrticipating ConAgro Foodsbrcrnds. Neorly 17 million children loce hunger in the U S ' ConAglcr Foods is wolku:g with Feedlng Americo to chonge thot Here's how you cctn help. t I 2 Submit code Locote the red push Look lor porticlpoting ConAgro Foods bronds, pm ond S€ tho brods l^f b-drsttcode q80Alq50 har.r'i 1! a / tr:A, 902,070 children fqce hunger in New York.* lcode=lmecrl"' 5M,739 codes entered since l.l l. t 3 Goal: 3 rnilhou meols See how mcmy children qre qffected in your county. View the map Code eniry by stote lsrteltte-ur."let" lxi Stayconnected to the cquse. Join the converscrtion, ond heip spreod the word on Twitter ond Fqcebook, Together, ' we cqn <rli moke cr difference. com/ http ://www. childhungerendshere. Cllld HurrgerEndsHere.Join the lightl As-part-ftheyouihgd hourTamine we going are to be lookingfor the ConAgra foodcodesandsubmitting themon theirwebsite. @ect'mgthe codes. We willgoto theirwebsiteand enterthemfor freemeals. 3t20t2013 tstelpmgto bncl Hunger m the unlted states I uhrld Hunger Ends Here PageI of2 Tell your tdends About the progrcrn Reqlities oI hunger Toking oction Eiri.fiEE Voices for hope CorrAgrqFoodsis committed to ending child hunger, Food is not something fi"ry ch.rld should lrcrve to worry crbout, but in Americo necrly 17 mrllion'do. We wcrnt to chonge thcrt And you ccn help. Get involved Followus on Facebook g Learn more about the ConAgra Foods Foundation. .| Discover more way5 to helpthrough F e e d i n gA m e r i c a . 0 Help a local food b a n k . R e m e m b e rt o key-inyour zip code t, The chrld Hunger Ends Here progrom is port o1conAgro Foocls'ongorng commitment to help end child hunger in Amerjcq For every code entered by B/ 31/ 13, ConAgro Foods will donqte the monetory equivcdent ol one meol" to Feeding Americcr, the notion's lorgest domestic hunger-relief orgcrnlzqtlon. Followus on Twilter Contact us Thonks to ihe help ol coring people h-keyou, ConAgro Foods donqted the monetory equlvolent of 3.4 million meqls to Feeding Amedco crsport o1the previous Child I{unger Ends Here comp<:ign, which included onhne, school ond retqiler progrcms, Wttir your help, we cqn moke the 20i 3 compoign just os successftrl. Pqrticipcting brqnds Look for the red push pin cnd B-digntcodes on these pcrticipoting ConAgro Foods brcu'rds. r / d# B @ @ r o e @ w @ &snWwc-w.W6$tffipArvl ffi@ There'so good chonce thot someone in yow neigirborhood is struggiing to put looci on tire tqble tomght These Cor:-AgnoFoods bronds hove mode o commrtment to ending chrld hunger ur the U.S They're in this fight 1orthe long houl. Whtch rlecrns there's <rlot to like obor"rtthe looci you love * Where's the code? Find the B-digit code on the bock or side of specicrlly morked ConAgncr Foods pockoges, Just look for Ure red push pin. http ://www.childhungerendshere. com/about.html 3120t2013 ELCA DisasterResponse ELCA churchwideresponseto disastersin the U.S. and around the world; look for sectionsof this blog related to specificdisasterlocations.Commentsare welcomedand moderated. Hurricane lrene/Tropical Storm Lee: You are the SALT of the Earth Postedon March l, 2013by JosephChu Dean,Josh FromLeft: MarrianeRoberts,SALT Staff;Pr. JoeChu,LDR; Pr. ElaineBerg,Conference DeBartolo,SchoharieRecoveryInc. Director;Pr. SheniMeyer-Veen,SALT President;SarahGoodrich, SALT ExecutiveDirector;Ken Dingee,SALT Staff;PatsyGlista,UpstateNew York SynodAssistantto theBishop Committeemeetingsare rarely interestingmaterialfor storytelling.But how a meetingis conductedand how participantsinteractwith one anotherduring the meetingcanhelp tell the bigger story of the personalities of thoseinvolvedandthe level of their collectiveaccomplishments. In thepastfew months,I havehad the opportunityto attendandobservea numberof Long Term RecoveryCommitteemeetings that seekto help thoseaffectedby disastersin variouscommunities.I am truly amazedby how different thesecommitteescanbe: Somearehighly organizedand effectiveand somearedominatedby one or two strongpersonalities.Unfortunately,someare still finding waysto becomea coherentbody after a long periodof time.Theboardmeetingof SchoharieAreaLong Term(SALT) at Cobleskill,New York, in the earlymominghoursof February5,2013,definitelybelongsto the first kind - highly eflectiveand exciting. The SchoharieBasin,throughwhich the SchoharieCreekflows, is an idyllic areawith hilly meadowsand small farmsteadsin UpstateNew York. WhenHurricaneIrene andTropical StormLee ravagedthe Northeastin AugustandSepemberof 2011,the basinwashardhit with morethan2,000properties affected.As the result,local governmentslost an upwardof 70o/oof their tax base.Soonafterwards, communityleadersand faith-basedorganizationscametogetherto form SALT - The SchoharieArea Long Term- to serveasa "...coordinatingcouncilor regionalcoalitionin orderto provideInterfaithand inter-agency resources, advocacy,healing,support,andrecoveryassistance to thoseaffectedby disaster." Severalthings stoodout for me at that meeting.It was conductedin a very organizedand effective manner;'themeetingagendaandpastminuteswere well preparedandwere sentto participantsin advance.PastorSheni Meyer-Veen,the Chair of the SALT Board,chairedthe meetingwith graceand easeandwasvery good at inviting membersto participatein discussions.SarahGoodman,the Executive andexhibiteda high level of professionalism. Directorof SALT, wasvery knowledgeable Thosein people, professors leadership: business attendancewere from all stripesof community clergy, and govemmentleaders,eachrepresentingtheir respectivecommunityneedsand assets.The deliveriesand werevery thoughtfulandcourteous- somethingthat's not alwayseasyto accomplish, discussions particularly in the very early morninghours.Undoubtedly,peoplearoundthe table were highly professionals but yet no onetried to dominatethe discussion.Instead,they tried to give of accomplished group their bestfor the and for thoseaffected.At onepoint, membersof the unmetneedscommittee presenteda highly sophisticateddecision-makingflowchart to map how they maketough calls when local residents. consideringrequestsfrom devastated Oneof the things that struckme wasthat theseleadersprobablywould not havebeenat the sametable beforeHurricaneIreneand Tropical StormLee; but they roseup to the commonchallengeafter the disasterandhumbledthemselves to work togetherto bb apart of the wholefor the sakeof the shared future of their community.My subsequent meetingswith the staff of SALT and othercommunity stakeholders aswell asmy toursof the rebuildingprojectsconfirmedtheseimpressions. The following arejust a few of the pointsthat helpedme in formingthis impression: . . . . . . Over 500damagedpropertiesreceivedassistance from SALT andareapartnersandover 150 familieshavereturnedhome. Over 120faith basedgroups,20 corporations, 35 schools,15laborunionsandconstruction companiesand30 communityservicegroupshavevolunteered. Over25,000volunteershavecontributed128,877hoursof laborworth over $4 million. The FenimoreAssetManagement investmentfirm offereda $250,000matchinggrantto SALT andthe communitywas ableto raisethe sufficient frrndto doublethis gift. SarahGoodrich,the ExecutiveDirectorof SALT, wasnamedasthe 2}l2Times-JournalStar,a greathonorfor localresidents. On the day of my visit, the Rev.David Meyers,Directorof the FederalDeparhnentof Homeland Security'sCenterfor Faith-Based& NeighborhoodPartnership alsovisitedSALT. SALT invited the mediato talk to David Meyers,who represents the PresidentObama,aswell as SALT leaders andrepresentatives from variousfaith basedorganization.WhenRev. Meyerswas askedabout how well he thoughtSALT wasdoing,he uttereda very importantword, "Exemplary!" We want to thankthe many lay and ordainedleadersof the UpstateNew York Synod.It wasmy great plBasure to meetwith someof themduringmy visits - BishopMarie Jerge;PatsyGlista,Assistantto the Bishqpfpr Operations;GaryRoller,VolunteerCoordinator;PastorElaineBerg,Deanof Foothill Conference, andmanyothers.Throughtheir tirelessgoodwork, LutheranDisasterResponse hasbeen aacompanyingthe residencein the SchoharieBasin sincethe beginningof the disasterresponsework in t[eir community.In fact, LDR was amongthe first to supportthe creationof the SALT recoverygroup with a $45,000initial grantfor staffing and administration.This initial investmentand subsequentgrants $aveindeedyieldedenormouslyfruitful results.Thanksbe to God! 5t. M'k's Luthera"eh,rr.h 30 hour farnine ftrr World Ffunger: April 27 and 28 - meet at 8:30. the church Saturciay Wc rvill be cir:inga community serviceproject first so \ rear rvork clothes, bring work glovcsand bring a leaf rake rvith your nanto r.lnit. lf it can bc arrangccl bring a hathing suit, flip {1r:ps ancltowel fbr sr,r'imming.lbu will ncccl a sleepingbag ancl a pillow for spendingtht: night. Bring extra clean clothcs anclany pcrsonal carc items you rt'ill neecl. Breaklbstwill be servecl S u n d a ymo rn i n g a t 8:30,On the 2B'l'atnoon rn'ervill havc the rcsultsof the "Kiss a Co$"' lunclraiscrancln'ho gcts to kiss the cow Plcasc bring your donationsthat vou collectc'dwith vou bccauscif r.t'cdid not raisc $ 1000 all the youth rvill have to kiss the cnw tool An-v qucstionssee Debbie Palmatier. I - L e / {. 3 \-\' 4 L r /^1 r , / 4 . \\ " J l \ : L' oa \ \ . o-{ ,,J t -t C k'a^ A ' ! /'\ ) \ t"j T & /'.v- i\ l n i s " P I , jfq " ) t r\" ) ..eo/S .?' J f !_ -.* w V o , a re i n vi te J to a ttenJ u se*ic" of th a nksg i vi n g a n d rededication. $aturdag, Apnl t r, zot 7 at 2:oo (efor'" d (h"r.h of Middl"b,r.gh tTSKiver$treet Middl"burgh,N"* Y"'k (.fre sh te n ts a n J [.l l o*"hip *ill f"llo*. Hello, SistersandBrothersin Christ! It is with greatJOY that I am ableto inform you that I will be going to Zarnbiawith Samaritan's Pursein May on a shoebox distributiontrip! WhenI explainedto a dearfriend oncethat sucha trip wasofferedto areacoordinatorsandI would probablynot havethe opportunityto evergo on sucha trip, shesaidsomevery wise words. "If Godwantsyou to go, He will makea way." God hasmadea way, and I am thrilled to havethis opportunityto be ableto participatein placingtangiblerepresentations of God'slove into the handsof children! I askall of you to pleasecoverthis trip in prayer. Prayfor: all volunteersand staff to be spiritually andphysicallypreparedto be usedaccordingto God's purpose the logisticsinvolved children'sheartsto be preparedto receivethe GoodNews families to be opento havingtheir childrenattenda distributionand later TheGreatest Journeyclasses local pastorsandvolunteersto be equippedto shareGod'slove I am confidentthat the Holy Spirit will leadyou to pray for aspectsof the trip I havenot included. Thankyou for your vital supportof this wonderfulministry. All that we do mustbe groundedin prayer. I am also askingyou sharemy newsin your churchesand communitygroups. I look forward to being ableto sharemy experienceswith you after I return from this amannggift from God! Blessings! Mary Lou Dear Friends, As we approach Easter Sunday, we are filled with the Hope of the Resurrection. Imagine how a hurting child feels when he or she learnsthat hope is possible for him or her too. A simple shoe box gift placed in a child's hands is a way to introduce a child living in darknessto the Light of the World. I wish to take this opporhrnity to thank you again for all you do to support Operation Christnas Child throughout the year. May you and yours enjoy a blessedEaster! Mary Lou Relay Center Coordinator and Church Relations Team Member for Operation Christmas Child