A LITTLE GOOD NEWS

THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
Our music program is going strong despite our
loss of the talented and wonderful Kevin Story.
Instead of one extremely talented individual, we
now have four gifted musicians using their
talents and encouraging others to use their talents
to the glory of God. The bells are ringing, the
choir is singing, and the piano and organ are
being skillfully played. And a Christmas concert
for a Saturday in December is in the planning
stages.
EXCITING THINGS ARE
HAPPENING AT MIPC!
It is with joy that I write an article about the
exciting things that are happening at Middle
Island Presbyterian Church these days. As we
learn each year in VBS, we are supposed to keep
an eye out for God Sightings, and here are some
God Sightings I’ve noticed around the church:
People are really stepping up to help others in
need. The food bag distribution in July was a
resounding success because so many folks were
willing to spend a few extra dollars and a bit of
time to think about others whose needs are so
basic. It is a little dose of reality, and our call to
feed the hungry, when we realize that what we
spend on coffee at 7-11 in a month could allow a
family to eat real meals for several days.
People are seeking opportunities to help in other
ways. So many people have asked us to do
another Midnight Run that we have scheduled
one for Thanksgiving weekend. People are
already shopping for Giving Tree gifts and
getting ready to share at Christmastime. Some
quilts have already arrived for the quilt project,
though many more are still needed….
The church is fuller than it has been in a while,
with more children attending than we’ve had
since I started here. The dedication of our
Christian Education Chairperson and our Sunday
school teachers has a lot to do with that, but so
does the whole-church support of VBS.
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OCTOBER 2011
We are truly making a difference in our
community, which is a lovely thing. It is
something to be proud of and grateful for. And
there are more efforts happening all the time.
But lest we get complacent, we must not forget
that there is ever more to be done, and everyone
needs to chip in to help. Our finances are not
keeping pace with our financial need, which
limits some of the ministry we are able to do.
We really need to catch up on our pledges, keep
up, and even give a little more if we can, so that
we are able to continue to be a vibrant church of
Jesus Christ. Can you help out by catching up?
Can you help out with “extra mile” giving? Are
you available to serve on a committee, or help
out with building maintenance?
As you head into fall, a season of preparation for
so many things, think about preparing yourself to
serve the Lord more fully. Look at your budget
and start planning your pledge. Look at your
calendar and start planning your service. Look
in your heart and see what the Lord might be
calling you to participate in, or even to start. The
harvest is always plentiful, but the workers are
few; the need is great and the current level of
resources will not meet the need. Pray about
how God is calling you, and let me know what
the church can do to equip you for the ministry
to which He calls you.
Peace & Blessings,
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
Twyla
OCTOBER 2011
WORD SCRAMBLE
(Unscramble the letters below to reveal
two book of the Bible.)
HMHINAEE
SCTIULEVI
MISSION NEWS
Little Lambs Nursery School
Welcomes New Students
Cathy Wingenfeld
They say it’s never too late to learn something
new, so if you have neighbors or co-workers
who are looking for a warm, nurturing preschool
environment for their children, please ask them
to give us a call. We still have a few spots
available in our morning program, for children
ages 2-1/2 to 5 years. We can be reached at the
nursery school office (345-0223), or check us out
on the web at littlelambsnurseryschoolmipc.webs.com. (We’re on Facebook too!)
CHOCOLATE &
WINE TASTING
FUNDRAISER TO
BENEFIT RIVERHEAD
FOOD PANTRY
Have you ever wanted to attend one of those
fancy “wine and chocolate pairing” events, but
didn’t have a good excuse to dress up and
spend the ticket money? Wait no more…the
LI Council of Churches is hosting a “Share the
Harvest” fundraising event on Thursday,
November 10th, from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at
Giorgios of Baiting Hollow. Funds raised will
provide targeted support for the Riverhead
Food Pantry and social service programs on the
east end. Tickets are $75 per person ($25 tax
deductible), and the price of one ticket will
provide 37 meals to your hungry neighbors.
For info, please visit www.liccharvest.com.
Page 2 of 12
So you’re probably wondering what’s coming up
in mission? We will be having another local
community street outreach, as we did in July,
delivering groceries to needy families right in
our area towards the end of October.
Please find it in your heart to set aside some nonperishable grocery items when you are out
shopping. Here are some suggested items:
Peanut butter, Jelly
Pasta, Pasta sauce
Cereal
Milk that does not require refrigeration
Canned fruit or applesauce
Canned veggies
Macaroni & cheese
Soup, Crackers, Tuna
Beans, Rice
October 23rd - we plan to bag these grocery items
after worship…the date isn’t far away, and this
super-local mission is so needed and appreciated.
Midnight Run - we are also looking to do this
Manhattan outreach in the end of November.
This is a great time to see what you have in your
closets and drawers to donate while you’re
switching around clothes from summer to
fall/winter and bring them in. We especially
need “menswear”, blankets, and shoes. What
a great way to make more room, de-clutter, and
bring comfort to others!
So remember:
grocery items, clothes and
comfort to others.
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
“Give and it will be given to you. A good
measure pressed down, shaken together and
running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be
measured to you.”
Luke 6:38
WOMEN’S GROUP
INFORMATION
Valerie Ford
Calling all Women!
Did you know that MIPC
has a small but active Women’s Group? We are
the ones responsible for organizing the yard sale
in the fall, and gathering the items for the Kits of
the Heart in the spring. We do other things too,
including providing and purchasing supplies for
the fellowship coffee hour during the month.
We hold monthly meetings whenever possible,
usually on the 3rd Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in
Fellowship Hall. Won’t you join us and get
involved?
All women of the church are
welcome. Come share your joys and concerns
while we plan how to have some fun and help
the church financially in any way we can. Our
next meeting (barring unforeseen occurrences)
will be held October 15th.
Incidentally, all
women are welcome to join us at our annual
Christmas lunch some time in December, date to
be announced nearer the time.
LIFE IN THE
MOUNTAINS
Dear Friends,
We have been living in California nearly
a month now, but we find ourselves still
unpacking (nearly done!) and still trying to find
our places here. April has been at her
schoolwork; she is already involved painting an
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OCTOBER 2011
upcoming production, working at CalArts as
well as studying there. I have a small gig stage
managing a new play, but I just got an
appointment to audition for a theatre company
which I am very excited for. Hoping it works
out.
The local Presbyterian church is in
Newhall, a part of Santa Clarita, the city we're
living in now. We live in Valencia, a very nice
part of the city. The cities here, including Los
Angeles, are not like the cities on the east coast.
Here the blocks and buildings sprawl across a
grand expanse. It is incredibly easy to get lost.
Santa Clarita is a bit more like Long Island: the
center of Valencia is a big shopping mall, and we
live by the auto center, where all the car
dealerships live. In spite of this, it is still
beautiful, with the mountains surrounding us
(Santa Clarita is a valley, just north of “The
Valley,” San Fernando) and plenty of open
spaces for biking, hiking, and just relaxing. The
people here tend to be friendlier, more patient.
The pace is slower, but not unbearable.
With us still settling in and finding work,
there hasn't been time to get into church again,
but when we visited California last, we decided
to stop at the local PC and check things out a bit.
It was during the week, and the man in charge of
building & grounds was there (and a very Bob Zesque man he was!) He led us on a tour of their
beautiful sanctuary and told us about their
vibrant music program. They have a fellowship
hall, but since it rarely rains except for the
winter, they usually hold coffee hour outside.
I'll be honest; I didn't believe that whole
“never rains in Southern California” thing at first,
but we've been here a number of weeks and it's
rained all of ten minutes. If you're out here, God
says, “Get outside!” There's a reason.
And God calls us even now. I came out
here not knowing if I could even get a job, and
here I have a small gig and an audition for
another one. April has been assured she can pay
for her college through work offered by the
school. He provides, and we are ever thankful.
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2011
We are thankful most of all for the
support and love we get from our friends in New
York. It is hard to be so far away, but it is so
easy to stay connected today. We'd love to hear
from you all, so please feel free to drop us a note
any time.
about 10 years at First Presbyterian Church of
Babylon, where she was a member for 48 years
before moving out to Mastic. She was then asked
to direct the youth bell choir, which she did for
20 years, as well as the adult bell choir. Under
her direction, the bell choir became a premier
group, playing at many churches, hospitals,
nursing homes, weddings, store openings, and
holiday concerts. Jennifer is an accomplished
bell ringer with many years of bell choir
experience as she followed in her mother’s
Peace & Love,
Kevin & April Story
23638 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Apt 310
Valencia, CA 91355
Personnel Committee
Report
- MUSIC PROGRAM Jerry Mauder
It seems that when one door closes for us, God
opens a new door. And so it has been with the
loss of Kevin and April Story as they have
started a new phase of their life’s journey in
California. Fortunately, we have great talent at
MIPC, who have been waiting in the wings to
step up to the challenge.
We are pleased to announce that Grace Maier
has been hired as our new Music Director and
will be assisted by Sandy Maier as Assistant
Music Director. Sandy will direct choir
rehearsals until the end of the year while Grace
finishes her current advanced study commitment.
Grace is an accomplished pianist and organist
and has 20 years of classical training. Grace has
been part of our musical program over the last 2
years, substituting for Kevin when needed and
singing in the choir. Sandy’s musical talents are
well known by our members as her contributions
to our music program over the years are too
numerous to mention.
On another front, we are excited and pleased to
announce the resurrection of the MIPC Bell
Choir. Our new Bell Choir Director is Jan
Murray and she is complimented by her
daughter, Jennifer Goughneour, as Bell Choir
Coordinator. Jan played in the bell choir for
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footsteps.
We currently have a full group of bell ringers but
welcome all newcomers who would like to give
it a try. Ability to read music is not a
requirement. The “new” bell choir will be
performing for the first time on the Sunday
before Thanksgiving. Bell choir rehearsals are
each Sunday following worship services.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Pam Goodland
Isn’t it great to see all of the kids
during
the
children’s
sermon?
There are more than 17 children on the rolls from
age 3 through seventh grade. Lately we’ve seen
more than 10 in class each week. Many thanks
to those who have volunteered to teach this year:
Gail Langan, Sheila and Dandre Baker, Diane
Davis, and Vyann and Amber Nicholson. We do
need someone to volunteer each week to be an
extra pair of hands. You don’t have to plan a
lesson or craft, but just be willing to be the extra
adult in the room.
There are two Bible studies.
Monday at noon you can meet
with friends in Fellowship Hall
for a brown bag lunch and a
discussion of the coming week’s sermon topic.
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
Tuesday evenings at 7:00 we meet to read Paul’s
letters; we are currently in the book of Romans.
There’s always room for more, so plan on
coming to one or both!
Confirmation class 2011-2012
has just begun with seven young
ladies meeting with Pastor
Twyla on Sunday evenings.
Jenna Allen, Paige DeLong,
Amy Lalchan, Kelly Langan, Jessica Nicholson,
Mya Ramirez, and Cailyn Wallace will be
studying the Bible and the tenents of the
Presbyterian Church. Most importantly, they
will write their own personal statement of faith.
We look forward to welcoming them as full adult
members of MIPC on May 27, 2012.
BLOOD DRIVE
Pam Goodland
On September 17th MIPC, in
conjunction with Long Island
Blood Services, hosted its’ first
blood drive. Fellowship Hall
was busy from 10:00 a.m. ’til
2:00 p.m.
Forty-seven people from our
congregation, Longwood High School and the
local community showed up to donate. A total
of 35 pints was collected; since each pint can be
split into three parts over 100 people were helped
by this blood drive. Billy Goodland was the
chair of the event and earned a college
scholarship for his efforts. The blood center is
interested in having MIPC host another drive in
the spring. If anyone is interested in
spearheading that, please speak to Billy.
OCTOBER 2011
MIDNIGHT RUN - NYC TEEN MISSION
Saturday, November 26th
What is Midnight Run?
Midnight Run is a volunteer organization
dedicated to finding common ground between
the housed and the homeless. In over 900 relief
missions per year, Midnight Run volunteers from
churches, synagogues, schools and other civic
groups distribute food clothing, blankets and
personal care items to the homeless poor on the
streets of New York City. The late-night relief
efforts create a forum for trust, sharing, understanding and affection. That human exchange of
goods and care is the essence of the Midnight
Run mission. Midnight Run is not a solution to
homelessness. Their goal is to forge a bond
between housed and homeless people by
establishing a foundation of sharing and caring
from which solutions may evolve.
Basically what we do is travel by vans to NYC to
serve the homeless directly on the streets. We
will bring with us healthy, bagged meals and
toiletry kits (that we have to prepare ahead of
time) to be handed out. In addition, we will
bring clothing (which we have collected and
sorted before we go) that will be distributed. We
will also be providing a hot beverage or soup.
Is this NYC Mission really at 12 o’clock at
night? Why so late?
Yes! It is easier to navigate through New York
City late at night when traffic has eased. The first
stop is at approximately at 10:30pm and
finishing around 3am. The Midnight Run
organizers provide a list of locations where we
stop. They are familiar where there is the most
need.
You don’t have to go to NYC to help! The
MIPC Mission Committee is calling on the
whole congregation to be a part. Here a few
ways you could participate:
HAVE YOU HEARD?
MIPC teens are on the move once again
putting FAITH INTO ACTION!
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
DONATE ITEMS OR CLOTHING ON
LIST (see Midnight Run List)
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER







DONATE MONEY FOR ITEMS TO BE
PURCHASED
VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME HELPING
TO ORGANIZE AND SORT
CLOTHING
VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME
CREATING TOILETRY BAGS
MAKE 3-5 GALLONS OF SOUP (SAT,
NOV 6TH)
MAKE THE COFFEE
HELP MAKE/BAG SANDWICHES
BE A PRAYER WARRIOR (pray for the
team, preparation, safety, homeless,
God’s leading, etc.)
CONTACT PASTOR TWYLA, BECKY HAGEMANN,
OR THERESA STORY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
HELP OUT!
STEWARDSHIP UPDATE
Jerry Mauder
Like our nation’s current economy,
the financial situation at MIPC is
not good. However, there are some
notable
differences.
Our
government takes in an increasing
amount of revenue each year but
continues to spend more than they
take in, increasing our national debt
and either borrowing or printing
more money to pay for it.
At MIPC, our revenues have declined over the
last couple of years while our costs of operations
have increased. It has only been through frugal
financial management and borrowing from our
reserve fund that we have been able to keep our
head just barely above water. The downside of
our financial picture is that many repairs,
maintenance, replacements, and upgrades to
facilities, equipment, and our grounds are not
being done.
Through three quarters of 2011, we already have
a shortfall of $12,000 against the amount
pledged for the first ¾’s of the year. And the
Page 6 of 12
OCTOBER 2011
total amount pledged in 2011 is $10,000 less
than was pledged in 2010. If a picture is worth a
thousand words, the following table is a snapshot
of our pledge performance through Q3 of 2011.
Pledges
– (38)
2011
DOWN
Number
23
Percentage
60%
(38) UP
14
37%
(38)
EVEN
1
<1%
Making this financial profile of even greater
concern is that 12 fewer members even made
pledges in 2011 versus 2010. Coming soon is our
Stewardship Campaign for the 2012 budget year.
The challenges of developing a financial plan for
next year are greatly complicated by the
uncertainties of knowing where we stand this
year. Many thanks to those who have been able
to keep their pledge commitment and many
prayers for those who are struggling that they are
blessed with the ability to fulfill their pledge by
year-end.
FINANCIAL
UPDATE
John Heinrich
My crystal ball got
cloudy last year. I was so encouraged by our last
quarter finish in 2010 that I became too
optimistic in my projection for the 2011 budget.
Our country’s current economic struggles have,
of course, impacted our church’s financial status,
as have changes in our membership patterns.
On the positive side, however, Session’s control
of expenses has helped greatly. Expenses not
submitted, and donation sheets requested in lieu
of payment are examples. Donations of material
and labor from the congregation at large have
also helped control our expenses. Thank you all!
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2011
All of us can continue this positive trend by
catching up on our pledges.
See Jerry’s
marked the start of summer and is always a
wonderful way to celebrate the children, their
teachers and the previous year of Sunday
School. Our late summer bar-b-q in memory of
Stewardship article for more details. Also please
consider sharing any good fortune with our
church. Our church is in need of your help.
Let’s return to my cloudy crystal ball. Last year
(2010), only $4,000 of a predicted $12,000 was
taken from our Reserve Fund. This year only
$2,000 was predicted as needed, but I have
already (in July) taken $6,000 from this fund to
meet our 2011 shortfall. Currently the $114,000
pledge projection for 2011 looks more like an
actual $102,000. The additional $4,000 from the
Reserve Fund ($6,000 taken minus $2,000
predicted) plus a $5000 saving in expenses only
meets $9,000 of the $12,000 pledge shortfall.
This would require taking an additional $3,000
from the Reserve Fund (or more if we fail to
catch up on our pledges).
Please help make our last quarter for 2011 a very
good one. Perhaps we could make it the best
quarter ever? It is in your hands.
CHURCH GROUNDS ARE “POPP”-ing!
If you’ve noticed how extra-spiffy
the lawn looks in the wake of
Hurricane Irene, that’s because
we’ve been fortunate to have a
Little Lambs Nursery School
parent, Mr. Popp, donate his time and
equipment to mow, trim, weed, clean, and
beautify the grounds on more than one
occasion. A great big thank you to Cody’s
Daddy for volunteering his time & talents! 
FELLOWSHIP EVENTS
Jill Gargano
The summer, as expected,
passed by quickly but it was
made memorable by the
times we shared.
The
Children's
Day
Deb Strauss was again a great success, as more
than $540 was raised for the food pantry in
Riverhead.
Many people also brought in
donations of non-perishable food items.
Heinrich informed us that the timing couldn't
have been better as the shelves in Riverhead
were bare. God provided in a time of need, as
did all of you! Thanks to everyone who helped
and who contributed food and funds for those in
need.
The Fall is also a great time of fellowship at
MIPC. We start off with our annual Chili
Cook-Off on October 16th, which promises to
be another great food fest, as in years past.
Prizes for the best Chili will be awarded. You
be the judge (or the cook....)! We will be
collecting donations of non-perishable food
items for the Mission Team's upcoming local
food run.
Looking ahead to the late fall, the second
Sunday of Advent (Dec. 4th) is always a special
day at our wonderful church. The Fellowship
team will host an Advent Craft luncheon
immediately following worship. We will make
a Christmas craft that will be
easy for all to do. We will have
a delicious lunch of bagels and
soups before beginning the
craft. Please look for more
information soon and join us. It is always a
wonderful afternoon.
bar-b-q
Page 7 of 12
John
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
More events for the fall are in the works so
please keep an eye out for announcements in
your bulletin each week.
We are always looking for help with Fellowship
events, so please speak to Jill Gargano if you
are able to assist (even if it is just for one
event). As always, ideas for events are very
welcome.
One last reminder: Although it is
never "mandatory", we ask that you try to sign
up for an event if you think you will be
coming. This helps us make sure we don't run
short on food!
OCTOBER 2011
minutes to outsmart a kitten the size of a large
baking potato.
But in the end, both cats were crated, tested for
AIDS and feline Leukemia, neutered, and
rehabbed (taught to socialize) by my BFF who
works for a Huntington veterinary clinic. The
kittens were eventually adopted by an author
who works from her home office, and she was
delighted to be able to give Hal & Huey all the
love and attention they deserved. When they
returned to the vet many months later for a
check-up, the kittens had doubled in size and
showed no signs of skittishness.
Some of us have to be led to God’s love…coaxed,
We are looking forward to spending time and
sharing food with everyone in the Fall!
MEWS FROM THE PEWS
Betty Gyory
God’s doors are always open, but usually one
assumes that phrase refers to two-legged
parishioners. Not so, here at MIPC, where
apparently the word in the feline community is
that we’re the place to go when you’re on your
last meow.
Over a year ago, newborn kittens Hal and Huey
were discovered abandoned beneath the row of
shrubs lining the church walkway. After a few
weeks of feeding them, and hoping their mother
would return to claim them, we decided they
needed to be brought inside before the arrival of
colder weather.
While Huey was fairly
amenable to the prospect of being caged, Hal
was already well on his way to becoming feral,
and he stubbornly resisted every kitty treat and
coaxing word. This, despite the fact that he was
too young to have ever experienced mistreatment
by humans. It took three adults and two youth
(armed with a bowl of goodies, a cat toy tied to a
string, and a full box of Band-Aids) about 90
courted, reassured…and then there’s the cat that
showed up a couple of weeks ago, literally
demanding entrance into MIPC. He mewed
loudly, banged on the glass door with his front
paws, paced the walkway, and seized every
opportunity to dash in behind unsuspecting
humans. He was loud and proud, and demanded
sanctuary. Unfortunately, he took the meaning
of sanctuary quite literally, and darted in behind
the last row of pews one afternoon when no one
was looking. A few days later he was fortunate
enough to be adopted by James and Grace Maier.
Good luck with your new addition, J&G, but fair
warning…your cat may very well be Lutheran,
since the only way I could shoo him out of the
sanctuary was to sternly demand “out of here” in
very bad German.
Hopefully three was the charm, and our feline
adventures are over. But, if not, Becky Mayr is
looking into whether or not we’re required to pay
“per-catpita” to the Presbytery for each feline that
joins our MIPC family.
FALL INTO SAVINGS
In today’s economy, everyone is trying to
Page 8 of 12
Middle Islandfind
Presbyterian
ways to saveChurch
money. Saving money on
grocery bills is one way to cut expenses, but
you still need to eat healthy foods. If cutting
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2011
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2011
Becky Mayr (a/k/a PandaBex)
MARK THE DATE!
Our annual Stewardship
POTLUCK LUNCHEON
will be held on Sunday,
November 13th, following
worship service. Please
sign up on the hallway
bulletin board if you plan to attend.
Page 9 of 12
At a recent Session meeting, the Rev. Mark
Tammen, the new General Presbyter of Long
Island, was our guest. He asked us what we
really enjoyed being involved in at MIPC. My
answer (and that of many of the other elders
around the table) was VBS. We do a great job
with VBS. It impacts our kids, who attend when
they’re little, progress to Adventure club, with its
mixture of fun and Mission projects when
they’re bigger, and then become “Cool Teen
Leaders” when they’re older. They (and our
adult staff) give up summer vacation or sleeping
late to come share God’s love with the
neighborhood and the world. It was pure
Pandamania (or is that Pandamonium?) at MIPC
for a week in July. The Sanctuary was
transformed into a bamboo forest so lush I could
hide in it. (Thanks to Bob the Builder and Team
Zebrowski!) Pandas were everywhere, and we
have the pictures of Valerie, Matt, and Billy to
prove it. (Most of them went home with kids
who memorized all the Bible verses. It really
helped to add hand motions and we’ll do that
again next year.) The kids brought in an
astounding 1234 items of food, some of which
were packed up by Adventure Club and
delivered door-to-door to local families by the
Mission Team. Some of it went to the Riverhead
Food Pantry, and the monies collected during the
week and at the barbecue potluck/cookout Friday
night were used to benefit both efforts. This year
we extended VBS to include some Little Lambs,
and some of our VBS families continue to attend
worship at MIPC. (The majority of our VBS
families, who come back year after year because
we all do such a great job, actually belong to
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2011
other churches.) It’s my favorite Outreach. Hope
to see you there next year!
to make money for the church. All this stuff is
donated free! We are not a rich church, and
sometimes there are gaps in the budget for things
that we would like to have, like tables, and
kitchen equipment. The money raised fills those
gaps. This year, out of our grand total of $820, a
sum of $150 was spent on food for the Riverhead
Food Pantry, which is sadly in need.
HAPPINESS
IS A
WELLATTENDED
YARD SALE!
Secondly it is a wonderful opportunity for all of
you lot to dig and delve in the deepest recesses
of your homes and get rid of all that surplus stuff
that we all have. We are hoarders, let’s face it,
Valerie Ford
What is a yard sale? Why is happiness a wellattended one? Let me “splain” as Ricky Ricardo
used to say to Lucy.
and donating to the yard sale is a great way to
have a good clear-out. Of course many of you
swing buy and buy other people’s stuff back
again!
First of all, here is some useless trivia for your
information. Did you know that they don’t have
yard sales in England? Well they do, but they
are called something completely different - for of
course the English don’t have yards! A yard is
either a unit of measurement (3 feet) or an open
space usually associated with a farmhouse! The
English have their gardens, so perish the thought
that these should be referred to as yards!
However, I digress – the wonderful sales that are
held in England have various names, including
boot sales and jumble sales. A boot in England
is not only something worn on the foot, but the
name for what you Americans call the trunk of
your cars. Yes, that’s right; people sell their
“junk” out of the trunks of their cars! Too weird!
A jumble sale is something that churches and
Boy Scouts hold in church halls and scout huts.
The jumble sale is exactly the same as our annual
church yard sale. Now I am back on track!
Sometimes I ask myself why do we bother to
hold a yard sale at all. What is the point of
collecting other people’s junk, bringing it out to
the sidewalk by the Church and then trying to
sell it for a pittance?!
There are several reasons why the Women’s
Group sponsors the yard sale. Firstly we hold it
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Thirdly, we are providing a service to the
community. There are a lot of people out there
who don’t have even the basic things, and by
offering these items at bargain prices, it is a real
service. By the way; we always give a good
discount to any teachers buying books. We all
know that school budgets are limited and very
often the wonderful teachers pay for things like
books out of their own pockets.
Thirdly – IT IS FUN!!!!
The women selling
your junk have a wonderful time of laughter and
fellowship all through the day. This is a very
important reason.
Did you know that we have our “regulars” who
come by every year? There is one particular
family that always wants to be given stuff for
half (or nothing!) but that’s okay. There is also a
gentleman who looks exactly like Santa Claus,
and a Persian lady who always ends up buying
the Menorah! (I don’t know why a Presbyterian
church comes up with a Menorah ever year, do
you?) Oh yes, and we got another kitchen sink
again this year. Sadly, it did not sell.
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
This year the weather was kind, and we had a lot
of traffic from the Brookhaven Town Fair, which
is held the same weekend around the corner on
the Smith Estate.
By the way, any good stuff left at the end of the
day was whisked away by Pastor Twyla
Hajdukiewicz and Bill Goodland in the “boots” of
their cars and donated to the Savers thrift store
(affiliated with Big Brothers/Big Sisters) in
Medford. Waste not, want not!
In closing thanks to everyone who helped,
donated, bought, prayed for good weather. We
couldn’t have done it without you.
Yes, happiness is a well-attended yard sale – and
a lot more.
OCTOBER 2011
DONATIONS
DESPERATELY NEEDED
Judi & John Heinrich
When John visited the Food Pantry to make a
delivery on Tuesday the 6th of September, he was
shocked to find the shelves nearly barren. He
had never seen so little food there in ten years.
He delivered several bags of food from MIPC
that they were very happy to receive. Then he
realized that they had the closed sign out at 1:30
in the afternoon because they had nothing to
distribute to the hungry.
We shopped with the donations from the
Chicken BBQ. Church members were alerted
and several responded. Bob Zebrowski and Jill
Gargano will shop for food with VBS special
donations. Thank you!
We also re-gifted items (mostly kitchen items
and glassware) from the Ladies’ yard sale.
WORSHIP & MUSIC
Becky Mayr
Kevin left. We were bereft.
And he took April, too. What to do?
Choir required that we hire:
Grace, a familiar face,
and Sandy’s back again.
For bells we have Jan and Jenn.
CC2012 is greeting at the door
But Choir still needs more…
Worship leaders booked for the year
(although 2013 is near…)
I’m still down a “thankful” folk or twoIf you want to help, you know what to do:
Give me a call or approach me in churchDon’t leave Worship & Music in the lurch.
RIVERHEAD FOOD
PANTRY
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Sharon and Ed Hines are also going to shop for
the Food Pantry with $150 of yard sale earnings.
Thank you, ladies for sharing! Thank you,
Sharon and Ed for shopping!
Loss of jobs, the poor economy, and our weather
have made this a very demanding year on our
Riverhead Food Pantry. Please remember them
when you shop. High protein products and
cereals are especially needed, but all food is
welcomed.
Remember that Thanksgiving is just around the
corner. The (Long Island Council of Churches’)
Riverhead Food Pantry will need food for the
dinner they serve. Could you roast a turkey or
bake a pie? We would be happy to pick up and
deliver.
Please help the Riverhead Food Pantry keep an
“Open” sign on their door!!!
A CHRISTIAN
Middle Island Presbyterian Church
THE VOYAGER NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2011
Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state
accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas.
us to the test! Always be on guard -- and
remember --You carry the name of Christ on
Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion
your shoulders when you call yourself
“Christian.”
to ride the bus from his home to the downtown
area. When he sat down, he discovered that the
driver had accidentally given him a quarter too
much change. As he considered what to do, he
thought to himself, “You'd better give the quarter
back. It would be wrong to keep it.” Then he
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
thought, “Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter.
Who would worry about this little amount?
Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare;
they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift
from God' and keep quiet.”
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at
the door, and then he handed the quarter to the
driver and said, “Here, you gave me too
much change.” The driver, with a smile, replied,
“Aren't you the new preacher in town?” “Yes”,
he replied. “Well, I have been thinking a lot
lately about going somewhere to worship. I just
wanted to see what you would do if I gave you
too much change. I'll see you at church on
Sunday.”
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he
literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on,
and said, “Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a
quarter.”
Our lives are the only Bible some people will
ever read. This is a really scary example of how
much people watch us as Christians, and will put
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Middle Island Presbyterian Church