March 2016 - Reformed Church

Consistory Corner
Consistory Corner
The Consistory met on February 9, 2016. In
addition to receiving regular reports the
Consistory discussed:
 Consistory held a 5-hour retreat on
Saturday, January 23 at the Canajoharie
Library.
 The Consistory approved the hiring of
2 attendants for nursery for 3 hours
each Sunday. Applications are coming
in and are being reviewed.
 The Mission of the Month for March
2016 will be Fowler Camperships.
 The two new computers for the office
have been installed. When Dolores gets
back in March, the Quick Book Suite
will be installed.
Continued
The Reformed Church of Canajoharie
 Schoharie Reformed Church has been in
the forefront of the response to the
flooding caused by Hurricane Irene and
served as the epicenter of operations,
volunteers and food service since 2011.
The church itself is in need of deferred
maintenance and is establishing a capital
fund to address these maintenance issues.
Consistory is donating $1000 to that
effort.
* 15-19 Front Street * Canajoharie, NY 13317 * 518-673-2816 (p)
Email: [email protected] * www.canjoreformed.org *
 Pastor is going to run a new members
class this winter. Reception of new
members and transfer members will be on
Palm Sunday.
 The 2 bathrooms in the FH are now
UNISEX and indicated as such.
 Consistory liaisons to TEAMS: Finance,
John De Valve; Mission and Outreach,
Karen Morrison; Faith Formation,
Heather Rockwell; Congregational Life,
Mary
Douglass;
Worship,
Beth
Sunderland; Property, John Van Kersen.


By-laws and protocols have been
updated- thank you to Dolores, Holly
and Heather for formulating these
changes. TEAMS are more user
friendly and responsibilities have been
reduced. SIGN-UP SHEETS ARE
AVAILABLE.
 There will be a TEAM Meeting night
on March 16 at 6:30pm- pizza will be
provided.
 Consistory decided to replace the
American and Christian flags in the
sanctuary. Current flags are yellowed
and the cloth is worn.
Frontstreeter: March 2016
Next Consistory meeting will be Tuesday,
March 8, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
Ron Dievendorf, Vice-President
Pastor’s Page
It’s hard to believe, but it’s already been six months since I and my family moved here. I am
rarely introduced as “our new pastor” anymore. I feel that God has blessed us. I also feel more
and more comfortable doing ministry here, and I sense that the congregation is getting comfortable
with me too. And that is where we have to be careful. The first question of the Heidelberg
Catechism, one of the standards of faith of our church, is “What is my only comfort in life and in
death?” This document was written in the 1500’s. It was an age where comfort and convenience
were not expected in this world. There were wars and epidemics. People didn’t attach to their
children too quickly. They were not sure that they would be around for very long. Governments
were by and large driven by the whim of rulers. Religion was a subject of battle. People did have
good times, and a modicum of comfort, but it was seen as grace, not an expectation.
So the answer to that question is “That I am not my own, but belong, body and soul, in life and
in death, not to myself but to my faithful savior Jesus Christ, who has freed me from the dominion
of the devil.” It is not in good sermons, with a few jokes intermixed. It is not in good decorations
in the church, or a good fellowship hour, (although I love these). Nor is it in a warm house and a
reliable car. It is that, at the end of all things, I belong to God, because Jesus Christ has totally
cancelled out, at great personal cost, my many sins against God and my neighbor. And that is it.
All the rest can be taken away from me, and even will be taken away. But Jesus Christ remains.
His love endures forever.
So, in the years ahead (Lord willing) there will be times when that comfortable feeling that
exists between a pastor and a church will have to be disturbed, in order that we all can take greater
comfort in the Lord. All I can promise is that this will not happen gratuitously, for the sake of
discomfort. It will happen so that you can be pointed to Jesus, and learn to love him more and more,
and in the loving, be prepared for a life with him that will last forever. Plenty of comfortable people
in this world are on the way to destruction, because they have relied too much on the things they
have. My prayer for you is that you will take comfort in the love of God that was bought at great
price for you on the cross. Place your reliance on him, not in anything else, and surely not in any
other person, including me.
Pastor Matt
Financial Update
Offerings: 1/31/16 – 2/21/16
The general financial update (As approved by Consistory)
is posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex.
Regular Offering income:
Budgeted: $ 72,200.00
Jan. 2016: $ 7,544.85
Benevolence & Special offering income:
Budgeted: $ 5,605.00
Jan. 2016: $
649.21
Total Operating Receipts:
Budgeted: $201,482.00
Jan. 2016: $ 37,826.00
Total Expenses:
Budgeted: $201,482.00
Jan. 2016: $ 23,122.08
Offerings:
Comfort Zone:
MOM:
World Hunger:
Ash Wednesday:
Assessments:
Flowers:
Total
$4,063.30
$
5.00
$ 269.00
$ 40.00
$ 73.00
$ 93.21
$ 90.00
$4,633.51
Shared Ministry Events
March 2016
Canajoharie Reformed * Fort Plain Reformed * Sprakers Reformed * St. John’s Reformed
Regular Events
Second Saturday @ SR; 6PM – 3/12/16
Breakfast Fellowship @ Village Restaurant, Canajoharie; 8AM – 3/15/16
Easter Flowers
Memorial Easter Lilies have been
presented in the name of loved ones for years
in our Church. Once again, Lois Comins will
purchase an Easter Lily for you in order to
coordinate the Easter display in our
Sanctuary.
Comfort Zone @ CR; 6:15PM – 3/28/16
Doors open at 6:15 - (Volunteers welcome at 5:45PM)
The cost per plant is $15.50. Plants must be
ordered by Palm Sunday March 20th.
Palatine Nursing Home Visits @ 10:30AM every Friday
Please complete the form below when
ordering your flowers. This form along with
your payment attached may be placed in with
your offering or may be mailed to:
Mrs. Lois Comins
35 Robinson St.
Canajoharie, NY 13317
Manna Community Meals @ FPR; 12Noon every Saturday
Regular Event Descriptions
Second Saturday – A meal, fellowship and fun provided by Sprakers Reformed
Church every 2nd Saturday of each month in the Fellowship Hall. Offerings are
collected in support of various mission projects.
Breakfast Fellowship – A gathering at the Village Restaurant in Canajoharie on the 3rd
Tuesday of each month to enjoy coffee and/or breakfast. Occasionally, there are guest
speakers. All are welcome!
Comfort Zone – An outreach ministry of the Canajoharie Reformed Church on the 4th
Monday of each month to distribute needed household items, toiletries and diapers .
Palatine Nursing Home – Canajoharie Reformed visits residents at the nursing home
every Friday morning at 10:30 AM along with therapy dogs.
Manna Community Meals – Held at Fort Plain Reformed Church where a free meal is
offered every Saturday beginning at Noon. For more information about Manna Meals
or if you would like to “host” the meal please contact Jan Markle at 673-3709.
Attached is my check made payable to:
“The Reformed Church of Canajoharie”
or cash in the amount of $15.50 per plant.
Please print the name(s) of the loved one(s)
in whose name(s) this gift is being
Presented to: ________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
 Good Friday Service; 3/25 @12PM - St. John’s Reformed Church
 Easter Sunrise Service & Breakfast;3/27 @ 7AM - Fort Plain Reformed Church
Worship Service @ Wiles Park; Breakfast to follow @ FPR
There will be a Sunday Women’s
Bible Study on the book of Philippians
beginning March 6th at 9:00 a.m. in the
Church House lounge. The study will follow
N. T. Wright’s guide which will be provided to
those attending. Please come and join us!
Irish Music Concert – Friday, March 11th at
Upstate Chapel, corner of Cliff & Walnut
Streets, Canajoharie at 7:00 p.m. Performers
will include the Stonehouse Piper, Dr. Eric M.
Stroud and John Cannon on pipe organ and
several other soloists, instrumentalists and
ensembles from the area. There is no
admission fee but a free-will offering will be
accepted and refreshments will be served. All
are welcome!
Book Sale
March 5, 2016
Presented by: ________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Please join us!
 Maundy Thursday Service; 3/24 @ 7PM - Sprakers Reformed Church
News/Notices
Please specify:
______ I would like to take my plant home.
______ I would like my plant delivered to
one of our shut-ins.
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Fort Plain Reformed Church
Refreshments available!
Proceeds will go to
“STOP HUNGER NOW”
March 2016
Sunday
Counters:
Mission of the Month:
Fowler Camperships
6
8
15
16
20
24
25
27
Youth Group (Time TBA)
Consistory
Breakfast Fellowship
Team Meeting Night
Palm Sunday
Maundy Thurs. Service (SR)
Good Friday Service (SJR)
Sunrise Service (FPR)
10AM Easter Service (CR)
28 Comfort Zone
Birthday Greetings to:
Ron Morrison
*Patti Diehl (ARC)
6 Will Douglass
8 Alison Limoncelli
Judy McMillan
9 Stan McMillan
10 Gregory Morrison
14 Mary Douglass
16 Kelsy Aldi
Ginny Simonsen
Mara Spraker
21 *Frances Sviderskis (ARC)
22 *Mary Lou Richards (ARC)
Jim Westman
6
Communion
Wednesday
2
7
8
9
14
15
16
7PM
Consistory (CH)
Reader: Sam Sunderland
Flowers: Brian Chlopecki
Coffee Hour:
Youth Group (Time TBA)
13 Mission of the Month
Tuesday
1
Scripture Readers: On the Sunday you are to
read your passage will be printed and placed
with your name on it in the narthex by the
bulletins. You will also be emailed or called
with your reading earlier in the week so you
may review the scripture beforehand.
John & Jeanne DeValve
Congregational Events
Monday
Reader: Jeanne DeValve
Flowers:
Coffee Hour:
8AM
Breakfast
Fellowship
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
6:30 PM
Team Meeting
Night (FH)
(Village Restaurant)
* Please mail all ARC cards to:
Liberty Day Hab
66 Church St.
Canajoharie, NY 13317
Palm Sunday
21
22
Friday
Saturday
3
4
5
10
11
17
18
24
25
23
Reader: Beth Sunderland
Flowers:
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
John & Jeanne DeValve
Coffee Hour:
7 PM
Shared Ministry
Maundy Thursday
Service
(SR)
Newsletter Deadline
27
Easter
Reader: Beth Luck
Flowers:
Coffee Hour:
7 AM
Shared Ministry
Sunrise Service & Breakfast
(FPR)
28
6:15PM
Comfort Zone
(S)
29
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
12
19
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
3
20
Thursday
30
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
26
12 Noon
Shared Ministry
Good Friday Service
(SJR)
7 – 9PM
AA (CH)
31
FH = Fellowship Hall
CH = Church House
S = Sanctuary
P = Parsonage
CR = Canajoharie Reformed
FPR = Fort Plain Reformed
SR = Sprakers Reformed
SJR = St. John’s Reformed
News &Notices
New Team Ministries:
Sign-up sheets for Ministry Teams are now
available in Fellowship Hall for anyone who
would like to help in the work of our Church and
its ministry. For more information, please
speak with Pastor Matt or any member of
Consistory.
2015 Annual Reports are now available in
Fellowship Hall and in the back of the Sanctuary.
Please help us fill our flower and coffee hour
slots for 2016. Sign up on the chart in the
narthex or call the church office. Flowers are
$10/ week, with envelopes provided next to the
calendar. Coffee hour requires a commitment
of time for set-up and clean up (no treats
required).
Summer Camp at Fowler:
During the summer, Camp Fowler is at its best.
Kids can choose to come to camp for one (or
more) week of camp. These weeks are geared
toward specific age groups falling within the
range of children who have completed the 3rd
grade to those who have completed the 12th
grade. To register your child or for more
information visit www.campfowler.org
Reminders:
Keep in mind that it is important to up-date
the
church
office
with
events,
announcements, celebrations, thank you
notes and any other information that should
be included in church publications. Email, call
or drop off items. Office hours are Tuesday &
Thursday from 9AM-1PM.
The Deadline for the April Fronstreeter is
Sunday, March 20th.
Serving Others
Remember our Missionaries:
Dick & Carolyn Otterness serving the Roma
people in Hungary and Mark, Deb & Zach
Wilson serving persons in Cambodia.
WORD SEARCH
FAMOUS MIRACLES OF JESUS
There are 37 miracles of Jesus recorded in the Gospels and hundreds more never
recorded, according to the closing words of John the Apostle. Below are the most
well-known miracles. Find the words in bold in the word search puzzle.
1. Jesus changed water into wine (John 2:1-11).
2. Jesus cured Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Mark 1:30-31).
3. Jesus stilled the storm (Matthew 8:23-27).
4. Jesus cured two demoniacs (Matthew 8:28-34).
5. Jesus cured the paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8).
6. Jesus raised the ruler's daughter from the dead (Matthew 9:18-26).
7. Jesus fed the multitudes (Matthew 15:32-39).
8. Jesus cleansed ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19).
9. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46).
10.Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:5-6).
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