Epistle 2009 03

THE EPISTLE Volume 14 Issue 3

MARCH 26, 2009

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER Palm Sunday ushers us into the mystery of Holy Week. As we journey from the Hosannas of Sunday to the desolation of Good Friday, we see the highs and lows of life in full relief. It is important to remember, though, that Jesus’ experiences while instructive, are not to be seen as some kind of larger image of our own experiences. Holy Week and the festival of Easter are not about us, but about Jesus Christ and his cross. What we learn here is not how to make it through our suffering, but rather that God in Christ has done it for us. In order to truly celebrate the festivities of Easter Day, we need to have experienced the hosannas of Palm Sunday, the meal together in the upper room and the cry of absence from the cross. We can do this as we gather together for our Holy Week services.

Palm/Passion Sunday

April 5 Blessing of the Palms Service of choral music and readings to prepare us for Holy Week (no communion) Wednesday of Holy Week April 8 Noon service of Holy Communion

Maundy Thursday

April 9 7:30 PM: Service of Holy Communion and Tenebrae

Good Friday

April 10 Noon: “Way of the Cross” beginning here This service sponsored by the Perinton Pastoral Association follows contemporary “Stations of the Cross” through the village of Fairport, with stops for readings and prayer 7:30 PM: Good Friday Liturgy This simple service takes us to the depts. Of Good Friday as we prepare for the joy of Easter Day

Easter Day

April 12 9:30 AM: Festival Eucharist There will be no Church School Nursery Care will be provided The children will participate in the “Living Cross” See p. 10 for May 17 – Year-End Dinner & Celebration

The Season of Easter Worship Schedule Sunday Worship at 9:30 AM Fellowship Time and Christian Education follow April 19: Second Sunday of Easter The Rev.Dr.Timothy Dwyer, guest preacher* *The Rev. Dr. Timothy Dwyer, our teacher and friend, will preach on Sunday April 19. The Cedarleaf’s will be taking a week’s vacation.

April 26: Third Sunday of Easter Acts 3:12-19 I John 3:1-7 Luke 24:36b-48 “A New World Order”

May 17: Sixth Sunday of Easter (“Ascension Sunday”) Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:15-23 Luke 24:44-53 “We are not alone”

May 3: Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 4:5-12 I John 3:16-24 John 10:11-18 “Gentle Jesus?”

May 24: Seventh Sunday of Easter Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 I John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19 “Under the Influence”

May 10: Fifth Sunday of Easter Acts 8:26-40 I John 4:7-21 John 15:1-8 “It’s all About a Relationship”

May 31: Day of Pentecost Ezekiel 37:1-14 Acts 2:1-21 John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 “The Gift of the Spirit”

First Congregational United Church of Christ 26 East Church Street Fairport NY 14450

PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE When you read this you will be getting ready to celebrate the great festival of Easter. This great day is the cornerstone of the whole Christian faith. Paul tells us that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then our faith is in vain, and indeed it is. Easter is not about us, it is about Jesus Christ and his victory over death which makes everything that follows it different. We did not live before the Resurrection and we view all that comes after through the lens of the resurrection. Before the resurrection there had been a little band of Jesus’ followers, but after Easter, and certainly after Pentecost they became the Church. We, of course, are also the post Easter church, those who dwell together on this side of our Lord’s resurrection and who try to act in ways which witness to the power of that resurrection in the world. What kind of a church is a “Post Easter Church”? The Post Easter Church is joyful. How can we be anything, but joyful? After we go through the ultimate defeat of Good Friday, we know that nothing can be that bad again. We know that because Jesus lives, so too will his people live; that because Jesus lives, his spirit has been loosed amid human institutions; that tears have been turned into laughter and sorrow into joy. This is good news. This is the gospel; the greatest of all news that can lift us to new heights of love and service, even today. Today, as in all times, we need this message of joy. We need to be a joyful church; joyful because the gospel we proclaim in word and deed is one which makes all things new. The Post Easter Church is united. Jesus called his disciples together; a diverse lot in so many ways: tax collectors and fishermen, and a traitor in their midst. They appeared to be united, but in the face of death and defeat ran away or denied or turned traitor. Yet, after the resurrection this group of frightened and shivering people banded together and became, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the church. They didn’t all think alike on every issue; yet there was among them a deep unity thought and purpose. This unity of thought and purpose gave power to Peter to speak his mind and Paul to travel the face of the earth for Christ. Today, more than ever, the church needs to be united, not only physically but spiritually. We need to understand our mission and purpose better than we do. We need to see that indeed if we are going to be like “a mighty army”, we can’t act like a bunch of guerillas taking pot shots at one another form behind every rock and tree. Continued

PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE (cont) Recently we have read of the decline of those who identify themselves with the church. Let us remember that we are one church in Christ around the world. We may look different and worship in different ways, but we are one in Christ. The Post Easter Church is loving. The apostle John tells us that it is hard, to love God who we have not seen, if we do not love our sisters and brothers who we do see. Here is the line between theology and ethics, between belief and action. You cannot love God in the abstract. Love must be concretized in the family, in the church, in the world, by word and deed, by speaking and acting. Love of God is not a mere theological exercise, but a practical action. God loved the world and sent his Son. Jesus founded the Church to be a community of love, to show God’s love to the whole world. The Church is called to be that community which is directed and energized by love of God and love of neighbor; that community which is an example of the love of Christ in the world. God calls us into his Church as the statement of faith says: “to accept the cost and the joy of discipleship.” That is what we are about as a people, as the Post Easter Church. We are called to be joyful, called to be united and called to be loving. Your Pastor,

John

WORSHIP DURING THE SEASON OF LENT Lent is that period of forty days, not including Sundays, which precedes Easter and which prepares us for the celebration of the great Easter feast. Traditionally our worship service has changed somewhat during this time, certain things eliminated, such as the alleluias. We remove the brass candlesticks and substitute wooden ones. We also use wooden or pottery communion wear. The choir does not process. This year we will also make another change. During Lent we will begin the service with a Thanksgiving for Baptism which will replace the confession and pardon. As God provided water for the people of Israel in the desert and for our Lord in the wilderness of temptation, so he provides living water to us in Jesus Christ. This is symbolized in the Sacrament of Baptism. This year, particularly, as we work to provide Water for Sudan, this reminder that our Christian life begins in the waters of baptism is appropriate.

NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM APRIL 16, 2009

KEEPING UP TO DATE Our revitalized web page is up and running. Check things out to see what is going on. If you have friends who want to know about us, send them to fairportucc.org. As time goes on more and more information will be added both for internal and external use. The web page is a center of communication for our parish. Another way that we try and keep people up to date is by using e-mail to inform you of activities or events of importance. We can only do this if we have your up-to-date e-mail address. If you have not already done so, please give Cathy Kinton ([email protected]) your e-mail address so that you can be informed about the good works of our church and church family. Thanks.

NURSERY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE BERTHA AGOR MEMORIAL NURSERY SCHOOL is having an open house on March 29, 2009 from 2 to 3 PM. Please stop by and check it out. There are openings in both the 3 and 4 year old classes. Call Ginger Field, 377-9806 for forms.

Morning Circle Morning Circle will meet on April 14th at 10 AM. We will have a discussion of the book , The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, a novel about life under German occupation during World War II.

Easter Flower Donations A sign-up sheet for Easter flower donations will be put on the moveable Bulletin Board in Fellowship Hall later in February. Donations can be made in memory of a person or persons of your choosing. The Board of Elders will purchase flowers to be placed in the Altar area and on the window sills. Checks can be made payable to the church with the notation "for Easter flowers". If you have any questions, contact John Hecker (223-7584)." NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM APRIL 16, 2009

The following request was received by the Missions committee from Church World Service: Blankets+ Funds and Hygiene Kit Supplies are Critically Low Needs and requests have depleted our Blankets+ funds. Shipments to the border regions of the U.S. in New Mexico and response to overseas partners leave us with little to nothing left to share as we contemplate the needs of an ice bound Kentucky and other disasters that will cry for an immediate response from CWS. Recent shipments of blankets and relief supplies have gone to those impacted by the ongoing violence in Gaza. The needs and suffering are great. Church World Service is supporting relief efforts being implemented by local partners. Eight trucks of aid have gone into Gaza over the past few weeks and this is just the crisis assistance phase, long-term assistance will be needed. Please help us help those struggling for survival. Church World Service provided an initial shipment of 300 blankets and 300 Hygiene Kits to those impacted by the recent ice storm in Kentucky that the Governor's office has called the biggest natural disaster in the state's history. In addition Church World Service is providing 240 Hygiene Kits each to the Izard County Shelter and the Searcy County Shelter. Recovery and repairs will take time. Please help us bring warmth and assistance to those in need. CWS is providing 1,000 CWS Hygiene Kits to emergency workers in Fayetteville, AR, and 92 CWS Hygiene Kits to the Maynard (AR) Fire Department, for distribution to families affected by end-of-January ice storms. In Oklahoma, at least nine people were killed, dozens injured, and homes damaged or destroyed by an unusual February outbreak of tornadoes. CWS Emergency Response Specialist Lura Cayton is assessing the situation and helping local faith communities organize for recovery. Donna Derr, Director of the Church World Service Emergency Response Program, reports that “CWS continues to receive frequent large requests for CWS kits from partners overseas and in the U.S. -- particularly hygiene kits for overseas use and clean-up buckets for U.S. use. Because it is a constant challenge to have our supply of kits keep up with demand, we are currently in the position of having several pending shipments that need to wait until we can secure an adequate number of kits to meet the requests. Our pending shipments include ones to Ghana, Syria and Zimbabwe. As well, we continue to supply often clean-up buckets and hygiene kits to flood affected areas in the US -- most recently to areas of the Midwest which experienced ice storms and flooding following ice melt.” Materials Resource Update Church World Service recently filled the following requests for material resources: 480 CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets to the Southeast Texas Interfaith Organization, at a value of $24,000 100 CWS Emergency Blankets to Hope of Lutheran Church in Bonita Springs, Florida at a value of $476 17,400 CWS Hygiene Kits to International Orthodox Christian Charities in Damascus, Syria at a value of $226,800 250 Heavyweight CWS Blankets to Chenango Fenton Project Concern for homeless and disadvantaged in the Binghamton area at a value of $1,190 As you can see these are desperate times for a number of areas of our world, our nation and even our state. In response, our church will hold a special collection on two consecutive Sundays: Palm Sunday (April 5th) and Easter Sunday (April 12th). The Missions committee will also supplement the congregations’ donation to assure a minimum donation from the church of $500.

185th Anniversary This year First Congregational United Church of Christ in Fairport is planning a year-long observance of our 185th anniversary. This observance includes a series of celebrations and events as well as a contemplative study of our roots and traditions and an honest and thoughtful appraisal of what our community of faith truly means as we move into our future. As we study the earliest organization of our church in 1824, it is interesting to note that the founders did not establish it with "articles of incorporation" or "corporate by-laws" or even a "mission statement" - but rather with a "covenant" - a solemn, formal binding agreement, or contract. The preamble of the agreement that was signed reads as follows; "Whereas, we the subscribers, ordained ministers of the Gospel, having been called by a number of professing Christians in the Town of Perinton, to meet on this 18th day of December 1824, at the house of Jesse Perrin, in Perinton, for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of forming and organizing a Congregational church, and, if on full examination of the subject, it shall appear to us that such a church ought to be formed for the benefit of Christ's Kingdom and the promotion of His cause, then to proceed to the organization of such a church." Therefore, "membership" in this church was meant that we are bound together for the purpose of furthering of God's Will and Christ's purpose in this world, and that active participation in that work and endeavor is necessary in order to carry out that purpose. Nothing less is needed today than it was 185 years ago to witness to the Work and Word of Jesus Christ. In fact in a culture that is increasingly trending toward secular principles, effort and energy expended in support of the covenant is even more critical. Over the next several months of this year, the Board of Elders will be endeavoring to connect - and re-connect - with all those listed in our rosters to ask them how we can make the bonds of our first covenant even stronger as we face the years before us. Toni Thompson, Board of Elders Chairperson

NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM APRIL 16, 2009

Many thanks to everyone who sent cards and prepared meals and treats for Art and I while I was recovering from back surgery. We are so grateful for your kind words and deeds. Sincerely, Diana DeBruycker

A Big Thanks from Marius Burke Eaton and Family! Don and Deirdre Eaton would like to thank all the adults and teenagers that have volunteered their time each Sunday morning for "Marius Duty". Not only are we both able to attend worship, but the socialization is beneficial for Marius as well. What a great congregation. A big thanks to Kelly Weidman for organizing it.

Perinton Food Shelf says “Many Thanks” The Perinton Food Shelf has continued to be well stocked as a result of your generous contributions! Your thoughtful donations of the items requested provides the basic needs to the hungry in the community. Thanks also to the efforts of the office assistants in publishing the requests and the volunteers who bring the donations to the Food Shelf. Working together-especially in these difficult economic times--we are able to help others who are less fortunate.

Our sympathy is extended to the family of Geraldine Stearns who passed away on March 4, 2009 at the age of 100 years. Geraldine had been a member of our church family since 1990 and a resident at Crest Manor. A service for her was held at Keenan’s.

Sympathy is extended to Paula and David Dickson on the recent death of Paula’s sister, Sally Wing.

Our condolences to Lorrie and Glenn Harris on the death of Lorrie’s brother, Ron Seitz, in Sardis , TN on March 9, 2009.

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS Martha Bowman, St. John’s Home

Barbara Cobb, Fairport Baptist Home

Adult Education

What’s Coming Up in Adult Education March 29 – A Look At Holy Week presented by Dr. Tim Dwyer April 5– TBD These classes/events will be held during Christian Education time in the Snow Room following the worship service. ***NOTE: There will be NO adult ed. class on 4/12, 4/19 or 4/26 due to Easter and Spring Break.***

Mid-Week Daytime Class! The Jesus I Never Knew Come join our study and discussion group as we travel through Lent studying, “The Jesus I Never Knew” by Christianity Today Editor Philip Yancey. In this DVD study, you will expand – and very likely redefine – your understanding of the person, teachings, and life of Jesus Christ. Classes are held Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – noon in the Snow Room, beginning on Feb. 25. There will be an $8 fee per participant’s manual. Join us!

May 17 – Year-End Dinner & Celebration Come relax, enjoy some delicious food and a lot of laughs with friends as we celebrate a great year in youth group! The evening’s activities will run from 6 – 8 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.

Dining & Drumming Under the South African Stars”

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Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to savor a unique experience, while supporting an excellent cause – Water for Sudan!

During Lent, our church is trying to raise the $8,000 necessary to drill a well in south Sudan. This well will provide clean drinking water for up to 2,000 villagers. In addition to individual donations, we are hosting a one-of-a-kind gourmet dining experience – /Dining & Drumming Under the South African Stars/ – on Saturday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. This delightful evening will begin in Upper Fellowship Hall. Here, you may wander through our lapa and shop for fair trade goods at Afrikamba in our marketplace. You will have the opportunity to capture the evening with a professional portrait by Natalie Sinisgalli, and you may bid on one of the special items offered at our Silent Auction. At 7:30 p.m., you’ll be invited to Fellowship Hall to enjoy a traditional South African gourmet dinner – complete with linen tablecloths and candlelight! You’ll start your meal with savory Voorgereg, a pate with toast triangles. Next, you’ll enjoy Bobotie en Greelrys met Perske Blatjang (Bobotie with yellow rice and peach chutney), Pampoenkoekies (pumpkin fritters), and Aspersies, Ricotta en Avokadoopeer (asparagus, ricotta and avocado). At 8:15, it’s time to drum with Matthew Mantione, a young man with autism, who is making a name for himself in the drumming world. Finally, at 9 p.m., you can complete your evening with coffee and Pavlova met vrugte (pavlova with fruit). Tickets for this special evening are only $30. Seating is limited. To purchase a ticket, please contact the church office at 223-0224 or visit the dinner sales table in Fellowship Hall. Thank you for supporting this wonderful cause!

….. Coming May 15 ….. Family Ice Cream Social & Movie Night! Mark your calendars for this fun, family year-end celebration! We’ll start at 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall savoring delicious ice cream sundaes. Then, we’ll move upstairs to enjoy an entertaining family movie. Join us!

NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM APRIL 16, 2009

JYF/SYF NEWS April 10 – Way of the Cross Walk Meet at our church at noon on this day, Good Friday, to walk “The Way of the Cross.” We’ll join with other Fairport residents in a meditative walk through the village with Scripture reading and focused prayer for our community at several locations.

May 3 – CROP Walk! We’ll meet at noon, have some lunch and join others in a walk to raise money to fight hunger. The walk is approx. 3 miles on the canal. When we’re done, we’ll treat ourselves to ice cream at Lickety Splits!

“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” Isaiah 59:10

Family News Preschoolers & Elementary Students: Learning About Christ’s Life and Journey To the Cross From now until Easter Sunday, our students in the rotation program will journey with Jesus to the cross. Through movies, drama, storytelling and art, they will learn what events took place between Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the good news of His resurrection on Easter morning.

Children Invited to Decorate Our Living Cross on Easter Sunday During the worship service on Easter Sunday, children of all ages are invited to come to the chancel steps and decorate our wooden cross with live flowers. There will not be Children’s Chapel on this special day, but children will be given an activity bag full of Easter surprises to enjoy during the worship service. *****ATTENTION: THERE IS NO CHURCH SCHOOL OR CHILDREN’S CHAPEL ON EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 12*. *THERE WILL BE NURSERY CARE PROVIDED.**** *

******THERE WILL NO CLASSES ON APRIL 19 OR 26 DUE TO SPRING BREAK. CLASSES RESUME MAY 3.* *(THERE WILL BE CHILDREN’S CHAPEL ON THOSE DAYS.)*****

NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM APRIL 16, 2009