NHRC
Home
| From the
Pastor's Pen | RCA
| Words of Hope
CHURCH NEWS, MAY, 2008
CHURCH NEWS CONTENTS
Pastor's Study
April Worship Schedule
Parish Health Ministry
Outreach
Congregational Life
RCWM
JOY
Display Showcase
Children and Youth
Kermit!
Who are Stephen Ministers?
Thank You's and Notes
May Calendar
From the
Pastor's Study....
Dear Friends,
Do you ever become oblivious to things that you see on a regular
basis/ I do. Recently someone sent me an e-mail
test about everyday objects- and I messed up on more than a few: like
how many sides are on a pencil? - or how many
colors are on a Campbell Soup label?
I would imagine this oblivion can affect the things of our church life,
too. Did you ever notice, for example, that the
prayer that comes near the end of our Sunday service is called "The
Prayers of the People?" - and not the Pastoral
Prayer? This time of prayer is framed by the pastors, but the
most sacred part of the prayer, for me, is the privilege
of lifting up your
prayers to God. When that happens, you become the liturgists for
our worship service, which
is theologically appropriate, since one of the derivations of the word
liturgy is taken from the Greek word
leiturgia, which means "the
work of the people."
At NHRC your prayers become part of our liturgy through the blue cards
in the pews. These cards can be used for
personal prayers, for prayers regarding our local community, our
country and the world. Tell God whatever
is on your heart and mind.
And - here's a recent anecdote about prayer. At one of our
Inquirer's classes this past April, one of our new
members asked if it was OK to write something happy on the blue cards -
since almost all the prayer requests
seemed pretty sad. I encouraged that person to bring joys to the
Lord as well. It's really OK to be
happy in church!
Grace and peace,
Marie
Return to top
MAY- 2008
WORSHIP SCHEDULE
May Worship
at 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. -- Sunday School, 9:15 a.m.
4
Communion/Confirmation Sunday
Scripture:
1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11
Sermon:
"Resistance and Blessing"
11
Pentecost Sunday/ New Members/Baptism
Scripture:
Acts 2: selected verses
Sermon:
"The Challenges of Pentecost"
18
Cantate Sunday
Scripture:
Psalm 96:1-6
Sermon: "A
New Song"
25
Memorial Day Sunday
Scripture:
Matthew 6:24-34
Sermon:
"God's Provisions"
Return to top
Parish
Health Ministry
Mary Lou Grott, R.N., 462-0810, Ext 105, Mon., Tues., Thurs.
Did you know we have a regional branch of Lighthouse International
right here in Poughkeepsie at 110 Main St.? That
was news to me! The following information on Low Vision was
obtained from a Lighthouse International publication
entitled, "All About Low Vision." This brief summary is just a
taste of what will be discussed at our next Parish Health
Ministry's Breakfast Program:
"Introduction to Low Vision Aids" with
Dr. Linda Kleinhenz, O.D., Saturday, June 75th, 9am - 11:30am in
Fellowship Hall.
Dr. Kleinhenz will share her experience and knowledge with us as an
Optometrist and board member of Lighthouse
International, with a brief presentatin, followed by a time for
questions and answers. She will be accompanied by Eugene
Pfeiffer, a representative of Eschenbach Optical Co. There will
be many low vision products for you to see that day, along
with many handouts to increase your knowledge and understanding of this
all too common eye condition. Please join us to
learn more! Sign-up in the Gathering Area soon or call mary Lou
at 462-0810 ext 105.
WHAT IS LOW VISION?
Partial vision loss that cannot be corrected causes a vision impairment
known as "low vision." A person with low vision
has a severely reduced visual acuity (ability to perceive detail) or
contrast sensitivity, a significantly obstructed field of
vision, or all three.
SIGNS OF LOW VISION
- Difficulty in recognizing a familiar face
- Difficulty reading - print appears broken, distorted, or
incomplete
- Difficulty seeing objects and potential hazards such as steps,
curbs, walls, uneven surfaces and furniture
If you experience any of these symptoms, please see your eye
doctor immediately, and then call Lighthouse International
at (845) 473-2660 or (800) 829-0500 to schedule an appointment.
Early detection and medical treatment may be
helpful in preventing further vision loss. The really good news
is that people with low vision usually retain some
usable vision, with the thelp of an ophthalmologist or optometrist
specializing in low vision.
COLLECTING OLD/USED GLASSES
The Parish Health Ministry will be collecting old/used glasses through
May and June to donate to the Lions Club and/or
Lighthouse International for others to use who may not be able to
afford a pair on their own. Please place them in the
labeled plastic container at the Information Desk in the Gathering Area
- thank you for your donation!
MAY IS NATIONAL ALS AWARENESS MONTH
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a disease of the motor neurons,
muscle-controlling nerve cells in the brain and
spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. The cause is
generally unknown, but with research and continual
advances in our knowledge, the hope is for a cure and soon!!
Our own Debi Christensen's personal story has been selected to be
posted on the national ALS-MDS (Amyotrophic
Laterial Sclerosis - Muscular Dystrophy Association) website on May
4th, 2008, at www.als-mda.org.
What an
honor!! You are all invited to read Debi's profile and also to
join the MDA's Online Community by signing up at the
above website. To learn more about ALS, go to this website's
homepage and select "About ALS."
Return to top
OUTREACH
Outreach Celebrates our 250th....In honor of our 250th Birthday
Celebration, the Outreach Council has decided to collect 250 sets of
sheets for Dutchess County Coalition for the Homeless, to help sustain
the sheet supply for their sixty bed homeless shelter in Poughkeepsie.
The sheet sets (consisting of a fitted and flat
sheet as well as a pillowcase):
Must be twin size
Must be NEW
Solid colors only (no prints, please)
We request a thread count of no less than 280
because they will be washed every night.
The collection began in March and will run throughout the year or until
we meet our goal of 250 sets. They will be distributed to the
shelter on a monthly basis throughout the year. To keep the
congregation informed of our progress toward the goal, a paper
thermometer will be placed on the Outreach bulletin board located in
the hall by the kitchen. We hope to reach our goal by this
summer. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact
Joan Heller, Outreach Council Chair, at 896-8733. We thank you in
advance for your support!
Return to top
CONGREGATIONAL
LIFE
Return to top
R.C.W.M.
On Saturday afternoon, May 3, our Reformed Church Women's Ministries
will be honoring the families at Hudson River Housing with a Mother's
Day Craft Party. These Moms receive little recognition as they struggle
to take care of their families. We will have craft projects for the
Moms, a Mothers Day project and games for the kids, and take family
portraits as a gift to them. Each Mom receives a festive bag filled
with personal size toiletries. We need your help donating small bottles
of shampoo, conditioner, hand cream, etc. to fill these bags. Donations
can be left in the basket in the gathering area. We will also need
bakers to bake fancy cookies for the party, volunteers to help at the
party, and to prepare for the party on Tues. evening , April 22, at
7p.m. All of our volunteers come away enriched by the good fellowship
shared at the party each year. See the sign-up sheet in the gathering
area to volunteer.
Our Annual Birthday Dessert and Fashion Show will be held on Wed.
evening, June 4. This lovely evening of beautifully decorated tables
and cool fashions supports the missions and programs of our R.C.W.
M. This year's event will be extra special as we celebrate the
250th anniversary of our church. Tickets are $10.00 each and may be
reserved by calling Ann Martin at 896-6915. The gentlemen of our church
graciously help out by serving beverages to our 400 guests. This year
Tom Soricelli will coordinate the servers and he needs lots of
volunteers to help. Please sign up in the gathering area, if you can
help. Many door prizes add to the fun of the evening. This year we hope
to have a door prize for each table, which means a lot of prizes.
Please call Rosemary Summers at 297-1704 to donate a prize. If you
would like to hostess a table, please call Robin Piggot at
(cell)914-474-7832 or(H)463-3787.
Return to top
JOY
Return to top
DISPLAY
SHOWCASE
A SPECIAL REQUEST TO
ALL... PHOTOS NEEDED....
As you have noticed, our Gathering Area display showcase has been
featuring exhibits to go with our 250th Anniversary theme. For
our June display we plan to feature photos of everyone who was married
or baptized at NHRC - old or new church. There will be a box on
the Gathering Area desk to collect these photos. PLEASE label the
photo. Copies are OK and you can even write names on the front of
them. If you do not have a baptism photo, submit a current school
photo so none will be left out.
250th ANNIVERSARY QUILT
The NHRC 250th Anniversary Quilt will be on display in the
showcase. Check it out!!
This quilt was created to reflect the styles of quilting found during
the 250 years New Hackensack Reformed Church
has been in existance. Many of the blocks we see in modern quilts
have Biblical names and some have several names
depending on the areas in which they were made. Quilt block
designs can be found in buildings of the ancient world
such as in Ephesus, Rhodes, and Rome. They are particularly noted
in floor mosaics. One of the oldes designs in
American quilts is Jacob's Ladder. Where possible, period
reproduction fabrics were used to make the blocks.
Blocks in this Quilt have been made by the following women:
Eleanor Burch, Jacqueline Carey, Sandra Checklick, Barbara
Hespenheide, Sylvia LaFalce, Mary Mantilla, Emily Oakhill, Carole
Peterson, Alice Ruffing, Sue Shultis, Leslie Urbanski
and Anna Wise. The quilt has been machine quilted by Sylvia
LaFalce. The quilt was designed by Barbara Hespenheide
and Eleanor Burch. Logo Design by Kristine Rice. Period
fabric donated by Sandra Checkleck.
Ellie Burch
Return to top
CHILDREN AND
YOUTH
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND COLLEGE MUSIC
MAJORS:
Applications are now being accepted for the 2008-09 academic year Betty
B. Garee Memorial Music Scholarship. This
scholarship is in memory of Betty B. Garee who directed the bell choirs
at New Hackensack for many years. It is
available to church members who are attending (or will be attending in
the fall of 2008) college and majoring in music (or
music related work). To be considered as a recipient, eligible
students should send a letter of application, addressed to the
Worship and Music Council, by May 31, 2008. If you have any
questions, please call Roger Eddy, 297-7799 after
5:30 p.m.
SAVE THE DATE!! FOR CHILDREN'S
DAY JUNE 8!!
In the Reformed tradition, when children are baptized, we take promises
to nurture them on their Christian walk. Here's
a chance to fulfill those promises. On Sunday, June 8, the
children and young people of our Sunday School will be the
worship leaders at the 10:00 a.m. service. Each class will
present something they have learned about God - in song, in
drama, in recitation. Please come and support these children and
their dedicated teachers. After the service, there will
be a picnic (with games for the children) on the church grounds.
NHRC SUMMER CAMP, 2008....
Our summer camping program is scheduled for the weeks of July 7th, July
14th, July 21st, and July 28th (Monday -
Thursday, 8:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.). The camping staff has been
planning the program since February 2008.
Registration is open to children age 4 (before 12/01/2008) through
completion of grade 2. The cost per week
is $90. Please contact our camp registrar, Sally Allen, at
845-297-0608 for additional information and registration.
VBS.... SAVE THE DATES!!!
Vacation Bible School is fast approaching! Mark your calendars
for the week of August 4th through 8th when this
year's VBS theme will be "Power Lab," exploring the power of God's
miracles in our lives. Anyone interested
in volunteering their time to help with VBS, please contact Sue
Kimmerle at 914-489-2864 or 592-8006.
Return to top
Greetings
from Kermit!
It's finally starting to get REALLY pleasant outside. Everywhere
I hop (especially when it's dark), I hear choruses
of my little froggy friends telling the world that spring is here, and
summer is on the way. And at times like these I
am VERY thankful that because I'm a very unusual frog, who spends LOTS
of time with all you wonderful humans,
I have better things to do than to sit in the dark and make chirping
noises!! And one of the things that I get to do
is to talk about all the goings on in preparation for this year's Piggy
Bank Bazaar!!
May's Wednesday Morning Workshops will be held on the 7th, 14th, 21st,
and 28th, at 9:30 a.m. in
Room 15. This would be a GREAT chance for YOU to get involved in
preparing for the BAZAAR!! Mrs. Ray (my
wonderful human friend who is having a VERY busy year) tells me that
there are lots of projects to work on, many of
them nice and easy ones. There's bound to be one that is JUST
PERFECT for YOU! Please join in the fun!!
"Camperships" from Piggy Bank Bazaar funds are available to all church
children who will be attending a session
of an overnight Christian camp this summer. In the past, the
BAZAAR has helped LOTS of our young people as
they've spent a week at Camp Warwick or Camp Fowler. If your
young human is going to camp this summer, please
contact the Church Office!
A few weeks ago you amazing humans took home most of the 93 Take Home
Kits that were available to work on
over the summer. These kits will make 1064 gifts for the BAZAAR,
which will be just grand for all the young
humans to look through on The Big Day!! We have a few Kits left -
if you are interested, please drop by one of
the Workshops, or speak with Mrs. Ray (she answers to "Carol") on
Sunday. Also, a Great Big Froggy Thank You
goes out to Nancy Cooper, Carolyn Gordon, Bonnie Hawes, Anne Marchetti,
Leanne Merte, and Carol Ray,
the folks who designed all the Take Home Kits.
Another Great Big Froggy Thank You to the other incredible humans who
have contributed lots and LOTS of really
nice stuff to Piggy's Cupboard over the past couple months. the
BAZAAR depends on these contribultions to
keep costs down, and opportunities up!! Piggy's Cupboard has
accumulated many items that may be of use to
you if you are working on a project, or fixing an old one. If you
need a piece of ribbon, yarn, fabric, paint,
pompoms, wiggle eyes, buttons, hanging cord, thread, lace seam
bindings, pearls, beads, etc., drop by and
see if maybe Piggy's Cupboard might be able to help out!
Even though we have all that great stuff, there are some other things
we need, especially glue sticks, yardsticks,
rulers, fabric scissors, clam shells, conch shells, cellophane for
wrapping baskets, basket stuffing like Easter grass,
baskets, vases, polyester stuffing and batting, silk flowers, floral
foam, floral moss, yarn, beads, beaded necklaces,
mugs, Styrofoam balls and cones, fleece, sandpaper, buttons, new nails
and screws, sawtooth hangers, new
candles of all sizes, and assorted craft supplies.
I'll be writing to you again before we slow down for the summer.
Until then, I hope to see you at the Workshops!!
Yours in Love,
Kermit
Return to top
WHO ARE STEPHEN
MINISTERS?
Stephen
Ministers, through God's love and guidance, help heal broken hearts and
lift broken spirits.
Totally
rely on God - for He is the Healer.
Encourage, support and love our
Care Receivers
Pray
for our Stephen Leaders, Care Receivers, other Care Givers and all
those in need of God's help.
Hone
the talents He has given us and use them to His glory.
Employ
two of God's greatest gifts, empathy and compassion.
Never
judge our Care Receiver; we accept them right where they are.
Maintain
confidentiality at all times.
In
all we do we LISTEN and we LOVE.
Never
go beyond our boundaries.
In
His love we accept His will and not our wants.
Seek
spiritual guidance; we pray we can be still and listen to the Lord.
Take
time to read the Bible, knowing it is the only way to share His love
and His word.
Enlighten
others to follow this path for it is lit by God's love.
Rely
on God in all we do for only then can we be a Stephen Minister.
Servants
of God who together celebrate His love.
Rosemary Summers
Return
to top
Thank You's
and Notes
Dear NHRC Family,
Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and prayers following my
mother's death. At a time when no words
seem adequate, you found them for our family.
A special thank you to our shepherd groupl leader, Karen
Federico. When I just could
not plan one more thing,
she stepped in to feed my Poughkeepsie family when I was needed
elsewhere. This was the most wonderful
expression, and no small feat.
The outpouring of sympathy and support is a wonder to our AFS
sons. They are surprised at the sense of family
and community that we have at the NHRC. While we have never taken
this Christian community for granted, it
is a reminder of what we have, when we see NHRC reflected in their
eyes. (They will know we are Christians
by our love....)
I will always want to call my mother and tell her that the snowdrops
are up, and that my Easter Bread came out
perfectly. But a deeper knowledge is that she did what she had to
do in this world, and now she can rest in heaven.
Emily Oakhill
New Hackensack Reformed Church,
Thank you for donating the daffodils to Meals-on-Wheels of Wappingers
Falls. They were a pleasant surprise
and a nice treat for our clients! Your support of our program is
greatly appreciated.
Thank you and God bless you all!
Return to top
MAY CALENDAR
1, Thursday Ascension Day
9:30 a.m.
Bible Study at the Hoyt's
4:45 p.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
7:00 p.m.
CIA Youth Study
7:30 p.m.
Senior Choir
2, Friday
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
3, Saturday
10:00 a.m.
Confirmation Class and Elders
4,
Sunday Communion/Confirmation
8:00 a.m.
Adult Sunday School
9:15 a.m.
Worship, Sunday School
Confirmation
10:30 a.m.
Cherub Choir
Celebration Choir
11:00 a.m.
Worship
5, Monday
4:45 p.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
6:00 p.m. Klokken I
8:00 p.m. Campanola Ringers
6, Tuesday
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
11:45 a.m. JOY
Meeting
7:00
p.m.
Councils/Committees
7, Wednesday
6:45 a.m.
Men's Christ_Care
9:30 a.m.
Piggy Bank Workshop
10:30 a.m.
Miracles of Jesus Study
7:00 p.m.
Stephen Ministry
Boy Scout Troop 56
8, Thursday
9:30 a.m.
Bible Study at the Hoyt's
4:45 p.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
7:00 p.m.
CIA Youth Study
7:30 p.m.
Senior Choir
9, Friday
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
3:30 p.m.
JUNE NEWS DEADLINE
6:30
p.m.
GEMS
11,
Sunday Pentecost Sunday/Mother's Day/Baptisms/New Members
8:00 a.m.
Adult Sunday School
9:15 a.m.
Worship, Sunday School
Children's Message
10:30 a.m.
Cherub Choir
Celebration Choir
11:00 a.m.
Worship
12, Monday
4:45 p.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
6:00 p.m. Klokken I
8:00 p.m.
Campanola Ringers
13, Tuesday
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
5:00 p.m. Chime Time
6:00 p.m. Klokken II
14, Wednesday
6:45 a.m.
Men's Christ_Care
9:30 a.m.
Piggy Bank Workshop
10:30
a.m.
Miracles of Jesus Study
7:00
p.m.
Boy Scout Troop 56
15, Thursday
9:30 a.m.
Bible Study at the Hoyt's
10:00 a.m. Wellness Committee
4:45
p.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
7:00 p.m.
CIA Youth Study
7:30 p.m.
Senior Choir
16, Friday
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
5:00 p.m. Boy Scout Yard Sale Drop-off
17, Saturday
9:00 a.m. Boy Scout Yard Sale
18,
Sunday Cantate/Trinity Sunday
Festival of Hymns - 18th Century Dutch Music
8:00 a.m.
Adult Sunday School
9:15 a.m.
Worship, Sunday School
Jr. and Sr. High
10:30 a.m.
Cherub Choir
Celebration Choir
11:00 a.m.
Worship
6:30 p.m.
Youth Group
19, Monday
4:45 p.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
6:00 p.m.
Klokken I
8:00 p.m.
Campanola Ringers
20, Tuesday
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
5:00 p.m.
Chime Time
6:00 p.m.
Klokken II
21, Wednesday
6:45 a.m.
Men's Christ_Care
9:30 a.m.
Piggy Bank Workshop
10:30
a.m.
Miracles of Jesus Study
7:00
p.m.
Stephen Ministry
Boy Scout Troop 56
7:30 p.m. Nursery School Board
22, Thursday
9:30 a.m.
Bible Study at the Hoyt's
4:45 p.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
7:00 p.m.
CIA Youth Study
7:30 p.m.
Senior Choir
23, Friday
9:30 a.m.
Collate June News
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
25,
Sunday Memorial Day Sunday
9:15 a.m.
Worship, Sunday School
Jr. and Sr. High
10:00 a.m. Blood Pressure Screeening
10:30 a.m. Cherub Choir
Celebration Choir
11:00 a.m. Worship
8:30 p.m. Dutchess Homeless Shelter Meal
26,
Monday Memorial Day / Office Closed
27, Tuesday
10:30 a.m.
Strength and Balance Exercise
5:00 p.m.
Chime Time
6:00 p.m.
Klokken II
7:00 p.m. Consistory Meeting
28, Wednesday
6:45 a.m.
Men's Christ_Care
9:30 a.m.
Piggy Bank Workshop
10:30
a.m.
Miracles of Jesus Study
7:00 p.m.
Kerygma Class/Job
Boy Scout Troop 56
29, Thursday
9:30 a.m. Bible Study at the Hoyt's
4:45 p.m. Strength and Balance Exercise
7:00 p.m. CIA Youth Study
7:30 p.m. Senior Choir
30, Friday
10:30 a.m. Strength and Balance Exercise
Return to top
Last updated 04/20/2008