OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS
1 Matthew Hughes
6 Kaitlin Harrison
19 Andy Prekopa
22 Bill Belford
28 Marilyn Bohm
OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES
7 Chakira & Chris Doherty
13 Sophie & James Lee
LECTIONARY FOR OCTOBER
20th Sunday after Pentecost
Lam. 1: 1-6; Lam. 3: 19-26 or Ps. 137
2 Tim. 1: 1-1; Luke 17:5-10
21st Sunday after Pentecost
Jer. 29:1, 4-7; Ps. 66:1-12; 2 Tim. 2:8-15;
Luke 17:11-19
22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Jer. 31: 27-34; Ps. 119:97-104;
2 Tim3: 14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8
23rd Sunday after Pentecost
Joel 2: 23-32; Ps. 65; 2 Tim. 4: 6-8, 16-18;
Luke 18:9-14
24th Sunday after Pentecost
Hab. 1: 1-4; 2:1-4, Ps. 119: 137-144;
2 Thess. !: !-4, 11-12; Luke 19:1-10
OCTOBER DATES TO REMEMBER
2ND World Communion Sunday & PotLuck
Luncheon
19th Confirmation Retreat
16th Bookclub
23rd Bookclub & Confirmation
30th Bookclub
THANK YOU
We would like to thank the Thursday Ladies
(Marilyn Bohm, Terry Prekopa, Lois DeGroff
Ruth Campisi and Barbara McVeigh.) for
refreshing the Colonial Room. They spent the
summer months cleaning, painting and
redecorating the room. It looks wonderful.
2016 PEACEMAKING OFFERING/WORLD COMMUNION
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2
LESSONS FROM THE TABLE
“Can God spread a table in the wilderness?”
On World Communion Sunday, Christians from around the world gather in worship to partake of the elements of bread and wine in remembrance and celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is also the time to bear witness to the unity of Christians everywhere as we seek to live out Christ’s command to work for justice and peace in a world that is deeply divided in conflict and war. Help bring the peace of Christ to communities of conflict. In too many places around the world, peace is merely a hope. Wars rage. Women and children are victims of atrocities. Anger bubbles over into violence. Differences between people grow, and understanding is in short supply. During the Season of Peace, we recognize that too many people live in situations that are both unsettled and unjust. Your gift to the Peace & Global Witness Offering works to address these deep-seated problems by supporting efforts to inspire, equip, and connect Presbyterians engaging in ministries of reconciliation and peace around the world. Through missions, work projects, and education, we witness to the peace of Christ for our sisters and brothers as they face some of the greatest challenges of our time.
Please join us after worship for a pot luck luncheon. Please bring a dish to share.
FALL MISSION PROJECT:
WINTER COAT DRIVE
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief and development nongovernmental organization. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers emergency aid and long-term assistance to refugees and those displaced by war, persecution or natural disaster.
A member of our congregation, Millie Cruz-Campbell is the Community Relations Manager for the IRC in this area. She helps refugees to resettle and become self-sufficient. Many of the children and families have been struggling to survive in very in very dangerous refugee camps. They are in very desperate need of winter coats. We are conducting a winter coat drive for the months of October, November and December. The coats need to be new or gently used. All sizes are needed. We are also accepting monetary donations. Please bring the coats to the narthex. Millie will distribute the coats as they are collected.
A WISH LIST FOR OUR CHURCH
In recent years, our church has benefited from the faith and generosity of many members who underwrote a much needed improvement that our operating budget could not afford. These important contributions enhanced the life and ministry of the church. Should you ever feel the desire (and have the resources) to make a special gift to the church Here is an idea for consideration:
The church is in need of a new computer and or laptop for the Finance Office. It is needed to be used to with our new program Quickbooks and our Finance information.
MUSIC MINISTRY
Thank you: Thank you everyone, for remembering my 12th anniversary as director of music at the church on September 11th. It is also my 50th anniversary of being an organist and choir director, so the presentation in church and the reception with special musical cake were especially appreciated. Thank you for the wonderful Companion to our new hymnal, which has background information about the texts and tunes of all 853 hymns, psalms, and responses in this amazing new hymnal.
Our Second 85th Anniversary Service will be Sunday, November 6th: Both singing and ringing choirs are working hard preparing special music for this Service. It should be very energizing and uplifting.
Handbell Choir: The new gloves have arrived! We will ring in church Sunday, October 30th, Reformation Sunday, with practice Saturday morning 10/29 at 10 AM. We will also ring the very next Sunday, November 6th, with practice, November 5th at 10 AM.
Chancel Choir: Thank you so much for the wonderful music at Adele’s Memorial Service, and for practicing during August to prepare for it. We received many compliments. Please keep up the good work!
Thanks again,
Carol
The Coach
FALL BOOK CLUB
“Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear”
By Max Lucado
Our fall book club will be held on Sunday’s during hospitality from 12:00pm to 1:00pm on October 16th, 23rd & 30th. Books are available for $5.00 after worship on October 2nd and October 9th.
Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.
Lucado, called by some as America's pastor, offers those within the Christian faith (and without) an inspirational can-do appropriate for the turbulent times Americans are facing.
Citing key common fears—violence, overwhelming challenges, sickness and other worst-case scenarios—Lucado provides welcome wisdom about those solely internal battles individuals face daily. People are afraid their lives don't matter; they're afraid of disappointing God; they're afraid of an afterlife; and they're even afraid God is not real.
Skillful as a surgeon, Lucado discerns and identifies the cancer of fear that touches every human being, and with like precision speaks healing words that cut right the heart. While there exists no fast fix or simple cure for the fear-bound individual, Lucado's tempered counsel and faith-driven remedies will offer day-by-day spiritual medicine of the most potent kind.
Join us each week for meaningful discussion and personal reflection.
UNITED ADULT MINISTRIES (UAM)
Our mission is to inspire expanding opportunities, practical services, and hope for older adults to live confidently in today’s ever transforming world.
UAM - Short History
United Adult Ministries, www.unitedadultministries.org, represents the culmination of a tradition of service since 1916. Moved by their faith, eight Presbyterian women in Brooklyn began caring for twelve mothers widowed by World War I. Their work led to several housing variations that eventually focused on seniors. In 1969, the First Congregational Church of Flushing, which occupied the corner of 38th Avenue and Bowne Street, was destroyed by fire. Shortly thereafter, the board of directors, which has always included Long Island Presbyterians, secured the Bowne Street site for future development. Built in 1974 as a not-for-profit Independent Living retirement community, Flushing House, www.flushinghouse.com, is known as a pioneer in Retirement residences which combines Independent Living with supportive services on premises. The residents enjoy their own private, spacious apartments. They are free to come and go, to entertain family and friends, and to make their own financial decisions. In addition, Flushing House provides a full range of communal services to assist residents with daily tasks, such as restaurant style dining with continental breakfast, lunch and dinner served in our beautiful dining room, housekeeping and linen services, a concierge, 24-hour security, a comprehensive activities program featuring state-of-the-art computer learning and fitness centers, arts and crafts room, concerts, movies, game nights, and weekly trips on our own bus! Catholic, Jewish and Protestant religious services are held weekly in our interfaith chapel. For the convenience of our residents, Flushing Hospital Medical Center operates a satellite Geriatric Clinic right on the premises with physicians and nurses, who are experts in the care of older adults. Two New York State-licensed home health care agencies are available on premises to provide personal services such as assistance with bathing, hygiene and dressing, as well as self-medication management. Residents may use these services or any service providers of their choice.
This year our confirmation students will be participating in an overnight retreat at the Flushing House (UAM). They will gather at our church for worship followed by lunch downstairs in the Social Hall on Sunday, October 9th. After lunch, we will take the train to ‘Flushing, Queens’ to go to the United Adult Ministry.
The culture of caring and hospitality that has been nurtured at Flushing House over the years is truly amazing. By attending this retreat our youth will see that caring for older adults is important but also providing life-giving opportunities for older adults to continue to grow as they age is important also. Somehow getting old has become perceived more of a burden in our society rather than a celebration of life, in which seniors are still valued contributors. Our hope is that the youth will experience a lot of what Flushing House has to offer and grow in understanding of how much seniors have to offer them and vise versa how much they have to offer seniors. Ultimately, United Adult Ministries hopes that the youth will join our mission “expanding horizons for older adults.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN GARDEN CITY
91 Chester Avenue, Garden City, N. Y. 11530-3928
Phone: 516-354-1848 E-mail: Fax: 516-354-1846
OCTOBER 2016
Dear Friends,
When I saw it plastered on a wall somewhere in the city, I stopped in my tracks. I stepped back a few steps to take a better look. Blazoned across the three panels like a wakeup call was a question: Why do you get out of bed in the morning? One panel had a life sized picture of a dare devil plunging off his surfboard which said “Fear of failure”. Another panel of the billboard pictures an astronaut peering out of a rocket ship with the words: “The Need to Succeed”. Another pictured a man with a cat curled up around his head which said: “The Love of Your Life”
These days many people feel overwhelmed with the demands of life. Some people wake up in the middle of the night overcome with worry about how they are going to make it through the day. With the pressure building up at work and at home, with mountains of bills, with disturbing news of ongoing wars and political upheavals, heroin overdoses and racial riots why in the world do you get out of bed in the morning? I’m pretty sure that I don’t get out of bed because I am ready to ride a rocket ship as it launches off into the cosmos, I’m quite sure after my tussle with the boogy board this summer that I will never have the gumption or the backbone to take on any looming wave while trying to balance on a sliver of fiberglass called a surfboard. And while I do love our rescued from the fence post kitty, I don’t usually get out of bed for her, although I have to admit she usually wakes me up very early in the morning.
Standing there before the billboard looking at the haunting question, I wondered to myself how different kinds of people would actually answer the question. How would the old men on park benches and kids on park swings and the steady stream of blank faced commuters who face their own uphill battles answer the looming question: Why, why do you really keep getting out of bed?
Do you find your feet because you are driven by a relentless fear of failure or beaten down by the need to succeed or do you hit the floor for the love of a ball of fur?
Love decides
Love decides everything
What you are in love with decides what you live for.
Nothing is more important than experiencing the love of God and sharing it with the world.
Maybe you see the face of God in the baby finally asleep in the crib, or in the teenager who does not want to budge. Maybe you experience a glimpse of God’s unconditional love when you care for your dog or kitty. Maybe you experience God’s love in the beauty of creation and the radiant colors of the changing leaves of the trees.
God is calling each one of us to fall in love again with the One who created us. God is calling us to experience the fullness of God’s love & grace & mercy so that we can share it with others, because the world is begging us all to get out of bed and make a sacrifice for someone who is lonely, for someone who is hurting, for someone who is different or marginalized or forgotten. Read the headlines, read your news feed – and then defy the darkness in the world by sharing God’s light and love.