The Laurelton Light”

“Jesus is the light of the world.” May2015Newsletter

From the Desk of Rev. Steve Allman

Memorial Day will be celebrated on May 25. For many people, Memorial Day is the official start of summer: pools open, grills get fired up, and vacations begin. It’s easy to forget that Memorial Day was created as a day to honor the men and women who fought in America’s wars. Memorial Day is both fun, and serious: even as we enjoy cookouts or summer movie premieres with family and friends, we’re also aware of those who aren’t here to enjoy it all with us anymore. The church has long been uncomfortable with war: most Americans are patriotic enough to support their country’s causes, but we’re also aware of the suffering that wars cause, and the Bible passages that tell us to make peace. How can we celebrate Memorial Day in a way that honors both the spirit of the day and our faith?

First, regardless of our feelings about warfare (or any particular war), we should honor those who have risked (or lost) their lives for their country. In 1 John, we’re told, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” We should honor the love shown by our veterans. And it’s not enough to remember them one or two days out of the year. Soldiers often come home with physical or emotional injuries; many are disabled, and the suicide rate for war veterans is much higher than for the general population. Laying down your life doesn’t always mean physically dying: it can mean bearing long-lasting consequences for helping others, and it can mean making time to help those who are in need the way Jesus did. Since our country often sends men and women into harm’s way, we ought to help them cope with the injuries and adjust to civilian life when they return.

Second, even as we care for our veterans, we as Christians should question our country’s militarism. Some of our leaders claim special blessing from God for America, and use that special status to justify use of military power. But the Bible tells us that God wants us to make peace, not war. Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek, rather than retaliating. The goal, according to the Bible, is a world where the world worships God together in peace: “In days to comethe mountain of the Lord’s houseshall be established as the highest of the mountains,and shall be raised above the hills;all the nations shall stream to it.Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his waysand that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples;they shall beat their swords into plowshares,and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation,neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2). Some Christians have taken passages like this one to mean that Christians should never engage in violence of any kind or serve in the military. Others have argued that some enemies, like the Nazis, warrant violent resistance. At the least, we should look at military intervention as a last resort. Honoring the sacrifices of the past is legitimate, but it’s better to work for peace wherever possible than to use force to seek our own ends.

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Laurelton United Presbyterian Church

Our Beliefs

We believe that we are on a journey with God, who has provided us with many blessings. We believe we are called by Christ to love one another and to share these blessings. We believe that God’s intended purpose for all people is to be whole and to be fully alive. Together, we accept our responsibility to care for and accompany others on this journey of faith, in times of need and in times of celebration.

Mission

Laurelton United Presbyterian Church will:

  • Provide a welcoming environment for members and visitors;
  • Strive to evolve into a more locally, nationally and globally focused congregation (Cameron, Kotela, Flower City Habitat, New Orleans, Living Nativity)
  • Offer programs and support for individuals, all types of families, children and seniors;
  • Revitalize programs that provide for a healthy and spiritually-fulfilled congregation.

Our Mission Context

As a community of faith, Laurelton United Presbyterian Church exists in a world which faces many challenges, such as violence, hatred, poverty and indifference. These issues are also evident in our own neighborhood, which is uniquely situated on the border between city and suburbs. This context of challenge offers us a great opportunity to minister together in Christ’s name.

Vision Statement

God calls Laurelton United Presbyterian Church to be:

  • A welcoming and faithful congregation that witnesses to the love and hope of Jesus Christ;
  • A place of spiritual growth and fulfillment, supporting the needs of the congregation, neighborhood, and world community.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Session Update: from 4/13/15 Stated Meeting

  • Rev. Amy Fowler, COM liaison Linc Spaulding (Third) and the Personnel committee will be present at the beginning of the May Session meeting to moderate the 6-month review for Rev. Steve Allman.
  • Motion to approve the expenditure of designated Music Funds to purchase a humidifier for the new piano in the sanctuary was seconded and approved.
  • A meeting of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley was held on March 21, 2015 at Bethany Presbyterian Church and was attended by Elder K. Kingsbury and Rev. Steve Allman. Amendment 14-F on Marriage has passed by a majority of presbyteries changing the Book of Order definition of marriage to “between two people, traditionally a man and a woman”. This amendment was approved 83-13 by our Presbytery.
  • The Laurelton Fire Department has asked Rev. Allman to be their chaplain.

Nominating Report: The committee is at work to provide a full slate of officers to the congregation. The following dates have been approved:

  • Stated Meeting of the Congregation to approved the Nominating Report following worship on Sunday, May 31, 2015
  • The preparation and training of officers: to be determined
  • The examination and approval by Session: June meeting of Session
  • The Ordination and Installation of Officers: Sunday, June 14, 2015

Celebrations …of the Congregation & Friends 

Birthdays in May…

05/01Sadie Chapman 05/11Elizabeth Wagner 05/19Mike Lang

05/03Peter Braggins 05/14Robyn Colligan Fitzgerald 05/28Ryan Crosby

05/04Rodney Hardrick 05/17 Cathy Warren 05/29 Megan Rymer

05/09 Nathan Crawford

Anniversaries in May…

05/14Charlene& Steven Ipacs 05/29 Maria & Bill Bennett

05/22 Susan& Gary Dennis

Prayer Person/Family of the Week…

05/03 – Sharon & Ron Greaves 05/17 – Michele & Leon Hall 05/31 –Bob Hicks

05/10 – Norma Gutfrucht 05/24 – Michelle Hicks

Supper & Scripture!! (5/6,5/13, 5/20)

NOTE: 5/20 is the last S & S until fall!

We meet on Wednesdays at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. We share a yummy dinner and fellowship around the table. As we eat, wewill have an open discussion about faith and Scripture and everyone, young and not so young, is invited (there will be a free will offering).

Alcoholic’s Anonymous (AA) meetings are held weekly in Christler Hall.

The group meets every Saturday at 8pm and welcomes newcomers.

Gambler’s Anonymous (GA) meetings are held weekly in the lower level of Christler Hall.

The group meets every Monday at 7:00pmand welcomes newcomers.

For more information, please visit their website @

Overeater’s Anonymous (OA) meetings are held weekly in the lower level of Christler Hall.

The group meets every Saturday at 12:30pm and welcomes newcomers.

For more information, please visit their website @

SUNDAY SCHOOL (May 10th and May17th)

Classes are offered on the second and third Sunday of each month. Linda Marshall and Pat Ozuna invite children to join them downstairs after the Children's Story has taken place during worship. Bible stories, activities, crafts, music, and more will be offered! The age usually ranges from PreK - Third grade. Older children are welcome to help!

SATURDAY MORNING CAFE

We are serving about 45 diners most weeks. The Café has been feeding members, neighbors and friends for 3 years. We feel we provide a vital service to those looking for fellowship, good food and a place to feel at home!! There are many ways, big and small, that you can help us!

For the next month, we have Saturdays open!! Please consider helping us, your gift of time is much appreciated. The March schedule is below.Contact me @ 563-7599 or . As always, thank you for all your hard work. We couldn't do it without you.

In accordance with LUPC’s Mission & Vision Statements, printed on a previous page, our work is not done! Blessings, Karen Simpson

SATURDAY CAFÉ 8:30 – 11:00 a.m.

DateCook(s)/Greeters

5/2Can you help today?

5/9Karen Kingsbury - Can you help today?

5/16Can you help today?

5/23 Can you help today?

5/30 Colleen Burns, Donna Gipner, Scott Fralick - Can you help today?

LUPC is looking for its next Clerk of Session- Duties performed by the clerk are to record transactions of the council, complete and submit required documents to Presbytery and General Assembly, keep its rolls of membership, attendance and preserve its records. The clerk of session shall be a ruling elder elected by the session. Training is provided. The clerk need NOT be an active member of Session. Anyone is eligible!Are you willing to share your gift to serve?Please contacta member of the Nominating Committee: Colleen Burns, Gary Dennis or Karen Simpson, if interested.

UPT News - Who we are (

“Formed in 2009, we're an affiliation of nine Presbyterian Church (USA) congregations in Rochester NY with a total membership of about 2,000. We're located in the urban center of our five-county region of 1 million people and our city of about 210,000. We feel the opportunity and responsibility to serve this urban center given its challenges, which are common to many U.S. cities.

We support ourselves through collegiality among clergy and lay people.”

  • Thank you for the continuing donations to the monthly list of donations to help supplement needs for our city schools. May’s donations are children’s scissors.
  • The Education Committee remains hard at work and has solidified their efforts into an interest working group called Great Schools for All (GS4A). See the communication hung up in Christler Hall for more information on their initiatives and how you might get involved if you are interested.

From Sally Altobello…

Hello-- It's about that time to start thinking about our plans for New Orleans. Attached you will find an information sheet that I will need completed and returned to me so that I can plan numbers and start paying our fees for each trip.

Trip 1: August 22-30 - This trip will include the actual 10th anniversary observance of Hurricane Katrina. Folks at Project Homecoming tell me they are planning some special events for this time.

Trip 2: October 17-25 - No special notations for this trip other than it will be a fun trip withvolunteers who work hard and then enjoy the culture (which will happen with each of the three trips!).

Trip 3: October 24-November 1 - I am hoping this will specifically be a mission trip supported by the Presbytery of the Genesee Valley. We will celebrate the work we have done during short, dailydevotionals.

Should you be unable to volunteer for one of these trips, perhaps you would still like to support us. I have created a GoFundMe account, under Rebuildin New Orleans (yes, no "g" on Rebuildin, the result of an old laptop acting up and me not catching it before my finger hit the enter key!). Please consider this as there are some great workers who really do need the help getting to NOLA.

If you know of anyone who would be interested in our work in New Orleans, please feel free to share this informationwith them.Can't wait to here from you! Blessings to you.

SAVE THE DATE!

Annual Family Camping Trip at Keuka State Park, July 24th thru July 26th (Friday thru Sunday) – there are a few spots still open! Please contact Charlie Plummer if interested.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Exciting news! Our Presbyterian tutoring programs have been requested by the U of R Warner School implementation staff to provide volunteer tutors at the newly reorganized East High School this fall.

This is a great opportunity to be involved from the start and from the inside of this hope-filled happening in Rochester schools. All HS subjects will need tutor support: English, History, Mathematics, Sciences, Language, and basic literacy assistance is also needed. Tutors will work at the school about 2 hours a week at a time and on a subject you choose. East High will have classes from 7th grade through high school.

This opportunity is during the school day. In addition to retirees this can work for folks who are able to leave work at a lunch hour or to tutor early and arrive at work a little later. Tutors work about 2 hours a week at a time they choose. Though our programs are funded by Third Presbyterian Church, volunteers from all faith backgrounds are very welcome.

For more information about this or about tutoring at our elementary programs at Schools #3 and #35, email Sue Maddock at or call 880-4596.

Sue Maddock,

Coordinator of Volunteer Tutors

Nathaniel Rochester School #3

SUMMER 2015 – Vacation Bible Study!!

Greetings fellow UPT congregations!

For the past 20+ summers, New Life Presbyterian and Third Presbyterian churches have collaborated in planning, staffing and inviting families to join together on the front lawn of New Life to experience God's love and God's stories through a "Streets and Sidewalks" style Vacation Bible School. This year, we are extending our invitation to our UPT church family to be part of VBS 2015 from "the ground up"!

If you've already experienced "Streets and Sidewalks VBS", you're already looking forward to another year of an amazingly blessed opportunity to be in ministry with kids, youth and families! If you have yet to be part of the "Streets and Sidewalks VBS", come as a planner or as a staff participant (adults, college age students, youth--middle school through high school. There is a role for everyone!

I am happy to hear from you with any questions you may have about VBS 2015. RSVP with any names/email addresses of those who are interested.I'll be in touch! Looking forward to serving with and among you!

Barbara Durfee, , New Life Presbyterian Church

REGISTER NOW:gs4a.org/register

Please join participants from a broad section of the Greater Rochester community on May 5, 2015 to build consensus around action steps to reduce the concentration of poverty in the Rochester city schools. The GS4A coalition is looking for partners in progress as we build on work begun at our November 2014 conference, and continued by six working groups formed to develop possible responses to the crisis of high poverty schools.

When: Tuesday, May 5, 2015 from 8am-12:30pm

Where: Mt. Olivet Baptist Church

141 Adams St.

Rochester, NY 14608

Cost: None

REGISTER NOW:gs4a.org/register

Event Schedule:8:00am Registration and refreshments

8:30am Welcome and review of progress to date

9:00am Working group reports and recommendations

10:30am Break

10:45am Break-out groups for feedback and responses

12:00noon Summary and next steps

12:30pm Adjourn

Sponsored by:Great Schools for All. Learn more about GS4A at .

Questions:Email , or call Lynette Sparks or John Wilkinson at 585-271-6513.

Concerns …ofthe Congregation

Concerns and Celebrations of the Congregation – Recently

We celebrate: Colleen Burns’ birthday!

We offer prayers for: continued prayers for Toni Ogden; the family of Evangeline VanLoon, Ella Marshall VanLoon's mother-in-law, who passed away last Friday; Jim Hable who was diagnosed with colon cancer; Carl DelleFave’s sister with health concerns; the people of Nepal devastated by an earthquake; Lottie Bernas' friend, Josie, who has lung cancer; Sally Altobello's friend, Susan Makowski, who needs emotional and mobility healing after a fall two years ago; Kathy Richardson, Maria Bennett’s friend, who will undergo a mastectomy on Friday, May 8; the family of Ellie Boyle as they continue to mourn her passing.

Concerns of the Congregation – Continuing

We offer prayers for: Susan Dennis; Hilde Fuhlbruck and her family; Alan Murphy's cousin, Steve, with severe depression; Karen Kingsbury's mother's health.

The Laurelton Light is the newsletter of the Laurelton United Presbyterian Church and is published monthly. It is hoped that this newsletter will be both informative and welcoming to members of the church as well as the greater community. For more information, contact Maria in the Church Office at (585) 482-9200 or via email

Council / Administrative
Ministries / Care
Ministries / Discipleship Ministries / Outreach Ministries
Jan Bruns
Colleen Burns
Gary Dennis
Dale Erickson
Karen Kingsbury
Susan Orr (Clerk)
Charlie Plummer
Karen Simpson
Ella Van Loon / Charlie Plummer
Ella Van Loon / Jan Bruns
Dale Erickson
Linda Marshall (Chair)
Carolyn Rowell / Gary Dennis
Karen Kingsbury
Karen Simpson / Colleen Burns
Donna Gipner

Church Staff Church Officers