Newsletter Jan 2017 FINAL - clarkstownreformedchurch.org · Vol 1 | Oct – Dec 2016 The Clarkstown...
8
News from the parsonage In the fall of 2016, our new pastor, Sheree Lear, moved to West Nyack from South Africa where her husband, Ronald, and baby, Junia, were born. Although she is American, she grew up the daughter of missionaries in West Africa. She completed her theological education at the University of St Andrews, Scotland and has a PhD in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. In the past, Sheree has worked as a chaplain (children's home, Jamaica), a university lecturer and researcher, and middle school/high school teacher. She is passionate about the Word of God and living in true community with fellow believers. She writes the following: “Greetings everyone! We have been completely overwhelmed by the generosity and the community at Clarkstown Reformed Church. Everyone has been so kind and helpful in helping us settle in. The parsonage looks beautiful, and we sincerely want to thank everyone who helped furnish and prepare it. We are stunned by the beauty of West Nyack and surrounds. Living in a place that breathes history as much as this place does is a great privilege. Looking forward to the future, we hope that we can continue this tradition. For 2017, we as a consistory and the wider congregation have a whole lot planned. We invite you to join us – as a faith community - as we seek to glorify God. There are many ways to join in! We are currently preaching through the Apostles’ Creed, relating its summary of biblical principles to everyday life. We are starting a support group for mothers with kids younger than school age, and for the (seemingly always hungry) men we have men’s breakfasts. The congregation’s Bible Vol 1 | Oct – Dec 2016 The Clarkstown Reformed Church Witness
Transcript of Newsletter Jan 2017 FINAL - clarkstownreformedchurch.org · Vol 1 | Oct – Dec 2016 The Clarkstown...
Newsfromtheparsonage
In the fallof2016,ournewpastor, ShereeLear, moved to West Nyack from SouthAfricawhereherhusband,Ronald,andbaby,Junia,wereborn.AlthoughsheisAmerican,shegrewupthedaughterofmissionariesinWestAfrica.Shecompletedhertheologicaleducation at theUniversity of St Andrews,Scotland and has a PhD in OldTestament/Hebrew Bible. In the past,Shereehasworkedasachaplain(children'shome, Jamaica), a university lecturer andresearcher, and middle school/high schoolteacher.SheispassionateabouttheWordofGodandlivingintruecommunitywithfellowbelievers.
Shewritesthefollowing:
“Greetings everyone! We have beencompletelyoverwhelmedbythegenerosityandthecommunityatClarkstownReformedChurch. Everyone has been so kind andhelpfulinhelpingussettlein.Theparsonagelooks beautiful, and we sincerely want tothank everyone who helped furnish andprepareit.
WearestunnedbythebeautyofWestNyackand surrounds. Living in a place thatbreatheshistoryasmuchasthisplacedoesisagreatprivilege.
Lookingforwardtothefuture,wehopethatwecancontinuethistradition.For2017,weasaconsistoryandthewidercongregationhaveawholelotplanned.Weinviteyoutojoinus–asafaithcommunity-asweseektoglorifyGod.Therearemanywaystojoinin!WearecurrentlypreachingthroughtheApostles’ Creed, relating its summary ofbiblical principles to everyday life. We arestarting a support group for mothers withkids younger than school age, and for the(seemingly always hungry) men we havemen’s breakfasts. The congregation’s Bible
Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
TheClarkstownReformedChurch
Witness
2
TheClarkstownReformedChurchWitness Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
107StrawtownRd,WestNyack,NY10994|(845)358-4320|[email protected]|Page:
studygroupsaregoingstrongandgrowingintheir knowledgeof the faithand theBible.Anddon’tforgetmyfavorite:ourpotlucks!
Our firstpotluck isplanned for Sunday the19th ofFebruaryaftertheservice.Hopetoseeyouaroundsometime!”
Newsfromthepulpit
In October and November 2016, weembarkedonajourneythroughtheletterofPhilippians.Welearnedthatthisbookofjoyisalsoabookaboutsuffering,andhowonecan rejoice in suffering because we knowthattheGospelisproclaimed,andthatitisalltothegloryofGod.Wealsohadacloselook at one of the central themes inPhilippians beautifully encapsulated in thehymnaboutChristthatwefindinPhilippians2:6-11.WelearnedthatweshouldhavethesameattitudeastheattitudethatChristhad:anattitudeofhumility,ofservicetoothers,and consideringothers beforewe considerourselves.Paulprovideduswithapracticalexample in Timothy and Epaphroditus, ofwhichwereadinPhilippians2,wholivedoutthis attitude. We also looked at how Paulinstructsustohaveonemind,andhowheemphasizes this unity and single goalthroughouthisletter.
During Advent we explored the theme ofpeaceonearth(cf. Isaiah2:1-5).Wenotedthatpeaceonearthisnotsimplysomethingthatwelookforwardto,butsomethingthatwe,asthepeopleofGod,carrywithus.Thisstretchesoveranyman-madeboundaryandman-made culture: we are citizens of theheavenly kingdom. We noted that we live“between the times” – celebrating advent
andChristmasnotonlybecauseofthebirthof Christ, but also because we know thatChrist will come again. Living in the timesbetween means that we should act in acertainway – Paul gives us some practicaladviceinhisletters.InthefifteenthchapterofthebookofRomans,Paulteachesusthatwe should put aside petty squabbles andfightswitheachother if thesecome in theway of living out the unity that the gospeldemandsofus.Wesawinthisadventtime
Ourcurrentsermonseriesisbasedonthetwelvearticles of the Apostles' Creed, the oldestsummary of the Christian faith. Each Sunday,starting January 8, 2016, we will explore thebiblicalbasisandmeaningofeachofthetwelvearticles in turn. If you want to deepen yourunderstandingoftheChristianfaithorhaveeverwondered what the Christian faith is all about,thisisyouropportunity!
3
TheClarkstownReformedChurchWitness Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
107StrawtownRd,WestNyack,NY10994|(845)358-4320|[email protected]|Page:
how God fulfilled his promises and theexpectations of his people in the birth ofJesus through Mary. We saw how theChristmas-event signaled a new beginning,andwerejoicedbecauseofthisgloriousnewmorning. The build-up of the story ofScripturehasbeenfulfilledandthechildofpromise that we have been expecting hasfinallyarrived!Finally,wealso learnt someinteresting things about the “wise men”.These men were not kings (and thereweren’t necessarily “three” of them). Wesaw how the narrative of the wise meninvolved spies, deception and politicalintrigue–andhowaslyHerodtriedtopushback against God’s will. We learned howpeople who knew the right thing (i.e. thattheChristwasexpected)didnotact in therightway;andhowothers,comingfromtheoutside (the wise men coming from theeast),didactintherightway.
On Christmas Eve we had our traditionalChristmasEveCandleLightservice.Thestoryof the gospel was told in a nutshell byreading Scripture and singing carols. Wenotedhowthere is somethingmore to the
messageofthebirthofChristthanjustjoy.Christmasisatimethatremindsusthatnoteverything is rightwith thisworld. But themessageofthebirthofChrist,andthedeathof Christ, is ultimately amessage of hope.Becauseof the resurrection,we know thatthere issomethingto lookforwardto, thatthissufferingworldisnotsomethingthathasfounditsfinalform.Indeed,themessageofChristmas confronts us with call andresponse.ASavior isborn.Hehascometohispeople,asJohn1:10-13remindsus.Howwillwerespond?WillweaccepthimasourSavior? Have you accepted him as yourSavior? You see, the story of Christmas astold in our Christmas eve service throughreadingandsingingisnotcomplete.Wearestill expecting Christ. God has come to hispeople,andheinvitesustobecomepartofhis story. Christ calls us to continue thehealing work that he has begun, until hecomesagain.Heinvitesustobepartofhispeople.Letusrespondtohiscallwithajoythat recognizes thatnot everything is rightwiththisworld.Letusrespondtohiscallbybeing his servants, and taking his light,healing,loveandpeacetoothers.
Outreach
ThemembersandfriendsoftheClarkstownReformed Church donated thirty-sixshoeboxes for gifts for Samaritan’s Purse’sOperation Christmas Child. The shoeboxeswere sent out by Samaritan’s Purse tochildren in need. Thanks to Elaine King fortakingresponsibilityforthisproject!
EveryyeartheClarkstownReformedChurchsetsupaGivingTreeinthediscipleshiproom(atthebackofthesanctuary),and2016wasnodifferent.Thisyear’sGivingTreewas insupport of the Rockland County basedCenter for Safety & Change, who runs ashelterforvictimsofdomesticviolenceand
4
TheClarkstownReformedChurchWitness Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
107StrawtownRd,WestNyack,NY10994|(845)358-4320|[email protected]|Page:
sexual assault. The giving tree was“decorated” with tags that contained theneedsoftwenty-sevenfamilieswhowereinneed–wintercoats,schoolaccessories,etc.TheCenterforSafety&Changehaveseveralotherprogramsdealingwithvictimsofcrimeandstrategiestoendgender-basedviolence.The Center for Safety & Change can bereached at (845) 634-3391/info@centersc.org.Youcanalsopointyourbrowsertowww.centerforsafetyandchange.org.ThankstoJulieRoussellwhoorganizedthis
year’s Giving Tree and made contact withtheCenterforSafety&Change!Normallyduringworship serviceswe invitecongregants to contribute to the deacon’sfundbyplacingmoney in abasketmarked‘deacon’s fund’ during coffee hour. Thedeacon’sfundisspecificallytohelpcareforpeopleinneed.Ifyouwishtocontributetothisfund,pleasespecify“Deacon’sFund”onyour check. (Checks to be made out to“ClarkstownReformedChurch.”)
MissionaryCorner
On Sunday, 6 November 2016, we werevisited by amissionary couple, Joseph andAlice Lear. It is no coincidence that thesurnamesoundsfamiliar–theyareSheree’sparents.TheirfirstmissionfieldwasinWestAfrica (Burkina Faso, Mali, etc.), whereShereespentmostofhertimegrowingup.YoushouldhearthemtalkBombara! (Theyalso learnt French, and fairly recently,Serbianalongtheway).
Currently the Lears are stationed inBelgrade, Serbia,where theyhave recentlystartedan international churchandaBibleschool. They have a passion for helpingpeopleunderstandthemessageoftheBible.(In Serbia, many people are “culturalChristians” anddon’t knowanything aboutthe Bible or the essentials of the Christianfaith.) They are also involved in trainingpastors for the local church community inSerbia.
Duringtheworshipservice,JosephandAlicegave an update about their work andsituationinBelgradeandansweredgeneralquestions about life in Serbia. They alsostayed for coffee and continued thediscussions informally. (They afterwardsthankedourcongregationforitshospitality!)
Joseph and Alice Lear could certainly useyourprayersandsupport!Theircontactinfocan be found on their web page:www.belgradeinternationalchurch.com.
5
TheClarkstownReformedChurchWitness Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
107StrawtownRd,WestNyack,NY10994|(845)358-4320|[email protected]|Page:
ApageoutofCRChistory
BeingborninacityinSouthAfricathatwasonly founded in 1892, I have beenoverwhelmed by the history in the WestNyack area. Hereabouts, it’s commonknowledge that the lastwitch trial in NewYork took place just around the corner(literally)in1816.TheClarkstownReformedChurchitselfisrepletewithhistory.Take,forinstance, the baptismal book of 1750(includingafewbaptismsthattookplaceinthis district before the congregation wasofficially established). More than twohundred and fifty years old, it reminds ushowthetorchof faithwaspassedonfromagetoage.Alothappenedduringthosetwohundredandfiftyyears!ButtheClarkstownReformed Church (or, as the fledglingcommunity was known in 1750, the“Gereformeerde Nederduijtse GemeentevanNieuwHeemsted”),undoubtedlyhavingfacedmanychallenges,hasbeenpreservedbythegraceofGod.Let’sprayandaskthatwemayserveGod’spurposestilltoday;let’spraythatthiscongregationmaybeabeacon
oflight–inwhateverformisrequiredofusfor today’s time.
The first page of our very first baptismal book.Thetextreads,inDutch:“BaptismalBookoftheDutchReformedCongregation (“GereformeerdeNederduijtse Gemeente”) of New Hempstead(“NieuwHeemsted”)fromthe22ndofApril1750;beingthechildrenaswellasadultswhoreceivedholy baptism in the abovementionedcongregation,listedalphabeticallytogetherwiththeirparentsandwitnesseswhobroughtthemtobebaptized.”
6
TheClarkstownReformedChurchWitness Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
107StrawtownRd,WestNyack,NY10994|(845)358-4320|[email protected]|Page:
Pastevents
HolidayBoutique:
Ourannualholidayboutiquewasheldon26November from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in ourFellowship Hall. We had about twentyvendors with hand-crafted jewelry,accessories,giftbaskets,crafts,andvintagetreasures.
Thankyouallforattendingandmeetingwithus-seeyounextyear!
Electricalworkontheparsonage:
InlateSeptember2016,agroupofourlocal#363 journeymen (Joe Lampone, PabloTraezano,DaveAngell,SeanFagan)offeredtheir time and services to whip ourparsonageintoshape.
Thankyouguys-youdidagreatjob!
FromtheConsistory
I have been asked to scribe a few wordsconcerning the activities of the Consistoryover thepastyear.This isabitdifficult forme,asIwouldstillbeconsideredasa‘shorttermer’.
This year has been a challenge in manyareas,beginningwiththelackofapastorandtheensuingsearchfornewchurchpastoralleadership. The Search Committee, initiallyconsisting of Consistory members, was
expanded to include non-Consistory folksafterthefailureofachosenpastortocomeon board the CRC boat. The selection ofSheree and Ronald ushered in severalchallenges to the Consistory - neither in aphilosophicalnorametaphysical sensebutof physical necessity. In this regard, theparsonagehadtoberepaired;thedifficultieswere great and costly – many thanks toDeacons Julie and Kathy for their tirelessefforts.Duringthissameperiodoftime,we
Ourlocal#363journeymen.Picturedfromrighttoleft: Joe Lampone,PabloTraezano,DaveAngell,andSeanFagan.
7
TheClarkstownReformedChurchWitness Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
107StrawtownRd,WestNyack,NY10994|(845)358-4320|[email protected]|Page:
cametogripswithvariouspersonnelissues,plumbingproblems,roofleaksandwallmoldproblems in other campus buildings,difficultieswithrentersandsecurity issues.In August, our sitting vice-president, AmySavoury, left the church to retire to the‘wilds’ofNorthCarolina,leavingabigholeinchurchoperations.
While all of this copingwithproblemswasgoingon,theConsistoryhasstaffedupwitha ‘new’ deacon and three new elders.Wehaveanewchurchconstitutionwithwhichto work. As you all probably know, theconstitutionallowsforstandingcommittees.These five committees, chaired each by aConsistory member, delineatesresponsibilitiesincriticalareasofchurchlife.Because we are a small church, obtainingcongregation members to help fill out
positionswithinthesecommitteeshasbeenslow – but progress is being made. TheConsistory is in the throes of trying to cutunnecessarycosts,expandingchurchbasedcommunity-service programs and runningmore effectively and openly as a church-servingbody.Weareplanningforafutureofgrowth, with God’s help, and theorganizationstructurewillassistaswegrow.Aswe come to our AnnualMeeting,moreinformationwillbeprovidedontheprogressofthesecommittees.
Allinall,thishasbeenachallengingyearbutonefilledwithpromiseandendingwiththehope of great things to be accomplishedhere for God’s kingdom work. May GodcontinuetoblessallthesaintsatCRC.
- ElderRandyOstman
InMemoriam:Overtheyear2016,wehavelostthecompanyofanumberofdearfriends.Whilewewillmissthem,weknowthattheyaresafelyheldinthearmsofourlovingGod.Wewillalwaysremember:StanleyPajewskiGinnyMalloyBertDahmJimHershbergerJuneNelsonMarkPapenmeyer.Sowedon'tsaygoodbyebutonlyuntilwemeetagain...
8
TheClarkstownReformedChurchWitness Vol1|Oct–Dec2016
107StrawtownRd,WestNyack,NY10994|(845)358-4320|[email protected]|Page:
Upcomingevents
- MothersofPreschoolers(MOPS):Atimeformotherstomeeteach other, engagewith bigger issues in life, and have fun!Why?Becausemomsmatter;theyarethedrivingforcebehindsociety. Sometimes they need a little time off. CHILDCAREPROVIDED!StartingonJanuary20th,wemeetoneverythirdFridayofthemonthat9:00a.m.
- Men’sbreakfasts:Armwrestlingmatches,chess,astronomy,beards and sport –who knowswhatwewill discuss at themen’sbreakfast?Bringalongafriendandwe’llmeetat8:30a.m.on January21stat theStateLineFamilyRestaurant (96Route303,Tappan,NY10983),thereaftereverythirdSaturdayofthemonth.
- Fellowship Lunch: Bring along your lunch and come havefellowshipwithuseveryWednesdayat12:00intheFellowshipHall.
- BibleStudy:Women’sBibleStudy takesplaceeverysecondThursday at 7:00 p.m. andAdult Bible Study every secondFridayat7:00p.m.Youarewelcomtobecomepartofboththese caring and loving communities. They meet in theCarriageHouse.
- Congregationalmeeting:January29that7:00p.m.
- Potluck:Bringalongfamily,friendsandlunchonFebruary19thforourfirstpotluckoftheyear!
Makesuretovisitwww.clarkstownreformedchurch.orgformoredetailsontheseandotherevents!
We celebrate the followingbirths:
Skylar Bertolino (daughter ofKeith&AlmaBertolino)Michael Papenmeyer (son ofJason&NicolePapenmeyer)Please remember in yourprayers:
ThelmaConnollyAnnEssickKimJedzinakBarbaraZwynenburgConsistory:
Duringthecourseof2016,theconsistory lost two faithfulelders. Ginny Malloy (passedaway) & Amy Savoury (movedtoNorth Carolina). Both theseeldersservedourcongregationwithconviction,graceandlove,andtheyaresorelymissed.
