Brookville Church

N E W S L E T T E R

REV. VICKY L. EASTLANDPastor of Congregational LifeRev.Vicky@verizon.net

2 BROOKVILLE ROADBROOKVILLE, NY 11545

516-626-0414Brookvillechurch@gmail.comwww.facebook.com/BrookvilleChurchwww.BrookvilleChurch.org

Where our doors are always open!May 2015

In seminary I began to learn about extended time with God and discovered Henri Nouwen who wrote almost exclusively about being God’s beloved and that God wants a relationship with us more than he wants our service. I “got it” cognitively, but it hadn’t reached my heart. I didn’t feel God’s unconditional love.

THEN my husband and I started our pursuit of adopting our son, a boy who lived halfway around the world and had no idea that we even existed. When we first traveled to India to meet Raju it was like a fairy tale, like living a dream. Every moment we were in India was a magical experience for me. That may sound strange in the fact that we spent the majority of our time in an orphanage with children who had been lost, abandoned, and thrown away. But I saw the face of God in each of those children and when I met Raju I instantly knew he was meant to be our son. Any doubts and fears and hesitation I had, flew out the window. I was able to bask in God’s love for me and for Raju.

As Mother’s Day approaches, I am reminded of the gift God gave me. Yes, we had to work hard to adopt Raju, and it took two and a half years to get him home, but all of that seems irrelevant to the fact that in this amazing gift, I not only gained a son, but I was able to really understand and experience God’s love!

Now, I am a believer in the fact that God does give us the desires of our heart, and loves me unconditionally.

In Biblical language the heart is the center of the human spirit, from which spring emotions, thought and motivations. It is the wellspring of the soul. The one concept about God that has always been the hardest for me is not that God is all-knowing or all-powerful, it is that God is all-loving and that His unconditional love extends to ME! I knew in theory that God loved me, but I never really felt complete acceptance from Him. I had no problem telling others that they were God’s beloved and that God loved them unconditionally, but I couldn’t accept that for myself. I felt I had to earn God’s love.

In high school I tried to earn God’s favor by setting myself apart from the world as much as possible, which included denying myself pleasure in life. I wouldn’t listen to secular music or go to rated R movies even though my parents would have let me. On Friday nights instead of going out with friends, I would stay home and read my Bible and pray. These things aren’t bad, but my motivation for doing them was to try and gain God’s approval and love. I didn’t know how to accept His love freely.

In college I continued the same pattern of working for God’s approval. I gave my time and energy to the needs of others. I hardly slept or studied or took time for myself. I’d spend my one-on-one time with God around 3 a.m. on walks through the park only to find myself a few hours later running to someone’s rescue. Again my hope was that if I used myself up for God He would truly love me. I realized after a while that all that accomplished was exhaustion.

Does God give us the desires of our heart?“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

~ Psalm 37:4 ~

~ Rev. Vicky

Not signed up Yet for Online Giving?

Giving online is easy, fast and secure!

Here’s how Online Giving makes your life easier:

• Signing up is quick and uncomplicated• You can choose between using your checking account or a credit card• Budget your giving weekly, monthly, yearly – the choice is yours• Select the fund(s) you wish to contribute toward – General Operating Expenses,

Camp Warwick Scholarship Fund, Rev. Meyers Partnership in Ministry in Oman, etc.

• Your gifts are received and support the work of the church, even if you are not able to get to church as often as you would like

Visit our website and click on the link to sign up!www.brookvillechurch.org

If you have any questions, please call Nan Coffey at 516-676-4216

Remember to pray for our Partner in Peace and Education, Rev. Justin Meyers,his wife Stephanie and their sons, Gavin and Collin as they promote peace among religions in Oman.

Gavin & CollinCollin

Islamic Center of Long Island (ICLI)“Honoring Muslim Women Pioneers”

The catalyst for this event was the election of Dr. Isma Chaudhry as the first female president of ICLI for the term 2015-2017. Resident of Manhasset, Long Island. Physician by Profession. Mother of two, Isma Chaudhry has been involved with the Islamic Center of Long Island for the past 18

years. In her volunteering capacity at ICLI nothing was too small or too big for her. Her motivation and aspiration was to please Allah (SWT).

Dr. Chaudhry is excited and looks forward to working towards making ICLI a center of excellence in facilitating religious guidance in accordance with the teachings of the Quran; building bridges of tolerance between ICLI and other religious and non-religious organizations and academic institutions; bringing the community together with respect and tolerance for members with different point of views.

This event provides an ‘evidence based’ answer and rebuttal to the prevailing stereotypes regarding the “oppression” of Muslim women. Sheikh Ibrahim Negm, visiting scholar at ICLI and special advisor to the grand mufti at Al-Azhar university in Cairo, Egypt says, “Islam is a religion which recognizes the equal status of men and women in the eyes of God, as is a t t e s t e d b y n u m e r o u s passages in the Holy Quran…. Unfortunately, it h a s b e c o m e common to think of Islam as precisely the means by which women are oppressed…. Respecting the intellectual contribution of women and their political abilities to hold public offices at equal footing with men is a granted right for women in Islam and a distinguishing feature of the Islamic civilization. Islamic history has seen more than fifty examples of female rulers throughout different time periods and empires.”

Like many immi-grant Muslim families with young children in the USA, faced with the challenge of providing them with religious education and Islamic values, my husband and I and our three children joined ICLI in the eighties.

My name is Safia Hameed and I am a physicist, I earned my doctorate at the University of Manchester in England and have had a challenging and fulfilling career at the American Institute of Physics, first as a Staff Scientist, and later as a Senior Scientist and Manager of a Division.

Like all working mothers, I juggled my time between career and family. I would not be able to have a successful career, bring up three children and volunteer at ICLI without the help, encouragement and support of my husband Sultan Hameed.

My experience of volunteering at ICLI has been extremely positive. I was elected Vice President of ICLI in 1987 and was the first woman Vice President. During my tenure, Dr. Faroque Khan was the President of ICLI. I had the honor of being present at the ground breaking ceremony for the current building of ICLI.

I am one of the founding members of the Domestic Harmony Committee, where I served as a family counselor for five years. I also served on the Zakat Committee of ICLI.

ICLI’s 1999 Annual Report was a pioneering effort. This was the first electronically composed annual report produced in color and listed its myriad of activities. In this effort, Waqar Farooqi and Seemi Ahmed assisted me.

To raise awareness of physical fitness among Muslim women, I helped establish and participated in aerobic classes for women at ICLI.

Safia Hameed

~We are proud of you, Safia and say:CONGRATULATIONS on being a

Muslim Woman of distinction!

Brookville’s Multifaith Campus is proud to announce that Safia,

wife of Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed - Facilitator of the Muslim Reform Movement Organ"ation, was one

of the honorees.

Choir NewsThank you to everyone who participated in the Holy Week services. It was wonderful. I am grateful to all who came together to make our Good Friday and Easter services so successful:Good Friday Cantata performers:Sopranos – Lisa Denison, Fran Kaufmann, Antonia Petrash, Nancy WorshamAltos – Nan Coffey, Jesse Surig, Pam TobelTenors – Michael Flanagan, B.J. WorshamBasses – John Coffey, Mark KaufmannEaster Sunday Performers:Sopranos - Lisa Denison, Nancy WorshamAltos - Nan Coffey, Jessie SurigTenors - Hal Davidson, B.J. WorshamBasses - John Coffey, William DenisonTo all of these wonderful people, thank you!

Save The Date: Children’s Spring PlaySunday June 14th, 10:00 a.m.Seventeen amazing kids are rehearsing to do a cool play called “Let's Rock.” We are all dancing and acting and singing and laughing! Please mark your calendars--you do

not want to miss this! (More about the play in the next newsletter!)

CarolCgoglia@aol.com

Do you know a high school student who needs to prepare for a math final or Math Regents Exam? If you do, suggest they contact Cathy O’Neill. Cathy is a trained secondary education math teacher and is volunteering her time to help raise funds to send underprivileged children to summer camp at Camp

Warwick. The suggested donation is $50.00 per session.

For more information or to sign up call the Brookville Church office at 626-0414or Cathy O’Neill at 676-8570.

MATH REVIEW CLASS

If someone in your family is graduating this year from any school, we would like to share y o u r n e w s w i t h t h e congregation. Call or email the church office with their names,

where they are graduating from, what school or profession they will be going on to, etc. We will publish your good news in the June newsletter. Please remember to get this information to Janîce in the church office by May 25th. Thank you!

Attention:Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles

etc...

Multifaith Campus Spring PicnicJune 14, 2015 at 11 a.m.

Don’t miss out on the fun!

A very special “Thank You” goes out to Rev. Hank Lay, pastor of the Parkway Community Church in Hicksville who came to our multifaith campus on March 27, 2015 to present his scholarly paper on how Jesus is viewed in the eyes of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Rev. Lay did an amazing job at exploring our mutual understandings about Jesus as well as our differences. ALL our campus’ faith leaders were present and had an opportunity at the end of the evening to give a positive response to Rev. Lay’s presentation and to stress our shared vision of promoting peace in the world by building bridges of

friendship and understanding between our various religions.

This is the start of many more adult mulitfaith learning opportunities offered on our campus. In fact you will read in this issue of our newsletter about another such event happening on May 20th where you will hear from two of our very own faith leaders: Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed and Rev. Vicky Eastland on reform in their respective faith traditions.

This is the start of many more adult mulitfaith learning

opportunities!

March 27th Event “What do Christians, Muslims and Jews believe about Jesus”

Was A Great Success!

A Mother...When you're a child she walks before you

To set an example.When you're a teenager she walks behind you

To be there, should you need her. When you're an adult she walks beside you

So as two friends you can enjoy life together.~Author Unknown

Sunday, May 17 ~ 10:00am – 11:30amInterfaith Children’s ClassesOur children join the IFC children in Fellowship Hall for a monthly class on community that is taught through stories, arts, crafts and group discussion from both the Jewish and Christian faith traditions. Our classes are divided by age, and every grade is covered in three classes from kindergarten through 8th grade.

Sunday, May 17 ~ 10:00am – 10:45amCelebrating our SongsOur toddlers, aged 18 months – 4 years old, join the IFC children in the Brookville nursery at 10:00am for 45 minutes of free play, games and a simple, yet engaging lesson that highlights songs from Christianity and Judaism.

Wednesday, May 20 ~ 7:00pm – 9:00pmMultifaith Gathering Dialogue Event: Rev. Vicky Eastland and Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed*See announcement in this issue! Our Multifaith Gatherings are ongoing community events that provide a safe and welcoming space for deeper exploration of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths while building bridges of friendship, understanding and peace between us.

Friday, May 29 ~ 6:00pm – 9:00pmGirl Inspired Friday Night Film ChatAll girls, grades 6 – 12, are welcome to our final FNFC for the church program year at Monica Pierce’s home, located at 11 Mason Drive, Manhasset NY. We will be discussing the portrayal of women and girls in popular TV series. Girl Inspired's “Friday Night Film Chats” provide a safe space for girls, ages 12 - 17, to engage modern culture and relevant life issues through film, media and entertainment while developing new friendships through inspired discussion and fellowship.

June Save the DateSunday, June 14 ~ 10amChildren’s Spring Play and Multifaith Spring Picnic

Education Corner By: Lesley Mazzotta, Dir. of Multifaith Education

Happy Spring everyone!

I hope that you will join us this month for our final children’s class of the church program year. We will also be offering our last Multifaith Gathering until the fall!

I look forward to seeing you and your family there.

Blessings,

Lesley 

Shavuot is the “Festival of the Giving of the Torah” at Mount Sinai, which occurs seven weeks after Passover. Shavuot is a two-day holiday which falls on the 6th – 7th of the Hebrew month of Sivan, this year corresponding to May 23rd - May 25th. After the Exodus from Egypt, the Children of Israel proceeded to Mount Sinai. According to the Torah, it took precisely 49

days, or seven weeks, for the ancient Israelites to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses ascended the mountain to meet God, who gave him the Ten Commandments, which were written on two tablets, to be delivered to the Children of Israel. Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “weeks.” The name Shavuot, “Weeks,” symbolizes the completion of this seven-week journey. It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot because Jewish tradition compares the words of Torah to the sweetness of milk and honey. Blintzes and cheesecake are among the popular foods to make and enjoy for the holiday.

Traditionally, the Book of Ruth is read during services on Shavuot. Ruth was a Moabite priestess whose love for her mother-in-law, Naomi, and her love of God and Torah led her to convert to Judaism. Ruth has a further connection to Shavuot because she is the great-grandmother of King David, the second King of Israel. The Book of Ruth records King David’s ancestry. Shavuot is also thought to be the day King David was born and the day he died.

David revealed himself as more than a harp-playing shepherd and poet when he courageously stood up to the 9-foot giant Goliath, slaying him with a few rocks and sling. In addition to becoming a great king, the depth and heart of King David is revealed in his poetry-turned prayers-turned songs called Psalms, which he wrote.

Each one of us has a unique song that lies deep in our soul, just like King David. It is the most pure type of music that stems from who we truly are, in all of our splendor and beauty, the one that reveals us completely, imperfections and all. Every experience of pain, every experience of sorrow, every experience of joy, and every experience of happiness are notes that we weave together to make a song that no one else can sing.

When we sing that song back to God through prayer, just as King David did in the Psalms, we fulfill the spiritual purpose for all we are given. When we stop fighting against why we have a certain life circumstance and accept the Divine Plan, we can finally make use of all the beautiful, sometimes off-key notes we possess to compose the special song only our soul can sing.

When we face the opportunities, tests and challenges that are given to us, we write new stanzas to our life’s song; and we can rely on God for help and guidance.

Enjoy your cheesecake and blintzes, sing your song, and have a happy Shavuot!

Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen

Shavuot Each one of us has a unique song that lies deep in our soul, just like King David.

I was recently reminded of all of this simply because I had just seen that the Canadian Pacific Railroad has an advertising campaign for this year’s rail vacations in their Silver Dome cars and I saw a picture of them. Remembering the Christmas trip we had reminded me of many other family trips, usually long ones by car back when motels were the new thing; clusters of individual, one room buildings, often with just one bed that families could squeeze into every night. Our road trips would often amount to Dad’s whole vacation week--spent driving and sightseeing.When Nancy and I got married we drove to Florida for our honeymoon; we could not afford the more glamorous ways to get there, but no matter as it was memorable as a honeymoon should be. Then three weeks later we drove from New York to California where the Army took us to Alaska. The travel bug had bitten us. It was a simple continuation later to travel as a family with our children at every opportunity; I know they have fond memories of the open road. I am especially glad we did a lot of traveling together because we have family memories of trips that are now much more expensive to take.For this year’s Spring Break (no longer called the Easter Vacation) our daughter, Marie, prevailed upon her husband to drive to Florida instead of flying. She remembered going there several times in several ways as a family and she wanted to do that with her own children. That intent to share her memories while creating the children’s own has to be a common desire for most families. There are things to see and do on a family road trip that build memories not encountered looking out the window of a plane. Raising children is a basic parental responsibility but giving them lasting memories is enriching their lives. I believe that for the most part we have infected our children with the travel bug.

End Word: In America there are two classes of travel: first class and with children.

Branch Worsham

ReflectionsReflections

In 1950 our family took a Northern Pacific train from Minnesota to Portland, Oregon to celebrate Christmas with the other side of the family. That, in itself, is an interesting story. While living in South Dakota in 1908, my Grandpa Worsham lost his wife leaving him with two young girls and a two year old boy. An arrangement that was not so uncommon then sent the girls to their mother’s family in Oregon and my father moved with Grandpa to a farm in Minnesota. Our Christmas vacation was going to be the second reunion of the three siblings.I especially remember the train trip. It started with a fifty mile car ride on a cold winter evening to reach the nearest Northern Pacific Railroad station. We boarded a coach car on the train called the Empire Builder and immediately went to sleep in our seats. It was a long smooth ride through the night across North Dakota. Trains, in those days, were still the way people traveled across the country; lots of people in long trains, going east and west across the plains and mountains. In our case we were scheduled to arrive on the west coast on the morning of the second day. Air travel was still the ‘other’ way to travel, at a higher cost in passenger planes that were often one generation newer than World War Two transport planes. Incidentally the railroad’s scheduled morning arrivals were common throughout the nation. Years later, when I was a Cadet going home for Christmas, from New York to Chicago was overnight, arriving in the early morning to continue west to Minnesota during the day. That is still the way airlines plan many long distance and transatlantic flights - overnight, arriving in Europe in the early morning. Some things never change.My brother, Bud, and I had seen the Dakotas and the eastern side of the Rockies on an earlier road trip but the adventure of the cross country train ride, seeing the prairies and mountains again was exciting for us. I have always remembered that the trip’s best part was the glass domed cars that allowed awesome scenic panoramas of the country we traveled through. The dome cars were first used in 1945 when the country was converting from producing machines for war to things the people were clamoring for. The dome cars were touted by all of the railroads as incentives to travel on this or that line. In the fifties and sixties there was no extra charge to use the popular dome car. Now there are fewer such cars and they are used only on expensive special touring trains. And they carry a premium charge. Incidentally, the domes can only travel west of the Mississippi because in the east there were too many low clearance obstructions.

My heart is warm with the friends I make, And better friends I’ll not be knowing, Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take, No matter where it’s going. ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay ~

REMEMBER THIS ~~ IF YOU’D ~~BE SPARED~~TRAINS DON’T WHISTLE~~

~~BECAUSE THEY’RE SCARED~~

Wednesday, May 20, 7pm -9pm

Brookville Church Fellowship Hall2 Brookville Road

Glen Head, NY 11545

Our very own Christian and Muslim leaders, Rev. Vicky Eastland and Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed will be speaking on the topic of reform in Christianity and Islam. Each will share about the history of their respective faiths and why they think reformation in both Islam and Christianity is necessary for their divine teachings to help humankind. Following their dialogue there will be a time for open discussion and questions.

Refreshments provided!Please register by calling the church office

(516) 626-0414

A Muslim/Christian DialogueBrookville Multifaith Campus presents:

In this mini retreat Karyn and Christine will share the Healing practices of Yoga and Hand Mudras. Mudras (yoga for your hands) are hand and finger positions which can have an effect on your energy flow and your mood. At intervals throughout the Yoga practice, you will learn a little about the history of Mudras along with a number of helpful hand positions that can be used in your spiritual practice and/throughout your day. Handouts will be provided for your home use. The combination of Yoga asanas and mudras will help facilitate a state of ease and centeredness with an overall feeling of wellness and wholeness. Additionally, there will be focus on breath and alignment, pranayama (yogic breathing), meditation and relaxation. This mini retreat is for all levels. If you are new to yoga or have limitations or are recovering from surgery, illness or injury, please contact Karyn keyoga62@hotmail.com or 516-280-2774 to discuss your concerns.

Please bring a yoga mat, cotton throw blanket, yoga blocks and belt (if you have them). Wear comfortable clothing in layers that allows freedom of movement. Please do not wear any perfume or cologne. Please practice with an empty

stomach and barefoot.

Karyn is a student of yoga since 1997 and teaching since 2000. She gratefully taught 90 students a week for 11 ½ years at St. Ignatius Retreat House in Manhasset until it closed in 2013. Currently she is teaching 7 classes weekly in Williston Park and studying Ayurveda which is based on the timeless wisdom of India’s 5,000 year old medical system. As Karyn integrates these wisdom practices of aligning with nature into her own life, she naturally offers them to her students to help them live more holistically with the rhythm and seasons of life. Karyn holds certifications in Kripalu Yoga and Hatha

Yoga – Anusara Inspired with Todd Norian, Chair Yoga, Meditation, Yoga Therapy, Chakra Yoga and as a Reiki Master. Having practiced Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy & Anusara Yoga Therapeutics, Karyn brings a comprehensive knowledge of yoga as therapy and a deep understanding of body-mind healing to her work with clients. She creates a sacred, safe space for healing in each modality or in combination, if needed, and is devoted to bringing compassion and understanding with heart centered awareness to each encounter with her students and clients. Karyn offers an integrative approach to wholeness with private and semi-private sessions at Lisa’s Holistic Day Spa in Greenvale and in Williston Park and Locust Valley. She is available for classes and retreats for your group at your location. Call Karyn for details about tailored private or group programs.

Christine is a law firm administrator but her true love is working with the Healing Arts. She is an advanced Reiki practitioner and a Master/Instructor of Integrated Energy Therapy (IET). She regularly teaches IET at Moonflower Yoga in Bellmore, as well as classes on other forms of Healing Arts including Mudras, EFT/Tapping, the Chakra System and Meditation.

Registration Form – Yoga mini retreat, May 9, 2015

Name_________________________________________ Phone Number (D) ______________(E) ____________

E-mail ______________________________ Street Address____________________________________________

Yoga Experience and type of yoga ________________________________________________________________

Please remember to include your full payment of $45.00.

Please make check payable to and send to: Karyn Van Name, P.O. Box 152, Locust Valley, NY 11560

Yoga Mini Retreat with Healing Hand MudrasSaturday, May 9 from 9:30 – 12:30 ~ Cost $45

At Brookville Reformed Church, 2 Brookville Rd., Greenvale, NY * www.brookvillechurch.org

Presenters : Karyn Van Name, Certified Practitioner of Yoga, Meditation, Chakra Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Chair Yoga and Reiki & Christine Senetto, Reiki practitioner and Master/Instructor Integrated Energy Therapy (IET)

!