WINDOW JULY/AUGUST 2008

Pastor's Page Miscellany

Every household has one: a catch all drawer that holds "homeless items"—items that presently have no better or more function-specific place. This article is meant to be such a "drawer" for random thoughts. Someone once said "I never read good books." He meant he only had time to read GREAT books. It is sound advice in our day when the proliferation of news sources, web pages, blogs, etc. can eat up what precious little reading time we have. Let us take care to focus on "great books", above all, "the Good Book." Our church library is full of great books. The RCA General Synod met in mid June. It was given a mid course report on a denomination wide dialogue on homosexuality. Synod 2009 is to receive the final report on this dialogue. The issue is whether practicing homosexuals may be RCA members in good standing, including ordination to office. Though this question has been raised and settled by several previous synods over a 30 year period—each synod reaffirmed its stance that homosexual behavior is sin and unscriptural—it keeps being raised. Synod 2005 decided to hold denomination wide focus groups to hear all sides on the issue. I'm VERY uneasy with "focus groups"—listening to people's opinions rather than listening to the plain sense of Scripture—treating every one's opinion as equally valid, neither right nor wrong. At the same time, at least one group, Room for All, has been using RCA information channels and an Albany church's facilities to promote its homosexual inclusive stance. If RCA Synod 2009 or a later synod officially approves full inclusion of practicing homosexuals to membership good standing and office bearing, SRC will need to reconsider our affiliation with the denomination.

Local Church Developments: 1. People ask me if St. Gregory's Roman Catholic Church has closed. No and Yes. No, the church building is still used for a week day mass and is available for weddings, baptisms and other special services. Yes, they no longer hold Sunday (or Saturday) service there. One priest based at St. Patrick's parish in Macedon, Father Laird, is also to serve St. Ann's, Palmyra and St. Gregory's, Marion. He decided one parish must give up its Sunday service, the smallest one, St. Gregory's. Our Catholic loved ones and friends fear the fragmenting of their church community, a not unrealistic fear. We are truly sorry for their loss. A local congregation, whether Catholic or Protestant, is a civilization of its own, with its own community memories, language, relationships. When that community no longer gathers regularly, its ties loosen. 2. On a brighter note, June 22, the United Church installed their new minister, Rev. David Van Wagnen. He is of Baptist background and is a thoroughgoing evangelical. I look forward to both SRC's and my getting to know him better. May the Lord bless his ministry at UCM. 3. Lord willing, circa March 2, 2010, SRC will celebrate her 100th anniversary of being an organized congregation (we can be disorganized at times, too). Jim Reiss has begun gathering historic materials, info and ideas for the celebration of the Lord's faithfulness to SRC over the last century. If you have an idea or would like to help with this event/these events, please contact Jim. I think that is a good plenty for this "miscellaneous drawer." May our Lord bless the summer to your spiritual advancement. May His loving hands keep you and yours in His tender care. Pastordw.

• From Our Consistory• Assistant Pastor Update: Have you received a survey in church or in the mail yet. If so,

have you sent in your response? Great! You have just participated in our process to identify a new Assistant Pastor. Now let me fill in some of the other details.

• In the last Window we mentioned two interim measures to insure continuity of our Youth programs. The first, providing administrative support, is a role being shared by Shannan Sicienski and Laurie Estochen. They are assisting the Sunday School and Youth Ministry areas with scheduling activities, obtaining materials, arranging calendars, and organizing events. The other initiative we are pursuing is to gather candidates to act as Youth Intern. An Intern is typically a student or recent graduate who is looking for experience in Youth Ministry. The position would be offered for six months to one year. We have been in contact with a number of colleges and are seeking qualified candidates. This is not a permanent solution, but provides support to sustain our current ministry areas.

• So where do the surveys come in? We have handed out multiple copies of the survey with the intent that each individual could express their thoughts rather than just a single response from a family. We are looking for feedback from all who attend SRC as to the strengths and weaknesses of our ministry overall. We know you share our concern for the future direction of SRC, and this is a key opportunity to assist in setting that direction. During July we’ll be reviewing the survey feedback and praying for God’s guidance as to what the next Assistant Pastor should focus on. The result will be a draft ‘job description’ that can be used in the search process. Please take the time to provide input to this critical first step.

• In HIM……………..bob estochen

Birthdays July 2008 Anniversaries

1 Beth Boerman, Michelle Adriaansen

2 Tim Leno, Jennifer DeFisher

3 Tanya Pierce

5 Barbara Schoonerman, Carol Boerman Tom & SueEllen Hawn

6 Isabelle Bushart, Nancy VanHall, Alyson VanCamp

7 MarySue Nyitray, Andrew Krocke Jonathan & Jennifer Goodwin

8 Gordon Adriaansen, Kevin Haak, Justin Devlin, Pearl Dey

9 Janette Nevlezer, Brenda Cramer Larry & Janette Nevlezer

10 Lori Schoonerman Michael & Shannon Sicienski, Russell & Holly Doyle, John & Stacy Van Camp

11 Mary Spittal

12 Lexi Hogaboam

13 Eian Gillens

14 June VerPlank, Michael Dupre

15 Tammy Cambier, Dana Gillens

16 Judy Sheffield Chuck & June VerPlank, Grant & Meredith Mark, Bob & Kelli Freeland

17 Jeffery VanStrien

18 Robert Hussey, Leslie Adriaansen

19 Emily Estochen, Helen Rabjohns, Nicholas Macano, John Reesor

20 Geoff & Karen Hayden, Roger & Gloria Bertou

23 Eric Young

24 Susan Taylor, Robin Lewis

25 Amy Klino Rick & Sandi Kelley

26 Kristen Means

28 William DeWandel, Joshua VanHall

29 John & Julie Reesor

30 Don & Paula VanderBrook, Kevin & Kim Bushart

31 Gloria Bertou

Birthdays August 2008 Anniversaries

1 Sarah VanCamp, Stephen Walker, Paul Dyroff

2 Mark DeVries, Brianne Raes

4 Scott & Tammy Young , Jeff & Lara Kelley

5 Donna Adriaansen

7 Florence DeNeering, Shane DeLyser

8 Karen Hayden Richard & Rebecca Magee , Howard & Anita DeRidder

10 Steven VanHall, Sienna Grace Kelley

11 Zachery VerPlank Rob & Kathy Coisman

12 Dorothy Hendricks Rodney & Karen Wise

13 Heather Milliman Tom & Tish De Young

15 Mary DeFisher Sherwood & Cleall Johnson, Alan & Mary DeFisher, Robert & Cherie Hussey

16 Kim Laird, Marie Nyitray, Shannon Sicienski

17 Adam Boerman, Rick Kelley,

18 Geoff Krocke George & Janet Reiss

19 Donald VanderBrook, Diane Magde Jason & Linda Haak , Mark & Amy Klino

21 Jason Haak, Jim Rabjohns, Rebecca Lewis, Amanda Hill

22 Paul Nevlezer Steve & Barb Schoonerman

23 Randy VanHall, Gabrielle VanHall, Derek Adriaansen Tim & Shirley Leno , Don & Mary Spittal, Alan & Kathy Wessie

24 Ethel Stone Jim & Pam Wolfanger

25 Irene Klaeysen, Elaine Schoonerman, Courtney VanderBrook

26 Mark Schoonerman, David DePoint, Suzanna DeFisher

27 Bruce Stone Don & Brenda DeVries

28 Edward Bender

30 David Wise Jake & Marge Haak

Labors of Love