Epistle - First Presbyterian Church of Valatie€¦ · “We are a small congregation, part of...

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Epistle “We are a small congregation, part of God’s larger family, teaching and living God’s Word, and sharing God’s love throughout the community.” Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church of Valatie Reverend Kathi L. Jones, Pastor July & August 2019 P.O. Box 267, 3212 Church Street, Valatie, NY 12184 email: [email protected] 518-758-9658 Website: www.firstpresbyterianvalatie.weebly.com From the Pastor’s Pen Preaching at the Presbyterians Association of Musicians conference the Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka, senior associate pastor at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, talked about a life-changing series of events. On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese military bombed the U.S. naval Fleet at Pearl Harbor. More than 3,000 people lost their lives. The Japanese empire did a despicable, horrible thing, Nishioka said. But U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt did an equally awful thing.In February 1942, FDR ordered the removal of all persons of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. More than 120,00 people were affected. Two-thirds of them were American citizens. One of them was a 9-year-old girl named Alice. Born and raised in California, Alice grew up on a farm with her parents and her younger brother Harry. In February 1942, Alices father was going to be named the chairperson of the Japanese farmers association because hed shown up on a list as a community leader. One night the FBI came to the house and took Alice s father away for questioning. The family had no idea where he was going, or for how long. In April an order arrived instructing the family to leave the farm. They had 12 days to pack everything and were told, Take only what you can carry.As they got on a bus with blacked-out windows, rumors swirled they were going to be sent back to Japan. That was a land that Harry, Alice and her parents had never seen. When they got to where they were going, other Japanese Americans were there. Harry told his mom that he was hungry. Alice remembers being mad at Harry for asking for something to eat, because thats the only time shed seen her mother cry during the ordeal. Children, Im so sorry you have such a bad mother who forgot to pack you food,she cried. Alice went to see if she could find someone to give them some food. The crowd sort of parted for her — and standing there was a tall white woman with a tray of sandwiches, fruit and juice. Alice said, Excuse me, is this for sale?” “No,said the woman. This is for you. Take some.” “But we dont know you,Alice said. I am a Christian friend,the woman replied. Alice took some juice, a couple pieces of fruit and some sandwiches to her mother. Harry began to eat right way. But Alices mother said, Where did you get this?” “From this white woman,Alice said, who says shes our Christian friend.Thats not possible,said Alices mother. Were Buddhists. We dont know any Christians. Theyre not our friends, and white people hate us. That s why we have to do what were doing now.Alice went back to the woman and said, We dont have any white Christian friends.The woman smiled. Well, you do now,she said. Were Quakers and we think whats happening to you is wrong.Eventually, the family spent almost four months in a horse stall at a racetrack. Their next stop was at an internment camp in Arizona, where they stayed for three years and where Alice and Harry s father rejoined them after hed been incarcerated in North Dakota. After the war, Alices family moved to Pocatello, Idaho, because theyd heard that white farmers would hire Japanese. Now 12, Alice became friends with Sally at school, a white girl who was Nazarene. Sally invited Alice to come sleep at her house one Saturday night and attend church with her on Sunday. Alice asked her mom if it was OK. No,her mother said. You have a bed here. Why would go you sleep somewhere else?Alice said, Mama, she is my Christian friend.” “Then you may go,her mother said. Alice loved that first day going to church. She began to go every Sunday with Sally and her family. Eventually, Nishioka said, she was baptized and received Christ as Lord and Savior. When the family moved to Hayward, Calif., Alice found the San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church.

Transcript of Epistle - First Presbyterian Church of Valatie€¦ · “We are a small congregation, part of...

Page 1: Epistle - First Presbyterian Church of Valatie€¦ · “We are a small congregation, part of God’s larger family, teaching and living God’s Word, and sharing God’s love throughout

Epistle

“We are a small congregation, part of God’s larger family, teaching and living God’s Word, and sharing God’s love throughout the community.”

Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church of Valatie Reverend Kathi L. Jones, Pastor

July & August 2019

P.O. Box 267, 3212 Church Street, Valatie, NY 12184 email: [email protected] 518-758-9658

Website: www.firstpresbyterianvalatie.weebly.com

From the Pastor’s Pen

Preaching at the Presbyterians Association of Musicians conference the Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka, senior associate pastor at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, talked about a life-changing series of events.

On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese military bombed the U.S. naval Fleet at Pearl Harbor. More than

3,000 people lost their lives. “The Japanese empire did a despicable, horrible thing,” Nishioka said. “But U.S. President Franklin

Delano Roosevelt did an equally awful thing.” In February 1942, FDR ordered the removal of all persons of Japanese ancestry from the West

Coast. More than 120,00 people were affected. Two-thirds of them were American citizens. One of them was a 9-year-old girl named Alice.

Born and raised in California, Alice grew up on a farm with her parents and her younger brother Harry. In February 1942, Alice’s father was going to be named the chairperson of the Japanese farmers association because he’d shown up on a list as a community leader.

One night the FBI came to the house and took Alice’s father away for questioning. The family had no idea where he was going, or for how long. In April an order arrived instructing the family to leave the farm. They had 12 days to pack everything and were told, “Take only what you can carry.”

As they got on a bus with blacked-out windows, rumors swirled they were going to be sent back to Japan. That was a land that Harry, Alice and her parents had never seen.

When they got to where they were going, other Japanese Americans were there. Harry told his mom that he was hungry. Alice remembers being mad at Harry for asking for something to eat, because that’s the only time she’d seen her mother cry during the ordeal. “Children, I’m so sorry you have such a bad mother who forgot to pack you food,” she cried.

Alice went to see if she could find someone to give them some food. The crowd sort of parted for her — and standing there was a tall white woman with a tray of sandwiches, fruit and juice. Alice said, “Excuse me, is this for sale?” “No,” said the woman. “This is for you. Take some.” “But we don’t know you,” Alice said. “I am a Christian friend,” the woman replied. Alice took some juice, a couple pieces of fruit and some sandwiches to her mother. Harry began to eat right way. But Alice’s mother said, “Where did you get this?” “From this white woman,” Alice said, “who says she’s our Christian friend.” “That’s not possible,” said Alice’s mother. “We’re Buddhists. We don’t know any Christians. They’re not our friends, and white people hate us. That’s why we have to do what we’re doing now.” Alice went back to the woman and said, “We don’t have any white Christian friends.” The woman smiled. “Well, you do now,” she said. “We’re Quakers and we think what’s happening to you is wrong.”

Eventually, the family spent almost four months in a horse stall at a racetrack. Their next stop was at an internment camp in Arizona, where they stayed for three years and where Alice and Harry ’s father rejoined them after he’d been incarcerated in North Dakota.

After the war, Alice’s family moved to Pocatello, Idaho, because they’d heard that white farmers would hire Japanese. Now 12, Alice became friends with Sally at school, a white girl who was Nazarene. Sally invited Alice to come sleep at her house one Saturday night and attend church with her on Sunday. Alice asked her mom if it was OK. “No,” her mother said. “You have a bed here. Why would go you sleep somewhere else?” Alice said, “Mama, she is my Christian friend.” “Then you may go,” her mother said.

Alice loved that first day going to church. She began to go every Sunday with Sally and her family. Eventually, Nishioka said, she was baptized and received Christ as Lord and Savior. When the family moved to Hayward, Calif., Alice found the San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church.

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LECTIONARY FOR JULY & AUGUST

July 7: 2 Kings 5:1–14; Psalm 30; Galatians 6:[1–6] 7–16; Luke 10:1–11, 16–20

July 14: Amos 7:7–17; Psalm 82; Colossians 1:1–14; Luke 10:25–37 July 21: Amos 8:1–12; Psalm 52; Colossians 1:15–28; Luke 10:38–42 July 28: Hosea 1:2–10; Psalm 85; Colossians 2:6–15 [16–19]; Luke 11:1–13 August 4: Hosea 11:1–11; Psalm 107:1–9, 43; Colossians 3:1–11; Luke 12:13–21 August 11: Isaiah 1:1, 10–20; Psalm 50:1–8, 22–23; Hebrews 11:1–3, 8–16; Luke 12:32–40 August 18: Isaiah 5:1–7; Psalm 80:1–2, 8–19; Hebrews 11:29—12:2; Luke 12:49–56 August 25: Jeremiah 1:4–10; Psalm 71:1–6; Hebrews 12:18–29; Luke 13:10–17

She took Harry with her and eventually their little sister, Helen. Then her parents started going. Eventually all of them became members.

When the family moved to Hayward, Calif., Alice found the San Lorenzo Japanese Christian Church. She took Harry with her and eventually their little sister, Helen. Then her parents started going. Eventually all of them became members. When Alice started attending community college, she worked at the church as a secretary. An intern, Richard, from Berkeley Baptist Divinity School came to work at the church. Alice remembers this tall man was good looking, but also recalls him being a little too impressed with himself. Richard thought Alice was beautiful and smart, and asked her out on date. She declined, but to his credit, Nishioka said, Richard was persistent. Eventually they fell in love, married and had four sons together. One is an optometrist in Los Angeles. One just retired as an air traffic controller in Honolulu. One works with immigrant families for a non-profit agency in Seattle. “And one,” Nishioka said, “has the great honor of preaching from the platform of the Montreat Conference Center, at this music and worship conference.” “I am standing here, because of one Quaker woman and a tray of sandwiches, fruit and juice.”

When Nishioka goes to heaven he can’t wait to meet the woman, say a word of thanks and ask her this question: “How did you have the audacity and courage to act, when the rest of the country was convinced that my mother, at 9 years old, was not to be trusted?” Nishioka told his family story while preaching from Matthew 15:21-28, where the community of people for whom Jesus had been sent was expanded by a Canaanite woman. She’d come to him asking for healing of her daughter, but initially Jesus referred to her and her people as dogs.

“It was a despicable, racist thing for our Lord to say,” Nishioka said. But because of the woman’s persistent courage to seek justice, Jesus moved beyond the status quo. At first, he’d told the woman that he came only for the Jews.

“Peace,” Nishioka said, “is not the absence of status quo, but it is the courage to seek justice.” “How dare you sit there and think you don’t have the ability to effect justice and bring peace into the world?” Nishioka said. “It took just one woman — with a tray of sandwiches, pieces of fruit and juice — to transform a whole series of lives.”

Each action we take can make a difference. Let’s make sure ours are for the Glory of God!

Kathi

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Christian Nurture

Our committee would like to thank the men of our Church family for leading the worship service on June 16. They did a great job and we look forward to their next worship service! We are grateful to Pastor Phil Grigsby who came to our pulpit on June 23. He is the executive director of the Schenectady Inner City Ministries. Their programs help a large number of people with food concerns, social justice issues and support services. Thank you, Nancy for your message on June 30. It was a new and very meaningful way to look at the fruits of the spirit. Sunday July 14 is our Outdoor worship service followed by the All Church Picnic. Consider inviting a friend to this more causal service and always delicious meal . Our committee is looking for topic ideas for our proposed fifth Sunday potluck programs. These ideas could come from any of the committees or from individual members of the congregation. We welcome any of your concerns. It would be nice to be able to share thoughts and ideas in a discussion setting. Perhaps we could discuss concerns relating to climate change, environmental concerns in our county, social issues, immigration, or farming issues and what is being done about such concerns. How might our faith inform our position on a given topic? Please see Nancy or Hertha to discuss your ideas. The next fifth Sunday falls on Sept. 29th when Heartsong will be joining us again during our worship service. Please mark your calendar for that date. We have enjoyed their music and testimonies in the past and it will be good to see them again! Let’s fill the sanctuary. Invite friends to join us that day! We need volunteers! Please see Nancy or Hertha if you can be a greeter or liturgist on a particular Sunday or head usher for a month. It is especially helpful to have a list of volunteers when we plan for worship services each month. Our next meeting will be August 7 at 11:00 am. Please feel free to join us, you do not have to make a long term commitment. We will return to our 11:00 am. worship time on September 8th (second Sunday of September).

Summer is here! Presbyterian Women are enjoying vacations and family time. We do not meet formally during July and August, but planning goes on. The Synod of the Northeast PW will meet at Stony Point Conference Center, October 18-19.. All PW women are invited to share the workings on the Synod level. More information can be found on the bulletin board outside of the pastors office. The theme is “Women Move Mountains”. We need to continue to be a vocal active presence in our congregations, community, nation and the world. Our bible study for the 2019-2020 year is based on the ten commandments. It can be ordered through Rosalie Hemingway for $11.00 through July 28. This is written so that everyone will be able to use it—not only women. If you would like to put your pennies to good use, donate them to Presbyterian Women’s Fellowship of the Least Coin collection to be used for grants for projects around the world. 2018 grants in North America include $5,000. to the Crime Victims Program, USA and $5,000. to Hyannis Supporting Our Youth Enhanced Summer Enrichment Program, Hyannis, MA. Another $5,000. went to LADO, Doulas Latinas, in Oregon. Lado translates to “By your side” and the program trains and certifies Doulas who are culturally and linguistically competent to stand side by side of Latino women through pregnancy, childbirth, and the post-partum period. Presbyterian Women will continue with their usual collections of magazines and 2020 calendars throughout the summer. We will also continue to collect prescription pill containers with the labels removed that are sent to African nations to be reused for medications. We hope that you will remember the families of God’s world who find themselves in great need. We suggest that you and your family pray for them. WOMEN in prayer can MOVE MOUNTAINS.

Have a blessed summer.

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Prayer List

We pray for:

• People traveling during the summer months

• Tolerance and compassion for people different than ourselves

• Immigrants detained in Mexico and the U.S.

• People in hospice care, their caregivers and families

• All people that they may have access to clean, safe water

• Safety on the water

• Our country

We are thankful for…

• Volunteers at animal shelters

• Armed service personnel and their families

• More relaxed time for family and friends

Deacons Doings We are collecting school supplies for Church World Service School Kits and the students in our Summer Lunch Program. Please take advantage of the sales in July and August and help to provide these much needed supplies. Our annual outdoor worship service and picnic will be held on July 14. Please bring a dish to pass. The Deacons will be providing hot dogs, rolls, beverages and desserts. Our next Deacons’ Afternoon Social will be held on October 8. Please save the date! Ron Gabriele will be returning and he will speak about “How an 80 year old widow of a confederate Civil War general helped build B-29 bombers during World War II”. Ron is an excellent speaker and we thoroughly enjoyed his talk on the history of war dogs (the K-9 Corps) when he joined us at the June social last year. If there are any needs that the Deacons can help with please contact Judy Bury or Alicia Albertson. If you need transportation to a doctor’s appointment, Church or any other necessary trip please contact Pastor Kathi (518-755-2557) and she will make the necessary arrangements.

Summer Lunch Program backpacks include: • Binders, sizes 1 inch, 1 and ½ inch , 2 inch various colors

• 1 box of 24 crayons

• Colored pencils

• blunt scissors

• pencils (traditional style) • hand held pencil sharpeners

• notebooks • filler/lined paper • dry erase markers

• highlighters

• glue sticks

• Elmer’s glue

• large erasers

• pencil top erasers

• Folders

Church World Service School Kits include: • 1 pair of blunt scissors

• 3 bound notebooks, 70 pages each or notebooks totaling 200-210 pages

1 ruler, 30 centimeter/12 inches

1 hand held pencil sharpener • 1 large eraser (no pencil cap erasers) • 6 new unsharpened pencils with eraser • 1 box of 24 crayons (only 24 crayons) • 1 cotton or lightweight canvas bag (solid color or kid-friendly fabric) with cloth handles (no reusable shopping bags, backpacks or bags

with logos) 12 x 14 or 14 x 17 finished size

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From the Mailbag

JULY & AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

7/2 Laurae Hoffmann

7/3 Melissa Sitzer

7/8 Ruth Fuhrmann

7/6 Marie Wloch

7/13 Bruce Mc Crum

7/14 Alice Hornung

7/26 Scott Hickok

7/29 Wally Brough

7/30 Lieta Albertson

8/2 Chuck Shattenkirk

8/6 Lynn Leffingwell

8/8 Yvonne Main

8/9 Alicia Albertson

8/9 Rick Jacker

8/10 Chris Wells

8/14 John Coons

8/14 David Main

8/16 Dana Main

8/18 Laura Kinnicutt

8/24 Dorothy Johnson

JULY & AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES

7/12 Karen and Jim Leffingwell

7/24 Chris and Tim Wells

8/14 Denise and Robert Kraus

8/19 Judy and Gale Bury

8/23 Naomi and Jim Handley

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL If we have missed your Birthday or Anniversary

on our list, please give Naomi in the office a

call. We want to celebrate with you and let

others know about your special day. If you are

reaching some other significant milestone let

Dear First Presbyterian Church,

Thank you for your monetary donation to

The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New

York. Your donation will go directly to Ichabod

Crane High School, Teen Weekend Meal &

Pantry program #1895T. Through the generosity

of your donation and other Ichabod Crane

community clubs and various organizations, we

are able to support students who are strolling

with huger during the academic year. We are

very fortunate to have a community who

supports those in need.

We distribute between 15 to 30 weekend

meals per week. Our program offers non

perishable, fresh, frozen and refrigerated foods

for select students including every other week a

milk card and once a month an egg card to each

student participating in the program.

Thank you so very much,

Robin A. Sullivan

Coordinator, Teen Weekend Meal &

Pantry Program.

Dear Members of the First Presbyterian Church of Valatie, Thank you for your wonderful gift. You’ve already made an impact on the lives of many girls. By eliminating a major barrier to education - menstrual management - you have joined our movement to change the world, one girl at a time. I would also like to thank you for generously hosting our recent MoonBee. We were so pleased to work with you and your wonderful volunteers! As the founder of the MoonCatcher Project, I offer my heartfelt personal thanks for making possible our vital work. Your generosity helps to provide MoonCatcher Kits to girls in the poorest communities worldwide. Our simple solution has a profound impact! In 2018 we were able to provide 8,000 girls with menstrual management kits. With your help, we will reach even more girls in 2019. Your generous support helps make their current and future success possible. Thank you for being a part of our growing team. Sincerely,

Ellie Ellie von Wellsheim Executive Director

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3

6:00pm. Food Pantry Open

7:00pm. Scout Committee

5 6

7 10:00 Worship

Sacrament of Holy Communion

11:15 Coffee & Fellowship

8 12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm. Food Pantry Open

7:00pm.

Buildings and Grounds Committee

9 12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm. Scouts BSA

10

12noon Lunch Program

11

12noon Lunch Program

12

12noon Lunch Program

13

9 - 11am. Food Pantry

Open

14

10:00 Outdoor Worship

11:15 All Church Picnic

15

12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm. Food Pantry Open

16

12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm. Finance &

Stewardship

7:00pm. Scouts BSA

17

12noon Lunch Program

6:00pm.

Food Pantry Open

18

12noon Lunch Program

9:30am. Warm Up America

19

12noon Lunch Program

20

21 10:00 Worship

12:15 Coffee & Fellowship

22

12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm.

Food Pantry Open

23 12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm.

Scouts BSA

24 12noon Lunch Program

25 12noon Lunch Program

26 12noon Lunch Program

27

9 - 11am. Food Pantry

Open

28

10:00 Worship— 12:15 Coffee Hour

29

12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm.

Food Pantry

30

12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm.

Scouts BSA

31 12noon Lunch Program

6:00pm.

Food Pantry Open

27

28 29

30 10:00 Worship

11:15 Coffee & Fellowship

First Presbyterian Church, Valatie

July 2019

July Food Pantry Hours Mondays - 12noon to 2pm

Wednesday - 7/3, 7/17, 7/31 6 - 8pm Saturday, 7/13, 7/27 9 - 11am

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3

4 10:00 Worship

Sacrament of Holy Communion

11:15 Coffee & Fellowship

5 12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm.

Food Pantry Open

6

12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm.

Scouts BSA

7 11:00am.

Christian Nurture

12noon Lunch Program

6:00pm. Food Pantry Open

7:00pm. Scout Committee

8

12noon Lunch Program

9

12noon Lunch Program

10

9 - 11am.

Food Pantry Open

11 10:00 Worship

12:15 Coffee Hour

12 12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm.

Food Pantry Open

13 12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm. Scouts BSA

14

12noon Lunch Program

15

12noon Lunch Program

9:30am.

Warm Up America

16

12noon Lunch Program

17

4 - 7 pm.

Drive-Thru Chicken BBQ

18 10:00 Worship

12:15 Coffee & Fellowship

19

12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm.

Food Pantry Open

20 12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm. Finance &

Stewardship

7:00pm.

Scouts BSA

21 12noon Lunch Program

6:00pm.

Food Pantry Open

22

12noon Lunch Program

23 12noon Lunch Program

24

9 - 11am. Food Pantry

Open

25

10:00 Worship— 12:15 Coffee Hour

26

12noon Lunch Program

12 - 2pm. Food Pantry Open

27

12noon Lunch Program

7:00pm. Scouts BSA

28 12noon Lunch Program

6:00pm.

Food Pantry Open

29 12noon Lunch Program

30 12noon Lunch Program

31

First Presbyterian Church, Valatie

August 2019

August Food Pantry Hours Mondays - 12noon to 2pm

Wednesday - 8/7, 8/21, 8/28 6 - 8pm Saturday, 8/10, 8/24 9 - 11am

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3212 Church Street

P. O. Box 267

Valatie, NY 12184

TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION-PLEASE DELIVER PROMPTLY

Phone: 518-758-9658

Email: [email protected]

Sandra Hohneker, Treasurer Bill Ring, Financial Secretary Naomi Handley, Secretary

Sarah Sayers, Clerk of Session Ardelle Stewart, Organist Nick Becker, Sexton

Drive - Thru Chicken BBQ Returns!

Saturday, August 17, 2019, 4:00 to 7:00pm.

The menu will include: 1/2 chicken, corn on the cob, baked potato,

coleslaw, roll & butter, desert and beverage.

Tickets can be purchased in advance (recommended) or at the door if any are left for $15

each. Call Marge at 518-929-2318 or the church office at 518-758-9658 for questions and

tickets.