The Parish Visitor

The First Reformed Church of Fishkill

July/August 2007

Dear Friends,

All those years in school and growing up on the shores of Lake Huron built a tradition within me of seeing summer as free time. Now that worked when I was a child, but as adults (or at least those of us who are not retired), the schedule may change, but we still have obligations and responsibilities to uphold.

At a graduation party a young man who is now working fulltime in Manhattan, said to me that it had just dawned on him, that though he really liked his job, he was now going to have to work for the next 40 years! Yep, that’s what happens when we grow up.

But what also happens is that our faith has the opportunity to grow up in Christ. As we “bend our lives” toward the Holy Scripture, we humbly acknowledge that this ancient book knows more than we. William Willimon writes, “We trust the Bible because it keeps making sense of, as well as disrupting, the world in which we live… So an appropriate question to ask is, ‘How is the text asking me to change?’”

If we believe that the Bible wants to speak to the world, to change it, then we need to read it and be willing to risk transformation of both ourselves and the world.

So in the change of summer schedules, let us all spend time “bending our lives” toward the Holy Scripture, walking around in the text, seeing what it has to say to us and world. Then may we allow it to work in our lives and in the world.

Summer breezes and the deep peace of Christ,

JULY CALENDAR

1	Worship 10 am Communion Calvin’s Cleaners Team 5	15	Worship 10 am Strawberry Shortcake* Calvin’s Cleaners Team 7
3	Bible Study 7:30*	17	Bible Study 7:30*
4	Independence Day – Office Closed	22	Worship 10 am Calvin’s Cleaners Team 8
8	Worship 10 am Calvin’s Cleaners Team 6	29	Worship 10 am Calvin’s Cleaners Balance Team
10	Bible Study 7:30*	31	Bible Study 7:30*

AUGUST CALENDAR

5	Worship 10 am Communion Calvin’s Cleaners Team 1	14	Bible Study 7:30*
7	Blood Drive 2:30 – 8* Bible Study 7:30*	19	Worship 10 am Calvin’s Cleaners Team 3
12	Worship 10 am Ice Cream Social* Calvin’s Cleaners Team 2	26	Worship 10 am Calvin’s Cleaners Team 4
13 - 17	Vacation Bible School 9 – 12*	28	Bible Study 7:30*

* See this Parish Visitor for further information

The following are reminders of service commitments.

If you are unable to keep yours, please find someone to replace you and notify the church office

CALVIN’S CLEANERS

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

1 Team 5 – Tom Schmidt 5 Team 1 – Ray VanVoorhis 2 Team 5 – Tom Schmidt

8 Team 6 – VOLUNTEERS 12 Team 2 – Rich Lanni 9 Team 6 - VOLUNTEERS

NEEDED NEEDED

15 Team 7 – Linda Baron 19 Team 3 – Jay Wright 16 Team 7 – Linda Baron

22 Team 8 – MaryLou Aronow 26 Team 4 – Worship & Music 23 Team 8 – MaryLou Aronow

29 Balance team – Dan Byers 30 Balance Team – Dan Byers

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR CALVIN’S CLEANERS – YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO IT OFTEN, JUST BE WILLING TO HELP FROM TIME TO TIME. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER, CALL MARYLOU ARONOW AT 831-4035 FOR INFORMATION

COUNTERS

JULY AUGUST

1 John Twohig, Victor Chao 5 Judy Michaelis, Victor Chao

8 Helene Wright, Celeste Rudberg 12 MaryLou Aronow, Helene Wright

15 Harold Crawford, Celeste Rudberg 19 Kathy Campbell, Celeste Rudberg

22 Judy Michaelis, Don VanNostrand 26 Kathy Campbell, Celeste Rudberg

29 John Twohig, Victor Chao

Coffee Hour Hosts

for July, August, September 2007:

Please note that the first name listed each Sunday should contact the other hosts regarding food share and as a reminder of the date. If you are not available on the assigned date, it is your responsibility to find a substitute or trade dates, put the change on the list in the Education Building, and advise the office for the Sunday bulletin. You may notice that you are being asked to serve at coffee hour more often. With the wonderful attendance each Sunday, we are putting four families on board instead of three. Thank you to everyone for being so gracious.

July September

1 Hawkins, Fellin, Wright, Badowski 2 Minot, Hoffman, Lane, Gorba

8 Sedita, Van Nostrand, Novick, Tegler 9 Saunders, Binder, Taylor Gallo

15 Strawberry Social 16 Perry, Wesley, DiYeso, Deneu

22 Dachenhausen, Byer, Serra, Smith 23 Aranow, Michaelis, Covell, Silverstein

29 Crawford, Baron, Lacy 30 Houston, Vasquez, Merritt, Wisst

August

5 Schmidt, Potter, Rygiel, Rush

12 Ice Cream Social

19 Corwin, Flayter, Heather Hansen, Twohig

26 B & J Van Voorhis, Moseman, Suggitt

Notes from June Consistory Meeting

· Deacon Kathy Campbell led devotions on Developing Leaders, Luke 10:19-24

· The Treasurer’s Operating Report for May shows revenues totaling $19,089.38 and expenses totaling $15,509.77.

· Pastor Gloria will be attending the RCA Women’s Conference in Chicago, July 18 – 23.

· Elder MaryAnn Fellin’s request to be supported for the Classis Preaching Elder program was approved.

· The part time Chime Choir Director’s position was approved and will start September 1, 2007.

· Dorrie Hanson, Jayne Hoffman and Jan Melichar-Utter have completed Children and Worship training.

Joe Gorba and Frenchy DeNeu carved the wooden figurines for this story telling Sunday School program.

· Next Consistory meeting is July 24th, at 7:15pm.

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Roger and Karon Perry want to thank everyone for their cards of sympathy during the loss of Roger’s mother in Florida.

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The Jerry Nolting family is very thankful to our church family for the many acts of kindness through prayers for healing, cards, visits, tapes of the services, and altar flowers. Progress is slow but there is hope. We are trusting in our Lord for healing with the help of speech therapy.

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Our congratulations go to these graduates. God be with you as you continue your journey.

Corinne VanBeek, daughter of Jane VanBeek and granddaughter of Andrew Pless, of Cold Spring and sister of Ryan VanBeek, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. She graduated with honors, Alpha Omega.

Erika Rush, daughter of Jack and Linda Rush granddaughter of Florence Smith, graduated from Marist with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Public Affairs.

Tammy Kayson Rodriguez, daughter of Connie Kayson, graduated from College of New Rochelle with a Masters of Science in School Psychology and New York State Certification in Bilingual Extension Spanish.

Emily Leinhard, granddaughter of Dorian Moffitt, graduating from Lexington High School in Lexington, Massachusetts. She will be attending NYU in the fall.

Edward Tucholski, Jr. son of Edward and Stacey Tucholski and grandson of Roger and Karon Perry will be graduating from Poughkeepsie high school and will be attending Dutchess Community College in the fall on a full scholarship.

Kimberly Ann VanVoorhis, daughter of Donald and Barbara VanVoorhis and granddaughter of Marge and Bill Merritt and Shirley and Charles VanVoorhis graduated from John Jay High School on Friday, June 22^nd. She received the NYS Association of Family and consumer Science Educators Student of the Year Award. She will be attending SUNY Plattsburgh in the fall majoring in Communication Disorders and Sciences.

LOST & FOUND AND OTHER STUFF

Lost: 1 seminary student & wife … last seen at the Fishkill Reformed Church.

Greetings to my friends and church family at Fishkill Reformed Church! We want to thank you all for your continued prayers for my Seminary studies and preparation for the ordained Ministry and for blessings for Brenda as she supports me as I spend much time studying, and as I travel to Seminary and to lead worship and preach at other churches. It has been a wonderful journey so far. It is hard to imagine that I have completed two-thirds of my seminary work and that I am closer to the finish than I am to the beginning. I have about 30 credits left, which will be spread over the next two calendar years – primarily in the next year.

This journey has taken me to Michigan for seminary intensives and to other churches that are seeking occasional worship leadership. Through the summer we are also trying to squeeze in at least a couple of weekends away together. With these travels, Brenda and I find ourselves absent from Fishkill on occasion - especially from May through September. However, you are all in our prayers even when we are elsewhere.

So the good news is that God has found us – just as he has found all who call on his name! Wherever we all find ourselves, may we always praise God together for his grace and his love!

Yours, in Christ’s love and service, Ed & Brenda

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ADULT BIBLE DISCUSSION

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Rom 8:28-32

One of the most well known promises of the New Testament is found in Romans 8. However it can be a bit of a stumbling block at times for people when they going through hard times. Paul is not suggesting an absence of adversity, but that God’s purposes will prevail in the midst of all circumstances – for those who love God and are called by God.

I’ve been reading lately about RCA missions. What strikes me about these missions are the stories that are told about how joyful the children are in the midst of incredible poverty. They sing with enthusiasm the promises of God! Missionaries come back speaking of how they, as missionaries, were blessed – probably more than those they were sent to serve. The church is thriving and growing in the poorest parts of the world. Paul lived this missionary experience among the poor and oppressed. He faced many struggles and yet he lived in joy the promise of God! That is how he can proclaim the promise from Romans.

As we move into the last half of Romans, I am reflecting back on the discussions and how much fun we’ve had with Romans! We’ve been blessed to share with each other new understandings of familiar Scripture. We share how God speaks to us in the passages and witness to how God is at work in our lives.

I am convinced that God uses the Holy Spirit to teach us and that he often speaks to us through each other as the Holy Spirit leads. Bible discussion is a place where we can explore and interact with friends on the life enabling power of God.

We continue to meet on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 PM through July and August in the parlor of the Dubois house:

June 26

July: 3, 10, 17, 31 (July 24^th time/location is pending – call Ed for details)

August: 7, 14, 31 (August 21^st time/location is also pending – call Ed for details)

Join with Paul and our group as we explore the life enabling power of God. Newcomers are always welcome!

Peace and blessings to all! Ed

Following is a recipe from Lucy Jones that we hear was a hit at the choir picnic in June:

Colonial Chicken Salad (Hot)

2 cups diced cooked chicken 2 tsp. grated onion ½ cup crushed

1 cup mayonnaise ½ slivered almonds (browned in butter) potato chips

2 cups diced celery 3 hard cooked eggs, diced ½ cup grated cheddar

2 tsp. lemon juice ½ cup sliced ripe olives cheese (white)

½ tsp. salt ½ cup sour cream

Toss the first 10 items together. Place in greased casserole. Cover with potato chips. Sprinkle cheese over chips. Cover. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and contents are bubbling. Serves 10 - 12

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, AUGUST 13 - 17

A Week of Holy Land Adventure

The VBS planning team is working hard to prepare for this year’s program to be held the week of August 7 – 11, 9:30 to 12 Noon. Our theme for the week is Galilee-By-The-Sea. We will attempt to transform our fellowship hall into a seaside village in Galilee. Our program will provide fun, memorable Bible-learning activities as children gather in small groups named after one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The “tribes” will join come together for singing and then explore traditional Bible-time family life. They will visit the synagogue, play authentic games, and go to the market place, where they become apprentices in the Carpentry Shop and do crafts at a variety of market-place stalls. We welcome children ages 3 through those who completed 5^th grade in June, 2007. Registration forms are available in the DuBois House and Education Building.

There is no fee for our program but an offering will be taken on Friday during our closing program. This year we will support an RCA VBS Global Mission Project Opportunity in Ethiopia. $750 will build a windmill from supplies available in Ethiopia allowing the Daasanech village people to irrigate garden crops for food, to grind grain and to sharpen tools. We hope our gifts can provide one new windmill for a Daasanech village, and we welcome help in meeting this challenge.

Planning and preparing materials for this week is a huge task, and the planning team welcomes support from our entire church family. Here are some ways everyone can participate:

· Keep VBS in your prayers as the team and volunteers implements the curriculum and prepare for this exciting week.

· Invite children in your family and neighborhood to attend. Talk it up and assist with transportation if needed. We are putting together this program with the faith that “if we build it, they will come!”

· Volunteer to work the week of Aug. 13 - 17. We need a few more craft leaders, a game leader and assistants in several areas. And what would VBS be without snack time? That requires volunteers to shop and prepare Middle Eastern snacks.

· Work “behind the scenes” to prepare materials. If you can cut and sew, we have a job for you! Net bags need to be cut and sewn together, tribe head bands prepared, additional Bible time costumes must be made, and some construction skills are needed to put up booths in the marketplace.

· Help organize activities by volunteering to assist with registration, especially on the first day, Monday, August 13th and our last day when we’ll close the week with a family picnic.

· Our Drama Team, led with Jean Teske, welcomes volunteers to put on a short play each day at the well in the village center. Call Jean to see if she has a part just waiting for you.

If you have questions or want to volunteer, contact Jan Utter at mrsjmutter98@aol.com;

(845) 878 – 0056; or leave a note in mailbox No. 1 in the DuBois House. Join the fun as we work to make God’s Word very real to the people in our community.

We will be collecting shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse again in November - more info to come in the fall. But please buy your school supplies - pens, pencils, crayons, markers, glue sticks, metric rulers, scissors, erasers, etc. when they go on sale in August! Thanks. Questions, call Toni Houston 227 7655

We are pleased to announce that the

First Reformed Church

of Fishkill

is having our Third

Annual Golf Outing to raise funds to support

our capital projects at

our historic site in the Village of Fishkill.

We hope you can help us while having fun on the golf course.

September 13, 2007 at Carvel Country Club

Supporting a National Historic Site

Golfer Registration

Entry Fee per Golfer $110 Scoring Format: 4-person Scramble (no handicap)

Please list guests/team members below:

NAME:________________________________ NAME:____________________________

ADDRESS:____________________________ ADDRESS:_________________________

______________________________________ ___________________________________

PHONE:_______________________________ PHONE:____________________________

NAME:_______________________________ NAME:_____________________________

ADDRESS:____________________________ ADDRESS:__________________________

______________________________________ ____________________________________

PHONE:_______________________________ PHONE:_____________________________

NAME:________________________________ NAME:_____________________________

ADDRESS:____________________________ ADDRESS:__________________________

______________________________________ ___________________________________

PHONE:_______________________________ PHONE:____________________________

Yes, please reserve golf ______ticket(s) at $110 per person

Unfortunately I cannot attend. However, enclosed is my donation of $_______ as a contribution to

First Reformed Church of Fishkill

Total enclosed___________

Make Checks Payable to: First Reformed Church of Fishkill, 1153 Main Street, Fishkill, NY 12524

(845)896-9836

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Carvel Country Club

P.O. Box 302

Pine Plains, NY 12567

(518)398-7101

Registration & Driving Range Open 8:00 am

Shotgun Start 9:00 am

Buffet Dinner and Awards 2:30 pm

Scoring format will be a 4-person Scramble

Donation per golfer of

$110.00 will include:

Golf, cart, goody bag gifts,

continental breakfast, lunch, dinner, prizes for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place team finish, longest drive and closest to pin contests, and a hole-in-one prize!

fff

There will also be a raffle during

dinner with great prizes.

Questions, call:

Ray VanVoorhis - (845)452-2268

e-mail: rvanvoorhis@lmvarchitects.com

SPONSORSHIPS

BREAKFAST SPONSOR - $250.00

DINNER SPONSOR - 3 @ $500.00

4 GOLFERS and a SIGN - $500.00

TEE OR GREEN SIGNS - $75.00 each

NAME:_______________________________ Make Checks Payable to:

COMPANY:___________________________ First Reformed Church of Fishkill

______________________________________ 1153 Main Street, Fishkill, NY 12524

ADDRESS:____________________________ (845) 896-9836

______________________________________

PHONE:_______________________________

Croatia Update

Surviving first year gives confidence for second

By Nancy Titus

RCA Missionary to Croatia