The Parish Visitor

The First Reformed Church of Fishkill

March 2008

                     

 

    Dear Friends,

 

                                   While viewing the stunning lunar eclipse, I was stopped in my tracks when I realized that I was a part of the shadow that was covering the moon. This boggled my mind. Little ol’ me, standing out on my deck, was part of what stood between the sun and the moon, creating a shadow big enough to cover the moon. What a strong visual reminder of how each one of us, and the actions of each one of us, when combined together, have the potential for a greater good then when we do things individually.

 

      So on Easter, when we gather to Celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we also have the opportunity to gather together our resources for the special offering which the Deacons have designated to the following programs:

      1. Reformed Church World Services is working with Church World Service to provide immediately, blankets, clean-up buckets, and hygiene kits in Mount View and Clinton, Ark. Given the intense damage caused by the storms, CWS anticipates working actively in all the states where tornadoes and flooding have struck.

      2. Sea to Sea is presented by Christian Reformed Church in partnership with the RCA. Over 200 bicyclists will begin a tour across the USA on July 28th. The money raised is designated for programs which help break the cycles that     keep people poor. RCA minister, Rev. JoAnn Tipple, from Columbia- Greene Classis has committed to make the entire trip.

 

May the shadow of the empty cross fall across our lives and fill us with hope as we celebrate the gift of life found in Jesus Christ.

 

In His Love,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARCH CALENDAR

2

Sunday School 9 am

Worship 10 am – Communion

Chime Choir 11:30 am

Community Lenten Service 4 pm*

18

Bible Study 7:30 pm

3 - 9

Calvin’s Cleaners Team 5

19

Bible Study 10 am

Sanctuary open from 12 noon to 1 pm for prayers and meditation

4

Finance Committee 7:15 pm

Bible Study 7:30 pm

20

Maundy Thursday Service 7:30 pm

Home Vigil 9 pm through 6 am*

5

Bible Study 10 am

Lenten Devotional 12 noon*

Book Study 7:15 pm

21

Good Friday

Vigil in Sanctuary 6 am through 4 pm*

Worship Service 7:30 pm

“We Were There” Cantata*

6

Choir 7 pm

23

EASTER

(See list of Sunrise Services elsewhere in this Parish Visitor)

Worship 10 am

8

“A Rooster’s Tale” and Pot Luck Supper 5:30 pm *

24 - 30

Calvin’s Cleaners – Balance Team

9

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS (SPRING AHEAD)

Sunday School 9 am

Worship 10 am – Communion

Chime Choir 11:30 am

25

Consistory 7:15 pm

10 - 16

Calvin’s Cleaners Team 1

26

Bible Study 10 am

Craft Group 10 am

Book Study 7:15 pm

11

Bible Study 7:30 pm

27

Choir

12

Bible Study 10 am

Lenten Devotional 12 noon*

Worship/Music Committee 1:30 pm

Book Study 7:15 pm

30

Sunday School 9 am

Worship 10 am

13

Communications Committee 11 am

Choir 7 pm

31

Assembling bag lunches for homeless shelter 4 – 6*

16

PALM SUNDAY

Sunday School 9 am

Worship 10 am

Chime Choir 11:30

31-4/6

Calvin’s Cleaners Team 3

17 – 23

Calvin’s Cleaners Team 2

 

 

*See this Parish Visitor for more information

 

CALVIN’S CLEANERS TEAMS:

Team 1 – Jay Wright                                                Team 4 – Linda Baron

Team 2 – Worship and Music Committee     Team 5 – MaryLou Aronow

Team 3 – Tom Schmidt                                            Balance Team – Dan Byers

Coffee Hour Hosts

For March and April 2008:

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.

 

March                                                                                April

2 Landanno, Nolting, Hughes, Jodlowski,               6 Dachenhausen, Crawford, Kayson, Rygiel

9 Silverstein, Moffitt, Sanders, J, Carruthers                       13 Schmidt, Flayter, Badowski, Twohig

16 Teske, Skinner, Schallenberg, Byers                  20 Smith, H. Hansen, Rush, Wright

23 Gundersen, Chao, Kyer, Purifoy                                   27 B. VanVoorhis, R & J VanVoorhis, Van Geldern, Moseman

30 Supan, Binder, Saya, VanNostrand                               

 

 

 

 

PRAYER VIGIL

Thursday - Home Vigil begins at 9pm through 6am.

Good Friday in the Sanctuary from 6am through 4pm.

Please sign up beginning March 2nd in Education Building.

 

 

 

LENTEN COMMUNITY SERVICE:

 

The Lenten Community Service will be held Sunday, March 2nd, 4:00 pm at St. Mary’s Church on Jackson Avenue.  Pastor Gloria will be the guest preacher. We are asked to bring a snack or dessert for the fellowship after worship.

 

 

EASTER SUNRISE SERVICES:

Fishkill Baptist Church, Route 52     7:30 am

Hopewell Reformed Church             6:30 am Red Wing Park

New Hackensack Reformed Church            6:30 am

City of Poughkeepsie Churches        7:30 am Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery Mausoleum

First Presbyterian of Wappingers with United Methodist of Wappingers   7:00 am at Mesier Park

 

Did you know?   Audio tapes of our worship services are available for those unable to attend in person.  If you would like to borrow one (or some), please see Roy Carruthers.

 

 

 

If you would like to place an Easter Lily in the church for Easter, please sign up in the entry to the Fellowship Hall or call Sandy, the church secretary.  The cost is $10.00.  Please pay when signing up and make checks out to Women of the Reformed Church. The deadline is MARCH 9.  Talk to Liz Alexander or Dorrie Hansen if you have any questions.

 

Holy Week Services

Palm Sunday, March 16, 10 am. Worship - Palms will be distributed

Wednesday of Holy Week, March 19, Church open for Prayer and Meditation, 12:00-1:00.

Maundy Thursday, March 20, 7:30 pm.: Communion, Washing of the Hands, Stripping of Sanctuary.

Good Friday, March 21, 7:30 pm, "We Were There".  A cantata, by Pepper Choplin, in which those who witnessed the crucifixion are brought to life through narration and song.

Easter Sunday, March 23, 10 am Worship - Celebration of the Resurrection!      Children’s Church, kindergarten-sixth grade.

A Lenten Project from the Deacons

      A reminder:  We will be collecting donations for the Hygiene Kits and School Kits through April 6.  Sign-up sheets are posted in Fellowship Hall.  You may provide pieces for a kit or the entire kit.  Please, no toothpaste.  It has an expiration date.  Church World Service inserts toothpaste in the kits when they deliver them.  Items can be left in the back of the church or in DuBois House. If you prefer to donate money, we will use it to purchase items for the kits.  Any questions?  Call Celeste Rudberg at 221-9330.

 

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL

 

The Worship and Music Committee will lead a "TREAT YOURSELF TO LUNCH" Devotional for Five Wednesdays during Lent, beginning February 13th, through March 12th.   We will meet at Noon each Wednesday at the JACKALOPE BBQ RESTAURANT for a short devotion and time of fellowship.  We will have a different facilitator each week to lead us in a ten minute devotional from The Upper Room Daily Disciplines.  Look for the sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall.

 

 

Be sure to check out our website www.fishkillreformed.org for photos.  Click on Sunday Worship Picture Link. You or someone you know may be in one!

 

New Members – February 2008

 

Veronica “Ronnie” Badowski: Ronnie grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, where she was a member of the Reformed Church. She loves to write poetry, prose, fiction and non-fiction. Ronnie cared for her parents, George and Florence Kiottis, in her home for nine years, and hopes that her writings on this subject will help other caregivers. Part of the church craft group, Ronnie also serves as coordinator of the coffee hour. She and her husband Bill, have two adult children.

 

William “Bill” Badowski: Bill was born in Germany and moved to Brooklyn at the age of 10. He and Ronnie have lived in Union Vale for the last 30 years. Retired from Con Ed, after 35 years, Bill now has more time for his hobbies: sports, including playing softball and racquetball, and gardening. He has a great love of computers and has built two.

 

David Bellach: David grew up, and lived in the Bronx, and was baptized at St. Francis Roman Catholic Church on Tremont Ave. In 1997, he and wife, Rochelle and son, Robert, moved to the town of Beekman. A computer programmer for the last 20 years, David currently works for Bayer Corporation in Tarrytown. Interests include small boat sailing, hiking, and the Boy Scouts, where his son is First Class.

 

Marisa deGregoriis: Born in New Mexico, Marisa made her way to Dutchess County via the Bronx, Rye, Danbury and Stanford. In spite of an injury at work that has left her permanently disabled, Marissa is known for her humor and quick wit. A lover of animals, art and theatre, she believes that she has lived an extraordinary life and enjoys sharing it with folks.

 

Donald “Don” Porter: Don, born in St. Louis, the son of a preacher, lived in White Plains for the last 40 years, and recently moved to Fishkill. Don has been a Travel Executive in Purchase for the last 25 years, which means he travels a lot. His hobbies include a great love of music and he plays the organ, piano and baritone horn. Don and his wife Ruth have 2 children.

 

Ruth Porter: Ruth grew up in Oregon and Washington, the daughter to a minister who was called to plant new churches. She has also lived in Ohio, Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois and New York. A public school teacher in the primary grades for 26 years, she then worked in a nursery school for 11 years and now is the assistant manager and computer instructor at a group home for developmentally disabled adults in Tarrytown. Hobbies include cooking, sewing, traveling, and entertaining.

 

Karen E. Simmons: Born on Long Island, Karen’s family moved to the New Paltz area, where her father operated a gas station. She moved to Wappingers Falls, and in 1982 to Old Post Mall. Retiring after 30 years as a lab tech at Castle Point, Karen enjoys playing the piano, doing crossword puzzles, and collecting Christmas Angels and cardinals.

 

Gail Vasquez: Gail was born and raised in the Chelsea/Beacon area. She and her husband Juan raised their children Bill, Daniela and also Juan’s sons who came from Peru. Gail works at the Beacon Post Office, and runs home on her lunch hour so she can get in 45 minutes of quilting and sewing. Her volunteer work is mostly baby sitting the grand kids. She has been a Girl Scout leader and hopes to do it again in the near future. Isabel, her grand daughter, comes to church with her every Sunday.

 

 

 Notes from February Consistory Meeting

 

Ø             Elder Jan Melichar-Utter led devotions using one of Henri Nouwen’s writings on I Kings 19 and what it means to be attentive to God’s presence.

Ø             Treasurers Operating Report for January shows revenues totaling $24,952.97 and expenses totaling $19,627.70

Ø             John and Karen Twohig will chair the Everything Sale that is scheduled for May 17th, in coordination with the Village Wide Yard Sale.

Ø             The Good Friday Cantata, “We Were There” will be advertised in the community.

Ø             Records for CCS – Children’s Community Services – have been reviewed by the State and found in order.

Ø             Railings will be installed on the chancel steps and the broken floor board in the balcony secured.

Ø             Next Consistory meeting is March 25th, at 7:15pm.

 

 

The rooster’s crowing!

It’s time to wake up & sign-up for

The Rooster’s Tale

A one-act play about Peter’s denial of Christ

and

Potluck Supper

Saturday, March 8, 2008 at 5:30

Sign-up on the bulletin board facing you as you enter the Education Building or phone reservations to the church office.

 

This event is brought to you by the Sunday School, Youth, and Activities Committee.

 

 

We will again be providing bag lunches for the homeless shelter in Poughkeepsie on Monday, March 31.  We will be assembling the lunches from 4 pm until 6 (or until we are finished).  If you would like to help or to contribute, please contact JoAnn Supan at 838-2032.

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Thank You for Gifts of Socks for Hedgewood

 

To our dear ladies at Fishkill Reformed Church,

The residents and I wish to thank all of the lovely ladies and participants of the Christmas gift program.  It means a great deal to our residents, for many of them without family.  The love and dedication of your ladies are always felt by our residents and they always look forward to their visits.  We wish them all well for a happy and healthy new year. 

 

                                                                               From all of us at Hedgewood. 

                                                                               Jetta Merrill Activities Director

 

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Dear Friends of House of Faith,

 

This letter is to thank you for your generous donation of $2188.31 received on February 4, 2008 to further aid in the process of opening the House of Faith Domestic Violence Shelter.

 

There’s a rare and special quality in the way some people live,

However busy they may be, they still have time to give.

Anything you ask or need, they’ll do their very best.

No matter what the task is or how simple the request.

Kindness just comes naturally to this rare and selfless few,

Special, giving people just like you!

 

We sincerely thank you for your act of kindness and hope you consider House of Faith in the future.

 

Sincerely,

 

Minister Luader Smith

Executive Director, HOFM

 

(Editors note:  This donation represented half of our Christmas Special Offering)

 

 

In appreciation with a big Thank You to All the Volunteers of Children's Church we will meet on Sunday March 9 after church and coffee hour, for a second cup of coffee, at the home of Thea Schallenberg, 25 Alta Drive, Wappingers Falls. 

 

Directions:  From Route 9D turn at the sign of Castle Point Veteran's Hospital into Castle Point Road, then left on Old Castle Point Road down to the river.  Alta Drive is the first road on the right. 

 

Please call me if you would like to join this devoted group of volunteers doing Children's Church on Sundays. 

 

                                                                                                      Thea Schallenberg

 

Croatia Update

Kosovo independence deserves another look

By Rev. Eric Titus

       To say that Kosovo is a difficult issue is an understatement of monumental proportions. As Americans, we generally look at nations seeking independence with sympathetic eyes. In following the news coverage of Kosovo declaring its own independence on Feb. 17, I note this rather one-sided view of things, as the news coverage comes from the United States and Western Europe. I wish to present here a slightly different perspective on why this action is such a controversy for our Serbian neighbors.

       I should state from the outset of this that I find the violence in Serbia and Kosovo as a reaction to the independence inexcusable, and the lack of police protection at the embassies attacked as a catastrophe. That being said I think that it might be helpful to understand a bit more of Serbia’s position in all this.

       As has been reported, Kosovo is about 90% Albania. Serbs are a minority to be sure.  However, since before 1389 (the date of a famous battle in the history of Serbia) Kosovo has been a part of Serbia.

       Due to many factors in the last century, Serbs began leaving Kosovo and as they did so Albanians began settling in the region.  Part of the last war in the Balkans was of course Serbia trying to reassert its dominance in the area to the point of atrocity and genocide.  Enter NATO and the UN, which have been administering Kosovo as an “autonomous region” of Serbia since 1999.

       I don’t wish to debate the various merits of everyone’s claims to Kosovo, but to state herein what Serbia’s basic problem is by way of an analogy. 

       Suppose that a couple of natural disasters followed by a dust bowl hit Texas causing huge segments of the population to leave.  Imagine this flight is followed by a huge influx of people from Mexico and other Latin American countries. After a couple of decades of this, the population of Texas becomes more than 90% Mexican.  It is decided because of a number of complicating factors that it is in the best interest of the 90% to be independent of the United States.  Uncle Sam is outraged and will hear nothing of it. Texas, after all, is a part of the Union; it belongs legally to the United States.  Then, what if Russia, China, and many other countries come into the matter and back the new country’s independence.  How would the United States react?

       Again things are much more complicated in Kosovo, and the analogy I have quickly hobbled together here will not hold long, but I think that it at least gives some balancing perspective. It helps us see why Serbia is so attached to Kosovo. It is not as simple as saying to Serbia to “get over” the Kosovo thing. That is to diminish Serbia’s claim and to demonstrate an intolerable lack of understanding.

       Even so, in this we must not forget the tragedies of the last decade nor the rights of the Albanian majority to their own voice and free determination.  It is perhaps a wiser course however to consider the implications and long-term consequences of involvement, especially involvement of this magnitude. 

       I certainly don’t know what the solution is, nor is that my ministry here, but part of what we are here for is to provide those who have sent us with a fuller picture of the region we serve.  In all of the coverage I read and watched I did not receive much of what I could say was a true representation of Serbia’s position, and that is why I write this now.

       In all of this we would ask that you our partners would be especially mindful and prayerful for our students who come from all over the region and from different sides of this issue.  Many are naturally concerned about their families, friends, and of course their future.  Pray that wise and peaceful solutions that are respectful to all involved might be sought. And pray for our professors and students who need to travel across the region, that they would be kept safe from harm.

 

Eric and Nancy Titus are RCA missionaries in Osijek, Croatia, where they work at the Evangelical Theological Seminary and with the Reformed Christian Church in Croatia. They have three children: Samuel, Valerie and Penny

 

First Reformed Church of Fishkill

1153 Main Street

Fishkill, NY 12524

845-896-9836

www.fishkillreformed.org

 

RCA Clergy--Protecting Children Online

Many families are concerned about protecting their children from internet websites with objectionable content.  Traditional filters block less than fifty percent of objectionable content, and some of these products block many legitimate sites that young people should be able to access. The RCA Human Resources Office recommends a new filter, “See No Evil”.  With this filter parents can be confident that children can safely surf the vast resources of the Internet.  Additional information about the “See No Evil” filter is available at www.seenoevil.com.