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A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR LYN
Jesus said it and it’s true. “The wind blows where it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8) The gathering of our Metropolitan Synod’s 217 congregations and our three services on Holy Trinity Sunday are powerful examples of that truth. The Spirit will have its way. We can be open to where the wind is blowing us and be reborn or we can lose our lives. It’s really that simple.
Our synod has a new bishop, Robert Rimbo, the former bishop of S.E. Michigan Synod and current pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Central Park West. He was elected with 236 votes. The current Synod Mission-Stewardship pastor, Bob Wollenberg received 232 votes. Seven people abstained. Laity outnumber clergy 2 to 1. Many believe our synod needed reorganization so it could be more sensitive to local needs. Pr. Rimbo pledged a collegial style of leadership that would deploy staff in the territories of our vast synod that reaches from Montauk to Saugerties. He also pledged to serve only one six-year term. The vote was not a mandate yet it reflected one of the most serious, spirit-filled assemblies I’ve ever attended. As a bell tolled there was 5 minutes of intense quiet, personal prayer from the delegates who so represented the church at Pentecost: Asian, Latino, Black, White, city, rural, suburb, young, retired. As we prayed, even the most jaded of delegates had to confess that they felt the Spirit blowing throughout this diverse family of God. There was no electioneering, no loud applause when the result was announced. I am still deeply touched by that process and urge us all to pray for our synod and our new Bishop who will take office August 1st.
On a much lighter note, it truly seemed the Spirit was blowing around St. Paul’s on Holy Trinity Sunday. I’d been forced to complete my morning and my confirmation sermons by Wednesday night. After that assembly, what I had prepared seemed totally inadequate. I “winged it” but thanks to that Spirit, many said they felt truly inspired by the messages. I know that after 23 years of ministry, I witnessed one incredible miracle. All 22 confirmation students were robed and lined up 10 minutes before the service!!! What a great class and what great parents this 2008 group was!
And now, as schedules slacken we hopefully have some leisure time to relax and let the spirit’s winds blow over us. I ask you to let yourself be open to the same Spirit that has dreams and visions for St. Paul’s. For too many years we seem to have existed from crisis to crisis, deficit to surplus to deficit. What IS our vision for the future? Our board heard discussions of a part-time youth pastor or a vicar or an assistant pastor. How would we make that happen? What kind of budget processes do we have to implement in order to make any of our shared dreams a reality? What do we need for a ministry that is in mission to our community? Watch for an insert in our June bulletins that will give you a chance to share your vision and perhaps over the summer we can even meet to explore such dreams. Yes, we’ve done this before, but perhaps now is the right time. “Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.” That’s a Native American song that may be very appropriate for the St. Paul’s family at this time in our shared journey of faith. OUR SYNOD DELEGATES SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS
By Jeremiah Zeltmann I must say… if I had any doubts about attending the recent Metropolitan Synod Assembly, they are long gone. Being one delegate in a room of over 500 representatives is a rather humbling experience. One might think oneself insignificant as compared to the church as a whole. Can one person make a difference? Can one vote make a difference? I am here to tell you…. YES.
The theme of the Assembly meeting, which was beautifully depicted on a large, colorful banner, was: God’s Work, Our Hands. I was awed at the humble, respectful, Spirit-inspired candor with which the entire proceedings were conducted. Not everyone had a vote, but all had voice, so that anyone who wished to be heard Was heard. Not a single word was dismissed. All were considered. All concerns were addressed and when the need arose, debated upon. Through the election process, a list of almost 100 candidates was efficiently, yet considerately whittled down to two. There were no sore-losers, there was no muckraking. I never saw a single frown on the faces of those who did not gain enough votes to move on to the next round. And in that final vote, Bishop-elect Robert Rimbo won. The vote was 236 to 232 with 7 abstentions.
FOUR votes. I challenge anyone to say that one vote doesn’t make a difference. FOUR votes. If only the United States of America, in electing a President, could behold and learn from what I was blessed to be a part of. There were no cries for a recount, no insinuations of foul play, and no “dimpled ballots.” And when runner-up Robert Wollenburg witnessed the results alongside our Bishop-elect, the two turned and embraced one another. I wanted to cry. God gave us a new bishop, not to set himself above us, but to minister to, and with us, in Christ’s name, AMEN.
By Joan Becker
I am a very ordinary person leading a very ordinary life but at this Synod Assembly I participated in a most extraordinary event. I helped choose a new Bishop. I had no idea that I could ever have a voice in selecting the person who would fill this position. But I did and it was a most exciting and enlightening experience so absolutely different from our country’s ongoing election saga.
Over five hundred delegates prayerfully committed themselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There was a period of silent prayer before each ballot was taken. All the assembly’s business was conducted in an orderly, cooperative spirit. There was no contentiousness, no electioneering, only peaceful, prayerful consideration of each member and each agenda item. There was such a sense of grace in action. The whole process was simply amazing.
I came away from the Assembly very happy to have had the opportunity to learn more about our synod and to put faces on people who I only knew by name. It was especially wonderful to meet the Bishops from Tanzania and Romania and to renew acquaintance with Pastor El Yateem from Salam Arabic Lutheran Church which we have supported in past years. The whole experience made me happier than ever to be a Lutheran. By Candace Collins
“A Minority on a Mission with a Message from the Master”
These were the words Bishop Bowman spoke to introduce the good news that in 4 years the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America had raised the needed $1,000,000 to create a permanent endowment to support “Christian Education in the North Western Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania”. WOW! Sounds pretty heavy. What does it mean? Where do the dollars go? Where does the money come from?
I was privileged to be selected as one of the delegates to this year’s Synod assembly and, knowing nothing about what was to transpire, I went with much trepidation. I had been to many conferences in my working career, and I have belonged to many organizations, so I wasn’t very hopeful.
Electing a Bishop was an amazing process and one I will remember for a very long time. BUT, what struck me most was learning about our mission in Tanzania.
We hear so much about mission money. We know 10% of our offerings go to “MISSION WORK”. We know about sister Synods in Tanzania and Romania but what do we know about how our offerings are put to use in these far off places? Our donations help to provide teachers so the children of the area of North Western Tanzania are able to receive a good education that includes the teaching of our shared faith. On average only 8% of primary school graduates in this part of Tanzania go on to secondary education. Our School sends 100% of its graduates on to higher learning. That’s because WE, you and I, put our money in the collection plate on Sundays. This is our Mission money at work.
In addition to cash gifts, congregations send other needed goods. The Churches of Tanzania were sorely lacking in appropriate communion vessels. Many congregations have supplied these necessities to sister churches so the Eucharist may be celebrated in a proper and dignified manner.
I think one of the most heart-wrenching experiences was listening to a young man of 17 speak of his life-altering trip to Tanzania. He was profoundly influenced by a young girl, whose parents died from AIDS, and was left to care for her younger brothers. This young woman had given up her education, her friends and her future to care for her younger brothers so they may have a future. This young man also spoke about the joy of meeting people his own age who shared different traditions and language and the fun of teaching and learning from each other.
If this isn’t the result of Christ’s teaching, what is? So next time you hear “Listen, God is Calling” sung in our church by a group of mostly white middle class Long Islanders, think of your fellow Lutherans half a world away trying to get through “Onward Christian Soldiers” and remember we are all one
“GOD’S WORK, OUR HANDS”
Also, if anyone is interested in teaching, the school in Tanzania is in desperate need of qualified teachers. The pay is not great, but the benefits are awesome.
THE IMPACT OF NEW ORLEANS By Marianne Winthrop
“It’s like Christmas in May!” Those were the words of Miss Peggy, the principal of Gethsemane Lutheran Nursery School in Chalmette, LA when she received the tricycles, red wagons, books, table toys and a sandbox that they were able to purchase because of the $2800 received from St. Paul’s with $700 coming from Christ Lutheran. The school reopened in 2007 with 43 students, scant supplies but lots of hope and faith. We have formed a bond with this remarkable church that we pray will last a long time.
I was one of the lucky ones to go to New Orleans. My first day of work was in the Bayou. I had to dig three 3ft by 3ft holes for cement planks that would support a stairway for a new elevated house. Even with two coats of bug repellent, the mosquitoes were relentless. The ground was made of clay so the digging was not easy. The Gonzalez’s owned this house. They are in their late 70’s and living in a contaminated FEMA trailer that had a toilet in the middle of the living room! Four times they have lost everything. Their son lost a leg when hit by a drunk driver. Their neighbors across from them had drowned. They have health problems and the nearest hospital and stores for shopping are 25 miles away. Even with cancer and her eye patched, Mrs. Gonzalez cooked southern fare in her trailer for all the workers. Her optimism and kindness made me fall in love with her. I asked her why she stays and she said that this is her home and all she knows.
Another job was for a woman who hired “professionals” to spackle the walls. Instead they took her money, didn’t finish the job, left their garbage, and left spackle all over the bathroom tiles. My job was to scrape off the spackle with a wooden paint stirrer as my only tool. Her daughter had died four months earlier so I took some time from my scraping to hug this tearful mother.
At night we came “home” to a comfortable church that had been 10 feet underwater. We slept in new bunk beds with homemade quilts that the elderly made for each bed. One night two local women cooked Cajun catfish. We also met John who shared a story of a man who lost his two shrimp boats. In his despair he wondered why. He decided to use the wood and make crosses for volunteer groups or families needing hope.
We met Pastor Jim who travels from Memphis every Thursday-Sunday to “tend to his flock”. We attended his service and with the member’s homemade bread and coffee, we “communed” after worship. On one of the free nights I took a ride to the infamous 9th ward. The sites were unbelievable. Homes were completely destroyed and only a handful were being rebuilt. Garbage piles up because FEMA no longer provides collection even though some people have chosen to stay and rebuild their homes and lives.
The hope was indescribable. Signs said “we will be back”. We also hope to be back in February of 2009 and pray that more people from St. Paul’s will make the gospel come alive through their helping to rebuild the Gethsemane community.
JUNE 8TH, CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
It’s a major meeting but should not be a lengthy one. We’ll meet after our 10am worship service for discussion and approval of the church and school budgets and to elect our congregation’s officers for the 2008-2009 year. The slate you will be asked to approve is as follows: President, David Jakubowski; Vice President, Gloria Rohlfing, Secretary, Debi Murawski, Treasurer, Bob Mittel, Financial Secretary, Randy Peltz.
It will also be an opportunity to thank our outgoing officers and board members who have completed their terms of service. They include Stephanie White, Wayne Anstey, Nancy Jaissle and Dorothy Roveto. St. Paul’s has been blessed by their dedicated service.
“WHAZ UP??? That’s the name of our new column that is a collection of misc. articles on any topic you care to contribute. We continue this month with an article by Nancy on the stewardship of our environment. The JULY/AUGUST issue will feature the adventures of one of the people in our 8:30 service who has climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro in Tanzania. Can you guess who it is???
The Greening of St. Paul’s Parish
By Nancy Montague
Thank you for all the thoughtful ideas about how to recycle our waste paper at St. Paul's. To report back on my paper recycling crusade, I did not hear back from the township. We don’t pay taxes into the waste district, so no services are available. However, most of us do pay taxes into the waste district. One of the suggestions from Rita O. was to have people take the boxes of scrap paper home and recycle them at their houses. Remember, this is every other week. It need not be the same folks all the time. Rita tells me the boxes are not too heavy for her, so who of you out there would like to help out and adopt a box of paper to recycle at your house?
The school also needs to have the paper boxes disposed of every other week. I will ask Irene M. if she will ask for parent volunteers to take papers home for recycling.
Another idea is to ask the resident of the house behind the church if we would be able to place our recyclable papers in front of his house on Vernon Valley Road on the specified days. I understand St Paul's allows him to park his car in the new Agnes' Attic parking lot several days per week. I will check this out and report back.
Those are my top two suggestions for getting rid of our extra paper.
I will just mention that it would be very helpful for late service goers to take home the bulletins rather than leaving them at church. Then after you have read them again, for those gems of inspiration, you could recycle them.
And more suggestions: Use both sides of the paper when possible, the church office already does. Ask to receive statements for those bills every month online and skip the paper. Banks and utility companies, as well as E-Z Pass and most mortgage companies will email their statements. Insurance companies accept phone payments and do email their bills. Cell phone companies also email their statements.
And lastly, how about reading the Viewpoint online, and requesting that you not be mailed a paper copy? That takes care of the tiny print on the calendar problem for me!
So come on, think of your own ways to save on that paper trash by not creating so much and help St Paul's get rid of and recycle what we have created.
SOME FUN, UPCOMING EVENTS!!!
“ORGAN CRAWL”, SUNDAY, JUNE 22nd , 11AM
So what if our organ isn’t actually big enough to crawl around in. It’s still an instrument worth at least $400,000! AND, you have loved to sing God’s praises with it so much that you have kept an organ fund going so that we can provide the regular maintenance that a pipe organ requires.
Last year Christopher Fusco, our Minister of Music, removed all the exterior facades as well as the top of the console so that we could see HOW it works when it is being played. He did this BEFORE the renovations took place. Now we have invested over $20,000 in upgrades and repairs and have an instrument that sounds wonderful and is lauded by all our guest organists who are privileged to play it. Chris wants to demonstrate all the improvements. We had over 60 people stay for the first crawl. We hope many more will be free and can stay after the 10am worship service for this opportunity. And THANKS CHRISTOPHER!!!
A REMINDER: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3rd IS OKTOBERFEST!
We’ve booked the same musicians that entertained us last Oktoberfest and many raffle items are already in hand. It seems a long way off but we ask you to mark the date on your calendars. Last year we had to turn people away. Don’t let that happen to you.
A RETURN EVENT: BOAT TRIP AND DINNER AT FLYNN’S RESTAURANT St. Paul’s is again sponsoring an outing to Flynn’s Restaurant on Fire Island on FRIDAY, SEPT. 4. We leave Captree on the Moonchaser at 7pm sharp and return from Flynn’s at 10:45pm. At Flynn’s we treat ourselves to a hot and cold buffet featuring clams, shrimp, crab legs, steak, corn on the cob, salads, desserts etc.. Cost for the dinner, including tax and gratuity is $38.00 payable to St. Paul’s. The boat is $13 and payable in cash. See the signup sheet in the narthex. Yes, it’s early but already we have 20 people who have committed to going on the trip! It’s really that much fun!!
YOUTH NEWS SQUEAKY CLEAN COMEDY NIGHT, FRIDAY, JUNE 13TH
Our St. Paul’s Youth Group is sponsoring this great night that will benefit the Workcamp, Youth Program and our church and school. There will be laughter and the singing sensation group Joyful Noise and their famous song “Stuck on the L.I.E.” In addition our own teen choir, A Touch of Grace, will be singing. Tickets are $8.00. Refreshments are also available. Have a night out and support our fantastic teens.
Also, please keep our Work Campers in mind as you pass the table where they are holding a Yankee Candles sale to help offset the costs of their trip to Darby, Pennsylvania this summer. They will be keeping a 40% profit from this sale, and the candles are wonderful for your personal use or for gift-giving! They will also be holding a CAR WASH in the near future (if it ever warms up!) so don’t worry if you haven’t had a chance to wash your car lately…. our teens will be more than happy to take care of this need!!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL, JULY 7 – 13
You are invited to God’s Big Backyard. Vacation Bible School 2008 July 7-11th, 9am-12noon. It is open to kids ages 3 years (potty-trained) to 4th grade. Volunteers are needed to help decorate, donate or lend supplies, leaders, assistant leaders and site leaders. 5th graders to teens are strongly encouraged to participate. Service points can be earned. The theme this year is serving others like Jesus taught us. A sign-up schedule will be on a bright yellow form in the narthex. So come join in the fun in God’s big backyard where kids learn adventure thru service in their own backyard and beyond. The cost will be $35 for member’s first child, each additional child is $30. Cost for non-members will be $50 for the first child and $45 for each additional child. Registration forms are now available in the narthex and the church office. REMINDER to 6th, 7th and 8th grade Confirmation students: You can earn one service point for each day you help with VBS. Sign up to volunteer in the narthex today.
MEET MORE FRIENDLY FACES BEHIND THE VOICE
We continue our introductions of our many office volunteers. Last month you met Grace Wern, Marilyn Fouché and Bob and Nancy Rohrssen. That brings us up to Thursday’s friendly voice which belongs to Dorothy Freeman. Dorothy is a Church Mouse who begins her day early. It’s her responsibility to record all communion attendance and this is almost a full time job which she’s been doing for 20 years. Dorothy has been married to Howard for 60 years. During her marriage she was secretary to the Principal of Indian Hollow School in Commack for 30 years. They have been members of St. Paul’s for 50 years and have 3 children, Nancy, Howard Jr, and Dorothy. However, it’s not just on Thursday that you’ll see Dorothy. She worships faithfully at 10am, is on the Altar Guild, was a member of Esther Guild and is now a member of Ladies Aid. A secret tidbit we’ll tell you is that her favorite TV. show was Hawaii Five O and she has a real crush on Jack Lord and still mourns his passing.
THEN, if it’s Friday, it’s Regina Krebs. Regina was the originator of the program that we now use to record communion attendance. She’s been volunteering for at least 20 years and this year has been recording statistics for our confirmation classes which is a major help to the teachers. Regina was born in Yugoslavia and then moved to Germany during the war, finally coming to the states in l949 and joined St. Paul’s 10 years later. You’ll see her regularly attending our 8:30 worship. Other St. Paul’s activities include her membership on Altar Guild and many years of teaching Sunday school. She and Roland have been married as of May 26th for 52 years. Since her birthday is on May 25th you can imagine the celebrating in the Krebs household – especially when their children Pete, Diana and Robert come with their families.
However, most any day you can find Rita O’Hara around the office. She’s been a member for 54 years and is active in many areas including Altar Guild, Prayer Chain, Secretary of the Personnel Committee, a reader and communion assistant, the Lu Hi Task Force, Agnes’ Attic and formerly a Sunday school teacher and choir member. For 45 years she was the secretary to the chair of the Guidance and Personnel Departments of the Northport School District. Rita works in the copy room creating our worship bulletins, running of the Parish News and the Viewpoint. When she’s not at church, she’s enjoying life with Bob, her husband of 57 years and their 3 children Alan, Kevin and Neil.
The other person who holds the title of “Copy Room Guru” is Joe Stanjones. He’s been a member since 1972 and is a RETIRED (he wanted to emphasize that) IRS agent. Joe and Marion have been married for 46 and have two children, Joseph III and Joelle. Asked what he likes to do when he’s in town (he also has a home in Northport, Florida) Joe says “hang around the office and help” or golf. The office is definitely a happier place when Joe is in town.
In our July/August Viewpoint, we’ll salute our special task volunteers.
HAVE YOU NOTICED?
No, those are not spots before your eyes. It’s the pin-dot pattern in our new carpeting in the Sanctuary. The tiles under the pews are sparking since they have been stripped and waxed. Our pews are happy too. They’ve been cleaned and polished. Keep your sunglasses handy. Our refurbished exterior lighting keeps us glowing thru the night. The doors to the Church are receiving TLC. And Hallelujah the elevator now goes up and down. Our Chapel stands proud with a new coat of paint along with new stairs and railings. Plexiglas coverings now protect and glorify our stained glass windows. The school roof received repairs. A block retaining wall was constructed in the Nursery Playground as an Eagle Scout Project. We fought the good fight to stop the mold with a Dehumidification System in the basement of the Youth Building. Also we completed the Fire Suppression System in the kitchen. Portions of our exterior walkways have been repaired. Several areas of the interior of the buildings have been mysteriously painted. Our retaining walls and railings were gifted with paint by our Youth. Then they just couldn’t stop themselves so they jumped in to clean out our window wells. Updated Surveys of the Church and Youth Building were filed. Landscaping plans are continuously in the works.
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?
It all comes about with the gift of love from many individuals and groups within the family of St. PAUL’S here in East Northport. Your Buildings and Ground Committee is deeply indebted to these individuals who have given of their time, talent and treasure to accomplish these projects.
WHAT’S NEXT?
*Tile ceilings in the lower level of the Church. *A new drop ceiling in the Choir Room and corridor. *Accommodations to house a dehumidifier in the Choir Room. *Exterior concrete steps need attention. *Painting and wallpapering here and there. *New floor covering in office area. *Repair or replace windows in Church office to keep the heat in and the cold out. *Parking lots in need of repairs. *New gutters and leaders for Youth Building. ETC…ETC…ETC…
WHERE DO YOUR TIME, TALENTS AND TREASURE LIE? Feel free to talk with your Buildings and Grounds Committee anytime. They are: Ellie Fauser, Charles Corwin, Bob Rohrssen, Dennis Gai, Don Henninger, Steve Lauchaus, John Falting, Carolyn Diack, Carolyn Hyatt-Basche, Paul Middleton, & Nick Prochilo AND, DO FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND HELP!! |