NEWSLETTER - The Reformed Church in America

Brookville
Church
NEWSLETTER
REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND
Pastor of Congregational Life
Rev.Vicky@verizon.net
2 BROOKVILLE ROAD
BROOKVILLE, NY 11545
516-626-0414
Brookvillechurch@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/BrookvilleChurch
www.BrookvilleChurch.org
Where the doors are always open!
May 2014
What Dwells Within
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,
whom you have received from God?
I Corinthians 6:19
Every sermon I have ever heard on this passage has been an
admonishment of how poorly we take care of our bodies.
This past week I began to see this passage from a completely
different perspective; I think we have been focusing on the
wrong thing. Instead of concentrating on the outer shell;
namely our bodies, we should be focusing on what that shell
contains.
So, here is how I think we have gotten things backwards.
Americans spend billions of dollars each year on anti-aging
remedies.
Over the counter creams, vitamins, plastic
surgeries, facelifts and Botox injections are used in the vain
attempt of keeping a youthful appearance. We spend so
much time, money, and effort in the futile attempt to stay
looking young. We work so hard at maintaining these outer
shells that we all know will eventually decay and die.
To discover what lies within each of us, we need to go back to
the beginning. The first book of the Bible, which is also the
first book of the Jewish Torah is Genesis and in it contains a
story explaining how we as human beings were created. “The
Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man
became a living being.” (Gen. 2:7)
But in comparison, we spend so little time concentrating on
what our bodies house: the divine Spirit of God. I have to
admit that it is easy to become fixated on our bodies, on our
health, in preventing illness and decease, that it can consume
our lives. We leave little room or time to do the “inner work”
that is needed to nurture the Spirit that dwells within.
Did you know that the Quran has a similar story of how we
came to be? Sura 15 of the Holy Quran explains our creation
this way, “Behold! Your Lord said to the angels: I am about
to create the human being from clay and mud molding it into
shape. When I have fashioned him and breathed My spirit
into him, bow down… to him.”
Both the Bible and the Quran say that God formed us from
the earth and we came alive by the breath of God. Even the
Hindus believe this is how the world came to be. The Hindu
God, Vishnu breathed out and the universe was created.
Among four different religions there is a similar story of how
we came to exist; it was through the breath of God.
If God breathed into us the divine breath of life, then dwelling
within each of us in the divine Spirit of God. How amazing is
that? The breath of God is in ALL of us! Every human being
has the divine spark of God dwelling within; this is our
common denominator. It is what equalizes us all!
~ Rev.
Vicky
Our wise friend, Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed of the Muslim
Reform Movement Organization, that is housed here on our
campus, said, “Because the spirit is from God, it is eternal,
although the body in which it resides is temporary and it
perishes.1” He does give credit to taking care of your bodies
when he says, “The body is precious because it is the housing
for the spirit during its journey on the earth. It is important to
keep our bodies healthy so that the spirit is not distracted
from its mission of healing the world by becoming absorbed
in repairing its living quarters.” Dr. Abdulhameed goes on to
say however, “It is an inversion of priorities if you spend
more effort in taking care of your body than you devote to
the cultivation of your spirit…. Our spiritual journey is to
elevate and perfect the divine attributes in us.”
We need to nurture our Spirit more than tend to our bodies,
so we can foster the Spirit’s growth, instead of counting the
lines on our face each morning wondering if we should try a
different anti-aging cream.
Excerpts from a sermon preached on April 27, 2014
____________________________
1 All quotes from Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed are from his book, The Quran and the Life of Excellence.
(Denver, Colorado: Outskirts Press, Inc., 2010)
Holy Week Reflections by Rev. Enid Kessler
Rabbi Paris and I had a very rich and enjoyable Holy Week experience beginning with The Passover Seder sponsored
by the Interfaith Community of Long Island in Fellowship Hall on Tuesday evening, the second night of Passover.
Ninety-seven people attended, of which approximately 30 were children and there were also six sets of grandparents.
Members of Brookville Church, The Interfaith Community and the New Synagogue joyously participated. The
students of the Identity and Transition class of the Interfaith Community as well as the youth of the Brookville
Church participated in the retelling of the Exodus from Egypt and the Passover Story.
On Sunday morning we attended the Easter Worship Celebration at Brookville Church conducted by Rev. Vicky and
enriched by Carol’s choir direction and the wonderful singing of the choir.
What was especially joyful to us was to see all of our friends present and to appreciate the magnificence of having so
many members of the Interfaith Community and Church Community present at both the Seder and Easter Worship,
celebrating both of these wonderful holidays together.
Rev. Vicky’s reciting of the Greatest Commandment on Easter Sunday was especially poignant; “You Shall Love The
Lord Your God, With All Your Might and With All Your Heart and With All Your Soul” and “You Shall Love Thy
Neighbor As Thyself”; a teaching that is central to both Judaism and Christianity was certainly upheld on our campus
at this holy time.
Common Grounds Coffeehouse
WE NEED YOUR RAFFLE DONATIONS!
By Lisa Denison
On April 6, the kids along with B.J. and Martha Worsham &
Kris Baggelaar did garden and yard work for the Bells at
their home in Sea Cliff.
A Note of Thanks... Dear Kris, BJ, Martha and BRC Crew:
Your performance for us today was way beyond
expectations, and we shall be forever in your debt.
The yard has been transformed. Now, Bess, our
gardener, has been given a great start on her spring
garden.
Bess and I went inside after you left and
immediately began extolling the many blessings we
have had over the course of our lives. We both
agreed that today's act by your gang was among the
top acts of kindness we have ever received. We were
left with a true feeling that the Spirit had been with
us today. What a wonderful day!
Gratefully yours with love,
Chiz and Bess Bell
Common Grounds Coffeehouse
may be a few months away, but I
am always looking for anyone
willing to bake, set up/clean up and
donate RAFFLE ITEMS!
Please have a look in those closets
and storage areas for items that are
new or “like new” that might do
well for a raffle, or could be added
to a basket to make it complete!
Some items that I am always looking for are bottles of
wine, matching wine glasses, bags of gourmet coffee, gift
cards or certificates for restaurants, manicures, florists or
services, baskets, (large or small) candles (new or unused)
or even children’s toys. You can call me, Lisa Denison, at
516-674-4385 or 516-695-1123 if you would like me to
pick up any donations.
This year our September 19 Coffeehouse will feature
Cantor Irene and Stuart Racey from the Interfaith
Community, as well as Mark Coffey, BJ Worsham and
myself, singing folk songs. Our charities will be the Harry
Chapin Food Bank LI Cares, as well as Long Island
Harvest. Both of these charities help feed
the hungry on Long Island, particularly
children.
So mark your calendars and consider
helping out! Watch this space as the
months progress for more information!
Exciting Changes Happening!
By Rev. Vicky
The Interfaith Community of Long Island will be bringing all
their programming to our campus starting in the fall. This is
exciting news as they are making Brookville their permanent
home!
To make room for more meeting space we are renovating the
church basement. The leaders of the Attic Treasures Sales are
ready and willing to move on to other fundraising ideas for
camp scholarships and bring the sales to an end. Over the
years thousands of dollars have been raised to send
underprivileged youth to Camp Warwick through the Attic
Treasures and Food Sales. It was a great way to use the
basement space to house items for the sale as they could
remain set up and out of the way in between sales. Since this
fundraiser is coming to an end, there is talk of resurrecting the
Cocktail Parties that have raised funds for camp scholarships
in the past. We’ll keep you posted as we discuss and dream of
new fundraising possibilities.
So, we are planning to have a FINAL SALE on Saturday, May
31st and are hoping to get the Interfaith Community and the
youth involved in this effort. This is an opportunity for youth
to gain Community Service hours for school as well as both
faith communities serving together for one final fundraising
sale.
It has been the tradition to combine a food sale with the attic
treasures, so we are looking for bakers and chiefs to step up.
We will accept donations of cookies, brownies, pies, ethnic
delights, frozen and packaged lasagnas, casseroles, stews, etc.
This is a way that you can get involved even if you are not
able to help the day of the sale.
So, please spread the word! Anyone willing to help that day
or contribute food items, please speak with Cathy O'Neil (518)
676-8570 or Rev. Vicky.
Choir News
By Carol Goglia, Minister of Music
Looking back over this past Holy Week, all I can say is
Wow!!! What an amazing week of inspirational sermons
and music. I want to thank the choir so much for the
beautiful job they did throughout the lenten season.
Special thanks for the cantata on Good Friday. We were all
moved by the choir's flawless delivery of 'Come Walk
With Me'. Thank you for giving of your time and talents:
The Choir
Sopranos - Lisa Denison, Fran Kaufmann, Antonia
Patrash, Nancy Worsham
Altos - Nan Coffey, Jessie Surig, Pamela Tobel
Tenors - Michael Flanagan, B.J. Worsham
Basses - John Coffey, Mark Kaufmann
Narrator - Rev. Vicky Eastland
On Easter morning, we were blessed with a full choir! It
was glorious! Thank you again for your beautiful voices!!
Now, as we look forward, The combined youth of the
Brookville Church and the Interfaith Community (22
actors!!!!!) are busy rehearsing for the June 8th play
entitled 'Noah and the Bridge'. We are having a great time
preparing for this event. You will not want to miss this
extraordinary play. Tell everyone you know to be here on
the Brookville campus June 8, 2014 at 10:00 am. I think
you should come early because I am quite sure seats will
be hard to find!!! There will be an outside picnic after the
play (inside if it rains).
All left over sale items will be donated to charity.
Lenten Movie Study held at Revs. James & Vicky’s home
was a great success! Nearly 20 participants from both
Brookville & Locust Valley Church enjoyed exploring the
spiritual themes in the movie The Way, as well as great
food and fellowship!
Some of the actors for the spring play.
Reflections
Spring shows what God can do with a drab
and dirty world.
Virgil Kraft
Is there any doubt that spring is wonderful? I did not know how much mother liked it until she was in the hospice in
the winter of 1988. She said she wished that she could live to see another spring. Alas she did not and it snowed
fiercely the day she was buried.
I always compare spring in New York with other places I know—Minnesota where there is ice on the lakes into late
April and Alaska where we saw spring explode into majestic scenery. Here is one comparison I made this year, in
early March, when the weather finally had some warm days and our driveway disintegrated. In the northland it is
called the spring breakup when the frost comes out of the ground up through the blacktop and dirt roads and they get
soft and mushy. Every spring our school bus could not come down the four blocks to the corner store where we
usually got picked up-we had to walk the extra distance for three or four weeks. My Dad was hauling lumber and he
would have to get half a load, haul it two miles to a main road, unload it there and go back for the other half then
reload the first part. Nowadays something of value like that could not just be left in a parking area.
Maple tree sap starts running up from the tree roots in February and March while there is still deep snow in the
woods. It is a long slow process to glean the clear sap until it stops flowing in the early spring. I still remember
tapping a few trees in the woods two blocks from home and boiling the sap on the kitchen stove to make my own
syrup. I have always appreciated the work required to make the golden nectar of the forest.
One of the most difficult things for me to accept is how spring is so dramatically different once the north woods have
been put behind me. Here in New York it always seems warmer sooner and more colorful due to flowers and shrubs,
ones that cannot survive the deep cold Minnesota winters. My brother says the same thoughts come to him as he
spends the winter in Florida and gets the urge to travel north in April just because it is so warm there that his body
says, “take me north where it must be nice.” But after a few too early trips he knows better and now waits using
instant national weather reports to announce warmer days..
A springtime phenomenon that Minnesotans knew nothing about is the annual spawning runs of fish up the rivers all
along the East Coast. “What was shad roe,” I wondered and had to go to Griswold’s Inn in Essex on the Connecticut
River for a real dining experience. This year I learned, for the first time, that there are similar runs on Long Island of
alewife fish; runs that are as significant as anyplace in the east. I was able to do a lot of salmon fishing on Alaskan
rivers where the different species spawn at different times so that all of spring and half of summer is a fisherman’s
delight.
Observing where I come from, where I have lived, and where I am now, colors every season with memories that
influence each day. For example, the Minnesota Indians who lived on the Mille Lacs Reservation first started making
and selling maple syrup in their roadside trading post in the fifties. That was brought to mind because last week I read
that there is a tribe in Maine that is destitute of any industry and they have just received a grant to enlarge their sugar
bush (what the sugar maple trees are called) to produce maple syrup. While following up on that today I learned that
the Sugar Maple is the state tree of New York. Did you know?
Branch Worsham
End Word:
Maple syrup is the soul of the short stack.
A waffle is like a pancake with a syrup trap. Virgil Karp
Each month I open my book THE VERSE BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD and read ten or twelve verses then,
suitably prepared, one or two will make me really laugh. That’s how I selected the one below.
If You Think
She Likes
Your Bristles
Walk Bare-Footed
Through Some Thistles
Growth and Development
written by Kris Baggelaar, Chair
One of the fundamental ways of dealing with the challenge
of our work at Brookville Church is to place ourselves in the
spiritual space of Jesus and the early founders of
Christianity, asking a basic question anew: What are the
needs of the Church and our world, where are we needed
most, and where and how can we serve best? I would invite
you, for a few moments, to consider with what emphases
and what directions would we run, if we were founding
Brookville Church in today’s world?
I believe every
generation has to re-create the faith, the journey, and the
initiatives. If we lose the ability to re-create, we have lost
the spirit.
Growth and Development has been brainstorming ways to
grow not only our congregation but also our ties with all the
faith communities that share the Brookville campus.
Our current focus is on developing a framework for a meal
ministry, with the intention of accomplishing one of our
primary goals: caring and providing for our Brookville
family, which now includes three other faith communities.
Working in conjunction with the other faiths will not only
augment the resources of our small congregation, but it will
also strengthen our ties to one another. The more people
involved, the more people we can help.
Designed to help ease daily burdens, this ministry,
tentatively called Together We Serve, would provide readyto-eat meals to those in need, carried out by volunteers from
Brookville Church and hopefully from all the tri-faith
communities.
The ministry would meet the practical need of food
preparation for those experiencing a variety of
circumstances, for example: birth of a child, death of a
family member, emergencies, hospitalizations, serious
injury, caretaker relief, and more.
All the details for implementing Together We Serve will
need to be worked out, but it might go something like this:
A sign-up system would be created most likely through
email and possibly a website, allowing individuals/families
to make their need known; additionally, a coordinator
periodically will reach out to the different faith leaders for
their advisement of where they feel a need could be met.
When a need arises, a Together We Serve coordinator would
contact a predetermined list of volunteers with information
regarding the family in need.
Before the meals are scheduled and delivered, recipients
would be given the opportunity to provide a list of allergies
as well as food dislikes and dietary and religious
requirements. Family size, duration of meal preparation/
delivery as well as delivery times and places would also be
taken into account.
Volunteers could provide meals often or seldom depending
on their own personal circumstances. Meals could be
purchased, homemade and/or frozen.
Before we can implement Together We Serve, we will need
to know how many of you are willing/able to participate—
regardless of how much or how often—in order to make this
ministry viable.
Please let us know if we can add your name to the list of volunteers by contacting us via Facebook or
email (brookvillechurch@gmail.com) or speak to Rev. Vicky, Kris (krisbaggelaar@yahoo.com; 671-0694), chair, or anyone
on the G&D Team: Lisa Denison, Steve Gawley, Lisa Lebenns, Valerie Ritacco, Marcia Stadler and Joan Vivian
OR
Fill Out This Form and Include with Your Offering at Sunday Worship Service
OR
Mail to:
Brookville Church, 2 Brookville Road, Brookville, NY 11545
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------YES!! I would be happy to help with Together We Serve meal ministry:
Name ___________________________________________________________
Phone ___________________________________________________________
Email ___________________________________________________________
Exciting news from The New Synagogue
April has been a very exciting month for The New Synagogue of Long Island and for me personally, as the Rabbi.
We celebrated the Biblical holiday of Passover with a special Seder for The Interfaith Community of Long Island in
Fellowship Hall on the second night of the holiday.
We retold and reenacted the story of the exodus from Egypt and celebrated our freedom with song, good fellowship and a
festive meal prepared by our guest chef, Albert, in Brookville’s kitchen. (Albert cooked all night long to provide us with a
delish meal) Added by: Rev. Vicky
Present were also special guests from the choir of St Monica's Catholic Church in NYC, the families of Kate and Harry, two
students of mine who will become bar and bat mitzvah on June 13 in The Synagogue and two couples originally from the
old USSR who each told us about their personal journey from Odessa and Kiev to the freedom they now enjoy in America.
The evening was educational, interesting, inclusive, and very joyful and uplifting.
I am also pleased to announce that Cantor Irene Failenbogen has accepted the position of Cantor of our Synagogue,
effective May 1, 2014 to succeed David Schaefer who has decided to focus his energies on his job as Director of Music at
St Monica's. We wish David success in his future endeavors and thank him for his service to our community.
Cantor Irene is an accomplished singer-song writer originally from Argentina where she was simultaneously trained as a
Jewish Cantor and as a graduate of the National School of Dance in Buenos Aires. She has performed in operas, musical
comedies and theatre and has also served as the Cantor for Bayshore Jewish Center in Bayshore, LI, Temple Judea in
Massapequa, Congregation Ahavas Achim in Keane, NH and for several years at Trinity College for Hillel in Hartford, CT.
I invite all who wish to join us on Friday evening, May 16, 2014 at 7:00 PM
to greet and welcome Cantor Irene at our regular monthly Shabbat worship
service.
In addition, all are welcome to our service on Friday evening, June 13, 2014
at 7:00 PM as Cantor Irene and I call up Kate and Harry to The Torah to
celebrate their bat/bar mitzvah.
With love,
Rabbi Stuart Paris
Sunday School Corner By Martha Worsham
We have been really busy in Sunday school not only with our outreach projects but also learning about the
Scriptures. During the last four weeks we have been learning about “Grace”; a very hard concept to explain and
grasp (2 Samuel 9: 1– 12). We learned about Saul, Jonathan, Mephibosheth and David and how David kept his
promise to Jonathan and showed grace to Jonathan’s son: Mephibosheth. As we go through the lesson I often times
wonder how much are we really learning and if the kids are really getting the message. I wished I was present at
the first play practice where the kids did a couple of questions and answers exercises and the “grace” question came
up; the kids told me how in a few words Raju explained “grace”. So the answer to the question: are the kids getting
the message: YES!!! And that is so wonderful….
On another note: the outreach projects have been really rewarding. Thank you Kris Baggelaar, for giving the kids
the opportunity to do yard work at Chiz and Bess Bell’s house.
The bake sale to raise money for the Equadorean orphanage (where the loom bracelets will be shared) took place on
April 27th and it was a success.
This weekend we will be working on our May project. The project will be a surprise!!! Come and join us in the fun
of learning and sharing our talents!!!!
GIRL RISING
A Retreat Day for Women and Teenage Girls
At Community Reformed Church, Manhasset
Saturday, May 10, 2014
9:00am - 1:00pm
Please RSVP by May 4th
Our second annual retreat day for women and
teenage girls will focus on courage, dreams and
faith, as inspired by Girl Rising, a global
campaign and award-winning international
documentary, showcasing the unforgettable
stories of nine girls living in the developing world,
who overcome insurmountable odds to achieve
their dreams.
MOVIE NIGHT
at the
Reformed Church
of Locust Valley
May 10th – 7:00 p.m.
The Fellowship Hall will be transformed
into a big screen movie theater featuring the film
“Frozen”
Free Admission
Popcorn, Pizza, Hot dogs, French fries
Beverages and Desserts for Sale
Please sign up or call 676-6130 to reserve your seats
Join us as we share breakfast together, while
watching this short but inspiring film. Then, we’ll
engage in inter-generational conversation and
activities to ignite our passion and commitment to
trust, imagine and transform ourselves, families,
communities, and eventually, the world.
Our Retreat Day is open to all women and teenage
girls, ages 12 and up.
$30 includes breakfast, healthy snacks and retreat materials.
Scholarships available upon request.
Register by contacting Lesley Mazzotta
Contact Lesley Mazzotta, lesleymazzotta@gmail.com.
917-623-4554.
Attic
Treasures
and Food
Sale
FINAL BLOW OUT!
Saturday, May 31st
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
We are having our FINAL SALE offering a variety of
delicious food items as well as LAST CHANCE
"treasures." Everything must go so we can renovate
the church basement to make room for more meeting
space. Please come and shop so we can have a great
final sale to raise camp scholarship funds
for underprivileged youth.
Remember to pray for our partner in
peace and education,
Rev. Justin Meyers & family in Oman.
Attention: Parents,
Grandparents, Aunts,
Uncles etc...
If someone in your family is graduating this year
from any school, we would like to share your news
with the congregation. Call or email the church
office with their names, where they are graduating
from, what school or profession they will be going on
to, etc. We will publish your good news in the
summer newsletter. Please remember to get this
information to Lauren in the church office by May
27th. Thank you!