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  is a member of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley, in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and has been in ministry in the Upper Monroe Neighborhood for over 100 years.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Make a Joyful Noise in June

As we explore what it means to worship God, and to create a worship service which is faithful to God as well as meaningful to ourselves, we will continue with our Diversity in Worship Services. The June service is on June 1st, and is provided by the Soul Singers, led by Kathy Clarke. This should prove to be a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved, particularly the young folks from the neighborhood who have dedicated so much time and energy. On Wednesday June 25th, we will have another W O W service at 7:00 p.m.

Grand Erie Brass Quintet Coming June 15th

Circle Sunday, June 15th on your calendars; on that day New Life's rafters will ring as five brass instruments join the choir, congregation and organ to make a joyful noise to the Lord. The members of the quintet are Timm Knoerzer and Robert Borden, trumpets; Karen Renard, horn; Charlie Shaw, trombone; and Scott Smith, tuba. Please plan to participate in this exciting worship opportunity.

Carl Vollbracht

From Tedd's Desk

I am learning quickly that being a pastor involves many different activities: it requires providing vision for a congregation, offering pastoral care, developing and leading worship, participating on and with committees, helping out the Presbytery in various ways, working with other congregations and pastors, spreading the good news, teaching and training, as well as several other things. And on top of that, I firmly believe that being a pastor, being a good and faithful pastor, is very much about relationship building. In order for a pastor to offer proper vision, provide supportive pastoral care, help out committees wisely, spread the good news passionately, teach and train wisely, and particularly to preach a worthwhile and valuable sermon, a pastor needs to know the people in the congregation. It is my hope that you can help me get to know you all a little more. The main way to do this is for us to spend some time together. I know that I may seem busy doing "stuff", and that may scare some people off from inviting me out for a cup coffee or over for a meal, but I assure you that no task I perform is more important than getting to know each of you. So if I have not approached yet, or if we have not had a time to sit and catch up, please seek me out and set up a time (popping into the office is always welcome as well). Strong relationships are crucial to a strong congregation. Let us continue to build these relationships together. Let's get together and get to know one another better.

Shalom,

Pastor Tedd

Funding the Dream Workshop

A "Funding the Dream Workshop" was held on May 17th: a workshop devoted to the building upgrade and its relevance to our Vision and Mission.
Pastor Tedd opened the workshop of the Building and Finance Committees with a devotion.
Karen Thomas piqued our inspiration with the following story:

Three Bricklayers and a Sage

A long time ago, in a far-away land, a wise old sage was drawn to a site where a large edifice was under construction. Stroking his beard thoughtfully, he observed patiently from the edge of a clearing as three bricklayers labored at their trade. They all did the same work, and yet their demeanor, enthusiasm, and focus seemed to vary considerably. The white-haired sage pondered what might be at the heart of this difference.

His curiosity led him to the bricklayer closest to him. He approached and asked, "What are you doing here, my good man?" With a scowl on his face the first bricklayer looked up briefly and barked, "Can't you see? Are you blind? I'm laying brick! I come every day to this back-breaking, God-forsaken job, but I have no other choice. I need the money." Then he looked at his watch and said curtly, "Is it time for my break yet?"

The sage shook his head and stroked his beard again. "This man is not happy," he thought as he walked to the second bricklayer. He inquired, "What are you doing here, my good man?" This man seemed very focused and intent in his labor. After a lengthy pause and without looking up, he replied, "I am laying brick to build this sturdy wall, sir. I see that every brick is laid perfectly straight and level. I see that this wall is built to specification, well within the established tolerances. In an earthquake, sir, this wall will stand while others may fall. As you can see, I do high-quality work, but I also do it efficiently. I work hard and I work smart." The second bricklayer beckoned to the sage and displayed with pride his progress on the most excellent wall he was constructing.

"I like this man better than the first," the sage thought as he ambled on. "He seems to have enthusiasm and focus, but I'm not sure that he is really happy." The sage then approached and silently observed the third bricklayer. This man's face was full of peace and his countenance literally glowed. He seemed to intensely enjoy his work and lovingly placed each brick with care and pure intent. There was something different about him. The sage slowly approached and asked, "What are you doing here, my good man?" With a joyful smile he paused, looked the sage in the eye, and responded, "Dear brother, I am building a house of the Lord, a temple to my God. When we have completed this sacred endeavor, I will come to this place to be married to my true love. Come, my friend, lay some bricks with me." Though inexperienced in bricklaying, the sage felt the irresistible draw to contribute, and immediately went to work, his being filled with peace and love.

Adapted from a Folk Tale, Author Unknown

  • The first activity was to think about and write a story or express on paper how the work that is needed on the building advances God's work. These are some excerpts from that activity:
  • Each problem has its reward
  • To look into the past and see what others have done and to look into the future and to add on to their accomplishments
  • See health and wholeness, at first in walking by where I see well-kept grounds, signs of activity and work of a caring community
  • I have bad news said the doctor...your doors leak air, some of your windows are broken, your roof will only last a few years and you're living on borrowed time with your boiler....he suggested I get more healthy...to ask for help, ...like from you; will you help me?
  • We gather like the first disciples. We can do great work together – Oh, the Lord is good to me!
  • A space that reflects God's love...safe, clean, accessible, flexible and hospitable – He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 13:11.

Our Presbytery Trustee, Rev. Judy Lee Hay joined us to educate us and offer some ideas on not only funding but expanding our thoughts of strategizing, planning and envisioning the scope of what we want to do with this building. She gave suggestions about advisors and experts we can turn to for a relatively small cost.

We then split into 3 teams to create a funding plan -- the who, what, when and how of fundraisers, external support, and a capital campaign drive.

What an energizing, with God's help we-can-do-it, future-building meeting!!!! Thank you to Karen Thomas who organized the workshop and kept us all on track and to all who attended and participated. Be listening and watching as more is to come!

Kae Hoyle

Sunday School Scoop

Vacation Bible School July 6th – 10th

Mark your calendar now, save these dates. July 6th – 10th. You don't want to miss this year's VBS on the front lawn of our church. Volunteers will meet from training on Sunday July 7th at 5:00 pm. Our evening program will run from Monday July 7th through Thursday July 10th. Our theme this year is "Happy Holy Meals." Each night we will hear a different Bible story (about a meal). And we will learn more about God through these stories.

Here are our volunteer needs:

  • Snack preparers: arrive at 5:00 p.m. and prepare and host snack time.
  • Blanket sitters: arrive at 5:15 and spread out a blanket on the lawn, invite children to join you on the blanket.
  • Roadies: teenagers who like to do skits, give quizzes, help with memory verses, give out prizes, assist with Bible Cruiser groups.
  • Teachers: adults who take leadership for our age level "Bible Cruiser" groups.

Now a personal testimony: I love VBS and I have so much fun. This week is a real high light of my summer. If you are new to New Life and have never experienced this wonderful ministry: don't miss it. Come for one evening, come all week. Sure, this is for the kids but God speaks to the kid in each of us during this week - through songs, laughter, drama. Rule #1 of VBS is "have fun." I'm going to be having fun on July 6th – 10th. Won't you join me?

If you would like to volunteer or are just curious about this ministry, please call or sent me an e-mail.

Rainbow (aka Marian Coger)
461-1208 mcoger@rochesrter.rr.com

Summer Sunday Seekers

During the summer, New Life offers a "one room schoolhouse" approach to children's learning during worship: June 8th to August 31st except for Family Worship Sundays .The stories will be from both the Old and the New Testament. Emphasis will be on the fact that God is present with us, helping each of us grow into faithful, compassionate followers of Christ.

Each Sunday we will need two adults and one teenager to present the Bible story and related activities. Sign up to help on one or more Sundays in Fellowship Hall.

Help Wanted: Nursery Staffing for the Fall

Our nursery has been so blessed by the faithful, loving ministry of Janis Castrogiovanni these past two years. The children know her and trust in the care and safety of this place. Janis is now on Session and her ministry will take new directions. The Christian Education Committee is asking you to consider whether you could make a regular commitment to nursery this fall in order to provide consistency in our ministry of care. Janis gave three Sundays out of four. Perhaps that would work for you, but perhaps, you would be more comfortable committing to two Sundays out of four. Please prayerfully consider if God is calling you to this special ministry.

Marian Coger (on behalf of the CE committee)

Graduates

Christopher R. Coger graduated from American University on May 10, 2008 and is now working in Washington, DC. Congratulations, Chris!

Yesterdays

Or, Why we say "sins"

Christians, probably for all sorts of good reasons, spend a lot of time asking to be forgiven for lapses in good behavior. This practice is incorporated in the Lords Prayer where we petition to be forgiven for our Debts or Trespasses depending on our particular church tradition. However in my experience there is only one place where we instead ask to be forgiven for our Sins. What gives?

In the early seventies the Green Stone Methodist church, located near where the McDonalds is now, burned down. Their congregation accepted an offer to use our Sanctuary for Sunday services and other rooms while they plotted their future. As we were both small congregations it soon made sense to start worshiping together. Thus a huge problem maybe even a show stopper. In the Lords prayer, New Life asked to be forgiven our Debts while Greenstone used Trespasses. The Compromise? You guessed it; Sins. The Presbys agreed to stop taking on Debts and the Methodists agreed to stop Trespassing and we all agreed to start Sinning and to ask to be forgiven our Sins. Real estate changes around this joint venture were that the Pastor's study (off the Sanctuary) was refurbished and used by Paul Sherman of Green Stone. Jay Lesher of New Life moved his office into what is now the Nursery. The Nursery at that time was still in the Armstrong room. Up until Jay Lesher's pastorate the current Church Secretary's office served as the Pastors office.

The end of this story is that we pursued a merger but weren't able to pull it off and the remnants of the Green Stone congregation affiliated with the Covenant United Methodist church on Culver Rd.

Mal Judd

Nicaragua Mission Venture

Did you know?

  • Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America
  • It is known as "the land of lakes and volcanoes"
  • 5.5 million people live in Nicaragua
  • The people are Spanish-speaking
  • Nicaragua has a stormy history of internal conflicts and interventions by other nations
  • A peace settlement was reached in 1980
  • Nicaragua is now governed by democratically elected governments
  • Hurricane Mitch traumatized Nicaragua with massive destruction in October 1998 (9,000 perished and 2 million became homeless)
  • The nation continues to struggle with severe economic problems, political disagreements and social inequalities.

Missionaries Eric and Marilyn Loftsgard have been serving in Nicaragua since August 1998. Together with their six children, they live and serve in the capital city of Managua. They, along with other missionaries in the highlands of Matagalpa (Brenda Rose) and Los Brasiles (Mike Deibert), receive and host about ten short term mission teams each year.

On July 30th, we will leave with a veteran mission team of six from Hope Lutheran Church to serve with the Loftsgards and their fellow missionaries for ten days. The team's work will include children's ministry (a puppet presentation of The Lost Sheep), feeding malnourished children at a Feeding and Nutrition Center, and a construction project (during the past five years, the team has been involved in the building of an elementary school and playground in Los Brasiles). The team also accompanies Pastor Tomas and elders of the local church on prayer walks through the local community visiting families in need.

How can you be part of this mission? We invite you to pray with us for the team (Bill, Katie, John, Tracy, Kevin, Cindy, Dave and Barbara) as we prepare to go, the Loftgards and other missionaries who will be guiding the team's work, the people of Nicaragua who will welcome us into their lives, and the peace and stability of the country.

All the suitcases traveling with us (with the exception of a personal carry-on bag per person) will be filled with items requested by the missionaries to support their work. The list includes: toothbrushes and toothpaste, crayons, pencils, small pencil sharpeners, erasers, and gently used children's clothing. Hope Lutheran is also collecting black shoes, required footwear for children to attend school. Donations will be received through Sunday, June 29th.

We look forward to sharing with you as we prepare for this mission opportunity God has granted us. With gratitude for the love and support of our church family at New Life.

Barbara and Dave Durfee

News from The Corner Place

Planning for next year is underway with the goal of using our space on a more consistent basis. Our steering committee is evaluating program objectives relating to literacy, the arts academy, new activities for neighborhood women and families, and continued community participation that supports the work of New Life, UMNA and the Charrette committees. Pastors from both New Life and Third Church are participating in these discussions and we welcome your comments and ideas.

Summer Fun at The Corner Place will piggy back on your Vacation Bible School and will run from Monday – Thursday, July 14th – 17th with the same hours as VBS. Children from 6 to teens may participate in a variety of activities including music, art, story telling, science fun, games and crafts. Volunteers are needed to lead a project or to help with snack time and classes. Please call Joyce Perry at 244-3125 if you can help.

Donations needed for our Picture Sale to be held August 2nd & 3rd, during the Park Avenue Festival, at Third Church. We welcome your gently used pictures, prints, posters or any wall art; the sale is our major fund raiser for children's programs. Call Joyce at 244-3125 to arrange for pick up of items.

Joyce Perry

More on the Corner Place Fund Raiser

Hey New Life folks! The Corner Place is sponsoring a fund raiser. Here is how you can help us. Bring us wall art you no longer use. Think of posters, paintings, photos, needlework, wall hangings. We will add them to our "art collection" which will go on sale August 2nd and 3rd at Third Presbyterian Church during the Park Avenue festival. The money we raise goes entirely for programming at the Corner Place.

Third Presbyterian Church will also be having a huge book sale. So, come on over and browse through our gallery and check out the books!

You may bring your donations to church. Char Schuth or Judy Wandtke will gladly receive them. Thanks for supporting our neighborhood children and families by supporting the Corner Place.

Char

Habitat Workday Cancelled

New Life's 2008 Summer Habitat for Humanity workday normally held in June has been cancelled. Due to a reduced number of sponsored homes, fewer work days are available for non-sponsor volunteers and neither a Saturday nor a Friday workday could be scheduled in June. However, we may be able to do a work day this fall, so stay tuned to the Herald regarding a possible fall event.

Your Outreach Committee

UMNA Summer Activities

Generally the Upper Monroe Neighborhood Association (UMNA), our church neighborhood, slows down for the summer. However, given the pending sale of the Culver Road Armory by New York State, UMNA is scheduling a community meeting to present the Armory Site recommendations from the UMNA charrette. This meeting is being held at 7:00 p.m. on June 12th at Lake Riley Lodge in Cobbs Hill Park (corner of Culver and Norris Drive). If you are not familiar with the neighborhood recommendations for the Armory Site (including the recommendation to maintain the church parking lot), then please join us for this presentation. We are also trying to have a speaker from the City present the latest status of the City's efforts to obtain this property before it goes to public auction.

In addition to the Armory site activities, the UMNA Executive Committee will be meeting throughout the summer (1st Wednesday of the month at 7:15 p.m. at the Corner Place). Much of the Executive Committee work over the summer is likely to focus on the upcoming UMNA General Meeting and election of officers in the fall. The meeting is open to all, so please join us and if you can't join us, then send a prayer or two our way.

John Thomas,
UMNA/New Life Coordinator

World Wide Knit in Public Day (in Rochester)

Several knitters in the neighborhood decided to come out of the closet and admit they are, well, knitters. And what better place to have a knitter "outing" than on the church front lawn. It just so happens there is a World Wide Knit in Public Day on Saturday June 14th (honest!) and the neighborhood knitters thought the front lawn would be just the place to do it in Rochester. So if you are secretly a knitter or other fiber artist and you want to share it, then come join the group from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Bring your favorite knitting project, lawn chair or blanket, umbrella, water, snacks, etc. As the flyer for the event says, "join friends & neighbors for a time to relax & knit & visit." The Rochester Knitting Guild has donated several starter kits for those of you who want to learn. Who knows where this might lead, but New Life should be honored that the knitters thought of our church as a place to create community. For more information on World Wide Knit in Public Day see: www.wwkip.com. Contact Nancy Thomas at 442-2035 for other information about "better living through stitching."

June Birthdays and Anniversaries

2 Mark Wandtke
8 Kristi Graupman
8 Cierra Cannon
9 Henry Padron
10 Kathy Pullano
11 Rich and Ann Olsen (anniversary)
12 Ben Pattison
12 Barbara and Malcolm Judd (anniversary)
16 June Milford
16 Charles Whitfield
19 Barbara Judd
19 David and Barbara Woodruff (anniversary)
20 David Durfee
23 Lawrence Jones
24 Joe and Geri Machado (anniversary)
25 Marty and Karen Thomas (anniversary)
25 Charles and Carolyn Whitfield (anniversary)
26 Wanda Crawford Streb
27 MJ Pattison
27 Carolyn Whitfield
29 Bob Wandtke
29 David Eckstrand
30 Jay and Kae Hoyle (anniversary)

Lectionary Texts for June

June 1: Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19; Psalm 46:1-11; Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28 (29-31); Matthew 7:21-29
June 8: Genesis 12:1-9; Psalm 33:1-12; Romans 4:13-25; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
June 15: Genesis 18:1-15 (21:1-7); Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:8 (9-23)
June 22: Genesis 21:8-21; Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17; Romans 6:1b-11; Matthew 10:24-39
June 29: Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13:1-6; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42