From
the Interim Pastor’s Pen:
Last week I join a number
of clergy for a discussion of an article focusing on why certain “mainline”
churches are growing and others are not.
The article shared the good news of congregations that are increasing
their membership, taking risks and involved in intentional outreach efforts. It also referred to research suggesting why
these churches were growing. What I
discovered was quite interesting.
Deborah Bruce and Cynthia
Woolever used research from the U.S. Congregational Life Survey – a study of
more than 300,000 people in the U.S.
who attended worship one weekend in April 2001.
The survey involved more than 2,200 congregations from more than 50
faith groups. From this research Bruce
and Woolever propose that congregations that focus on strengths, finding what
their particular church does well and building on those strengths, is more
productive than trying to diagnose what is wrong and fixing it.
Their research also reveals
that there are no quick fixes or magic bullets to church growth. There is not one all-purpose solution for congregations that want to be
stronger. Bruce states that
unfortunately, “Some churches think if they can just get 250 people their
problems will be solved. Or a church thinks everything will be fine if it
starts a contemporary service or hires the right pastor.”
Bruce suggests that
although there are no quick fixes to congregational growth, “strong
congregations do share certain distinct strengths, strong congregations provide
a sense of community, educate people about the faith, share their faith with
others, serve others in their congregations and communities, and convey ‘the
sense that life has meaning.’”
We at the United Church
have been in the process of discerning what strengths are true for our faith
community and mapping out a plan to build on those strengths. During our worship/congregational meeting on June 5 you will have the opportunity to
hear the report of the New Vision Team and participate through your vote and
actions to move forward to build up our church. If you haven’t done so already,
pick up a copy of the New Vision Team
report and read it prior to worship on the 5th.
During our
worship/congregational meeting on June 5 you will also hear the recommendations
from your Nominating Committee for members to the Pastoral Search and
Nominating Committee. Both your Mission
Study Plan and selection of your PSNC are important to your finding and
electing an installed pastor. I hope you
we be there.
Please note that the
congregational meeting will be during our normal worship time at 10:25 AM
so come expectantly as we blend our worship of God and our work for God.
See you on June 5th!
WORSHIP FOR JUNE 2005
Worship services all at 10:25 AM
June 5 Annual
Congregational Meeting 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (“come
forward”)
Meditation: “UCF in Focus”” Rev.
Dr. Kathleen Waters
New
Vision for Ministry presented and Dr. Jim Watts, preaching
Scripture:
Genesis 12:1-9 and Matthew 5:1-12
June 12 Honoring
Graduates 11th Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Sermon: “Grace on Display” Rev. Dr. Kathleen Waters,
preaching
Scripture: Psalm 116; 2
Chronicles 11:1-13 and Matthew 9:35-10:8
Time of Passage
recognizing Andy Carlsen
Commissioning of Youth Mission Trip Team
June 19 Affirmation
of Lay Ministries 12th
Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sermon: “Change is Coming!“ Rev. Dr. Kathleen Waters,
preaching
Scriptures: Psalm 86 and
Matthew 10:24-39
June 26 Worship
in Mill Run Park,
Manlius, Church Picnic
Meditation:
"Spiritual Prescriptions" Rev. Dr. Kathleen Waters, preaching
Scripture: 1 Kings 10:26-11:8 and Matthew 10:40-42
(gather
at 10:15 a.m.; see
Fellowship announcement for information about the picnic)
July 3 Worship
Time changes to 9:30 AM
through September 11th
and “Welcome Home”
Sunday
Pastoral Care: Rev. Waters works with our
Congregational Care Committee and can be reached through the church office (637-3186),
elders of the month, or at home.
Elders of the Month for June:
Gloria Manuel and Chris Harrison
Purpose
of Elders of the Month: For
members with a crisis, emergency situation, a particular concern or need for
care, the elders of the month are available to assist the pastor, when a pastor
is unavailable, or when the church office is closed.
Procedure for calling: please call the church office weekdays between 9 AM – 3 PM, otherwise call either the
elders of the month or the pastor
This should
rattle your brain (#2)
If you’ve learned to speak fluent English, you must be a genius! Pursue
at your leisure, English lovers. Reasons why the English language is so hard to
learn:
13. They were too close to the door to close it.
14. The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
Worship, Music & Spiritual Life
June
Worship at 10:25 AM
All
June worship services are at 10:25
a.m. The early summer
Worship time of 9:30 a.m.
begins July 3rd and goes through the 2nd weekend of
September, for Welcome Home Sunday, Sept. 11th
Way-Off
Broadway Variety Show
Sat. June 4th
7 PM “Another
Opening, Another Show!” Join us for a dazzling
array of talent - choruses, solos, ensembles, vocal, dance, instrumental, both
handbell choirs, and our guests “Sentimental
Serenade” with a delectable
dessert intermission! Sponsored by the
Church Board in support of church development.
June 5th
Worship
& Our
New Vision for Ministry!
Our annual meeting and worship
will be woven into one as we “gather
as God’s people” at the
table of the Lord. We will “celebrate our past” by receiving
the work and witness of our committees and staff through their annual reports
(given out May 22nd). At
every service of worship we “listen for God’s word.” June 5th
we will hear the Gospel lesson from Matthew 5 and a reflection by Kathleen
Waters, and a reflection on the New Vision Report, our Mission Study. We “respond
to God’s love” by
presenting our offerings through music, financial gifts, and prayers. Youth and children will participate and lead
us in moving with the spirit! After the
Doxology comes our time of dedication when we will receive the nominating
committee report and elect our pastor search and nominating committee. We will commission the team of 8 who will
conduct the search for our new pastor!
The worship concludes as we “give
thanks to God” and celebrate the Lord’s
Supper and come forward to receive communion.
“Blest be the tie that binds our
hearts in Christian love......” After
the closing prayer “we go out in God’s name” and
continue the fellowship and lives of service.
Sunday,
June 12th
Honoring Graduates
Class of 2005 high school graduates to be recognized in worship are Chris
Baxter, Brendan Dunuwila, Lindsey Ensher, Kevin Gordon and Matt Woiler. If you
have a college graduate in your family, please contact the church office with
information about your graduate!
YOUTH CHOIR The
combined children’s and youth choir will
sing for the worship service! Meet at regular times June 5th and at 9:45 am Sunday June 12th.
June 12th A Time of
Passage with Andy Carlsen
As Andy leaves his time of
employment at UCF, we will celebrate and acknowledge his three years with us as
youth leader and offer good wishes for his future journey of faith. There will be a reception after the service
to honor Andy and the graduates!
Commissioning Youth Mission Trip June 12th is also
the Sunday we commission the 12 youth and leaders going on the Youth Mission
Trip this summer.
June 19 -
Men’s Chorus!
Find out more after worship on
Sunday June 12th in Beard Lounge. Sign up on the hallway chart or
email Alice Hatt to reserve your music!
June 26th
Worship in the Park
&
church picnic
Gather at 10:15 a.m. in Mill Run Park, Manlius. Bring a chair or a
blanket to sit on!
(If rain, meet at church)
....our
music leaders who guide our children, youth and adults in many music making
opportunities every week throughout the school year! Please join me in thanking: Judy Spencer,
Sue Boland, Cherub Choir; Jim Spencer,
Sarah Vonhof, Children’s
Choir; Sul-young Choi, Youth Handbell Choir assistant; Barbara Morison, Joyful
Sign Choir, Jackie Meyer and Janet Press, Children’s Signing Choir.
Watch for the summer music
choir sign-up sheets for women’s chorus, ensembles, and summer
bells!
~ Alice Dickerson Hatt,
Minister of Music & Worship
What’s Up
from Down Under
Sharing and Caring by the Young
People
Of United Church
Mark these new events on your calendars !
June 4 7:00
p.m. Way Off Broadway Variety Show
and Dessert Extravaganza
June 5 Last day of Sunday School
June 12 9:45
a.m. Children's Choir/Youth
rehearse
10:30 a.m. Children's Choir/Youth sing
June 26 Church
Picnic at Mill Run Park gather
at
10:00 a.m., service 10:30
followed by picnic. Bring chairs. Ants optional!!!!
Bowl-A-Rama
and the "Raffle of Great Stuff" a Big Success !!! The crowd of kids and adults who
gathered at Green Lakes Lanes on Sat., May 7 watched in amazement as Jenna
Boland's consistent delivery of the ball resulted in an impressive score. She outscored everyone in the first game, I
think! Jim "One Pin" Spencer
earned his nickname honestly in way too many frames but kept on bowling. And
despite her protests, Lisa Graniero clearly displayed the bowling champion
within her! The huge collection of items
for the "Raffle of Great Stuff" was a favorite hangout between frames
for many enthusiastic rafflers. All in
all, $78.25 was raised by Children's
Ministries in this second installment of their pledge to hold three
fundraisers over three years for the Capital Campaign !!!!!
The Way Off
Broadway Variety Show Is Here !! Set aside Saturday, June 4, 7:00 p.m.
for an evening of great entertainment.
Invite your friends and family on down to the fellowship hall for an
evening of fun and delicious desserts!
Our kids will be participating in full force again this year. You've got to see it to believe it! This event is sponsored by the UCF Church
Board in support of Church Development.
See you there!!!!!
Be Sure and Buzz On Over To The Church Picnic !!! Sunday, June
26 the congregation will gather at Mill
Run Park
for a wonderful service in God's great outdoors !!! The service will be followed by a delicious
picnic. Gather at 10 a.m. and bring your chairs! The service
will begin at 10:30 a.m. There's lots of space for kids to run and
play!!
Camping Fun! Be sure
and check out the bulletin board for exciting summer and fall camp
opportunities. Information is provided
for a number of fine camps, local and regional, offering both day and residential, family and grandparent
programs. Wilderness adventure,
waterfront fun, arts and crafts, sports – you name it, they’ve got it!
Judy Spencer
Director
of Children’s Ministries
God wants you for a teacher
!
"God has planted wonderful seeds in every child's heart
Let's water them and tend them, and watch miracles spring from the soil
of their lives."
Adapted from God's Little
Devotional Book for Kids
Join the 2005-2006
Children's Ministries Teaching Team !!
-
Teacher Training in August/September
-
Classes begin on September 17
-
Teach for entire year or portion of year
-
Team teach, substitutes available
-
Positions open in Pre-K through 8th grade
Please
prayerfully consider God's call to teach.
Respond
by June 19 to Judy Spencer at 446-0365.
"If God wants to use you, and if you agree to go,
miracles can and will occur.
Lives will be changed."
Adapted from The Prayer of Jabez, Devotions For Kids,
Living Big For God
You are
cordially invited to UCF'S
WAY OFF BROADWAY
VARIETY SHOW
& DESSERT EXTRAVAGANZA!
Sat., June 4, 7:00 p.m.
Enjoy a dazzling evening of
entertainment and desserts!
Music, comedy, drama, dance,
magic, slapstick- from the beautiful
to
the entirely too
funny
Tickets $5.00/person - $12.00/family
Sponsored by the UCF Board
In support of Church Development
OUR
GRADUATES
Congratulations to Our Graduates!
Five years ago, on June
11, 2000 our current 5 high school graduates were presented by Tracey Kuhns in
a Sunday morning Pentecost celebration to confirm their covenant of
membership. The seekers and their
mentors were: Chris Baxter - Jim Spencer; Brendan Dunuwila - Nate Emhoff;
Lindsey Ensher - Gloria & Scott Manuel; Kevin Gordon - Loren Dawley; Matt
Woiler - Andy Baxter. The celebration
was special with a guest preacher, the national moderator of the Presbyterian
Church, Dr. Freda Gardner, who was here to also speak at the afternoon
Presbytery Pentecost 2000 celebration.
This Seekers class then joined that Sunday afternoon with Presbytery
youth for a spirit-filled bi-lingual confirmation service at “The Lodge” in Skaneateles. They sang in a combined Youth Choir, and with
the congregation, both inside and outside in a tent, accompanied by Alice Hatt,
Tony Greene, and the SU Brass Ensemble! Remember?
On June 12th
we will honor our graduates! Join us in worship and wish them well on their
next step along the journey of faith and life.
High School Graduates
Chris Baxter plans on attending Boston College
after graduation. He listed as his
recognitions as having participation in the Samaritan Center program through
UCF (grades 8-12), being a member of FM High School’s 2004 nationally ranked
Varsity Soccer team and NYS Section III Championship team in 2003 & 2004,
emcee for FM High School’s 2005 Dance Marathon, (he helped raise over $64,000
for Camp Good Days & Special Times, Team Captain 2004 for American Cancer
Society’s FM Relay for Life, participation in the FM High School and Town of
Manlius musicals (at FM, played the role of Sky Masterson, “Guys & Dolls”
and Bobby Child in “Crazy for You”), 2004 FM High School recipient of the
Dartmouth Book Award, participated through the Appalachian Service Project on
home repair work in Logan, West Virginia during summer 2002, and traveled to
Australia in the summer of 2004.
Brendan
Dunuwila will be attending Hamilton College
next year. He plans on majoring in Economics and will be on the Lacrosse
team there. While in high school at F-M
Brendan played on the Varsity Lacrosse team and was a Youth Lacrosse coach. He
was a member of the High School Chorale, National Honor Society and Tri-M music
honor society. He works part-time at the
Backyard Garden Florists in Dewitt.
Lindsey Ensher plans on attending Nazareth College where she plans to enter the
Inclusive Education Program at Nazareth
College (Grades 1-9). She
was a member of the National Honor Society for 4 years, member of the DECA for
three years, Awarded Diversity Grant and Dean’s Grant for attending Nazareth College, and has worked at Wegman’s in
DeWitt since she was 15.
Kevin Gordon will begin his studies
at Onondaga Community College with plans to transfer
to State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
He will continue working at Village Ace Hardware where his knowledge and
expertise is appreciated by many regular customers. Kevin has made a significant contribution to
Reach Work Camps, volunteering for the third year, with one every summer to
help renovate homes for those in need. Throughout high school Kevin has been an
active participant in our your group giving his time tot eh Samaritan Center
as well as other mission-oriented activities.
Matt Woiler graduates from Jamesville-DeWitt High School. He plans on attending Canisius College in Buffalo majoring in education.
College and Graduate Schools, please let the office know of your graduates so they can be listed in
the bulletin June 12 and summer newsletter.
Meet
our new member of staff: Lisa Gargano...
The Staff
Support/Personnel Committee is pleased to introduce our new Administrative
Assistant, Lisa Comstock Gargano! Lisa
is a graduate of G. Ray Bodley High School in Fulton, NY,
and received her BS degree at New
Hampshire College
in Manchester, NH, in Business and a concentration in
Materials Management. While living in New England
for over twenty years, she worked for a variety of companies including Kerk
Motion Products in Hollis, NH, Lawrence Pumps, Inc. in Lawrence, MA
and Cargocaire Engineering Corporation in Amesbury,
MA. Her responsibilities as an Administrative
Assistant in various departments included customer service, order entry,
assistance to managers, purchasing, maintenance of office equipment, selection
and installation of new software, clerical and receptionist duties.
Lisa recently returned to NY
leaving a wonderful church family and established career to be closer to her
aging parents, other family and friends. She sold her home there and recently
purchased one in Chittenango. Lisa
describes herself as “family oriented and a very spiritual person.” At her Community Church
in Francestown, NH, she often filled in during the winter
months for their church secretary who was a “snowbird”! As a church officer
Lisa also served as Clerk for four years and spent two full years as a member
of their Pastoral Search Committee. In addition, she was the “secret” person
who sent birthday and get well cards to congregants and community members from
the church.
Outside of work and church
Lisa can be found doing a number of pastimes. She enjoys quilting, gardening,
playing the piano and reading. She loves
children and in NH provided safe, loving homes to foster children on a
temporary basis as well as respite to other foster families.
Let’s all give Lisa a warm United Church
welcome!
Board
Highlights
May 17, 2005
submitted
by Gail Sandle, Clerk of Session
- The Annual Congregational Meeting will be held as
part of worship on Sunday, June 5.
There are many vital issues that will be presented and voted on and
all are encouraged to attend.
- The mission study report, New Vision Report: A
Mission Study in Ministry will be available to the congregation on May
22. Members of the Board will be
available after church May 22 and during Adult Lay Studies May 29 for
discussion and questions concerning the report prior to the vote to
receive the report at the June 5
Annual Meeting..
- A report from the Nominations Committee listed
the nominees for Board positions to be voted on at the June 5 Annual Meeting. There are still vacant Board positions.
Names are published in the Annual Report available May 22.
- The slate of PSNC nominees have also been
selected, following an extensive process. Eight candidates were selected
from a field of 24. The congregational
vote will be taken June 5 at the Annual Meeting. The report is printed in the Annual
Report available May 22.
- Paul Arras has agreed to serve as Communications
Coordinator, working with members of the Board and committees to publicize
what United Church has to offer both our
congregation and the community.
- The
Personnel / Staff Support Committee reported an offer has been made to a
candidate to fill the Administrative Assistant position starting June 1.
- The Board approved the Interim Youth Leader position
description. The Personnel / Staff Support and Youth Committees will
conduct a joint search for the right person for the position.
- Buildings and Grounds requested and received
approval to spend up to $8500 from the Capital Reserve Fund to repair the
roof on the west side of the building over the Pastor’s office.
- The Adult Education Committee asked for and
received Board approval to continue investigation of a trip to
