April Newsletter
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
These past few weeks have seemed a bit like a science fiction movie for many of us. Store shelves empty, restaurants closed, other stores boarded up, no cars on the road and the isolation of our homes. It is in this time that we must remember that this too shall pass, and that God has this under control.
This time has challenged me in so many ways. I have been forced to learn technology even though I have done it kicking, screaming, and yes, pulling my hair out.
We have been having on-line worship services on Sunday morning. Imagine attending church in your pajamas. Well, now you can. I will be using both FACEBOOK live, ZOOM and telephone for those who do not have FACEBOOK or a computer.
With ZOOM you can use your computer to join worship or you can call in from your telephone. You will need our unique meeting number for this. Our meeting number is 882 483 604. You can join our service in several ways, through an email invite, an instant messaging invite, from the browser, from the Zoom desktop and mobile application, from a landline or mobile phone, and with a H.323 or SIP device.
Before joining our Zoom worship on a computer or mobile device, you must download the Zoom app.
If you know that you will participate regularly on your computer by ZOOM, we need your email address. Can you please send your email address to mayfieldpreschurch@gmail.com and I will add you to our email list because I will also be sending out the worship bulletin by email.
Prerequisites:
· Each meeting has a unique meeting ID that will be required to join our Zoom worship. Our meeting ID number for Sunday worship is 882 483 604. The internet address is https://zoom.us/j/882483604. If other church meetings are scheduled there will likely be a different meeting ID. To avoid background sounds or have Bonnie’s voice echo, set your device to mute – on your computer click on the microhone symbol at the lower left of your screen.
· To join via telephone, call 1-646-558-8656. You will then be asked to key in the meeting number noted above. Please note, we suspect the phone number is not toll-free, so, depending on your telephone plan, you may incur long a distance charge.
We are sending our weekly Sunday school packets to the children that contain the scripture for the week and activities that the kids can do related to the scriptures.
We are trying to check in with folks to make sure that everyone is doing OK, but if you need anything at all, please call the church and I will contact you.
Please know that you are all in my prayers and also know that session is praying for all of you also.
God Bless You All, Pastor Bonnie
HOLY WEEK
These are suggestions for reading and doing during Holy Week. On Palm Sunday there will be palms outside the front door if you wish to go by church and get one.
DAY 1 Palm Sunday, April5: Cup of Praise. Cheers or Jeers? As you hold your cup consider where your heart is. Are you cheering with the crowd today or are you feeling more like a jeering Pharisee? Are you pouring out praises or curses on those around you? As you drink from your cup today, take time to praise and thank Jesus for the things He is doing in your life. As you drink from cups today pray “hosanna, blessed is the king who comes in the Name of the Lord” READ Matthew 21: 1-11
DAY 2. Monday, April 6: Cup of Forgiveness, A Confession. What do you need to ask forgiveness for? Talk to God about this. Allow God’s love to fill you up today. As you wash your cup or other dishes, allow this to be a confession. What is the dirt and grime of life that needs to be washed away? Ask Jesus to show you. Allow the water to remind you that Jesus is cleansing and forgiving you daily.
DAY 3. Tuesday, April 7: The Cup of Change. The money changers were cheating people and blocking the way to prayer in the temple. What might be blocking you today? Talk to Jesus about the things that might be blocking you in prayer or worship. Who are the people who are blocked from knowing God in your neighborhood? Who are the people who are blocked from worship? Pray for these people or groups to feel the love and acceptance of Jesus today. Ask Jesus to show you ways to help them God’s love and Hospitality. READ Matthew 21: 12-17 Many of us have cups of coins at home where we collect change. Gather the change and give the money to a local charity, to a homeless person, or someone you know who is in need.
DAY 4. Wednesday, April 8: The Cup of Betrayal. Judas plans to betray Jesus and give him up to leaders who were jealous and afraid of Jesus and his teaching. As you drink from your cup today, how have you felt betrayed? Talk to Jesus about this. Tell him your pain. Pray for this person or situation and ask Jesus to help you forgive and heal. What about you? Have you betrayed anyone? Talk to God about this and ask for forgiveness. Are there ways you have betrayed Jesus in your life? Talk to Him about this and allow Jesus to forgive you. READ John 13:1-6, 21-30, Matthew 26: 14-15
DAY 5. Thursday, April 9: The Cup of Remembrance ….”when you drink this cup remember me” Jesus
The Cup of the New Covenant …as you drink from your cup today, consider the last supper. Think about Jesus serving his disciples through washing their feet. Picture them around the table celebrating the Passover. What does washing someone’s feet look like in 2020? How can you serve someone today? Talk to Jesus about this and then make a plan and act on it. Do something you wouldn’t normally do for someone in your family, household, or office without being asked. As you drink from your cup today to remember that you are called to Love God and Love others as Jesus did. READ John 13:31-35
DAY 6. Friday,April 10: The Cup of Suffering. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that God would remove the cup of suffering from him. But Jesus was willing to take the cup for each of us. And Jesus is with us in our suffering. As you drink from your cup today, is there anything in your life you wish God would remove? Talk to God about this. Any areas of suffering where you need healing? Ask Jesus to heal you. As you drink from your cup today, Take time to pray for those around the world who are suffering Pray for those who drink from cups of suffering on a daily basis. Places like Syria, the US southern border, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico still recovering from the hurricane and earthquake. Places still in war and conflict, like Sudan, Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela. Pray for the people who are suffering because of COVID-19 near you and around the world. READ Matthew 26: 36-45
DAY 7. Saturday, April 11: The Empty Cup. Loss. The disciples hadn’t understood that Jesus had to die. They hadn’t planned on losing their friend. And they were afraid that they might die too. Look at your empty cup. Have you suffered a loss this week, this month, this year? Allow Jesus to be with you in that loss. Sit with the empty cup and give the loss to Jesus. What fears are in your cup today? As you hold your cup
LOOKING AHEAD
Keep these dates in mind in case we are able to get together by May and June. Note there will be no spring rummage sale or other activities at the church in April.
May 3 CROP Hunger Walk
This year we will have a virtual CROP Walk. The area representative will be sending me information today that will help us with collecting money for our virtual walk. As soon as I have the information, I will be sending out a request for you to join our group in an attempt to help people in dire need of FOOD in spite of our limitations. If you are interested in participating this year, please call or send an e-mail to me or Jane Brower and we will get back to you when we have the information. The date remains the 1st Sunday in May, which is May 3. Hopefully we will have a large number of participants because hungry people are even more so during this difficult time. Thank you so much.
Mary Seaman (518-883-1024) maseaman@me.com and
Jane Brower (518-332-8600) janebrower@yahoo.com
May 6 Mother-Daughter Banquet
Save Wednesday, May 6th, for PW’s Mother - Daughter Banquet. Bring a dish to pass and your table service. If you would like provide entertainment that evening speak to Mary Lou Bryan.
June 20 Golf Tournament
Save the date, Saturday, June 20, for our seventh annual golf tournament. Art Dahl has reserved the date but will need help. PLEASE call him (661-5800) and volunteer to help arrange for food, sponsors, prizes, advertising and reservations.
MONEY MATTERS
Normally, our weekly offering collections pay all our expenses, which of course continue during the current crisis. We are pleased that some members and friends have begun mailing contributions to our mailing address, PO Box 432, Mayfield, NY 12117. If you are not already doing this, please consider joining in this effort. Your contributions will be reflected on your June giving statement. To help you get started, enclosed is an addressed envelope for your convenience.
If you normally use envelopes you may continue doing so or simply mark your envelope number in the memo section of your check.
Please note that April is the time One Great Hour of Sharing donations are received. To contribute, write OGHS in the memo section of your check.
Soon we will also be ready to accept contributions on line. Watch for instructions to come!
MATTHEW 25 CHURCH
We are a Matthew 25 Church. We have joined a growing number of churches around the country who have pledged to be Matthew 25 churches. What does that mean?
The 222nd and 223rd General Assemblies (2016 and 2018) challenged the PC(USA) to embrace Jesus’ call in Matthew 25:31–46 to take our living faith into our communities and the world. As a Matthew 25 church, we are called to live out true discipleship by acting boldly, compassionately and fearlessly serving people who are hungry, oppressed, imprisoned or poor. We joyfully share this vision and invitation with you!
We have been doing the work of Matthew 25 here at Mayfield Presbyterian Church. We hope that by partnering with mid councils and congregations, we can together multiply and intensify our loving commitment to radical and fearless discipleship.
We have embraced building congregational vitality as our focus. As we live out our commitment, we will be sharing the story of impact that our pledge has made: how our congregation has changed, how we’ve discovered new passions and vitality, how our members have been re-energized as disciples … so like in the early church, our renewed faith will fan the flames and encourage other congregations to also embrace our common mission.
Vitality isn’t a number. It’s not about how many members you have, or how large your budget is, or even how many baptisms you celebrate each year. Rather, it’s a mindset and commitment to re-energize and live out your church’s faith in your community and the world. Vitality is a passion for following Jesus—growing in faith and discipleship, embracing people beyond your church walls, working for justice and reconciliation, and serving your neighbors in need. It’s a way of life that sees with Christ’s eyes and uses your collective gifts to really make a difference. Growing in vitality always requires prayer and discernment to figure out how you are called.
We believe that “Where Christ is, there is the true Church” (F-1.0303). Matthew 25 shows us that Christ is with people who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or in prison. If we wish to serve Christ, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) must be with these same people in our witness, work, and worship. In this mission we encounter Christ, the life of the world, and congregations find true vitality.
MUSIC NOTES
This may not be “church music” but it’s certainly something you can listen to when you are in the “stay at home”mode. I keep my radio on all day long with music that fits my mood. Here are some good stations on the FM dial.:
89.1 Classical Music
90.3 NPR
93.7 Christian station
97.7 80’s nd 90’s music
98.3 Country/Western
100.3 Oldies
The music will calm your soul and give you a sense of peace. Music touches a part of our brains that is not affected in any other way. It is used in many therapeutic environments. To see an example of that, search under “man in nursing home reacts to hearing music” on your computer.
Mary Lou Bryan
SESSION NOTES
NILES SCHOLARSHIP: Niles Scholarship applications are due Wednesday, April 15th. Please call the church and leave a messge if you need an application and mail it to the church at PO Box 423 Mayfield,NY 12117.
CHURCH SCHOOL NOTES
Children should be receiving work packets that they can do at home and continue to learn about Jesus and the church. If you would like to have someone receive one leave their address on the church answering machine (518-661-6566). When our Sunday School classes resume we hope to make corsages for Mother’s Day as a fund raiser for Victor’s School. We will also be preparing for the Children’s Day Service in June.
WORSHIP COMMITTEE NOTES
First, we want to express a big thank you to the members of the worship committee for all the help with preparing the sanctuary for Lent. Collecting and then cleaning and painting stones was probably not something any of the committee ever thought they would be asked to do but you did and we appreciate your efforts. The stones have become images – “broken”, “rejected”, and “sticks and stones”. The “flowing river” with fountain and flickering candles has been a sight to behold when entering our worship space – especially during the Ash Wednesday evening service. The cross that awaits our stones each week and the cross that collects our written prayers are both eye-catching and meaningful. Unfortunately, we will not be able to actually bring our stones to leave at the base of the cross during the next few weeks. However, we are hopeful that you will be watching the sermon on your computer or phone and mentally “leaving your stones” in God’s care each week.
When it is safe to do so, we will continue on the “Journey of Stones” with Pastor Bonnie and on to the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection. And we will await Bonnie’s next amazing ideas for this committee to attempt.
Committee Members: Pastor Orth, Sharon Brower, MaryLou Bryan, Ginnie Hall,
Sue Ellen Harrington, Linda Jacobs, Sandy Kollmann, Vicki Kucel, Deb Lair, Kate Ludewig, Nora Saunders, Sandra Ann Sparks Mary Seaman and Nancy Frank, co-chairpersons
OUTREACH NOTES
FOOD PANTRY
We have continued to give out food at the Food Pantry during our time of coronavirus shut-down since the need is always there. It would be handy to have a few extra people to bring it out to people as they are waiting in their cars for it.
Remember we are open on the first and third Tuesday from 12:30 to 3:00. Please call Crstal Hinkle at 661-6314 (after April 1) if you are able to help.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Happy Birthday to these members and friends:
Zachary Hatcher April 7
Linda Jacobs April 7
Brad Dutcher April 9
Marie DiSanto-Rose April 14
Debbie Blazor April 14
Mindy Fitzgerald April 22
QUILT SHOW UPDATE
At the recent Session Meeting it was decided to postpone the annual Quilt Show to the tentative date of October 2nd and 3rd. The show that was to take place in June was to be our 25th annual show and also the last. The theme will be the same: “Everything Old is New Again”. Many times during our previous shows, people will say, “I have an old quilt that was handed down to me from _____ or given to me from great grandma _____. I really should get it out and bring it for the show.” So now you have time to think about that and be prepared just in case we are able to have the show in October. (That date was chosen because the Craft Fair was not scheduled to happen in 2020.) so mark it on your calendars and be ready to give a hand.
Nancy Frank and Mary Seaman