February 2011 Epistle

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THE EPISTLE Volume 16 Issue 2 FEBRUARY 24, 2011

OUR CHOIR’S LENTEN MUSICDuring this season of Lent, the Chancel Choir willbe singing Traditional African-AmericanSpirituals—anthems paired with the sermon seriesfocusing on Faith and readings from Hebrews.This focus on faith and spirituals will culminatewith the choir’s special music presentation onApril 17th (Palm Sunday): “Jubilee” by John

Leavitt, a collection of six spirituals arranged forchoir, piano, string bass, and percussion.

“For some it may seem odd to sing spiritualsduring this very somber season of the church’syear, but to those who suffered and werepersecuted during times of slavery, the journeytoward freedom was often intimately associatedwith Israel’s journey out of slavery anddeliverance into the Promised Land.”-Pastor Michael Costello, Grace Lutheran

Church, River Forest Illinois

“Lent is not an easy time. It is a time for us tostretch ourselves. Stretching or lengthening ourlives can involve a lot of pain and ‘death.’ Buteven more important than pain and death is faith.We need faith to believe that as we experience theashes of life, life can and will rise from thoseashes. Liberation awaits us. Freedom calls us

throughout Lent.

Spirituals offer the opportunity for all of us to look at the ashes of our existence. We are called toidentify with Jesus as the Suffering Slave. As wemeditate on Jesus, we are called to be changeagents in this world. These spirituals provide deep

insight into the hearts, minds, and souls of apeople, who like us, struggle to make sense of suffering and the promise of new life. Maythese spirituals aid our journey as we strugglewith what it means to be a people of God.”

-Excerpt from “Never Said a Mumbalin’

Word: Lenten Meditations on the

Spirituals” by Mark Francisco Bozzuti-

Jones

Any good cook knows that it is all in thepreparation. An enjoyable meal comes fromgood preparation. What is true of food is

equally true of our spiritual lives. Theseason of Lent gives us an opportunity to“strip” down to the essentials and to prepareourselves for the celebration of Easter. Aswe worship, learn and serve together, wefind that we grow in our faith. You areinvited to partake of the “feast of Lent”.Make it a positive discipline to worship, tolearn and to serve.

ASH

WEDNESDAY:March 96:30 PM: Meager

Meal7:15 PM: Ash

Wednesday Worshipwith Holy

Communion



2 THE EPISTLE

SUNDAYS IN LENT

Sermon Series: “By Faith”

March 13: The Faith of NoahHow do we have faith in things not yet seen?

Hebrews 11:1-7

March 20: The Faith of AbrahamWhen faith means taking a risk, how do we

respond?Hebrews 11:1, 8-22

March 27: The Faith of MosesHow does our faith affect

the choices we make?Hebrews 11:1, 23-28

April 3: The Faith of the IsraelitesHow do we persevere in our faith?

Hebrews 11:1, 29-40

April 10: Jesus, the Perfecter of Our FaithHow does the way of the cross define our faith?

Hebrews 12:1-2

April 17: Palm SundayChoral Presentation

“Jubilee”

John Leavitt

10:30-Noon beginning Ash Wednesday,March 9

“The gospel in life: grace changes

everything”In the Snow Room

WEDNESDAY HOLY COMMUNION

Noon in the Snow Room

SPIRITUAL HOUSECLEANINGThere is a whole new industry which

helps people to organize their stuff. If weare honest, most of us have too much stuff.This came home to me when I read that thestorage industry is on the rise. When yourun out of space in the basement or the atticor under the bed, you can rent a storage

unity to take care of the overflow! I’mreminded of the man in the gospels who wasgoing to build bigger barns. A lot of us arenow trying to pare things down tomanageable levels, to get to the essentials inour closets and cellars and attics. Such anexercise is good for us and when we do itwe feel better.



3 THE EPISTLE

What is good for the body is also good forthe soul. Lent is a time for spiritualhousecleaning; a time when we try and parethings down to the essentials. Our Sunday

worship service is pared down and simplified,with some time for silence and spaces formore prayer as we seek to connect to theloving God who created us and who came tothe world in Jesus because he loved us somuch.

Lent is a time for spiritual resolutions;resolutions to be more regular in worship; toparticipate in a Lenten small group and to doyour part in helping to fill a “spring break bag” for Cameron Community Ministries. In

order to do this you might need to get rid of some extraneous things and concentrate onwhat is really important.

One of the things that is crucial during Lentis that word faith. On the Sundays of Lent, weare going to be looking at it in a sermon seriesentitled: “By Faith. This series is based on theLetter to the Hebrews in the New Testament,particularly the eleventh chapter where anumber of Old Testament heroes are used asexamples of faith and it ends in the centralfigure of our faith Jesus Christ. Each week, isfocused on a very practical question regardingfaith: How do we have faith in things not

seen? When faith means taking a risk, how

do we respond? How does our faith affect

the choices we must make? Amid life’s joys

and difficulties, how do we persevere in our

faith? How does the way of the cross define

our faith? I invite you to join me during this season of

Lent on a journey of faith which will lead usto a deeper relationship with our Lord andSavior Jesus Christ.

Your Pastor,

John

REACH OUT IN

WELCOMEDon’t be shy! If you see someone who you do

not know, or perhaps whose name you haveforgotten, be sure to reach out to them with awarm welcome. At the conclusion of worshipwarmly greet those who are sitting near you inthe sanctuary and be sure to invite those you seeto fellowship time and adult forum followingworship. Fellowship time is an opportunity to

connect. Don’t always talk to the same

people. Move around and especially seek outthose who seem to be by themselves.

Remember what the book of Hebrews

reminds us:

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have

entertained angels without knowing it.”

-Hebrews 13:2

BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

MORNING CIRCLE

The Morning Circle will meet on March 8 at10 AM in Fellowship Hall. At 10:45 AM,Pat Anderson will speak to us about theRonald McDonald House of Rochester.

EVENING CIRCLE

Evening Circle will gather in FellowshipHall on Monday, March 14th, at 7 PM fortreats, fellowship, and to work on fleece

blankets that will be donated to children inneed. Please bring a good pair of scissorsand join us! Any questions, please call

Norma Harrington or Carol Moran. Hope tosee you there.



4 THE EPISTLE

“WHEELS AND MEALS”

A reminder that the Board of Deacons willprovide transportation and meals for our

members and friends. If you need a ride to anappointment or could use a meal, please call

your Deacon or Jerry Thompson, DeaconChair.

Looks likespring is goingto arrive after

all. Hopefullyyou have not letwinter keep youfrom doing yourfavorite things.The Board of Missions is not

letting winter slow us down. This past Sunday weinitiated our first “Missions Moment”, when AlisonO’Malley presented Safe Journey’s mission to ourcongregation. Safe Journey’s slogan is: “Breaking thecycle of violence one person at a time.” Alisonfollowed up in our Adult Education session with herown moving story that led to her involvement in SafeJourney as a volunteer and eventually becomingexecutive director. She informed us that Safe Journeyhas many opportunities for volunteer involvement. If you are interested in volunteering for Safe Journey, feelfree to contact Sue Bickel our Safe Journey liaisonfrom the Board of Missions.

Each month we dedicate part of this column to anorganization this church supports. This month wefocus on The Lancaster Theological Seminary. JohnCedarleaf contributes this month’s piece.

Lancaster Theological Seminary in LancasterPennsylvania is one of the UCC related seminaries thateducate clergy for the United Church of Christ as well

as for other Christian churches. It began its life as theSeminary of the Reformed Church in the United State.The Reformed Church in the United States, often calledthe German Reformed Church was one of the forebearsof the United Church of Christ.

The seminary did not begin its life in Lancaster, butrather at Carlisle Pennsylvania where it opened itsdoors at Dickinson College in 1825, with one professor,five students and a library of around 200 books.

A few years later it moved from Carlisle to York where it remained for eight years. In 1835 the schoolmoved again to Mercersburg. While it was there ayoung man born and raised just outside of town,named James Buchanan was attracted by theMercersburg school, especially by the preaching andteaching of the seminary theology professor, JohnWilliamson Nevin. When Buchannan settled inWheatland near Lancaster, he found a small schoolcalled Franklin College. It had existed since 1787and had been named for one of its financialbenefactors. Buchannan set about creating Franklinand Marshall College. It opened its doors just beforeBuchannan was elected President of the UnitedStates. Nevin became its first President.

The seminary moved to Lancaster in 1871, whereits classes were housed in F and M’s Old Main fortwenty years before the present campus was begun.From these small beginnings the seminary has grownto a student body of 175 enrolled in three graduate

degree programs with a faculty of 14 full-timeprofessors and a library of150, 000 volumes. As wellas educating clergy, it offers a number of specialeducational programs that attract 2,500 clergy andlay leaders and youth each year.

The roots of our Reformed tradition have alwaysencouraged diverse ecumenical and interfaithrelationships. Lancaster Seminary reflects this in thestudent body that includes more than twentyProtestant denominations as well as Jewish andRoman Catholic students.

As our regional United Church of Christ seminary,we have over the years supported its work of

educating ordained and lay for ministry and mission,through contributions from our Board of Missionsand Outreach.

A sure sign of spring is that we will soon enterLent. Missions has been involved in this year’scommunity service project in conjunction withCameron Community Ministries (CCM). CCMservices families in the Lyell-Otis area of Rochester.

Supporting school- agechildren after school hours isone of the programs thatCCM provides. Duringvacation periods, many of

these children go hungrysince they are notparticipating in their school’sFree and Reduced LunchProgram. CCM fills this gapannually by providing foodbags (assorted groceries) that

will sustain a child for the week that school is out.This year we are supporting this effort and havepledged to fill those food bags-all 120 of them! The



5 THE EPISTLEsign-ups sheets are already posted in Fellowship Hall.On February 27th we will sponsor our annual LentenKick-Off Event at 5 p.m. with a potluck supper. Ourculminating activity will occur Sunday April 10th whenwe will have a celebration luncheon where we hopeeveryone will join in helping stuff these bags.

If you have nothing else to do on Tuesday March 1 st at 7:30 pm, Sebastian Maroundit, (one of the local LostBoys From Southern Sudan), will be presenting aninformation session on his non-profit organization,“Building Minds in Sudan” in Fellowship Hall.Sebastian’s mission is to help restore schools inSouthern Sudan that were destroyed during thatcountry’s civil war. Now that Southern Sudan hassuccessfully seceded from Sudan, there is a stronginterest in building a viable education system. Sebastianwould like to start with his own village and is lookingforward to sharing his experiences with us. We hopeyou will be able to join us.

As I am writing this piece, coincidently there is an

article on the front page of today’s Local Section of the Democrat & Chronicle featuring Sebastian Marounditmaking a presentation at an area church. For moreinformation on “Building Minds in Sudan”, you canlook it up on the internet at: buildingmindsinsudan.org.

I understand the weatherman is promising sometantalizing warmth in the coming days; a tease I amsure, but we will take it.

Thank you again for all your continued support for allthe organizations we support.

SubmittedTed Avgerinos

FAMILY NEWS

LENTEN PROJECT 2011:

Let’s Send Hunger on Spring Break!

It’s time to turn our attention to Lent and how wewill observe this church season – as an individualand as a congregation. Please consider joining asmall group of 10-20 people to meet weekly forstudy, spiritual growth and deepening the sense of

community within the church. Through acurriculum called, “Gospel in Life,” participantswill focus on how the gospel can be lived first inone’s heart, then in one’s community, and finallyout into the world. Participants will need topurchase a study guide for $9 each. Sign-ups forvarious small groups are posted on the rollingbulletin board in Fellowship Hall. Small groupmeetings will begin the week of March 6.

Kick-Off Event – Feb. 27Mark your calendars for a Lenten Kick-Off event on Sunday evening, Feb. 27 at 5 p.m.We’ll begin the evening with a potluck dinner,followed by a church-wide viewing of the first

DVD lesson and lively discussion. Sign up inFellowship Hall. Bring a dish to pass and yourenthusiasm!

Mission ProjectThe First Congregational UCC is teaming upwith Cameron Community Ministries to makesure that kids in the Lyell-Otis neighborhood of Rochester don’t go hungry this Spring Break.

While our kids might say, “I’m going to Floridafor Spring Break,” these inner-city kids are

literally going hungry. They rely on the freelunches provided by their school to get throughthe day. During vacation weeks, these mealsaren’t available.

As part of our Lenten Project this spring, we arehoping to fill a Spring Break Food Bag for eachchild in Cameron Community Ministries’ afterschool program. You can help by signing up tobring in needed food items or by making afinancial donation. (Financial donations will beused to replace worn or outgrown school

uniforms for these kids.)

Needed food items are listed on a bulletin boardin Fellowship Hall. All food items must bedelivered to the church by Friday, April 8.Checks, made out to “Cameron CommunityMinistries,” may be placed in the collection boxalso in Fellowship Hall or delivered to thechurch office.

Bag-Stuffing Celebration Sunday – April 10Join us for a pizza lunch and bag-stuffing party

after Christian Education on Sunday, April 10 inFellowship Hall. We’ll fill 120 food bags, sothey will be ready for delivery the followingweek.

Let’s journey through Lent together!



6 THE EPISTLE

FAMILY BOWLING EVENTMarch 5 at 1 PM

See the Bulletin Board for Sign-up andDetails!!

NEWS FROM OUR YOUTH

HELP SUPPORT THE YOUTH

MISSION TRIP !!!!!!!!!

ANNUAL SPAGHETTI

& MEATBALL DINNER

Sunday March 20; 5:00 & 7:00PM seating.

$6 for Adults, $4 for children 11 and under.Purchase tickets after church in Fellowship

hall.

YOUTH MISSSION TRIP NEEDS

YOUR HELP!

Our youth need to raise $10,000 to cover thecost of the mission trip. We are looking forsilent auction items for the upcomingSpaghetti dinner on March 20. If you have anitem or service to offer please sign-up on therolling bulletin board in fellowship hall or callBrian Sherry at 233-1010.

The senior high students will again beconfronting world hunger by joiningteens around the world to participatein the 30 Hour Famine. The famine is

sponsored by World Vision. Fortwenty years now World Vision's 30

hour famine has been challengingstudents to go without so others caneat. It is working too. Since 1992 the

total number of kids who die eachday- most from preventable causes

like hunger, poverty and disease-hasfallen from 40,00 per day to 24,000.

During the famine the students notonly experience hunger, but learnabout hunger and poverty in the

world. They also fund- raise and domission projects. Most importantlythey help save lives. Over the past

three years our students have raisedover $4,000.

The tentative date for this year’s 30Hour Famine is April 1-2.



7 THE EPISTLE

VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY

OPPORTUNITIES

HELP MAKE LUNCH!Salem Soup Kitchen Volunteers will becarpooling to Salem to help make lunch for

those in need. Thecarpool will leave thechurch’s parking lot at9:15 AM and return mid-afternoon. Dates for thisvolunteer opportunity are:March 29, April 26 andMay 31. Please join us!

BEAT THE WINTER “BLAHS” On Friday, March 25th, 2011 at 6:00 p.m., AdventHouse will be holding its annual Dinner Danceand Auction at the beautiful Casa Larga Vineyardsin Fairport. Ginny Ryan from Channel 13 will bethe Master of Ceremonies and Carol Ritter Wright

will beconducting the

Live Auction.There will alsobe hundreds of exciting itemsthat you canbid on in ourSilent Auction.

Music will beprovided by

“After Five” for your dancing pleasure. Ticketsare $90.00 per person and can be obtained by

calling Advent House at 223-6112. We hope youwill consider this lovely social event whichsupports such a good cause within our community.

Many of you know that Advent House is a homefor the terminally ill that has been serving ourcommunity for the past 20 years. There is nocharge or insurance reimbursements receivedfrom the residents that we care for…our funding

comes from fundraisers, donations and grants.So, come and be a part of the fun for a worthycause within the Fairport community! We look forward to seeing you on the 25th!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

On Saturday, May 21st, Fairport will againhost the American Cancer Society’s Relay

For Life. Our “Cruising For A Cure”overnight event will be held at the PerintonCommunity Center. This event brings ourcommunity together to celebrate, rememberand honor people and families affected bycancer. Do you have a group of people(neighborhood friends, Bonco group,bowling/softball team) who have an interestin creating a team? Join us at the officialkickoff for this event that will be held onSaturday, March 5th at 11 am at the Perinton

Community Center.

Fairport’s Relay For Life has been given thespecial opportunity to be part of a researchstudy called the Cancer Prevention Study –3 (CPS-3). Men and women between theages of 30 and 65 who have no personalhistory of cancer can join this historicalresearch study. By joining CPS-3, you canhelp us understand how to prevent cancer,which will save lives and give people more

of their most precious resource: time. Moretime with their families and friends, morememories, more celebrations . . . and morebirthdays. For more information on theFairport Relay For Life or the CPS-3 study,please contact Nan Notar or Stacey Mulley.



8 THE EPISTLE

STEP BY STEP - OUR CHURCH’S ACS

RELAY FOR LIFE TEAM

Our church will again assemble a team, Step

By Step, for this year’s Fairport AmericanCancer Society Relay for Life which will beheld May 21-22 from 6 pm to 7 am. Weencourage you to be part of this communityevent. The goal is to raise $111,000 for ourlocal American Cancer Society. Much of thefunds raised over the past years has beengiven for Hope Lodge, located at ColgateDivinity School. Hope Lodge and HospitalityHouse provides free lodging to cancer patientsand caregivers and low-cost lodging totransplant patients and their families receivinglifesaving treatment at hospitals in theRochester area. from home" offering acomfortable and supportive environment forencouragement and healing. Please see Nan

Notar or Stacey Mulley if you have aninterest in joining our team.

GVA GRANTSDid you know that in 2010 the GVA (Genesee

Valley Association of the New York ConferenceUCC), your church's parent organization, will

provide a total of over $17,000 in grant monies to14 different organizations serving people all overthe region? You probably wouldn't have knownunless you were lucky enough to serve on theGVA Program and Mission Support Committee(GVA PAMS) and given the opportunity to reviewapplications from such diverse organizations asChurch Women United, Salem Nutrition Center,

and Snack Packs for Kids, and then privilegedto take part in allocating funds in support of these and other worthy projects.

This year we received 11 applications forfunding in 2011, down from the previous year.In order to reverse that trend we are enlisting

your help in spreading the word, so thatadditional qualifying programs know to apply.If you volunteer, donate to, serve on the boardor are otherwise active in an organization that isengaged in the work of the church, is a missionor service to the wider community, provideschurch revitalization training, advocates forsocial change or is a new start-up projectmission sponsored and supported by at least oneUCC church, that organization may qualify for agrant through the GVA PAMS Committee.

The average grant is around $1000 and in

most cases is intended to be short term (3 years).Applications for the following year are sent outin the spring and must be completed and mailedback by late June to be received by the July 1st deadline. Applications may be requested bycontacting [email protected] or calling585-334-4373.Another under used funding source is the FaithMission Venture Scholarship program.Scholarships are available to assist individualsin participating in church exchange missionsand other faith based ventures. Applications are

also available by [email protected] or calling 585-334-4373.

OUR CHURCH FAMILY

THANKS!We are ever appreciative and thankful for the

prayers, support and cards for Carol. Shementioned several times she felt the strength

from them. She is now amongst God's LIGHTand LOVE and I know she is adding to yours.

A memorial service is now planned for March11th at 4 pm at Third Presbyterian Church, 4Meigs Street, Rochester, NY

Joan and Tom Bigelow



9 THE EPISTLE

2010 PLEDGE STATEMENTS

2010 Pledge Statements are now available forpick-up in the Library Area of Fellowship

Hall. If you can’t come into church, pleasecall the church office and it will be mailed toyou.

SATURDAY NIGHT

EVENING WORSHIP

SERVICE

March 5th

at 5 PM

Ever feel like sleeping in on Sundaymornings? Interested in worshiping God innew ways? Try our new “Come As You Are”Saturday evening worship service! Thiscasual service will warm your heart and helpyou connect with God in new ways. Our planis to offer a monthly Saturday evening service,

with each one featuring a variety of music andworship traditions. We hope you join us todiscover life’s blessings in disguise!

DID YOU KNOW….

The new tax law, signed by President

Obama on December 17, 2010, revives thetax break for people who transfer requiredminimum IRA distributions directly tocharitable organizations.

Effective for both the 2010 and 2011 taxyears, the law allows anyone 70 ½ years orolder to make an outright charitable gift of up to $100,000 directly from their IRA to aqualified charity without paying income taxon the distribution.

Check with your tax or legal advisors

about the best ways to take advantage of thisgiving opportunity.

Excerpt from “Employee News & Views”Published by the Pension Boards of theUnited Church of Christ

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Bill Cobb, Grand Vie, Caring House

Barbara Eaton, Perinton Park Manor

Charlotte Jackson, Fairport Baptist Home

Shirley Sumner, Perinton Park Manor

Dwight and Mildred Turner, Fairport Baptist

Home

Les Warren, Fairport Baptist Home

February 2011 Epistle

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