The Parish
Visitor
First Reformed
July 2009
Dear
Friends,
In
June the General Synod of the
The
General Synod celebrated the 30th anniversary of the ordination of
women to the office of minister of Word and Sacrament. But there was some
background to that story that didn’t get mentioned. The formal RCA conversation
on the question of the ordination began in 1942 when a letter was received from
the American Association of Women Preachers requesting that women be given the
opportunity to enter into the ordained ministry. The short answer was –“we
haven’t allowed women to be elders, so we can’t allow them to be ministers.”
In
1958 the General Synod adopted a recommendation from the Theological Commission
which stated: “Scripture nowhere excludes women from eligibility to the offices
but always emphasizes their inclusion, prominence and equal status with men in
the
In
1969 the Classis of Mid-Hudson requested that the word ‘persons’ in the Book of
Church Order be substituted with the phrase “men and women.” This failed.
In
1972, General Synod voted to permit the ordination of women to the offices of
elder and deacon. They also ruled that a “conscious clause,” which allowed
people to not participate in the ordination of women was theologically unsound
and denied its use.
In 1973, Joyce Stedge (Fowler) was ordained as
the first woman minister in the Classis of Rockland-Westchester and installed
in Mid-Hudson Classis to serve at the
In
1979, the 173rd General Synod passed the recommendation that the
office of minister of Word was open to both men and women.
In
1980, the General Synod voted to include a “conscious clause”, which allows
ministers and elders not to participate in the ordination of women, but also
not to hinder that ordination in any way. The General Synod voted in 2004 to
remove the “conscious clauses” from the Book of Church Order (BCO). The
amendment failed to receive support from 2/3 of the Classes, which is needed to
change the BCO. And so the clause remains.
And
that’s the rest of the story, for now.
Peace
to all,
JULY CALENDAR
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5 |
Worship – Communion 10 am |
21 |
Consistory - 7:15 pm |
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8 |
Book Study - 7:15 pm |
22 |
Book Study – 7:15 pm |
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12 |
Worship – 10 am |
26 |
Worship – 10 am |
|
15 |
Book Study – 7:15 pm |
29 |
Book Study – 7:15 pm |
|
19 |
Worship – 10 am |
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*see this Parish Visitor for more information
I want to take this opportunity to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to the Senior Choir for their loyal dedication, week in and week out. They spend their Thursday evenings at the Dubois House, rehearsing for all the Sunday mornings they devote to the church in order that the members can have a worshipful experience. For many years they have faithfully given their services with the only reward being the angel wings they have earned, and also many times, you, the congregation, have spoken to me of your thanks and gratitude for the beautiful music. It is much appreciated!! So, Hail to the Choir for a job well done.
While I am on the subject, I don't want to overlook our newest addition to the music program, our fabulous Chime Choir. They, too, have given many hours of rehearsal and service to the church, and they have added much to the worship experience. Again, many of the congregations have complimented the choir on their participation and unique sound. Indeed, the chime choir recently played in the Poughkeepsie Plaza Mall for a 400th anniversary celebration of our Dutch Heritage. Many people spoke to me of never hearing a chime choir before, and how beautiful the sound was for them. So the next time you happen to see one of these members from either choir, please express your gratitude to them. I know they will be thrilled that you appreciate them.
Minister of Music, Connie Lacey
SAVE THE DATE:
Coffee Hour Hosts 
For July and
August 2009:
HOST (First Name): Please
call the others on your week to avoid duplication. Also assign or bring
milk and juice. PLEASE REMEMBEER TO KEEP COFFEE HOUR EASY AND
SIMPLE. NO NEED TO BAKE UNLESS YOU ENJOY
IT! Come early to set up table.
ALL OTHERS: If you cannot do coffee hour on this date, find a replacement and call the church office with the name of your replacement
Due to a computer virus, Ronnie Badowski is working from a new list.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, OR PROBLEMS REGARDING THE DATE YOUR NAME APPEARS. PLEASE CALL KAREN TWOHIG AT 831-5694. If you requested that your name be taken off the list and it still appears, please inform Karen.
JULY AUGUST
5 Strawberry Shortcake 2
Covell, Brigs, Hughes
12 Smith, Rush, Wright, Lanni 9 Suggitt, Deneu, Simmons
19 Gorba, Albra, Bolger, J & H Hansen 16 Flayter, Landanno, Novick
26 Harty, McCoy, DiYeso, Fellin 23 Alexander, Byers, Cook
30 Corwin, Supan, Cochran
Bread for the World describes itself as
“…a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end
hunger at home and abroad.” They do this
in a number of ways, one of which they call an Offering of Letters. This years’ focus is HR 2139, the Initiating
Foreign Assistance Reform Act, an essential first step in making
2009 Graduates
Kimberlee Chao, daughter of Bonnie & Victor Chao
graduated from
John Lacey, son of Connie Lacey graduated from
Garrett Leggett, son of
Jonathan Novick, son of Donna & Philip Novick
graduated from
Tammy Rodriguez, daughter of Connie Kayson graduated from
Nicholas Serra, son of James & Andrea Serra and Paula
Serra and grandson of Marian Serra graduated from
Allison Slaughter, daughter of Corrine & Thomas
Slaughter and granddaughter of Eleanor Silverstein graduated from
Emily Sneyd, daughter of Carol & Glen Sneyd and
granddaughter of Ruth Stumpp graduated from
Kierstin Teske - White, granddaughter of Jean Teske graduated
from
Edward K. Tucholski, Jr., son Stacey & Ed Tucholski graduated
from
August 10 to 14 M, W,
F 6:00 - 8:30pm
T
& Th 1:00 - 3:00pm
The program we are running for VBS this year is multi-generational as it was last year. We will serve a light supper on the Mon, Wed, and Fri. evenings. We will have projects, activities and stories for everyone to participate in.
Our theme is based on the
book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen . We will be collecting pennies to send to the
Central Asia Institute to build schools in
We hope to see as many of you as can make it. We had a lot of fun last summer. If you have questions or would like a ride please call Jayne Hoffman 896-9659 or Bonnie Chao 221-9105
Notes from
June
" Deacon Kathy Campbell led devotions using a poem
titled “Weavings,” which reminded us that the all the threads and knots of life
can be used by God as our life is woven by the Great Weaver.
" The Fundraising policy for
" The
" Treasurers Operating Report
for April shows revenues totaling
$18,654.80 and expenses totaling $14,708.38.
"
" The chimes are being used
at the Area II Bell Festival in
" The solar photovoltaic
system to generate electricity in the
" A sexton will be hired to
clean the Sanctuary and DuBois House Weekly, starting July 1st.
" Next regular
+ + + + +
RCA General
Synod 2009
The Synod of 2009 was historical, celebratory and amazing. Each day began with worship and throughout the day, the HOPE Team (House of Prayer Equipping) held the synod’s work in prayer. Truly, the Holy Spirit was present in our discussions, discernment and ultimate decisions.
After using the Belhar Confession in worship, listening
as speakers broadened our understanding, discussing the benefits and concerns
surrounding this confession, and standing together in silent prayer, the Synod
voted to adopt the Belhar Confession as a fourth standard of unity for the
RCA. If this decision is upheld by
two-thirds of the RCA’s 46 classes, the Belhar Confession will take its place
along side the Belgic Confession (1561), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), and
the Canons of the Synod of Dort (1618-1619).
What an historic moment! Watch
for the outcome of the classes votes during the 2010 General Synod in
The 30th anniversary of women in ministry was celebrated on Saturday evening. This celebration took place under the capable leadership of Dr. Carol Bechtel – the first woman minister president of General Synod. As you know, earlier this year it was announced that the money for Women’s Ministries was depleted and the staff position was terminated. Mid-Hudson Classis and two other classes overtured General Synod to continue the Office of Women’s Ministries through an assessment to maintain a full-time coordinator with appropriate back-up staff and budget. Let’s celebrate! The following recommendation was approved: to direct General Synod Council to develop a plan for a future “Office for Woman” to be in place by January, 2010 or as soon as possible thereafter. Synod approved an assessment increase of $1.30 per person to support this position as it allows the RCA to live out its commitment to full inclusion of women at all levels of the church ‘s leadership and ministry.
Another celebration
occurred when General Synod welcomed several representatives from the Dominican Republic Reformed Church and
officially recognized this new denomination, born on May23, 2009, out of a
close partnership with the RCA. Synod
witnessed a covenant between the two communions in which they vowed to work
together in ministry in the
With sadness in many hearts, the Synod requested that the General Synod Council facilitate the orderly cessation of publication of the Church Herald and GSC and the Church Herald Editorial Council work together to determine a denomination communication plan that preserves the best of the Herald and RCA Today magazines and moves gradually to an electronic medium. In the meantime, make your voice heard on the RCA Website (www.rca.org) blog, and pray that the new publication provides the coast to coast communications needed to maintain unity in living out Christ’s call to preach the gospel and bring reconciliation to our hurting world.
Here are a few other facts:
James Seawood, pastor of Brighton Heights Reformed Church in
General Synod approved a 2010 assessment amount of $41.46 per confessing member.
I was blessed to represent the Mid-Hudson Classis and Fishkill Reformed Church in this assembly and ask everyone to support our denominational leadership with your prayers as they carry out the work of this General Synod.
Respectfully, in Christ’s Service, Janice Melichar-Utter
Earth Care……from
the Stewardship Committee
Attending Pastor Gloria’s book study and participating in the
Stewardship committee has challenged me to think about life patterns we can
change to move toward a more sustainable, environmentally friendly life style.
This led me to thinking about how differently and simpler things were done during
my childhood. One noticeable difference
was that paper towels were unheard of; we
lived quite well without them. I
remember my grandmother saying, “Don’t use that rag on the floor!” Yes, there were specific cloths for given
tasks: soft ones for dusting, absorbent ones for wiping up spills; lint-free
fabric, like sheets, for windows, and grubby ones for dirty jobs.
Today we use paper towels for everything. We purchase them on sale in 12-packs. It’s so
easy to just tear off a bunch of paper towels, wipe up a spill, and toss them
out. What are we doing with our worn
sheets, stained tee shirts, and frayed towels?
While
traveling in Costa Rico a few years ago, Jim and I met an interesting, young professional
couple from PA. During dinner conversation, we learned they
use no paper towels – none at
all! Whoa! They put me to shame, and I began thinking
how I might follow their example. Then
Pastor Gloria told me about her challenge to use only two rolls of paper towels
a year. To do that, I’ll have to hide
them when our children visit or my year’s supply will be gone in one or two
visits. Hmmm!
I
challenge you to join me in becoming conscious, really conscious of how and when we use paper towels (and all paper
products) and how we might do tasks differently. I now cool hot cookies on a
clean linen towel, keep old terry clothe towels handy under my sink for spills,
use a squeegee to dry windows and wipe up the drips with newspaper or an old
sheet. We use only cloth napkins. Currently there are no paper towels in our
kitchen – we’ve already used two rolls this year!
So
what difference does all this extra effort make in the big picture? Well, all the consumer goods we use are
ultimately derived from nature in some way, and to this extent everything we
use has some impact on the world around us. By not throwing used paper towels
in the garbage, land fills will receive a bit less refuse. We’re a long way from a “zero-waste society”
– a goal to ponder - but an important concept that needs to shape policy &
practice. On a personal level, it just
feels good to know I’m stepping a little lighter on our planet by using less of
its resources.
Changing life patterns is a process.
Start by purchasing paper towels with the small sized sheets. Think twice before you use one. See how long you can make one roll last and
eventually join the two roll a year
challenge or even better, stop using paper towels altogether. Hopefully
this will set an example and become a discussion point making us conscious of
unnecessary waste of other resources.
Try this simple planet saving step and see where it takes you!
Peace,
Janice Melichar-Utter
As
part of the celebration of The Fishkills
300th anniversary, there will be church tours of several area
churches from 2-4 on the 2nd Sunday of July and August, including Fishkill
Reformed, Trinity Episcopal, Wiccopee Methodist, and others.
So if you have always wanted to learn about some of our neighbors, go and
visit! If you haven't toured Fishkill Reformed yet either, be sure
to include us on the tour.
Also,
on Sept 19th and 20th, as part of the Hudson Valley Ramble and the
Revolutionary War Weekend, there will be church tours from 9-5 on Saturday
and 11-4 on Sunday. In addition, Connie Lacey will be presenting a
concert of Early American Music on Saturday at 2:00. There will be other
events at
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St. Croix's Kingshill School receives full
accreditation (from
the Virgin Islands Daily News)
Janie
Koopmans, the school's director, said it was a long and intensive process to
get accreditation, a goal she was not even considering when the school
started in 1997. Koopmans
has a master's degree in special education. Her focus and training is in
learning disabilities, and soon after she moved to the territory, she was
asked to be a homeschooling teacher for a child who was struggling in school.
She
had five students the next year and nine the year after that. It soon became
clear that she was filling a real need in the community. So, at the
suggestion of a Education Department employee, she decided to start her own
school. "It
just grew from there," Koopmans said. The
school is 7-12 grade and serves students with learning differences including
dyslexia and attention deficit disorder. It also serves some physically
handicapped students. "We
work with students who are not being successful in their current schools,"
Koopmans said. Some
students come to Middle
States informed the school of their full accreditation on May 1. Their
certification by the agency is effective until May 1, 2016. Koopmans
said she tries to keep enrollment at about 30 kids, which means about five or
six students per class. The small class sizes mean specialized attention and
support that is often missing from mainstream schools, public or private. The
school wants to expand the services they offer, not just to their enrolled
students, but to all students. Koopmans said she is working to create a full
summer program and expand Kingshill's after-school tutoring program, opening
it up to the entire community and perhaps elementary school students. Scholarships
are available, Koopmans said. |
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Slower
summer pace provides planning for fall By Nancy Titus
Summertime!
We’re feeling it here in
Our
summer involves three trips. First, we will go to
As
soon as we return, Eric will leave for
The
Conference of European Churches is a fellowship of 126 Orthodox, Protestant,
Anglican and Old Catholic churches (though not officially the Roman Catholic
church) and 43 associated organizations from all countries on the European
continent. The organization began 50 years ago to show that the church was not
divided even though
Our
third trip is our return to the
We
will again take up temporary residence in
Though we will be in the States for five months, we will only miss three months of the seminary year. Even so, we will continue much of our work the same as if we were here. For example, Eric will work on his dissertation, spending most of his time when not visiting churches, researching and writing this important work. I will focus on Croatian language study as well as planning English classes and coordinating the English Department at the seminary from afar.
We ask for your prayers for our home leave as there are many details that still need to be worked out. Chief among our concerns is the need for a car. We have been hearing about great deals on new cars and hope someone among our churches out there might be ready to replace an older car which they then would be willing to loan or sell us at a good price. Also, there are many details on both sides of the Atantic, including who will teach English at the seminary. Please pray with us that God will make all these details fall into place.
Eric and Nancy Titus are RCA missionaries in
First Reformed
DON’T FORGET: 
In August we will be soliciting
food donations to the Food Pantry.
August 2 – breakfast foods
August 9 – lunch foods
August 16 – dinner foods
August 23 – snacks
August 30 – to be announced