june 2011 epistle

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THE EPISTLE Volume 16 Issue 6 JUNE 23, 2011

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR

2011 GRADUATES!

High School

Wyatt C. Andreas is graduating fromFairport HighSchool and will beattending MCC. Heis the grandson ofArlene Cook.

Michelle Brooks will be recognized as a high honor roll graduate whenshe graduates from Fairport High School later thismonth. In the fall she will be off to Pennsylvania StateUniversity to double major in Music and Health Policyand Administration. Michelle would like to thank herfamily and the entire UCC congregation for all of theirlove and support throughout the years.

Kyle Goodrich will be attending John Carroll Universitythis fall.

Andy Grabowski is graduating from Victor HighSchool, National Honor Society. Going to SpringfieldCollege in Massachusetts to study Biology and competeon the Men's Gymnastics Team.

Steve Grabowski is graduating from Victor HighSchool, Captain of Varsity Soccer & Hockey teams.Going to SUNY Oswego to study Business and play onthe Varsity Soccer Team.

Alex Henderson is graduating from Fairport High

School and is entering Perdue University in the fall. Heis the grandson of Dorothy Imgram.

Erin Hoover is graduating from Penfield High Schoolthis June. She will be attending Colby College inWaterville, Maine studying Chemistry in the fall. Herlong-term goal is to become a pediatrician. As Erin andher family move to opposite coasts, her hometown heartwill always be in Western New

York. You can expect to see Erin visiting her churchfamily as often as possible during college andhopefully working at next summer's Reach WorkCamps.

Alexandra Sherry is graduating from Fairport HighSchool. In the fall, she will be attending ElonUniversity in North Carolina. Alex is planning to studyAnthropology and International Studies.

James Weidman V (Jimmy ) is graduating fromFairport High School with an advanced Regentsdiploma. He plans to attend Finger Lakes CommunityCollege in the fall to pursue a degree in New Media.

Paul Wright is graduating from Fairport High School.He will be attending Roberts Wesleyan College in thefall, majoring in Religion and Philosophy. He isinterested in the Youth Ministry program and hasbeen helping in that area at The Fathers House inChili for the past 6 months. Paul hopes to help withthe music, lighting, and sound for RWC productions.

College

Katie Brooks daughter of Dave and Sue Brooks,graduated Magna Cum Laude from Geneseo inDecember with her B.S. in Education. She is currentlysubstitute teaching in both the Fairport and PittsfordCentral School Districts while workings towards herMasters Degree in Reading and Literacy at Geneseo.At school she was an active participant in theGeneseo Symphony Orchestra, Inter-VarsityChristian Fellowship and various research teams.She looks forward to pursuing her dream of havingher own classroom in the Rochester area.

Adam C. Funderburk graduated with a Master ofScience Degree in Human Computer Interaction atRIT's Department of Information and Sciences

Technologies on May 21, 2011. Adam is also agraduate of Hamilton College and McQuaid JesuitHigh School. He has accepted a position atBlackbaud in Charleston, South Carolina. Adam isthe son of Kit and Nancy Funderburk of Fairport.

Caroline Lizzio graduated from SUNY Brockport onMay 14, 2011. She is now working at Harter, Secrestand Emery.


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2 THE EPISTLEKyle Preston is graduating from Cornell University witha Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering in thefield of optics. He is remaining in Ithaca to work in R&Dwith a medical imaging startup company.

Michael Thompson , grandson of Jerry and Toni

Thompson, graduated on May 22, 2011 from QuincyUniversity in Quincy. Illinois. Michael majored in historywith a minor in political science as well as an educationprogram, and is certified to teach at the high schoollevel.

Emily Wright received her Associates Degree inEnglish from MCC last week. She was able toaccomplish this while training full time in the Olympicsport of Sprint Kayaking. She continues to train for theWorld Championships, Olympic Trials and USNationals. Emily plans to attend SUNY Geneseo in theFall but she is open to delaying that admissiondepending on the results of the race season.

SummerDaze

We are aweek from thebeginning of summer andmost of us, Im

sure, are lookingforward to a bitof down time.Those withchildren inschool now havethem at home.Things will bedifferent.Vacations willbe planned and carried out and hopefully there

will be time to reflect and look forward to thefall. What is true for our families is equallytrue for our church family. Were all awarethat Sunday worship attendance in the summeris low. People are away and enjoying the kindof weather that we dont have the rest of theyear. However, if you are in town, rememberthat worship takes place each and every

Sunday; same time, same place! As ismentioned elsewhere in this issue, were abit more laid back and paired down forthe summer.

Things are happening though behind the

scenes. Plans are being laid by boards andcommittees for the coming fall season andfor the years ahead. All of you are by nowaware that your council has been thinkingseriously about who and what we are as achurch and where we would like to be.These next couple of years will be importantones for our congregation as we moveforward with plans for our future. Asdisciples of Jesus we are called to reach outbeyond the walls of our church to our

community and beyond. We have a goodrecord of mission outreach and this willcontinue in the years to come.

How are we doing in reaching out towelcome others to our community of faith?We all know that the culture has changedand that being part of a church is no longersomething that is assumed. At the same timethere is a hunger for an experience with thedivine, whether named or not. There arefolks who are looking for a community of faith where they can feel accepted and lovedas well as challenged to grow. Are we sucha community of faith? What can wecontinue to do or begin to do to make that areality here at 26 E. Church Street?

Is there a place for a church such as ours;a church which takes seriously and yet

joyfully the historic Christian faith and yetseeks to make that faith real here and now; achurch which centers its life in Jesus Christand welcomes one and all to join us in our

journey? I think there is and I hope you dotoo. If you do, then we need to be about thatwork even in the midst of summer daze.

Your Pastor,

John


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WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

SUMMER MUSICOPPORTUNITIES MAKE A

JOYFUL NOISE!We will be having two great opportunities formembers of the congregation to be a part of ourmusic ministry this summer:

July 17 th Show Up and PLAY Sunday!

ANYONE, at any age or ability level, who plays amusical instrument is invited and encouraged to joinus as part of the special music for this Sunday. Mygoal is to have as many instrumentalists from ourcongregation (and any other friends you would liketo invite to join us) as possible to form an ensembleto play one or two hymns during the service. Thehymn arrangements will be very playable (whichmeans that they will be easy and fun!). We will meetin the Sanctuary at 8:30am to warm-up and runthrough the music together before the worshipservice. Please let me know via email,[email protected] , phone 377-8336, or inperson at church if you will be able to join us!

July 31 st Show Up and SING Sunday!ANYONE, at any age or ability level, who loves tosing is invited and encouraged to join us as part of the special music for this Sunday. My goal is tohave as many singers from our congregation (andany other friends you would like to invite to join us)as possible to form a choir to sing an anthem duringthe service.The anthem will be very sing-able (which meansthat it will be easy and fun!). We will meet in the

Sanctuary at 8:30am to warm-up and run through themusic together before the worship service. Please letme know via email, [email protected] , phone377-8336, or in person at church if you will be ableto join us! This is a great way to give Gods gift of music back to Him in honor, glory, and praise!I look forward to making meaningful music withyou.

PASTORS VACATION TIMEPastor Cedarleaf will be on vacation July 16-31and August 20-28. The following guestpreachers will be filling the pulpit.

July 17 & 24: The Rev. Laurie Tiberi,Protestant Chaplain, University of Rochester

July 31: Kelly Weidman, former Director of Christian Education and Family Ministry

Aug. 21: The Rev. Shirley-Pudney Eilers,former pastor of Brighton United Church of Christ

Aug. 28: Kelly Weidman, former Director of Christian Education and Family Ministry

SUMMER WORSHIPIf youve been around First Church for a

while you know that beginning the first Sundayin July, we change to a summer mode. Thesanctuary loses its brass candelabra and altarcandles and we replace them with pottery or

wood. When we celebrate the Eucharist we usepottery vessels rather than silver. The worshipservice changes a bit with two readings ratherthan three. Our choir takes a break and we look forward to special music. This is a wonderfulopportunity for any of our talented churchmembers and friends to sing or play. The liturgyfor the Eucharist is paired down also.

This is a long season in the church year,either called Pentecost or Ordinary Time and itstretches all the way to the first Sunday inAdvent, November 27. It is also an opportunity

to use some sermon suggestions. Do you havean issue or topic that you would like addressed;something that you would like more light on orperhaps an issue that is troubling you? Please letme know and I will be happy to do a sermonaround it. Just email me at

[email protected] , or call or speak tome in person.


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BOARDS AND COMMITTEESNEWS

FUNDRAISING CRUISE!What a great response to First Churchs inauguraleffort. To date, we have 13 people going on thisNov 5, 2011 Eastern Caribbean Cruise! Ourfundraising total is $ 1875.00 so far, the majorityof which is coming from Holland America. Thisis a great opportunity for Fun & Fellowship, but,at the same time, creating much needed "make-up-the gap" funds for our church and it's missions.For more information, contact Steve at 425-3569or email to [email protected]

READERS WANTED!The Board of Elders, now the Board of Worship

and Spiritual Life, has for many years assisted inSunday worship by leading in the prayer of theday and by reading the first lesson and leading inthe Psalm Response.

The board wishes to invite others to share in thisministry. There is a sign-up sheet on the moveablebulletin board in Fellowship Hall. You areencouraged to become a reader for a Sundayservice. You will receive the readings during the

week before your Sunday and they will include thePrayer of the Day and the introductions for eachreading.

If you have questions please speak to ToniThompson, chair of the Board of Worship andSpiritual Life.

COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEEROPPORTUNITIES

SALVATION ARMYS GREENKETTLE CAMPAIGN

Volunteer to ring at a GREEN kettle during 1 of the 4 weekends in June and help provide summeropportunities that will change Rochester kidsforever. To volunteer call 987-9500 ext 2320.

Friday, October 14 and SaturdayOctober 15, 2011

Prepare to CLEAN HOUSE!

Gather up the toys that your kids no longer use, theextra dishes, artwork, and bric-a-brac that is cloggingup your space and bring it to the UCC's Church-Wide Garage sale! Last year was a huge success andwe are continuing to make changes to the sale tomake it easier for both volunteers and customersalike.

To better utilize volunteers and make the sale moreconvenient for our customers, we will be organizingthe church into "areas" based on merchandisecategory. Church Members (or groups of members)are asked to sign up to oversee specific areas ratherthan individual booths as we did last year.

We again request all items be brought in pre-priced and dropped off at the church the day prior tothe sale. Pricing guidelines will be provided via e-mail and through the Epistle. When donating itemsto the sale individuals are asked to deposit them inthe correct "area" so that they can be setup.

Volunteer Opportunities (Signup Sheets will be up atchurch through the summer until the time of the sale)

Area captains will be needed to supervisethe setup of each area. We will also need

individuals to help customers in the areasduring the day of the sale Baked foods booth will need donations and

individuals to help service this area. Bakesale booth is one of the largest income areasfrom this sale.

Individuals will be needed to help clear andsetup the church for the sale as well as


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5 THE EPISTLEputting it back in place the day the sale ends..

Cashiers and an event Treasurer will beneeded to make the sale a success

Publicity volunteers to help put up flyers, addour event to community calendars (online andin print) are also needed.

What if I don't have anything to sell? Please considerbaking something for the Garage Sale or Volunteeringto help even if you have nothing to donate.Volunteers and Baked Goods are essential to asuccessful sale!

Contact Crista Deniz via e-mail([email protected] ) or phone (585-388-5952) if you have questions or would like to volunteer.

ADVENT HOUSE NEEDS YOURHELP!

Please call the House (223-6112) if you can helpwith any of the following:

- need trucks and drivers to deliver large itemsfor their annual Garage Sale from storage to theVFW on Monday and Tuesday, August 22 and 23.

- Scout Troops and Youth Groups WITHSUPERVISORS are needed to off load trucks onWednesday, August 24, at the VFW

- lots of help - adults and youth - is neededSaturday, August 27, at 4:30 at the VFW to help"clean up" after the Garage Sale. Many handsmake light work and lots of yummy treats willbe available for the workers.Thanks to any and all who can help with this veryimportant fund raiser!"

Our Christian sympathy is extended to JordanSmith and his family on the death of hisfather, John Smith. John passed away on June13, 2011. He was a long-time member of ourchurch, joining our congregation in 1957.A memorial service will be held for John at

the church, on July 1, 2011 at 11 AM.

THE EPISTLE IS NOTPUBLISHED IN JULY, SO TH

NEXTEPISTLE DEADLINE WILBE AUGUST 18TH.

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Bill Cobb, Grand Vie, Caring HouseBarbara Eaton, Perinton Park ManorCharlotte Jackson, Fairport Baptist

HomeShirley Sumner, Perinton Park ManorDwight and Mildred Turner, Fairport

Baptist HomeLes Warren, Fairport Baptist Home

june 2011 epistle

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