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Moderator’s moment

UCC Vision

Inside the Issue

THETRUMPETGENESEE VALLEY ASSOCIATION

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 7 P.O. Box 67263 Rochester, NY 14617 - www.gvaucc.weebly.com

0607

LGBT Pride Parade

Clergy Study, Daily Devotion, Trumpet Deadline, DIrectory

Castile UCC, IUCC Musicfest

NEW YORK CONFERENCE - UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

0809-10

Advocacy for the Long Haul

GVA Colloquy, Hurricane Harvey

NYS UCC confeference UCC

Resource Center

September 2017

Moderator’s Moment “What we become next won’t emerge from what we’ve been before…”

The above quote is not from or about the Reformation but by the Rev. Dr. Kendra Creasy Dean, a Methodist pastor and scholar invested in doing church in new ways. As we near the 500th anniversary of the Reformation isn’t it important that we consider what “doing church in new ways” could look like?!

It was the printing press that propelled Martin Luther’s ideas into the world; because of his and others initiatives Bibles and religious pamphlets made their way into the hands and ears of the masses. God’s Word was no longer reserved for a few, but accessible to many. We are grateful heirs of the work and struggle that was the Reformation - are we not?!

Now it’s our turn! While it’s easiest to continue doing what we’ve always done, it’s clear that what we’ve always done has not caught the interest of this or the next generation. Let us try and fail, let us try and succeed to create ways for those around us to encounter God, to serve humanity, and to deepen relationships with all of creation.

We look forward to highlighting in the Trumpet what GVA churches are doing in new ways this year! Send along your ideas and efforts, your successes and failures so that we can all learn from one another.

God is in and among us; let’s not keep that to ourselves.

Peace,Rev. Steven Price, moderator Genesee Valley Association

Save the Date!Fall Assembly

Sunday, October 22, 2017Union Congregational United Church in Hall

4823 State Route 14AHall, NY 14463

585.526.6700

Lite lunch served from 1 – 2 p.m. // Worship and Business from 2 – 4 p.m.

2 Genesee Valley Association

The Genesee Valley Association of the United Church of Christ!

We did it again! We won the “Community Award” for best not-for-profit organization exhibiting LGBTQ Pride at Rochester’s LGBTQ Pride Parade! Ta Da! This year’s Pride theme was the Summer of Love. Thanks to Susan M. Smith for the brilliant idea of creating a 1967 VW bus out of tie dyed fabric and to Pam Bakst and Jim Hathaway for framing it all in PVC pipes sturdy enough for six people to move the bus down Park Avenue! Sara Hickman-Himes used her artistic talents to design and build six VW bugs printed with scripture references telling all of God’s love and acceptance.

Churches participating this year included: Community Christian, Henrietta, Lakeville, and Mountain Rise. We gathered for fun, fellowship, and final preparations the evening before the parade. Our numbers expanded dramatically as we gathered on Alexander Street to march. Bring your ideas and talents and come join us next year!

AND THE WINNER IS . . .

3Genesee Valley Association

You know you’re closer to New York when traffic in work zones slows down to 70 MPH. Although I hoped by some cosmic chance the new Tappan Zee Bridge would open just in time for me to cross the Hudson. It wasn’t. But I was surprised. Traffic on the old bridge wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected for late afternoon.

At last! The literary land of Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown in Westchester County the nation’s wealthiest neighborhood: A first for me. I was “leading off the map”, the theme of the 54th Annual Meeting of the New York Conference UCC, and Regional Synod of New York Reformed Church in America.

Key note speaker Jim Herrington challenged the gathered to think about congregational transformation on a grand scale: Are we are looking for new ways to do church or just rearranging furniture? When we begin the journey, we know we need to change but we don’t always know where we’re going Herrington said. So we took guidance from Genesis 12.1 in which God says to Abraham more or less, “leave behind what is familiar for a place I will show you.” God’s call of Abraham to “lead off map” is as relevant today as ever especially in a post-truth world of alternate facts (is nothing sacred anymore?).

The vitality of music and innovative worship showed us at our best. With our sisters and brothers of the Regional Synod of New York Reformed Church in America well represented, friends from sister congregations of the Evangelische Kirche in Hessen und Nassau, EKHN (Germany) present, highly gifted colleagues and delegates from all over New York, the feeling was clear: We are going off map. We are expanding our respective identities, forming new ones and heading into uncharted territory.

That this was the first time ever the UCC and RCA have come together in this setting, speaks to the ways we of the New York Conference are “united and uniting” in Christ movement like no other.

Recap of the 54th Annual NYS Conference UCC

No doubt economic realities and challenges we face as individual churches, associations and as a conference are large. But this years’ meeting reminded me again why I serve with gladness in the United Church of Christ, prepared to go where God calls us. On the return home I took an “unplanned detour”. A little disoriented my thoughts turned to Abraham leading off map. It didn’t seem to matter much. I smiled. It was a beautiful day.

If you’ve never been to an annual meeting of the New York Conference please ask your congregation to send you to next year’s meeting in Syracuse. You won’t regret it. If you do, I’ll buy you lunch.

“United in Spirit and inspired by God’s grace, we move forward boldly to welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all.” (The newly adopted UCC Mission Statement).

-Submitted by Tim Myers

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The deadline for the October’s edition of the Trumpet’s is September 20th. Please submit all activities and news no later than that date to be included in this publication. Please sent to : <gvaucc@gmail.com> .

Clergy Study Fridayswith

Rev. Dr. Lynn M. Acquafondata, LMHC

1010 East Ave next to Asbury First United Methodist Church (red brick building)

9:30am -2:30pmWith a 45 min. lunch break

Sept. 29th: Family Systems Patterns at Home and in the CongregationJan. 12th: Leading Through GriefMarch 9th: Managing Anxiety in CongregationsMay 4th: Communication and Conflict Resolution in the Congregation

Study days include educational workshops, small group discussion and self-reflection in a prayerful, supportive and comfortable setting with clergy of all

faiths.Bring your own lunch. Coffee and tea and refrigerator available.

Cost: $85 per session

For more information or to register contact Rev. Lynn at 585-330-1340 or Congogram@gmail.com

If you would like a current UCC Genesee Valley Association directory, please email your request to the Communications Coordinator, D’Shawna Wilson at gvaucc@gmail.com.

NEED TO CONNECT?

5Genesee Valley Association

IRONDEQUOIT UCC FALL MUSICFEST

Irondequoit UCCSeptember 29 & 30

Friday evening’s program will be in the Sanctuary from 7PM-8PM with refreshments to follow in the Fellowship Room. The program will be a journey through the seasons and will include music by Carol Cowan, their outstanding organist, the IUCC choir, the bell choir, and their trombone group. It’s a wonderful night of great music and should not be missed!

The Saturday program will be on the IUCC back lawn from 3PM-6PM and will include a blue grass, old time favorites group from the Durand UCC, an A Cappella group, and IUCC’s own Celebration Band. Singing along and dancing will be encouraged!

Hot dogs, popcorn and sodas will be sold at a nominal price, and the proceeds from this event will be given to the Drug Free Irondequoit organization, along with donations collected during the two days. The I Square Fall Festival is also taking place on Saturday with music, hayrides, etc so there should be plenty to do on this day,

We encourage you to attend this Irondequoit UCC Fall MusicFest and support our sister UCC!

Join us* Thursday, September 7th at 12 PM is “Meals and Memories”, a free community luncheon.* Sunday, September 10th at 10 am. Church service will be at the Parade Grounds in Letchworth Park* Rummage & Baked Food Sale Thursday, September 14 at 6:00 - 8:00pm Friday. September 15 (12:00 - 4:00 PM) Saturday, September 16 (9:00-11:00 AM)* Sunday, September 24th - Church Member Recognition Sunday - Come browse some of our history with us!* Wednesday, September 27th 4-5:30p.m. Free adult coloring and coffee bar night on adult coloring pages, markers/pens/colored pencils will be provided or bring your own.

For more information, please contact: (585) 493-2840

TheFriendsCommitteeonNationalLegislationisaQuakerlobbyinthepublicinterestthatseekstopromotejust,peacefulandequitablepoliciesintheU.S.government.FCNL’sinfluenceinWashingtonstemsfromtheintegrityandtruthfulnessofourargumentsandthestrengthofourgrassrootsnetwork.

ADVOCACYFORTHELONGHAULFCNLAdvocacyTeamsLaunch

Date:Thursday,September14Time:5:30pm-9:00pm

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Genesee Valley Association of the New York Conference

2017 – 2018 GVA Colloquy ScheduleRev. Timothy Meyer – Convener

DATE LOCATION /TOPIC / PRESENTER or FACILITATORSeptember 21 Ontario NYS Council of Churches / Peter Cook (Alan Daily)October 19 Wellsville Community Organizing / Martha K. StoneNovember 16 Lakeville Gospel – Going live / Cassandra GranadosDecember 14* Webster Being In the Spirit of Christmas Party / Carl RichterJanuary 18 Henrietta Preparing for Lent / ALL

Whatever the connection, it is important

to know that a loss has taken its

toll on many. And it will take many to help

those deeply impacted, recover.

Let them know they are not alone.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the

earth should change,

though the mountains shake in the heart

of the sea;

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble with its

tumult.

The UCC is part of response networks you see on the news and those you don’t see. UCC Disaster Ministries is already gearing up for our long-term recovery work in the region and your contributions for Harvey survivors means providing community support for holistic recovery, repairing house and home for families and children and restoring dignity for the most vulnerable who have lost everything in the wake of this catastrophic event.

Address: Stree Name, no:123, City, CountryPhone: 123 123 123 123Email: office@yourdomain.com

The Resource Center News These are some of the newest additions to the Resource Center. More information at: http://pbygenval.org/about-us/missions-ministries/resource-center/. The Center may also be reached by calling 585-242-0099.

(BKBAX028) THE JEWISH ANNOTATED NEW TESTAMENT Levine, A.J. & Brettler,M.Z. Oxford Press 2011Although major New Testament figures--Jesus and Paul, Peter and James, Jesus’ mother Mary and Mary Magdalene--were Jews, living in a culture steeped in Jewish history, beliefs, and practices, there has never been an edition of the New Testament that addresses its Jewish background and the culture from which it grew--until now. In The Jewish Annotated New Testament, eminent experts under the general editorship of Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Z. Brettler put these writings back into the context of their original authors and audiences. And they explain how these writings have affected the relations of Jews and Christians over the past two thousand years. An international team of scholars introduces and annotates the Gospels, Acts, Letters, and Revelation from Jewish perspectives, in the New Revised Standard Version translation. They show how Jewish practices and writings, particularly the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, influenced the New Testament writers.

(BKBXX030) WHAT IS THE BIBLE? Bell, Rob Harper One 2017 HOW AN ANCIENT LIBRARY OF POEMS, LETTERS AND STORIES CAN TRANSFORM THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING

What Is the Bible? provides insights and answers that make clear why the Bible is so revered and what makes it truly inspiring and essential to our lives. Rob takes us deep into actual passages to reveal the humanity behind the Scriptures. You cannot get to the holy without going through the human, Rob tells us. When considering a passage, we shouldn’t ask “Why did God say . . .?” To get to the heart of the Bible’s meaning, we should be asking: “What’s the story that’s unfolding here and why did people find it important to tell it? What was it that moved them to record these words? What was happening in the world at that time? What does this passage/story/poem/verse/book tell us about how people understood who they were and who God was at that time?” In asking these questions, Rob goes beyond the one-dimensional question of “is it true?” to reveal the Bible’s authentic transformative power.

(DVCC1001) DISCOVER ISLAM DOCUMENTARY FILMS Quadir, Muhammad Q-BIX3 Prod. 2011This DVD was created for Muslims and Non-Muslims. Created with two goals in mind, this DVD will explain the basics of Islam, and will help clear up some of the confusion and misinformation surrounding this peaceful religion.It is a unique collection of videos, audios, and e-books will serve as your guide to a deeper understanding and appreciation of Islam. Along with its fresh, intuitive interface, this Multimedia DVD also contains a wealth of information and will reward the viewer with a deeper sense of purpose.

(BKDA2041) ALL I REALLY WANT: Caldwell, Quinn G. Abingdon Press 2014 READINGS FOR A MODERN CHRISTMAS

Sometimes the happiest and holiest time of the year is also the hardest for people to enjoy. These daily readings offer the skeptic and over-committed the opportunity to make room-perhaps just enough room for God to show up. The weeks leading up to Christmas can spark a strong spiritual longing for more. Although it may never be articulated, we sense beneath those longings is a yearning for an experience of God. These brief writings address the challenges and realities of the season and include a simple action, ritual or meditation designed to gently steer the reader toward the deeper meaning that underlies the season. Smart, witty, edgy—and always hopeful—readings by Quinn Caldwell include a brief prayer for each morning and evening during the entire Christmas season. This book takes seriously the modern person’s hunger for meaning and import in a season that feels increasingly frivolous. Includes a calendar with one easy task to do each day.

(BKEEX008) LET THE WHOLE CHURCH SAY AMEN!: Stookey, Laurence Hull Abingdon Press 2001 A GUIDE FOR THOSE WHO PRAY IN PUBLIC

Stookey seeks to relieve the anxiety of inexperienced leaders of public prayer and the discomfort of those with and for whom they pray in this practical guide to the art of praying in public. The book has three parts. First, Stookey offers reflections on the nature of prayer, utilizing the image of a flow of energy. Second, he discusses the forms, mechanics, and vocabularies of prayer. His analysis brims with insight and practical application. Third, and most importantly, he provides concrete exercises in editing prayers. The reader is challenged to mark prayer texts and then to compare her or his own work with the author’s as Stookey points out the particular issues that the exercises highlights. The book is clearly organized, economically written, and easy to use. Those who read carefully and complete the exercises will gain significant experience in crafting prayers to which the whole congregation can respond with an enthusiastic “Amen”.

Address: Stree Name, no:123, City, CountryPhone: 123 123 123 123Email: office@yourdomain.com

(ResCode) Title Author Publisher Pub Yr (BKEEX070) A CHILD LAUGHS : Mankin, M. & Tirabasse, M. Pilgrim Press 2017 PRAYERS FOR JUSTICE AND HOPEA child’s laugh should be the butterfly wing, the ripple-maker, for all the world. There are many children crying. We hear them echoing from news media. It is time to pray the change of the world in children’s laughter. More than one hundred themes and issues crucial to hope and justice were crowd-sourced to create this collaborative anthology of fifty-two reflections from seventy-seven writers in eleven different countries. These writers offer background, prayers, liturgy, questions for action and reflection and now invite readers, both individual and small groups, to join the community.

(BKGH2065) HOLY SILENCE: THE GIFT OF QUAKER SPIRITUALITY Bill, J. Brent Wm B Eerdmanns Publ 2016 An invitation to experience more fully the life-changing power of sacred silence. FEATURES • Revised and expanded edition • Includes new spiritual silence practices • New section on incorporating holy silence into worship • Written by one of the most respected interpreters of the Quaker tradition • Introduces a fresh way of connecting with God For over a decade, J. Brent Bill’s Holy Silence has been regarded as a contemporary classic on sacred silence. With warmth, wisdom, and gentle humor, Bill presents the Quaker practice of silence and expectant listening to a wider Christian audience.

(BKGHX154) RELIG-ISH: SOULFUL LIVING IN A SPIRITUAL Mee-Chapman, Rachelle Chalice Press 2016 BUT-NOT-RELIGIOUS WORLD You can be spiritual-but-not-religious or not particularly religious at all yet still have a robust system of beliefs and values that guides you. Creating your own set of eclectic spiritual practices is not a sign that you are a faith-less person but rather a faith-ful person responding with honesty to an increasingly expanding world. If faithfully attending church isn’t helping you live out your values in everyday ways, becoming relig-ish may be the answer! Rachelle Mee-Chapman’s new book Relig-ish will help you: •Create a set of spiritual practices that fit into your daily life and honor the things you value most. •Develop right-fit spiritual practices for yourself and your family outside of going to church. •Shake off harmful religious messages and embrace truths that won’t damage yourself or your soul. •Build bridges towards your religious family members by identifying the common values that are the bedrock beneath your beliefs. •Discover that your soul is not at risk and you are not lost in your wondering, wandering post-church world.

(BKGHX155) LITURGY OF THE ORDINARY: Warren Tish Harrison InterVarsity Press 2016 SACRED PRACTICES IN EVERYDAY LIFEMany of us go through the day feeling like we don’t have time for God. But God can become present to us in surprising ways through our everyday routines. Framed around one ordinary day, this book explores daily life through the lens of liturgy, small practices and habits that form us. Each chapter looks at something like making the bed, brushing her teeth, losing her keys that the author does in the day. Drawing from the diversity of her life as a campus minister, Anglican priest, friend, wife, and mother, Tish Harrison Warren opens up a practical theology of the everyday. Each activity is related to a spiritual practice as well as an aspect of our Sunday worship. Come and discover the holiness of your every day.”

(BKGHX156) LOVE LET GO: Truax, Laura s. & Campbell, Amalya Wm. B. Eerdmans Publ Co 2017 RADICAL GENEROSITY FOR THE REAL WORLDWhen LaSalle Street Church in Chicago received an unexpected windfall, its leaders made the wild, counterintuitive decision to give it away. Each church member received a check for $500 with the instruction to go out and do good in God’s world.In Love Let Go readers witness how a church community was transformed by the startling truth that money can buy happiness—when we give it away. Laura Sumner Truax and Amalya Campbell show how this radical generosity shaped their community, exploring the reverberating impact of each act of generosity, and ultimately revealing how LaSalle’s faith-filled risk snowballed into a movement beyond itself.Throughout the book Truax and Campbell probe the connection of human flourishing to generosity and offer tools