THE EPISTLE

Volume 15 Issue 5 MAY 27, 2010

stay out for the summer and the brass

candle sticks on the Lord’s Table are
replaced with wooden or pottery ones.
Communion ware moves from silver to
pottery.
This is the “Green Season” (the time
after Pentecost) which stretches all the
way to the beginning of Advent. Green
is a restful color and so we want our
worship space to reflect this, as we
seek to draw closer to God.
Our liturgy for the summer will also
reflect this simplicity. We will begin with
We had a snowless March, early warm a familiar festive hymn and greeting and
weather, then cold, rain and sun. Today is then move directly to the children’s
sunny and the temperature by the end of message, the prayer of the day and the
the day will be 80. Tomorrow we will have word. While we order our worship by the
our first chicken bar-b-q of the season church year and follow the common
and a week from Monday is Memorial lectionary, summer time gives us a bit
Day. Summer is on the way! more flexibility. Are there topics or
In the life of the church summer is an issues or questions that you would like
interesting time. As the weather gets addressed in the sermon? If so, I would
warmer and the sun shines more, there is love to hear from you. Just speak to me,
a tendency to take advantage of the or e-mail me your suggestions. On the
opportunities for recreation and be out of Sundays we celebrate Holy Communion
town or out in the woods or at the lake on we will have only one communion
the weekends. This means that the station and the communion liturgy will
Sunday gathering for worship is smaller be simplified. We will also use various
than during the rest of the year. The choir “statements of faith” other than the
takes a two month sabbatical. Christian Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds.
education classes take a break and there Summer time gives us an opportunity
is a more laid back feeling to Sundays. to enjoy “special music” while the choir
We reflect this change of pace in a is on vacation. We always look forward
number of ways on Sundays. We simplify to this special time. If you would like to
our worship space for the months of July participate in worship by singing, or
and August. The brass candle sticks and playing an instrument, please contact
candelabra are removed. The candelabra
 2 THE EPISTLE
our choir director Sarah Frook and let he
know. ADULT EDUCATION
The care of visitors is very important
during the summer months as this is the
time that people often visit churches. Bill and Joanne Cala to speak
Make sure that if you see someone you
don’t know that you greet them warmly
During Adult Ed Sunday, May 23
and invite them to remain for fellowship William Cala is the president of Joining
time. Many of us travel during the summer Hearts and Hands, Ltd., a non-profit
months and so we will offer at each organization working to fight AIDS and
summer service a blessing for travelers. poverty in Kenya. Along with his wife
I hope that you will enjoy a wonderful Joanne, Joining Hearts and Hands is
and refreshing summer. Enjoy your family rebuilding schools and providing
and friends, but remember that we scholarships for secondary school students
continue to gather for the most important in villages in the Lake Victoria area of
thing that Christians do and that is to Kisumu. Prior to his involvement in Africa,
worship God in spirit and in truth. Dr. Cala was the superintendent of the
Fairport Central School District in Fairport,
Your pastor, New York, a suburb of Rochester.
John
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
SUNDAY WORSHIP UPDATES
SUNDAY WORSHIP DURING
JUNE
COUNCIL
June 6: Confirmation Sunday EVENT
I Kings 17:17-24 PLANNED!!
Galatians 1:11-24
Luke 7:11-17 The Rummage Sale is
coming! The Rummage Sale is coming!
June 13: Graduate Recognition Sunday Mark your calendars and clean out your
Our high school seniors will help to lead closets for this bi-annual fundraiser
worship. Amy Hamill will preach. scheduled for September 30, October 1, 2,
2010. Volunteers are needed to head this
June 20 great event and help sorting and pricing sale
Isaiah 65:1-9 items. Contact Crista Deniz (388-5952 or
Galatians 3:23-29 denizca@frontiernet.net) if you are willing
Luke 8:26-39 to help.
June 27
I Kings 19:15-16, 19-21
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Luke 9:51-62
 3 THE EPISTLE
THE ELDERS ARE ASKING---
HAVE YOU SEEN ME? willingness to be the chairpersons for next
year evening circle. Thank you so very
I am a pottery Communion plate – 15” in much. Norma and Carol are asking that you
diameter with a brown mottled shiny glaze bring ideas for programs for the year 2010
and the words “This do in Remembrance of to 2011. Ideas and thoughts will be shared at
Me” etched around my outer rim. I went the picnic. See you there!!
missing around the beginning of February –
right before Ash Wednesday. I’m not where
I’m supposed to be- either in the Elders closet ENDOWMENT
or the Altar closet- and I’m not in the kitchen I heard on the radio a few minutes ago that
cupboards or the utility closet either. If you May is “National Make a Will Month.”
know where I am, would you please report my While I consider that a little hokey, I wanted
whereabouts to either Pastor Cedarleaf or to remind members of our congregation to
Elders Chair Toni Thompson? Thanks!!! consider leaving a legacy to your church via
your will.

Whether creating a new will, or revising

your current will, we hope you will consider
BOARD OF FAMILY MINISTRY a donation to the First Congregational
Sponsors Church Endowment Fund.
Graduation Sunday on June 13th
Nancy Keith
Chair, Endowment Committee
Join us on Sunday, June 13 to recognize
our six high school graduates. As a
congregation you have supported them
throughout their years at this church. Now MISSIONS CORNER
please help us as we celebrate their
achievements and pray for their new Missions held its final meeting of the 2009-10
endeavors. The graduates are Becky Allen, year last week and paid tribute to Dee Jackson,
Lydia Gruber, Amy Hamill, Kevin Jones, Beth Maybee and Gary Maybee for their
Mitch Meraw, and Marshall Strong. contributions to Missions during their terms.
Dee Jackson served as our treasurer, Beth
Maybee as our secretary and Gary as our
The Board of Family Ministry is hosting a
communications coordinator. We also reviewed
special coffee hour in honor of our graduates. our accomplishments during the past year and
realized that we had moved forward on many
fronts. We had established liaisons to all the
EVENING CIRCLE organizations we sponsor, developed guidelines
for giving, enhanced communications to the
Evening Circle’s last meeting of the year will congregation, sponsored Lenten community
be Monday, June 14, with our annual picnic. service projects, and maintained a host of
Location is Cathy Steffen’s house. Starting ongoing activities including Community
Dinners, Hillside Christmas Gift Giving,
time is 6:30pm. Please bring a dish to pass and
Perinton Food Shelf donations, Community
your place setting. A heartfelt thanks to Christmas
Norma Harrington and Carol Moran for their
 4 THE EPISTLE
Baskets, Habitat For Humanity (see more about heartfelt generosity to make our church’s
HH below), and helped out monthly at the Salem missions so successful. This generosity came
Nutrition Center. despite some dire economic times, not to
At the meeting we also decided to take on a new mention the financial needs of a new church
challenge by helping out the Salvation Army as it roof. I would also like to thank all the members
already is looking forward to the Christmas of the Board of Missions for their time and
Season. It will shortly be sponsoring its Christmas effort in making our year so successful. We say
in July program in which we have agreed to a sad good bye to Dee Jackson, Beth Maybee
participate. Stay tuned for more news about this and Gary Maybee and also extend a warm
endeavor. welcome to new members, Whetherly
Gharzzouzi, Eileen Slocum and Melissa
Each month we also spotlight one of our Tieslink. It has been my pleasure to have served
sponsored organizations. Randy Clark is this as Chairperson, and we look forward to another
month’s contributing writer and liaison to Habitat year of missions accomplished.
For Humanity. Many of you are probably familiar Ted Avgerinos, Chairperson
with Rochester’s Flower City Habitat For
Humanity which is part of a world wide effort. FAMILY NEWS
Habitat For Humanity (HH) is a non-profit
ecumenical Christian housing organization
building simple, decent, affordable housing in Mission Trip Update
partnership with people in need. HH has built over This summer 5 adults and 16 students will be
350,000 homes around the world, providing more headed back to Hurricane, WV to attend the
than 1.75 million people in 3,000 communities sixth annual Reach mission trip. In preparation
with safe, decent affordable shelter. there will be a MANDATORY meeting on
Sunday, June 13 following coffee hour. This
The Ecumenical Ministries of Perinton sponsors meeting is for students and parents. The
Perinton Contregations Habitat For Humaniity. participants will be receiving important
We are one of several faith-based groups in information regarding transportation, packing,
Monroe County which raises funds and recruits contact information, etc. Please notify Karen
volunteers to build homes for Flower City Habitat, Hamill if you are absolutely unable to attend in
a non-denominational Christian housing ministry order to schedule another meeting time.
welcoming people of all faiths to help eliminate
substandard and poverty housing in Rochester.
Flower City Habitat has built or renovated more
than 150 homes in Monroe County and is one of
the largest affiliates for HH International in the
northeastern United States.

The Perinton Congregations Habitat has built four

houses since 1998. The most recent house was
built in 2008. 114 volunteers worked 45 days to
complete Perinton Habitat’s portion of the work
on the house. The goal is to build the next house in Fairport Canal Days are June 4-6. As in past
2011. Each ranch style house cost approximately years, the mission trip participants will be using
$120,000 to build of which the Perinton the church parking lot for Canal Days parking.
Congregations donates $65,000. If you would like This is our biggest fund raiser of the year.
to help out with this next house, contact Randy There is a sign up sheet for working at Canal
Clark for more information. Days parking on the youth group bulletin board.
Reach participants and their parents are
In closing out this year, I would be remiss if I did encouraged to sign up and work. Call Brian
not thank the entire congregation for all of your Sherry with any questions.
 5 THE EPISTLE
COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEER
Confirmation Sunday is June 6 OPPORTUNITIES
Please join us in welcoming and
congratulating Sarah Hoover and Brianna PEACEMAKERS
Sherry as they are
confirmed on June Peacemakers is a summer experience for
6, 2010. They have children born before December 1, 2006 or
studied hard and not yet in kindergarten. It is a mixed-age
completed several developmental program of summer fun and
volunteer projects play for urban and suburban children with
this past year. Both an emphasis on peacemaking skills. Class
girls will also be size is limited to 18 children per session.
attending the Reach Workcamp Mission Trip There are two 2-week sessions:
for the third year this summer. Monday to Friday 9:00-11:30 am
Session 1: July 12-23
Session 2: July 26-August 6
Sessions take place at the Perinton Nursery
Church school classes will be on summer School which is located in the Mountain
break from May 30 – September 5. Classes Rise United Church of Christ, 2 Mountain
will resume on September 12. Nursery care Rise, Fairport.
will be offered all summer. Children’s Chapel Interested: Contact Suzanne Gangemi at
will also be offered all summer except May 223-2433
30, July 4, and September 5. Peacemakers is sponsored by Mountain Rise
United Church of Christ

Interested in an Interfaith League of

CALLING ALL GRADUATES! Co-Ed Softball?
If you are graduating
from high school or Bethlehem Lutheran Church is exploring the
college, we would like to possibility of getting one going. If you are
include your interested, please contact Jim Flanagan at
announcement in the 223-2129 or Jim.Flanagan@kraft.com.
church’s newsletter and
bulletin. Please submit
your name, where you
are graduating from and
a brief description of
what your future plans are. Please turn your
write-ups into the church office by June 7, 2010.
 6 THE EPISTLE
Volunteers Needed At Advent
House
CHURCH WOMEN UNITED
Event: Church Women United's June Program
and Picnic In The Park

"Human Rights and Wrongs for Women"

featuring speaker Julia Day, Regional Director of
NYS Division of Human Rights Advent House in Perinton is a hospice-type
home for people with a terminal prognosis of
three months or less, who for various reasons,
Date/Time: Friday, June 4, 2010, 9:30am to cannot be cared for at home. It is an alternative
12:30 pm Picnic lunch provided. to a hospital or nursing home. We provide a
peaceful and caring atmosphere where a
Place: Brighton Town Park, Carmen Clark Resident and their loved ones may spend their
Lodge , 777 Westfall Road last days together. Our support of the surviving
family continues for at least thirteen months.

There is a warm welcome for volunteers at

Advent House; without them we simply could
SAFE JOURNEY not operate. We hope you will consider joining
It's United Way Pledge Time again! Please us. Please review the various opportunities:
designate Safe Journey, United Way donor Resident Care -- Two volunteers per
designation #2326, on your employee pledge card shift care for our Residents as you would a sick
this year and your gift will support an outreach friend or loved one at home; giving total
ministry of our church that is helping women and physical and emotional care. We provide full
children break the cycle of domestic violence. training with backup support at all times.
Time commitment - one 4 hour shift- weekly or
Safe Journey is holding a Women's Wellness every other week; minimum one shift per
Event and "friend-raiser" at The Pitcher of Health, month. (Overnight shifts are 8 hours)
672 Pittsford-Victor Road, Bushnell's Basin on Bereavement -- Our Resident care-
givers "follow" close family members for at least
Thursday, May 27th from 7-8:30pm. Please join thirteen months after the death of their loved
us for an inspirational evening celebrating one.
women's health and healing and learn more about Housekeeping -- Presently we have
Safe Journey too. This fun and relaxing event will housekeepers, but we do need substitutes for
feature guest speakers discussing meditation and when they are on vacations.
bodywork, nutritional supplement and cosmetic Property--general maintenance, snow
product demos, lite refreshments, raffle prizes shoveling, lawn cleanup, outside maintenance,
(featuring jewelry and personal care/pampering etc.
Fundraising - Our GARAGE SALE is
products), and more. Bring a friend and get one
coming up (August 27 and 28), and we
free raffle ticket. Great fun for a great cause! will especially be needing strong help for
RSVPs appreciated.Call 425-1580. If you have furniture hauling from May through
any questions, please feel free to contact me. August (trucks are needed too). We also
There is no fee for attendance. Thanks in advance need sorters, carriers and generally
for your assistance! energetic people for the pre-sale weeks.
Alli O'Malley, Executive Director
585.425.1580, www.safejourney.org Thank you for your interest in Advent House.
Please or call us at 223-6112 visit our website
(theadventhouse.org) if you are interested in
becoming a volunteer.
 7 THE EPISTLE
OUR CHURCH FAMILY REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Congratulations to Barbara Eaton, Perinton Park Manor

newlyweds, Krista
LaVeck and Jay Charlotte Jackson, Fairport Baptist Home
Blanchard who were
Les Warren, Fairport Baptist Home
married at our church on
May 1st. Pastor John
Cedearleaf officiated.

NEXT EPISTLE’S
WELCOME TO THE NEW ARRIVAL!
Grace Emmeline Preston was born on May 2,
2010. She was welcomed by her happy
parents, Kathy and Chad Preston, and her
proud big brother, Evan. She is also the
granddaughter of Carole Preston.

Our Christian sympathy is extended to

William Cobb and his family with the passing
of his wife, Barbara
Cobb. She died on
May 14, 2010 at the
Fairport Baptist
Home. A memorial
service will be held
for her on May 28,
2010 at 2 PM at our
church.
Barbara was a long-time member of the First
Congregational Church, joining in 1937.