pray changes thingschurches.rca.org/brookville/newsletters/2017_04 website.pdf · so, let this be...
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connect with God, and we worship and serve the One True God.
So, let this be your invitation to join our growing Prayer Chain. The more people praying for the same needs, the more powerful our prayers. Just speak to me, if you have a desire to join us.
And here is a prayer we can all pray…
Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. I’m blessed because you are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and you keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day
for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for your forgiveness… (silent prayers of confession)
Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start tomorrow with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from you. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things of which I have no control. Let me continue to see sin through your eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive your forgiveness.
And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus’ example—to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It’s the best response when I’m pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can’t pray, you listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. And help me to always seek your will for my life.
In your name I pray, Amen.
Do you realize that one of the greatest privileges we have when it comes to our relationship with God is the privilege of prayer? The Creator God could have set things in motion and stepped back uninvolved with the creation, only to watch it flounder or grow on its own. God could have left us to our own devices, detached and uncaring toward a l l tha t God brought into being.
If you are a person of faith like me, you and I believe that God did not abandon God’s creation but rather is intimately connected to us. God desires for us to reach out and connect, to open our hearts, lives and minds to the wonders of the Lord and all God has in store for us. God longs for us to pour out our pain as well as our praise, adoration and thanksgiving. God wants to hear our prayers, wants us to lift others up in prayers of intercession for their needs.
Every church I have been involved with has had a Prayer Chain; a group of people who committed themselves to praying for the needs and requests of others and for the world. Brookville Church is no exception. The Elders and Deacons of the church are committed to praying for your needs and for the concerns of your loved ones. And the Prayer Chain has now grown beyond just the church, we have members of our Muslim community also praying for the requests that come in.
You see, Dr. Sultan’s wife, Safia, had to go on Dialysis recently and we began to pray for her. She and her husband were so touched by our prayers, they asked to join our Prayer Chain so they could return the favor and pray for those in the church who needed prayer. Soon, another member of the Muslim community joined. What a joy it is to have brothers and sisters of faith praying together for the same needs. Regardless of what religion we practice, we all long to
Prayer Changes Things
~Rev. Vicky
REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND, PASTOR [email protected]
2 BROOKVILLE ROAD BROOKVILLE, NY 11545
516-626-0414 [email protected] www.BrookvilleChurch.org Facebook: Brookville-Church-Multifaith-Campus
Where our doors are always open!
April 2017
Our Mission Statement: Brookville Church is a welcoming, friendly and heartfelt community who follows the teachings of Jesus; a message of love, acceptance, healing and hope. We affirm that all people are beloved children of God and therefore embrace any age, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic status, marital status, family configuration, physical or mental ability or education, and invite the full inclusion of all people into the life and ministries of Brookville Church. We believe diversity enriches our journey together in faith and propels us to an ever expanding understanding and experience of God.
Brookville Church News 2B
Palm Sunday April 9 - 10:00 a.m.
Children and Youth led Worship Celebration
Maundy Thursday April 13 - 7:00 p.m.
Communion service
Good Friday April 14 - 7:00 p.m.
A Tenebrae service led by the Adult Choir
Easter Sunday April 16- 10:00 a.m.
Resurrection Worship Celebration with Children's Easter Egg Hunt and Bunny Hop
following worship
Easter Egg Painting Workshop! April 8 from 3-6pm
Come join the fun! Contact Andrea Schimansky
Text: 646-436-6524 Email: [email protected]
Nassau-Suffolk Communion Breakfast Saturday April 8 at 10am
Community Reformed Church at Manhassett90 Plandome Road
Manhasset, NY
Guest MinisterReverend Anna Jackson
Queens Reformed ChurchRSVP by April 1 to:
Rev. Donna [email protected]
516-851-4383
Sunday, March 26, 2017 was a joyous day as we welcomed Carter Henry Scott and Hannah Lynn Botelho into our fellowship through the sacrament of baptism. Carter is the son of Shaun and Lindsay Scott and his cousin Hannah is the daughter of Tony and Heather Botelho. Both are grandchildren to Hank Surig. It was a blessing to celebrate this double baptism. Welcome to the family of God, Carter and Hannah!
Carter Henry Scott and Hannah Lynn Botelho Baptism
Women for Healing & Networking Dinner
Friday May 19, 2017 from 6-9pm
Come enjoy a delicious meal, share in fellowship, networking and meaningful conversation and address the divisiveness in our world, identifying where we can help and ways to inspire change. This program is open to all communities, races, ethnicities and religions to come and share their concerns and find solutions. The cost for dinner and program is $25.
The Congregational Church of Manhasset
1845 Northern Blvd. Manhasset, NY
RSVP To: Lesley Mazzotta [email protected] * 917-623-4554
Brookville Church News 3B
Dear Brookville Church,
I want to introduce myself and my work in Israel/Palestine. I am preceded and assisted in this work by my parents, Marlin and Sally Vis. They were the first Reformed Church in America (RCA) mission co-workers to Israel/Palestine. The ministry they d e v e l o p e d i s o n e o f reconciliation, discipleship, and advocacy. They lived in East Jerusalem and worked for
St. George’s College. Their focus was on bringing people to Israel/Palestine with the aim of teaching them about the Biblical stories, the history of the land, the archaeology, and the contemporary conflict. Outside of the nation of Israel, no nation has more influence and power in this conflict than the U.S.A. Therefore, educating Americans on this conflict is paramount.
Along with bringing groups to Israel/Palestine, my parents also ran a summer art and fitness camp in Bethlehem for Palestinian youth. It is all of this good work that I intend to continue and expand. Beyond the trips, my intention is to develop educational materials for churches on the history and critical issues of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. I hope to develop a number of short videos that focus on particular issues that are crucial for understanding the conflict.
Finally, the RCA will begin to discern how we, as citizens of the U.S.A. can begin to advocate for peace and reconciliation in Israel/Palestine on the global stage and in U.S. politics. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue and expand on the wonderful ministry my parents developed. Thank you for joining me in this effort, both through your financial support and your prayers.
Sincerely, Rev. Joshua VisChurch Engagement Facilitator for Israel/Palestine [email protected]
A Letter from Our Partner in Ministry Rev. Joshua Vis
Easter Sunday
April 16th
Remember to order your Easter lilies and/or
hyacinths by April 2nd. Call the church office:
516-626-0414.
If you would like to give financial support to our Partner in Ministry,
Rev. Joshua Vis, please contact Rev. Vicky:
There is an old radio advertisement that runs through my head about Hamm’s Beer—From the Land of Sky Blue Waters. It started out as a radio jingle in the early fifties and then was recognized on television with a dancing bear. I don’t drink beer, but the ad makes me recall everything that means Minnesota to me.
IN THE MIDDLE OF 10,000 LAKES The state auto license plates have boasted since 1950 this line on the top or bottom. It says 10,000 LAKES, but let’s get the story straight. There are 11,842 lakes. Most are natural lakes but several are the result of closed down man made iron ore pits that have filled with water and then had fish added by the Department of Fish and Game. Some commentaries say there are 15,000 lakes, if all of the ponds (less than 10 acres) are considered, simply because they were formed in the same manner as the larger lakes. Its lakes are the result of ancient glaciers ending there, leaving various explanations for the formation of the lakes. Even though I lived there, I couldn’t understand all of the details. The lore of the lakes that interests me most is their accessibility to people living in the towns. There are near 200 lakes within twenty miles of my home town and four hundred in the county. That makes plenty of reason and room to go fishing, and half of the state’s population has fishing licenses. Nearly all of my fishing was done in a rowboat, sometimes ours and sometimes a rented boat. There is one boat registered for every six people or about one million boats with and without motors. There are not many quiet pastimes as enjoyable as fishing on a lake—successful catching or not. However, this summer-time narrative hides the fact that there is another season for fishing. You think it’s a sport to gather food by drilling through thick ice and sitting all day waiting for it to swim by. Not quite so popular, but certainly enthusiastically undertaken, is ice fishing, whether in an ice house or standing on the open ice bundled up for whatever weather the day will bring. The fish have no idea what the temperature is above the icy sheet that covers their lake. There are some people on the Great South Bay who sail iceboats when the Bay is frozen over. That works where there is no snow to cover the ice, but in the Northland, other diversions are employed. Years ago, I remember driving the family car onto the ice, revving up the engine, then hitting the brakes and spinning round and round. The snow over the ice slowed us down, eventually. Now-a-days they have snowmobile races on the ice. There are four seasons in Minnesota: almost winter, winter, still winter, and Road Construction. The northern states and all of Canada claim some version of that mantra—such as: there are two seasons, winter and the Fourth of July. My brother and I grew up in a small town that afforded us a town beach where we learned to swim, and a boat ramp where we could water ski. As youngsters we enjoyed the lakes in the two primary seasons, summer and winter. Frankly, fishing wasn’t good the other times of the year. The frosty shackles of winter were broken in 1960 when Ski-Doo manufactured the first reliable, inexpensive and readily available snow machine. Nancy and I bought our first one in 1963. Winter can be a depressing dark time that drains the spirit. Rising above the cold takes an inner strength that was learned by the Eskimos (now Inuit), the Laplanders (now Sami) and some others. The cultures of people have been determined forcefully by weather. Now even the historic northland people are finding diversions that have softened the hardness of long winters. Snow machines replaced dog teams and reindeer sleighs for primary transport. Television fills the long dark hours. Winter is less hostile now, unless you just cannot stand snow and cold. For more mobile people who want to get away there is always I-95 and Florida. The Canadians, especially Nova Scotians, take two weeks to two months in Florida. The number of residents of our own border states who have vacation and retirement homes in Florida is awesome. In April the annual school break invites thousands of families to head south; we did it and others still do. Now that our family is grown, gone is the temptation to arrive in Florida after Easter, when it is still saturated by old folk, like we are now. But the weather is idyllic.
ReflectionsReflections
End Word:
Minnesota, how I love you Minnesota, I've been away too long How I miss your clean fresh air, your lakes and rivers too How I miss your Minnesota Blue
Branch Worsham
MEN ~ WITH WHISKERS ~ ‘NEATH THEIR NOSES ~ OUGHTA HAVE TO KISS ~ LIKE ESKIMOSES
Young adults need to be able to summarize their personal faith journey. They have their own walk with God and experience it in community with others. They should be able to articulate their faith, along with their desire to become a member of the Christian church. At the time of Confirmation there is an acknowledgement that the confirmand is now becoming an adult, claiming their own faith. This is a time for the young adult to acknowledge and thank both their parents and the faith community for helping raise them in the ways of God. If the young adult has not been previously baptized they will be baptized at the time of their Confirmation.
The Confirmation classes with the Reverend are intended to ground the students in the Reformed faith of Brookville Church and to give them an understanding of how the church operates. They will be studying the theological documents of the Reformed Church in America such as our various creeds and confessions which are all directly linked to the Bible. They will spend time learning about the structure of the church’s constitution and the roles of the Elder, Deacon and Minister. The format of the classes will be discussion as well as some reading and memorization between classes.
Some of the themes we will discuss in class are God’s grace and our response of gratitude. We will look at the idea of a Triune God: Creator, Son and Holy Spirit as well as talk about our two sacraments: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion).
Lastly, the students will learn how to live out their faith in the world and will write a statement of faith that they will share with the Board of Elders and at their time of Confirmation in front of the congregation of the church.
Classes are normally held on a few Sunday afternoons a month in the pastor’s study at the church from September through May. If you are interested in enrolling your young adult in Confirmation classes, please speak with Rev. Vicky Eastland. The average grade to go through Confirmation is 8th grade and classes are open to both Brookville Church and Interfaith Community families.
at Brookville Church: Exploring Christianity, the Reformed Church
and Personal Faith
Brookville Reformed Church 2 Brookville Road
Glen Head, New York 11545 Phone (516) 626-‐0414
Rev. Vicky L. Eastland, Pastor [email protected]
Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is known as the “Holiday of Freedom.” It commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan, which usually falls sometime in March or April. (This year corresponding to April 10-18.) Passover is regarded as the “birth” of the Jewish nation, and its lessons of struggle and identity continue to form the basis of
Jewish consciousness today. The holiday begins with a Seder (which means “Order”), a festive meal, and is designed to give each person the experience of “going from slavery unto freedom.” We read from the Haggadah, the special book which tells the Exodus story and recounts the Ten Plagues. We eat foods which are symbolic of slavery: matzah as the bread of affliction, salt water as the tears of oppression, bitter herbs as the harshness of slavery. We recline in our chairs to express our freedom. The youngest child asks Four Questions. We recite the prayer of thanksgiving and praise and end the Seder with the hope of “Next Year in Jerusalem!” By following the rituals and traditions of Passover, we have the ability to relive and experience the true freedom that our ancestors gained. Passover conveys four major concepts that enable us to lead successful and productive lives. They can be summarized in four words: memory, optimism, faith, and family. Memory links our past to our future. It turns history into destiny. Learning to treasure it is the first step in our climb up the ladder of greatness. Optimism opens all possibilities. The optimist believes that with God’s help, no difficulty is insurmountable. A tyrant like Pharaoh could be overthrown. Slaves could become free. The oppressed could break the shackles of their captivity. Anything is possible, if only we dare to dream. Faith in a personal God gives us faith in ourselves, faith in our future and faith in our ability to help change ourselves and the world. There is a Divine master plan. Faith is just God's way of choosing to remain anonymous. Faith is our way of listening. Family is central to Passover as we come together at the Seder to retell the story of slavery to freedom. Passover has also taught us that the way to heal the world is to begin with ourselves and with our own families. Children are our future. They are the ones who most require our attention. The home is where we first form our identities and discover our values. The highlight of Passover, the Seder, revolves around the children. The entire Haggadah is a response to the questions asked by the children. Passover requires the participation of the youth, and actually makes them the featured center of attention. My hope and prayer, at this season of the year, is that each of us, regardless of the path we choose to the “One Truth,” remembers that we were slaves and now we are free, and that we bring this message to one another, to our children and to our children’s children.
“If not now, when?” Rabbi Hillel (Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14)
With my best wishes for a Happy Passover,
~Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen
Brookville Multifaith Campus News 2M
Passover Reflections Passover is the holiday of freedom for all of G-d’s children and one of the three Biblical Festivals where we are commanded to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
When I was 19 years old, I had the good fortune to be chosen as one of 18 American students to study for a semester in Jerusalem. That 8 month experience changed my life and opened my spiritual eyes for the first time, giving me a real appreciation of the essence of life and freedom.
Our group traveled to Israel by boat on the SS Jerusalem leaving New York Harbor, crossing the Atlantic, navigating the Mediterranean and arriving in Haifa, Israel. On the night prior to our arrival in Israel, we sang and danced joyfully with other Americans who traveled with us on that transatlantic cruise ship. In the morning, we stood at the rail, side-by-side, with our new friends watching the sunrise over Haifa harbor as small boats came from the shore to greet us. Standing next to me was a couple my parents’ age who suddenly began to cry as they looked down at one of the boats that was approaching with two passengers in it. The man cried out, “There’s my brother!” And he wept. He told me that he had not seen his brother since they were separated on the Selection line entering Auschwitz. They had both survived and were being united for the first time since that terrible day years earlier. I was so moved that I wept with him.
During my time in Israel, I also played basketball for Hapoel Jerusalem, the team representing the city of Jerusalem in the Israel National Basketball League. Upon graduation from Brandeis University a year and a half later, I returned to Jerusalem to continue my studies at the Hebrew University and my basketball career at Hapoel Jerusalem. I had the good fortune to be selected as a member of the Israeli National basketball team which represented the country in international competition.
One of the most memorable experiences of my athletic and personal life came as a member of those teams. Prior to each game, I would line up on the foul line with my teammates, facing the other team, and our team captain would stand before us and recite the following Hebrew words: “Kvutzah, kvutzah, pa'am echad.” (Team, team, one time.)
We would respond with one word, “Dror!” (Freedom!)
Thus, we remembered and celebrated the hope and joy of freedom and found our motivation to play hard and win. For me, personally, each pregame chant brought back the memory of the man I had stood next to at the rail on the SS Jerusalem that day when he was reunited with his brother.
Passover is a time when we all need to stop, look, listen and feel, to remember our own personal special life moments of freedom. In that way, we will embrace the love and gratitude for the freedoms we share with our fellow brothers and sisters in our home, in our community, in our country and in our world.
May G-d bless all of His/Her children with freedom.
Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday) ~Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen
The Saturday Night Live Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the Brookville Church every Saturday night
at 9pm. (Coffee and cake starting at 8:30!) As one of Nassau County's oldest AA
groups, this meeting has been in existence for over 40 years. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, you are welcome to attend this meeting.
For more information, feel free to contact Carol B. at
(516) 428-0479
FRIDAY MAY 12 7:30-‐9 pm
Hey performers! Do you or anyone you know like to perform, but don't have a regular venue to show your stuff? Then come to the Common Grounds Open Mic!
We will have a mic and an amp, and Carol Goglia will be on hand to play for those who bring music. Refreshments will also be for sale, so come on down and see us, and bring a friend or two to enjoy the music!
Performers must arrive 15 -‐ 30 minutes before our 7:30 show time to add their name to a first-‐come first-‐served performer list.
No names will be taken before show date.
The stage is open to adults and children, so we ask that all performance material for this evening be family friendly!
Each performer will be asked to limit themselves to 3 selections, unless the list is so long we need to limit it to fewer (here’s hoping!)
Any questions? Want to help out? Email or call
Lisa Denison 516-‐695-‐1123 voice/text
See you there!
Brookville Multifaith Campus News 3M
Save the Date!
Peace Celebration April 30th at 3 p.m.
Brookville Multifaith Campus will be dedicating a new Peace Pole along with a
Day of Hope Prayer Service We hope you will join us!
Peace Poles: A Peace Pole is a monument that displays the message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in the language of the country where it has been placed, and at least three additional translations. Our Peace Pole is translated into Dutch to reflect our 285 year history with the Protestant Dutch Reformed Church, Hebrew to represent the Jewish members of our multifaith campus and in Arabic to reflect the Muslim members of our campus. We are proud to house not only the Brookville Reformed Church but also the Muslim Reform Movement Organization, The New Synagogue of Long Island, and The Long Island chapter of The Interfaith Community made up of Jewish/Christian families.
April Birthdays
Ginny Lyon - 2nd Matthew Flood - 2nd Roberta Boccio - 4th Justin Tawil - 10th
Shari Johanson - 15th Charles Mueller - 16th Rachel Worsham - 16th
Samantha Melendez - 16th Cara Schombs - 16th
Jacob Apat - 17th Lilian Monteleone - 19th
Joni Howe - 21st Matthew Gawley - 24th
Maddy Cirker - 29th Lila Racey - 30th
Brookville Multifaith Campus News 4M
Join the Muslim Reform Movement (MRMO) for Quran Studies in April! All are welcome!
Hosted by: Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed,
author of The Quran and the Life of Excellence
~Sunday, April 2 2:30pm
~Sunday, April 16 2:30pm
~Sunday, April 30 2:30pm
* The Lejman Family B’nai Mitzvah * Share with us on Friday, April 7, 2017 at the Brookville Church Sanctuary
Linda, Ken & Travis Lejman Oneg Shabbat to follow
www.newsynagogue-li.org
Get Inspired to Travel!
We live on such a beautiful planet and you deserve to see it! I’ve had a lifetime passion to discover the world around us; to absorb new cultures, foods, experiences. I also strive to make it possible for my clients to travel the world, to whatever destination they desire. My number one priority is making sure to design a trip suited to your exact needs. Travel can ignite new interests and bring to light our need for adventure, beauty,
relaxation or the simple need for quality time with friends and family away from the daily grind.
Not only do I love to travel and help design trips for others to enjoy, I also love my church and the multifaith community at Brookville. Because of that love, if you book your next trip or vacation with me, I will gratefully and proudly donate 10% of my earnings to the Brookville Church and Multifaith Campus!
To find out more or to book your trip, please call or email me. I can’t wait to send you to the destination of your dreams and help our faith community at the same time!
Valerie Ritacco Power Travel International
Cell: (516) 458-7868 [email protected]
Love At Every Step from the poem “The Cry of the Soul”
by Rukhsana Anwar member of the Muslim Reform Movement Organization
We are but drops of the same fountain of divine beauty, we are but waves on the great river of love. We are diverse blossoms in the Garden of the Lord,
who have gathered in the same valley of Light. We who dwell on this earth
belong to one humanity; There is but one God, and we are his children. Let us march forth to overcome the storms of strife; Let us march forth to Light the
lamp of universal Love. Let the lotus of renewed aspirations blossom in our hearts, and let those long divided
embrace one another. If love once again is rekindled within our breasts, this life
of ours will recover its beauty and youth. How long can the darkness of strife envelop the earth? The human
spirit will soon awaken and the light of the day shall illumine every heart.
Special Musical Theatre Production you won’t want to miss!
We are thrilled to announce the first Brookville Multifaith Campus fundraising event!
OY FATHER
The musical love story of our own Jewish Woman Cantor (Irene) and Catholic Priest (Bill)
Written by: Bill McBride, Music by: Irene Failenbogen
MAY 7, 2017
3 PM The play will be performed in our sanctuary along with a silent auction. Proceeds will go toward shared expenses of running our multifaith campus, with a portion of the ticket sales going to Bill and Irene.
TICKET PRICE: $25.00 Purchase by calling:
(516) 626-‐0414
Checks are to be written to: Institute for Personal Religion Inc.
Silent Auction Items Available