THE OPEN DOOR

The Briarcliff Congregational Church 30 South State Road, PO Box 290, Briarcliff Manor, New York 10510

914-941-4368 www.briarcliffchurch.org

“Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” Revelation 3:8

Volume 66 Number 4 December 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Notes from Fimi 2

Seasonal Cheer/Caroling 2

Moderator’s Report 3

Advent Devotionals 3

Trustees’ Report 3

Vitality Cluster 4

Women’s Society Report 5

From Christian Ed 6

Tribute to Barbara Rink 7

Celebrations 8

December Calendar 9

Dear Good People of Briarcliff Church,

A couple of weeks ago I was shopping at Sam’s Club where boxes of brightly

colored stuffed animals, obviously meant for the holidays, caught my eye.

Finding them winsome and thinking, “I’ll get a jump on the season,” I bought

two, a purple polka-dotted monkey and a turquoise polka-dotted dog. They’re

destined for the Ossining Prison Ministry (a beneficiary of our Giving Tree),

which passes gifts on to inmates at Sing Sing who, thereby, will have something

to give their children if they come to visit Dad at Christmas. For the time being,

however, the monkey and dog rest opposite my office desk, attracting the

attention of any who visit.

At first, these silly creatures represented a task I could cross off my “to-do” list.

I hoped purchasing them in advance would contribute in a small way to easing

that sense of seasonal pressure that always builds within me when Advent

begins: “I have SO MUCH TO DO and SO LITTLE TIME TO DO IT!” To my

surprise, however, rather than shoring up my confidence in my ability to

manage, organize and accomplish, these toys have reminded me instead of

Jesus’ teaching, “If you … know how to give good gifts to your children, how

much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask

him!” (Matthew 7:11) In other words, if I, with my tendency to distraction and

over thinking, anticipate and provide for the needs of children visiting in Sing

Sing this season, how much more will God anticipate and provide for my

needs? All that’s required, Jesus assures, is that I ask, search, knock.

It’s the seeking - asking, searching, knocking - that the season of Advent

encourages. Such activity is what the discipline of anticipation is all about,

opening and aligning us, as it does, with God’s intent such that we grow

increasingly able to recognize and embrace God’s gracious provision and

meaning for our lives.

You may not need stuffed, polka-dotted animals to remind you of this.

Sometimes, especially in times of busyness and stress, I do. I suspect, therefore,

when it comes time for these gifts to go under the tree and eventually to those

continued, page 2

SAVE THESE DATES

December

4 Women’s Society Greens

Prep and luncheon

5 Greening of the

Church & Holiday Party

11 Holbrook Cottage Sale

13 Caroling at FCC

16 Cookie Packing

18 Men’s Group Xmas Dinner

22 Christmas Pageant

24 Christmas Eve Worship

January

5 Epiphany Brunch

9 Women’s Society degreen

27 Church Council

Contact Us At:

rosborough@

briarcliffchurch.org

AND

church-office

@briarcliffchurch.org

2

for whom they’ve been prepared, I’ll miss their

cheery company and the good news they’ve borne:

God knows our needs and provides; in such

surprising ways, in fact, as to appear in flesh,

resting in a manger.

I’m hoping, praying, wishing yours is a rich

Advent, made meaningful by the discipline of

anticipation and the sort of spiritual seeking that

Jesus commends.

In the joy and promise of Advent,

the Rev’d Dr. Bonnie Rosborough, Pastor

NOTES FROM FIMI

Our Holiday Choir began rehearsing on Nov. 3rd.

It’s going really well, our number totals 18 with 5

members from our Senior Choir. Besides several

from our congregation, we have singers from

different churches. We thank Peter Frost for

directing this choir, and the music committee for

providing luncheon every week prior to the

rehearsals.

We have some special music planned for the

advent/Christmas season. On December 15th, the

music for our worship service will start with an

Octet singing “Song of Mary” by Brahms as an

introit, and the Holiday Choir will sing “In the

Bleak Midwinter” arranged by Bertalot. Then they

will be joined by the Senior Choir in singing

“Angels’ Carol” by J. Rutter, and conclude the

service with a Swedish carol, “Wonderful Peace”

by Norqvist as the Benediction response. Don’t

miss this opportunity to hear 35 choristers in our

sanctuary singing beautiful Christmas music.

Bring your family, neighbors, and friends to this

special Sunday.

On 12/22, the Senior Choir will sing a joyful

anthem “Shepherds’ Carol” by J. Miller. Karen

Sharman and Kathy Browning will play some

Christmas music on guitar and dulcimer. It’s

always a treat to hear their special music every

year.

The Children are busy rehearsing also. The

Cherubs will sing on 12/8, the Junior Choir will

sing for the Pageant on the 22nd, and in the early

service on Christmas Eve. The Candlelight service

at 11PM will include two choral anthems by the

Senior Choir, a solo by Kathy Browning, and a

Dulcimer/Guitar duet. Connor Frost will be on the

trumpet for both services.

I wish you all a blessed Advent/Christmas season.

Fimi

AN EVENING OF SEASONAL CHEER,

6 December

The Briarcliff Congregational Church prepares for

Christmas in a variety of ways. One of the most

special involves “greening the church,” that is,

decorating the sanctuary; which, this year, will be

done on Friday, 6 December, beginning at 7:30

p.m. The effort is then followed by a party at the

Pastor’s home (the Manse), right next door. The

Women’s Society prepares the decorations for the

sanctuary and volunteers from the congregation

arrange them. The party is potluck. Enjoy the

whole evening, or participate in part of it. Anyone

able to help organize the after-party is invited to

contact Dave Gasparik.

CAROLING WITH FIRST

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH,

CHAPPAQUA

BCC has been invited to join our friends at the

First Church in Chappaqua on Saturday, 14

December, 8:00 – 9:30 in the evening (note the

change from Friday, 12/13, which has been

previously announced). Following the experience

of the enjoyable cook-out our two churches shared

in August, this is a “getting to know you” occasion

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of holiday festivity, caroling and Congregational

fellowship. BCC’s to bring appetizers and non-

alcoholic beverages. FCC will provide desserts,

wine and eggnog. For the purposes of planning,

please RSVP to the BCC church office by 12/11.

MODERATOR’S REPORT

I enjoyed our second Council meeting on

November 18 when we heard about the current

plans for our Youth Group and our Christmas

outreach as we move toward Advent Season. I

remind you that all are welcome to attend Council

meetings.

Elsewhere in this issue you will see a lovely

“Thank You” note from the Westchester Chinese

Christian Church, which has been worshiping in

our Sanctuary on Sunday afternoons for 2 ½ years.

I have been reminiscing about their first visit to

see us in the spring of 2011 when Joan Austin,

Dave Gasparik and I took them on a tour of our

facility. They needed a space for worship on a

temporary basis while the church they were

sharing was renovated. Our first contract was for

six months. Because our facility suited them so

well, you were all so welcoming and our other

renters were so accommodating, we were pleased

to have them with us a great deal longer. It will

seem a little quiet around here on Sunday

afternoons now.

Respectfully Submitted,

Beverly Aisenbrey, Moderator

ADVENT DEVOTIONAL AVAILABLE

The Board of Deacons suggests “Behold, Advent

Devotionals, 2013” can stimulate and guide your

spiritual life during the season before Christmas.

“Behold” is produced by the United Church of

Christ and reflects the work of The Stillspeaking

Writers’ Group, a collection of UCC clergy and

authors who collaborate on a variety of projects

“for people in the church, outside the church, and

not so sure about the church.” It is a collection of

fresh daily meditations that will help us keep “the

reason for the season” before us. “Behold” will be

available in the back of the sanctuary on the First

Sunday of Advent, December 1. Pick one up, kick

in a few dollars to help defray the cost (if you can),

and, if you’d like to be part of an on-line

discussion group of BCCers reflecting on the daily

message, sign up!

REPORT FROM THE TRUSTEES

The BUDGET with a possible deficit of about

$20,000 has been the big, difficult Trustee business

this month. It is not easy to contemplate.

Thankfully, we had good reports from the

Benevolence liaison (volunteering at the Food

Bank in Elmsford in 2014), the Investment

committee, and from Treasurer Sally Lewis.

Received from

Westchester Chinese Christian Church

Dear BCC Congregation Members:

On behalf of WCCC board and WCCC

congregation, I would like to express our sincere

thanks to your Church's hospitality for allowing us

to use your facilities during last two and half years.

During our stay at BCC, we have been blessed by

God abundantly, we worshiped and had fellowship

here and felt that this is our home. On Oct. 25th, by

God’s grace, we completed the process of purchasing

a church building facility of our own in Armonk.

We are now currently planning to move to our own

church building in Armonk at the end of November,

right after our annual Thanksgiving Dinner and

Testimony at BCC.

Again, thank you for everything during our stay at

BCC.

God Bless,

Heyi Li

Chairman, WCCC Board

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The not so good news was from our insurance

company: that our premiums will be up

dramatically for 2014. Buildings and Grounds

announced the hiring of David Pecor to ensure

maintenance items for all three buildings are kept

up-to-date. We continue to evaluate the costly

expansion of the handicap entrance at the rear of

the church; Buildings and Grounds committee is

consulting with Bill Sharman and Briarcliff village

engineers.

Rentals are an important part of our income and

we have had a good number of inquiries and hope

for more usage of the facilities. The Hudson River

Potters were well received in November, and we

have the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra

Messiah Sing-Along in the sanctuary on Sunday

afternoon, 8 December, 3 - 5 pm along with a dress

rehearsal the Wednesday evening before. The

congregation is invited to join Kristen Riolo’s class

for Fit Moms. She calls it Bootcamp Fitness Class

for Moms and it is boot camp since the class runs

from 5:30 - 7 a.m.!! in Beebe Hall, Wednesday and

Friday mornings. She welcomes new members.

The last worship service and dinner for the

Westchester Chinese Christian Church will be

Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. We are grateful for

their exceptionally good use of our facilities these

several years and wish them God’s continued

blessings at their new location in Armonk.

The Trustees recommended to Church Council

that the Thanksgiving offering be dedicated to the

repair of the church bell tower and that the

Christmas offering be dedicated to Capital Projects

with suggestions from Church Council.

Back to the budget, we thank the Stewardship

Committee, consisting of Patrick Martin and three

Toms: Ruffing, Myers and Post who have worked

efficiently to give us their target for pledges -

enjoyed their mailing with the great photos!

They’ve help us toward a discussion of

stewardship, celebrating various programs during

Moments of Concern at worship each Sunday.

Commitment Sunday was November 17. As we

now approach Advent and Christmas, it is our

hope that we all will continue to prayerfully

consider our gifts to God and His church here in

Briarcliff.

Your Trustees,

Barry Bosak, Carol Mickel, Kevin Beicke,

Anita Eddy, Dave Gasparik, John Reese,

Karen Sharman, Henrietta Porter, Robyn Wild

BCC TO PARTICIPATE IN

UCC MINISTRY VITALITY CLUSTER

The New York Conference, UCC, of which BCC is

a part, has invited us to participate in a program

dedicated to parish revitalization, Ministry Vitality

Clusters; and our Board of Trustees has authorized

the cost of our participation, expecting the

experience will enhance our long term, strategic

planning. Ministry Vitality Clusters are offered in

partnership with The Epicenter Group, an

organization led by Paul Nixon, author of I Refuse

to Lead a Dying Church, a book some at BCC read

together some seasons ago. The clusters,

comprised of clergy and lay leaders, assist

congregations “in selecting, planning and

achieving ministry goals for the vitality” of their

parishes by providing assessment and

development coaching. This exciting initiative

will begin in January.

Many thanks to all

who have contributed to our

collection of Box Tops for

Education. There are containers in the church

entry and in the Parish House kitchen. Keep those

box tops coming! Our grandchildrens' schools

thank you! Carol Mickel and Rosalie Matsuoka.

WOMEN’S SOCIETY REPORT

The Women’s Society’s November 16 craft

workshop was a huge success with 30 women

learning how to use hot wax and fabric paint to

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create beautiful silk scarves. Jan Aiello, our

resident artist, is an amazing teacher and we thank

her for her generous sharing of knowledge.

Rumor has it that she is already thinking about

next year’s project. Whatever it is, I am sure it will

be great fun and beautiful.

At an abbreviated business meeting beforehand,

we voted to send $250 to Friends of Karen to help

in their Christmas drive to bring presents to

children and their families suffering devastating

illnesses.

The last date that we can accept orders for

Christmas poinsettias is Sunday, December 15.

This is a lovely way to remember friends and

families either as a memorial or to give thanks.

The sanctuary will be beautiful in part because of

your generosity.

The Women’s Society Advent schedule includes:

Thursday, Dec. 5 – 10:00 Greens prep and 12:00

luncheon. Contact Carol Mickel about what you

can bring to round out the luncheon. Everyone is

welcome.

Friday, December 6 – 7:30 Greening of the

sanctuary. Come and lend a hand.

Monday, December 16 – 7:30 Cookie Packing at

Valerie Nelson’s home. Please bring 3 dozen

cookies, preferably homemade, to be packed in

holiday bags and given to church friends and

families needing a bit of extra cheer at this time of

year.

Wednesday, December 11 – 7-8:30 p.m. Shopping

at Holbrook Cottage in downtown Briarcliff. A

portion of all sales will be donated to BCC and the

Women’s Society. We need at least 15 attendees so

please mark your calendars. Beautiful shop,

lovely people, and refreshments. It will be worth

coming out for on these so black nights.

Emails will be sent out with more details about

these events. Contact Janet Moulton if you’re not

on the Women’s Society email list.

AND a new project is being organized by Kim

Ruffing. Watch for exact details but basically it

involves knitting or crocheting 8 inch squares in

any yarn to be made into blankets for Syrian

refugee children in Turkey.

We hope everyone has a lovely Christmas.

Knitting Squares for Refugees

The Women's Society has decided to participate in

a grass roots project that provides knitted blankets

for Syrian refugee children living in Turkey and

Jordan. Kim Ruffing came across this organization

through a knitters' forum and has been in touch

with the leader of LILY - Love In the Language of

Yarn. To date her group has delivered 7000

blankets to the camps in Turkey.

Here's what to do to help: knit 8" squares and give

them to Kim by Dec. 15th. She will send them to

other volunteers who will stitch them into

blankets. You can use any yarn; it is a great way to

use up bits and pieces of left-overs. Any questions,

call or email Kim at tkruffing@gmail.com. Let's

gather a BIG package of squares to send!

The Women’s Society of BCC is sponsoring

A Night of Shopping!! Wednesday, December 11 from 7-8:30pm

Holbrook Cottage

1253 Pleasantville Road

Briarcliff Manor 10% of all items purchased that evening, including

gift baskets for future delivery,

will be donated to BCC!! Invite your friends to

participate in a unique fundraising event!

Gentlemen also welcome!!

Refreshments will be served!

RSVP by December 4 to

Helen Buerger at 914-552-3975 or

coopbuerger@aol.com

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“Breaking The Chains” - a reentry program

“Love God and change the world”, words of

challenge from Marcus Borg come to mind,

looking back on our participation in the Breaking

Chains program last week. We were part of a

group of people who wanted to help change the

world and serve those in our area who would

benefit from a reentry program after incarceration.

Bonnie gathered us together to plan our hosting an

evening for the group at the First Presbyterian

Church in Ossining. We came away from that

evening on a high; it was truly a rewarding

experience working with this group of dedicated

people. We cooked big dishes of ziti, made sauce,

prepared bowls of salad, warmed garlic bread,

and baked wonderful desserts along with doing

setup with decorations, take-down, and lots of

dishes. It was particularly exciting to see the cute

gingerbread cut-out cookies and brownies which

BCC’s 4th graders had baked and sent along with

beautiful and touching notes to the mentors and

mentees, wishing them well! It was one of the high

points of a great evening!

Jill Benzenberg, Kathy Kelly, Carol Mickel,

Drea and Dave Pecor, Robyn Wild, Sara Yergeau

Thank You, Briarcliff

Congregational Church!

We had a very successful Food Drive,

for the month of November. Our donation was

received by St. Ann's of Ossining, where the food

was packed into Thanksgiving gift baskets for

families in need. On behalf of St. Ann's, the

Christian Education and Benevolence Committees

- thank you for putting food onto the tables of our

neighbors.

ADVENT PLANS for the Church School

For the last several years, it has been our practice

to gather the church school children and their

teachers not in the sanctuary at 10 a.m. but in

Beebe Hall in order for the youngsters to enjoy a

time of caroling together as the Christmas story is

taught incrementally through the Advent season.

This is a special time for our Church School; and

while we miss them being with the adult

congregation, we find the special, seasonal focus

to be a valuable as our children learn and practice

the traditions of Protestant Christianity. This year

an exception is being made on 1 December when

we’ll be in the sanctuary and the whole

congregation acknowledges the many blessings

(and conclusion) of Barbara Rink’s tenure as

Church School Director.

FROM THE CHRISTIAN ED

COMMITTEE

Advent Craft Fair Sunday

This year’s Advent Craft Fair will take place on

Sunday, Dec 1, following worship. We'll serve a

light brunch and have about a dozen crafts for the

children of the church and their friends to work

on. They'll be making Christmas tree ornaments

and small gifts for Christmas. Please plan on

attending with your whole family and think about

inviting your neighbors and their children.

Christmas Pageant

This year's Christmas Pageant will take place on

Sunday Dec. 22, following worship. We will serve

brunch in Beebe Hall and at noon we will return to

the sanctuary for the Christmas Pageant. Please

look for the signup sheet in Beebe Hall after

Thanksgiving. We need to fill the roles of Mary,

Joseph, Ephraim and the animal puppets and we

will also need LOTS of shepherds and angels.

Church School News

Barbara Rink in stepping down as Church School

Director. She leaves the Sunday School operating

smoothly and in fine shape and we thank her for

many many years of devoted service. John

Panagacos has volunteered to serve as acting

Church School Director until we fill the position

permanently.

7

Coat Drive Success!!

Once again, our BCC coat drive was a wonderful -

and warm- success! We collected about 70 coats

for children, women and men which we delivered

to IFCA in Ossining. The social worker at IFCA

was enormously appreciative of our donation and

wanted everyone at BCC to know that we have

made a tangible difference in the lives of many.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, generous

people of BCC!

A TRIBUTE TO BARBARA RINK –

THE MITTEN CRADLE

It was with a mixture of thanksgiving and regret

that we received the news in September Barbara

Rink would be stepping away from her role as

Church School Director when the liturgical year

ended: This meant as of Advent One (December

1st this year). Barbara, an experienced, passionate

and gifted educator, has guided our Church

School for seven years. And we are hugely

thankful for her ministry in our midst.

As a way to honor Barbara for her tutelage in our

Church School, we are helping in her other

position of teaching: She is a much loved and

unusually dedicated teacher of first graders in

Ossining who, winter after winter, supplies many

of her students with mittens, hats and scarves

when they come to school without them in the

cold weather. We, therefore, are gathering these

items for her to disburse in the generous and

joyous way she does in that setting.

A wooden cradle will provide a collection site on

Sundays through the Advent/Christmas season.

Parishioners are invited to fill the cradle with

warm accessories for first graders, both as a way

of saying “Thank you” to Barbara and also

“paying” our debt to her “forward.”

There’s also a nice tie-in about welcoming a

certain baby in a certain manger, needing

swaddling clothes, that we’ll be remembering

these Sundays, too. Hummmmmm….

GLORY HALLELUJAH!

Hail, Mary - Catholics have long revered her, now

Protestants are finding their own reasons to celebrate

the mother of Jesus. This March 21, 2005 headline on

TIME cover may be viewed on the internet. It

arrived in our mailbox a day or so after our Lord

Jesus woke me up one morning saying, “Honor My

Mother,”

For two years Jesus’ heart changing words were

told in my author presentations. Then one day in

2007, while speaking at a teacher’s conference the

Holy One whispered again. “Tell them about my

Mother!” Promptly I repented of omitting Mother

Mary, then obeyed the heavenly voice.

Since then my early mornings with Jesus, and by

studying various Bible translations, more and

more is being revealed. All of the sufferings of the

woman that brought forth Emmanuel for mortals

may be found within the Scriptures.

If anyone desires to learn, read and believe what

Jesus says in John 15:7 NKJV - “If you abide in Me,

and My words abide in you, you will ask what you

desire, and it shall be done for you.”

Minister Gloria Pinkney

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8

CELEBRATIONS

If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things,

and again with things; if we consider

ourselves so unimportant that we must fill

every moment of our lives with action,

when will we have the time to make the long,

slow journey across the desert as did the

Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the

shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the

child as did Mary? For each one of us, there is

a desert to travel. A star to discover. And a

being within ourselves to bring to life.

Author Unknown

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas

to our friends:

Evelyn Aszmus December 18

Tom Vincent December 22

Ann Munier December 23

Marjorie Paddock December 29

CHRISTMAS OFFERING DEDICATED TO AUDIO ENHANCEMENT

In its November meeting the Church Council, on a recommendation by the Trustees,

decided that the Christmas Offering 2013 will be dedicated to a capital project.

The Trustees have now further refined the project: We will be investigating and investing

in improvements to the audio system in the sanctuary so those hearing-challenged can

better participate in corporate worship. This is an exciting project

which will enhance the acoustic experience in the sanctuary for everyone,

and it’s hoped the congregation will support it generously.

BRIARCLIFF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

TEL: 914.941.4368 FAX: 914.941.1513 EMAIL: church-office@briarcliffchurch.org

DECEMBER 2013

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

WORSHIP 10 a.m.

Peanut Butter

Advent Craft Fair, 11 a.m.

Giving Tree tags available

2

3

Benevolence

8 p.m.

4

Deacons

7:30 p.m.

5 Women’s Society

Greens Prep

& Luncheon

10 a.m.

Senior Choir

Rehearsal, 8 p.m.

6

Greening of Church

7:30 p.m. followed

by party at

the Manse

7

8 WORSHIP 10 a.m.

Holiday Choir, 12:15

Messiah Sing-Along,

3 p.m.

Giving Tree tags available

9

10

Ladies’ Lunch

at FCC, 12:45 p.m.

$5/person

11

Holbrook Cottage

Sales Event

7-8:30 p.m.

12

Senior Choir

Rehearsal, 8 p.m.

13

14

Caroling at FCC

7:30 p.m.

15 WORSHIP 10 a.m.

Holiday Choir Sings!

Giving Tree tags collected

16

Cookie packing

at Val Nelson’s

7:30 p.m.

Trustees, 7:45 p.m.

17

18

Men’s Group

Christmas Dinner

19

Senior Choir

Rehearsal, 8 p.m.

20

21

22 WORSHIP 10 a.m.

Christmas Pageant, noon

23

24

WORSHIP FOR

CHRISTMAS EVE

5:30 p.m.

and 11 p.m.

25

CHRISTMAS

DAY

26

27

28

29 WORSHIP 10 a.m.

No Sunday School

30

31

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Coming in January 2014

Epiphany Brunch, Jan 5

De-greening of the Church, Jan 9

Church Council meeting, Jan 27

9

BRIARCLIFF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL

FLOWERS 2013

IF YOU WISH TO HAVE LOVED ONES REMEMBERED

AT CHRISTMAS, OR GIVE THANKS TO GOD

FOR THE JOY OF LIFE, PLEASE FILL IN DETAILS BELOW.

Person(s) making the donation:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

I wish to have the following person(s)

remembered at the Christmas services:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

I would like:

______ Red poinsettias at $20 each ___________

______ White poinsettias at $20 each ___________

Total ___________

Please make checks payable to BCC Women’s Society

and return this form to the church office,

along with your payment, no later than December 15, 2013.

You may pick up your plant after Christmas.