March 2006 - THE HERALD

FREEDOM PLAINS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Non-Profit Org.

Post Office Box Four Hundred

LaGrangeville, New York 12540 U.S. Postage

P A I D

"RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED" Newburgh, NY

Permit No. 4003

STAFF:Rev. Paul D. Lent, PastorRev. Heather Finck, Parish AssociateDenise Bassen, Music DirectorSusan Walsh, Administrative AssistantLinda Jacobs & MaryAnn Russo, Co-Directors of Sunday School.Bonnie Biskup, Parish NurseKevin Coyne, SextonKatherine DeFiglio, Junior Choir DirectorDonna Logan & Em Jorgenson, Bell Choirs

THE HERALD

Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church

Founded 1827 MARCH, 2006

From the Pastor's Desk

Dear Friends,

When I was a child, I had a pet hamster named Nutmeg. Nutmeg liked to go around and around on the little wheel inside the habit-trail. You know, the wheel where hamsters can run in place and never go anywhere. The funny thing was that she never learned how to stop. After running and running, going faster and faster, she would slow down just enough that she found herself going backwards, eventually ending up upside down. Then, suddenly, she would just fall down! It was funny to watch and she did it time and time again. One would have thought that she would have eventually, found the way, but it never happened. I am reminded of this, because we once again have arrived at the season of Lent. The wheels that we are running on, keep moving also. It seems clear to me that too many of us think we only have two choices also. Either go faster and faster or fall off. But, there is another way. The essence of the season of Lent is a period of preparation for "New Life" at Easter. Lent offers us the opportunity to step off the wheel and see the bigger picture. As we seek to find ways to connect to God in our lives, we are connecting to the way that does not lead us into cycles, but leads us onto a path that brings us to life and life abundant. Lent is a season that tries to teach us the lesson that Nutmeg never learned… There is another way!

I have a few suggestions to remind us this season:

1. Read one chapter of the Gospel of Mark, followed by the Gospel of Luke everyday during Lent. This will give you forty chapters, which will prepare you to connect to God in a powerful way when Easter arrives.
2. Attend Church. Set apart an hour from the rest of the week to worship God. An hour may not seem like a lot of time, but it will make such a difference.
3. Join us for our FPP Day Long Spiritual Retreat. It will be held on Saturday, April 1st from 1:00 – 2:00. It will be a time of refreshing in preparation for Easter and lunch will be provided. Please call the church office @ 452-0684 to confirm your attendance, or sign up at the bulletin board.

   Maybe you can commit to all of the above three things, maybe you can do only one. The bottom line is this – do something to break out of the routines and habits that keep us going faster and faster without ever getting anywhere!

   I invite you to make this Lent your season of perspective and growth in Christ.

   Peace,

   .

   PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

   WOMEN'S RETREAT – will be held at Holmes, March 31st thru April 1^st.

   Rev. Heather Finck will lead us in the topic of Mothers & Daughters. Whether your mother is alive or not; whether you have a grown daughter or no daughter, our conversations will touch the heart. We will explore mother-daughter communication and look at the building blocks in creating a sacred legacy of physical and emotional health. Volunteers are needed to assist with an afternoon activity. If you can help, please contact Sally Kemink @ 473-4070.

CALENDER GIRLS, MAY 6

We are still in need of a few hostesses to decorate a table and prepare a dessert for 8 guests.

The jazz group, The Mockingbirds, will entertain us with music which includes songs from Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and Miles Davis, to name a few. Elaine Miller, Ray Thielke and Dan Marx from this talented trio. They have studied with such greats such as Dave Samuels and Ernest Murquiz. The combination of piano, vibes, percussion and bass are guaranteed to get your feet tapping. In addition, our own Nancy Auffarth, a talented singer who worked on and off Broadway for years, will join them singing a few songs.

If you have any questions or are interested in getting more information about Calendar Girls, please contact Jennifer Barry at 473-5421.

HEALTH MINISTRY

Bonnie Biskup – Parish Health Nurse

Office Hours - 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM–12:30 PM or to schedule an appointment, please call Bonnie @ 724-5631. B/P Screening – Sundays, ongoing.

Bulletin Board – Extra info by bulletin board and in Fellowship Hall.

"Stomp Out Stroke" – On two types of stroke – risk factors, prevention.

"Winter Blues" – help for mild blues to Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD)

"Flu" – preventing contagious diseases, knowing flu from colds.

Care notes – on emotional and spiritual health in Fellowship Hall & Narthex

Prayers for Comfort and Healing – Mary Best, Karen & Mike Benson, Maureen Cavanaugh, Eileen Doherty, Emily Johnson, Tammy Maier, Karen (Peterson family) Diane Soyka, Mary Moody, Devin Resler, Trevor - (Strafella family), Thomas Wardell, and Edward VanEtten.

.

MISSION

EARTH STEWARDS – Check out our table in Fellowship Hall the First Sunday of each month. In February, the display covered easy New Year's Resolutions for restoring the environment such as buying rechargeable batteries, stopping catalogues and junk mail delivery, supporting Dutchess Rail Trail, and purchasing wind power. The March table will look at water issues.

LUNCHBOX – We will be serving at the Lunchbox on Sunday, March 19. (Preparation of food is March 18 @ 8:30 AM). Your help is needed for donations of meat, vegetables, cornbread, brownies and mixed fruit compote. Please sign-up at the bulletin board. If you have any questions, you may contact Marie Coyne at 635-8619 or Melissa Haras at 849-1513.

ANNUAL LENTEN BREAKFAST MTGS. –Beginning, March 1 through April 12 (every Wednesday) at 7:00 AM. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board for volunteers to assist with guest speakers, breakfast preparation and clean-up. All are welcome!

MEMORIAL EASTER LILIES - If you would like to order memorial lilies for Easter, please do so by submitting the enclosed form along with your check. Orders need to be received by April 2^nd.

EASTER DINNER – We need volunteers to coordinate our Easter Dinner for the community, which will be held on April 16 at 1:00. It is a wonderful experience and most of the dinner is already available in the church freezer. Please contact call Jill Edmonds @ 473-3998.

HOMELESS SHELTER – Imagine being outside in this winter cold with no place to sleep. Imagine meeting those people who endure the cold and offering them a warm meal and bed for the night. That is the commitment we've made for the 4^th Wednesday of each month. Please call The Widera's @ 677-4316 or use the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board to volunteer an evening of your time to cook or serve dinner for the homeless in our area.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING – PCUSA has a special offering during Lent, which has been in place since the end of WWII. Funds raised support Self-Development of People and Disaster Relief. Learn more during Messages for Mission at church and give generously to help allay the world's thirst for water and caring, committed Christians.

.

LIBRARY NOTES

Coming soon to your church library – The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe! If you haven't seen this worthwhile and popular film yet, you may want to borrow it from our library. The film may very well spark interest in the book series, which is also available in our library, for those children who are not already familiar with the set. Written by C.S. Lewis, a British writer who is well known for his writings on Christianity for adults, this fantasy series has a wonderful adventure story interwoven with a Christian message.

In addition to this film and series of books, we also have many of the adult books by Lewis. His logical and intellectual approach to Christian apologetics makes for valuable and inspirational reading. A few of the titles you may want to check out are Mere Christianity, Miracles, The Screwtape Letters, A Grief Observed, The World's Last Night and other Essays, Reflections on the Psalms, and Shepherd's Notes on C.S. Lewis's The Problem of Pain/A Grief Observed.

Pam Woodward

FREEDOM PLAINS NURSERY SCHOOL

Our church-sponsored Freedom Plains Nursery School is presently accepting registrations for the 2005-2006 school year. Call Valorie Parry, Director, at 485-1145

1. Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, 9:00 AM to 12 noon, three year olds.
2. Thursday & Friday, 9:00 AM to 12 noon, three year olds.
3. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 12:30 to 3:00 PM, four year olds.
4. Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, 9:00 t0 12 noon, four year olds.

   NEW: MEN'S BIBLE STUDY BREAKFAST – There is a NEW Men's Bible Study being held Thursday mornings at 7:30 AM at the church, led by Ben Sung and Rev. Paul Lent. All are welcome!

   RURAL & MIGRANT MINISTRY – The Chocolate Lovers' Sale was postponed by snow and has been rescheduled for March 26. The March Luncheon is cancelled with the next one scheduled for April 23^rd. All monies raised supports summer church camp scholarships for migrant teenagers.

   DUTCHESS OUTREACH – Food items left in the baskets of the narthex each Sunday are dedicated during the offering and delivered to our local food pantry to feed the hungry.

   2006 MISSION BUDGET – Questions have been raised about the changes in the mission funding for 2006. The committee recommended and session approved a new approach that is biblically based. We want to be a tithing church so each year 10% of the previous year's budget will be designated as our commitment to Unified Mission. The amount will increase as our budgets increase Unified Mission supports all the work that is accomplished by the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) beyond our doors at presbytery, synod, and general assembly levels. If funds our international missionaries such as Lindsay Woods who went from FPPC to Ghana. In addition, 1% of the budget will be designated for our commitments to other ecumenical and Christian-based organizations such as DCIC, Habitat, Bread for the World, etc. Finally, 2% of the budget will be designated for local mission projects, which will be determined each year with input from the congregation. Local mission funding on hand from the Commitment Campaign is what helped is what helped launch our Appalachian Mission Trip in 2005. As more members want hands-on mission experiences we expect that percentage of mission giving to increase. Other mission projects will continue at FPPC which require separate funding, often from the general community as well, such as CROP, Church Fair Café, Blanket Sunday, Holiday Meals R&MM. We will also continue hands-on activities like serving at the Homeless Shelter and Lunchbox, providing Christmas at Brookhaven Apt (battered women & children), bringing food for Dutchess Outreach, and supporting projects sponsored by the youth and Presbyterian Women. We will also honor our commitment to PCUSA's four special offerings each year: OGHS, Pentecost, Peacemaking and Christmas Joy.

   APPALACHIA SERVICE PROJECT

   WEST VIRGINIA

   July 29 – August 5

   There is still time to sign up and be part of this wonderful experience. But you must act soon.

   Questions, please call Paul Lent at the Church office- 452-0684.

   Next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 12 at 7:00 PM at the Church. All volunteers planning on going should be at this meeting.

   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

   WORK CAMP MISSION TRIP

   SUMMER 06

   "Appalachia Here We Come"

   "Summer 06"

    

   We will again be heading south on a mission trip this summer with Appalachian Service Project.  Our week is July 29 - August 5.  High School students and adults, this is the time to sign up!  To reserve a spot, fill out the following form and return it to the Church office along with a check for $140.  If there is a financial need, please talk to me; no one should not go on this trip because of money.  Any questions, please talk to me.  We had such a great experience last year and I know it is only going to get better this year.    

   Looking forward to hearing from you!

   Rev. Paul Lent

   _______________________________________________________

     

   I want to go on the trip this summer.

    

   Name:  _________________________________________________

    

    

   _______________________________________________________

   (Signature of parent if participant is under 18 years old)

    

   Enclosed is a check for $140 dollars to save my spot _______________

    

   I would like to talk to the Pastor about a scholarship _________________