May 14-20, 2012

Psalm 133

Let’s join together and humbly celebrate what we have accomplished and ponder what more we can do as a congregation.  For a night of friendship and community, please consider taking part in the Progressive Dinner.  We gather for hors d’oeuvres and companionship at the Chessa home at 6:30pm.  Park in the church lot, and (carefully) cross Route 132 to reach their home, which is at the corner of Routes 202 and 132.

After hors d’oeuvres, we separate to different homes for dinner and intimate camaraderie.  After dinner, we come back together at church for dessert coffee and tea.  You can sign up to either host the dinner at your home, (your guests will bring the meal), or you can sign up to attend as a guest in which case you will be asked to bring a dish for the dinner and either a dessert or appetizer.  Recipes will be provided for the main course so we can all enjoy the same meal.  We hope you’ll consider participating in this wonderful tradition this year.

Please signup in the church gathering space for hosting or attending the dinner.  The cost will be posted on the signup sheet in the near future.

 
 
Charles Barton’s sermon:

Scripture Readings: Romans 15:7, Psalms 84:1-2, Acts 2:42, Matthew 25:40, II Corinthians 9:10-11

 
 
Charles Barton’s Minute for Mission (in which he delivers an important message to the FPCY congregation and makes up for his one “great regret”):

 
 
Charles Barton’s pastor emeritus ceremony:

It’s working! Our water system was recently installed in Haiti by our partners from the Grandview Methodist Church in Winfield, Kansas. It is at an orphanage in the rural mountains outside of Les Cayes, near the southern coast of Haiti. The surrounding community also has access to the clean water, nearly 800 people. Our partners were thrilled to have the donation for the water system, which they installed on our behalf. They provided solar energy panels to support the system.

The people at Grandview Church have been involved with the orphanage since 2009, as a response to their Pastor’s challenge, for their 100th anniversary, to reach out to the world. They have visited the children often and have built several simple buildings for them: a church, a school, 2 dorms, etc. They were so thrilled to have a partner out of the blue, and from NY, that they sent a video of their previous trips to us.  As a result we have photos of the 75 children at the orphanage and what it looks like.

You may remember that Our Sunday School has been focused this year on the the issue of clean water for all God’s children.We have raised nearly $1650 through our collections on Sunday mornings and through sales of water system “parts” at our Christmas Market. The Mission Commission has generously agreed to cover the remainder of the $3000 cost, any part which we can’t raise ourselves by June. (They sent the check to Grandview Church, so that the water system could be installed this week.) We are challenging our Sunday School children to raise $100 by Children’s Sunday in June. In Sunday morning classes, our kids are meeting the Haitian children through the video and they are learning about Haiti. Ask a Sunday School student, maybe your son or daughter, what a “Tap-a-Tap” is.

Our contact, Carla Barnard, will send us photos of the water system when they return. Watch for postings on our church website in the coming months. She is also willing to help our Sunday School establish a relationship with the children by bringing any cards, books we make, etc. from our children. There is no postal service there, so it is a generous offer to have someone who will take our communications to the orphanage! As a result, our children will have the opportunity, through our Kansas partners, to get to know the kids in Haiti and for them to get to know us in the coming years. We may also get to know the kids in Kansas who go to help build each year. Who knows where this new friendship will take us?!

                                                                                                Heidi Haring

This is a great way for new members to meet older members. Families with children can help as well. We will partner you with a experienced usher if you need help. Please consider giving it a try and sign up in the Gathering Place on the usher board or call Pat Prauda (737-4674) for the 10:45 service or Terri Froehlich (528-0811) for the 8:30 a.m. service.

Pat Prauda

Flowers for Worship Services

Worship Commission would like to encourage you to order flowers, in celebration of happy events or in memory of loved ones, to decorate our Sanctuary each Sunday.  Just call the office at 245-2186 or by email at kim@fpcyorktown.org.May 6, 13, and 20 are available!

Thank you!

                                                                                                                        Ann Timmons, Chair

Jan Peek Volunteers

The Jan Peek House is a shelter in Peekskill run by Caring for the Homeless of Peekskill, Inc. It provides a safe haven for the area’s homeless men and women. Our church serves lunch at the Jan Peek House once a month.

• May 26: Angelyn Forbes-Freeze and the International Students of Monroe College
• June 23: Prauda and Dixon Families
•  July 28: ??

Call Bud Coccodrilli (245-6475) if you can help.  

Thank you to the Hawlk and Marsh families  for the April dinner.

Mother’s Day Cards on Sale April 29 and May 6 - Support “Healthy Women Healthy Families Project”

The Mission Commission will be offering Mother’s Day cards to support the PCUSA program HEALTHY WOMEN HEATHY FAMILIES.  The cards will be available following both services on  April 29 and May 6. The recommended donation is $10.00.

The Project benefits a variety of programs that protect and restore the health of women and children in four African countries: Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo,Ethiopia, and the Republic of South Sudan.  Programs supported through the Mother’s Day Project include prenatal and obstetrical care, fistula surgery, cervical cancer screening, immunizations, nutrition, health screening and primary care for children and health education and malaria prevention.

                                                                                                                                                                        Marsha Henderson

Pentecost Offering – May 27

The annual Pentecost Offering will be received on May 27. The focus of the Pentecost Offering is to help fund programs to aid at-risk youth, both through the PC(USA) General Assembly and in our local community.

The Mission Commission will direct the Pentecost offering that stays local, which is 40% of the collection, to the Maternal Child Program supported by the Dominican Sisters Family Health Service in Ossining, NY (a visiting nurse agency). Our share of the Pentecost offering is to be used to help children in need, and this new mission will set up a fund/grant that can be used at the discretion of Terry Georgio, RN Program Manager of the Maternal Child Program. This program uses donated funds to help buy baby items for newborns in need inWestchesterCounty. In past years the Maternal Child Team has bought items ranging from breast pumps, breast shields, cribs, diapers, high chairs, car seats, baby food, clothing for newborns and books and toys for newborns and their older siblings.

            For more information call Nance Thompson at 528-2648.

Our Mission Commission is assessing interest in a mission opportunity— rebuilding homes, mostly in the New Orleans Ninth Ward, with Habitat and the Southern Louisiana Presbytery. There is also a Summer Youth Program 2012 (SYP), sponsored by the Olive Tree Presbyterian Church in the evenings. This program sounds exciting and includes time to discuss our faith, worship time and some field trips to the Latin Quarter, etc. Adults are also welcome as building volunteers.

The week available with youth program, SYP, July 1–July 6. There is also a building week during July 22 with no SYP, as of now, because there are no youth signed up yet. They will offer the SYP if more than five youths sign up. However, they still need volunteers and would welcome a group of adults as well. There are also possible times in August for volunteer groups, no programs. Youth should be ages 14 and up.

The cost per person is $300, which includes program for each teen with field trips, food, bed, tools to borrow, etc. We need to know of interest by MAY 13 , so that we can look into group air fares.There is money in the Mission Budget to help out with air fare, etc.

Please send an e-mail to Heidi @ hkharing@optonline.net, speak to Jean Post-Winget, or leave a message at 737-9047–Heidi’s phone by May 13. Thanks!

                                                                                                                                                                                                Heidi Haring

Amnesty International

Please come to the Amnesty table in Fellowship Hall on the second Sunday of each month, to sign letters and petitions requesting justice for those who are being unfairly treated around the world.

                                                                                                                                                Carolyn Blaney, Youth Elder