www.SchohariePresbyterian.org Schoharie United Presbyterian Church

314 Main Street - P.O. Box 340 - Schoharie, NY 12157 518.295.8931

January 2015 Newsletter

In Christ,  

Burrrr…it’s cold outside!

oes it ever seem to you that January is the coldest

month of the year? It does to me, and I often wonder why

that it is. I mean…yes, January is the middle of winter

technically, and does have some of the coldest days, sure.

Yet, I don’t think that’s why it always seems so cold to me.

Perhaps it’s because by January 2nd, the warm glow of

Christmas lights start to come down, our Christmas spirit

seems to fade a little bit more each day, and winter seems a

bit more cold against the endless white.

ately, I’ve been wondering if there is a lesson there -

drawing focus to the endless white of these midwinter days.

The color white is often associated with Purity, Peace, and

New Beginnings. Isn’t that what New Years is all about? Ihe

reason we embrace the tradition of committing ourselves to

the practice of New Year’s resolutions? Each January, we

see an opportunity to start fresh, to recommit ourselves to

the change we want to see in our lives and the world.

eople don’t often realize this is a tradition of the Church

as well. Each January, we honor the baptism of the Lord as

an opportunity to remember our own, the new life in Christ

our baptism represents. Each New Year is a chance for

peace, purity and new beginnings in the life of the church, a

chance to recommit ourselves to the faith that drives our

lives. This year, as we set resolutions for our lives, let us

also set resolutions for our church and for our faith. Let us

find warmth this midwinter by exercising our faith.

In Christ,

Rev. B. Scott Eddy

January  4  10:30  a.m.  

 “Communion  Sunday”  

   Rev.  Don  Stake  

January  11  10:30  a.m.  

 “Baptism  of  the  Lord”  

Rev.  B.  Scott  Eddy  

 

January  18  10:30  a.m.  

 “Installation  of  New  Elders”  

 Rev.  B.  Scott  Eddy  

 

January  25  10:30  a.m.  

 3rd  Sunday  after  Epiphany  

 Rev.  B.  Scott  Eddy  

 

In our Prayers Please pray for everyone as we enter into this New Year, be with all those suffering with the flu and colds and under going surgeries. Lord, give them the strength they need for healing. We especially ask you to be with Jim Blyth, Dean Casey, Jerry Strait, Bob Dettmer and Bernard McHugh may they know your presence with them in their time of need and health issue needs. Protect and strengthen the seven year old girl who has lost her family in a plane crash, may she find your solace and feel your comfort. Protect us all Lord during these cold winter months. We pray for churches everywhere. Add extra protection for our homeless and grant us all your wisdom and your peace Amen.

Deacon Care Focus

-Beth Rider -

January Birthdays! Karen  Fiero  –  7th  

Shirley  Bellinger  –  25th    Monika  Herrick  –  25th  Bernice  Barton  –  28th    Melanie    Junge–  30th  

 

“Lessons  from  the  Puckerbrush”  By  The  Rev.  Dan  Wheeler  

 The  Rev.  Dan  Wheeler,  who  has  led  us  in  worship  services  many  times,  and  become  a  friend,  has  written  a  book:    “Lessons  from  the  Puckerbrush.”    This  small  paperback  book  is  in  the  Church  library  for  borrowing  to  read.    

The Stewardship and Finance Committee has been busy wrapping up the 2014 accounting and preparing the 2015 budget. The

2015 budget will be available at the Congregation Meeting later this January. It projects a deficit of about $30,000. We are seeking

to cut expenses wherever possible and always looking for new sources of funding. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

The Stewardship and Finance Committee will be chaired by Bob Price, incoming Session member, who will be taking over at

the end of January. He brings new ideas and vigor to the Committee.

We sadly announce that long time Church Treasurer, Ethel Robinson, is stepping down. We are seeking candidates for

Treasurer and any interested parties please contact me or Bob Price. Ethel, thank you so much for your many years of dedicated

work as Treasurer. You will be missed.

-Leonard Berdan  

“Hope  &  Healing:  Perspective  on  Mental  Illness”  A  community  conversation  about  advocacy,  recovery  &  services  

January  31,  2015  @  Roxbury  Arts  Group,  5025  Vega  Mountain  Rd.Roxbury  NY,  12474  

Register  at:  www.roxburyartsgroup.org  or  607-­‐326-­‐7908    

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

26

4 5 6 7

11 12 13 14

18 19 20 21

25

6:00pm Yoga 6:30-8pm Boy Scouts 7:15pm NAMI  

6:00pm Zumba  6:30pm Hand Bells  

7:00pm Deacons Mtg.  

Communion Sunday Golden Fleece Spinners 1:00pm – 5:00pm

6:00pm Yoga 6:30-8pm Boy Scouts  

6:00pm Zumba  

7:00am – 12:00pm SALT Breakfast 6:00pm Zumba 6:30pm Hand Bells 7:00pm DCC

 

3:00pm SALT Setup 7:00pm Women’s Bible Study

Men’s Fellowship Group 7:00pm  

Edelweiss Club 2pm – 6pm  

11:30am M & W Mtg. 1pm-3pm 4H Club  

 

   

27 28

 6:00pm Zumba 6:30pm Hand Bells  

7:00pm Session  

Annual Congregation Mtg. 12:00 – 2:30pm  

6:00pm Yoga 6:30-8pm Boy Scouts 7:15pm NAMI  

6:00pm Yoga 6:30-8pm Boy Scouts  

   

 

Saturday Friday Thursday

3 2 1

8 9 10

15 16 17

22 23 24

Food Pantry Hours:

Tuesdays Thursdays

12p.m. – 2p.m.

Food Pantry Wish List

- January –

Hot Cereal,

Syrup, & Soup

- February -

Hot Cereal, Spaghetti Sauce

& Canned Tomatoes

- March - Tomatoes Sauce

Rice

Y.A.L. 8:30am – 2:30pm  

 

 

29 30 31

Y.A.L. 8:30am – 2:30pm  

1:00pm Mission Interpretation Mtg  

Presbytery Meeting @ New Covenant in Albany  

Schoharie County Presbyterians… on December 7th, during our 2nd Sunday in Advent, Carlisle, Esperance and Schoharie Presbyterians came together for a joint service and communion. It was a very special service for all in attendance, and there are talks about having joint services on a quarterly basis!

 

• Session  previewed  the  new  church  website  designed  by  Rev.  Eddy,  and  moved  to  approve  the  website  to  go  live  in  January  2015.    

• The  resignation  of  General  Funds  Treasurer,  Ethel  Robinson,  was  accepted  by  Session  with  regrets.    

• Schoharie  Valley  Day  Camp  has  changed  it's  name  to  Schoharie  Community  Camp  and  will  be  held  the  week  of  July  20th  through  July  24,  2015.  

 • Power  has  been  restored  to  the  Church  sign  on  the  front  corner  of  the  Church.  

 • A  motion  light  will  be  installed  on  the  parking  lot  side  of  the  Christian  Education  Building  in  better  weather.  

 • A  motion  was  approved  from  the  Mission  and  Ministry  Committee  to  grant  $250  to  the  Schoharie  Community  Food  Pantry  and  

$250  to  the  Haiti  Mission  School.    

• A  new  Acknowledgment  of  Charitable  Contributions  form  for  anything  donated  over  $25.00,  and  a  system  to  record  forms  given  out  was  adopted  by  Session.  

 • A  procedure  for  donations  of  funds  to  the  Memorial  Fund  was  accepted  and  adopted  by  Session.  

 • A  motion  was  carried  to  withdraw  up  to  $200.  from  the  Memorial  Fund  to  frame  the  donated  painting  of  our  Church  from  Dawn  

Wright.    

• January  18,  2015  was  set  to  install  new  officers  of  Elder  and  Deacon.    

Schoharie Food Pantry Report December 2014

For the last couple of months the Food Pantry has been a flutter with activities! We just got cleaned up from Thanksgiving and Christmas was upon us. I was concerned about being able to provide hams for Christmas this year, but the Spirit of Giving was seen at the Food Pantry. We needed 25 hams and we got them!! A friend of mine in Saratoga donated 10 hams again and there is a 10 year old girl who told her family she only wanted Price Chopper Gift Cards to have to go shopping with her older cousin, and take the food to the Food Pantry. She went so far as to tell people that if they got her gifts she would ask them to return them and give her the money instead. She thought that she would be a good shopper because she knew what kids liked to eat. She collected $250.00 worth of gift cards!! I am so very proud to call this remarkable child my granddaughter. My oldest granddaughter who was home from college was the one to take her shopping. As she was coming through the door, my oldest granddaughter gave me a huge smile and said “Well Gram, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree with this grandchild!”. With a New Year comes all the hope and optimism a year can bring. Several new volunteers are coming on board to do the shopping and the picking up of food from the Northeast Regional Food Bank. I know that our client numbers are exceeding last years by about 30% and I will have that information next month for you. Thank you all for your prayers and support and we wish you a Happy New Year on behalf of all of us at the Food Pantry. Respectfully Submitted, Jean Sparks  

   

   

THE CARILLON Schoharie United Presbyterian Church

P.O. Box 340 314 Main Street

Schoharie, NY 12157