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 65 Number 9 June 2013
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Guest Preacher, 6/30 2
New BCC Members 2
Moderator’s Report 2
Women’s Society 3
Church School Sunday 3
Notice of Call 4
Celebrations 4
Summer Programs 4
Faith in Action Sleepover 5
Prayers 5
June Calendar
Dear Good People of Briarcliff Church,
I’ve got a bunch of stuff on my mind (and with the deadline for this issue of The Open Door
passed, not much time to write); so …
Did you hear? Over a thousand dollars were raised at the Heifer Fair, thanks to so many who
participated so generously. Great cause, great occasion, great congregation. And on the exact
same note: What a Rummage Sale the Women’s Society organized! AMAZING, it was.
I’m so excited about our choir offering the Mass in G Major No. 2 by Franz Schubert in worship
on June 2nd. The choir has been working on the music for several seasons and tempting us
this spring with some movements that have sounded terrific. Featuring a collaboration with
strings (a quartet which will also provide Prelude and Postlude that day), the whole shebang
is under Dr. Lin’s direction. A mass like Schubert’s is a musical setting of the Eucharist (which
we will celebrate later in the service) and intended to enhance one’s experience of the
sacrament. It will be sublime. I hope you come and I hope you bring others who might be
nourished by it.
Presumably, you all have the Annual Meeting on your calendars. It’s scheduled every year for
the first Monday of June. While the meetings aren’t awfully exciting, there’s a great
satisfaction to being a part of this wonderful church and to gathering “…to receive the Annual
Reports…to elect Trustees, the Clerk and all other officers and members…as provided
for…and to transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting” as the
generations before us have. Come.
Please also note that we will embark on an experiment this summer, beginning with the first
Sunday in July when the First Presbyterian Church (Ossining) and BCC join for shared
worship, 7 July in Ossining and 21 July in our sanctuary. This comes at the prompting of our
Deacons and will provide the basis on which more shared activity/ministry between our
parishes may develop. (There’s talk, for example, of BCC getting involved in the annual
Thanksgiving Day dinner that First Presbyterian sponsors.)
The United Church of Christ is coming to town – the New York Conference Annual Meeting
is being held in Tarrytown, 7 June through the 9th. Anyone want to participate?
Breathlessly,
The Rev’d Dr. Bonnie Rosborough, Pastor
SAVE THESE DATES
JUNE
2 Choir sings Schubert
3 Annual Meeting
9 Church School
Sunday & Picnic
21-22 Faith in Action
Sleepover
Contact Us At:
rosborough@
briarcliffchurch.org
AND
church-office
@briarcliffchurch.org
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GUEST PREACHER, 30 June
We will welcome Mr. Derrick McQueen to the
pulpit on Sunday, 30 June, when Pastor
Rosborough is in Scotland celebrating her son’s
graduation from the University of St. Andrews.
Mr. McQueen has been a guest preacher here
before and always has been well received. He is a
candidate for the doctoral degree at Union
Theological Seminary (NYC) where, under the
guidance of Professor Vincent Winbush, he is
exploring the nature of preaching in the early
(New Testament) church.
WELCOME TO NEW BCC MEMBERS
What a terrific Pentecost we celebrated –
welcoming new members and celebrating the
choir. New Members include:
Becky Adams has been worshipping at BCC this
year. Two of her three children, William and
Caroline, are enrolled in the church school while
Christopher, yet young, stays home with Dad. A
writer, Becky was in the magazine business before
moving to Briarcliff. Having previously
worshiped in a Quaker meeting, she finds the
stimulation of BCC exciting.
Eileen Edwards-Lew is retired after working
many years at Bedford Correctional Facility. She
has two children, Jennifer who lives in Germany
with Eileen’s two grandchildren, and an ex-Marine
son, John, who lives in California.
Brian Lewis, the son of Seth and Sally, was
confirmed at BCC but has been away from the
parish for many years. He is now married and a
dad and is returning with his family. Danielle
Lewis is Greek Orthodox in her background but
happy now to be raising their daughter, Niki, as a
Protestant (Niki’s to be baptized on June 16th).
Both Danielle and Brian work in the insurance
industry.
Orial Redd moved to The Atria from Rye two
years ago. An Episcopalian for much of her adult
life, Orial first came to BCC at the invitation of
Jelane Caspar’s mom and now finds she enjoys
what she’s discovered to be our “truly welcoming
congregation.” She retired from a long career in
public service, notably Westchester County
government.
Debra Stewart grew up in the mid-West. An
attorney, she came to Briarcliff with her husband,
Jim; and they are happily raising their two boys,
Sam and Matt, here. Deb is not practicing law at
the moment; being a mom, serving a Tarrytown
philanthropy and other commitments keep her
busy. Jim Stewart grew up in England and now
works in the financial industry, developing
software and overseeing its use.
Becky Adams: 6 Hyatt Road, Briarcliff Manor; 924-
7165 Eileen Edwards: 32 Round Hill Rd, Briarcliff
Manor; 769-1214 Brian and Danielle Lewis: 416
Kemey’s Cove, Briarcliff Manor; 917-681-4922 Orial
Redd: 1025 Pleasantville Rd., Briarcliff Manor;
304-1042 Debra and Jim Stewart: 40 Nichols Place,
Briarcliff Manor; 923-0076
MODERATOR’S REPORT
Church life is so busy at this time of year but I
hope people will find time to come to the Annual
Meeting, which is on Monday, June 3 at 8:00 PM
in the Eastman Room. At that time we will vote
on the slate of officers and board/committee
members presented by the Nominations
Committee for the coming year. We will also
discuss any items that come up; and you never
quite know what will. This meeting is an
important part of our life as a self-governing
“free” church and, if we value this concept, we
should try to attend.
This will be the last meeting I will preside over as
Moderator and I would be remiss if I did not take
this opportunity to thank the many people who
have helped me over the past four years. The
number is too great to list and I wouldn’t venture
to try for fear of leaving someone out. But, you
know who you are and I do too. I am always
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Weekly Camp Examples: Engineering Olympiad,
Momentum Madness, Heroes Week and much
more. Members who register will receive $30 off
each Full-Day one week session (promo code
BCC30SUM) and $20 off each Half-Day one week
session (BCC20SUM).
Visit www.engineeringforkids.net/westchester to
register now!
Ever Sleep in Church? If not, this is your chance! Inviting all 6th, 7th or 8th grade
Sunday School students & a friend to the
Faith In Action Sleep Over Friday, June 21 - 6:00 pm to
Saturday, June 22 8:30 am
We’ll view Cecil B. DeMille’s The TEN Commandments movie! Work on a living faith
in action project! Meditate to music at
midnight. Celebrate the Summer Solstice,
6/21 the longest day & shortest night of
2013. Yoga & a sunrise service. We’ll
celebrate the beginning of summer and share as we live our faith in action together.
Dinner at the Manse! Snacks & breakfast
served at church.
Bring a sleeping bag, pillow, & flashlight.
All other electronic devices will be checked at the
door! To reserve your spot on the sanctuary floor,
email Gae at [email protected] by 6/16 with
emergency contact #’s. Each participant must be
pre-registered with signed parent consent to
attend. Pastor Bonnie, Gae & Carly Savino will be
chaperoning! The Faith In Action Sleep Over is
sponsored by BCC’s CE & Sunday School.
Requests for Prayer in May have included
those who are ill:
John Reese, recovering from a coronary
Laura, in pain
Bill Sharman, undergoing cataract surgeries
Jennifer Schneider, undergoing surgery
Sophie Schneider, recovering from a stroke and
bronchitis
Pastor Monica, recovering from an
automobile accident
Continued healing for Janine Bake
Charnelle Barlow
Robert Moller, undergoing by-pass surgery
Barton Willis, suffering with nerve damage
Suzie’s brother-in-law
those who are homebound:
Evelyn Aszmus
Keith Williams, and Eulalee who cares for him
those grieving:
family and friends of Dom Lupo,
Peggy Cadman’s dad
family and friends of Berta Bixby,
Keith Austin’s aunt
those in need:
children who do not have the love of a mother
those suffering in Bangladesh
the war weary of Syria and
other places of violence
in celebration of:
the marriage of Amy Gasparik and Nils Swanson
the BCC choir and it’s many gifts
our new members
our baptismal babies, Cameron Kluge
and Hunter McKay
and, on Mother’s Day, Mary, Mother of Jesus.
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amazed and inspired by the willingness of the
BCC community to work many hours to further
the well-being of our church.
Joan Austin, Moderator
WOMEN’S SOCIETY NEWS
On May 9, having recovered from the Rummage
Sale, sixteen ladies of the Women’s Society hied
themselves off to the Katonah Museum of Art.
The Museum supplied us with a marvelous docent
who explained the exhibit’s traditional and
contemporary examples of the art of quilting.
There was the unexpected—a quilted coffin
cover—and the surprising—a sculptural piece that
all swore must have been made of cloth but was
actually wooden. Lunch at the Kittle House
followed, delicious and convivial.
Valerie Nelson coordinated and assembled the
afghan we knit to be raffled off in support of
Heifer International. The lucky winner was
Kristen Basil. Congratulations to her and thank
you to all who bought raffle tickets. I’m hoping
the money buys a flock of chickens, but the
Church School will decide. Cluck cluck….
Our Annual June Luncheon will be held on June
13, beginning at 11:30, at the home of Rosalie
Matsuoka, 16 Hollow Oak Road, Chappaqua.
Directions will be emailed out. Carpooling, if
needed, will be arranged by Helen Buerger, who
can be reached at 914-552-3975 or
[email protected]. Food is the bailiwick of
Carol Mickel, 944-9160 or [email protected].
Please let her know what you would like to bring
to add to the meal. This is always a fun event
before everything slows for the summer break.
Everyone is welcome. We’d be so pleased to see
you.
The BCC Rummage Sale was held on Saturday,
April 27th, and it was a resounding success! Our
gross receipts exceeded $28,000, a truly amazing
amount.
The Rummage Sale is a church-wide effort and
thanks go out to everyone who contributed to this
great undertaking. Thanks to everyone who
brought things to sell, helped us sort during the
week, and worked the day of the sale. Thanks to
everyone who purchased Rummage Sale items,
supported, encouraged and cared for our workers,
and to those who enlisted friends, family members
and neighbors to help us.
Our Rummage Sale is a much anticipated event
and reflects a powerful demonstration of our faith.
The money we earn enables us to care for each
other and the church and to support benevolence
activities.
On Thursday, May 23rd, at 9:30 AM, we will be
meeting in the Eastman Room to talk about this
year’s Rummage Sale, to consider alternate
fundraising activities, and to pick a date for the
Rummage Sale next year. If you are unable to
attend, please send comments, suggestions or
ideas to Penny Wolf or any member of the
Rummage Sale Team. Penny can be reached at
[email protected] or (914) 762-7937.
CE ANNOUNCES CHURCH SCHOOL
SUNDAY PICNIC & DESSERT CONTEST
The CE committee and the Church School will be
holding our annual Church School Sunday event
on Sunday, June 9th. The festivities will begin with
a Church Service that is created and led by the
students of the church. It is so
youthful, innocent and
special to experience the
service through the eyes of a
child! Following the service
will be a tasty picnic lunch so
that not only are your spiritual needs sated but so
is your hunger. At the end of our event we will be
holding our delicious dessert contest. You can
make this contest the best ever by bringing in your
homemade, delectable creations for our judges
and congregation to feast on! There will be prizes,
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smiles and exclamations of delight when the
desserts are unveiled! We hope to see you on the
9th for all three events –the service, the
picnic, and the dessert contest!
BENEVOLENCE THANKS YOU!
It's been an amazing year of outreach efforts -
Midnight Runs, the IFCA Coat Drive, Sandy
Relief, Giving Tree and Christmas sponsors,
Peanut Butter Sundays and Peace Corps support.
Every time the Benevolence Committee provided
an opportunity to help those less fortunate, you
responded generously and enthusiastically. We
wish to acknowledge and thank you for your
encouragement of new possibilities and on-going
support of our initiatives. Thank you, one and all!
*********************************************************
NOTICE OF CALL
In accordance with Article III of the By-Laws, the
Annual Meeting of The Briarcliff Congregational
Church will be held on Monday, June 3, 2013 at 8
p.m. in the Eastman Room.
The business of this meeting will be:
1. To receive the annual reports of Officers,
Boards, Committees, Special Committees and
Task Forces;
2. To elect the Clerk, Trustees and other
officers and members of Boards and Committees;
3. To hear a report from the Board of Trustees
regarding our year-to-date financial status;
4. To transact such other business as may
properly come before the meeting.
The retiring Trustees are Beverly Aisenbrey, Barry
Bosak and Robyn Wild. Those proposed for election
to the Board of Trustees are Barry Bosak, Carol
Mickel, Henrietta Porter and Robyn Wild.
By order of the Board of Trustees
The Briarcliff Congregational Church
Dated May 26, 2013
*********************************************************
CELEBRATIONS
The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea
are made of the same water.
It flows down, clear and cool, from the
heights of Hermon and the roots of the
Cedars of Lebanon. The Sea of Galilee
makes beauty of it, for the Sea of
Galilee has an outlet. It gets to give.
It gathers in its riches that it may pour them
out again to fertilize the Jordan plain. But
the Dead Sea with the same water makes
horror. For the Dead Sea has no outlet.
It gets to keep.
Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969)
Happiest of June Birthdays to our friends:
Myrtle Nichols June 6
Louisa Myers June 15
Bill Sharman June 16
Elly Robinson June 17
BCC WELCOMES SUMMER
PROGRAMS
In the last week of June, BCC will be welcoming
two programs which will be in residence with us
through much of the summer: *Engineering For
Kids (in the Stimson Room) and The Ossining
Children’s Center (in the Parish House and Beebe
Hall). Please welcome participants and staff
members (and be patient with any inconvenience)!
*Engineering For Kids, inspires children ages 4 to
14, to learn science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) through fun, hands-on programs.
This summer we are offering one week sessions,
Full-day and Half-day, from June 24th to August
2nd at the Briarcliff Congregational Church.
BRIARCLIFF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
TEL: 914-941-4368 FAX: 914-941-1513 EMAIL: [email protected]
JUNE 2013
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Childcare is
available during
worship. Sunday
School meets
simultaneously.
1
2 WORSHIP 10 AM
BCC Choir sings
Schubert Mass
In G major
3
Annual Meeting
8 pm
4
5
Deacons, 7:30 pm
6 Senior Choir
rehearsal, 8 pm
7
8
9 WORSHIP 10 AM
Church School
Sunday & Picnic
(last day of
Church School)
10
11
CE Picnic
12
13 Women’s Society
Lunch, 11:30 am
Senior Choir
rehearsal, 8 pm
14
Deacons’
Dinner
15
16 WORSHIP 10 AM
17
18
19
20 Senior Choir
rehearsal, 8 pm
21 Faith in Action
Sleep Over,
6 pm until >
22 Faith in Action
Sleep Over
> 8:30 a.m.
23 WORSHIP 10 AM
24
25
Trustees, 7:45 p.m.
26
27
28
29
30 WORSHIP 10 AM
Best Wishes to All for a Happy, Healthy Summer!
See you in church!