Epworth Offers Creation & Spirit Retreat Oct. 2–3

BY KAREN CIANCI, Camp Epworth Co-Director

Good design is contextual. The form fits the function. We live our lives embodied in this set of 206 bones clothed with muscles and skin. The more closely we examine details of our form, the more we can see how we do things and why. For example, only the thumb can rotate around and touch the tips of the other digits, none of the other fingers can rotate that way. Therefore, we can pick up a stick with our fingers but only with the thumb will we lock it in our grasp. So if you want to hold on tightly to something, you will use your thumb.

The old windmill at Epworth was installed in 1942, and the pump house below was used to
supply water for Manor House.

Our effective use of our bodily design is in no small part due to the fact that we do not have any alternative experience. We have never lived any part of our lives not in our bodies. We have always been constrained by its design and operated within its abilities. So if you need to reach a dish in a top cabinet, you already know whether or not you are a good enough jumper to jump that far and grab the dish without breaking it. All of us know—no matter how much we have dreamed about it—that we cannot fly like a bird. For the most part we don’t even think about it anymore. You either jump or you don’t.

As bodily creatures, we are part of a larger design; we are members of a population, and that population is part of a community, and that community is part of an ecosystem. Some of us, as we read population and community in that last statement, were thinking people. Our population is our species, the people. But our community is not the set of people with a common set of buildings, our community is the set of living things that share this geographical space. The people of this community share the space with toads, butterflies, sparrows, fleas, and gnats. But the community is larger even than the animals and includes all the living species that share our space and would, therefore, include grasses and trees—all plants, all fungus, all bacteria, and other microscopic life. Our community is the coexistence in one geographic space of all the living things in that space.

The ecosystem is more inclusive and includes all living things in one shared space but also includes the nonliving components that are part of the design and are so essential for the life of those living things. The ecosystem includes the water, air, soil, minerals and sunlight.

Living within our bodies we have always lived within our design. Living within our ecosystem we have moved further and further from the natural design. When is the last time the flesh of your feet touched the earth? Or the sun’s setting

signaled the time to rest? Harvest signaled abundance of eating? Technology removes us from natural design and we have reaped many benefits in health and comfort. However, we are also reaping unintended consequences unawares. How does of a generation of urban Americans understand sustainability of soil? Or water? And what are the consequences for a democracy of making decisions without the basic instincts of one who has grown up close to the soil?

Brown Sugar, one of the Barbados Blackbelly sheep at Epworth, helps keep the grass in check.

In the year 1900, 95 percent of Americans grew up rural and were familiar with collecting eggs, butchering meat, picking beans, milking cows, as well as catching salamanders and fireflies. Today less than five percent of us are that close to the food source and nature. Richard Louv introduced the term “nature deficit disorder” in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods to describe our loss. What is the cost of this separation?

Yet, when asked to describe a significant spiritual experience, the vast majority of Americans will begin talking about a moment in nature, a stillness, a beauty, a curiosity, a presence. Nothing can compare to creation for drawing us near to transcendent and ultimate reality. Creation is God’s living room.

The Celtic Christians believed in “thin places,” places where the physical and spiritual worlds have less of a separation. For more than 50 years, visitors to Epworth have felt these 160

Epworth is two places. A preservation of wild beauty in 80 acres of northern hardwood forest with an incredible array of inhabitants from bald eagles, foxes and skunks to turkeys, turtles, and beaver. In addition, Epworth now is a place where humanity strives to live sustainably with nature through natural building materials, low carbon footprints, food forest, composting, worm farm, and others.

For 24 hours on October 2 and 3, Epworth will sponsor a “Creation and Spirit Retreat” for those who care about the earth and our relationship to it. The leaders will be Pam Harris, Garrie Stevens, Karen Cianci and Terry Cianci.

Harris and Stevens bring a deep love for, and commitment to, the essential connection between faith and the natural world. They are United Methodist clergy who work as consultants for camping and retreat ministries. They also develop and lead workshops and retreats in spirituality, spiritual discernment, and worship.

The Ciancis bring years of collegiate level teaching in biological and environmental sciences, and five years as directors at Epworth.

The retreat begins Friday,Oct. 2 at 6 p.m., and ends Saturday evening. Cost is $65 for registration and four gourmet meals. Lodging is available for $25 for a shared room, or $60 for a single. For more information see www.epworthcenter.com, or contact the center at: info@epworthcenter.com, or 845-687-0215.

“Rock Solid” Teacher Workshop
September 19: Primary and elementary school-age teacher training at Hempstead UMC, Hempstead, N.Y., 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Features interactive teaching tools, classroom setup and management and a special emphasis on children’s spirituality. Presented by Lynda Gomi, children’s consultant, and Ann Pearson.

NYAC Leadership Training
September 26: The Office of Connectional Ministries and the conference Commission on Religion and Race will offer leadership training for those chairing district and conference boards, commissions, and committees. The workshop will address creating productive meetings, coming to a consensus and dealing with conflict. It runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the conference center with lunch. RSVP to Ann Pearson at apearson@nyac.com, or at 914-615-2230.

Welcome Receptions for Yi, Kieffer
September 27: 4 p.m., Grace UMC, Valley Stream, N.Y., for Rev. Kenny Yi, Long Island West District Superintendent.
October 25: 4 p.m., Stratford UMC, Stratford, Conn., for Rev. Ken Kieffer, Connecticut District Superintendent.

Bishop’s Retreats with Clergy
September 28–29: Northern districts at Mount St. Alphonsus, Esopus, N.Y.
September 30–October 1: Southern districts at Bishop Molloy Retreat Center, Jamaica, N.Y. Come hear best-selling author and pastor, Paul Nixon, who wrote, “I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church.”

“Filling Your Toolbox” Workshops
October 3 and 4: Catskill Hudson District Council on Ministries offers two days of training for district clergy and laity, from 1:30–5 p.m. October 3 is at Monticello UMC; October 4 at Greenville Norton Hill UMC. Workshops are the same at both locations and will include UMCOR Readiness, Rethink Church- Radical Hospitality, lay-speaking ministries, Safe Sanctuaries and hands on praying. For more information contact, howemarg@aol.com, or cathudnyac@aol.com, or call the district office, 845 679-6350. Registration deadline is September 25.

Online Safe Sanctuaries
October 5–November 14: Six-week online course on writing your church’s policy is offered to NYAC congregations through www.BeADisciple.com. Go to the Web site and check the listings in right-hand column, then click on “Writing Your Safe Sanctuary Policy” for more information. An internet connection is required to take the course; fee is $15 per person. The course is taught by our own Rev. Beth Perry.

Race for Mission Marathon
October 9–10: Come out to support the Bishop’s Partners in Mission fund. A pre-race pasta party is on Friday, the race and a post-race barbeque on Saturday. Please click here to see story for ways to help.

Clergy Day Apart
October 15: Click here to read the letter from Rev. Constance Pak for details.

Advanced Safe Sanctuaries Workshop
October 17: Youth and children workers’ training for churches with an existing Safe Sanctuaries Policy, Woodbury UMC, Woodbury, Conn. To register, contact Lynda Gomi at lgomi@nyac.com, or call 800-696-6922.

Confirmation Kickoff
November 13–14: Stay tuned for more details about the kickoff at Camp Epworth.

Bishop’s Convocation
Jan. 19–21, 2010: “Connecting Movement: Connecting with God, the Church and the World” with retired Bishop Richard Wilke. Hudson Valley Resort and Spa, Kerhonkson, N.Y.

Boundaries & Sexual Ethics Workshop
February 6: Training for clergy runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3p.m., New York Conference Center, White Plains, N.Y.

Clergy Spring Retreat
April 20–23: Four-day spring retreat for all clergy members of the conference.

2010 Annual Conference
June 9–12: Holy conferencing begins again!

Bishop Jeremiah Park will be off and running again—literally—to raise awareness of and money for his Partners in Mission fund during the ING Hartford Marathon on Saturday, Oct. 10. The bishop, who is competing in the 5K, will be joined by a number of NYAC runners in the race events that include a full marathon, half marathon, the 5K, a 26.2 mile relay and a kid’s run.

In 2008, the first year of NYAC participation as a marathon charity, more than $17,000 was raised for the bishop’s mission fund. This year’s goal is $30,000. Bishop Park is especially interested in raising funds for Personal Energy Transportation (PET) International Inc. PET carts provide mobility to people with disabilities in poor countries with no other means of getting around (www.petnyej.org). The mission fund also supports projects in Haiti, Costa Rica, Chile, Ghana, Thailand, Cambodia, Bolivia, and Mozambique, as well as in Biloxi, Miss., and Iowa.

Even if you won’t be running, you can support those who are by making a donation at www.active.com/donate/09UMC,

or by sending a check made payable to “New York Annual Conference” to Ernest Swiggett, New York Annual Conference, 20 Soundview Ave., White Plains, NY 10606. Write Hartford Marathon and the runner’s name in the memo field. Registration for the race is open until September 26; that information may be found at www.hartfordmarathon.com. The race begins at 8 a.m. in Bushnell Park in Hartford. You may also contact Rev. Albert Hahn, at smithtownumc@optonline.net or call, 631-265-6945, for more details about competing in the marathon.

As a sponsoring organization, we are looking for 25 adult and youth volunteers to serve in various ways the day of the event. You can volunteer for the whole day or a half day. Youth groups and adult chaperones are invited to stay overnight Friday at Wethersfield UMC for fun and fellowship. For more information about volunteering at the marathon, please contact Rev. Heather Sinclair, at heathersinclair@umcshelton.org, or call 203-929-3537.

At the 2008 Hartford Marathon events, Bishop Jeremiah Park completed his first 5K race in 28:13.

Pre-Race Carbo-Load Pasta Dinner & Fellowship
Friday, Oct. 9, 5:30–7 p.m. UMC of Hartford , 571 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT 06105 RSVP: Rev. Bryan Hooper, at 860-523-5132, or bryan@umcofhartford.org

Post–Race Barbeque
Saturday, Oct. 10 West Hartford UMC, 1358 New Britain Ave., West Hartford, CT 06110, phone 860-521-7766.

They must be teenagers.

Don’t despair, it’s natural—and important— for kids to break away from their parents at this age, according to Jeanie Lerch-Davis on WebMD.com. This emotional separation allows them to become well-adjusted adults. Some advice from three experts: David Elkind, PhD, author of All Grown Up and No Place to Go and a professor of child development at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston; Amy Bobrow, PhD, a clinical psychologist and professor in the Child Study Center at New York University School of Medicine, Manhattan; and Nadine Kaslow, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University:

Give kids some leeway. Giving teens a chance to establish their own identity and giving them more independence is essential to helping them establish their own place in the world.

Choose your battles wisely. Don’t nitpick. Doing themselves harm or doing something that could be permanent (like a tattoo), those things matter. Purple hair, a messy room— those don’t matter.

Invite their friends for dinner. It helps to meet kids you have questions about. You’re not flat-out rejecting them, you’re at least making an overture. When kids see how their friends act with their parents, they can get a better sense of those friends.

Decide rules and discipline in advance. It’s important for parents to have their own discussion so they can come to some kind of agreement and be on the same page. If the kid says it isn’t fair, then you have to agree on what is fair punishment. Then follow through with the consequences.

Discuss “checking in.” Give teens age-appropriate autonomy, especially if they behave appropriately, but you need to know where they are. That’s part of responsible parenting. If it feels necessary, require them to call you during the evening to check in.

Talk to teens about risks. Whether it’s drugs, driving, or premarital sex, your kids need to know the worst that could happen.

Give teens a game plan. Tell them: “If the only option is getting into a car with a drunk driver, call me—I don’t care if it’s three in the morning.” Or make sure they have cab fare. Help them figure out how to handle a potentially unsafe situation, yet save face.

Keep the door open. Don’t interrogate, but act interested. Share a few tidbits about your own day; ask about theirs.

Another good line: “You may not feel like talking about what happened right now. I know what that’s like. But if you feel like talking about it later, you come to me.”

Let kids feel guilty. Feeling good about yourself is healthy. But people should feel bad if they have hurt someone or done something wrong. Kids need to feel bad sometimes. Guilt is a healthy emotion. When kids have done something wrong, we hope they feel bad, we hope they feel guilty.

Be a role model. Your actions—even more than your words—are critical in helping teens adopt good moral and ethical standards. If they have a good role model from early on, they will be less likely to make bad decisions in their rebellious teen years.

Middlefield Federated Church has an immediate opening for a director of music ministry. The director will oversee an ambitious music program that enhances worship and embraces both contemporary and traditional sacred music. The director should be able to work creatively with all ages and music abilities. The position is permanent, part-time for approximately 11 months per year from September 1–July 31. Salary is negotiable. To see the full job posting, please visit the church Web site: www.gbgm-umc.org/mfc.

To apply, please mail resume and references to: The Middlefield Federated Church, Attn: Music Search Committee, 402 Main Street, Middlefield, CT 06455, or email pastordale@mfc.church.

UMC of Hartford Director of Music

The United Methodist Church of Hartford is seeking a director of music to begin work on January 1, 2010. The director leads and rehearses the adult chancel choir, plans worship with the pastor, consults with the worship committee, and supports other music ministries of the congregation as they are developed. In addition, the director will work with children to inspire an appreciation for music as worship. The director works 15 hours a week in partnership with the pastor and other staff members to provide the most effective worship experience possible. The director reports to the pastor on all matters related to their employment.

Applicants should submit a resume to: Ava Nepaul, Search Committee, at ava_natasha@comcast.net. Additional information may be found on the church Web site at http://umcofhartford.org.

The Catskill UMC is seeking a qualified applicant for the position of children and youth coordinator. This is a part-time position, 12 to 15 hours per week. This individual will be responsible for the aspects of children and youth ministries including re-establishing a youth fellowship. A passion for working with young people and their families is vital. Knowledge of music is helpful.

Application deadline: October 20. Please send cover letter, complete resume with references to: Rev. Joyce Wilkerson, Catskill UMC, 40 Woodland Avenue, Catskill, NY 12414, or email to: catskillumc@verizon.net.

I hereby declare the end of poor communications within your youth ministry. I’m here to confirm what you already suspect: kids don’t check their email. To them, email is old technology, only good for formal communications with teachers, bosses, and other adults.

For high schoolers, it’s all about texting and Facebook. Generally, kids prefer a text message to a phone call because rather than having to drop everything to answer it, they can reply when it’s convenient. Kids prefer this for their personal communications, as opposed to the formal communications I alluded to earlier. Consider which category allows for more effective ministry, and then add a texting package to you cell phone account.

The real communications goldmine is Facebook—not just because all your kids are on it, but because all the other kids in town are on it, too. Some people have a real hang up about Facebook, and I think it’s because they don’t understand how it differs from chat rooms. Facebook isn’t about anonymity. You set up a profile that includes your name and a picture, and then you seek out your friends to share in an online experience. Most kids who get

into trouble online are interacting with an anonymous somebody pretending to be somebody else in a chat room, but not on Facebook.

That’s not to say there isn’t a certain amount of drama and other pitfalls involving Facebook. You get that in whatever forum teenagers are communicating. But how do you shepherd them through all that without being familiar with the medium? So, get yourself a Facebook profile, and then use it to the benefit of your ministry. If you need help setting it up, ask one of the kids in your group.

Now, here is an important tip: do not send friend requests to your kids. It backs them into a corner because they have to either accept or deny the request.

Instead, you can send them a message – maybe just a reminder about the next meeting. Then, they know you’re on Facebook and they can send you a friend request if they want to.

Set up a Facebook group for your ministry. Your kids can attach their profiles to the group and then you can take advantage of the “message all members” button on the group page. It’s like sending a bulk email, but on a more effective platform. And remember how I mentioned all the other kids in town? Leverage Facebook to tap into them. The next time you have an event, create an event page on Facebook and encourage your kids to invite their friends via Facebook. We had a concert last year that more than 1,200 kids knew about via Facebook.

Don’t disable your email account, though. You’ll still need that to communicate with their parents.

Peace.

To comment on this column, pick up some bonus material, or submit a question, visit www.theYouthGuy.com.

“Youth Alive ’09,” is being sponsored on Saturday, Sept. 19, by the Long Island East District Youth Council. It will be an evening of music, testimony and fellowship at the Farmingdale UMC, 407 Main St., Farmingdale, N.Y.

Come from 6–9 p.m. to sing along with the Farmingdale UMC worship band, enjoy the Asbury Spirit Dancers and listen to the guest speaker, Erin Lue Hing. There will be a time of sharing and a time of prayer. Refreshments and fellowship will follow program.

You can help to fill the grocery cart by bringing non-perishable food, which will be given to the LI Council of Churches food pantries in Riverhead and Freeport. An offering will be taken to help support the Youth Service Fund.

For more information, contact Shanna Wurth, at wurth5@optonline.net, or call 631-270-4332.

Soles Bared to Help Those in Need

Youth fellowship leaders Stacy Meszaros (from left) and Michele Lapadula from Mary Taylor Memorial UMC and some of their youth Miriam D’Andrea, Blythe D’Andrea, Laura O’Brien, Gwyneth D’Andrea, Jamie Georgelos, Alicia Meszaros and Hayley Lapadula gathered up more than enough shoes to spell out who they are. The shoes were collected by the church on “Barefoot Sunday” and were donated to Soles4Souls, a non-profit organization that seeks to put shoes on the feet of thousands of the needy throughout the United States and around the world. Mary Taylor collected more than 400 pairs of shoes; last year Soles4Souls gathered 62,440 pairs of shoes. When a area shoe store, Gail’s Stride Rite, heard about the project, they got involved in the effort by shipping the footwear to the distribution center in Alabama. The church and the shoe store plan to continue the partnership next year. To learn more about Soles4Souls, visit www.giveshoes.org.

BY NANCY POLLOCK WILLIAMS
Lakeville United Methodist Church

The Lakeville UMC marked the 220th anniversary of the first gathering of the congregation by recognizing those who had been members for 50 years or more. The celebration took place during worship on Recognition Sunday, June 14. A birthday cake commemorated the occasion at the reception following the service in Lakeville, Conn.

According to church records, the congregation first met in June 1789, in the Ore Hill area of Furnace Village (the former name of Lakeville) in Salisbury Township. Presiding elder and circuit rider, Freeborn Garrettson, under the direction of Bishop Francis Asbury, came to the northwest corner of Connecticut in 1788. Town records show that he was given permission by the town to preach at the regular Sunday gathering in the Salisbury meetinghouse. The following June, the first Methodist class and society was established by circuit rider John Bloodgood, according to church records.

These records also show the first member, Mary Everts, joined in 1790.

Descendents of Everts continue the remarkable family ties to the church as current members. Cynthia Barnett Smith, was among those receiving a 50- year pin; her name was first entered in the church’s cradle rolls.

In October 1975, the Commission on Archives and History of the New York Conference, declared the Lakeville United Methodist church to be the oldest continuously worshipping congregation in Connecticut, and thereby, in New England.

The Lakeville congregation erected their church building in 1816; it was known as Rehoboth Church. The name Rehoboth, which can be interpreted in Hebrew as “a place to live”, was chosen to reflect the difficulty that the early congregation faced in finding someone to sell Methodists

That building is still the home of this historic congregation, which is led by the Rev. L. Lawrence Dunlap, who is a second-generation UMC clergyman to serve early northwestern Connecticut congregations. He is also appointed to pastor the Sharon UMC. His father, the Rev. L. Wayne Dunlap, simultaneously served UMC congregations in Canaan and Falls Village, Conn.; Ashley Falls, Mass., along with two local Congregational churches.

The Committee on Membership and Evangelism of LUMC decided to mark the 220th anniversary in conjunction with the “Rethink Church” campaign, in an effort to be a more welcoming congregation and raise the profile of the church in the community. The campaign’s focus is to bring the message of God beyond the walls of the church. The early Methodist circuit riders risked their lives in terrible weather, and faced unfriendly mobs in order to spread their message. The Rethink Church team of Lakeville’s historic congregation is taking the leadlead in reviving that tradition in a new century.

Preparations are under way for a service of thanksgiving and celebration on September 20 to mark the 150th anniversary of Highland Mills UMC. Bishop Jeremiah Park will deliver the message at the 10 a.m. service, which will be led by Pastor Darlene Resling.

The celebration service will highlight the church’s sesquicentennial, both in spirit and in fellowship. The anniversary observance, which has been going on throughout the year, is a joyous occasion for both the church and the Highland Mills, N.Y., community. From 1859 when the present church was built and faithful members arrived by horse and buggy to current times when it has become known as “the church with the sign on Route 32,” the Highland Mills congregation has played a vital role in the surrounding area.

A reception in the social hall will follow the service. Members of the Mountainville

UMC, which is also pastored by Resling UMC, which is also pastored by Resling, will worship with Highland Mills that morning in a joint ministry for the congregations. All church members are urged to bring family and friends to share in the blessings of the church’s 150 years of history and dedication.

Dr. Anthony Campolo— pastor, social activist, and author—will share his under- standing of being a follower of Jesus during a daylong program sponsored by the Parish Resource Center and Talithacum Ministry on Saturday, Oct. 24. Throughout his Christian service, Campolo has boldly challenged people all over the world to respond to God’s boundless love by combining personal discipleship, evangelism, and social justice.

The program will include presentations on “Passionate Discipleship: Living Beyond Your Own Potential,” “Passionate Mission: Embracing The World Of Hunger,” and Long Island’s

Mobilized Interfaith Coalition Against Hunger (MICAH) project. The day will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bible Korean United Methodist Church, 1201 Carlls Straight Path, Dix Hills, N.Y.; the doors will open at 9 a.m.

Members of churches who subscribe to the Parish Resource Center and register by October 1 will pay $65; for two to five persons from the same church the fee is $55 per person, and more than six from the same church is $45 per person. Non-subscribers and those who register after October 1, will pay an additional $10 per person. All United Methodists who register will receive a $30 per person discount. Registration is limited to the first 300 people. Lunch is included.

To register, mail your check along with your contact information to one of the following locations: Parish Resource Center of LI, 89 Hallock Landing Rd., Rocky Point, NY 11778; or Parish Resource Center of LI West, 919 Elmont Road, Valley Stream, NY 11580. You may also register online with a credit card by clicking here>>.

Campolo, professor emeritus at Eastern University, is the founder of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education, an organization that develops schools and social programs in Third World countries, and in cities across North America. He is the author of 35 books, including, “Letters to a Young Evangelical” and “The God of Intimacy and Action;” his most recent release is “Red Letter Christians, A Citizen’s Guide to Faith and Politics.”

The Parish Resource Center of Long Island is a non-profit, non-denominational organization that provides resources and training for both clergy and laity. The trained staff consults with congregations to make any task easier, and the results more rewarding. They have two locations on Long Island: Rocky Point and Valley Stream.

Talithacum Ministry, which was started by Rev. Dr. Albert Hahn, offers churches the opportunity to engage leading pastors, preachers and thinkers through seminars in various venues on Long Island. The ministry’s Web site is: www.talithacum.org.

Trinity United Methodist Parish, along with their new pastor, Rev. Charlie Yun, hosted the second “Praise in the Park” event at Chadwick Lake Park on July 12.

The seven-hour family festival in Newburgh, N.Y., featured 10 praise bands and musicians. The beautiful weather brought more than 800 people out for the event, that raised money for the local Habitat for Humanity chapter.

Jumpy houses, face painting, and games were available for the kids. A prayer and evangelism tent was set up to share the Good News with those in attendance.

There were T-shirts and food for sale; in between the acts, door prizes were given out from all the donations.

In total, $1,698.14 was collected for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh, and the Lord was glorified.

“Heavenly” Retreat Planned for Elders

Dear Elders and the All Clergy Members of the New York Annual Conference:

Peace and Grace to you all! I pray that you’ve had a great, restful and meaningful summer. As we feel the cool air in the morning and evening these days, we know that fall is coming sooner than we think.

It is already time to remind you that we elders will gather for a day apart on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Memorial/Central Korean United Methodist Church in White Plains, N.Y. We will begin at 9 a.m., and adjourn by 3 p.m. Even though the Order of Elders sponsors this event, it is open to all clergy members of our conference. Please plan to join our sacred time together for spiritual renewal and growth.

For this special gathering, Dr. Donald Lubowich will guide us to see what’s in the heavens under the theme, “The Universe—Its Origin, Its Fate: Hands-On Astronomy for Clergy.”Dr. Lubowich is a research scientist, the coordinator of astronomy outreach, and an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. He has been a senior scientist for the American Institute of Physics in its scientific publishing center. Through Hofstra’s Astronomy Outreach Program, Lubowich began a monthly star-gazing event for the public at the university’s observatory and a music under the stars program that pairs telescopes with free outdoor summer concerts.

Although God promises Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5), there are only 11,000 stars in the sky visible without a telescope over the course of one year. How can one count the stars or estimate the number in the Milky Way and the universe? What about the phases of the moon and their relationship to the Jewish calendar? How does astronomy determine sunset and the end of twilight? Dr. Lubowich will teach us to understand fundamental questions about the universe, and ultimately how God is manifest within our current understanding of the cosmos.

Please send your registration form by October 10. To cover the cost of the event, we need to collect a $15 fee ($20 after October 10); checks should be made out to the New York Annual Conference. A beautiful breakfast will be spread out for you, and in addition we will provide drinks, fruit, and snacks. However, please bring your own brown bag lunch. The schedule permits only 40 minutes for lunch.

We look forward to seeing you then. Many blessings on you, and your ministry! Shalom!

Sincerely,
Constance Y. Pak
Chairperson of Order of Elders

For a registration form, please email Constance Pak, at
pastorconstance@msn.com, or Thomas Theilmann, at
redhookrev@aol.com. Registration forms and fees should be
sent to: Rev. Thomas Theilmann, Red Hook UMC, 52 West
Market Street, Red Hook, NY 12571. If you have any
questions, please call Theilmann at 845-758-5015.

2010 TRIPS TO CAMBODIA, HAITI

Youth Ambassadors
Participants: Two youths, 15 to 17 years old, from each district
Date: February 10–21, 2010
Location: Kratie, Cambodia
Project: Building a church community center.
Purposes: Strengthen the faith journey of our youth, expose youth to a cross-cultural experience, and learn from different young people.
Cost: $2,200. Participants pay $800 deposit; district provi, des $500; the remaining $900 is to be covered by the local church and family, through donations and fundraising.
Deadlines: Application and deposit are due November 1. Full
payment is due December 1.
For more information contact: Donna L Jolly, at jolly_donna@hotmail.com, or call 845-853-8662; or Rev. Joseph Ewoodzie, conference mission coordinator, at jewoodzie@nyac.com, or call 914-615-2233
Application: Available by clicking here>>

Thailand/Cambodia
Dates: January 8–22
Leaders: Rev. Gunshik Shim, and Rev. Joseph Ewoodzie Itinerary: 4 days in Bangkok, 4 days in Cambodia, 3 days in seoul (optional)
Purpose: To strengthen our partnership with the Methodist Church in Thailand and Cambodia and learn more about the history and culture of the region.
Work: Construction of mushroom factory in Thailand, construction of Methodist community center Cambodia, Bible school and Bible storytelling with children and adults, leadership workshop and whatever else God is calling us to do.
Cost: $2,950, subject to current airfares; add $360 for Seoul
extension. Please click here for more information>>

Haiti
Registrations are being accepted for four “Mountains of Hope for Haiti” VIM trips. If you’re interested, contact the specific team leaders about sending a $150 deposit to reserve a spot.

February 12–20, 2010
Leaders: Pastors Tom & Wendy Vencuss
Contact: tomvencuss@wethersfieldchurch.org or
wendyvencuss@wethersfieldchurch.org

March 12–20
Leaders: Mike Temple & Bridget Melien
Contact: Mike at hoopster2@optonline.net, or Bridget at
bridget@getitles.com

End of May–early June (exact dates to be determined)
Trip is for college-age young adults.
Leader: Terrie Steinhagen-Cook
Contact: terriesteinhagen@sbcglobal.net
July 1–10
Trip is for high school youth who have completed at least ninth grade. The adult spaces on this trip have been filled.
Leaders: Pastors Tom & Wendy Vencuss
Contact: tomvencuss@wethersfieldchurch.org or
wendyvencuss@wethersfieldchurch.org

. . . if my people, who are called by
my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, them will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land. —2 Chronicles 7:14

Laity Sunday is observed annually, usually on the third Sunday in October. One of its intended purposes is having laypersons participate in, or lead, the service on that day. In fact, laity participation in many of our churches is the norm. Why then celebrate a designated Laity Sunday? Surely not so the pastor can take the Sunday off! Or that some of the congregation would choose to stay home because a layperson would be the speaker for the day. That would defeat the very purpose of Laity Sunday.

I like how Taylor Burton-Edwards puts it: “Laity Sunday is a time together in our life as United Methodists for the congregation to evaluate and celebrate its discipleship to Jesus Christ.” (Laity Sunday 2006: Promptings for the Word)

This year’s theme is “Disciples Transforming the World through Prayer.” How very apt! One would dare say that as a denomination, we have left this reservoir of transforming power that God has provided for us virtually untapped. It is not too late to start its flow in our individual lives, in our churches, in our denomination and in our world. This year, as we evaluate our prayer lives, let us honestly confess our shortcomings in this area and resolve to improve! Of course, we celebrate those who are experiencing the blessings of Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Praying and an ongoing relationship with God go hand in hand. We are called to both in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

As you worship and celebrate on Laity Sunday this year, please also thank God for the lives and faithful witness of those lay members who have gone on to the church triumphant. Name them and spend a moment in quiet reflection as you do. We overlooked that at this year’s conference. We apologize and promise to correct this next year.

Laity and clergy, we need each other to survive. Let us look to the Lord in constant prayer, praying for each other and supporting each other.

PEACE!
Renata

Recommended resources:
Web site www.gbod.org/laity
You will find this book by Safiyah Fosua, “Jesus and Prayer,” a wonderful personal and/or group study guide on prayer. She was our Bible study leader at annual conference in June.

Every 10 years in the small town of Oberammergau, Germany, the Passion Play is performed. Why? In the summer of 1633, the townspeople promised God that once the Black Plague left their small village they would show their gratitude by putting on a Passion Play. And for more than 370 years, they have been putting on this spectacle once every decade. You can witness this six-hour musical and dramatic performance in June 2010 on an Educational Opportunities Tours with Rev. Phil Schnell or Rev. Stuart Baker.

The residents of Oberammergau produce and star in the play that reflects centuries-old traditions in its costumes and staging. Only natives or those who have lived in the town for 20 years may audition. To add to the play’s authenticity, cast members grow their hair and beards to match their biblical roles.

Educational Opportunities Tours has been providing Oberammergau Passion Play tickets and travel arrangements since 1980. In addition to the play, your

journey will include guided sightseeing to Innsbruck, Salzburg, Italy via the Brenner Pass, the Abbey of Ettal, the Church at Wies, the Castle of Linderhof and an optional visit to Neuschwanstein Castle.

Rev. Schnell will depart June 1 with an extension to Italy. He can be reached at 401-596-9615 or pschnell@riconnect.com. Rev. Baker will depart June 15, with an extension to Switzerland. He can be reached at 570-775-6384 or scbaker@ptd.net.

Workshop Lifts Up
African-American History

ATLANTA—The African American Methodist Heritage Center, an initiative of Black Methodists for Church Renewal, is sponsoring its second regional workshop Oct. 2–4 at Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta.

“The Journey: History as a Bridge to the Future” is designed to increase awareness about African-American contributions to the church and to encourage effective discipleship, evangelism and mission. Speakers and preachers will include: Bishop Forrest Stith, Bishop Alfred Norris, Dr. William B. McClain, Angella Current-Felder, and Dr. Robert J. Williams.

The United Methodist Board of Church and Society and Commission on Archives and History also are sponsors. Further information is available at www.aamhc-umc.org. (UMNS)

LI Lunches to Offer
Immigration Dialogues

Teaching and preaching about immigration issues will be the focus of three October lunches hosted by Long Island Wins and the Long Island Council of Churches. Religious leaders, clergy members and active lay leaders are invited to attend one of the discussions entitled, “How to Teach and Preach about Immigration for a More Welcoming Long Island.”

The lunches will be held from noon to 2 p.m.; lunch is free, but seating is limited. The three locations and dates are: October 7: St. Hugh of Lincoln Roman Catholic Church, Huntington Station
October 22: Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation, Old Westbury
October 27: First Baptist Church, Riverhead

To make a reservation or for more information email, keinhorn@longislandwins.com. This is an interfaith program.

The 68 participants of the New York Annual Conference who elected to join the Virgin Health Miles “Healthflex Go Zone” special challenge over the summer have not simply walked their way to second place among 30 annual conferences, but have also experienced better health, loss of weight and a reward of extra miles in their account. They were assisted at the end by a “Finish Line Kick” challenge issued John Capen.

For the first time ever in our Healthflex challenges to wellness, the NYAC won a coveted second place, coming in behind the Troy Conference, nosing out the Oregon-Idaho Conference by 5,000 steps. All who accepted the challenge will receive a special bonus of Virgin Health Miles. Last year was the first time the conference received a rebate of $32,000 for wellness exams and Health Quotient participation. This year, your personal rebates will only come through the Virgin Health Miles program. We had close to 130 people have blood work done at Annual Conference and each of them will get a $25 credit in their accounts.

If you have no idea what all this means, then you are missing out on money in rebates as you walk your way to wellness. Register to get your free pedometer and start walking toward wellness and get money in return. Go to GBOPHB.org, or to the Virgin Health Miles Web site to register as a Healthflex participant.

Mark Del Guidice and John Capen were tied for first place nationally with 15 others. Mark was selected by lottery as the third place winner. Thank you to all the NYAC participants, who averaged 305,616 steps. Many thanks to John Capen for being such a great cheerleader on this challenge.

Go team! Walking makes cents!

The names, or pseudonyms, and the number of steps walked are:

John Capen: 870,000
Mark Del Giudice: 870,000
Timothy Riss: 868,007
Charles Ferrara: 833,718
Eldon Simpson: 686,788
William Pfohl: 660,514
Lesa Milsom: 635,395
I. Del Giudice: 633,814
Richard Allen: 617,132
Ronald Cox. 496,129
Albert Hahn: 468,495
C. Lamar-Sterling: 462,899
Eugenie Abrams: 450,402
Turtle Express: 435,369
Maybelle Renzi: 426,483
The Ol’ Grey Mare: 421,920
Walk By Faith: 403,751
Mark Chatterton: 387,305
RevDale: 366,077
McBain: 362,506

Hispanic Caucus Requests Immigration Reform

CHICAGO—The Hispanic caucus of The United Methodist Church resolved Aug. 23 to urge President Barack Obama and Congress to “expedite” immigration reform. Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans, or MARCHA, also asked that the Council of Bishops invite all United Methodist congregations to provide assistance to minors separated from their parents due to immigration raids. The group further called upon the United Methodist Board of Church and Society to promote hearings where testimonies of children separated from their parents due to immigration raids can be gathered and shared with thdenomination. (UMNS)

Bishop: Jeremiah J. Park

Director of Connectional Ministries: Ann A. Pearson

Editor: Joanne Utley

New York Conference of The United Methodist Church
20 Soundview Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606
Phone (914) 997-1570 or (914) 615-2219 Fax (914) 615-2244
Web site: www.nyac.com

Vision e-mail: thevision@nyac.com