All Souls Parish
The Presbyterian Church
The Messenger
August 25, 2010 - Number 2098
Pastor’s Message…
More Light Presbyterian churches have been part of the landscape in the Presbyterian Church (USA) for nearly two decades while the roots of the movement within the PCUSA date back even further. In 1974 the Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC) was born. One lone man at that year’s General Assembly rose holding a sign asking “Is anyone else out there Gay?” He got his answer and the PLGC began to advocate for the total inclusion of “out” homosexuals in the life of the Presbyterian Church.
The More Light Presbyterians (MLP) was officially formed in 1992 and in 1998 merged with the PLGC. This new/old group continued to work for the rights of all members of the Presbyterian Church without regard to sexual orientation. There are other groups within the Presbyterian Church who have been advocates for changing the policies of the church which prohibit full participation of LGBT members along with MLP, but MLP has been the most vocal of these groups.
The mission of the More Light Presbyterians is as follows:
Following the risen Christ, and seeking to
make the church a true community of hospitality, the mission of
More Light
Presbyterians is the full participation of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and
transgendered people in
the
life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (
The session of All Souls is considering becoming a formal member of More Light Presbyterians because of this church’s historic support of LGBT issues. At the meeting of the congregation on September 12, we will hear a presentation about More Light, the rationale for the session’s exploration of becoming a formal member, and listen to the questions and concerns of the congregation about this matter.
The technical process of becoming a More Light congregation is simple. A congregation submits a letter from the session to the MLP office and remits a check for $100 and that congregation is a member. Membership in MLP has some benefits (listing in the MLP directory of churches, quarterly newsletter, a listing on the MLP web site celebrating that church’s becoming a member), but beyond that, congregations who join become part of a national network of congregations committed to the mission of MLP. In their directory of welcoming churches there are 3 categories. “H” which means that a church has affirmed a pro-LGBT hospitality statement, “D” which means a church has passed a dissent statement against the PCUSA’s anti-LGBT policies, and “M” which means you are a member of MLP. Since we are already an H and a D the session is considering becoming an M. There are a lot of initials in this Message, but what I would encourage us to remember is that we are talking about real people in the LGBT community who are looking for a place that will welcome them and the gifts they bring in service to God, a place like All Souls where love certain does grow. -Bruce
News from the Pews…
Continued prayers are asked for…
V
All ministries of this parish; Small Group
ministries, Sunday School/Bible Study, Healing Ministries, Saturday Evening
Worship, Chancel Choir, Session & Deacons, General Assembly, Parish Nurse,
Spirituality Group, Soup Kitchen and Carver Center; for our youth and children.
V For Laura continued prayers for healing.
V
Our president, his staff, our military
and those around the world living in fear and praying for freedom.
V
For all soldiers and troops.
V
Our personnel abroad in places of danger and
those at home experiencing new worries.
V
People who are seeking employment.
V
The people of
V
The refugees in
V
Our troubled world, prayers for our enemies.
V
For all veterans.
V
For those who are suffering from addiction.
V
For all of those traveling.
V
Rose Cumming & Roberta Gillan.
It was a joy…
V
To
have Maurio Sax preaching here with us today.
V
Deborah’s
new job
V
Athena
– opening a library in
V
Helene
and Karen’s birthday.
V
Marg
S. on her cruise.
Please remember to pray for…
V
Rev.
Ben Gay for strength and healing.
V
Sal
V
Barbara
V
Loretta
for direction.
V
Doug
and Jeff preparing to preach.
V
Cousin
Jeanine who had a stroke and her daughter Debbie’s husband with cancer.
V
Flood
victims in Pakistan.
V
The
family of Dorothy C. who passed away at 101 years old.
V
Jim
& Louise P. recovering from traffic accident.
V
Jane
G. for continued strength and healing prayers.
V
Eight
Christian workers killed in Afghanistan.
V
Rose
Cumming for strength and healing.
V
Eleanor
W. continued healing.
Worship This Sunday…
This Sunday we are delighted to have Jeff Knisely as our guest preacher. As many of you know, Jeff is a member of this
congregation who usually attends the Saturday night service. The organ music
will be by George F Handel. Scripture lessons: Jeremiah 2:4-10; Hebrews
13: 1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14.
Bible
Morning Evening
August 29 1
Cor. 10 19-33 Ps. 126, 127,
128
August 30 1
Cor. 11 1-16 Ps. 129,
130, 131
August 31 1
Cor. 11 17-34 Ps. 132, 133,
134
September 1 1 Cor. 12 Ps. 135, 136
September 2 1 Cor. 13
Ps. 137, 138,
139
September 3 1 Cor. 14
1-20 Ps. 140, 141, 142
September 4 1 Cor. 14
21-40 Ps. 143, 144, 145
The Saturday evening service is an alternate worship experience
to our traditional Sunday morning service.
It is held at
The Deacons with the aid of John Reformato and Deborah Pfau made a unique ministry available to members and friends of All Souls Parish/ The Presbyterian Church. If you are unable to get to church for whatever reason, you can now hear the service/participate in the worship of the church as it is happening (in real time as the computer crowd might say). There is a speaker in the secretary’s office which is hooked up to the PA System in the sanctuary. When we know that people wish to hear the Sunday service, a deacon will call them up and put the phone receiver next to the speaker so that they will be able to hear the Sunday service as it happens. We will send out bulletins and music beforehand so that people can read along and sing along with the rest of the congregation. The deacons will even be able to provide a speaker phone if needed. This truly is a wonderful possibility for ministry. If you or someone you know would like to take advantage of this, please call the church office or Deacon Mary Betz at 939-2732. If you are unable to get to church for one week or one month, you can still be part of the worshipping fellowship at All Souls Parish.
Our guest preacher for Sunday, August 29th,
is Jeff Knisely. He is an 8th grade
teacher in Chappaqua. Growing up as a
Lutheran in Buck’s
Part of what we are called
to do as believers is to remember that we are all part of the same body, and
that if one member of the body is in pain, the whole body suffers. If one part of the body rejoices, the whole body
joins in their elation. With that in
mind we ask that you remember those of this congregation and those of our
presbytery family listed below as you offer your daily prayers. Sue & Roy Haney, Connie Howard, Denise Kladis, Eleanor Lounsbury, Courtney-Camille
Haynes, First Church Liberty South in Greenburgh,
Dobbs Ferry.
While on Vacation…
Rev. Baker
will be out on vacation the following: August 11th - September 6th -
If there are pastoral emergencies, during Rev. Baker’s August vacation,
please call Rev. Dan Love from the Rye Presbyterian Church at 914-967-0842 or
cell (914) 473-9262.
Guest
Preachers are as follows:
Sunday, August 29th – Jeff Knisely
Sunday, September 5th – Jeanine Zaccara
Enza will be out on vacation
the following:
August 30th – September 2nd.
The office will be closed those days & there
will be no weekly Messenger for September 1st.
God’s Green Market…
The garden has been producing, and there is much
more to be harvested and cared for. The
site at the PC Middle School needs the assistance of any and all who are
interested. During Rev. Baker's vacation
(August 11th to September 6th) volunteers are needed to
take care of the harvesting and weeding.
There have already been a number of volunteers from the church who have
given of their time and sweat to help provide these fresh vegetables for people
in need. If you would like to help out,
please contact the church office during the week.
Sunday September 5th, we will be
collecting boxed and canned foods for our local pantries. Please, all are
encouraged to donate. Please place your donation in the basket in the Narthex.
Thank you.
Preacher: Elder Jeff Knisely
Organist: Joanna Nilsen
Liturgist: Deborah Pfau
Counters: Sim Kovacic
& John Carey
Greeter: Sim & Penny Kovacic
We Care Team
II: Deacons: Mary Betz & Jack Zaccara
Team Members:
Margaret
Calabrese, Steven & Rosa Calabrese, Jane Gibbs, Connie Howard, Phil & Marg Scibona, Audrey Thime & Jeanine Zaccara.
Birthdays & Anniversaries Calendar…
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Birthdays
September 3 Evelyn Lockhart
September 6 Lindsey Concra
September 7 Jonathan Nilsen,
Wendy Del Monte
September 9 Sue Haney
September 11 Audrey Thime
September 20 Joann Knisely
September 21 James Gillan,
Jr., Shadai Bansey
September 23 Connie Howard, James Brooks
September 24 Debby Tedesco
September 26 Olivia Kim, Andrea Winchester
September 28 Paul Keyishian,
Jr., Sarah Marinelli,
Jinny Avery
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Anniversaries
September 2 James
Lockhart & Olivia Kim
September 8 Nancy
& August Cardinali
September 10 Chae Kum & Matthew Kim
September 15 Carolee
& Dan Brakewood
Mark Your Calendars…
September 5th Food Collection
September 6th Church
Closed – Labor Day
September 8th The
Choir Rehearsal
6:30pm
September
10th Joint Deacon
& Session Mtg. 6:30pm at the Manse.
September 11th Taizé Service 5:30pm
September 12th 8:00 O’clock Hour
Communion
Sunday &
Sundae Sunday
Congregation
Mtg. re. More Light Church
–All invited after service.
September 13th Spirituality Group 7:30pm
September 19th Session Mtg. 11:00am
Sunday
School 10:30am
Children’s
choir 11:15am
e-mail
address: AllSoulsParish@Yahoo.com Web site: http://www.allsoulsparish-portchester.org/
Editor:
Enza Giglio
Circulation: Ethel Mellon
Reporting Staff: All Members