NEWS   SHEET

APRIL   2009

 

 

 

Holy Week and Easter Services

 

Maundy Thursday

April 9th ~ 7pm

 

Good Friday

April 10th~7pm

 

Easter Day

April 12th~9:30am

 

 

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A Letter from Father Shafer

 

Lent, 2009

                

…Do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God

…who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your

Ancestors did not know, to humble you and test you, and

in the end to do you good.                                                

                                       

Deuteronomy 8: 14-17             

 

Dear Friends,

 

          At a party the past New Year’s Day a man in a pin-striped suit chatted with me and noting my backward collar, offered a theological insight concerning our nation’s financial crisis: “God is (again) throwing the money changers out of the temple.”

 

          For the past season our church’s Advent message about God’s shaking of foundations trumped Hallmark.  Many of us, not only my pin-striped acquaintance, were thinking more seriously-or drinking more seriously.

 

          Now we are in Lent, a season in which the Church’s message again threatens to trump …chocolate rabbits, candy eggs, all the usual stuff attending our anticipatory rites of Spring.  Messages from Deuteronomy resonate in the ears of a people scandalized by greed in high places and frightened by consequences.  But like the message of Advent that promises a different kind of Christmas than the fluff to which we have become all too accustomed (often to the exclusion of other faiths,) the message of Lent is one of profound hope: God is not beholden to hard economic realities.  God uses these realities to humble us and test us, and in the end to do us good.  God will provide the means for our journey in Christ, a journey undertaken beside all people of faith, a journey that leads to our resurrection.

 

          In the midst of a hurting society stands the Church of God proclaiming an old yet very new Gospel of hope.  I invite you in the name of the Church to the observance of a holy Lent.

 

 

 

Michael                          

         

 

 

 

News from the Lenten Program

               

   Seven of us participated in a program held this Lent on Wednesday evenings the first meeting of which was at Zion Church in Wappinger Falls.  Over an informal supper, The Rev. Andrew Dietsche and The Rev. John Osgood gave a brilliant presentation entitled "From Ashes to Fire." The theme of our program has been "Lent, an opportunity to get life right" A special feature of the study was Fr. Shafer's presentation on God's attitude toward money as seen in the pages of the Bible.

 

 

 

           

 

News from the Vestry

 

                      

                With special thanks to Warden Frank Tanzosch, we are preparing to restore Regeneration's roof, make necessary repairs, and paint the building.

 

                We are thrilled that the Thrift Shop is nearing readiness for opening.

 

                We have responded to a survey sent to us by the Special Committee on the Budget Process and Assessment of our Diocese (co-chaired by our own Dick Dunham!).   We reported that though our pledges are down, those who have not made a pledge continue to give to Regeneration, and we are reasonably stable in a hard economic time, thanks especially to the continued support of our Diocese.  We are hopeful about meeting the budget we have adopted.

 

 

 

 

             India Pilgrimage 2009

 

            This year’s pilgrimage was a wonderful time for all.  The six of us, five returning pilgrims and one new member were based at the New Woodlands Hotel, a middle class Hindu hotel known for its weddings.  Commercial progress in India was evident at the hotel when this year we did not run out of water as a result of a wedding fountain being on for hours.  There also was lobby construction going on and lots of new rooms.

 

            We had the pleasure of visiting with our friend Rev. Chris and his lovely wife Deepa, at their home and other events.  There is nothing like good home cooking.  Rev. Chris recently spent three months here in the Diocese of New York studying the service delivery system for Transgenders.

 

            Father Mike was able to see the temple site of the Hindu god aravan, a male/female deity whom Transgenders see as their patron saint, even some Transgenders who are Christian.  Rev. Chris gathered a group of clergy for Mike’s presentation on sexuality, the Bible, and the Church.  It was well received.  The clergy are more open on this topic than their parishioners.  It is more acceptable in India to be Transgender than it is to be homosexual. 

 

            I presented a one day workshop on suicide prevention to Bishop Amma’s  counseling staff and hostel leaders.  Suicide is a major problem particularly among women and students.  I also met with an administrator from SNEHA, the suicide prevention organization in Madras, to encourage a partnership between them and the Diocese of Madras.  One of the most moving experiences on the trip was my visit to the Matahma program in a poor village on the foothills of the Gats.  When babies are ill parents take them to the Hindu temple to dedicate them to the gods. They then take them home to recover.  If the baby lives and is a boy his life continues normally.  If the surviving baby is a girl, she is not named and is referred to as Matahma.  When she reaches puberty she becomes the property of the priest.  She them becomes a temple prostitute who can be sold, auctioned or shared.  She earns 30 rupees a day (less than a $1.00) which is used to feed her family.  The Diocese of Madras gives the girls 30 rupees a day and teaches them needlework to keep them from going to the temple.  They are hoping to get orders for their wares.  

 

            Our friend Dr. Philip Kasofsky was stationed for four days at Ikkadu Hospital to learn about their system, and to assist where needed.  He offered many constructive suggestions regarding the delivery of medical care.

 

            Unfortunately, political circumstances interfered with the work that Florence Madura and Anne Gorrissen had planned to do at Ewart’s College for Women.  Shortly before they were due to go to the school, a college student in Madras immolated himself in protest of the killing of Tamil civilians by both sides in the war in Sri Lanka.  They believe that ethnic cleansing is being practiced by the government.  This was followed by two other immolations.  Because of the nature of the society riot is a real possibility.  As a precaution the government closed all the colleges indefinitely and sent the students home.  Instead of Ewarts, Florence went to visit the School for the mentally challenged where she saw many positive changes since her visit in 2004.  Florence also had the honor of presenting diplomas at the first Dalit graduation in Madras.  It was particularly meaningful to the students because Florence is a person of color who marched with Martin Luther King.  Anne taught ESL at Jesse Moses High School and because she stayed on in India, she was able to do the class at Ewarts.  They have asked her to return to do more teaching.

 

            As in previous pilgrimages, we all brought greetings from the Diocese of New York to congregations that we visited during Sunday Services.  It was so uplifting to see Churches packed to the rafters, with people standing outside.  Each church had two or three services all well attended.


 

            We had many other meaningful experiences which can be shared in a later newsletter.  It was such a privilege for us to be serving in the Diocese of Madras and strengthening the relationship with our friends in India.

 

Johanna

                      

 

 

 

 

 

Camp in the Can Campaign

 

          We have started our annual collection for the Rural and Migrant Ministry Summer Camp program.  This camp experience allows children of migrant workers to enjoy a camping experience during the summer months.  The Pine Plains Council of Churches sponsors a RMM day camp program in Pine Plains which is held at Stissing Lake.

 

          Please place your financial contribution in the can so designated on the table in the back of the church.  If you prefer to contribute by check, please make your checks payable to Regeneration and in the memo section write RMM.

 

Thank you for your generosity once again.

 

 

 

WANTED

 

THRIFT SHOP VOLUNTEERS

 

The thrift shop will be opening in May 2009.  We are looking

for volunteers from our parish and volunteers from outside

of our parish to help staff the shop.

 

We will be open on Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Those working

on that day will work from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a replacement

coming in from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.  Saturday we will be open

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

We will be meeting on April 4, 2009 at 10 a.m. at the Episcopal

Parish House to go over our outline of how to run the thrift shop.  If you

know of anyone that would like to volunteer in the thrift shop please

bring them to the meeting.  All are welcome.

 

Come have some fun and help your church and community out.

If you have any questions please give Marigo Brandt. a call at

 

 

THRIFT SHOP UPDATE

Progress continues at the thrift shop and we feel very confident about our scheduled May opening.  Sheet rock has been installed in the shop.  Heat and lighting fixture have been installed. Joe O’Connell has agreed to paint the interior walls for us.  We are grateful to him for all the painting he has done for us.  A decision has been made regarding flooring.  Vinyl tile has been purchased and will be put down in the next several weeks.  A porch and sidewalk area will be worked on when the weather gets a bit warmer.

 

The sorting shed is in full swing and quite crowded.  Marigo will accept donations by appointment.  Schedule a time to bring your donations.  Marigo assures us that she can fit all appropriate donations into the shed until it is time to move them to the shop.  We are planning to have some of the needlework from India in the shop, along with literature about the Diocese’s Mission to India.  We hope that this will raise awareness in our own community of the challenges faced by the poor in India.

 

Training for volunteers will be held on Saturday April 4 starting at 10am in the Parish House. Another training session will be scheduled for those people unable to attend the April 4 session.

 

Approximately 20 entries were submitted for the “Name the Shop” contest.  The Thrift Shop Committee members are selecting 5 entries.  Ballots with these names will be prepared.  The congregation, after the April 5 church service, will vote to name the shop.

 

          While we plan to open in May, we anticipate having a Grand Opening sometime during the summer.  We have been given a quilt, and we plan to sell raffle tickets with the drawing to be held in conjunction with the Grand Opening.  We welcome your input and help regarding this special event.

 

 

 

Seamen’s Church Institute

 

Christmas at Sea

 

          If you have been working over the winter on your knitted caps, scarves, and sweaters for the seamen, bring your completed items to church and we will send them to the Institute.  Please keep in mind that items can be sent at any time during the year,  So please keep knitting.  If you need a pattern or assistance ( if you are a new knitter ) talk with Dora Webster, Pat Bossolini, Marigo Brandt or Mary Netter.

 

 

 

 

On the Web

 

www.regeneration.dioceseny.org