We've Moved - to cpcmalverne.org

With the launch of cpcmalverne.org, this blog is being discontinued.  

Check out the web site for events listings, thoughts from the pastor, on line giving, photos and more.

Advent Potluck & Craft Night

We had a great time on Sunday eating Thanksgiving leftovers and making Christmas tree ornaments to give away when we go caroling.  Many thanks to Mary Hallam who organized the craft and Susan Hospodka for being the decollage queen.

Check out the slide show of some of the ornaments and join us for caroling on December 15 as we give them away.

Your Moment of Thanksgiving Cuteness

Last Thursday the kids in Little Blessings Christian Preschool had a special Thanksgiving snack and shared this Thanksgiving song.

Bowery Mission Women's Center Gift Drive

CPC's Presbyterian Women are sponsoring a gift drive for the women of The Bowery Mission Women's Center in New York City.  The gifts will go toward helping homeless women rebuild their lives.

Guidelines:

• Any and all sizes are welcome.  Gifts that do not suit women currently in the center will be stored and shared later.
• Do not wrap.
• Items should be in the church, under the Christmas tree, by Sunday, December 15.

The Items:

Watches

Journals

Rain Boots

Pajamas, robes

Slippers

Gloves & scarves

Carrier book bags

Purses, wallets

Toiletry items

Lotions/Body Washes

Make-up

Jewelry

Picture frames

Pocket calendars

Appointment books

New Living Translation hardcover Bibles

Devotional books

Gift Cards (Walgreens, Payless, JC Penny, Starbucks, etc.)

Water bottles

Travel mugs

Sweaters & sweatshirts

Socks/pantyhose

Stationary & stamps

Resume/document folios

Pen & pencil sets

Personal CD players w/ Earphones

Rain boots

2013 Advent / Christmas Schedule

Here is everything that is going on at CPC this Advent/Christmas Season!

First week of Advent

Sunday, December 1 (First Sunday of Advent)

9:45 – 12:00            Worship & church school

             5:30 – 8:00              Family Advent kick-off (Pot Luck Dinner, Family Advent activity, church decoration & evening worship)

Second week of Advent

Saturday, December 7

9:00 am – 4:00 pm       Done in a Day Hurricane Sandy Relief @ First Presbyterian, Freeport

5:00 – 9:00 pm        Lighting of Malverne table w/ hot cider & cookies

Sunday, December 8 (2^nd Sunday of Advent)

9:45 – 11:00       Worship & church school; Decorating of Sanctuary after church

Third Week of Advent

Sunday, December 15 (3^rd Sunday of Advent)

9:45 am       Worship & Church School, Decorating of Christmas Tree, Dedication of Gifts for the Bowery Mission Women’s Center

11:00 am       Presbyterian Women Cookie Walk

4:00 pm       Pre-caroling simple supper

4:45 pm       Christmas Caroling

Thursday, December 19

11:00 am       Little Blessings Preschool Christmas Party

 Saturday, December 21

10:00 – 12:00             Christmas pageant rehearsal

Fourth Week of Advent

Sunday, December 22 (4^th Sunday of Advent)

9:45 am       Worship, Christmas Pageant

11:00 am       Birthday Party for Jesus

Tuesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve)

4:00 pm            Family Service w/ Communion

11:00 pm            Service of lessons and carols

2013 Quilt - Sneak Preview

Here's a sneak preview of this year's quilt, made by the Malverne Piecemakers.  Come to the church fair on November 9 to buy a chance to win it.

Crop Walk 2013

About 16 walkers from CPC joined up with other Nassau County churches for the annual Crop Walk in Baldwin Park, helping raise money for Church World Service and the Long Island Council of Churches Food Pantry.  We started out with a lunch provided by Nassau Joint Ministry and then hit the trail.  Here are some picts from along the way.

Christian? Married (or thinking about it?) So What?

A six week discussion on spirituality and relationships

Starts Tuesday, October 15
6:30 pm - 8:00
Includes simple supper
Child care available
Individuals and couples of all orientations welcome

To register: cpcmalverne@optonline.net or (516) 599-3220. 

Marriage is one of the bedrock institutions of our church, deeply rooted in our faith.  Most of us were married by a clergy person "before God," frequently in a church.  For those married in the Catholic church, they experienced marriage as a sacrament: an outward sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace.  Despite this, we rarely think about what makes Christian marriage different from just marriage in general.  And, in a time when public perceptions about marriage are radically shifting, we rarely pause to consider what marriage means as we debate who should be married.

Over six weeks, guided by scripture, a common marriage liturgy and our personal experience we will seek to go beyond the culture wars and explore the gift of marriage, for our own lives and for society as a whole.

Culture War Neutral Zone:
This discussion will strive to be a safe place for individuals of all persuasions and orientations.  The nature of marriage and the role of marriage is much debated in our society today.  While it is likely that debate will enter into our discussion, it is not the role of this discussion to definitively define "Christian marriage" and enforce that definition on others.

Celebrating Hope Worship Service

We had a great outdoor service last Sunday.  Here are some pictures courtesy of Shel.

A fountain made from the church's sewer pipe.

Making a chain of hope.

Special service of renewal and restoration

Sewer Line Repairs Completed

Last Friday a crew came in with a back hoe and dug up the front lawn to fix our sewer pipe.  Here's a picture of the hole. (The big round thing is the church oil tank.)  Many thanks to Don Neugebauer for keeping on this vexing problem and getting the bathrooms back in service for the start of Preschool and our fall schedule.  Also thanks to everyone who's contributed to the building fund recently enabling us to make this repair.

Summer Sermon Series: The Apostles

During his earthly ministry Jesus identified twelve key men who would be recognized as first among his followers.  From Matthew 10:1-4:

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.  These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, son of Zebedee and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

Others would also emerge as leaders, both during Jesus' earthly ministry and in the early Christian community: Mary Madgaline; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; Matthias, who was chosen to replace Judas; Stephen, the first deacon; James, the brother of Jesus; and Paul.

This summer we're doing a sermon series on the Apostles: who they were, what happened to them and what lessons we can draw from their lives today.  Click on the links below to read the sermons.

July 7: Judas
July 14: Peter
July 21:Matthew
July 28: Andrew
August 4: James, James & James
August 21: Mary Magdalene (A version of the August 25 sermon preached at The Bowery Mission chapel)
August 25: Mary Magdalene
September 1: Paul

Food Drive a Huge Success

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to our annual community-wide food drive.  Thanks also to the many church folks who put out fliers, picked up food from their neighbors and volunteered to run the collection station and sell clothes for our clothing sale.

Its Food Drive Time

On June 2 CPC kicked off its annual Community Wide Food Drive and we'll be collecting on Saturday, June 8th.  If you got a notice on your door, just leave a bag of food on your steps and we'll pick it up.  If you didn't, bring food by the church between 9 and 3 on Saturday.  All donated food will go to the Long Island Council of Churches Feeding Center in Freeport.  Every month as many as 1,300 families depend on the Freeport Feeding Center to keep healthy food on their table.

Here's an example: One familiy - a husband and wife and three kids.  The parents are in their early 40's.  The kids range in age from eight to twelve.  The wife lost her job.  The husband is a school janitor and receives no pay over the summer.  The family is not eligible for food stamps because their annual income is just over the $35,000 threshold.  Even if they were, they would receive less than $800/month - not nearly enough to feed their entire household. 

All types of non-perishable food are welcome.  Especially welcome are basics such as pasta, sauce, rice, beans, tuna, peanut butter, etc.  Low sodium food are also helpful, as are foods appropriate for Hispanic or Caribbean diets.

Community Presbyterian will also accept money to give to the food pantry or you can give directly at www.liccdonate.org.

Your Minute of Cuteness

Every year Little Blessings Preschool raises caterpillars and watches them become butterflies.  Here the kids are releasing a reluctant new friend.

Holy Week Schedule

Here's the schedule for Holy Week 2013

Palm Sunday - March 24
8:30 am - Breakfast
9:40 am - Parade of Palms
9:45 am - Worship with special music by the Little Blessings Singers

Bowery Mission Trip - March 27
Spend the day at The Bowery Mission, helping make lunch, lead worship and do whatever else needs to be done.  Contact the church office to register.

Maundy Thursday - March 28 @ 4:00
Foot washing & communion

Good Friday - March 29 @ 7:30
A Tennebrae reading of the passion

Easter - March 31
6:30 am - Sunrise Service @ Jones Beach #6
9:45 am - Resurrection Celebration with special music by the CPC Sunday School, Adult Choir and others.

Hurricane Sandy Workday

On Saturday, March 2, CPC members joined with the Presbytery of Long Island for a work day helping homeowners in East Rockaway and Freeport.  By the end of the morning we were tired, dirty and had helped two of our neighbors get one step closer to recovery.

10,360 Food Items!

This year's Souper Bowl Food Drive yielded over 10,000 food items collected by 10 churches.  CPC did their fair share by collecting almost 2,000 food items, making us this year's winner.  Check out the score card below along with a picture of our crew delivering the food to the Long Island Council of Churches Food Pantry in Freeport.

Tuesday Night Lenten Series - The Practices That Transform Us

Here are the details for this year's Tuesday Night Lenten Series

Topic: The Practices That Transform Us
Book: Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
Schedule: 6:45 - 8:30; includes simple supper

Dates, locations and themes

February 19 - Malverne - The Practice of Worship
February 26 - Freeport - The Practice of Opening One's Self To God
March 5 - Massapequa - The Practice of Avoiding False Gods
March 12 - Baldwin - The Practice of Sharing One's Life
March 19 - Garden City - The Practice of Making Present the Love of Christ

Spiritual Practice 1 - Breath Prayer

During Lent 2013 we're going to be focusing on simple spiritual practices that have the potential to transform our lives and our relationship with God.  Each week we'll be introducing a simple spiritual practice in worship and posting it to the blog.

Breath Prayer
Prayer is the most basic of spiritual practices and breath prayer is one of the oldest tools for prayer.  Breath prayers can be powerful centering devices as well as a way to feel the calming reassurance of God in difficult and stressful situations.

The prayer is very simple.  Slow down your breathing.  As you breathe in, say to yourself a name of God.  As you breathe out, say to your self a need or request you want God to address.  The graphic below has some ancient breath prayers, but you are free to identify your own names for God and add your own requests.

Its Souper Bowl Time!

Once again CPC has accepted the challenge from Middle Island Presbyterian Church as to who can collect the most canned goods for the Long Island Council of Churches Food Pantry during the month of February.  This year seven other churches joined us.  Already the combined churches have collected almost 5,000 food items, and the month isn't over.

Below is a chart as to how CPC is doing.  We won last year, but we're currently in fifth place!  Invite your neighbors, your friends, your family, even colleagues at work, to join in helping Long Island's hungry families.

Christmas Pageant 2012

We had a wonderful Christmas pageant this year complete with several firsts including inclusion of children from the Little Blessings Christian Preschool and the inclusion of adults in most of the major roles.  Check out the slide show below.

Christmas Gifts for the Bowery Mission Women's Center

The Presbyterian Women's Circle of Community Presbyterian Church is encouraging everyone to buy Christmas presents for the women of the Bowery Mission Women's Center this year.  The list is below. Gifts should be in church by Sunday, December 17.

List of Gift Ideas

Watches

Journals

Rain Boots

Pajamas, robes

Slippers

Gloves & scarves

Carrier book bags

Purses, wallets

Toiletry items

Lotions/Body Washes

Make-up

Jewelry

Picture frames

Pocket calendars

Appointment books

New Living Translation hardcover Bibles

Devotional books

Gift Cards (Walgreens, Payless, JC Penny, Starbucks, etc.)

Water bottles

Travel mugs

Sweaters & sweatshirts

Socks/pantyhose

Stationary & stamps

Resume/document folios

Pen & pencil sets

Personal CD players w/ Earphones

Rain boots

General Items needed for the Women’s Center

Loose leaf notebook paper

1” Three ring binders

Spiral notebooks

Towels & washcloths

Pillows

Winter White Corelle dishes and mugs

25 green placemats

Instructions

·       Any and all sizes are welcome.  Items that do not fit the women currently in the house will be saved for women who might come later in the year.

·       Do not wrap.

·       Items should be placed in the sanctuary, under the Christmas tree.

·       All items must be to the church by worship on Sunday morning, December 16

Advent/Christmas at CPC

Here is what's going on this Advent/Christmas season at Community Presbyterian.

Morning worship with lighting of the Advent Candle - Every Sunday in December, 9:45 am

Lighting of Malverne - Saturday, December 1, 5-9 pm
Community Presbyterian will be serving free hot cider, cookies and apples from our table on Hempstead Avenue.

Advent Kick-off Pot luck & Craft Night - Sunday, December 2, 5:30 pm
Pot luck dinner, crafts, worship and music with our sister congregations from Nassau Joint Ministry.

Christmas Caroling - Date & Time TBD
A simple supper followed by going house to house brining Christmas joy to our neighbors.  Then we return to the church for a quiet evening of conversation, cookies and crafts for the kids.

Christmas Pageant - Sunday, December 23, 9:45 am
We'll be starting a new tradition this year under the direction of Kimberly Birch & Bonnie Piotrowski.  The pageant is open to everyone regardless of age.

Christmas Eve Services - Monday, December 24, 4:00 pm and 11:00 pm
The 4:00 family service is a relaxed, child oriented celebration of Christmas, with communion.  The service lasts about a hour and fifteen minutes.  The 11:00 service follows a low key lessons and carols format, and finishes around 12:05 on Christmas Day.

Mission Opportunities
The Presbyterian Women this year are leading us in mission for the Christmas season.

• Bakeless Bake Sale - a fundraiser for the Presbyterian Women.  Take whatever you would normally spend on the annual Presbyterian Women cookie walk and just give that to the women.
• Christmas Presents for the Bowery Mission Women's Center - The Bowery Mission gives homeless and hurting women a chance to rebuild their lives.  The Presbyterian Women make sure these women have a wonderful Christmas.  List of presents needed.

Food Drive 2012!

This year’s food drive week is June 10-16. On Sunday the 10th, leaflets will be distributed at church and we will divvy up the neighborhood. We have 2000 door hangers and we mean to hang each and every one of them! Then, on the 16th, we will collect the food from our neighbors and bring it to the church’s front yard. Be sure to sign up for a shift in front of the church on Saturday from 10-3! Don't live near Malverne? Join us by making a donation to your local food pantry or soup kitchen.

Long Island suffers from hunger along with the rest of the nation. In one survey done by Feeding America, it was found that of Long Island households utilizing food pantries:

-         47% had to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities

-         49% had to choose between food and rent or mortgage

-         36% had to choose between food and medicine or medical care

-         44% had to choose between food and transportation

-         34% had to choose between food and gasoline

-         39% are under the age of 18

-         4% are elderly

-         30% include someone with poor health

-         6% of “households” are homeless

Unfortunately, donations to food pantries usually drop off during the summer and schools no longer offer free or reduced cost lunch to students. Families suffer during this season which is why we hold our annual food drive in June. What can you do to help? Bring some of the items below to the church on Saturday, June 16 between 10 and 3. We’ll be donating the food to the Long Island Council of Churches’ Food Pantry.

Here is what the Food Pantry needs most to meet this increased need:

• Canned vegetables (low salt)
• Soup (low salt/low fat)
• Canned fruit, 100% Fruit Juice (not fruit drink)
• Pasta, rice, canned beans
• Complete pancake mix
• Oatmeal, grits, dry cereal (non/low sugar)
• Canned tuna, chicken, salmon (in water)
• Canned stew
• Nuts (low salt), peanut butter, jelly
• Dry milk, Parmalat
• Shampoo, soap, toiletries
• Clean, gently-used clothing
• Diapers (all sizes), Enfamil formula, baby cereal, baby wipes and powder

For more info:

Visit http://www.ncccusa.org/ecmin/licc/

2012 Confirmation Class

Since November kids from Malverne have joined youth from the Presbyterian Churches in Baldwin and Massapequa for confirmation class.  We finished up last Tuesday night with a special closing service at the Malverne church.  Check out the picture.

Planting Onions

On Sunday we joined with our partner congregations and spent a few hours at Crossroads Farm at Grossmans, a CSA here in Malverne. We got a tour, planted onions and then got to pull carrots to take home. Check out the picts.

Holy Week Schedule

The following is the schedule for Holy Week at CPC

Maundy Thursday - 4:00 pm
A contemplative service featuring foot washing and communion

Good Friday - 7:30 pm
A reading of the Passion Narrative from John's Gospel combined with a Tenebrae (dying of the light) service.

Day of Gladness - Saturday, April 7
A special day where the entire congregation is being challenged to intentionally make the gladness of Christ's resurrection known in ways large and small.

EASTER
Sunrise Service - 6:30 am at Jones Beach #6
This is the annual Nassau County Sunrise Service sponsored by the Long Island Council of Churches. Adrian Pratt, the Pastor of Baldwin Presbyterian Church is preaching this year.

Resurrection Celebration - 9:45 am
We bring the Alleluia back into the sanctuary and raise it to the rafters. Includes the telling of the Easter Story in ways appropriate for children and adults alike. We'll also be reporting on our Day of Gladness activities.

Easter Egg Hunt - 11:15

Palm Sunday 2012

We had a great Palm Sunday service, filled with processions, singing and communion. Many thank you to our worship leaders, the choir and Pam Jusino for helping develop the liturgy and the movement. Also thanks to Karen Record for shooting this video.

Untitled from Fritz Nelson on Vimeo.

We Did It! CPC Wins Souper Bowl Collection

Thanks to Rob's abundant efforts, CPC more than survived a last minute surge by Middle Island and won the SouperBowl 2012 food collection competition. We'll receive the trophy on April 12th at the Presbytery Meeting in Roosevelt.

Here's the final standings.


Here are some pictures from Shirley Yang as they delivered all the food to the Long Island Council of Churches Food Pantry in Freeport.

2012 Lenten Study - God's Abundant Table

Nassau Joint Ministries presents God's Abundant Table, a Lenten journey of food, community and worship across five stand-alone sessions. Topics include God's abundance, hospitality, the link between justice and food, spiritual food and giving thanks. Sessions begin with a simple dinner at 6:45 followed by a study and then closing with worship.

Dates & Locations:
February 28 - Massapequa
Presbyterian Community Church
150 Pittsburgh Street

March 6 - Garden City
The Presbyterian Church
91 Chester Avenue

March 13 - Malverne
Community Presbyterian Church
12 Nottingham Road

March 20 - Freeport
First Presbyterian Church
178 South Ocean Avenue

March 27 - Baldwin
First Presbyterian Church
717 Saint Luke's Place

Today's Souper Bowl Shopping Hint

Thanks to Don Neugebauer for catching the great deals on canned goods at Target. Campbells Condensed Soup four packs are $2.25 each. Goya tomato sauce is $.47 each. I was able to get 42 food items - soup, rice, beans and tomato sauce - for $25.

Souper Bowl Challenge

The Souper Bowl is a national collection for the hungry held on Super Bowl Sunday. Founded by the pastor of a Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, tens of thousands of churches, schools and youth organizations participate. For a full history go to the Souper Bowl web site.

The Souper Bowl Challenge began in 2011 when Middle Island Presbyterian Church challenged other congregations in the Presbytery of Long Island to a food collection contest during the month of February. The goal: collect as many food items as possible. The congregation that collected the most per member would win. That first year Malverne & Merrick accepted the challenge. Merrick won. In 2012 two other congregations: Yaphank and Bellmore have joined in the fun.

Current Souper Bowl standings as of February 19. Graph is of cans/member.

Congregational God Sightings 2011 & Prayers for 2012

Each year at Community Presbyterian's annual meeting we collect God Sightings from the previous year and prayer for the congregation in the year to come. Slightly condensed, these are this year's God Sightings and Prayers.

God Sightings for 2011
Our contributions to local missions
The way the congregation held together spiritually and financially through a year of economic distress
Church on the Road (2)
The three sages in the Christmas Pageant (1)
The energy brought by new members (4)
Craft Fair (4)
Lenten series on prayer
Advent/Christmas activities
Working together on the boiler (7)
Near balance of the budget
Our pastor (3)
Health of family & friends
Having God to guide my life
Thrift Shop ladies
Fellowship activities (2)
My baptism
Meeting and overcoming obstacles
Everyone who helps keep the congregation going
Use of Elders for preaching
Increased number of children in church
Growing partnerships with other congregations on youth ministry

Prayers for 2012
That we continue our good deeds and spread our love (2)
Growth of Little Blessings Preschool (4)
Membership growth(12)
Spiritual growth (2)
Meet the church budget (3)
Continue participation of young families
Continued blessing of the Lord's love
Growth in wisdom & generosity
Build up Sunday School (2)
Continue on as a congregation
Become a more vibrant, exciting pathway to a close relationship with God

Confirmation Art

Church history was the topic of last Tuesday's confirmation class. While Pastor Pam tried to cover 2,000 years in an hour and a half, the kids took to drawing the history on large sheets taped to the walls. Check out the video to see their unique take.

Allyce's paper.



Everyone Else's (Including Brittany)

Annual Meeting Sunday

CPC had its 98th annual meeting on Sunday and we shared reports, reviewed the church finances, elected officers and lifted up congregational priorities. We also collected congregational God sightings from 2011 and prayers for 2012. Those will be posted as soon as we get them typed up.

Got your own God sightings from 2011 and prayers for 2012? Leave them in the comments.

Need a copy of the Annual Report? Contact the church office.

Our congregational priorities for 2012 are:
- Increase number of congregation & community dinners
- Better care of our oldest members
- Continued focus on meeting the financial needs of the congregation.

Read Pastor Fritz's State of the Church address laying out the above priorities.

Congratulations and thank you to our new class of elders:
- Lorne Birch
- June Englese
- Shel Basch

And to our new class of Deacons:
- Dorothy Grace
- Lori Basch
- Shirley Yang
- Kayla Hospodka

Bowery Mission Women's Center Gifts

As our Christmas service project, we collected gifts for the women at The Bowery Mission Women's Center at Heartsease Home. As usual everyone was generous - we almost completely filled the back of Milan's truck - and as you can see from these pictures the women at the Women's Center were thrilled. Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Buy From Women for Women

This year our church wide mission project is to buy gifts for the women at The Bowery Mission Women's Center, a program on the Upper East Side of Manhattan that provides shelter, support, counseling and job training for women in crisis. Click here for the complete list of suggested gifts. (Note: the list is on page 2)

Wouldn't it be neat if you could double your impact by buying your gift for The Bowery Mission Women's Center from other programs that serve to empower women? The cool thing is you can - and you might very well save money by doing so. Here are some links to places you can shop.

Serrv - One of the largest outlets for fair trade crafts, the majority of Serrv's handicrafts are made by women through dozens of programs around the world that serve to educate and economically empower women, and through them, their communities.

Soup of Success - Soups, desserts & greeting cards by homeless women in Elkhart, IN

Women's Initiative Network - Foods stuffs & Jewelry by domestic violence survivors in Wichita, KS

Poverello Prints - amazing cards and artwork by the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi

Women of the Cloud Forest - jewelry & embroidered bags from Costa Rica

Tutwiler Quilters - quilted bags and place mats from the Mississippi Delta

Women's Bean Project - soup mixes from Denver, CO

We Give Thanks

Last Sunday at CPC we renewed our Thanksgiving Banner, pinning leaves with our own prayers of Thanksgiving up on the large cloth banner reading "Thank you."

Here are some of the prayers of thanks that were offered. Add your own Prayer of Thanksgiving to the comments, or add it to the banner in church next time you are there.

• Family and church
• My family
• Guiding and protecting us through a difficult year
• A new addition to the family
• A loving, wonderful wife
• Every breath I take
• Family, good friends, good health
• Life, family, church
• Food, water, shelter
• Good health & Pastor Fritz's leadership
• For God keeping us strong in tough times and blessing us in good times
• Shepherds who take care of the sheep
• Love of children
• Wife, family & friends - for health & peace in their lives
• A loving family who is there when I need them
• Love, family, health
• The opportunities I have been luckily enough to be given
• Strength and good health to continue caring for my mother-in-law
• Mommy, Papa, Daddy
• That God puts up with me
• Family, friendship, patience, health, happiness
• My little boys & family
• The warm friendship found at CPC
• Amazing family & friends
• Wonderful family
• Health & family
• Church & family
• Wife, daughter, future son-in-law & church
• Wife who picks me up from the train station at 11:30 pm
• Healthy family
  

The Annotated Guide to Advent/Christmas at CPC

Every place has its traditions, and some are a little peculiar, so I thought I'd explain a little about what we do at CPC to keep our spirits focused on Christ during this season.

Download the entire Advent/Christmas schedule

The Advent Wreath - A devotional tool used to focus on the light that Christ brings into our lives during Christmas. Consists of four candles (either pink or purple) symbolizing the weeks leading up to Christmas and a white center candle symbolizing Christ. On Sundays during worship, starting November 27, we will light one candle each week. Then on Christmas Eve we will light the inner white candle. Many of us also have advent wreaths in our homes and light them daily during a meal or during private devotions. The church distributes a daily Advent devotional to help focus us on Christ's coming.

Poinsettias - members and friends of the congregation contribute to decorating the sanctuary by buying poinsettias in honor or remembrance of those they love. Those who desire to take their poinsettias home after the Christmas Eve service pay a premium of $12. Those who leave their poinsettias behind to decorate the sanctuary through the Christmas season pay $6. Those who are feeling generous or forgetful pay $12 and leave their poinsettia behind.

Advent Kickoff Potluck (Sunday, Nov. 27 @ 6:00) - a low key dinner to get the Christmas season started right.

Lighting of Malverne (Saturday, Dec. 3 from 5-9) - Malverne's Christmas festival. We have a table out on Hempstead Avenue (which is closed) and give away free cookies and hot cider while inviting everyone to join us for the Christmas season (and beyond).

Cookie Walk (Sunday, Dec. 11 after church) - an annual fundraiser for the Presbyterian Women. In the old days they would bake cookies and sell them to the congregation. Now everyone in the congregation bakes cookies and then buys their cookies back.

The Christmas Tree (Decorated on Dec. 11 during worship) - The sanctuary Christmas Tree is communally decorated with generations of ornaments made by church school children and others.

Caroling (Sunday, Dec. 11 @ 3:30) - We gather for a simple dinner of soup, bread and hot dogs before careening around town to sing carols at the homes of our shut ins and others. We than return to the church for a relaxing evening of hot coco, cookies and conversation in the church lounge.

Christmas Eve Services (Dec. 24, 4:00 & 11:00) - The so called "family service," the 4:oo service makes a special effort to include the congregation's children in telling the Christmas story. It also includes special music, Pastor Fritz's Christmas sermon and communion. The 4:00 service tends to run a little longer than an ordinary Sunday service. The 11:00 service is a low key service of lessons and carols. Members of the congregation read a series of scriptures beginning with Genesis that illuminate the coming of Jesus. Between readings the congregation sings carols or special music is offered. There is no sermon. The service ends shortly after 12:00 am on Christmas morning.

Download the entire Advent/Christmas schedule

Church Fair 2011

Many thanks to everyone who helped with this year's church fair and dinner - and a special thanks to those who came and spent money. The fair raised over $5,200 for the church.

Check out the slide show.

Church Fair this Weekend

Saturday, 10 - 3, Dinner at 6:00. Dinner is $12.

Fresh Vegetables • Mary’s Crafts • Fair Trade Crafts from around the world • Baked Goods • Baskets & More Baskets • Quilt Raffle • Hand made Children’s Clothes • Sausage Lady • Children’s craft project • Pork Dinner

Check out the quilt


Here's the flier. Click for a printable PDF.

Letter to Congregation Re: New Boiler & Year End Finances

October 28, 2011

To the congregation:

After worship last Sunday, the Finance Committee presented an update on congregational finances and presented initial estimates for the cost of replacing the church hall boiler, which cracked two weeks ago.

As for the congregation’s finances, our income is up slightly due to the preschool but a 60% rise in the cost of oil in addition to staff pay raises have caused expenses to increase as well. Congregational giving has also been slightly weaker than in previous years. Taken together, this leaves us with a projected $6,000 deficit for 2011.

The boiler is expected to cost approximately $20,000 to replace, an amount that includes asbestos removal, disposal of the old boiler, purchasing the new boiler, installation and other expenses associated with a possible conversion to natural gas.

The good news is that a new boiler will considerably lower our energy use. This plus the growing preschool bodes well for the congregation’s long-term financial picture.

At this time, however, we need everybody to dig a little deeper and challenge themselves to both help balance this year’s budget and raise the funds necessary for the new boiler. By the end of the meeting last Sunday, we had already received four pledges toward the new boiler exceeding $6,500. We also received lesser commitments toward helping balance the operating budget.

Community Presbyterian is our spiritual home. It is where we gather to praise God, to raise our children in the faith, to fellowship together, to pray for each other and the world and to serve our neighbors. Enclosed with this letter is a simple form asking you to do your part to help move the congregation over the hump. If you could prayerfully consider how much you are able to give, both toward the boiler and the projected deficit, and then fill out the form, it would be of great help. Completed forms can be put into the offering plate or given to Nancy Stalb.

Thank you

Lorne Birch

Clerk

Download Pledge Form

In Memoriam - Church Hall Boiler

On Sunday we offered our thanks to God for the life and service of the church hall boiler. For 81 years, first as a coal boiler and then as an oil fired boiler, it provided heat for scout troops and AA meetings, community theatrical productions and talent shows, the thrift shop and fellowship club dinners, church fairs and coffee hours.

Over the years, the boiler tank began to rust away with age, developing leaks and then sealing the leaks over with rust. Over the years, congregational leaders also questioned the boiler's efficiency, wondering about changes but then balking at the cost of replacement.

At its September 2011 meeting, the Session questioned once again whether, with rising oil prices we could continue affording to operate the church hall boiler. They appointed a team to begin reviewing options. And then when our Sexton John Wolfe test fired the boiler, water began running out the bottom as quickly as it went in the top. The boiler had finally rusted through.

For years, when we felt we could not afford to replace it, the good Lord kept our boiler going. And then, when we were wondering whether we could afford to run it, the boiler died. Our God watches over us in all ways.

The church is currently soliciting bids for all aspects of the boiler replacement process. We expect it will cost in the vicinity of $20,000 once costs related to a possible conversion to gas are factored in.

Fall Youth Schedule

This is the fall schedule for Nassau Joint Youth activities

Sunday, Oct. 2 - Courageous Movie Screening - Roosevelt Field theater, 3:30, followed by pizza and discussion at Garden City Presbyterian Church

Sunday, Oct. 16 - Crop Walk, Baldwin Park, 1:00 - Special fake geo caching activity & lunch

November 11-12 - Retreat @ Holmes Camp

Sunday, Dec. 4 - Out of the Box Worship, 5:00 pm, Massapequa

What's Going On with Sunday School

We've gotten a slow start with Sunday School this year, but have finally figured everything out. Here's what's going to happen:

Classes:
- Toddler/Pre-K - Head Teacher Laura Eisenlau
- Elementary - Head Teacher Gloria Olson
- Middle School + - Head Teacher Mary Hallam

Schedule:
11:00 - 11:15 - General Gathering w/ story presented by youth and music.
11:15-12:00 - Separate classes. (Toddler class with be shorter)