PRELUDE, September 2002

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE

There is a wonderful ideal among the Religious Society of Friends (a.k.a. The Quakers): "speak the truth in love." As the LICC has become increasingly active in interfaith work, some Christians have wondered if multi-faith cooperation or interfaith education might mean condoning beliefs which seem silly, false, and maybe even dangerous. One reason we need to learn about other faiths, I believe, is so that we can speak truthfully and lovingly, particularly when we must honestly declare our opposition to what others preach. Why should anyone believe the Good News we proclaim if we speak lies about their community?

Many Christians, though, unknowingly distort the beliefs of others. I have heard Buddhists and Muslims called "idolaters," for example, a charge of which they are less guilty than the average Christian. I have heard preachers claim that Jews and Christians do not worship the same God, even though our Christian ancestors declared this heresy in the second century. To be a real evangelist, to bear witness to the Good News which Jesus proclaimed, you need to know as much as possible about other faith communities and to deal respectfully with their adherents. Anyone who hopes to reach unchurched and unaffiliated Americans in our postmodern, relativistic world cannot afford to sound narrow-minded. If we are not speaking in love, few people will believe we are speaking the truth.

As Huston Smith wrote in The World's Religions, "We begin by listening to our own tradition. Not uncritically, for new occasions teach new duties; but nevertheless expectantly, realizing it houses more truth than a single lifetime could fathom, let alone enact. But then, we listen to the faith of others. . . . For understanding brings respect, and respect prepares the way for a higher capacity which is love."

Shalom/Salaam/Shanti/Pax,
Tom

IDEAS YOU CAN USE:

Show Your Commitment to Christian Unity

Many congregations across the nation are adding "Churches Uniting in Christ" (the new incarnation of the Consultation on Church Union) to their signboards, stationary, newsletters, and advertisements. Many church-shoppers and seekers are looking for a place which is not narrowly parochial in its denominational identity. What a great way to demonstrate that your congregation and your denomination are committed to building unity with fellow Christians!

Sermon Notes & Children's Testimony

At Shaw Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Amityville, Dr. Eugene Purvis, who serves on the LICC's Public Issues Committee, encourages worshipers to reflect on his message by providing a page for sermon notes in the printed bulletin, with space to record the Scripture text, topic, main points of the sermon, and what God might be saying through the sermon. Also at Shaw Temple, children report in worship what they learned in Sunday School, reinforcing their morning lessons and training them for future preaching and teaching.

Cool Ideas for Summer

Many local congregations have been doing interesting and creative things with summer worship. Some of these are prompted by necessity: the pastor or the choir's vacation or the fact that it's just too hot in the sanctuary in August for formal attire. Other congregations, though, realize that many summer visitors are hunting for a new worship home and are intentionally experimenting with ways to make them feel welcome. Here are some good ideas from the trenches:

• In Centerport, United Methodists invited the community to a barbecue and rock concert, proclaiming that theirs is "a church for the 21st century."
• In Wantagh, the Congregational (UCC) and Presbyterian churches have joint worship during July and August, building Christian unity at the grass-roots level and signaling to visitors that these are broad-minded people, not narrow sectarians.
• In Amityville, 1st United Methodist Church held an out-door service celebrating God's good creation with a litany from their "Book of Worship" which was adapted from a traditional Native American prayer facing the four points of the compass. They also experimented with mid-week picnic-and-vespers.
• First Parish Church (UCC) in Northville (near Riverhead) worshiped at Indian Island Park on August. 18, followed by a picnic and an afternoon of games and fun.
• Borrowing an idea from the Moravian Church's "Singstude" a worship service consisting almost completely of hymns, the Garden City Community Church (UCC) surveyed their members and planned a "sermon in song" for their July 21 service, based on the congregation's ten most popular hymns.
• The churches of Greenport Ecumenical Ministries banded together for an inter-denominational Vacation Bible School August 19-23 at Greenport United Methodist Church.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Quentin Sammis, a member of our Development Committee, and his wife Marge will be honored by the Cinema Arts Centre of Huntington at their 30th Anniversary Cabaret on Sept. 14.
• Walk in Love for Jesus will have an interdenominational walk and celebration on Saturday, Sept. 14, beginning at Hysler St. in East Meadow at 10 a.m. and reaching Calvary Lutheran Church by 1:00 for an afternoon of prayer, speakers, and performers. Contact the Rev. Jeanette Capriola at 516-679-1822 for further information.
• A recent survey of clients served by the LICC's social service offices and emergency food pantry produced rave reviews, with nearly everyone finding our staff extremely helpful and understanding.
• Evangelical, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Mainline Protestant, and Catholic church leaders have joined together to build a broader national ecumenical movement under the name "Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A."
• Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk is remembering Roger Metcalf, a longtime friend of the LICC and the poor, with a golf tournament which will raise funds for Habitat. It will be Monday, Sept. 23, at the Middle Island Country Club. Call 631-924-4966 for info.
• The Rev. Jim Barnum, pastor of Bellmore Presbyterian Church, who recently received a doctorate focused on ministry with the handicapped, is meeting monthly with folks who want to develop Christian education for developmentally-challenged children, youth, and young adults. If you are interested, call him at 516- 785-2590 or e-mail him at revjbpc@aol.com.
• Auburn Theological Seminary is offering a one-Saturday a month series on "A Spiritual Journey: Interfaith Perspectives" beginning Sept. 14, from 10:00 to 2:00. For further information, call Jennifer El-Mattrawy at 212-662-4315 or jel@auburnsem.org).

KUDOS:

Congratulations to the Rev. Mark Lukens, pastor of Bethany Congregational Church in East Rockaway and the chair of the LICC's Western Area Steering Committee, recently elected the President of the Interfaith Alliance of Nassau County.

DOES YOUR CHURCH HAVE A WEB-SITE?

The administrator of our Web-site (www.ncccusa.org/ecmin/licc), Carolyn Moon, has begun linking our site with those of our member churches and coalition partners (such as the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island). Does your church or denomination have a Web-site? Would you like to cross-link it, so those who visit our site can find your church and those who visit yours can see the ecumenical/interfaith work you support? If so, send the URL (Internet address) of your site to Carolyn: cjmoon@optonline.net. Does your church already send us your newsletter? If not, please do so. Do you have an on-line edition? If so, please send it to licchemp@aol.com. Would you like to receive this newsletter via e-mail? Just send us your address!

WORTH QUOTING:

The Pledge of Allegiance:

"With a declaration that included everyone under god's protection we could tell ourselves that we were all people of faith...there was the assumption not long ago that we were a `Christian nation.' By this decision we are reminded that cheap verbal espousals do not constitute faithful living. Group proclamations at school, at Rotary, before baseball games, with scouts, or in any other social venue do not make us good Christians, Jews, Muslims, or anything else. Our faith and our right to proclaim that faith, with conviction, in the secular world is still ours but we have to be more intentional with that gift than simply sharing it in an allegiance to the state."

- Erik Rasmussen, 1st United Methodist Church, Amityville

Islam:

"Constantly, the Quran points out that Muhammad had not come to cancel the older religions, to contradict their prophets or to start a new faith. His message is the same as that of Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, or Jesus. . . Muslim scholars argue that had Muhammad known about the Buddhists or the Hindus, the Australian Aborigines or the Native Americans, the Quran would have endorsed their sages, too.

- Karen Armstrong, "Islam: A Short History" (Modern Library)

OFFERED/NEEDED:

Offered:

• The Presbyterian Church of Shelter Island has more than 200 usable copies of the Presbyterian/Reformed "Hymnbook" (1955) which they would be glad to give to anyone who can use them. Call Janet Hanson at 631-749-3288.
• One black preaching robe (worn by someone about 5'10") and four stoles. Contact Betty Miserendino at 516-798-7954 or boop8183@aol.com.
• Lucinda Mosher, who developed some of the educational materials used by the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum in its "Building Bridges" program, has written new sketches of seven world religions. They can be viewed or downloaded free at the Episcopal Churches interfaith Web-site, www.interfaith.episcopalchurch.org or www.episcopalchurch.org.
• Dr. Alan Bentz-Letts a Lutheran clergyman and Hofstra University campus minister, is offering to teach in local congregations, either as a mid-week series or an intensive weekend course, on such topics as "Earth Faith," "Contemporary Understanding of the Christian Faith," "Islam and the West," "Healing and the Mind," and "Peacemaking from a Christian Perspective." Some classes are organized by regional or ecumenical clusters of congregations. You can reach him at 718-261-1550 or 718-997-3979 or alanbentzletts@aol.com.
• Project Outreach is offering speakers on Hinduism to local congregations and organizations in the Tri-State area. Most presentations run a hour, including questions and discussion. They can cover such topics as "karma" in Hindu thought, reincarnation, and what teachings are common to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. There is no fee for the program, since the speakers are volunteers, though you might reimburse their travel expenses. To request a presentation, contact Dr. Uday Naval at 631-421-5404 or drnaval@hotmail.com.
• Here's a resource which may help a child you know. Good Shepherd Hospice is offering Camp Courage, a free bereavement camp for children who lost family members on 9/11. It will be Sept. 21-22 in Brookhaven. Call 631-376-3758 for information or registration.
• Many people affected by the 9/11 terror attacks have been slow to seek counseling, support groups, or therapy which might be helpful to them and their families. Often these clients are experiencing depression, anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, and phobias all of which are symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, something which often hits them anytime up to two years after the trauma but they have not yet received much help in dealing with these problems. A fast-acting treatment has been developed which may be just what many such people need. It is called Eye Movement Desensitization and many clients report significant relief in as few as three sessions. Firefighters, nurses, heavy equipment operators, and Twin Towers workers have been receiving EMDR and reporting that they "feel like themselves again." EMDR is available free of charge to those who were present in lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, those who had a close relative or friend killed or hurt in the attacks, and those involved in the rescue, retrieval, clean-up, or reconstruction efforts. For referrals in Nassau and Suffolk, call the Mental Health Association at 631-226-3900. In New York City, call 917-626-9117. For further information, call Carol Forgash at the Disaster Mental Health Recovery Network, 631-265-3194.
• Nanette Elman has an upright Keble-Whitney piano she would like to donate to a church. Call 516-797-7131.
• The Education & Assistance Corporation has a free program for disadvantaged youth 16-21 years old called ACHIEVE (Another Chance Initiative for Education, Vocation, or Employment), beginning in September. The program teaches skills for employment and helps young people attain their GED certificates. call 516-486-7973.
• New videos in the LICC lending Library:
  • "Frontline: Faith & Doubt at Ground Zero"
  • "Caught in the Crossfire" (includes a profile of a local Palestinian-American Lutheran pastor)
  • "A Yiddish World Remembered"
  • "Heart of the Soul with Gary Zukav"
• Peconic Campus Ministry is offering a Theological Book Discussion Group on the fourth Tuesday of each month. September's book is "Reading the Bible Again for the First Time" by Marcus Borg. October's will be Borg's "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time." Call Pastor Vita at 631-537-1187 for info.
• Catholic Charities has produced a guide for prayer and Bible study during October and November which is based on the lectionary or calendar of readings shared by many denominations. Some Protestant parishes on the Island have begun using this resource, too, and our Executive Director highly recommends it. They are available in Spanish or English for $1.95 each plus shipping. To order. Call Mary Robinson at 516-733-7078 or fax her at 516-733-7098 before Sept. 20.
• United in Christ needs free office space for a year, as this ecumenical group begins developing plans for Jesus Alive 2005. Somewhere in Eastern Nassau or Western Suffolk would be ideal. Call Gus or Gloria Schuck at 631-277-4365.
• The Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence needs donations of Games, craft items, watches, clocks, journals, sports equipment, bath mats, linens, telephones, answering machines, hair curlers, pampers, toiletries, and new clothes (underwear, slippers, sweat pants, sweatshirts, socks, and pajamas for women or children). Call Elise Ann Howell at 516-572- 0700 if you have any to donate.

JOB OPENINGS

• Dix Hills United Methodist Church is seeking a church secretary 10 hours a week at $10/hour. Contact the Rev. Judi Mills at 631- 462-2986 or JudiMills@aol.com or send a resume to 400 Deer Park Avenue, Dix Hills 11746.
• Brookville Reformed Church is seeking an experienced Christian Education Coordinator, 50-60 hours per month, who can make at least a one-year commitment. Contact Joan Pickard at 718-990-2572 or pickardj@stjohns.edu.
• The United Methodist Church of Huntington-Cold Spring Harbor is seeking a youth choir director and a director of children, youth, family, and young adult ministries. To apply, fax your resume and salary requirements to 631-427-5290.
• Hospice Care Network needs an experienced chaplain, part-time, with a Master of Divinity and at least one CPE unit. Interdisciplinary team experience a plus. Ability to work flexible days & hours a must. Send resumes to PC Ross, Hospice Care Network, 900 Merchants Concourse, Westbury, 11590 or fax to 516-745-6227.
• The People's Church in Long Beach, which describes itself as a "small, active, non-denominational, traditional Protestant church," is seeking a part-time, ordained pastor. Call 516-239-4885.
• The Congregational Church of Patchogue is seeking a Director of Christian Education for children and youth, at least 25 hours a week. They would prefer someone with teaching experience and Microsoft Word competence. Send resumes to 95 E. Main St., Patchogue, 11772, call the Rev. Diane Prosser at 631-475-1235 or email her at prosserjuhnke@mindspring.com.
• Christ Episcopal Church in Babylon is seeking an organist/choir director, to begin Oct. 1, for two Sunday services, holidays, and two weekly rehearsals. They have a 3-keyboard Rodgers electronic organ, and the salary range is $13,000 to $17,000. Send resume to 12 Prospect St., Babylon 11701 or call Barbara Lutz at 631-661-5757.
• Bayport United Methodist Church is seeking a choir director for one weekday rehearsal, one Sunday service and holidays services, 40 weeks a year, with summers off. The salary range starts at $3,000. Mail resumes to SPRC, 482 Middle Road, Bayport, NY 11705. For further information, call 631-472-0770.

Ecumenical & Interfaith Services for 9/11

Wednesday, Sept. 4:

• Long Island Interfaith Disaster Response will have a training event for people of faith from 9:30 to 3:30 at the de Seversky Center in Old Westbury on how to help those affected by the terror attacks and how to take care of ourselves so that we can aid others. Advance registration is required. Call the LI Council of Churches at 516-565-0290 for details.

Sunday, Sept. 8:

• The Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury will host a multi-faith memorial service from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• The Christian Science Church of Levittown will host a discussion of "Spiritual Lessons Learned Since 9/11" at 2:00 p.m.
• The Ecumenical Lay Council of Northport & East Northport will have a service at 3 p.m. at St. Philip Neri Church in Northport.
• The Bellport-Brookhaven-East Patchogue clergy are planing a memorial service for 5:00 p.m. at the Bellport Village Dock. They are inviting people to create squares for a community memorial quilt.

Monday, Sept. 9

• Nassau County Commemoration at the Harry Chapin Amphitheater in Eisenhower Park, at 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 10

• The Five Towns Interfaith Clergy will have a ceremony somewhere sometime on Sept. 10.

Wednesday, Sept. 11

• The United Church of Rockville Centre will be open for prayer from 6:30 a.m. to 730 p.m. with readings offered throughout the day.
• There will be a community-wide breakfast in Patchogue at 7:30 a.m. at West Lake Inn. Tickets are available for $18 before Sept. 5 from Geri Sheridan at 631-475-1164 or 631-758-9468.
• Mercy Medical Center Project Liberty will have a day of support and reflection from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 395 Oak Street, Garden City. Crisis counselors will be available for conversation throughout the entire day.
• An interfaith memorial quilt is being created in Oceanside at the United Methodist Church (2837 Davison Place) on Wednesday afternoons from 12:30 to 1:30, beginning Sept. 11.
• The Village of Hempstead will hold a memorial service at 3:45 p.m. At 99 Nichols Court.
• The Oceanside Interfaith Council's Remembrance Service will be held in conjunction with local schools, police, firefighters, and EMTs at 7:00 p.m. at the Schoolhouse Green on Foxhurst Road.
• Sayville United Methodist Church will host a service at 7:00 p.m.
• Good Shepherd Lutheran in Roosevelt will host a joint service with Memorial Presbyterian at 7:30 p.m.
• St. Martha's Church in Uniondale will host a special memorial Mass at 7:30 p.m.
• 1st Baptist Church of Riverhead will host a Service of Remembrance at 7:30 p.m.
• The Riverhead Clergy Council will lead a community gathering at Riverhead High School at 7:30 p.m.
• The Interfaith Clergy of the Massapequas will have a memorial service in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay at 8:00 p.m. at John Burns Park.
• An Ecumenical Healing Service in Westbury will be hosted by the United Methodist Church at 8:00 p.m.
• Midway Jewish Center in Syosset will host a memorial service at 8:00 p.m.
• Congregation Beth Emet in Hewlett will host a service at 8:00 p.m. The Bellmore-Merrick clergy will have a service sometime in the evening at Mephan High School.
• The Patchogue Clergy will have a service sometime in the evening at the Patchogue Theater.
• There will be an interfaith service in Oyster Bay on the 11th, sometime in the evening, probably at St. Dominic's.