TABLE OF CONTENTS
From Our Executive Director:
IT REALLY IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE
The World Science news service (www.world-science.net) reported recently that Elizabeth Dunn at the University of British Columbia and her colleagues have found evidence that money can buy happiness after all - if you give it away.
One study attempted to measure the happiness of employees at a Boston company before and after they received a profit-sharing bonus that ranged from $3,000 to $8,000 (not-for-profits, alas, offer no profit-sharing bonuses). What affected their happiness, Dunn found, was not the size of their bonus but how they used it: employees who gave some of their bonus to family, friends, or charity were consistently happier to get the money than were those who spent the money on themselves.
In another experiment Dunn and her colleagues gave people $5 or $20 and then told them either to spend it on themselves or to spend it on others. Those who gave their windfall to others were happier at the end of the day than those who spent it on themselves.
This research suggests, Dunn concludes, that shifting even a small amount of your spending toward charity, even $5, can make you much happier any given day.
The Good Book says pretty much the same thing, it really is blessed to give - and the word in Greek that is often translated as "blessed" really means "happy."
As the nation faces a mortgage crisis, growing unemployment, and ever more people turning to soup kitchens and emergency food pantries to make ends meet, it is worth considering what each of us can do - and what we want our government to do - to shift some resources from satisfying our whims to meeting basic human needs. We are lucky to live in a democracy but too seldom tell our elected representatives how we want them to represent us. The MICAH interfaith anti-hunger campaign is urging us to write letters on behalf of the working poor, but many folks fear that politicians are so inundated with mail that their voice will be ignored. Did you know that the average member of Congress never hears from constituents about most issues? They may hear lots when it comes to abortion or the war in Iraq, but when it comes to many bills that are before the Congress, the state legislature or your local zoning board, it may take as few as five letters to convince a politician to change his or her vote.
In the end, we will feel a lot happier and a lot better about ourselves and our nation if we become the people and the society that God yearns for us to be: a beloved community blessed by generosity, one in which justice rolls down like a mighty river and righteousness like a never-ending stream.
Shalom/Salaam/Shanti/Pax,
Tom
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A WORD OR TWO OF THANKS
Sara C. Weiss, Director of Development
A very special thanks goes to Newsday Charities, a fund of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, for its gift of $55,000 that enables us to give family support to about 12,000 people annually. Special thanks also go to Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church that gave $5,000 for our Emergency Food programs. We also thank the following for their support during the month of March 2008 (we prepare our copy a month before publication), and for the blessings these gifts bring to our needy clients:
| Congregational Church of Manhasset | $500 to be used where need most |
| First Presbyterian Church of Baldwin | $1,750 for Emergency Food |
| First Presbyterian Church of Southold | $700 for Riverhead Food program |
| Town of Southampton | $8,000 for Riverhead programs |
| Trinity Lutheran Church/Rocky Point | $700 to be used where need most |
We also thank an individual who gave $600 to help our Riverhead clients with bus transportation, and four others who gave for prescription assistance in both counties. We thank the many other individuals and institutions that also gave. We are grateful for all of these gifts.
Most Urgent Need
Although a recent article by Newsday about our Riverhead food center brought in substantial food donations, by the time you receive this issue, the food will all be gone. More and more hungry people are flooding our Riverhead office asking for food assistance. Some need temporary help because they’re caught in the 45-day waiting period while the Department of Social Services processes their applications. Many more are coming in because the high cost of fuel and gasoline has seriously diminished their ability to buy food for their families. Others are seniors on fixed income who can’t keep up with the rising prices.
One day a family of 15 came to our Riverhead office for food assistance. The parents and grandparents work, and even the teenagers are working, but the three generations had moved into one house because they could not afford to live separately. Another day a family of 14 came for help, and another day it was a family of seven. These are on top of our regular food clients – the working poor who need our help every month.
Donations of food gift cards from major grocery stores would be especially helpful for our clients so they can make choices according to their medical and dietary needs. Poverty and diabetes, for example, are closely linked. Through the years we’ve encountered more and more clients with diabetes, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions that require special diets food pantries and emergency food centers often don’t have. Of course, we are always grateful for gifts of monetary contributions and foodstuffs.
For every $500 we receive in monetary donations for emergency food, we can buy $25 food gift cards for 20 clients. Please help us keep up with the enormous numbers of hungry people we’re trying to feed.
Memorial/Tribute Gifts
A great way to remember a loved one, whether living or deceased, is to give a memorial or tribute gift in his/her name. In your letter accompanying such a gift, please tell us who the gift is in memory or tribute to, and who is giving the gift. We will send a thank you letter to the contributor and to the family of the loved one in accordance with your instructions. Please send your contribution to the LICC, attention Sara Weiss. If you have any questions, call Sara for further information at 516-565-0290, ext. 207. Naming and Tribute opportunities are also available for our programs. Call Sara for a list. We also have planned giving opportunities that will sustain these programs in perpetuity.
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LICC ANNUAL MEETING Thursday, May 8, 2008
The 2008 Annual Meeting discussion will focus on how to talk about divisive issues like capital punishment, racism, and affordable housing without alienating people needlessly. For example, what do you do when you’re at Thanksgiving dinner with your family and your brother makes a derogatory remark about poor people? If you believe that capital punishment is immoral, how do you deal with a friend who believes in “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?” If you are clergy and want to preach on the need for affordable housing, how do you deal with congregants who say, “Not in my back yard?”
The Rev. Tom Goodhue will lead a discussion on how to discuss divisive issues that defend what you believe is right without alienating your friends, relatives, or congregants unnecessarily. These techniques will also empower people to be more comfortable advocating for the poor and more effective when they stick their necks out on potentially controversial issues. Questions and Answers will follow this lively discussion. We’ll also have an update on the MICAH Adelphi Conference held on April 28th.
Registration and payment must be received by May 1, 2008.
Name _________________________________Number attending __________
Address ________________________________________________________________
City __________________________________ State_________ Zip ________
Day-time telephone_______________________________________________
E-mail address __________________________________________________
Please make out checks for $40 per person to: Long Island Council of Churches. Please write “Annual Meeting” in the memo section and mail to:
Brenda S. Morrison, Director of Finance
Long Island Council of Churches
1644 Denton Green
Hempstead, NY 11550
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WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH MICAH
The LICC has a new office for MICAH, the Mobilized Interfaith Coalition Against Hunger, at Touro Law School’s Public Advocacy Center, 225 Eastview Drive - PA219, in Central Islip. Touro is located near Citibank Park (where the Long Island Ducks play) and the Central Islip court complex, east of Carleton Avenue. Our Executive Director will begin using the office occasionally on May 1 and we hope to have secured funding to hire staff for MICAH by this summer. Many thanks to the Presbytery of Long Island for making it possible for us to rent this office—and thanks to Touro for their generous hospitality toward many not-for-profit organizations.
MICAH is encouraging participation in:
- the May 10 Postal Workers Food Drive.
- Hunger Awareness Day in June (visit www.hungerday.org for more info), and
- the MICAH Walkathon in Wyandanch on June 8 in conjunction with a Montauk to Wyandanch Hunger Run. The Walkathon will raise funds to help rebuild the outreach center at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Wyandanch, which was destroyed in an arson attack on Dec. 30.
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IDEAS YOU CAN USE: WEDDING BULLETINS
Weddings often draw dozens of visitors into a sanctuary who have never graced its doors before, people who may be church-shopping themselves. A simple way to invite those present to return again is to print a bulletin for each wedding that includes basic information about the name of the congregation and its leaders, the phone number and email address, when services are held, what educational opportunities and childcare are offered.
If the pastor, priest, or rabbi is ready, willing, and able to provide pastoral counseling, this might be mentioned, too. When the bride and groom ask why my denomination requires counseling before they marry, I tell them, “That’s because we believe that every couple runs into problems as well as joys, and sooner or later you will need to talk to someone about how you are coping with them.” Many who watch starry-eyed couples exchange vows begin thinking about the issues in their own relationships. Offering spiritual and marital counseling tells visitors that they are truly welcome in your community of faith, flawed human beings though they may be, and that they do not have to bear their burdens alone.
If you offer counseling or pastoral care, it is important to remind people that they can trust you to protect their privacy. It is worth mentioning this several times each year, not only in sermons but also when meeting with the youth group, the new confirmation class, and the sessions for adults who are thinking of joining your flock. One September I told our youth group, in the presence of their parents, “You can confess anything to me and I will not tell another soul. If you come to me, I will not tell anyone what you say, not even your parents. I will not even tell them that you came to talk. And they get the same deal.” The next week, a high school student called my office and asked if her mom was there. Her mother, who had just arrived for a counseling appointment, started to reach for the phone but I waved her back. “Now you know I can’t tell you who comes to see me. Is there a message you want me to give her if I happen to run into her somewhere this afternoon?” The girl expressed frustration, annoyance and exasperation - as I stuck to my guns - and then said, “Yeah. Ask her to call me.” A few days later, the girl made an appointment herself.
--twg--
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WHAT IS A GUEST CONGREGATION’S FAIR SHARE OF THE UPKEEP?
Many congregations share their facilities, reducing upkeep costs for both and enabling them to devote more of their resources to ministry and mission. The LICC sometimes helps those who want to share space find each other, and recently a potential “host” wondered what the “guest” congregation’s fair share might be. What has your experience been? If you let us know we’ll compile the replies, as we did a while back about the going rate for guest preachers and organists, and publish it in a future issue. And let us know if you’d like to see the info on preachers and organists.
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MORE IDEAS ON HOW TO FIX THE MORTGAGE MESS
Thomas Piskorski, finance and economics professor at Columbia Business School, argues that “Option ARMs,” adjustable rate mortgages in which borrowers have the option of skipping some payments - and owing more — should not be eliminated since they can be a good choice for homebuyers who have the financial discipline to make additional payments whenever they can. Unfortunately, many Americans have used Option ARMS the way they foolishly use their credit cards, making only the minimum payment each month. Government should not seek to end Option ARMs, Piskorski suggests, but should require borrows to complete financial education—and pass a test proving that they know the risks as well as potential benefits of exotic loans, before they can take out this sort of a mortgage.
The LICC offers seminars on how to manage money well - and get a good loan. The LICC will arrange speakers, educational materials, and other freebies. There is no charge for this program - thanks to grants from Astoria Federal Savings, Bank of America, Bank of New York, Citibank, Washington Mutual, Greenpoint Bank Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Ridgewood Savings Bank, and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. We have speakers who can handle a variety of languages. To request such a seminar, call 516-565-0290, ext. 206, fax 516-565-0291, or e-mail licchemp@aol.com.
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WORTH QUOTING
Micah 6:8
“An international movement of Christians refers to themselves as people who have adopted the Micah Challenge, in which they dare international leaders to `halve absolute global poverty by 2015!’ They want to act justly in today’s world of injustice. They want to heed the words of Micah. . . .
“It is no coincidence that the Scriptures refer to poverty more than 2,100 times. And remember, the only time Christ directly condemned people was when, in Matthew 25, He condemned those who overlooked and ignored the weak and the dispossessed. . . .
“To act justly means that we understand that some things are totally and absolutely wrong, to understand that some things are simply nonnegotiable; to understand that the life we have is a gift from God, and we must be good stewards of that gift; to understand that the resources of this earth must be shared in a fair and equitable way.”
--Reinder Bruinsma, recently retired president of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the Netherlands, Ministry March 2008 (used with permission)
The SDAs graciously offer clergy of all denominations a complimentary subscription to this journal. Just email SatelmajerN@gc.adventist.org to request one.
The Rich Get Richer
“After-tax incomes in the top 1% of U.S. households increased by an average of $180,000 in 2005, the Congressional Budget Office reports. Meanwhile, middle-income households saw increases of $400, and lower-income households, only $200. This is the greatest disparity since the CBO began collecting data in 1979. Together with other data, it appears that at no time in history since 1929 has income been so concentrated at the top.”
--World Ark (Heifer International) March/April 2008
Caring for Creation
“We cannot simply do what we want with this Earth of ours, with what has been entrusted to us. . . . Our Earth is talking to us and we must listen to it and decipher its message if we want to survive. Before it is too late, we need to make courageous choices that will recreate a strong alliance between humankind and Earth.”
--Pope Benedict XVI (quoted at the Long Island Interfaith Environment Network workshop on April 16)
The Good News that Disturbs Us
“I believe the point of Christianity is not to make us feel good about ourselves, but rather to challenge us to become better and, whenever possible, more Christ-like. The church should not be a place where we create a new and lasting comfort zone, but rather a place where we are disturbed. For those who read the Gospels—all of the Gospels—the words of Christ are much more disturbing than they are reassuring.”
--Charles Flexner, Episcopal Life April 2008
What Makes a Growing Congregation?
“What makes a growing congregation? Three things: hospitality, kindness, and enthusiasm. . . . . Don’t wait to do one great thing for God in your lifetime. Rather, do many good little things for the sake of God’s kingdom, which in itself is a great thing. . . . Appreciate differences instead of criticizing them.”
--The Rev. Jim Barnum, The Visitor (Bellmore Presbyterian Church) April 2008
Science & Religion
“Religion tells us how to go to heaven. Science tells us how the heavens go.”
--Galileo
“Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.”
--Albert Einstein
“Confident assertions by scientists that in the privacy of their chambers they have demonstrated that God does not exist have nothing to do with science, and even less to do with God’s existence.”
--David Berlinski, Harper’s April 2008
“The preservation of an appropriate sense of mystery may be the greatest gift that belief in God has to offer our world today. It does not hamper the quest for truth, but tempers that quest with modesty. It does not enervate the search for justice, it tempers it with humility. It does not weaken our capacity for hope, but fills us with patient expectation.”
--Delwin Brown, What Does a Progressive Christian Believe? A Guide for the Searching, the Open, and the Curious (Church Publishing, 2008
Schools and Ads
“Chances that a U.S. public school accepts advertising from corporations that sell junk food: 2 in 3. Chances that these schools wind up receiving no income from the advertisements: 3 in 4.”
--Harper’s April 2008
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INTERFAITH SAVE DARFUR RALLY May 9 in Sayville
The LICC has a policy of not generally getting involved in foreign policy, but we make an exception for genocide. We urge you to take action on behalf of the people Darfur in western Sudan whose citizens are being systematically persecuted, raped, and exterminated by their government and its para-military forces in a slaughter that has nothing to do with religious divisions and everything to do with racism.
St. Ann’s Episcopal Church (268 Middle Road in Sayville) will host an interfaith rally for Darfur on Friday, May 9, at 10:30 a.m. Congressman Steve Israel and various clergy will speak. To RSVP or for more information, contact Erin Murphy at 631-951-2210 or erin.murphy3@mail.house.gov.
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CHURCH WORLD SERVICE MISSION TRIP TO MARYLAND MAY 12-15
Church World Service, our ecumenical partner in disaster response at home and abroad, is offering a low-cost mission trip to New Windsor, Maryland, where the “Gift of the Heart” disaster relief kits that are assembled by many congregations are sorted and readied for immediate shipment wherever they may be needed. This year’s trip will be May 12-15. Those who have gone in previous years have raved about what a great experience it was. For more information, call Helen Samuels at 631-744-3870 or Grace MacMillan at 516-785-3951.
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DIALOGUE ON RACE AND RELIGION May 18
The Rev. John H. Thomas, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, the Rev. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches, and the Rev. Otis Moss III, pastor of Chicago's Trinity UCC, recently called on UCC pastors, congregations and others to participate in a May 18 preach-in on race as a nationwide “sacred conversation” about race. “Sacred conversations are never easy,” Thomas said. “This is especially true when honest talk about race confronts us with a painful past and won’t let us ignore the troubles of our present day. That’s why sacred conversations require a readiness to see one another as sacred despite our differences. . . .”
Dennis Maher, pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church in Baldwin suggests:
“To be fair and just, this discussion ought to be also a sacred conversation on sexism. We have a situation where a white woman or a black man could be a candidate for president. There are white men and women who have said they could not vote for a black man, and there are white and black men and women who have said they could not vote for a woman. Both situations are the result of prejudice and cultural stereotypes.”
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THIS MOTHER’S DAY HELP YOUR MOM SAVE $3600
By Everett M. Lo, Social Security Administration in New York
We all know the high cost of medicine can be a burden on mothers who have limited income and resources. But there is extra help — available through Social Security — that could pay part of her monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. The extra help could be worth up of $3,600 per year.
To figure out whether your mother is eligible, Social Security needs to know her income and the value of her savings, investments and real estate (other than the home she lives in). To qualify for the extra help, she must be receiving Medicare and also have:
- Income limited to $15,600 for an individual or $21,000 for a married couple living together. Even if her annual income is higher, she still may be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. Some examples where income may be higher include if she or her spouse:
- Support other family members who live with them;
- Have earnings from work; or
- Live in Alaska or Hawaii; and
- Resources limited to $11,990 for an individual or $23,970 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. We do not count her house and car as resources.
Social Security has an easy-to-use online application that you can help complete for your mom. You can find it at www.socialsecurity.gov. To apply by phone or have an application mailed to you, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Or go to the nearest Social Security office.
To learn more about the Medicare prescription drug plans and special enrollment periods, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048).
So this Mother’s Day, help your mom save up to $3,600 a year on her prescription drugs. Long after the candy and flowers are gone, the extra help through Social Security will keep on giving.
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DID YOU KNOW?
- It’s Not Too Late To Claim Your Economic Stimulus Check:
- People filing only to receive the economic stimulus payment do not have to file by April 15 and they do not have to file a Form 4868 for an extension. However, they do need to file Form 1040A by October 15 to receive the payment in 2008. Timely filing of the 2007 income tax return is particularly important this year because of the economic stimulus payments. Eligible Americans must file a tax return in order to receive economic stimulus payments of up to $600 ($1,200 married filing jointly). There is another $300 payment for each qualifying child younger than 17. The IRS will use the 2007 income tax return to determine eligibility for the economic stimulus payment and to calculate the amount of the payment. People who normally file a tax return don’t need to take any additional steps to get their stimulus payment. Starting May 2, the IRS will transfer economic stimulus payments to taxpayers using direct deposit. It will begin mailing paper checks on May 16.
Free File, the private-public partnership that offers free tax software and free electronic filing, is available at www.irs.gov for people whose income is $54,000 or less. Approximately 70 percent of the nation’s taxpayers are eligible for Free File. Several Free File partners also are offering free forms and filing for those retirees, disabled veterans and others who are filing a tax return solely to receive the economic stimulus payment. This help is available at Free File – Economic Stimulus Payment at www.irs.gov. Eligible taxpayers will qualify for their stimulus payment simply by filing their 2007 tax return, as they would normally do.
However, people who do not have a tax filing requirement but who have at least $3,000 in income from any combination of earned income, nontaxable combat pay and certain benefits from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement must file a 2007 income tax return in order to receive an economic stimulus payment. They may be eligible for the minimum amount of $300 ($600 for married couples) plus the $300 per qualifying child payment. The IRS urges people who are filing only to receive the economic stimulus payment to use the Form 1040A. All people in this category are eligible for free assistance.
The AARP Foundation and the National Council on Aging also have launched a user-friendly online tool to simplify the economic stimulus payment application process for thosewho are not otherwise required to file income tax returns. The online tool can be found at http://www.aarp.org/stimulus.
- Letter Carriers Collecting Food May 10:
- On Saturday, May 10, the Long Island National Association of Letter Carriers and the U.S. Postal Service will join with United Way of Long Island, Island Harvest, Long Island Cares, Interfaith Nutrition Network and the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, for the largest national one-day food drive. Despite the incredible efforts made by each food drive partner annually, hunger continues to rise on Long Island. Approximately 259,000 Long Island residents suffer from hunger—93,000 of them children and 39,000 seniors. Last year, the 858,000 pounds of food donated by Long Islanders supplemented hundreds of thousands of meals provided by many not-for-profits, including the LICC.
Long Islanders are asked to leave non-perishable food items on Saturday, May 10, next to their mailboxes for collection by their letter carriers or to bring food donations to their local post offices. For more information on how you can help or volunteer to sort and pack food, visit www.stampouthungerli.com or contact Long Island Cares at 631-582-FOOD or Island Harvest 516-294-8528.
- You Can Get a “Green” Mortgage:
- Not only is this a great time for people with reasonably good credit to buy a home, this is also a good time to consider getting an environmentally responsible mortgage. Many lenders, such as Bank of America and Citibank, have recently begun offering lower closing costs if you buy an energy-efficient home, such as an Energy Star home. JPMorgan Chase offers lower closing costs if you buy a particularly well-insulated home. Bethpage Federal Credit Union has a “Green Levittown” pilot program that provides home equity loans in one of America’s oldest suburbs to upgrade homes to conserve energy. The Veterans Administration and some other lenders give you credit for lowering your energy bills when they calculate how much income you need to qualify for a loan. Some banks will incorporate the cost of making an older house more energy-efficient into the amount of money they are willing to lend you.
- How To Find LI Church Photos Posted on the Web:
- The April Prelude included a note that students from Hofstra and the Long Island Studies Center are putting up Bob Harrison’s “Places of Worship" photos on the web. Unfortunately, the instructions I was sent for finding them were incomplete. Here’s how to see them:
Visit www.lilrc.org, click on “virtual library,” then click on "Long Island Memories," and then enter "church" in the search box.
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NEEDED/OFFERED
Offered:
- Guest Preachers and Pastoral Coverage:
- The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Training Program of the Pastoral Care & Education Department of Episcopal Health Services is looking for housing May 26 to June 23 for four Anglican clergy from the Diocese of West Malaysia. In exchange for lodging, the clergy will be happy to provide services to the congregation. They are available to “supply” four Sundays: June: 1, 8, 15, 22 and would be happy to speak to other church groups. These clergy are coming to the United States to receive specialized training to equip themselves to pioneer the development of Clinical Pastoral Education for the clergy and laity in Southeast Asia. For further information, requests or inquiry, please contact
The Reverend Dr. Richard Liew.
Email: rliew@ehs.org; liewr@aol.com
718-869-7411 (work); 201-747-8723 (cell)
- Gang Awareness Speaker:
- The Rev. Nancy Baxter, a certified psychotherapist who practices in Aquebogue, would be glad to present gang awareness programs for congregations and civic groups. You can reach her at 631-722-4238.
- FREE MAMMOGRAMS & CERVICAL EXAMS:
- FREE mammograms and free cervical exams to UNINSURED women over the age of 40 will be provided by the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Partnership in conjunction with Nassau University Medical Center, North Shore/LIJ Health System, Planned Parenthood, South Nassau Communities Hospital and others on Saturday, May 10, from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at NUMC, 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow. Appointments are necessary. Bring some form of identification with photograph. Please call 516-572-3300 for appointment and exact location of screening exams.
- FREE STROKE SCREENING AT NASSAU MEDICAL CENTER MAY 19:
- Nassau University Medical Center offers Stroke Screening and Awareness Day on Monday, May 19, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the NUMC Auditorium. It is your chance to meet an Emergency Room Doctor and hear a lecture on Stroke, Risk Factors and what to do in case of a Brain Attack. This will be followed by a FREE Stroke Risk Assessment, which will include risk factor screening, carotid bruit assessment, dietary counseling, and smoking cessation information.
No appointments are required. Please use the Carmen Avenue entrance at NUMC. For more information, please call Mary Ellen Samis, RN at 516-572-3107.
- FREE Patient Education on Clinical Trials for Blood Cancers May 8:
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is offering a free program on how new drugs are discovered, researched, and approved for treatment, how to tell fact from fiction when it comes to clinical trials, how to talk to your doctor about clinical trials as a treatment option, recent advances in the treatment of blood cancers, and how to find clinical trials that may be right for you. This is a free program, open to patients, family members, health care professionals or anyone interested in this topic. The program is Thursday, May 8, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Monter Cancer Center, 450 Lakeville Road in Lake Success. Pre-Registration is required. For more information or to register call Karen DeMairo, at 631-752-8500 ext 12.
- Speaker on Christian Heroes of the Holocaust:
- Local author Jud Newborn’s new edition of SOPHIE SCHOLL AND THE WHITE ROSE, companion to the recent Oscar-nominated German film, recently received a rave review in The Library Journal. Dr. Newborn, a resident of Plainview, offers a dramatic, multimedia program about these Christian martyrs and their resistance to the Third Reich, “SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER: SOPHIE SCHOLL AND THE WHITE ROSE—ROLE MODELS IN THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM". Co-creator of New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage, Dr. Newborn has lectured coast-to-coast, from the Wiesenthal Center to the United Nations, and from Canada to Cape Town. You can reach him at jnewbo@aol.com or 516-931-7796. Here’s the LIBRARY JOURNAL review:
“Jud Newborn and Annette Dumbach. Sophie Scholl and the White Rose. Oneworld. 238 pages, photos, index. ISBN 978-1-85168-536-3. paperback, $14.95.
"Released in 1986 as Shattering the German Night, this was praised by critics, including LJ's reviewer, who found it "superbly written." It masterfully unfolds the story of five German university students and their professor, who formed a Nazi-resistance group dubbed the White Rose. This revised edition contains a ton of new information, a reworked introduction, a foreword by Studs Terkel, additional photos, and much more, expanding this remarkable tale. Essential for public and academic history collections.”
- Lutheran Hymnals:
- St.David's Lutheran Church (20 Clark Boulevard in Massapequa Park) has about 140 slightly used Lutheran hymnals (1979 Lutheran Book of Worship) to donate to anyone who can use them. Call Barbara at 516-799-7832 if you are interested.
- Wooden Desk:
- Old Steeple Church in Aquebogue has an old but serviceable wooden office desk to give away, for the taking. You will need a truck and a strong back or two to haul it out. Contact the Rev. Led Baxter at 631-722-3070.
- Immigration Forum May 4 at Molloy College:
- Molloy College’s Institute for Interfaith Dialogue and the American Jewish Committee are presenting a free round-table discussion of “Immigration: Facts, Morality, and Theological Implications” on Sunday, May 4, at 3:00 p.m. at Molloy’s Hays Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Avenue, in the Wilbur Arts Center. Stephen Mayo, Stephen Steinlight and Scott Saslvato from Molloy, Luis Valenzuela from the LI Immigrant Alliance, and Roger Clayman from the LI Federation of Labor will speak.
- Working for Peace and Reconciliation in the Holy Land:
- The Work of the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel
Monday, May 19, 7:30 pm at Temple Sinai of Roslyn, 425 Roslyn Rd., Roslyn Heights
Religiously-motivated violence has been a significant deterrent to the progress of the Middle East peace process, and yet little or no attention has been paid to the Israeli and Palestinian religious communities, and few attempts have been made to utilize religion as a tool for peace and reconciliation.
The mission of the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI) is to harness the teachings and values of three Abrahamic faiths and transform religion's role from a force of division and extremism into a source of reconciliation, coexistence, and understanding. To accomplish this, ICCI works with youth, women, and religious leaders to promote Jewish-Arab coexistence and peace-building projects.
Participants:
- Issa Jaber
- Issa Jaber was educated in Turkey and Israel and has held a variety of educational leadership positions in Abu Ghosh, an Arab town west of Jerusalem. He currently serves as Director of Education, Abu Ghosh Local Council
- Rev. Samuel S. Fanous
- Rev. Fanous, an Anglican priest, serves Emmanuel Church of Ramle in central Israel.
- Rabbi Ron Kronish
- Rabbi Kronish is the Founder and Director of the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel. An author, scholar and activist, Rabbi Kronish has been intimately involved in interreligious reconciliation for almost three decades.
The program is free and all are invited. Call 516-621-6800 for directions or further information.
Rabbi Michael White invites clergy of all faiths to a lunch with these three speakers from the ICCI at Temple Sinai at 12:30 on May 19. Please RSVP to the synagogue office at 516-621-6800 if you can come.
- Pastoral Care Training:
- Catholic Health Services of Long Island is offering a free six-week program to train volunteers of all faiths with basic pastoral care skills and information to be a caring, attentive and listening presence to persons who are hospitalized, living in a nursing home or homebound. The afternoon training sessions for “Spiritual Care Companions” runs mid-May through mid-June, covering such topics as the goals of ministry with the sick, how to be a good listener, the grief process, how to respond to crisis, and much more. For more information, call Carol Cella at 516-705-3714, Mary T. O’Neill at 631-474-5663, or Peggy Nixdorf at 631-587-1600 x 8297.
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NEED A GUEST PREACHER OR SPEAKER?
- Our Executive Director, the Rev. Tom Goodhue, has some Sundays available this summer and fall for guest preaching. You can reach him at tomgoodhue@optonline.net or 516-565-0290, ext. 206.
- LICC chaplain Nancy Schaffer, who is ordained in the United Church of Christ, is available for guest preaching and will speak to church groups at other times about our Women at the Well project that helps women avoid incarceration. Call 631-586-9667.
- LICC chaplain Lawrence W. Swensen is also available for guest preaching. You can reach him at 516-794-4505.
- Alric Kennedy, our Director of Community Resources, does guest speaking and preaching. Call 516-565-0290, ext. 204, or email alrickennedy@optonline.net.
- Barbara Harrison, the manager of our Freeport Emergency Food Center, is available for guest speaking. You can reach her at 516-868-4989.
- The Rev. Dr. Cecily Broderick y Guerra, Vice-President for Pastoral Care of Episcopal Health Services and a member of the LICC Pastoral Care Committee is available for guest preaching. She can be reached at 718-869-7835 or cbroderi@ehs.org.
- Tom Lyons, a member of Mt. Sinai Congregational Church (UCC) who is active in the Heifer Project, would be happy to speak or preach in local churches. He can be reached a 631-928-4317 or lyonheifer@aol.com.
- Sister Camille D'Arienzo, RSM, who has done extensive prison ministry with death-row inmates, is available for speaking and preaching. You can reach her at cherilife@aol.com or 718-366-0966.
- Rabbi Moses Birnbaum, from the Plainview Jewish Center, the interfaith director of the LI Board of Rabbis (and their immediate past president) is available some Sundays for guest preaching. You can reach him at 516-938-8610 or ramab18@yahoo.com.
- Sue Terry is a graduate of New Brunswick Seminary and is a licensed preacher in the United Church of Christ (and can celebrate communion in Suffolk County). She can be reached at gterrys@aol.com or 631-751-1170.
- Jesse Glick from Church World Service, our partner in disaster response, will preach or speak about CWS. Call 888-297-2767 or email jglick@churchworldservice.org.
- The Rev. Elsa Callender, a United Church of Christ clergywoman, is available for guest and supply preaching. You can reach her at 917-836-8524.
- The Rev. Max B. Surjadinata, who has served UCC congregations on Long Island and now lives in Manhattan, would be glad to speak about his experiences in Israel and Palestine with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program of the World Council of Churches. He can be reached at 212-222-1899, srjdnt@aol.com, or mbsur@yahoo.com.
- Beverly Furey, a retired United Methodist local (lay) pastor, is available for guest preaching in Suffolk. Call 631-727-3979 or email RevBevGrpt@aol.com.
- The Rev. David Stevens, a retired United Methodist clergyman, is available for guest-preaching and supply preaching. He can be reached at 516-883-1494.
- The Rev. Karen Pickler is available for guest preaching. Call 631-647-4017 or email Marbles11234@yahoo.com .
- Pat Sealy, a graduate of New Brunswick Theological Seminary who is ordained in the Elim International Church, is available for guest preaching. You can reach her at patsealy@optonline.net or manna0504@optonline.net.
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LONG ISLAND BLOOD SERVICES
UPCOMING COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVES FOR MAY
| Event Date | Site | Address | Start/End Time | Chairperson/Phone |
|---|
| 5/3/08 | St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church | 14-65 Clintonville Street
Whitestone | 12 Noon
5:30 PM |
| 5/4/08 | Christ Lutheran Church | 189 Burr Rd.
E. Northport | 8:45 AM
2:15 PM |
| 5/5/08 | St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church | 196-10 Northern Blvd.
Flushing | 4:00 PM
9:30 PM |
| 5/6/08 | Presbyterian Church of Islip | 340 Main Street
Islip | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM |
| 5/7/08 | Ascension Lutheran Church | 33 Bay Shore Rd.
Deer Park | 2:30 PM
8:00 PM |
| 5/7/08 | Christ Lutheran Church | 3384 Island Road
Wantagh | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM |
| 5/12/08 | Trinity Lutheran Church | 40 West Nicholai St.
Hicksville | 3:30 PM
9:00 PM |
| 5/13/08 | Gloria Dei Lutheran Church | 22 E. 18th St.
Huntington Station | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM |
| 5/17/08 | Grace Cathedral | 886 Jerusalem Ave.
Uniondale | 9:00 AM
2:30 PM |
| 5/19/08 | Holy Trinity Lutheran Church | Yaphank-Middle Island Road
Middle Island | 3:30 PM
9:00 PM |
| 5/24/08 | Church of the Intercessor | 50 St. Thomas Place
Malverne | 9:00 AM
2:30 PM |
| 5/31/08 | First Baptist Church of Riverhead | 1018 Northville Turnpike | 10:00 AM
2:00 PM |
You can call 1-800-933-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org to verify the date and time of the blood drive.
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ADVERTISING IN THE PRELUDE
Each month, about 3000 copies of our newsletter The Prelude are mailed to both the clergy leaders and lay leaders of 1350 faith organizations. We also email this newsletter to 2200 religious leaders. Filled with timely articles, news briefs, updates and notices affecting Long Island’s communities and churches and the wider world, The Prelude is a must read for all who would “work together to improve living on Long Island and promote interfaith understanding and cooperation.” The LICC accepts paid sponsorship ads, display ads and simple listings (classifieds). Advertising in The Prelude is a great way to reach clergy, lay leaders, and volunteers in Long Island’s congregations. To receive a “media kit” with advertising rates, copy requirements, and copy deadlines, please call 516-565-0290 or email licchemp@aol.com. Congregations that join the LICC and groups that join the Friends of the LICC receive a free classified ad in thanks for paying their annual dues.
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ADS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Church Furniture for Sale
Camp DeWolfe in Wading River is remodeling its sanctuary and has good-to-excellent church furniture to sell with excellent carpentry & hand carving: 12' or 10' pews, various altars, organ (Lowrey H-1) and pulpit. Looking for an appropriate setting/good home for these items and will consider best offer. Purchaser must pick up furniture unless other arrangements are made. Call 631-929-4325 or email campdewolfe@optonline.net for images of what is available.
Christian Education Director Needed
Brookville Reformed Church is seeking a Christian Educator to coordinate curriculum, train teachers, and teach a small Sunday School in a warm and embracing congregation. Please call Rev. Allan Ramirez at 516-626-0414.
Church World Service Job Opening
CWS is seeking an Assistant Director of the Tri-State Region. On the CWS website (www.churchworldservice.org) it is listed as a position for the Hudson Valley, but this person's territory will include all of downstate New York including the city and Long Island. While it would be easier if they would live in or north of the city, it is not a requirement. If you know of someone who would do a fine job organizing and supporting CROP Walks, as well as Tools & Blankets, and special events or initiatives, please encourage them to apply. The deadline is May 2. For further info, contact Jesse Glick, Director, CWS Tri-State Toll free 888 CWS-CROP/297-2767.
Join the May 18 AIDS Walk
Registration is now open for Episcopal Response to AIDS, the only faith-based AIDS Walk Team. ERA is a volunteer organization whose mission is to support, foster and fund HIV/AIDS ministries affiliated with Episcopal faith communities in the Greater New York area. The funds raised annually are granted to local grassroots AIDS ministries on World AIDS Day through a structured RFP process. Learn more now at www.erany.org. For a registration form, go to www.aidswalk.net, click on New York, then on Register to Walk, then on Join a Team. You will be asked to select a team: just scroll down to Episcopal Response to AIDS -7881; then click "Continue." When your registration form appears, fill it out, being sure to list your parish or faith community affiliation in the "company name" field. Then follow the list of instructions through to completion. ERA will meet on Sunday, May 18, at 8 a.m. in the Gold Team area, about a block on a southwest diagonal from the 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue entrance to Manhattan's Central Park. After sign-in and breakfast, there will be an outdoor Eucharist with a commissioning and blessing of walkers, followed by the distribution of T-shirts and other goodies and the Team and parish photos. We then will begin the 10K Walk. For more information, please contact Judith Mason at 516-242-3022 or jawmason@aol.com.
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The Long Island Council of Churches is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. The Long Island Council of Churches unites diverse Christians to work together in ministry with the poor and to promote interfaith understanding. All donations are tax-deductible and much appreciated.
The Rev. Thomas W. Goodhue
Executive Director
Long Island Council of Churches
1644 Denton Green
Hempstead, NY 11550
voice: 516-565-0290, ext. 206
fax: 516-565-0291
email:licchemp@aol.com
Web: www.liccny.org
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