TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHY YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER
We are sending this issue of The Prelude to many clergy who do not normally receive our newsletter because we have just printed our new directory of churches and synagogues of Long Island and think it may be helpful to many folks beyond the usual suspects. This directory is the most comprehensive list of congregations in our region and also includes Unitarian Universalist fellowships, contact people for local ecumenical and interfaith organizations, and rosters of chaplains and campus ministers. Information on how to get a copy is included in this issue.
We do not wish to bombard you with junk mail, but if you do not usually receive our newsletter and would like to get it via either email or snail-mail, or are having a hard time reading it on-line, or would like it to go to another address, or would like to receive our weekly email updates also, or want us to stop sending you anything at all, please let us know at licchemp@aol.com or 516-565-0290.
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From Our Executive Director:
SHOULD MEN BE ORDAINED?
Ecumenical and interfaith relations are often complicated by the differing ways in which different denominations view female leadership: can a Protestant clergywoman preach at the community Thanksgiving service in a Catholic/Orthodox/Church of God in Christ sanctuary if that denomination normally does not let women do this? Will Orthodox rabbis come to an interfaith gathering that includes a nun?
Some faith communities prohibit women from serving as shamans while the Brahama Kumaris have only female leaders: their founder Dada Lekhraj (1876-1969) concluded that men had too much power in the world and had not exercised it particularly well, so he decreed that only his female disciples should lead his movement. Other religions manage just fine without clergy of any sort.
The same range of approaches can be found within Christendom: some denominations restrict ordination to unmarried men but employ women as teachers, college presidents, and parish administrators. In others only men are called pastors but “church mothers” actually make most important decisions. Among Seventh-Day Adventists, women cannot be ordained but they can be pastors. My own denomination, the United Methodist Church, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of full clergy rights for women in our predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, but women still have difficulty getting appointed to really large congregations. As Neela Banerjee observed in the New York Times (August 26, 2006), it is often easier for women in “mainline” Protestant denominations to get elected bishop than to get a prestigious pulpit.
Women’s ordination has been a blessing to me personally, no doubt because most female clergy have had to be twice as good as their male colleagues to get half as far in the church. I might not be a clergyman today if the Rev. Barbara Troxell had not been a campus minister when I was at Stanford, my pastor in Palo Alto, and one of my seminary professors. I surely would have made less progress than I have in my spiritual journey without the encouragement of the Rev. Jane Allen Middleton, who led spiritual formation for the United Methodist clergy of this region and who is now a bishop.
Some guys are slow learners, though. A clergyman in my own denomination recently remarked to a female colleague, someone who counted him as a friend, “It isn't Biblical for women to be pastors." Someday he may serve under Bishop Middleton.
There is no ordination service in the Bible, of course, nor any pastor. The Gospels record, however, that women were among the first disciples of Jesus, though this often is mistranslated merely as "followers." In Romans 16, Paul refers to Phoebe as a deacon (or “a leader in the church,” as the Contemporary English Version translates), and he calls Junia(s) an Apostle. The Gospel of John has women acting as both the first missionary (John 4) and the first witness to the resurrection, the original definition of an Apostle. Lydia started the first church in Europe in her home (Acts 16).
Reasonable Christians may differ as to how we should affirm and employ the gifts and graces of women in ministry, but we have little basis for claiming that women cannot lead just because they are women. It may, in fact, be a better question to ask whether it is Biblical for men to be pastors.....
Shalom/Salaam/Shanti/Pax,
Tom
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DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Sara C. Weiss, Director of Development
Special thanks go to the following for their gifts during September:
- The Presbytery of Long Island for a $6,000 grant to support our Emergency Food programs, and a $4,850 general operating grant to support all of our ministries
- The Nassau County Bar Association’s WE CARE Advisory Board for an additional gift of $5,000 for our Freeport Emergency Food Center.
- Anonymous gifts from two board members totaling $27,000
- Anonymous gift of $1,500 to the Multi-Faith Forum
- Anonymous gift of $1,000 to the Endowment Fund
We also thank the following for their generous support during the month of September, and for the blessings these gifts bring to our neighbors in need:
| Congregational Church of Manhasset | $500, use where needed most |
| 1st Presbyterian Church Southold | $500, for emergency food |
| Long Island Cares, Inc. | $960, Riverhead food pantry rent |
Suffolk Health Improvement Partnership
(North Shore-LIJ Health System) | $6,666 for prescription assistance |
| United Way of Long Island | $1,491, monthly allocation |
| West Gilgo Beach Protestant Mission | $500, for emergency food |
We also thank the other individual donors who asked that we not publish their names, and to the institutions that gave less than $500. We are grateful for all of these gifts.
Most Urgent Need
Our most urgent need is for general operating support. These are the unrestricted contributions that enable us to stay in business so we can continue operating the programs that assist individuals and families in crisis.
The mistaken belief that programs operate separately from “indirect” or “administrative costs” is totally at variance with reality. Clara Miller, president & C.E.O. of the Nonprofit Finance Fund in New York, worked for many years in the for-profit sector before joining the nonprofit community. She says, “The convoluted and baffling financial world of the nonprofit sector would flabbergast any for-profit executive…. The financial system nonprofits have in place and support is the worst enemy, not only of improvements everyone is trying to make, but of the socially critical programs and services the nonprofit system is trying to sustain.”
She gives a marvelously illustrative example of what our nonprofit financial system looks like from a for-profit business perspective:
Imagine you are the owner of a hotel. One of your patrons has enjoyed a visit and is ready to leave. Before signing the credit card receipt, however, your guest says, “I’m going to restrict my payment to the new mattresses. If you spend any of what I give you on light or heat or your accounting department or other administrative costs, I will not pay the bill.”
Do you know anyone who got away with that? Yet that is exactly what nonprofits are routinely asked to do.
Who would provide emergency food to hungry Long Islanders if we didn’t pay our community resources staff, pay for the insurance our government contracts require before they will give us a cent, pay for the rent, utilities, phone bills, office supplies, etc.? These expenses have to be paid for nonprofits just as they do for a business, or both will go out of business in short order. Any attempt to separate “program” from “administrative” costs is an illusion. You can’t have one without the other.
The best possible gift any individual or institution can give to every charitable institution s/he supports is UNRESTRICTED GIFTS. Important as they are, restricted gifts fund only a portion of a nonprofit’s programs. In truth, it’s the unrestricted gifts that allow us to provide the programs we do, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, helping the uninsured with medical prescriptions, and the countless other ways we help Long Islanders in need.
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 of or in 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 questions, call Sara for further information at 516-565-0290, ext. 207.
Naming and Tribute opportunities are also available for our programs. Please see the September 2006 issue of Prelude for a list of Giving Opportunities or call Sara for a list. We also have planned giving opportunities that will sustain these programs in perpetuity.
You can now contribute to the Long Island Council of Churches using your credit card. Please call the Hempstead office at 516-565-0290.
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WORTH QUOTING
Immigration and Home Values
“Many of the 78 million [baby] boomers, the first of whom turn 60 this year, will sell their property over the next two decades. . . . Demographers say there aren’t enough potential buyers in the child of the baby boomers or in the generation that comes after that . . . to soak up that supply, no matter how slowly it goes on the market. . . . Without sufficient demand, prices will fall. . . .The good news is that there are enough young first- and second- generation immigrants to do the job.”
--Damon Darlin, “The Immigration Equation: What If Immigrants Can Save the Housing Market?” Key: The New York Times Real Estate Magazine, Fall 2006
Paths to God
“In a Lakotan story, a boy asks his grandfather the path to the Creator. Baptists, Methodists, and Catholics come to the reservation, each making exclusive claims. The grandfather says the answer is in the tepee. . . poles, which only together can support the tepee. Those Christian groups all point to the Creator. Choose which of them you will, but never lose sight of the Creator advises the grandfather. . . ”
--Gus Keiser, Be Still…and Know That I Am God (Augsburg, 2006)
How 8th Century Interfaith Dialogue Shaped Islamic and Christian Theology
"For Islam, the first theology was done in Damascus. . . The bearers of Greek thought were Christians, so they questioned their new masters and through a process of talking things through (dialogue) contributed to the development of Islamic religious thought. Soon the wheel turned and Muslim scholars began to question the Christians on what precisely they believed. . . . .the scholars of the two faiths helped one another refine their respective doctrines.”
--C.T.R. Hewer, Understanding Islam: An Introduction. (Fortress Press, 2006)
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The Love of Christ Urges Us On (2 Cor 5:14) …
Living God’s Call for Charity and Justice in Political Life
A Convocation Based on Deus Caritas Est,
The First Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI
Sponsored by the Public Policy Education Network, Catholic Charities
Friday, November 10th, 2006 - 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Academy of St. Joseph, Brentwood
Keynote: Rev. Robert Lauder, Columnist for The Long Island Catholic
|
| Program |
|---|
| 9:00-9:30 | Registration and continental breakfast |
| 9:30-10:30 | Love in Action: Pope Benedict’s Call to Love God in Our Neighbor |
| | Rev. Robert Lauder, Professor of Philosophy, St. John’s University |
| | and Columnist for The Long Island Catholic |
| 10:45-12:00 | Pursuing Justice in Love: The Proper Political Roles of Church, |
| | State and the Laity in a Democracy |
| | Panel of Christian Political Advocates with Audience Participation |
| 12:00-12:45 | Lunch |
| 12:45-1:30 | Alive With the Love of Christ: Pursuing Justice in My Life |
| | Breakouts for Reflection: |
| 1:40-2:00 | Pursuing Justice: A Case Study of the Church’s Position on Immigration Reform |
| 2:00-2:30 | How Are We Struggling to Form a Christian Conscience on Immigration Reform? |
| 2:30-3:00 | Closing Plenary: Urged to Action by Christ’s Love |
CONVOCATION REGISTATION
The convocation will include a continental breakfast and a hot lunch. Please make your $20 check to Catholic Charities and mail, with your registration, by November 6 to: Mary Robinson, Catholic Charities, 90 Cherry Lane, Hicksville, New York 11801. THERE WILL BE NO REGISTRATIONS AT THE DOOR.
You can also register by fax, 516-733-7037, or e-mail robinson.mary@catholiccharities.cc and bring your $20 check on Nov. 10.
NAME: _____________________________________________
Parish/Organization: _______________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________
E-Mail: ________________________________
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A Community Response for Homeless Families:
“Entertaining Angels”
The Book of Isaiah asks that we feed the hungry and shelter the homeless. The Book of Hebrews suggests that by welcoming strangers we may entertain angels. As people of faith, what is our responsibility as families face homelessness right here in Nassau County? There is a way we can help.
Claas Ehlers of Family Promise will discuss how congregations in Nassau County have begun networking together to provide, on a rotating basis, overnight accommodations and meals for homeless families. There will be meetings at two locations:
- Tuesday, November 7th, at 7:30 pm, at Holy Trinity Church, 240 Lincoln Avenue in Rockville Centre or
- Wednesday, November 8th, at 7:30 pm, at Christ Lutheran Church, 300 Hillside Drive South in New Hyde Park.
Please come to one of these important meetings to hear how you can get involved.
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BEWARE PAYDAY LENDERS
One area where the U.S. economy is certainly creating new jobs is the multi-billion dollar payday loan industry. Unregulated storefront lenders are making short-term loans to vulnerable borrowers at outrageous rates of interest, secured by your next paycheck or the title to your car. And customers who use "overdraft protection" on their checking accounts or take a "cash advance" on their credit card often pay exorbitant interest, also.
HOW TO TELL A LOAN SHARK FROM A LEGITIMATE LENDER:
AARP recommends that you ask,
- Will you check my credit?
- What's my annual interest rate?
- Can I repay the principal in installments?
“If you hear 'No credit check needed' an alarm should go off. . . . A triple-digit rate is an automatic red flag for a bad loan. . . . Many predatory lenders have all-or-nothing payment policies, which only end up getting you deeper in debt."
NEED A SMALL, SHORT-TERM LOAN?
AARP suggests that you first contact your local credit union or ask for an advance from your employer. “If you're paying off a debt, negotiate a payment plan with your creditor." More info can be found at www.aarp.org/predatorylending.
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DID YOU KNOW?
- LICC Board Member Werner Reich To Be Honored by Hadassah:
- The Suffolk Region of Hadassah will honor LICC Board member Werner Reich on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 10:30 at Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook. Hadassah will present him with a Myrtle Wreath for his work as an educator. Mazeltov, Werner!
- NEW EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AMOUNTS:
- Individuals earning less than $12,120 in 2006 and families earning up to $38,348 may be able to file for the Earned Income Tax Credit. This is a credit rather than a tax deduction, so you can receive money back from the government even if you do not owe any taxes. Those who make too little money to have to file an income tax return often fail to collect this refund, which can be as much as $535 for individuals and up to $5,896 for families. Further information is available at www.irs.gov.
- NEW HOUSING HELP ANNOUNCED:
- Long Island's State Senators recently secured $25 million in funding for a new affordable housing initiative in our region. Beginning in January, "HELP" will provide matching grants for down payments, with the state giving up to $30,000 if employers or unions give home purchasers $10,000. In addition, grants of up to $20,000 will be made for repair and rehabilitation of existing homes, further lowering the purchase costs. To encourage smart-growth policies by local governments, HELP also provides down payment assistance in municipalities that create workforce housing to revitalize downtown areas.
The Long Island Housing Partnership, to which the LICC belongs, will administer the program. The appraised value of the home must be below the median price (currently $450,000). The income limits for these grants range from $82,800 for a single person to $156,150 for a family of 8 or more.
- Energy Efficiency Mortgages:
- Mortgages can include money to pay for energy-saving improvements on the house you buy. By greatly reducing your utility costs for years to come, these loans may make it easier to afford your mortgage and can boost the resale value of your home. The New York Times recently reported (Sept. 10, 2006) that the most widely available loan is Fannie Mae’s Energy Efficiency Mortgages, which can be arranged through the Federal Housing Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, and many other lenders.
The Long Island Council of Churches offers seminars on how to manage your money well - and not get ripped off. Our presentations usually run an hour to 90 minutes, and we will tailor it to the needs of your audience, such as a shorter program for a college class, campus ministry group, or youth group and their parents. The LICC will arrange speakers, educational materials, and other freebies. Thanks to grants from Astoria Federal Savings, Bank of America, Bank of New York, Citibank, Greenpoint Bank Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Washington Mutual, and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, we can provide this program without charge. All you need to supply is the location and refreshments. If you would like to have such a seminar, call 516-565-0290, ext. 206, fax 516-565-0291, or e-mail licchemp@aol.com.
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NEEDED/OFFERED
Offered:
- Electric organ available for the taking:
- A Lowrey Jamboree with Magic Genie is offered free to any church, synagogue, etc. that can use it. It must be picked up in Saint James and will take 2 strong people to move. It is described as “big, heavy, and loud” and might be well suited for congregational worship. It has two 44 key keyboards, 13 bass pedals, 35 stops, 12 orchestral presets, 18 preset rhythms, a volume pedal, and a headphone jack. If you are interested, please call 631-584-6635 or email stjamesbill@aol.com.
- HELP WITH SCOUT AWARDS and Sunday school curriculum:
- The Protestant Committee on Scouting of the Theodore Roosevelt Council, Boy Scouts of America offers as an adjunct to Sunday School programs the Protestant Religious Awards series: God & Me for grades 1-3, God & Family for grades 4-5, God & Church for grades 6-8, God & Life for grades 9-12. These programs are open to ALL youth, and Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Campfire Boys and Girls, and Ventures can earn medals given by their denomination/faith community which can be worn on Scout uniforms.
The Committee also encourages Adult Recognitions for outstanding service to youth through the Church and Scouting or Camp Fire. For further information, please contact Bob Schlegel Chairman PCOS at rfschlegel@optonline.net or Edward Sholander at edt351@aol.com.
- FREE SCREENING FOR DEPRESSION:
- Lutheran Counseling Center is providing free seminars in schools and churches throughout November to help those who work with children to recognize signs of depression. For further information, call Molly Blancke at 516-741-0994.
- HELP FOR RETURNING TROOPS:
- As Americans celebrate Veterans Day in November, it is important to remember the Vets who have returned from combat alive but emotionally troubled. Lutheran Counseling Center in Mineola offers help to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disaorder. All therapists at LCC are trained in “traumatology” and two of them have expertise in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, an approach that has a good track record for treating PTSD. For further information, call 516-741-0994, email lcc132@aol.com, or visit www.lcc132.org.
- REASONABLE ROOM RATES IN DC:
- The Cathedral College of Preachers in Washington, DC, hosts something like twenty major conferences each year. When they do not have a conference in session, they rent out rooms at relatively reasonable rates to visiting clergy. For further information, contact their director, the Rev. Dean McDonald at 202-537-6384 or dmcdonald@cathedral.org.
- Advent Study Guide:
- The General Board of Church & Society of the United Methodist Church has created a free Bible study curriculum for Advent and Christmas that can be used by any church. Based on the Scripture readings in the ecumenical Revised Common Lectionary for Dec. 3 through January 7, "What You Can Do" is designed for study sessions of 45 minutes to an hour - but could be helpful for individual devotions, Sunday School lessons, and sermons. It can be downloaded for free from www.umc-gbcs.org.
- Resources for Week of Prayer:
- The theme of the next Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25) is "Open our ears and loosen our tongues," based on Mark 7:31-37. Resources for celebrating this week are available from Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute at www.atonementfriars.org or 845-424-2109.
- Christmas Cards by Artists on Death Row:
- Prison inmates are often forgotten at Christmas as we focus our thoughts on family and friends. The Sisters of Mercy have found a way to remember those in prison by selling holiday cards created by artists on Death Row, with the proceeds benefiting children at risk. For further information, contact Sr. Camille D'Arienzo at deathrowcards@aol.com.
Needed:
- Volunteers:
- We need volunteers at our Freeport emergency food pantry (450 North Main Street), particularly Tuesday and Thursday mornings and any afternoons Monday through Friday. We can use help in our Hempstead office (on the second floor of Christ’s First Presbyterian Church at Washington Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike) before Thanksgiving and Christmas, also, with answering the phones, greeting clients, handing out toys, and such. If you can help, please call Alric Kennedy, our Director of Community Resources at 516-565-0290, ext. 204, or Barbara Harrison at 516-868-4989. Our Riverhead Emergency Food Center (407 Osborne Ave., 631-727-2210) neeeds volunteers to answer the phone and receive clients, too.
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GUEST PREACHERS AND SPEAKERS
- Our Executive Director, the Rev. Tom Goodhue, has some Sundays available in December and March for preaching. You can reach him at tomgoodhue@optonline.net or 516-565-0290, ext. 206.
- Alric Kennedy, our Director of Community Resources, can be reached for guest speaking and preaching at 516-565-0290, ext. 204, or alrickennedy@optonline.net.
- Barbara Harrison, the manager of our Freeport Emergency Food Center, is available to speak about the work of the LICC. You can reach her at 516-868-4989.
- The Rev. Nancy Schaffer, LICC chaplain at the Nassau County jail, ordained in the United Church of Christ, is available some Sundays for guest preaching. She also would be glad to speak to church groups at other times about our Women at the Well project that helps women avoid incarceration. She can be reached at 631-586-9667.
- 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 or REVELSAC@aol.com.
- The Rev. David Stephens, a retired United Methodist clergyman in Port Washington, is available for guest-preaching and supply preaching. You can reach him at 516-883-1494 or gumcspirit@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 and Kathy Burton from Church World Service, our partners in disaster response, would be glad to preach or speak about the work of CWS. Call 888-297-2767 or email jglick@churchworldservice.org.
- Tom Lyons, a member of Mt. Sinai Congregational Church (UCC) and the LICC’s Public Issues Committee 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.
- The Rev. Max B. Surjadinata, who has served on Long Island and now lives in Manhattan, would be glad to speak about his experience last year 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.
- 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.
- Dr. Donald Lubowich, Astronomy Professor at Hofstra University, is available to speak in local congregations and offers star parties with a telescope to enable the public to view the craters on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, and star clusters. Lectures and edible demonstrations (using chocolate, marshmallows, and popcorn) on astronomical topics including the recent decision to demote Pluto as a planet are also available. You can reach him at donald.lubowich@hofstra.edu.
- Lisa Strahs-Lorenc from the Long Island Works Coalition would be glad to speak about Next Generation housing to congregations, PTAs, clubs, and civic groups anywhere in Nassau or Suffolk. She calls her talk “Next Generation Workforce + Next Generation Housing = Long Island’s Success”. You can reach her at 631-843-4018 or lisa@liworks.org. Information on her organization can be found at www.liworks.org.
- The Rev. 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
| Event Date | Site | Address | Start/End Time | Chairperson/Phone |
|---|
| 11/4/06 | St. Johns Lutheran | 47 Winthrop Street
Williston Park | 10:00 AM
3:30 PM | Don Wicks
(516) 931-4945 |
| 11/5/06 | Unitarian Congregation at Shelter Rock | 48 Shelter Rock Rd
Manhasset | 9:30 AM
1:30 PM | Barbara Dilsner
(516) 764-1559 |
| 11/11/06 | St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church | 196-10 Northern Blvd.
Flushing | 2:30 PM
8:00 PM | Paul Palesti
(718) 357-4200 |
| 11/13/06 | Brookville Reformed Church | Brookville Reformed Church
Brookville | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM | Lisa Denison
(516) 674-4385 |
| 11/13/06 | Congregational Church of Manhasset | Congregational Church
Manhasset | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM | Rosellen Gemino
(516) 467-4191 |
| 11/13/06 | Abiding Presence Lutheran Church | 4 Trescott Path
Fort Salonga | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM | Tammy Barkey
(631) 269-5317 |
| 11/13/06 | St. Paul's United Methodist | 270 Main St.
Northport | 3:15 PM
8:45 PM | Eve Van Dyk
(631) 262-7383 |
| 11/19/06 | Christ Lutheran Church | 189 Burr Rd.
E. Northport | 8:30 AM
12:30 PM | Andrea Moon
(631) 486-8834 |
| 11/20/06 | United Methodist Church of Bellport | 185 South Country Road
Bellport | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM | Erik Rasmussen
(631) 286-0525 |
| 11/24/06 | United Methodist Church | 792 Hawkins Avenue
Lake Grove | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM | Helen Foy
(631) 981-1030 |
| 11/24/06 | Community Presbyterian Church | 1843 Lake Ave.
Deer Park | 2:00 PM
7:30 PM | Judith Underwood
(516) 243-3971 |
| 11/26/06 | L.I. Mar Thoma Church | 2350 Merrick Ave
Merrick | 10:00 AM
2:00 PM | Elizabeth Thomas
(516) 437-0910 |
| 11/27/06 | Trinity Lutheran Church-Hicksville | 40 West Nicholai St.
Hicksville | 3:30 PM
9:00 PM | Peg Ruhs
(516) 822-4867 |
| 11/27/06 | Hope Lutheran Church | 46 Dare Rd.
Selden | 3:30 PM
9:00 PM | Laura Laza
(631) 642-7429 |
| 11/29/06 | Garden City Community Church | 245 Stewart Ave.
Garden City | 3:00 PM
8:30 PM | Cindy Campbell
(516) 334-6325 |
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SCHEDULE A CONVENIENT APPOINTMENT PLEASE CALL 1-800-933-BLOOD (2566)
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HOW TO ORDER A DIRECTORY — OR GET A FREE AD
Many people have called with questions about how to order our new directory of churches and synagogues of Long Island and how to join the LICC. We are selling this directory for $50 to not-for-profit organizations and for $100 to some businesses that have a legitimate need to find local clergy, such as funeral homes and hospitals. You can snail-mail a check made out to the LICC to 1644 Denton Green, Hempstead NY 11550 Attention: Sara Weiss. We also accept credit card payment via MasterCard and VISA if you fax (516-565-0291) or phone (516-565-0290) us the appropriate information.
We also are giving a copy of this directory to each person who serves on our Board or one of our committees, and we are mailing a copy, with our thanks, to our major donors, to our member churches, and to the Friends of the LICC. If you have not received one yet, this may be a sign that you need to do the paperwork to join! If you would like a copy of the directory and have not received one, contact Sara Weiss at 516-565-0290, ext. 207 or saraweiss@optonline.net.
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MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY, REQUIREMENTS, & BENEFITS
Christian congregations (parishes) and denominations are invited to join the LICC as full members. We ask them to agree to the Membership Requirements listed below and to pay membership dues of at least $50 a year.
WHAT WE ASK OF OUR MEMBERS:
- Take a yearly offering for the Long Island Council of Churches. We will promote this through our newsletter and we will provide the offering envelopes if you tell us the number of envelopes you need and when you need them. Or put us in your annual budget or your Missions budget.
- Pray for our work in worship at least once a year.
- Announce Long Island Council of Churches events in your bulletin and newsletter.
- Publish our list of giving opportunities (see website link) and include that information in the promotional materials that go out with your yearly offerings for the Long Island Council of Churches.
- Urge your members to participate in our mission to bring together diverse Christians on behalf of our neighbors in need and to build understanding among the diverse faith communities on Long Island.
- Collect a food offering once a month for the Long Island Council of Churches’ emergency food pantries or for another pantry or soup kitchen in your area.
THE FRIENDS OF THE LICC:
Other faith-based institutions (such as synagogues and Unitarian Universalist fellowships), not-for-profit organizations, for-profit businesses whose products/services are compatible with our mission and programs, and individuals who wish to support our mission and programs may join the “Friends of the Long Island Council of Churches.” We do not expect the Friends to do all of the things listed above, but we do ask them to donate at least $100 a year.
BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS & FRIENDS OF THE LICC:
- Free copy of LICC Directory, published annually.
- Free subscription to monthly newsletter, Prelude
- Limited free advertising in Prelude for faith-based institutions and partner social service agencies at the discretion of the executive director, and discount rates for additional advertising
- “Building Bridges” and “What’s My Faith?” interfaith education presentations by the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum
- Free Predatory Lending prevention educational seminars held at your institution (contact our executive director for further information)
- Assistance for your parishioners who need emergency food, housing, utilities, fuel, medical, and/or transportation assistance
CHURCH NAME: _______________________________________________
ADDRESS: _______________________________________________
______________________________________________
TEL # _______________________________
FAX # ____________________________
PASTOR: ____________________________
E-mail: ______________________________
OTHER CONTACT PERSON: ______________________________
CONTACT PERSON DAY TIME TEL. #: _____________________
E-MAIL: ______________________
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ADS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
JOB OPENINGS:
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DIRECTOR
Merrick United Methodist Church is seeking a part-time (8-10 hourse a week) CE Director. They would prefer someone with experience with Sunday School teaching and youth work, musical ability (such as playing guitar). Send resume and vision statement for Sunday school and youth to the Rev. JaeJoon Lee at 516-378-9222 or PastorLee@optonline.net.
Day Care for Seniors in Bellport
On Golden Pond is an Adult Day Care Program serving the frail elderly and memory impaired. It provides a therapeutic program in a warm, supportive, non-judgmental environment to further retention of skills and abilities through good nutrition, exercise and social activities. It reduces clients' feelings of isolation and loneliness and provides families with respite for caregivers and an alternative to institutionalization.
On Golden Pond is located in the heart of Bellport Village, next to the Bellport United Methodist Church, at 187 South Country Road. For further information, call 286-4603.
NEW BRUNSWICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY RECEPTION Oct. 26
LICC Board member Adrienne Flipse Hausch will host a reception this Thursday in Mineola for New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Alumni, clergy, and those contemplating seminary are all invited to the Nassau Bar Association on Oct. 26, from 5:50 to 8:00 p.m. NBTS, which offers evening classes at St. John’s University in Jamaica, is the oldest seminary in the nation, with students from many denominations. The Bar Assn. Is located on the corner of 15th and West Streets in Mineola, just south of Old Country Road and opposite the county executive building. For further directions, or to RSVP (which is appreiciated, even though there is no charge for the evening), please call the Seminary Devolopment Office at 1-800-445-6287.
HOUSING MEETING IN RIVERHEAD Oct. 26
The Long Island Organizing Network, which was launched at an Annual Convocation of the LICC, will have its fall public action meeting on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. at 1st Baptist Church in Riverhead, 1018 Northville Turnpike. The focus will be on “Housing Solutions for All Long Islanders.” For further information, call Cynthia Turner at 631-942-2166.
Parish Resource Center
89 Hallock Landing Road
Rocky Point, NY 11778
Tel: (631) 821-2255 - Fax (631) 821-7073
www.prcli.org
e-mail: info@prcli.org
November Workshops
Love in Life’s Storms and Sunset:
Health Choices in Life’s most Challenging Times
Thursday, November 9, 2006, 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
This free symposium will be held at the Infant Jesus Parish Center, Main St., Port Jefferson
All too often when a health care crisis occurs we are not prepared to answer questions or begin to second-guess our loved ones or ourselves. Many times the health care professionals ask us questions that only lead to more questions. To help assist you during these troubling times while we have the ability to be rational, the ecumenical community of Port Jefferson is pleased to present Love in Life’s Storms and Sunset: Health Choices in Life’s most Challenging Times. This free symposium will provide resources and education to the community on dealing with health concerns and burdens as patients and their families face chronic and/or terminal illness. The presenters will offer guidance and support with regards to speaking about difficult topics and how to prepare for the future regarding yours or a family member’s health care. The symposium will also offer the participants an opportunity to have their questions answered by professionals working in this field.
"Faithbooking - Scrapbooking our Faith"
Saturday November 11 2006, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Leaders: Nancy Hall & Kay Shockley
This workshop will be held at the Parish Resource Center, 89 Hallock Landing Rd., Rocky Point
Whether you are new to scrapbooking or a seasoned collector of photos and memorabilia, the PRC is offering you a chance to learn about using scrapbooking to relate to your own stories of faith. Scrapbooking is another way to connect families and individuals to those moments in our faith journey that we cherish and that can inspire others. This workshop will be useful to anyone who wants to enhance his or her personal collection of photos and keepsakes. Faithbooking can be used for personal growth, small group ministry, youth and confirmation groups, an evangelism tool or to strengthen faith in the family.
Scrapbooking materials will be supplied, please bring at least 10 photos around a theme: friends, family etc...
Space is limited, register early!
Member of a Subscribing Church, $5
Member of a Non-Subscribing Church, $35
Healing Prayer Study Group; Learn about it and Experience it!
Led by Rev. Yuri Ando
The Parish Resource Center will be forming another six week study group on Healing Prayer. If you would like to learn about Healing Prayer and experience it yourself, please contact us. The text we will use for this study is Stretch Out Your Hand - Exploring Healing Prayer by Tilda Norberg. Some of the topics covered during these sessions will be what is Healing Prayer and beginning to pray using prayer exercises. We will discuss how to start a Healing Ministry in your local church. We will try to find a mutually agreeable schedule for this group. If you are interested in joining this exciting study group or have any question, please call us at 821-2255.
Member of a Subscribing Church, $35.00
Non-Subscribing Church, $50.00
(includes book)
DivorceCare
Rev. Jeanne Baum, Facilitator
DivorceCare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk with you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. Don’t go through separation or divorce alone. DivorceCare groups meet weekly for 13 weeks to help you face these challenges and move toward rebuilding your life. Registration for this group is limited, so if you are interested in joining the current group which meets on Monday evenings or would like any information about upcoming groups, please call us at 821-2255.
Member of a Subscribing Church, $50.00
Non-Subscribing Church, $100.00
Limited scholarships are available.
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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.ncccusa.org/ecmin/licc
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