The Geneva Pres

2011

The Presbyterian Church

in Geneva

24 Park Place

Geneva NY 14456

(315) 789-1343

Website: http://www.PresbyterianChurchInGenevaNewYork.org

W. James Gerling - Pastor

Suzanne Otterbacher – Parish Associate

L. Christine Wertman - Director of Music Sandy Campbell - Church Organist/ Bell Choir

Lorraine Jones – Youth Bells

Kate Komara – Children’s Choir

Kathleen Breese - Dir. Christian Ed.

Edna May Langan – Secretary

Mark Springmeier – Custodian

Virginia Champlin - Chapel Organist

Beth Nicholas – Parish Nurse

Deb Drennen – Nursery care

Alan Schenck – Financial Administrator Fritz Aude - Treasurer

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR:

World Communion Sunday – October 2, 2011

“And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations…” (Revelation 22:2)

World Communion Sunday has been an ecumenical observance

since 1936. “On this particular Sunday, we reaffirm our

commitment to faithful witness in the world as we await the

coming fullness of God’s reign of peace.” (Kim Long, PC (USA).

Gathered around the table in cities and towns, in countries near

and far, we will affirm our oneness in Christ, with each other,

and with the church in every time and place.

The Peacemaking Offering was established in 1980 it was set in the

context of World Communion Sunday. The General Assembly

requested “each congregation, on the occasion of World Communion

Sunday each fall beginning in 1980, to celebrate our common life in

the global bonds of Christ’s peace-giving body and, as part of the

celebration, to receive a special offering to support initiatives on

peacemaking and peacemaking education throughout the church.”

“Peacemaking: The Believer’s Calling” affirmed, “As we break

bread together, our eyes are opened and we recognize [Christ’s]

living presence among us calling us together. We are Christ’s people,

compelled by the Spirit and guided by our creeds to listen to a gospel

that is addressed to the whole world. We are gathered around the

Lord’s Table with people from North and South and East and West.

A new integrity is required of us: integrity in worship, integrity in

secular life, integrity in relationship with Christ and Christians

everywhere.”

The General Assembly specified that congregations would keep 25

percent of the offering for their own peacemaking efforts; 25 percent

would be used by synods and presbyteries and 50 percent would

come to the General Assembly.

For the last 27 years we have embraced this offering as a

congregation. We have used our 25% local share is many ways,

including supporting Village Links, our program that helps teen

moms and their children.

Through this offering Presbyterians take seriously the words often

prayed during the Lord’s Supper in the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving,

“As this bread is Christ’s body for us, send us out to be the body of

Christ in the world.”

Peace,

WJG

You are invited to the Deacons

SUNDAY, October 16th Following the 10:30 worship service

Lunch will include: Ham, scalloped potatoes, veggie, salad, rolls,

dessert and beverage. Take-out will be available, but stay for fun

and fellowship!!!!

This is a benefit for the pastors’ DISCRETIONARY

FUND to help those in need.

Cost: adults: $8.00 Kids under 8: $4.00

Please RSVP by October 13th

. You can:

call the church office

put your “sign-up sheet” in the offering plate

sign the list in the Fellowship Hall (on the food

counter)

Log onto the web: www.presbyterianchurchingenevanewyork.org

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Name: _______________________________________________

Adults: ____ Children ____ Take out? Yes ____ No ____

DEACONS

OCT. 2 – Youth bells begin 8:30 am

ALL 3rd

– 12th

graders – come ring with us!!!

We’re always looking for new members. You must be able to read music to participate. Any questions call Lorraine Jones, 539-3329 if you are interested.

OCT. 16 – 4th

-8th

sing at 10:30 worship

OCT. 23 – ACOLYTE TRAINING- 11:30

3rd

-9th

graders interested talk to Mrs. McClure

OCT. 30 – ACOLYTE INSTALLATION

CE – NOV. 14, 7:00 pm

CAMPBELL’S SOUP UPC CODES

Please save your UPC CODES

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION

to benefit Geneva Head Start

LOOK FOR THE BASKET

6th

-12th

Time: Leave from church at 1:00 (Please eat lunch

ahead of time). We will be back no later than 5:00

When: Sunday, October 16

Where: Meet at church, head to Long Acre Farm for the

Amazing Maize Maze in Marion

Cost: $10.50 – YOU PAY $7.00 ONLY

Bring: jacket and shoes that can get dirty

RSVP: by OCT. 12 so we can arrange transportation

When: Sunday, October 30th

Where: TBA

Time: 4:00-5:30

Bring: Your old pumpkins and $1.00/ pumpkin for UNICEF

Prizes will be awarded for the most accurate target, farthest

flung pieces, and messiest splat!

SUNDAY SCHOOL/MISSION

FALL PROJECT OCT. 2 & 9- we will be collecting items to give to

the Geneva Food Pantry.

OCTOBER 2 –CANNED SPAGHETTI

SAUCE, HEARTY SOUPS or

MAC/CHEESE

OCTOBER 9– SHAMPOO (15 oz),

BAR SOAP, TOILET PAPER

College Care Boxes

Cookies Needed for Sunday Oct. 16

The Membership & Evangelism Committee is planning the

annual preparation of Care Boxes to be sent to our new college

students, and Welcome Bags to be delivered to HWS students who

are Presbyterians. We have many treats already to include, but

would welcome donations of cookies or brownies. Please bring to

the church office no later than 9 am Sunday morning, Oct. 16.

Our Sunday School classes will help to pack the boxes on that

day. Thank you!

FROM THE PARISH NURSE

Dear Church Family,

BRRRRRR!!!! I’m writing this on Sept. 20th

and I’m not too

happy with Mother Nature. I think it just stopped snowing about

a month and a half ago, and here we go again! What a weird year!

We’ve experienced floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, scorching

heat waves, tornadoes (and that was just NY State)! My prayer is

for a mild winter, but judging from what’s gone on so far, I

wouldn’t count on it. That brings me to my first topic.

NOW is the time to prepare for winter. Get your furnace

serviced, make sure you have a good carbon monoxide detector

and that your smoke detectors have new batteries for the winter

season (which in NY lasts at least 10 months). Find someone

reliable (something that is hard to do, if possible get references) to

plow your drive and be clear as to what time you expect to be

plowed out. It’s helpful to have some cans of soup and extra food

stashed away that would last for a day or two if we have a

whopper blizzard. Always have flashlights, blankets and a backup

plan ready in case of power outages. Get your car ready for

winter. Consider snow tires. I always have a shovel, ice melt,

blankets and a cell phone once it starts snowing. GET YOUR

FLU SHOT. They last about 6 months. Get your gutters cleaned

out as soon as the leaves are down. I’m trying to get a list of

names of folks who are reliable that do this. If you know of

someone, let me know. Enough about the cold! Call me if you

have issues finding help.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I revisit

this topic every October because it is so important and the

survival rate is very good if you get treatment early. There is an

excellent website created by the Susan G Komen Organization.

You can Google Susan G. Komen or type

http://wws.komen.org/AboutUs/AboutUs.html.

It has very good information and video clips on a large number of

topics dealing with Breast Cancer. As always, women should be

diligent in monthly self-exams, yearly mammograms and

physicals. I will have information available for you in October on

a number of different breast cancer topics including prevention.

The last thing I want to discuss is PLANNING AHEAD. Every

one of us who is not still in the care of our parents needs to have

at least started a discussion of what our wishes are should we

become very ill or die suddenly. (Oh how morbid Beth!!) Well,

that discussion is so much easier, so much better than having to

ask someone who is critically ill in the ICU “What do you want

me to tell them to do Mom?” or worse, having to guess and then

live with not being sure you made the right decision. The Parish

Health Ministry Team is working on setting up presentations to

encourage you to start that conversation with loved ones or

friends. It is a gift to those who are left behind not to have to

struggle with guilt over whether they did the right thing. Please

watch for information on this topic and try to attend if you have

not yet started having this conversation. Other topics we are

looking at are: How and when to downsize, what help is out there

for parents with mild dementia and failing health, and how do we

as Christians face death? If you have suggestions or input about

this, call me. My cell phone number is 315-759-9039.

God Bless You All,

Beth

LOAN CLOSET

Just a reminder that we have a number of really great items in

our loan closet. Don’t go buy something expensive that we could

loan out to you for as long as you need it, for free!! We have

walkers, commodes, raised toilet seats, shower benches and

chairs, adult diapers, crutches, canes, wheelchairs, a nebulizer, a

hydrotherapy footbath, and more! We recently had a donation of

size 13 hearing aid batteries. They expire March 2013. If you

know anyone who can use them please call the Parish Nurse at

759- 9039.

Two Options for Sunday Adult Education Both will meet 9:15 – 10:15

Sunday Forum in the South Parlor

“Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the

Table” What does it mean to practice our faith at the

table? We gain a better understanding of the

relationship between our Christian heritage and our

food. Drawing on Jesus’ story and the rituals of the Christian

faith, this study examines four aspects of our lives with food:

• the health of our bodies

• the access others have to food

• the health of the earth which our food choices influence, and

• the ways we use food to extend hospitality & enrich

relationships

Oct 2 Nurturing the Body

Oct 9 Hunger

Oct 16 Food & the Environment

Oct 23 Creating Community

Oct 30 Responding to God’s Call

“Feasting on the Word” Lectionary Bible Study

This is a weekly Bible study that will follow the Lectionary.

There will be a study of the Lectionary for the following

week each Sunday morning. This group will meet in the

Conference Room across from the Church Office.

Don’t miss the next “Let’s Talk” “The New South Sudan”.

Friday, October 14, 7 – 9 pm at the Geneva Public Library

Community Room.

Let’s Talk . . . about South Sudan

Friday October 14, 7:00 pm

Geneva Public Library Community Room

The people of this newest country in Africa may be jubilant about

their independence, but they face many challenges.

Learn about 2 projects in South Sudan initiated by Sudanese

refugees from Rochester, NY:

Building Minds in Sudan

and

Water for Sudan

as we discuss the current situation in this new country.

Our speakers will be Sebastian Maroundit and Carol Snook

Sebastian Maroundit was a young boy when the war in Sudan

separated him from his family. His escape from war took him to

Ethiopia, Kenya, and finally to Rochester. Along with his cousin,

he founded Building Minds in Sudan and is working to build

primary schools in rural areas.

Water for Sudan was started by Salva Dut, another refugee from

Sudan who settled in Rochester. This organization has been busy

drilling wells to bring safe drinking water to people in remote

villages. We’ll hear from Carol Snook, a member of the

organization’s Board of Directors.

We’re opening up this discussion to the community, so please

invite your friends.

Refreshments will be served.

Contact Beth Newell for more information.

SERRV

The SERRV Shop is now open regular hours:

10am-12:30pm Saturdays and after each service on

Sundays.

There is a beautiful holiday display set up, stop in and see all the

NEW items for Fall and begin your holiday shopping early.

Shopping at SERRV is a great opportunity to purchase gifts for

all those 'hard-to-buy-for” people on your list. There are many

unique, hand-crafted items to choose from and as always you are

supporting fair-trade artisans, worldwide.

SERRV is currently looking for volunteers. Specifically anyone

who can work in the shop after services on Sunday, help unpack

merchandise. Also, anyone who has computer skills and would be

interested in helping with inventory. This can be done anytime

that is convenient for the volunteer. Please contact Sandy Eberle

(781-0838) if you are interested in volunteering. Thank you for

your support and sharing your talents with us.

Our Open House will be Saturday, November 19th

from 10-4 and Basket Sunday will follow it on

Sunday, November 20th

after both services.

Peacemaking Offering

October 2, 2011

World Communion Sunday

“A harvest of justice is sown in peace.”

(James 3:18)

James’s letter to the early church calls on Christians to seek

earnestly the wisdom of God, which is “first pure, then peaceable,

gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a

trace of hypocrisy.”

We long for a more just and peaceful world – where the worth of

every person is valued, where greed no longer rules and hunger

no longer results, where bullets and bombs no longer devastate.

God’s Word shows us the way: that the harvest of justice and

righteousness will be sown by peacemakers, planted and nurtured

in words and deeds of peace.

Each of us can plant these seeds. Each of us can prayerfully seek

“the wisdom from above” and sow God’s word in our homes, our

congregations, our communities, our world. Then, let us all look

forward to the bountiful harvest!

The Session and the Mission & Social Concerns Committee invite

you to participate in this year’s Peacemaking Offering.

Coming soon. . .

Your opportunity to order delicious Café Justo

This coffee is grown in Chiapas, Mexico by members of a farmer-

owned cooperative and then roasted and packaged in Sonora,

Mexico. The idea behind Café Justo is to address one of the root

causes of labor migration from Mexico to the USA: a lack of

sustainable economic opportunities in Mexico.

Available will be the following coffees, in medium or dark roast,

ground or in whole beans:

100% Arabica $8.75/pound

Described as “naturally sweet, light, and simple”

100% Marago $13/pound

Described as their “premium coffee” that “delivers a deep, rich

chocolaty taste. The larger beans of this plant maintain their

sweetness while adding body and character.

100% Robusta $8.75/pound

Described as a “high-octane coffee with the strongest flavors and

the maximum caffeine.”

50% Arabica/50% Robusta $8.75/pound

50% or 100% Decaffeinated Arabica $10/pound

Members of the Mission & Social Concerns Committee will be in

Fellowship Hall during our after-service coffee hours in October.

Prices listed above include shipping.

For more information, visit www.justcoffee.org

TAKE NOTE . .

A new program year has begun and sounds of music being

prepared for worship fill various parts of the Presbyterian

Church in Geneva.

In the upstairs choir room two Children's Choirs practice at

different times on Sunday morning. Eventually an Orff Ensemble

and Youth Bells will add to the wonderful sounds.

On Monday nights our Adult Bell Choir can be found rehearsing

in the sanctuary. Thursday nights the Adult Choir practices in the

choir room, as well as in the sanctuary.

Sounds of the chapel organ and Roland as well as the sanctuary

organ can be heard at various times during the week.

We are grateful to musicians of all ages and those in positions

of leadership.

JOY!

October 2

Composer's Corner

Set me as a seal upon your heart,

as a seal upon your arm,

for love is strong as death...

In the darkened gym at St. Olaf College on a June afternoon,

a spotlight located Rene Clausen among 700 St. Olaf Choir

alumni.

Clausen was seated in this multi-generational massed choir

just a few rows behind me. He was one of a group of former

St. Olaf Choir members who have distinguished themselves

as composers.

Rene Clausen is presently the director of the Concordia College

Choir and associate professor of music at Concordia in

Moorhead,

Minnesota. He serves as guest conductor and guest composer

and lecturer both nationally and internationally.

"Set Me as a Seal" is part of a longer work by Clausen -- "A New

Creation." The first time I heard this piece on a CD, I was

touched

by its message and its beauty, The Adult Choir will offer this

piece

in worship on October 23. There is a lovely recording of "Set Me

as a Seal" on YouTube by the National Lutheran Choir. Just

Google Rene Clausen.

Faithfully, Chris Wertman

P R E S B Y T E R I A N W O M E N

UPCOMING EVENTS:

October PW Mtg. – TBA

November 8 – Election Day Bake Sale

November 19 – SERRV Shop Open House – 10-4pm

November 20- Basket Sunday

November 20 – Thank Offering

VOLNUTEERS NEEDED:

We need 2 women to be hostesses for OCTOBER or

DECEMBER should receptions be scheduled. A list of women is

available to help anyone who will be responsible for the month.

Please call Barb Messur, 789-8159, or Dot Newcomb, 789-9892.

FRIENDSHIP STUDY GROUP- Tuesday, Oct. 11, 1:00 pm

For dessert and Bible study

NEEDLES GROUP– Thursdays, Oct. 6 & 20, 1:00 pm

In the south parlor

THE CHANCEL GUILD

We are looking to expand the Chancel Guild membership and

would appreciate help from volunteers at any time. The guild only

holds meetings twice yearly.

The Chancel Guild's responsibilities center around the

preparation of communion once a month and the adornment of

the sanctuary and chapel for Sunday services and during the

holidays. The members work in teams of two or three for a three-

month period.

Members arrange for 'memorial or celebration' flowers to

decorate the sanctuary on Sundays. A few members arrange

cornucopias in both worship places for Thanksgiving Sunday.

They oversee and work with 'members at large' to decorate the

church for the Christmas season. Other duties are preparing

palms for Palm Sunday and arranging potted spring plants for

Easter Sunday.

If you are interested, please contact Edna May, in the church

office 789-1343, or Ti Siebert at 789-4092. Thank you.

H E L P !!!!!

Boy Scout Troop 4, sponsored by this church since 1917, is sending a crew of about eight Scouts and four leaders to Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, New Mexico, in July 2012. A large, blue plastic collection bin has been placed at the foot of the stairs leading to the church school rooms, near the "parking lot" entrance closest to the church offices. Deposit bottles and cans — from soda, beer and water — left there will help the group reach their goal. They have promised to empty the bin regularly and faithfully, and hope that's at least twice a week! For pickup of larger quantities, please call Fred Schühle at (315) 789-1269. Thank you.

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE -

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, NOON

RECORDED SERVICES

Sunday services are recorded and available on CD to borrow

from the church office.

JIM – wjg@rochester.rr.com

SUZANNE – revsuzyo2@gmail.com

EDNA MAY – eml22@rochester.rr.com

Website: http://www.presbyterianchurchingenevanewyork.org

Would you like to receive your copy of the

newsletter electronically? If so, go to the church home

page and look in the second column for the “Newsletter” heading.

Follow the directions beneath the heading to subscribe to the

newsletter electronically. You will automatically be notified by

email each month when the new newsletter is available on the

church website.

Once you receiving the newsletter electronically, you can contact

the church office to have your name removed from the newsletter

mailing list.

THANK YOU ! ! !

THANKS to everyone who donated school supplies. The Geneva

schools are most appreciative. To quote one of the students, “I

think God told you to give to us and now he told us to say

Thanks.”

LECTIONARY For the

Lord’s Day - OCT. 2 Exod 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Ps 19; Phil 3:4b-14

Matt 21:33-46

OCT. 9 Exod 32:1-14; Ps 106:1-6, 19-23; Phil 4:1-9

Matt 22:1-14

OCT. 16 Exod 33:12-23; Ps 99; 1Thess 1:1-10

Matt 22:15-22

OCT. 23 Deut 34:1-12; Ps 90:1-6, 13-17

1Thess 2:1-8; Matt 22:34-46

OCT. 30 Josh 3:7-17; Ps 107:1-7, 33-37

1Thess 2:9-13; Matt 22:1-12

2 CENTS – A - MEAL

We will collect 2 cents offerings on OCT. 2

You can make a difference in the lives

of hungry people!!!

THE HAFLI

You are invited to an evening of authentic Middle Eastern food,

music and dancing!!! Presented by St. Michael’s Orthodox

Church, the event will take place at Geneva’s "Club 86",

Avenue E, on Friday, October 7th, 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Win a door prize! Bid for bargains at the silent auction! Enjoy the

sounds of a live, authentic Middle Eastern band from Allentown,

PA! Learn traditional Middle Eastern line-dance steps, and

dance the night away!

You will enjoy a complete Middle Eastern dinner including

hummus, flat bread, Middle Eastern spiced rice, chicken,

authentic cabbage rolls, meat pies and much, much more -- with

baklava for dessert. Beverages will be available at a cash bar.

Seating is limited.

For more information, call Linda Patrick for tickets 585-526-

5219;

or you can e-mail George Michaels, MidEastEvening@gmail.com.

Isn’t it strange? 2 hours seem so long when you’re at church but so short when you’re watching a good movie.

13 GRADUATE FROM

“BABY COLLEGE” in TEEN

MOMS EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM

Following an eight week intensive interactive educational

experience between mothers and infants in a pilot program

supported by the Village Links program, 13 very young students

(and their moms) were granted diplomas last spring. The pilot

program worked in providing innovative and interactive ways to

encourage young mothers to participate and enjoy reading with

their children.

Various studies have concluded “that because of inadequate early

childhood stimulation too many of the country’s youngest

children arrive at school not ready to learn.” Research also

demonstrates the strong link between the amount and quantity of

language heard in infancy and the children’s IQ’s and their

ability later in childhood. While we can’t demonstrate progress

in eradicating poverty, literacy is something that impacts poverty

and the change in these children and their mothers is

measureable.

The pilot program was coordinated and taught by Karen

Pearson and Jane Gerling with the help and support of Dr.

Charles Temple at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, the

Ithaca Family Reading Partnership, students at William Smith

College, the Wyckoff Family foundation and the Presbyterian

Church. The Baby College is continuing this fall.

VANDERKAMP 2012

JANUARY 27TH

– 29TH

Cherry Hill, The Pine Plantation ski trail, s’mores over the fire,

the path over the Stone Bridge around the lake, Sandy Ansley’s

desserts, wine tastings (occasionally), fellowship, fun, reading, a

foot massage from the oils lady, games, puzzles, SPOONS!,

solitude, camaraderie, plays written, staged and produced by

youth.

Vanderkamp is all this and so much more. It is a retreat center

tucked away in the woods near Syracuse. Our Church has been

spending a weekend there for over 25 years. A collection of 4

houses (each sleeps about 20 people) on a 45 acre lake, you can

step out your front door and ski through 850 acres of trails or sled

down Cherry Hill. Or you could stay inside and tend the fire and

read a good book or play the guitar. Or you could eat marvelous

food!

Sounds good but no ski equipment? There is plenty to use there

and it is included in the price! Don’t ski? There is still lots to do.

Can’t afford it? There are confidential scholarships available. If

your Youth Group child is going, please sign them up with Paula.

Don’t let your child talk you out of coming too – they have their

own house to stay in!

The cost is $55.00 for everyone 13 and older - $35.00 for 12 and

under. 4 and under are free!

Please take note of the date and sign up soon! Any questions?

Please feel free to call

Lauren Lamb at 789-6589