“THE SPIRIT”

JUNE 2020

Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit

57 Hurlbut Street ~ Albany, NY 12209 ~ 518-463-6224 email: holyspiritalbany@nycap.rr.com ~ web: www.holyspiritalbany.com

Laura Wayman, Editor

MARKS OF DISCIPLESHIP

1. DAILY PRAYER

A. Prayer list in weekly devotional — please pray daily B. Personal prayer (needs/thanks/conflict) during Zoom service

C. “Christ in Our Home” daily devotionals

2. WORSHIP

A. Sunday Zoom worship at 10:00 AM B. Koinonia group via Zoom - June 8 & 22

3. BIBLE READING

A. Individual daily reading B. Mid-week Message C. Koinonia group via Zoom - June 8 & 22

4. SERVICE

A. Service needs for LCHS include: Altar Care & Greeters B. Individual spiritual gift counseling available from Patti Henry

5. SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP

A. Friendship Luncheoneers* B. Fellowship Hour - immediately after worship via Zoom C. Faith, News & Brews* D. Koinonia group via Zoom - June 8 & 22 E. Yarn & Needles via Zoom - June 15

6. GIVING

A. Donna in Ghana B. Albany Lutheran Cluster - Things of My Very Own C. Emergency Shelter @ First Lutheran

[*not currently meeting in person]

God’s purpose for Holy Spirit is to guide the Community to Christ with support and love

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04 JoAnn Lowe

05 Patricia Donovan Claudette Mink Savannah Wolfgang

14 David W. Bender Kaelin Bray Alisa Fortune Shirley Gresens

29 Valorie Appio

_________________________

01 Michael & Rachel Fil

06 Dean & Laura Wayman

09 Adam & Wendy Schatz

13 Diane & Rick Hasenbein

20 Greg & Mary Tennermann _________________________ ● for our “at home” members

● for Donna Rohrmiller (our missionary in Ghana)

● for Campus Ministry at UAlbany

● for our sister Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe

● for all those in service of our country _________________________

July SPIRIT Deadline Is

June 14

The Emergency Homeless Shelter at First Lutheran is open 24/7 in June Sunday worship is via Zoom in June Farewell to the Schatz family by car parade, is June 14 Worship & Music Committee meets via Zoom on Tuesday, June 2 Koinonia meets via Zoom on Mondays, June 8 & 22 Book Club meets via Zoom on Tuesday, June 16 Church Council meets via Zoom on Wednesday, June 17 The Cluster Collection for June is for “Things of My Very Own”. _________________________

NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS

• Deb Baranowski

• Pat Donovan

• Barb Turner

(Please Note Updated Council & Committee Lists on pp. 12-13)

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WELCOME PASTOR RAHEL HAHN

The Mission in Transition Team, Karen Bielinski , Doug Siegenthaler, and I are very excited to welcome Pr. Rahel as the called pastor of Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit. This completes the work we began last September with the council, congregation, and synod and we rejoice!

Several unique thoughts occur! Pastor Rahel is the first female pastor called to Holy Spirit and she joins the witness of women serving the church. The first woman ordained in the Upstate NY Synod took place right here on Hurlbut Street 45 years ago. She also represents an immigrant population that Pr. Rahel seeks to serve. She has had firsthand experience in the challenge of adapting and adjusting to new surroundings with unknown practices. The first development of the Lutheran Church took place right here in Albany and came from German immigrants.

Phyllis Tickle, Christian writer, wrote the Christian Church reforms itself every 500 years, inviting Holy Spirit congregation to join in that reformation. We are amidst a new look at worship, given the need to use remote modalities. Members of the Worship and Music Team attended a group discussion on what this new look at worship means. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit eternal, always to be with us through any challenges, gives us leaders on earth to meet those difficulties. Blessings on the ministry of Holy Spirit as we face new challenges with the unfailing word given us through the Grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

~ In His Word, Pastor Joyce Fiore _____________________________________________________

CEMETERY COMMITTEE REPORT / UPDATE

There was no burial or lot sale activity at the cemetery this year until April. On April 9, 2020 a burial service was held for deceased Florence Bichteman.

The above burial information was provided by superintendent Michael Conti as agreed: Name, date, funeral director, section/lot/grave numbers, and amount to pay John Pangburn for the grave opening. Providing this info was done by Bob Kohinke in the past, and this is being clarified on Conti’s job description. He has been provided with self-addressed stamped envelopes to send info to the Cemetery Committee through the church office. Howard Hasenbein has been given the lot information to continue his project to improve the church’s site map.

A Tru-Green Lawn Care quote was obtained ($450 for three 3-acre Spring treatments) but the work has been postponed at the urging of Conti and Pangburn at this time. Conti reports that the lawn riding mower is over 9 years old and requires frequent repairs. Purchase of a replacement mower will be considered in the coming months. This would incur a large expenditure which may require a special fundraiser since donations to the cemetery have been reduced to $10.00 so far this year since we are not having Hurlbut St. worship services.

All other aspects of committee activity can be suspended until further notice due to pandemic social distancing requirements.

If you are visiting the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit Cemetery — located at 422 Feura Bush Road in Glenmont — please note that the Cemetery Rules are posted on the garage. ~ Shirley Gresens, Committee Chair

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26 May 2020 Dear Family of the Holy Spirit: First, as the work of the Mission in Transition team ends and my call begins on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, let me take this opportunity to thank Karen Bielinski, Doug Siegenthaler, and Pastor Joyce Fiore for all they have done and made possible for Holy Spirit in their respective roles on the team. A heartfelt thank you also goes to the Dean, Pastor Jo Page, for bringing this group together! I look forward to our walking with each other and learning with and from one another. God has given us to each other for God’s good purpose and for a future beyond all our imagination. Let’s live into that and when we get overwhelmed by worry and fear, or feel stressed out and drained from too much tech-mediated living, or when we are tempted to send our response (or reaction?) to an email right away and too quickly, or when we had enough (with three “f’s”) on a tough day (“tough” spelled with four “f”s”), then let us take a deep breath, and then, another deep breath, and another, and let us thank God for God’s breath given to us in and for these days and every day. At this point you will probably have heard more about me than from me. Let’s get to know each other, and ask, be curious! Since I cannot visit with you in person at this point, I am pondering ways I could get to know you and you me, ways that could be fun and creative and realistic given the current situation. Please do not hesitate to call me at 740-751-7467 or text or email me at rlchahn@mac.com. We love the beautiful doves and the Holy Spirit shirts for Pentecost, and we look forward to wearing them very soon! God’s healing grace and peace be with you all. Pastor Rahel Hahn

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Donna in Ghana Rev. Donna J. Rohrmiller, IAM Ambassador-Ghana, P.O. Box SG34, Sogakope, V/R, Ghana

Phone: 011 233 246997899 or 504328551, Email: msroh2@yahoo.com

May 17, 2020 Dear Friends and Family, When Solomon write the words, “To everything there is a season…” I wonder if he could have ever have imagined a season such as we are going through now. Solomon could not have, but God did. In these times, we can look to Him for comfort and direction, knowing He will lovingly lead us by the hand through these days. I did cancel my trip home. It will be rescheduled when things are more stable. It has been two months since I last wrote. In many ways, the activity is less, so there is less to write. However, on the other hand, some things continue and we have been stepping in to help many people. Our children are doing well, and the building being prepared for them continues to progress. The bungalow is complete and work is being done on the garage and the outside kitchen where the women will cook for all the children together. We continue to buy food and soap for Loaves and Fishes, our monthly outreach to the needy elderly in Adidome. Food prices continue to rise, but we have been able to keep up with it so far. If you would like to contribute to this, use the information at the end of the letter about giving to Titian Ministries. Good news! We were able to complete the farming project of arranging for plowing and spraying for 90 needy elderly in the village of Atronie. Under the IAM NGO, we made donations to a number of groups who requested assistance because of the effects of the pandemic. We decided on which items to provide in consultation with those who knew the needs. Oil seems

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strange to us in the U.S., but it is a staple here, used in the preparation of most foods.

Jesus Elderly Care – We gave rice, oil, and facemasks to 75 elderly people,

all from the group we help with farming. The more active people also received hand sanitizer.

Friends of Orphans – 60 of the orphans, who are ones we help with school needs, we distributed rice, oil, soap to all, and hand sanitizers to some.

Elderly in Odumase – A group of elderly women in the town where Pastor Joemens has his church also requested help. We gave 50 of these needy elderly women rice, oil, and facemasks, and gave a few hand sanitizer.

Youth in Odumase – Youth in Ghana includes those from junior high through age 30. The request was to help the needy youth get facemasks and hand sanitizer. This was to allow them to continue to move around safely in public and to work. We designated a smaller amount of money for this, but because the costs were low, we helped 150 youth!

Needy in Matsikope – We provided rice and bread to 40 people from the church in the village.

Winning Star International School – The founder and principal of this private Christian school is using this time to start a rice farm to support the school. The money made from this venture will help him feed the children during school hours. We gave him a small grant toward this.

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We/I have also been helping individuals; I gave some of my workers a “pandemic bonus.” We have also supported a number of people with whom we are associated with or were previously associated with, so they could buy food for themselves and their families. Again, the prices have gone up so everyone is struggling. Many are not working, or if they are, not making as much money as usual. I know people in the U.S. are experiencing the same problems. Interestingly, at the same time, we have also received more requests for assistance with medical needs. Thus may be partly because people have less resources now, but some of the needs would have been the same even without the pandemic. The conditions mentioned are vague because nurses and doctors often do not tell the person their diagnosis or do much, if any, teaching.

The woman that I mentioned in the March newsletter who needed an eye

operation for glaucoma, Ama, had her operation in April.

Medical treatment for one of my workers with an asthmatic-type condition.

Medical treatment for Stephen, a scholarship student, who had a deep leg wound, down to the bone.

Transportation for a woman and her mother to go to a specialist in Accra for wound care.

Hospital care for Cephas, who had a stroke.

Medical care for a past scholarship student who fell from a tree. He has an open wound and broken shoulder.

One of my workers needing diagnostic tests for “women’s issues.”

Hospital treatment for an elderly woman, Gladys, having “heart trouble.”

Hospital care for Vicentia, the grandmother of one of our scholarship students. She is his sole support.

Medical treatment for a chronic condition of one of my workers. Please pray that we are able to meet the real needs of people as they come to us. We are also praying for you as you deal with these strange and difficult times.

Love in Christ,

Donna Rev. Donna J. Rohrmiller

Contributions can be made to International Accelerated Missions (IAM) by mail or on the website, https://www.iamoutreach.org/support-iam. If by mail please do not put my name on the check, instead

enclose a note saying it is for me. Address: 114 Rock Rd; Berne, NY 12023 Phone: 518-872-0987. To contribute to the work done through Titian Ministries Int’l, give on the website, titianministries.com,

or send a check to: Debra Hess, 360 Protection Ave. Apt. J-12, Herkimer, NY 13350.

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● The Shelter at First Lutheran re-opened on Thursday, April 23, and is operating 24 hours a day—7 days a week, through June.

Please call Laura Wayman at 518-763-3344 to secure a date where a meal has not already been scheduled. The number of guests is reduced, so meals are now serving 15 people. However, lunches are being provided, as the guests are at the Shelter full-time. Once you have been given a date to provide a meal, you can: DROP OFF: Scheduled meals can now be dropped off at any time. The procedure is to place items on the stoop of the shelter entrance. Call the shelter’s direct number at 518-426-1227 to let them know your meal is outside, and they will be right up to collect it. If you are dropping off a meal for a different day (i.e. dropping off a meal on Sunday intended for Monday evening) please include a note with the date your donation is for. DELIVERY: Provide your scheduled meal via delivery from a local restaurant. Simple and easy! Can’t commit to a certain date? Or just want to help with breakfasts, lunches and healthy snacks?

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

• paper plates

• regular coffee (not decaf)

• coffee creamer

• paper hot and cold cups (6-8 oz.) • a grocery store gift card or a monetary donation: GIFT CARDS: for local grocery stores or restaurants, can be dropped off or mailed to: Capital Area Council of Churches, 646 State Street, Albany, NY 12203. Please include a note with your gift card stating that it’s for “Shelter Meals”. MONETARY DONATIONS: Checks should be made payable to: the Capital Area Council of Churches. Please write in the memo section “Shelter Meals”. Again, the address is: 646 State Street, Albany, NY 12203.

● Throughout June the Lutheran Cluster congregations are asked to donate to Things of My Very Own (TOMVO) via their website. TOMVO is a non-profit organization, located in Schenectady that provides crisis intervention services to children impacted by extensive abuse and/or neglect.

Please access the following link, https://thingsofmyveryown.org/ click on donations and include Lutheran Cluster Churches in the message box.

Thank you for your support!

CROPWAlk Update

● We appreciate and thank Mary Tennermann for coordinating the Crop Walk for us. We appreciate and thank our Crop Walk Walkers and everyone who donated.

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Here’s an updated total for this year's Albany CROP Walk … $76,441.00 in donations to combat World and Local Hunger!

The Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit has reported a total of $3,450 in online donations (about twice last year's total), and some walkers are still preparing reports for cash and checks. The grand total for the whole walk (all teams) will be announced near the end of June.

It was a "beautiful day in the neighborhood"--no matter which neighborhood one chose to walk in--and a beautiful result for hunger people all over the world. One-fourth of the total funds collected will be returned to our local pantries.

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HOLY SPIRIT BOOK CLUB

Meets at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, June 16 via Zoom. The book to be read in advance is The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. Please contact Patti Henry if you’d like to join us. All are welcome! ________________________

KOINONIA

This group meets on two Monday evenings per month for Bible study. Here is the connection information for the meeting on June 8 & 22 at 6:30 PM:

KOINONIA ZOOM LINK

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85730257632?pwd=LzFLaU9RTDF1T1VwK1NiNFpYRkVxQT09 Meeting ID: 857 3025 7632 Password: 490235

One tap mobile +19294362866,,85730257632#,,1#,490235# US (New York) +13017158592,,85730257632#,,1#,490235# US (Germantown) Dial by your location +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 857 3025 7632 Password: 490235 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kEXMEGRo

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COUNCIL CORNER

Hello everyone,

As you read this article, you no doubt are thinking like me, there is not much going on to report. We had our Annual Meeting, Fastnacht, and began our Lenten Mid-Week services and BOOM! Covid-19 hit with the force of a tornado. It turned our lives upside down and then some. I am guessing we are all just trying to make sense of this new way of living and trying to cope, and wondering when this

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will end.

As somebody dear to us said on many occasions, God IS in the middle of all of this. He has a plan and we are part of it. While we may not be having coffee hour or gathering for fellowship, we ARE still gathering. We are together “virtually” via Zoom for worship and for meetings. We are together in prayer. We are in each other’s thoughts and prayers. We are together in helping in whatever way we can. We are together in the knowledge that “this too shall pass”. God is with us, Christ is with us, have faith in the Lord! Amen!

Patti Henry, Parish Life Chair ________________________

I would like to thank my church family for the texts, emails, phone call, cards and prayers over the past few weeks. I am happy to inform you that I am feeling good, the family is healthy, and are off quarantine.

Your prayers and well wishes are much appreciated!!!!

Thank you,

Jen Corazzini ________________________

ORGAN

ENHANCEMENT PROJECT

While we wait for the time when we can worship in person as a congregation again,

there are things we can do to prepare for that joyous occasion. As we live our lives as the church, the Worship and Music Committee has been taking its responsibility to prepare for “in person worship” very seriously. This, of course, includes learning what we need to do to make that joyous occasion a safe one for us all.

One of the things we’ve learned is that singing together, either as a congregation or in the choir, is particularly unsafe in terms of virus spread. According to the doctors and scientists, the deep breaths we take in and express while singing is an extremely efficient way of spreading the virus. Because many people who have the virus do not display symptoms for a number of days, or even at all, it is easy for many people to become sick from a single singer in a group. Sadly, it may be quite a while before we can bring our voices together to praise the Lord.

We can, however, still have music in our worship services to listen to and enjoy. Now would be a good time to take the steps needed to add beautiful sounds to our organ through the Organ Enhancement Project. You can help raise funds to continue the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit’s rich history of using music to inspire us and lift our praises to God.

There are several different ways to donate to the Project.

• An outright gift in memory or honor of a loved one;

• A pledge of support with a weekly, monthly or yearly gift; or

• A donation in any amount because you feel the music in our services adds so much to worship experience.

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A donation in any amount may be sent to the church or you may have it be a part of your electronic giving.

We appreciate your commitment to the music program of Holy Spirit through our Organ Enhancement Project. ________________________

SUNDAY ZOOM WORSHIP UPDATE

New Zoom Link for Sundays

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89293630203?pwd=d0F3L2V6Q3B2VzNabE1zaFZRUWVsUT09 Meeting ID: 892 9363 0203 Password: 792616 One tap mobile +19294362866,,89293630203#,,1#,792616# US (New York) +13126266799,,89293630203#,,1#,792616# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 892 9363 0203 Password: 792616 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcAfyox2et

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We are extending our Zoom time to include "Living Bulletin Board and Social Time" after the worship concludes.

Everyone is invited to stay for as little or long as they’d like after worship to hear announcements such as updates on the condition of members and friends, current happenings in the community, Holy Spirit Committee news, outreach projects and volunteer opportunities, etc.

Have an announcement or non-urgent update you’d like to share with your brothers and sisters in Christ? Call Laura Wayman (parish secretary) at 518-763-3344 or email her at holyspiritalbany@nycap.rr.com prior to 1 PM on Saturdays, so that she can deliver your news to the Zoom Host.

As a reminder: any announcements pertinent to the day's worship, or urgent prayer requests — will be announced by the pastor at the beginning of worship as usual. ________________________

FAREWELL AND GODSPEED TO THE SCHATZ FAMILY

At the end of June, Wendy, Adam Brian, Konrad, August Schatz are moving to Idaho. It will be very hard to say goodbye — but we know that God has an amazing plan in store for this wonderful family!

We will be sending them on their way with our love and prayers … AND CARS? It’s not the usual going away reception, but it IS truly heartfelt! We need to be creative, so at 1 PM on June 14 we will meet in our cars at Holy Spirit and form a farewell parade of cars as we drive by the Schatz family’s home.

We encourage everyone to make signs, banners or other visual messages as we say Goodbye and God Bless.

L I V I N G

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HOLY SPIRIT COUNCIL 2020

President: Rick Vandenbergh

Vice President: Rick Hasenbein

Secretary: Patti Henry

Council Members:

Deb Baranowski

Bill Broden

Pat Donovan

Margaret Shaheen

Kori Tomelden

Barb Turner

Hans Warnstadt

Dean Wayman

Claudia Wolfgang

______________________________________________

HOLY SPIRIT OFFICERS 2020

Treasurer: Loren Place

Financial Secretary: Diane Hasenbein

Recording Financial Secretary: Karen Hasenbein

Assistant Recording Financial Secretary: Kori Tomelden

Cemetery Treasurer: Carol Albright

Cemetery Superintendent: Mike Conti

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CEMETERY

Shirley Gresens, Chair Carol Albright, Treasurer Michael D. Conti, Cemetery Superintendent

Pat Donovan, Council Liaison Winnie Gilbert Howard Hasenbein Henry “Bud” LaQuire Joyce Murphy Walter Ragotzkie Nancy Richards CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Kori Tomelden, Chair

Katrina Capuano Courtney Ciccarelli Jen Corazzini Tony Lintner Bridget Place COMMUNICATIONS

Bill Broden, Chair

Rick Vandenbergh FINANCE

Dean Wayman, Chair

Diane Hasenbein, Financial Secretary Howie Hasenbein Jim Hasenbein Karen Hasenbein, Rec. Financial Secretary Loren Place, Treasurer

Kori Tomelden, Asst. Rec. Financial Secretary

MEMORIAL

Hans Warnstadt, Chair

Chrissie Antenucci Diane Hasenbein Patia Henry Bridget Place Hans Warnstadt

MUTUAL MINISTRY

Janet Behning, Chair Deb Baranowski, Council Liaison Rick Vandenbergh Hans Warnstadt

PARISH LIFE

Patia Henry, Chair Susan Alexander Bonnie Broden Sandra Bruni Shirley Gresens Joyce Murphy Rebecca Peterson Wendy Schatz Margaret Shaheen Claire Vandenbergh Rick Vandenbergh Laura Wayman

PROPERTY

Howie Hasenbein, Chair Marvin Antenucci Shirley Gresens Rick Hasenbein Barb Turner, Council Liaison Dean Wayman

SOCIAL MINISTRY

Sheila Pacowski, Chair

Deb Baranowski Loren Place Gabriella Sacks Mary Tennermann Laura Wayman Claudia Wolfgang, Council Liaison

STEWARDSHIP

Rick Vandenbergh, Chair Courtney Ciccarelli Britney Lintner John Maag-Tanchak Kathy Ross Claire Vandenbergh Hans Warnstadt

WORSHIP & MUSIC

Rick Hasenbein, Chair Bill Broden Pat Donovan Jim Hasenbein Dottie Johnson Jim Ragotzkie Kori Tomelden

HOLY SPIRIT COMMITTEES 2020

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LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 57 Hurlbut Street Albany, New York 12209

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