The Sundial
April 2018
May Friendship Day
May 4, 2018 At United Church of Pittsford
Program begins at 5:00 PM Catered Meal provided
please RSVP at [email protected] or call CWU Office at 342-2790.
All are welcome. Please join us, and bring a friend!
Church Women United Phone: (585) 342-2790 644 Titus Ave. Website: www.cwurochester.org
Rochester, NY 14617 Email: [email protected]
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FROM THE LAURA HOOD
Practicing Patience
When I was teenager, my family had weekly bible
studies. One Sunday before Easter, we read in
Galatians about the fruits of the Spirit. My father
encouraged us all to choose a Fruit of the Spirit to
pray for. Then he announced that he was praying for
patience. Dumb founded, we all looked at each other
with mouths hanging open because my father was a
very patient man. I tried to talk some sense into him.
I began with, “Do you understand what you are
asking for ? and you don’t need to be more patient”
His reply, Yup, I’m choosing to practice patience.
What are you choosing? I said “well it won’t be
patience, maybe kindness?” We all set off with our
goal for the week. Half way through the week, I
checked in with my dad on his goal. He threw up his
hands and said “that’s it, I give up, I can’t take this
anymore!!! “ This has been the worst week ever, I’ve
been tested at every turn.” I smiled, and said what did
you expect? Tribulations works patience. DUH!! Ok,
not kind, I know.
I often think about that week and why my father
wanted to practice something so difficult. Practice
works. Merriam Wester says practice :to perform or
work at repeatedly so as to become proficient. We
all like to be good at something whether it is Yoga,
knitting, cooking, shooting hoops or painting.
My dad wasn’t trying being perfect, he wanted to
have a response that is easy to attain. A response that
is pleasing to God. He wanted the others to see God
in him.
Do others see God in your life? Or will they see
anger, complaining, disrespect, gossip or hate? How
easy is your response? I encourage you to become
proficient at one of these…. love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. Choose one of the Fruits
of Spirit, learn all the ways to practice that one thing
– your practice/response will get easier and soon it
will be your way of being. Yes, it might be difficult,
but worth it. I’m thankful my father showed me not
to shy away from taking on the practice of the Spirit.
Let’s face it, we can never attain perfection. Life is so
sweet, and full of blessings since I decided to learn
more about this wonderful, loving God. Hopefully,
my practice will show the God, I know and love.
What do you practice?
Blessings
Laura Hood
Our Condolences For Eleanor Pope
Memorial Service for Eleanor Pope at 12 corners
Presbyterian Church in Brighton on April 7 at 1pm.
Join us in celebration of her life. Eleanor died
peacefully in her sleep on January 10th. Her mind still
clear. She was a faithful example of Christ’s love to
us all. Thank you all for your friendship and for
giving her the opportunity to serve with you.
Excerpt from Pam Pope’s(Eleanor’s Daughter)
Facebook page.
11 Nester St., Rochester NY 14621
This month, our most needed items are:
Mac & Cheese
Volunteers gather on the 2nd Wednesday and Friday
of each month around 9:00am to pack the bags.
Won’t you consider joining us this month? Many
hands make light work! Please call the CWU office
for details or directions at 342-2790.
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HEALTH KITS PROGRAM
Our Health Kits go to
both women and men at
the House of Mercy and
RRCAHT
Each Health Kit
Consists of:
Shampoo
Toothpaste/Toothbrush
Razor/Shaving Cream (man)
Deodorant
Bar soap
Washcloth
Small pack tissues
Comb
To Assemble a Health Kit: Please pack in a 1-gallon plastic bag. Please label your
kit “MAN” if intended for a male recipient. There is
currently a great need for men’s kits. Please bring
donations to our monthly Celebrations or to the CWU
Office. Thank you in advance for your help with
this important ministry!
We wish to thank all of our faithful contributors in
2017, without whom we could not continue
to make a difference in this community
Dorothy Borden Sue Forsyth Rosalie Gabbert Barb Outterson Vera S. Powely Edith Thoburn Julianne L. Huse Evelyn Stateler Helen G. Johnson Mary Smith Janice Gulick Audrey Davison Gabrielle E. Wohlauer Colleen Trevisani Jean Murphy Esther Cable Ellen Kimbrough Esther Hammer Patricia M. McDonell Joan Hamb
Alison Clarke Barbara Alexander Shirley G. London Jean Kendrick Gloria Klink Mary Ann Henry Diana Kubick Nancy Garlock Cinda Gill Neva Hoffmeier Mountain Rise UCC Immanuel Lutheran Church Hilton Baptist Church United Presbyterian Women’s Assn – Ogden Presbyterian Women of DUPC Fairport United Methodist Women Presbyterian Women – Bethany Presbyterian United Methodist Women - Webster
NEXT BOARD MEETING April, 10 am. at Church Christ The Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church.
SUNDIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
All submissions for the May Sundial must be
received by April 20, 2018. Please send to:
CWU SHORT SUBJECTS
Check out our website at the same address
www.cwurochester.org. It is the best place to keep
up to date on events, celebrations and recent news.
THE INTERFAITH ALLIANCE OF ROCHESTER
(TIAR) ANNUAL EVENT
“Hope For The Poor And Vulnerable: Poor
People’s Campaign”
Speaker Rev. Emily McNeil, Executive Director of
Labor Religion Coalition and co-chair of the N.Y.
State Poor People’s Campaign followed by a Panel
Discussion and comments from the floor. Sunday,
May 6, 2018 from 3:00 to 5 PM
Jewish Community Center, 1200 Edgewood Ave.,
Rochester, NY 14618 (Note NEW LOCATION)
Free and Open to the Public (disabled access)
H. Robert Herman, Secretary TIAR
H. Robert Herman [email protected]
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WOMEN’S INTERFAITH COALITION(WIC)
Wednesday, March 28th program/lunch at Temple
B'rith Kodesh, 2131 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester
11:30am: "Calling God She", a panel discussion We
talk about God. We write about God. We use
words. Letters, words and language are all developed
constructs. All language falls short of what we
perceive as reality. What is the impact of continuing
to use male language for God without using female
language?
Rev Dr Barbara Thorington Green, Retired Pastor
United Methodist Church and author of "Calling God
She?" Rev Edris Hitchcock, Pastor at The First
Baptist Church of LeRoy Rabbi Kelly Levy,
Associate Rabbi at Temple B'rith Kodesh
Join us for a panel discussion and informal lunch
conversation with women of different faith
communities. Please bring your own non-meat
lunch. Coffee and delectable desserts will be
provided. The program is free of charge, but a
donation of toilet paper for the Brighton Food
Cupboard would be appreciated. We would like to
collect 125 rolls in honor of the 125th anniversary of
Sisterhood.
Reservations are helpful but not required. Contact
244-7060 x233 or [email protected] if possible, so that we
may prepare adequately.
Wed April 11 Book review at the Jewish
Federation
Coffee 10: meeting 10:30-11:30
Speaker Marvin McMickle on racism
Wed May 9 Urban farming, We will meet at the
farm at 10:30 The farm is in northwest Rochester off
Lexington Ave, and is operated primarily by
refugees. Directions will be provided. The farm
benefits more than 60 families and 300 people. It is
one of the two dozen community gardens supported
by Foodlink.
Wed June 13 Coffee 10: meeting 10:30-11:30
Annual meeting and luncheon. The nomination
committee is in the process of providing selections
for a president and other officers for next year.
My understanding is that many of the responsibilities
are broken down and are shared by many rather than
belonging to one person, making each position
easier. At this meeting we will vote for next year's
president and other committee members. It is
important that we all attend.
JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT SESSION OF
ALPHA
What is Alpha?
Alpha is an opportunity to explore life and the
Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal
environment. Alpha is for people who have had no
formal contact with church as well as those who want
to deepen their faith in a supportive, open, informal
setting. Alpha is about meeting people where they
are, engaging them in conversations about life’s
important questions, introducing them to the person
of Jesus, and ultimately helping them build a
relationship with Jesus, one another and the Church.
While we are hosting it at Saint Kateri, we are using
the ecumenical Alpha program and there is no
pressure for people to join our or any church. All are
welcome!
Alpha runs for Adults (18-99+!). Dinner Provided;
Child Care Available on Wednesdays.
WED 6-7:30PM, Feb 21 – May 2 at St Margaret
Mary Church, 401 Rogers Pkwy, 14617 -
http://conta.cc/2Fj7wjB
NYS LEGISLATION THAT NEEDS SUPPORT
FROM CWU MEMBERS
Because the NYS budget will be revealed on our
about 3/30, we are asking CWU members to
contact their NYS Assemblyman and NYS
Senator to SUPPORT (from the Rochester
Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking
handout)
1. Increase funding for the Maternal Home Visiting
programs that prevent the abuse and trauma that
make children vulnerable for traffickers. Currently
only 5% of eligible families have access to the
program. The biggest program in New York State,
Healthy Families NY, has been flat-funded for more
than a decade, meaning it can serve fewer people
each year. We are asking for $5 million spread
across existing sites and $13 million for two pilot
sites where every eligible family could have a slot.
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2. Eliminate New York's statute of limitations for
child sexual abuse. Researchers have demonstrated
that it takes survivors of child sexual abuse, on
average, 21 years to disclose their abuse. New York's
current SOL on the crime keeps most victims from
pressing charges on their 23rd birthday, which means
it is impossible to convict most abusers, and without
convictions, it is impossible to properly vet adults
entrusted to work with children. There is a version of
the Child Victims Act in the Governor's budget that is
supported by advocates and has all essential
components, and we are asking legislators to support
it.
3. Safe Harbor grants provide agencies that work
directly with trafficked youth or youth at high risk of
being trafficked with a lifeline. The grants enable
recipient counties to provide direct services for this
very high-need population and to gather data on the
scope of youth trafficking. Cash-strapped counties
are having difficulty making up the balance to
maintain these programs after funding sunsets. We
are asking for a provision to extend Safe Harbor
funding for recipient counties.
ROCHESTER REGIONAL COALITION
AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING(RRCAHT)
Human trafficking is the fastest-growing and second-
largest criminal industry in the world. It is estimated
that this industry generates around 150 billion dollars
annually (more than Nike, Starbucks and Google
combined).
Since 2007, the National Human Trafficking
Resource Center Hotline has received more than
36,000 reports of human trafficking in the United
States. Of those, 5,687 were from New York State,
5th highest in call volume to the national hotline. We
know this is likely a gross underestimation given the
hidden nature of the crime.
RRCAHT calls Trafficking in Persons a global public
health problem, a violation of basic human rights and
a crime against humanity.
In response to the increased incidence of human
trafficking reports within the Greater Rochester
community, RRCAHT was formed in 2013 as a
coordinated response to the needs of trafficked
victims. What started out with a couple of nonprofits
and individuals now includes many across the
community spectrum, including: Sisters of St.
Joseph, Stop Abuse Campaign, World Wide
Documentaries, Feminists for Nonviolent Choices,
Worker Justice Center of New York, National
Council of Jewish Women, The Vignelli Center
for Design Studies at RIT, Angels of Mercy, Villa
of Hope, Church Women United and our newest
member, Bright Star Community. In addition to
these groups, many individuals give their
uncompensated time to RRCAHT— simply because
they refuse to do nothing.
RRCAHT is dedicated to eliminating human
trafficking in our communities through education,
advocacy, and networking with individuals and
organizations. To put the words of our mission into
action, we developed our "Yes, Here" campaign to
foster awareness. We placed our "Yes, Here"
message on the exterior of RTS buses throughout
Monroe County to educate the public that human
trafficking occurs in Rochester and our entire region.
Another mainstay of RRCAHT is our Care Pack
Initiative. Our goal is to help victims by providing
them with essentials like toiletries, quarters, combs,
snacks, and warm blankets. We organize community
groups that collect supplies, assemble them in packs,
and distribute them to organizations like Center for
Youth, Angels of Mercy and Paper Bag Ladies.
Care Pack Initiative. Our goal is to help victims by
providing them with essentials like toiletries,
quarters, combs, snacks, and warm blankets. We
organize community groups that collect supplies,
assemble them in packs, and distribute them to
organizations like Center for Youth, Angels of Mercy
and Paper Bag Ladies. (the quarters are used for
laundry, bus passes and/or pay phone) (warm
blankets are those that can be rolled up and
carried.... sometimes 3 for $10)
THE CHILDREN'S AGENDA'S INTERFAITH
COLLABORATIVE,
In December we asked for your ideas and feedback
on The Children's Agenda's Interfaith Collaborative,
and we've made some changes based on what we
heard. Building on our successful advocacy on Child
Protective Services reforms in 2017, we'll have new
opportunities to make a difference for children in
2018!
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Changes to meeting schedule: Our meeting schedule has been adjusted to give our
subcommittees more time to do their work! We will
meet as a big group every other month for 90
minutes. Our location, Colgate Rochester Crozer
Divinity School, will remain the same
Upcoming Interfaith Collaborative meetings will
be held on:
Thursday, April 19, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Thursday, June 21, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Note that there will be no meeting of the full TCA
Interfaith Collaborative in March or May.
Gathering to celebrate children in 2018
We plan to hold an event in early June to celebrate
children with performances, fun activities for
families, and opportunities to learn more about
building a better community for young people. Look
for a "Save the Date" announcement soon! Want to
help with this event? Contact Brigit at
[email protected] or 256-2620, ext.
2602.
A Child care/early childhood education
subcommittee will continue our work to ensure that
every child in the Rochester area has access to quality
early experiences. To connect with this group, contact
Brigit at [email protected] or 256-
2620, ext. 2602.
Advocating for Rochester City School District
students: In March, April and May there will be
opportunities to push for needed change in RCSD
programs, and expansion of effective programs.
TCA Education Policy Analyst Eamonn Scanlon will
provide training and talking points to parents and
interested community members for RCSD public
budget hearings on April 10th & April 25th at 6:00
pm. Want to be kept up-to-date? Email Eamonn at
COMMUNITY NEWS
If you have a
Facebook account,
look us up and “like”
us.
www.facebook.com/cwurochester. Read about what
the Church Women United Rochester & the Vicinity
community is doing. We also list other relevant
Community Events there. There are many ways to
volunteer your time and get involved!
MAJOR LESSONS from Minor Prophets
INTERFAITH BIBLE STUDY 2017-18
The teachings of the prophets are timeless. In this
year’s Interfaith Bible Study series, we will explore
often-overlooked texts rich in “prophetable” lessons,
from Christian and Jewish perspectives. Join us for a
new interactive format that includes small-group
discussions. All sessions will be held at a new
location, the Louis S. Wolk JCC, 1200 Edgewood
Avenue, from 12 - 1 PM.
DATE: Wednesday, March 14, 2018
SESSION: Zechariah
SPEAKERS: Dr Mark Brummitt, Associate
Professor of Old Testament Studies, Colgate
Rochester Crozer Divinity School. Rabbi Peter Stein,
Temple B’rith Kodesh
DATE: Wednesday, April 11, 2018
SESSION: Micah
SPEAKERS: Reverend Denise Yabrough, Director,
Religious and Spirit life, University of Rochester
Rabbi Debbi Till, Temple Sinai
THE HOME COALITION
Congress has released the text of its FY 2018
Appropriations Omnibus, which includes $1.362
billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships
Program. This represents a $400 million increase
over FY 2017 enacted levels and is the highest
funding level the HOME Program has seen in seven
years. This funding level is particularly significant as
the Trump Administration zeroed out the program in
its proposed FY 2017 and FY 2018 budget requests.
The Omnibus would also extend the suspension of
the 24-month commitment deadline through 2020.
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The HOME Coalition thanks everyone who
advocated for HOME by visiting, calling, writing,
and tweeting their Members of Congress as well as
those who shared their personal stories of how stable
housing has connected them to better opportunities.
Your efforts have been a crucial part of this
achievement.
Over the past year, 1,564 organizations signed on to
the HOME Coalition letter advocating for $1.2
billion for the HOME Program in FY 2018. Thanks
to advocates and champions in Congress, HOME will
receive a significant increase in funding, enabling
states and communities to better meet the growing
demand for safe and affordable housing.
The HOME Coalition would like to thank Sen.
Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), Rep.
Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-25), and Rep. David Price
(D-NC-4) for their leadership in prioritizing
affordable housing and the HOME Program in the
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
(THUD) Appropriations Bill, as well as that of Sen.
Chris Coons (D-DE), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA),
and Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11) for sponsoring
Dear Colleague letters for the HOME Program.
The HOME Coalition looks forward to continue
advocating for and educating Congress about the
essential value of the HOME Program.
Ruth Circle at Irondequoit United Church of
Christ
Everyone is invited to Ruth Circle on Tuesday,
April 17. Please join us at 12 noon for a bring your
own lunch (Dessert and beverage will be supplied).
The program begins at 1 PM: Invigorate Irondequoit
Programs – Speaker David Seeley. For More
information call Gaye Mattys at 544-4385
THE SUNSET HOUSE 5K
Come join us for the 2018 5k Race and Walk! It will
be on Saturday, May 26, 2018. Please fill out both
the registration form and waiver and mail them to
Sunset House 5k, 3746 St Paul Blvd, Rochester, NY,
All proceeds from the race go to Sunset House,
which provides alternative living arrangements for
hundreds of local residents who are unable to receive
hospice care services in their own homes. Focusing
on quality of life rather than quantity of time, Sunset
House supports the physical, emotional and spiritual
needs of its residents, allowing them to maintain
control during an important time of transition.
Saturday, April 28th– Sunday, April 29th, 2018 5:00 pm – 7:30 am, St. Joseph's Catholic Church,
43 Gebhardt Road, Penfield
(*note change of venue this year)
Registration: $30 adult/$15 youth (12 – 18 years)
Raise $50 or more and receive a Car City T-shirt!
Car City gives the community an opportunity to learn
about family homelessness in a meaningful, hands-on
way by sleeping overnight in a car or gym. Similar to
the idea of a walk-a-thon, participants in Car City
raise a registration fee plus pledges to benefit the
Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network
(RAIHN). "Virtual" participants (raise funds and
attend the event, but sleep at home) are also
welcome!
This year join us for dinner, followed by a poverty
simulation exploring the barriers and journeys of
families experiencing homelessness. Participants will
then enjoy a carnival, with 9 games and a 78 foot
inflatable obstacle course. Cotton candy and popcorn
will be offered as well! The night will end with
meditative yoga before climbing into a car or
sleeping bag in the gym.
Groups, families and individuals are encouraged to
register and participate in the evening’s
events. Registration is $30 for adults and $15 for
youth, ages 12-18. Raise a minimum of $50 and
receive a Car City T-shirt
Email [email protected] or call 585-506-9050 for
more info. Help us raise our goal of $25,000 by
visiting www.raihn.org and register to attend or donate today!
Church Women United in Rochester and Vicinity invites you to
May Friendship Day
May 4, 2018 At United Church of Pittsford
Program begins at 5:00 PM Catered Meal provided
please RSVP at [email protected] or call CWU Office at 342-2790
All are welcome. Please join us, and bring a friend!
Church Women United Phone: (585) 342-2790 644 Titus Ave. Website: www.cwurochester.org
Rochester, NY 14617 Email: [email protected]