First Reformed Church of Scotia

January 18, 2014

OUR LIFE OF WORSHIP & TODAY’S EVENTS

WELCOME! . . . Welcome to our worship of God this morning. We are glad that you are here, and hope that you find worshipping with us today a blessing. Please find the red Friendship Register in the pew. Sign your name and pass it to others in your pew so that you learn their names, too.

After the 10:00 service all are invited to coffee in Brink Hall for fellowship and conversation. We thank our youth group for hosting our fellowship hour today.

RESTROOMS . . . There is one restroom just off the narthex. Others are through the door on the right hand side of the sanctuary -- then to the left, or down the long hall to the right.

LISTENING DEVICES . . . are available for the hard of hearing. Speak to an usher if you would like to try one.

LARGE-PRINT BULLETINS . . . are available for both the 8:00 and 10:00 services. Speak to an usher if you would like one.

CHILDREN’S BULLETINS . . . are available in two formats, ages 3 to 6, and 7 to 12.

LEADING AT 8:00 LEADING AT 10:00

Greeting: Kathie Balser Greeting: Randy and Cheryl MacNeil

The Rev. Craig Hoffman, Preaching Ushers: Mike Trbovich, Mike Torelli,

Justan Foster, Organist Todd Vaccaro, Matt Parker

June Coryer, Soloist

Justan Foster, Organist

The Rev. Craig Hoffman, Preaching

NURSERY . . . Our nursery for children through three years of age is the first room on the right after leaving the front of the sanctuary. It is staffed from 9:30 to 11:30. Nursery Director, Diana Ackner, coordinates volunteers, and leads regular Bible stories and prayers. We ask that a parent stay with babies younger than six months old. We also need adult volunteers who are not parents of our nursery children to help care for our kids. Won’t you please take a turn?

JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP . . . The Junior-Senior High group serves our coffee hour today. We thank them for baking treats for us.

OUR LIFE OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH

SUNDAY SCHOOL . . . We offer Sunday School classes for all ages, 4 years old through Senior High. Our littlest ones also receive introduction to Bible stories in our Little Lambs Nursery program. See CCL Kristin Bodden, frcskbodden@verizon.net for more information.

· LITTLE LAMBS . . . Nursery Director Diana Ackner leads our littlest ones through Bible story time and guided play in our Nursery, Room 14.

· CHILDREN & WORSHIP . . . Students 4 years through 2^nd grade will meet upstairs in room 7 with Miss Joanna.

· ROTATION . . . The Doves will be with Margo Snyder and Becky Jarczynski in Room 5 for an Art workshop on Baptism. The Eagles will be in a Science workshop in Room1 with Claudia Garrison. .

· SENIOR HIGH . . . Students will be with Bob and Sunny Baldwin in the Sr. High room to begin a theme on creeds.

MARK BIBLE STUDY . . . The lectionary we use in Sunday worship follows the Gospel of Mark (more or less) from Sunday, January 11 through Easter. Pastor Craig Hoffman offers a series of Bible studies on Mark’s gospel using a commentary by Lamar Williamson. Two sessions are offered: 6:30 to 7:30 in the morning, and 12:00 to 1:00 at noon. The commentary costs $20. It’s not too late to begin. Talk to Pastor Craig this morning.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES . . . Pastors Craig and Jan Hoffman offer a series of Sunday confirmation classes for youth in Grades 9 through 12 beginning on Sunday, March 1, with confirmation taking place on Sunday, May 3. We will gather for a light lunch at 12:30, then meet from 1:00 to 2:00. Confirmation is the process of helping a young person stand before the congregation and say, “Christian Faith is not just the faith of my parents and the faith of my church. It is my faith, too.” Please talk with one of the pastors after worship some Sunday or call them, 370-4751, if you’d like to know more.

OUR LIFE AS A COMMUNITY OF FAITH

ABOUT OUR PEOPLE . . .

· Congratulations to our own Dennis Pelkey who ran an 8.48 second 60 meter dash last weekend at the Dartmouth Relays. That is currently the fastest 60 meter dash in the world for the 65 year-old division.

· Norma Drezelo is a patient at Ellis Hospital.

· We extend our sympathy to our Cemetery Manager, Clark Adams, and his family upon the death of his twin sister, Brenda Adams, last Saturday, January 10. Brenda’s memorial service was held Wednesday morning in the sanctuary.

OFFERING ENVELOPES . . . Boxes of offering envelopes are arranged alphabetically on the table across from the church office. If you don’t see yours there, please call Church Administrative Assistant, Kristen Shave, 370-475, and she’ll make sure you get a box.

STORYTELLING AT THE MANSION . . . Our own Kent Busman along with other RCA folks Harlan Ratmeyer and Joe Doolittle will tell stories over dinner at the Scotia Mansion on Sunday, January 25, at 5:00. Their theme: Listening to the Whisper. Say our storytellers, “Sometimes the quietest times are the most important.” A three-course dinner, coffee/tea, tax, and tip cost $40 per person. Part of the proceeds will help support the Schenectady Classis Student Care Fund, a fund that helps with tuition costs of our five Schenectady Classis students preparing for the ministry, including our own Heather Kramer. Pay at the door with a check to “Story Circle” or with cash.

If we can get together a table of ten, the cost will be only $35 per person. Sign-up outside of Pastor Craig’s office if you’re interested.

CAREGIVERS . . . meet monthly from 11:30 – 12:45 in Memorial Lounge. We next meet Tuesday, February 10. This group supports those who are caring for family members or friends. All are welcome to join this support group. Bring a friend. See Pastor Jan if you’d like to know more.

VALENTINE SENIOR LUNCHEON. . . During these cold chilly months, we need some warmth in our lives. Here’s an idea… Let’s get together and share a hot meal! Our youth group and FROGS would like to invite all our Seniors for an intergenerational gathering on Sunday, February 15 at Noon. We’ll have soup, breads, treats and games! Sign up on the bulletin board by Pastor Craig’s office!

MEN’S RETREAT . . . Men of our church: Save Friday afternoon/evening through Sunday noon, March 6-8 for our fourth annual Men’s Retreat at Camp Fowler’s Pine Lodge. There we’ll sleep in bunk beds, but on real mattresses. Bring your own bedding or a sleeping bag. We’ll share good food and fellowship, enjoy the Adirondacks, and spend some time together talking about our shared faith. Details are still being developed, so watch for them. But for now, save the date, and sign up on the sheet outside Pastor Craig’s office. Space is limited to 20 men, so don’t delay… it’s filling up quickly!

GIBSON BROTHERS GROUP TICKETS . . . Our own Leigh Gibson is one-half of the Gibson Brothers bluegrass band. Named the 2013 Bluegrass Band of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association, The Gibson Brothers will be in concert at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Friday, March 27 at 8:00. We are able to get group seating with $3 off per $30 ticket. Sign up on the sheet outside Pastor Craig’s office by Sunday, March 1 if you’d like to go. Want a sample? Go to www.gibsonbrothers.com.

OUR LIFE OF SERVICE TO THE WORLD

MISSION OF THE MONTH . . . Our January Mission of the Month is our Deacons’ Fund. Our Deacons’ Fund helps us respond to emergency needs in our community. If, at the end of the year, there is a balance in the Deacons Fund, it is distributed among some of the local ministries our church supports. We have recently bought several winter coats for residents at the Scotia Mansion. Designate your Mission of the Month offering by using the specially marked envelopes in your boxes of offering envelopes. Need a box? Call Kristen in the church office, 370-4751.

CHILDREN’S OFFERING . . . Our youth are so pleased to have been able to purchase 25 toys for the Salvation Army Toy drive, and make a considerable donation to The Ronald McDonald House, Scotia Food Pantry and City Mission Backpack Program. We thank our children for helping other children in our very own community! Children will receive envelopes in Sunday school if they would like to participate. Please see Kristin Bodden with any questions.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY . . . February 1 is Super Bowl Sunday. It’s also the day we celebrate Souper Bowl Sunday and receive offerings of cash and food. Cash gifts go in special cans for our SICM Food Pantry on Albany St. in Schenectady. Canned goods go to our Scotia Pantry, located in the former Baptist Church on Mohawk Avenue. Let’s have 300 cans of food on Sunday February 1. That’s a challenge from Priscilla Harvey who regularly takes our food to the Scotia Food Pantry. Priscilla thinks we can each remember to bring at least one can to church on February 1. Let’s see if she’s right!

THE SCOTIA FOOD PANTRY . . . The basket in the Narthex receives our weekly food donations for the Scotia Food Pantry, located on Mohawk Avenue in the City View Church. Note: The Scotia Pantry does not need Enfamil or baby food. Please add the "food of the week" to your shopping list to share with others. The pantry always needs dry mixes (tuna helper, potato and noodle dishes).

We thank Priscilla Harvey for delivering our donations to the food pantry this month. Would you like to volunteer to bring food donations down to the food pantry? Call the church office - we’ll add you to the list of helpers.

FOOD OF THE WEEK FOR JANUARY 25:

TOILET TISSUE

THE CONSISTORY OF FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF SCOTIA

Ministers of Word and Sacrament

The Rev. Craig Hoffman

The Rev. Jan Hoffman

Elders Deacons

Diane Faubion (15) Pete Lewis (15)

David Schalekamp (15) Beth Vaccaro (15)

Richard Doyle (16) Bill Monaghan (16)

Don Schermerhorn (16) John Pierce Jr. (16) *

Laurie Cooper (17) Kate Oaks (17)

Russ Garrison (17)* Erin Parker (17)

An * indicates a person's second term

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

Sunday, January 18

8:00 Worship, The Rev. Craig Hoffman, preaching

10:00 Worship, The Rev. Craig Hoffman, preaching

10:30 Sunday School for youth through Senior High

11:15 Coffee and Fellowship, Brink Hall

Monday, January 19

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday holiday – Office is closed

Wednesday, January 21

6:30 Mark Bible Study, Memorial Lounge

12:00 Mark Bible Study, Memorial Lounge

1:30 Sharing and Caring, Memorial Lounge

6:00 Consistory Meeting, Room 1

Thursday, January 22

9:00 Morning Bells, Bell Room

7:15 Choir Rehearsal, Choir Room

7:15 Elders Meeting, Pastor Craig’s office

Saturday, January 24

9:00 CRTC - Christian Education Roundtable: Curriculum Peer Review,

Brink Hall ~ Registration Required by Monday 01/19 at: https://crtc.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=510

Sunday, January 25

8:00 Worship, The Rev. Craig Hoffman, preaching

10:00 Worship, The Rev. Craig Hoffman, preaching

10:30 Sunday School for Children and Worship

11:15 Coffee and Fellowship, Brink Hall