First Reformed Church of Scotia

March 31, 2013

OUR LIFE OF WORSHIP & TODAY’S EVENTS

WELCOME . . . Welcome to our worship of God. After 10:00 worship all are invited to a coffee hour in Brink Hall for fellowship and conversation. We thank Sheila Dort and Margo Snyder for hosting our coffee hour this morning.

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

Greeters: Sue Pitts Greeter: Brian, Jennifer and Madeline Westervelt

Rev. Craig Hoffman, Preaching Ushers: Bob and Barb King,

Justan Foster, Organist Wendy Carpenter, Brad Coryer

The Sanctuary Choir, Rebecca Shepherd, Director

Rev. Craig Hoffman, Preaching

Justan Foster, Organist

NURSERY . . . Our nursery for children through three years of age is the first room on the right 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.

OFFERING . . . Our Easter offering will go to Project Hospitality on Staten Island. Project Hospitality is an interfaith ministry to feed the hungry, house the homeless, and care for people with HIV/AIDS. Go to www.projecthospitality.org to learn more.

EASTER PLANTS . . . Please help us deliver the Easter plants. Take a name from the board in the Narthex. Then take a plant from the window and take it to the narthex to have a cover put over the plant. Deliver the plant to the person within a few days.

OUR LIFE OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH

SUNDAY SCHOOL . . . We regularly offer Sunday School classes for 4-year-olds through senior highs at 10:30 when these learners leave the sanctuary for their own time of learning Christ’s Way. Friends are always welcome to attend.

Today 4 year olds through Senior Highs stay in the sanctuary to worship with their families.

The nursery is staffed this morning.

WOMEN OF HOPE . . . meet Monday, April 29 at 7:15. All women are invited for fellowship and study, whether you attended the Fowler retreat or not. Looking ahead: We’ve reserved Chi Rho at Fowler for next year’s retreat, January 3-5! Mark your calendars.

WEDNESDAY LENTEN STUDIES . . . Pastor Craig Hoffman continues a Lenten study of Martin Thielen’s book, What’s the Least I Can Believe and Still Be a Christian? This week the class looks at chapters 17 and 18. Classes meet 3 more Wednesdays through April 24. Three times are offered each Wednesday, 6:30 to 7:30, 12:15 to 1:30 and 7:15 to 8:30.

FOWLER SUMMER CAMP 2013 . . . See the schedule for Camp Fowler 2013 posted on the bulletin board outside Pastor Jan’s office.

Sign up as soon as possible to volunteer or go to camp for “our” week, July 28 to August 3. Every second year our church provides leaders, cabin counselors, and kitchen staff for one week. This is our year! Our week, called Una Tierra, “One World”, is for kids who have completed 3^rd grade through high school. Register at campfowler.org. Speak to one of the Pastors or Coordinator of Christian Living Sunny Baldwin to know more or to sign on.

EASTERTIDE RETREAT . . . Pastor Jan leads a contemplative Eastertide retreat at Camp Fowler in April. The retreat, called “Come to the Waters”, begins with supper on Tuesday, April 16 (you can arrive anytime after 3:00), and finishes with lunch on Thursday, April 18. You will have your own room and bath in Fowler’s Chi Rho House. The cost for lodging, linens and food is $150. See flyers posted outside Pastor Jan’s office. Register online at campfowler.org or call the Fowler office, 631-6789.

THE BIBLE, SEXUALITY, GENDER, AND SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS . . . Schenectady Classis, the local organization of 18 Reformed Churches of which we are part, has arranged a Friday evening and Saturday, April 26 & 27 gathering to continue its discussion around this important and timely issue. The guest presenter is the Rev. Dr. Jim Brownson, Professor of New Testament at our own Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Our church is the site for this classis event. Here’s the schedule:

Friday evening, April 26, 7:00 to 9:00: Dr. Brownson, Presentation 1

Saturday morning, April 27, 9:00 to12:00: Dr. Brownson, Presentation 2

Discussion groups

Q & A with Dr. Brownson

Optional lunch and further discussion

Sunday morning, April 28: Dr. Brownson is our guest preacher at both services

This event is for everyone in our classis’ churches, not just ministers and elder delegates. Register by signing up on the bulletin board outside of Pastor Craig’s office.

OUR LIFE AS A COMMUNITY OF FAITH

ABOUT OUR PEOPLE . . .

· Mrs. Joan Casper is a rehabilitation patient at Baptist Health Center.

· Mr. Bob Atwood is a rehabilitation patient at Baptist Health Center.

· Mrs. Leila Kohout is a patient at the Baptist Health Center

· Collin Penn, 3-year-old son of Jim and Becky Penn, begins his final round of chemotherapy at Albany Medical Center before being admitted to Boston Chilren’s Hospital for stem cell treatment for his neuroblastoma. Jim and Becky are grateful for the ways in which the congregation supports and remembers their family. Thank you!

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING . . . Our consistory has called for a congregational meeting after 10:00 worship on Sunday, April 14. At that time your consistory will ask for your advice on partially funding a building project to renovate Brink Hall, and erect a portico and dormer over the south side entrance to the sanctuary like the one on the north side.

Informational meetings will be held in the sanctuary on Sunday, April 7 at 8:45 and 11:15, and at gatherings of some of our church’s small groups. Please watch carefully for more information, and make sure that you help make this important decision.

WALKING GROUP . . . Our Congregational Care Council seeks to start a walking group for fun and fitness. If you are interested please sign up on the sheet posted outside Pastor Craig’s office. We will hold a meeting to discuss and organize the group on Sunday, April 7 at 11:30 in Memorial Lounge.

CAREGIVERS . . . meet Monday, April 8 from 12:15 to 1:15 in Memorial Lounge. This group meets monthly to support those who find themselves caring for family members or friends. Everyone is welcome to join this support group.

COMMUNITY ARTIST SERIES . . . Our music staff is inaugurating a community artist series for our church and community by inviting artists from our area to perform in our sanctuary. Pianist Karen Jacobs and cellist Will Hayes will be our guest artists on Sunday afternoon, April 14 at 3:00. At that same time artwork from some local artists will also be displayed in the narthex. There is no charge for the concert, but an offering will be received and divided between the musicians and our music program. Come, and tell your friends.

SPRING CLEANUP & PIPE CHAMBER PREPARATION . . . Our Buildings and Grounds Council has arranged a Spring Cleanup Day for Saturday, April 20 from 8:30 to noon. We need to install screens, rake the lawns, and get our church ready for warm weather. Sign up on the bulletin board next to Pastor Craig’s study.

We also need to demo the north pipe chamber in preparation for installing our new Selke Memorail Organ later this summer. This will be a morning and afternoon project, one especially suited for young, strong people who relish carrying things down several flights of stair to a dumpster. You’ll be rewarded with pizza for lunch! Sign up on the bulletin board next to Pastor Craig’s study.

MEMORIAL LOUNGE . . . Kristin Bodden, a new member of our church, is an artist who is inspired by nature, especially trees. Check out Kristin’s artwork on display in Memorial Lounge. Her paintings depict colorful skies and dancing branches. Kristin uses a mixed media painting style with layered paints and cut paper techniques.

In the glass cases Duane Van Patten displays part of his collection of antique fishing lures, bobbers, reels and a kreel. Note especially a lure purchased from the estate of John Hart, a movie star who among other roles played the Lone Ranger.

OUR LIFE OF SERVICE TO THE WORLD

MISSION OF THE MONTH . . . for March is Bethesda House which serves our community in a variety of ways, including providing food, shelter, showers, meeting space and social services. Bethesda House offers hospitality. They need volunteers for various jobs, including sorting clothes, leading games, providing sandwiches and serving meals. Call 374-7873 to speak with someone about becoming involved.

Designate your MOM offering by using the special envelope in your box of offering envelopes. Need envelopes? Call the church office, 370-4751.

MISSION TRIP DONATIONS . . . Support our mission trip to Project Hospitality, Staten Island - see items you could donate listed on the bulletin board outside Pastor Craig’s office. Please bring items to the church by Friday, 3/29. Our Easter offering goes to support Project Hospitality.

Pastor Jan and fifteen others leave Easter afternoon for a week of work and learning at Project Hospitality, a soup kitchen, food pantry, housing ministry located at various sites on Staten Island. The group hopes to help with renewal of properties destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. We will be staying in a local Methodist church.

EYEGLASSES . . . For many years our local Lions Club had a bin in our foyer to collect and recycle used eyeglasses. They are no longer able to recycle the glasses so we will discontinue collecting them. Please do not leave any glasses here from now on.

THE SCOTIA FOOD PANTRY . . . The basket in the Narthex receives our weekly food donations for the Scotia Food Pantry. 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 Dave Gonyea for delivering our donations this month.

The pantry is asking for volunteers who would get a check from the pantry and buy food for it once a month. Call Janice Cooper to find out the details – 842-951.

APRIL 7 "FOOD OF THE WEEK":

MACARONI AND CHEESE

THE CONSISTORY OF FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF SCOTIA

Ministers of Word and Sacrament

The Rev. Craig Hoffman

The Rev. Jan Hoffman

Elders Deacons

Dan Brudos (13) * John Pierce Jr. (13)

Sheila Dort (13) Brian Westervelt (13)

Russ Garrison (14) Chris Bodden (14)*

Pam Walsh (14)* Mike Carpenter (14)*

Diane Faubion (15) Pete Lewis (15)

David Schalekamp (15) Beth Vaccaro (15)

An * indicates a person's second term

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

Sunday, March 31, Easter

6:40 Sunrise Worship, The Rev. Craig Hoffman, preaching

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

9:15 Youth Music Group rehearses in Room 8

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

10:30 Sunday School for youth ages 4 through Senior High

11:00 Coffee hour in Brink Hall

11:15 Te Deum Bells upstairs in the Bell Room

3:00 Mission Trip meets at church to depart for Staten Island

Wednesday, April 3

6:30 Lenten Study meets in Memorial Lounge

12:15 Lenten Study meets in Lakehill Room

7:15 Lenten Study meets in Lakehill Room

Thursday, April 4

9:00 Morning Bells rehearse in the Bell Room

7:00 Jennifer Westervelt’s 4-H Group meets in Room 1

7:30 Maundy Thursday service in the sanctuary

Sunday, April 7

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

8:45 Meeting to discuss building project meets in Brink Hall

9:15 Youth Music Group rehearses in Room 8

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

10:30 Sunday School for youth ages 4 through Senior High

11:00 Coffee hour in Brink Hall

11:15 Te Deum Bells upstairs in the Bell Room

11:30 Meeting to discuss building project in Brink Hall

11:30 Walking Group meeting meets in Memorial Lounge