Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• … decorate the church for special holidays such as Wanted 4th of July Float
Christmas and Easter and - most importantly - the Committee
opportunity to serve - both the members of this For the first time ever the First Congrega-
church and Christ
tional United Church of Christ, is partici-
If you have questions, ask Pastor Cedarleaf, pating in the July 4th parade in Fairport!
Chairperson Toni Thompson or any member of We would like to showcase some of the
the Board of Elders wonderful things that take place in our
church by constructing a float to enter
REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS: into the parade and we need your help.
Martha Bowman, St. John’s Home All ages are welcome if you would like to
help please join the FLOAT COMMIT-
Barbara Cobb, Fairport Baptist Home
TEE. Sign up sheets are posted in fellow-
John Smith, Hill Haven Nursing Home
ship hall. Please call or talk to: Maureen
Geraldine Stearns, Perinton Manor Campolieto.
PASTORAL PERSPECTIVE
It gets confusing, sometimes, trying to juggle three different calendars in the life of the church.
The Church calendar begins with the first Sunday of Advent. The fiscal calendar begins on January 1
and the program calendar begins in September and runs to the end of May. The program calendar used
to run until the end of June, but then a few years ago we bowed to the inevitability that once May
started attendance at church school waned. Program wise we are a nine month church. This gives all
of us a bit of time to think about who and what we are. We need to do this because we need to reach
out to those who are un-churched, and there are a number of folks who fall into this category in our
community. How do we tell them who we are and what we are about? Why would they come to
worship here rather than somewhere else? These are important questions.
The other day there was an article in the morning paper about a church which meets in a movie
theatre. It is pastored by a mother and son team. It has all the things that are supposed to appeal to the
un-churched today: contemporary music, coffee and doughnuts, a screen for the lyrics and “a silhou-
ette of Jesus reaching his hands up to the heavens as animated light bursts around him.”
Such “seeker sensitive” churches believe that you connect with those in the culture by being
something like the culture. There is some truth in this, to be sure, but there is another side. Some folks
are looking for a place that encourages them to connect with a God “before whom the generations rise
and pass away”; a God who “age to age calls blessed.” A church like ours seeks to connect people to
that God who is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. When you sit in the sanctuary of First Church you are
sitting in pews that men and women have sat in for the past 140 years. In those years countless prayers
have been uttered; hymns sung, babies baptized, couples united in marriage; the sacrament of Holy
Communion celebrated and those of blessed committed to God’s gracious mercy and protection. This
building is bathed in prayer. We believe that we are part of an endless and continuing chain
of the blessed company of saints who seek to do the will of God.
We believe that we are incorporated into the church through baptism to accept the cost and the
joy of discipleship and to be God’s servants. We reach out in mission and ministry with the good news
of Jesus Christ, both in word and in deed. We seek to make the faith our own in this time and place,
but we do so conscious of that great chain of faith which reaches back through apostles
and prophets to Jesus Christ. We don’t make up church as we go along; we are part of
the one “holy catholic and apostolic church”, which is the communion of saints. I for one am strength-
ened by this knowledge and hope that you are too. Think about it this summer, and bring a friend to
this place of sacred memory and present experience.
Your pastor and friend,
John
June 29: Jeremiah 28:5-9; Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42
“Hospitality”
July 6:Zechariah 9:9-12; Psalm 145:8-14; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
“The Person Inside”
Elder Glenn Harris preaching
July 13: Isaiah 55:10-13; Psalm 65:9-13; Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Kelly Weidman preaching
July 20: Isaiah 44:6-8; Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
The Eucharist celebrated
“Weeding”
July 27: I Kings 3:5-12; Psalm 119:129-136; Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
“Being Smart and Being Wise”
August 3: Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21
The Eucharist Celebrated
“Dinner is Served”
August 10: I Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33
“Walking on Water”
August 17: Isaiah 56:1, 6-8; Psalm 67; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28
Dr. Timothy Dwyer preaching
August 24: Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20
Dr. Timothy Dwyer preaching
August 31: Jeremiah 15:15-21; Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 6:21-28
“Living in Harmony”
Sympathy
Our Christian sympathy is extended to Nancy Our sympathy is extended to Leon and Valentina
Keith and Jay Keith and their family on the re- Hill and their family on the death of Leon’s
cent death of Nancy’s sister, Marilyn Hamm on mother, Helen C. Hill on June 12, 2008. She is
May 25, 2008. A service was held for her on May survived by her husband of 65 years, Walter. A
29 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pittsford. funeral service was held for her at the Faith United
Methodist Church in Wolcott, NY on June 15,
2008.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES!!
High School College
Matt Dudley will graduate from East Rochester David Connelly has graduated from the University of
High on June 28. He will be attending MCC in Phoenix with his Master of Business Administration/
the 2+2 program for Information Technology. He Human Resources Management (MBA/HRM).
will go on to Alfred State in his junior year. He
has been involved with the Celtic Music Society
for 5 years at ER and they just released a CD last Jessica Connelly has graduated from MCC with her
month. AAS degree in Childhood Education and will be
transferring to SUNY Fredonia this fall.
Anna Wright is graduating from Fairport High
School this June. Anna will attend SUNY, Cort-
land and plans to major in Health Sciences (for Dr. Matthew E. Funderburk has completed a fel-
Nutrition) or Earth Science Education. lowship in cardiology at the University of Rochester
Medical Center. He graduated from the University of
Rochester Medical Center (URMC) in 2001, did a
ONE GREAT HOUR OF residency in Internal Medicine and served as Chief
Resident in Internal Medicine at URMC before be-
SHARING AND
ginning his cardiology fellowship. He has accepted a
MID-WEST FLOODING position with University Cardiovascular Associates in
In the wake of devastating flooding and a record
Rochester, N.Y. effective in July 2008. Matthew is
number of tornados striking mid-America this
the son of Kit and Nancy Funderburk of Fairport.
spring, the United Church of Christ has issued a
$200,000 emergency relief appeal to help with
the rebuilding of homes and farms. Communi-
Tom Jackson,on May 25, 2008,received his Bache-
ties across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois,
lor of Arts degree from Cornell University. His un-
Michigan, Indiana and Iowa have been severely
dergraduate major was physics. During all four un-
impacted by these unprecedented spring storms.
dergraduate years he performed and traveled with the
If you wish to donate to this fund, please make Cornell Wind Ensemble and was very active with
your check out to “First Congregational UCC” both Campus Crusade for Christ and the Calvary
and in the memo area note “Flood Relief”. Chapel of Ithaca. He will be staying at Cornell to
Thank you. pursue a Masters degree in applied physics.
Caregiving- round the clock care for all our shifts (4 hours a shift) have openings for caregiv-
ers. Volunteers provide complete care and support to our Residents. No experience needed and
we provide thorough training. This is a highly rewarding volunteer experience!
Housekeeping-help with house cleaning, hours at your convenience.
Phone support-answer phones and help with volunteer scheduling.
Weekdays, ~10am-Noon.
Sorters-This is fun! Help with organizing and re-boxing donated items. Weekdays ~10am-2pm. High
school students welcome.
Transporters-help with taking boxed items to our storage facility. Weekdays, mornings or afternoons,
at your convenience. Truck or SUV preferred.
Garage Sale Week- help with set up, organizing tables, sales, traffic control, parking, etc. Weekdays,
August 18-21,and sale days, Friday, August 22, 9am-7pm and Saturday, August 23, 9am-4pm.
Please call Carolyn Ruffing, Volunteer Coordinator, at 223-6112 to sign up. Come join us! Thank you!
We are now accepting donations for our Garage Sale. Please bring items to Advent House, 1010 Mose-
ley Road, Fairport, 9am-8pm, Tuesday-Saturday. There is no pickup option available.
We CANNOT accept: computers, sofabeds, mattresses, large appliances, weights, tires, books (except
cooking & children’s books).
Dated Material