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The Geneva Pres
JULY / AUGUST
2011
The Presbyterian Church
in Geneva
24 Park Place
Geneva NY 14456
(315) 789-1343
Website: http://www.PresbyterianChurchInGenevaNewYork.org
W. James Gerling - Pastor
Suzanne Otterbacher – Parish Associate
L. Christine Wertman - Director of Music Sandy Campbell - Church Organist/ Bell Choir
Lorraine Jones – Youth Bells
Kate Komara – Children’s Choir
Kathleen Breese - Dir. Christian Ed.
Edna May Langan – Secretary
Mark Springmeier – Custodian
Virginia Champlin - Chapel Organist
Beth Nicholas – Parish Nurse
Deb Drennen – Nursery care
Alan Schenck – Financial Administrator Fritz Aude - Treasurer
WORSHIP AS A WELCOMED REST
We have had such a wonderful program year as a congregation that we might very well be thinking that it is about time we took a break. When I think about some of the things we have to celebrate from just this spring I think that surely there must come a time when we can just sit back on the porch swing and say, “this is good, and it is enough.” Think about it:
We received over $1200 collected for One Great Hour of Sharing. We welcomed a great group of new members – 14 in all. The Senior High Youth Group had a very successful mission trip to Boston. The Confirmation Class lead us in a meaningful service of worship on Pentecost Sunday. We participated in a wonderful and completely children-led Sunday School Sunday. Our 57
th annual Strawberry Festival is an event about which the
community is still talking. We honored our 2011 graduates during a Baccalaureate service that was very moving from beginning to end, with an excellent message from our own Ethan Powell. And the list goes on…so it is easy to think that we all need a well-deserved rest.
I have good news for all of us. The position description for our vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ includes vacation time. Indeed, our worship of God is our refreshment – it is the source of the life and strength we need to be the people God created us to be. It is our Sabbath, which literally means a time to cease and rest – to regain our own sense of wholeness and well-being.
You already know this, but I will remind you again. The members of First Baptist Church will worship with us in our sanctuary for the last Sunday of June and all of July and we will worship with them for all of August. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of August.
Come and join us. Instead of taking a vacation from worship, come and see how worship is an essential part of the rest we all need.
On a completely different note, there is an issue of great importance I want you to know about…[Much of this is taken from an article on the
PC(USA) website]
As you know, the debate about ordination standards has been a Presbyterian family struggle for much of the last three decades. We have sought to find that place where every congregation and every member, deacon, elder, and minister of the Word and Sacrament can share their gifts in ministry while, at the same time, the integrity of every congregation, member, deacon, elder, and minister is respected.
This year, the conversation has focused on Amendment 10-A that was passed by the 219th General Assembly (2010) and was sent to the presbyteries for approval. During the week of May 9, the amendment received the 87 vote majority required for approval.
The new language outlining the gifts and requirements for ordained service reads as follows:
Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000). The governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.14.0240; G-14.0450) shall examine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003). Governing bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.
This decision begins with an unequivocal affirmation that ordained office will continue to be rooted in each deacon, elder, and minister’s “joyful submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life.”
This action also has important effects on our life together as a church, namely:
in keeping with our historic principles of church order, each session and presbytery will continue to determine the suitability of individuals seeking ordination within its bounds.
persons in a same-gender relationship may be considered for ordination and/or installation as deacons, elders, and ministers of the Word and Sacrament within the PC(USA); and
all other church-wide standards for ordination remain unchanged.
Reactions to this change will span a wide spectrum. Some will rejoice, while others will weep. Those who rejoice will see the change as an action, long in coming, that makes the PC(USA) an inclusive church that recognizes and receives the gifts for ministry of all those who feel called to ordained office. Those who weep will consider this change one that compromises biblical authority and acquiesces to present culture. The feelings on both sides run deep.
However, as Presbyterians, we believe that the only way we will find God’s will for the church is by seeking it together – worshiping, praying, thinking, and serving alongside one another. We are neighbors and colleagues, friends and family. Most importantly, we are all children of God, saved and taught by Jesus Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Please come and talk with me about any or all of this. Jim
Our Graduates
High School
ERIN CAMPBELL daughter of Karen and Denny Campbell,
WATERLOO HIGH SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES: volleyball, lacrosse, National Honor Society, French
Club, Ski Club, Interact Club, Varsity Club, Future Teachers Club
HONORS: Gold Key Award, Scholar Athlete (lacrosse), 2nd
Team
all-league Volleyball, Exceptional Senior (volleyball)
INTERESTS: volleyball, lacrosse, snowboarding, traveling
EMPLOYMENT: waitress – Green Apple Café
FUTURE PLANS: Rochester Institute of Technology – diagnostic
medical sonography, hoping to become an ultrasound technician
ANDREW CIERI son of Darlene and Fred Cieri,
WATERLOO HIGH SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES: Band, Jazz Band, Indoor Drumline, Winter
Percussion Ensemble, Brass Quintet, Wind Ensemble, JV &
Varsity Soccer, National Honor Society, Drama Club, Youth
Deacon, Mission trips
AWARDS: Keystone Award, Gold Key, Academic letter, Soccer
letter, Music letter, The Jake Thomas Memorial Award
FUTURE PLANS: Finger Lakes Community College to continue
developing his Art Portfolio, then transfer to a 4 year school for
Graphic Design and Architecture.
FORREST ENGLISH-LOEB son of Greg Loeb and Karen
English, GENEVA HIGH SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES: Varsity soccer
INTERESTS: playing guitar, video games, lounging around.
EMPLOYMENT: worked at Zumiez
FUTURE PLANS: attending SUNY Fredonia
EMILY DAYKIN daughter of Jamie and Mimi Daykin,
GENEVA HIGH SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES: cross country for 2 years, Cooking Club, track,
tennis
HONORS: National Honor Society, Youth Deacon, Finger Lakes
Credit Union Scholarship, SUNY Cortland President’s Scholarship
INTERESTS: skiing, playing piano, Historical Society volunteer
EMPLOYMENT: Geneva General Hospital dietary aid, Banana
Republic sales Associate, MacGregors waitress
FUTURE PLANS: SUNY Cortland for psychology
CASEY CURTIS DOYLE son of Wendy and Denny Doyle,
WATERLOO HIGH SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES: Homecoming committee (Fr, Soph, Jr), JV and
Varsity Soccer, JV and Varsity Baseball, Freshman Basketball
HONORS: Student of the Quarter, Sr. Ball Court Prince, Coach’s
Award – Soccer (Sr year), Waterloo academic “W” – 85 average
or above for 5 semesters
INTERESTS: Asst coach Youth Soccer League, Asst. at Youth
Soccer Camp, Asst at Youth Basketball camp, indoor soccer,
summer league baseball, summer travel soccer
EMPLOYMENT: Olympia Sports
FUTURE PLANS: Monroe Community College for Physical
Education
ROBERT LAMB son of Bill and Lauren Lamb,
GENEVA HIGH SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES: Drama Club, Band, Latin, Youth Elder for 2 years,
counselor at VBS, Music Camp at Whitman
Senior year Mission Trip to Boston
HONORS: Mythology Exam, Band Award, Jonathan Allen
Scholarship Award for leadership from Alfred University,
The Instrumentalist Magazine Musician Award,
The Sully Pitifer Family Award in music
INTERESTS: Theater Tech,
FUTURE PLANS: attending Alfred University for Theater.
College
Bachelor’s Degree BRENNA ENGLISH-LOEB from Bucknell University in
English (Creative Writing emphasis) and Theater. Starting
her career with an internship in set design at The Fulcrum,
a theater in NYC, and hopes to do future work in the
theater arena.
MIMI DAYKIN from RIT in Nutrition Management. Will do
an internship through Syracuse University.
KATHERINE HALL granddaughter of Dan and Barb Powers
from SUNY Brockport in English and Women’s Studies.
SARAH JONES from SUNY Plattsburgh in Communication
Disorders Sciences (Speech Pathology). Hoping to study
Occupational Therapy.
RYAN KINCAID from William Smith College – Magna cum
Laude in Environmental Studies with a minor in Education.
Attending HWS in the fall to pursue her Master’s with a dual
certification in Elementary/Special Ed. Then hopefully to get a
teaching job.
MICHELLE MARKS from SUNY Geneseo - Magna cum
Laude in Biology with a Business minor. Will intern for a year
then attend grad school for ecology/conservation biology.
MATTHEW REINERS from SUNY Fredonia - Magna cum
Laude in Sports Management with a minor in Business
Administration. He will be interning with Mike Hanna at HWS.
BRIDGET SARACINO from Cornell University in Theater
Arts. Will begin graduate studies at Brown University with their
Trinity Repertory Company.
Master’s Degree JASON K. EDWARDS from Alfred University in Business
Administration.
MARK FLICKINGER, son of Robert and Caryl Flickinger,
from the Keenan Flagler Business School, at UNC, Chapel Hill
with an MBA degree.
CARRIE FOX Master’s of Divinity from McCormick
Theological Seminary. She is currently residing in Chicago
working for Chicago Lights as a case manager for homeless
clientele. Chicago Lights is housed at Fourth Presbyterian Church
in Chicago. Carrie hopes to procure a faith based social justice
position with a non-profit organization in the very near future.
Doctorate Degree ELIZABETH BIHN from Cornell University in Food
Microbiology from the College of Agriculture and Life Science.
Betsy is a Senior Extension Associate with the Department of Food
Science at Cornell.
TIFFANY DAMICK D’ANGELO a Juris Doctor Degree
from Syracuse University College of Law.
SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER!!! HAVE A NICE SUMMER!!!!
CONFIRMATION – WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Michael Alexander Hannah Burrall
Erin Equinozzi Amy Goria
Kim Oswald Mark Pitifer
Eli Saracino Nick Sessler
THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!!!!
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING -- SMILE!!!
FALL TEACHERS MEETING – AUGUST 30, 7:00 pm
CE – August 22, 7:00 pm
CAMPBELL’S SOUP UPC CODES
Please save your UPC CODES
2 CENTS – A - MEAL
We will collect 2 cents offerings on JULY 3
You can make a difference in the lives
of hungry people!!!
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
to benefit Geneva Head Start
LOOK FOR THE BASKET
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE -
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, NOON
REMINDER: THE CHURCH OFFICE CLOSES AT NOON
DURING THE SUMMER.
JIM – [email protected]
SUZANNE – [email protected]
EDNA MAY – [email protected]
Website: http://www.presbyterianchurchingenevanewyork.org
THANK YOU ! ! !
Dear Friends,
I should have written this thank-you note to you months ago, but I
really “hit the ground running” at The Presbyterian Church of
Bound Brook. From the day before Palm Sunday through Easter, I
had 8 worship services in 9 days! Sleep deprivation aside, all is
going very well in the new church with plenty of exciting challenges
and new possibilities to explore in ministry. At the same time, this
congregation has plenty of similarities to Geneva, including a
Strawberry Festival this afternoon.
The Bound Brook congregation has a deep commitment to reaching
out to others with love and compassion. During the very first week of
my ministry here, we were a shelter for guests who find themselves
homeless, and we are providing that ministry again this week. The
program, called the FISH hospitality network, rotates between
participating churches. We are responsible for 6 weeks of the year. I
went to a Red Cross dinner last month to accept a special “heroes”
award on behalf of our congregation for disaster assistance efforts,
especially in being a shelter for hundreds of flood victims and
starting a program for ongoing legal and social services support for
the large, poor immigrant population who live in the most highly
flooded areas. Right now, we are rebuilding a damaged house for a
family with two severely physically-challenged teenagers. (The
mother has to carry them up and down the stairs.) It
is amazing how quickly volunteers and finances came together when
the need was presented to the congregation.
We just had two of our members return from a special mission project
in Nepal, and we are about to send 60 people (youth and their adult
advisors) out on the Appalachia Service Project to help provide safe,
warm and dry housing for those who live in poverty. There have been
loads of fundraisers for this project since we need to supply all the
tools and building materials.
A recent one was a Coffee House similar to the Geneva Deacons’
Talent Show, and I had fun making a fool of myself with the
Buildings and Grounds Commission. This Saturday, the youth are
having their 4th
car wash, and they have made over $900 at each one!
I think being on a busy traffic corner and having some well-placed
signs are helpful. I’ll be cleaning cars with them since men of the
congregation are leading all the Saturday and Sunday services – a
tradition on Father’s Day weekend.
While meeting new and special friends here, I still miss all of you
more than you can imagine. After 17 years with you, you are like
family. Thank you SO MUCH for the incredibly beautiful reception,
the generous gift toward my peacemaking ministry, the many
meaningful personal letters that I will always keep and cherish and
the surprise of the “voice quilt” which has a place of honor in my
office. Whenever I want to smile, I play one of the messages, and it
warms my heart to listen to your voices.
I hear that all is going well in Geneva and that some talented and
dedicated people are filling in the gaps. You have such a wealth of
faithful members who care about the ministry and mission of the
church, and I know you will continue to be a reflection of God’s love
in the community and beyond.
With gratitude and joyful memories,
Nancy Birdsong
A sincere THANK YOU to everyone who prayed for me,
phoned, and sent cards while I was recovering from my
heart attack. What a blessing it has been to know you care.
Janice Allen
LECTIONARY
for
the
Lord’s Day -
JULY: 3-Gen 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Ps 45:10-17 or S. of Sol 2:8-13
Rom 7:15-25a; Matt 11:16-19, 25-30
10-Gen 25:19-34; Ps 119:105-112
Rom 8:1-11; Matt 13:1-9, 18-23
17-Gen 28:10-19a; Ps 139:1-12, 23-24
Rom 8:12-25; Matt 13:24-30, 36-43
24-Gen 29:15-28; Ps 105:1-11, 45b or Ps 128
Rom 8:26-39; Matt 13:31-33, 44-52
31-Gen 32:22-31; Ps 17:1-7, 15; Rom 9:1-5
Matt 14:13-21
AUGUST: 7-Gen 37:1-4, 12-28; Ps 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
Rom 10:5-15; Matt 14:22-33
14-Gen 45:1-15; Ps 133; Rom 11:1-2a, 29-32
Matt 15:10-20, 21-28
21-Exod 1:8-2:10; Ps 124; Rom 12:1-8; Matt 16:13-20
28-Exod 3:1-15; Ps 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c
Rom 12:9-21; Matt 16:21-28
Someone told me long ago….You don’t have to be inside a church
to hear God’s words or to acknowledge His presence in this world.
Just look around you….His blessings are EVERYWHERE! He is
always near.
Now that summer is upon us, that becomes an even more
important message than ever. Why? Because during the next
couple of months, many of us will be so busy that we don’t get to
see our church family as often as we would like.
The sunny days of summer bring with them numerous seasonal
activities that keep many of us on the go-go-go! Maybe it’s the
water park at the lake, picnics, family vacations, baseball games,
county & state fairs, craft shows, outdoor concerts, amusement
parks, or camping. And how many of us plant gardens each spring
and spend countless summer hours communing with nature as a
result? Because of these things, many of us aren’t around town
when Sunday morning arrives.
That doesn’t mean that we aren’t still in touch with God or His
teachings. We often hear “live life to the fullest”, “enjoy the life
that God has given you”, or variations on that same sentiment. As
the Bible says, ”To everything there is a season….”
Summer – as it turns out – is often the season of “on-the-road”!
So, as you go about enjoying your summer days, remember that
whether you’re sitting in church or on the beach, there are infinite
blessings from God all around you. And remember to slow down a
bit…. stop a moment….and take in all the wonders around you.
All the blessings from God. And if you listen…. you just might
hear God whisper words of wisdom to you as well.
Wishing all of you a beautiful and blessed summer!
DEACONS
SUMMER UNION SERVICES BEGIN
9:30 am
At The Presbyterian Church in Geneva
July 3 Rev. Phyllis Granger
10 Rev. Jim Gerling
17 Elder Don Wertman
24 Rev. Phyllis Granger
31 Rev. Suzanne Otterbacher
At First Baptist Church
August 7 Rev. Suzanne Otterbacher
14 Rev. Jim Gerling
21 Rev. Phyllis Granger
28 Rev. Suzanne Otterbacher
September 4 Rev. Phyllis Granger
Two-Cents-A-Meal
Several years ago there was a lot of talk about removing the
penny from circulation in the United States. It got me thinking
about what pennies, mean to me. Certainly the penny is on the
small end of every definition. For instance:
Penny ante poker – Gambling for cheapskates?
Penny for your thoughts – Do they really want to know?
Putting in your 2¢ worth – Someone’s small thoughts
Penniless – Without money, period.
Always turns up like a bad penny – They must have been easy
to counterfeit.
Cost a pretty penny – As opposed to the bad penny.
But, as Presbyterians, pennies have another value:
A penny saved is a penny earned – As long as the stock market
is up, anyway.
Penny wise, pound foolish – No us!
Penny pinchers? Well…
Pennies from heaven….
More likely it is pennies from our 2¢-A-Meal containers.
2¢-A-Meal originated as a project of Presbyterian women to
involve individuals and families in a corporate response to world
hunger. Pennies REALLY can make a difference--6¢ a day, 42¢ a
week, $21.84 a year, times all the families and individuals in our
congregation….You can do the math. These “small” monies fund
hunger and self-development projects internationally, in the United
States and right here in our own community. Local projects
receiving Presbytery Hunger Grants from 2¢-A-Meal funds, plus
funds from our Mission and Social Concerns Committee budget,
include the Community Lunch Program, The Geneva Food Pantry,
and Our Lady of Peace Emergency Services.
The Presbyterian Church in Geneva collects 2¢-A-Meal
offerings on the first Sunday of the month. John Tarr generously
provides small milk containers for our convenience. Look for them
at the church entrances.
While progress has been made, facts about hunger are still
staggering. Here is an opportunity to invite the world’s hungry to
your table.
Jean Harman
Mission and Social Concerns Committee
FROM THE PARISH NURSE
Dear Church Family,
It’s hard to believe summer is almost here. It seemed like
winter lasted for about 11 months and then the monsoon season
started. It is so nice to have a few warm sunny days!
With the warm sunny days come little creepy crawly things.
I’ve talked to a few people plagued by little ants. I’ve had them
too. A line of ants by your kitchen sink is not something you want
to see in your Better Homes and Gardens home. (I don’t really
have a Better Homes and Gardens home, but I like to pretend.)
Something that has worked really well for me is Terro brand liquid
ant bait. I think it took about four days to work and I haven’t seen
an ant for a week now. Carpenter Ants are another more
destructive problem. Finding the nest and treating the area with
boric acid powder will kill them. I have a handout on how to find
and treat the nest. Let me know if you need more information.
For those of you with wells, who drink the well water, now is a
good time to have the water tested. Farmers are trying to get their
crops in the ground quickly and a large amount of liquid fertilizer
is being spread. Also, if you live near the landfill, it is a good idea
to periodically check your water. The testing can be done through
Cornell Cooperative Extension for $25. You will have to make out
a check for $75 to Life Sciences lab in Canandaigua, but will get a
$50 check back with your result from the Ontario County Water
Resources Council Grant. The water is tested for coliform
bacteria, E. coli, and nitrates. Let me know if you need
information.
Another summer hazard can be ticks. Both Pastor Jim and I
have had ticks bite us in the past few years. There are several
different diseases that ticks carry: Lyme disease, Babesiosis (which
can be fatal in the elderly and immunocompromised), Ehrlichiosis
(a bacteria) and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (also a bacteria).
All of these can be treated if caught early. Better yet, avoid getting
bit by a tick. Treat pets with anti-tick medications. Wear socks
and long pants when walking through tall grass.
Use bug repellant. Check your body for ticks after being outside.
There is a certain way to pull a tick out. (Burning them does not
work, my husband only succeeded in killing the tick and having the
body drop off leaving the tick’s head inside me. The doctor had to
dig it out (neither of us enjoyed that!) The best way to remove a
tick is to grab it with tweezers right behind the head and gently
pull straight back. I have information concerning ticks if you need
it.
Bats and raccoons are a problem we don’t have in the winter. If
you are touched in any way by a bat, it needs to be tested for rabies
or you have to go through a series of rabies shots. Ten years ago, I
had a bat get stuck in my hair and had to go through the shot
series. Not much fun, but not as bad as it used to be. Raccoons are
very cute until they are scared or mad. I know of a young child in
Penn Yan who was mauled by a mother raccoon. They too can
carry rabies. They like to chew their way into attics to raise the
little ones. Sometime ask me about our spring with raccoons.
(Don’t let them move in, you will never sleep.)
And as always, remember to use your sunscreen!!! Be sure to
check for both UVA and UVB protection. Have a safe and relaxing
summer!
My cell phone number is 315-759-9039.
God Bless You All,
Beth
P R E S B Y T E R I A N W O M E N
Upcoming Events:
July 22-24 – Synod of Northeast PW Trienniel Gathering
Desmond, Albany
“Thank You”
The Bake Sale hosted by PW Women at the Strawberry
Festival was a success. “Thank You” to everyone that
contributed bake goods and volunteered their time
during the sale.
VOLNUTEERS NEEDED:
We need 2 women to be hostesses for JULY, AUGUST, OCTOBER
or DECEMBER should receptions be scheduled. A list of women is
available to help anyone who will be responsible for the month.
Please call Barb Messur, 789-8159, or
Dot Newcomb, 789-9892.
FRIENDSHIP STUDY GROUP
Have a great summer, see you in September!!!
NEEDLES GROUP–
See you in September!!!!
Strawberry Festival 2011
The 57th Annual Strawberry Festival
was a huge success, due to perfect
weather, delicious food, wonderful
music, and relaxed fellowship under
the Linden trees.
An event of this size would not be
possible without the generous giving of
time and talent by many, many
volunteers. Thank you to everyone who
helped in any way to make this year's
Strawberry Festival a very special
evening.
Let’s Talk….About Issues This Summer
Summer gatherings devoted to informal discussions of social issues over dessert,
wine, and coffee.
Thursday, July 14: Immigration Issues and the Ramifications on New York
Farms. This will be led by Mary Jo Dudley who is Director of the NYS Cornell
Farmworker Program.
Location: The June and July programs will
be held at the home of Sandy and Tim
Merwarth, 1136 Earls Hill Road (off Rt. 14
South). 7 – 9 p.m.
Wednesday, August 10: Stewardship of
the Earth on the Alaskan Frontier. This
will be presented by Lisa and Marcus
Geist. Lisa works for the Army Corps of
Engineers in Anchorage and Marcus
works for the Nature Conservancy.
Both obtained Master’s Degrees in
Environmental Studies from Duke
University. They each bring a unique
perspective to the problems facing the
state of Alaska both historically and looking ahead to the future. This
Let’s Talk will at Jim and Diana Capron’s home, 4155 Glass Factory
Bay Road. 7 – 9 p.m.
Reservations: RSVP to church office or register on the church’s website.
Limited to 20.
We look forward to seeing you at one or more of these summer gatherings! If
you have any questions, contact Tim Merwarth, Diana Capron, Ellen Reynolds,
Beth Newell, or Marilyn Nellis. (Adult Education Committee)
Would GOD be proud to say
He knows you?
TAKE NOTE . . GO TO THE WORLD
A strong tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams coupled with a text penned
by Sylvia Dunstan in 1991—―Go to the World‖-- was the final
hymn/song we evaluated for The Presbyterian Committee on
Congregational Song. I recently completed the survey of the last set of
hymns and received a thank you to all of you from David Eicher,
Hymnal Editor of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Quoting
David: “Please convey my gratitude to your congregation for being
willing to experiment and give us feedback.”
The Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song has examined
about 4,000 items submitted during the open submission period. The
Committee has gone through all the contents of the 1990 Presbyterian
Hymnal, the 1972 Hymnal, and the 1955 Hymnbook. 19 hymnals
written since 1990 have been examined. Collections of songs from
Christian communities around the world have been considered.
Statements have been written on language and theological vision.
The sorting and organizing will continue, indexes will be developed,
and content will be finalized by the 2012 General Assembly. The new
musical resource is scheduled to be available in the fall of 2013.
A Hymnal Sampler is being used this year. It includes many of the
hymns our congregation rated highly during the past year.
If you are interested in finding out more about the new hymnal project,
here is the web site:
www.presbyterianhymnal.org
As we end this program year and look ahead to the fall I want to thank
musicians of all ages who have helped to enhance worship at The
Presbyterian Church in Geneva.
Please take a moment to thank members of our hard-working music
staff.:
Sandy Campbell Virginia Champlin
Kate Komara Lorraine Jones
Faithfully, Chris Wertman Director of Music
SUMMER THEATER
The Geneva Theatre Guild will present “Into The Woods” at the
Smith Opera House on July 21-23, at 8:00 pm and
July 24, at 2:00 pm. This popular Sondheim musical is a
“fractured fairytale” that features an ambivalent Cinderella, a
Prince Charming with a roving eye, a bloodthirsty Little Red
Riding Hood and a rapping witch.
The Geneva Theatre Guild Youth Theatre celebrates its 25th
anniversary by presenting “Youth,” a rousing review featuring
both Youth Theatre alumni and current participants. It will
showcase original musical selections as well as vignettes from past
Youth Theatre productions. Performances are August 11-13, at
7:00 pm, August 14, at 2:00 pm at the Smith Opera House.
The Nancy Curvin Playground Players take this year’s show “The
Charming Prince,” to playgrounds, parks, and senior centers
throughout July and August. Free performances for the public will
be July 26, 6:00 pm at Pulteney Park and August 10, 5:45 pm at the
Gazebo on the lakefront.
You will find many people that you know acting, directing, and
working on all of these productions. For further information go to
www.gtglive.org or call Eleanor Stearns, 789-8985.
Strengthening Our Foundation Campaign Update
We are very pleased to report that we have reached the two-year
mark for the Financial Campaign that we started in 2009. The total
pledged for the three years was $ 401,884, of which we have
received in pledges and gifts $ 284,829. After paying expenses, we
have added $ 39,000 to our Special Mission Fund; $ 35,345 to the
Capital Improvement Fund and have reserved $ 132,375 in a
separate Custody Account for the future. We are also pleased to
report that with monies received in the Campaign, we have been
able to repair the Sanctuary windows and update the parking lot.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to
contact Alan Schenck or Bob Eberle. If you find that you are able
to increase your pledge or wish to join in, we have an entire year
remaining on the campaign. These funds play an integral part in
the future life of our Congregation and once again our church
family has come through in difficult times to shore up our future.
Thank you!
Youth Ministry Coordinator
We are seeking an individual to work on a part-time basis to be the
coordinator of our Youth Ministry Program. We are looking for
someone to work 10 to 15 hours a week, from September to June,
to provide leadership for our middle and senior high school youth.
For a full position description please call the church office (789-
1343). The position will pay a stipend of $8,000.
