Dear Beloveds in Christ,
Grace to you and peace from God, our Creator, and our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The warm long summer days are coming to an end as the brisk morning air and cooler evenings become more prevalent each day. The chestnut tree outside the parsonage is already beginning to transform as its leaves are slowly changing colors and being shed. These changes in nature move me to become more present to the gradual transition from one season to another.
As the natural transition of seasons takes place, so we too transition with the seasons as we take our last vacations, picnic and celebrate on Labor Day weekend to close out the summer, prepare for the new school year to start, and get ready for all the fall activities and holidays that are to come over the next 3-4 months.
In this, we want to make sure that all special services and events that have been planned are communicated with everyone. So, mark your calendars for these upcoming dates:
Wednesday September 9th, Bible study will start up again. We will be meeting every Wednesday at 2pm and resuming our study on the Book of Genesis.
If you have to miss a week due to other life obligations or if you are not able to be at bible study every week, we still welcome you to come and join us whenever you are able to for a time of study, prayer, and fellowship.
Friday September 11th, we will be hosting our annual Lasagna Dinner from 4pm-6pm. There will be a meat or spinach lasagna option. Please call the church office for further details or to reserve your dinner.
Sunday September 13th at 10:30am, we will worship and take communion together. During the worship service, there will be a Blessing of the Backpacks as Sunday School is starting again that day. Please have your young disciples bring their backpacks with them that day!
Sunday September 20th at 3pm, we will have a special service “Blessing of the Animals” outdoors in the pavilion. We welcome you to bring your pet, but please make sure they are on a leash or in a cage. If your pet is not friendly with other animals or humans, we kindly and compassionately ask that you not bring them but bring a picture of them with you. We will provide blessing cards for each person to take home with them to say a blessing at home over their animal as well.
Saturday September 26th from 10am-2pm, the Northeast Middle Assembly calls all ministers and elder delegates of the assembly to an organizational meeting. The meeting will be held at The Community Reformed Church of Colonie which is located at 701 Sand Creek Rd. Albany, NY.
At this meeting, inaugural officers and bylaws will be presented to the assembly for approval, and reports will be received from the Transition Team and its task teams on the structure and work of the assembly to take the necessary steps to become a legally incorporated organization.
Any congregation members from churches joining NEMA are welcome to attend. A meal will be provided. An agenda and reports will be sent prior to the meeting. Look for them from Rev. Lindsey De Kruif, nominated stated clerk.
If you are interested in attending, please let Pastor Jenn know so she can send you the link to register for this event. It is helpful to register so they can make sure there is enough food and seating for all attending.
Saturday October 3rd 12p-3pm, we will be hosting a “Meet and Greet Your Neighbor Event.” This will be a time when we invite people from the community to join together for a time of fun and fellowship. We will be providing food, water, games and activities. If you would like to help with organizing this event or financially support this event, please contact Arlene Jordan or the church office.
Sunday October 4th at 10:30am during our normal worship service, we will celebrate World Communion Sunday.
Sunday Nov. 1st at 10:30am during our worship service, we will observe All Saints Day. This is a time to remember our loved ones and friends who have died and are resting in eternal glory with the Lord. Please contact the church office to share the name of someone who died in the past year as we will read their name during the service and light a candle in their memory.
Tues Nov. 3rd at 8am until we are sold out, we will be hosting a bake sale at the church. If you would like to donate baked goods for the sale, please drop them off at the church the Sunday before the sale or on Tuesday morning. If you can’t drop them off during those times, please contact Pastor Jenn to arrange another time to drop off. All proceeds from the bake sale go to the church’s general fund.
Wednesday Nov 11th 9am-11am, we will be hosting a Veteran’s Day breakfast. All veterans from our community are invited to join us for a meal that morning. We will have muffins, danish, bagels, coffee, juice and water. If you would like to volunteer to help with the breakfast or provide financial support for the event, please contact Arlene Jordan or the church office.
Tuesday Nov. 24th, the RCS Council of Churches hosts a Thanksgiving Worship Service. Time and place are still to be determined. We will communicate this information as soon as we find out more details.
We will share and send out reminders of upcoming dates of special worship services and events as we get closer via email blasts, in the bulletin, on the church website, and on Facebook. So please check those sources to find out the latest and upcoming happenings at church or call the church office.
As we transition together with all of Creation, may the hope of the Lord be with us, the peace of Christ reign in our hearts, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit guide us all in the days to come!
Shalom,
Pastor Jenn