THE PARISH CONNECTION

Greetings!

With Summer soon upon us, I have dusted off my Little House on the Prairie book series. Most years, I re-read the entire series between July through September and I have done this since I was a teenager. There is something comforting in the cadence of the words and the relationships between characters. There is an escapism to what seems like a “simpler time.”

I confess to have a highly romanticized version of the past as presented in these books. It is so easy to focus on the Ingalls family Christmas dinners, the simple Independence Day celebrations and winning the spelling bee.

At the same time, it is easy to overlook the hardships of the Long Winter, when the Ingalls family very nearly froze and starved to death, or the tornados/locusts/wildfires/famines/sicknesses that intermittently plagued the family

But I think we all have that nostalgia for the “good old days.” How often do we look with positivity on our own childhoods and ignore the painful parts? With fondness, I remember summer evenings sitting in the lawn reading books with my mother and grandmother, eating watermelon and catching fireflies. I have to focus more intently to recall the loneliness I felt every summer, as there were no other kids nearby and my mother didn’t drive and I couldn’t wait for school to begin.

For self-preservation, it is understandable why we choose to focus on those polished and positive memories and tend to forget the hardships when we think about “the Good Old Days.” Every time I re-read the Little House Series I am sharply reminded that the pioneer life was more than Sunday suppers and school exhibitions. I always finish the series with a sense of awe of all the family struggles they endured. Perhaps that’s why I feel pulled to read it over and over. To recall their perseverance, their sense of community and faith in God that saw them through the roughest of conditions.

In my daughter’s class, the teacher asked the kids to keep a journal documenting how they were spending their days while learning from home. This makes me wonder how people 50 years in the future will look back on us and how we lived during this time in history. What will they see?

They will see people struggling to maintain businesses and school while working and studying from home. They will see people struggling with infringements on their freedom to move about as they please. They will see people demonstrating on the streets for racial justice. They will see people from both sides of the political aisle volleying back and forth.

Perhaps with the gift of hindsight, fifty years from now, they can appreciate how we too are persevering in the face of discord and pandemic. They might see how we are working together to maintain our sense of community. Hopefully, they will see how we are continuing to be the people of God, loving and serving our neighbor, caring for the poor, and working for justice for all people.

Peace and blessings,

Pastor Sam

News and Information

Attached is Bishop Eaton’s sermon from last week, a bulletin for next week and a packet of devotions and prayers. Please note that the Tri-County Lutheran Parish will be following the advice of the bishop, the governor and qualified medical personnel - which means we will be continuing to worship from home at least until July 11th. Meanwhile, we will be working on a safe re-entry plan for when we can assemble in our church buildings once more.

If you wish to worship remotely with us please use this phone number:

1. Dial 1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

2. Enter Meeting ID: 770 099 7419, then press #

3. If the meeting has not already started Press # to wait.

4. You will be prompted to enter your unique participant ID. Press # to skip.

If you have internet ability to join us through Zoom, here is the link: https://zoom.us/j/77009974 1 9

Worship service videos can be found on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8kJUJTm_PrA-l1qlv8PJ-g

If you would like to serve as a reader during online worship, please let me know! If you would like to serve as an assistant (and read the congregation parts), please let me know!

If you are in need of food, necessities, masks, or help of any kind, please reach out to me. We have plenty of resources available to us in our parish and we are excited to be God’s hands and feet for each other! If you are in Columbia County, the Office of the Aging has disposable masks available to anyone in the county 60 years of age or older.

If you would like to donate food, contact me and we will set up a pick-up/drop-off time as each week we support a local food pantry within our parish. This week we are supporting the Greenville Food Pantry. Please consider donating to this very worthwhile cause!!

Anti-Racism Book Recommendations:

Here are five books that I recommend to help understand the historical roots of racism, the way it has embedded into our national systems and what we can do about it. I present them here in no particular order:

“I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In a World Made For Whiteness” by Austin Channing Brown - I read this book last year and it has made a huge impact on my life. The author shares personal accounts of racism from her life.

“White Like Me” by Tim Wise - I am still in the process of listening to this book on Audible. This book is an accessible book for those new to the study of white fragility.

“The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander - This book is a deeper look into the legal and systemic ways in which this country has kept racism alive and active (focusing on socio-economic issues and crime/punishment).

“Waking Up White: And Finding Myself In The Story of Race” by Debby Irving - I confess that I have not read this one, but it comes highly recommended from other pastors as a primer in understanding how racism looks today.

“How To Be An Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi- I am currently reading this and Kendi gives a fascinating history about the creation of racial hierarchy and his own journey as a person of color who once supported racist ideas.

Bonus book: “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah - I am considering this a “bonus book” because while it does discuss racism it is against the backdrop of South African Apartheid, though the author does make comparisons to racism in America. I am listening to this on Audible and I find it entertaining as well as interesting. I will label this one with a profanity warning, though not excessive

The Tri-County Lutheran Parish has been blessed by the ministry of Paul Strike. We are grateful for his presence, his preaching, teaching and visiting, especially with Bible Study and Confirmation. We wish Paul well as he prepares for his upcoming June wedding to his fiancé, Logan, and move to Hickory, North Carolina where Logan will being her internship.

If you wish to send him a card, here is the mailing address you should use:

Paul Strike

2211 Green Valley Drive

Billings, MT 59102

Women’s Retreat: Way back in April of last year, we booked a retreat at Camp of the Woods in Speculator to be held Sept 25-27 of this year. We asked Pastor Lori Kochanski, Faith Formation Director for the synod, to lead our retreat. She is planning to use the WELCA Bible Study, "We Are Called" as her framework. This is found in the winter 2020 Gather magazine or it can also be found on this link:

https://www.gathermagazine.org/winter-2020-we-are-called-by-kathryn-a-kleinhans/

If Camp of the Woods remains closed for this year, all deposits that were given for the Sept 2020 retreat will be transferred to next year (Same time in Sept. 2021).

For more information, contact Barbara Slater at 518-392-7798.

TCLP Board for 2020

Harry Avery – President

Jackie Menagh – Vice Chair

Duane Keeler – Recording Secretary

Chuck Race -- Treasurer

If you have additions, deletions, changes, etc. for the Parish Connection, bulletins, etc., please either call the Parish office at 518-758-6526 or e-mail me at stlukes@slelc.com or ssmith@tclparish.org. Thank you!

Congregation ANNOUNCEMENTS

In-person worship has been cancelled until 7/11/20

EMANUEL, STUYVESANT FALLS

Contact -- Duane Keeler oneservantofgod@gmail.com

COUNCIL:

Karen Albertson Term Expires 2021

Harry Avery Term Expires 2021

Linda Frick Term Expires 2022 Co-Treasurer

Duane Keeler Term Expires 2022 President

Leslie Dumont Term Expires 2023 Vice-President

Pr. Sam N/A Ex Officio member

Chuck Albertson Secretary Not on council

Dick Frick Co-Treasurer Not on council

OUTREACH COMMITTEE (Joint committee with St. Luke’s)

Teresa Avery

Karen Albertson

Phyllis Keeler

WORSHIP COMMITTEE (Joint committee with St. Luke’s)

Phyllis Keeler

PARISH SPECIAL WORSHIP SERVICES TEAM

Karen Albertson

Duane Keeler (Chair)

ST. LUKE’S, VALATIE

Contact -- Kara Udwary Karap1969@aol.com

St. Luke’s Council Members

Ethan Race

518-209-7829

Tim McGlauflin

518-756-4644

*Kara Udwary (President)

518-821-0437

Karap1969@aol.com

*Ken Schomaker (Treasurer)

518-758-1246

*Linda Dickson

(Financial Secretary)

518-610-8056

Mike Schunk

518-610-8201

Janis McGlauflin

518-828-1857

Jose Roman

518-354-0892

Barbara Slater

(Corresponding Secretary)

518-392-7798

Not on Council

Larry Eleby

518-929-1432

Sharon Smith

518-929-9765

Karen Lasher

518-784-2032

Beegee Roppolo

518-320-6232

Sharon Smith

518-929-9765

Chuck Race

518-917-3547

Ted Fiebke

518-794-7799

* Council Officers

Committees

Property

Jose Roman & Larry Eleby

Stewardship & Finance

Ken Schomaker, Linda Dickson, Tim McGlauflin

Outreach

Beegee Roppolo (chair), Kara Udwary, Linda Dickson, Janis McGlauflin

TCLP

Karen Lasher & Beegee Roppolo

Safety and Security

Sharon Smith, Chuck Race

Music and Worship

Ted Fiebke, Janis McGlauflin, Kara Udwary

Parish Care

Karen Lasher

Education

Ethan Race

EMANUEL/ST. JOHN’S check back soon!

Contact -- Richard FitzGerald rfatbellspond@yahoo.com

ZION, ATHENS

Contact –- Gethen Proper gethen7@gmail.com

Council Members

President

William Darling

518-943-4293

Vice President

Tim Mercer

518-859-1356.

Treasurer

Bob O’Leary

845-797-6084

Financial Secretary

Nancy Clark

518-444-8096

Council & Church Secretary

Gethen Proper

518-755-8395

Carol Serazio

518-731-9050

Karen Schubert

518-731-1190

John Wais

518-719-5754

John Van Valkenburg

518-945-1184

The many outreach projects of Zion are made possible in large part by grants from Thrivent Financial Every Thrivent member is eligible to apply for 2 action team grants per year. These are easy to apply for, and if you need help please ask Carrol Mercer Or Christine Wanek. If you are not a Thrivent member, but would still like to help apply for a grant, you can become a Thrivent Associate Member.

Associate Membership is $19.95 and with that membership you are able to apply for a one-time Thrivent grant for $250.00 for our congregation’s outreach projects.

Contact Thrivent either by Phone @ 845-849-1267, or at Thrivent.com

Five Loaves Project -- MEALS FOR THE HUNGRY AND THOSE IN NEED Thursday’s @4:30 pm

ST. PAUL’S, OAK HILL check back soon!

Contact – Jackie Menagh jamspirit@hardsdisk.net

CHRIST OUR EMMANUEL, CHATHAM

Contact – Jeanette Wilber tam20kfw@aol.com

Church Council

President Jeanette Wilber

Vice President TBA

Recording Secretary TBA

Corresponding Secretary Heidi Brennan

Cate MacPherson

Richard Mac Donald (Mac)

Henry Bartel

Kurt Hoelter

Did you know there is a new way to send your offering? We have an online donation portal! Please visit our website at www.chathamLutheran.org to get started!

ST. STEPHENS, E. SCHODACK

Contact -- Alice Senrick asenrick29@gmail.com

or 518-479-0819; or 518-852-1504.

CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS

Alice Senrick, President

asenrick29@gmail.com

518-852-1504

Charles Senrick, Treasurer (Non-voting member)

Brian Schell, Vice President

Cathy Teeter, Secretary

Deborah Deerfield

Diane Middleton

Charles Mayrer

TRINITY, CASTLETON

Contact – Nicole Gardner scullynik@yahoo.com

Financial Secretary Needed

Wondering how you can help your church. A Financial Secretary is needed. Training is available. if interested please see Rik Cosgrave or anyone on the council.

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Moses tells the Israelites that they are called to be a priestly kingdom and a holy people. Jesus sends out the disciples as laborers into the harvest. In baptism we too are anointed for ministry, sharing God’s compassion with our needy world. From the Lord’s table we go forth to proclaim the good news, to heal the sick, and to share our bread with the hungry.

Readings and Psalm

Exodus 19:2-8a

The covenant with Israel at Sinai

Psalm 100

We are God’s people and the sheep of God’s pasture. (Ps. 100:3)

Romans 5:1-8

While we were sinners, Christ died for us

Matthew 9:35--10:8 [9-23]

The sending of the Twelve

What would you like to see in “The Parish Connection?” Drop me a line at the TCLP office at ssmith@tclparish.org or call 518-758-6526.

OFFICE HOURS: 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Call any time!

If you have questions regarding the Tri County Lutheran Parish or for any other church issues or pastoral concerns, please call Sharon at 518-758-6526

CONTACT US:

Tri-County Lutheran Parish, PO Box 158, Valatie, NY 12184 (518) 758-6526

Pastor Samantha Perret (Parish)

Phone – 518-229-4128

E-mail – whiteginger20@gmail.com

Pastor Dan Hahn, (Transitional)

Phone – 518-281-8127

E-mail -- pastordanhahn@gmail.com

Sharon Smith (TCLP Secretary)

Office – 518-758-6526

Cell -- 518-929-9765

E-mail –stlukes@slelc.com.