Commack United Methodist Church

486 Townline Road Commack, NY 11725-7310 (631) 499-7310 Web Site: http://www.commack-umc.org Email: [email protected] Pastor’s E-Mail: [email protected] Rev. Richard C. Mills, Pastor (631) 499-4770 May 2007

Open Hearts

Open Minds

Open Doors

rocks into pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind was an earthquake but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, LORD was not in the fire and after the fire was a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then came a voice that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Dear Brother or Sister in Christ, When I was studying for the ministry I was given an assignment to walk around Washington D.C. looking for God in unexpected places. I spent several days looking around the busy city looking. Then one day I found God in the eyes of a man and woman living on the street. They were sitting on the street looking at each other with a love that only could have come from God. As I reflect on that I wonder how much of our time is spent looking for God in the wrong places. In the 19th Chapter of 1 Kings we find these words:

I feel that there are too many times that we look for God in the earthshaking events and avoid the silence where God speaks to us. We need to take time each day to be and know that God is God.

He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking

See you in church, Rev. Dick 1

Wright if you have an available card table.

A MISSION MOMENT... Some Native American children have been showing up for Sunday school and sometimes church. Last Sunday, four of them were stretched out in front of me with their backs to the pulpit, engrossed in coloring the pages on their clipboard. Suddenly, one girl looked up at me and whispered, "Jeannine, are we going to have the breaking of the bread today?" The first time she had come was the first Sunday of the month, and we had communion. When I stood up, the children followed. They have been receiving communion ever since. Her simple question made me realize that God's love had been experienced through this Eucharistic ritual that was inclusive to all. Jeannine Reynolds, South Dakota Church & Community Worker

All members of our congregation are invited to attend. Our guests have always particularly enjoyed the company of our Tuesday Men’s Group and others in the congregation. HIGH TEA WITH THE UMW High tea will be held Saturday May 12 from 2-4 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Tickets are $10.00 and all are invited to wear, if they so desire, their fanciest hats, dress and lace gloves to sip tea from china cups. Bring your mother, grandmother, aunts, favorite friends, inlaws and neighbors for this special treat! Further information forthcoming via posters.

MISSION PRAYER FOCUS Native American Children's Fund, Oklahoma City Cherokee United Methodist Ministry Native American Seminary in Claremont United Methodist Church of Unalaska (Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands)

UNITED WOMEN

The Father's Day Booklet order form is available in this messenger, with a submission deadline of June 3rd. Father's Day th Our guys are dads, is June 17 . grandpas and great grandpas...let’s show them we love 'em!

METHODIST

May 10 is our annual program for hosting guests from Pilgrim State Hospital. Marge Wright is our coordinator and Nancy Gamby will lead the group in song. All members are requested to bring a plate of finger foods. Beverages will be provided. UMW members are to be at church at 6 PM. Our guests have such an enjoyable time that they often arrive early and we wish to have everything ready for them. Please contact Marge

MOTHER'S DAY: SUNDAY, MAY 13 Our Mother's Day booklet will be available in Church at the Sunday Service. Thank you to all who honored their beloved women by contributing names and poems and to our booklet coordinator Cyndi Pinkham and her proof reader Dolly Walker.

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The Fashion Show !

Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children, so you watch over your Church. Bless these women, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen

“My Secret Boutique” Friday the 13th turned out to be a truly ‘Lucky Night’ for “My Secret Boutique” - the Fashion Show featuring clothes from our Thrift Shop. The outfits were great-looking choices, the models really ‘professional’ in appearance and presentation, the audience very enthusiastic, the refreshments and door prizes special.....Everyone had fun ! What more could we ask? Actually, there was more - lots more! First, $125 dollars worth of clothes was sold at the close of the show!

WE WISH YOU A HAPPY MAY BIRTHDAY -Tricia Nehlsen Johnny Reddo Al Fick John P. Kessler Judy Titolo Dolly Walker Marge Wright Tom Colavito Sam D'Amato Tracy Donovan Phyllis D'Amato Marsha Baron

Secondly, as you know, ticket money collected last fall was given toward the purchase of our new choir robes. When the show was rescheduled this April, the additional ticket sales gave us the opportunity to support AIM (a non-profit group, Aiding Infants and Mothers, now part of a larger organization). AIM was initially a group raising money to support the work of Dr. Robert Scanlon, a well-known Ob/Gyn in Huntington, who has long been volunteering two months a year to travel to Jos, Nigeria. There, he trains midwives and health workers in safe deliveries and infant care - where one in ten babies dies in the first month of life.

We wish for you, a happy day For lots of love, to come your way May your heart be filled with cheer That will last through the coming year Best wishes from our hearts, sent your way Hoping that much joy be yours today This special prayer for you, we say "God Bless you on your special day."

When asked where most of his help comes from, Dr. Scanlon said, without hesitation, ‘churches’...Happily, there is now also a FedEx grant and business donations, and Girl Scout troops have made AIM a charity to support... We are happy we will be able to send AIM a check from our church for 3

SHOW YOURSELF!! Don’t be afraid! All help would be greatly appreciated. And a big THANK YOU to the Litrel family for offering to contribute food for lunch that day!

roughly $250.00 as a result of the Fashion Show tickets sold. Tons of thanks to everyone whose help made it such a fun and spirited evening! Ann Aupperle, Penny and Tom White, Kathy and John Muller and Martha Lockhart, John Titolo, Gail Stroup, Joanie Nehlsen, Carol and Art Wilson, Dotty Megna, Nancy Gamby, Mel Walker, Ginny Eichenauer.....

Our wonderful peanut butter gang did it again! Phyllis delivered 850 sandwiches on April 7th thanks to our faithful spreaders. From St Ann’s the sandwiches are distributed to the Mary Brennan Inn in Hempstead, First Methodist Church in Roosevelt, Operation Homeless, Pronto of LI, Lighthouse Mission in Patchogue, Christ Episcopal Church in Central Islip and other soup kitchens. To aid our regulars we had some helping hands from scout troops, confirmation classes and community service workers from the high school. We spent couple of hours chatting with friends while our hands busily spread peanut butter and 850 people didn't go hungry that day. This wonderful group is truly doing God's work. A big thank you to our youth group for the peanut butter and jelly that they bought with the proceeds of their “Souper bowl of caring” proceeds. Their contribution saved the day for us, but we have a continuous need for peanut butter and jelly.

...and the women and the girls who took the time to choose just the right outfits and looked so absolutely great on the runway, with music in the background and Pat Ross introducing Super Models Nancy Gamby, Donna Kopping, Maggie Hervey, Andi Kessler, Kimberly Clendenning, Penny White, Betty Carson, Margie McNeill,. Lisa Rysdyk, Ginny Eichenauer, Anne Tammaro. What a fun night! FROM THE TRUSTEES… The next church workday will be held on 5/05/07 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. This is an opportunity for everyone to come and help out. Whether the job is cleaning, painting, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, landscaping; there are many items to be taken care of and a handful of people can’t possibly accomplish it all.

We are thankful to Boy Scout troop #125, for the proceeds of their food drive. The timing was perfect, not only did they help with holiday dinners, but also extra food was there for children home from school on Easter break. What a great foundation the scout leaders are giving these young boys by teaching them to reach out to others.

There is a partial list on the bulletin board in the hall. If you notice something else that needs to be addressed, please let one of the trustees know. Also, if you see a job you can do, by all means STEP FORWARD AND

All of us are keeping the soldiers in Iraq

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and Afghanistan in our hearts and prayers. With your help we will be sending more boxes of supplies to those far from home. Let us continue to let these young men and women know that we remember them, care about them and know that they are risking their lives for our country. We will do everything we can to show our support until our prayers are answered and they all return safely home. Please see Penny or myself if you need us to shop or if you would like to contribute towards postage.

HELPFUL HINTS FOR USING OUR CHURCH FACILITIES: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

We reach out to those in need not only at holidays, but also throughout the year so please remember our food box. We are receiving more requests then in previous times and thankfully we have been able to provide what has been needed. Contact the church office or any committee member if you become aware of a need within the church or the community and we will do whatever we can with confidentiality completely assured.

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Anne Tammaro & Gail Stroup Mission Workarea

If you open it, CLOSE IT. If you turn it on, TURN IT OFF. If you unlock it, LOCK IT. If you break it, REPAIR IT. If you can’t repair it, REPORT IT. If you borrow it, RETURN IT. If you use it, DON’T ABUSE IT. If you make a mess, CLEAN IT UP. If you move it, PUT IT BACK. If you don’t know how to operate it, LEAVE IT ALONE. If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, GET PERMISSION. Please DO NOT help yourself to items in the refrigerator without permission.

Many groups and individuals use these buildings and we need to respect each other and their belongings if we expect the same courtesy.

A preacher phoned the city’s newspaper. “Thank you very much for the error you made when you announced my sermon topic for last Sunday. The topic I sent you was ‘What Jesus Saw in a Publican.’ You printed it as ‘What Jesus Saw in a Republican,’ and I had the biggest crowd of the year!” INSPIRATION...

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And the seventh thing...

The ninth...

Father’s Day Booklet Order goes here

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