COMMACK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

The Messenger June 2015

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It’s Monday morning and all I can say is thank you. In part, that’s because I’m groggy, unfocused and weary so those two simple words are all I can put together. Mondays are often like that. But really it started, as it often does, on Sunday. After worship I often find myself just thinking, saying, praying, ‘thank you.’ I’m grateful to God for the worship and for the opportunity to work with such a creative and dedicated team including the choir, our Organist Dotty, the ushers, our Administrative Assistant Mary, our readers and Mike who puts together the media for us. The synergy that happens on Sunday is amazing; the sum or whole is always greater than the parts. We all do the best we can and the worship is more than I thought it could be. But, of course, even working together, there is something more. And that something is God; known to us on Sunday through the presence of the Holy Spirit. To say it is remarkable is a great understatement. These past few weeks have been particularly memorable. Sometimes the feedback or comments I get after a ‘normal’ worship service are so uplifting. To hear people say that they were moved by the worship experience is heartening. Sometimes a person will tell me a hymn or the choir anthem brought them comfort or the prayers lifted a burden or the sermon gave them a way forward is some aspect of their lives. And I say, ‘thank you, God.’ When we have special events to celebrate it gets even better. Anyone who attended the Pentecost Sunday Service on Memorial Day weekend in the 1789 Chapel or the Confirmation/Trinity Sunday service on May 31st knows what I mean. In both of those services youth led us in worship and their presence and leadership helped us to experience God’s presence. We are grateful for the young people who bring so much to us. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you to all who gathered to worship and who, with their presence, prayers and gifts offered each other the opportunity to experience the Holy in our lives. Thank you to the Holy One, who graced us with the Divine Presence and helped us to feel gratitude. Thank you, God. Peace,

I will be on my renewal leave from Monday, June 15th – Monday, August 24th. In case of pastoral emergencies please call the office at 499-7310, our Lay Leader Mike Mallgraf at 872-6132 or our Administrative Board chairperson Matilda Gollatz at 499-6294. 486 Townline Road, Commack, NY 11725

(631) 499-7310

www.commack-umc.org

Prayer: O God, in mystery and silence you are present in our lives, bringing new life out of destruction, hope out of despair, growth out of difficulty. We thank you that your do not leave us alone but labor to make us whole. Help us to perceive your unseen hand in the unfolding of our lives, and to attend to the gentle guidance of our spirit, that we may know the joy you give to your people. Amen

June Birthdays 8th 13th 24th 27th 29th

Joan Ford Mike Hervey Doris Hoffmann Christopher Titolo Mike Theofield Florence Brooks Barbara Devine Carol Fricke Brad Kopping Elizabeth Waidlelich

May God’s many blessings be poured upon you as you celebrate your special day, and the years that follow too, as you walk with Jesus Christ.

MITTEN MINISTRY Under the tutelage of Ann Stoddard, we continue to meet every Saturday from 1-3 pm in the church parlor. If you or a friend wishes to learn how to knit or crochet, you are more than welcome to drop in. Bring along your needles or hooks if you have them, we have some yarn available.. Not only are we learning new stitches, we will provide the homeless with warm knit wear in the winter months ahead.

WHAT IS THE FAIR WORKSHOP? We are several women who enjoy hand-work and meet to sew, knit, crochet, embroider, sequin and craft items for our Church’s fall fair. We each have our own little specialty! No mass produced tchotchke found here! During the summer we will continue to meet in the RE Bldg, room #9, on Tuesdays from 10am-1pm. Feel free to join us. Just bring your ideas, talents and bag lunch! We have a huge fan to help keep us cool!

Lydia Circle The circle will meet on Wednesday, June 3rd at 10:30 am. All women are invited to attend this casual and social morning meeting. Light refreshments will be served.

A Plea For Help Our patio desperately needs some one to care. It is shoe-deep in the pine needles and weeds. It needs a person to take it under it’s wing and make it the place it was. A place to sit and converse. A place to hold a small meeting in the fresh air. A place for our Sunday morning coffee hour to expand onto. The flower bed in front of the chapel also needs a person in charge of it. There is no committee for these jobs. The landscape committee was disbanded years ago. Our trustees are overwhelmed with the workings of our buildings. It is up to us! This is our church! Please trust your heart to tell you that an hour or two a week for a place that is close to you is a worthwhile endeavor.

On May 14th, we welcomed several guests from Pilgrim State Hospital who joined us in an evening of refreshment, fellowship and song. The evening was enjoyed by all, including several of our men and our resident dogs; guess who enjoyed this doggie visit more? David and J.P. or our guests? We wish to thank all who contributed to our Mother’s Day booklet. A special big thank you goes to Mary, our administrative assistant, for compiling and printing the booklet. All proceeds will be used for UMW mission projects. We recently donated funds to the Northport VA Medical Center Veteran’s Waiting Room to provide refreshments for the veterans who are waiting to be called in to see their health providers. On June 11, at 7:30 pm, Sobana Prasad will present the program “Welcoming Diversity, Latin America.” A special guest will join us to relate her experiences; won’t you ladies also join us? Matilda Gollatz will serve as hostess for the evening.

FATHER’S DAY DEDICATIONS We will be remembering Father’s Day with a memorial/in honor booklet. A $1.00 donation for each person honored is requested. A sentiment , if desired ,of 10 words or less may be added. This application form and with your donation, may be placed in the offering plate or given to Mary in the office. No entries after June 14th

in honor of; OR in memory of; with love from; 10 or less words of dedication;

1. What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years? 2. What has four fingers and a thumb, but is not living? 3. Which word in the dictionary is spelled incorrectly? 4. What gets wet when drying? 5. I can only live where there is light, but I die if the light shines on me. What am I?

keep working on these, the answers will be in next month’s Messenger

Historian’s Corner Submitted by John Muller, Church Historian

To stay up to date visit our calendar on line; http://www.commack-umc.org/Calendar.shtml

Advertise your business in “The Messenger” In order to help defray the cost of printing and mailing, we will be including an advertising page or pages each issue. You can place an ad in our newsletter that will encourage our members to patronage your business. All ads will be business card size. Annual cost : $85 (10 issues) One time ad : $20 Over 220 If you would like to be in our next issue, please see Mary in the office to make copies a payment, and summit your ad All submissions must be finalized by the 15th of month! previous month.

McGowan Painting FREE ESTIMATES Tom McGowan [email protected]

(631) 767-8352 Residential / Commercial Interior / Exterior Wallpaper Removal / Power Washing

EED A HADYMA? POWER WASHIG SMALL JOBS MY SPECIALTY FOR SEIORS QUALITY WORK REASOABLE RATES OVER 10 YEARS EXPERIECE CALL STEVE WAIDELICH (631) 732-4186

Please Join Us for the Thrift Shoppe’s Annual Community Yard Sale June 13th 10 am- 3 pm Rain or Shine

There will be something for everyone!!

Commack United Methodist Church 486 Townline Road Commack, NY 11725

Y ar d S al e 486 Townline Road

Non Profit US Postage Paid Permit # 24 Commack, NY

* If there is any change to this address please inform the church office

If you would like to be emailed the Messenger next month (a color version!) instead of receiving a paper copy; please email Mary in the office at [email protected]