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From Pastor’s Desk: When it comes to the evaluation of a church, one of the most important criteria is the “potential” of the church. One of my close friends recently finished his 6 year term as an Air Force Chaplain and was looking for a church to serve. Out of several churches he interviewed, two churches extended the call for him. One is a large Korean church with 500 members in Raleigh, NC, and the other church is rather a small Korean church with 80 members in Washington DC. We all thought he would take the church in Raleigh, because that church is well established and renown among the Korean community. However, to our surprise, he took the calling from this small congregation in Washington DC. When I asked him why, he told me that although everything is better with the Raleigh church, the small church in DC has “more potential.” “Potential.” What a great word! A church without potential does not have a vision. God is doing new things all the time. In a big scale and a little scale, in a high level and a low level, in community or in personal life, God is doing new things. Potential means openness to God’s new plans. Potential means the willingness to follow the vision God provides. Potential means flexibility to amend our ways and take a new way that God shows us. Potential is truly a wonderful quality that a church must have, and I believe God has given Bay Road family a lot of potential. Yes, we are a small church of 130 people. Yes, we have many areas where we need to improve. We have several weaknesses we definitely need to have strengthen, but we have a lot of potential to fulfill God’s calling for us as His household. Just to name of few, I see these potentials from the humble leadership of the elders, strong passion among the deacons, diligent service of the Mission & Outreach Committee, and faithful care of the trustees. I also see the great potential for the future from the bright eyes of our children both young and old, and I also experience the potential from the prayer ministries of many people. The list goes on and it will take a while to list all the people and ministry that I see the great potential from. Despite the importance of “potential,” we need to realize one thing. No matter how great the potential is, it will always remain as “potential” unless we develop it. Unless we activate and nurture it, potential is nothing but potential. Stale potential does not bear any fruit. Undeveloped potential does not have solidity. Unfruitful potential leads us nowhere. I am happy to witness the many potentials of Bay Road Church, it is beginning to bud in various corners of our church. New ideas are discussed and tested, more people are involved in different ministries, and new changes are taking places. Slowly yet certainly, you will see some changes and improvement in our church in the coming future. [I won’t mention specifics of these changes here, because different committees and ministries are working very hard to bring those good changes] I believe these transitions are healthy changes. However, they will require the involvement and help from all of us. For we are the members of the same body. When a body walks, talks, work out or even rest, ALL its members work together to support the body, and ALL its members will rejoice together when the body grows and stays healthy. Let’s remind ourselves that we belong to this great body of our Lord who in His great love gave His all for us.
“God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:24-27)
Session News October News of the Session
A meeting of the session of the Bay Road Presbyterian Church was held on Tuesday, September 11, 2007, in Anderson Hall, with dinner at 6:00 and the regular business meeting at 6:30 pm. The minutes of the meeting are posted for all to read outside the Youth room. The Sacrament of Holy Communion was observed on September 2, 2007, at the church. The communion was brought to Bill and Florence Seibert at their home in Queensbury, Frankie Waite at Stanton’s Nursing Home, Chris Henneke at her home in Queensbury and Ruth Smith at her home in Lake George on August 31, 2007 and was served by Pastor Sung Hee Lee and Elder Debbie Collin . October is Pastor Appreciation month. The session has also designated October to be volunteer month. Each Sunday in October, a different committee will have Balloons and church mugs attached to their clipboards. When you sign up you get a free mug with a balloon. Volunteering just feels good ! It helps us to focus on using our time and talents for Jesus. Let us think of it as a gift to Pastor Sung Hee Lee; in appreciation for all He does. Pastor Sung Hee Lee requested to take two weeks of his vacation for the year to visit Korea for his Mother’s burial. He will leave on October 15 and return Sunday October 28, 2007. Steve Collins and Esther Lee have agreed to preach in his absence. We send our heartfelt blessings, travel mercies and prayers with Pastor Sung as he takes this journey to bring his mom to her resting place. Safe journey Sung- God’s speed.
The Personnel Committee is in the process of hiring a new person for the nursery on Sunday mornings.
A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the Fall cleaning of our church. It was very noticeable inside and out; even the lights in the sanctuary were brighter! A job well done. As I tell the kids in school, give yourself a HUG! You all did a GREAT JOB!
“ We can do whatever God wants us to do if we depend on His power to do it.” Our Daily Bread
DEACON’S CORNER The Board of Deacons met Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007 at Janice Kingsley’s house.
Treasurer reported a balance on hand, as of 9/6/07, of $3,312.94. Communion elements were prepared by a Deacon for July, August, and September. Cards were sent to church members to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and to offer get-well wishes. Flowers were sent to 6 church members and to two memorial services, held at our church. Hospital visits were made to three members. Telephone calls were made by a Deacon to three members and a friend of the church. Meals were arranged for a church member for a week, after surgery. Thank-you cards were received by the Deacons from 6 people. Dry Lock was applied to the basement walls of a church member. Deacons did errands and set up meds for the mother of a church member. Deacons will purchase a tree for Pastor Lee and his family in memory of his mother.
The next Deacon’s meeting will be October 2, 2007, at 7 p.m. at the home of Janice Kingsley. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Trustee’s Newsletter October 2007 The Trustees power washed the vinyl siding on the outside of the building. Several wasp nests were destroyed around the outside of the building. Some ceiling tiles were repaired and several radiator covers were re-attached and straightened out.
Finance Report from Church Treasurer
2008 Gulf Coast Mission Trip The Bay Road Presbyterian Church will be sending mission teams to the Gulf Coast in March 2008 to continue rebuilding homes and lives devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This will be the third year of the mission and we will be taking 60 team members from our church, and other churches in the community and Albany Presbytery. Groups of twenty volunteers will serve 3 consecutive weeks, March 8-15, March 15-22 (Holy Week) and March 22-29 (March 23 is Easter). We are excited about working and worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ on the Gulf Coast during Lent. The teams will be working with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (www.pcusa/pda/), and serving in Pearlington, LA. At this point approximately 10% of the rebuilding following the hurricanes has been completed. Many families received only $5200 from FEMA with which to rebuild; home owner insurance policies might have covered some of the wind damage (roofs), but generally not water damage (everything else). Therefore we will try to raise as much money as possible to secure the building materials necessary to get families back into their homes. In 2007, we provided over $8000 toward that end, in addition to the work of our 42 volunteers. Each team will fly into New Orleans, and use rental vans for ground transportation. Team members are responsible for their own airfare, room and board, and personal spending money. Last year’s expenses were about $500/person. The teams will camp in the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance volunteer village, on cots in plasticized cardboard huts, with latrines, showers and a field kitchen. Fundraising will cover the rental of the vans, and hopefully lots of building materials. The first organizational meeting for the 2008 mission team will be Tuesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. at the church. Any interested adults (we need folks with construction skills as well as people who can help here in Queensbury with fundraising, bookkeeping, communication etc.) are invited to attend. A limited number of teens, 16 years of age and older, may go under the supervision of a parent or mentor. Until December 1, 2007 members of the Bay Road Presbyterian Church and former Gulf Coast team members will be given priority in joining the 2008 team. Because members of other churches are very interested in being a part of this mission, we will not be able to guarantee a place on the team after that date.
In His adventure,
Marcia Etu, Team Leader 2008 Gulf Coast Mission Trip (518) 798-8821
* Choir members to provide a special musical offering for the two dates listed below: Sunday Dec.2 Christmas Eve
* Person(s) willing to organize and direct the choir for those dates.
If interested: Please see a member of the Worship Committee (Tim Engwer, Sharon Meinrenken, Caroline LaRose, Jackie Tyner, George Knapp, Diana Berrigan, Jan Kenyon)
News from Worship Committee
Since worship is central to our Christian life, the worship committee has recently taken a serious look at our worship service. To prepare for our September 24th meeting, we each had to consider the theological and practical reasons for each item in our order of worship. (A very interesting exercise – you should try it!) Considered also were suggestions from members of the congregation. As a result, two changes will be made on a trial basis starting Nov. 4 and continuing through Advent: The “Passing of the Peace” will happen after the sermon but before the benediction. Instead of alternating the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer will be said each Sunday after the prayer of confession. The affirmation of faith will consist of various creeds and confessions of faith.
Caroline LaRose, reporter for Worship Committee
CHUCKLE CORNER KIDS IN CHURCH…
A boy was watching
his father, a pastor, write a sermon. "How do you know what to say?" he asked.
A mother was teaching her three-year-old the Lord's prayer. For several evenings at bedtime she repeated it after her mother. One night she said she was ready to solo. The mother listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer. "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some E-mail, Amen."
Church bulletin bloopers:
The District Duperintendent will be meeting with the church boared. • As soon as the weather clears up, the men will have a goof outing. • Fifth Sinday is Lent. • Thank you, dead friends. • Diana and Don request your presents at their wedding. • Lent is a period for preparing for Holy Weed and Easter. • Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget all His benefits. • For the word of God is quick and powerful . . . piercing even to the dividing asunder of soup and spirit. • Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peach to men. • Definition: Persons who are shut-in during bath weather. • Bring one dozen coolies wrapped for Christmas. • Volunteers are needed to spit up food. • Head Deacon and Dead Deaconess • We pray that our people will jumble themselves.
Church Member Professions Page Welcome to our Church Member Professions Page! This page is available to church members who would like to share their business/store/profession information. This is a great resource for utilizing our church members’ professions. Everyone is welcome to participate, send your information, business cards, etc. to the church office by email at bayroadchurch@adelphia.net or drop off in the church office. If you have any questions please call the church office, 793-8541.
Melissa Bramlage SaraBear ™Company Keeping Them Within Reach™ diaper caddies . baby gift solutions www.SaraBearBaskets.com
George S. Knapp, DO McGregor Medical 520 Maple Ave., Saratoga Springs (Rt. 9 Town of Wilton, 1 m. North of Saratoga Springs) 583-4268
Janice Holding Explore! Learn * Play * Discover Touch tank w/sea creatures, four-story climbing loft, 16 ft. water table, birthday parties, ball coaster, story times, arts & crafts, toddler area, pirate ship, castle...and more! 103 Warren St., Glens Falls ExploreInGlensFalls.com Open M-F 9-5 Sat 10-5 (starting this month—Sun 12-5)
John & Sharon Meinrenken New Horizon’s Rubber Stamp Co. 15 Thomas Street Queensbury, NY 12804 E-Mail: johnmein@verizon.net Our Company is a manufacturing company, we actually produce the stamp, not just buy and resell it with a markup. We make all kinds of stamps, such self inking, regular, notary, signature, and of course Daters. Please pass this information onto the person that orders office supplies for your company, and if they are interested in buying locally at very competitive prices, hopefully they will contact me.
SUNDAY MORNING MINISTRIES/ October 2007
Greeters 7 N/A 14 N/A 21 Colleen Russell 28 N/A
Ushers 7 Rodger & Chris, Andy H. 8 Andy H. , Lou 21 Lou & Colleen, Ed & Emily 28 Ed & Emily, Doug K.
Coffee Hour Tithe Counters 7 volunteers needed 7 Lou Russell, Wil Wiesner 14 Colleen Russell 14 Linda Auffredou, Diana Berrigan 21 volunteers needed 21 Chip Collin, Pat Hart 28 volunteers needed 28 LouAnn Holt, Janice Holding
OPEN DOOR MINISTRY (Wed., October 10th at 4:30 pm) The Open Door Ministry is located on South Street in Glens Falls. BRC serves the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The sign up sheet is posted in Anderson Hall on the bulletin board if you are interested in serving. Remember to bring 3 gallons of milk (one each). Thank you to those who volunteered last month: Ellen Pezzi, Eileen Cummings, Steve & Marcia Collins
God Bless You on Your Special Day... OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS 1 Brian Carr 2 Chloe Knapp 5 Charles Bridenbaker 11 Andy Holding 11 Matt McDowell 14 Jacob Durkin 15 Canaan Tyner 15 Matthew Simpson, Jr. 15 Erica (Meinrenken) Sutliff 17 Landry Shannon 23 Melissa Bramlage 25 Lou Ann Holt 29 Johnathon Newton October Anniversaries 19 Rodger & Chris Henneke 19 John & Janet Murphy
BIRTHDAY & ANNIVERSARY LIST If you have a birthday or anniversary to add to our list please call the church office or leave a note in the newsletter editor’s mailbox in the church office.
Deadline for the November |
