So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.
-Galatians 6:9-10
Every year when I sit down to write this report, I take the opportunity to reflect on what's taken place since the last one. It's easy to lose track of progress when you're in the middle of it, but taking a bird's eye view of a longer period of time helps to demonstrate just how far along things have - or haven't - come. And my goodness, what a year this has been!
Coming in to 2024, I invited us all to consider the legacy this church currently has, and how we might add to it in the years to come. And add to it you did, one season after another.
In the spring, a generous donation made it possible to make significant steps forward in the quality and consistency of our live streaming, putting us at the forefront of mainline churches in our region in terms of digital ministry capability. These same improvements made possible an experimental Christmas pageant which excited our youth group and even got some of their parents interested in becoming more involved at church.
In the summer, the Session paid serious attention to our aging and inefficient heating system, and agreed to a significant overhaul if funds could be raised to pay for it. Within five weeks of that decision, enough people stepped up to pledge funds to cover the quoted cost of a brand new, more efficient, lower emission propane system which is due to be installed in the coming months. About 80% of funds pledged have already been received and I am confident the remaining 20% will come through with their commitments.
In the fall, we expected two new students to join our ecumenical youth group and wound up with six, as our youth invited their friends to come and participate. I've already heard this year's crop of fifth graders discussing who they're going to rope in when it's their turn to join next year.
In the winter, this congregation rose to the challenge of providing Christmas gift cards for every family that uses the food pantry. Then you rose to the challenge again when we were asked to provide disaster relief to North Carolina. In the middle of the holiday season, when money is shortest and the list of those asking for it is longest, this church spearheaded an effort that saw our little town send over $10,000 worth of money and in-kind donations to people in need.
Not even counting the North Carolina donations, which were substantial, mission giving appears to have gone up in 2024, with you all faithfully supporting the causes we have chosen to champion.
You might think all these extra expenditures caused problems elsewhere, but the opposite has proven to be true. Even with a technological overhaul, an impromptu capital campaign, and a surprise last minute mission drawing significantly on our resources, 2024 is the first non-Covid year in over a decade when the year-end books finished in the black. We did not draw on our endowments once all year. We received a sizable one-time bequest in memory of a departed member and haven't had to touch a penny of it. In the midst of more mission activity than ever, we are quite possibly in the best financial position we've ever seen.
There is, and always will be, more work to be done. One good year does not give us license to simply rest on our laurels and trust that all years to follow will be the same. We must continue to work together to reach new heights of mission.
Still, even as we acknowledge what has yet to be done, I believe we deserve to celebrate what we have achieved in so short a time. Let us begin this year with gratitude for what we have accomplished together, and may it inspire us to remain steadfast in our commitment to the mission to which we have been called.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rev. Dr. Shea Zellweger
Every year, my daughter and I get super excited to watch the cute furry groundhog come out of his stump and tell us if we are going to have a longer winter or early spring. Every year, my daughter and I take guesses on what we would like. Usually, we both look forward to a longer winter, but last year my daughter wanted an early spring. I asked her why she changed her mind, and she told me that she was looking forward to all of the fun summer activities that we would be doing and that she was ready for the snow to go away. Last year Phil (groundhog) informed us that we would be having a longer winter, which broke my daughter’s heart. She stopped thinking he was very cute when he didn’t give her the forecast she wanted. I told her that spring and summer would be coming, and that we just have to wait a bit for it, but in her mind, winter was here to stay for the rest of the year. My husband is a fan of finding other animals that can “predict” our future weather. His favorite is Lucy the Lobster from Nova Scotia. Unfortunately, Lucy also agreed with our cute furry groundhog that we would be having a longer winter. This did not help with my very annoyed child wanting an early spring.
I giggle thinking of my daughter thinking I’m lying to her when I say, “No matter what the ground hog says, spring will still come.” How often, as adults, do we feel this way with certain stresses in our life. “Give it up to God and He will sort it out.” was something I used to roll my eyes at. No one could help me with my problems, no one will understand what I’m going through, how can God help me with these issues? When finally, I stepped back from my struggles and looked at the people around me trying to help. God wouldn’t allow me to be alone, when I felt alone. He wouldn’t let me bottle up my problems as I would vent my issues to family and friends who were concerned about my mental health. I had to take a step back, look at the bigger picture and realize, God will make sure spring will come again in my life and that winter will not last forever.
All are invited to Thursday morning Lenten meditations in the chapel beginning on March 6 at 11:00 am and continuing on Thursday mornings until Easter. This is a beautiful opportunity to contemplate in our hearts and deepen our understanding of the events leading up to Easter and the miracle of the Resurrection.
Thursday morning Lenten meditations will include:
Our Lenten meditations will last approximately 30 minutes. If you have any questions, please see Joanie or Evie.
“All of us at some time or other, need help, each of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors-in our own way each of us is a giver and a receiver.” Fred Rogers
This quote by Mr Rogers, an ordained Presbyterian minister who created and performed in the TV show “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”, got me thinking about our community and the ways we neighbors are giving and receiving.
A few examples are:
The Hammond school students donating money to our Food Pantry.
2 grants being written by Food Pantry staff-one for a new freezer and one for food to stock the shelves.
Neighbors donating enough money to purchase 55 $25 gift certificates for Christmas.
Stewart’s donating redeemable coupons for 1 gallon of milk.
Pepsi supplying juice and soda.
Neighbors joining together to be present after a friend’s last radiation treatment and being a part of the ringing of the bell ceremony.
Neighbors contributing items and money to go to Asheville, NC to help with hurricane recovery.
There are many other examples of neighbors giving and receiving. Can you bring to mind something you know has been given or received?
THANK YOU neighbor!
Our Hammond Hometown Heroes campaign is officially underway! The Hammond Historical Museum Banner Committee has set a goal to install the first group of honor banners by Memorial Day, 2025.
If you have a deceased family veteran or know a veteran who fits the project guidelines below, we need you! Grab an application by either copying from one of the online sites or a paper copy and gather the information needed so that we can hang a banner to honor our hometown heroes!
Paper applications will be available at the Hammond Historical Museum, the Town of
Hammond offices, and Hammond Central School. Online applications will be available on the following online locations: Town of Hammond website, Hammond Historical Museum website, Facebook pages for the town, the museum, Hammond Memories, and Citizen’s cable page, or you can request an application by mail at the address below.
Project Guidelines
* Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who has long term ties to the Hammond communities.
* Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who was born and raised in Hammond.
* Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who has been in the Hammond area as a seasonal resident for 30+ years
* Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who has long term connections (family) to the Hammond community
* Veteran banners will be displayed on designated NG poles in the village of Hammond, Chippewa Bay, Blind Bay, and Oak Point.
* Families who have multiple veteran members may have the option of placing two pictures per banner.
* Banners will be 24X48 inches in size at a cost of $225 which includes the banner, brackets, shipping, and installation.
* Banners are guaranteed for 3 years and after that time are returned to the family.
Applications will be open and available after January 1, 2025; banner orders deadline, including photos, and payment, will be March 1 st , 2025. The production process will take approximately one month.
Please contact us by email, hammondhometownheroes@gmail.com; or by mail at:
Veteran Banner Committee
c/o Hammond Historical Museum
P O Box 107
1A North Main Street
Hammond, NY 13646
Hammond hometown heroes
Banner project application Form
*Please complete and return to the Veteran Banner Committee, c/o Hammond Historical Museum. Sponsors/Families will be responsible for all information including accurate dates and correct spelling.
Rank:
First Name:
Last Name:
Branch of Service:
*Discharge papers, to include a DD214 or other separation papers. These papers may be obtained at archives.gov if unavailable
Era:
Eras include:
Sponsor/Family:
Photos: 150 dpi quality
Status (KIA/ POW/ MIA)
*Medals (Purple heart/ Silver Star/ Bronze Star/ Gold Star)
*We will need proof of those medals. If you require a different medal you will need to supply proof.
Other information:
Name and contact information (for any questions):
Banner price: $225 Paid: Check (payable to Hammond Hometown Heroes): Cash:
Please submit to: Veteran Banner Committee, C/o Hammond Historical Museum
P O Box 107,
1 A North Main Street
Hammond , NY 13646
Ted has arrived in North Carolina and delivered everything our community gathered to help provide relief to hurricane victims. Please watch the videos below to see the positive impact these gifts are already having on hurting communities. Thank you so much to everyone who made contributions toward this important relief effort - our town can accomplish great things when we work together toward a common cause!
For we are God's creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.
-Ephesians 2:10
It's that time of year again: Guilt Season.
The process starts with resolutions; those commitments we make to be a better version of ourselves in the year to come. For the past two months the cultural message has been buy all the presents even if you need to borrow, eat all the food, go to all the parties, and bake all the holiday cookies. But now the calendar has flipped, and the message has too. Now we need to eat better, lose weight, stop smoking and drinking, get a better job, get organized, get smart with money, floss, and learn another language.
Studies show that most of these resolutions will be "broken" within 45 days of the New Year. I imagine that has something to do with the fact that many people resolve to give up chocolate, alcohol, eating out, and overspending, and the 45th day of the year is Valentine's Day. But whatever the reason, over the next month and a half many people will make resolutions, not follow through on them, then feel the guilt of having "failed."
There's nothing wrong with resolutions. Setting intentions for self care and self improvement is a positive thing, and sometimes our efforts bear fruit. The problem comes when we place negative moral value on the attempts which come up short, and the guilt which accompanies our perceived failures.
If you've fallen into the cycle of resolution, guilt, and feelings of failure, let me just offer this: Attempts at self-improvement may not always be successful, but they can never truly be called failures. You made an effort. Maybe it didn't get the results you wanted. Maybe you didn't follow through with the level of commitment and discipline you'd intended. But you gave it a try, and that should be a cause for celebration, not guilt.
So go for it. Make resolutions. Make them big and bold and borderline impossible if that's what motivates you. Or make them simple and achievable if that's what works. If you accomplish your goal, celebrate the achievement. If you come up short, celebrate the experience. If you decide it's not for you, give it up and celebrate the self-discovery. Don't let the season of guilt get in the way of your own journey of self care and personal growth.
Blessings,
Pastor Shea
It’s been a few years since I’ve had my hair cut. My hair is getting to the length that makes me frustrated. It’s too long for me to have cute up-dos, but not long enough for me to do anything creative with my hair. Not that I have the patience to do anything creative to my hair, but it’s always a nice thought in the back of my mind that maybe I’ll do something snazzy and surprise my husband, which he might not even notice anyways. So, in my eyes, I am extremely overdue for a haircut. My daughter has never gotten her haircut before, and surprisingly she has asked if we can cut her hair as well. She’s 9 years old and has never had her hair cut, so this is a big step for her. She has talked about donating her hair once it is cut, and I support her in this idea. When did my little girl start having such big people ideas? I am very proud of her decision.
As a parent, there have been certain situations that my kids have been put into, where I have to sit on the sidelines and watch which path they are going to take. If it’s a wrong path, of course I am there to correct it, but mostly, I’m hoping that they continue to be good people in this world. I know God has watched over me with certain situations I’ve been put into, and when I’ve taken the wrong path, He's always found a way to get me back where I need to be. These past few months, I’ve felt like God has been watching me constantly. I’ve struggled to continue to do the right thing, but that’s when He goes to work. As I struggle, I’ve had people randomly call me to talk, I’ve been checked on while I try to submerse myself into work, and I’ve been hugged and shown love when I’ve been stand offish. I was given amazing advice and pointed in the direction of happiness and love. I knew that my struggle wasn’t just mine, because God was right there, proud of my decisions and making sure I had everyone’s support. I only hope that if someone is out there struggling with something in their life, to know, God will bring you love and support, and I’m proud of you too.
The first date Jocie and I ever went on was to see the touring production of Spamalot in Boston. I scored $20 tickets, which turned out to be box seats, and that was pretty much enough for two theatre nerds to fall in love. And while we’ve never managed to get another steal on box seats, we’ve returned to many shows over the years, including me taking her to see Wicked at the Gershwin for her 21st birthday.
And now I’m torn. You see, Wicked is now a movie. Well, more accurately, half of Wicked is now a movie. The film playing right now is part 1, which is more or less act 1 of the show, with part/act 2 to follow in November of 2025. The ten minute intermission on Broadway was one thing, but a full year before finishing the story creates quite the dilemma… will the wait be easier if we hold off until we can see the whole story in one sitting? Or will act 1 be satisfying enough to tide us over until act 2 premiers?
Of course this had to happen just before the Advent season, when thoughts of anticipation and expectant waiting are already front of mind. Many people think of Advent as a sort of “countdown to Christmas.” And on its face, it is. But it’s so much more than that. When we sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” we are recalling the struggles of the people of Israel, and the hope they placed in the longed-for arrival of their Messiah - their anointed savior. At the same time, we as Christians declare our belief that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the prophesied Messiah, whose return we are awaiting. Christmas might be the immediate object of our desire, but that’s just an easier to grasp symbol of the much greater thing that is to come.
And in this, I have no choice. Act 1 of the Jesus story took place long before I was born. I don’t get to decide whether to wait until act 2 is imminent. Instead I, along with all of you, exist in the intermission, relying on the hope of the first part of the story to sustain, satisfy, and inspire me, until the conclusion finally comes.
Come, thou long-expected Jesus
born to set thy people free.
From our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Advent Blessings,
Pastor Shea
For our Christmas mission this year we are participating in a North Carolina project to help residents around the Asheville area recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Ted Elk is part of a network of shed haulers and has started a project in Hammond to take aid to some of the devastated areas around Asheville. He will deliver 2 10’ by 20’ sheds donated by riverbay too and associates of Hammond. He is also reaching out to community members to help supply some needed items such as bottled water, nonperishable foods that require no prep such as canned strews, and some varieties of Chef Boyardee type foods, gently used mattresses and linens, and monetary donations to defray travel expenses to deliver the items. Ted wants to load donated items on December 6 so the last day to drop off donations is December 5. He plans to travel on December 9. The Hammond Presbyterian Church dining room has become a drop off place for donations. You will see donations already dropped off in the back of the room. If you have gently used mattresses, you can make arrangements with Ted to pick them up by calling 315 382 2909.
The December food distribution is December 19. We are still seeking donations to purchase Christmas gift cards for our Food Pantry families.
Donations:
Hammond Food Pantry
P.O. Box 193
Hammond, New York 13646
Indicate Christmas gift cards
Hammondpresbyterian.org
Click on “Give Now”
Option to designate gift for the Hammond Food Pantry
reminder to bring love gifts for our church family in nursing homes and shut-ins. We have 8 this year and the youth group will bring them around while caroling. Please bring your gifts by December 8th so we can prepare them before the deadline.
The other night my husband caught me watching one of those sappy Hallmark Movies that take place during Christmas time. Usually, it’s a guy and a girl that hate each other in the beginning of the movie, but something usually happens that brings them together, the fall in love either on Christmas eve or Christmas day and you’re left with this feeling of knowing, that will never be your life, but you wouldn’t change anything for the world. So, I’m watching one of these movies and the couple write articles for a magazine and they are talking about how they read each other’s articles, which makes me quickly whip around to my husband, who has walked into the room at the very wrong moment and I ask, “Hey, what’s your favorite newsletter article that I have ever written?” Panic has officially set into my poor husband as he scrambles to say, “Uhhh the one where you end the story talking about your relationship with God.” They always end that way. I start giggling as he continues to panic. We quickly start joking around about other things, to change the topic, but I would still sit there giggling to myself.
I know that life is not like a Hallmark Movie. If anything, I think God has been having a good chuckle on how I’ve been handling these last few months with all the chaos that has been coming my way. I wonder if He gets a giggle when I start to panic like the episode of, ‘I Love Lucy’ where she can’t keep up with wrapping the chocolate candies that are coming down the line to her. I’m okay with living the ‘I Love Lucy’ life though. I have a great family, I have a husband who loves me, I have a mouthful of chocolates, and I wouldn’t trade any of that to live the Hallmark Movie life. I will happily continue to be a source of giggles for God and of course, everyone else. Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you receive lots of giggles this holiday season.
The Hammond Historical Museum with the support of the Town and Village of Hammond is embarking on a Veteran Honor Banner Project. A committee has been organized and will be reaching out to family members of deceased veterans in our town to gather interest and information about our area's veterans. Our goal is to hang honor banners in the Village of Hammond, as well as in the hamlets of Chippewa Bay, Blind Bay, and Oak Point. Project Guidelines * Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who has long term ties to the Hammond communities. * Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who was born and raised in Hammond. * Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who has been in the Hammond area as a seasonal resident for 30+ years * Any deceased honorably discharged veteran who has long term connections (family) to the Hammond community * Veteran banners will be displayed on designated NG poles in the village of Hammond, Chippewa Bay, Blind Bay, and Oak Point. * Families who have multiple veteran members may have the option of placing two pictures per banner. * Banners will be 24X48 inches in size at a cost of $225 which includes the banner, brackets, shipping, and installation. * Banners are guaranteed for 3 years and after that time are returned to the family. Applications will be open and available after January 1, 2025; banner orders, including photos, and payment deadline will be March 1st, 2025. The production process will take approximately one month, and our goal is to install the first group of banners by Memorial Day, 2025. If you are interested in getting involved in this community project or know of families with veterans in the area who have ties to the Hammond communities, please contact us by email, or by mail at: Veteran Banner Committee c/o Hammond Historical Museum P O Box 107 IA North Main Street Hammond, NY 13646 Paper applicationswill be available at the Hammond Historical Museum and the Town of Hammond offices. Online applicationswill be available on the following online locations: Town of Hammond website, Hammond Historical Museum website, Facebook pages for the town and the museum, Citizen's cable page, or you can request an application by mail at the above address. The committee members Ted Elk Jennifer McGregor Linda Schnittger Marcia Thompson-Amyot
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
-Hebrews 12:1
On October 14, 2018, Archbishop Oscar Romero was canonized; acknowledged formally by the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Oscar, the first martyred American Archbishop, and the first Salvadoran to be canonized. T
Sainthood in the Roman church is a complex thing. If you go looking for the Catholic definition of "saint," you will probably find something along the lines of "a saint is anyone in heaven." This includes humans and angels. If you dig deeper, you might find a list of saints and discover that fewer than 10,000 people have ever been canonized. You might then reasonably ask whether the Vatican teaches there are fewer than 10,000 people who have gone to heaven, and be a little befuddled to learn that the answer is no.
Canonical sainthood is not about maintaining a roll call of all the people ever who've gone to heaven. It is, rather, a list of people who the Holy See claims to be absolutely certain are in heaven. Because of their "heroic virtue" and some miraculous evidence after their deaths, the Vatican says the people on that list are not sitting around waiting in purgatory, but have been welcomed into the communion of saints.
This, I think, is the most common understanding of what sainthood is - it's something bestowed on people so holy that their salvation is evident to all.
In the Protestant world, things are a bit different. For one, we have no doctrine of - nor belief in - purgatory, so the question of whether someone's done enough post-death penance doesn't factor into our calculations.
More importantly, though, we believe that salvation is not something earned with the works we create in life or in death. Salvation, rather, comes only by God's grace working in us through the faithfulness of Jesus. It is not we who earn our place among the saints. It is Christ who has done so on our behalf. And Christ's "heroic virtue" is sufficient to cover us all.
On November 3, which is All Saints Sunday, we will light candles in honor of those who have died since All Saints Day 2023. And we will do so with the confidence of knowing that every name we read is already numbered among the saints of the church, and has been welcomed into God's rest. No miraculous evidence required.
All Saints Blessings,
Pastor Shea
Hammond Food Pantry
Jen Gardner, Director 315 324 5940
Diane Ayotte, Emergency Food and Treasurer 315 775 3557
Judy Hays, Food Sense 315 528 9067
2024 Dates
October 24
November 21
December 19
Donations
Hammond Food Pantry
PO Box 193
Hammond,New York 13646
Hammondpresbyterian.org
Click on “Give Now”
Option to designate gift for the Hammond Food Pantry
My daughter is getting old enough where there are tougher questions being asked and some days, I don’t have an answer. This morning, I was explaining to my daughter that daylight savings ended on Sunday, and we get an extra hour of sleep. “So, what time will I be waking up in the morning?” she asks me. “You’ll still be waking up at 7am, but I get to change the clocks back Saturday evening which means we get an extra hour of sleep.” I told her. “But, if I’m still waking up at the same time, the how do I get to sleep an extra hour?” she asked again. She and I continued our discussion while we had breakfast. I don’t know if she will understand it until I show her what happens on Sunday morning, but I remember not understanding daylight savings until I was older also.
Learning can be a challenge some days. There are days where I’m wondering what lesson God has picked for me to learn. Is it to be patient when I feel overwhelmed? Is it to forgive someone who has hurt me? Is it to love more when love is at a minimum? I may not be the best student in Gods classroom, but I can only hope to continue the discussion in prayer with God as my daughter does with me. I might not understand at all what is going on or why it is happening, but I know that in a few days, I will understand what is happening when it shows itself to me.
"When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and the resident foreigner. I am the Lord your God.’”
When I was about ten years old, my mom and I went to a fast food place together. After I ate my food, I told her I was still hungry, and asked if I could get more food. She agreed and, instead of going back up to the counter to order with me, she handed me money to pay for myself, along with a clear set of instructions. "You can get what you want, and use this to pay for it, but there's a rule when you come here with me: If you get any coins back in your change, you have to put them in the donation box."
That was my introduction to gleaning.
In the biblical passages about it, the focus is on not being too precious with your harvest: don't go back over your fields with a fine-toothed comb to get every last grain of wheat; don't fastidiously make sure even the tiny corners are harvested; instead, do an adequate job of harvesting, take what you get on the first pass, and let those in need have what remains. What was left behind - the gleanings - would be enough to feed some of the neediest people in your village for the winter, and would factor very little, if at all, in your net harvest.
It's a great system for an agrarian society to look out for its most vulnerable members. It's also something that, if taken literally, really doesn't apply to the 98% of Americans who are not farmers.
As we enter into the traditional harvest season for our region, I am inviting us all to reimagine what harvest - and gleaning - look like in our society. This month I invited the children of our congregation to bring in jars of their favorite "sandwich spreads" (peanut butter, jelly, jam, sun butter, honey, fluff, etc) as a representation of the harvest, and to place a dollar under each jar as a representation of leaving the gleanings. The spreads and the money will of course all go to our food pantry when harvest season is over.
It's a great start, but we don't have to stop there. Here are a few other ways we could practice a modern twist on gleaning.
-Pay for things in cash and keep the change in a jar or bucket. When it's full, convert that change to bills and donate it to a worthy cause.
-Say "yes" when asked if you want to round up your order for whatever cause the local business is supporting.
-Take advantage of "buy one, get one free" sales and donate the free item.
-Participate in harvest recovery efforts through the National Gleaning Project (nationalgleaningproject.org).
-Cook too much food for your family and share the excess with a neighbor in need.
-Find your nearest Little Free Library or Little Free Pantry and make a donation (or, if there isn't one nearby, maybe be the one to start it!)
This is a short list, and surely not comprehensive. I invite you to consider ways you might add to it, and share them with others. I'd love to be able to revisit this in a few months with a report of all the ways our church family practiced gleaning, and found abundance in that which was previously overlooked. Happy harvest season.
Blessings,
Pastor Shea
In our September newsletter we reached out to you to be a part of raising money to purchase Christmas gift cards for our Food Pantry families. To make this a reality we decided to make a second request in this newsletter.
We currently serve between 35 and 50 families each month: 104 children, 116 adults and 30 Seniors. The HFP obtains the largest portion of food through the Food Bank of Central New York in Syracuse. By buying food in bulk, it reduces the cost. The HFP also receives free food which is often government or surplus food. People in our community also donate food. The HFP spends between $1,000 and 2,500 monthly. Local donations from our community cover the cost of monthly purchases to keep the shelves stocked. Thank you to our faithful donors.
Last Christmas we were not able to offer Christmas gift cards because we were not able to raise enough money to cover the project. We need at least $1,250 beyond our monthly expenses. Please join us to make this happen.
Hammond Food Pantry
Jen Gardner, Director 315 324 5940
Diane Ayotte, Emergency Food and Treasurer 315 775 3557
Judy Hays, Food Sense 315 528 9067
2024 Dates
October 24
November 21
December 19
Donations
Hammond Food Pantry
PO Box 193
Hammond,New York 13646
Hammondpresbyterian.org
Click on “Give Now”
Option to designate gift for the Hammond Food Pantry
The other morning, my daughter was telling me as we were walking to school, that the tummy bug was going around school again. Last year, in early spring, I received a phone call from school that my daughter’s stomach wasn’t feeling well and that a lot of kids in school was having the same issues and all being sent home. I was on my way to the store when I got the call, so I quickly turned around and headed back to the school. As I was waiting for my sweet little girl to come out, I heard a child in the hallway getting sick. I didn’t realize at that moment that it was my child. So, when I was buzzed in by the office secretary, I quickly came to the aid of my sick little girl. The rest of the week was a bit of a blur, because my husband got sick a day and a half later, and I got sick shortly after that. My son hid in his room, wanting nothing to do with anyone in the house. He came out to grab food (which he brought back to his room because he didn’t want to be around any of us.) and go to the bathroom. One night, my son (please remember, he is diagnosed with Autism so there are times when I have to walk him through certain processes) said to me, “Mommy, I’m hungry for some supper. Can I have pizza?” Knowing there was left over pizza in the refrigerator, I knew I had to walk him through what he needed to do, so I said, “Okay bud, get the pizza out of the fridge. Then put the pizza on a plate, then….” He interrupts me saying “Mommy, what number on the microwave do I have to press. I know all the other stuff.”
It was at that point that I knew God was giving me a break. Everyone, except my son, was so sick in the house. My husband would try to get up and make us toast, I would try to get up and make sure everyone had enough water to try to stay hydrated, and God was helping to take care of my son. Because in that moment of my son being frustrated with me not cutting to the chase, I realized God was giving me a break. It’s those little things that happen that we might overlook that we need to stop and realize that God is at work.
We are collecting items for Church World Service School Kits. These kits will be sent to CWS for distribution anywhere where there are children who do not have the basic materials to succeed in school. Each kit consists of the following: Three spiral bound, 70-page notebooks, one handheld pencil sharpener, 6 unsharpened pencils with erasers, one large eraser, one pair of blunt scissors, one 12-inch ruler, one box of 24 crayons. If you choose to donate several of one item, these will then be combined with other donations to complete the kits. This project will be ongoing for another month, so there is lots of time to take advantage of all the back-to-school sales going on. Let’s help all those eager students who will benefit from your help. There is a donation box in the dining room and lists of items on the back table at church. Many thanks for your generosity.
"proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage with the utmost patience in teaching."
-2 Timothy 4:2
There's a truth universally agreed upon among those who raise livestock: your animals will always pick the worst possible time to give birth. The coldest day of the year; the middle of the night in a blizzard; or, as I experienced earlier this month, out in the pasture as tropical storm Debbie floods your already wet land. Finding a calf bedded down in a puddle and carrying her to the barn before the water level submerges her nostrils was not on my to do list at the beginning of the day, but I had to be ready for it just the same.
The author of Second Timothy tells us to be persistent in sharing Christ's message "whether the time is favorable or unfavorable. Much like with livestock, my experience has been it's unfavorable far more often than not. People rarely begin a conversation with "you're religious, right?" when everything's going well and they're content. Far more often it's in the wake of tragedy, at a time of great divisiveness, or when they've just been exposed to a negative representation of Christianity.
While these seem like the least favorable times to be invited to talk about our faith, they are nearly as inevitable as calving in a blizzard. Are you prepared for them? How do you respond when someone asks you to explain why Christianity is right for you?
Blessings,
Pastor Shea
As I write this, it is the week before Labor Day and many of the summer activities have ended or are winding down. As I go into the fall, I often feel as if it is time to get down to work and do all the things that I put off doing during the summer hustle. One of the areas of concern is planning to raise enough money to be able to offer Hammond Food Pantry (HFP) families a Christmas gift.
This summer 2 concerts in the Yellow Barn Concert Series were held to benefit our food pantry. At one of them, Jen Gardner, the HFP director, offered some statistics.
She reported that we currently serve between 35 and 50 families each month: 104 children, 116 adults, and 30 Seniors. The HFP obtains the largest portion of food through the Food Bank of Central New York in Syracuse. Food purchased in bulk helps reduce the cost. The HFP also receives free food which is often surplus or government food as well as food donated by people in our community. To keep the shelves stocked, the HFP spends between $1,000 and 2,500 monthly and it is our donations that make these purchases possible.
Last Christmas we wanted to offer each family unit a $25 Christmas gift card, but we didn’t start looking for donations early enough and could not raise enough money to cover the project. The cost of 50 $25 gift certificates is $1, 250 beyond the monthly cost of keeping the shelves stocked.
Please consider donating money to help us provide a Christmas bonus for our Food Pantry families.
Hammond Food Pantry
2024 Dates
July 25 October 24
August 29 November 21
September 26 December 19
Donations:
Hammond Food Pantry
PO Box 193
Hammond, NY 13646
Hammondpresbyterian.org
- Click on “Give Now”
- Option to designate gift for the Hammond Food Pantry
Well hello again my favorite reader, I know I have taken some time off from writing, but it’s nothing to be worried about. Life became extremely busy, and I needed to catch up with myself before I could dedicate some time to the newsletter like I have done in the past. Between my kids’ schedules becoming increasingly busy, working in the Hammond office, working in the Presbytery office, taking care of my home and my pets, I’ve had little time to care for myself. I know you all understand my position, because I know you all have had busy times where certain things get neglected and when you finally get back to it, you realize just how much you were missed. I appreciate the love and concerns people have shown me when asking “Where have you been? You stopped writing in the newsletter.” I’m still here and I’ve been celebrating several anniversaries that I want to share with you. Back in July, I celebrated my 8-year anniversary being you administrative assistant here at Hammond Presbyterian Church, a couple weeks ago we celebrated my sons 10 year anniversary with being diagnosed with Autism, and the other day I celebrated my 2 year anniversary as the Stated Clerk of Northern New Presbytery. As I said before, I’ve been busy.
I’m a big fan of saying, “God and I have an understanding. He gives me chaos, I go insane, people worry, everything works out.” These past few years God has tested me with several chaotic situations and events. I’ve screamed, cried, laughed, gasped, and jumped for joy during some of these chaotic events that have been thrown in my direction. It just shows that every day is another day to learn something about yourself and that God thinks you are capable of. There have been a few moments where I know I felt I wasn’t as strong as God thinks that I am, but then again, here I am, still pushing forward and ready for the next adventure. I hope that whatever test God is putting you through right now is full excitement and joy.
We are collecting items for Church World Service School Kits. These kits will be sent to CWS for distribution anywhere where there are children who do not have the basic materials to succeed in school. Each kit consists of the following: Three spiral bound, 70-page notebooks, one handheld pencil sharpener, 6 unsharpened pencils with erasers, one large eraser, one pair of blunt scissors, one 12-inch ruler, one box of 24 crayons. If you choose to donate several of one item, these will then be combined with other donations to complete the kits. This project will be ongoing for another month, so there is lots of time to take advantage of all the back-to-school sales going on. Let’s help all those eager students who will benefit from your help. There is a donation box in the dining room and lists of items on the back table at church. Many thanks for your generosity.