"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.
"Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person[m] will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up."
-Galatians 6:7-9
"One must imagine Sisyphus happy"
-Albert Camus
This past month I had the unfortunate honor of leading the memorial service for Ilene, the Executive Director of Renewal House, one of our mission partners. I read this passage from Galatians as a reflection on her tireless commitment to providing support and resources to those who had been impacted by domestic violence, work which I referred to at one point as "a Sisyphean task."
For those unfamiliar, Sisyphus is a character from Greek myth who was punished by the gods to an eternal fate of trying to roll a boulder up a mountain only to have it roll back down just before he crested the peak. "Sisyphean," by extension, has come to refer to any labor which seemingly has no end and is, or feels, futile.
The hard labor of caring for others in times of need or struggle is definitely something that has no end. Indeed, the more you do, the more you become aware of what still needs to be done, and sometimes you're left wondering if what you've done has mattered at all.
Which is where Albert Camus's essay The Myth of Sisyphus comes in. It's an excellent (and, at only 23 pages, comparatively brief) philosophical reflection on the absurdities of human existence. I recommend you read it if you haven't, but I'm about to spoil the ending either way. Camus ultimately concludes that it is possible for Sisyphus to find joy in his endless task if he can but let go of the false notion that there is something else he could be doing. And, since the myth tells us that Sisyphus was the wisest of all men, Camus argues he surely would have done so. Therefore, one must imagine Sisyphus happy.
Maybe that doesn't land with you. Absurdism is not everybody's cup of tea. I think, though, that many people who faithfully give themselves over to the work of doing good, no matter how futile it may seem, recognize that on some level, they really can't do otherwise.
Besides, unlike Sisyphus and his rock, the work of doing good is not meaningless. As people came forward at that memorial, one after another, to share just how much of an impact Ilene had on their lives. She may not have put an end to domestic violence in St Lawrence county, but she gave women and children new and better lives, inspired the careers choices of lawyers and advocates, built lasting connections between likeminded organizations, and much, much more.
I'm sure there were days Ilene questioned whether there was any point to what she was doing. But the fact that she kept at it for as long as she did tells me she is one who managed to find joy in the knowledge that this was simply who she was, and she could not do otherwise. And I hope that I, and you, and everyone might one day find that the work of doing what is good comes so naturally to us that we cannot even fathom the ability to choose anything else.
Blessings,
Pastor Shea
Spring of 2024 marked the end of our first trip through Immerse. We will not be immediately returning to reading through the Bible a second time. Instead, this school year we will make use of a video series called Living the Questions 2.0 to explore some of the "big questions" of Christianity. No advance preparation is required and, while you'll definitely get the most out of it by attending all gatherings, each session is independent enough that you can join for as many or as few as you are available for without feeling that you've missed something. A total of 16 sessions will take place between September and June, with exact dates forthcoming. Youth Group will continue to gather at 5:30 PM on Sundays. The day and time for adult sessions is TBD.
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.
Happy Summer, everyone! Here is my (now semi-annual!) Mad Lib for your seasonal enjoyment with family and friends.
Want to see how your poem compares to the original? Read Psalm 1 and maybe have a conversation about its meaning.
Blessings,
Pastor Shea
We decided to highlight M.E.L.T. ( Malawi Early Literacy Team ). It is an ecumenical mission project of Watertown Presbyterian church that provides teachers of northern Malawi 4 key services: early literacy publications, teacher training, teaching materials and a Land Cruiser that acts as a Mobile Library to transport materials to classrooms.
Heather White, the leader of the project says that literacy is the backbone of a community and how literate your community is shows the success of a community. ME.L.T helps make this happen in the areas they serve.
Some of the members of the team were able to return to Malawi. I am sure there will be many stories and videos to share.
There will be more information about this amazing project. If you wish to donate to support this project, there will be envelopes at the back of the church. Checks can be made payable to First Presbyterian Church Watertown with MELT on the memo line or donations can be made through the MELT website.
Come One, Come All to the Hammond Presbyterian Church Yard Sale July 6, 12, 13. On Sat., July 6 8 AM-2 PM, Fri., July 12 1-5 PM, & Sat., July 13 (the date of the town-wide yard sale) 8 AM-2 PM, there will be a yard sale at Hammond Presbyterian Church. Please come and check it out. You never know what treasures you may come across.
If you want to sell your items at the sale, please contact Anne at (315)324-5485 or email thegasguys527@gmail.com soon for details and to reserve a spot. All sale items remaining at the end of the day will be taken home by the seller. There will be no fee for hosting your sale at the church, but monetary donations will be accepted if you wish to offer.
“Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called God’s children.”-Matthew 5:9
Each year, the Town of Hammond ask me to give the invocation at their Memorial Day remembrance. As the sole religious figure at a public, secular event, I believe it is important that this prayer be inclusive toward peoples of all faiths and no faith. Below is the prayer I gave this year. I have transliterated the Hebrew, Greek, and Arabic phrases into Latin characters and provided translations in [brackets] for ease of comprehension. May this prayer for peace be all our prayer.
Blessings,Pastor Shea
Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu melech ha olam [Blessed are you oh Lord or God, ruler of the universe]
Allahu akhbar Allahu akhbar Allahu akhbar [God is great God is great God is great]
Dear Heavenly Father,
However we begin our prayers, to whoever we pray, and by whatever name we call the divine, our faiths call us over and over again to seek the same thing.
Shalom [peace]
Eirene [peace]
Salaam [peace]
Peace.
And on this day, when we call ourselves to remember the great cost - the real, tragic, human - cost of the scourge known as war, we are reminded that the greatest way to honor that cost is to seek a world where it is paid no more. Where "might makes right" and "peace through strength" and the other lies we tell ourselves are told no more, and we turn ourselves to the great work of waging a peace that lasts. Where we heat our forges to beat our spears into pruning hooks and our swords into plowshares, that we might tend the garden of tranquility, and reap the fruits of peace, confident in the knowledge that the last name read on the memorial roles will be the last name ever read, for we have learned to see one another not as enemies, but as kindred.
Im yirzeh Adonai [if it is willed by God]
Inshallah [God willing]
By the will of God
Amen
We were very fortunate to have a visit in May from Kate Grose who is in charge of the teams who through MINC build handicapped ramps in Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties. She was interviewed by some of our church school aged children. The children distributed the report that I have included in this newsletter. The report indicates there is a great need for financial help. We hope our youth will be able to be involved in this project this summer. If you haven’t already made a donation and you wish to, checks can be made out to Hammond Presbyterian Church with “ramps” on the memo line and mailed to Box 193, Hammond, NY13646.
MINISTRIES IN THE NORTH COUNTRY
REPORT MAY 2024
EMERGENCY FUND
Because of the generosity of many, we were able to assist a number of people with heating needs during this past season. We also helped a few with electrical bills and prescriptions.
We require people to apply for HEAP, and we partner with a variety of other agencies such as Neighborhood Centers and Catholic Charities.
Because of a generous gift from the Childwold church and community, we were able to begin work in a portion of Franklin County.
RURAL REHAB
This summer, Rural Rehab will again confine its work to the building of handicapped ramps. We are the only agency in two counties that builds ramps at no cost for qualifying individuals. To date, we have applications for 13 ramps. We have begun to visit sites and are beginning to finalize our schedule.
Work Coordinator, Kate Grose, will be assisted by two work groups, one from the Catholic School in Watertown and another from Donagal Presbytery in Pennsylvania. IHC (Watertown) will work in LaFargeville and Donagal Presbytery will stay at the UCC Church in Massena and build two ramps in that area,
We have retired both trucks. It was neither safe or economical to continue to use them. We have not been able to afford a truck to replace them, so we will pay mileage to our work coordinator who will use her own vehicle. At this point, most of our materials are delivered by lumber yards. If there is a need for a truck for a day or two, we will rent one.
As always, we appreciate your support, both through prayer and financially. Donations can be made through the Presbytery web site. Checks can be mailed to the Presbytery Office for Rural Rehab and MINC Operations. Donations for the Emergency Fund can be sent directly to Cynthia Coleman, 5 Grant St., Potsdam. Please, indicate in the memo section of your check what part of the ministry you wish to support. At this time, we are most concerned about raising funds for Rural Rehab for the summer work. We estimate the cost of mileage to be around $3000 and the cost of materials to be between $12,000 and $18,000. At this point, we are beginning the summer with a little over $3000 in the Rural Rehab Account. We ask that you would prayerfully consider the folks who need handicapped ramps in order to get safely into and out of their homes. Please, help us to locate funding.
Renewal House is our next mission to highlight. It is located in Canton and is certified as a safe home network provider and as a safe dwelling provider. It is the only agency like this in St. Lawrence County. Renewal House’s mission statement is to respond immediately to the needs of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in St. Lawrence County through services and empower victims and increase community.
Some of the services offered are crisis counseling/intervention, women’s support group, advocacy, information and referrals, children/youth programs, transportation, safe housing, sexual assault nurse examiners, and community outreach/education. Renewal house helps women,men, elderly,teens,individuals and families.
We hope to have a representative from renewal house to speak to us the third Sunday in June. Donations can be made to Hammond Presbyterian Church with renewal house in the memo.
Hammond Presbyterian Church
is hosting a
Strawberry Shortcake Social
on Thursday, June 20th
from 4pm-6pm.
Come enjoy live entertainment,
try your luck at raffle baskets,
and enjoy a bowl of
Fresh Strawberries on a
Fresh Biscuit topped with
Fresh Whipped Cream. Each bowl is $5. Take-out will be available.
June 30th, the Deacons will be hosting their annual picnic. Hamburgers, hotdogs, lemonade, and condiments will be provided after Sunday Service. Please sign-up downstairs for other snacks and sides to bring to the picnic.
"Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast?
Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne?
Even if mothers were to forget,
I could never forget you!
-Isaiah 49:15
I love these verses that describe God's love as being not only beyond what we imagine as possible, but even greater than the impossible. Is it possible that a nursing parent could forget that their child is feeding from them? Of course not. Indeed, the Hebrew here even leans into a word play, as the word in this verse we translate as "compassion" comes from the same root as "womb," suggesting an inextricable link between it and motherhood.
And yet, God proclaims, even in a world where that impossibility were to take place, God would still be incapable of forgetting to show us compassion.
Some of us have phenomenal relationships with our mothers. Some of us, not so much. Still others of us are grieving loss of relationship with our mothers.
If you have the best mom ever, I'm so thrilled for you, and hope you have plans to show her your appreciation this month. And isn't it incredible that we worship a God whose maternal qualities surpass even her?
If your relationship with your mother is rocky, or if you no longer have that relationship, I feel for you, especially this time of year. And I pray you will find in God the maternal connection you are lacking.
"Like a mother who has borne us,
held us close, in her delight,
fed us freely from her body,
God has called us into life."
Blessings,
Pastor Shea
The next food pantry date for food pick up is Thursday April 25 from 9 to 11 and 1 pm for Food Sense pick up. Future dates for food pick up are Thursday May 23 and June 20. To qualify for the Hammond food pantry, you must live in the Brier Hill, Chippewa Bay, Hammond, Morristown, or Rossie areas and proof of residency such as a utility bill will be required. If possible, bring bags to put your food selections in. We also have boxes and containers available. For questions or information about the Hammond food pantry, contact Jennifer Gardner at 315 528 7303; for Emergency food assistance, contact Diane Ayotte at 315 775 3557. The coordinator for the Food Sense program, is Judy Hayes and she can be contacted at 315 528 9067.
Food Sense is a monthly food buying co-op for anyone who wants to stretch their grocery dollars. For $20.50, the Food Sense program provides a monthly box of staple grocery items at a discounted price. For March, the in person and online order date is Monday April 21. For the March selections and details go to foodsense.foodbankcny.org.
The Hammond food pantry is a not-for-profit organization and relies heavily on donations from our community. If you wish to donate, you can send a check made out to the Hammond food pantry or to Hammond Presbyterian church with Hammond food pantry on the memo line. Send it to PO Box 193, Hammond, NY 13646. Thank you to all who support this important work.
The featured mission for May is MINC (Ministries in the North Country). The main work of MINC is to provide wheelchair handicap accessible ramps for people who need help getting in and out of their homes. Their work is especially important because they are the only organization in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties doing this work. If an individual or family already receives HEAP assistance, there is no charge for the ramp. If the income is above the HEAP income level, they will share in the cost of the materials. The labor is done by volunteers. At this time the demand is greater than the ability to provide them. The third Sunday in May we will have someone talk in more detail about how we can be involved. There will be envelopes marked MINC on the table at the back of the church if you wish to contribute. Checks can be made out to Hammond Presbyterian Church with MINC on the memo line. Mailing address is P.O. Box 193 Hammond, NY 13646.
Mother’s’ Day this year is May 12. Traditionally this is the Sunday we join together to participate in the Church World Services Blanket Fund to provide blankets to people in need throughout the world. These blankets bring warmth as well as the knowledge that someone is thinking of them in their time of need. $10 provides one blanket. Let’s work together and see how many blankets we can provide. Blanket Fund envelopes will be on the back table. Checks can be made payable to Hammond Presbyterian. Church with blanket fund on the memo. If, sending by mail, send to Hammond Presbyterian Church PO Box 193, Hammond, NY 13646.
Immerse: Messiah Book Study starts April 7th- May 26th at 2pm. Youth Group Book Study at 5:30pm. For more information, please see Pastor Shea.
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