Newsletter

So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

-Deuteronomy 11:13-15

There is no doubt that the land described in Deuteronomy occupies a very different climate than the one in which we reside. Up here in hardiness zone 5, flourishing olive trees in nature would be cause for alarm, rather than a sign of God's favor. Still, we know a thing or two about the autumn and spring rains.

One of the things that's always intrigued me is how, despite their objective similarities in temperature, volume, and all those other weather indicators, spring and autumn rains feel different. 

In the fall, the steady presence of rainy, 40° days is an indication that it's time to get our jackets and boots out of storage. In the spring, they're an excuse to brave t-shirts and sandals.

Autumn rains carry the promise that they'll eventually turn to snow and ice. Spring rains are nature's way of washing the ice and snow away (and then letting it come back a few times as a way to prank us).

Autumn rains say it's time to bring the livestock in so they don't ruin the fields. Spring rains announce we'll be grazing soon.

In the moment, they might be the same thing, but we experience them differently because of what they tell us is coming next, with many of us having a preference for the promise of one or the other. And with that, I think they offer us the gentle reminder that even when we go through shared experiences, our own outlooks on life cause us each to respond to them differently.

As we live through this spring's rains, and some of us delight in flowers while others look mournfully at their parked snowmobiles, let us be reminded to show one another grace on life's journey. For even when we walk the same path, we do not always see it through the same eyes.

Spring Blessings,

Pastor Shea

"So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea."

-Acts 11:29

On two walls in the social hall, there are a total of 200 envelopes. Well, as of right now there are 195, but we started with 200.

These envelopes are a new effort we are engaging in for the next few months to demonstrate how much we can accomplish simply by each person contributing what they are able. The person who has already taken envelope number 1 will be returning it with one dollar inside. The person who has already taken envelope number 200 will return it with two hundred dollars inside. And the same goes for the remaining envelopes from 3-199 (with some exceptions) that are still available. If all 200 envelopes are filled and returned, we will have raised $20,100 in support of the work we as a church do.

This is an idea that's already manifested in many ways in our church. Many of you heard last month that our youth group have decided to contribute $50 each month from funds they've raised to that month's mission focus. Many of you are aware of the amazing generosity from givers large and small that enabled us to overhaul our heating system this winter. And now we have this new goal before us, and I believe we are equal to the task. 

One person may look at the wall, see envelope #3 hanging there, realize they have three singles in their wallet, and fill it. Another may decide to take an entire column in the high 100s and fill them all. Yet another may have no funds to contribute but grab an envelope (or several envelopes) and convince others to help them fill to hit the goal. If each of us, according to our ability, decides to contribute to this effort, the outcome may very well be another year of financial security for our church, and the ability to expand the reach of our mission work even further. 

Let's take on this challenge together, and let's see its impact spread.

Thank you to all who donated to the Easter Memorial. The following is a list of the memorial names:

In memory of Gary and Marilyn Hunters Parents, Maurice Malory and Paul Young given by Marilyn Hunter.

In loving Memory of Linda Gardner, Ed and Joan Hadlock given by the Gardner Family.

In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Decker, their son James P Decker and his son James P. Decker Jr.

In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Delosh and their daughter Linda (Kramer) Delosh given by Joan Delosh.

In memory of Victor and Ruth Regan, Victor M. Regan, John Regan and Mary Regan.

In memory of Jack and Gwen Scarlett, Christopher Scarlett, John Scarlett, and Rob Scarlett given by Elizabeth Scarlett

In memory of Alice and Joseph Kaselow, Lilian, Fred and Paul Saphier given by Evelyn Saphier

I think I had the flu last week. I started off the day with a bit of a sore throat, which isn’t a difficult thing for me to work through. I went to work, came home for lunch and felt my nose start to get stuffy. I had explained to my husband that, “I think I’m getting sick.” Which is always very annoying to me. I went back to work after lunch just to finish the project I was doing and then I could feel my body start to weaken. I knew I was getting sick, and I knew it was coming on fast. I quickly ran to the store, grabbed one of each medicines I could find with my symptoms on the packaging, and went home. When I got home, I asked my husband why everything was so cold and I went to bed early, in my thick fleece pajamas, a sweatshirt on, and all the blankets I could find in the house on top of me and I was still cold. I never checked my temperature, but I’m guessing I had a nice fever going on. I stayed in bed for 3 and a half days. Thankfully, my husband was home to care for me and the kids, since the kids were on spring break. He figured that a sick mom caring for healthy kids means disaster for the kids.

There are times when you can feel something happening. Whether it be a cold, a bad feeling, or even the holy spirit that moves inside you. Unlike a cold, can you feel when the holy spirit is working in you? It’s that feeling of doing something right or helpful for people who need it. It’s that feeling of stepping out of your comfort zone and supporting someone you didn’t think you could support. And when the day is over, you look back at it and think proudly, I can’t believe I did that. That’s the holy spirit moving you in the right direction.

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
 

Donations can be made to:
Hammond Food Pantry
215 St. Lawrence Ave

PO Box 193
Hammond, New York 13646
OR

Hammondpresbyterian.org
Click on “Give Now”
Option to designate gift for the Hammond Food Pantry