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Happy Summer to you, Church!

Well, we finally made it– summer is officially here. The air is pleasant, the flowers are in bloom, the fields are ripe for haying, and the rivers are starting to warm up. Have you been out swimming yet? I hope to go soon! 

I just got home from visiting family in Missouri this past week. We had a special time together and I am so grateful. 

Here’s the news for the week:

This Sunday = Funday

Pack your bags and bring a dish to pass this Sunday as we gather together with friends from Trinity Episcopal Church at the Lazy River Playground from 2pm-6pm.

If you’d like a ride, please email me back so we can make arrangements. 

If you have any other questions, or want to RSVP, call Sharon Pickard at (315) 212-0008. 

Membership Class, July 2nd

For those attending our membership class, we will pick back up with things next Sunday, the 2nd, after the worship service.

Music Concert Friday, July 7th

The Orchestra of Northern New York will be hosting their first in a 4-part series, in our sanctuary on Friday, July 7th. Adirondack Pro Musica will be playing with Sebastian Buhts, and the concert is free and open to the public! If you’re in town that week, you won’t want to miss it. 

*See the attached poster for information regarding the other upcoming concerts. 

Helen Brouwer’s Memorial Service Set for July 14th

If you knew and loved Helen, mark your calendars for her memorial service, set for 2pm on Friday, July 14th. Light refreshments will be served in the Center following the service.

Interested in Sharing about Your Faith Journey during Worship?

I’d like to open the floor up to anyone who might want to share a bit about their faith journey during our time called The Cloud of Witnesses. Have you seen God somewhere special in your life? Have you had a profound experience worth sharing with the congregation? Perhaps it was a struggle you’ve overcome, or a time when you really had to lean into God’s trust to see you through. 

If you’d like to formally share a story or a bit of spiritual wisdom, email me back and let me know. You have as much lived experience with God as I do, and we help each other to grow and learn when we share. 

So Many Different Ways to be Human

This week, while I was visiting with my family in the Ozark Mountains of southwestern Missouri, I was reminded of the fact that there are an astounding number of ways to be human on this planet. Even just within the United States, there are an untold number of cultures, belief systems, value sets, and religious traditions. 

Spending this last week with people who live differently than I do, I was struck with that age-old conundrum…. how do we get along when we see the world so differently? Especially when we think ours is the “right” way to live, and others are harmfully in the “wrong”? 

I left my time in the Bible Belt with more questions than answers. Questions like: Is it ok to let others be different from me? Is it possible to respect people who live antithetical to the truth we espouse? 

If so, how do we make room for humility? And grace? While at the same time holding to our own convictions? Is this even possible? How do we make room for it to be possible? 

What are your thoughts? Have you had any experiences that shed light on this topic? If so, I’d love to hear from you. 

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Katrina

Good Day to you Church! 

After a couple days of being cooped up in the house from the wildfire smoke, I am grateful to be back out on my porch again breathing clean air. Boy, you don’t realize what you have to be grateful for until you don’t have it!

Here’s the news for the week: 

Hosting Presbytery in the Center Tomorrow

Have you ever been to a presbyter meeting? They’re really important in our system of governance. Presbyterians believe that we are better when churches in a local geographical areas support each other, so representatives from every Presbyterian church from Watertown to Plattsburgh, and Ogdensburg to Star Lake, come together every few months to discuss church matters, and to break bread and worship together. (Between you and me, sometimes these meetings can get a bit boring, but they’re also beautiful.)

Thankfully, different churches take turns hosting. (It’s a lot of work to host!) We haven’t had a turn in quite a few years, and I had forgotten how much work goes into this hospitality. So, I just want to offer out a shout of thanks to Sharon, Dale, Renee, Terry, Keilor, and anyone else who offered to bake muffins. Many hands coming together are making this all possible. 

Also, Here’s a fun trivia fact for you: the way our denomination governs itself– as a democratic system that relies on representatives from each church to vote on issues that relate to church governance– our system of governance caught the eye of the founding fathers of the fledgling United States back in the late 1700s. They liked our format so much that they modeled Congress on our form of governance!

Bible Study Moving to the Mitchell’s House This Week

Our Saturday night Bible Study will travel to Jeff and Susan Mitchell’s house this week, while Diamante and Ivette are away. If you’d like to come, we will be meeting at the Mitchell’s house at 6:30pm on the 10th. Their address is: 438 Old Potsdam-Parrishville Rd. Apartment #4, Potsdam, NY 13676. (They are the last townhome in the row.) 

Pastor Katrina on Vacation Next Week

I will be heading to Missouri next week to spend some much needed time with my mom, siblings, my own children, and my nieces and nephews. It’s going to be a very special time for us and I can’t wait, but I’m also feeling quite anxious about traveling. (My body does not have much appreciation for plane rides and the last time I flew, I was in excruciating pain for a week.) Will you be praying for me while I’m gone? I would appreciate any prayers coming my way. 

With that said, I am so grateful to Jeff Mitchell for offering a word from the Word next Sunday, the 18th, and I hope you’ll join your church family in worship while I’m away. 

Picnic at the Lazy River Playground Set for June 25th

Sharon Pickard has asked if folks would RSVP to her if you know you’re planning to go to our All-Church Picnic on Sunday the 25th. She needs a head count. You can let her know on Sunday at church, or email her at sharonpickard@verizon.net

Let her know if you would like to carpool and/or need a ride! (Lazy River Playground is near Hermon, and is a 30 minute drive from Potsdam.) 

News from Emma Norris

For the last month, Emma Norris, one of our college students, has been in Jamaica, working in one of the local schools, and learning how to play the djembe. She’s had a wonderful experience and has confirmed a calling to teach abroad after she graduates. You can ask Emma about her travels when she returns to school in the fall and resumes worship with us on Sundays. 

*Emma explained that Jamaica is currently struggling with teacher pay, so parish by parish the teachers are striking. She’s asking for prayers for the teachers, that they get paid fully and on time. 

Emma is the young woman in the white shirt standing in front of the tree trunk. (These pictures, which include the kids, are shared with permission.) 

Youth Group Over for the Year

Last night was the final meeting of our joint youth group with the Methodist Church, and I have to tell you– we have such intelligent, funny, thoughtful youth. Over the last year we talked about a lot of really hard subjects– racism, poverty, who and what God is, the relevance of organized religion, sexuality and gender, society, culture, social justice and God’s justice, our bodies, schooling and education, heaven and hell, and more. Our youth had insightful comments and questions to add to these discussions. And that, along with a double dose of their silly goofiness, made for a wonderful year with them. 

Thank you Pastor Hattie, Richard, Rebecca, Isaiah, and Zoya! 

To conclude my email to you today, I will offer you a wise bit of advice that 14-year old Rebecca offered a few weeks ago: 

“When you’re praying, if you’re going to tell God about your day, you should also try asking how God’s day has been. We spend too much time yacking God’s ear off. If we want to live in relationship with God, we should also stop to consider what God is going through, too.”

May you be blessed today with God’s presence,
Pastor Katrina

A beautiful late May morning to you, Church!

I’m sitting out in the sunshine on my back porch listening to the liquid silver sounds of the hermit thrush and the wood thrush, along with all of their lively neighbors. The luscious green tree tops are offering a symphony of song bird chatter this morning! 

Here’s the news for the week: 

Pentecost This Sunday!

Wear your favorite shades of red to church this Sunday as we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church! We’re going to have a special addition to our worship service to celebrate. 

If anyone has flowers from their garden they’d like to bring in– to brighten up the sanctuary–you are most welcome to do so! 

Membership Classes Set for June 4th and July 2nd

Just a quick reminder that we will be holding our first membership class after worship on Sunday, June 4th. 

Taking a Break from Church Potlucks This Summer

Session met this last week, and after looking at the summer schedule, we’ve decided to put our monthly potlucks on hold until September. 

Juneteenth in Ives Park, June 17th

Juneteenth is upon us again, and you are invited to come take part in the celebration! There will be music, dancing, booths, speeches, free dinner, and much more at Ives Park on Saturday, June 17th from 4-8pm. Come learn about the history of this national holiday and why it’s important to commemorate it.

The planning committee is looking for a few more volunteers to help set things up and take things down on the day of the party. If you’d be willing to help, contact Laurie Lavine at (281) 639-6548. This would be a way to positively support racial healing in our town. 

Also, I’m proud to say that our church has designated $100 from our mission funds to support the event. 

Church Picnic at Lazy River Playground Set for June 25th!

I hope you’re growing as excited as I am! Following worship on Sunday June 25th, we are going to load ourselves up and head out to Lazy River playground, where we will get the chance to picnic with both our own church family and the folks from Trinity Episcopal– whom we have been working with to make Community Suppers happen over the last year. 

If you haven’t been to Lazy River Playground, it’s loads of fun. They’ve got putt-putt golf, roller skating, corn hole, shuffleboard, swimming, fishing, forest bathing (where you go out into the woods with a guide and bask in the sounds, smells, and sights of the forest), and of course we will have so much yummy food to share in together! 

I know that some of us don’t have vehicles, so we will make sure to arrange rides and offer carpooling. 

If you’d like to check out their facilities, you can visit their website: 

lazyriverplayground.com.

We’ve Collected $170 to Send the Box to Malawi

What a generous congregation you are. Last week we collected $170 to ship the box of knitted baby items to the crisis nursery in Malawi. The cost was going to be somewhere between $170-$200, so if anyone still wants to chip in this Sunday, that would be welcome. 

Benevolence Fund has Officially Been Created

Hear ye! Hear ye! From time to time we find a particular individual in need of monetary support. Recently we learned that in order for these sorts of contributions to be tax-deductible, we needed to set up a benevolence fund. This has now been achieved. Moving forward, when we come across such a situation again, and you graciously offer financial support to help someone in need, you will be able to count that gift against your taxes. 

Have an Older Vehicle You’re Thinking of Selling? 

Rev. Rich Hinkle, who preaches for us on occasion, is in the market for an older model vehicle. If you’ve got one you’re interested in selling, let me know and I’ll put you in touch. 

Liv and Quinn are Tying the Knot!

I have the most lovely news to share with you this week. Liv and Quinn got engaged! Check out these sweet, smiling faces. 

The Church Being the Church

Friends, today I want to take a moment to say thank you to our Session and to Sue Waters, our church administrator. They have a special understanding of how important it is to share our church building with the community, and they go out of their way to offer hospitality to all sorts of community groups in need. 

I don’t know if you were aware or not, but all year a woman from Cornell Cooperative Extension has been teaching nutrition classes in our building. And earlier this month we were able to invite a group of out-of-town guests to stay in the Center who had come to support the Poor People’s Campaign at a major event they were holding. 

In the next couple of months we’re going to offer our sanctuary for a Crane recital, and to Gretchen Kohler, who runs a community orchestra– for her to hold rehearsals in our building and offer a free concert at a later date. A nurse is going to offer prenatal classes at a deeply discounted rate to pregnant women because we can offer her use of our building, and four times this summer we will be hosting free concerts put on by the Orchestra of Northern New York. 

This is in addition to all of the other activities already happening in our building– AA groups meet here, the girl scouts descend upon the Center every Thursday night, yoga classes are taught, tai chai happens, Zumba folks dance, people eat dinners at our Community Suppers, individuals come for mental health therapy, physical therapy, massage therapy, and reiki, and of course, our sweet little 4-year-olds go to school every day in the HeadStart classrooms. 

A few of these groups pay rent to us for continued use of our space, but many of them we now invite for either a free-will donation or a donation to the food pantry. 

Sharing the resources we have inherited, for the health and well-being of our greater community, is one way that we can support the work and mission of our church. And we are doing it! 

Thank you for being a congregation filled with such hospitality and giving spirits. Our building buzzes nearly every day with joy, hope, and faith because we are willing to share it. 

Your Grateful Pastor,
Pastor Katrina 

Good Day to you Church!

It’s a sunny spring day out here on my back porch and I’m enjoying playing with the birds. If you don’t know this already, it’s possible to mimic cardinals and chickadees (and maybe other birds too?). If you’ve got them in your neighborhood, and you learn to speak a little chickadee, they’ll call back to you! I certainly don’t know what I’m saying in their language, but they’re quite chatty if you engage with them. 

Here’s the news for the week: 

The Roof Work is About to Begin!!

We’ve been waiting and waiting for the weather to turn so that our roofing contractors can get to work on our roof, and the time has finally come! At the beginning of next week, RSI will be bringing in a 66′ lift to repair holes in our slate roof, replace rotting soffitting and molding, and build a giant gutter system to keep rain water from splashing onto the bell tower doors (which then rots them at an accelerated pace). 

Some of this work is being paid for by insurance, but the majority of it is being covered by the $25,000 grant we received from the Northern New York Community Foundation and the Rock Charitable Grant! Thanks be to God! 

*As a side note, the interior work in the sanctuary won’t be completed until this coming November. At that time, however, the ceiling will be repaired, chipping paint will be scraped, and the entire sanctuary will be repainted. (Yahoo!) 

Session Meeting this Wednesday

For those who attend, our zoom session meeting will be on April 26th at 6:30pm. 

Community Supper this Thursday

A big thanks to all of you who volunteer each week to make our monthly community suppers happen! And good luck to you all with your first “in person” meal since the pandemic. 

Youth Group this Thursday

This week we will be meeting at our church at 6:30pm. I think we might need to crack out the ice cream this time too! 

Rich Hinkle to Preach April 30th

Retired Presbyterian pastor Rich Hinkle will be back with us next Sunday, April 30th to preach. 

‘Trio Crane’ in Concert in our Sanctuary on May 2

On Tuesday, May 2, at 5:30pm Brian Dunbar (professor extraordinaire of flute at Crane and husband to our beloved Keilor Kastella) will be playing a concert with two other Crane professors. You won’t want to miss this free concert being held right in our sanctuary! 

Senior Recognition Sunday, May 7th

It won’t quite be the end of finals on May 7th, but we’re going to celebrate our seniors that day with recognition in the service and a cake during our potluck. (Fortifying them with our love and some sugar might get them through their finals!) 

We will be celebrating with Juster Gicovi, Levi Stauffer, Terrence Summers…. and… anyone else? Am I missing anyone? Please let me know if I am! 

Tour of Riverview Correctional Facility on May 11th

Have you ever wondered what the inside of a prison looks like? Are you still considering possibly joining the crew getting ready to tutor incarcerated men earning their bachelor’s degree from SUNY Potsdam at Riverview Correctional Facility? If you answer yes to either of these questions, RCF, a medium-security prison in Ogdensburg is offering tours of its facility on May 11th. These open-to-the-public tours will take place at 10am and 1pm. If you’d like to sign up to attend, email Dr. Nancy Lewis at lewishnl@potsdam.edu

Collecting Per Capita

I will mention a quick line (for a few more weeks) about per capita. If you’re a member of our church and have an extra $32 to cover this annual cost that we are required to pay for all of our members, we would greatly appreciate it! Just note “per capita” on your payment. 

Interested in Joining the Church?

If anyone else is interested in taking a membership class at some point in May or June, please send me an email soon. We’re figuring out when to hold our membership class and your availability matters. 

Beautiful Flowers from the Potsdam Agway

A big thanks goes out again this year to Daryl and the Potsdam Agway, who again donated flats of pansies to beautify our church grounds! If you happen to find yourself at the Agway in the next few weeks, will you let them know that our church appreciates them? 

Also, another thank you to Joanne and Dick Partch who planted the pansies! 

A Word from St. Teresa of Avila

This week a friend shared a poem with me written by a nun who lived in Spain in the 1500s. Her name was Teresa, and she lived in a troubled world– both socially and personally. The reformation (and counter-reformation) were in full swing during her life, and Teresa suffered greatly from illness in her life. In all of this trouble, challenge, and turmoil, she came to understand the importance of personal introspection and surrender. And through this surrender, she found herself living in mystical union with God. 

Teresa wrote quite a few books, but she also wrote the following poem, which we will be singing as a hymn this Sunday: 

Let nothing trouble you;
let nothing frighten you. 
All things are passing; 
God is stable.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever possesses God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices. 

Dear Hearts, my prayer for us this week is that we might come to know the meaning of these words deep in our hearts, and not just understand them as words in our minds. 

What does it mean to you that ‘all things are passing and whoever possesses God lacks nothing?’ 

Holding you in the light this week,
Pastor Katrina

p.s. Teresa is also famous for saying, “It is love alone that gives worth to all things.” 

Good Day to you Church! 

Today I am reporting to you from the sunny side of my back porch. Yahooo! If that weren’t enough to make me jump for joy, my daffodils started blooming today too. (Can you tell that I am one happy pastor?!) 

Here’s the news for the week: 

Bible Study is Cancelled for this Saturday 

Diamante is having her bathroom renovated this week, so we won’t be able to meet for Bible Study tomorrow night. But we’ll be back at it on the 22nd. 

We’re Back in the Sanctuary Again

If you come to Sunday worship, remember to head towards the sanctuary instead of the Center. Winter is now over and we don’t have to worry about freezing our keisters off any longer! (Or paying a hefty heating bill to try to keep us warm.) 

Girl Scout Cookies for Sale

This Sunday during coffee hour, our local Girl Scouts will be back selling their sweet treats for one more week. Come and get those thin mints and tag-alongs before they disappear for another year! 

Masks are Optional 

Friends, I know we said we’d wait until May to make masks optional for worship, but the cat’s already out of the bag at this point. So… starting this Sunday, feel free to decide for yourself about what works best for you. Masks are still available in the bell tower room and in the narthex, if you decide you want to wear one. 

In this regard, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to you all. We have been wearing masks for a very, very long time– to try to keep some of our sick and vulnerable people from catching Covid. I know it’s not easy or comfortable to wear a mask, but you did it out of love. And I want you to know that I appreciate that. 

Membership Class in May or June?

It seems that perhaps we have enough interest to hold a membership class this spring. If you’re thinking about joining the church as a fully-fledged member, this class is for you! We will meet for three Sundays following worship, for about an hour each week to learn more about the Presbyterian tradition, what it means to be a member of our church, and share our individual faith journeys. 

After these classes, if you still feel committed to becoming a member, we will officially welcome you into the fold on a forthcoming Sunday during worship. 

Being a member is important for a number of reasons. First, it shows your commitment to our particular congregation. Second, it allows you to serve our congregation in an important way– by having the opportunity to become a Session member (remember– “Session” is our funny name for a church board). Only members of the congregation can serve in this vital function, and we desperately need more people to step up and take on this leadership role in the coming years. So, if you are feeling like our congregation is the church family you want to commit yourself to for the foreseeable future, I ask that you pray about taking this membership class. 

If you’re interested, please email me back and let me know you’d like to join in on the fun. We will plan to hold these classes sometime in May or June, depending on people’s schedules. 

Interested in Picking Back Up with a Mid-Week Luncheon?

For a while last year, we had success with organizing monthly men’s and a women’s lunches at Jake’s on the Water in the middle of the week. It was a chance for folks to socialize and enjoy each other’s company. At some point though, we all got busy and the numbers dwindled, down to the point that the Pickards felt it was time to cancel them. 

The Pickards are willing to revive these lunches again though, if there’s enough interest– either separately like they have been, or, we could hold a single lunch and invite all of us to the same table. (Dale Hobson’s comment was, “I’d be ok sitting next to a girl. At my age I’ve figured out that ya’ll don’t actually have cooties.) 

If you’d like to continue with Lunch at Jake’s, find Sharon or Bob Pickard and let them know. If we get enough interest, they will set a date! 

Per Capital 

It’s that time of year again to start collecting per capita. Our denomination has wonderful resources to share with local churches (which we take full advantage of), but just like most things in life, it costs money to make those resources available. Consequently, every Presbyterian Church in our denomination is required to pay what is called “per capita” for each member of our congregation to help support the availability of those resources. This year that cost is $32/person. 

Now, our church budgets money to cover most of this cost, but if you’re a full member and you’re willing to cover the $32 we pay for you, it would take a financial burden off our plate. 

If you’d like to send in a $32 donation, make sure you indicate that it’s for “per capita.” (And thank you ahead of time for your generosity in this regard.) 

If, however, money is tight for you, please don’t feel obligated to pay this. There is no shame in saying, “I can’t afford it.” There are some generous people in our congregation who, from time to time, offer to pay for other people’s per capita, and between that and money we have set aside in our budget, we’ve got you covered! 

Dick Sitterly Passed Away

Some of you may remember Dick Sitterly. He and his wife Judy were very active in our congregation in years past. Dick has been in a nursing home for a while, and died this week at the age of 95. A graveside service is being planned for sometime this summer in Waddington. 

If you’d like to send a card to Judy, here’s her address: 
345 Arbuckle Pond Rd.
Colton, NY 13625

Meeting Baby Octavier

Do you remember me mentioning to you a few weeks ago about Andre Williams– the homeless young man who is trying his darndest to finish high school? Tonight I am going to take him to visit a local family in Potsdam to see if perhaps it would work out for him to live with them until he graduates. (I think it’s safe to say that we would all greatly appreciate your prayers this afternoon.) 

In the mean \time, earlier this week, I had the delight to meet up with Andre and his girlfriend Amy, who is in 11th grade at Hermon-De Kalb. Amy gave birth to their adorable son, Octavier, last Sunday, and I got the chance to hold him! (Since my kids are grown, I’ve forgotten how tiny, precious, and utterly magical newborns are. So, this was a real treat for me.) 

Friends, having a child at any age is challenging, but doing so when you are young comes with many extra hurdles, so this week Session decided that our church would its support buy purchasing a stroller for the young family. 

I can’t tell you what a beautiful thing it is for a church to stand up and offer love, support, and encouragement to young people trying to make their way in such a treacherous world. May we always be a congregation that offers grace, hospitality, and encouragement in this broken world of ours. For this, dear Hearts, is the way of Christ. 

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Katrina