THE EPISTLE
Volume 14 Issue 4 APRIL 23, 2009
NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM MAY 16, 2009
40 Days Lenten Project Goals Met!
We are happy to announce that our church has met both of itsLenten goals for the
“40 Days of Drips”
project. The SalemNutrition Center (soup kitchen) has been refurbished withnewly painted walls and ceiling and a sparkling new gymna-sium floor. Also, we met our goal of raising $8,000 (and thensome!) to drill a well in Sudan – a gift which will provide up to3,000 villagers with clean, safe drinking water. Salva Dut,founder of
“Water for Sudan,”
will accept our gift and speak to us about his organization during the worship service on Sun-day, June 7. We will also dedicate a plaque, to go at the base of the well, on that day and celebrate with a special coffee hour.Many thanks to all who participated in our efforts!!
See also “The Power of Organized Religion” p.2
2
The Power of Organized Religion
This past March 6th the /Democrat & Chronicle/ reported on the efforts of our church, TheFirst Congregational United Church of Christ of Fairport, to rehabilitate the Salem NutritionCenter, a soup kitchen operated in the Salem United Church of Christ in downtown Rochester.As coordinator of that Lenten Project for our church, I am pleased to report that our volunteersrecently completed this project. Over 40 church volunteers gave 600 hours of their time to painta gymnasium and food pantry area, repair badly damaged floor boards, strip the floors back totheir original wood and then refinish the floors with several coats of sealer and varnish. Al-though most of the volunteers came from our church, many others came to help from surround-ing churches as well as the Salem UCC itself.To put in perspective the importance of this project, you should know that the Salem SoupKitchen served approximately 12,750 people last year and has been performing this task for thepast 25 years. It operates strictly as a volunteer organization supported entirely by local churchmembers. The soup kitchen also operates as a food pantry and clothing provider for all comers.In addition to rehabilitating the Salem Kitchen during this past Lenten period, our church si-multaneously raised in excess of $8,000 to drill a fresh water well in Sudan next year. Havingfresh water is something we all take for granted. However, our church members learned fromvolunteers of The Water for Sudan Project that many Sudanese villagers walk miles on a dailybasis to obtain fresh water for their villages.Our funds will now provide a well which will allow these villagers to have fresh water in theirown village.However,
my point
is to emphasize
the power of organized religion
.Sadly, we have recently heard so much about people abandoning organized religion. (See recentarticles in the /Democrat and Chronicle/ and last week’s issue of /Newsweek/). I am convincedthat without the driving force of today’s churches the projects described above never wouldhave happened. As individuals we certainly know that given today’s world economic situation,there are more needy people than ever. However, as much as individuals would like to make theworld a better place, the lack of an organization to provide this assistance makes it virtually im-possible to accomplish transformation.Our pastor encourages us on a weekly basis to remember the poor.
“Through my church”
, Ifeel that
“I am now empowered”
to do my share
“to make the world a better place.”
From……..
Ted Avgerinos April 16. 2009
“Proud Member of The First Congregational United Church of Christ, Fairport, NY”
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April 26: Third Sunday of EasterActs 3:12-19Psalm 4I John 3:1-7Luke 24:36b-48
“
Peace
”
May 3:
Fourth Sunday of Easter
(Good Shepherd Sunday)The Eucharist
Acts 4:5-12Psalm 23I John 3:16-24John 10:11-18“Are we like sheep?May 10: Fifth Sunday of EasterActs 8:26-40Psalm 22:25-31I John 4:7-21John 15:1-8“Spiritual Gardening”May 17: Sixth Sunday of Easter
(“Church School Sunday”)(Annual Program Meeting)
Acts 10:44-48Psalm 981 John 5:1-6John 15:9-17“Friends”May 24: Seventh Sunday of Easter
(Ascension Sunday)
Acts 1:1-11Psalm 93Ephesians 1:15-23Luke 24:44-53“Power, Authority, Rule”May 31: Day of Pentecost
The Eucharist
Acts 2:1-21Psalm 104:24-34, 35bRomans 8:22-27John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15“Let Loose”
The Season of EasterWorship Schedule
Sunday Worship at 9:30 AMFellowship Time and Christian Education follow
First Congregational United Church of Christ26 East Church Street Fairport NY 14450
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Epistle 2009 04
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