May 2016
the
Danby Church News
Danby Community Church
Adding to and Building up the Kingdom of God
DANBY COMMUNITY
CHURCH
Serving GOD & Community
1859 Danby Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
Sandy Freckleton Gagnon
Worship Services:
Sunday – 10am
Simple Service, Wed. - 7pm
Prayer Hour, Saturday - 8am
Office Hours
Tues, Wed, Thurs 10-2pm
607.272.1687
www.danbyfederatedchurch.org
Ruth 1:16
16 But
Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or
to turn back from you.
Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will
stay. Your people will be my people and your God
my God.
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/danbyfe
deratedchurch
Pastor Ed Enstine
607.592.8276
[email protected]
THE DANBY CHURCH NEWS - MAY 2016
Naomi & Ruth
Mother’s Day - May 8
Right now, in your life, you can probably name a few
older people who have formed strong bonds with a
much younger person just as Naomi and Ruth did.
You also, regrettably, know many parents whose
adult children are estranged from them. For sure, it
is an extremely painful happening for both child and
parent.
One psychologist has called this an epidemic, and
today, cutting off a parent is used to deal with difficult
relationships. Those relationships are increasingly
labelled “toxic” and adult children are encouraged to
“divorce” their parents.
Often this estrangement is the result of divorce.
Today, kids move across country in order to work
and leave the family behind. It can be the result of
mistaken beliefs. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter
what actually happened, what the child believes is
that child’s reality. Sometimes it comes out of the
blue. Once out of communication, one can only
guess at causes.
Sometimes it is a matter of time that helps the child
move on. Sometimes it’s an apology for a specific
deed from the parent and sometimes just
forgiveness. Trying to figure out what happened can
become an obsession, watch out for that. But to send
a card for birthdays and anniversaries (even if they
are returned) can’t hurt. Facebook can help, too,
especially if grandchildren are involved.
(cont’d.) As we approach the birthday of the Church –
the celebration of Pentecost on Sunday May 15th - let’s
increase our prayers for the nameless fold, those who
will believe in our Savior and for the unity of the Holy
Spirit, so that the world may believe that the Father
has sent his Son.
Submitted by Sheila Enstine
Mary Cassatt (1844 – 1926)
Ruth was from Moab, a country that was one of Israel's
traditional enemies. She was an outsider who married
an Israelite while they were there.
Her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law had all
died. When Naomi, her mother-in-law, decided to
return to Bethlehem, she entreated her two Moabite
daughters-in-law to remain in Moab. Ruth refused to
leave Naomi.
After the move to Bethlehem, they were destitute, and
Ruth went out to glean grain in the fields. The fields
belonged to a man named Boaz, a close relative of
Naomi's husband's family. Naomi sent Ruth to the
threshing floor at night to sleep at Boaz’ feet and to ask
Boez to marry her. It was a happy ending, mostly
because of Ruth’s faithful reputation.
Praying For the Future Church
At a Saturday morning prayer hour a few weeks ago, before
anyone else arrived, I paged through one of those old red
hymnals stored in the entryway. Open these pages and you’ll
hear a choir from England’s Reformation (a la Charles
Wesley) mingle with the enchanting airs of the 12th century
monk Bernard of Cluny, who harmonizes with the blind
hymnist from America’s Second Great Awakening, Franny
Crosby.
That morning I discovered a precious theme composed by
Mary Lathbury who lived from 1841 to 1913. These are the
remarkable lines of “O Shepherd of the Nameless Fold.”
O Shepherd of the nameless fold, the blessed Church to be,
Our hearts with love and longing turn, to find their rest in thee:
“Thy kingdom come,” its heavenly walls unseen around us
rise,
And deep in loving human hearts, its broad foundations rise,
O holy kingdom, happy fold, the blessed Church to be,
Our hearts in love and worship turn to find themselves in thee!
Thy bonds are known to God alone, for they are set above;
The length, the breadth, the height are one, and measured by
his love.
Guess what subject came up when my prayer partner
arrived? Yup, she was anxious about the future of the Church,
not only the Danby Community Church, but also the worldwide Church. I am also fearful for the persecuted Church – so
many millions who have lost homes and family or their own
lives for their faith in Christ.
I showed my friend the lyrics from the hymn and realized that
before we’d talked about our mutual burden for the Church,
God had provided the framework for our prayers. Countless
generations before us had the same passion, and through
their and our fervent prayers, Christ sustains his Church.
Before his journey to Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “I do not
ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me
through their word, that they may all be one, just as you,
Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so
that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John
17:20-21).
When Jesus said that prayer thousands of years ago, he
was praying for the Danby Community Church, for our
salvation, for our unity, for our witness to the world.
(continued on left)
Memorial Day
Spiritual Advisors 7p
Danby Community Church
May 2016
THE DANBY CHURCH NEWS - MAY 2016
THE DANBY CHURCH NEWS - MAY 2016
Give Blood - MAY 13th
1 to 6pm
Walk-ins & brownie eaters welcomed!
Give in time for Memorial Day Travelers.
Ladies Bible Study - Fridays at 1pm
Breaking Free by Beth Moore
If you have questions or need a ride, contact Sid
Doan at 272-9080. Please come along even if
you’ve missed some of the sessions.
Senior Citizens’ Exercise Group
Monday & Thursdays at 9am.
A little stretching, a little walking, a little work with hand
weights, and a lot of friends and laughter. Come join the gang!
Birthdays
5-3
5-8
5-20
5-24
5-25
5-25
Joan Lorson
Grace Fuller
Susan Cobb
Bonnie Rathbun
Abby Massey
E.J. Miller
5-8 Ed & Sheila Enstine
5-11 Joseph & Johanna Husband
6/25-26 Civil War Encampment
6/25 Civil War Breakfast here
Sat, May 14, 4pm
For ladies of all ages
If possible, please sign up ahead of time.
Contact Bonnie at 272-1606 for more info.
Pentecost – Sunday, May 15, 2016
Pentecost arrives on the 50th day after Easter and
celebrates the Holy Spirit’s descent upon the
apostles. Pentecost is considered the birthday of
the Christian Church and may have been observed
as early as the first century. In many parts of the
world, Pentecost is the traditional day for baptisms.
Whitsun (Whitsuntide), the name used in Britain and
Ireland for Pentecost, begins the Saturday before
Pentecost and ends the following Saturday. The
name references the white garments worn on
Pentecost by the newly baptized – White Sunday.
The symbols of Pentecost are those of the Holy
Spirit, flames, wind, the breath of God and a dove.
In Estonia and Finland, eggs are dyed as at Easter.
In Germany, birch trees, pink and red peonies,
called Whitsun roses, are also symbols of
Pentecost.
Meet Linda Howe
Anniversaries
June:
Ladies Tea
Linda helps out at the
Food Pantry, the
Chicken & Biscuit
Dinners, and does the
food served at
receptions here. She
is the Administrative
Council secretary.
Linda is also quite
active at the
American Legion.
Thanks! To all those who are donating cancelled stamps (cut out with
a 1/4 to 1/2 inch margin). They are sold to raise money for Spanish
Sunday School materials in Central America by the Alliance Women's
Stamp Ministry in Florida.
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