Monday, December 27, 2010

This Week at Old South Haven Presbyterian Church

Church Decoration Christmas 2010A Post Christmas Thank You
A thank you to Mark and Daryl and the Choir for the beautiful music of Christmas Eve, for the six readers (Nancy, Alan, Bill, Sean, Darcy and Linda) for telling the story of the birth of the Christ Child as recorded in the Gospels, for John and Richard for providing the delicious punch and the goodies, and to all who attended this service filling the sanctuary.  —Pastor Tom
Sunday, January 2 10:00 am Morning Worship with Holy Communion
Sermon: “Chronos and Kairos”
Lessons: Galatians 4: 4-7; Luke 2:22-40
(The Greek language has two different words for “time”: there is chronological time and then there is “the particular time”. In our Christmas Eve “Litany of Christmas” the phrase was repeated: ”when the time had fully come”. Sunday’s sermon speaks of that particular time and the particular time in which we live.)
A personal note from Pastor Tom
As I noted after the Service on Christmas Eve, my Brother Bill died earlier that day in Lindenhurst, Illinois. The snow storm of Sunday evening and Monday has kept me from flying immediately to Illinois. I hope to be able to fly out of NYC either Tuesday evening or Wednesday and conduct the funeral, with the assistance of my niece Rachel, on Thursday in Milwaukee where he will be buried. I expect to get a flight back to NYC and home on Friday evening. Thank you to all who have extended their condolences.
While this is a relatively slow week at Old South Haven Presbyterian Church, 50 years ago the church was very much on the move—quite literally.
On December 29, 1960, under the leadership of the Rev. Charles Kellogg, the historic South Haven Church building was moved from its original location at the "goin' over" of the Carman's River at South Haven, to its present location in Brookhaven.  As part of this move, the church also acquired and renovated the Post Carriage House (built about 1900) which became our Parish Hall, and built the "gallery" addition at the rear of the church.
The church building original stood on the south side of Montauk highway, a few hundred feet west of the Carman's River.  The old church grave yard is still located there.
The church was moved by Davis Brothers Engineering, the same building movers who raised the Carriage House as part of its recent renovation.
The route of travel was east on Montauk highway to Arthur avenue, to Beaver Dam road, to the present site.  There it sat for several months while the new foundation was built and allowed to cure.  The church was moved with the steeple and interior plaster intact.  The move necessitated the cooperation of the then Patchogue Lighting Company, the then New York Telephone Company, Western Union, the Long Island Rail Road and state, county and town highway departments.  The utilities dropped their wires, perhaps as many as 150, and ramps were laid, to permit the church to roll over them.  It was estimated that it took some 50 people to move the building the four miles.

Earliest known picture of the church in South Haven, thought to be about 1900.

Church ready to be moved.

Moving down Montauk Highway.

Overhead wires dropped and ramps put in place, at intersection of Montauk Highway and Arthur Avenue

Turning the corner from Arthur Avenue onto Beaver Dam Road

The church building at its new home.  Notice the Post Carriage House in the background
Photographs of the move courtesy of Catherine Kellogg.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

This Week At Old South Haven Presbyterian Church


December 24             11:00pm       Christmas Eve Service
                                                         Lessons and Carols

 Once again we welcome Christmas with this candlelight service:
 candles in our church windows and as luminaries lighting the front walk  and, of course, lighting our individual candles from the Christ Candle at the close of the service.

 The choir will be singing two anthems and we again welcome Daryl Jordan,  soprano soloist, who will sing “O Holy Night”, “Come with Me to  Bethlehem,” and conclude the service with “Sweet Little Jesus Boy”

There will be an opportunity to give to the Christmas Joy Offering of our denomination or to our church’ local ministry.

The Legend of the Christmas Poinsettia

In a certain village in Mexico, many years ago, it was customary on Christmas Eve to take gifts to the church and place then before the Crèche.

One evening there was a small boy standing outside the church door. How he wished he could enter the church and present a gift to Jesus, but he was poor. He had nothing to give.

“I can at least pray,” he thought to himself. He knelt silently outside the church window and listened to the voices raised in song. When he rose to his feet again, he was amazed at what he saw where he had knelt. It was a beautiful plant with scarlet leaves and a yellow flower in the center. He had never seen anything like it. Realizing it was a miracle he carefully plucked it and took in into the church. As he placed the beautiful flower before the manger, he whispered, “This is my gift to the Christ Child. My own precious gift.”

The Mexicans call the plant “The Flower of the Holy Night.” Our first ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, brought it to the United States and the flower became known as the “poinsettia.”


Sunday, December 26     Morning Worship
                                         Sermon:  “The Morning After”
                                         Lessons: Isaiah 61: 10 – 62:3   Luke 2: 22-49


An Update:
     Last Sunday it was announced that Alan Steven had a heart attack the previous night and was in Brookhaven Hospital Monday he was transferred to Winthrop Hospital in Mineola and there received three stints.  He returned home on Tuesday.  Darcy reports that both she and Alan will be at the Christmas Eve Service and serve as readers. With joy we celebrate.  

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

This Week At Old South Haven Presbyterian Church


Friday, Dec. 17          7:00pm         Christmas Party for Church Officers
                                                                         at the Manse

Sunday, Dec. 19       10:00am         Morning Worship: 4th Sunday of Advent
                                                         Sermon:  “Call His Name Emmanuel:
                                                                                   God with Us”
                                                        Lessons: Isaiah 7: 14-18; 9:6-7
                                                                       Matthew 1: 18-23

Monday, Dec, 20        7:00pm        Joint Session and Deacon Meeting

Friday, Dec. 24          11:00pm       Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
                                                                Lessons and Carols

Sunday, Dec. 26         10:00am       Morning Worship


The Christmas Joy Offering
       Three times during the year we receive a special offering: One Great Hour of Sharing; the Peace Offering; and the Christmas Joy Offering.
        For over seventy years, Presbyterians have given generously at Christmas to support the unmet needs of families who have devoted their lives to the mission of the Presbyterian Church USA. Today this Offering is shared equally by the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions, which provides critical assistance to Presbyterian Church workers and their families, and, secondly, to Presbyterian-affiliated racial ethnic schools and colleges, which enable students to develop their gifts and find their calling.
      There will be special envelopes available in the pews this Sunday and on Christmas Eve. Sunday’s bulletin will also contain an insert on individuals who have been helped by this Offering.

          A thank you to the Deacons for preparing Christmas stockings filled with appropriate items. These will be distributed to residents at the Nursing Home.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

This Week At Old South Haven Presbyterian Church

“ It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” The Christmas tree is now up and decorated in the sanctuary. Slowly other items are added to make this a festive season. Thank you to all who participated in this event last Sunday.

Monday, Dec. 6 7:00pm Peace Network in the Gallery

Saturday, Dec. 11 5:00pm Wedding Ceremony
Kristopher Stuart Webster and Lynnsey Meagan Nichols
Sunday, Dec. 12 10:00m Morning Worship
Third Sunday of Advent
Sermon: “The Glory of the Lord Revealed”
Lessons: Isaiah 40:5; 42:8-13 Luke 2: 8-14

Wednesday, Dec. 15 12noon Mid Suffolk Parish: in the Gallery

Friday, Dec. 17 7:00pm Church Officers Party at the Manse

Sunday, Dec. 19 10:00am Morning Worship
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Sermon: “Call his name Emmanuel:  God with us”
Receive Christmas Joy offering

Monday, Dec. 20 7:00pm Joint Session and Deacons Meeting

Friday, Dec. 24 11:00pm Christmas Eve
Lessons and Carols
Candlelight Service