Thursday, August 27, 2020

This Week at Old South Haven Church [CORRECTION]

"It's amazing to me...why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back."
It's just . . . it's really so sad.
The training has to change in the police force. ... My dad was a cop. I believe in good cops.
We're not trying to defund the police and take all their money away.
We're trying to get them to protect us, just like they protect everybody else."
We've got to do better. ... we've got to demand better."
Doc Rivers, Coach of the LA Clippers, Aug 25, 2020.

"If you watch that video, you don't need to be Black to be outraged.
You need to be American."
Stephen A. Smith, ESPN, Aug 26, 2020

When Colin Kapernick began his protests,
it wasn't to fix a system that is broken.
It was to try to change a system that works
perfectly for the people it was built to work for.
Ryan Clark, "Get Up," ESPN, Aug 26, 2020

"I had to make a choice on what side I was going to stand on.
People need to understand--that side is not white, that side is not black,
that side is right, that side is human."
Ryan Clark, "Get Up," ESPN, Aug 26, 2020

“You don't get to disrespect Black bodies in the street
and then watch Black bodies for entertainment.”
Jemele Juanita Hill, sports journalist,
The Atlantic, Aug 27, 2020.

"We decided that it is time to take a stand today,
And we feel that with this moment, right here, today,
with my brother Ryan standing next to me,
and all my brothers standing behind me,
we wanted to show solidarity and be unified."
Kevin Byard, Tennessee Titans safety, with Ryan Tannehill, QB

“We’re tired of dealing with excessive force.
We’re tired of seeing Black men and women
die in situations where they should be walking home
and spending the night with their families.”
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans


Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

I again invite you to join us this coming Sunday for our service on Zoom. Pastor Ralph will be leading the service. Please see his weekly letter to the congregation, which is attached and below. Pastor Ralph and Jason Neal with be leading the September 6, 2020 Sunday Service.

Pastor Glorya Johnson will start on Sunday, September 13, 2020. I hope that you have marked your calendars for the Meet and Greet with Pastor Glorya, which will be on Monday, August 31st, at 4:00 P. M. (Raindate: September 3rd.).

I was asked to remind everyone that the church has been open on Sunday afternoons. This coming Sunday, it will be open from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

God Bless,

Linda

Topic: Sunday Church Service
Time: Aug 30, 2020 09:45 AM Eastern Time (Service starts 10 am)
Join Zoom Meeting (use following address)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2425544200?pwd=M3JpbUVPMWplL3FHWjlGR1pmK0c2dz09

Meeting ID: 242 554 4200
Passcode: 092003
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (New York)
+13017158592,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (Germantown)

Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

**********
A letter from Pastor Ralph Wright
August 27, 2020

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

For more than forty of my fifty plus years of being an ordained Presbyterian minister I have been bi-professional. Some would use a different term, namely a Tentmaker, others would say I am a Worker-Priest. On the one hand I have secular employment, while on the other hand my religious faith and training gives me high standards to live by, as well as many challenges that are outside the bounds of my secular position. In recent years, that has ranged from working in management for charities and non-profits or working for corporations as an accountant.

How do you provide financial advice, as well show emotional or spiritual support, to a 70 year old grandmother who by herself is raising her 8 year old granddaughter? Together they live off of grandma's monthly Social Security check and a smaller pension check. Encouraging them to live a more Scriptural based life is really not sufficient, they need good financial advice and support.
Or, how do you help a young person who has lost his job due to the Corona Virus pandemic and can't seem to get unemployment benefits because his previous employer paid him as a self- employed contractor and not as an employee? How to navigate the complexities of the Department of Labor is part of the answer. Or, how do you help a drug dependent adult who feels there is not much to life since she can't handle the pressures of the college classroom and the social life of the school? This takes the help of one trained in psychology.
There are no easy answers. But the support I receive from fellow Christians, as well as social workers and financial planners, helps me address these issues and hopefully provide good advice and referrals to those in need.

The Bible is clear that tentmaking and bi-vocational ministry is a strategic plan God uses for certain individuals. Paul spent several seasons of his life as a tentmaker. Paul provided for himself at certain times by making tents, but this was not his first priority. His calling and focus was always as a missionary first. As we look at Scripture, we see that Paul actually viewed tent making as a way to further the Gospel.

In the same way, today's tentmakers missionaries have the same focus on mission work. But they also see their second job as a way to expand God's Kingdom. There is excitement watching Jesus commission some of His people as tentmakers. We recognize that, in the end, it is all about sharing the good news of the Gospel and helping people to discover themselves, and enjoy the support and the love of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

One doesn't have to be an ordained pastor to be a tentmaker. I know a number of lay people that are fantastic tentmakers. I really would like to encourage you to consider being a tentmaker as well. I can assure you it is not easy….but the emotional and spiritual rewards are great.

Peace and stay safe,
Pastor Ralph
631-475-3322–office; 631-289-5761–home: Others may answer but they will put you through.

**********
Please join us to welcome The Rev Glorya Johnson, our new pastor
Monday, August 31, 4 PM
Old South Haven Church lawn
(rain date:  Thursday, Sept 3)
There will be simple refreshments and, of course, masks, distancing, and, sadly, no hugs.

We'll have a chance to introduce ourselves individually, but we'd like to also tell Glorya a little about ourselves collectively, and we need your help.  Please finish this sentence:
Old South Haven Church is a place where ____________________.  We'll share your collective wisdom with Glorya and each other on the 31st.
Please email your sentence to Darcy:    or 
Deb:  deborah.mayo@stonybrook.edu or call Darcy: 631-398-0875 by Thursday.  A second or third sentence is more than welcome!
Thank you and we hope to see you on Monday the 31st at 4.

**********

Again, this Saturday, August 29, we will be joining with the community's "Let's Come Together - BLM/Justice ride" through Bellport & East Patchogue, leaving from Boys & Girls Club at 4 pm.

View attachments for additional commentary.

**********
During last Sunday's sermon Pastor Wright referred to a part of Richard Thomas' weekly email " To the Choir," and suggested that it be share with "Reporter" crowd. It is extracted below. Richard weekly commentary on the Sunday service has come to be distributed to quite a few more than the formal "choir" crowd. If you would like to included on his distribution list, write him at RichardAThomas@optonline.net.

        [Last Sunday was] "Public Education Sunday" and "Young Adult Volunteer Commissioning Sunday." 

        I don't recall any "young adult volunteers" being commissioned at an Old South Haven Church service.  There may have been a service for commissioning the new Sunday School teachers on Rally Day, and some of the teachers were sometimes fairly young.  Jason Neal was a Sunday School teacher in 1991 (and he preached on Youth Sunday on 03 May 1992—his sermon was on the "parable of the sower," after which we sang, "We Plow the Fields and Scatter."

In 1956, there were 136 pupils in the Sunday School, which required a staff of 19 teachers and officers. Although there were 136 registered pupils, attendance of many students was sporadic, and the record attendance on a Sunday in 1956 was 94.

There were so many kids, the church decided to pay for bus transportation to get them all to Sunday School. (The first article below is from the scrapbook of Mrs. Dorothy Jones.)
       



Sunday, August 23, 2020

Welcome The Rev Glorya Johnson, our new pastor


Please join us to welcome The Rev Glorya Johnson, our new pastor
Monday, August 31, 4 PM
Old South Haven Church lawn
(rain date:  Thursday, Sept 3)
There will be simple refreshments and, of course, masks, distancing, and, sadly, no hugs.

We'll have a chance to introduce ourselves individually, but we'd like to also tell Glorya a little about ourselves collectively, and we need your help.  Please finish this sentence:
Old South Haven Church is a place where ____________________.  We'll share your collective wisdom with Glorya and each other on the 31st.
Please email your sentence to Darcy:    or 
Deb:  deborah.mayo@stonybrook.edu or call Darcy: 631-398-0875 by Thursday.  A second or third sentence is more than welcome!
Thank you and we hope to see you on Monday the 31st at 4.
                                       

Friday, August 21, 2020

This Week at Old South Haven Church




Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

Again, I invite you to join us on Zoom this coming Sunday.  The details are below.

The church will be open this coming Sunday from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm for any one who would like to sit in the church and meditate and/or pray.

Please mark on your calendar Monday afternoon, August 31st, at 4:00 PM, for an outdoor Meet and Greet with Pastor Glorya Johnson on the church lawn.  We look forward to spending some time with her.

Pastor Ralph will be leading our service for the next three Sundays.  Please see Pastor Ralph's letter to the congregation, which is attached and included below.

Peace Be With You All,

Linda


Sunday Church Zoom Service, August 23, 2020, at 9:45 A. M.

Meeting ID: 242 554 4200
Passcode: 092003
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (New York)
+13017158592,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

        
      

***************************************

        ` August 19, 2020

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

In a world where attack ads are considered normal, where denigration of opponents are common place, where truth is twisted and openly challenged, I turn to the Scriptures for directions. In the words of a local church sign "If you are tired of fake news, read the Bible". I also read the inspirational words of my fellow Christians….not just Presbyterians, not just social activist Christians, but also conservative colleagues who are good scholars and interpreters of the Scripture. Let me share with you some words of wisdom from a Southern Baptist minister, Pastor Joe McKeever, a native of Alabama and the son of a coal miner. He has also been writing and cartooning for religious publications since the mid-1960s. He begins a recent magazine article with the following quote from Galatians 5:22-23:


Allow me to paraphrase how he develops his thoughts.

The Lord demonstrates gentleness.

Now we knew the Lord was gentle. In Matthew 11:29 Jesus said He was, and throughout his earthly ministry that gentleness was on display. He had time for children, for the blind and crippled, the poor and needy.

What a Man. What a Savior. Who would not love such a Lord?

It makes sense that this Lord working within us wants to gentle us, also.

The Lord's Spirit moves into the life of one who has invited Jesus to become his Lord. But the long hard work of sanctification – making us look and act and speak and think like Jesus – Has just begun. It will take the rest of our earthly years.
So the next time we get into a debate with someone who disagrees with us, let us remember the gentleness of our Lord. Gentleness is not cowardice. It is a way of life, a skill which we can learn from the teachings of our Lord. And yes, we can be misunderstood for being gentle and there may be a price to pay. But that is the way of our Lord.

***************************************
Remember to join us for a virtual worship service this Fourth Sunday of August on Zoom.

Pastor Ralph
Call me, or send me an e-mail with your reflections on this story, as well as your requests for prayer for yourself, your family, and friends.
631-475-3322–office; 631-289-5761–home: e-mail: rbwright1@aol.com.

**********

Again, this Saturday, August 22, will be joining with the community's "Let's Come Together - BLM/Justice ride" through Bellport & East Patchogue, leaving from Boys & Girls Club at 4 pm.










This Week at Old South Haven Church




Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

Again, I invite you to join us on Zoom this coming Sunday.  The details are below.

The church will be open this coming Sunday from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm for any one who would like to sit in the church and meditate and/or pray.

Please mark on your calendar Monday afternoon, August 31st, at 4:00 PM, for an outdoor Meet and Greet with Pastor Glorya Johnson on the church lawn.  We look forward to spending some time with her.

Pastor Ralph will be leading our service for the next three Sundays.  Please see Pastor Ralph's letter to the congregation, which is attached and included below.

Peace Be With You All,

Linda


Sunday Church Zoom Service, August 23, 2020, at 9:45 A. M.

Meeting ID: 242 554 4200
Passcode: 092003
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (New York)
+13017158592,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

        
      

***************************************

        ` August 19, 2020

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

In a world where attack ads are considered normal, where denigration of opponents are common place, where truth is twisted and openly challenged, I turn to the Scriptures for directions. In the words of a local church sign "If you are tired of fake news, read the Bible". I also read the inspirational words of my fellow Christians….not just Presbyterians, not just social activist Christians, but also conservative colleagues who are good scholars and interpreters of the Scripture. Let me share with you some words of wisdom from a Southern Baptist minister, Pastor Joe McKeever, a native of Alabama and the son of a coal miner. He has also been writing and cartooning for religious publications since the mid-1960s. He begins a recent magazine article with the following quote from Galatians 5:22-23:


Allow me to paraphrase how he develops his thoughts.

The Lord demonstrates gentleness.

Now we knew the Lord was gentle. In Matthew 11:29 Jesus said He was, and throughout his earthly ministry that gentleness was on display. He had time for children, for the blind and crippled, the poor and needy.

What a Man. What a Savior. Who would not love such a Lord?

It makes sense that this Lord working within us wants to gentle us, also.

The Lord's Spirit moves into the life of one who has invited Jesus to become his Lord. But the long hard work of sanctification – making us look and act and speak and think like Jesus – Has just begun. It will take the rest of our earthly years.
So the next time we get into a debate with someone who disagrees with us, let us remember the gentleness of our Lord. Gentleness is not cowardice. It is a way of life, a skill which we can learn from the teachings of our Lord. And yes, we can be misunderstood for being gentle and there may be a price to pay. But that is the way of our Lord.

***************************************
Remember to join us for a virtual worship service this Fourth Sunday of August on Zoom.

Pastor Ralph
Call me, or send me an e-mail with your reflections on this story, as well as your requests for prayer for yourself, your family, and friends.
631-475-3322–office; 631-289-5761–home: e-mail: rbwright1@aol.com.

**********

Again, this Saturday, August 22, will be joining with the community's "Let's Come Together - BLM/Justice ride" through Bellport & East Patchogue, leaving from Boys & Girls Club at 4 pm.










Thursday, August 13, 2020

This Week at Old South Haven Church

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,

We again are having a Zoom Church Service this coming Sunday with Rev. Wright leading worship. The details for the service are below as well as Rev. Wright's letter to the congregation.

The church will again be open for prayer on Sunday afternoon from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

And, please save the date of August 31, 2020 for a Meet and Greet for Reverend Glorya Johnson at 4:00 P. M. on the church lawn. Rain date is September 3, 2020 at 4:00 P. M. More details to follow.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Zoom.

Linda

Linda Majowka is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Sunday's Church Zoom Service
Time: Aug 16, 2020 09:45 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2425544200?pwd=M3JpbUVPMWplL3FHWjlGR1pmK0c2dz09

Meeting ID: 242 554 4200
Passcode: 092003
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (New York)
+13017158592,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (Germantown)

Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

A Letter from Rev. Ralph Wright

` August 12, 2020

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,
Following below is the experience of a Presbyterian living on the island which goes back to his formative days. It's worth a good read.

I'm black. And that has never been a problem for me. My parents, while deeply religious, reared us to have a positive sense of self. We had images and poetry and music around our home that reinforced the pride that we should have in ourselves. They taught us that there was nothing that we couldn't do and therefore insisted that we strive to excel in our educational and other pursuits. Growing up in Brooklyn, NY was a wonderful experience. Brooklyn is a true example of the melting pot that is the United States. We moved onto our block in the late 1960's and were only the second African-American family on Maple Street. That never seemed to be a problem as our European neighbors welcomed us with open arms. The schools I attended were decidedly diverse, having their fair share of black, white, brown and yellow children in them. In elementary school, we never experienced overt examples of racist behavior (although I now wonder why our multicultural classes were always taught by white women or men). But there was an incident that I experienced in middle school that changed the way I viewed the world.
In 1976, my class went to a screening of the movie 1776, a recounting of the "founding" of the USA. The theater our teachers took us to was in Bensonhurst, a predominantly white community in another portion of Brooklyn. We took the elevated train to the movie theater and when we arrived at our stop, we descended the stairs and walked 4-5 blocks to the cinema. Our class, full of different races and nationalities, thoroughly enjoyed the movie and when it concluded, we were ready to take our 25-minute subway ride back to school. But evil entered our lives that day.
As we gathered in the theater lobby preparing to leave, a group of older white teens stood in front of the cinema and menacingly began to approach the theater doors hurling racial epithets and reminded us that we didn't belong there. Our white teachers confronted them and told them to leave our group alone and scatter. They walked away for a few moments. When our teachers thought the coast was clear, we moved toward the exit. But this time the mob of teens returned with two by fours and bats. Our teachers went outside to reason with them but they responded by assaulting one of our teachers with a bat and injuring his arm. "Why were they doing this?" I asked myself. "I hadn't done anything to them." And then I heard them yell the n-word over and over and over. At that moment, our class had the option of staying and being likewise assaulted or running for our lives. Many of us chose the latter. I was a sprinter and ran past these racist teens in the direction of the elevated subway station. After running a few blocks, I took cover behind a car and watched my classmate Donna trip as she ran toward the station. As she fell, I watched a two by four fly over her, narrowly missing her head and certainly saving her from serious injury. Several of us made it to the subway station, jumped on the train and took a silent ride back to I.S. 320 in Crown Heights. When we got back to school, we didn't talk much about this hate-filled encounter. The only outward reminders were the injuries our classmates and teachers suffered. But I couldn't hide the internal wounds.
I was numb. I thought people were generally good and kind to one another. But that day I realized that racism was real. I began to look at others differently and was always careful about which section of Brooklyn I traveled to. And while I went on to attend a predominantly white high school and largely Jewish college, I will never forget that day in 1976 when my rose-colored glasses about race were snatched off of my face. Unfortunately, so many black and brown people have had similar encounters and chosen to be silent in the hope that their children would not have the same experience. I have shared this story with my black son and daughter and believe that much of what is happening in 2020 will alter attitudes, behaviors and policies so that other black boys and girls will know that their lives matter and they have a right to walk, jog, attend a movie or eat anywhere they choose. This I pray, in Jesus's name, AMEN!
Rev Scott Williams
Christ's First Presbyterian, Hempstead, NY
***************************************

Remember to join us for a virtual worship service this Third Sunday of August on Zoom.

Pastor Ralph

I too was raised in Brooklyn and can vouch for the reality of the story. I read this story in an e-mail sent out this week by the Presbytery of Long Island. Call me, or send me an e-mail with your reflections on this story, as well as your requests for prayer for yourself, your family, and friends.
631-475-3322–office; 631-289-5761–home: e-mail: rbwright1@aol.com.

***************************************


Again, this Saturday, August 15, will be joining with the community's "Let's Come Together - BLM/Justice ride" through Bellport & East Patchogue, leaving from Boys & Girls Club at 4 pm.









Thursday, August 6, 2020

This Week at Old South Haven Church

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church:

It is with pleasure that I announce that Rev. Glorya Johnson will be coming to Old South Haven Church to be our Pastor starting on September 13th. You should be receiving a letter with more details about Rev. Johnson shortly.

Rev. Wright will continue to be with us until the end of August. Please see his letter to the congregation, which is attached and also pasted below.

The Committee to Reopen the Church is working on a plan. The church is to be open from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Sunday afternoons for those who would like to pray or meditate in the church.

Please join us this coming Sunday for a Zoom Church Service--the details are below.

God Bless,


Linda

You are invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Sunday Zoom Service
Time: Aug 9, 2020 09:45 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2425544200?pwd=M3JpbUVPMWplL3FHWjlGR1pmK0c2dz09

Meeting ID: 242 554 4200
Passcode: 092003
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (New York)
+13017158592,,2425544200#,,,,,,0#,,092003# US (Germantown)

Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 242 554 4200
Passcode: 092003



` August 5, 2020

Dear Members and Friends of Old South Haven Church,
Allow me to share with you the meditation I had with the Yaphank Fire Department this week.

9/11 & Corona Virus Commemoration
September 11, 2001, a day now etched in history. Thousands lost their lives when two planes were crashed into New York's World Trade Center, another into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and a fourth, headed for Washington D.C. fell short in a Pennsylvania field. We fire personnel where there, maybe not at the time of impact but for months afterwards providing support to those working in the pit. The price our men and women of this region and our nation paid is much more than the 3,000 plus who died in the collapsed World Trade Center…the hundreds, nay thousands who have had their lives shortened by inhaling the fumes and dust of the collapsed buildings.

We come now to the year 2020, a year which too will be etched in history. Over 150,000 have lost their lives to the Corona Virus Pandemic. Another almost five million have contracted the disease, including two members of our department, Chuck Mapes and Jonathan Steeckler. They have recovered, but we all feel their pain. We too have been in harm's way, risking our health as we responded to the crises and needs of our community.

Just as the senseless attacks destroyed buildings and our feelings of security, and the disease created distress and pain, these acts also threatened our concept of a loving God.

We are led to ask the question, Where was God in those critical moments that meant the difference between life and death for so many? He was there. He was with those who lived and those who died, hearing every prayer. He felt the anguish of every person suffering in confused darkness and silence.

Please take a moment now in quiet meditation to explore and personally discover or deepen your understanding of the God who cares and to remember those who died on September 11, 2001 and in this year 2020 plus all those who have served our nation since then and continue to serve in our armed forces, or as first responders, or as essential medical and support staff or in other operations.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

God bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with the light from above
From the mountains, to the prairies,
to the ocean white with foam.
God bless America, My home sweet home.
And God bless everyone here and their families and our community. Amen.

***************************************

Remember to join us for a virtual worship service this Second Sunday of August on Zoom.
Pastor Ralph
631-475-3322–office; 631-289-5761–home: Others may answer but they will put you through.