We need the time to focus our attention once more on the almost unbearable revelation of God who loves us enough to take the form of a human and suffer among us. Lent is God’s gift to us who are starved for meaning, for courage, for comfort, for life.

Lent reminds us of whose we are. The “sacrifices,” we make during this time are God’s gifts to us to remind us who we are: God’s own daughters and sons; God’s treasure, so priceless that God was willing to go to any depth to tell us that we are loved, that we have value, that we have purpose.

Lent is the season where God prepares us to behold God’s great sacrifice for us, with the hope that come Easter, we may be immersed once again into God’s mercy, and perceive more fully God’s great love for us and all the world and in this way find the peace and hope and freedom that we so often lack.

Of all of the church seasons, I would venture to say that no one would pick Lent to be their favorite, or even at the top of their list. One of the main problems with Lent is in the first four words of Matthew 6:16, “And when you fast … ”

And when you fast?! What? Except for the occasional crash diet before summer vacation, who fasts anymore? And there you have it, Lent feels like this strange, weird holiday that celebrates things we do not value and encourages attitudes we do not share. No wonder each year fewer and fewer people celebrate this 4th century tradition; it’s too old-fashioned, too “Catholic,” too Medieval for many contemporary Christians to handle.

Maybe it’s the themes of Lent that trouble us: Penitence, Sacrifice, Contemplation. These are the words of Lent, and I do not believe they were ever popular, even with the Puritans. So we ask the same question every year, why Lent? I mean, who really needs it?

And once again, the same answer comes back to me, I need Lent. We all need Lent. We need a time to focus, to get our minds off of the things that clutter them: career pursuits, family obligations and a myriad of other things which we look to for meaning. We need time to clear our heads of the distractions of life and re-orient ourselves towards our Maker. Forty days seems to be a godly number, it certainly is repeated over and over in the Bible.

The Season of Lent

~Rev. Vicky

REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND, PASTOR vickyleastland@gmail.com

2 BROOKVILLE ROAD BROOKVILLE, NY 11545

516-626-0414 brookvillechurch@gmail.com www.BrookvilleChurch.org Facebook: Brookville-Church-Multifaith-Campus

Where our doors are always open!

March 2017

Our Mission Statement: Brookville Church is a welcoming, friendly and heartfelt community who follows the teachings of Jesus; a message of love, acceptance, healing and hope. We affirm that all people are beloved children of God and therefore embrace any age, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic status, marital status, family configuration, physical or mental ability or education, and invite the full inclusion of all people into the life and ministries of Brookville Church. We believe diversity enriches our journey together in faith and propels us to an ever expanding understanding and experience of God.

VIDEO LENT DEVOTIONS Lent Devotions can be sent to you for free from the

RCA. To sign up to receive these email video devotions during Lent, go to:

https://www.rca.org/resources/lent-devotions

Brookville Church News 2B

Easter Sunday April 16th

Remember to order your Easter lilies and/or hyacinths by March 24th. Mail the attached order form or call the church office: 516-626-0414.

Easter Plant Order The cost per plant is $19.00. All checks should be made payable to the Brookville Reformed Church. Orders due by March 24th.

Name of Donor: ______________________________

Number of Plants: Lilies:____________ Hyacinths:____________

__ I will take the plant (s) after 10:00 a.m. worship.

__ I will leave the plant (s) to be given to a homebound member.

AMOUNT ENCLOSED: $_______________

Please clearly list names, and state if plant(s) are in memory or in honor of: ______________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________2017

#Palm Sunday

April 9 - 10:00 a.m. Children and Youth led Worship Celebration

Maundy Thursday April 13 - 7:00 p.m.

Communion service

Good Friday April 14 - 7:00 p.m.

A Tenebrae service led by the Adult Choir

Easter Sunday April 16- 10:00 a.m.

Resurrection Worship Celebration with Children's Easter Egg Hunt and Bunny

Hop following worship

Did you know the big amazon.com has a charitable heart? Yes, it does.

Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Brookville Church.

Here’s how it works: To shop at amazon.com, go to smile.Amazon.com. You can simply log in as you normally would. In the search box on the lower right corner of the screen, type Brookville Church. From the list that appears, pick our Brookville, NY location. At the top of the Amazon page you will see: Supporting: Brookville Church. Shop as normal, and 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be sent to Brookville Church at the end of every quarter. It’s that simple!

Do a good deed and support our church. Thank you!

Brookville Church News 3B

Elizabeth Keefer, wife of the late Dr. Edward B. C. Keefer, died peacefully on November 10th in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She was 93. Born in Philadelphia, Bettie grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey, and moved to Montreal as a teenager. She graduated from Wellesley College in 1943 and married Eddie, a surgeon who practiced at New York Hospital. They had three children and lived on Long Island, where Bettie worked as a college admissions counselor at LIU/CW Post and then as a real estate agent for Daniel Gayle in Locust Valley. She was an avid ice skater and a lover of animals. A quote from her favorite book by Thornton Wilder sums up her life’s philosophy: "There is a land of the living and a land of the dead, the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.” She is lovingly remembered by her sisters, Jane Norsworthy and Mary Mason; her son, Ted; two daughters, Libby and Judy; and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A

memorial service will be held for her on March 11th at the Brookville Church at 11:00 am.

Memorial Service for Elizabeth Keefer March 11 at 11:00 am

Empowerment  Day at the Smash Hit AMELIE! Saturday, March 25

Open to women and girls of all ages in the Long Island community.

Join us for a theater workshop featuring a panel of Broadway artists who will share their experience of being female in the business, participate in improv/theater games involving role play of some of the most empowering

female characters from Broadway's best known musicals, eat lunch in the studio, enjoy a matinee performance of AMELIE!

Broadway Workshop has spent close to a decade inspiring and educating young artists through educational workshops, summer theater camps, private and small group trainings and full-scale productions in New York

City and across the country. In all that they do, they value professionalism, creativity, self-expression, inspired learning, transformation and fun. For more information, go to www.broadwayworkshop.com .

This program costs $120 per participant (not including LIRR ticket travel), and tickets are EXTREMELY limited, available on a first come, first served basis.

Please RSVP, and direct your questions to:

Lesley Mazzotta Certified Spiritual Director

Educational Consultant & Facilitator, RCA Women's Transformation and Leadership LesleyMazzotta@gmail.com * 917-623-4554

Brookville Church News 4B

Dear Brookville Church,

I want to introduce myself and my work in Israel/Palestine. I am preceded and assisted in this work by my parents, Marlin and Sally Vis. They were the first Reformed Church in America (RCA) mission co-workers to Israel/Palestine. The ministry they d e v e l o p e d i s o n e o f reconciliation, discipleship, and advocacy. They lived in

East Jerusalem and worked for St. George’s College. Their focus was on bringing people to Israel/Palestine with the aim of teaching them about the Biblical stories, the history of the land, the archaeology, and the contemporary conflict. Outside of the nation of Israel, no nation has more influence and power in this conflict than the U.S.A. Therefore, educating Americans on this conflict is paramount.

Along with bringing groups to Israel/Palestine, my parents also ran a summer art and fitness camp in Bethlehem for Palestinian youth. It is all of this good work that I intend to continue and expand. Beyond the trips, my intention is to develop educational materials for churches on the history and critical issues of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. I hope to develop a number of short videos that focus on particular issues that are crucial for understanding the conflict.

Finally, the RCA will begin to discern how we, as citizens of the U.S.A. can begin to advocate for peace and reconciliation in Israel/Palestine on the global stage and in U.S. politics. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue and expand on the wonderful ministry my parents developed. Thank you for joining me in this effort, both through your financial support and your prayers.

Sincerely, Rev. Joshua VisChurch Engagement Facilitator for Israel/Palestine joshuamvis@gmail.com y

A Letter from Our Partner in Ministry Rev. Joshua Vis

Reminder: 5th Annual Movie Study at the Parsonage, 171 Glen Ave., Sea Cliff

begins Thursday March 9, 7:00-10:00PM - Movie viewing! Follow up study sessions will be on Thursdays March 16, 23, 30 and April 6 from 7:00-8:30PM

This year we are using Terrence Malick’s 2011 film “The Tree of Life,” the impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. To sign up

please email Rev. Vicky at: VickyLEastland@gmail.com

Nassau-Suffolk Annual Women’s Communion Breakfast

    Saturday April 8, 2017 at 10AM

  Community Reformed Church

at Manhasset 90 Plandome Road

Manhasset, NY  

Guest Minister Reverend Anna Jackson

Queens Reformed Church

RSVP by April 1, 2017 To: Rev. Donna Field

dmfieldrn@yahoo.com 516-851-4383

Join Us

WHEN THE STORK ~ DELIVERS A BABY OUR WHOLE ~ DARN FACTORY ~ JUMPS LIKE CRAZY

ReflectionsReflections

End Word: To all of us who hold the Christian belief that God is truth, anything that is true is a fact about God, and mathematics is thus a branch of theology. ~ Hilda Phoebe Hudson

RD=FC* This equation caught my attention early last year in the West Point Alumni magazine as the title for a regular page of something written by a guest writer who is usually a current cadet. The asterisk is properly placed to direct the reader to the bottom of the page. There it says:

*According to Cadet Slang: RD=FC ‘Rough Draft Equals Final Copy.’ The art of completing a paper or project in one sitting.

For someone who graduated college before Personal Computers (PC) or Smart Phones this phrase contradicts what we knew then and defies how we produced our compositions. Typewriters were the requisite tool and for many students mastering those machines was do or die. I remember one term paper due in January that I wrote during Christmas Leave, and paid a friend’s high school daughter to type for me. This week I asked my grandchildren, still in high school, what they thought about the equation and they all said “That’s the way we do it most of the time.” Their tool, of course, is a lap top or PC which fixes spelling and grammatical errors. My Smith-Corona typewriter circa 1955 was a manual portable machine that was state of the art, but even then the technology was rapidly changing and three years later, before I graduated, they designed electric typewriters which kept them in business for another thirty years until the PC began a new era. My portable typewriter stayed with me through the Basic Signal Officers School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey from which I graduated to Cipher Code Machines and military grade typewriters (huge and strong as a tank). I should have reconnected at the Signal School to enter their Automatic Data Processing Course for Staff Officers. It was, at that time, the predecessor to computers. My classmate, Alan Salisbury, took that course and a few years later he went to Stanford for a Masters and Doctorate and went directly to West Point to teach an early computer elective course.

We had lived together as junior officers at Fort Meade, MD until Nancy and I married with Alan in the wedding party. We were both stationed in Alaska together and later, during his teaching time at West Point, Nancy and I would visit him during football season. For several years we connected only by mail, but were able to attend the promotion ceremonies for his first and second general’s stars and his retirement ceremony. There are so many changes in life, twists and turns that one follows this way while another goes that way for a completely different outcome but our friendship has continued constant. There are locations of military bases in forgotten places all over our country. I remember taking a platoon of Signal Corps radio operators from Fort Richardson (Anchorage) Alaska south to the Canadian border to test locations for relay sites during the next winter maneuver. In a boreal forest we found a perfect location; it had been a busy WWII way station for planes made in the USA and ferried by woman Army (WAF) pilots to Russia. Except for the macadam runways the place would have reverted back to forest after the war. More recently Fort Monmouth is just a name; although it still has the buildings intact there is no Signal School there anymore. Ft. Monmouth will become something like Roosevelt Field, Mitchell Field and many more soon to be forgotten military sites. Entering West Point was my first experience living in a Barracks. As we studied Engineering the history of Army base facilities was a part of the course. We saw how a huge indoor riding hall could be changed into a major academic building because it happened while we were there; how officer’s quarters differ from the enlisted men’s barracks because we had opportunities to live in both. We bussed down to the Tappan Zee bridge while it was being built, marveling at the marvels of engineering. Now, in my lifetime, that bridge is being replaced by a new one and yes, the cadets are visiting and studying the project from time to time. West Point was first opened to be an engineering school to provide the talent and skills needed for a growing country; railroads, bridges, dams and simple roads opening the new land. The graduates were not all going to be officers because the country needed those good engineers. When I attended, and even today, the smartest graduates hope to get into the Corps of Engineers because that education is one of the easiest to translate into a civilian job after retiring. Just as in any good civilian university the future for an academy graduate can go this way or that way and have a rewarding life doing either. And now I close. Thanks to this PC I have proven RD = FC. Written Wednesday Feb20, 2017 1900-2145 Hours

One of the endlessly alluring aspects of mathematics is that its thorniest paradoxes have a way of blooming into beautiful theories. ~ Philip J. Davis

Branch Worsham Math humor

Purim is a festive Jewish holiday that celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies in the biblical Book of Esther. Purim is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month of Adar, which usually falls sometime in February o r March . (Th i s yea r corresponding to March 12th). According to Jewish tradition, Adar is the happiest, most joyous month of the Hebrew calendar. In fact, its motto is “When Adar

comes, joy is increased.” The abundance of joy in Adar is primarily due to the Jewish holiday of Purim. Purim is so-called because the villain of the story, Haman, cast the “pur” (the “lot” as in “lottery”) against the Jews yet failed to destroy them. The most important Purim custom is reading the Purim Story from the Scroll of Esther, also called the Megillah. Jews usually attend synagogue for this special reading. Whenever Haman (the villain’s) name is mentioned people will boo, howl, hoot and shake noisemakers (groggers) to express their dislike of him. This story is one of the most beloved in the Jewish community because of the hope that it gives a minority living in an oftentimes hostile majority culture. Even though G-d is not mentioned at all in the Book of Esther, from a Jewish perspective, G-d is the one who is pulling the strings of redemption behind the scenes. One of the messages of Purim is that there’s nothing natural about nature. Random processes are really anything but, and nature is just G-d’s way of managing the details without showing off. We live our lives as if events are disconnected, as if G-d is passively watching, maybe keeping score somewhere up above in the iCloud, while we are bouncing around in the “real” world playing the “game of life.” That’s not what's happening.

In reality, life is a constant dialog with G-d. Every little event is part of an interactive master plan that has its own goal and logic, yet responds to our every move, subtly adjusting a world of outcomes in accordance with the quality of our deeds. This level of divine action is more subtle, diverse and pervasive than a capital-M Miracle. And it leaves us with our free choice to believe or not, to achieve or not. Jews can always find a food to tell a story. In this case, it is the hamantash, the triangular filled pastries that are the traditional food at Purim time. The outside of the hamantash is just plain dough. The true flavor is concealed inside. Beyond the very ordinary veneer is the heart of the hamantash, bursting with sweetness. Our lives are much the same. At times it seems that we are being pushed and pulled by accidental forces. Things happen to us that seem haphazard and random; there seems to be no system in place, no direction to this cold and harsh universe. This is not true. There is a system. But it is hidden. Below the surface there is a sweet hand and a warm heart that directs the universe. Rarely do we get to see this hand. Purim is one day when it was revealed, when a crack opened in the outer shell of nature and we glimpsed what lies beyond. Purim reminds us that all those coincidences are no coincidences, and nothing is random. We are still in the middle of our story, so it is hard to see the full picture. But in the end we will see that it’s all one big hamantash. With best wishes for a joyous Purim and may we live to see a world free of Hamans,

~Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen

Brookville Multifaith Campus News 2M

Purim Traditions There are several traditions associated with the holiday of Purim. One is eating hamantashen, the triangular filled pastries, which are supposed to represent Haman’s ears or hat. Haman is the villain of the Purim story who cast the “pur” (the “lot” as in lottery) against the Jewish people yet failed to destroy them.

We also celebrate Purim by sending food (Mishloach manot in Hebrew or Shalach manos in Yiddish) to friends, family and strangers in an effort to build good relationships and love between people. Purim is not the “Jewish Halloween.” Purim is about giving out treats, while Halloween is about asking for treats. Haman accused the Jews of being “a scattered and divided nation.” Thus, the Jewish people send gifts to each other in order to show that they are not divided, but rather are united.

Another Purim tradition is dressing up in costumes and wearing masks. The tradition is rooted in a fascinating fact about the Torah. There is only one book in the entire Torah that does not contain the name of G-d—The Book of Esther! Why? The answer is that the story in the Book of Esther is considered a hidden miracle. The hand of G-d is not obvious like the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt. No splitting of the Red Sea, no water turning into blood—just everyday events with a great conclusion. The miracle of Purim is a “behind the scenes” type of miracle. You have to really look carefully to find G-d.

The costume and mask symbolize this hidden miracle. Things are not always as they appear. G-d is always in our life. Sometimes He is hidden and sometimes His presence is more obvious. On Passover, we celebrate G-d’s obvious hand in the world, and on Purim we celebrate the subtle hand of G-d that is tapping us ever so gently on the shoulder, reminding us of how much He cares and loves us. The trick is to look at the mask and realize that there is something going on beneath the surface. This is how we have to look at our friends, family and strangers. Everyone wears masks, and they wear them every day. If we remember this, it will help us to judge all humankind favorably knowing that beneath the mask there is a spark of G-d in all of us.

~Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen

Brookville Multifaith Campus News 3M

Special Musical Theatre Production you won’t want to miss!

We  are  thrilled  to  announce  the  first  Brookville  Multifaith  Campus  fundraising  event!  

OY FATHER

A  musical  love  story  of  our  own  Jewish  Woman  Cantor  (Irene)  and  Catholic  Priest  (Bill)  By:  Bill  McBride  

MAY 7, 2017 3 PM

The   play   will   be   performed   in   our   sanctuary   along   with   a   silent   auction.   Proceeds   will   go  toward  shared  expenses  of   running  our  multifaith  campus,  with  a  portion  of   the   ticket  sales  going  to  Bill  and  Irene.  

TICKET  PRICE:  $25.00    Purchase  by  calling:  

(516)  626-­‐0414  Checks  are  to  be  written  to:    Institute  for  Personal  Religion  Inc.  

Tickets  can  also  be  purchased  through  PayPal  in  the  near  future.    Please  watch  our  Facebook  page  and  your  email  inbox  for  the  PayPal  link

Brookville Multifaith Campus News 4M

On October 16, 2015, Rev. Vicky and Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed had the privilege of co-officiating the Interfaith Wedding of Subrina Mian and Stuart Brown. Subrina is Muslim and Stuart is Christian.

Dr. Sultan said at their wedding:

“Subrina and Stuart have chosen to marry. Their love unites two different  lives, families, and faiths. Some are surprised when the bride and groom are from different faith traditions. But let me remind you that there always are differences of personality, background and culture when two people get married; everything depends on what you make of the differences.

Their wedding ceremony is a tribute to a deeply held belief that a commitment of love cannot only bridge differences, but create a richer and more joyful life by sharing the wealth of their heritages.”

Congratulations to Subrina and Stuart Brown on the birth of their baby girl, January 15th, 2017

Please welcome Emma Sofia, 7lbs 8oz, 19 3/4 inches long, into the world!

Emma Sofia will be dedicated on our multifaith campus in the near future. We are so happy for the Browns and look forward to meeting and blessing Emma.

It Depends On What You Make of the Differences

Stuart and Subrina are happy to announce the birth of their first child, Emma Sofia

Save  the  Date!  

Peace  Celebration  April  30th  3  p.m.  

Brookville  Multifaith  Campus  will  be  dedicating  a  new  Peace  Pole  along  with  a  Day  of  Hope  Prayer  Service  

We  hope  you  will  join  us!  

Peace  Poles:  A  Peace  Pole  is  a  monument  that  displays  the   message   "May   Peace   Prevail   on  Earth”   in   the   language   of   the   country  where  it  has  been  placed,  and  usually  3  to  5   additional   translations.   The   message   is  referred  to  as  a  peace  prayer.

The Saturday Night Live Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the Brookville Church every Saturday night at 9pm. (Coffee and cake starting at 8:30!) As one of Nassau County's oldest AA groups, this meeting has been in existence for over 40 years. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, you are welcome to attend this meeting.

For more information, feel free to contact Carol B. at

(516) 428-0479

Calling All NYSSMA Auditioners!

If you are auditioning for NYSSMA, you have the opportunity to perform your solo during regular church services. The church is a nurturing environment, and this is an excellent way to run through your piece before

you have to perform in front of the judge. If you’re interested in playing your music for the church, please contact me through email and I will send the available dates to choose from.

Choir Members: I will be emailing you very soon to organize Easter and

get some rehearsals scheduled. Watch your email.

Rachel Worsham Coffee House Concert! Friday, March 31, starting at 7:30pm

Rachel Worsham and Melissa Dieurdonna, Sophomores at St. Mary’s High School, belong to the Scholar Service Institute program at St. Mary’s. They have chosen to host and perform a coffee house concert at the Brookville Campus Fellowship hall as their annual service project.

Rachel and other students from St Mary’s will show off their amazing talents. There will be food and raffles for sale to raise money.

Rachel and Melissa will donate all money raised to the Brookville Church to send kids to camp. This is kids working to help other kids. It doesn’t get any better than that. Come enjoy their talents and help them succeed!

Music News

Brookville Multifaith Campus News 5M

Carol cgoglia@aol.com

Daylight saving time begins

2:00 AM Sunday March 12

March Birthdays

Ian Schombs - 8th Anthony Toran - 13th Jason Kaplan - 13th Ben Denison - 13th Meg Wilson - 18th

Debbie Buchan - 18th Hailey Schombs - 21st

Laura Racey - 21st McKenna Botelho - 24th

Cooper Harley - 27th Katie Gardiner - 28th

Brookville Multifaith Campus News 6M

Join  the  Muslim  Reform  Movement  (MRMO)  

for  Quran  Studies  in  March!  All  are  welcome!  

         

Hosted  by:  Dr.  Sultan  Abdulhameed,  

author  of  The  Quran  and  the  Life  of  Excellence

~Sunday,  March    5  2:30pm  

~Sunday,  March  19  2:30pm  

The New Synagogue of Long Island Join Us for Shabbat Services

the first Friday of every month at 7:00 pm All are welcome!

For a full list of services, visit our web site: www.newsynagogue-li.org

Get Inspired to Travel!

We live on such a beautiful planet and you deserve to see it! I’ve had a lifetime passion to discover the world around us; to absorb new cultures, foods, experiences. I also strive to make it possible for my clients to travel the world, to whatever destination they desire. My number one priority is making sure to design a trip suited to your exact needs. Travel can ignite new interests and bring to light our need for adventure, beauty,

relaxation or the simple need for quality time with friends and family away from the daily grind.

Not only do I love to travel and help design trips for others to enjoy, I also love my church and the multifaith community at Brookville. Because of that love, if you book your next trip or vacation with me, I will gratefully and proudly donate 10% of my earnings to the Brookville Church and Multifaith Campus!

To find out more or to book your trip, please call or email me. I can’t wait to send you to the destination of your dreams and help our faith community at the same time!

Valerie Ritacco Power Travel International

Cell: (516) 458-7868 valerie@powertravel.net

News 12 Emergency Closing Systems for Brookville ChurchWe have registered Brookville Church with News 12 Emergency Closing Systems so that we may

more quickly inform our congregation of cancellations.

To use this service, simply go to http://longisland.news12.com

and click on the red !Closings/Delays bar at the top of the page to see our

closing status information. This information is also available on Optimum

channel 612, but only subscribers can access this channel.

Please Note: Our outgoing phone message at Brookville Church will also have cancellation

information: 516-626-0414

Happy  54th  Wedding  Anniversary  to  Anthony  &  Marjorie  Toran!  ~  March  10