the visitor march 2017 first baptist...

Contents • Social Action Group Hears from Dan lamb 1• First Baptist Bells to Ring at Noon on Fridays 1• Thanks from Enfield School 2• Highlights of March 7th Cabinet Meeting 2• Is Reincarnation Possible? 2• Update from Springbrook 2• Ancient Wonders (Photo essay) 3• Growing First Baptist Green 4 - Johanna Macy• Trustees Given Green Light to Apply for Grant to Restore Agnes Window 4• FBC Women’s Retreat 4• Dinner Discussion Fellowship Evening continued. 5• Keep in Our Prayers 6• Staff / Elected Leaders / Ministry Teams 6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Coming Events • Brunch Sunday March 12th• Lenten Series: “The Role of Grief in Our Lives,” Tuesday evening 6-8 pm, Library beginning March 14th.• March. 31st - April 2nd: First Baptist Women’s Retreat • May 6th: Spring Clean-up, Save the Date ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ What does the Lord require of you?

To do justice, Love mercy and Walk humbly with our God Micah 6:8

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the Visitor 607-273-5800; www.firstbaptistithaca.org; email: [email protected]

March 2017 First Baptist Church

On February 23rd, Dryden Town Board member Dan Lamb met with the DeWitt Park Social Action Coalition to weigh in with his expert opinion on the current climate of social action and to answer questions from the group.

Dan, who had been Congressman Maurice Hinchey’s chief of staff and had run for Congress himself, is now teaching a course on public affairs at Cornell University. He said that the silver lining to the recent election and atypical presidency is the fact that so many are now interested and organizing at a grass roots level.

Dan emphasized that a politician’s primary concern is getting re-elected, so meetings with local constituents are invaluable. He encouraged attendance at town hall meetings because in rural areas, the media is so dispersed that it is difficult to get coverage by large news organizations. If the congressman is unavailable, then meet with his representative, said Lamb. Phone calls and mail are counted by staff members.

Dan underscored the need for an independent panel to investigate the connection between Trump associates and the Russian government. It could be Trump’s Achilles heel, suggested Dan.

Social Action Group Hears from Dan Lamb

Search Committee: The Search Committee composed of Amy Chaffee and Judy Kennison sitting, and standing, from left to right, Tim Dean, Tina Hilsdorf, Steve Farrell, Lou Carlucci and Bill Abeles, have been diligently reading profiles of prospective new pastor candidates.

Barbara Fry, on the left, and Youth and Children’s Coordin-atoor Amy Beigel organized a most successful Friday, March 3rd evening for youth and elders. There was fun and games and a movie for the youth, wonderful food, and productive meetings between the parents and the Education team, and the Search Committee and the youth. More pictures of the evening can be viewed on page five.

FBC Bells to Ring for Peace and Love at Noon on FridaysAt the March 7th Cabinet meeting, the Cabinet voted to accede to a request from Teresa Grady to ring the bells of First Baptist one weekday to demonstrate our solidarity with others pursuing peace, love and justice.

A group of volunteers is being sought to ring our bells at noontime each Friday. If you are interested in volunteering for this honor, please speak to Shella or Bill Fry.

Bell ringing in churches stems from an age-old tradition of using bells to call the faithful to prayer.

First Baptist youth piece together a puzzle before dinner.

Thanks from Endfield SchoolDear First Baptist Church, January 2017We received many thank you notes from families that the Enfield Holiday Project helped this year. The letter below states not only the reason why we do it year after year but why your help is not only needed, but more importantly, why it is so deeply appreciated by the families. Dear Elves that Saved Christmas,I was to the point where I didn’t think my children would have Christmas this year. I was feeling desperate, like I was drowning. I reached out and you threw me a lifeline. The way the community and this school comes together to help those in need brings me to tears. I am so very grateful I don’t have the words to express it. I feel proud to be a part of the Enfield community. I know this will be a magical Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Bless the elves and helpers behind the scenes who made Christmas happen for so many children. Children who will now go another year believing in Santa and the magic of Christmas.With gratitude and love,Two struggling parents doing their best to raise good people.

Sonja, Vera and I also want to thank you for all the help you have given “our kids” this year. Sincerely,Mary Cole – Enfield School

P.S. A wintery hello! I delivered to Enfield on Friday a large amount of clothing, mittens, hats, toothbrushes, school supplies, detergent & soaps etc. Many thanks to Jenny Wurster for collecting five boxes of clothing! With the return of winter, it will be welcomed. Sue Hemsath

Update from Springbrook From Marlene Sack

A woman from Springbrook, the upstate home we support by collecting manufacturers’ labels, told me that they just were able to purchase a new projector called the ELMO with the proceeds from the donated labels. They will use the projector with visually impaired people to enlarge documents and three dimensional items such as insects, coins, etc. for educational purposes.

On another note, Campbell’s soup has discontinued its labels for education program. So you don’t need to turn in labels any longer unless it says “Labels for Education” next to the UPC code. Also, Kleenex tissue doesn’t have the box tops but Scott tissues might in case people still want to look for the box tops.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Friends Center for Racial Justice

The Friends Center for Racial Justice is a new spiritual gathering place where people from all faiths may join with Quakers to better understand and heal from internalized racism, re-create our communities as places where all are valued and affirmed, and move toward justice, reconciliation and recognizing that of God in all people.

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“One cannot level one’s moral lance at every evil in the universe. There are just too many of them. But you can do something, and the differ-ence between doing something and doing nothing is everything.” – Daniel Berrigan

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In his book The Universe in a Single Atom the Dalai Lama describes a young girl from Kampur, India, who believed that she had another set of parents in a previous life. Her descriptions were so concrete that her parents began to take her seriously. When the two whom she claimed were her par-ents in a previous life came to visit her, she told them about their dead child’s life.

Could such an experience really be possi-ble? The Dalai Lama notes that Buddhism believes in three forms of reality: the physical (material), the mental (thought and emigration), and the abstract which is neither physical or mental. Reincarnation is a form of abstract reality and the little girl from Kampur serves a proof of this accord-ing to the Dalai Lama.Reference: The Dalai Lama, The Universe in a Single Atom, New York,

Harmony Books, 2006.

Is Reincarnation Possible? By Dick Fielding

Highlights of the March 7th Cabinet MeetingPresent: Bill Fry (chair), Rich Barron, David Caughey, Andrea Mooney, Barbara Fry, Debbie Alan, Alexei Walters, Susan Eymann, Meg Gillard, Amy Beigel, Leslie Schultz, Pastor Dave Johnson Debbie Allen opened the meeting with prayer.

Reports• Updated February 2017 minutes were approved. • Treasurer David Caughey reported that there is still a

healthy budget balance (~$36,000).• Pastor Dave reported that he would like to present three

Sunday School classes on his research on the historical Jesus on March 19th, 26th and April 9th and then two session on conflict resolution after Easter.

• A one-page description of First Baptist Church compiled by Linda and David Caughey to be placed in the Rochester Genesee’s District’s newsletter was distributed and applauded.

• The Cabinet agreed to co-sponsor the Justice for All concert to be held at the First Unitarian Church on Friday evening, April 7th at 7:30 pm. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Friends Center for Racial Justice.

• The Congregational Meeting to elect new officers, receive reports from committees and ministry teams and an update from the Search Committee was set for June

4th. Prior to the meeting, reports are due in the office by May 1st so that they can be compiled and distributed to the congregation for review at least two weeks before the meeting.

• The need to update the descriptions and responsibilities of the Ministry Teams before the upcoming Ministry Team Fair was discussed. Bill Fry, Susan Eymann and Andrea Mooney will undertake to do this.

• Sponsored by the Worship Team, Debbie Allen and Edie Regan will facilitate a Lenten series entitled “The Role of Grief in Our Lives,” based on the book The Wild Edge of Sorrow, Rituals and Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Francis Weller. Meetings will be Tuesday evening from 6 - 8 pm in the Library. Contact Debbie if you are interested in participating.

• Debbie Allen passed out examples of Code of Behavior covenants and explained how churches are using these.

It was decided to examine revising the existing church covenant from 1963 and incorporating aspects of the behavior codes in a new combined document.

• Alexei Walters proposed several topics for possible adult Sunday School curricula. He was encouraged to meet with Pastor Dave to schedule a topic for the remaining Sundays available this spring.

ANCIENT WONDERSFive years ago Tony and I took a memorable tour of Turkey. Never did we suspect the Turkish delights in store for us. We were surprised to learn that, at that time, Turkey was the sixth most popular tourist destination in the world and was visited by millions each year. We arrived at our Istanbul hotel at dusk as mezzinin were calling the faithful to prayer. As we stood on our room’s balcony to view the city, a mystical light enveloped the city. It was magical.

UNESCO Heritage SitesThe next day we visited historic UNESCO World Heritage sites - the exotic Topkapi Palace, former home of the Ottoman sultans with its exquisite mosaics, stained glass and manicured grounds overlooking the Bosporus Strait that separates Europe and Asia. Then it was on to the Hagia Sofya built by Byzantine Christians who wanted to build a temple greater than Solomon’s. True to form, the Hagia Sofya held the title of the world’s largest cathedral for nearly 1,000 years before being converted to a mosque during Ottoman times. Across the plaza was the Blue Mosque where we absorbed its mystery and observed its worshipers.

Then we drove along the Sea of Marmara’s European shore to the Dardanelles Strait where we saw from a distance, Gallipoli, the site of the bloody eight-month-long WWI battle.

Photographs by Susan Eymann/Tony Lister are now on display in the Library/Lounge

Arabic Sign in the Hagia Sofya Knotting a carpet of the Last Supper

Istanbul at dawn: The cosmopolitanand economic capital of Turkey.

Pamukkale: UNESCO World Heritage site with petrified limestone terraces.

Aphrodiasias - an early artists’ colony with extraordinary marble sculptures.

The Acropolis at Pergamon: Ruins of a vast ancient kingdom.

Troy: UNESCO World Heritage Site with it many layers of excavations.

Library of Celsus at Ephesus

Mosaics in the Topkapi Palace

Our first stop was Troy, the city at the heart of Homer’s Iliad. Driving further south we stopped to take a cable car to the top of an acropolis where we surveyed the area of what was once Pergamon, a great kingdom mentioned in Revelations.

The Ancient World Becomes AliveTroy and Pergamon were only the beginning of amazing excavated ruins that we would encounter during the next few days. Our guide Selcuk made the ancient wonders become alive as he described each site’s history. Little did we suspect the extent of the ruins of Ephesus, its elaborate Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Great Theatre, still used today. A short side trip into the pine-forested hills took us to the site (shrine) where the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her final days.

Bypassing Izmir, Turkey’s second largest city, we traveled on to Pamukkale, another UNESCO World Heritage site which was once a popular Roman spa town. It is now famous for its petrified limestone waterfall terrain over which Tony slipped and slided in delight. In nearby Hierapolis we climbed to the top of a Roman amphitheater constructed totally of white marble.

Stunning SculptureOur final visit to ruins was to Aphrodisias, a first century BCE city named for Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Rediscovered in the 1960’s, the ruins bear testimony to an artists’ colony where ancient sculptors created works of stunning beauty out of the white marble found in nearby mountains. Our final days were spent back in cosmopolitan Istanbul before we returned home surfeited with the wonders of the ancient world.

“GROWING FIRST BAPTIST GREEN”

Trustees Give Green Light to Apply for Grant to Restore Agnes Window

Joanna Macy — Environmental Activist & Buddhist ScholarEighty-six-year-old Joanna Rogers Macy graduated from Wellesley College in 1950 and received her PhD in Religious Studies in 1978 from Syracuse University, Syra-cuse, NY, where she studied with Huston Smith.

Based in Berkeley, CA, Macy travels the world giving lectures, workshops, and trainings on engaged Buddhism. For years she has been an international spokesper-son for anti-nuclear causes, peace, justice, and environmentalism,most renowned for her book Coming Back to Life: Practic-es to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World and the Great Turning initiative, which deals with the transformation from, as she terms it, an industrial growth society to what she considers to be a more sustain-able civilization.

Macy first encountered Buddhism in 1965 while working with Tibetan refugees in northern India. Her spiritual practice is

drawn from the Ther-avada tradition.In a letter to her supporters following the presidential election, Macy writes, “Because the world needs us right now to practice our val-ues and step into our power, it’s good to make a list of priorities. Here are some ingredients drawn from my own list:• Meet weekly with a committed group

to look deeply at what’s going on and share responses.

• Join efforts to protect people who are targeted for harassment, arrest and deportation.

• Amp up support for movements oppos-ing global warming and nuclear weap-ons, including support for the epochal resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock.

• Read (preferably with others) books on creative mass nonviolence.

• Share the Work That Reconnects!”

FATHER GODby Barbara Noyes

Spread your holy arms worldwide around our troubled globe

We have been poor husbands of your magnificent handiwork

We had our King - he died

Send us a new Savior, a leader, a prophet - maybe a woman this time

We can knit up the holes we’ve made, Turn our enemies into comrades

We have made war in your name,let hate lead us astray

Please Father Godgive us one more chance.

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From Priscilla Walker

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Attributed to Rev. Martin Niemöller, a prominent Lutheran pastor who emerged as an outspoken public critic of Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.

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He drew a circle that shut me outHeretic, rebel, a thing to flout.But Love and I had the wit to winAnd we drew a circle that took him in. By Edwin Markham, 19th and 20th century Disciples poet~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If your everyday practice is to open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing down, trusting that you can do that — then that will take you as far as you can go. And then you’ll understand all the teachings that anyone has ever taught. Pema Chödrön ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Judy Kennison came to the March 8th Trustees’ meeting to request that she can proceed to apply for a grant from the NYS Parks, Recreation and Historical Pres-ervation for a matching grant to restore the Agnes window on the south side of the sanctuary. Judy estimates that res-toration will cost ~$10,000 and a grant would cover half of that cost. In order to apply for the grant, Judy first needed as-surance that the church would match the grant. The Trustees gave this guarantee.

Other BusinessBaruch Whitehead asked that the church look into acquiring a van that could transport those without transportation to the church. The Trustees applauded the idea and will look into possibilities.

The Trustees voted to be a sponsoring church for the American Baptist Biennial meeting on Portalnd, Oregon, and to pay the registration fee for two FB delegates.

2017 FBC Women’s Retreat You are invited to our annual FBC Women’s Retreat to renew and nurture ourselves by relaxing, laughing, sharing, eating well and treasuring the community of friends. The retreat will be held at Light on the Hill in Spencer, NY, from 5: 00 pm Friday, March 31st to 1:00 pm Sunday, April 2, 2017. This year’s theme is “Reconnecting with the Sacred” through beauty, peace, gratitude, hope and spirit.

The cost is $75 for one night; $150 for two nights. Any donation beyond these base fees will enable assistance for others. To register, please complete a registration form and place (with your check made out to First Baptist Church) in the Sunday offering plate, or give to Susan Eymann by March 19th. Note FBC Women’s Retreat on the memo line. Financial assistance, for up to one day, is available based on need. Please speak to Sue if you would appreci-ate assistance.

RETREAT COMMITTEE: Andrea Mooney, Barbara Fry, Susan Eymann, Alice Grow, Debbie Allen and Gail Birnbaum

Recap from Barb FryEverything went so well for us on Friday night. It felt great to have so much FB community effort go into making this a great evening. Thanks especially for making lots of food and to those who brought extra dishes when they saw the numbers we were feeding.

Also it was wonderful to have Anne and Steve and Bill sit in on the kids movie, Rich B. was prepared to do a little ice breaker type activity which we decided wasn’t needed as there was no ice. Most of us, I think headed up by Linda, did all the dishes and took care of clean up. What a contributive group you are.

I felt blessed to be asked to join the parents meeting and found out how vital the leadership under Amy Beigel is. Parents seemed highly motivated and Amy handed out for discussion the summary of a survey to assess what parents were looking for in our CE program. You can feel assured that things are going extremely well with our children’s/youth program. There is also interest in exploring combined youth activities with other churches. Parents were open about expressing their children’s needs and their own desires for both Christian Ed. and social activities. There was discussion about continuing programing at some level during the summer.

Before the parents meeting, pastoral search committee members , Judy, Steve and Tim, had a good session with youth to find out what they most wanted in a settled pastor.

By the way we had, if my count is right, there were 29 guests including Amy and Meg.

At the March 3rd gathering, Tim Dean, Judy Kennison and Steve Farrell of the Search Committee met with FBC youth, Sophia Cotraccia, Own and Caroline Beigel, James Schultz, Ella Deam and Abraham and Sally (not pictured) Phelan to discuss their needs for a new minister.

Pre-dinner games: Before the sumptuous ham dinner, youth and adults gathered to play games.

Sally Phelan with an extraordinary hairdo

Families Join Dinner Discussion Group for an Evening of Fun, Food and Fellowship

Envisioned, organized and executed by Barb Fry, the families of First Baptist were invited by the Dinner Discussion group to a ham dinner, games, discussions and a movie for the youth in the Library to top off the evening. The evening was an great success with all generations intermingling and enjoying themselves.

Hand shuffleboard.

Food, discussion and fellowship.

First Baptist StaffInterim Pastor: Rev. David JohnsonSecretary: Shella ChaceOrganist: Christopher Morgan LoyChoir Director: Belinda AdamsYouth and Children’s Ministries Coordinator: Amy Beigel

Childrens and Youth Performing Arts Coordinator: Belinda Adams

Nursery Caregiver: Carol FlemingSunday School Aide: Sarah Zipfel Custodian: David Hopkins

Elected LeadersModerator: Bill Fry Vice Moderator: Hans BumpMembership Clerk: Tina Hilsdorf Recording Clerks: Rich Barron/Andrea Mooney

Treasurer: David CaugheyAssistant Treasurer: Andrea MooneyFinancial Secretary: Marlene Sack

Board of Trustees Rich Barron (chair); Mark Lawrence, Anne Farrell, Steve Hilsdorf, Baruch Whitehead, Marlene Sack, Susan Eymann, David Caughey (ex offico)

Church Archivist: Linda Caughey

Lay Delegates: Affiliate OrganizationsRochester Genesee Region (2 dele-gates), ABC-USA (2 delegates): Ossie Heath-Crump, Anne Farrell, Debbie Allen, Bronwyn Evans, Mark Lawrence, Rich and Lil BarronACT: Marge Hansel AWAB: Shella Chace, Josie Zanfordino, Adrienne McNair

Baptist Peace Fellowship: Meg Gillard, Susan Eymann

Cornell Protestant Cooperative Ministry: Julia Dean

Kitchen Cupboard: Amanda Ufford, Sue Hemsath

Tompkins County Workers Center: Bill Abeles

Pastoral Relations/Search CommitteeAmy Chaffee, Bill Abeles, Judy Kennison, Tim Dean, Steve Farrell, Tina Hilsdorf, Lou Carlucci, (ex officio Johnson) Ad Hoc Pastoral Relations Committee for Interim MinisterJosie Zanfordino: chair; Rich Barron, Jan Butler, Tony Lister, Elizabeth Pia-Miller, Debbie Allen

Nominating CommitteeLeslie Schultz, Andrea Mooney, Louise Mudrak, Susan Eymann, Rich Barron

Personnel Committee Anne Farrell, Tony Lister

Ministry TeamsWorship: Barbara Fry, co-chair; Debbie Allen, co-chair; Andrea Mooney, Bill Abeles, Bill Staffeld, Edie Reagan, Amy Chaffee, Geri Johnson

Education: Meg Gillard, Carol Flem-ming, Lou Carlucci, Greta Cotraccia

Christian Concern: Bill Phelan: chair; Steve Farrell, Louise Mudrak, Baruch Whitehead, Lynne Glase, Susan Eymann, Tony Lister, Amanda Ufford, Beth & Matt Wolfer, Dana Murray-Cooper, Adrienne McNair

Stewardship Committee: Steve and Anne Farrell, Alice Grow, Mark Lawrence, Adrienne McNair, Josie Zanfordino, Janet Cotraccia, Bronwyn Evans, Bill Fry, Rich Barron, Tony Lister

Finance & Endowment David Caughey, Marlene Sack, Janet Cotraccia, Judy Kennison, Curt Ufford, Steve Hilsdorf, Bill Fry and Julie Costie

Hospitality Ministry: Anne Farrell: chair; Shella Chace, Meg Gillard, Tina Hilsdorf, Adrienne McNair, Andrea Staffeld, Ella Dean and Greta Cotraccia

Circle of Care: Coordinators: Amanda Ufford, Sue Hemsath

Flower Committee: Barbara Fry, Mariana Morse, Tina Hilsdorf, Andrea Staffeld

Parable of Talents: Shella Chace, Marlene Sack

Facility Planning: Tim Dean, Dan Lamb, Louise Mudrak, Mark Lawrence

Myra’s Ministry: Myra Fincher

Interior Decoration: Barb Fry, Julie Dean, Tina Hilsdorf, Bill Abeles, Anne Farrell, Andrea Staffeld, Susan EymannArt: Bill Abeles,Adrienne McNair, Susan Eymann

Visitor — March 2017 Issue Editor, publisher: Susan Eymann Proof reader: Tony Lister, Judy Kennison Contributors: Priscilla Walker, Barbara

Noyes, Barbara Fry Photos: Judy Kennison, Bill Phelan, ,

Tony Lister

Cheering for Abe: Many First Baptist family and friends attended the March 1st Ithaca High School semi-final basketball game against rival Binghamton High School to cheer for Abraham Phalen, point guard for the Ithaca team. In a nail-biting game, Binghamton raced ahead in the first moments dropping uncontested three pointers left and right until their lead was 18-2. Then Ithaca gained its composure and not only began guarding their opponents aggressively but also rebounded impressively. By the third quarter, Ithaca had tied the game. In the fourth quarter Ithaca moved ahead to ultimately win by a 12-point margin. Attending the game from First Baptist were Carol Flem-ing, Meg Gillard, Tim and Julia Dean, Marlene Sack, Lou Carlucci, Linda Nicholson, Sue Eymann, Tony Lister, Amy and Duffy Beigel and their children, Bronwyn Evans and Sarah Schenk, James Schultz, Maumouna,Bill and Sally Phelan, Suraphael Barton and others. Photo by Bill Phelan

Visitor SubmissionsAs we are all called to be ministers, you are each invited to contribute to our Visitor. Please send announce-ments, articles, features, pictures to: [email protected] by March 26th for the early April 2017 issue.

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Please keep in your prayers: • Emily Young• Nancy Sokol• John Gross• Naomi Hollister• Alice Damp• Laurel Lawshae (Jan and Frank Butler’s daughter)• Joan Yarborough and John Laney• Amy Chaffee & Craig Riecke ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. Johannes A Gaertner ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Save the DateMay 6th

Spring Clean-up

the visitor march 2017 first baptist...

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