January 2017 VOLUME 89, NUMBER 1

WAYSIDE’S MISSION IS TO . . .

“Reach out and bring people to meet, know,

and follow Jesus.”

“A Broad, Inclusive Faith Church”

SESSION Kim Carlson Phyllis Carriere Bruce Decker Dave English Maria Glass Laura Glista Karen Klug Dave Matson Bonnie Moran Lynn Palyszeski Steve Schmittendorf

Clerk of Session Maria Glass

DEACONS Joy Boccolucci Mark Chavel Janet Evert Audrey Hawthorne Tracey Kalembkiewicz Joan Kelly Ruth Kelly Shari Kindellan LeeAnn Klug Susan Schmittendorf Debbie Tyler

STAFF Temporary Pastor Rev. Dr. Carol Evans LeBlanc Pastoral Assistant Rami Al Maqdasi Secretary Julianna Horwood Sunday School Karen Klug Music Coordinator Bruce Decker Librarian Karen Peiffer Custodian Kim Carlson

Wayside Presbyterian Church

89 Years in Ministry 5017 Lake Shore Road

Hamburg, New York 14075 716-627-2150

Sunday Service at 9:30 am

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2017 – This is the year! Wayside Presbyterian Church, you have quite a year ahead of you! Just think, you will, at last, have a new permanent pastor, and you will be able to dig in, move forward, and grab hold of the mission and ministry into which God leads you and whoever-your-new-pastor-is.

Yet, this all begs the question: What does that mean for you, personally? I can answer that question with at least one answer by saying what it does not mean. It does NOT mean that you can sit back and let things float along as usual, or that you can sit back and enjoy the new pastor, believing that he/she will make everything good happen that

you’ve been hoping for. That is, in fact, the opposite of what that means for you personally.

So, what it DOES mean is that you will need to be ready to make some changes. It means that faith must prevail, and fear needs to be told to hit the road. It means that everyone will need to be ready to accept changes, even though it makes some uncomfortable—even though those changes could also mean getting rid of or stopping those things that have always been the “way we’ve always done it here. People come to expect it.”

All this means that everyone must wrap themselves up with trust and tie it up tightly with ribbons of prayer: trust in God, trust in the new pastor, trust that prayer is powerful, trust that God wants Wayside Church not just to be here, but to thrive, to be a vital Christ-presence in the community!

But here is the nuts-and-bolts truth of this Year of Wayside. Since we are Presbyterian, we support ourselves financially. We do not have a larger governing body that supplements our budget, so it is only through your financial gifts that Wayside can go on. As I heard Rev. Rami say the other day, “The reality is that it takes money to bring about the Kingdom of God!”

So, my dear and precious friends, this is Rev. Carol’s honest talk with you. You recall the biblical mandate, where Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This is a call from Christ to make your spiritual journey a rich one: giving to the church so that you can thrive and fill yourselves, one another, and others whom you have not met yet, with the “wonders of His love.” But it does take money. Plainly and simply, it takes money. Are you giving out of a sense of faith, or just whatever is left over once all the bills have been paid? Are you giving to the church so that God dwells in your heart, or so that you can say, “Well, at least I give something”? Are you asking yourself, what do we spend money on that we truly do not need to spend money on? (The same question your Finance Committee and Session ask every month.)

I am truly excited about Wayside’s up-coming year—changes will be happening! Good changes! I implore you to be ready to move forward, be a part of the new birth that is about to take place. And give because it will take money to do it—but also give because your, my, our spiritual health depends upon it. Perhaps your prayer each day this coming year might be, “O Lord, show me just where my treasure is.” Here is the context of that verse I quoted above. It is from Luke 12.

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not

wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

In Christ’s ever-moving-forward peace, Rev. Carol

WAYSIDER MAILING

STARTING FEBRUARY 1ST, THE WAYSIDER WILL NO LONGER BE MAILED OUT!

PLEASE SEE PAGE 10.

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Dear friends, wayside people!

Welcome to the New Year, 2017. It’s time to change our calendars. For me, this time of year is a good time for reassessment. How did 2016 go? How did I grow? What do I want to do differently this year? My family and I have had challenges and changes in our lives in the almost three years of being in USA.

Of course we are so appreciative about being here. There were many good changes that happened in our lives and our ministry. We’ve had the great joy of having a new baby, Lisa. As you know I have become a member at Presbyterian Church in United States. I have visited several churches across the country the past two years as an international Peacemaker of PCUSA. I have also preached in many churches during this time. I’ve learned a lot and I’ve also educated a lot of people

as well. It’s been a great time, and I’ve made many friends while ministering in churches. It's been an exciting time in my life and in my family’s. This does not mean that we did not go through difficulties, frustrations, sadness, and disappointment. In the same way, I believe that some of you went through difficult situations, too. But I always say: "There is hope."

One of my heroes in the Bible is the Apostle Paul when he said this: "I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength," (Phil 4:13). Paul was a great example in the first church. He found God's strength through much pain, joy, and accomplishment. Paul could make his resolutions when he followed Christ. And through this tough journey there was time for reassessment to Paul's life.

Friends, I think many of you will make resolutions this year to serve your church community in such ways as reading the bible at home, make time and space for all who enter your life, join a committee, make donation, or lose weight, etc.

I want to encourage you to make a difference in your life, in your family's and in church. God would use you and me in some pretty amazing ways. This is our yearly opportunity to grow as leaders and as a congregation, and to deepen our lives in Christ and with one another.

I wish you all a very happy New Year and may our Lord and Savior be our rock, our shelter and our strength. Amen Rev. Rami Al Maqdasi

Concerts Coming in 2017

Lake Effect Women’s A cappella Chorus, will be at Wayside on Tuesday, January 24, at 7 pm.

Lake Effect Harmony Chorus

has been entertaining audiences in the Western New York area

since 1991. They perform a variety of music in barbershop

style-four part a cappella harmony.

Their repertoire consists of songs in the contemporary, Broadway, Jazz, swing, gospel, and patriotic

variety. We hope to see you there!

WAYSIDE'S ANNUAL MEETING... ...Will be held on Sunday, January 22, in the sanctuary immediately following the worship service. This meeting is held for the following purposes:

-to receive reports from all Wayside committees and groups as to their activity from the past year, as well as their plans for the coming year

-to receive the budget for 2017

-to elect new officers to be deacons and elders

-to elect this year's Nominating Committee All are welcome and encouraged to stay for this meeting.

Those who are members may vote.

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SESSION SPOTLIGHT The Session met on November 21st @ 7:00pm. Here are a few highlights from that meeting. -The Annual Meeting is scheduled for January 22, 2017 immediately following service. -Soupfest is scheduled for January 29, 2017, -Finance Committee provided information concerning the present and future financial state of Wayside. -A Property Committee has been put together and will begin working immediately. Next meeting is December 19th @ 6:30pm.

Bill Dorsheimer, U.S. Navy Devan Wolffe, U.S. Iraq Aaron Blair, U.S. Air Force Jon Keogh, U.S. Army, Iraq Rudy McEnry, U.S. Army Pat Werely, U.S. Army Stephen Whelan, U.S. Navy Robert Whelan, U.S. Navy Cody Easter, U.S. Army Nathan Filkins, U.S. Air Force Kyle F.Klug, U.S. Marines David Czosnyka, U.S. Army Matthew Ward, U.S. Air Force Jason Nowak, U.S. Air Force Tyler J. Koehler, U.S. Air Force Mike Grimmer, Afghanistan

If we need to close the office, cancel a meeting, or even cancel Sunday Service, please listen to the following stations for all your Wayside delays or closing information. WKBW-TV, Channel 7

WIVB, Channel 4

WGRZ, Channel 2

GIVING STATEMENTS

2016 Contribution Statements will be mailed or emailed to individuals who request them. Please call Julie in the office at 627-2150, or leave a note in the collection basket.

________Please send my 2016 Contribution Statement by mail. ________Please send my 2016 Contribution Statement by e-mail.

NAME_______________________________________________________

EMAIL_______________________________________________________

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Thank you everyone for your very generous Christmas Food donations! The donations will be split between our Giving Tree families and our own food pantry. Thank you to Alicia Faust and Julia Aronica for putting together a wonderful Children's Christmas Program. Thank you Tracy Swyers for tackling the costumes! Sunday School classes resume on January 8th.

GOT THE BLUE HYMNAL BLUES?

Worry not! We made ornaments with your favorite Blue Hymnal Christmas songs in them for everyone at Wayside. You can find them downstairs after service in the Fellowship Hall. One per family please! There are still a few left so hurry and get yours before they are all gone!

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MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2016

Total Receipts: $13,885.03

Total Expenses: $19,011.63

* New hymnals were purchased 4,383.68

If you would like to sign up and have your credit card

charged monthly for your giving, please call Julie in

the office. VISA, MASTERCARD AND DISCOVER

ACCEPTED ANYTIME

PRAYER REQUESTS: (If a person has stabilized,

please contact the office. After 60 days, names will

normally be removed.)

WAYSIDERS:

Ginny Lietz Jack Panfil Bev Stewart Fran Wise

Shirley Nowak Bob Marshall

Dick Smith Sharon Hanson Gerald Koehler

Kevin Ejbisz

WAYSIDE FRIENDS: Amy Jelensperger

Terry Martin Rebecca Zdrojewski

Joyce Brown Lois Gern

Aletha Patterson Adam Spunt Robbin List

Shirley Drzymala Carolyn Witkowski

Nancy Hoelzl Kathy McHugh Aiden Falkey Jim Aronica

Barbara Sorrentino Julie Lockwood-Sassman

QUILT FOR THE LORD

This group meets each Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and we invite all who are interested in quilting, knitting, or any other craft to join us. We are an informal group that shares ideas and helps each other with projects. Many of the prayer shawls and quilts that we create are donated for those who are ill or grieving, and also for children who are attending camp through WNY Heroes organization. We often learn new techniques and patterns, and enjoy getting together socially while making items for ourselves. If you have questions, call Maria Glass at 549-1561, Shirley Vandepoll at 984-4096, or Joan Kelly at 627-9769.

2016 NOVEMBER DATE ATTENDANCE 11/06/16 75 adults 11/13/16 107 adults 11/20/16 73 adults 11/27/16 60 adults

2015 DATE ATTENDANCE 11/1/15 75 adults 11/8/15 no count 11/15/15 109 adults 11/22/15 78 adults 11/29/15 84 adults

Happy Anniversary

January

JANUARY

BIRTHDAY’S

3 Nancy Cuoco 4 Jeff Smith 8 Amy Ignaczak 16 Roberta Birach 19 Ben Garvey 22 Barbara Rickard 23 Charles Boulange Diane Wentling Joanne Patel 27 Joseph Ferrara

5 Charles & Linda Boulange 9 Robert & Mary Lou Zerby

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WAYSIDE BOOK CLUB Our read for January is The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin. Set in the Pacific Northwest. Amanda Coplin weaves a tapestry of solitary souls who come together in the wake of unspeakable cruelty and misfortune. This is about a man who disrupts the lonely harmony of an ordered life when he opens his heart and lets the world in.

Here are the selections for the next few months. Pick one or two up, read them on a cold and snowy day, then come and discuss what you liked or didn’t like about it. We’d love to see you!

February—An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor -Barry Laverty, M.B., can barely find the village of Ballybucklebo on a map when he first sets out to seek gainful employment there, but already he knows that there is nowhere he would rather live than in the emerald hills and dales of Northern Ireland. An Irish Country Doctor is a charming and engrossing tale that will captivate readers from the very first page--and leave them yearning to visit the Irish countryside of days gone by

March—Flight Behavior—Barbara Kingsolver—In the lyrical language of her native Appalachia, Barbara Kingsolver bares the rich, tarnished humanity of her novel's inhabitants and unearths the modern complexities of rural existence. Characters and

reader alike are quickly carried beyond familiar territory here, into the unsettled ground of science, faith, and everyday truces between reason and conviction. Flight Behavior takes on one of the most contentious subject of our time: climate change. With a deft and versatile empathy, Kingsolver dissects the motives that drive denial and belief in a precarious world.

April—Language of Flowers—Vanessa Diffenbaugh—This novel beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.

Join us in the library on Monday, January 23 at 11 am to discuss The Orchardist. We hope to see you there. If you have any questions, please call Mary Lou at 716-863-9347 or see Alice Boquard.

WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT WAYSIDE? A few months ago, Rev. Carol posted a large white board in the Fellowship Room with the above question written at the top. Over those months, here are what all of you wrote on it. What a loving, positive response from everyone! (They are exactly as written on the board.) A great place to “be” The people (2) Staff Rami (3) Music (5) Fellowship Julie (2) Ladies Quilt for the Lord The sweet children The help u get if needed Everything The sense of community Community Service Forever friends It is fun

Carol Compassionate Sunday School (2) The love

Now the board has a new question on it, so please stop by and write your an-swers! “What does Christmas mean to you?”

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THANK YOU NOTE TO GOD On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, during the Children’s Sermon, the children all wrote a Thank You note to God. They are so wonderful, and too good not to share with you, the congregation. Enjoy!

(The spelling is exactly as written.) Giving us food and water and for making people and for a famely for me. Food. For my birthday. Going to [another state]…getting…players signatures for my birthday. Erth (with drawing) Snow Hamster (with drawing) My Family and care. My family. Tacing care of my falleey. (with drawing) My family (with drawing) My family (with drawing) My family, friends, food. Family, friends, food, water. All of the things I am thankful for. My famiely. My family. Our children are very precious, and remind us of what is truly important and meaningful!

ADULT BIBLE STUDY Rev. Rami leads bible study every other Tuesday afternoon @ 2:00pm. In October, the topic was "What is Church?" We talked about what church means to us here at Wayside. We also watched a film about the beginnings of the church. In November the topic was "The Lords Prayer." We discussed the meaning of this prayer and its importance. Below is what Rev. Rami shared with the group. It helped us to better understand this beautiful and important prayer. The Lord's Prayer Our Father who art in heaven Our Father in heaven Hallowed be thy name Help us to respect your name Thy kingdom come Be our King! Thy will be done Have your way on earth On earth as it is in heaven Like you do in heaven Give us this day our daily bread Give us today the things we need And forgive us our sins Forgive us for the things we do wrong As we forgive those who sin As we forgive people who have hurt us against us And lead us not into temptation Help us not to do wrong things But deliver us from evil And protect us from harm For thine is the kingdom For everything is yours And the power and the glory All the power and glory in the world Forever Now and for always Amen! I really mean this prayer!

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OUT AND AROUND WAYSIDE! Pictures are from… “Ugly Christmas Sweater” Sunday, Bell Choir performing at Roswell, children singing at the children's pageant on Christmas Eve.

Special thank you to Karen Klug for always taking pictures for us!

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SPECIAL TREAT FOR THE LITTLE ONES!

Wayside’s very own candy man, Dick Smith, once again brought in treats for the young ones and the young at heart.

DAILY NEEDS BAGS

The Women of Wayside, and friends, once again made the “Daily Needs Bags” to benefit Wayside Giving Tree Families, Buffalo City Mission, and Friends of Night People. The bags were filled & distributed at Christmas. Great job ladies!

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MEMBER UPDATES

In an effort to become a greener, more paper-"less" and more responsive community, the church office and communications department will be relying on an increased use of electronic media to keep everyone connected.

Starting February 1st, we will no longer be mailing out the Waysider. It is imperative that our office have your current contact information!! Please take a moment to fill this out and return to the office ASAP. Please be aware we do not share your email or phone info with anyone unless you authorize us to do so, and then only for official church business.

Please fill this form out and return to the office. E-mail your information to Julie at waysidechurch@hotmail.com, drop it in the collection basket, or mail it. Please put

“UPDATES” in the memo line.

Family Last Name___________________________________________________

1. Name & Cell #____________________________________________________

E-mail___________________________________________________________

2. Name & Cell #____________________________________________________

E-mail___________________________________________________________

3. Name & Cell #____________________________________________________

E-mail_________________________________________________________________

If you have additional family members, please use another sheet of paper.

Home Phone____________________________________________________________

Address________________________________________________________________

Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook and, check out our website, www.waysidepch.org. ___Please e-mail me the Waysider

___I will pick up a copy of the Waysider at Church ___Please include me in the “Call to Worship” e-mail and all Wayside Church e-mail announcements.

I am #1__#2__#3__ Please send me Giving envelopes____

(Remember, you can always use your credit card to donate. For more information about this, please call Julie in the office.)

JANUARY 29TH 11:30 AM-3:00 PM (OR SOLD OUT)

WAYSIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

$8.00 PER PERSON (ALL YOU CAN EAT)

COFFEE/TEA, BREAD & BUTTER

HOMEMADE DESSERTS AVAILABLE

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Wayside Presbyterian Church NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

5017 Lake Shore Road US POSTAGE PAID

Hamburg, NY 14075 HAMBURG, NY 14075

Permit #2

Change Service Requested

Wayside Presbyterian Church 89 Years in Ministry 5017 Lake Shore Road

Hamburg, New York 14075

Temporary Pastor: Rev. Dr. Carol Evans LeBlanc

Email: revdrcarol@hotmail.com Cell: 814-207-7300

Pastoral Assistant: Pastor Rami Al Maqdasi Email: revramiwayside@hotmail.com

Cell: 716-206-4177

Church Office: Julie Horwood 716-627-2150 Fax: 716-627-5162 Email: waysidechurch@hotmail.com Web: www.waysidepch.org Facebook: Wayside Presbyterian Church

Clerk of Session: Maria Glass

Email: clerkofsession@hotmail.com

Christian Education: Karen Klug

Email: takk55@icloud.com