Cancellations, if any, are reported here and on our Care Line: 914-245-2313

Haiti

Friends. In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, we as people of the resurrection must ask how we can support the relief efforts already underway there to see hope rise out of chaos.

Here are some suggestions:

1.     Pray for the people of Haiti, the relief workers and the efforts to bring aid.
2.    The Mission Commission will be collecting donations at Church over the next two weeks and sending it to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.
3.    Go to    Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to learn how our denomination is responding to this crisis. You can donate online if you wish.
4.    Consider how you, our church and the people you know can do something together. Go to Get Involved with PDA   to learn more.

God of compassion, please watch over the people of Haiti,
and weave out of these terrible happenings
wonders of goodness and grace.
Surround those who have been affected by tragedy
with a sense of your present love,
and hold them in faith.
Though they are lost in grief,
may they find you and be comforted.
Guide us as a church
to find ways of providing assistance
that heal wounds and provide hope.
Help us to remember that when one of your children suffers
we all suffer;
through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives
and rules this world with you. Amen.
~Bruce Reyes-Chow, Gradye Parsons and Linda Valentine

Chip Low, Pastor

Haiti Update

Our Moved by the Spirit Sunday School class has put together more than 70 health kits and the 6-8th grade class has also put to-gether more than 40 kits. They will be sent to the Presbyterian Dis-aster Relief Assoc (PDA) in Louisville, Kentucky.

They will ship them down to Haiti with oth-ers that are being collected. We hope to have a dedication/prayer time in worship and in the Sunday School gathering time in early March to bless the kits before they are sent. We will try to have photos available when they are ready to go.

Haiti Blog

Mark Hare (Stephanie Hare's cousin) is a PC(USA) mission worker in northern Haiti and offers first hand accounts on his blog.

Mark Hare -- Haiti Blog

In his post dated January 14th, he makes a very important point about how the damage in Port-au-Prince will probably create a serious ripple effect for the entire country.

IMPORTANT TREASURERS' ANNOUNCEMENT

- The Church is moving its banking relationship from Wachovia to Putnam County Savings Bank.

If you are holding a check drawn on the Church's Wachovia account, please deposit the check into your bank account. The Wachovia account will be closed at the end of March, 2010.

If you do deposit your check after the Church's Wachovia account is closed, the check will be returned to you and and your bank will probably charge you a fee. If, for some reason, you do not deposit your check before the end of March, please return the check to the Treasurers and a new check will be issued to you drawn on the Putnam County Savings Bank.

Trip to Belleayre Mountain: Saturday, March 13th

Attention all skiers and snow boarders: Please email Donna Giglio (or sign up in Fellowship Hall) if you would like to be part of a group heading to Belleayre Mountain on Saturday, March 13th. We are hoping to get enough people to qualify for a group rate.

Belleayre Mountain - 181 Galli Curci Road, Highmount, NY 12441. From Points North or South - NYS Thruway (I-87) to Exit 19 - Kingston, NY - then Rt. 28, 37 miles West to Highmount.

You are invited

to the installation of the 20th Pastor of the

First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown

The Presbytery of Hudson River and
the Congregation of The First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown
cordially invite you to a Service of Installation of
the Reverend Charles Lynn Low, Jr.,
as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown
on March 14 at 4 p.m.
The Service of Installation will be followed by a reception in
Fellowship Hall.

Click Here to see More of Our Mission

We will be going on a Midnight Run on Friday, March 19th.

We need 40 – 60 toiletry kits, in total: we have about half that amount. Here‘s what goes into a toiletry kit, from the Midnight Run website

(http://www.midnightrun.org/howto.php): The small size items are important, as full-size items are cumbersome to carry for people on the street. Toiletry items to bring, in order of importance: soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, washcloth, razor, shaving cream, deodor-ant, lip balm or moisturizer. Did I mention that this should be TRAVEL SIZE? Each set goes into a zip lock bag.

We also need between 100 and 150 bag meals. These should include

 A hearty sandwich. A substantial sandwich is what most sets apart a loving bag meal from a less desirable one. We realize that it's also the most expensive item. But there's an emotional value in getting a sandwich piled high with turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken salad or meatloaf. It truly says, "Someone is thinking of you." Variety is nice, so we ask that at least some of the sandwiches not be bologna or peanut butter (you get a lot of those in soup kitchens).
 Fruit. Something durable like an orange or banana. Apples are okay in some meals, but hard for those with missing teeth to eat. Individual fruit cups are okay (with spoon).
 A hard-boiled egg or a high protein equivalent.
 A juice box.
 A dessert or two. Granola bars are fine, and sweet things—such as cookies, candy bars and brownies.

We will be taking up the One Great Hour of Sharing offering on the third Sunday of Lent, which is March 14. The One Great Hour of Sharing offering goes to Presbyterian Church USA; the Presbyterian Hunger program receives 36 percent of the offering and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and Self Development of People each received 32 percent. Please give generously. You can learn more at http://www.pcusa.org/oghs/

Our Easter Offering will be divided between Rural & Migrant Ministry and My Second Home. You can learn more about each of these groups at their websites:

Rural & Migrant Ministry ruralmigrantministry.org and My Second Home of Family Services of Westchester, www.fsw.org

We are also continuing with our study of ―greening‖ the church and are looking into the possi-bility having an audit conducted. Chip has found a couple of organizations that might be willing to work with us. Stay tuned!

“Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
- Matthew 10:39

Dear Yorktown Friends,

You people are such losers.

I hope you don‘t mind me applauding you in such a way – but you know I consider that one of the highest compliments that can be paid. Life in the Church is all about losing – losing our lives, and in the process finding Life.

I am so grateful for the last year of playtime in your sandbox. It has been such a joy to study together, to laugh together, to sing and pray and share and learn and wonder and work…among such a warm community of spiritual explorers. I thank you for opening your worshipful home to me – and even more, I thank you for all the ways you open your doors and your hearts to others.

Many thanks are due for the generous gifts you‘ve given me in these last few weeks. You‘ve knocked me speechless more than once – a talent many churches only wish they could inflict on their preachers. Speechless moments are good times to listen to the Spirit. Thank you for reminding me to listen.

You‘ll be proud to know that I now have a road-sign hanging in my office. I‘d en-couraged the thoughtful use of Post-It notes all year – and you went and gave me a road sign. Go figure. Maybe you think I‘m lost, too – which, as I mentioned earlier, is about the best compliment I can imagine.

With much gratitude in my heart – and much love for all you Losers,

Chris Shelton

April 2010 Disciple

The cutoff date for the April Disciple is March 21

Email to the link below.

The Disciple Editor

Cancellations, Changes, Late Notices, and Items of General Interest