AUGUST 2021

ST. JOHN’S WINDOW | A VIEW OF OUR LIFE | FENIMORE ROAD AT CORTLANDT AVENUE, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 Investing in the Value of Others

Sometimes you wonder if you have any ple and really thinking of them as in- impact at all on anyone, including your vestments, not expenses. I saw the own children and family. I recently fin- power of taking care of them during a ished teaching both the First Commu- time of trouble, and how committed nion class and Confirmation class. As I they were (…)”. She also said, “I’ve thought about each child, I wondered landed on a three-pronged purpose what kind of an impact the class had on statement for me personally: Lead to Sign up on them. Sometimes I really get a bit cyni- inspire, serve to create, and StJohnsNY.org for cal but then again, I have had people give to remain.” Our Weekly Emails come back to tell me that I actually made a difference in their life. As I thought about this, I would have to say that her purpose is the purpose I I read about a plaque in a church that have for myself, too. To take that Sunday Worship said, “She hath done what she could.” thought further, it should be the pur- In person & Zoom pose we all have for ourselves because It is a rather simple epitaph, pointing to we all need to create the value that 9.30 am an ordinary life. Perhaps we all hate to comes from investing in people. admit that we are a bit ordinary and Hot August Nights lead rather unnoticed lives. However, if Central to the message of our faith is August 20 you turn this around, some of the ordi- that God creates all human beings as nary things we do can have a giant im- people who are irreplaceable and of Fall Picnic/Rally Day pact, especially if we invest in that the highest value to our creator. This is September 19 seemingly shaky and unknown com- certainly seen in the life, death, and modity of human potential. Sometimes resurrection of our Lord Jesus, who Clothing Drive that piece of humanity comes back to lifted up, encouraged, loved, and gave you as a son or daughter or a parish- value to those who were valueless to November 6 ioner with a huge thank you. You actu- others. This redemptive power is given ally pushed the needle a little farther to us today. Our ministry and mission and didn’t know it. at St. John’s is to see the value in peo- ple, to show love, grace, and mercy and I was really taken by a recent article on lifting each other. the new CEO of UPS, Carol Tomé, a very successful former CFO of Home When I am plagued by the mundane, Depot who decided not to just settle the mediocre, and the routines of life, I into a post-professional existence. am too often reminded of the violin Rather, she moved on to a new job at player who practices incessantly but UPS because she loves to “create val- lives with the knowledge that he or she ue”, not just in the stock for the com- will never be better than okay. I will pany, but for the people. She said, “I try to remind myself, too, that “I did saw the power of investing in our peo- what I could”. Continued on next page AUGUST 2021

Marvin E. Henk Putting it more hopefully and with more eloquence, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, the Pastor renowned French Jesuit priest and paleontologist, said: “What matters is not to do re- markable things but to do ordinary things with the conviction that their value is Church Council enormous.” Serge Banzet So, the next time you think that you have done what you could and it seems not enough, President remember that the ordinary things you do can become something of enormous value yet Brian Hofland to be discovered. Vice President MEH Lynn Hillman Treasurer Annie Thurow Keep in Your Prayers Council Secretary Irene Abrams, Joann Abrahamson, Jeovanny Almazian, Norman Block, Millie Brandon, Emma Yourha Kang Brethold, Brian Caldwell, Dale DiDonato, Alicia Downey, Chris Ferguson, Paulo Mark Flores, Gloria Financial Secretary Grondahl, Eric Hahn, Sandy Herrmann, Jaimie Hunter, Bobbie Ireland, Mary Jachner, Margot Karen Haghenbeck- Juslin,Su Kang, Ursula Kehrle, Dorothy Keith, The Rev. Tim Kennedy, Suzanne Kraft, Georgia Kintz Nunnink Lione, Meagan Marrero, Angela Mascali, Joanne Dionna Maya, Eleanore McCaffery, Kevin Mc- Worship & Music Coskey, Gary Olt, Nancy Periera, Dominga Rivera, Jeannette Schneider, Madeline Tappert, Patti Tra- passo Suomi Sakai Stewardship * At the end of August we will take some names off the prayer list unless you notify us that you still want certain names on it. Leroy Webber Youth Hospitalized/Sick/Recuperating Dorothea Ferri Christian Education Norman Block, waiting for surgery; Gary Olt, recuperating at home; Suzanne Kraft, recu- Jim Guinee perating at home; Eleanore McCaffery, residing at the Wartburg; Su Kang, recovering from a Property broken hip Megan Aquilina Evangelism Ministry Announcements Marc Schlueter Upcoming Baptism Sean Quinley & Tim Gantz, October 16 Social Ministry Luca Marinaro Janeiro, August 15 Upcoming Funerals Marvin E. Henk Upcoming Weddings Richard Dobson, August 2 Pastor Daniel Kraft & Alexandra Ramirez, July 31 Fred & Helen Herlitz, October 22 John Sarlitto & Heather Weigel, August 22 Staff Christiane Janssen In Sympathy Secretary We extend our deepest sympathy to Roger Van Tassell and Jeanne Kolb over the death of Michael Schmidt Roger's brother, Ken Van Tassell. Please keep them in your prayers at this difficult time. Organist/Music Director

HANK OU FOR OUR PECIAL IFTS IN UNE ULY Choir Directors T Y Y S G J & J Michael Schmidt Midnight Run Lawn Adult Choir Suomi Sakai & John Quinley Beverly Broodie-Stewart Austin Kehrle Capital Fund Budget Deficit Handbell Choir Suomi Sakai & John Quinley Erika Moriarty Becky Alfano Music Program Discretionary Fund Children’s Choir Suomi Sakai & John Quinley Peninnah D’Ambrosio

S T . JOHN’ S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FENIMORE ROAD AT CORTLANDT AVENUE, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 AUGUST 2021

COMING EVENTS Hot August Nights Cocktail Party on the Patio August 20th 7 to 10pm BYOB of wine or beer plus an appetizer to share. We will supply the cups, plates, napkins, etc. So, you are looking out into your backyard in the sweltering heat. August is the worst. If you could only be in Antigua, or the Cayman Islands, but you can’t… Are you going to let that stop you from enjoying Westchester at its best, overlooking beautiful Long Island Sound, under the maples, on the patio? Close your eyes and imagine yourself in St. Tropez à la St. John’s. Yes, it’s a dream come true. Come and meet fellow beach bums who are part of St. John’s - wear your wildest shirts/T-shirts and enjoy a beverage and tasty hors d’oeuvres.

Join Us!

We need to live our lives learning something every day. One way to do that is through reading books and joining our book club. Ideas are important, and when we discover the ideas of others, we are always en- riched. Come be enriched with us! Our August book choice is “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. it follows seven generations, fourteen perspectives in total. It all begins with two half sisters who will never know each other. One's experiences lead her and her family to slavery in America, the other's family find themselves mostly in Ghana. At our first in-person book club since February 2020 in June: Amy Robertson, Sarah Coble, Bob Clarida, Annie Thurow, Steve Michaelson, Nelson and Rebecca Gómez, Christine Hardigree, Suomi Sakai, John Quinley (clockwise back left to front left). Pastor Henk was also there and took the picture.

Rally Day/Fall Picnic at Rye Rec September 19 It's been a long time since we have gathered for our traditional picnic be- cause Covid made it impossible. We look forward to gathering for worship and a wonderful cookout to follow. The church year begins big time!

Clothing Drive for St. John’s Youth November 6 The All-Lutheran Youth Gathering is in July 2022, and as always we will be sending our young people to attend. Due to Covid we have not been able to do any fundraising in the last year. Clothes are a big hit and money maker at our usual tag sales. So, please start bringing any new or clean, gently used clothing you don’t want or need anymore - men’s, women’s, and children’s as well as shoes. You can drop these items off in a bag at church any time during office hours (please call 914.698.4348 to check) or on Sundays at wor- ship time (or make a special appointment). We need volunteer to help with this! If you can help or have questions, please contact Kathy Henk at [email protected] or Carla Hofland at carla.hofl[email protected].

S T . JOHN’ S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FENIMORE ROAD AT CORTLANDT AVENUE, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 AUGUST 2021

FIRST COMMUNION Not to be stopped by Covid, we were able to hold a First Com- munion class for six weeks. The kids were lively, happy, and eager to learn, which made it fun for their teacher - Pastor. We learned about the life of Jesus, the meaning of communion, and how it began from our Old Testament roots to Jesus celebrating the Last Supper to all of them receiv- ing bread and wine with out- stretched hands, and baked bread at our last class. It was a true joy. A big thank you has to go to the parents, who were very support- ive, and to Anne Rockel as First Communion “mother”. Congrat- ulations go to our First Communion students on their first Holy Communion on June 20: Sebastian Aquilina, Eliana Johnson, Daisy LoCicero, Natalie Merkitch , Elizabeth Rockel, Anna Tomkiel, and Jackson Williams.

Baking Bread

We had fun baking bread! Thanks to moms Erika LoCi- cero, Anne Rockel and Megan Aquilina for helping us.

S T . JOHN’ S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FENIMORE ROAD AT CORTLANDT AVENUE, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 AUGUST 2021

CONFIRMATION CLASS To state the obvious, Covid has made life as we know it very difficult. Many things we were used to doing had to stop, especially in the church. Meeting in person was a problem for the last year, and still is. In-person meeting is the “bread and butter” of what the church is about. We overcame this through Zoom, but it’s only a temporary fix since online is not the same as in person. On the other hand, confirmation class met online from October to June, and it worked out surprisingly well, thanks in no small part to the willingness of our young people to meet at 8 pm at night and talk and laugh with someone who is over 30 (you need to be well over 30 if you remember the phrase Never trust anyone over 30. There is a new term, devised under Covid, long haulers. That is when you have lasting effects from having had Covid. We are hoping that our long haul confirmation students will show the effects of what they have learned in class by the way they live and through their faith. We managed to have our very last class before the summer in person here at church, ending with the final exam and ice cream..

STEWARDSHIP It’s summer, and all of us are trying to find ways to get away for a little while and reunite with family, friends, and places. It’s a wonderful experience to reunite and to come out from under the claws of Covid that have held us down for such a long time. I write this knowing that we are still not out of the woods when it comes to this deadly virus and the challenge to vaccinate our nation, let alone the entire world. Among the challenges that lie ahead for all of us here at St. John’s is trying to reopen, restart, and return to normal or the “new normal”. So, we have still not arrived at the perfect moment to declare victory. In the meantime, we proceed with caution but we have made dramatic progress. WE NEED TO THANK THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS DURING THIS TIME WHEN THE OFFERING PLATE COULD NOT BE EXTENDED PHYSICALLY. It’s always heartening to open the envelopes people have mailed in for their donations to help support us in the vital ministry we do. STEWARDSHIP IS INTENTIONAL. It means that we organize and manage our life in an orderly way that lifts up our priorities. St. John’s should be one of those priorities. Put dif- ferently, we need to use our resources to help others besides ourselves, and giving to St. John’s is one of the ways in which we can make that happen. Summer is a very difficult time. Bills and expenses continue to come in and even rise. Help us make it keep up and remember to mail in your offering if you can’t be at church in per- son.

S T . JOHN’ S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FENIMORE ROAD AT CORTLANDT AVENUE, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 AUGUST 2021

PEOPLE PARADE…PEOPLE PARADE…PEOPLE PARADE…PEOPLE PARADE…PEOPLE

Guess who is 90 and born on the church parking lot and the side- land with her sisters-in-law on 4th of July?! Yes, Eleanore Mc- walks for the past several winters, their annual trip. She highly rec- Caffery is a Yankee Doodle but he is also an excellent tree ommends it… Brian and Carla surgeon by trade. He recently did Hofland recommend something amazing work at the parsonage. closer to home - the new docu- Tall trees were trimmed back to mentary about Anthony Bourdain beautiful proportions, with not a called “Roadrunner”. If you like leaf left behind. We saw the work travel, you would no doubt like of an expert craftsman. Your dad this film, and Anthony Bourdain taught you well, Bobby!…… If you was a pioneer in travel, journalism, ever get sick, Vitoria Basora as well as cuisine. In fact, Pastor can offer you first aid as she just Henk recommends his books became a registered nurse. She is “Kitchen Confidential” and “Medi- now heading to Brazil to celebrate um Raw”… A big thank you to HAPPY BIRTHDAY, with her parents. John Hillman, who power ELENAORE! Congratulations!… Speaking of washed the benches on our patio travel, Matt and Ina Sullivan and also oiled them. We are told dandy. At 90, she celebrated her are heading to Germany to show that they will slowly come back to birthday in the Waltemade Pavil- baby Jackson to Ina’s parents, who life, but they are thirsty and need lion at the Wartburg in Mt. Vernon haven’t seen him yet. We can only repeated oilings. So, don’t be sur- with close friends, among them imagine what a great moment that prised if you see John out there will be. It was nice to meet Matt’s working on the benches, and sav- parents who live in Larchmont and ing St. John’s a lot of money… It came to the tailgate BBQ… Re- was good to see Carolynn and cently little Paulo Flores came Robert Dilworth in church to church with his family and was after a long absence in Germany. a little vocal as he tried to join in Welcome home!… What you see on the hymns. It’s so great to see him in his mother’s arms and en- joying worship and coffee hour as Lisa and Austin Kehrle, his two brothers kissed and Vicky Struss, Lois Baldwin hugged him… Speaking of a sight (on Zoom), and Pastor Henk… for sore eyes, it’s great to see You may not have heard of Miles Kevin McCoskey out and Tree Service, but the name Bob- among us. He was so helpful on by Tipping certainly does ring a the July 4 BBQ, comes early to bell. Bobby has been plowing the worship to help set up, and is now above is “the agony of defeat”, as back to being our “go to guy”… grandma Karen Clark put it. We have had some visitors from Owen Caldwell was caught on far away of late. It was great to camera as the Mets played the see Pat Ouwerkerk and Jon Yankees on July 3. You go, Richards here in town from Owen!… Your children need to Anne Huber, who also cele- Florida. Also back from Florida braces?! There’s only one place brated a milestone 90th birthday in some of the time is Barbara for that, and that is the office of July. We want to know your secret Wilson. Another surprise was Dr. Marc Schlueter in Rye not only for longevity but for your Wally Guinee, who was visiting Brook, who comes highly recom- very positive personality and out- son Jim and family, from Florida as mended… It was good to see look on life. Thanks for being such well… Lynn Hillman, on the Kathy Berninger in church on a great example to all of us! other hand, went far away to Ice- a recent visit with daughter Marie.

S T . JOHN’ S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FENIMORE ROAD AT CORTLANDT AVENUE, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 AUGUST 2021

Pastor Henk and Paulo played great job, it looks brand-new, and teaches art to refugee children at soccer when Pastor went to visit he saved us hundreds of dollars… Abbott House. Keep up the good them at home. Soccer must be in For many years St. John’s has ob- work! Your life is a portrait of so his genes because parents Marie served July 4 in the parking lot many good things… Hush - Word and Ari played tournament soccer, overlooking the beautiful Ma- has it that Devin Romeo is en- where they met each other… A maroneck harbor with a tailgate gaged to be married… So, do we BBQ. After a forced hiatus last have a prima ballerina, or a female year, the food was flowing again, Arthur Murray graduate, or do we and the grill was smoking with lots have a replacement for Ginger of great chicken and steak and hot Rogers to dance with Fred As- dogs. A big thank you has to go to taire? Karen Haghenbeck- Kim and Jeff Schiro for orga- Nunnink is burning up the dance nizing this great event as well as to floor and won the gold in a recent Kevin McCoskey and contest. We are told “she could Dorothea Ferri for their help. have danced all night”. Congratu- The night really rocked thanks to lations! … Russ Brandon and Lisa, An- gelina, and Joe Colón as well LOOKING TO SEPTEMBER as Kurt Coble playing so many favorite tunes. It added to the pa- God’s Work. Our Hands. triotic feeling emanating from the BBQ for the Larchmont/Mamaro- day. Mateo Gómez made a neck Seniors tremendous patriotic cake, deco- September 12 big thank you goes to Peter rated like an American flag. It was Grinnell for deep cleaning the another way of tasing the wonders Rally Day/Picnic carpet in our sanctuary for the of liberty… Sarah Coble is do- Rye Rec Outdoor Service love of our church. He did such a ing great things, as usual. We have September 19 recently learned that she now

The Miracle of Love I was thinking about the people I love, the people I care about greatly, who can spark in me at times the most fulfill- ing and deep expression of love and who, if given enough time, can also push me to the edge where upset, disap- pointment, and anger live. Somehow I find love to be an unexplainable miracle. Here is a passage by Howard Thurman* from the writing called "Mysticism and the Experience of Love" that really speaks to me: "Behold the miracle! Love has no awareness of merit or demerit - it has no scale by which its portion may be weighed or measured. It does not seek to balance giving and receiving. Love loves; that is its nature. But this does not mean that love is blind, naive, or pretentious. It does not mean that love holds its object securely in its grasp... Here is not traffic in sentimentality, no catering to weakness or to strength. Instead there is a robust vi- tality that quickens the roots of personality creating an unfolding of the self that redefines, reshapes and makes all things new. (...) For in the experience itself a man is caught and held by something so much more than he can ever think or be that there is but one word by which its meaning can be encompassed - God." When we talk about love, a very worn-out word, it bounces by us without a thought, but in rare moments when I take the word seriously, I discover that the meaning of my life is held by it. Without it, I would be lost in despair, and when I am loving, I am creating meaning and giving definition to my life. As a Christian, I see Jesus as one who embodies the meaning of life in the way that he loves others unconditionally, with grace and mercy. Would that I could do the same. MEH * Howard Washington Thurman was an American author, philosopher, theologian, educator, and civil rights leader. As a prominent religious figure, he played a leading role in many social justice movements and organizations of the twentieth century.

S T . JOHN’ S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FENIMORE ROAD AT CORTLANDT AVENUE, MAMARONECK, NY 10543 AUGUST 2021

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