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UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF PATCHOGUE S i n c e 1 7 9 1 1791

October 2019

Let Me Make One Why? We are all less than Latin that literally means, Thing Perfectly perfect. So, is perfection “To Come Before” or “To Go WORSHIP IN something that we strive Before”. In other words, Clear OCTOBER for? Sounds like it would God’s grace is operating ow many of Oct. 6—The Rev. Dr. make a great goal on our even when we don’t know it you know that Charles Ferrara, “To Do” list? Don’t you working to woo or direct or October 1st is Luke 17:5-10 H think? draw us into a saving Oct. 13—The Rev. Dr. “Less Than Perfect Day?” Seeing that I am a relationship through Christ, Charles Ferrara, At first, I thought to Methodist minister His Son. Then, once we Luke 17:11-19 myself, “What a dumb day serving a Methodist surrender our lives to Oct. 20—Barbara Becker, of recognition!” Then, a Church—it might be a Christ, we are justified or Luke 18:1-8 lightbulb went off in my good idea to see what the reconciled with God; thus, Oct. 27—Kathy Halliwell head that it is actually a founder of the Methodist Justifying Grace. Luke 18:9-14 brilliant idea (no pun movement had to say But, for the purpose of intended). A reminder that about this. What did John this article dealing with we are less than perfect. Wesley have to say about “Less Than Perfect Day”— Now, that makes for a “Moving on to let me stick with the latter great sermon. perfection?” of the three, Sanctifying I would venture to say In a few weeks I will be Grace. that every single day one of the instructors at Continued on Page 2 reminds us of the fact that the Emmaus Walk. My we are not perfect. topic of discussion is James 3:2 says: “For we Prevenient Grace. In fact, all stumble in many ways. Wesley and the doctrine And if anyone does not of The United Methodist stumble in what he says, Church speaks of three he is a perfect man kinds of grace: Prevenient [person], able to also Grace, Justifying Grace, bridle his whole body.” and Sanctifying Grace. Well, thanks James— Now there’s a living in my seventh mouthful. Prevenient is a decade, I still have not word we derive from the found such a person. Circle of Concern Perfectly Clear (From Page 1) Under 35 Pastors Getting For Guidance and Healing: Sanctifying Grace draws us Rarer Bruce Kirshner, Lisa, Ernie & Alice toward , which t age 32, the Rev. Jarrod Titus, Henry Prince. Ed Blum, Joann, Wesley describe as “a heart Caltrider is living life in full Richard Olson, Boyce family, Thomas habitually filled with the love of God A as a United Methodist K., Jennifer Higbie, Laura Clifford, Luca and neighbor” and as “having the elder. Modonosi, Linda, Jerry, Frankie Scott mind of Christ and walking as he He’s pastor of three small Jr., Michael, Jack Christman, Elenor, walked.” Now, right there I can tell churches in rural West Virginia, and Krystan & Nick, Mark, Sean, John, resides in a parsonage with his wife, you I blew it at least three times Heather Blum, Lucas, Suzanne, Terry Breana, and their 2-year-old, Ella. He today. Family, Cotler Family, Richard, Ahler leads three or four worship services Family, Michael Hoogsteden, Brian The whole meaning of Sanctifying each Sunday and occasionally wades Laube Grace is to be “set apart” and into the Right Fork of Sandy Creek to “made holy” for a special use by do baptisms. These in Rehab or Nursing Care: God. took it extremely The work is gratifying, and what Geri Sheridan, Robert Krawzak in seriously when Jesus invited his excites Caltrider most is the growth Brookhaven Health Care Facility, 801 followers “to be perfect as your he’s seen in young families with Gazzola Dr., East Patchogue, NY Father in heaven is perfect” children attending Sandyville United Alice Zahnd in Gurwin Jewish Nursing (Matthew 5:48) Methodist Church, his largest Facility, 68 Hauppauge Rd., Both Wesley and Jesus did not congregation. Commack, NY “We average 72 to 74 in worship, mean that one would be flawless or and that’s increased a little, but two even sinless for that matter. I Pray for our church and her future Sundays ago we had 93 in worship directions! believe, and I think I am on pretty and 33 of those were elementary solid theological ground, that both school age and younger,” he said. Prayer cards are located at the usher’s were encouraging us to steadily “That’s exhilarating.” station at the rear of the sanctuary. mature in our faith so as to make all Young elders like Caltrider — Make a prayer request at of our decisions based on a heart enthusiastic, committed and perhaps PatchogueUMC.com filled with a love for God and better able than many older others—and to have the mind of colleagues to connect with young Christ when making those decisions. families — are getting harder to find Now, that is something to strive for. in The . The Lewis Center for Church And, by the way, this can only Leadership, part of Wesley happen through the grace of God. Theological Seminary, does an So, I am going to usurp whoever annual analysis of clergy age trends decided to make October 1st “Less in The United Methodist Church, and Than Perfect Day” with a slight its just-released 2019 report shows st edited version. I declare October 1 that the number of U.S. elders under October Birthdays and all of the remaining 364 days, age 35 has declined for three straight Oct. 7 Sophia Capobianco “Less Than Perfect—But We Will years. Oct. 8 Ed Klingel Keep Trying Day”. Continued on Page 4 Oct. 25 Wendy Hollowell —Pastor Chuck Oct. 25 Jim Graham

Under 35 (From Page 2) of young deacons (clergy ordained to The Rev. Trip Lowery oversees the As of May, there were 875, down a ministry of word, service, Young Clergy Initiative for the United from 1,003 in 2016, and from 3,219 in compassion and justice), with a Methodist Board of Higher Education 1985, when the denomination was decline of just one in 2019. The and Ministry, and he says that while much larger in the U.S. number of young licensed local anecdotally he’s aware of the This year is not the low point. That pastors increased slightly this year, program’s positive impact, it’s not was 2005, when the number was 850, and the percentage of deacons and possible to quantify how many young and the Lewis Center began to track local pastors under 35 exceeds that of people it has helped move onto the clergy age trends as part of a general elders. clergy track. alarm about the scarcity of young The majority of U.S. elders are age “If I had a number, I wouldn’t elders. 55 or older, the Lewis Center report really trust it, because there are so But the resumption of a downward shows. many things that influence trajectory to a near historic low is The Rev. Ben Gosden is 36 now, so someone’s decision to go into concerning for the denomination’s he’s recently aged out of the young ministry,” he said. future, according to the Rev. Lovett H. elder category. But he’s seen young Lowery noted that the initiative Weems Jr., senior consultant for the elders and elders generally become has created a body of knowledge Lewis Center. scarcer in the South Georgia about supporting young people in “The clergy in some ways match the Conference, where he serves. discerning a call, including the membership of the church in being Licensed local pastors have become importance of relationships with disproportionately older, but it more common there, as they have mentors, especially close to their doesn’t match the people God’s given been in many U.S. conferences. own age. us (to reach), the people in the Gosden believes economics are a He counseled patience, saying it population,” he said. factor, given that licensed local takes time to create a culture of call Elders in The United Methodist pastors typically have a somewhat in the church and added that Higher Church are seminary-educated clergy smaller financial package than elders Education and Ministry will be ordained to a ministry of word, and often are bi-vocational. requesting an extension of the sacrament, order and service, with an “We do have more and more local program from the 2020 General understanding that they will go where pastors,” said Gosden, who leads Conference. sent by their bishop. historic Trinity United Methodist “It’s not going to happen in one Many serve in extension ministries, Church in Savannah, Georgia. “South quadrennium or two,” he said. but typically elders are preaching in Georgia’s a small conference, and Lowery noted a range of factors and leading churches, including the more of our churches are help explain the decline of young denomination’s largest. Elders are transitioning downward in salaries.” elders, including seminarians who eligible to be bishops and district The United Methodist Church want to serve, but not necessarily in superintendents. made a big effort to address the issue a typical church setting. As the denomination has shrunk in of an aging clergy corps in the U.S. “Most are just not feeling called the U.S., the number of elders has when the 2012 Conference created into that traditional robe, stole and a declined steadily. But while young the $7 million Young Clergy Initiative, pulpit appointment,” he said. elders represented 15 percent of the which provides grants to a range of “Students are feeling called to places total in 1985, they now represent groups that work with young people that worship at different kinds of under 7 percent. in discerning a call to ministry. The times, different locales… Maybe it’s Meanwhile, The United Methodist 2016 General Conference renewed a homeless ministry or a Church last year saw a record number the program. congregation that focuses on AIDS patient care.” diversity of its appointment settings since 1848, and its roots go back much The prospect of carrying seminary and the role women have had in farther. But he wants Trinity to be debt into a modest-paying position as church and conference leadership trailblazing in its approach to a young elder is often cited as a there. encouraging young people to answer disincentive. Though streamlined She pointed to one particularly the ministry call. some, the ordination process is long helpful conference initiative, the “That’s the name of the game, long and can be confusing if conferences residency covenant groups, where term,” he said. “I want to send people don’t work hard to communicate the young clergy meet to vent and into the ministry out of this church. We necessary steps. occasionally push back on venting. want to be a factory.” Then, too, The United Methodist “I need my peers to say, ʽHey, me —Sam Hodges, UMNS Church faces the possibility — some too,’ or to one up me and say, ʽIt say likelihood — of schism due to could be worse, girlfriend,’” said Creation Care Is Here internal conflict over how accepting Manuel, who is on staff at St. Luke’s rmed with information from to be of homosexuality. United Methodist Church in Houston, a school report by her The current young elders were and on track to be ordained an elder daughter, Elan Brown aware of the divisions when they next summer. A addressed the Florida Annual answered their call to United The Dakotas and Arkansas Conference in June in Lakeland, Methodist ministry and began conferences have ranked high in the Florida. seminary, but the situation has percentage of young elders in recent “Our earth was founded upon the become even more fraught. years, and the North Texas seas and waters and we have been “Obviously we were not at the Conference has lately joined them. commanded to care for it,” Brown position we’re in now,” Caltrider The Rev. Ricky Harrison, 27, said. “Let our churches adopt creation said. credited North Texas Conference care practices that minimize the use of Before the last three years, the Bishop Michael McKee with fostering single-use plastics, plastic straws, denomination had seen modest a culture of call, including staying in plastic bags and polystyrene foam for growth in the number and touch with him and other young all events, fellowship gatherings and percentage of young elders since the clergy candidates as they made their classes in order to reduce our harm low in 2005. Lowery and Weeks both way through college and seminary. against God’s creation.” noted that some conferences have “He’s been really intentional,” said Brown, a member of Cornerstone had clear, ongoing success with Harrison, who was ordained as an United Methodist Church in Naples, targeted efforts. elder this summer and now is Florida, wrote the resolution in a four- The Texas Conference has for years associate pastor at First United day rush to make the filing deadline. had a multifaceted approach, Methodist Church in Decatur, Texas. “Thank God my daughter had done a encompassing everything from youth For Gosden, the solution to the research paper on it,” she said. “It’s a camps with a discernment focus to problem underscored by the Lewis wonderful blessing that we are able to church staff internships to financial Center study will be best addressed do a model for other conferences.” help for seminary students. by clergy themselves. The resolution passed in a landslide, This year, the Texas Conference “If people have an issue with the garnering 82% of the vote. Though was at the top in percentage of young decline in the number of younger there is no penalty for ignoring it, elders, and it has been the leader four elders, we need to look in the United Methodist environmentalists in other times since 2012. mirror,” he said. “We need to train Continued on Page 7 The Rev. Michelle Manuel, 33, leaders to cultivate leaders.” transferred into the Texas Gosden’s church has been on

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For security purposes, the Church St. entrance is now locked as soon as Sunday services begin. If you are run- ning late, be sure to use the Sanctuary entrances. Creation Care (From Page 5) graduates of Global Ministries that we’re in as African Americans in Florida report that the idea is taking EarthKeepers training. There are under-resourced communities.” hold, and a round of regional about 157 EarthKeepers at work, and Mary Beth Downey’s meetings is planned this winter to training sessions for more are set for environmental statement also promote the resolution. Sept. 26-29 in Austin, Texas, and Oct. evolved out of EarthKeepers training. The victory was significant in an 24-27 in Chicago. A member of Mountain View United environment where some people, “The first (EarthKeepers) training Methodist Church in Boulder, including United Methodists, don’t happened in 2016,” Phillips said. “The Colorado, she has organized a believe climate change is happening. idea was to really help people put monthly bell ringing designed to The United Methodist Social their environmental passion into protest harm to the environment and Principles recognize climate change action— to make that connection promote reforms. and state that it disproportionately between the great problems of the A retired school psychologist, affects poorer communities. world and what they can do about it committed member of United “I think that we are in a moment of in their local communities.” Methodist Women and longtime collective denial about the impact of Brown is a graduate of the activist, Downey was one of 284 climate change and environmental EarthKeepers program, as is the Rev. people arrested in 1979, at age 21, at degradation,” said the Rev. Jenny Deidra Wright, who has founded and the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Phillips, creation care program operates a community garden at Plant near Denver for attempting to manager for the United Methodist Columbia Drive United Methodist blockade railroad tracks leading to Committee on Relief. Church in Decatur, Georgia. She also the site. “Particularly because my work is oversees small gardens at several Downey’s current protest started situated within UMCOR, it’s very clear local schools. small with just her ringing a cowbell that extreme weather events are Church gardens attract people who at the state capitol in Colorado on happening more frequently and with are resistant to regular church, she Dec. 11, 2018. greater intensity than ever before said. “It felt right. It felt empowering,” and that the ministries of our church “They get community,” Wright Downey said. are bearing the brunt. They are the said. “And I think secretly, that’s what Today, about 25 people gather at frontlines of suffering and the everybody’s searching for … there’s First United Methodist Church of frontlines of recovery.” something about nature and caring Boulder at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of Efforts to address climate change and food that brings people closer each month for a responsive bell are being made across the together. I think that’s important.” ringing to bring attention to denomination. Church and Society, The garden provides food to a environmental issues. Gongs, drums United Methodist Women, Wespath, community that lacks nutritional and other instruments also are used. Higher Education and Ministry and options, and working the land is “We have flyers that we pass out Discipleship Ministries are among the healing for the land and the people about what you can do this month,” United Methodist entities doing doing the work, she explained. And she said. The Boulder Shambhala significant work on the issue, Phillips the closer food is grown to its (Buddhist) Center across the street said. UMCOR also has solar power ultimate consumer, the less fossil fuel from the downtown church initiatives outside the U.S. that are is required to transport it. participates, as do people of other making progress. “It’s just good to know where your faith communities including Jews, “It really permeates throughout food is coming from,” Wright said. Unitarians, Presbyterians and the ministry of the church,” she said. “We’re just trying to get everybody Episcopalians. A growing amount of grassroots on the page for healthy living … and Continued on Page 8 climate change work is being done by get out of this slump of bad health

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF PATCHOGUE T h e L I N K

10 Church St., Patchogue, NY 11772

The Rev. Dr. Charles Ferrara, Pastoral Minister Camille Flynn, Administrative Assistant Office Phone: 631-475-0381 | Fax: 631-475-3132 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: 9:00 AM –2:00 PM., Closed Monday Worship Video Live Streaming at PatchogueUMC.Org

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Creation Care (From Page 7) then we lend them out and people fill giving us a clear picture of what will “We’re not telling people what to them with compostable food or items happen if we do nothing. do,” Downey said. “We’re saying … and it gets picked up.” “I pray that the actions of Global wake up and do something.” The church can lend out up to 125 Ministries EarthKeepers and United Leigh Williams, a member of First spoons, forks and knives at a time. Methodist creation care advocates United Methodist Church Cary in Borrowers do not need to leave a throughout the church will ultimately North Carolina, started a silverware deposit, and are encouraged to contribute to the full healing of God’s lending library as her EarthKeepers return the silverware dirty so they creation.” project. She is working to expand to can be washed in a sterilizing —Jim Patterson, UMNS include reusable cups to replace dishwasher at the church. products like the ubiquitous red Solo “People don’t want to wash them.” cup, which few municipalities recycle. Williams said. “That’s why people buy “I actually got a grant from Wake plastic throwaway utensils.” County (North Carolina) Solid Waste,” More efforts along these lines by Williams said. “It’s a solid waste United Methodists are necessary, landfill diversion grant to buy more Phillips said. used silverware. I get some “We don’t know the impact our containers and tablecloths and we actions will have in the larger picture now have composting through an of addressing the environmental industrial composting company. They crisis,” she said. “But scientists are allow us to buy some buckets and