REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND Pastor of Congregational Life [email protected]

2 BROOKVILLE ROAD BROOKVILLE, NY 11545

516-626-0414 [email protected] www.facebook.com/BrookvilleChurch www.BrookvilleChurch.org Where our doors are always open! December 2015

Advent - the Time of Waiting

Advent is a season that seems ~ Advent prepares us for God’s loving embrace to get lost in our culture. through the coming of the promised Messiah. To Because we so often think of ponder God’s love this Advent, one morning I will the month of December as stand in front of my bathroom mirror with my eyes “the Season” and closed and pray the Lord’s Prayer. When I open my use this time to busily prepare our homes for the holidays, eyes, I will smile at my reflection and acknowledge we often neglect to prepare that I am smiling at a beloved child of God. our hearts for the coming of ~ This year when I hear, “Christmas is just . Advent is the season of around the corner,” and see a great flurry of waiting, a four week period of “waiting” for the commercial activity, I will choose to peer out my celebration of the birth of our Lord. window in the morning and remind myself that God How do we wait during one of the most hectic is out there in that great big wonderful world. times of the year? How do we find quiet amid the noisy rush of the season? Every year I ask myself ~ The Advent season brings joy in the promise these questions and hope to find an answer that has of God among us. This year, one night after everyone better results than previous years. There have been else has gone to bed, in the dark living room, I will songs and books written about skipping Christmas sit in front of my lighted and thank in the hopes of not getting caught up in all the God for the gift of his Son. I will also thank God for drama of buying presents, sending cards, entertaining company, etcetera. I’ve done that in all the people in my life and ponder the good in each years past, tried to skip Christmas in the sense of of them. the secular holiday, but it only left me feeling When I look at the endless possibilities of “waiting” lonely and detached from all the festivities going in this Advent season, I realize that it is possible to on around me. find the presence of the Holy One in the midst of all Instead, this year during the in-between moments, I the hustle and bustle of the season. I hope you can will try and “wait” with a more present heart as I too. anticipate the coming of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Join me in trying these following Waiting… suggestions: ~Rev. Vicky ~ There are times we wish we could stop time and stay in the moment, but life continues on. Maybe this Advent, I will press the snooze button on my morning alarm clock and use those seven minutes of wakefulness to prayerfully anticipate the presence of the Lord in the day before me. Brookville Church News 2

Music News! This is a huge season of music and talent. I am in awe of ALL the people involved in our coming worship services. I would like to thank Sarah, Rachel and Branch (J.J.) Worsham for sharing their talents with us on November Did you know the big Amazon.com 22nd. They played beautifully and we all appreciate their has a charitable heart? talents and time given to enhance our worship celebration. Yes, it does. Below is our calendar of upcoming musical events: Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible November 29 10:00 am: Our choir will begin the Advent purchases to Brookville Church. season with beautiful music. Here’s how it works: December 6 10:00 am: Muzika Schmuzika will be our special guests. To shop at amazon.com, g o t o smile.Amazon.com. If you have an Amazon December 13 10:00 am: The Children will perform “In A account, all your information will be there Galilee Far, Far Away.” This is a great play, and there are 17 (thanks to cookies). If not, you can simply log in of our youth working hard on this presentation. The play will as you normally would. be in Fellowship Hall. You do not want to miss this! In the search box in the lower right, type December 20 10:00 am: Our Adult Special Choir, along Brookville Church. From the list that appears, with a trio of piano, bass and percussion, will present “One pick our Brookville, NY location. SELECT. At Silent Night.” This is a contemporary Cantata of beautiful the top of the Amazon page now you will see: music. Please let all of our volunteer musicians (a total of 19) Supporting: Brookville Church. know how much we appreciate them by attending this Shop as normal, and 0.5% of your eligible concert. You will love it! purchases will be sent to Brookville Church at December 24 service 6:00 pm: The youth the end of every quarter. It’s that simple! of the Brookville Church and the Interfaith Community Do a good deed and support our church. (IFC) will come together to form a youth choir. December 24 Christmas Eve service 11:00 pm: The Adult Thank you! Choir will sing for this wonderful candlelight service. I invite all of you to attend these wonderful worship LEAVE A BOOK celebrations. I hope to see you there! TAKE A BOOK ~ Minister of Music Carol Goglia We have a lending library! [email protected] Anyone who has read a book and would like to lend one is welcome to bring it to the bookshelf in the Fellowship The Saturday Night Live Group of Alcoholics Hall Conference Room. Hard cover and Anonymous meets at the Brookville Church every paper back books are welcome. Saturday night at 9pm. (Coffee and cake starting at 8:30!) As one of Nassau County's oldest AA groups, this meeting has been in existence for over 40 If you don’t have a book to lend, you can years. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, you are make a donation and purchase one. welcome to attend this meeting. For more information, Bring in a book and take one home! feel free to contact Carol B. at (516) 428-0479. Brookville Church News 3

Don’t Forget To Order Your Christmas Advent Sundays at Poinsettias! Brookville Church Our sanctuary is always beautifully decorated with evergreens, wreaths and Nov. 29 - First Sunday in Advent poinsettias during the Christmas season. 10:00am, Worship Celebration Adult Choir will sing If you wish to order our Christmas poinsettia plants, please fill out the enclosed form. Be sure to indicate the Dec. 6 - Second Sunday in Advent quantity and color of the poinsettias, and whether the 10:00am, Worship Celebration with Communion. plants should be dedicated in honor of or in memory of Special music by: someone. Musika Schmuzika Each plant costs $19.00, and may be ordered through Dec. 13 - Third Sunday in Advent the mail by using the enclosed order form. You may also call Janîce at the church office and place your 10:00am, Worship Celebration order over the phone. Children’s Play - In a Galilee Far, Far Away Christmas Party following play Please make all checks payable to the Brookville Reformed Church. In order for us to include your Dec. 20 - Fourth Sunday in Advent memorial information in the Christmas Eve bulletin, 10:00am, Worship Celebration ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY DECEMBER Adult Choir Cantata - One Silent Night 15th. Thank you! All Sundays 9:00-9:45am Adult Choir Rehearsal 11:00am - Coffee and Fellowship December Birthdays Dec. 27 - Shared Worship Celebration at the Locust Valley Reformed Church 115 Ryefield Road. There will be no worship service at Brookville.

William Kelleher - 6th News 12 Emergency Closing Systems Jaclyn Schuman - 8th for Brookville Church David Denison - 16th We have recently registered Brookville Church with News 12 Emergency Closing Systems so that we James Kelleher - 16th may more quickly inform our congregation of Carol Goglia - 25th cancellations. To use this service, simply go to Cathy O’Neill - 25th http://longisland.news12.com Kevin McGrane - 26th and click on the red !Closings/Delays bar at the top of the page to see our closing status information. Close by the jolly fire I sit This information is also available on Optimum To warm my frozen bones a bit; channel 612, but only subscribers can Or with a reindeer-sled, explore access this channel. The colder countries round the door. Please Note: Our outgoing phone message ~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~ 1885 at Brookville Church will also have cancellation information. Reflections "Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile” ~ William Cullen Bryant ~

For two years my morning quiet time has ended with a short devotional text that I look forward to as a push into the day from God. For most of the first year, the book’s challenge to see the day in His way required a modest change in behavior. I thought I was already aware of the significant events happening around me, like not backing the car into a steel post hidden from my rearview mirrors or getting an unexpected and large distribution from an insurance company. For those kinds of things I was aware and able to say, “Thank you God.”

Today’s challenge, like many of the recent year, was “As you go through this day, look for tiny treasures strategically placed along the way; little pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them and pluck them one by one until you have a beautiful bouquet.” The best treasure today was near the end of the day. I had just driven west on the LIE and was frequently blinded by the setting sun, low in a perfect clear blue sky. Entering our driveway, the sun was now behind me and the trees, which grew on a ridge behind and surrounding our house, were receiving a full and powerful saturation of sunshine on the already golden colored fall leaves. Just in front of the bright trees was our favorite (because we planted it) towering weeping willow that filtered some of the light onto all of its arching branches. That was a sight worth waiting all day to see, but the treat was soon to be shared. I had come home early to collect granddaughter Sarah from school, and as I approached the house for a second time, I told her about the challenge to see beauty today, and that we had stunning scenery in the yard, especially the weeping willow, which she acknowledged was always a beautiful tree. Yes, the best was the last, sharing the moment with Sarah.

As I have recounted frequently, this is the twenty-eighth year of Reflections. I have been growing older on the pages, not intentionally, but I have to admit it has been with a lot of satisfaction. Often I would write, telling a story, much to please myself and lo, you readers would commend the tale as delightful. I can vaguely remember some snippets of previous articles, even one from the first year (because I learned of someone, now gone, who did not like it; a better phrase would be – did not approve of it). Looking back has been my source of material and the well never seems to go dry. Writing to include the present time, as above with Sarah, had been a challenge until I learned how to weave a tale out of the ordinary things, which are little pleasures.

This has been a perfect autumnal day with tiny treasures, enough to fill a bouquet.

Branch Worsham BEAT NAVY! END WORD: There ought to be a way to combine “autumn” and “morning” into one word, the combination of the two is special enough to be its own entity. ~Terry Guillemets A fallen leaf is nothing more than a summer’s wave goodbye.

NO USE ~~ KNOWING ~~ HOW TO PICK ‘EM ~~ IF YOUR HALF-SHAVED ~~ WHISKERS STICK ‘EM Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of And yet its focus is almost entirely rededication, also known as the Festival of spiritual, not physical. For example, Lights, is an eight day festival beginning there is no feast associated with on the 25th day of the Jewish month Hanukkah, the way there is with of Kislev (this year corresponding to Passover and Purim, the two other December 6th). Hanukkah (alternately spelled Chanukah), meaning "dedication" Jewish festivals of deliverance that in Hebrew, refers to the joyous eight-day are found in the Bible. Its religious celebration during which Jews remember observance is concentrated on flame, the victory of the Maccabees and nothing more. And the menorah's "rededication" of the Temple in Jerusalem in 165 lights may only be gazed at; it is forbidden to use B.C.E. them for any physical purpose—not even to read by. According to tradition, at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left. Oil was needed for the What Hanukkah commemorates at heart is the Jewish menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was yearning for God, for the concentrated holiness of the supposed to burn throughout the night every night. Temple and its service. The defeat of the Syrian- There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet Greeks was a wonder, but the spiritual climax of the miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed Maccabees' rebellion occurred when the menorah was to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An rekindled and God's presence among his people could eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle, the miracle of the oil. The modern home be felt once again. celebration of Hanukkah centers around the lighting of the chanukiyah, a special menorah for Hanukkah; The Maccabees' war against the Hellenists was foods prepared in oil including latkes (potato ultimately a war against a worldview that elevated the pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts); and special physical above all, that worshipped beauty, not songs and games. holiness; the body, not the soul. The Jews fought to It is customary to play dreidel games on the holiday of preserve a different view of the world—one with Hanukkah. A dreidel is a pointed, four-sided top God, not the material, at its center. Because they bearing four Hebrew letters: nun, gimmel, hey, and triumphed, the Jewish religion survived. More than shin, which stand for the first letter of each word in the 2,000 years later, the Hellenists and their gods are Hebrew statement “Neis gadol hayah sham,” which buried in the dust of history. But the wisdom and means “A great miracle happened there” and refers to insights of Judaism continue to enlighten the world. the re-dedication of the Temple. The only traditional gift of the holiday is "gelt," small amounts of money. Chag Hanukkah Sameach – Happy Hanukkah! Hanukkah is the only Jewish holiday not found in the Bible and the only one rooted in a military campaign. Rabbi Stuart Paris, HaKohen Brookville Multifaith Campus News 2 Highlights from our 3rd Annual Multifaith Thanksgiving Celebration On Sunday, November 15th, merely two days after the tragedy that shook Paris, our clergy from 3 different faiths came together to lead a beautiful Multifaith Thanksgiving service, giving thanks for what we have and offering prayers and food to those in need. This year marks the third annual Multifaith Thanksgiving Celebration. This celebration is significant because the clergy chose to honor each other’s religions by teaching from the other’s Holy Scripture. It was truly meaningful as they demonstrated respect, solidarity and peace across religions. The clergy began the service with a moment of silence to show solidarity with the people of France, their hands interwoven, eyes closed and hearts open. Reverence and humility filled the air. Rabbi Stuart Paris taught a lesson from the New Testament, Reverend Vicky Eastland preached from the Quran, and Muslim leader Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed taught from the Torah. Interfaith minister, Reverend Enid Kessler, delivered a unifying message filled with love, while Amy Schombs, chair of the Interfaith Community of Long Island who was raised a conservative Jew and married a Roman Catholic, shared a very personal story about her own interfaith family and how she is raising her kids with both religions. Light was spread, compassion was felt and songs were sung by Cantor Irene of the New Synagogue of Long Island and The Brookville Church choir led by Minister of Music, Carol Goglia. It was a truly enlightening way to celebrate Thanksgiving. $695.00 was raised for the purchase of turkeys for low income families in Glen Cove. Thank you to everyone who participated and attended this unifying event. ~ Shari Johanson Member of the Interfaith Community

Ian Schombs, Rabbi Stuart Paris and Branch Worsham

Cantor Irene of the New Synagogue of Long Island

Paola Garcia, member of the Muslim Reform Movement Brookville Multifaith Campus News 3 Living in a State of Gratitude

With the approach of the when you hear something bad about someone and do Thanksgiving holiday, and as not repeat it. Giving thanks with your tongue is when a result of the beautiful you express pleasure with what God has given you." Multifaith Thanksgiving True gratitude, then, means using our time, faculties, C e l e b r a t i o n w e h a d a t talents and every type of wealth we have been blessed B r o o k v i l l e o n S u n d a y, th with in the right way; that is, in a way that is pleasing November 15 , I have been to God. Al-Jowzi writes: "being thankful means using reflecting on what it means to what God has given you in ways that please Him, be grateful and considering ingratitude is the opposite of this, you either do not use how I can best live in a state of continuous gratitude. what has been given to you, or use it in undesirable I recently realized that gratitude is much deeper than ways." I previously thought. While it is easy for me to feel This statement is quite profound. Gratitude in its full my heart filled with thankfulness when I think of all meaning demands deep self-knowledge and the wonderful people and blessings in my life, it is a knowledge of what pleases God. And, as Al-Jowzi bit more challenging to actually live in a way that explains, knowing what pleases God "requires a heart consistently expresses gratitude. with insight, which is extremely rare.” This idea Last week, at our Quran Discussion, we read an applies to our lives in more ways than the obvious. Of excellent essay by Abdel Rahman Al-Jowzi that Dr. course, most of us realize that if we use our faculties Sultan translated to English. Al-Jowzi was a prolific and time to do those things that are traditionally Muslim scholar born in Baghdad in 1116, at the peak deemed sinful, we are being ungrateful. Al-Jowzi of the Islamic Golden Age when Baghdad was an explains that, for instance, if we look at forbidden international center of learning and wisdom. This things, we are ungrateful "not only for the eye, but essay, although written almost a thousand years ago, also for the sun that gives the light which makes it seems contemporary and is full of knowledge that possible for you to see." anybody can apply and that, if embodied, will make But are we aware of the more subtle ways in which we our life a great contribution to humanity, which is the might presently be lacking in gratitude? For instance, best form of worship. As Prophet Muhammad are we failing to use a talent God gave us due to fear, (PBUH - Peace Be Upon Him) said: "The best of laziness, or lack of self-knowledge? Or are we perhaps people are those that bring the most benefit to the rest slightly deceitful in our affairs? Or, are we using our of mankind.” resources extravagantly or incorrectly? If so, what can Although gratitude is a central concept in Islam and we do about it in order to express more gratitude with the guaranteed path to abundance, I used to see it our entire being? only as something to be felt and expressed. However, This sentence particularly struck me: "Anyone who Al-Jowzi's essay made me see that living in gratitude makes utensils out of gold and silver is ungrateful, entails much more than that. Our entire lives can be because it is similar to taking a wise man and oriented towards and centered in gratitude. assigning him to manual work which anyone can do." We each have unique talents and gifts and it is our Our character can be made better through gratitude: responsibility to discover what these are, develop them "Thanksgiving is expressed with the heart, with the and use them for a high purpose that brings us joy and tongue and with your limbs. Giving thanks from your helps others. Achieving this requires regularly heart is when you think of doing something good for spending time in solitude and self-reflection. God's creation. Giving thanks with your tongue is when you praise God. Expressing gratitude with your May we have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving limbs is by using them for a good purpose, and not holiday. use them to do harm. For example, gratitude with Paola Garcia your eyes is when you see defects in someone and not publicize them. Giving thanks with the ears is Member of the Muslim Reform Movement Organization (MRMO) Brookville Multifaith Campus Clergy

From left to right: Rev. Bill McBride, Cantor Irene Failenbogen, Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed, Rev. Vicky Eastland, Rev. Enid Kessler, Rabbi Stuart Paris Please cut out form and mail to: Brookville Church # 2 Brookville Road, Brookville, NY 11545 Poinsettia Order Form

Name: ______

Number of plants: RED_____ WHITE_____

___ I will TAKE the plant(s) after the 11 p.m. worship

___ I will LEAVE the plant(s) in the Sanctuary

Clearly print the information below if plant(s) is/are in memory or in honor of someone. Your order can be called into the Church office as well. Office number is: (516) 626-0414. Please make check payable to the Brookville Reformed Church. The cost for a plant is $19. All orders must be placed by Tuesday, December 15th.

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