REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND, PASTOR [email protected]

2 BROOKVILLE ROAD BROOKVILLE, NY 11545

516-626-0414 [email protected] www.BrookvilleChurch.org Facebook: Brookville-Church- Multifaith-Campus Where our doors are always open! May 2017

Our Mission Statement: Brookville Church is a welcoming, friendly and heartfelt community who follows the teachings of Jesus; a message of love, acceptance, healing and hope. We affirm that all people are beloved children of God and therefore embrace any age, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic status, marital status, family configuration, physical or mental ability or education, and invite the full inclusion of all people into the life and ministries of Brookville Church. We believe diversity enriches our journey together in faith and propels us to an ever expanding understanding and experience of God. Happy Easte! You may think I missed it or have day out of the year, a day where we got dressed up in our lost my mind. Easter was last month. Sunday best, had ham dinner together and hunted for eggs. I The date changes every year, but realized that the celebration of the Resurrection of Easter come on! We all know Easter already lasted longer in the church. Seven weeks to be exact. Easter happened. YES, you are partly right. Sunday begins a season in the church that lasts 50 days and Resurrection Sunday was on April ends with Pentecost, where we celebrate the birth of the 16th this year, BUT that doesn’t church and the coming of the Holy Spirit. mean Easter is over in the life of the church. We are now in what is Eastertide is a time set apart in the church calendar year to considered Eastertide, a 50 day focus on the resurrection of Christ. Now I’m not suggesting period following Easter Sunday. So, that you hide eggs every day for 50 days, or buy 50 new maybe it is more appropriate for me to say, “Happy suits or dresses to mark each day in the season, that’s silly. Eastertide!” “Tide” is an old English word that means, Instead, this is a time to marvel in the resurrection and the time or season. implications it has for our lives. If Jesus conquered death and the grave, so we will; If Jesus was brought back to life, When I was little, I loved Easter Sunday. I would wake up we can be reborn in our lives too. Think of this period in the excited that the Easter Bunny had hidden eggs all over the church as a time to be reborn. What needs to be resurrected house for me to find. We were not allowed to look for that is lying dormant in you? How ‘bout the fruits of the those eggs filled with goodies until after church. I loved Spirit as talked about in Galatians 5:22,23? “…the fruit of getting dressed up and feeling spring in the air, but I was the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, rarely able to concentrate on the Easter service; my mind faithfulness, gentleness and self-control….” Who doesn’t was too preoccupied in whether the Easter Bunny hid the need these things in their life? Why not take one of these eggs in the same place as last year. If not, where might fruits and work on resurrecting it this Eastertide? If you they be? Where should I look first when we got home? It seem to be losing your patience easily these days, start used to always be a race and competition to find more intentionally practicing it and see if this transforms you. eggs than my older brother of 3 and 1/2 years. One of us How about kindness? Is this attribute slipping? Do you find would invariably find more eggs than the other with cries yourself grumpy and lacking kindness, especially with that it was unfair. So, my parents, umm, I mean the Easter drivers that annoy you or slow people in a cashier line at the Bunny, started putting our names on the eggs so that if we store? Try practicing random acts of kindness, like paying found our sibling’s eggs, we had to leave them hidden and for the person’s coffee behind you in the Starbucks drive look for more of our own. It was much more fun that way. thru. These are things we can work on any time during the When we thought we’d found all of our eggs, we would year, but Eastertide is a good season to do so. Every time give each other clues where more of the other’s eggs were you practice using one of the fruits of the Spirit you can hidden. Do you remember the hot and cold game…you are reflect on Jesus’ resurrection and how what needs to be so cold you are frozen to death! You are so hot you are reborn in you is finding its own resurrection! going to melt! Just talking about it brings back fun memories. Happy Eastertide, everyone. It wasn’t until I was older and actually paying attention in church that I started to understand Easter wasn’t just one ~Rev. Vicky Brookville Church News 2B

A Letter from Our Partner in Ministry Rev. Joshua Vis Women for Healing Church Engagement Facilitator for Israel/Palestine & Networking Dinner Dear Brookville Church, Friday May 19, 2017 The RCA will begin to discern how we, as from 6-9:30 pm citizens of the U.S.A. can begin to advocate for Join a community of women committed to healing. peace and reconciliation Come enjoy a delicious meal. Share in networking in Israel/Palestine on the opportunities, and join the conversation as we global stage and in U.S. address the divisiveness in our world and identify how politics. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to we can help inspire change. This program is open to continue and expand on this wonderful ministry. all communities, races, ethnicities and religions to Thank you for joining me in this effort, both come together and help one another as we share our through your financial support and your prayers. concerns and find solutions. Cost for dinner and Sincerely, program is $25. Moderators/Speakers (partial list): Dr. Rev. Joshua Vis Isma Chaudhry, President, Islamic Center of Long [email protected] Island, Rev. Paulette Thompson Clinton, Founder, Still on the Journey Living Well Ministry. If you would like to give financial support The Congregational Church of Manhasset to our Partner in Ministry, please 1845 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, NY 11030 contact Rev. Vicky:

RSVP To: Lesley Mazzotta [email protected] [email protected] * 917-623-4554

Did you know the big amazon.com has a charitable heart? Yes, it does. Thank you Choir Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible I'm so thankful to the choir for performing an purchases to Brookville Church. awesome, somber concert on Good Friday. Here’s how it works: To shop at amazon.com, go to smile.Amazon.com. You can simply log in as you It was very moving and memorable. Easter normally would. In the search box on the lower right was wonderful. For the first time, we asked corner of the screen, type Brookville Church. From the congregation to sing the hallelujah the list that appears, pick our Brookville, NY location. At the top of the Amazon page you will see: chorus with us and it was so great! A new Supporting: Brookville Church. Shop as normal, and tradition is born! 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be sent to Brookville Church at the end of every quarter. It’s Because of your talents, we had an amazing that simple! Holy Week and Easter. Do a good deed and support our church. Thank you! ~Carol Goglia, Minister of Music Brookville Church News 3B

Mother’s Day Tea Party & Musical Stroll Down Memory Lane Saturday, May 13, 2017 1:00pm - 3:00pm o Great Lip Synching Competition ~ Prizes Awarded! Exotic Teas, Tea Sandwiches, Desserts Donation: $15.00 Men and Women Wear Exotic Hats ~ Award Given for Outstanding Hat! Queens Reformed Church, Rev. Anna M. Jackson 94-79 Springfield Blvd Queens Village, NY 11428 1-718-465-4309 Save the Date! Sunday, May 14 Monday, August 14, 2017

The Reformed Church of Locust Valley Seventh Annual Golf Tournament at Glen Cove Golf Course at Brookville Church: Exploring Christianity, the Reformed Church and Personal Faith

Young adults need to be able to summarize their personal faith journey. They have their own walk with God and experience it in community with others. They should be able to articulate their faith, along with their desire to become a member of the Christian church. At the time of Confirmation there is an acknowledgement that the confirmand is now becoming an adult, claiming their own faith. This is a time for the young adult to acknowledge and thank both their parents and the faith community for helping raise them in the ways of God. If the young adult has not been previously baptized they will be baptized at the time of their Confirmation. The Confirmation classes with the Reverend are intended to ground the students in the Reformed faith of Brookville Church and to give them an understanding of how the church operates. They will be studying the theological documents of the Reformed Church in America such as our various creeds and confessions which are all directly linked to the Bible. They will spend time learning about the structure of the church’s constitution and the roles of the Elder, Deacon and Minister. The format of the classes will be discussion as well as some reading and memorization between classes. Some of the themes we will discuss in class are God’s grace and our response of gratitude. We will look at the idea of a Triune God: Creator, Son and Holy Spirit as well as talk about our two sacraments: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion). Lastly, the students will learn how to live out their faith in the world and will write a statement of faith that they will share with the Board of Elders and at their time of Confirmation in front of the congregation of the church. Classes are normally held on a few Sunday afternoons a month in the pastor’s study at the church from September through May. If you are interested in enrolling your young adult in Confirmation classes, please speak with Rev. Vicky Eastland. The average grade to go through Confirmation is 8th grade and classes are open to both Brookville Church and Interfaith Community families.

Brookville Reformed Church 2 Brookville Road Glen Head, New York 11545 Phone (516) 626-0414

Rev. Vicky L. Eastland, Pastor [email protected]

The line, it is drawn, the curse, it is cast Reflections The slow one will later be fast Reflections And the present now will soon be the past The order is rapidly fading The first one now will later be last For the times, they are a changing. ~ Bob Dylan, 1964 A short while ago a friend emailed an article titled Ten Things That Will Disappear In Our Lifetime. After I read it I thought it might be a good subject for this month’s column, and did a little online research. The premise was that the Things are still in use, but have dwindled to naught, are failing, or are being replaced as we use them. I quickly came up with a few Things of my own to add, including some Things that are already gone—or so I thought. The first one was home deliveries of milk. However, I learned there are still deliveries in some areas, and I know in England it is still a popular service. Yet being a milkman is a dying vocation. Then I thought of street cars, but Wikipedia quickly shot that down. Several companies and New Orleans and San Francisco have the most interesting ones to my thinking. I thought about reel to reel tape players and recorders. In the sixties our family took weekly ski trips to Vermont and in the car we hooked up a Wollensak player, made by 3M (so that they had a way to sell their reels of tape) using an inverter to change 12 volt car power to 110 for the player. Alas and alack they are gone, first replaced by 4 track and 8 track cartridges. The race for superior technology was on, and is still on. I also thought of the Penny Post Card which has truly disappeared, but now, on the internet there is a new product called Touchnote, which is a post card but not for a penny. I guess a good idea does die hard. Things that have disappeared are more personal in nature and affect a smaller population. The elementary school I attended has been torn down and an apartment complex built on the site. A huge mining pit that was started in 1916 finally had no more iron ore to give, so it was allowed to fill up with water and is now a lake; the pit has disappeared in my lifetime, the lake will not. In New Hampshire the Old Man of the Mountain, a natural stone face, fell off the mountain, he will never be back, BUT, I encourage you to go online and watch this video of Old Man of the Mountain, link: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=fqft0248O2k&t=11s It should please you as it did me and make you chuckle at what they did. So, what are the Ten Things That Will Disappear In Our Lifetime? 1. The Post Office: Email, FedEx and UPS have wiped out the minimum revenue needed to sustain the P.O. Now it’s mostly junk mail and bills. 2. The Check: Britain wants to do away with checks by 2018. (The absence of checks would be another nail in the coffin of the Post Office.) 3. The Newspaper: You will be reading the paper on line and paying for it. Papers and magazines will form a service with Apple, Amazon etc. for paid issues. 4. The Book: Holding a gadget instead of a book will be common, and they will cost less and you can browse online and preview a chapter before you buy. 5. Cursive Writing: Some schools have already dropped “joined handwriting” as most people use some sort of keyboard. 6. The Land Line Phone: The cell phone makes the house phone redundant and costs extra money for something the younger generation seldom use. 7. Music: A sad story. First there was illegal downloading. Then greed and corruption in the music industry. Older established artists will be favored, new ones shut out. The same goes for the live concert circuit. 8. TV Revenues: Are down dramatically (the economy?) People use their computers to watch TV & movies and then play games online. Cable rates are rising and commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. It would be good riddance to lose the ads and the cable companies. 9. Things We Own: Today books, photo albums, music and documents are stored on a hard drive, but that will be phased out and everything will be “in the cloud” under the control of a ‘paid’ service that takes your money and your ‘saved’ possessions. Pay late and—poof—stuff is kept until you pay. 10. Privacy: It is already disappearing. There are cameras on the streets and in the buildings, while cell phones can constantly tell your GPS location. If you buy something your habit is profiled and your ads are quickly changed. “They” will try to encourage you to buy something else. Again and again and again. (Summarized from Family First, LLC, http://www.allprodad.com/10-things-that-will-disappear-in-our-lifetime/ and Hellenic News of America, https://hellenicnews.com/ten- things-that-will-disappear-in-our-lifetime/) Several of these descriptions were very familiar. My generation has its memories all wrapped up in these Things while some Things may already be confusing to a younger generation whose habits do not include them. How about you? It would be nice if there were assurances that my lifetime would continue until the last Thing had disappeared. End Word: We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. American Proverb The past is never dead. It’s not even past. William Faulkner Branch Worsham MY JOB IS ~ KEEPING FACES CLEAN ~ AND NOBODY KNOWS ~ DE STUBBLE ~ I’VE SEEN The Torah It was one year ago on Sunday, May 15, 2016 (corresponding to 7th Iyar, 5776 on the Hebrew calendar), that the New Synagogue of Long Island celebrated the completion of our 100 year old Torah. The entire Multifaith Campus joined us as we welcomed the Torah into our home. The Torah is the first part of the Jewish Bible. It is the central and most important document of Judaism and has been used by Jews through the ages. The Jewish people believe that G-d dictated The Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai 50 days after their exodus from Egyptian slavery. We believe that The Torah shows how G-d wants us to live. It contains 613 commandments (mitzvot) including the Ten Commandments. is “Light.” The main essential concept of Torah is that it gifts us (תורה) The Torah Rabbi Stuart Paris and Rabbi Gedaliah Druin with “Spiritual Illumination.” In English the word “Aura” refers to a “Surrounding Light,” which is said to illuminate and surround the body. Torah is the Light—the Spiritual Illumination that comes from the inside out. The Torah is “Love.” In Kaballah, Judaism’s mystical tradition, we believe that we can understand the essence of anyone or and the last letter of Torah is Lamed (ב) anything by looking at the sum of its individual parts. The first letter of Torah is Bet ”.which means “Heart (לב) If we put the two letters together, a word is formed, Lev .(ל) The Torah is “Knowledge.” In Torah, G-d reveals himself / herself to each of us. Studying Torah tells us not only what is, but what G-d expects of us. The study of Torah never ends. Each year, as we read the sacred text again, it can be as if we are reading it for the first time. Each encounter offers the possibility of new meanings because even though the words and the stories of Torah are the same from year to year, we change. The Torah sits in the Ark (Aron Kodesh) in the front of the Synagogue. The Ark has two of the most important statements in the entire Torah written across the top and down each side:

V’ahav’ta et Adonai Elohecha, b’chol l’vav’cha, u’v’chol naf’shecha u’v’chol m’odecha And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

Ve’ahav’ta lere’acha ka’mocha Love thy neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:17-18) These two Torah commandments were also selected by Jesus and Muhammad as the two most important teachings to their followers. We should remember these phrases to teach the importance of learning about others and respecting their ideals and beliefs. Jewish law includes within it a blueprint for a just and ethical society, where no one takes from another or harms another or takes advantage of another, but everyone gives to one another and helps one another and protects one another. Showing kindness to others is something virtually all religions teach. The Torah in our shared sanctuary therefore embodies the true spirit of each of our communities and honors all who the call the Multifaith Campus their home. ~Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen Brookville Multifaith Campus News 2M

The New Synagogue of Long Island May Birthdays Join Us for Shabbat Services the first Friday of every month at 7:00 pm All are welcome! For a full list of services, visit our web site: Pam Gawley - 2nd Diana Beasley - 2nd www.newsynagogue-li.org Susan Connors - 3rd Joyce Perrett - 5th Andrew Bergman - 5th Join the Muslim Reform Movement (MRMO) Austin Stadler - 9th for Quran Studies in May! All are welcome! Kris Baggelaar - 11th Shirley Morris - 13th ~Sunday, May 14 Hal Davidson - 14th 2:30pm Michael Johanson - 15th Pamela Rowley - 22nd Amy Schombs - 26th ~Sunday, May 28 Andrew Pinto - 30th 2:30pm

Hosted by: Happy Anniversary! Dr. Sultan Abdulhameed, author of James & Isabelle Horvath The Quran and the Life of Excellence May 15th Get Inspired to Travel! We live on such a beautiful planet and you deserve to see it! I’ve had a lifetime passion to discover the world around us; to absorb new cultures, Birthdays & foods, experiences. I also strive to make it possible for my clients to travel the world, to Anniversaries whatever destination they desire. My number one priority is making sure to design a trip suited to If your Birthday and/or Anniversary is your exact needs. Travel can ignite new interests not included in our Newsletter, and bring to light our need for adventure, beauty, relaxation or the simple need for quality time with friends and please call or email us: family away from the daily grind. 516-626-0414 Not only do I love to travel and help design trips for others to enjoy, [email protected] I also love my church and the multifaith community at Brookville. Because of that love, if you book your next trip or vacation with me, with your information. Thank you! I will gratefully and proudly donate 10% of my earnings to the Brookville Church and Multifaith Campus! Church Emails To find out more or to book your trip, please call or email me. I can’t wait to send you to the destination of your dreams and help If you would like to be on our our faith community at the same time! mailing list, please email Valerie Ritacco [email protected] with the Power Travel International Cell: (516) 458-7868 email address you would like to use. [email protected] Thank you! Brookville Multifaith Campus News 3M Attention: Moving Forward Together Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, etc. If someone in your family is graduating this year from any school, we would like to share your news. Call or email the church office with their names, where they are graduating from, what school or profession they will be going on to, etc. Also, send us a picture if you have one, and we will publish your good news in the June Moving Forward Together is a new program newsletter. designed to help interfaith and multicultural Please remember to get this information to couples overcome the challenges that may hinder Janîce in the church office by May 15th: their relationship from moving forward. This six- (516) 626-0414 ~ Thank you! week, personalized relationship coaching program will help couples identify their life’s vision together. FRIDAY MAY 12 Here are some of the topics covered: 7:30-9 pm * Growing together: Culture, Traditions, and Values Hey performers! Do you or * No more drama: Overcoming family stress anyone you know like to perform, but don't have a * Building a family: Raising children without regular venue to show your confusion stuff? Then come to the * Let’s Celebrate: Marriage and/or Wedding Common Grounds Open Mic! Planning Teamwork: Overcoming Problems or Challenges We will have a mic and an amp, and Carol Goglia * will be on hand to play for those who bring music. * Happy Together: Creating Community and Refreshments will also be for sale, so come on Happy Life down and see us, and bring a friend or two to enjoy the music! If you or anyone you know is interested please contact Rorri Geller-Mohamed: Performers must arrive 15 - 30 minutes before our Phone: 347-460-4308 7:30 show time to add their name to a first-come or email: [email protected] first-served performer list. No names will be taken before show date. Program Link: https://upowerchange.com/ The stage is open to adults and children, so we ask moving-forward-together-interfaith- that all performance material for this evening be multicultural-relationship-coaching-program/ family friendly! Each performer will be asked to limit themselves to The Saturday Night Live Group of Alcoholics 3 selections, unless the list is so long we need to Anonymous meets at the Brookville Church every Saturday night at 9pm. (Coffee and cake starting at limit it to fewer (here’s hoping!) 8:30!) As one of Nassau County's oldest AA groups, this meeting has been in existence for over 40 years. If you Any questions? Want to help out? think you have a problem with alcohol, you are welcome Email or call to attend this meeting. Lisa Denison 516-695-1123 voice/text For more information, feel free to contact Carol B. at See you there! (516) 428-0479 Brookville Multifaith Campus News 4M

Thank You To Rachel Worsham

Brookville Church is so blessed to be able to sponsor underprivileged youth to a week at Camp Warwick, and it is because of people like Rachel Worsham that we are able to do so. On March 31st, Rachel organized a coffeehouse to raise money to sponsor a young person to camp. She performed alongside her siblings and classmates from St. Mary’s Academy and because of their efforts, $459.00 was raised for the Camp Warwick Scholarship Fund! We are so very grateful for Rachel’s willingness to give of her time and talents to help other kids experience the love of God. Christine & Rachel

The children we scholarship to camp come from depressed areas on the island such as Glen Cove, Huntington Station, and Hempstead, and their families are not in a position to afford the expense of camp. For some, the camp experience can provide a break from difficult home lives, an opportunity to enjoy nature and a chance to be loved by the camp counselors and staff. Many return having had a life-changing experience.

A grand performance by all! Rachel pulled off a fantastic coffeehouse! Everything was done so professionally, from the performances, to the raffles, to the refreshments. We are so proud of her and her friends for putting on such an amazing fundraiser. With the amount raised at this event, we will be able to send another child to camp this summer. Thank you again, Rachel, for your generosity, which is helping effect positive change in the life of a child! Cathy O’Neill, Lisa Denison and Nancy Worsham enjoying refreshments and conversation

Rachel’s friend sings beautifully! JJ and Rachel rock the house! Brookville Multifaith Campus News 5M Music News! Calling all kids! We are staring rehearsals for our play “In The Big Inning” on May 6, to be performed on June 11 at 10:00 am. Please see the Brookville Church Calendar for rehearsal dates and times: http://churches.rca.org/brookville/activities.html ‘In The Big Inning’ synopsis: When the kids gather at the park near the church for a Saturday of baseball, they are in for a surprising glimpse at the Bible’s “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. They’ll meet Moses (“he got his start in the bush leagues”), Noah (“that guy can really swing the lumber!”), Abraham (“with his son Isaac at the plate, it looks like the Manager is calling for a sacrifice . . . “), and many more. With shades of the iconic “Casey at the Bat,” it all leads to the climactic finish of “Jesus at the Cross,” and the Good News of the Gospel is driven home with power! If your child (children) are interested in participating, please contact me at the email address below. All are welcome! Carol [email protected]

Children’s Play & Multifaith Campus Spring Picnic June 11, 2017 ~ play at 10:00am, picnic at 11am Photos from last year’s play, The Prodigal Clown!

Don’t miss out on the fun! Special Musical Theatre Production you won’t want to miss!

We are thrilled to announce the first Brookville Multifaith Campus fundraising event! OY FATHER

The musical love story of a Jewish Woman Cantor and a Catholic Priest written by: Bill McBride music by: Irene Failenbogen MAY 7, 2017 3 PM The play will be performed in our sanctuary along with a silent auction. Proceeds will go toward shared expenses of running our multifaith campus, with a portion of the ticket sales going to Bill and Irene. TICKET PRICE: $25.00 Purchase by calling: (516) 626-0414 or pay through PayPal: http://www.interfaithli.org/ifc-market-place Checks are to be written to: Institute for Personal Religion Inc. Tickets will also be available at the door. There will be a Silent Auction. Some items include: golf outing for 4 at Lake Success Golf Club $400 value; Brunch for two at Rothmann’s Steak House and lots more! Brookville Multifaith Campus News 7M Easter Egg Painting Workshop Fun was had by all! Written by: Rev. Vicky

A big THANK YOU goes out to Andrea Schimansky of the Interfaith Community for leading an Easter Egg Painting Workshop on Saturday, April 8th. Andrea is from Germany and has brought her German Easter traditions with her, instilling in her sons, Jasper and Sam, a love for painting Easter Eggs. Sam & Andrea Schimansky Last year, Andrea gave several people on our campus Easter gifts, included was a real hand painted egg. She blew them out and decorated them and then gave them away. I LOVE mine and it has become a precious keepsake for me. Among the two-thirds of Germans who consider themselves Christian, many celebrate Easter with the traditional Easter Egg Hunt. Meanwhile, Germany’s Sorbian minority in East Germany holds true to its tradition of hand-painting eggs with intricate patterns. It is tradition in Germany to decorate trees and bushes with Easter eggs. This is called Ostereierbaum or Easter egg tree. This is a centuries old tradition but its origins have been lost. The egg is an accent symbol of life all over the world. Eggs are hung on branches of trees or on cut branches inside of homes. This year, Andrea decided to share her love of Easter egg painting with us. Young and old alike gathered in fellowship hall to paint eggs and eat omelets and waffles. It was a fun multi- generational activity that I hope becomes a tradition for us at Brookville. Thank you, Andrea, for organizing such a fun activity.

Easter Egg Hunt, April 16