Compass Project
Tuesday the 11th of June - there will be a gathering at Stanford UMC - there they will be getting started with the Compass Project. I think we are one of the only congregations to try to utilize Compass as a proactive tool for growth and focus - and therefore, possibly the only congregation to not begin the process with fear and resentment…. Our DS, Rev. Rich Weihing has asked that we might have a few folks on hand to offer insights on our participation or answer some questions that these neighbors may have as they get started. Rev. Weihing will also be present to answer questions. Stamford's first session may likely begin right after we leave. I am absolutely going and able to offer a ride to anyone who can come with me.
Gathering of Welcoming Churches
Monday the 17th there will be a gathering of Welcoming Churches at First UMC in Schenectady (6pm). This may become a regular event that is hosted by a rotation of nearby churches. The last gathering was at Scotia and before that at Eastern Parkway. I attended the event at Scotia and there we had a very informative wrap-up of the Special General Conference and thoughts on the Judicial Council Rulings. Scotia UMC has a population of folks who wanted to know more about Reconciling Ministries and how to possibly become a Reconciling Congregation or Individual. The meeting was intentionally welcoming to folks who were seeking information and not necessarily certain if the Reconciling Movement was right for them. [You don’t have to BE one, to learn about it] First UMC and Eastern Parkway - already Reconciling Congregations - have been offering insight on their history and practice. Burnt Hills is in the process of determining if they will be becoming a Reconciling Congregation as well and may also be a part of the hosting rotation. As I said, I attended, but because I have had no input (nor have I sought it) from this Council about interest I did not offer Alplaus up as potential participants or hosts. As the Reconciling process is about inclusion on all levels, we are welcome to attend as individuals.
Things of My Very Own
Beth Van Buren from “Things of My Very Own” presented an interesting overview of this 501(c)3 charity to the UMW on April 17, 2019. Beth is an Alplausian and is the Donations Specialist for the organization. Amy presented our church donation of $563.16 that was raised from our Fried Fish Dinner profits in March.
The charity was founded 11 years ago by Rayn Boncie to help keep children out of foster care. Rayn was in foster care herself as a child, so she has personal experience she brings to this organization. They service 11 counties trying to bridge the gap between social services and what’s needed by the family to keep the children from going into foster care. They service children newborn to age 17. “Things of My Very Own” prepares a package of needed items for the family after interviewing the parents. An interview is provided within 4 hours of receiving a referral, with the referral agency usually making arrangements for the parents to get to the headquarters for the interview. They receive referrals from doctors, social workers, various agencies, case workers, Parsons, etc. A care package could include hygiene items, clothing, school supplies, and bedding. A family can receive help 2 times per year. They have an educational series and life-skill development program for their clients to use. In addition, they also sponsor a “Child in Crisis” program to help with Christmas.
The charity is able to purchase items at a fraction of retail cost due to deals they have worked out with area businesses. Their offices are located in Scotia and open part time, mostly mornings, Mon.- Wed., Fri., and Sat. They use volunteers to help sort through donations. Copies of the volunteer form were provided along with a handout about the organization. Their website is www.tomvo.org. and they have a Facebook page. Please consider giving your time or offering to help this worthy charity.
Community Luncheon
We had a lot of delicious food at the May luncheon, but the attendance was down. Maybe the rainy weather kept some people home. Hope you will mark it on your calendar for June 11th. Bring a friend if you can. We meet in Fellowship Hall for lunch at noon.
United Methodist Women
The May meeting was held May 16th with a very interesting program presented by Barbara Trask on Barbara & Dan’s trip through Europe. She showed pictures of all the battle fields of WWII, also interesting places in London and other places they stopped in England. We also enjoyed a special luncheon provided by the hostesses Mandy and Amanda. It was delicious.
Next month, June 20th we will go out for lunch at Applebees on Route 50.
Boy Scout Troop 3036
It’s a new year! What’s your resolution? January ours was mostly preparing for the Klondike Derby. The Klondike derby, for those who don’t know, is a competition between many troops. Scouts head to different “villages” to complete tasks. Preparations for this project included: Making our seal-a-meals, putting wheels on our sledge, and general practice for all of the activities.
Seal-a-meals are big plastic bags we place our lunches in, and then, as the name suggests, we seal them. Then, when the time comes, we place a pot of water over our fire, and boil the seal-a-meals! Once they are done, we cut open the bags, and eat our piping hot dinner.
Our sledge, (similar to a dog sled), is critical part of the Klondike. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to participate in the competition. It allows us to carry all of our gear and personal items, and also is a great source of exercise. To move it, we hook up three scouts to the front and one in the back. This year, we had to put wheels on the sledge, because there is no snow. What a bummer.
The Klondike Derby is a very diverse competition. To succeed, we need very diverse training. There are competitions in orienteering, fire building, ice rescue, building emergency shelters, and many more. So, we needed to drill a lot.
Well, that’s all I have for now. See you next month!
Caleb Tysz
Troop 3036 Scribe
Sunday School News
The format of our class has changed this year since the girls are now older. We have started to incorporate some of the format used during the regular church service. For example, we are lighting a candle at the beginning of class to emulate what we do during church and have discussed the symbolism of light in the Christian faith. We are also sharing our joys and concerns with one another, and sometimes they also share them during the church service. The girls continue to be our acolytes during the church service which we are very grateful for. During the first month of class we read about various miracles Jesus performed and compared them among the 4 Gospel books. We started to explore the miracles in the Old Testament.
Prayer Chain
The Prayer chain has been revised! There will still be two lists. One list will remain as a phone call list. The second list will be for anyone who would like to receive the prayer request by text message. To activate the prayer chain, please call Mary Herrick (518-399-2113) or call/text Carolyn Koch (518-248-8138). Please contact Pastor Kristi (518-469-7764 or revklvp@yahoo.com) if you have the need for private prayer. If you are not already part of the prayer chain and would like to be included, please let me know. Thanks, Carolyn
Religious-Based Campership Scholarships Available
It’s that time of year when families start planning for summer activities. Summer camps play a valuable role in a child’s life. The Alplaus United Methodist Church and the Alplaus Residents Association have a scholarship fund to help finance the attendance at religious-based summer camps for children in our town or who attend the Alplaus United Methodist Church. Sky Farm Camp in the Lake George area and Camp Aldersgate in Syracuse are examples of such camps that are offered through the Methodist church. Both places have their camp information online at:
http://campsandretreats.org/summer-camp-2018
They both offer numerous camp options during the summer for children of all ages with a wide range of activities. To find out about the various camp programs available at these two camps you’ll need to access their web sites. If your family would like help financing a camp experience for any of your children this summer, please fill out an application form for each child (available on the display table in fellowship hall) and give it to Barb Trask. If you need an application sent to you, Barb can be contacted at 518-399-6454 or dtrask1@nycap.rr.com. Parents are expected to pay the deposit and the scholarship could finance up to $300 additional expenses. We hope some of the children attending our church will be able to attend camp this summer!
Tuesday the 11th of June - there will be a gathering at Stanford UMC - there they will be getting started with the Compass Project. I think we are one of the only congregations to try to utilize Compass as a proactive tool for growth and focus - and therefore, possibly the only congregation to not begin the process with fear and resentment…. Our DS, Rev. Rich Weihing has asked that we might have a few folks on hand to offer insights on our participation or answer some questions that these neighbors may have as they get started. Rev. Weihing will also be present to answer questions. Stamford's first session may likely begin right after we leave. I am absolutely going and able to offer a ride to anyone who can come with me.
Gathering of Welcoming Churches
Monday the 17th there will be a gathering of Welcoming Churches at First UMC in Schenectady (6pm). This may become a regular event that is hosted by a rotation of nearby churches. The last gathering was at Scotia and before that at Eastern Parkway. I attended the event at Scotia and there we had a very informative wrap-up of the Special General Conference and thoughts on the Judicial Council Rulings. Scotia UMC has a population of folks who wanted to know more about Reconciling Ministries and how to possibly become a Reconciling Congregation or Individual. The meeting was intentionally welcoming to folks who were seeking information and not necessarily certain if the Reconciling Movement was right for them. [You don’t have to BE one, to learn about it] First UMC and Eastern Parkway - already Reconciling Congregations - have been offering insight on their history and practice. Burnt Hills is in the process of determining if they will be becoming a Reconciling Congregation as well and may also be a part of the hosting rotation. As I said, I attended, but because I have had no input (nor have I sought it) from this Council about interest I did not offer Alplaus up as potential participants or hosts. As the Reconciling process is about inclusion on all levels, we are welcome to attend as individuals.
Things of My Very Own
Beth Van Buren from “Things of My Very Own” presented an interesting overview of this 501(c)3 charity to the UMW on April 17, 2019. Beth is an Alplausian and is the Donations Specialist for the organization. Amy presented our church donation of $563.16 that was raised from our Fried Fish Dinner profits in March.
The charity was founded 11 years ago by Rayn Boncie to help keep children out of foster care. Rayn was in foster care herself as a child, so she has personal experience she brings to this organization. They service 11 counties trying to bridge the gap between social services and what’s needed by the family to keep the children from going into foster care. They service children newborn to age 17. “Things of My Very Own” prepares a package of needed items for the family after interviewing the parents. An interview is provided within 4 hours of receiving a referral, with the referral agency usually making arrangements for the parents to get to the headquarters for the interview. They receive referrals from doctors, social workers, various agencies, case workers, Parsons, etc. A care package could include hygiene items, clothing, school supplies, and bedding. A family can receive help 2 times per year. They have an educational series and life-skill development program for their clients to use. In addition, they also sponsor a “Child in Crisis” program to help with Christmas.
The charity is able to purchase items at a fraction of retail cost due to deals they have worked out with area businesses. Their offices are located in Scotia and open part time, mostly mornings, Mon.- Wed., Fri., and Sat. They use volunteers to help sort through donations. Copies of the volunteer form were provided along with a handout about the organization. Their website is www.tomvo.org. and they have a Facebook page. Please consider giving your time or offering to help this worthy charity.
Community Luncheon
We had a lot of delicious food at the May luncheon, but the attendance was down. Maybe the rainy weather kept some people home. Hope you will mark it on your calendar for June 11th. Bring a friend if you can. We meet in Fellowship Hall for lunch at noon.
United Methodist Women
The May meeting was held May 16th with a very interesting program presented by Barbara Trask on Barbara & Dan’s trip through Europe. She showed pictures of all the battle fields of WWII, also interesting places in London and other places they stopped in England. We also enjoyed a special luncheon provided by the hostesses Mandy and Amanda. It was delicious.
Next month, June 20th we will go out for lunch at Applebees on Route 50.
Boy Scout Troop 3036
It’s a new year! What’s your resolution? January ours was mostly preparing for the Klondike Derby. The Klondike derby, for those who don’t know, is a competition between many troops. Scouts head to different “villages” to complete tasks. Preparations for this project included: Making our seal-a-meals, putting wheels on our sledge, and general practice for all of the activities.
Seal-a-meals are big plastic bags we place our lunches in, and then, as the name suggests, we seal them. Then, when the time comes, we place a pot of water over our fire, and boil the seal-a-meals! Once they are done, we cut open the bags, and eat our piping hot dinner.
Our sledge, (similar to a dog sled), is critical part of the Klondike. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to participate in the competition. It allows us to carry all of our gear and personal items, and also is a great source of exercise. To move it, we hook up three scouts to the front and one in the back. This year, we had to put wheels on the sledge, because there is no snow. What a bummer.
The Klondike Derby is a very diverse competition. To succeed, we need very diverse training. There are competitions in orienteering, fire building, ice rescue, building emergency shelters, and many more. So, we needed to drill a lot.
Well, that’s all I have for now. See you next month!
Caleb Tysz
Troop 3036 Scribe
Sunday School News
The format of our class has changed this year since the girls are now older. We have started to incorporate some of the format used during the regular church service. For example, we are lighting a candle at the beginning of class to emulate what we do during church and have discussed the symbolism of light in the Christian faith. We are also sharing our joys and concerns with one another, and sometimes they also share them during the church service. The girls continue to be our acolytes during the church service which we are very grateful for. During the first month of class we read about various miracles Jesus performed and compared them among the 4 Gospel books. We started to explore the miracles in the Old Testament.
Prayer Chain
The Prayer chain has been revised! There will still be two lists. One list will remain as a phone call list. The second list will be for anyone who would like to receive the prayer request by text message. To activate the prayer chain, please call Mary Herrick (518-399-2113) or call/text Carolyn Koch (518-248-8138). Please contact Pastor Kristi (518-469-7764 or revklvp@yahoo.com) if you have the need for private prayer. If you are not already part of the prayer chain and would like to be included, please let me know. Thanks, Carolyn
Religious-Based Campership Scholarships Available
It’s that time of year when families start planning for summer activities. Summer camps play a valuable role in a child’s life. The Alplaus United Methodist Church and the Alplaus Residents Association have a scholarship fund to help finance the attendance at religious-based summer camps for children in our town or who attend the Alplaus United Methodist Church. Sky Farm Camp in the Lake George area and Camp Aldersgate in Syracuse are examples of such camps that are offered through the Methodist church. Both places have their camp information online at:
http://campsandretreats.org/summer-camp-2018
They both offer numerous camp options during the summer for children of all ages with a wide range of activities. To find out about the various camp programs available at these two camps you’ll need to access their web sites. If your family would like help financing a camp experience for any of your children this summer, please fill out an application form for each child (available on the display table in fellowship hall) and give it to Barb Trask. If you need an application sent to you, Barb can be contacted at 518-399-6454 or dtrask1@nycap.rr.com. Parents are expected to pay the deposit and the scholarship could finance up to $300 additional expenses. We hope some of the children attending our church will be able to attend camp this summer!