First Presbyterian Church June 2024
God’s Love Still Makes the World go Round
When I graduated from seminary in 1998, the first job I had was a year long internship at the Presbyterian United Nations Office. I knew that my long term calling would be parish ministry, but I could not resist such an opportunity to work at a fascinating place like this. I was a single twenty six year old, and living in New York City seemed like a great adventure at that time. This was basically a hopeful era before Covid and the events of 9/11 fundamentally changed the world. I know that nostalgia can make almost any time that one is young and healthy seem like “the good old days”, but I remember having a greater sense of optimism about life in general back then.
A friend recently asked me what I learned from my experiences at the Presbyterian UN Office, and I had a hard time coming up with an answer to that. I think he was feeling pessimistic about current events in national and international politics, which is a perspective I also share. I am not so despondent as to think that our “doomsday” is imminent, and I am still a hopeful person overall. I hold to the teaching of Martin Luther King, Jr. that “the arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
My role as an intern was to be a tour guide for church groups that wanted to learn more about humanitarian causes that the church is involved in at an international level. For example, most churches are involved in some kind of local homeless ministry and/or food pantry. In the same way, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has many missionaries and mission partnership with churches in other countries to address these issues. We certainly believe in evangelism and church growth, too, but it is hard to be a creditable witness if one does not take care of basic necessities as well. My own father went to Leogane Haiti on mission trips for many years with the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program (PDA) to to use his engineering skills to keep a hospital running.
Unfortunately, many situations get worse before they get better, as is the case in Haiti. The PDA’s work is much more limited now, as virtually all foreigners have left the country due to its political instability. I personally still send money to a food program there, but there has not been good news about its political situation for years. I still believe that God’s love makes the world go round, and I try to act in ways that makes his kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. He does have the whole world in his hands, but I can barely begin to wrap my mind around the complexities of this. That is what my time at the Presbyterian UN Office taught me about our big, beautiful world.
Psalm 103:19 “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”
Rev. Walter Stuber
First Presbyterian Church
11988 W. Main St., Wolcott, NY 14590
585-217-6030 stuberman1@yahoo.com
www.wolcottpresbyterian.com
Women’s Association Sale – May 2-4, 2024
We had a successful Women’s Association Sale. We made $2,442.14.
Thank you to all who donated items and bought items.
Thank you to Mary Ann Sparnon for doing the paperwork and sending it to me ahead of time. Thank you especially for those who spent their time organizing, pricing, placing signs, cashiering, waiting on customers and cleaning up – both men and women. We had some new helpers for this sale.
It was a busy 3 sale days. Without all the help we receive, we wouldn’t be able to pull this sale off. I counted 20 different people contributed in some way to the success of the sale. Thank you!
Congratulations
Levi Dowd recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fredonia. Congratulations, Levi!
Upcoming Events
Sunday, June 9: Children’s Day
Saturday, June 15: Wolcott Strawberry Festival
Financial Report
Contact Walter for Numbers
June Anniversaries
Gene and Roberta Beavers 6/25
Morris and Doris Gruver 6/6
Gary and Jacqueline Lockwood6/12
Donald and Wendy Sipes6/26
June Birthdays
Roberta Beavers6/8
Calvin Cahoon6/30
Darlene Everett6/1
Melissa Ann Gingerich6/21Sydney Hall6/25
George Lockwood6/18
Bob Lockwood6/20
Carol Merrell6/26
Darrin Milliken6/22
Pam Mundy6/13
Roger Smith6/12
Olivia Thompson6/21
Janet Turner6/29
Dave VanFleet6/11