Weekly Email June 30, 2011

Dear Friends:

At the Vestry meeting last Sunday, we started discussing vision mission, purpose of St. Luke’s. We looked at the vision statement that St. Luke’s wrote in the 1990’s. It is as follows:

“Our vision for the future continues to be active involvement in the culture and worship of our community, and to reach out to those in need in every area possible. We hope to grow in this endeavor and invite all of you to participate in this with us. We can only have a future by learning from the past and growing into the future as better citizens and stewards of all that has been us through the Grace of God. We encourage and welcome your comments and ideas and hope you will share with us in the new Millennium”.

It is wordy but not bad at all. The Vestry’s homework is to study this statement and talk about it at our meeting on Sunday, July 17. If you have comments or suggestions, please let me know. All input is welcome.

On Sunday, July 3 at 8:00 a.m. we will do the proper readings for the third Sunday after Penticost. At 10:00 a.m. we use the readings, plus special music for Independence Day. Our usher at 8:00 a.m. is Pat Guarino. Olu Akiwumi-Assani and Jerry Van Slyke usher at 10:00 a.m. along with Greg S. Strong as acolyte, Carolyn Quoma as lector and chalice bearer. Vilma and Jack Parker are on the Altar Guild.

I am glad to announce the exterior of the parish house will be freshly painted beginning next Tuesday.

The St. Andrew’s/St. Luke’s Food Pantry needs volunteers for Saturdays 10:00 a.m. till noon. I did it June 18. It’s easy and personally rewarding. Jim Booth volunteered for July 9, Andrea Williams for July 16, and Sandra Moneymaker volunteers the last Saturday of the month. Open dates are July 23, August 6, 13, 20, September 3, 10, 17. Contact Deacon Hubbard if you can take one of those dates. H: 845-562-6280 or cell: 914-213-2947.

I hope that you have a great weekend. God’s Blessings be with you.
Sincerely,
Edwin H. Cromey

P.S. Thank you to the following families who have contributed $3,313 toward the new pew cushions: Bloomer, Bushek, Way, Yaun, Cromey, Akiwumi-Assani, Hinnrichs, Booth, Libby, Morse, Iarossi, Shokman, Anderson, Parker – D, Betz, Quoma, Parker – J, Secor, Carpenter, Forshay.

Weekly Email 4/29/2010

Dear Friends:
A work crew is meeting this Saturday at 9:00 AM to sort out things we don’t need or use anymore. If you can help give Olu a call or email.

This Sunday we will begin taking a second offering during services for the St. Andrew-St. Luke food pantry. St. Andrew’s has been successful doing this since October. The money enables the pantry to buy food in bulk and be more precise in what foods go into the bags which are given out. This offering is voluntary. Let’s try it out for a while and see how it goes. Every Saturday the Food Pantry is open 10:00 AM –noon. Think about volunteering.

Our Easter season continues with the fifth Sunday of Easter on May 2. Our scripture readings come from the Book of Acts, Revelation and John’s gospel.

Assisting at the services are:
8:00 AM Usher- Pam Cromey
10:00 AM Ushers- Ginny Yaun, Jim Booth
Lay Readers- Eve Akiwumi-Assani, Carolyn Quoma
Acolyte-Greg S. Strong
Altar Guild- Vilma Parker, Jack Parker
Host-Lisa Strong

I look forward to worship with you.
Sincerely;
Edwin H. Cromey

St. Luke’s & The Martin Luther King Cultural Center

As many of you know, St. Luke’s has been working closely with St. Andrew’s and the Board of Directors of The Martin Luther King Cultural Center (the Center) to bring to fruition, a proposal by the Center to expand their programs to St. Luke’s Parish Hall. Our committee, consisting of Warden Olu Akiwumi-Assani, Vestry Members Chris Colon and Greg Strong, as well as lay-members Judy Masterson and Jim Booth has met with the committee from St. Andrew’s and the Center on two occasion’s and all attended a public meeting at St. Andrew’s on April 7, 2010. It is our intent to meet again on Saturday April 24, 2010 to finalize the remaining details and formally accept the proposal.

The Center has served the residents of Beacon for over 40 years. It provides after-school learning and sports development to children in the Beacon school district; jobs training and placement services for teens; and meals and transportation services for seniors. Over those 40 years, St. Andrews has provided space at no cost and Episcopal Charities, The Dyson Foundation, County and State agencies, the City of Beacon, and others have provided financial support.

In the fall of last year, the Center’s Executive Director, Dot Paulin, approached Fr. Alagna of St. Andrew’s and asked him about the possibility of working with St. Luke’s to expand the Center into their parish hall. The initial inquiry by Fr. Alagna was carried to the Wardens and Vestry by Fr. Cromey, and the Vestry expressed it’s openness to the idea and that it was interested in St. Luke’s taking an active interest in the endeavor.

Moving to St. Luke’s will take the Center from 1,000 square feet to almost 6,000. The parish hall is ideally suited to the work of the Center, who will make use of one wing of classrooms and administrative office space in the basement, as well as the Great Hall above, where they can offer more expansive programs in art, drama, dance, martial arts, and gymnastics. Fr. Alagna has expressed a personal desire of his to put together a “Beacon Chorus”, and the stage in the Great Hall would be perfect for such an undertaking. The Center expects to be able to expand it’s academic offerings to homework tutoring, remedial learning, and even advanced learning curriculum’s as a result of the additional space. This in turn opens additional sources of funding to them, such as from the County Office of the Aging, which could allow them to offer, as an example of the possibilities, a senior day care program.

The Center will undertake full responsibility for the cost of cosmetic renovations to the building, and will pay it’s equitable share of operating and common area costs going forward. They will be replacing windows in the wing of classrooms currently boarded up, and plan to install a playground, secured by fencing along that side of the hall. Additionally they will be installing a handicapped accessible ramp for entry to the space, and retro-fitting a bathroom for handicapped accessibility as well.

St. Luke’s, as part of it’s ongoing commitment to the Building and Grounds of our parish, is investigating the heating system, with an eye to replacing it. You will recall that we recently lost the heating system in the church. The system in the parish hall is older yet, and beyond it’s normal expected life span.

I pray and trust that our Wardens and Vestry speak for us all, as we welcome this important organization into our parish. As we enlarge the ability of the Martin Luther King Cultural Center to serve the young and old of our community. As we decide to share and give back so much of what has been given to us.

If anyone has questions or concerns, they are encouraged to speak directly to the Committee, the Wardens, Vestry or Fr. Cromey.

Weekly Email 4/15/2010

Dear Friends:
Pam and I got away for a few days but it’s always nice to get back.

Reminder to the Vestry: we have a meeting this Sunday (April 18) at 11:15 AM. Please let me know if you cannot attend.

We welcome back William and Jessica Castaldi as they moved back from Arizona.

We also welcome Arlene Santana and her mother who joined us last Sunday.

Scheduled to assist at next Sunday service are:

8:00 am usher: Jack Parker

10:00 am ushers: Jerry Van Slyke and Chris Colon

Acolyte: Lauren Carpenter

Altar Guild: Wendy Mann, Danielle Monroe

Lay Reader: Eve Akiwumi –Assani, Martha Humphrys

Host: Denise Betz

As we continue in our Easter season, God’s blessing be with you.

Sincerely;

Edwin H. Cromey

Weekly Email 4/8/2010

Dear Friends:
We had a glorious Easter Day. The church looked lovely thanks to the workers who came out from 9:30 AM-11:30 AM Saturday morning. Lots of people including many children celebrated this joyful day. May this spirit continue for days, weeks, months, years to come.

God’s blessings be with you.

Sincerely;
Edwin H. Cromey

He is risen!

1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.8 And they remembered his words,9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. (Luke 24:1 KJV)

Weekly Email 4/1/2010

Dear Friends:
This afternoon at 12:15 PM, we celebrate Holy Communion observing the Maundy Thursday remembrance of The Last Supper.
At 6 PM, a Maundy Thursday supper will take place in the Great Hall. About 20 people are expected. If you wish to attend, call Denise Betz 440-6464.
Tomorrow, Good Friday, from noon to 3:00 PM, eight clergy from Beacon will preach sermons based upon Jesus’ words as he was dying on the cross. Come at any time. Stay as long as you wish.
Saturday morning, you can help decorate the church for Easter. Start up time is 9:30 AM.
Our Easter celebrations will be at our usual time of 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. You are invited to sing in the choir , just come to the 9:30 rehearsal.
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Sincerely;
Edwin H. Cromey

Weekly Email 3/18/2010

Dear Friends:

Easter is two weeks away. Next week, Palm Sunday, I would like to use the dramatic tableaux of the Stations of the Passion. Except for 2 readers there are no speaking parts. I need about 15 people (readers included) to attend the Saturday (March 27) rehearsal at 10:30 AM. Sign up on Sunday so I can plan the rehearsal properly. Thank you.

As we approach the great Easter festival, be a part of the important events before the celebration:

April 1- Maundy Thursday- 12:15 PM-Holy Eucharist, prepare the sanctuary for Good Friday.

April 2-Good Friday-noon to 3:00 PM-The Preaching of our Lord’s last words from the cross by clergy of Beacon. This has been a long tradition at St. Luke’s for the community.

April 3-Decorate the church for the Easter services (8:00 and 10:00 AM)- 9:00 AM.

The offering envelope for Easter flowers in memory of loved ones will be sent to you shortly.

God’s blessings be with you.

Sincerely;
Edwin H. Cromey

Weekly Email 03/11/2010

Dear Friends:
I am glad to say our Sunday services, 8:00 am and 10:00 am will be celebrated in the church and not the Great Hall. Both of these celebrations will be a healing service. Please have names of those for whom you would like prayers offered.
March 13 Saturday at 9:00 am, we will continue our bible study of the letter of St. James.
On Saturday March 27 at 10 am, the altar guild will be cleaning and decorating the altar for Palm Sunday. Everyone are invited to help. All palms and flowers have been ordered.
On Palm Sunday, March 28 at the 10:00 service, I would like to present the wonderful Stations of the Cross by Madeline Morrissey. We need about 15 people, two of whom are readers. Since this is a “Tableaux” there are no speaking parts. There will be one rehearsal on Saturday, March 27 at 10:30 am. Please sign up or tell me you would like to participate.
Remember ! Daylight savings time begins Sunday morning. Set your clock one hour ahead Saturday night.
God’s blessings be with you.
Sincerely;
Edwin H. Cromey

Weekly Email 3/4/2010

Dear Friends;
Work is well underway for the new burner in the church. We will worship again in the Great Hall next Sunday. As part of our Lenten Sunday discipline, I will use the Exhortation, page 316 in the Book of Common Prayer.
On Saturday, March 6 at 9:00 AM, we will begin our Bible study in the Conference Room. I have chosen to study the pastoral letter of James. During one of the snow days last week when I was house bound, I read this letter from the King James Version of the Bible, the New English Bible and the Jerusalem Bible. It really says a lot about Christian living and behavior. The class will last not quite an hour. BYOC: bring your own coffee.
We welcome Boy Scout Troop # 1 back to St. Luke’s on Mondays at 6:00 PM.
Looking ahead, please keep these dates in mind:
Sunday, March 14 Healing Service
Saturday, March 21 Rehearsal for Stations of the Cross at 10:30 AM
Palm Sunday, March 28 Stations of the Cross at 10:00 AM
Maundy Thursday, April 1 Holy Eucharist at 12:15 PM
Good Friday, April 2 The preaching of the passion by Beacon clergy
Holy Saturday morning April 3 Decorating the church
Easter Day, April 4 “The Lord is Risen”

God’s blessing be with you.

Sincerely;
Edwin H. Cromey