COMMISSION CORNER MISSION COMMISSION Eco-Justice Worship Results Following the April 6th eco-justice worship service, some of us pledged to look more closely at our everyday habits and practices with an eye toward reducing our negative impact on the condition of our world. To be more specific, eight of us pledged to give up the disposable water bottle habit in favor of reusable refillable bottles. Fourteen families pledged to install water saving faucets and showerheads and turned off the water when shaving or brushing teeth. Others pledged to be more careful in the use of our washers and dishwashers, waiting for full loads before running. Several gave up one car trip per week and turned down the thermostat. Eleven of us asked to be taken off the junk mailing lists and others began recycling every bit of paper and packaging material. About ten of us promised not to use disposable grocery bags. Several families have given up one beef meal each week and pledged not to buy shrimp. The cumulative impact of 22 families and individuals pledging together for just six weeks has saved: • 13,460 gallons of water • 5,224 pounds of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere • 54,600 pounds of grain and topsoil • 500 pounds of sealife saved from being killed • 3 tons of garbage saved from going to the land fill • An undetermined number of trees saved So, together, we can make a difference!! The next question, can and will we continue our green practices and can and will we inspire more of us, all of us to make changes that will in fact save our planet. The Mission commission is eager to hear your ideas about the “greening” of our homes and community. So, please share and pass it on. To request that your name be removed from junk mailing lists: Include the date, your name, address and signature and write “Please register my name with the Mail Preference Service.” Send to: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512. How would Jesus eat? Thoughts from the Mission Commission following Peace and Justice Sunday Okay, now that we’ve got your attention, when was the last time you had a tomato that tasted like, well, a tomato? Why is it important that tomatoes taste like tomatoes? Often it doesn’t taste like much of anything because it has traveled many miles to get to your table, and it has been sprayed with chemicals to allow it to make that journey and survive. Some of those chemicals aren’t good for the environment (and maybe not for you, either!). We need to be stewards of the earth, for as the theologian Thomas Berry tells us, "human health is a subsystem of the earth's health. You cannot have well humans on a sick planet." So maybe it’s time you had a “home grown” tomato, or the next best thing-a tomato grown by a local farmer. It’s time for the farmer’s markets to open again. There’s a farmer’s market every Saturday morning in Ossining and Peekskill. If you’ve never been to a farmers market you’re missing out on a good time (plus good food). Contact Connie Knapp at 914.941.7997 if you want company going to the Ossining Farmer’s Market; contact Stephanie Hare at 914-737-7433 if you want company going to the Peekskill Farmer’s Market. Once you’ve had farm fresh food you might want to join a CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. From the North East Organic Farming Association of New York site (http://nofany.org/csanetwork.html/): “CSA is an arrangement between a farmer and consumers to share the risks and the bounty of the growing season. A farmer sells shares in the next season's produce before the season begins.” In exchange for your shares you pick up a delivery of produce every week from June until November or even December. Depending on the farm, you might receive between four and 15 pounds of vegetables, and sometimes fruit. Some CSA’s require that you “work” a shift, which might mean being at the delivery site when folks come to pick up their food. Most of the farms involved invite you to visit the farm. It’s wonderful to meet the farmer and know where your food comes from. Connie Knapp belongs to the Roxbury Farm CSA (http://www.roxburyfarm.com/) and picks up food each week in Pleasantville. A share is around $500 for 25 weeks of vegetables. That CSA is full for 2008 but there are others in Westchester. If you are interested in learning more you can find information at http://nofany.org/dbapplet/csadirectory.html Finally, if folks are interested, we can take a trip to Hilltop Hanover Farm where each Friday at 10 AM and again at 1 PM the farm offers tours and vegetable picking. So get out and enjoy a “home grown tomato!” The Kenya Water Pipeline I am happy to say that phase one of the Kenya Water Pipeline Project has begun. Lily Muldoon is on the ground in Mombasa, Kenya coordinating the project and has reported that things are going smoother than expected. Thanks to donations and government grants construction of latrines as well as sanitation work shops have begun. The construction of the pipeline itself hasn’t begun yet but is slowly moving forward. The big hang up is having to wait for the government to complete the construction of the pipeline feeding tank which must be in place in order for the pipeline work to begin. The Minister of Parliament and the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Water have ensured SMRC that the necessary funds have been allocated for completion of that feeding tank. I am sorry to report, however, that my hike didn’t go as planned. While hiking through Georgia I twice injured my right foot, as you can well imagine, the single most important piece of equipment for a hiker. Unable to bear weight, I was forced with a huge sense of embarrassment and enormous personal disappointment, to stop the through hike and return home to heal and regroup. My plan is to continue hiking the Appalachian Trail over time, but to do so as a section hiker and with a companion. I thank you for the support you have so openly shown to me as a person, and for your kind and generous support for this incredibly worthy cause, clean water for so many in Kenya. Ultimately the fund raiser was a huge success. Thanks to this congregation along with other friends, the Walk for Water has currently raised about $4,000 for the Kenya Water Project. I will keep you all up to date as to the continuing progress of the Kenya Water Pipeline. Gratefully, Andrew Winget AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - You are invited to the Amnesty table on June 8 to participate in our letter writing campaign to advocate for those whose basic human rights are being violated. Since September our congregation has made a strong statement for peace and justice by sending some 1,000 letters to support those who cannot speak for themselves. After June, our letter writing program will again resume in September Carol Myers Jan Peek Volunteers June 28: Coccodrilli families July 26: Shaughnessy family August 23: ifamily September 27: ??? The 4th Saturday of each month, we provide dinner at Peekskill’s Jan Peek House (a shelter for 19 men and women, which is part of Caring for the Homeless of Peekskill, C.H.O.P.). It is rewarding to share food and conversation with the residents and it is an important part of our congregation’s ministry to the community. Information and sign-up list are on the SIGN-UP bulletin board by the Fellowship Hall doors. Contact: Bud Coccodrilli (245-6475). A big thanks to the Amato/Riley Wilson families for the May dinner. Congregational Life Commission Here is a copy of the most requested recipe from this years Annual Meeting. It comes from Valerie Dunham from Walla Walla, WA. (Cal and Kathy's daughter.) You can clip and paste this onto page 54 of your church cookbook. Enjoy! Tater Tot Casserole 2 Lbs. ground beef or ground turkey 2 packages brown gravy mix 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 package frozen mixed vegetables 1 package tater tots Shredded cheese of your choice Brown ground beef or turkey. Prepare gravy mix following directions on the package. Add cream of mushroom soup and then add water for your gravy consistency preference. Combine gravy and browned meat. Place a layer of tater tots in the bottom of a 9x11 pan. Pour meat/gravy mixture over the tater tots. Your next layer will be the veggies. Sprinkle on a layer of cheese and place the remaining tater tots on top. Bake at 350 for one hour or until gravy bubbles up on the sides. (Great to make a day ahead. Just add a little baking time.) “Cooking With Friends” Is Available! - Get a copy in the church office. The price is $7. They are great gifts for Mother’s Day. Barbara Humphrey and Louise Fang Name tags Dig out those name pins. We all have them. Why don't we wear them? Our church is growing rapidly and our new members are wearing their name pins so we can get to know them but what about the rest of us? Let's help our new members get to know who we are as well. So, dust off those pins and wear them proudly. COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION We are pleased to announce that our new Disciple editor for September will be Stephanie Hare. We thank Editor Connie Cornell for her dedication and artistic talents and the many delightful issues we have enjoyed. The Disciple July/August Edition has been cancelled. The next edition will be in September. We are changing the address of our Website. It is now: www.fpcyorktown.org The new address works now and the old address will continue to work for a long while but please change any references you have to the new address. Our email addresses will change as well: Church Office is: office@fpcyorktown.org Barbara is: bd@fpcyorktown.org Angela is: ams@fpcyorktown.org Russ will continue with his regular address: rferoe@fpcyork.com Deacon Highlights - May The Blood Drive with Sal Gaetani as Chairman was held on April 27. The Drive was a big success with 28 eligible donors out of 36 volunteers who offered to donate blood. The Food Pantry Volunteers were quite busy with the Yorktown Post Office's Food Drive on May 12. The drive was also a big success. The food donated by residents of Yorktown will help to supplement the bags of groceries needed to feed those people and families in need. The Deacons will not have another formal meeting until September 21st but the Deacons will continue the various ministries - Food pantry, Loaves and Fishes, Transportation, and Bereavement. Please contact us if we can be of help to you. We have not closed up shop. We offer our help to members of the congregation in need. Thank you and have a great Summer! Deacon Louise Fang Remember - Matching Grant Will Double Your Food Pantry Gifts The Food Pantry is one of the more visibly effective of our many benevolences. In 2007 the Food Pantry gave 1,975 grocery bags of food, an increase of 332 over 2006. This year, with a slowing economy, the need is expected to be even greater. We now have a “matching” Trust Fund that will double the effectiveness of every dollar we donate to the Food Pantry. Let's make good use of this wonderful gift. Food Pantry Hours: 9 a.m. to 11a.m. , the second & fourth Saturday Next Dates: May 10 & 24; June 14 & 28; July 12 & 26 Volunteers to help load bags on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays from 8-9 a.m. are always appreciated. Call Riley Wilson (245-0246) if you would like to help out one Saturday. Food Pantry Always Needs : Instant coffee Tea Cereal Pasta Spaghetti sauce Peanut butter Soup Cookies Crackers Paper products Toothpaste Soap Diapers Personal hygiene products Your monetary contributions are also appreciated. We “shop” at Food Pantry of Westchester where a dollar will buy more food than you can imagine, thanks to government and corporate donations. Thank you to Brownie Troop 2013 for their gift of Girl Scout cookies for the Food Pantry. OPERATIONS COMMISSION We are conducting a review of electricity and fuel oil use in our buildings. Dick Seymour is leading this effort to help us conserve. Barbara Darragh, for the Operations Commission