Cathy was a person who gave of herself and was the epitome of dedication. Whether it was teaching, church, the denomination or someone’s tax returns, she was dedicated and faithful. There is a hole now that Cathy used to fill, but as we mourn her loss, let us not begrudge her the joys of heaven, knowing that one day we will be reunited again.

Alongside our grief we have also experienced the joy of promoting peace through the dedication of our new Peace Pole which can be seen as you drive by. April 30th was a time of celebration as all our faith communities and their leaders gathered around the Peace Pole. We spoke the words, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in all the languages represented on our campus: Dutch, English, Arabic and Hebrew. We joined hands and danced in celebration of our unity and the message of peace we send forth from our small corner of the world. After the dedication, we joined together in prayer in our shared sanctuary as a powerful display that though we come from (Continued on page 3B)

Life is filled with ups and downs; it is a mixture of joyful times and trying times. Over the last several months this has been the experience in the life of our church and multifaith campus. We have had loss as well as celebrations together. What we have experienced here at 2 Brookville Road has been a microcosm of life. For the sun shines on us all, and so the rain falls as well. And we know that without both sun and rain things won’t grow.

One of the losses we have experienced was the death of Cathy O’Neill. At age 68, Cathy passed away on May 6, 2017 and on May 10th we laid her to rest. Cathy was a lifelong member of this church. She was baptized here as an infant, grew up in the Sunday school, was confirmed as a young adult and served on and off for decades as an Elder and Deacon.

At her funeral, my husband, Rev. James Eastland, said that Cathy knew that the Christian life was more than sitting in a pew. He went on to say:

A Time for Everything “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

…A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

REV. VICKY L. EASTLAND, PASTOR vickyleastland@gmail.com

2 BROOKVILLE ROAD BROOKVILLE, NY 11545

516-626-0414 brookvillechurch@gmail.com www.BrookvilleChurch.org Facebook: Brookville-Church-Multifaith-Campus

Where our doors are always open!

June 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.

“First and foremost, Cathy was dedicated to her church. I first saw Cathy in action, in her role as “Attic Treasures” extraordinaire. Cathy ran the attic treasures sale with the help of other faithful members here at Brookville to raise money for camp scholarships. The whole basement under the sanctuary was filled with things. Lots and lots of things, and a few times a year, Cathy and other dedicated people, would open for business to sell whatever they could for campers. Unfortunately, over time, Cathy could no longer manage the endeavor. But that didn’t stop her! She came up with the idea to use her teaching skills to offer SAT prep courses to keep the scholarships going.”

Rev. James Eastland, Rev. Vicky Eastland and Cathy O’Neill

Brookville Church News 2B

Save  the  Date!  Monday,  August  14,  2017

The  Reformed  Church  of  Locust  Valley  

7th  Annual  Golf  Tournament  

at  Glen  Cove  Golf  Course  Don’t  miss  out  on  the  fun!  

Call:  516-­‐676-­‐6130  for  more  information

Set up your Online Giving now for the summer!

While you’re away, your support for the church continues! Giving online is easy, fast and secure! And you can earn points by

using your rewards credit card!

Here’s how Online Giving makes your life easier: •Signing up is quick and uncomplicated

• You can choose between using your checking account or a credit card • Budget your giving weekly, monthly, yearly – the choice is yours • Select the fund(s) you wish to contribute toward – General Operating Expenses, Camp Warwick

Scholarship Fund, Rev. Vis Partnership in Ministry, etc. • Your gifts are received and support the work of the church, even if you are not able to get to church

as often as you would like. Visit our website and click on the link to sign up!

www.brookvillechurch.org

We’re Still Here While You’re on Vacation!

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me. ~ Jim Valvano

National Conference:

September 28-30 Holland, Michigan

The theme for RFA’s 2017 conference, “A Kaleidoscope of Intersections,” will focus on the multiple identities that LGBTQ people embody and which shape their experiences, specifically the intersections of LGBTQ identity and race, faith expression, and life journey. Fu l l deta i ls are a t h t tps : / /roomforall.com/events/national-conferences, including a link to online registration. If you need help with registration, please call 201-364-4538. Ear ly-b i rd d iscount registration deadline: July 28. Final deadline: August 25.

A Letter from Our Partner in Ministry Rev. Joshua Vis

Church Engagement Facilitator for Israel/Palestine

Brookville Church News 3B

Did you know the big amazon.com has a charitable heart? Yes, it does.

Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Brookville Church.

Here’s how it works: To shop at amazon.com, go to smile.Amazon.com. You can simply log in as you normally would. In the search box on the lower right corner of the screen, type Brookville Church. From the list that appears, pick our Brookville, NY location. At the top of the Amazon page you will see: Supporting: Brookville Church. Shop as normal, and 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be sent to Brookville Church at the end of every quarter. It’s that simple!

Thanks to all who have already signed up!

Dear Brookville Church,

The RCA will begin to discern how we, as citizens of the U.S.A. can begin to advocate for peace and reconciliation in Israel/Palestine on the global stage and in U.S.

politics. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue and expand on this wonderful ministry. Thank you for joining me in this effort, both through your financial support and your prayers.

Sincerely, Rev. Joshua Visjoshuamvis@gmail.com

If you would like to give financial support to our Partner in Ministry, please

contact Rev. Vicky: VickyLEastland@gmail.com

A Time for Everything (Continued from page 1B)

different faiths and backgrounds, we all pray to the same God and long for peace in our world. The following Sunday afternoon, on May 7th, we held our first ever multifaith campus fundraiser as Cantor Irene and her husband, Bill McBride, an ex-Roman Catholic Priest, shared their love story through an original musical performance.

100 people came out and not only watched the performance, but also bid on si lent a u c t i o n i t e m s i n fellowship hall. We raised $3,000 for our campus to help with shared expenses of m a i n t a i n i n g t h e property so we can continue to call 2 Brookville Road our shared spiritual home.

We have truly become a haven for those seeking after God, especially for interfaith families needing a spiritual home. In the next two months we will be celebrating two interfaith baby baptisms, one for a Christian and Muslim couple and the other a Jewish and Christian couple. In June we will have a Muslim baby blessing alongside a Christian Baptism for Emma Brown and on July 16th we will baptize Sebastian Lopera as well hold a Jewish Baby Naming Ceremony.

A local paper recently said about our ministry here, “There is perhaps no better place than the Multifaith Campus—the only one on Long Island.” Our vision is not just to create a safe place for people to grow in their faith, we also want to be a model for other houses of faith to follow as the need for spiritual homes for interfaith families grows.

So ministry, as well as life, has its ups and downs, its joys and sorrows. Keeping them in balance is the key. As wise Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, “There is a time for everything…a time to mourn and a time to dance.”

Peace to you, ~Rev. Vicky

Bill McBride & Cantor Irene

Dancing for peace

Going back to a favorite place can bring a lift to a person’s spirit for days ahead of the departure. Anticipation of a holiday can bring on excitement about the new adventures to be encountered; however returning to a familiar place can produce a feeling of familiar enjoyment even before the trip begins. That’s how we feel about going to the Delaware Shore. One of its nicknames is Lower Slower Delaware and that fits with how we have come to feel about the area.

About forty years ago we were advised that the Maryland Eastern Shore on the DelMarVa Peninsula had some nice places for relaxation. That was correct and we found St. Michael’s, Maryland had what we wanted; waterfront property, a dock, history, local food specialties, and a reasonable travel time to get there. We thought it would be a great second place for a second season sailing our cruiser down there in the fall when the Long Island Sound area became too cold. We added a classic wood sailboat and to satisfy my penchant for active pastimes found a place under the porch to store a rowing shell. Those big boy’s toys gave me many hours of enjoyment. So why did we get an itch to relocate? A big part was the quaint village was a tourist destination with busloads of tourists coming all week and double on the weekend.

An hour east, across the DelMarVa, lies the Atlantic Ocean lapping on the shores of Delaware. We took several trips over there and decided to make a change going to Bethany Beach with river views, superb seafood, ocean beaches, a wonderful biking area for me and antique shops for Nancy. We retired from boating and got rid of the boats. There was enough to do at the slower pace of lower Delaware. The travel time was about the same five hours, just enough to hear half of a mystery book on CD going down, and finish it on the return. Those recorded books, available from the library, made the trip dissolve into pure enjoyment.

Magazines often have stories about the cuisine of an area and they are generally accurate. Along the way, there are always dining possibilities for seekers of different local fare. The most popular Delaware food events occur in the summer and fall and are the fire house—all you can eat—fried chicken dinners; however there are also plenty of church suppers and American Legion crab cakes and more. Heck, it is even possible to find different (from Long Island) offerings in the grocery stores. Stop and Shop becomes Giant Foods in the south and they are NOT much different. But Wegman’s or Harris-Teeter are a step up and bring in a slew of different varieties of food. A local family in Ocean View owned two retail grocery stores called Hocker’s; it is popular because the owners live in the area, serve the community and are trusted because they are seen and known. My favorite take home from their stores are pint jars of shucked oysters that are well below Long Island prices. They are not sold in jars anywhere up here.

On arrival I started attending a nearby Methodist Church and was there when a new preacher started his tenure in 1999. He has now been there over eighteen years and we renew our friendship whenever I go back. My favorite remembrance of St. Matthew’s by the Sea are the summer series of Gospel Music groups that sing every Summer Sunday Evening—that’s eight weeks in July and August with no repeat groups and the cost is always covered by a freewill offering. Awesome! The church is filled every time. For years I wished Long Island had such possibilities.

When Nancy broke her hip we had to give up on the place because there were too many stairs. We were not too sad because the day we sold, our daughter’s family bought a place three miles away and much of our accumulated furniture did not have far to go. Since then they acquired a much larger place that is next to a golf course and is an even more successful summer rental unit (it can sleep over twelve people). We get to use it during the shoulder seasons of late fall, early spring and all winter. Just last month we enjoyed a pleasant Mother’s Day dining with an ocean view and all of the oysters I could eat. The Fourth of July is the next fun time to be there; a parade right in the development, beach picnic food, and none of the crowds that drove us away from the Eastern Shore.

Several years ago our son, Paul, said that if you have a vacation home it should be special—more enjoyable than home and in a place forever calling you back. Most vacationing families go to such a place for a week. Paul was correct; we have had them to enjoy the whole year and now have their memories. I am learning how old age brings appreciation of memories.

ReflectionsReflections

End Word: May your own adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far from home. ~ Trenton Lee Stewart

Travel and change of place Impart new vigor to the mind.

Seneca ~ Roman Philosopher 4BC-AD65

Branch Worsham

SLOW DOWN, PA ~ SAKES ALIVE ~ MA MISSED SIGNS ~ FOUR AND FIVE

Shavuot is the “Festival of the Giving of the Torah” at Mount Sinai, which occurs seven weeks after Passover. Shavuot is a two-day holiday which falls on the 6th and 7th of the Hebrew month of Sivan, this year corresponding to May 31st – June 1st. The Torah was given by G-d to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai more than 3,300

years ago. Every year on the holiday of Shavuot we renew our acceptance of G-d’s gift, and G-d “re-gives” the Torah.

After the Exodus from Egypt, the Children of Israel proceeded to Mount Sinai. According to the Torah, it took precisely 49 days, or seven weeks, for the ancient Israelites to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mount Sinai. Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “weeks.” The name Shavuot, “Weeks,” symbolizes the completion of this seven-week journey. It is customary to eat dairy foods on Shavuot because Jewish tradition compares the words of Torah to the sweetness of milk and honey. Blintzes and cheesecake are among the popular foods to make and enjoy for the holiday.

Why did G-d choose Mount Sinai? Mount Sinai was not the highest and most splendid mountain. In fact it is described as being the lowest of all the mountains which might have been chosen. Nonetheless, G-d chose Mount Sinai for the Giving of the Torah in order to teach an important message—humility is a prerequisite to the learning of Torah.

The Torah comes from G-d. When hearing an instruction from the Torah, we need the ability to listen. This is a rare quality because usually our own ego gets in the way. We hear our own ideas, not what the Torah is saying. Humility is the step beyond our ego, a mood of selflessness, which makes us receptive to the Torah. Ego is “Easing G-d Out”. Humility is the opposite.

What is this notion of "humility" and what does it have to do with the Torah? Humility does not mean a meek reluctance to speak up or be assertive. Humility is not slouching your shoulders and having low self-esteem. Humility is to know one's place. Moses was called “the most humble” because, when he stood before G-d, he knew his place.

The truly humble person is not dependent on the opinion of others. Sometimes doing the right thing is popular and consistent with one's needs, and sometimes it's not. The humble person can set his needs aside. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is the ability to be objective about one's own position. The Prophet Micah wrote, “Do Justice; Love Mercy; Walk Humbly with your G-d” (Micah 6:8). The message of Shavuot, the holiday of reliving the Sinai experience, is to know our place, make some space, and let the truth of G-d enter deep inside.

The Torah is more than the rules of life. The Torah is a living encounter with G-d. The revelation of G-d at Mount Sinai wasn’t simply an opportunity for us to receive G-d’s laws, but to experience G-d’s love. The Torah embodies not only a way of life, but also a way to love. The wisdom and commandments of the Torah empower us to love each other and to love G-d.

The Torah is Life. The Torah is Knowledge. The Torah is Love. The Torah is Joy.

Enjoy your cheesecake and blintzes!

Wishing you a Happy Shavuot, ~Rabbi Stuart A. Paris, HaKohen

June Birthdays

Raju Eastland - 2nd Leah Bergman - 2nd

Linda Lyon - 4th Alexander Marentis - 6th

Paola Garcai - 7th Leah Cirker - 7th

Liam Wandelt - 16th Nicholas Lisi - 17th Cantor Irene - 17th Seth Cirker - 19th

Barbara O’Neill - 20th Martha Worsham - 22nd

Branch Worsham III - 22nd Arthur Hessinger - 26th Cassidy Harley - 26th

Brookville Multifaith Campus News 2M

Join  the  Muslim  Reform  Movement  (MRMO)  for  Quran  Studies  in  June!  All  are  welcome!  

         

Hosted  by:  Dr.  Sultan  Abdulhameed,  

author  of  The  Quran  and  the  Life  of  Excellence

~Sunday,  June    11  2:30pm  

~Sunday,  June  25  2:30pm  

The New Synagogue of Long Island 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: www.newsynagogue-li.org

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, foods, experiences. I also strive to make it possible for my clients to travel the world, to whatever destination they desire. My number one priority is making sure to design a trip suited to your exact needs. Travel can ignite new interests and bring to light our need for adventure, beauty,

relaxation or the simple need for quality time with friends and family away from the daily grind.

Not only do I love to travel and help design trips for others to enjoy, 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, I will gratefully and proudly donate 10% of my earnings to the Brookville Church and Multifaith Campus!

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 our faith community at the same time!

Valerie Ritacco Power Travel International

Cell: (516) 458-7868 valerie@powertravel.net

Birthdays & Anniversaries If your Birthday and/or Anniversary is not

included in our Newsletter, please call or email us:

516-626-0414 brookvillechurch@gmail.com

with your information. Thank you!

Church Emails If you would like to be on our

mailing list, please email brookvillechurch@gmail.com with the email address you would like to use.

Thank you!

Happy Anniversary!

Rabbi Paris & Rev. Kessler

June 7th

Moving Forward Together is a new program designed to help interfaith and multicultural couples overcome the cha l l enges tha t may h inder the i r relationship from moving forward. This six-week, personalized relationship coaching program will help couples identify their life’s vision together.

Here are some of the topics covered: * Growing together: Culture, Traditions,

and Values

* No more drama: Overcoming family stress

* Building a family: Raising children without confusion

* Let’s Celebrate: Marriage and/or Wedding Planning

* Teamwork: Overcoming Problems or Challenges

* Happy Together: Creating Community and Happy Life

If you or anyone you know is interested please contact Rorri Geller-Mohamed:

Phone: 347-460-4308 or email: rorri@upowerchange.com

Program Link: https://upowerchange.com/moving-forward-

together-interfaith-multicultural-relationship-coaching-program/

You're All Invited! Our talented kids will be presenting a variety show:

Sunday, June 11 at 10:00 a.m.

There will be singing, dancing and individual performances. This is

going to be a wonderful morning. Afterwards, we will all have a picnic

outside of the fellowship hall.

Please come and enjoy the great talents of our youth!

Brookville Multifaith Campus News 3M

The Saturday Night Live Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the Brookville Church every Saturday night at 9pm. (Coffee and cake starting at 8:30!) As one of Nassau County's oldest AA groups,

this meeting has been in existence for over 40 years. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, you are welcome to attend this meeting.

For more information, feel free to contact Carol B. at

(516) 428-0479

Moving Forward Together Music News!