The Church HeraldStony Brook Community Church (United Methodist), Stony Brook, New York

STONY BROOKCOMMUNITY CHURCH

216 Christian AvenueStony Brook, NY 11790

Chuck Van Houten, Pastor

Church Office Tel: (631) 751-0574

Church E-mail:stonybrookcommunitychurch@gmail.com

Pastor’s Study Tel: (631) 751-0659

Church Website:www.stonybrookcommunitychurch.org

NYAC VISION STATEMENTThe New York Annual Conference, through the grace of God, embodies a beloved

community of hope, building up a healthy Body of Christ, with heartwarmedUnited Methodists in mission for the transformation of the world.

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Please send updates and information to Newsletter Editor, Bob Retnauer, at

bobretnauer@optimum.net

Newsletter Table of Contents

1......Pastor’s Letter3......Lectionary / Musicians Needed / UMW Dinner4.....June Calendar5.....New Beginnings! / Plant Sale Recap6.....Change The World Recap / Performing Arts Camp 20167.....Between the Bible & UMC, Where’s Christ?

“Fitness Made Certain”O Lord, by these things people live, and in all these is the life of my spirit.

Oh, restore me to health and make me live! – Isaiah 38:16

Wouldn’t it be great if people flocked to churches and places of worship the way they flock to fitness centers and malls that promise immediate gratification and physical transformation? What if people began looking at our churches and faith communities as spiritual development centers, or even as God’s spiritual fitness center? That’s what I’d like to talk about today.

Lately – with summer on the horizon - I’ve noticed numerous commercials and ads for diet and exer-cise programs as people prepare for those months when many will take to the beach, the streets, or their boats in shorts and swim suits. Just yester-day, as I was flipping through the channels, I no-ticed they are re-offering that old John Basedow, “Fitness Made Simple” commercial just in time to hear their slogan: “Change Your Body, Change Your Life, with fitness made simple.” As I heard that I thought, what a great sell, no wonder people are buying his books and his programs.

We all would like to be healthier, feel better about ourselves and how we look, and we would all love to do it quickly and simply with little time and investment, and with maximum return.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of life were that easy? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have fast, exciting results for the things in life that many of us have wanted to change or have been considering changing for so long? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to experience the process and the results of a complete extreme makeover, or even just some of those minor inner life changes that can make such a positive differ-ence for many of us?

Continued...

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The bad news is that most changes that are really worthwhile, most changes that make a profound positive difference in our lives – physical, practical, spiritual, emotional, or otherwise – don’t happen overnight. And most of them can’t be bought! Yet, here is the good news. Positive change and transforming one’s life is not only possible, it is probable because all living things change everyday, in almost unnoticeable yet powerful ways. And we can choose to be a part of that process, even help to direct that process for the better, by choosing to participate with God in remolding the change our lives will encounter. God has always been offering us ways that our lives can and will be transformed. We simply need to stop looking in the places that our fast food culture of expedience and convenience continually offer (usually for the gain of those selling their wares), and begin to return to the more steady, time tested truths of God’s teaching for our lives. In fact, the greatest experi-ences of transformation that I have ever encountered in my life have always begun from deep within, with God’s help. In addition, they are rarely quick. When this happens it enables us to live a more healthy life aligned with the natural world and the spirit of our living God who resides in that place of inner truth for a reason. In that relationship we come to know our truest, healthiest, spirit filled, God centered purpose for living.

The Lord Is My Shepherd. Don’t sacrifice communal worship on Sunday mornings to the gods of beach and sun. Instead come and worship the true Son and be renewed from within, while also making time for the renewal of outdoor activities and fun in the sun. Make your faith walk a part of your daily workout routine and you will not only be preparing yourself for the summer season and time spent outdoors (which is always freeing and spiritually renewing), but you will be preparing yourself for a life that will offer you and your loved ones a brand new purpose, a brand new you, and a brand new lease on life because you will be tending to the most important aspect of every human beings existence: your soul, your very self and essence, your life force. You will be tending to that within you which determines your health, your love life, your happiness, your joy, your outlook, and your future with hope. Don’t take a break from church and worship this summer. Yes, give your body the down time, the fresh air, and the renewal it needs, but also never forget to feed your faith. If you allow time for both you will experience renewal and spiritual growth as only God can offer it through prayer, worship, and experiencing the wonders of God’s awesome creation. It’s not always the quickest or the simplest, but God’s plan is always the best and most certain fitness routine bar none. Won’t you join me in fitness made certain this year for your self and yes, even for our whole church body? If we do this together, we will all be healthy, fit, and filled with purpose and vitality in line with what God knows is best and most mean-ingful in all of our lives.

See you in God’s fitness center! See you in church!Many Blessings!

In God’s love, joy and humorPastor Chuck

As we each discover a place of spiritual fulfillment in God’s presence we often cannot help but to re-align our lives to that which brings joy, peace, hope and wellbeing. As this happens we become much more focused, ful-ly functioning, and fulfilled human beings as we discover our true origin and identity as children of the living God! My friends, I encourage you to take time this summer working out! Yes work on your abs and your quads and whatever else you feel your body needs to be the healthiest it can be. But first, and all along the way, work on your spiritual fitness this year. Take time in prayer, bible reading, read a book connected to God and the soul on a regular basis, or sign up for our summer book study:

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LECTIONARY

JUNE 5: Third Sunday after Pentecost1 Kings 17:8-24Psalm 146 Galatians 1:11-24Luke 7:11-17

JUNE 12: Fourth Sunday after Pentecost1 Kings 21:1-21aPsalm 5:1-8 Galatians 2:15-21Luke 7:36-8:3

JUNE 19: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost1 Kings 19:1-15aPsalm 42 Galatians 3:23-29Luke 8:26-39

JUNE 26: Sixth Sunday after Pentecost2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 Galatians 5:1, 13-25Luke 9:51-62

JULY 3: Seventh Sunday after Pentecost2 Kings 5:1-14Psalm 30 (UMH 762)Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

JULY 10: Eighth Sunday after PentecostAmos 7:7-17Psalm 82 (UMH 804)Colossians 1:1-14Luke 10:25-37

JULY 17: Ninth Sunday after PentecostAmos 8:1-12Psalm 52 or 82 (UMH 804)Colossians 1:15-28Luke 10:38-42

UMW ANNUAL DINNER OUT PLEASE JOIN US! The Annual UMW Dinner Out will be held on Monday, June 6, 5:30 pm at Carnival Restaurant, Nesconset Hwy., Port Jefferson. Cost - $22. including tax and tip. All the

women of the church are invited to attend.

Sign up sheet in the Community Room or contact Carla Retnauer, carlaret@optonline.net

MUSICIANS NEEDED FOR SUMMER SERVICES

During the summer months our choir takes a well-deserved break. We continue to make a joyful noise unto the Lord thanks to the talents of volunteers who enrich our services with their singing and/or instrumental playing. If you or someone you know would be interested in offering you musical gifts some Sunday, please speak to Joan. Everyone, most certainly including young people, is encouraged to volunteer.

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June 19th will be a celebration of new beginnings! New members will join the church.

Young people will move up or graduate into new experiences.

And fathers will, as absolutely always, celebrate the endless new and unexpected joys of parenthood. 

If you would be  interested  in  joining Stony Brook Community Church, please speak to Pastor Chuck. If you are or know of a young person graduating or moving up from anything, please let  the  office  know  (631‐751‐0574  or  stonybrookcommunitychurch@gmail.com).  If  you  are  a father, please join us in celebrating you.  

And if none of the above applies to you, be sure to join us to celebrate your family, friends, and church

in this world where God is making all things new!

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PLANT SALE Our thanks goes all those who purchased flowers from the recent UMW Plant Sale! Your participation will enable is to fund several of our outreach projects! Co- Chairs Donna Smith and Gail Chase would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to Whitney Roberts, Bobbie Johnson, Susan Trawick, Kerri Smith, and Carolyn Martin for their help on the Flower Pick-up Days.

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KEEP PAC OPEN TO EVERYONE!

This summer PAC will be performing the delightful mu-sical Once Upon a Mattress, a wonderful re-telling of the classic fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.” If you’ve ever wondered what really happened when Princess Winnefred the Woebegone (or Fred, as everyone calls her) left the Swamps of Home to fall in love with Prince Dauntless the Drab, this is your chance.

PAC is a wonderful experience for any child – and per-haps especially for those whose parents can’t afford too many other wonderful experiences. In an average year a full 50% of the campers asked for partial or full scholar-ship aid. Camp Director Sherrill Jones is very careful with the PAC budget, but the camp still needs help if it is to continue admitting children regardless of their par-ent’s ability to pay. Please help us continue this tradition by sending a check (or placing it in the offering) marked “PAC Scholarships.”

CHANGE THE WORLD

On Sunday, May 22, we changed our little portion of the world by working on the buildings and grounds at SBCC. We started with a short worship service and then broke into groups to work on the grounds, in the Community Room and closets, and in the Sullivan House on the main and second floors. About 35 people came out--kids, teens, and adults alike worked hard to sort, clean, weed, cut, chop, clear, organize, assemble, move, and haul. We accomplished a lot, and we did it with good grace and good hu-mor throughout! Afterward, we came together to share a light lun-cheon and conversation. Many said that it went so well we should do it more often.

SO, thank you all for being willing to devote your time and hard work to improve our place of worship. We made a difference!

BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE UMC, WHERE'S CHRIST? By M. Kathryn Armistead

"Fiery Cross" by Steve Snodgrass

In a recent article, Adam Hamilton says, “No issue will be more closely watched than the debate and decisions of the Conference regarding gay and lesbian people.” He goes on to say that beneath the concerns of The United Methodist Church is a more fundamental question, namely, what do we as United Methodists believe about the Bible and its authority and guidance for daily living? Sadly, this is true. “Sadly,” you say, “That’s an odd word choice.” But it is sad and also unfortunate to believe this is the “real” question, despite the fact that many of us are woefully ignorant about what the Bible says, its context, and its intent. And it is misguided to think that our view of the Bible is the root concern. It’s not the Bible or its authority or our understanding and interpretation of the Bible. Rather, we need to look at the Ultimate Concern, the Who speaking the Word behind the Bible’s words — God. At issue is not the Bible, but how God works and moves within us, between us, and in us as individuals and as a church, which, lest we forget, was instituted by Christ and belongs to the Triune God. Perhaps we need to be reminded how Christianity is different from all other religions. In all other religions people build scaffolds and ladders to reach God. They might even use the famous quadrilateral: reason, experience, tradition and, yes, scripture. Christianity is different because through the person of Jesus Christ, God comes to us. We can never do enough, be smart enough or believe enough to reach God. God presence with us does not depend on our understanding of the Bible, our adherence to doctrine, or our social and political skills. Where God is present is up to God alone, but God promises to be present when two or more are gathered in God’s name. While God does speak to us through the Bible, God is not bound by the Bible or our fractured understandings of it. We do not worship the Bible, we worship a living God — a God who situates us as individuals and as a church, always and uncomfortably, between the now and not-yet. So what does all this have to do with our upcoming General Conference? Because there is no doubt that we are praying and seeking God’s will. But what if God’s will is for us to go forward into a divided world with serious unresolved divisions between us as a church? Perhaps we are called to witness living together and loving each other despite our incompatible theologies, experiences and convictions. Just as Christ is a Wounded Healer, perhaps God’s Church is an incarnation of the Wounded Body of Christ offering grace and hope — salvation — to the world. Perhaps at this point in time God is calling The United Methodist Church to occupy the extreme center of faith as a divided and humbled people who cannot unite themselves, meaning that we are utterly dependent on God for our life and being. That is our witness.

M. Kathryn Armistead, Ph.D. is a deacon in The United Methodist Church and a Nashville-based author.