From the Pastor's Pen - Preble Congregational Church, UCC
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The Pioneer
‘Preparing for others to follow’
Preble Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
PO Box 186 1953 Preble Road
Preble, New York 13141
Rev. Rebecca F. West
607-749-3606 (office) 315-456-8746 (cell)
www.preblechurch.org
July, 2021 ~
…from the Pastor’s Pen…
Dear Friends,
Sometimes I sit quietly until my mind lets go of thinking, my
thoughts float away (as if on a river), and I can wait patiently,
conscious of each breath. It feels good to release my busy-ness. I
have one focus: to wait until I know God is loving me. I start this
meditation grateful for my love for God…but on that foundation, I wait for God’s
reciprocity. It usually doesn’t take long, because it’s already there. I just have to wake up to it, make
time for it, receive it. Yes, feel it. I don’t demand it – this practice isn’t a formula – and sometimes I
come up empty, but not discouraged. I do know God loves me, already. I am the one standing in my
own way.
Isn’t that the truth? We so often get stuck between ourselves and God. I’ve confessed to you
that, as a child, I thought my Catholic friends reached Jesus’ lap before I could. My mom helped me
to see it differently. As an adult, I used to think I’d be a good monk, living simply and dedicating each
waking moment to praising God with my hands and feet, living obediently within the rule of the
monastery. My friendships and mentors helped me to see it differently. Each teacher – parent or
friend – taught me that the spirituality I desire is already within me, and I am my own barrier to
realizing it.
Just thinking about how I stand in my own way is dispiriting, but I have a “toolbox,” filled with
coping skills. I started to assemble my “tools” during my Twelve Step work, and I reach for them often.
One of them is to remember that I am an ordinary person, not too great, not too lousy. This helps me
with my embattled self-esteem. Another tool, equally helpful, is to seek God’s help through the
goodness of other people. We all possess that goodness because God within us is our source for
helping others. When I started to sink emotionally during the pandemic lockdown, I shared my ache
with some dear people, and they helped to stop my slide. That’s how my toolbox works…but I have towork it. I have to be the one to reach into it, looking for help, I have to initiate the action. That’s the
free will part that God gave us, way back in Eden.
Sharing with you in this way feels very personal to me, and I hope you don’t mind. We are
taught in seminary classes to use the pulpit for the Good News about God, not for the “good news
about us.” But within the first three months of my tenure with you, Ron Masters visited my office one
morning. Among other things, he said, “Becky, we want to learn more about you, too.” So I put his
words into my toolbox: sharing the truth about who we are builds relationships. Reciprocity is at work
in relationships with each other, just as it is between God and ourselves.
And I guess love and sharing is important to think
about right now because we are entering a time of transition
when I will retire and you will begin a new pastorate, with all
the excitement and revelations the passage will entail. You
have been here before and have always succeeded and so
you shall, again. God blesses this little rural church richly,
but so do each of you as you bring your talents and
resources to bear on our everyday life together in God’s kin-
dom. I know we will continue to go forth, growing and loving as we live among each other in our
beautiful valley.
With love and blessings,
Pastor Becky
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We can do all things through Christ,
who strengthens us.
~ Phil. 4:13 ~Peace of mind, so important fore both physical and
mental health, often seems like an impossible dream.
There was September 11th: there are health issues we
must face from time to time; there are bills to pay;
and we have losses of people near and dear to us, as
July Celebrations
time goes by. How on earth can we be peaceful and
calm when disasters bombard us through the news
July 1: David Griswold media, not to mention the frustrations of daily life?!
2: Sylvia Fitch Look again at the promise from Philippians and see
Laura Swayze the instructions for leaving anxiety behind. We’re to
John and Cindy Steger be prayerful and thankful, we’re to let our requests
Anniversary be known to God, and are told to have no worries.
3: Marilyn Bishop A tall order? You bet it is, yet the promise of the
Mimi Cornue peace that passes all understanding is valid, because
6: Connie Griswwold of Jesus!
7: Donna and Burdette Swayze
Anniversary
8: Austin Lieber
9: Amelia Brown
10: Kaylee White
Dan Twentyman
11: Matt and Laura Swayze From the July2002 Pioneer
Anniversary
12: Casey Knapp Harvest of Faith
Susan Kenyon
18: Pat and Dan Twentyman We are about to begin the third month of our
Anniversary Harvest of Faith fund raising for the budget. As we
20: Bernie and Mary Podsiedlik look out our windows we can see the green fields
Anniversary and the crops growing. As we tend our own gardens
25: Jenna Henderson we can see that our plants definitely need to be
Jackson Henderson watered as we have not receive enough rain at this
Cathy Scott point. If you dig down into the soil you find it to be
29: Michael Griswold quite dry. We all know we could use a nice gentle
Lincoln Shirley rain to water our crops. In the meantime we get the
hoses and sprinkling cans and help our gardens grow.
God is working through us to keep our gardens
green.
Joy in the Morning
In the same way we all have to pitch in and help to
support the continuing service of our church to the
By Joy Niswender community near and far from Preble. Your support of
the Harvest of Faith helps with not only church
Philippians 4: 6-7 reads: “Have no anxiety about
maintenance but many other programs in the church.
anything, but in everything by prayer and
Remember to add to your colored envelope each
supplications with thanksgiving let your requests be
month and they will be collected in October just as
made known to God. And the peace that God, which
the farmers are harvesting their crops.
passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and
your minds in Jesus Christ.”been willing to help whenever possible with church
Congratulations to activities. He has even preached two sermons for the
Our Graduates congregation. We are proud of all you have become
Jed.
Gatlin Stark, grandson of John and Cindy
Steger graduated from Cortland City Congratulations to all our graduates.
School, Class of 2021. Gatlin is enrolled at OCC for
the fall semester and is planning on majoring in
communications to start. He has expressed that he
wants to go into Elementary Education after OCC.
Gatlin is their youngest grandchild. John and Cindy
are extremely proud of him. He is very caring and
kind to everyone. He is a very determined young Church Council Meeting
man and we hope and pray he holds onto his dreams. Wednesday, July 21st
Congratulations Gatlin. 6:30 pm
******
AGENDA
When Keely Masters was in kindergarten and given
Proposed Changes in the by-Laws
the assignment to draw a picture of what she wanted
Use of the Community Room
to be when she grew up, she drew a lipstick
(Charges and Food)
salesperson. Her mother hung it on the cupboard in
Coordinating with UCC Conference
the kitchen and told her even a lipstick salesperson
For Future Planning
needed to go to college. She graduated from Webster
Any other busines
Thomas High School this year and was chosen as
one of the student speakers. She spoke of the
challenges her family has faced during her high
school years and how God was always there. It was a
great speech. She competed in Nordic skiing
throughout high school and even tried tennis her
senior year. She is a very talented artist and plans to
attend Nazareth College in the fall. She has grown so
much and we are so proud of her!
Grandma Trudy Masters
*******
Jed Swayze, son of Matt and Laura Swayze
graduated from Homer High School with honors. Jed
also graduated from OCM BOCES Welding program
Our church has several items to loan out as needed.
as a National Technical Honor Society
These include several wheelchairs, a shower chair,
Member. While at Homer Jed competed in cross
several walkers – both with and without wheels, a
country and track events all four years. Jed will
portable potty, a hand bar that can be put on a bed to
continue his studies at SUNY Cortland majoring in
give something to hold onto to help get out of bed
Sociology. He will also be competing on the cross
and one that attaches to help get out of the chair.
country team at Cortland this fall. Jed spends his
These items were donated to the church by others
summers working as a lifeguard.
who no longer needed them. They are located in the
We have all watched Jed grow up as active part of
basement of the church. Feel free to borrow any of
our congregation since he was a small boy. He has
these items as needed.from Our Conference Minister My Thoughts Low energy. Difficulty concentrating. Lacking motivation. Emotionally and/or physically distancing oneself. Easily angered. All of these may be signs of unresolved or unrecognized grief. Here’s my disclaimer: I’m not a psychologist and have very little education in that area. However, I am someone who has “worked on myself” through therapy and I have thirty-three years of ministry experience where I have had the privilege of observing the lives of many, many people sometimes at the most vulnerable moments in their lives. I know something about grief. If anyone has read articles on the post-Covid impact on our psyches, please send me the link to the article. This is a new thing. We have never lived through an 18+ month pandemic where we have been isolated and distanced. We really don’t know the long-term impact. We do know that there is and will be a long-term effect. If you are suffering with emotions that don’t make a lot of sense to you, please, please talk to your doctor and/or consider finding a therapist. If you are seeing in others, perhaps those you love most, unusual behavior, be patient. Encourage. Share hope. Love. Something of which I am certain is that God and prayer are powerful and can heal all that is broken. God did not create us as isolated islands. Christian faith is based on the premise that we are created in God’s image and that image is one of relationships and community (Creator, Christ, Spirit). It is not possible to pull oneself up from one’s bootstraps. We need one another to equip ourselves for life’s journey. No one is truly alone. Our faith communities can be great sources for healing the trauma of this pandemic. Pray for those whose suffering is not visible. Be compassionate and patient with those who emerge from the pandemic differently that you. Our Conference Moderator, Dona Roll, has an important tag line to her emails. It is a quote from Henri Nouwen. May these words guide us as we all heal the wounds of Covid-19. "Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come." Henri Nouwen David Rev. David R Gaewski Conference Minister
Summer 2021 Dear Friends of the Preble Congregational Church UCC, There comes a time in every building’s life when a new roof is needed. That time has come for the main roof on the Preble UCC building. We all know that a building is not the church but it is the loving, caring and sharing that happens within the building. That is the church. This Preble UCC building is filled with bundles of love with all the prayers and fellowship going out for the people who worship here, the neighbors, friends and people all around the world. It is filled with bundles of caring with special services, dinners and programs and bundles of sharing with local and worldwide missions. The food pantry has been a blessing to many, especially during this time of Covid. Though we don’t want to keep the love, caring and sharing in the building, we do want and need to keep the rain and snow out of the building. A couple years ago a new roof was put on the back addition of the church. Shingles were sold in memory or honor of someone. We would like to do that again to help pay for the cost of the new roof on the main part of the building. The estimated cost of this new roof is $32,000. A bundle of shingles costs around $35. As a deal we will offer 3 bundles for $100. You can buy a bundle or 3 in memory or honor of someone special. We will send a card to that someone special letting them know you have honored them. We will also post your gift in the Pioneer and on the bulletin board at the front entrance of the church. A form is enclosed that can be filled out with your information and returned to the church with your donation. Thank you for your help in keeping the building warm and dry with bundles of shingles so that it can continue to house the bundles of love, caring and sharing that originate in it. Your friends, The Trustees Preble Congregational Church UCC
Preble Congregational Church UCC
PO Box 186 1953 Preble Rd
Preble, NY 13141
Bundles of Shingles Fundraiser
Summer 2021
Name ____________________________
Address___________________________
__________________________________
Phone # ___________________________
$35/bundle or 3 for $100
# of Bundles “ordered” ____________
Amount enclosed _________________
In Honor / Memory of (circle one)
Name______________________________
Address (if in honor of) _______________________
___________________________________________2021 Memorial Day Address – Preble, New York
Elmwood Cemetery
Monday, May 31st
Charles H. Goodwin
I am proud and delighted to be here among all of you from the town of Preble and surrounding areas, along
with family and friends on this particular Memorial Day. It is nice to be home. My roots and those of my family,
run wide and deep throughout this beautiful valley.
Memorial Day is an exceptional day and an important opportunity for us to give thanks and pay homage to
those brave men and women who gave their lives so all of us in the Town of Preble, in Cortland County, in New
York State and all across America can enjoy our precious freedoms. As citizens of this great nation, we must
never forget the painful losses of our human treasure while fighting wars and battles that threatened our
freedoms and our very existence. Freedom…… We must never forget that Freedom bears a heavy price.
Memorial Day is not complete without our veterans being present during this ceremony of remembrance.
Within each of our veterans and military families there is a strong connection to those who were lost in battle.
All across our military branches we have the richest message that conveys duty to God and Country. What an
amazing contribution the Town of Preble has made to major military operations, starting with the Revolutionary
War, followed by The War of 1812, The Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and
Afghanistan. Following today’s ceremony, I encourage you to seek out the monuments, here in this beautiful
Cemetery, that have American flags next to them. Throughout this sacred ground, there is a significant military
legacy and sacrifice that everyone in the Town of Preble and elsewhere can be so proud.
At the National level:
There is a vivid reminder of the loss of American treasure that can be seen throughout the 624 acres of
monuments present at Arlington National Cemetery. Of course, at Arlington is the Tomb of the Unknowns
which is dedicated to US Service men who died without their remains being identified.
The back of this Tomb bears the inscription ‘Here Rests, in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known But to
God.’ The soldiers buried there stand for the purest ideals of courage, valor and sacrifice. A special highly
trained military honor guard, assigned to the Tomb, march 24 hours each day/7 days a week, 365 days a year in
all kinds of weather. This honor guard takes 21 steps, along a black matt, in each direction separated by 90
degree turns at each end, then having a pause of 21 seconds for each turn. Why 21 steps and pauses of 21
seconds each? Twenty One is symbolic, symbolic of the highest honor a nation can convey upon any dignitary
foreign or domestic which is the 21 gun salute. This American tradition, displayed at the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier, is a constant reminder of the precious heroic losses America has endured.
Coming back to today’s ceremony many of you know that the town of Preble is named after U.S. Naval
Commodore Preble. The rank of Commodore is no longer used, but it can be equated with the current day rank
of admiral. In 1803 Commodore Preble was in command of the U.S. Navy’s seven ship thousand man
Mediterranean Squadron while America was involved in diplomatic and military conflicts with the Islamic
States of North Africa. It is quite notable to mention that his flagship was the USS Constitution referred to later,
in the aftermath of 3 separate British ship engagements during the War of 1812, as “Old Ironsides”. The British
cannons could not penetrate the ship. The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy
and can be visited today in the Boston Naval Yard. Commodore Preble later between 1805 and 1807 served
President Thomas Jefferson, as senior advisor on naval matters. He died in 1807 at the age of 46, one year prior
to when this very town was named in his honor.In 1861 Cortland County assembled the 76th Regiment to fight with the Union Army on the Potomac. They
were one of the most famous Union Army regiments that engaged in many of the Civil War battles including
Antietam, Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Spottsylvania, the Wilderness, among others. The 76th
lost 1/3 of their strength, on that battle’s first day, due to wounds and death.
My great grandfather, Franklin Pratt, fought with the 76th, and was from Little York. My great grandfather’s
cousin, Charles Pratt was killed on the first day at Gettysburg.
I want to underscore that it is a great tribute to the Town of Preble to have its own War Memorial which was
established in 1937 in memory of Mark McAullife who died in the World War I battle for the Argonne Forest,
situated in northeastern France. that battle raged on for 49 days and our country suffered 117,000 casualties, at
the hands of the embattled German Army. Today’s Memorial Day ceremonies began, of course, at that boulder.
Preble’s War Memorial and our Memorial Day ceremonies certainly help strengthen our focus on the extensive
human toll, courage and sacrifice expended by our men and women in the defense of our country for the cause
of freedom, liberty and peace. I want to draw attention to the military detail that fires three volleys that were
delivered at the end of the service performed at the boulder and then once again the guns will fire at the end of
our proceedings here in Elmwood Cemetery. The three volleys convey the message of DUTY, HONOR, and
COUNTRY -DUTY< HONOR and COUNTRY.
Memorial Day is a clear reminder to us all Never Forget. Never Forget the immense price paid by those who
have fallen in all the wars America has been in, for the cause of freedom. Just during the 20th century, New York
State alone has a combined loss of almost 54,000 killed in action, as a result of all the casualties from WW I,
WW II, Korea and Vietnam. In Iraq and Afghanistan, America, nation wide, has lost, as of February of this year,
7,036 soldiers and what we do not hear about is America has also lost 314 contractors who support various
aspects of the military’s mission in those two countries.
While coming to a close, I want to share a few quotes for us to ponder….
Elmer Davis – Former Director of US Office of War stated
“America will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”
General Omar Bradley said …
“Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.”
Mark Twain shared
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not the absence of fear.”
Somerset Maugham provided..
“If a nation values anything more than freedom it will lose that freedom and the irony of it is that if it is
comfort and money that it values more it will lose that too”
General Dwight D. Eisenhower said:
“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its
stupidity.”
John F. Kennedy made it known:
“Every nation know whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any
hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe in order to assure the survival and success of liberty.”Let us go forth, following this ceremony today, with love, hope and the pursuit of peace for our future. Enjoy, with family and friends the precious gifts of freedom and liberty. God Bless all of you today! God Bless our Military and God Bless America!
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