November 20th, my Mom, Dorothy I. Jones, went to be with her Savior. She had turned 90 in August. Though she had been declining for months as a consequence of slow congestive heart failure, the end happened quite suddenly and unexpectedly. I’ve been working on this Thanksgiving tribute to Mom for a couple days. Also, here’s a link to her obituary.
When I think of my Mom, one of the first blessings that comes to mind is our phone conversations. The chain of them began when I was a freshman at the University of Rochester. Late at night I would sit at the hallway telephone and talk to Mom. Our conversations have never been short and that habit goes back to that year too. Recent years I would get on my cell phone while sitting in my big chair and converse. It was not unusual to be an hour on the phone. We covered a lot of subjects; family news, farm news, church news and upcoming schedules. But Mom also talked about Bible verses she was studying or teaching from, articles or books she had read, things from gardening in the summer and feeding birds in the winter, and even news items of note—she loved Paul Harvey especially. I will miss those conversations.
I’m thankful for her prayers
Another great blessing from my Mom was her prayer life.
At the semi-annual church conference, I changed the format of my usual report and instead presented a “State of the Church” address. It was meant to summarize the achievements of my pastorate and describe the position of our church today as I view it. I am attaching it in pdf format.
Having reflected on it now for a couple weeks since I wrote it, there is one section that I should have added to the innovations section. But we take it so much for granted today and know that there is no going back so I did not think of it. The item I should have noted concerns all the technological advances we have made in using the computer since I have been pastor. I arrived at the end of the typewriter era in Kirkville. During my tenure, all record-keeping has been computerized; we used the computer to keep records and generate mailing lists. Our current database expert volunteer is Josh Basile. Of course, all correspondence and bulletin preparation has been computerized. Currently we are using Word and Publisher 2010 to accomplish our work. After Mahlon Moon’s thoughtful memorial gift of the the projector and screen in memory of Tillie, we entered the era of projected song words, PowerPoint slides when needed, mission slide shows without carousel trays, downloaded video clips, movies on the big screen, and most recently now, joining in a national simulcast. All this has required consistent upgrading through the years as technology advanced and equipment wore out. Finally, with a great deal of help from Steven Sgroi, we have become a church with a viable web presence. We now have our own domain name – kirkvillewesleyan.org, on which we maintain our church website, publish three or four blogs and have the capability for a sermon database in printed or video form. In addition, again with Steven’s help, we are now on Facebook. Our web presence is of increasing importance today as people check out churches online before visiting and expect some technical savvy when they arrive too. Ben Mackey oversees the team that makes possible our projection and sound ministry on Sundays. Also, thanks to Ed Maum, we enjoy an in-house network. Thank you to all the other volunteers too who make all this happen.
Finally, I would recommend an important parallel anecdotal account of the current state of our church. If you read my wife’s book, God With Us; Fifty True Stories of God’s Faithfulness, you will see that it reflects who we are as a congregation very well. So many of the stories describe the ministries of our church co-incidentally as she relays the first person testimonies. Overall, a very powerful picture of our community of faith emerges.
A couple weeks ago on the first Saturday in November I snuck out to the annual Syracuse Train Show. It is a massive display of working train sets of all gauges and vendors of all railroad hobby items from whistles and T-shirts to new engines and cars to antique parts and postcards. The last two years it has been in the Toyota building at the State Fair grounds. It is the third largest train show in the Northeast.
I love to go for several reasons. One, I guess it is the little boy in me. My brothers and I shared an O‑gauge Lionel train set when we were children. It had one oval of track on a 4 by 8 sheet of plywood with a road painted across it in black crayon. We had a great deal of fun with it. About ten years ago Bill Quick gifted me a set very much like it, which reignited my interest in the hobby. Ever since then at our house, we have had trains around the Christmas tree.
Special features of the show that I especially look for are two. One is the Lego train display. It is amazing to see their huge colorful set-up with its speedy trains made of Lego. The other display is that of our local historical group chapter. You can see more pictures on their website. http://www.hirailers.org/modular_layouts.htm. The detail model that they are building from pictures of the old station on Erie Blvd. with the elevated tracks behind it is awesome. Their display had multiple sections. Another section included a repainted two story station that I loved. I have one like it but have not painted it yet.
This year I went to the train show with a new perspective. I’m starting to think about sharing the train hobby with my little grandson. I’ve already bought him some Thomas the Train books and this year at the fair, I went looking for a good deal on what I learned was the second most popular train set ever sold, Thomas the Train. (Number one is the Polar Express.) Thomas has just recently been reproduced with a new remote control feature that will eventually allow operators to run more than one train on the same track. This is especially nice since most Thomas stories feature more than one engine. The story has a happy ending too as I found one at a good discount and bought the vendor’s last one.
JoAnne and I took a couple days off to go to Connecticut this past week. It’s a combination of things. For one, we acknowledge that we are pretty taken with our new grandson. He is so loving. He cuddles right up to his Grandpa and Grandma J. Attached are some photos by doting grandparents for Sammy’s nine month mark.
We also go to help Keely and Mark as we can with the practical things of being homeowners. I am the family handyman, I guess. And I am blessed that my son-in-law asks me to mentor him in learning to take care of his home as he is a first time homeowner. This trip we worked with the extension ladder he bought, learning to set up and lower it properly. Hurricane Sandy did no damage to their house, thankfully, but it did reveal a couple serious east wind leaks that needed quick attention. So Mark and I spent Saturday morning on the sunroom roof fixing those. I trust we were successful.
It is interesting to me how you find reminders of the Golden Age of Railroad transportation in the oddest places. Perhaps they only seem odd to me because 100 years ago railroad tracks meandered into many corners of our nation that are far from any railroad today.
A couple weeks ago, my wife and I attended the CNY-NE district pastors’ retreat at Camp of the Woods near Speculator in the Adirondacks. To my surprise and joy, sitting in a lawn was an old Erie Railroad caboose #04947. On the other side it was labeled Napierville Junction 38. The Napierville Junction Railroad went from Rouse’s Pt. NY to Montreal. This caboose was from the area when cabooses were made of wood and had rounded dome roofs. Beside it was a station freight cart. I looked the caboose up on a hobby website by its Erie number. This one was built in 1929 by Magor Car Company of New Jersey.
Why was it there? From their website, Camp of the Woods offers lodging at a cabin built onto another newer caboose—part of a strategy of offering some unique accommodations. I found a picture on their website. I missed seeing that one but will look for it if I have a chance to visit there again. I suppose the idea of staying in a caboose may have originated back in the days when tourists came to the Adirondacks by railroad rather than by motorcar since Camp of the Woods traces its history back to 1900. Was the now unused caboose on the front lawn an earlier accommodation? Maybe a reader knows.
Daily Bible reading is a basic discipline of disciples
Our Big Bible Bonanza reading contest has been very successful in encouraging daily Bible reading. Though people could choose to read any passage of at least five verses that they wanted to, many chose to follow the sermon coordinated outline series that we prepared for the contest time. At least one person wondered aloud what he would do when that schedule came to an end.
I have good news. I am supplying a sermon coordinated list for the next sermon series as well. The up-coming series is on Gratitude and Giving. I also hope to supply a reading schedule for the Christmas series. At the turn of the year, we can help people choose from the many yearly plans that are available. Hopefully we will all have greatly strengthened the discipline of daily Bible reading in the process.
Bible Reading Suggestions for Sermons series on Gratitude and Giving
Daily Bible reading is a basic discipline of disciples
Blue Angels vs. Goldfish
Everyone a winner – that was our goal at the beginning of the Bible reading emphasis. More specifically, the goal was to increase the number of people reading their Bible every day. Well, what has happened? How are we doing? Our organizers divided the congregation into two alphabetical teams as evenly as they could, based upon the list of those that attend. Team names chosen were the Blue Angels for the first half of the alphabet and the Goldfish (think of the ancient Christian symbol) for the second half. The goal was not how much you read, but to read at least 5 verses every day. People, including children reported their reading through their classes and small groups. Adults could read to younger children. (Those who were not attending a small group could report directly to the organizers.)
Discipline is not easy but accountability helps
Surprisingly, there was a little mumbling among even some seasoned Christians at being asked to participate in something that required one to be accountable for the discipline of Scripture reading. But, as the contest progressed, conviction and the encouragement of friends prevailed. This illustrated that though we sometimes resist being accountable to one another, it is almost always beneficial to us in the long run. Discipline is not easy. I have to confess that during the five weeks, I missed one day myself while traveling. But I was glad for the added accountability provided by the contest.
Classes and groups influential
The idea of reporting to small groups turned out to be very influential, especially among the adults. Participation in several adult classes grew as the contest continued. Last week three adult classes, those led by Larry Nemitz, George Raterman and Claude Walrath, all reported 100% of their members reading every day. Congratulations to these teachers and their classes.
Families blessed
Hearing of increases in Bible reading across the board is a great win for everyone. Contest records show that 31 people never missed a day in the first four weeks. (Those who have a perfect record for all five weeks will be recognized at the dinner.) They set the pace for all of us. Another inspiration is learning of personal stories like that of a family of four, who read every day from the sermon coordinated suggestions—the father read to his family. When the father had to spend a few days in the hospital, his young son volunteered to take his place. (At their suggestion, I’ll be making a list of coordinated reading for the next three weeks too, even though the contest will be ended.) Another family called in their points while traveling. (Families were allowed to call in points one Sunday out of the five.) I’d love to hear more stories of how you have been blessed by the Bible reading contest.
A great example of encouraging one another
The first two weeks of the contest, only one team, the Blue Angels, received the bonus for having more that 60% of those participating reading every day. The second week, neither team received it. But by the fourth week, both teams exceeded 70% of readers reading every day. The highest percentage so far was 76% reading daily achieved by the Goldfish on week three. At this writing, the Goldfish are looking strong. Of the people on their team, on the average, they had a larger number who read their Bibles and reported than the Blue Angels did, which added up. But certainly we all win by confirming the habit of Bible reading. So we will all celebrate with a dinner on Nov. 10. A big thank you to key contest organizer JoAnne Jones, John Risley—who helped with stats— team captains Mark Boswell and Rhett Laforte, and Sunday School teachers and group leaders who helped encourage their class. This was a great example of putting into practice Hebrews 10:23-25. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (NIV 1984).
I haven’t played golf in a couple years. But I was invited to go out today to Casolwood in Canastota with Mark Boswell, Shaun Harrington and Peter Moon. It was great friendship and many laughs from the start. We played eighteen holes of captain and crew and came in at three under par. It was overcast but dry and warm with temperatures in the low sixties, a great fall day. The course was in good shape for late fall. I took advantage of my age and played from the Sr. tees. Pete hit some monster drives. Mark used his experience to make the calls as to which shot to play. Shaun saved his best shots for the last holes, saving us from golf disaster several times. I stayed with my three-wood most of the afternoon since I have played so little. But on the 17th hole, Pete tempted me into finally getting out the driver. He had hit a great drive and I knew that in order to better it, I had to move up from the three-wood to the driver. So I did and successfully outdrove him, surprising none more than myself. I ended on eighteen with another picturesque driver shot – one of my best ever. Whenever I play golf, I always remember the advice of my friend Bryce Tuttle, former owner of Skyridge Golf Course. He used to say, “Golf is a believer’s game.” Pete, however, said that he has to dream it. Then he can make the shot. Well, sometimes he did and sometimes… but that’s golf. The outdoor air, the few good shots you make and the great company keep you coming back.
JoAnne and I love walking at Green Lakes. It’s good exercise, it’s calming to the spirit, and there is just something about nature that invigorates. I think God made it that way. If we are walking together, we can talk over things. If she has gone on ahead to conquer more territory, I often pray as I walk. I enjoy greeting the other people walking and occasionally, I’m privileged to pet a dog or two as well.
Lots of animals and birds to see
We have observed all kinds of creatures while walking; deer are regulars—four at once on this walk. As a bird-watcher I’ve observed many birds there too—owls, pileated woodpeckers, a pheasant, wild turkey, crows, ravens, vultures, geese, to name the bigger birds. Probably the rarest ones for this area that I’ve seen were an orchard oriole and a fox sparrow. This past summer I was overjoyed to spot a scarlet tanager in full color.
Fall pictures on the path by Round Lake
Speaking of full color, fall is such a gorgeous time to walk in the falling leaves. Here are some pictures I snapped with my old Kodak digital. It has such blue blues.
