The Pioneer

‘Preparing for others to follow’

Preble Congregational Church

United Church of Christ
PO Box 186 1953 Preble Road
Preble, New York 13141
607-749-3606 (office)
[email protected]

May 2024

At our most recent Bible study session we were discussing the creation story.
The entire lesson was based on Genesis 1:31.

“God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good.”
We worked our way through the creation story day by day and at the end of each day we came
to the words… “And God saw that it was good.” Each day as we look at the world around us,
we can see the beauty of creation everywhere. At this time of year, I spend time just sitting and
watching the birds at our birdfeeder. Each day seems to bring a new visitor. Sometimes they
mingle together and some chase each other away wanting food for themselves. I now await the
arrival of the first hummingbird. All this is part of what is “good”.

Following our Bible study session my mind began to think about what we also see everyday in
our newspaper or on television news reporting, the not so good that surrounds us. On the sixth
day God created man to take care of this world. What kind of a job are we doing. We read about
wars, the killing of police and others for no reason, the destructive storms across our world and
those without a place to call home. We look at all of this and more and think “what have we
done to the world we live in?”. Are we good stewards of this world? God created man to take
care of the world and everything in it. This is a lot to think about.
I would like to finish with this quote from our study book.
“Tucked into this wonderful, creative work of God, we find a great promise. We find the hope
that God has a plan bigger than what we see in the hard places in our lives. Bigger than the
mess in which we find ourselves. These places and messes may frighten, unsettle, and confuse
us, even lead us to feelings of fear, anxiety and hopelessness. But God brings hope. There are
things that we can and must do to change some of these things, but we cannot do them alone.
 MY THOUGHTS

During this time of the year, I find myself getting outside more and walking around my neighborhood.
One of the things I love most is watching the trees coming to life and the flowers blooming. Daffodils
are my favorite- such joy, new life and character in those tiny yellow bulbs.

Both in Matthew and Isaiah- the biblical writers-challenge the listener to “consider the lilies/flowers of
the field.” Both use the Hebrew word “tsiyts” (pronounced Tseets) to mean flowers or lilies. Tsiyts
however can be also translated to mean “flower, bloom, shiny, bright color, feather or wing” meaning
that tsiyts is a call for us to notice something new. For anyone of us with problems focusing while
working near a window- tsiyts is not our friend.

Whenever I walk around a city- I can tell the difference between the locals and the tourist by which
way they are looking when they walk. Locals tend to look down at the street, while tourists look up
often to see the buildings’ peaks. Locals look beyond the person and see the far-off destination, while
tourists tend to make eye contact or notice things happening. Locals look at phones and tourists can’t
seem to keep eyes off of shining lights and things being sold by street vendors.

Perhaps spring, and this time after easter, is a time for us to take serious the challenge to notice our
world with new perception, to take nothing for granted and to “consider” things we may have assumed
before. Tsiyts means that we start that project, plant those seeds and listen to the entire new Taylor
Swift album. (its good)

As for me, I will continue to look at the daffodils as I walk, turn my head up to notice the building
peaks as I walk and try not to take anything for granted in this world that God has created to be
Good…

A Prayer:
God of flowers and music
God of spring and shiny things
As Seasons bloom
We give thanks
As growth occurs
We give thanks
As change happens
We give thanks
Challenge us to notice, ponder and respond
In Jesus name
Amen

Grace and Peace-

Ryan Henderson, Conference Minister, NY Conference, UCC
 My Thoughts

When I’m on vacation, it seems that I’m nearly always climbing to get a good view. It was no
different this month: Dan and I were in Tuscany, climbing mountains and endless flights of
stairs in medieval towers to get to places where we could see and gain some perspective. When
I returned to work, with fresh eyes, I noticed the contrast. In my ministry, I’m providing
guidance and support for people on a journey. I’m sharing a path of preparation with someone
discerning a call; I’m supporting a congregation seeking pastoral leadership; I’m addressing
problems and offering advice to enable folks to move forward. But I can’t really see where
they’re going. And the nature of wider church ministry in 2024 means that I’m mostly engaging
with those on their journeys from my home office via Zoom or email or phone calls. I respond
to a question or offer a resource, and they’re on their way.

To be honest, though, in this liminal time for the church, none of us can see too far along the
path ahead. I hunger to get a glimpse of what the Spirit is bringing into being; I want to be
aware of what’s coming. All I do know is that gaining perspective is not a matter of climbing
somewhere for a long view. This week, I turned again to Susan Beaumont’s How to Lead When
You Don’t Know Where You’re Going: Leading in a Liminal Season to get my bearings. I
appreciate her encouragement to expand our field of attention (getting out of our own way and
seeing differently) and to let go of expectations in order to lead from a place of wonder. It may
be that seeing one step of the journey is enough for now, as long as we can manage our anxiety,
trust our creative and generous God, and take necessary risks for the sake of love.

With blessings,
Rev. Dr. Marjorie Purine
Associate Conference Minister
NY Conference, United Church of Christ
 24 PANCAKES?
WOW!
THANK YOU, MIKE!
Mike ate 24 pancakes at the
May 2024
Marathon Maple Festival Pancake
Eating Contest fund raiser and raised
May 5th: Lois Haas
over $1082.00 for the Preble
May 12: Lois Haas
Mothers’ Day Community Food Pantry!
May 19: Lou Scott Mike came up with this idea to help
May 24th: All orders due for Pies
the Pantry and followed through with
and Flags
th Pantry volunteers and this Church
May 26 : Rev. Barbara Schwartz
May 27th: Pick-up date for Pies AND Mike did the work of eating 24
pancakes.
Bible Study meets each Tuesday at Mike had pledges totaling $23.00 per
the church at 6:30pm. Join us.
pancake eaten. Plus, there were many
one-time pledges to help the cause.

THANK YOU, MIKE AND ALL WHO

PREDGED TO BENEFIT THE
PREBLE COMMUNITY FOOD
PANTRY.

May 2024
st
May 1 : Potluck Luncheon Noon
May 11th: BINGO 6:00 pm
th
May 15 : Potluck Dinner 6:00pm PANCAKE PLEDGES
May 29th: Craft Project 1:00pm Just a friendly note to remind you. If
you haven’t already sent in what you
All events are held at the Preble
Fire Station. pledged to the pancake eating contest
to benefit the food pantry, please
send them in. For those who pledged
per pancake, Mike ate 24!
 terrible things will happen. Don’t be
afraid. I am with you. Nothing can
ever separate us. It’s for you I created
the universe. I love you.”
May 2: Leslie Smith He goes on to say “..like any other
Laurna Henderson gift, the gift of grace can be yours
3: Michael Simister only if you reach out and take it.”
9: John Steger So true that life is a mix of good and
10: Nathan Limmer bad, beautiful, and terrible. So many
Robert Lieber of its complexities are beyond our
Nate Shirley understanding. We can’t understand
11: Donna Miller atrocities inflicted by humans upon
13: Eric Miller humans, why war is the way of choice
19: Bill Coffin when surely there must be better
21: Virginia Earnshaw ways, the pain of watching a loved
22: Wes Swayze one suffer, and the list goes on with
28: Amber Twentyman personal meaning for each one.
Leon Whalen Possibly we aren’t meant to grasp it
29: Millie Briggs all. But rather to be led to totally rely
upon God, our Father, take our
burdens to Him and leave them. We
have been blest with this day and
should rejoice and be glad in it!!
Joy in the Morning
By Joy Nis wender

Joy shared this message in 2005.

These words could have been written
today. Is there someone graduating that
you would like to celebrate?
Once again, the words of Frederick
Buechner offered me inspiration. His In June we would like to celebrate
thoughts regarding the grace of God those graduating this year. If you
are both simple and profound. He know of someone graduating this
visualizes God as saying, “Here is year, please contact Pat Twentyman
with the information so we can honor
your life. You might never have been,
them on Graduation Sunday. You can
but you are because the party
wouldn’t have been complete without reach Pat at (1-315- 696-8741) or by
you. Here is the world. Beautiful and email at [email protected]
 Dear Friends at Preble Congregational
Join in the Fun Church,
Thank you for your wonderful cards.
Annual Preble Garage Sales
I miss you so much. Hope to see you
June 1st (only) sometime soon.
8am to 3 pm Blessing to All
Do you have someone else’s treasures Love,
in your closet? There will be an ad Leilani Schoff
placed in the newspaper. If you would
like your address listed as a
participating member of this sale we
would be happy to include it. If you
have something special you would like
advertised please contact Donna
Wheelock at 749-4805 by May 27th. Dear Preble Church Family,
Help make this the BIGGEST sale yet.
Clean out those closets. Thank you for the Easter basket filled
with Happy Spring thoughts. We’ve
planted the sunflowers in the kitchen
window and will enjoy watching them
grow!
Sincerely,
Joy

Dear Neighbor..

A very heartfelt thank you for your

donation to the Homer Food Pantry.
Your support helps so many in our
community and is much appreciated.
“Your kindness will reward you..”
Proverbs 11:17
Peace and Blessings,
Your Mailbox Friends
Homer Food Pantry
Community Garden in Preble; 2023
The Preble Community Garden, located at 1953 Preble Road, Preble, NY, is
dedicated to offering free fresh produce to all.
The community garden is cultivated, planted and tended by volunteers from the
area. Volunteering in the garden is open to everyone. You do not have to be
affiliated with the church to dig, plant, weed and harvest in the garden.
The garden offers the opportunity for you to use your gardening skills towards
sharing fresh food with others, and an opportunity to improve your gardening skills
and the gardening skills of fellow gardeners.
The garden includes a several gardening areas, as well as the vegetables in pots
area (a project that was started several years ago). We hope to offer summer
squash, zucchini, cabbage, beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, potatoes
and whatever else volunteers choose to plant and tend.
The “Sharing Produce Stand” is an area where we all can share produce (and
flowers; perennials and annuals) from our own gardens and this community
garden.
The produce stand at the garden is a “sharing stand”. Take what you wish, donate
as you can. Produce is free to everyone. Stop by the stand for fresh veggies. Stop
by to drop off abundance from your own gardens.
The Preble Community Garden volunteers hope to expand the garden and the
variety of vegetables (and other plants) grown. We hope to add more raised beds
and accessible gardening. We are hoping to open an area for individuals to have
gardens. Suggestions are welcome.
We hope to include education in gardening, including group plantings like the three
sisters, small space gardening, and the Seeds to Supper program. We hope to help
those wishing to improve their gardens and/or start a garden at home. We hope to
have education about preserving food.
We look forward to more volunteers joining this effort. Look for notices on
Facebook, in The Pioneer (the Preble Congregational Church newsletter), and on
signs near the garden for dates and times we will be getting together to prepare,
plant, tend, and do other group activities.
We are looking for suggestions for more ways the garden can be a good neighbor
to the area.
If you have suggestions, questions or would like to be part of the garden volunteer
group and get garden news and updates via e-mail please contact by e-mail lou
scott at [email protected].
If you see us in the garden, stop by; we will be happy to chat.
 En d o wme n t Co mmit t e e
Ne ws

At the annual meeting revised

endowment bylaws were approved.
“And now faith, hope, and love abide,
They allow the yearly investment
these three: and the greatest of these is
love.” account profit, if any, to be dispersed.
I Corinthians 13:13 The gain from 2023 was $18,153.39,
Our mission project for the month of a GOOD year.
May is for Church World Service The bylaws state that 50%
Blankets. The CWS Blankets program ($9,076.69) is reinvested in the
is all about sharing love. Through this
endowment fund and becomes
simple act of kindness, amazing
things can happen. principal, 25% ($4,538.35) goes to the
We have participated in this mission General Fund checking account and
for many years. My first memories of 25% ($4,538.35) is put in the
this mission were connected with Endowment checking account. The
Mother’s Day in some manner. It has trustees control the General Fund
always been collected in the month of checking and the Endowment
May. As I remember we were asked to Committee oversees their portion to
remember our mother, grandmother or be used for “missions not normally
some other motherly person in our funded”. These funds must be
lives and donate a blanket in their requested in writing to the committee,
honor. The blankets provide warmth then presented to the Church Council
and security to those who received
and then to a Congregational meeting.
them. The blankets can be for warmth,
shelter from the elements or even to The Endowment Committee is
carry items from place to place. accepting requests at this time.
If you would like to contribute to this
mission, you may send a check to the
church indicating “Blankets” in the
corner or bring it when you join us in
worship.
We’re grateful for your generosity,
kindness and desire to share warmth,
compassion and blankets with
others.
THE PIONEER
May 2024

Pies on the Porch

Order Your Pies for Memorial Day

Flags on the Front Lawn

You may order a flag to honor someone
or in memory of someone.

More information can be found on a page inside.