Photo Op

Here's the photo of your pastor and our neighbor the Governor at the Memorial Day Parade in Chappaqua.  Elisabeth was taking the picture and he was encouraging her to come and get in the photo.  For a few seconds we felt like the most important people in the state.  Then he talked to the TV cameras and then on to a Memorial Day Parade in Queens.  It's nice to get to know your neighbors, isn't it?

Good Neighbors

Memorial Day weekend was another highlight of our first year in Mount Kisco.  The worship service at PCMK was wonderful.  Ken Godshall preached a thoughtful sermon on what Jesus means to him (and all of us).  Our son David and his girlfriend Saerom played violin duets and Dorothy Beach filled in for Terry Flanagan who had the weekend off.  The baptism of Joshua Gabriel Cowan was delightful and we even ordained, installed and commissioned two deacons, an elder and a trustee who were not available at the March ordination service.  Speaking of ordination, Ken Godshall will be ordained in our sanctuary next Sunday, June 2nd at 3pm.  Please plan to be there.

On Monday we went to the Memorial Day Parade in Chappaqua.  It was a small town parade with national dignitaries present.  Gov. Cuomo and Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton marched in the front of the parade.  When the parade ended at the train station both Gov. Cuomo and Secretary Clinton were available to shake hands and chat with their neighbors.  I spent probably a minute or so with the governor.  I told him we were next door neighbors and he replied, "Are we behaving?"  He also thanked us for our kindness.  I'm not sure what he meant, but I said we were glad to help.  I posed for a picture and on he went.  He has an impressive presence about him.  I hope I can talk to him again at some point.

Looking forward, there are more good things to come at PCMK.  This weekend Rev. Charles Barton is preaching and then we have worship in the park on June 9th.  But before then we have the rummage sale on June 7 and 8.  There is never a dull moment around here.

See you in church,

Pastor Dale

David and Saerom 

What a Sunday!

Sunday, May 19th was amazing.  It was Youth Sunday and PCMK has some of the best youth in the world.  We had a fantastic confirmation class of ten who joined the church after three were baptized.  We heard musical selections from Nicholas (flute) and Alexandra Kung (piano), Julia Dalrymple (voice) and Marcello Carelli (drum), the children's choir, youth handbell choir, and Lindsay Emery (organ).  You can see already it was a big service, but that's not all.  Sarah Lucas and Love Bauer led a cute chilren's message, and we said thank you" to Angie Kung and Lynn Lucas for a decade of skillful leadership of our Christian Education program.  We heard eloquent mini-sermons from our two graduating seniors, Beverly Tai and Linda Griffee.  But wait, there's more!  Parish Associate Charles Barton led a beautiful prayer of commissioning for our high school mission trip. 
On top of all that, it was Pentecost!  But Pentecost is the perfect theme for a youth Sunday.  Youth are full of spirit and energy and they are inspiring to watch and learn from.  We enjoy the youth so much that Elisabeth and I had the mission team to the manse for our last monthly meeting before we go next month.
This has been an awesome year of learning and growing with the best church, the best Christian education team, the best youth, the best music and, well, you get the idea.
See you in church.
Pastor Dale

Gathering Music: Lindsay

Call to Worship: Akin

Prayer of Confession: Alexandra

Children's Choir

Children's Time: Sarah and Love

Scripture Reading: Matthew

Prayer: Graham

Thank You to Our Christian Educators: Angie and Lynn

Solo - Julia

Sermon: Dale with Laura and Beverly

Affirmation of Faith: Marcello

Confirmation Journey: Lynn with Max and Sam

Sacrament of Baptism: Dylan, Gaige, and Seamus

Confirmation Class 2013

Call for Offering: Anthony

Offertory: Nicholas (flute) and Alexandra (piano)

Commissioning of HS Youth Mission Trip to WV

The Youth of PCMK

We are blessed.  Psalms 127: 4-5 says, "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed are they who fill their quivers with them!"  Forgive the warrior imagery (quivers are what you put arrows in) but how true this is.  Children are a blessing.  This is true for a family and for a church.  And we are indeed blessed at PCMK!
Last Sunday our children lined the center aisle of the sanctuary as the Sunday School teachers came in.  Like a football team being welcomed by the cheerleaders, our kids gave high fives and hugs to their favorite teachers.  It was controlled chaos.  This procession was followed by our children's choir singing "Have Patience" starring Herbert the snail!  It was a truly joyful way to celebrate Mother's Day at PCMK.
This coming Sunday will celebrate the older kids on our annual Youth Sunday.  The confirmation class of 2013 will be welcomed into membership, the high school seniors will be honored, and our high school mission team will be commissioned for their trip to West Virginia in June.  It is going to be another day of 'counting our blessings.'
We are blessed to have all these wonderful kids and the support of parents, staff and other volunteers.  I am blessed to be the pastor of a church with such a full quiver!

Dancing Around the May Pole

Today is May 1st.  Many of us know it as May Day, a day to honor workers and the Labor Movement.  But there is another tradition for May 1st known as the May Pole (or Maypole).  My experience was with the "Dancing Around the May Pole" tradition from England.  On May 1st communities would erect a tall pole (some as high as 88 feet) with colorful ribbons streaming down.  Then people would grab one of the ribbons and dance around the pole.  As the ribbons tightened up the pole became a colorful candy cane.  The origin is in distant pagan Europe as a celebration of spring.  Grumpy Presbyterians were almost successful in wiping out the tradition in Scotland and parts of England.  It was simply too much fun for it to be Christian, they thought.
I don't have a May Pole to dance around, but my May 1st has been fun.  The church staff had our first Wednesday lunch out on the patio in honor of Stephanie Boorman's birthday.  As I work in my office I am looking out over the Governor's pond and a beautiful Dogwood tree on our property.  As I look to the Great Hall the cherry trees are in full bloom.  But even more beautiful than the scenery are the people.  At staff meeting we were discussing the exciting family-centered events coming up in May. 
The month starts with communion and the Ladies Tea on May 1st.  Then on May 12th we will honor all mothers and our Sunday School teachers.  Then on the 19th we will celebrate our confirmation class, our high school seniors and Angie Kung and Lynn Lucas who have worked so hard for so long to build our excellent children's Christian Education program.  On the 26th, the soon to be Rev. Ken Godshall will preach for us before his ordination on June 2nd at 3pm.
My family and a friend of ours have been in church in recent weeks and they were amazed at the number of chilren.  They had never seen anything like it!  Angie and Lynn are a big reason why there are so many.
I hope you have a blessed May Day and May Month.  Coming to church in May will help make it so.
See you at the May Pole,
Pastor Dale