Good News/Bad News

The Great Emancipator

Site of Some of Our Meetings in D.C. 

Getting a Jump on Spring Flowers in D.C.

What's Left of a Family Car!

These weeks following Easter have been full of activity at church and beyond.  As I look back I see several stories of good news/bad news.  

Two weeks ago I was in Washington D.C. for a conference on Mass Incarceration: Breaking the Chains of Injustice.  The good news is that mass incarceration is a new term in our nation's vocabulary and people are starting to get it.  There is even bi-partisan support to end the ridiculously high rates and long terms of incarceration in our country.  The bad news is that there are millions of Americans locked up for years and years, many of them for petty drug possession.  We will share more of what we learned in sermons, adult ed classes and social justice projects.

The good news is that spring is here and there is a freshness and joy in the air.  The bad news is that it is allergy season for many.

The bad news is a young family had a car burn up in our church parking lot last Saturday afternoon.  The good news is everyone got out safely.  She saw smoke coming from the engine and then she wisely pulled in our parking lot and got the kids out!  The Mount Kisco Fire Department did a great job putting out the fire.

The bad news is the terrible earthquake in Nepal.  The scenes of the destruction are terrible.  I lived through many earthquakes in California so I know how terrifying they can be.  The good news is you can help by donating to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance fund.  Go to www.pda.pcusa.org and give generously.  PDA has a great reputation of getting funds into the hands of people who are there helping people.  PCMK did mission projects through PDA after Katrina.

So while there is suffering all around us, it is always good to know that God is on the side of those most in need of help.  That's the best news of all.

PCMK Welcomes an Old Friend

Disclaimer!  Let's be clear--by "old friend" I mean she has been a friend of PCMK for a long time, not that she is old!

On Sunday PCMK welcomed Dr. Susan Andrews, General Presbyter of Hudson River Presbytery, to worship and fellowship with us.  We made the most of her time as she taught the confirmation youth about Presbyterian Polity (who better!) and then preached an amazing Easter sermon on John 20.  She was surrounded with well-wishers in the coffee hour and then Elisabeth and I took her to lunch.

We were glad and proud to have her with us on Sunday.  Glad because she is weeks away from retirement as our Presbytery leader.  Proud because she is a distinguished national leader of our denomination as well.  Her wisdom and experience will be missed in Hudson River, and I will miss her as a colleague and friend.

Dozens of PCMK members signed our well-wishes as did the session at its last meeting.  Dr. Andrews was a true friend to this church in times of transition and she will not be forgotten.  If you would like to add your message of appreciation, just email the church office and we will forward along with the others.

See you in church,

Pastor Dale

A Truly Holy Week

A Stark Sanctuary for Good Friday

Choir Preparing Easter Morning

A Full Sanctuary Easter Morning

Children Counting Their Easter Eggs

Easter Finest--Nigerian Style!

An Easter Brunch With Friends!

Holy Week was a wonderful, memorable, spiritually rewarding time for us all at PCMK.  It started with the joyful procession of Palm Sunday, moved through the reflection of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and then erupted in the joy of Easter morning.

We are blessed at PCMK in so many ways.  We have children all over the place; and Easter without children just isn't the same.  We have fabulous music; and Sunday had many highlights from the prelude, to the hymns, anthems and the Hallelujah chorus.  We are blessed to  have a great fellowship team who show hospitality with such style!  And, oh yes, there was a sermon which I found a blessing to prepare.  I preached it to an empty sanctuary on Saturday night to get out the jitters, and I found myself listening to the message more than usual.  He is risen, just as he said.  He has gone on ahead to Galilee, go find him there.  The message for me is that we need to go find the risen Jesus in places of ministry in our "Galilees."

The joy of Easter was made even more special with a surprise visit with dear friends from Erie, PA. We had a great lunch together on a beautiful Spring day.  It doesn't get much better than this (except to include our own children who were not able to be home for Easter).

Easter is the highlight of the church year, but there are many more exciting things to come in the weeks and months ahead at PCMK.  It starts with the Rev. Dr. Susan Andrews as our guest preacher this Sunday.  We are blessed to have her with us as she is just weeks away from her retirement as our General Presbyter.

We are blessed in so many ways, and the hope of Easter is at the top of the list!

See you in church,

Pastor Dale