(518) 465-5161
emmanuelalbany@juno.com
November 2009
Volume XXX No. 10
Pastoral Ponderings…
Do you hear what I hear? The sound of the organ, long silent but revived in time for the
175 Anniversary Banquet. I had thought that music at Emmanuel couldn’t be better than what I
had experienced since I came here in January, but I was wrong! The organ’s sound is
magnificent, and reminds me that someone has described the flute as “the feminine voice of God” and the pipe
organ as “the masculine voice of God.” I’m not sure of the gender part, but I do believe that both instruments –
and many other musical instruments (maybe even the mountain dulcimer!) – are some of God’s voices.
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Voices raised in song – both instrumental and human voices – have obviously been an important part of
Emmanuel’s life together. What a blessing that is!
I have been blessed in most of the churches I have served, to experience a variety of marvelous music. Coming
from a home church where music was a significant part of our ministry, I have reveled in the richness of church
music tradition, including contemporary hymnology and praise music.
In many “mainline” (or are we now “sideline”?) churches the “worship wars” are waged between those who
love the old songs and those who relate best to new songs. Many congregations have moved to some form of
“blended” music at worship, which satisfies most only marginally, and greatly disgruntles some.
There are those of us who love a variety of music in worship and who are the happiest with blended worship.
But even we eclectics relate better to some hymns and spiritual songs than we do to others. Part of it is that we
remember fondly the music of our childhoods, when we felt particularly warm and comfortable in worship (for
me, singing or listening to the organ was definitely preferable to listening to the preacher …). Usually when
people say they want to sing the “old songs” they don’t mean Gregorian chant, nor do they refer to hymns of the
Reformation. They mean those of the turn of the 19th to the 20th century.
There are those who don’t like any hymns they’ve never sung before. I gently remind them that there was a time
when even “Amazing Grace” was new to them. I purposely do not ask what hymns a congregation knows/likes
when I begin leading worship, because I think it’s good for all of us to try something new, at least once in
awhile. Now I’ve been at Emmanuel long enough to ask you: if there are hymns you’d like to sing, whether
they are in the hymnal or the supplement, please let me know, and we’ll fit them in somehow.
Whatever we’re singing, whatever the choir is singing, whatever wonderful piece Michael is playing on organ,
piano, or electric piano, Emmanuel is making all kinds of “joyful noises” – and we will continue to do so,
through November into Advent. And let’s continue to make a joyful noise to the Lord!
Grace & peace,
Lois
From Service to Others Commission…
Profiles in Mission
by Karen Green
Everyone knows how involved people in our congregation are with mission projects
concerning Emmanuel and our surrounding community, but many of us don’t know what
projects people sitting next to us in church are involved in beyond that.
Warren Burton, who is married to Jean, has been a member of Emmanuel since 1999. Before he
retired, he had taught fifth grade for thirty years. He started his teaching career in NYC and moved on
to teach at New Berlin Central and finished his teaching career at Schoharie Central. He has lived in
Gallupville since 1970.
Warren’s volunteering has kept him busy. He has 40 years of volunteer fire service; 16 years as an
E.M.T. and charter member of Scho-Wright Ambulance which started in 1970. He has volunteered in
the past at the FOCUS Breakfast Program and has helped organize, plan and cook meals at Emmanuel.
Another rrewarding mission Warren participates in with his Labrador Retriever, Neo, is visiting with
patients at the Albany Veterans Hospital, and St. Peter’s and Cobbleskill Regional hospitals.
Warren and Jean like skiing, hiking, gardening and enjoying the outdoors in their retirement. They
never have to worry about being bored!
FOCUS Community Breakfasts to be Served
On November 3 the FOCUS winter Breakfast Program will begin at Westminster
Presbyterian Church. Serving from 7 to 9 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
until mid-April, this ministry provides warm fellowship and safe space as well as hot
meals to those who are hungry. If you would like to participate in this important work, please contact
the FOCUS office, 443-0460 or email focuschurches@juno.com
Pennies for Haven
November is “Homeless Awareness Month” so it is a fitting time for us to initiate the annual
“Pennies for Haven” fundraiser for the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless. Drop your
donations of pennies (larger denominations welcome!) in the bucket in Fellowship Hall. The collection
continues through November. The Interfaith Partnership provides shelter and meals, as well as a variety of
services at its Sheridan Hollow Drop-in Center. Interfaith’s mission is to “provide emergency shelter, services,
and advocacy for homeless people to maximize their self-sufficiency, foster their empowerment, and promote
their reintergration into the community.” Won’t you help? Thank you!
Service to Others would like to thank the following people for making a recent meal for
guests of Interfaith Partnership Shelter: Sally Cole, Marion Dickinson, Pat Hunziker, Becca
Leet, Tina Murphy and Jon Riegert.
Another meal will be delivered to the Emergency Overflow Shelter on November 11. If you
would like to help by preparing a dish for the shelter guests, please contact Karen Kendall.
November: toothpaste
Following is A Prayer of Forgiveness and Petition ~ “Kicking Mother Nature’s
Shins” from Through the Valley: Prayers for Violent Times by Margaret Anne
Huffman and submitted to us by Mark Chaffin:
Sharing is not a natural state, Creator God, as you know. We don’t share toys when we are
kids, and we don’t share land, sea and air with “lesser” creatures when we are adults. We
interpret your advice to “subdue” creation rather than fulfill your plan for us to be its
caretakers.
We walk roughshod over fellow creature’s homes and habitats and hunt what we do not need,
lying to ourselves that it doesn’t matter, that it isn’t connected to other violence around us. No
wonder we do the same to one another. We have little respect for life, little reverence for
other’s rights and places in it. It’s the same attitude: I need only think about me. Forgive us.
Teach us reverence for all creation. Slow our devouring appetites. Caution us against using up
future generations’ resources, especially since we will not feel the deprivation. Remind us that
a selfish heart is its own deprivation. Hold us accountable for raping the land and fouling the
water in the name of progress. Lead us past vacant buildings and ghost towns that mock our
drive for more, more, new, new. Teach us the wisdom in reusing, converting, reclaiming.
Teach us to love restraint. Show us the pleasure in making a ball of string, a wad of foil, a
heap of compost; in letting fireflies go; in preserving and protecting. Make us savers and not
wasters, creators of chronic random violence that falls like acid rain on our own heads!
Reconnect us to the roots and tides from which we came and to which we will go again.
Remind us just how earthly we are!
We might wind up king of the mountain only to discover that the mountain we have built with
our violence is a slag heap of stagnant leftovers. Amen.
Y
ou are invited to contribute to the cost of poinsettias which will be delivered to members of our church
family. The cost of a plant is $12. There is a particular need for volunteers to deliver the plants. Please
consider assisting in this ministry. You may use the form below to indicate your interest and return it to
Betty Mallory. Thank you!
=====================================
I plan to purchase a poinsettia ($12) and donate to a church member.
I plan to purchase a poinsettia ($12) to keep.
I am available to deliver a plant on December 20.
NAME: _________________________________________
Thanks to All for a Bountiful Banquet
Nearly 70 adults and 10 children celebrated Emmanuel’s 175th birthday on
Saturday, Oct. 24. The adults feasted on a delicious dinner catered by Classé
Catering of Albany, and the children enjoyed pizza and their own lively fellowship.
Thanks go out to the many people who made the event possible, especially
Tony Malone for emceeing and creating slide shows of wonderful “family pictures”
through the years; to Carole Keith, who crafted beautiful centerpieces for the banquet
tables; to Carole, Betty Mallory, Gail Hill, and their devoted assistants, who provided
decorations for the tables in the sanctuary and the fellowship hall; to Marion Dickinson
for creating several amazing scrapbooks of Emmanuel’s history from the
beginning to the present (and to be continued through the end of our
anniversary year); to Marion, Judy Henningson, Nancy Horan, and Amy
Palmer for selecting, mounting, and displaying key documents and
photographs from our history; to Michelle Anaya-Malone, who designed
the favors featuring Emmanuel Fun Facts and Trivia (Do you know what
special feature used to be on the second floor of the Education Building?);
to Judy, Nancy, and Tina Murphy for collaborating on researching and writing a history
of Emmanuel with emphasis on the last 25 years (Copies are available for $5 each.); to
Marilyn and Beth Malone for coordinating the ordering and sale of anniversary
mementos (which will be available on Sundays; to Michael Clement and the Emmanuel
Choir for their beautiful renditions of historic and contemporary hymns; to Becca Leet
and Beth Malone for an original and entertaining skit, and to all the people who worked
behind the scenes or lent a hand at the last minute to pull everything together.
The evening was a tribute not only to our history but also to the cooperation and
willingness to participate that characterize our church community today. Thank you all!
―E. L. for the Anniversary Committee
Dates to Remember…
November 1 ~ Daylight Saving Time
Ends: Fall Back!
November 2 ~ Coordinating Council at
Horan’s
November 8 ~ Diaconate Meeting
November 15 ~ Concert at 3:00
November 26-27 ~ Church Office Closed
Happy Thanksgiving!
Music With Her Silver Sound
a Recital of Arias and Songs
inspired by Shakespeare
November 15, 3 pm
Bienvenida Baez, soprano
Elizabeth Lehmann, mezzo-soprano
Michael Clement, piano
Admission Free: donations benefit Church
Organ Restoration
Happy Birthday…
NOVEMBER
Elaine Bird
Judy Henningson
Michael Green
Jon Stroebel
Heather LaBarge
Deb Jameson
Elizabeth Sipe
Bowden Wise
Roy Mallory
Pat Campbell
David Blabey, Jr.
Walter Spoor
5th
8th
11th
13th
14th
15th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
27th
28th
Doug Folos
Kathy Moore
Jon Riegert
Michele Calvin
Brian Hughes
Matt Lahut
Tom Lahut
Jennie DeFlaviis
Helen Torian
Laura Barelski
Charles Johnson
1st
8th
8th
9th
11th
12th
14th
15th
29th
29th
31st

Men’s Luncheon Scheduled
On November 4 at 11:45 am, Emmanuel men are
invited to gather at the 76 Diner in Latham for lunch
and friendly fellowship. If you plan to attend,
please contact Bob Hunziker so that adequate
seating can be arranged. Thank you!
Corporate Management invites
anyone who can spare a couple of
hours to come to a Work Day at
the church on Saturday, November 14, from
9 to Noon. Lunch will be served.
Advent begins
November 29
Nursing Home Visits Continue

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On Saturday, November 7 the Choir will visit
Delmar Place where Emmanuel member, Chris
Tooley resides. Rehearsal will begin at 9:30 and the
program will follow. This is a very special ministry
of love and care that uplifts residents and staff alike.
If you have questions, you may contact Pat
Hunziker.
Deadline for the December MOSAIC is
November 18
“Meet the Parents”
Our first gathering of the season
will be on November 22 from 4
to 6 pm. Details will be
forthcoming. If you have any questions, you may
contact Audrey Ford.
Emmanuel Baptist Church
275 State St.
Albany, NY 12210