103 1st Street, Riverhead, New York 11901, United States
Beacon Light Newsletter
Pastor's Note
Dear Friends and Members of our First Congregational Church,
The time of year has come to not only look forward at the goodness to come (please, Lord), but to reflect on the year gone by. Although we said goodbye to some folk near and dear to us in the year, 2024 was largely a good one with continued good ministry and blessings for many. Many thanks to all the helping hands who continue to make such possible.
With the year’s start, the Thrift Shop again saw its January closing and big cleaning and reshuffling. We did have a few snow days, but all in all things went well and we got everything in order and done for our Annual Meeting.
The second Sunday of February was our Souper Bowl Sunday. That saw a robust offering in church, with many cans of soup received, and the soup at our Fellowship Hour was great. That’s always a big (and popular) treat
for us. Lent began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14th. We had a service with our sister UCC churches, with Rev. Stan preaching. Peggy, also from Baiting Hollow, was a great addition, as she stepped in to play the organ since neither George nor Marguerite could do so that evening. As the weather was less than wonderful, the crowd was a bit thin but it still made for a lovely service.
Throughout Lent, we had our Wednesday evenings services. Participation was decent but not quite robust. None the less, it gave all who attended a fine opportunity to hear other voices in our community. Maundy Thursday saw a communion service at Old Steeple, and the Good Friday service was again held at Baiting Hollow.
For Easter, we returned to celebrate a Sunrise Communion Service in Grangebel Park at 7:00am, before our Sanctuary Service at 10:00. The Easter lilies and “Breads of the World” added to a lovely celebration in our
church.
On the Second Sunday of Easter, April 7, we received Erik and Meaghan Howard as members of our church. They and their two girls continue to be very engaged in our church.
In addition to our regular coffee hours, we had a special German brunch on April 28th (with special thanks to my visiting friends from Germany), and another fine brunch on Mother’s Day, which was hosted by the men of
the church. Before that brunch offering, the women of the church did a fine job leading worship for us on Mother’s Day. And our service for Pentecost was also fun, as it was complete with balloons and laughter.
As summer arrived, we continued to have some celebrations, most notably our Father’s Day service which was led by the men of the church and the brunch, hosted by the women, afterward. It’s yet another tradition well
worth keeping. I was also honored to be asked to lead the opening prayers for our Town’s Memorial Day celebration at the WWI site. The pace of things did slow down a bit in the summer months, but we were up and running as fall arrived.
It was good to have Associate Conference Minister Rev. Barbara Toll with us on Sept. 22nd. She did a great job with the kids and delivered a fine sermon. The next highlight was our World Communion Sunday Oct. 6, complete with more fine music from the choir, a variety of breads for communion, and our Neighbors in Need Special offering. The afternoon saw the Rev. Stan Knavel’s funeral at Baiting Hollow Church. He made his way to heaven on the 1st, after a long battle with a variety of illnesses.
What turned out to be for her last time, Dot Walsh went into the hospital that same Sunday. Because the cancer had continued to spread, and neither radiation nor chemotherapy were options for her, Dot entered the Kanas
Center where she saw her last days in late October. A celebration of her life was later set for December 7. That saw a very large crowd and we hosted the reception after the service in our Fellowship Hall, again with many thanks to our volunteers.
October 13 was our Riverhead Country Fair Day. We again had a wonderful quilt display in the sanctuary. With thanks to our volunteers, the quilts were set out Saturday and the day was well hosted. Then on the 19th, we had
two representatives from Phoenix House who gave a short and excellent program of NARCAN training.
The end of October saw the arrival of a new pastor at Old Steeple, the Rev. Kerstin Weidmann. She preached at our Interfaith Thanksgiving Service which we hosted on the Sunday before Thanksgiving (11/24, 4:00).
There were two additional deaths of church members. Carol Terry, who spent the last years of her life in Acadia Center, made her way to heaven on Nov. 5. After visiting with the family on Tuesday, I did both the funeral and
burial on Wednesday Nov. 13. The other death was that of Don Wylie, another longtime and faithful member of our church. His daughter informed us of his passing and sent us a lovely memorial fund offering. We also lost
Don Brink, who was living in North Carolina with his wife Sally
For Thanksgiving, the altar area was nicely decorated, thanks to our Adult Bible Study class . We decked the We decked the
halls for Christmas with lots of fine touches at church on Dec. 8th, and that was followed by a pizza lunch for us which added to the joy. The sanctuary was absolutely beautiful for our Christmas Eve service which saw our “Imperfect Christmas Joy.”
Throughout the year we also enjoyed Sunday School (thanks Jane and Sandy) and Adult Bible Study classes, wonderfully busy Thrift Shop days (yay volunteers!), and times of blessing through fellowship dinners and coffee hours, counseling sessions and visits. The gardens have regularly been well tended, with thanks to Allan, and the buildings are all in decent shape, with still some fixing to come but with much, especially at the parsonage, that has been done. Thanks also go out to Bread & More Soup kitchen volunteers for all they do to alleviate the suffering of others. It’s great to see how our God has worked and continues to work through us all.
As we make our way through this new year, we’ll keep you posted of all our offerings and happenings. There’s more goodness to come, thanks be to God.
Hope to see you in church!
Blessings,
Pastor Sean
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DEACONS
With the exception of serving communion, the work of the deacons is largely handled by the committees of our church. Members have done much to bless us through work with Christian Education, Fellowship, special events, PR & Evangelism, and visitation, including sending notes of prayerful support to our members. Our thanks go out to all of them. Each year as we get set for our Annual Meeting, we’re always looking for those who are willing to fill out the ministry teams as deacons of our church. If interested, please speak to Pastor or Sandy Gruner.
MISSIONS AND BENEVOLENCES
Throughout the year, members of our church donated to United Church of Christ Special Missions. These missions support and bring hope to people in the United States and throughout the world. They include One Great Hour of Sharing, Strengthening the Church, Neighbors in Need and the Christmas Fund. Each year our church makes a monetary commitment which we have fulfilled. Church members also contributed to the Rotary Club collection for school supplies and their “Adopt a Family” program at Christmas and a hurricane relief fund.
-Shirley Bergman and Nancy Repp
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
No major repairs were needed this year in the church building or church office. We are grateful for the
Presbyterian Church members, who use our church Saturday evenings, for painting the church fellowship hall. Exterior work on the church steeple is needed but we have had a hard time finding a contractor to complete the work. The gardens and grounds continue to be maintained by Allan Repp with the exception of lawn cuts. The big project this year has been the new siding on the parsonage. The roof was also cleaned, windows painted and exterior lights replaced. Monies for these projects were withdrawn from the Fairly Account in the amount of $29,000. The money in this account can only be spent on expenses and repairs to the parsonage. If you notice any maintenance problems, please inform Pastor, James Wooten or Allan Repp.
-Allan Repp
TRUSTEES REPORT
The Board of Trustee’s and the Deacons continue to meet every month throughout the year. Although the not all positions have been filled, the group has successfully managed to carry out the responsibilities of the care and operation of the Church. We ask for all members to consider volunteering to serve on the boards, the rewards and energy is a blessing and reflects our commitment to share our Faith. Financially, the Church continues to meet all of its financial obligations, thanks in large part to the donations by our members and friends. The thrift
shop, which is a blessing to the community, has become a thriving source of income for the mission of our Church. Expenses continue to rise as the cost of labor and materials increase. Our greatest concern was the cancellation of our longtime insurance company Church Mutual. Melinda Topping worked tirelessly to search and investigate alternative companies, and thankfully one was found to accommodate our needs in the New Year. The additional cost rose from $16000 to $29000. We look forward to a New Year with optimism and confidence that the Lord will provide, and the Church will remain a beacon in the community.
Jim Wooten
PR & EVANGELISM
It is our constant concern to find ways to build the size of our congregation. We ask each month for any ideas or suggestions to make this possible. While we have a cherished community of faith, we would like to build and enhance that group to make the church more inviting, exciting and vital to each member and the community at large. We are generating a list of members who we no longer see in church. We hope that along with Pastor we can reach out to them and see if there is anything that can be done to get them to return to church. Over the year, our relationship with WLNG has allowed us to advertise church events and thrift shop sales. With
feedback, we have heard that many people attend events and the thrift shop because of what they have heard on the radio. On October 19 our church, along with Phoenix House offered Narcan training. This was announced on the radio and shared with the other churches in the Riverhead Clergy Council. Each participant was given the training and a Narcan kit to take with them. As a result there is now a Narcan kit in the same box as the AED in the Fellowship Hall. Another accomplishment of the PR and Evangelism Committee this year was the addition of a rainbow strip to the sign in front of the church. We hope that our Open and Affirming policy will attract new members. New posters and brochures were ordered and received. If you would like to have a poster
to hang to attract members, please go to the church office. On June 29th, several members marched in the Gay
Pride Parade in Greenport. We had a banner designed that was carried in the parade to call attention to our church. The theme of the parade was Reflect, Empower, Unite. The Beacon Light is an instrument that allows members to know what is going on in our church. Please read it and ask any questions that you may have. We began to interview new members and publish their stories in the Beacon Light. This tradition had fallen away, but has been resurrected, much to the delight of the congregation.
-Sandy Gruner
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
This year the adult Bible study class has been examining the book of Psalms. We have learned to examine the psalms and identify how they move from lamentation to praise. We came to identify who was the speaker, the audience and the purpose of each psalm. Bible study will resume on Friday, January 10th at 10:00 am. It is an incredible way to spend an hour and to draw closer to God through scripture. Pastor Sean is a teacher who makes the ancient text relevant and understandable. If you are not able to attend in person, a Zoom link could be sent to you. Our Sunday School girls continue to come and learn about the power of prayer and how to feel comfortable praying. Our lessons are reinforced at home, by example, as well as Bible bedtime stories. We spent the month of December preparing for Christmas by studying Advent. While we were not able to do a Christmas pageant this year, we are looking ahead to next Christmas. Marion Maino has graciously volunteered to teach for the month of January.
-Sandy Gruner
STEWARDSHIP
The First Congregational Church of Riverhead is grateful for the generous support of our church members. The ministry and missions of our church take place because of the spiritual and financial gifts of our members and friends. Each year we ask members to pledge their support so that the trustees can create a realistic budget for the coming year. We realize some members are uncomfortable with making a pledge and respect their decision to donate as they can throughout the year. All pledges are kept confidential. As of January 1, 2025 there have been 21 members (individuals, and/or couples) and friends who have pledged their support for the 2025 year. Last year 26 pledged. Please consider making a personal commitment to the church, whether it be your time,
talents or financial support.
-The Trustees
BREAD AND MORE
Bread and More Kitchen continues serving takeout dinners which include hot soup, a complete meal, dessert, and water on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 6:00. The number of guests has been ranging up into the 80s. All are most appreciative of the meal received. St Mark’s Church in Shoreham continues to supply peanut butter and jelly sandwiches twice each month. Beach Bakery in Westhampton and the Riverhead Stop & Shop continue to donate baked goods. Much appreciated financial support comes from
grants, organizations, and individuals.
- Jane Kulesa
PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
The members of the Prayer Shawl Ministry continue to Zoom every Monday evening knitting and crocheting blankets from their homes. Everyone is welcome to join us on Zoom or you can knit or crochet at your leisure.
If you are interested in joining us, please call Marion Maino at 631 765-2237. The shawls are displayed in the sanctuary and are available for any person in need of comfort and prayer.
Dee Martin has shared with us that she has given her brother shawls to give to patients on the ward he was in when he was hospitalized for heart problems. He has said that it gives him great comfort to pass along the comfort he received.
There are only three people left in New York that supply the prayer shawls, so the inventory is not as abundant as it has been in the past. So if you like to knit or crochet, or would like to learn get in touch with us.
- Barbara Parsons
THRIFT SHOP
The Alley Cat Thrift Shop exceeded expectations for the year. Donations from our community and church members and sales of items provide much needed additional income to our church. We are extremely grateful for our volunteers, both church and community members who staff the shop each week. No additional fundraising is needed due to the success of the thrift shop. A portion of our sales are donated to local organizations. This year we supported the Riverhead Rotary school supply collection, Open Arms Food Bank and Bread and More Soup Kitchen with $500.00 donations. Six tubes of radiation relief cream were donated to a local breast cancer clinic. In addition, the thrift shop supplemented our church donations to United Church of Christ missions and hurricane relief for churches damaged by the storms. The thrift shop recycles unsold or slightly damaged items whenever possible. Clothes and household items are sent to Big Brother/Big Sisters and shoes to “Soles for Souls”. Blankets and towels are donated to a local animal shelter. Fabric and sewing
supplies are given to “Quilts for Kids” an organization which donates quilts to children in hospitals. We even have a “free box” where customers can find various items. We are extremely appreciative of our volunteers. As always we are looking for new volunteers to help whenever possible. Please consider giving a few hours whenever you can. The thrift shop is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10-2 and Saturdays from 9-1.
- Shirley Bergman & Nancy Repp
LADIES NIGHT OUT
During this past year our group has evolved from a nighttime supper event to a noontime lunch gathering. Since most of the group is retired this seems to work out better and eliminates the driving after dark concern many of us share. We’ve tried a few different venues and this also seems to be positive. We’ve enjoyed the variety offered by our local restaurants.
Of course the main focus of our group has always been to provide fellowship with an opportunity to get to know one another better in an informal setting. This has not changed.
Two events this past year bear mentioning. At our April dinner we bid farewell to Jane Joerchal as she finalized her plans to move to Connecticut to be closer to family. And in June we celebrated what turned out to be Dot Walsh’s last birthday, as she made her way to Heaven later in the year.
We have taken our usual winter break and plan to resume meeting for lunch in late February or March. More details will follow. If you’d like to join us, please contact me.
- Janet Sanford (H) 631 591-1063 (C) 516 407-7897
