"ONCE IN A LIFETIME"

A Sermon By

Philip A. C. Clarke

Park Avenue United Methodist Church 106 East 86th Street New York, New York 10028 May 1st, 1994

"ONCE m A LIFETIME"

INTRODUCTION Several months ago, Don Calhoun, a 23 year-old Chicago Bull's · fan had a "once in a lifetime" experience. Remember it?

Calhoun, wearing bright yellow shoes, was brought down from the bleachers to see if he could shoot a 79 foot shot - a shot that was launched from the free-throw line at the other end of the basketball court. He was about to shoot the ball like a basketball when one of the Bull's cheerleaders told him to throw it like a baseball or a football pass ••• which he did. He hit "nothing but net" and thereby earned himself a million dollars.

The company which sponsored this promotional gimmick was caught completely "off-guard" when he actually made the shot. They're not even sure how they're going to come up with the money. Calhoun's boss said that 11 It couldn't have happened to a nicer guyrr. To be sure, his life has been affected by this "once in a lifetime" event. He even reports of hearing from friends he h•an' t heard from in some time. And so it goes 1

ONCE IN A LIFETIME Isaiah - and not Isiah Thomas - but the prophet, Isaiah reports of having something of a "once in a lifetime"

experience. He didn't get to shoot a basketball 79 feet nor did he win a m.illion dollars. His experience was a little more profound. He saw God. He saw God!

Think of it% It's recorded for us back there in the Old Testament, Isaiah chapter six ••• many centuries before Jesus. Isaiah and his people had been living through some good times under the administration of King Uzziah. Peace and prosperity marked his rule and the people were well off. Things were stable and secure. Suddenly King Uzziah died and everything seemed to change overnight. No longer did the people know just what to expect. There were now threats of war and their economy was shaky. The standard of living that they had enjoyed for some time seemed to be coming to an end.

You and I can identify with Isaiah and these people. For we're living in a time filled with uncertainty and unemployment. Corporations are "downsizing" and for the first time in our history, children may not live as well as their parents have been living. Random acts of violence have us looking over our shoulders and many are living in fear. It's a difficult time as people try to cope. The old and sure ways of the past don't seem to be working as they once did and new ways remain unproven.

What are we to do in such a difficult·and stressful time? For one thing, we can do what Isaiah did. Yes, we can turn to God. We read in the story of Isaiah that in this time of uncertainty he went to the Temple to pray and to seek comfort and direction and there he experienced some things you and I need to experience •

HE EXPERIENCED THE HOLY First-off, Isaiah experienced the Holy. As he was praying near the altar, he saw a vision that would

literally change his life. He said he saw the Lord, God ••• "sitting on the throne, high and lifted up". This vision was so clear and so co~ing that he could even see the hem of God's robe filling the entire Temple. He reports that there were these winged creatures, flying around, praising God and saying:

- 2 -

"Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory".

Now this was a pretty dramatic vision that he had ••• to see God sitting up­on .. · His throne and to hear creatures singing praises and to smell the smoke that filled the Temple. For Isaiah it was a "once in a lifetime" event, one he would never forget. Now he was convinced. He knew that God was "still God" ••• that earthly Kingdoms might be swept away, but one thing would remain constant and eternal - the very holiness of the Almighty - that which is sacred in life.

More and more, holiness seems to be an alien concept in our society and in our time. Our world is filled with so much rubbish, isn't it - both physical and spiritual rubbish.

A British zoologist by the name of Timothy Benton went for a mile-long vralk on a deserted stretch of beach:sbor~e·line on Ducie Island, some 4000 miles northeast of New Zealand. The nearest settled place to that beach is Pitcairn Island, 300 miles away. Despite the complete isolation, Benton reported finding 953 man-made objects washed up on the shoreline - shoes, toys, light bulbs, buoys, cans, plastic bottles, 171 glass bottls from 15 different countries and a third of them were empty whiskf bottles.

It reminds me of the Admiral who went about a half mile below the surface of the Pacific in a deep submersible craft to explore and view the wonders of the ocean floor. The first thing he saw on the ocean floor was an empty beer can.

We live in a world filled with rubbish -physical and spiritual. I don't have to describe it for you. It surrounds us daily and the concern that faces us is how does one find God in such a world of rubbish? Maybe Isaiah's story has something to say to us.

A book with the title, Sin Boldly, by William Boggs recently caught my eye. In it he tells how he was at a turning point in his life, in his faith. He felt there were only two paths open to his future. He either had to find some new reserves of strength and direction for his life or leave the ministry where he had served for many years.

He had to find a release from the stresses of life •••• find a quiet place where he could listen for some direction from God. He decided to take a sabbatical and to spend some time in a monastery. At first he says that he felt out of place in the monastery •••• frightened, nervous, but after a couple of days of following a routine or prayer and praise and silence, he began to "settle down". Settling down, he began to "look up", as he got caught up more and more in the flow of worship and contemplation.

One afternoon as he entered his room, he felt he was "ready" ••• ready, re­ceptive and he wrote in his journal:

"Here time is not an enemy to be conquered or an empty vessel to be filled ••• .it is a TREASURE to be savored."

The same day one of the monks offered him this bit of advice which spoke to me and maybe it will speak to some of you:

"It is more important to do what is GOOD than to do what is perfect!"

--·--------------------------

- 3 -

I like that. Let me repeat it. "It is more important to do what is good than to do what is perfect". Will Boggs thought about his life ••• and realized that sometimes he was pushing himself too herd 1r1hen he should have allowed God to be the source of his strength. He came slowly to the realization that those "self-destructive" games that he had been playing were not all that necessary He went to bed that night ••• singing a hymn ••• knowing that God loved hirn ••• and accepted him for what he was doing.

"Get the centerrt:~ght11 E. Stanley Jones once said, "and the circumference will take care of itself". When things seem to be falling apart arid running out of control, he would do well to put ourselves in the presence of the Holy. That's what Isaiah did. He went to the Temple to pray •••• to get refocussed, to see life once again from "higher ground". We need to do the same.

BECAME AWARE OF HIS <NJN SINFULNESS But notice what happened next. He became acutely aware of his own sinfulness •.

Whatever happened to sin? Karl Menninger asked a number of years ago. We don't use the word or like the word "sin". There, in the presence of absolute holiness Isaiah became deeply aware of his own shortcomings, his own inadequacies, yes - his own sin. Listen to him as he exclaims,

"I am lost, £mo I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips - YET my eyes have seen the King - the Lord of Hosts."

In other words, he felt unworthy and there's nothing really surprising about that. Don't we all when we experience the holy, or come in touch with that which represents the highest, the best, the deepest, the most profound.

A well-known professional golfer was playing in a tournament with former President Gerald Ford Billy Graham and Jack Nicklaus. After the round of golf was over, one of the other pros on the PGA asked,

"Hey ••• what was it like ••• playing with President Ford and Billy Graham?" The pro ansvrered with disgust,

"I don't need Billy Graham stuffing religion down my throat!"

And with that he headed out for the practice tee with a bucket of balls to pound out his fury. His friend later asked him,

"Well ••• was Billy a little rough on you out there?" 11 No 11 sighed the pro with some measure of embarrass-ment, "He didn't even mention religion." ·"··

Commenting on this, R. c. Sproul, in his book, The Holiness of God, says

"Astonishingly, Billy Graham had said nothing about God, Jesus or religion ••• yet the pro stomped away after the game accusing Billy of tryihg to ram religion down his throat."

So ••• what happened in this encounter. I think what happened was this.

' - L. -

In the presence of this "world-famous" evangelist (whom many of us saw on television this week at President Nixon's funeral ••• and I wish he'd get himself a new barber) •••• in the presence of Billy Graham, the golfer was reminded of the existence of the holy and just as importantly, he was more conscious of his own "unholiness". And who knows •••• maybe he even began taking stock of his own life. I would hope so.

That, I feel, would be a healthy thing to happen to each of us. And really, there's no hope ••• or little hope for advancement, unless, first of all, we are conscious of our own need. We have to be aware of our shortcomings, our selfish ways, yes - our sinfulness. Isaiah had an experience of the holy - a once in a lifetime sort of thing - and it made him feel unworthy, but move on for there's one more thing to mention.

GOD'S CALL I suppose he could have been paralyzed by that encounter. He could have been so overwhelmed by his sense of unworthiness

that he "gave up the fight" ••• "threw in the tow. · ••• quit •••• and that does happen to people in life. In those moments he heard the call of God and he was not paralyzed by it.

In his vision, he watched as one of these little YTinged creatures brought a tiny, hot coal to him from the altar and touched it to his lips and then he heard the voice tell him that because the coal had touched his lips, his sin was blot ted out.

And again, he heard the voice of God speaking from His heavenly throne and this time He is asking a question. God says,

... "Whom shall I send and who will go for us?" And without a moment's hesitation, Isaiah says,·

"Here am I • Send me." "Here am I. .. Send me."

Isaiah had become a new man. He had experienced the forgiveness of God, and it was time for him to make a new beginning,· time to make a fresh start. Let go of the past. Take hope and move on. Some person present may need to hear this.

I close with a story that I came across recently, about a young man who served this country in Vietnam. He was "lead man" on jungle patrol,.. It was his job to search for ambushes, booby traps and land mines. With every step, he risked death ••• one mistake and his entire unit would be in great danger. He saw so many of his friends die and he was constantly haunted by nightmare8 of his friends being blown apart. Upon returning home, he often felt that he would have been better off if he had died, too. His spirit was be.ing robbed of life. Doctors were seen. Tests were taken. No one seemed able to find a cure for his emotional and spiritual condition. Time passed and he continued to decline. Nothing seemed to help.

He visited the Vietnam Hernorial in Washington and the tears flowed freely as he touched the names of his friends ••• rorty or fifty of them •••• etched in the hard black stone. He looked for and found every name he remembered except one. Back and forth he walked ••• touching the wall •••• looking for the one last name. He looked in the book that lists all the names and where to find them. He asked the attendant, but the attendant couldn't locate the name either.

"Are you sure that's the right name" asked the attendant. "Yes" said the man •••• "It's my name!"

-~ -- ----------

- 5 -

The attendant looked at him ••• somewhatopuz~+ed at first, then he said to him •••

"Your name isn't here. You must be alive. Go home and get on with your life."

That was the word the man needed to hear. He was alive. And almost in­stantly, he became a better man •••• a better husband and a better father. It would have been so easy for that troubled man to give up and he had come so very close to doing so. But he went to that black stone wall and there he had a "defining moment" ••• an experience that made a difference. It was almost as it an angel of the Lord carne and touched a hot coal to his terrible and haunting memories and said to him,

"It's all right. It's in the pa.st ••• over. You are forgiven. Let go. Begin a new life. Get on with living •••• take hope."

And Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

"Whom shall I send and who will go· 'for us?11 Then Isaiah said, "Here am I, Lord. Send me."

PRAYER Like Isaiah, there are those times in life when we feel lost ••• uncertain, fearful, unlo~ed and burdened with guilt. We ask for

ourselves something of a "defining moment", too ••• that Wefr; . .-~ come to know Your love, to know that there is forgiveness and always opportunity for a fresh start. - .. + ..,,"' ,...a:me cf Ct. -1 ~ t, our Lf'lrd o Amer"

Visit our sick with the quiet assurance of Your love. Encircle the bereaved with Your warming and healing presence.

Set us once again on the high road of life •••• and willing to respond with our lives to Your call as it comes to us. In the name and apirit of Christ, our Lord.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Sunday, May 1, 1994

HOLY C(}OOJNION

Ae It has long been the custom ••••• to CELEBRATE the Sacrament of Holy Communion •••• and we do like to announce for the benefit or •••

B. We invite all of you to receive the Sacrament here this hour ••• trusting that the time for you may be an occasion of spiritual •••

C. Procedure: elements will be served to you by the ushers and while they are serving they are serving the bread, we'll sing hymn 378 (Amazing Grace) and while the cup is being distributed, hymn 369, (Blessed Assurance)

GREETING / VISITCRS

A. A word of greeting to the visitors who have joined us ••• pleased, and we do hope ••••• be free in the sharing. Fill out a card. Sign a guest book. Join us downstairs •••• come, worship with us.

B. Roots are deep in the soil •••• doing the Lord's work here since 1837. We minister in the name of Christ and it is in His loving spirit ••••

PARISH CONCERNS

A. Be sure to pick up your copy of the May issue of our monthly news sheet •••• copies by the door. Review the parish concerns in the bulletin •••• note that we have a wedding later today ••• member Margaret Mary Kadtan will be married here this afternoon to Dr. Scott Ames.

B. Trustees will not. meet on Monday, but a week f'rom Monday. "HOmiDS" on Tuesday evening. Rummage Sale, May 14th.

C. Envelope in the pew is for a special "love gift" to the Health Care agencies of the NY Conference •••• will be there for the next !our Sundays. Seven in our conference •••• a five dollar gift, one dollar each Sunday •••• will enable us to respond with a $500 gift.

D. Jesus said: "It is more blessed to give than it is to receive". In this spirit, let us worship God with our morning offering, as we present our tithes, and our gifts to His work in this place. The ushers will now wait upon you ••••

_..,

"ONCE IN A LIFET:rnE"

A Sermon By

Philip A. C. Clarke

Park Avenue Unt ted Methodist Church 106 East 86th Street N~~ York, New York 10028 May 1st, 1994

"ONCE IN A LIFETIME"

INTRODUCTION Several months ago, Don Calhoun, a 23 year-old Chicago Bull's fan had a "once in a lifetime" experience. Remember it?

Calhoun, wearing bright yellow shoes, was brought down from the bleachers to see if he could shoot a 79 foot shot - a shot that was launched from the free-throw line at the other end of the basketball court. He was about to shoot the ball like a basketball when one of the Bull's cheerleaders told him to throw

. it like a baseball or a football pass ••• which he did. He hit "nothing but net" and thereby earned himself a million dollars.

The company which sponsored this promotional gimmick was caught complete~ "off-guard" when he actually made the shot. They're not even sure how they're going to come up with the money. Calhoun's boss said that "It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy". To be sure, his life has been affected by this "once in a lifetime" event. He even reports of hearing from friends he h•sn 't heard from in some time.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME Isaiah - and not Isiah Thomas - but the prophet, Isaiah reports of having something of a "once in a lifetime"

experience. He didn't get to shoot a basketball 79 feet nor did he win a million dollars. His experience was a little more profound. He saw God. He saw God1

Think of itl It's recorded for us back there in the Old Testament, Isaiah chapter six ••• many centuries before Jesus. Isaiah and his people had been living through some good times under the administration of King Uzziah. Peace and prosperity marked his rule and the people were well off. Things were stable and secure. Suddenly King Uzziah died and everything seemed to change overnight. No longer did the people know just what to expect. There were now threats of war and their economy was shaky. The standard of living that they had enjoyed for some time seemed to be coming to an end.

You and I can identify with Isaiah and these people. For we're living in a time filled with uncertainty and unemployment. Corporations are "downsizinga and for the first time in pur history, children may not live as well as their parents have been living. Random acts of violence have us looking over our shoulders and many are living in fear. It's a difficult time as people try to cope. The old and sure ways of the past don't seem to be working as they once did and new ways remain unproven.

What are we to do in such a difficult and stressful time? For one thing, we can do what Isaiah did. Yes, we can turn to God. We read in the story of Isaiah that in this time of uncertainty he went to the Temple to pray and to seek comfort and direction and there he experienced some things you and I need to experience •

HE EXPERIENCED THE HOLY First-off, Isaiah experienced the Holy. As he was praying near the altar, he saw a vision that would

literally change his life. He said he saw the Lord, God ••• "sitting on the throne, high and lifted up". This vision was so clear and so compelling that he could even see the hem of God's robe filling the entire Temple. He reports that there were these winged creatures, flying around, praising God and saying:

- 2 -

"Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory".

Now this was a pretty dramatic vision that he had ••• to see God sitting up­ons His throne and to hear creatures singing praises and to smell the smoke that filled the Temple. For Isaiah it was a "once in a lifetime" event, one he would never forget. Now he was convinced. He knew that God was "still God" ••• that earthly Kingdoms might be swept away, but one thing would remain constant and eternal - the very holiness of the Almighty - that which is sacred in life.

More and more, holiness seems to be an alien concept in our society and in our time. Our world is filled with so much rubbish, isn't it - both physical and spiritual rubbish.

A British zoologist by the name of Timothy Benton went for a mile-long walk on a deserted stretch of beach, shorline on Ducie Island, some 4000 miles northeast of New Zealand. The nearest settled place to that beach is Pitcairn Island, 300 miles away. Despite the complete isolation, Benton reported finding 953 man-made objects washed up on the shoreline - shoes, toys, light bulbs, buoys, cans, plastic bottles, 171 glass bottls from 15 different countries and a third of them were empty whisky bottles.

It reminds me of the Admiral who went about a half mile below the surface of the Pacific in a deep submersible craft to explore and view the wonders of the ocean floor. The first thing he saw on the ocean floor was an empty beer can.

We live in a world filled with rubbish -physical and spiritual. I don't have to describe it for you. It surrounds us daily and the concern that faces us is how does one find God in such a world of rubbish? Maybe Isaiah's story has something to say to us.

A book with the title, Sin Boldly, by William Boggs recently caught my eye. In it he tells how he was at a turning point in his life, in his faith. He felt there were only two paths open to his future. He either had to find some new reserves of strength and direction for his life or leave the ministry where he had served for rna~ years.

He had to find a release from the stresses of life •••• find a quiet place where he could listen for some direction from God. He decided to take a sabbatical and to spend some time in a monastery. At first he says that he felt out of place in the monastery •••• frightened, nervous, but after a couple of days of following a routine or prayer and praise and silence, he began to "settle down". Settling down, he began to "look up", as he got caught up more and more in the flow of worship and contemplation.

One afternoon as he entered his room, he felt he was "ready" ••• ready, re­ceptive and he wrote in his journal:

"Here time is not an enemy to be conquered or an empty vessel to be filled ••• it is a TREASURE to be savored."

The same day one of the monks offered him this bit of advice which spoke to me and maybe it will speak to some of you:

"It is more important to do what is GOOD than to do what is perfect!"

- 3 -

I like that. Let me repeat it. "It is more important to do what is good than to do what is perfect". Will Boggs thought about his life ••• and realized that somP.times he was pushing himself too hard r,rhen he should have allowed God to be the source of his strer~th. He came slowly to the realization that those "self-destructive" games that he had been playing were not all that ncessary. He went to bed that night ••• singing a hymn ••• knowing that God loved htm ••• and accepted h · m for what he was doing.

"Get the center right" E. Stanley Jones once said, "and the circumference will take care of itself". h1hen things seem to be falling apart and running out of. control, he would do well to put ourselves in the presence of the Holy. That's what Isaiah did. He went to the Temple to pray •••• to get refocussed, to see life once again from "higher ground". We need to do the same.

BECAME AWARE OF HIS OliN SINFULNESS But notice what happened next. He became acutely aware of his own sinfulness.

Whatever happened to sin? Karl }1:enninger asked a nwnber of years ago. We don't use the word or like the word "sin". There, in the presence of absolute holiness Isaiah became deeply aware of his ~ shortcomings, his own inadequacies, yes - his own sin. Listen to him as he exclaims,

"I am lost, rtn- I aJI'l a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips - YET ~ eyes have seen the King - the Lord of Hosts."

In other words, he felt unworthy and there's nothing really surprising about that. Don't we all when we experience the holy, or come in touch with that which represents the highest, the best, the deepest, the most profound.

A well-known professional golfer was playing in a tournament with former President Gerald Ford Billy Graham and Jack Nicklaus. After the round of golf was over, one of the other pros on the PGA asked,

"Hey ••• what was it like ••• playing with President Ford and Billy Graham?" The pro answered with disgust,

"I don't need Billy Graham stuffing religion down my throat!"

And with that he headed out for the practice tee with a bucY~t of balls to pound out his fury. His friend later asked him,

"Well ••• was Billy a little rough on you out there?" "No" sighed the pro with some measure of embarrass­ment, "He didn't even mention religion."

Commenting on this, R. C. Sproul, in his book, The Holiness of God, says

"Astonishingly, Billy Graha111 had said nothing about God, Jesus or religion ••• yet the pro stomped away after the game accusing Billy of trying to ram religion down his throat."

So ••• what happened in this encounter. I think what happened was this.

- h -

In the presence of this "world-famous" evangelist (whom many of us saw on television this week at President Nixon's funeral ••• and I wish he'd get himself a new barber) •••• in the presence of Billy Graham, the golfer was reminded of the existence of the holy and just as importantly, he was more conscious of his own "unholiness". And who knows •••• maybe he even began taking stock of his own life. I would hope so.

That, I feel, would be a healthy thing to happen to each of us. And real~, there's no hope ••• or little hope for advancement, unless, first of all, we are conscious of our own need. We have to be aware of our shortcoMings, our selfish ways, yes - our sinfulness. Isaiah had an experience of the holy - a once 1n a lifetime sort of thing -and it made him feel unworthy, but move on for there's one more thing to mention.

GOD'S CALL I suppose he could have been paralyzed by that encounter. He could have been so overwhelmed by his sense of umrorthiness

that he "gave up the fight" ••• "threw in the towl" ••• quit •••• and that does happen to people in life. In those moments he heard the call of God and he was not para~zed by it.

In his vision, he watched as one of these little v-ringed creatures brought a tiny, hot coal to him from the altar and touched it to his lips and then he heard the voice tell him that because the coal had touched his lips, his sin was blotted out.

And again, he heard the voice of God speaking from His heaven~ throne and this time He is asking a question. God says,

"Wham shall I send and who will go for us?" And without a moment's hesitation, Isaiah says,

"Here am I. Send me." "Here am I. Send me."

Isaiah had become a new man. He had experienced the forgiveness of God, and it was time for him to make a new beginning,· time to make a fresh start. Let go of the past. Take hope and move on. Some person present may need to hear this.

I close with a story .that I came across recently, about a young man who served this country in Vietnam. He was "lead man" on jungle patrosl. It was his job to search for ambushes, booby traps and land mines. With every step, he risked death ••• one mistake and his entire unit would be in great danger. He saw so many of his friends die and he was constantly haunted by nightmares of his friends being blown apart. Upon returning home, he often felt that he would have been better off if he had died, too. His spirit was being robbed of life. Doctors were seen. Tests were taken. No one seemed able to find a cure for his emotional and spiritual condition. •ime passed and he continued to decline. Nothing seemed to help.

He visited the Vietnam Henorial in Washington and the tears flowed freely as he touched the names of his friends ••• forty or fifty of them •••• etched in the hard black stone. He looked for and found every name he remem~ered except one. Back and forth he walked ••• touching the wall •••• looking for the one last name. He looked in the book that lists all the names and-where to find them. He asked the attendant, but the attendant couldn't locate the name either.

"Are you sure that's the right name" asked the attendant. "Yes" said the man •••• "It's my name!"

... - , -The attendant looked at him and said softly,

"Your name isn't here. You must be alive. Go home and get on with your life."

That was the ward the man needed to hear. He was alive. And almost in­stantly, he became a better man •••• a better husband and a better father. It would have been so easy for that troubled man to give up and he had come so very close to doing so. But he went to that black stone wall and there he had a "defining moment" ••• an experience that made a difference. It was almost as if an angel of the Lord came and touched a hot coal to his terrible and haunting memories and said to him,

"It's all right. It's in the past ••• over. You are forgiven. Let go. Begin a new life. Get on with living •••• take hope."

And Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, saying,

"Whom shall I send and who will go' for us?" Then Isaiah said, "Here am I, Lord. Send me."

PRAYER Like Isaiah, there are those times in life when we feel lost ••• uncertain, fearful, unloved and burdened with guilt. We ask for

ourselves something of a "defining moment", too ••• that we· aT come to know Your love, to know that there is forgiveness and always. opportunity for a fresh start. In the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Golden Cross Offering gathers funds for United Methodist facilities affiliated with the New York Conference.

Most of these facilities provide services to the elderly, including 24-hour skilled nursing care and, in some cases, retirement housing. Also included is an organization which serves children and one which treats drug addicts. The services of each facility are described on the following pages.

What is skilled nursing care?

It is health care, 24 hours per day, for patients who live at the facility. The care includes medical treatments (dressing changes, intravenous and respiratory therapy, medications), physical therapy, personal care (bathing, dressing, feeding), and recreational activities.

How are the funds used?

Donations help cover the difference between government payments and actual cost of services provided, enabling these Methodist facilities to maintain a higher quality program than would otherwise be possible.

How much should we give?

It is hoped that each family will consider giving at least $1 5 to meet the needs of these programs. Gifts of any size are appreciated.

Make checks payable to the New York Conference of The United Methodist Church.

On the offertory envelope, you may indicate how you wish the funds divided among these facilities.

ANCHOR HOUSE 976 Park Place, Brooklyn,

NY 11213 718-756-8673

BETHANY METHODIST HOME

604 East 40th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11203

718-462-6292

BETHEL METHODIST HOMES

19 Narragansett Avenue, Ossining, NY 1 0562

914-941-7300

BROOKLYN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

HOME 1485 Dumont Avenue,

Brooklyn, NY 11208 718-827-4500

A 22-bed residential treatme-nt facility for men with drug addictions. This Christ-centereq therapeutic community provides individual counseling and vocational training. Founded in 1967.

An Adult Home providing 24-hour custodial care for 30 residents. Founded in 1910.

Skilled nursing care and assisted living for a total of 190 residents at two homes in Ossining. Retirement living at the Bethel Springvale Inn in Croton-on-Hudson, with an adjacent 200 bed skilled nursing home to start construction in 1992. Founded in 1911.

Skilled nursing care for 1 20 residents. Founded in 1883.

CHILDREN'S HOME OF WYOMING CONFERENCE

1182 Chenango Street, Binghamton, NY 13901

607-772-6904

METHODIST CHURCH HOME FOR THE

AGED 4499 Manhattan College

Pkwy, Riverdale, NY 10471

212-548-5100

UNITED METHODIST HOMES OF

CONNECTICUT 580 Long Hill Avenue,

Shelton, CT 06484 203-929-1348

UNITED METHODIST RETIREMENT

COMMUNITY OF LONG ISLAND

283 Holbrook Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY

11779 516-588-4768

Serves -1~45 children daily --- --including residents from Delaware, Rockland and Sullivan counties. Operates group homes, an emergency shelter, foster care, day treatment and therapeutic after-school programs. Founded in 1912.

Skilled nursing care for 120 residents. Founded in 1850.

Skilled nursing care for 120 residents of Wicke Health Center. Retirement living in 182 cottages and apartments at Wesley Heights. Continues services provided by Danbury and West Haven homes which were established in the 1920's.

A proposed assisted-living facility for elderly residents.

-- ~- ---

Golde_n Cross Offering

for residents of United Methodist facilities

An opportunity for you to touch the lives of people with special needs.

NEW YORK CONFERENCE THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

ANTHEM: "The Lord Will Not Suffer"

"The Lord will not suffer thy foot to be moved, and He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold! He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."

ANTHEM: "His Voice As the Sound"

"His voice as the sound of the dulcimer sweet is heard thro' the shadows of death; the cedars of Lebanon bow at His feet, the air is perfum'd with His breath. His lips as a fountain of righteousness flow that waters the garden of grace, from which their salvation the Gentiles shall know, and bask in the smile of His face. Love sits in His eyelids and scatters delight thro' all the regions on high. They veil in His sight with trembling looks and ten thousands of angels rejoice, and myriads wait for His word. He speaks, and eternity filled with His voice, reechoes the praise of her Lord."

ORGAN POSTLUDE

The organ postlude - a final offering of our praise to God - is played after the Benediction. Time permitting, we invite you to share in the beauty of it.

FOR THOSE WHO SING

New members are always welcome to audi­tion to sing in the Choir. Rehearsals are held on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the down­stairs Choir Room.

PICK UP YOUR COPY

Be sure to pick up your copy of the May issue of "A Word In Edgeways" Copies are by the door in the narthex.

THE ENVELOPE IN THE PEW

The envelope in the pew is for a gift to the Golden Cross Offering. Envelopes will be in the pews throughout the month of May for your gift to this annual appeal.

TODAY AT FIVE

Our congratulations and good wishes to Margaret Mary Kadian, a member of our church, who will be married here this afternoon to Dr. Scott A. Ames.

A CHANGE OF DATE

The Trustees will not meet tomorrow night as previously scheduled, but a week from tomorrow night at 7:30, May 9th.

"HOUNDS OF HEAVEN"

The "Hounds of Heaven" meet on Tuesday evening at 6:30pm in Fellowship Hall. Dee Schaffield is leading the Hounds in a study of Maxie Dunnam's, The Workbook of Living Prayer. New friends as well as old friends are always welcome.

NEW MEMBERS TO JOIN

New members will be received on Sunday, May 22nd. Persons interested in strengthen­ing a tie with the church this Spring are invited to share word of their interest with Mr. Clarke.

SPRING RUMMAGE SALE

May 14th is the date of our Spring Rummage Sale. Workers are being enlisted. Be in touch with Dianne Keller if you can lend a hand. Her number is 876-2037.

PARK AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

106 East 86th Street

New York, N.Y. 10028

AT 9-6997

CHURCH DIRECTORY

Philip A. C. Clarke ....... .. ...... ...... ..... ..... .. ... ... .. ... ..... ............ Mini ster Duane Thompson .. .... ........ ... ..... ... .. ..... .. ...... ...... .. Assistant Minister Lyndon Woodside ..... ... .... .. ....... .. ....... ...... .. Organist-Choir Director Joseph Cifuentes ... ......... ... .. ...... ... .......... ....... .. ..... Business Manager Judy Ferland ............................ ......... ....... .. ....... .... .... .......... Secretary Judith Keisman .......... .. .......... ....................... ... Day School Director Roberto Meri les ... ... ..... .... .. ... ......... ...... ........ .... ................. Custodian

GENERAL OFFICERS

Lay Members, Annual Conference ...................... Edward J. Brown Larry Morales

Lay Leader ... ............... ....... ..... .. ........ ........ ...... ...... .. ... Larry Morales Associate Lay Leader ... ........ ... ..... .. ........... .. .......... ..... Eric de Freitas President, Board of Trustees ....... .... .... ... ........ ..... Michael Schaffield Chairperson, Administrative Council ... ... .. ............... Grace Thomas Chairperson, Education Committee ............ .... ....... .... .. . Carl Condra Chairperson, Finance Committee ..... .... ............... .... ..... .. . Dan Boone Chairperson, Membership Committee ............ ....... Howard DaCosta Co-Chairperson , Outreach Committee .. ...... .............. ..... Janet Ernst

Jim Perkins Co-Chairperson, Worship Committee .......... ...... .. Howard DaCosta

Ann Hesselink Chairperson, Day School Committee .... ....... ..... .... ....... Anna Delson Chairperson, Ushers ........... ...... .... .. .. ......... ........... .... .... Effie French Superintendent, Sunday Schooi ............... ..... ............. Janet Jacobson

PARK AVENUE

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

ORGAN CALL TO WORSHIP

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER May 1, 1994

ORDER OF WORSHIP 11 A. M.

"Andante Religioso" Rheinberger

HYMN NO. 66 "Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven" APOSTLES' CREED No. 881 GLORIA PATRI No. 71

*** SCRIPTURE PARISH CONCERNS

Isaiah 6: 1 - 8

ANTHEM "The Lord Will Not Suffer" PRESENTATION OF THE OFFERING WITH THE DOXOLOGY HYMN NO. 189 "Fairest Lord Jesus"

Page 591

Bach

·SERMON PRAYER ANTHEM

"Once In a Lifetime" Mr. Clarke

"His Voice As the Sound" ***

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

The Invitation The Great Thanksgiving (Page 15) The Sanctus The Lord's Prayer

Arr. by Shaw

The Breaking of the Bread (Hymn No. 378) The Taking of the Cup (Hymn No. 369) The Prayer of Resolution

HYMN NO. 670 "Go Forth for God" BENEDICTION ORGAN "Allegro"

*** Interval for Ushering

Rheinberger

LAY READER

We welcome Grace Thomas to the lectern today. A native of Houston, Texas, a graduate of Texas A&M with a BS in Economics, Grace is a Vice President at GRE Insurance Group. Here in the Church she serves as Chairperson of the Administrative Council of the parish.

ALTAR FLOWERS

The flowers on the altar today are given by Dr. Laurie Van Der Heide in memory of loved ones.

GREETERS AND USHERS

The greeters today are Lili Bates and Sam Wilson. The ushers are Richmond and Lili Bates, Robert Lewis, Jeff Ramundo, John and Julie Vitalo and Carol and Wayne Wiebe.

AN INVITATION

Coffee and tea will be served in the Russell Room following the service. Members and friends are invited to share in these moments of warmth made possible for us today by Al and .Grace Thomas, Christine Day, Ann Gary, Kristen and Mark Raker and Joyce Williams.

CHURCH SCHOOL AND NURSERY CARE

Sessions of Church School for children are offered Sunday mornings from ten-thirty to twelve. Nursery care for infants and toddlers is available on the fourth floor.

ADULT BIBLE CLASS

The Adult Bible Class meets on Sunday morning at 9:30 am in Fellowship Hall. The class is studying the Gospel of Luke under Duane Thompson's guidance.