Our 2024 Winter Newsletter can be found here.

Here is our fall newsletter.

Take a look at our Spring Newsletter.

Bulletin for Sunday March 19th.

Join us for our annual Christmas Eve worship with hymns, scriptures and candle lighting service. All are welcome, 7 pm.

The sanctuary is accessible by a ramp, has a hearing-induction loop. bathrooms are accessible as well, along with diaper changing tables. Kids of all ages are also welcome (with permission to be active), we have activity bags for them as well. A nursery is available, though unattended this year.

You are welcome to take this survey about what you think about our congregation and its relation to the RCA. It is just one of the ways that I hope we’ll be talking about discerning how God is calling us forward. If there are enough responses, I plan on sharing the results. The survey is anonymous.

Survey can be found here.

thank you!

– Pastor Jeff

Upcoming Sundays

July 3^rd: Worship with the Lord’s Supper.  

July 10^th: worship, 11 a.m.  potluck lunch after worship

July 17^th: worship 11 a.m. 

July 24^th: Community Worship Service on the Middleburgh High School Lawn, 11 a.m. Join others for a community worship service, music led by Kim Harris and Reggie Harris.

Adult Christian Education will pause for July and resume August 7^th.  

Potluck Lunch following worship on July 10^th, bring a dish to share, your own place settings, drinks provided. 

Consistory Meeting: July 14^th, 6:30 pm.   

Trash & Treasure Sale– Saturday July 16^th, 9 am-3 pm. 

Three ways to participate:

1. Donate your stuff ahead of time starting after June 12^th (see flyer for what is not welcome)
2. Help Setup on Friday (7/15), anytime
3. Help with the sale 8 am- 2 pm, then clean up.
   See flyer for more details. 

Band Concert Ice Cream Social: July 22^nd. Help us host the community. See the signup sheet in the foyer or contact Donna Wynia with questions. 

Hannaford Supermarkets is donating $1 to the Food Pantry of each reusable shopping bag purchased ($2.50) at the Esperance store during the month of August. So if Hannaford is your store and you need a reusable bag, buying one will benefit food pantries in the area, including ours.

Pastor Jeff will be gone July 4-11 for vacation, and July 18-31 for a two-week break supported by the RCA, the 2^nd week being a pastor’s retreat. 

Sign up for weekly reminders and prayer requests at the website: www.middleburghreformed.org

*  *   *  *  *  *   *  *

The Benevolence Fund is available to help with material needs. If you have a need or know of a need, contact a Deacon. 

The Middleburgh Ecumenical Food Pantry is open Saturdays 9-11 a.m. and by appointment, 518-827-7121. 

News from Operation Christmas Child

Where to Find Great OCC Stories.

The OCC website is a wonderful resource for shoebox packers.  One of the things you will find there are stories of children whose lives were changed as a result of receiving a shoebox gift.  To find these stories, go to www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.  Scroll down to the bottom the page where you will find a number of headings.  Under “About,” click on “Latest Stories” or “Videos.”

Shoebox Goals for 2022

• 307 gift-filled shoeboxes
•  “love note” to be included in each shoebox
• a photo of our church family in each shoebox
• variety of quality WOW gifts
• sponsoring children who receive shoeboxes to take The Greatest Journey discipleship course*

*For a donation of $5 toward providing teaching materials and training for teachers and workbooks for students, your name will be entered in a drawing for a Christmas quilt!

School Supply Pledges

Summer is the best time to purchase school supplies to go in our shoeboxes.  There are pledge sheets in the foyer where you may indicate what you will purchase.  The simple school supplies we send make it possible for some children to attend school!

2022 Harvest Bazaar

Save the date of September 17 to serve with your church family to raise funds for the $10 donation to send our shoeboxes and the Good News to children around the world!  You may also participate in the bazaar by providing items to sell or by donating a basket filled with gifts for the Basket Raffle.  

Thank you for supporting Operation Christmas Child with your prayers, resources, and talents!

Thank you to everyone who has been helping with the property cleanup, weeding, and general maintenance!  

Upcoming Sundays

Youth Christian Education – 10 a.m. Classes PreK-Kindergarten, 1^st-3^rd, 4^th-6^th, and 7^th-12^th grade.

Recognition Sunday: June 5^th.

Celebrate with Sundaes after worship: June 12^th.

Last day of classes June 12^th.

Adult Christian Education: June 19, 26. Book of Romans. Join us to study the letter as a whole; its structure, argument and big ideas. 6-8 weeks, so it will be a quick overview. All welcome, and come when you are able as notes from previous weeks will be made available. 

Ushering: would you like to help usher? Ask the current usher about the tasks (no heavy lifting required). 

                  there is also opportunities to serve by hosting coffee hour and reading Scripture. 

Consistory Meeting: June 16^th, 6:30 pm. 

4^th Fridays in Middleburgh: join us our table at the events: June 24^th, August 26^th, September 23. contact Maria Funiciello for details. 

Pastor Jeff will be gone June 9^th-14^th for the RCA General Synod meeting. If you have any pastoral needs contact an Elder. Contact a Deacon for any material needs. For property questions, Leslie Hooper or Tom Rogers can most likely help you.  

Trash & Treasure Sale– Saturday July 16^th, 9 am-3 pm. 

              Three ways to participate:

1. Donate your stuff ahead of time starting after June 12^th (see flyer for what is not welcome)
2. Help Setup on Friday (7/15), anytime
3. Help with the sale 8 am- 2 pm, then clean up. 
   See flyer for more details. 

Band Concert Ice Cream Social: July 22^nd. Help us host. See Donna Wynia.   

Sign up for weekly reminders and prayer requests at the website: www.middleburghreformed.org

*  *   *  *  *  *   *  *

Camp Scholarships- The Billy Brown Fund was established in memory of Billy Brown to send kids to a Christian camp. If you are interested in a scholarship for your camper this summer, see Pastor Jeff. We have also compiled a list of camps for you to check out.  

The Benevolence Fund is available to help with material needs. If you have a need or know of a need, contact a Deacon. The Middleburgh Ecumenical Food Pantry is open Saturdays 9-11 a.m. and by appointment, 518-827-7121. 

News from Operation Christmas Child

Samaritan’s Purse at Work in and Around Ukraine

                  Samaritan’s Purse is the parent organization of Operation Christmas Child.  Since early in the days of the Russian invasion, Samaritan’s Purse has been providing relief to the people of Ukraine in the Name of Jesus.  Field hospitals have been set up.  Medical supplies and food are being distributed.  Staff and volunteers are assisting refugees in neighboring countries.  Special backpacks filled with items such as winter caps, simple toys, sketchpads/notebooks, crayons, and small teddy bears stenciled with a message of God’s love written in Ukrainian are being given to displaced children along with booklets translated into Ukrainian—one containing encouraging words from Scripture and another, The Greatest Gift, telling the story of how God revealed His love for us through His Son.

                  You may wonder how an organization such as Samaritan’s Purse would begin to go about providing relief in a country at war.  They turned to their partner churches who share the gospel with Ukraine’s children through Operation Christmas Child.  This network of believers has been key in bringing Samaritan’s Purse and people in need together!  Please pray for the work of Samaritan’s Purse in Ukraine.

Shoebox Goals for 2022

• 307 gift-filled shoeboxes
•  “love note” to be included in each shoebox
• a photo of our church family in each shoebox
• variety of quality WOW gifts
• sponsoring children who receive shoeboxes to take The Greatest Journey discipleship course*

*For a donation of $5 toward providing teaching materials and training for teachers and workbooks for students, your name will be entered in a drawing for a Christmas quilt!

June Gift Suggestions

• WOW gifts
• Coloring books

School Supply Pledges

                  Summer is the best time to purchase school supplies to go in our shoeboxes.  There are pledge sheets in the foyer where you may indicate what you will purchase.  The simple school supplies we send make it possible for some children to attend school!

Giving with Gratitude  

$38 was collected in May to go toward the $10 donation** requested for each shoebox to be used for shipping and ministry costs.  Thank you for GIVING WITH GRATITUDE!  If you wish to join this effort, collection containers for coins are by the offering plate.

** Due to growing project and ministry costs in providing evangelism and discipleship materials to shoebox recipients, the per shoebox suggested donation will increase from $9 to $10 in 2022. As economic and supply chain challenges continue, OCC is experiencing significant increases in many areas, specifically the printing of materials and overall transportation and shipping costs. 

OCC Crafting Day –  Monday, June 13 beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall               

2022 Harvest Bazaar

                  Save the date of September 17 to serve with your church family to raise funds for the $10 donation to send our shoeboxes and the Good News to children around the world!  You may also participate in the bazaar by providing items to sell or by donating a basket filled with gifts for the Basket Raffle.  

Thank you for supporting Operation Christmas Child

with your prayers, resources, and talents!

Sunday May 15^th– following Worship Service, covered dish Luncheon, potluck… bring your favorite dish to pass & bring your personal place settings. Beverages will be provided.

Parent Rally- Parenting is hard, but it doesn’t have to be done on your own. Join us for a conversation and fellowship to encourage one another Saturday, May 21^st, 9 a.m.-10 a.m. This time we’ll share resources around technology use (bring your own, too). The hope is that this will be a regular practice.  Pastries, coffee, and childcare provided. Please let Pastor Jeff know if you are coming. 

Family Game Night- time to be determined. 

Trash & Treasure Sale– Saturday July 16^th, 9 am-3 pm. 
Three ways to participate:

1. Donate your stuff (see flyer for what is not welcome)
2. Help Setup on Friday (7/15), anytime
3. Help with the sale 8 am- 2 pm, then clean up. 
   See flyer for more details. 

Camp Scholarships- The Billy Brown Fund was established in memory of Billy Brown to send kids to a Christian camp. If you are interested in a scholarship for your camper this summer, see Pastor Jeff. We have also compiled a list of camps for you to check out.  

Sundays
Youth Christian Education – 10 a.m. Classes PreK-Kindergarten, 1^st-3^rd, 4^th-6^th, and 7^th-12^th grade. 

Adult Christian Education: new series: Book of Romans. Join us to study the letter as a whole; its structure, argument. 6-8 weeks, so it will be a quick overview. All welcome, come when you are able and notes from previous weeks will be made available.   

Ushering: would you like to help usher? Ask the current usher about the tasks (no heavy lifting required). 

                  there is also opportunity to serve by hosting coffee hour and reading Scripture. 

The Benevolence Fund is available to help with material needs. If you have a need or know of a need contact a Deacon. 

The Middleburgh Ecumenical Food Pantry is open Saturdays 9-11 a.m. and by appointment, 518-827-7121. 

Consistory Meeting Thursday, 5/26, 6:30 pm. 

2022 Consistory
Elders: Jonathan Meredith, Mary Lou Ryan, Maria Funiciello 

Deacons: Leslie Hooper, Michele Becker

News from Operation Christmas Child

A Visit from Schimea Nguessan, Shoebox Ambassador  

                  Those who attended the Operation Christmas Child celebration on April 9 were blessed to meet Schimea Nguessan who shared his witness with the group.  Born the third son of a pastor, Schimea’s family was provided housing by the church.  Their life was one of relative security in their Ivory Coast community.  That changed when Schimea’s father unexpectedly passed away.

                  Struggling to earn a living, Schimea’s mother managed to make enough money to feed her children and rent a place to live.  There was nothing left for extras such as toys for the children.  Schimea was fascinated by cars and used to pretend that a shoe was a car that he would “drive” around the floor of his home.  When a shoe was not available, he would go outside and find a chunk of a tree branch to serve as his car.

                  It bothered Schimea when his friends would talk about their fathers, especially when they would tell about the gifts their fathers gave them.  Being raised in a Christian family, he knew something of his Heavenly Father and decided to pray to him for a toy car.  He found the desire of his heart when he received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox and discovered a yellow racecar inside!

                  Schimea reached the lowest point of his spiritual life following another death, that of his brother.  As a teenager, he turned away from the church and became involved in sinful ways.  He realized that his life was spiraling downward and he needed to be rescued.  Schimea went to his mother and declared that he needed Jesus!  

                  Today, Schimea serves as an Operation Christmas Child spokesperson.  By sharing his story, he hopes to encourage others to pack shoeboxes to reach more children who need to know Jesus.  Schimea also serves in the US Navy and is stationed in Virginia. He is married and hopes to have his wife join him in the US very soon.

Shoebox Goals for 2022

• 307 gift-filled shoeboxesa
•  “love note” to be included in each shoebox
• a photo of our church family in each shoebox
• variety of quality WOW gifts

May Gift Suggestions

• T-shirts for :

2-4 year old girls

10-14 year old girls

10-14 year old boys

• Stuffed animals 
• Washcloths
• WOW Gifts

Giving with Gratitude  

$36 was collected in April to go toward the $9 donation requested for each shoebox to be used for shipping and ministry costs. Thank you for GIVING WITH GRATITUDE!  If you wish to join this effort, collection containers for coins are by the offering plate.

OCC Crafting Days – Second and Fourth Mondays beginning at 9:00 a.m.  in the Fellowship Hall

                  We work on a variety of projects.  There is something for all skill levels and the fellowship is wonderful!  Hope to see you there!

                  Clean cotton T-shirts will be transformed into jumpropes.  A box is available in the foyer for your donation of T-shirts you no longer wear.

Thank you for supporting Operation Christmas Child

with your prayers, resources, and talents!