The Herald July/August 2021 - Great Kills Moravian Church
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Great Kills Moravian Church
The Herald
VOLUME 7
July/August 2021
THE MORAVIAN ARCHIVES
When lightning hit a British sloop anchored in the New York Bay carrying 200 barrels of gun pow-
der on a summer evening in the year 1778, the explosion was so severe that all the doors of the
Moravian Church on Staten Island blew open, even those that had been securely bolted. Several
window panes were shattered but overall the Moravian Church survived without much damage.
We know this because Ewald Shewkirk, Moravian minister on Staten Island at the time, wrote reg-
ular reports to the administration of the church in Bethlehem, PA. Today these letters, together
with many other records from the Staten Island Moravian churches, are preserved at the Moravian
Archives in Bethlehem.
The Moravian Archives is the official repository for the Moravian Church in America, Northern
Province. We are an agency that serves the church by preserving the historical records of the
church and making these available to the public. The earliest reference to an archives room in
Bethlehem dates from 1745; in 1757 the archives was organized for the first time. Our current fa-
cility dates from 1977. It offers a 4,000 square- foot climate-controlled vault with a fire suppression
system, a large reading room, and exhibition space. We house records from most of the Moravian
churches in the Northern Province (including the closed ones), from the administrative boards, the
schools, our missions, and also from individual Moravians. Our library contains one of the largest
collections of published materials on the Moravians in the world. The Moravian Archives in Bethle-
hem also holds records for other Moravian Provinces: Labrador, Eastern West Indies, and Nicara-
gua.
Every Moravian congregation in the Northern Province supports the Archives through their Provin-
cial assessment. In addition, we raise money from the Friends of the Archives and we have in-
come from our programs and from our endowment. Recently we began to systematically digitize
our holdings.
Everybody is welcome to visit the Archives: you can do research in the reading room, visit the ex-
hibit in the gallery, or browse our gift shop. Much of this can also be done online by visiting our
website: www.moravianchurcharchives.org.
Dr. Paul Peucker
Archivist of Moravian Church in America, Northern Province
Editor, Journal of Moravian History
PAGE 2 T HE HE R A LD V O LU M E 7
Joint Board News
Joint Board will meet on Wednesday, September 1st.
The call for a new part-time Pastor is still underway. So far, no candidates have been identified.
Everyone Eats provides fresh produce and other food items to those in need on Staten Island. Food
distribution dates are posted on their Facebook page, or you can contact Ariana Sanchez if you or
someone you know could benefit from this important ministry.
Staff hours still remain limited. Please continue to leave a voicemail or email. All messages will be re
turned as soon as possible.
Trustee/Bookkeeper Report for June
Total Income: $6,991.43
(offerings, building usage, church events)
Total Expenses: $ 7,673.22
Difference: -$681.79
From the Financial Secretary, please include your latest offering envelope or envelope number in memo
of check when making a donation to the church. Questions about envelope number or online giving please
contact our Financial Secretary, Claudia McGloin.
Pastors scheduled for July and August:
July 4—Rev. Patricia Honszer
July 11—Rev. Tracy Robinson
July 18—Rev. Patricia Honszer
July 25— Rev. Maggie Wellert will lead in-person worship.
A memorial for Bob Cutting will be part of the service.
August 1—Sister Blondel Jones–Grant will lead in-person worship
August 8—SINGSTUNDE-Please leave your hymn suggestions in the basket on the back table in the sanc-
tuary or email them to office@greatkillsmoravian.org by August 1st.
August 15—Rev. Maggie Wellert will lead in-person worship.
August 22—Rev. Maggie Wellert will lead in-person worship.
August 29— Rev. Riddick Weber
Condolences to the family of Claudia Morrison who entered into the presence of our Lord on June
2nd. Please pray for her family and friends as they go through this difficult time.
Ministries and Events
Sunday School: Will resume in September. Have a wonderful and safe summer!
Sunday Worship Services: We continue to hold in-person worship services on Sunday at 11am and via
Zoom. If you wish to attend on Zoom, please contact the church office for log in information. Worship aids
are available on our website, greatkillsmoravian.org
Prayer Shawl Ministry Prayer shawls are knit or crocheted for those who are in need of comfort or those
who are celebrating something new. If you are interested in volunteering to help make shawls or if you know
someone that would like a Prayer Shawl, please contact the church office.
T HE HE R A LD PAGE 3
V O LU M E 7
Support for Camp Hope
Camp Hope is the year-round camp, conference and retreat center for
the Eastern District of the Moravian Church. The camp is situated on a
hillside overlooking Little Silver Lake, with 125 acres of forests, wet-
lands, fields and lawns. Camp Hope has been located at its current site
in Hope, NJ, since 1946.
Camp Hope’s activities have been limited due to the pandemic but they are looking forward to be-
ing back up and running for Camp Hope's 75th Anniversary Celebration in 2022. Many of us from
Great Kills Moravian have fond memories of summer camp, retreats, special events or all of the
above at Camp Hope. Please consider sending in a contribution to say "thank you" for many
years of wonderful memories and to ensure that Camp Hope will be here for many years to
come.
Please make checks payable to Great Kills Moravian Church and add Camp Hope in the com-
ments or place your donation in a brown envelope marked for Camp Hope that can be found in the
sanctuary near the offering plates.
GKMC needs your help
Everyone has unique talents and we value your participation as we
work to build a strong church family and continue our search for a
new pastor. To quote Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; togeth-
er we can do so much.” Please let us know how your gifts can help
our church and community.
Would you like to:
Usher for Sunday morning worship services?
Learn how to host our Zoom worship service?
Assist with the monthly newsletter.
Welcome our guest pastors and read the liturgy and scripture readings?
Be a guest speaker or do you know someone who would be interested in delivering a message to our
congregation?
Lead a Bible Study or Book Club group?
Work with the Sunday School or other children’s ministries?
Provide new ideas to help the church grow?
Please speak to a board member, email: Office@greatkillsmoravian.org or call: (718) 317-7788, option 1
Events Happening Beyond GKMC
Vanderbilt Community Dinner
Saturday, July 17 and August 21 4pm-6:30pm. GKMC will provide dessert for the upcoming community
dinner. If you would like to donate a dessert or help in any way please contact Muriel Timari.
PAGE 4 T HE HE R A LD V O LU M E 7 Growing Up In Great Kills Moravian Church (1937---) Installment #2 We had a large Scout Troop, “Troop 3” who were the honor guard for Lord Baden Powell in Madison Square Garden, and 3 produced the first two Eagle Scouts on Staten Island. George Neumiller and Albert A. Dowd were their names, and most of you have met them at one time or another. They remained friends until they drew their last breath, Albert at 100 years and George a few years earlier. During the war we had a Ladies Aid Society who met regularly to roll bandages, make beeswax candles and put skirts on them for our candle light services at Christmas. They would also put together dinners for the whole congregation and invitees, a lot of it was Pot Luck but enjoyed by all. The lineup for Mrs. Nygren’s Swedish meat balls was out the door long. We also had two circles of the International Order of Kings daughters and sons. Charity work was the name of the game for both of these organizations. We did skits at Easter and Christmas and had the excellent luck to have a church member who was a Shakespearian actor and a makeup professional who made us up to look like Mary & Joseph as well as other biblical characters. It was so much fun that when we got to be Teens, we formed a Dramatic Club and began giving plays to make money for the church. Mister Sunderman agreed to do our makeup and actually made me look like Grandma Dimity at the ripe old age of 13. We needed foot lights on the stage in the Sunday School room but when our board of trustees went to the UBC they said that if we earned half the price of the electrical work and carpentry, they would match it, so off to work we went selling clam chowder by the quart (and digging clams for the chowder) and selling tickets for our plays. The whole congregation got involved helping us to get where we needed to be and we did it. Our troop was called “The Lime Lighters” and we had a marvelous time doing our own thing. Some Saturdays we would walk up to New Dorp Moravian Church to go bowling. Yes, I said walk, don’t forget the war was causing rationing and that included Gas and tires. My Dad had turned ours over to the war effort early on, as did many others. Someone from ND would call GK when we finished bowling and one of our congregation would come and pick us up so we didn’t have to walk back to Great Kills. Sunday School was closed in the summer, not because it was summer and no AC, but because of a Polio epidemic that hit Staten Island and it seemed to be a Summer disease. Children seemed to be more at risk than adults, mainly because they are less careful of close contact than adults and there was no vaccine available, Salk had not yet broken through, I think it was sometime in the late 50s that it finally was approved. We went to Sunday School until we graduated from High School, and some of us became Sunday School Teachers. A lot of us had become choir members right around the time we were confirmed. So right through High School we had Lime Lighters on Tuesday night (early), Choir on Thursday night and Friday night was Boy Scouts and last but not least Sunday Morning was Sunday School, and church immediately following. Our specific group, or I should say my specific group came apart for a while in that when we all graduated from high school there was college and military service to contend with. The military service was the so called “Police action” in Korea, and the testing of nuclear Bombs here and abroad.
V O LU M E 7 T HE HE R A LD PAGE 5
Growing Up In Great Kills Moravian Church (1937---)
Installment #2
When we emerged from that period of time along about 1955, we married and instead of
joining The Mr. & Mrs. Club who were our parents and doing their own elderly(?) things (we
called them the Serutan Club, Natures spelled backwards). We reinvented the Lime Lighters and
became the Guys and Dolls. I know it sounds corny but the nucleus of the group was the
original Lime Lighters. We found a place for ourselves by starting a Nursery for little ones
during services so that parents could attend. This was perfect since we had our own children
and we rotated couples who would be on duty.
This is just a thumb nail sketch, as long as it is, of our church while I was growing up. There was
so much more simply because it was a different time.
Joan Cutting
The 26th Moravian Music Festival
Part I (online), is coming up in 2 weeks! Registrants will have access to many videos and resources for mu-
sicians, directors, and listeners, with topics ranging from copyright to choir directing, instrument repair to Mo-
ravian music history. Whether or not you are registered, please join in with Moravians around the world to
“attend” online concerts each night of Festival week, beginning Sunday, July 18 through Friday, July 23. Con-
cert preludes and devotions will begin at 7:00pm.
Part II (in person), will take place July 26-30, 2022, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Please visit www.MoravianMusicFestival.org for concerts schedule, registration information, and pictures
from past Festivals!
Sometimes we need a little Music
Music is an important part of our Moravian heritage which is celebrated during the Music Festival mentioned
above. I am sure we all have certain hymns that make us perk up during a service or that evoke a memory
that makes us smile or just feel happy so try to listen to a concert or two if you can.
Outside of church, I also find that listening to uplifting and positive music can help me to get through a difficult
day. Some songs just make you feel good while others are meant to reinforce our faith or give us hope.
There are more and more Christian singers and groups around these days so the music is not that hard to
find. I searched for a few popular contemporary songs that you can listen to by clicking on the links below.
Give it a try…you might find a song or an artist that you like!
Liz Reres
Flawless by Mercy Me https://youtu.be/EGcgFMmXbR0
Good Things by Tasha Layton https://youtu.be/GkviDY7AxAM
Gospel Song by Rhett Walker https://youtu.be/_Qgfn2WuUmw
Hello My Name Is by Matthew West https://youtu.be/ZuJWQzjfU3o
Love God Love People by Danny Gokey https://youtu.be/-02YbfojiLU
Truth be Told by Matthew West https://youtu.be/k0Sqb95vsIM
PAGE 6 T HE HE R A LD V O LU M E 7
GREAT KILLS MORAVIAN "In essentials, unity;
CHURCH in non-essentials, liberty;
in all things, love."
62 Hillside Terrace
Staten Island, New York 10308 Website: www.greatkillsmoravian.org
Phone: 718-317-7788 We are also on:
Fax: 718-356-2826 Facebook,
Email: pastor@greatkillsmoravian.org
A Christian Church serving Staten Island since 1886
Email: office@greatkillsmoravian.org
*Office: Mon- Thurs 9am - 1pm
(*office hours subject to change)
Prayers for: Adam, Katie, Baby Aria, Desmond B, Bilbao Family, Joseph B, Scott and Marsha C, Meredith C, Cas-
cio Family, Rocky C, Pete C, Christopher, Julianna D, Joseph D, Diane, Jessica D, Valerie F, Anna Galicia, Matilde
G, Thomas G, Jason, Jen, Joe, Diane Gibbons, Bill & Sue G, Henry, Jackie, Janice, Robert K, Kathy, Kelly, Linda,
Giuliana L, Juliana M, Mary M, Susan M, Donna M, Silvia N, Peter, Mary P, Barbara P, Thomas P, Karen P, Tom P,
Susan P, John P, Mike R, Rob, Rosanna, Sam and all Caretakers, Norma S, Muriel T. (Use the Praise & Prayer
Request cards to add/remove names. A monthly update is helpful to keep our list current)
July Birthdays July Anniversaries
7/3 Deborah Koop
7/4 Daniela Korbeci 7/13 Murial and Stan Timari
Camryn Lodato 7/15 Robin and Rocco DelGiu- 2021
7/5 Harold Erwood dice Great Kills Moravian Church
7/9 Nancy Doran 7/25 Peace and Zakariah Ali
See, I have taken your guilt away
7/13 Janice Hermansen from you and I will clothe you in fes-
Rocco DelGiudice tal apparel. Zechariah 3:4
7/14 Lauren Crea
Charles Montanti
7/16 Ronald Coury, JR. August Birthdays
7/18 Nancy Walker 8/3 Lily Price
7/20 Melissa Hertman Upcoming Communion 8/21 Gail Coury
7/27 Vanessa D’Avino Services: 8/25 Besnik Korbeci
July 11 and August 15 8/26 Parker Crea
8/28 Thomas Pisano, Jr.
Communion cups will be deliv- 8/30 Zachary Koop
ered to our regular Zoom partici- 8/31 Ethel Ducey
pants for July and August. Please
contact the church office if you August Anniversaries:
would like to have one delivered to 8/4 Georgine & Guy Norbury
you. Office phone 718-317-7788, 8/5 Mathilde & Luis Guiterrez
8/7 Diane & Gary Hansen
The Herald Newsletter
We welcome the creative efforts of our congregation to produce a newsletter that we all
want to take the time to read. Do you love to write or do you know of a topic that would be
interesting to our members? Please call the office or email with your suggestions. All news,
articles, and church information for the newsletter must be in to the Church office by the
15th of the month. If you would like The Herald emailed to you, send an email to:
office@greatkillsmoravian.org
July 2021
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 10am Craft Group 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10am Craft Group 10
11am In-person Wor- John Hus Festival
ship and via Zoom
11 12 13 14 15 16 10am Craft Group 17
11am In-person Wor- 7pm NDMC Oktober in
July Sommerfest
ship and via Zoom
Holy Communion
18 19 20 21 22 23 10am Craft Group 24
11am In-person Wor-
ship and via Zoom
25 26 27 28 29 30 10am Craft Group 31
11am In-person Wor-
ship and via Zoom
Castleton Hill VBS July 26—July 30th 9 am to 12:15pm
August 2021 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 10am Craft Group 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 10am Craft Group 14 11am In-person Wor- ship and via Zoom 15 16 17 18 19 20 10am Craft Group 21 11am In-person Wor- ship and via Zoom Holy Communion 22 23 24 25 26 27 10am Craft Group 28 11am In-person Wor- ship and via Zoom 29 30 31 11am In-person Wor- ship and via Zoom
Staten Island, N Y 10308
62 Hillside Terrace
Great Kills Moravian Church
Great Kills Moravian Church
July 4 –Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Ezekiel 2:1-5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13
July 11—Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Amos 7:7-15; Psalm 85:8-13; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-29
July 18—Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark 6:30-34,53-56
July 25-Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145:10-18; Ephesians 3:14-21; John 6:1-21
August 1—Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Exodus 16:2-4,9-15; Psalm 78:23-39; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:24-35
August 8—Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
1 Kings 19:4-8; Psalm 34:1-8; Ephesians 4:25-5:2; John 6:35,41-51
August 15—Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34:9-14; Ephesians 5:15-20 John 6:51-58
August 22—Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Joshua 24:1-2a,14-18; Psalm 34:1-22; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 6:56-59
August 29—Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-9; Psalm 15; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23You can also read
