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Grand Island Ministerium

Clergy United from Grand Island, NY churches
President Rev. Paul E. Robinson
773-3322

   A fellowship of Christian Pastors and Priests of many of the churches on Grand Island. The Ministerium meets the second Monday of the month at 10 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church.
Current President is the Rev. Paul E. Robinson, Pastor of Trinity UMC
Phone: 773-3322     E-mail

Member Churches, phone numbers, Pastor/Priest and home phone numbers follow:
Island Presbyterian   773-4849   Diane Phinney   434-1710
Riverside Salem UCC   Shirley Chan (Eden)   992-9562
St. Martin-in-the-Fields   773-3335   Earle King   773-6853
St. Timothy Lutheran   773-4400   Doug/Joanne Stewart   773-4913
St. Stephen's RC   773-7647   Fr. Paul Nagaro    773-7647
   Fr. Dan Fiebelkorn
Trinity UMC   773-3322   Paul E. Robinson   773-3550
   Frank Newsome   774-8397
Whitehaven Road Baptist   773-1004   Abe Dueck   775-0502
   Steve Lamarco

Ecumenical Good Friday Service - 2005
An Ecumenical service sponsored and led by the Grand Island Ministerium, will begin at 12:15 p.m. Friday, March 25, 2005 at St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church, Baseline Road.

World Day Of Prayer - 2005
   Grand Island's World Day Of Prayer service, sponsored by Church Women United, will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, March 4, 2005 in Island United Presbyterian Church, 1822 Huth Road. Childcare will be provide and all are welcome. This year's theme is "Let Our Light Shine" with emphasis on Poland.
   World Day of Prayer (WDP) is an international event that unites Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and other Christian women and men in 179 countries in prayer. Throughout the day, from the first sunrise to the last sunset, our prayers follow the sun's path around the globe. Spoken in hundreds of lanaguages and dialects, WDP strives to bring "informed prayer and prayerful action" to our communities.
   Christian women from Panama invite us to become better informed about their coountry, its history and its needs. Through the WDP service, In Faith, Women Shape the Future, they share their faith with us. Panama has conducted World Day of Prayer uninterrupted for fifty years.
   In the United States, Church Women United, an ecumenical movement working to bring peace and justice, sponsors World Day of Prayer. An offering is taken to enable the ongoing work of the WDP International Committee, as well as that of Church Women United, a national committee of WDP.

Ecumenical Lenten Luncheons - 2005
The Ecumenical Lenten Luncheon series, ongoing through the Lenten season, will be held at Trinity UM Church, 2100 Whitehaven Road. The luncheons, hosted by the Grand Island Ministerium, are being provided by the following congregations on Wednesdays beginning at noon.
• Whitehaven Road Baptist Church - February 16
• St. Timothy Lutheran Church - February 23
• St. Martin-in-the-Field's Episcopal Church - March 2
• Trinity United Methodist Church - March 9
• St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church - March 16
The luncheons, $4 per person, include a speaker or program and last about one hour. Child care will be available and all are welcome. For more information, call 773-3322.

Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service - 2004
The annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service, sponsored by the Grand Island Ministerium, will take place at 7 p.m. on Sunday evening, Sunday, November 21 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. Preaching this year will be the Rev. Paul E. Robinson, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church. Music will be offered by a volunteer ecumenical choir. Gifts of non-perishable food items will be forwarded to the Grand Island Neighbor's Foundation. The offering will go toward the Island GIFTS program. Following the service, there will be a reception. All are welcome. St. Timothy Lutheran Church is located at the corner of Stony Point and Staley Road.

Island Ministerium Offers 21st Annual Vacation Bible School - 2004
The Grand Island Ministerium will again sponsor the 21st annual Vacation Bible School from 9 a.m. to noon July 19-23, 2004 at St. Stephen School. Daily activities are open to children ages 4 (by December 1) through sixth grade. The theme this year is "Davey and Goliath's Camp Creation" and is based on the curriculum from Augsberg Press. Questions and registrations may be sent to Chris McKee, 93 Trails End, Grand Island, NY 14072 or call 716 864-6007 (cell). Registration forms may also be picked up at St. Stephen's Rectory office or at any of the other churches.

Isle World Day of Prayer - 2004

Click photo for larger view
Barbi Lare Photo
Following several decades of tradition on the Island, the member churches of the Grand Island Ministerium provided a World Day of Prayer service on Friday, March 5, 2004. This year's service, prepared by World Day of Prayer Committee of Panama, was done in English, with commentary in Spanish by Judy Bassette. David Henderson, who lived in Panama for many years, related some of his experiences and reflections of the country. Other participants included Nancy Morth, Pat Maurer, Nell Roberts and Judy Bassette of host church, St Timothy; Shirley Gilmore, Island Presbyterian; Norma Orton, St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Ginny Dietrich and Karen Conboy, St. Stephens; and Nancy Hayes, Betty Magnuson and Anne Hipp, Trinity Methodist. They were assisted by Mildred Goldbach and Suzzanne Grafinger. Pastor Doug Stewart of host church, St. Timothy, introduced the service and Joanne Stewart served as organist/music director. Refreshments followed the service.

Ecumenical Lenten Luncheons - 2004
The Ecumenical Lenten Luncheon series, ongoing through the Lenten season, will be held at Trinity UM Church, 2100 Whitehaven Road. The luncheons are held on Wednesdays beginning at noon and cost is $3. Hosting the luncheons are:
• St. Timothy - March 3
• St. Martin's - March 10
• Island Presbyterian - March 17
• St. Stephen's - March 24
• Whitehaven Road Baptist - March 31, 2004
The luncheons include a speaker or program and last about one hour. Nursery is provided and all are welcome.

World Day Of Prayer - 2004
   Grand Island's World Day Of Prayer service will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, March 5, 2004 in St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Staley at Stony Point Road. If childcare if needed, call St. Timothy Church, 773-4400.
   World Day of Prayer (WDP) is an international event that unites Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and other Christian women and men in 179 countries in prayer. Throughout the day, from the first sunrise to the last sunset, our prayers follow the sun's path around the globe. Spoken in hundreds of lanaguages and dialects, WDP strives to bring "informed prayer and prayerful action" to our communities.
   Christian women from Panama invite us to become better informed about their coountry, its history and its needs. Through the WDP service, In Faith, Women Shape the Future, they share their faith with us. Panama has conducted World Day of Prayer uninterrupted for fifty years.
   In the United States, Church Women United, an ecumenical movement working to bring peace and justice, sponsors World Day of Prayer. An offering is taken to enable the ongoing work of the WDP International Committee, as well as that of Church Women United, a national committee of WDP.

Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service - 2003
The annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service, sponsored by the Grand Island Ministerium, will take place at 7 p.m. on Sunday evening, Sunday, November 23, 2003 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. Preaching this year will be Fr. Paul Nogaro, pastor at St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church. Music will be offered by an ecumenical volunteer choir, as well as the Youth Choir from St. Martin's Episcopal Church. Gifts of non-perishable food items will be forwarded to the Grand Island Neighbor's Foundation. Following the service, there will be a reception. All are welcome. St. Timothy Lutheran Church is located at the corner of Stony Point and Staley Road.

13th Annual Ecumenical Environmental Sabbath - 2003
   The Grand Island Ministerium invites everyone to "play and pray" for peace from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, 2003, at the Riverside-Salem United Church of Christ, 3449 West River Rd.
   Last year’s efforts are being enhanced to renew the wood-chip nature path on the adjacent town property. Youth groups are especially encouraged to lend a hand! "Learn how to make origami cranes (a symbol of peace) and pray for peace while walking our labyrinth."
   An outdoor worship of prayer for peace and the environment will begin at 3:30 p.m. by walking the freshly laid nature path and end at the new peace pole which will be dedicated on this special day.
   "Please join us for an afternoon of family fellowship and fun," a spokesman for the event said this week. "Dress weather-appropriate and bring fruit or bread to share," she said. Soups will be provided. For further information call Nancy Savoy at 773-1563 or Roger Cook at 773-1426.

Ecumenical Lenten Luncheons - 2003
A series of Ecumenical Lenten Luncheons is ongoing through the Lenten season. The luncheons are held on Wednesdays at the Whitehaven Road Baptist Church beginning at noon. Hosting the remaining luncheons are Whitehaven Road Baptist on Wednesday, March 26, 2003; St. Stephen's Roman Catholic, April 2; and Island Presbyterian, April 9. The luncheons include a speaker and last about one hour and all are welcome.

World Day of Prayer 2003 Has Lebanese Theme
The World Day of Prayer service, held March 7, 2003 at Trinity United Methodist Church, drew an attendance of women from St. Stephen's, St. Timothy, St. Martin's, Huth Road Presbyterian, Riverside Salem and Trinity Church. A different country is represented each year with this year's program written by the Christian women of Lebanon. Some of the hymns were sung in Lebanese and Lebanese food was served after the service. The tables were decorated with grapes and vines to give a mid east feeling. This program is sponsored each year by Church Women United and the Grand Island Ministerium. The women of St. Timothy will host the service next year.

World Day of Prayer Service 2003
   Grand Island's World Day of Prayer Service 2003 will take place at 10 a.m., Friday, March 7, 2003 at Trinity UM Church, 2100 Whitehaven Road. Childcare will be provided and everyone is welcome.
   World Day of Prayer 2003, themed "Holy Spirit, Fill Us," is sponsored by Church Women United. The theme encourages remembrance that what God has made is good, and what God intends is abundant life for everyone. The WDP women of Lebanon, from the three Christian families: Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox, have jointly prepared this Worship Service that often alludes to images found in the Song of Solomon, naming Lebanon and its cedars. These help us reconnect to the mystery of the action of the Holy Spirit and remember that God's love is inexhaustible and is still active today.
   Church Women United, founded in 1941, is an ecumenical movement reaching 25 million Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Christian women. For more information on World Day of Prayer, contact Nancy Hayes at 773-7127.

Grand Island Ministerium Service At Trinity 9/11/02

Barbi Lare Photo Trinity United Methodist Church was the site for the Grand Island Ministerium Service of Prayer and Remembrance of September 11, 2002. The Members of the Ministerium, The Rev. Shirley Chan (Riverside-Salem United Church of Christ), The Rev. Abram Dueck (Whitehaven Baptist Church), The Rev. Daniel Fiebelkorn (St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church), The Rev. Earle King (St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church), The Rev. Paul Nogaro (St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church), The Rev. Diane Phinney (Island Presbyterian Church), The Rev. Paul Robinson (Trinity United Methodist Church) and the Revs. Douglas and Joanne Stewart (St. Timothy Lutheran Church) all participated in the service. Music was provided by John Lummen, organist, The Rev. Joanne Stewart, harpist and Tom Wiswall, celloist. The altar area represented some of the symbols of the event.

Grand Island Ministerium - September 11 Service
    The members of the Grand Island Ministerium will offer a Service of Prayer and Remembrance at Trinity United Methodist Church, 2100 Whitehaven Road. The service is set for Wednesday, September 11, 2002 at 7:00 p.m., marking the first anniversary of the hijacking of four passenger jets which were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in southwestern Pennsylvania.
   The leaders of the service are the clergy who represent many of the Christian Churches of Grand Island. Prayers will be offered, along with scripture, the singing of hymns, and a short sermon by the Rev. Earle King.
   All are welcome to attend. For more information, contact the Rev. Earle King at St. Martin's Episcopal Church (773-3335).

Grand Island Ministerium Lenten Luncheon Schedule 2002
   Lenten Luncheons, sponsored annually by the Grand Island Ministerium, are for the Grand Island Community. They begin at noon and end right on time (1 p.m.) to accommodate those who need to get back to work.
   Each luncheon this year will be held on Wednesday at Whitehaven Road Baptist Church, with food and program provided by a different church each week:

February 20 - St. Martin-in-the-Fields

February 27 - St. Stephen's RC

March 6 - Trinity UMC

March 13 - St. Timothy Lutheran

March 20 - Whitehaven Road Baptist

Grand Island Ministerium Lenten Luncheon Schedule 2001
The Grand Island Ministerium has announced its annual Lenten Luncheon schedule. The luncheons are being held at Whitehaven Road Baptist Church from noon to 1 p.m. and are catered by one of the Ministerium's churches. Cost is $3 and everyone is welcome.
A program or message is presented by the catering church or its pastor. The first Luncheon was held Wednesday, March 7, 2001. Other luncheons are scheduled for March 14 (hosted by parishioners of Whitehaven Road Baptist), March 21 (Island Presbyterian), March 28 (Trinity United Methodist), and April 4 (St. Stephen's Roman Catholic.

Birmingham Pledge
Residents, Organizations Work To Improve Race Relations.
By William O'Connor
   Since last fall, there have been two incidents that have alerted residents to racial prejudice on Grand Island. The first was a Halloween night assault on a black man by four Island teens (see Nov. 3rd edition of Grand Island E-News). The second incident came in the form of a letter printed mid-February in the Island Dispatch (Grand Island's official newspaper). One Island resident called the letter a "wake-up call," another described it as "racist bologna."
   The Grand Island Ministerium, an organization of Island churches is working to fight racism. Its "first step" is endorsing and signing the "Birmingham Pledge, a statement of personal commitment to eliminate racial prejudice from thought and action, and to treat all people with respect and dignity." The Ministerium is also endorsing a "Study Circle" program offered through the "Roll Call Against Racism Coalition" of WNY.
   Grand Island Supervisor Peter McMahon asked the audience and everyone else to sign the Birmingham Pledge, at the close of the March 5 town board meeting. The pledge is "a positive way" to change a "very uncomfortable negative" into something better according to McMahon, who hopes to get a thousand or more copies signed and delivered.
   The Pledge has collected more than 70,000 signatures worldwide since its inception in 1998 according to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (the pledge's author). Birmingham, Alabama was the sight of many demonstrations in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1963 a church was firebombed in Birmingham killing four little girls. The institute was opened in November 1992, to commemorate efforts in the 1950's and 60's and support the ongoing civil rights movement.
   Copies of the pledge are available at the Institute's website http://www.onb.org; Grand Island Town Hall; churches in the Grand Island Ministerium including Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 1136 Baseline Rd.; Island Presbyterian Church, 1822 Huth Rd.; Riverside Salem Church of Christ, 3449 West River Rd.; St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, 2587 Baseline Rd.; St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church, 2100 Baseline Rd.; St. Timothy Lutheran Church, 1453 Staley Rd.; Trinity United Methodist Church, 2100 Whitehaven Rd.; and Whitehaven Road Baptist Church, 1290 Whithaven Rd.

Grand Island Ministerium Lenten Luncheon Schedule
The Grand Island Ministerium has announced its annual Lenten Luncheon schedule. The luncheons are being held at Whitehaven Road Baptist Church from noon to 1 p.m. and are catered by one of the Ministerium's churches. Cost is $3 and everyone is welcome.
A program or message is presented by the catering church or its pastor. The first Luncheon was held Wednesday, March 7. Other luncheons are scheduled for March 14 (hosted by parishioners of Whitehaven Road Baptist), March 21 (Island Presbyterian), March 28 (Trinity United Methodist), and April 4 (St. Stephen's Roman Catholic).