12/24/2023 Christmas Eve

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas Eve,
may His light illuminate your path and His peace fill your heart.
Wishing you a Christmas filled with heavenly blessings.

8/18/2023 Choir Invitation

An Invitation
every Thursday afternoon at 3:00. Our rehearsals last about an hour. We preview the coming Sunday’s hymns and Introit, and then we practice the anthems for about four weeks in advance.
Unionville Choir may be just what you need, and we need you!
Church. If you can’t make that rehearsal, come when you can. You will always be welcome!
Judy Kimes, Choir Director

5/12/2023 Amy Heebner Performs/Albany City Hall

On Friday, May 12, at 11:30, our organist, Amy Heebner, who is also a carillonneur, will perform a special Tulip Festival musical program on Albany City Hall's historic 1927 carillon, a unique instrument consisting of 49 bells that range in size from 27 to 11,200 pounds. This concert takes place right before the Street Scrubbing event at noon, a re-enactment to honor our Dutch heritage.
We are so proud of our multi-talented Amy!

2/12/2023 Music: Preparing for the Lenten Season

4/22/2022 What a Day!

This past Easter Sunday was one of the finest moments I’ve had with URC.  After a long hiatus from social gatherings, we had a wonderful Easter breakfast together.  Thanks to the preparation of all the volunteers under Bonnie Bahanan’s leadership, everything was delicious and the decorations and favors were splendid.

Then there was the worship service . . . Wow!  

The choir was stellar,  the singing robust, and the pews were filled!  (Someone reported that they counted over 50 worshipers.)  We had visitors with us and more than a few of us had family and friends worshiping with them.  Through it all, the joy and hope of the resurrection of our Lord was palpable.  It was a wonderful day! 

Now our life together continues.  Here are a few bits and pieces about that:

*** We received word from the Onesequathaw Reformed Church that they are having a special event on Thursday, the 28th of April at 7pm.  They are showing a video of the musical “The Witness,” which features our own Chuck Phillips (the late husband of Cindy Phillips and brother of Belinda Phillips).  This musical depicts the life of Christ as told by the Apostle Peter.  There will be an Ice Cream Social following the performance.  

*** I will be away the next couple of Sundays.  We are visiting family in Tennessee and North Carolina.  Rusty Riley will preach on the 24th and our own Belinda Phillips will be preaching on May 1st.  I will be back for Mothers Day which will include communion and a special coffee hour after the service.

*** Very soon we will unveil our new web site.  Al de Paz has done a wonderful job getting it started.

*** Our prayers are with the Slingerlands.  Don had a fall on the ice and broke bones in his foot.  He just completed surgery (it was the same surgeon that operated on Sandy).  That makes two Slingerlands with broken feet on the mend.  As our prayer chain email said, “Isn’t this taking this togetherness thing too far?”  Maybe, but still, we're praying for them both!

Many of you have shared that you’ll be praying for our safe travels.  That’s much appreciated.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Dave

4/8/2022 “Palm/Passion Sunday”

That is exactly how this coming Sunday is labeled in the calendar distributed by our denomination.  Apparently it is up to us to choose which one to emphasize.  Will it be “Palm Sunday,” with its attention on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem as we joyfully wave our palms and gladly sing our happy hosannas?  Or will it be “Passion Sunday,” when our mood is supposed to be more somber? “Passion” is the word we use  to describe the suffering endured by Jesus during the last few days of his life, especially his crucifixion.  Although we usually associate the English word “passion” with strong emotion, it in fact comes from the Latin, passio, which means “suffering.”  So which one will it be? This Sunday our service will go both ways.  We’ll sing hymns filled with joyful “Hosannas” and we’ll have palms to wave.  But we will also sing, “Go to Dark Gethsemane,”  and in keeping with our sermon series, “Listening in as Jesus prays,” we will reflect on one of his prayers he offered on the cross as he was dying for us.  In fact, according to Luke’s Gospel, it is the first thing he said after he was nailed to the cross:  “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”  (Luke 23: 34) This prayer of Jesus hits me powerfully this holy week, considering the profound bitterness and raging anger I am feeling these days in light of world events.  I might just nominate that request Jesus made to his Father on behalf of his failing disciples and his hateful executioners as the most incredible thing he ever said.  Forgive them?  After what they had done to him?  Really? I look forward to reflecting on those words with you this “Passion Sunday.” Grace and Peace, Pastor Dave

4/3/2022 Welcome back!!