We learn early that 'God created the Heaven and Earth.  He created Adam and Eve, and they lived in the Garden of Eden.' When you think of the Garden of Eden, what do you see?  A lush green area, with clean water flowing though it, and bright sunlight spotlighting colorful flowers and trees?   

Our current world is a bit different than the picture we hold of the Garden of Eden.  We've used the Earth and it's resources to live; developed products and technology to make life better.  As stewards of the Earth we are responsible for caring for the Earth. 

Earth Day is a highly publicized day that tries to make us aware of the Earth, and our impact on it.  It's only one day. Do something special on Earth Day.  Also find something that you can do that will help make a change in our world.  It might take a bit to change our habits, but the impact on the Earth is worth it.

If you Google 'Earth Day Activities' you will find may different things that can be done, from saving energy, to educating children, to saving whales.  Taking a few minutes to educate ourselves, looking at our purchases, changing our habits are excellent ways to help care for our Earth.  Below are some 'Green' tips:

• Plant a flower or a tree.  
• Clean the road in front of your property.  
• Use a cloth or paper shopping bag instead of the plastic shopping bags given at stores. 
• Choose organic produce.  Large amounts of pesticides have been linked to health problems like Parkinson's and cancer.
• Use non-toxic and natural personal care, cleaning, and household products.
• Avoid chlorinated household products such as paper towels, toilet paper, and coffee filters, which could lead to cancer.
• Put your computers in sleep mode when not in use - saving energy and money.
• Plug TV's, game equipment, stereos into power strips that can be switched off at night, saving energy and money.
• Replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, saving energy, and reducing global warming.
• Keep your tires properly inflated - saving gasoline and reducing global warming.

Ramp It Up (RIU) is a youth mentoring initiative, created in 2009 by the Broome County Council of Churches, that puts crews of adults and youth together to build wheelchair ramps for residents in Broome County (See http://www.broomecouncil.net/FIA/youth.html for more information). To date, 38 ramps have been built. 

This year’s Ramp It Up (RIU) crew, made up of 13 adults and 11 youth, is just waiting to be assigned a building date.  Thank you to everyone who signed up to build.  If you’d like to help but prefer not to be on the worksite, you can make a monetary donation (RIU work crew in memo) to help cover the $100 participation fee and the cost of drinks & snacks for our hardworking crew.  Donations of food or other goodies will not be turned away, whether homemade or store-bought!  Contact Angie Roux (angie@ctkvestal.org or 624-0305) with any questions.

(Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse) is currently low on almost everything, we can really use peanut butter, jelly, canned fruit, cereal, instant potatoes, canned pasta, fruit juices, and canned meat.  There is a collection barrel in the church entrance hall as well as many WEIS grocery stores in the area.

When I was hungry you gave me something to eat

Who doesn't like to meet at a restaurant and have dinner with friends. After all, who could turn down the privilege of being served; the honor of someone cooking a meal just for you exactly the way you want it with the finest ingredients; the joy of company and conversation; and (maybe best of all) not having to do the dishes and cleanup after your meal? Not me. Some call such occasions the simple pleasures, or dining at its finest, or haute cuisine. What if those meals were made from government surplus food, slung out of a pot onto your plate and slid out a kitchen serving window? What if the choices you had were pasta, noodles, or macaroni? What if you didn't know the people sitting at your table; conversation was limited to: pass the salt. Anything fancier costs money, and you don't have any. Anything nutritious cost money, and you don't have any. Anything different costs money, and you don't have any. So, the simple pleasures of finer dining can only be enjoyed if you can afford it? So, did Jesus say "Blessed are the rich, for they will eat like kings". Nope. My Jesus didn't say that.

How cool would it be if the soup kitchens that served the poor served the same quality food, prepared to the taste of any chef, and had service at the levels of many restaurants. What if you made friends at these soup kitchens whose company you enjoy and look forward to the next time you meet?  Well, that's the mission of our little local mission at the soup kitchen our church family is blessed to provide in Endicott four times each year. Through your donations of service, abilities, and money, we bring a restaurant quality experience to people who can't afford such otherwise. Instead a week of spaghetti and meatballs followed by a week of meatballs and spaghetti, we bring them grilled marinated chicken breasts, with sauteed green beans, and garlic smashed potatoes (real, not instant); we bring them 1/3 lb gourmet cheeseburgers with 6 choices of cheese and 12 choices of toppings; we bring them homemade beef stew with freshly baked biscuits (to mention just a few entrees). Our guests do enjoy the food, and we're enriched by the experience.  

People who need to turn to soup kitchens for meals shouldn’t get what they pay for; we're called to give them much more.  If you're interested in being a part of this mission, be it behind the stove, out in the dining room, providing funds, or all of these, please contact the office.