Welcome to the Pastor’s Corner, and welcome to the website of the First Presbyterian Church of Greenlawn! We hope that you will find here helpful resources for your spiritual journey.
That early Christians were called the “people of the way” is a reminder to us that we have not yet reached our destination, but continue to make our way along the path of discipleship. What is true of our lives as Christians is also true of this page and site. It, like us, is “a work in progress.”

And “may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”
(2 Cor. 3:14)

A Message from
Pastor
Ann Van Cleef,
May - June 2024

My Beloved Church Family,

     Each year, I like to share the Pastor’s report that I submit as part of the January Annual Report packet to the congregation.

     I am very proud of everything that this congregation accomplished in 2023.  Please read and enjoy!

2023 – ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MODERATOR / PASTOR

     I am finishing up my fourth year at First Presbyterian and am thankful to God for calling me here.

     As I stated in previous Annual Reports, a Pastor’s call is not just as a faith leader, but also as a CEO.  This report covers both.  It also includes items that would normally be in the Music and Worship report.

     Worship Leader:  With the exception of four vacation Sundays, one Continuing Education Sunday, and one Laity Sunday, I led worship for 46 Sundays, five Wednesday Night Lenten Services, one Christmas Eve Service, and one Blessing of the Pets Service.  Additionally, I led Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday Services.  I celebrated The Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of each month, Ash Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday, and officiated at the Ordination and Installation of Elders on February 12.

     Baptism:

• James Frank Hallstein (Born April 30, 2023), son of Kyle James Hallstein and Giovanna Palma Hallstein, on October 29.

     Weddings:  I officiated at three weddings in 2023:

• Andrew and Anna Schweighardt, FPCG Sanctuary, March 18,
• Joseph Mazzola and Bianca Terilli Mazzola, FPCG Sanctuary, April 18.
• Deneen Gabler and Arthur Blazek, Backyard Wedding, August 26

     Funerals and Memorial Services:  I officiated at six Funerals / Memorial Services / Burials in 2023 

• January 14:  Memorial Service for Ronald (Ron) Lievendag (co-officiated with Rev. Fred Woodward)
• April 27: Funeral Home Service for Carol Ann Eitel
• April 28:  Graveside Service for Carol Ann Eitel
• May 27: Graveside Service for Carol Ann Becker (wife of church member Bill Becker)
• August 22: Funeral Service for Kenneth Longstreet
• December 8: Graveside Service for Ronald Ulrich (brother of church member Corinne Burdett)
• December 13:  I did not officiate, but our church hosted the Memorial Service for my husband, Robert A. Van Cleef

     Community Outreach: 

• Our church hosted a recital of Leonora Knight’s voice and piano students on April 23.
• I ran the church portion of the Indoor Yard Sale on February 22, the Yard Sale portion of the Church Fair in September, and the Christmas Fair.  These events don’t make a ton of money, but they do build fellowship among our members and are an excellent outreach into the community. 
• The Blessing of the Pets in early October was a community outreach for us.

     Purchases and Gifts to Our Church:  We were thrilled to receive a Steinway upright piano from the Lievendag family.  The Steinway now sits in the Narthex; the piano that had been in the Narthex was moved upstairs to CE Hall.  We also purchased a new refrigerator, which was sponsored by Memorial gifts from many church members and friends.  This will enable us to dispose of a 30-year-old commercial (and energy consuming) refrigerator that has outlived its usefulness. 

     Presbytery of Long Island:  I attended Presbytery meetings on January 28 (Zoom) and, April 22 (West Islip).  I requested an excused absence from the June 17 meeting, due to a schedule conflict with the NY Conference Annual Meeting in Niagara Falls.  We also received an excused absence from the September 30 meeting, as it was the rain date for our Church Fair.  I attended the 7-hour Boundary Training event sponsored by the Presbytery on October 25 at Babylon Presbyterian.  We were delighted to have Interim General Presbyter Rev. Kate Jones-Calone as one of the readers for our Lessons and Carols Service on December 17.

     Continuing Education: 

• Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, a special class for Pastors, January and February, 6 sessions, 15 hours total; 
• United Church of Christ training for Ministers, May 16 and 17, Homer, NY, 8 hours
• Pastor’s ½ Day Retreat, May 23, 4 hours
• Cultural Training for Ministers, June 15, 6 hours
• NY State mandated Anti Sexual Harassment Training, September 26, Liverpool, NY, 2 hours
• Mandated Boundary Training with Presbytery of Long Island, October 25, 6 hours
• Pastor’s ½ Day Retreat, December 5, 4 hours
• 44 hours total.  25-hour requirement met.

     Meetings: I moderated ten Session Meetings and one Congregational Meeting.  I attended Finance Committee Meetings and Buildings and Grounds Meetings when there were no schedule conflicts, and met privately with Committee Moderators throughout the year.

     Steeple Chimes:  I write and publish The Steeple Chimes.  My goal was to publish monthly, but this year, my husband’s illness made that impossible.  Six editions were published in 2023.

     Women’s Choir:  I rehearse and direct the Women’s Choir.  We sang on Easter Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, for the Suffolk Association Meeting, Thanksgiving Sunday, Bob Van Cleef’s Memorial Service, and Lessons and Carols Sunday.  I am very proud of this group and the musical progress they have made.

     Hosting:  Bob and I hosted luncheon for the January Session Meeting, and for the congregation on Pentecost Sunday.  In August, we invited the entire congregation to our home in Greenport.  We were thrilled that so many people attended.  I hosted a repast for guests who came to Bob’s Memorial Service on December 13; many thanks to chef Gary Prentiss for outstanding work. 

Guest Ministers and Speakers: 

• April 23: we observed Holocaust Memorial Sunday, paying tribute to those who were murdered as a result of the atrocity of the Holocaust.  Rabbi Gadi Capela of Congregation Tifereth Israel and Project-Genesis Interfaith was our guest speaker. 
• Stephanie Regis served as Pulpit Supply in early June.
• On May 7, we had “Mix-It-Up Sunday where we all did something out of the ordinary.  Members of our church led worship, I played piano, and Marian Adams gave an inspiring sermon.
• Rev. Ryan Henderson of the NY Conference Staff, United Church of Christ, was the guest preacher at Bob Van Cleef’s Memorial Service on December 13.
• Dr. Don Russo and Glenn Rubin, M.Div., serve as Pulpit Supply when Pastor Ann is on vacation, and have been invited back again and again.

     Guest Musicians:  We were happy to have pianist John Eyre play for us twice this year.  Leonora Colletti played for weddings and funerals.  Colin Van Tuyl played trumpet for a Memorial Service.  Jack Knight delighted us with his ‘cello playing on several Sundays.  Pastor Ann played flute on several occasions and gave us a “Guy Lombardo” version of Auld Lang Syne on the saxophone on New Years Eve.  And, our favorite Christian band, The SpiritLifters, played twice at our Lenten Services.

     Leonora Knight sang for us on several occasions, as did two of her students: Catarina Rasizzi and Olivia Evola.  Debbie Eitel is our favorite alto soloist, and Pastor Ann sang a solo or two during the year.  

     Celebrations and Hopes:  At our January 2024 Stated Meeting of Session, we celebrated some of our 2023 accomplishments.  They included the purchase of a new refrigerator, having three indoor yard sales, moving the Christmas Eve Service to 5:00 p.m., our magnificent Women’s Choir, interfaith partnerships (giving the St. Francis youngster rehearsal space for their Christmas Pageant, and partnering with the Suffolk Association, UCC, in a Church World Service project); and the Becoming a Contagious Christian class. Some hopes for 2024 include purchasing a dishwasher, getting rid of the commercial refrigerator in the kitchen, continuing our Session book study of I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church by Paul Nixon; upgrading our sound system, building an outdoor Prayer Garden, establishing our property boundaries, and keeping the church yard clear of trash and branches all year.

     Thank You to our outstanding staff: Leonora Colletti (Administrative Assistant); Leonora Knight (Worship Accompanist); Debbie Eitel (Fellowship Director) and Gary Prentiss (Custodian) for constantly going above and beyond the call of duty.  Much love and thanks to our volunteer staff members Jim Dean (Treasurer); Betty Chatfield (Financial Secretary); Susan Perrotta (Benevolence Secretary and Recording Clerk of Session); Irene Lang (Webmaster); and Larry Foray (Building Use Manager) for the hours you spend for the good of this church.  Thank you to committee chairpersons Bob Arelt (Buildings and Grounds); Debbie Eitel (Christian Education); Arlissa Dean (Congregational Care); Betty Chatfield (Finance); Kathie Gerlach (Missions); and to all our Session members for your wisdom and devotion.  Thank you to retiring Session member Craig Satterlee for your buildings and grounds work, and especially being our volunteer electrician.  And finally, thank you to the members and friends of FPC Greenlawn for your love and support of our church, and your faith in God.

With love and blessings,

Pastor Ann

Rev. Dr. Ann M. Van Cleef

Pastor Rev. Dr. Ann VanCleef

Sunday Worship –
Questions and Answers
By Pastor Ann

Zoom Worship

How are we going to worship on Sundays?    
     We will be continuing our Sunday worship using a video conferencing system called Zoom.  You may log on as early as 10:00 a.m. for coffee and conversation.  Worship begins promptly at 10:30, followed by a virtual coffee hour until noon.  The easiest way to do Zoom is to download the Zoom App from the App Store.  Zoom will work on a computer, a laptop, an I-Pad, or a Smartphone.  

What are the Meeting IDs?
     Please check your weekly email for ID's and Passcodes for each service.

Will I get a reminder about logging on to these services?
     If you are on the church e-mail list, you will get a weekly e-mail with the Zoom link.

I don’t have a camera on my computer, but I do have a Smartphone.
Zoom will work on your Smartphone. 

I don’t have a computer or a Smartphone.  What can I do?
     You may telephone the following number: 
1-646-558-8656
     You will be asked for a meeting ID.  The meeting IDs are outlined in paragraph 2.
     You won’t be able to see us, but you can still hear what’s going on.

Please note:
     Out here on the North Fork, where I live, the Internet has been a bit “iffy” lately.  There is a chance that I will suddenly “disappear” from your screen.  If that happens, just hang in there. 
I will log back on with my iPhone.