1. Art and Diseño

BOVINA NEWSLETTER
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Sponsored by
the Bovina UP Church
A letter from the pastor
January 2015

February 8—
Scotland Presentation
by Ray LaFever at the
Bovina UP @ 3 PM.

February 27—
Game Night at the
Bovina UP Church @
6:30 PM.



March 7—
Chicken and Biscuit
Dinner at the Bovina
UP 4-7 PM.
April 5—
Easter Sunrise Service
at Marie Burns’s Home
@ 6:30 AM.
April 18—
Bovina History Pageant
at the Community Hall
@ 7 PM.

May 24—Memorial Day Service
at the Bovina Cemetery
@ 10 AM.

July 18—
Bovina Day.

August 3-7—
VBS at the Bovina UP
Church 5-7 PM.
Refer to Genesis 28:10-22
Jacob’s Ladder is a story from the Book of Genesis telling Jacob’s Dream in a
place known throughout scripture as Bethel. Jacob dreamed of a ladder placed
on earth extending to heaven. The angels of God ascended and descended upon
it. Scholar Theodore Hiebert suggests ‘ramp’ or ‘stairs’ to be a better translation for the word ‘ladder.’ This translation also changes our imagery to it being
something more accessible to all rather than only those with the strength to
move up and down ladders. I like this thought much better. Back to Jacob’s
dream.
Immediately following his vision of the stairs (ladder) the Lord is beside him.
The Lord confirms that the Abrahamic Covenant will be fulfilled through Jacob’s
lineage. The Abrahamic Covenant is God’s promise of a land that will be his
lineage’s own, he’ll have descendants as numerous as the stars, all families of
the earth will be blessed through his lineage, and a promise that God will always be with him, albe with his lineage.
I believe God’s promise to Jacob is extended to us all highlighting especially that people will be blessed by us; God will never
leave us. However, the busyness and stressors of our life can distract us from this. When we fail to see God present, when
we fail to realize we are blessings to this world I suggest we go to the stairs.
Stairs are a liminal space. They are a space between two other places. In a house, they are the space between floors. In
the story from Genesis, they are a space between heaven and earth, a space where the angels of God and the Lord ascended and descended between heaven and earth, a space where Jacob met the Lord and God’s Covenant to Abraham was renewed. In the space between, great things can happen.
Each of us needs this space in our lives. We need stairs, we need a liminal space where we can meet God. We need a place
that once we leave we know we’ve been in the presence of God. I don’t know where that place has been, is, or will be for
you. It would be wonderful if it were on Sunday mornings with us at 10:00 AM or at St. James at either 8:00 or 11:00 AM or
at another worshipping congregation where you feel welcome and more importantly you feel the presence of God. Your
stairs might be elsewhere, perhaps the mountainside, on a lake, in the fields, or in a quiet room. Wherever your space is,
remember the promises God has made to you, remember God’s presence is with you always, and remember that it’s not just
for you, but also for all in the world to be blessed by you; so, don’t think that if your stairs are in a solitary place it means
you are to remain absent of community for if we remain absent from community it is impossible to bless others.
May we find our stairs. May we find the place where we encounter God. May we know God is with us and may we be a blessing to our world. May God bless us all.
God bless,
Page 2
Bovina newsletter
Thanksgiving Pie Sale
Many hands certainly made light work at the Annual
Pie Sale in November. Thanks to the organizational
talents of Amy Burns, we sold 33 Apple and 18
Pumpkin pies. We also donated 12 pies to the Community Dinner in Delhi. Many church and community members contributed their time and energies
(and ingredients) and this has become one of our
most beloved Bovina traditions!
Christmas at the Bovina UP:
Caroling on a Rainy Night and a
Lovely Christmas Eve Service
The After-School program and Youth Group did wonderfully this
year with the Christmas Pageant on Christmas Eve. A special
thanks to Norma Gabriel and Marie Burns for their assistance in
prop design and costuming. Also a special thanks to Katie
Aikens and Heleena Hilson for choreographing, teaching Libby,
Sylvia, and Jodi, and performing themselves the dances to the
Nutcracker Duets played by Monica Liddle and Marena Vittorio.
Page 3
Bovina newsletter
Joys and Concerns
Youth Group and After-school Program

Youth Group resumes Sunday February 1 following worship.
This year we’ll be tubing at Plattekill, hosting a fund-raiser for our
summer mission trip to Baltimore, and much more!

The After-School program resumes Wednesday February 4.
This spring we’ll be learning visual arts from local artist, Steve
Burnett, and songs from “Annie” from Delaware Academy Senior,
Colin Spangenberg. We’ll host an art show and concert on Satur-
Our hearts go out to the families of Harmon Hathaway, Noah
Olenych, Mildred Reinhertsen, and Mike Worden, who
passed away in recent months.
Also, our thoughts are with Jan Bray, recovering nicely from
knee surgery, and with Tom Lamport and Maureen Roberts,
who both suffered broken bones (and ankle and an arm, respectively) since the publication of the last newsletter. Also,
continued prayers are requested for Frances Burns and Connie
Finkle as they heal from recent falls and for Bob Barnhart.
Lastly, please keep in your prayers local residents volunteering
in Ebola-ridden West Africa, and all those afflicted with the
virus world-wide
On a happier note, we are thrilled to congratulate Agnes
Burns, who celebrated her 97th birthday on January 21!
day May 9 for all to enjoy and be given the opportunity to take
Bovina UP Church News
home original work by our wonderful young artisans.
Game Night!
On January 16 we held out first Game Night of the season at the
Bovina UP. We resurrected the oldies-but-goodies games of Authors, Trivial Pursuit, and Life, pitting the young ’uns vs. the veterans. We’ll host two more events at 6:30 pm on February 27
and March 27. Please join us and feel free to bring your own
games and a snack to share.
The Bovina UP Church welcomes you to worship with us Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If
you are interested in joining the church, please contact a member of the Church Session
(Jack Burns, Norma Gabriel, Tom Hilson, Evelyn Stewart, Mark Schneider, or Steve Burnett).

Sunday worship @ 10 AM. Please come join us!

Sunday School for Children preschool through 6th grade during worship (during
the school year).

Communion served on the 1st Sunday of every month.

Session Meeting @ 7PM on the 2nd Tuesday of every other month.

Fellowship Coffee Hour following worship service on the 2nd Sunday of every
month.
Page 4
COMMUNITY NEWS
Bovina Library News, by Mary Pelletier
Bovina and our wonderful public library reluctantly said goodbye to Ms. Marjorie "Darling" Miller in September. She treated several of our younger readers to a swimming and pizza party as a "S'Long Marjorie Darling" event in August, while many patrons
came out to say goodbye at a lively cupcake and champagne reception in Marjorie's honor. The Bovina Library Association wishes
to thank Marjorie for ten years of service and dedication to our community. Mary Pelletier returned to her hometown
and enthusiastically took over as the new Library Director, while local sheep farmer and librarian, Annette Robbins, became a
clerk for the library. They join Marie Burns who has worked tirelessly and loyally as a clerk for the library for many years.
In November, the Friends of the Bovina Public Library planned and executed their most successful Library Farm Feast yet! This
lovely event, the Library's fourth, brought together local farmers, gardeners, chefs, student volunteers from SUNY Delhi fraternity Tau Delta Chi, and many, many supporters of the Library. Over 200 people attended, helping to raise a significant amount of
money for the Library's collections, events and services.
The Library Director would like to thank the Friends of the Library
Committee for their steadfast commitment and round-the-clock efforts
towards making this event a delicious culinary experience as well as a
night of great fellowship. Huge thanks go to Pam Benson, Patty Buchina, Marni Greenberg, Monica Liddle, Annette Robbins, and Carmen
Tucker. We look forward to the next Bovina Public Library Farm Feast
in the fall of 2015!
The Library Director would also like to remind families of children
who are Bovina residents and graduating from high school this year,
that the Bovina Public Library offers scholarships for eligible high
school seniors who are going on to college or other post-high school
training. Applications will be available later in the spring; the Director will be contacting local schools and eligible students and
their parents. In making determinations for these awards the Library Board of Trustees seeks outstanding graduates from the
four school districts served (Delhi, Margaretville, South Kortright and Andes), who have shown academic excellence as well as a
commitment to community service. Check our website (www.bovinalibrary.org) and Facebook page in March for more information as the time for applying approaches.
Lastly, always stay tuned for upcoming winter and early spring events. We look forward to a discussion/lecture series on mindbody health connections, as well as some new children's programming.
Page 5
Bovina Historical Society News, by Jan Bray

We had our quarterly board meeting early this month
 The Bovina Town Historian will be presenting a Bovina History
when we voted unanimously to use some of our limited
Pageant on April 18 at 7 pm at the Community Hall, proceeds to
funds to make some necessary repairs to Russell’s Genbenefit the Bovina Historical Society. Stay tuned for more deeral Store. Rich Tucker, a local contractor, has gracioustails as spring approaches!
ly donated his time and has made a great effort so that  With last year’s School House Day Camp such a success, we are
these repairs can be made in the most economical way
in the process of planning for a 2015 school house event.
possible. We are immediately looking at ways to make the
store more heat-efficient. We are fortunate to have had
Mel Greenberg come on board to help us in choosing our
priorities to best serve the store, and Bea Sohni, our
proprietor.

Our most recent effort was our Pasta Dinner at the Community Hall on January 17th, artfully planned and implemented by Briana Riera. We were happy to welcome our
volunteers, including three new ones. This is encouraging! We thank all for their contributions, both big and
small, in-kind and financial.
Town News, by Mark Rossley
Upcoming changes: Trees will be cleared around the community hall to prepare for a new paint job this spring.
Also, be sure to call the Town Clerk (Cathie Hewitt, 832-4302)
if you need any of the following:
 Dog License
 Building Permit
 Dump Permit
 Community Hall Use
Page 6
Bovina newsletter
Bovina Visits the Scottish Borders
by Ray LaFever, Town Historian
The fundraising trip for the Bovina UP Church to Scotland got underway on October 30, when twelve intrepid
travelers, including Bovinians Jim and Peg Hilson, Pat
Parsons Miele, Jean Parsons Merenberg and yours
truly departed for a seven day/six night adventure in the
'old country.'
Half of the time was spent in the Scottish Borders, from
where a number of Bovina's early settlers hail. Jim, Jean
and Ray all claim descent from Francis Coulter (while
Pat and Peg can claim connection by marriage). Coulter
came from near Hawick while "Old Jock" Hilson came
directly from Hawick. So there was a genealogical reason
to head over the pond.
(Right): Pat at Kelso
Abbey; (Below, Left): Peg
celebrates her birthday
in Scotland); (Below,
Right): Pat and Jean
learning about the
Battle of Stirling at
Stirling Castle.
As well as visiting a number of well-known sights, such as
Rosslyn Chapel, Traquair House, Abbotsford (the home
of Sir Walter Scott) and the four borders abbeys
(Melrose, Jedburgh, Kelso and Dryburgh), we spent a few
hours at the Hawick Heritage Hub, where the
archives for the Scottish are housed. The other half of
the trip was spent in Edinburgh, where for about a day
or so folks went off on their own adventures. The whole
group joined up on the last full day to visit Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle. The guides at every place we
went were helpful and knowledgeable and the weather
cooperated. We had some rain, but the worse rain was
on the return home. Overall, a successful trip
that we may try to repeat in a year or so.
(Above): Archives manager Paul Brough got out several documents that included
some Bovina surnames. One document recorded a brawl that included a Glendenning, ancestors of the Coulters. Another was a land record that included some
Ormistons. He also had several census documents related to the Hilson family.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
COMMUNIT Y
NEWSLETTER
S PONSORED BY
DELHI, NY
PERMIT NO. 2
Photos and images in this issue
were generously contributed by
Wendy Buerge, Julie Hilson,
Ray LaFever, Mary Pelletier,
and Garrett Schindler.
Pastor, Rev. Garrett Schindler
[email protected]
607-832-4340
PO Box 26
Bovina Center, NY 13740
www.bovinaupchurch.com
We are now green!
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If you have any news to contribute
for future issues, please let Julie
know
([email protected]
or 832-4567)!