News & Notes 7/31/08
Good Day, My Friends!!
Ah, we’ve reached the end of the seventh month!! On one hand we can marvel at how quickly the year is going. On the other hand we can offer thanks to our awesome God for all that God has done in our lives during these first seven months of the year! It is amazing to think, isn’t it? There have been Wesley’s Covenant Service; the institution of our healing ministry; the completion of our Natural Church Development questionnaires (with the goal of becoming a healthy congregation) and then “unpacking” the results once we found out “Passionate Spirituality” is our minimal factor; an early and cold and snowy Lent and Easter!; two - count ‘em - two Mission Teams who went to Louisiana; the Trustees completed several significant facility maintenance and upgrade projects; we hosted the Cluster Choir Festival and the Bishop’s Day on the District; produced incredible ongoing Sunday School and Youth Group ministries; confirmed six youth into the life and ministry of the church; and on and on! Wow! Thanks be to God for all that God is doing in us . . . and through us!! Amen?
And then add to that list our first downtown worship service at the Rotary Shell! It was a great time last Sunday, and unlike previous services under the tent, we made connection with some of the people of the community!! It wasn’t a HUGE turnout, but we connected with a few visitors who might not otherwise have attended!! It was a large undertaking, and a number of people performed Herculean duty, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to all! You’re the best!
Cheri Nixon must have stopped briefly during her trip out west, as she sent this brief note to send to you. “Just a quick note to ask you to share thanks again to ALL those that were involved in the Jubiliation Service. What a joy it was! Special thanks to Jay Whitehouse who was able to borrow plants from his employer, Rolling Green Nursery and carefully placed them in our worship space. (I neglected to thank him on the bulletin but didn’t want to forget him).”
So, what’s up for next year? We’ll have to see, won’t we? May God be our guide!
And lest we settle back into complacency, I have already made plans for something unusual in worship this Sunday. When you come to church you’ll be invited to find a seat in Hartford Hall - as the hall has been set up “in the round” for worship. We will celebrate communion around the table of the Lord - literally. I pray that this will enable a new and fresh sense/experience of community and fellowship for us.
And because it’s Communion Sunday, there’ll be special offering envelopes in the bulletin for the Pastor’s Discretionary Fund. Your generosity does sooooo many wonderful things to help people make ends meet. You provide a powerful witness by your giving!
In last week’s “News & Notes,” and in the “Bell-Wether” that arrived at your homes this week, there was mention of a collection of (required) school supplies to the schools to help children whose families can’t afford all the materials that are required of them each year. The collection box has been prepared and placed in the entrance of Hartford Hall, awaiting our contributions. The list of supplies that are needed is pretty basic: #2 pencils, pens, single-subject notebooks, backpacks, colored pencils, calculators, erasers, index cards, etc. I my last parish we found that crayons were not as popular among the kids, and the supply of crayons was overflowing. I don’t know if that would hold true for schools around here too. At any rate, the school supply collection is underway!!
Both our Office Manager, Sandy, and I will be on vacation next week. Rev. Jim Cann, from First UMC, Rochester, will be on call for me. Call either Bill McWilliams or Betty Small if you need to reach him in the event of an emergency. The office will be covered intermittently, but the phone machine will be checked regularly for messages. I’ll also be on vacation the next week (August 11-15), but Sandy will be back.
This is to announce a “Casting call” for adults and kids for our Vacation Bible School’s “Holyword Studios.” (That’s not a misspelling!) If you’re interested and available, please notify director Amie McGlauflin or Producer Natalie Hanson ASAP. Roles are going fast. Natalie’s email is natchip1 [at] comcast [dot] net or her number is 603-740-3621. Age 4-12 is perfect. If we have any younger or older children interested we will find a role, crew, production or spot for them. Thanks Natalie
I have permission from Joan Humphrey to share with you that her Mom passed away Tuesday evening - just hours after Joan arrived to be with her. The funeral will be held Saturday, at 1 PM at Christ Temple in Harrisburg, PA. Please hold Joan and all her family in your prayers. And pray for Bill as he travels on Friday to be with Joan’s family - and then returns late Saturday.
Donna McAdam and I have been talking about the Adult Education program for this fall. She asked me to ask if anyone receiving this note would be interested in leading a six-week study on a book entitled “Climbing the Sycamore Tree: a Study on Choice and Simplicity,” by Ann Hagmann. This is the book that the Thursday morning Small Group worked with recently, and they had many good things to say about it. It would also tie in with the theme of our Youth Group program this year: caring for the environment. If you’re interested in leading the group, please contact Donna soon.
Then I was wondering if there might be any in our church who would be interested in taking part in a “Disciple Bible Study.” I’m actually pretty late in getting this invitation out, so if you have interest, please speak to me ASAP. The possible courses are:
Disciple: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study (we’ll read 70% of the Bible in the 34 weeks of the course)
Disciple: Into the Word Into the World - focusing on Genesis/Exodus & Luke/Acts
Disciple: Remember Who You Are - focusing on the Old Testament Prophets and the Letters of Paul
Disciple: Under the Tree of Life - focusing on the Gospel According to John and the Book of Revelation
The last three possibilities are 32 week commitments
We also have an eight-week study available entitled Disciple: Invitation to the New Testament
It is strongly encouraged that you would have taken the first class, “Disciple: Becoming Disciple Through Bible Study,” before you take any of the 32 week classes. There is no prerequisite for the 8 week class. Let me know if you have any questions, or have interest in one of the classes. Thanks.
I mentioned the Thursday morning Small Group a minute ago, which leads me to remind you again that any of our Small Groups are open to new participants. The Men’s Group meets in my office on Thursday evenings at 7 PM. The Wednesday morning group meets in Hartford Hall at 8:30 AM - starting up again in September. And the Thursday morning group meets at Donna McAdam’s home at 7 AM each week - starting up again in September. There are new groups in the planning stages as well, and we’ll let you know about them as soon as concrete plans are made.
A local news station was interviewing an 84 year old lady because she had just gotten married - for the fourth time! The interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to get married again at 84, and then about her new husband’s occupation. “He’s a funeral director,” she answered. “Interesting,” the newsman thought. He then asked her if she wouldn’t mind telling him a little about her first three husbands, and what they did for a living. She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years. After a short time a smile came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she first married a banker when she was in her early twenties, then a circus ringmaster when in her forties, later on a preacher when in her sixties, and now in her eighties, a funeral director. The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers. “Easy son,” she smiled. “I married one for the money, . . . two for the show, . . . three to get ready, . . . and four to go!”
That’s it for today. Enjoy this wonderful weather. Be on alert for those places where God’s hand is at work in your life . . . and give God thanks! See you in church! Grace & peace, Mark