News & Notes — 8/5/2010
August 5, 2010 St. John’s Church “News & Notes”
Hello My Friends,
It seems wonderful to have the chance to communicate with you once again. I had a terrific vacation - no traveling; just did some work around the parsonage and did some day-trip sorts of things. But it was great! That’s really one of my favorite ways to spend a vacation. That’s probably not the norm . . . but then again, who ever accused me of being “the norm?”
Miranda and Dallas Freeman invite you to attend a piano/vocal musical performance this Sunday, August 8th at 3 PM in our church. The brother-sister duo would like to share a little free entertainment as they explore their passion for all things musical together. Although each of them has been involved in music individually for as long as they can remember, this summer is the first time they have collaborated to put on a unique performance of their own as a team. Come curious… leave smiling! (And drag along a few friends while you’re at it!)
I hope your children (4 y.o. through entering fifth grade) are planning to attend this year’s Vacation Bible School! It’s August 16-20, from 9 AM till noon each day! The focus of VBS this year is “The Good Earth Garden.” Activities, crafts, snacks, Bible lessons and stories, and games all revolved around God’s good earth! The plans seem have gone “swimmingly”, and VBS is well planned!
There’s a list in Hartford Hall of items needed for VBS. To save the budget a dollar or two, it would be wonderful if we could all help provide the supplies. Please check out the collection container and list that are on a table against the wall with the windows.
Invitation To All from our VBS planners!
We would like to invite the congregation to join the Vacation Bible School students and volunteers on Friday, August 20 at 11:30 am in Hartford Hall. Please come hear the students sing some songs they will be learning, and listen to them play the instruments they will be making. This will be approximately a 30 minute get together to share a few of the things we will be doing. We hope you can join us! Thank you.
Hedding United Methodist Campground News
Please join us as we celebrate 148 years of Camp Meeting.
Hedding United Methodist Campground will be celebrating its 148th Camp Meeting week beginning on Sunday August 15th at 7:30 pm. This year’s speaker is the Rev. Dr Wendell D. Luke Jr. Before his retirement Rev. Luke had been Assistant to the Bishop, a Pastor at numerous churches and District Superintendent for the Metro Boston South District. He has had poetry published in several journals. Services will be held at 7:30 each evening throughout the week. Bible Study will be afternoons at 1 pm in the Studio. Lunch and dinner can be purchased for a nominal price (reservations not necessary)
Ladies Day at Hedding is Wednesday, August 18th:
The women of the United Methodist Church are invited to come to Hedding Campground and join us for our 114th Ladies Day. Registration is 9:30 am. Worship with the Rev. Dr. Wendell Luke Jr begins at 10:30 am. Lunch is served at 12 noon at a cost of $6.50. Following lunch there will be a guided tour of several cottages. To make reservations please call Beth Wicks at 603-679-2906.
Some of you may not have heard that Rollie Patch’s brother, Dick Staples, died last Saturday. The funeral was on Tuesday. Rollie as lost two brothers and a brother-in-law (Cliff Kincaid) during the month of July. Please hold him - and his extended family in your prayers.
Many of you have been bringing your used/empty prescription bottles to the church - to be taken to Haiti. The folks who transport them have sent us the message that they have more than enough for the time being! They have so many to pack in their bags, they don’t have room for their own clothes! Many thanks for your contributions! We’ll pass the word along once again when they are ready to receive more.
The Education Committee met this week, and one of the big items on their agenda was to discuss potential teachers - I think we have seven openings to fill. I have a favor to ask of the whole congregation: would you please hold this concern in your prayers? Please pray that God would lead us to ask the right people for the positions; and that God would touch the hearts of those who will be asked - to move them to respond affirmatively - and to open themselves to the blessings of teaching our incredible kids!
Jim Korth led a Yard Sale at the church this past Saturday. It went wonderfully - with several folks renting tables - and good sized crowds to come patronize our sellers! The church realized about $300 so far - to go to our Current Expense budget. And even greater news was that several of the sellers asked if we could do this again. So the Finance Committee has decided that at our October 15 & 16 Rummage Sale, we will not have a “church white elephant” section - but will, once again, rent tables to individuals and families. So - especially if you didn’t get involved this past Sunday - plan now to bring your goods and rent a table on Saturday, October 16th, from 8 AM till noon!!
Our elevator project is coming along nicely. The primer coat of paint is being put on the walls of the elevator shaft right now. And the contractors say they will complete most of their work by Monday morning. The installers of the actual elevator will arrive Monday to begin installation of the lift itself.
Bear with me for one more elevator story. At the Yard Sale on Saturday a women approached Sandy Shepard’s table and said to her “I’m so glad your sale was outdoors this time. I can’t come to your sales that take place downstairs - ’cause I can’t walk the stairs.” Sandy told her the good news - that we’re installing the elevator. The importance of this project comes out again and again.
Gentlemen from D.F. Richard are at the church right now, as well. They’re installing the piping for the propane gas to the new “on demand” hot water heater that Kenny Gallant installed in our kitchen a month and a half ago. Let the savings begin!!
In worship this Sunday we’ll be blessing a prayer shawl for Keith Launchbury, who is in a rehab facility in San Francisco, California. He could be there for as much as two months. For those who hadn’t heard, he has been afflicted with Transverse Myelitis, which is caused by a virus that attacks the spinal column, causing inflammation which leads to paralysis. While he has experienced set backs in his progress, he seems to be moving ahead in a positive direction. But this is a very difficult ordeal - to have this frightening affliction - to be away from family, friends and home for two months - and not to be able to bring in income during this time.
If you have someone else that you would like us to give a prayer shawl to, please let me know as soon as possible. We’ll include theirs with Keith’s.
This one comes from Diana Schuman: There once was a king who lived in two-story grass hut. Every holiday the king demanded to be given a new throne as a gift. As soon as a new throne arrived, he would store the old throne on the second level of his hut and use the new one instead. But one day the hut collapsed from the weight of all the thrones, and everyone was crushed and killed. The moral of this story? Those who live in grass houses shouldn’t stow thrones.
That’s it for this week! See you in church on Sunday! Peace, Mark