News & Notes 7/5/2012
Happy Independence “season”!!
“Independence” is an interesting thing for Christians to think about. I know full well that we speak about independence during this time of year to celebrate our freedom from an oppressive government that taxed without representation. But in another sense Christians are about the business of growing in our awareness of just how “dependent” we are on the God of creation - on the Christ of salvation - and the Spirit/Advocate of support and guidance. So, while July 4th may be “Independence Day” for our country, may EVERY day be “Dependence Day” for followers of Jesus Christ!
You should have seen the crowd of folks who showed up at church this morning to decorate/prepare for VBS!! Wow!! How wonderful! Thanks everyone! This leads me to extend this invitation once again: Come join us for VBS from 5:30 till 7:30 PM on July 9th through the 13th. Your child(ren) can come at 5 PM for a light soup ‘n sandwich supper, if they wish. And then everyone — parents, grandparents, neighbors, siblings and friends — is invited to come on Friday evening, July 13th, at 6:30 PM for a closing presentation and cook out!! It’s all about Jesus, and all about fun!! See you at VBS! Register online at http://overboard.cokesburyvbs.com/sundayschool@stjohnsdover.org.
Some items needed for VBS crafts and decor:
old CD/DVD discs, bright colored Hawaiian leis, imitation fern leaves, plants and moss, pool noodles, styrofoam cooler, different colored bath scrunchies, different colored loofah sponges, aluminum foil, plastic sea creatures (fish, crabs, lobster, seahorse…), blue cellophane, sheets of styrofoam, blue and gray spray paint. If you have any of these items you would like to donate please put them in the collection box in Hartford Hall. Thank you.
Next week we will greet some of our neighbors at Dover Friendly Kitchen - on Tuesday, from 5 till 6 PM, at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church. Rita Murphy would LOVE to have your donated homemade desserts to serve!! And she needs one or two more people to help serve (please try to connect with her to see if she is still in need - ritamurphy [at] yahoo [dot] com).
Last Sunday Bobbie Garneau mentioned that no one had signed up to host Coffee Fellowship for the rest of the summer - and except for August 19th, that’s still true. Won’t you help facilitate deeper fellowship with our sisters and brothers. Coffee Fellowship doesn’t need to be formal - especially during the summer - it can even be just cold drinks and simple snacks set up on the picnic tables out front of Hartford Hall if you wish. Please help out soon, if you would!!
Got stuff to sell in a yard sale? Want to do it with some others folks - to attract a bigger crowd and take advantage of the group’s advertising? Want to help the church out? Well Jim Korth is organizing our Yard Sale for Saturday, August 4th. Speak to him soon, to claim your space - just $25!!
St. John’s is preparing for a new pictorial directory. It is our hope that all those who attend regularly will have a picture taken so that we as a congregation may know each other better. The process is simple - each person or family group comes to the church to have a picture taken. While you are here you will see all of the pictures taken and make your selection for the directory picture. Each group photographed will receive an 8×10 portrait free. At the time of viewing you may order other photographs if you choose. The whole process takes about 1 hour. Dates for appointments are August 13- 14 and September 27-29. Signing up for your appointment is easy. Sign-up sheets are available at church each week and you may choose your time then. Sign-ups may also be completed by using this link - https://www.securedata-trans14.com/ap/stjohnunitedmethodistchurchofdover/index.php?page=10. If you complete your Appointment process on line, a gift certificate will appear which you can use toward any order you may make. Let’s all get together and make this the best and most useful directory St. John’s has ever had. Time slots will fill up quickly so get your appointment as soon as possible.
Help is needed to get the directory finished in a timely manner.
1. A photographer to make pictures of those unable to come to the church for a sitting.
2. Receptionists for the days of photographing. Thank you to Deanna Gallant, Judy Strate and Barbara Murray who have already offered to do this. We can use 2 more.
3. A person with computer skills to update the lists and check the on-line registrations once each week from now through Sept. 29.
4. People who will get pictures of the Sunday School, our various mission endeavors, the youth, musical groups and other candids.
If you have the skill and are willing to participate in the directory project, please call or speak to MaryAnne MacKenzie. (603) 692-7465 or MacK [at] ttlc [dot] net
Every year our Staff/Parish Relations Committee is responsible for conducting an evaluation/review of our pastor, and of our congregation as well. This year, SPRC would like to have your input, so they’ve created a “Survey Monkey,” for you to share your thoughts. You can access it by going to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6TLZFHP If you haven’t taken the “Survey Monkey already, they would ask that you do this between now and . . . . I’ll say Sunday, mid-afternoon (which will give someone time to compile the results before their Tuesday evening meeting), so they can compile your input and include it in the evaluation they hope to complete this coming week. Won’t you take a few moments and complete the questionnaire? It’s quite easy.
Our Finance Committee is looking into the possibility of setting up a system to accept credit card charges at the church. The attractive feature of the plan that they are researching is that there are no monthly service fees, and only a small 2.75% discount fee for incoming receipts. It could be used for church fairs, silent auctions and church suppers. We would need a dedicated iPhone, iPad, Android or iTouch to set this up. I mention this here to ask you who receive “News & Notes” if, per chance, there’s anyone who has a no-longer-needed iPhone, iPad, Android or iTouch that you would be willing to donate to the church. If you do - or possibly if you’re willing to purchase one for the church - please speak to our Treasurer, Dave Perry. Thanks.
I took this off the Wanakee United Methodist Center’s facebook page: Wow! What a July 4th here at camp! Right at supper a t-storm rolled in with high (very) high winds…campers were safe and sound in the Dining Hall and the barn…but the trees around camp were not so safe. God watched out for the Rec Hall and the cars around it. Today and the next week will be lots of clean up. If you are up for moving brush to clear some trails and around some cabins, we’d love some help. Please call first (603) 279-7950 so we can best make use of the help. Mike
Diana Schuman shared this very appropriate story for the week of July 4th: A fellow and his wife in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where the people are all patriots, were blessed with the birth of twins, two identical girls. These twins were born on the 4th of July, and the father, being patriotic, said to his wife, “We will name them Liberty and Justice, after the Pledge of Allegiance.” His wife said, “Are you nuts? You can’t have girls going through life with names like Liberty and Justice. We’re going to name them regular girl’s names like Mary or Jane.” Well, the argument went on for about a month, when a compromise was reached. They would each name one of the girls. The man chose Liberty and the wife picked Elizabeth. As the girls grew, they were so identical, they kept pulling tricks on people who couldn’t tell them apart. Finally, when they were about 18, a young man took interest in them. He would take one or the other out on a date but he was never sure which one he was with. He decided he would marry one of them, or both if he could get away with it, but he wasn’t sure which one he would marry if he could only get one. He went to the girls’ father and explained his quandary. “I love your daughters and want to marry one of them, but I can’t tell them apart, so I will leave it up to you. Give me Liberty or give me Beth.” (By Bob Welsh)
That’s all that I can think of to share for today!! Summer is vacation time for many, but I hope you don’t take vacation from the worship of our wonderful God! See you in church!! Peace, Mark
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