May 2013 - First United Methodist Church
Transcripción
May 2013 - First United Methodist Church
The Messenger First United Methodist Church Newsletter 446 Camden Avenue, Moorestown, NJ 08057 856-235-0450 Rev. Stephen Donat, Pastor Rev. HeyYoung Horton, Associate Pastor Glenn Rodgers, Director of Music Karen Murray, Director of Christian Education Sue Harris, Parish Nurse Brad Kenney, Director of Youth Ministries Devika Gill, Director of First Light Learning Center Join us for Worship - Saturday 5:30 pm, Sunday 8:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am Visit us on the Web at: www.meetwithGod.com -or- Email us at: [email protected] MAY 2013 SPRING HAS SPRUNG... OCEAN CITY HERE WE COME! Sunday, May 12, 9:30 & 11:00 Worship Heart to Heart and Outreach Ministries will be sponsoring our annual “Fun Trip” to Ocean City NJ this year on THURSDAY, MAY 23rd. We will be leaving by coach bus from Fellowship Hall parking lot at 9:30 a.m. sharp, and will return by 5:00 p.m. We'll have lunch at the lovely Flanders Hotel, and then the rest of the afternoon can be spent at your leisure walking the boardwalk, browsing in the shops or enjoying the beautiful ocean! The only cost to you will be the price of your lunch ($18.00) and whatever you spend on the boardwalk. Wheelchairs are available if needed. There are plenty of seats on the bus, so invite your family and friends to come along. Please call Sue Harris at 235-2575 to reserve your seat and make your lunch choice. “By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea...” “THE TROUBABLE OF ZERUBBABEL” A Children's Musical by William Anderson Presented by the Children in the Junior & Wesley Choirs (2nd-6th Graders) Our Children's Choir will present the message in musical drama on Mother's Day, May 12, at the 9:30 and 11:00 worship services. This is the highlight of the year for the children as they happily take the responsibility of spreading the love of God in the faithful retelling of a Biblical story and eternal truth. Parents, children and congregation alike, remember specific tunes and memorable lines throughout their lifetime. CALENDAR OF EVENTS This Mother's Day musical is a favorite of children's choirs. It dramatizes the story of the Israelites' return to Jerusalem from their years of captivity in Babylon as found in the Old Testament book of Ezra. The story is engaging because of the name, which is fun to say, and the message of courage and faith that it took to rebuild the Temple and a world in ruins in the face of hopelessness and despair. Come and be blessed by the drama, the fresh enthusiastic spirit of children, and the reassurance of an eternal loving God. May 1st May 5th May 9th May 10th May 12th May 13th May 17th May 18th May 18th May 19th May 19th May 19th May 23rd May 27th Page 1 Sing-Along at Mt. Laurel Ctr. - 10:30am CROP Walk -register 1:30 pm;begin 2pm Estate Planning presentation - 2-3 pm Grounds for Good - 8:00 - 11:00 pm Mother's Day Musical - 9:30 & 11 am Miriam Circle - 6:00 pm Confirmation Dinner & Rehearsal-6 pm ASP Car Wash - 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Adult Fellowship at theater - 6:00 pm UMM Breakfast - 7:45 am Confirmation - 11:00 am Light Harbor - 2:30 pm Fun Trip to Ocean City-9:30am-5:00pm Memorial Day - Church office closed The Messenger FROM PASTOR STEVE Conversations Late afternoon, not long ago, I was walking between the church and my home, a very familiar trip! While I was walking, I was thinking about a conversation that had just taken place with a man who came by to talk with me about a funeral for a family member. He had come about a year before, too for another funeral, and about a month ago to talk about some personal issues. I encouraged him then to read a book (Phillip Yancey's What's So Amazing About Grace?) and it turns out he's been reading it! We had a good conversation. from the 'Wounded Warrior' ministry for a homemade meatball lunch that she and Dennis provided for these hurting soldiers. And I honestly thought to myself, “Hmmm… I don't have a Karen Halligan story today, because she's off on Wednesday! And I haven't talked to Nurse Sue yet.” You see, this is a typical day at work at First United Methodist Church. I know that sometimes we might wonder why we give to support the ministry here, and where does the money go. Giving is, for many of you, a sacrificial thing, and I know that; more importantly, God sees it, too, and, I'm sure, is pleased. But then I thought about some other conversations that I had that same day, and a pattern began to emerge… Brad shared with me about how his heart broke as he counseled with a High School sophomore, who was in a terrible home situation. Brad spent three hours with this young man, who just dropped by one evening (I called him, at dinnertime, I think). They talked about life, faith and hope. He's hoping that this can continue, but the home situation is not good. When we give, it's not just to keep lights on, and heat, or provide pizza for the youth group, oil for the candles in the sanctuary, or music for the choir (and 1,000 other things.) It's also - and probably especially - an investment in the people that I just described. People who do this kind of thing on your behalf and for the Glory of God… day, after day, after day. I thought about what Karen Murray had shared with me earlier regarding some work she had done that day in intervening for the children of another troubled local family. This is an ongoing issue, and her wise counsel is going to help. We have been praying for these people, too. Thank you so much, for all your generous and faithful support. Blessings Pastor Steve Then I thought of Glenn sharing with me that morning about a conversation he had with someone who had once been part of this church, but had run into some tough personal times. We are hopeful that they will come to church one day soon. ******* CAN YOU HELP? In his message “Breaking Down Walls - A Conversation with Pastor Steve and Jamel Flag”, Pastor Steve mentioned that the Church Council of 1st UMC has approved a plan for making the chancel/altar area of our sanctuary handicapped accessible; the only reason it has not been done already is funding. In order to make this plan a reality sooner rather than later, we would like to look into the options for funding it through a grant. If you have experience in researching and applying for grants and would be interested in helping us to do this, please email Pastor Steve - [email protected]. Thank you! And I remembered Pastor HeyYoung, so excited, sharing about a young woman from Japan, who came to Christ through the International Women's group that meets at our church once a month. She worshiped with us the weekend before. And then there was Joan (our secretary) explaining the situation of a woman who came in off the street needing help… but probably more than we were able to provide. She also shared some 'thank-you' cards she received Page 2 The Messenger FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”1 Cor. 12:27 One of the most significant parts of this service for me is found in the above response; “…we renew our covenant…” I truly believe that our children, for that matter, children of all ages learn by witnessing the behaviors of those around them. So, consider what you are saying when you read this response on Confirmation Sunday when we welcome our newest members into the “household of God”. Are you faithfully participating in the ministries of this church with your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service and your worship? On May 19th at the 11:00 Worship Service we will have the honor and privilege of witnessing 27 students in grades 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th as they Confirm their faith and join this Church. This year's Confirmation Class is a unique blend of youth from all different walks of life. We have students who have been coming to this church since they were very young and some who are new to this community of faith. We have some who come from single parent homes as well as some who have a two parent home. The one thing that is not unique to this group is that they all truly love the Lord. I truly hope that you are and that you are experiencing the “Glory of God through Jesus Christ” in all that you do. Remember this church is the body of Christ and each person has the opportunity to serve and grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord. Find the place where your gifts and talents will make a difference and serve with a heart filled with love and joy. They constantly ask questions about how they can learn to lean on God in difficult times and what does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit. They ask about sacrifice and prayer as well as trusting in Jesus. This truly is an amazing group of youth. We welcome our newest 27 young members with excitement and anticipation and look forward as to how they will carry out their commitment to pray, to be present, to give, to serve and to witness in this faithful community. John Sims and I along with the Pastors have been truly blessed by these youth and I just know that each of you will be as well. To God Be the Glory! In part of the Confirmation Covenant found in the United Methodist Hymnal (pg.38) the Pastor addresses the congregation and directs those present to make a commitment to help guide and direct these new young members. The text reads: “Members of the Household of God, I commend these persons to your love and care. Do all in your power to increase their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.” Sincerely, Karen M. Murray, DCE ******* ELDER LAW PRESENTATION TO BE OFFERED Robert J. Keltos, Esquire, an attorney specializing in elder law issues will be presenting a program here in the Heritage Room on Thursday, May 9th from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. “Basic Estate Planning - the Importance of having a Will, Power of Attorney and Advanced Directive” will be the topic for this informative program. It's never too early to make decisions for your future, and Rob is happy to help you do this. Light refreshments will be served. Hope to see you there Sue Harris. The Congregation responds with: “We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love. As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of The United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministries of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Page 3 The Messenger PERU 2013 MISSION TEAM Do you ever feel that the work you do for God is not important? There are so many people serving in so many ministries, why does your work make a difference? In the book of Zechariah, 4:10, we read: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, was responsible for rebuilding the temple, but was forbidden to trust the resources of man to accomplish the task. An angel appeared to him and said: ”Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Zerubbable is assured that the temple will be completed by the empowering of the Spirit of God. “ “Jesus love me, this I know….,' Every day of my life is affected because Jesus loves me….and you. I don't have to wait until I get to heaven to start enjoying His gifts…” That will be the theme of the evening when some women of FUMC and our Christian sisters from Chimbote, Peru get together ….in Peru….this June. Our hope is to encourage and affirm these women. We will also provide breakfast for 150 young school children for 6 days, supply much needed school items, offer 4 days of Vacation Bible School in 4 different churches and teach English through their ESL programs. God tells us that we “have been given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7) and that we “have been given exceedingly great and precious promises by God by which we are partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). You will have the opportunity to participate in this venture, as well as support the Peru Team, in the upcoming months. One opportunity will be in May, when the mini-Christmas tree will go up in the narthex, decorated with “Peruvian” angel tags and we will collect for “Christmas in June”. Other interesting ways to participate will be announced as they are scheduled. Each one of us is blessed by the gifts that God has given us. We have daily opportunities to serve Him, whatever we are doing. What has God given you, and how will you use it? As Pastor Steve teaches us, we at First United Methodist are a community of faith, each with different spiritual gifts. If we depend on the Holy Spirit to help us accomplish the things God has called us to do, we cannot be afraid to embrace what God gives us. Don't be afraid to step out in faith and try new things as you serve the Lord, for He steps out with each one of us! Kent Nerburn (author of Ordinary Sacred; The Simple Beauty of Everyday Life), says: “I believe God embedded the miraculous in the ordinary, and it is our task to discover it and celebrate it.” The Peru Mission Team 2013 thanks you for your prayers and your support. Gracias y Que Dios te bendiga. Dianna Donat, Peru Mission Team ******* My prayer for you is that you celebrate each day of this life that God has given you! WHEN GOD SAID LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE, I DON'T THINK HE MEANT THE ELECTRIC KIND Kathy Appleton Associate Lay Leader Please turn off lights, close windows and lock appropriate doors when finished with a room or area of the church. God calls us to be wise stewards of those things we are entrusted with. Thank you. God Bless! Bill McIlmail Property Coordinator Page 4 The Messenger MISSIONS SPOTLIGHT Rev. Rogelio Porquillo The Missions Commission members have been writing to missionaries we support. Recently we received a letter from Pastor Roger, a missionary in the Philippines supported by our Faith Promise giving for over 20 years. See pictures sent by Rev. Porquillo on the Missions bulletin board in the Narthex. Following are excerpts from his letter: Please continue to send support for our program, thereby supporting a full-time missionary in Sitio Angel. This young missionary-evangelist will conduct Bible study, visit people in the community, and preach the gospel in their homes. Please pray for our country which is visited by typhoons. Also for peace talks with the Communist Party which are suspended. Pray for our government who entered into agreements with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Grace and Peace to you! We now have a laptop with LCD and it is used for training members for mission and evangelism. We also bought utensils and a gas range for our culinary learners. We trained adult learners how to make soap for laundry and continue our feeding program for malnourished children. My daughter who is in her 4th year in college got sick last year and her scholarship was stopped. Please pray that some generous persons this coming June will give a scholarship to her. Our Annual Conference is in April. Please continue to pray for our church in Managok. We are proposing to our new Bishop, Rev. Ciriaco Francisco that he will assign a young missionary-evangelist in our extension work at Sitio Angel. Last May, five seminary students had exposure for 3 weeks in the tribal community. They lived and worked with these tribal people, experienced their daily living, how these people practice their laws, customs & traditions. Another five students will be assigned here in April. The effect of typhoon Pablo last December affected the lives of our people here. Please pray for them. Again, thank you for your prayers and financial support. May God bless you, your family and your church. Love and prayers, Pastor Roger ********* NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER OBSERVANCE On Thursday, May 2nd America will celebrate our National Day of Prayer. In observance of this, the First UMC chapel will be open that day from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for anyone to come in to pray for our nation. The evening will conclude with a prayer service in the Sanctuary at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to come in at their leisure to join in praying for our great nation. We will have someone available to assist as needed throughout the day. ********* Deaths: OUR MISSION STATEMENT Ruth Martin on April 5, 2013 First United Methodist Church is a community of faith committed to sharing the love of Jesus Christ with a hurting world through words and actions. Page 5 The Messenger TASTE AND SEE MIRIAM CIRCLE Miriam Circle will meet on May 13 at 6:00 PM for our covered dish supper and planning meeting. Georgie Jenkins will have devotions. Shirland Daglian, Lucy Townsend & Ricky Smith will be our hostesses. We will also have our annual Circle auction. Sharing healthy recipes as we minister to the “whole person” A Better Egg Sandwich Ingredients 1 piece of turkey bacon 1 whole-grain English muffin, split 1 organic egg 1/4 oz reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 small jalapeno, thinly sliced 2 thin slices red onion 1 thick slice tomato A sprig of fresh cilantro Pepper Cooking spray Ladies please come out and join us for an evening of fun and Christian Fellowship. For more information call Barbara Dapper at 235-1765. *** CHURCH WOMEN UNITED FRIENDSHIP LUNCHEON Church Women United will celebrate May Friendship Day on Friday May 3, 12:00 PM at the Evergreens. The cost of the luncheon is $15. For tickets call Barbara Dapper at 235-1765. Instructions 1. Cook the bacon until crisp. 2. Toast the muffin. 3. Spray the skillet, cook the egg (scrambled or sunny-side up) about 30 seconds. 4. Sprinkle with pepper and cheddar cheese. 5. Cook until set. 6. Transfer egg to muffin half. 7. Top with bacon, jalapeno, onion, tomato, cilantro and second muffin half. ******* THE GREATER SOUTH JERSEY CHORUS PRESENTS, SPOTLIGHT! Treat yourself to an exciting, varied program with great opera choruses, popular stage and screen songs, some fun and surprising pieces you thought you knew! Two of our church members - Margie Morgan, and Marylee Smyth will be singing. Two concerts: Why is it better? Organic egg has no hormones, pesticides or antibiotics. Red onion contains nutrients for anti-aging. Cilantro boosts flavor and is a natural diuretic. Turkey bacon has half the fat and calories of pork. Tomato helps promote heart and skin health. Reduced-fat cheddar contains calcium and less saturated fat. Jalapeno boosts metabolism May 5, 3:30 pm, Unitarian Church, Cherry Hill May 18, 8 pm, St. Isaac Jogues Church, Marlton The chorus of about 100 voices, conducted by Dean Rishel, will be accompanied by the Strings of Symphony in C. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from either Margie or Marylee, or directly from GSJC by calling 856-492-8282 or by visiting their website, www.greatersjchorus.org. Recipe found in Health Magazine, 11/2012 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed are those who who take refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 Page 6 The Messenger SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS Our Featured Senior - Genevieve Bryson Jenkins It can be puzzling as to how you can get the nickname “Georgie” out of Genevieve. Ginny or Jenny maybe, but Georgie??? An aunt decided that she should be called “little Georgie” after her father. A younger brother also claims the name George. Family gatherings could get confusing. Cape Cod for their honeymoon. Their first home was in an apartment in the Lenola area. This is when they started to look for a church nearby and FUMC became their choice. Raymond got a job as a chemist with Rohm and Haas. They later bought a home in Masonville. When their children were older, Georgie was a teacher for unwed mothers run by a ministry. She also worked as an aide at the Fleetwood school. The couple have three children; Laura living in Mt. Laurel; Rebecca living just outside of Washington, D.C. and Matthew living in Shamong. Their children have given them 6 grandchildren. Georgie was born in Lankenau Hospital in Pa. and brought to the family's home to join her sister, Jean, in Laurel Springs, N.J. The family worshiped in the Presbyterian Church. Her father worked as a sales representative for Bethlehem Steel; her mother, with a teacher's education, worked as a substitute teacher. The children attended the Laurel Springs elementary school system and were bused to Collingswood High School to finish their last four years. In High School, Georgie was a member of the Drum and Bugle Corps, sang in the choir, worked backstage for plays, and played softball (you could say she was a well rounded student). Her favorite subject was English. She decided to go to Ursinus College with the goal of becoming a high school English teacher. She minored in Biology. While in college, she sang in the choir, belonged to a Sorority, and tutored English. She graduated in 1957 and went on to teach English at Palmyra High School. Jean, Georgie's sister, is living in an assisted living facility in Albany, N.Y.; her brother, George, lives just outside of Chicago. In earlier years, the families would meet for a vacation in a cabin located on Lake Champagne in Vermont. Raymond and Georgie did a cross country trip to California in 1983. They have also visited Quebec. Raymond died of a recurrence of cancer in 1998. Georgie stays busy by reading, doing some yard work in her home in Masonville, likes to cook - Matt and Laura's families enjoy her soups, stays fit by going to the gym twice a week, and does some babysitting. Luncheon dates with her Collingswood High classmates is something she looks forward to. There is nothing like old and trusted friends - no pretenses or putting on airs. She was a Stephen Minister at FUMC and is an active member of Miriam Circle where she is often asked and is willing to offer a prayer. She reminisces about a minister's wife, Mrs. Emmons, who had a group of young girls meet at the church after school. Mrs. Emmons would stress that being gracious and thoughtful was far more important than worrying about looks and clothes. Georgie is another member of our church family who is very approachable and gracious. She took to heart Mrs. Emmon's thoughts and teachings. We never know who is going to have a lasting influence on us. LET'S ALL BE GRACIOUS, THOUGHTFUL AND KIND. Her best friends' Aunt Esther would invite Georgie to join their family for a vacation down in Surf City each summer. Vacations became more interesting as the young girls became teenagers. There was more to interest them than the beach or ocean. They met some young boys from Delanco. Now Laurel Springs is not exactly close to Delanco; thus, this presented a problem for continuing the friendships once they were home. The boys, not to be defeated, found a friend, Raymond, with a driver's license and access to a car. Problem solved!!! They called her cousin to see if they could visit. Georgie and Raymond found that they had that special chemistry that kept them dating off and on for 5 years. She did not see him often because she was away at college and dating others too. Raymond was busy being a Medic in the U.S. Army. They did have a formal wedding in the Presbyterian Church in Laurel Springs in 1958. They drove up to Page 7 The Messenger FROM THE PARISH NURSE Legal Documents That Help You and Your Family Two years ago, my dear dad went to be with God. As most everyone knows, anytime a loved one dies, it is a stressful and grief-filled time. Our minds tend to go on “auto-pilot” as a coping mechanism, so that we can do everything that needs to be done in a timely manner. My dad, being the organized, pro-active person that he was, had left an entire notebook for the family called “VITAL INFORMATION”. This notebook included insurance policy numbers, bank and credit card numbers, his Power of Attorney information, the location of his Will and Advanced Directive (Living Will) - even suggestions for hymns, scripture verses and readings that he would like for his Life Celebration Service. He and I had gone through this notebook several times so that I knew pretty much exactly what Dad's wishes were and it made the time that I was on “auto pilot” SO much easier and smoother, since I just followed his instructions and fulfilled his end of life wishes. Power of Attorney and Advanced Directive”. These documents seem to be the basic end of life documents that will help our families or friends make decisions in our behalf, when we are no longer able to make those decisions ourselves. Robert Keltos, Esquire is a knowledgeable, compassionate attorney who witnessed the difficulty that his grandparents went through with various legal issues. For this reason he branched out into Elder Law and his passion is to guide older folks through the complicated legal scene, and set them up with documents that are customized to their individual needs. Rob will be speaking in the Heritage Room on Thursday, May 9th from 2 - 3. Please join us for this presentation - invite your friends and family - and bring along any questions that you might have. Light refreshments will be served. Oh, and BTW all you “youngsters”…it is NEVER TOO EARLY to think about drawing up a Will, Power of Attorney or Advanced Directive for yourselves. The more prepared WE are, the easier it is for everyone, and we'll be assured that our end of life wishes will be carried out. I never realized how important all this “VITAL INFORMATION” was until recently, when I was working with some older folks in our congregation who suddenly found themselves in either a medical or financial crisis situation, and it came to light that they had NOTHING in place in regards to their end of life wishes - no Will, no Advanced Directive, not even a Power of Attorney! I know how easy it is to become complacent about such things, but the poor foresight of these elderly folks made it WAY MORE DIFFICULT for their family members to get these legal documents in place in a serious hurry. Every day I say, “Thanks Dad, for your great wisdom and never-ending love for your family.” Hope to see you at the presentation. Any questions give me a call at 856-235-2575. Sue Harris ******* So, why don't we have all our “ducks in a row” as we get older in regards to necessary legal documents? Well, it might be because we don't actually know what we should have in place, especially since getting older or getting sick, or thinking about dying is not something that we usually dwell on. But, I must stress how vitally important it is to think about these things and find out what needs to be available to those who love you and want to help out when issues arise. ADULT FELLOWSHIP Our annual night at the theater will be on May 18th, when we'll see “Legally Blonde the Musical” at the Burlington County Footlighters in Cinnaminson. This Broadway play is based on the popular movie of the same name, and is an all-singing, all dancing, feel-good musical comedy. Showtime is 8:00 PM. A limited amount of tickets, at $17.00 each, (along with directions) can be reserved by calling Jerry and Pat Mengel at 609-702-0551. First come, first served! Last call is May 12! For this reason, I have asked an Eldercare Attorney to come to FUMC to give a presentation entitled “Basic Estate Planning: The importance of having a Will, Page 8