In Touch. You've always wanted to go to Africa make 2013 your year! Join Us in Kenya in 2013!

Transcription

1 In Touch THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, FLANDERS, NJ You've always wanted to go to Africa make 2013 your year! Join Us in Kenya in 2013! Trip Dates: June 25 to July 8th (July 12th if you join the optional safari) Our work in Kenya is varied and, as in past years, will include the following: Continue the construction of a Community Center and a new "Living WordChurch" in the Mathare North slum of Nairobi Offer Bible school programs and worship at the Living Word Church Provide free medical care to the community Work with the children at the ByGrace Children's Home in Ngong (on the southwestern edge of Nairobi). This home and school cares for orphans from the slums of Nairobi and provides an education for children living in the local area. Visit and care for families affected by HIV/AIDS in the Nairobi slums with local home health care volunteers Hold a professional development conference for local teachers Visit a giraffe center and elephant orphanage You have something unique to offer to this ministry in Kenya and your life will be changed. Don't miss this opportunity to help those in need! Apply now online at For more information, please contact Wendy Patchin, UPC elder and Associate Director for the Foundation for Peace or wendy@foundationforpeace.org

2 Page 2 In Touch Rick s Ramblings It doesn t feel like Christmas was all that long ago, yet Lent is once again already on the horizon. It s early this year, as is Easter (March 31), so it is probably the last thing on our minds at this point (we ve got the Super Bowl, Valentine s Day first). But it will soon be upon us. In her collection of Lenten poetry my favorite Presbytery poet Ann Weems has a poem for the not-yet-ready-for-lent among us: When Lent comes, you have to put away the tinsel; you have to take down your Christmas tree, and stand out in the open vulnerable. You either are or you aren t. You either believe or you don t. You either will or you won t. And, O Lord, how we love the stable and the star! When Lent comes the angel s voices begin their lamenting, and we find ourselves in a courtyard where we must answer whether we know him or not. Put Away the Tinsel, Kneeling in Jerusalem The six weeks of Lent turn our attention from the star and the stable to Christ s journey to the cross following his baptism. The 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter remain the spiritual heart and soul of the Christian calendar and the faith we profess. As I type at my computer this afternoon, the weather in Flanders is frigid and the weatherman says significant snowfall is on the way for the weekend. Even with Easter being early this year, Lent will end on a warmer note, teasing us into the hope of spring s new birth just around the corner. I have read somewhere that the word Lent actually comes from an old English word for spring. We ve had a pretty easy Winter so far; who knows what February and March will bring. But by Easter we will again be ready for the promise of spring that is always on our minds by then. The February and March issues of the In Touch as well as our weekly UPC Communiques will keep you up to date on our active congregational life as we begin to make our way through Lent. I hope and pray God touches you in a special way during our Lenten journey and that you take advantage of what UPC will be offering to help along the way. Lenten Blessings, Jesus, Satan, and The Computer Rev. Rick Jesus and Satan were having an ongoing argument about who was better at using the computer. Finally, God said, "I am going to set up a test which will take two hours and it will judge who does the better job." So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away. They moused. They did spreadsheets. They wrote reports. They sent faxes. They sent . They sent out with attachments. They downloaded. They made cards. They did every known job. Suddenly... without warning...ten minutes before the time was up, lightning flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, the rain poured, and of course, the electricity went off. Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld. Jesus just sighed. The electricity finally flickered back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically screaming, "It's gone! It's all gone! I lost everything when the power went out!" Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all his files from the past two hours. Satan observed this and became even more irate. "Wait! This isn't fair, Jesus cheated! How did he do it??!!" God shrugged and said, "Jesus Saves."

3 Page 3 In Touch Hi UPC members, Noah s Ark Tricky Tray I do volunteer work with Noah s Ark, our local animal shelter. Our annual tricky tray is approaching in April. We usually make a lot of money at this event thanks to many, many folks who participate in many different ways. Did you know that American Express did a survey that indicated 79% of respondents believe in re-gifting not only presents at Christmas but at birthdays and other gift giving days as well. So, if you are wondering what to do with that lovely.something.that your great aunt gave you, think of Noah s Ark! I ll be glad to accept new or like new items and get them over to the ark (or you can drop them off yourself - or call the office at ext. 106 to arrange for pickup. Thanks for thinking of the cats and dogs and whatever other of God s creatures that find a temporary home at the Ark!!!! Contact Barb Gunn for any questions. Video/Discussion Series for Lent The Way Sundays Feb. 17, 24, March 3,10,17 Kicking off with a soup luncheon, this year we will honor Lent by viewing and discussing the video series The Way. This series will take us to many of the important spots associated with Jesus ministry from his baptism to the cross. These Lenten discussions will include soup as many Sundays as we can get soup makers! If you have a favorite soup, please sign up to make it on one of the Sunday! THE DEADLINE FOR THE March 2013 IN TOUCH is Wednesday, February 20 Please submit any information you want included in the March 2013 In Touch to the c h u r c h o f f i c e o r b y e - m a i l (UPCintouch@aol.com) on or before that date. All are welcome to contribute. ASP NEEDS YOU!!!! This year s ASP trip may be cancelled without your help! Each year UPC sends volunteers to poverty stricken areas of Appalachia to help make homes drier, warmer and more livable. Each year, we need Adult leaders, usually men with common household skills, who can direct a crew of 4 to 5 youth with the help of a co-leader. This year we are in need of 3 leaders. Can you help? Without enough leaders we may have to cancel our trip. Our team is scheduled to travel to West Virginia July Please contact Linda Hoffman (LHoffman15@optonline.net; ); Kathy Banfe (kbanfe@yahoo.com; ) o r R o n E r n s t (rernst6@optimum.net; ) if interested or have questions. Remember a leader can do the work or if unable simply direct others to get the job done. Skill levels are sent to ASP before worksites are assigned ensuring that the work will align to your skills. If you have thought about participating in ASP now is the time to sign up. We need your help! Thank you for your consideration, T Soup Kitchen Linda, Kathy, Ron his month we will be serving C h e e s e b u r g e r M a c a r o n i Casserol at the Dover Soup Kitchen on Thursday, February 28th. We need 10 people to cook. Please sign up in the hall. All supplies can be picked up in the kitchen. Cooked entrées must be returned by Tuesday, February 26th. Anyone interested in serving sign up in the hallway.

4 Page 4 In Touch Fun n Friends Nursery School It s hard to believe but it s already February and we are more than half way through our school year. It has been a very busy first half. We had a couple successful fundraisers, including Joe Corbi s and a Holiday wreath sale. We held our annual food drive which filled the Deacon s Pantry and Thanksgiving Baskets. Our Thanksgiving and Christmas Pageants remain highlights in the school year. In October, Hurricane Sandy left many of us without power for weeks, schools were closed, and gas became hard to find. And we were the fortunate ones. Many lost everything. Fun n Friends hosted a Secret Santa Toy Drive and collected toys for children who were affected the most along the New Jersey Shore. We hosted our Open House on January 23 rd and it was very well attended. We continue to drive our enrollment numbers. It s already time to register for the School year, so please tell a neighbor, friend or even stranger with children ages 2-5 about our program. Fun n Friends is as much a staple in our community as ever. Thank you for your continued support to our program. There is much preparation happening for the second half as well. Fun n Friends Book Fair is the week of March 4 th. The nursery school will be opening the fair to church members. Books are a wonderful Easter basket gift and purchasing a book through the Book Fair is an excellent way to support the nursery school. We also ask church family members and friends to consider purchasing a book through the Book Fair to be added to the shelves of the FNF library collection. This is a great opportunity to give our teachers the tools and resources they need to partner with parents to instill a lifetime love of reading in our children. We are also working with the Mount Olive Public Library to put together a special program for parents on the importance of reading to children and encouraging early literacy to coincide with Book Fair week. Also, Calling All Chocolate Lovers, The Fun n Friends Gertrude Hawk fundraiser is quickly approaching with on sale dates of 2/4 2/22. Order forms will be available soon. All orders will be delivered to the church on March 15 th just in time for Easter! Spring is just around the corner! We can t wait to stretch our legs and run on our playground. YOU ARE INVITED TO OUR ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT WEEKEND GETAWAY WHO: All church families WHEN: February 23-24, 2013 WHERE: Johnsonburg Presbyterian Camp Johnsonburg, NJ (just outside of Hackettstown) Come and join us for a fun-filled Christian family retreat. This is a great time to worship and praise the Lord with our families away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. If your family is interested in participating or you have any questions, please contact the church office. Women s Retreat 2013 Saturday, March 16, 2013 United Presbyterian Church, Flanders Retreat Leader: Lorelei Oelschlager from Camp Johnsonburg More details to follow....

5 Page 5 In Touch Family Matters Be One in a Million this American Heart Month Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. "Heart disease takes the lives of far too many people in this country, depriving their families and communities of someone they love and care for a father, a mother, a wife, a friend, a neighbor, a spouse. With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes a year, and 800,000 deaths, just about all of us have been touched by someone who has had heart disease, heart attack, or a stroke."- (Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius) February is American Heart Month, and unfortunately, most of us know someone who has had heart disease or stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day. These conditions are also leading causes of disability preventing people from working and enjoying family activities. Cardiovascular disease is also very expensive together heart disease and stroke hospitalizations in 2010 cost the nation more than $444 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity. However, we can fight back against heart disease and stroke. CDC and other parts of the US government have launched Million Hearts, to prevent the nation's leading killers and empowering everyone to make heart-healthy choices. What is Million Hearts? Launched in September 2011 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Million Hearts is a national initiative that aims to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. over the next five years. This public-private partnership, co-led by CDC and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is integrating and amplifying a range of existing heart disease and stroke prevention programs, policies, and activities. Goals of Million Hearts The Million Hearts Initiative seeks to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by the end of 2016 by: Empowering Americans to make healthy choices such as avoiding tobacco use and reducing the amount of sodium and trans fat they eat. These changes will reduce the number of people who need medical treatment for high blood pressure or cholesterol and ultimately prevent heart attacks and strokes. Improving care for people who do need treatment by encouraging a focus on the "ABCS" Aspirin for people at risk, Blood pressure control, Cholesterol management, and Smoking cessation four steps to address the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and help to prevent heart attacks and strokes. What Million Hearts Means to You Heart disease and stroke affects all of our lives, but we can all play a role in ending it. Prevention starts with everyone. Protect yourself and your loved ones from heart disease and stroke by understanding the risks and taking these steps.

6 Page 6 In Touch Drive the initiative by challenging your family and friends to take the Million H e a r t s p l e d g e a t Get up and get active by being physically active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Know your ABCS: Ask your doctor if you should take an Aspirin every day. Find out if you have high Blood pressure or Cholesterol, and if you do, get effective treatment. If you Smoke, get help to quit. Make your calories count by eating a heart -healthy diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in sodium and trans fat. Take control of your heart health by following your doctor's prescription instructions. Together, we can all be one in a million this Heart Month and every month. Submitted by Lisa Silkowski Reprinted from Centers for Disease Control & Prevention ( Something New for 2013 Music before Worship Beginning next week Feb. 17, we will "prime the pump" for our morning worship every first and third Sunday by singing a few familiar songs from about 9:50 into the 10 am hour. Music will be led by Jeff Tuecke and Tim Clarkson. Have a specific request? Let them know. Joint Ash Wednesday Service Wednesday Feb. 13 7:30 Joint Ash At Abiding Peace Lutheran Church Join us as we enter into another Lenten season with our Lutheran friends in Budd Lake. Come out and Support the youth of our church as they participate in their High School Musicals Blair Academy Presents: Thursday, February 7:30pm Friday, February 7:30 pm Saturday, February 7:30 pm Mt. Olive High School Presents: Thursday, March 7:00pm Friday, March 7:00pm Saturday, March 7:00pm Lenape Valley High School Presents: Friday, March 7:30pm Saturday, March 2:00 pm & 7:30pm Sunday, March 2:00pm

7 UPC, FLANDERS Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 3 COMMUNION SUPER SUB SALE 10:00am Worship & SS 11:15am Sr. High s 10 10:00am Worship & SS 11:15am Congregational Annual Meeting 11:15am Confirmation Class 17 10:00am Worship & SS 11:15am Sr. High s 11:30am Lenten Soup Luncheon 24 Looking Ahead to March March 24 Palm Sunday/Annual Passover Seder March 28 Annual Maundy Thursday Service 10:00am Worship & SS 11:15am Jr. High s 11:30am Lenten Soup Luncheon :30pm Session Mtg. 7:30pm NewSong 7:30pm NewSong 19 7:00 pm Fun n Friends Board meeting 7:30pm NewSong 6 5:15pm Alleluia Choir I 7:30pm Community Outreach 13 5:15pm Alleluia Choir I 7:30pm Ash Wednesday Service at Abiding Peace Lutheran :15pm Alleluia Choir I IN TOUCH DEADLINE 5:15pm Alleluia Choir I 7:30pm Food for The After 7 5:15pm Alleluia Choir II 6:30pm Chancel Choir 14 5:15pm Alleluia Choir II 6:30pm Chancel Choir 21 5:15pm Alleluia Choir II 6:30pm Chancel Choir 28 10:00am Soup Kit. 5:15pm Alleluia Choir II 6:30pm Chancel Choir 1 10:00am Women of Faith 8 10:00am Women of Faith 15 10:00am Women of Faith 22 10:00am Women of Faith :00 AM 2nd Saturday Page 7 In Touch

8 FEBRUARY 2013 In Touch The United Presbyterian Church 58 Drakesdale Road Flanders, NJ Phone: and Fax: Pastor: Rev. Rick Oppelt Church Website: In Touch

9 EASTER LILY AND TULIP ORDER Orders for lily and/or tulip plants to be placed in the Sanctuary are being taken at this time. Please fill out the form below as soon as possible and place it in the box located on the table in the Narthex. Deadline for submitting orders is March 3, Cost of each lily or tulip is $9.00. Cash or check (made to: UPC) should be placed with the order in an envelope. No additional plants will be ordered. Thank you for your support in helping to beautify the Sanctuary at this special time of the year. Plants may be taken home following the 10 AM Easter Services. Please contact Karen Brand ( ) if you have any questions. Plant Quantity Cost/plant Total Lily $9.00 each Tulip $9:00 each NAME TELEPHONE IN MEMORY OF, HONOR OF, CELEBRATION OF, ETC. Please check one: pick up flowers after Easter service (March 31, 2013) donate flowers Total due EASTER LILY AND TULIP ORDER Orders for lily and/or tulip plants to be placed in the Sanctuary are being taken at this time. Please fill out the form below as soon as possible and place it in the box located on the table in the Narthex. Deadline for submitting orders is March 3, Cost of each lily or tulip is $9.00. Cash or check (made to: UPC) should be placed with the order in an envelope. No additional plants will be ordered. Thank you for your support in helping to beautify the Sanctuary at this special time of the year. Plants may be taken home following the 10 AM Easter Services. Please contact Karen Brand ( ) if you have any questions. Plant Quantity Cost/plant Total Lily $9.00 each Tulip $9:00 each NAME TELEPHONE IN MEMORY OF, HONOR OF, CELEBRATION OF, ETC. Please check one: pick up flowers after Easter service (March 31, 2013) donate flowers Total due Page 9 In Touch