The Messenger First United Methodist Church Newsletter 446 Camden Avenue, Moorestown, NJ

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1 First United Methodist Church Newsletter 446 Camden Avenue, Moorestown, NJ Rev. Stephen Donat, Pastor Rev. HeyYoung Horton, Associate Pastor Glenn Rodgers, Director of Music Karen Murray, Director of Christian Education Kathy Clawges, Director of Youth, Sr. High & College Sam Rotz, Director of Youth, Middle School Bonnee Noyes-Bongiorno Parish Nurse 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: -or- us at: church@meetwithgod.com DECEMBER 2013 Christmas Events CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES Tuesday, December 24th 32nd Annual Community-Sing HANDEL'S MESSIAH 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:30 PM 11:00 PM Family Service Christmas Praise with Carols and Candle Lighting Service Christmas Bells and Brass Ensemble Traditional Christmas Eve Service with Candle Lighting and Carols Sunday, December 8th 5:00-8:00 p.m. Come and experience this beloved Oratorio by singing the choruses and solos with hundreds of others who have come to cherish this yearly, unique, audience participation event. See pg. 5 for more information CHRISTMAS MUSIC SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS Sunday, December 15th 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. This annual festival service will include choirs of children, youth, adults, and Praise Singers, along with bells, Praise Band, and organ. Come hear joyful music, stirring bible readings, and join in singing beloved Christmas carols. ADVENT WREATH NIGHT Please join us for this annual event on Sunday, Dec. 1st at 6:30 p.m. We will be doing things a little differently this year - see page 3 for more information. 16th ANNUAL HOLIDAY REMEMBRANCE SERVICE A Celebration of Quiet Joy Sunday, December 15th 3:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary See pg. 2 for more information NEW YEAR'S EVE HEALING/COMMUNION SERVICE Please join us in the Sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve for an informal time of singing and sharing the Bread and Cup of Christ, and anointing. Come as you are as we meet together to recognize that our hope and healing is found at the foot of the cross. Page 1

2 CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH GROUNDS FOR GOOD Don't miss a very special Grounds for Good on Friday night, December 6. FUMC's very own Rev'd Up, featuring the musical stylings of Pastor Steve, Jay Appleton, Norm Dorrell and Rick McConnell will perform a variety of festive Christmas selections. The evening will feature free coffee and tea, homemade treats and hot chocolate for sale, and an art exhibition sure to put us all in the holiday spirit. Grounds for Good is always free, but donations and proceeds will benefit our local food pantries at St. Matthew's and Bethel AME. Doors will open at 7:30 with music kicking off around 8. See you there! BELL RINGERS NEEDED! The members of the Moorestown Service Unit of The Salvation Army would like to invite you to assist in our annual Red Kettle Campaign. We are requesting your help on Thursday, Friday & Saturday Dec. 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th & 21st at the Moorestown Mall, Maple Shade ACME on Lenola Rd., or Cinnaminson Wal-Mart on Rt If you can give us 2 hours of your time during one of those days we would be grateful. It is to be noted that at least 90% of the donations go toward the assistance of persons in Moorestown, Mt. Laurel, Maple Shade & Cinnaminson areas. If you would like to sign up or have questions, call Bruce Zollers at HELP FILL OUR MITTEN TREE There's still time to help with our collection of gloves, mittens, hats & scarves to help those in need in our communities to stay warm this winter. Helping is easy! The Mitten Tree will be in the Sunday School lobby (by the elevator) until Dec. 15th. All items will be donated to Emergency Services of Burlington County. Last year we collected 447 items! Please help us once again to help so many in this season of giving - if each of us makes a small donation, together we can make a big difference. Dec. 1st Dec. 4th Dec. 6th Dec. 7th Dec. 8th Dec. 8th Dec. 9th Dec. 10th Dec. 11th Dec. 15th Dec. 15th Dec. 15th Dec. 15th Dec. 15th Dec. 16th Dec. 18th Dec. 24th Dec. 25th Dec. 26th Dec. 31st THE 16th ANNUAL HOLIDAY REMEMBRANCE SERVICE A Celebration of Quiet Joy For those of us who have lost loved ones, the holidays can be a stressful time. Yet they can also bring some beautiful memories. On Sunday, December 15th at 3 p.m., you are invited to a special event in our sanctuary. This Remembrance Service is for bereaved families to share the memories and celebrate the life of a loved one(s). With the leadership and guidance from Pastors Steve & HeyYoung, we welcome the community to our sixteenth annual service. We ask that each family/person bring a candle in a holder to light and place at the altar. A reception will be held following the service with refreshments provided. Nursery care will also be available. For more information, please contact the church office ( ). CALENDAR OF EVENTS Advent Wreath Making - 6:30 pm Sing-Along at Mt. Laurel Ctr. - 10:30 am Grounds for Good - 8:00-11:00 pm Adult Fellowship at Field Club - 6:30 pm 1st Friends in Faith - 2:00-5:00 pm 32nd Annual Messiah Sing-5:00-8:00 pm Chick-fil-A fundraiser - 5:00-8:00 pm Church Council - 7:00 pm UMW Tea & Auction - 11:00 am UMM Breakfast - 7:45 am Christmas Music Service - 9:30 & 11 am Poinsettia order deadline Light Harbor at Mt. Laurel Ctr. - 2:30 pm Remembrance Service - 3:00 pm Acolytes - 6:00-7:00 pm Internat'l Women's Friendship Grp-10 am Christmas Services - 6:00, 8:00, 10:30 pm Christmas Day - church office closed Church office closed New Year's Eve Service - 7:00 pm Page 2

3 FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. 3 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. Luke 2:8-14 This year during ADVENT our church will be participating in a study entitled Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam by James W. Moore. Each week the Pastor's sermon will be based on information gathered from this book. Below is an excerpt from the book's introduction. Christmas or confusion, Bethlehem or bedlam: Which will you choose this year? The truth is, we don't have to choose because Christmas always happens right in the midst of our confusion. God breaks into our confusion and becomes known through Jesus Christ. Christmas and confusion: Weren't they intimately related at the first Christmas when Jesus was born? Sometimes we forget that. However, this book is about how Christ breaks into our chaos and confusion to bring Christmas and how Bethlehem always happens in the midst of bedlam. (pg.8) I am looking forward to doing the Study and hearing a different perspective from this miraculous familiar story. I hope you'll join me! Small groups are forming including one on Wednesday's at 6pm for Soup & 7pm for Study. If you are interested in hosting or participating in a group please contact me as soon as possible. All offerings will be listed in the Church Bulletin and in the Narthex. To order a Study Guide please contact me at or education@meetwithgod.com. The cost of the book is $ May God grant you PEACE during this wonderful time of year! Important Dates In Christ, Karen Murray, DCE Dec. 1 st - Advent Wreath Making beginning at 6:30pm with Dessert (NO Covered Dish Supper this year) and concluding with a time of singing and lighting of the first Advent Candle at 7:15(ish). See the Bulletin Insert for more details. Dec, 4 th, 11 th, & 18 th - Soup & Study 6pm-8pm. All are Welcome! (Childcare Provided) Dec. 5 th, 12 th & 19 th - Thursday Youth Group 4:30-6:30 Including Dinner, Choir & Fellowship for ages 5 through 6 th grade. NO Youth Group or Choir on Dec. 26 th or Jan. 2 nd. Page 3

4 The Messenger MIRIAM CIRCLE As we prepare our hearts for the celebration of our Savior's birth UMW invites all ladies to join us for our annual Christmas Tea and Auction. It will be held on Wed. Dec. 11, at 11:00 AM in Fellowship Hall. Ladies please come and bring a friend as we all join in and feel the spirit of the season. Tickets can be purchased from members of Miriam Circle for $8. For questions, call Barbara Dapper, Christmas Chancel Flowers Our sanctuary will once again be decorated with poinsettias for Christmas. If you would like to make a donation toward the cost of a plant ($8.50), in memory or in honor of a loved one, fill out the order form below. Forms may be mailed or dropped off in the marked box in the church office. Number of plants $8.50 per plant Name of Donor ( ) In Memory of: ( ) In Honor of: Make checks payable to: First United Methodist Church 446 Camden Ave. Moorestown, NJ DEADLINE FOR ORDERS IS SUNDAY, DEC. 15, 2013 IMPORTANT! Please memo your check Christmas flowers and place in the marked box in the church office or mail to the above address. Checks for flower orders should not include offerings and should not be placed in the offering plate. (If donations exceed the total charged by the florist, the extra amount will be used to support the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Burlington County.) Flowers may be taken home after the 11:00 pm Christmas Eve service Page 4

5 32nd ANNUAL COMMUNITY-SING HANDEL CHORUSES AND SOLOS TO BE SUNG BY THE GATHERED COMMUNITY SUNDAY DECEMBER 8, :00 p.m. TO 8:00 p.m. GLENN RODGERS Director DENNIS ELWELL Organist Free-will Offering Light Refreshments Served Child Care Provided First United Methodist Church Camden Ave. at Pleasant Valley Ave. Moorestown, New Jersey Page 5

6 MISSIONS SPOTLIGHT Ambassadors For Christ (AFC) Late October David Chow, President of AFC, sent a note thanking our congregation for our partnership and generosity. On October 19 a dedication and grand opening ceremony was held at the AFC Great Commission Training Center in Paradise, PA. About 200 people attended the event, including members from our church. David Chow writes, Thank the Lord for providing $3.5 million for the first phase which was the training center building. We are now working toward the second phase of $2.5 million to provide lodging for people who attend the training and church events at AFC, accommodating around 80 people. It is our prayer that the Training Center will be used many, many times throughout the year not only by AFC, but by churches and other religious organizations. Please pray for the upcoming triennial Chinese Mission Convention which will be held in Baltimore December 26-30, Over 3500 are expected to attend this event with hopes of encouraging churches and challenging participants to serve God wherever He calls them. Visit for more information about this event. For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NLT) SAVE THE DATE! May 2-4, 2014 FAITH PROMISE WEEKEND It is through the generosity of our Faith Promise giving that we are able to support mission organizations such as Ambassadors for Christ. The Missions Commission will again host Faith Promise Weekend events in 2014 to bring you closer to some of the faithful stewards we support through our Faith Promise. Beth Davies Missions Commission Could Stephen Ministry Be Right for You? My Stephen Minister listened to me as no one else could at that point in my life. He was always there listening, sharing Scriptures, praying with me. That was when I realized that God was still working in my life, Jesus was still saying 'yes' to me, and I was going to be okay. These are the actual words of Scott Robeson, who received care from a Stephen Minister when he was going through a divorce and who gave us permission to quote him by name. He resisted asking for help at first, but a voice deep inside challenged him to ask others for help. * Do you feel a loss of God's presence? * Do you question how God is working in your life? * Are you experiencing a life situation that leads you to question whether or not you'll be okay? Could you benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister? Contact: Please contact our church office or one of our Stephen Ministers 82 Copyright 2000 by Stephen Ministries, St. Louis Page 6

7 KATE'S PLACE, INC. For those of you who do not know anything about our program, I would be happy to give you all some information. Kate's Place is a social program for intellectually delayed young adults at the age of 18 and above. Currently our age range is 18 to 45 years of age. Our disabilities range from Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Rubenstein Taybi Syndrome, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dystonia, Cerebral Palsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, Partial Deletion 18 Q, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism, Seizure disorders, along with an individual who is deaf. We currently have an enrollment of 22 individuals in our Kate's Place program. This program began for special needs individuals who would be graduating high school at the age of 21, and more than likely sit at home in front of a computer or television alone. They do not get to hang out at the local mall, drive to a friend's house, or go off to college and make their lifelong friendships like most of your children do. We currently meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 to 6pm and like to meet in Fellowship Hall where there is plenty of room for this lively group to have adequate physical activity. We would like to ask you all to please have the consideration of our program when setting up early for events that are days away. Because of this program my daughter, Katie, has lost over 65 pounds! We are proud to keep this group on the move while at the same time teaching age appropriate behavior and appropriate emotional feelings. Kate's Place will be eternally grateful for First United Methodist Church for coming to the rescue in housing our program and love to do anything we can to help out. Our Wednesday program is scheduled to be more of a Community Outreach Day, where the gang also learns some work environment skills. We have hand made lap blankets for the frail and elderly, packed lunches for the homeless, cleaned up trash on the church property, and made over a thousand cards for the seniors at the Mt. Laurel Home. It is the only card that some people get. In addition we have made hundreds of cards for the Veterans and current people serving, stuffed over 5000 Easter eggs for Easter egg hunts, labeled save the date cards for the Moorestown Community House and stuffed tax bills for other townships also. Our group has set up for the Soup and Study program for over 2 years and are very proud to say that we recently made Stone Soup for that program as well. Kate's Place has been happy to help set up for many events that are held in Fellowship Hall and would just like to ask that other groups have the consideration to take down the tables and chairs when their events are finished. We spend so much time setting up for others it would be nice to come in for our program and not have to take tables and chairs down every day as well. If you know of anyone that could use help similar to what is listed above, please contact me at any time. Feel free to view our website also! JoAnn McNamee Kate's Place, Inc. katesplaceinc@comcast.net (609) SAVE THE DATE First Friends in Faith Annual Holiday Open House! Sunday, December 8th, to 5 pm Please join us at the home of Maureen and Rob Grassmyer in Moorestown and bring a light appetizer or small dessert to share We will be taking a Love offering to help a needy local family enjoy a Merry Christmas RSVP by December 1st to Darlene Mocelo - cmdmrmdm@gmail.com or Page 7

8 First United Methodist Church of Moorestown has had a long history of growth beginning in Most churches of that era had services only on Sunday morning and perhaps a Sunday evening service. In 1994, the 9:30 contemporary service was started; in 1996 the Saturday evening contemporary service was initiated in an effort to meet the needs of those who because of jobs (nurses, doctors, retail employees) or obligations (caregivers) could not always make the services on Sunday. Today, we also have an 8:30 A.M. service on Sunday for the early risers. This is all good but how many members of the 11 A.M. service have had the pleasure of getting to know Mary and Ken Wedge? They like the 8:30 A.M. service held in the chapel. They find that the size of the chapel encourages members to be friendly and to interact more. Kenneth Wedge was born in Clawson, a small friendly town in Michigan where everyone knew each other. His father was an auto mechanic; his mother a homemaker and piano teacher. He has a younger brother living in Oregon. After World War II his family fostered Val, a young boy who was a displaced person from Latvia. It was Val who gave Ken the nickname Snake because he was so tall. Ken graduated high school in 1952 and along with some buddies joined the U.S. Navy for a Kiddie Cruise ; enlisting prior to the age of 18 and being discharged on their 21st birthday. Going into the service gave many young people the opportunity to learn skills that would carry over into their civilian life. Such was the case with Ken. He attended the Navy aviation/electronics schools which led to him becoming an electronics instructor. Following his discharge, he continued to use his Navy education working as a field engineer with the U.S. Army in Germany for 2 years. Later he worked as a Program Manager for ITT-Gilfillan for military missile programs and radar systems. His employment took him all around the world and finally to N.J. and RCA where he worked as Marketing Manager on different radar programs and classified electronic warfare systems. One of the highlights of his career was delivering a paper in Nanjing, China on phased array radar systems. In 1953, Ken had married a hometown girl, Roberta ( Bobbie ) Hall. Ken and Bobbie were married for over 50 years when she died in the hospital while being SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS Our Featured Senior - Kenneth Harold Wedge Page 8 treated for complications of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). They had 3 children, 6 grandchildren and so far, 2 great grandchildren. His son lives in Cinnaminson, a daughter in Ocean County, and one in Canada. Ken never went back to Michigan for any of the high school reunions but after the 50th class reunion, a certain Mary Reid, then living in Iowa, sent out reunion photos and an address list of all living class alumni to everyone. This enabled Ken to get in touch with one of his best buddies, George, living in Memphis, Tenn. whom he had not seen since graduation. George and his wife came to N.J. to visit Ken. Not long after, Ken and Bobbie received a phone call from Mary Reid telling of George's death. Bobbie was to die soon after this. Ken called Mary to tell her of his wife's death. He found comfort in talking to an old friend. (Of note, her father, Dr. Reid, had delivered Ken; old friends are priceless - shared memories and no pretense). The phone calls became longer and more frequent. (Ken had a $ phone bill one month). Mary has children on the East coast so she asked if she could stop in and see Ken on her visit. He suggested that she should skip the visits to the children and come directly to Mt. Laurel. It wasn't long (a one week courtship) before Ken and Mary were discussing wedding plans; Ken then meeting with Pastor Steve. There was some concern by their children that things were moving too fast. Between them, they have 8 children and 11 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Mary and Ken have been happily married for 9 years. Some hobbies that Ken had enjoyed were fishing, gardening and golf. Some health issues make these more difficult now. Both Ken and Mary enjoy reading, doing crossword puzzles together, Sudoku, and using their membership at Longwood Gardens. FUMC encourages those attending all services to take part in Bible Studies, adult fellowship, committees and the social activities at the church so that we have more opportunities to get to know one another. We are a caring Community of Faith sharing our love.

9 It is not yet Thanksgiving as I sit at my desk writing for the December Messenger. But, Christmas preparations are in full swing everywhere. Secular Christmas songs are on the radio, decorations are in abundance, and stores and online sites are advertising sales for Black Friday. The rush for the perfect holiday has begun, and the focus is not on the birth of Jesus. While children may have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, most adults have little time for a long winter's nap. Gone are the simple times of our own childhoods. In its place, cramped parking lots and crowded malls, wrapping, shopping, trimming the tree, baking, etc. It all adds up to a lot of stress. We all need the peace of Jesus. Everyone knows that stress is not good for our health. So, what can we do to reduce it? My suggestion is to simplify! I live by the phrase my mother taught me, less is more. Consider reducing the number of gifts you give this year. I always tell my children there is a difference between a want and a need. (I always said that NO was a character building word, but that is another story!) Sure, we can exchange gifts in the spirit of the first Christmas, just not in excess. Instead, we can honor Jesus by giving to those less fortunate, those who are truly in need. We can choose activities that involve the whole family such as caroling, or making a trip to see a live walk through nativity. We can still enjoy our favorite activities by selectively choosing to simplify and focus on the true meaning of Christmas, the arrival of Jesus. Most of my own cherished childhood Christmastime memories center around family traditions. I grew up in New England, so sledding and ice-skating with my parents and sisters was something affordable and fun. We had sing a longs by the piano, and trips in the car to see the big Christmas tree on the New Haven Green. We had long family walks after dinner. Church always came first and we never opened a gift until my dad read the Christmas story from the Bible. Nothing was ever in excess in those days. And I know that the generations that came before me had even less. But, Christmas was a pure and joyful time. The focus was always Jesus. This Christmas season I plan to make every effort to simplify and focus on Jesus. I look forward to spending simple times with my family, and my first little grandchild, Annie. My kids love to cook so they will help make our favorite recipes passed down from my grandmothers. We will sit by the fire, and just enjoy good old-fashioned fun. I will make a trip home to see my parents and we will pile in the car to see the big tree on the Yale campus. We will worship Jesus at church and dad will read from the bible. NURSE NOTES Give Me Jesus Page 9 My brother in law, Michael, passed away in June. He was 52 years old and died after a 2 year battle with a very aggressive soft tissue sarcoma. Mike left behind my sweet sister, Wendy, and children Victoria, Courtney and Harrison. Mike was Jewish, he came from a long line of Orthodox Jewish Rabbi's. Many of his relatives perished in the holocaust. But, Michael died a Christian! He came to know Christ over the years and was baptized a year before his death. He was a vibrant believer and shared the love of Christ with everyone. Not just with his words, but with his actions. Mike was like a brother to me and he is missed more than words can say. Before he died, he told everyone to have a Merry Christmas and that he would miss everyone very much. He liked to be with family and celebrate simplistically. He did not grow up with the stress or commercial hype of Christmas. When he became a believer, Christmas was all about the celebration of the birth of Jesus. My brother in law's favorite song was Give Me Jesus. It has become my favorite too. It is simplistic, not many words, but moves me to tears because of its meaning and beauty. It's Christmas time. Let's focus on Jesus. His birth brought us the only gift we truly need! The gift of eternal life through Christ's atoning death on the cross! This year Michael went home to his savior, Jesus Christ! He lives in paradise forever. No more sorrow, no more pain, no more suffering. Just Jesus. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! In the morning, when I rise In the morning, when I rise In the morning, when I rise You can have all this world Just give me Jesus When I am alone When I am alone Oh, when I am alone Merry Christmas and Joyous Blessings, Bonnee Noyes-Bongiorno Parish Nurse Give Me Jesus (Jeremy Camp) You can have all this world Just give me Jesus When I come to die When I come to die Oh, when I come to die You can have all this world You can have all this world You can have all this world Just give me Jesus!

10 ANGEL TREE Please consider providing a needy child with a wanted toy or other item this holiday season! The Angel Tree is set up with names of children porvided this year by The Salvation Army. The tree is located next to the Welcome table in the narthex. Just take a tag, shop for one of the items listed, tape the tag to the item, and return it unwrapped to the area near the Angel Tree. All gifts need to be returned to church no later than Wednesday, Dec. 11. There is no need to sign your name when you take a tag or check it off when you return the gifts this year. The Angel Tree is sponsored by the Outreach Committee. Any questions, please call Norma Wright at ADULT FELLOWSHIP CHRISTMAS DINNER Please join us on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at the Moorestown Field Club as we celebrate our Christmas Dinner. We will meet at 6:30 PM. Music will be provided by the Moorestown High School Madrigal Singers. For reservations contact Ricky & Ed Smith at Cost will be $22 per person. Please join us as we celebrate the wonderful Season of Christmas with great friends, great food and great entertainment! LIGHT HARBOR CHRISTMAS STOCKING Once again this Christmas season, there will be a Christmas stocking hanging in the Narthex. Help share the joy of Christmas with residents at the Mt. Laurel Center for Rehab and Healthacre who have little or no family contact. Just remove the name tag with a gift suggestion from the stocking, write your name and phone number next to the person you selected on the sign-up sheet by the stocking, and have fun shopping. Wrap your gift, attach the name tag you took from the stocking in a visible spot, and drop it off at church by Sunday, Dec. 15th. If you have questions, call margie Morgan, Please do not include anything else, like candy or lotions in your present since some residents have food restrictions or may be confused and try to ingest the lotion. Deaths: Weddings: Randy Resor on November 1, 2013 Lauren Elizabeth Chwastyk & Kevin Caulk on October 16, 2013 Abigail Lynne Dill & William Andrew Woodworth on October 26, 2013 OUR MISSION STATEMENT 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 10