the NEWSREEL from the pastor s pen... Contact Information Sunday Services JANUARY 2018 Volume 24, Issue 1 Ringing in the New Year

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1 the NEWSREEL McConnellsburg United Methodist Church, McConnellsburg, PA JANUARY 2018 Volume 24, Issue 1 from the pastor s pen... Ringing in the New Year How will you be ringing in the New Year? My yearly celebration begins by gathering with friends to play board games, laughing so hard until my stomach hurts, and eating way too much snack food and birthday cake. On New Year s Day, I watch the parade on television followed by a meal of pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes. Shortly afterwards, I am either back in front of the television watching football or taking a long nap. I bet you all do something similar. In any case, I want to challenge you to think further afield than just the first couple of days. Think about what new holy habits you might embrace in Since most of us have been binging on many tasty things since Thanksgiving, perhaps we need to discipline our eating habits. We can begin by eating smaller meals at regular times and incorporating a healthier variety of foods into our diet. Reducing or totally eliminating carbohydrates is also a great start. Drinking more water and limiting caffeine will help keep us hydrated without the overstimulation of America s drug of choice coffee. Adopting a more active lifestyle is also a terrific way to ring in the New Year. I know we are limited here in McConnellsburg in terms of available gyms to join, but we all can walk. On sunny and warmer winter days, we can take a brisk walk around our neighborhoods. On colder and snowy days, we can carefully shovel or come to the church and walk around the Faith and Life Center. Several people do this on a regular basis in cold weather and feel invigorated (and not frozen) when finished. If you already have a good handle on physical fitness, then perhaps you might think about shaping up your mental and spiritual body. (continued on page 2) 1 Contact Information Pastor: Robin Baer Parsonage: Church Office: mcumc@comcast.net Youth Director: Kelli Miller Facility Coordinator: Reta Chamberlin Alternate: Sue Nesbitt Website: Sunday Services Worship: 8:30 am & 11:00 am Sunday School: 9:45 am (for all ages)

2 (continued from page 1) There are several new Bible studies coming in Some offerings will include the Rev. Adam Hamilton s study of Jesus s life and ministry, various scholars teaching about Jesus s parables, and during Lent, an opportunity to look at the messes in our lives and our need for redemption. The Rev. Tom Berlin will help us engage in thoughtful and personal discussions about sin and how Jesus wants to restore and transform us. Also on tap for 2018 is a new retreat for women. Reta Chamberlain has been working hard in planning the retreat which will feature worship, workshops, food, and of course, fun! Watch future bulletins and Newsreels for additional retreat information and registration. The Worship Team will shortly begin planning various new worship experiences which we hope will help you grow in your connection with Christ. Please continue to use daily devotional materials that the church offers for free. The Daily Bread is always available inside the front door of the sanctuary to your left and also sometimes outside the church office. Lastly, I want you to know that you can come to me if you need encouragement or spiritual counseling. If you can t get to the church then I will come to you. Please do not hesitate to call and request a pastoral visit. We are on this journey of faith together. Be blessed in this New Year, Pastor Robin Church Council Meeting Minutes There was no meeting in December. Next meeting is scheduled for January 15 at 7:00 pm. Finance Team Meeting There was no meeting in December. Next meeting is scheduled for January 10 at 6:30 pm. Higher Education Scholarship Applications Open January 3, 2018 United Methodist Church high school seniors and those enrolled in college who are also active in their church and/or in the conference may apply for Fall 2018 scholarships offered through the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Students can apply online at between now and March 7, Student loans are also available at interest rates as low as 3.75 %. Funds for these scholarships come from offerings taken on United Methodist Student Day, World Communion Sunday, and Native American Sunday. Pastor Robin is willing to write scholarship recommendations for students interested in pursuing any and all scholarships. 2

3 The following list of McConnellsburg UMC Leadership for 2018 was presented and approved during Annual Church Conference, held October 1, 2017, at the Knobsville UMC. A short description of each group is included. Some committees/teams can add members at anytime during the year. If God is leading you to volunteer for service in any of these areas please inform the committee chairperson (designated by *) or Pastor Robin. Please remember to pray for all your church leaders. Staff [Most, but not all, of these are paid positions] Robin Baer, Pastor Sheila Bivens, Office Manager/Treasurer Kelli Miller, Children, Youth, Young Family Denny Benedick, Music Jeff Mills, Music Carla Helman, Music Lisa Ott, Janitor April Harmon, Janitor Reta & Mont Chamberlain, Facilities Coordinators Deb McGarvey, Kitchen Coordinator Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) [The SPRC s focus is on building strong relationships between the church staff and the congregation and handling administrative tasks such as pastoral and staff evaluations and communicating with the district superintendent.] George Heacock* Penny Shives Yvonne Garland Jim DeShong Dianne Stenger Teressa Carter Trustees [Trustees supervise and maintain all church property. They are responsible (along with the pastor) for all use of the church building and grounds and ensure adequate insurance coverage is maintained. They work closely with the church council.] George Hann Pam Ott Helen Overly Deb Buterbaugh Mont Chamberlain Gary Shives Greg Gordon Eugene Stenger Kerry Randler Finance Team [Some of the basic responsibilities of this team are to annually compile a budget, raise sufficient income to meet the budget, administer funds received by the church, establish internal control policies, conduct an annual audit of the church financial statements and report to the conference.] Rich Buterbaugh* Trustee Representative TBD Sue Nesbitt, Church Council Chairperson Nancy Shafer, Envelope Coordinator Sheila Bivens, Treasurer Sam Metz, Endowment Chairperson & Financial Secretary George Heacock, SPRC Chairperson Ellis Yingling, Member at Large Tim McGarvey, Member at Large Bob Vores, Member at Large Craig Knepper, Head Counter Norma Vores, Head Counter Gary Shives, Auditor Greg Gordon, Auditor Church Council [This is an administrative leadership group that organizes and coordinates the ministry of the church. It envisions, plans, implements, and annually evaluates the congregation s ministry and mission. It provides for the administration of the church and its daily function.] Sue Nesbitt* Leanne Pollock, Recording Secretary Jeremy Fletcher, Lay Leader Penny Shives, Annual Conference Representative Trustee Chairperson TBD Gene Stenger, Trustee Rick Buterbaugh, Finance Chairperson George Heacock, SPRC Chairperson Kelli Miller, Children & Youth Representative Reta Chamberlain, Member at Large Dave Garland, Member at Large Violet Culler, Member at Large Deb McGarvey, Member at Large Kate Mellott, Member at Large Mont Chamberlain, Member at Large Nancy Cordell, Member at Large 3

4 Endowment Team [When the church is the beneficiary of a will or the recipient of a trust this group will receive these gifts and administer them, ensuring the wishes of the donor are carried out. Funds received as memorial contributions are managed by this group also.] Sam Metz* Sue Nesbitt, Council Chairperson Trustee Chairperson TBD Robin Baer, Pastor Judy Shade, Member at Large Nurture Team [To promote connection among all the church family, including those unable to attend and new attendees. They support members in times of need, and encourages spiritual growth and connection to God.] Jeremy Fletcher, Lay Leader Jody Hann, Hospitality and Care Sharon DeShong, Hospitality and Care Justin Miller, Hospitality and Care Kate Mellott, Prayer Ministry Leanne Pollock, Christian Ed/Sunday School Nicole Fletcher, Christian Ed/Sunday School Kelli Miller, Children Pat Horton, Visitation Lay Leadership/Nominations Team [This committee is to guide the development of the strong leadership needed in the church to work with the appointed and employed staff. They take the lead in identifying and developing the leaders/members of the leadership teams and committees in order to facilitate a vital church ministry.] Pastor Robin* Sue Nesbitt Jeremy Fletcher Leanne Pollock Kelli Miller Kate Mellott Outreach/Mission Team [The goal of this team is to prayerfully assess the gifts and passions of the congregation, and coordinate participation in various mission opportunities. These could include food and/or clothing ministries, mission service projects or trips, vacation bible school. They could be community-wide, conference-wide, and/or world-wide.] Cindy Glessner* Kelli Miller* Greg Gordon Kate Mellott Jeremy Fletcher Sam Metz Dinah Chamberlain Wendy Darrell Rick Tedesco Sharon Tedesco Polly McGarvey 4 Fundraising Team [This team explores ways of funding the ministries of the church. They take the lead in organizing and executing plans to raise funds that improve the financial position of the local church and allow for ministries to have funds necessary to continue.] Penny Shives Helen Overly Deb McGarvey Greg Garland Jody Hann Denny Richards Others TBA Worship Team [This group assists with worship service planning. Their service includes preparing the sanctuary for services, communion preparations, recruiting and training acolytes and ushers.] Leanne Pollock* Ruth Reeder* Denny Benedick, Choir Director Kelli Miller, Worship Arts Jeremy Fletcher, Lay Leader Craig Knepper, Lay Speaker Kate Mellott, Prayer Ministry Nancy Richards, Communion Steward Cindy Glessner, Communion Steward Nancy Shafer, Member at Large Mike Stenger, Member at Large Jim DeShong, Member at Large Sharon DeShong, Member at Large Witness/Evangelism Team [Think of this team s ministry as inspiring, promoting, and encouraging evangelism throughout the entire life of the church. They reach out, welcome, and invite others to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and help to equip them to live as Christian disciples.] Reta Chamberlain* Joye Reeder Kate Mellott Sue Nesbitt Jeremy Fletcher Wendy Darrell Miscellaneous Positions Sheila Bivens, Membership Secretary Joyce Cover, Membership Auditor Sam Metz, Annual Conference Alternate Ruth Reeder, Historian Pam Ott, Website Maintenance Nancy Cordell, Newsletter Jim DeShong, Small Group Coordinator Dixie Heacock, Safe Sanctuary Coordinator Sam Metz, Love s Closet Coordinator Nancy Cordell, Social Media Coordinator

5 STAFF REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE MCCONNELLSBURG UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Plan for Funding Ministry 2018 Pastoral Costs Pastor Salary... $46, Social Security Offset... $3, Health Insurance... $14, Pension... $7, Continuing Education...$ Travel Allowance... $2, Other Reimbursable Expenses (Annual Conf. Registration, etc.)... $ Other Staff Organists... $ 5, Choir Director... $ 2, Secretary/Treasurer... $15, Custodian... $7, Minister of Youth, Outreach, and Worship... $18, Social Security Expense for all non-pastoral employees...$4, Total Employee Expense... $128, LAY LEADERSHIP CONF., TRAINING or Safe Sanctuary Reimb $ CONFERENCE SHARES OF MINISTRY: (64%) World Service & Benevolence... $6, Connectional Ministry... $8, Clergy Support... $10, Total Ministry Shares and Training Expense... $26, CHURCH, PARSONAGE & EDUCATIONAL BLDG. UTILITES Telephone/Cable/Internet... $4, Fuel Oil/Propane... $5, Electricity... $14, Water... $1, Sewerage... $1, Garbage... $1, Parsonage Taxes... $3, Total Utilities... $31, MATERIALS & SUPPLIES Church/Worship... $4, Office Supplies... $5, Janitorial... $1, Equipment... $1, Christian Formation... $2, Music Ministry (Choir $1,000, HIS $500)... $1, Van Maintenance and Expenses... $1, Food Ministry Expense... $3, Total Materials and Supplies... $19, MISSIONS Fulton County Food Basket... $1, Love s Closet... $1, United Methodist Children Home...$0.00 Sierra Leonne Support $0.00 Missions/Outreach...$1, Total Missional Giving... $3, EVANGELISM AND OUTREACH Youth Ministry...$1, Camping Scholarships.$1, Children s Ministries/VBS.$ Evangelistic Outreach.$ Gifts for Visitors... $50.00 Care for Shut-ins... $ Communication and Promotional Expenses $ Mother/Daughter Banquet & Father/Son... $ Total Outreach Expenses... $5, Mortgage Payment $36, GRAND TOTAL... $250, NOTE: Word Music Subscription comes out of Choir Music budget, CCLI comes out of HIS Music budget, and CCVL comes out of Church/Worship budget.

6 2018 January SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY New Year's Day A Choir-6p Youth Mtg-6p Bible Study-10:00a and 6:30p First Friday Lunch 11a-1p A Choir-8:30a SPRC Mtg-6p A Choir-6p Youth Mtg-6p Bible Study-10:00a and 6:30p Finance Mtg-6:30p A Choir-11a A Choir-6p Council Mtg-7p Youth Mtg-6p Bible Study-6:30p Love's Closet 12-2p A Choir-8:30a A Choir-6p Trustee Mtg-7p K Choir-5:30p Youth Mtg-6p Bible Study-10:00a and 6:30p K Choir-11a A Choir-6p Youth Mtg-6p Bible Study-10:00a and 6:30p Notes: A Choir - Adult Choir K Choir - Kids Choir Wendy Darrell 07 - Kerry Randler 07 - Bob & Teressa Carter 09 - Melinda Howells 11 - Linda Clippinger 12 - David Garland January Birthdays and Anniversaries 13 - Tim McGarvey 14 - Yvonne Garland 15 - David Washabaugh 15 - Stanley Mellott 16 - Joy Minnier 18 - Katelynn Mellott 19 - Quincy Washabaugh 20 - Jace Fletcher 21 - Bryce Garland 26 - Gene Stenger 28 - Doretta Mellott 29 - Brad McClain REMINDER For additions or corrections to the birthday & anniversary list use the Newsreel Suggestion Box at the back of the sanctuary or the church office (address on page 1) JANUARY SCREEN SCHEDULE DATE 8:30 SERVICE 11:00 SERVICE Jen Knepper Reta Chamberlain 1.14 Dave Gorley Josh Booth 1.21 Kelli Miller NEEDED 1.28 Dave Garland Dave Keaton

7 Happy New Year! We are continuing our study through the Bible and are starting a section called Pursuing God s Best, which will take us from I Samuel through I Chronicles. All youth from grades 6 12 are invited to join us on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 PM. There are some super exciting things coming up this year so stay tuned! In His Service, Kelli Miller Looking Forward to a great 2018! Did you ever know..... that some claim the celebration of the new year is the oldest holiday? New Year's Day which commonly celebrated in the modern West on at the beginning of the Roman calendar has not universally been celebrated on January 1st. The Jewish, Chinese, and other calendars still in use today identify different days as the beginning of the year. In history (ca BC), Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now March 23--the beginning of a new year coincided with the beginning of spring. In fact, January 1 has no real astronomical nor agricultural significance. It can be argued to represent a purely arbitrary date. The Romans at first also observed New Year's Day on March 25, but the calendar changed so much at the hands of various emperors that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun. In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year. But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what was come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It again established January 1 as the new year. It's intriguing to realize that New Year's Day was celebrated on January 1 during Jesus's lifetime. The early Church condemned the festivities around the Roman New Year's celebration as pagan. However, later the church began to offer alternative, religious observances on and around New Year's Day. One remnant of these early festivities is the Feast of Christ's Circumcision which is still observed by some denominations on New Year's Day. The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 600 BC. It was their tradition at that time to celebrate their god Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth. Although the early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of the baby Jesus. The use of an image of a baby with a New Year s banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early America by the Germans. They had used the effigy since the fourteenth century..... and now you know. 7

8 This & That NEWS UPDATE! The installation of the new, much needed, carpet for our sanctuary and overflow area will be completed in just a few days! If you would be interested in helping to fund this project you can leave a footprint in honor or memory of a loved one. A footprint plaque will be placed in the vestibule naming each $ gift. For each name/individual you would like placed on the plaque, a $ donation is required. Thank you for helping us WALK THE RED CARPET! Servant of the Month Beginning with this issue, a new column will be contributed by Reta Chamberlain. It will be titled Servant of the Month and will give you some insight to selected members of our congregation. You may learn behind the scenes work that s being done in our church, personal testimonies, or things that are being planned. Get to know your brothers and sisters in Christ a bit better. To prevent TRUTH decay, read your Bible daily! Get Your Spirit in Shape is a free, 30-minute, monthly podcast provided by United Methodist Communications that features conversations with leaders, authors, and others who offer spiritual nutrition and exercises for our everyday lives. You can subscribe to the podcast on itunes, Google Play, or Stitcher; or listen to episodes posted on the website. Some past episodes When We re Bad at Being Good, Life Lessons from a 95-year-old United Methodist, Keeping Faith and Humor in Cancer, How Science Led from Atheism to Faith. My heart is full of gratitude for the people of the McConnellsburg United Methodist Church. Your willingness to serve in various capacities throughout the year is a testimony to your love and devotion to Christ. I am so proud to be your pastor. I am looking forward to 2018 and the wonderful new opportunities we will have to know, grow, and share Christ together. On a personal note, I want to thank you for your amazing generosity to me during the Advent and Christmas season. Your cards, gifts of food and fun presents, and money were greatly appreciated and cherished. May God continue to bless you richly because of your love and care for your humbled shepherd. In Christian love, Pastor Robin What do Winnie the Pooh and John the Baptist have in common? Answer: Both have the same middle names! 8

9 BIBLE READING PLAN The Bible Reading Plan selected for 2018 will allow you to read through the entire bible in one year. There will be five readings scheduled for each week. Each day will have an Old Testament reading (arranged chronologically) and a New Testament reading. Please consider making a commitment to following this plan for Find a partner or group to keep you accountable. ~ Servant of the Month ~ Servant of the Month for January is Reta Chamberlain. Reta has been a member of MUMC for about 10 years. During this time, she has not only been a member but has served on committees such as the missionary team committee and church council. Reta has also been the Children's Church Coordinator for the past 5 years and has found that to be such a rewarding experience. She is involved in choir and is starting to help out with the media position during church services. Reta and her husband, Mont Chamberlain, are currently the Facility Coordinators for the church. Reta has loved being a member of this church and has grown in her faith through it. Her favorite Bible verse is " Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path Psalm 119:105. She says, no matter what I go through I know I can look to his word for comfort and guidance and the Lord will show me the right pathway in his time and he will always be with me. Reta is busy planning a one-day woman's retreat to be held on Saturday, September 29, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, at MUMC. (More Information on this will be coming soon). Other future plans are to possibly have some women of the church involved in being "Secret Sisters, plans of taking pictures of church events and posting them for members to view. Reta is excited to see what new things will be happening in 2018 and prays you will be a part of them. God bless! Please notice the kids choir will practice only once this month, January 24 and sing on the 28 th at the 11:00 AM worship service. The adult choir continues its weekly rehearsals and will soon start preparing for an Easter cantata, Because He Lives... Amen! It s scheduled to be presented on March 30, Good Friday, at 7:00 PM. 9

10 The following is an excerpt from a news release regarding the work being done by the Council of Bishops on Finding a Way Forward. The full release can be found at 14 Bible Verses for When You Can t Understand God s Plan Psalm 147:5 Psalm 8:3-4 Job 38:35-36 Isaiah 45:18 Luke 12:28 Isaiah 55:8-9 Deuteronomy 7:9 Psalm 48:14 Proverbs 3:5-6 Isaiah 40:28 Psalm 111:10 FAST SHRIMP DIP 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 T seafood cocktail sauce 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 4 oz. tiny cocktail shrimp; 1/2 tsp. garlic salt canned, fresh or frozen Drain and rinse shrimp well. Thoroughly mix cream cheese and mayonnaise until well blended. Mash or chop shrimp and add to cream cheese mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. Serve at room temperature. Makes two cups. Can be used for breads or crackers. Melinda Howells, McConnellsburg United Methodist Church Cookbook ZESTY MEATBALLS 1 cup ketchup 1 cup apple jelly 1 cup tomato sauce 5 lbs. frozen meatballs 1 cup grape juice Combine all ingredients except meatballs in a slow cooker; mix well. Cover and cook on low setting for one hour, stirring occasionally until ingredients are well blended. Add meatballs; cover and cook on low setting for 4 or 5 hours. Pam Ott, McConnellsburg United Methodist Church Cookbook 10